Kaieteur News

K

AIETEUR NEWS

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

Stabroek Block co-venturers plan p.

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Tuesday Edition January 26, 2021 -Vol. 14 No. 04

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Price $80

12-15 well drilling campaign- Hess

Online readership yesterday, 81,677

David Patterson, Rawlston Adams charged with defrauding Harbour Bridge p. 3

Former DHBC Boss, Rawlston Adams

Ex Minister, David Patterson

Man who received $2.2M to oversee chicken - Minister peeved over pen construction currently overseas incomplete works

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Driver flees scene Venezuela threatens further action if more after hitting down Guyanese found in six pedestrians Essequibo waters National oil spill committee launches today p.

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Exxon would dump up to 29,000 barrels of oil into ocean yearly with 10 FPSOs p.

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Oil companies give us no insurance that can protect Guyana from going bankrupt. Listen to Glenn Lall @ 11:00AM on 99.1/99.5FM Kaieteur Radio

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday January 26, 2021

Exxon would dump up to 29,000 barrels of oil into ocean yearly with 10 FPSOs

By Mikaila Prince

K

aieteur News had recently reported that with 10 Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels, ExxonMobil would be dumping two million barrels of toxic produced water into Guyana's waters every day.

Recent calculations now show that not only would Exxon – which flaunts itself as an effective manager of its waste – be dumping those millions of barrels of produced water, but up to 29,000 barrels of oil that

would be contained in that toxic water.

Kaieteur News arrived at this figure based on initial projections by the former Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams. Dr. Adams, during a Moray House Trust virtual discussion titled, Guyana's Oil: Priorities for 2021, had indicated that based on his perusal of data from the Payara Environmental Permit, Exxon is expected to dump 200,000 barrels of produced water per day.

Multiply that by 10, Dr. Adams had stated, that it

would amount to two million barrels of toxic water being dumped into Guyana's ocean, which can leave significant environmental damage, placing marine life and ecosystems at peril.

It should also be noted that Dr. Adams' two-millionbarrel projection appears to be based on an assumption that all FPSOs moving forward will have similar specifications as Liza Two and Payara.

Notwithstanding this, what the former EPA Director had also made pertinent to weigh in, is that the produced water is

A worker stands on an Alaska beach blackened by oil spilled from the Exxon Valdez Oil Tanker in March, 1989. This was the fate of thousands of miles of coastline in Alaska's Prince William Sound (Credit: John Gaps III / Associated Press) allowed to contain “.42 milliliters per litre of oil,” and with the dumping of about two million barrels per day, about 80 barrels of oil produced by the projected 10 FPSOs would also be unloaded into the ocean.

Multiply those 80 barrels of oil by 365, which would indicate the days of the year, and this would amount to 29,200 barrels. The effects of this dumping could be catastrophic, as it could kill plants and animals, disturb salinity/pH levels, pollute air/water and more.

“On top of that,” Dr. Adams had added, “the temperature of the water that is being dumped is like 55 degrees centigrade. The temperature of the ocean is

about 20-23 degrees centigrade.

Now that's about two and a half times, so you cannot tell me that and make public statements that are totally, as far as I am concerned, irresponsible to say,” as he referenced claims by President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, who had said that the water h a s n o e ff e c t o n t h e environment.

Despite Routledge's claim, the company has never actually reported doing a study.

Reinjection of that water has to be the only option With aims of protecting Guyana's marine life and environment, Dr. Adams was adamant that Exxon must reinject the extracted, toxic water, while admonishing the US-oil giant for misleading the public after it said that the World Bank recommended that it should dump the produced water into the ocean.

“That is a lie,” he had insisted. “The World Bank never recommended the discharge of water in the ocean. The World Bank said,

however, that that has to be the last resort if it is not technically or financially feasible. Well, we know that it is technically feasible and you cannot tell me that it is not financially feasible.”

It would cost Exxon $300M to re-inject the produced water in the Payara w e l l , D r. A d a m s h a d reminded, while stating that, “You're telling me that the lives and the health and safety of the environment of the Guyanese people are not worth $300M when you're making tens of billions, or even hundreds of billions of dollars?” It is against this background that Dr. Adams said, “Reinjection of that water has to be to the only option.”

Notably, Dr. Adams had been leading the charge for ExxonMobil to have in place, the relevant technology to re-inject any and all toxic water extracted during the oil production process.

However, he was fired by the Irfaan Ali administration before he could see this and other environmental issues regarding the Payara project to fruition.

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Kaieteur News

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David Patterson, Rawlston Adams charged with defrauding Harbour Bridge

By Renay Sambach

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ormer Minister of P u b l i c Infrastructure, David Patterson, and former General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC), Rawlston Adams, were yesterday charged for defrauding the DHBC of over $160M. Patterson and Adams made their first appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates Court yesterday.

The matter was first sent to Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, but she recused herself from the matter since both Patterson and Adams are known to her.

The matter was then transferred to Senior Magistrate, Leron Daly, who read the joint charge to the defendants. Patterson is being represented by attorneys-at-law, Ronald Burch-Smith and Nigel Hughes, while Adams is being represented by attorney-at-law, Glenn Hanoman.

The duo is charged for defrauding the DHBC in relation to a contract that was awarded to a Dutch company, LievenseCSO, to conduct a feasibility study and design for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge between Houston, East Bank Demerara, and Versailles, West Bank Demerara.

Patterson and Adams were not required to plead to the joint charge, which alleged that between November 18, 2016 and February 1, 2018 at Georgetown, they conspired with each other and with

other persons unknown, to defraud the DHBC of $162,635,015, funds of the DHBC, Asphalt Plant Account.

The charge was brought by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), a branch of the Guyana Police Force (GPF). There is an ongoing probe by SOCU in relation to Patterson's role in sole-sourcing the Dutch company that was selected to conduct the feasibility study.

After the contract was Some of made public in 2017, the the protestors then Opposition People's standing outside Progressive Party/Civic of the court (PPP/C) had called for a thorough investigation by the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) into the awarding of the contract to the Dutch firm, this later triggered an investigation by SOCU. The PPC in its investigation found that Patterson's request to Cabinet for approval of the contract was not forwarded through the National Procurement a n d T e n d e r Administration Board (NPTAB). As a result, the PPC had asked for the tender to be reset.

NPTAB had given approval for the project to be retendered, but it was not.

The PPP/C was adamant that the bypassing of the procurement process was illegal, but SOCU Former DHBC General later stated that it had Manager, Rawlston Adams sought legal advice, and that there is no

Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon (left), and Former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, outside the court yesterday

evidence that a criminal offence was committed.

R e c e n t l y, S O C U reopened the case and on

Friday last, Patterson and Adams were called in for questioning by SOCU and the charge was later

instituted.

Senior Magistrate Daly granted both defendants bail (continued on page 11)

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Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

Venezuela - nuanced upping the ante As should be clear to observant Guyanese monitoring the ongoing news reports, Venezuela is serious and slowly, and purposely ratcheting up the pressure on Guyana. The ante in our border dispute is relentlessly being pushed upward, but in a very nuanced manner. The evidence is there for all who are interested and concerned to sift through and arrive at a reasonable conclusion, a single one only. It is our intent at this paper, that ‘interested and concerned’ Guyanese cover and include every single citizen, regardless of where they reside.

The first inkling came out of the blue, but was not any great surprise. President Nicholas Maduro of Venezuela, who is pulling out every stop in his dogged fight for a resurgence of his political fortunes, picked the one issue that was sure to rally his countrymen and bind them to him: his cause, his vision, and his drive. He wrapped himself in the Venezuelan flag, and did so, when he spoke passionately about ‘reconquering Essequiba.’ We do not think, whatever else the Venezuelan leader may be in the eyes of others, that he is less than totally heartfelt and committed on that one.

And as issues go, amidst the unending woes lived with by the people in his society, there is none that rises to the significance and urgency of the Guyana-Venezuela border dispute. It is enough to make his people ignore momentarily their troubles and agonies, in the powerful distraction that it facilitates.

Having so spoken and stirred up in different ways a whole lot of his citizens - inclusive of the powerful military establishment, the marauding criminal elements, the company of committed political adversaries, and the vast majority of struggling ordinary citizens - there had to be corresponding deeds. Follow-up deeds that match the fervour of the words shared about a possible and intended reconquest of Essequibo; those began with sending messages, and then continuing through teaching the suddenly smug and upstart Guyanese one lesson by a variety of clever means. The lesson is that this is the beginning of a long campaign that will take many forms, and will not ease up in the future.

This may not be believed, but it is highly likely that part of the full court pressure will be applied on the ground via a channel that allows for ‘plausible deniability.’ Plausible deniability because it has always been there, is a settled fact of normal life, and supposedly functions according to its own interests and on its own. In other words, it is private and independent, totally detached from the apparatus and influence of the state. This would be the criminal gangs operating in Venezuela that target their own people first, and then reach out to the temptingly rich pickings in vulnerable Guyanese borders communities. They go by the name of ‘Syndicato’ gangs, and they provide the perfect cover for state sponsored actions to help destabilize here.

A recent incident occurred, and more are sure to follow; as to frequency, that will be confirmed (or lay waste) by the future.

More recently, two Guyanese fishing boats were seized by the Venezuelans, and this has caused a flurry of agitations over here. This is a more concrete signal that things are on the move in the right direction, from a Venezuelan perspective. Fishing boats and the like represent soft targets that are worth their weight in gold for the political and national psychological stresses inflicted. It does not matter where those boats were, the fact remains that the Venezuelans acted, and it is what we believe to be the first sortie.

Then, a ranking official on our side of the border complained about the influx of Venezuelans in his area, which is Region One. That may not be the usual instance of hungry and suffering people rushing through any opening to find relief in a place that has more to offer than home. It is worth expanding our thinking to encircle what a flood of Venezuelans could mean here. We are undermanned, underserved, and under resourced, and a buildup of neighbours, could be about more than the economic and humanitarian. It could be of what is orchestrated from very

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Guyana’s EPA stands in name only, and nothing else Dear Editor, Reference is made to the article titled, “EPA demands no studies for five projects dealing with hazardous oil & gas chemicals -Agency lacks capacity to do testing” (KN January 25th). Instead of putting pointed questions before the public, like I usually do, today I take some hard positions, through a few conclusions reached. I expect PPP partisans to do their customary retreats from truth, and PNC (meaning the coalition) partners to join them in what is now a brokered silence on things related to oil. As for the PPP leaders - His Excellency and the Hon. Vice President - both will take comfort in hiding behind the local fortresses erected, and Fortress America, too.

For some time now, it has been undeniable that Guyana’s EPA stands in name only, and nothing else. This state agency does not even make an attempt, a pretense, at doing its job properly, and representing the interests, safety, and reputation of this country. After all, a couple communities negatively impacted, and a couple thousand Guyanese sickened, are nothing to get agitated about, to lose sleep over. That is why in project after project, the settled position of Guyana’s EPA has been the equivalent of ‘no

objection.’ I think it would be more accurate to label its mindset and operations as no interest, no concern, no problem. In Guyanese lingo: doan tek wurreez. Or: wha dah gah fuh duh wid wee?

It does not matter that the hazardous and extremely alarming are involved, the EPA’s leadership remains unmoved and uninterested.

In fairness to the EPA’s management, it is not responsible for its shabby record. What it does or doesn’t do-go near to-is not for it to decide. To say that it is the stooge of Exxon and bending over backwards to comply with the company’s dictates is only partially accurate. That is not how things work. For checks would confirm that there are no fingerprints, thumbprints, or palmprints of Exxon to be found on Guyana’s EPA. But go above the local EPA and there is the real story and tragedy of Guyana. The president and Vice President cannot undress quickly enough for Exxon. The abuse meted out to those two Guyanese luminaries is apparent from their hesitant steps, their hollow voices, their body language that speaks of men beaten into ground, where they grovel to every whim and caprice of Exxon. I submit that part of the grand bargain finalized with Mr. Pompeo (and the

industrious and ubiquitous, but now chronically laryngitis-prone resident American Ambassador) is the command to go easy on Exxon.

