Kaieteur News

Peru hits Repsol with another US-multimillion dollar fine over oil spill

Almostoneyearafterarefinery ownedbySpanishoilgiant,Repsol, leaked approximately 12,000 barrels of crude into the Pacific Ocean–whichissharedwithPeru's western border – the country on Wednesday imposed more fines on theoilcompany

A c c o r d i n g t o P e r u ' s

Environmental Assessment and Enforcement Agency (OEFA), an agency attached to the Ministry of the Environment, three additional fines were imposed on Repsol amountingtooverUS$5million.

The OEFA stated that the first fine was imposed for not submitting the required information to the agency, given a situationofenvironmentaldamage.

The second fine was imposed for non-compliance with an administrative measure referring to securing the area, carrying out containment, recovery and cleaning in the bay area of ​​the Protected Natural Areas and in otheraffectedmarineareas,andthe third fine was imposed for noncompliance with an administrative measure related to securing the area, containing, recovering, and cleaning the oil spilled in the affected seawater; as well as, carry out the verification sampling of the water and sediments of polycyclic

aromatic hydrocarbons (HAPs or PAH's) in the affected area as a result of the environmental emergency

Kaieteur News had reported thatonJanuary15,2022,thousands of barrels of crude were spilled from one of Repsol's La Pampilla refineriesoffthecoastofVentanilla intheregionofLima,Peru.

It happened when an Italianflaggedtanker,MareDoricum,was unloading at one of Repsol's refineries.

Since then, the oil giant has been forced to pay over US$11 million in fines.Also, the company was also slapped with a US$4.5 billion lawsuit in relation to the oil disaster The oil spill had contaminated Peruvian waters, blackened several of the country's beaches and disrupted the livelihoodofartisanalfishermen.

Kaieteur News had reported that in May 2022, Peru's consumer protection agency, National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property (INDECOPI) approached the 27th Supreme Court of Peru and filed a civil lawsuit seeking US$3 billion for environmentaldamageandUS$1.5 billion for damages to locals and consumers.With the admittance of

the oil lawsuit, it means thatthematterwillnowgo to court Repsol, a company that is also operating here in Guyana, h a s s i n c e d e n i e d responsibility for the spill and said that it sees the legal claim as “baseless, inadmissible, and inconsistent.”

This publication had also reported that as a result of the spill the country had announced its plans to have legislative proposal for the creationofaguaranteefundagainst environmentaldisasters.

It was stated that this would require all companies operating in Peru to sign the guarantee fund before they will be allowed to start production.

The aforementioned action was one of many taken by the Peruvian Government. The first action taken against the company was by Peruvian judge, Romualdo Aguedo, on January 28, 2022, who granted an order to prevent four Repsol's executives from leaving thecountry

Judge Aguedo has imposed an 18-monthbanonthegroundsofthe potential risk that the officials might leave Peru and not honour

obligationsinthecountry

Shortly after the oil spill, the Peruvian Government had suspended the company's hydrocarbonloadingandunloading activities Subsequently, a fuel shortage in Peru forced the country to lift the suspension on Repsol's operation temporarily Repsol was only allowed to continue its operations for 10 days and under supervision from a state agency –thatoperationhascometoanend.

Due to the impact the oil spill had on Peru's fishermen, the Peruvian Government had ordered the oil giant, to pay a total of US$1400 compensation to each citizenaffectedbythespill.

The Government took the aforementioned route since a legal process for compensation to the affected families would take a long

Image of the oil spill in Peru.

Peru's fight to get the oil company to take responsibility for the environmental disaster – comes even as the Guyana Government had threw out a motion that was seeking full liability coverage from oilcompaniesforoilspills.

Despite promising to press ExxonMobil Guyana (Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited) on the issue to have the parent company (ExxonMobil) for the Guyana Operations sign on to binding full coverage insurance, the IrfaanAli led administration has shifted that responsibility to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

their

time Nevertheless, the Peruvian authorities through INDECOPI filed a lawsuit against Repsol, for a totalofUS$4.5billion.

(Photo: Municipality of Ventanilla)

Mega profits for oil companies must not trump citizens' safety

The Oil and Gas

G o v e r n a n c e

N e t w o r k

(OGGN), a non-profit organization based in New York, is calling on Government to perform independent audits of oil companies operations. The group said this is vital so that State actors may have a clear and impartial understanding of the environmental implications for citizens and determine the requisite safeguardsneeded.

Equally critical said OGGN—which is backed by the expertise of several G u y a n e s e i n t h e D i a s p o r a i s t h a t Government makes critical pieces of environmental data publicforongoinganalysis.

I n o n e o f i t s commentaries published on its website, the advocacy group said it is important for citizens to understand how oil and gas operations can affecttheirlives.

While the exploitation of this resource does attract

...Govt. must perform independent audits of oil companies' operations, publish environmental

data for ongoing public analysis - Advocacy Group

significant revenues, its members warned that it can lead to loss of marine life, disruption to coastal reefs, increased pollution, and negative impacts on climate change and to the people of Guyana, if not managed properly

OGGN articulated that there are several places where long term, lasting impacts can affect the citizensofGuyana.

With respect to the act of drilling for oil, it said companiessettingupoilrigs, or using Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessels, commonly called FPSOs, discharge hot water fromwellsintotheocean.

It said this forces marine life in the radius of the heavy

machinerytomigratetoother areas in the ocean. It said this may be detrimental to their well-being and thus disrupt theoceanicfoodchain.

“Take, for example, shrimp – a delicacy in Guyanese households – that may now have to migrate

Cop charged with laundering money stolen from Police Force

Apolice corporal was on Thursday slapped with three counts of laundering millions he allegedly stole from the Guyana Police Force(GPF)backin2019.

The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has been investigating the policeman identified as Rawl Richard Haynes of Lot 2 Hydronie, East bank Essequibo (EBE), some two years now for money laundering Enough evidence was gathered against him and he was arraigned before Leonora Magistrate's Court to face three money laundering charges. The charges were read to him by Magistrate ZameenaAliSeepaul.

It is alleged that on the April 7, 2020, Haynes 'converted the sum $7M and $1M-proceeds from a crime respectively for partpayment of properties located at Lots 284 and 285 Block 8, Tuschen, ( EBD), with the aim of concealing the origin of the cash. The court heard too that on August 22, 2019, Haynes laundered some $2.9M of stolen money by purchasing a ToyotaAllion Car with the number plate PYY 357. He pleaded not guilty to the

offence and was granted $100,000 bail for each count of money laundering charge.

Haynes is expected to return tocourtonJanuary25,2023.

According to reports Hayneswasamongfourhigh ranking officers charged in March 2021 with conspiracy to defraud GPF of some $19M dollars. The others allegedly involved in the scam to rob the force are R e t i r e d A s s i s t a n t

Commissioner of Police, KevinAdonis,andSergeants Michael Corbin and JermaineFraser.

Investigations back then had revealed that Haynes with help from one of his alleged accomplices,

Corbin, had on March 29, 2019 stolen $19M while being a public officer, employed with the force. Corbin allegedly assisted him to steal the cash by fraudulently entering electronic data into the Ministry of Finance's Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), at GPF's Eve Leary Headquarters for a$19Mpaymentvoucher

SOCU had reportedly placed Haynes under its radar since 2020 and have been able to find out that he had conducted 'a number of substantial cash based transactions' between March 2019 and April 7, 2020. Haynes reportedly bought properties and cars worth millions of dollars but had registered them in someone else's name However, SOCU got its hands on o ff i c i a l d o c u m e n t s suggesting that the ownership of the cars and properties would be transferred to him after court matters pending against him are completed. SOCU has since been able to secure a restrainingordertoseizeone of Haynes cars that was allegedly purchased with stolenmoney

from the warmer South Atlantic waters to colder ocean water – to which they are not well suited and may likely cause a reduction in their population,” OGGN stated. Of more impact to natural habitat are oil spills.

In this regard, the transparency body said a single oil spill can cost billions of dollars for cleanup, cause substantial impact to marine life, and have lasting long-term impact to any and everything inthevicinityofthespill.

“Take for example, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 which has cost BP (British Petroleum) about US$62billion.

The resulting spill covered 68,000 square miles ofseasurface–thatisanarea whichislargerthancountries such as Cambodia, Uruguay, or Suriname – and almost 80% the size of Guyana,” statedOGGN.

It was also keen to note that this oil spill also killed approximately one million coastalandoffshoreseabirds, 5,000 marine mammals, and 1,000 sea turtles. The group said the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill was a combination of a series of human errors, Government's lackofregulatoryprocedures a n d p r o c e s s e s f o r monitoring, inspection, and e v a l u a t i o n , p o o r environmental governance, and poor operational practicesbyBP

It said this is the same combination of things it sees brewing in Guyana at the moment,ifstrictactionisnot takennow

In light of the foregoing and other disastrous impacts, OGGN said Guyanese must demandfromLeadersandoil companies that emphasis be placed on minimizing the environmental impacts of oil operations.

If this is not done, the group said Guyana risks becoming a wealthy, but s e v e r e l y u n h e a l t h y population.

Moving ahead, OGGN called for the Guyana Government to address gaps a n d c r e a t e s t r i c t e r legal/regulatory frameworks to ensure standards for compliance, rigorous monitoring and evaluation, and enforcement of all environmental standards are set.

It also called for Government to perform independent audits of the operations of the oil companies to understand their environmental impact, and publish environmental data from the oil and gas industry for ongoing public analysis.

It also recommended that the authorities create a systematic, ongoing plan for monitoring and evaluating i m p a c t s b y t h e Environmental Protection Agency(EPA).

The Oil and Gas Governance Network said the foregoing suggestions, among others, are critical guardrails that can protect c u r r e n t a n d f u t u r e generations while ensuring the oil sector is properly regulated. It said that mega profits being made by oil companies cannot and must never trump the safety citizensdeserve.

Charged, Rawle Haynes

PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

THE PPPIS REVISIONIST

NIGELWILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

EXXONMOBIL’SEXPENSES

Itisahugechunkofmoney,byanycalculation. Pursuant to the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement, ExxonMobil’s expenses are taken out from the first 75% of Guyana’s oil revenues. Considering the amounts that Guyana has ended up with as its share of the split of the remaining 25% of oil revenues, then a clearer picture should emerge of the many billions in expenses that are absorbed by that 75% from the topafterroyalties.

In those billions in expenses, there is a tremendous amountofroomforexpensemanipulation,expensecreation, expense exploitation. Even in a best-case scenario, where ExxonMobil possessed of an outstanding reputation as a trusted corporate partner, Guyana still needs to be vigilant andontopofthings. Saiddifferently,Guyanahastohaveits framework of expense review, position itself to do its homework through ongoing scrutiny, and get better and betteratperformingexpenseduediligence.

From every indication, the PPPC Government is having none of that, would not listen, does not give a hang. The Government’s mantra is best summed up in these words to ExxonMobil: you spend, we bend. The PPPC Government does not care if ExxonMobil gouges Guyana, rips-off Guyana, or bleed Guyana dry through savaging expense accounting in the bills it submits for approval. Let us be straight about something: any company, not just ExxonMobil,thatdoesbusinesswithGuyana,orforGuyana, mustbepaid,butononecondition. Wemustbesatisfiedthat whathasbeenpresentedtousasexpenseshasbeensubjected tothemostintensereview/auditthatwearecapableof. That is,checkandverify,crosscheckanddoublecheckandverify withinreasonablelimits.

We are a poor country that has now discovered oil, and every billion in expense is a billion less as part of the accounting that concludes with that magical profit number Wecannotaffordtobecasualornegligentinthisarea,orto relyonwhatExxonMobilsubmitstousforapproval. Thisis basic commonsense, and not representative of any sophisticatedauditscheme. Ouroildollarsmattertous,and wemustwatcheveryoneofthemlikehawksprotectingtheir nestsandyoung. ThismuchisowedbytheGovernmentto the Guyanese people; at the barest minimum, do the due diligencethoroughly

We are aware that an audit report for US$7.3B in expenses is overdue, being awaited. It was first due by the end of September last, but which date was expanded to go intoDecember Decemberhascomeandgone,andthedays are increasing as January moves forward. This alone conveysthattherearedevelopmentswiththeauditthatgive pause, causing some concern, if not bottlenecks and pushback somewhere in the mix. We are not going to read anything into the repeated delays, other than to say that we maybegetting(perhaps)somevalueforourauditdollar Or that whatever preliminary report (if any) that was delivered bytheauditteaminDecember,itiscausingsomebodyinthe PPPC Government or ExxonMobil, or both, some nervousness,ifnotafullmigraine. Naturally,thisislooking towhatcouldbehelpfultoGuyana’sinterests.

