Kaieteur News

Jagdeo’s revelations K NEWS on depletion policy unbelievable and troubling- Ram AIETEUR

Monday Edition January 04, 2021 - Vol. 14 No.01

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Govt. to make local content

reports public Two dead, a third Underage girl abandons hospitalised after baby after giving birth Corriverton smash-up - Visitors rescue crying child an hour later Public Infrastructure Ministry overpaid millions for asphalt due to poor record keeping- audit report No residency records for Teachers’ apartment Region Four Govt. living broken into twice in quarters- AG report 2019 three months - Ministries to refund losses by tomorrow

AG recommends police probe, charges for over $170M spent on lawyers - Special

by APNU+AFC Govt. audit report Listen to the Glenn Lall Show at 7:20pm, to hear how Guyana is losing billions of US$ on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM.

Kaieteur News

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Monday January 04, 2021

Govt to make local content Jagdeo’s revelations reports public - VP Jagdeo on depletion policy Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said that during the process of broad national consultation to be had for Guyana’s local content policy and legislation, the government is set to publish the local content reports prepared by the local content advisory panel.

He made these comments during a December edition of the K a i e t e u r R a d i o s h o w, ‘Guyana’s Oil & You’ hosted

by Senior Journalist, Kiana Wilburg.

The panel members comprise President of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) Shyam Nokta; former Foreign Minister, Carl Greenidge; Trinidadian local content expert, Anthony Paul; former Trinidad energy minister, Kevin Ramnarine; trade unionist, Carvil Duncan, and accountant, Floyd Haynes.

They were expected to review all existing initiatives and policies where local content is concerned and guide the development of a new policy and legislation.

They were also required to conduct consultations with key interest groups and stakeholders, including from the private sector, government and civil society. The first report was submitted late November, 2020.

Dr. Jagdeo said that government told the panel that its report was lengthy, so they were instructed to reduce it to about 30 pages.

This would serve the purpose

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

of culling duplicate recommendations made by different sectors. “…the banking sector made proposals, the m a n u f a c t u r i n g s e c t o r, agricultural, all of the sectors spoke about local content a n d t h e y m a d e presentations,” The VP said, “so we are hoping that they can amalgamate all of the common comments into one document and then use that document for broader consultation.”

He added that once the document is completed, what the government intends to do is to make a release for consultation.

“We can release both the original document plus the summarised document to the public,” he explained, “and then the President himself would have a consultation with the public.”

The public consultation would be one of the final steps on the way to the formulation of a local content policy.

Vice President Jagdeo

said that the public’s views would inform the preparation of a negotiating brief to announce a policy, and to submit to lawyers to prepare legislation for tabling in the national assembly.

The local content policy currently in place was drafted under the former D a v i d G r a n g e r administration but was controversial, mainly due to the consultant hired to prepare it.

It was finalized by UK consultant, Dr. Michael Warner. He had been hired

by Exxon to work on its Center for Local Business Development.

Wa r n e r i s t h e U K consultant that APNU+AFC used to replace Trinidadian local content expert, Anthony Paul, who had worked on earlier drafts of the policy.

Paul has been retained by the Irfaan Ali administration to assist with the revision of the policy and the installation of legislation.

unbelievable and troubling - Ram “Unbelievable and troubling” — that is how chartered accountant and attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram has chosen to describe the recent announcement by Vice President, Dr. Bharrat J a g d e o o f G u y a n a ’s depletion policy for petroleum extraction in the millions and millions of acres being operated by Exxon’s offshore subsidiary in the Stabroek Block.

According to Ram, the policy announced by Mr. Jagdeo amounts to no policy – just explore and extract as much as possible within the shortest possible time. He is of the view that this announcement, which was made during a radio interview, outside of a more formal announcement which such an issue warrants, must be music to the ears of ExxonMobil which sees Guyana as its redeeming cash cow.

Ram said that prior to the 2020 elections, he had reason to believe that a PPP/C Government would take a stand on the egregious and in some parts unlawful Petroleum Agreement signed by former Minister Raphael Trotman one full year after a world class discovery offshore Guyana.

He now thinks that on an objective assessment, the PPP/C appears to have decided to leave matters well alone and worse, giving ExxonMobil even more than it has asked for, such as the rushed Payara production licence with no meaningful conditions attached, the kid gloves treatment of Exxon over its flaring, and the removal of the highly qualified Dr. Vincent Adams, who was becoming a thorn in

back in the Government, that the Model Petroleum Agreement was made more attractive than the 1999 Agreement to Exxon granted by the late President Mrs. Janet Jagan. Mr. Trotman then exploited and abused this relaxation to the hilt – all in Exxon’s favour.

Christopher Ram Exxon’s flesh, from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Noting that it might be purely coincidental, Ram drew attention to 17 notices by the Maritime Administration Department of the Government in yesterday’s newspapers, only some of which include the area size of the operations. These notices advise mariners of continuing Deep Water Development operations in Liza Field within the Stabroek and the Canje Block, to run for the whole of 2021.

Further to this, Ram noted that Article 5 of the E x x o n ’s P e t r o l e u m Agreement provides for relinquishment of part of the area after the end of the first renewal period and the signal to Exxon of the unrestricted exploration and extraction policy can have on the effect of forestalling any meaningful relinquishment

by Exxon when the time for such relinquishment comes around. The accountant who also holds a post-graduate degree in Oil and Gas notes, that while it was under then Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud, who is now

Ram said that while Jagdeo is an economist by training, many energy economists will have fundamental disagreement with the logic and rationale for the absence of any depletion policy. While fossil fuel use is coming under increasing pressure, coal will go long before petroleum and that there is no economic logic for running down our premium quality petroleum resources.

Ram also pointed out that the newly announced policy will de-optimise local content and gave the example of Omai Gold Mines Limited which took around five years to achieve its local content targets within a mandatory agreement involving a comparably miniscule geographical area and activity.

Ram said that the PPP/C may not have paid enough attention to oil and gas between 2015 and 2020 and suggested that the Government now reflect on the need for a comprehensive Petroleum Policy having regard to Article 149 J of the Constitution, the limitations of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act and regulations, local content, the economy’s absorptive capacity, Dutch Disease, resource curse in general and the urgent need for a petroleum regulatory body, among other things.

Kaieteur News

Monday January 04, 2021

Special audit report…

PAGE 03

AG recomomends police

probe, charges for over $170M

spent on lawyers by APNU+AFC Govt.

Auditor General, (AG) Deodat Sharma has recommended a police probe and charges where necessary for breach of the procurement procedures by officers attached to the Attorney General‘s Chambers for over $170 M in retainer ( legal fee ) agreements signed under the previous A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government.

The recommendations follow a special audit of the retainer agreements which was requested by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall.

According to the report by the Audit Office, the inspection covered the period May 2015 to 31 August 2020 and focused on all transactions related to legal fees paid to 26 local and foreign attorneys-atlaw/law firms/agency under t h e A P N U + A F C administration.

The auditors examined records pertinent to the audit, which included Tender Board minutes and approvals, payment vouchers, contracts, and its supporting documents for retaining lawyers for a number of cases including the No Confidence Vote cases brought by the previous government and

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall. the matters filed to challenge the outcome of the March 2020 elections.

In a detailed compilation of the matters, the auditors noted that the Ministry of Legal Affairs (MOLA) in its contract registers for the period May 2015 to August 2020 had 71 contracts which were awarded to 26 attorneys-at-law/law firms/agency totaling $170.828M. According to the report, t h e M O L A’s c u r r e n t appropriation accounts for the years 2015 to August 2020, amounts totalling $112.200M which was expended on employment cost under the State Solicitor, whilst amounts totalling $166.474M were expended as retainer agreement for 22 attorneys-

at-law/law firms.

The document specified that State Solicitor is responsible for filing all pleadings in action instituted by the State and against the State. Additionally, it was pointed out that based on the documents examined, there was no evidence to conclude that these contracts were publicly advertised, which is in breach of Sections 25. (1) And 10(1) of the Procurement Act of 2003.

The Procurement Act 2003 states that “Subject to subsection (2), public tendering is mandatory. For such tendering an invitation to tender or to prequalify, as applicable, is mandatory” and “the procuring entity shall maintain a record of the procurement proceedings including the means used to solicit suppliers or contractors and a record of any such advertisements”.

Further, the audit report stated that direct contracting/single source method was used to award these contracts. “…The guide to the Public Procurement Procedures, states that where contracts are to be awarded regularly, or are to be renewed within a specified period of time, the contract value is established on the basis of the actual aggregate cost of similar contracts or

Auditor General: Deodat Sharma. services awarded over the previous twelve months or financial year, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in the value or quantity,” the report added. It was also observed that cases where the attorney/firm would have represented the MOLA at more than one Court hearings, approval was sought from Ministerial

Tender Board (MTB) and later on National Procurement and Tender Administration Board NPTAB for the additional hearing and vice versa.

Added to this, during the period under review, it was observed by the auditors that withholding tax was deducted for contracts exceeding $500,000. The rate for withholding tax was charged at two percent for companies who are housed locally and 15 percent for companies who operated out

of the Country. Audit scrutiny revealed amounts totalling only $10.536M were paid to GRA in respect of the 71 contracts that were awarded.As a result, the Audit Office recommended that the MOLA appropriate disciplinary action for any culpable Officer(s); an in depth probe by the Guyana Police Force followed by the charges where necessary; and full compliance with the Procurement Act 2003 with respect of awarding of contracts.

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Monday January 04, 2021

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL - Tel: 624-6456 Editor: SHARMAIN GRAINGER Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

2021 Last year was supposed to be transformational one for several reasons, not the least of which would have been our first revenues from our newly established oil and gas sector. The year 2020 had all the potential of glamour and goodness, the twentieth year of the twenty-first century, a name analogous to absolute clarity of vision.

Division is what we got instead, one fomented as has happened in the past within the post-election period although the aftermath of the March 2 elections was by any measure unprecedented and historical wherein the essential attempt at hijacking the democratic process was not done, as it was in the 1970s, by soldiers in the relative secrecy of a tiny third world state, but by lawyers and politicians, with the complicity of course of persons within the electoral machinery, and in full glare of global focus on the world’s newest emerging oil and gas economy. The repercussions of what took place, even if it failed, will echo across this society for decades having tainted, once again, one half of our zero sum political dichotomy with the brush of intrinsic despotic intent.

There is no way that in five years any machinery associated with the David Granger administration of 2020 is going to earn the trust of the majority of the voting public after that obscene coup attempt that its leader, still delusional and impotently attempting to be deceptive, in his New Year’s message called a ‘fortification of democracy’.

That weak attempt at doublespeak notwithstanding, therein lies the greatest initial challenge of 2021 – the actual fortification of democracy in Guyana in the wake of the most rabid assault on it since the height of the Burnham regime. This year has to begin with a commitment to reform the Guyana Elections Commission and cleanse the detritus of last year’s indecency from it. Clairmont Mingo, for example, should have nothing to do with the electoral process, and as he is being afforded due process in the elections fraud case. The same has to apply to CEO Keith Lowenfield with the jury still out, so to speak, on Deputy CEO Roxane Meyers. In brief, GECOM cannot carry over its abject failure of 2020, holding its own Secretariat accountable, into 2021, particularly the holding of the constitutionally due local government elections.

Of course, any legitimate claim regarding the ‘fortification of democracy’ cannot be considered effective or genuine without a concurrent sustained effort to set this country on the path to ethnic reconciliation. The Ethnic Relations Commission continues to be moribund in this regard, despite its constitutional mandate to take leadership in this area, although what seems to be coalescing in this newspaper’s letter and column pages is a sometimes harsh, combative but necessary discourse on the contours of our ethnic division. Unless we develop and extend this momentum, we will continue to fail to establish and maintain a truly cohesive state, a true republican democracy governed in the interest of all our people. Without good governance for all, there will never be development for the majority. Our laws will continue to be unevenly applied and enforced and our justice system will continue to be subpar, despite the most valiant efforts of the best and brightest (Madame Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, for example) within our judiciary.

