Kaieteur News

Guyana President K NEWS Irfaan Ali addresses Venezuela aggression

Sunday Edition

AIETEUR

January 31, 2021

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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ExxonMobil’s future expansion plans must be reviewed in wake of flaring Hess COO... Exxon wants to increase - World Wildlife Fund

P. 15

Guyana faces production capacity in Liza One grave danger Pres. Ali refuses to Linden farmer

acknowledge reports stumbles on male of third fishing vessel skeletal remains detained in Venezuela close to her home Exxon confident of CH&PA opens bid for four getting away with lane Eccles to flaring in 2021 Mandela road

Govt. holds exclusive press -conference refuses questions for State Media, News Room on oil industry P. 12

Malfunctioning of gas compressor…

Will Guyana face same design flaw in Liza Two, Payara? - Dr. Adams

Our political leaders are exposing us to grave danger.

They have failed to secure meaningful insurance coverage to provide robust protection if and when an oil spill occurs.

The local-registered subsidiaries of Exxon, Hess, and CNOOC are paper tigers. They lack the finances to provide satisfactory coverage should liabilities from oil spills accrue. Our leaders must demonstrate the courage to the oil companies’ parent bodies to demand insurance protection to cushion the effects of any oil spill.

On Friday, Nigerians won a court award for oil spill compensation against Royal Dutch Shell. It took 13 years for justice to prevail in a Dutch Appeals Court.

The Friends of the Earth Organization was instrumental in mobilizing legal representation for four poor farmers, who were among many affected by oil

pollution in Nigeria.

The court ruling has implications beyond Nigeria.

The court case provides precedent. It is an emphatic ruling that stresses the necessity of corporate responsibility in countries in which oil companies operate.

I f o n l y G u y a n a ’s spineless political leaders could act similarly as the Friends of the Earth and those four farmers, there could be greater confidence in the response to any oil spill disaster.

Our leaders must pressure Exxon to obtain satisfactory insurance to compensate us in the event of an oil spill. Our leaders must stop begging and bowing to the oil companies.

They must insist that unless there is satisfactory insurance in place, they will place a halt on oil operations.

Let it come to that if this is what it will take to protect us.

Oil contract can be renegotiated. Listen to the Glenn Lall Show Monday 7:20PM on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

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Kaieteur News

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

EDITORIAL

Biden and Race Last August, during the Republican National Convention, now former United States Vice President, Mike Pence made what would have seemed to be an unconscious gaffe, the sort of wording that is the result of lazy speechwriting. Pence said: “The American people know we do not have to choose between supporting law enforcement and standing with our African-American neighbors to improve the quality of their lives, education, jobs and safety. And from the first days of this administration, we’ve done both, and we will keep supporting law enforcement and keep supporting our African-American and minority communities across this land for four more years. Now Joe Biden says that America is systemically racist…”

Pence, like speaker after speaker at the convention – mostly White Americans – had sought to project the message that, against the spreading Black Lives Matter protest and an increasingly contentious conversation on racial inequality in America, there really was no racial problem. Talk show hosts and commentators immediately picked up however on the clear dichotomy that seemed the gaffe in Pence’ speech, that distinguishing between the implicitly legitimate “American people” with whom Pence identified and their “African-American neighbors” who enjoyed proximity to the Americans and technically shared part of the label of American, but who were clearly distinct from the true citizens of America.

It was not a mistake however. It was a theme that Pence would repeatedly return to, for example in a town hall meeting later in August, and via retweeting the core motif from his official page in September, continuously reinforcing the concept of two Americas, the core and implicitly White America striving to provide a good life to a subset of effectively resident aliens. Pence was the more passiveaggressive of what was the rabidly racist President of Donald Trump, a man who rode to power on falsely interrogating the legitimacy of the citizenship of his immediate predecessor, Barack Obama, and with the open support of the Klu Klux Klan.

Joe Biden, his successor, comes to power at the most critical time in 50 years when it comes to frontally tackling the issue of race in America. He himself has entered the Presidency bracketed by two racially historical figures – he served as Vice President for eight years under the historical first African-American President of America, Obama, and he serves as President over the historical first African/Indian-American Vice President, Kamala Harris.

Much of his mandate will in fact be to ensure that the theme of diversification of representation and power that has marked his later political career somehow not only cleanses the racism of the Trump era, but inoculates the grand American experiment against further significant future outbreaks.

Going forward, there are of course clear issues like police violence against and mass incarceration of AfricanAmericans, two direct and unbroken legacies of the indecent and brutal institution of slavery. But that is just the easily discernible core. The most difficult manifestation of racism to deal with in America is the sum of a multitude of microaggressions, still humiliating, still painful, that shows how thoroughly racism has manifested in America. While the cellphone video technology and the livestreaming capacity of the Internet has served to expose, for example, Karen culture, privileged White women harassing AfricanAmerican people, situation that often escalated with those women weaponizing the law enforcement system, heavily prejudiced in their favour, against the victims of their harassment. And that is just one categorical example, while there a million others, most of which defy easy categorization.

The most egregious example, taking place only last week, consisted of a cemetery in Louisiana denying a burial plot to the family of a deceased African-American policeman on the basis that its own rules, put in place fifty years ago as a response to the Civil Rights movement, designated the cemetery as a Whites only facility. In an America in which racial discrimination against the dead has survived without notice into the 21st century, Biden has a Herculean task of tackling the issue of race to benefit the living.

Sunday January 31, 2021

Why did Venezuela make its unjustified Essequibo claim in 1962?

DEAR EDITOR, In letters to the Editor dated September 18 and 27 and October 19 and 21 of 2020, I explored Venezuela’s unjustified and imperialist claim of the Essequibo and its coastal waters.

What is the origin of that claim? Why was the official claim made in1962, 63 years after the Paris Arbitral Award of 1899 confirmed that the border between Guyana and Venezuela is “complete, perfect and final”? Why was a claim not made in 1920, 1930, 1940 or 1950 or any other year before 1962?

The answer is in a recently released July 12, 1962 Secret Memo from the then USA Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, to the President of the USA John F. Kennedy. The Memo is in The National Security Archive in the Gelman Library at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., USA. (See https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/ briefing-book/intelligence// 2020-04-06/cia-covert-

operations-overthrowcheddi-jagan-british guiana1964. It is Document 8Secretary of State) The Dean Rusk Memo to John F. Kennedy outlined an “Action Programme for British Guiana” that included on page 25 the following: “Contingency Plan A. Discussion “Should the programme described above fail completely, there are other actions which could be taken to hamper or prevent a communist takeover in British Guiana. The Venezuelan and Brazilian claims are considered to be weak and neither country desires to take over the coastal strip on which British Guiana’s population and its problems are located.” “B. Diplomatic 1. Encourage Venezuela and possibly Brazil to pursue their territorial claims. This could result in an indefinite delay of independence.”

Now we have the confirmation why the USA did not take a public position for or against Venezuela’s

hostile action against Guyana in 1962, although Secretary Dean Rusk considered Venezuela’s claim to be weak.

The reason was that the Cold War was heating up between the USA and the Soviet Union in Latin America where the USA-aligned rich and upper middle classes were being seriously challenged by left-centre forces. In 1959, the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro overthrew the USA-backed Batista dictatorship. In 1961, the USA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba was defeated. That year, Castro declared for socialism and allied with the Soviet Union.

Then, there was the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis that took the world to the brink of nuclear war between the USA and the Soviet Union.

In Venezuela, political support for the 1959-1964 USA-aligned Betancourt government was declining after its main partner left the coalition, and two Cubanbacked guerilla armies had

launched an insurrection to overthrow his government.

Venezuela was where USA companies had their largest investments in Latin America, especially in the oil and mineral sectors. In 1961, to protect USA investments and to defeat the growing influence of Cuba and the leftcentre forces in Latin America, President John F. Kennedy visited Venezuela and launched the US$20 billion Alliance For Progress (AFP) to support land reform, to deepen democracy, to develop industry and agriculture and to increase the incomes of the peoples.

It can be assumed that President Kennedy discussed with President Betancourt in Caracas the situation in British Guiana where the left-leaning People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had won democratic elections in 1953, 1957 and 1961, and had established close relations with Cuba. In response, the USA (Continued on page 6)

Sunday January 31, 2021

To be in debt or not to be in debt?

DEAR EDITOR, Given the following factors: 1. We have an escalation in the border conflict with Venezuela and an untrustworthy neighbour in Suriname as illustrated by the most recent conflicts.

2. An aggressive timeline for proposed current investments, a number of which does not show a clear return on investment nor improve the security of the current investments in the coastal plain.

3.

The economic uncertainty faced by the world as a result of the pandemic and an increasingly unstable China and USA relationship.

It is necessary for the government to reel in spending and take a conservative position on debt. The current proposal places an uncomfortable percentage of our national earnings in play for the repayment of debt, while reducing the momentum to

strengthen our currency. The percent of export dependence within the economy and the key earning sectors that support our high level of imports would benefit from a stronger currency position. As for National Border Security, there is learning to be had by observing Vietnam and how it manages its national defence.

The gold and mining sectors coupled with the oil industry are vulnerable to externalities over which our country has little control. The sugar and agriculture sectors should see a positive economic environment given the expected global shortages. These combined sectors do offer a positive outlook for earnings and ensuring that the level of spend increases our financial independence during these uncertain times is essential to our National Security. Key to achieving the goal of financial independence is the forecasted reduction in oil

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Kaieteur News

and gas imports. Becoming a net exporter in the sector will aid in reducing the pull on currency reserves and offer an opportunity to strengthen our buying power.

As mentioned in a previous submittal, the net present value of our project portfolio needs to be positive and show a clear level of returns within a timeframe that is manageable and does not leave our economy unnecessarily exposed to unforeseen and forecasted economic shocks.

The world is currently in a very precarious economic environment and having a strong balance sheet and high level of Foreign Exchange Reserves is necessary to get us through these difficult and uncertain times. The upcoming budget debate is very important and will offer an opportunity to improve our Nation’s fiscal management.

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

Sugar is currently not viable in Guyana due to high production costs DEAR EDITOR, I am for SUBSIDISING the sugar industry in the short-term until alternative employment can be found for the sugar workers.

Wi t h the high production cost of sugar in Guyana (over twice world market price), the sugar industry is not viable.

But we cannot throw thousands of people onto the breadline.

We should be looking at finding alternative employment for sugar workers.

As sugar workers are classed as agricultural workers, could they adapt to farming fruits, vegetables and ground provisions?

While the David Granger Administration’s

own COI into the sugar industry said investment then privatisation, which they ignored, it does not put a figure on how much investment would be required.

Should GuySuCo continue with its drive to make sugar viable then they would need to drive down the cost of producing sugar.

I would suggest that they should look at making one estate viable. If successful then not only will it boost morale in the industry and by extension

Guyana, they can look at making the other estates viable.

Yours faithfully, Sean Ori

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Kaieteur News

Who is next?

DEAR EDITOR, The headline was bold: “STADIUM BAN!” (SN Jan 30), alleging sport reporters banned from the Stadium and must receive the approval for access.

Is this confounded nonsense for real?

Is this category of workers being denied the right

to ply their professional trade and duties unhindered?

First, the local cricket authority was labelled illegitimate and banned from this national facility. Who is next?

It is this type of attitude, which we fought against for five long months.

Shamshun Mohamed

Sunday January 31, 2021

The pandemic in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, As the pandemic is raging across the globe and with the new strains detected in Brazil, South Africa and the UK, some of which are more contagious and reports that one strain is more deadlier, most countries are taking measures to protect their citizens.

Some are closing their borders, introducing new restrictions and measures while the rich are vaccinating their at risk and health officials.

Guyana on the other hand, which has no capacity

to handle an alarming increasing daily cases, no vaccine in sight to vaccinate its vulnerable population is opening up.

Bars are now allowed to operate at 40 percent capacity.

Now tell me who will monitor a bar or rum shop where people are intoxicated, arguing and “gaffing” away?

Can the bar owner tell a drunk crowd to disperse because of the 40 percent rule?

This will certainly lead to mayhem. If one of the new strains is already in Trinidad, which has not fully opened its border, what makes one

think it’s not here already with Brazil just next door?

Manaus is out of oxygen, this city is well connected to Boa Vista, which is close to Lethem.

The Brazil strain is most likely here undetected and what makes it worse is that we don’t have the capacity to test for the newer strains.

The airport should be closed at least until the second wave has passed and our most vulnerable are vaccinated.

When one looks at what is happening at the markets, in minibuses, schoolchildren

on the road after school and even the activities carried out by government, its total madness because there is no social distancing and the majority of people are not wearing mask.

The government, up to now, has not made attempts to secure vaccines from India when other countries in CARICOM has done so.

Editor, these developments are quite worrying and we must do everything we can to protect our Guyanese people and not endanger their lives.

B. John

...Why did Venezuela make its injustified Essequibo From page 4 government financed disturbances in1962 and 1963 to destabilize and remove Premier Jagan’s government to prevent the possibility of ‘a second Cuba’ under an independent government led by Jagan. The destabilization activities are also recorded in recently released Secret documents in the National Security Archive in Washington D.C. This Rusk to Kennedy revelation should put an end to the contention that there is a legitimate dispute or controversy about the Essequibo. We need to publish this information throughout Guyana, in Venezuela and across the world.

Maduro, the Chavistas and

other left-centre political parties must stop the bullying tactics and follow the lead of the late President Hugo Chavez who, in 2005, 2007 and 2008, on television and on radio, courageously and honestly told the truth about the Essequibo to the Venezuelan people. He explained that in 1962, the USA had pressured the Romulo Betancourt Venezuelan administration to use Essequibo as a platform to destabilize the left-wing government of Cheddi Jagan. He also stated that Venezuela was also encouraged to overthrow Forbes Burnham, a left-wing leader. Once, at a press conference, in Venezuela, Chavez declared, “Do you expect us to denounce Guyana? When has Guyana snatched the Essequibo from us?” The 1962 Rusk to Kennedy Memo validates Chavez’s statement.

However, we Guyanese must not use this revelation as a ‘feral blast’ to publicly embarrass or challenge the USA. We have to follow the principle that we first

give respect to get respect. We understand that, at the time of the Cold War between the USA and the Soviet Union, there were fundamental differences and conflicts over how to foster human development around the world.

Now, it is in Guyana’s best interests to expand and deepen our relationship with the USA to become better friends and allies.

Guyana’s territorial/maritime integrity and sovereignty is being enhanced by the recent agreements with the USA on satellite surveillance of our exclusive Economic Zone, on narcotics interdiction and on expanded trade and investment.

In contrast to the early 1960s, the USA and Guyana are building a new mutually beneficial relationship where both countries commit to be balanced and fair about each other’s legitimate concerns, interests and aspirations.

However, we will not make or

accept any kinds of demands that will compromise the defence of our Essequibo.

Therefore, the coincidence of USA and Guyana interests means that the USA will have to persuade the USA-aligned right-centre forces in Venezuela to discontinue their aggressive and warlike actions to claim sovereignty over the Essequibo.

In addition to supporting the legitimacy of the hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the 1899 Arbitral Award, Guyana has to prioritize with our key allies (the USA, CARICOM, Brazil, the European Union, the Commonwealth and the NonAligned Movement) how the left-centre and right-centre forces in Venezuela must be persuaded to turn away from bullying tactics against Guyana.

Geoffrey Da Silva Former Guyana Ambassador to Venezuela

PAGE 8 Works ongoing at alternate East Bank Demerara road.

Kaieteur News

Sunday January 31, 2021

CH&PA opens bid for four-lane road from Eccles to Mandela Avenue The government, through the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA), is now inviting bids for the construction of a four-lane road from Eccles to Mandela Avenue, which was first announced by President Irfaan Ali last week.

The road will be 2.8 kilometers long and will include the construction of 12 bridges.

“We are expecting to commence work – once the evaluation is complete and the budget is approved – in April,” Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, has stated.

The road will provide a link from the road that is being constructed from the sprawling Diamond Housing scheme to Eccles, which itself has a large housing area and an industrial site.

President Ali has said he wants the project completed by the end of the year.

The construction of the road from Eccles to Mandela

Avenue will be allocated in six lots and contracts will be awarded to the lowest evaluated qualified bidder and only one lot will be awarded to a bidder.

If one bidder is adjudged the lowest qualified bidder for more than one lot, the Evaluation Committee will recommend which lot the bidder is recommended for.

“This will allow a spread for quick implementation,” Croal stated.

The delivery/ construction period for the project is 210 days per lot.

Bids are open until February 25.

Minister Croal has said that the opening of the new four-lane road will allow for the opening of more lands for housing and he said he was pleased that the CH&PA is the lead agency for the project.

“It shows the capacity of the CH&PA and its technical team,” Croal stated.

New Year’s Kiss

By Saleena Hack New year, new beginnings.

Bitter sweet cold air.

The sun peaking through the gloomy clouds.

Your scarf around my neck.

The way your hands fit perfectly into mine.

I snuggled against your neck and watched the trees sway away.

The harsh wind in Connecticut pushes me off the pavement and onto the moist grass.

I caught a glimpse of your hazel eyes staring at me.

Your hands shakily grasp my waist as you smirk and pull me in closer to you.

You gently brush the tiny strands of hair away from my face.

Time stood still. Your glistening eyes wandered into mine.

The floor beneath me ceased to exist.

You softly press your lips against mine, and the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

The warmth of your skin, the taste of vanilla beans dancing on your tongue.

You heaved a euphoric sigh.

There’s magical symphony in the air.

Sunday January 31, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Ex-Nigerian leader stole billions by the truckloads

By Adekunle Yusuf The Nation Online - A report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has shed more light on how former military Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha stole billions of dollars using “security” purposes as a cover.

The details were released

by Swiss lawyer Enrico Monfrini, who was contracted by the Federal Government in 1999 to trace the public fund looted by the late military head of state. He spoke exclusively with the British broadcasting giant.

Abacha, who ruled from 1993 to 1998, died in office in mysterious circumstances on June 6, 1998. According to the man hired to get the money back, an international treasure hunt spread over decades revealed that the former head of state stole billions of dollars through dubious methods, including directly withdrawing humongous cash from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for fictitious projects.

Although Monfrini had amassed huge Nigerian client base as a lawyer since the 1980s, working in coffee, cocoa and other commodities, he admitted that he was initially afraid to take up the task when he was recruited to get hold of the money stolen by Abacha.

When asked if he could find and block the money and arrange that the looted money be returned to Nigeria, he said he accepted the job, “but in fact, I didn’t know much about the work at that time. And I had to learn very

quickly. So I did.”

Among many brazen methods used for accumulating colossal sums involved Abacha asking an advisor to make a request to him for money for a vague security issue. Monfrini said Abacha would then sign off the request, which the advisor would then take to the CBN, which often had no qualms handing out the money, often in cash. The aide would then take most of the loot to Abacha’s house – with some taken in dollar notes “by the truckload”.

This was just one way Abacha and his associates stole huge amounts of money.

Other methods ranged from awarding state contracts to friends at highly inflated prices and then pocketing the difference and demanding foreign companies pay huge kickbacks to operate in the country.

This went on for around three years until everything changed when Abacha died suddenly, aged 54. Though Abacha died before spending the stolen billions, Monfrini said a few bank details served as clues as to where that money was stashed. “The documents showing the history of the accounts gave me a few links to other accounts,” he said.

Armed with the information provided by the Nigerian government at the time, the lawyer took the issue to the Swiss attorney general, leading to a breakthrough, after he argued successfully that the Abacha family and their associates formed a criminal organization that almost stole Nigeria blind.

Dem boys seh...

The Law of the Kingdom Hear Ye, Hear Ye! The Royal Court of King Charles is now in session. We shall now hear from the Lord Chancellor.

Lord Chancellor: It has been brought to the attention of His Majesty King Charles II, that a pack belonging to the public reportage, have been trampling on the Royal Grounds on the pretext of looking for evidence of destruction to the royal turf consequence upon a polo match, which was held in shoddy weather a few weeks ago.

His Majesty is concerned that this pack of public reportage is encroaching on the royal turf not as single spies but in Banta-lions. The King is concerned that actions of the Bantalions will do more damage than that which is being attempted to discover.

He wishes to indicate that the recent use of the royal grounds for a polo match have done no damage. The royal grounds remain in impeccable condition. His Majesty’s word is the law and any attempt at contradicting this law is subject to sanctions.

Given the extreme desire to protect the territorial integrity of the Royal grounds, His Majesty King George has issued the following Proclamation: “It is hereby decreed therefore that all members of the public reportage will henceforth be deprived of visiting or inspecting the royal grounds. Any attempt at trespassing on the royal grounds or attempting to access the royal grounds will be subject to immediate exile from the Kingdom.”