Whilewewaitontheauditreport,beitlaterinJanuaryor beyond,andwiththeunderstandingthatitwillbegivenfull public ventilation, a recommendation was made that we believe can only help, be constructive. ‘Submit Exxon’s quarterlyexpensestoParliamentforscrutiny…whilenation awaits delayed audit report – Opposition tells Govt.’ (KN January 5). Again, this is pure commonsense, as it gives Guyana a clearer understanding than we have now for ExxonMobil’sexpenses. Inthismanner,weareaheadofthe clockbythetimetheformalannualaudit(s)arescheduledto start. Surely,theGovernmentcannothaveaproblemwitha recommendationlikethis,andwelookforwardtoseeinghow itwillreact.

Further,ifExxonMobilwishesforGuyanesetoviewitas an open and trusted partner, then this is its opportunity to manifest how genuine it is. ExxonMobil should not resist providing its quarterly bills, which would be a good faith gesture. Now,letusallwatchtoseewhatfollows.

DEAREDITOR, Freedom House, the Permanent Council of the liberal model: privatization, Referenceletter:January hierarchy in the PPP hand- Organization of American trade and financial sector 3,2023inKaieteurNewsand picked Bharrat Jagdeo as States(OAS). liberalization and Stabroek News by Hydar their presidential candidate, The speech was very deregulation The PPP Ally that speaks of the 73rd andhebecamethePresident significant and clearly might be Marxist-Leninist anniversaryofthePPP subsequently This was a outlined the President’s but he clarified that his Mr Allyisaverycareful, serious blow to democratic assertion of leadership, not Government’s ideology and analytical and seasoned norms. Consequently, many as ‘A Leader’ but as ‘The practice is neo-liberalism…. writer I always admired his could not countenance the Leader’andPresidentofThe President Jagdeo has exposé His recent letter inner motives of the “gang” Republic. seemingly broken links and touched on politics, race, atFreedomHouse.Thisalso There were a number of ruptured with the past of rigging, cross-over votes, prompted the (in) famous shadows hovering over his Cheddi Jagan’s Marxismand elections – even if avowal: “I will not be a Government, since the Leninism and antibriefly His many claims are neemakaraam”,thatresulted speech of the Secretary imperialism.” factual and valid. What are in bitterness and disunity in General of the PPP who So that despite Hydar missing – whether by manyquarters. clearly indicated that PPP Ally’svariousassertions,the oversight or deliberate – are Mr Jagdeo served in a remains firmly with its PPP has moved away omissions. few capacities. Despite his traditional ideology of significantly and is

The PPP has apparently inexperience, he acquitted Marxism-Leninism that has revisionist.Thereisasevere disbanded Accabre College, himselfcreditably–learning even been discarded by discordance and dissonance its ideological institute, for on the jobs and sustained by Russia, previously for the vis-a-vis the original reasonthatIwouldrathernot thelearnedones. PPP- “The Great Soviet philosophy of the PPP and speculate. 1998 marked a In 2005, then President Union.”…heplayedhisgeo- the modus operandi of neoturningpointwithinthePPP, JagdeoaddressedtheOAS.I politicalandideologicalcard liberalism. i.e.,adeviationfromitscore quote from Paul Tennassee withclarity,pragmatismand Mr. Ally should rephilosophy 1998 was the (2005): “The President of astuteness. examine the ‘dialectics’and year of the PPP Congress at Guyana, His Excellency He went on, “We have scrutinise the ‘paradigm’ Zeeburg Despite the Bharrat Jagdeo, in a very b e e n f a i t h f u l l y epochally mandate of the people at the quiet, firm and dignified i m p l e m e n t i n g t h e Yourstruly, Congress, upon returning to manner addressed the prescriptions of the neo- GaryGirdhari

Evidence at elections COI

DEAREDITOR, (5/1/2023)reportingoftheevidenceby GECOM’S Chairperson’s disclosures, Acoupleofweeksago,Ispentafew theformerCommissionerofPolicesent butwouldbeveryinterestedinreading momentsreadingtheevidencegivenby me in a state from which it would be in public print, the eloquent responses the Honorable Chairperson of the difficulttorecover of Mr Slowe and Mr Conway, since Guyana Elections Commission I could have never in my wildest they so often have their intense (GECOM) and was, to say the least, dreams(andtheycanbewild)imagined knowledge of the SOP’s of the Police astoundedbytheevidencegivenbythe suchINCOMPETENCEexistedintwo Service displayed in public (mind you, goodlylady ofthehighestinstitutionsinourland. I’m not referring to the SOP’s of the I resolved to remain quiet and just IDON’TexpectanyoftheGECOM APNU+AFC,whicharestilltobemade “swallowmespit”. officials, whether the former CEO, the public. When I thought it couldn’t get Deputy “de mango man” or any of the Withbestregards, worse, lo and behold, today’s Commissioners to respond to the HarryNNawbatt

PPPC manages states lands as if it’s the estate of the party

DEAREDITOR,

The allocations Buildings Inc, was sold 15 Many lots in housing

Kindly allow me to purportedly made by the acres of land for $9M per schemes are also owned by respondtoMr ColinCroal’s current administration since acre. This transaction was one family, denying lowletter, published in the 2020,asstatedinMr Croal’s doneonMay15,2015, four income earners, vulnerable Letters column, Stabroek letter, are not factual I days after the May 2015 groups, youths the News of January 5th, 2023, thereforecallonMr Croalto General and Regional opportunitytoowntheirown where he attempts to makeavailabletothepeople Electionsandonedaybefore land, as accorded to them in repudiate the facts stated in ofGuyana,thechronological the inauguration ceremony the Constitution of the Comy letter published on disaggregation of land forPresidentDavidGranger operativeofGuyana,Article December31st,2022. sold/lots distributed in each Editor, it was under the 26. CHPA was intentionally

Editor, my first area by name and category; watchofMr IfraanAli,then mismanaged being by an observationfromMr Croal’s howmanyhouseshavebeen Minister of Housing and uncaring and scrupulous letter is the issue of the built and how many are Water,thatthesetransactions PPP/CGovernment. number of house lot occupied. were done. These egregious Editor,Ireiteratethatthe applications he claimed to No doubt, Mr Croal, in acts are captured in the p u r p o s e f o r t h e have inherited from the an effort to further mislead ‘Forensic Report’, for Establishment of Central Coalition Government. Mr thepublichascapturedinhis CHPA, dated May 12, 2017, Housing and Planning Croal ought to be reminded statisticstheprimelandssold apublicdocument. Authority was to “address that the PPPC regime held by the PPPC to friends and AsIintimatedearlier,the housing needs of the the reins of Government supporters of the PPPC in PPP/C managed the sale of workingclass.” Irepeatmy fromOctober5,1992toMay May2015. landandhouselotsasthough call for Mr Croal to make 11, 2015, a total of twenty- Editor,onMay6,2015,a state lands were the “estate available to the people of three(23)consecutiveyears. total acreage of 12.5, in the ofthePPPC.”

Guyana, the chronological WhentheCoalitionassumed Golden Grove EBD area, Manyotherhugeswathes disaggregationoflandssold/ office in 2015 there were approximately sixty house of land were sold to the rich lots distributed in each area 5 6 , 0 0 0 p e n d i n g lots were sold for $7M per under the guise of housing by name and category; how applications for house lots. acre to Queensway Housing development and in the few manyhouseshavebeenbuilt Mr Croal has stated that Development Many are instanceswherehouseswere andhowmanyareoccupied. when the PPPC returned to cognizantwhoQueenswayis built/lotsallocatedtheywere Yourssincerely, office in 2020 they found associated with. The other outside the reach of the AnnetteFerguson 75,509. Company, Navigant workingclass.

Guyanese and Emergence of PBD in India

DEAREDITOR, Aneerood Jugnauth as the developed for the Indian and Indo Caribbean people outstanding contributions to met with the Diaspora PresidentIrfaanAliisthe Chief Guest President diaspora. andotherdiasporans. the diaspora, programs for (PIOs) of several countries. Chief Guest at the 17th Bharrat Jagdeo was Chief Many Guyanese took He engaged Guyanese Guyanese youths, and PIOs were invited to social edition of the Pravasi Guest at the second edition advantage of these several times in New York seniors to visit India, and a andculturaleventshostedby Bharatya Divas (PBD) to be in2004,alsoheldinDelhi. subsidized trips to and and New Jersey, and Delhi universityinIndiaforPIOs. the Embassy and for held in Indore. (Research PBD has been the studies in India. The PBD from as far back as 1977 Dharamdattproposedthe interactionswiththevisiting conducted by this writer of signatureeventrolledoutby was initiated by then Prime when he was Foreign idea of a Kowsilla Bravery P M , M i n i s t e r o f ship records in Guyana India for overseas based Minister, Atal Beharri Minister under Prime Award (named after that Government, and high-level archive show some Indians (PIOs, NRIs) like Vajpayee and Deputy PM, Minister, Neelam Sanjeeva courageous Leonara delegationsfromIndia. indentured laborers came IndoGuyanese,whoarenow LalKrishnaAdvani. Reddy Vajpayee-jiorAtal-ji freedom fighter) for those Members of the from Indore and other areas conferred with Overseas Although the PBD and as he was fondly called, had whocourageouslychampion Vajpayee administration likeGwaliorandJabalpurof Citizenship of India. The its affiliated programs were a special affinity for the interests of the Indian (Vajpayee himself, Advani, Madya Pradesh state. This annual(changedtobi-annual thefinalproductofthework diaspora, engaging them at diaspora When Vajpayee Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, meansthatseveralGuyanese in2015)PBDanditsvarious ofaHighLevelCommission theWaldorfAstoriaHotelin became Prime Minister, a and other Ministers) have roots in those cities of programs (like KIP for headed by distinguished Manhattan in September commission headed by Dr routinely met with IndoMP).ThePBDwaslaunched youths, Seniors, Pravasi Member of Parliament, Dr 1977andagaininSeptember Singhvi was established to CaribbeansinNewYorkand in 2003 with the Mauritian Kendra, Proposed PIO L.M. Singhvi, that visited 1978 at the Hilton. He also engagethediaspora. NewJerseyduringvisits. Prime Minister, Sir University, etc.) have been diasporic countries on their engaged them again in 1990 The commission visited As a result of intense views on engagement with in Manhattan when he several diaspora countries lobbying by Guyanese New India, the concept to engage accompanied then Prime and NY and met Indo- Yorkers, the government and honor diasporic Indians Minister,PVNarasimhaRao Guyanese and Indo- authorized an increase in as well as to establish an to the UN Vajpayee Caribbeansandalsotraveled cultural, economic, and Embassy for continuous belonged to his own party, to Guyana, Trinidad, and educational benefits onto interactionwiththediaspora BJP Suriname engaging Indo-Caribbeans (Trinis, and various programs was At the Salaam Bombay prominent members of civic Guyanese, Surinamese, suggested by Guyanese. It Restaurant meeting, society including Yesu etc.). By2005,Scholarships w a s p r o p o s e d b y Vajpayee endorsed the idea Persaud.Thecommission,in more than doubled from Dharamdatt Sukhai Durjan, proposed by Durjan Sukhai apublishedreport,proposed 2003. Ramesh Kalicharran, and foraregularglobalconclave an annual PBD, conferring Guyanese and other myself to Vajpayee at of Indians that would give honors,andestablishmentof members of the girmitya Salaam Bombay Restaurant out honors and that would an Embassy for the diasporaaremostgratefulto in Manhattan in 1995. Dr have a diasporic office to Diaspora. The PBD started VajpayeeandAdvaniandthe Mukund Modi hosted the interact with Indians in 2003, held on Jan7, 8, 9 BJP Government for the meeting for an engagement overseas A follow up (latter) to coincide with the interest shown in between Vajpayee and the exchange with Vajpayee date Gandhi returned to descendantsofgirmityasand diaspora Prominent occurred and the Durjan IndiafromSouthAfrica. for initiating the PBD attendees included H R teamthatincludedGuyanese The Indian Embassy of Succeeding Governments Shah,ownerofTVAsia,and Patanjali Rambrich and Overseas Indians was continued and strengthened then Mayor of Woodbridge Andrew Satyanand The established with Dr the PBD and engagement JimMcGreevy,whowentin discussionreiteratedtheidea Bhishma Agnihotri as withthediaspora. tobeelectedGovernor of a global forum of people Ambassador was set up in In 2016, Ravi Dev and Vajpayee-ji had a long ofIndiandescent,honorsfor Manhattan around 2001 myselfandother history with Indo-Guyanese overseas Indians who made The Ambassador regularly (Continuedonpage6)

TWO HEADLINES

DEAREDITOR, whereeveritistakingplace. Perusingtheindependent Would we have to consider newspapers on New Year’s theTrinidadinitiative? Dayseveralinterestingitems The second headline is caught my attention vexatious as a foreign However,theyweretwothat company came in, suddenly stood out: ‘Trinidad file for bankruptcy, while supermarkets now locking leavinglocalcompaniesina away cheese to stop quandry, wondering if they shoplifters’and‘RemoteMD are left holding the files for bankruptcy, local proverbial stick. Just what companies owed over safeguards,ifany,werebuilt $100m’ (Both headlines in intothelocalcontracts,ithas SN) Supermarkets in to be queried? Our several neighbouring Trinidad have experiences with airlines resorted to placing cheese which folded, leaving and luxury meat products passengers stranded among under lock and key in an otherills,shouldhavetaught effort to deter shoplifters. us to be wary and put the During the Christmas necessary safeguards in season, particularly, there place. This is a classic were almost daily videos on example where a foreign social media of persons company has a recourse going into stores and while locals are left to fend supermarkets locally and for itselves. Can it get any pilferingitemsfromshelves. moreunfairthanthis? Maybe it is a chronic Regards, situation, regardless of ShamshunMohamed