And, finally, there is no area in which our failure to evolve (and to innovate) our governance systems will be more viscerally impactful than in our economic development. The harsh reality is that unless something truly transformational happens in this society with regard to democratic systems, social reconciliation and governance, the majority of the citizens of this country will continue to live in abject poverty – indeed, the likelihood is that that poverty is going to substantial increase with a widening economic gap between a tiny clique of ultra-rich and a vast mob of persons ironically impoverished by their country’s newfound wealth. This new year offers far more challenges – against the backdrop of the great pandemic – than it offers opportunities, but there is nothing that we as a people cannot overcome with the requisite will to do and be better.

Is another Skeldon in the making at Wales?

DEAR EDITOR, I read with trepidation and fear of your report of Bharrat Jagdeo’s announcement that Wales Estate will be converted into an onshore base for gas and oil — shore to base gas line (Jan 1). That could be a disaster in the making in a magnitude many times greater than Skeldon.

Wales is not suitable for an oil and gas industry base as the soil is not appropriate for major factories or pipelines. It poses safety and environmental issues. There is potential for major fires from gas lines that could be cut off by vessels. The environmental impact of such a project is enormous.

Wales is too far in the river from the shore for a base that would be efficient for movement of goods and equipment to and from offshore production oil sites.

And it poses great risks to life in the area. Such a base would also disrupt activities from the coastline on both sides of the banks up the river way past Wales. It will destroy flora and fauna in the area. A shore base or gas and power generating should be stationed away from high density population centers.

One recalls that Jagdeo went hurriedly into transforming Skeldon that cost the country in excess of

US$145M. It is well known that several men fronting for political directors became wealthy overnight. That factory is now a white elephant and we are still paying the bills for it. The last government cannibalized it and hundreds of millions of dollars in equipment disappeared. The costs associated with that factory would never be recovered.

The talk is government plans to give it to Dubai that has no interest in producing sugar.

So sugar workers will once again be left in the cold as happened when the factory was built.

Wales will cost in excess of US$600M to be transformed into a shore base.

That would be a huge debt that would take decades to be repaid. And it may turn out to be another White elephant.

Several politically individuals would be enriched off the huge debt just like in Skeldon.

The construction and operation phase would disrupt traffic in the area affecting other economic activities. The proposed overhead bridge would impact on economic life and movement near the Demerara Harbour Bridge. Ships could run into the base of the overhead bridge – a serious threat to the new overhead bridge expected in three years.

Increased ship traffic poses serious risks of major accidents. Vessel would pass under the new Demerara bridge construction and both projects would compete for vessel space as construction commences in a year affecting other sectors of the economy, such as the fishing, mining, forestry, and bauxite industries.

Building a shore to gas base in Wales would add to the traffic congestion in the river and in the small village.

The fishing industry would be severely affected. If there were any spillage or fire in the area, then the fishing industry would be devastated; closed down. Also increased movement of marine traffic pose a threat to the submersed communication cable line (phone, internet, etc.) and power line under the river. West Demerara and Georgetown are connected by the power grid. On several occasions, the power line was severed by ships resulting in perennial blackouts. The telecom cable was also cut several times over the last couple of decades. Increased traffic at Wales would lead to routine cut of the cable and disruption of telecom service for people on the West Bank all the way to Parika and beyond.

Soil experts tell me that

Demerara River is a fault line in the earth’s crust – the latching layers of soil and rocks on both sides of the river are significantly different. The clay is of different quality on both sides of the river. It is very unstable to pass gas line in such soil condition. The soil is very weak, unsuitable for heavy construction for a heavy project of a gas base nature.

The weakness of the soil is well observed in the construction of the GPL station at Vreed-en-Hoop.

The power station suffered significant cost overruns in foundation works.

The PPP promised in its manifesto to re-open the four closed sugar estates. Three were re-opened. Wales Estate is yet to re-open. The factory was cannibalized by the preceding regime and rendered inoperable; equipment was plundered.

The government has decided it would return to sugar production at Wales because to produce sugar, the estate would have to start from scratch. Some other form of economic activity is needed to create employment and economic activities. This hair brained idea of a shore base is ill-conceived. It is a bad idea. It will not create employment for the people of (Continued on page 6)

My take on the President’s New Year’s address DEAR EDITOR, It was a night when all the signs favoured a listening Guyanese nation; I say so even though I didn’t share in the grand moment. Guyanese received a message from their president, in which he was part meteorologist, economist, religious analyst, cheerleader in chief, part-time Chinese philosopher, and historian. And as I read His Excellency, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s New Year’s message, I congratulate him for being on the right track and singing the right tunes. Everything aligned smoothly: From the goat’s entrails to the waiting sacrificial white fowls to the red lavender -the stars and spirits speak well.

His Excellency struck some good notes, some better than some, none bad. I cherry-pick a few: COVID-19 Phase II (who can argue with that, and please don’t forget the audit of cash, especially, now that the AG has found footing); working to heal a divided country (more than necessary, actually mandatory and nonnegotiably so); insisting all

should benefit from progress (wishful thinking sir! And I am thinking of filing copyright infringement suit on the use of ‘all Guyanese’ repeatedly).

If his speech has to be compared to a musical equivalent, then I nominate Franz Schubert Symphony No. 8 in B Minor. It is not called Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony for the sake of a lark. And like the Austrian master composer, our own Guyanese head of state has ways to go on some of the scores he identified in his text.

Now it is time for me to be both respectfully frank and unflinchingly realistic with President Ali. By this time next year, the president will confirm his arrival at one of two places. The first is that he has or is well on his way to delivering tangibly on most counts specified in his speech. Remember this one: the strength of the drink is the liquor, and the strength of the liquor is the mixer. The only way His Excellency delivers is by fulfilling well (no absolutes) on his promises. If he doesn’t then he will confirm the second position

in the minds of most, including some of his supporters: it is that he is a disappointment, not the real McCoy, but a pretender of a leader heading quickly for the welcome of outer darkness.

Or as I prefer to put in kindlier fashion: he has a solid speechwriter in the stable; speechwriting, however, only goes so far in this ruptured, hateful society. Remember also: this is not in any manner to be construed as judgment at this early hour; all I am doing is merely laying out the territory.

I give him this one: race relations in Guyana is a longhaul proposition. Yet if I detect that the president has made a sincere start through initiating the first hard step(s), which he himself quoted from Lao Tzu, then I would do more than applaud; I would support also. But only if the genuine is in the works.

I remind the president and his people that last year I gave President Ali, the benefit of the doubt, though I recognize that what he presented from August 2020 were more of canned scripts unfulfilled in glaring spots. In my book, he

has succeeded in being a hedger.

Examine his speeches carefully, where the words are in place and largely soothing, then reconcile them with delivery and he has failed.

Because of his only fivemonth presidential role, which I agree is way too short, His Excellency is due another go at the grand prize, which I keep hammering away at is this: delivery! Delivery!

Delivery.

Thus, Guyana presents him with a new slate and the vast opportunities embedded in this second chance to make good. I hope he does, not so much for his record; but for the sake of all Guyanese who cannot absorb another conspirator against their interests or another d i s a p p o i n t m e n t disadvantaging their future.

In other words, I humbly caution President Ali: it is better to leave those things alone that are known beforehand will not be touched, because they will compete with the visions of his own people, including financiers.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Monday January 04, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Adding to the GuySuCo top heavy management debate DEAR EDITOR, Reference is made to EB John’s letter “Keeping the Sugar Industry Functioning” (Jan 1). I am in agreement but we disagree on presence of corruption and top heavy management. Mr. John has taken my contention of corruption at GuySuCo out of context. By no means do I claim that all managers or workers were corrupt. But there is history of corruption at GuySuCo. John takes offense of claims of corruption at GuySuCo and the charge of it being heavy “in management”.

I can understand how he feels about management being accused of mismanagement and corruption.

After all, he served in management for decades at a time when the industry was in a downturn. Who wouldn’t want to defend his ma n a g e m e n t record?

Wasn’t Mr. John brought back to GuySuCo from retirement after the coalition came to power?

He was in his 80s at the time.

And was the salary and perks about a million a month? And wasn’t Clive Thomas also close to his 80s being put high in the management structure of GuySuCo at a salary and perks close to a million a month? And wasn’t a host

of directors and advisors (dozens of them) being paid with perks close to a million a month? Some of them lived in Georgia, Florida, Brooklyn and urban areas in Guyana, some retirees of the security forces who never ever set foot on a cane field or know what cane looks like.

Were they experts or specialists in cane cultivation and harvesting? So is it unfair to conclude that GuySuCo expenses were heavy towards management? The workers did the back breaking work. Workers made sure the land was cultivated and sugar was produced.

The workers’ salary was about $50K monthly on average, five percent of what the big guys were getting.

Was that all their labour was worth? Did they get fair compensation compared to the big guys sitting in AC offices?

I salute Mr. John for his position opposing the closure of the four sugar estates.

One cannot measure the estates in dollar profits. He outlined the amount of services provided by GuySuCo that increased the cost of production of a p o u n d o f s u g a r. I f government were to absorb

Freddie Kissoon’s inaccuracy DEAR EDITOR, The consistent diet of inaccuracies and erroneous and even malicious information in Freddie Kissoon’s daily column, in Kaieteur News, has motivated the penning of the suggestion, to follow. May I, however, preface my suggestion by reminding your readership that I have personally, in Letters to the Editor, highlighted numerous instances of Freddie’s irresponsible journalism. He has never challenged my evidence of his crass misrepresentations.

However, he continues these acts and as recent as December 31, 2020 wrote: “Of all the people that attended that meeting, one is still in the news – Vincent Alexander”.

Apparently, he wishes me not to be in the news.

In the column of December 31, he was referring to a meeting, supposedly, convened by the then Leader of the PNC. During the period to which he was referring, 1979 to 1985, I was a student

in Moscow, yet Freddie, for reasons best known to himself, seeks to convey to the public that I was present in Georgetown, Guyana at some top-level meeting, at that time.

I am therefore suggesting that the media houses and publishers be mandated to conduct a fact-check before publishing columns that are intended to share information and shape public opinion.

This tool is employed in the administration of the American Presidential debates. There is too much evidence of this malfeasance in publications, like Freddie’s, for the matter not to attract attention at the level of public policy, since it is of public interest.

Yours truly, Vincent Alexander

these costs, then cost of sugar production would drop to less than ten cents.

We are both on the same page on saving sugar – the cost is worth it but costs can be trimmed.

We disagree on corruption. He feels there was no corruption. It means John did not have his pulse on the workers in the fields and lower level staff in management. It is either he is naïve or does not want to deal with reality.

There are countless cases of corruption, not over the last five months, but after nationalization in 1976.

Doesn’t John know that sugar workers were used to build private homes of a few managers on the East C o a s t ? A n d d i d n ’t t h e materials for those houses come from GuySuCo? And how about Leonora and Uitvlugt Estates – where managers abused privileges and perks treating guest houses and halls as their personal property to entertain outside girlfriends or host private parties. Several managers ran the sugar estates as their personal fiefdom during Burnhamism.

There was one case in a rainy season where the manager hosted a wedding for his daughter at Leonora. The dam was muddy; he ordered workers to spread dozens of bags of manure on the dam to make it passable for guests driving or walking to the reception building.

I take it that John didn’t know about that abuse. In another case, one manager

billed the estate for digging a trench and when no trench was found after investigation, he billed the estate again for filling up the trench.

I don’t wish to speak ill of the dead. Mr. Downes owned a farm in Parika.

Drivers told me a lot of fertilizer and equipment was sent from the estates to Parika. Also, the managers treated the workers worse than the white man who they replaced.

In fact, workers I interviewed said they preferred the colonial white man as managers. In some cases during Burnham time, the conditions were so bad that workers felt that indentureship and slavery must have been better.

