Kaieteur News

Details of Govt.’s management structure for oil sector remains a mystery

At a rare press conference last week, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali delivered an elaborate and promising update on the progress of Guyana’shealth,education, andinfrastructuresectors.

Hemeticulouslylaidout specifics on infrastructure projects such as wells and roads, the allocation of textbooks for students, and the requisites for teachers, nurses,anddoctors

However, the President surprisingly omitted significantdetailsaboutone of Guyana’s most critical industries-theoilsector

The management structureoftheoilsectorand thepersonnelwhoconstitute it remain a mystery, despite its pivotal role in the country’seconomy Itisnota question of lesser importance that the President can simply sidestep

The development and management of the oil industry have far-reaching implications for the nation’s economy, environment, and social fabric Hence, it is of utmost importance for the public to know who is managing this precious resource and how capable theyare

When asked about the numberofpeoplemanaging the oil sector and the management structure, President Ali provided an evasive answer He highlighted the increased number of Guyanese earning master’s degrees in oilandgasmanagementand relatedlegalareas.

He added, “We’re now working on bringing together a whole team to lookatregulations.Wehave to look at the national natural gas plan...And that itself would require maybe hundreds of technically competentpeople.Sointhe short term, we have to importtheskillsthathasthe experience to ensure that now these new talent that are coming through… that

experience is infused in them. So they’ll have the technical skill that comes from academics and the experience to manage this. So it’s an evolution. It is in train. It is in process. It w o u l d n ’ t h a p p e n overnight.”

Hesaidthegovernment is being helped, in its capacity-building efforts, withtremendoussupportto come from bilateral partnerslikeGhana,Qatar, andIndia

However, the President did not disclose any specifics about the existing management structure or the people in charge of the sector

The vague nature of his responseraisesconcernsfor some stakeholders. The oil industry is indeed complex

a n d f r a u g h t w i t h c h a l l e n g e s , f r o m negotiating contracts to managing day-to-day operations, handling environmental issues, and ensuringfairdistributionof revenues.

Without a competent, t r a n s p a r e n t , a n d accountable management structure in place, the country risks squandering its chance to secure Guyana’sprosperity

Several stakeholders agree that it is vital for the publictoknowthespecifics of this management structure to hold it accountable.

A P e t r o l e u m Commission, a muchpromised feature of the government’s 2020 elections campaign, holds significant potential to introduce transparency and accountability in the management of Guyana’s oilsector

The Commission,

through its inherent structuralframework,could act as a regulatory body with clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and powers. Its structure would be publicly accessible, ensuring that every Guyanese citizen knows

whoisresponsibleforwhat in the oil sector, thus promoting transparency andtrust.

Despite this, the government, now three yearsintoitsterm,hasyetto makegoodonitspromiseto e s t a b l i s h s u c h a C o m m i s s i o n T h e

establishment of the Petroleum Commission should be a priority, not an afterthought, in the government’s strategy for managingtheoilsector

When asked about this, the President was also vagueindisclosingwhyhis government has not

l egislated the regulatory body,andhedidnotprovide atimeline.

The government’s failure to provide clarity on the management of the oil sector, despite its significancetotheeconomy andnationaldevelopment,is

President IrfaanAli

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: DR. GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456

Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

ACCOUNTING FOR OIL MONEY SPENDING

How about some specifics, Dr Ashni Singh on howtheoilmoneywasspent? Howaboutsome transparency and accountability, Excellency, Dr Ali, with what Guyanese got for US$607 million withdrawnfromtheNaturalResourceFund(NRF)in2022? HowaboutalittlelightVicePresident,Dr Jagdeo,onwhere allthatGY$120billioninoilmoneywent?

The record is that the protectivearrangementsin place forthemanagementoftheNRFhavebeencharacterizedby official tardiness, and political crudeness. As time has elapsed, confirmations flow about how much the PPP/C GovernmentisbentoncookingthegooseofGuyanesetoa bittercrisp.

What is not delayed ends up being not spoken of, and cleverlyavoided. TheNRFitselfwaspassedincontroversy, and assented to in darkness. It was the first indication of whatthePPP/CGovernmentanditstrickstershadinmind. Amongsuchwassecrecy,alackofconvincinganswers(or ignoring questions altogether), and playing around with whathadtobedeliveredtothepeople.

The minister who has responsibility for the nation’s monies,proudlyspokeofNRFwithdrawalsbeingusedfor “national development priorities” We have no disagreement with such thinking. There is only the condition that the details about specific amounts of spending, specific projects, and specific timeframes are all linked and presented to the public in the clearest, cleanest manner Guyanesegrowimpatientwithbeingforcedtowait for some insights on how the precious NRF withdrawals havebeenspent.

“Nationaldevelopmentpriorities”aretoobroadandtoo vague; a truckload of skullduggery could be concealed undersuchanumbrella. ThisisclassicPPP/CGovernment money management, and the impenetrable layers of darkness that leading figures in the government love so much.

To check on the spending, as claimed, an audit report wasduemonthsago. Today,inthemiddleofJuly,nobodyis saying anything about where that stands, who has it, and whatitreveals,ifcompleted. Anannualreportoughttohave been prepared for laying in parliament, but there is also no official word on the state of that, and when that document andthefollow-upparliamentarystepwillcometolife.

The NRF has a Board of Directors, and it is becoming more obvious daily to Guyanese that that is a phantom construction, only there for the show, and directors’ best valueistokeeptheirmouthstightlyshut.

It was and remains reasonable to expect that these directors would be cavalrymen leading the way with strength,truth,anddeterminationabouteverythingthathas todowithNRFmanagementandspending.

At this time, Guyanese question the relevance of those whoshouldbefearedguardians(thedirectors)withafierce commitment to standing vigilantly over this vital, but tempting,fund.

The concerned in Guyana watches and waits, with a thoughtintheirminds:istheboardofdirectorsnowreduced toacartbeingcarriedalong,willinglyorunwillingly,fora ridebytheusualPPP/Cschemersandscoundrels?

The bottom line is that there is this NRF receiving deposits in New York, and there are withdrawals totaling over US$607 million in 2022. After that, the rest is a mystery, with nothing but a wildfire of silence. In the regular PPP/C Government manner, all the seemingly proper steps and possible protections are on paper, and in place. Therearealsotheoldtraditionalpracticesofwhatis actually happening, not matching up with what the paper requirements(legal)saytheymustbe.

It does not surprise that there is this shabbiness, these ongoing mysteries about the deep black hole in which oil moneydisappeared. Thereisnothingthatisnewwhenthe past and present records of different governments are examined.

GOVERNMENT STICKING TO ITS AGRI DRIVE-AND WITH GOOD REASONS

DEAREDITOR,

I am happy that our country is not oil-crazy, as some are contending. The word from Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, is that even “…asGuyanaleadsthefood security agenda in the

Caribbean, simultaneous efforts are being made at bolstering the country’s agricultural sector, especially for the benefit of hinterlandcommunities.”

Let me forthrightly state agriculture overall is very

important around the world. It helps to reduce poverty, raise incomes and improve food security for 80% of the world’s poor, who live in rural areas and work mainly in farming So vital is agriculture that the World

Bank Group continues to be a leading financier of agriculture. In line with the Vice Presidents’ words, and going back to October last year, the President himself, Dr IrfaanAli,boldlystated

(Continuedonpage6)

Theonethingthatisnewisthisoilmoney. Howitisspent,and with the finest point placed on honest, accountable spending andreporting,determinestheprosperityofthisnation. Failat that, and Guyanese stare at continuing poverty To say

“national development priorities” is not good enough. To assert“nationaldevelopmentpriorities”isnotacceptable,and never will be. It is a scheme that has possible premeditated politicalfelonieswrittenalloverit.

Ashton Chase:AGuyanese patriot

DEAREDITOR,

The tributes to Ashton Chase continue to pour in unabatedly – and well that they should, at this latest inflectionpointinourhistory when we finally have the wherewithal to improve the lives of the working people, to whom he was always committed His life exemplifiesthequalitiesofa patriot who invariably placed the interest of his country ahead of his own ambitions at critical junctures. It also offers an insight into the formative institutions of Guyana’s modernhistory.

Chase was born in Georgetown in 1926 and after completing his studies atAlleyne’sHighSchool,he reportedly joined the Juvenile Section of Critchlow’s pioneering BGLU and worked in its office.Hewasexposedtothe efforts of the BGLU leaders to deal with the hardships precipitated during the WWII years when shipping was restricted He was involved in the critical BG&WILabourConference of 1944, where he encountered the doyens of thelocalandregionallabour movement.

In 1947, at the age of twenty-one, he, along with Cheddi and Janet Jagan and Joycelyn Hubbard, founded the Political Action Committee (PAC) that

radicalized political discourse in the colony He kept on educating himself and completed a one-year course sponsored by the TUC at the unionspecialized Ruskin College in Oxford between 1948-49. The 1942 Guyana Scholar Forbes Burnham had returned from England as a newly-minted lawyer in 1949andwhenthePACwas tobetransmutedin1950into aformalpoliticalparty–the PPP-tocontestthepromised elections under universal franchise, Ashton Chase, who had been identified as Chairman, voluntarily stepped aside for Burnham. He felt Burnham was more qualified and popular and many wonder “what might havebeen”.

He was a Minister in the short-lived PPP government of 1953 and after its ouster proceeded to England in 1954 to qualify for the bar He returned in 1957, by which time Burnham has split the PPP and was about to launch the PNC. He was then still friendly with Burnham.

WhileChasehadpenned the seminal book on trade unionism in Guyana, “A History of Trade Unionism in Guyana: 1900-1961”, he also wrote a more personal, “Guyana: A Nation in Transit, Burnham’s Role” that is of relevance today If nothing more than because

the PNC leaders are still measuring themselves by Burnham’s “legacy”. Chase knew Burnham very well as described in the latter book, writtenin1989:“Wewereat onetimepals.Wesharedthe same emotions as youngsters, worked, lived, played, and fraternized together as young men Political ideas, objectives and thoughts were shared betweenus.”

As one so close to Burnham, he offered an insight into the latter’s worldview as influenced by his ambitions, Machiavelli, M a r x i s m , a n d h i s relationship with Cheddi Jagan. But also by the then dominant group being groomed by the British to takeoverthereinsofpower, whichhecraved–“Coloured People”. It is worth quoting the last influence at length because it is playing an outsize role in the present contretemps to replace Aubrey Norton as PNC leader “But there was another side of his personality that was shown by the 1953 events.

And with his elephant’s memory, he never forgot the detractors of this era, and harboured a grudge to get even with them For a Guyana Scholar, a Lawyer, tohavemixedsocloselyand familiarly with workers was atthattimeunprecedentedin

our country and ran counter to the prevailing sociocultural prejudices The middleclass,theredpeople, the high brown, the fair skinned and the social elites of that day terms familiar in thatera-didnotsupporthim at that time, and where practicable they actually opposedhim.

“The second group of antagonistsweretheLeague of Coloured Peoples’ leadership To them, his associating with the IndoGuyanese, crudely referred to as ‘coolies’and ‘Indians’, was like a death blow, a betrayal of his own. They never conceptualised an amalgam between the two major racial groups at the politicallevel.

They did everything to destroy this amalgam and when the opportunity occurred, they did their damned to fuel separation. Somehow, they saw the Afro-Guyanese(thentermed the coloured man) hanging together and advancing politically on their own Theywereeventhenalready envious of the economic strides the Indo-Guyanese had made and considered themathreat.

The notion of workingclass unity, regardless of race, or ethnic origin never entered into their contemplation.”

Sincerely,

RaviDev

Dr. Desmond Haynes Needs to do a Usain Bolt-Run

DEAREDITOR,

I have long come to the realization that successful cricketers do not necessarily become good cricket administrators.Foranumber of years, there had been clamoring near and far for a certain gentleman by the nameofDesmondHaynesto be more involved in the administration of West Indies cricket with loud noises calling for him to be the coach among other things.

I myself had held the same view, but in the recesses of my mind, I have alwaysbeencognizantofthe well-known tendency of Barbadians to openly practice insularity and the possible devastating effects it will have on an already fledging precariously poised WestIndiescricket.

I still strongly believe that past West Indian cricketers should be more directly involved in the administration of West Indies cricket and see the currentstructurewithsixteen (16) Directors and a top-

heavy secretariat as a ‘Parasitic Bureaucracy” doling out monies to friends who at best could not hold a similar position within the privateenterprise.

So,Inervouslysupported Desmond Haynes’ elevation to the position of Chairman of Selectors of West Indies cricket with the hope (not expectation mind you) that therewouldbesomesenseof sanity and normalcy in his team selection and that players would be selected based on performance (primarily) among other things.Afterall,hebenefited from this very policy as a youngplayer

But no one was prepared forwhathasunfolded.

This current bunch that he calls the West Indies Test teamisanembarrassment.It has always been the practice in the structure of test teams that the best batsman in the team occupies the number 3 position.

Raymond Reifer better known for his left-arm seamerswithsomebatting

(Continuedonpage6)

Dr. Desmond Haynes Needs to do a Usain...

Frompage5 skills has been continuously selected by the goodly Dr Haynes as the West Indies #3,apositionwhichheisillequippedtofillandcanonly be justified due to his countryofbirth.

Cornwall and Warrican are proven failures with the former unable to pass a properly administered fitnesstest,butyettheyfind themselves in the West Indies team ahead of Permaul who performed well in the Sri Lanka test series as well as in the Regionaltournament.Andto add to the insult WI were beatenbyIndiabyaninnings and 141 runs within 3 days. They could only score 280 runsin2innings.

And by what logic has Pooran been continuously sidelined from West Indies test selection despite indicatingclearlythathewas interested in playing test cricket?

Isupposethatsamelogic dictates that Hetmyer would notbeselectedeitherdespite

a West Indies-sanctioned “Enquiry” including the mighty Brian Lara concluding that both gentlemen should be part of theWestIndiesteam.

It is clear that there is either a disconnect between the goodly Dr Haynes and the administration of the WestIndiesCricketBoardor the “Enquiry” was just a comedyshowtoappeasethe angry public of WI embarrassment as being the first-ever T20 World Champions to be eliminated by minnows for the T20 WorldCup?Eitherway,itis an indictment against the team selection and administration of West IndiesCricket.

It is necessary to highlight that the technical capabilitiesofsomeofthese players are so ridiculously unacceptable that they can elevate your blood pressure todangerouslevelsifyouare hypertensive.

It is a consequence of four (4) decades of mismanagement of West

Indiescricketbyindividuals who should be banned for life from even entering any cricket ground in the West

Indies The recent appointment of a proven failure to the position of “Director of Cricket” is a positive indication that the worst is yet to come and I dare say that the loss of test statusisarealpossibilityand justaquestionofwhen.

Four(4)yearsago,Ihad predicted that West Indies cricket will get worse and I have been proven to be correct.

I dare say that with the current new WICB administration, it will get progressivelyworse.

I saw images of the

goodly Dr Haynes smiling broadly while in Zimbabwe where his West Indiesselected team took West Indies cricket to its lowest level ever in the history of West Indies cricket where the two (2) time champions weretrashedbyNetherlands andScotlandontheirwayof beingembarrassinglykicked out of the 2023 World Cup. Hisrecordofembarrassment is enviable and one would have thought that he would have come to reality and adjusted his approach to correcttherubbish.ButNO! The goodly Doctor somehow believes that he can do the same thing repeatedlyandgetadifferent result, a situation best

describedasinsanity

There is absolutely no doubtthatDr Haynes’steam selection has elevated the previous Chief Selectors’ status to the level of excellence if a proper comparison is made, even though they all have proven to be below expectations. I can say clearly, without fear of contradiction that Mr ClydeButtsstandsheadsand shoulders, literally and figuratively, above those selectors who were former playersandheldthatposition afterhim.

It appears as though beingaloofandobdurateare behavioral traits coveted uponascendingtothethrone of Chief Selector and the

goodlyDr Haynesisclearly uptonogood.

The results so far under histenuredonotdojusticeto therespecttheworldhasfor him as a former great opening batsman and his obvious ridiculous and visionless actions do not do justice to his pedigree as a former player nor his recently bestowed elevation asadoctor

We expect nothing else butexcellencefromadoctor and to save his name, face, and West Indies cricket he should do a “Usain Bolt”… RUNanddosowithalacrity. The West Indies public deservebetter Yourstruly, EricWhaul.

GOVERNMENT STICKING TO ITSAGRI DRIVE...

Frompage4 that “Agriculture is and will remain a mainstay of our economy Indeed, the sector alreadyaccountsforalmosta quarterofthecountry’snonoil Gross Domestic Product. One in every eight members of our employed workforce is to be found in the agricultural, forestry, and fisheries sectors, and agriculture is the principal source of livelihood for thousands of Guyanese households.”

I recall also his 2022 AgricultureMonthmessage,

whichrepeatedthismindset, explaining that “the Governmentis“unfazed”by the food security challenges (as)Itiscommittedtoand confident in its ability to addressthevulnerabilitiesin the country’s agri-food system, such as to the adverse impact of climate change, exogenous market shocks and higher input costs ” Why? Simply because “Government has made interventions to support our farmers and fishers and moderate food inflation.”

This brings me back to theVP,whodetailedthat“In light of the oil boom and countless opportunities for thecoast,theGovernmentis taking bold steps to propel agriculture in the hinterland in ensuring that these communities benefit from nationaldevelopment.”

This shows that the country has leaders with acumen and foresight, in t e r m s o f h o l i s t i c managementofthecountry’s resources. Indeed, no one and nothing will be left to chance This balanced approach and total capitalisation of the country’s wealth will eventuate into our remote communities not being disenfranchised in benefittingfromoil.

AccordingtoJagdeo,and rightly so, the style and implementation in terms of maximisingfromoilandthe land, is that since “Those (remote) communities can’t domuchwithoilandgas we have to push agriinvestmentsothatthepeople wholiveintheseregionsare notleftbehindintheremote regions of the country We want all of our people to move forward in every region.”

