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January 16, 2021 - Vol. 15 No. 02

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participation of locals

Price $80

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Online readership yesterday, 119,909

Exxon faces SEC probe for allegedly inflating value of oil asset p.

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Govt. hiring lobbyist to do what Foreign Affairs Ministry could have done - Harmon

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Int’l court defers Exxon to bill Guyana/Venezuela Cops enforcing 8 Guyana for another border case p.8 COVID-19 measures unsuccessful well to January 25 selectively - Harmon p.

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Trump imposes sanctions on Chinese Stabroek block partner p.

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Fight erupts in chute as three remanded for Henry boys’ murder p.

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Tune in at 11:00am today on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM for a rebroadcast of The Glenn Lall Show which examines the need to protect our wealth for future generations

Kaieteur News

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Saturday January 16, 2021

Govt. hiring lobbyist to do what Foreign Affairs Ministry could have done - Harmon W

hile the subject of oil and gas was notably absent from his first media conference for 2021, Opposition leader, Joseph Harmon criticized the governing People's Progressive Party Civic's (PPP/C) decision to engage Washington's lobby firm, The Cormac Group, to represent its interests on the international front.

The Washington lobby firm had teamed up with Otto Reich Associates LLC back in 2020 to represent the PPP/C during the March 2, 2020 election fiasco alongside high-stakes public strategy firm, Mercury Public Affairs.

The Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry signed a six-month, US$25,000-per-month contract with The Cormac Group. It also provides for reimbursement for any out of pocket expenses related to

the engagement.

That contract was signed on December 28, 2020, by the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry, Elizabeth Harper, according to a newly disclosed filing with the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

The Cormac Group was reportedly hired for “Government relations and lobbying services,” and is “anticipated to include outreach to US congressional members and staff, executive branch officials and relevant private sector organizations.”

The Opposition leader however, is of the contention that the governing regime has clear cut access to a wellequipped Foreign Ministry that can perform the same

acts as The Cormac Group, thereby making it a nonsensical move to hire a separate lobbying firm.

“These are officers who are paid by the State to represent the interest of the state of this country and if you say you are doing that [hiring a lobbyist firm]; you are saying that you don't have interest as a government in your Foreign Service.

That is what this is saying and that rather than train Foreign Service officers to do what these lobbyists are doing, you are prepared to pay the US dollars to persons who are in positions to do what your own people could have done. That is the problem,” Harmon told the media.

Further to this, Harmon

Opposition leader, Joseph Harmon added that PPP/C is forced to hire lobbyists to push “false narratives.” This was the same argument held in 2020, when the PPP/C hired Mercury Public Affairs to represent its interests internationally for the

contentious elections.

“The reason why I believe the PPP/c always has to have lobbyists,” he noted “is because they always have to sell a narrative that is not true. If what you are coming with is the truth, the world will see it. Any administration will see it.

But when you have people who have to now spin that information, then you have to have spinners in your team.”

The Coalition had also hired its own lobbying firm in 2020, engaging the services of Washingtonbased lobbying firm John, James & Bart Limited Liability Company (JJ&B LLC) as a counter measure to the Mercury Hire.

But when asked whether the Opposition will be hiring another firm, Harmon hinted that it might still be utilizing the services of the firm.

“Our position is that we have always engaged in

speaking to the various capitals of the world,” Harmon answered, adding “We are not very wealthy and therefore we are not able to pay these high sums but there are people who have our interests at heart and who we have been dealing with over the last couple of months or thereabout and continue to deal with them and these are people who are properly positioned to be able to represent our interest, represent the true situation in Guyana.”

JJ&B LLC was hired to facilitate resolution of disputes regarding the recent presidential election in Guyana and to improve relations between the country and the US for the Coalition. Its contract was signed on April 20, 2020 for one-year with a US$40,000 monthly retainer.

It is unclear whether that contract has been terminated.

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 16, 2021

PAGE 03

Exxon faces SEC probe for allegedly inflating value of oil asset W

hile the media in Guyana kicks up a storm about the country's sloth to audit billions of dollars in costs submitted by ExxonMobil for its operations here, a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report published yesterday may put a kick in the government's step.

Tw o j o u r n a l i s t s , Christopher Matthews and Emily Glazer reported for the American businessfocused publication yesterday that ExxonMobil is the subject of an investigation by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), a powerful independent agency of the United States, tasked with maintaining the fairness and orderliness of markets.

The SEC was made to launch its investigation after an ExxonMobil employee

filed a whistleblower complaint, alleging that the oil supermajor inflated the value of an important petroleum asset in the United States Permian basin, according to WSJ. It noted that the US' whistleblower programme, among other things, allows the whistleblower to receive a cut from any imposed monetary penalty.

The whistleblower reportedly singled out ExxonMobil's Chief Executive Officer, Darren Woods in the complaint as setting unrealistic expectations for the company's performance in the basin.

WSJ reported that, in 2019, Woods said Exxon's production in the Permian basin would increase to one million barrels per day, a big jump over the previous target of 600,000 barrels by 2024.

“No one I knew in the

organisation thought this was possible; the pressure to deliver on Woods's promise to the market permeated the organisation,” WSJ reported the whistleblower as saying.

The publication reported the complaint as noting that several people involved in the valuation process for the asset in question complained during a 2019 internal assessment about the instructions they received.

The thrust of the complaints was reportedly that some employees were being strong-armed to use unrealistic assumptions to project or determine how quickly ExxonMobil could drill wells at the site, as this would result in a higher value for the asset.

ExxonMobil had acquired Permian acreage in 2017 for US$6.6 billion, said WSJ, and by 2018, some Exxon managers had pegged the net present value of the

acreage at US$60 billion.

On the other hand, the Journal said that some of Exxon's employees produced an estimation in 2019 that was closer to US$40 billion, and that the whistleblower said this took into account that it took longer than expected to drill wells in 2018.

But when the employees delivered the estimate to the development manager in Delaware, she reportedly instructed them to “claw back” some of the value by using more optimistic assumptions.

The complaint reportedly noted that when some employees produced the revision the manager asked for, they named the file “This is a Lie.” The Journal said the development planners ultimately estimated the net present value of the asset to be US$50 billion.

Exxon still to bill Guyana for another unsuccessful well

H

itting its second unsuccessful well within the space of just two months is ExxonMobil. This follows after the US oil giant announced yesterday that drilling at its Hassa-1 well in the lucrative Stabroek Block did not encounter any hydrocarbons. However, despite this company encountering a fruitless venture, like the Tanager-1 well in the Kaieteur Block, Guyana would still have to foot the hefty bill for the drilling of this hole.

“The Hassa-1 exploration well in the Stabroek block did not encounter hydrocarbons in the primary target reservoirs,” said ExxonMobil's Guyana Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Janelle Persaud, in a statement yesterday. “However, the well did encounter hydrocarbons in other intervals. We are evaluating the data which will be integrated into our regional subsurface interpretation and modelling,” she added.

Kaieteur News, yesterday, followed up with Persaud, requesting that

information be shared on the depth of which the Hassa-1 well was drilled, as well as the cost to drill the well. She, however, declined to say more than was offered in her statement.

The Hassa-1 well, which was drilled by the Don

2015 General and Regional elections.

The unqualified companies paid Guyana nothing for this block, as well as the Kaieteur concession, and were awarded with generous contractual terms.

Notably, The Stabroek

Ta y l o r, i s l o c a t e d approximately 30 miles east of the Liza field, near the Guyana-Suriname border, and south of the Canje Block.

The Canje offshore concession is one of the blocks given away by former President Donald Ramotar just days before the

Block contract allows the contractor to recover costs incurred from its exploration. In fact, Article 2.1 of Annex C (Accounting Procedure) states, “Exploration costs are all direct and allocated indirect expenditures incurred in the search for Petroleum in an

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area which is or was, at the time when such costs were incurred, in the Contract Area…”

These include seismic and other surveys and (continued on page 8)

WSJ, which noted previously reporting on disagreements about the valuation, said at least one of the complainants was fired, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The Journal said that a spokesperson for the SEC declined to comment on the matter of an investigation.

Similarly, Exxon spokesman Casey Norton reportedly refused to comment on that matter, as well as the question of any employee's performance or reason for separation from the company.

He reportedly only provided that if authorities asked the company about the 2019 assessment, it would provide information showing that Exxon's drilling performance exceeded the drilling estimates.

Following the report of the Wall Street Journal, ExxonMobil released a statement yesterday which pegged the “alleged” whistleblower's claims as “demonstrably false.”

It said that the employees who are alleged to have made the claims “lack the breadth and depth of

ExxonMobil's Chief Executive Officer, Darren Woods experience to understand how and why drilling curves are routinely revised as technologies improve and understanding of the resource base expands.”

To buttress this point, Exxon said that its unconventional drilling performance has historically increased in short time frames as engineers and planners gather more data.

It stated that there were multiple learning curves considered throughout the process, which took into consideration demonstrated learning curve performance in other unconventional projects. All in all, the company stands by the statements it has made to its investors.

NOTICE A driver's licence belonging to Leonard Westford of 168 Prospect Housing Scheme, EBD has been found. Please call Travis on 610-7829 to uplift.

PAGE 4

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 16, 2021

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

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

EDITORIAL

Wales’ gas-to-shore project It seems that the PPP government refuses to learn. It seems bent on repeating the costly errors of recent history.

This time, the undertaking of choice is the expensive gas to shore project now supposedly earmarked for Wales, as stated in very careful and limited fashion by the government’s Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo. The concern is that as the party’s leadership goes down that road, it is the taxpaying public, which is saddled with the bill, usually heavy debt, for which the interest alone can bring about buckling of the knees from bowing under the accumulated burdens.

But the usually talkative Vice President is closemouthed on the likely selection of the Wales site for the gas to shore project. This is now becoming a characteristic feature of the Vice President, the PPP government’s lead spokesperson on anything related to this country’s oil. On oil, he is strangely silent, and extremely guarded about what he has to say. Nonetheless, it would have been helpful, if any relevant studies supporting the choice of the Wales location could be released for public consumption. To date, nothing has been forthcoming, which looks like the way that it is going to be until the current government and its leaders are good and ready to throw any information to citizens for them to gnaw at and be contented.

As we share this, we wonder why Wales has arisen as a competing site for consideration. This is so, since the previous coalition government had commissioned studies on site feasibility during its time in office. The emphasis was on, among other components, where is the most costeffective place that the gas to shore project should be located. From a 2017 engagement with Energy Narrative, a consulting group, three possible locations were identified as suitable, with different strengths pinpointed. The potential sites identified were Georgetown by the Sophia substation, Clonbrook along the East Coast Demerara, and New Amsterdam close to the Canefield substation. As said before, each of the three sites has something going for it.

First, the Georgetown-Sophia connection could feed energy into the existing power apparatus for further electricity distribution across the national grid. It goes without saying that the Greater Georgetown area suffers from a state of near constant congestion, which may not make it the best possible location. Then, there was the New Amsterdam site, which has several positives on its side: 1) it is near the Canefield substation; 2) it offers space for the development of a deep-water facility; 3) it facilitates construction of a new industrial site; and 4) it enables breaking ground on new energy-intensive industries. Looking at New Amsterdam in a clinical way, it seems to have everything going for it, and is without comparison. Last, there was the Clonbrook, East Demerara proposed site, which has much space available for development, and is less busy than the capital city (and Sophia). Clonbrook also has this big one: it is the cheapest, meaning costing the least to deliver the natural gas to shore.