I think that this explains why the agency “lacks capacity to do testing” as the subhead of the article stated.

When the PPP leadership collaborators strangle the agency of funds, then it cannot do its work. It is tested strategy that fulfills concerns about troublesome regulations, which the president himself did make a firm promise to dismantle, several times, and which he has delivered in aces. The EPA stands as a visible and transparent and irrefutable instance of the handiwork of Guyana’s president, who insist that he has his country’s interests at heart.

Maybe like me, he is a dual citizen, so it is anybody’s guess which one he means.

But if the EPA is not funded appropriately to engage in comprehensive protective programs for the benefit of Guyana’s environment and Guyana’s peoples, then it is helpless, toothless, and completely useless. It is not enough for me to say that the EPA is gutted and castrated, it has been rendered totally useless, where oil and gas exposures are concerned.

I do not place any blame on the current head of the

EPA. She knows her role, which is to be figurehead and placemat. Regrettably, she and the agency now stand as ragged and malodorous doormats. His Excellency and the Hon. Vice President have both seen to that, and of which result they offer the fatuous, or nothing at all. It was why they got rid of that likely difference maker, Dr. Vincent Adams. This was what Exxon wanted, and the PPP leadership duet ensured that they both warbled the same tune, as composed, arranged, and directed by Exxon. Here is a Guyanese reality: a long time ago, control of this country had passed into the hands of the kingpins involved in a certain trade; that was compliments of the same PPP leadership, which is now been rearranged in a pretended bow before constitutional provisions.

Editor, I say that control of this country today has passed again, and this time it is to Exxon. The president and Vice President should give themselves medals for their contributions. And after that, they can then travel to America to collect their additional pieces of silver for their conspiracies. There they are, with the enslaved EPA standing as monument to their leadership sellouts to Exxon (and America).

Yours truly, GHK Lall

The Ministry of Education’s nonsensical policy on worksheets Dear Editor, I wonder if the Ministry of Education has within its employ a health officer to seek advice from when making decisions that affect the public, especially given our present situation with the Covid-19 pandemic that has changed the way we live and threaten our health and wellbeing on a daily basis. And when we thought that we can return to a sense of normality in the near future Covid-19 is proving to be a far greater nemesis therefore, taking all necessary measures to protect the population should be the number one priority of state institutions.

The Ministry of

Education has made available worksheets for students in the school system which is highly commendable.

However, this very ministry has forgotten its responsibility to both teachers and students to protect their health. In the secondary schools, grades 7, 8 and 9 students have been receiving classes online through various platforms such as WhatsApp, Google classroom and Zoom. While online teaching may be new to Guyana, in many countries, entire degree programmes are conducted in this manner.

Also, online teaching includes the administering and marking of assessments.

high councils in Venezuela. For somewhere in there, among the arrivals, would be those that can undermine the fragile underpinnings of this society. On this, too, the expectation of Guyanese is that there is bound to be more, if not for gold and oil alone.

But when all this is considered, it becomes obvious that this country has some serious times ahead of it. Our leaders had better be wise as to how to approach, who must be partnered with internally, and what external forces to tap, and clear pathways for them to operate to our advantage.

For, as we sense it, Venezuela has settled for a false peace.

Or to put differently, to engage in undeclared conflict and escalate by many subtle means.

As a secondary school teacher teaching in the lower forms, I’ve been informed by the school’s administrators that teachers are now required to uplift and mark completed worksheets and assign grades to students based on these. I find this new directive completely nonsensical for several reasons.

The first issue is that the answers for all exercises can be found right on the worksheets so would grading students based on ‘tests’ where the questions and answers are provided on the same paper reflect the real abilities of the students? Is this a new form of assessment?

Secondly, these worksheets do not take into account the different situations of schools across the country. For instance, Grade 7 students commenced classes in late October 2020, instead of the first week in September therefore, they did not receive a full term’s work and did not cover all the required topics.

The progression of topics covered on the worksheets follow a ‘normal’ academic

year. In my area, foreign language, if I teach using these worksheets then I’d forced to skip many topics that the students should have covered in order to understand certain concepts.

For example, a normal progression would be to teach present tense before past tense and if for no fault of their own students were shortchanged during the Christmas term should the teacher just follow the instructions from the ministry and teach as if students were receiving lessons from since the first week in September?

And don’t forget students in other grades who did not receive formal teaching from March to July 2020.

Also, do standardised worksheets address the particular needs of all students across the country?

And is this teaching method the only choice for teachers?

For the area of foreign language, I do not believe that students learn and become interested in learning if they have to write pages of notes and complete exercises where answers are already (Continued on page 6)

Tuesday January 26, 2021

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Kaieteur News

2021 will be a defining year for global governance Dear Editor, I wish to highlight four areas in which world governments have failed.

They include the fight against: 1. Domestic terrorism; 2.

The COVID 19 pandemic; 3. Climate change; 4. Poverty; In the case of failure number one, the assault on the US Capitol, though of a national character, must be placed in an international context.

The fact of the matter is that an attack of that nature is bound to have international reverberations.

It is emblematic of the long reach that a national security breach in the United States would have for the world at large.

Domestic terrorism is defined by the Rand Corporation as, “Violence against the civilian population or infrastructure of a nation by citizens of that nation with intent to intimidate, coerce, and to influence national policy to achieve broad political goals.”

National security experts in the US claim that the principal terrorist threat in America today is domestic terrorism. In terms of realpolitik, and simplistic as it may seem, countering domestic terrorism in America , is to counter domestic terrorism in any part of world.

Domestic terrorism is influenced by and large, by international terrorism. The two are mutually reinforcing.

Extremists groups in the US like the Boogaloos, Antifa, the Proud Boys, Three Percent and QAnon, among others, have recently risen to prominence.

Their international connections

are of different shades and hues, from the fundamentalists, the religious right, the far right, the ultranationalists, and the xenophobists to the pro-fascists.

According to the Global Terrorism Index 2020, ‘One of the more worrying trends in the last five years is the surge in far right political terrorism.

In North America, Western Europe and Oceania, far right attacks have increased by 250 percent since 2014 with deaths increasing by 709 percent over the same period.

There were 89 deaths attributed to far right terrorism in 2009, with 51 of those occurring in the Christ Church mosque attacks in New Zealand.

There have been over 35 far-right terrorist incidents in the West every year for the past five years.’

The response to threats from these groups have been varied. In most cases, it has been to maintain a balance between a military, para- military or law enforcement approach to addressing the legitimate concerns of those who mistakenly follow the extremist elements because they were fed false narratives based on lies and conspiracy theories.

We in Guyana have had our own experiences during the crime spree period from 2002 to 2006.

Failure number two is reflected in the statement

by UN Secretary General who, on the occasion of the COVID 19 death toll reaching two million, pointed out, “The pandemic has been made worse by the absence of global coordination.”

The ‘absence of global coordination’ referred to

by Guterres, was demonstrated clearly when the US withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO). Guterres went on to stress, “In the memory of those two million souls the world must act with far greater solidarity”.

“The greater solidarity” that Guterres called for was because of the scramble by the rich countries to purchase and hoard huge amounts of vaccines with scant regard to the needs of poorer nations who can ill afford the high cost of the vaccine.

It is hoped that the incoming Biden administration will return the United States to its rightful place at the WHO. It was these dire circumstances in which poor countries found themselves that prompted Jeffery Sachs in his book ‘The End of Poverty’ to recognize that , “Our safety and prosperity depends at least on collective decision to fight disease, promote good science and action in unison to help the poorest of the poor.”

The third failure is in Climate Change – 29 years after the Rio Summit and the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) followed by the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement in December 1997 and December 2015 respectively, the world’s governments are yet to take decisive steps to curb the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to long

term global warming and other threatening climatic changes. World governments have a commitment to keep global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius the (2.7degrees Fahrenheit).

However, with world governments failing to raise their ambitions in respect to the goals set out in the Paris Accord, there is a prevailing view that extremists groups will step in to fill the vacuum.

It is widely recognized that militant groups are now feeding off climate- induced crises as a result of deforestation, rising sea levels, floods and contaminated water among others.

It is hoped that the upcoming 26th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCC scheduled to take place in Glasgow in the UK in November this year will “according to UNFCC Executive Secretary “...finish the work that COP25 was unable to conclude - setting out the rules for a carbon market between countries and that countries will up their ambitions expressed in enhanced nationally determined contributions.”

The Biden administration’s decision to return to the Paris Agreement will constitute a shot in the arm for enhanced global negotiations.

The fourth failure is in the area of poverty. Roughly 1 billion people live in extreme poverty while another 1.5 billion or 40 percent of humanity live in poverty. In his book ‘The End of Poverty’ Jeffrey Sachs states, ‘The time to end poverty has arrived, although hard work lies ahead.’ Sachs identified nine steps that are required to win the war against poverty, they include; Commit to Ending Poverty, Adopt a Plan of Action, Raise the Voice of the Poor, Redeem The Role of the United States in the World, Rescue the IMF and the World Bank, Strengthen the United Nations, Harness Global Science, Promote Sustainable Development and Make a Personal Commitment. Sachs identified

2025 as the year for ending poverty.’ He went on to add that, ‘Collective action through effective government provision for health, education, infrastructure, as well as foreign assistance when needed underpin economic success.’

And Cheddi Jagan in his call for a New Global Human Order declared; ‘...a Development strategy for the eradication of poverty must be global and positive not the South against North and the North against the South in interdependence, cooperation and partnership...’

2021 will be a defining year for global governance.

The people’s active participation in the process of rescuing the world will assume even greater importance since it is they who will be affected by the outcomes of decisions by world governments.

Yours truly, Clement J. Rohee

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Tuesday January 26, 2021

Kaieteur News

Lewd music in minibus Dear Editor I exited a 42 bus on Saturday afternoon in Stabroek and decided to have a word with the driver. I asked him whether it was necessary for him to play such lewd and explicit music just to attract passengers? He looked at me totally perplexed as if he hadn’t heard any of the lyrics that had entertained us all the way from Diamond. For me they reached the depths of depravity, but in usual fashion all the passengers sat tightlipped with their heads straight.

Anyhow the driver eventually caught himself and understanding my drift, he started to apologies. At the same time his buddy came to exchange a CD and overheard part of the conversation. ‘If you don’t like the music then get off the bus the buddy started and proceeded to make a scene in the bus park.

When I had finished talking and went to leave the park, the buddy was directly in my path, pointing me out

to another guy and complaining about what he’d heard. I looked at him and I said, “That’s right, yes I complained about the music”.

What happened next was almost comical. I heard remarks being shouted at me from different people.

Here are some I remember.

Go back which part you come from (due to my accent); you must walk with your radio; you must get taxi; you must use ear plugs; I stood there and asked a question.

“So I’m not allowed to have an opinion?” That’s when an older looking tout, turned to me and said “It’s public transport’. I answered “Meaning?”. He said “If you don’t like the music tell the driver”. I said “I did and look at all this”.

The derogatory remarks continued to flow until a woman said to me “Don’t bother with them” and guided me away.

Would the driver play that type of music for his mother or younger sister his

granny or daughter? No, but it’s okay to play it for a total group of strangers and if they don’t like it, he doesn’t care because no passenger has the guts to tell him, Take that damn nonsense off!

Therefore, the driver will never know the impact the ‘music’ is having on the passenger’s psychological wellbeing as it takes them to a seedy world where everything starts and ends with a woman’s private parts.

People, don’t be brainwashed into ignorance like ‘the buddy’ who was offended because I had an opinion and spoke out. I just want better for Guyana and the Guyanese people.