Editor, for sure, the oil boom is creating “ countless opportunities for the coast, (and so) the Government is (justified in) taking bold steps to propel agriculture in the hinterland in ensuring that these communities benefit from national development.”This encapsulatesthe‘nooneleft behind’ principle, which is so vital if we are talking

lifting the standards for all Guyanese. For example, as was revealed in the press, in Region One (BarimaWaini), a nursery is being considered to produce plantain ‘suckers’ after residents have complained of the high costs for one sprout.” And the picture is quite elaborate “The Government is prepared to put the investment in, even co-investing in processing facilities with businesses.” Ofcourse,thisisnotgoingto be overnight and it is contingent upon quantity andqualityofproduction.

If all goes well, we are talking about “… looking to establish a major nursery there and so the Ministry of Agriculturewillgothereand see if we can upgrade certification so our products can sail directly into the Caribbean from these areas without having to come to the coast. Let me remind readers that in terms of the agriculture sector, the Government is fostering discussions with foreign counterparts. In the case of India, huge potential lies in the area of spices, and doubling rice and sugar output During the last budget debates, it was propounded that greater emphasis will be placed on thecultivationofhigh-value crops, corn, soya bean, and wheat since the agriculture sector is bent on reducing G u y a n a ’s a n d t h e Caribbean’sfood-importbill by25percentby2025.

So far, Guyana is on the right trajectory to be successful.

HBSingh.

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‘TRUST THE SYSTEM’

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President IrfaanAli was challenged to allow an independent investigation into the State’s handling of a horrifying case of alleged sexual violence that has rocked Guyana.

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The Head-of-State said this past week that it is an insulting thing to ask for and that it is important to let the system work.

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But every single person who reads this message knows a victim of sexual violence whom the system has failed.

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When your powerful leaders tell you to let the system work, it means the system works the way they designed it to work.

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Asystem in which the rich and powerful evade justice, and the poor and powerless are trampled under its feet.

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With a far way to go, World Bank to help Guyana improve transparency in oil sector

In an effort to enhance transparency and build capacity within Guyana's oil and gas sector, the World Bank is partnering w i t h t h e G u y a n e s e government on a strategic development project However, the venture faces a challenging journey ahead, given the government's past record of secretive management practices and a lack of comprehensive understanding of the oil

sectoramongthepopulace. The project includes the d e v e l o p m e n t o f a comprehensive Stakeholder

E n g a g e m e n t a n d

CommunicationStrategy

The strategy, currently in the draft phase, is intended to s t r e n g t h e n s e c t o r communications, boost transparency, and promote proactive engagement with stakeholders on issues linked totheoilandgasindustry

As of June 2023, terms of

reference were prepared to support the Government of Guyana, and particularly the Ministry of Natural R e s o u r c e s a n d t h e Department of Public Information (DPI) with the development of the Strategy to engage effectively and sustainably with key stakeholders on issues related to the oil and gas sector and to enhance transparency, proactivity and effectiveness in sector

communications The intention is for procurement to be launched in early July 2023, for a firm to spearhead the formulation of the strategy

The project is part of the Petroleum Resources G o v e r n a n c e a n d Management Project, being funded with a US$20 million loan. The full programme aims to fortify the country's legal and institutional frameworks, bolstering the ability of key institutions to effectively manage the oil andgassector

The project is coming amidst criticisms of the government's historical approach to managing the oil

sector, including allegations of secrecy and refusals to disclose critical documents.

Many of the disclosures that are made, often follow months of persistent criticism and calls for

openness.

These circumstances have impeded transparency advocates from holding the government accountable and have created an environment ofdespondency

A recent example of the government's lack of transparency is seen in the proposed Petroleum ActivitiesBillbythePeople's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C)administration.

The Bill, which would grant extensive powers to the Minister of Natural Resources, has been criticized for failing to address transparency concerns raised by civil society and the media over thepastsevenyears.

Notably, the government has consistently refused to provide public access to reports outlining the costs presented by ExxonMobil, and how swiftly these costs arebeingrecouped.

This lack of disclosure leaves the public and the press in the dark about when Guyana'sshareofproduction andrevenueswillincrease.

Another significant hurdle is the general public's limited understanding of the oilsector

Hence,itiscrucialforthe government, through its c o m m u n i c a t i o n mechanisms, to constantly investresourcesinenhancing public comprehension of the oilandgassector

Despite these issues, some advancements have been made. Contracts have been published, and regular disclosures of receipts of oil revenues into the Natural ResourceFund(NRF)andoil production data have been made.

The World Bank's intervention is a vital step toward addressing these ongoing challenges However, for substantial change to take effect, these efforts must be met with an unwavering commitment to transparency and public engagement from the government.

Poor people are happy with ‘selfies’ while the rich cart off the economic pie

During his press conference last week, the President said that he loved being around people. He intimated that he felt comfortable being around people.

When you are President, there are no shortages of persons who want to be around you. Rich and poor, they swarm the President and they too like to be seen round the President. The poor get their ‘selifies’, momentos to place on Facebook and show off to theirfriendsthattheymetthe Presidentbuttherichgetthe profitsfromtheeconomy

The President spoke glowingwordsatthefuneral ofthelateAshtonChase.But if there is anything that he cantakeawayfromthetime that Ashton Chase spent in the bosom of the PPP –which was not a very long time–wastheworking-class nature of the policies of the thenPPPpolicies.

Words of commendation arenotenough.Thegreatest tributethatthePresidentcan paytosomeonelikeChaseis to develop a working-class manifesto – one that is splintered from the general neo-liberal ideology which has so captured the imagination of the PPPover thepast30years.

The philosophy which has become the hallmark of Jagdeo’s economy has been to the effect that governments should invest in infrastructure and social services.Thebenefitsofthis investment it is said will filter down to the poor because the poor will get education and better health, housing,andeducation.That

approach has never worked. It has led to only one outcome: increasing the gap between the rich and the poor Neo-liberal economics emphasizes investment claimingthatthisinvestment will create jobs for the poor Given the level of private sectorinvestmentinGuyana over the past 30 years, unemployment should have beenwipedout.Thepoordo get jobs but at what wages since neo-liberal economics favours keeping wages low so as to make production morecompetitive.

Neo-liberaleconomicsin developing countries has a track record of worsening inequality Wealth and power are concentrated in the hands of a few while the gap between the rich and poor becomes wider and the rich use their vast wealth to corner a great share of the economicpie.

When governments consort with the bourgeois class – as the PPP/C is so fond of doing - the rich use that access to extract concessions for themselves attheexpenseofthepoor A recentreportonsocialmedia suggested that there is a shortage of chicken in the country caused by the outbreak of viral infection among local meat birds. As such, it was said that the governmentisnowallowing the importation of chicken fromBrazil.

But this is where the situation becomes interesting. The chicken is being imported at a cost of G$285perlb.,farlowerthan the price at which local chicken is sold. But instead

Dem Boys Seh...

of consumers benefitting from this lower cost, the government will be selling the cheap imported chicken to chicken farmers who will then resell it to consumers, obviouslyatahugeprofit.

Ifthisreportinthemedia istrue,thenitshowstheprorich nature of the policies of thePPPgovernment.Instead of allowing the poor to directly benefit from lowcost imported chicken, the rich are being allowed to cream off the profits by buying cheap from the government and reselling at aprofittoconsumers.Andto date, no one has raised ire aboutthisreport.

The President needs to change his economic approach. But he cannot do thisifhecontinuestoconsort with elements of the bourgeois class to the extent of even having elements of this class being part of his government.

T h e m o r e t h e governmentcomesunderthe influence of the bourgeois class, the worse off will become the working class. The government will continue to provide crumbs to the poor –such as cash grants and higher pensions–while the tax system and its policies continue to be gearedtowardsenrichingthe rich.

The One Guyana that is being established will be an unequal Guyana, a highly unequal Guyana. The rich will get richer and the gap betweentherichandthepoor willwiden.

The trade unions have lost their sting. They also have become stuck in the mode of demanding the

Guyana is a never-ending sitcom

No matter how hard things are in Guyana, the fun and laughs never cease. Everyday something does happen fuh cause we fuh laughandforgetweworries.

Deh gat some people whonahknowwhendetime come for them to move on. Even when dem decide fuh move on, dem does find it difficulttomoveoff.

Wenowreadingabouta storyaboutamanwhodem might gat to prise out of he office.Hesuccessorwaiting fuhcomeinbutdekeysnah hand over as yet. Like de

man claiming rights to de keyring. Anddeauthorities getting worried as to whetherdelockganchange beforedekeyshandover

Somebody hear de man singing aloud, “Let me stay a little longer, just a little longer.”Wemightgattocall Pompeofuhaskdismanfuh stepoutside.

When yuh time come fuh move on, yuh gat to move on and move off and move out Don’t stick aroundbecauseitnahganbe fun Nah overstay yuh welcome. Pack yuh bags

government to increase wages and increase the income tax threshold. What is needed instead is a blueprint of working-class policies.Butthatisnotgoing to happen if the President

continues to surround himself with ‘yes’ persons and those who are afraid to challenge the neo-liberal orthodoxy which was introduced under Bharrat Jagedeo’spresidency

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

and move on. De show is over It was nice while it lasted. But all good things mustcometoanend.

Nah confuse’ exit’ with ‘extra-tenure’.

Remember when it is time to leave, de shortest route is through de front door Embrace de next chapterinlifeandnahhoard orholdontodepast. Change is inevitable in life.

Hand over de keys and gowriteyuhmemoirs.Time up!

TalkHalf!LeffHalf!

GHK LALL

REUTER’S SENSATION, GUYANA’S DEVASTATION

Pr o m i n e n t G u y a n e s e businessman, Mr Nazar ‘Shell’Mohamed has made the news again, and with some very deep and disturbing elements embedded.

Worse news is that an internationally recognized entity, Reuters, broke the news. Itisbad,verybad. It seemsasthoughtheReuters smashhiteverynewoutfitin Guyana, and set their pages ablaze. Some high-profile

matterswereidentified,with the even more high-profile Mr Mohamed listed as a major presence. Though there were the usual conditionals of “sources” and “official” and “US”, what must be noted is all of thisrisestoonlythelevelof ‘alleged’ currently Accurate or not, Mr Mohamedisindeep,murky creeks. Weighingthislatest startling development on troublingthingsinGuyana,I offerafewthoughts.

For the alien or newcomer, I know Mr NazarMohamedfairlywell. He is a fellow citizen, not a friend. More importantly, how I see this Reuters release, with all of its underpinningsandtentacles, is what I now write and share.

First,Mr Mohamedhas come out blasting from the hip with a media release of his own. It is a necessary move that has its benefits. But what I am about to

recommend has more benefits, though the downside is obvious. Mr Mohamed should sue to express his consternation at thevilificationofhisperson. Ofcourse,hiswholelife,all ofhisrecords,couldbecome subject to the most critical probing, open to the fullest publicexamination. Having nothing to fear, or worry about,Iwouldsueeveryone in sight, starting with Reuters.

Second, it is thought-

provokingthatthe Reuters release came on the heels of news that Brazilian authorities have some concerns withGuyaneserelativeto smuggling Before that there was the Dataram detention and his release. The US arranges such freedomwhenitgetswhatit wants, or what corroborates itsintelligence. Then,there was that business involving the phone of a Guyanese PermanentSecretary Itwas not a landline, but a landmine. The phone was seized, and so was the PS. Both have since been released. Connectionsorno connections, to the Reuters story,butpossiblyfeedingin it Like I said, Mr Mohamedhashishandsfull, andhisworkcutoutforhim, butheshouldnotbackaway, once his hands are clean, as he insisted to me years ago, and since. Once the higher ground is claimed and owned, there should be no retreating. Iwouldn’t.

Third, Mr Mohamed is not without his friends and allies,andtheyarepowerful, asinrighttothetop. Being in as many businesses as he is, he has accumulated his shareofenemies. They,too, are powerful in political reach, which is further fueled by edgy competitive impulses. It is whose big daddyisbigger,andwhohas a sweeter hand in making people remember Incidentally, the European Uniondidputoutareportin recentdays. Itwasthreaded t h r o u g h w i t h t h e observationsofitspeopleon the ground during the 2020 elections, and the related recommendations made One has to do with political financing. Big money buys plenty of political protection,andwehavehad those, which my fellow Americansknowverywell.

Recall, it was the Hon. Vice President who had a problem with allegations of gold smuggling out of Guyana: where is it? Sez who? Nothere,Mister So, getoutofhere.

ButnowthereisReuters referringtobigpeople. The Hon Attorney General, always good for a laff, had something or the other to offer about reform and financing and the lot, and that is that. Strangely, the EU recommendations just surfaced; almost three years later, it expanded what was said in 2020. I see a

c o n f l u e n c e o f developments, and heroes gathering. Thenagain,Ialso ‘duzseejumbie’.

Fourth, there is anxiety overtheshore-basedproject and investment. Publicprivate, or all private? The record points to Exxon puttinginaquarterbillion. I assertthatthatisnotExxon’s equity money, but 250 big onescomingfromGuyana’s oilrevenues. Therefore,the public component is the foundation and cornerstone, dwarfs the private piece. For its part, and in response totheReuterssplash,Exxon quickly dashed out its version of truth, ethics, and the American Way: all laws followed completely, all dealing aboveboard. Afine German gentleman by the nameofPaulJosefGoebbels was saying the same things, whilehewasroastingpeople alive.

Here is something to chew on: multinationals usually don’t like to share the loot, with oil majors the most voracious. It could be that behind the prim and proper public relations (following the Reuters sensation), Exxon wants to shed Mr Mohamed and breakuptheshorebasebaby party, with everything fully underitscontrol. Thatis,no place for locals. To those who have a problem with this,I givethis reminder It was Judas who kissed Jesus tobetrayhim. Thinkmoney, folks.

In closing, there is too much flying too close to the sun in Guyana, too much narcissism by political people, and too much that has escaped from Pandora’s Box. And there is this parting note for the road: SecretaryBlinkencame,and Iwonderifallthiswasinhis toolbox,hisbagofconcerns. What is America going to repair?

Who is going to be touched? And whose headbald or hairy-will remain in thosepristinestates. “Tings nahregulah…”

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

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY!

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

SUNDAY–JULY09,2023

WHEREARETHE AUDITREPORTS ONEXXONMOBIL’S COSTS?

W h e n w i l l t h e government provide the country with a status report on the two audits that were done on ExxonMobil’s bills for the Stabroek Block totallingUS$8.9B?Readers wouldrecallthatthosecosts wereincurredbetween1999 and 2020 While the governmentkeepsthenation in the dark about the completed audit report of these costs, it is working hurriedly with Exxon to ready documents for a sixth project which will cost

GuyanaoverUS$12B.

Thisstateoflawlessness regarding delayed audit reports accompanied by record breaking approvals for more costs to be incurred, is but another

nasty stain on the government’s record with theoilindustry

This is completely unacceptable!Forhowlong

will we allow this reprehensiblestateofaffairs to continue without protest ?

MONDAY–

JULY10,2023

THESTRUGGLE CONTINUES

Now that US Secretary ofStateAntonyBlinkenhas come and gone, we must continue to hold this

government’sfeettothefire.

Thereislotofunfinished business in this land - most ofwhichrequirestruggle.

Sothestrugglecontinues today for a renegotiation of thelopsidedExxoncontract.

The struggle continues for justice for the teenager allegedly raped by a sitting governmentminister

The struggle continues forjusticeforthe20children burnt to death due to governmental negligence at Mahdia. And for us media people, the struggle continues for transparency and a news conference by thePresident,IrfaanAli.

TUESDAY–

JULY11,2023

THEVPJAGDEO

DODGING

Disclosing the interest rate on US$50 billion does not endanger ExxonMobil. Itdoesnotinanywayplaces the company at a competitive disadvantage

Yet Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo is still to offer a convincingwordforwhatis behind his secrecy with this interest rate inquiry that Guyanese really should know

By the roughest of calculations, and using eitheraninterestrateof10% or5%,theinterestchargeto Guyana is US$5 billion or US$2.5 billion respectively, andthisusessimpleinterest conventions.

Even when the lower interest rate is employed, and the smaller number results,thisisstillamassive sum for a poor population likeGuyana’s.

R

number, it is something that Guyanese want to know, need to know, and must know

This is what should be, asamatterofroutine,which is why it is so baffling that VP Jagdeo digs in his heels and refuses every appeal to provide any answers regarding interest rate, and the amount Guyana pays annually

WEDNESDAY–JULY12,2023

ONEREPORTERPER MEDIAHOUSE????

President IrfaanAli will today hold his second news conference since assuming officebackin2020.

Ithasbeenquiteawhile, although the Guyanese leader would from time to time entertain questions from reporters on the sidelinesofpublicevents.

Nothing can replace a sit-down news conference wherethePresidentcouldbe properly grilled on a range of his issues regarding his stewardshipofthiscountry

T o d a y ’ s n e w s conference has come about after some lobbying, which includes the independent media houses making demands through editorials and front-page comments. It has come however with a price.

Media houses are only allowedtosendonereporter This is a major departure from the norm and it is anyone’s guess as to why thisrestriction.

THURSDAY–

JULY13,2023

“JAGDEOTAKE THEWHEEL”

This newspaper is on record calling on President Irfaan Ali to hold regular news conferences and for Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo stop being a ‘pot salt’.

But after yesterday’s disaster of a presidential press conference, we may have to adjust our position and say like the church folks: “Jagdeo take the wheel” What President Ali did yesterday, graphically demonstrated how out of touch he is with what’s taking place in the country he leads, and how illprepared he is for the big league.

He is probably just as good to host sideline interviewswithreporters.

Yesterday’s read out of his government’s so called achievements is fit for budget debates or party campaignmeetings.

Simply put the press

conferencewasadisaster

FRIDAY–

JULY14,2023

NEWGOVT.PR CZARINTOWN

The calamity that attended Wednesday’s forgettable presidential press conference is perhaps asaresultoftheadvicefrom the new PR Czar of the Government.