It is undeniable that a lot of study and work was done on a possible site for the gas to shore project. Though not known at this time, the cost of the studies could not have been cheap. So, the questions of the moment come down to this: why is the PPP government talking about another site? That is, why is the Vice President speaking about Wales as being under consideration to locate the gas to shore project? How long are we going to, through government after government, engage in these duplicative exercises that are never less than expensive and time consuming? The coalition did it, when it discarded almost everything that its predecessor in office had prioritized. Now the current PPP government is doing the same by ignoring whatever the coalition did before. It does so when it gives short thrift to the proposed Georgetown, New Amsterdam, and Clonbrook sites. It does so when it barrels full speed ahead with Wales seemingly being a done deal.

At the end of the day, Guyanese taxpayers have to foot the bill and borrowings to finance the project. This enormous one ranges from between US$300M to over

Solving the Henry Boys and Haresh’s Murders DEAR EDITOR, In reference to your news reports (KN Jan. 14, 15), I am pleased to read that the police appeared to have solved the murders of the Henry boys of West Berbice; the killings led to days of violence against Indians. The arrested killers of the Henry boys are Indians but race was not a factor in their killing. The police determined that drug was the factor in the killings. Apparently, the three accused and the two Henry boys knew each other as we are learning from the police reports. Apparently, they were with each other on the night of the killing. Why the boys were killed will be determined at a trial.

It was wrong for the accused to kill the boys. It was a heinous crime. The accused, if found guilty, must go to the gallows.

Race seemed to have been a factor in the killing of Haresh Singh; he could have been killed in reprisal of the two Henry cousins or because he knew the Henry boys – wrong place at the wrong time. Haresh was also a friend of the Henry boys.

As I penned from the

outset in August, the killings were drug related. The police were looking at the wrong causes for the killing.

Coconut was never a reason for the killing. And the police initially held the wrong people for the killings; police did an injustice to those people. It was the police’s confinement of owners and workers of the land where the bodies were found that led to the wave of racially inspired violence against Indians.

I happened to have studied criminology when I did my Sociology doctorate.

The gruesome manner in which the two boys were killed immediately suggested to me it was drug related. I penned accordingly and suggested that the police examined a drug angle.

Haresh’s killing was tied to the murders of the Henry boys. But what is not determined is why he was killed? Was it a race related reprisal killing? Did he know something? Did he know who killed the two boys and was silenced? Did he stumble upon some drug evidence?

Did he know who harvested the marijuana and burned the fields that angered the killers

of the Henry boys? Was there in-fighting over Ganja fields?

The three accused are not angels. They seem to have lived a life of crime, moving from one location to another, typical of growers of marijuana. The police will in due time provide answers to the above questions. Now that the police have solved the killing of the Henry boys, they need to do same with Haresh’s unsolved case.

Clearly, as inferred from the police, there was a turf war over marijuana fields. In reading media reports, it is clear that the three accused come from different areas.

They were lured to the planting of marijuana. It is a lucrative business and apparently they have been in the business for a while.

As we learn, the three accused were angry over their weed being harvested and the fields burnt. But they were not certain who harvested and burnt the fields.

They can’t go around killing people. Drugs are a killer not only because it destroys one’s health. But it destroys the brain.

The killers’ behaviour is

unacceptable even if they killed the boys while they were under the influence of weed, not acting rationally.

They must be brought to justice and it must be done expeditiously. Such a crime must not be tolerated. And strong measures are needed for drug related crimes.

Drug is a big problem in the country. All over, youngsters are smoking weed. Government needs to address this menace. As I learn from my studies in criminology, when a person is intoxicated from drugs, they act irrationally. They lose their senses.

They engage in violent acts. It is a danger to human life; measures must be taken to deter smoking of weed.

Police must make raids on weed fields.

The police have not made any arrest on Haresh Singh’s killing. Now that the police have solved Henry boys’ killings, the people who killed Haresh Singh must also be brought to justice. It would be good if police can bring Haresh’s inquiry to a closure as well.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Politics, Actions and the English Language DEAR EDITOR, From time immemorial the English language has been imbued with elements of ambiguity, although not more than any other language.

However, this ambiguity is not a quality of a language, but a quality of a human mind.

On January 6, a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters forced their way into Washington, the nation’s capital, hell bent on derailing the certification of presidentelect Joe Biden’s victory in the November elections.

They overwhelmed Capitol police, smashed windows, and forced lawmakers to scurry for safety.

Further trouble and confusion arose as politicians, lawmakers, educators, newspaper journalists, commentators and erudite alike struggled to find the appropriate name/term to describe actors and action. In his televised response to the violence, Biden settled for “insurrection”, some commentators termed it a “coup”, even appending the legal label “sedition”. Initially, headlines on CNN’s website referred to the Trump supporters as a “mob” and as “rioters”. Newsrooms

such as CBS told reporters that the people who stormed the Capitol could be called protestors, although some rejected such a label, the Washington Post went along with “mob”, while the Washington-based nonprofit media organisation National Public Radio (NPR) settled for pro-Trump extremists.

The BBC referred to them as “rebel Republicans” and a “violent pro-Trump mob.”

The world witnessed the acts; history recorded the facts, then why should confusion reign supreme as to the label that should be affixed to the actors.

It’s a national shame the absence of consensus on a name, for behaviour that was so plain. The truth be told, they needed to fit the events of that day under a neat label, by carefully selecting the term to be used in order to better inform how the country should respond.

The Analects an embodiment of Confucian ideas state that social disorder often stems from failure to call things by their proper names.

British novelist and critic George Orwell in his famous essay Politics and the English Language argued that our

US$500M. By any stretch, that is a huge amount of money, and it starts with the selection of the best possible site. Our hope is that leaders will put politics and any ulterior agendas aside, and ensure that Guyana gets this one right. We cannot afford to fail on something as big as this.

words can shape our thoughts, our politics and our actions. If misleading labels are applied to events, it can be harder to figure out how to respond. The people who stormed the Capitol should they be called a mob?

Were they rioters? Are they domestic terrorists?

Extremists? Revolutionists?

Terrorism is defined as the unlawful use of violence to coerce or intimidate a government or a people in furtherance of some social or political cause. However on January 6, that definition failed to meet the bar, because it was perpetrated by a certain ethnic group. When White people are involved, it is less likely to be perceived — or reported by news media — as terrorism, as currently in the U. S there are two coexisting narratives about terrorism. The first is that all terrorists are Muslims, which occasionally even translates into all Muslims are terrorists. The second is that white people are never terrorists.

President –elect Joe Biden used an array of terms to describe the perpetrators saying, “It’s not protest; it’s insurrection”. The folks at Merriam –Webster dictionary thoughtfully tweeted the definition of insurrection: We define insurrection as “an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government”.

Joshua Tucker, a politics

professor at New York University, takes particular issue with calling the violence a protest, which he says misrepresents the true nature of what took place. “When these people are called protestors”, said Tucker, “it gives this veneer of a legitimate form of participation in the democratic process”. Some contend that a coup must be a secret premeditated conspiracy by a small group of plotters, while others argue that it must involve the military, both of which would eliminate the events from the “coup” category.

He used an array of terms to describe the perpetrators, saying. “It’s not protest; it’s insurrection.” The folks at Merriam-Webster dictionary thoughtfully tweeted the definition of insurrection: We define ‘insurrection’ as “an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government.” As the debate continues regarding how the law should deal with the people who broke into the Capitol, hopefully the name to be used to describe the actors may also evolve. This displayed behaviour reflects not simply America’s double standard of lexical reluctance and racialism, but also her troubling insistence upon the basic innocence of Whiteness even when presenting evidence screams otherwise.

Y. Sam

Saturday January 16, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Seeding a rail system should be considered in the upcoming budget DEAR EDITOR, The plans to establish new highways and bridges for automobile usage in the upcoming budget are a sign of a healthy ambition in our new Administration. The economic reality before us does provide much insight into the shift occurring globally in more developed nations across Europe and Asia. For the movement of goods and people it has been shown that Rail is a much more economically feasible option over the long term when compared to the road system. It allows for agriculture, manufacturing and other productive sector development while also providing a less expensive means of transportation for citizens and visitors of these nations. The lower impact on the climate due to reduced greenhouse gas emissions is also very significant and should be incorporated into our Green State Development Strategy. The year 2025 is not far off and the President Elect of the USA plans to reaffirm

their commitment to the Paris Agreement. This will reenergize the global community’s efforts to accomplish the near term climate change goals. We as a nation must also do our part and raise the bar on our internal expectations.

The current Administration would benefit from taking a closer look at installing a Rail System that connects our regions and towns. A national transport system in the interim that also incorporates an improved ferry infrastructure will also help reduce the overall cost while allowing for more ecotourism. The upkeep of such a national transportation system is less over the long term and can withstand the elements much better than a road network in our tropical climate. The rainy seasons over the years have shown the pitfalls and expense associated with the current roadways. The ongoing move to electrical and autonomous automobiles will require very high standards

and an extremely reliable road and electricity network. These are areas that Guyana has struggled with over the decades and the rail system allows us to bypass these issues while still achieving the reliability, dependability, comfort and low energy consumption goals that the automotive industry is pursuing.

We must admit that the British had it correct the first time and there is no shame in being able to reverse the errors of the past. Our rail system if it was still in place today would have been the second oldest in the world.

Restoring it to its former glory re-establishes its heritage which we can leverage in our Tourism Sector. This also holds true in the case of an expansion of the system as is being proposed.

Our farmers, workers and the economy will thank The Parliament if such a transportation system is put in place. The roads will also become much safer and less congested. The Tourism

The Economic Saboteurs DEAR EDITOR, Another day brings in more revelations of financial mismanagement in KN 15th2021, “$116M Signed by Coalition to renovate Linden Call Center…” To add more insults $116M in materials can’t be accounted for. Are the supervising consultants mentioned in the article, still on the payroll? Has M&P Investments been blacklisted from future contracts?

The uneasiness with these audit reports is that the government is not reassuring the public that there are indeed guidelines and steps

currently in place for all these reported instances to prevent future porous exodus of funds, or ample supervision of consultants and the rest.

Without hesitation, I am stating that the inability to handle finances is a widespread problem in Guyana, giving rise to the need to have multiple audits a year.

More so, now that more millions/billions are being allocated to projects.

So much seems to hinge on just one person signing off on disbursement of funds without any accountability/ follow-up or supervision of

contractors and others.

Lai Xiaomin, the former Chinese Finance Minister, guilty of corruption, has been given a death sentence.

South Korea has upheld the 20-year corruption sentence of its Ex-president — and it’s a woman, by the way. ExFrench president, Sarkozy is facing corruption charges.

Countries 10 times the Guyanese population are taking a tough stance on financial corruption/ mismanagement. So, precisely what is the government going to do, with these economic saboteurs?

Chi Kansi

Sector will have much more to offer in sight-seeing and the everyday commuters will have more money in their pocket as a result of the savings.

The economic multiplier from establishing a rail and train system and the increased employment will be substantial as has been shown historically. It has always been a great catalyst

to an economic boom.

Overall, it is a much better and a more reliable infrastructure developmental option vs. that of the automobile and road system.

I am looking forward to the presentation of the upcoming budget and the clarification brought about by a constructive debate of the projects associated with such infrastructural investment

options. Each dollar spent must have the greatest positive long term impact possible. We are on the cusp of building a sustainable and successful future for Our Nation.

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

NIS launches additional life certificate service via Whatsapp DEAR EDITOR, The National Insurance is a Social Security organization that is committed to excellence. The Scheme constantly reviews the services provided to ensure that the highest quality is given.

Service, especially to our pensioners, is of outmost priority since NIS values the contributions of our Senior Citizens. Serving the growing pension’s population has become a great concern to the Scheme and other stakeholders.