There was a great deal of dishonesty prevailing in the i n d u s t r y, institutionalized from top to bottom.

I interview sugar workers and supervisors and board directors. They talk a great deal about the goings on of the industry.

Rumours of theft. Workers were put on payroll but they hardly ever went to the field.

There were/are cell phone supervisors who would call workers to find out if everything was ok, hardly visiting the field site.

Thus, there was hardly an accurate evaluation of cultivation and harvesting.

Workers told me they stole fertilizer or threw fertilizer in the canal rather than on the root of cane to expedite task completion. There were cases of workers

cutting their foot or hand or feigning job related injury to collect NIS compensation.

But the biggest scams took place during the coalition - $19Billion (?) in loans through NICIL disappeared. It can’t be accounted for.

There was hardly any capital expenditure in estates. In addition, billions in dollars of equipment and spare parts, disappeared.

Hundreds of tractors, draglines, hymacks, bobcats, etc., went missing. Also, equipment and land was sold or granted at rock bottom prices. Is that not corruption?

There were enormous perks at Guysuco during the coalition. NICIL made a kitchen at LBI that provided four meals daily for management – they ate morning, noon, afternoon, and night. Even when four estates were closed, the kitchen remained active preparing meals for the boys. Has John forgotten about it when he went to meetings. I do not know if CEO Sase Singh closed down the kitchen.

Workers complain that John did not champion the interests of sugar workers when he was in management under Burnham. He did not oppose the tax levy on sugar profits – that was used to fund the national government. Wasn’t Mr. John close to Burnham and Green?

Those politicians didn’t care about sugar and didn’t do much to sustain the industry. Wasn’t John in

management when the industry began to collapse because of heavy management – payroll being padded with hundreds of unproductive workers in offices?

In spite of our difference on a bloated management and elements of corruption, John gives enough reasons why the sugar industry must continue. I support this laudable position.

Sugar can succeed if it has good management in the estates with experience.

The estates need managers who care about the lives of sugar workers and the communities that surround those estates.

There are only a handful of people with experience in sugar and with the energy and who truly care about sugar workers. Management must tap into their skills and experience and their compassion for workers.

Vishnu Panday is one of them. It won’t surprise me if he has more experience in sugar than the entire board combined.

Regrettably, he has tendered his resignation.

What a loss of a man of integrity? GuySuCo must persuade him to stay.

As I pen repeatedly, workers deserve higher compensation. I am also of the view that sugar workers should be given land (say 15 acres each) to grow cane and the state manages the factories for grinding. Such a policy would motivate workers to be highly productive.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

...Is another Skeldon in the making at Wales?

From page 4 the area as they lack skills in the technical aspects of construction and operation of a shore base. Instead of a shore base, government can give land to the former estate workers to grow cash crops.

Wales is not anyone’s personal land.

The government should give the land to the workers much more than those designated to

some of it. The land must be distributed to the people of the area who worked at Wales.

A plan could be developed to guide them into farming and other economic activities. Let them develop the land into appropriate cash crop farming.

These private farmers will help to provide the growing demand for food. Government

can provide them grants and or soft loans to get started and offer subsidies for cultivation over a fixed period of time especially if they are affected by natural calamities.

It would cost the government just a small amount of money, not even one hundredths of the cost of a shore base. And the private farmers would be far more productive than a shore base.

Any shore base should be constructed closer to the coast – East Coast, West Coast, Essequibo Coast, Berbice Coast, not on the banks of rivers with human habitat and a rich flora and fauna.

I urge the government to rethink this idea of a shore to base gas industry at Wales.

Yours truly, Hema Lokenauth

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Monday January 04, 2021

Kaieteur News

Hope for 2021 after a challenging 2020 DEAR EDITOR, For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 21st year in the 21st century will be even more interesting than 2020, the year of perfect vision.

This year was a challenging year for Guyana with 6332 cases of COVID-19 and 164 deaths, Guyana has been transformed by the COVID-19 crisis.

The border closure and shutdown of non-essential activities have decrease GDP from an expected growth of 86 percent to 26.2 percent. It appears that a new economic order is materializing with over US$18 trillion debt at negative interest and central

banks at negative interest rate and near zero interest rate.

Guyana interest rate is 5.0 percent, according to the Bank of Guyana Interest rate and money creation are the tools used to manage the economy. Since global debt is at US$277 trillion (over 322 percent of global GDP), money creation will have little effect. Gross domestic product = Money supply x money velocity. Increasing money velocity has been futile because of the fear of job loss, and tough economic times triggered by COVID-19.

The most effective vehicle to increase money velocity is employment creation and small businesses. Big businesses are usually subsidiaries of foreign company. Most of the foreign

exchange earned eventually leaves the country. Small businesses are local owned and therefore the muchneeded foreign exchange will stay at home.

According to the Bank of international settlement, as a digital liability of the central bank, wholesale CBDCs could become a new instrument for settlement between financial institutions, while retail (or general purpose) CBDCs would be a central bank liability accessible to all. There is also work on policy design f r a m e w o r k s (Davoodalhosseini and Rivadeneyra (2020), Agur et al (2019), Allen et al (2020)), their implications for crosscountry payments (Milkau (2019)), implications for the

The path to cooperation DEAR EDITOR, His Excellency’s New Year’s Address to the Nation to usher in the New Year is a great start to rebuilding the spirit of cooperation within our Nation.

Under his leadership the PPP/C has shown thus

far its renewed commitment to the rule of law, freedom of speech and governing for the benefit of all of our people.

As long as the PPP/C continues along this path and allows for an independent perspective they will also find

an outstretched hand from CRG to aid in achieving our collective goals for Our Nation.

Best regards, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

international role of currencies (Ferrari et al (2020) and legal aspects of their issuance (Hess (2020), Duque (2020), Nabilou (2020), Belke and Beretta (2019)).

The US dollar standard started in August 1971 when US President Nixon took the US dollar off the Gold standard; it will be 50 years old. The IMF and the World Economic Forum has called for a new Bretton woods or a reset. This will happen within the next 10 years because the present system is no longer sustainable. Interest rate near zero because of huge debt.

There is no way for interest rate to normalize to around 10 percent without crashing the

economic system. The United States with the World reserve currency and view by many as the world strongest economy tried to raise interest rate to 2.5 percent in December 2018 and the stock market crashed. They had to take interest rate to near zero - 0.25 percent. It is my view that the end game of the COVID-19 crisis is the central bank digital currency which will likely be backed by contracts. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) mandates that banks open digital wallet in January 2021 for all its customers to receive stimulus money, in the US. “Close scrutiny will show

that most ‘crisis situations’ are opportunities to either advance or stay where you are.” – Maxwell Maltz. Things will never get back to the old normal. We call the present situation due to COVID-19 the new normal. I am optimistic because I surmise that human being will inevitably move to freedom and prosperity, no matter how long it takes. The end of Feudalism, slavery and tyrannical government supports that hypothesis.

History illustrates the inexorability of human property. Happy new year – 2021.

Yours truly, Brian Ellis Plummer

An insider’s perspective on corruption in prison DEAR EDITOR, Prison is a business, at Lusignan Prison which is located at Lusignan on the East Coast of Demerara after the golf course is a person’s worse nightmare.

It has a pig farm, vegetable farm, isolation section which criminals referred to as the ‘kitchen cat section’ also known as soft jail, and finally the holding bays one, two, three and four also known as ‘Jurassic World’ where any and everything is possible.

Many times I have seen prisoners being moved from my section to Jurassic World and they would return two to three days later wounded and slim like if they went through some battle that caused them to suffer tremendously.

You can get any and everything in prison, from marijuana to cigarettes to knives to cutlasses to alcohol to cell phones for the right price.

It cost $2,500 to smuggle a pack of cigarettes, $11,000 for a normal cellphone, a smart phone will cost more.

There is a price for everything, a kitchen staff who is a prisoner smuggled four pounds of marijuana into the prison with the help of an officer through a process called pouching.

If a prisoner’s cellphone is seized he must pay to get it back, if a prisoner wants to make a call from a prisoner’s cellphone he will call his family and ask them to call back, he will have his family send $500 credit to that number in some cases as much as $1,000. Many

prisoners are bullied and threaten to do this. In some cases they are threaten to call their families to pay money to the TUC shop in a certain name.

Countless prisoners have weapons which they walk around with even in front of officers, I remember one prisoner boldly saying that he got permission from the OC to have the weapon on him at all times, it must be true since no officer even said anything to him about it.

Enough credit can guarantee the purchase of a joint to smoke which is neatly packaged in a tiny zip lock bag. Each night a large percentage of the prisoners in my section would smoke marijuana, I have seen prisoners smoke it in the presence of the officers with no repercussion.

One can barter in prison, a 1.5 litre bottle of tropical mist water can be traded for one cigarette, and a 2 litre soda can be traded for a joint.

Many prison officers are involved in the sale of marijuana and the smuggling of items in the prison.

I have seen prison officers passing marijuana to the high-ranking prisoners, there is a hierarchy among them which the officers are aware of.

This corruption occurs mainly below the senior rank.

The officers treat prisoners like animals, they are more concern about the business of making money rather than maintaining order.

The smuggling starts from the TUC shop with the officers there and the

prisoners who wear blue uniform who work to reduce their sentence.

From there, the items depending on what it is moves to the kitchen staff who are prisoners to the prisoners who it is intended for, there is a cost attached obviously, in most cases one joint.

The other aspect of business in the prison is the stealing of meat, food is cooked with little or no meat for the prisoners, on several occasions split peas cook was cooked, each prisoner was given one cup of rice, nine out of ten prisoners got no meat and the one that received a piece, the dimensions were 0.25 inch by 0.25 inch.

Due to the hierarchy in the prison, food is not distributed in an equitable way, there are prisoners who would get as much as four times more food and meat than others.

This seems to be the acceptable norm. I was informed that the reason for the shortage in meat and cheese spread is because the Wardens aka officers take the best for themselves and their families, then the kitchen staff who are the prisoners would take for themselves and a quantity to trade for marijuana and prisoners get what remains.

The saying among prison officers is that: “THIS IS PRISON, YOU WILL TEK WHAT WE GIVE YOU OR DO WITHOUT”.

This is only the tip of the iceberg.

An Insider

Monday January 04, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Monday January 04, 2021

Teachers’ apartment broken into twice in three months - Ministries to refund losses by tomorrow

T

wo teachers who work in Port Kaituma, Region One are now counting their losses for the second time after the apartment they are stay in, was broken into while they were away during the Christmas holiday.

After one of the teachers made a Facebook post about the incident, the respective ministers and officials have since made direct contact with the teachers and assured them that their losses will be

refunded by Tuesday and that measures will be put in place to better secure the building.

The teachers, Leon Bailey Beaton and Lochanie Dhanrajh told Kaieteur News that their losses from the most recent incident totaled $200,000.

According to a social media post by Beaton, “Three months ago, my government quarters that I am staying in, was broken into.

All of my working

clothes, school stationery and my electrical appliances (that I bought with my own money in the five years that I am here) were stolen.

The estimated loss was $450,000.”This publication was told that the previous incident happened on October 19, 2020, at Fitzburg, Port Kaituma, Region One. The items that were stolen are, electrical appliances, an electronic tablet, clothes, stationery,

holy books, books with notes from classes at the University of Guyana (UG), foodstuff, detergents, sheets, blankets, towels and cosmetics.

In Beaton’s post he also shared that after that incident he used his savings and replaced some of the items that were stolen and that the Department of Education in Region One, also assisted.

After the first incident, Beaton shared that they w r o te a letter to th e

Department, asking them to secure the teachers’ quarters.

H o w e v e r, t h e D e p u t y Education Officer (DEO) responded and said that it would be budgeted for but no work was ever done.

According to the teachers, on September 10, 2020, an initial attempt was

The wire mesh that was open to enter and the door that was destroyed to exit the apartment.

made to break into their apartment but the person/persons were unsuccessful.