Acontrasting comparison, categorizing characteristics and characters centered on Christmas

DEAREDITOR, wishes. Everywhere you go, p e o p l e ’ s s o c i a l cookiesandaglassofmilkis childrenfrommerrimentand was in jeopardy and this Christmas was here and the sound of Christmas commitments, ensuring the the aftermath of writing a enjoyment His theft brought about chaos and everyonehadtheirfairshare musicfilledtheairtoputyou less fortunate needs are letter to St. Nicholas in the shrouded the holiday and confusion to commence the ofgoodtidings.Itwasafine in the mood to rejoice and lessened. NorthPole,tellinghimwhat brought about a state of down sliding of the PNC time to associate with those also to catapult you with The year 2022 saw a you would like to have as a sadness, sorrow and Government 2019 near and dear What was so nostalgia to reminisce a past degree of measured relief in present.SantaClauseknows sentiment. This character is Christmaswasafflictedwith clear was the fact that 2022 time of memories with the life style of people whoaregoodandthosewho illustrated by the writer, Dr theharshnessoftheGranger end of year holidays names,facesandplaces. People enjoyed the freedom arenaughty Hetravelsonhis Seuss, in his fictional 1957 Governmentandhisbandof coincided with the weekend Guyanesearefamousfor of association and were not sledge to cover all the creation,afterwitnessinghis outlaws who denied to provide extra days which preparing certain dishes and restricted by curfews nor countriesintheworld. wife’sillnesswhichinspired Guyanesefromenjoyingthe allowed the merriment to be drinksatthistimeoftheyear number gathering as was He is regarded as the him in a matter of weeks to holidaybecauseofastateof extended, or, to enjoy more and this habit is not lost. It’s prevalent the previous years fatherofalltimes,agoodand complete the book targeting despair, desolation and peace and quiet or restful tradition for pepper-pot, due to the COVID-19 jollyfellawhosewhite,long children. deviousness to summon an days. blackcake,ginger-beer,fried pandemic. beard may be scary but his Scrooge was role- election. There were others rice, chowmein, baked Although precautionary robust feature presents a modelled as a miserly and Christmas 2020 was committedtodutyandhadto chicken, salad, macaroni, measures were forewarned friendly figure and one who unpleasant man who devastated due to the work. Some were restricted chickencurryanddhall-puri, andencouraged,thepublicat fulfills your wish, not despised Christmas and COVID-19 pandemic and in the celebration due to are to be the expected meal large took advantage of the forgetting his hearty “Ho, rejects all Christmas cheers this affected any form of injuries, sickness and also on the table.Vegetarians are laxsituationanddisregarded Ho,Ho”laugh. and tidings as “Humbugs.” grand display to rejoice being in a state of not forgotten either the safety requirements as The adventure of Charles Dickens patterned Guyanese were allowed to bereavement. While many Christmasdecorations,trees, advised by the authorities. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Ebenezer Scroogie, an breatheasighofreliefwhen, were able to afford lavish fairylights,fire-crackersand Will this take a toll and Reindeer, is an applaudable Edinburgbanker,inhis1843 past US Secretary of State, spending, others were fire-works add to enhance provide the effects of readingmaterial.Adeerwho novella, “A Christmas Mike Pompey, intervened curtailedwiththeirfinancial theenvironment. damaging repercussions was shunned by others and Story,” as a person who with sanctions and heavy limitations. The commercialisation again? Guyanese were couldn’t mixed with his kin, doesn’tliketogiveorspend. booths to show a light at the In Guyana, our rich of the holiday is overlooked housed-up for Christmas in was sad and lonely because But this same nasty, harsh endofthetunnelinGuyana’s culturalinclinationsallowus and the saved dollars are 2021 and 2020 and were of a barrier affronted by his and cruel Scroogie, is 2020generalelections. to participate in variable splurged on new clothing, unable to celebrate the own flock He became transformed into a kind and This paved the way for levels of inclusion Our food, drinks, toys, house holiday in a true Guyanese noticeable because of his generous person, after Guyanese to have a Merry indulgencefavoreddifferent upgrades with appliances fashion. Despite the world red,shinynoose. coming to terms with his and Happy 2021 Christmas. customsandtraditionsbutas and curtains and yes, house becoming globally This was a down side of conscience His closing PresidentAliwastheturning Guyanese,allwereinclusive cleaning.Thestreetsarealso conscious of COVID-19 in his features but it proved to wordswere,“Iwillliveinthe point who metamorphosed one way or the other to filled with masquerade 2020, this pandemic be a strong point. Old Man Past, the Present and the the holidays and transposed engage in the holiday bandsandtheiraccompanied commenced in 2019 but Nickwasfoggedinthesnow future.” the lives of Guyanese to festivities whether in music The attitude of remainedunannounceduntil and wanted a ninth deer to Of course, Christmas is really enjoy a magnificent attendingaplaceofworship, sharing and caring forms an afterwards. steerhissledge. incompletewithoutthestory Christmas2022.Withallthe eating, drinking, partying, integralpartofGovernment, Meanwhile, the guarded Rudolph’s shiny nose oftheSaviorbeingreflected trimmings to cater to a visiting, exchanging gifts or corporate, businesses, spread of the disease had was a headlamp to light up upon The simplicity, hospitable accommodation, simply expressing good organizations, societies and endangeredtheworldbefore thewayfortheotherdeerto sincerity and sacrifice of the PresidentAli won the hearts travel restrictions were see and follow and he was One who triumphed in life ofall.Arethereanypossible enforced.AtChristmastime, chosen He saved the and death, herald mankind’s connections to plausibly depending on your domain, childrenfromadisaster The faith in fate and a belief in categorize Christmas with many wish for a white tiny one became an being blessed and serving the linkage of Charrandas, Christmas with snow to overnighthero. humanityalotfromlittle. Granger, 2020 Pandemic, complete the ambience with Wearetoldofthestoryof Christmas 2018 saw the Mike Pompey and President a fire burning away in the the Grinch, a green, mean, advent of Charrandas Ali with Rudolph the furnace. The tale of Father cat-like figurine for a Persaud voting with the Reindeer, Scrooge, the Christmas sliding down the specimen who detested PPPC Party to support a Grinch, the Savior and St. chimney bearing gifts is Christmas (not for any Motion of No confidence Nicholas? oftentoldtochildren.Going reason)andstoletheholiday, a g a i n s t t h e P N C Yoursrespectfully, to bed early and leaving denying all especially the Government Christmas JaiLall

GuyaneseandEmergence...

Frompage5 The Government accepted indentureship scholars were our recommendation and invited by the Indian initiateditin2017alongwith GovernmenttoDelhiwithan otherideas. exchange with the Foreign SeveralGuyanesevisited Minister, Sushma Swaraj to Indiaunderthisvirtuallyfree strengthening links with program. diaspora Current Foreign The PBD has helped to Minister, Jaishankar was strengthen links between there as Foreign Secretary India and Guyana and other We recommended a diasporacountries. subsidized senior visiting Yourssincerely, program for the diaspora. VishnuBisram

TwoGuyanas:EnmoreMartyrsvsLindenMartyrs

DEAREDITOR,

Guiana.

the Guyana Police shot and the shooting was promoted

In1948,fourEastIndian Theyareknowntodayas killed three persons in a to the highest position of sugarworkerswereshotand EnmoreMartyrs,andin1977 protest in Linden against an Commissioner of Police by killedbytheColonialPolice President LFS Burnham unconscionable 50% hike in the returning PPP inaprotestforhigherwages erectedanationalmonument electricityrates. Government. & better working conditions in their memory In 2012, In 2022, the Police In a true democracy, the in the colony of British under the PPP Government, Superintendent who ordered electorate & civil society would never have accepted such an indecent move by Government, and that Superintendent would alreadyhaveresignedalong timeago.

One doesn’t have to be political to have moral couragetosaythisiswrong; on the contrary, it is blind political loyalty and cowardice that often make people suffocate their own conscience and hence condone unjust acts against others they otherwise would not.

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The loan is for US$172 million (slightly over GY$34 BILLION).

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It is from China for the New Demerara River Bridge.

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Our hope is that the Bridge doesn’t turn out to be like the CJIAprojectThat is, millions, then more millions, and still more millionsAnd never-ending, never-ending, never-ending .

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Just like the CJIAextension, the New Bridge could be two things: a milking cow for the PPPand a financial black hole for taxpayers.

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Cabinet press briefings dead for two years

…as President blanks end-of-year news conference, Ministers opt to sit with DPI

Since taking the reins of office in August 2020, the People's Progressive Party C i v i c ( P P P / C ) Administration has not held Cabinet press briefings which serve to inform the media, and the nation by extension, of critical decisions made on contracts andotherissues.

In addition to Cabinet press briefings being dead, and the administration being dismissive in the past on its return, President Dr Irfaan Ali has not addressed the media regarding critical developments in the oil and gassector

In place of facing the independent media, the President has developed a fondness for Facebook Lives and the issuance of statements.

While he is an advocate for local content, the Presidenthasbeenmoreopen to engaging international media as opposed to the independentGuyanesepress.

F u r t h e r m o r e , h i s Ministers with key portfolios have not held press conferences to update the media corps on its stewardship of major industries.

Notably in this bracket is the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat. While Bharrat is the Minister in charge of the oil and gas sector, he has never officially engaged with the media to address key concerns on t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability or to speak on upcomingdevelopments.

In many instances, local media operatives are left to learn about developments in

the oil sector, such as the exploration programmes offshore for a given year from companies as opposed tohisministry

Furthermore, there has notably been no end of year press conference by Senior Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, who is tasked with maintaining the nation's economicwellness.

Other major agencies such as the Guyana Revenue Authority(GRA)whichhasa heightened role in auditing the multi-billion dollar oil and gas sector, has not held a single press conference, though this was the practice priorto2020.

Another major agency that did not hold an end of yearpressconferencewasthe Environmental Protection Agency(EPA),oneofthekey regulators of the oil and gas industry

Independent media houses have in the past two years, also complained about the difficulties in accessing information from Ministers e v e n a s t h e y m a k e themselves available for a range of well choreographed i n t e r v i e w s v i a t h e Department of Public Information(DPI).

While Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, has held meetings with the media where questions on the oil and gas sector have been allowed, in many instances, he has been dismissive on a numberofissues.

On several occasions he has directed Kaieteur News to pose certain questions on the oil and gas sector to the relevant agencies, which, as noted before, have not been open to probing from

independentmediahouses.

With the foregoing information blackout, Kaieteur News is yet to receive answers on the state ofthefullcoverageinsurance for the Stabroek Block from ExxonMobil Corporation ExxonandGovernmentwere saidtobeintalksonthisfront sinceJanuary2022.

This newspaper had pressed Jagdeo for an update on this but he said the EPA

should be made to deal with this.

Governmentisalsoyetto explain to the nation, why a breakdown of ExxonMobil's bills for exploration, at the very least, has not been put into the public domain Government has also been silent on why it is yet to disclose the results of two audits; one on Exxon's costs totalling US$7.3B, incurred from 2018 to 2020, and

another set, over US$460M, alsoincurredbyExxoninthe StabroekBlockfrom1999to 2016.

KaieteurNewsisalsoyet to receive information on how much ExxonMobil is r e c o v e r i n g f o r

decommissioning costs

Industryexpertshavesaidon numerous occasions that money has to be set aside by Exxon in a special account forcleanupactivitiesafterall

theoilhasbeenproducedand sold.

This money is supposed to be under Government's control but according to the StabroekBlockdeal,itisnot. Previously, Government had saidthattheGuyanaGeology and Mines Commission would be transformed into the nation's Petroleum C o m m i s s i o n , a k e y independent regulator that is needed for the industry A portion of the US$20M World Bank loan was also usedforthispurpose.

There has been no update onthisfront.

Guyanese are also none the wiser on the appropriate technologybeingputinplace offshore to monitor Exxon's operations. In the absence of same, Exxon self regulates and reports to the authorities onitself.

As Government speeds ahead with efforts to approve a f i f t h p r o j e c t f o r ExxonMobil, there is still zero public disclosure on the guidelines it is using to conduct a thorough due diligenceoftheprojectplans. There has also been little information disclosed about the number of technical experts hired within the Ministries of Natural Resources, EPA, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and other agencies to improve their operational competencies in the oil sector

Citizens are also yet to receive an update on the status of efforts to update policies,lawsandregulations governing the oil and gas sector

President's New Year's message big on promises, but short on substance

UnitedStates(US)based Guyanese activist, Dr Jerry Jailall, has criticized President Irfaan Ali's New Year's message, saying the speech was big on promises, butonsubstance.

