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January 17, 2021 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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- We can’t assume allies will leap into war for us - Greenidge

Online readership yesterday, 89,040

Gas-to-shore project…

Int’l lawyer challenges Pres. Ali to prove

International lawyer, Melinda Janki.

President, Irfaan Ali.

economic soundness and release studies Eight more When it comes to oil wealth, the ball is in your court

We at Kaieteur News have made it our duty to keep you informed about our newly discovered oil wealth.

We have been forthright about the facts concerning this resource with which we are blessed. We have encouraged a discussion as to what we are going to do with this gift which the Creator has provided. We have been critical of our politicians’ handling of the sector.

G u y a n a ’s o i l wealth is vast. If we had to distribute the total oil reserves equally among the population, each person would be entitled to 11,500 barrels. We still have in reserve large unexplored fields.

M a n y m o r e discoveries are still to be made.

We must not allow

ourselves to be misdirected and misinformed. It is normal that during exploration, a few dry wells will be found.

So far, oil has been discovered in almost 80% of the wells drilled.

We s h o u l d therefore focus more on these ‘wet’ wells than the few ‘dry’ o n e s . We h e r e a t Kaieteur News want to ensure that Guyanese enjoy the best and most from the country’s oil riches.

But we cannot continue to allow our leaders to betray us in the management of these resources.

The time has come for you, the people, to decide about the country’s oil. The choice is yours: get up and do something or sit down and accept what is forced upon you. The ball is in your court.

Guyana Health system can approves 40% be overwhelmed if testify in capacity Brazil’s new COVID-19 Vryheid’s for indoor strain spreads here Lust woman’s - Health - says borders to remain closed Minister murder PI dining

Man busted with Pedestrian shatters firearm tells cops windscreen after he found it in trail driver honks at him

Contractors to be sued for negligible work on Govt. contract awards - AG 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.

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

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

EDITORIAL

Environmental Impact Assessment - why not?

A discomforting and dangerous practice is happening right before the eyes of Guyanese and only a handful are aware and pushing back. Other than those directly impacted and agitated, there is seemingly silence and indifference in the greater Guyanese population. It is concerning something that goes under the label ‘Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA),’ and how it is used or not used; when it is the latter, there is the potential for serious trouble.

An EIA, in a barebones description, is a study of the possible effects on a surrounding community, should certain facilities be placed in its vicinity, immediate or otherwise. In other words, what could be if the facility plant, warehouse, industrial or chemical process, and so forth - is located in the neighbourhood. An analysis, using different assumptions and scenarios, weighs the potential negatives on residents and environment, inclusive of possible health exposures, economic impacts, and social costs, among other things. It may best be described as taking preemptive stock and counting the cost beforehand.

It is so that there is general awareness of what could occur, if certain robust precautions are not in place. It is of what protects the residents, the quality of their present existence, and their future welfare. At the very least, an EIA is helpful to have in hand, reassuring in its honest conclusions, and comforting as to the absence of material risks.

Yet, here we are in one situation after another, involving different kinds of facilities, and the position of Guyana’s EPA is as steady as it is unruffled. Candidly, the EPA’s position is glaring in its apparent irresponsibility, if not casual (one size fits all) approach to what could be potentially hazardous to the wellbeing of ordinary Guyanese. It has been a chemical plant here, a waste materials site there, and a storage facility somewhere else, and the EPA’s sly, silent position is that an EIA is not necessary, it would seem on most occasions. Be it at Friendship or Agricola, or elsewhere. Regardless of the business to be engaged in, or the kind of facility to be erected, Guyana’s EPA’s position is that an EIA is not necessary. It as though the local EPA has a special rubberstamp that says: ‘EIA not needed’ and which is used unfailingly.

To emphasize our focus, this is not about huge department stores, or a steel storage bond, or something similar. What is involved has hazardous written all over the day-to-day activities. And because of the near consistent EPA position, it is our belief that the EPA can be justifiably branded as reckless to the point of criminal negligence. Also, it should not escape attention that the communities are always poorer, not highly professional or sophisticated in its composition of residents. Further, there is the sneaky approach of a media notice and a 30-day window for objections and appeals, which must be a poor joke.

Because what we observe is the EPA going on record that it did give the public notice and opportunity to articulate concerns; and in so doing it has fulfilled its mandate and responsibilities.

It would appear that the EPA is hoping that those quiet notices would slide past without residents seeing them and acting upon them.

How much better it would be if the EPA were to give early and clear notice that such and such is proposed and that there will be community gatherings to discuss what is happening, what it means, and with a meaningful question and answer segment afterwards.

It would be of assistance and some solace to the community to have the company representatives present to field questions.

But none of this has happened, and another thing, too.

The facilities cropping up with ongoing frequency are not being housed near sharply sophisticated neighborhoods, with prominent professionals and civil society citizens

Sunday January 17, 2021

PNC should consider the harm it has done to Black people Dear Editor, I too have noted the attacks that the PNC’s Hamilton Green and other PNC sympathisers have carried out against an outstanding Guyanese, Samuel Hinds. Asking him what he did for “Black People”.

Sam’s answer in the newspapers on January 16 was most profound and need not be added to.

The question I want to pose to Hamilton Green et al, who continue to pursue that racist line is, have they ever stopped to consider the harm

that the PNC elite and their racist “intellectuals” have done to Black people?

In order to gain power, the PNC worked with colonialism and fought against Independence of this country. The use of racism and violence to stop freedom was a blotch against the glorious history of African Guyanese people who endured some of the greatest sufferings during slavery, whose sacrifices were unimaginable in the many fights for freedom and whose post-slavery contributed were very significant, the

living there. We are certain that the EPA would not dare risk its now patented nonsense of ‘no EIA needed’ for anything in remote proximity (not very close) to those residential areas.

Though we place much responsibility on the EPA for its probusiness bias, it is reasonable to follow the agency’s impotence

village movement among them.

The PNC leaders, instead of using that history to help them to achieve even more for their country, turned it into a bitter demand for entitlement.

This made one of the most generous and kind people appear to be brutal and savage, time and time again from 1962 to 2020.

The PNC elite, who have been the main beneficiaries of the racist instigation of African Guyanese to riots and destroy, have even encouraged the glorification of criminals in pursuit of their

diabolical wealth and riches at the expense of the masses of African Guyanese.

We remember clearly how they turned the funeral of Lyndon London, a bandit, into a ‘hero’ by using all their facilities and mobilising crowds while placing the National Flag on his coffin.

Have you considered the role model, which you have provided to Black youth?

Have we forgotten how often the PNC elite sided with criminals against the police?

Do we recall that the PNC sent their supporters in red to (Continued on page 6)

higher up. It is highly likely that political leadership fingerprints are plastered all over this business of ‘no EIA needed.’ It is the understanding from those heights of: clear the way. Get it done. And whatever happens to citizens, that is the price of progress.

Sunday January 17, 2021

Minister Anthony must be wiser, do better DEAR EDITOR, To say that I am baffled is only part of the story. To say that I am disappointed leaves more than a lot of space untouched. To be quite frank, what the Hon. Minister of Public Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has overseen and had to be a part of is endangering, because it is, I must say it, irresponsible, even reckless. I speak of the news items indicating “authorities” giving clearance for reopening of public indoor dining (restaurants, etc.) on a limited basis during this COVID-19 pandemic. To the Hon. Minister, I humbly submit this citizen’s plea: reverse and scrap the thought, sir.

Though announced under the umbrella of “authorities” this tiers all the way up to the minister, to whom I urge: don’t do it, doc.

A look at our circumstances easily confirms that we have crept back into perilous territory.

The numbers are against any expansion of measures in place, some of which are good, others not supportable. There was a warming, encouraging dip for a short time, just before the holidays when new cases of the virus actually went into the single digits, and fatalities fell very low, occasionally to zero. But that momentary blip is now eclipsed, and by alarming strides, by the almost three score count that now seems to be the order of the day; three score new cases of infection and a death or two alongside. This is not good, and yet the minister responsible for health safety

appears unmoved and has allowed this to proceed with some reopening of restaurants.

As the Hon. Minister himself shared in sections of the media, there have been over 500 cases detected in school children since March of last year. This is why it is so bewildering that the minister looks as though he is going against the grain of good sense and into the teeth of ominous viral winds.

The Hon. Minister should know better, and I think that he does. And because he cannot plead ignorance, then he should reverse going in the direction made official in the gazette. He knows about the feared ‘second wave;’ he should know very well about the larger than last year casualties and traumas revisited on places with advanced science and technology and facilities, and with much fear and reeling happening; and of frightening mutant strains next door. Still, the door is open, which is the wrong one. All of us, at least I do; want to get moving again and briskly. To shake hands and hug. Yes, there is awareness that not every tee can be crossed and every ‘I’ dotted, but I am sure that we can do better; and doing better can only be achieved by being conservative.

The nation has been informed that the vaccines will not be here until the second quarter. I do hope that it is this year; but even if it is, as a practical matter, Guyanese are looking at 5-6 months of waiting, and that is being optimistic. I read of arguments and concerns about vaccine democracy and I wonder in which world that is going to

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happen. I make no judgement and cast no aspersions on what may unfold here. Yet, when I consider past practices and standards (current ones, too) I have difficulty believing that integrity will grace local arrangements for a limited vaccine supply. But that is another issue for later in the day.

Presently, I am focused on this development involving approval for limited public dining. Citizens have been casual about obeying rules and regulations put in place; it is an essential part of the disorderliness and untidiness (a euphemism) of Guyanese culture and life; simply pass by spots of social gatherings and there is little by way of social distancing. Some commercial enterprises, always a law onto themselves, have been less than diligent in enforcing the mandates laid down by authorities as a means of limiting the spread of this plague. Observant citizens have complained and cursed at the violators and selective enforcement.

Moreover, the Hon. Leader of

the Opposition came out of his wintry hibernation to criticize the same selective and troubling practice. I am delighted that he did, and who knows, one of these days he may see his shadow like that much watched groundhog of American lore, Punxsutawney Phil.

Editor, there is neither facetiousness nor an attempt at humour, given the serious subject at hand. I am serious and sharply so. My wish, my hope, my call is for the final decision-maker, in this instance, Dr. Frank Anthony, will step up and live up to his nationwide obligations as minister and do the best thing by nixing this permission for limited reopening. He is ultimately responsible. He does not need any guidance from the likes of me; he knows that there is only one decision to make. Hon. Minister: just do it! Give Guyanese a fighting chance. Save the children. Save us from our impatient, indifferent selves.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

We must see justice for all!

DEAR EDITOR, The recent arrests in the Henry boys’ case is great news in the advancement of obtaining justice and maintaining a justice system that works independent of race or political affiliation. The current open cases of 17-yearold Haresh Singh and 34year-old Chatterpaul Harripaul also need to be brought to a successful closure.

We have seen what political unrest in the USA has done. It had also led to a violent protest that resulted in the deaths of several individuals. Protestors are being arrested in that case and in the case of the Mr.

Harripaul who fired his weapon during the rioting over the Henry boys’ murders, the local protestors who were involved in his murder also need to be arrested and charged.

The Guyana Police Force must show no racial or political bias in the execution of its duties and avoid the perpetuation of its current reputation for biasness within the non-black community.

Those involved in the protestor-led murder of Mr. Harripaul and the murder of young Haresh Singh must also be brought before the courts and stand trial for those murders. Our judicial (Continued on page 6)

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Sunday January 17, 2021

Open Letter to Chancellor of the Judiciary: Justice for Walter & Donald Rodney - 40 years and counting!

DEAR EDITOR, An Open Letter has been sent to the Chancellor of the Judiciary concerning the cases of Donald and Walter Rodney which are pending for the past 40 years. Justice delayed is justice denied! The signatories are representative of the many persons in the Caribbean, from the Diaspora and Guyanese at home who continue to take a firm stand for Justice for Walter & Donald Rodney and who have raised their collective voices again at the start of 2021. The contents and signatories of the Open Letter to the Chancellor are in the text below.

“With the recent launch of the campaign to strengthen public trust in the judiciary, we the undersigned, write to acknowledge the efforts of the Supreme Court of Judicature, along with JURIST, to continue to dispense justice in Guyana.

We are heartened by the opening remarks of Your Honour: “Whenever anything changes the ability of the courts to reach the needs of its citizens, steps must be

taken to respond quickly, safely and efficiently.”

Hence we are inspired to write this open letter at this time.

One concern we have is about the progress through the courts of the connected cases of Donald Rodney, and the late Dr. Walter Rodney who was killed in 1980 in highly publicized circumstances. The latter as a scholar is distinguished internationally, and has placed Guyana on the world map as an origin for erudite achievement. We can add without fear of contradiction that as an activist he has also won the admiration of all democratic forces in Guyana.

In 1988 an inquest, delayed eight years after his death, concluded that Rodney died by “accident or misadventure” [Guyana Chronicle February 16, 1988– verdict copy not even provided to family] using the conviction of Donald Rodney six years prior as a basis, even though an appeal was outstanding.

However, later there has been much authenticated information in the public domain that Rodney’s death

was a deliberate act, including the 2016 report of the Rodney Commission of Inquiry (COI) which concluded unequivocally that Walter Rodney was assassinated with knowledge of State officials: thus found three Caribbean Commissioners who are all Queen’s/Senior Counsel, and who heard evidence over several months. We quote three particular findings of the COI: “We have no hesitation in holding that Gregory Smith was responsible for Dr. Walter Rodney’s death on 13 June, 1980 and that in so doing he was acting as an agent of the State having been aided and abetted so to do, by individuals holding positions of leadership in State agencies and committed to carrying out the wishes of the PNC administration.”

[Paragraph 8.22 page 102 COI Report].

“We find on the balance of probabilities that Walter Rodney had intended the walkie-talkie to be a communications device which would have permitted him to be in relatively easy

...PNC should consider the harm From page 4 celebrate the murder of Superintendent Leon Fraser on the day of his funeral?

Is it not true that it was the PNC leaders’ support for the criminal Douglas gang that allowed them to hold out in Buxton for months burning and other abuses of those decent people who dared to open their mouths? Is it not clear that the heads of the army and police then are now high in the PNC and part of the rigging cabal!

When we talk about police standing by and watching robberies, even killings and molestation of IndoGuyanese, was that not part of the PNC-CIA and colonial plans to drive fear in IndoGuyanese? Wasn’t that mentality not strengthened by the call of Desmond Hoyte to the police to do just that when he spoke of “Kith and Kin” and “Slow Fyah, Mo Fyah” in the post-1997 racist attacks against Janet Jagan elections? Do you remember putting the escapees on TV

and calling them “freedom fighters”?

Think about the harm that these things have done to masses of people.

Furthermore, the PNC elite, from its inception, have been very brutal against African Guyanese who opposed their racism.

Going back to the vicious attacks on Brindley Benn, Ashton Chase, E.M.G Wilson, Cyril Belgrave and a host of others, many of the PPP’s African members had bombs thrown into their homes on the West Coast Berbice to silence them; comrade Felix of Washington, West Coast Berbice, was a case in point. The idea was to drive out the Black people from the PPP by whatever means necessary so that the PNC racist propaganda could penetrate deeply into the psyche of African Guyanese.

Too many decent African people stayed quiet and the issue was allowed to spread beyond the PPP. Walter Rodney and

...We must see justice From page 5 system must be even handed in how it deals with such heinous and racially motivated hate crimes.

Hopefully there has been the foresight to ensure that the FBI was able to also look into these

two cases while conducting their recent investigation into the other two murders.

With concern, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

others, who opposed this criminal/mafia type of politics, were brutally murdered to silence them. Why have they done this? To enrich themselves? The abuse of power, the deals like the drug bond, the land deals show exactly this. While they rape the country, they use race to keep Black people quiet.

The harm that has been done was seen on the West Coast Berbice not long ago when, without any proof, with a click of the finger, they have managed to get ill-informed and very, very prejudiced people to create mayhem on our public thoroughfare.

Hamilton Green claims to be religious but instead of attempting to make amends, he has joined with the younger racists that the PNC has spawned to once again bang the racial poison in the heads of Black people to sustain a PNC elite that has no intention of changing its corrupt ways.

Sam Hinds’ contributions against these things, his contribution to Black people and all Guyanese as an important part of the PPP/C efforts stand like a shining example, a real role model for any young Guyanese.

So don’t ask Sam what he did, examine yourself, and see how you have destroyed many Black people. How many more would be enough?

Donald Ramotar

contact with fellow WPA activists and for no sinister purpose.” [Paragraph 8.4 page 102 COI report].

“We find, further that Donald Rodney, whose testimony we accept, was on the night of 13th June, 1980, doing no more than accompanying his brother, Walter, to collect what they thought would have been a walkie-talkie. There is no evidence before us to suggest that the reason for collecting the device was other than indicated by Donald.” [Paragraph 8.5 and 8.6 page 102 COI report].

The full report can be found at https:// radar.auctr.edu/islandora/ object/coi:rodney_report.

Donald Rodney is a professional in the fields of quantity surveying and law.

Forced to obtain asylum in the UK for his own safety and to survive abroad after trial, he never renounced his homeland and has kept his Guyanese citizenship.

At the time of his conviction in 1982 he was a senior officer in the Guyana government service. Apart from his conviction under the National Security Act, special legislation which did not observe the accused’s right to presumption of innocence, he has claimed in the appellate court that his defence

statements made in open court were removed from the trial court’s records (see SN of 21 May 2019). Yet to date, staggeringly, Donald Rodney’s appeal is still outstanding.

Considering the foregoing, our concern is that these two cases, in dire need of justice, have not been dealt with quickly, safely and efficiently.

We believe the court record should reflect the true findings in the case of Walter Rodney. We believe too that the Donald Rodney appeal should be concluded and his innocence proclaimed without further compounding the astonishing delay of 40 years.

Honourable Chancellor, we trust you would understand our deep disquiet until these two anomalies are resolved in the interest of justice and for the benefit of all Guyanese.”

Respectfully, Dr. Hubert Devonish, Professor Emeritus, Linguistics, UWI Anne Braithwaite, Social Justice Activist, Guyana/UK Dr. Edward Greene, Chancellor, University of Guyana Prof. David Dabydeen, Director, Ameena Gafoor Institute Sir Hilary Beckles,

Caribbean public intellectual & historian Ian McDonald, Writer Pauline Melville, Writer, Royal Society of Literature Isabelle de Caires Stanley Greaves, Artist Clem Seecharran, Emeritus Professor of History, London Metropolitan University Nigel Westmaas, Clinton, New York Rohit Kanhai, Independent Activist, Guyana/USA Rev. Patricia SheerattanBisnauth Karen de Souza, Coordinator, Red Thread Vanda Radzik, Rights & Justice Bonita Harris, Educator Jocelyn Dow, Businesswoman Alissa Trotz, Professor, Guyana/Canada Charlene Wilkinson, Lecturer, UG, Languages Ali Majeed, Independent Activist Leila Jagdeo, Citizen David Johnson, New York University Vidyaratha Kissoon, Taxpayer Danuta Radzik, Human Rights Activist Wazir Mohamed, Professor, Indiana University East; & Coordinator Justice for Walter Rodney Committee

Will Trump be removed from office?

DEAR EDITOR, As your paper reported and as commented on, President Donald Trump was impeached in the US House of Representatives on Wednesday. That does not mean removal from office.

Only the Senate can remove him. His trial goes to the Senate for a hearing and a verdict. Will the President be rendered guilty? Not likely!

A guilty verdict means immediate removal from office. With only a few days remaining in his four years term, it is the analysis of this writer that Trump will finish his term on Wednesday morning and fly out to Miami.

Most Guyanese I spoke with in Guyana and in the diaspora don’t really understand the concept of impeachment according to the US constitution. They are of the mistaken belief that impeachment equals the removal from office. “Trump done bai.

Congress impeaches him. He gone.”

Many Americans also hold the same belief. A clarification of the meaning of the concept is warranted. Impeachment is not removal from office. I happened to have studied US constitutional law when I was

doing a PhD in Political Science and MS in Educational Administration.

Constitutional law was mandatory for both disciplines. Thus, I have knowledge of the process.

Impeachment simply means an equivalent of an indictment in a court. It means an allegation or a charge was made against the President.

The House examined the evidence and a discussion was held. That was followed by a vote among the 435 elected members of the Lower House. A simple majority vote was needed for an indictment.

The matter is sent to the Senate where a trial will take place. A conviction requires a ‘yes’ vote by 67 members (two-thirds majority) of only the elected 100 members of the Upper House. That is a most difficult task. No American President was ever convicted (removed from office).

Trump is the only President in the history of the US to be impeached more than once. He was impeached last year but was not convicted. That vote took place along partisan lines – Democrats voted to impeach while Republicans voted to

exonerate him. The current impeachment charges Trump for “high crimes and misdemeanors,” and for “inciting violence against the government of the United States.” A dozen Republicans voted to impeach Trump this week along with Democrats.

What happens next? It is not clear if the matter will be brought up for a trial. The clock is ticking and may run out of time. A trial and a vote must be held before Tuesday, Trump’s last full day in office.

Given the limited time, with a trial taking at least two days, the Senate may ignore the process. For a trial to take place, the Majority leader of the Senate has to schedule the hearing. Currently, it is Republican Mitch McConnell. He may not want to touch the matter fearing the political fallout for himself and his party. He may simply ignore the request for a trial, saying time does not allow for it or find some other delaying process. This leads to a natural death of the impeachment once President elect Joe Biden is sworn in on Wednesday morning.

McConnel has been silent on his plan. McConnel’s (Continued on page 59)

Sunday January 17, 2021

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Sunday January 17, 2021

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UK politician’s scandal mirrors Redford’s hiring for US$9B Payara review - British politicians fume over potential conflict of interest, while Guyana’s remain silent

T

he new United Kingdom Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, has been caught in a row with Labour Party politicians, after a public revelation that he accepted donations from fossil fuel interests to his 2019 election campaign.

Labour Party politicians view this as a conflict of interest, as his new portfolio makes him a key official in the enactment

of the government’s green pledges.

This mirrors the potential conflict of interest posed by the hiring of ex-Canadian politician, Alison Redford, late last year to review the US$9B Exxon Payara project.

The Guyana government had hired her despite the fact that she benefitted from donations from an Exxon subsidiary during her political career

in the Canadian province of Alberta.

Environment correspondent for the British Guardian newspaper, Fiona Harvey, wrote on Thursday that Kwarteng, who moved from the energy minister post to secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, received £16,000 from companies and individuals with a direct interest in

fossil fuels during the 2019 general election campaign.

The donations came from a holding company called IPGL, which has 40 percent stake in Cluff Energy Africa, a Chief Executive of Crescent Petroleum and board member of Dana Gas company named Majid Jafar, and Helios Investment Partners which has multiple oil and gas firms in its portfolio. Harvey wrote

The UK’s new business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng (Photograph: Henry Nicholls/ Reuters)

that Kwarteng also received £4,500 from companies that advise on or facilitate trading of fossil fuels, including Capital Generation Partners and CQS. Labour was alarmed at this revelation, as the Conservative Party government had committed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Alan Whitehead, the shadow energy and green

new deal minister, is reported as saying that Kwarteng should give back the money he received from fossil fuel interests: “Ministers should not accept money fro m donors where there is a clear conflict of interest, and I hope he will pay it back. Our democracy should never be up for sale to Tory donors.”

A spokesperson for Kwarteng reportedly said there was no conflict of interest and that all donations were in line with the ministerial code.

While politicians of the United Kingdom are up in arms about this potential conflict, none has sounded the horn in Redford’s potential conflict.

At the time of the announcement of her hiring, Kaieteur News had reported on one scandal plaguing her career, that of her mismanage-

Former Alberta Premier, Alison Redford.

(Stuart Gradon/ Postmedia News/Files)

ment of thousands of dollars of Canadian taxpayer dollars while serving as Premier of Alberta. In one case, Redford had to pay back the CAD$45,000 cost of her trip to Nelson Mandela’s funeral in South Africa, which included about CAD$10,000 for a privately chartered return

flight from South Africa.

She had made a public apology after significant pressure.

Redford announced her resignation in March 2014 as Alberta Premier, and as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in August, a day before an Attorney General (AG) report on her spending practices was scheduled for release.

The AG report found that she and her office had “used public resources inappropriately;” “used public assets (aircraft) for personal and partisan purposes” and that Redford “was involved in a plan to convert public space in a public building into personal living space.”

Kaieteur News had raised questions about whether the Irfaan Ali administration conducted sufficient due diligence checks on Redford, but the Irfaan Ali administration gave no response and allowed her to continue the (Continued on page 62)

Sunday January 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

NIS launches WhatsApp service to help pensioners track contributions NIS Head Office Brickdam and Winter Place, Georgetown.

The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has launched additional Life Certificate service via WhatsApp as part of efforts to help pensioners easily track and make queries about their contributions.

The social security organisation announced its new WhatsApp service on Friday last. A letter by NIS Public Relations Officer, Dianne Baxter noted that serving the growing pension’s population is of outmost priority since NIS values the contributions of senior citizens.