After that attempt was made, they alerted the relevant authorities via letters hoping that they would install iron grills on (Continued on page 14)

Monday January 04, 2021

Kaieteur News

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CONFUSION LIES AHEAD G

uyana has announced a 20person team to coordinate the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. But in typical fashion, the government remains tightlipped about the names of the persons who are to be involved.

The abject lack of transparency has characterized the PPP/C’s campaign to mitigate the spread of the virus and, now, to immunize the population.

It is a recipe for failure.

To date, we keep hearing about the daily number of positive cases – and no, do not be fooled by the decline in reported cases; this has to do with low testing and poor contact tracing. The virus is not going away anytime soon. No less an authority than the President made this clear in his most recent announcement to the nation.

We keep learning about the number of cases and yet it has to take a nongovernmental institution to provide a daily breakdown of the total number of daily new cases. There is no daily breakdown of the tests done per region so the respective regional positivity rate can be provided. The regional breakdown of active cases is also being concealed from the public.

A Regional Health Official of Region Six announced that at the start of the New Year, the Region was COVID-free, meaning that there were no reported active cases. Well, if she has those positivity rates, she would not have been so premature in her pronouncement. Because no

sooner had she spoken, her Region reported a positive case. And as we know where there is smoke, there is likely to be fire. But she cannot be blamed. She is working in a system which thrives on secrecy.

The PPP/C has been in office for five months and has shown no inclination to be more transparent than the APNU+AFC. Unless that changes, and changes soon, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout is going to be a national disaster.

It is almost certain that the government would have been monitoring the problems which has affected the vaccination process in the United Kingdom and the United States. These range from distribution issues, a lack of clarity as to how persons are going to be identified for vaccination, to malicious tampering with the vaccine.

The United States had been expected to administer some 20 million jabs by the end of December. They met only five percent of their target, administering only about one million as at December 31st. It has since increased this to around four million but this is a far cry from the total numbers which have to be vaccinated and so unless the numbers are ratcheted up faster than the infection rates, in the coming days, that country is going to face a most disastrous situation. It already has a staggering death rate with 350,000 dying so far and another 40,000 projected to die this month alone.

Deciding how to rollout

the vaccines is also presenting problems. There is ongoing debate between the politicians and the scientific experts in the United Kingdom. The politicians want to give the first dose to as many persons as possible so as to ensure some amount of immunity to as many persons as possible.

On the other hand there are persons who are saying that instead of trying to increase the number of persons who are inoculated and then asking them to wait another three months for the second dose, a half does can be given to as many persons as possible to achieve some level of immunity.

Guyana will not have that debate. What will happen in Guyana is what has happened in Florida where there have been long lines of the elderly waiting to be vaccinated.

The worst thing that can happen in Guyana would be for the Ministry of Health to be asking persons to line up for a vaccination for an infectious disease.

There are going to be problems and the government should be very clear as to just how it will distribute and administer the limited amount of vaccines it will be receiving under the COVAX facility.

It should also be telling the public which vaccines it will be sourcing. At present, India has given emergency authorization for vaccine for which information, including the results of phase three trials of its COVAXIN vaccine. The Opposition Congress Party is questioning the dispensing

Dem boys seh...

De Govt. mekkin people hard-of-hearing A group of scantily-clad young ladies turned up at de Ministry of Energy to find out more about de ‘faring’ which they said was taking place. They said they wanted to get a piece of de action.

They demanded local content in de ‘faring’.

De person who met dem was confused, “What ‘faring’ y’all taking about?” demand de official who met dem at de gate.

One of de young ladies stepped forward and said how she read in the Waterfall papers how de oil company ‘faring’.

“Not faring! Replied the man, “Flaring!”

But is suh when people feel plenty money deh about.

Dem does don’t listen properly.It remind dem boys about a story about two hard-of-hearing persons.

Two hard-of-hearing people were talking to each other and one was saying about how he loves his new hearing aids. “It’s high-tech state-of-the-art, it’s amazing I can hear everything.”

His other friend said, “Well that sounds good.

Maybe I should get one.

What kind is it?”

And he said, “It’s a quarter to six.”But sometimes it is a good thing to play that you are deaf. An

older man had serious hearing problems for many years. He went to de doctor and de doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids dat allowed him man to hear 100%.

De old man went back in a month to de doctor and de doctor said, “Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased dat you can hear again.”

The man replied, “Oh, I haven’t told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to their conversations. I’ve changed my Will three times!”

Talk half and listen more closely.

of protocols, including the assessment of phase three data for the COVAXIN vaccine which has been granted approval by India in what is widely seen as a hurried attempt to begin the mass immunization campaign in that country.

India has the consolation of a great deal of experience

in vaccination. It has begun a dry-run of the vaccination process.

Guyana does not have this sort of experience. The public is not even being told when the vaccines will arrive. And this lack of transparency adds to the fear that a chaotic process will result whenever the vaccine

gets here.

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

Kaieteur News

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Monday January 04, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Sigmund Freud was the most important signpost in Guyana in 2020 If you are not qualified in the humanities and the social sciences and not interested in Guyana’s politics and sociology, then I still maintain that once you live and work here and will be doing so for years to come that you read an excellent analysis of why the UK left the European Union by an equally fine British historian.

Titled “How Delusions About World War II Fed Brexit Mania” by Max H a s t i n g s (Bloomberg.com/opinion,” January 3, 2021), the article is a Freudian analysis of what lied deep inside the collective mind of the British people, particularly, the upper classes and it came to the surface with the Brexit campaign. When you digest that interpretation, then try to transport what Hastings said

about British people to the African Guyana middle class and sections of African Guyanese in general.

The rigging of the election for five consecutive months in 2020 revealed what has always been inside the mind of the Africandominated PNC, and African Guyanese – the government should always be in the hands of Black leadership.

This was Forbes Burnham’s expanding obsession. But Burnham went further.

The traditional African intellectual class and substantial amounts of AfroGuyanese believed in the binary of power – government for Blacks, business for Indians.

Burnham attempted with huge success to eradicate this binary.

He implemented prodigious controls of

Guyana’s resources severely weakening the private capitalist spheres which decapitated Portuguese Guyanese commerce and Indian businesses Halim Majeed, a former advisor to Burnham wrote a small book entitled, “Forbes Burnham: National Reconciliation and National Unity, 1984-1985,” in which he eulogized Burnham for Burnham’s overtures to Cheddi Jagan to form a national government in 1984. Majeed was either deliberately propagandistic or naïve or intellectually incapable of analyzing the essence of Burnham’s c h a r a c t e r. B y 1 9 8 4 , Burnham was too far gone in the direction of narcissism, monarchial status and maniacal obsessions to genuinely share power (see my review of Majeed’s book

in KN of December.9, 2005; “A foolish yet interesting little book. Conclusion – The Guyanese Pinocchio”) Out of power since 1992, the chance to reenact Burnham’s claim on Guyana came in 2015.

Not prepared to cede power and contest it again when election time came around, the African political and intellectual groupings decided that the configurations of Guyana that Burnham shaped in 1968 should be reclaimed – government for Blacks, capitalism for Indians.

But 2020 was not 1968.

2020 was not 1980. Those were past epochs long gone.

In trying to bring back the seventies and eighties, sections of African Guyanese population almost destroyed the entire territory.

Guyana was reduced to a literal joke in the eyes of the world. But it wasn’t light facetiousness. It was a dangerous circus.

I suggest you listen to the last programme of the year

of “Wake Up Guyana” on Kaieteur Radio played on the 31st in which I was the guest alongside three young journalists – Kemol King, Shikema Dey and Mikaila Prince. The last two spoke of the attacks on them outside of the GECOM Head office.

They were so frightened that they went back to their offices and cried. King said that 2020 was a rude awakening for him as to what Guyanese politicians were like. He singled out, Aubrey Norton. For all three of these young journalists, the year 2020 will be forever etched in their minds.

The more correct way of putting it is that 2020 will be permanently stamped on the walls of the minds of all of us. It will take tons of columns to assess 2020 because tons of depravities unheard of took place and not only in the eyes of Guyanese but in full view of the world.

Can the people who are 18 years old ever forget 2020 in their homeland? I doubt it

Frederick Kissoon very much. They were too young to recall anything similar as to what took place on that fateful day of Wednesday March 4 when Mingo began openly to rig the elections. But not only the young generation will forever remember 2020 but also the AFC leaders who have now been assigned to obscurity.

As they grow older and completely fade away, they will look back upon 2020 as their nemesis.

Finally, the youthful leaders in the PNC will grow older and will not have power in the foreseeable future.

When talking to their children in 2030 why the PNC doesn’t look likely to form the government, 2020 will come up. If they are honest with their children, they will tell them that 2020 was the year that the PNC stupidly and unnecessarily destroyed itself. As for the African people in general Guyana belongs to them and to all other race groups too.

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

Monday January 04, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Monday January 04, 2021

No residency records for Region Four - AG report Govt. living quarters 2019 For the occupation of government quarters, public servants are required to pay rent of 10 percent and 12 percent of their salary for unfurnished and furnished a c c o m m o d a t i o n respectively, except where entitlement to rent free government quarters had been previously approved, as a condition of service.

However, the Auditor General report 2019 stipulated that despite the regional administration in Region Four owning and controlling several government quarters, neither records nor documentation was submitted for audit examination pertaining to the year 2019.

The audit report explained that staff members occupying living quarters are entitled to rent free quarters if their official residence is outside of

Region Four.

“There is no other staff member who is entitled to a rent free living quarter and is paying a rent,” the document stated.

The audit office has therefore recommended that the Regional Administration submit an updated and comprehensive building inventory for the year under review for audit examination.

In response, the Head of Budget Agency indicated that the Regional Administration continues to collaborate with the relevant agencies with the view of identifying occupants of government quarters to bring them into compliance.

This is not the first time that issues over the occupation of government quarters were highlighted in the AG report. The problem dates back several years. In

2015, the Auditor General’s O ff i c e f o u n d t h a t 7 2 residential buildings were occupied by officers of the Region. The Regional administration was however not in receipt of rents from the occupants.

Additionally, regional officials could not say if any of the properties were furnished, neither could they verify who were eligible to live rent-free.

This issue had raised serious questions of accountability by senior officers in the Regions, and why under the watch of a Regional Executive Officer and a Deputy Regional Executive Officer such an issue was not known.

It is believed that this issue may have cheated the government’s purse of over $7M over that period on nonpayment.

In 2016, Auditor General

One of the buildings utilised by the Government to provide housing for State employees.

Deodat Sharma also found that out of 300 buildings owned by the Region Four Administration, 132 were occupied. However, only 26 of these occupants were actually paying rent. In his report, the Auditor General had noted that the squatting continues unabated.

Sharma flagged the issue in his 2017 report as well, detailing that over $1M in rent remained outstanding.

According to the report, the issue is of particular concern

with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.

The Ministry had a total of forty-two flats available for rental to public officers during that fiscal year.

According to the report from a perusal of the rental file, rental register and other supporting documents, the AG was able to determine that 37 flats were rented, five flats were vacant, and 14 were rent free.

In addition, it was noted that, as at December 2017,

the sum of $1.444 million was owed. This includes the sum of $669,000 for 2016 and $775,000 for 2017. It should be noted that some tenants have rents outstanding since January 2016.

“This contradicts Clause Tw o o f t h e i r r e n t a l agreement, which states that the tenant agrees to pay to the landlord in advance the monthly rental,” the Auditor General had reported in 2017.

Monday January 04, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Heavy rainfalls leave Charity inundated Several days of persistent and heavy rainfalls, have left the flood prone community of Charity inundated. Based on reports

A flooded out restaurant at Charity.

reaching Kaieteur News, several housing schemes within the community have been affected by flood waters. Charity is a main port

of entry on the Essequibo Coast, which links the coast to the Pomeroon, Moruca and even Venezuela.

Reports are that heavy

downpours, which started since Old Year’s Night, has already affected several residents. Persons who live within the Extension Schemes told Kaieteur News that when the drains and trenches overflowed, they were affected by flood waters.