Dr Jailall noted that while Ali promised the n a t i o n w o u l d s e e acceleration in several sectors; he failed to address the need for acceleration for one key area-- oil and gas. According to Dr Jailall, the President must take 'accelerator' lessons from Exxon.

He noted that while royalty and profits are still low and contracts have not been renegotiated, Exxon

and friends “are moving full steamaheadtoextractallour o i l t o m a k e t h e i r shareholders filthy rich.” He added, “while the deal is lopsided in Exxon's favour, everything is in high gear to extract our oil resources at full speed, while our current crop of sellouts in the Government and Opposition v o w t h e y w i l l n o t

renegotiate The PPP's promise – their 'Manifesto Contract with Guyana' – to 'review and renegotiate' duringtheelectioncampaign has no 'sanctity'.” They trickedus.

Jailall stressed that without renegotiation, Guyana's oil will be finished

- US based activist

and Guyanese would still be a poor people, and future generations destitute Dr Jailall added, “Exxon is moving ahead speedily with logisticsforprojectswhether they have the appropriate a p p r o v a l s o r n o t . Government is using a useless statistic that is misleading when they say we have the fastest growing economy, when what is meant is that Exxon's profits aregrowingandaccelerating to the extent that they make enormous windfall profits, and they pay no taxes on theirincome.“

Dr. Jerry Jailall

Additionally, the US based activist said that the President must make sure he presses the accelerator hard to establish modern systems to improve transparency,

governance, accountability, disclosure of all agreements involvingsubstantialnatural resources and projects, audit ofoilaccounts,removingall inequities among the 10 regions.

He said, “Press the accelerator to fix all water, health, flood control, power generation, educational inequities flowing from a useless NGSA exam, rampant crime, efficiency in thecourtsystem(appointing a full complement of magistrates, judges, and appointment of a CJ and Chancellor.”

In his 2023 message, President Ali stated that the Government has massive

plans to further advance the country in the New Year According to him, while the country will continue to experience economic growth,morepolicieswillbe rolledouttoensurethatmore ofthepopulationbenefit.“In 2023, we shall roll out policies, programmes, and projects to ensure that the fruitsofthisgrowtharemore equitably shared amongst our population. Our primary goalissharedprosperity,one which is characterized by reduced inequality. In this r e g a r d , n o r e g i o n , community, or village will be left behind in our quest to create a 'One Guyana',” he said.

President Irfaan Ali

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh

EPA Head, Kemraj Parsram GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat

THE GOVERNMENT IS ENGAGED IN ANTI-CHINA HYSTERIA

he Ministry of thananyothercountry

Tcontrolling outbreaks within the spread of the virus, it frommainlandChina.There Health is now The USA has registered its borders and is capable of should re-impose testing is no scientific evidence to requesting that 102 million cases, the doing so far better than the restrictions on persons justify this measure and it is

infections. t r a v e l l e r s highest number of recorded Americans and other coming from the United all part of the anti-China

(The views expressed in arriving,eitherdirectlyorin- cases in the world and twice western countries which States and the United hysteria which is being this article are those of the transit, from China, Hong that of India which has the have seen it fit to allow Kingdom where cases are drummeduptodeflectaway author and do not Kong or Macau produce a second highest number of demand testing for persons swelling. fromtheevidence-basedfact necessarily reflect the negative COVID-19 test in infections. arrivingfromChina. TheEmbassyinChinain thatitistheUnitedStatesof opinions and beliefs of this order to enter Guyana. This And this despite the fact The primary concern of Guyana should protest the America, which the world n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s represents the first new that the USA hogged the the alarmists is not the arbitrary imposition of needs to fear the most when affiliates.) travel restriction which has greatest supply of vaccines amountofcasesinChinabut testing on persons coming it comes to COVID-19 been imposed since the when these were first rolled the fear that given China’s relaxation of testing out. The United States also size and population, a major restrictions effective June recorded more than one outbreak could lead to the 18,2022. million coronavirus deaths, development of new

Butonwhatbasisdidthe which is far higher than variants. But those making Government decide to Brazil (694,000) and India those claims have produced imposetheserestrictions? It (530,000). It was through a no evidence about the certainly could not be person who visited the variants which is now evidencebased. United States that the virus causing the spike in cases in While it’s true that there firstenteredGuyana. China. has been an increase in The United States today The World Health COVID-19 infections in still has the second highest Organization however has China, the numbers of number of active corona done so The WHO is recorded cases pale when virus cases. More than two reporting that China has compared to what is taking million Americans are sequenced more than 2,000 place in western countries presently infected with the genomes of the locallysuchastheUnitedStates.On virus. Only Japan which has acquired infections Wednesday last, the United seenaspikeinrecentmonths Omicron lineages were said States registered more than has a higher case load. On a to account for 97.5% of all 40,000newCOVIDcasesas per capita basis, only a few cases. compared to China which developed countries rank However as is wellhad 7,689 new cases even higher than the USA for known, the Omicron variant thoughitspopulationisfour infections. did not originate in China. times that of the United Yet, the Government of The West has claimed that States. Guyanahasoptedtoimpose the virus was first observed

While the COVID-19 travelrestrictionsonpersons in Botswana and South virus is believed to have arrivingfromChina. Africa. originated in China, that Thereasonsforthishave So why then is the country quickly brought its todowiththehysteriathatis Ministry of Health in deaths and infections under being drummed up in the Guyana imposing testing control and went as far as Westovertherecentspikein requirements on persons sharingthegeneticsequence infections in China. It is all arriving from China, Hong oftheoriginalviruswiththe part of the ant-China Kong, and Macau? Has the rest of the world, allowing hysteria. Ministry ingested too much fortherapiddevelopmentof Yet, China has proven of Western propaganda and vaccinestocombatthevirus. adept at controlling is simply copycatting from

The United States has outbreaks, albeit through what these countries are been the foremost incubator extremely harsh lockdowns doing without considering of the virus. The United and quarantine measures theevidence. States has recorded more Chinahasdemonstratedthat If the Ministry of Health coronaviruscasesanddeaths it is more than capable to is serious about containing

Dem boys seh...

Demboysseepictureofdemwahattend about it afterwards. It like if it bin drop off de dinner where de Vincee man get he de map. So dem boys waiting fuh see who awardnamedafterdemountain.DeVincee gangetdeseawardswahcomingup. mandidlookworried.Delastmountainhe Dem boys also waiting fuh see if seeinhecountrydiderupt. NationalAwards gan be restored. Dem gat

Butwhatupsetdemboyswasdedress some people overseas dem lobbying hard code fuh such an important event was fuh national awards and dem also want elegantly casual. Some people even wear ambassadorwuk. demshirtoutsidedempantsandwearslacks But it look as if dem gan be sorely andjeans. disappointed.

But what surprise dem boys was de Wan time a man decide fuh give he guest list. Dem had some people get invite friend an award fuh being humble. He datdemboysnahknowhowdemdeh.But frienddeclinetoaccept.Butdebestwasde politicsdoesmekinterestingbedfellows. farmerwahdidnotturnupatCityHallfuh De Prezzie talk how he gan give out heaward.Demfindhestandingupoutside odderawardstoforeignersandlocalslater indericefield.Heclaimdatdeawardwas He did promise fuh establish a Democracy forbeingoutstandinginhisfield. Award. But dem boys nah hear nutting Talkhalf.Leffhalf!

Time magazine admirable their postures bypassing the Carter came on the Gildarie- asasocialactivist cameinforsome needtobeputunderfocus.I formula, the refusal by Freddie Kissoon Show and a n d a U G angry criticism startwithIsabelleDeCaires, APNU+AFC to hold exclaimedthathecannotsay academic since

when in its Man perhaps the most influential elections after the no- that in the March 2020 the birth of SN, I of the Year choices it voice in the Stabroek News confidence motion and the election, there was rigging cannot recall any featured some controversial (SN) because of sharing five month election because he has no evidence sphere of human persons and a few dictators. holding power and the imbroglioin2020. ofthat. rightsthatMr Persaud The magazine responded administrator of Moray Next is the goodly When asked if he has hasbeeninvolvedinor with an explanation of its House,whichholdsmonthly professor from Toronto- Dr evidence of all the wrong excelled in. I cannot thoughhewasinameeting, criterion. symposia on issues and Alissa Trotz. She has been things he and his recall the nameAnand hefoundtimetoinformMs. The choice is not based topicsonGuyana. editingaweeklycolumnfor organisation named Article Persaud in human rights Lumera that I called him. on a distinction between Ms. DeCaires suggested years now titled “In The 13 have accused the activismbutIguessMr van What I don’t understand is goodandbadbutimpactand in a letter in this newspaper Diaspora”intheSNandhas government of, he said yes. NesswouldknowthingsIdo how he knew I would call interest the person she expected an apology n e v e r s e l e c t e d a NextistheEUAmbassador, not. Ms.Lumeraandnotcallhim generated. Last year, there from me for conveying the commentator or academic René van Ness. After six Next is Mr van Ness back instead. And why did were some curious outputs wrong impression on her that is sympathetic to the months in Guyana, Mr van himself. I called Mr van he contact Ms. Lumera to by persons in this country stance of the March 2020 government All of her Ness bestowed the embassy Ness to invite him to be our tellherthatIhadjustphoned that justified analysis and elections.Ididnotapologise choicesareanti-government award for human rights on guest on the Gildariehim? commentaries. because I believe Ms people. Mr Anand Persaud of the Freddie Kissoon Show We Mr van Ness is indeed Hereismylistofpersons DeCaires did not deserve it Apparently, Dr. Trotz StabroekNews. wantedhimtodiscussBrexit aninterestingpersonality in Guyana in 2022 that because of her perspectives has not heard of the name When I read Mr. van andtheEU’spositiononthe

Finally, Dr Clive though I do not think their on things like journalism, Ravi Dev or Dr. Baytoram Ness’s selection my mind Northern Ireland Protocol Thomas.Whatwordcanyou actions were positive or governance in Guyana, race Ramharack or Dr. Lomarsh immediately went to Jerry andthingsinHungary. use in 2022 to describe Dr a n d c l a s s d i f f e r Roopnarine or financial Gouveia, Nazar and Mr. Van Ness answered Thomas’ temperament? He diametricallyfrommine. analyst, Joel Bhagwandin. Mohamed,aka,“Shell.”Mr. and said he cannot speak to just does not write about Ms. DeCaires replied to “In The Diaspora” has not Mohamedisaphilanthropist me because he is in a anythingatallinhisweekly me informing me that as a featuredevenonecolumnon par excellence, and perhaps meeting. column about his time in shareholder she cannot the no-confidence vote and no one in the Caribbean has SoIimmediatelyphoned power Strange! intercede with the editor-in- the March 2020 election been more generous than his administrative assistant, (The views expressed in chief(EIC). conspiracy him.Mr Gouveiaplayedno Ms Lumera to make this article are those of the So I am assuming that I was told Dr Trotz small part in saving arrangement To my author and do not the EIC can do whatever he believedthat34isthehalfof democracyinGuyana. surprise, Ms. Lumera said necessarily reflect the wants. In relation to Moray 65butIdonotacceptthat.I I have lived my life in yessheknowsIwanttotalk opinions and beliefs of this House, Ms. DeCaires has knowshedoesn’tthinkso. Guyana since the Stabroek tohimbecauseMr vanNess n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s never held a symposium on Next is trade unionist Newswasbornin1986,and justcalledher affiliates.) President Granger Norris Witter Mr Witter Imeannothingpersonalbut That was strange. Even

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Policeman loses gun at East Canje Gymkhana activity

Police are conducting searches in Region Six for a service weapon that was misplaced by a policeman attached to the Central Police Station last week at a Gymkhana event held at Reliance, East Canje Berbice.

At the same event, an off-duty policeconstableandacivilianwere injured. The constable, identified as Tariq McKalmon and civilian, Lofon Humphrey, were injured at the event during a confrontation w i t h p a t r o n s , R e g i o n a l Commander Shivpersaud Bacchus revealed.

The incident occurred at about 23:00h last Tuesday and according toBacchus,apatrolvehiclebearing registration number PAB 2148 and led by Assistant Superintendant BennstoppedattheGymkhana. At the event, they allegedly observed Mark Cadogon assaulting a male withadrinkscase.

The fight escalated and Constable McKalmon, who was off-duty along with Humphrey were attacked as beer bottles were hurledatthem.

At the time of the initial report, Commander Bacchus made no mention of a missing service weapon, despite enquiries However, during a briefing yesterday, Commander Bacchus disclosed that at the time the initial information was disseminated to the media, he had no knowledge of the missing gun and only learnt about it "after the fact." There was an incident and during theincident,apoliceofficerfirearm was misplaced, I don't want to say stolen,itwasmisplaced,"hesaid.

Kaieteur News was informed thattheserviceweaponbelongstoa senior officer that also attended the Gymkhana. Ever since, the police have raided several homes in the

No.1 sub-division and No.2 subdivision of Region 6 in search of it.