This is especially true for our pensioners who reside

overseas and sometimes are forced to pay large sums of monies to complete their life certificates.

In keeping with our policy, the NIS has launched an additional service using video calls for the completion of life certificates. This will be done via Whatsapp on a cell phone.

The service will require pensioners providing a phone number, an email address and is available to persons living both locally and overseas.

Initially, six Officers have been identified to provide the service from Monday to Thursdays between 8:00hrs

to 16:30hrs and 8:00 hrs to 15:30hrs on Fridays.

The following cell numbers were assigned to the service. (i) 592-623-2801 (ii) 592-623-2802 (iii) 592-623-2803 (iv) 592-623-2804 (v) 592-623-2805 (vi) 592-623-2806 This newest service was officially launched yesterday (Friday, January 15, 2021) at the NIS Head Office Brickdam and Winterplace, Georgetown.

Dianne Lewis Baxter Publicity & Public Relations Officer

GECOM must correct the misinformation thousands and points to issues beyond the on Commissioners’ stipend editorial publication of Freddie DEAR EDITOR, Quite recently, in a letter to the editor, I advocated for media houses to do a fact check before reporting or publishing.

My recommendation, then, was occasioned by the numerous instances that Freddie Kissoon’s column, in Kaieteur News, innocently or maliciously misrepresented verifiable information; and

was unresponsive to factual corrections.

Kaieteur News on January 14 carried an article headlined: “GECOM Commissioners pocket $450,000 monthly even if they walk out of meetings”. The content of the article specified that $450,000 is the approximate monthly stipend “after tax”. This information is inaccurate by tens of

Kissoon’s diet of misinformation and misrepresentations.

I am therefore fortified in (Continued on page 6)

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Kaieteur News

Saturday January 16, 2021

I strongly oppose Govt.’s hiring lobbyists to do its Foreign Policy, Foreign Relations and Communications DEAR EDITOR, To be an effective political leader, it is important to have conceptual, technical and people skills. However, it is extremely difficult to find a political leader competent in all three of these areas. Most political leaders have very good people skills but are lacking in conceptual and technical skills. Hence, my conclusion is that most of the people who would perhaps be the best political leaders are in a laboratory at a university or work for international organisations, because they have very good conceptual and technical skills; fundamental to which is a deep understanding of processes, and how the various parts are connected and interconnected in order to function at maximum, but many of these people may lack the people skills that the political leaders have.

Where am I going with this? The dilemma in Guyana and perhaps many developing countries, is the deficit in leadership with conceptual and technical skills. The PPP/C government has now hired a lobbying firm or firms, as stated in the media, the role of which is to; ‘inform key members of the U.S. Congress, especially those with interest or responsibility for Western Hemispheric affairs, trade,

and economic development, about the importance of increasing US cooperation with the Guyanese Government and thus contribute to democracy, stability and prosperity in the region’.

The firm(s) also intend to engage the Washingtonbased public policy community, such as ‘Think Tanks’, non-governmental organisations and sections of the media to cover the importance of Guyana to democracy and stability in the region. Now Editor, I would like to clearly state that I strongly oppose the government hiring lobbyists to do its foreign policy, foreign relations, and communications.

I remember hearing talks even from the APNU+AFC that they should have hired lobbyists earlier, I disagree with this notion then and I disagree with it now. As a strategist and communications expert, I support recruiting a lobby firm, perhaps as a part of an elections campaign to project the image of a political party as the winning choice in an election but not under these circumstances.

Is the government planning to fire the Prime Minister and Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Communications? Since what

...GECOM must correct the From page 5 my call for fact checks. Any further such occurrence, of erroneous information being feed to the public, will only lead to one of two possible conclusions: professional incompetence or mal-intent.

It is also my sincere hope that GECOM finds it prudent

to correct the misinformation, referred to above, with the same alacrity of its response to the Press Release of three of its commissioners, on their withdrawal from the meeting of Jan 12, 2021.

Yours truly, Vincent Alexander GECOM Commissioner

these lobbyists will be doing, is exactly what the Prime Minister and Minister of Communications, both of whom have responsibility for government communications and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, whose ministry has responsibility for foreign relations.

What the Government ought to be doing is strengthening the internal capacity of the Prime Minister’s office, the Ministry of Communications and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, foreign relations; this is a more sustainable approach to our development.

I would like to assume that the U.S. Lawmakers are already aware of the importance of Guyana to democracy and stability in the region as the only Englishspeaking country on the South American mainland and now an oil producing and exporting country. That is what our Embassy in Washington DC is there to do. Let us strengthen our foreign relations with the United Nations, Organisation of American States, CARCOM, and other international and regional organizations, as well as our bilateral relations with other countries.

It is ironic that the same day when this news story was published, I saw in the media, residents on the East Coast of Demerara, complaining about issues in the process of the distribution of the G$25,000 cash support for COVID-19. Additionally, the government is apparently giving everybody $25,000, the only difference is that while the Guyanese citizens are getting G$25,000, others are getting US$25,000 to do the government and public servants’ work.

This PPP/C government has really become a business entity. It has departed far from Dr. Cheddi Jagan’s vision for the party, as a working-class political representative body, into an elite business entity which is more ‘Jagdeoism’.

This economy will grow by 26 percent in 2021, and the government is still in a poverty reduction mode, it has not shifted its approach to governance focusing on wealth management, neither does it have a plan for reorienting the Guyanese population and institutions, to do wealth management; our youths are still being charged for stealing mobile phones.

Last week I read a report where the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security had established a ‘Difficult Circumstances Unit’. While this is a good idea to provide support, particularly in a pandemic, the government has just taken away hundreds of decent jobs from public servants, and in most cases, for no reason or no justifiable reason, but now sets up a ‘Difficult Circumstances Unit’ which is offering G$25,000 grants. So, the government has taken away good jobs from citizens and this action has thrown many of them into difficult circumstances, and now the government finds a solution, by setting up this unit. I would like to know how the lobbyists will explain that to the US Congress as being a democratic approach to governance. Citizens need jobs, they want to use their talent and expertise to contribute towards the growth development of their families, communities, and country.

Additionally, what is the government’s development programme that the lobbyists

will communicate to the US lawmakers, because many of us are still trying to understand what it really is.

While I understand the issues that the government is trying to address, I totally disagree that the best approach is to hire lobbyists.

I believe that this is reducing the significance of Guyana’s foreign relations and a slap in the faces of the individuals and agencies with responsibility for these aspects of government and the people’s business.

A more accepted approach would be to explore with the US, UK, Canadian, EU, United Nations International Affairs, for high level experts and advisors, to provide support for an institutional strengthening programme. The United States Embassy in Guyana, as well as the Guyana Embassy in Washington DC are conduits for the same kind of engagements the lobbyists intend to do. The government has citizens with PhDs, Master ’s and bachelor ’s degrees, as well as those who are committed and hardworking, with a wealth of experience and expertise but were dismissed over the past months, utilize these people, and pay them that five million per month.

As in the case of the APNU+AFC and the PPP/C, if both governments had really governed to the satisfaction of the Guyanese people, the need for lobbyists would have been reduced.

The government’s approach to hiring the lobbying firm is symptomatic to how our leaders approach problem-solving. We have a road safety problem, and the solution is to place speed humps at almost every corner,

while the real problem is, behavioral and attitudinal.

Georgetown floods when it rains largely due to lack of maintenance of the drainage systems, and we talk of moving the city. I do agree that we need more cities but our flooding problem in Georgetown is also a maintenance problem.

So now the government is being projected as a racist, undemocratic business entity and instead of changing its governance approach and becoming more inclusive, it continues to marginalize half of the population but hires lobbyists to make it look good to the US Congress.

I am running for President in 2025 and our small technical team has already developed a framework for a ‘Social and Economic Development Programme for Guyana from 2025 -2030’.

We have already developed a framework for a communications strategy for the country and have been examining where the skills and expertise will come from.

We will establish a c o m p r e h e n s i v e communications Ministry, mostly with skills and expertise from right in the country. Additionally, we are working on a diaspora programme that will be specific and dynamic.

Finally, I am confident that the US lawmakers are much more interested in the government being more inclusive, respecting the rule of law, cleaning up its act on corruption, reducing inequalities and creating opportunities for all Guyanese.

Yours faithfully, Citizen Audreyanna Thomas Presidential Candidate 2025

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Saturday January 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that ExxonMobil is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission for forcing some of its employees to overvalue its Permian Basin Asset.

Are our leaders paying attention to this and what it means for Guyana?

How much more do we need to see before we slow down the rapid pace at which we are granting project approvals for this oil company to heap more bills on us?

Brothers and Sisters, Guyana is still auditing costs totalling US$460M that the company said it incurred between 1999 and 2015 in the Stabroek Block. It is highly likely Guyana may end up with overstated costs.

Guyanese, we need to stand up and demand that the PPP/C Govt. release the audit reports of these costs to see just how much has been overstated.

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Cops enforcing COVID-19 measures selectively

L

eader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon, was keen to register y e s t e r d a y, h i s discontentment with the selective implementation of the regulations under the Official Gazette of COVID19 measures set to protect citizens from the virus.

During his first media conference for the year, Harmon claimed that officers of the Guyana Police Force are not enforcing the measures in a fair manner as he stated, “Some people are not touched.

The sacred cows are not touched. They are allowed to do what they want and other people are shut down,” Harmon said.

He lamented that the authorities cannot behave in such an arbitrary manner given that Guyana is such a small country.

- Opposition Leader Since the first COVID19 case was recorded in March and gazetted measures were put in place, persons have been complaining about there being a double standard in enforcing the measures, mainly by the police force.

This included the shutting down of businesses, namely: bars, rum shops, restaurants with indoor dining and others hosting various forms of social gatherings. Notably, all of the gazetted measures for COVID-19 published thus far have imposed strict bans on the opening of such businesses.

Months ago, Prime Minister, Mark Phillips, had announced that businesses found noncompliant with the measures would be closed.

But according to Harmon's statement yesterday, he believes the measures proposed by the Prime Minister are being imposed in a discriminatory manner.

With this in mind, Harmon said, “It appears to me when I look to see what the Minister is saying and what his colleagues are doing… you have two different kinds of approaches to this issue in the administration.”

He further stated that “COVID-19 is no respecter of person” and that the new strain affects both young and old persons, adding that a variant has been detected in Brazil, Guyana's immediate neighbour.

With all of the information at the country's (continued on page 14)

Saturday January 16, 2021

International court defers Guyana/Venezuela border case to January 25

ICJ President, Abdulqawi-Ahmed-Yusuf

T

he International Court of Justice (ICJ) has deferred its Case Management Conference (CMC) for Guyana/Venezuela Border case to January 25, 2021.

The CMC hearing for the 1 8 9 9 A r b i t r a l Aw a r d between Guyana and Venezuela, which is under question, was scheduled to continue on January 15, 2 0 2 1 . H o w e v e r, t h i s newspaper was reliably informed that the Court belatedly decided to shift the hearing to later this month.

The update on the matter before the ICJ comes even as Heads of the two countries locked horns on the controversial issue.

On January 7, last, Ve n e z u e l a ' s P r e s i d e n t , Nicolas Maduro, issued a

decree disregarding the decision and claiming exclusive sovereign rights to the Essequibo regions of Guyana. The decree came less than one month after the ICJ ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the case.

The move was however met with rejection from Guyana's President Ifraan Ali, who noted that the nation has strong support from its regional and international counterparts.

So far, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Canada, the United States of America (USA), the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Commonwealth have issued statements condemning the “decree.”

Each group has since advocated for the process

currently before the ICJ to be respected towards finding a peaceful resolution of controversy, which has spanned to the decades old controversy.

