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Opposition renews Saturday Edition NEWS calls for auditors' training, consultants to engage Exxon but still considering ring-fencing AIETEUR

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

January 06, 2024 - Vol. 18 No. 01

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $100 readership yesterday, 44,972

Indian Govt. approves MOU to explore

Guyana's oil blocks Thief jailed for 15 months despite begging Magistrate to stay with child Venezuelan Werk-en-Rust national dies man wanted for in Pouderoyen friend's murder house fire

Contract signed for the construction of US$35 million four-lane Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge 6 months behind deadline… Only 35%

works completed on Cemetery Rd Project VP Jagdeo:

Govt. will not be bound by

recommendations outlined in Exxon's Gas Utilisation Strategy

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Saturday January 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

Indian Govt. approves MoU to explore Guyana's oil blocks The Government of India has given its approval for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed with Guyana for collaboration in the hydrocarbon sector. In a statement that was issued by the Indian administration on Friday, it said the proposed MoU covers the sourcing of crude oil from Guyana, participation of Indian companies in the exploration and production sector of Guyana, and cooperation in the areas of crude oil refining and capacity building.

It also covers the strengthening of bilateral trade, collaboration in the natural gas sector and developing a regulatory policy framework in oil gas sector for Guyana. It is also expected to pave the way for cooperation in the area of clean energy including biofuels as well as the renewables sector.

The statement said the MoU shall enter into force on

the date of its signature and will remain in force for a period of five years.

It shall be automatically renewed thereafter on a fiveyear basis unless either party gives the other a written notice, three months in advance, of its intention to terminate the understanding.

In recent times, Guyana has gained significant salience in the oil and gas sector, becoming the world's newest oil producer. The new discoveries in the Stabroek Block represent 11.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent and amounts to 18% of total global oil & gas discoveries and 32% of discovered oil.

According to the 2022 World Oil Outlook report by OPEC, it's expected that Guyana's oil production will increase substantially. The production is predicted to grow from 0.1 million barrels per day in 2021 to 0.9 million barrels per day by 2027.

OPEC, which stands for the Organization of the

Petroleum Exporting Countries, is an international group consisting of several oil-producing countries. Its main purpose is to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its member countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets.

Further, as per BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2022, it notes that India is the world's third largest energy consumer, third largest consumer of oil, and the fourth largest refiner.

It is also the fastest-growing major economy with rising energy needs.

BP's Energy Outlook and the International Energy Agency estimate that India's energy demand would grow at about 3% per annum till 2040, compared to the global rate of 1%. Further, India is likely to account for approximately 25-28 per cent of the global energy demand growth between 2020-2040.

With a view to give a further impetus to ensure

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi energy access, availability, affordability to citizen underpinned by energy security of the country, India is focusing on fostering new

partnership in hydrocarbon s e c t o r, b o t h t h r o u g h diversification of crude oil sources and through acquiring quality overseas

assets. This dilutes dependencies on a single geographical/economic unit and increase India's strategic maneuverability.

Saturday January 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

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Extractive revenues increased by 36% in 2021 - Guyana's 5 EITI Report th

Guyana recorded a 36 percent increase in revenues generated from the extractive sector in 2021.

This is according to the country's fifth Extractive Industries and Transparency Initiative (GYEITI) Report launched and approved by the Multi-stakeholder Steering Group (MSG) on December 29, 2023.

The body in a statement to the media on Friday said the report covers the fiscal year 2021 and includes material payments made by mining, oil and gas, agriculture and forest companies to the Government of Guyana (GoG).

It noted, “The report

shows an increase in extractive revenues from GYD 93.78b in 2020 to GYD 127.66b in 2021, representing a net increase of 36%.”

The Report states that for 2021, oil and gas recorded GYD 112.43B, representing 88% of revenues from the extractive sector.

Meanwhile, the revenue recorded from the mining sector accounted for 11% of the earnings, a total of GYD 13.9B. Additionally, the forestry sector accounted for 1% of the extractive revenues earned by Guyana, a total of GYD 1.18B. Finally, the report noted that the fisheries sector contributed less than

1% of the extractive earnings, raking in only some $150M in 2021.

The MSG recruited Hart Group / BDO Guyana as Independent Administrator

to produce the report. In keeping with Requirement 7.2.c of the EITI Standard, data contained in the report is also published in an Open Data format on GYEITI w e b s i t e a t : https://eiti.gy/reports/explor e-guyanas-fifth-eiticountry-report-fy-2021/ To build on these efforts, the MSG has also approved the 2024 Workplan which includes implementing the Beneficial Ownership Roadmap, feasibility study on systemic disclosures of EITI data, awareness and community outreach, publication of Guyana 6th EITI report, amongst other activities.

About GYEITI

The Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI) is a part of the global initiative, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). EITI seeks to promote revenue transparency in the extractive sector in resourcerich countries. It strives to ensure transparency over payments made to and revenues received by the Government from companies in the extractive sectors. Guyana joined the EITI in 2017 and has published five EITI reports.

GYEITI is governed by a broad coalition of government, civil society, and the private sector.

CARICOM Heads discuss situation in Haiti The Seventh Meeting of the Caribbean Community Lead Heads of Government on Haiti was held on Friday under the chairmanship of President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and Chairman of CARICOM, to consider the situation in Haiti and determine further action in support of a Haitian-led solution to the crisis in that sister CARICOM country.

Heads received a briefing from the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group and

acknowledged the important efforts being made to facilitate a political consensus among stakeholders in Haiti. They also took account of the status of preparations for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission.

Heads acknowledged the role of Jamaica in coordinating the efforts of the Community in this regard, as well as the critical contributions of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

According to a statement issued by the CARICOM Secretariat, the Heads

remained gravely concerned over the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Haiti as the political and security crises persist with the horrendous impacts of this situation on the most vulnerable in Haiti.

They noted that increasing violence had resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and forced hundreds of thousands to flee from their homes.

“Heads called on all stakeholders in Haiti to exert every effort to urgently arrive at a political resolution and the implementation of a

transitional roadmap towards stability, the facilitation of humanitarian support, the

holding of credible elections, the restoration of political and institutional legitimacy,

and long-term development for the Haitian people,” the statement said.

Further, the statement noted that the Community remains committed to working with the people and all stakeholders in Haiti towards durable peace and sustainable development.

“CARICOM looks forward to strengthened collaboration and coordination of efforts with the friends of Haiti and the wider international community in support of Haiti,” the statement said.

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456 Editor: NIGEL WILLIAMS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

ExxonMobil and trust Any Guyanese that places an iota of trust in what ExxonMobil does here needs to obtain some professional attention. Any national government, populated by patriotic leaders, that thinks of ExxonMobil as a trusted partner, really ought to be nowhere near the corridors of power. We say it as bluntly as we can: ExxonMobil is not to be trusted, ExxonMobil has done little to garner credibility with Guyanese on their oil, has been as untrustworthy as they come when certain deplorable aspects of its presence here are weighed. The company has been found wanting, and by a large margin.

It is the view of an increasing number of Guyanese that ExxonMobil should not be trusted to be the sole provider of oil production and other data to this country. We could not agree more, for the company has done little to dispel such a hard, dismissive judgment. As more developments about the kind of partner that ExxonMobil is surface, more citizens get to see more about what ExxonMobil is most consumed by. In reverse order, there is this fascinating US$214 million in audit findings that was mysteriously shaved all the way down to US$3 million. Right now, both ExxonMobil and the PPP/C leadership have egg on their faces, and it is not of the freshly cooked kind. This US$214 million audit is a stink bomb that it is not losing any of its aroma, even as the PPP/C Government labours around the clock to suppress the odors that intensify. Why did ExxonMobil engage in what it did, and how could a partnership that calls for the highest levels of reciprocal trust deteriorate to this ugly state? With the production of oil some 120 miles from Guyana’s shoreline, this question takes on even more severity. With Guyana limited in terms of capacity and technology, and all the essentials of requisite expertise, the issue of trust becomes even more urgent.

Then, there is this inexplicable matter of billions in oil expenses that the Government of Guyana conceals from its own citizens. Guyanese are the ones paying these expenses.

Given what is taken out from their oil revenues, they have every right, therefore, to see every item that ExxonMobil has billed Guyana for under one project heading or the other.

This assumes an even greater momentum when the absence of ring-fencing is given the sharpest gaze.

Could ExxonMobil be trusted to be fair and principled in billing this country for expenses that belong only to our oil projects?

We at this paper are insistent: NO! Should ExxonMobil be trusted to bill Guyana with accurate quantities and prices for materials and labour and systems said to be used in our oilfields? Again, our answer is a resounding: NO! Going deeper into the past, but which has only made the news now; ExxonMobil executed two transactions with Shell, another global oil giant, which had to have generated some revenue. Yet there is no such record in the company’s books. We agree that Guyana must honour its share of legitimate expenses pertaining to its oil, but this country must also, by the same standard, participate in any monies that are a product of subleasing any portion of any block that is under the control of ExxonMobil. It is likely that tens of millions of American dollars, at the very least, were involved, but on those ExxonMobil has gone blank. Its accounting books and records are, for a start.

In focusing on ExxonMobil’s accounting books, the company was caught with its pants down, and it is a sight from which Guyanese turn their faces. ExxonMobil billed Guyana US$460 million for pre-contract costs from 1999 to 2015, but its own accounting systems disclose the revealing amount of US$368 million. This is how a US$92 million differential got bagged and tagged and dropped on Guyana’s head. How can this company called ExxonMobil ever be considered as worthy of any smidgen of trust from any Guyanese? ExxonMobil is ripping off Guyanese, laughing all the way to the bank, and actively seeking ways to gouge this country still more.

Given all this, it is clear that ExxonMobil’s production numbers cannot be trusted. The same can be said for everything that it does offshore.

Saturday January 06, 2024

Shut down the sugar industry in five years DEAR EDITOR, Having read BLUNT OF T H E D AY ( J a g d e o Monument: The Skeldon Sugar Factory) on 5th January 2024 (KN Online Website) which highlighted that the US$187m Skeldon Sugar Factory failed and as such the sugar industry has also failed, I am not in support of shutting down the sugar industry right away.

This is because in a country of high unemployment and high

poverty, I am not in support of making more people unemployed and pushing them into poverty.

As an aside thought, the success of the industry would depend on increasing productivity coupled with high prices for the world market price of sugar. At the moment the world market price of sugar is about US$0.20 per pound. It used to be US$0.12 per pound but increased to US$0.26 per pound in 2023 until falling

back to the current price.

Unless the PPP/C Government can get more for Guyana’s sugar to at least break even, this industry will continue to be a drain on the TREASURY (taxpayers).

We should give serious consideration of shutting down the industry in five years time. This will give sugar workers the time to find alternative employment. I am aware that in some of these communities there is no

alternative employment for these workers. For these workers maybe land can be given/leased to do farming?

Or, maybe training to update their skills so that they can find alternative employment or start businesses?

Why have we never pursued getting our US$187m back from the company that built the flawed Skeldon Sugar Factory?

Sincerely Sean Ori

EXXON AND ESSEQUIBO DEAR EDITOR, Two issues have been dominating the headlines in Guyana for months - the flawed Exxon Oil Contract and the Essequibo border issue. However, what is generally missing from the discourse is the link between the two.

