Kaieteur News

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Bandits who went to NEWS enquire about casket, cart off with parlour’s payroll AIETEUR

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

Monday Edition July 05, 2021 - Vol. 14 No. 26

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

Price $80

Online readership yesterday 76,681

Govt. must set itself apart from financial skullduggery

by Stabroek Block partners - Install competent people to regulate sector - Chris Ram

Probe launched after cop allegedly assaults female DPP appeals Magistrate’s decision to free alleged bank robbers Over 3000 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in June New NGO to help citizens with legal representation

Brazen acts of robbery becoming a norm around the city Traffic congestion is a ticking time bomb that only your voices can diffuse it. Every local citizen dig gold, diamonds and pay taxes. The foreigners dig our gold, our diamonds, and pays no taxes. Each local contractor pay taxes. The foreign contractors, pay no taxes. Local oil people, pay taxes. Foreign oil people, pay no taxes. Listen @11:00am on 99.1/99.5FM

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Monday July 05, 2021

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Monday July 05, 2021

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Govt. must set itself apart from financial skullduggery by Stabroek Block partners - Install competent people to regulate sector - Chris Ram

A

fter reviewing t h e 2 0 2 0 financial statements of Stabroek Block partners, namely, ExxonMobil’s subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), Hess Guyana Exploration Limited (Hess), and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, Chartered Accountant and Attorney-atLaw, Christopher Ram firmly asserts that there are serious deficiencies in those documents which leave Guyana at risk of wanton abuse and manipulation.

In his most recent writings, Ram concluded that the documents are so ambiguous in the details they present that it is virtually not possible to have a holistic

picture understanding of how expenses are being charged against the Liza Phase One Project.

In light of this, Ram said it is critical that the PPP/C Government separate itself as a partner in the financial shenanigans being perpetuated by the companies by introducing modern oil laws, appointing independent and competent regulators, and ensuring that the nation’s rules and regulations governing the sector are respected.

Ram was keen to note that the financial statements for each of the Stabroek Block partners do not disclose, in sufficient detail, how they are accounting for the use of money from the Liza Phase One Project. He

also expressed fear over some of the expenses that are being charged against the project which are completely unrelated to it.

He said too that both the principles underlying the preparation and contents of the financial statements reflect major deficiencies including noncompliance with accounting standards, and requirements of the law and the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). He said too that reconciling the statements in question and the requirements of the PSA or even with the nation’s tax laws would prove to be a challenging task for those concerned.

S i g n i f i c a n t l y, R a m highlighted that Guyana’s

laws require the financial statements of external companies (and not just of their Guyana branch which is what has been presented) along with their annual returns to be filed at the Commercial Registry. He noted that the Stabroek Block partners have been non-compliant in this regard while adding that the Registrar of Companies was generous, if not careless, in permitting this.

He went on to note that these financial statements have vindicated the initial fears he expressed about the limitations and weaknesses of the 2016 Petroleum Agreement. The Chartered Accountant said, “Those limitations and weaknesses have been compounded by

the multitude of combined fatal deficiencies by the three oil companies in their financial reporting in the first year of oil production, averaging less than 100,000 barrels of oil per day.” Ram said it is clear that the opportunities for manipulation will increase correspondingly as production increases by eight and tenfold.

It was at this point that he said, “It is incumbent on this Administration to separate itself as a partner in the financial shenanigans being perpetrated by the companies, introduce modern petroleum legislation, appoint independent and competent regulators and

Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram ensure that our laws are respected.”

The lawyer concluded, “The Government should expect resolute pushback.

The oil companies do not comply with a weak Agreement partly written by them, let alone a regime of regulations meeting international standards.”

New NGO to help citizens with legal representation

J

ustice Corp (Guyana) Inc. is a registered not-forprofit that was formed under two years ago to provide alternatives to vulnerable persons in need of legal a d v o c a c y a n d representation.

Executive Director and Founder of Justice Corp (JC) Guyana Inc. Mrs. Nazia Mohamed-Persaud told Kaieteur News recently that the organization’s objective goes beyond providing legal aid to those who can’t afford it.

“We are a human rights advocacy group. JC Guyana Inc. uses the various platforms and resources to impact society, especially,

for those whose rights have been violated,” she said.

Mohamed-Persaud explained that along with its supportive team and long list of private sector sponsors, the new justice initiative has also been able to impact the lives of many less fortunate persons through livelihood projects which focus on skills training and capacity building.

“This speaks to our second mandate which is to aid with livelihood and s o c i o - c u l t u r a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l management.” she said.

The Executive Director explained that since JC Guyana Inc. commenced operations, the organization

Justice Corp Guyana Inc has also been involved in offering skills training in various communities.

The Justice Corp Guyana Inc logo. has delivered services in both our areas of works; legal representation and

livelihood training.

She noted, that both initiatives continue to make tremendous impact on the lives of many across Guyana.

“From its formation, people in various regions have benefited in the area of legal representation for matters ranging from National Insurance Scheme benefits, misconduct by members of the Guyana Police Force among other law enforcement agencies,” Mohamed-Persaud said.

She posited that in her view, Guyana has been failing to provide an adequate legal assistance service to members of the public.

The founder explained that the need for alternative agency to Legal Aid is one of the main reasons why the organization was

established. The organization currently has on staff, five lawyers and a s o l i c i t o r, M r. P a t r i c k Triumph as well as two social workers.

“So far, we have seen several cases where people can’t afford to pay a lawyer, or for legal advice, and that’s where Justice Corp Inc. comes in. We have lawyers who provided legal representation in court for matters related to human rights violations. Our services are free of charge and are an alternative to the legal aid facility currently available in Guyana. When it comes to matters outside Human rights violation, we advocate and forward cases to attorneys who provide the service at a significantly reduced cost,” MohamedPersaud explained.

Mrs. Mohamed-Persaud revealed that since it commenced work Justice Corp (Guyana) Inc. has been saddled with over 1000 clients.

“These include an entire village and people from all across Guyana with complaints of being cheated out of property issues, false accusations, domestic abuse, N I S , L a b o u r, P u b l i c Assistance, rape, Police brutality, with alleged injustices from the justice system,” she explained.

Mohamed-Persaud said, “All of the cases are being dealt with professionally, competently and most of all

compassionately. Even in the face of the COVID -19 pandemic, Justice Corp Guyana Inc. has dealt with over 30 cases.”

Despite the present workload and the present challenges that Guyanese are being faced with because of the pandemic, she said the Justice Corp (Guyana) Inc. maintains an open-door policy through its Lot 81, West ½ Lamaha Street, Newtown, Kitty, location.

Further to this, the Executive Director noted that with the positive response from the general public, various communities on the Soesdyke Linden Highway, have benefited from the survival livelihood initiative as Justice Corp (Guyana) Inc. launched its first project at Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke Linden Highway, East Bank Demerara, during September to December, 2020.

While these services are being diligently dealt with, Justice Corp (Guyana) Inc. is at present, running its “Livelihood” initiative– “ I M PA C T M E S k i l l s Training” project in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six. The project is set to be followed by other similar initiatives in Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten, during the period of May to August 2021.

According to MohamedPersaud, the project is a twofold one that focuses on (Continued on page 6)

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Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

Courts peopled by humans with biases and loyalties The New York Times (NYT) editorialized on July 1 that, “The Supreme Court abandons voting rights.” The perception is that the Supreme Court, this final American arbiter of the law and justice, has shredded the landmark 1965 Voting Right Act. The NYT’s position is that the “conservative majority has been dismantling it, piece by piece.” A strong reaction, indeed, with the latest perceived dismantling occurring through conservative justices upholding “two Arizona voting laws despite lower federal courts finding clear evidence that the laws make voting harder for voters of colour.”

“Dismantling” is a strong word to use for court decisions.

That the NYT editorial board felt sufficiently alarmed to table that reaction speaks about the fearlessness of American media, and when the NYT noted that all six conservative justices voted to uphold the restrictive Arizona law, that says so much about the confidence of this most influential of U.S. media presences. To go against the Court is unheard of here.

Such a course of action, a pronouncement by a prominent media presence (or others) against a judicial decision by any Guyanese court automatically guarantees harsh denunciations. Meaning, heated denunciations against any who violates what is held as the independence of the judiciary, its sacred nature, and its declared infallibility that condones no criticism, no departure. The battle is joined when those in agreement with favourable local decisions attack anyone expressing dissenting views. Since everything here possesses racial textures, then the ethnicity of judge(s), the political source of their appointments, and the beneficiaries of outcomes become fair game, and subject to the scurrilous, unfounded, and disparaging. Many unprovable scenarios are imagined, more hidden motives dumped on finders of fact, and interpreters of the law.

The courage and confidence to disagree vanish, even when such is bolstered by reality and reason. But judges are humans, not bloodless, disconnected strangers to what we live with, in a roiling divided environment. Expectations are greater in razor thin situations, with much at stake.

Disappointments can overwhelm, leading to where the measured is missing, and basic wisdom disintegrating. In this cauldron, one man’s facts are another’s farces. It would be progress to appreciate that which disappoints, stands on solid bases, expressed in tempered voice. When integrity is poisoned by the raw partisan, then intellect is perverted into the unrecognisable.

Further, reactions to the Supreme Court’s decision were quick to come from dissenters across different arenas. From the political fold, President Biden weighed in with: “the court has now done severe damage” (“Supreme Court upholds Arizona voting restrictions” (New York Times July 1)).

The U.S. president went further still with, “After all we have been through to deliver the promise of this nation to all Americans, we should be fully enforcing voting rights laws, not weakening them.” Any reasonable observer would conclude that there is veiled condemnation in President Biden’s use of that work “weakening.” But he didn’t stop there, and continued that, “while this broad assault against voting rights is sadly not unprecedented, it is taking on new forms.” No Guyanese politician ending up on the wrong side of a judicial decision in the local court system (think today’s elections petitions, prior lower and higher court rulings), would dare to go so far. We are so sensitive that all kinds of verbal breakdancing are engaged in to avoid appearing disgusted or, worse still, infuriated. And no leading political figure, no matter how passionate about position, risks bringing down the wrath of the torn local world upon the head.

From academia, Richard L. Hausen, a law professor said, “The court today…makes it harder to prove intentional racial discrimination in passing a voting rule.” And conservative Justice Alito identified five guideposts ranging from restriction and inconvenience, to size of rule voting

Guyanese cope with numerous leadership farces Dear Editor, As Guyanese cope with numerous leadership farces, it is again confirmed that everything is about political spinning and concealing. The importance of the issue to citizens does not matter, for then the cheap politicos vanish, leaving the dirty jobs to others. I single out oil and COVID-19.

When oil news delights, the Vice President (VP) takes to the highest stages and, like Ravi Shankar, strums melodic tunes. When things are positive, the VP is sweet Doowop harmonies. When negative, like empty-suited bullies and cringing cowards, flight occurs, and others left laboring with unwanted loads, telling laughable tales.

Once, the VP was hailed as friar of the forests and admiral of the atmosphere, a climate change conductor of

convincing caliber. They gowned him and crowned with a cap, which now transforms to an honorary dunce cap. For when oil came, Exxon conspiracies changed the VP re climate change.

So, when Exxon is allowed inexplicable extensions for excess flaring, hapless EPA people are recruited to tell Guyanese the dirty development. The VP is suddenly busy. But the spinning is different, for which Exxon and the VP are applauded for supreme cunning. It is not the acting figurehead publicly relaying politically arranged extensions for excess flaring; the oily foxes are too slick to provide such openings. It is the strange creature called EPA ‘sources’ or faceless mysteries labeled ‘agency spokespeople.’ Try pinning that for questions and clarity!

Better yet, try locating the ubiquitous VP, now AWOL. As Marvin Gaye asked:

what’s going on? What’s really going on when Guyanese hear of a maiden oil shipment of a million barrels to India from Reuters. I suppose the VP had a touch of laryngitis or helpful oil amnesia.

Methinks skullduggery abounds.

Remember: the truth sets free; but lies forces to lay low.

Thanks Reuters.

And thanks to that bland comfort of details will follow from the PR people suddenly needed to spin and buy time.

Citizens can be assured of a rich oil cook-up loaded with salted beef and pigtails, though the chief political cooks hold themselves out as holy men and vegetarians.

About price and need for secrecy and justification for concealments. Given India’s links to this society, and generosity with vaccines, there should be no need to hide and for Reuters to surprise.

When leadership dirtiness

is involved, they absent themselves, and pros are sent to massage negative messages.

Regarding COVID-19, with over 1500 children positive, why did Health Minister Anthony sit on this?

Why did the CMO and PRO have absolutely nothing to say on what cannot be an overnight development?

And why did that Great Pretender, President Ali, saw it fit to spin at the soil breaking soon-to-be Airport Marriott about Pfizer vaccines coming and children prioritized? Preemptive damage control it is; a red herring from a greenhorn about Black Death. President don’t play American PR games with children’s welfare.

Now parents must decide on their children and that utter foolishness from the Education Minister: September reopening.