Who in this century would turn to such a person who Jagdeo would describe as a fossil to emcee a news conference?

The arrangement for the presser perhaps was on advicefromthisman.

One reporter per media house, one question per reporter, one follow-up per reporter

This is insanity coming from a President who has beendodgingthepresssince assumingoffice.

Was it the PR Czar who advised President Ali to speak for 78 minutes, reading out the so-called achievements of the government?

Was it the PR Czar who told the President to intermittently lecture the reporters on what should be headline stories? And finally, was it the PR Czar who advised that the conference be held in a crampedroom?

SATURDAY–JULY15,2023 GUARDHUTCOST

Two guard huts will be constructed over the next few weeks at an estimated $15.7million.

The two structures cost more than a house being built and sold with land for $14million.

The homes feature three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

What could Guyanese taxpayers be paying for in a guard hut that could cost $15.7M???

Could the government provideabreakdownofhow thismoneywillbespent?

A l t h o u g h t h e administration claims to be prudently managing our resources, such lavish spending only points to the opposite.

Ourpeopleareforcedto take home dog food to their children from Chinese restaurantstostayaliveinan oil-producing nation while our leaders are wasting our resources on inflated projects.

Will Guyana ever blossom into a great nation with this type of management?

Lone bandit shot after invading Rio Apartments to rob Venezuelan women

Alberttown police on Friday shot a lone bandit who invaded the Rio Night Club apartment building and robbed four Venezuelan Womenoftheircellphones.

Police identified the thief as Emmanuel Hawker, 23, of West Ruimveldt,

Georgetown. The bandit is presently under police guard at the Georgetown Public

Hospital Corporation

(GPHC) nursing a gunshot woundtohisrightleg.

Hawker reportedly invaded the women's apartmentaround12:00hrs.

Apolice release detailed that the suspect walked into the apartment building armedwitha.32Revolver

“He pulled out a suspected .32 Revolver from

Baby jaguar shot dead at Eteringbang Primary School

Ajaguar, the size of a big dog was reportedly shot dead lastThursdayafteritattacked somedogsattheEteringbang Primary School, Cuyuni River,RegionSeven.

Kaieteur News was told thattheanimalwaskilledlate Thursday night Persons residing in the area were alerted by continuous barking of dogs in the community

Given the continuous barking by the dogs, the security guard at the primary school decided to inspect the

area According to the security guard, it was dark and he was unsure what was before him.Fearful for his life,themansaidhenoticeda creatureattackingsomedogs. Three shots were reportedly fired and the animal which was hit fell to the ground.After observing the animal on the ground, the security guard got closer and it was then he realised that he shotababyjaguar.Thejaguar is Guyana's national animal andthelargestpredatorinthe SouthAmericanjungle.

the waist of his pants, then began to kick open the room doors, where the victims were, and pointed the firearmatthem,”theGuyana PoliceForce(GPF)stated.

Hawker then proceeded to relieve the four women identified as 27-year-old Maria Peraz, 21-year-old Jenineth Salozar and Karla Meza,and35-year-oldJonan

Fiqueroaoftheircellphones. According to police, the total value of the phones is approximately $166,000 Whilerobbingthewoman, (Continued on page 63)

The dead jaguar

Police involved in a shoot-out with the suspect

Week in Review was established to provide funding Fund within three working days (July 8 to July 15) to support the socio-economic after they are laid before the development of Amerindian NationalAssembly.”

SUNDAY communities and villages and The NRF Act also includes a Article 51 of the Amerindian Act number of other reports that must Petroleum Bill preserves (2006) stipulates that the Guyana be published by the government to status quo of secrecy Geology and Mines Commission update its citizens on the use of the for Exxon’s expenses (GGMC) shall transfer twenty oil revenue One such key percent of the royalties from the document includes the Investment

The proposed Petroleum mining activities to a fund Mandate which would outline the Activities Bill put forth by the designated by the Minister for the specific budget for an identified People’s Progressive Party Civic benefit of Amerindian Villages. project. (PPP/C) administration to grant According to the EITI report, Guyana first utilized a portion extensive powers to the Minister of “GGMC did not include in its of its oil revenue in 2022. During Natural Resources, fails to address declaration any transfers made to the preparation phase for the the pressing transparency concerns ADF during the fiscal year 2020 as Budget last year, the government raised by civil society and the detailed in Section 3.7.3 of this indicated that the fiscal plan was mediaoverthelastsevenyears.The report.” backed with a total of US$607 government’s period for public

The body recommended millionofoilrevenue. commentsonthebillhasclosed. therefore that the government Similarly, in 2023 just over

Be that as it may, one of the agencies, particularly the Ministry US$1 billion was approved in the most pressing matters raised about of Amerindian Affairs and GGMC National Assembly to support the theBillisitsfailuretoaddressonce implement automated controls to Budget, however the nation has not and for all, the veil of secrecy ensure the comprehensiveness of been told exactly how the revenue surrounding cost recovery Last extractive revenues earmarked to fromthesectorwouldbeused. year, oil companies claimed nearly be transferred to theADF. It added, Back in January this year, 90% of the oil extracted offshore “In view of strengthening Kaieteur News reported that the Guyana under a 2016 production available regarding the costs ofthisnaturehavegoneunfulfilled. government systems and natural Audit Office of Guyana will be sharing agreement (PSA) that associated with the exploration Given the government’s resource governance, it is boosting its capacity with a new Guyana’s Vice President, Dr. wells being drilled offshore posture on criticisms about recommended that GYEITI MSG eight-member body this year Bharrat Jagdeo, has described as Guyana. transparencyissuesintheoilsector, sets up a work plan with different dedicated to conducting oil and gas “shi**y.”

The government has also failed it appears highly unlikely that such government agencies involved in audits.

The agreement allows to notify the public about how each concerns will be incorporated into the extractive sectors namely Auditor General (AG), Deodat ExxonMobil and its partners to liftofcrudeisallocated,thoughthe the amended draft. However, the GGMC, GFC, Department of Sharmatoldthisnewspaperthatthe recover costs, categorised as cost offtaking of each lift is announced Alliance for Change (AFC) has Fisheriestoconsideranyextractive Committee was expected to be oil, up to a limit of 75%. While via the Maritime Administration indicated that it will seek several revenues that should be earmarked established by March. This special assurances have been given that Department(MARAD). amendments to the law in for specific programmes or committee will be tasked with Guyana’s share will increase after To allocate the crude oil among Parliament. geographicregions.” specific functions such as finecost recovery is complete, the the involved parties, the oil lifts are While no specific mention was tuning spending by the specific timeline remains not divided based on calculated Guyana yet to put made of accountability with the Government of Guyana from the unknown Despite the regular shares due to practical limitations. systems in place to show Natural Resource Fund (NRF) or nation’s Natural Resource Fund or required submission of cost reports Instead, each party (Exxon, Hess, how the money from extractive the oil account, stakeholders the oil account, according to by oil companies to the PPP/C CNOOC, and the Government) sectors are used - EITI locally have been disputing the use Sharma. government, no information receives a series of lifts over an of the revenue as there is no record He said: “We are the auditors regarding projections has been extended period, aiming to roughly While Guyana has made ofhowthesefundsarebeingused. for the Natural Resource Fund so disclosed. align with their entitled share. progress on a number of key areas In accordance with Section 16 alltheexpenditurewhenthemoney

The public, the press, and However, the government has not flagged previously by the of the NRF Act, withdrawals from goes into the Natural Resource transparency advocates continue to provided a formula or indication as Extractive Industries Transparency theoilaccountshallonlybeusedto Fundandwhenitcomesoutthere–be denied access to reports towhichentityeachliftisallocated Initiative (EITI), the global body finance “national development like last year, it was US$607 outlining the costs presented by to, leaving the public without the has highlighted the country’s priorities, including any initiative million Budget support to the ExxonMobil to the government, as means to independently determine failure to disclose how revenues aimed at realizing an inclusive government so we will have to well as the rate at which these costs thedistribution. from the extractive industry are green economy and essential auditallthoseexpenditures.” arebeingrecuperated.

As per the Stabroek Block utilized. projects that are directly related to Sharma was asked to elaborate

Despite repeated calls for Production Sharing Agreement

In the Guyana Extractive transparency, these crucial details (PSA), ExxonMobil’s local Industries Transparency Initiative remainundisclosed.Hence,thereis subsidiary, Esso Exploration and (GYEITI)Reportfortheyear2020, no way for the press to Production Guyana Limited it was noted that the country made independently ascertain when (EEPGL), is obligated to submit its no progress on this ‘high priority’ Guyana’s share of production and annualworkprogramandbudgetto rankedissue. revenues will increase, as is often the government Unfortunately, The report details that the EITI claimed. thesereportshaveneverbeenmade Requirement of 7.3 stipulates that

Thereisalsonopublicrecordof publicbytheregulators. themulti-stakeholdergroup(MSG) howExxon’sinitialestimatedcosts When it comes to audits, while can consider agreeing on forseveralofitsprojects,compares the government is implicitly r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s f o r ameliorating the effect of a major on how the team would be tracking to the actual expenses. Thus far, it responsible for conducting regular strengthening government systems naturaldisaster.” this spending since the People’s has been revealed to the public that auditsofthesubmittedcosts,ittook andnaturalresourcegovernance. While the Law is clear as it Progressive Party (PPP) theinitialestimatedcostoftheLiza years for Guyana to initiate its first Moreover, it stated, “the EITI regards utilization of the fund, it government has signaled their Phase One project was US$4.4 cost audit of Exxon’s pre-contract Requirement 5.3 stipulates that the also makes provision for an annual intent to transfer funds from the billion, which later reduced to expenses in 2020 However, multi-stakeholder group is audit to be done with the report NRF to the consolidated fund, US$3.6 billion. However, there has n u m e r o u s d e l a y s a n d encouraged to disclose a made public in the National thereby blending the various been no disclosure regarding how complications have led to description of any extractive Assembly This is provided for revenuestreams. the actual costs of subsequent significant confusion among the revenues earmarked for specific under Section 33 of the 2021 NRF This was a sore concern for projects, such as Liza Phase Two public regarding the final results of programmesorgeographicregions. Act. transparency activists but the (estimated at US$6 billion), Payara the examination of the US$1.6 Thisshouldincludeadescriptionof It states at Section 33 (1) “The AuditorGeneral(AG)clarifiedthat (estimated at US$9 billion), billion in costs In 2022, the the methods for ensuring Minister or any person directed by the Investment Committee will be Yellowtail (estimated at US$10 government also awarded a accountability and efficiency in the Minister shall publish on the tasked with outlining the projects billion), and the forthcoming Uaru contract to audit an additional theiruse.” website of the Ministry and fundedbyoilmoney project (estimated at US$12 7 US$7.3 billion in costs, with the Be that as it may, the generally make available to the He explained: “If you look at billion), compare to Exxon’s initial final report expected in March. transparency watchdog institution public – (a) the annual report, the various committees that they estimates Additionally, no Despite promises of making the explained that the Amerindian audited financial statements and (government)setup,oneofthe disaggregated information is results public, previous assurances Development Fund (ADF) which external auditor’s report on the (Continued on page 15)

From page 14 repayment of loans taken today, is committeesthatIthinkhasbeenset falling into the same trap as did up will determine how the money GhanaandNigeria,forexample.” will be spent, so you will have to

Lawrence pointed out that check with the committees at the external public has grown steadily BoG (Bank of Guyana) that is since the People’s Progressive overseeing the Natural Resource Party (PPP) took office in August Fund They would have that 2020. responsibility to say okay we are

This year, Guyana’s national going to be building x, y and z. So, debt is set to increase by $79 inotherwords,thisCommitteewill billion. Vice President Bharrat say exactly how it was spent. We Jagdeo had expressed the view that would then check to verify while the revenue from the oil whatever they say that the money sector is “not much” presently, the was used for that it went to the government is still taking loans projectintended.” now for development and will pay

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo back later when it has the “capacity wasaskedforanupdateontheaudit todoso”. of the NRF during a press

“…So it’s a combination of conference last month but he spending what we have, and a directed the media to the judicious set of borrowing, where Committees established to monitor we know based on future capacity theaccount. wecanrepay”,Jagdeosaid.

EITI

The Alliance For Change

Guyana was suspended from (AFC) on Friday said that the the body on February 1, 2023 for ‘Bharrat Economics’will doom the failing to submit a report country’s development as the documenting revenues received by existential threat of the climate the State from the extractive sector crisis will see a major shift away fortheperiod2020. keeping with the provisions of the us219m-in-royalties-profit-oil-in- stood at US$3.654 billion. Finance fromtheuseoffossilfuelsby2030.

OnJuly4,2023,theEITIBoard NaturalResourceFundActof2021 first-three-months-for-2023/ Minister, Dr Ashni Singh had also With an already volatile market decided to lift the suspension has revealed that the country has If this is added to the second revealed during his Budget Speech where the oil prices have been following Guyana’s publication of received an additional US$438 quarterearnings,itwouldmeanthat that this was an increase of 16.9 fluctuating with influence from the the report. President Irfaan Ali in a millioninprofitoilandroyaltiesfor so far approximately US$657 percentcomparedto2021. European war, the political party brief statement said government the periodApril 1, 2023 to June 30, million has been deposited into the As Guyana continues to earn worriesthatthecountry’sprospects was pleased as he disclosed the 2023. NRFforthefirsthalfof2023. more revenue from the production could be bleak with the current countrypublisheditsreportonJune According to the Government Research conducted by of its newfound oil wealth, the regimeinoffice. 30 within five months of the six- Notice published in the Official Kaieteur News revealed that country has also scaled up its monthdeadline. Gazette on July 4, 2023, Guyana Guyana has already signed close to borrowing from multilateral and Guyana lacks clear

The EITI Board approved received five payments of profit oil US$1 billion in loans already for bilateral partners to fund various development plan to reduce Guyana’s application to join the andoneroyaltypaymentduringthe the year This means that the development projects and poverty - Int’l Energy Analyst EITI at its meeting in Manila on 25 period. countryhasbynowborrowedtwice initiatives. ...as huge chunk of Budget October,2017. This newspaper understands as much as it has earned from oil This stance however lands the focuses on infrastructure projects EITI sets out to promote an that the country’s profit oil productionforthesecondquarterof nation in a dangerous trap, quite understanding of natural resource amounted to US$385,693,016.22 theyear similar to the one that ensnared oil- Although Guyana is positioned management,strengthenpublicand from both the Liza One and Liza In March, the government producing states like Nigeria and as the fastest growing economy on corporate governance and TwoprojectsintheStabroekBlock, signed three loans with the Inter- Ghana, as was highlighted by earth as a result of the oil accountability,andprovidethedata operated by Esso Exploration and American Development Bank Opposition Member of Parliament production activities that to inform policymaking and multi- Production Guyana Limited (IDB) totaling US$205M to (MP)andformerMinisterofPublic commenced in 2019, almost 50 stakeholder dialogue in the (EEPGL), the subsidiary of U.S oil strengthen the country’s healthcare Health, Volda Lawrence, during percent of the population still lives extractivesector giant, ExxonMobil Meanwhile, system, build roads and enhance thisyear’sBudgetDebates. on less than $1,000 per day,

By becoming a member of the Guyana earned an additional infrastructure. She told the House, “Sir, the according to recent World Bank Extractive Industries Transparency US$53,256,878 46 in its lone In May, the administration government’s eschewing the use of statistics. Initiative (EITI), countries commit royalty payment for the second signed a US$200M Framework the burgeoning natural resource As the revenues continue to to disclose information along the quarter Agreement with the Islamic funds, in preference to borrowing trickle in from the production of oil extractive industry value chain – In total, the country received Development Bank for the from any and all sources, on the in the Stabroek Block, the from how extraction rights are US$438,949,894 68 from its reconstruction of the Soesdyke- assumption that oil prices will GovernmentofGuyana(GoG)is awarded, to how revenues make resources in the second quarter of LindenHighway Laterthatmonth, remain high, thus allowing easy (Continued on page 16) their way through government and the year The Production Sharing PresidentIrfaanAliannouncedthat howtheybenefitthepublic. Agreement (PSA) Guyana inked government had secured a US$350

In each country that has joined with ExxonMobil and its partners, million loan from Qatar to extend theEITI,amulti-stakeholdergroup HessandCNOOCstipulatethatthe the Schoonord to Crane four-lane composed of government, country must be paid a royalty of roadallthewaytoParika. companies and civil society, twopercentontheresourcessold. In June, the PPP administration supports implementation of the The fiscal terms also allow the inked another US$150 million loan EITIStandard. oil companies to recover a agreement with the Kingdom of whopping75percentoftherevenue Saudi Arabia to develop the local

MONDAY earned towards the cost to develop housingandinfrastructuresectors. the resources. The remaining 25 The four loans combined Second quarter oil percentprofitisthensharedequally amount to US$905 million. In the revenue released... between Guyana and the meantime, the government is US$657M received for companies. This means Guyana awaiting another loan approval this year but US$905M receives14.5percentoftherevenue soon from the United States Export already racked up in debts while the oil companies benefit Import (EXIM) Bank for US$646 fromthelion’sshare. million in financing for its Gas-toGuyana has so far received It was reported that in the first Energy(GTE)project. US$657 million in oil revenue for quarter of this year, the country When approved, this would the first half of the year, but has received a total of US$219 million increase the total loans for the year already racked up US$905 million in profit oil and royalty so far to a whopping US$1.55 indebtalready https://www kaieteurnewsonline c billion. At the end of 2022, the The Government of Guyana, in om/2023/04/20/guyana-earns- country’s total stock of public debt

Table showing the revenue received by Guyana for the second quarter of 2023.