The Essequibo issue is a Colonialist and Cold War legacy that now afflicts both Guyana and Venezuela. All the borders in the Americas and Africa are Colonialist imposed borders. However, the Essequibo border controversy was deliberately revived in the 1960’s as a pretext for invasion by Washington and London and the then right wing Government in Caracas, as at that time Cheddi Jagan who

was the Premier in the 1950’s and early 1960’s in Guyana, was pro-Soviet, and the Empire to the North was concerned that with him in power, there would be a second Cuba. So they resurrected a Lazurus claim to provide a pretext for invasion, and used their then puppet, LFS Burnham, to legitimise it. Today, both Guyana and Venezuela are saddled with the legacy of this Cold War act, with the resultant nationalist fervour that accompanies it.

We are led to believe that oil was only discovered off the Guyana Coast in 2015, however, with the vast reserves in Venezuela, it was assured that oil would be in Guyana, as the Americans were well aware, hence

another reason for their early interest in Guyana.

Exxon when they signed the flawed 2015 Contract secretly provided the Granger Administration with $18 million US to initiate legal action before the International Court on the border matter.

This ‘Signing Bonus’ was hidden from the public for over a year until its existence was eventually leaked.

By providing this funding for the International Court’s legal costs, Exxon proved that it was fully aware that the Guyana Government was acting under duress when it signed a blatantly undervalued Contract that violated the spirit of the Geneva Accord’s

Article V (2). It is trite law that a Contract made under duress, is voidable at the instance of the party acting under duress.

The Vice President makes regular reference to the maxim of the “Sanctity of Contract” when upholding the flawed Exxon Contract, however, a better approach would be to challenge it based on it having been made under duress. Exxon manifestly had Constructive Notice of the duress.

Yours sincerely, Mr. Lalu Hanuman, Attorney-at-Law, Dr. Walter Rodney House, Dover Gardens, Dover, Christ Church, Barbados.

A myopic approach is unhealthy and unhelpful DEAR EDITOR, I read the article written

by Hydar Ally in which like others, has faithfully followed the script to glorify the PPP leadership and to dam and demonise the PNC and its leadership.

This myopic approach is unhealthy and unhelpful if we wish to solidify our new wealth and to vindicate the suffering of our slave ancestors and the sacrifices of indentured predecessors and our indigenous people, the Amerindians.

As a teenager, I worked with our two political titans, Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan and unlike Hydar Ally and others I write first-hand, stating facts not neither fantasy nor fiction, as is the want of Hydar Ally, Dr. Randy Persaud, and others.

When the original PPP was split, the significant Indo-Guyanese such as Dr. J.P. Latchmansingh and Lawyer Jainarine Singh came out batting for Forbes Burnham. Latchmansingh being the first Chairman and Jainarine Singh being the first General Secretary of the

PNC. The results of the 1957 General Elections which Ally wrote about in his letter was all about race with the PPP riding on the crest of that dirty, divisive racist term ‘Apan Jaat.’

In office, top members of the PPP pursued discriminatory policy. This led to a prominent former PPP member, Sydney King (Eusi Kwayana) advancing a campaign for partition, that is to divide the country into racial sections).

Partition was popular among large segments of the Afro-Guyanese community because they felt it was the only way to save them from t h e p e r c e i v e d discrimination. However, Burnham stoutly opposed partition, contending that it would justify the old colonial imperialist policies of divide and rule.

Ally refers to the 1964 PR. I’ve dealt with this earlier in response to a letter

by Ralph Ramkarran. Ally’s and others’ obsession to misrepresent the 1964-1992 period ignores the fact that like other non-oil producing

countries, we suffered serious economic and financial problems, consequent to the ravages of the cold war and the oil crisis.

Today, with no natural disasters we are a frontline oil producing society and as we observe the anniversary of the founding of the PPP, Guyanese everywhere should be comfortable and not be burdened with a rising cost of living in the fastest growing economy of the world.

The reason why many Guyanese workers and pensioners are facing the plight of daily existence is because of a dictatorial philosophy of the Government and the ruling elite. Mr. Ally should know that dictatorship takes many forms. In Guyana, we see dictatorship manifest when the Government announces salary increases and pension benefits without even a modicum of consultation.

We see areas where the main beneficiaries of these massive infrastructure works, roads, canals,

buildings are the friends of the Government, where contracts are capriciously awarded, that is de facto a dictatorship.

Since audit reports dealing with the critical oil sector remain a secret, though handed over to the Government but have not been shared with the public.

Dictatorship. The first report was leaked rather than officially shared through Government channels. The second report however remains hidden from the public to date. Dear Hydar Ally, a classic dictatorship.

Senior Officials involved in the adjustment of billions of dollars are given a slap on the wrist by penalty, we are told of half a month’s salary.

Either a joke or a dictatorship. Mr. Ally, take your pick.

Private and ancestral lands are sequestered by the State. Dictatorship. Local Authorities, Trade Unions, Organisations not deemed clients of the State, are punished in one form or the other. Elements (Continued on page 06)

Saturday January 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

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PPP’s 74th anniversary and ISMs PPC report on contractor complaint a DEAR EDITOR, January 1st 2024, marking the 74th anniversary of the founding of the PPP quietly went by.

However, during 2023, the avid reader would not have missed the steady stream of letters to editors of local newspapers, authored by political mavericks residing in North America who, based on ideological mimicry, branded certain Guyanese as sympathetic to communISM and MarxISM, two concepts that span a variety of competing interpretations.

The cast of known characters in the US have a very strange definition for what is capitalISM and what is socialISM. It if is successful, like China, then it must be capitalISM If it fails, like Venezuela, then it must be socialISM. In other words, complex questions are made simple and simple ones made complex.

Those who grew up in a Christian environment and attended catholic schools would know about two ISMs; catechISM and BaptISM, and that it was obligatory to attend monthly ‘catechism lessons’ and to be ‘baptized.’ In the past, a baptismal certificate was key to social mobility.

During the political upheavals of the 1950’s, many could not understand why the push back against the ‘ISM’ under the PPP that had done so much for Guyanese in just 133 days.

Why was it necessary to restrict the movement of party leaders, undermine the party electorally and above all, engineer a split in the national movement resulting in irreparable damage that lives with us to this day.

On the eve of the disturbances of the 1960’s, the ‘ISM’ associated communISM gained renewed prominence.

Guyanese were told, that communISM was ‘being spread’ by the then 19571964 PPP government and party led by Cheddi Jagan.

The propaganda fed to the populace at that time was that the ‘ISM’ associated with PPP will be taught in public schools; that places of worship will be closed down and children will be sent to concentration camps; that private property will be confiscated and local business places taken over.

The ‘ISM’ in communism was made synonymous with the liberal commitment to ‘The building of a just socialist society’ that appeared in the Aims &

Programme of People’s Progressive Party published on January 1st 1950.

I r o n i c a l l y, n o t h i n g reflecting the ‘spectre’ of that ‘ISM’ happened, instead, low cost apartment and extra-nuclear housing schemes sprung up in the La Penitence and Ruimveldt areas; agriculture schemes at Black Bush Polder, Canals Polder and Brandwagt Sari were launched and an industrial estate at Ruimveldt was established to facilitate a new industrial and entrepreneurial capitalist class.

Cheap and affordable consumer items such as bicycles, motor cycles and fabrics sold at 3 for D or three yards for one dollar were imported from China and Eastern European countries. To satisfy the needs of an emerging middle class, affordable motor vehicles such as SIMCA, LADA, Contessa and Niva motor vehicles were imported from Western Europe to compete with vehicles imported exclusively from the UK; new hire purchase laws were passed enabling consumers to own imported furniture, refrigerators, radios and radiograms; River transport improved greatly with the launch of the Torani, Malali and Makouria ferry vessels that plied the Berbice, Essequibo and Demerara Rivers respectively.

An aggressive public health campaign was initiated with the introduction of Health Visitors to far flung and riverain communities and the building of a number of Cottage Hospitals and health centres across the country.

Public education was further enhanced with the establishment of the CV Nunes secondary schools, scholarships were granted to Amerindian students, and the establishment of the

University of Guyana, derogatorily branded ‘Jagan’s Nite School’ by those opposing the ‘ISM.’ Not satisfied that these were the greatest ‘sins’ committed by Jagan and the PPP under the threat of the much despited ‘ISM,’ the opponents went a step further. They leveraged that particular ‘ISM’ as the casus belli to join in a conspiracy with external forces to ‘liberate’ Guyana from the ‘ISM’ and to remove the PPP from office. To make that happen, a change of the electoral system became necessary.

To many Guyanese at that time, it was difficult to comprehend why, if the ‘ISM’ associated with Jagan and his party was so wicked and out to do such evil things how come the party continued to attracted mass following and won one election after the other, up to the time of their removal from office in 1964? It must have been more than ethnicity and charisma. Was an ideological framework for political mobilization a key factor?

With the passage of time, the ‘ISM’ bogey wore thin not only by the realization of those who once fought against it but because their political ambitions and changed ideological texture had become unbearable to their erstwhile sponsors. The anti ‘ISM’ posture, clothed in demagoguery was discarded and replaced by two other ’ISMs;’ namely; opportunISM and antiimperialISM. They were now gifted with a revelation of the truth.

Throughout the politically evolutionary process of change and adaptation from one ‘ISM’ to a n o t h e r, t h e e n t r y o f globalISM and capitalISM were advanced as panacea for prosperity and the (Continued on page 06)

whitewash of admin. review process DEAR EDITOR, The Public Procurement Commission (PPC) has finally issued a report based on a complaint from a contractor. Predictably, the report is a whitewash of the administrative review process and falls short of the standards expected from a constitutional agency.

By way of background, the Office of the Prime Minister issued an invitation to bid for line hardware in March 2023 with the bid opening slated for April 2023.Five bids were returned, and unsurprisingly the lowest bid by Akamai Inc. was the only bid deemed non-responsive. Akamai Inc. by the way is the sole distributor of the requested line hardware; hence it was expected that the company would submit the lowest bid.

The evaluation committee deemed Akamai Inc. non-responsive because it was claimed that: a) the bidder failed to submit documentary evidence to demonstrate supply of similar goods in at least 1 contract in the last two (2) years to a minimum value of G$5M and b) the bidder failed to provide a letter stating that the company had no terminated projects.

This is where it becomes interesting. There was no prescribed format for the submission of evidence of previous projects, and hence Akamai Inc. submitted a spreadsheet detailing all their previous contracts, detailing the procurement agencies as well the contract sums (see attached).

However, not surprisingly, in an effort to deem the bidder non-responsive, the procurement agency found this detailed listing unacceptable.

Additionally, a simple conversation with the bidder

revealed that he did in fact fulfill the second requirement which the evaluation committee deemed non-responsive which was a letter addressed to the procuring entity stating specifically that none of their projects was ever terminated (see attached) – clear evidence that this information was fraudulently omitted by the evaluation committee or ignored.

In arriving at its report to support the award, the PPC never contacted the bidder, seeking clarifications on the claims for debarment made in the evaluation report, as is standard when reviewing complaints, whereby all parties to the complaint should be given an opportunity to defend their position. The PPC simply adopted a defective report, performed no investigative analysis and rubberstamped the award.

When contacted, the A F C n o m i n a t e d commissioner within the PPC highlighted that a) both opposition commissioners found the submission of the list of projects comprehensive and acceptable and b) that they were unaware that the bidder had actually submitted the

claimed missing letter regarding terminated projects. The AFC nominated commissioner also informed that she recommended that natural justice procedures be adopted, whereby all parties should be given an opportunity to respond before a final decision is made by the commission; however this was overruled by the majority vote of the Commission.