CommanderBacchustoldreporters that the police are carrying out search operations in an effort to retrieve the firearm. He said that in one of the searches conducted, a person of interest escaped He see the police coming, jump throughthewindow,downthestep, the footprints were there..." the Commanderdisclosedwhilenoting thatnarcotics,andotheritemswere foundatthehouse.

The man's motorcycle and car

were removed from the location and taken to and lodged at the CentralPoliceStation.

Subsequently, 39-year-old TimothySampson,theownerofthe vehicles and whose house was searched, visited the police station. During an interview prior to going to the police Sampson alleged that the police entered his home and removed his property without his knowledge.

The man said that he arrived at his Adelphi residence at approximately midnight

Wednesday, after visiting a friend.

Upon his arrival he noticed that his motorcycle and car that were parked in front of his home were missing.

Sampson said that as he approached his home, he noticed that the door was open and home wasransacked.

Sampson said he later learnt it wasthepolicethatraidedhishome. "Up to now nobody didn't contact me or tell me the reason why they were here because this is wrong...I had my wallet with my license and

$250,000 they also took. I would have appreciated if they informed me and they could have searched," themansaid.

Sampson said based on what he was told, they were searching for a firearm that was misplaced at the Gymkhana last Tuesday "I don't haveaproblemtheysearchbutthey shuddadoitinmypresenceandnot break into my home..." he said noting that he did not attend the Gymkhana.

The man said he feels targeted bythepoliceanddemandsjustice.

Students must not be sent home, punished over hairstyles – Education Ministry

In a memorandum on Thursday, the Ministry of Education announced that no student must be sent home from school because his or her hairstyle is perceived to be in breach of the school'srule.

“In keeping with the guidelines provided in the Ministry of Education's 'Manual of Guidelines for the Maintenance of Order and Discipline in Schools', learners must not be sent home or suspended, denied entry to school or access to teaching and learning, sent to the Department of Education, administered corporal punishment or any other forms of punishment, for having a hairstyle that is perceived to be a breach of the school's rule,” the Ministry of Education'smemosaid.

The memo reminds that Headteacher's main priority is to ensurealllearnersareinschooland are being taught with an aim of reducinganyfurtherlearningloss.

The Ministry noted however, that in any instance, if a learner is deemed to have an inappropriate hairstyle, then the school must invite the student's parent or guardian to discuss the perceived infraction.

It was reported that the move to have the hair rules in schools change, started back in March 2022, after a decision was made to allow female students and teachers to wear their hair how they choose to for one day in observance of InternationalWomen'sDay2022.

That announcement had sparked a widespread debate on

social media and triggered a nationalconversation.

The Ministry of Education had since held several rounds of

consultation to reform the rules governinghairinschools.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand had highlighted

beforethattheMinistryhasnorules regarding hair It is the individual schools that set and enforce the rules.

Timothy Sampson

Regional Commander, Shivpersaud Bacchus, during a press briefing yesterday

Timothy Sampson's Adelphi home

The room that was ransacked by the police

Students observed 'Hair Freedom Day' in March last year. (Photo courtesy, Ministry of Education)

Cops demolish homes of Mocha residents

A demolition exercise of houses at Mocha Arcadia squatting area, East Bank Demerara on Thursday left two officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) injured, while three persons are currentlyinpolicecustody

This was confirmed by Commander of Regional Divisional '4' B, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh, who related to this publication that a woman is amongthethreepersonswho were arrested for alleged assaultyesterday.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Housing had

moved to demolish several houses at the squatting area, which continued on Thursday Yesterday, during the exercise, the demolition teamwasmetwithresistance by residents who attempted to block the men from breaking down their homes.

During the commotion, two police officers sustained injuries about their bodies and had to be taken to the Diamond Hospital for treatment.

The demolition of the houses comes after seven families had refused to vacate the Government's

reserve, which is slated to be usedtobuildanewfour-lane road. Kaieteur News had r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e Government said that in keeping with its mandate to ease traffic congestion for thousands of commuters along the East Bank Demerara (EBD), Region Four corridor, it is constructing the Eccles to Great Diamond Highway However, the illegally occupied lands at Cane View/Herstelling form an essentiallinktotheproject.

The Housing Ministry had stated that to date more

than twenty families have relocated to nearby residential areas and have rebuilt new homes through governmentcompensation.

However, the seven individuals remain noncompliant and continue to stall this development plan. The Ministry had noted several notices were issued to the seven households to relocate, but all their effort has been met with harsh and irrational resistance The Ministry had stated before that should their offers be rejected by theses illegal squatters, it will have no other choice but to proceed withademolitionexercise.

Kaieteur News had reported that the seven families were offered full compensation for their properties, a free residential house lot and a grace period to facilitate the construction of their new home In November, making another offer, the Ministry had

publically offered the families two bedroom houses each in Little Diamond Housing Scheme, whichtheyrefusedtotake.

On Thursday, when the M i n i s t r y m o v e d t o breakdown the houses, chaos erupted as the residents ended up setting the excavator on fire However, it was quickly extinguished by police who were also present at the exercise. Video surfacing of the commotion on Thursday showed that police had used teargastogettheresidentsto move, while several bridges leading to the squatting area werebrokendown.

D u r i n g a p r e s s conference on Thursday, Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton had said that the Opposition stands in solidarity with the residents of Cane View, Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara, who are facing theviciousandunacceptable

demolitionoftheirhomesby agents carrying out the will of the “uncaring and vengefulPPPCregime.”

“We also strongly condemn the actions of the Ministry of Housing, the employeesofwhichrecently destroyed a bridge in the village.

WeurgetheGovernment to immediately halt the demolition of homes in Mocha Arcadia and to engage in fair and constructive dialogue with the affected residents to find a fair and equitable solution,”Nortonhadstated. Meanwhile, following the events at Mocha, President IrfaanAli in a live broadcast hadurgedtheresidentsnotto not to be used as political toolsbytheOpposition.

He told the residents that his Government is ready to work with them and “to remove you from the illegally occupied reserve andtogiveyouabetterlife.“

Houses that were demolished by the Ministry of Housing at the squatting area.

President Ali must rise above himself

By GHK Lall

Recently, President Ali took to Al Jazeera to sell h i m s e l f , a n d h i s Government's handling of Guyana'soilwealthsothatall Guyanesebenefit. AlJazeera did not take to him that is for sure. Iwillexcuse

His Excellency for forgetting that he was not on NCN, or one of those media tricks that his schemers came up with; Al Jazeera is prime time, where the big boys emerge bigger, and the lesser come across as cheap snake oil salesmen. Regrettably, in his moment on the big stage, Guyana's President came across as small-time, petty, andmean-spirited.

“ S e l f - a p p o i n t e d ” professors, Mr President? On Al Jazeera before an international audience? Was that dig really necessary, E x c e l l e n c y ? S u c h spitefulness is the stuff of small-timers, best reserved for local circuit, and unpresidential. But it seems as though the President when

riled just has to get even, no matter the time or place, he has just got to be himself. That aside, the President had his laundry list of who got andwhodidnot.

According to him, there were only the former, as his PPPC Government does not d o e x c l u s i o n s (discrimination) Oh, well….

There was healthcare, education, house lots (house lots, Mr President on Al Jazeera, c'mon, sir), scholarships, coders (whatever those are), and then the big blue whale of Guyana. No, it is not Orca, but goes by the more mundane description of roads. Roads by the billions of dollars If there is anythinganystonedPPPman knows, it is roads. After all, that is where the big money is.Justaskthefellawhoused to get all the contracts with theoldPPP,thenwentoverto the PNC, and is floating around somewhere these days. Roads, it is, and that's tellingthemskipper.

Surely, the President did

not expect any selfrespecting Arab to take him seriously I can't, and I am trying my best to give my Presidentaboost.

And if the Arabs are yawning,Icanonlyspeculate what the Europeans and Africans make of all of this businessabouthouselotsand coders. I think PresidentAli should be pardoned when he threw around numbers that are big for him and Guyana. Like 50,000 of this, 150,000 of that, and 20,000 of something or the other His advisers had to tell him that the sheiks and their portfolio managers deal in billions, like if such is monopoly money So, to throw around those thousands for coders and scholarships do not impress any of these folks; that's petty cash stuff, even though dollars are not involved. Who is advising the President in these matters? Justdropahint,and Iwillexposehimpubliclyfor embarrassing the nation's head-of-state. Ihaveafunny feelingthatIknowwhoitis.

Anyhow, the President

Agri. Ministry to focus on growing honey production industry for 2023

With the global honey market size expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2% from 2022 to 2030, growth in Guyana's honey industry will be high on the Government's agriculture development agenda for 2023.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, confirmed this yesterday while speaking on honey production for 2022 He noted that the Ministry of Agriculture through the G u y a n a L i v e s t o c k Development Authority (GLDA), has been working to develop the industry, especially in the hinterland communities.

He noted that despite somewhat unfavourable weather conditions in 2022, Guyana was able to maintain itshoneyproductionlevels.

“ A l t h o u g h w e experienced a lot of rain last year which is known to have an impact on how bees are able to maneuver and thus ultimately affecting honey production, we were able to maintain our overall honey production level, having produced over 3,700 gallons of honey in 2022. There was no decline,” the Minister said.

He also noted that this is partly due to the fact that there were more hives and

apiculturists working last year Furthertothis,Minister Mustapha said more people have expressed an interest in becoming apiculturists adding that his Ministry has been able to assist them with training.

Last year, the GLDAwas tasked with developing a comprehensive plan for the industryandhascommenced working with new and existing beekeepers so that they can either establish or expandtheiroperations.This willcontinuein2023.

Minister Mustapha also explained that during the courseof2023,personsfrom Regions One, Five, Six, and Nine will benefit from additional support to further develop Guyana's honey industry This he added will enable persons to view bee rearing as an economic activity.

In2021,theglobalhoney market was said to be valued at US $8.58 billion. With honey being a natural sweetener and an excellent source of numerous nutritional ingredients including vitamins, minerals, calcium, and antioxidants, the global demand for pure and unadulterated honey continuestoincrease.

Last August, during a visit to Region Nine, President Dr Irfaan Ali hinted at his Government's intention to develop the necessary infrastructure to advance apiculture in Masakenari Village, Deep South, Rupununi. Given its vast honey production potential, the Head of State indicated that the village could become a major organic honey production hub.

GHK Lall

reallygotintotheheavystuff when this wholeThirdWorld business came up (or he brought it up himself). I saw the warning signs: the n ar r o w ed ey es , th e combative snarl escaping despite his best efforts at locking down, as he let them have it. Don't mess with Guyana. Don'tdaredissme! Earth to President! Earth calling PresidentAli! I have

a strange feeling that the President's handlers were struggling to do some damage control in advance.

For while the President kicked up a storm with his Third World hit jingle, about Guyana's being on top of things, something surfaced embarrassingly It was the rd Kaieteur News' January 3 edition, and that damning front page We can momentarily ignore Mr David Patterson and his blast about 'disastrous' since that can be chalked up to G u y a n a ' s u s u a l heartwarmingpolitics. Inthe next instance, I do not know what President Ali and his people plan to do about those seven 'nothings', such as updated petroleum laws (not a priority), and no independent regulators (who needs them anyhow), and no parliamentary scrutiny (a rubberstamp,asintended).

There was Guyana's President giving the world every assurance that Third World limitations have no hold on us, we are bigger and

better than that, only for KN to all but reverse everything he said in that regard. The President and his Palace Guard may have even less use for the likes of me (if that is conceivable), but those seven deficiencies (NOs), all major showstoppers are exactly the kinds of missing ingredients that characterize what goes on in Third World countriesthatfindoil. These are the clever openings through which Governments turn around and squander the wealth by sharing it with cronies to the great distress and dismay of their poor brethren Proper audits protect, modernised laws protect, parliamentary s c r u t i n y p r o t e c t s , independent regulators protect. So why they are not in place and functioning, I think the PPPC Government knows best, and on this I will give the President a pass since his hand is in tiger mouth, and he is stuck with his circumstances. It is c a l l e d p r e s i d e n t i a l appointment.

Govt. uses World Bank loan to access oil and gas articles, journals and books

The People's Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) Administrationhasutilizeda portion of the US$20M World Bank loan to improve its access to reading materials on the oil and gas sector

According to documents published by the financial institution, US$32,194 86 was used to hire vLex Justis Limited of the United Kingdom, to supply legal softwareforGuyana'soiland gas sector This is expected to allow more efficient legal representation through access to up-to-date oil and gas articles, journals and books The two-year contract was signed on August24,2022.

According to its website, vLex brings together thousands of data sources from around the world to offer its customers authoritative and up-to-date legal content. It is also the exclusive provider of Irwin Law books online, the first service to receive Supreme Court cases from Ireland, and the only provider of Caribbean case law from CariLaw Italsohousessome of the world's largest collections of legal information, all on a single service. With the world's

largest collections of legal information, covering over 100 countries, on a single service,vLexdescribesitself as being the world's leading legal information discovery service.

