Kaieteur News
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
Private Auditors to scrutinise CJIA, GUYOIL, GEA’s books
Auditor General, Deodat Sharma
The Auditor General’s Office of Guyana is looking for Chartered Accountants to be recommended for engagements by that Office, “to examine and audit the accounts of public corporations and other bodies.” The Office, in inviting the private chartered accountant firms, cited auditing the accounts for last year and the current year, for seven named government bodies. They include the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL), the Linden Electricity
Company Incorporated (LECI), the National Communications Network Incorporated (NCN), the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), the National Agricultural Research Extension Institute (NAREI) and the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST). The books for GUYOIL have been isolated to the current year while others are slated for audits for last year. The request being made by the Auditor General’s office is provided for under Part IV, Sections 18 through 23 of the Audit Act of 2004
and allows the Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, to “invite applications from Chartered Accountants in public practice to examine and audit, on his behalf the accounts of Public Corporations and other bodies, in which controlling interests vests with the State.” According to the advertisement inviting Chartered Accountants, it was pointed out that successful candidates would have to follow the auditing standards provided for use by the Audit Office of Guyana. It was noted that, “the
auditing standards currently in use by the Audit Office of Guyana are those used by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions and the International Federation of Accountants. According to the Audit Office, in the event “the strength of the Firm with respect to its’ Senior Managers and partners be reduced, or should any firm operating under a partnership be dissolved, the award of the contract would be revisited by the Auditor General to re-evaluate the firm’s ability to continue executing the audit.”
‘Fifty’ & ‘Culture’ remanded for Sensei’s murder
Dead, Garfield Newton. Tw o m e n w e r e o n Monday remanded to prison for the alleged ‘murder’ of Martial Arts Sensei, Garfield Newton, 36—a bodyguard attached to Beharry Group of Companies. The accused Darren Baley called ‘Fifty’, 25, a weeder of 3091 Recht-DoorZee, Parfaite Harmony, West Bank Demerara (WBD) and J u d a h Vi c k e r y c a l l e d ‘Culture’, 24, a taxi driver of Bella Dam, Pouderyen Squatting Area, West Bank Demerara, made their first court appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. The men were not required to plead to the indictable charge, which alleges that on December 24, 2021, at Campbell Street, Albouystown, they murdered Newton during the course or furtherance of a robbery. Daly and Vikerie were remanded to prison and the matter was adjourned to January 26, 2022. Newton was shot dead during the course of a robbery just about 22:00hrs Christmas Eve night. According to police reports,
Judah Vickery called ‘Culture’.
Darren Baley called ‘Fifty’. moments before Newton was killed, he visited a goldsmith in the Campbell Street area, where he collected a silver hand band, a gold chain and two gold rings, which he had taken to be cleaned earlier. It was while heading back to his company’s vehicle, which was parked on Sussex Street that the fatal incident occurred. The court heard that Newton was armed with a 9mm handgun along with 30 live rounds of ammunition. While making his way in a northerly direction, he was approached by Baley and others, who allegedly robbed and shot him to his chest, before relieving him of the (Continued on page 20)
Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 04, 2022
‘Free for all’ fuel system at Guyana Fire Service - AG Report
T
he Auditor General’s (AG) Office has noted in its report for the year 2020 that a ‘free for all’ fuel system exists within the Guyana Fire Service (GFS). It was noted in the report for spending during the year 2020, that a total of $46.1M was spent by the government that year to purchase fuel and lubricants for GFS and during an audit of its stores it was found that there, “is a lack of segregation in the requesting, authorising, issuing and collecting fuel”. This means, that there is no internal control procedure implemented by the fire service to avoid theft of its fuel stock by corrupt employees. According to the AG’s report, this practice was prevalent at three fire stations in Guyana, the Rose Hall Fire Station located in Berbice, the Melanie Damishana and the La Grange fire stations, located on the East Coast and West Bank of Demerara, respectively. In fact, the report detailed that auditors counted at least 57 times where unauthorised signatures were used to approve the issuance of fuel at these three fire stations. T h e A G ’s o ff i c e reminded GFS the current “free for all fuel system” that
The Rose Hall Fire Station, one of the three stations flagged for using unauthorised signatures to issue fuel exists is not in compliance with Stores Regulations of Guyana and advised that it must follow the rules at all times. GFS has since conceded that indeed there is some
malpractice going on when it comes to management of its fuel stores and has promised to eradicate the “free for all” system by educating its officers of about rules it must follow.
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Rape accused remanded for trying to kill arresting officer A 29-year-old labourer, was yesterday remanded to prison for allegedly attempting to kill a member of a Community Policing Group (CPG), who was at the time attempting to arrest him on a statutory rape allegation. The defendant, Jamal Reagon Forde, called ‘Sugar’ of Lot 969 Phase 1, ‘B’ Wisroc, Wismar Linden, appeared in the Linden Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Wanda Fortune. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge which was read to him by the Magistrate. The defendant was charged with the offence of, Attempt to Commit Murder, Contrary to Section 103 (c) of the Criminal Law Offences Act Chapter 8:01. Magistrate Fortune remanded him to prison and the matter was adjourned to January 31, 2022. According to the police, after the rape allegation was made against the defendant, a member of the CPG attempted to arrest him but was almost killed during the process. It was stated that the defendant was later
Jamal Reagon Forde, called ‘Sugar’. arrested on December 31, 2021, for Rape of a Child Under 16 Years of Age, and Attempt to Commit Murder. He has since been charged for the latter offence, while the police are still seeking legal advice for the other offence.
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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
Left holding the bag – an empty, costly one Some Guyanese have a saying: who don’t hear, will feel pain and pay harsh prices. What has application in real life to persons also has similar effects on nations. This is what the foremost global body is alerting our leaders to, and all Guyana also: “Solar now cheapest source of power in most countries - investment in fossil fuel infrastructure will become stranded assets -UN Secretary General” (KN September 26). Information about cheap solar power as an energy source has been circulating more now. Still, the Guyana Government, as spearheaded by its oil king, Vice President (VP Bharrat Jagdeo, has little interest in such developments, and great impatience with those who present such narratives. The VP has sharply dismissed any talk, any reasoning, where alternatives in the renewable energy field are concerned. In fact, he has been openly scornful and dismissive of pronouncements from world renowned oil players and presences. The only one who knows what is there to know about Guyana’s oil, is he himself, and those who toady up, to support his weakening positions. Given this development from no less a body than the UN, and less an authority than its Secretary General (SG), Antonio Guterres, it would be interesting to see if the VP also contemptuously waves him off, as being another from the ‘no brainer’ crowd. Whether the VP does so, or does otherwise, is not important. What is important, are four statements from the UN’s SG, which we now quote at length. First, and they all elaborate on our caption, is: “Solar photovoltaics are now the cheapest power source in most countries,” and “renewable yield three times more jobs than the fossil fuel sector” and “Solar and wind are the stars of our energy system.” The fourth statement is reserved for later in this writing. Now we would like to hear how the VP counters such authoritative positions, from a real fearless and honest leader, like the UN’s Antonio Guterres. He will not risk disagreeing with him so soon after sharing space with the SG last year or to challenge the basis of the UN’s very deep and broad oil enlightenments. It goes without saying that Guyana’s VP Jagdeo is smart enough to let this one blow over, while he continues rushing thoughtlessly ahead. The VP will simply put his head down and plough forward in elephantine heaviness. We at this paper say this, because no wise national leader can go directly against “cheapest power source” and “three times more jobs” since those are such eye-popping realities and politically mouthwatering prospects. We say something else, so that Guyanese understand us clearly. Our position is not that the VP brings oil exploration and production to a dead stop. Only that he slows down and carefully weighs the stirring new developments coursing through the energy world. He needs time and the necessary skills (currently lacking) to get to the heart of all these sometimes competing, other times disputed, information overloads, so as to make decisions that hold the best possible returns for all Guyana. This does not mean his inner circle alone, or the crooked cabal that he surrounds himself with alone, but every single Guyanese man, woman, and child. It is about balance that combination of fossil fuel priorities executed right alongside the pioneering changes in the renewable world. Our oil is too precious to leave in the ground, that’s for sure. But because Exxon needs to get it out in a hurry, so that it can justify gambling so heavily here on cheap oil, slower is better for Guyana. It is our position that the slower Guyana goes with oil production, the faster that Exxon will get to see things our way, meaning, doing much more for us or to say it differently, we turn the tables on this oil predator (and allies) and hold its profitability hostage. The fourth quote from SG Guterres is now timely: “there is no reason for countries…to finance new fossil fuel exploration…infrastructure…these will become stranded assets.” We rename “stranded assets” differently: white elephants, and more harshly, deadweights; still more unsparingly rusting, wasting hulks. We have deadweights for political leaders; we certainly don’t need deadweight oil infrastructure. Dr. VP, are you listening?