Ex-Nigerian leader, Sani Abacha

The attorney general issued a general alert to all the banks in Switzerland demanding that they disclose the existence of any accounts opened under the Abachas’ names and aliases. “In 48 hours, 95% of the banks and other financial institutions declared what they had which seemed to belong to the family. Banks would deliver documents to the prosecutor in Geneva and I would do the job of the prosecutor because he didn’t have time to do it,” Monfrini told the BBC. The success in Swiss banks uncovered a web of bank accounts all over the world. “We would find out on each account exactly where the money came from and/or where the money went to.

Showing the ins and outs on these bank accounts gave me further information regarding other payments received from other countries and sent to other countries.

“So it was like a snowball.

It started with a few accounts,

and then a large amount of accounts, which in turn created a snowball effect indicating a huge international operation. Bank accounts and the documents that go with them talk a lot. We had so much proof of different money being sent here and there, Bahamas, Nassau, Cayman Islands – you name it,” the famous lawyer said.

Because the size of the Abacha network was massive, Monfrini said nobody seemed to understand how much work it entailed, as had to pay many people, many accountants, and many other lawyers in many countries to get to the heart of the matter. He disclosed that he had to agree on a commission of 4 percent on the money sent back to Nigeria – a rate he insisted was comparably “very cheap”.

Unfortunately, as it turned out, finding the money turned out to be relatively quick in comparison to getting it

returned to Nigeria. “The Abachas were fighting like dogs. They were appealing about everything we did. This delayed the process for a very long time.” Further delays came as Swiss politicians argued over whether the money would just be stolen again if it were returned.

While Monfrini wrote in 2008 that $508m found in the Abacha family’s many Swiss bank accounts was sent from Switzerland to Nigeria between 2005 and 2007, he added that the amount Switzerland had returned to Nigeria had reached more than $1bn by 2018. He lamented that other countries were slower to return the cash.

“Liechtenstein, for instance, was a catastrophe. It was a nightmare.” But in June 2014, Liechtenstein did eventually send Nigeria $277m.

Six years later, in May 2020, $308m held in accounts based in the Channel Island of Jersey was also returned to Nigeria. This only came

after the Nigerian authorities agreed that the money would be used, specifically, to help finance the construction of the Second Niger Bridge, the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and the Abuja-Kano road.

But some countries are yet to return the loot.

Monfrini said he is still expecting $30m, which he said is sitting in the UK, to be returned along with $144m in France and a further $18m in Jersey. On the whole, he said his work secured the restitution of just more than $2.4bn. “At the beginning, people said Abacha stole at least $4-$5bn. I don’t believe it was the case. I believe we more or less took the most, took a very large chunk, of what they had. They are not swimming in money like they used to do in the past.

“When I speak to my very many children about this case, I tell them I found money and I blocked the money, I persuaded the authorities to go after these people and get the money back to the country for the good of the Nigerian people. We did the job,” Monfrini told the BBC. Since Abacha’s death, Nigeria has received $3.61 billion of the money looted by his military government with the latest being the $311m returned by the U.S. and the British dependency of Jersey.

According to the anticorruption agency Transparency International, the military ruler stole as much as $5 billion during his time in office, with Switzerland believed to have returned around $1bn over the last decade.

(Republished from thenationonlineng.net)

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FRONT PAGE COMMENT RECAP As we continue our mission to enlighten you about issues of importance to this nation, we at Kaieteur News, have been publishing a series of front-page comments in hopes of having our leaders take the necessary actions in order to realize the desired outcome. Today, we recap the front-page comments that were published during the past week.

Following a letter published in the newspaper by one Glenn Lall, the Commissioner of Police held a meeting with Lall and two policemen were specially assigned to address this problem.

Lall, with the support of the authorities, built a lockup at the Stabroek Market to detain those targeting and robbing shoppers. The result was that crime disappeared from the area.

The idea of a similar facility, this time to jail our crooked politicians, is likely

WEDNESDAY Fellow Citizens, In the oil business, no insurance means no protection. No protection means high exposure. High exposure spells danger.

This is what Guyana could potentially face in light of our leaders’ stubborn refusal to demand that Exxon take out the appropriate and adequate insurance coverage to protect us in the event of an oil spill.

We are like people sleeping in a house without a roof. This foolhardy omission is enough to keep every Guyanese awake at night, worried about what can happen in the event of an oil spill.

Pres. Ali refuses to acknowledge reports of third fishing vessel detained by Venezuela

Jail them!

SUNDAY Thirty-three years (33) ago, robberies were rampant around the Stabroek Market area.

The pockets of housewives were slashed and their handbags ripped from their arms, while they were focused on their purchases.

The authorities, including the Guyana Police Force and the City Constabulary, appeared helpless in preventing or halting these daily attacks.

Something had to be done, and it was by a citizen that triggered action.

Sunday January 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

to enjoy public support, especially when one considers how these politicians have conspired to deprive our people of the country’s oil wealth.

We are not being funny or frivolous. All those who have colluded to sell-out our future and to allow our oil wealth to be plundered, can use the time in such a lockup to contemplate the harm that they have done to this country and its people, and to repent for their wicked deeds.

Open letter to all Guyanese

Fellow citizens, one massive spill could wipe out our future. A major oil spill will destroy our fishing grounds. Oil will seep into our agricultural lands destroying the one sure source of our livelihoods.

Oil will line our foreshores and destroy the mangroves, which protect us from the ocean. It will cause lasting environmental, ecological and economic damage. It will cripple our economy. One simple mistake or accident can reduce all of us to paupers.

And worse yet: everything it does to us, it will do to our neighbouring

countries. Who will foot the bill to compensate them Guyana? As long as you, the Guyanese people, remain silent and do not speak out, our leaders will continue to act with impunity, ignoring what needs to be done to protect you and your children’s future.

Fellow citizens: raise your voices! Speak up! Don’t let them force us further into poverty and destitution.

Demand that the government obtains adequate oil spill insurance. Now!

The Tweet by ZODI61.

President Irfaan Ali yesterday, during his briefing/ press conference refused to acknowledge reports that a third fishing vessel has been detained by the Venezuelan military.

Kaieteur News had reported last Thursday that a third Guyanese fishing vessel, ‘Miss Annie,’ bearing registration number GR972360 and its seven-man Guyanese crew were detained on January 25.

When asked yesterday, whether these reports were true, Ali responded that his

government is only addressing the vessels outlined in his statement.

“The vessels that we are addressing are the vessels outlined in my statement; those are the two vessels that we have been following up.

The two crews, I have named the two vessels. Those are the two vessels held by Venezuela. Those are the families we are communicating with, the owners of the boats and that are where we are in relation to the vessels.”

These two vessels are the

Lady Nayera and Sea wolf which were intercepted on January 21, by the Venezuelan Navy Vessel, Comandante Hugo Chavez GC 24.

According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the vessels were at the time operating in Guyana’s Economic Zone just of the Coast at Waini Point.

The captains of the vessels were reportedly instructed by the Venezuelan armed force to navigate their way to Port Guiria, where they are currently detained.

However, days later, on Continued on page 64

Glenn Lall, Publisher

More FDPs mean more tombstones in economic graveyard FRIDAY

The costs associated with each new Field Development Plan (FDP) keep increasing steeply by billions of dollars. Liza-1, Liza-2, and Payara-3 have saddled Guyana with a US$18B in costs.

However, as we reported yesterday, Exxon is not satisfied with what it has already squeezed from us. It now wants to submit a fourth FDP for approval by December 2021.

The costs associated with that fourth FDP are estimated to be another

US$6-9B. When added to the costs of the previous Liza fields, Guyana would be indebted to the tune of almost US$30B, and that does not include interest.

Our feeble political leaders have placed us in this jeopardy.

They now stubbornly refuse to renegotiate the oil agreements, so that we can get a fair deal and reduce our future indebtedness.

Liza-1, Liza-2, and Payara3 stand as the first tombstones in Guyana’s economic graveyard. And

now with this proposed fourth oil project, our oil hopes will now be consigned to the burial ground of dreams.

Based on our leaders’ shabby record of negotiation, Exxon should face little resistance in securing an expeditious approval of its fourth FDP. Our leaders have betrayed us. Instead of riches, they are burdening us with multibillion-dollar bills.

Guyanese, understand what is involved, and where YOU stand!

The detained Guyanese fishing vessel ‘Miss Annie.’

A Venezuelan National guard on board the vessel.

Sunday January 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Govt. holds exclusive press conference for State Media, News Room In their first press conference of the year, the Irfaan Ali-led administration excluded most media houses from attending the same engagement. Instead, it held an exclusive engagement for the state media and the private news agency, News Room.

In the advisory sent to the media for his address to the nation yesterday, the Office of the President did not state what would be the issues addressed in the President’s speech, but only that it would be live streamed.

- refuses questions on oil industry What came as a surprise, however, was that shortly after the President’s address; the independent media found out that Ali had set out to host a press conference, but only with the state media, namely the Guyana Chronicle and other media house, the News Room.

Excluded media houses like the Prime News, News Source, Stabroek News and this publication took their

displeasure to a media group managed by former reporter, Edward Layne, in a bid to seek an explanation for their exclusion. At the time, Layne could not offer justification, but indicated that media houses could send their questions to the group and that he would relate them to the President.

However, when it came to Kaieteur News’ turn to send questions, which were

focused on Guyana’s oil and gas industry, Layne refused to relate the questions to the President, stating that the press engagement was only focused on the GuyanaVenezuela controversy as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to this notice, Kaieteur News was not aware that the questions were only focused on the two aforementioned topics.

President Irfaan Ali during his address to the nation, yesterday.

Notwithstanding, Kaieteur News’ questions, which were environmentalrelated, focused on recent news that ExxonMobil had increased flaring at their Liza Destiny operations – the US oil giant’s first petroleum development project offshore

Guyana. The company’s flaring comes after their gas compressor had malfunctioned for the second time in one year, and like last 2020, the company is expected to release billions of cubic feet of toxic, natural gas into the atmosphere.

ERC clears Cathy Hughes of allegations of racial incitement

APNU+AFC (MP), Cathy Hughes The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has cleared A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament (MP) Cathy Hughes of allegations of racial incitement.

Hughes had been accused of making some racially charged statements on Facebook last December following an altercation between relatives of the slain Henry cousins and police ranks. A screenshot of a comment supposedly made by the APNU+AFC MP prompted an investigation by the ERC. A summary of the c o m m e n t s r e a d “ W h y, Why, Why. Has this family not had more than most can bear? Madness” to which someone responded, “It seems to me as though someone wants a civil war in this country, our people are being too quiet and

these people need attention”. The image then showed Hughes supposedly responding to the comment saying “This country needs a civil war”.

After the image was circulated, the ERC released a statement stating that they have expeditiously started an investigation into the comment that was “calling for an undesirable and dangerous action which can potentially impact negatively on ethnic relations”.

Hughes had however denied making the comment, saying that it was “fraudulent” and “wholly untrue”.

Yesterday, the ERC issued a letter of apology to Hughes explaining to her that she had been cleared of the allegations. The Commission however that it was liable to launch the investigations since such comments whether Continued on page 13

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Vulnerable women receive 15 fullyfunded scholarships from First Lady First Lady Arya Ali has granted 15 fully-funded scholarships to vulnerable women drawn from two local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on Friday.

An official release from the Office of the First Lady stated that the beneficiaries of the scholarships are women who are considered to be highly vulnerable, due to their living conditions in the past and present, and the fact that none of them was able to complete the formal school system.

At a ceremony held at the State House, she granted eight of the scholarships to women from ChildLink and seven to women from Help and Shelter.

The scholarships will provide the women with the opportunity to study and train at the Carnegie School of Home Economics for one to two years.

The Office of the First Lady will fund the tuition in full; however, the Ministry of Public Service will also be lending their support by providing a monthly allowance to cover transportation cost, meals, and uniforms.

A Memorandum of Understanding has since been inked between the Office of the First Lady and the Ministry of Public Service to ensure that the commitment is fulfilled and that over the next four years, the Ministry

provides similar opportunities for women in need.

The First Lady stated that Guyanese must be cognizant of the fact that women are already disproportionately affected, and more effort should be made to ensure that they are provided with the tools and resources pertinent to improving their marketability and integrating them into the labour force.

She said, “I am very happy to be able to provide these women with a window of opportunity to empower themselves and positively impact those around them.”

Also present at the ceremony was the Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag, who expressed her willingness to support initiatives of that nature.

“I jumped on this opportunity to facilitate this activity, specifically for the fact that these women will be empowered to the point of becoming independent. This is what we want to see in society; women being given opportunities and being treated equally,” Parag expressed.

In addition to providing the monthly allowance for this year’s scholarship recipients, the Minister pledged that each year, provisions are made for vulnerable women to benefit from similar opportunities through the Public Service Ministry.

ERC clears Cathy Hughes...

From page 12 true or false could not be taken lightly.

In the letter to Hughes, the ERC explained that given its mandate, the Commission has to receive and investigate complaints of racial, ethnic, religious and cultural discrimination brought to its attention.

The ERC noted nonetheless that the team has concluded that the comment “this country needs a civil war” was intended to create nothing more than mischief in the Guyanese populace.

In that regard, the

Commission noted that it recognizes that the source and identity of the individual(s) connected to the comment made.

As such, the Commission said it will be forwarding its findings to the Cybercrime Unit of the police for necessary action.

At the interim, the Commission took the opportunity to apologise to Hughes for any public ridicule which was made and expressed its willingness to render any further assistance, which it deems necessary in assisting with the investigation.

First Lady, Arya Ali (seated centre) and Ms. Soyinka Grogan (seated left), Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Public Service, signing the MOU as Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag (seated right) looks on.

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Dead: Trevis Wickham

Kaieteur News

Sunday January 31, 2021

WELDER KILLED AFTER LOSING CONTROL OF BIKE Family members and friends of a welder are struggling to cope after he was tragically killed in an accident on Friday last along the Foulis Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

According to police, Trevis Wickam, 29 of Bachelor’s Adventure, ECD, was tragically killed, after he lost control of his motorcycle and collided with a motor van and a minibus around 09:05hrs.

His loved ones said that they did not know where he was heading at the time of the

accident but believe that Wickham was travelling to Golden Grove on business.

Wickham had promised to return home later that day, to work on a gate for his friend; however, this was not to be.

Investigators detailed that while Wickham was riding east along the Foulis Public Road, reportedly at a fast rate, he collided first with a motor van and then into a minibus, which were both heading in the opposite direction (west).

A video seen by this media house showed Wickham clipping the left

Wickham’s mangled motorcycle. front side of the motor van first before slamming head on into the bus.

The impact flung Wickham onto the roadway causing him to receive multiple injuries about his body and his motorcycle ricocheted and skidded some distance away.

He was quickly assisted by public-spirited citizens on the scene. Police were told that he was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Family members received the tragic news sometime later. Wickham’s aunt, Odessa, said that they were notified by someone who reportedly saw Wickham and his bike lying along the roadway.

His parents and sisters still had hope that he was alive and rushed down to locate him at the hospital.

When they finally found him, they were told that he did not survive.

News of his demise shocked many of his friends who flooded Facebook with posts expressing their shock.

His aunt Odessa, told Kaieteur News that he was an aspiring businessman with great plans for future.

He opened his own welding company called Wickham’s Welding, Fabrication and Construction services. Odessa added that during the last days of his life, he was working on expanding

his company to include a wholesale drink’s depot.

Apart from his ambitions, Odessa said that he was a genuine human being who dedicated himself to family especially his parents and siblings. She described him too as well mannerly, kind and someone with a great sense of humour.

“One of the things, which I will miss about my nephew is those early morning conversations.

Every morning before he leaves the house, he would come into in my room to see how I was doing and we would ‘gaff’,” she said.

Also struggling to cope with his sudden death is his girlfriend, Ashanti, who said that she fell in love with his humble personality and someone she could always count on to “have her back”.

She recalled too that there is never a dull moment around Wickham.

“He always made me smile and laugh. In fact, he is known for cheering up anyone around him,” she said.

Ashanti continued, “Trevis did anything for anybody without complaining. He was a churchgoer and an active Christian. Trevis was never the type to go parties, drink or smoke. He worked hard every day and maintained a humble personality.”

She added that as she continues to cope with this tragic reality, she will miss his presence and amazing personality.

Sunday January 31, 2021

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

SUNDAY LIBERIAMANDATES ALL OIL COMPANIES TO CONTRIBUTE TO RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAMMES - BUT GUYANA DEMANDED NOTHING Even though Liberia does not have a well-developed upstream oil and gas industry, it has certainly taken several measures to ensure that its citizens are well protected in the deals stuck with oil giants like ExxonMobil.

This is quite evident in a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) that it signed with the oil titan in 2013.

In that agreement, it notes that Exxon Mobil is required to contribute to a Rural Energy Fund (REFUND) in accordance with the African nation’s National Energy Policy.

The provision in the agreement outlines that the fund was established to integrate renewable energy technologies into rural development.

Considering that oil is a finite resource, the agreement goes on to note that it is the policy of the State that oil resources be used to support the development of renewable energy resources in order to ensure energy security and sustainability upon cessation of petroleum production.

It was further noted that the Contractor should therefore make an annual contribution of US$100,000 during exploration and production through the National Oil Company of Liberia to the REFUND. The provision states that the first payment shall be made within thirty (30) days of the Trigger Event Date of the Contract and thirty (30) days after each subsequent anniversary of the Effective Date (March 8, 2013).

The agreement also notes that the amounts payable pursuant to Article 19.4(a) during the exploration and appraisal phase shall be adjusted annually for inflation for each payment after the initial payment in proportion to the change in Deflator over the Contract Year ending on the last day of the Calendar Quarter for which a Deflator has been published immediately prior to the due

date of each payment.

Importantly, Liberia was keen to note that the contribution to the REFUND referred to in Article 19.4(a) will not be recoverable and shall therefore not be treated as Petroleum Costs.

In addition to this contribution, Liberia also requires ExxonMobil and other companies it signed such agreements with, to make payments to a Hydrocarbon Development Fund, which would be used to stimulate research in the field of hydrocarbons, most especially in continental areas, and to assist the State in its overall goal of achieving energy sustainability.

Within thirty (30) days of the Trigger Event Date of this Contract, the Contractor is mandated to make a one-time contribution of Five hundred thousand Dollars (US$500,000) to this fund.

The provision said that the contribution to the Hydrocarbon Development Fund referred to in Article 19.3(a) will not be recoverable and shall therefore not be treated as Petroleum Costs.

Although the Granger Administration and the PPP Government have both advocated for the need for renewable energy, neither have asked for the oil companies to make similar contributions.

EPA MAKES NO COMMITMENT TO CORRECT OUTDATED INSURANCE PROVISION IN LIZA ONE PERMIT When it comes to ExxonMobil’s future oil developments – Liza Two and Payara – Guyana is covered in the event of an oil spill, but in the case of the Liza One project, the country is left exposed and runs the risk of acquiring massive debt to compensate for the damages.

But, while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), headed by Sharifa Razack, has the opportunity to amend the document as it sees fit, it has made no move to do so.

Kaieteur News had pointed out that Section 13 of the Liza One permit, which speaks to Institutional Authority, states: “The EPA reserves the right to review and amend the conditions attached to this Permit in accordance with Regulation 14 of the Environmental Protection (Authorizations) Regulations, 2000.”

Similarly, the Regulations state in Section 14 (1): “The Agency may at any time by notice in writing to the holder of the permit, cancel or suspend an environmental authorization or impose such

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conditions as the Agency considers appropriate in addition to or in place of the existing conditions, with effect from such date as the Agency may specify provided that the cancellation, suspension or modification shall not give rise to an additional adverse effect.”

Then in 14 (2): “The Agency may cancel, suspend or modify an environmental authorization during its currency for any of the following reasons… the Agency establishes new or revised standards in respect of the operations of the facility [among others].”

These provisions were pointed to Razack in an email on December 6 last with a very specific question attached inquiring whether the EPA intend to update the Liza One environmental permit to secure Guyana against financial liability. The EPA head responded on January 8 stating “As in the Liza 2 Permit, the Liza I Permit contains conditions (12.1, 12.3, and 12.5) which holds the Permit Holder liable for pollution and damage caused to the environment.

References to section 39 (1), (2), (3) and (4) of the Environmental Act in condition 12.2 of the Liza 1 Permit also hold the Permit Holder liable to penalties for environmental harm as prescribed in the Fifth Schedule of the Act. Regarding the Liza 1 Permit, the EPA has already requested that Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) for evidence of insurance and such evidence have been submitted to the EPA.” However, that response given was a mere deviation from the question being asked. Since then, Kaieteur News has sent approximately four follow-up emails to the EPA head and five phone calls, all of which went unanswered.