According to Baxter, serving pensioners and other stakeholders are of great concern to the scheme.

“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,” Baxter said her

letter.

She noted that in keeping with the 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.

The Scheme constantly reviews the services provided to ensure that the highest quality is given,” she added.

Baxter announced that 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, 592-6232801 592-623-2802 592-623-2803 592-623-2804592-623-2805592623-2806.

In addition to the WhatsApp service, NIS currently has its Online Contribution Checking System (OCCS), which enables contributors to access the complete record of their contributions online.

NIS says the system is an innovative option for accessing contribution updates as well as making contribution queries online. The online interface links to an offline version of the database used by the NIS. The database is updated on a quarterly basis, to show the number of contributions for individuals registered with the NIS. The newest service was launched officially on Friday, January 15, 2021 at the NIS Head Office Brickdam and Winter Place, Georgetown.

Dem boys seh...

Dem boys nah wan hear about dem ‘dry’ hole When you searching for gold, yuh must find one or two spot where yuh nah gan strike anything. Yuh does come up blank but dah nah mean dat yuh nah gan strike somewhere else fuh mek up fuh when yuh come up empty-handed.

In de same way when yuh searching fuh oil. Yuh gan find a few ‘dry’ holes.

But yuh gan also find plenty ‘wet’ holes. So far Egg-Zaan find mo ‘wet’ holes than ‘dry’ holes. And dem enjoying dem ‘wet’ holes.

Dem strike wan dry hole

de other day. And de Stabber gald fuh feature how de EggZaan hit dry hole. Dat is what de Egg-Zaan want we see and read. Dem want we fuh feel dem doing we a favour. Dem trying fuh win sympathy dat dem tekkin’ losses too.

But is nat dem gat fuh pay fuh de losses.

From de fuss day dem hit de fuss ‘wet’ hole, de entire basin get de-risk. Dah mean Egg-Zaan nah losing no money because whatever dem bin spend and whatever dem gan continue to spend, dem gan reclaim it from we.

And dat include de expense fuh dem hole.

Whether Egg-Zaan hit dry hole or wet hole, is me and you still paying fuh it. So nah mek dem mek you feel things brown out deh and dat dem tekkin’ licks. Is me and you tekkin de licks because of de cockish agreements wah sign.

Dem boys know better dan to believe Egg-Zaan gan lose money. Dem boys know dem tekkin’ we to de cleaners. Dat is why dem boys nah wan hear about ‘dry’ hole, dem boys wan hear but de ‘wet’ hole.

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Sunday January 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

Contractors to be sued for FRONT PAGE COMMENTS RECAP negligible work on Gov’t As we continue our mission to enlighten the nation about issues of importance to this nation, we at Kaieteur News have been publishing a series of front-page comments in hopes of having our leaders take the necessary actions in order to realize the desired outcomes. Today, we recap the front-page comment which was published January 13.

When will you demand your pot of gold?

WEDNESDAY Our political leaders want us to believe that oil will deliver a pot of gold. We at this newspaper, however, believe that our political leaders are bent on deceiving citizens by waving one magic oil wand after another, but with little to

nothing to show for it.

Our leaders have betrayed the nation. They have primed the expectations of Guyanese, while engaging quietly in secret deals that deprive the country of billions of barrels of oil.

The stinking-rich Canje and Kaieteur oil blocks were handed over to friends and cronies. ExxonMobil was

handed the deal of a lifetime, on a platter.

Our leaders are correct: Better will come. But for whom?

It is our leaders who will inherit the pot of gold.

Guyanese, when will you wake up and say “No” to what is happening with your oil? When will you demand your pot of gold?

contract awards - AG

The substandard, shoddy works done by contractors who were awarded government contracts will no longer be tolerated as the new administration plans to haul them before the courts if they commit such an infraction.

Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Anil Nandlall made this mandate explicitly clear on his show ‘Issues in the News’, citing that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) regime is currently overhauling the entire process.

“For years, we have had millions of dollars haemorrhaging in this procurement process and the way that contracts are being executed. It will not continue anymore,” he stated.

Kaieteur News has it on good authority that government is planning to sue to contractors in the coming (Continued on page 62)

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall

Sunday January 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Sunday January 17, 2021

Eight more testify in Vryheid’s Lust woman’s murder PI As the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of Velma Pickering, 56, of Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara (ECD), who was allegedly stabbed and killed by her son-in-law, continued on Wednesday and Friday at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Alisha George, eight more witness were called to testify.

Linden Isaacs, 28, a security guard, of Strathspey Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that on May 11, at Lot 257 South Vryheid’s Lust, he murdered Pickering.

When the matter was called, Police Prosecutor, Vivian Adolph, on Wednesday called five witnesses to testify.

Those witnesses included Pickering’s husband, brother and sister, and two neighbours.

While on Friday, three witnesses testified. Those testified were two detectives and a police constable.

According to Kaieteur News’ reporting on the incident, Pickering was left dead allegedly after a domestic

squabble with her son-inlaw turned violent. Police report revealed that Pickering was reportedly attacked and stabbed multiple times after Isaacs accused her of trying to break up his relationship with her daughter.

The 56-year-old managed to flee the house and ventured into her neighbour’s yard where she collapsed.

Pickering was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and was pronounced dead on arrival. Meanwhile, public-spirited persons caught Isaacs shortly after fleeing the scene and he was handed over to the police.

An investigation was launched and he was subsequently charged with the murder of his mother-in law.

Isaacs is expected to make his next court appearance on Monday for the continuation of the murder PI.

Sunday January 17, 2021

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Guyana records 46 BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY! new COVID-19 cases The Ministry of Health reported 46 new COVID-19 cases yesterday increasing the COVID-19 case toll to 6,851.

This was presented in their daily dashboard update which also shows 55 persons in institutional isolation, 504 in home isola-

tion, 38 in institutional quarantine and five in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit.

The COVID-19 death toll remains at 170 deaths. Additionally, 43 recoveries were also recorded with 6,126 recoveries recorded to date.

Former politician and Barrister-at-law, Llewellyn John, dies

F

ormer Politician and Barrister-at-law, Clifton Mortimer Llewellyn John, C.C.H, passed away yesterday morning at the age of 95. This was confirmed by the People’s National Congress Reform’s Facebook page in a brief statement.

Mr. John was admitted in 1952 first as a solicitor and then as a barrister, for his practice in both the High Court and the Magistrate’s Court. Mr. John was also a leading member of the League of Coloured Peoples, under the auspices of Dr. Denbow, from 19501954. The league dealt with issues affecting coloured people worldwide, advocated for human rights and progressive changes to constitutions. In the 1958, John became the editor for Torch, Sentinel and New Nation newspapers. After firmly stepping into the world of politics, John became the Assistant General Secretary of the PNC and was made Chairman of the Lodge Village Council from 1958-1963.

A lawyer for most of his long life, C.M. Llewellyn John, was a former Minister of Agriculture, of Local Government and of Home Affairs. Mr. John, being the attorney with the

In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our page seven to be blunt about on-going indecency in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

SUNDAY The Government of Guyana seems bent on being swept along with the tide of oil.

What it should be doing is working to better control the development of the sector.

At the current pace of oil and gas development, we are going to be the ones exploited.

The Government needs to move much faster on working on the things we need to slow down the industry, so that it could be developed to the maximum capacity for all Guyanas citizens and not the oil companies and their shareholders.

MONDAY The Government of Guyana has joined the ExxonMobil bandwagon in a mad rush to extract and sell off the nation’s oil as quickly as possible.

But whose interest is the Government really serving by rushing to develop the oil?

By doing this, the PPP/C is not giving the nation a chance to build its capacity to police the sector and protect future generations from billions of dollars in inflated costs.

By rushing, it is not giving Guyana a chance to capture the maximum value from the resources underground.

By rushing, the government is unable to map out a proper energy and development plan.

By rushing, Guyana robs itself of opportunities to properly e xamine the

project plans of ExxonMobil and its partners and cut costs.

If Guyana does not slow down, it would surely find itself worse off than Nigeria, Angola and Ghana; African countries that are rich with resources while more than half of its population is stuck in abject poverty.

TUESDAY Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, claims he understands that the tax-free ride given to Exxon, its affiliates, sub-contractors and partners is too liberal.

Yet, he will do nothing about the fact that nine billion barrels of the Stabroek block oil will be produced with no income or other taxes to benefit the Guyanese people.

What good is admission if it comes with no action?

Talk is cheap, Dr. Jagdeo.

What Guyana needs is action!

WEDNESDAY The silence on renegotiation of our oil deals from both the PPP/C and APNU+AFC is deafening.

It is impossible that as a country on which the spotlight is on, our leaders remain silent.

We are losing billions of dollars of our birth right and our legacy.

Yet, there are no commitments on how to fix this glaring eye pass and the obvious highway robbery.

We cannot be amazed at our leaders and their selfishness.

THURSDAY Local Content – meaning the provision of goods and services by citizens to the oil and gas companies – is a main aspect of any oil and gas economy in a developing country.

It is the most effective way of directly integrating citizens of a country into the oil and gas economy.

Local Content should start off at a reasonable level and then continue to grow throughout the lifetime of that economy.

Without transparency on the levels of local content, however, there is no way of knowing the rate at which local content is growing, and in which sectors.

Guyanese need to de-

mand transparency when it comes to the level and nature of local content in our oil and gas industry.

FRIDAY Equatorial Guinea has shown a firm hand when it comes to ensuring the participation of locals in the value

chain of its petroleum sector.

This is evidenced by the way it dealt with one company, which it found was not adhering to its rules for local content.

When the country determined this infraction was being committed, it expelled the company from its oil industry.

If Guyana wants to show that it is serious about local content, it will ensure it handles companies that disobey its laws and regulations in like manner.

SATURDAY 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 dow n 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.

Semeru volcano on Indonesia’s Java island spews hot clouds

C.M. Llewellyn John, CCH. longest period of service to the law was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2017 by then President David Granger.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - (AP) — Mount Semeru, the highest volcano on Indonesia’s most densely populated island of Java, spewed hot clouds as far away as 4.5 kilometres (nearly 3 miles) yesterday.

There were no immediate evacuations, but the National Disaster Mitigation Agency warned people who live in the villages on the slopes of the 3,676-metre (12,060-foot)-high mountain to be vigilant in looking for signs of danger.

Agency spokesperson Raditya Jati said that people around the river basin on the slopes of the mountain should beware of high rainfall intensity that can trigger lava floods.

Indonesia’s Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre did not raise Semeru’s alert status, which already had been at the third-highest level since it began erupting in May. The volcano spewed hot ash for 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) in early December, triggering panic among villagers.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 250 million people, sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Government seismologists monitor more than 120 active volcanoes.

A strong earthquake shook Indonesia’s Sulawesi island early Friday, killing at least 46 people.

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Sunday January 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

Pedestrian shatters windscreen Go for it,’ says first person vaccinated in India’s massive after driver honks at him COVID-19 campaign

The Fuel Care Gas Station at Blankenburg, WCD. A pedestrian on Friday apparently lost his temper and shattered a car windscreen after the driver, Harricharn Alfred, 49, honked his horn at him. Alfred, a construction worker of Zeelugt New Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) told cops that the man broke his car windscreen around 19:15hrs at the Fuel Care Gas Station, Blankenburg, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

According to police, not only did the man damage Alfred’s car but with the help of two others attacked him and his sons who were passengers in the said car, with knives and cutlass for confronting them. Alfred claimed that he was entering the gas station when he saw the man and his two accomplices standing in his pathway. He noticed that the men were imbibing alcohol at the time and decided to honk his horn for them to move out of the way.

The man however got annoyed and pelt a

glass bottle towards their front windscreen causing it to break. Alfred told investigators that he and his two sons exited the car and walked out to confront them. The man however became violent and a slight scuffle ensued between them. During the scuffle, the pedestrian pulled out two knives while one of his accomplice drew a cutlass. Upon seeing the weapons, Alfred said that he and sons became scared and ran away towards the Den Amstel Police Station leaving the car behind.

A few moments later, they returned to scene accompanied by ranks and found the car even more damaged. It appeared as if the man and his accomplices vented their frustration by shattering the back windscreen as well and the four side window glasses. The headlights were shattered too.

Investigators reported that the suspects were apprehended not long after and taken away to Leonora Police Station lockups.

NEW DELHI - (Reuters) Hospital cleaning worker Manish Kumar became the first person in India to be vaccinated against COVID-19 yesterday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched one of the world’s largest immunisation campaigns to bring the pandemic under control.

Kumar received his shot at Delhi’s premier All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), one of 3,006 vaccination centres established around the country.

India is prioritising nurses, doctors and other frontline workers, and Modi had tears in his eyes as he addressed healthcare workers via video conferencing.

“The disease separated people from their families, kept mothers away from their children, and those who died of the disease couldn’t even get a final goodbye from their families,” Modi said.

AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria and V.K. Paul, a top COVID-19 adviser to Modi, were also given the shots in the presence of Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

The government is calling its immunisation campaign the biggest in the world and hopes around 300,600 people will be vaccinated on the first day - a first step in administering around 300 million people with two doses in the first six to eight months of the year.

With a population of

nearly 1.4 billion people, India is the world’s most populous country after China.

Some 10.5 million people in India have been infected with the coronavirus, the highest number of infections after the United States, and more than 151,000 have died, though infection rate has come down (Continued on page 62)

Sunday January 17, 2021

Dear Reader, in light of the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our publisher, with you in mind, has taken the decision to extend our weekly review of some of our major stories in their entirety.

SUNDAY EXPERT SAYS GUYANA MOVING TOO FAST WITH DEVELOPMENT OF ITS OIL – BUT JAGDEO TELLS OIL COMPANIES: “DRILL, BABY, DRILL!” As the consequences of global warming continue to worsen, countries across the world have increased efforts towards the transition away from fossil fuels to cleaner sources of energy, so that carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced and therefore lead to a decline in rising global temperatures. As a result of this transition, industry experts have categorically stated that the demand for oil will never be the same again.

They have concluded that oil demand has reached its peak, hence the desire of some new producers like Guyana to get the oil out of the ground as quickly as possible and have it sold.

Chatham House Expert, Dr. Valerie Marcel, recently posited that she could understand why Guyana may want to rush its oil development since one does not know how much time each country will have to sell its resources. It will all depend on the cost to develop it and how long the market will thirst for it. Be that as it may, Dr. Marcel warns that the pace at which Guyana is moving is perhaps “too fast” since it risks losing significant value in the process.

During a recent interview on Kaieteur radio’s programme, Guyana’s Oil and You, Dr. Marcel said, “…When you rush the process to develop the oil you are no longer looking at capturing the maximum value from the resources underground. By rushing,

you are not thinking of ultimate recovery which is to get as much of the oil and gas out, you aren’t focusing as much on, I think, the importance of an integrated energy and oil development plan.”

By rushing, Dr. Marcel posited, Guyana is not giving itself enough time to craft a map that looks at the development of the discoveries and how some of those projects like Payara and Liza, might be linked to each other to ensure cost savings on infrastructure. By failing to have such a map in place, the industry expert alluded to the fact that Guyana is missing out on the opportunity to ensure cost reductions by having companies working across fields or sharing drilling results.

The Chatham House Associate Fellow said, “There are so many sort of architectural issues that you don’t have time to think about if you are rushing through and I think the fast pace is perhaps too fast for Guyana…I think it is better to get it right and slow it down…”

She added, “…It is extremely important to have that architectural or policy planning view of the whole thing to ensure there is long term value for Guyana.”

DRILL BABY DRILL! When the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) assumed office last year, Kaieteur News had published a list of 20 things which the new government must do to set the oil industry on the right path; a path that would allow the nation to build its capabilities to properly govern and monetize the resources. High on that list was the creation of a depletion policy.

In simple terms, this strategy would say how fast or slow Guyana must extract its oil resources.

Several local, regional and international stakeholders have appealed for the nation to have a policy that slows the aggressive rate of extraction by ExxonMobil; otherwise, the country would be left extremely overwhelmed

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said that this is what has influenced the PPP/C’s position to extract the oil as quickly as possible, use portions of it to build world class infrastructure and education while putting aside some for inter-generational equity.

“That is the depletion policy for you,” the Vice President concluded. (See link: depletion policy time stamp: (1: 05: 26) https:// w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=WA03jUwgIDY) Origin of the phrase – ”Drill, baby, drill!”

“Drill, baby, drill!” was a Republican campaign slogan first used at the US 2008 Republican National Convention by former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, who was later elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee. The slogan expressed support for increased drilling for petroleum and gas as sources of additional energy and gained further prominence after it was used by Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin during the vice-presidential debate. and on a dangerous precipice.

In spite of this, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has made it clear that Guyana’s Depletion policy will essentially be “Drill, baby, drill!”

His reasoning behind the “anecdotal” policy was explained during an interview on Kaieteur Radio on December 23, 2020. There, the Vice President said, “My own view is that we have a period in which oil would still be very relevant in the global mix of energy and we have a period but it is a window that is closing because of climate change. The window for Guyana will be open a little longer for us than other countries because we have low breakeven costs and because our crude is sweet, light unlike others which have heavy or sour crude.”

The Vice President also noted that the recently issued regulations by the

International Maritime Organization require the removal of 80 percent of the sulphur content from global shipping. Since heavy or heavy sour oil has a lot of sulphur, “everyone is looking for sweet crude now.”

Further to this, Jagdeo had pointed to the fact that the world’s leading economies, China and the USA, have made it pellucid that they will be heading to renewable. In fact, China, the world’s biggest energy consumer, aims to achieve carbon-neutrality before 2060.

As for the USA, Presidentelect Joe Biden has declared intentions to increase the nation’s switch to renewable energy.

Considering the implications of climate change and the global transition to cleaner energy sources, Jagdeo posited that demand for fossil fuel is either going to be static or declining in 15 to 20 years’ time. He had

BRAZIL TO AUCTION 92 OIL BLOCKS THIS YEAR – EQUIVALENT TO SIZE OF JUST THREE OF GUYANA’S BLOCKS COMBINED Global energy information provider, S&P Global has reported that Brazil has cleared 92 offshore exploration and production oil blocks to be licenced in a public sale. The blocks were approved by the National Energy Policy Council (CNPE), the government agency charged with advising the President on energy.

The blocks will be part of the 17th bid round of Brazil, and will be sold under the concession agreement – an alternative to the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) which Brazil is now cleaving more to, said the National Petroleum Agency (ANP), Brazil’s oil industry regulator.

The concession agreement is seen as more favourable, and Brazil has come under pressure to make its regulatory infrastructure more attractive to investors.

“There will be 92 blocks offered in the offshore sedimentary basins of Potiguar, Campos, Santos and Pelotas,” the ANP is reported as saying. The blocks will cover 53,900 square kilometres.

To put that into perspective, the combined award of Guyana’s Stabroek, Kaieteur and Corentyne blocks is 52,840 square

kilometres. In contrast, Brazil managed to split such an acreage into 92 blocks.

Guyana had made its oil awards in contravention of the legal guidelines for block sizes, granting more acreage than was legislated for. Of note to Guyana is that each Brazil block will carry an attractive price, securing a lot of revenue for the Brazillian people.

Guyana has never held a bid round. Its blocks have been awarded generally on a first-come-first-served basis.

It only ever received one signing bonus, US$18M from ExxonMobil when the government granted a PSA to the supermajor and its partners in 2016.

Guyana is considering having its first bid round this year, though the country has not updated its legislation in this regard. It hasn’t made pronouncements about a new model PSA either.

It has attracted much excitement though, about the many discoveries made in the Guyana-Suriname basin, especially Exxon’s 18 Stabroek block discoveries.

Brazil’s geologists, according to S&P, believe that the same geological play which got ExxonMobil its 18 discoveries extends along Brazil’s northern coast in the Foz do Amazonas and ParaMaranhao basins. However, these basins are not part of the 92 blocks approved for Brazil’s 17th bid round, due to concerns from environmental groups about a coral reef discovered in the area.

Brazil’s ANP is expected to hold a public audience to discuss the auction rules and the concession contract on February 3, and the public bidding round is set for October 7.

CHINESE CONTRACTOR CONTINUES TO DISREGARD GOVT. DEADLINES ON AIRPORT PROJECT Continuing to disregard the government’s deadlines is China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC). This is after the Chinese contractor had failed on completing critical outstanding tasks at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) by a December 2020 deadline.

It was previously agreed upon that the contractor would complete 34 out of the 71 critical items at the US$150M airport by December 31, 2020.

Concerningly however, CHEC has only managed to complete 13 of those 34 items as of January 7, 2021, as revealed by CJIA authorities.

(Continued on page 22)

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From page 21 Due to their inability to complete the tasks, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, has called on CHEC to adhere to strict timelines to complete outstanding works on the airport. But even with these calls of urgency, no penalties have been stipulated by the government if CHEC fails to honor those commitments.

Speaking at a meeting with CHEC officials at CJIA on Friday, Minister Edghill had said, “the new things to be done as well as the old items to be fixed have to be done together and if we find that there are slippages, I will have to make the necessary intervention because we cannot allow for last minute rush.”

Edghill continued, “The Government of Guyana, in good faith, entered into that agreement with China Harbour Engineering Company and we signed an amicable settlement agreement that requires actions on both parts. We have upheld our end of the bargain as noble and as sincere. As Government, we expect no less from CHEC.” As part of their remedial objectives, CHEC was therefore pressed to submit to the Government, a Resource Allocation Plan no later than January 31. This plan will provide a guide for the Administration on how CHEC intends to execute its obligations within the agreed timeframes.

Additionally, the contractor was urged to complete the preliminary designs for the curtain walls, a corridor to facilitate the two air bridges and a superstructure for the building at the front of the airport. Preliminary designs for these items are due January 31 and final designs are expected in March.

“We need to have those because we need to get them agreed on, [So, we can] start procurement and we start work. We know how long the civil works have been taking you and we can’t have wishful thinking that if we start in October, we will finish

by December 31 [2021]. It is not going to happen and we are not going to tolerate it,” Minister Edghill said.

Improved communication Minister Edghill had also called for better communication among the contractor, project manager and project engineers as this is critical to swiftly resolve any issues that may arise. To this end, the Minister said he and the CJIA’s CEO, Ramesh Ghir, and the project consultant would meet all parties involved to iron out any issue.

Sunday January 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

Concerning ongoing works, Minister Edghill admitted that there might be challenges at the airport to execute contractual works while the facility is operational, but he maintained that the works must proceed. In this regard, he said, “there must be somebody who is working closely to ensure there is proper planning ahead of time so we can be able to make the necessary adjustments.”

In December, Government brokered an agreement with CHEC for the company to undertake $1.8 billion in works on CJIA at no additional cost to taxpayers.

This represented a major breakthrough for the President Irfaan Ali Administration as the PPP/C had criticized the APNU+AFC, in and out of the National Assembly, for reducing, the scope of the original contract signed in 2012, thereby short-changing Guyanese.

The project is years behind its completion date and the new agreement stipulates December 31, 2021 as the date by which all outstanding works must be done so that taxpayers could have value for money.

The additional works that CHEC agreed to undertake entail: 1. An extension of the airport’s boarding corridor to accommodate two more passenger boarding bridges, providing the airport with a total of six boarding bridges capable of servicing aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Dream liner, the Airbus and similar trans-Atlantic aircraft.

2. An extension of the Terminal Building to provide accommodation for additional commercial space such as food courts and duty-free shops. The extended building will feature a modern airport façade covering the full length of the Departure Terminal.

CHEC has also agreed to rectify and complete all outstanding remedial works within prescribed timelines.

MONDAY EXXON HAD OFFERED MORE GAS PER DAY THAN GUYANA NEEDS – PATTERSON ADMITS – GHANA LOSING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS $$$ PER YEAR IN SIMILARARRANGEMENT In 2016, ExxonMobil and the David Granger administration trapped the people of Guyana in an oil deal with notoriously unfair terms. Despite consistent criticism of this deal, just two years later, the oil super major would go on to make an offer

to Guyana which could trap it in yet another unfair, financially unsustainable situation – more gas than Guyana needs. Luckily for Guyana, it may learn before it signs a deal, about the experience of Ghana, a country which has been trapped in a long-term deal that forces it to pay hundreds of millions of dollars a year for gas it does not need.

On December 31, 2020, Former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson appeared alongside several esteemed panelists on the Kaieteur Radio show, Guyana’s Oil & You hosted by Senior Journalist, Kiana Wilburg, where he admitted that in 2018, ExxonMobil offered to bring 30 million cubic feet of gas to shore per day, to meet Guyana’s energy needs.

It was important, Patterson noted, as it would be the first big petroleum project to have a direct impact on the lives of all Guyanese.

Patterson informed Wilburg that by August 2018, the government had done several studies on the gas-toshore proposition, as significant gas reserves have been discovered in the Stabroek Block. At the time, negotiations for this project fell under the remit of Patterson’s ministry.

The former Minister said that the government had also asked the World Bank and the Japanese government for assistance in this regard, but that those teams were likely dispatched and received when the responsibility for the project moved to the Energy Department, after its formation.