Lewd music does not reflect us as a people or our culture. It should be enjoyed privately in the comfort of homes, not on ‘public’ transport. It is causing more psychological damage to young people than you can imagine.

Yours truly, Lorraine Harris

...The Ministry of Education’s From page 4 provided. How are they supposed to employ critical thinking? I think it’s better for students to listen, understand, speak and apply themselves rather than “speed through topics” and write bundles of notes which they do not understand.

I think learning should be fun and interesting; for my classes I use music, educational videos and cartoons which cover the particular lesson; audio files, cultural exposure through videos and images, provide content and exercises for students to apply themselves etc.

Then we come to the very important issue of teachers being forced to take unnecessary risks which could be detrimental to their health given how contagious Covid-19 is.

Why should they be forced

to play Russian roulette with their health by handling hundreds of worksheets that were touched by possibly more than a thousand persons just to mark exercises where students were given the answers beforehand?

Wouldn’t it be better to just give each child a 100% if you are going to provide the questions and answers at the same time?

Also, many persons live with elderly parents and other relatives. Isn’t it selfish to jeopardize the health of the elderly unnecessarily?

I feel that these worksheets could be used as a supplemental resource especially in schools where the students are already receiving lessons from a teacher.

Also, by being limited to using worksheets as the

primary teaching material teachers are forced to change the way they teach and the lessons are standardized.

On the issue of assessments, these can be done online as well. Several online platforms utilised by teachers contain features which allows the setting, marking and submission of tests and assignments.

These online assessments would provide better feedback on students’ performance than marking exercises with answers already provided to the students.

The Ministry of Education needs to prioritize the health and well-being of students and teachers above all else and let teachers teach. Maybe, free Wi-Fi and devices can be provided to disadvantaged students to use at schools, community centres and other public places in villages across the country or schools can have double sessions and employ social distancing and recommended hygienic practices for the lower forms.

Yours truly, Secondary School Teacher (Name provided)

Guyana should take advantage of India’s vaccine diplomacy Dear Editor, I agree with views expressed in two letters (Jan 23, 24) that Guyana should approach the government of India for a grant for anti Covid vaccines and to purchase the rest needed to immunize our population. India has been donating vaccines to virtually every country that requested it. It is part of India’s new diplomacy effort to strengthen relations with countries and regions by making vaccines available to them. The wealthy White countries have not been donating vaccines to the poor developing countries.

They don’t have enough for themselves and as such cannot make vaccines available to other countries.

India has been shipping anti Covid vaccines to her neighbours and countries around the globe in what is described as “Covine Diplomacy” as India seeks to bolster relations with countries in the greater South Asian region and around the globe. Country after country has approached the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pleading for vaccines.

Countries or governments that were known to be hostile to India and Indians settled there have approached India for help. India has responded positively though not providing the amount requested.

India has to supply the globe with vaccines plus inoculate her own population of almost 1.4 billion. Thus, the Indian government offered varied amounts of free vaccines depending on population size.

India rolled out her vaccine a week ago and has vaccinated almost two million people. India has donated millions of doses gratis and shipped them on state owned carrier Air India that has been delivering vaccines globally.

The carrier was due to be privatized last April but Covid prevented completion of a deal. Air India is now saving humanity transporting vaccines and virtually for free and Indian government expense. The carrier has also been transporting millions of Indians stranded around the globe.

The company that manufactures the vaccines in India sell them commercially to the Indian government and to other nations. One of the companies is funded by the Indian government. Each vaccine dose costs $4, about a tenth of the cost of vaccines made in the US, UK, and Europe. India gives her neighbours the vaccines for free and also to several other countries including in South America.

In addition, some countries have purchased vaccines. Brazil got two million doses. Barbados and Dominica have asked PM Modi for some free vaccines and offered to pay for the rest enough to vaccinate their population. There is no reason why Guyana cannot do the same.

India has two vaccines in the market — AstraZeneca that makes Covishield and Covaxin. Both are safe. Six other vaccines are in the pipeline and should be ready in another month — undergoing final phase of

human trial for efficacy.

India’s drug regulator has given the green light to Covishield (the local name for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine developed in the UK) and Covaxin, locally-made by pharma company Bharat Biotech. That company exports various vaccines to 123 countries.

India is a vaccine powerhouse producing 60% of the world’s vaccines and is home to half a dozen major European and American manufacturers.

India’s two vaccines can be stored at regular fridge temperatures. European and American vaccines must be stored at temperatures of between minus 20 and 70 degrees Celsius. Poor countries lack the capacity to store vaccines at such low temperatures.

The companies that make the two vaccines expect to produce between 600 and 700 M doses this year. They have received order of over one billion doses for this year and the orders keep piling up. For maximum efficacy, two doses are needed.

A new factory that was being set up to romp up production of more vaccines was destroyed in a fire a few days ago.

Additional production would be affected in the short term. But there is enough vaccines to inoculate the aged and vulnerable in the short term as the world awaits production. Guyana can request India for tens of thousands for the vulnerable among us.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

The Kaieteur News publisher has my vote Dear Editor, In a nutshell, the actions asked for (getting on board) in the article: “Message from the publisher of KN to our professionals” with emphasis on the giveaway of the oil blocks and sell outs of rights to our resources is only likely to occur if we non-whites by nature were Activists.

Unfortunately, we aren’t.

We are more comfortable spending unproductive time on social media, which are nothing but toxic platforms.

Scores of letters have been submitted to KN on various matters concerning all the “soft spots”, with the Oil & Gas Issues, but it’s not gaining much traction.

Elsewhere, just one public

letter/ commentary, on a similar subject matter; would spur a government into action.

We haven’t got that built in activism in our blood.

This is now a world of social activism, with climate Change and an eco-friendly environment, at the top of the list.

On the flip side of the coin, this government compared to the previous regime, is doing a darn darn darn better job in terms of obvious accomplishments. (e.g Infrastructure Development, just to name one).

If we continue on this same path, with serious oil & gas issues not being addressed (dismissed); the

publisher could run for President, at the next election cycle. A lot can happen in four years, and specifically in this area concerning oil and resources-It is a clear social mandate.

Maybe rebranding and reimaging an existing party; say the opposition. (Maybe even renaming it-Start Afresh). That entire old school of people with ideas are for a different era. Make it an all-inclusive party.

Distinguishing none. Or the publisher can form a new party.

This is just a thought, but the Kaieteur News publisher has my vote.

Yours truly Chi Kansi

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Tuesday January 26, 2021

Kaieteur News

The Irfaan Ali administration and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must not think highly of the citizens of Guyana, if they intend to allow oil services companies to build five hazardous chemical facilities near residential areas without requiring environmental impact assessments.

Some leaders in the past might have been comfortable allowing multinationals and their ilk to treat us with disregard, but we will not allow it any further.

Guyanese, the brave and industrious residents of Houston were faced with a proposal for a chemical warehouse near their homes in 2019. They rose up, fought for their safety, and drove out an oil services company. You can do the same.

Rise up!

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Stabroek Block co-venturers plan 12-15 well drilling campaign - Hess T

he companies licenced to explore and develop the Stabroek Block intend to execute a 12-15 well drilling campaign there, according to a recent announcement by Hess Corporation.

The American company announced its plan for exploration and production in 2021, yesterday.

From its 2021 Exploration and Production capital and exploratory budget of US$1.9 billion, the bulk of US$450 million will finance the drilling of exploration and appraisal wells in the block, with the

remainder going toward well planning in the Surinamese Block 42, seismic acquisition and processing in Guyana and the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico, and for licence acquisitions.

The companies have already made 18 commercial discoveries after drilling 22 wells.

Hess's further allocation to Guyana represents its position as a prime business destination in its portfolio.

Chief Executive Officer of Hess, John Hess said, “Our capital programme reflects our disciplined approach in the current oil price environment to preserve

cash, core capabilities and the long term value of our assets.”

“The majority of our 2021 budget is allocated to Guyana,” he said, “where our three sanctioned oil developments have a Brent breakeven oil price of between $25 and $35 per barrel, and to the Bakken, where we have a large inventory of future drilling locations that generate attractive financial returns at current prices. By investing only in high return, low cost opportunities, we have built a differentiated portfolio of assets that we believe will provide industry leading

Ministry records 19 new COVID-19 cases

T

he Ministry of Health reported 19 new infections of COVID-19 and 61 recoveries yesterday. This was stated in its daily dashboard update, which shows that COVID-19 cases increased to 7,317 and the total number of recoveries increased to 6,431.

The dashboard also shows that six patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 670 in home isolation, 38 in institutional isolation and six in institutional quarantine.

The COVID-19 death toll remains at 172.

cash flow growth over the course of the decade.”

In Guyana, of its 2021 development funding, the company has plugged US$25 million into its Liza

Phase One development which has been producing since December, as well as US$450 million and US$235 million for the upcoming Liza Phase Two and Payara

developments.

Hess has a 30 percent stake in the Stabroek block, along with ExxonMobil (Operator – 45 percent) and CNOOC (25 percent).

Driver flees scene after hitting down six pedestrians A photo of the Canal Number One Access Road

P

olice are hunting a driver, who on S u n d a y reportedly struck down six pedestrians, five of them children, along the Canal Number One Access Road, We s t B a n k D e m e r a r a (WBD).

Hospitalized are Lilowattie Barnabas, 29, Alana Grant, 15, Rajin Mahendranauth, 8, Esha Mahendranauth, 8, Tanesha Mahendranauth, 7, and

Mesha Margar, 3.

According to police, the pedestrians were struck down around 17:05 hrs. while standing on the grass parapet located on the southern side of the road.

Eyewitnesses told police that the driver was speeding west along the same side of the road with the pedestrians, when he decided to undertake another vehicle in front of him.

He reportedly lost

control of his car and ended up on the grass parapet hitting down the six pedestrians in the process.

Instead of stopping to assist them, he sped away from the scene.

The pedestrians received multiple injuries to their bodies and had to be picked up by public-spirited citizens and rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where they were admitted.

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

How are we protecting the people and the environment?

G

uyana is getting peanuts at present for its oil. Instead of the projected US$300M which was estimated to be earned in the first year of oil production, Guyana was handed a mere US$185M. The pandemic and the fact that it led to a contraction in global economic activity contributed to this. But Guyanese should not only blame the pandemic. Exxon found itself in difficulty, for most of the year, in meeting an average daily production of 120,000 barrels.

And it was said that one of the reasons for this was technical problems which emerged and which also led to higher levels of flaring than before. Guyana therefore was not only shortchanged but it was also handed environmental problems.

Glenn Lall has been on the frontline of efforts exposing some of the environmental concerns, which this oil production is going to cause. It is believed that millions of barrels of wastewater are being dumped into our waters, and it appears as if the government is totally indifferent to this.

This matter has to be brought to the attention of the international community.

Guyana and its leaders cannot be masquerading as environmental champions,

Dem

boys seh...

E

xxon gat we where dem want we: around dem little finger. Dem gat things 'locked.' They just have to snap dem fingers and we leaders jumping to attention.

Exxon does not even have to flex its muscles. It is getting wat it wants. Guyanese must seriously ask demselves how it is dat our leaders are bending over so easy to satisfy Exxon.

Exxon gat we leaders paying each household $25,000. Dem calling it COVID-19 cash grant. But de government nah talking

when the environmental regime relating to the Liza 1, Liza 2 and Payara projects leave much to be desired.

Last night, Glenn Lall raised concerns about insurance for the Payara project.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, the main government spokesperson on oil must explain to the Guyanese people what insurance is in place relating to the potential for damage to our waters, our coastline and the possibility of an oil spill getting into our waterways, which support the rice and sugar industries and inland fishing.