It was former EPA head, Dr. Vincent Adams, who made sure that it was Exxon – the parent company and not the subsidiary, EEPGL, – which accepted unlimited liability for any disaster that occurs during oil production at its Liza Two project. That provision would go on to be included in all oil companies’ future environmental permits.

In the meantime, the Liza One permit is set to expire on June 1, 2022 and at that juncture, EEPGL and its parent company would need to apply for a new environmental permit and be held to new standards.

Though that deadline is months away, the EPA can capitalize on it and correct the

loophole. If not, Guyana would be left to expend billions for decades in the event of a large oil spill during this period, an event that would cripple the country and result in inconceivable damage.

GHANA WAS ABLE TO TAKE CONTROL OF SPENDING ON FPSOS – GUYANA SHOULD DO THE SAME – ENERGY STRATEGIST Trinidadian energy strategist, Anthony Paul, said that Guyana must take control of the spending it does on Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels and other aspects of proposed field developments to ensure that the economics serve the people of Guyana well.

Paul, during a December 10 interview on Kaieteur Radio’s ‘Guyana’s Oil & You,’ told Senior Journalist, Kiana Wilburg, of how Ghana armed itself with officials who were technically capable of making the case, in one instance, that an additional FPSO proposed by oil companies, was not necessary.

“I was fortunate to actually be in Ghana working for the government, advising the regulator at the time.”

Paul said. “We would sit down as a team, look at seismic data, and look at models. Look at well part choices and discuss among the technical team what the choices were.”

Paul reported observing a clear decision-making process about the need, or lack thereof, for the second FPSO. “They had a very strong manager/CEO [Chief Executive Officer] who was very technical as well, and who could make the case to the Minister. The Minister

had faith in his regulator and his people, to tell the companies ‘this is my decision’,” Paul said.

Explaining this situation further in a telephone interview with Kaieteur News, Paul said that in the Ghanaian oilfield of Jubilee, there was a partial development with an FPSO, which would deplete a part of the field. Approaching the time for the implementation of a second FPSO, Ghana’s regulator reviewed the plan and found that, as the well reserves had already been in decline, it would be better to use the existing FPSO alone to complete the production and preserve money.

The takeaway for Guyana, Paul explained, is that this country should have the capacity to review field development plans effectively, including the equipment, costs, reservoirs, production and have a holistic picture of the economics of each proposed operation.

“Managing your resource is very technical and you need strong capacity, people who understand those things to negotiate with the companies to approve field development plans,” he said.

The energy strategist noted that it is often forgotten that the Government, in these situations, is the boss – not the other way around.

“Agreements are contracts. The operator is a contractor working for the government.” He said. “The government is the boss. We

tend to forget that.”

Paul is of the view that if the developments are left to the mercy of oil companies, a government runs the risk of results that are only in favour of the companies.

ExxonMobil sees potential for 10 FPSO vessels offshore Guyana, according to its Global Vice President of Deepwater Projects, Jayme Meier. Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has said that he is in favour of aggressive and fast-paced depletion of Guyana’s reserves, as he believes that Guyana has a short window to capitalize on its oil riches before renewables take over.

MONDAY EPA DEMANDS NO STUDIES FOR FIVE PROJECTS DEALING WITH HAZARDOUS OIL & GAS CHEMICALS – AGENCY LACKS CAPACITY TO DO TESTING An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) can be defined as a critical tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project whether it may be for the construction of a plant or warehouse for industrial or chemical purposes. Once completed, the document which comprises the risks the project would pose to the environment would be assessed for approval by the relevant authorities. In spite (Continued on page 22)

PAGE 22

From page 21 of the importance of this critical report, Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been taking a position of not requiring EIAs for at least five projects dealing directly with a slew of hazardous chemicals used in the petroleum sector. Not only is the move alarming to most industry advocates, but equally concerning is the fact that the agency which is meant to be Guyana’s environmental watchdog, severely lacks the capacity to monitor the influx of chemicals set to increase as the sector expands.

In addition to severely lacking basic capacities such as human resources to assess simple environmental issues, the EPA is also devoid of simple equipment to measure pollutants in the air.

As is required, the EPA would publish public notices listing projects that require its authorization. On those very notices for the projects in question, the EPA stated: “In accordance with Section 11 (2) of the Environmental Protection Act, Cap 20:05, Laws of Guyana, the application for each project listed above has been screened by the agency to assess its potential environmental impacts and it has been determined that these projects will not significantly affect the environment or human health, and therefore are exempt from the requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).”

But without the requisite equipment to conduct tests or a study to determine the impact which the project will have on the environment and nearby environs, it is unclear how and why the EPA arrived at that conclusion.

Of the five projects, Glass Holdings Inc. had planned to construct a Chemical Storage and Warehouse Facility and Laydown Yard, at A3 & A4, Plantation Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara.

The company had outlined in its project summary that it planned to store chemicals such as Asphaltene Inhibitor, Corrosion inhibitor, Biocide, Hydrate Inhibitor, Demulsifier, Chlorine Scavenger, Defoamer and Hydrate Inhibitor.

Then there was Ramps Logistics with the construction of an oilfield services and supplies storage and container transfer facility meant to store and process similar chemicals.

Later on, Oilfield Waste Management Services (OWMS) announced plans to construct a thermal

Sunday January 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

desorption waste treatment plant based on a thermal desorption separator (hammer mill) that uses friction to heat wastes so that oil residue are evaporated.

Another form, Environmental Waste Management Services Guyana Inc., has planned the construction of waste treatment (Bioremediation) facility at Lots 21 and 22 Block XXV111 Zone, Plantation Friendship, East Bank Demerara (EBD) to process mud sludge generated from activities in the oil sector.

The most recent project to seek the EPA’s approval is that of John Fernandes Limited with the construction of a Hazardous Materials Storage Facility at Plantation Fairfield, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD) to process and store Asphaltene Inhibitor, Corrosion inhibitor, Biocide, Biocide Filter, Hydrate Inhibitor, Demulsifier, Chlorine Scavenger, Defoamer and Hydrate Inhibitors.

The common denominator in these projects was the fact that they would all be located in proximity to residential housing areas and even in one case, in proximity to a community reservoir.

While the EPA stipulates a 30-day period for complaints and objections to be lodged, that deadline would be missed by concerned residents who only discover the small notice tucked away in the local newspapers weeks after.

By that time, the projects would be given the stamp of approval leaving residents to deal whatever harmful effects that follow.

Guyana’s response capacity was already tested in a major way after a “Rheduce” chemical spill at the Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC) leading to the EPA putting a halt on chemicals being stored at the wharf.

A forklift pierced the container holding the chemical that was left at the facility for months after being

imported by Schlumberger Guyana. While the chemical placed no harm on the environment and human life, what was worrying about the incident was that the EPA was notified more than nine hours after the spill had occurred.

COALITION MP COLLECTED $5.7M FOR CONSTRUCTION OF PIG PEN USING UNREGISTERED ASSOCIATION It has been revealed that Jermaine Figueira, an A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), collected $5.7M to construct and extend pig pens in Linden via a co-operative society that was never officially registered.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, who spoke to Kaieteur News Sunday.

According to Hamilton, Figueira’s association, the Green Jaguar Environmental and Community Development Co-operative Society, was handed the funds in 2019 to construct the pig pens which are part of a pig rearing project for the Wisroc community in Linden.

It is one of the many community projects funded under the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme in 2019.

The groups receiving project funding are required to be registered as Co-operative Societies before any disbursement is made. But Figuera’s company was never officially registered.

In fact, Hamilton said that the documents that were submitted by his “cooperative society” failed to meet the criteria. He said too that even though Figueira submitted an application to be registered, it was still pending when the funds were disbursed. To date, the cooperative society has not been registered by the Department of Co-operatives.

Hamilton’s claims were supported by documents, which were seen by this newspaper. The Minister also highlighted that the pig rearing project was being executed on private lands.

Kaieteur News understands that the Minister even visited the area on Friday, last, where he got a first-hand view of how the moneys collected were being utilized. It was during this time that the official discovered that the project is incomplete.

On Saturday via a Facebook post, Figueira responded to Hamilton’s disclosures where he called them “wild, irresponsible and callous”.

The young politician claimed that Hamilton’s utterances were intended to tarnish his reputation and gain “cheap political points”.

He also denied receiving any money, saying, “I take this opportunity to publicly state and make it absolutely clear, that I Jermaine Figueira, Member of Parliament for Region Ten, has never been the recipient of any disbursement of monies from the sustainable livelihood and entrepreneurial development (SLED) programme in 2019 or any other year for that matter”.

But his claim of not receiving any funds was contradicted by documents seen by Kaieteur News, which clearly outlines that Figueira was the contact person, coordinator, recipient of the money and contractor for the project. A status report as of December 12, 2019, stated that the building was completed as well as the extended section for the pigs.

It was found following a visit by the Minister that the doors for the extended section were not sturdy, there was no drainage system built for the wastewater, there was a

wooden beam that needed reinforcement to support it, and no pigs were in the pens as yet.

The very document also showed that he received an interim payment on July 19, 2019, at the tune of $3.1M. The report also showed that the final payment was collected.

Figueira has since asked Minister Hamilton to withdraw the “character assassination” and the “malicious article” that was published regarding the same issue. He has also demanded a front-page apology or he will take legal action against Hamilton and those media entities, which published his statements.

Figueira’s association is among several in different regions that has not been officially registered by the Department of Co-operatives but have received funds for projects under the SLED programme.

GOVT. TO RECEIVE 2020 LIZA ONE OPERATING COSTS FROM EXXONMOBIL – HAS TWO YEARS TO AUDIT With over US$6 billion in unaudited bills from oil supermajor ExxonMobil, the company’s local subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), is set to hand Guyana yet another one by the end of the first quarter of this year. The new bill will account for the operating costs ExxonMobil footed for the year 2020 to run the Liza Phase One development.

The deadline for the submission of these costs is set out in the Payara production licence.

Section (k) of the licence, which speaks to Cost Estimates, states “Within one hundred and eighty (180)

days from the date of the Licence, the Licensee shall submit a report in the format and degree of detail no less than that as set out in Schedule X2 (Operating Costs Estimates) as follows: Schedule X2 – Breakdown of Actual Operating Costs for the first year (or such shorter period as has completed as of the date of the report) of operation of Liza Phase 1…”

In this case, the licensee refers to the Stabroek Block co-venturers, ExxonMobil (the operator), Hess and CNOOC. Schedule X2 of the licence sets out the categories of operating costs: Operations, Maintenance Repair & Inspection, Logistics, Well Work, and Cost Above Field.

The operating costs are separate from the development costs for a well.

While development costs cover what is needed to procure and install the equipment for production at a well, operating costs cover what is expended to keep the production running.

ExxonMobil will be expected to submit the yearly operating costs for each well it produces from as Liza Phase Two and Payara come onstream, in addition to the development costs.

Because all of those costs are expected to be recovered, Guyana is charged with auditing ExxonMobil’s submissions to ensure that it and its partners do not recover unreasonable or otherwise overstated costs.

The Stabroek Block production sharing agreements (PSA) grants Guyana a two-year window to scrutinize these costs, after which, all claims must be accepted as is.

Guyana’s lack of capacity to audit oil companies’ (Continued on page 23)

Sunday January 31, 2021

From page 22 submitted costs and at a suitable pace is a going concern for the media and transparency advocates.

The only audit Guyana has done on Exxon’s costs was outsourced to a British firm called IHS Markit. The firm was charged with auditing Exxon’s first set of costs of US$1.6 billion, inclusive of pre-contract expenditures. The previous administration had allowed more than years to pass before it contracted the firm to audit the supermajor’s precontract costs in December 2019. Despite the fact that this contract was awarded over a year ago, setbacks have held up its completion.

The Government is set to review a draft report from Markit – the second report in the process, which it accepted from the firm – after which it will submit the document to Exxon and its partners for comments.

The government has made some adverse findings, according to Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, including claims for expenses, which it doesn’t consider recoverable.

After Exxon’s comments are made, the government is supposed to instruct Markit to submit a final report.

After that is handled, the government will have to turn to in excess of US$6 billion of outstanding claims to audit from ExxonMobil.

FISHERMEN CAN BE FRONTLINE OF MONITORING EFFECTS OF OIL OPERATIONS – DR. JANETTE BULKAN University of British Colombia (UBC) Professor, Dr. Janette Bulkan, recently posited that Guyana’s fisherman can be the frontline in the monitoring of the country’s inshore waters, especially in reporting the effects of the oil operations on marine life.

Dr. Bulkan made these and other comments two Saturdays ago during a virtual Moray House Trust discussion titled Guyana’s Oil: Priorities for 2021. There, the UBC Professor reminded that regular seagoing fishermen would possess the knowledge to report changes in inshore waters.

According to Dr. Bulkan, who is an Anthropologist by training, these changes could include observing oily sheen on the water tops, unusual numbers of concentration of dead fish, the temperature change of the water and even the smell of the air.

“You do not need a UG degree to begin to be incorporated in what’s

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happening to the environment,” she reminded, while adding that by including the fishermen as monitors, it would give them an added sense of meaning or purpose.

“Fishers will then see themselves as (protectors) of Guyana, not just as the poorest people who are invisible to everyone else,” she expressed.

Further, with the fishers’ local knowledge, Dr. Bulkan indicated that they can work with regulators such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Government of Guyana and even non-government organizations (NGOs), so as to share data and resources to develop systems of monitoring.

The Professor stated too that the government should compensate fishermen for their monitoring, through proceeds derived from the oil production. To this, she recalled reading a study where Sea Conservation International in Suriname, in 2019, had conducted a small study where they worked with owner-operated fishing boats. Participating fishers, the Professor said, were asked to focus on Grey Snapper and Sea Trout.

She added that these fishermen were asked to complete a form, indicating where and when they spotted these fishes, and whether they had observed any ripe eggs.

Captains who completed an assessment form received US$10 on the day of the fishing trip for participating in this project, she stated.

Such a project, Dr. Bulkan notes, should be monitored independently by a credible NGO or a regulatory agency.

TUESDAY DAVID PATTERSON, RAWLSTON ADAMS CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING HARBOUR BRIDGE Former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, and former General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC), Rawlston Adams, were Monday charged for defrauding the DHBC of over $160M. Patterson and Adams made their first appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates Court Monday. 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

Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon (left), and Former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, outside the court yesterday. 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 on-going probe by SOCU in relation to Patterson’s role in solesourcing the Dutch company that was selected to conduct the feasibility study.

After the contract was made public in 2017, the then Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (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 and Tender

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 later stated that it had sought legal advice, and that there is no evidence that a criminal offence was committed.

Recently, SOCU 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 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.

EXXON WOULD DUMP UP TO 29,000 BARRELS OF OILINTO OCEAN YEARLY WITH 10 FPSOS Kaieteur 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 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 has no effect on the 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 well, Dr. Adams had reminded, while stating that, “You’re telling me that the lives and the health and (Continued on page 24)

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From page 23 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 reinject 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.

STABROEK BLOCK CO-VENTURERS PLAN 12-15 WELL DRILLING CAMPAIGN – HESS The 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, Monday.

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

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a differentiated portfolio of assets that we believe will provide industry leading 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).

WEDNESDAY ONE YEAR LATER… GUYANA STILL TO DO INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF OILAND GAS RESOURCES In late 2019, the Energy Department had announced that it would be procuring a consultant to conduct a 2D, 3D seismic survey offshore Guyana so that a better understanding can be had of the nation’s oil and gas potential. But more than a year later, this exercise is yet to kick start.

The survey was seen as a critical as it would help to determine whether the large acreage Guyana offers for offshore exploration and subsequent development, should be kept the same size or reduced. The Energy Department had even stressed that the survey was vital as it would help Guyana offer packages that would retain more value than before.

While Guyana continues to move at a snail’s pace on this matter, its continental

neighbours are wasting no time in using the news of its discoveries to propel more defined studies. In fact, a consultancy called Brazil Petroleum Studies (BPS), recently conducted an assessment to ascertain if it also holds the offshore potential that is being harnessed in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.

According to BPS, it recently completed an integrated petroleum system study of the Brazilian Equatorial Margin. It said that the results clearly show that the plays, associated elements, processes of the petroleum systems identified in Guyana and Suriname are identical to those present in the Foz do Amazonas and Para-Maranhão basins.

These two basins are located in ultra-deep waters near the Brazilian Equatorial Margin.

The discoveries that are of particular interest to BPS and which motivated the latest assessment include the giant deep-water Liza, Payara, Turbot, Ranger, Liza deep, Snoek, Pacora, Longtail, Hammerhead, Pluma, Tilapia and Haimara fields in Guyana; as well as the Maka and Sapakara fields (discovered

by Apache in Suriname) and the Zaedyus field (discovered

by Tullow in French Guiana).

BPS went on to note that the study of the Equatorial Margin went far beyond conventional seismic and well-data mapping by applying state-of-the-art basin modeling and Advanced Geochemistry Technology (AGT) to oil samples recovered in the Foz do Amazonas and ParaMaranhão basins.

Taking the findings of the study into consideration,

along with the new state-ofthe-art 2D seismic data acquired by TGS in the Foz do Amazonas and ParaMaranhão basins, BPS said it is left to conclude that “the region could be a sleeping supergiant deep-water hydrocarbon frontier.”

It should be noted that the said data even supported the incorporation of the offshore concessions into the list of approved 92 exploration and production blocks that Brazil had put up for sale in its 17th bid round. They were subsequently removed due to environmental concerns. (See link for more details: https:/ /www.spglobal.com/platts/en/ market-insights/latestnews/coal/010721-brazilscnpe-approves-92-offshoreblocks-for-17th-bid-roundanp).

VENEZUELA’S FOREIGN MINISTER WORKING ON EARLY RELEASE OF ABDUCTED GUYANESE FISHERMEN Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza has promised to pursue early release of Guyanese fishermen, vessels detained in Venezuela for the last five days.

This is the latest development in the attempts by the government to have the 12 Guyanese fishermen and their vessels released from the custody of the Venezuelan authorities.

The men and their vessels have been detained since last week Thursday despite calls from the Guyana Government for their release.

Since their detention, Guyana Foreign Minister Hugh Todd has engaged in virtual dialogue with his

Bolivarian counterparts.

In a recent statement to the press, Todd related a virtual meeting with the Venezuelan Minister of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs was cordial.

He noted that Arreaza undertook to pursue the early release of the men, Guyana’s Foreign Ministry noted.

“The Foreign Ministers exchanged views within the context of the detention of the vessels and crew,” the statement added.

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister assured that the crew members were being treated with utmost respect for their human rights, the statement added.

Earlier on Monday, Todd dispatched a note of protest to the Venezuela authorities.

Todd summoned the Chargé d’ Affaires of the Embassy of Venezuela, Mr. Moses Chavez, to transfer the protest note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela.

The protest note firmly condemns the illegal detention of the captains and crews of the Guyanese registered fishing vessels, the Lady Nayera and the Sea Wolf and calls for their immediate release.

Minister Todd used the opportunity to voice his concerns on the matter; he said that, “the action coming out of Caracas is distasteful.”

The Minister added that based on latitude and longitude, the two vessels were well within Guyana’s territory.”

The Foreign Minister highlighted the regional zone of peace and called for Venezuela to operate in a manner consistent with international rule of law. He reiterated Guyana’s commitment to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as a means of bringing to a close the Guyana/ Venezuela border controversy.

On Thursday, January 21, 2021, the two vessels were intercepted by Venezuelan naval vessel Commandante Hugo Chavez GC 24, while operating off the coast of Waini Point at a position of N 80 49’ 06"/ w 590 37’ 40" W. The Government of Guyana is using all diplomatic channels to ensure the safe return of the crew and vessels to Guyana.

AFTER YEARS OF DELAYS, CGX FINALLY LOOKS TO DRILL IN CORENTYNE, DEMERARA BLOCKS Following several years of delays on their part, CGX Resources Incorporated, is

looking to drill wells in the Corentyne and Demerara blocks – two oil concessions offshore Guyana.

According to a notice from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), applications for Environmental Authorization have been submitted to the regulator for the following projects, “CGX Resources Inc. – Petroleum Exploration Drilling (1 Well), Corentyne Block, Offshore Guyana” and “Petroleum Exploration Drilling (1 Well), Demerara Block, Offshore Guyana.”

In accordance with Section 11 (2) of the Environmental Protection Act, Cap 10:05, Laws of Guyana, the EPA stated that the applications for the projects listed above have already been screened by the agency to assess the potential environmental impacts, “and it has been determined that the projects will not significantly affect the environment nor human health and are therefore exempt from the requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).”