In the primary commercial zone at Charity, several businesses were also affected by flood waters, and

were forced to close.

Kaieteur News also understands that the capacity of water to recede from the zone has been significantly reduced due to a buildup of garbage in the drainage trenches within the marketing area.

During the latter part of 2020, several efforts were made to have the drainage network in Charity desilted.

When contacted, the

Regional Democratic Council explained that they were conducting remedial works on the pump stationed in Charity. The administration pointed out that the sluice is still operational, but can only be opened during low tides.

Some communities that were also affected by flood waters, includes Suddie, Richmond and Maria’s Lodge.

PAGE 14

Kaieteur News

Monday January 04, 2021

Seven new COVID-19 infections recorded

The Ministry of Health yesterday announced seven new infections of the novel Coronavirus adding to the case toll that is now 6,358.

This was revealed in their daily dashboard update.

According to the dashboard, 5,899 persons

have recovered from the virus with 38,622 persons tested since March.

Further, it shows three persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit; nine in institutional isolation; 17 in institutional quarantine and an additional 283 persons in home isolation.

Teachers’ apartment broken...

From page 8 the windows but nothing was done.

Dhanrajh said that they left Port Kaituma on December 2, 2020, and r e t u r n e d o n S a t u r d a y.

Kaieteur News understands that when the teachers returned they noticed the wire mesh at the kitchen window was ripped open and a few louver windows were removed, and that the bedroom door which had two locks was also forcefully opened. Checks were then made and items were discovered missing to a total cost of $200,000.

As a result of the incidents being made public, Beaton said that; the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Amerindian and Hinterland

Education Development, Marti Desouza; Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) General Secretary, Coretta McDonald; Minister of Housing and Water and parliamentarian responsible for Region One, Collin Croal and Technical Facilitator to the Minister of Education, Melcita Bovell, all made direct contact with them.

Beaton stated that the Ministers and the other officials that contacted them give them all assurance that they would be refunded all their items that were lost by Tuesday; Dhanrajh added that they were offered to stay in a hotel until the repairs are completed on the apartment which is expected to take about a week. Both incidents were reported to the police and an investigation was launched.

Monday January 04, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Underage girl abandons baby -Visitors rescue crying after giving birth child an hour later An underage girl who is believed to be 14 or 15-yearsold reportedly abandoned her baby after giving birth on New Year’s day at a sawmill located in Kwebana Village, Moruca, Region One. About an hour later, Kaieteur News was told, a group of visitors to the village, heard the newborn’s cries and rescued the infant.

According to Kwebana’s Toshao, Tos Pierre, the baby was found abandoned around 10:00hrs on New Year’s morning.

He said some visitors from a nearby village had docked their boat at a landing located just where the sawmill was.

As they got out of the boat, he said, sounds of a crying baby caught the attention of a woman who was among the group. Pierre said the woman had told him that at first she taught that a mother and her baby were probably close by.

However, he continued, the place was lonely and no one was seen. The woman then decided to follow the cries and reportedly found the infant lying in the grass nearby.

“She picked up the infant and rushed to inform me,” said the Toshao.

Pierre said no time was wasted and the newborn was

taken to Kwebana Health Centre where the medical professionals took over.

“They did their checks and said that the infant was healthy” he added.

Relieved that the baby was fine and in good hands, they began to search for the mother. Not long after, Kwebana villagers found her in her parents’ home.

“She was in a bad state and bleeding too”, recalled Pierre.

The young mom was rescued as well and taken to the health centre where she was given the necessary treatment. Both she and the infant were later transferred to the Kumaka District Hospital.Kaieteur News understands that police have since launched an investigation.

Sources close to the investigation said that her parents were unaware that she was pregnant. The young lady was scared, they said, and kept it a secret. On New Year’s Day she was in pain and suspected that it was time to give birth.

She reportedly crept out of the house unknown to her parents and headed to sawmill where she gave birth.

The source also said, that she told them that after the child was born she became even more fearful about how her

parent’s will react and decided to abandon the infant.

T h e y o u n g m o t h e r, however, has not yet revealed the identity of the baby’s father. Villagers who spoke with this newspaper said that there are some suspicions regarding who he might be but they are not sure. They described the young lady as someone who might have been suffering from depression since she hardly ever spoke to anyone and always kept to herself.

Rescued baby born on New Year’s morning.

Kaieteur News

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Monday January 04, 2021

Despite significant delays in works, Public Infrastructure Ministry still extended contract time for Hunter Street project The Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MOPI) under the previous administration had on three separate occasions, extended the contract time for an $86M Hunter Street project, despite significant delays in works by the contractor.

These and other details were shared by the Auditor General in his report of 2019.

The report reminded that in relation to the Geometric Improvement - Hunter Street, Georgetown, a contract was signed on May 8, 2019, in the sum of $86.685M. The works comprised the construction of pedestrian sidewalk with concrete drains between Front Road and Daisy Street, and Water Lilly Street and Mandela Avenue on the eastern side of the carriageway, along with widening of road shoulders, full construction of concrete drains at the western side and asphalt concrete road surface finish.

As at December 31, 2019, the AG’s report states that amounts totalling $13.003M were paid to the contractor, which represented approximately 15% of the contract sum.

Subsequently, four interim payments were made in 2020, resulting in the total payments amounting to $35.041M, which represented approximately 40% of the contract sum.

Concerningly, the report highlights that the method of procurement used by the Ministry to engage the services of the unnamed contractor could not be determined, as there were no details regarding when the works were advertised, the duration for submission of bids, and how many bids were received. Only the contractor’s form of bid dated December 20, 2019, was seen.

It went on to say that the tender evaluation report was also not presented for audit

examination, and as such, the government auditors could not confirm whether tendering and award of the contract was in accordance with the Procurement Act of 2003.

The contract’s start date for the works was June 10 2019, the report notes, with a completion date of December 11 2019. The defects liability period was twelve months. “The contractor was granted three extensions, resulting in a revised contractual completion date of 7 August, 2020. A physical verification done on 9 October, 2020 revealed that the works were incomplete; even though the revised contractual completion date expired. It should be noted that at the time of the physical inspection, there was minimal work activity, with the contractor’s work force on site comprising only one foreman and seven (Continued on page 22)

Monday January 04, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Public Infrastructure Ministry overpaid millions for asphalt due to poor record keeping- audit report

A

lack of proper internal controls within the then Public Infrastructure Ministry resulted in millions being overpaid to the staterun Garden of Eden Asphalt Plant.

Findings from the special audit conducted at the facility following allegations of an ongoing racket there revealed that the Public Infrastructure Ministry under the purview of then minister David Patterson purchased asphalt through a prepayment system arrangement.

The report stated that the sums of G$305,170,110 and G$526,180,840 were paid for 2018 and 2019 respectively.

The audit team, led by Chartered Accountant, Chateram Ramdihal pointed out that they were not provided with the relevant information to determine the utilisation and balance of the asphalt paid for in advance.

“We were not provided with any reconciliation to indicate tracking of the amount paid for and the amount collected,” the team

Audit team leader, Chartered Accountant Chateram Ramdihal. noted in the report.

Further on, the team noted too that they were unable to determine whether the Public Infrastructure Ministry received all the asphalt paid for.

Also unclear was whether asphalt being sold to other customers was charged to the Ministry’s account.

Moreover, examinations conducted on a sample of payments made against asphalt deliver for a string of projects revealed “an adverse variance” of 30.64

tonnes.“The Ministry overpaid for asphalt to the approximate value of One Million and Forty-One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty Guyana Dollars (G$1,041,760),” the report outlined.

It was due to a lack of reconciliation,‘ or any other pertinent information for that matter, the team was unable to determine whether additional amounts paid for was utilised by the Ministry or whether asphalt supplied to customers were being billed to the Ministry’s account.It was alleged that contractors handed government projects were required to source their asphalt from the Garden of Eden Plant in order to facilitate an alleged scam where huge discounts were said to be given to contractors.

“What happened is that there is a special department in the ministry that conducts road repairs and other maintenance works.

They would order a certain amount from the plant to be billed to the ministry.

The new asphalt plant at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara.

They, however, collect less. The difference is what is sold at discount to contractors,” one contractor disclosed to this paper.

While the team leader recommended that the Ministry must put systems in place to reconcile payment request with delivery notes, he outlined too, that the

agency’s management be reprimanded for their inability to properly control and effectively manage the facility.

“We must determine culpability and appropriate penalty to be meted out to those involved.

As mentioned, due to lack of internal controls, we

were unable to determine whether the allegation is accurate. However, based on observations and lack of internal controls the allegation is possible,” Ramdihal stated.

The aforementioned racket allegations came to the fore after contractors broke their silence on it.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Monday January 04, 2021

Three persons arrested for possession of cannabis in WCD raids T hree persons are now in custody after they were found with a quantity of cannabis on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) in two separate incidents.

On Old Year’s Day, a 32year-old labourer was arrested for having over two thousand grams of cannabis in his possession. The man has been identified as Mark Brooks, called ‘Polo’ of Mocha, East Bank Demerara.

According to the police report, based on the information received ranks confronted Brooks at around 11:45hrs at the Vreed-enHoop Stelling and told him that they received some information that he was carrying narcotics and would like to carry out a search.

The police then proceeded to

search a black plastic bag which Brooks was holding in his right hand and discovered two bulky parcels in black plastic bags wrapped in transparent plastic.

The parcels, which were opened in the presence of Brooks, contained a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The man was arrested and taken to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station pending charges. The suspected cannabis were weighed which amounted to 2,265 grams.

Meanwhile, yesterday a businessman and his wife were arrested sometime after 05:30hrs at their home for having over four thousand grams of cannabis in their possession.

The couple has been

identified as Ryan Joseph, 47 and Chetranie Doodwah, 36, both of Crane, WCD. According to the police report, a team of police officers went to the couple’s home and told them of the information received that they have narcotics in their possession. Reports are that a search was carried out on the upper flat of the house but nothing was found. The ranks then proceeded to search the lower flat where they discovered a black garbage bag in a blue plastic barrel containing three bulky transparent plastic parcels.

Upon checking, the ranks found leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis. The businessman was told of the offence committed and told the police “is me weed don’t involve me family”. Further

The car Magnauth was driving that ended up in the canal.

The suspected cannabis found at the premise of Ryan Joseph and Chetranie Doodwah checks were made around the house and at the back yard under a goldenapple tree one of the ranks found a white container with dirt which had a suspected cannabis sativa plant at a

height of two and a half feet.

The businessman was again told of the allegation and reportedly told police “Is me plant, don’t involve me family”. Joseph and his wife were arrested and taken to

the Parfaite Harmonie Police Station. Reports are that the suspected cannabis were weighed which amounted to 4,236 grams.

Investigation into the matters still continues.

Two dead, a third hospitalised after Corriverton smash-up The suspected cannabis found on Brooks.

Sheik Mahmood (injured).

T

Magnauth (red shirt) and Persaud (both dead).

wo persons are now dead following a smash-up on the Line Path Public Road, Corriverton, Berbice while a third person is nursing injuries.

Dead is Nimrod Persaud, 26, a hire car driver and Thurman Magnauth, 36 of Line Path, Upper Corentyne.

The injured person has been identified as 38-year-old Shiek Mahmood, a businessman of Number 76 Village.

Reports are that just around 18:00 hrs Magnauth was heading North on the western lane in his motorcar PLL 4090 with Persaud as the passenger while Mahmood was heading in the opposite direction in his car

PYY 7581.

Mahmood told the police that PLL 4090 suddenly turned into his lane and crashed head on into his car. PLL 4090 was flung into a nearby canal and reportedly burst into flames. As a result of the collision both drivers and the occupant received injuries about their bodies.

They were all taken to Skeldon Public Hospital where they were seen and examined by the doctor on duty who pronounced Magnauth dead and Persaud dead while Mahmood was taken to the emergency unit and was admitted in a stable condition.