From page 15

of bringing in new yet to implement a clear investmentfortheoilandgas structuretoimprovethelives field for the Stabroek Block ofitscitizensinthecountry’s and also surrounding poorestcommunities. blocks but when you’re Guyana was recently thinking about structurally f e a t u r e d b y T h e planning, sustainable longNewsmakers, where they term wealth for the flagship current affairs population, I think there’s programme, featuring in- stillalottobedone.Ihaven’t depthreportsandinterviews, seen a plan or a clear delved into the newfound structure of how the money wealth and whether it will is gonna be spent in a way bring prosperity or turmoil. that’s good for the Hostess Andrea Sanke population.” included Director of Energy Weighing in on his view, at Americas Market Financial Analyst, Tom Intelligence, Arthur Deakin, Sanzillo said he believes the as well as Director of government’splanfortheoil Financial Analysis at the revenueistoutilizethefunds construction of new roads development and improve

As a result of the boundary when he moved to Institute of Energy toremaininoffice. and a gas plant is high on thelivesofitspoorcitizens. lopsided terms embodied in the High Court to challenge Economics and Financial Sanzillo reasoned, “The government’s agenda, this Thisisespeciallyevident the contract, Guyanese have theGovernmentofGuyana’s Analysis (IEEFA), Tom budget of Guyana is about may very well be to Exxon’s when one analyses the taxes been protesting for the deal decision to grant extensive Sanzillo and International US$3 6 billion, about a benefit rather than the poor alone that were waived for to be renegotiated to ensure tax waivers to the oil Lawyer,MelindaJankiinthe billion of that came from oil citizensinthecountry ExxonMobil and its partners the country benefits more operatoranditsaffiliates. paneldiscussion. this year The budget’s

To this end, he posited, in 2020- which denotes the from its resources In O M A I d i s c o v e r s Deakin was asked to doubled in the last two years “So what you have is a plan first full year of oil January last year, Kaieteur significant gold deposits in share his views on why from just under two billion and the plan is to use the production in the country News Publisher, Mr Glenn RegionSeven Guyana still has high levels and what you have is large money to keep the existing Guyana’s new Extractive Lall filed a case in Guyana’s Canadian Company, of poverty and why he was expenditures on capital and political structure in power Industries Transparency High Court challenging O m a i G o l d M i n e s optimistic about the the idea that there is no plan, and that’s what gonna be Initiative (EITI) Report, for some of the most repressive Corporation has announced situation.Inhisresponse,the well there is a plan. It’s very done.” the year 2020 has revealed tax provisions of the that within the first six InternationalEnergyAnalyst clear there is no plan to put that the country earned a Stabroek Block PSA with months of 2023 it has drilled e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h e the money away in a

TUESDAY total of $93.77 billion from ExxonMobilanditspartners. 11 holes which showed Government of Guyana has sovereign wealth fund like its extractive industries, It wasn’t until February of significant gold in their made “fruitful decisions” Norway, there is only an Taxes waived for Exxon comprising the oil, gold, this year that the Court Wenot pit, located in Region which led to investments annual budget process and in 2020 more than what diamond, bauxite, timber handed down its ruling, Seven(Cuyuni-Mazaruni). from the ExxonMobil-led that annual budget process Guyana received from and fisheries sectors among upholding the waiver of the In a statement, Omai consortium in the Stabroek includestheoilrevenuesthat extractive industry for others. taxestotheoilcompanies. highlighted additional Block He noted that come in and local leaders same year – EITI Report During the same period, In his application, Mr outstanding drill results, Guyana’s oil sector has been choose how that money gets - country earned the country however waived Lall had contended among noting that a total of 3,569 moving at one of the fastest spent every year and they $93B, lost $107B over$107billionintaxesfor otherthings,thatmanyofthe metres have been completed

paces known in the industry; have been spending it so far the oil and gas sector This provisions listed under in 11 holes in 2023. The however, when it comes to on capital expenditures and As the Government and means, Guyana lost more Article15.1ofthePetroleum results for hole 23ODD-063, translating that wealth to the that is not going to support Opposition continue to hold revenue in taxes than it Agreement, dated June 27, where visible gold was population, this has been the kind of economic back on renegotiation of the earned for that year in its 2016 between the GOG and identified in 37 locations takingsometime.Infact,the development in poorer lopsided Stabroek Block entire extractive sector the oil companies, grant along299metersofcore. specialistpointedoutthatfor communitiesthatyouwant.” deal,Guyanahasbeenlosing According to the EITI 2020 exemptions to persons other It was stated, that hole

the wealth to benefit the According to the billions annually that can be Report,theoilandgassector than licensees, which violate 23ODD-063 is at the west population, it would require International Financial used to fund the country’s accounted for $65 83 B, the Petroleum Exploration end of Wenot, where no structural planning by the E x p e r t , w h i l e t h e mining $26.37 B, forestry and Production Act (PEPA), previous mining was done administration. $1.24 B and the fisheries a n d t h e F i n a n c i a l below the surficial saprolite.

Deakin said, “The industry$0.34B. Administration (and Audit) It also shows multiple gold government lacks a clear

It was noted that, “Total Act. zones within the broad vision, a clear plan on how revenues from the extractive As such, the newspaper Wenot shear corridor, it’s gonna spend the money sector increased by GYD publisher had requested including wide zones of it’s receiving from the oil 54 59 billion, ” when declarations from the Court g o o d g r a d e g o l d revenue so I think there is a compared to the previous that the provisions are mineralization extending to l o t o f r o o m f o r year- 2019. The increase in unlawful, null and void, and surface. improvement.” revenue earned by the ofnolegaleffect. According to Omai, the

Following up on this extractive industry was as a In his ruling however, width and the down dip view, Sanke pointed out that result of the new petroleum Justice Nareshwar Harnanan extension of this zone and Guyana’s Head-of-State, Dr production activities income said the minister is vested the additional zones, bode Irfaan Ali has indicated that which grew by $51 62 withthepowerunderSection extremely well for a the oil will not become a billion. 51 of the PEPA and the potential open pit operation. curse but will benefit the

Based on the provisions Petroleum (Exploration and These wide zones of gold population She therefore of the 2016 Production Production) (Tax laws) to mineralization occur within asked the Energy Analyst to Sharing Agreement (PSA) grant EEPGL, CNOOC altered, sheared and veined explain his belief that there Guyana has agreed to make Nexen Petroleum Guyana z o n e s w i t h i n t h e was no clear structure in taxpaymentsonbehalfofthe Limited, and Hess Guyana metasedimentary package, placefortherevenuetoreach Stabroek Block partners Exploration Limited, all whereas historical mining at the poorest citizens in the The contract stipulates at companies that are parties to Wenot was predominantly country Article 15.4 that the sum the case, concessions of within the volcanics on the

To this end, Deakin equivalent to the taxes owed extensivetaxexemptions. northern side of the main noted, “Of course, the by the companies will be F o r i t s p a r t , Wenotshearcontact. government is going to say paid by the Minister ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Omai Chief Executive that they are doing a really responsible for Petroleum to Esso Exploration and O ff i c e r ( C E O ) a n d good job, they wouldn’t

the Commissioner General Production Guyana Limited President, Elaine Ellingham, admit that they are not and of the Guyana Revenue (EEPGL)hadcontendedthat said“Theseimpressivenew there is a lot of credit for Authority(GRA). Lall stepped outside his (Continued on page 58) what they are doing in terms

Table showing tax exemptions granted to oil companies since 2015

ExerciseTradewinds2023opens

...with over 1,500 security force personnel from 20 countries participating

With some 1,500 while developing Standard security force Operating Procedures (SOPs) to personnel from 20 enhance the ability to defend

n a t i o n s Exclusive Economic Zone and participating, Exercise Tradewinds increase maritime domain 2023 was on Saturday officially awarenesstodeterillicitactivities. declaredopen.

Exercise Tradewinds 2023 is

The opening ceremony was being sponsored by the United held at Drill Square, Base Camp States Southern Command Ayanganna,Georgetown. (USOUTHCOM) and commenced

Opening the simple, yet on July 14 and will conclude on significant ceremony was Major July28,2023.

Jaime Castello, Guyana’s lead

Meanwhile, Chief of Staff of planner for the exercise who said the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) that Guyana is very pleased to once BrigadierGeneral,OmarKhansaid againbethehostnation. this year’s exercise holds particular

Major Castello detailed that significance as it encompasses over the coming days, several comprehensive disaster risk training activities, workshops, and management training, along with joint exercises in ground training, simulated oil spill scenarios. He m a r i t i m e t r a i n i n g , a n d noted that the inclusion of these humanitarian assistance and critical components underscores disaster relief training in oil spills “ourrecognitionoftheever-present and flooding responses will take threats posed by natural disasters place. He said this year a diverse and environmental hazards, group of individuals, each bringing through rigorous training like what a unique perspective, skills, and w e w i l l b e d o i n g a n d experiences to the table have been preparedness.” assembled. Major Castello noted Brigadier Khan said that he, that Exercise Tradewinds offers a therefore, expects all of the valuable platform for knowledge participating troops to make use of exchange, cross-cultural these opportunities this Exercise u n d e r s t a n d i n g , a n d t h e Tradewinds will bring. The Army developmentoflastingfriendships. Chief added that the opportunities

“Exercise Tradewinds is not afford participants an invaluable just a military exercise, its about platform for the exchange of fostering, understanding, building knowledge, best practices, and trust and promoting peace lessons learned in these crucial Together we can make a lasting domains “For sure, it would impact on regional security and enhance our own capability and create a safer world for future regional capacity to address generations. To our visiting partner challenges, the challenges nations, I encourage you to enjoy mentioned,”

allthewondersGuyanahastooffer

The Chief of Staff concluded if time permits… I welcome you to that “For Guyana, a budding oilthe opening ceremony of Exercise producing nation, this particular Tradewinds2023,”hementioned. exercise comes at a significant ExerciseTradewinds which has moment in our history and we are beenoccurringannuallysince1984 grateful for these training is a Caribbean- focused training opportunities we will operate programme which is designed to alongside our regional colleagues. forsuccess.”

General Williams Thigphen, who said that Tradewinds 2023 will improve readiness by expanding Exercise Tradewinds provide us Alsodeliveringbriefremarksat noted that their presence at the showcase partnerships among regionalcapabilitytomitigate,plan with the opportunity to have the opening ceremony was the exercise is to demonstrate their 1,500 security personnel from 20 for, and respond to crises by successful intervention when we Commanding General of the US enduring relationship and countries in a multidimensional defining them and refining them needtoactandincreaseourchances Southern Command, Major commitment to increasing the exercise covering ground, air, sea, disaster response and preparedness andcyberdomains. throughout the Region as security “The goal of this exercise is to partners. improve the security responses of He mentioned that the participatingCaribbeannationsand participation of more than 1,500 focus on skills building in service members this year interdiction, security, and e x e m p l i f i e s t h e s h a r e d interagency cooperation,” the commitment to one another as their outgoingAmbassadorstated. partnership is strengthened and Participating nations include remains united to share Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, responsibilities as defenders of Guyana, Saint Lucia, SaintVincent common values which includes and the Grenadines, United freedom, human rights, and Kingdom, Jamaica, Mexico, Saint democracy Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, “Tradewinds 2023 is key to Dominican Republic, Canada, leveraging the capabilities of like- Bahamas, and Antigua and minded countries to reach common Barbuda. Also, inter-governmental goals and strengthen regional organizations such as the stability Our partnerships are built C a r i b b e a n C o m m u n i t y

on trust and understanding to (CARICOM), the Caricom provide a safe and secure Implementation Agency for Crime environment for our shared and Security (IMPACS), Regional neighbourhood,” the Commanding Security System (RSS), and the Generalshared. Caribbean Disaster Emergency US Ambassador to Guyana, Management Agency (CDEMA) Sarah-Ann Lynch in her remarks areparticipating.

Some of the troops who have arrived in Guyana recently to participate in Exercise Tradewinds 2023. (Photo courtesy, Guyana Defence Force)

New Well at Diamond expected to be completed in three months

- GWI urges residents to be patient

Drilling has commenced Executive Officer, Shaik Baksh, residents, Mr Baksh expressed to the ongoing developments in also undergoing an upgrade, which for a new well at andassuredDiamondresidentsthat GWI’s understanding of the Diamond, a new well has been includes the installation of two

Diamond, East Bank GWI is doing everything in its hardships they are facing and completed in Eccles, which will additional filters. There are also Demerara, following the collapse power to expedite the completion apologized for the inconvenience benefitresidentsinthatcommunity plans to establish a new well in the ofanoldwellinMaythatservedthe ofthenewwell. causedbythesituation. and extend to Providence community community “I want to assure Diamond Heurgedtheresidentstoremain Furthermore, the treatment plant in Thegovernmenthasapproveda

Despite the efforts of Guyana residents that work has begun on patient, explaining that extensive Eccles is being upgraded with two $1 3B project to install Water Inc. (GWI) engineers to drilling the new well, and our team effortsareunderwaytoenhancethe additional filters, and plans are transmission lines from Grove to revive the old well, it proved is working around the clock to water infrastructure on the East underway to lay transmission lines Eccles, with the aim of bolstering unsuccessful, prompting the utility complete this project,” said Bank,includingtheDiamondarea. that will provide treated water to the supply of treated water Mr to undertake the drilling of a new MinisterCroal.

Currently, residents receive residents, including those in new Bakshhopesthatwithinonemonth, well in order to restore normal The well is being dug to a depth water between 04:30-09:00hrs in h o u s i n g a r e a s T h e s e contractors will be able to mobilize watersupplytoresidentsassoonas of 800 feet and is expected to the morning and 14:30-21:00hrs in improvementsareestimatedtocost the necessary materials and possible. provide a water supply of theafternoon. $800M. manpower to commence this

According to GWI, the drilling approximately 220 cubic feet per Once the new well is In Covent Garden, drilling for a project. of the new well is being carried out minute. completed, residents can anticipate new well is currently in progress An investment of over $5B is by the entity’s in-house team, who Despite the significant ongoing significant improvements in water and is expected to be completed being made to improve water areworkingtirelesslydayandnight infrastructure developments in the pressureandamorereliablesupply next month. Additionally, work is supply and the quality of treated to complete the project within a water sector, immediate action was TheGovernmentofGuyanahas scheduled for August to upgrade waterinallthehousingareasonthe three-monthtimeframe. taken to secure a rig for drilling the allocated significant funds to the treatment plant with two more EastBankofDemerara.

Minister of Housing and Water, new well after the collapse of the improve water access and quality filters, increasing its capacity to Similar improvements will be CollinCroal,visitedthedrillingsite oldone. on the East Bank of Demerara and producetreatedwater carried out on the East Coast of onSaturdayalongsideGWI’sChief Addressing the affected throughout the country. In addition The treatment plant in Grove is Demerara.

More smart classrooms for primary schools on the horizon

Te n m o r e s m a r t Schools, as well as St classrooms will soon be Stanislaus College, all have established in primary smartclassrooms. schools, President Irfaan Ali President Irfaan Ali announced last week at a disclosed that 4,737 press conference held at computing devices were OfficeofthePresident. procured and distributed to

The President said that teachers and students, to the move to establish more date,acrossthecountry smart classrooms is in Although lectures can be k e e p i n g w i t h h i s recorded in advance and be government’s strategic shown at a later time, the education development plan goal of the smart classroom to transform the sector is to create a setting that through Information encourages greater teacherCommunication Technology studentinteraction. (ICT). “Ten smart classrooms

Smart classrooms enable were established at technology-enhanced secondary schools to learning and help to improve facilitate the integration of how children learn and how ICT into the teachingteachersdeliverlessons. learning process. Ten more pupils on the coast and those educationcountrywide. and broadcast This is College of Education President’s College, smart classrooms will be in the hinterland would be “As part of our efforts to important in ensuring equity (CPCE), Turkeyen Campus Queen’s College, Leonora, established at the primary supported with the use of expand and enhance the in education,” President Ali for both face-to-face Moraikobai, Christianburg, levelshortly.” smartclassrooms. coverage of the Guyana underlined. interaction and online Charity, New Amsterdam, T h e M i n i s t r y o f The government remains Learning Channel, 91 solar A total of 102 students instruction to promote e-

efforts

smart classroom

reduce keen on ensuring improved systems have been installed from the hinterland were learning for those students.

to and 1,353 lessons developed housed at the Cyril Potter (DPI)

GWI CEO Shaik Baksh, in the presence of Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal, speaks about the works being done on the new well at Diamond and on the East Bank of Demerara

Workers at the Diamond, EBD site.

A

Govt.hasalreadytaken US$1billionfromoilaccount

The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government has already drawn more than US$1 billion from the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) since it began withdrawals in 2022 ThisincludesaUS$607millionremoval for the 2022 Budget and part of an approved US$1 billion for the 2023 budget The initial half of this latter sum, a sizable US$400 million,hasalreadybeenwithdrawninthefirst halfoftheyear

These substantial revenues originate from royalties and profit oil sales from ExxonMobil’s production in the offshore Stabroek Block, and they are being used to driveGuyana’sdevelopment

Guyana is rich in natural resources, not onlysignificantoilandgasreservesbutalsoa varietyofmineralsandvastforestcover The oil boom is prompting an increase in infrastructure investment, supporting the development of additional industries, includingagriculture.

However,despiteallofthis,andtheWorld BankrecentlyreclassifyingGuyanaasahighincome economy, questions remain about whetherthisincomewilltangiblyimprovethe livesoftheGuyanesepeople TheWorldBank states, “Guyana has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies with the development of its oil and gas sector The government’s aggressive investment programme seeks to structurally transform thenon-oileconomy

Nevertheless,Guyana’sincreasingreliance on the oil and gas sector, a weak institutional base, and a fragile political environment pose significantriskstolong-termdevelopment”

It said despite Guyana’s resource wealth,

Guyana faces substantial challenges Around half of the population was living below US$550adayin2019,andissuesofpoverty andsocialexclusionareparticularlysevere in Guyana’s hinterland and among Amerindians Limited access to basic serviceshasbeenapersistentproblem.

Recently, Guyana’s President Dr Mohamed IrfaanAli held a press conference, during which he pointed to significant achievements and plans by the government, includinginhealthandeducation

Whilethegovernmenthasinstitutedmany fruitful policies, which would undoubtedly improve the lives of many, the government’s methodsoftrackingandquantifyinginequality - if it is using such a thing - are opaque. The governmentoftenrejectsassertionsthatthere is discrimination or unequal benefit from Guyana’sdevelopment.