The government had, according to Patterson, sought to make clear to ExxonMobil that the government should be repaying not for the gas itself but only for the transportation of the gas. He said that, as “Exxon was under tremendous pressure

regarding the equity of the contract,” it was amenable to the government’s suggestions.”

Patterson said that they were close to an arrangement, including discussions about which party would own the pipeline, and the cost per cubic meter the government would be meant to pay. He said that Exxon wanted to quickly recoup its expenditures made on the construction of the pipeline.

The former Minister said that “obviously” Guyana would not be able to utilise all of the gas. Hence, discussions included a “take or pay” provision, which would oblige the government to take the gas or pay a specified amount.

Patterson said that the project is a viable one because Guyana’s electricity needs have been growing seven percent per annum since 2015, and because of its struggle with power outages due to a poor state power grid and power generation capacity.

This reasoning finds similarity in Ghana’s experience too.

An independent policy center called Institute of the Americas had warned Guyana not to end up like Ghana. It said that Ghana approved the Sankofa gas project in 2015 because, like Guyana, it wanted to reduce power costs, lower emissions and make electricity services more reliable. According to the World Bank, since the startup of the project in 2018, Sankofa resulted in the provision of power to 1.6 million households, among other benefits.

These benefits came at a tragic price. The Institute of the Americas said that Ghana signed a long-term take-orpay Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with suppliers, through which it would have to pay for 90 percent of the produced gas from the field, no matter the

demand. In 2019, Ghana’s bill for unused gas was US$250M. Realising what had happened, the current administration responded by creating the Energy Sector Recovery Program (ESRP) to find uses for all the extra gas and work on ensuring fairer agreements in the future.

An additional concern is the fact that a common denominator in the oil and gas affairs of Guyana and Ghana is the World Bank.

The Bretton Woods Project, a British watchdog formed to challenge the effectiveness of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised questions about the World Bank’s role in Ghana’s gas development. The Bank had made a sizeable investment in the Sankofa gas project. It is also assisting Guyana with a loan packed with conditions, so that Guyana can develop its oil and gas sector.

This has not gone unnoticed. In an August 14 letter, three good governance advocates wrote to the World Bank expressing their concerns. The signatories were International Lawyer, Melinda Janki; Guyana’s former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran and cofounder of the Oil & Gas Governance Network, Darshanand Khusial.

They pointed to former President David Granger’s Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040, which states that “Natural gas associated with the Stabroek Block’s oil production is projected to be sufficient to fuel 200-300MW in generation capacity, more than current Guyanese electricity production.”

The Bank is now challenged to prove that Guyana will not fall to the same fate as Ghana.

“PATTERSON’S COMMENTS TO JOIN THE PPP/C IN RENEGOTIATION…AN INSULT TO OUR COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE” – ENVIRONMENTALIST ANNETTE ARJOON “He is insulting our collective intelligence” was the response given by Environmentalist Annette Arjoon-Martins to the recent utterances by Alliance For Change (AFC) General Secretary and Shadow Oil and Gas Minister David Patterson on the Coalition turned Opposition’s support for the renegotiation of the lopsided Stabroek Block deal.

Even though it was the coalition that signed off on the widely criticised

agreement with oil giant ExxonMobil, Patterson on a recent platform had given assurances that the Coalition would lend its support to the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/ C) should it wish to renegotiate the deal.

But his remarks did not sit well with the Environmentalist who stated that the Coalition had the opportunity to secure more beneficial terms for Guyana when it signed the deal in 2016.

“He is insulting our collective intelligence even further when he claims that the Opposition will support any changes where Guyana can benefit more, knowing fully well that his government had the opportunity to do so in 2016 but chose to do the exact opposite,” ArjoonMartins commented.

Further on, she posited that “it is quite disingenuous and barefaced” for the Shadow Oil and Gas Minister to brush aside comments regarding the “vexing issue of the contract and the continued narrative of who is responsible for its contents.”

This, Arjoon-Martins added, was done whilst being “fully aware” that the then governing Coalition renegotiated the 1999 contract with Exxon, adding in unfavourable terms such as the stabilization clause and allowing Exxon to “selfinsure”.

Patterson stated that during the Coalition’s fiveyear tenure in office, it never got the chance to correct the poor provisions in the deal.

However, it was Global Witness that revealed that the then Natural Resource Minister, Raphael Trotman ignored expert advice on multiple occasions and had signed the agreement away in a short period.

Global Witness said too that Guyana left US$55 billion on the table because of its failure to secure a fair deal.

The 2016 Stabroek Block deal has received much flak since the details were made public however, AFC leader, Khemraj Ramjattan coined it as one of the best decisions the Coalition has ever made.

The contract was kept from the public for a year and a half after its signing. Even worse was the fact that the Coalition had kept secret as well, the fact that it had received a signing bonus from ExxonMobil totaling US$18 million.

The deal also contained many sub-standard provisions, crafted in such ways that Guyana would suffer significant value (Continued on page 23)

Sunday January 17, 2021

From page 22 leakage. These include Guyana paying Exxon’s billions of dollars in taxes; pre-contract costs discrepancies; unspecified interest rates expensed to Guyana for loans to the oil entities; weak environmental standards; Guyana’s inability to control the amount of oil being produced; and infrastructure cost anomalies between the Liza One and Liza Two Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels.

With a comprehensive comparative analysis done of Guyana’s Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil against that of others, it turns out that out of over 130 PSAs this newspaper would have examined, Guyana’s is in a class of its own.

LEGISLATIVE REFORM FOR OILAND GAS SECTOR WON’T BE DONE IN ISOLATION – ATTORNEYGENERAL Because the oil and gas sector is part and parcel of Guyana’s economy, its legislative reform will not be tackled in isolation. Sharing this revelation was Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall.

In fact, during his appearance last week on Kaieteur Radio’s Guyana’s Oil and You, Nandlall was keen to point out that it would be “myopic”, in his view, to have legislative reform confined to the oil and gas sector. And now that the People’s Progressive Party/

Civic (PPP/C) is in government, Nandlall says that it has to move with alacrity in proceeding to build not only a legislative agenda for the oil and gas sector, but an agenda that will enable the country to use the benefits and proceeds from the same sector to develop other zones in the economy.

By the same token, however, the AG emphasized the importance of modernising the oil and gas sector’s legislation to protect the environment; to ensure that local content policy imperatives are “underscored, protected and advanced”; to make certain that the sector is managed by technocrats, not politicians; as well as a legislative framework that will stipulate how oil proceeds will be recovered, saved and invested for the future.

“And those are the main ones concerning the oil and gas sector,” the AG noted.

Nandlall said that outside of the oil and gas sector, there will be “tremendous opportunities and new endeavours” in various other sectors. In giving an example, he recalled that several international hotels have expressed interest in establishing their presence in Guyana. In support of these interests, Nandlall said that the foundation is being laid for the anticipated boom in the hospitality industry, which is being executed through the creation of “service-type”, condominium and proper zoning legislation.

In addition, the AG highlighted that discussions are also being held on revamping the

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100-year-old legislative architecture of the public health system, which he labels as “out of sync with public health realities”.

The modernising and revamping of legislation for the agricultural and manufacturing sectors are two other items on the legislative agenda. Forming legislation for those respective sectors that will enable a progressive agricultural and manufacturing agenda aimed at protecting farmers, manufacturers, food/ product security, regulating production for large scale, as well as those products that are yet to be manufactured, will also be prioritised Nandlall said.

“I gave you just those few examples to show how broadbased and all-embracing our legislative agenda is going to be and must be. So understandably, it is a work in progress,” the AG states.

He added too that all the various agencies in central government will be pursuing legislative agendas to suit their own peculiarities, thereby culminating a national legislative agenda.

Notably, the government is moving towards the establishment of the Law Reform Commission, which will serve as one of the driving forces for the reform needed.

TUESDAY ‘POT OF GOLD’GUYANA BEING PROMISED IS AN ILLUSION OF THE WORST SORT – ENERGY EXPERT As Guyana hurtles headfirst into approving

multiple ExxonMobil field developments, energy transition advisor, Gerard Kreeft, warns that the billions of dollars, or the pot of gold that Guyana is being promised is an illusion of the worst sort.

Kreeft appeared on a virtual forum on Sunday last, during which International Lawyer, Melinda Janki, delivered a scathing rebuke of Guyana’s relationship with ExxonMobil. The forum was aptly titled ‘Oil and the betrayal of Guyana’s working people.’

During that address, Janki spoke of how former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, has left Guyana in an oil deal with ExxonMobil, which has not secured value for the Guyanese people, from the production of its Stabroek block crude.

Kreeft thought it important to emphasize that Exxon needs Guyana more than Guyana needs Exxon. He is not the only one that has made this observation.

Seeking Alpha, a forum of international investors and financial industry experts, published an article in August last year stating that ExxonMobil has bet so much on Guyana that the oil major may very well need Guyana more than Guyana needs ExxonMobil.

“It’s basically a case right now of the tail wagging the dog,” Kreeft said of the Guyana-Exxon relationship.

Guyana cannot do oil exploration and production by itself, but there are other oil majors it can turn to with the technological expertise and track record for the job.

In an article titled ‘Whisky Galore: Developing an Energy Roadmap for Guyana,’ Kreeft wrote that there are companies, which would swoop in and take charge in Guyana if ExxonMobil begins to flounder.

Exxon’s share price has been unstable lately, and Kreeft said that a stable share price is what will guarantee the resilience of oil majors to aid deepwater developments, like Guyana’s, in the future.

In this regard, he pointed to companies like Equinor and Total SA, which are perceived to be ‘greener’ than ExxonMobil. On the other hand, ExxonMobil has shown itself to be a laggard in its commitment to be a sound environmental steward, causing investors to dump stocks out of dissatisfaction, in the past few years.

The company has placed its bets on Guyana, hoping to pump as much oil as it can to rake in a lot of revenue due to a lopsided production sharing agreement (PSA), with the

support of Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who has said that he is in favour of aggressive production of Guyana’s oil.

Kreeft pointed to a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), which states that revenues from the oil will be insufficient to cover Guyana’s deficits, support new spending and build wealth.

How can Guyana help itself, then? Kreeft gave advice Guyana’s leaders have read in the newspapers many times but are yet to implement.

He advises the strengthening of the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) to ensure it can fulfill its mandate, and having an agency established to be Guyana’s eyes and ears in oil with responsibility for its concessions. Kreeft also advises having a state energy company to be the negotiating partner of all oil and gas activities and that advice is taken from countries, which have properly managed their petroleum sector, such as Norway.

THREE MUTANT COVID-19 STRAINS RIGHT IN GUYANA’S BACKYARD As COVID-19 vaccines develop and are used around the world, Guyana looks set to receive its own share in the first half of the year. The government had prepared for a resurgence of cases after the Christmas holiday, but it will now have to prepare for a possible resurgence for other reasons. Three particularly worrying mutant strains of the novel COVID-19 have been detected, and all of them are right in Guyana’s backyard, the Federative Republic of Brazil. These three mutant COVID-19 strains have already swept across the planet, and have been detected in every continent in the world, except for Antarctica.

One of them emanated from the United Kingdom (UK). The European country

last month recorded a surge in cases, and scientists have attributed it to a new strain of COVID-19 that preliminary studies indicate is way more contagious.

The UK government said that it is found to be 70 percent more infectious. Detected early in December, the mutant has shaken the UK again, forcing a fresh wave of lockdown measures. About 40 nations had responded quickly last month by banning entry from UK travellers.

The new strain has not been proven to be more deadly than usual, but it has already spread to more than 30 countries and territories, including Denmark, Italy, Gibraltar, the Netherlands, Australia, South Africa and Brazil.

Guyana’s large, populous neighbour announced its first cases of the UK strain more than a week ago, in its Sao Paulo state. The distance between Guyana and Sao Paulo state is over 3,000 km, on the Eastern side of the continent.

The second worrying strain is one that came from South Africa. That country’s authorities announced the case mid-December, 2020. It was found to be highly infectious like the UK strain, causing a surge in cases in South Africa. It has already started spreading to other countries. On January 9, Reuters reported that Brazil had detected the South African variant in a reinfection case in Rio de Janeiro. This was notable as it is the first such detected case in the world, in which someone was re-infected with the South African variant.

The individual’s symptoms, this time around, are more powerful. Rio de Janeiro is on the Southwestern side of the continent, over 3,500 km away from Guyana.

But there is another much closer mutant in the Brazilian Amazonas state. On Sunday, Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases said that it detected a new COVID-19 variant in travellers from (Continued on page 24)

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From page 23 Amazonas. The Institute’s head, Takaji Wakita, said that there is no proof that the new Brazil variant is high in infectiousness, though CNBC reported that the strain shares some mutations in common with the UK strain, as well as another highly infectious strain originating from South Africa. Japan’s scientists did not pronounce conclusively on the infectiousness of the strain traced from Amazonas state.

Brazil has been suffering from one of the deadliest outbreaks of the virus in the world, behind the United States. It has detected over eight million cases of COVID19, and more than 200,000 people have died as a result.

Like US President Donald Trump, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro has been criticised for diminishing the gravity of the pandemic.

GLOBAL WITNESS WITHDRAWS REPORT ON BAD EXXON DEAL, BUT STANDS BY ITS INTEGRITY In redirecting its efforts to fight the main drivers of climate change, namely deforestation, the extraction and burning of fossil fuels, and the corporate capture and other abuses of power driving these destructive activities, Global Witness has withdrawn its Signed Away report.

In this damning report, the international nongovernmental organization (NGO) had detailed how a poor negotiation process and questionable behaviour by government officials had led to the inking of a lopsided oil deal with an Exxon-led consortium for operations in Guyana’s lucrative Stabroek block. As a result of the unfair fiscal terms, Global Witness had estimated that Guyana stands to lose US$55B over 40 years.

“Our February 2020 report on Guyana’s oil sector, Signed Away, is not consistent with [our] focus and for this reason we have decided to remove it from our website and stop using it in our campaigning work,” Global Witness said Monday in a statement.

Global Witness reminded that since its advocacy work began in 1993, it has sought to end the environmental destruction that harms millions around the world, holding the powerful accountable, while advocating for people who have lost their livelihoods or lives.

However, the NGO noted, as the destructive impacts of the climate crisis – flooding,

Kaieteur News

desertification, famine – have become more acute, it has become clear that its work needs to change. To this end, it said, “It is no longer enough for Global Witness to demand that oil and gas businesses operate in a more transparent and accountable manner. We firmly believe that to save the climate, we need to work with others to achieve a just and equitable phase out of fossil fuel extraction. To do this, we need to elevate the voices of activists fighting the forces driving the climate breakdown around the world.”

It continued, “Our Signed Away report focused on how much revenue Guyana could obtain from oil if the government negotiated a fairer deal with Exxon, an oil major. Our revenue analysis assumed that the Paris Agreement climate commitments would not be implemented – leading to an overestimation of the amount of oil Guyana would likely produce and the value of that oil. Under the new organisational strategy we have rolled out this year, this is not a scenario that we would accept because greenhouse gases have to fall by half over the next decade, for the sake of the planet and all of us living on it.”

Global Witness also highlighted that since its publication, oil prices have dropped by more than a third.

As COVID-19 continues to depress demand for fossil fuels and as countries implement policies to restrict the use of fossil fuels in order to tackle climate change, the prospects for sustainable income generation from new oil projects are increasingly questionable, it added.

“These factors led us to overestimate the potential economic benefit of oil extraction,” the NGO said, while recognizing that its report has made it more difficult for civil society to argue the case for cessation of oil production in Guyana.

But even as it withdraws its report, Global Witness insisted that it stands by the integrity of the evidence presented in its report. In fact, the NGO was keen to note that its decision to withdraw Signed Away is not an endorsement of the way Exxon or Guyanese officials negotiated the oil licences awarded to the company.

“We also stand by the fiscal model produced by OpenOil that was commissioned by Global Witness. Expert, transparent, and instructive, OpenOil’s work and its fiscal model are standard-setting,” it added.

But “most importantly,” the NGO has given strong

Sunday January 17, 2021

support to the “inspiring” investigations and campaigning that Guyanese reporters, campaigners, and experts have undertaken in recent years, all with the aim of increasing accountability around the deals between Guyana’s government and Exxon, and other oil companies.

“It is this work that will hold the powerful to account and Guyanese people should be proud to have such relentless advocates working for them,” Global Witness added in its statement.

WEDNESDAY STABROEK BLOCK DEAL REVEALS… GAS-TO-SHORE PROJECT, ANOTHER CASH COW FOR EXXONMOBIL On the surface, the proposed gas-to-shore project appears to be one of the solutions to Guyana’s energy supply woes, but once that veil is removed, the true face of the venture is revealed. It is nothing more than another cash cow for ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC/NEXEN. The true likeness and image of the project is readily gleaned from the terms of the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement.

The provisions under Article 12 of the contract note that “all costs and expenses incurred by the Contractor in the production, use and/or disposal of the Associated Gas of an oil field as stipulated under Article 12.1 and those incurred in carrying out any feasibility study on the utilization of the excess Associated Gas shall be charged to the development cost of the oil field and shall be recoverable contract costs.”

It goes on to state that all costs incurred by the government for the infrastructure and handling of excess associated gas which are not included in the development plan shall be at the sole risk and expense of the government and will not affect the amount of cost oil and profit oil due to the contractor.

According to preliminary reports that were done by the previous administration on the feasibility of bringing gas to shore from the Liza Phase One Project, it was noted that an offshore pipeline is estimated to cost between US$165 million and US$270 million to build, depending on the size and landing site location. As for the onshore compression and separation of the Liquefied Petroleum

Gas, this is estimated to cost between US$43 million and US$114 million. Finally, distributing the natural gas to the various electricity generation locations is estimated to cost between US$95 million and US$127 million depending on the landing site selected.

Guyana is expected to handle the costs for the infrastructure of onshore facilities while ExxonMobil would take care of the offshore aspect of the project but all costs based on the terms of the Stabroek Block PSA would be recoverable.

Guyana would also have to pay ExxonMobil for the transportation of the gas, but that price is still being worked out between the oil giant and the PPP/C Government.

Specifically in October last year, the government had said that it is negotiating the price for the gas that would fire a 300MW power plant. It has said too that its appointed task force on the matter “will decide whether we will do a private/public partnership (PPP) or build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) arrangement, or whether government will fund it totally.” Once the price is settled, ExxonMobil will not only be able to recover all costs incurred on realizing the project, but it will have another cash cow on its hands.

A few weeks ago, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo had said that the government has decided to land the gasto-shore project at Wales, West Bank Demerara, but he is still to release the relevant environmental studies, which support that choice.

It should be noted that previous studies, which were commissioned by the Coalition administration, did not list Wales as one of the most cost-effective options for the landing of the project which would bring gas from the Liza Phase One Project for 20 years.

In fact, the former regime

had engaged consultancy group, Energy Narrative, in 2017, to undertake a desk study on the options, cost, economics, impacts, and key considerations of transporting and utilizing natural gas from offshore Guyana for electricity generation.

According to the report, there were three sites which were under discussion for the landing of the proposed pipeline. With respect to the first option being Georgetown, the report said that this location was being considered because of the location of the Guyana Power Light (GPL) Sophia substation (and the proposed New Sophia substation as noted in the 2016 GPL Expansion Study). The second option, which was Clonbrook, was being considered as it is located to the east of the main city along the Atlantic coast. It was being considered as an alternative to Georgetown, as it is less busy and potentially has more space for development. The location is estimated to be near the Columbia substation too. The third option was New Amsterdam, owing to its location along the Berbice River and the potential to develop a new industrial site and deep-water port to support new energyintensive industries. Its location is estimated to be near the Canefield substation.

After doing its analysis of the costs, the Clonbrook landing site was considered as the most optimal landing site for the 30 million standard cubic feet per day (MMcfd) pipeline. The document said that this option would cost US$304 million, including US$165 for the offshore pipeline, US$43.5 million for a compression station and separation plant onshore, and US$95.4 million for onshore pipelines to bring natural gas to power stations in Vreed-enHoop, Kingston, Garden of Eden, and Canefield.

Based on the sites it reviewed, it was found that the Clonbrook landing site results in the lowest overall delivered cost of natural gas.

ONLY 10 GRA OFFICERS AUDITING GUYANA’S BILLION-DOLLAR OIL SECTOR The 2019 Auditor General’s report has revealed that as of 2019, Guyana has only ten officers from the Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) Petroleum Revenue Department involved in the auditing of costs incurred from the oil sector, even as the billions in bills continue to pile on.

The AG’s report outlined that since the unit’s initial establishment back in September 2019, it boasted fifteen officers but it was noted that only ten of them were directly involved in the execution of the audits.

It was explained that GRA employed a strategy of training officers from various audit functions to build a repository of necessary skills and competences which would be mobilized and influenced by the demands of the industry.

Those audit officers were said to have benefitted from multiple training sessions held by the Office of Technical Assistance and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to build capacity to ‘Administer Domestic taxes within the Oil and Gas Sector’ and ‘conduct Cost Recovery Audits’ from March 2017 to July 2019.

But such a small team may not be enough. Only recently, Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, revealed that Guyana has in excess of US$6 billion in oil related expenses to audit from petro-giant ExxonMobil and Stabroek Block partners, affiliates and sub-contractors.

The previous Coalition regime had allowed years to go by before contracting a (Continued on page 25)

Sunday January 17, 2021

From page 24 firm – IHS Markit – to audit expenses from Exxon but this was only the US$460 million in pre-contract costs. The country has a long way to go with little window to conduct their audits. Per the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) Guyana signed with ExxonMobil in 2016, the Minister with responsibility for the oil sector has only two years to audit the expenses incurred by the US supermajor at the end of each fiscal year.

That is to say, the Minister would have had only up to 2017 to audit expenses incurred in 2015. And not only that, the government would also have to foot the bill for all costs associated with that very audit.

Guyana had received warnings from the IMF to ensure that it builds capacity to audit the many bills Exxon would produce. The IMF would have also highlighted the need for these audits to be conducted in a timely manner, since its failure to do so would leave Guyana forced to accept whatever cost is reported by Exxon.

And in light of the fact that Guyana failed to establish a Local Content Committee to review costs incurred by Exxon, it would have to accept as correct, whatever expenses the company incurred for the years 2015 to 2018. That figure stands at US$95 million.

Other nations who have been producing oil years before Guyana stepped into the game, have struggled with auditing the billions of costs from their oil industry.

One prime example is that of Indonesia, the country who was said to have birthed the PSA. Like Guyana, the Indonesian Government penned a PSA arrangement which stipulates that the host country will receive its profits after the oil company deducts its operating expenses.

But as the years went by, it soon noticed that its cut of the spoils got smaller, the taxes from the oil sector began to shrink and the operators’ claims of deductable expenses was increasing by the millions which later led to claims that the oil companies were inflating costs.

In fact, the Supreme Audit Agency of Indonesia found that several oil and gas production sharing contractors inflated their operating costs claims to US$300M. Reports from Indonesian media revealed that SKK Migas, a government-owned entity that manages the oil sector, has a staff of 750 professionals. It was said that approximately 80% of that

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staff is involved in the arduous task of ensuring that cost recovery claims by the company are fair and accurate.

But even with such an immense team of auditors, the country could not keep up and later opted to abandon PSAs and adopted the Gross Spilt method, which rules make contractors bear all the costs in turn for a higher share of the output.

Anticorruption advocates in Indonesia are of the firm view that given its limited audit resources and benchmarks to evaluate cost claims, the Government’s response to move away from cost recovery as a basis for production sharing is, perhaps, a sensible move.

CARICOM FIRMLY REJECTS ACTS OF AGGRESSION BY VENEZUELA The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has expressed their deep disappointment and concern 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 “Territory for the Development of the Atlantic Façade.”

In a statement issued Tuesday, CARICOM said it firmly repudiates any acts of aggression by Venezuela against Guyana.

“The Caribbean Community is in full support of the judicial process underway at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is intended to bring a peaceful and definitive end to the longstanding controversy between the two countries,” the 15-member state organization said.

It also sought to reiterate in “strongest possible terms its firm and unswerving support” in the maintenance and preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana.

Notably, the government on Monday held an engagement to brief stakeholders on the recent decree issued by Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, claiming sovereignty over Guyana’s territory.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, had said the aim was to ensure all stakeholders are informed of the recent developments.

The engagement, which was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Ramphal House, included representatives from religious organizations, political parties, the Private

Sector Commission (PSC), Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) and the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham).

Minister Teixeira had said, “One of the reasons for the stakeholders meeting is that you will be able to go back and brief your members because this is an issue, I think that we have to stand together as a people. We have to stand as one, put aside all the other issues that we have differences that we don’t like each other about or we don’t agree on, that this one issue that require us as a people to stand together.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, in his remarks noted that once Venezuela’s decree is gazetted, it gives relevance to that country’s position and would be seen as a threat to Guyana’s sovereignty. As a result, the Guyana Government must be proactive by having these discussions.

“And that is to pre-empt Maduro’s actions. So, we are taking it seriously and we are seeing this as a threat.”