Tuesday January 04, 2022
The PPP/C could be defeated or become a minority government in 2025 DEAR EDITOR, Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely-Lord Acton, British politician (1834–1902). After being in office for less than 18 months, and despite its campaign promises of transparency and inclusiveness to unite the country, PPP leaders have reverted to its pre-2015 arrogance and autocratic mindset. The ludicrous and appalling behaviour by some senior officials of the PPP government will catapult the party either to a one-term government or with a minority in Parliament in 2025. Condemning judges in the Judiciary and passing a highly shady Natural Resource Fund Bill indicates a shift towards paramountcy, reminiscent of the past dictatorship era under the PNC. The PPP, unlike the previous administration has a tit for tat mentality with its grab for power notwithstanding the very PPP while in opposition complained about the same issues against the coalition government. The spending of billions of taxpayers’ money on failed projects was the hallmark of the regime. Cases in point; the Skeldon Sugar Factory deemed a white elephant, the failed Amalia Falls Hydro project and the Charity Wharf that collapsed a month after the opening ceremony. The leadership, with a one-seat majority in Parlia-
ment must end the marginalisation AfroGuyanese, most of whom are APNU supporters. When the PPP/C entered office last year, one of its first scurrilous and depraved acts was to fight the Mayor and the City Council of Georgetown and other municipalities that are controlled by the opposition. Not only has the PPPC government starved the city and PNC municipalities of funds, but the Minister Local Government became a dictator and ordered his ministry to override several city ordinances. The fact that the Minister was not rebuked by either the President Ali or the Vice President indicates a condoning of such appalling and atrocious behaviour. It did not stop there. The Ali/Jagdeo government had charged the former Minister of Health, Dr. George Norton with fraud over the Sussex Street bond, but withdrew the charges after it realised that the evidence was flimsy. The PPPC then turned its hatred on civil/public servants for no apparent reason other than they are AfroGuyanese and supporters of APNU. Its unilateral granting of seven (7) percent salary increase to civil/public servants without negotiating with the unions is a clear display of arrogance and highhandedness when one considers that billions in flood
relief that were doled out to rice and livestock farmers while severed sugar workers receives $250,000. In terms of governance, the PPPC has returned to its old ways of vindictiveness and malice against Afro-Guyanese. On the one hand, the Ali/Jagdeo government has given a meagre 7 percent increase in wages/salaries to civil/public servants, most of whom are Afro-Guyanese, but on the other hand, it has offered hundreds of thousands of dollars to rice farmers and sugar workers, who are their constituents. This wrong must be corrected. All Guyanese, regardless of ethnicity, race or political affiliation should be respected and treated fairly. Let it be known that the PPPC has won the 2020 election by only 8,000 votes and by one parliamentary seat, but it is governing as if it had won a landslide, making the same blunders as its predecessor. It has awarded government contracts worth tens of billions of dollars to IndoGuyanese contractors while Afro-Guyanese contractors are getting the crumbs. And almost all the state corporations have Indo-Guyanese as their CEO. It must be remembered that the Coalition government had similar numbers of its supporters in these positions, however, as the old adage
goes: two wrongs do not make a right. President Ali’s promise to govern in the interest of all regardless of race or political affiliation has become a farce because Jagdeo and his clique have revisited their old-political playbook with the aim to demoralise, ostracise and marginalise Afro-Guyanese. And while this is happening, the AfroGuyanese contingent in the cabinet, including the Prime Minister has remained silent because they are insignificant in that they do not wield any power. Power resides in the hands of the Vice President who seems to be on his fourth term as president. After less than two years in office, the PPPC has become self-destructive, heading towards political demise in 2025 as was the case in 2011 and 2015. My view indicates an emerging minority government. The writing is on the wall for the PPP because a ruler cannot shunt aside half the population that did not vote for his party as occurred in previous regimes. The resources of Guyana do not belong to politicians, but to all Guyanese who should benefit and receive equal opportunities and treatment. All lives matter. Sincerely, Leyland Chitlall Roopnarine
Let’s commit to a new national engagement where one speaks for all and all for one DEAR EDITOR, On Sunday, January 2, 2022 Walter Rodney Groundings, (TV channel 9) I began explaining to the nation my future approach to engagement with the Indian community. The discussion started at the latter part of the programme ended abruptly as our time ran out. I now seek in this letter to announce the rethink of my previous position and my subsequent decision. I must state the context of my previous position on engagement with the Indian community so that readers can appreciate my new approach to this controversial matter. Mr. Ravi Dev and his party ROAR, on entering the Guyanese political landscape, revisited the issue of what is meant by “multiracial” in the context of Guyanese politics and questioned the WPA’s claim to be a multi-racial party. For readers of the younger generation, it is important to point out the context of this intervention. It took place after the assassination of Walter Rodney and
the period when the WPA embraced conventional politics/electoral politics.WPA and Rodney had built a mass movement of Guyanese that threatened the overthrow of the dictatorship, which has since been described as the “Civil Rebellion.” This period was characterised by weeks of daily mass street protest, public meetings, and political violence by the state. This successful struggle in the civil rebellion had strengthened if not legitimised in the public perception the WPA as a multi-racial party. In the WPA leadership at the time and more so as elements of the old politics began to reemerge, never concluded discussions that had begun on the party’s status as a multi-racial party. When the matter was raised by Dev and began to get public traction, the WPA leadership took the tactical position of not engaging a public polemic with ROAR. Sometime after the 1997 General and Regional Elections, I wrote a letter in which I acknowledged the correctness of ROAR’s
observation which was demonstrated in the way the population voted in the 1992 and 1997 elections. The WPA got less than 2% of the votes and only got into the parliament due to the support of the Indigenous communities in the hinterland. Dev and ROAR had argued that the WPA doesn’t have sufficient reliable support in either the Indian or African communities to be an authentic representative of these communities and made it clear that the WPA can’t speak for the Indians. After careful and painful reflection on the merits of ROAR’s position supported by Indian political behaviour and unquestionable electoral support for the PPP, I accepted the reality and took the position that African political activists in the WPA should respect the demonstrated wishes of the Indian community that the PPP is their chosen representative. I said in the above-mentioned letter that I would confine my political activism to the African community. From that time to
the present, I have honoured that declaration as a matter of political principle and respect for the Indian community. Given my history of working and struggling with both the African and the Indian communities, my political dis-engagement with the latter was no easy matter. Like all political actions, the outcome is not known until it occurs, and one has to be optimistic. As I write, I cannot say with certainty that my judgment and action have been correct politically. What I am willing to say, it was a genuine attempt at a political objective based on obvious political reality. In trying to come to grips with the political challenges the country faces with an oil and gas sector and the transformative effects of this reality which has radically changed our politics in a way we are yet to understand, it is imperative for all Guyanese to rethink our political approach to the new reality. The political arrogance and contempt for the nation demonstrated in the PPP/government (Continued on page 6)
Tuesday January 04, 2022
The uncertain future of Caribbean such dread is that such Tobago are in US dollars; the currencies with an event would simply am- share of US dollars in Jamaica
DEAR EDITOR Over the Christmas holiday, I caught up with my sister Yvonne who lives in the Canadian city of Oakville, in the Toronto metropolitan area. Oakville has a population of 223,000, which means that, with Canada s per capita GDP of 43,000 US dollars, its GDP is about 10 billion US dollars. That is two and a half times the GDP of Barbados. The idea that a small township within the Toronto metropolitan area should have a currency of its own on the face of it seems absurd. Why then would it make sense for an even smaller economic entity like Barbados to have its own currency? It s not as though the citizens of Barbados have access to resources to better their standard of living through the use of Barbados dollars. As Barbadians have been reminded by recent events, the prices of everything we buy rise and occasionally fall with the prices of all the everyday goods that we import from abroad. The reason that the possibility of a devaluation of the Barbadian dollar fills us
plify the impact of every import price increase. Guyanese, Jamaicans, Surinamese and Trinidadians know first-hand what punishing effects the fall in the US dollar values of their currencies have had on their livelihoods and future prospects. Many factors have contributed to the relatively poor performances of larger Caricom countries, relative to tiny economies like St. KittsNevis, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, but there can be no doubt that currency devaluation was among the causes and as well as being a consequence of their disappointing performances. This intuition is confirmed by a reflection on the relative performances in the 1950s and 1960s, when all currencies had fixed values in terms of the US dollar. In those decades, economic performances were more in line with what would have been expected, based on country sizes and resource endowment. The individual currencies of Caribbean countries are now all on the endangered species list. Already 56 percent of bank deposits in Trinidad and
is not far behind, at 40 percent. The lower figure for Jamaica reflects the fact that depositors there have more limited access to foreign currency than in Trinidad and Tobago. In Bermuda, where US dollars are more freely available, the ratio of foreign currency liabilities of banks was 82 percent of deposits at the end of 2020. If the local currencies of the Caribbean did not exist, we would not need to invent them. They were introduced in response to a chronic shortage, up until the late nineteenth century, of genuine notes and coins in distant colonies of European nations. Local currencies were necessary so long as most transactions were settled in cash. However, in today s era of online payments, digital wallets, credit and debit cards, cheques and other bankbased payments, local currencies have become a costly inconvenience at best. At worst, they have the potential to create economic uncertainty and destroy real wealth. Regards R. DeLisle Worrell, PhD
100 percent allotment to local insurance sector is commendable DEAR EDITOR The Insurance Association of Guyana extends sincere gratitude and congratulations to the Government of Guyana on the passing of the landmark “Local Content Legislation” by Parliament. The passage of this historic legislation has demonstrated a remarkable determination and commitment on the part of the Government to uphold and defend the interests of Guyanese industry. The consultative process has resulted in the local content allotment of 100 percent being accorded to the
nation’s insurance sector providing an unprecedented opportunity for the growth and prosperity of the sector and allowing the industry to fully concentrate its one hundred and fifty-five years of global placement experience, expertise and global synergies and networks on the provision of all required insurance services to the oil & energy sector. The industry is particularly pleased with the extra efforts of the Government to appreciate the capacity and experience of the industry and notes the conformity of the new act with
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existing insurance legislation. The Industry employs a substantial work force and it is noteworthy that the trickle down effects of the legislation is certain to produce incalculable economic benefits to many local communities. The Association’s model of unified indigenous companies produces a broad based approach that accommodates investments of the N.I.S, corporate investors and the general Guyanese public. The Association looks forward to meeting all of the needs of the oil & energy sector, our (Continued on page 6)
Good move to reopen schools DEAR EDITOR, Finally, schools have reopened their doors for full engagement by students, particularly at the secondary school level except for Grade 7 students while primary school students and nursery pupils are being engaged virtually and/or on rotation. This is a welcomed move by the Ministry of Education since our students have been out of school for at least 18 months. Mr. Editor that translates to mean at least 18 months where many schoolaged children have not benefitted from any meaningful academic engagement. This would be the case specifically for those students who reside in the hinterland communities. During the pre-COVID era, it was no secret that those students and their teachers did not benefit from the same quality of education delivery nor have access to the same facilities as their counterparts residing in coastal communities. Mr. Editor, one can only imagine how the circumstances of our Amerindian students and teachers were tremendously exacerbated when the COVID pandemic began and schools were closed in March 2020. In some of these communities, there is no stable internet connection to support online learning and in many, there is no internet connection to begin with. With initial COVID protocols
causing schools to close and prohibiting gathering, these students were left without receiving any teaching or instruction. Globally, according to UNICEF, 1 in 3 children did not have access to remote learning. If we were to look at Guyana in isolation, I am sure the statistics would be more devastating. Despite, the commendable and widely appreciated efforts of the Ministry to produce worksheets and give to each student, as time went by, more and more Guyanese realised that the worksheets did not provide the type of engagement that the children needed especially since they were physically away from school for such a long period and could not benefit from face-to-face teaching. This lack of engagement and being out of school has resulted in an increased number of children dropping out of school with some taking up child labour while others suffered severe learning loss evident in the examination results we have seen. So basically, our students were not learning as they should and at worst, they were not learning period. This is a dangerous position for any country, especially one such as Guyana that is on the cusp of monumental development. Mr. Editor, it is not beneficial for our students to continue remaining out of the classroom, the realities of the
impact of COVID, I believe justify the decision to reopen schools. Also, based on the science available, schools have not been proven as a contributing factor to increased transmission of the virus. This is according to the UNICEF organisation. With that being said, it seems as though the adult population needs to take the blame for contributing to the transmission of the virus especially with the increased numbers, which we are now seeing recorded daily in Guyana. This can clearly be attributed to the many parties and gatherings held over the Christmas Holidays organised and attended by none other than adults. Mr. Editor, Guyanese need to adopt a responsible approach to handling COVID and to think about how our actions can impact our children’s growth and education. I commend the Ministry on its decision. It must have been a tough decision to make but it was bold and the correct decision nonetheless. All that is needed now is to maintain a safe environment at schools and for parents and other relatives to conduct themselves in a way that will reduce the spread of COVID-19 so that the school doors can remain open and let our children be educated as is their right. Sincerely Mrs. Maureen Matthews
Looking forward to big things happening in the country DEAR EDITOR, I felt happy to see that two huge bills were passed in the Parliament and it gives me something to look forward to as I think that Guyanese will soon benefit from business in the oil industry and this was needed for a long time. Guyana is our country and I have a few relatives who have small businesses which I hope will benefit as well. Some people, I know are only
waiting to expand their businesses and earn more for the services they provide. I hope they will see this happening with this new Local Content Law. I can’t say I understood the Natural Resource Fund Bill before but after I tuned in and listened to the things Guyanese will benefit from as was explained by the Minister of Finance. I’m convinced that we will see big things happening in the future and I
ask that they keep up the good work. At least I hope so. Congratulations to the Government on looking out for our best interest. Respectfully yours, Brian Azore
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
The Sugar Industry - Pacesetters in Human Resources Management (Part I) DEAR EDITOR As proactive as the British owned Bookers Sugar Estates Ltd was in professionalising their management philosophy and practices in this colony, there was a time when the Canadian owned Demerara Bauxite Company (up the Demerara River) could set positive examples for their coastal counterparts to follow, including in the area of Personnel Management (since upgraded to Human Resources Management). In the latter case, there was the critical urgency to develop an intellectual capacity beyond just agriculture and engineering – in order to cope with the plethora of industrial relations issues activated by the following worker representations: • Manpower Citizens Association (MPCA) displaced by • Guiana Industrial Workers’ Union (GIWU) soon after renamed Guyana Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) • Guiana Headmen’s Union (GHU) – who represented the first level of supervision in the field. The position was retitled ‘Field Foreman’. • Sugar Estates Supervisors’ Association (SESA) – represented Field and Factory Supervisors. • Guiana and West Indies
