Kaieteur News

Special team to audit Govt.’s spending of oil money

- Auditor General says eight-member committee to be established by March

By Davina Bagot

of

Guyana

from the nation’s government has signaled have to check with the Natural Resource Fund their intent to transfer funds committees at the BoG

Auditor General, Deodat Sharma

$771M estimated to rehabilitate 13 bridges

The Audit Office of (NRF)ortheoilaccount. from the NRF to the (Bank of Guyana) that is Guyana will be boosting its He said: “We are the consolidated fund, thereby overseeing the Natural capacity with a new eight- auditors for the Natural blendingthevariousrevenue Resource Fund. They would member body this year Resource Fund so all the streams. This was a sore have that responsibility to dedicated to conducting oil expenditurewhenthemoney concern for transparency say okay we are going to be andgasaudits. goes into the Natural activists but the Auditor building x, y and z. So, in supposed to get more and of Parliament (MP) Volda Auditor General (AG), Resource Fund and when it General (AG) clarified that other words, this Committee what is the procedure so Lawrence who followed up Deodat Sharma told this comes out there - like last the Investment Committee will say exactly how it was that’s the part that the World on an increase in wages for newspaperyesterdaythatthe year, it was US$607 million will be tasked with outlining spent. We would then check BankAuditors are doing. So the Audit Office that led to Committee is to be Budget support to the the projects funded by oil to verify whatever they say wehavetobuildourcapacity the disclosure by Minister of established by March. This government so we will have money He explained: “If that the money was used for also to understand what they Parliamentary Affairs and special committee will be t o a u d i t a l l t h o s e you look at the various that it went to the project are doing and eventually we Governance, Gail Teixeira. tasked with specific expenditures.” committees that they intended.” might take over that type of “I note the revised figure for functions according to the Sharma was asked to (government) set up, one of Secondly, the oil and gas auditalsointhefuture.” 2022 is some $819,562,000 AG. For instance, he noted elaborate on how the team the committees that I think committeewillbeupdatinga Sharma said that this as opposed to the 2023 that the Auditor General’s would be tracking this has been set up will report it conducted between team of auditors will be amount budgeted of Office will be fine-tuning spending since the People’s determine how the money 2019 and 2020 to assess carrying out similar $109,117,000. I am asking spendingbytheGovernment Progressive Party (PPP) will be spent, so you will Guyana’s preparedness to functions to the Oil and Gas whatwouldbetheadditional respond to an oil spill. He committee employed by the categories of employees I said this will be undertaken Guyana Revenue Authority assume would be added to so that the country can know (GRA).Hewaskeentopoint the Audit Office and could its present status in that out that his eight-member we know whether there is a regard. Thirdly, Sharma body already has engineers special department that is noted that the capacity of the ready to verify the money looking at oil and gas and eight –member team will be government expended from what are the different boosted so as to ensure that the NRF for infrastructure portfolios therein,” the A Guyanese are conducting and other projects. As it Partnership for National their own audits to verify its regard the updated report on Unity(APNU)MPenquired. share of profits from the Guyana’s preparedness for Teixeira pointed out that the offshoreoperations. an oil spill, he said that this reason for the increase was According to him, willtakesometime. two-fold. In addition to the “Remember they have The new committee was across-the-board eight contacted an auditor to audit announced on Monday percent salary increase, she out there what is happening during the consideration of referenced the new oil and intermsoftheoil…wedon’t Estimates for Budget 2023. gas committee for the Audit know if we should get It was Opposition Member Office. US$100 million or if we are

The Ministry of Public Works will be InRegionTwo,workswillbeexecutedat spending some $700 million to facilitate the the La Belle Alliance bridge- estimated at continued rehabilitation and construction of $80,500,000. In Region Three, works is anumberofbridgesinthecountry slated for the Belle Vue access bridge This is according to a public notice –estimated at $80,000,000, the bridge issued by the ministry inviting sealed bids linking Belle West Housing Scheme, Canal for the rehabilitation and construction of a No. 2 – estimated at $80,500,000, and the total of 13 bridges across the country The bridge linking Parfaite Housing Scheme, ministry’s budget, which is yet to pass in the CanalNo.1-estimatedat$80,500,000. National Assembly, would see the spending As for works in Region Five, the of $136 billion for bridges and roads across Waterloo/ Bath bridge will be fixed for an thecountry estimated cost of $33,500,000 while the

In the advertisement, the Ministry noted Blairmount Estate Turn, No. 2 is pegged at thatitintendstokick-startitsbridgeprojects $80,500,000 and Blairmount Estate Turn for the year with the rehabilitation and Bridge5isestimatedat$30,000,000. construction of bridges on the East Coast of Works in Region Six will be rolled at the Demerara, and in Regions Two, Three, Five ElizaMaryNo.78Villagebridge–estimated andSix. at$33,500,000andattheGlasglowHousing

The total sum of its engineers’estimates Schemebridge–estimatedat$30,000,000. would see these projects costing some It was reported that last year, the $771,500,000. government had built and maintained some

In terms of bridges located on the East 180bridgesalongthecoastandinhinterland Coast, the ministry plans to continue regions. Senior Minister of Finance, Dr rehabilitation/ construction works of the Ashni Singh had mentioned in this year’s Hope Estate Access bridge – estimated at budget presentation that some $27.8 billion $51,000,000, the Good Hope Bridge was spent on bridges in the country in 2022. extension- estimated at $77,500,000, Mon Bidding for these projects is set to open on Repos Pasture bridge – estimated at February 15, 2023 at the National $25,000,000, and the Enterprise/ Beirut Procurement and Tender Administration accessbridge–estimatedat$29,000,000. Board(NPTAB)office.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor-In-Chief:NIGELWILLIAMS

Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210

What next will take place in Guyana?

The story is still unfolding, but it gets grimmer by the moment.Wheneverallissaidanddone,onemanisdead,and three are injured, including an 11-year-old, in the worst of circumstances.Deliberateoraccidental?

Aslipofthefootonthegasthroughafailureofthedriver or an inoperable braking system of the vehicle at work? Whateveritis,itdoesnotlookgood,withtroublingthoughts emergingfromthisaccidentinEastCanje,Berbice.

Many Guyanese should be familiar of vehicles deliberatelydrivenintocrowdsinforeignlocations,soasto inflictmaximumdamagerelativetolossoflife,andmaiming thoseinthevicinity

Whatelsecouldbeinthemaking,otherthanunexpected mechanicalfailurethatledtocatastrophe? Thisisunknown to Guyana, a society long accustomed to death by drink, severeinjurythroughdangerousspeeding,andsoforth. But for someone to ram a vehicle (allegedly) into a group of people is a rare, if not unprecedented, occurrence in this country Weatthispaperaskedourselves,andputbeforeour readers, if this is not part of the continuing arrogance and lawlessness that sweeps this country from top to bottom, fromparliamenttopopulation.

As put out to this point in the media, the surrounding circumstances do not appear to favour the driver in what could be termed a seemingly murderous rage leading to a momentofdeathandseriousinjury Reportscomingoutof this horror indicate that there was an argument sometime before the vehicle ploughed into the crowd. Arguments triggeracuteupset,andupsetcandrivetomadness,whereall restraintishurledtothewinds,withmayhemresulting. Said another way, people lose it, make little effort to manage themselves better, take matters into their hands, and let whateverwillbetakeplace,withtheaftermathdealtwithin someslipperyfashion,thisbeingGuyana.

Ourconcernisthatmoreandmoremen(sometimessome women also) are becoming too full of their own strength, their right to dominate, and impressed by the swagger that their material successes give to them. Downstream oil developments on land have contributed to many areas of Guyanese life, with businesspeople in various areas benefitinghandsomely Intoomanyinstances,thishasgone totheheadsoftoomany,wheretheirfirmbeliefisthatthey call the shots, they can do as they please, and they are allowed,ifnotentitled,togetawaywithanyviolationsofthe law, and ambience of community and wider society It has long been a fact of Guyanese life that lawbreakers have committedseriouscrimes,reachedouttopoliticalfriends,or friendlypolicesources,orpaidtheirway,andwalkedscotfree.

Wewaittoseewhatfollowsinthisinstanceofvehicular insanitythatdeterioratedintotragedy. Asanaside,wenote thatasittingministerofthecurrentPPPCGovernmentwas stoodup,allbutignoredanddisdained,onamatterinvolving publicworks,moniesspent,andlittletoshow Ifthiscould havebeenthemindsetbefore,withsuchasensitiveissueon thetable,thenitdoesnottakemuchtodismisssomeroadside bystanders,whohappentobenothingbutordinarycitizens.

Our hope and wish are that this incident involving a vehiclebelievedtobeconvertedintoaweaponwouldbethe onlyoneofitskindhappeninghere.

Further, all eyes are now fixed on the Guyana Police Forcetoobservewhatfollowsnext. Shouldchargesbelaid (and we think that they should, no matter what mitigating defences are offered), then the gaze and focus would be on howtheCourtshandlethiscaseinwaiting.

We simply cannot afford any man or woman in this countrytobesoscornfulofthelaw,tobesocasualaboutthe lifeandlimbofothers. Thelatterwouldincludethosewho provoked anger, or merely happened to be innocent spectators in some deeper, grimmer human interaction. Though said far too frequently, we are either a country of laws, or we a country of men twisting the law to suit their perverseends. Weshallsee.

Guyana’s positioning in climate change policy has become more complex as it ramps up its oil production

DEAREDITOR,

In my latest article, I rehashed a selection of themes addressed during 2022. Regular readers and energysectorobserversmay havenoticedtheomissionof local content, education, ESG criteria, Guyana’s political stability and positioning on climate action, since becoming a major oil producer and, action Guyana can take to avoid the resource curse. This, my final article for the year, will review these outstandingissues.

The Local Content Policy (LCP) and its upcoming legislation were the focus of attention at the end of 2021 into the first quarterof2022.Educationis to local content as sowing is to reaping so at that time I decided to focus on education, writing: “A solid foundation at the primary school level leads to improvementinperformance through to secondary and tertiary education which feeds into the availability of professionals to provide the technical goods and services required by the energy sector.”

“Guyana needs to aggressively pursue a vastly improved quality of education for the majority of Guyanese children in the primary and secondary school system right now Enhancements of tertiary education institutions alone willnotsuffice.”

Inreferencetotheenergy sector specifically, I agreed with statements made by Prof Cardinal Warde, Executive Director of the Caribbean Science Foundation, during the third episode of Transforming Guyana series stating: “STEM education can become the means to achieving sustainable socioeconomic development for Guyana through technologybasedentrepreneurship.”

“Rapid growth is needed in STEM companies working in Guyana to provide real opportunities that translate technical expertise into otherindustries.”

I also added, noted that education, on its own, is not enough: “Education may be the passport but it cannot also be the aircraft, fuel and engine all at the same time. The impact of STEM education is intricately linked to policies, legislature and spending in other sectors such as business and banking.”

Without supporting policies and action, those educated in STEM will continue to leave their homeland as documented in “The Guyanese Diaspora” report published in 2020 by the Center for Strategic International Studies

“Almost 90 percent of Guyanese nationals with a tertiary-level education and 40 percent of those with a secondary education emigrated from Guyana

b e t w e e n 1 9 6 5 a n d 2000 Based on these statistics, Guyana is thought to have one of the highest levels of “brain drain” of anycountryonEarth.”

Petrodollarswillbespent on a range of projects but where can they be strategicallyinvested?Apart fromspendingonimmediate developmental needs infrastructure, health care andeducation—investment isneededinareassuchasthe manufacturing sector and electricity systems that can, in turn, generate or support the generation of revenue. This is how countries avoid the resource curse: “Investment in a robust manufacturing sector can shift Guyana away from exporting its raw materials, towards creating more value-added products. As a natural consequence, there can be an accompanying increase in the value of exports, reduced demand for importing those products andincreasedemployment.”

“ G u y a n a ’ s manufacturing sector will be able to boast of producing products using cleaner and green energy with a mix of naturalgas,hydropowerand solarpower.”