The public needs to hear from the Vice President, as to what protections were negotiated in relation to insurance for possible damage caused to our environment. This has nothing to do with the clean up after any oil spill. That responsibility should be Exxon's and Exxon's alone.

What is being referred to is whether the country will be compensated for any damage to the environment and what clauses are built into the Payara permit to ensure that there is insurance for such losses.

This is not a matter, which can be dismissed, in typical PPP/C fashion. This is about people's lives and their livelihoods.

Most of our people live on the coast. The majority work on the coast. Most have

their houses on the coast.

The country's agriculture is not inland; it is on the coast.

People in riverine communities use the water from the creeks and river for more than just swimming.

They fish in it; they bathe in it and they wash their clothes in it. So what is going to happen should there be contamination of our waterways?

The Department of Public Information reported last September that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had issued an environmental permit which is valid for five years and which requires the oil companies to conduct postpermit studies on reinjection of produced water, flaring, cradle-to-grave waste analysis and capping stack deployment.

This is a case of putting the cart before the horse. The permit should have conditional measures being put in place to re-inject water, reducing flaring to a minimum and disposing of waste in a manner that would not harm the environment.

Why would a permit be given instead of insisting on these things be in place prior to the authorization date for the permit. This calls for post-permit studies. These studies should have been insisted on before the permit, not after.

But we are not sure where the country stands on insurance for Payara.

Exxon can afford fuh give we free current about free electricity from de gas plant. Exxon can supply enough gas to ensure dat none of we ever gat fuh pay electricity bill ever again.

De Hap-New+Hay Eff See bin trying fuh get Exxon fuh sell we de gas cheap.

Dem boys wan know wat nonsense is dis. If somebody throwing away something, yuh does offer fuh pay fuh it?

De fact dat dem throwing it away means dem nah gat use fuh it.

Dem boys seh de fuss thing dem negotiators should do is to demand dat Exxon build de pipeline and

de gas plant free of cost.

Dem gan do it. Dem wan stay in Guyana and dat is nothing fuh dem fuh afford.

And pun top of dat, we nah get no proper signing bonus. So Exxon owes de country.

Dem boys seh we deserve free electricity fuh de rest of we life. And it can happen given de amount of gas wah producing and de amount of money wah we losing as a result of dem crockish contracts.

Talk half and wait fuh see if we gan get free electricity when de gas plant build.

It is understood that the EPA had managed to secure substantial insurance coverage for Liza 1 and Liza 2, a measure that experts have said proves that it is possible to renegotiate

benefits across the board, including high royalties.

So is the same insurance coverage, which is attached to Liza 1 and Liza 2 available for Payara? Over to the government to let the public

know what protections are available!

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Tuesday January 26, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Grandchild, grandmother, violence and evil in 2020 T

he stories of Guyana in 2020 is inexhaustible, many of which needs highlighting because they bring out the inner depths of moral depravities that humans embody. It is no exaggeration when I intone right now that after seeing how diabolical the mind was in 2020, I loved my three pets (two cats and a dog) even deeper.

How can humans write letters to the press in 2020 about

the danger of Mike Pompeo's visit to Guyana, Haitians detained by the police, and other subjects and penned not a word on what happened to a granddaughter and her grandmother, when David Granger and Joseph Harmon went to Region Five in the aftermath of the two cousins who were murdered in the backdams of Cotton Tree and incited PNC constituencies in Region Five that resulted in terrible acts of violence?

If you are interested in looking back at the year 2020, then go to the newspapers of September 12 and read a letter written by a grandchild, who described what happened to her and her grandmother in Hopetown, when Region Five was cut off from the rest of Guyana during the mayhem.

The letter is long so I will give selected quotes: (1) – “They attacked the vehicle in front of us, leaving the driver to flee for his life. We were still

frantically trying to get out of the street but we were surrounded. We couldn't go anywhere and couldn't do anything! We were a car of Indo Guyanese. The rioters showed us little mercy.”

(2) - I clearly remember the first thing they did as they entered the car. One of the men ripped my cross from off my neck, which I wore for safety all my life. They then opened all the doors and pulled us out. I remember seeing them pull my grandmother away, she didn't resist, and she just gave them everything she had, including whatever jewellery she wore. After I couldn't see the driver or family friend, I began screaming out of fear. They took my bag, which I gave them without hesitation; inside the bag was a change of clothes, my phone, and my wallet.”

(3) - “I barely caught sight of our family friend who gave the rioters all his money and his phone. They then proceed to mercilessly beat our driver because he wouldn't give the car keys. I saw my grandmother and I pushed to go towards her. I couldn't pass through. I was now terribly scared that they would kill me, as I was a

young Indo Guyanese teenager.”

(4) - “My few words cannot capture the horror that we experienced and endured during those two days. I am still haunted by those memories.”

The quotes above are about post-election marauding that took place in September 2020.

Frederick Kissoon As a social activist and media operative, I saw snippets of similar bestialities in post election violence in 1992, 1997, 2001 and in Buxton between 2002 and 2005.

When the APNU+AFC won power, a process I participated in, I never believed I would see such election atrocities in my country again.

It is poor intellectualizing or dishonest analysis to divorce the horrific descriptions in those quotes from the failure of the March election rigging.

I believe Granger and Harmon used the double homicide in Cotton Tree to generate violence as a way of expressing to the PPP that the PNC has muscles. The repugnancies about such mentalities are numerous.

First, your innocent supporters are misled.

Secondly, those innocent ones commit terrible acts of violence on other innocent souls just because they are from a different ethnicity.

Thirdly, your country's image suffered severe laceration. Fourthly, the ethnic divide widen thus making Guyanese a more unhappy lot. Fifthly, you damaged your chances of winning elections because citizens will remember your violent nature.

I do not know that 16year-old who wrote that letter but if anyone reading this column who knows her, please ask her to just send me a note telling me how she is coping.

I will reply to let her know that I admire her and hope she enters political life when she gets older so as to contribute to shaping Guyana's future. My cell phone number is 614-5927.

My home is 222-1615-6 and m y e m a i l i s fredkissoon@yahoo.com.

How sickening that no women's organization has ever attained the modest level of decency in 2020 to pen some words of sympathy for this teenager and her grandmother, but can have the mental ugliness to write about the danger of Mike Pompeo's visit.

Spinoza the philosopher once wrote: “I have striven not to hate, laugh or weep at human actions but to understand them.” Human actions in Guyana cannot be understood.

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

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Tuesday January 26, 2021

India calls for reformed multilateralism at the UN multilateral system.

Following his call, for a multilateral approach to achieve sustainable peace and prosperity at the HighLevel meeting of the UN's Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on July 17, 2020, Prime Minister Modi, made a strong pitch for reformed multilateralism

By Ambassador Asoke Mukerji

O

ver the years, India's position at the United Nations (UN) has become more prominent. In the backdrop of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi's address at UNGA last year, Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji, explores the country's demands for a much-awaited reform of the global body, which will lead to sustainable world peace, s e c u r i t y a n d development.India's Prime Minister reasserted the country's commitment to the UN during the 75th anniversary commemorative events of the world body held last year. Three major themes resonated in his repeated calls for “reformed multilateralism.”

These were the urgent need to complete the process of democratization of decision-making in the UN Security Council (UNSC); the positioning of development issues at the forefront of the work of the UN; and transforming the functioning of the UN into a multi-stakeholder body to enable it to respond effectively to the challenges

India's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN (2013-2015), Asoke Kumar Mukerji

India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi

it faces.

The call for “reformed multilateralism” has become an integral part of India's foreign policy, seeking to maximise the country's participation in the multilateral system to accelerate its transformation into one of the major powers of the 21st century.

India has contributed significantly, to creating the contemporary multilateral system.

A century ago, over 1.3 million Indian soldiers volunteered to serve in the victorious Allied armies that secured victory in the First

World War, enabling India to sign the 1919 Treaty of Versailles and become a founder member of the League of Nations.

Over 2.5 million Indian soldiers volunteered to fight with the Allied armies during the Second World War, enabling India to sign t h e 1 9 4 2 Wa s h i n g t o n “Declaration by United Nations” and subsequently the UN Charter in June 1945 in San Francisco.

As a country with onesixth of the world's population and a thriving democracy, India is a major stakeholder in a functional

“that reflects today's realities, gives voice to all the stakeholders, addresses contemporary challenges, and focuses on human welfare” at the UN's 75th anniversary summit on September 21, 2020.

The Prime Minister's speech at the general debate of the UN General Assembly

(UNGA) on September 26, 2020, provided the contours of India's vision of “reformed multilateralism.”

At the core of this vision is India's belief that UN member-states “cannot fight today's challenges with outdated structures. Without comprehensive reforms, the UN (continued on page 15)

National Oil Spill Committee launches today

Prime Minister, Brigadier Mark Phillips (centre); Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig (right); and Project Manager, Civil Defence Commission, Ms. Anita Wilson; are pictured with copies of the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan.

N

ational Oil Spill Committee (NOSC) is prepared to host its first orientation today.

This follows after the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), last year, presented to Government, through the Office of the Prime Minister, a National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP).

Some 25 national stakeholders validated the four-year plan including the Maritime Administrative Department (MARAD), the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Energy,

the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the CDC. Kaieteur News also understands that the National Emergency Oil Spill Plan was crafted with inputs from the Guyana Marine Conservation Society, the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Shipping Association of Guyana, ExxonMobil, Tullow, GuyOil, Repsol, Shell, GAICO Construction and other stakeholders.

Colonel Kester Craig, the

Director General of the CDC, had noted that with Guyana's emerging oil and gas sector, the need was highlighted for an oil spill response mechanism that will protect Guyana's land and sea resources, should the need arise.

According to the CDC, the orientation, which will see an opening presentation from Prime Minister, Mark Phillips, will formally launch the NOSCP and give the NOSC credence to carry out its role of preventing oil spills and management of any associated risks across Guyana.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 26, 2021

PAGE 13

From pig pen to chicken pen…

Man who received $2.2M to oversee chicken pen construction currently overseas - Minister peeved over incomplete works

A

nother discrepancy has been unearthed within the group of community projects funded under the Sustainable L i v e l i h o o d a n d Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme in 2019 for Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice). This time it has been revealed that $2,223,462 was collected by a Linden resident, whose name was given as Robert Archer, to construct chicken pens for a community project.

An image showing the West Watooka The works are incomplete chicken pen structure in December 2019 and Archer, who was also supposed to supervise the project, is currently living overseas. At least this is according to Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, who conducted a visit to the region last Friday, in order to get a first-hand look at some of the projects.

Kaieteur News had previously reported that Jermaine Figueira, an A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), had collected $5.7M to construct and extend pig pens in Linden via a cooperative society that was never officially The current state of the West Watooka registered. chicken pen covered in bushes currently In Archer's case, he received the funds to execute the project but the funds were not collected under a cooperative society, but rather he Kaieteur News that when he then told that Archer was not in the collected as an individual. SLED conducted a site visit at the project country. projects are usually separated into in Amelia's Ward, Linden, he made Further, it was noted that he has two types: group projects, which several discoveries, the main one not been in the country for months are given to groups and cooperative being that Archer was not in the and the project is incomplete. societies and individual projects, country. He stated too that the According to documents seen which are given to specific project was being executed on by this newspaper, Archer was individuals for execution. private land where persons are given an interim payment of M i n i s t e r H a m i l t o n t o l d living and, upon inquiring, he was $1,017,141 on August 9, 2019. A

The chicken pen project at Amelia's Ward

status report as of December 12, 2019, also stated that the final payment for the project was collected, confirming that Archer has been given the full sum of $2,223,462.

The status report also lists

Archer as the Coordinator and contact person for the project.

The report states that as of December 12, 2019, the pens were completed and an initial batch of 200 chickens was placed in the pens (continued on page 18)

Medical Student drowns at St. Ignatius Creek

T

he family of Kimberlee Yow, 24, a medical student of St. Ignatius Village, has been thrown into a state of despair after she reportedly drowned at a creek, which is located at the back of the village.