Sugar Boilers’ Union (G&WISBU) who represented Sugar Boilers and Process Foremen as the latter also travelled to work in sugarproducing Barbados, Antigua and St. Kitts. •Sick nurses and Dispensers’ Association (S&DA) – Represented Certified Nurses, Nurse/Midwives, Midwives, and of course Dispensers. At the time, the industry’s negotiating entity was the Guyana Sugar Producers’ Association (GSPA) (consisting of Bookers Sugar Estates and Demerara Company – former owner of Diamond and Leonora Estates). By 1977, except for GAWU worker categories, all other staff unions had coalesced into a new multi-disciplinary bargaining entity called the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE). It was they who successfully negotiated the reduction of the working week from 48 to 40 hours. But there were significant initiatives taken by the industry earlier. These included the following: 1973 - Institution of statutory medical examinations of employees, with emphasis on field and factory workers, but also including all ‘senior staff’. - Complementary execution of formal employment
contracts 1975- Introduction of a guaranteed three-day workweek, particularly during the ‘out-of-crop’ period To retrogress, it should be mentioned that BSE introduced in 1964, the first Contributory Hospitalisation and Maternity Insurance Scheme in the country, to boost the free medical services already provided by Estate Medical Officers and aforementioned paramedical staff – service still currently provided. Of course, the Apprentice Training School at Port Mourant was established since 1957 (initially as a fiveyear programme) aimed at training in such skills (some of which have long disappeared) as Agriculture Mechanic, Automobile Electrician, Blacksmith, Carpenter, Diesel Fitter, Instrument Mechanic, Moulder, Mason, Bricklayer, Pattern-Maker, Turner, Welder and more, now unheard of. All of these skills were graded by the relevant senior professionals in a carefully organised, “Regrading and Reclassification Scheme.” Another creative human resources intervention in those halcyon days was the conduct of an annual performance appraisal exercise aimed principally at awarding merit increments within the parameters of negotiated sal-
ary scales but importantly at identifying potential for growth. The exercise was taken seriously enough that managers were trained repeatedly not only to conduct it, but also in the critical interviewing process, which complemented each appraisal and the award of subsequent merit increments. The industry, however, cannot take full credit for initiating a comprehensive Occupational Health and Safety Policy. In fact, it was the Zaman Ali Advisory Committee in 1970 who highlighted lapses in such critical areas as: •Water Supply •Labour Transportation •Loading Ramps •First Aid Facilities •Provision of Safety Equipment amongst others. There followed the construction and implementation of a most comprehensive Occupational Health and Safety Policy by BSE, including the establishment of Safety Committees on every estate, with substantial employee membership. Safety training became a statutory item in the related recruitment process along with the provision of necessary protective clothing and equipment. Following the transition to GuySuCo, management sought to establish a form of
communication with employees that at least would partially neutralise a continuing abrasive relationship with those they managed. After intensive brainstorming sessions at a Personnel Officers Conference in the late 1970s, the consensus reached was to devise a communication construct to be called ‘Worker Participation’, for each location – consisting of managers, supervisors, other employees (though not as formal union representation). The arrangement was sensitively designed to provide for rotation of chairmanship between managerial and worker levels, and with the insistence that members occupied alternate seats around the table as they addressed unit and department operational issues. It was organised to be a tiered structure of: -Department (essentially Field and Factory) -Estate (individually) -Regional (Berbice, Demerara) Minutes/Reports were sent to the Head Office for review, approval and implementation of recommendations on subject areas of industry-wide implications. Inculcated in the exercise was an environment of equality in which participants could speak freely with, rather than to, one another. Actually, the formal estab-
lishment of a Communications Department in Sugar goes back to the late 1950s when BSE, on behalf of the Booker Group of Companies, began publishing the fortnightly paper ‘Booker News’. The latter transitioned to ‘Sugar News’ after nationalisation; with the print supplemented by radio presentations. It was also those days of industry-wide community development programmes, which inspired the production of Estate Newsletters, subsequently complemented by regular TV presentations by a carefully selected team of communication professionals. The foregoing is merely to underscore that the sugar industry is more than just about operational productivity. Indeed, it is an exemplar of the ‘humanity’ required in organisational management anywhere. One reflects on Jock Campbell, Chairman of the Booker Group Worldwide, on one of his biennial visits to Guyana, scolding the Blairmont Estate management team including this Personnel Officer, to the effect that he preferred the subject of discussion to be about ‘human’ rather than ‘industrial’ relations. E.B. John Human Resources Management Executive
Let’s commit to a new national... Gratitude to Dr. Frank Denbow for financing this noble venture
From page 4 dictatorial passing of the National Resource Fund (NRF) Bill has hastened my rethink and timing of my announcement. In simple terms, all patriotic Guyanese, despite previous political positions, have
a duty to make conscious efforts to develop a national consensus on the future of this oil-rich nation. This requires a new beginning based on the conviction that our nation’s patrimony belongs to all Guyanese. I conclude by appealing
to the nation that we commit to a new national engagement where one speaks for all and all for one. Where one defends all and all defends one. The struggle continues! Regards Tacuma Ogunseye
100 percent allotment to... From page 5 Government and the people of Guyana by the application of risk quantification and management techniques to ensure that all exposures to Guyana including liability arising
out of environmental disasters are insured or otherwise mitigated and in the process, reducing cost oil to the Guyanese taxpayer. Regards The Insurance Association of Guyana
DEAR EDITOR, The headline in KN that says that the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) is investing in the training of its young cricketers is the best news ever for Guyanese cricket lovers... Sir Curtly Ambrose to visit Berbice from 10th to 14th of February for historic fast bowling clinic – Nolan McKenzie to conduct batting
Clinic as well – Kaieteur News (kaieteurnewsonline.com) Gratitude to Dr. Frank Denbow for financing this noble venture. We need more like him. I pray that the GCB and the WICB, take a page out of the BCB’s book and follow their example in how to groom and invest into the future of our cricket as it seems that neither of these boards
(GCB and WICB) has a clue on what to do for cricket. Thank you BCB for realising that something is broken and for taking measures to fix it. All we have been hearing is excuses from others but you people are doing something to remedy the situation. All of Guyana is grateful to you. Yours sincerely, N. Sahadeo
Le Repentir Cemetery is a place of horror DEAR EDITOR The Le Repentir Cemetery once used to be kept like a well-groomed park. Today, the M&TC has completely destroyed it and run it down to a chamber of horrors. Thousands of tons of rubbish are dumped on the roads and huge trees and bushes have overtaken the burial areas. The burying areas are always flooded. To get to the areas where the dead are to be buried, the bereaved families have to pay to clear the road so that the hearse could get to the grave
and very often coffins have to be placed in flooded graves. Recently, for example, at a Catholic nun’s burial, her sister nuns had to raise over $100,000 to pay for the cleaning of the road to allow the hearse and mourners to get to the grave. A standing danger to visitors and mourners are the regular attacks from bandits who hide in the high grass and bushes and then pounce down upon mourners. The grave diggers and tomb masons are in collusion with the bandits and signal them when to attack. Other bandits move
around on bicycles. The City Council and the Local Government Ministry need to immediately have a strong police presence at the cemetery and this could be done tomorrow. Then the cemetery must be restored and maintained and a system of rangers should be employed to oversee the cemetery. The cemetery is a disgrace to the governmental bodies responsible for maintaining it and the religious bodies, the NGO’s and the media should pressure these bodies to do their work. Yours sincerely Paul Validum Ramlochan.
T N U L B . . . T B N U T L N T B . U . L . L T B . N . U . N U T L N B . U . T . L N T U N B . N U . L U L LUNT. B . T . . T T N N B U B . U . L . L T B . B . . N . . . T U T L N N T U U L N L B U . B . . L . . . T B T . . N . N T U L N LU B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . NT LUNT...B NT...BLU N U L B . . B . U . . T L . N T B . . U N . L N T B U N . . L . U T L B . . N B . . . T U . L N T B U . . L . UN T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L B U UN .BLUNT. . . L . T B . . N . T U . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . LU ...BLUNT LUNT...B NT...BL T B U . . L N . T B BLU T...BLUN BLUNT... UNT...B . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B BBLU T...BLUN BLUNT... ...BLU . T . N . N T T U L U L N L B U T...BLU U B . L . N . B T . . . N T U N N N L U U U B L . L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Tuesday January 04, 2022
Kaieteur News
The alarming increase in COVID-19 cases should not come as a surprise.
With the level of slackness seen during the past year, this was expected and there are many within the medical fraternity who are worried that the situation will escalate in the coming days. We are convinced that our leaders do not care about the people of this nation, as much as they do, about growing the economy. Their actions have spoken louder than their words.
Guyanese, with leaders of such ilk, we have no choice but to take responsibility for ourselves, otherwise our population will continue to dwindle until we all expire. As we all should know by now, COVID-19 is no respecter of one’s vaccination status. We are all at risk!
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
Coastguard joins search for decapitated baby’s head
A
platoon of Coastguard r a n k s i s currently on a ‘maritime search response operation’ in an attempt to locate the decapitated head of two to three week-old male baby. This was revealed by Region 4‘B’ Divisional Commander, Siwnarine Mahendra, yesterday, during
an interview with Kaieteur News. He also told this publication, there were no reports made about a missing child thus far, and no one has since step forward to claim the child. The discovery, according to information released by the Force’s Corporate Communications Unit
(CCU), was made by some individuals around 14:15 hours on Friday last. Due to the state of decomposition, marks of violence, homicide detectives said, could not have been determined. The body was fished out of the water and examined. The area was further canvassed for the head but
efforts proved futile. It is unclear if the head was severed from the body by person/s or if it was eaten off by fish or other sea creatures, police noted in a release. Kaieteur News had reported on Saturday that a few persons were walking along a trail beside the ‘fivedoor koker’ at Land of
Canaan on East Bank Demerara, when they observed the body floating at the opposite side of the canal. State investigators were subsequently summoned and on arrival, the body had floated from where it was initially seen. With the assistance of 19-year-old Kevin
Ramiscindo, ranks were able to canvas the area and the body was eventually found between a clump of grass, in the said canal, about 15 feet from the Demerara River. The body is currently at the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home as investigations are currently ongoing.
Tuesday January 04, 2022
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Kaieteur News
MY FIRST INSTALLMENT! She was a distant relative who had been living in the United States for a number of years prior to my arrival. I was awaiting my permanent arrival status; she was already a fullblown immigrant with citizenship. She thought it necessary to invite me over so that she could give me a few pointers on how to adapt to my new home. I felt obliged to go since she was older than my grandmother and respect had to be shown to the seniors in the family. As we disembarked from the car which was driven by another relative, I looked up and saw an imposing two-flat building with a large driveway interrupted by a small but elegant stairway which led to a brown metallic door. I walked ahead of her admiring the luxury of the house: its large windows which provided a perfect view of the road; its well arched windows and tiled roof striking an image of an immigrant success story. As I stepped onto the lower stair, I received a sudden tap on my shoulder and the old lady leaned and whispered, “Not there. We have to go around to the side entrance.” As a new immigrant to the country, I was puzzled as to why I had to use a side entrance. It later became clear. The old lady was not the owner of the house. She was a tenant and occupied a small crevice below ground-level which is commonly known as the basement. After tunneling our way through dark corridors filled with the stench of wet and unaired carpets, we eventually emerged into a small hole
which was the door to a tiny apartment. As I entered, my head almost collided with the ceiling. I had to bend in order to prevent this from happening and was quite relieved when I was offered a seat in a wornout sofa which was set in a corner of the small room. It was cold inside and this explained the heavy clothing that the old lady wore. She noticed my surprise at her home and tried to shy away the embarrassment by going into a long story about how she need not be living in such conditions, but because of the arthritis, she could not climb stairs. ”This is why me and your uncle never bought our own home. It made no sense since we knew when we arrived 30 years ago that one day we would get the arthritis and therefore we said why bother with a house when we would not have been able to climb the stairs. We are quite happy in this apartment. The rent is cheap. We have water and we get heat four hours every night. No use wasting money on a more expensive place. That same money we can send back to Guyana to help the family who are not doing too well.” I said, “I understand.” And I did but not in the sense that she intended. She had projected herself to her relatives back in Guyana as someone who had done well in America. They thought of her as a success story, as they do of most who come to the developed world. She was treated like royalty when she went back home, and she carried herself with the uprightness
of a lady of the castle. But in reality, she lived like a rat in a damp, cold and miserable basement. She brought out some apples and grapes, which had seen better days. Since I was newly arrived, she wanted to impress me with food. I said, “We get these back home.” ”But they must be expensive? Things hard in Guyana you know. Not everybody can afford to buy these things. Eat your belly full. I buy these at the grocery down the road. Eat as much as you want.” I really did not have an appetite for food and my taste for continued conversation was also fading. I said, “My throat was becoming dry. “Can I have a glass of water?” She got up, went to the cupboard, took out a glass and placed it under the tap. The glass quickly filled up. She handed it to me. I placed the glass to my mouth and leaned the glass. The water was cold and touched my lips, but I did not swallow. I instantly recoiled after recalling an article I had read about the sources of tap water and the pollution. We spent the remainder of the hour chatting about things back home. It was a way of passing the time. When it was time to leave, I wished her well with the arthritis. As I was going through the door, she handed me an envelope. I asked what it was and she said it was a little help, “I know how things are when you first arrive.” Not wishing to offend her, I
Dem Boys Seh…
Schools reopen! De news yesterday was dat schools reopen. But it ain’t open fuh all dem grades. De reopening tek place at a time when de pandemic numbers surging in Guyana. But de guvament can’t help it. De online learning nah kick off because de children nah accustomed to it and nuff ah dem teachers nah know how fuh teach online classes; nuff ah dem ain’t too good at multimedia learning. But dem trying fuh de children sake. Learning loss high and de guvament could not af-
ford to keep dem children home longer. Is a big risk we tekking but wat other choice deh. De longer yuh keep dem picknee home, de greater gan be de learning loss and dem children nah gan be able to go on to higher levels. Some ah dem parents relieve but some also worry. Because when dem teacher out ah sight dem children could tek off dem mask. Dem boys does see dem pon de road and nuff ah dem does be walking with dem friends without masks. So we gat to be careful especially with de Omicron
virus expected sometime or de other. In Uncle Sam country, nuff children getting knack down with de virus. Nuff ah dem getting hospitalised. So we gat to be careful. Schools suppose to teach discipline and perhaps dem teacher can use some ah dem time each day fuh explain to dem children why dem must sanitise regularly, practice social distancing and, for those eligible tek dem vaccine. Talk half and keep yuh fingers crossed.
did not object. Later when I opened it, it contained twenty-five dollars. My first installment in a new life as an immigrant.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Impossibility of Buxton 2: An analysis As I wrote in my December 22, 2021 column, readers do not like to digest a series of article on a particular subject each day. With that in mind, I have only published up to part 3 of the implications and consequences of the PNC’s recent congress. I will shortly resume the series. I will also continue the series of looking back on Guyana in 2021. A quote taken from a video was sent to me on the first day of this year of something Mark Benschop said about fireworks on the last night of 2021. I read the statement five times and when I studied it, I came to the decision to do this column.