Notwithstanding this decision, the EPA says it will require CGX to prepare and submit an Environmental Assessment and Management Plan (EAMP) for each of the projects. “The EAMP will assess any possible impacts on the environment and/or human health, and detail specific mitigation measures to be taken to ensure that the proposed projects are implemented in an environmentally-sound manner,” the regulator said.

In keeping with the Environmental Protection Act and the EPA’s regulations, the agency reminded that any person who may be affected by any of the proposed projects may lodge an appeal against the neglect of an EIA with the Environmental Assessment Board within 30 days of the publication of the notice.

Corentyne and Demerara Blocks CGX’s decision to drill comes after years of delays on the part of this Canadianbased exploration company.

In fact, Kaieteur News had reported since 2012, CGX Resources Incorporated had been in possession of a licence for the Corentyne Block.

According to the agreement signed with the then government on November 12, 2012 for the offshore concession, CGX was supposed to drill at least four wells on the block by 2019. But this did not occur.

Instead of fully meeting its (Continued on page 25)

Sunday January 31, 2021

From page 24 obligations, CGX had drilled two wells in 2012, both of which were abandoned — Eagle-1 as a dry hole and Jaguar-1 for safety concerns.

Since then, it has made promises to drill more wells in search of oil but until recently, never did.

CGX had even gotten the former Coalition administration to water down their work programme for Corentyne block, but the company still failed to honour the new obligations.

With regards to the Demerara Block, Kaieteur News had reported that after being in possession of a licence for the Demerara oil block offshore Guyana for eight years, CGX had failed to drill a single well. What is notable, is that this company claims Guyana owes it US$20M despite drilling no well on Demerara Block.

THURSDAY EXXONMOBIL WANTS TO SUBMIT FOURTH FDP FOR APPROVAL BY DECEMBER – HESS -DEVELOPMENT COST LIKELY US$6-9 BILLION ExxonMobil has set its sights on a fourth oil development in the Stabroek block, and intends to ask for the government’s approval, later this year. Hess Corporation’s Chief Operations Officer (COO), Gregory Hill, revealed during the company’s 2020 Q4 earnings calls Wednesday, that the Stabroek block coventurers – ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC – anticipate the completion and submission of a field development plan (FDP) for Guyana’s approval, by the fourth quarter of 2021.

The COO told Barclays Capital analyst, Jeanine Wai, that the Yellowtail area has a large, high quality reservoir and that is the reason why it was moved up the queue for development.

In response to a question from Simmons Energy analyst, Ryan Todd, Hill said that Hess expects the Yellowtail breakeven to be “somewhere between at US$25 and US$32 breakeven.” For those unaware, the breakeven price is the price at which the oil must be sold to cover the cost to produce it. Every additional dollar on the barrel would be the profit. The breakeven prices estimated for Guyana’s oil developments are among the best in the industry. Chief Financial Officer at Hess Corporation, John P. Rielly, had said during the previous earnings call that Liza Phase Two is arguably the best

project in the industry.

When asked to comment on a likely development cost for the Yellowtail project, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Hess, told Scotiabank analyst, Paul Cheng, that “you could assume development costs will be very similar somewhere between Phase 2 and Payara.”

Liza Phase Two has an estimated development cost of US$6 billion, while the Payara estimate stands at US$9 billion.

“These are very good reservoirs, very high deliverability, very high quality crude oil,” Hess said.

“That’s why that breakeven is in between the two, it really comes down to just how much infrastructure you’ll need…”

ExxonMobil announced the Yellowtail-1 find in April of 2019. The Noble Tom Madden drillship had encountered approximately 292 feet (89 meters) of highquality oil bearing sandstone reservoir and was drilled to a depth of 18,445 feet (5,622 meters) in 6,046 feet (1,843 meters) of water. The well, Exxon had said, is located approximately six miles (10 kilometers) northwest of the Tilapia discovery.

Subsequent appraisal drilling led to a Westwood Global Energy assessment of more than 300 million barrels of oil equivalent resources in the well.

Hess had said as early as last September, during his participation in a fireside chat at the J.P. Morgan U.S. All Stars Conference, that the partners were looking at Yellowtail for the fourth development.

The Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel will likely have a production capacity of 220,000 barrels per day. This would take production capacity in the Stabroek block to 780,000 barrels of oil per day, once Yellowtail-1 follows first oil at Liza Phase Two and Payara.

Liza Phase Two is set to join Phase One in 2022, with Payara

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scheduled for first oil in 2024.

The Stabroek block partners intend to have 750,000 barrels of oil being produced every day by 2026, and see potential for 10 FPSOs to develop the ninebillion-barrel reserve.

DISSATISFIED SHAREHOLDER TOCHALLENGE EXXONMOBILFORBOARD SEATS -DEEPLYCONCERNED ABOUTCOMPANY’S CARBON EMISSIONS Engine No. One, a new investment firm, that seeks to enhance long-term value through active ownership, announced Wednesday that it has formally nominated four highly qualified, independent director candidates with diverse track records of success across the energy sector to the ExxonMobil Corporation’s Board of Directors. This is expected to be heard at ExxonMobil’s upcoming Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

Engine One’s challenge for board seats is rooted in its dissatisfaction with ExxonMobil’s emissions output.

According to Bloomberg, the oil giant’s annual emissions from its operations are set to increase from 122 million metric tons in 2017 to 143 million metric tons in 2025.

The investment firm is also concerned about the company’s decisions, which have led to its declining fiscal health.

In a statement to industry stakeholders, Engine No. 1 stated, “Investors increasingly want to see companies focused on the long-term and ExxonMobil is no exception. We believe that ExxonMobil’s Board needs new members who have proven success positioning energy companies for today as well as tomorrow, and who are sufficiently independent from the current Board to ensure a clean break from a strategy and mindset that

have led to years of value destruction and poorly positioned the Company for the future.”

While ExxonMobil has recently taken incremental steps to improve its performance in the face of financial and shareholder pressure, Engine One said it is of the firm belief that a reactive short-term approach is no substitute for a proactive long-term strategy that addresses the threats and opportunities facing the company in a changing world.

Taking this into consideration, among other factors mentioned earlier, the new investment firm is proposing four independent nominees – each of whom it believes, brings a differentiated skill set that makes them uniquely suited to help the Board chart a new value-creating path, including better long-term capital discipline, strategic planning, and management incentives.

The nominees being proposed by Engine One are Gregory J. Goff, Kaisa Hietala, Alexander Karsner, and Anders Runevad.

This newspaper understands that Goff has a long track record of success in the energy industry. He served as the CEO of Andeavor (ANDV), a leading petroleum refining and marketing company formerly known as Tesoro, for eight years ending in 2018. He was named one of the “BestPerforming CEOs in the World” by Harvard Business Review in 2018.

With regard to Ms. Hietala, Engine One was keen to note that she is an experienced leader in strategic transformation in the energy sector who began her career in oil and gas exploration and crude oil trading. She played a central role in the strategic transformation of Neste into the world’s largest and most profitable producer of renewable diesel and jet fuel,

which was named by Harvard Business Review as one of the “Top 20 Business Transformations of the Last Decade” in 2019.

Mr. Karsner is also an accomplished energy industry entrepreneur and policymaker with more than three decades of global conventional and renewable energy experience. According to Engine One, he began his career developing and financing large-scale energy infrastructure, and as a private equity investor, venture partner, and advisor, his portfolios have included some of the most successful cleantech startups of the past decade.

As for Mr. Runevad, Kaieteur News understands that he is a successful business leader with global energy experience and was a signatory of the United Nations Paris Climate Agreement. He served as the CEO of Vestas Wind Systems, a wind turbine manufacturing, installation, and servicing company with more installed wind power worldwide than any other manufacturer, for six years ending in 2019, and is credited with turning around the company. He had appeared on Fortune’s “Businessperson of the Year” list in 2016 and was named one of the “Best-Performing CEOs in the World” by Harvard Business Review in 2016, 2017, and 2019.

Since learning of Engine One’s intention to grab four Board seats, ExxonMobil responded Wednesday stating that the notice of nomination would be evaluated in line with the corporation’s by-laws.

ExxonMobil said too that it will continue to update shareholders in the coming weeks on the company’s strategy to build long-term, sustainable value for shareholders.

This newspaper understands that it will also provide updates on

company performance and actions to address climate change, including initiatives to commercialize technologies, which are key to reducing emissions and meeting societal goals consistent with the Paris Agreement.

FIRST PERSON JAILED FOR HOSTING ILLEGAL PRIVATE PARTY A Lindener, is the first to be jailed for hosting a private party in breach of the COVID19 restrictions, as it relates to social events.

The man, Clive Nobrega, of Christiansburg, Wismar, Linden, Wednesday appeared in the Linden Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Wanda Fortune, for the ruling of his matter.

On his first court appearance, Nobrega had denied the charge, which stated that on January 24, 2021, at Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden, he hosted a private party in breach of social activities, in contravention of No. (2) (1) (b) restrictions contrary to Section 21 (2) of the Public Health Ordinance, Chapter 145.

He was placed on $30,000 bail, pending the outcome of the matter. However, Magistrate Fortune ruled that the prosecution has produced enough evidence for the offence that Nobrega is charged for, and as such, she sentenced him to two weeks imprisonment.

FRIDAY VENEZUELA RAMPS UP NAVALACTIVITY IN GUYANA’S WATERS SINCE MADURO’S DECREE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, informed the National (Continued on page 26)

PAGE 26

From page 25 Assembly Thursday that Venezuela has ramped up its naval activity in Guyana’s waters, following the January 7, 2021 decree made by President Nicolas Maduro, in which he laid fresh claims to the Essequibo.

In a statement to the National Assembly, Todd noted the increased activity in Guyana’s maritime space

by Venezuelan navy vessels and other Venezuelan state assets continues to undermine Guyana’s development.

The Foreign Affairs Minister explained too that “such illegal activity,” threatens Guyana’s sovereign rights of its maritime space and hinders economic activity. According to Todd, this threat was proven in the unfortunate incident of January 21, 2021, when two Guyanese fishing vessels, namely, Lady Nayera and Sea Wolf, were intercepted by Venezuelan naval vessel, Commandante Hugo Chavez GC 24, off the coast of Waini Point (well within Guyana’s territory).

“The crew and both vessels were illegally detained by the Venezuelan Government and are currently still in detention at Port Guiria.

Guyana has strongly condemned the illegal detention of its citizens and the illegal seizure of their fishing vessels by the Venezuelan navy. As I speak, my Ministry continues to engage the International community to resolve this issue in the most peaceful and diplomatic manner,” Minister Todd said in the statement.

At the interim, Minister Todd noted that the international community has shown strong support for Guyana with the issue.

He explained that “Individual Member States of CARICOM and the Community as a whole, have denounced the action taken

by Venezuela calling upon them to release the crew and vessels.”

The Organization of American States has also issued a statement in which it points out that resolution of the territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana is a matter that lies under international jurisdiction, and cannot be settled by unilateral action.

In this regard, Todd stressed that any attempt to derail this international legal process, such as the decree, issued by the Maduro regime is contrary to international law and standards, and has no legal bearing on significance.

“We are encouraged that

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the international community is seized on this matter and has encouraged Venezuela to release our Guyanese nationals and their fishing vessels and to desist from actions that violate international law and threaten the peace and stability of the region,” Todd said.

So far, Guyana has garnered support from individual member states of the international community including Belize, Brazil, Canada, France, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as through regional and international groupings of CARICOM, the OAS, the Commonwealth, the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union in its strenuous endeavours to preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela announced during a meeting of the National Defence Council held on January 7, 2021 that he had established “a new maritime territory” of Venezuela, claiming that the territory called “Territory for the development of the Atlantic Façade” should provide adequate protection and safeguard the jurisdiction of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

EXXON TOACCELERATE SEARCH FOR MORE OIL WITH 12-15 WELLS THIS YEAR – TWO DRILL SHIPS ALREADY LINED UP FOR MARCH, APRIL COVID-19 pandemic or not, US oil titan ExxonMobil intends to pursue an accelerated search for oil offshore Guyana in the Stabroek Block as it is poised to drill 12 to 15 exploration and appraisal wells this year. This was recently revealed by its junior partner on the block, Hess Corporation.

During that company’s fourth quarter earnings call, its Chief Operating Officer (COO), Greg Hill, disclosed that the wells will target a variety of prospects and play types. He said that these will include lower risk wells near existing discoveries, higher risk step outs, and several penetrations that will test deeper lower Campanian and Santonian intervals.

Further to this, the Hess employee said that this ramped up programme will allow the partners, inclusive of CNOOC/ NEXEN, to speed up exploration of the block and enable optimum sequencing of future developments. In addition, Hill said that the emerging deep play on the block which

is in the line-up for drilling is believed by the partners to have significant potential.

Kaieteur News understands that further drilling will help to determine its commerciality and ultimate value.

Over the next several months, Hill said that Hess will participate in two exploration wells and two appraisal wells on the Stabroek Block. In this regard, he disclosed that the next exploration well to be drilled is [Koebi-1] [Ph], which is located approximately 16 miles Northeast of Liza. He said this well will target Liza type Campanian aged reservoirs, and is expected to be spud in February using the Stena Carron drillship.

In March, the Hess COO said the partners expect to spud the Longtail-3 appraisal well, which will provide additional data in the Turbot, Longtail area while adding that they intend to drill a deeper section that will target lower Campanian and Santonian geologic intervals.

The Stena DrillMAX will be used for this exercise.

Moving to April, Hill said that Hess expects that Exxon will spud the Yellowtail-2 appraisal well utilizing the Noble Don Taylor drillship, while the Mako-2 will be drilled later this year. He said that success in this regard could move the Mako Uaru area forward in the development queue.

In May, this news agency understands, Exxon intends to spud the Redtail-1 one exploration well located approximately 12 miles east of Liza. This well will test Campanian and Santonian aged reservoirs and will be drilled by the Stena DrillMAX. GOVT. TO RAISE OVERALL PUBLIC DEBT CEILING The People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government has

tabled two Orders at the National Assembly in a bid to raise the country’s debt ceiling. It was Senior Minister in the Office of the President (OP) with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, who tabled the two Orders at Thursday’s parliamentary proceedings.

In the Orders, it was proposed that the domestic debt ceiling be increased to $500 billion, almost three decades after the last upward revision to $150 billion in 1994. Additionally, a new external borrowing ceiling of $650 billion was proposed, three decades after its last increase to $400 billion. Both of these increases reflect a 233.3% and 65% increase, respectively.

According to a Ministry of Finance (MoF) statement, the move to increase the domestic debt ceiling was influenced by several factors, one of which it says is the existence of a large Consolidated Fund overdraft at the Bank of Guyana, accumulated over the last five years.

Government is now seeking to remedy this situation through the issuance of appropriate instruments. However, if the overdraft were to be addressed under the existing ceiling for domestic debt, a breach would result, the statement said.

It went on to say that the government would require the issuance of new domestic instruments, in future, to finance various policy initiatives, and to stimulate development of the domestic financial market.

“Meanwhile, it added, the move to increase the external debt ceiling is to accommodate the existing level of external debt contracted, plus anticipated new borrowing to fund government’s development agenda.”

“Importantly, these revisions to the external and domestic debt ceilings do not threaten Guyana’s long-term debt sustainability, given the substantial economic progress made since the early to mid-1990s, when the ceilings were last revised, and the country’s robust economic outlook,” the MoF said.

At the time of the last revision in 1991, the Ministry said, Guyana’s external debt ceiling was set at more than 1,000% of GDP. In contrast, the new proposed external debt ceiling would amount to less than 60 percent of GDP, using the latest 2020 GDP estimates.

“On the domestic side, when last revised in 1994, Guyana’s domestic debt ceiling was set at almost 200 percent of GDP. In stark contrast, the revised domestic debt ceiling would amount to less than 50 percent of GDP. The abovementioned comparisons clearly depict that Guyana’s current debt carrying capacity could safely accommodate the proposed ceiling increases,” the Ministry concluded SATURDAY FLARINGAT LIZAWELL TO INCREASE AS SHIP’S GAS COMPRESSOR MALFUNCTIONSAGAIN Flaring at ExxonMobil’s Liza Destiny FPSO will increase above pilot levels after a technical issue with the ship’s gas compressor was encountered. This was reported Friday by the oil giant’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).

In an operations update, ExxonMobil said that the issue relates to the seal on the gas compressor. It said that malfunction will cause a temporarily increase in flaring in order to maintain safe operations.

Commenting on the matter, Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana said, “We are disappointed that this unexpected issue has occurred and we’re working diligently with the vessel’s owner and the equipment vendor to understand and fix the issue as quickly as possible.”

The statement noted too that government authorities have been informed and regular updates will be provided.

Questions were posed to Exxon’s Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Janelle Persaud, by Kaieteur News and other media entities as to whether the temporary

increase in flaring will exceed 15 million cubic feet per day and whether production will be at a slower pace.

In response, Persaud stated that later updates will be provided.

It was only last year December that the company reported that it had successfully commissioned the gas injection system, which was fixed months after malfunctioning. That state of affairs had resulted in over one billion cubic feet of gas being flared along with the release of toxic chemicals.

Exxon was only meant to briefly flare gas at project start-up in late December 2019 to test and fully commission the gas compression and injection systems at the site.

However, the company would end up flaring gas way longer than expected, for more than a year in fact.

According to an Environment Protection Agency (EPA) brief, ExxonMobil had said that the third stage-flash gas compressor and suction silencer had been sent for repairs in Germany and were returned to the Liza Destiny FPSO in late October, 2020.

The EPA had said that same was being reinstalled and was expected to restart functioning in midNovember. Exxon, according to the November update, had expected the equipment to take one to two weeks of testing to confirm that the repairs and modifications worked.

Notably, at the end of October, the company had flared more than 16 million cubic feet of natural gas, thereby making Guyana one of the top five countries in the world for volume flared per year, per capita.

DUTCH COURT ORDERS PETROLEUM GIANT TO PAY NIGERIAN FARMERS FOR OIL LEAKS The Hague Court of Appeal Friday ordered the Nigerian subsidiary of energy giant; Shell, to provide compensation for oil leaks in the Niger Delta that damaged the lands of farmers in villages of Oruma and Goi back in 2004 and 2005.

That ruling is one that may very well pave the way for new lawsuits against multinational oil companies who operate with an aura of “untouchability” as both Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited and the Dutch-based mother company, Royal Dutch Shell, were held liable for the spills.

Industry stakeholders (Continued on page 28)

Sunday January 31, 2021

From page 27 who followed the matter for years have said that such a ruling is one that Guyana should pay keen attention to, since it is yet to obtain full coverage insurance for ExxonMobil’s Liza Phase One and Payara projects.

The Hague Appeal Court ruling was deemed a victory for environmentalists and especially the Nigerians, whose lands were polluted by the oil. Donald Pols, Director of one of the world’s largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth, hailed the ruling as a needed victory “for small communities hurt by huge companies.”

It was the Netherlands chapter of Pols’ organization, which had taken the civil case to court back in 2008.

“Up until this morning (Friday), Dutch multinationals could act with impunity in developing countries and this has changed now,” Pols said, adding that “From this moment onwards, Dutch multinationals will be held accountable for their activities and their actions in developing countries. And that’s an enormous victory for the rights of law globally.”

One of the farmers involved in the case, Eric Dooh, called the decision a victory “for the entire Niger Delta region. The victory is for the Ogoni people. Victory for all that stood by our side, both Blacks and Whites.”

During the trial, Friends of the Earth lawyers had told the Dutch court that leaking pipes were caused by poor maintenance and inadequate security and that Shell does not do enough to clean up spills.

The Hague Court of Appeal held the oil multinational liable for the spills that spewed oil over a two mile radius in the two villages as the company could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the leaks were caused by damage done by oil thieves rather than its own negligence.

According to Nigerian law, which was applied in the Dutch civil case, the company would not be held responsible if the leaks were as a result of saboteurs.

The Dutch court also ruled that while sabotage was behind another oil leak in a nearby village, whether Shell was being held liable or not “remains open” as the court seeks clarity on the extent of the ensued damages and whether it can be cleaned.

That case will continue at a later date.

In addition, to compensating the farmers,

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Flaring at the Liza Destiny FPSO

the Hague Appeal Court also ordered that Royal Dutch Shell must fit a leak-detection system to a pipeline that caused one of the spills. The amount of compensation paid to three farmers in the villages will be established at a later date.

Even after the clear ruling, Shell Nigeria expressed disappointment and continued to maintain that the oil spills were as a result of sabotage.