Minister Todd added that observers have seen Venezuela’s actions over the decades which necessitate moving to bring finality to the issue.

The Government is also in the process of engaging international organizations including CARICOM, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of American States (OAS), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

“We are going to give them all of the submissions that we have coming out of Venezuela. We are still awaiting the decree, but we are bringing them up to speed with the events that occurred

in the National Assembly. We are going to give them our position and we are going to reiterate to them that this is not a matter that we are taking lightly given the context, and that we are continuing to rely on their support given the support that we are getting from them so far,’ Minister Todd said.

Earlier Monday, Members of the Parliamentary Sectorial Committee (PSC), were also briefed on the matter. The Committee unanimously condemned any law by Venezuela making unilateral claims to Guyana’s territory.

Minister Teixeira described the move as a ‘healthy development.’

The border case between Guyana and Venezuela arose after the latter contended that the Arbitral Award of 1899 was null and void. The 1899 Award settled the boundary between the then British Guiana and Venezuela, which the latter recognized until 1962.

The controversy is currently before the ICJ, where Guyana is seeking a final judgement to uphold the 1899 Arbitral Award. The ICJ on December 18 ruled it had jurisdiction to hear the case and rule upon the validity of the Arbitral Award and its legal consequence on both States. Venezuela has since rejected the decision of the ICJ. THURSDAY EXXON’S NEW DATA SHOWS IT POLLUTES AS MUCH AS ENTIRE NATION OF CANADA ust last week, ExxonMobil released its ‘Scope Three’ emissions data for 2019 – the first time the company has published such data, after coming under pressure from its investors. The numbers immediately give a very clear picture of why the company

has hidden them for so long.

Exxon’s Scope Three emissions are higher than any other Western oil company, according to data from Bloomberg. The emissions are more voluminous than many countries, and amounts to about the same as the entire nation of Canada.

If you are new to the terminology used when referring to emissions, there are three accepted categories of emissions for this kind of reporting by companies such as ExxonMobil: Scopes One, Two and Three. In its report titled ‘ExxonMobil 2021 Energy and Carbon Summary,’ it is explained that Scope One emissions data generally covers the direct greenhouse gas emissions of ExxonMobil’s operations, while Scope Two data tells investors and the public of the indirect greenhouse gas emissions from energy purchased by the company to power its operations. Scope Three data refers to the company’s indirect greenhouse gas emissions derived from use of its fuel and other products.

The sale of petroleum products by Exxon for 2019 was equivalent to 730 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Royal Dutch Shell comes in second with 694 million metric tons, with Total, Chevron, BP and ENI following behind with 416 million, 413 million, 357 million and 255 million respectively.

When those numbers are compared to countries, it shows ExxonMobil’s Scope Three emissions to be as much as a developed country.

According to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Canada emitted a little over 729 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2018. Australia emitted 558 million metric tons, while France, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom emitted 452

million, 334 million, 520 million, and 465 million respectively.

ExxonMobil is beaten out by the more powerful, populous countries like Germany, Japan and the United States, which emitted 858 million, 1.24 billion and 6.68 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide respectively.

Exxon prefers to focus on Scope One and Two. It has taken the position that Scope Three emissions do not represent its efforts to protect the environment fairly. That may be because the company has not announced any targets to reduce its Scope Three emissions. It is of the conviction that meaningful Scope Three emissions reductions would be driven ultimately by changes in society’s energy use and the development of more affordable low-emission technologies.

Meanwhile, Exxon’s rivals have set targets to reduce their Scope Three emissions, reported Bloomberg. Shell, for example, plans to reduce its Scope Three emissions by around 30 percent by 2035 and 65 percent by 2050.

LOCALCONTENT PANEL FAVOURS REGULAR REPORTINGAND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE FROMALL OIL COMPANIES – GREENIDGE SAYS In order for Guyana to see success with its imminent local content policy, there must be mechanisms in place to ensure regular reporting, review and disclosure of the achievements made in this regard by oil companies.

Additionally, the regulators chosen to keep an eye on these operators must be held accountable for their shortcomings in managing this critical component of the industry. According to former Minister of Foreign Affairs (Continued on page 26)

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From page 25 and now Advisor on Borders, Carl Greenidge, the foregoing were just a few of the perspectives which were exchanged and enjoyed consensus during engagements held with stakeholders by the Local Content Panel. That Panel, of which Greenidge was one of the members, was established last year by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali to compile recommendations on the best provisions for Guyana’s Local Content Policy. While the panel’s report remains under Cabinet review, Greenidge shared with Kaieteur News that he found the process to be a most fruitful one which demonstrated that among Guyanese, there is a strong desire to see oil and gas resources benefit all and for there to be multi-stakeholder involvement and oversight from end to end.

During his exclusive interview with Kaieteur News, Greenidge was keen to note that local content success will be hinged on collaboration and coordination among key stakeholders, such as the citizenry, the media, the oil companies and the government. “This should be a key goal of Government and has been recognized in Article 13 of our Constitution…,” the politician articulated.

Further to this, Greenidge said that the committee discussed with stakeholders, the development of local capacity to plug recognised gaps for jobs and the supply of goods and services if implemented. Here again, Greenidge said that notable calls were made to ensure that accountability and transparency are the hallmarks of that process while adding that all actors responsible for implementing various aspects of the local content policy must be held responsible for every action taken.

The foregoing revelations on the work of the panel would be in stark contrast to that which was executed by the APNU+AFC regime.

Kaieteur News was the first to report that the coalition had allowed an ExxonMobil affiliate, Dr. Michael Warner, to hijack the nation’s policy and transform it into a document that served the interests of the oil companies.

One of the ways in which he did this was to insert a confidentiality provision that was never part of the original draft compiled by Trinidadian Local Content Expert, Anthony Paul.

Warner’s confidentiality provision sought to hide from

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supporting policy to bring an end to this type of behaviour by the company are still underway.

EQUATORIALGUINEA EXPELLED SUPPLIER FROM OIL SECTOR FOR DISOBEYING LOCAL CONTENT RULES

public scrutiny; the truth about how many Guyanese would be hired and trained for the operations of the oil companies along with how many local businesses would be given first preference for the procurement of goods and services.

To this very day, ExxonMobil continues to guard this information from the public’s eye despite calls for disclosure from this newspaper and other transparency advocates since 2015. What the oil giant does opt to do, however, is feed the public with sporadic pieces of information on its local content efforts.

For example, on January 11, last, the company was proud to disclose that two local companies—Denmor Garments Manufacturers Inc. and Caribbean Clothing Company Ltd.—secured contracts to manufacture a total of 2000 coveralls for construction workers in Singapore. The workers are supporting construction of the Prosperity, which will become the third floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel in Guyana.

What ExxonMobil is still to show Guyanese is a breakdown of the job description for all Guyanese, their salaries alongside foreign hires, and even the plans in place to increase workforce year on year.

In fact, no data has ever been provided for the public to analyze if there was any progression in the employment of Guyanese to

senior positions from 2015 to now.

But ExxonMobil is not one that hides from public scrutiny. According to its Production Sharing Agreement, it is required to provide half yearly reports on its local content achievements.

That document is expected to outline how appropriate adjustments would be made for betterment in the following year. From 2015 to 2020, the APNU+AFC never released a single report in this regard, save and expect for that one time in 2018 where it disclosed the names of 300 companies ExxonMobil boasted about using as part of its local content efforts.

Upon examination of the information provided, however, it was found that ExxonMobil had padded its list with the names of places like Bourda Market, Haags Bosch Dumpsite, Royal Castle, Bounty Supermarket, Metro Office and Computer Supplies, Star Party Rentals, and Shanta’s Roti Shop. It even listed utility companies such as the Guyana Power and Light and the Guyana Revenue Authority as part of its local content efforts too.

Persons were also listed as registered companies. They included Sonia Noel, Chontelle Sewett, Andron Alphonso and Mokesh Daby.

Loud condemnation from stakeholders locally and beyond these shores underscored that this does not count as local content.

Efforts to arm the country with a robust law and

Equatorial Guinea has shown a firm hand when it comes to ensuring the participation of locals in the value chain of its petroleum sector. This is evidenced by the way it dealt with one company, which it found was not adhering to its rules for local content. When the country determined this infraction was being committed, it expelled the company from its oil industry.

Equatorial Guinea had established the ‘National Content Regulation of the Hydrocarbons Law’ in 2014, which mandated preference for locals in contract awards, local content clauses in all contracts with multinationals, and capacity building provisions.

A company named CHC Helicopters came into conflict with the law. CHC is a large helicopter services company from Canada that supplies services to the oil industry.

By 2018, it had been providing services to Equatorial Guinea for nearly two decades.

Equatorial Guinea, a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), found that CHC failed to implement the local content laws particularly as it relates to employment of locals.

So the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons of Equatorial Guinea ordered all operators, including ExxonMobil, to cancel all contracts with the Canadian helicopter services company.

The oil companies operating there were given 60 days to rid themselves of their contractual relations with CHC and find only suppliers, which were found to be adhering to the country’s

local content law.

In a statement, the Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima said: “We expect all companies operating in here to follow the laws of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.”

“It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons to ensure strict compliance to our country’s National Content Regulation of the Hydrocarbons Law. These laws are in place to protect and promote local industry, create jobs for citizens, promote the sustainable development of our country and we are aggressively monitoring and enforcing the compliance of these requirements.”

At the time, the country’s Director of National Content and legal advisors of the Ministry were conducting a compliance review of the entire sector. Their duty was to expand the notice to other companies that similar measures would be taken against them if they were found to be non-compliant.

Even the operators would be placed under the microscope to determine whether they were keeping up with their obligation to ensure compliance of all of their subcontractors.

The Minister said, “We are eager to work with international companies who partner with Equatorial Guinea in the development of our industry. But we expect all companies operating in Equatorial Guinea to follow the laws of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. As Minister, I will not hesitate to enforce the law to ensure compliance.”

FRIDAY COPS SECURE CONFESSION FOR GRUESOME MURDERS OF HENRY BOYS Investigators secured a major breakthrough in their pursuit to find the perpetrators behind the gruesome murders of West Berbice teens Isaiah and Joel Henry as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommended charges instituted on the three suspects in custody.

That move was reportedly taken after one of the men in custody confessed to the heinous crime which sparked outrage and protests in Guyana.

Sources have confirmed with Kaieteur News that the men in custody are two-time prison escapee 34-year-old Vinod Gopaul called “Magga”, a 33-year-old

known as “Dan Pole” and a 19-year-old called “Monkey”.

From previous reports, Gopaul was first taken into prison 14, back in 2004 when he was accused of murdering his father who he reportedly shot dead.

In August 2007, he was among 18 prisoners who escaped from the New Amsterdam Prison. He was recaptured not long after in East Bank Berbice however, he managed to escape again in June 2011 but was recaptured. He was released at some point after then.

The DPP advised that Gopaul and “Dan Pole” be charged jointly for the murder while separate charges would be instituted on “Monkey”.

Sources from the Major Crime Unit (MCU) revealed too that police are hunting for several other suspects in connection with the crime.

Confession The murder of the Henry cousins sent shockwaves through the country after their mutilated bodies were discovered on September 6 in clumps of bushes near to 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 their gruesome murder in efforts to bring their killers to justice.

Months later, the Henry family may receive this after a harrowing confession by one of the suspects who told a story of how the two young men met their cruel demise.

Sources relayed to Kaieteur News that the suspects ventured to the West Berbice area with the intention of setting up a farm to plant cannabis in August.

The men were said to have established a camp in the backlands along with their cannabis plot and left the plants to flourish returning, some weeks later in September.

Upon their return, the men reportedly discovered that their camp and farm were destroyed. They were then said to have ventured to another camp nearby to inquire who destroyed their farm. The suspects, sources disclosed, were informed that two young men from the Cotton Tree area are known to trample the backlands and destroy farms. According to the source, the men fumed and vowed to ‘chop up’ whoever was responsible.

Days later, the Henry cousins were said to have ventured to that very camp where they met the three men.

While conversing with two of (Continued on page 27)

Sunday January 17, 2021

From page 26 the suspects, the cousins were asked whether they knew anything about cannabis farms being destroyed in the area.

Sources said that one of the Henry boys laughed and that action angered one of the suspects who swiftly took out a cutlass and dealt a chop to his neck. The other suspect allegedly took out his cutlass and repeated the action.

The third suspect, who was standing some feet away, was allegedly coerced into chopping the cousins after the two other suspects threatened to do the same to him. In turn, he was said to have dealt gaping X’s on the Henry cousins’ heads.

The bodies were then reportedly transported to another section of the backlands where they were dumped – they were later discovered by frantic family members out searching for the young men who were missing since September 5, 2020.

The t-shirt of one of the boys was pulled over his face, while the other was lying face down. Their bodies had visible marks of violence and chop wounds about their bodies and face.

Thursday’s confession however, was reportedly, not the first. Kaieteur News was informed that the suspect told his relatives while passing through the village, “Duh is where I kill two boys.”

The murders sparked off 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. As the unrest flared, Haresh Singh, a grandson of one of the men originally taken into custody, was found, lying in a patch of grass and bleeding from the nose in the Number Three Village backdam. Singh was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

STABROEK BLOCK DEAL REVIEWED BUT LOPSIDED PROVISIONS UNTOUCHED – JAGDEO CONFIRMS – SAYS OTHER MECHANISMS WILL BE USED TO GET MORE BENEFITS FOR GUYANESE Even though the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) contains several weak provisions and has been reviewed by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) administration, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo made it pellucid that all provisions have and will

remain intact.

During a brief interview with this newspaper last night, Jagdeo said what the government is doing instead, is using the review process as the platform for developing mechanisms that will bring Guyanese more benefits. He said this is the reason why a local content policy and a gasto-shore project are being produced.

The Vice President said, “We are looking at several areas. Remember we promised to review all of the contracts and to see where we can get more benefits for Guyanese.

As part of that review, we have committed to having a new PSA for all of the future contracts so that means going forward, every person including those who have licences already, will when they come to production stage, have an entirely different contract than the one for Stabroek which will include significantly more benefits.”

The official reminded of the commitment, which the government made to ensure that as part of the review, it would not be renegotiating the ExxonMobil deal but rather, look at ways to get more benefits.

“That is why we are looking to get the local content out of the way and that is why for the gas to energy project, we made it clear that a significant part of the gas will have to come as free or way below market value. We believe that through those mechanisms and others, like the strengthening of license for the Payara project…our people stand to benefit much more than under the existing contract and the way it was,” the Vice President.

Kaieteur News would have exposed via an extensive study published in 2019 that Guyana’s PSA for the Stabroek Block has some of the world’s worst provisions when compared to 130 other deals.

For example, the PSA says sees the government paying the contractor’s income tax out of the country’s share of the profits.

However, none of the 130 PSAs examined shows this arrangement.

Further, Guyana’s PSA is the only one out of 130, which has very moderate work obligations for contractors who are vested with offshore licenses.

Additionally, the GuyanaExxonMobil PSA is the only one out of 130 contracts, which has no ring-fencing provisions to prevent costs of unsuccessful wells being carried over to that of

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successful wells.

There is also no sliding scale for royalty to increase as production improves.

And that is not all.

Guyana’s PSA is the only one out of 130 that allows insurance premiums to be fully recovered as well as interest on loans and financing costs that are incurred by the contractors.

The 130 PSAs examined are part of a register on www.resourcecontracts.org. ( h t t p s : / / resourcecontracts.org/ search?q=Production+Sharing+Agreement+) That website offers over 620 PSAs from around the world for perusal.

The Stabroek Block PSA was signed on June 27, 2016 and was up for renewal four years later (June 27, 2019).

ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC/NEXEN will be required to relinquish 20 percent of the contract area after June 2022.

WOMAN, TRAPPED IN HER BEDROOM, BURNT TO DEATH A woman who was reportedly trapped in her bedroom, Thursday perished in an early morning fire. The deceased has been identified as 26-year-old Krystle Fung.

When Kaieteur News contacted Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle, he stated that the fire is still under active investigation.

This publication understands that the fire occurred around 05:30 hrs. at Lot 8, Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara, where Fung lived with her father, mother and little sister.

According to an eyewitness, neighbours and passersby noticed smoke and fire emitting from the wooden section of the top-flat of the two-storey building, so they raised an alarm.

While Fung’s parents and sister were able to escape from the inferno with minor burns to their bodies, she was not as fortunate since she was trapped in her bedroom, which is located at the front western side of the building.

Another eyewitness stated that before the firefighters arrived, they were loud cries for help coming from Fung’s bedroom. “Her father and some men tried to rescue her but the fire kept spreading and they had to back off…at that point they couldn’t do anything to save her with the way the fire went blazing,” the man added.

As word spread about a fire in the community, residents flocked the road and streets. After the firefighters were notified that a woman

was trapped in the front bedroom in the top-flat, the men aimed their hoses at the bedroom area to control the fire.

However, that was not enough – the screams of the young woman were no longer being heard after some time.

At that point, Fung’s relatives and other persons gathered under a neighbour’s house.

As Fung’s mother watched on in tears, her relatives tried to console her.

Around 07:40 hrs., the firefighters were able to control the fire which had completely destroyed the upper part of the building. The firefighters then continued to hose sections of the house that still had smoke.

Moments after the firefighters stopped hosing the house, loud screams came from the relatives after someone said, “Look her burn body hanging out that side of the house.”

Before the firefighters attempted to retrieve Fung’s body, workers from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) were called in to cut the electrical wire that ran to the home. The firefighters then placed a ladder some distance away from where Fung’s charred remains were seen hanging out at the western side of the house. However, the ranks had some difficulties getting to Fung’s body, so other firefighters were instructed to continue hosing the area.

“Don’t throw her like that…lift her up,” relatives shouted to the firefighters who were removing Fung’s body which was burnt beyond recognition.

Undertakers then wrapped Fung’s remains in a blue plastic and took them away.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

SATURDAY EXXON FACES SEC PROBE FORALLEGEDLY INFLATINGVALUE OF OILASSET While 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 Friday may put a kick in the government’s step. Two journalists, Christopher Matthews and Emily Glazer reported for the American business-focused publication Friday 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.

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 (Continued on page 28)

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From page 27 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 Friday 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 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.

FIGHT ERUPTS IN CHUTEAS THREE REMANDED FOR HENRY BOYS MURDER A fight Friday 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 pole” and “Rasta,” a labourer of D’ Edward Village, West Coast Berbice.

Singh, Sancharra and

Sunday January 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

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 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 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, Shalimar AliHack, 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.

LAW MUST MANDATE MINIMUM PARTICIPATION OF LOCALS – US OILANALYST With 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 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%.

Sunday January 17, 2021

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==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==

Name something after Mike Pompeo and Sarah-Ann Lynch

T

hree days from now, Guyanese may not hear the name Mike Pompeo again.

He will no longer be one of the world’s most important actors in international relations. Mr. Pompeo might secure a lucrative job in the US but it is doubtful here in Guyana we will hear the name being mentioned.

Mike Pompeo by next Wednesday would be a former Secretary of State for the USA. But he will be a former Secretary of State that has gone down in this country’s history in greater detail than any serving Cabinet minister in the US government in both British Guiana and Guyana.

There will be a debate between Pompeo and Jimmy Carter for the title of which American statesman was more a saviour of Guyana.

I would put Pompeo in front of Carter in the context of where the world is when Pompeo intervened to stop the rigging of the March 2020 election.

Space would not allow for an analysis.

But I would never undervalue the phenomenal role of Carter in saving Guyana too.

I think it is a very formidable task to decide who was more crucial to Guyana’s future – Mike Pompeo or Jimmy Carter Mr. Pompeo has saved this country in a way that the present generation should be eternally grateful to him. Here was the plan by the APNU+AFC for holding on to power in anticipation that the Court of Appeal would rule against it.

Even though the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

had settled the matter that the CARICOM-observed recount was legal, the APNU+AFC asked the Chief Justice (CJ) to dismiss that ruling. The CJ upheld it.

The CJ’s decision was appealed only to prolong the life of the intransigent regime.

The regime leaders knew that the CCJ’s ruling was final and that the end had come.

The plan was that as soon as the Court of Appeal concurs with the CJ then the three GECOM commissioners from the APNU would resign.

In such a situation there could not have been a formal meeting of GECOM to make a declaration.

Here again the plot simply involved delay in the hope that something unusual - locally or internationally or regionally - might happen to bring about reconciliation talks between the PPP and PNC. President Granger would have not been in any hurry to name the GECOM replacements.

There was more subterfuge to come before Pompeo made direct contact with Granger.

The suggestion of a dialogue between Jagdeo and Granger that was agreed to

by Claudette Singh was rightfully rejected by Jagdeo. But even after this, there was a second attempt at dialogue which Jagdeo rejected again.

Enter Sarah-Ann Lynch.

The US Ambassador was in no mood to hear anything other than a declaration from GECOM. She contacted Pompeo.

Pompeo contacted Granger and insisted he accept defeat or there will be formidable consequences.

Enter Volda Lawrence.

What Granger did got Lawrence angry. Granger wrote Singh accepting the Caricom observed recount.

This put the three APNU commissioners in disarray.

Lawrence confronted Granger.

The rest is history.

I am suggesting that Guyana show its appreciation to Pompeo and Lynch in the following ways: 1-Rename Young Street where the US embassy is – the Pompeo/Lynch Avenue.

2-Erect a plaque at the arrival section of the Cheddi Jagan Airport describing the priceless contribution of Pompeo and Lynch to democracy in Guyana.

3-Name the new highway from Diamond to Ogle – the Pompeo/Lynch highway.

4-Name the new East Bank/West bank bridge link the Pompeo/Lynch Harbour Bridge.

5-Build a secondary school in any other Region except Region Four. Model it after the multilateral concept that we had in the seventies to cater for students who are at a disadvantage in comparison to Region Four students.

Name it the Pompeo and Lynch School of Excellence.

6-The seawall area from Kingston to Ogle is being landscaped to emulate the aesthetics that obtain in Europe. It is supposed to be one of the top tourist attractions in Region Four. Name the long stretch of corridor the Pompeo/Lynch Garden.

7-The research arm of UG, Institute of Development Studies, has been defunct for years now.

Implement a school of re-

search at UG named the Pompeo/Lynch School of Research.

8-Initiate a doctoral scholarship titled the Pompeo/ Lynch Scholarship open to Guyanese only who intend to live and work in Guyana tenable at the university choice of the successful applicant.

The areas must be; international law, political theory, human rights studies or phi-

losophy.

It is unconscionable to let the contribution of Mike Pompeo and Sarah-Ann Lynch to the preservation of democracy in Guyana just fade into obscurity. That is a moral crime that this country will be guilty of for generations to come.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessar-

Frederick Kissoon ily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Kaieteur News

Coronavirus: The REAL facts about COVID-19 vaccines that you should know

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt Medical Center There are many that are forming negative opinions on being vaccinated against the COVID-19 infection because of myths that are being circulated.

In the meantime, the virus keeps mutating and is spreading rapidly than before causing more deaths worldwide.

Vaccines are our main hope of getting this pandemic under control, but at least 80

percent of us need to take it before we can reach a state where we can exit this pandemic.

Today, I will share with you facts about the COVID19 vaccines so that you can be properly informed and hopefully, be convinced of the need to be vaccinated when your turn comes.

What are the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

As you know, COVID-19 is deadly in some and can be mild in others.

It can also cause devas-

tating long term effects that may debilitate you if you get infected. Getting a COVID19 vaccine can help protect you by creating an antibody response in your body without you having to become sick with COVID-19. In the rare instance that you do become sick, the vaccine might keep you from becoming seriously ill or from developing serious complications. Getting vaccinated also might help protect people around you from COVID-19, particularly people at increased risk of severe illness from COVID19.

What COVID-19 vaccines have been approved and how do they work?

Currently, several COVID19 vaccines are in clinical trials. Once these trials are finished, they are presented to a panel of experts that will review their data and decide whether the evidence is good enough to grant emergency authorization for their use.

Each country/union of countries has its own group of experts that will review the data and approve/reject the use of a particular vaccine.

So far, the following three vaccines have been granted emergency authorization for use by numerous countries worldwide: -Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine Data has shown that the vaccine starts working soon after the first dose and has an efficacy rate of 95 percent seven days after the second dose.

This means that about 95 percent of people who get the vaccine are protected from becoming seriously ill with the virus.

This vaccine is for people age 16 and older. It requires two injections given at least 21 days apart. * Moderna vaccine Data has shown that the vaccine has an efficacy rate of 94.1 percent. This vaccine is for people aged 18 and older. It requires two injections given at least 28 days apart.

* Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine Data has shown that the vaccine has an average efficacy rate of 70 percent. The efficacy rate can vary from 62 to 90 percent and varies according to age, dose and time between doses. It requires two doses which can be given between 4 to 12 weeks after the initial dose.

How quickly does the vaccine start to produce antibodies?

Clinical vaccine trials showed some protection seven days after the shot.