“Guyana’s power sector mustmeetthedemandforthe shift from centralized systems of thermal power plants The inclusion of offshore natural gas bolsters Guyana’s energy security by providing cleaner energy for

the growing domestic and industrial power demand. Additionally, there will be a more attractive environment for investment with lower energy cost and greater reliabilityofsupply.”

Shifting to external factors that affect Guyana’s progress, imagine that Guyanaretaineditsabundant resources and completely resolved governance, labour forcecapabilityandcapacity challenges by 2030. Is that enoughtoensuresuccessand prosperityforallGuyanese? Unfortunately, resolving those issues will not be enough. The response of foreigninvestorsandclimate change also need to be consideredandnavigated.

InJune,Iidentifiedsome additional “fire clubs” that thecountrywillfacestarting with the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)Criteria: “ESG criteria are a set of standards used by socially consciousinvestorstoscreen potential projects for investment. These standards influence the allocation of funds and management of operations. In short, fossil fuel production and development in Guyana may be a stumbling block to environmentally conscious investors — this cannot be completelyignored.”

“Meeting ESG standards adds complexity to the energy transition These challengescallfor

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Indigenous People should be more proactive in banking

DEAREDITOR,

Withthetoutedquantum of money that will be pouring into Indigenous communities in Guyana fromthecarboninvestments for our stewardships in caring for the forest, and from Oil, it is expected that such reality will prompt our people to take initiatives to seekproperinvestmentsand managementoftheirmonies.

This can be a challenge formostus,givenourunique worldview in relation to conventional banking. Most personswholiveinoutlying andtraditionalcommunities, they still practice the collective ownership to landsandapproachworkand business-oriented activities collectively

l

for a few

communitiesthatareleaning towards urban lifestyle, some of their residents who a r e p r o g r e s s i v e entrepreneurs are already practising individual banking.

However, the former aspect that reflects our modus operandi shouldn’t hinder us, instead, offer a motivetobeindialoguewith western banking in Guyana to seek appropriate forms to investourcapital.

As clever people, perhaps we can initiate cooperative groups in Indigenousvillages.

This can be done firstly by conducting a feasibility study on the ambitious indigenous banking plan The enterprise must come fromthepeople,foundedon

theircommunalstrengthand must be autonomous, but open to work with scientific and technological assistance from outside If such pioneering initiative in indigenous banking be successful,theenterprisecan be established across the interiorofthecountry,which eventually District Councils cansupervise.

Weknowthattheloveof moneyistherootofallevil, and there exist divisions in communities with the entry of cash flows but to combat all improper practices that surround community funds proper accountability, monitoringandtransparency must be included, as ethical rules,alongwithcommunity togetherness to govern the autonomous indigenous

banking.

Editor, Indigenous People in Guyana are living in“interestingtimes”,where inevitable changes are impacting our lifestyles, hence the need to be proactive according to the signs of the times not to be left behind. In other words, we are not living in a vacuum, which means we need to be in constant dialogue with modern development as we keep the balance in maintaining our culturesandtraditionsinthe present times, and make properuseofcash-flowsand investments, but adopt them to be in sync with our worldview of development andforfuturegenerations.

Yourssincerely, MedinoAbrahamSJ

Guyanese what is wrong to be like the Gulfs States?

DEAREDITOR,

Guyana with its huge abundance of oil and more and more discoveries can be like the Persian Gulf States Countries.

Most GULF STATES

Countries like Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar have a very small population fewer than3millionbutdependon mostly immigrants to do their work from maids, to building infrastructures as roads, skyscrapers and bridges.

ThecitizensoftheseGulf States Countries will handle the security of their Countries, manage their oil revenues and sit back and enjoylivingagoodlife.The immigrants are allowed to work but cannot own land,

properties or become citizens. By not allowing immigrants becoming citizens,thethreatofgetting displaced by foreigners is avoided.

The Government of Guyana and its citizens can enjoythebestoflifewithits oil revenues just by copying theGulfStates.Guyanesedo not have to be top oil engineers or infrastructures engineers, these engineers, maids can be imported for a dimeadozen.

Guyanesejusthavetobe top of the line excellent mangers of their revenues. Guyana and its citizens can only become like the Gulfs States only if the main partiescanhavethemeeting ofthemindsandsitbackand

NIS and citizens’ contributions

all its citizens can enjoy the best of life and let the immigrantsdo theirwork.I understand the Gulfs States is made up of one ethnic group and their government cannotbechallenged.

UnlessGuyaneseleaders are truly willing to have a meetingofthemindstofind asolutionofdecentralization thentheiroilrevenueswould meannothingandipsofacto the country will remain in a state of dissention Guyanese only have two options, A - Decentralize [ Federal System] or Partition the Country Guyanese what iswrongtobeliketheGulfs States? Let me get your comments. Regards, VassanRamracha.

DEAREDITOR, I refer to a recent letter writtenbyoneRoshanKhan about a person who was deemed to be “one contribution short” of qualifying for their NIS pensionbenefits.

Dozens of people have related over the years that, when they applied for their NIS pension, they were told that they were short by one contribution.Isthisapattern of behaviour of the staff in that office that they just deemed folks to be short by onesinglecontribution?

While it is possible that some people would be short by one single contribution, most of them said that they worked for reputable

corporations who would have remitted the contributions, and they workedlongenoughtohave qualified.

I personally never received my pension from theNIS.Iworkedforalarge international company and when I resigned in 1989 to migrate, I requested a letter from my employers to be usedasareferenceabroad.I still have that letter but the NISsaidthatthecompanyis no longer in Guyana so they can’tverifyanything.

They informed me that I only made contributions in 1969.Well,Iwasinschoolin 1969. I started working in 1970. Where they arrived at that conclusion left me

bewildered. Is it possible that when the NIS migrated to a computerised system that errorsweremadeintheinput of the information?Another point is why can’t the NIS paythepensiononaprorated basis as is done in most countries. E.g. If someone needs 750 contributions to qualify and they have 740, why can’t they receive 740/750 of the monthly benefits? Something needs to be done to make the system fair and equitable to all.TheMinisterresponsible needs to take a more proactive approach to this issue.

Regards, RahmanMohammed

Guyana’spositioninginclimatechangepolicyhasbecomemore...

Frompage4 innovation and new approaches to doing business.”

“ T h e c o u n t r y ’ s a t t r a c t i v e n e s s t o environmentally and s o c i a l l y c o n s c i o u s international investors can also determine its ability to compete for foreign direct investment.”

Guyana’s positioning in climate change policy has also become more complex as it ramps up its oil production: “Guyana holds a unique position being a longstanding significant carbon sink then swiftly becoming a significant oil exporter, transitioning to clean energy consumption a n d b o o s t i n g t h e development of the nation in less than a decade. The Tyndall report and the IEA are asking governments and oil and gas producers to w a l k a w a y f r o m hydrocarbonreserves.”

Ononehand,thecountry acknowledges the need for actiononclimatechangebut on the other hand, there is equallyvalidneedforsocioeconomic development in a country that is eager to modernize and provide a betterstandardandlivingfor

itspeoplewhileitcandoso:

“Guyana’s oil revenue is earmarked advance much needed development in infrastructure, energy reliability and access, telecommunications, health care, education, agriculture housing and national security

The issue is more about survival than it is about progress.

…oil demand is expected to decline after 2050 and Guyana is racing against the clock to produce and sell a commodity that is slated to bephasedout.

Revenue projections indicate that this is a long-

awaited opportunity to secure sufficient funds to meet national objectives and absorb inevitable economic shocks.”

There is one gift the people of Guyana ought to givethemselvesin2023and beyond—politicalstability: “History will judge the actions and statements of government representatives and the opposition that impact and influence the sentiments and, in turn, demands of the general public.

W e a k p o l i t i c a l institutionsareafasttrackto the dreaded Resource Curse, corruptionandinflation.”

“It is quite simple; politically stable countries flourish, politically unstable countries devolve into chaos and poverty regardless of form of government, size of hydrocarbon reserves or the favourability of contracts

secured with multinational companies.”

In 2023, optimists can confidently hope for

Guyana’s progress and prosperity as long as the country does all within its power to secure political

stability

As local government elections approaches in under three months, I say to Guyana: the world and investorsarewatching.

Regards,

Dr.LorraineSober

Too many fires

DEAREDITOR,

The first month of the year has seen fires as its theme, with the worst being Christ Church Secondary School.

Now the latest has claimed the life of an eightyear-old and left others injuredoneseriously

Toomanyfires,toomany

President should extend open invitation to Norton

destructions, and heartaches andlivesinturmoil.

My condolences to the family of the deceased and full and speedy recovery to the injured. It is hoped all those affected by recent spate of fires can recover quicklyfromtheirordeal.

Regards,

ShamshunMohamed

Stand up and be counted

DEAREDITOR,

Dear land of Guyana of riversandplains

Howlongwillyousitnot voicingcomplaints

Our leaders continue to deceiveus

As they plot and scheme nefarious

With foreigners that are notorious

For robbing the naive withintentpernicious

It’s no good being silent, they’lljustthinkyouagree.

With whatever they dobeitoneortwoorthree

So stand up and be counted to make them understand

No longer will we tolerate their dealings

underhand

I’m tired of leaders whosepurposewesee

To enrich themselves, friends,andfamily

While siding with the enemytorobusdaily

Of our God given riches fromtheAlmighty

Thetimewillcomewhen everyonemustgive

An account of the shellfishwayhehaslived

ForGodwillrequireit,if notnow,thenintheend

So stand up and be counted, if you are His friend.

(Abraham was called God’sfriendIsaiah41:8)

Regards, GloriaLoo

DEAREDITOR, President Irfaan Ali should be congratulated for inviting foreign and Caribbean financial institutions to come and invest in Guyana. No doubt their presence will greatly addtotherapiddevelopment of Guyana What is unfortunate however is the absence, nay refusal of the PNC to be included in

Guyana’sdevelopment.

First, it was Joseph Harmon’s refusal to recognise the lawfully elected PPP/C government. UpcomesAubreyNortonas the replacement Opposition Leader who recognised the government and fixed that problem.

Now Norton has painted himself in a corner by refusingtoshakehandswith

the President He has nowheretogo.PresidentAli shouldbemagnanimousand extendanopeninvitationfor the record to come sit down andtalk.

This would exemplify a policyofinclusionwhichthe American ambassador was touting. The President and Norton have much to talk about. There is the issue of theappointmentoftheChief

JusticeandChancellorofthe judiciary Thesolutiontothe i m p a s s e o n t h e s e appointments can be solved byanopenadvertisingofthe twojobs.

That way a fresh pool of candidates would be availabletoselectfrom.That way a fresh start can be made.

Respectfully, SultanMohamed

Disgusted with Government ministers’ obsession for cameras

DEAREDITOR,

It is a trend I have been observingsincetheelections were held in March 2020. While it was necessary to broadcast every step of the coalitionriggingattemptand rightly so, the government ministers are now nauseating.

Please don’t get me wrong, there is tremendous value to share and broadcast government work and initiatives.Mygrindisevery time you log on to social

media,therearehundredsof pictures with ministers from cradle to adulthood. For every occasion, they must show you every step of the attire and their enjoyment at events. Everywhere they go isanentourageandhundreds of pictures plastered on social media with the Minister pointing his/her

fingeroraddressingagroup. These ministers were electedtoserve.Theyarenot doingthisascharity,theyare heartily rewarded with taxpayers’ money They seem to be competing for approval on what they are doing or for likes in their activities.Peoplewanttosee them but more importantly,

Guyana’s

DEAREDITOR,

The most recent Oxfam study found that the income gapbetweentherichandthe poorisincreasing.

The richest 1% grabbed nearly two-thirds of all new wealth created since 2020 amounting to some 42 trillion US dollars, almost twicetheamountofthe99% at the bottom of the economicladder

Something must be fundamentally wrong when

people need policies and improvement in the lives of whichtheyelectedtodeliver, not posing and dining at events.

Ihopetheycanreflecton what they post on social media because it may come backtohauntthem.