The company said, “Sabotage, crude oil theft, and illegal refining are a major challenge in the Niger Delta.

Indeed, in 2019, around 95% of spill incidents from our operations there were due to such criminal acts. Regardless of cause, we clean up and remediate, as we have done with the spills in this case.”

The Nigerian subsidiary further added that “Like all Shell-operated ventures globally, we are committed to operating safely and protecting the local environment.”

Back in 2013, the Hague District Court had ordered Shell Nigeria to compensate one of the four farmers in the case for making it unchallenging for saboteurs to open a well head that leaked onto his land.

At the same time, the court cleared the oil company of blame for polluting the other three farmers’ land, ruling that Shell’s Dutch parent company could not be held liable. But, after both sides appealed the judgment, judges ruled in 2015 that Shell could be held liable for its actions in Nigeria.

The judges had also mandated that Shell provide

access to documents that told the true story of the cause of the leaks and how much management knew about them.

Shell has faced heavy criticism from activists and local communities over numerous oil spills and the company’s close ties with government’s security forces ever since it began exploiting Nigeria’s vast oil reserves in the late 1950s.

GUYANA BANS AIR TRAVELFROM BRAZIL FOR 30 DAYS The National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) has suspended air travel from Brazil for the next 30 days in light of the new COVID-19 variant detected there. This ban comes as a part of the government’s increased effort to curb the spread of the new variant here, given Brazil’s proximity and the nation’s lack of testing capacity.

The Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Egbert Fields, told Kaieteur News Friday, that the order was given by the NCTF on Thursday, which took immediate effect following their pronouncement.

The new variant that was detected in Brazil earlier this month has been identified as the “P.1” strain, which is said to be highly infectious, meaning that it spreads faster and more easily. It is of three new mutations found between the last quarter of 2020 to January 2021. The other two strains are the B117 strain found in the United Kingdom and the 501Y.V2 strain, which was identified in

South Africa.

Notably, as air travel from the country is now restricted and the Takatu land border crossing in Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo) which links Guyana to Brazil is also closed; persons from Brazil can no longer travel to Guyana through the official points of entry. The land border has been closed since March last year when Guyana shut down all borders after recording its first case.

Just recently, the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, had announced that the land border will remain closed as the government is extremely concerned about the newly detected strain, and a possible spread to Guyana that could overwhelm the health care system. He lamented that it is a health hazard for a country like Guyana, saying, “And if this is more transmissible, then more people are going to get infected and if more people are going to get infected, then we can assume that we will get a percentage of them – a higher percentage of them coming into the hospital needing ICU care.”

Kaieteur News understands that while both land and air travel has been restricted, the weekly exchange of goods between both countries will continue.

The exercise, which is monitored by Guyana and Brazil’s health authorities, is usually conducted every Thursday at the Takatu land border.

More joint service patrols will be monitoring the land border to ensure there is no illegal crossing at other

unofficial points of entry.

Meanwhile, Guyana is still awaiting the COVID-19 test results from the samples sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency to test for the new variants of the virus. The testing for the new variants requires genetic sequencing according to Minister Anthony, but both the public and private health system lacks such resources.

GUYANA’S HIGH QUALITY OILALLOWED IT TO SURVIVE COVID-19 STORM – US ANALYST As a result of having light sweet crude, Guyana was able to survive the harsh economic pains of the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the world last year. Making this and other comments is Arthur Deakin, an Analyst at Americas Market Intelligence (AMI) in the United States of America.

AMI, a management consultant firm, has been providing insights that unlock opportunities in Latin America via market intelligence, research and analysis.

During his first appearance on the Kaieteur Radio show, Guyana’s Oil & You, Deakin was asked to share his thoughts on how Guyana was able to survive some of the toughest parts of 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic, as opposed to countries that were less fortunate in that regard.

To this, the US Analyst reminded that because Guyana’s crude is lower in sulfur content, it enjoys a high in global demand, but especially in China.

“Both Brazil and Guyana that have this type of oil, in addition to their low breakeven costs, lower than US$40 a barrel. Guyana I think is US$35 for the Phase One of exploration and that price is expected to go down to US$25 in Phase Two of exploration,” Deakin said.

These factors, combined with the appeal for highquality crude, made it possible for Guyana to come out at the top at this “pretty bad” situation, he added.

When asked to share how he sees 2021 panning out for Guyana, Deakin stated that he holds high expectations that the growth and demand for Guyana’s crude will only increase.

He said with this, “China is really ramping up infrastructure and construction efforts to revive its economy and it’s definitely doing a good job so far. So the demand for this type of oil is going to keep growing, especially as stricter environmental regulations are passed.”

Deakin also mentioned that one of the main reasons for the increasing demand of this sweeter crude was due to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) passing a law that requires ships to reduce emissions by up to 80%.

“So in 2021, I expect a good year. I expect oil prices to stay around the price where they are or grow a little bit.

We see a commitment by some of the major producers to restrict output until there’s greater certainty on oil demands around the world.

The panorama is positive,” Deakin concluded.

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Florence Nightingale

Sunday January 31, 2021

Junior page Cute Insect Bookmarks To make these DIY bookmarks, you’ll need: · · · · · · ·

F

l o r e n c e Nightingale was a nurse who saved many lives in the 19th century. She was named after the city of Florence in Italy, where her parents went after they got married in 1818. Her family was rich and they had two homes in Britain as well as servants.

Florence was an unusual young woman for her time because she didn’t want to go to parties and get married.

She wanted to be a nurse and help people. Her family didn’t want her to become a nurse because hospitals back then were dirty, horrible places. They were worried

about her.

In 1851, Florence went to Germany and learned all about nursing. It was hard work, but she loved it. In 1854, lots of British soldiers went to fight in the Crimean War. Army hospitals were filled with injured men, but there were no nurses and many men died.

Florence and a team of nurses went to help. Florence worked 20 hours a day to make the army hospital a cleaner and safer place. She brought the men fresh food; she cleaned the hospital beds and she used clean bandages on the wounded soldiers.

Soon, fewer men were dying.

At night, Florence walked around the hospital. She talked to the injured soldiers and helped the men to write letters to their families. She carried a lamp and the soldiers called her ‘The lady with the lamp’.

When Florence returned to England, people called her a heroine because of her amazing work in the Crimean War. Queen Victoria wrote her a letter to say thank you. She continued to work hard in Britain to improve hospitals and she was given a medal called the Order of Merit. She was the first woman to receive this honour.

The clock There's a neat little clock In the school-room stands, It points to the time With its two little hands.

It is never late to do its work, And always does it with gusto; It tells when us to start And when to stop and go.

And may we, like that little clock, Keep a face clean and bright, With hands ever ready To do what is always right..

pattern felt scraps – red, black, yellow, purple, pink, blue, white white school glue elastic clear tape (optional) small googly eyes (optional) hot glue gun and gluesticks

First cut out the shapes using the patterns. I find it’s best to tape the pattern piece to the felt and then cut. It helps hold everything in place.

Use the school glue to glue all of the pieces together and let it dry.

Cut a piece of elastic 16 inches long. Cut a rectangle of felt that will fit on the back of the bug.For this part, the little kids will need some help with a hot glue gun. Glue the elastic like in the photo below.

Glue the rectangle of felt over the elastic to cover the ends.

That’s it!

Fill in the squares Fill in the squares so that each digit from 1 to 4 occurs exactly once in each row and column.

Greater-than and less-than signs indicate the relationship of the two adjacent squares.

There is only one solution, and you can find it without guessing

Kaieteur News

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TEEN TIME Determine your Highest Priorities

and keep working to make these a reality In this effort at selfimprovement, you have to strengthen your determination to keep in mind the highest priorities of your life.

These are the things that will matter most in your life, so you need to always strive towards becoming successful in attaining them.

In setting your priorities, you need to first ask yourself what are your most important goals in life, what are the things most important to you, and what you would like your life to look like.

Each of us only has so much time, so much energy, so much resources and so much emotional capacity to effect the things that matter most.

Once you have consciously determined the things that are most valuable to you, what you want your life to look like, then you have to commit yourself to use the most of your time and resources to bring these

into reality.

This determination also necessitates setting aside time to figure out what kind of changes you need to make.

It is important to have your priorities placed in order of importance so as to determine which to devote the most resources to fulfil.

They should first and foremost involve your own welfare and that of your family members. Then you need to consider taking care

to form the right association with your friends and the other people who impact your life, and the things you need to do to keep on track.

You will then have to create a plan of where and how you would like to see yourself at the end of some period of months or years.

The most practical way to do this is to create a list of what you truly value, and what will work best towards making the whole process more manageable. You can

then rate each item according to its importance so as to know which to think about first when it comes to choosing what should be done in each period.

Remember that it is normal for your priorities to change over time as your goals and circumstances change.

Spend some time to go over each area of your life as you move along, write out any ideas or goals that you will have to achieve progress in these, and any adjustments you will have to make to keep your priorities on track.

Take time each day to remind yourself of your priorities and put them on your schedule for the day or week, blocking off other activities when these would interfere with your success in getting them done. You will also need to make a special effort to get rid of certain distractions that will rob you of success in your goals.

Puzzle The finished puzzle will contain a loop made of horizontal/vertical line segments that connects all the white and black circles. The line going thru a white circle must be straight. However, there must be at least one corner made on the dot immediate preceding or immediately following the white circle (or on both dots). The line going thru a black circle must turn a corner on the black circle. Both of the lines emanating from this corner need to go straight through the next dot before making any more turns.

Make full use of your Creativity

by Roy Paul I often consider the claim we men make, That shows we are more than flesh, We propound that we are made by God In His own image and likeness.

This surely means that we possess Some powers of the One Most High, We know for sure we have the grace To love, forgive and multiply.

But most of all we may assume Some divine ability to create; We were granted full mind and spirit, So that we could the good Lord emulate.

Then boldly use this godlike power To imagine and conceive new ways; Our world sore needs to find the cures For the ever-increasing afflictions of modern days.

Make bold to explore new ideas and frontiers, Dare to innovate and invent like no other; Find fresh ways to do the mundane things, As your uniqueness surely gives you the power.

With new pastimes your abilities will be exposed, You will be amazed at the talents you possess; The act of invention will put you in a state of flow, Creating in your life much resourcefulness.

As a human being who controls his own destiny, you have to ceaselessly work towards making the best of yourself.

Solutions to last week’s

Jigoku

Cryptograms Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other.

There are many reluctant young readers who haven't yet found books that make them laugh.

Only the consciousness of a purpose that is mightier than any man and worthy of all men can fortify and inspirit and compose the souls of men.

Kill one man, and you are a murderer. Kill millions of men, and you are a conqueror. Kill them all, and you are a god.

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NUTRITION: The 11 Healthiest Vegetables on Earth Vegetables are wellknown for being good for your health. Most vegetables are low in calories but high in vitamins, minerals and fiber.

However, some vegetables stand out from the rest with additional proven health benefits, such as the ability to fight inflammation or reduce the risk of disease.

This article takes a look at 14 of the healthiest vegetables and why you should include them in your diet.

1. Spinach This leafy green tops the chart as one of the healthiest vegetables, thanks to its impressive nutrient profile.

One cup (30 grams) of raw spinach provides 56% of your daily vitamin A needs plus your entire daily vitamin K requirement — all for just 7 calories. Spinach also boasts a great deal of antioxidants, which can help reduce the risk of chronic disease.

One study found that dark green leafy vegetables like spinach are high in betacarotene and lutein, two types of antioxidants that have been associated with a decreased risk of cancer.

In addition, a 2015 study found that spinach consumption may be beneficial for heart health, as it may lower blood pressure.

SUMMARY: Spinach is rich in antioxidants that may reduce the risk of chronic disease, as it may reduce risk factors such as high blood pressure.

2. Carrots Carrots are packed with vitamin A, providing 428% of the daily recommended value in just one cup (128 grams) (4).

They contain betacarotene, an antioxidant that gives carrots their vibrant orange color and could help in cancer prevention.

In fact, one study revealed that for each serving of carrots per week, participants’ risk of prostate cancer decreased by 5%.

Another study showed that eating carrots may reduce the risk of lung cancer in smokers as well. Compared to those who ate carrots at least once a week, smokers who did not eat carrots had a three times greater risk of developing lung cancer (7Trusted Source).

Carrots are also high in vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium (4).

SUMMARY: Carrots are especially high in beta-carotene, which can turn into vitamin A in the body. Their high antioxidant content may help reduce the risk of lung and prostate cancer.

3. Broccoli Broccoli belongs to the cruciferous family of vegetables.

It is rich in a sulfurcontaining plant compound known as glucosinolate, as well as sulforaphane, a byproduct of glucosinolate.

Sulforaphane is significant in that it has been shown to have a protective effect against cancer.

In one animal study, sulforaphane was able to reduce the size and number of breast cancer cells while also blocking tumor growth in mice.

Eating broccoli may help prevent other types of chronic disease, too.

A 2010 animal study found that consuming broccoli sprouts could protect the heart from diseasecausing oxidative stress by significantly lowering levels of oxidants.

In addition to its ability to prevent disease, broccoli is also loaded with nutrients.

A cup (91 grams) of raw broccoli provides 116% of your daily vitamin K needs, 135% of the daily vitamin C requirement and a good amount of folate, manganese and potassium.

SUMMARY: Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that contains sulforaphane, a compound that may prevent cancer growth. Eating broccoli may also help reduce the risk of chronic disease by protecting against oxidative stress.

4. Garlic Garlic has a long history of use as a medicinal plant, with roots tracing all the way back to ancient China and Egypt.

The main active compound in garlic is allicin, a plant compound that is largely responsible for garlic’s variety of health benefits.

Several studies have shown that garlic can regulate blood sugar as well as promote heart health.

In one animal study,

diabetic rats were given either garlic oil or diallyl trisulfide, a component of garlic. Both garlic compounds caused a decrease in blood sugar and improved insulin sensitivity.

Another study fed garlic to participants both with and without heart disease. Results showed that garlic was able to decrease total blood cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol in both groups.

Garlic may be useful in the prevention of cancer as well.

One test-tube study demonstrated that allicin induced cell death in human liver cancer cells.

However, further research is needed to better understand the potential anticancer effects of garlic.

SUMMARY: Studies show that garlic may help lower blood triglyceride levels. Some studies have also found that it could decrease blood sugar levels and may have an anticancer effect, although more research is needed.

5. Brussels Sprouts Like broccoli, Brussels sprouts are a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables and contain the same health-promoting plant compounds.

Brussels sprouts also contain kaempferol, an antioxidant that may be particularly effective in preventing damage to cells.

One animal study found that kaempferol protected against free radicals, which cause oxidative damage to cells and can contribute to chronic disease.

Brussels sprout consumption can help enhance detoxification as well.

One study showed that eating Brussels sprouts led to a 15–30% increase in some of the specific enzymes that control detoxification, which could decrease the risk of colorectal cancer.

Additionally, Brussels sprouts are very nutrient-

dense. Each serving provides a good amount of many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, manganese and potassium.

SUMMARY: Brussels sprouts contain an antioxidant called kaempferol, which may protect against oxidative damage to cells and prevent chronic disease. They may also help enhance detoxification in the body.

6. Kale Like other leafy greens, kale is well-known for its health-promoting qualities, including its nutrient density and antioxidant content.

A cup (67 grams) of raw kale contains plenty of B vitamins, potassium, calcium and copper.

It also fulfills your entire daily requirement for vitamins A, C and K. Due to its high amount of antioxidants, kale may also be beneficial in promoting heart health.

In a 2008 study, 32 men with high cholesterol drank 150 ml of kale juice daily for 12 weeks. By the end of the study, HDL cholesterol increased by 27%, LDL cholesterol decreased by 10% and antioxidant activity was increased.

Another study showed that drinking kale juice can decrease blood pressure and may be beneficial in reducing both blood cholesterol and blood sugar.

SUMMARY: Kale is high in vitamins A, C and K as well as antioxidants. Studies show that drinking kale juice could reduce blood pressure and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol.

HEALTHLINE NEWSLETTER Get our twice weekly wellness email To inspire you to exercise and eat well, we’ll send you our top health tips and stories, plus must-read news.

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to us 7. Green Peas Peas are considered a starchy vegetable. This means they have a higher amount of carbs and calories than non-starchy vegetables and may impact blood sugar levels when eaten in large amounts.

Nevertheless, green peas are incredibly nutritious.

One cup (160 grams) of cooked green peas contains 9 grams of fiber, 9 grams of protein and vitamins A, C and K, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin and folate.

Because they are high in fiber, peas support digestive health by enhancing the beneficial bacteria in your gut and promoting regular bowel movements.

Moreover, peas are rich in saponins, a group of plant compounds known for their anti-cancer effects.

Research shows that saponins may help fight cancer by reducing tumor growth and inducing cell death in cancer cells.

SUMMARY: Green peas contain a good amount of fiber, which helps support digestive health.

They also contain plant compounds called saponins, which may have anti-cancer effects.

8. Swiss Chard Swiss chard is low in calories but high in many essential vitamins and minerals.

One cup (36 grams) contains just 7 calories yet 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of protein and lots of vitamins A, C and K, manganese and magnesium.

Swiss chard is especially known for its potential to prevent damage caused by diabetes mellitus.

In one animal study, chard extract was found to reverse the effects of diabetes by decreasing blood sugar levels and preventing cell damage from disease-causing free radicals.

Other animal studies have shown that the antioxidant content of chard extract can protect the liver and kidneys from the negative effects of diabetes.

SUMMARY: Some animal studies show that Swiss chard could protect against the negative effects of diabetes and may decrease blood sugar levels.

9. Ginger Ginger root is used as a spice in everything from vegetable dishes to desserts.

Historically, ginger has also been used as a natural remedy for motion sickness.

Several studies have confirmed the beneficial effects of ginger on nausea.

In a review comprised of 12

studies and nearly 1,300 pregnant women, ginger significantly reduced nausea compared to a placebo.

Ginger also contains potent anti-inflammatory properties, which can be helpful in treating inflammation-related disorders like arthritis, lupus or gout.

In one study, participants with osteoarthritis who were treated with a concentrated ginger extract experienced reduced knee pain and relief from other symptoms.

Further research suggests that ginger could aid in the treatment of diabetes as well.

A 2015 study looked at the effects of ginger supplements on diabetes.

After 12 weeks, ginger was found to be effective in decreasing blood sugar levels.

SUMMARY: Studies show that ginger could reduce nausea and alleviate inflammation. Ginger supplements may also help decrease blood sugar.

10. Asparagus This spring vegetable is rich in several vitamins and minerals, making it an excellent addition to any diet.

Just half a cup (90 grams) of asparagus provides onethird of your daily folate needs.

This amount also provides plenty of selenium, vitamin K, thiamin and riboflavin.

Getting enough folate from sources like asparagus can offer protection from disease and can prevent neural tube birth defects during pregnancy.

Some test-tube studies also show that asparagus may benefit the liver by supporting its metabolic function and protecting it against toxicity.

SUMMARY: Asparagus is especially high in folate, which may help prevent neural tube birth defects. Test-tube studies have also found that asparagus can support liver function and reduce the risk of toxicity.

11. Red Cabbage This vegetable belongs to the cruciferous family of vegetables and, much like its relatives, is brimming with antioxidants and healthpromoting properties.

One cup (89 grams) of raw red cabbage contains 2 grams of fiber as well as 85% of the daily vitamin C requirement.

Red cabbage is also rich in anthocyanins, a group of plant compounds that contribute to its distinct color as well as a whole host of health benefits.

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The mesmerizing history of Indian music and their accompanying instruments - Pt 1 The music of the Indian subcontinent is usually divided into two major traditions of classical music: Hindustani music of North India and Karnatak music of South India, although many regions of India also have their own musical traditions that are independent of these.

Both Hindustani and Karnatak music use the system of ragas—sets of pitches and small motives for melody construction—and tala for rhythm. Ragas form a set of rules and patterns around which a musician can create his or her unique performance. Likewise, tala is a system of rhythmic structures based on the combination of stressed and unstressed beats. Within these rhythmic structures, musicians (1996.100.1) can create their own rhythmic patterns building off the compositional styles of others.

One of the main differences between North Indian and South Indian music is the increased influence of Persian music and musical instruments in the north. From the late twelfth century through the rise of British occupation, North India was under the control of a Muslim minority that was never able to extend its sphere of influence to South India. During this time, the music of North India began to acquire and adapt to the presence of Persian language, music, and musical instruments, such as the setar,

from which the sitar got its name; the kamanche (1998.72) and santur, which became popular in Kashmir; and the rabab (alternately known as rebab and rubab), which preceded the sarod. New instruments were introduced, including the tabla and sitar (1999.399), which soon became the most famous Indian musical instruments worldwide. Legend has it that the tabla was formed by splitting a pakhavaj drum in half, with the larger side becoming the bayan and the smaller side the dahini. The barrel-shaped pakhavaj drum, which was the ancestor of both the tabla and the mrdangam, has been depicted in countless paintings and prints. New genres of music were formed as well, such as khyal and qawwali, that combine elements of both Hindu and Muslim musical practice.