I am convinced from my knowledge of the way the dialectics work in Guyana that Buxton mayhem 2 is impossible to re-enact in any place, any enclave in Guyana. There is a long held myth about the Buxton mayhem (BM); it was generated by the killing in Buxton of Shaka Blair by the black clothes unit of the police force consisting of well-known officers like Leon Fraser, “Robo-Cop” and Steve Merai. If there was no such killing, BM would still have happened. What did occur was that the Blair incident was a galvanising point for the BM gunmen because they knew Blair well and he had a posse of teenagers who
did his drug trafficking for him. Those youths were easy recruits for an anti-Indian agenda, which was shaped by people like Ronald Waddell and a certain deadly racist in the WPA. BM was a response to the fear of two sets of societal actors that the PPP was poised to run Guyana forever. One group was a modicum of politicians from the PNC and the WPA. The other entity was associated with the world of African existence with the ideology of African entitlement. It was from the second group that the idea to spring the prisoners from the Camp Street jail was made. One of the ironies of my life was that the strategic mind behind the jailbreak was someone who liked me even until his death even though I did extensive journalistic research to expose the political fulcrums of BM. That person was attorney, Mortimer Codette (Morty), the founder of GUYOIL. Some mysteries will forever haunt you, and Codette’s fondness for me is
something I will never understand. During the intensity of BM, Tacuma Ogunseye sued me for libel and Morty was Ogunseye’s lawyer. Morty told me he will never go through with it and he didn’t. Space will not allow for a profound analytical discussion on why BM2 is impossible. Crude brevity will have to be done to the analysis. One – no Black village in Guyana 19 years after BM has the fertile breeding ground for BM2. Guyana is completely different from February 2002 when the jailbreak took place. Two – in 2002, there were no smart phones, no social media, no Giftland, no MovieTowne. Desperate African racists cannot get African youths in any village to go on an anti-Indian rampage in 2022. Three – the lunatic fringe that descended on Buxton and mingled with the gunmen are older now and have left Guyana permanently where they live the good life and use radio programmes and social media to massage
their egos. Four – the intellectual authors of BM are much older (some have died like Morty) and do not Frederick Kissoon have the command they did in 2002. Five – those from the American Collins headed the army and diaspora who financed the Felix the police force during Mash 2002 jailbreak will BM. Nine - Guyana 2022 does find themselves in trouble with the FBI in 2022. Six – not resemble Guyana 2002. there is no dreaded black There are billions and clothes unit in the police billions of American dollars force that instills fear in invested in the oil industry in village youths as the Leon a country where the US sees Fraser team did in the late that oil as being of strategic value. It is doubtful the US 1990s. would allow BM 2 to create Seven – the escaped instability. Ten - Mr. Jagdeo prisoners were gunmen for has an encyclopedia in his the drug lords and shady head as to what happened in business people. This Buxton. His response will be lumpen proletariat existence is gone from Guyana simply a no-nonsense one. Eleven – because the massive narcotic certain political actors who empire no longer exists in embraced BM have become Guyana. Eight – the nature outdated. Twelve - Guyana of the police force and the will not tolerate another army has changed since BM Buxton killing orgy. (The views expressed in started. At the recent PNC this article are those of the congress, Edward Collins a u t hor and do not won a seat. In the APNU necessarily reflect the government after 2015, opinions of this newspaper.) Winston Felix was Minister.
Tuesday January 04, 2022
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
Over $741M spent by Home Affairs Ministry in 2020 unaccounted for - AG Report Auditors were unable to account for a total of $741.3M spent by the Ministry of Home Affairs during the year 2020 because of missing records. According to Auditor General (AG), Deodat Sharma’s, end of year report for 2020, the monies were reportedly spent for both current and capital expenditure but the Ministry failed to produce any financial records for the spending, to be audited. The report stated that a total of 132 payment vouchers were not presented for an audit. Out of that
quantity, 100 were said to be for current expenditure and reportedly totaled $12M. That means that $12M was supposedly spent on goods and services for the Ministry that year that could not be accounted for. The remaining 32 payment vouchers that were presented for an audit would have represented a total of $729.2M spent by the Ministry to acquire fixed assets (Capital Expenditure) for that period. It was pointed out in the report that without these records, auditors are unable to determine if the Ministry
The Ministry of Home Affairs located along Brickdam, Georgetown.
received value for the monies it had spent or if indeed the amount reported was actually paid out to suppliers. The report also highlighted that this is not the first time that the Home Affairs Ministry has failed to produce financial records for audit and noted that the practice is starting to become a trend. The Ministry in 2019 failed to present some 52 payment vouchers totaling some $49.6M.
When confronted with the AG’s findings, the Ministry reportedly stated that it is still trying to locate the missing payment vouchers and submit them to be audited. Missing financial records is proving to be a hindrance to the AG’s work and is not only limited to the Ministry of Home Affairs. In fact, it was reported in a recent Kaieteur News article that auditors are unable to account for billions due to missing records.
It was outlined that 1,328 payment vouchers totaling some $2.8 billion were not presented for the 2020 audit. Out of the 1,328 missing payment vouchers, 1,282 represented at least $2.7B that were spent by the Office of the President, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Guyana Defence Force, the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The remaining 46 valued at $77.921M were spent within the Administrative Regions.
Tuesday January 04, 2022
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
Over 900 COVID cases in five days - as health officials suspect ‘Omicron variant’ in Guyana
O
ver the past five days, local h e a l t h authorities have recorded a spike in the number of new COVID-19 cases across the country. To be precise, a total of 909 new cases were recorded from December 29, 2021 to January 2. According to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, health officials started to see the change in cases after the busy festive season was coming to end. During his daily COVID-19 update yesterday, the Minister said that with the increasing numbers in new cases, he suspects that the Omicron variant is already in Guyana. The Omicron variant which has over 30 mutations was noted to be more transmissible than that of the Delta variant. Already it has reached neighbouring Brazil
and was detected in the Caribbean Region. “So we start closing the end of the year with cases going up and then on the 1st of January that went even further to 209, then yesterday (Monday) it was 284, so there is an upward trend in these cases. Again, we suspect that we might have the omicron variant that is in circulation in Guyana, because based on these, we know that in other countries with Omicron it’s highly contagious, so the numbers
would keep multiplying every two to four days, you will have an increase in these numbers,” the Minister explained. It was noted too that in order to test for the new variant, the country does not have the capacity to do so, samples would have to be taken and send abroad for testing. N e v e r t h e l e s s , D r. Anthony is encouraging the general public to continue to follow all COVID-19 measures that was put in
place to safeguard themselves and for those unvaccinated to get vaccinated. He also noted that hospitals are also prepared and equipped to deal with the incidence of higher hospitalisation rates and cases, if persons are to get severely sick. “We need to be extra vigilant, the same public health measures that we have been talking about, we have to practice them, they are not going to protect you if you are not practising them,” the Minister warned. Calling for Guyanese to safeguard themselves, through the pandemic, was President Irfaan Ali in his New Year message. “I use this opportunity to call on unvaccinated persons to overcome their fear of inoculation. The evidence from both within Guyana and across the global community is that vaccines
save lives and give protection against new variants such as Omicron, which is far more transmissible than the original virus and its Delta variant,” the President said. The President noted that his government would continue to source all equipment and vaccines to help curb the infections. “No effort will be spared
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony.
until the pandemic is ended here and everywhere else in the world. We all want a life free of fear and free of masks; a life in which we can mix freely, embrace our elderly, travel to see our families, and welcome our relatives and friends to our homes. But none of this will be possible with any level of comfort and safety,” he added.
Tuesday January 04, 2022
Kaieteur News
Motorcyclists critical after separate accidents on New Year’s Day Two motorcyclists are now critical having been severely injured following two separate vehicular a c c i d e n t s o n Saturday—New Year’s Day. According to reports, a motorcyclist, David Moore, who has since been hospitalised after he was struck by a car on the Two Miles Potaro Road, Bartica. Detectives have since arrested Rodney Samuels, a 27-year-old man of Two and Half Miles Potaro Road, Bartica. The accident reportedly occurred sometime around 14:20 hours. The critical 46-year-old Moore resides at Lot 163 Housing Scheme Bartica. Police investigators say that Moore was proceeding east, along the northern side of Two Miles Potaro Road, when Samuels who was proceeding west along the southern side of the road at a fast rate of speed, was in the
process of negotiating a right turn in the vicinity of Two Miles Primary School when he lost control of the vehicle and slammed into the front side of Moore’s motorcycle. The collision caused the bike he was riding to flip onto the vehicle bonnet and then to the roadway where he received multiple injuries about his body. Moore was picked up in a conscious condition and was subsequently rushed to the Bartica Regional Hospital (BRH) where he was seen and examined by medical doctors on duty. He was immediately admitted to the hospital’s Emergency Ward with lacerations to the head. A notice of intended prosecution was served to Samuels, after he passed a breathalyzer test and it was returned with a .00 % negative alcohol reading. He remains in police custody and is assisting with the investigations.
Arrested, Rodney Samuels
Meanwhile, Enrique Monize, a 59-year-old a driver who resides at Lot 2 School Road, Cove and John, East Coast Demerara (ECD), and 19-year-old motorcyclist Rolston Kennedy of Barnwell North, Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD) were also involved in a serious accident at the intersection of Brickdam and Avenue of the Republic on Saturday. It is alleged that Monize was proceeding north along the western side of Avenue of the Republic, and as he approached the intersection of Brickdam and Avenue of
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Scene of the accident that occurred on Brickdam and Avenue of the Republic
the Republic—where traffic light signals are erected but not working—at the time, he stopped his vehicle to ensure the road was clear and safe and then he continued crossing the said intersection proceeding further north. State investigators related that Monize noticed K e n n e d y, w h o w a s proceeding west along the southern side of Brickdam at a fast rate of speed without a helmet. Investigators added that Monize also noticed two police ranks on motorcycles were on a high-speed chase for Kennedy and from all
appearances, he assumed that the police were trying to apprehend Kennedy and upon seeing that he stopped in the centre of the intersection. This publication understands that Kennedy continued in the same direction, riding at fast of speed and shortly after crashed into with the right front side of Monize’s vehicle. As a result of the impact, both vehicle and motorcycle were damaged and Kennedy fell to the roadway, where he received injuries to his left foot and other parts of his body.
Kennedy was later picked up in a conscious condition by Emergency M e d i c a l Te c h n i c i a n s (EMTs) and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was seen and examined by doctors on d u t y. H e t o o w a s subsequently hospitalised suffering from a broken left leg and broken left hand. A breathalyzer test was conducted on Monize also revealed that no trace of alcohol was found to be in his system but he has been served with a notice of intended prosecution.
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
Govt. “pussyfooting” on establishing new procurement commission - PAC Chair Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira.
PAC Chair Jermaine Figueira.