Sincerely, Ghklall

This cybercrime issue is not just confined to Guyana Dear Editor, There is a price to pay for misdemeanors of any type by anyone, but when a public personality, especially one from Parliament, commits not just a peccadillo, but an actual crime, actions must be taken by the relevant authority. The news is very distasteful indeed. It is that “A partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), Member of Parliament (MP), Annette Ferguson, was arrested after a senior member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) made an allegation against her in relation to one of her Facebook posts.”

The gist of the issue is that the GDF rank is claiming that “Ferguson falsely alleged, in a Facebook post, that the said GDF rank will be in charge of a ‘killing squad.”

This constitutes a crime, and as such, she was arrested for a breach of the Cybercrime Act 2018.

This cybercrime issue is not just confined to Guyana; it is global and carries serious setbacks.

The legal phrasing is that “Most cybercrime is an attack on information about individuals, corporations, or governments. Although

the attacks do not take place on a physical body, they do take place on the personal or corporate virtual body, which is the set of informational attributes that define people and institutions on the Internet.

In other words, in the digital age, our virtual identities are essential elements of everyday life: we are a bundle of numbers and identifiers in multiple computer databases owned by governments and corporations. Cybercrime highlights the centrality of networked computers in our lives, as well as the fragility of such seemingly solid facts as individual identity.” Maybe the import of her illegal act will get to her, even if she never reads this kind of information.

As expected, she denied, when the charge was put to her, by members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police F o r c e (GPF), at CID Headquarters at Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown.

Right now, the investigation into the matter is ongoing, and when completed, the file will be sent to the Director of Public

disparities to impact of such disparities. Liberal Justice Kagan saw those same guide posts of her fellow jurist as “a recipe for voter suppression.” She said something else with significance for Guyana: “Elections are often fought and won at the margins.” We live at some such margins, which is why many tiptoe around suspected judicial bias and loyalty. Often, it is better to get negatives out of the system into the public domain. All are better for it.

Prosecution (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, for legal advice.

This talk from her about the “setting up of Death Squad and Black Clothes groups” is dangerous. It stemmed from the recent presentation, in the Considerations of Financial Paper 2/2021" during the parliamentary session on June 14, 2021. Details of that debate, from Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, reveal “… that the concept of the Regional Joint Support Teams is a new crime-fighting initiative formulated in April, 2021, and that the supplementary provision for the period ending December 2021 is to “set up” the initiative.”

This is so simple to grasp and has no latent meaning, more so, there is no form of ambiguity in the language employed that can be used to say that a sinister plot was in the making, emanating from the Government.

Minister Gail Teixeira made it abundantly clear that the “Regional Joint Support Teams will not denigrate or usurp the functions of the GDF or the GPF, but is intended to enhance the capacity of the law enforcement agencies in Guyana to fight crime, regardless of the type of crime, with the support of the GDF.” I mean, who goes to Parliament and advertises a government-sponsored crime?

Corporate crime-fighting among nations is a wellestablished occurrence. In

fact, joint global efforts cut across not only the fight against crimes, but in areas of education, disaster, and Medicare, etc. Ms. Annette Ferguson is not on top of the very basics in current affairs.

This Opposition MP went beyond the outlandish. She publicly flaunted, via her Facebook page, that “Exclusive: PPP secures $250million budget to resuscitation Black Clothes Death Squad.” Outrageous indeed! So, as expected, both the Joint Services Coordinating Council (JSCC) and the Ministry of Home Affairs came out in revulsion and “… condemned the Opposition MP’s post and cautioned citizens against the “reckless and irresponsible social commentary.” Trying to defend her, Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon, condemned Ferguson’s arrest, stating that that members of the GPF had arrested Ferguson on false grounds and also called the arrest a clear case of political harassment. Shocking again here that Harmon took this position.

He is a lawyer by training and should know and act differently. However, I am not surprised, as he himself is guilty of this kind of unsubstantiated outburst. I only have to remind readers to check up on what he did when the Covid 19 $25 000 Cash Grant was being distributed, and also what he said about the Sputnik V vaccines.

Yours truly, Anson Paul

Monday July 05, 2021

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Distribute cane land to incentivise workers to produce Dear Editor, I write to correct D. C. Daly’s response in which he states that “Bisram presented contrasting visions of future of sugar industry” (Jul 1) and to clarify and expound on some issues raised. I am driven to save the estates and GuySuco for reasons different from those of Daly and CEO Sase Singh (whose name he mentions as having the right formula to downsize the industry). I don’t know why Sase’s name is this argument.

Let me state emphatically I am not looking for employment in the sugar industry. I traveled to Fiji, Mauritius, Durban, India, Trinidad, and St. Kitts years ago on my own expenses to study sugar production because of altruistic reasons and because my heart was (and still is) with keeping sugar workers employed. I felt where the state owned the land, working class should be awarded the land for cultivation rather than close down unprofitable factories.

In the case of Guyana, my navel string and those of my ancestors and of slaves were buried in the plantations.

They should be the inheritors of the land, not some people who had nothing to do with cane. The slaves and indentured labourers and their descendants worked the land; they deserve it as a source of income rather than closure of the estates. In Trinidad, the bulk of the cane land find their way into “Middle Eastern” ownership that had nothing to do with cane. Cane farms and the train line in St. Kitts are now tourist related encouraged by the state. Mauritius converted cane fields into potato, onion, and corn farms supported by the state.

I have only one vision for closed sugar estates — save and re-start them in order to re-hire the 7,800 who were directly employed at and terminated by the coalition regime. Thousands more, employed as a result of secondary activities around the estates, lost their jobs when the estates were closed.

Hundreds of private cane farmers also lost their income with no alternative factories to grind their harvest; they became impoverished.

GuySuco refused to sell the Wales factory to private farmers in Wales. So it is critical for the three of the four closed estates be restarted for job creation and as a main source of income for

over 20,000 workers and over 80,000 persons to feed.

There may be varied ways of saving or re-starting the estates. The Bisram/Dev model included a tri-sector involvement of ownership by workers, private investors, and the state. The workers would be allocated land to cultivate and harvest cane.

The private investors would modernize and upkeep the factories, manage the estates, and engage in R&D to provide the best variety of cane for cultivation, and marketing. The state would provide infrastructure assistance like drainage and irrigation, soft loans, etc. And the state would be compensated. The model worked in Africa. It is possible that private investors may have lost interest to pursue their proposals made in 2017.

The state would have to replace their role. One can tailor the model to fit each estate. The key for me is working class ownership of the land because it would rapidly increase yield.

The problem in Guysuco is not the factory; it is cane cultivation. The state gets three ratoons; private farmers get up to 30 ratoons. Private farmers always grow cane more efficiently, getting up to four times the yield. The yield per acre in India is up to seven times that of Guyana.

State cane cultivation is not economical for a variety of reasons – including theft and poor productivity. The state claims it has been losing money. While the state was losing money from cultivation and harvesting, private farmers were at a minimum

breaking even and making profits with the state responsible as the factory operator and marketing agent.

Does it not make economic sense to give (lease) the workers the land to cultivate cane and sell to the state (or private investors if they manage the factors)?

Daly quotes the CEO Sase Singh as saying that GuySuco would only concentrate on producing between 100-150 metric tons of sugar. He said the downsized company was similar to the business model inherited from the PNC led coalition. I do not know if he quotes Sase correctly. If I understand this model right, the state is not interested in the welfare of the workers. It is only interested in producing 100 MT of sugar.

He quotes Sase as railing against a bigger Guysuco which he quotes Sase as stating “is inefficient”.

Perhaps Sase is right that ‘bigger” is not the right model for Guysuco. Bigger was better’ during colonial rule and right up to the end of the 20th century.

Sugar production was profitable.

The concept of economy of scale (bigness) kicked in. The company made huge profits in spite of an ‘over-bloated management bureaucracy’.

Burnham imposed the tax levy on the sugar profits that was plowed into the national budget to subsidize the money losing bauxite industry, and other sectors of the economy. The sugar workers were deprived of their hard-earned profits that could have been invested in their own future rather than

allowing the state to do that.

According to Daly, GuySuco’s success is defined by financial viability as he praises Sase’s leadership to downsize. Well so far, Guysuco has not been a success as it has not made a profit for several years. Going by this reasoning, GuySuco should close down. Also, government has not been a successful business; it only consumes money, over US$2B a year. Since it is not successful, it should be closed down.

GuySuco’s success, similar to government’s operations, cannot be measured by cost/benefit analysis alone; Guysuco rightly provides for the welfare of the communities where it operates – health benefits, community centers, play grounds, drainage and irrigation, security, water resources, electrification, etc.

GuySuco is a socioeconomic enterprise similar to the bauxite industry. Each employ (ed) thousands of workers.

GuySuco historically has been the largest business in Guyana – employing at one time some 30,000 workers which was over 25% of the labour force of the country at the time. At one time, people used to refer to British Guiana as ‘Bookers Guiana’ because sugar dominated the economic sector.

And several businesses were linked to GuySuco that employed another 10% of workers.

So one-third of the country’s labour force was connected to GuySuco at its peak production. And in terms of a proportion of the

population, half was tied to Guysuco at one time. That proportion would have dropped today to less than a fifth. And a tenth would have been without a source of income since the closure of the four estates by the coalition in 2017. Workers contribute enormous amount of taxes; at one time over a third of the national budget.

And economic activities around the estates contribute more to the treasury. The sugar workers and the estates contribute far more to the economy than the subsidies they receive.

It can’t be that GuySuco CEO would endorse ‘smaller is better’ model keeping all those workers on the breadline, against an election manifesto commitment to reopen the estates and re-hire them. I remind the CEO and Daly that Kamla Persad Bissessar in neighbouring Trinidad made a manifesto commitment in 2010 to reopen the shuttered Caroni and re-hire thousands of terminated workers. She failed to deliver, saying it was not profitable and the voters fired her in 2015.

Daly’s information on India sugar production on subsidies is not correct; there are accounting gimmicks in India because much of the land is owned by politicians who seek government assistance. And subsidies on exports are not allowed; WTO

won’t allow it.

Daly missed a few fundamental points on sugar production. Sugar production in every country (developed and underdeveloped) is heavily subsidized because it creates enormous employment. Sugar is also a source of foreign exchange.

Trinidad began experiencing serious foreign exchange shortages after the closure of Caroni and recently the oil refinery. By products of sugar production such as molasses and co-generation of electricity sustain other industries and economic activities.

Sugar production in Guyana is a net asset to the economy; it is not a burden to the treasury. Peasant or small-scale farming worked in Trinidad, Guyana, and other countries. It will work at GuySuco. Where practical, co-operatives can be formed.

Cane co-operatives worked well in Guyana until Burnham made them un-profitable or sucked the cream of the profit, a dis-incentive to produce sugar. Distribute the land to workers to incentivize them to produce! And if Daly is right that Sase is not interested to re-start the closed estates, then please give the works the land to earn a living or else they would end up like impoverished former sugar workers in Trinidad.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

PAGE 6

Which of Guyana’s Oil Blocks lacks a Production Sharing Agreement?

Dear Editor, Attorney General of Guyana, Mohabir Nandlall, is currently on a visit to New York. Yesterday (July 2nd) he appeared at two meetings – one at Villa Russo (audience 60), second at Royal Restaurant on Rockaway Blvd (audience 150).

At the Villa Russo meeting, I asked Mr. Nandlall a question about the Stabroek Block Oil Contract. I held up a posterboard on which we compared main features (Royalty, Profit Share, Profit tax, Environment Responsibility) of the Guyana’s vs Suriname’s Contract. Suriname gets 6.25% vs Guyana 2% on Royalty.

Mr. Nandlall tried to cut me short twice. I explained that the posterboard is a nice visual to help folks easily and quickly grasp the pivotal

issues of the contract. On the Royalty item I said Guyana is losing US$24 billion on 9 billion barrels reserves in the Stabroek Block (9 billion times average price of US$60 times 4.25%. At this point Mr. Nandlall cut in to say he himself had been for a few years been writing and criticizing the lopsided Contract.

I then said: “In that case I’ll make it short: Why don’t you and your government ask ExxonMobil to come back to the table to review the terms of the Contract?”

Mr. Nandlall began talking about “four corners of a contract” that must be respected. He said the contract had been negotiated in 2016 by the previous govt.

And, then pronounced on the most crucial point of this exchange: He said from now on his govt. shall negotiate

new PSA’s on all future oil blocks – “on our terms”.

Really? Which future blocks? I reproduce here a table, it can be found at h t t p s : / / w w w. o g g n . o r g / infographics/guyana-oilblocks.html, showing PSA’s have already been negotiated and signed. Which blocks is Mr Nandlall promising to negotiate?

The problem the Oil & Gas Governance Network (www.oggn.org/about) has with the Government of Guyana is that it has thus far stubbornly refused to simply ask ExxonMobil to come back to the negotiating table. Not demand, not threaten to litigate the contract.