Yourstruly, T Ramsie

development

t h e r e i s s o m u c h concentration of wealth in the hands of such a tiny fraction of the population. Povertyisstructuralandcan only be remedied by a new globalhumanorderbasedon a more equitable and fair distribution of the world’s resources.

I have always held the view that there is more than an enough food to feed the world’s population but there are still millions of people

who go to bed hungry and whodonotknowwheretheir nextmealiscomingfrom.

Infact,roughlyone-fifth ofthepopulationlivesbelow the poverty line, calculated by the United Nations to be belowtwoUSdollarsaday

In Guyana, we have comealongwayintermsof povertyalleviation,thanksto the several pro-poor measurestakenbythePPP/C administration over the years.Ibelievethatastheoil revenues begin kick in the economic fortunes of the country will continue to get better

Fortunately, Guyana has now advanced beyond the status of a poor, highly indebted country, thanks to twenty-eight years of PNC undemocraticrule.

The records will show that during the early 1960’s Guyana was ranked among the more developed countriesbutwasreducedby the end of the 1980’s to one of the poorest countries in thewesternhemisphere.

Regards, HydarAlly

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Best oil deals

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Trinidad has vowed to get the best oil deals for its citizens, mention a better deal for our oil to the PPPGovt. and they dodging and ducking result.

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Guyanese politicians either sellout to Exxon andAmerica or they are the worst of cowards, incompetents, and betrayers.

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They talk one thing one time, then from another side of their mouths the next time.

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High interest rates on loans ‘killing’ small businesses

- IDB says as it pours $147M to train 300 micro business owners

The Inter-American terms of market reach, financing growth of Development Bank (IDB) is increased sales and microenterprises in Guyana expected to provide Guyana profitability, and higher that is piloted in Guyana. with US$700,000 ($147M) levelsofbusinessresilience. Importantly, US$725,000 is tohelpsupportthegrowthof K a i e t e u r N e w s t o b e i n v e s t e d i n 300 microenterprises across understandsthatthemodelis reimbursablegrantfinancing the country via the delivery structured to include three for microenterprises by the of skills training and key components: (i) piloting Economic Development mentorship It will also of a system of reimbursable FundInc. include the provision of This newspaper reimbursable grant understands that EDF is a resources of up to Guyana-based business US$5,000 for 145 of accelerator that, since these businesses to 2019, has provided catalyse and finance their training, technical growth. support and coaching

Itshouldbenotedthat from international a private Guyanese firm experts,aswellascapital, dubbed the Economic to support the scaling of Development Fund Inc. high growth potential ( E D F ) , w i l l b e s t a r t - u p s a n d grants for high growth complementing the IDB’s microenterprises in Guyana. potential microenterprises; efforts with US$1,074,979 The organization is an

‘Fake doctor’ walks free after witnesses fail to show up

Principal Magistrate

Judy Latchman on Monday dismissed the charge against 27-year-old Mikhail McLennon of Pattensen, Turkeyen, Georgetown, who was charged for pretending tobeadoctor

A c c o r d i n g t o McLennon’s lawyer, Bernard DaSilva, the trial was set to commence on M o n d a y a t t h e Diamond/Golden Grove

(ii) training, coaching and ($225.7M). This brings the

awardee of a USAID grant mentorship of micro- total investment for this and also receives financing entrepreneurs via a business projectto$372.7M. from GTT, the country’s acceleration programme;

It is expected that the largest telecommunications and (iii) creation and combination of capacity provider dissemination of knowledge building and financial

TheEDFwasestablished on the results and impact of support will provide an on July 29, 2019 in Guyana the model as a platform for i m p e t u s f o r t h e and its headquarters is scaling. microenterprises that have located at Lot 2 Soesdyke

At the outcome level, the been assessed as having East Bank Demerara. EDF, project is expected to deliver growth potential to achieve throughitsprogramming, an innovative model for enhanced performance in

(Continued on page 18)

Magistrate’s Court However, he disclosed that when the matter was called, the prosecution failed to produce its witnesses to testify As such, the apologised to those who Hassan made it clear too magistrate dismissed the wereaffectedbyhisactions. that McLennon is no longer charge against McLennon H a s s a n , t h e affiliated with the Guyana forwantofprosecution. President/Founder of the Cancer Foundation. In a Kaieteur News had Foundation, in a statement purported curriculum vitae reported that McLennon was explained that McLennon (CV) that McLennon out on $80,000 bail had asked to be a volunteer submitted to the foundation, McLennon had pleaded not with the Foundation and he under work experience that guilty to the charge which was hired. However, she he is a Medical Officer at the statesthatonJune3,2022,at noted that after McLennon pharmacy (which was found Peter’s Hall, East Bank was hired, “persons from the to be non-existent), that he Demerara, while not being a media and others called to worked at the New medical practitioner, he confirm that he is not a Amsterdam Regional identified himself to Bibi doctor.” H o s p i t a l , t h e N e w Hassan as a person qualified

Notably, checks made by Amsterdam Family Health to practice medicine. He was the Foundation revealed that Centre, the Georgetown charged with ‘Improper Use there were no records Public Hospital Corporation of Medical Title, Contrary to showing McLennon is (GPHC), and a few other Section 13 (1) (c) of the registered at the Medical places. As for education, he Medical Practitioner Act Council of Guyana claimed he attended the Chapter32:02.’ According to Hassan, she University of Guyana (UG), Notably, McLennon was then questioned McLennon Texila University and charged three months after a abouthismedicaldegreeand Queen’sCollege. Facebook post was made by herefusedtosendacopyofit McLennon later took to the Guyana Cancer toher “Hesaidheisworking his Facebook page and made Foundation, which notified a s a M e d i c a l a statement in which he the public that McLennon is Officer/Pharmacist at ROK admitted that he was wrong not a doctor and is no longer Pharmacy but there is no and acknowledged, “I made a ff i l i a t e d w i t h t h e suchpharmacythatexists,”it ahugemistakeandIwouldat Foundation; the man had wasfurthernoted. leasttrytoexplainmyside.” admitted guilt and quickly

Freed, Mikhail McLennon

Is Guyana’s economy overheating?

TheeconomyofGuyana has enjoyed a sustained period of economic growth. Real GDP growth has been increasing for more than a decade.

However,inrecentyears, andwiththediscoveryofoil, G D P g r o w t h h a s skyrocketed. In 2020, when oil production commenced real GDP growth increased bymorethan40%;in2021it was almost 20%; and last year, it surpassed 56%. But during these years of spiraling growth, inflation has become a problem. Last year,theannualinflationrate was recorded at 7.2%. The government offered public servantsan8%increase.

There have always been questions marks over the official inflation rate. The reality on the ground is that the prices for food, rent and construction have surged And these are signs that the e c o n o m y m a y b e o v e r h e a t i n g T h e government, of course likes to downplay these factors. But housing rentals are now out of the reach of the poor Someastonishingrentalsare beingdemandedbyproperty owners. The poor are being pushedincreasinglytowards squatting and towards the suburban areas, and even there housing rentals are unaffordable.

The situation is made worse by the bourgeoisie class buying up real estate like if they are shopping

cupcakes Residential premises are being allowed to be converted almost withoutquestioninbusiness

p r e m i s e s t h e r e b y aggravating the shortage of housing units for rentals in urban areas Like the proverbial ostrich, the government claims that its housing programme is allowing more low-income persons to own their own homes It points to the qualification ceiling for low interest, low-income loans beingincreasedfrom$8Mto $20M. It also points to the removal of taxes on constructionmaterials.

But the government is only deluding itself. It has not done its homework and has failed to see to what extent the prices of construction materials have declined as consequence of the removal of taxes. Even with the supply chain crisis coming to an end, construction costs continue to soar The price of cement ofnow$1700persack,steel prices are high and stone is tradingat$12000pertonand that is if you can source supplies. This is increasing the cost of housing and placingitoutofthereachof the poor The rising construction costs points to an economy that is overheating, especially the construction sector Poor people cannot build a house for$8Mattheseprices.And while the ceiling for low-

Dem Boys Seh...

income mortgages has now increased to $20M, poor people cannot afford the monthly mortgage payments The so-called low-income interest measure is benefitting middleincomeearnersmore than low-income persons. Traditionally, roads were built with asphalt and bitumen But now the contractors cannot wait to sourcebitumenandsomany community roads are being builtwithconcrete.Thiswill further push the price of cement and ready-mix upwards.

But the situation is becoming worse. Labour is nowaproblem,bothinterms of supply and price Employers are complaining about an acute shortage of workers. And this will push labour prices further up, unless labour is imported. Labourers working on construction sites are now demanding$10,000perday And they are working no more than 7 hours per day Skilled carpenters are demanding $12,000 and more. Imagine what this is doingtothepoormanwhois trying to construct his lowincome home. The signs of an overheated economy cannot be overlooked. The government financial gurus have failed to control the pace of development. They have mistakenly treated the economy as having an endless supply of workers

De New Year deh pon steroids

De New Year is like de economy It flyinghighlikeitissupersonicjet.Todayis delastdayofJanuary

Some people nah done mek dem New Year’s Resolutions as yet. And one month done fly by Some others done break dem resolutions.Wanmandidpromisedathegan stop bite he fingernails. Now, he toenails never looked better De new year deh pon steroids. Some people nah even tek down dem Christmas decoration yet. And now dem gat to put up de buntings fuh Mashramani. With all de money wah de CultureMinistryget,degovernmentganput onabigshowfuhdeMashramani.

Bydetimeweketchweself,Eastergan dehponwe. Beforeyouknowit,Christmas 2023ganbewithweandweallganwonder

wheretheYearwent.

Datisdeproblemwithpeople.

Dem does allow de year fuh go by and stillnahgetalldethingsdemwantgetdone. Anddendemdoescomplainhowtimeflying by De truth is that de speed of time is de same.Iswewhodoesgoslowerandfaster DespeedofdeNewYearmekdemboys remember de teacher wah ask he class, “Howmanysecondsthereareinayear?”De studentsstarttotekoutdemcalculatorsfuh calculatedeseconds.

One boy however put up he hand and claim he done know de answer He tell de teacher how de year gat 12 seconds –January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd…December2nd.

Talkhalf.Leffhalf!

and the ability to absorb all private and public investment.

Thegovernmenthaslong been forewarned about the absorptive capacity of the economy Theywereadvised to moderate growth so as to avoid problems The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned the governmentinJunelastyear to moderate its public expenditure, noting that a large increase in public investment could add inflationary pressure, affect competitiveness of the non-

oil economy, drain foreign exchangereservesandmight be unsustainable over the medium-term. Further, the World Bank has told the government that a rapid increase in public expenditure can distort production and prices in the non-oil economy and hamper the private sector’s ability to seize new opportunities.

But the government is not paying keen enough

attention to these recommendations It has gone ahead and once again

tabled a Budget which is 40% higher than last year Guyana’s economy is showing all the signs of overheating. And this can lead to the eventual tanking andcollapseoftheeconomy (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)

I will never sell my self-belief for financial sycophancy

I wrote several times on this page that you cannot prevent people from disrespecting you You cannot stop people from describing you as mad, useless,ignorant,etc.Lifeis about people loving each otherandpeoplehatingeach other with grey areas in between. Only a fool will ask others to respect him/her When you do that, more nastiness comes your way Whatyouhavetodois confront those who fictionalise your life. What you can do is refuse to let your dignity be trampled upon. A gentleman by the name of Charles Ceres in this newspaper showed contempt for me by writing

that I live a despondent life because I wanted to have post-graduate education. I cannot stop Ceres from saying untruthful things aboutmebutIcanreplyand attempt to show the Guyanese nation who I am as opposed to Ceres I replied and informed the GuyanesepeoplethatIhave post-graduate education at foreignuniversitiesthedoor of which Ceres will never see in his entire life. Ceres may disrespect me in the future.

ThereisnothingIcando about that. What I can do is defendmyself.