Of note, CARICOM in its statement stressed that it is deeply disappointed and concerned at the decree and subsequent statements by Venezuela with respect to that country's border controversy with Guyana, including intimations of the creation of a strategic area of national development called “ Te r r i t o r y f o r t h e Development of the Atlantic Façade.”

CARICOM therefore reiterated in the strongest possible terms its firm and unswerving support for the maintenance and preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana.

CARICOM firmly repudiates any acts of aggression by Venezuela against Guyana.

Further, on Thursday, January 14, 2021, Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral, the Rt. Patricia Scotland, issued a statement r e i t e r a t i n g t h e “Commonwealth's unequivocal support for the maintenance and safeguarding of Guyana's sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Exxon still to bill Guyana...

From page 3 studies, core hole drilling and water well drilling, labour materials and equipment used in drilling exploration and appraisal wells, general and administrative costs, annual overhead charges allocated to exploration costs, and any other contract costs incurred in the search for an appraisal of petroleum after the effective date of the contract.

N o t a b l y, t h e International Monetary Fund (IMF), years ago, pointed to the need for Guyana to review its rules for cost recovery but subsequent administrations have shown little to no political will to enforce the rules as they stand, by auditing and scrutinizing all of the costs being claimed for recovery.

Each well drilled adds more and more to the billions

of US dollars in expenses oil companies are racking up to fund their offshore operations.

The more those bills go up, the lower Guyana's profits are from the sale of its c r u d e . C o n c e r n i n g l y, Guyana has a small window to scrutinize and challenge the costs being claimed by oil companies.

In all of the oil deals signed, Annex C states that Guyana's right to “audit and inspecting the contractor's accounts and records for any particular calendar year extends only 'within two (2) years from the end of each such Year'.”

Oil companies have, over the years, drilled wells in the Stabroek, Kaieteur, Orinduik, and other licences, but the only cost that the government is actually

working on scrutinizing is that of the US$460M precontract costs from the Stabroek Block agreement.

It has taken almost a year for the UK firm, IHS Markit to conduct this audit. So far, the newly elected Irfaan Ali administration has shown no interest in scrutinizing these costs at a pace that will allow Guyana to legally challenge them.

ExxonMobil has since initiated drilling in Bulletwood-1in the third block it operates called the Canje Block. This well is anticipated to hold about 500 million barrels of oil equivalent resources, and the prospect is being termed a 'Liza look-alike.' Whether or not this anticipated drilling yields a commercial find, Guyana will have to foot the bill.

Saturday January 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

The President should have a chat with young Ramson T

he President of G u y a n a , D r.

Irfaan Ali, should carefully consider the continued involvement of Mr. Charles Ramson Jnr. as the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport. The decision to de-recognize the Guyana Cricket Board and to ban officials of that body from accessing the National Stadium is better associated with a Donald Trump administration than with a democratically elected government which has promised inclusion.

Such high-handed actions have no place in democratic governance. And should not be condoned or countenanced.

The present impasse was triggered by a mere difference of opinion as to whether the National Stadium was damaged following a football match held there under sodden conditions over the holidays.

The Guyana Cricket Board says that the pitch and outfield were damaged and was of the view that the football match should not have been allowed to be played under such conditions.

This assessment was supported by the Manager of the National Stadium, Anthony Xavier. He was quoted by the Kaieteur News as saying, “The six pitches

Dem

boys seh...

D

em boys seh h o w d e government nah want de Cricket Board fuh go to de Stadium. So dem boys hope that when cricket come, dat dem same government people nah gan deh phoning dem Cricket Board officials fuh free ticket fuh go in de pavilion.

Dem boys seh nuff of dem government officials does like de free liquor and free food wah does deh sharing during de match.

Some ah dem does send fuh ticket fuh dem whole family, including dem sweet woman.

And when dem guh to de match dem mo interested in de food and drinks dan wah

on the square and almost the entire playing area on the ground, including the bowler's run-ups are in a terrible condition due to the Football which was played there in the rain.” He further related that the Head Curator of the Stadium has indicated that it would take at least six weeks to get the venue in shape to host cricket.

The Minister was not in agreement with the assessment of damage of the 'square' and the outfield and, following a tour of the stadium, lashed out at the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB). He was quoted in the media as saying, ' It was brought to my attention that a body that calls themselves (sic) GCB wrote to the …”

This was followed later by a prohibition of officials of the GCB assessing the stadium, and a statement effectively de-recognizing that body.

This reaction by the Minister represents a case of overreach. It is hard to reconcile the nonrecognition of the GCB because of the violations of the Cricket Administration Act when the government has not lawfully challenged any such violation. On the contrary, it is the GCB which has challenged the legality of the Cricket Administration Act. Furthermore, the GCB has not been de-legitimized

by the Courts or by the West Indies Cricket Board. The GCB remains the representative body for cricket in Guyana.

It is equally difficult to reconcile the Minister's derecognition of the GCB with the revelation by that body that the very Minister, upon assuming office, had summoned the GCB to a meeting in which all executives, except three attended. This is at odds with the present contention that the GCB has been derecognized for the past five months. The GCB could not have been de-recognized if it has been invited to meet with the Minister.

T h e P P P C administration is once again pursuing confrontation with the GCB. This approach will hurt local cricket at a time when a number of Guyanese cricketers have an excellent chance of becoming permanent fixtures in the West Indies cricket teams.

Already, the reckless decision to host football at the stadium has affected the local team's preparation since the ground cannot be ready in time to host the three trial matches from which the side to represent Guyana will be selected.

This means that the local team will be denied the opportunity of having trial matches on the sward where

Cricket can't play pun football ground tekkin' place pun de field.

But since now de government nah recognize de Cricket Board, nuff of dem government officials dem nah gan be able to share in de freeness.

Dem can stay at home and watch de match pun TV or listen to it pun de radio, like wah dem boys used to do long ago.

Dem boys wan know how yuh gan play football pun a place weh gat fuh hold cricket match. Dem inspectors from foreign gan come and when dem see peg marks in the ground, dem gan disqualify de venue.

Imagine a ball get hit to long on and de player bend down to field it, only fuh de ball to

hit a peg hole and fly straight in he face. Dat is why yuh can't keep certain sports weh cricket gat fuh play.

Is de same thing when dem cricket ground pun de East Coast used to hold grass track race meeting.

By de time dem motor cycles done with de field, it does tek years fuh put back in order.

Dat is why dem boys seh nah hold football weh cricket gat fuh play. Nah put grass track meeting weh football gat fuh hold and nah play hockey pun basketball court unless yuh laying yuh own artificial surface.

Talk half and wait fuh see wah gan happen with football at de stadium.

one of the rounds of the Super 50 tournament will be held.

The public has every reason to be concerned about the government's actions.

Guyana is competing with more than 13 other territories for the hosting of regional and international cricket matches.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has strict standards which have to be satisfied for the hosting of matches. If Guyana hopes to have any chance of hosting any major tournament or visiting international team, it

cannot afford to have problems with its ground and pitch preparation.

The issue of derecognition of the GCB is pernicious. The ICC has codes against political interference in the administration of cricket.

The ICC Constitution forbids political interference in the administration of cricket. In 2019 Zimbabwe was suspended from the ICC because of government interference in cricket administration.

The recent action of preventing GCB officials from accessing the National Stadium is petty, arrogant

and autocratic. A simple difference of opinion as to whether a football match should have been hosted in wet conditions ought not to have led to such imperious actions.

Today, it is cricket, tomorrow it might be some other sport that will come under the hammer. The President has a duty to stop this cavalier approach to governance. He has a duty to act now to bring redress to executive high-handedness.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Saturday January 16, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

When demented minds turned a drugrelated murder into political savageness I

repeat the following words that I wrote in my column, “AfroGuyanese in 2020: Bonfires of deceit,” of Tuesday, January 5, 2020, “The greatest irony in philosophy is that something that is wrong can also be logical.”

Trump in the US, PNC and AFC leaders in Guyana were wrong to incite people.

But, there is an objective logic that exists in reality that makes you understand why they did it even though when you understand the logic you will pronounce on what they did as wrong.

P o w e r- h o l d e r s l i k e Trump, Granger, etc., do not w a n t t o l o s e p o w e r.

Situations where power can be retained will be shaped and twisted to fit the

cravings of the people who want to retain power at all cost.

It was clear to any honest mind that it was extremely stupid for Indian people to murder two African youths in wild triumphalism after Dr. Ali became president.

Their party won. There is no vexation. Why then kill your detractors rather than celebrate the victory?

The PNC, the AFC and their racist surrogates put a political twist to the homicides of the two Henry cousins for the purpose of creating national mayhem so it can generate international pressure for power sharing.

That was wrong, indefensible, immoral, ugly and uncivilized but it was logical in the context of

realpolitik. Leaders create wars so as to birth domestic confusion to stay in power.

Trump may even start a war with Iran to divert attention from his current problems.

What was both wrong and illogical is how certain civil society organizations fed the immorality of the PNC and AFC by strengthening the dangerous, evil and violent racist demagoguery over the murder of the Henry cousins.

Here is what I wrote about the murders in a column titled “Claudette Singh: The 2020 election and the Region Five mayhem” as early as Sunday, September 13, 2020 - “Was it a random murder that the PNC zeroed in on to create a race war to ensure it has a

place at the post-violence settlement? Some theories making the rounds are that it could have been unmitigated vengeance by drug people who the cousins had a falling out with.

Another theory is that it was an invention by political opportunists in the leadership of the PNC and AFC as the beginning of a protracted war of “mo fyaah, slo fyaah.”

The strongest theory making the rounds in September last year, was that the Henry boys were killed in a drug war. The area was a haven of marijuana cultivations, which the police had raided and burnt some farms weeks before the Henry cousins got killed.

Yet from September until this very month, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), civil society groups like those hypocritical women organizations kept the violent and inciting vocabulary going about the race factor in the murder. It is as if they wanted that to be the answer so it can fit into their anti-PPP agenda.

You can hate the PPP if you want. You can knock your head on a wall in disgust that the PPP won the March election but the PPP is not Guyana. Your country is

bigger than the PPP. The rigging of the election was not about the PPP. It was about saving Guyana.

Looking objectively about the Henry murders was not about the PPP. It was about saving Guyana from ethnic implosion.

Frederick Kissoon M y problem in this country is how groups and individuals whose narrative can lead to the disintegration of Guyana are allowed to be accepted in the mainstream of society, when their actions are so harmful.

The GHRA became a surrogate for the PNC and AFC in shaping the conversation about the Henry murders having an ethnic motive.

A mainstream newspaper was providing huge space among its pages devoted to what this organization was

inciting in relation to the Henry murders. How do you explain this sociological and journalistic aberration in a modern society, especially in the light of how wild speeches in the US were undermining American democracy?

Many innocent Indians were badly beaten and robbed because these civil s o c i e t y o rg a n i z a t i o n s sponsored the violent, racist rhetoric of David Granger and Joe Harmon when, both men went to Region Five in September last year and i n c i t e d t h e i r constituencies to create physical harm on innocent Guyanese. Kit Nascimento highlighted what happened to a 16-year-old girl and her grandmother (see my c o l u m n o f M o n d a y, September 21, 2020, “Helpless 16 year old girl, her grandmother and three LGBT victims.”) The GHRA, these hypocritical women groups, and others are enemies of democracy.

Young Guyanese should hold them accountable. But this will never happen because this is stupid Guyana.

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

Saturday January 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Enrico Woolford sues NCN for close to $8M in gratuity, other benefits V eteran Journalist and former Chief Executive O ff i c e r ( C E O ) o f t h e National Communications Network (NCN), Enrico Woolford, who was fired shortly after the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) came into Office last August, has sued the State-owned company for some $7,796,688 in unpaid benefits.