Kaieteur News understands that Yow was a third year student of the University of Guyana.

The incident, according to reports, occurred around 16:30 hrs. last Sunday at Kumu Creek, St. Ignatius, Central Rupununi, Region Nine.

At the time, the young woman was on an outing with

friends. They were said to be imbibing alcohol.

Reports are that Yow was sitting on the edge of the creek when she reportedly fell into the water.

The current reportedly caused her to drift away and she eventually was submerged.

After she did not resurface, an alarm was raised and a search was conducted. About an hour later, her motionless body was recovered.

The young woman was taken to the Lethem Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Yow's body is currently at the

Lethem Public Hospital mortuary where it is awaiting a post mortem. Investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

Meanwhile, one of Yow's classmates, Daryl Chambers, in an invited comment said, “Kim was one of my closest friends. I met her at the University of Guyana back in 2018 when we started our Bachelor's of Science in Optometry programme.

We're currently in our third year, so next year would have been our final year and we would have been graduating together.

She was loved by everyone

in class because of her really kind heart and spirit.”

Chambers added that Kimberlee was a former Hinterland Scholarship Student.

When asked about the last time she spoke with Kimberlee, Chambers recalled that she spoke with her the day before the incident because it was her birthday.

Chambers said, “she wished me happy birthday and asked what were my plans for my birthday.”

According to Chambers, her classmates have all been in a state of shock and disbelief upon learning of Yow's demise.

Dead: Kimberlee Yow

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Pensioner chopped to death by cop

P

atrick George, a pensioner, who was chopped some three times about his body last Sunday afternoon, was found dead in his yard yesterday morning. The 73year-old man is said to be a resident of Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast.

According to reports, the man was chopped by a police sergeant, who claimed that he acted in self-defence.

Kaieteur News understands

that the policeman was at the time doing some enhancement work in his Onderneeming yard, when he was allegedly attacked by the pensioner.

This publication understands that the men are neighbours and a zinc fence divides their properties.

The sergeant told police that George pulled a zinc sheet from the fence and approached him with a cutlass and a piece of metal.

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Herstelling block maker's contract killing‌

Murder trial set to commence in High Court

A

The police rank under investigation The sergeant, who was at the time also armed with a cutlass, retaliated by chopping the pensioner. The elderly man reportedly (continued on page 18)

mixed 12member jury has been empanelled before Justice Navindra Singh for the trial of Beverly Persaud and the man she allegedly hired to kill her husband, Nathan Persaud, on September 10, 2015.

Beverly Persaud, formerly of Lot 56 Diamond New Scheme, East Bank Demerara and Oswald Junior Yaw, also known as Leow, of East

Accused: Oswald Junior Yaw Ruimveldt, Georgetown are accused of killing Nathan Persaud, a block maker.

The killing allegedly stemmed from an agreement that saw Beverly Persaud promising Yaw money, as an inducement for him to consider causing the death of her husband. The two were committed to stand trial at the Georgetown High Court in 2017.

Back then, City Magistrate Judy Latchman had noted that through the caution statements and oral statement, the two murder accused implicated themselves in the commission of the crime.

According to reports, Nathan Persaud was found lying face down in the living room of his Lot 66 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara home.

His body bore a stab wound to his chest and the back of his head was bashed in.

Police recovered a hammer, two knives and a piece of rock, all of which had blood stains from the crime scene.

Beverly Persaud was arrested and interrogated by police hours after her husband was killed. She reportedly confessed to orchestrating the

Accused: Beverly Persaud

Dead: Nathan Persaud plot to end the life of her estranged spouse and allegedly hired Yaw and promised him $1.7M. After the father of four was killed, a strange man, now believed to be Yaw, was reportedly seen leaving his yard.

Beverly and her husband had been separated for some time prior to his death. It is alleged that the killing might have stemmed from a property dispute between the couple that was engaging the courts.

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Kaieteur News

India calls for reformed...

From page 13 faces a crisis of confidence.”

The only UN structure that obstructs the democratic principle of taking decisions by consensus or majority voting is the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), where the veto powers of its five self-selected permanent members overrides democratic decisionmaking.

The Prime Minister castigated the UNSC for failing to prevent conflicts, including civil wars, and terrorist attacks resulting in the deaths of many ordinary human beings, including hundreds of thousands of children. Millions of people uprooted by conflicts have become refugees. He said that this has happened despite the significant contributions made by many UN member-states to the

Prime Minister referred to the “far-reaching” declaration adopted by world leaders and cautioned that unless the UN was comprehensively reformed, the vision of the declaration “in preventing conflict, in ensuring development, in addressing climate change, in reducing inequalities, and in leveraging digital technologies,” would remain unfulfilled.

India's call for reformed multilateralism focuses on the inter-linkage between p e a c e , s e c u r i t y, a n d development. An ineffective UNSC jeopardizes India's national efforts to achieve Agenda 2030's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The relevance of this observation for the work of the UN in the decade ahead was illustrated by the Prime Minister's reference to some

way to implement the principle of international cooperation on which multilateralism depends.

This included a commitment to build on the supply of essential medicines by India to more than 150 countries to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by leveraging India's vaccine production and delivery capacity to “help all humanity.”

Based on its experience of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), India advocated “a multistakeholder ground-based” approach to achieve the global goals.

This required engaging “state and local governments, civil society, communities and people.”

India's international experience in implementing various global initiatives for

The United Nations headquarters in New York City with flags of member nations

UNSC to help maintain peace and security. The Prime Minister recalled that India has contributed over 240,000 troops in more than 50 UN missions, with India's brave soldiers suffering the maximum number of casualties among UN peacekeepers.

In June 2020, India obtained 184 out of 193 votes in the UNGA to be elected to a two-year term in the UNSC for 2021-22. This marked the eighth time since 1949 that over two-thirds of the UNGA has endorsed India's credentials to be elected to the UNSC. The Prime Minister pointed out that, “the people of India have been waiting for a long time for the completion of the reforms of the United Nations.” He asked, “Today, the people of India are concerned whether this reform-process will ever reach its logical conclusion.

For how long will India be kept out of the decisionmaking structures of the United Nations?”

In his remarks at the 75th anniversary summit, the

of India's major development initiatives implemented since 2015. Showing how the UN member-states can “reform-performt r a n s f o r m , ” t h e P r ime Minister listed the “transformational changes” in India over the past five years that had enabled hundreds of millions of people to enter the formal financial sector, become free from open defecation, and get access to free healthcare services.

The empowerment of women through promotion of entrepreneurship and leadership, access to microfinancing and paid maternity leave were integral to India's non-discriminatory development policies. India was “one of the leaders in digital transactions,” PM Modi said, and the policy of “Self- Reliant India” would become a force multiplier of the global economy after the current COVID-19 pandemic is over.

The Prime Minister committed India to “sharing experiences of our development” as a practical

a holistic approach to peace, security and development had similarly been sustained by a multi-stakeholder approach.

The UN has already adopted a multi-stakeholder approach for its activities under the Tunis Agenda to respond to the emerging digital order, and Agenda 2030 to achieve the SDGs. The call for “reformed multilateralism” based on democratic decisionmaking, prioritising development, and including all stakeholders comes at a critical time for India's foreign policy.

India's role as an elected non-permanent member of the UNSC and the incoming Chair of the G20 during 2021-2022 provides a window of opportunity for the country to play a leadership role to reform and transform the UN. (The publication of this article, at the behest of the Indian High Commission, coincides with India's Republic Day, which is being observed today - Tuesday, 26th January 2021.)

PAGE 15

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 26, 2021

A Salute to India/A Tribute to Nehru

By Donald Ramotar

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On January 26, 1950, India became a Republic. It was an important date since it marked a complete break with the British Colonial power.

At that time, India was in a desperate position. The country was partitioned and hundreds of thousands died in communal violence.

Economically, it was one of the poorest in the world. India's share of the world's economy was just three percent in 1947. A fall from 27 percent in 1700 when the British colonialized her. Its manufacturing was almost non-existent, just seven percent of GDP in 1947 and manufacturing export just two percent.

Starvation and famine were the main news that came out of that country. This year, India is celebrating its 71st Anniversary in another desperate time for the world.

COVID-19 has been devastating our world, killing more than a million and damaging the world's economy greatly. Millions are unemployed.

India, even though it too is facing great problems caused by COVID, has not isolated itself as some countries in the world have done. It is not just thinking selfishly, but helping the world to overcome this dreaded disease.

Already, it has donated more than a million vaccines to it neighbours and are fulfilling requests further afield, including the Caribbean.

India is doing this while the West is buying up and trying to hoard vaccines for their own population. Canada, for instance, has brought more than five times its population needs.

But India is more than a vaccine power. In the last 71 years, India has become a major power in science and technology. One of the world's leaders in ICT! It has sent probes into outer space at a cost way below other countries doing the same. It is a manufacturing power, producing high quality machinery and equipment.

This country was able to achieve this due to the quality of leadership, the enlightened leadership provided mainly by its first (continued on page 18)

Former Head of State, Donald Ramotar

Tuesday January 26, 2021

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

Amidst pandemic…

New courses added to IHSE list of post-grad studies offered via GPHC The Institute of Health Science Education (IHSE) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has added two new post-grad courses despite faced with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, medical professionals can take advantage of the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Masters of Medicine (MMED) and the Neonatal Nursing Bsc. programmes offered via the IHSE. The programmes are an additional to some 13 other post-grad courses available to doctors and nurses seeking to formally advance their qualifications.

Director of Medical Education at GPHC and Head of the IHSE, Dr. Alexandra Harvey, told Kaieteur News that while the pandemic disrupted some of the classes in terms of how they are conducted, there were no major changes in the school’s annual work programme. Dr. Harvey related that the IHSE had planned to introduce the courses even before the institute was faced with the

challenges of the pandemic.

“We had planned to add the courses earlier in the year but after COVID-19 came we had to figure out how to manage the present courses we had running before we introduced the new ones,” she explained.

According to Dr. Harvey, the new courses will help to boost the IHSE’s present capacity to train medical staff.

“Now, we have the Ear Nose and Throat faculty which will basically deal with diseases that affect those areas like tonsillitis; a component of that course will also be surgical and for the nurses we now have the Bachelors of Science programme in neonatal nursing,” the IHSE Head said.

In addition to the two courses, Dr. Harvey told this newspaper that the institute also offers courses in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care (Diploma), Anaesthesia and Intensive Care (MMED), General Surgery (MMED), Orthopaedics and Traumatology (Diploma), Orthopaedics and

Director of IHSE, Dr. Alexandra Harvey.

Traumatology (MMED), Emergency Medicine (MMED), Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases (MMED), Family Medicine MMED, Obstetrics and Gynaecology MMED, Paediatrics (MMED), Psychiatry (MMED), Diagnostic Radiology (MMED) and the Diploma programme in Nurse Anaesthesia.

The IHSE Director explained, however, that due to the pandemic several of the classes have moved to an online platform.

“We did a lot of virtual classes via zoom and

Biden to approach U.S.-China relations with ‘patience’

IHSE post-grad medical students during a training session at the facility. whenever there is need for inhouse training this is done under strict COVID-19 protocols,” she said.

As a result, Dr. Harvey had reported that 76 medical professionals have successfully completed postgraduate programmes offered by the institute despite the conditions of the pandemic.

The successful postgraduate trainees in the class of 2020 included some 44 doctors and 32 nurses who completed their programmes, despite the pandemic.

Dr. Harvey hailed the 2020

batch of post-grad candidates for their dedication.

According to her, “the team worked hard, maybe even harder than most years to ensure that they successfully completed the work programme.”