Kaieteur News had previously reported that the US$20M loan was approved on March 29, 2019 for the G u y a n a P e t r o l e u m Resources Governance and Management Project ( G P R G M P ) T h e programme's objective is to ensure the enhancement of legal and institutional frameworks, and the strengtheningofthecapacity of key institutionsto manage theoilandgassector

A Financing Agreement in the amount of US$20M was signed and declared effective on April 11, 2019 under the David Granger administration.

K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that the project hasfourcomponents.

The first component deals with the enhancement of legal framework and stakeholder engagement. It aims to support the update of Guyana's legal and regulatory frameworks for the governance and oversight of the sector as well as support stakeholder

e n g a g e m e n t a n d t r a n s p a r e n c y T h i s component includes two sub-components: update of the legal and regulatory frameworks for the sector, and support stakeholder e n g a g e m e n t a n d transparency

The second component on the capacity building of keyinstitutionsincludesfour sub-components: support immediatetechnicalneedsat key institutions with responsibilityforoilandgas, support critical training needsatkeyinstitutionswith responsibility for the sector, build up petroleum data management, and strengthen environmental and social management.

The third component is the enhancement of fiscal management.

Finally, the fourth component gives proper m a n a g e m e n t a n d coordination of all project activities financed under the project.

More specifically, it provides support and builds the Government's systems for procurement and financialmanagement,while a l l o w i n g f o r t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f safeguards for proper management,monitoring.

A model hive on display at the inaugural Agri. Investment Forum and Expo last May

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One Kitchen Assistant and DeliveryBoyneeded.Call: 223-5021/223-1531.

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Office Clerk and Domestic workerrequired.Live-infacilities available, call: 2237500.

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Wanted: ExperiencedSupervisor, Cashier,CounterPerson , Cooks and Labourer Apply@Shanta's,225Camp and New Market Sts.

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No bail for alleged serial carjacker

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Twenty-six-year-old RomaineTravisWatson,who isbeforethecourtoncharges related to carjacking, was on Thursday slapped with further charges after he was caught earlier this week with a carload of car doors.

Police said that the 63 Kuru Kuru College Road, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, residentwasbustedwithfour car doors in his possession. He was on Thursday remanded to prison.

The accused appeared at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Courtlwherethechargewas read to him. The accused pleaded not guilty and was subsequently remanded to prisonuntil2023-02-24.

Watson was arrested on Tuesday when patrol ranks busted him at Annandale, East Coast of Demerara (ECD), with a car load of suspected stolen car parts.

Watson, and six other men were charged inAugust lastyearforaseriesofalleged carjacking and armed robberiesontheEastBankof Demerara(EBD).

Police had found stolen car parts and an illegal 9MM pistol at his Kuru Kuru home. He was subsequently charged and remanded to prison but laterreleasedoncourtbail.

provideavalidexplanationof how he obtained the car doors and the policemen were forced to suspect that they might be stolen ones.

They arrested him immediately and impounded his vehicle with the suspected stolen property at theVigilancePoliceStation.

Police have since launched an investigation to find out if Watson is still in the business of allegedly stealingcarswhileontrialfor previouscarjackingoffences.

Detectives were first able to link Watson to a major carjacking ring in August,2022afteraGreen Icetaxidriverwashijacked of his new model Toyota Allion by gunmen at Dookie Road, Soesdyke, EBD.

a9MMpistol,somecarlights and bumpers. His arrest led policetomakeamajordentin the EBD carjacking ring by arresting and a charging a number of alleged gang members.

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Houses for sale in Haslington,Tushen, Providence & Diamond/ Little Diamond.CallPacificDevelopment Inc: 673-6210/ 227-8274 or 917-7715202.

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Accordingtopolice,the ranks were conducting routine patrols in the vicinity of Annandale Market around 16:00hrs whenaheavily-tintedsilver grey Toyota Premio suddenly drove off and sped away from them.

The cops quickly suspected that the driver might be a “law breaker”, decided to pursue him. Theyeventuallycaughtup with the vehicle and the driver, Watson was forced to stop and pull over Ranks searched his car and found that it was loaded with four silver Toyota Premio car doors- two in the backseatandtwointhetrunk. Watson reportedly could not

One of the gang membersreportedlyposing as a passenger hired the carandtoldthevictimthat he wanted to go to the Timehri Police Station but as they were almost there, he changed his location to Dookie Road. There the bandit and some other accomplices hijacked the taxi driver at gunpoint and alsostolehiscellphoneand other valuables.

The next day, cops receivedatipthatsomeone was selling a car bumper Thatinformationledthem toWatson’sKuruKuruHome where they reportedly found

They were also able to recover the taxi driver’s stolen Toyota Allion and seven other stolen cars at forested locations (ST Cuthbert’s Mission and Long Creek) along the Linden Soesdyke Highway According to detectives,theywerelucky enough to find the Allion intact because the rest were only shells with the engine – the other key parts were gone.

The other men charged with Watson for allegedly stealing cars and armed robberiesare,JasonHarryan ex-cop and the alleged mastermind,ToneyJerrick,32, Standford Ford, 25 and RandyFraser

Fourquakesshake HaitionWednesday

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PortAuPrince–Haitihas been rocked by four earthquakes within a fivehour period on Wednesday, but Civil Protection Directorate (DPC) reported there were no loss of life or damage.

It said that the first quake occurredat7:31a.m.localtime with a magnitude of 4.0, followedsixminuteslaterwith a quake of 3.6 and one with a magnitudeof3.9at9:11a.m. localtime.

The last quake, with a magnitudeof2.5,occurredat 1:41p.m.

According to the DPC, the epicenter of the four

earthquakes was located at 18.82 degrees north latitude and 74.15 degrees west longitude, north of Jérémie, delaGonâve,Miragoâneand northwest of Port-au-Prince atadepthoffourkilometers.

The earthquakes on Wednesday were in the same area where on December 28, last year, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.20 rocked Jérémie.

As had been the case on Wednesday, there was also no loss of life or damage.

InJanuary2010,Haitiwas rocked by a 7.0 magnitude earthquakethatkilled220,000 people.(CMC)

Busted with suspected stolen car doors, alleged carjacker, Jomaine Travis Watson

The suspected car doors found in Watson’s car at Annandale, ECD.

Lawrence, Cummings, Joseph exercise right to remain silent elections - COI

Opposition Members of Parliament, Volda Lawrence and Dr Karen Cummings along with Opposition Chief Scrutineer, Carol SmithJospeh, all appeared before the Presidential Elections Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Thursday and exercised their right to remainsilent.

Theyweresummonedby the Commission to appear and offer testimony

Lawrence and Smith-Joseph were represented by

AttorneyNigelHughes,who informed the Commission of Inquiry of his two clients’ position not to provide i n f o r m a t i o n t o t h e Commission.

Hughes noted that both women are before the criminal court in regard to theirconductattheelections. He said that given that the women are still before the courtinthematter,theyhave been advised that it is best thattheydonottestifybefore theCommission.

“I believe it would be in their best interest that they exercise right enshrined in section 144 of the constitution not implicate themselves…” Hughes said.

Lawrence and Smith-Joseph are currently before the Magistrates’ Court facing allegations of electoral fraud.

Dr Cummings, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, whowasalsocalledtotestify also exercised her right to remainsilent.Dr Cummings was Minister of Foreign Affairs during the 2020 elections.

Since the start of the Commission’s hearing, her name has been mentioned repeatedly over claims that she threatened the removal of foreign observers in the aftermath of the last elections.

The three Opposition members are not the only set of persons who have refused to offer testimony before the COI. A number of GECOM

officials also refused to give t e s t i m o n y a t t h e Commission.

Theemployees,whofirst appeared before the Commission last month, filed a Fixed Date Application (FDA) in the High Court requesting that the summons to testify to be quashed.

The trio Denise BabbCummings, Shefern February, and Carolyn Duncan had initiated proceedings, citing that the summons amounts to a breach of their constitutional rights against selfincrimination under Article 144oftheConstitution.

During their appearance, the trio was accompanied by their Attorney Eusi Anderson.

They initially retained their right to remain silent. However as it relates to the FDA to quash the summons, Justice Damone Younge has dismissed an application by thethreestaffers.

The trio sought among other things, a permanent injunction to prevent the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the March 2020 General and Regional Elections from compelling themtogiveevidence.

The GECOM employees had declined to testify and invoked their right to remain when they appeared before the commission on earlier thisweek.

Denying all of the orders prayed for, and dismissing

Travelers from China need negative COVID - 19 test to enter Guyana

– MinistryofHealth

Effective from January 8, 2023 a l l p e r s o n s travelling directly or in transit from the People’s Republic of China, and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong, or Macau have to produce a negative COVID-19 test to enterGuyana.

This is according to a COVID-19 travel advisory issued by the National COVID-19 Task Force SecretariatonThursday.

The Secretariat in a media release said that variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus continue to emerge worldwide. In light of the present surge in COVID-19 cases in certain parts of the world, and to decrease the chance for entry of a novel variant of concern, the Ministry of Health said it will be implementing a requirement for a negative COVID-19 test no less than 48 hours or documentation of recovery for all passengers (two years and older) travelling directly or in transit to Guyana from the

People’s Republic of China, a n d t h e S p e c i a l

Administrative Regions of HongKong,orMacau.

“Starting from 8th January 2023, all passengers two years and older, originating from the

People’s Republic of China will be required to get a COVID-19 test (such as a PCR test or an antigen) no morethan2daysbeforetheir departure from the PRC, Hong Kong, or Macau, and show a bona fide negative t e s t r e s u l t t o t h e airline/carrier upon departure,” the Task Force stated. The release further noted that the requirement

applies to these passengers regardless of nationality and vaccination status The requirement will also apply to persons traveling from the PRC [China] via third country transit and to passengers on connecting flightstoGuyana.

Passengers who tested positive more than 10 days before the flight can provide documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in lieu of a negative test result. Airlines and other Ports of Entries must confirm the negative COVID-19 test results or documentation of recovery forallpassengersbeforethey board or deny boarding to

non- compliant passengers, theTaskForcestated.

The Secretariat added that the requirement to show a bona fide negative test result has been shown to decrease the number of infected passengers boarding airlines and it will helptoslowthespreadofthe virusastheyworktoidentify and understand any potential new variant that may emerge.

The Ministry of Health said it will continue to monitor travel patterns, and adjust its approach as needed, and will keep the Guyanesepublicinformedin atimelymanner

the Notice of Application by Babb-Cummings, February and Miller, Justice Younge ruled inter alia that the COI into the March 2020 General and Regional Elections is indeed a part of the State pursuant to section 2 of the COIAct.

As such, she determined the injunctive relief claimed against theAttorney General and the COI into the March 2020 General and Regional Election is refused. In any case, the case raised in the

Fixed Date Application (FDA) is not appropriate for the grant of a conservatory order,thejudgeruled.

B a b b - C u m m i n g s , February, and Miller have been charged with conspiracy to defraud t h e M a r c h 2 0 2 0 Elections, and, on 2nd December 2022, were s u m m o n e d t o g i v e evidence to the COI established by President Irfaan Ali into the March 2022 Elections

Commonwealthteamto observeAntiguaandBarbuda’s 2023generalelection

C o m m o n w e a l t h

Secretariat - Former President of Seychelles, H.E. Danny Faure, will lead a team of Commonwealth election observers to AntiguaandBarbudaforthe country’s general election, scheduled for 18 January 2023.

C o m m o n w e a l t h Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, announced the composition of the Commonwealth Observation Group today in response to an invitation from the Government of Antigua and Barbuda Election day will see voters a s k e d t o c h o o s e c o n s t i t u e n c y representativestotheHouse ofRepresentatives.

In a statement, the Secretary-General said, “I thank Danny Faure for accepting my invitation to lead this group and each of the Commonwealth observers for agreeing to undertake this important assignment. “The group, which is independent and impartial, will assess the overall conduct of the election and, at the end, make recommendations

which will contribute towards strengthening the electoral process inAntigua andBarbuda.”

The group’s mandate is to observe the preparations for the election, the polling, counting, tabulation procedures and the overall electoral environment as well as consider any factors that could impinge upon the credibility of the process as a whole Prior to deployment, the group will also have briefings with the country’s political party representatives, police officers and several stakeholders, including officials from the Electoral Commission, the media and social society groups representing women, youth andpeoplewithdisabilities.

The group will submit its recommendations in a r e p o r t t o t h e Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral,whowillforwardit to the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, the country’s Electoral Commission, the leadership of political parties taking part in the elections and all C o m m o n w e a l t h governments.

Opposition Member of Parliament, Dr. Karen Cummings Chief Scrutineer, Carol Smith-Joseph

Opposition Member of Parliament, Volda

Guyana still in the dark on monies deducted for insuring Exxon’s assets

Despite agreeing to have oil companies recoup insurance sums associated with the development of the local oil and gas sector, Guyanaisstillunawareofthe real value it is paying ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production GuyanaLimited(EEPGL),to insure its multi-billion dollar assets being used in the production of the country's crude.