A ccording to court documents filed earlier this month, Woolford is claiming that the amount owed is for his vacation allowance and gratuity. The former CEO has asked the court to issue

Saturday January 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Enrico Woolford, Veteran Journalist and former CEO of NCN

several declarations including the contractual benefits, which were afforded to him by the

company.

In an affidavit drafted by his lawyer, Eusi Anderson, Woolford explained that

Haslington man nabbed with gun and ammo

during his employment as General Manager of NCN he was unable to exhaust all of his contractual benefits.

As such, he said that at the date of effective termination, he became entitled to the accrued benefits.

He said that this includes the accrued vacation allowance for the period January 1, 2019 to July 31, 2020 and accrued 2018/2019 annual/vacation leave of 18 days. He said he also has a c c r u e d 2 0 1 9 annual/vacation leave of 30 days and 15 days for last year.

As it relates to his (continued on page 13)

The firearm and ammunitions the ranks discovered

A

2 6 - y e a r- o l d m a n o f Haslington, East Coast Demerara, was on Thursday nabbed with an illegal firearm and ammunitions in his possession at Tiger Creek, Puruni Road.

Reports are that the police were on patrol duty in the area, when they approached the man who

was at a shop.

A search was conducted on the man. Following this exercise, ranks discovered a silver 3.2 Taurus Pistol with its serial number removed, along with two matching rounds of ammunitions in his haversack.

He was subsequently arrested and is in custody assisting with the investigation.

Hururu man jailed for ganja possession

A

25-year-old man of Hururu Mission, Upper Berbice River, was on Thursday sentenced to two years in prison for the possession of 1,040 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Delon Rose appeared before Magistrate Wanada Fortune via zoom at the Linden Magistrate's Court, where the charge was read to him. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years imprisonment.

Kaieteur News understands that on Tuesday, ranks from the Ituni Police Station stopped a mini bus in front of the Station and conducted a search on the passengers and their personal belongings.

It was there the ranks discovered a five-gallon

Jailed: Delon Rose bucket belonging to the suspect, which contained 30 bags of seeds, leaves and stems suspected to be cannabis. The suspect was arrested and an investigation was launched.

Saturday January 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reform in place T

he Parliamentary Constitutional R e f o r m Committee has been installed wi t h L e g a l Affairs Minister and A t t o r n e y General, Anil Nandlall as the Chairman.

The Committee has a mandate to continually review the effectiveness of the working of the Constitution and making periodic reports there on to the National Assembly, with proposal for reforms as necessary.

Among the list of Committee members are Ed u catio n M in is ter, Priya Manickchand; Sports Minister, Charles Ramson; Public Service Minister, Sonia Parag; and Member of Parliament (MP), Sanjeev Datadin.

Representing the Opposition on the Committee are MPs Khemraj Ramjattan, R a p h a e l Tr o t m a n a n d Nicolette Henry, along with Amanza Walton-Desir.

To assist in its work, the Committee has the power to co-opt experts or enlist the aid of other p e r s o n s o f a ppropriate expertise, whether or not such experts or other persons are members of the National Assembly.

B oth of the major political parties, the governing People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) and the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change

(APNU+AFC) have for years peddled a rhetoric of undertaking constitutional reform, as recorded in the recent and past manifestos of both parties.

Even before the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections fiasco, constitutional reform was placed high o n the agenda for the People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C).

The push for it came tenfold however, after the elections ordeal with numerous stakeholders i n c l u d i n g t h e C a rter Center, CARICOM and the European Union calling for constitutional reform to be the utmost priority for the newly installed regime.

T h e p r e v i o u s Constitutional Reform Committee was headed by the then AG, Basil Williams and consisted o f f a m i liar faces – Ramjattan, Trotman, Henry and then Public Service Minister Rupert Roopnarine along with the new AG, Minister Manickchand, Health Minister Frank Anthony and MP Adrian Anamayah.

However, that Committee boasted a scanty track record as it only met less than seven times in five years, as data show.

The new Committee is expected to have its next meeting sometime soon where a Vice Chairman will be elected.

Enrico Woolford sues NCN for close to $8M in...

From page 12 a c c r u e d g r a t u i t y, t h e applicant contends that it is for the first 12 days of April 2018, July 1 to December 31 of the same year, all of 2019 and again from January 1 to July 31 of last year—altogether amounting to a total of $7,796,688.

He said, too, that the benefits ought to have been paid at the date of termination, adding that there is no excuse in law for the company's repeated failure to pay.

To this end, Woolford

explained in the document that NCN's Human Resources Manager, Lissette Nurse, informed him that he will be given $1,299,488 per month until the unpaid benefits are paid in light of the company's financial position.

However, he said this has not been forthcoming.

He therefore contends, “There is no excuse in law for [NCN] repeated failure to pay the benefits almost several months after they become due and payable.”

PAGE 13

Saturday January 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Trump imposes fresh Law must mandate the minimum participation of sanctions on Exxon's Chinese Stabroek Block partner locals - US Oil Analyst

W

ith aim of ensuring that citizens benefit to the maximum extent possible from the lucrative oil and gas sector, Guyana's laws should mandate a minimum target for the participation of locals.

This was opined by Arthur Deakin, an Analyst at Americas Market Intelligence (AMI), during his debut appearance on Kaieteur Radio's Guyana Oil & You, on Thursday.

“I think one measure that is rather simple and something that is important to include is a certain threshold, a certain minimum of local contracting that is required in the oil and gas development,” Deakin said, while adding that once that threshold has been defined, it should be written into law so that it could be implemented.

Last year, Kaieteur News would have disclosed through several comprehensive pieces, how its neighbour, Suriname, takes local content seriously while showing some of the legal provisions it has in place to protect the interest of its people in the oil sector.

Notably, the Surinamese Petroleum Law explicitly

Americas Market Intelligence Analyst, Arthur Deakin mandates that the employment of foreign personnel is strictly limited to functions for which there are no experienced and qualified Surinamese nationals available.

In layman terms, this means, than unless Surinamese are not qualified for a job, locals must always be chosen in front of foreigners/ expatriates.

The Dutch country's Petroleum Laws go on to mandate that oil companies must utilize all possibilities so that Surinamese nationals can gain expertise in and acquire

responsible positions in the activities within the law.

Concerningly, this rigid rule is absent from the Local Content Policy that was finalized by United Kingdom Consultant, Dr. Michael Warner—who ExxonMobil happens to be a client of. In a series of articles, Kaieteur News had exposed how Dr. Warner had ignored and removed key recommendations to give Guyanese an advantage in the oil sector.

Furthermore, Surinamese Petroleum Laws also mandate that companies are required to provide a report demonstrating the number of employees that are engaged in petroleum operations in Suriname.

They must be identified by nationality to the extent that providing such information does not cause the contractor to violate any laws. This report must be submitted no later than 90 days following the end of each calendar year.

This unbending provision is also missing from the Guyana laws, as well as the Production Signing Agreement (PSA) signed between government and ExxonMobil. In fact, this oil major continues to ignore calls to submit a breakdown of the job description, salaries, and even the plans in place to increase local workforce in its operations by more than 55%.

J

ust one week away from his removal from office, United States President Donald Trump has imposed another set of fresh sanctions on some Chinese officials and firms, including ExxonMobil's Chinese partner in the Stabroek Block, CNOOC Limited.

The company has a 25 percent stake in the lucrative Guyana asset, while ExxonMobil and Hess have 45 percent and 30 percent stakes respectively. Reuters reported the sanctions, noting that they are for alleged misdeeds in the South China Sea. America's claim is that executives of Chinese state enterprises, officials of the Chinese Communist Party and military are using coercion against states with rival claims in the South China Sea. It claims CNOOC is linked to the Chinese military.

Reuters reported the US Commerce Department's Secretary Wilbur Ross as calling China “a bully for the People's Liberation Army to intimidate China's neighbours.”

Notably, the restrictions would not apply to crude, refined fuels and liquid natural gas and do not apply to existing joint ventures with CNOOC that do not operate in the South China Sea, Senior US officials told reporters. This means that

CNOOC's logo at its Beijing HQ, in April 2018. (Reuters)

Stabroek Block operations would be unaffected.

In announcing the sanctions, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said “The United States stands with Southeast Asian claimant states seeking to defend their sovereign rights and interests, consistent with international law.”

Pompeo said that the US was imposing visa restrictions on key executives linked to the Chinese Communist Party, military, and companies, specifically for those “responsible for, or complicit in, either the large-scale reclamation, construction, or militarization of disputed outposts in the South China Sea, or use of coercion against Southeast Asian claimants to inhibit their access to offshore resources.”

Reuters said Chinese foreign military spokesperson Zhao Lijian registered China's rejection of the new sanctions, saying “This action is against the trend of the times and is

against its self-touted market competition and international economic trade rules.”

Meanwhile, Reuters said the US has added more countries to another blacklist which CNOOC was already placed on, since last month.

Addition to the list subjects the companies to a November 12 executive order from Tr u m p w h i c h b a n n e d Americans from investing in firms it deems tied to the C h in es e mi lita r y, an d requires Americans to divest any current holdings.

The grounds of the order state that China “is increasingly exploiting the United States capital to resource and to enable the development and modernization of its military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses…”

China rejected this move as well. It had no bearing on Stabroek block business, but CNOOC said in its 2019 annual report that its American firms may be ordered to sever ties with it.

Cops enforcing COVID-19 measures selectively From page 8 disposal, Harmon said there is a need for stronger measures to be put in place, which includes a ramp-up in measures at the borders.

In his statement, Harmon also confronted the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand's decision to reopen schools for face-toface classes.

Schools were given the go-ahead for a conditional reopening for face-to-face classes in the Gazetted COVID-19 measures for the month of November last year. It was an overall collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, which was previously reported by this newspaper.

Saturday January 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

Indigenous Affairs Ministry failed to recover $8.5M overpaid to contractor - AG report

I

t has been revealed in the 2019 Auditor General's Report that the Ministry of Indigenous P e o p l e s A ff a i r s ( n o w Ministry of Amerindian Affairs) failed to collect $8.597 million overpaid to a contractor for excavation, land filling, drain construction, and concrete works done at a student dormitory in Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

According to the report, the contract valued at $13 million was awarded to the contractor for the works and was paid in full.

However, the 2018 Auditor General's report had stated that a physical verification was conducted in

April 2013 and it was reported that the contractor was overpaid $7.869 million. “The competent officer for the project requested remeasurement of the works since the contractor disputed the amount stated as overpaid,� that report outlined.

It further stated that based on the revisit and levelling exercise conducted in April 2014 and physical measurements that were taken, it was determined that the sum of money overpaid to the contractor was $8.597M, which is an increase of $728,000 from the initial $7.869 million.

Kaieteur News understands that in 2017, the

Ministry successfully contacted the contractor and made him aware of his indebtedness in a letter, but in return, he served the Ministry with a letter from his legal representative denying his indebtedness. Both letters were forwarded to the Solicitor General's Office for advice on direction and a reminder was also sent in 2018.

The 2019 report noted the previous engagements with the Ministry and the Solicitor General's Office stating that their last correspondence was dated July 29 last year.

Adding to that, at the time of reporting in November last year the Ministry had still not recovered the money

Fallen tree kills cook at Neesano Backdam, NWD

A

cook was on We d n e s d a y killed after a tree fell on her at Neesano B a c k d a m , N o r t h We s t District. The dead woman, who was a mother of two, has been identified as Domelley Cyrus, of Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

According to a police report, the incident occurred around 14:00 hrs. at a mining camp owned by Trevor Ammon. He operates a fourinch dredge at Neesano Backdam. Reports are that on

January 9, the 32-year-old woman started working with the man as a cook at his camp.