Hindustani classical music is known largely for its instrumentalists, while Karnatak classical music is renowned for its virtuosic singing practices.

Instruments most commonly used in Hindustani classical music are the sitar, sarod, tambura, sahnai, sarangi, and tabla; while instruments commonly used in Karnatak classical music include the vina, mrdangam, kanjira, and violin.

The use of bamboo flutes, such as the murali, is common to both traditions as well as many other genres of Indian music. In fact, many of these

instruments are often used in both North and South India, and there are many clear relationships between the instruments of both regions.

Furthermore, often instruments that are slightly different in construction will be identified by the same name in both the south and the north, though they might be used differently.

Throughout its history, the peoples of India have developed numerous systems for classifying musical instruments, many of which were based on m o r p h o l o g i c a l characteristics. The ancient Hindu system divided instruments into four categories: stretched (strings; 2008.141.2a,b), covered (drums; 89.4.165), hollow (wind; 1986.12), and solid (bells; 89.4.154). This system is widely known to be the inspiration for the Western

system of instrument classification put forth by Mahillon in 1880, which renames these groups— c h o r d o p h o n e s , membranophones, aerophones, and idiophones—basing the distinction on the way in which sound is created and not exclusively on construction.

(A note on spelling: All terms used for Indian musical instruments and musical concepts are common transliterations of the original terms.

Subsequently, there are numerous possible methods of rendering the same term in English and inevitable discrepancies in spelling.

The spellings adopted here are the ones used by The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2001) KANJIRA (KHANJARI) The kanjira is a frame

drum of South India. It consists of a skin (usually iguana) stretched and pasted on a circular wooden frame.

There are often three or four slots in the side of the frame, in which bell-metal jingledisks are suspended from metal crossbars. The name kanjira is related to the khanjari and kanjani of North and East India and Nepal. The kanjira is tuned to various pitches by wetting the skin.

It is held at the bottom of the frame by the left hand, which also varies the tension of the skin, and is beaten with the fingers of the right hand.

KAMANCHE The kamanche is one of the world’s earliest known bowed instruments. It has been altered and changed as it has traveled to other parts of the world (1998.72). Some argue that the kamanche is the predecessor of many other stringed instruments such as the rabab, the sarangi, and the Chinese erhu.

MRDANGAM The mrdangam is an elongated barrel-shaped drum found predominantly in South India (1986.467.18). It is derived from the pakhavaj and is used as the primary rhythmic accompaniment in Karnatak music as well as in religious Kirtan music. In the east (Bengal, Odisha), this barrel-shaped drum is known as the khol.

MURALI The murali is a transverse flute made of bamboo. It is used in a variety of musical genres and is often associated with the Hindu deity Krishna.

PAKHAVAJ The pakhavaj is a barrel-

shaped drum with two heads, each of which contains tuning paste, or siyahi. The history of the pakhavaj is unknown, yet as the predecessor of both the Hindustani tabla drums and the mrdangam of Karnatak music, it served as the primary accompaniment for much of Indian classical music. It appears in the musical iconography of Hindu religious painting and in the artworks of the royal Muslim courts of the Mughal empire.

RABAB The rabab is a stringed instrument with a skincovered resonator that can be bowed or plucked depending on performance tradition. It is found in various forms throughout North Africa, the Near East, South Asia, and Central Asia. Similar to the way the setar and the vina were adapted to eventually become what is known today as the sitar, the rabab was adapted to become the sarod.

However, there are many musicians in India today who still play the rabab, and it is quite popular in several music genres.

SAHNAI (SHENAI) The sahnai is a double reed instrument of North India and Nepal. In South India, a double reed instrument called the nagasvaram is used. Both instruments have seven equidistant fingerholes and no thumbhole. Frequently, the instrument’s flared open end is made of metal while its body is made of wood or bamboo; however, they are not exclusively made in this fashion.

Enetworks to air Superbowl on Feb. 7 on E2 Come February 7, the Enetworks team will be airing the coveted Super Bowl LV on E2. This newspaper understands that the 55th Super Bowl and the 51st modern-era National Football League (NFL) championship game, will decide the league champion for the 2020 NFL season.

The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Kansas City Chiefs (who are also the defending Super Bowl champions) will play the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With pending developments on the COVID-19 pandemic, the

game is scheduled to be played on February 7, 2021, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

This will be the fifth Super Bowl hosted by the Tampa area and the third held at Raymond James Stadium. It will be the fourth time that the Super Bowl was in the same state in back-to-back years, since Super Bowl LIV took place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

This Super Bowl will mark three milestones, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the first team to play a Super Bowl in its home stadium, Tampa B a y q u a r t e r b a c k To m Brady will play in his record 10th Super Bowl, and with

COVID-19 health restrictions limiting stadium capacity to 22,000 fans, it will be the lowest attended Super Bowl.

Additionally, this marks the first time since Super Bowl XLVI that the game will feature two teams that met previously in the regular season, as well as the first time since Super Bowl XLV that a wild card team will appear in the Super Bowl.

The game will be televised nationally

by CBS. Country music singer Eric Church and R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan will perform the national anthem, while the halftime show will be headlined by Canadian singer The Weeknd.

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Sunday January 31, 2021

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GDF captain, Mike Charles, releases new film to showcase ‘Sounds and Colours of the Rainforest’

By Rehanna Ramsay ‘Sounds and Colours of the Rainforest’, is the most recent documentary filmed and produced locally, and it was done by renowned Guyana Defence Force (GDF) helicopter pilot, Mike Charles.

The documentary launched at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on January 21 last, is part of a series of films captured by the GDF captain, who is known for his work in aerial photography and local documentaries.

Several of the other videos produced by Captain Charles over the years have been featured internationally at eco-tourism events in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

This film has been described as a creative masterpiece and takes viewers on a journey

where birds, mammals and reptiles are captured in their natural habitat.

During the one hour long video, Captain Charles showcases clips of the unique aesthetics of the landscape and rich biodiversity found in Guyana’s deep rainforest and savannahs.

creatures that are featured in the documentary.

Captain Charles told Kaieteur News, while putting together the film proved challenging, his love for his country and capturing imaging was the force which drove him to complete it.

He explained that the images and clips, which are now contained in the documentary

“It was a time consuming venture. A lot of thought, time and finances went into this project but as a pilot, I saw the beauty of this country that few people get to witness especially those who live here. I wanted to share it with the people.”

He gives viewers close up shots of some of Guyana’s rare animals and insect species; the coastland flamingoes, the red macaw and the emerald boa are just a few of the fascinating

were captured over an eight-year period.

Captain Charles, a helicopter pilot for close to 40 years, said his work allows him to experience first-hand the aerial beauty of Guyana; something he wants to share with the world. As a result, he delved into film making and photography to help collect the images of what he experiences during his travels.

“It was a time consuming venture. A lot of thought, time and finances went into this project but as pilot, I saw the beauty of this country that few people get to witness especially those who live here. I wanted to share it with the people,” he said.

Captain Charles said that the making of ‘Sounds and Colours of the Rainforest’ took him and his crew to the remote locations found at the edge of Guyana.

He pointed to the great financial and personal sacrifice made by his team and supporters.

To this end, Caption Charles said he is very thankful for his team. He expressed special thanks to President Irfaan Ali, whose support, he notes, was instrumental in the completion of the film.

“It was a very special team of people who

GDF Captain, Mike Charles. are highly skilled at swimming, driving the boat, cooking, staying out for long periods, taking good photographs,” he explained, adding that some of the areas that are captured were untapped.

He noted that, “for instance, we went to Guns Village which is the last location in South Guyana, we had to travel for days and then we had to wait to set up our equipment to film.

That venture took us one week and we spend over $1M to set it up.”

Additionally, the producer said that a lot of research goes into the production. Captain Charles’ wife did the research on the various species captured in the film, which is later narrated by renowned local broadcaster, Michella Abrahams-Ali. Captain Charles noted the importance of “checking and double checking, triple checking before we put it out because you can’t afford to put out something that is incorrect with that amount of stuff we are doing and producing it to the world.”

As such, the GDF pilot told Kaieteur News that by the time the film had concluded, it had cost at least G$25M to produce. Captain Charles noted however that he does not Continued on page 50

A cover photo of the new locally produced documentary, ‘Sounds and Colours of the Rainforest’.

Sunday January 31, 2021

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Sunday January 31, 2021

GDF captain, Mike Charles, releases new film to showcase ‘Sounds and Colours of the...

From page 48 expect a heavy financial return on the project due to the lack of stringent copyright laws here in Guyana.

He bemoaned the lack of Government’s interest in addressing the issue.

According to Charles, because of that copyright problem, the film sold out on the streets for as little as G$50.

He stressed that,

“Guyana is the only country within this region with outdated copyright legislation, so we need to change it and we need to change it now.”

The film maker therefore called on the government to address the problem, so that producers and artistes can have better financial benefits from their work.

At the interim, Captain Charles is

hoping that his material will help to further boost Guyana’s prospects for eco-tourism – educate as well as entertain viewers of the magnificence of parts of the Amazonian rainforest known to m a n y a s G u y a n a ’s jungle.

Persons interested in viewing or downloading a copy of the film can do so by visiting www.aerialguyana.com.

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3,800 doses of COVID-19 vaccines slated to arrive between February and March Guyana will soon move one step closer to gaining control over the COVID-19 pandemic with 3,800 doses of vaccines slated for arrival in February and March this year. The announcement was made by President Irfaan Ali during his address to the nation yesterday.

The Head of State disclosed that Guyana joined the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility last year, which includes organizations like the World Health Organization; the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness, Innovations and GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance. The facility’s main aim is to ensure lower-income countries acquire vaccines for at least 20 percent of their population.

Since Guyana is eligible for the vaccines under COVAX, they will be received free of cost and according to President Ali, upon arrival, the 3,800 doses will be immediately allocated to frontline health workers, people with comorbidities and the elderly.

Further, he disclosed that the Chinese government will be donating 20,000 doses of vaccines. “The Government of China has confirmed that it will be donating 20,000 doses of vaccines to Guyana.

Discussions are ongoing and arrangements to acquire vaccines from these countries will be finalized shortly,” he stated.

While delivering his address, the President also sought to assure citizens that

ExxonMobil’s future expansion plans must...

From page 57 across its global operations by 2025, and align its operations with the World Bank’s initiative to eliminate routine flaring by 2030.

Kaieteur News demonstrated in November last, how ExxonMobil’s gas flaring at the Liza Destiny has made Guyana one of the top five flaring countries in the world per capita.

The company has flared more than 12 billion cubic feet of gas since it started producing at the Liza Destiny.

Yet, the company has approval for two offshore developments, both larger than the one that is currently flaring, to come on stream in 2022 and 2024. It is also planning to approach the government later this year for approval for a fourth development.

Will Guyana face same...

From page 16 He stated that the local regulator even thought it reasonable and had also demanded that Exxon comply with the same standards, which they have to abide within the United States which allows flaring for a maximum of 48 hours after startup.

“Further, they could never answer the question as to why this type of flaring equipment failure is only occurring in Guyana, when Guyana has by a long shot, not been their first operation and experience, and when they have similar types of equipment supposedly operating just fine in other parts of the world,” Dr. Adams articulated.

He went on to remind that these types of disruptions are easily avoidable and cannot be blamed on the manufacturer, especially when it comes to new brand equipment, while weighing in that Exxon is aware that it owns the responsibility to ensure the manufacturing is done in full accord with the design specifications through a “rigorous” Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan, which they have to

oversee.

“EPA emphasized this to them several times,” he recalled, “even though it should have been second nature for a company of this stature. They cannot wait until the equipment arrives to figure out that the wires are aligned incorrectly, or the seals are made of the wrong material, when they have done this numerous times before. Why is Guyana different?”

This unfortunate rehash of event highlights the urgency for the Government to provide the resources to properly equip the EPA with the necessary capacity for oversight of these operations, Dr. Adams indicated, including 24/7 on site presence and investment in training and recruitment of the specialized requisite skills – which are all already incorporated in a plan developed between the EPA, Department of Energy (DoE) and the World Bank.

Compounded with this is Dr. Adams’ urgency for the government to ensure that the design flaws in the Liza Destiny permit are not present the Liza Two and Payara developments.

they will not be forced to take the vaccine but encouraged them to take it nevertheless.

To counter possible fears relating to the safety of the vaccine, Ali lamented that all vaccines arriving would have been approved. “I want you to feel confident, indeed, to feel certain, that when the vaccines arrive and we begin to distribute them they will have the full approval of the World Health Organization and will be safe,” he said.

He added that he will be the first to take the vaccine

upon its arrival and as the government is working assiduously to source more vaccines, officials are also organizing the distribution.

“We are installing and extending the cold chain infrastructure for safely storing the vaccines, and personnel are actively in training to get the job done.”

The government announced the preparation of cold storage facilities since last December and the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, also announced

that persons are being trained to properly administer the vaccines, once they arrive.

He also said that their current aim is the dissemination of information regarding COVID-19 with the general population and ensure that Guyanese are kept up to date.

Also present was the Head of the COVID-19 Task Force, Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, who urged Guyanese to play their parts in protecting themselves against the virus.

His Excellency Irfaan Ali

Sunday January 31, 2021

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STANDARDS IN FOCUS

GNBS NQA 2021 – Another opportunity for local businesses to show they are meeting quality objectives To recognize businesses for their commitment to quality systems and best practices, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), will this year host its third National Quality Awards (NQA) Programme. The NQA, which is set for October 2021 (as part of National Quality Week), will be another opportunity for businesses to demonstrate that they are meeting quality requirements.

Successful businesses will be rewarded for both the production goods and delivery of services.

Participating businesses will be evaluated against the ISO 9001:2015 Standard that was developed by the International Organization for Standardization to help businesses and organizations implement an effective quality management system.

Participants will also be graded based on the nine Quality Management Principles and criteria for good environmental and safety practices.

Importantly, the NQA Programme was launched by the GNBS in 2017 to improve quality and promote the competitiveness of Guyanese products and services. It enables businesses to strive for excellence, be at a competitive edge, enhance growth and development and it encourages sustainability.

The awards are held on a biennial basis and are open to businesses in the Manufacturing, Services

(Financial, Tourism and Hospitality, Professional Services, etc.) and the Agroprocessing industries. The Awards cater to large and small businesses. Small Businesses, according to the NQA Criteria, are classified as any business with 25 or less employees, earning $60M or less in revenue and is the owner of assets valuing $20M or less.

In the NQA, Agro Processors are differentiated from other small businesses and placed in a separate category to promote and recognize quality in these businesses.

Eligible participants are enterprises involved in the small-scale production of agro-processed products (Jams and Jellies, Sauces, Fruit Mixes, Salted fish and seafood, juices, packaged eggs, local sweets, chips, etc.).

Some may ask what are the benefits of participating in the NQA? Or, what’s in it for me?

Well, apart from recognition for quality, the NQA provides a comprehensive assessment of businesses to assist in a more structured approach to performance management. It also fosters greater consumer confidence and satisfaction in the goods and services provided by the awardees, thereby increasing sales.

Winners can also use the awards as a tool for promotion. From an internal point of view, the awards allow businesses to get on a path of continuous

Linden farmer stumbles on male skeletal remains close to her home A female farmer of Wisroc Squatting Area, Linden, yesterday stumbled on the skeletal remains of a man some 200 yards away from her home.

The woman, 47, reportedly made the discovery around 11:30 hrs. in a clump of bushes.

She told police that she had ventured out of her home to prepare an area to plant some Pak choi, and while cleaning the land she made the gruesome discovery and summoned police right away.

Crime scene experts pointed out that it belonged to a male. Apart from the skeletal remains, cops found other pieces of evidence, which they placed in bag and sealed for DNA testing.

The remains were then removed and taken to the Wismar Hospital mortuary, as detectives launched an investigation.

improvements, implement good health and safety practices, and increase their desired quality, customer service, leadership and sustainable practices.

From a national perspective, the NQA enhances the quality and competitiveness of Guyanese products and services.

With so many benefits, local businesses should be convinced to vie for the awards. The application

process to participate in the NQA is simple and free of cost. In addition to a completed application form, applicants are required to submit a copy of a valid Business registration from the Deeds Registry, valid tax compliance from the Guyana Revenue Authority, Valid National Insurance compliance from the National Insurance Scheme. An assessment of each participating business will

also be done to arrive at the winners.

All businesses must also possess at least one of the following or have them in place by the close of the application period: Documented Standard Operating Procedures, Quality Manual/Policy Manual or Best Practices Manual.

Finally, the GNBS will notify businesses when the application process is opened

and the deadline completion.

for

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

For further information, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 2190065, 219-0066 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org.

PAGE 62 VACANCY

Vacancy for office assistant labours, maintenance workers to work with P.S.G.C.S Contact 621-6969, 615-7784

Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezer-Call: 6105846 or 661-8158

VACANCY Vacancy exist for the following positions: 1 civil engineer, 1 secretary. Call 608 2114 Workers for P.S.G.C.S Labourers, Cleaner, Maintenance worker, Semi- skilled labourer. Contact number 6157784, Mon- Fri 8am- 3pm Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 2545, Car/ Van license Call: 6429823

FOR SALEFOR SALE

Caterpillar backhoe $2.2M, Honda 5S000 $ 2.2M, Audi A4 $2.2M, Perkins diesel welder $1.1M Contact: 650-0402/ 260-4115 Past CXC Maths and English papers (2010-2020: paper 1 and 2) and CSEC text books for all CSEC subjects 603-9085 One 65 K.V.A 3 phase, silence in excellent working condition for $1.5M Guyana dollars, contact club Martini Call 6237805/ 649-0329 1 320B caterpillar excavator can be used as spares $5.5 neg Tel#629-2219 19 Seat Pitbull bus, excellent condition 2.6m negotiable.

Household items for sale, owner leaving country 6497371 1-(2) storey house 3 1/2 bedroom 2 washroom 2 verendah.

Land 120x14 SP FT, 9 St Cummings Lodge 622-8748/ 684-3561 Negotiable FOR RENT Two bedroom apartment to rent on E.C.D. Tel#629-6237 2 bedroom upper flat apartment Parafaith Harmany $60,000 per month Tel#6611585

One more fatality added to COVID-19 death toll

Sales rep, over night counter staff kitchen assistant cooks/ Chief @people's choice kitchen Tel#689-9426

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040

Sunday January 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

Emmanuel's Delight sec S Grove Diamond 1 night cook, 1 baker server's Tel#696-5492

Machinery Establishment urgently looking for skilled machinest. Knowledge in working milling machine An able bodied apprentice.

Contact numbers 225-6272 or 660-8086, between 7:30am to 4:00pm Survival Supermarket Vacancy sales attendants apply with application/ photo to 16 Vlissengen Rd. Newtown Survival Supermarket Vacancy- CXC English/ Maths apply with application/ photo to 16 Vlissengen Rd. Newtown Vacancy for an experienced domestic maid with cooking skills. Call:645-5676

Maid to cook and clean for East Bank area Call: 615-9132 Vacancy exists for one cook must know to prepare indian 1 Female kitchen assistant / 1 and english dishes. Contact mature female 25-40yrs live- 223-9888/ 227-0373 in, knowledge of creole foods 675-2550/ 656-9313 FOR SALE/RENT Female cleaner office & home For Sale or rent, good for busicall 642-9823 ness - 4.018 acres of prime land One clerk for Eccles office En- in New Amsterdam, Berbice. glish & Mathematics, grade 1 Call 679-2497 or 2 Email application to Large property with huge contechserigy@yahoo.com crete bond, prime location Driver/ Salesman must have Cumberland, Canje. ideal for sales experience contact 223- Business. Sale or rent Call 6795273/ 223-5274 or 2497 rtilak@adamantiumholdings.com PROPERTY FOR SALE PITMEN AND SERVICEMEN for inteior location. Applica- Business place on the one mile tion must be experienced. Call public road (Tudor's) Winsar Linden Tel#444-5883/ 675618-2020 7667 Delivery Rider- must have motorcycle license LAND FOR SALE Emailjobs@awngy or in perResidential Lot 14 Mahaica son 175 middle St Gt E.C.D, two way access 147ft x Mini Bus and Hire Car 70ft Contact 614-8467 Drivers.Call#225-3234/ 225Mining land for sale - 682-7983 9223 Kururpung river Gold & DiaReceptionist room attendant mond Direct Road & River supervisor 30-50 yrs, 233 access Inland creek South Road Lacytown or 225LAND FOR SALE 0198

WANTED Captain to ply from Parika Bartica Contact Tel#650-0402 / 260-4115 Wanted experience hire car drivers at Ramada Princess Georgetown Hotel 265-7075/ 616-5419

PEN PAL

Wanted one live-in baby sitter needed serious inquires Sales girl apply at Alabama Farm (New Scheme) East Bank only contact Odessa 604-8202 Trading 65 Robb street $4.5m Tel#627-0753 Experienced cooks & bakers brouda cake making & decorating VEHICLE FOR SALE Vacancy supervisor to manTel#226-9000/ 225-6255 for inage grocery department must One Toyota Carina 212 for terview have experience in purchas- sale. Contact 624-5650 for deLive in maid wanted Bourda. ing & mamageing invertory tails Call 698-1468 Call 623-1615 Experienced wash bag staff Experience carpenter apply at Tel#649-7371 Alabama Trading 65 Robb street Brouda We buy land farm, Mocha, Herstelling Providence. BeTruck Mechanic and excavatween 5-10 Million 266-0693 tor mechanic, porter, cook, Security: to work mainly on the spray man AC technician.