S t r a n g e l y, b u t n o t unsurprisingly, the PPC failed to highlight that section 5 (5) (a) of the Procurement Act specifically states “a procuring entity may not disqualify a supplier or contractor on the ground that information submitted c o n c e r n i n g t h e qualifications of the supplier or contractors was inaccurate or incomplete in a non-material respect.” The claimed incomplete information as supplied by this contractor are all nonmaterial in every respect, and in accordance with the Act, such non material deficiencies can be remedied. The PPC, a constitutional agency with an annual budget of almost $300M has taken eight (Continued on page 06)

Kaieteur News

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Need for widespread condemnation against the assault on our women DEAR EDITOR, As most people are painfully aware, there seems to be a daily occurrence where our women are assaulted, or killed in the most horrific and inhumane way.

These women are our mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts and neighbors.

These crimes sear into our conscience and affect our souls.

It is difficult to comprehend how these atrocities might be affecting the children and loved ones of these women.

It seems like we are losing our basic humanity, with every senseless murder.

But, many Guyanese are surprised that in the face of this brutal assault on their kind...our women folk are stunningly silent! Surely, many of them, like most of

us, have to recoil in horror at these senseless and barbaric acts.

Please female judges, police, leaders and government Ministers - raise your voices in alarm, and condemnation against this cruel assault on your female brethren.

The life you save tomorrow may be your own.

Thank you, Chitrakha Persaud

PPC report on contractor complaint...

From page 05 months to respond to the bidder’s complaint and in the end simply rubberstamped a defective and possibly fraudulent evaluation report, without even giving the complainant the opportunity to prove

otherwise. I anticipate a similar rubberstamping of NPTAB’s award of the Belle Vue pump station, when or if, the PPC ever responds to a complaint lodged since October 2023.

I also expect a similar undemocratic rubber

stamping to the complaint on the award of the Bamia Secondary School lodged since February 2023 as democratic structures and institutions in our nation continue to falter and become unrecognizable.

David Patterson

Saturday January 06, 2024

Double speak in NIS pension matter DEAR EDITOR Well, well the saga goes on! The appeal in that NIS pension matter is given a double speak (so to speak).

On one side, it is a criminal offence for employers’ not to remit deductions to NIS. On the other side, and in this particular case, the employer was not a party to the case and if the ruling is allowed to

stand NIS could become bankrupt (Newsroom Jan 3).

Such legal logic and reasoning.

So the question is why didn’t the judge think and order the employer be joined to the case?

Was it because the evidence against the employer and state agency was overwhelming? Is Mr.

Zainul to be made collateral damage over a perceived legal technicality?

Why can’t NIS honour the court ruling and then sue the employer to recoup the entire judgement? Will justice be served in this matter during Mr. Zainul’s lifetime?

Sincerely Shamshun Mohamed

So said, so done DEAR EDITOR, The writer of the letter who thought little back then when he paid to obtain a driver’s licence without doing the practical test (KN Dec 31), seems suddenly and boldly overtaken with guilt and remorse at the fraudulent actions of himself and friends.

The daily road carnage must have brought on this realization that in so doing he and friends may have contributed, in some way, to the present situation.

Finding the courage to now own up for a wrong might seem commendable, but it does not change the fact of knowingly being

part of a system which promoted, aided and abetted a wrong, makes the writer complicit as the corrupt police officer from t h e Vi g i l a n c e P o l i c e Station, who arranged everything. So said, so done.

Regards, Shamshun Mohamed

A myopic approach is unhealthy...

From page 04 of dictatorship. Media Houses and persons who dare to express views contrary to the ruling elite, are punished and pulverized elements of dictatorship.

Finally in Guyana we see on display, beliefs that once elected to office, you are

invested with divine authority and power to decide and direct what and how things are to be done in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, without appropriate discussion and consultation as required by the Constitution.

Hamilton Green Elder

PPP’s 74th anniversary and ISMs...

From page 05 fulfillment of the prophecy of heaven on earth.

Nowadays, the ISMs come in various manifestations written or oral ly; capitalISM, criticISM, optimISM, despotISM, egoISM, plagiarISM, populISM, landlordISM, feminISM, dogmatISM, s e c t a r i a n I S M , imperialISM, MarxISM, cynicISM, socialISM,

h u m a n I S M a n d opportunISM. These ‘ISMs’ can be found in letters to editors of mainstream media, heard at conferences and at discussion fora.

They are free to be us ed depending on the a u d i e n c e w h o , a s s u m e d l y, w o u l d b e made up of many w ho w ould be either for or

agains t any one of the ‘IS M ’s ’ mentioned.

The time may seem ripe for a new appraisal of the ‘ISMs’ but in the final analysis, whatever the ‘ISM’ 74 years after, the ‘ISMs’ will continue to be part of our established general knowledge on which society relies for guidance.

Yours faithfully, Clement J. Rohee

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B T LUNT. UNT...B BL Saturday January 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

Almost two years since becoming Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton is yet to outline what concrete plans he has for ensuring more benefits are retained for citizens from the oil and gas sector, as well as how he intends to prudently manage and spend those revenues.

On a simple matter like ring-fencing, Norton is bobbing and weaving; telling reporters that he has to weigh the pros and cons. This blatant reluctance to take a firm stance on such a pivotal issue, is more than just laughable – it's a slap in the face to every conscientious Guyanese.

Norton's inability to embody the qualities of a true leader, especially in an opposition role, is becoming painfully clear. The nation's hopes and prayers seem to be the only support left for him in these trying times.

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 8 10

Saturday Monday January May 02, 06,2022 2024

Govt. will not be bound by recommendations outlined in Exxon's Gas Utilisation Strategy The Government of Guyana (GoG) will not be bound by recommendations contained in ExxonMobil's Gas Utilisation Strategy, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday.

The Vice President was at the time speaking at his weekly press conference held at the Office of the President.

Jagdeo acknowledged that the government missed the year-end deadline for its own National Gas Strategy but assured that it will be forging ahead with the US$2B Gas-to-Energy project.

“We will finalize the Gas Strategy, and we will make that public. We will take into account, the Exxon Gas

Utilization Strategy but we are not going to be bound by that strategy,” Jagdeo said.

“Our strategy, our goal is clear. We want to advance investment in gas development as early as possible. And so, clearly, that has to be,” he added.

The Vice President did not provide a new date for the strategy to be finalised.

Jagdeo had announced that with help from India, a National Gas Strategy is being developed. Exxon is currently conducting a number of gas-related studies, and is expected to produce a Gas Utilization Plan.

He warned that should the company fail to

effectively utilize the gas; the Government will be left with no other choice but to relinquish it.

The Vice President went on to state that even in the absence of the strategy, the Government will test the market.

“Even before the completion of the strategy, because we know what the goal is, even before that, to test the market, because we are told that there aren't many people right now, who may be interested in funding because of the magnitude of the fund. We believe that based on bilateral contacts with us, people making specific proposals… which we don't want to go through

- VP Jagdeo directly, that we just test the market,” Jagdeo explained.

The Vice President had previously expressed enthusiasm about the PPPadministration's gas strategy, emphasizing its role in the government's larger plan to monetize some 17 trillion cubic feet of gas found in the Stabroek Block.

“We've made it clear; we want to monetize our gas assets. This strategy will outline our approach to the industry,” he said.

Moreover, Guyana is actively pursuing the use of natural gas in the Liza One and Liza Two fields for the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project, under construction at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD). ExxonMobil Guyana is set to fund a 12inch pipeline to transport the

resource to Wales, where a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant will process and separate the gas for use in a power plant.

This power plant is expected to generate 300 megawatts of electricity for the national grid and produce

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

products like cooking gas for sale, aligning with the government's goal of energy self-sufficiency. Despite some expert concerns about the projects' nearly US$2 billion cost, the government remains resolute about its viability.

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 06, 2024

PAGE 09

Jagdeo is wrong; Low is right A

t his last press conference, Bharrat Jagdeo sought to disparage a young professional who is young enough to be his son.

He launched serious broadside against young Elson Low, the economic adviser to the Leader of the Opposition.

Jagdeo was not content to attempt to dispute Low’s contention that the interest from the Natural Resources Fund could have allowed for a higher wage increase for public servants.

He also took a low blow (pun intended) at the adviser to the Opposition Leader by suggesting that the Aubrey Norton would be doing himself a service by getting rid of Low or finding somebody else.

Jagdeo disgraced himself with his scurrilous and unnecessary attack on Low. Jagdeo, a grown man, opted to go after Low by making disparaging remarks a b o u t L o w. I t w a s unnecessary.

Low however should not be worried.

He is far more academically accomplished than Jagdeo.

He attended the top secondary school in the Caribbean, was an erudite scholar and proceeded to educate himself further at recognized universities overseas.

In terms of the substantive issue in contention, it is Jagdeo whose calculations are flawed, embarrassingly so.

And Low is correct in his assessment that the interest from the Natural Resources

Fund is more than sufficient to grant a sizeable increase in wages to public servants.

When Jagdeo sought to rebut Low’s postulation that the interest from Guyana’s oil earnings could have allowed for the payment of higher wages increases top public servants, he, Jagdeo made a rudimentary error that even a bank teller would not make.

He took what is the end of year balance of the Natural Resource Fund and calculated the interest on this to claim that the interest payments on oil revenues cannot cover the increase paid to public servants this year.

Jagdeo argument is to the effect that the Natural Resource Fund has around US$274M and at an interest rate of 5% would only yield around US$13M or about G$2.7B wh ich would be insufficient to finance the increase.

Jagdeo said that the 6.5% increase costs the government $7.9B. But he contended that the interest from the Natural Resources Fund could only provide about G$2.6B But Jagdeo fails to appreciate that interest earned is not calculated on the end of year balance. Had he done his homework and were he familiar with the interest payments that his government has been earning from the oil revenues, he would not have made such a spectacle of himself.

The Natural Resource

Fund, as at the end of 2022, had received more than US$1.7 B in inflows of royalties and profit oil.

In that year, the fund accrued US$17.5 M in interest alone. From the inception of the fund to the end of 2022, the total interest payments for 2022 would have amounted to G$3.6 B. Interest earned would have increased during the first 11 months of 2023.

The government earned more than G$16B in interest for 2023, a sum that is more than enough to grant a 13% increase in wages and salaries to public sector workers for 2023.

Low obviously was doing his homework.

Jagdeo was not.

Jagdeo’s resort of basic math proved to be his undoing and now he is left embarrassed by a young man whom he sought to disparage during his recent press conference.

Jagdeo also sought to argue that the purpose of the Natural Resources Fund w as not intended for immediate use in recurrent expenditure. No one is suggesting this. Interest earned should also be considered as investment income and should be retained under the Fund.

Public servants are paid by from taxes.

But the fact that the interest earned from the oil revenues is sufficient to grant a larger increase to them should have given the government greater latitude in using tax revenues to boost the pay packages of public servants.

DEM BOYS SEH

Walking can be hazardous to your health People nah like walk down de streets. Everything nowadays is driving. A man wanted to borrow de newspapers from he neighbour, so he jump on he electric bike and ride over to he neighbour.

But deh gat some people who does walk and de more dem walk, things does happen to dem. A lady one day was walking past a store, She say a parrot in de store window. So she decide fuh stop and admire de parrot because was a long time, she did not see a parrot.

To her surprise, de parrot turned to her and said, “ Hey lady, yuh really ugly.

De lady get vex. She walked past de store.

The next day she see de same parrot in de window.

When the parrot sees her it says, “Hey lady, yuhe really ugly.”

De lady get vex again and walk away.

A day later she sees the same parrot and once again it says, “Hey lady, yuh really ugly.”

De lady get so furious dat she marched straight

into the store. She went straight to de manager and threaten him that she was going to sue the store and have the bird killed.