The owner reportedly told police that on the day of the incident, he and his crew left for work as normal, leaving Cyrus cooking at the camp.

Sometime around 14:00 hrs., he received information that a tree had fallen on his camp and he immediately left to inquire.

Upon arriving at the scene, Ammon reported that he saw the woman lying face up, covered by the fallen tree.

After managing to remove the tree, a report was made to the Matthew's Ridge Police Station.

The woman was taken to the Port Kaituma District Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor. Reports are that she received injuries about her head.

Her body was taken to the Port Kaituma Mortuary, where it is awaiting a post mortem examination. Cyrus leaves to mourn her two children and her husband.

60 new infections added to COVID-19 case toll

T

he Ministry of Health yesterday reported that 60 new infections have been added to the country's COVID-19 case toll.

Its daily dashboard update shows the number of

confirmed cases increased to 6,805.

The dashboard further showed four persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 55 in institutional isolation, 493 in home isolation and 34 in institutional

isolation.

An additional 16 persons have recovered from the virus with the total number of recoveries now at 6,083.

The COVID-19 death toll remai n s a t 1 7 0 deaths.

The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Building

overpaid to the contractor.

In the Ministry's response, the Head of the Budget Agency gave an explanation where he/she said that the Ministry is still awaiting a response from the Solicitor General's Office.

The Auditor General has since recommended that the Head of the Budget Agency continues to follow up on the matter with the aim of recovering the money from the contractor.

A follow up on the

implementation of Prior Year Audit Recommendations (for the year of 2018) outlined that the very recommendation was given by the Auditor General and has still not been implemented hence it was suggested once more.

PAGE 16

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vorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Tuesday the 9th day of March, 2021 at 9:50 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry via Zoom Meeting ID: 746 8647 7396 and Password: Courtla at the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown.

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.

authorized agent or Attorneyat-Law at the Registry of the 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), an Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 50 (fifty) days from the date of the Second and final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Friday the 26th day of February, 2021 at 9:30 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln via Zoom Meeting ID: 81724637445 and Password: Court12 in High Court at Georgetown.

IN DEFAULT of you filing an

Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, an 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 8:00 am and 3:30 pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00 am to 2:30 pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 15th day of December, 26, 2020

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LEGAL NOTICE 2020-HC-DEM-CIV -FD896 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO. FD-896 BETWEEN:GIBSON (MASHEBA) nee RENNALLS Petitioner/Applicant -andGIBSON (ARDEN LLEWELLYN) Respondent To the Respondent ARDEN LLEWELLYN GIBSON Last Known Address Lot 406 Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke Linden Highway, Guyana.

TAKE NOTICE that on the 10th day of November, 2020 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by MASHEBA GIBSON nee RENNALLS, the Petitioner 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, 2020 the Petitioner 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 Newspapers, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated In and. around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web. 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 the 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 second and final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE that the di-

Dated the 15th day of December, 2020

Fight erupts in chute as...

2020-HC-DEM-CIV -FD-710 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND ‘MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION petition No. FD710 BETWEEN:SIROMANIE DEVI PREY A OUDHO nee CHUNILALL Petitioner and VISHAL OUDHO Respondent TO: VISHAL OUDHO (Last Known Address) 571 Hemlock Street, Brooklyn, New York, 11208, United States of America, TAKE NOTICE that on the 2nd day of September, 2020 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you

by SIROMANIE DEVI PREYA OUDHO nee CHUNILALL, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 10th day of December, 2020 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of Kaieteur News Newspapers, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around New York, United States of America.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly

From page 11 brother (Singh) call me name.” A reporter then asked Gopaul his name and he responded, “Vinod Gopaul, I never cross Berbice Bridge. Honestly to God, go find out about me at Black Bush…me brother call me name wrongfully because he know my name.”

A source told Kaieteur News that Sancharra and Gopaul were taken back to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown.

Around 12:25 hrs., the police officers arrived back at the court with the two men and placed them in the court lock-ups.

The matter was then called at 13:00 hrs. in Court Two. Singh was brought down first after he was attacked by Sancharra and Gopaul in the prisoners' chute. Gopaul was second to be escorted from the prisoners' chute, again, he declared his innocence and stated that he has nothing to do with the death of Isaiah and Joel Henry.

Sancharra came limping after, but did not utter a word.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) investigators recently announced that they secured a confession from one of the suspects, who under interrogation implicated the two other suspects in the gruesome double murder. As such, the Director of Public Prosecutions, ShalimarAli-Hack, S.C, (DPP) recommended charges be instituted on the three suspects.

The murder of the Henry cousins sent shockwaves through the country after their mutilated bodies were discovered on September 6, 2020 in clumps of bushes near a coconut estate located at Cotton Tree backdam, West Coast Berbice.

Law enforcement officers for months on end chased multiple leads and battled violent protests that erupted over the news of the gruesome murder.

Last August, the three defendants set up a camp and a cannabis farm in the West Berbice area. When they returned in September, they discovered their camp and cannabis farm were destroyed. The trio later received information that two young men from the Cotton Tree area are known to trample the backlands and destroy farms.

Sometime later, the Henry cousins ventured into the area and two of the suspects asked whether they knew anything about cannabis farms being destroyed in the area and the cousins reportedly laughed.

This angered the two men and Gopaul allegedly took out a cutlass and dealt a chop to one of the Henry cousins' neck.

Sancharra allegedly took out his cutlass and repeated the action.

According to the police, Singh claimed that he joined in the chopping after Gopaul and Sancharra threatened to do the same to him. Singh allegedly dealt gaping X's on the Henry cousins' heads, before their bodies were transported to another section of the backlands and dumped. The bodies of Isaiah and Joel Henry were later discovered by frantic family members out searching for the young men who were missing since September 5, 2020. The murders sparked the anger of the West Coast Berbice residents, who engaged in violent, racially targetted protests, even as several men were taken into custody for questioning in relation to the murders over the past four months.

Police are still investigating the death of Haresh Singh, another West Coast Berbice teen, a grandson of one of the men originally taken into custody. Haresh was found lying in a patch of grass and bleeding from the nose in the Number Three Village backdam.

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 16, 2021

PAGE 17

Fight erupts in chute as three remanded for Henry boys murder A

fight yesterday erupted in the chute of the Georgetown Magistrates Court, between the three suspects who were remanded to prison for the gruesome murder of the Henry boys.

The men charged are; Akash Singh, 20, called “Monkey,” a fisherman of Zeelugt Squatting Area, East Bank Essequibo; his stepbrother, Vinod Gopaul, 30, called “Magga,” of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice and Anil Sancharra, 34, called “Dan

Remanded, Anil Sancharra (centre)

Murdered: Isaiah and Joel Henry

pole” and “Rasta,” a labourer of D' Edward Village, West Coast Berbice.

Singh, Sancharra and Gopaul were without legal representation when they appeared before Magistrate Peter Hugh. Sancharra and Gopaul were slapped with two joint charges and Singh was charged separately with two counts of murder.

They were not required to plead to the charges, which alleged that between September 5, 2020 and September 6, 2020, at Cotton Tree Backdam, West Coast Berbice, they murdered

Remanded: Akash Singh

Remanded, Vinod Gopaul

Isaiah and Joel Henry.

After the charges were read to the defendants, Magistrate Hugh remanded them to prison and the matter was adjourned to February 2, 2021, and transferred to the Blairmont Magistrate's Court, Berbice.

The trio was brought to court around 08:45 hrs. As the police escorted them into the court compound, Sancharra whose clothes were torn said, “Me nah do nothing, me innocent. Y'all could go D'Edward and find out about me…I swear to God is marijuana them man bring me for.”

Gopaul's clothes were also torn and he too told the reporters that he didn't do anything. Meanwhile, Singh walked into the compound without saying anything.

Moments after, the police, escorted Sancharra and Gopaul out of the court compound and placed them in a car.

Both men again used the opportunity to declare their innocence. “So much marijuana they catch me with, now I get slap with murder charge,” Sancharra shouted while Gopaul said, “Not me, I innocent, me (continued on page 16)

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Kaieteur News

Saturday January 16, 2021

Saturday January 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday January 16, 2021

Saturday January 16, 2021

Ainslie’s ‘lame duck’ takes surprise lead in America’s Cup challenge AFP - British sailing legend Ben Ainslie hailed an “epic turnaround” yesterday after his INEOS Team UK charged to a 2-0 lead on the opening day of the America’s Cup challenger series in Auckland.

Critics labelled the boat “the lamest of lame ducks” when it lost all of its six warmup races last month, failing to finish three of them.

But four-time Olympic champion Ainslie bounced back from the embarrassing flop to claim victory over rival challengers American Magic and Italy’s Luna Rossa on day one of the Prada Cup challenger

series.

The series will determine which of the gravity-defying 23-metre (75-foot) yachts — which fly above the water balanced on hi-tech foil arms — will race defending c h a m p i o n Te a m N e w Zealand for the America’s Cup in March.

The Prada Cup has 17 race days, meaning Team UK remains a long way from claiming the challenger’s spot.

However, the opening day success shows detractors were wrong to write o ff A i n s l i e ’s challenge.

“It feels a little bit better than the six losses or whatever it was,” he said after winning the first leg.

“It nice to find the pace when it counts.”

In the opening leg against American Magic, Team UK went through the first gate 11 seconds ahead and steadily built the lead to win by one minute 20 seconds.

Ainslie’s boat again led from start to finish in the second leg against Luna Rossa, when the Italians struggled to stay up on their foils in light winds to lose by 28 seconds.

Saturday January 16, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today you might work on a lot of writing, Aries. It might be your own or editing the work of others. You could find what you're doing exciting and stimulating.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) If you've been thinking of taking a long trip by air, this is the day to start planning it or even leave, if you can work it in. Your excitement and anticipation are high, and your sense of adventure is at a peak.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Paperwork regarding money might need attention today, Gemini, as you could be planning to entertain visitors.

These are apt to be exciting people bringing good news and interesting information.

CANCER(June21–July22) You might spend hours on the phone today, Cancer, possibly discussing opportunities to perform services for others.

Your mental and physical energy should be high.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) New, exciting opportunities to earn more money might come your way today, Leo perhaps through new fields. Colleagues could bring information.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Friendships or love relationships formed today are rooted as much in intellectual compatibility as emotional attraction, Virgo. Stimulating conversations could take place with old and new friends alike.Creative projects go well.

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You're generally intuitive, but today you could be so sensitive to others that you pick up on just about everything. Stay away from hospitals or police stations if you can.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Expect a busy day.

You're likely to spend a lot of time in the car running errands and paying visits, perhaps related to projects.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today you might want to put one last burst of effort into a project, as this could make a big difference to your income and status, Sagittarius. It could put you before the public in some way.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) So many ideas are flooding your mind today that you might have trouble sorting them out if you don't write them down, Capricorn.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) A copious amount of physical and mental energy could focus on psychic, metaphysical, or spiritual activities today. You're feeling especially intuitive. You could almost read minds.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Social events and group activities are likely to take up most of your day, Pisces.

You could come into contact with so many people you may not be able to keep track of them all. Get contact information for all new acquaintances.

Not only was the British boat faster, it also manoeuvred better than in the warm-ups, with Ainslie praising a “nice team effort”.

He said technical staff onshore had worked aroundthe-clock since Christmas to rebuild much of the boat and make it competitive.