“Untenable,” was the word used by Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Jermaine Figueira, to describe the slothfulness by the government to bring on stream the long overdue Public Procurement Commission (PPC). After months of supposed deliberations, there has been no agreement yet on the final five names of persons who will constitute the PPC—the body which exercises a major regulatory and oversight role in public procurement and the awarding of government contracts. The PPC which monitors public procurement to ensure the principles of fairness, equity, value for money, and competition are upheld and to ensure that the procedures of public procurement are executed in accordance with the laws of Guyana, has not been in place since October 2019. This, despite a subcommittee of the PAC was established six months ago to deal with the short listing of names but the government side is still to submit its final nominees from the shortlisted names. At the first meeting of the PAC for the year, Figueira accused the government of stalling on the very important business of establishing of the PPC. “Let me make it abundantly clear to this Committee that I have made strenuous efforts on numerous occasions to make contact with Madam [Gail] Teixeira so that we can bring this issue to finality. Many calls were unanswered, many texts were answered late and those proposed meetings could not have been met,” Figueira lamented. “The Opposition is ready for this to be set up, and I strongly believe that the Government is pussyfooting around the issue, and it is time we bring this to finality and stop grandstanding around what is happening in the affairs of the People’s National Congress—that is n o t t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’s
business. We are here at the PAC, to bring finality to the issue of appointing the Commissioners to sit on the Public Procurement Commission, what the Opposition decides is the Opposition’s business,” Figueira noted. Earlier last year, the subcommittee, which comprises PAC Chairman and Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira, had shortlisted eight persons for PPC. However that came six months after the subcommittee was established. The two have been reportedly meeting on finalising the names to sit on the PPC but to no avail. In response to the PAC Chair, Minister Teixeira who is part of the selection committee for the PPC noted that, “the setting up of subcommittee was to not only to expedite the process but also recognise that this decision requires 2/3 of the House…” She continued, “Figueira and I had a relationship of sharing information on what his side felt and I didn’t know that his side had a preference for anybody.” Given the questions surrounding the delays of appointing the new PPC, PAC member and Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill proposed that the meetings should be made public. “That is backroom work, why are we doing this in committee today? I would like to recommend that the sub-committee does its work out of the public’s eye,” Edghill told the PAC yesterday. “It is kind of baffling and worrisome that the country is calling for the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission and we seem to be lagging in my view… I want to disassociate myself from any attempt to stymie the establishment of the PPC,” he added. Edghill was also among those, who claimed that the government is ready to move the process forward but contends that it is opposition members of having an attitude of bullyism that is hampering the process.
Tuesday January 04, 2022
Body found at Kitty Seawall
Undertakers removing the remains from the scene Undertakers last evening removed the body of an unidentified man that was found lying at the Kitty Seawall around 18:30hrs. Kaieteur News understands that it could be the remains of a vagrant. Police were reportedly notified that there was a
“dead man” seen at the seawall. Ranks were dispatched to the area located close to roundabout where they discovered the man’s body. It was found lying in a clump of grass close to a building that houses the Kitty Pump Station.
COVID-19 claims life of 69 year-old Region 10 woman
An unvaccinated 69y e a r- o l d w o m a n f r o m Region 10, who contracted the novel Corona virus (COVID-19) disease, is latest victim to succumb in Guyana. This is according to the Ministry of Health, which reported that the woman was a patient who died on Saturday last, while receiving treatment at a medical facility. As a result of this, Guyana’s COVID-19 death toll has moved to 1,056.
Further, in its daily COVID-19 dashboard, the Ministry recorded 94 new infections, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 40,154. The dashboard data also shows that there are six patients admitted into the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 47 persons in institutional isolation, 1,281 in home isolation and seven in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 37,764 persons have recovered from the virus.
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
How ex-President Ramotar & Robert Persaud ‘enriched friends’ with Guyana’s... From centre soccer in a vacant lot nearby, as a little boy chased a herd of goats down a potholed road. “They’ve got no basketball court, nothing for the kids to play with,” Spencer said. “They should be doing something for the young people.” V. A question of royalties As residents wait for major changes from the country’s oil wealth, the great expectations have raised questions about how much money Guyana is actually reaping from its crude. It’s unclear how much money, if any, Guyana lost on the Canje contract. MidAtlantic and its backers have spent about $100 million US on their three dry wells, Dookie said. Their last unsuccessful drilling attempt happened this fall. He said the Canje concession acquired by Mid-Atlantic and JHI had been given up by Western oil majors prior to 2012. “A lot of folks told me I shouldn’t take something the white man relinquished,” he joked. G u y a n a ’s c u r r e n t government defends its record on the Canje field; but it has tougher talk for ExxonMobil. “In retrospect, things could have been different,” Foreign Secretary Persaud said of Guyana’s production contract with the oil giant. “Certainly, it may not be the
Director and sole shareholder of Mid-Atlantic Oil & Gas, Edris ‘Kamal’ Dookie best deal for the country.” Under the contract, which has been released publicly following pressure, Guyana receives a two percent royalty rate on gross earnings and 50 percent of profits – after Exxon recovers the initial cost of its investment. That last bit is especially irksome to many Guyanese. Neighbouring Suriname, for example, has a royalty of more than six percent for most of its deals, and critics say even that is low compared to other jurisdictions. Ramotar thinks two percent is far too little for a royalty rate. Exxon disputes this. The government will be asking for more royalties and better terms in future contracts, Persaud said, but they can’t reopen the Exxon deal now without undermining investors’ confidence in the country. Lawyer Christopher Ram said problems with the
Exxon deal go far beyond royalty rates or profitsharing. Guyana’s government, he said, hasn’t been completing its basic due diligence to audit E x x o n ’s b o o k s a n d payments, as the country is entitled to do under the agreement. Exxon defends the deal it signed. The company declined to make a spokesperson available for an interview, but responded to questions via email. “The terms of the contracts are competitive with other agreements signed in countries at a similar resourcedevelopment phase,” said ExxonMobil spokesperson Meghan Macdonald, citing an independent study from the oil research firm Wood Mackenzie. “Our work and the support of the government of Guyana are the basis of a long-term mutually beneficial relationship that has created significant value for the people of Guyana,” Macdonald said. The company has employed more than 2,860 Guyanese, she said, and it’s working with local oil services firms to build their capacity. “Developing the numerous world-class deepwater discoveries offshore Guyana remains an integral part of ExxonMobil’s long-term p l a n s . ” Tr a n s p a r e n c y campaigners say the Exxon deal is robbing Guyana of key money, especially from the lucrative Stabroek block.
‘Fifty’ & ‘Culture’ remanded for Sensei’s... From page 2 firearm, which he was carrying. After committing the offence, Baley and others then escaped in a car which was being driven by Vickery. Kaieteur News had reported that the goldsmith told police that about five minutes after Newton left to go to his vehicle, a teenager came and informed him that the person (Newton) who came to collect the jewellery was shot and lying on the street.
Immediately after hearing this, the goldsmith reportedly went out to the street and saw Newton lying motionless. The Emergency Medical Technicians that were summoned to the scene pronounced Newton dead on the spot. An investigation was launched and the police had arrested two suspects in relation to the murder. They later issued a wanted bulletin for a teen in relation to the said murder.
And the people who suffer most will be the working classes who need the revenue for better public services. Ta x i d r i v e r S u n i l Prahalad, for example, needs a bone marrow transplant for his daughter, Chelsea. Guyana doesn’t have a specialist to do the procedure in its public hospitals, he said, and his family has been crushed by debt and sadness as she suffers. “For an oil-producing country, we should be doing better,” he said. “I’m strapped with medical bills, and I haven’t seen any improvement.”
Guyana’s former auditor general, Anand Goolsarran, said corruption and mismanagement have plagued the country’s nascent oil industry. (Chris Arsenault/CBC)
VI. Looking ahead To opposition lawmakers, anger over the terms of Exxon’s contract and questions over the awarding of the Canje field speak to broader problems with how the sector is being managed. “Guyana’s resources could be a bounty, where people themselves benefit — or we could be the Nigeria of South America,” said Shuman, the Deputy National Assembly Speaker, citing corruption, pollution and inequality in the West African nation. “It seems as though we are already suffering from the oil curse.” Singh, the University of Guyana economist, sees the same writing on the wall. Oil wealth has led to a boom in construction, he said, and the country’s private sector is becoming more dependent on government contracts rather than manufacturing or innovation. Rising prices and increased inequality are often symptoms of the oil curse, said Singh. He expects those trends to accelerate in Guyana. Prices are already running hot, especially in the capital. “The cost of living has gone way up since we started producing oil,” said Mark Lee, a customer sitting with his feet resting in a pink container of soapy water at a makeshift beauty salon in one of Georgetown’s openair markets. “We haven’t seen any benefits yet. None.” For many Guyanese, the offshore oil boom can feel like something happening far away. Aside from the c o n s t r u c t i o n o f l a rg e w arehous es and other facilities near the capital, as well as new hotels and American Airlines flights packed with burly men wearing oil company jackets, there isn’t much evidence that some of the world’s fastest economic
growth is taking place. The roads still pool with water when it rains due to improper drainage. Couples walk hand in hand along G e o r g e t o w n ’s s e a s i d e looking at the ocean on weekends. Young men drink beer on plastic chairs at roadside stalls in the evenings. And it’s not uncommon to see a cow or chickens picking at scrubland on main thoroughfares in the capital. Buttressed by walls and an internal canal system, most of Georgetown lies below sea level and flooding linked to climate change has become increasingly devastating in recent years. As the oil boom intensifies, Singh expects some residents will have more money to spend on bigger houses, flashier cars and other consumer goods. But once the wells run dry, he worries Guyana’s non-oil economy will flatline, and building other industries won’t be possible. “In 30 years, we will probably be the same as now,” said Singh. Government officials like Persaud and businessmen like Dookie say that’s pessimistic thinking. The economy is already booming and through the creation of a sovereign wealth fund to invest oil profits in other sectors, Guyana should be able to secure its long-term future, Persaud said. He expects these investments will keep bringing income to the country, even when oil demand peaks, likely in the next 15 years, due to more efficient renewable technologies and increasing climate change fears. To Schreiner Parker, the
energy consultant, Guyana is “the test case to see what the natural resource story of the 21st century is going to be.” The history of the extraction of oil in the developing world in the last century has been “less than stellar,” he said, and he hopes things might be different this time around. “There are more eyes on the situation and that creates more accountability, and accountability is how you make sure the population benefits, rather than the local corrupt politicians and extractive companies,” said Parker. Campaigners say that transparency isn’t happening in Guyana today, as evidenced by the Canje deal and similar no-bid contracts for the Kaieteur block signed to companies that don’t have the capacity to actively extract anything. Government officials disagree, noting they have published the contracts for key oil fields for the public to see, along with other antigraft initiatives. Whatever happens next with Guyana’s oil boom in this, the climate change era, Persaud is already eyeing the next natural bounty as the cycle of extraction continues. “We see oil and gas as a stimulant for other sectors, including the utilization of our freshwater resources,” Persaud said. “As water resources are dried up elsewhere, we have it in abundance here. We would want to capitalize on that opportunity.” (This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and published by CBC News — Canada’s publicly owned news and information service – Founded in 1941.)
Tuesday January 04, 2022
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Two charged for Christmas Eve Day execution in Albouystown T
he two men who allegedly killed 28-year-old Deon Charles, execution-style on Christmas Eve night in Albouystown, were yesterday charged for his death. Making their first court appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts were 19-year-old Ezekiel Hawker, called ‘Alpha’ of Forshaw Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, and father of two, Mickel Forde, 31, of Critchlow Street, Tucville. Both men appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and were not required to plead to the indictable charge, which alleges that on December 24, 2021 at James Street, Albouystown they murdered Charles. It was reported that Charles of Middle Road, La Penitence was killed out of revenge on Christmas Eve night. Police reports had stated that sometime around 23:50hrs that day, Charles was standing on James Street, when a white ‘Axio’ motorcar came from the eastern
direction and stopped in front him. Investigators had revealed that two men exited the car and approached Charles, after which a loud explosion, suspected to be a gunshot, was heard. Charles subsequently fell to the ground while the men re-entered the car and drove away. Charles, who died on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, was shot to the left side of his head. The investigation into his death led to the arrest of Hawker and Forde—who was said to be the driver of the motorcar. Forde was arrested at his home on Boxing Day, while Hawker was apprehended in Suriname while trying to evade police. In his confession to investigators, Hawker told them that he committed the crime because Charles had allegedly shot at him in the past on two occasions. Chief Magistrate McLennan after remanding Hawker and Forde to prison; adjourned the matter to January 27.
Charged, Ezekiel ‘Alpha’ Hawker.
Dead, Deon Charles.
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
Kaieteur News WANTED One male able bodied clerk. Tel:231-2029/616-5954. Motor Lorry drivers needed and Porters. Tel:627-1835.
Govt. to pay $48M gratuity to former PPC Commissioners
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Third from left: Former President David Granger flanked by the members of the last PPC.