The store manager apologizes profusely. He promised that de bird won’t say anything again.

The next day when the lady walks past the store the parrot says to her, “Hey lady. Lady!”

She pauses, scowls with an icy stare, and says, “Yes?” And the parrot says, “...

You know...”

Talk half. Leff half

But do not tell that to Jagdeo. It may confuse him further.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the

author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Saturday Monday January May 02, 06, 2022 2024

Opposition renews call for auditors' Public Servants training, consultants to engage Exxon to be trained in but still considering ring-fencing Spanish - Minister Parag The Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton on Thursday listed a number of initiatives he wants to be implemented by the Government of Guyana (GoG) for the prudent management of the country's burgeoning petroleum sector.

Norton during his first press conference for the year was asked by Kaieteur News to list a few of the measures he would like to see implemented this year by government to allow for more revenues to be generated from the sector.

In his response, he reasoned, “I have said before that our country is being mismanaged, even before we talk about increasing the income from oil. we have to manage that which we have now properly and we are not doing that.”

The Opposition Leader said he saw an article recently in which a Consultant from Trinidad and Tobago urged Guyana to put meters on the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in operation to keep watch on the number of barrels being exported.

He did not say definitively whether he was in support of independent meters to monitor the daily rate of production by ExxonMobil but went on

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton to cite the need for Guyanese to be trained to conduct audits of the company's US- multibillion-dollar expenses.

“We also did say that the government should spend some money on international consulting companies that can help us to benefit. I see much sense in spending let's say $20M on a company that will help you manage and achieve your objective than not spending it but your resources going in all direction and you don't have control of it. I believe the first task is to improve the capacity of Guyana to monitor, evaluate and audit our oil and gas resources,” Norton stated.

While the Leader of the Opposition was clear on his position regarding audit training and use of consultants, the same diligence was not extended to the subject of ring-fencing.

He told this newspaper, “I have said before, we agree in (the) principle of ring-fencing but we will look at each case and determine what we do.”

A ring-fencing provision would mandate each oil project to for itself.

Once the project has been repaid Guyana would benefit from half of the revenue generated there. In the absence of this arrangement, ExxonMobil has been utilizing the revenues from the producing projects to pay for developments that are yet to come on stream.

This also results in the country receiving lower profits. The GoG has said that ring-fencing the projects now can prevent future investments in the Stabroek Block and believes the country will benefit from massive revenues after the country repays the oil companies for its investments.

Even though the government has acknowledged that oil prices may fall in the future, which can thereby affect the wealth to be received by Guyana; it is adamant that the projects will not be ring-fenced.

Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag

Public Servants will be taught Spanish this year, Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag announced on Friday.

The Minister was at the time speaking at her ministry's end-of-year press conference held at the Waterloo Street, Georgetown office.

Minister Parag disclosed that her ministry is seeking to collaborate with Coursera to ensure that all public servants are taught Spanish. Initial steps have been taken in this regard.

“In 2024 the Ministry of Public Service's mandate will be to train all Public Servants in Spanish. We are looking at being able to partner with Coursera, which we will be doing very soon and we are looking to train all public servants.

We are looking to train all of the sectors.

All of the Ministries in Central Government would be able to customize a training that is relevant to their ministry and Coursera will (take it from there),” Parag (Continued on page 17)

Saturday January 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Venezuelan national dies in Pouderoyen house fire Venezuelan national, Richard Lozada, 47, died in a fire on Friday morning at Plantain Walk, Vreed-en-hoop, West Bank Demerara (W.B.D).

Lozada, a carpenter, had been residing at the property while undertaking repair work.

Tragically, he was caught in the blaze that erupted at Lot G 1 1/3 Plantain Walk, Pouderoyen.

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) responded to the emergency call at 3:31 a.m., dispatching firefighters from the La Grange Fire Station.

Upon arrival, they encountered a twostory house ablaze, with the first floor fully consumed by flames.

Efforts were immediately focused on containing the fire Dead: to the first floor and mitigating potential Richard threats to neighboring Lozada structures. Despite their rapid intervention, the first floor of the building was destroyed, resulting in Lozada's death.

The property owned by 68year-old Bernadette Gordon and inhabited by 27-year-old Canaan Bacchus, suffered irreparable damage to the first floor.

According to the Fire Service, at the time of the fire, no one was aware of Lozada's presence inside the building.

Moreover, the intensity of the fire also caused collateral damage to adjacent residences at Lot G 11/3 Plantain Walk and Lot H 11 Plantain Walk, impacting windows, external walls, and a parked Toyota Premio (registration PYY3553).

GFS has initiated an investigation to ascertain the cause of the blaze.

The aftermath of the fire

Parika man remanded for murder of reputed wife Thirty-nine-year-old Gurudeen 2023, Persaud was heading to the Lalaram, a mason of Parika Façade, market when a confrontation arose East Bank Essequibo, was on Friday between her and Lallaram. The remanded to prison for the murder of his argument escalated quickly, resulting in reputed wife 25-year-old market Lalaram attacking Persaud with a piece of wood, causing severe injuries. vendor, Parbattie Amanda Persaud.

Despite the efforts of nearby Remanded: Persaud was allegedly beaten to death by Lalaram on December 31, residents to summon the authorities, Gurudeen Persaud suffered grave wounds Lalaram 2023 at Parika Façade. to her head and face. She The accused Dead: Parbattie was rushed to the appeared at the Leonora Cottage L e o n o r a Amanda Persaud Hospital but Magistrates' succumbed to her Court before injuries.

S e n i o r P o l i c e Magistrate p r o m p t l y Zamilla Allyresponded to the Seepaul. scene of the crime Lalaram was and apprehended not required to Lalaram as he plead to the attempted to flee on an indictable charge. electric scooter. He was H e i s b e i n g taken into custody and the represented by attorneysuspected murder weapon was at-law, Jevon Cox. The accused was remanded to obtained, along with a statement from prison and the matter was adjourned to Lallaram under caution and video in the birth of a three-year-old daughter.

Reports are that the woman experienced recording.

February 2, 2024.

The couple shared a common-law a history of alleged abuse at the hands of According to reports, during the early hours of Sunday, December 31, relationship for six years which resulted the man.

Saturday January 06, 2024

Thief jailed for 15 months despite begging Magistrate to stay with child A 36-year-old single parent of one, who admitted to stealing and escaping police custody, when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts on Friday, was jailed for 15months, despite a passionate plea to the Magistrate to allow him the freedom to remain with his seven-yearold son.

Kumar Saul called 'Barber', of Leopold Street, Georgetown, appeared before Senior Magistrate Dylon Bess, where he was charged for simple larceny and escaping lawful custody. The accused pleaded guilty to both charges.

It is alleged that between December 22, 2023, and December 27, 2023, at East (Continued on page 17)

Kumar Saul

Port Mourant fire:

Teacher died from smoke inhalation –PM reveals Tokant Deokharan, the teacher who died in the Port Mourant, Berbice fire that gutted two houses died from smoke inhalation, a post mortem examination conducted by government p a t h o l o g i s t , D r . V. Bridgemohan revealed.

The post mortem examination was conducted on January 4, 2024.

On Tuesday, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) reported that at 22:17h it was informed of a massive fire at Manager's Quarters, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice.

The GFS said two water tenders and seven firefighters from the Rose Hall Fire Station immediately responded. Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters observed two buildings fully engulfed in flames and smoke.

The Fire Service said the fire originated in a one-storey wooden and concrete house owned by Tokant Deokharan's sister who resides in the United States.

Deokharan, who lived at the house, died in the blaze while the building was destroyed.

The blaze, which residents said spread within minutes, also engulfed

Deceased: Tokant Deokharan another two-storey wooden and concrete house which was located next to Deokharan's home.

That building, which was occupied by 75-year-old Ameena Bacchus, was also gutted by the inferno, rendering the elderly woman homeless.

The firefighters were able to contain the blaze which residents noted threatened a third house nearby.

F o l l o w i n g Tu e s d a y night's fire, the Guyana Fire Service reminded citizens to make premises safe against the risks of fires by equipping homes and businesses with fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and smoke alarms.

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 06, 2024

PAGE 13

6 months behind deadline…

Only 35% works completed on Cemetery Road project The ambitious Cemetery Road upgrade project in Georgetown has hit a roadblock, facing substantial delays and falling significantly behind schedule.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, disclosed to this publication that only 35% of the anticipated work has been completed, a stark contrast to the initial deadline set for July 2023.

Aw a r d e d t o Av i n a s h Construction and Metal Works Company at a cost of $475 million, the project aimed to expand the road to accommodate four lanes, construct concrete drains, a walkway, and perform resurfacing and reconstruction of culverts.

However, the contractor has struggled to make substantial progress.

Minister Indar on Wednesday did a site inspection, which highlighted glaring gaps contributing to the project's delays.

Additionally, the failure of Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GT&T) to splice its fiber cable within the

Scenes from the recent visit by Minister Deodat Indar to the project site (Ministry of Public Works phot project zone has significantly hindered civil works on the concrete bridge at the head of Princess Street.

In response to these setbacks, the ministry has revised the expected completion date to January 31, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. The ministry assured that there will be\ ongoing monitoring by its engineers to guide the contractor in addressing identified gaps, ensuring timely project completion while minimizing disruption to

residents.

During the ministry's recent end of year press conference, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, warned of potential contract termination should the project not meet this revised deadline. He stressed the importance of timely completion, firmly stating that if the project remains incomplete by the end of January, the contractor will be removed.

The Ministry of Public Works (Continued on page 17)

o)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Saturday January 06, 2024

Contract signed for the construction of US$35M four-lane Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge

By Vanessa Braithwaite

T

he Government of Guyana and China Railway Construction Corporation Limited signed a US$35M contract for the construction of the new four-lane Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) on Friday.

Upon completion, it is expected that the bridge will alleviate existing traffic woes facing commuters in the mining town of Linden which has worsened significantly with the ongoing construction of the Linden to Mabura Highway.

In 2020, some 768,000 vehicular crossings were recorded but this doubled in 2023 with 1.5 million vehicular crossings being recorded.

This infrastructural project is seen by the Government of Guyana as a significant milestone and infrastructural upgrade from the single-lane bridge that was constructed in 1966.

The four-lane bridge is expected to be completed in two years. It will be precast and will be 220 meters long, and will carry all the road safety signs, lighting and have a 32 meters horizontal

bridging Georgetown to Brazil.

“This bridge is not a standalone infrastructure…this bridge is linked to the 45 bridges along the Linden to Lethem Highway that will create immense opportunity in positioning Region 10 as the engineering and mechanical hub and transport and logistics hub not only for mining, but also for the trade that will exist between Brazil and Guyana,” the President said while pointing to the other infrastructural developments that occurred since his government took office in 2020.

With the construction of the Linden to Lethem highway and other infrastructure linking Georgetown to Brazil, he explained there was a greater need for a wider bridge particularly with the more than 50 percent increase in traffic traversing daily.

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill said the construction of the bridge is a fulfillment of a social contract to the people.

The bridge he said will link the deep water harbour out of Berbice, new road networks on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), and by extension

An aerial view of the existing Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge (DPI)

President Irfaan Ali (Center) is joined by Government Ministers and Regional Officials during the turning of the sod at the West Watooka site where the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge will be constructed. clearage and 11.5 meters vertical clearage. It will be constructed in the vicinity of West Watooka, Wismar.

At the ceremonial signing of the contract between President Dr. Irfaan Ali said that the construction of the bridge is not a stand-alone infrastructure but is linked to the many other infrastructural projects

Georgetown to other parts of South America.