This is the current situation as Local Insurers continue to lament the overseas placement of insurance policies by the Stabroek Block Operator Kaieteur News has reported on various contracts that Exxon would have entered into with international companies for the supply of equipment, materials and even services. Many of these contracts are multi-million and multi-billion US dollar agreements for the supply of for instance, (FPSO) floating production, storage and offloading vessels; each of which has cost the country so far, US$1billion or more. Subsea equipment, massive pipes, chemicals are also used in oil development. In some cases, these materials have to be transported and even valuable shipments, in particular must be insured. But industry operators say there is no policy in-country andGuyanaremainsunaware

of the true value of assets Exxon has and is insuring for theStabroekBlock.

It is also unaware of the amount of money the overseas affiliate is making in premiums, ceding fees among others from covering the policy Insurers say however that once the local industry is involved there is muchinformationthatcanbe gatheredwhichwillbeuseful to the Government. “Firstly, because the purpose of insurance is to replace assets that are destroyed by a peril named in the policy, correct replacement values of assets are an integral part of declarations on the policy and form the basis of the sum to be insured so that a cumulative overview forms i n r e a l i t y a n d a comprehensive schedule of the value of O&G assets sitting on the ground in Guyana,” one top local Insurertoldthisnewspaper.

“More importantly, most material damage losses particularly with respect to machinery/equipment in a production chain, leads to business interruption or consequential loss of profits arising from the loss,” the insurer added That consequential loss of profits is also insured, the newspaperwastold.

In order to establish the potential loss of profits, “the Insurermustnecessarilyhave

an accurate calculation of the O&G company's profits whichthenformsapartofthe insurance contract as it becomes the sum to be insured for the loss of profits policy Therefore, insurance policies by their nature, if the insured is to be fully compensated for losses, require accurate values for insured assets and accurate valuesforprofits.”

Kaieteur News was told that oil operators here may have realised that this is e x t r e m e l y v a l u a b l e information it may not want Guyana accessing “This may well be considered by theoilmajortobeasourceof information that it would prefer not to disclose and indeed may well be a factor contributingtotheoilmajor's inexplicable resistance to local industry involvement despite the Government's support of placement to the localindustryexpressedinits mandating a 100 percent placement to the local industry via the local content act.”

For Exxon to now advertise for a local participation by way of a fronting Insurer for its environmental insurance policy, is an indication of the company's intent to continue to circumvent the Insurance Act and the Local Content Act, the Insurance Agent asserted. “And we now know

Mohamed's Enterprise to gift Govt. US$3M waterfront property to facilitate new Demerara River Bridge

that the publicly released news of their having been a local front was merely a facade as none of those policies have actually been placed. So yes, the potential for information held by the local industry, were we in the picture, to be used to crosscheck information given to say Auditors, is apparent.

Technically however, neither Insurers nor Brokers i n G u y a n a r e l e a s e confidential information to any third party, but copies of documentation may well be a c c e s s i b l e b y t h e Government.”

The Insurer opined that whilehebelievesExxonmay not want certain information

out in the open, “I think the more fundamental issue is that the oil major simply wishes to retain for itself, the brokerage commissions, c e d i n g r e i n s u r a n c e c o m m i s s i o n s a n d underwriting profits of its own captive Insurers at the expense of the industry.” It was noted that as long as the Office of the Commissioner of insurance continues to allow illegal placements and circumvention of the Insurance Act and the Local Content Legislation, this behaviourwillcontinue.”

It was noted that failure by the Regulator to address the oil and gas insurance inadequacies “undermines and frustrates” the efforts of

the Government to mandate by the Local Content Act, placement to the local industry “It deprives the Government of a secondary t i e r o f i m p e r a t i v e information which should be atthefingertipsofthesubject Minister at all times, that is, schedules of insurances of the oil sector in Guyanainsured assets, insured profits, liability policies, risk management reports, estimated maximum losses, incidentandlossreportsetc.”

None of this is currently available to the government, and the regulatory body would have permitted for over five years, a complete bypass of the local industry, theinsuranceoperatorsaid.

Mohamed's Enterprise on Wednesday announced that it will gift its 1.4 acres of waterfront property worth about US$3 million to the Government of Guyana, to facilitate the construction of the new DemeraraRiverBridge.

The preparatory works have begun for the construction of the new bridge which was awarded to China Railway and ConstructionCorporationLimited.

In a media statement, Mohamed's Enterprise said it will, along with Hadi's World Inc., be donating the prime water

Mohamed's Enterprise US$3M waterfront property that will be donated to Government

frontpropertytoGovernment.

“The bridge will pass over Mohamed's Enterprise Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD)waterfrontpropertyontheeasternsideof theriverandatLaGrange,WestBankDemerara (WBD)onthewesternside,”thestatementsaid.

Additionally, it was noted that the land will be used to store equipment and building materials during the construction phase of the new facility “Mohamed's Enterprise is extremely happy to be a part of Guyana's transformational process which will benefit generationstocome,”thestatementnoted.

Guyana is in the dark on monies deducted for insuring Exxon assets

DrPuranSinghrenewssponsorshipof BCBNationalPlayersFinancialScheme

On the first day of 2023, theBerbiceCricketBoardwas informed that long time sponsor, Dr Puran Singh has renewed his sponsorship of theNationalPlayersFinancial Scheme.DrSingh,aBerbician bybirth,isbasedinBarbados and has been supporting the BCB over the last four years in its cricket development programme.

Under the scheme, all youths who made a national team at the under 13, 15, 17 and 19 levels along with seniorfemaleswouldreceive a stipend of ten thousand dollars to assist them in their preparation for national duties.Lastyear,arecordfifty

Berbicians including seniors represented Guyana or the WestIndiesatalllevelsasthe ancient county continues to produce players of a very high standard via a series of developmentalprogrammes.

BCB President Hilbert Foster expressed delight that Dr Singh has renewed his support for the scheme, which is one of several programmes that encourage youths in the county to excel on the cricket field. Foster noted that the BCB was targeting a total of about thirty six youths at all levels for the national teams.

The active BCB in 2023 hopes to build on the

successes of 2022 and would be investing heavily in the development of new talents forclubsviaarobustprimary and secondary school cricket programme that would include coaching and tournaments. The board would also be working overtime to obtain several crucial equipment for the effort, including several bowling machines, which would be placed across the county in an effort to assist in the development of batsmen and the way they play fast bowling.

Twenty clubs across the county has already received practice nets towards the

proper organising of practice sessions. They have also received cricket balls, Youth Information Booklets, gear and coaching manuals to assist them in the youth developmentprogramme.The BCB also assists with educationalgrantsandcycles to assist youths to complete their educational careers.

Thursday January 05, 2022

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

You will experience an intense amount of energy today,Aries.Yourdreamstate will be more active than usual, and you will find that peoplearedrawntoyoulike moths to light.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You should enjoy the intense energy of today, Taurus. The mud is finally beginning to clear away Expose the truth in every issue and get ready

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Today marks the beginning of a new cycle for you, Gemini.Collectandconsolidate your recent ideas and focus them outwardly The time is right for you to act. Improveyoursurroundings.

CANCER(June21–July22) Takeacoldshowertojumpstart yourself today, Cancer. It's fine if you laze around a bit in the morning, but by evening, you should be workingatfullcapacity

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Today may start out sluggishforyou,Leo,butbythe end of the day the energy will move fast and furious. Your thoughts will be buzzing around your head like bees around a hive.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22) Enjoy the calm morning, Virgo, because things are goingtogetcrazierandmore energetic as the day goes on. Emotions will run high, andpeoplewillbemoreopinionated than usual.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Thingsaremovingyourway, Libra.Asthedayprogresses, youwillfindthattheenergy intensifies. Conflicts may arise near sundown, but don't worry about it too much.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

It's time to get up and get moving, Scorpio. You have tremendousideasandvision for the future. You have all the information you need. Now all you have to do is act.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

The early part of the day might find you sluggish and indecisive, Sagittarius, but later you should be psyched up and ready to go. Today marks the beginning.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Today's energies will get progressively more intense as the day goes on. In the morning, you may be in an easygoing, dreamy state, Capricorn, but you will be itching to take action by nightfall.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

For the past several weeks you've felt like you've been dragging your heels, Aquarius. Decisions may have been hard to make and people may have seemed wishy-washy

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Themorningmightfindyou sittinglikeastickinthemud, Pisces.Peoplemightbegetting down on you for not contributing,buttellthemto bepatient.Youwillberaring to go by nightfall.

Foster also disclosed that one of the main aims of the BCB in 2023 is the construction of four outdoor concretebattingstrips,onein each of the zones in the county- West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne. As part of the comprehensiveprogrammeto lift the county cricket higher, theBCBisalsoworkingwith DrFrankDenbowtoorganise a tour to a Caribbean Island inAprilforaBerbiceUnder21 team.Itwouldbethefirsttour bytheBCBinoverfortyyears and the main objective is to encourage players to continue playing the game after the under 19 level. Dr Singh stated that he was delighted to be associated with the BCB once again as he was very impressed with the standard of Berbice cricket and the visionary leadership been provided by the executives under the leadershipofHilbertFoster

GCBSatisfiedwith2022Achievements…

From page 23

Hall This event was followed by the training of teachers within the three Counties, Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice. The training of teachers focused on the development coaching needs of one hundred and fifty (150) teachers across the Country, that is, two teachers each from the earmarked twentyfive (25) Primary schools within each of the three Counties Inaugural

BilateralUnder-13Goodwill Series (Guyana, and TrinidadandTobago)

The Inaugural Bilateral Under-13 Goodwill Series

between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago was a resounding success in terms of addressing the void in the two-year incremental age g a p p r o g r a m T h e implementationofanUnder13 development program allowsplayerstoprogressive follow a developmental pathway under the watch of Association, Committees, Counties and National coaches and selectors. The Under-13 Development Activities is expected to avoid or lessen the reduction in the participation of players in cricket training and matches between the Under-11andUnder-15ages

categories.

This regional initiative realizes a critical aspect of the development pathway of the players. The intent of the Under-13 Programme is to expose players to a solid foundation that will aid the development of their game as individual players and teamplayers.Bylearningthe recommended ways to bat, bowl and field at an early age, as well as the mental applications required in competitions, the GCB is of the view that the young players will be in a better position to master their technicalandmentalskills.

Female Development

and High-Performance Activities

Efforts to structure female cricket continued during 2022 with training sessions in Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo. These activities were mainly conducted prior to the FemaleUnder-19andSenior Inter-County Tournaments. The aim is to establish at least two venues in each of the three continues which will realize continuous training activities for girls and women interested in playingcricket.

C W I L e v e l O n e

Coaching Certification Course

Over Forty (40) coaches completed the CWI Level OneCoachingCoursewhich was held in April 2022. Individuals with the CWI Foundation Coaching Course Certificate or the ICC (Online) Coaching Coach Certificate were eligible to participate in the Course Participants who submit the relevant supporting documents of the First Aid Certificate, Child Protection Certificate, and Police Clearance within the given timeframe are issued the CWI Level One Coaching Certificate. In support of this requirement, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) arranged First Aid Courses for the coaches to attend, with the most recent course being held in Georgetown in October 2022.

GCB’s CricketAcademy Programme

The GCB continued its planning to implement 18 Academies across the Country Currently, a detailed plan is being e x a m i n e d f o r implementation A PreKick-off meeting was held for the relevant stakeholders to provide them with an overview of the Academy Programme’s needs and requirements Several facilitators presented on the respective topics of interest of theAcademy Programme. This included information on technical, skill, fitness, mental, diet and nutrition, and lifestyle of the players. Topics on Etiquette and communication including Public Speaking were addressed The GCB’s Academy program is expected to commence withinthefirsthalfof2023.

Guyana Harpy Eagles Training Programme (Contracted, Pay for Play, andEmergingPlayers)

The Harpy Eagles’ training intensified after the conclusion of the Caribbean PremiereLeague(CPL).The GHE contracted players, the Emerging players and those that are identified as the Pay forPlay(neitheracontracted or an Emerging player) are currently going through preparatory exercises for the CWI Regional Four-Day Tournament scheduled for early February 2022. All players vying for national selectionwererequiredtogo through the pre-season fitness assessment and evaluation exercises on

January3,2022,andJanuary 4,2022.

Match Officials and Support Staff Development Initiatives

The training of Match officials and support staff is an area of great significance to the effective and professional conduct of cricket matches In this regard, the GCB expects the Guyana Cricket Umpires Council (GCUC) to submit their proposal on the measures to be implemented for assessing and evaluating the standard of umpires and the procedures for the selection of umpires for the various levels of domestic cricket. Training activities are also planned for Match Referees, Scorers, and Groundsmen.

GearDonationForYouth Players

During 2022, the GCB distributedalargenumberof cricket gear to Associations and Committees The Essequibo Cricket Board accepted donations in aid of its player development program for its affiliate C o m m i t t e e s We s t Demerara, East Bank Demerara and Upper Demerara were also beneficiaries of a substantial worth of cricket gear donated by the GCB. All of the recipients gave high commendations to the GCB for their invaluable contribution to the development needs of the youths in their respective C o u n t i e s , Associations/Committees.