However,theclassificationofGuyanaasa high-income economy by the World Bank, coupled with the harsh reality of poverty, suggeststhattherearesignificantdisparitiesin the distribution of wealth, which must be addressedasapriority

Thewealthinequalitybecomesevenmore striking when one considers the rural-urban divide More than 70% of the working-age population resides in rural areas, engaged in sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and fishing,whicharelesslucrativecomparedto theoilandgassector

In light of this stark contrast between resourcewealthandGuyana’ssocio-economic challenges, the question persists: Will the spendingoftheoilmoneyresultinabetterlife forALLGuyanesepeople-andwhen?

Waterfalls The Waterfalls

Young Student Leads the Way in Guyana’s Fight for a Substance-Free Society

Economic crisis in Venezuelan propels artist to fulfill childhood dreams in Guyana Venezuelan propels artist to fulfill childhood dreams in Guyana

AnTara Massage Studio: From Passion to Purpose a Decade of Massage Therapy Excellence

- An Exclusive Interview with CEO Avinash Deonarine

IssiBaby posing for the cameras during a music video shoot.

The DarkHours intheNight

By Christal Yong

In the mystique hours of the night When everyone lay sleeping I’m wide awake, Like a sheep without a shepherd.

Thoughts of wanting the aggrieved to get justice

The wolves of this world come with such a rush

To crush the hearts of purity and compassion. These menaces steal away the innocence from the hearts that were once pure

They lure you in with their deceptive lies. Lies so sweet even the skeptic believes These wolves come in sheep’s clothing Plotting their scheme to plunder and destroy

Thoughts of their evil are hidden in the stygian darkness. Why can people be so heartless? You prey on the helpless Take advantage of their vulnerability, Without considering of the damage you’ve caused them.

I lie awake in the still hours of the night… Wondering how can we can accept this travesty!

I lie away at night thinking it is time we make it right. Let justice prevail and let this heartless monster pay for his misdeeds! You deserve no less; a young blossom defiled; innocence taken so callously

Billboard’s Weekly Music Guide: New Music from Billie Eilish, Post Malone, Jung Kook@Latto and More

Check out the must-hear releases of the week

(Billboard) Billboard’s weekly The “seven” that Jung Kook sings most riveting moment on 222 comes MusicGuideservesasahandyguideto about on his delightful new track refers as the rising NYC rapper is staunchly the week’s most essential releases — to the days of the week he’ll be on his own vividly recalling the the key music that everyone will be committed to “loving” his significant paranoid moments and secondtalking about today, and that will be other(atleastinthecleanversionofthe guessed movements before his 2022 dominating playlists this weekend and track), while Latto slides in with some shooting on “June 22nd.” Thankfully beyond. Tjay survived that harrowing

This week, Billie Eilish questions incident, and has turned it into her dolled-up mortality, Post Malone creative inspiration: on 222, he tells turns orchestral and Jung Kook links his story with more captivating detail with Latto for a throwback jam. than ever, examining his past and Check out all of this week’s picks looking ahead to what promises to be below: abrightfuture.

Billie Eilish, “What Was I Made For?”

There’s your standard soundtrack song — a track either written with a loose tie-in to a film or TV show, or a previously releasedsinglenewlyglommedon to a project — and then there’s Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?,” in which the supers highlights the Barbie soundtrack embodying the titular character proceeding to undergo an existential crisis.“Takingadrive,Iwasanideal /Lookedsoalive,turnsoutI’mnot real,” Eilish sings, a career of upendingpop-starnormsleading to this self-examining character study; the best part of “What Was I Made For?” is that the

Karol G. “S91” song, like all great soundtrack

In a few weeks, Karol G will singles, can be thematically tied embark on what will likely be the to its host project but also stands biggestperformancesofhercareerto on its own, another triumphant date when she headlines football ballad in a career that has already stadiums across the U.S.; the live run hadplentyofthem. will continue a year that has been

Post Malone. “Overdrive” record-shattering for the superstar,

By the time the whistle bridge and new single “S91” would have arrives on Post Malone’s “Overdrive,” succeeded had it simply been a pre- c h e e k y flirtations based the latest offering from his upcoming tourvictorylap.Fortunately,thetrack around the calendar (“You make album Austin, it’s been made builds upon the high standard she set Mondays feel like weekends / I make abundantly clear how far Posty has withMananaSeraBonito,featuringa him never think about cheating”). roamed from his hip-hop-leaning delicious beat switch and an “Seven” contains a winning retro vibe, beginnings: like previous singles understated yet effective vocal harkening back to a mainstream era in “Chemical” and “Mourning,” his latest performance before arriving at a whichsingersandrappersjoinedforces track features more warbling than spoken-word breakdown in the final forapieceofrhythmicpop—andJung rapping,but“Overdrive”thrivesthanks minute.

Kook capably plays the vocal star, to a 14-piece string orchestra, which

Coco Jones feat. Justin showcasing his full range on this radio- accentuates the drama of his loneliness Timberlake, “ICU (Remix)” readyjam. andlongingtorevivearelationship. “ICU”hasdonewondersforCoco

Lil Tjay,222

Throughouthiscareer,PostMalone Jones’ recording career: released last Although Lil Tjay’s new album has defined himself by a refusal to rest October,theformerDisneyChannel features guest stars like Polo G, on laurels, and “Overdrive” admirably

Summer Walker, YoungBoy Never pusheshisstoryforward.

BrokeAgain and The Kid LAROI, the Jung Kook feat. Latto, “Seven”

(Continued on page 29)

Billie Eilish

Post Malone

Jung Kook

Lil Tjay

Karol G

Coco Jones and Justin Timberlake

HAITI URGENTLY NEEDS A GENUINE AND REPRESENTATIVE TRANSITIONAL GOVT.

By:Sir.RonaldSanders

(The writer is Antigua Barbuda’s Ambassador the United States and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at University of London Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely own.)

Haiti’s non-elected President, Dr Ariel Henry been identified as a significantpartofthecurrent crisis in Haiti. Henry and a small clique, who surround are hardly running the fairsofthestate.Indeed,as armed gangs control more 60 per cent of Port-aunce and the main corridors throughout Haiti, disappearance of the isobvious.

However, Henry and his appointed government have n dismantling what mained of Haiti’s democraticinstitutions.

As a coalition of U.S. d law school clinics describe it, “As of January 2023, there is no longer a single elected official at any l of government in Haiti.”

In the meantime, Henry beenaccusedbytheU.S. schoolclinics,including Harvard Law School, and rs of taking illegal actions, which are designed prolong his non-elected as President. In March, Henry illegally named eight justices to Haiti’s highest court,theCourdeCassation, ermining the court’s itimacy to check e c u t i v e p o w e r

Additionally, in December 2, he organized a ational Consensus Document for an Inclusive nsition and Fair Elections”.

The document hardly ected a “national consensus” in which key human rights organizations political actors were excluded – a serious flaw which has been ignored by ispheric and regional ganizations.

T h i s u n p o p u l a r ument would help to consolidate Henry’s power allowing him to pack the Cour de Cassation, Haiti’s Supreme Court, with his dpicked persons, and ting in place an unconstitutional Provisional ctoral Council to nize and superintend sidential and other tions Haitian civil

society, in many public s t a t e m e n t s , a n d presentations to members of the U S executive and legislative branches and to diplomats in the U S , Canada and France have madeitclearthattheyobject to the December 2022 document.

Accordingtoastatement made by the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at their 50th anniversary meeting in Trinidad from July 3 to 5, Henrytoldthem“thathewill not seek election but will head a Transition Government to secure the arrangements to transition thecountryfromthesecurity andhumanitariancrisesuntil the holding of credible, free andfairelections”. Insiders revealthatthisstatementhad to be extracted from Henry who resisted being asked to makesuchastatementonthe basis that “Haiti is a sovereigncountry”.

In any event, while CARICOM leaders say, officially, that Henry has madethisstatement,heisyet to make such a public statement to the Haitian people.

Furthermore,thefactthat he and his close group are alone establishing elections machinery assures civil society and political parties in Haiti that “credible, free and fair elections” are impossible.

Significantly, in an article,publishedintheNew York Times on 13 July, an e x p e r i e n c e d a n d knowledgeable expert on Haitian affairs, Jake Johnston, as senior research associate at the Centre for Economic and Policy Research, pointed out that “Henry has close links to a prime suspect in the assassination (of former President Jovenel Moïse)”. Johnston reveals the following troubling information: “The former chief prosecutor overseeing the assassination case in

Haiti called Mr Henry to testify He refused and then called the justice minister and told him to fire the prosecutor When the minister refused, Mr Henry fired both. Since then, an audio recording of the judge overseeing the case was leakedtoCNN.

“Arielisaprimesuspect of Jovenel Moïse’s assassination, and he knows it,” the judge can be heard saying. “Do you think I can touchArielnow?”

Meanwhile Haiti continues to descend into chaos,lawlessnessandwide scale human suffering. The World Food Programme says half of Haiti’s population is experiencing hunger; there is no functioning criminal justice system, there are no trials and 85 per cent of prisoners have never been tried; the onlyelectricitygenerationin the country comes from a private company owned by an elite Hattian family; between January and March this year, there have been 398 kidnappings and 1,634 violent assaults – including murders and rapes – took place in Port-au-Prince; manypeopleinHaitihaveno birth certificate and no identity papers; officially they do not exist; one hospital in the Canape Vert neighbourhood, south of the Capital, reports that it treats more than 10 patients wounded by gunshots every day

The Haitian people cannot rely on their government for the basic services that every government is obliged to provide to its people. The state has long since collapsed.

Despiteallthis,thefocus of the international community throughout this worseningcrisishasbeenon whether or not to provide military support to the Haitian Police which is the principalrequestoftheAriel Henryregime.Itisarequest

deeplyfearedwithinHaitias arusetomaintaintheregime in office, and, consequently, tocontinuetheincapacityto addressthedireconditionsin whichtheHaitianpeopleare forcedtoekeoutamiserable life.

Haitian human rights groups and others, who yearn for a better life, do want the restoration of security, but they also want justiceandaccountabilityby a government they elect and on which there must be checks and balances, including free and fair elections Therefore, the start of any international responsetotheHaitiancrisis mustbetheestablishmentof a legitimate transitional government, comprising representatives of civil societyandpoliticalparties.

After three days of a failedmeetingfrom11to13 June in Jamaica – which

Henry had to be cajoled to attend –it was obvious that hehasnointerestin genuine power sharing.

On the gangs in Haiti, it should be recalled that they were created by members of rival political parties and elite oligarch families for their own purposes. Fed by the greed and ambitions of others, they have become forces with lives of their own.

Dealing with them requires careful strategies andevennegotiationswhich are best left to a transitional government that enjoys the confidence of a broad cross sectionoftheHaitianpeople.

To give the country the chance it desperately needs, andwhichDr.Henryclearly cannot provide, he should consider stepping aside to

facilitate the convocation willing parties to appoint transitional government which neither he nor member of his pres regime should participate, unless agreed and accepted by the broad-bas grouping.Andthatshould the transitional government which should provide international commun with the country’s priority needs, giving ev safeguardagainstcorruption and political misuse resources.

Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e www.sirronaldsanders.com

Sir. Ronald Sanders

Court Journal THE

Two child rapists sentenced to life

According to reports, on were sentenced to life

OnThursday, two child rapists

January 27, 2021, Samuels imprisonment The sentencing touched the girl inappropriately judgegrantedoneparoleonlyafter before raping her After she was serving30years,whiletheotheris raped, the child told her mother noteligibleforparole. andthematterwasreportedtothe

Wesley Bazil called “Trappy”, police. a shopkeeper, was on Thursday

The victim impact statement sentenced to life for raping a 15- was read to the court by the year-old girl. After he was found victim. The child told the court guilty of the crime, last month, that what Samuels did to her has Bazil had attempted suicide in scarred her and changed her life court. significantly The victim, who is

On Thursday, he was now 16, told the court that sentenced by High Court Judge Samuels took her confidence Justice Navindra Singh at the awaybeforecallinghim“dirt.”

DemeraraSexualOffencesCourt.

Forhispart,Samuelspleaded

At the sentencing hearing, the with the court to be lenient with court also heard that Bazil was him, after saying that he is sorry secure his freedom. It should be convicted of a similar crime in Nefeeza Baig, Tiffani Lyken and hospital in an unconscious for for what happened. He begged noted that according to Samuels’ New Jersey, United States, and Praneta Seeraj. In her address to medicalattention. Justice Singh to impose a light probation report, he maintained after serving his time, he was the court State Prosecutor, Tiffani Moreover, thirty-two-year-old sentenced so that he can be able to hisinnocenceofthecrime. deportedtoGuyana. Lyken, reminded the court of the Mark Samuels who was found be a part of his two minor

By Renay Sambach

At the sentencing hearing, the

Also, the victim impact nature, gravity and prevalence of guilty last month for raping a 13- daughters’life. judge sentenced Samuels to life statement was read to the court. the offence. She even asked the year-old girl, was on Thursday However, in response, Justice imprisonment, adding that he is Thevictimsaidthatbeingsexually court to impose a sentence that sentencedtolifefortheoffence. Singh asked Samuels “How can only eligible for parole after assaulted was the most would send a strong message to Samuels was sentenced by you be sorry for something you serving30yearsbehindbars. traumatizing experience which deterlike-mindedoffenders. High Court Judge Justice claimyoudidnotcommit?”

In this matter, the State was hasimpactedherlife. For his part, Justice Singh in Navindra Singh, also at the The judge added that he thinks representedbyTiffiniLyken.

The victim also told the court his remarks highlighted that Bazil DemeraraSexualOffencesCourt. Samuels will say anything to that being sexually assaulted pleaded not guilty to the charges, affected her to the point where she which resulted in the victim going droppedoutofschoolandengaged to trial. The judge called Bazil a in self-harm. The court also heard calculated predator who showed that she frequently ran away from noremorseforwhathehasdoneto home. the child. Justice Singh then

According to reports, during imposedthelifesentenceonBazil, the month of December 2020, the noting that he is not eligible for child would visit Bazil’s shop parole. where he sexually assaulted her. Last month, a 12-member jury

DuringthemonthofJanuary2021, foundBazilguiltyoftwocountsof the child was sent to Bazil’s shop rape. The jury returned with the and when she arrived, Bazil took verdict some three hours after her to the back of his yard and deliberating. raped her Two months later, the After the verdict was child’s parents found messages in announced, Bazil attempted her phone with her confiding in a suicide. He took out a razor blade, friend about being sexually and attempted to slit his own assaultedbyBazil. throat. However, swift action by

In this case, the state was the court officers averted a represented by prosecutors tragedy Bazil was rushed to the

Jailed, Wesley Bazil

Jailed, Mark Samuels

How to Remove Red Wine Stains from Upholstery and Other Sturdy Fabrics

(Taste of Home)Wine is tea, berries and dyes, stain with a clean napkin or baking soda applied to the one of life’s greatest chromogens are the culprits. paper towel. If accessible, stain will help to keep it pleasures—until that glass These compounds cause dab with a bit of sparkling from spreading; just goes tumbling and merlot pigmentationandeasilybind water or white wine. Yes, make sure to vacuum ends up everywhere. But all to fabrics and even teeth. (If you heard that right: Like the residue before hope is not lost! We’ll show you’ve ever had someone bubbly water, white wine applying any other you how to remove red wine describe a red wine as canhelppushthestainoutof techniques. stainsfromanything. “inky,” you getthegist.)The the fabric. Dab again with a One easy mixture

Similar to carpets, if good news is that you can drynapkin. for quick red wine wine spills on a couch or remove a red wine stain, Wineremovalsprayscan stain removal from upholstered chair, first blot oftenwiththingsyoualready help,too,andarebestifused upholstery: Mix three the moisture away Salt or haveonhand. immediately Things like parts hydrogen peroxide baking soda applied to the There are some basic Wine Away, one of the most with one part dish soap. stainwillhelptokeepitfrom rulestofollow First,actfast. popular (you’ll see it at Apply it to the stain with a spreading; just make sure to As soon as red wine hits the almost every good wine clean cloth, wait for 20 vacuum the residue before couch, carpet or skirt, it tasting room!), as well as minutesoruptoanhour,and applying any other spreads outward and Chateau Spill Red Wine blotawaywithaclean,damp techniques. downward into the fabric or Remover or Dr Beckmann cloth.

One easy mixture for upholstery It’s best not to Stain Devils Fruit and Drink quickredwinestainremoval wait and deal with it later will even help after the wine from upholstery: Mix three When working on the stain, staindries. parts hydrogen peroxide don’tscrub—blot. If fresh, blot the wine with one part dish soap. Rubbing will only push stain as much as possible, Apply it to the stain with a the wine stain deeper into and use any of these as clean cloth, wait for 20 the fabric and cause it to directed on the bottle. PS: minutesoruptoanhour,and spread. Adding a bit of These all work on other blotawaywithaclean,damp baking soda or salt can help stubborn food stains, like cloth. sop up some moisture, but tomato sauce, fruit punch or

We’ve all been there. be careful. Leaving salt on berryjuice,too! While enjoying a glass of too long might actually set How to Remove Red Wine cabernetorsyrahatdinneror thestain. Stains from Carpets a p a r t y , s o m e o n e Herearemoretipsforred Like clothing, the faster inadvertently hits the glass winestainremoval. you act when red wine spills andredwineendsupallover How to Remove Red Wine on carpet, the better If your crisp, clean white shirt Stains from Clothing possible, immediately blot or your friend’s brand new All is not lost if you’ve (don’t rub!) the wine with a lightcoloredcarpet.Gah! spilled red wine on your dry towel. Then add salt or Why does red wine stain favorite blouse or your baking soda to stop the so easily? Just like in coffee, boss’s jacket. First, blot the moisturefromspreadingout, and vacuum up the residue. From there, you can use any number of household items to try and remove the red winestain.