“Since then, the accelerated work for the completion of the thoroughfare that could move you seamlessly from Georgetown into Brazil is at work,” the Minister said.

Further, General Manager of China Construction Railway

The documents were signed by Permanent Secretary, Vladim Persaud (Right) and Managing Director of China Railway Construction (Caribbean) Co. Ltd, Dong Sheng Li (Left). President Irfaan Ali is also photographed seated (center).

Construction Limited, Dong Chong Lee said the company is committed to working safely and complying with other local regulations.

Lee said too that safety is an important factor in ensuring that the project is completed in keeping with established timelines.

Meanwhile, commuters in Linden have expressed a grave

need for a new bridge given the long waiting time they are forced to endure particularly during peak periods.

Also present at the ceremony were Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, Minister of Local Government Sonia Parag, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, her Excellency Guo

Haiyan, Regional Members of Parliament (MP), Devin Sears and Jermaine Figueira, Regional Chairman, Deron Adams and other regional officials.

China Railway Construction Corporation Limited is also constructing the new $260 million crossing over the Demerara River to bridge Regions Three and Four.

Saturday January 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

Patterson accuses NPTAB evaluation committee of fraud as documents submitted by bidder allegedly ignored

Man, 59, slapped with six fraud charges Nobert Bailey at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court

A 59-year-old man was on Friday slapped with six fraud charges when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court. He was not required to enter a plea to the indictable offences.

Nobert Bailey, a father of three, who resides at Lot 2281 Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), is accused of receiving $796,000 from six persons by falsely pretending to be in the position to grant cash, bank loans, and to purchase a motorcar.

Particularly between the period of November 14, 2023 and December 8, 2023, Bailey allegedly obtained $85,000 f r o m G e o rg e S p r i n g e r, $120,000 from Onicka Nedd, $100,000 from Nandy Blair, and $120,000 from Kevin Blair, by falsely pretending to be in the position to grant them a cash loan, when he was not in the position to do so.

It was further alleged that the 59-year-old man, obtained $150,000 from Jaclyn Blair, by falsely pretending to be in

the position to grant a bank loan, when he was not in the position to do so. In addition, Bailey is also accused of allegedly obtaining the sum of $221,000 from Oliver Latchmie, by falsely pretending to be in position to purchase a motorcar, when he was not in position to do so.

The prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that police had difficulties locating the accused and the fact that Bailey has several pending matters in three different courts, for similar offences.

Notwithstanding the prosecution's facts, the Senior Magistrate was keen to note that the offences committed by the defendant are bailable.

Bail was subsequently granted in the sum of $150,000 for each charge, totaling the sum of $900,000.

The Magistrate imposed conditions with the granting of bail. Bailey is required to report to the Brickdam Police Station every Monday until his return to court on February 9, 2024. He is also required to lodge his passport.

Former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson has accused the evaluation committee of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) of committing fraud, by ignoring documents submitted by the lowest bidder for a project in 2023.

That company, Akamai Inc. had its bid deemed non-responsive by NPTAB since it explained: “a) the bidder failed to submit documentary evidence to demonstrate supply of similar goods in at least 1 contract in the last two (2) years to a minimum value of G$5M and (b) the bidder failed to provide a

letter stating that the company had no terminated projects.”

Patterson in a letter to the media detailed that the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) finally issued a report based on the complaint from a contractor which was “predictably a whitewash of the administrative review process and falls short of the standards expected from a constitutional agency.”

The former Minister explained that it was the Office of the Prime Minister that issued an invitation to bid for line hardware in March 2023 with the bid opening slated for April 2023. Five

Former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson

A document reportedly submitted by the bidder that was ignored by the evaluation committee of NPTAB

bids were returned however the lowest bid by Akamai Inc. was the only bid deemed non-responsive.

According to Patterson, Akamai Inc. is the sole distributor of the requested line hardware; hence it was expected that the company would submit the lowest bid.

He contends that there was no prescribed format for the submission of evidence of previous projects, and hence Akamai Inc. submitted a spreadsheet detailing all their previous contracts, detailing the procurement agencies as well the contract sums. Be that as it may, he said, “Not surprisingly, in an effort to deem the bidder non-responsive, the procurement agency found this detailed listing unacceptable.”

He reasoned that the bidder did fulfill the second requirement which the evaluation committee deemed nonresponsive which was a letter addressed to the procuring entity (Continuned on page 17)

PAGE 16

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Saturday January 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

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FOR SALE/ RENT All sizes loaders, excavators & rollers, concrete pump & mixer trucks, mobile crane and Howo 30 ton dump trucks. Call: 650-0402/ 652-0251

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Pipeline handlers, forklifts 3.5 tons diesel truck weigh scales -(60 tons,40 ft) Low bed trailers-60 tons,triple axle. Call: 665-3880.

House lots & commercial plot for sale available at Blankenburg W.C.D. For more information Call: 6520251/ 650-0402.

LEGAL NOTICE 1

LEGAL NOTICE 2

MS SHELLON BOYCE GUYANA LEGALAID CLINIC “Maraj Building” 185 Charlotte & King Streets, Georgetown, Guyana.

Tel: 225-9238/ 225-9246 Email: legalaid@networksgy.com 2023-HC-DEM-CIV-FD1581 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION Petition No. FD-1581 Between: BOYAL(REBEKAH UNITA) nee STUART Petitioner/ Applicant -vBOYAL(ROCKCLIFF TEDROY) Respondent

before the Honourable Madam Justice Damone Younge via Zoom Meeting ID: 845 1426 6584 and Password: 786 445.

IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce. The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 22nd day of December, 2023.

Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 18th day of December, 2023 the Petitioner/ Applicant was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the KAIETEUR NEWS, a daily newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around the Republic of Guyana and on the worldwide web (online).

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents. AND FURTHERTAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 35 (thirtyfive) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice. TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Friday the 16th day of February, 2024 at 9:00am before the Honourable Madam Justice Priya Sewnarine- Beharry via Zoom Meeting ID: 503 218 6789 and Password: court1a. IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce. The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara].

The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 21st day of December,2023.

TO: ROCKCLIFF TEDROY BOYAL Moruca, Barima Waini

One Clerk for TSI Eccles office. English & Mathematics.

Email: techserigy@ yahoo.com or Call: 615-9132.

Maid needed to clean at East Bank area. Call: 615-9132.

LEGAL NOTICE 1

LEGAL NOTICE 1 Filing Attorney:

TAKE NOTICE that on the 27th day of October, 2023 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by REBEKAH UNITA BOYAL nee STUART the Petitioner/ Applicant in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 14th day of December, 2023 the Petitioner/ Applicant was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the KAIETEUR NEWS, a daily newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around the Republic of Guyana and on the worldwide web (online).

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 35 (thirty- five) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Wednesday the 21st day of February, 2024 at 10:30am

LEGAL NOTICE 2 Filing Attorney: MS. SHAMEKA TIATT GUYANA LEGAL AID CLINIC “Maraj Building” 185 Charlotte & King Streets, Georgetown, Guyana.

Tel: 225-9238/ 225-9246 Email: legalaid@networksgy.com 2023-HC-DEM-CIV-FD1435 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION Petition No. FD-1435 Between: ALLEN (MEGAN CLAUDIA) nee LEWIS Petitioner/ Applicant -andALLEN (OLIN EUKESSIE) Respondent TO: OLIN EUKESSIE ALLEN Last Known Address Lot 20 Windsor Castle Essequibo Coast Guyana.

TAKE NOTICE that on the 25th day of September, 2023 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by MEGAN CLAUDIAALLEN nee LEWIS the Petitioner/ Applicant in the Family

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 06, 2024

Werk-en-Rust man wanted for friend’s murder Twenty-eight-year-old Carlton Bourne, also known as “Akeem Bourne”, from Chapel Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, is wanted in connection with the tragic murder of his friend, 30-year-old Chavis Wilson. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, December 31, turned deadly following a dispute over money and an iPhone in Freeman Street, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

According to reports, there was a

Wanted: Carlton Bourne AKA “Akeem Bourne”

confrontation between Wilson and Bourne that quickly spiraled out of control. The altercation intensified as the suspect allegedly dragged Wilson across different sections of the East Ruimveldt Squatting Dam. The confrontation culminated in the suspect throwing Wilson into a trench and subsequently firing a fatal shot.

The police are urging anyone with information about Carlton Bourne’s whereabouts to come forward.

Dead: Chavis Wilson

Patterson accuses NPTAB evaluation committee of fraud...

From page 15 stating specifically that none of their projects was ever terminated.

To this end, Patterson noted, “(this is) clear evidence that this information was fraudulently omitted by the evaluation committee or ignored.” He attached copies of the documents that were submitted by the bidder.

The former Minister claims that the PPC in arriving at its report to support the award did not contact the bidder to seek clarification on the claims for debarment made in the evaluation report, even though this is standard when reviewing complaints. He said, “All parties to the complaint should be given an opportunity to defend their position.”

Patterson believes that the PPC “adopted a defective report, performed no investigative analysis

and rubberstamped the award.”

He explained that the Alliance For Change (AFC) nominated commissioner on the PPC indicated that both opposition commissioners found the submission of the list of projects comprehensive and acceptable. Moreover, he said “they were unaware that the bidder had actually submitted the claimed missing letter regarding terminated projects.”

Patterson noted that the AFC nominated commissioner also informed that she recommended that natural justice procedures be adopted, whereby all parties should be given an opportunity to respond before a final decision is made by the commission; however this was overruled by the majority vote of the Commission.

Patterson said, “ S t r a n g e l y, b u t n o t unsurprisingly, the PPC

failed to highlight that section 5 (5) (a) of the Procurement Act specifically states “a procuring entity may not disqualify a supplier or contractor on the ground that information submitted concerning the qualifications of the supplier or contractors was inaccurate or incomplete in a non-material respect.” The claimed incomplete information as supplied by this contractor are all nonmaterial in every respect, and in accordance with the Act, such non material deficiencies can be remedied.”

He believes that the investigation and subsequent report by the PPC sets a dangerous precedent for other complaints lodged such as the NPTAB’s award of the Belle Vue pump station and the award of the Bamia Secondary school, lodged since October 2023 and February 2023, respectively.

Public Servants to be trained in Spanish...

From page 10 told reporters. Noting that there are over 54,000 persons in the Public Sector, the minister explained that the course is expected to begin in March 2024 and while it is not mandatory that a public servant applies, taking into consideration development in the country she is hopeful that they will take advantage of the opportunity.

“We are now partnering, and it is scheduled to start around March, and it will run for just about 16 months or just about there. This is where we will advertise (and) persons will be able to apply through an online process and Coursera has their requirements for the program as well. Again we are taking a course

of development as well as modernization so we want to be able to have public servants not being left back because we're dealing with the public,” Minister Parag said.

Additionally the Minister informed the media that her ministry is also seeking another partnership with Canada “to be able to train 2000 persons, not necessarily public servants, but 2000 persons in Information Technology. But more than that is the bonus of training those persons with the end result being 100% that they will be employed. We are looking to go further than just training people and putting them out there but making sure that they are able to be independent and able to be financially empowered.”

PAGE 17

Britain hit by flooding after heavy rain swells major rivers Reuters - Major rivers across Britain were flooded on Friday after heavy rain, with the government issuing more than 300 flood warnings, travel operators announcing serious disruption and around 1,000 homes suffering damage so far.

A succession of storms in recent weeks meant prolonged rainfall that started on Thursday fell on saturated ground and quickly caused alreadyswollen rivers and waterways to burst their banks across England and Wales.

The storms have also caused flooding in other parts of Europe in recent days.