LincolnLewiscontinues to get personal with me in this newspaper I have not

attempted on any occasion toappealtotheeditortoedit Lewis’ publications on me. There is a willing refuge waiting for me – the Guyanese people. I know the Guyanese people will never believe what Lewis writes about me because I am a public figure that has no history or background of secret immoralities. I have beenmarriedfor44yearsto thesamelady Ieducatedmy daughter in two Master degrees in London. I taught atUGfor26yearsandnever hadacomplaintagainstme. I never physically hurt even an animal. I never stole anything in my life except books from the Michael Forde Bookstore where I worked and from the nationallibrary BothwhenI was a teenager I do not socialise. I do not mix with the Guyanese aristocracy who would shun me anyway I have no wealthy friend except Nazar Mohamed aka “Shell I know Shell long before he

became a wealthy citizen and love him like a brother becauseIknowhisqualities long before he became famous All my deep, personalfriendsarefromthe working class. No one can say they saw me at any casino,anyhotel,anydance, any sporting event, any party I have no use for the companyofdiplomats.

I hate how good Guyanese love being sycophantstothediplomatic community Iwillneverever let anyone belittle me without retaliation. I never allowedthatforthe26years IwasatUGandthe28years I have been at Kaieteur News.IthashappenedandI stoodmygroundandfought back. I will never sell my soul for money I had six opportunities to do so and I showednotevenataremote level, any interest. I fought the presidencies of Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoyte, Cheddi Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar andDavidGranger Inthose

six presidencies, I could have found myself requesting opportunities for financial comfort I believe in all six situations; I would not have been turned down but human rights were my priorities and not money I have grown much older since Forbes Burnham sent to call me after I graduated withthePresident’sMedal(I don’tevenknowwhereitis) and at my age, money is of no interest to me. My knees collapsed and I went to the Georgetown Hospital and waited to be served and I wastreatedwithdignityand professionalism by two orthopedic surgeons, Drs. SamarooandWatson.

Itistoolatenowforone thing–seekingmoney Iwill not allow people to disrespectmeiftheythinkI need money In this life of mine, I don’t want your money and don’t think you cantalktomeanddisrespect mebecauseyouthinkIneed

m oney You better don’t dare. I have always spoken my mind and have paid the consequences I will continue to be who I am because that is who I am. I will not allow people to belittle or bully me. I have grownmucholdernowandI need to lose myself in Janet Kissoon, my daughter, two cats,twodogsandarabbit.I will always remember the words of Prsident IrfaanAli tome. Hesaid:“Whatcould the government offer you.” AndIsaidwhateverIwant,a younger person should be given the opportunity to haveit.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)

FrederickKissoon

Black Panther Star preaches ‘love’ and ‘peace’ to MPs

Letitia Wright, the helpyoungGuyanese. Kingdom (UK), where she star of Black “I just wanted to visit the developed her talent and P a n t h e r, o n different sectors to know the love for acting. She has not

Monday visited waysinwhichIcouldusemy visited her country in 20 the National Assembly, on platform for good and years. She told the National invitation of the Speaker, encouragement, especially Assembly, “I do not know Manzoor Nadir where she for the young people of the ins and outs of politics. I encouragedthepoliticiansto Guyana because I am the caremoreaboutchildrenand work together for the daughter of the soil of the betterment of young betterment of the country Guyana,”shesaid. people - that’s kinda where anditspeople. Wright who is well- my Ministry is but as you all encourage love. I am of country.” applauded her for the unique Wright in a brief address knownforherleadingrolein come together to make peace, I am of love and I am PrimeMinisterBrigadier role she plays as one of the to the Members of the American blockbuster decisions for the country, I just proud of you both and (ret’d) Mark Phillips, first Afro superheroes and Parliament (MPs) said she movie, Black Panther, left encourage you both, on both everybodythat’sworkingfor Opposition MPs, Catherine moreimportantly,forbeinga was there to understand how Guyana at the age of eight sides, both parties, I the betterment and the Hughes and Lenox Shuman role model to aspiring actors herplatformcouldbeusedto years old for the United encourage pea

Guyanese–British actress Letitia Wright who starred in Black Panther addressed Members of Parliament during her visit to the National Assembly on Monday. (Photo credit: DPI)

all welcomed the star and inherhomecountry

ExxonMobil paid EPA US$9M for one year of flaring gas

American oil giant remains proud of its “strong ExxonMobil last year paid safety record” and that it has US$9 million to the been reporting all its Environmental Protection emissions and releases to the Agency (EPA) to flare E PA A c c o r d i n g t o excess gas at its offshore ExxonMobil,“Thecompany operations in the Stabroek has always been open and Block. transparentaboutthevolume

This information was of gas being flared and has revealed during the routinely provided this and Consideration of the o t h e r o p e r a t i o n a l Budgetary Estimates on i n f o r m a t i o n t o t h e Monday Minister of government, media, and Parliamentary Affairs and other stakeholder groups.” Governance, Gail Teixeira

Contrarytotheseclaims,one explained,“Therevenuethat Energy Technologist, Mr came in, as you will see Alfred Bhulai said that his under the revenue, $1 8 requestsforflaringdatafrom billion came as revenue last both the oil company and year and this is the money EPAhavebeenignored. that the EPA got from the

It must be noted that this flaring tax that was information is now available introduced.” on the Ministry of Natural

She said in the Budget Resources website, see link document this year, the b e l o w agency did not cater for https://petroleum.gov.gy/dat revenue as flaring is hard to a-visualization?tid=206 be available to the EPA to through flaring to US$50. It data.

But what the Production project. Flaring, as the word spend which was confirmed can therefore be determined In July last year, Manager carefully dodged

At the same time, she suggests, is the process of by the minister The EPA that the oil giant made Production Manager at was questions posed by pointedoutthattheregulator burningassociatedgasthatis introduced a flaring fine payments on approximately ExxonMobil Guyana, Mike Kaieteur News on the hasnotincreasedtheamount brought up during oil following rampant offshore 180,000 tonnes of Carbon Ryan told members of the amount of gas flared to date as“theyfeelthattherewould production Notably, this flaring by Exxon’s operator, Dioxide equivalent (CO2e) media fraternity that the via the Liza Destiny FPSO be (or) they (ExxonMobil) process emits harmful gases Esso Exploration and flaredlastyear company was finally able to for the two-year period are not expected to continue into the atmosphere that can, Production Guyana Limited Presently, oil is being bring an end to the gas Ryan would only repeat that with flaring as they did not only affect seabirds and (EEPGL) in 2019, shortly produced at two fields in compressor woes that the company maintained full before.” marine creatures, but also afterthestart-upoffirstoilat Guyana’s rich Stabroek plagued the Liza Destiny compliance with the EPA’s Alliance For Change climate change. In addition, LizaOne. Block, inclusive of Liza One floating, production, storage permitted parameters for Member of Parliament - itmustbenotedthatthereare The fine was increased and Liza Two. The oil and operating (FPSO) f l a r i n g w h i c h w a s K h e m r a j R a m j a t t a n alternative options available

between15-7 million cubic followed up to enquire to the oil company to avoid carbon dioxide emitted hesitant to release its flaring The malfunctioning feetofgasperday whetherthis$1.8billionwill flaring, such as gas reequipment had led to two Afterpublicpressure,the injection. years of flaring which company came out saying However, Exxon has released over 200 toxic that “To date, we have made publicly made it clear that it c h e m i c a l s i n t o t h e payments on 279,537 33 ischeaperforthecompanyto atmosphere. tonnes of CO2e (Carbon flare the associated gas, Ryan said the Exxon Dioxideequivalent)flared.” rather than re-inject it into t e a m w a s a b l e t o The company’s response the wells. Various studies successfully install a new c a m e i n a f t e r conductedhaveoutlinedthat compressor from Germany environmentalists and gas flaring is a major source andwasevenopentosharing transparency advocates ofgreenhousegases(GHGs) that over US$10M in flaring called out the hiding of that accelerates global feeshadbeenpaidovertothe information as a breach to warming. Flaring releases Environmental Protection transparencybestpractices. two major GHGs – Carbon Agency(EPA). The oil company said it DioxideandMethane.

from US$45 per every ton of company has always been vessel.

ExxonMobil flaring at the Liza Destiny

$1B earmarked to ‘fix-up’ two hinterland airstrips

The Ministry of Public Karisparu airstrip to the tune Works is planning to spend of $314,421,450, while The almost $1 billion to have the OrlandoCharlesFoundation Matthews Ridge Airstrip in (Continued on page 15) Region One and the Paruima Airstrip in Region Seven rehabilitated.

This is according to an invitation for bids (IFB) published in this publication on Sunday According to the a d v e r t i s e m e n t , t h e rehabilitation of the Region Seven airstrip is projected to cost $353,800,000 while the runway in Region One is peggedat$645million.

The Matthews Ridge Airstrip and the one in Paruima are among several runways which would be rehabilitatedthisyearsoasto make the structures safer for aircraftstoland.

This is according to Senior Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh who mentioned during his 2023 budget presentation that the government has allocated $1 6 billion from the National Budget to rehabilitate and maintain a number of hinterland airstripsinthecountry

“Mr Speaker, several hinterland airstrips and related facilities were also rehabilitated and maintained to make them safer for aircraft, travellers, tourists, and investors In 2022, Government expended $600 m i l l i o n t o w a r d t h e completion of the Lethem, Baramita, Paramakatoi and Kaieteurairstrips,pavingthe way for new developments in these communities to attract more business, tourism and socio-economic activities,”heexplained.

The Minister had noted that part of the $600 million too; they also commenced rehabilitation on three airstrips – Eteringbang in Region Seven, Karisparu in Region Eight and Ekereku

Bottom in Region Seven –which will be completed during the first half of this year

He added, “In 2023, an amount of $1.6 billion has been allocated for their completion and at the same time, caters for the rehabilitation of Paruima, Imbaimadai and Matthews Ridge airstrips and maintenance of other hinterlandairstrips.”

As it relates to the Ekereku Bottom, Karisparu and Eteringbang airstrips, this publication had reported that contracts were awarded for them to be rehabilitated. In April last year, contractor Ideal Engineering was contracted to work on the

Anna Regina Townhall, Essequibo Coast

Umana Yana, Kingston, Georgetown

Leonora Technical Institute, West Coast Demerara

Mahaica Technical Institute, Mahaicony, ECD

Latchman Singh Pimary School, West Coast Berbice

GUYSUCO Training Centre, Port Mourant, Berbice

The Ekereku Bottom Airstrip and Karisparu Airstrip which are being rehabilitated.

66 years each for five men who killed Corentyne carpenter, Faiyaz Narinedatt

Thefivemenfound guilty of the 2016 m u r d e r o f

Berbice carpenter Faiyaz Narinedatt last year, were on Monday sentenced to 66 years imprisonment each by Justice Navindra Singh.