Just ask. Let ExxonMobil go on the record and say no.

Let ExxonMobil seek refuge in “sanctity of contracts. We do not know how ExxonMobil would respond. We are of the

opinion ExxonMobil is interested in a long term harmonious, stable relationship between the Oil Company and the host govt.

– and would therefore be amenable to work out fairer terms to make both parties happy to sustain a long term relationship.

I conclude by saying: On the royalty item alone of one oil block the Oil companies are walking away with US$24 billion ill-gotten gains due to a lopsided contract.

These are windfall gains at the expense of the poor Guyanese people – per capita income US$4,000; about 30% of the population survive on less than US$2 a day. This Contract must not stand. We need a govt. that will stand up for the people.

Yours truly Mike Persaud www.oggn.org/about

Oil & Gas Blocks Production Sharing Agreement Berbice https://www.oggn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/berbice_psa_20130212.pdf Canje https://www.oggn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/canje_contract_20150304.pdf https://www.oggn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/corentyne_psa_20121127.pdf Corentyne Demerara https://www.oggn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/demerara_2013_feb.pdf https://www.oggn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/kaieteur_contract_20150527.pdf Kaieteur Orinduik https://www.oggn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/orinduik_2016_jan.pdf https://www.oggn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Oct2016-Petroleum-Agreement.pdf Stabroek Roraima https://www.oggn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/roraima_contract_20120829.pdf

The coalition has no intention to allow government’s developmental thrust to continue Dear Editor, The PNC (now APNU+AFC) goes on a rampage during its intermittent forays to make the country ungovernable under successive PPP/C governmental constructs.

During those destructive orgies innocent people get hurt, even murdered. People who sacrificed much and worked hard all their lives to

Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

build and sustain businesses and private properties lose everything in minutes.

If anyone is to follow the trends of Guyana’s political past, they would discover that an escalating crime wave and lobbying to derail developmental funding always correlate with this country’s election season, and post-elections.

And, true to tradition, the

PNC is currently ramping up its diatribe against the PPP/C Government, which they are determined to remove – not necessarily by fair meanseven taking their antinationalist, practically treasonous propaganda to international fora. As always, murderous criminal activities are rising in direct proportion.

Former President, current Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo had said, “Opposition should criticize the government when they make mistakes, and we are not perfect. We do make mistakes sometimes and that (criticisms) is fair; but to have an assault on the Guyanese people through distortions is another matter. To openly lie and peddle falsehoods is not a right of anyone, and that is not fair.

“If you listen to them carefully, their plans for Guyana – and for all of our people, is about what the PPP should or should not do – and it is all criticisms and negativity. They have never, ever presented a positive plan for fixing the problems of Guyana and for creating a better life for our people…

They criticized us in Parliament that we were spending too much money on housing. When we allocated

$4 billion to buy some land from GuySuco to produce some (additional) 10,000 house lots for Guyanese, they made a big issue of it in Parliament, criticizing then Housing Minister Irfaan Ali for this (initiative). They know only about criticisms, but not about positive things… We still have a long way to go, but we are getting there... more and more people are benefiting.”

But the coalition has no intention to allow government’s developmental thrust to continue because this does not suit their agenda. Instead, they are trying desperately to halt and/ or reverse gains made through various stratagems, of which ramping up the inflammatory rhetoric – and the imbroglio over Covid vaccines being targeted as the latest cannon fodder.

That the government’s developmental and peopleempowerment initiatives have been re-generating confidence in the administration, to the extent where communities in the opposition enclaves are reaching out with trust and hope to the administration for improved living conditions and enhanced lifestyles, is (Continued on page 22)

It is my view that Mr. Freddie Kissoon should be recognized in some way Dear Editor, On July 01, you published an elaborate article by Dr. Vishnu Bishram titled “Public appreciative of contributions of Attorney General, Anil Nandlall.” I echo the generous remarks and know that thousands of Guyanese, locally and abroad, will find them deserving. Many PPP stalwarts, during those long and painful five months of the fight for a free and fair election, risked their lives and were abused and threatened, but, persevered with renewed strength day after day. Many PPP front-benchers gave up family, food, and rest to ensure that the PNC did not steal the election. Yes, Mr. Anil Nandlall was the “General” that won the war that defeated the PNC. Mr. Anil Nandlall is now the Attorney General, deservedly so. The PPP army had many allies that fought side by side with it in the ‘trenches’ until the very end. Leaders and representatives of countries from all over the world, including the USA, Canada, the UK, and the Caribbean, joined with the PPP in its fight to uphold democracy in Guyana. Surely, the public must be appreciative of these invaluable contributions Also, very much worthy

of honorable mention is Mr. Freddie Kissoon, a renowned scholar, freedom fighter, and protector of the rights of Guyanese. Mr. Kissoon may not be a member of the PPP, but he used his pen, relentlessly and effectively, seven days a week during the five months to expose the attempt by the PNC to steal the Regional and General Elections of March 02, 2020.

His daily column in the Kaieteur News undoubtedly gave a feeling of expectation and desire to many thousands of Guyanese, locally and abroad.

Undoubtedly, the public is very much appreciative of the contribution of Mr. Freddie Kissoon. But, unlike Mr. Anil Nandlall and the other PPP leaders, who have all been rewarded with lucrative positions in the PPP government, sadly Mr. Freddie Kissoon, this brave soldier, remains overlooked. It is known that there are some past grievances between Mr. Kissoon and the PPP, but, life goes forward, and both parties should move on. It is my view that Mr. Freddie Kissoon should be recognized in some way, by the PPP administration.

Sincerely, Mohamed Majeed

...New NGO to help citizens with From page 3 equipping individuals with self-reliant tools, and making use of the tools acquired will result in the alleviation of unemployment.

“It is designed to equip, develop and enhance our human resource, and will definitely serve them as individuals, familial and the community as a whole, making them self-reliant as they will pave ways for continuity of future initiatives, while preserving a learning environment for generations to come,” she added.

According to brochure information on the project, foundational academic courses in Mathematics and English Language, Computer Technology, Fabric Arts, Floral, Sewing, Public Speaking, Life Coach, Entrepreneurship and Leadership, Catering, Cosmetology, Mechanic, Body Work, Carpentry, Masonry, are among the priority training being offered to persons of all ages. Mrs. Mohamed-Persaud said, that the training is being offered to residents of the vulnerable communities to further gear them with a skill that can

enable them a better livelihood through job employment, entrepreneurship and in some cases, to become trainer of the said project.

At present, she said that the project is being attended by over eight hundred persons — of which seven hundred are women and around one hundred are men within the aforementioned six regions.

The Justice Corp Guyana Inc. Executive noted that the overwhelming response from the initiation of this project to date has only served to confirm the need for such an initiative.

She noted that “while they are cognizant that there are similar initiatives available, JC Guyana will be able to deliver to the wider cross-section of Guyana as we further seek to fill the gap by reaching out to others who are not fortunate enough to get the necessary treatment projects and initiatives that are presently being hosted similar by both Private and Public Sector.”

Meanwhile, those interested in benefiting from the project are encouraged to contact the organization on Telephone numbers 603 2763/ 655-9941.

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

One million barrels of Guyana’s oil was sold to India and Guyanese know nothing about it from its government. Citizens only learned about this sale from Reuters, an international news agency.

Does everything related to this oil sector have to be a secret or treated like the personal possession of our leaders with Guyanese kicked around like raggedy footballs? Clearly something is not adding up on this Indian oil sale.

Since we had to hear about this million-barrel shipment to India from Reuters, some serious skullduggery is possibly afoot. There is no talk about the price per barrel, or how much revenue is coming to Guyana.

This lack of transparency surely spells more trouble for the country.

PAGE 07

PAGE 08

Kaieteur News

Over 3000 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in June O

ut of the 20,378 confirmed novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Guyana, some 3,028 persons alone contracted the virus in the month of June.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Health (MoH) on June 24, last, reported that 206 persons had tested

positive for the virus, making that the highest number of new cases recorded in a 24 hour-period for that month.

Yesterday, the Health Ministry in its daily COVID-19 dashboard recorded 73 new COVID-19 cases, which brings the total number of confirmed cases to 20,378. Out of the confirmed cases, 10,434 persons are

women and 9,944 are men.

The dashboard also revealed that 16 patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 88 persons are in institutional isolation, 1,492 are in home isolation and nine are quarantined institutionally. To date, a total of 18,304 persons have recovered from the virus.

Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

Monday July 05, 2021

PAGE 09

Perverting the course of Justice Guyanese will remember the case of Robert Simels, the lawyer of convicted drug trafficker, Shaheed Roger Khan. Simels was convicted and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for witness tampering – one of the offences associated with perverting the course of justice.

It was alleged during his trial that Simels attempted to influence someone to pressure certain witnesses.

The person whom he was alleged to have tried to have someone induce a witness to give false evidence. That person turned out to be a government mole and was recording him. The recording of their conversation sealed his fate during his trial for witnessing tampering.

Two days before he was sentenced Simels went to the graveside of his parents. He knew what was coming. He was saying goodbye to his deceased parents because he did not know whether he would ever get out of prison – perverting the course of justice carries the maximum offence of life imprisonment.

Simels admitted that what he did destroyed him.

In Court he told the judge, “Whatever self-esteem I had, whatever self-worth I had has been destroyed by this process. I am responsible for where I

stand.”

Attempting to pervert the course of justice is a serious offence. Justice Ashurst once said, “It seems to me that a greater offence can hardly be that of obstructing or perverting the course of justice.” And Justice Groje added that if “it is laid down in some cases that an attempt to persuade another not to give evidence in a case of justice is indictable, then it cannot be doubted … that an attempt to mislead the court by misrepresentation is equally criminal.”

A c c o r d i n g t o Blackstone, perverting the course of justice occurs where a person or persons acts or embarks upon a course of conduct which has a tendency to and is intended to pervert the course of public justice.”

A range of offences are concerned with perverting the course of the justice.

These include giving a false identity to an investigating rank such as when you are stopped by the police for riding a bicycle without lights and the police is writing you a ticket on the spot and you tell him your name is John X when in fact it is Peter Y. Perverting the course of justice occurs when evidence is willfully destroyed or hidden, obstructing the police in their work, assisting persons

to avoid arrest, lying to the police about what you saw or was doing at the time of an incident or taking the rap for someone so as to prevent that person from being prosecuted. Perverting the course of justice also occurs when persons concoct or give false evidence.

Perverting the course of justice can occur even in the case of traffic cases, as was the case one week ago when a man in Bradford, England was convicted, He was being investigated for a series of traffic accidents but told investigators that he had sold the vehicle since 2018. This turned out not to be so.

In another case this week, two persons, a man and a woman, were sentenced to jail for attempting to intimidate witnesses in a murder case and tampering with CCTV footage. The man was sentenced to prison for three years six months and the woman to two years five months of imprisonment.

No one is immune from prosecution, as the case of Constance Biscoe, a barrister, illustrates. She was sent to prison for 16 months for allegedly misleading the police in a traffic case involving someone else.

As the assistant District Attorney noted in the Simels case, perverting the course of justice was an affront to the system of justice. In fact, it is

Getting fired is boys seh...

Dem

easy dese days!

Dem boys know dat yuh nah gat to show cause fuh terminate a contract. But yuh gat to pay benefits. So it means dat if yuh gat a contract wah specify dat it can be terminated at de option of any party, den yuh nah gat fuh give reason.

So dem boys wan know if dis is so, why de HAP-Nu-Hay-Eff-See complaining about people getting send home in de government service.

Dem same people gat contract and dem contract provide fuh dem fuh get send home with either one month’s notice or one month’s pay. So how come de Coal-A-shun mekkin’ noise about government workers getting send home when dem know dat yuh nah gat fuh show cause fuh.

It mek dem boys remember de time when a government worker get fired. He went home and tell he wife, “I don’t know why I got fired. I didn’t do anything!”

A man was hired to mek exam scripts by

de Ministry of Education. After de first day, he get fired. When he wife ask he how come he get let go, he say, “I always give 100 percent on the job.”

But dem gat some barefaced workers.

When dem get fired, dem does gat de temerity fuh go and ask de company fuh a letter of recommendation.

One man did name Peter and when he hear he getting fired, he went to de Human Resources Department and tell de Head, “I’ve been with the firm for so long, I think I deserve at least a letter of recommendation.”

De human resources director agreed and tell he, he can get de letter de next day. De following morning, Peter went and collect de letter.

It read: “Peter worked for our company for 11 years. When he left us we were very satisfied.”

Talk half and remember de boss is always right!

an affront to public order.

The system of justice is organised to ensure public order – a condition necessary for the maintenance of society.

The system of justice is also based, in part, on providing penalties for those

who commit wrongs. If those persons benefit from false testimonies, then justice will be undermined and the guilty allowed to walk scot-free.