She told Kaieteur News too, that a new batch of postgraduate medical students has already started to enroll for a host of specialised health education programmes for the year 2021.

Given its mandate, the IHSE has been hailed for

introducing a next-level type of medical education at Guyana’s national health institution. The institute since 2006 has been working closely with the University of Guyana (UG) to provide medical accreditation for the various programmes for doctors and nurses to complete studies there.

Annually, the institute, which is housed in the compound of the GPHC, boasts of providing scores of doctors and nurses with the specialised line of postgraduate medical certificates.

Turkey and Greece resume talks on maritime disputes after five years

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is in a serious competition with China, and President Joe Biden wants to approach relations with Beijing with “patience,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said yesterday.

China’s President Xi Jinping, speaking at a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum yesterday, called on world leaders to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination and bolster the role of the G20 in global economic governance.

Psaki told a White House news briefing that Xi’s call would not change the Biden administration’s strategic approach to China.

“What we’ve seen over

President Xi Jinping

the last few years is that China’s growing more authoritarian at home and more assertive abroad and Beijing is now challenging our security, prosperity and values in significant ways that require a new U.S. approach,” she said.

“We want to approach this with some strategic patience,” she said, adding that the White House would be engaging with Republicans and Democrats in Congress, as well as international allies and partners, on the issue in coming weeks.

Responding to a question on whether Biden would continue to subject Chinese tech giant Huawei to stringent restrictions, Psaki said

China’s industrial espionage and theft of intellectual property remained a concern.

“Our view, the President’s view, is that we need to play a better defense, which must include holding China accountable for its unfair and illegal practices and making sure the American technologies aren’t facilitating China’s military buildup,” she said.SEMI, which represents semiconductor equipment makers and manufacturers worldwide, yesterday called on Biden to review the policy of the previous Trump administration that curbed sales of U.S. technology to China for national security reasons, saying it had unnecessarily hurt American industry.

ANKARA/ATHENS (Reuters) - Turkey and Greece resumed talks aimed at addressing long-standing maritime disputes yesterday, ending a five-year hiatus after months of tension in the eastern Mediterranean.

The neighbouring NATO members are at odds over claims to Mediterranean waters and energy rights, air space and the status of some islands in the Aegean Sea. They made little progress in 60 rounds of talks from 2002 to 2016.

Plans for resuming talks foundered last year over Turkey’s deployment of a seismic survey vessel in contested waters and disagreements over which topics they would cover.

The vessel was withdrawn to Turkish shores last year.

Ankara and Athens agreed this month to resume the talks in Istanbul, in a test of Turkey’s hopes of improving its relations with the European Union, which has supported EU-member Greece and threatened sanctions on Turkey.

As the talks resumed, French Defence Minister Florence Parly said France will present proposals to Greece for the renewal of its fleet of frigates, and had finalised a 2.5-billion-euro ($3.04 billion) deal for Greece’s purchase of 18 Dassault-made Rafale fighter jets.

“Under the strong leadership of our president, the solution to all problems, including the Aegean, is possible and our will for this is strong,” said Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, who was part of yesterday’s talks.

Washington welcomed the talks, saying it backed efforts to reduce tension in the eastern Mediterranean.

“The United States welcomes...the commitment of both governments to this process,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Twitter.

The exploratory talks are meant to reach common ground on disputed issues to allow for formal negotiations.

But, despite agreeing to

resume talks, Ankara and Athens still appeared to disagree over the topics to be covered in the run-up to yesterday’s meeting.

Athens has said it will discuss only the demarcation of exclusive economic zones and continental shelf in the Aegean Sea and eastern Mediterranean, not issues of “national sovereignty”, while Ankara has said it wants all issues, including air space and the Aegean islands, on the table.

Greek government spokesman Christos Tarantilis said yesterday Greece was “attending the talks in good faith and expects Turkey to act similarly”, reiterating the Greek position that the talks are unofficial and focused on maritime zones only.

The agenda for yesterday’s talks, which lasted more than three hours, was not disclosed. Another round of talks is expected to be held in Athens, a Greek diplomatic source said, without providing any further details.

PAGE 18

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Kaieteur News

UNC blames Young for helicopter fiasco Trinidad Guardian - The United National Congress (UNC) said details of the cost that the T&T Government will have to pay the United States based company—Vertical

Aviation Services—for breach of contract, because a helicopter never arrived, is outrageous and has placed the blame on National Security Minister Stuart Young.

In a statement Sunday, the party said: The country is now getting the details of the outrageous costs that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago will have to pay Vertical Aviation Services in the US, all because of Stuart

Young.

If Vertical Aviation gets the $100 million judgment that it is demanding, it is wholly the fault of Stuart Young’s dangerous, reckless, vindictive, incompetent, pushy, infantile, and simply dotish behaviour.”

“We need to put a figure on exactly how much Stuart Young’s incompetence and his petty politics are costing us,” The statement added The UNC said on this

matter alone, the cost of us keeping Young as Minister of National Security is $45,630.85 every single day. And that figure rises every day, because there is $30,000 added daily as interest.

“We have not even counted the disaster caused

by Stuart Young through the gas negotiations in Houston and the matters involving the Dutch Government and Damen ships and engineers.”

On top of that, we have to

add the enormous damage to our country’s reputation that he has caused with the Barbadian Government and the lock out of Trinidad and Tobago citizens, with the US Government and the Delcy (Rodriguez) visit and with the Canadian and UK governments and the lock out of citizens stuck in Canada,” the release said.

The UNC said T&T cannot afford to keep Young as Minister of National Security any longer and has called for his dismissal from the Government.

National Security Minister Stuart Young

...Man who received $2.2M From page 13 and a second batch of 200 was to be collected on December 17. But Minister Hamilton is adamant that this is not the case.

In fact, he revealed that even a plucking machine switch had not yet been installed.

Archer's project is included in two chicken pen projects that were funded by the SLED programme in 2019.

Minister Hamilton revealed that the second one has not been properly started. According to the Minister, the other chicken pen project was given to the West Watooka Community Development Cooperative Society to construct pens in West Watooka to the tune of $2,230,479.

The December 12, 2019

status report stated that the posts were erected, meshed and attached. The concrete flooring was completed but the structure was not built according to the project plan.

It was also highlighted that the works were moving at a very slow pace.

An image in the status report showed the erected structure, but a recent image seen by Kaieteur News showed the structure completely covered by bushes.

This was confirmed by Minister Hamilton.

Additionally, a document seen by this publication revealed that an interim payment of $1,662,607 was collected on July 29, 2019, the document, however, did not indicate that the final payment was made.

...A Salute to India/A From page 16 Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, a gentle giant.

Nehru concentrated on building India's human Capital. He began building worldclass educational institutions that has made his country so respected today.

Even more important, he sunk democracy deeply in India's society. His respect for democratic norms, for Parliament and the Courts is legendary.

He was more than just an Indian leader. He was profoundly internationalist.

On the world stage, he organized the former colonies

to defend their sovereignty against super power politics of the post war period.

He, with Kwame Nkruma of Ghana, Tito of Yugoslavia and Sukarno of Indonesia, organized t h e N o n Aligned Movement that made an important contribution to international relations during the Cold War and helped defend post-colonial societies' independence.

Jawaharlal Nehru was a profound thinker, an internationalist and humanitarian of gigantic proportion.

On this Anniversary, I salute the Great Soul!

...Pensioner chopped to From page 14 dropped his cutlass and the piece of metal and escaped through the said zinc fence.

Yesterday, at about 10:00 hrs., police went to the home of the pensioner, he was found lying on his steps motionless, with chop wounds to his forehead, wrist and chest.

George's body was taken to the Suddie Public Hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor.

The body has since been taken to the Charity Mortuary. The police sergeant, on the other hand, is currently under close arrest, as a probe in the matter continues.

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

Venezuela threatens further action if more Guyanese found in Essequibo waters V

enezuela's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jorge Arreaza, yesterday threatened further action against Guyanese found in Essequibo waters after Guyana gave a firm rebuke to its detention of two Guyanese fishing vessels off the Essequibo Coast on Thursday last.

“Venezuela,” he said, “rejects the Communique of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana [of January 24] on the operation of the Bolivarian National Navy and reiterates that it will not allow illegal incursions of any kind into its territory, exercising the defence of its sovereignty.”

The first two vessels, Lady Nayera and Sea Wolf had been operating just off the coast at Waini Point on Thursday, where they were intercepted by the Venezuela Navy Vessel, Commandante Hugo Chavez GC 24, and ordered to navigate their way

Venezuela's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jorge Arreaza to Port Guiria to be held.

In response, Guyana had announced that it is seeking to ensure the status and security of the vessels' crew members, and ordered the Venezuelan government to

release them immediately.

The Bolivarian Republic's foreign minister tweeted yesterday that Venezuela rejects Guyana's statement, and that Venezuela would not allow

“illegal incursions in its territory.”

Arreaza claimed the vessels were fishing illegally in “undisputed” Venezuelan territory without having required documentation.

Arreaza also claimed that Guyana's authorities are engaged in a “media matrix” which “lays bare the unilateral claims of that government, in alliance with transnational oil companies, particularly with the American ExxonMobil, on uncontested Venezuelan territory, as well as on marine and underwater areas pending delimitation.”

Though the vessels were found in Guyanese waters, Venezuela arrested the vessels in-keeping with a presidential decree made by its President, Nicolas Maduro, on January 7.

“I signed the decree, he had posted on Twitter shortly after, “by which the Territory for the Development of the Atlantic Façade of the

David Patterson, Rawlston Adams charged with defrauding...

From page 3 in the sum of $200,000 each and the matter was adjourned to February 15, 2021.

Meanwhile, outside of the court compound, Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon, and other members of the opposition were seen standing holding placards in support of Patterson.

Some of the statements on the placards were, “Patto deliver, Edghill a failure,” “Enough is enough” and “DPP protects PPP,” which they chanted repeatedly.

After the matter was finished, Adams and his lawyer, Hanoman, refused to give a comment while Hughes told reporters that he believes that the charges are political in nature rather than “legal jurisprudence.”

Hughes said, “the background of this allegation is that a foreign government approached the Government of Guyana, specifically an agency of the Ministry that Mr. Patterson headed, expressing their interest in providing services to the Government of Guyana on the feasibility of the Demerara Bridge.”

Hughes added that the action was not initiated by his client so there should be no consequences.

The lawyer said too, “we

believe that this charge is not only unfounded but is also malevolent.” He also stated that it should be noted that the same feasibility study is

the one being used by the PPP/C government, which is still moving ahead with the plans to construct the new Demerara Bridge.

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is established, which becomes part of the legal, diplomatic and political actions for the defence of our rights for more than 200 years.”

The decree effectively means that the Venezuela Government would treat the Essequibo region, which Venezuela has coveted for decades, as its own.

President Maduro vowed to “reconquer” the region.

Maduro's move had set off a series of actions by Ve n e z u e l a ' s n a t i o n a l assembly including a unanimous degree by all political factions to fight for the region, and the establishment of a 'Special Commission for the Defence of the Guayana Esequiba Territory and Territorial Sovereignty.'

Arreaza called Guyana's objections to Maduro's presidential decree “absurd and erratic,” and posited that

Venezuela has already made clear that it wants to have a relationship of respect and cooperation with Guyana.

This is based on Maduro's rejection of the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to assume jurisdiction in ongoing litigation to put the controversy to rest.

Venezuela has decided not to respect the ICJ's jurisdiction, and has instead called on Guyana to negotiate with Venezuela.

Maduro had announced in a tweet alongside his presidential decree, which he wrote to the United Nations with the objective of advancing a peaceful alternative to the ICJ litigation.

T h e Ve n e z u e l a n President said that only sovereign states could bring the neighbours closer to a solution to the controversy.

Guyana, on the other hand, awaits the ICJ's ruling.