WANTED East Coast. Contact 623-8300 Contact 223-5273/74

African male seeking female for serious relationship. Call 632-8445

Experienced workers for land Lathe operator and welder S. Experienced land dredge dredge to work in interior Sawh machine shop Contact workers.1 cook for interior.

645-9333 Call 639 2219 Tel#639-2219

Self contain rooms to rent in Prashad Nagar Tel#227-2993 1 bedroom apartment fully furnished-63 Area Q Turkeyen- Tel 222 2107.

Two bedroom flat downstairs Naddy Park Tel#660-9096 TO LET One bedroom apartment living room, kitchen and bathroom Cummings lodge E.C.D 222-0401 preferable UG students

The Ministry of Health reported another COVID-19 fatality yesterday increasing the COVID-19 death toll to 176 deaths.

In its release, the Ministry stated that the deceased is a 53-year-old female from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) who died while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

Additionally, 53 new cases were reported via their

daily dashboard update which shows the case toll increased to 7,581.

Further, the dashboard shows five patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 774 in home isolation, 56 in institutional isolation and 19 in institutional quarantine.

The total number of recoveries has increased to 6,570 with 29 new recoveries recorded yesterday.

Sunday January 31, 2021

...Nail Technician Evanjalie From page 58 clients. In less than six months, the young nail tech appears to have mastered her craft, while still exploring ways to boost her creativity and services offered.

Further, Nelson, who attends the Diamond Secondary School on the East Bank of Demerara, said that it can sometimes be difficult managing a business, while still having to attend her classes virtually at home. However, to remedy that situation she decided to only take bookings when there are no classes and on weekends.

Since it was during the pandemic that she launched and registered success, Nelson is not worried about the fluctuation of sales, since many persons will access her services when there is a need and since many of the people she attends to, are concerned about safeguarding themselves from the virus. And on that note, she sought to highlight that she maintains strict precautionary measures to protect both herself and clients from the virus.

Nelson believes that young creatives, much like her, deserve more exposure locally. In fact, she said, “We have a contribution to make to our society and the exposure helps us a lot with that.”

She also believes that the government should allow young people who are operating a small business to set up and operate at least five years before they are required to pay burdensome taxes. Also, she is convinced that it will be appreciated if government decides to include in its agenda, the establishment of measures that can help small businesses to thrive. That includes starting funds for the small businesses to have a proper start-up, along with training courses to equip them with the necessary skills before the money is disbursed to them.

As young as Nelson is, she is already aspiring to have her own nail studio. She is hoping that she can be an inspiration to other young entrepreneurs or any young person hoping to venture into entrepreneurship.

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Kaieteur News

Cops nab wanted bandits, seize ganja and abandoned motorcycles during raid Police ranks on Friday arrested three men wanted for armed robberies and seized 37 grams of marijuana along with two ‘abandoned motorcycles’ during a raid in the Georgetown area. Police did not reveal exactly where they unearthed the motorbikes and the illegal drugs but reported that the raid was conducted around 03:30hrs.

The ranks had reportedly received a tip off and headed down to the location where they searched several homes. They located the drugs and motorbikes and were successful in apprehending three males wanted for robbery under arms.

The robbery suspects were identified as a 34-year-old of Tucville Squatting Area, Georgetown, a labourer, 28, of Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and a 48-year-old man of Melanie Damishana, ECD.

Confiscated marijuana.

Abandoned motorcycles.

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Sunday January 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

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

SUNDAY Guyanese deserve to be involved in the value chain of their own petroleum industry, with assimilation occurring at a quick but realistic pace.

For the Guyanese people to determine whether ExxonMobil and its partners are following through with their promises in this regard, we must be informed of the definitive targets and achievements made toward those targets as time goes by.

It is not enough for subcontractors like Schlumberger to make toothless statements with

poetry and colourful language. Answer our questions, or get out!

MONDAY The Irfaan Ali administration is holding off on telling the public just how it went about selecting Hess Corporation to market Guyana’s fourth oil lift.

It has been weeks since a press conference was promised by the Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

Let’s be clear: GUYANA CANNOT SUCCEED IF THE PPP/C GIVES IT ANOTHER 23 YEARS WITHOUT

TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. Come out of the shadows, Dr. Jagdeo, and prove to this country that all transactions were above board.

TUESDAY 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!

WEDNESDAY GUYANA IS IN DANGER! We are not fully insured against disasters which may happen in the Stabroek block.

When will Guyana get the parent companies of Stabroek Block partners to provide unlimited insurance for Liza One, Liza Two and Payara?

Can the leaders of Guyana, somebody, anybody, say

something?

THURSDAY How embarrassing it truly is, that six years after our first commercial discovery of oil offshore, Guyana still hasn’t conducted its own independent review of its oil resources!

We are left at the mercy of multinationals, who would tell us whatever they think we need to hear, in order to maximize their profits.

How embarrassing! How shameful!

FRIDAY The Irfaan Ali administration is holding off on telling the public just how it went about selecting Hess Corporation to market Guyana’s fourth oil lift.

It has been weeks since a press conference was p r o m i s e d b y t h e Vi c e P r e s i d e n t , D r. B h a r r a t Jagdeo.

Let’s be clear: Guyana

cannot succeed if the PPP/C gives it another 23 years without transparency and accountability.

Come out of the shadows, Dr. Jagdeo and prove to this country that all transactions were above board.

SATURDAY Venezuela’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jorge Arreaza, has claimed that Guyana has a “unilateral claim” to the Essequibo region.

How nonsensical it is for Venezuela to claim Guyana has a “unilateral claim,” when the Bolivarian Republic is the nation that is increasingly isolated on the international stage, while Guyana has the rightful support of the region?

Guyana may be small, but we will not be bullied, and we will not allow a deluded Venezuelan administration to steal our territory from us.

Not a blade of grass!

Pres. Ali refuses to acknowledge reports of third fishing vessel...

Some of the fish that were seized.

From page 10 January 25, a tweet by Zona Operativa de Defensa Integral 61 (ZODI), of Delta Amacuro (a faction of the Venezuelan National Armed Guards (FANB)), revealed that a third Guyanese fishing vessel was detained.

ZODI 61 identified the boat as ‘Miss Annie’ and claimed that the vessel was illegally fishing in Venezuelan waters. It was further noted in the tweet that the vessel was intercepted during a river patrol by the FANB in Mariusa, Tucupita, Delta Amacuro,

Venezuela.

The Venezuelan armed force reported too that both the vessel and the seven crew members are currently being held by the National Guard. Their 1,200 kilograms fish catch, which was on board the vessel, has been seized as well.

The recent detentions of Guyanese vessels by the Venezuelan military follows a series of aggressive statements and moves made by the Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro and regime stemming from the Essequibo territorial controversy.

Sunday January 31, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Jesus earns Man City 12th successive Windies all-rounder Bravo hails win as they beat Sheff Utd 1-0 Gayle, Pollard for paving way BBC Sport - Pep Guardiola said his consistency is amazing,” Guardiola told BBC Manchester City players were “fighting like Sport. “In this league every game is so difficult. for big-hitting new generation animals” after the Premier League leaders beat “It was an incredible performance. We bottom club Sheffield United to record a clubrecord 12th successive victory.

Aside from Gabriel Jesus’ close-range strike from a Ferran Torres cross, an instinctive header from Bernardo Silva - created by a stray Oliver Norwood header - was City’s only effort on target until Aaron Ramsdale denied Oleksandr Zinchenko and then Aymeric Laporte from the corner that followed.

But the Blues’ defensive strength was again on show. Guardiola’s side have now kept five clean sheets in a row in the Premier League, and an impressive 11 out of 13.

The last team in England’s top flight to register 12 consecutive wins in all competitions were Arsenal, who did so between August and October 2007.

“In December and January to show this

played incredibly well in many areas. We conceded few chances. We didn’t create much, but enough to win the game.

“We will drop points, it’s about how we overcome it. Hopefully we react good in the bad moments, which for sure are coming.”

It was certainly far too strong for a visiting team who never looked like emulating their victory at Manchester United three days ago and remain rooted to the foot of the table, 10 points adrift of fourth-bottom Brighton.

For Guardiola, this was a staggering 500th win of a managerial career of 673 games.

Manchester United’s goalless draw at Arsenal yesterday evening leaves City three points clear of their neighbours at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand.

Sunday January 31, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today you might feel a bit bloated and slow, Aries, which could interfere with your daily routine. You could also feel unmotivated about work.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today your job or another activity could require your artistic skills for a particular project. You may not be used to this, so it could throw you into a bit of a panic.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A subject of interest that you've been pursuing could bring up some deeply buried emotions today, Gemini.

You might want to retreat into your mind and try to make sense of it.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) This could be a confusing day for you. Financial issues might be complicated by computer glitches or failures in communication. Keep pushing, however, and whatever you're trying to straighten out will be resolved.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Financial issues might have you and your partner a bit more on edge than you need to be. Perhaps money is tighter than usual right now, and you have to put off purchases you want to make.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today your intellect is flying high. A number of new ideas, perhaps about political or social issues, might excite your curiosity and cause you to want to spend hours in the library or on the Internet.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Your imagination is working overtime today, Libra, and you might spend hours at a computer writing or in front of an easel or piano creating your own brand of painting or music.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) A conflict between your responsibilities to family and obligations to friends could rear its ugly head today, Scorpio. You might want to attend an event but need to deal with emotional issues in the home immediately.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Dissatisfaction with certain job conditions might come to a head today, Sagittarius.

A discussion with colleagues might be necessary to defuse a potentially explosive situation.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) If you've been planning a long trip by air, today you might doubt whether you should continue with your plans.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today you might feel too overwrought to concentrate on whatever goals you're trying to reach, particularly if they're financial. Past issues might crop up at inopportune times but will still need to be released.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You tend to be pretty selfassured, but self-esteem issues dating from long ago could surface today. You might feel like a schoolchild called on to recite.

SportsMax - West Indies all-rounder, Dwayne Bravo, has hailed the role of bighitting teammates Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard in inspiring a new generation of exciting batsmen.

For decades the Caribbean has created some of the world’s most exciting stroke players, with the likes of Everton Weekes, Gary Sobers, and, later on, Viv Richards and Brian Lara thrilling crowds with their incredible run-scoring ability.

The likes of Pollard, Gayle, and Andre Russell have fallen very much into that mold and a new generation that includes players like Nicholas Pooran, Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmeyer, and Brandon King have followed in their footsteps.

The 37-year-old allrounder Bravo, one of the T20 cricket’s most devastating wicket-takers in his own right, was quick to commend Pollard and Gayle for passing the torch. ”I think these young guys look up to players like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, what these guys have done in white-ball cricket,” Bravo

...Bangladesh call up new From page 66 Test will be played in Chittagong while the second starts in Dhaka on February 11.

Bangladesh squad: Mominul Haque (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Najmul Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Yasir Ali, Saif Hassan, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shadman Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud

...Rising Stars Congratulates From page 70 as they hunt the Regional 50 Overs titles in 2021.

The Rising Stars Sport Club would also be extremely happy to see Anthony Adams be given his chance in the Guyana Jaguars Regional 4 days or any other Regional duty. So we are calling on the Selectors, coaches and CGI to please give Anthony Adams his well deserved opportunity and stop this disrespect of non selection to this disciplined and humble young man.

Nicholas Pooran told Khaleej Times after leading the Delhi Bulls to a win in the Abu Dhabi T10 league on Friday.

“The players from the younger generation now aspire to be like them (Gayle, Pollard) you know. Before them, they had Sir Viv (Richards) or (Brian) Lara and (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul,

these players and the likes of Gayle and (Ramnaresh) Sarwan. The young players were looking up to those players,” he added.

“But now because of Pollard, Andre Russell, Gayle, you know, you have seen the likes of Pooran, Heytmayer, Rutherford, and Brandon King.”

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Australia’s Nick Kyrgios will play his first game in almost a year at the Murray River Open.

‘Didn’t miss it’ - Kyrgios back after long lay-off AFP - Australian showman Nick Kyrgios admitted yesterday he didn’t miss tennis, nor the people in it, during his year-long coronavirus lay-off, but now feels mentally refreshed and excited to be back.

The 25-year-old last played in February at the Acapulco Open before a wrist injury and then the global pandemic brought his season to a halt.

He opted not to travel for the US or French Opens and emerged as a moral voice for the game, blasting fellow stars — notably Novak Djokovic — over their behaviour during the virus crisis.

“I don’t miss too many people on the tour, to be honest. Apart from all the Australian guys,” he said at Melbourne Park ahead of his comeback match in the ATP Murray River Open next week before the Australian Open on February 8.

“I’m not going to lie, I didn’t miss the game that much.

“I’m a competitor, I

compete with everything I do. But I was playing computer games, all that kind of stuff, getting my little competitive edge there. I didn’t really miss the game at all.”

Kyrgios said the time off allowed him to instead focus on “things that actually matter”.

“In my time off I wasn’t thinking about tennis at all. I was going through a couple of off-court things,” he said.

“My mum was not so healthy. I was focusing on things that actually matter to me personally. Tennis to me is not my top priority.”

Long a polarising figure for his on-court antics, Kyrgios appeared to turn a corner at the Australian Open last year, winning new fans for his efforts to mobilise support for victims of deadly bushfires that devastated huge tracts of the country.

He said the disaster gave him perspective and focus, making him realise there were more important things than getting angry on a tennis

court.

And the chance to again perform at his home Grand Slam this year forced him back into training, hitting two hours a day for the past few months.

“It was a bit of a task to get out there, get in the routine of things. Wake up and say, ‘Look, we got the Australian Open around the corner, let’s put some work in’. It wasn’t so easy,” he said. But after the initial shock, Kyrgios is now “mentally completely refreshed”.

“I feel like I am playing well and am ready to go.

Everyone is really playing it by ear. Nobody really knows who is in form and who is not,” he said.

“I’m going to take it day by day and try to enjoy myself as much as I can.

“I’m extremely blessed to be here again,” he added.

“I’m not sure how many of these I played now. I definitely feel like I’m a veteran of the tour now.

“I’m just happy to be around it (tennis) again.”

Sunday January 31, 2021

Big Bash League: James Vince’s 98 not out helps Sydney Sixers reach final

Vince is the third highest scorer in this season’s Big Bash with 442 runs at an average of 34 and strike-rate of almost 141. (Getty Images)

B

BC Sport England batsman James Vince’s unbeaten 98 off 53 balls helped Sydney Sixers thrash Perth Scorchers to reach the Big Bash League final.

The opener hit 14 fours and one six as the Sixers chased 168 with nine wickets in hand and three overs to spare.

But he was denied the chance of a century when Andrew Tye bowled a wide with the scores level in Canberra.

Asked if Tye had done it intentionally, Vince said: “I guess only he will know.”

He told BT Sport: “A hundred would’ve been nice but I’m just happy to be there at the end and be in the final.”

season, the middle-order batsman will once again form part of the Windward Islands squad looking to claim a 5th Regional Super50 crown.

With plenty of international cricket on the horizon this year, including Caribbean tours for Sri Lanka Australia, and Pakistan, Stewart knows a solid season could place him squarely in the thoughts of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) selectors.

“I think it’s an important year for cricket in the

Caribbean, a lot of teams are touring the Caribbean,” Stewart told Grenada’s Talksport.

“So, I think what I have control over is my performance and once I continue putting the numbers up then that is the most I can do,” he added.

“As long as I continue playing, I will continue putting my focus on those numbers and keep progressing for the Windwards and hopefully eventually the West Indies too.”

Oval.

Hughes was cheered after choosing not to score off the final three balls of the over, but Tye’s bouncer down the leg side off the first ball of the next sealed the Sixers’ victory.

The Scorchers’ total of 167-6 was built around Josh Inglis’ unbeaten 69 off 41 balls, while England’s Liam Livingstone and Jason Roy made 15 and three respectively at the top of the order.

Scores: Perth Scorchers 167-6 (20 overs): Inglis 69 (41); Dwarshuis 2-40; Sydney Sixers 168-1 (17 overs): Vince 98* (53), Philippe 45 (28) Result: Sydney Sixers won by nine wickets.

Bangladesh call up new faces for West Indies Tests Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud (C) celebrates with teammates during the first ODI cricket match between Bangladesh and West Indies on January 20.

Former WI U-19 captain Stewart hopes to signal selectors with good numbers from Super50 SportsMax - Former West Indies Under-19 captain Emmanuel Stewart hopes to insert himself in the debate for selection in what he believes could be a big year for regional cricket.

The 21-year-old Windwards Islands Volcanoes batsman was part of the squad that contested the 2018 Under-19 World Cup. Since making his First-Class debut in 2019 for the Volcanoes he had made three half-centuries in 9 matches.

For the upcoming

The Scorchers, who finished second behind the Sixers in the league stage, have another chance to qualify for the final at the SCG on 6 February.

They play the winners of Sunday’s Knockout between Brisbane Heat or Sydney Thunder in the Challenger on Thursday to decide who will face the Sixers.

Vi n c e , d r o p p e d b y Australia bowler Tye on 23, shared an opening stand of 92 in 8.1 overs with Josh Philippe, who made 45 off 25 balls.

Vince added a further 76 with Daniel Hughes, who hit Jyhe Richardson for four in the 17th over to tie the scores and prompt ironic boos from the Sixers fans at the Manuka

AFP - Bangladesh yesterday named uncapped fast bowler Hasan Mahmud and batsman Yasir Ali to the country’s 18-man squad for two Tests against West Indies starting on Wednesday.

Hasan played his first T20 for Bangladesh against Zimbabwe last year and his 50 over international debut in the series against West Indies this month, while Yasir is yet to represent the

country in any format.

Also included in the squad was star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who had limped off the field during the third ODI with a groin injury.

A subsequent medical scan did not reveal a major problem, paving the way for a comeback to the Test side.

“He batted in the net today and looked okay. We will observe him again when

he bowls in the nets. We will not rush him in the first Test if he is not fully fit,” said chief selector Minhajul Abdein.

Shakib was previously suspended for one year up until October for failing to report corruption.

Pacer Taskin Ahmed, who last played a Test in September 2017, was also recalled to the team. The first (Continued on page 65)

Kaieteur News

Sunday January 31, 2021

PAGE 67

Australian Open to be allowed 30,000 fans a day

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Y D N E Y (Reuters) - The Australian Open will be allowed to admit up to 30,000 fans a day, around 50% of the usual attendance, when the Grand Slam gets underway on Feb. 8, Victoria state sports minister Martin Pakula said yesterday.

The limit will be reduced to 25,000 over the last five days of the tournament when there are fewer matches, but Pakula said the announcement would ensure some of the biggest crowds for a sporting event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’ll mean that over the 14 days, we will have up to 390,000 people here at Melbourne Park and that’s about 50% of the average over the last three years,” he told reporters at the venue for the tournament.

“It will not be the same as the last few years but it will be the most significant international event with crowds that the world has s e e n i n m a n y, m a n y

months.”

Pakula said the decision was a testament to the job the people of Victoria had done in containing the new coronavirus after enduring one of the longest and strictest lockdowns in the world.

It has been 24 days since Victoria reported a locally acquired COVID-19 infection, while Australia as a whole posted a 13th straight day without a community case yesterday.

The Australian government said the country remained on track to start its vaccine rollout from late February despite reports of supply problems in Europe.