A breathalyzer test was conducted on Mahmood and read zero.

The suspected cannabis Sativa plant that was discovered.

Arrested: Mark Brooks

Monday January 04, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Persons can still DNA samples from join the national step-dad accused of rape sent for testing conversation on how to improve ethnic relations in Guyana – ERC

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) is now allowing persons who missed the national conversation on how we can improve ethnic relations in Guyana, to share a short video with their recommendations and suggestions on the issue.

According to a video announcement from ERC, the video should be five to 10 minutes long and must be sent via email.

Persons who wish to air t h e i r c o n c e r n s and/suggestions on the issue can send their videos to peau@erc.org.gy.

On December 14, 2020, the Commission launched the national conversation. The two-day virtually hosted conversations, commenced under the theme: “How can we improve ethnic relations in Guyana.” The discussion was streamed via selected radio and television stations as well as on various social media platforms the ERC’s Facebook page.

On Day Two, during the

panel discussion most of the participants called for reconciliation, with inclusion in the Joint Services and the economic sector among other important points. The discussion was moderated by Alex Graham, a communications and public relations consultant and Kala Seegopaul, a mediation consultant.

The event saw participation from a number of prominent Guyanese of varied ethnic and political affiliations.

PAGE 22

Monday January 04, 2021

Kaieteur News

Statistics Bureau starting quarterly Labour Force Survey this week VACANCY

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It was highlighted that the LFS’ main objectives are to collect the data which seeks to examine unemployment levels within Guyana’s economically active population, the composition of the country’s labour force based on demographics like education, gender and others and things that support or cause job creation and job destruction. Findings from the last LFS noted a few things as it relates to underemployment and unemployment.

Underemployment which is usually working less than 30 hours per week was recorded at 3.9 percent in the first quarter of 2020 which was an increase from the 3.5 percent recorded in the fourth quarter of 2019.

As it relates to unemployment, the unemployment rate for the first quarter 2020 was 12.8 percent which is lower than the 13.4 percent recorded in the fourth quarter of 2019.

The rural unemployed population represented the vast majority of the total unemployed for the first quarter of 2020 and the unemployment rate for women was higher than that for men. The youth unemployment rate for the first quarter of 2020 was recorded at 30.2 percent which is higher when compared to the 29.7 percent recorded in 2019’s fourth quarter.

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The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (LFS) conducted by the Bureau of Statistics will begin this Thursday January 7.

The survey which serves to measure Guyana’s labour market was launched in 2018 under the previous administration. The coalition government had collaborated with the Bureau of Statistics, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and other local and international stakeholders.

The initiative also receives technical support from Sistemas Integrales Limited and the International Labour Organization. When it was launched it was stated that with the survey they would be able to track Guyana’s labour market dynamics on a quarterly basis.

Those surveyed are usually males and females 15 years old and older from households in every region. The last LFS conducted was in the first quarter of 2020 and the Bureau has stated that it is hoping for the cooperation of those selected to be surveyed.

It was said that enumerators from the Bureau will be visiting a selected portion of households and the data obtained from the surveys will be used to bolster decision making as it relates to training and education needs. Along with that, it was noted that a household may also be visited twice per year.

Underemployment: 2019 fourth quarter and 2020 first quarter.

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Youth Unemployment: 2019 fourth quarter and 2020 first quarter.

...Despite significant delays in works, Public Infrastructure From page 16 workers,” the report states.

It continued, “The contractor failed to pursue the works diligently, yet the Ministry granted three extensions of time, instead of taking action against the defaulting contractor. Moreover, the completion date was extended from 11 December, 2019 to 13 March, 2020, then to 17 July, 2020, and finally to 7 August, 2020. The third extension was granted even

though the Ministry via letter dated 9 July, 2020, highlighted to the contractor that he was performing poorly, and that “the site was abandoned on 16 December, 2019, and constructive production never began again for five weeks”. It should be noted that justifications for these extensions of time were not seen. As a result, the basis of the extensions could not be determined.

It went on to state that the

sum of $120,000 was paid for Safety and Traffic control.

However, it was highlighted that at the time of the physical verification, there was no traffic control, caution signs, caution tape, barricades or traffic cones indicating that the work site was in operation.

Follow-up checks conducted randomly by the Audit Office revealed that poor traffic management remained, resulting in frequent traffic congestion, as equipment and

construction materials were often left precariously along the road side without any precautionary measures being in place.

“The final account is yet to be prepared, pending the completion of the works.

However, it must be reiterated that the last extended date for completion was August 7, 2020. As such, the contract would have attracted liquidated damages”, the report concluded.

Monday January 04, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Suarez sinks Alaves to take Atletico top in La Liga ...‘Powell fit and in-form’ VITORIA-GASTEIZ, Spain (Reuters) -Luis Suarez struck late to snatch a 2-1 victory for Atletico Madrid away to Alaves yesterday and send his side two points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Atletico had taken the lead late in the first half when Suarez teed up a deflected goal by Marcos Llorente and the task should have got easier for the visitors when Alaves defender Victor Laguardia was sent off in the second half.

But Alaves had a flurry of late chances and levelled in the 84th minute when Atleti defender Felipe diverted a cross from Joselu into his own net.

Atletico would not be undone, however, and they clinched a vital victory for their title charge when substitute Saul Niguez picked out fellow late addition Joao Felix, who cut the ball across goal and Suarez pounced from less than a metre out to bundle it into the net.

Atletico went into the match trailing Real Madrid by a point but the last-gasp victory took them on to 38 points, two ahead of their city rivals and with two games in hand.

Alaves are 13th on 18.

“We knew it would be a difficult game as Alaves always make things tough and they proved that by drawing level with one player

less but it was so important for us to get the win,” said goalscorer Llorente.

“Our substitutions worked very well and we got the second goal after a great piece of play and it allows us to keep focusing on our objective.”

Atletico had been boosted by the news Kieran Trippier’s 10-week suspension from the English Football Association for violating betting rules had been put on hold by world organising body FIFA, although the right back did not travel to the match as the squad had been named before the announcement was made.

Sime Vrsaljko started in

Monday January 04, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) There is some likelihood that the mood at home is fraught with tension. Did you dare to express some contrary intellectual opinion? In any case, it looks like your self-confidence is stronger than usual right now.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) It would seem that your sensitivity is in slight conflict with your actions. You continue to go through the motions and do what you planned to do, but it seems like your heart isn't in it anymore.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may have been spending or saving too much money, Gemini. It's clear that a rebalancing is in order if you're to find pleasure rather than eternal frustration.

CANCER(June21–July22) You've been stamping the ground impatiently. You're waiting for the moment to jump into new adventures with renewed vigor after your meditation of the last few months.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) If you find yourself tired and irritable now, Leo, you should know that this is normal. You may have had a few months that were a little too studious.

Would you like to continue with the same rhythm?

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) This is going to be a good moment to look elsewhere, Virgo. You should do just as the artist does when he has worked on a painting for too long, which is take a step back.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) This is the right moment to extricate yourself from relationships that have seen their day, Libra. This won't be easy, but you must.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You took off like a bullet a few days ago, Scorpio, making great progress in a short amount of time. But now you're grappling with doubts that are undermining all your energy.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) There is some likelihood that thoughts of your love life will haunt you today. Perhaps you're intrigued by the idea of exploring certain realms of your relationship that remain secret.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Today more than ever you will yearn to escape from the daily routine. You're thirsty for new sights and sounds, new faces and places.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Finally, you're on the mend, Aquarius. The minor ailments that have been dragging you down lately are beginning to disappear, and you're about to regain all of your physical energy.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Do you feel a little under the weather, Pisces? It's possible, considering all the emotional turmoil you've been through lately. It takes time to recover from those storms. As you know, the work itself isn't what gets you down but rather your worries about the future.

Trippier’s place while record signing Felix began the game on the bench but was introduced after the hour mark and the Portuguese played a decisive role in the win, with his incisive late pass to the feet of Suarez.

...Man City cruise past Chelsea to From page 30 Mendy, made it 3-0 before Gundogan nearly added a fourth with a deft flick from Foden’s low ball.

The chances continued to flow in the second half as Rodri’s firm header forced Mendy into an excellent onehanded save over the bar.

At the other end, City keeper Steffen was barely troubled until Hudson-Odoi’s late consolation.

No side have conceded fewer Premier League goals this season than City’s 13, but this scintillating display proves Pep Guardiola’s side have not lost any of their attacking prowess.

...Boldon says Briana Williams’ From page 31 rescheduling of the major meets for 2021, the World Under-20 will come after the end of the Olympics, but not even that will sway Boldon from his plans.

“Every race, now that she’s a young professional, must be a step forward. She’s done just about everything she can in the junior ranks.

She was never going to defend her Under-20 title, no matter what else happened in 2021,” said Boldon.

Williams spent last Sunday in the Paradise, Norwood, area of Montego Bay with members of her family, including her mother Sharon, handing out gifts and toys to mainly young children.

From page 28 been considered as he was yet to make the team’s required fitness standard.

In a recent release, however, the NCA has vehemently disputed the claim.

The 30-year-old top-order batsman was the top scorer in the previous season of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Super50 competition. Powell scored 524 runs at an average of 58.22, with two 100s and two 50s.

“When questioned on the omission of Powell, Chairman of Selectors, Roger Harper, responded that Powell is ‘yet to make the fitness standard’.

This statement is incorrect. When the Leeward Islands Hurricanes conducted their fitness tests on June 30th, 2020, Kieran Powell successfully passed all aspects of the tests including the yo-yo test. The results of the tests were communicated to Mr. Peter Abraham Jr., CEO of the Leeward Islands Cricket Board, shortly thereafter. These results and,

in particular, as they relate to Kieran Powell ought to have been made known to Cricket West Indies and their employees as they have an interest in the fitness of all of their players,” the release read.

“Subsequently, we presume Cricket West Indies were in receipt of Kieran Powell’s successful fitness test results as Powell was included in a group of probable players that were in consideration for the West Indies tour of Bangladesh as recently as two weeks ago.”

The NCA also claimed that in the first instance of Powell failing a fitness test, alongside Shimron Hetmyer and Evin Lewis, arrangements were made for the other two players to speedily retake the test, but no such provision was made for Powell.

The body has called the statement made by Harper ‘damaging’ and demanded a retraction, insisting the player is both fully fit and obviously in good form.

Kaieteur News

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Monday January 04, 2021

BCB launches Year of Investment with massive Clayton Lambert Gears Project - BCB President fulfills promise to youth cricketer from Upper Corentyne

T

he Berbice Cricket Board u n d e r t h e Patronage of Minister Vi c k r a m B h a r r a t o n Saturday last launched its activities for 2021 under the theme “Year of Investment� by hosting the presentation ceremony of the Clayton Lambert Gears project.

The simple presentation took place at the Area H Ground under the supervision of President Hilbert Foster, Secretary Angela Haniff, Asst Secretary Ameer Rahaman, Chairman of the Competition Committee Leslie Solomon and Public Relations Officer Simon Naidu.

A combined total of seventy two under 15 and under 17 players received cricket gears or a full white cricket uniform in the largest single day distribution of gears by the board.

BCB President Hilbert Foster stated that the gears were donated by the former West Indies opener after he had approached him for assistance. The former Berbice captain, Foster noted, had readily agreed and has committed to assisting on a regular basis in the future as he was very impressed with the current development of the game in the Ancient County. Foster stated that his administration in 2021 was seeking to invest heavily in the careers of junior players with special emphasis on gears, educational materials, bicycles and regular coaching programmes.

He urged the players to cherish the donated items which included bats, batting pads and gloves, wicketkeeping pads and gloves, helmets, thigh pads and fore arm guards. He also urged the players to pray for

Mr Lambert that God would protect him and research on his career as he is a cricketing legend of the county.