The Government is expected to pay out approximately $48M owed to members of the last Public Procurement Commission (PPC). The decision was announced at the first sitting of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) held yesterVACANCY day. According to Chair of the General domestic to work in Public Accounts Committee PetersHall area,age 20 to 50 (PAC), Jermaine Figueira, the years.Tel:609-3259/226-9485. decision to pay the five comOne salesman,able bodied missioners was made since porters.Experience in writing last year, and was intended bills,stocktaking & cashing. to be disbursed before the Keyfood Trading,Mc Doom Christmas holiday. Figueira said, that he was village. “quite disappointed,” to learn A c c o u n t a n t / O f f i c e at the meeting that the payManager.Vat, PAYE,NIS, ments were not disbursed. maintain accounting needs. The issue was raised by OpTel:223-6035/673-6210. position PAC member David Patterson. For experience Hauler/Lorry Patterson requested that Driver & Porters. Apply at Alabama Trading, 65 Robb St VACANCY Bourda. 1 helper needed,10 yrs experience. Tel:693-6508.
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the matter be dealt with as soon as possible. Figueira noted that the PAC was informed of the status of the payments by one of the former commissioners. “I’m aware that the Clerk of the Committee wrote to the Clerk of the National Assembly, informing him of the decision of the payment for those commissioners, so we really need to have an update with regard to where we are with that,” Former PPC commissioner and now Finance Secretary, Sukrishnalall Pasha, explained that although the monies are available for the payment, it could not be done. Pasha said that he was awaiting official correspondence from the PAC informing him that the decision was taken. “The Committee should send me a note with the decision for me to take action. I don’t think that was done but the funds are available…,” Pasha said. Pasha advised that al-
though not budgeted for, the payments will be made. The payout is expected to be done sometime this week. Members of the Public Procurement Commission were sworn in by President David Granger in 2016. The PPC was charged to uphold the sacrosanct tenets of the Constitution and to be independent, impartial and fair in the execution of their duties. Emily Dodson, Carol Corbin, Sukrishnalall Pasha, Ivor Burnette English and former Minister of Labour, Nanda Kishore Gopaul, took the Oath of Office before the President. Under their terms of contract, the PPC members are entitled to gratuity being paid for the period 2016 to 2019. Kaieteur News understands that the payments were not made on schedule because while other benefits like duty free were previously agreed on by the PAC, there was no deliberation and decision on gratuity.
Tuesday January 04, 2022
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
Tuesday January 04, 2022
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Kaieteur News
England players taking part in BBL asked to return home ahead of Windies tour
England players taking part in BBL asked to return home for Windies tour.
Tuesday Junuary 4, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A member of your household may be having troubles, Aries, and therefore you might consider staying home from work in order to help them get through it all. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) An important career concern could require considerable effort on your part today in order to enable you to advance whatever it is you're trying to accomplish, Taurus. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A trip that you wanted to take may have to be postponed, Gemini, probably for financial reasons. You'll want to make the journey in the company of someone who's financially strapped right now. CANCER (June 21–July 22) The need to complete an important task could have you mustering a far higher level of self-control than you're used to, Cancer. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A business or romantic partner could be in a rather schizoid mood today, Leo. You'll probably spend a lot of time together, and during the course of the day your friend could jump between enthusiasm and gloom. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Generally, you tend to be rather ingenious where work is concerned, Virgo, but today you may feel that the fountain of innovation has totally dried up.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A crisis of values may confront you today, Libra. Someone you care about might need you to do something for them that you don't feel comfortable doing, and this could put you in a tough spot. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today you might feel a little gloomy without knowing why, Scorpio, and you could spend a lot of time trying to find a reason. There probably isn't any concrete reason. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) A close friend or love partner you haven't seen for a while could finally make arrangements to see you, Sagittarius. You therefore could spend much of the day in a great mood, looking forward to the encounter ahead. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The house might seem rather empty today, Capricorn, as most of the other members of your household are probably out and about. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Someone close to you might not be feeling very well, Aquarius, and you might feel the need to remain nearby and take care of this person. By all means do this. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A goal that you may have been working toward for a long time might still seem very distant right now, Pisces.
Six England players currently taking part in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) have been asked to return home by the England Cricket Board (ECB). The decision has been taken with the team’s upcoming tour of the West Indies in mind, and with consideration to rising coronavirus cases. With the series scheduled to get underway in Barbados on January 22, all the players are expected to be back in England on January 7. In a statement, released on Sunday, the ECB confirmed that the players were expected to be released by their clubs. The list includes George Garton, Reece Topley, Sam Billings, James Vince, and Tymal Mills.
Chris Jordan had already left the country. “The six English players currently playing in the KFC BBL who have been selected
for England’s T20 International series against the West Indies will be returning to the UK by January 7,” the release read.
Without Kohli, India bowled... From page 29 With a new cap for his recall — so he didn’t have to break into his framed memorabilia — Olivier made an immediate impact on his return to remove Cheteshwar Pujara for 3 and Ajinkya Rahane first ball. Hanuma Vihari, in the team in place of Kohli, fell to Rabada for 20 after lunch and thanks to a one-handed grab by Rassie van der Dussen at short leg. Rahul went just before tea to a lofted hook shot and a diving catch by Rabada at square leg to leave India five down. South Africa’s pacers ran through the last five Indian wickets for 46 runs despite a counter of 46 from 50 balls by Ravichandran Ashwin. Before the game, India
was emboldened by a strong record at the Wanderers, where it has never lost in five tests dating to 1992, and by its own impressive pace attack. Vihari in for Kohli was India’s only team change. South Africa made two changes. Olivier was recalled and Kyle Verreynne was in as wicketkeeper for Quinton de Kock. De Kock was due to miss the rest of the series anyway for the birth of his first child but made a shock announcement at the end of the first test last week that he was retiring from test cricket at the age of 29. Scores: South Africa 35 for 1 (Elgar 11*, Petersen 14*) trail India 202 (Rahul 50, Ashwin 46, Jansen 4-31, Rabada 3-64, Olivier 3-64) by 167 runs.
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 04, 2022
Prince nets hat-trick as Police crowned GFF - GNWFA
Women’s Super 16 champs
Police captain Colette Hope receives the trophy from GFF President Wayne Forde. Runner up GT Panthers. By Zaheer Mohamed Dennecia Prince netted a hat-trick as the Guyana Police Force FC were crowned champions of the Guyana Football FederationGNWFA Women’s Super 16 tournament following a hard fought 4-2 win over GT Panthers on Sunday night at Leonora. The game had all the ingredients of a final, living up to its expectations, providing much excitement with explosive movements, flair and creativity by both teams despite some showers. GT Panthers took the lead in the 6th minute when Annalisa Vincent slotted home from inside the area following a build-up. Police could have drawn
level one minute later, but a smart piece of goalkeeping from Alba Marques denied Prince from within the area. However, Prince found the equaliser in the 15th minute with a brilliant effort, after gaining possession she eluded two defenders before firing home. Prince was on target once again four minutes later with a powerful shot from outside the box as Police stretched their advantage. GT Panthers drew level in fine fashion two minutes later with a brilliant goal from Feona Benjamin. Following a cross from the left side of the box, Benjamin won possession within the area, and with her back against the goal, she
neatly turned and sent her powerful shot into the roof of the net. Police managed to create a few chances but were denied by some stern defending along with a few brilliant saves from Marques as the teams went to the break at 22. Police scored early in the second half to take a 3-2 lead as Prince got her hat-trick in the 47th minute. Shontel Green of Police was denied by a smart piece of work from Marques from inside the box before Prince powerful shot from outside the area was tipped over the bar. Another smart piece of goalkeeping denied Police
Annalisa Vincent accepts her MVP prize from GFF 1st VP Brigadier Retired Bruce Lovell.
once again as Marques advanced to keep out a shot with Police having the better of the second half. Lakeisha Pearson of Police had a decent chance to score, but sent her shot wide from the left side of the box, while Prince wasted a decent opportunity shortly after, firing wide of an empty net after eluding a defender and
Marques. Prince had another powerful shot tipped over the bar as Marques continued to do well between the uprights. However, Tiandi Smith sealed the game for Police as she slotted home in the 83rd minute. Meanwhile, Fruta Conquerors beat Guyana Defence Force 3-2 in the third place playoff.
Sandra Johnson put Fruta Conquerors ahead in the 18th minute before Akeelah Vancooten drew GDF level in the 26th minute. Vancooten netted again in the 38th minute as GDF enjoyed a 2-1 lead at the break. Jalade Trim found the equaliser in the 63rd minute before she netted her second three minutes later.
‘We want to mould a winning frame of mind’ - Simmons looking for energy, enthusiasm from new-look Windies SportsMax - West Indies head coach Phil Simmons is expecting more energy and enthusiasm from a new-look squad as the team bowls off the year with series against Ireland and England. The Caribbean team has endured a disappointing few months on the back of a disastrous showing at the T20 World Cup, followed by defeats in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. A few of the team’s most experienced players have retired following a lackluster showing at the World Cup and the team did not select a few other regulars for the tour of Pakistan. Despite a 3-0 T20 series loss in Pakistan, Simmons was encouraged by the team’s fervor. “The way we started in Pakistan is the way we want to play now, have a lot more energy, more enthusiasm,” Simmons told members of the media earlier this week. “It’s a young group of guys and we are trying to mould them and get them into a winning frame of mind.
West Indies head coach Phil Simmons. We want to win, and we want to do everything that it takes to win,” he added. The team will see the likes
of Brandon King and Odean Smith returning a potential debut for Justin Greaves and spinner Gudakesh Motie set to earn a second cap.
Tuesday January 04, 2022
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Kaieteur News
NBA roundup: Jaylen Brown scores 50 in Celtics’ OT win (Reuters) - Jaylen Brown scored 21 of his career-high 50 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed 11 rebounds to help the Boston Celtics rally past the visiting Orlando Magic for a 116-111 overtime win on Sunday night. Boston led 110-104 with 1:11 left in the extra period. Orlando closed within 110109 after a Wendell Carter Jr. free throw with 42.4 seconds on the clock, but Al Horford provided the winning basket on his 3-pointer with 27.4 seconds left. Dennis Schroder had 21 points and seven assists in his return from the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocol and Marcus Smart added 17 points with seven helpers for the Celtics. Terrence Ross had a season-high 33 points off the bench and Gary Harris scored 23 to lead Orlando, which blew a 14-point lead late in the fourth quarter to suffer its fifth consecutive defeat. Raptors 120, Knicks 105 Fred VanVleet scored 19 of his 35 points in the third quarter and host Toronto defeated depleted New York. VanVleet was 7-for-13 in 3point attempts and also had five rebounds and five assists in scoring more than 30 points for the second straight game. Pascal Siakam added 20 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists as Toronto won for the second straight game.
Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier (3) goes up for a layup defended by Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and center Bismark Biyambo (18) during the second quarter at the Spectrum Center. (Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports) Evan Fournier scored 20 points for the Knicks, who completed their road trip at 22. RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin added 19 points each, Quentin Grimes had 13 and Alec Burks 11. Suns 133, Hornets 99 Devin Booker scored 24 points as Phoenix got back on track with a blasting of host Charlotte. The Suns entered having lost three of their previous four games to drop out of the
top spot in the Western Conference. Jalen Smith had 19 points for the Suns on Sunday, while reserve Landry Shamet pumped in 17 points and Mikal Bridges had 15. Cameron Johnson and Cameron Payne both had 14 points for Phoenix. LaMelo Ball had 17 points for the Hornets, while Kelly Oubre Jr. had 15 and Ish Smith had 13 for Charlotte, which had a three-game winning streak snapped. Miles
Bridges, who missed the previous two games while in COVID protocol, added 10 points. Lakers 108, Timberwolves 103 LeBron James scored 26 points and Malik Monk added 22 as Los Angeles earned a victory over visiting Minnesota despite a significant rebounding disadvantage. Russell Westbrook had 20 points for the Lakers, but had nine turnovers on a night
when Los Angeles had 28 rebounds to 56 for Minnesota. The Lakers defeated the Timberwolves for the first time in three tries this season. Naz Reid scored a seasonhigh 23 points and had 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost for the fifth time in their last six games. Reid was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. Minnesota was without two of its three top scorers with Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell in COVID-19 protocol. Cavaliers 108, Pacers 104 Evan Mobley had a teamhigh 24 points and Kevin Love added 20, including a tiebreaking basket with 10:10 to play, lifting Cleveland to victory over visiting Indiana. In helping the Cavaliers end a three-game skid, Love’s 16-footer gave Cleveland the lead for good. The basket followed consecutive 3-pointers by Duane Washington Jr. and Oshae Brissett that allowed the Pacers to draw even one final time at 90 early in the fourth period. Mobley’s 24 points came on 11-for-16 shooting from the field. He also had nine rebounds. Jarrett Allen compiled a double-double with 18 points and a team-high 11 rebounds to go with three blocks for the Cavaliers, who outrebounded the visitors 58-47. Mavericks 95, Thunder 86 Marquese Chriss scored a
season-high 15 off the bench to lead Dallas to a road victory over Oklahoma City. The Mavericks got three key players back after stints in the league’s COVID-19 protocol, including star Luka Doncic. Doncic, playing for the first time since Dec. 10 after missing 10 games due to left ankle soreness and then the NBA’s health and safety protocols, had 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting with 10 assists and nine rebounds. Rookie Josh Giddey led Oklahoma City with 17 points, a season-high 14 assists and 13 rebounds. Kings 115, Heat 113 De’Aaron Fox, who went scoreless in the first quarter, made two go-ahead free throws with 6.2 seconds left to lead host Sacramento to a win over Miami. On the ensuing possession, Miami’s Jimmy Butler drove into the lane, but his turnaround jumper bounced off the rim as the Heat had their five-game win streak broken. Fox finished with 24 points as the Kings won for the third time in four games. Buddy Hield led Sacramento with a game-high 26 points, making 7 of 14 3-pointers. Omer Yurtseven scored a career-best 22 points. (Field Level Media)
Pakistan’s ‘Professor’ Hafeez quits international cricket ISLAMABAD (AP) — Allrounder Mohammad Hafeez has retired from international cricket after representing Pakistan in 392 matches over 18 years. Hafeez, 41, quit test cricket in 2018 and played his last ODI in the 2019 World Cup at Lord’s. He was recalled in 2020 for Twenty20 matches and finished the year as the world’s leading run-scorer in the calendar year in the shortest format. “Today I say goodbye to international cricket with pride and satisfaction,” Hafeez said at a media conference in Lahore yesterday, wearing the Pakistan team’s green blazer and tie. “In fact, I have earned and accomplished more than I had initially envisaged and for that, I am thankful to all my fellow cricketers, captains, support staff and the Pakistan Cricket Board who helped me out during my career.” The right-handed batsman scored 12,780 runs in international matches that included 55 test matches, 218 ODIs and 119 T20s. Hafeez, who was reported for his sus-
pect bowling action several times, also took 253 wickets with his off-spin bowling in all the three formats. During his long career, Hafeez, profoundly known as ‘Professor,’ represented Pakistan in three 50-over World Cups, six T20 World Cups and three ICC Champions Trophy tournaments. He was the member of the winning squad
which won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017 but missed the T20 World Cup in 2009 when Pakistan won the trophy in England. Hafeez will be remembered more for his exploits in whiteball cricket, especially in T20s, where he was ranked he No. 1 all-rounder in the world in 2014. Hafeez said he was satis-
“Whether it’s on the field or off the field, I tried to raise Pakistan’s flag high”. (PCB)
Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez has retired from international cricket after representing Pakistan in 392 matches over 18 years. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)
fied with his career and was proud to don the national kit with the “Pakistan emblem for 18 years.” “My country and my team have always been at my forefront and therefore, every time I stepped on to the field, I tried to raise their profile and image by playing hard
and tough but within the rich traditions of spirit of cricket,” he said. PCB chairman Ramiz Raja lauded Hafeez’s strong work ethic and said he’d adjusted well in all the three formats of the game. “His game evolved with time, adjusting to different formats quite in-
telligently,” Raja said in a statement. “Later in his career, he became a T20 specialist, where he was never out of touch with modern demands of this testing format. His batsmanship took a sprightly turn, nailing sixes almost at will.”
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
Mominul, Das build Bangladesh lead before Boult fights back AFP - Mominul Haque and Liton Das led Bangladesh to a historic first innings lead over New Zealand in the first Test yesterday before both fell to Trent Boult in a dramatic final session at Mount Maunganui. At stumps on day three Bangladesh were 401 for six in reply to New Zealand’s 328, a lead of 73 with four wickets in hand. They had reached 361 for four before Boult ended a 158run stand with the wicket of Mominul for 88, followed 11 deliveries later by Das for 86. “It looks like it might go down to the wire,” Boult said as the Bangladesh players left the field talking of extending their innings towards 500. “The game’s pretty well poised. Test matches which have been played here have gone late into day five ... and probably we’ll be bowling last,” Boult said. “I presume Bangladesh want to bat once and bat big and put a lot of pressure on us.” It is the first time Bangladesh have taken a first-innings lead batting second outside of Asia. They led New Zealand at Wellington four years ago when batting first, although a disastrous second innings saw them lose that Test by seven wickets. It has been an exceptional Test for Mominul, a part-time spinning option who dismissed New Zealand’s top two run-scorers Devon
Trent Boult celebrates after dismissing Mushfiqur Rahim • Jan 02, 2022 © Getty Images Conway and Henry Nicholls and then batted through 244 deliveries as he notched his 15th Test half-century. Mominul rode his luck with the bat, surviving multiple chances as he put his side in a strong position before being trapped lbw by Boult. 0He had the decision reviewed but there was no doubting the outcome as Boult’s inswinger crashed into the back pad in front of off stump. Mominul’s innings included 12 boundaries to all corners of the ground and his
partnership with Das kept New Zealand wicketless for more than 52 overs. Das, like Mominul, also struck boundaries on both sides of the wicket, as well as straight down the ground and he had 10 fours to his credit before edging Boult to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell. Boult had switched to around the wicket and with the ball heading outside off stump Das could not resist an attempted cut and sent a thick edge the keeper. Bangladesh batted cautiously in the morning session, only scoring 45 runs for
GCB expresses condolences at the passing of Sherlock ‘Zegga’ Atwell The President and Executive and Members of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) wish to express our surprise at the sudden passing of Mr. Sherlock Atwell. ‘Zegga’, as he was familiarly known, died on Sunday January 2, 2022. He was a member of the Demerara Cricket Club where he played and administered the game of cricket. He also played important roles on the Georgetown Cricket Association, Demerara Cricket Board and the Guyana Cricket Board, including liaison officer and the management of pitch preparation works during regional tournaments held in Guyana. Sherlock Atwell was a passionate sports personality who was also keen on sharing his views and insight to the conduct and development of the game. He will be remembered for his forthright
the loss of classy opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy for 78 and Mushfiqur Rahim for 12. Joy added eight to his overnight 70 before Neil Wagner had him caught at gully while Boult bowled
Liton Das and Mominul Haque continued to frustrate New Zealand • Jan 02, 2022 © Getty Images Mushfiqur. Mominul and Das added 87 in the middle session and Bangladesh put on 94 between tea and stumps. The not out batsmen at the close were Mehidy Hasan on 20 and
Yasir Ali on 11. Boult took three for 61 for New Zealand and Wagner three for 98. Stumps Bangladesh 401 for 6 (Mominul 88, Liton 86, Boult 3-61) lead New Zealand 328 by 73 runs.
GCB Names 30-Man Squad for first match in GCB’s Best of Best Redball 4-Day Tourney The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has announced the thirty-man squad for the first match in the GCB’s Best of Best Redball 4-Day Tournament. The first of three scheduled matches will be played at the Albion Community Centre ground from Wednesday January 5, 2022. The scheduled hours of play per day are from 10:00 hours to 17:00 hours. The thirty-man squad for
the first match in the GCB’s Best of Best Redball 4-Day Tournament is: Leon Johnson, Kemo Paul, Shimron Hetmyer, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Vishaul Singh, Kevlon Anderson, Veerasammy Permaul, Keon Joseph, Kevin Sinclair, Tevin Imlach, Qumar Torrington, Joshua Jones, Demitri Cameron, Sylus Tyndall, Clinton Pestano, Anthony Adams, Kevin
Umroa, Ashmead Nedd, Richie Looknauth, Junior Sinclair, Quintin Sampson, Zachery Jodah, Jonathan Ramersaud, Akshaya Persaud, Raymon Perez, Kemol Savory, Marvin Dindyal, Javed Karim, Rampertab Ramnauth and Seon Glasgow The scheduled dates for the other two matches are January 12-15, 2022 and January 18-21, 2022.
Premier League reports fall in COVID-19 cases
Sherlock Atwell and assertive approach to the game both as a player and administrator. The GCB hereby wishes to express sincere condo-
lences to the wife, children and other family members of the late Sherlock Atwell. May his soul rest in peace.
(Reuters) - The Premier League said yesterday it had found 94 new positive COVID-19 cases among players and staff in the last week, the first week-by-week decrease in positive results for eight weeks. “(We) can today confirm that between Monday 27 December 2021 and Sunday 2 January 2022, 14,250 COVID19 tests were administered on players and club staff. Of these, there were 94 new positive cases (0.65%),” the league said in a statement. The figure had been
steadily rising in recent weeks with 90 testing positive between Dec. 13-19 and a record 103 cases between Dec. 2026. Eighteen games have been postponed since last month due to COVID-19 outbreaks and injuries at various clubs, while teams have often been forced to field weakened lineups. Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp as well as Alisson Becker, Roberto Firmino and Joel Matip from the playing squad missed the 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Sun-
day after returning positive tests. Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte told reporters yesterday that they were “monitoring” a couple of possible new COVID-19 cases at the club. “We are checking a couple of situations, we’ll see. We didn’t do this (name them) in the past and we will continue to do this in the same way. We are not 100% sure they will miss the game,” Conte said ahead of the Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final first-leg away to Chelsea.
Tuesday January 04, 2022
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Kaieteur News
Moutinho scores late winner as Man Utd lose at home to Wolves BBC Sport - Joao Moutinho struck the only goal eight minutes from time to give Wolves a deserved victory at Old Trafford and end Ralf Rangnick’s unbeaten start as interim Manchester United manager. It also needed a Jose Sa save in the fifth minute of stoppage time to earn Wolves their first Old Trafford win since 1980. Sa turned away a curling free-kick from substitute Bruno Fernandes, who had earlier fired against the bar when he should have done better. The visitors controlled the opening half-hour and were back on top by the time Moutinho struck, although the goal was unfortunate for central defender Phil Jones, who was one of United’s better performers on his senior return after a near two-year absence because of injuries. His clearing header fell to the 35-year-old midfielder on the edge of the area and although Moutinho had not scored since February 2021, he kept his nerve to drive a shot through a packed pen-
alty area and into the bottom corner. The Wolves fans celebrated noisily at the final whistle but it was a crushing blow for Rangnick, with his side remaining seventh in the Premier League, a staggering 22 points behind leaders Manchester City - although they have played two games fewer. Wolves, meanwhile, are now three points and once place behind Manchester United in eighth. Wonderful Wolves It had been more than two weeks since Wolves last played, the home draw with Chelsea on 19 December, and it was 6 November since they had last been involved in a game that contained more than one goal. As the opening period inched towards its conclusion, and Jones stretched to intercept a Nelson Semedo pass intended for Ruben Neves, who was in a shooting position, Wolves boss Bruno Lage offered an animated shrug of the shoulders. Evidently, Lage believed his team should have had
something tangible to show for an opening period in which they had an incredible 15 shots, the most by a visiting team at Old Trafford in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League game since records started being kept in the 2004-05 season. David de Gea was forced into a string of saves, denying Semedo and Daniel Podence twice. Arguably the pick was a fingertip effort to touch over a volley from Neves, who had controlled a headed Jones clearance on the edge of the penalty area. Wolves were forced onto the defensive more often after half-time but even though they weathered the storm, it seemed they would have to settle for a point when Romain Saiss clipped the bar with a free-kick in his final game before heading off on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Morocco. Moutinho had other ideas. And while Wolves’ run of games involving no more than a single goal now extends to eight, few in the visitors’ camp were worried about that.
Moutinho scored the winner with eight minutes to go. (Getty Images) Underwhelming United It is becoming evident the issues that arose during the final weeks of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign will not disappear through a change of manager. Ronaldo was a muted force and the United fans did not think Mason Greenwood deserved to be substituted for
Fernandes given the boos that accompanied his exit. United were overrun in midfield during those opening stages and, as so often under Solskjaer, were left hoping for a moment of inspiration that did not come. As it turned out, any fears about Jones playing instead of the injured Harry Maguire
had long since been dispelled by the time Wolves scored. If anything, the defender was a galvanising presence. It was a first United defeat since Solskjaer’s final game in charge, at Watford, on 20 November. For Rangnick, there is no quick fix to the mess United find themselves in.