Seven days is when the body starts showing replicated antibodies. However, the vaccine’s full, 95 percent protection needs at least 28 days and two shots with the Pfizer vaccine, and 35 days and two shots with Moderna’s. So, just because you got the shot, does not mean you are protected right away.

What are possible side effects of COVID-19 Vaccines?

Like any other vaccine you would have taken in your lifetime, there is a possibility of some side effects from taking the COVID-19 vaccine. The following are possible side effects that may occur from taking the COVID19 vaccine: * tenderness, swelling and/or redness at the injection site * headache * muscle ache

Dr. Zulfikar Bux * feeling tired * fever/high temperature (37.8°C or greater) A less common side effect is swelling of the glands, which could start a few days after the vaccine and may last for up to two weeks.

This usually indicates that your immune system is responding to the vaccine.

Like any other vaccine and medication, there is a very rare risk that some may be allergic to the COVID-19 vaccine. It may lead to allergic reactions that can be reversed with treatment once given prompt attention.

The more vaccines are approved for use, the better are our chances of getting at least 80 percent of the world vaccinated by the end of 2021.

Medical professionals are working tirelessly to combat the COVID-19 infection.

Come onboard and wear your mask, watch your distance, wash/sanitize your hands and get vaccinated when the opportunity presents itself.

Let’s work together to exit this pandemic in 2021!

Sunday January 17, 2021

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Sunday January 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

New economic development programme aims to revitalize Linden The Linden Fund USA (LFU) has launched a new economic development programme through its Linden Fund Guyana Office to support economic recovery in Linden. In a press release, LFU noted that, “this essential programme will serve as a catalyst for development in the community, especially as the International Monetary Fund has projected an 8.1 percent growth in Guyana’s economy over 2021.”

Team LFU announced too that it would provide expert leadership in ensuring the

community of Linden could capitalize on this growth, securing the development and expansion of businesses, job creation and an increased cash flow around the community.

This programme, it was noted comes on the heels of the announcement of major infrastructural development works in the region led by Government, with support from the Caribbean Development Bank. It was revealed that, “this infrastructural work will oversee the upgrade of the Linden to Mabura Road,

estimated at approximately US$190 million.” The upgrade will serve as a catalyst of growth in the community, promoting the increase in the movement of goods and services between the two locations and further afield.

LFU stated that it intends to work to ensure development in Linden provides an environment for local growth in tandem with national growth, especially as Guyana transforms into a major oil producing and exporting nation. Through its Linden office, LFU will focus efforts on

community engagement, small business growth and workforce development.

“There will be a concerted effort to leverage the diaspora relations and local partnerships with all stakeholders to support the development and direct investment into businesses and projects in the community,” the released added.

Established in 1999, LFU has an impressive track record of impactful projects including the mobilization of over G$129.2 million in financing and materials for projects

Economic Development Programme Manager, Ms. Onika Stellingburg.

focused on health, community development and education. These actions are expected to expand even as the

organization sets its sights on partnership and engagement with the multitudinous (Continued on page 33)

Sunday January 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

New economic development programme...

From page 32 international oil and gas companies now resident in Guyana; the offices of the Mayor of Linden, Regional Chairman, the Linden Technical Institute and all other stakeholders from the various sectors across the country.

Leading the rollout of this programme and managing community and stakeholder engagement is, Onika Stellingburg, the Economic Development Programme Manager. Ms. Stellingburg has previously served as an Advisor on Renewable Energy, Sustainable Development and Forests at Guyana’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. She is an expert climate change negotiator and is skilled in stakeholder engagement, international policy development and multilateral diplomacy.

She has substantial experience working with the Government of Guyana mainstreaming sustainable development into multi-year national budgets, ensuring projects and initiatives developed are aligned with na-

tional and international plans. Ms. Stellingburg has also previously served with the Caribbean Regional Youth Council, where she worked in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the International Labour Office and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, to execute an immersive three-day conference focused on decent work and economic growth, mobilizing US$180,000 to oversee the execution of this conference.

The release further stated, “an initial upcoming action of the new economic development programme is expected to be a business diagnosis survey and quarterly economic development forum to connect businesses with investors and other interested partners. These activities will help LFU to identify needs, challenges and areas for growth across Linden.�

The resulting data, it was noted, will then be used to drive project development, partnership pursuits and the investment of resources in the community.

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My secret team Can you keep a secret? I had to for a long, long time.

My family were all Boxton Town fans, but I supported a different team – Boxton Rovers.

It was very hard being different. I had to be very good at pretending when both teams played each other.

I couldn’t cheer when my team scored. I had to go the bathroom and celebrate there.

I couldn’t be sad when the other team scored. I could only have my team’s posters on my bedroom wall when I was alone. If someone came to my room, I had to be quick to change how it looked.

I had to have a secret wardrobe too. I hid my favourite team’s clothes behind the other

team’s. Birthdays were terrible too. I always got football gifts for the wrong team.

But then my life changed. A billionaire bought both clubs in my town and made one big team – Boxton United.

Now I can relax and enjoy all the matches with my family. I go to the bathroom a lot less now too.

Sunday January 17, 2021

Junior page

Adorable Egg Carton Turtle Craft For this project, you’ll need: • Egg cartons • Paint – we used acrylic, but tempera paint is less staining • Pom poms for the turtle heads • Googly eyes • Pipe cleaners for the turtle legs and the caterpillar antennas • Green craft foam for the frog’s legs • Scissors •Hot glue gun For the turtle, simply paint one egg carton section.

We let the paint dry and then added details to the shell with a second color.

To assemble the turtle, you’ll need a pom pom ball for the head, some googly eyes, and pipe cleaners for the legs and tail.

I folded each leg piece in half and then twisted it together. Then I hot glued the twisted end to the inside of the shell.

The finished turtles are just so cute!

It was fun to make each of them a little bit different.

And the kids are enjoying playing with them!

Two little kittens Two little kittens, one stormy night, Began to quarrel, and then to fight; One had a mouse, the other had none, And that’s the reason the quarrel begun.

“I’ll have that mouse,” said the bigger cat; ”You’ll have that mouse? We’ll see about that!” ”I will have that mouse,” said the elder son; ”You shan’t have the mouse,” said the little one.

I told you before ’twas a stormy night When these two little kittens began to fight; The old woman seized her sweeping broom, And swept the two kittens right out of the room.

The ground was covered with frost and snow, And the two little kittens had nowhere to go; So they laid them down on the mat at the door, While the old woman finished sweeping the floor.

Then they crept in, as quiet as mice, All wet with the snow, and cold as ice, For they found it was better, that stormy night, To lie down together than to quarrel and fight.

Inkies Fill in the blank squares so that each row and each column contain all of the digits 1 thru 3.

Kaieteur News

Sunday January 17, 2021

Self Esteem is crucial to your Personal Development

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TEEN TIME

I expect that all our readers have already made their New Year resolutions, and are now determined to maintain these so as to make the best of the coming twelve months so that, by the end of this period, they have started to see the fruits of their efforts.

One of the factors that would help in this endeavour is to make sure that your self-esteem, that is, how you view yourself, is healthy.

Some of the qualities a person must have if he/she is to possess this self esteem to move forward are:1. A realistic view of self, with the ability to identify o n e ’s s t r e n g t h s a n d weaknesses, with the intention of reinforcing the strengths and working to remove the weaknesses.

2. Sensitivity to one’s environment, how one

relates to it, how one’s existence and behaviour affect it, and how it affects oneself, and the things one can do towards its improvement.

3 . A persona

about the results one achieves in everyday living as well as any special endeavours – looking at success with humility and satisfaction, and f a c i n g failure with

l

phi losop hy, i.e. the ideas one has about oneself and the people and things around, and a clear sense of the principles which direct one’s actions.

4. A healthy attitude

the deter mination to try harder.

5. Willingness to explore for ways to profit and learn from one’s mistakes.

6. Maintenance of one’s expressions and behaviour

within socially acceptable standards and not merely for one’s own benefit 7 . Wi l l i n g n e s s t o persevere, even in the face of hardship and frustration.

8. Readiness to accept that others have the right to their own opinions, and to act for their benefit, even though they conflict with one’s own.

These are the qualities we all need so as to have a proper perspective of ourselves, which will give us the power and the selfconfidence to deal with all our problems and achieve our goals. We shall be dealing with each of these characteristics in the weeks ahead. We shall also be treating with the characteristics which are displayed by those who lack self-esteem, so that you take effective measures to deal with these.

Laves Slitherlinks Fill in some of the dotted line segments to form a meandering path that forms a single loop.

The path does notcross itself, branch, or touch itself at corners. The numbers indicate how many line segments surround each cell.Empty cells may be surrounded by any number of line segments.

There is one unique solution, and you should be able to find it without guessing.

You may find it helpful to mark segments that cannot be filled in.

It’s okay, my friend (by Bibi Fazeela Khan) Life is a test, it’s not easy at all, Sometimes we slip, and sometimes we fall; But it is okay, my friend, to err is naturally human, So look to the future, and do the best you can.

Sometimes we see the need to reach out a helping hand, Sometimes we want to, but we just can’t; When “Sorry” isn’t quite enough to say, Then it’s okay to just get on your knees and pray.

He knows us by our number and name, He knows we’re imperfect, and that’s no shame; He judges the sincerity of our prayers, Grants us our needs, and removes our cares.

It matters not what THEY say, May times they just want to ruin your day; Gossip and slander is their only way, But what goes around comes around, what may.

So, it’s okay, my friend, don’t be afraid to try, The goals you seek will be attained by and by; The falls you suffer should be taken with a smile, They only make it sweeter as you run the last mile.

When we make the effort to help others we will find that we think better of ourselves.

TELL IT TO UNCLE ROY The plight of the African child

by Ashanty Williams Bring them here, pull them there, African children live in fear; They cry but no one seems to hear, The death of an African child is always near.

“Stop! Stop!” they forever cry, But none cares to wipe their eye; All alone at night, They will ever be in fright; Twirling around in this lonely world, They regret they were ever born.

Always wishing things would change, Until that day they will be amazed.

Bearing always in mind That none can be trusted at this time, Twirling around in this lonely world African children are being destroyed.

So please love them, persuade them, Join the people in this world who can save them.

Show them love that no one can dissolve, And all their problems shall be resolved.

Solutions to last week’s GALAXIES BY KRAZYDAD

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The A Touch of Beauty team share their top 20 skin tips and tricks Tip #1 Exfoliate, be gentle and use small circular motions. For a deep exfoliation recommend a Microdermabrasion treatment and for home care the Sodashi Enzyme Face Polish 50ml $110.00.

Removes dead skin cells and leaves your skin soft and silky.

Tip #2 Crack lips? Dermalogica Renewal Lip Complex will hydrate and protect dry lips.

Tip #3 Primer, always use a primer before your foundation. Your make up will last longer and look its best.

Tip #4 Spf, Prevention is the best thing when it comes to aging skin.

Always use a spf every day, it will help to prevent pigmentation and aging dull skin.

Tip #5 Drink water! Keep your body hydrated with a simple glass of water. Keeping your insides hydrated will help flush toxins.

We like to add a slice of lemon to add a little kick.

Tip #6 Make up brushes- For a photo finish make up without the fuss we use Jane Iredale Chisel Powder Brush. Dont forget to quickly clean your brushes to keep them in the best condition.

Tip #7 TRAVEL SIZE! This winter we are all jet setting to warmer weather. We freshen up with all of our favourite products in travel size. So we can keep out skin looking great where ever we are in the world. Spritz on the travel size Sodashi Jet Lag Mist to ensure you are hydrated on the flight.

Tip #8 Dont have the shower too hot on your face in the shower. Any broken capillaries on the face will be more visible.

Tip #9 Always remove your make up at the end of the day before bed.

The Jane Iredale Magic Mitt $35.00. Wipe off with just water and your Magic Mitt.

Tip #10 Mix your Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution 500ml Tip #11 To enhance your eyes apply a white eye line on the bottom lid along the water line. This allows your eyes to appear more open.

Tip #12 To keep your eye shadows lasting longer, we use the Jane Iredale Pure Pressed Foundation $87.00 on the eye lids then applying the pop of colour with the eye shadow.

Tip #13 We dont stop at the face with our TLC. We like to nurture our entire body.

Tip #14 For an even glowing tan exfoliate the entire body with Dermalogicas Ultimate Buffing Cloth $24.00. Do not apply deodorants, lotions or any products which will inhibit the tans absorption.

Tip #15 Contour for a makeup which will enhance your best features.

Its quick and easy and we can show you how at ATOB. Tip #16 Do a clean out! Clean out your skin and makeup bag. Throw away those old samples of products which you will never use, check the use by dates and freshen up with a new bag. The seasons change and so does our skin! Feel fresh and de cluttered.

Tip #17 Breathe! Life is so busy with work, family and commitments we lose track of ourselves.

Tip #18 Complete the look with a nail polish which pops. For these cooler months we love the deep purples and reds.

Tip #19 A great gift for a baby shower is the Dermalogica Sponge Cloth $27.00. Its soft and smooth, great for both mum and bubs.

Tip #20 Always read the packaging, ask questions and know what you are putting on your face and where it comes from. ATOB only stock the highest quality of products and love supporting products which not only look and feel amazing but are ethical. https://atouchofbeauty.com.au/blog/article2/top-20-beauty-tips/

Kaieteur News

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Top 26 Amazing Benefits Of Green Apples For Skin, Hair, And Health As the saying goes “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, and it certainly holds true even for green apples!

Apples are one of the most exotic and amazing fruits that Mother Nature has blessed us with. They contain a lot of essential nutrients and vitamins which should form a part of each and every person’s daily diet. When it comes to apples, there are various kinds of apples. The red ones which are very common and the green ones which are sour and sweet to taste.

Are green apples good for you? Green apple has long been recognized as one of the healthiest fruits. It is innately packed with a variety of essential nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, minerals and fibers. These are known to offer relief from digestive disorders and are also very effective in lowering blood cholesterol and BP, stabilizing blood sugar levels & improving appetite. Learn here what are green apples good for: Health Benefits Of Green Apples 1. High Fiber Content It contains a lot of fiber, which helps clean the system and increases metabolism.

This, therefore, helps in free bowel movement. It is always advisable to eat an apple with its skin on. The cleaner your intestine and systems are , the happier and healthier you will be.

2. Mineral Content It contains, a number of minerals – iron, zinc, copper, manganese, potassium, etc. which are trace minerals and are a must for human health and well-being. The iron in apples is a trace element and it helps in raising the levels of blood oxygen and helps in increased metabolic rate.

3. Low in Fat Content This is a great food when it comes to weight watchers.

People on diet and/or are regular gym goers should and must include one apple in their every day diet. It also collects the fats in the blood vessels and helps in maintaining proper blood flow to the heart preventing the chances of strokes.

4. Prevents Skin Cancer It contains Vitamin C that helps in preventing skin cells damage by free radicals and thus reduces the chances of skin cancer.

5. Rich In Anti-Oxidants It contains anti-oxidants which help in cell re-building and cell rejuvenation. This also helps you in maintaining healthy and glowing skin.

The antioxidants also protect your liver and ensure its proper functioning.

6. Prevents Alzheimer’s Having an apple every

day prevents chances of oldage neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s.

7. Prevents Asthma Taking apple juice regularly can prevent chances of asthma which is a hypersensitive allergic disorder.

8. Prevents Diabetes Apples prevent diabetes.

It is a must have for diabetics.

9. Rich In Vitamin A,B and C Green apples are rich in Vitamins A, B and C, so apart from protecting the skin from harmful effects of free radicals; it also helps one in maintaining glowing skin from inside.

10. A Natural Detoxifier Packed with a good dose of fiber, this green juice keeps your liver, kidney, and digestive system free from toxins and harmful elements.

The presence of fiber also ensures that you are free of constipation issues. The high fiber content in this juice also helps in cutting down the risk of developing colon cancer.

11. Gives Your Metabolic Rate A Boost This juice is a treasure trove of a wide variety of minerals, including copper, iron, potassium, and manganese. All these elements play a major role in keeping you in good health.

Iron, especially, is known to aid in better absorption of oxygen, which in turn.

12. Good For Your Liver Along with being a natural detoxifying agent, green apple juice is also known to possess antioxidants in good quantities. These antioxidants actually prevent the free radicals from damaging the liver. This, in turn, ensures that your liver functions properly, while keeping it safe from various hepatic conditions.

13. Helps To Lose Weight This green hued drink makes a filling snack in between your meals. Packed with fiber and low on fats, sugar, and sodium, green

apple juice is known to restrict hunger pangs. Plus, it improves the calorie burning potential, which helps you to achieve your weight loss goals in a tasty way.

14. Protects You From Inflammatory Conditions Green apple juice, as mentioned above, contains a good dose of antioxidants.

These antioxidants actually help in safeguarding your body from oxidative stressinduced painful inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatism and arthritis.

Studies suggest that senior citizens who suffer from such inflammatory conditions should include green apple juice in their diet.

15. Good For Your Lungs Studies suggest that regular use of green apple juice can cut down the risk associated with the onset of asthma by a good 23%.

People who are regular smokers can also rely on this fresh delight to safeguard themselves from obstructive pulmonary diseases.

16. Good For Your Vision Green apple juice is a source of various vitamins.

The Vitamin A present in this juice is known to possess the potential to strengthen and improve your vision.

17. Good For Blood Clotting This green juice is a potential source of Vitamin K, the element that helps the blood to coagulate and clot.

People who drink this juice possess a better wound repairing and healing potential. Women, who have extremely heavy periods, can also use this drink to bring the bleeding under control.

18. Healthy Strong Bones Green apple juice has a rich presence of calcium, which is essential for strengthening the bones and teeth and keeping them healthy. Women, especially, in their menopause, should include this drink in their diet to prevent osteoporosis.

Skin Benefits Of Green Apples Green apple is an excellent

beauty enhancer. Lots of skin care and hair care benefits are associated with green apples.

19. Anti-Aging Ingredient The antioxidants, such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and phenols present in green apple juice play a major in delaying premature aging.

Free radicals present in the body cause the early onset of wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots. Regular use of this antioxidant rich drink can help the body fight these free radicals and control or even better, eliminate the damages.

20. Improves Skin Texture A face mask involving the use of green apple can deeply moisturize your skin and help to eliminate the appearance of wrinkles while improving the overall texture of your skin.

You can take the help of green apple juice to improve the hydration levels of your skin.

It can either be consumed or even be used as a face wash to prevent the skin from drying out.

21. Nourishes the Skin Owing to its dense vitamin content, green apple helps in maintaining your skin and has great whitening and nourishing effects on your complexion. Packed with assorted vitamins and minerals, you can incorporate this drink into your skin care regimen. The collagen and elastin proteins get a boost, which in turn, improves your complexion by nourishing and healing the skin from deep within.

22. Prevents Skin Diseases Many a time, lack of nourishment leaves the skin at the risk of various skin disorders, including eczema and cancer. Green apple juice ensures that the skin gets the necessary levels of nourishment. It also offers protection from various skin issues.

23. Controls & Prevents Pimple Eruptions Green apple is a highly effective anti-acne treatment as well. Regular consumption of green apple help you control and prevent pimple eruptions.

24. Eliminates Dark Eye Circles The deep brown circles along with puffiness around your eyes are signs of your skin getting older. Topical application of fresh apple juice as well as internal consumption is known to have a positive impact on these undesirable changes.

Hair Benefits Of Green Apples Green apple is not only good for our skin but for our hair as well. Here we have a few of the benefits of green apples for your hair listed for you.

25. Cures Dandruff A paste created with the leaves and skin of green apple works wonders to fix dandruff. You should use this paste as a shampoo. Green apple juice also has the same effects if massaged regularly onto the scalp.

26. Enhances Hair Growth Packed with a tempting array of vitamins and minerals, green apple juice is a potential natural remedy for strengthening your tresses.

Along with that, it also makes sure that your hair fall is under control. Plus, regular use of this juice is also known to promote hair growth. In short, using green apple juice could help you show off long, strong, and lush hair.

How To Select And Store Apple is quite a sensitive fruit and one has to be careful in its selection and storage.

Described below are some helpful tips on how to select and store green apples; check them out to make the best out of a premium selection.

Selecting Green Apples While buying green apples look for firm, brightly colored apples having no bruises or damaged, shriveled skin. It is always better to prefer individual apples over the pre-bagged one. This way you’ll be able to smell the apples before paying for them.

Never buy the apples that smell musky.

Storing Green Apples The best place to store

green apples is in your refrigerator. Wrap the apples up in a perforated plastic bag and place them in the coldest area of your refrigerator after sprinkling them with water.

This-way your apples will stay fresh for almost two to three weeks.

Normal room temperature can also be quite suitable for storing green apples for a short time. Just make sure to check them regularly since they will ripen more rapidly than if placed in the refrigerator.

Some Useful Tips Making different recipes with green apples can be fun!

They are not just delicious but healthy as well, provided that you bake apples the right way.

Here are some helpful tips on green apple fruit usage: · Apples can speed up the ripening process of other fruits as it emits a natural gas called Ethylene. To use these ‘ripening’ benefits of apples, wrap it up along with the unripe fruit in a plastic bag. · While cooking apples, add a little bit of sugar.

This done at the start of cooking can help the apples hold their shape better. · It helps to use a greased muffin tin for baking apples. The tin provides enough support to the baked apples. · Green apples can be consumed in a number of ways. You can eat the whole fruit either peeled or unpeeled, or can make an apple shake as well. Make pies out of them or add them to your deserts and ice creams. The best way is to consume it as a whole fruit, this way it retains all the natural nutrients. · Oh! Remember, never eat the seeds of an apple because they are slightly poisonous and hence may prove detrimental to your health.

Please let me know your inputs about this article on benefits of green apples and share this with your friends!

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Enetworks all set for premier of Special Episodes for Batwoman and Euphoria Enetworks is gearing for the premier of two special episodes of Euphoria on January 24 at 10PM and Batwoman on January 29 at 8PM. For those who may not be aware of what these shows are about, Batwoman is an American superhero television series developed by Caroline Dries. It is based on the DC Comics character Batwoman and shares continuity with the other television series in the Arrowverse.

As for Euphoria, it is an A m e r i c a n t e e n drama television series created and written by Sam Levinson for HBO, loosely based on the Israeli miniseries of the same name.

Euphoria follows a group of high school students through their experiences of sex, drugs, friendships, love, identity and trauma.

The series stars Zendaya in the lead role, alongside an ensemble cast consisting of Maude Apatow, Angus Cloud, Eric Dane, Alexa Demie, Jacob

Elordi, Barbie Ferreira, Nika King, Storm Reid, Hunter Schafer, Algee Smith, Sydney Sweeney, and Colman Domingo. It premiered on June 16, 2019.

Luc Belaire: The world’s fastest growing French sparkling wine brand The Luc Belaire collection of wines which is distributed locally by Ansa McAL and manufactured by Sovereign Brands is the world’s fastest growing French sparkling wine brand. In a few short years, Belaire Rosé for example has become the bestselling French Rosé in the U.S., outselling brands established decades earlier.

With a stunning package – a silkscreened, paperless bottle – and an authentic French heritage dating back six generations, Belaire has bridged perfectly the gap between traditional Champagnes and resurgent Proseccos and Cavas.

The Belaire range began with the Rosé, made in Provence, France’s most famous rosé wine region. The Rosé brand continues to set records in the category introduced by the owners called Belaire Luxe and Belaire Brut Gold, each made in Burgundy, another of France’s most historically significant winemaking regions. The company’s newest cuvée is Belaire Luxe Rosé, made in Provence from a unique blend of handselected varietals. For the onpremise sector, the Belaire wine makers have launched the groundbreaking Fantôme version of each Belaire cuvée, which features a glowing electroluminescent label activated by the press of a button.

Belaire is supported with the most innovative, highquality merchandise and

Netflix plans to release a new movie every week of 2021

apparel in the industry, all designed by the company’s in-house marketing team.

Online, Belaire’s social media presence has created a global phenomenon, with followers of the official (@OfficialBelaire) and fanmade accounts exceeding one million. It continues to develop exciting new additions to the Belaire range as it nurtures and grow this remarkable brand.

ABOUT THE MAKER Sovereign Brands is a true family wine and spirits company, with four generations of history in the industry.

Since 1999, Sovereign Brands has pursued its goal of becoming the wine & spirits industry’s

most innovative creator of unique, forward-thinking new brands.

Through partnerships with highquality, family-owned wineries and distilleries worldwide, it builds each of its brands from the ground up to meet standards of product quality and innovation.

Its global sales and marketing organization ensures each brands gets the support it needs to grow and thrive. Offices in New York, Chicago, London and Dublin support the efforts of its sales team, covering North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Today, Sovereign Brands products can be found in more than 100 countries.

Netflix is promising to try to keep us entertained this year.

The streaming giant announced plans on Tuesday to release a new movie every week for the next 12 months.

Some of the films on the slate include the western “The Harder They Fall,” starring Regina King, Idris Elba and Jonathan Majors. Lin-Manuel Miranda and Halle Berry will make their directorial debuts with “Tick, Tick ... Boom!”

and “Bruised.”