“Back at the dock our designers, our engineers, our shore team, our boatbuilders, they’ve had an epic two or three weeks turning this boat around,” he said.

“We’re a long way from out of the woods, that’s one good race (but) it’s a huge motivator for our team.

Hopefully we can build on that momentum now and keep moving forward.”

Ainslie helped engineer an astonishing comeback in the 2013 America’s Cup, when he joined Oracle Team USA as a tactician mid-race and they stormed back from 8-1 down to beat Team New Zealand 9-8.

The Prada Cup runs until February 22, beginning with a series of round-robins.

The winner proceeds to the final, while the other two challengers face off in a seven-race semi-final.

The final begins on February 13 and is a best-of13 contest, with the first yacht to win seven races victorious.

The winner then faces Team NZ from March 6-21 to compete for the main prize.

...BCB President commits to taking From page 25 play at the senior level per match, once that player has had no international match for the last five years.

The UCCA season is expected to bowl off late next month with a round robin 40 overs tournament, followed by a knockout 20/20 cup. The finals of the multi million dollars Price is Right tournament would also be played shortly after been delayed for close to a year.

Foster hailed the outstanding leadership of UCCA President Dennis D’Andrade and Vice President Sydney Jackman over the last three years. He noted that their leadership has transformed the body into the best run sub association in the country.

The visiting delegation handed over a quantity of trophies, face masks, face shields and educational posters to the teams. The BCB President also handed over four educational packages to the family of injured cricketer Retesh Haimchand. Mr. Foster had committed to providing the children with a cricket bat, food hamper and educational packages.

...Timely Joe Root century From page 24 glove and ballooned to short-leg. It was a disappointment for Lawrence, of course, but England will have noted the signs of deterioration in the surface with interest.

Root and Lawrence were helped, it does have to be said, by some loose bowling.

While Embuldeniya - who took the first three wickets to fall - continued to ask questions of the batsmen, he lacked the support required to build pressure.

Perera, in particular, has struggled with his line and length - a floated full toss allowed Lawrence to ease his second delivery through the covers for four - allowing England to pick up regular singles.

The legspinner, Wanindu Hasaranga, was no better. Lawrence was able to cut, sweep and drive him for boundaries as he struggled with his length. Hasaranga has conceded more than four-an-over so far; in a lowscoring game, it is a cost Sri Lanka can ill afford.

To be fair to the bowlers, when you have Root’s range of strokes - his ability to find the gaps, in particular - it can be hard to find answers. But the fact that there were only eight maiden overs in the

innings (and only three on the second day), reflects both the excellence of the batting and the lack of discipline in the bowling. To have hit ‘only’ 12 fours - 10 of them on the leg side - but still have a strike rate of 66.14 runs per 100 balls, underlines Root’s method: it’s maybe not as eye-catching as soon, but it is mightily effective.

Earlier, play was delayed by 70 minutes due to rain.

When the resumption eventually came, Jonny Bairstow fell in the second over of the day without adding to his overnight score. While Bairstow may reflect he could have left the ball, Embuldeniya had drawn him forward nicely and gained sharp turn to take the outside edge. Mendis also did well to cling on to a sharp, low catch.

At that stage, Sri Lanka still held a narrow first-innings innings. But Root and Lawrence crushed any hopes the home side may have had of making deeper inroads into the England innings. Even the rain that returned at tea to wash out the final session only delayed Sri Lanka’s pain.

Scores: England 320 for 4 (Root 168*, Lawrence 73) lead Sri Lanka 135 by 185 runs.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 22

Saturday January 15, 2021

Ministry of Culture, Youth and NBA roundup: Ben Simmons Sports holds positive meeting hits milestone in 76ers’ win with Cricket West Indies

I

n a release posted on the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) Facebook page, Minister C h a r l e s R a m s o n J r. informed of a very positive interaction with Cricket West Indies (CWI).

The minister had called for the meeting following recent matters in relation to the use of the Providence National Stadium where the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) had complained that the use of the facility for a recently held football tournament co-organised by the MCYS had damaged the pitch and outfield of the stadium.

This prompted the Minister to issue statements following a visit to the stadium which showed the opposite to what was being touted in relation to the damage and also comment on the current status of the GCB. In the release from the minister noted, “On the request by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for an urgent meeting with Cricket West Indies (CWI), a meeting was held today (yesterday 15th January, 2021), via Zoom, where the Ministry shared its position that the body calling itself the “Guyana Cricket Board” is illegitimate under the laws

Charles Ramson Jr. - Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport of Guyana, and that their representation on the CWI ought to be reviewed. CWI’s delegation was led by President Ricky Skerritt.”

“The CWI delegation was informed that the Ministry has disengaged from the body since the restoration of the Cricket Administration Act and will not have further engagement with the body until there is full compliance therewith, including deciding to deny the body entry to the Guyana National Stadium, although access has been allowed to participating players and coaches only.”

In continued, “The Minister also shared plans for future investment in cricket development in Guyana and discussed various operational matters with CWI, including the

planned schedule for regional and international cricket matches and tournaments.”

And in a key and positive development for cricket in Guyana and the region, M i n i s t e r R a m s o n J r. disclosed that Guyana has been confirmed as a venue for regional action.

“The Ministry is pleased to share with the public that Guyana is confirmed to host several regional and international matches at the Guyana National Stadium in 2021, including when Pakistan tours the West Indies in August.”

The young minister, who has been getting a feel of things on the ground by engaging associations and sporting bodies, has been displaying a proactive approach to sports and have pledged help for all sport disciplines and a thrust for serious development for the country’s sports associations and athletes.

It is also hoped that the GCB can soonest sort out any issues they are experiencing with the assistance of CWI and move forward with all the necessary constituted bodies and propel the game forward as a spill off of this very important and productive meeting with the minister and CWI.

Shake Milton scored a season-high 31 points, Tobias Harris added 18 and the host Philadelphia 76ers had little trouble dispatching the depleted Miami Heat 125-108 on Thursday.

P h i l a d e l p h i a ’s B e n Simmons posted his 30th career triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. Simmons reached the milestone in just his 228th career game, as he became the third-fastest in NBA history - behind Oscar Robertson (75 games) and Magic Johnson (190) — to hit the mark. Tyrese Maxey contributed 15 points and Danny Green and Isaiah Joe had 12 apiece for the Sixers, who also topped the Heat two nights earlier. The Sixers received a big boost with the return of Milton, Harris and Matisse Thybulle (eight points, four steals) from COVID-19 contact tracing.

Indiana Pacers 111 Portland Trail Blazers 87 Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis combined for 48 points and Indiana used a 33-10 blitz in the second quarter to take command en route to a victory at Portland.

Of greater concern for the Trail Blazers, though, was center Jusuf Nurkic

breaking his right wrist. He exited in the third quarter after he fell, and he didn’t come back into the game.

Brogdon logged a gamehigh 25 points and Sabonis complemented him with 23 as the Pacers, short-handed after trading Victor Oladipo to the Houston Rockets, won a second straight on the road.

Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum had 22 points apiece for Portland, which had won four in a row but was playing the second night of a back-to-back set.

Toronto Raptors 111 Charlotte Hornets 108 Reserve Chris Boucher matched his career best with 25 points and added 10 rebounds as Toronto held off Charlotte at its temporary home at Tampa, Fla. Kyle Lowry added 16 points and 12 assists as the Raptors won for the third time in 11 games this season. Fred VanVleet had 17 points for Toronto and Pascal Siakam added 15.

Terry Rozier scored 22 points for the Hornets and P.J. Washington added 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Devonte’ Graham had 15 points, LaMelo Ball had 14 points and 11 assists.

Denver Nuggets 114 Golden State

Warriors 104 Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, Jamal Murray added 17 points and nine rebounds and host Denver beat Golden State. Will Barton had 17 points, JaMychal Green added 15 points and nine rebounds, Paul Millsap scored 12, Monte Morris had 11 and PJ Dozier scored 10 points for Denver. The Nuggets were missing two starters, Michael Porter Jr. (COVID-19) and Gary Harris (personal reasons).

Houston Rockets 109 San Antonio Spurs 105 Christian Wood racked up 27 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead shorthanded Houston to a surprising win at San Antonio.

The game was Houston’s first since it shipped star guard James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a four-team trade that was finalized Thursday morning.

Sterling Brown scored 23 points while Jae’Sean Tate added 13 and P.J. Tucker scored 10 for Houston.

Keldon Johnson scored a career-high 29 points for San Antonio while Lonnie Walker IV added 16.

(Field Level Media)

Man of the Match Andre Fletcher’s 89* powers Melbourne Stars to massive victory over Adelaide Strikers

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portsMax - After a long string of low scores, Andre Fletcher finally came good with a man-ofthe-match performance that saw the Melbourne Stars score a massive 111-run victory over the Adelaide Strikers in Melbourne on Thursday.

Adam Zampa’s fivewicket haul was also instrumental to the Stars victory that moved them up to sixth in the Big Bash League table. The Grenadian whose best score before Thursday was 18 against the Thunder on December 29, blasted an unbeaten 89 as the Stars racked up 179 for 2 in their 20 overs. The Spiceman smashed eight fours and four sixes in his 49-ball knock.

His 50 had come up from just 36 balls and included four fours and a six.

He featured in partnerships of 41 with fellow opener Marcus

Adam Zampa has taken 17 wickets at 11.88 in this season’s Big Bash. (Getty Images)

Stoinis (13); 61 with Glen Maxwell (39), and 77 with Hilton Cartwright, who remained unbeaten on 30 at the end.

Cameron Valente and Danny Briggs were the best of the Adelaide bowlers each returning figures of 1 for 36 from their respective fourover allotments.

Adelaide needing 180 to win, slumped to 68 all out in just 14.2 overs as Zampa took 5 for 17, Glen Maxwell,

2-12 and Zahir Khan 2-19 to seal the comprehensive victory.

Matt Renshaw (20), Johnathan Wells (18) and Jake Weatherald (10) were the only Adelaide batsmen to get to double figures.

Scores: Melbourne Stars 179-2 (20 overs): Fletcher 89* (49); Adelaide Strikers 68-all out (14.2 overs): Zampa 5-17.

Melbourne Stars won by 111 runs.

Saturday January 15, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

India fight back but Australia hold edge in decisive Test

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FP - An understrength India fought back in the final session to leave the fourth Test against Australia evenly poised after the opening day at the Gabba in Brisbane yesterday.

Australia finished the first day on 274 for five, with Cameron Green on 28 and Tim Paine alongside him on 38 to put the home side marginally in front on a benign Gabba wicket.

With the four-match series locked at 1-1, Australia need to win the final Test to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

They looked certain to be in a much stronger position when they reached 200 for three shortly after tea, with Marnus Labuschagne and Matthew Wade scoring freely.

But they lost Wade (45)

to a rash attempted pull shot then Labuschagne for a superb 108 in the space of 13 runs to leave them at 213 for five, before Green and Paine steadied the innings against a tiring attack. India’s efforts were especially admirable considering they were fielding two debutants in their bowling attack following injuries to Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Ashwin.

They also lost fast bowler Navdeep Saini to a groin injury midway through the second session.

Labuschagne said despite missing so many frontline bowlers, the Indian attack was still potent.

“When you are playing really good teams, it doesn’t matter who comes in — everyone in that line-up is very disciplined,” he said.

“They understand their role. They’re very strong bowlers.

‘They don’t want to work hard’ - WI legend Roberts believes weak work ethic has led to lack of top class bowlers

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portsMax - West Indies legend Sir A ndy Roberts insists the r e g i o n ’s f a l l o f f i n producing top-class bowling talent is due to the unwillingness of the current generation to put in the hard yards required to be successful. For decades, the region was the producer of fearsome fast bowling talent, which often left opposition batsmen with plenty to think about. The likes of Roberts, Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall, Wes Hall, and Michael Holding are only a few of the names who could leave opponents with plenty to dread once they strode to the crease.