Australian cricket hit by Without Kohli, India bowled out for 202 in 2nd test 1985 sexual abuse allegation
AFP - Australia’s cricketing chiefs said yesterday they were assisting a police investigation into shock allegations that an under-19 cricketer was sexually assaulted while on tour in India and Sri Lanka in the 1980s. Cricket Australia said it supported ex-Australian under-19 Jamie Mitchell, whose claims that he was raped on the tour by a team official were first reported by national broadcaster ABC on Sunday. “We acknowledge and applaud the courage of Jamie Mitchell in speaking out about his experience,” the governing body said in a statement, adding that it was “fully assisting” a police probe. “We have no tolerance for any form of abuse,” said
Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley. Mitchell told ABC he was sexually assaulted in Colombo on the last night of the tour in 1985. A team official named in the ABC report denied wrongdoing and no charges have been made. “Instead of being a highlight of my cricketing life, that tour has caused me trauma and distress over many years,” Mitchell said in a statement released by his lawyers to Australian media. “Cricket Australia has a chance to distinguish itself by facing up to this issue and doing the right thing. “And that means transparency, starting with proper answers to many questions.
I’m going to send a list of them to Cricket Australia.” Former Australian captain Greg Chappell, who was a national selector at the time of the alleged attack, told Nine Entertainment newspapers that he was appalled by the allegations. “I would hope that CA will respond in a human way and deal empathetically with the individuals rather than try to defend the organisation,” he said. “It was a shocking revelation. I would have hoped nothing like that had happened, but realism tells you that other areas of life have seen that sort of thing go on.” A spokesman for the Australian Federal Police said they do not comment on “specific investigations”.
South Africa’s bowler Kagiso Rabada, center right, celebrate with teammate Rassie van der Dussen for taking a catch to dismiss India’s batsman Hanuma Vihari for 20 runs. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) JOHANNESBURG (AP) — India was bowled out for 202 by South Africa on the opening day of the second test yesterday in a troublesome start for the tourists after they also lost captain Virat Kohli to injury before the game started. KL Rahul stood in as captain with Kohli ruled out by an upper back spasm, and top-scored with 50. But South Africa’s quick bowlers had the better of the day at the Wanderers, with Marco Jansen taking 4-31 and Duanne Olivier and Kagiso
Rabada three wickets each. South Africa was 35-1 at stumps and 167 runs behind. Aiden Markram was out lbw for 11 to Mohammed Shami, India’s best bowler of the series so far. India leads the threematch series 1-0 after a 113run win in the first test in Centurion last week. That boosted top-ranked India’s hopes of finally cracking South Africa and securing a first test series win in the country on its eighth tour. But Kohli’s absence and the dominance of the South
African quick bowlers on the opening day in Johannesburg dented those chances. India slipped to 53-3 in the first session after an initial breakthrough by Jansen and then two wickets in two balls from Olivier, who was recalled for his first test since February 2019. Olivier had seemingly abandoned his international career to play for Yorkshire in English county cricket and said he framed his South Africa test cap as he doubted he’d ever use it again. (Continued on page 25)
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Tuesday January 04, 2022
Kaieteur News
GFF, KS inaugural Futsal KO tournament...
Pulsating Futsal Semis anticipated tonight at CASH
Gold is Money semi 2022 - Gold is Money is another outfit gunning for the grand prize. By Sean Devers Pulsating action is anticipated from 8:00PM tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall when the semi-finals of the Guyana Football Federa-
tion (GFF) and Kashif and Shanghai (K&S) inaugural Futsal KO tournament kick off before what should be a sold out crowd. Sparta Boss face-off with
Leopold Street, while Bent Street and Gold is Money go head to head tonight and when the dust would have settled, two teams will be left to battle for Championship
Bent Street semi 2022 - Bent Street and Gold is Money will be involved in a humdinger of an affair with the winner in line for the $1M first prize.
Leopold Street semi 2022 - Leopold Street will have their work cut out to contain Sparta in what should be a keen tussle. honours and the $1 million in Saturday night’s grand finale. The runners-up will pocket $500,000 on Saturday night, while the third and fourth placed team will collect $250,000 and $100,000 respectively after the third placed game is completed. Tonight all roads will lead the ‘Sports Hall’ where only fully vaccinated fans will pay $1,000 to see what promises to be two epic battles after two exhibition games are contested. In tonight’s first semi-final Sparta Boss play Leopold Street in what should be very competitive encounter with Sparta Boss slightly favoured to advance to Saturday night’s final. They will look to Stephen Alfred, who has five goals from two games including a helmet-trick against Berbice All Stars, to lead their charge. He will look for support from Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson, Sheldon Shepherd, Jeremy Garrett and Nicholas McArthur. The burly Devon Charles has been outstanding between the uprights and conceded just two goals in his two matches. Scoring goals usually provides victories but preventing them being scored against you is just as important and if Charles is at his best, he would be hard to beat, which makes Sparta Boss the more balanced of the two teams. In the other semi-final, Gold is Money will bank on
Randolph Wagner who netted in a helmet-trick against North East and will expect back-up from Jamal Pedro, Cecil Johnaton, Joel Yap and Marcus Wilson. Bent Street will be spearheaded by the tournament’s leading goal scorer Jermaine Junor, who scored six goals in two games including five against Back Circle in a 7-4 victory. He will want William Europe, Colin Nelson and Daniel Wilson to support him. The Road the Semi-finals In the round of 16, Led by a brace from Andrew Murray and a goal from Trayon Bobb, Gold is Money, showed that they were early favourites for the $1 million when they dominated Foot Steppers 3-1. A star studded Sparta Boss destroyed California Square 5-1 with Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson, Sheldon Shepherd, Jeremy Garrett, Nicholas McArthur and Stephen Alfred scoring a goal each for their team. Leopold Street spearheaded by braces from Daron Niles and Abumchi Opara and goals from Raphael Edwards and Daren Benjamin, hammered Alexander Village 6-1. Bent Street beat Team Cruel, 4-1 with two goals by Colin Nelson and a goal each from Daniel Wilson and Jermaine Junor, leading them to the Quarter-finals. In the quarter finals, a helmet-trick from Daren Benjamin spearheaded Leopold Street to a 6-2 win over Ren-
egades. Bent Street, led by five goals from Jermaine Junor and goals from William Europe and Daniel Wilson, demolished a spirited the Back Circle unit 7-4 after a competitive first half. On the second night of quarter-finals action, another large crowd saw Sparta Boss maul Berbice All-Stars 8-1. Stephen Alfred scored four goals, while Sheldon Shepherd, Nicholas McArthur, Eusi Phillips and Curtez Kellman netted one each for Sparta Boss who crushed Berbice All Starts 81 with Nigel Caesar scoring the consolation goal for the Berbicians. In the second game of quarter finals night two, a helmet-trick from Randolph Wagner and goals from Jamal Pedro, Cecil Johnaton, Joel Yap and Marcus Wilson, spearheaded Gold is Money to an emphatic 8-4 win against North East whose goal scorers were Jamal Cozier (2), Daniel Ross and Lindy Gardner. So far, the standard of the Goal Keeping has been quite high. Devon Charles from Sparta Boss, Renegades’ Revaldo Walcott and Tierre Phillips from Berbice All Stars all making some brilliant saves with Phillips, arguably being the best of the lot despite his team not reaching the ‘final four’ stage of the well organised and wonderfully supported tournament.
Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 04, 2022
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Guyana NRA holds Annual General Meeting, Brig. Godfrey Bess is Pres. The Guyana NRA held its Annual General Meeting on Thursday December 30, 2021 at the Crown Mining Roof Garden located on D e n n i s S t r e e t , Campbellville. The meeting was called to order by the Honorary Secretary Ryan Sampson who announced that the President Brig Patrick West was unable to attend. It should be noted that the meeting was held with a hybrid system with persons at the location being joined online via Zoom. This was a first at an AGM for the Association, as it also allowed members from the USA to attend. Reports were given by Mr. Dylan Fields of the Fullbore Section, who highlighted the participation in the West Indies Fullbore Championship in Trinidad where Guyana placed second. Due to the pandemic there was inactivity in 2020 and only three months of activity in 2021, before receiving news in July from the Guyana Defence Force that the Timehri Rifle Ranges were being temporarily closed until
further notice. It is presently still closed. The Smallbore Secton’s Report was given by Mr. Gordon Richards who highlighted the training of new members in firearm safety and usage. There were also practice sessions at the TSU ranges under strict Covid19 protocols. The financial position was also shared with the members by the Honorary Secretary on behalf of the Treasurer. The Honorary Secretary then reported on the Associations administration. The monthly statutory meetings were held via Zoom over the period. The Covid19 Task Force had given permission to the Association to hold recreation shoots under strict COvid 19 protocol. A meeting was held with the newly appointed Chief of Staff Brig Godfrey Bess, who had confirmed his and the Defence’s support to the Association. There has always been a great collaboration between the two entities over the years and he wanted this to continue. The Association had written to the Lands and
The new executive of the Guyana National Rifle Association take time out for a photo following their elections. Survey for a piece of land on which to build a club house and indoor range, we are still to receive a reply. Land was offered in Tushen to the Association back in 2011 but the funds to acquire it was not sufficient. The Association is still hopeful, after 154 years in existence, of having a place to call home as we continue to utilize the GOA’s premises. The Honorary Secretary then thanked the outgoing Executive Council for their service over the last four years. The Council was then dissolved. The elections Returning Officer was Mr. Charles Corbin of the GOA. He stated the positions that were
available for elections and ensured that a democratic process was followed. After completing the entire electoral process Mr. Charles Corbin announced the newly elected members of the General Council of the Association. They are President - Brig G o d f r e y B e s s , Vi c e Presidents Col Enoch Gaskin and Mahendra Persaud, Honorary Secretary – Ryan Sampson, Treasurer – Hemant Narine, Asst Sec Treasurer Lennox Braithwaite, Fullbore Captain – Dylan Fields, Fullbore Vice Captain - Leo Romalho, Smallbore Captain- Gordon Richards, Smallbore Vice Captain-
Lindsay Baird, Ordinary Members to General Council – Dr. Johan DaSilva, Sherwin Felicien and Peter Persaud. With the approval of the A s s o c i a t i o n ’s n e w Constitution at the meeting there is now a Finance Committee which comprises Dale Hing, Murtland Smith and Colvern Venture along with the Treasurer and Assistant Secretary Treasurer. Long serving Vice President Paul Slowe, Treasurer Lt Col Terrence Stuart and Smallbore Captain Dale Hing, all did not seek re-election. The new President replaces retired Brig Patrick West whom the Association
National Sports Academy
Narayan Ramdhani and Priyanna Ramdhani are Guyana’s top Badminton players. (Sean Devers photo) Badminton joined Squash and Volleyball as the third Sport discipline to start at the Nursery level from the National Sports Academy which was launched by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport the National Sports Academy during the National Sports Conference held at the National Cultural Centre last October. The first ever Sports Academy in the Caribbean, is the brain Child of Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr and
Badminton is third sports discipline launched, joins Squash & Volleyball
involves 12 Core Sports. Interim GBA President Emily Ramdhani, who informed that the next tournament would be the Gumdac tournament in February (around mash), informed that the players would be training at the National Gymnasium and the Auditorium of the Queen’s College school. Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle infored that Badminton is the third sports to start at the nursery level and added that this
(yesterday’s event) was not a talk shop. “We will be doing the hard work to develop sports in the Guyana from this level (Nursery) and we will be going to the end,” said Ninvalle. Minister Ramson told the eager young Badminton players that the Sports Academy is like a school and informed that they will soon be playing every day. Minister Ramson informed that the Government will pay coaches and hope to soon
expand to other regions. “The Ministry values the relationship with the Guyana Badminton Association. Everyone relies on each other since team work is important for the Ministry, the GBA and the players,” posited Ramson Ayanna Watson, VicePresident of the GBA, Thanked the Minister and his team which included Ninvalle and Chairman of the National Sports Commission Kashif Mohammed. (Sean Devers)
thanked for his great leadership especially leading up the hosting of the West Indies Championship which was hosted by Guyana. The general membership had also voted to make three members as life members, namely Brig Patrick West, Paul Slowe and Ransford Goodluck. Both Mr. Slowe and Goodluck have given the Association over forty years of service both in sport administration and as active shooters. Both outgoing Captains Messrs. Mahendra Persaud and Dale Hing were also praised for their leadership and commitment over the year in attaining glory for Guyana at championships.
Minister Charles Ramson Jnr looked competent in Badminton. (Sean Devers photo)