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers to face Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55

Tom Brady won the Super Bowl with the Patriots in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017 and 2019. (EPA)

Tuesday January 26, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Job-related or personal projects are apt to come to a head now.

Success is in the air, along with a marked increase in income and acknowledgment from those who matter.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) An enterprise you'd long since given up on, perhaps one involving the creative arts, may suddenly come up again, this time as a real opportunity, Libra.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) If you're currently involved, expect to feel a rush of revived passion for your partner. If you aren't currently involved, the one great love of your life could finally appear.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Group activities or social events could put you in contact with a new, exciting person. You could feel a strong physical and romantic attraction, Scorpio.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You know you're intuitive, Gemini, but changes could take place in your brain that elevate your abilities beyond mere intuition.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Whatever you've been trying to accomplish over the past several months could break loose just the way you want it to today, Sagittarius.

It could come as a surprise and resemble a logjam that finally gives way.

CANCER(June21–July22) Don't turn down invitations today, Cancer. A group meeting or social event could be thrown together with casual acquaintances, and your relationship with these people could abruptly change.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Don't turn down invitations today, Cancer. A group meeting or social event could be thrown together with casual acquaintances, and your relationship with these people could abruptly change.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Wonderful news comes from far away, possibly involving writing, teaching, or publishing. Creativity combines with heightened intellectual ability to bring success and good fortune to your door today.

You might spend the day in a dazeand the evening celebrating with friends.

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Today might be one of the most fortunate days of your life, Capricorn. Everything you've been striving for romance, money, creative fulfillment - could fall into place at various times today.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Information received through dreams and visions could trigger sudden psychic revelations of solutions to problems you may have been mulling over for weeks.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Some unexpected calls from friends or colleagues could bring you wonderful news today, Pisces. A serendipitous lucky break could end the logjam that has held up the attainment of all your dreams.

BBC Sport - Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face reigning champions the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55 on 7 February.

Quarterback Brady, 43, threw three touchdown passes to help the Buccaneers defeat the Green Bay Packers 31-26 in a thrilling NFC Championship game to reach their first Super Bowl in 18 years.

The Chiefs then beat the Buffalo Bills 38-24 to seal the AFC Championship, with touchdowns from Mecole Hardman, Darrel Williams, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and two from Travis Kelce.

Super Bowl 55 will take place at the Buccaneers’ Raymond James Stadium and will be the first time a team has played in the NFL’s showpiece in their home stadium.

It will be a 10th Super Bowl appearance for Brady and he will be seeking his seventh win - both of which are records.

The veteran will go up against the Chiefs’ outstanding young quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

“To go on the road and win another play-off game is just a great achievement and now a home Super Bowl for the first time in NFL history I think puts a lot of cool things in perspective,” said Brady.

“Any time you are the first time doing something it is usually a pretty good thing.”

Mahomes, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in last season’s Super Bowl, is relishing the chance to go head to head with the player many regard as the NFL’s greatest of all time.

He said: “Being able to go up against one of the greatest if not the greatest quarterback of all time, it’s going to be a great experience for me.

“To go out there and have the chance to repeat (the 2020 win) and get to do it against the best, it’s something special and I’m excited for the opportunity.”

As a result of Covid-19 restrictions, only 22,000 people will be at the match, with 7,500 places reserved for health care workers, who have been given free tickets.

...CG Insurance Super 50 bowls From page 20 Guyana Jaguars - SVRS Wed, Feb 24 - SEMI-FINAL 1 - CCG Thur, Feb 25 - SEMI-FINAL 2 - CCG Fri, Feb 26 - Fifth placed v Sixth placed -SVRS Sat, Feb 27 – FINAL - CCG

...Ambrose feels ex-players From page 22 Hadley, Kapil Dev, Courtney Walsh and Wasim Akram were the only bowlers to reach the landmark before Ambrose.

“I wanted to be the best so I would say that pride was my biggest asset,” said Ambrose who now plays the bass Guitar for a band called Spirted with the same members and the addition of two females to the first band he played for called ‘The dread and the ball head.

During the first Final of the Benson and Hedges Cup, Dean Jones asked Ambrose to take the sweatband off his right wrist, as the ball got camouflaged in the process.

He obliged, but his body language changed. An infuriated Ambrose ran through

the Australians with 5 for 32.

Australia lost by 25 run.

“West Indians in my time never sledged anyone.We were dominant and let the ball and the bat do the talking,” said Ambrose as he was reminded about that game.

Ambrose explained how he got into playing music.

“I always wanted to be in a band when my cricket days were over and before he was West Indies Captain, Richie Richardson would always travel with his Guitar, play the bass Guitar in their hotel room and I would beat on the table to unwind after a day on the field,” added Ambrose who said he hopes the West Indies will be more competitive in the Test series.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 22

Tuesday January 26, 2021

CG Insurance Super 50 bowls off Feb. 7 with Hurricanes versus Volcanoes

S

portsMax - The CG Insurance Super50 Cup bowls off on Sunday, February 7 with the Leewards Hurricanes taking on the Windwards Volcanoes at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, only 19 matches will be played in the tournament scheduled to conclude on February 27.

According to Cricket West Indies, the health risks

related to the COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruption to all domestic cricket since late March 2020, with no competitive cricket allowed regionally except for an abridged version of the Caribbean Premier League which took place last August in Trinidad.

This year’s annual CG Insurance Super50 Cup will provide a platform for the region’s six major cricketing rivals to clash in 19 actionpacked 50-over matches

starting from Sunday, February 7 when Leeward Islands Hurricanes host the Windward Islands Volcanoes.

The tournament will come to an exciting climax when the new champions are crowned on Saturday, February 27.

The 2019-20 champions, West Indies Emerging Players, are unable to defend their 2019 trophy due to COVID-19 constraints, however, several of those

players now feature in the squads of the six competing franchise teams, one of which will emerge as the CG Insurance Super50 Cup champions.

Each team will play each other on a round-robin basis with the top four teams qualifying for the semifinals and the opportunity to reach the grand final.

Matches will be played at Antigua’s two international cricket venues - the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) and

the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (SVRS). There will be 13 matches at CCG including the semi-finals and final, and six matches at SVRS. West Indies captain Kieron Pollard said it was good to have regional cricket back after a one-year break.

“It is very good that cricket is coming back to the Caribbean ... players will get the opportunity to showcase their skills and entertain our fans. It has been a trying 2020 for cricketers and the whole Caribbean, so it is really good that we have the CG Insurance Super50 Cup being played at this time and hopefully it can unearth some new talent,” he said.

CWI has been working closely with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Sport in Antigua & Barbuda to orchestrate logistics and agree the safety and medical protocols for the commencement and duration of the tournament.

All players, support staff, match officials and supporting professionals will be tested with negative COVID-19 results before their arrival into Antigua.

Players, support staff and match officials will operate within a bio-secure bubble and will be tested at regular intervals during the tournament with assistance from the local Ministry of Health and CARPHA. “A huge amount of planning and work has been put in to ensure that the Super50 Cup can return and CWI would like to offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, title partners CG Insurance, our host broadcasters ESPN Caribbean and our colleagues at the Leeward Islands Cricket Board and the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association, for all of their support in helping to stage the tournament during these unprecedented times,” said CWI CEO Johnny Grave.

Meanwhile, Naz Farrow, CEO of CG Insurance said the company was happy to be able to continue supporting regional cricket.

“CG Insurance is proud to sponsor the CWI Super50 Cup and thrilled to be a part of the first tournament of 2021.

We are happy to support the many players and organizers involved and recognize the major efforts

that have gone into the preparation of this event during these unique times.

By partnering with the CWI series, we have the opportunity to support our various Caribbean nations and to showcase that we are stronger together,” he said.

The CG Insurance Super50 Cup is the marquee 50-over event in the West Indies featuring the six longstanding territorial rivals– Barbados Pride, Guyana Jaguars, Jamaica Scorpions, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, and the Windward Islands Volcanoes.

This is the second edition of the Super50 Cup featuring CG Insurance as title sponsors, and the event promises to stage big performances and memorable moments as the teams go in pursuit of winning the coveted CG Insurance Super50 Cup and being awarded the Sir Clive Lloyd Trophy.

Below is the match schedule for the CG Insurance Super50 Cup Sun, Feb 7 - Leewards Hurricanes v Windwards Volcanoes (day match) CCG Mon, Feb 8 - Guyana Jaguars v Barbados Pride CCG Wed, Feb 10 - Leewards Hurricanes v Barbados Pride - CCG Thur, Feb 11 - Jamaica Scorpions v Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - SVRS Fri, Feb 12 - Leewards Hurricanes v Guyana Jaguars - CCG Sat, Feb 13 - Windwards Volcanoes v Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - CCG Sun, Feb 14 - Jamaica Scorpions v Guyana Jaguars - CCG Mon, Feb 15 - Trinidad & To b a g o R e d F o r c e v Barbados Pride - SVRS Tue, Feb 16 - Windwards Vo l c a n o e s v J a m a i c a Scorpions - CCG Wed, Feb 17 - Leewards Hurricanes v Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - CCG Thu, Feb 18 - Windwards Volcanoes v Barbados Pride - SVRS Fri, Feb 19 - Leewards Hurricanes v Jamaica Scorpions - SVRS Sat, Feb 20 - Guyana Jaguars v Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - CCG Sun, Feb 21 - Barbados Pride v Jamaica Scorpions CCG Mon, Feb 22 – Windwards Volcanoes v (Continued on page 19)

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

Bangladesh whitewash weakened Windies in ODI series AFP - Four players hit fifties as Bangladesh made light work of the West Indies to record a 120-run win in the third one-day international in Chittagong yesterday to sweep the series 3-0.

The home side bowled out a weakened Windies for 177 runs after half-centuries f r o m Ta m i m I q b a l , Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad and Shakib Al Hasan powered them to 297-6 in 50 overs.

Mohammad Saifuddin claimed 3-51, while Mustafizur Rahman (2-24) and Mehidy Hasan (2-18) chipped in with useful wickets.

The West Indies were all out in 44.2 overs with Rovman Powell top-scoring with 47 off 49 balls.

Tamim and Mushfiqur earlier struck 64 runs each, while Shakib made 51 and Mahmudullah Riyad put an unbeaten 64 off 43 balls.

“It has been fantastic for us. The hunger that the whole group showed was amazing,” Tamim said after the match.

“Coming to international cricket after 10 months, the effort the boys put (in) was amazing.”

Sent in to bat first, Bangladesh — which have now won eight consecutive ODIs against the West Indies — suffered an early blow when Liton Das fell leg before wicket to Alzarri Joseph in the first over.

Kyle Mayers dismissed Najmul Hossain in an identical manner after the left-hander made 20 runs.

Tamim and Shakib put on 93 for the third wicket before Joseph ended their partnership, getting Tamim caught by Akeal Hosein at mid-wicket.

Shakib was bowled by Raymon Reifer shortly after his 50, ending a 48-run stand with Mushfiqur.

Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah then added 72

for the fifth wicket before Reifer struck again.

Joseph took a catch at cover and the wicketkeeperbatsman departed after four fours and two sixes in his 55ball innings.

Mahmudullah then launched an onslaught, hitting three sixes and three fours.

The West Indies never managed to get going with the bat after Mustafizur dismissed two openers Kjorn Ottley (one) and Sunil Ambris (13) early.

Kyle Mayers (11) fell to Mehidy before Saifuddin who was playing his first match in the series ended the resistance of Nkrumah Bonner (31) and skipper Jason Mohammed (17).

Powell top-scored with 47, but Bangladesh patiently waited to complete the win.

Taskin Ahmed sealed the contest with a return catch of Raymon Reifer (27) after Soumya Sarkar trapped Powell leg-before.

The hosts won the first two matches of the series in Dhaka, by six wickets and seven wickets respectively.