The players were drawn from over twenty clubs including Bush Lot Rising Star, Achievers, Blairmont, Edinburgh, East Bank Blazers, Rose Hall Canje, Young Warriors, Tucber Park, Albion, RHTYSC, Port Mourant, No 72 Cut and Load, No 73, Rama Krishna CC, Scottsburg and LinePath CC. Two females from the Achievers CC were among those receiving assistance and Foster made it very clear that the gears were their own and not the clubs.

The BCB President stated that in the future, donation of gears would be done to players as executives of most clubs tends to lock away the gears with few persons having access to them and in some cases, the

gears simply disappear.

The parents and youths expressed gratitude to the board and Mr Lambert for the donation and committed themselves to working harder to fulfill their potentials.

Meanwhile President Foster fulfilled his promise to seventeen year old Ritesh Haimchand of No 72 Village by handing over a bat to him.

Mr Foster had committed to assisting Haimchand with a bat while visiting his father who was badly injured during a fight. Foster urged the youth to remain focused and to work harder if he wants to fulfill his dream of playing for the county and Guyana.

The BCB President would shortly visit the family to hand over educational materials to four children attending schools under the BCB Say Yes to Education programmes.

A proud Ritesh Haimchand poses with his bat.

Monday January 04, 2021

Kaieteur News

Nortje and Elgar put SA on top against Sri Lanka

South Africa’s Anrich Nortje (centre) celebrates after the dismissal of Sri Lanka’s captain Dimuth Karunaratne (2nd R).

A

FP - South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje said a simple game plan was the key after he destroyed the Sri Lanka batting line-up on the first day of the second and final Test at the Wanderers Stadium yesterday.

Nortje claimed careerbest figures of six for 56 as Sri Lanka collapsed to 157 all out after winning the toss and choosing to bat first on the pace-friendly Wanderers pitch.

South Africa took full control when they reached 148 for one at the close, with opening batsman Dean Elgar scoring 92 not out.

“In the previous Test we bowled maybe too wide and on both sides of the wicket,” said Nortje of South Africa’s performance in the first Test at Centurion, where they won by an innings despite Sri Lanka scoring 396 in the first innings.

“We tried to make it a bit simpler and get it into the channel (outside off stump), especially on a pitch like this with the bounce,” said Nortje.

The plan worked so well that nine of the Sri Lankans were caught in the arc between wicketkeeper and gully before Nortje bowled last man Ajitha Fernando with a full delivery as the batsman backed away.

Sri Lanka’s slump came after a promising start.

With Kusal Perera hitting an aggressive 60, Sri Lanka were on course to reach lunch with minimal damage on a pitch which invariably offers assistance to the bowlers on the first morning.

Perera was caught at gully off the medium-paced Wiaan Mulder 20 minutes from the interval, sparking a calamitous collapse from 71 for one to 84 for five at the break.

‘The ball was seaming and there was bounce,” said Perera, explaining his attacking stroke play, which brought him 11 boundaries.

“I was thinking any time I could get out. I was thinking if the ball is coming my way I am going to hit it.”

The medium-paced Mulder, playing in his third Te s t , s l o w e d P e r e r a ’s momentum with a maiden over. With the first ball of his next over, Mulder had Perera caught at gully.

He followed up with the wickets of Kusal Mendis and Lahiru Thirimanne in a spell of three wickets for one run in three overs.

“It is great to have a guy like Wiaan, who can take wickets as well as bowl dot balls,” said Nortje, who sent Sri Lanka to lunch on a low note when he had debutant Minod Bhanuka caught at first slip off the last ball

before the interval.

Four wickets had fallen for 13 runs in four overs.

Nortje, who had made the first breakthrough of the match when he had Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne caught behind in the tenth over, claimed four more wickets after lunch.

Ajitha Fernando, making his debut, bowled impressively at the start of the South Africa innings, bustling in at a lively pace.

He had Aiden Markram caught at second slip in an opening spell of one for 14 in seven overs.

But Elgar batted confidently and had solid support from Rassie van der Dussen in an unbroken second wicket stand of 114 which took South Africa to within nine runs of the Sri Lankan total.

Elgar, who made 95 in the first Test, faced 119 balls and hit 16 boundaries.

Nortje said he hoped South Africa would again make a big first innings total, following their 621 at Centurion.

“I would like us to bat all day tomorrow and maybe into the next day. There’s no rush,” he said.

Scores: South Africa 148 for 1 (Elgar 92*, van der Dussen 40*) trail Sri Lanka 157 (Perera 60, Nortje 6-56) by nine runs.

PAGE 27

...Patriots QB Cam Newton breaks team record that From page 28 Newton ran 49 yards into Jets territory, and he set two records on the play. One of them was setting the mark for the longest run by a quarterback in team history.

The other record set on that 49-yard run was breaking Steve Grogan’s mark for the most rushing yards by a Patriots

quarterback in a single season. Grogan’s previous record of 539 yards was set more than 40 years ago.

Newton entered Sunday ranked fourth among quarterbacks in rushing yards with 513. His 12 rushing touchdowns are the most among quarterbacks and the third-most among all players.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 28

‘Powell fit and in-form’ - Nevis Cricket Associations rejects claims batsman short of Windies fitness standard SportsMax - The Nevis Cricket Association (NCA) has strongly refuted claims batsman Kieran Powell has not made the West Indies selection fitness standard, pointing out that the player

achieved the requirements in June.

Despite several key players choosing to make themselves unavailable for the upcoming Bangladesh tour, Powell was

surprisingly not selected for hastily compiled ODI or squads. In explaining the unusual situation, chief of selectors Roger Harper claimed the player had not (Continued on page 25)

Monday January 04, 2021

Patriots QB Cam Newton breaks team record that stood for more than 40 years NBC Sports - Cam Newton’s longest run of the 2020 NFL season was enough for the New England Patriots quarterback to

break a team record that stood for more than 40 years.

The veteran QB called his own number on a second

down play in the first quarter of yesterday’s Week 17 game versus the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium.

(Continued on page 27)

Kaieteur News

Monday January 04, 2021

PAGE 29

Jamieson’s 5-69 curbs Pakistan, “All Guyana can be 1 day, 2nd test vs New Zealand very, very proud CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — Kyle Jamieson claimed his third five-wicket bag in only his sixth test to help New Zealand counteract an assertive Pakistan batting performance yesterday the first day of the second test.

Jamieson finished with 5-69 to go with his 5-45 against India last February and his 5-34 against the West Indies last month, checking the momentum of a Pakistan team which batted well in demanding conditions after losing the toss.

Azhar Ali made 93, captain Mohammad Rizwan 61 and Faheem Ashraf 48 as Pakistan made 297, a competitive total on a pitch which was still producing bounce and seam late in the day.

Jamieson claimed the wickets of Rizwan and Faheem along with those of Abid Ali (25), Haris Sohail (1) and Fawad Alam (2) to check Pakistan’s progress at critical stages when they seemed to be gaining the upper hand.

The tall right-armer now has 30 wickets from 11 test innings at an average which is just a tick over 14. On top of that, he boasts a batting average of 49 with one half century.

H i s b o w l i n g performance epitomized the difficult batting conditions that Pakistan contended with, and mostly surmounted, after losing the toss. The pitch at Hagley Oval retained pace and bounce throughout the day and the ball also swung considerably, even late in the day. Jamieson was able to make the ball rear dangerously from just short of length and to swing both ways.

That might have motivated Rizwan to play his

of Bounce Back Football Classic final broadcast”

- Veteran Broadcaster, Ron Robinson

New Zealand bowler Kyle Jamieson, second left, is congratulated by teammates after taking five wickets during play on the first day of the second cricket test between Pakistan and New Zealand at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, New Zealand, Sunday, Jan 3. 2021. (John Davidson/Photosport via AP) especially attacking innings.

He hit three consecutive fours from the bowling of Trent Boult just after lunch to announce his intentions and his 61 contained 11 fours or 44 runs from boundaries.

“I think we bowled pretty well as a unit in some helpful but pretty challenging conditions as well,” Jamieson said. “There were some challenges with the run-ups and the footing and the way they played with that positive intent.

“I think the nature of the surface . . . if your variation gets a little bit too full or too wide that gives scoring opportunities to them. I think we’ve seen here in the past that while things can go quick from a wicket-taking perspective, runs tend to flow as well.”

Tim Southee dismissed Shan Masood (0) in the third over of the day with a late inswinger which struck him on the toes of front foot and

made the lbw decision, confirmed by the television umpire, a formality.

Azhar then put on 62 for the second wicket with Abid in a partnership which began to tip the first session in Pakistan’s favor.

Jamieson removed Abid, Sohail and Fawad in the space of six overs before lunch, causing Pakistan to slip from 61-1 for 88-4 at the break.

Rizwan and Azhar then put on 88 for the fifth wicket during a second session which was interrupted for 40 minutes by rain. Jamieson returned to break the partnership, dismissing Rizwan whose counterpunching innings again had put Pakistan in a strong position at 171-4.

Rizwan’s 60 ball half century was his sixth in 11 tests and his fifth in consecutive innings.

Azhar added a further 56 with Faheem before falling to Matt Henry in sight of his

18th test century and after he had anchored the Pakistan innings for 271 minutes.

Faheem looked threatening and was closing on his second half century of the series when he fell to Jamieson at 260-7.

Zafar Gohar made 34 after being handed a surprising debut more than a year since his last first-class match. Gohar, a left-arm spinner, was named in place of leg-spinner Yasir Shah.

Gohar batted well for 85 minutes before hooking a short ball from Tim Southee to Jamieson, again in the action at backward square.

Shaheen Afridi followed soon after for four, caught by Henry Nicholls at gully to give Boult his first success of the day in his 20th over.

Boult wrapped up the innings when he dismissed Naseem Sham for 12.

Scores: Pakistan 297 (Azhar 93, Rizwan 61, Ashraf 48, Jamieson 5-69) v New Zealand.

Gayle confident of one day repeating Yuvraj’s six 6s spectacle SportsMax - West Indies talisman Chris Gayle has targeted matching the exploits of India great Yuvraj Singh who once cleared the boundary rope six times in one over.

Singh, who retired from cricket in June of last year, achieved the feat in 2007 in a league-stage match of the inaugural T20 World Cup

when he clobbered Stuart Broad. The India legend achieved the feat on the biggest stage, but six other cricketers have also managed the achievement.

West Indian legend Gary Sobers, Ravi Shastri of India, Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa, Ross Vitali of England, Hazratullah Zazai of Afghanistan, and Leo

Carter of New Zealand.

Despite being 41, Gayle still fancies his chances of becoming the eighth player to do so. Based on his recent performances at this season’s IPL, one wouldn’t bet against it.

It was at the IPL this season that Gayle became the first player to get to 1000 sixes in T20 cricket. The

big left-hander went close to the feat in 2016 when he hit five sixes in an over off Sulieman Benn in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). “It’s very much possible to hit six sixes. So, if six is possible and Yuvraj has done it before so why can’t I do it? Yes, you, I, anybody can do that,” Gayle told the Hindustan Times.

Ron Robinson

By Franklin Wilson Blessed with an ear and eyes for quality having been in the business for over half a century, veteran Broadcaster Ron Robinson has commended the principals involved in the just concluded Bounce Back Football Classic for pulling off a wonderful event.

Robinson also expressed delight at the quality of the live television broadcast which was carried on NCN, Hits & Jams TV, Enetworks and also streamed via the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports facebook page.

The producer of the popular TV shows “Stretched Out Magazine’ and ‘Link Show’ shared that he was taken aback by the general quality of the live broadcast final on New Ye a r ’s N i g h t b e t w e e n Georgetown All Stars and their Linden counterparts which ended with the former prevailing by the lone goal of that encounter which came off the boot of Kelsey Benjamin in the 69th minute.

“I want to commend NCN, I want to commend Hits & Jams on what I thought was one of the best pieces of television I’ve seen in a long time locally. That match between Georgetown and Linden All Stars was amazing, I think the work the team did was well coordinated and I must say it was a fabulous broadcast.”