Ifyouknowhowtoclean food stains, the same rules apply here, too. Try adding club soda or vodka to the stain, waiting a few minutes, and blotting it away with a dry towel. Dish soap is also your friend Mix 2 tablespoons dish soap with 2 tablespoons white vinegar and 2 cups water, pour a smallamountontheredwine stain, and blot with a clean cloth.

How to Remove Red Wine Stains from Upholstery and Other Sturdy Fabrics

Similar to carpets, if wine spills on a couch or upholstered chair, first blot the moisture away Salt or

Billboard Music Guide: New Music from...

From page 23 Neighborhood, one of the most underrated star’s sensual love song has slowly found an pop albums of the decade, Troye Sivan has online following, helped ensure a best new demonstrated a singular prowess for artist win at the BETAwards and has Jones creating earworms without actively scoring primed for some Grammy consideration. A U.S. hits; he’s had plenty of worthy singles new remix of “ICU” featuring Justin intheyearssince,buthasyettoreachthetop Timberlake should boost her prospects, as 20 of the Hot 100. Hopefully that changes the superstar glides over the R&B with “Rush,” a house music heater that production (“You’ve got a hold on this thing juxtaposes Sivan’s oscillating register with in my chest, babe,” he declares) in a manner ecstatic group chanting and never stops that both recalls The 20/20 Experience and percolating — his first album in five years complementsJones’skillfuldelivery arrives in October, but “Rush” is too Editor’s Pick: Troye Sivan, “Rush” scorching to have been delivered in any Ever since he bowed with 2015’s Blue seasonbutthesummertime.

This Day in History - July 16

Congress declares Washington D.C. new capital

The first atomic bomb test is successfully exploded

On July 16, 1945, at 5:29:45 a.m., the Manhattan Project yields explosive resultsasthefirstatombomb is successfully tested in Alamogordo,NewMexico.

July16,1790

George Washington, who had been in

On July 16, 1790, the young American office just over a year when the capital site Congress declares that a swampy, humid, was determined, asked a French architect muddy and mosquito-infested site on the and city planner named Pierre L Enfant to Potomac River between Maryland and design the capital In 1793, the first Virginia will be the nation’s permanent cornerstones of the president’s mansion, capital “Washington,” in the newly which was eventually renamed the “White designated federal “District of Columbia,” House,” were laid. George Washington, was named after the leader of the American however, never lived in the mansion as it Revolution and the country’s first president: was not inhabitable until 1800. Instead, GeorgeWashington.ItwasWashingtonwho President John Adams and his wife Abigail saw the area’s potential economic and weretheWhiteHouse’sfirstresidents.They accessibilitybenefitsduetotheproximityof lived there less than a year; Thomas navigablerivers.

Jeffersonmovedinin1801.

World’s first parking meter installed

July16,1935

Theworld’sfirstparkingmeter,knownas Park-O-Meter No. 1, is installed on the southeastcornerofwhatwasthenFirstStreet and Robinson Avenue in Oklahoma City, OklahomaonJuly16,1935.

Theparkingmeterwasthebrainchildofa man named Carl C. Magee, who moved to Oklahoma City from New Mexico in 1927. Magee had a colorful past: As a reporter for an Albuquerque newspaper, he had played a pivotal role in uncovering the so-called Teapot Dome Scandal (named for the Teapot DomeoilfieldinWyoming),inwhichAlbert B. Fall, then-secretary of the interior, was immediate debate over the pros and cons of convicted of renting government lands to oil coin-regulated parking. Indignant opponents companies in return for personal loans and of the meters considered paying for parking gifts. He also wrote a series of articles un-American,asitforceddriverstopaywhat exposingcorruptionintheNewMexicocourt amounted to a tax on their cars, depriving system, and was tried and acquitted of them of their money without due process of manslaughter after he shot at one of the law judges targeted in the series during an Despite such opposition, the first meters altercationataLasVegashotel. were installed by the Dual Parking Meter

By the time Magee came to Oklahoma CompanybeginninginJuly1935;theycosta City to start a newspaper, the Oklahoma nickel an hour, and were placed at 20-foot News, his new hometown shared a common intervals along the curb that corresponded to problem with many of America’s urban spaces painted on the pavement. Magee’s areas—a lack of sufficient parking space for invention caught on quickly: Retailers loved the rapidly increasingly number of the meters, as they encouraged a quick automobiles crowding into the downtown turnover

Plansforthecreationofa uranium bomb by the Allies were established as early as 1939, when Italian emigre physicist Enrico Fermi met with U.S. Navy department officials at Columbia University to discuss the use of fissionable materials for militarypurposes.Thatsame discover how to harness the construction of a deliverable year, Albert Einstein signed poweroftheatomasameans bombwereworkedout. a letter to President Franklin of bringing the war to a Finally, on the morning Roosevelt supporting the decisiveend.TheManhattan of July 16, in the New theory that an uncontrolled Project(so-calledbecauseof Mexico desert 120 miles nuclear chain reaction had where the research began) south of Santa Fe, the first greatpotentialasabasisfora would wind its way through atomic bomb was detonated. weaponofmassdestruction. many locations during the The scientists and a few

In February 1940, the early period of theoretical dignitaries had removed federal government granted e x p l o r a t i o n , m o s t themselves 10,000 yards atotalof$6,000forresearch. importantly, the University away to observe as the first But in early 1942, with the of Chicago, where Enrico mushroom cloud of searing United States now at war Fermisuccessfullysetoffthe light stretched 40,000 feet with the Axis powers, and first fission chain reaction. intotheairandgeneratedthe fear mounting that Germany But the Project took final destructive power of 15,000 was working on its own form in the desert of New to 20,000 tons of TNT The uranium bomb, the War Mexico, where, in 1943, tower on which the bomb sat Department took a more Robert J Oppenheimer when detonated was active interest, and limits on begandirectingProjectYata vaporized. resources for the project laboratory at Los Alamos, The question now wereremoved. along with such minds as became—on whom was the Brigadier-General Leslie Hans Bethe, Edward Teller, bomb to be dropped? R. Groves, himself an and Fermi. Here theory and Germany was the original engineer, was now in practice came together, as target, but the Germans had complete charge of a project the problems of achieving already surrendered. The to assemble the greatest critical mass a nuclear only belligerent remaining minds in science and e x p l o s i o n a n d t h e wasJapan.

Amazon opens for business

July16,1995

books might sell well online, he moved to

On July 16, 1995, Amazon officially WashingtonstateandfoundedAmazon. opens for business as an online bookseller HeinitiallydubbedthebusinessCadabra Within a month, the fledgling retailer had (as in abracadabra) but after someone shipped books to all 50 U.S. states and to 45 misheard the name as “cadaver,” Bezos countries. Founder Jeff Bezos’s motto was decided to call his startupAmazon, after the “get big fast,” and Seattle-based Amazon enormousriverinSouthAmerica,amoniker eventually morphed he believed wouldn’t into an e-commerce boxhimintooffering colossus, selling just one type of everything from productorservice. groceries to furniture In the spring of to live ladybugs, and 1995,Bezosinviteda h e l p i n g t o small group of revolutionizetheway friends and former peopleshop. colleagues to check

d

otential business district each day Asked to find a customers–and drivers were forced to accept solutiontotheproblem,Mageecameupwith them as a practical necessity for regulating thePark-o-Meter parking. By the early 1940s, there were more

The first working model went on public than 140,000 parking meters operating in the display in early May 1935, inspiring UnitedStates.

Bezos earned an out a beta version of undergraduate degree in computer science Amazon’s website, and the first-ever order and electrical engineering from Princeton was placed on April 3 of that year, for a University in 1986 then worked in the science book titled Fluid Concepts and financial services industry in New York Creative Analogies. When Amazon.com City.In1994,afterrealizingthecommercial wentlivetothegeneralpublicinJuly1995, potentialoftheInternetanddeterminingthat (Continued on page 45)

Compiled by Richard Francois. (From history.com)

y of Queen Char

Scientists fighting to protect the Santa Fe “gyalis”

By Shervin Belgrave to the

world’s

driest forests, a r t i c l e w r i t t e n b y

thenhoppedbackdowntheir

known as the Dry Chaco. E n v i r o n m e n t burrows with interested

Nothing beats the Santa The Dry Chaco is located in Correspondent, Helen females”. Fe Frog when comes to South America and spans Briggs disclosed that Scientists spent hours carrying home a female after across three countries, Argentinian Conservation digging in their burrows and a night out with the guys. Argentina, Bolivia and scientists braved some 50 found evidence of eggs and Sadly this “sweet boy” Paraguay degrees heat to track down tadpoles for the first time in creature is under threat of A c c o r d i n g t o theSantaFefrogsothatthey thehistoryofscience. becoming extinct and researchers, the Santa Fe canlearnhowitreproduces. Indeed the Santa Fe is scientists are fighting to frog was first discovered

After setting up camera true “gyalis (Caribbean protectitshabitatandsaveits about a century ago but very traps in the Dry Chacos, the slangforsweetboy)”whenit life little is known about its researchers learnt that male comestoscoringchicksafter

The Sante Fe is a species behaviour Santa Fe frogs have a unique anightout. of Leopard-print frog However, recently some way of finding mating According to the (brightlycolouredfrogswith scientists decided to study partners. scientists learning of its leopard like spots) endemic the creature. A BBC science

The BBC article detailed mating pattern is the first that although these creatures step towards protecting is live in underground burrows creaturefromgoingextinct. underground, males would The Santa Fe frog is emerge at nightfall to under threat due to its, advertise their presence habitat, The Dry Chaco They would call loudly from beingcutdown. ponds,streamsoraswampto Scientists are presently let females know that they liais in g w ith lo cal wereliming. community leaders, hunters Females would be and farmers to learn more attracted to calls and hop about the frog and how to overtocheckouttheguyson betterprotectit. display Onceamalerealizes Although the frog is a that a female is interested in “sweet man”, it can also be him, he wastes no time in deadly so if you spot one in shooting his shot and taking the wild beware because it is herhometomakehisbabies. highlytoxic.

The article stated, “The Source of information: team found the males (https://wwwbbc com/news emerged at nightfall to /science-environmentadvertise their presence, and 66001590)

The Santa Fe frog

By Wayne Lyttle

Gentlemen, I acknowledge that discussing this subject may evoke discomfort,yetitisofutmost importance to shed light on it In a world that often glorifies physical attributes, itisunderstandablethatmen mayfeelpressuretoconform to societal beauty standards. Amongtheinsecuritiessome men may harbour, concerns about penis size can be particularly distressing In search of a quick fix, some individuals turn to surgical penis enlargement procedures. However, it is crucial to critically examine the potential risks and limited benefits of such interventions. In this column,wewillexplorewhy men should consider embracing natural confidenceandshiftingtheir focus towards selfacceptance instead of resorting to surgical solutions.

T h e u n r e a l i s t i c expectations and potential disappointment of surgical penis enlargement procedures promise increased length or girth, enticing men with the allure of instant results. However, it is essential to recognize thatexpectationssetbythese procedures are often unrealistic The average length and girth of a penis fall within a normal and healthy range Pursuing surgery purely for cosmetic reasons can lead to disappointment and dissatisfaction if the desired outcomeisnotachieved.Itis crucial to understand that personal satisfaction and sexualprowessarenotsolely determined by the size of one’s genitals but by the overall connection, communication, and emotionalwell-beingshared withapartner

Additionally, surgical penis enlargement procedures come with inherent risks like any other surgical procedure Complications can include infection,scarring,bleeding, and even nerve damage, leadingtopermanentlossof sensation or function

Moreover, the long-term effects and safety of many

Rethinking Surgical Penis Enlargement for Men ACCEPTANCE OF NATURAL CONFIDENCE -

enlargement techniques are still not fully understood, as scientific studies supporting their efficacy are often limited.Engaginginsurgery to alter one’s genitals for cosmeticpurposesshouldbe a carefully considered decision,takingintoaccount the potential risks and consequencesthatmayarise.

Choosing to undergo surgical penis enlargement may temporarily boost confidence levels for some individuals However, this short-lived satisfaction can mask deeper emotional and psychological issues

Seeking external validation through physical alterations canperpetuateacycleoflow self-esteem and reliance on superficialfixes.Ratherthan focusingonalteringphysical appearance, it is crucial for men to address underlying insecurities, cultivate selflove, and build emotional resilience Acceptance of

self-carepracticescanhavea profound impact on selfesteem and sexual fulfillment Building a foundation of trust, emotional connection, and intimacy can greatly outweigh the importance of physical attributes By investinginpersonalgrowth and nurturing healthy relationships, men can find long-lasting fulfillment without resorting to surgical interventions.

W h i l e i t i s understandable that some menmayfeelinsecureabout their penis size, resorting to surgicalpenisenlargementis not a sustainable solution Unrealistic expectations, potentialhealthrisks,andthe emotional implications of such procedures should not be overlooked. Instead, men should focus on cultivating natural confidence, embracing self-acceptance, and fostering meaningful

of education and selfacceptance cannot be understated Society often perpetuates harmful myths and stereotypes regarding penis size, contributing to the insecurities that some menexperience.Itisvitalto challenge these unrealistic standards and promote education surrounding body positivity and selfacceptance By debunking misconceptions and

not be the sole focus

Genuine connection, emotionalcompatibility,and mutual respect form the foundation of a healthy and satisfying partnership

P l a c i n g e x c e s s i v e importanceonpenissizecan overshadowthetrueessence of a fulfilling relationship, which involves trust, communication, and shared experiences. It is important formentoprioritizebuilding emotional connections and fostering intimacy, as these aspects are far more impactful in creating a mutually satisfying sexual experiencethananyphysical alterationcaneverbe.

S u r g i c a l p e n i s enlargement procedures often arise from societal pressures and the desire to conform to a narrow definition of masculinity. It is essential to challenge these norms and redefine what it means to be a confidentandsecureman.

physical alterations, men shouldprioritizetheirmental and emotional wellness Engaging in activities that promote self-care, seeking therapy or counseling, and developing coping mechanisms for managing insecurities can have a profound impact on overall well-being By placing e m p h a s i s o n s e l fimprovement and personal growth, men can enhance their self-esteem, overcome insecurities, and develop a healthy mindset that transcends physical appearance.

one’s body, including its imperfections, is a transformative step towards holistic well-being and true confidence.

Instead of pursuing surgical interventions, men should consider exploring alternative avenues to enhance confidence and satisfaction in their intimate lives.

Open communication with partners, seeking professional counseling or therapy, and engaging in

connections with their partners True satisfaction and fulfillment lie not in altering physical attributes but in building emotional resilience, engaging in open communication, and n u r t u r i n g h e a l t h y relationships Let us embrace the beauty of selfacceptance and redefine the parameters of masculinity based on internal qualities rather than external appearances. However,theimportance

fostering a culture of inclusivity,wecanempower individuals to embrace their bodies and reject the notion that physical attributes define their worth Educating oneself about the normal variations in penis size and understanding that diversity is natural can go a long way in dispelling anxieties and promoting self-confidence.

When it comes to intimate relationships, physical attributes should

True masculinity lies in embracing vulnerability, developing emotional intelligence, and cultivating qualities that promote genuineconnections.

Byrejectingtheideathat physical attributes are the solemeasureofmasculinity, men can free themselves fromthelimitationsimposed by societal expectations and discover a more authentic andfulfillingsenseofself.

Focusing on surgical interventions for penis enlargement can detract attention from addressing underlying emotional wellbeing and mental health Instead of fixating on

S u r g i c a l p e n i s enlargement may promise quick results, but it comes with inherent risks, unrealisticexpectations,and potential emotional implications.Byfocusingon education, self-acceptance, and building meaningful connections, men can find true confidence and satisfaction without resorting to surgical interventions.

Embracing body positivity,challengingsocial norms, and redefining masculinity based on emotional intelligence and a u t h e n t i c i t y a r e transformativestepstowards fostering healthier relationships and overall well-being.

Let us encourage a culture that values selfacceptance, emotional connection, and personal growth, allowing men to embrace their natural selves and find fulfillment beyond the constraints of physical appearance.

An 5S Penile Enlargement Surgery at Proud Urology Clinic

Lessons from a Lashpreneur !!! TAKINGA BREAK FROM LASH EXTENSIONS – IS IT REALLY NECESSARY?

So – you love your lash extensions

They make your facelooksofreshandawake, and it’s just so simple to get readyinthemornings…why wouldyoueverstop?

Clientssometimesaskus whentheyshouldbetakinga break for the sake of their lashhealth.

Their biggest worry is that lash extensions are straining their natural lashes or making them fall faster than they should The answer?

Properly applied eyelash extensions can be worn indefinitely – as long as the lash extension applied is the correct length, weight and thickness for your natural lashes, there’s absolutely no reason why they would be damaged.

Persons have been wearinglashesforyearswith zeroissues.

Remember, your natural lashes work on a cycle exactly like your hair; there are new itty-bitty baby lashes growing constantly,

andolderlashessheddingoff whenit’stheirtimetogo.

I n y o u r i n f i l l appointment, your lash tech will be on the lookout for new lashes that are strong enoughtoholdanextension,

andvoila!You’rebackupto full lash capacity, looking fabulous.

The health of your natural lashes is our first priority If we think that the extension look that you’re

after will damage those lovelynaturallashes,wecan assess them and suggest simple ways to create a similar look without the weight.

We always keep track of your lash health and if any changeshappenwe’llletyou know

Of course, sometimes you just feel like you need a break from extensions, and that’s okay sometimes you needtobeonabreak.

Hereareourgoldenrules on how to recognise (and dealwith!)alashbreak.

REMOVETHEMINA WAYTHATWORKS FORYOU

You have two options with a break: let the lashes shed gradually over time, or pop into the salon to have t h e m r e m o v e d professionally. It takes aroundfivetosixweeksfora typical lash set to shed completely, and even then you might find a few very determinedstragglers.

Ifthisiseasier,we’dsay goforit!