Those are just a few of the top artists on a starstudded lineup that includes Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Gal Gadot, Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds.

Ariana Grande will star alongside Lawrence, DiCaprio, Streep and Timothée Chalamet in “Don’t Look Up.” The news comes as Covid-19 has forced theaters

across the country to close, moving many films to streaming services. Most recently, Warner Bros. announced plans to simultaneously release the studio’s 2021 slate of films on HBO Max and in theaters where possible. Warner Bros., like CNN, is part of WarnerMedia. (https:// edition.cnn.com/2021/01/12/ entertainment/netflix-newmovie-each-week-2021/ index.html)

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Albouystown youth, Berbice teen share their CSEC success stories -Each acquired 17 CSEC passes

By Rehanna Ramsay An Albouystown youth and a Berbice teen are amongst the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) success stories for 2020.

The students, Ajay Kissoon of Chase Academy and Jamelia Amanda Paddy of JC Chandisingh Secondary School in Berbice, each secured 17 CSEC subjects during one of the toughest years to sit an exam - 2020.

Each student shared with Kaieteur News some of the challenges they overcame to achieve academic success.

In Kissoon’s case, while most Guyanese would associate Albouystown with many social ills, he told this publication that being from Hogg Street, Albouystown is proof that stereotypes can be wrong. He asserted, “good can come out of anywhere, once the appropriate systems are in place.”

In 2015, Kissoon benefited from an academic scholarship by Chase Academy given his conduct and top performance in school.

Founder of the Academy, Mr. Henry Chase explained, “Ajay was always an outstanding student in class and at graduations. When I heard he was from the ghetto, right away I felt that I had to help him out.”

The student said that preparing for his examinations prior to and during the COVID-19 period was challenging, he had lessons early in the morning and late at nights.

Some days, he had to travel from Albouystown to South for Chemistry lessons at Ms. Cole and Principle of Accounts lessons at Miss Whittaker and then get back to Sir Chase English A classes. Kissoon wrote Mathematics and English A, the previous year.

He got Grade One in Mathematics and Grade Two in English A. This prepared him for 2020.

With his parents as his rock, the teen dedicated much of his time to study to prove that he can excel.

He explained that his mother, who is a Christian, ensured that he followed the teaching of the bible. “Mom stayed up while I study late hours each night. She was my rock. She prayed for God to protect me in this evil world.”

This time, he wrote 19 subjects and passed 17 (with Biology and Integrated Science coming back ungraded for the centre.) Ajay got Grade Ones in English A, EDPM, Human and Social Biology, Mathematics, Physical Education, Principles of Business. Grade

Berbice teen: Jamelia Amanda Paddy.

Twos in Chemistry, Information Technology, Office Administration, Physics, Principles of Accounts and Grade Threes in Economics, English B, Geography, Religious Education, Social Studies and Spanish.

The student believed that his success was not possible without the help of his teachers, including Calvin, Sir Beaton, Miss Suzette, Sir Langhorne, Ms. Cole, Miss Whittaker, Sir Ambrose, Sir Jornel, Ms. Daniels and not forgetting Sir Chase.

He noted that, “Sir Chase is a classic example of tough love. He was stern with us and for this reason, more than 90 percent of us passed English A,” the student said.

Given his achievement and socio-economic background, Kissoon said that he wanted to share his story to help motivate others that the youths in depressed communities like Albouystown are not beyond redemption.

“I would like the youths

to understand that education will open doors for many opportunities, and it would allow our young people to think constructively.

Education will not leave you like money...I want all young people to know that anything is possible.

Work hard, be discipline and put God first,” he said, adding that looking back now, he believed going to Chase Academy was made possible

by God. “The favour of God was on me to get this scholarship,” Kissoon added.

The Albouystown teen posited that many ghetto youths do not have this support system.

“This is sad. I tell people that I am from the “ghetto” but I managed to get 17 CSEC subjects. If I can do it, then anyone with a determined spirit and supportive people around can also do it. I pray that the relevant authorities look after our disadvantaged young people. Help them to get back to school, afternoon lessons or even to organise

Albouystown youth: Ajay Kissoon.

sporting activities. This would reduce many of the social issues affecting Guyana,” he appealed.

He noted that many of those young people who are often overlooked by society have big dreams. To this end, he told Kaieteur News that his career goal is to become a neurosurgeon.

“I want to be a blessing to the human race. I have been fortunate to receive favours and blessings and one day I will be a blessing to other people,” he said.

Much like Kissoon, 16 year-old Fyrish Village, Corentyne, Berbice teen, Jamelia Amanda Paddy, grew

up in a very supportive home, where her parents played a major role in part of her success.

Paddy who acquired 17 CSEC passes said that she became motivated by her mother whom she described a humble and God-fearing individual.

“She always motivates me to do better, guides me along the way and is stern with me from time to time, said the teen. She added that she was not always mindful of her academics until she entered high school.

She explained that, “in high school, I took education more seriously. The reason

being is because in high school, education level was advancing and more priorities needed to be made...”

Paddy noted, nonetheless, that by the time she was ready to sit the exams, the country was locked down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the right support system, Paddy noted that the coronavirus was not a barrier to her success, “because through it all, I learned to trust in Jesus. With the help and guidance from God, I came out with all my subjects successfully.

The teen, who currently aspires to become an attorney, and is currently pursuing it at the University of Guyana, extends her heartfelt gratitude to her teachers, parents, grandparents, brother (JJ), aunts, uncles and other relatives who rendered assistance for the great outcome.

“Until this day, I must say that I’m very much grateful,” Paddy said, adding that she, with her new found confidence in God, knows that one day she will complete her studies and have her own law platform.

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Sunday January 17, 2021

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Sunday January 17, 2021

Sunday January 17, 2021

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Will those who were basking in a state of denial while preaching and promoting racial division step out and face the truth?

DEAR EDITOR, The brutal, cowardly and dastardly attack by a mob of anarchists coerced and inspired by President Trump’s treasonous insinuations left a trail of deaths, damages and disaster. Encouraging the crowd to revolt and spreading lies about election irregularities and fraud (all election petitions denied by the courts), Republican Senator, Mitt Romney, challenged and pleaded with President Trump to “tell the American people the truth.”

Barbados Prime Minister and Past CARICOM Chair, Mia Motley, refused to support election rigging and would not condone Granger and his APNU+AFC party’s actions to impede GECOM’s work to conclude a smooth election process. She exclaimed, “The truth hurts….I have nothing more to say.

The truth hurts but what we must never do in CARICOM is to avoid the truth and avoid our principles.” Guyana’s election

ended up being prolonged by some five months of gruelling, laborious, painstaking and costly delay by the callous APNU+AFC Party, led by a heartless caretaker President, David Granger. He refused to accept the legitimate recount result from a CARICOM appointed election observer committee.

Aided and abetted by GECOM’s officers and APNU+AFC Party representatives, Mingo and others attempted many times to tamper with the election results and manipulated the configuration of the figures in order to manufacture avoiding a loss for the APNU+AFC Party and deny the PPP/C Party a win.

Former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, who led an OAS observer team for the March 2, 2020 General election in Guyana remarked, “I have never seen such a transparent effort to alter the results of an election. If each of the party genuinely believe it has won then, they should have no fear of the current

recount, and they should all support it.”

Charrandass Persaud’s yes vote in December 2018 had tilted an advantage to the PPP/C Party, thereby securing the majority in the No Confidence Motion initiated against the then ruling APNU+AFC government.

Granger and cabal had refused to accept the fact that 33 is the majority of 65 and the issue went all the way to the CCJ who proclaimed a denial to the APNU+AFC Party.

The OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, had defended CARICOM efforts to support people’s freedom of choice in the Caribbean when he had declared, “if democracy fails in any CARICOM country, it fails in the larger community. As an institution, CARICOM cannot allow this to happen in any member state.” Back in 2019, President Granger had unilaterally appointed James Patterson as GECOM’s Chairman and after being challenged by the PPP/ C Party, the CCJ revoked his

appointment.

Granger and his APNU+AFC cabal did challenge CARICOM’s election recount result and wanted to institute their fictitious result figures as purported and submitted by GECOM’s CEO, Lowenfield, but again, the CCJ refused to accept dishonesty and denied their application. While Trinidad’s Prime Minister, Dr. Rowley, had refused to return to Guyana to observe the election circus under GECOM’s politically dictated scrutiny, influenced heavily by the APNU+AFC Party, on his return home, he did expressed much disappointment and concern about transparency and the deliberate attempts by that party and GECOM’s officials to engage in skullduggery. He concluded, “I am worried that an election a month ago is now a court house matter and I am getting a feeling that this is not going to end well. I hope I am wrong.” He was right.

Granger and his band of rebels did not immediately

LET THE CRIMINAL CASE BEGIN DEAR EDITOR, Three men were earlier this past week charged with the murders of the two Henry Boys on the West Coast of Berbice, Isaiah and Joel Henry. Charges have been laid and a trial would soon commence into this crime that has so gripped our country for months now.

This is a major breakthrough in a four-month long investigation which at times seems to be going nowhere, but finally we seem to be seeing light at the end of the tunnel, as some headway is made in this case.

What is of great significance is that the police are in receipt of a confession statement from one of the accused, a confession which mirrors the happenings on that fateful day.

And to make it more transparent and above board, that confession was not beaten out of him nor was he in any way coerced into a confession.

In fact, in an unprecedented move the Guyana Police Force invited the media to witness, as well as bear coverage of, his hour-long testimony.

Clearly he is not a madman, nor is he in any way affected by psychiatric issues, and if so, in the ensuing trial, the presiding judge can order a thorough medical examination of the confessant if needs be.

If he is not in any way mentally incapacitated then he is fit to stand trial.

Now from my observation this latest development sets an entire case meant for the history books of criminal justice in this country and as a whole lot more would be uncovered as the trial proceeds.

Many unanswered questions would be answered and those murky areas that lay hidden from our view would soon become clear. So, let the trial begin!

Immediately emotions run high as questions, criticisms, opinions and the lot comes to the fore. Some of these run like this, whether these guys are the right persons charged for the heinous crimes, or other serious arguments as to whether this is really a breakthrough in the case or simply junkies picked up and forced into making a confession. But emotions are not evidence, feelings are not facts, so let us get started.

In a summary of the last week’s events, certain questions become real issues and I have come up with the following points: Firstly, to the politicians who descended on the West Coast Berbice village and incited a political riot, this is the time for them to be concerned.

The facts of the case thus far, do not make for a politically motivated killing which is something the Opposition should be mindful of.

They exploited a matter for political purposes over and beyond what it is.

This also caused the killings of two innocent victims who had nothing to do with

the Henry Boys, so the opposition should hang their heads in shame as to the misery and near civil war they could have started.

To the racist mobsters they too need to stop and think of the hurt they have caused, I am talking about the senseless roadblocks, the beatings and robberies, even murders of Haresh Singh and the Harripaul gentleman.

This senseless bloodshedding of persons who clearly had nothing to do with the Henry Boys’ murders, were all disgraceful acts meant to divide our nation. In the absence of solid evidence persons should never allow themselves to be so driven into a mad frenzy of killings; Guyana can ill afford such madness.

Let those so designated do their investigations and let sober and rational decisions take precedence.

To the family of the Henry boys, what were they doing there, did they go there to pick coconuts or was it mangoes, or was it what we will soon find out. Initially the family said that they have no knowledge of the boys having enemies, well much of that theory would soon find answers as the trial gets going.

To the Human rights organization which brought a man here to spend a vacation - because the question is asked what can a forensic expert find in a few hours of “sight-seeing” when in effect a matter of such magnitude would require weeks of inves-

tigation, if not months? Is this not the reason why this expert is now asking for the police’s investigation report for him to plagiarize a document to the satisfaction of the GHRA and the family so affected?

To the villagers and wider Guyanese Community, we can now breathe a sigh of relief that progress is made into the murders of the two cousins.

Finally, I would say this is not going to be another Courtney Crum Ewing case, that’s for sure, nor would it be another Roger Khan fiasco. By the way the political opposition, without a charge being filed, or a case being called, could make the opinionated, propagandistic statement that over 500 youths were killed by Khan.

So my question is with so many lives lost - and this is according to their theory why wasn’t there a trial, why wasn’t Khan tried? It boggles the mind that so many lives could have been lost and there was no trial?

These so called racial killings are still being trumpeted far and wide by the Opposition for the simple fact that there were no charges laid nor was there a trial.

So to the Opposition and those who are so inclined to believe their narrative, please take heed that this case of The Henry Boys would see trial and definitive answers would be made at its conclusion. I rest my case.

Respectfully submitted, Neil Adams

accede to the CCJ’s decision.

The St. Vincent and Grenadines Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves, had warned, “A rogue clique within Guyana cannot be allowed to disrespect or disregard, with impunity, the clear, unambiguous ruling of the CCJ. The time for decisive action is shortly upon us.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic taking a sever toll on the people and the country continuing to slide in poverty and suffrage, Granger recklessly denied the will of the people and did not adhere to the CCJ’s ruling. He and his band of villains maintained office and power and indulged in corruption and mal practice. Ralph Gonsalves had called Granger “a sanctimonious gangster.”

The US ambassador in Guyana had to point out, not that the US wishes it, but there could be “serious consequences if the democratic process, the rule of the law, and the principles of democracy are not followed in Guyana.”

It wasn’t until the US intervened with visa sanctions on all contributing towards undermining democracy, did they finally agreed to US Secretary of State’s call to “step aside” and accepting the PPP/ C Party to be installed as the new government with Dr. Irfaan Ali as President.

With the confessions of the accused murderers of the Henry cousins, the DPP has recommended the police institute charges. The police were accused of partisan policing and under sever fire from Granger and the APNU+AFC Party and other related Afro Guyanese associations, to solve the case which they deemed was politically motivated.

“This is not about recrimination. It is about justice. We must not tolerate sloppy police work. We must not tolerate partisan policemen protecting the perpetrators, we

must not tolerate suspects being sheltered and sent on their way,” said Mr. Harmon.

Mr. Granger lauded the residents for sending a message that “we are not going to put up with this nonsense.” “We call on the government to protect us and if the government does not give us the full protection we deserve, we are going to take any reasonable measure to defend ourselves,” said Mr. Granger, who is also leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R). “We can’t reverse what has happened but we will do our utmost to avoid a recurrence,” he said.

The Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn, had responded with, “Unfortunately, Messrs. Granger and Harmon descended on the communities and in their statements and rhetoric created an atmosphere engendering unfounded suspicions leading to racial polarization and attacks.

Further loss of life, injuries and property loss are being experienced! This escalation in violence rests squarely at the doors of these two gentlemen and specific known political agitators of their ilk!! Like Mia Motley said, “The truth hurts,” and the inconvenience of truth makes people shudder and cower. Some cannot handle the truth while the likes of Trump and Granger cannot speak the truth and prefer to hide behind a garrison of lies, deceits and dishonesty. They shut themselves behind closed doors to make cowardly attacks and rush back to their isolated and lonely dens. Now that the truth is out, will Granger, Harmon and the rest of those who were basking in a state of denial while preaching and promoting racial division and ethnic violence step out and face the truth?

Respectfully, Jai Lall

Will Trump be removed...

From page 6 majority leadership comes to an end after the swearing in of the next Vice President on Wednesday.

The Senate is tied 50-50 from Wednesday. The Vice President, who is ‘the Chair’ of the Senate, casts a tiebreaking vote. Kamala Harris, a Democrat, will hold that position from January 21.

Currently, all the Democrats (50) plan to vote for conviction.

Ten Republican Senators plan to support the move to expel Trump from the Presidency.

The indictment is short of seven for a conviction. Two other Republicans may

support the vote. Five more Senators would be needed to remove Trump from office. If the vote is successful, the Vice President is sworn in as the next President.

That would be Mike Pence. He would inherit all the perks of office including a hefty $200K annual pension and security just for being President for a few days or even a day.

McConnell will decide Trump’s faith. In all likelihood, he will not schedule a trial, ending the impeachment process.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram (Political Scientist)

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Kaieteur News

The brief life of the ‘smiling rock star...

From page 55 him ‘why are you taking so long’,” she recalled.

He exited, dressed and they chatted some more.

He told her of his desire to “walk all over.” “I asked him why and promised that I will take him out that weekend,” recounted Panday. His response to her why, she revealed, was, “‘no reason I just want go all over and walk, I want to leave this country, I want to tour’.”

Panday said she smiled because that was always his dream. He wanted to tour the world as a ‘rock star.’

After they were done talking, he jumped on his bicycle and left for his best friend’s house.

At around 19:00 hrs. that night, Panday said he texted her to let her know that he had arrived safely.

Around 03:00 hrs. the following day, Panday received some heart-breaking news.

Her ‘smiling rock star’ had been shot to his head and was hospitalized.

A chill ran through her as she rushed down to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

When she arrived, she broke down in tears. Rockey was critical; he was bloody and there were tubes attached his body.

Doctors told Panday that her son was brain dead and chances for his survival were looking slim to none.

But she refused to believe that was the end for her beloved Rockey. She still had hope and prayed for God to save her baby.

As fate would have it though, by afternoon doctors who were battling to save Rockey’s life had to give up.

Rockey had quietly slipped away to the great beyond.

The following day, an article in this newspaper with the headline: “Sleep over turns deadly after boy, 15, shot in the head” told the tragic tale of his demise.

The article stated that he was allegedly shot by his best friend during the sleep over.

The best friend had reportedly shot him with his (the best friend) father’s licenced firearm.News of his tragic demise sent shockwaves throughout Guyana and many began asking questions about his death.

Investigators had concluded that the shooting was accidental.

STILLA MYSTERY Panday, however, has been left with many unanswered questions as to what really took place during her son’s last sleep over.

The best friend’s mother,

she said, had since reached out to her and apologized for the tragedy.

But Panday said that she wants to meet with the best friend. “I want to reach out to him and speak with him and asked him what really happened that night,” she said.

Knowing the truth, she added, would help her to cope with her grief.

Ever since Rockey passed away, Panday would spend many nights at home and sometimes, she confided, she would just scream as she calls to mind the cherished memories she had with her son.

“It’s hard to erase and forget; it will be there, but I have learnt that I have to try to live on,” said Panday.

She knows all too well that there are many other parents who have lost children tragically and, much like her, are struggling to sleep at nights.

But she has been learning to cope with her lost in hopes that her own experience will give her the courage to encourage others, especially mothers, to move forward.

According to her, although the pain of losing a child will never go away, they must try to live on.

Her advice to hurting parents is that “God knows best and only He can give comfort.”

A challenging but necessary undertaking From page 36 virtually. This, he said, would work especially well for the dormitory students who have access to the school’s Wi-Fi. The DCEO further stated that he is currently in Region One (Barima-Waini) assessing the state of the computer labs to ensure that they are fully functional. It was expected that a test run of the virtual learning process would be conducted and if it proves

successful, it would be extended to all hinterland schools.

“Grades 10 and 11 students reside in the dorm, but due to the learning loss experienced, we are attempting to make up through virtual means. The students who have not returned will continue to be engaged through the Ministry of Education’s worksheets,” DeSouza disclosed.

Teachers also reported low turn-outs at schools in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica). A teacher at the East Ruimveldt Secondary School revealed that only 50 percent of the school’s grades 10 and 11 students showed up for the Easter Term.

Nevertheless, word out of the Education Ministry is that officials are optimistic about the schools’ reopening and the remainder of the term.

Sunday January 17, 2021

CONSUMER CONCERNS Guyana / Venezuela Controvery – Does Mallet-Prevost posthumous letter have any merit?

By PAT DIAL President Maduro of Venezuela at the end of the first week of January 2021 issued a Decree claiming the continental shelf and the seas adjacent to and west of the Essequibo River. Such a claim has been going on since Guyana was granted its Independence.

Since then, the scenario had changed and the 1899 Arbitral Award which had settled the boundaries between the two states is now being brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) so that the Court could adjudicate on the validity of the Award.

Venezuela, however, seems to wish to continue the controversy and to institutionalize it and is issuing threats to Guyana to force it to conform to its demands.

The President of Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali, had promptly rejected the Venezuelan threats and claim, pointing out that it was contrary to International Law on two bases.

The first was that no state could unilaterally arrogate unto itself the authority of unilaterally fixing its boundaries with another state and to attempt to do so would be illogical and is null and void.

The second basis is that the seas adjacent to the Essequibo Coast is part of Guyana’s sovereign territory as per the 1899 Award which is yet to be adjudicated on by the ICJ. Venezuela’s claim on this part of Guyana’s territory is therefore a nullity and infringes International Law.

Venezuela has so far declared that it would not be participating in the hearing of the ICJ though that would not prevent the Court from adjudicating in the matter. It is hoped however that Venezuela would participate.

When the Arbitral Award was made, Venezuela celebrated it as a victory and there were joyous celebrations in Caracas and postage stamps were even issued to mark the event.

Then the boundary was demarcated by a joint team of Venezuelan and British surveyors in 1905 and was universally and internationally recognized.

Then just as Guyana was about to be granted its independence, in 1962, Venezuela claimed that the Arbitral Award was unfair and a nullity and that Essequibo and about two-thirds of Guyana’s territory belonged to them.

Such a claim is as outlandish as if the Russians who had sold Alaska or the French who had sold Louisiana to the United States were to claim that these sales were invalid because there was some alleged impropriety in the sale arrangements!

At the time of the Venezuelan claim, the Cold War was raging and opinion in Georgetown was that this claim was based on very flimsy grounds of a very junior lawyer in the Arbitration accusing his senior colleagues who were regarded as the best lawyers in the world at that time of impropriety.

That junior lawyer, MalletPrevost, was alleged to have left his accusations in a posthumous letter. It was believed that Cold War interest felt that the Venezuelan claim would delay the granting of independence to Guyana and so thwart the Marxist Cheddi Jagan from becoming Prime

Minister and creating another Cuba.

Britain, however, was determined to withdraw from Guyana and in 1966 was able to strike an agreement - The Geneva Agreement- with Venezuela whereby a Mixed Commission was established to resolve the Controversy. Britain then gracefully granted Independence to Guyana.

The Mixed Commission expired in 1970 without coming to any agreement and it was succeeded by the 12 year Protocol of Port-of-Spain, which Venezuela ended in 1982. In 1990, the parties sought the good offices of the Secretary General of the United Nations.

In 2016, the Secretary General indicated that since there was an absence of progress towards a solution, he would transfer the matter to the ICJ as he was permitted to do by the Agreement.

He would only refrain from so doing if the parties jointly made a request to him. On January 3, 2018, he transferred the issue to the ICJ and in March Guyana filed its application to the ICJ concerning the Controversy. Venezuela claimed that the Court had no jurisdiction but in December 2020 the Court, by an overwhelming majority affirmed that it had.

Unfortunately for Venezuela and Guyana, the 1962 flimsy claim based on MalletPrevost’s posthumous letter, took on a life of its own and it was promoted by some politicians among the populace who began to be convinced of its veracity.

A Frankenstein’s monster had been created and the controversy is now a bane on Venezuelan political life.

The ICJ, however it decides, would free Venezuelan political life of that bane and prevent it from falling into gaucheries.

Guyana and Venezuela would then enter an era of close fraternal and productive cooperation, resulting in the cultural and economic enrichment of both countries.

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

Sunday January 17, 2021

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CoP meets with “persons VERIFICATION OF DEVICES of interest” on gang threats

STANDARDS IN FOCUS

ENSURES ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS IN TRADE

The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) will this week commence the mobile stamping of all weighing and measuring devices used at markets, shops and other retail outlets, countrywide.

The verification of these devices, which include scales, masses and measures are crucial to ensure that consumers receive accurate measurements in trade transactions.

Verification, which is done every six months (twice per year) also augers well for users of devices.

The processguarantees that devices are functioning well tosafeguard retailers from incurring losses due to the use of defective and inaccurate weighing and measuring devices.

Importantly, the mandate was given to the GNBS by virtue of the 1981 Weights & Measures Act to ensure traceable measurements.

Traceability allows for accurate and reliable measurements in both the local and international markets; providing consistency of measurements worldwide.

The accuracy of measurements in commerce, for example, a kilogramme of potatoes or chicken determined by a scale in the market or a local shop is ultimately traceable to physical standards used by the GNBS, which are traceable to International Stan-

dards.

For easy determination, the GNBS affixes an approval seal to any device it has verified including scales, petrol pumps and electricity meters.

For verified masses and measures used in retail, these are stamped G.N.B.S. Last year, despite the pandemic, the GNBS managed to maintain the level of its verification services countrywide.During 2020, a total of 29,675 new devices, which included 638 scales and 1473 masses were verified. This indicates an overall increase in new devices verified as compared to the year 2019.

Meanwhile, for devices already in use at shops, markets and other locations such as supermarkets, manufacturing companies, rice mills, hospitals, airlines, post offices, a total 5009 scales, 9977 masses, 140 weighbridge scales, 202 electricity meters, and 59 moisture meters were verified.