This is why the courts take such a strong stance against attempts to pervert the course of justice and why the

maximum penalty is life imprisonment, and why convictions almost always result in jail time.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Monday July 05, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

The first CARICOM DAY after the world’s most bizarre national election

T

oday is the first CARICOM DAY since the fivemonth saga of attempted rigging by the incumbent that after polling day found that it had lost. The holiday is celebrated the first Monday in July.

When it came last year, the continuous machinations by sections of the GECOM secretariat, together with the three PNC commissioners in GECOM and APNU+AFC were in full swing. The horrible conspiracies that played before the world for five months came to an end after CARICOM DAY had passed. So last year, there was no reason to celebrate.

This year, Guyanese who lived through the Burnham dictatorship and CARICOM’s brutal betrayal of democracy back then, have CARICOM to thank for saving the right to vote. It makes no sense describing the precious role CARICOM played in ensuring free and fair elections in 2020 without some background information on CARICOM’s

failure to save democracy in Guyana in the 70s and 80s.

F o r b e s B u r n h a m ’s descent into the totalitarian abyss was so tsunamic that the decent, legally elected CARICOM heads should have been appalled and should have confronted Burnham long before he became demonic.

I am submitting five reasons for this low period in CARICOM’s evolution.

First, none of the prime ministers trusted Cheddi Jagan to remain within the capitalist framework the Caribbean evolved into and which they preferred to socialist economics. It meant that they accepted a deterministic prison in their avoidance of condemning Burnham.

Secondly, they felt that a socialist Guyana under Jagan may bring an era of uncertainty and could have affected the tourism industry on which with all the islands depended.

Thirdly, all the prime ministers became confirmed in their fears of a socialist

Guyana because Walter Rodney had captured the imagination of Guyanese but h a d e n d o r s e d J a g a n ’s socialist pathway.

One aspect of Caribbean’s history that may never be told is that Burnham had contacted his fellow CARICOM prime ministers with a portrait of Rodney that made them more apprehensive of Rodney than Jagan.

Fourthly, all the prime ministers were under pressure from the Americans, British and the Europeans to tolerate Burnham because they saw both Rodney and Jagan as dangers.

Fifthly, (and I believe this one should not be prioritized although Indian rights activists will disagree with me), the consensus among Indians in the Caribbean was that the prime ministers chose Burnham over Jagan for racial reasons.

As an academic, I will not emphasize this cultural factor over the other four variables cited above.

In 1992, the world had undergone a profound political transformation. The West no longer saw political parties in Guyana as a geopolitical and economic threat to western interests in the Caribbean.

In fact, Guyana, from 1992 under successive PPP governments, was less a working class, leftist government than many others in CARICOM. For example, while Guyana had introduced fees for university training, it was free in Barbados. Water that was free in Guyana now carries a charge. Guyana from 1992 onwards had a far more neo-liberal economy than the rest of CARICOM. The days of communism and the deterministic prison alluded to above were long gone so CARICOM saw Guyana through different lenses.

This was the crucial mistake the PNC, the AFC and their advisors made when they decided to openly rig one of the national elections in the CARICOM

f a m i l y .

CARICOM had not a scintilla of interest in s u p p o r t i n g fraudulent elections in Frederick Kissoon Guyana. There was no compelling reason in If one PM, just one, had the mind of any PM in CARICOM to side with the sided with the APNU+AFC, there would have been PNC and AFC. terrible implications and the Perhaps the most removal of the APNU+AFC pyrotechnical manifestation of this was when the Guyana regime might not have been Chapter of the Year of People as easy as it turned out to be. of African Descent, led by The PPP government owes a Vincent Alexander, asked t r e m e n d o u s d e b t t o the visiting PMs during the CARICOM in 2020 and election drama to look something should be named beyond the election and seek after Mia Mottley, Ralph solution to the perennial Gonsalves, Owen Arthur and quagmire of ethnic strife. Bruce Golding.

These are four The PMs did not even CARICOM giants that the respond.

Guyanese will continue Guyanese people should to cherish the role of the US forever be grateful to. Today government through its i s C A R I C O M D A Y, e m i s s a r y , t h e U S Guyanese should celebrate it Ambassador, Sarah-Ann with gay abandon; gay in its Lynch, Canada, the UK, and literal grammatical sense.

(The views expressed in the OAS. But CARICOM’s role in the preservation of this article are those of the democracy was not only a u t h o r a n d d o n o t important and significant but necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) extremely crucial.

Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

Brazen acts of robbery becoming a norm around the city W

hile the statistical r e p o r t s released by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in April, show robberies have decreased significantly for the year so far, Kaieteur News has observed that the brazen form in which they are committed is becoming a norm around the city.

According the GPF, it had recorded a 38.4% decrease in armed robberies committed with guns for the first four months of 2021.

The force had also said that for the same period, armed robberies perpetrated with the use of other instruments decreased by 47.7%.

Many have applauded the decrease but based on reports reaching this newspaper, the acts of robbery are so brazen that citizens are afraid to walk the streets of Georgetown and certain locations on the East Bank and East Coast Demerara.

Some eyewitnesses of these brazen acts have even related that they occur so frequently, it is causing them to doubt the GPF’s statistics that robberies have decreased.

In fact, on Saturday Night, a Kaieteur News reporter while sitting in a minibus in the East Coast bus park, witnessed a man

being choked and robbed by three bandits. The reporter recalled that it was just around 20:30 hrs when the passengers in the bus said “Watch! Watch wa going deh! Dem robbing duh man!”

As the Kaieteur News’ staff looked in the direction they pointed to, he observed a man caught in a chokehold by an individual on a red BMX bicycle. Another braced him against a Pitbull minibus and punched him a few times about his body before attempting to take off one of his shoes.

A third bandit, ‘chubby looking’ and dressed in dark blue T-shirt and a long pair of

blue denim jeans searched his pockets. The victim tried to fight them off but they over powered him. The chubby looking bandit relieved him of what appeared to be his wallet and a cellphone. The suspect then ran towards America Street while the other escaped on the red BMK bicycle towards Stabroek Market. It appeared as if the victim was left in a state of shock. He stood for a few seconds with his hands on his head.

It seemed too, that the bandits were lucky because just minutes later, a police car with ranks inside drove by and passed the victim standing on the corner. It appeared as though he was heading to catch a bus to go home before the robbery but made an about turn and walked back towards the Stabroek Market, probably

to lodge a report at the Police outpost located there.

Passengers in the bus began whispering to each other. “Them bare face, they robbing the man right deh”.

Some local touts on the park were also heard saying among themselves “Bai dat is why you does ga got yuh strap fuh drop some of them”.

The reporter began inquiring if such brazen acts of robbery occur in that location frequently and many including nearby vendors echoed “almost

every day somebody does get robbed pon this park.”

Another individual sitting in a minibus also said that minutes prior to the robbery he was almost robbed too but was saved by a conductor.

He had stopped to buy a phone card at Stabroek market and then decided to walk towards the East Coast bus park. While approaching America Street, he noticed two men following him. He claimed that he suspected they were bandits so he (Continued on page 22)

Kaieteur News

Monday July 05, 2021

Pharmacist warns of misuse of over the counter drugs among youths While most parents may be on the lookout for the use of prohibited substances such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin or tobacco among their teens, health care workers are warning about the misuse of new substances including OverThe-Counter (OTC) medicines among youths.

This issue was highlighted recently during a live aired segment of the Yo u r H e a l t h M a t t e r s programme on Kaieteur Radio, when Pharmacist Ay a a n a B l a i r, s h a r e d information on the dangers associated with the misuse of various medications.

During the programme, Blair spoke of a growing number of youths who are bypassing the more popular illicit substances to use common OTC drugs like cough syrups and other medicines containing, codeine phosphate; a common cough suppressant ingredient, to get high.

According to Blair, these substances can be mixed with alcohol and other types of medicines to create a high or give that adrenaline feeling a person

is looking for but is ultimately dangerous to the health and wellbeing of that individual.

“Codeine phosphate which is found in many cough syrups and cold remedies seems to be the new recreational drug among youths. They are chasing it with alcohol to give them that euphoric feeling they are looking for,” Blair said.

The pharmacist noted that the misuse of the drug can lead to distorted a w a r e n e s s a n d hallucinations and warned therefore that misuse of

Cough syrups are among the commonly misused OTC medicines for youths.

these OTC medicines is just as dangerous as using illegal substances.

“It’s quite popular among teens who want a cheap, easy high but what that drug entering your body can do is lead to an addiction because of the euphoric feeling it gives,” the pharmacist said adding that addiction, no matter how harmless it seems, is not to be taken lightly.

Blair who is also a member of the Guyana Pharmacist Association noted therefore, that efforts are being made to curtail and regulate the misuse of

OTC among young people “Codeine phosphate products, cough syrups and so on are quite common now, it’s being sold at almost every store or corner shop so we are still trying to regulate it and monitor how we as pharmacist distribute it to patients before it becomes a bigger problem,” she said.

PAGE 13

Multiple injured in vehicular collision

M

u l t i p l e persons who were aboard a minibus and a motor vehicle that collided with each other on Saturday evening, are now suffering varying degrees of injuries, while one person remains hospitalized.

According to a police report, a motorcar bearing number plate PLL 2388, was proceeding south, out of the Better Hope Northern Access Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and drove onto the Vryheid’s Lust Public Road ECD at 19:00hrs. This eventually caused the vehicle to collide with a minibus, with number plate BTT 8484.

As a result of the collision, the minibus further collided with a traffic light pole, which was planted on the northern grass

parapet along the roadway.

Public-spirited citizens subsequently rushed at the scene of the accident, pulling the injured persons from the destroyed vehicles, so that they can be taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Cooperation (GPHC).

Persons were treated by a doctor on duty and sent away.

However, Xavier Jaramillo, 20, of Helena, Mahaica, who was a passenger in the said minibus, was admitted a patient for a fractured left thigh.

The driver of the motorcar along with a 21year-old occupant was also taken to the hospital where they were treated by a doctor and sent away. Further enquiries are currently ongoing.

PAGE 14

Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

Agri. Minister commits to assisting Kwakwani farmers Agri. Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha engaging one of the residents

A

s part of g o v e r n m e n t ’s ongoing efforts to conduct comprehensive flood assessments countrywide, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, formed part of a ministerial delegation that met with affected residents in Kwakwani, Region 10.

During the meeting, several farmers engaged Minister Mustapha seeking assistance to return to the land once floodwaters have receded.

Juanita Thorn, a resident of Kwakwani, was keen to note that officers from the ministry should move ahead with conducting flood assessments. This, she said, would let people know that the government was concerned about their livelihood.

“Before the flood goes down, if we could have the relevant leaders in the community to make a list of all the persons who were affected, whether you are doing cattle rearing or farming, it would be really helpful. So by the time the

water starts going down you know what you’re working on. At least you spoke to the people so that they know you’re paying attention to them and showing interest in their livelihood,” Ms. Thorn said.

Wade Russell, a farmer, said that assistance should be given to farmers to secure their remaining cultivation.

“No one knows when this water is going to go down. What is going to happen if all the plants are lost? We are asking for persons to be allocated higher lands to secure their crops right now because it is needed. Extension officers should be deployed to verify what people have. With that information, your ministry would be able to render the kind of assistance needed,” Mr. Russell said.

Minister Mustapha told the farmers that an assessment is ongoing, and that a team from the ministry would return to the village to give additional assistance to the affected farmers.

The official said, “Agriculture is important

and we believe it is our future. Although we are an emerging oil and gas powerhouse, those resources will one day become exhausted. This is why we have to ensure we preserve and develop our agriculture sector. Those persons who suffered losses in terms of crops, as well as those who need help to move their livestock to higher ground, or veterinary services, those

services will be extended immediately.”

He added, “I’ve already instructed that a team from the National Agricultural Research and Extension institute (NAREI), and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) to visit the area and carry out an assessment and offer veterinary services.”

The Minister was keen to note, that a detailed

assessment cannot be done now because the water is too high.

Apart from the need for an assessment, Jimmy Reece, another resident from Kwakwani said, the village needed machinery to enter into large scale agriculture.

“For years we’ve been doing agriculture on a subsistence basis. We’ve never done it on a commercial basis. There are

a few folks who do agriculture on a large scale because most of the population is involved in logging. When the flood is gone, I’d like the government to help the community with machinery to do big-time farming. A COVID Relief Fund was given to the village and I submitted a proposal for them to use part of the money (Continued on page 20)

Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Monday July 05, 2021

Probe launched after cop allegedly assaults female

A

probe was r e c e n t l y launched after two police officers attached to the East La Penitence Police Station, allegedly a s s a u l t e d 4 6 y e a r- o l d Ganeshwarie Elliot while she was in their custody.

The woman stated that she was beaten and dragged to the prison cell door while adding, that she received

several blows about her body and face.

Kaieteur News understands that the woman was arrested along with another, following allegations of threatening language but was subsequently granted station bail. However, on the instructions of another senior cop, she was placed into the lockups with her accuser. Her accuser, she stated also assaulted her in the cell.