Robinson alluded to the fact that any football lover and even those persons who

were not keen on the game would have found the broadcast, gripping.

“And what really hit me for six was when I saw the replays as well, whenever there was a foul there was a replay, when there was a goal, well the one goal we saw the replay instant. So I want to say keep it up, you guys did a great job, the commentary was good it was unbiased and yes, we’ve got ways to go but I must say that I think that what you did, what the team did was really very, very good television and all Guyana here and overseas can be very, very proud. So keep it up guys, you did tremendously well.”

The Bounce Back Football Classic was a collaborative effort between the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Kashif and Shanghai Organisation (K&S) and the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport (MCY&S) with Hits and Jams Entertainment in charge of the promotion. The National Covid-19 Task Force as well as the Guyana Police Force also played major roles in the classic’s success.

Minister Charles Ramson Jnr., Federation President as well as K&S Co-Directors Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major and Kashif Muhammad have all expressed satisfaction on the successful running off of the event and are looking forward to bigger things for 2021 as Guyana prepares for a hectic year in the sport.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 30

Athletics 2020 review

Sport was dormant for nine months (March 2020 November 2020) due to the regulations that were put in place for fighting the deadly COVID-19 pandemic and although many nations came out of lockdown early and returned to training and/ competition much earlier, Guyanese athletes weren’t afforded that luxury.

The year started positive with the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) being able to host a total of three development meets by January 15th.

Over 150 athletes took to the Enmore Community Center (ECC) ground on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) on January 15th for the third AAG development meet which sped off in glorious sunshine.

At the ECC, which is situated opposite the Enmore M a r t y r ’s m o n u m e n t , Sprinter Davin Fraser of the Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) and National

Javelin record holder, Leslain Baird of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) club turned in notable performances.

In the men’s open 60m dash, Fraser clocked a blazing 6.90s in a big win over the field. His club mate Stephon Boodie was second in 7.04s, while Yannick Williams of GDF was third in 7.11s.

In the open men’s Javelin event, Baird, who missed the business end of the 2019 season after suffering from internal hemorrhoids, continued his positive rehabilitation with an impressive performance.

Baird registered a distance of 64.90m, spearing into the heavy Atlantic Ocean breeze while using a short run-up.

Following the third development meet, the young stars showed that they were hungry and eager to represent the Golden Arrowhead at the Caribbean Free Trade Association

(CARIFTA) games that was scheduled to be held in Bermuda with 12 athletes qualifying for the cancelled Easter weekend games as early as February.

Those athletes include 2019 Javelin bronze medalist Anisha Gibbons, Loneil Marks, Attoya Harvey, Seon Booker and Okenoko Pascal. Pascal qualified for the boys’ under17 shot put, while Booker and Harvey would’ve represented Guyana in the 1500m male and female races, respectively. Marks made the Carifta standard (CS) in the boys’ under-20 100m.

The other seven athletes who had qualified were Wesley Tyndall, Randy Hamilton, Adriel Austin, Keliza Smith, Annalisa Barclay, Princess Browne and Trevon Hamer.

Still on the topic of Carifta games, the ‘land of many waters’ was confirmed as the hosts of the auspicious

Man City cruise past Chelsea to go fifth

rebounded off the woodwork.

Callum Hudson-Odoi scored in second-half stoppage time for Chelsea, firing Kai Havertz’s cross beyond Premier League debutant Zack Steffen.

The result lifted City up to fifth in the table, four points off Liverpool and Manchester United with a game in hand on both.

Chelsea, who would have gone top had they beaten Everton on 12 December, drop to eighth.

Depleted City show ruthless streak This was City’s first game in eight days following the Covidenforced postponement of their league match with Everton on 28 December.

They were given the goahead to reopen their training ground this week

The AAG events like all other sports was affected last year.

Fraser (100m) and Akeem Stewart (200m) ran away with top honours in the main event, while national javelin record holder, Leslain Baird, Emmanuel Archibald, Joshua Tappin and Isaiah Lewis made light work of their opponents in the field events.

Fraser, of the Police Progressive Youth Club, clocked 10.26s to take the tag of the meet’s fastest man, leading Archibald (10.32s) and Stewart (10.42s) onto the podium in the men’s 100m final.

On November 1,

authorities approved the return of sports and the AAG wasted little time with the hosting of two highly successful cross-country events, along with the participation of Team Guyana in an Ekiden virtual world relay race.

The last event for the year was an all local South America 10k race which Winston Missigher won comfortably on December 13 to pocket $150,000, while on the distaff side Sheama Tyrell walked away with the top prize of $150,000.

Cornwall hoping to make massive impact in spin-friendly Bangladesha

Phil Foden finished off a flowing City move to make it 2-0 - three minutes after Ilkay Gundogan had broken the deadlock. (Getty Images)

B B C S p o r t Manchester City produced a ruthless attacking display to cruise past Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and increase the pressure on manager Frank Lampard.

The visitors, who were without a number of firstteam players following an outbreak of coronavirus at the club, stunned Lampard’s side with three goals in 16 first-half minutes.

Ilkay Gundogan’s crisp low finish broke the deadlock and Phil Foden doubled City’s lead three minutes later, tucking a superb first-time strike beyond Edouard Mendy after fine work from Kevin de Bruyne.

De Bruyne deservedly got his name on the scoresheet with a closerange finish after Raheem Sterling’s curling strike had

50th edition of the tournament which has now been pushed back to 2022.

The last meet before the lockdown, the Early Season Classic, got underway despite the threat of the pandemic and it was a successful meet at the National Track & Field Center (NTFC) at Edinburg.

While there was a sprinkling of spectators, most of the athletes turned up to match strides during the two-day fixture which attracted several overseas based athletes.

Usual suspects Davin

Monday January 04, 2021

but were without Kyle Walker, Gabriel Jesus, Ederson, Ferran Torres, Eric Garcia and Tommy Doyle against Chelsea.

Benjamin Mendy, who breached coronavirus regulations by hosting a New Year’s Eve dinner party, was one of only eight City substitutes.

After a period of early Chelsea pressure, the visitors soon stamped their authority on the game and raced into a comfortable lead with two superbly taken goals.

Gundogan finished low into the far corner after turning Thiago Silva on the edge of the area, before Foden produced a magnificent finish from De Bruyne’s pass. De Bruyne, who had earlier fired wide when one-on-one with (Continued on page 25)

SportsMax - West Indies spinner Rahkeem Cornwall is eager to make use of what could be a solid opportunity on the upcoming tour of Bangladesh, which will provide conditions more suited to spin bowling.

Amidst a flurry of withdrawals, Cornwall was one of the current members of the squad to readily accept the invitation to tour the Asian country next month.

The 27-year-old has been part of the West Indies squad being invited to the England tour with the team in July.

He then traveled to New Zealand with the team for the tour that took place in December. Cornwall has, however, had a difficult time making an impact. Called to the first-team squad for the third Test in England, the spinner bowled 46 over but did get a wicket. He was not added to the first team for the New Zealand tour. On the

Rahkeem Cornwall

slower, more spin-friendly matches in Bangladesh, however, the player hopes to have a much bigger impact.

“I think I’m in a good space and we know Bangladesh is known for being more conducive to spin, so I just have to set my mind for a next bubble and go out there and perform the way I should,” Cornwall told the Antigua Observer.

“I went on two tours in England and New Zealand and there was nothing there for spinners and after playing three Test matches, I finally got something that suits me and I hope I can go there and perform,” he added.

Cornwall will have good memories of performing in Asia, as he claimed his career-best 7 for 75 against Bangladesh last year.

Kaieteur News

Monday January 04, 2021

PAGE 31

BCB donates to BRCA, BHS, UCCA and Line Path CC - Sinclair to sponsor BCB Cricket Tournament

T

he Berbice Cricket Board last week with the support of former Berbice, Guyana and West Indies opener Clayton Lambert continues to assist cricket organisations in the Ancient County as it hits the ground running for the New Year. The board under their theme for 2021, “Year of Investment”, will see over 200 youth players benefiting from donations of gears, bicycles, educational materials among other from the board along with numerous cricket clubs and organisations in an effort to recover from the Covid 19 pandemic.

The BCB handed over a quantity of cricket gears, coloured uniforms and scorebooks to several organisations including the Berbice River Cricket Association, Upper Corentyne Cricket Association, Berbice High School, Rose Hall Canje CC and the newly formed Line Path Cricket Club. The BRCA, Line Path CC and BHS received a set of cricket gears, while the UCCA collected a box of cricket balls. The BRCA and Rose Hall Canje CC collected fifteen pairs of coloured uniforms to assist them in their overall development, especially playing at the first division level.

The combined cost of both sets of uniforms is two hundred and forty thousands and BCB President Hilbert Foster called on the clubs

Kevin Sinclair and organisations to care the donations. Noting that he understands the high cost of acquiring gears is affecting clubs to fulfill their mandates to members, he committed his board to assisting those clubs that needs help. He, however, warned that emphasis would be placed on clubs that have junior sections. Foster stated that the future of Berbice cricket depended on investing in youths and not on persons who are playing the game for recreational purpose. The BBCB would continue to organise cricket for all to play but its investments would be in junior players. He stated that all clubs in the county would receive assistance of cricket balls later in the year, while some more would get cricket gears.

The Berbice High School is one of the top school in the county and has produced a list of top cricketers including Lambert and Shimron Hetmeyer, while

Boldon says Briana Williams’ career as junior is over Jamaica Observer Coach Ato Boldon is sticking to his guns that his star pupil Briana Williams’ days of competing against juniors were over despite the athlete only turning 18 earlier this year and still being able to defend her World Athletics Under-20 sprint double title in Nairobi, Kenya, next year.

Last year Boldon had told the Jamaica Observer that Williams would not be defending the 100m and 200m titles she won in Tampere, Finland, in 2018 and had said then she had nothing to gain by running against juniors.

Boldon has shifted his stance only slightly, saying: “If Briana runs a junior meet ever again it will be for a mile

relay.”

After placing third in the senior women’s 100m final at the 2019 Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Championships, Williams had won the 100m gold at the Pan American Juniors in San Jose, Costa Rica, which would have been her final race against her age group.

The plan for 2020 was to try to make the team to the Olympics in Japan and with the World Under-20 set to be held in Nairobi, Kenya earlier, the thinking was that the schedule would be too much.

However, with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and the postponement and (Continued on page 25)

Representatives of the recipients pose with BCB Secretary Angela Haniff. the Berbice River Cricket Association has been neglected in the past.

Under Foster ’s leadership, the BCB has organised several tournaments for teams in the riverain area and has made several donations to teams.

History would also be

created when a combined team takes part in the historic Berbice semi professional league later in the year. The Line Path CC was recently reformed after a long period of been dormant and approached the BCB for assistance. The UCCA is the most active sub association

in the county and has benefitted from numerous assistance from its parent body over the last three years.

Meanwhile, the BCB would shortly be benefitting from the sponsorship of another national player as Kevin Sinclair would be

coming on board as a sponsor of a junior tournament. Sinclair would be joining teammates Romario Shepherd and Shimron Hetmeyer as sponsors of cricket tournaments in Berbice. The tournament would be launched shortly.

rt Spo

Quarterback Cam Newton got to play receiver on a touchdown in what could be his final game with the Patriots. (Photo by Billie Weiss Getty Images)

West Indies talisman Chris Gayle

Gayle confident of one day repeating Yuvraj’s six 6s spectacle

Patriots QB Cam Newton breaks team record that stood for more than 40 years

Cricketers pose with their cricket gears and uniforms after the presentation.

BCB launches Year of Investment with massive Clayton Lambert Gears Project - BCB President fulfills promise to youth cricketer from Upper Corentyne

Jamieson’s 5-69 curbs Nortje and Elgar Pakistan, 1 day, 2nd put SA on top test vs New Zealand against Sri Lanka

“All Guyana can be very, very proud of Bounce Back Football Classic final broadcast” - Veteran Broadcaster, Ron Robinson

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