For this year 2021, the GNBS will utilise its newly acquired mobile stamping bus to conduct the verification of devices at key markets and areas within Regions 3 and 4.

This will not only enhance the efficiency of service delivery but also protect Inspectors and promote social distancing by vendors and shopkeepers during the verifica-

tion of devices.

Verification commences on Tuesday, January 19 at the Stabroek Market, Georgetown followed by the Bourda Market later in the week. Advertisements indicating the schedule for mobile stamping will be published in local newspapers, radio, television and the GNBS Facebook page.

Vendors and shopkeepers and other users of weighing and measuring devices are urged to submit their devices for verification.

Devices can also be submitted for verification at the GNBS Head Office, Sophia and Sub-offices in New Amsterdam, Anna Regina, Vreeden Hoop, Lethem, or to the nearest Weights and Measures Office.

Finally, importers of weighing and measuring devices are reminded that they are obligated to ensure that new devices imported are approved and verified by the GNBS as required by the Weights and Measures Act. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

For further information, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 2190069, 219-0066 or our WhatsApp number 692-4627 (GNBS).

Trinidad Guardian - The Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith met with several persons of interest Friday night telling them that the TTPS will respond quickly if there are any attempts to escalate gang-related criminal activity in the country.

The following is a press release from the TTPS: Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith, met last night with several well-known “persons of interest”, advising them that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) will respond quickly if there are any attempts to escalate gang-related criminal activity in the country. This follows numerous WhatsApp messages purporting to such activities, which circulated Friday and which caused fear and panic among the population.

Immediately upon receipt of this information, DCP (Ag.), ‘Operations’, Joanne Archie, held a coordinating meeting with various specialised and intelligence units, including GEB, SIU, MOB and IATF, POS CID, all First Division officers of POSD, the Traffic and Highway Patrol Branch and the POS Taskforce.

Following this meeting, several persons of interest were brought into the Besson Street and St. Joseph Police Stations. Commissioner Griffith visited both police stations, where he issued a stern warning to persons of interest that were being held there, making it clear to them that the “TTPS will not tolerate any plans among groups to cause any mayhem and de-

Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith, and other officers met with several well-known “persons of interest”. struction.” The CoP said he received hundreds of messages from concerned members of the public about the veracity of the messages.

The CoP made it quite clear, that if the messages circulating had any truth, the TTPS will move swiftly to take down any attempts to escalate any gang-related criminal activity that brings inconvenience to the public. Commissioner Griffith reminded the “persons of interest” of the attempts made at the end of

June 2020, which were met with immediate resistance by the TTPS. As a result of the messages which were circulating Friday, the CoP said the TTPS has put certain measures in place should any attempts be made to escalate gang-related criminal activity. The Commissioner of Police wishes to advise the public to be wary of misinformation that is being circulated on social media.

There is no intelligence to verify these alleged threats.

Sir Hilary Beckles to receive PNM units defend Young against Martin Luther King award UNC’s attacks

NEWSDAY - The University of the West Indies (UWI) vice-chancellor professor Sir Hilary Beckles and director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr Anthony Fauci will be awarded the Dr Martin Luther King Jr award.

In a media release UWI said Rev Al Sharpton, president and founder of the US National Action Network (NAN) will confer the awards at the annual breakfast event tomorrow.

This year marks the 30th anniversary for the awards which honours people with a view to refocusing and sustaining the dream of King Jr. NAN said, “Sir Hilary is recognised for his global advocacy, academic scholarship and intellectual leadership in support of social justice, institutional equity, and economic development for marginalised and oppressed ethnicities and nations.

Beckles, who is also the president of Universities Caribbean, chairman of the Caribbean Examinations Council, chairman of the Caricom Reparations Commission and advisor on sustainable development to former United Nations secretary-general Ban KiMoon, will receive the Peace and Freedom award.

Fauci, an American physician, will receive the Lifetime Community Service award.

Previous recipients included former US

UWI vicechancellor professor Sir Hilary Beckles

president Bill Clinton, founder of Motown Music Berry Gordy, and former US attorney general Eric Holder.

Event speakers have included US president-elect Joe Biden and former US attorney general Loretta Lynch.

The Dr Martin Luther King Jr Day ceremony and awards will be held in Washington, DC from 12 pm and will be streamed live on UWItv’s website www.uwitv.org, cable channels on Flow EVO and its Facebook page.

Trinidad Guardian - The People’s National Movement’s National Youth League and National Security Minister Stuart Young’s Portof-Spain North constituency have backhanded the United National Congress’ motion of no-confidence against Young.

The Opposition recently announced the motion, criticising Young’s performance and questioning the law allowing Young to make decisions on COVID-19 travel exemptions. After Young rebutted accusations, UNC Friday maintained its position, adding he hadn’t said what law empowered him.

But PNM’s Youth League condemned “the comical noconfidence motion as that of a desperate and failing attempt by the UNC grasping on the final straws of political relevance.”

“Minister Young has, in his usual fashion, brought a

National Security Minister Stuart Young dynamic sense of energy to the ministry, capturing the portfolio by bringing forth a hands-on, no-nonsense approach. This is the same Opposition Leader (Kamla Persad-Bissesssar) who continues her attempts at stalling Government’s legislative agenda...she’s rejected her responsibilities as a parliamentarian, objected to her oath of office and objected entirely to the notion of put-

ting country before party and self-interest. Mrs Persad-Bissessar can never stand before this country and be taken seriously as a politician,” the Youth League said.

“Her Monday Night forums are a breathing ground for far-fetched conspiracy theories and objectable humour.”

The league added, “This is no time for politician games, we are in critical times and we need serious and effective leaders, with a clear mandate to govern and we have that here in PNM. It’s on that basis we must reject the UNC and Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s nonsensical, vacuous attempt at wasting the nation’s and Parliament’s time—she can learn a thing or two from the Honourable Minister, as a gold-standard politician.”

PNM’s PoS North constituency PRO Hillen Morean also listed bills which the UNC didn’t support, dismissing the Opposition’s move.

PAGE 62

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Kaieteur News

One female domestic cook not older than 40 yrs, Call 231-8737 between 8am - 4pm Wanted: Weekend maid saturday's and sunday's 9:30 to 11:30 Call 633-8353 Male & Female to work in factory. Apply in person to R.P'S Enterprise area "K" Le Ressouvenir. E.C.D

Man busted with firearm tells cops he found it in trail A man, 43, who was busted on Friday with an illegal firearm stashed on his veranda, told the cops that he had picked it up on the St Cuthbert’s Mission Trail.

According to police, ranks busted the man around 15:45 hrs. in his home located at Chateau Margot, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The ranks were at the time conducting an intelligence lead operation and located a .38 revolver with matching ammunition inside his home. When questioned about the gun, the man told police that he had found the weapon some time ago in the St Cuthbert’s Mission trail.

He was arrested and taken away to the Cove and John Police Station where the weapon was lodged.

Go for it,’ says first person...

From page 13 from a peak in mid-September.

India is using the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine and a government-backed vaccine dev eloped by

India’s Bharat Biotech whose efficacy is not yet known. People will not be able to choose which of the vaccines - both of which are being produced locally - that they get.

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The .38 revolver found in the man’s home.

million people older than 50 or deemed high-risk because of pre-existing medical conditions.

The government has already bought 11 million doses

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of the AstraZeneca COVISHIELD shot, produced by the Serum Institute of India, and 5.5 million of Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN. COVISHIELD is 72% effective, according to the Indian drug regulator, while Bharat Biotech says COVAXIN’s last-stage trial results are expected by March.

While nationalist politicians are cheering COVAXIN, some health experts consider it rushed, as the vaccine has only limited, “clinical-trial mode” approval.

In addition to efficacy concerns, the close monitoring required for its use will be a massive challenge.

UK politician’s scandal...

From page 8 review of the US$9B oil development. Later, Kaieteur News discovered a potential conflict of interest posed by Redford’s hiring.

Elections Alberta, an independent, non-partisan office of the Legislative Assembly kept records which note that Redford’s party, Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta (PCA), received donations from an Exxon subsidiary called Imperial Oil over many years, while she was a member.

In the period during which the donations were received, Redford quickly moved up in the PCA, eventually becoming its leader and Premier of the Canadian province of Alberta. The donations to the party, since Redford became active in the party, up to the months after her departure from politics, amounted to nearly CAD$70,000.

Similarly, the Ali administration ignored this revelation. There were no utterances from the Opposition either.

Contractors to be sued for negligible work...

From page 10 weeks for their substandard performance of a number of government contracts.

Those contracts, it was revealed, would be terminated with millions to be claimed for breach of the contract, liquidates damages applied where necessary and the contractors as well as the project engineers will face sanctions for their negligent work.

Millions will also be claimed for the loss of use of the public facility, which they were contracted to build and interest will also be paid on contract sum along with other consequences that will affect those contractors’ ability to garner work in the future.

“It cannot be business as usual,” the Attorney General outlined, adding “Engineers who are supposed to be safe guarding government’s interest and who ought to be scrutinising the work of the contractor will also be penalised and will be joined as defendants and sued with the contractors.”

In many cases, the AG pointed out, the very project engineers collude with the contractors to defraud the State of millions, “violating their contracts with impunity”. “The engineers sometimes conspire with the contractors to get variations when sometimes this may not be required. And every time

there is a variation, the new materials are always overstated as what was previously procured,” Nandlall explained, positing that it is all part of a well thought out “nefarious scheme”.

“We welcome contractors to do proper work because we are paying proper money for it,” the AG added, “This humongous wastage must stop.”

To boost their strong stance, the AG also revealed that there will be a review of the Procurement Act to create offences and add criminal penalties to them so that the report of the Audit General will have enough power to compel obedience.

Sunday January 17, 2021

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Sunday January 17, 2021

Lampard ‘not blown away’ with win against 10-man Fulham BBC Sport - Chelsea manager Frank Lampard says his side “can’t think everything is solved” after labouring their way to a second Premier League win in seven games against 10man Fulham 1-0.

Antonee Robinson was sent off late in the first half for Fulham for a dangerous tackle on Cesar Azpilicueta.

Mason Mount - who earlier hit the bar - proved the matchwinner with a half-volley after Alphonse Areola flapped at Ben Chilwell’s cross.

Ten different players had shots for Chelsea, but they were wasteful in front of goal.

The win takes Chelsea up to seventh, while Fulham - who had drawn their previous five league games - are four points from safety. “A month ago we were flying high, but since then we’ve struggled,” Lampard told BBC Sport. “It’s a challenge even a man down.

“Maybe a bit [confidence affecting his players], that’s normal in football, but every team are having phases of form.

Within that you get individuals short of form. We’ve got talent at the top end and it’s my job to sort that out.

“Perfection is not an easy thing to get. I won’t say I was blown away with the

performance. There were lots of bits I was happy with, but we won’t get too ahead of ourselves.”

Can result help Chelsea kick-start season?

Chelsea went top of the table on 5 December when they beat Leeds. This was only their second victory in the league since then - and they sit seven points off Manchester United, having played an extra game.

Boss Lampard talked about “the experience and personality of” Olivier Giroud and Antonio Rudiger when explaining their places in starting XI - and spoke of the need to “kick-start” their season.

Sunday January 17, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your practical skills should be operating efficiently, Aries. A creative or intellectual discipline that fascinates you might require some intense concentration today.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today you might spend a lot of time on the phone with friends, some of them seniors. Your conversations will be loving, informative, and revealing, Libra.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Practical matters involving home and family might need some attention today. This isn't anything alarming, just a few tasks that you may have put off, such as house cleaning or yard work.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today you could resolve to work harder than ever on whatever it is that brings the results you hope for. This is likely to involve nothing more glamorous than practical tasks, such as getting paperwork out of the way.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Matters involving your community might require your attention. This is likely to involve communication in some way.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Financial matters might need attention today. Bills may need to be paid, checks deposited, and budgeting worked out.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Some projects might require practical attention today, getting irritating little details cleared up and out of the way. Your natural efficiency is at a peak, Leo, so you will probably be able to get these matters done before you get too bored.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Relatives or old friends, who visit you today are likely to awaken childhood memories that you'd long since forgotten. Some of them might come as a shock, but they will all release hangups that you've been trying to expunge for a while.

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Kaieteur News

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Pursuing intellectual interests may be on hold today because of career matters.

Your ambitions, whatever they are, could get a shot in the arm through some new information, possibly from far away.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Memories of past events that caused traumas that you're still dealing with could come to light today.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today you might see old and new friendships and romantic involvements reach a new understanding.

This creates a stronger commitment between you and those who care for you.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) An important project could require intense concentration today, Pisces, and you're in the right frame of mind. You could be pleased with the results and so could others whose opinions matter.

...Rain ends second day’s play with From page 66 Sundar but two runs later, the off-spinner got his revenge when he bowled the Australian number six for 47.

Thakur, playing only his second Test, took his third wicket when he trapped Cummins leg-before for two to leave the hosts struggling at 315 for seven.

However, Lyon and Starc went on the attack and the score raced to 354 before Sundar bowled Lyon around his legs after his quickfire 24 off 22 deliveries.

When T. Natarajan bowled

Josh Hazlewood to end the innings, the inexperienced Indian attack had completed an impressive comeback on a hot and humid Brisbane morning.

The Indian attack features two players making their debut — Natarajan (3-78) and Sundar (3-89) — while their most experienced bowler, Mohammad Siraj, is playing just his third Test following a raft of injures to their firstchoice bowlers.

“I think it was a great effort from both the newcomers,” Sharma said.

“Obviously playing against Australia in Australia is never going to be that easy.

“They (the bowlers) showed a lot of character.

They were right in the game and understood what is the team expecting from them to do.” To compound India’s problems, Navdeep Saini was only able to bowl 7.5 overs on the first day before he broke down with a groin injury.

Scores: India 62 for 2 (Sharma 44) trail Australia 369 (Labuschagne 108, Paine 50, Natarajan 3-78) by 307 runs.

...GOA Pres. writes Minister Charles From page 70 National Federations/Associations are mostly approved by their respective International Federation.

The constitution of the Guyana Olympic Association has been approved by the IOC. These rules include the regulations for the running of competitions, qualification, selection etc. If an entity or a group of persons wish to organize an event under the umbrella of a National Federation/Association then they must follow the rules that govern. If they do not then the event will not be approved and as a result consequences may follow and affect that entity, group of persons and the participants of the event. If anyone is allowed to organize an event in a sport without the approval of the recognized body then chaos will arise. These events may not be run within the recognized rules or safe-guards, there may be gambling, use of prohibited substances, unsafe area of competition, persons who may have been suspended or banned participating, persons may lose their amateur status because of the prizes etc.

The occurrence of any of the afore-mentioned unfortunate events happening can and most likely cause a lack of respect to the established rules and accords which International Federations expect from their affiliates. This can result in National Associations in Guyana being reprimanded, suspended, fined or expelled from their International Federations which will result in our athletes being unable to compete at games where that International Federation is involved. If there is a free for all, without established rules, then such a position will not be accepted or condoned by the Guyana Olympic Association and its affiliated members.

I have seen your enthusiasm and work in the short time that you have been appointed

Minister and we look forward to forging a concrete partnership with you and your Ministry for the development of sports and our young people.

I and all our members wish and are working to establish a programme where our athletes can be supported, if not fully, then to a great extent so that their dreams and that of all Guyanese can be realized.

I would suggest that if you wish, we can meet with my executive or with Associations to discuss the way forward so that there may not be any friction to affect the smooth operation of our continued co-operation.

If any person or group has a grouse with a National Federation/Association then a look at the circumstances can discern the reason and an appeal can be made within the rules to resolve the matter.

Rules should be respected by

persons in sports and I sincerely hope that this communication would clear up the ambiguities which the statement from your Ministry has seemed to cause.

The autonomy and independence of recognized National Federations/Associations must be recognized and if they should do anything detrimental to their sports or athletes then they should be called to account within the parameters of their constitution or an appeal can be made to their International Federation. I nor the Guyana Olympic Association will not condone or encourage any behavior or conduct that is inimical to the good of sports or our athletes.

Best Regards, Mr. K.A. Juman-Yassin President Guyana Olympic Association

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Sunday January 17, 2021

NBA roundup: Bucks close out Mavs G

i a n n i s Antetokounmpo recorded 31 points and nine rebounds to propel the host Milwaukee Bucks to a 112109 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.

The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player made 14 of 21 shots from the floor, though he sank just 1 of 10 attempts from the free-throw line. Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton drained a pair of pivotal 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter to highlight his 25-point performance.

Jrue Holiday had 16 points and Brook Lopez added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who overcame a 12-for-25 effort at the foul line to extend their winning streak to four games. Milwaukee also exacted a bit of revenge after being swept by Dallas in a two-game season series in 2019-20.

Luka Doncic collected 28 points and 13 assists and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 22 points for the Mavericks, who saw their season-high, four-game winning streak come to a halt.

Oklahoma City Thunder 127 Chicago Bulls 125 (OT) Shai-Gilgeous

Alexander’s career-high 33 points led Oklahoma City to a stunning, come-frombehind overtime victory at Chicago. Timely shooting from Mike Muscala (11 points) and Luguentz Dort (21 points, six steals) also helped the Thunder steal a tight victory.

The Bulls wasted a 35point game from Zach L a Vi n e , w h o i s n o w averaging 37.5 points per game in his last four — all losses.

Boston Celtics 124 Orlando Magic 97 Jaylen Brown scored 21 points to lead Boston in a home victory over Orlando.

Semi Ojeleye chipped in with 18 points, while Jeff Teague added 17, Payton Pritchard 16 and Marcus Smart 14 for the Celtics, who have won seven of their past eight games. Jayson Tatum a n d R o b e r t Wi l l i a m s remained out for Boston after testing positive for COVID-19. The Celtics had their past three scheduled games postponed due to the virus.

The Magic were led by Aaron Gordon with 17 points. Nikola Vucevic, Cole Anthony and Dwayne Brown all scored 15 points apiece in the loss.

Cleveland Cavaliers 106 - New York Knicks 103 Andre Drummond put together a monster 33-point, 23-rebound performance to lead Cleveland past New York.

Drummond was joined

by Cedi Osman’s 25 points and Larry Nance’s 14 points that helped the Cavaliers snap a three-game losing streak.

The Knicks wasted a 28point performance from Julius Randle, while also receiving 23 points off the bench from rookie Immanuel Quickley and 20 points from RJ Barrett. The Knicks have now lost five straight.

Utah Jazz 116 - Atlanta Hawks 92 Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points in just 27 minutes to lead Utah to an easy victory over visiting Atlanta.

The Jazz received 17 points from Bojan Bogdanovic and a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double from Rudy Gobert in the win. It was Utah’s fourth straight win.

Cam Reddish scored 20 points to lead the Hawks who saw star point guard Trae Young score only four points

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) controls the ball against the Dallas Mavericks at the Bradley Center. (Nick Monroe/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports) on 1 of 11 shooting.

Los Angeles Clippers 138 Sacramento Kings 100 Kawhi Leonard poured in 27 points to lead Los Angeles to an easy win at Sacramento.

Paul George chipped in with 26 points, while Marcus Morris added 18 off the bench for the Clippers, who won their third straight.

The Kings were led by Marvin Bagley’s 20 points and Richaun Holmes’ 17.

Los Angeles Lakers 112 New Orleans Pelicans 95 LeBron James scored 21 points and dished out 11 assists to lead Los Angeles to a rout of visiting New Orleans.

Anthony Davis put in 17 points, while Montrezl

Harrell and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope both added 16 for the streaking Lakers, who won their fifth straight game.

The Pelicans were happy to have Zion Williamson back from health and safety protocols, as he led the team with 21 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort.

(Field Level Media)

Rain ends second day’s play with final Australia-India Test in the balance AFP - The deciding f o u r t h Te s t b e t w e e n Australia and India in Brisbane hung in the balance yesterday after a massive thunderstorm caused play to be abandoned following the tea break on the second day.

The Gabba was saturated during the storm, which began during the tea break, and while the ground drained quickly, the umpires decided the outfield was too wet to allow play to continue.

India will resume today at 62 for two, 307 runs behind Australia’s first innings total of 369, with Cheteshwar Pujara on eight alongside skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who was on two.

Australia had earlier claimed the vital wicket of Rohit Sharma 20 minutes before tea to seize the momentum.

Sharma had been in full flow, striking 44 stylish runs from 74 deliveries with six boundaries.

But with the score on 60

Pat Cummins made the early breakthrough for Australia, getting the wicket of Indian opener Shubman Gill.

for the loss of opener Shubman Gill (7), Sharma threw his wicket away when he charged off-spinner N a t h a n Ly o n , o n l y managing to sky a ball to Mitchell Starc at deep midon.

The Australian offspinner is playing his 100th Test match and is closing in on 400 wickets — Sharma

was his 397th.

“I had a couple of plans for Rohit,” Lyon said.

“Obviously he’s a worldclass player, so I just wanted to make sure I was bowling my best ball, and not try to worry too much about what the batters are doing.”

He said the wicket was different from a normal Gabba strip.

Rain forced an end to the second day’s play at the Gabba, with the deciding fourth Test between Australia and India hanging in the balance.

“It is a lot drier than it usually is,” Lyon said.

“It was probably more like a day three wicket (on day one) and there’s a nice crack outside the off-stump.

“I’m trying to aim at that and hopefully bring in both edges and see how we go.”

Pat Cummins had made the early breakthrough for the hosts when Shubman

Gill got a thick edge and Steve Smith took a sharp catch at second slip.

- ‘A lot of character’ After resuming at 274 for five on Saturday morning, Australia lost five wickets in the first session including the overnight batsmen Tim Paine and Cameron Green.

Paine and Green had started aggressively on a flat

batting wicket and looked to push the score beyond 400.

But shortly after reaching his half-century, Paine chased a wide ball from Shardul Thakur (3-94) and edged to Sharma at third slip to leave Australia 311 for six.

Green survived a sharp chance on 45 off Washington (Continued on page 65)

Kaieteur News

Sunday January 17, 2021

PAGE 69

Sri Lanka v England: Lahiru Thirimanne leads hosts’ fightback in Galle

B

BC Sport L a h i r u T h i r i m a n n e ’s unbeaten 76 frustrated England as Sri Lanka fought back on the third day of the first Test in Galle. Bowled out for 135 in the first innings, Sri Lanka showed great spirit to reach 156-2 trailing by 130 - after England had posted 421.

Joe Root progressed to a magnificent fourth Test double century before he was last man out for 228 as England lost their last six wickets for 49 runs.

Sam Curran and Jack Leach took a wicket apiece in Sri Lanka’s second innings, but off-spinner Dom Bess rarely threatened on a pitch that has offered assistance to spin since day one.

Kusal Perera contributed 62 to an opening stand of 101 with the patient Thirimanne, who was dropped on 51 by Dom Sibley at gully as he compiled his highest Test score since 2013.

The left-hander will resume alongside nightwatchman Lasith Embuldeniya at 04:15 GMT today. England all-rounder Moeen Ali, who tested positive for coronavirus

Lahiru Thirimanne had made seven 50-plus scores in 70 Test innings before this match.

(Sri Lanka Cricket)

Angelo Mathews congratulates Joe Root after his double-century © SLC upon arrival in Sri Lanka, spent time at the ground in the afternoon after finishing his quarantine period.

Sri Lanka show character For the first time in two years, England failed to take a wicket in the first 30 overs with seamers Curran, Stuart Broad and Mark Wood finding the going tough given the minimal swing or seam movement on offer.

However, credit must be paid to the Sri Lanka openers. Thirimanne and Perera were criticised for their first-innings failures, but their century stand was the first time in six Tests that a Sri Lanka opening pair had survived longer than 10 overs.

Perera showed restraint he scored at a strike-rate of 57, compared to 74 over his Test career - but hit Leach over mid-wicket for six and swept and also drove well before slapping a Curran long hop to wide third man.

Thirimanne, who averaged 22 in 70 Test innings before this match, was happy to play second fiddle to Perera, although he did find the leg-side boundary with flicks and sweeps.

Having taken 5-30 in the first innings, Bess failed to maintain a consistent length and allowed Thirimanne and Perera to play off the back foot too often.

Left-arm spinner Leach,

Olympic hurdles champion McNeal denies testing positive for banned substance (Reuters) - American Olympic 100 metres hurdles gold medallist Brianna McNeal has denied testing positive for any banned substance in a statement released by her management agency yesterday.

The 29-year-old, who won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and was world champion in 2013, was charged with “tampering within the results management process” and provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) earlier this week.

“ICM Stellar Athletics would like to clarify that Brianna has not tested positive for any substance banned in the sport of track and field,” her agency said.

“Brianna will request a hearing, where she fully expects to be exonerated and continue her championship career.”

McNeal led a U.S. clean sweep of the 100m hurdles at the 2016 Olympics but was banned for a year when she missed three out-ofcompetition drug tests, which constitutes an anti-

Brianna McNeal of the U.S. reacts after being disqualified for a false start in the Women’s 100 Metres Hurdles Heats at the World Athletics Championships - Doha 2019.

(REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo) doping rule violation.

Her ban, which was applied for the 2017 season, resulted in her missing the World Championships that

year.

She also qualified for the 2019 worlds, but was disqualified in the first round after a false start.

who bowled more accurately, failed with a review for lbw against Thirimanne on 61 before having Kusal Mendis caught behind off a beautiful delivery that turned and bounced in what proved to be the penultimate over of the day.

Root doubles up Resuming on 168, Root reached his fourth Test double century with the minimum of fuss.

He showed more intent than on day two - when he was happy for debutant Dan Lawrence to take more risks - hitting the third ball of the

day to the cover boundary before driving down the ground for six.

It was almost fitting that Root reached 200 with a sweep for four - it was a productive shot throughout his innings, with 88 runs coming via sweeps and reverse sweeps.

In his 321-ball innings Root became the eighth Englishman to pass 8,000 Test runs - in 178 innings, two more than Kevin Pietersen, who holds the record.

England passed 400 in the first innings for the sixth time in their past 12 Tests,

INEOS Team UK (R) competed against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in round one.

(Reuters) - INEOS Team UK continued their perfect start to the Challenger Series yesterday with a dominant victory over American Magic in the first race of the second set of round-robin meetings.

Ben Ainslie’s side had lost all of their meetings in the December regatta but produced a remarkable turnaround by beating American Magic and Italy’s Luna Rossa on Friday.

‘Britannia’ finished four minutes and 59 seconds faster than American Magic’s ‘Patriot’ in difficult conditions due to light winds at Waitemata Harbour in Auckland yesterday to go 3-0 in the series.

“We managed to muscle the boat around and get the win,” skipper Ainslie, whose side also had to deal with a delayed start due to changing wind direction, said.

“Certainly a huge improvement from

having failed to do so in their previous 23.

But they lost their last six wickets in 13 overs as they chased quick runs, possibly with an eye on the rain forecast later in the game.

Sri Lanka were much more disciplined than on the previous two days, with pace bowler Asitha Fernando impressing, while offspinner Dilruwan Perera mopped up the tail to finish with 4-109.

Scores: Sri Lanka 135 and 156 for 2 (Thirimanne 76*, Perera 62) trail England 421 (Root 228, Lawrence 73) by 130 runs.

INEOS Team UK stay unbeaten in Challenger Series

where we were three weeks ago...We won the race in really tricky conditions so I wouldn’t say it’s an accurate read of our light air performance, but we’ll take the win.”

It was a disappointing outing for the American side, who had handed America’s Cup holders Team New Zealand (TNZ) their only loss in the December races, as they failed to finish the day’s opening clash with Luna Rossa who won their first point.

They managed to cross the line with a second to spare in the second race.

Luna Rossa face INEOS Team UK in today’s opening race and then take on American Magic to conclude the second round-robin meetings. The third round-robin races will begin on Jan. 22.

The winner of the series will earn the right to challenge TNZ in the 36th America’s Cup, which begins on March 6.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 70

Sunday January 17, 2021

Fitness tests encouraging as players zone in for the long haul - Collective focus imperative for future success

By Franklin Wilson

Márcio Máximo - GFF SMNT Head Coach.

H

ead of Sports Science for the G u y a n a Football Federation (GFF), Wilson Toledo, has informed that training for the local based players which commenced one-week ago after the thumbs-up to resume was given by the National Covid-19 Task Force, progress has been steady.

The Guyana Senior M e n ’s N a t i o n a l Te a m (SMNT) re-commenced training after a long layoff due to the covid-19 ahead of competition in the rescheduled FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Concacaf Qualifiers set to commence in March.

Fitness tests were conducted with the local based players at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Training Facility, Providence, East Bank Demerara led by Toledo who said the aerobic test known as the beep tests kicked things off.

All the players and staff involved would have been tested for covid-19 as a prerequisite and would have all returned negative results.

“We continued with the physical evaluation of the

Wilson Toledo at work.

lower limbs with the power (jump test) and speed test (R.A.S.T test 35m).

The results were not so bad. Half of the team showed results between 45 to 50% and the other half of the team from 50 to 60%.”

Some 70% of the training on Tuesday was dedicated to physical training with 30% focusing on the technical aspect, Toledo informed.

“We will continue with this same process for two more weeks with a lot of

volume and little intensity.

From the fourth week the values of volume and intensity will begin to change as the physical training will be more intense and with less volume. The technical and tactical training will be more important within these sessions.

We are projecting that the players at this stage will attain between 75% to 85% physical condition so that at the beginning of the

competition, we will have an excellent performance.”

Meanwhile, Head Coach Márcio Máximo said that he is satisfied with the level of commitment shown so far by the players pointing out that there was 100% attendance.

He also said that the covid19 pandemic has dented preparations of all national teams so players must be wise and maximise the time available to get into the best p o s s i b l e s h a p e understanding their responsibilities and what is expected of them.

“This week was a very

productive one for us; we will continue to do more technical and tactical work as we keep developing our local players in keeping with the GFF policy.

We are very happy and hope that everything works out well.”

Plans are in motion to organise a friendly match for the local unit sometime next month which would help the Technical team evaluate their progress and readiness ahead of the first match against Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday March 25th in the Twin Island

Republic.

The Golden Jaguars’ Group F campaign will continue five days later here (March 30th) when they come up against the Bahamas. St. Kitts & Nevis and Puerto Rico are also in this group.

The winner of the group will proceed to the second round where they will join the winners of the five other groups. The pre determined matchups would see Group A winner vs Group F winner, Group B winner vs Group E winner and Group C winner vs Group D winner.

COVID cases on player flights leave Australian Open buildup in disarray M E L B O U R N E (Reuters) - The build-up to next month’s Australian Open was thrown into disarray yesterday when 47 players were forced into two weeks of strict hotel quarantine after coronavirus infections were reported on two chartered flights carrying them to Melbourne.

Australian Open suffered a jolt Two dozen players and their staff landed from Los Angeles to go into

quarantine after an aircrew member and a passenger, who was not a player, tested positive for COVID-19.

A further 23 players arriving by a chartered flight from Abu Dhabi met a similar fate after another non-player passenger was found positive, the organisers of the year’s first grand slam said in a statement.

The players will “not be able to leave their hotel rooms for 14 days and until

they are medically cleared,” they said.

“They will not be eligible to practise.”

Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas, Mexico’s Santiago Gonzalez and New Zealander Artemis Sitak confirmed via social media that they were on the flight from Los Angeles.

According to local media, two-time champion Vi c t o r i a A z a r e n k a , American former U.S. Open winner Sloane Stephens and Japan’s Kei Nishikori were also on the flight.

Another player reportedly on the same plane was Tennys Sandgren, who was granted special permission to travel from Los Angeles late last week after testing positive for the new coronavirus, which he had previously had.

Tennis Australia said in a statement the decision to allow Sandgren to fly had been made after a review by medical officials. A spokesperson for COVID-19

(REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo)

Quarantine Victoria said it was common among people who previously tested positive to “shed viral fragments for some time which can trigger another positive result”.

Tournament director Craig Tiley said: “We are communicating with everyone on this flight, and particularly the playing group whose conditions have now changed, to ensure their needs are being catered to as much as possible.”

Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk said that she was on the flight from Abu Dhabi.

Several players took to social media to vent their frustration and resentment at being denied training.

“Weeks and weeks of practice and hard work going to waste for one person positive to Covid in a 3/4 empty plane. Sorry but this is insane,” tweeted France’s Alize Cornet.

B e l g i u m ’s K i r s t e n Flipkens criticised the

decision to quarantine all the players on the flight, calling it “Russian roulette”.

New Zealand’s Sitak said it was “obviously not great” but he was aware of the risks ahead, and he appeared relaxed about being grounded in his hotel room.

“I asked for a bike, so hopefully I’ll get one and stay in shape, and we’ll probably be out on the 29th of January,” the 34-year-old said in a video on his Instagram page.

He later posted a photo of his exercise bike saying “got this beauty”.

After the organisers found themselves on the receiving end of many players’ wrath, Azarenka sounded a different note.

“If you have time to whine then you have time to find solution,” the Belarusian tweeted.

Australia has agreed to accept about 1,200 players, officials and staff on 15 flights for the major sporting event beginning on Feb. 8.

Kaieteur News

Sunday January 17, 2021

PAGE 71

Shakib Al Hasan named in Bangladesh squad for West Indies ODIs ESPNcricinfo - Shakib Al Hasan is back in the Bangladesh squad, which includes newcomers Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud, as well as Mahedi Hasan, for the three-ODI series at home against West Indies starting next week in Dhaka.

Also in the 18-man party are Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed and Rubel Hossain.

Former captain Mashrafe Mortaza, who was left out of the 24-man training group earlier this month, as well as Al-Amin Hossain, Shafiul Islam and Mohammad Naim are among the prominent names missing.

When Shakib was named in the 24-man preliminary squad for the series, it marked his comeback to the national frame after serving a one-year ban for not reporting a corrupt approach.

Shakib was Bangladesh’s Test and T20I captain before his ban, but has returned as an ordinary member of the side.

Islam is a left-arm quick who was one of the star performers in Bangladesh’s U n d e r - 1 9 Wo r l d C u p triumph last year. Mahmud is a fast bowler who broke into Bangladesh’s T20I side last year, while offspin-bowling allrounder Hasan has played T20Is before. All three also did well in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup recently.

Shakib Al Hasan last played for Bangladesh in September 2019, in a T20I against Afghanistan.

(Raton Gomes/BCB)

“Whether they play or not, we want them to adjust in the dressing room quickly.

Hasan Mahmud and Mahedi Hasan have played for Bangladesh, but Shoriful is the total newcomer. We want to give them the experience, since we believe they are our future” Habibul Bashar, Bangladesh selector Selector Habibul Bashar hoped Shakib’s return would add the balance to the XI that had been missing for a while.

“Shakib makes it easier to make an XI,” Bashar said.

“Shakib and Mushfiqur [Rahim] are our genuine allrounders, which many

teams don’t have. We can always play with an extra bowler or batsman when we have these two players in the side. Shakib’s inclusion is going to help the team’s balance. He wasn’t around for a long time but I am hope he can return to his old form through this series.”

Bashar wanted the three new players to get comfortable with the dressing-room atmosphere, given that they are being considered as future prospects. “They have been performing well, and they are definitely our future prospects,” he said.

“Whether they play or not,

we want them to adjust in the dressing room quickly.

Hasan Mahmud and Mahedi

Hasan have played for Bangladesh, but Shoriful is the total newcomer. We want to give them the experience, since we believe they are our future.”

Taskin and Rubel, who had been regulars even two years ago, found themselves out of favour in the last 12 months, but during the pandemic, they have worked hard on their fitness, and according to Bashar, it has been showing in their pace and swing. “They have been bowling quicker recently.

Rubel is looking very good, and he has been swinging the ball too.”

As for Naim’s axing, Bashar explained that it was the return of Tamim Iqbal, the captain, that had worked against the younger player.

“Tamim has returned so we already have a number of

openers. But Naim is always going to be in our plans, and not far from the main squad.”

Who’s in and who’s out IN: Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam O U T: M a s h r a f e Mortaza, Al-Amin Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Mohammad Naim Bangladesh ODI squad: Tamim Iqbal (capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mahedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam

Triple jumper Hugues Fabrice Zango first to go beyond 18 metres indoors Zango won world bronze in Doha last year. (Getty Images)

Call from legendary Lara helped Fletcher turn around bad run of batting form

S

portsMax - Windies batsman Andre Fletcher has pointed to a call from legendary batsman Brian Lara as pivotal in helping to turn around his form in this season’s Big Bash League (BBL).

On Thursday, Fletcher smashed a brutal 89 for just 49 balls to underpin the Melbourne Stars massive 111 run win over Adelaide Strikers. The knock was timely for Fletcher as he had not passed 18 in his first nine BBL encounters.

The 33-year-old had previously also performed below expectations in a lowscoring Caribbean Premier League (CPL), where he scored 211 from 12 games despite his team St Lucia Zouks making it to the finals. A call from the legendary West Indian batsman, who is on commentary duty at the BBL, proved critical in helping Fletcher turn around his recent run of bad form.

“He called me, and I was surprised, to be honest,” Fletcher said following his explosive performance.

“He was telling me that, looking from the outside, I’ve been striking the ball cleanly and he just told me to give myself that opportunity. Giving myself that chance and playing each ball on its merits,” he added.

“I’m an aggressive player so there’s no need to go out there and look to [over] power

Andre Fletcher the ball. To be honest, that’s what I did today.

“I’ve met him before. He’s a great guy. I told him over the phone, after what he told me I was like, ‘So Brian, now I understand the reason you were so great’.

“He told me, feel free to call him any time I wish to, he’s there, he’s open for anything and willing to give me advice.”

BBC Sport - Burkina Faso’s Hugues Fabrice Zango became the first athlete to triple jump over 18 metres indoors with a 18.07m effort in Aubiere, France.

The 27-year-old’s effort breaks the 17.92m indoor world record set by his French coach Teddy Tamgho in 2011.

Zango, who won world bronze behind the USA’s

Christian Taylor and Will Claye in 2019, hopes to win his country’s first Olympic medal in Tokyo this year.

Zango combines his sport with studying electrical engineering at university. He is based at a university in Bethune, close to Lille, in northern France.

B r i t a i n ’s J o n a t h a n Edwards holds the outdoor triple jump world record with a leap of 18.29m in

Gothenburg in 1995.

Tamgho tweeted that “we knew the record must fall” after Zango’s jump, adding “now we go back to work because we must not stop there”.

Zango’s current outdoor best is 17.66m set in 2019.

His coach Tamgho is one of only six men, including Edwards, Taylor and Claye, to jump over 18 metres outdoors.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 72

Sunday January 17, 2021

Hetmyer to sponsor three cricket tournaments for BCB in 2021 Hetmyer hands over sponsorship to Hilbert Foster.

BCB President Hilbert Foster hands over Award of Excellence to Shimron Hetmyer.

“

I am delighted to be a part of the development of Berbice cricket as I am very impressed by the direction where it’s heading and because I fully understand the importance of giving back to the county, where it all started,” these were the words of West Indies player Shimron Hetmyer to President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Hilbert Foster.

The 24 year-old middle order batsman to the surprise of the Foster presented a cheque valued quarter of a million dollars ($250,000) for the hosting of two, one-

day grassroots tournaments at the Rose Hall Canje and Young Warriors Grounds, respectively.

The BCB has set itself the hosting of at least 10 such tournaments as part of its efforts to renew the passion for the game the club level after an almost one year break due to the covid-19 pandemic.

The tournaments would be played without spectators as the Board observes the guidelines of the National Covid-19 Task Force. Foster stated that the BCB is seeking to assist some clubs to attract younger players to their membership, to inspire

them to be more proactive and also to give them an opportunity to win a BCB tournament.

Most of the tournaments in the county are won by the dominant Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTY&SC) and Albion and this has affected the morale of some clubs as they find it very difficult to compete against the more organised clubs.

They would also be in a position to take home very vital prize money. The BCB has already raised funds for tournaments at the following venues: Bush Lot Farm, Whim, Port Mourant,

Fyrish, Chesney, No. 19 Kendall Union, Young Warriors, Rose Hall Canje, Edinburgh, Bush Lot Village and West Coast Berbice.

Among the sponsors to join hands with the board are M a h e n d r a a n d Vi s h a l Nagamootoo, Troy Halley and Narsingh Deonarine.

The tournaments at the Canje and Young Warriors would see the three teams playing for the Shimron Hetmyer Challenge Cup and a cash prize. Hetmyer also announced that he would renew his sponsorship of the BCB Intermediate tournament which he had sponsored in 2019.

The tournament was not played in 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic. The sponsorship for that tournament would be $300,000 and clubs would be allowed a maximum of four first division players per match.

Foster and Hetmyer also discussed other areas of cooperation and more announcements are expected shortly.

The BCB President handed over a collection of publications from the Board and RHTY&SC to Hetmeyer and also presented a special award.

The powerfully built

player was unable to attend the Brian Ramphal Awards ceremony on December 27 last. Fellow national players Ve e r s a m m y P e r m a u l , Anthony Bramble, Nial Smith, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair and former Test player Clayton Lambert were also honoured for their contributions to cricket.

Foster expressed gratitude to Hetmyer for his support of his administration and Berbice cricket whilst noting that the Board had named 2021, the ‘Year of Investment’ and it is very pleasing to see the immense outpouring of support from former and current players.

Letter to the editor

GOA Pres. writes Minister Charles Ramson Jr. on cooperation in sports President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) K.A. Juman-Yassin recently wrote to Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, Charles R a m s o n J r. o n t h e i r respective organisations and the association or federation the GOA represents could work with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and the minister to ensure amicable solutions to problems and concerted efforts to ensure development across the board in sports and athletes.

Here is the full text of the missive to the sports minister: Dear Minister, I write to you on behalf of the Guyana Olympic Association and in relation to several concerns that have been raised by Associations in relation to the Press Release that was released by your Ministry and which was published in the Stabroek

News of the 7th December, 2020.

The release purports to among other things state the objectives of your Ministry in relation to sporting activities, organizing and hosting of such activities/competitions, the approval and or no objection for the hosting/organizing of sports events, sanctioning of Clubs or participants and the role of your Ministry in the development of sports and in the working relationship with Sports Federations/ Associations.

The Guyana Olympic Association is comprised of over twenty National Federations/Associations and all of these Federations/Associations are affiliated with their International Federation s.

These International Federations are all affiliated to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC

is the organizer of the Olympic Games and which games is the pinnacle for which athletes desire to compete and win medals.

The IOC recognize all of the affiliated International Federations as being responsible for their sports world-wide and for them to make all their respective rules with respect to competitions, qualifications to compete at the Olympics and other competitions, disqualifications, constitutions and several other factors.

Guyana competes at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Pan Am Games, Central and Caribbean Games, South American Games and the Islamic Games. All of the aforementioned Games Organizers, except the Islamic Games, recognize the IOC and are guided by the Olympic Charter. The

Olympic Charter is the codification of the Fundamental Principles of Olympism, Rules and ByeLaws adopted by the IOC. One of the three main purposes of the Olympic Charter is as follows “In addition, the Olympic Charter defines the main reciprocal rights and obligations of the three main constituents of the Olympic Movement, namely the IOC, the International Federations and the National Olympic Committees, as well as the Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games, all of which are required to comply with the Olympic Charter”.

Among the Fundamental Principles of Olympism which are stated in the Olympic Charter as: (4) The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing

s p o r t , w i t h o u t discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

(5) Recognizing that sport occurs within the framework of society, sports organizations within the Olympic Movement shall apply political neutrality.

They have the rights and obligations of autonomy, which include freely establishing and controlling the rules of sports, determining the structure and governance of their organizations, enjoying the right of elections free from any outside influence and the responsibility for ensuring that principles of good governance be applied.

(7) Belonging to the Olympic Movement requires compliance with the Olympic Charter and

recognition by the IOC. N a t i o n a l Federations/Associations are guided by their respective constitutions, rules and bye-laws and do not compel clubs or persons to belong or be affiliated to them. It is voluntary and clubs and persons when they join or become affiliated to a N a t i o n a l Federation/Association agree to abide and be bound by the constitutions, rules and bye¬ laws. As far as I am aware all clubs and persons who are affiliated or join, are totally aware of their obligations.

N a t i o n a l federations/Associations make rules for the administration of their respective sports and they are for the most guided by the principles of their International Federations.

The constitutions of (Continued on page 65)

Kaieteur News

Sunday January 17, 2021

PAGE 73

‘Infrastructure is biggest challenge for local sports’ - GFF Boss

By Sean Devers President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wa y n e S h a w n F o r d e informed that Infrastructure is the greatest challenge for sports in Guyana.

Forde, speaking on the Sean Devers Sports Watch on Kaiteur Radio, also explained why International Football has to be played at the Providence Stadium, used predominantly for Regional and International cricket and which lasted hosted International Football when Guyana’s Golden Jaguars played Canada in 2016.

The GFF Boss spoke about the condition of the National Track & Field Stadium at Leonora as a Football venue, while adding the even when fully completed, the GFF Training facility at Providence, despite being of International size, won’t be able host International Football because of its artificial surface.

Only youth football is allowed to be played on an artificial surface while professional Football has to be played on a Turf pitch.

The businessman, whose second and final terms ends in 2023, spoke about the legacy he wants to leave which includes the construction of an International Football Stadium at Durban Park,

- Wants Durban Park Stadium to be a part of his Legacy

Wayne Forde (middle) is flanked by his GFF Executives which will serve until 2023.

Georgetown where the sod was turned in February 2019.

However, until then, International Football has to be played at the Providence Stadium, which has a capacity of 15,000 and is only the Sporting venue locally that can accommodate six Cameras from different angles for live TV coverage of games.

“I will speak for all Sporting Associations. One of the biggest challenges that we have for the development of sports across Guyana is infrastructure.

If you speak to anyone in Basketball, Ruby, even Cricket… all of these disciplines… they will tell you that venues, facilities and infrastructure is the greatest challenge.

You are unable to grow the game and increase participation since there are

GFFs Wayne Forde and Ex DoS Christopher Jones turns the sod at the proposed site of the GFF Durban Park Football Complex in Feb 2019.

not many venues to play and most of venues available around the Country are multi-purpose facilities.

They are very few grounds in the Community exclusive to one sport.

So that is a major area that I believe the Government of Guyana through its own infrastructure development programme should be focusing on over the next few years,” posited Forde.

He revealed that Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport Charles Ramson, who is very accessible, had shared with him some of the goals that he has set himself.

“I have every reason to believe that he will be able to achieve his goals and we should see in a matter of months and years, a massive investment in infrastructure for sports in Guyana,” said

Forde, who disclosed that he and Minister Ramson had a very close relationship and shared ideas for the development of Football almost daily.

“As it relates to the venue at Leonora I think that if anyone has gone there and inspected that surface they will realise that it is not the best surface for International Football.

From a distance it looks like a really good coat of green but when you get closer it’s really a soft, sandy, clay surface that at times can have quite a few depressions.

It’s really not the safest surface for top quality players who you don’t really want to injure.

When our players who play in the professional leagues from overseas come here, the clubs expect that they are going to be playing

at a facility that would allow them to play their games and get back to their clubs without injury.

During the CONCACAF tournament, all of our players and even the International teams we played there complained about the venue but usually we (GFF) don’t have an alternative.

A lot of times it’s just CONCACAF trying to work with us to ensure we have a home game. It’s not just the surface but also the dressing room facilities… the overall venue is not where you would want to put a Jamaica team; and we had to play them there.

I t ’s a c h a l l e n g i n g environment to host an International game but this is what we have to work with. I would say by far it’s not the most suitable venue for highquality international football,” the GFF’s top official noted.

“Another point that most of the public don’t know is that whenever the Guyana Golden Jaguars do a home game, the GFF spends between 16 to 20 million dollars for that fixture.

When we play at Leonora, fans, who don’t o w n t h e i r o w n transportation, have to make a hard decision to come and then figure out how they will get back home because most public transportation shuts down early on that side of the River. So it’s difficult for us to recover that investment,” lamented Forde, who born in the Town of Bartica.

“We take a serious hit because the capacity is only 3,000 spectators and we cannot charge more than $1,500 because the typical football fans will not be able to afford more,” continued Forde, who added that, “...many times the GFF is forced to go into its coffers since getting meaningful

sponsorship for international Football is not something easy to do.”

“The use of Government facilities is a policy decision of any Government and we as a sporting discipline in Guyana have to operate within that Policy framework of the Government.

Our only responsibility is to request the use of a venue and if the granting of approval is in the policy framework of the Government then we have to have to utilise that venue in a responsible and respectful way.

If there are conditions for the use of the venue, then we have an obligation to honour those conditions as well,” Forde explained.

Forde, the Owner and Managing Director of Oasis Wa t e r a n d P r u d e n t i a l Industrial Technology, said once completed the Durban Park facility will be Guyana’s International Football venue.

“With all things being equal we were hoping that by the end of the first quarter… middle of the second quarter we would be getting some movement in terms of the Engineering and so on.

But because of the Pandemic, that had to be pushed back to the middle of the year. That will be a big project but I think once we get the project going its will go very fast.

The business model we have for that project cannot be built by FIFA and the GFF alone.We believe we have the right location to invite corporate entities who might have a stake in the design and how that space is commercialised for 24-hour activities. It’s a really good d e s i g n a n d o n c e i t ’s presented to the nation I believe there will interest from investors,” concluded Ford.

COVID cases on player flights leave Australian Open buildup in disarray

Fitness tests encouraging as players zone in for the long haul - Collective focus imperative for future success

Wilson Toledo busy recording data during the fitness sessions.

Tennis balls are pictured in front of the Australian Open logo before the tennis tournament.

(REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo)

Infrastructure is biggest challenge for local sports’ Wants Durban Park Stadium to be a part of his Legacy - GFF Boss

GFF President Wayne Forde (2nd left) observes as Minister Ramson gets a feel of the turf at the GFF National Training Facility.

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