Ganeshwarie further added that a female cop assaulted her and blacked her

out. The woman made a report to the Brickdam Police Station and also provided a medical report which showed the wounds she received as a result of the assault.

‘A’Division Commander, Assistant Commissioner, Simon Mcbean, said that the woman indeed filed a report and that a probe is on its way since the officers indicated that Ganeshwarie also assaulted them.

Commander Mcbean said that a file in the matter is being prepared and will be sent for legal advice.

Ganeshwarie Elliot and a wound to her eye that she received as a result of the assault

Medical provided by the woman

Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

DPP appeals Magistrate’s decision to free alleged bank robbers

(From left) Anfernee Blackman, Jamal Haynes, Shawn Grimmond

To lead defence, Keron Saunders.

T

he Director of P u b l i c Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack, S.C is appealing Senior Magistrate, Leron Daly’s decision to free three men of the 2017 botched attempted robbery on Republic Bank.

Five men were charged for the offence in 2017. Those men are ex-Police Constable, Anfernee Blackman, 24, of L a i n g A v e n u e , We s t Ruimveldt, Georgetown; exRural Constable Gladstone George 27, of Princess Street, Lodge, Georgetown; Keron Saunders, 27, of Burnham Boulevard, Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and f o r mer R ep u b lic B an k employees, Jamal Haynes, 24, and Shawn Grimmond, of P i k e S t r e e t , K i t t y, Georgetown.

Blackman, George and Grimmond were freed of the charge, Saunders is expected to lead his defence and the fifth accused, Haynes had pleaded guilty to the charge in 2017 on his first court appearance and he was sentenced.

On June 22, 2021, Senior Magistrate Leron Daly dismissed the charge against the trio. This was after she upheld a no-case submission made by their attorneys and dismissed the matter against them. In her ruling, the Magistrate had stated that she upheld the defence attorney’s no-case submissions since there is not enough evidence

Gladstone George. against the trio for a prima facie case to be made.

However, on that hearing she also ruled that sufficient evidence was provided to the court against the fourth accused, Saunders. As such, a prima facie case was made out against him and he is expected to lead his defence later this month. In a statement on Saturday, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) stated that they had written to the DPP asking her to appeal the Magistrate’s decision to free the three men.

According to the police, the DPP on June 29, 2021, responded to Crime Chief We n d e l l B l a n h u m , acknowledging receipt of the request and indicated that an appeal was filed in the matter.

Blackman, George, Grimmond and Saunders had denied the charge, which alleges that on July 4, 2016, while being armed with guns, they attempted to rob Republic Bank’s Water Street, Georgetown branch.

They were placed on $500,000 bail each, pending the outcome of the trial.

The botched robbery attempt on the financial institution had left 25-yearold agronomist, Elton Wray, dead. He was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire between his alleged accomplices, police, and guards attached to the Professional Guard Service (PGS). According to reports, (Continued on page 22)

Kaieteur News

Monday July 05, 2021

PAGE 19

22 technicians receive Retrofitter Licences T

wenty-two young technicians on Wednesday last received their Retrofitter Licences after completing a training exercise at the Government Technical Institute (GTI).

The training which was facilitated by the Hydrometeorological Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, forms part of Guyana’s efforts to eliminate the consumption of ozonedepleting substances through a stepwise phase-out schedule.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, while offering remarks at the simple handing over exercise, was keen to note that the government was working to ensure more environmentally and climate-friendly technologies are utilized in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry.

The Minister said, “As a government, we are working t o e n s u r e m o r e environmentally and climate-friendly technology is utilized in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry. We have, so far, been successful in

eliminating some of the gases that have been destroying the ozone layer.

We’ve also been advocating for the use of more climatefriendly substances. Climate change is a critical subject that needs to be taken seriously.”

As a developing country, Mustapha said issues surrounding climate change are extremely important as he referenced the current flooding that the nation is trying to grapple with.

Mustapha said, “Rivers have risen and we are experiencing prolonged and more intense rainy seasons.

As a people, we should strive to secure our environment. I know that the training that you would’ve received has equipped you with the knowledge to carry out the services needed to add to what government is doing to eliminate the use of those chemicals that continue to pose a threat to our environment.”

Kaieteur News understands that Guyana is currently implementing a programme to phase out Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) which is a group of ozone-depleting substances

Some of the technicians who received their licences

(ODS), primarily used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.

At the ceremony, Chief Hydromet Officer, Dr. Garvin Cummings disclosed that for years, the National Ozone Action Unit has been involved in delivering Guyana’s obligation under the Montreal Protocol for the phase-out of ozonedepleting substances.

The office said, “For several years, the unit has been involved in delivering Guyana’s obligation under the Montreal Protocol for the

phase-out of ozonedepleting substances.

Guyana has successfully p h a s e d o u t Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and is now in the process of phasing out Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) under the HFC Management Plan Project.”

As the world moves towards a stronger climate and environmental knowledge, Dr. Cummings said new technology is being embraced to address the challenges related to the ozone layer, and also those

challenges related to climate change. As the technologies evolve to address the challenges in the environment, Dr. Cummings asserted that the country must also train its people so that they can adequately use these technologies and resources.

He added that part of the NOAU’s mandate is to work with the Ministry of Education and the technical institutions to train technicians to utilize technology that are both ozone and climate-friendly.

He further stated that the NOAU in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Cooling Industry, and the Technical Institutes, has been involved in the training of technicians in the Refrigeration and Air Condition (RAC) Sector to upgrade their skills and ensure that they perform their tasks using safe practices.

After undergoing 48hours of training over a sixweek period, technicians would then have to apply to (Continued on page 20)

Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Bartica residents petition construction of wharf - Mayor says public consultation will be held

M

ore than a month after the residents of Bartica, Region Seven have written a letter of petition against the building of a wharf near one of its main tourist attraction, Bartica’s Golden Beach – the town’s Mayor, Gifford Marshall told this publication that public consultations will be held with the petitioners.

Kaieteur News understands that the beach is already being polluted by existing factors and with the construction of a wharf near the beach residents fear it will only contribute to the pollution.

In a letter dated May 12, 2021, Leslie Nurse, a resident of Bartica in a letter of petition to the area’s Mayor and Town Council, stated that he and other concerned residents could not allow the pollution and

destruction of one of the t o w n ’s m a i n t o u r i s t attraction, which is located at Fourth Avenue.

When contacted by this publication, Mayor Marshall stated that on Wednesday June 23, 2021, Bartica’s Council deliberated on the matter at its statutory meeting.

He added, “We have decided to host a public consultation with the petitioners to better understand their concerns and at the same time, share with them the scope of works to be done at the present wharf.”

While Marshall did not provide the exact date the public consultation will be held, he noted, that it will be done in the near future.

Moreover, Nurse in his letter of petition stated that over the years the community has experienced the

destruction of beachfronts where wharves are located due to water pollution. He also noted that for decades the beach is a primary area for not only family gatherings but also recreational swimming.

It was further disclosed that the river front area is currently being polluted by the fuel operations, as there are reportedly constant spills from fuel purchased by boat operators.

As such he stated that, “It is with this background we the community members cannot sit back and allow such destruction to our virtually only remaining beach area.”

The letter of petition was also sent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Sea and River Defence Board, and the Maritime Administration (MARAD).

Bartica Golden Beach Front.

Bartica Mayor, Gifford Marshall.

22 technicians receive Retrofitter...

From page 19 the NOAU for their licences.

A Board, consisting of experts from the Refrigeration and Air Condition (RAC) Sector, the Cooling Industry, and the Ministry of Education (Technical), would then evaluate the students, and successful students would later be issued with their Retrofitter Licence.

Guyana became a party to the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances to Deplete the Ozone Layer on 12 August, 1993, and

subsequently ratified the London, Copenhagen, and Montreal Amendments on July 23, 1999.

As a party to the Montreal Protocol, Guyana is required to eliminate the consumption of ozonedepleting substances, through a step-wise phaseout schedule. Since the ratification of the Montreal Protocol Guyana has implemented several initiatives to phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODS).

So far, there has been an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, the Kigali

Amendment which has already entered into force, since January 1, 2019. This now focuses on the phaseout of HFCs refrigerants, which, although are Ozone friendly, are known to be greenhouse gases more potent than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Hence RAC Technicians are required to continually upgrade their skills in order to handle the new refrigerants and technology and to prepare technicians to meet and deal with rising challenges that are evident in the cooling and freezing industry.

Agri. Minister commits to assisting...

From page 14 to purchase equipment to assist with developing agriculture,” Mr. Reece said.

At this point, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill said, that the COVID Relief Fund was given to the village council and that the funds would only be used to undertake projects that are suggested and approved by the entire village, and not an individual.

He urged the resident to engage the council.

“Once they buy into the proposal, it becomes the village’s proposal,” Minister Edghill said. As for Minister Mustapha, he told residents that Kwakwani was one of the communities considered

severely affected by the ongoing flooding, and that a lot of work would have to be done to restore the community once floodwaters had receded.

The minister also told residents that, once the floodwaters recede, government will make the necessary resources available so that farmers can return to the land.

He also committed to addressing issues with staffing in the village after residents raised concerns a b o u t t h e v i l l a g e ’s agriculture sub-department being short-staffed.

A team of officials from the Ministry of Agriculture is scheduled to return to

Kwakwani to conduct further flood assessments.

Veterinary services and feed will also be provided free of cost to livestock farmers who were affected. Minister Mustapha also told farmers that the GLDA will also be providing transportation services to assist with moving animals to higher grounds.

Officials from Barama also donated 140 hampers comprising of protein-rich items and sanitary supplies to affected members of the three logging associations in Kwakwani.Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat also formed part of the Ministerial team that visited the area.

Kaieteur News

Monday July 05, 2021

Bandits who went to enquire about casket, cart off with parlour’s payroll Images released by Dr. Dawn Stewart showing the bandits outside the funeral home before the robbery occurred.

“Aunty I come fa find out the price of a coffin,” were the words of one of the bandits who presented himself as a mourner so as to rob Lyken Funeral Home of over one million dollars from its payroll on Friday.

Kaieteur News was informed that sometime around 13:30hrs on Norton Street, two men dressed in dark coloured jeans and white shirts rode in front of the funeral home on a black motorcycle and robbed the establishment.

The Manager of the funeral home, who requested not to be named, told this publication yesterday that she was in her office when one of the men came and enquired about the casket from one of the employees.

According to the woman, the man entered the building and asked a worker at the front desk about the prices of the casket. That worker, who was busy attending to someone, had

directed him on to another employee. The Manager said as the other employee was about to take him (the suspect) into an office, he suddenly turn around and went back to the worker at the front desk and whipped out a gun at her.

There, he then jumped over the desk and retrieved all the cash from one of the drawers before making good his escape. Kaieteur News was told that at the time of the robbery, the manager and three other employees were in the building.

When contacted, Dr. Dawn Stewart, the owner of the establishment who was not at the funeral home at the

time, stated that she is still puzzled as to how the gunman knew who and where the money was.

According to Dr. Stewart, from what she learnt, there was no evidence on the desk of any sort that would give the gunman the idea that the front desk worker was the one handling the money. She concluded that if it was not a case of a setup, that gunman would have pounced on the manger instead of the front desk worker.

During the ordeal no shot was fired nor was anyone injured.The matter has since been reported to the police who are still to apprehend the suspects.

PAGE 21

PAGE 22

Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

At Florida rally, Trump bashes New York charges the Democratic Party expanded ballot access. against company, adviser from In a straw poll of potential next year.

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SARASOTA, Fla. (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday condemned New York prosecutors for bringing charges against his namesake company and longtime financial adviser, using a campaign-style rally to air a host of grievances.

“It’s really called prosecutorial misconduct. It’s a terrible, terrible thing,” Trump told thousands of supporters gathered outdoors in Sarasota, Florida.

The Trump Organization and its chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to

...The coalition has no intention From page 6 inimical to their self-interested and self-centred agendas for self-aggrandizement/ enrichment/empowerment, and they are attempting to destabilize this budding unity in the Guyanese nation, and the people’s trust in the administration by whatever way possible, even to blaming the government for things which they (the opposition) are culpable - in and out of government.

Too much is at stake, and care needs to be taken by the people in the country that the opposition forces do not succeed in their intentions by sowing seeds of strife in the land once more, because it is the Guyanese people, whom they pretend to care about, who are hurting.

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what a New York prosecutor called a “sweeping and audacious” tax fraud, arising from a probe into Trump’s business and its practices.

Weisselberg and other executives were accused of receiving perks and benefits such as rent-free apartments and leased cars, without reporting them properly on their tax returns. The outcome of the investigations and other lawsuits facing Trump could impact whether he decides to run again for president in 2024.

“They’ve mobilized every power of government to come after me, my family, my wonderful employees and my company solely because of politics,” Trump told the crowd.

The rally was billed as a Fourth of July celebration with fireworks, the latest in a series of appearances as the former president tries to keep Republicans’ focus on him.

Trump used his speech to denounce the policies of his successor, Democratic President Joe Biden, and repeat his false claim that he lost the 2020 election due to fraud.