“We were a bit far away in all the three games. The bowling did OK, today maybe 30 runs too many. The batting didn’t work at all,” said Windies captain Jason Mohammed.

His team came to the tournament short of at least eight players after several of them skipped the matches over coronavirus fears, while one tested positive for the infectious disease.

Shakib was named the man-of-the-series while Mushfiqur was named manof-the-match.

The two teams will play t w o Te s t m a t c h e s i n February.

Scores: Bangladesh 297 for 6 (Mahmudullah 64*, Iqbal 64, Rahim 64, Shakib 51, Joseph 2-48) beat West Indies 177 (Powell 47, Saifuddin 3-51) by 120 runs.

Bangladesh players celebrate a wicket during the match as they swept the West Indies.

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 26, 2021

Ambrose feels ex-players not involved enough in Windies cricket - Says greatest achievement was representing West Indies

Sir Curtly just after being Knighted in Antigua.

(Getty images)

By Sean Devers As predicted by most people knowledgeable about cricket, the depleted West Indies have lost all three ODIs in Bangladesh and the frail batting line-up does not inspire much hope when they clash in a much tougher Test arenas as they face Bangladesh in a Two-Test series which starts next month.

Asked why he thought the past players, especially those who played from 1980 to 1995, when the West Indies never lost a single series, performed outstandingly in all

conditions while the present crop struggle to win matches, former West Indies fast bowler 57-year-old Curtly Ambrose give his views on this and other issues concerning his life and West Indies cricket while speaking on the Sean Devers Sports Watch on Kaieteur Radio.

“Let’s be real here, people keep comparing these guys to the players from the glory days we had from mid 1970s and mid 90s…. that is a 20-year span. It will be extremely difficult to find players of that calibre once again.

I am not saying that we don’t have talented players in the Region…we do, but how are you gonna find p l a y e r s l i k e t h e Vi v Richards, Brian Lara, Gordon Greenidge, Malcolm Marshall…it’s gonna be very difficult.

So I don’t like to compare the guys today to those guys…It’s a different era.

Cricket has changed significantly and we can only use the product what we have now.

Who we have now, we have to work with them and try to find ways for them to improve, win games, win series and move up the ICC rankings,” said Ambrose, who captured 405 wickets from 98 Test matches; only Jamaican Courtney Walsh has more among West Indians.

Ambrose, who hails from the Village of Sweets in Antigua, has 255 scalps from 176 ODIs and 941 wickets from 239 First-class matches in a career that spanned between 1985 when he made his debut against Guyana at Bourda to 2000 when he played his last ODI against England at the Oval.

“I think where we went wrong was many years ago when we were the best team in the world. I don’t think the West Indies Cricket Board or the territorial boards did anything to nurture and harvest the talent we had. I think they just sat back and believed that we would continue to produce great cricketers while the rest of the world were putting things in place…Academies and things like that…while we did noting and as we see now all the other countries have moved ahead of us and we are now paying the price for not putting Academies and stuff in place,” Ambrose who

never played youth cricket and never had formal coaching, continued.

Ambrose performed well academically, particularly in mathematics and French, and became an apprentice carpenter upon leaving school at the age of 17.

“Basketball is still my first love and I wanted to move to the US were my dad and most of my family members lived. I wanted to go to College and play in the NBA but my mother encouraged me to become more involved in cricket,” said Ambrose who made his debut in the English County Championship for Northamptonshire in 1989.

When South Africa made their Test comeback in 1992 in a solitary Test against the West Indies, Ambrose’s devastating spell of 24.4-734-6 scripted a famous West Indies win. Set a modest 201 for victory, South Africa ended the fourth day at 122 for two. On the fifth day they could add only 26 more runs in the historic game in Barbados.

Ambrose, whose 6-24 destroyed England for 46 in Trinidad in 1994, and his series-clinching spell of 7-1 against Australia at the WACA the previous season, spoke about importance of pitches to the development of players as he explained bowling at Antigua Recreation Ground.

“In the earlies, the ARG used to be a good pitch for bowling with good bounce and pace but if you were a good batsman you could also score runs, but in the 90s it got slower because of the change in the groundsmen and after a while it got slower and flatter and it became good for batting and hard work for the bowlers, but initially it was a good cricket pitch.

The sir Viv Richards Stadium is not quite the same. There are days when it is good for batting and days when the ball will bounce and seam. What I find in the Region the pitches have deteriorated so badly that the players now don’t play the short ball very well. The pitches are low and slow and the ball hardly bounces above your waist but when we go overseas now and the ball bounces above the waist we can’t survive against short pitched bowling which is not our style of play.

We have to get back

bouncy tracks in the Caribbean so our batsmen can learn to play fast bowling and learn to hook and cut but I don’t think the turf is the main problem. From my experience of having around pitches and stuff and being around the groundsmen … you can’t tell them nothing, they have this notion that they know everything. When you tell to do a bit more or a bit more grass the first thing they ask is what you know about pitches and I don’t think they know what they are doing. A lot of times I hear them say it’s going to be a bouncy track with bounce and seam but the track is flat,” lamented the 6ft 8 inches’ pacer.

The legendary pacer feels that former players are not involved in West Indies cricket enough.

“I have always made it known from the time I left cricket that I wanted to give back to West Indies cricket since I have learned so much playing for so many years and gained so much knowledge and I want to help West Indies cricket…and when I say West Indies cricket I mean Antigua, Barbados, Guyana and have made that known. Yes, I have been involved here and there but in the general scheme of things, we as former players are not involved enough but it’s not our call … you want to give back but it’s the people in charge who makes the decisions so we are waiting,” explained Ambrose who was the Windies bowling coach for a brief period. “ M y g r e a t e s t achievement in sports was to represent the West Indies since being able to represent your country in anything is the greatest honour and privilege, especially since I never wanted to be a cricketer, so representing the West Indies team after playing for Antigua and then the Leeward Islands and being so successful is my proudest moment,” said Ambrose who never played club cricket until he was 20.

Ambrose, who is among only 15 pacers with over 400 wickets in the history of Test cricket which began in 1877, was the fifth bowler in the world to reach that landmark says, he thinks his success with the ball was mainly because of his pride of being West Indian. Sir Richard (Continued on page 19)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 26, 2021

PAGE 25

Ali, Austin star as Movements Family triumph

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai and Uttamkumar Isurdeen (in wheelchair) with members of V-Net Vipers and Mahdia cricket teams.

S

t e r l i n g performances from Ershad Ali and Raydon Austin guided Movements Family of Mahdia to victory in a threematch charitable T10 tapeball series against V Net Vipers on Sunday last at the Everest Cricket Club.

V Net Vipers were bowled out for 50 in eight overs, batting first in the opening fixture. Quentin Sampson made 22 with three sixes, while Raydon Austin grabbed 3-4 and Ali claimed 3-16.

Movements Family responded with 51-6 in eight overs. Andrew Gibson made 15 as Malcolm Hubbard took 2-16.

V Net Vipers scored 1136 taking first strike in the second encounter. Sampson struck five sixes in a top score of 36, while Kemol Savory made 27 with one four and two sixes and Kevon Boodie 12. Beepaul Bandoo took 2-4.

Movements Family replied with 116-4 in 9.5 overs.

Andrew Gibson stroked one four and five sixes in scoring 41, Ali hit fives sixes in a quick fire 36 and Ricardo Adams 13 not out with two sixes. Kemol Savory took 26.

In the final encounter, Movements Family managed 110-3, batting first.

Omesh Danram clobbered three fours and a similar

number of sixes in a brisk 43, while Paul Tyrell scored 37 with three sixes and Ali 25 which contained one four and two sixes.

V Net Vipers threatened before they were restricted for 105-7. Alex Rodrigues scored 44 including one four and four sixes, while Richie Looknauth slammed three sixes in 18 not out and Mark Jeffers got 13. Ali had 2-18.

Ali with 70 runs was given the best batsman prize, while Austin took the bowler trophy after taking five wickets. Movements Family received a trophy and $100,000 which they donated to 11 year-old member of Everest CC Narindra Isurdeen. He

attends Aurora Primary School on the Essequibo Coast. Uttamkumar Isurdeen father of Narindra expressed gratitude to the teams, while Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai lauded the organizers for assisting the Isurdeen family.

The management of both teams thanked Trophy Stall and the executives of the Everest Cricket Club.

The event which was sponsored by V Net Communications, Movements Family and Trophy Stall was also held as part of birthday celebrations of Rajkumar Singh of Movements Family. (Zaheer Mohamed)

Raydon Austin accepts his prize from Minister Pauline Sukhai.

RHTYSC, MS Cricket teams hosts Star Sports - Makes donation Tribute to Law Enforcement Programmes to Police Force Four outstanding Police Officers from the Rose Hall Town Police Outpost were honoured by the ten cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS on Wednesday last.

The Officers honoured were Constables 25410 Travis Cort, 13282 Melissa Crandon, 23656 Omkar Sooknanan and 21834 Randolph Mc Pherson. The awardees were honoured under the RHTYSC/Star Sports Tribute to Law Enforcement Programme.

Asst Secretary/CEO Simon Naidu stated that the cricket teams and the management of Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation were very impressive by the dedication and hard work of the officers attached to the Outpost.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster after a discussion with the Head of the Outpost, Sgt Melville, agreed to host an annual award ceremony under the

Naidu hands over anti-crime stickers to Police Commander Jairam Ramlakhan.

RHTYSC Tribute to Law Enforcement Officers programme.

The four officers were selected by the Police Force based on their attitude, commitment and hard work.

Naidu, committed the club to working along with the Outpost as part of its annual Say No to Crime campaign.The Rose Hall Town Police Outpost has over the years received numerous donations from the club including bicycles,

Television Set, DVD player, stationery, chairs, sports gears and kitchen utensils.

Naidu urged the four awardees to uphold their high standards and to continue to work hard every day to make sure that the small township is kept safe and secure.

The RHTYSC, he disclosed, every year hosts dozens of award ceremonies to honour heroes and these include teachers, retired teachers, law enforcement

RHTYSC Asst Secretary/CEO Simon Naidu poses with the four awardees. officers, medical workers, sports persons, outstanding students, community volunteers and role models among others. Each of the awardees received a trophy, medal and a collection of gifts.

Meanwhile, the RHTYSC in a joint project with its parent body, the St. Francis Community Developers, last week handed over a large amount of much needed items to assist the Police Outpost to fulfill its mandate. The joint donation included mattress,

kitchen utensils, foam boards, hand sink, cleaning detergents, clocks, electric fans and stove. The cricket teams also donated a quantity of face masks, face shields, hand sanitizers, cleaning detergents and COVID-19 posters to the Outpost as part of their COVID-19 response.

Asst Secretary/CEO Naidu and Vice President Mark Papannah also visited the Office of the Region Six Commander Mr. Jairam Ramlakhan and handed over one thousand anti-crime

stickers to the Police Force.

The stickers, which bear the phone numbers of every police station in the Ancient County, would be distributed free of cost to business places and residents.

The stickers project was a joint project of the RHTYSC, Berbice Cricket Board and F/H Printery of Georgetown.

Commander Jairam Ramlakhan expressed gratitude to the donors for their cooperation and hailed the outstanding work of the club.

Spo

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Mushfiqur Rahim punches one away, Bangladesh vs West Indies, 3rd ODI, Chattogram, January 25, 2020 © BCB

Bangladesh whitewash weakened Windies in ODI series

Ambrose feels ex-players not involved enough in Windies cricket - Says greatest achievement was representing West Indies Sir Curtly Ambrose in action. (Getty images) Marquez Valdez-Scantling scored a touchdown for the Green Bay Packers, who lost in the NFC Championship for the second successive season. (Reuters)

Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers to face Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55 CG Insurance Super 50 bowls off Feb. 7 with Hurricanes versus Volcanoes Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.