GCB Satisfied with 2022 Achievements…

Most Runs in the Goodwill series(57).

The Guyana Under-19 team was managed by Budhesh Chatterpaul with Andre Percival as the Coach and Alvin Mohabir as captain Guyana finished fourth in the preliminary rounds of the CWI Rising Star Under-19 Three-Day C h a m p i o n s h i p Nevertheless, Guyana finished third in the Tournament, after defeating Jamaica in the Third Placed ChampionshipDecider The Leeward Islands won the Rising Star Under-19 ThreeDayChampionship.

Guyana Under 17 team was managed by Neil Rudder with Garvin Nedd as the Coach and Alvin Mohabir as the captain Guyana finished on 11 6 points just ahead of the Leeward Islands who ended in the cellar position on 8.8 points. Windwards Islands won the Tournament, finishingwith17.8points.

The Guyana Under-15 team was managed by Elroy Stephney and coached by Latchman Yadram with Dave Mohabir as Captain. The Guyana Under-15 team placed second in this Tournament and was narrowly edged out by Barbados (who finished on 18.4 points) for the Rising S t a r U n d e r - 1 5 Championshiptitle.

The Inaugural Bilateral Under-13 Goodwill Series between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago comprised four matches These matches were played on Sunday, December 11, 2022, Tuesday, December 13, 2022, Thursday, December 17, 2022, and Saturday, December 19, 2022. The Guyana Under13 Team won the second match, while Trinidad and Tobago got the better of Guyana on the other three occasions.

Apresentation ceremony was held at the match venue, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.ShaanRamtahal of Trinidad and Tobago received the Player of the match award for the fourth and final match, as well as for taking the Most Wickets in the Goodwill Series (13). Trinidad and Tobago’s Vicecaptain Mikaeel Ali collected the award for the

CWI dubbed the a g e g Tourname The Rising S t a r s Champio nships w i t h referenc e to the respecti v e categories of Unde 15, Under and Under-19. In identifying players for the future, some Guyanese aged group players were earmarkedasfuturepotential players. These are Navin Boodwah andArun Gaida in the Under-15, Rampertab RamnauthandMavendra Dindyal in the Under-17 category, and Isai Thorne, Rampertab Ramnauth and Mavendra Dindyal in the Under-19 category The players identifiedbyCWIare:

CWIRisingStarsUnder15: Darrius Batoosingh, Navin Boodwah, Shem Sargeant, Kemar Dixon, Brendan Boodoo, Matthew Miller, Pajay Nelson, Akobi Crichlow-Byer, Arif Khan, R’Jai Gittens, Arun Gainda; 12thman:JordenCharles

CWIRisingStarsUnder17: Stephan Pascal,

Rampertab Ramnath, Jordan Johnson, Joshua Dorne, Orlando James, Nathan Sealy, Divonie Joseph, Micah McKenzie, Nathan E d w a r d , S o l o m o n Bascombe, Jatario Prescod; 12th man: Mavendra Dindyal

CWIRisingStarsUnder19: Stephan Pascal,

Rampertab Ramnath, Jordan Johnson, Ackeem Auguste, Joshua Dorne, Tarrique Edward, Nathan Edward, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, OnajeAmory,JohannLayne, Isai Thorne; 12th man: Mavendra DindyalFurther, four Under-19 Female players were identified by CWI to participate in preparatory activities leadinguptotheICCUnder19 Female World Cup scheduledtobeheldinSouth Africa in January 2023. The players who were identified are Cyanna Retemiah, A s h m i n i M u n i s a r , Realeanna Grimmond, and

Niveena Ramnath Coach Steve Liburd visited Guyana prior to the trial matches held in Trinidad to take the four girls hrough some developmenta l stages. The s e s s i o n s were held at the National S t a d i u m , Providence. Internatio n a l ournaments West Indies versusBangladesh

The third T20 match between West Indies and Bangladesh was played at the National Stadium,

Providence on July 7, 2022. West Indies won the match by 5 wickets. In reply to Bangladesh’s 163 for 5 from 20 overs, West Indie posted 169 for 5 from 18.2 o f t h e i r allotted 20 o v e r s However, Bangladesh won all three of the ODI matches played at the Natio S t a d i u m , Providence These matches were played on July 10, 2022, July 13, 2022, and July17,2022.

CricketDevelopment

The Guyana Cricket Board continued to align t h e lementatio o f i t s C r i c k e t Develop m e n t Activiti es with i t s strategic a i m s T h e G C B ’ s v e - Ye a r Strategic Plan embraces Cricket West Indies’ two-year incremental development pathwayprogram.

Republic Bank Five for Fun

In 2022, through the sponsorship of Republic B a n k , t h e GCB/CWI/Republic Bank Five For Fun Program, the GCB was able to lend to the development needs of players ages 7 to 9 years old and 9 to 11 years old from over seventy-five Primary schools across the County The program in 2022 placed emphasis on twenty-five Primary Schools within each ofthethreeCounties.

The Republic Bank Five For Fun programme was launched on June 21, 2022, attheCliffAndersonSports (Continued on page 22)

His Excellency President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali

President of GCB Bissoondyal Singh

Disaster for Pakistan chasing New Zealand’s 319-run target

AFP - Pakistan

s t a r t e d

disastrously by losing two wickets without scoring yesterday after New Zealand set them a bold target of 319 to win the secondTestinKarachi.

Skipper Tim Southee dismissed opener Abdullah Shafique with the second ball of Pakistan’s second innings before Ish Sodhi bowled nightwatchman Mir Hamza in the last over of the fourthday

At the close, a shocked Imam-ul-Haq was at the crease without scoring and the home team needing 319 runs for victory, or eight wickets in hand to hold out foradraw

A loss would be their third series defeat at home in a season after going down 10 to Australia and 3-0 to

Englandearlierthisyear

Noteamhaschasedmore than 314 to win a Test in Pakistan, which the home team achieved against AustraliainKarachi1994.

New Zealand declared their second innings ten minutesbeforecloseon2775afterMichaelBracewellhit a career-best 74 not out and Tom Blundell 74 — the pair turning the tide with a 127runfifthwicketstand.

Bracewell, however, still feels the match can go either way

“Obviously319runsisa tough ask on the final day, but the wicket has not deteriorated too much so I think it’s still very much in thebalance,”hesaid.

“ T h e f i r s t h o u r (tomorrow) will go a long wayinwinningthematchfor eitherside.”Pakistanhadthe

match under control when they had New Zealand struggling at 128-4 from 761 at lunch, removing Tom

Latham (62), Kane Williamson (41) and Henry Nicholls (five) But Blundell, dropped on 21 by wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed off spinner Abrar Ahmed, punished the home team with seven boundaries and a six before holing out offAghaSalman.Bracewell, whose previous best of 49

was against England earlier this year, was also dropped on 59 by Sarfaraz off Salman. In the post-lunch session New Zealand lost three wickets in the space of 50 ballsand14 runs. Latham was smartly caught off a miscued flick at short midwicket by Abrar Ahmed from fast-bowler Naseem Shah.

With the total unmoved on 114, in the next over Ahmed trapped Williamson leg-before. Hasan Ali had Nichollscaughtsoonafteras New Zealand lost three wickets off 50 balls for 14 runs.

Field umpires Alex Wharf and Aleem Dar had a horrible day with three of theirdecisionsoverturned.

NewZealandwerejolted in the second over of their innings when Mir Hamza bowled Conway with his firstdelivery

It was the first time Conway fell without scoring in his 12-match Test career Pakistan wasted two legbefore referrals on

Williamson when the batter wasonsevenandnine,while Latham overturned a decision against him on 36 —alloffAhmed.Atthestart of the day, Pakistan were dismissed for 408 after adding just one run to their overnight score, in response to New Zealand’s 449 firstinningstotal.

Spinner Ish Sodhi had last man Ahmed trapped leg-before for nought, leaving centurion Saud Shakeel stranded on the otherend.

Shakeelwasunbeatenon 125 after a marathon resistance-packed 493 minutes at the crease, hitting 17 boundaries in his maiden hundred. Spinner Ajaz Patel finishedwith3-88andSodhi 3-95. The first of the twomatch series also in Karachi—endedinadraw

Stumps Pakistan 408 and 0 for 2 (Sodhi 1-0, Southee 1-0) need 319 runs to beat New Zealand 449 and 277 for 5 dec (Bracewell 74*, Blundell 74).

Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique is clean bowled by New Zealand's captainTimSouthee (not pictured) during the fourth day of the second Test at the National Stadium in Karachi yesterday. (AFP)

Emphasistobeplacedonlongerversion ofthegameandschoolprogrammes

Th e B e r b i c e

Cricket Board is planning to build on the success it enjoyed in 2022 and over the last five years under leadership of the Hilbert Foster led administration

The BCB in 2022 enjoyed a verysuccessful year with the organising of tournaments, h o s t i n g o f development programmes and assisting clubs across the ancientcounty

Among the major achievements were the hosting of numerous tournaments at all levels, the selection of fifty Berbicians onnationalteams,hostingof several cricketing legends for coaching sessions/ inspiration sessions and obtaining pitch covers at the cost of over $1.5M dollars. Other achievements include twelve Berbicians on different West Indies teams, assisting clubs with gear, balls and scorebooks, massive investment in school cricket across the county, assisting twenty junior teams with practice n e t s a n d o b t a i n i n g sponsorship for a county

wide secondary school coachingproject.

With the assistance of Local Government Minister Nigel Dharmlall, the BCB was able to btain the services of n i n e t e e n coaches in a massive coaching project.

B C B President

H i l b e r t

oster has disclosed that the board intends to build on the success of 2022 and among the major plans are the hosting of cricket tournaments at the primary and secondary school levels and coaching sessions in an historic drive to unearth new talent for clubs. The BCB would also be hosting inter c l u b l i m i t e d o v e r s tournaments at the inter club level and the under 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 levels in 2023, but special emphasis would be placed on the hosting of special two days inter zones tournaments at the under 15, 19 and 21 levels in an effort to get youths to play the longerversionofthegame.

TheBCBisworkinghard also to organise a tour to a Caribbean island for an

under 21 team as part of its developmental programme. The board is working along with Dr Frank Denbow on thistour,whichwouldbethe first for the county in over forty five years Foster disclosed that the main objective is to encourage youths to stay in the game after the crucial under 19 level while exposing them to differentconditions.

Among the other plans for the New Year are obtaining a large mobile grass cutter and heavy roller, which would assist clubs to get their venues in order quickly

The board would also be working to get additional pitchcoverstoaddtothefive it currently have to avoid longdelaysinmatches.

One of the special projects that Foster intends to push in 2023 is getting at least four bowling machines for the county and the construction of concrete pitches in each of the four sub zones - West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne.

The sub zones would also benefit from mini academies and youth development forums. Clubs would continue to benefit from cricket balls under the

Hetmyers

Trust Fund along with scorebooks and bicycles from the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club Thousands of youth information booklets along with the BCB historic Coaching Manual would be published as part of its educational drive for youths, while promising players would receive assistance with gear Several special coaching sessions for fast

bowling, spinners, wicket keepers and batsmen would be organised under the Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh coaching programme A number of former West Indies players would conduct these sessions along with the BCB coaches Former national wicket keeper Sheik Mohamed would kick off the sessions shortly with a wicket keepingclinic.

The BCB would also be

working with the University of Guyana Tain Campus to set up a Wall of Fame to honour outstanding Berbice Cricketers and would also updatetheBCBbillboardfor test players in front of the historic Port Mourant CricketGround.

Foster is urging players, club executives and all cricket related officials to redoubletheireffortsin2023 and to always strive for excellence.

Berbice Cricket to undergo massive development in 2023-Foster International Boxing Association brings in Leading Communications

Lausanne, SwitzerlandThe International Boxing Association (IBA) has appointed experienced s p o r t s i n d u s t r y communications executive John Hewitt as the governing body’s new D i r e c t o r o f Communications and PublicRelations

Mr Hewitt joins the IBA after spending more than a decade as the Senior E v e n t O p e r a t i o n s Manager, Communications at SportAccord, the global sport business event organisation.

At SportAccord, Mr Hewitt had responsibilities spanning a number of toptier events, including the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit, the

International Federation (IF) Forum and Regional SportAccord.Priortojoining SportAccord, he worked in project management and strategic partnerships at the United N a t i o n s Office on Sport for Development and Peace

(UNOSDP)

He earlier secured a Master of Advanced Studies in Sport Administration and Technology at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) / International Academy of Sports Science and Technology (AISTS). At the IBA, Mr Hewitt will be tasked with conceiving and executing communications strategies that amplify the IBA’s drive to support the development of boxing and the sport’s athletes worldwide

He will also work across the IBA’s portfolio of events, including the World Boxing Tour, World Boxing Championships, IBA Champions’ Night, andGlobalBoxingForum

Berbice senior female team-Guyana Champions

BCB President Hilbert Foster

PJohn Hewitt