The River Trent in central England flooded, prompting the local authority to declare a major incident.

London’s fire service said it had to escort around 50 people to safety late on Thursday after a canal in the east o f t h e c a p i t a l overflowed.

“We have woken up to, as many people will see, to a very wet situation across the country,” Caroline

Douglass, the director in charge of flood management at the Environment Agency, told the BBC. Douglass said around 1,000 homes had so far been flooded.

Great Western Railways said its lines in three parts of the south of the country were closed.

Roads in the worst affected areas were also closed.

More rain was forecast for Friday, albeit not at the same intensity as seen overnight, with drier weather expected to follow.

Only 35% works completed on Cemetery...

From page 13 has delineated a series of tasks for execution across different project sections: Princess Street to Sussex Street: - Finalizing the southern bridge abutment for traffic diversion to the newly completed western lane.

- Removing unused reinforcement from the work site.

- Completing medians and conducting a comprehensive site cleanup.

- Commencing construction of the eastern lane, involving full-depth shoulder reconstruction from January 4, 2024.

- Facilitating the expansion of existing culverts at the Sussex Street intersection.

- Presenting varied methodologies to expedite

project completion (acquiring, stockpiling materials, and advancing phases). Sussex Street to Middle Street: - Finalizing reinforced concrete block walls for the western lane drain.

- Completing road widening and installing curb walls on the western lane to prevent ongoing carriageway displacement from open excavated areas.

- Concluding the abandoned road widening on the eastern lane.

- Completing medians and conducting a comprehensive site cleanup.

O u t l i n i n g methodologies to hasten project completion (acquiring, stockpiling materials, and progressing through phases).

Front Road/Street to

Mandela Avenue: - Finalizing reinforced concrete block walls for drains on both eastern and western lanes.

- Implementing structural backfilling for drain walls to prevent road movement under vehicular loads, prioritizing swift completion to minimize inconvenience to residents.

D e t a i l i n g methodologies for expeditious project completion (acquiring, stockpiling materials, and progressing through phases).

The Cemetery Road upgrade forms part of a larger $1.4 billion project that includes the enhancement of Independence Boulevard, aiming to extend the road to three lanes and establish a recreational promenade.

Thief jailed for 15 months despite begging Magistrate...

From page 12 Street, Georgetown, Saul stole from Sherwin Long, a cooler valued $15,000, a red tarpaulin valued $22,000, a quantity of beverages valued $6000, and $50, 000 in cash, totaling the value of $93,000. It is further alleged that Saul escaped from the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court holding area on Tuesday.

The prosecution related that on December 22, 2023, Long locked up his stall, which is located close to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), and departed for his residence.

Upon his return to the stall on December 27, 2023, he noticed the things listed in the charge were missing.

Subsequently a report was made to the police, and the accused was later apprehended. It was noted by the prosecutor that eyewitnesses saw the accused taking out the cooler and tarpaulin.

During court, Saul admitted to both charges with an explanation for each.

Following the simple larceny charge, he claimed he only took the cooler and tarpaulin. In relation to the escaping lawful custody charge, Saul said that he didn’t run away from Police custody. “I walk out the court yard. Me ain’t run away like how them seh me run away. They (Police) know me. I is the man who is clean up the court,” Saul told

the Magistrate. Furthermore, Saul pleaded with the court to exercise its discretion on him. He explained, “Sir I gatta son that grow up without his mother, I show he all the love me can show he, he ain’t get nobody else.”

Notwithstanding his statements, the Senior Magistrate told him that the court put into consideration that he (Saul) entered a guilty plea at the earliest time possible, which shows; he (Saul) had no interest in wasting judicial time.

To this end Senior Magistrate Bess, imposed nine months for the simple larceny charge, and six months for escaping lawful custody, totaling a 15 months imprisonment.

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 06, 2024

Saturday January 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

Indian company gets $396 million contract to set up solar plant at Leguan The 0.60 MW solar PV farm slated for Leguan Island, Region Three will be built by a company out of India to the tune of $396 million.

This is according to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board's (NPTAB) office. On NPTAB's website it was disclosed that on December 28, 2023 the $396,124,521 project was awarded to Digiflic Controls India Private Limited.

This company was among three firms that submitted bids for the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) project early December.

The GEA had put out a tender seeking bids for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of a 0.60 MW Solar PV Plant and Transmission and Distribution Networks for Leguan.

Kaieteur News had reported that the Government of Guyana (GoG) received a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to diversify its energy matrix

with sustainable and cleaner sources. Part of the US$21,160,000 loan will be used to set up a 0.60 MW solar PV farm at Leguan, Region Three.

Based on documents from the IDB, the new solar farm will cost an estimated US$1,785,452.

I n 2 0 1 8 , a US$21,160,000 loan was approved by the Bank to support Guyana's evolving energy sector. The Energy Matrix Diversification and Institutional Strengthening of the Department of Energy (EMISDE) is geared towards (i) investing in sustainable/cleaner energy solutions to diversify the e n e rg y m a t r i x i n t h e hinterland while contributing to climate change mitigation, (ii) investing in the reinforcement of transmission infrastructure to improve reliability and stability of the DemeraraBerbice Interconnected System, and (iii) strengthening the Department of Energy to develop a regulatory framework, and improve

institutional capacity and governance of the oil and gas sector.The loan has three components with the first US$8.6 million allocated to renewable energy solutions for the hinterland. This component entails the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in three hinterland townships of Bartica (Region 7), Mahdia (Region 8) and Lethem (Region 9) all of which currently rely exclusively on fossil fuel for electricity generation. The installation of a 1.5 megawatt (MW) solar plant within 3.03 hectares (7.5 acres) of land is planned in Bartica,1 MW within 2.02 hectares (5 acres) of land is planned in Lethem, and 0.65 MW within 4.65 hectares (11.48 acres) of land is planned in Mahdia. The electrification of the Dagg Point community in Bartica and the titled indigenous village of Campbelltown in Mahdia are also expected under this component.

Under the second part of the loan, Guyana will be looking to reinforce the transmission infrastructure

at a cost of US$9.95 million.

According to project documents, this component entails reinforcements at three substations of Kingston, Old Sophia and 5 km single circuit overhead 69 kV transmission line between the Kingston and Sophia substations and installing reactive power compensation at New Sophia. The Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) is the executing agency for this component.

The third and final

component caters to the institutional strengthening and governance of the Department of Energy to the tune of US$4.5 million. It was explained that this component seeks to finance capacity building initiatives and best practice organizational structure, including high level training and coaching of Government staff and technical support for the development of the design of a new oil and gas legislative and regulatory framework. The GEA is also

the executing agency for this Component.

It was reported that the Leguan solar project was not initially catered for under the loan but is being funded through savings accrued under the EMISDE programme.

This publication understands that the project sum includes the cost of a battery energy storage system as well as the construction of a new transmission line. The project has a life of 20 years.

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 06, 2024

Saturday January 06, 2024

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

DCB/SVC/Precision Services RCD to kick off 2024 with Inaugural T/20 Inter-Region Softball Cricket on February 18 Inc. Inter-Association resumes today

R

oraima Community Developers will kick off its 2024 calendar of activities with a National Softball Cricket tournament whereby the competition will see all ten administrative regions taking part.

According to RCD release the tournament will be played at an open category because over the years softball cricket has seen a tremendous decline nationally and that is because of the categorizing of the local cricket, where many could not get involved in the games regionally and nationally because of age range.

According to the officials,

they see this tournament as a grassroot one and in bringing back softball to the village level.

While its aim and objective is to bring our people together.

They further said that sports play an integral part in binding our people and mounding our youths towards a positive future.

The tournament will see all age group participating within the teams that will be taking part and each region will have its own competition to crown its champion.

According to Roraima Community Developers the teams competing regionally will be vying for trophies and

cash incentives.

While the winning team in each region will battle against each other for same but most importantly for the national championship bragging rights.

The tournament will be played on a ten overs aside, round arm bowling and on a knockout format.

Softball teams around Guyana that are interested to take part are asked to start preparations for the Inter Region Tournament which will bowl off on February 18 at various venues across the country.

Roraima Community Developers said that the contact numbers for each regional

Saturday January 06, 2024 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A heightened level of intuition and understanding of others might catapult you to the center of attention at a gathering, Aries. Knowledge combined with experience results in wisdom today.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Communication with friends who have traveled widely could have you hankering to make a future visit to a distant place that you've always wanted to experience.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Dreams or visions could put you in touch with deep feelings that you may not have been aware of before, Gemini.

This could enable you to release traumas from your past and give you a new sense of lightness.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Relationships of all kinds are likely to be strengthened by an increased level of understanding today, Cancer. Your thinking is greatly enhanced by your emotional intuitiveness.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Dealing with the ups and downs of other family members could be easier for you today than usual, Libra.

You're less inclined to be logical and more apt to identify with what other people feel.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today your mind is strongly influenced by feeling and intuition, Scorpio, so you'll be able to communicate especially well with others.

You might sense what they need to hear before. .

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You generally like to think of yourself as someone who faces life logically and rationally, Sagittarius, but today your intuitive side could prove a valuable resource.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Your intuition is usually very strong, Capricorn, and your level of empathy enhances your relationships. Today, however, a burst of logic could enable you to see many things.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today your emotional intuition intensifies your mental abilities, Leo. Friends and family members are likely to grow closer to you.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Your intuition is heightened almost to the point of telepathy today. Aquarius, you may be able to sense what others want and need even before they know it themselves.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) Relationships with those closest to you, particularly friends and love partners, should be enhanced by an increased understanding of their emotional world, Virgo.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Getting in touch with your closest friends could bring about some intense communication, with many revealing some of your deepest concerns, Pisces.

coordinator will be made public in a later press release.

The officials are hoping for full cooperation from all as they are using this tournament in bringing our people together in unity through sports.

Injury concerns for Nadal after losing...

From page 23 included a run to the U.S. Open final and the semifinals at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Sabalenka was utterly dominant in the first set of her night match in front of a Pat Rafter Arena crowd that included actor Jude Law, pinning Kasatkina on the baseline with her deep, powerful ground strokes.

Sabalenka and Azarenka have both won the Australian Open title and both have been ranked No. 1. They were born in Minsk, Belarus, albeit about nine years apart, but have played only four times previously at the elite level.

Sabalenka leads their headto-head encounters 3-1.

“She’s an amazing player.

I was growing watching her,” Sabalenka said of her 34-yearold compatriot. “It’s going to be great battle. I’m really looking forward for that.”

Azarenka, a two-time champion at both the Australian Open (2012 and ’13) and in Brisbane (2009 and ’16) , needed 2 1/2 hours to advance 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 over thirdseeded Jelena Ostapenko, who berated the chair umpire in the third set.

Second-seeded Elena Rybakina, who won Wimbledon in 2022 and was runner-up at the Australian Open last year, won the first set 6-1 before 11th-seeded Anastasia Potapova retired from their quarterfinal with an abdominal injury.

She’ll next play Linda Noskova, who beat 16-yearold Mirra Andreeva 7-5,6.3

T

he DCB/SVC/Preci sion Services Inc. Inter-Association T/20 Tournament will resume this weekend, starting today 6th January 2024. Doubleheader matches are set for Meten-Meer-Zorg (MMZ) ground today, Saturday and GCC tomorrow, Sunday.

Fixtures; On Saturday 6th January: UDCA Scorpions vs ECCB Canje Pheasants@ MMZ 9am WDCA Jaguars vs EBCA Tigers @ MMZ 1pm.