Orlando Dickie called ‘Rastaman’, Radesh Motie called ‘Rado’, Diodath Datt called ‘Brukhand’, Harri Paul Parsram called ‘Lloydy’ and Niran Yacoob called ‘Orin’ will spend 66 years imprisonment for the gruesome murder of Narinedatt with a possibility of parole after spending a

Dead: Faiyaz Narinedatt

on Narinedatt, there is “clear Americanhadreturnedtothe minimum of 25 years in evidence of a brutal United States shortly after prison. beating”. the murder of Narinedatt but

Orlando Dickie, Radesh Motie, Diodath Datt, Harri Paul Parsram and Niran Yacoob have been sentenced to 66 years imprisonment each for the gruesome murder of Faiyaz Narinedatt

The men were found The High Court judge was later extradited to guilty of murdering to‘beatamtillhedead’.And fractures to the skull with since her son’s death, “it said that “the injuries are so Guyana and placed before Narinedatt in November whenthoseinstructionswere cerebral damage, a fractured pains me heart”. The grief numerous that even if you the court for the Carpenter’s 2022 by a 12-member jury given,hisevidencestartedto spine, a ruptured spleen and struck woman told the men are angry with someone and murder

TheStatewasrepresentedby describe the level of liver, a fractured arm and that they should not have gotintoafight,atsomepoint He was subsequently specialprosecutor,Latchmie violence. This violence that pulmonarycontusion. executed their plan while in time where there is no acquitted based on the lack R a h a m a t a n d S t a t e was meted out to a young She pleaded with the blaming them for the state response from the other of evidence and was set free prosecutor Nafeeza Baig man, who later died… they court to institute the sheisin. person, you must want to in June 2020 However, T h e c o n v i c t s w e r e didn’t just beat him… they maximum sentence since, “ I a m s o m e b o d y stop beating, this is a brutal D i r e c t o r o f P u b l i c represented by Mursaline used pieces of wood which “there are no mitigating differentandIdon’tlikewho beating.” Prosecutions, Shalimar AliBacchusandArudGossai. he [another witness] said factors” Meanwhile, Iam.Mehatemyselfforwho Justice Singh, just before Hack had instructed that Rahamat told the court came from a fence…” the Narinedatt’s mother in an I become, I am not the same sentencingthemen,saidthat Bisram be recommitted to that based on the evidence lawyertoldthecourt. emotional address to the person I use to be and ayuh after considering the men’s stand trial for Narinedatt’s presented, it was clear that Rahamat told the court, court disclosed that four of responsible for that,” the statements, there are no murder there was pre-meditation by “the attack was violent at the thefivemenconvictedofthe mother told the men noting mitigating circumstances Bisram, through his those convicted. She argued time of infliction, they heinous crime are known to that she is unable to trust that could be considered in lawyers, appealed and that based on the evidence showed no concern when he her family. She said they anyone. their favour. Between subsequently High Court presented by the main ranawayfromthemandthen visited her home at No.72 She continued: “…ayuh October31andNovember1, Judge, Justice Simone witness, Marcus Bisram whenhefellinthetrenchand Village,Berbice. destroy my life, you just 2016, Narinedatt of No.73 Morris-Ramlall ruled that instructed the men to beat was picked up and dragged The distraught woman destroy my life entirely. I Village, Corentyne, Berbice, his imprisonment was Narinedatt after he refused back, he was repeatedly said that the men woke her willneverbehappyagain,no wasfoundlifelessontheNo. unlawful and ordered his Bisram’ssexualadvances. beaten and the extent of the son from his sleep and matter what me do. One son, 70VillagePublicRoadhours release.

“…he refused them and violence he faced from these convinced Narinedatt to go one child me had in my life a f t e r h e a t t e n d e d That decision was then then he slapped Bisram and five accused persons is out to catch iguanas with and ayuh know da.Ayuh, rip businessman Marcus overturned by the Court of then Chaman Chunilal said recordedinthePMreport.” them. The woman said she he life away from him,” she B i s r a m ’s b i r t h d a y Appeal and Bisram moved he followed him through the The special prosecutor had a bad feeling about the said. celebration Narinedatt’s an appeal to the Caribbean house to the front, where the referenced Narinedatt’s post outing. Meanwhile, Justice body was found in close CourtofJustice(CCJ)where five accused persons were. mortem report which listed She said that though Singh said based on the post proximitytoBisram’shome. it was ordered that he be He heard instructions given hiscauseofdeathasmultiple seven years have elapsed mortem examination done Bisram, a Guyanese- released.

$40M budgeted to re-equip, rebuild sections of DPP chambers

Government will be byfirebackinNovember2022. majority vote in the National physical works to the property web cameras, iPads, software, spending some $40M The figure was highlighted Assembly Responding to which was damaged by fire in vacuum cleaner, refrigerator, out of the $63 5M during the examination of the enquiriesintheNationalAssembly, 2021. routers, chairs, and cabinets among

budgeted for the budget estimates for 2023 in the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Teixeirasaidthatmoniesareset others. She added that there will chambers of the Director of Public Committee of Supply in the andGovernanceGailTeixeiragave aside for the replacement of alsobetheinstallationofgrills,fire Prosecutions (DPP) to reequip the NationalAssemblyonMonday a breakdown of the sum saying that equipment which was also alarms, and smoke detectors, the office that was severely damaged The sum was approved by a over $40M of that money is for damaged by the fire. These include construction of a perimeter fence, concrete drains, main bridge, and a modernsecurityhut.

The fire, which started at the Guyana Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) Eve Leary, Georgetown on November 20, 2021 had completely gutted that building, before destroying sections of the facility that accommodates the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP).

Teixeira was at the time responding to questions by opposition Member of Parliament and Leader for the Alliance For Change (AFC) Party, Khemraj Ramjattan who had requested a disaggregation of the figure stated intheestimates.

A section of the burnt-out building that house the DPP’s office

Digicel to give away $16M for anniversary promotion

Injured, Deoranie Badal called Marcia

Woman brutally chopped by reputed husband

Digicel Guyana pay the December bill in full will roll over to the next surroundingareas. y e s t e r d a y and the customer’s number day’swinner! We would like to say

launched its wouldbeenteredinthedraw “We are celebrating 16 thank you to our loyal 16th Anniversary promotion for the entire promotional years of serving you,” customers for making it 16 whereby it will award a period Winners will be Gregory Dean, the CEO, wonderful and dynamic million dollars each to 16 randomly selected daily and said, adding, “As we years in Guyana and we are customersin16days. calledliveduringtheDigicel celebrate yet another excited to continue

Both prepaid and MorningRushradioshowon milestone, our top focus providing the widest postpaid customers can Kaieteur Radio 99.1FM at remains on providing coverage and most reliable participate to win beginning 7:45am! connectivity throughout communicationservices”. January 31st and ending on Here’s where it gets a Guyana.

Digicel was keen to note February 15th Prepaid little more exciting! If a Since liberalization, we that this is the only customers can enter by winner is called and their have committed significant promotion that is currently simply topping up with phone is off or the call goes investments to service running and not to answer $ 1 , 0 0 0 o r m o r e unanswered, they will have e x p a n s i o n s a n d WhatsApp calls claiming to (Electronically or by Scratch until midnight to answer improvements in Guyana to be Digicel or to give their 4Cards). Every top up of their call or make contact deliver high speed LTE digit codes or pin numbers. $1000 or more gives one withDigicelon690-5444. services and coverage. We All calls for this promotion entryinthedrawforthatday If that customer doesn’t have also commenced roll will come from 226-7453/4 For postpaid customers, all answer within the time out of our fibre for business (Kaieteur Radio 99.1FM) or that needs to be done is to frame, then the $1,000,000 services in Georgetown and 660-1000.

Two men jailed for multi-million dollar KNews robbery

Former Kaieteur News employee, 33-year-old Ryan

Wharton and 36-year-old Harry Stongster of Hyde Park, Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) last week changed their pleas and have admitted to being involved in the October 2022 robbery carried out at Kaieteur News Headquarters, located in Georgetown.

Out on bail: Lemuel Grant

A 5 5 - y e a r - o l d exited a vehicle with a businessman from Vryheid, cutlass in hand in front the West Canje Berbice was businessplace. arrested on Sunday after he He charged towards her allegedly attacked his vehicle while she was sitting reputedwifewithacutlassin inside and he dealt several public. chopstothewindscreen.

The injured woman has Badal quickly exited the been identified as Deoranie vehicle and was chopped to Badal called Marcia, 36, the head several times. She Import Officer for Nand also received a chop to her Persaud and Company Inc. arm as she tried to fend off She is nursing chop wounds theblows. to her head, an arm and is Apoliceman who was at hospitalised at the New thelocationatthetimeofthe Amsterdam Hospital incident intervened and Kaieteur News was told by rushedthewomantothePort the police that Badal was at MourantHospital. the “Jamrock Wash Bay” in She was then transferred Port Mourant, Corentyne, to the New Amsterdam Berbice on Sunday and at Hospitalwheresheremainsa about 13:30hrs, the accused patient.

$1B earmarked to ‘fix-up’ two...

From page 13 theperformanceofaircraft. w a s a w a r d e d t h e As a result of the poor $308,034,237 contract for condition, there are limited the Ekereku Bottom airstrip. flights to this location and Works on the Eteringbang the community is highly airstrip was being done by dependent on air travel the Guyana Defence Force because of the absence of and community members in efficientalternativemodes. thatarea. S i m i l a r l y , t h i s

Kaieteur News reported publication was told that the that the Ministry was Ekereku Bottom runway has upgrading the airstrips to a bituminous surface concrete structures since treatment, which has they have been in poor potholes. The Ministry had conditions for some time, previouslyconductedrepairs which pose a danger to to the airstrip but the aircraft and passengers structure has reportedly utilisingthem. deteriorated and poses

Jailed: Harry Stongster Jailed: Ryan Wharton

Wharton of R4-574 Canary Street, Tucville, against his client He Georgetown and Stongster disclosed that both Chief were both sentenced on B a c k C i r c l e , E a s t sentence;Grantwasreleased

Magistrate Ann McLennan January 24, 2023 to 50 and Ruimveldt, and 23-year-old on $200,000

(Continued on page 16)

Wharton and Stongster State has acknowledged that addedthatheishopefulthat Belingiecalled‘WildLife’of are currently serving their there is insufficient evidence

It was explained that the danger to the landing gears Karisparu Airstrip, which ofplanes. has a sand-gravel surface, This specific runway is would become water-logged slated to be widened from when it rains therefore 40ft to 50ft to be compliant rendering the structure with Guyana Civil Aviation inoperable for take-off and Authority’s (GCAA) landing of flights. A source regulation. To this end, the from the Ministry had told Ministry is planning to Kaieteur News that the rehabilitatetheairstripsfrom surface is equally dangerous sand-gravel to concrete when dry, as it becomes surfaces to better facilitate loose and therefore affects theusers.

Some of the media operatives and customers who won prizes yesterday at the launching of the event

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Two men jailed...

From page 15 the prosecution would seek legaladvicewhichwouldthen leadtothechargebeingwithdrawnagainsthisclient. The matter will continue at the Georgetown Magistrates’ CourtsonFebruary15,2023.

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Kaieteur News had reported that between October 9,2022andOctober10,2022 at Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, while being armed with a dangerous weapon, the defendants robbedKaieteurNewsowned byGlennLallof$38.8million, a Republic Bank cheque valuedat$9.1million,US$9,306, one black .32 Taurus pistol serialnumberFHS60749valued$350,000,ammunitionvalued at $480,000, one firearm case valued at $25,000, two handlesvaluedat$10,000and six magazines valued at $60,000. The charge also stated that the men allegedly robbed Noel Junor, the other security guard who was on duty of $5000 and Wayne

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Moreover, Collis Haywood, 40, a chef of Lot R2-578CanaryStreet,Tucville and Kevin France, 35, a taxi driver of East Ruimveldt, Georgetownarethetwoother suspects who were charged separately for the role they playedinthecrime.

According to reports, duringtheweehoursofMonday,October10,threebandits entered the Kaieteur News office and stole a safe containing millions of dollars along with a firearm and ammunition. Wharton was the first to be arrested. While in custody, he reportedly confessed to plotting the crime with Junor who was one of two security guards who wereondutyduringthecommission of the robbery – and several others.

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During the wee hours of October 10, they put their planintomotion.Junorturned upforworkdutiesearlywhile Wharton drove the borrowed car with Stongster and Belingie as passengers to the location. Belingieenteredthe buildingandheldtheiraccomplice Junor, as well as the other security guard on duty, and the graphic artist at gunpoint, while Wharton and Stongster headed upstairs of the two-storey building and broke the door of the company’sAccountsDepartment. They also broke a drawer, stole petty cash and fetched out the safe which containedtheotheritemsthat were stolen. The two men loaded it into the car, which was parked just outside the Kaieteur News office, and then escaped with Belingie. Junor remained and waited until his accomplices were a safe distance away before contacting his superiors to inform them that he and his colleagues had been robbed ofcellphonesand$5000cash.

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Parliament approves Constitutional Agencies’ Budgets

The Budgets for all ConstitutionalAgencies were on Monday approvedintheNationalAssembly after an examination of the Estimates of Expenditure and queries by Opposition Members with responses provided by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira during the 59th Sitting of the TwelfthParliament.