Many will point to the pace-bowling lineage being broken with the end of twin towers Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, with no bowler since managing to come close to consistency matching that once fearsome legacy.

“I don’t think that these guys are prepared for the hard work that fast bowling entails,” Roberts told the Mason and Guest program.

“If you look at it, most

players now prefer to play T20s, it’s only four overs. I must say that fast bowling is hard work, I would say donkey work, but I just believe they are not prepared,” he added.

In recent times, some have blamed poor preparation of the region’s pitches for suffocation of t h e C a r i b b e a n ’s f a s t bowling talent, Roberts, however, does not agree.

“A lot of people blame the pitches, but I always ask, Pakistan is supposed to have some of the slowest pitches in the world, yet still they produce some of the fastest bowlers in the world.

How do they do it and we can’t,” Roberts said. ”People believe that during the 60s, 70s, and 80s we used to have really fast pitches, that is far from the truth. We used to have Kensington Oval, the ball used to swing around and move off the seam on the first day, but after that, it became one of the best batting pitches in the region.

It has nothing to do with pitches, it has a lot to do with the work ethics of the young cricketers, they don’t want to work hard.”

T. Natarajan made his debut for India.

“I was disappointed today not to make a really big hundred but like I said, the Indian bowling was very disciplined, very strategic.”

- Perfect start India started the game as underdogs following the loss of four players from the drawn third Test, which finished on Monday in Sydney.

Pace spearhead Bumrah (abdomen), off-spinner Ashwin (back), batsman

Hanuma Vihari (hamstring) and all-rounder Ravi Jadeja (broken thumb) were all ruled out.

T. Natarajan and Sundar made their debuts while there were also recalls for batsman Mayank Agarwal and seam bowler Shardul Thakur.

By contrast, Australia only made one change, with Harris coming in for Will Pucovski, who injured his shoulder while fielding in

Sydney.

Yet India got away to the perfect start when David Warner fell on the last ball of the first over, edging Siraj to second slip, where Rohit Sharma took a superb catch diving to his right.

Natarajan shared the new ball with Siraj and kept the pressure on with some tight bowling, his opening spell of six overs going for just eight runs.

The pressure eventually told when Thakur, playing just his second Test, struck with his first ball, Harris chipping a simple catch to Sundar at square leg to leave Australia 17 for two.

But Labuschagne and Steve Smith, Australia’s saviours in so many recent matches, once again steadied the rocking ship.

Smith, who roared back to form with a century in Sydney, was impressive but on 36 he clipped a ball to short midwicket to Sharma to give Sundar his first Test scalp.

“It’s amazing for me — it’s a dream come true for me,” Sundar said.

“It’s a big honour to represent your country in the first place. Test cricket is an amazing opportunity.

“My first wicket will be treasured.”

Australia should have lost Labuschagne in the next over when he edged Saini to gully, but the normally reliable Ajinkya Rahane spilled a simple chance.

To make matters worse, Saini appeared to injure his groin in the delivery stride and left the field.

Cheteshwar Pujara grassed a much harder chance when Labuschagne was on 48, but from that moment the Queenslander was in fine form, stroking nine boundaries and two allrun fours on his way to his century.

Siraj was the pick of the Indian attack with 1-51 off 19 testing overs, while Natarajan (2-63) also impressed despite showing signs of fatigue late in the day.

Scores: Australia 274 for 5 (Labuschagne 108, Wade 45, Natarajan 2-63) vs India.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

Joe Root and Dan Lawrence took England past 300 © SLC

Saturday January 16, 2021

Timely Joe Root century sees England tighten their grip ESPNcricinfo - Joe Root’s first Test century since November 2019 has helped England tighten their grip on the second day of the first Test in Galle.

Root went through 2020 without a century - the first time in his Test career he has gone through a full year without one - and dropped out of the top 10 in the ICC’s batting rankings in the process.

But here he has provided a demonstration of his enduring class in negating the sharply turning ball with calm authority and moving to his 18th Test century in the process. More importantly, he extended England’s lead to 185 with six first-innings wickets still in hand by the time rain returned at tea to bring an early close. Sri Lanka will have to bat substantially better than they managed in the first innings if they are to make England bat again.

If they require an example of how to go about things, they could do far worse than emulate Root.

With his judgement of when to go forward and back, his ability to manoeuvre the ball into gaps and his ability to sweep both in front and behind square, he has provided a masterclass in playing spin bowling. Kusal

Mendis, at short leg, took so many blows, you suspect a boxing referee might have suggested he had taken enough punishment. Never has Root scored so many runs in a single innings from the sweep.

It was Root’s eighth score of 150 or more in Test cricket and the highest score made by an England player in a Test in Sri Lanka. The previous highest was Kevin Pietersen’s 151 made in Colombo in 2012.

Root was given assured support from debutant Dan Lawrence. The pair added 173 in 43.1 overs - England’s highest-ever stand in Tests in Sri Lanka - for the fourth wicket, with Lawrence losing little by comparison.

Indeed, were you to put together a highlights package of the day, it would be Lawrence’s strokes that dominated. There were cuts, drives, sweeps and, shortly before lunch, he launched Lasith Embuldeniya for a slog-swept six that would have pleased Pietersen or AB de Villiers, the men his father told the BBC he idolised growing up. All in all, it suggested England might just have found a man with the character and skill to flourish at this level. Sterner tests loom, no doubt, but this was an accomplished first

international innings from Lawrence.

To be fair, Root’s innings was not the sort to be accurately represented by a highlights package. 72 of his runs have come in singles, after all. But while those runs might not have made the immediate impression of Lawrence’s six, his ability to find the gaps and rotate the strike make him desperately tough to contain. He looked h u n g r y, p a t i e n t a n d technically excellent.

While Lawrence was not able to emulate the achievement of Ben Foakes, who made a century on debut here in 2018, this was a hugely promising start from the 23-year-old. Getting off the mark first ball, Lawrence looked confident from the off and, picking up the length nicely, was comfortable to skip down the pitch or go deep into his crease when required.

He did provide one chance. Appearing to lose concentration for a moment, he skipped down the pitch to Embuldeniya when he had 68 and was fortunate to see t h e k e e p e r, N i r o s h a n Dickwella, parry the ball past the slips. A short while later, he received one from Dilruwan Perera which spat off the surface, took his (Continued on page 21)

GABF distances itself from Halendino Sports Initiative In response to the article published in Kaieteur News – Sports 14 January 2021, titled “Halendino Sports to host trials”, the Guyana Basketball Federation (GABF) has issued the following statement.

“Halendino Sports is NOT affiliated to the GABF or any of the Sub Associations and Councils under the governance of the G A B F. T h e s u b j e c t e d activity has not been approved or sanctioned by the GABF and as such, no registered member of the GABF including its Sub Associations and Councils is authorised to participate in this event.

Under the GABF Constitution, and in the interests of good governance, player safety, university eligibility compliance and professional

Khalifa Hale standards, GABF members are only authorised to participate in officially sanctioned events.

Any participation in unsanctioned activities may result in punitive action, including fines and suspension. Furthermore, at this time, any basketball related activity must be reviewed and approved by the National COVID-19

Ta s k F o r c e b e f o r e permission is granted by the G A B F. T h e G A B F encourages the basketball community to continue to follow and obey the COVID19 regulations and protocols as ordered by the Government of Guyana to protect the health and wellbeing of the general populace during this pandemic.”

The statement was in relation to the announcement

by Khalifa Hale, the founder of the Halendino Sports Initiative to host cricket, basketball and football trials this weekend in which successful athletes were made promises of sponsorship.

Hale has confirmed that he has not made any partnership with the any of the three sports federations/boards.

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 16, 2021

PAGE 25

Wiltshire Dominoes tourney BCB President commits to taking Upper Corentyne commences today at Turning Point cricket to another level - Urges teams to follow covid 19 guidelines when season restarts shortly The President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Hilbert Foster and Public Relations Officer on Wednesday last met with the Executives of the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) and representatives of the association’s twenty nine members at an outdoor meeting at the Scottsburg Community Centre in Corriverton. The President was invited by the UCCA as part of his outreach programme to inform clubs on the latest development in Berbice cricket and his administration’s plans for the sub association.

Foster informed that the BCB would be hosting at least three different tournaments for all of the clubs in the area at the second division level, while county wide tournaments would be played at the under 13,15,17,19,21 and 23 levels along with second division, intermediate, first division and female levels. He also assured the teams that the board would be hosting two

BCB President Hilbert Foster mini cricket academies in the area to coach a total of sixty youths-thirty from Moleson Creek to No73 Village and another thirty from No 72 to No 43 Village.

The BCB Coaches would also be sent to clubs like Line Path CC, NO 73, Scottsburg and the Rama Krishna Academy which have junior teams registered with the board. At least twenty youth cricketers from the sub association would also receive assistance of cricket gears, uniforms or a bicycle, while every club would collect a box of balls as part of a comprehensive developmental programme.

Educational materials would

also be published to educate youths on the game.

The President committed to taking Upper Corentyne to another level in 2021 but cautioned clubs that to do so, they would have to be prepared to not only work hard but also to observe the strict Covid 19 regulations set down by the board for the restarting of the game. These rules include; no spectators at venues, mask wearing in the pavillion and social distancing among others.

Foster announced that teams who fail to follow the covid guidelines would be disbarred from tournaments as his administration would be adopting a no nonsense attitude as lives would be at stake.

The President also disclosed rules for the 2021 season including the opening of a transfer season for players from the 1st of January to the 28th of February of each year. He also announced that the board would allow one player from out of Berbice to (Continued on page 19)

Some of the city’s top dominoes teams will go into action today when Senior Organising Secretary of the Guyana Dominoes League M a r k Wi l t s h i r e b i r t h anniversary dominoes competition gets underway at Turning Point Sports bar.

The winning team will take home a trophy and $175,000, the runner up a trophy and $75,000, third place a trophy and $35,000 and fourth place a trophy and $20,000.

The MVP will receive $5,000, while the best female player will pocket $10,000.

The competition will conclude tomorrow and among the teams set to take part are All Season’s, Mix Up, Gold is Money, C7, Providence, Turning Point, West Side, Spartons, C6, T a n d T, F r e s h C a s h , Executive, Players, Beacons, Providence SC, F and H, Big Boss Girls, Quiet Storm, Lions, Wild Bunch and Gangster.

The competition is being sponsored by Daniel Mc Beth, Lloyd Rollins, Deon Moore, Good Times bar, Big Boss Transportation Service, Pertab Funeral Home, Trophy Stall, Deoraj Singh Sawmill, Lenders Jewellery

Mark Wiltshire receives one of the trophies from Danessa Moore in the presence of Althea Newton (left) and Mr. Lloyd Rollins. and Pawn Shop, Orin Boston, All Season’s Racing Service, C Point and Next Level.

Action gets underway at 14:00hrs. Interested teams can contact Wiltshire on 6598672.

Andre Fletcher

West Indies legend Sir Andy Roberts

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Man of the Match don’t want to work hard’ Andre Fletcher’s 89* powers ‘They - WI legend Roberts believes Melbourne Stars to massive weak work ethic has led to victory over Adelaide Strikers lack of top class bowlers

India fight back but Australia hold edge in decisive Test

Marnus Labuschagne manoeuvres the ball into the off side © Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Ministry of Culture, Youth and GABF distances Sports holds positive meeting itself from Halendino with Cricket West Indies Sports Initiative 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.