He urged his supporters to back his allies in their midterm campa i g n s a s Republicans fight to take back control of Congress

Trump dwelt heavily on Biden’s policies along the U.S. border with Mexico and rising crime, two issues that Republicans hope to use to their advantage in the 2022 midterm elections.

Trump’s image took a beating after the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

But some 53% of Republicans believe Trump won last year ’s election and blame his loss on illegal voting, and one quarter of the overall public agreed Trump won, a May 17-19 Reuters/Ipsos poll showed.

Trump, 75, has dangled the possibility of running for president again in 2024, and his latest rallies mark an effort to keep his base energized and in his camp.

“We are looking at the election, more than looking at it,” said Trump of 2024, prompting cheers from the Sarasota crowd.

Many Republicans see an appealing option for a 2024 party nominee in F l o r i d a ’s 4 2 - y e a r- o l d governor, Ron DeSantis. A l o n g t i m e Tr u m p a l l y, DeSantis has been at the forefront of Republican-led fights against strict anticoronavirus lockdowns, racial justice protests and

2024 candidates at a conservative conference in Denver in June, DeSantis finished ahead of Trump, 74% to 71%.

DeSantis’ office has said the governor is focused on winning re-election in Florida next year, not aspiring to national office.

Lindsay Gordon, a 35year-old Sarasota resident who works in retail, said it was her third time attending a Trump rally and she was excited to show her support for the former president. She said she hopes Trump runs again, but thought DeSantis might be a better, lesspolarizing alternative.

“I think DeSantis would probably have a better opportunity seeing as he’s younger,” Gordon said.

“Because he’s still new and fresh there’s still a chance to get people to understand where he’s coming from.

There isn’t as much of this negativity.”

DeSantis did not attend Trump’s rally.

A spokesperson said he was spending the weekend in Surfside, Florida, where rescuers have spent more than a week searching the rubble of a condo building collapse that killed at least 24 people and left scores missing.

...Brazen acts of robbery becoming a From page 12 began to walk faster but they started to speed up behind him too. As he approached the bus park, he saw a bus and decided to run into it as quickly as possible.

“I felt as if they tried to grab my haversack but I did not look back but all I heard is the conductor ‘yall lef the man alone; yall is deh pon s***t out here’”, related the man.

Kaieteur had also received reports earlier during the day that security guards, maids and residents of Republic Park, Nandy Park and other areas close to the Demerara Harbour Bridge Area, are being robbed every day by motor bike bandits.

These take place in the morning hours while these individuals would walk along a Street located beside the St

Peters Catholic Church and M&M Snackette located on the Eastern end of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, East Bank Demerara.

One such individual who identified herself as “Carly” was robbed by motorbike bandits in that same location on Saturday during the morning hours.

Carly was attacked by two men on a motorcycle who had beaten her and stole her bag which contained only “bread”.

She even showed this newspaper her scars from the beating. Her forehead was swollen as result of the blows she received to her face.

Kaieteur News heard too that some two weeks ago, a male passenger snatched a woman’s gold chain from around her neck while exiting a route 42 minibus in the vi-

cinity of Care Car located at Bagotstown on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD).

Other passengers on the same bus recalled that it was 17:00Hrs that day that the bandit called out for the bus to stop in front of Car Care.

As he stepped out he grabbed a lady’s chain and then ran around to one of the windows and attempted to relieve another woman of her gold ring. Realizing that he was a bandit, the driver exited to confront him but he ran across the East Bank Public Road into Bagotstown and escaped.

The driver reportedly stopped a police officer patrolling on a motorbike and reported the matter to him.

These are just a few of the brazen acts of robbery that were committed across the city recently.

...DPP appeals Magistrate’s decision to free From page 18 Wray was the best friend of Haynes. On Haynes’ first court appearance, he admitted to the charge and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on charges of attempted robbery underarms, possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition, and unlawful restraining.

According to reports on the day in question, around 07:30hrs a report was made

to the police of a robbery in progress at the bank. The ranks responded promptly.

When they arrived at the scene, the alleged perpetrators discharged several rounds in their direction.

In an attempt to escape, Haynes reportedly begun running through the arcade, but was later apprehended by police during an exchange of gunfire. He was found hiding in a stall in the arcade. The

facts of the charge revealed that the illegal gun and ammunition were found lying on the ground next to him.

Moments after Haynes was apprehended, Saunders, a cousin of Wray, was also apprehended by police, after he was observed to be acting in a suspicious manner. Haynes and Saunders then implicated the others in the robbery attempt on the financial institution.

Monday July 05, 2021

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

= = Caricom Day Messages= = Message by His Excellency Dr. Mohamed PNC Statement the Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative occasion CARICOM Day 2021 Republic of Guyana, on the occasion The People’s National principles of economic hurricane in Barbados and Congress greets the integration, foreign policy the disastrous flood in Governments and citizens of coordination and functional Guyana and deaths caused by of CARICOM Day, July 5, 2021 the Caribbean Community on cooperation for the benefit of the Novel Coronavirus

Today marks the 48th anniversary of the entry into force of the Treaty Establishing the Caribbean Community. This year also marks twenty years since the adoption of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, Establishing the Caribbean Community Including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.

In the decades that have ensued since 1973, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has grown in several ways. Its membership has multiplied from the original four – Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago – to now fifteen Member States and five Associate Members.

Consequently, the combined population of the Community has increased several fold, from less than five million in 1973 to almost twenty million today, albeit still relatively small by most measures.

As small as we are, we harbour a rich diversity: ethnocultural, demographic, linguistic, socio-economic, political and legal. Not surprisingly, therefore, the expansion of CARICOM has posed additional challenges to the integration process even as it has presented new opportunities.

The integration process is, of necessity, a work-in-progress, marked by imperfections but always aspiring to a stronger community of sovereign states. The Community remains buoyed by the

political commitment of Member States to make it work, and indeed, by significant achievements, much of which are often unacknowledged.

One of those achievements is being witnessed amidst the ongoing Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Despite being the region worst affected economically by the pandemic, CARICOM has fared better in managing its impacts than many nations more amply endowed in terms of economic and human resources. The incidence of cases and deaths in the Community, for instance, is well below hemispheric averages. This is, of course, no reason for complacency.

We are a Community committed to the rule of law, democratic values, and the promotion and protection of human rights. Nationals of the Community have rights that can be legally protected and enforced through the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Guyana is a founding member of CARICOM. It hosts the seat of the Community’s headquarters in Georgetown. CARICOM is Guyana’s third largest trading partner and possesses the potential to become an even larger market for our exports.

The Community is an important bulwark in the preservation and maintenance of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial

integrity. We are indebted to CARICOM for its unstinting support in this regard.

Guyana currently holds lead responsibility for agriculture within the Community. We have embarked on a process to transform the regional agrifood sector in order to enhance food and nutrition security.

Guyana joins with the rest of the Community in observing CARICOM Day today, at a time when the Secretariat of the Community is undergoing a process of transition. It is ready to welcome Dr Carla Barnett of Belize as the first woman and the first person from a continental CARICOM country to be SecretaryGeneral of the Caribbean Community. I pledge Guyana’s strong support for the success of her tenure.

I also take this opportunity to salute the incumbent Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, who has led the Organisation with a wise head and a steady hand. We applaud his sterling contributions to regional integration and wish him success in the future.

Guyana’s commitment to CARICOM remains strong and unwavering. Guyana is prepared to play its part in the transformation of our Community for the benefit of its peoples.

May CARICOM grow ever stronger! I AM CARICOM!

GAWU CARICOM Day message 2021 The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) joins with all Guyanese and indeed the people of the Caribbean as we again hail our cultural ties, our economic bonds and our social links which have been fortified and consolidated through the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

In its 48 years of existence, CARICOM has grown from a four (4) young, independent nations in 1973 to a fifteen (15) nation strong grouping spanning from Bahamas in the north to Guyana and Suriname in the South.

The approximate 18 million citizens of

CARICOM come from diverse backgrounds but are wedded by the common goal of integration.

The Community, over its years, has realized several remarkable and laudable milestones which have brought the peoples of the Caribbean closer and made them stronger.

Today, it is this collective strength tha t makes CARICOM the pre-eminent organization in our region.

We continue to recognise the importance o f i n t e g r a t i o n t o d a y, especially, too, as we face several new challenges and continue to face up to those persistent difficulties.

There is also now greater

need to redouble our efforts to reach the goals our leaders of the past envisioned.

This is ever important as we confront a harsher world which for many is looking more inward.

We a r e a w a r e t h a t differences will be everpresent and that our conditions may not always be the same and that circumstances continue to evolve which sometimes push us in other directions.

At the same time, we should recal l t h a t w e stand stronger together a n d we record our greatest successes when we speak with one c o l l e c t i ve voice in a democratic environment.

the 48th celebration of CARICOM Day. We recall that the four visionary Prime Ministers – Errol Barrow of Barbados, Forbes Burnham of Guyana, Michael Manley of Jamaica and Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago – signed the Treaty establishing the Caribbean Community on 4th July1973 in Chaguaramas.

The four founders recognized the need to work together to advance the

their citizens. They envisaged greater inter-state cooperation for the Region’s development. The Caribbean Community, forty-eight years later, has a duty to work towards the full realization of that vision and the fortification of that foundation.

The People’s National Congress extends sympathy to persons affected by the damage caused by the recent

(COVID-19) pandemic.

The plight of citizens of our sister state – Haiti – is a continuing concern.

Caribbean Governments are urged to resist reactionary and revisionist measures and policies aimed at hindering the free movement of Caribbean citizens within the Community by any member state. The freedom, equality and dignity of all citizens matter.

PRESS STATEMENT

CARICOM Day Message by Hon, Hugh Hilton Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana Guyana is a proud and committed member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). As a founding member of CARICOM and the seat of its Headquarters, Guyana recognises the strategic importance of CARICOM to the achievement of our nation’s foreign policy goals, as it is for other Member States of the Community.

CARICOM has among its objectives the achievement of a greater measure of economic leverage and effectiveness of Member States in dealing with third States, groups of states and entities of any description with enhanced coordination of Member States foreign policies and economic policies. The Community, with one voice, has been impactful in international fora.

CARICOM’s voice has been especially clear on the most existential threats to the future of our people, such as climate change and the

current COVID-19 pandemic.

The Community’s mantra, “1.5 to stay alive”, much resisted during the Paris climate negotiations in 2015, is now the point of reference for global climate action.

The strong advocacy of CARICOM leaders for equitable access to vaccines in the current Covid crisis has no doubt contributed to a more responsive posture by our development partners.

Despite a myriad of challenges, the Community continues to work assiduously to deliver on its promise and potential for the people of the region. The past year has severely tested the resolve of the Caribbean people, but we know that the Caribbean destiny can only be forged in unity, with clear heart, purpose, strong action and advocacy.

Guyana remains committed to the integration process and looks forward to contributing to building a

stronger, more resilient future for the people of our Region.

It will take time; it will take effort and it will take support.

Throughout its existence; friendship, cooperation, solidarity, and support have been the CARICOM hallmark.

Those elements are especially manifest and meaningful in times of challenge and stress for our brothers and sisters across the Community.

This is certainly the case now as Hurricane Elsa clears a path through the Caribbean.

Guyana stands firmly with our CARICOM partners who have been affected and will respond to any call for assistance.

That is the essence of Community. We must work together to make CARICOM a success. It belongs to us.

We make it stronger or weaker.

On this CARICOM Day, let us take the opportunity to celebrate the gains we have made and plan our course forward with confidence.

Happy CARICOM Day!

Saudi energy minister pushes back on UAE opposition to OPEC+ deal DUBAI - (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s energy minister pushed back yesterday against opposition by fellow Gulf producer the United Arab Emirates to a proposed OPEC+ deal and called for “compromise and rationality” to secure agreement when the group reconvenes today.

OPEC+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, voted on Friday to raise

output by some 2 million barrels per day from August to December 2021 and to extend remaining cuts to the end of 2022, but UAE objections prevented agreement, sources had said.

“The extension is the basis and not a secondary issue,” Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television channel.

“We are looking for a way

to balance the interests of producer and consumer countries and for market stability in general, especially when shortages are expected due to the decrease in stockpiles,” he added.

The UAE said early yesterday it backs an output increase from August but suggested deferring to another meeting the decision on extending the oil supply pact.

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Monday July 05, 2021

Monday July 05, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 25

Baker wins 100m in Stockholm, Duplantis delights home crowd (Reuters) - American Ronnie Baker won a tight 100 metres race at the Stockholm Diamond League meeting yesterday and heads to his first Olympics in Tokyo as a leading medal contender.

Baker, 27, clocked 10.03 seconds, edging out Italian Marcell Jacobs by 0.02 seconds with Britain’s CJ Ujah third in 10.10.

“I’m pleased to be able to run and compete and beat these guys,” Baker told reporters. “There’s a lot of guys running fast and some of the top guys are coming out of America but ultimately I try not to focus on my competition and focus on what I’m doing.”