The Agencies comprise the Parliament Office,Audit Office of Guyana, Public and Police Service Commissions, Teaching Service Commission (TSC), the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the Supreme Court of Judicature, Public Prosecutions, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Public Service Appellate Tribunal, the Ethnic Relations Commission, (ERC), the Judicial Service Commission, (JSC) the Rights Commissions of Guyana and the Public Procurement Commission (PPC).

Theprocessforapprovalofthe estimates of expenditure of these agencies continued smoothly as it had in 2022 following the December 29, 2021 Parliamentary approvaloftheFiscalManagement and Accountability Amendment

successfully piloted at the time by Senior Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singhduringthe34thSittingofthe TwelfthParliament.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira explained that though the monies were allocated to some agenciesinthemillionssuchasthe Public Service Tribunal and the JudicialServiceCommission,these commissions are not in place. The Commissions have not been constituted but the agencies are validlyinplace. Shenotedthatthe monies were budgeted because there are efforts underway to have thenon-existentcommissionssuch astheJSCandERCinplaceinshort order The legislation was amended from what it was previouslyduringthetenureofthe APartnershipforNationalUnity+ A l l i a n c e F o r C h a n g e (APNU+AFC) Administration and has since strengthened and streamlinedtheBudgetprocessfor these Constitutional Agencies while also preserving their independence. Amendmentsmade to the previous legislation include those that were made to ensure better accountability and set out the practice and procedure to which these Constitutional Agencies must conform in terms

of the management of their subventions for the efficient dischargeoftheirfunctions.

Last week, both sides of the House participated in five days of debatesonthe2023Budgetwhich was presented to the National Assembly on January 16, by SeniorMinisterintheOfficeofthe President with Responsibility for FinanceDr AshniSingh.

During his presentation, Dr Singh reminded that key and critical Constitutional bodies that are part of the architecture of constitutional governance are appointedandfunctioning,suchas the Audit Office of Guyana, the Supreme Court, the Office of the DirectorofPublicProsecutions,the Public ServiceAppellate Tribunal, the Ombudsman, and the Guyana ElectionsCommission.

He added that “In 2022, Constitutional agencies inclusive of the Public Procurement Commission, Police Service Commission, and most recently in January2023,theTeachingService Commission have been appointed. He pointed out further that ‘Notably, the consultative process with civil society organisations for nominationstotheEthnicRelations Commission and the Women and Gender Equality Commission has

beencompleted”. He added further that the approvaloftheNationalAssembly is anticipated shortly after the budgetisadopted.

Dr Singh emphasized during hispresentationaswellonJanuary 16 last that “the work to complete theRightsoftheChildCommission and the Indigenous People’s Commission should be completed by mid-year” while issues surroundingtheappointmentofthe long-overdue Judicial Service Commission are on public record despite efforts by His Excellency the President to bring this to conclusionin2022.

He added further then that “the process for concluding the nominees to the Public Service Commission is in progress at the Committee of Appointment”

In relation to the Guyana

Elections Commission (GECOM), this year’s Budget provides for an additional sum to cater for Local Government Elections and this was explained by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira following queries today about the additional allocation for the Constitutionalbody

“ the upcoming local government elections will serve as a reminder of our Government’s commitment to good governance and transparency across every community,andwillprovidemuch needed renewal to the local governmentsystem,”Dr Singhhad said during his 2023 Budget presentation.

The$781.9BillionBudgetwas presented under the theme “Improving Lives Today, Building ProsperityforTomorrow’.

Lightning fast Bolt’s money moved out of SSL as soon as it went in

AMAICAN track and field icon Usain Bolt pumped US$6 5 million into the investment firm Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL) between 2012 and 2017 but almostassoonasthemoney wasdeposited,itwasmoved outwithouthisknowledge.

A Jamaica Observer probe has uncovered that Bolt invested US$6.2 million in SSL in 2012 through a limited liability company named Welljen, which is believed to be an amalgamation of the first names of his parents WelleslyandJenniferBolt.

Another US$900,000 was added to Bolt’s account by2017.ButUS$5.8million was withdrawn from his account starting in 2012 throughchequesandcash.

In addition, US$90,000, which was lodged in the account between 2019 and 2022, was quickly withdrawn.

“The money withdrawn wouldhaveincludedinterest and dividend earned in addition to the nominal amount invested,” said an ObserversourceonSunday

The source provided the Observer with the portfolio

holdings and liabilities statement, bearing SSL’s logo, allegedly sent to the Bolt team in September 2022, which showed fixed income of US$3,714 58 million, equities of US$7,415.06 million, and cash of US$918,000.01, and amounted to US$12,047.65 millioninthecompany.

Lawyers representing Bolt had sent a letter to SSL d e m a n d i n g t h a t US$12,758,181.74 the reported balance in his account at October 31, 2022 —berepaidbyJanuary27.

The attorneys also claimed that only US$12,000 remained in the account.

When the ultimatum expired last Friday, one of Bolt’s attorneys, Linton Gordon, told the Observer that they were in talks with the Financial Services Commission (FSC), which hastakencontrolofSSL,and it would be inappropriate to make any further comments atthetime.

In the meantime, local investigators have been joined by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)astheprobecontinues intowhatisbelievedtobethe

biggest fraud at a registered Jamaican financial institution.

The FBI late last week responded to questions from theObserverconfirmingthat i t h a s j o i n e d t h e investigation, but there was not much more in its terse response.

Among the issues which theinvestigatorsareprobing are 10 transactions between

July 2021 and May 2022 in which millions of dollars was taken from Bolt’s account and transferred to a bearer to purportedly buy blue-chipstocksinAmerican firms.

E-mail authorising the purchase of the stocks were purportedly sent by a previous member of Bolt’s management team to the former SSLemployee at the

centre of the investigation, butObserversourcessaythe e-mail address from which the authorisations were sent wasfabricated.Additionally, the former management team member has strongly denied authorising the movementoffundsfromthe sprintlegend’saccount.

Bolt is one of at least 40 SSL clients whose investments were totally or almostwipedoutinthefraud estimatedtobemorethan$3 billionsofar

The issue, which has attracted international attentionprimarilyduetothe factthatBoltisavictim,has resultedintheFSCsendinga temporary manager into the company for oversight of its operations.

Additionally, a raft of reforms for the financial sector were announced last week by Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke, who also cashiered the FSC’s executive director and replaced him with the Temporary Manager Kerron Burrell.

Clarkealsoreplacedfour members of the FSC board withseniorBankofJamaica (BOJ) executives

Governor Richard Byles,

who is now chairman; Wayne Robinson; Jide Lewis;andGeorgeRoper

Additionally,Clarketold thecountrythatinadditionto the FBI, forensic auditors from overseas will assist local law enforcement agencies with probing the fraud.

Late last Wednesday, Clarke disclosed that the FSC was successful in obtaining a court order blockingthedirectorsofSSL from winding up the company and liquidating assets.

According to Clarke, the membersofSSLhadapplied to the Companies Office of Jamaica for a members’ voluntary winding up of the firmonJanuary16,2023.

The court order bars the trustee and directors of SSL fromdisposingofordealing with assets and liabilities in SSL’s name; withdrawing, transferring, or otherwise dissipating any funds from accounts in its name wherever held; winding up or dissolving the company; orreorganisingthecompany or its operations, whether in document form or organisationof itsmembers, assets,andliabilities.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira

Bolt is one of at least 40 SSL clients whose investments were totally or almost wiped out in the fraud estimated to be more than $3 billion so far.

Suicide bomber breaches high security in Pakistan mosque, kills 59

Reuters - A suicide bomber blew himself up insideacrowdedmosqueina highly fortified security compound in Pakistan on Monday, killing 59 people, thelatestattackbyresurgent Islamist militants targeting police.

The attacker appeared to have passed through several barricades manned by securityforcestogetintothe “Red Zone” compound that houses police and counterterrorism offices in the volatile northwestern city of Peshawar,policesaid.

“It was a suicide bombing,” Peshawar Police ChiefIjazKhantoldReuters. Many of the 170 wounded people were in critical condition,hesaid.

The death toll rose to 59 after several people succumbed to their wounds, hospitalofficialMohammad Asimsaidinastatement.

Thebombinghappeneda day before an International

Monetary Fund mission to Islamabadtoinitiatetalkson unlocking funding for the South Asian country’s economy, which is enduring abalanceofpaymentscrisis.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifcondemnedtheattack.

The bomber detonated his load at the moment hundreds of people lined up tosaytheirprayers,officials said.

“Wehavefoundtracesof explosives,” Khan told reporters, adding that a security lapse had clearly occurred as the bomber had slipped through the most secured area of the compound.

An inquiry was under way into how the attacker breached such an elite securitycordonandwhether therewasanyinsidehelp.

Khan said the mosque hall was packed with up to 400 worshippers, and that mostofthedeadwerepolice officers.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, the worst in Peshawar since March 2022 when an Islamic State suicide bombing killed at

Highinterestratesonloans‘killing’...

Frompage8 has helped launch eight successful Guyanese agricultural-technology start-ups working in sectors addressing food loss, agricultural waste management, crop health, and natural medicinal skin treatments Additionally, since 2021, EDF has supported the growth and development of 30 Guyaneseagro-processors.

EDF’s beneficiaries includes finalists and winners of the Guyana Innovation Prize, a pre-seed grant to commercialize breakthrough research in agro-processing that is combined with technical support from faculty, students, and alumni of Guyana’s tertiary educationalinstitutions.

PROBLEMATHAND

According to the IDB, the problem that is being addressedwiththisprojectis the financial exclusion of microenterprisesinGuyana.

It pointed out that a majorhindranceisaccessto credit. The IDB said access to loans in Guyana is weak compared to the region

While the number of loans per 1,000 adults in Guyana increasedfrom42in2005to 89in2018,thebanksaidthe regions’ averages were 328

per1,000adultsin2005and 540in2018.

C u r r e n t l y , microenterprises can seek access to funding via Guyana’s Small Business Bureau (SBB), which providesonetimeonlynonreimbursablegrantsofupto USD 2,500 for business development,ortheInstitute for Private Enterprise Development (IPED), the c o u n t r y ’s l a r g e s t microfinance institution, for loansofuptoUSD3,750.

The IDB noted that data from 2020 reveals that G u y a n a ’s l a r g e s t microfinance institution

IPED and SBB are reaching less than 1% of Guyana’s microenterpriseswithmicro loans and grants. The IDB said the financial exclusion and associated stagnation of Guyana’s microenterprise sector are attributable to a rangeofinterrelatedfactors, but most significantly is the fact that interest rates charged by lenders are high due to operational costs and the absence of easily convertedcollateral/security inmostmicroenterpriseloan transactions. Another factor is that microenterprise

b u s i n e s s o w n e r s demonstrate low levels of formalbusinessskills,which inturnincreaselenders’risk

perceptionsandpricing.

W h e r e a s m o s t microfinance institutions in the region charge interest rates of between 20 and 45%, the IDB said IPED as the largest microfinance institution in Guyana offers unsecured working capital financing (up to USD3,750) at interest rates that are as highas52%.

The bank said this is a b a r r i e r t o m a n y microenterprises seeking financeforbusinessgrowth.

It was further noted that high interest rates and the resulting low levels of lendinginGuyanaaretiedto lenders’ perceptions of the likelihood of micro and small business failure and microenterprises’ lack of adequatecollateral.

K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that the high interest rates charged by microfinance and other lendersinGuyanaarefurther driven by high operating costs, expected loan losses (credit and operational risks), a desire for a determined level of profit, borrowers’ low levels of education and businessknow how; and lack of adequate collateral and substitutes.

TheIDBprojecthopesto improvethisstateofaffairs.

least 58 people in a Shi’ite Muslim mosque during Fridayprayers.

Peshawar, which straddles the edge of Pakistan’s tribal districts bordering Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, is frequently targeted by Islamist militant groups including Islamic State and the Pakistani Taliban.

‘ALLAH IS THE GREATEST‘

Khawaja Asif told Geo TV thatthebomberwasstanding in the first row of worshippers. “As the prayer leader said ‘Allah is the greatest’, there was a big bang,” Mushtaq Khan, a policeman with a head wound, told reporters from hishospitalbed.