For those wanting to go cold turkey, salon removal best.

ByLatoyaZephyr

It’s a super simpleprocess–atechnician applies a removal serum to yourlashesandslidesoffthe e x t e n s i o n s We ’ d recommend against home removalsforthesakeofyour natural lashes, as you can never quite be sure how successful/non-damaging they’ll be! Our removal products are fast-working, professional products and none of us here would attemptourownremovals.

TRYASERUM

Lashserumsareaclever way of reviving your lash game – these specially formulated solutions are meant to make your natural lashes grow longer and stronger

Most good lash serums contain conditioning and stimulating ingredients, which can improve your lasheswhenusedonthereg.

These products usually

show results after a few weeks, so combining a serum with a break is like a spaholidayforyourlashes!

MAKESURETHE TIMINGISRIGHT

There’s no hard-and-fast rule about how much time you should spend sans extensions, but we’d recommendatleastamonth.

This gives your lash cycle time to reboot itself, with those baby lashes growing through nice and strong.

It also gives any lash serums a chance to really work their magic! Timing your break right up to the week of big event can be a lovely way to treat yourself, especially if you usually rockaglamlook.

Some clients can spend months without lash extensions, some prefer just one–it’salluptoyou!

HOW TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH WITH BRACES

Youcareaboutyourteeth andwantabeautiful,healthy, straight smile: That’s why you got braces! Now you’re faced with the challenge of keepingyourteethcleanand healthy while sporting brackets, wires, and other bitsandpieces.Howdoyou doit?Learninghowtobrush your teeth with braces can take a little practice, but it’s definitelyworthdoingright.

HOWTOBRUSHYOUR TEETHWITHBRACES

Plaque is a biofilm that continually forms on the teeth. A thorough brushing can remove plaque, but any thatismissedwilltransform into tarter, a hard yellow materialthatstainsteethand can only be removed by a dental professional

Unfortunately, wearing braces can make it harder to remove plaque and food particles, because the braces provide so many places for them to hide! That doesn’t mean that you should give up, however. If you wear braces, you simply need to take a little extra care to

make sure that you get your teeth good and clean each morning and night. Use the followingtipsforhelp.

MAKEITROUTINE

Whenyouwearbraces,it is easier to miss buildup on your teeth. To decrease the likelihood that plaque and food particles will have a chancetolingerlongenough tocauseproblems,makeita point to brush your teeth after every meal. In fact, manypeoplewhovaluetheir pearly whites choose to brushaftersnacksaswell.

GATHERYOURTOOLS

Itisalwayseasiertodoa job well when you have everything that you need at your fingertips As you prepare to brush your teeth, make sure that you have accesstothefollowingtools:

Acup

Nonabrasivetoothpaste

Manual or electric

toothbrush

Flossandaflossthreader orawaterflosser

Proxabrushes (also called go-between brushes andinterdentalbrushes)

Mouthwash Mirror STARTWITHASWISH

Once you’ve assembled yourtools,grabthecup,fillit with water, and rinse your mouth out. Swishing a little water around the interior of your mouth before you start brushing can loosen food particles and other debris, making it easier to remove them. Then, take out any elastics,bands,orremovable orthodontic pieces and set theminasafeplace.

KNOWTHEANGLES

After rinsing your toothbrush and topping it with a small amount of nonabrasive toothpaste, it’s time to brush Start by holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and gently brushingalongthegumline. Next, shift the angle of the toothbrush so that you can carefully brush the tops of your brackets Then, reposition the toothbrush to angle up so that you can brushunderthebracketsand wire. Be sure to clean each tooth. Then, brush the

chewing and inner surfaces ofyourteeth.

TAKEYOURTIME

Whenyouhavebraces,it is vital that you take your time and thoroughly brush all the necessary surfaces of your braces and teeth

Experts say you should spend a minimum of two minutes actively brushing your teeth, but it may take you longer, especially when you are first getting in the habit of brushing with braces If you’re having trouble reaching all the surfacesofyourteethdueto the wires and brackets, try usingaproxabrushafteryour regular brushing routine. Its smallsizeandflexibilitywill help you clean under and aroundyourbraces.

FLOSS

Flossing with brackets and wires attached to your teethcanbeprettytough,but itisanimportantstepinany dental hygiene routine. If you are using string floss, use a floss threader to maneuver the floss around your braces. Always be

gentleasyoumovethefloss againstyourteethandgums. Alternatively, you can use a water flosser to get the tight spots in between your teeth clean.

RINSEAGAIN

Once you have brushed andflossed,it’stimetorinse your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash This helps eliminate germs, removes any lingering food particles, and freshens your breath.

CHECKYOURWORK

Before you declare that you’re done brushing your teeth, take a few minutes to look in a mirror and check yourwork.Thisstepcanhelp

youevaluateyoureffortsand determine if you need to refine your routine. When you’re satisfied with your work, replace any elastics, bands, or removable orthodontic appliances and return all your tools to their properplaces. Knowing how to brush your teeth with braces is crucial if you want to avoid dangerous tartar buildup, stains, and cavities. If you have any questions about brushing your teeth while wearing braces or are struggling to reach a particularspot,besuretoask your dentist for advice duringyournextvisit.

How to stop your belly button smelling

Thebellybuttonishome to many bacteria but can be overlooked when a person washes. Improper hygiene and cysts can cause a belly buttontosmell.

Thebellybuttonornavel is a dip in the middle of the belly It marks the place where a person’s umbilical cord was attached in the womb.

Bellybuttonscomeinall shapes and sizes, and, no matter how they look, they canbecomeinfected.

Fastfactsonbellybutton smell:

· A fungal infection can resultifbellybuttonbacteria multiplytoomuch.

·Bellybuttonskinneeds to be cleaned regularly to keepithealthy

· Risk factors, such as poor hygiene, increase the potentialforthebellybutton tosmell.

WHATCAUSES ABELLYBUTTON TOSMELL?

Most belly buttons are indented so act as a trap for sweat, dead skin, and dirt. Few people wash the belly button with soap so germs candevelop.

Themostcommoncause for a belly button smell is poorhygiene.Allareasofthe

body need to be washed regularly to stay clean and healthy

Skin is home to trillions of bacteria, which develop naturally and are usually harmless.

The belly button has folds of skin that provide a place for bacteria to grow Most of these bacteria remainatalowlevelandwill not cause a smell. But if bacteria become too dense, they may result in an unpleasant or offensive smell.

Any infection should be checked by a doctor, and medication and lifestyle changesmaybeneeded.

CANDIDA

Candida is a yeast that lives on the skin. It does not usually cause problems, but itcanmultiplyonskinthatis warm and moist for a long time. If it multiplies, it can turnintoafungalinfection.

Candida commonly affectsthemouthandthroat, where it is known as thrush. Whenitaffectsthevagina,it is referred to as a yeast infection. A version of the infection known as candidal intertrigocanaffectfoldson theskin,suchasthearmpits, groin, or belly button. Skin willappearredandscaly,and blisterscanform.

Candidal intertrigo is

treated with antifungal medication and lifestyle changes These changes include keeping the skin cool, dry, and clean, and avoidingtightclothing.

Peoplewithdiabetesand thosewhoareobesearemore likelytohaveaninfectionof thiskind.

CYSTS

Another cause of smell aroundthebellybuttonisan infected cyst. A cyst is a small lump underneath the skin. They can be common anddonotusuallycausepain unlesstheybecomeinfected.

An infected cyst will be red, inflamed, sore, and tendertothetouch.Pusmay

come out of a cyst, and this usually has an unpleasant smell.

WHATTYPEOF ODORDOTHEYHAVE?

Areas of the body, includingthearmpitsorfeet, are more likely to become moist with sweat and smell. This is because bacteria break down the sweat and create a waste product that hasastrongodor

If the belly button has trappeddeadskinandsweat, itislikelytosmellsweaty

Afungalinfectionisalso likely to smell bad, especially if there is pus aroundthearea.

WHENTO SEEADOCTOR

If the belly button becomes infected, a person should see a doctor for advice and prescribe medicationifneeded.

The symptoms of an infection are redness, itching, and swelling

Sometimes, there may be fluid or pus, which can hardentoformacrustaround thearea.

A person should see a doctor if they think that a cyst has become infected.

Burstingorpoppingthecyst is not recommended, as this cancausefurtherproblems.

TREATMENTS

If the odor is a result of the belly button becoming dirty or greasy, carefully washingitisthebestwayto getridofthesmell.

Ifbellybuttonodorisdue to an infection, an appointmentshouldbemade with a doctor who can give advice and prescribe treatmentifneeded.

HOWTOCLEAN THEBELLYBUTTON

Washing prevents a buildup of dead skin, sweat, and oils that the body producesnaturally Frequent washing also removes germs. Using warm water and mild soap, use a washcloth to gently clean around and just inside the belly button Rinse with clean, warm water and dry with a towel to make sure that all water has been removed from the belly button Showering or bathingregularlycanhelpto prevent skin problems and odor Areasofthebody,such as the belly button or feet, can get missed, but these need as much regular cleaningasotherareasofthe body Washing is necessary particularly after sweating a lot, for example, in hot weatherorafterexercising.

GNBS IMPLORES CONSUMERS TO MAKE RESPONSIBLE MEASUREMENT PURCHASES

Although the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has been executing its mandate to ensure that all weighing and measuring instruments used in trade are verified (stamped) it also relies on consumerstodotheirpartin trade transactions to guarantee that they are provided with accurate measurementsofproducts.

Daily, consumers visit the community shops, markets, supermarkets, and other retail outlets to purchase a variety of groceries,suchasrice,flour, sugar, meats, ground provisions, preserved fruits, and cooking oil by weights and measures. Consumers also spend large sums of money to buy building materials and hardware items such as sand, stone, nails, screws and wires by weights and measures. For thoselookingtobuyuniform (cloth)andothermaterialsby length,youarealsoincluded.

Unfortunately, some consumersarenotexercising the level of vigilance required to ensure that the quantities delivered to them arewhattheyhaverequested and are paying for This needstochangefortheirfull protection.TheGNBS,asof this month (July), r e c o m m e n c e d t h e verification of measuring instrumentsusedintradefor

the second half of 2023, but this crucial process for measurement accuracy, needs the support of consumers who are

knowledgeable and demanding their rightful measures, especially when transactions seem odd or questionable To reduce these doubtful measurement transactions, the GNBS imploresconsumerstoapply the following tips when purchasinggoodsbyweights andmeasures:

1. Buy goods from vendors who are using verified scales and other verified measuring instruments If used

properly, verified instruments give correct weightsormeasures.

2 Look for GNBS verification seals on measuring instruments. The affixed GNBS seals indicate whether scales and other instrumentswereverifiedfor thecurrentperiod.

3. Make sure the instrument used to weigh or measure your goods is clean and tidy Dirty scales often give inaccurate weights and measures and can cause the contaminationofgoods.

4. Make sure that you can see the measuring indicator of scales. Ensure thatthescaleispositionedin amannerthatwillallowyou toseetheweighingprocess.

5. Do not buy from

vendors or shopkeepers usingthedomestic(kitchen) scales. These scales are not approved for commercial trade because their internal mechanisms are quickly worn, hence they give inaccurateweights.

6. Buy in metric quantities. Instruments used in the marketplace are in metric units and by requesting goods in metric quantities, it is highly likely that the correct amount will besuppliedtoyou.

7. Buy all solids by weight instead of measure. Rice, peas, and chick peas are solid goods and must be weighed, not measured Request these goods in gramsandkilograms.

8. Buy prepackaged goods that are labelled with the quantity (net contents). For example, 450 grams, 1 kilogram, 3 litres The GNBS has commenced the checking of net contents of products to ensure that quantities indicated on packagesarecorrect.

9. Do not accept a purchase if you have doubts about your weight or measure.

f

sho

De

pa

tment,

e

transparent measurement system in Guyana, which allows for accurate and reliablemeasurementsinthe trade of goods and services consumersbuy

F o r f u r t h e r information, please contact GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0069, 2190 0 6 5 , 2 1 9 - 0 0 6 2 o r WhatsApp:692-4627.

5 Ways Threads Differs from Twitter and Other Text-Based Social Media Apps

(Reader’sDigest)Ifyou haven’t hopped on the latest socialmediacrazeyet,here’s everythingyouneedtoknow about Meta’s new Threads app. After connecting the world with Facebook, making Instagram the place for photo and video sharing, andupendingSnapchatwith InstagramStories,techgiant Meta has set another goal: Create a social media network to rival Twitter Meta’s newest offering, Threads, functions a lot like Twitter, with users composing short text posts or updates, sometimes accompanied by links, photosorvideos.Otherusers can comment on these “threads.”

Unlike other text-based socialmediaapps,including Twitter, Mastodon and Bluesky,Threadsrequiresan Instagram account to work. You can use the same login credentialstosigninandthe sameusername,thoughyour profile is entirely customizable except for U.K. users under age 18, who get a default private profile.Ofcourse,therearea few other ways Threads differs from its social media counterparts too Here’s how

Threads has a 500charactercountperpost

Threads gives users a 500-charactercountperpost, while unverified Twitter users can post only 280

characters. Verified Twitter accounts, which cost $8 a month, receive 25,000 charactersperpost.Bluesky, created by former Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, allows 300 characters, and Mastodon, an open-source platform developed by German software developer Eugen Rochko, allows 500 characters, though the limit canbetweakedwithcoding.

Videos can be up to five minuteslong

Threadscurrentlyallows all users to post videos that are five minutes long, while unverified users on Twitter can post videos up to two minutes and 20 seconds long Mastodon has no length limit, but video files

can measure only 40 MB. Bluesky,meanwhile,doesn’t allow users to post videos, thoughphotosareallowed.

The homepage feed reflectsMeta’salgorithm

Twitter shows users trending content, often allowing you to discover funny Twitter accounts you might not follow yet. It also hasseparate

For You and Following tabs on the homepage Threads, for now, only allows you to scroll through the home feed, which mixes both people you follow and accountsinwhichyoumight beinterested.

That means that the only content you’ll discover on Threads is what Meta’s

Bluesky, however, allows you to curate individual feedsforallofyourinterests.

Posts are called “threads”

Threads, for now, seems to have settled on calling its posts “threads.” Mastodon prefers “toots,” Twitter uses thewell-known“tweets”and Bluesky users favor “skeets.”

Threads lets you send DMs,blockandmute

Threads has roughly the same functionality as Instagram, incorporating direct messages, blocking andmuting.

Bluesky, on the other hand, has no DM features and only recently added a blockingfeature.Twitterhas

algorithmservesyou—there are no hashtags, trending

tions or search

capabilities Because Mastodondoesnotfollowan algorithm, it just shows you the people you follow

DMsandablockingfeature, but current CEO Elon Musk mayremovetheblockbutton in favor of a stronger mute option in the near future.

Mastodon DMs operate differently and don’t

function in a separate tab they simply become posts seen only by the mentioned users. The app also has the same blocking and muting functionality as TwitterandThreads.

Earthquake wreaks havoc in the Philippines

The Story Behind Tom Cruise’s

Custom Oakley Glasses for His Wildest Mission: Impossible Stunt Yet

How do you design eyewear for a motorcycle cliff jump? Some 3D printing, a few head scans, and lots of prayers.

July16,1990

100,000 residents slept outdoors that

More than 1,000 people are killed when evening and during the following week, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake strikes Luzon afraid to return to their homes amid the Island in the Philippines on July 16, 1990. frequent aftershocks. For days, workers

The massive tremor wreaked havoc across a pulledbodiesfromthedemolishedbuildings sizeable portion of Luzon, the country’s in Baguio. The best estimate is that 1,000 largest island, with Baguio City suffering bodies were eventually recovered. At least themostdevastatingeffects. another 1,000 people suffered serious

Theepicenterofthequake,whichstruck injuries. Rescue efforts were hampered at 4:26 p.m., was north of Manila in the severely because the three main roads into Nueva Ecija province. Reports indicate that the city were blocked by landslides theshakingwentonfornearlyafullminute. Hundreds of motorists were stranded on the Collapsingbuildingswerethemaincauseof roadsaswell. damage and death. Getting out of a multi- Outside of Baguio, a chemical factory story building was a good safety precaution fire also caused terrible damage. The Tuba that afternoon, although many people were gold and copper mine in the area lost 30 injured and a few even died in stampedes of workerswhenaminecollapsed. othersdoingthesamething.

Baguio, sitting on at least seven fault

At Christian College, a six-story lines, is now listed as one of the most riskbuilding completely collapsed, trapping pronecitiesinAsia.Inadditiontotheriskof approximately 250 students and teachers earthquakes, the area’s high annual rainfall inside.Heroicrescueeffortssavedmany,but increases the likelihood of deadly somevictimswhodidnotdieinthecollapse landslides. were found dead later from dehydration American military personnel stationed becausetheywerenotpulledoutintime. inthePhilippinearchipelagotookpartinthe All types of buildings, including several relief effort. The area was revisited by resort hotels in Baguio, known as the disaster less than a year later when Mount Philippines’ Summer Capital, suffered Pinatubo erupted. Some geologists believe tremendous damage. Most of the city’s thetwoeventswereconnected.