GCA Panthers Bye On Sunday 7th January: UDCA Scorpions vs EBCA Tigers @ GCC 9am GCA Panthers vs ECCB

Canje Pheasants @ GCC 1pm WDCA Bye Play continues next weekend with; On Saturday 13th January: UDCA Scorpions vs WDCA Jaguars@ DCC 9am EBCA Tigers vs GCA Panthers @ DCC 1pm ECCB Canje Pheasants Bye Tentatively set for on Sunday 14th Semifinals: Semifinal (1) @ GCC 9am Semifinal (2) @ GCC 1PM. On Saturday 20th January: 3rd place play offs @ GCC 9am Grand Finale @ GCC 1pm Sunday 21st.

Saturday January 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

PAGE 22

Fixtures revealed for historic ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in West Indies and the USA West Indies start against Papua New Guinea at the Guyana National Stadium on June 2

T

he fixtures for the ninth edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup have been revealed with the event to be co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA from 1 to 29 June 2024.

The pinnacle ICC men’s T20 event will see a record 20 teams divided into four groups competing across 55 games for the right to be crowned ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Champions 2024, including co-hosts the West Indies and the USA, together with the other qualifiers: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, India, Ireland, Namibia, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Uganda.

The 20 teams have been divided into four groups of five, with the top two teams progressing to the Super Eights: Group A: India, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada and the USA Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland and Oman Group C: New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Uganda and Papua New Guinea Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Netherlands and Nepal The event commences with the two co-hosts starting their campaigns on the first two days of June.

The USA will take on Canada in the tournament opener at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas on Saturday 1 June, while the West Indies will kickstart their campaign against Papua New Guinea at the Guyana National Stadium on Sunday 2 June.

One of cricket’s biggest rivalries will take place in one of the world’s most iconic cities, with New York to host India and Pakistan on Sunday, 9 June. The fixture will be played in a cuttingedge 34,000-seat modular stadium just 30 miles east of downtown Manhattan in Nassau County, New York.

Eight matches will be played at the venue.

Defending champions England will begin their title defence on Tuesday 4 June in Barbados against Scotland and 2022 finalists, Pakistan, will get their challenge going

on Thursday 6 June, when they play the USA in Dallas.

Among the plethora of blockbuster matchups scheduled in the group stage, fans can look forward to Sri Lanka taking on South Africa in New York on Monday 3 June, while England will go up against archrivals Australia in Barbados on Saturday 8 June. Another highly anticipated fixture will see the West Indies taking on New Zealand on Wednesday 12 June at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad

and Tobago.

First-time Qualifiers Uganda will play their first ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup fixture in Guyana against Afghanistan on Monday, 3 June. Nepal, who qualified for the T20 World Cup for the first time since 2014, will open their campaign against Sri Lanka in one of four matches to be played at Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida. Upon completion of the group stage, the top two teams from each of the four groups will move into the

Super Eight stage of the competition. Teams seeded first and second in their groups in the first round will retain that seeding in the Super Eight, provided they qualify. Super Eight matches are scheduled to be played in popular Caribbean tourist destinations Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The two top teams from each group in the Super Eight will progress to the semi-finals, which will be held in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago on

Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 June respectively. The final will be held at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday 29 June.

Public tickets will go on sale via a ballot and fans can register their interest now here. Registering now will ensure fans receive ticket news first to help secure their seat at the World Cup. Outside of the ballot, fans can guarantee match tickets through the official travel programme, ICC Travel & Tours, where fans will be able to purchase official ticket-inclusive travel packages. Registrations for travel and tour packages are open now and can be accessed here.

ICC Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice said: “The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 marks an exciting expansion of our sport with more teams than ever before set to compete in this event.

It’s going to be an incredible spectacle bringing together 20 international teams from Africa, the Americas, Asia, East-Asia Pacific and Europe.

“The release of the fixtures is made even more exciting for fans as we enter a new frontier, with the USA hosting a major ICC event for the first time.

With 16 matches being played across three venues in the USA, it allows us to make a statement in the world’s biggest sports market.

“It will also be great to have an ICC event back in the West Indies, which has such a rich history of the game. It has hosted World Cups with great success in the past and this tournament will certainly provide a boost to the game there, especially with the final being played in Barbados.”

CWI Chief Executive Johnny Grave said: “The announcement of the match schedule for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 marks a significant milestone in our preparations for this year’s tournament. We know that teams, fans and cricket enthusiasts worldwide have been eagerly awaiting this announcement, and now that it is available, it provides a roadmap for the thrilling journey that lies ahead.

“In addition to the match fixtures, the announcement also highlights the host countries and iconic venues that will set the stage for the

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Each host country and city will bring its own unique flavour to the tournament, and fans from every corner of the globe can expect an exciting blend of T20 cricketing entertainment, local culture and warm hospitality.

“From classic rivalries to history making upsets and continental showdowns, fans can start looking forward to an action-packed month of games at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup next June, and we encourage everyone to get tickets as soon as they go on sale as we expect the demand to be high.”

The Chair of T20 World Cup Incorporated, the entity established in the USA to deliver the event, Peter Hutton said: “The USA is already one of cricket’s biggest audiences for ICC events and bringing the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to New York City, Dallas and Florida is a massive opportunity to exponentially grow the sport. We’ve got three fantastic venues to host matches and we strongly encourage fans in the USA and around the world to start planning to secure their tickets for what will be a unique cricket spectacle featuring the best players in the world.”

Vijay Srinivasan, co-Founder, Major League Cricket said: “Major League Cricket is delighted to host the marquee opening match for the biggestever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the premier MLC venue, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in North Texas.

“We know that cricket fans from across the country will be out in force on June 1 as the United States hosts Canada in the curtain-raiser for the tournament. The match will mark a new chapter in a rivalry dating back longer than any other in international cricket, all the way to 1844.

“In addition, we can’t wait to welcome fans from Pakistan, the Netherlands, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to the Lone Star State for a further three matches at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium where many of the stars of Major League Cricket will be playing for their countries.”

Visit t20worldcup.com to view the full ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 match schedule. (CWI release)

Saturday January 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

Oscar Pistorius freed from jail 11 years after murdering girlfriend PRETORIA, (Reuters) - South African former Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius was released on parole yesterday, nearly 11 years after murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in a crime that shocked a nation inured to violence against women.

Pistorius - dubbed “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs shot 29-year-old model Steenkamp dead through a locked bathroom door on Valentine’s Day in 2013.

He has repeatedly said he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder when he fired four shots into the bathroom at his Pretoria home, and he launched multiple appeals against his conviction on that basis.

In a statement shared by the Steenkamp family lawyer on Friday, Reeva’s mother June said: “There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back.” “ We , w h o r e m a i n behind, are the ones serving a life sentence,” June Steenkamp said, adding her only desire was to be allowed to live in peace after Pistorius’ release on parole.

Pistorius, now 37, spent about eight and a half years in jail as well as seven months under home arrest before he was sentenced for murder. A parole board in November decided he could be freed after completing more than half his sentence.

South Africa’s correctional services department said in a short statement that Pistorius had become a “parolee, effectively from 5 January 2024” and was now at home, without specifying where that was.

A monitoring official will keep an eye on him until his sentence expires in December 2029, whom Pistorius will have to inform if he seeks job opportunities or moves to a new address.

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE Pistorius will also be required to continue therapy on anger management and attend sessions on genderbased violence as part of his parole conditions, the Steenkamp family has said.

June Steenkamp said the conditions imposed by the parole board had affirmed her belief in the South African justice system as they send out a clear message that gender-based

Oscar Pistorius enters the dock before court proceedings at the Pretoria Magistrates court June 4, 2013.

(REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo) violence is taken seriously.

But a local women’s rights organisation said the Pistorius case showed there was a lack of accountability for perpetrators and inadequate justice for victims of violence in the country.

“We are talking about somebody’s life that’s been taken... The fact that someone can walk out free eight years later, it tells us

that it’s not that big of a deal,” spokesperson for Wo m e n F o r C h a n g e , Bulelwa Adonis, told Reuters.

Adonis said an average of 12 women are murdered in South Africa every day.

While some South Africans see Pistorius’ punishment as too lenient, others feel he has served his time.

“Let the man go home,

he’s done his time, and remember, it’s also about being reintegrated back into s o c i e t y, ” 4 2 - y e a r - o l d Pretoria resident, Kefentse Botolo, told Reuters.

Local media expect Pistorius to live at the home of his uncle Arnold in a wealthy Pretoria suburb, where a crowd of reporters gathered in front of the gate yesterday.

A spokesperson for the department of correctional services said Pistorius had been dropped off in the morning “at an entrance unfamiliar to everyone” but did not confirm where.

His lawyer did not immediately respond to messages or phone calls seeking comment.

FROM PARALYMPIC STAR TO CONVICTED MURDERER Pistorius was once the darling of the sports world, and a pioneering voice for disabled athletes, for whom he campaigned to be allowed to compete with able-bodied participants at major sports events.

In August 2012, months before shooting his girlfriend, Pistorius became the first double amputee to compete at the London Olympics, where he made it

to the 400 metres semifinals.

He won two gold medals at the Paralympics.

He was first jailed for five years in October 2014 for culpable homicide by a high court.

After his prosecutors appealed that ruling, the Supreme Court of Appeal found him guilty of murder in December 2015.

But he only got six years when he was sentenced in July 2016, despite prosecutors arguing for a minimum sentence of 15 years.

Then in November 2017 the Supreme Court of Appeal more than doubled his sentence to 13 years and five months, describing his earlier term as “shockingly lenient”.

Pistorius met Reeva’s father Barry Steenkamp in 2022 in a “victim-offender dialogue”, an integral part of South Africa’s restorative justice system.

Based partly on how indigenous cultures handled crime long before Europeans colonised South Africa, restorative justice aims to find closure for affected parties in a crime, instead of merely punishing perpetrators.

Injury concerns for Nadal after losing in the quarterfinals of his tour comeback at Brisbane BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal has concerns over his surgically repaired left hip just three matches into his comeback from a year-long injury layoff, and just over a week before the Australian Open.

The 22-time major winner needed a medical timeout in the third set of his Brisbane International quarterfinal loss to Jordan Thompson yesterday after failing to convert three match points in the second.

He miscued an overhead backhand on his first match point in the 10th game of the second set, about two hours into the contest. He then missed consecutive forehands from 6-4 in the tiebreaker before No. 55ranked Thompson rallied to win 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3.

With the Australian Open starting Jan. 14, Nadal’s rehabilitation from the hip injury and surgery that sidelined him for all of 2023 after the last Australian Open will be tested.

“I hope to have the chance to be practicing next week and to play in Melbourne,” he said.

“Honestly, I am not 100% sure of anything now.”

Nadal said it felt more like a muscle issue than the tendon problem that caused him so much trouble last year, and he was hopeful it was just fatigue.

“A lot of things can be happening in a body like my body after a year without playing tennis,” he said. “So hopefully it is just that, just a muscle that is supercharged.

If that’s the thing, perfect.”

The 37-year-old Spaniard opened the tournament with straightsets wins over Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler but was pushed for 3 hours and 25 minutes by Thompson in what was his third match in four nights.

His energy level waned at the start of the third set.

And after Thompson took a 4-1 lead, Nadal was assessed by the trainer for his upper

left leg and took a medical timeout.

He said the pain was in “a very similar place to what happened last year, but different stuff.”

“It’s not the same like last year at all because when it happened last year, I felt something drastic immediately,” Nadal said. “ To d a y I d i d n ’ t f e e l anything. The only problem is because the place is the same, you’re a little bit more scared.”