“We couldn’t figure out what happened as the bang was deafening. It threw me

outoftheveranda. Thewallsandrooffellon me.ThankstoGod,hesaved me.”

The explosion brought downtheupperstoreyofthe mosque, trapping dozens of worshippers in the rubble. Live TV footage showed rescuers cutting through the collapsed rooftop to make their way down and tend to victims caught in the wreckage.

Britain’sBorisJohnsonsaysPutin threatenedhimwithmissilestrike

Reuters - Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said Russian President VladimirPutinthreatenedhimwithamissile strikeduringaphonecallintherunuptothe invasion of Ukraine, a charge denied by Moscow

Johnson, speaking to the BBC for a documentary, said the Russian leader had asked him about the prospects of Ukraine joiningNATO,towhichhehadrespondedit wouldnotbe“fortheforeseeablefuture”.

“He threatened me at one point, and he said,‘Boris,Idon’twanttohurtyoubut,with a missile, it would only take a minute’ or something like that. Jolly,” Johnson said, recalling the “very long” and “most extraordinary” call in February 2022 which followedavisitbythethenprimeministerto Kyiv

“But I think from the very relaxed tone that he was taking, the sort of air of detachment that he seemed to have, he was just playing along with my attempts to get himtonegotiate.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporterswhatJohnsonhadsaidwasnottrue, or“moreprecisely,alie”.Relationsbetween MoscowandLondonhadsunktotheirlowest level in decades even before Russia invaded Ukraine, on the back of the poisoning of

former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in the BritishcityofSalisburyin2018. Johnson,whosteppeddowninSeptember inthewakeofaseriesofscandals,soughtto position London as Kyiv’s top ally in the West.WhileinofficehevisitedKyivseveral times and called Ukraine’s President VolodymyrZelenskiyfrequently Healsovisitedagainthismonth.

Rescue workers look for survivors under a collapsed roof, after a suicide blast in a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan January 30, 2023. REUTERS/Fayaz Aziz

British Prime Minister,Boris Johnson

IDB warns region about ‘excessive’ borrowing - as

Guyana’s public debt increases by 16% last year

Amid growing concerns reduction…”theIDBsaid. percent at end-2021 to 24.6 standsatsome20percent.In here about the country’s According to the report, percent at end-2022. This drawing reference to that ballooning public debt, the governments can bring outcome is testament to our country, the former Auditor I n t e r - A m e r i c a n down their debt levels by judicious contracting of General pointed out that Sri Development Bank (IDB) in improving spending development financing, at a Lanka is now in a state of a new report has cautioned efficiency,expandingthetax level well within Guyana’s severe economic crisis after L a t i n A m e r i c a a n d base, and seeking wider debt carrying capacity,” y e a r s o f e c o n o m i c Caribbean (LAC) countries reforms to enhance fiscal Singh told the National mismanagement coupled against ‘excessive’ balancesandboostgrowth. Assembly with the impacts from the borrowing and urged The IDB said that there He added that at the end COVID-19 pandemic In governments to bring their aremanyreasonswhypublic of 2022, Guyana’s external 2020, Guyana had six loans debts down to more prudent debt levels should be lower debt totalled US$1,571.9M, with the Export Import levels. than they currently are, representing a 12.9 percent (EXIM) Bank of China Finance Minister, Dr highlighting that there are increase compared to end- totalling US$240 451M Ashni Singh announced two several ways to reduce that 2021, mainly as a result of This represented 17 5 weeks ago that the country’s debt. positive net flows from both percent of the country’s total public debt stood at “An analysis of past debt bilateral and multilateral external loan portfolio US$3,654.9M an increase reduction episodes around creditors. according to Goolsarran. To by 16.9 percent from last the world points to countries Meanwhile, domestic this end, the former AG year Almost all of its that have reduced debt-to- d e b t a m o u n t e d t o wrote “Last week, the recently announced public GDP ratios by increasing US$2,080.6M at end-2022, Authorities announced the infrastructural projects growth and improving fiscal up from US$1,731.5M at signing of two loan government has been balances,”itwasstated. end-2021. This increase is agreements with the China borrowing to finance them

Notably, it was disclosed attributed to Government’s (Bank) in the sums of despite earning over US$1B that the region has more issuance of new fiscal US$192M and US$172 in the oil account for last cases in which significant treasury bills. Total public million for the East Coast year debt reductions have been debt service rose from Demerara road expansion

In its report titled, achieved through low real US$121 9M in 2021 to project and the construction ‘Dealing with Debt – Less interest rates or higher US$150.2M in 2022. This of the New Demerara River Risk for More Growth in the inflation,althoughtheyhave increase was driven Bridgerespectively Latin America and the typically not been as smooth primarily by domestic debt Caribbean’ the IDB orresultedinasgoodgrowth service payments, which disclosed that debt has risen performance. totalledUS$65Min2022,up and stands at some US$5.8T

Meanwhile, delivering from US$41 2M in the which is 117 percent of the his budget presentation, Dr preceding year The growth Gross Domestic Product Singh sought to allay the of domestic debt service (GDP)intheregion. fears of Guyanese by payments was, in turn,

“Given the dangers of claiming that Government l a rg e l y d u e t o t h e excessive debt, the current has “maintained its long- commencement of principal situation in Latin America standing practice of prudent repayments on debentures and the Caribbean is debtmanagement.” issued in 2021 to securitise worrisome,”theIDBsaid. He argued that Guyana an inherited overdraft at the IDB said public debt continues to enjoy strong Central Bank. Compared serves a critical role for d e b t s u s t a i n a b i l i t y with the previous year, countries to pursue public fundamentals, “even as we external debt service investment projects, expand investments in payments increased by 5.5 implement countercyclical public infrastructure, social percent to US$85 2M in policies,andprovidesupport services and other initiatives 2022, mainly on account of to economies in the face of geared at ensuring improved higher principal and interest negative shocks. However, standards of living for all payments to multilateral theIDBwarnedthatifpublic Guyanese This delicate creditors. debt becomes too large or is balancing act hinges on our Only recently former not managed with sufficient time-honoured debt Auditor General, Anand caution, interest costs may management strategy of Goolsarran warned that balloon, growth prospects contracting development while Guyana’s mediummaysuffer,andinthelimit,a financing and meeting debt term economic prospects costly debt crisis may be service obligations at the appear very favourable due provoked. lowest cost, within prudent to anticipated oil revenues,

It was stated that public riskparameters.“ g o v e r n m e n t s h o u l d debt had risen before the To t h i s e n d , h e nevertheless exercise pandemic, with sudden debt announced that total public restraint in Government spikes accounting for much and publicly guaranteed spending, given the of theincrease.Accordingto (PPG) debt amounted to volatility of oil prices the IDB, “that spikes US$3,654.9M at end-2022, Goolsarran had made the occurred largely during up 16.9 percent from end- comments in his Column, times of stress, fueled by a 2021, on account of growth published in the Stabroek combination of low growth, in external and domestic News. high fiscal deficits, debt. “Notwithstanding, the His counsel comes at a ballooning interest ratio of total PPG debt-to- time when Guyana’s loans payments, currency GDP declined substantially fromChinaaresettosurpass d e p r e c i a t i o n s , a n d over the past year, from 38.9 that of Sri Lanka, which significant off-budget and unfundedliabilities.”

“This pattern of debt increasesintheregionpoints totheneedforstrongerfiscal institutions to establish credible and sustainable medium-term objectives to limit debt spikes, and where they are necessary, to promote periods of debt

Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts to make history as first Black QBs to face off in Super Bowl

USAToday SportsPatrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts will make history later this monthasthefirstpairofBlack quarterbacks to face off in a SuperBowlwhentheKansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles play each other Feb. 12inGlendale,Arizona.

Mahomes punched his tickettoSuperBowl57witha 23-20winovertheCincinnati Bengals in the AFC championshipgame.The27-year-old played through an ankle injury and led a game-winning driveinthefinalminutes.

Meanwhile,Hurtsandthe Eagles cruised to a 31-7 win overtheSanFrancisco49ers.

The third-year QB amassed 160all-purposeyardsandran for a touchdown.

MahomesandHurtshave faced off once previously, withtheChiefscomingouton top 42-30 in a 2021 game. Now, the two standout quarterbacksandMVPcandidates willmeetontheNFL’sbiggest stage.

HaveanyBlackQBswon aSuperBowl?

ThreeBlackquarterbacks have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, with the most recent being Mahomes for the 2019 season. Doug Williams (Washington, 1987) and Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks, 2013) are the oth-

ers. Steve McNair, Donovan McNabb, Colin Kaepernick, RussellWilsonandCamNewtonareamongtheotherBlack QBs to start in a Super Bowl.

Mahomeshasachanceto become the first Black quarterbacktowinmultipleSuper Bowltitles,whileHurtscould become the fourth Black QB towinitall.

Why is Mahomes vs. Hurts significant?

The historic matchup is importantforanumberofreasons.

Notonlywillthegamepit two of the NFL’s top athletes against one another, but Super Bowl 57 — which takes place during Black History

Tuesday January 31, 2023

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Sometimes, it's amazing to see how your relationships can spin so easily out of control, Aries. Today you may have to deal with a lot oftensionwithinyourgroup. You'llalmostfeelasifnoone understands the situation.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

You sometimes have difficulty making up your mind.Youdon'talwaysknow exactly what you want. Today, Taurus, you'll be at peace with yourself.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Sometimesweallfeelalittle lost, Gemini.We often want to move mountains and use all our energy and enthusiasm to try to do so.

CANCER(June21–July22)

You have a natural ability to accomplish a great deal rather easily, Cancer. But today you may feel snowed under with projects. Things aroundyoumightbemoving quickly

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Your day has finally come, Leo.You have your own visionoflifeandyoulikesharing it with others.You're far fromthinkingthatyou'reany sort of new messiah.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Today you'll have the strange feeling that something is floating in the air The time is right to try to understand the different needsofyourfamilycircle.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

As the dawn of another quiet and peaceful day appears, Libra, you will be in the best disposition to observe and appreciate the lightness of things. Life can seem so beautiful on some days.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

Youwillfindacleanpageon the agenda today, Scorpio. Youshouldtrytothinkonly about yourself. This will allow you to meditate about your life and be at peace withyourself.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

You will wake up today on cloudnine,Sagittarius.Your moraleisatapeak.Youwill feel totally free and be able to clearly perceive the essentials of life.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)The

The astral energy will have youreminiscingalldaylong over childhood memories, Capricorn.Thesememories will take you to the houses and places where you were raised.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

You love interacting with people others might consider eccentric. You can't help it. You're simply attracted to them. You will probably encounter one of these people today, Aquarius.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

You have always tried to build up your health using traditionalmethods,andyou take great care of yourself.

Month — and its worldwide platform should serve as a groundbreakingeventofrepresentationforBlackquarterbacks.

Super Bowl 57 will also likelyplayaroleinMahomes’ legacyasaplayer.Havingalready hoisted one Lombardi Trophy, the opportunity to win a second is an important juncture for Mahomes.

Many fans and experts alsopredictfutureSuperBowl matchups between the two young and talented quarterbacks of strong NFL teams, adding further intrigue to whichsignal-callercomesout on top in this first postseason meeting between Mahomes and Hurts.

Patrick Mahomes has the Chiefs in their fifth consecutive AFC championship game.

Monedderlust,Ann’sGroveUnited,BuxtonStarsthroughtoquarter-finals

- East Coast Mash Cup to continue on Friday

Itwasabusyweekendat the Golden Grove Community Ground when action in the East Coast MashCupcontinued.

Dellon Wright scored two headers in the first half to lead Ann’s Grove United to a 2 – 0 win over Melanie FConSaturday

Wright’sheaderscamein the 5th and 7th minute as Ann’s Grove progressed to thequarter-finals.

Pouderoyen FC, one of two West Side teams in the tournament, gained a ‘walk over’victoryafterSantosFC failedtoshowup.