World record holder Armand Duplantis did not

disappoint his home fans as the Swede won the pole vault with a leap of 6.02 metres.

He finished ahead of American Sam Kendricks who managed a season’s best 5.92m and France’s Renaud Lavillenie who also cleared 5.92.

“It was really important for me to just kind of go out here and try to get over six metres, and then maybe take a few better shots at the world record, but overall 6.02 was a nice jump so I can’t complain,” Duplantis said.

“Stockholm is a special place for me, I have had some quite great results here in the past few years, so it’s like every time I come here, something good happens.”

With the Tokyo Olympics

due to begin in a little over three weeks, world long jump champion Tajay Gayle of Jamaica produced a season’s best leap of 8.55 metres to win.

“I’m surprised I jumped that far because my feet have not really been responding and I was tired after the golden meet in Brussels. But I’m very, very, pleased and very happy with the result,” he said.

Cuban Juan Miguel Echevarria came second with 8.29 metres and Sweden’s Thobias Montler third with 8.23.

Kenya’s Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich produced a season’s best performance in the 800 metres, coming from behind to win in 1:43:84.

Canada’s Marco Arop was

Monday July 05, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A friend or neighbor you need to contact could be in and out all day, Aries, and so you could have trouble reaching him or her.Phone or email probably won't work.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) This probably isn't a good day to do work that concerns money, Taurus. Your mind may not be in the right space.

You could make errors that cause problems.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A lost object could have all the members of your household going through every room trying to find it, Gemini probably without success.

CANCER(June21–July22) This could be a very busy day in your community, Cancer. Some kind of rally, protest, or other public gathering might take place. If you attend, you may not hear much because of all the noise, and the event could seem disorganized at best.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A future course of action that you may or may not take could depend on information you might receive today, Leo. However, don't be surprised if the information is vague and needs to be clarified.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Are you unhappy or uncertain about your current profession, Virgo? Are you thinking of making a change?

News could reach you today of possible avenues to explore, but you shouldn't make any decision today.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Your natural psychic or intuitive abilities could be short-circuited today, Libra.

Interference from the minds of other people could cloud issues, and this won't do you any good.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) The atmosphere around you could seem somewhat unreal today. If you get a weird vibe from someone, take everything this person says with a grain of salt.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Communication could take some extra effort today. A business or romantic partner could seem like they're keeping things from you.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Messages from a distant state or foreign country, possibly through fax, email, or website, might not be totally accurate, Capricorn. If any information presented in this fashion sets off an alarm bell in your head, be sure to do some research.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Staying in touch with a love partner could be difficult today, almost to the point of causing a minor panic. Don't jump to any unwarranted conclusions about possible problems in the relationship.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Are you having problems with the lighting or heating in your home, Pisces? If so, you might not be able to get a professional out today.

There could be problems in the entire neighborhood.

second in 1:44:00 and Elliot Giles of Britain third in 1:44:05.

Former world champion Hyvin Kiyeng of Kenya dominated the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, winning in a time of 9:04.34 ahead of her compatriot and world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech who could only finish third. Germany’s Gesa Felicitas Krause was second.

“I feel good and to get through a race is good on the way to the Olympics,” Kiyeng said.

Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot, the 1,500 metres world champion, won comfortably in a time of 3:32.30 in his first race since failing to qualify for Tokyo.

New Zealand’s Valerie Adams, twice Olympic champion, won the women’s shot put with a throw of 19.26 metres.

“This was my first Diamond League since 2018, and since 2018 I’ve had two kids so I’m very happy,” she said.

Sweden’s Armand Duplantis reacts during the men’s pole vault. (TT News Agency via REUTERS/Christine Olsson/tt)

Kaieteur News

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Monday July 05, 2021

Copa America: Messi scores Max Verstappen cruises to Austrian GP win as Lewis another outrageous free kick Hamilton finishes fourth as Argentina cruise into semis Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina saves a shoot-out penalty from Uruguay’s Jose Gimenez during the 2021 Copa America quarter-final. (AFP)

Max Verstappen (F1 Twitter)

PA M e d i a - M a x Verstappen raced to a hattrick of wins as Lewis Hamilton faltered to fourth in the Austrian Grand Prix.

Verstappen crossed the line 18 seconds clear of Valtteri Bottas with Lando Norris a supreme third.

Hamilton sustained damage after running on the kerbs at Turn 10, dropping from runner-up to fourth.

The seven-time world champion is now 32 points behind Verstappen following the Dutchman’s commanding win at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring.

Hamilton was running in second for the majority of yesterday’s 71-lap race but was unable to keep Bottas and Norris behind as he nursed his wounded Mercedes.

Initially, Bottas was told by the Mercedes pit wall not to race Hamilton, hoping their star driver would be able to hang on to second and limit the championship damage to rival Verstappen.

But with Norris breathing down Bottas’ neck, Hamilton was asked to concede the position with 19 laps remaining.

Two laps later, Norris, on the most impressive afternoon of his three-season Formula One career, then moved on to Hamilton’s gearbox before striking with a fine move at the lefthanded sixth corner. The world champion pitted at the end of the lap and his chances of a podium were over.

Following his fifth race without a win, Hamilton told Sky Sports: “I already said before the race that it would be very hard to beat Max. “It was frustrating to lose so much downforce on the

rear of the car and not to be able to hold on to second. It is a lot of points lost today.

“I wasn’t going over the kerbs more than anybody else so I have no idea where the damage happened but there was a lot of damage. I would have finished an easy second and all of a sudden it broke.”

Hamilton added: “We are miles away from them (Red Bull) so we have a lot of work to do. We need all hands on deck.

“We have got to bring some upgrades and find some performance otherwise this will most often be the result.”

For Verstappen, there were no such worries as he cruised to his fifth win from nine races.

After holding off Norris on the run down to the o p e n i n g c o r n e r, t h e Dutchman never looked back and his victory was greeted with huge cheers from the 60,000-strong Red Bull Ring.

“It is incredible for everyone to have delivered this,” said Verstappen following his 15th career win. “ To d a y h a s b e e n amazing. It was insane to see all the fans and so much orange. It is great motivation for me, too.”

Hamilton started fourth and was in the same position at the end of the first lap.

The safety car was deployed after Esteban Ocon was forced to park his Alpine following a collision with Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi.

The safety car pitted at the end of lap three with Sergio Perez dropping down the order following an ambitious move on Norris.

The Mexican accused Norris of pushing him off the road at turn four as he ran through the gravel, falling from third to 10th, and the McLaren driver was dealt a five-second penalty.

Hamilton passed Norris for second on lap 20 of 71, hailing the performance of his fellow Briton on the radio. “Such a great driver, Lando,” said Hamilton.

Norris’ race engineer Will Joseph informed the young Briton of his penalty.

The 21-year-old responded: “For what? What did the guy expect trying to go round the outside?”

Norris served his penalty at his stop allowing Bottas to leapfrog him. Norris dropped back to fourth but passed a wounded Hamilton to claim his third podium of an impressive campaign.

Norris said: “It was a lot of fun, a good race, but I am disappointed because we should have been second.

“I thought lap one was just racing. He tried to go round the outside which was stupid. He ran off the track himself and I did not push him. I am frustrated but happy with third.

“It is the first race I have been able to race a Mercedes and hopefully we can keep it up.”

Perez finished fifth ahead of Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. But Perez, also hit with two five-second penalties for forcing Charles Leclerc off the track twice, was demoted to sixth, promoting Sainz one place.

George Russell missed out on his first top-10 finish for Williams after Fernando Alonso passed him with three laps remaining. The Englishman took 11th.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Lionel Messi scored his 76th international goal and is now only one shy of Pele for the South American record as Argentina beat Ecuador 3-0 on Saturday to progress to the semifinals of the Copa America.

Messi scored from a late free kick and earlier laid on two assists as Argentina eventually subdued Ecuador and kept the superstar’s dream of winning his first major international title alive.

Argentina’s rival at the Mane Garrincha Stadium on Tuesday will be Colombia, which earlier overcame Uruguay on penalties. The other semifinal will feature defending champions Brazil and Peru.

Rodrigo de Paul opened the scoring at the Olimpico Stadium in Goiania in the 39th minute, tapping into an empty goal before Lautaro Martinez added the second in

the 84th with a blast from close range. Messi, in his first match since his contract with Barcelona expired, assisted both of them.

In the dying moments of the match Messi scored Argentina’s third from a free kick from the edge of the box. It was his fourth goal in the tournament.

Heavily favored Argentina wasted several opportunities at 1-0 to cruise to a comfortable victory.

Ecuador then hit the post in the second half before Martinez doubled Argentina’s lead. But Messi became more influential after 71 minutes when Angel di Maria stepped in replacing Giovani lo Celso.

Ecuador also lost defender Piero Hincapie to a red card near the end of the match after a foul on Di Maria that gave Argentina the free kick scored by Messi. It was his 76th goal in his 149th match for

Argentina, one short of Pele’s record as top goal scorer of a South American national team. It was also his 58th career goal on a free kick for club and country, moving one ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi said being in the Copa America semifinals was one of Argentina’s objectives for the tournament. “Now we have to rest and think of Colombia. They defend well, they have quick counters,” the striker said. Asked about his performance, he was brief: “Individual awards are secondary.”

Martinez seems to have understood the message.

“We all follow Messi’s leadership. Today we saw once again how he sets the difference, we are all following him,” he said. “We saw an Argentina as a protagonist. Today we made the difference. It was a demanding match.”

Messi is aiming to help Argentina win the Copa America for the first time since 1993. (Reuters)

Kaieteur News

Monday July 05, 2021

PAGE 27

Colombia head to Copa semis after penalties win over Uruguay BRASILIA (Reuters) Goalkeeper David Ospina celebrated becoming Colombia’s most capped player on Saturday by saving two penalties in a shoot out to give his country victory over Uruguay and a place in the Copa America semifinals.

Ospina made a record 11 2 t h a p p e a r a n c e i n Saturday’s tie in Brasilia and was the hero after he saved spot kicks from Jose Maria Gimenez and Matias Vina.

Colombia converted their first four to progress 4-2 on penalties following a nervy encounter in Brasilia that finished 0-0 after 90 minutes.

“We knew David would be decisive and that we had to score to stay in the tournament,” said Colombian coach Reinaldo Rueda.

“David has always been a leader. He’s very cerebral when it comes to penalties.

That’s a big help to our team.”

Uruguay began this tournament in the middle of a goal drought and although they scored twice against Bolivia and once against Paraguay in their last two group games they still looked uncomfortable up front, with service to Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani sparse and neither striker firing on all cylinders.

Colombia, too, looked like they missed suspended midfield general Juan Cuadrado and neither side

Colombia players celebrate their victory.

showed much composure in a game that was characterised by stray passes and painfully slow transitions from the back.

Both sides could only muster one shot on target between them in the first half but things changed after the break as both teams started to lose their inhibitions and

come forward.

However, neither could find the breakthrough and after ending nil-nil the match went straight to penalties.

“I didn’t think Colombia were much better than us,” said Uruguayan coach Oscar Tabarez said. “We each had our moments.”

“Maybe we lacked a bit

Serbian team member tests positive for COVID-19 on arrival in Japan TOKYO, (Reuters) - A m e m b e r o f S e r b i a ’s Olympic rowing team tested positive for the new coronavirus on arrival in Japan, an official said yesterday, the third COVID19 infection confirmed among Olympic team members visiting for the Tokyo Games starting this month.

A member of Uganda’s Olympic squad tested positive for the virus on arrival in June and a second member was confirmed as having the virus a few days later.

One of Serbia’s fivemember rowing team tested positive during a screening at Haneda airport on Saturday night, said Takashi Ikeda, an official at the sports section of the central Japan city of Nanto, which

had been scheduled to host the Serbians’ training camp.

The man in his 30s was sent to a medical facility, while the other four were isolated in a separate facility in Tokyo, Ikeda told Reuters by phone.

“Since they are expected to be isolated for two weeks, the Serbian rowing team is unlikely to come to Nanto for training before the Games,” he said.

The group was to have travelled to Nanto in To y a m a p r e f e c t u r e yesterday to hold their training camp through July 18, ahead of the June 23 start of the Games.

Rowing teams from Greece, South Africa and Russia arrived in Nanto earlier this month for training camp, he said.

The Tokyo Games,

delayed by a year because of the pandemic, are proceeding amid concern that the influx of thousands of people from around the world could unleash another wave of COVID-19 infections in the country.

Foreign spectators are banned, and the government is considering what limits to place on domestic spectators.

Tokyo reported 716 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday, its highest in more than five weeks, as the nation considers extending pandemic restrictions in the capital just weeks.

Cases totalled 518 on Sunday, up 132 from last Sunday, marking the 15th consecutive days of increases from week-earlier levels, said public broadcaster NHK.

more forcefulness when we had the ball. But in terms of commitment, there’s nothing I can criticise, I can only lament that we’re not going further.” Uruguay’s defeat was reminiscent of the last Copa America, when they were also eliminated at the quarter-final stage on penalties, by Peru.