After sending a backhand long on match point to end the longest rally of the match, Nadal walked around the net to embrace Thompson. He blew a kiss and waved to the crowd as he walked off Pat Rafter Arena around midnight.

“Obviously he’s one of the best of all time, so there’s no pressure on me,” Thompson said. “But there’s always a sense of pressure playing at home, in front of an Aussie crowd.

“He can destroy an

Rafael Nadal of Spain looks dejected between games in his quarter-final match against Jordan Thompson of Australia during the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard) opponent, so there’s always that element that can make you nervous. But you still got to take it to him and play your own game.”

Thompson advanced to a semifinal against secondseeded Grigor Dimitrov.

Top-seeded Holger Rune had a 6-2, 7-6 (6) win over James Duckworth to set up a semifinal against Roman Safiullin, who beat Matteo

Arnaldi 7-6 (4), 6-2.

S A B A L E N K A EXTENDS WINNING STREAK Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka will be on opposite sides of the net in the women’s semifinals almost five years after teaming up on the same court in a Fed Cup semifinal loss to Australia.

Australian Open

champion Sabalenka ensured the matchup by extending her winning streak Down Under to 14 with a 6-1, 6-4 win over fifth-seeded Daria Kasatkina.

She won a title in Adelaide last year before her Grand Slam breakthrough at Melbourne Park, the start of a 2023 season that also (Continued on page 21)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

Saturday January 06, 2024

‘One Guyana’ Basketball League set to resume January 13 After a brief break for the 2023 festive season, the ‘One Guyana’ Basketball Premier League is gearing up for its return on Saturday, January 13th, at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue. The playoffs, promising intense matchups, will mark the next stage of this inaugural tournament.

In the Jaguar Conference, the undefeated Stabroek Eagles are set to clash with the Kobras.

Meanwhile, the UG Trojans, securing the second spot, will take on the Bounty Colts, blending youthful vigor with seasoned experience, all vying for a spot in the Conference Finals. Kicking off the action in the Harpy Eagles

Conference at 7:00 PM, the #2 seed Kwakwani Untouchables will face off against the #3 seed South Ruimveldt Mambas. The main event at 9:00 PM features the #1 seed Pacesetters going head-tohead with the #4 Ravens.

The action will continue on January 20th, with the Jaguar Conference, the #2 seed Bounty Colts will clash with the #3 seeded Kobras at 7:00 PM, followed by the #1 seed Eagles taking on the #4 placed UG Trojans at 9:00 PM, all at the same venue.

The playoff setup pits the top four teams against each other: the first-ranked team faces the fourth, and the second-ranked team squares off against the third.

The victorious teams from the playoffs will advance to their Conference Finals, engaging in a bestof-three series to determine who moves forward to the National Finals.

The ultimate prize for the tournament champions stands at $1 million alongside trophies, while the runners-up will secure $500,000 in addition to trophies. The success of this tournament has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, G-Boats Guyana, National Sports Commission, Guyana Basketball Federation, and Georgetown Basketball Federation.

GCB 4-Day practice matches…

Adams, Nandu named respective captains as Regional 4-Day preparations bowl off - Match 1 set to bowl of Tuesday January 9 Anthony Adam and Matthew Nandu will lead respective XI’s when they G C B c o m m e n c e preparations for this year’s Regional 4-Day tournament, with a pair of warm up games set to bowl off from January 9-12 and 16-19.

Team B led by the young batting star, Nandu, features a number of high-profile players such as; Kemol Savory, Shamar Yearwood, Niall Smith, Veerasammy Permaul and other top brass Guyana senior/junior players. Over on Team A, the veteran spinner Adams will lead his troops, as players the caliber of ;Junior Sinclair, Quentin Sampson, Akshaya Persaud, Zeynul Ramsammy and others will feature in a star-studded battle. The two sides will engage in competition from next week with the Regional 4-Day tournament, bowling o ff e a r l y n e x t m o n t h (February); with defending Champs Guyana Harpy Eagles looking to mirror/top last season’s performance.

Meanwhile, Game 1 bowls off on Tuesday January 9 at the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground (GCC),

Anthony Adams

from 9:30h.

Anthony Adams XI (Team A) Team - Anthony Adams (Captain), Sachin Singh, Rampertab Ramnauth, Kevlon Anderson, Akshaya Persaud, Zachary Jodah, Zeynul R a m s a m m y, J o s h u a Persaud, Aryan Persaud, Junior Sinclair, Quentin Sampson, Rivaldo Phillips, Sylus Tyndall, Malcom Hubbard, Adrian Hetmyer

and Bruce Vincent.

Matthew Nandu XI (Team B) - Matthew Nandu (Captain), Raymon Perez, Shamar Yearwood, Kemol Savory, Richie Looknauth, Brandon Jaikaran, Johnathan Van Lange, Gulcharran Chulai, Veerasammy Permaul, Niall Smith, Thaddeus Lovell, Ronsford Beaton, Ashmead Nedd, Ronald Alimohamed and Ushadeva Balgobin.

One Guyana Premier Basketball League set to continue January 13.

The battle for GFF Elite League qualification happens tomorrow - Monedderlust Connection FC to clash with Slingerz FC for Elite League berth

T

he Guyana F o o t b a l l Federation (GFF) Elite League Promotional Playoff final between Slingerz and Monedderlust football clubs has been rescheduled to tomorrow, Sunday (January 7) at the Ministry of Education Ground located on Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown.

The action-packed GFF Elite League Promotional Playoff kicked off on December 17, featuring nine triumphant teams from the Member Associations’ Leagues battling fiercely for a prized entry into the esteemed Elite League Season Six. The Playoffs featured teams like Beacons (Bartica Football Association), Beacon (Georgetown Football Association), Buxton Stars (East Coast Demerara Football Association), Dominators (Essequibo/Pomeroon Football Association), Herstelling Raiders (East Bank Demerara Football Association), Monedderlust (Berbice Football Association), Slingerz (West Demerara Football Association), Tabatinga (Rupununi Football Association), and Winners Connection (Upper

Demerara Football Association).

A t h r i l l i n g doubleheader with the i n a u g u r a l Wo m e n ’s League Division One final match, featuring the clash between the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force, slated as the opening event on Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m.

This will be followed by the eagerly anticipated showdown between S l i n g e r z a n d Monedderlust at 7 p.m. with the winner securing an automatic spot in the upcoming Elite League Season Six, set to kick off in February, along with a one million dollars preparation grant.

Monedderlust, however, has been a standout force, dominating Group A with their tactical finesse and determined gameplay.

Led by a mix of experienced players and emerging talents, they’ve earned their place in the final, eyeing the Elite League spot with unwavering focus.

On the other hand, Slingerz FC arrives with a legacy of success and an unyielding hunger for more.

Their unbeaten run in Group

C, including a hard-fought 10 win against Winners Connection and a stellar 3-0 victory in the semi-finals, showcases their attacking prowess and defensive strength, all aimed at securing that Elite League ticket.

Both teams have battled fiercely to reach this pivotal moment, standing on the brink of making history in senior football. Meanwhile, the change in venue and date is the result of a scheduling conflict at the Eve Leary Sports Ground in Kingston, Georgetown.

GFF Competition Director Troy Peters has urged fans to show their support by attending Sunday’s matches.

“This will be another weekend of intense competition from four incredibly talented teams.

I invite fans to join us on Sunday, showing support for their teams and players in what promises to be an electrifying afternoon.”

The Elite League represents GFF President Wayne Forde’s vision for advancing club football, serving as a crucial platform for players aspiring to transition into the national programme.

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 06, 2024

PAGE 25

Grange breaks silence about Jamaica Tallawahs fall out; commitment to cricket SportsMax - Minister of Sport Olivia Grange has pushed back at critics, as she insists that the ministry did its best to give support to the Jamaica Tallawahs.

Her response, in a statement on Thursday, follows widespread condemnation about the Government’s lack of support for the Tallawahs, which inevitably resulted in owner Kris Persaud moving the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 franchise from Jamaica to Antigua and Barbuda.

Grange pointed out that the ministry provided special support to the Tallawahs at the level that funds would permit, as they forwarded cash, and paid for coordinated services across the Government of Jamaica to facilitate the franchise. She added that t h e m i n i s t r y ’s S p o r t s Division and the Sports Development Foundation provided direct cash payments of J$13 million to J a m a i c a Ta l l a w a h s , including the purchase of tickets for matches, between 2015 and 2019.

The minister said the government incurred significant direct costs as it worked to facilitate the Tallawahs, as she revealed that the Sports Development Foundation undertook the cost for the importation of goods and equipment needed for use

Minister of Sport Olivia Grange and members of the Jamaica Tallawahs take a photo.

during cricket matches.

Additionally, Grange argued that her ministry also undertook the cost for various licenses and fees including for television broadcasts, as well as, negotiated with the Jamaica Urban Transit Company to provide transport service to the Tallawahs, and with the Jamaica Tourist Board to

market the team. Grange stated that she also successfully participated in discussions with private sector companies about sponsorship for the team.

“We did our best to give support to the Tallawahs.

The Tallawahs bear our country’s name, but are not a national team, and are therefore not covered in the

Minister Olivia Grange said the government provided direct cash payments of J$13 million to the, including the purchase of tickets for matches, between 2015 and 2019.

yearly allocations to the Jamaica Cricket Association. However, we have sought to provide special support to the Tallawahs at the level that our funds will permit,” the minister said in her statement.

Grange explained that it w a s d i ff i c u l t f o r t h e Government to go beyond its reach, citing that the Sports Development Foundation provided J$263 million in grants to all national sports federations in 2023.

“It is estimated that the Tallawahs require US$1 million each year—or more than J$150 million; but in order to give them more, we would have to cut funding to the more than 40 National Sports Federations, such as football, netball, track and field, who depend on government to run their programmes and have been requesting additional sums — which we are challenged to provide,” she noted.

On another note, Grange attended the handing over ceremony of 90 cricket kits from the Government of India to the Jamaica Cricket Association.

The handing over ceremony took place at the High Commission of India and represented the remainder of the 100 cricket kits promised to Jamaica by the Indian President, His Excellency Ram Nath Kovind, during his visit to the island in 2022.

The President had presented 10 kits during that initial visit.

Grange expressed gratitude to the High Commissioner, His Excellency Masakui Rungsung, and the Indian government for the gear “which will benefit young cricketers across the country.”

“This is one of the initiatives on which the High Commissioner and I have been working together as representatives of our respective governments in the interest

of cricket. We are also discussing a major project, about which I believe we will soon be in a position to update our respective stakeholders about,” Grange said.

Finally, she challenged the notion that the government was anticricket, pointing out that the J a m a i c a C r i c k e t Association receives more funding each year from the Sports Development Foundation than all other national federations except football and track and field.

This defence also came, as the government was also criticisied for missing out on a bid to host games during the ICC Twenty20 World Cup to be hosted in the Caribbean and United States later this year.

Jamaica and West Indies captain Rovman Powell and all-rounder Andre Russell recently expressed concern about the development and, by extension, the lack of international cricket being played locally.

Slingerz Football team boast an unbeaten record heading into tomorrow’s final.

rts Spo

The battle for GFF Elite League qualification happens tomorrow - Monedderlust Connection FC to clash with Slingerz FC for Elite League berth

Monedderlust FC will come up against Slingerz FC for a chance to secure GFF Elite League Cup berth.

Fixtures revealed for historic ICC Men’s Grange breaks silence about T20 World Cup 2024 in West Indies Jamaica Tallawahs fallout; Indies start against Papua New Guinea and the USA West at the Guyana National Stadium on June 2 commitment to cricket Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.