On Sunday, in the first game of the doubleheader, Monedderlust, with goals from Kevin Cottoy (13) and TyroneDelph(85),defeated Beterverwagting (BV) FC 2 –0.Thenight’ssecondgame saw Buxton Stars edging RosignolFC5–3following kicks from the penalty spot after the two sides failed to find the net in regulation time Meanwhile, the tournamentwillcontinueon Friday with a triple-header, starting at 6:00 pm, with Slingerz FC taking on ParadiseFC.

Fruta Conquerors will play Airy Hall FC in the second match, and tournament host Golden

Fans to be punished for racially abusing Real Madrid’s Vinicius

AFP - Spain’s High CouncilforSport(CSD)said yesterday that more than 10 Real Valladolid fans who racially insulted Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior inaLaLigagamelastmonth willbepunished.

Some home fans hurled abuseattheBrazilianwinger during Madrid’s 2-0 win at Valladolid on December 30, prompting La Liga to file a complainttothelocalcourts.

The CSD said in a statement that its Commission against Violence, Racism and Xenophobia in sport has “initiated proceedings for the proposed punishment of more than 10 supporters” overtheincidents.

Policearecollectingdata before recommending punishments, which could include fines of 4,000 euros (around $4,300) and a oneyear ban from sports stadiums for any person

identified, the statement added.

La Liga made a complaint about the fans to the police and said they had provided video and audio recordings they had gathered. The commission also held an extraordinary meeting on Monday to discuss another incident involving the 22-year-old Brazilian.

A dummy dressed in a Vinicius shirt was strung up near Real Madrid’s training ground before last week’s Copa del Rey quarter-final against local rivals Atletico with a message reading “MadridhatesReal.”

TheCSDsaidpolicehad begun an investigation to identify those behind the “despicable acts” using traffic cameras and images publishedonsocialmedia.

Earlier this season, Spanish prosecutors opened an investigation into racist abuse against Vinicius by Atletico Madrid fans based on footage of chants calling him a monkey before last September’sMadridderby The prosecutors closed the probe saying it was impossible to charge a specific individual despite t h e “ u n p l e a s a n t , inappropriate and disrespectful” nature of the chanting.

Grove Dynamic FC is expected to battle Buxton United.

The winner of the 16teamtournamentwillpocket $500,000.

Vinicius Junior

Dellon Wright had a double for Ann’s Grove United.

Monedderlust goal scorers Tyrone Delph (L) and Kevin Cottoy.

Michael Singh returns as GBF president

Michael Singh returned as president of the local custodians for basketball, now formally known as the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF), following Sunday’s Congressandelectionsatthe G u y a n a O l y m p i c s Associations (GOA) LiliendaalHeadquarters.

Singh, who will be severing his second term as president, was unopposed while being re-joined by General Secretary Patrick Haynes, who was also unchallenged for the position.

Singh and Haynes were the only two executives returning from the previous body,astheGBF’saffiliated membersmovedtoaddfresh faces and some newcomers t o t h e b a s k e t b a l l administrationinGuyana.

Rawle Toney, president of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA), president of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA), Jermaine Slater, and former female National PlayerSoniaRodney,arethe three Vice Presidents of the GBF DeputyAuditManager

at the Caricom Secretariat

Chavez Branche is the new Treasurer,andQuincyBaird, GTT’s Accounts Payable, Treasury and Tax Manager, will serve as the GBF’s A s s i s t a n t

Secretary/Treasurer

Sileena Arjune got the nod in votes against Julian Haynes for the position of Technical Director, while DennisClarke,DeonFerrier andLeonaKytewerenamed the three ‘At Large

Members’oftheGBF

Singh, following the elections, thanked the associations for entrusting him with the responsibility of governing basketball in Guyana while applauding the diverse membership of theExecutiveCommittee.

He welcomed new faces to administration for local basketball and told the gathering at Olympic House and those who joined via zoom that the new GBF Executive Committee will work closely to ensure that game is properly-governed locally

Singh said the new body istomeetsoontoaddressthe immediate issue of funding for the National team and current Caribbean

Champion, being prepared for their title defence of the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships.

The GBF, Singh said, w i l l b e m a k i n g a presentation to Government and Corporate Guyana, to aid in the infrastructural developmentofthegame,as well as construction of its ownindoorfacility

The development of female basketball will also take centre stage, Singh highlighted, following the inclusion of three women (Sonia Rodney, Sileena Arjune and Leona Kyte) on theExecutiveCommittee.

Meanwhile, the local basketball Federation made two changes to its constitution.

The Michael Singh-led body voted unanimously to change the name from the GuyanaAmateur Basketball Federation (GABF) to the Guyana Basketball Federation.

Additionally, Congress voted solidly to add ‘At L a rg e / C o m m i t t e e ’ members; a move the GBF said is to add in their ability to properly govern basketballinGuyana.

Some members of the new GBF Executive body: (sitting L-R), Sileena Arjune(TD), Michael Singh (president), Patrick Haynes (General Secretary) and Leon Kyte (at Large Member); (standing L-R), Dennis Clarke (At Large Member), Rawle Toney (VP) and Jermaine Slater (VP).

Quincy Baird - GBF Asst/Sec. Treasurer Chavez Branche - GBF Treasurer

Sonia Rodney – GBF VP

Unit of Allied Arts/Nexgen Golf Completes PE Workshops in Region 6

Atwo-daysessionhosted bytheMinistryofEducation Unit of Allied Arts for 13 Secondary schools and 22

PETeachers concluded with abangonFridayattheNew Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary, as president of theGuyanaGolfAssociation and Nexgen Golf Academy

Aleem Hussain held a personalized golf training

session and donated golf equipment and balls to all schools in attendance. In addition to golf equipment, Teachers were given sports whistles, stop watches and two CSEC PE textbooks to take back to their respective schools.

According to Mr. Kurt Braithwaite, acting head of AlliedArts, “This was to be

done this since last October but it was postponed several times Similar workshops were already completed in Regions2byAlliedArtsand R e g i o n s 3 , 4 a n d Georgetown which were hosted by their Education Departments with support from Allied Arts. The reactionofalltheteachersto the simple but effective teaching techniques by Mr Hussain again demonstrated why Golf is fast becoming a favorite sport taught by PE Teachers around the country.”

Mr Braithwaite expressly thanked the Region 6 Department of Education, D E O Ms Dainty, along with the Head Teacher and Staff of N.A.M.S for their gracious hospitality in hosting the two-daysession.

Mr Bristol (NAMS) and Mr Moakan (BHS) both expressed their surprise at the speed of learning the sport and at the enthusiasm

of all the teachers and studentswhotookpartinthe mini competition that concludedthegolftraining.

Speakingtotheteachers, Hussain said, “This is an individual sport that attracts 65% female students and regardlessofsize,strengthor athletic ability, allows everyone to compete on equal footing due to adjustments based on a handicapsystem.

With the emphasis on physical education and sports in schools by President Ali and Minister Manikchand,webelievethat thejointeffortwithUAAand

NexgenGolfwillseeseveral thousands of new students taking up Golf, especially with our modified training system that allows for teaching and practice in smallspaces,evenindoors.”

Amajorshiftinfocusby the Ministry of Education will see all learners exposed to a sport, foreign language andamusicalinstrumentasa part of developing well rounded graduates of high school. As a result, this PE Workshop series was timely as it prepared dozens of teachers nationwide to immediately implement the newmandatebyMOE.

James cameos with bat but India take victory

EAST LONDON, South

Africa- Despite a valiant 34 from captain Hayley Matthews and 21 not out from debutant Zaida James, the West Indies Women fell toan8-wicketdefeattoIndia Women in their final preliminary match of the Women’s Tri-Series at BuffaloParkinEastLondon.

Battingfirst,WestIndies posted 94/6 from their 20 overs, Matthews top-scored with34(34)andZaidaJames addedavaluable21(31)not out. Deepti Sharma was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 4-2-11-3 followed by PoojaVastrakar with4-1-19-2.Indiareached the 95-run target in 13.5 overs, with Jemima Rodrigueson42(39)notout and captain Harmanpreet Kaur 32 (23) not out Shamilia Connell finished with figures of 3-0-17-1 followed by Hayley Matthewswith2-0-7-1.

After the match captain HayleyMatthewsapplauded the efforts by the four U19 playerswhowerepartofthe playingeleventoday,saying “It was really good to see how the U19s played today

ZaidaJamessteppedupwith the bat and the energy that theybroughtonthefieldwas

reallygood. We are still missing the experience of Stafanie Taylor and Chinelle Henry and it’s been a pretty tough tournament for us when it comestoresultsbutwehave better days to look forward too.”

T20I Tri-Series Match Results

(allmatchestobeplayed at Buffalo Park, East London)

21 January: vs South

Africa–SouthAfricawonby 44runs

23 January: vs India –Indiawonby56runs

25 January: vs South Africa–SouthAfricawonby 10wickets

30 January: vs India, 3pmlocaltime(9amEastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)Indiawonby8wickets

2 February: Tri-Series

Final, 3pm local time (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)

Students and officials involved in the Unit of Allied Arts and Nexgen Golf PE Workshops in Region 6.

Zaida James offered valuable support. (Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images (PTY) Ltd, CWI Media)

Guyana to Suriname Cycling Group ride hailed a success

The organizers of the One Guyana Cycling Group ride have hailed their fourth edition of the GuyanaSuriname cross-country group ride to be a massive success, which were held from26thto29thJanuary

TheGuyanatoSuriname cyclinggroup ride under the ‘One Guyana’ tag line concludedon29thJanuaryat the Cayenne border (Albina Suriname) The event consisted of four stages, seeing at least forty-seven riders participating at this year’s event with three female riders as well as National School Cycling Champion boy; seventeen year old Sherwin Sampson a l s o a m o n g t h o s e participated The One GuyanaCyclingGroup-Ride rode off from the Kitty seawalls (roundabout) Georgetown, Guyana and concluded at Albina, Suriname (the Cayenne border). According to the Event Promoter, it was the first time this cycling group

rode to the Cayenne Border asopposedtopreviousyears, wheretheyfinishedatSouth Drain,Nickerie.

However, riders that participated at this year’s event were pleased to be a

partofthismonumentalfeat. The Guyana to Suriname cycling group ride; an event which helps to promote tourism, foster greater relationship between Guyana and Suriname and

West Indies dismiss Zimbabwe XI for 122 in Bulawayo tour match

SportsMax - Alzarri

Joseph,ShannonGabrieland Gudakesh Motie each took two wickets for the West Indies who bowled out the Zimbabwe XI for 122 yesterday to establish a lead of395runsonfirstinningsin their tour match in Bulawayo.

Battingasecondtimethe West Indies were at the time of writing 18-1, a lead of 413.RaymonReiferwasthe batteroutforjustone.

In response to the West Indies’first innings score of 517, Zimbabwe XI, resuming from their overnight score of 52-5, added70moreforthelossof theirremainingfivewickets.

Timycen Maruma, who was on 15 overnight was eventually dismissed by Motie for 37 while Milton Shumba, who was on nine added only four before he was bowled by Gabriel for 13.

Tafadzwa Tsiga scored anunbeaten21andnumber11batterFarazAkramadded 19managingtogetthescore

past 100 after Zimbabwe XI hadslumpedto87-9. Joseph took 2-12, while Motie returned figures of 224.Gabriel,whoisreturning

also promotes a healthy lifestyle as well as the sport inbothcountries.

from an extended break because of injury, finished with2-21.

The match concludes today

Theeventwassponsored by Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Suriname, FordAuto

Suriname,LucozadeEnergy, Extra Energy Drink and ProfessionalKeyShop.

Gabriel took 2-21 on his return to the West Indies team.

Riders in their paces during the first leg of the Cycling Group ride.

James cameos with bat but India take victory

Guyana to Suriname Cycling Group ride hailed a success

Riders assembled at the SEMC Motor building ahead of the final leg of the cycling group ride.

Zaida James offered valuable support. (Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images (PTY) Ltd, CWI Media)

Hayley Matthews topscored for the Windies women in a losing cause. (Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images (PTY) Ltd, CWI Media)