More than 1,000 people, players and their entourages, were obliged to undergo 14 days of quarantine on their arrival in Australia ahead of the year’s first Grand Slam.

Most were allowed out of their rooms for up to five hours a day for training and gym work, but 72 players remained in strict lockdown

after fellow passengers on their flights to Australia tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.

Despite gripes from some at the start of quarantine, tournament chief Craig Tiley said he was “particularly proud” of the “playing group”, most of whom will be out of quarantine by the end of Saturday.”

I’ve seen a few of them this morning and contrary to what some players said 10 days ago, the majority of them - 99.9% - are absolutely happy to be out and very appreciative of our efforts to protect them,” he said.

Local health authorities said yesterday they were still managing five active COVID-19 cases connected to the tennis, one of them a player.

Spain’s Paula Badosa, the world number 67, was the only player to announce she had tested positive in Melbourne. She has another few days of quarantine to complete.

A general view of Australian Open flags in Melbourne, Australia, January 20, 2021.

(REUTERS/Sandra Sanders)

Kaieteur News

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Sunday January 31, 2021

Alabanquima partnership to fortify GFF’s alignment with moving trends in Marketing

By Franklin Wilson The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) in its quest to ensure that Senior Men’s National Team (SMNT) is fully marketed far and wide has engaged the services of the experienced Brazilian Business and Marketing Consultancy, Alabanquima.

The initial one year partnership will see Alabanquima, which is headed by the experienced duo of Flavio Waltz and Marcelo De Paulos, developing and expanding commercial opportunities for the ‘Golden Jaguars’ brand.

Waltz and De Paulos’ familiarity with the global marketing landscape comes with hands on experience of more than 25 years. Kaieteur Sport is pleased to share with you an interview conducted with the principals of Alabanquima about their plans for the progression of the ‘Golden Jaguars’ brand.

Kaieteur Sport - What was the glue factor that made your company gravitate towards partnering with the GFF to market the ‘Golden Jaguars’?

Alabanquima - We believe it was the mutual interest and commitment in making the partnership work. From our end, the driver was the belief in the bright future of Guyana’s football. It seemed the right bet at the right time.

We believe that our team brings together some very important skills and strengths like: Sport Marketing, Business Development, Branding, Knowledge in the fields of

O i l & G a s a n d Manufacturing, Broadcast, Football – a combination very hard to find in the market.

Kaieteur Sport - As an experienced company in the field of marketing, how challenging do you see the partnership with the GFF and the fledgling ‘Golden Jaguars’? Is this the first time you are working with a CFU team?

Alabanquima - This is our first experience in Caribbean football – the reason why we are trying to learn as much as possible to deliver the quality that the GFF expects. We have been very impressed with the level of professionalism among the GFF staff. With f o o t b a l l ’s e n o r m o u s potential for growth in the country, this seems the perfect scenario for a very bright future.

And we also have high hopes for the very special moment of Guyana as a country. The new Oil Discoveries, the huge growth opportunity. The country has a once-in-alifetime opportunity in front of itself, right now.

Kaieteur Sport - With covid-19 presenting untold challenges for sports the world over, how would you be able to secure partners who forms part of your agreement with the GFF to support the SMNT quest to be the best commencing with the 2021/2022 season?

Alabanquima - Covid definitely poses unforeseen challenges. But a lot of opportunities, too.

We believe that there is an exquisite story to be told.

Content and social media will definitely play a big role in our plan.

People all over the world are more open to technologies that allow for connection even when they are apart. During the initial phase of our project, we have already connected with people in Brazil, England, United States, United Arab Emirates and, of course, Guyana.

Kaieteur Sport - Can you be a bit more specific in terms of what you as a company, would be brining to the table?

Alabanquima - Our team is comprised of individuals with complementary experience and skills. Marcelo is the Sports Marketing specialist and Flavio is the Oil & Gas and Manufacturing specialist.

We usually say that you have to create value first, capture value later. Our commitment is to present a guiding plan so that the GFF can create as much value as possible to fans, players and administrators of football.

That will help build a better product, not only on the pitch but especially in the hearts of every Guyanese. What we call “emotional investment” is what attracts sponsors.

Kaieteur Sport - How broad is this partnership with the GFF? Does it also include securing opportunities for local players to market their skills in Brazil and elsewhere?

Additionally, would you be seeking to organise friendly matches for the ‘Golden Jaguars’?

Alabanquima - One of

Alabanquima’s pillars is “long-term relationship” with our clients. We have a long-term vision for our partnership with the GFF in its quest to build the most comprehensive football development possible in every aspect in Guyana. But timing was of the essence now: the Golden Jaguars kick off in the World Cup Qualifiers in a couple of months! We narrowed the initial scope to focus on the two main competitions (WCQ and the Gold Cup).

Being successful in this first mission will certainly build our relationship with the GFF. And the GFF will have more resources to invest in the long-term vision we had initially discussed.

That said, we will never overlook any opportunities to help improve the product we are selling, which in the end is the excitement of the Guyanese people with the Golden Jaguars. The topics you mentioned – and many others – are not in our initial scope, but we will scrounge any resource available to achieve the success President Wayne Forde has in his vision.

Kaieteur Sport - What you’ll be looking to get from the GFF in terms of commitment to ensure that the partnership is successful?

Alabanquima - We know for a fact that the GFF is fully invested in our project. They had other options and chose to work with us, which is both an honor and extremely humbling. It is our duty to point out whenever we see room for improvement in the

way they conduct business.

But we see no lack of willingness or enthusiasm to produce the best outcome possible.

Kaieteur Sport - If I’m correct, the initial period for this contract is one year, do you see this being enough to make an indelible impact with the team?

Alabanquima - The work Coach Maximo and Wilson Toledo are doing is what really makes a difference. Our job is to generate resources so that the GFF can provide them with better and better work conditions. One year is definitely a short time, but we will strive to produce as much impact as possible. In fact, we will have to start showing results long before one year – and this is the main goal at this point.

Kaieteur Sport Marketing is huge and expansive, fans are vital to the cause, how do you plan to get fans local and overseas hyped and involved with the brand?

Alabanquima - Every brand in every field dreams of having what sports in general and football in particular have in abundance: excitement and engagement among their target audience. All we need is to tell the story of

Wayne Forde - GFF President

something extraordinary that is already happening.

Conveying the message to a larger audience will rely on a number of different initiatives. And most of them are not particularly expensive, but require professionalism, commitment, and passion – of which there is no shortage in Guyana.

Kaieteur Sport - Would individual players be chosen at anytime to be Ambassadors?

Alabanquima - It always helps when you have national heroes that people can connect to. But it is way too soon for us to make that prediction. If there is a group of athletes who are representative of the story we hope to tell, they will play a role in that.

Kaieteur Sport - Would the partnership be specific only to the Senior Team?

Alabanquima - This is the scope of the initial agreement. But we understand that there are other important aspects and attributes that sponsors love and that may be beyond the SMNT. And our vision, aligned with that of President Forde, is way more ambitious. We will do our best to deliver on the initial project so that we can all engage in this larger vision.

The Golden Jaguars going through the paces in a training session in Minnesota, USA during their debut at the Concacaf Gold Cup in June, 2019.

Kaieteur News

Sunday January 31, 2021

PAGE 69

Copa Airlines partners with Nexgen Golf Academy

C

opa Airlines, one of the leading airlines in the region, signed a major marketing and promotion agreement with NexGen Golf Academy that will see the major airline’s flag flying over many of the upcoming golf events and programmes in Guyana.

Compañia Panameña de Aviación, S.A., known simply as Copa Airlines, is the flag carrier of Panama.

Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, the Airline connects destinations in North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean, through its Hub of the Americas, located at Tocumen International Airport.

Copa’s General Manager Camille Hackett said, “Our relationship with NexGen Global and Mr. Hussain has seen tremendous positive impact in the areas of development of the sport and the strides that have been made to include women and children in the game, has given us the assurance that this is the right step for Copa Airlines to take to provide the necessary support he and the Golf Association requires.”

President of the Guyana Golf Association and NexGen Golf Academy Aleem Hussain was effusive in his praise for Commercial Coordinator Nadine Oudkerk and Sales Executive Christopher Ferrell who he credited with the initiative to join forces to help develop the sport in Guyana. “This forwardRaheem Cornwall was outstanding for the West Indies.

Christopher Ferrell

Camille Hackett

Aleem Hussain

thinking team saw the niche for growth and without hesitation did everything possible to ensure that we could form a sustainable partnership that will see as many as 3,000 new persons exposed to the game in the next twelve months.”

This year, as a part of this exciting partnership, many activities and events for new players and school children will be run off by NexGen Golf Academy, the Guyana Golf Association, and Ministry of Education Allied Arts Unit, whereby participants will have the opportunity to play and learn and in so doing, win lots of prizes simply by taking part in a covid-19 compliant activity.

According to Ms. Oudkerk, “The grand event that will take place in the first quarter will be a fabulous

Hole-in One Contest, whereby the winner will receive a roundtrip ticket to any destination in the Americas where Copa Airlines flies!” (travel must be completed by certain dates and some restrictions do apply).

The activity will take place at the Academy on Woolford Avenue starting February 6th and all players have to do is hole the ball in one shot to win the incredible prize, a dream trip to the destination of their choice!

“We expect that this will encourage many people to come out and get involved and Copa Airlines staff will be on hand at many of these activities to support NexGen Golf and the Guyana Golf Association and answer any questions persons may have about our services and destinations,” said Sales

Executive Christopher Ferrell.

According to Hussain, 2021 will be a banner year for golf as the interest in the sport has risen to new levels and there are several major developments underway.

“With the construction of the 18-hole Championship golf course in Maraiko Bay underway and at least three other courses set for construction, Guyana will soon become a golf destination and that means great news for tourism, hotels, airlines and other service providers. Golfers are amongst the highest spenders in the tourism industry averaging approximately US$3,950 per golfer on a golf trip and add to the fact that most golfers love to live near or on a golf course, value of properties tend to increase by 30% or more wherever courses are built.”

A 4-bedroom golf course home in neighbouring Barbados rents for as much as US$3,000-$4,500/night depending on the season and

it’s the same in Jamaica and virtually every other golf destination.

“We have missed out for far too long on this lucrative market and we see this partnership with Copa Airlines and the development of Maraiko Bay and other golf communities as the path to new wealth for Guyanese investors and homeowners,” said Hussain.

“We see Maraiko Bay as rivaling any of the Caribbean’s best resort properties since it offers everything and more that they provide – championship golf, marina, shopping, beach, and eco-tours.”

With a championship golf course, the airlift will increase and so will revenues from sports tourism and the possibility of hosting major golf tournaments on a regular basis is fast becoming a reality. With golf having now been introduced into the school system, and with the excellent corporate support and sponsorship being placed behind the development of the game,

Guyana will be in a position to compete on an international and even an Olympic level in a short time.

Hussain emphasized that the number and quality of the facilities under the Nexgen Global umbrella will continually improve but the goal is to lower the cost of playing golf while making it more accessible to a wider audience.

“Our corporate partners agree that for far too long, this incredible sport has been kept out of the hands of our citizens and this is the first of many cooperation agreements designed to allow thousands of Guyanese to play Golf.”

For more information on Copa Airlines, their destinations and services, please visit their local office on 212 Camp Street or www.copaair.com. To find out about the Hole-in One tournament or any golf activities at the NexGen Golf Academy, you can find information on Facebook or call 645-0944.

Cornwall takes five-for as Windies dominate day two against BCB XI

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portsMax - Offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall grabbed a five-wicket haul as the West Indies dismissed Bangladesh Cricket Board XI for 160, before ending the day at 175 for 5, when they batted again, on day two of the three-day warm-up match.

In the morning session, Cornwall got the key wicket of Mohammad Naim, who was bowled five runs short of a half-century, before later accounting for Yasir Ali. His victims also included Akbar Ali, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, and Khaled Ahmed.

A left-arm spinner, Jomel Warrican, also had a splendid showing as he swept through the middle order.

Wa r r i c a n t o o k t h e wickets of Shahadat Hossain, captain Nurul Hasan, and Towhid Hridoy.

Batting a second time, the West Indies lost Shayne Moseley first ball, but his opening partner John Campbell and Nkrumah Bonner carried the team to 130 for 1 with a solid secondwicket partnership.

Campbell’s dismissal on 68, off the bowling of Saif Hassan, then prompted a collapse.

Jermaine Blackwood (4),

Kyle Mayers (8), and Kavem Hodge (19) all departed without really settling in at the crease.

At the close of play, Bonner remained unbeaten on 80, with Joshua Da Silva yet to score at the other end.

The West Indies will head into the third day and final with an overall lead of 276.

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Sunday January 31, 2021

Three Guyanese match officials France Electrical Company receive FIFA badges sponsors 40 overs tourney for for 2021 Berbice River Sub-Association BCB 2021 Cricket Programme

The lone female of the trio, Maurees Skeete.

Mr. Uborn France hands over sponsorship to BCB President Hilbert Foster, while Region 6 REO Navindra Persaud (centre) looks on.

“When I became the President of the Berbice Cricket Board in 2018, I pledged that no subassociation would be left behind even if they didn’t vote for me. For, years, the Berbice River SubAssociation was just look at as a provider of four votes for some people. That is no longer the case as they are now being treated equally as the other sub areas in Berbice,” stated President of the Berbice Cricket Board, Hilbert Foster as he launched another cricket tournament for the teams in the Berbice River Sub-Association.

M r. U b o r n F r a n c e , Managing Director of France Electrical and Construction Company has come on board to sponsor the tournament, which would be played using the forty overs format. At least four teams are expected to play under the BCB COVID-19 regulations and the top two teams would then travel to a

venue on the coast for the finals, possibly at the historic Albion Ground Sports Complex. The teams expected to play in the tournament include Ebini, Wiruni and Sand Hills among others.

Foster disclosed that over the last three years, the BCB has organised several tournaments for the subassociation and they have all been very successfully, while teams in the areas have benefitted from numerous donations of items including cricket gears, cricket balls, stumps, educational materials, water pitchers, school bags, trophies, medals among others. The BCB also donated $120,000 worth of coloured uniforms to the Sub-Association under the Clayton Lambert Gears project.

Foster also disclosed that for the first time ever a Berbice River Cricket team would be participating in a BCB first division

tournament, when they play in the historic semiprofessional league scheduled for August. Great effort would also be made to send coaches in the area to host a mini cricket academy in the area.

The BCB expressed confidence that the standard of the game in the river area would result in players that would go on to play for the county and even higher. He committed the BCB to organising at least two tournaments in 2021 but cautioned that the teams would have to follow all the COVID-19 guidelines. He also expressed thanks to Mr. Navindra Persaud, Regional Executive Officer of Region 6 for his cooperation and support of Berbice Cricket.

France, in brief remarks, stated, that he admired the outstanding work of the Foster led BCB and was delighted to join the vast array of persons coming on board to assist.

Rising Stars Congratulates Kemol Savory

S

herwin Johnson, Maurees Skeete and Kleon Lindey are now ready to officiate international matches this year, after Guyana’s top three match officials received their FIFA badges at a ceremony at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Friday last.

T h e t h r e e o ff i c i a l s received their badges from GFF President Wayne Forde alongside GFF Executive Committee member and Interim Head of Refereeing Dion Inniss.

“I want to commend these three match officials that have been placed on the FIFA list,” Forde said. “They are a credit to Guyana football and to all of Guyana.

We know they are going to go out there, do exceptionally well and make all of Guyana proud.”

Referees Johnson and Skeete and assistant referee Lindey were reappointed to FIFA’s list of international referees in December, giving them the right to wear the coveted FIFA badge and to take charge of international

matches in 2021.

“Last year, we all know was a very difficult year, but I stayed positive and continued training.

The fact that I am in the army – I’m a staff sergeant – that has kept me focused and motivated and strong to continue to push forward,” Skeete said. “I am excited to get back on the field – to get out there and show my talents and to make Guyana, myself and my organisation proud.”

Johnson and Skeete, a double nominee for Concacaf female referee of the year, have been part of the FIFA list since 2012 and 2014 respectively, while Lindey has featured in the selection since 2015.

“I’m looking to reach the highest pinnacle possible,” said Lindey, who last patrolled the touchline in C o n c a c a f U 2 0 Championship qualifiers in F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 0 . “ I t ’s currently very challenging, but I am just keeping my body fit because fitness is one of the key elements in

Kemol Savory

The Rising Stars Sport Club from South Essequibo would like to extend congratulations to Kemol Savory who was awarded a place in the Guyana Jaguars Senior team for the upcoming CWI Regional Super 50 in Antigua from the 7th to 27th of February, a statement from the club informed.

We are confident that Kemol will continue to put in his hard works and remains focused and committed to the tasks ahead for his team in the competition.

We know he has the ability to deliver some very good performances in his game which all of his cricket loving fans will be proud of. Best wishes to Savory and the Guyana Jaguars team (Continued on page 65)

GFF president Wayne Forde and the three FIFA accredited match officials at the presentation of their FIFA badges.

refereeing.”

Johnson, who officiated the final of the GFF Bounce Back Classic tournament at the turn of the year, said he couldn’t wait “to get back to the pitch to referee and represent Guyana.”

Last year, the GFF launched a referee recruitment campaign –”Get involved” – to encourage more young people to train to become match officials.

“For the game to progress and to develop as we want to see it, the importance of high-class officiating cannot be overstated,” said Inniss. “We are on a path of upward trajectory. We have a plan in place to put refereeing back where it deserves to be.”

“The systems that have been put in place for training and development have quadrupled. I would invite any young girl and boy from the length and breadth of Guyana to show an interest in officiating. We look forward one day to seeing our match officials at a World Cup or Olympic match.”

Sunday January 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 71

Today’s scheduled Endurance meet has been postponed.

No racing today, Endurance C/Ships postponed Competitors for the first round of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC)/Secure Innovations & Concepts (SIC) Inc. Endurance championship will have to wait at least one more week before they are able push the limit of their machines at the South Dakota Circuit after the club was forced to postpone the season-opening meet.

In an invited comment, GMR&SC boss, Rameez Mohamed, contended that the event had to be shifted due to some emergency works on the track.

“We had to push back the date once more because of the works that were recently done to the track. While the actual works are completed, we were advised by the engineers that the surface needs curing time to ensure the proper settlement of the asphalt.”

Mohamed stated too that the curing time was determinant on the weather at the Timehri-based facility, adding that sunshine is required.

He opined that, “We know that a lot of guys have been looking forward to this but I’m sure everyone that races at South Dakota can understand the reason. We all love racing and want to do it in the safest manner as well as preserve the venue for as long as possible.”

This added time will give competitors the opportunity to fully rectify any issues with their machines and can be seen as a win-win situation.

The three-hour event is anticipated to see a full grid of cars and will precede the first round of the Drag Championship.

The event will be held in accordance with the COVID-19 guidelines which means that all participants must wear masks, sanitise and be subject to mandatory temperature tests.

Prospective competitors are reminded that helmets and gloves are required and those interested in competing are asked to make contact with the GMR&SC via their Albert Street office.

The Guyana Jaguars squad take time out for a photo prior to their departure yesterday for the Regional 50-overs cricket tournament in Antigua.

Guyana Jaguars’ depart for Regional 50-overs cricket tourney in Antigua The Guyana Jaguars departed Guyana, yesterday, to travel to Antigua where they will vie for the CG Insurance Super50 cup. The 15-man squad will play their first match on February 8th against the Barbados Pride at 13:30 hrs.

The team is as follows: 1. C h a n d r a p a u l Hemraj 2. Kemol Savory 3. C h r i s t o p h e r

Barnwell 4. Leon Johnson 5. Shimron Hetmyer 6. Assad Fudadin 7. Keon Joseph 8. Romario Shepherd 9. Kevin Sinclair 10. Ramaal Lewis 11. Nial Smith 12. Gudakesh Motie 13. Anthony Bramble 14. Akshaya Persaud 15. Tevin Imlach Esuan Crandon is the

Head Coach, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul as m a n a g e r, a n d E r n e s t o Campo, the physiotherapist.

The Executives and staff at the Guyana Cricket Board is extending best-wishes as the team ventures off to undertake their first Regional tournament since the Covid-pandemic, resulting in their 4-day tournament being halted back in March,2020.

Cornwall takes five-for as Windies dominate day two against BCB XI Rakheem Cornwall leads the West Indies off the field following an outstanding display.

Flavio Waltz

Alabanquima partnership to fortify GFF’s alignment with moving trends in Marketing

The three match officials display their badges with GFF President Wayne Forde (2nd right) and Dion Inniss.

Three Guyanese match officials receive FIFA badges for 2021

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