This time their problem was scoring goals - they managed just four in five matches - something that Tabarez acknowledged he had to fix.

“You get points for scoring goals and not conceding them,” he said.

“It’s something we have to improve.”

Colombia, who have won this title only once back in 2001, will take on the winner of Saturday’s later quarter-final, Argentina, who beat Ecuador.

Host Brazil face Peru in the other semi-final.

The final is scheduled for the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro on July 10.

Hamilton blames car damage for big points loss (Reuters)

M

ercedes’ seven times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton said car damage had cost him second place and precious points in yesterday’s Austrian Grand Prix.

The Briton had been running in second place but finished fourth, with Mercedes giving the go-ahead for team mate Valtteri Bottas to overtake, in a race won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

The Dutch youngster, who has now won three races in a row and five in total this season, is 32 points clear in the championship.

“I had already said before the race that it would be very hard to beat Max, of course,” Hamilton told Sky Sports television.

“It’s frustrating to lose so much downforce in the rear of the car and not be able to hold on to second place. So a lot of points lost today.”

Hamilton said he had not been driving over the kerbs any more than anyone else and had no idea where the damage had occurred.

“I would have been second. I was in

second when all of a sudden it obviously broke. It would have been an easy second, generally. But obviously not able to catch those guys ahead,” added the Briton.

Hamilton won three of the first four races of the season, but Red Bull have now won the last five.

The next race is at Silverstone, a home track for Hamilton who can hope for the capacity crowd to be mostly cheering for him.

The 36-year-old was not about to spread any false optimism, however.

“We’re miles away from them,” he said of Red Bull. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. We need all hands on deck, which I know there already are.

“They (Red Bull) have brought a lot of upgrades clearly over these past few races and we haven’t brought any. So we’ve got to bring some, find as much performance as possible.”

Mercedes have switched their development focus fully to next year’s car, due to the possibility of major rule changes shaking up the pecking order, but have some upgrades still in the pipeline.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 28

Monday July 05, 2021

After last Middle Sunday, Wimbledon resumes with fresh faces

Coco Gauff of the US serves to Russia’s Elena Vesnina during the women’s singles second round match on day four of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday July 1, 2021.

(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Wimbledon’s traditional Middle Sunday of rest will disappear in 2022, as will the Manic Monday that follows it.

For one last time, the oldest Grand Slam tournament was quiet as Week 1 of this year’s edition ended.

And for one last time, Week 2 will begin with a bevy of action, the only major to schedule all 16 women’s and men’s fourthround singles matches on the same day.

“I think I will miss it, to be honest,” 2018 champion Angelique Kerber said.

Get ready for a packed scheduled today that includes teenagers Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu, No. 1 Ash Barty and Kerber in women’s matches, along with Novak Djokovic, Roger

Federer, a total of eight of the top 10 seeds and 20-year-old American Sebastian Korda in men’s matches.

It won’t be the same moving forward, and Federer understands why the All England Club is changing its ways in this regard.

“Everybody wants more days. Look, more days means more revenue, more options, more this and that. I get it,” he said. “I don’t think they did it only because of revenue. I think they just think it’s going with the times, as well.”

It’s quite possible that the rest of the fortnight could end up being viewed as its own sort of referendum on the present and future of tennis.

That’s because while there are representatives of the old guard who have multiple Grand Slam titles,

including at the All England Club — Federer (20), Djokovic (19) and Kerber (three) — there truly are so many fresh faces.

Of the 32 singles players still in the brackets, 26 never have been to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon — and 20 are participating in the fourth round for the first time.

Korda, who faces No. 25 seed Karen Khachanov, is making his debut at Wimbledon, as is Ilya Ivashka, a 27-year-old from Belarus who takes on No. 7 Matteo Berrettini, a 2019 U.S. Open semifinalist who leads all remaining players with 60 aces.

Djokovic’s opponent, No. 17 Cristian Garin of Chile, and Federer’s, No. 23 Lorenzo Sonego of Italy, were a combined 0-5 at the All England Club until this year.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates during the men’s singles match against Britain’s Jack Draper on day one of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday June 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) The other men’s matches Monday are No. 2 Daniil Medvedev vs. No. 14 Hubert Hurkacz, No. 4 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 16 Felix Auger-Aliassime, No. 5 Andrey Rublev vs. Marton Fucsovics, and No. 8 Roberto Bautista Agut vs.

No. 10 Denis Shapovalov.

Bautista Agut was a semifinalist in 2019, the last time the tournament was played because of the cancellation a year ago amid the pandemic, and is the only man left other than eighttime champion Federer and five-time champion Djokovic to even have been to so much as one quarterfinal at Wimbledon.

Kerber, No. 23 Madison Keys and No. 19 Karolina Muchova are the only women with past quarterfinal experience at the place.

Kerber faces Gauff, a 17-

year-old American who also made it to the fourth round in 2019 and is coming off her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Roland Garros last month.

“She’s really dangerous, especially on grass courts,” Kerber said. “I see the fire (in) her, as well.”

A key to Gauff’s success is her serve: She is tied for the fastest by a woman during Week 1 at 121 mph and her 23 aces rank second only to Barty’s 26.

Britain’s Raducanu, a wild-card entry who is 18 and ranked 338th, is making her Grand Slam debut and appearing in only her second tour-level event of any sort.

Other women at Wimbledon for the first time include 2019 French Open champion and Barty’s opponent, 2021 French Open champ Barbora Krejcikova, No. 18 Elena Rybakina (who plays No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka) and

Switzerland’s Roger Federer plays a return during the men’s singles third round match against Britain’s Cameron Norrie on day six of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday July 3, 2021.

(AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Australia’s Ashleigh Barty after winning a point against Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova during the women’s singles third round match on day six of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday July 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Liudmila Samsonova (who plays No. 8 Karolina Pliskova).

The other women’s matchups: Raducanu vs.

Ajla Tomljanovic, Muchova vs. No. 30 Paula Badosa, Keys vs. Viktorija Golubic, and 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek vs.

No. 21 Ons Jabeur.

Only three of the top 12 women in the WTA rankings will play today.

“The past couple of Slams, we have seen that there have been a lot of upsets ... and a lot of opportunities for really anyone to do well at any tournament,” said Keys, the 2017 U.S. Open runner-up.

“It’s been great to watch.”

Note: The All England Club announced yesterday that Centre Court and No. 1 Court can be at full capacity as of tomorrow, when the quarterfinals begin.

Kaieteur News

Monday July 05, 2021

PAGE 29

2021 Concacaf Gold Cup Prelims Stafanie Taylor takes four wickets, scores unbeaten 43 as Windies Guyana eliminated by Guatemala after robust first half display Women sweep Pakistan 3-0 Shamila Connell was named Player of the Series. (CWI)

- Head Coach proud of his players

Captain Matthew Briggs observes closely as teenager Nathan Moriah-Welsh challenges fearlessly for the ball against Guatemala. (Franklin Wilson photo)

By Franklin Wilson in Fort Lauderdale, compliments of the GFF

S

portsMax Captain Stafanie Taylor took four wickets and scored an unbeaten 43 to lead the West Indies Women to a sixwicket victory over Pakistan Women at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua yesterday.

Player of the Match Taylor, who took 4-17, combined with Anisa Mohammed (3-24) and Shamila Connell (2-24) to bowl Pakistan Women out for 102.

Aliyah Riaz top scored with 29 and there were

contributions from opener Muneeba Ali, who scored 18 and Nida Dar, who got 17, in what was Pakistan Women’s lowest score of the series.

Needing 103 for victory, the West Indies lost Hayley Matthews to the bowling of Anam Amin for 1.

Diana Biag then took the wickets of Deandra Dottin and Kyshona Knight in consecutive deliveries as the West Indies Women slipped to 17-3 after three overs.

Taylor and Chadean Nation stopped the rot with a stand of 41 that took the home side to 58 when Dar

Captain Stafanie Taylor led the Windies women to the series triumph.

dismissed Nation for 20.

Taylor and Kycia Knight then put together an unbroken partnership of 48 that took the West Indies to victory with five balls remaining. Knight hit the first ball of the final over bowled by Dar to the boundary to seal the victory.

Biag finished with figures of 2-17 while Anam Amin took 1-18. Dar finished with 1-23.

The win meant that the West Indies Women swept the CG Insurance Series 3-0.

Shamila Connell was named Player of the Series.

With the majority of the vociferous crowd of 9,586 roaring them on under the n i g h t s k y, G u a t e m a l a secured a 4-0 win over Guyana’s ‘Golden Jaguars’ sending the Guyanese out of the First Round of the 2021 Gold Cup Prelims contested on Saturday night here at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Seemingly with no luck on their side, the ‘Golden Jaguars’, currently in a rebuilding phase with an average age in the team of 23, tried their utmost but the more experienced and welloiled Guatemalans prevailed to advance to the second round and will play Guadeloupe tomorrow evening at the same venue with the winner punching their ticket to the Group (C) Stage where they will face Costa Rica, Jamaica and Suriname.

The opening exchanges saw Guyana sparring equally with the Guatemalans but the Central Americans went ahead in luck circumstances when Stheven Robles 21st minute long range shot was deflected in off defender Reiss Greenidge (own goal), goalkeeper Kai McKenzie-Lyle caught going the wrong way in the 21st minute.

It was a tough way to concede but such is the game sometimes. Guyana was placed further on the back foot when Keanu MarshBrown was red carded five minutes before half time for serious foul play. His loss placed the team under pressure as he was having a good game up until that unfortunate infringement.

The score was 1-0 in favour of Guatemala when the half time whistle. The second half saw the Guatemalans firing in three more goals, Luis Martinez in 54th minute, Darwin Lom in the 71st minute and Jose Martinez in the 80thsealing the win and their place in the next round.

Guyana meanwhile, made three substitutions with a view of getting on the score sheet but that was not to be. In the 57th minute, Vice-Captain Daniel Wilson made way for the exciting Omari Glasgow who is on the radar of many overseas clubs; the 17 year-old Glasgow did not disappoint and even missed a chance to pull one back for his nation.

On 62 minutes Nathan Moriah-Welsh was replaced

by Javier George while in the 77th, Emery Welshman was replaced by Sheldon Holder up front. Welshman had a chance to pull one back but could not get the ball past Guatemalan custodian, Nicholas Hagen.

Commenting after the match, Head Coach Márcio

Máximo stated that himself and staff were very proud of the way his players competed as they maintained admirable tactical discipline against a very good opponent. He noted that playing with one player less, his charges fought well even though it was difficult against an experienced unit that was backed up by their vociferous supporters.

“It was an important experience for all our players, also, each player after this game is more matured and I would like to repeat, they all played very well under the circumstance, many making their debuts at this tournament which is the highest in Concacaf.

They will all help the new generation of Guyanese players to be strong.”

Máximo posited that the ‘Golden Jaguars’ have shown all that they are on their way to another level and in a few short years, the team will mature in a very competitive unit and would be a force to reckon with in the Concacaf.

Kaieteur News

Monday July 05, 2021

Multiple-time CAC medalist, Emmerson, flexing for Gold Emmerson Campbell, Guyana’s four-time senior Mr. Physique champion, is hard at work in the gym, sculpting his award winning physique to claim the top podium step for the 2021 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) B o d y b u i l d i n g Championships that is scheduled to be held in San Salvador, El Salvador from August 11th -16th.

Campbell, who has copped a total of two medals at this competition; finishing with bronze in Mexico (2018) and with silver in the Dominican Republic (2016), will be part of a sevenmember team that includes defending Champion Kerwin Clarke, Rosanna Fung, Yannick Grimes, Roger Callendar, Darius Ramsammy and Nicholas Albert.

President of the Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GBBFF), Keavon Bess, during an invited comment with Kaieteur Sport, has highlighted that he is certain that Campbell will medal once he gets to El Salvador and is fit and healthy. He further highlighted that, “Emmerson Campbell has done tremendously well at regional and international competitions,” and the GBBFF expects him to continue where he left off.

Speaking exclusively to

Emmerson Campbell focused in the gym as the CAC championship looms closer.

Kaieteur Sport, the Darcy Beckles (2017) Silver Medalist shared that, “This is my fifth CAC and I know what to expect. Nothing but my best will afford me a podium spot. I earned a silver and a bronze before and this time I’m gunning for the gold to complete the set. I know what it takes to win, and I’m doing the necessary work in order to put myself in the winner’s row.”

He continued that, “I’ll definitely be presenting an award winning package and I will leave the rest up to the

judges. The goal is the gold, it’s always championship or bust for me. So I’m going there to be champion.”

Meanwhile, the total cost inclusive of airfare and accommodation for Campbell to reach to El Salvador for the 2021 CAC Championships is around US$1500 and he has shared with this publication that he will commence sending out sponsorship letters this week while he is also awaiting some support from the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport.

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