Amazon opens for business

( G Q ) S k y d i v i n g high-stakeschallenges. multiple versions per week Motorcycle jumps Cliff “[We knew] Ethan was with slight changes to each. jumping. It’s not a Mission: goingtoperformanamazing Everythingwascatalogedby Impossible movie if Tom stunt combination of serial number so that we Cruise isn’t doing some motorcycle riding and could reference the inputs crazy-ass stunts, and *Dead skydiving,” Garifas says. “I we were receiving from Reckoning Part 1 *the believe the ask was pretty Barry We had to make sure latest in the franchise, out straightforward: we had to that we never compromised this week doesn’t hold ensure that this piece of optics, fit, fogging, and back in that regard eyewear was going to retention at all times. The (seriously, this BTS p e r f o r m b o t h o n a only template that we used featurette is wild). It also motorcycle as well as the was the user insights—all isn’ta Mission: Impossible if jump and the freefall while from Cruise.” After all you Cruise’s Ethan Hunt is doing skydiving—andofcoursehe do not, one assumes, want to saidstuntswhilelookinglike hadtolookgooddoingit.” be the person responsible for a total badass (which the This process started ruining Tom’s perfect take actor somehow pulls off at during the pandemic, so the (or,worse,endinghislife). theageof61,bless). process included the It all worked out in the With a reported $291 requisite Zoom calls and a end,ofcourse,andwehavea million budget, you better full head scan of Cruise to series of white-knuckle believe that every damn ensure a perfect fit. A key action sequences to prove it. detail is considered, and that aspect, says Gibbs, was WhileGarifaswasn’tgivena ranges from meticulously special preview, he did say training Cruise on got to meet Cruise, which jump out of a plane a real highlight. “So the very glasses that uch intensity and sit on his face. For charisma, but this is the latter, they what we were used didn’t just go out to,” he says. “It’s and buy some like talking to an shades at the athlete He knew l o c a l g a s exactly what he station—no, they wanted, what he leveraged the help didn’t want and why of Oakley, who He really leaned on us for b e e n m a k innovation and creativity performance-minded while maintaining a great eyewearsince1975. piece of performance that he Oakley’s 3D printing

From page 31

In 2007, Amazon debuted its Kindle ethe company boldly billed itself as “Earth’s reader; four years later, the company biggest bookstore,” although sales initially announced it was selling more e-books than were drummed up solely by word of mouth print books. Also in 2011, Amazon’s tablet and Bezos assisted with assembling orders computer, the Kindle Fire, was released. anddrivingthepackagestothepostoffice. Among a variety of other ventures, Amazon

By the end of 1996, Amazon had racked launched a cloud computing and video on up $15.7 million in revenues, and in 1997, demand services in 2006; a studio that Bezostookthecompanypublicwithaninitial develops movies and TV series, in 2010; and public offering that raised $54 million. That an online marketplace for fine art, in 2013, same year, Bezos personally delivered his which has featured original works by artists company’sone-millionthorder,toacustomer including Claude Monet and Norman in Japan who had purchased a Windows NT Rockwell. manual and a Princess Diana biography In Additionally, Amazon has acquired a 1998, Amazon extended beyond books and number of companies, including Zappos and started selling music CDs, and by the Whole Foods. In 2015, Amazon surpassed following year, it had added more product Walmartastheworld’smostvaluableretailer categories,suchastoys,electronicsandtools. Two decades after its founding and with

ByDecember1999,Amazonhadshipped Bezos still at the helm, Amazon’s market 20 million items to 150 countries around the value was $250 billion. In 2017, Bezos was globe. That same month, Bezos was named named the richest man in the world. On July Time magazine’s Person of theYear In 2000, 5, 2021, Bezos stepped down as CEO of the company introduced a service allowing Amazon to focus on his aerospace company individual sellers and other outside BlueOrigin. merchants to peddle their products alongside

In recent years, the company has come Amazon’s own items. Meanwhile, Amazon under intense scrutiny for poor working continued to spend heavily on expansion and conditions and exploitive practices at its didn’tpostitsfirstfull-yearprofituntil2003. fulfillmentcentersandwarehouses.

The end result is can rely on in the most tense capabilities, which allowed surprisinglylow-key—apair moments in the filming.”As them to quickly craft mockof goggles that are so clear for what Oakley has coming ups that were then sent to and minimal, they’re up, Garifas hints that a Cruise and Gibbs for practically invisible And consumer-ready version trial shipped out to the yet, so much thought and may hit stores—and that various corners of the world effortwentintomakingthem another custom pair is on the in which they were filming. so. “Without a doubt safety way for next year’s Dead “We did many iterations and performance are first,” Reckoning Part 2 because we really needed to says Nick Garfias, Oakley’s “Wait to see what we make sure that there weren’t V P o f D e s i g n w h o have prepared with Tom on any unforeseen hiccups,” spearheaded the project MI8,”Garifassays. Garifas said “We sent “Then making sure that we designed a goggle that was not going to disrupt his image. This meant a very thin seamless frame, lightweight looking and lightweightfeeling.”

Cruise worked with Oakley on past Mission: Impossible films—including the very sick Romeo shades from M : I - 2 so the relationship was already in place. Garfias noted that the movie’s prop master, Barry Gibbs (whom Garifas calls his “partner in crime”), and Oakley’s own in-house film andTVplacementteamwere key to making this impossible made-tomeasure pair, well, possible. After all, they weren’t merely requesting some existing styles but a bespoke frame that could handle some very specific, very

Oakley Glasses for Tom Cruise & Tom Cruise

The Difference between Boundaries and Rules in Relationships

(HuffPost) When it comes to all the therapyspeak that’s hit the cultural zeitgeist, few phrases have had more sticking power than “boundaries” and “boundarysetting.”

T h e c o n c e p t o f boundaries was especially sticky last weekend after Jonah Hill’s ex-girlfriend Sarah Brady publicly accused the actor of being “emotionally abusive” on socialmedia.

In alleged texts from a fewyearsback,whichBrady posted on her Instagram story,the“Moneyball”actor takeshertotaskforfailingto respect his “boundaries for romanticpartnerships.”

In the screen-capped texts, Hill lists out some of the things he refuses to tolerate in his relationship with Brady, including her posting swimsuit photos on Instagram or surfing with men, even though she’s a surfinstructor

He also had a boundary on who Brady could spend her time with: “No friendshipswithwomenwho are in unstable places and from your wild recent past” unless it was “getting a coffeeorlunchorsomething respectful.”

(Theirrelationshipended sometime in the first half of 2022, after a year of dating. Hill is now in a relationship withvintageonlineboutique owner Olivia Millar, and they welcomed a child togetherinJune2023.)

The texts came to light just as another celebrity story involving a man making similar demands of his girlfriend was going viral: On Wednesday, Keke Palmer’s boyfriend (and the father of her son) Darius Jackson quote-tweeted a video of Usher serenading Palmer at his Las Vegas show “It’stheoutfittho,you a mom,” Jackson wrote of Palmer’s sheer, form-fitting dress. In a follow-up tweet, Jackson dismissed anyone criticizing him: “This is my family & my representation. Ihavestandards&moralsto whatIbelieve.”

Many called out Jackson’s behavior as toxic or emotionally abusive (Palmerherselfdoesn’tseem tobehavinganyofit¯days later, she started selling Tshirtsthatcheekilyread“I’m a Motha” — though it’s not entirely clear what the couple’scurrentrelationship statusis.)

In Hill’s case, some called him out for “weaponizing” therapy and

couching an ultimately controlling ask in gentle therapy-speak.

Hill’s use of therapy buzzwords isn’t surprising; he’s become something of a poster boy for mental health after recently releasing a documentary, “Stutz,” about his work with psychiatrist PhilStutz.

The Hill-Brady story brings to mind a widely shared article that Bustle published early this year,

potential trouble in clients usingprescriptivetherapyin their day-to-day lives (or being reductive about what they’veheardtheirtherapists say).

“Ithinkalotofso-called ‘therapy-speak’ is weaponized in relationships asawaytolayblame,reject accountability, and ultimately to try and control others’ behaviors when we are feeling uncomfortable,” said Britt Caron, a

help you feel safe and comfortable in your relationships.”

“I will add that they’re directlyrelatedtoprotecting your own integrity, health, and safety, and extend beyond being mere preferences,” Ren told HuffPost.

In the case of Hill, Ren thinks the actor was delivering more of an ultimatum.

“It comes across as,

relationally means having a healthy understanding of where you end and others begin,” she told HuffPost.

“When we have this understanding, we do not operate out of a need to control others or out of a needtopleaseothers.”

A d m i t t e d l y ,

conversations around boundariescanbeconfusing.

Jaime Zuckerman, a psychologist, said she often hears clients talk about how their boundaries “failed” because the person still did whatever problematic behavior the client was botheredby

“I try to remind people that boundaries are for the person establishing them,” shesaid.

“Theyarenotcreatedasa means to change the behaviorsofthosearoundus. Either your boundaries will berespectedortheywon’t.It isthenuptoyoutodecideif therelationshipisoneworth maintaining.”

What to consider if this is an issue in your relationship.

media use and wardrobe, of course.)

“Your decision might mean ending a relationship, having a conversation or simply doing some introspection and moving on,”shesaid.

That’s a healthier, more empowered approach than taking a hard line on your partner changing their behavior

“I think that if you feel theneedtotellsomeoneelse whattodo,yourbestbetisto start by looking within and figuring out what’s botheringyouandwhy,”she said.

“That might look like seeingatherapistortalkingit throughwithatrustedfriend.

“We all have our stuff, andthat’sfine!Butassuming that because something bothers you, it needs to change is not a great way to approach relationships It will likely result in relationship ruptures and possiblyabusivedynamics.”

wherein writer Rebecca Fishbein wondered if the ubiquity of therapy-speak in our everyday lives ( “ g a s l i g h t i n g , ”

“narcissism,” “boundarysetting”)wasmakingusalla littlemoreselfish.

There’s nothing wrong with setting boundaries and advocating for yourself, she argued,butitshouldn’tcome at the price of invalidating theotherperson’sfeelingsor experiences.

“When you’re on the other side of someone’s perhaps overzealous selfcare, the experience can range from annoying, to frustrating, to downright hurtful,”Fishbeinwrote.

In texting, Hill certainly comes across as someone w h o e “ P e“s done a lot of therapy ¯ but also someone who should probably consider a whole session on misusing ultimatumsinrelationships.

“Good start,” he appears to say when Brady deletes a few risqué photos “You don’tseemtogetit. But it’s not my place to teach you. I’ve made my boundaries clear You refuse to let go of some [photos] andyou’vemadethatclear I hopetheymakeyouhappy.”

Even therapists see

psychotherapist in Toronto, Canada.

There are notable differences between boundariesandrules.

Caron and other therapists we spoke to thoughtthatwhatHillasked for (and what Jackson alluded to with his “standards” for dress) was more along the lines of “rules”thanboundaries.

“Boundaries are setting limits to what you are personally willing to do or tolerate,” Caron told HuffPost. “A boundary is something that you have to determine for yourself ¯ not something you can force someone else to comply with.”

Relationships are messy, andit’stemptingtolaydown alaundrylistofrulesinorder to make them less so, but that’s not how you establish meaningful connection with others,Caronsaid.

Han Ren, a psychologist in Austin, Texas, thinks the best definition she’s seen of boundaries comes from therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab’s New York Times bestseller “Set Boundaries, FindPeace.”

In it, Glover Tawwab writes that boundaries are “expectationsandneedsthat

‘Takethesepicturesdownor else we can’t be in a relationship together,’” she said. “That’s based on his preferencesforherbehavior, whichencompassesmuchof her professional and personal identity, and the requestsdon’tseemessential to his health, integrity or safety.”

“He’s setting rules that ask her to fundamentally change who she is and how sheengagesinherworkand relationships to placate his own insecurities,” the psychologistadded.

“He frames it as a boundarybysaying‘Youcan continue to do this and there’s no hard feelings, but thisiswhatIneedtofeelsafe in a relationship with you,’” shesaid.

“Whilethisistechnically boundary-setting, it is rigid, ego-drivenandcontrolling.”

Liz Higgins, a therapist and the founder of Millennial Life Counseling in Dallas, Texas, tells her clients confused about boundary-setting that boundaries should ultimately serve two purposes: to protect or contain yourself and to connectyouwithothers,not to disconnect you more, she said “Protecting yourself

In a relationship, you shouldalwaysbeallowedto askforwhatyouneedfroma partner, but asking and exploring are very different from demanding and controlling,Higginssaid.

“You also need to be secureinyourselfandbeOK with what your partner’s response may be,” she explained. “You should be prepared for them to say no andtoknowwhatthatmeans foryouifso.”

A real, vulnerable dialogue in person or on the phone ¯ not a tense backand-forth text exchange ¯ willhelpyouconnectfroma placeofcuriosityratherthan fromaplaceofjudgmentand fear

(Of course, a vulnerable dialogue cannot happen in a relationship that is not built onafoundationofsafety:“If there is verbal, sexual, mental/emotional or physical abuse, this suggestion won’t work until the relationship has reached a recovered and safe state,” Higginsadvised.)

If you’re someone who tends to have feelings about what your partners wear or post, you and only you are responsible for making decisions about what to do with those feelings, Caron said.

(Note here, too: The examples here are men, but women can also be controlling about social

If you’re a man pushing for a wardrobe change or less-revealing selfies, it’s worthconsideringthepower dynamics at play and the misogyny that may underlie some of those feelings, Caronsaid.

(For instance, how the Madonna-whore complex ¯ the belief that being nurturing and being sexual are mutually exclusive options for women ¯ plays outwheneveramanexpects a woman they ñ”P e“re dating to cover up and beinvisibletotheworldonce t h e y ñ ” P e“reexclusive.)

“We internalized things like misogyny and sometimes uphold those problematicstructuresinour interpersonal relationships,” Caronsaid.

As for therapy-goers in relationships, be mindful when using therapy-speak, and don’t assume that just because you’ve done some therapy, you’re all clear on the ethical and emotionalintelligencefront.

As humans even humansintherapy¯we e“P e“re always a work in progress.

“A person’s intentions, willingness to learn and grow, and openness to feedback are such big parts of this conversation, too,” Rensaid.

“It’snotwhatyoudo;it’s howandwhyyoudoit.

Ongoing calibration, communication and attunement are necessary in everyrelationship.”

In light of Jonah Hill’s alleged texts to his ex and Keke Palmer’s boyfriend calling out her wardrobe, it’s time we get a refresher on what boundaries mean in a relationship.

The Cloud The Cloud

One hot summer morning a little Cloudroseoutof the sea and floated lightly and happily across the blue sky Far below lay the earth, brown, dry, and desolate, fromdrought.

The little Cloud could see the poor people of the earth working and suffering in the hot fields, while she herself floated on the morning breeze, hither and thither,withoutacare.

"Oh, if I could only help thepoorpeopledownthere!" shethought.

“IfIcouldbutmaketheir work easier, or give the hungry ones food, or the thirstyadrink!"

And as the day passed, andtheCloudbecamelarger, thiswishtodosomethingfor the people of earth was ever greaterinherheart.

On earth it grew hotter and hotter; the sun burned down so fiercely that the people were fainting in its rays; it seemed as if they mustdieofheat,andyetthey were obliged to go on with their work, for they were very poor Sometimes they stood and looked up at the

CONFETTI FISH CRAFT

Materials/tools

· Craft Foam Sheets

· School Glue

· Google Eyes

· Confetti

· Scissors

· Black Marker Instructions

1. Download and printing your FISH templates.

Cloud, as if they were praying, and saying, "Ah, if youcouldhelpus!"

"I will help you; I will!" said the Cloud. And she began to sink softly down towardtheearth.

But suddenly, as she f l o a t e d d o w n , s h e remembered something which had been told her when she was a tiny Cloud child, in the lap of Mother

Ocean: it had been whispered that if the Clouds go too near the earth they die When she remembered this, she held herself from sinking, and swayed here and there on the breeze, thinking, thinking.

But at last, she stood quite still, and spoke boldly and proudly She said, "Men of earth, I will help you, comewhatmay!"

The thought made her suddenly marvellously big and strong and powerful. Never had she dreamed that shecouldbesobig.

Like a mighty angel of blessing,shestoodabovethe earth,andliftedherheadand spreadherwingsfaroverthe fields andwoods.

She was so great, so majestic, that men and animals were awestruck at the sight; the trees and the grasses bowed before her; yetalltheearthcreaturesfelt thatshemeantthemwell.

"Yes, I will help you," cried the Cloud once more. "Take me to yourselves; I willgivemylifeforyou!"

As she said the words a wonderfullightglowedfrom her heart, the sound of thunder rolled through the sky, and a love greater than words can tell filled the Cloud; down, down, close to theearthsheswept,andgave up her life in a blessed, healingshowerofrain.

ThatrainwastheCloud's great deed; it was her death, too; but it was also her glory Over the whole countryside, asfarastherainfell,alovely rainbow sprang its arch, and all the brightest rays of heaven made its colours; it wasthelastgreetingofalove so great that it sacrificed itself.

Soon that, too, was gone, but long, long afterward the men and animals who were saved by the Cloud kept her blessingintheirhearts.

My country FUNWITHPOETRY

Guyana

I want to see the many people, Who live in country and town, On the coastland and in the interior, In estates and villages that abound.

Then there are the beautiful birds, And animals large and small, Dense forests and wide savannahs, High mountains and waterfalls.

It makes me so proud and happy To know my country is so rich, Of so many things beautiful and great, To see it all is my greatest wish.

2. Cut your templates out and choose the colours of craft foam you'll be making your fish. Trace your fish templates onto your craft foam and cut out.

3. Cut your fish head from your fish template and trace onto craft foam. Cut out.

4. Glue your fish head onto your fish body.

5. Glue your fish fins onto the body of your fish. (you'll want to glue most of your fins onto the back of your fish to keep things looking tidy)

6. Glue on a google eye.

7. Draw a smile onto the face of your fish and add expression above your google eye with a black marker

8. Coat the body of your fish in school glue and cover the entire surface in confetti. Gently pat the confetti into the fish with your hand. (you'll want to do this step on a piece of paper, newspaper etc so that you can shake off the excess confetti and reserve it for a future project)

9. Gently shake the excess confetti off your fish and allow it to dry completely Your fish is complete!

by Uncle Roy

is such a beautiful place, With so many things to see, I cannot wait until I'm older, And can travel around the country

Clarify the way ahead towards your life goals by developing a Sense of Purpose

We discussed the importance of developing thissenseinyourpersonality soastokeepyourselfheaded intherightdirectiontowards realisingtruesuccessinyour lfe. Here are four strategies which you may use to motivate yourself towards instilling this sense ofpurpose:-

1.Have great desires or aims for your life, and express these as goals. This

will help to ensure success by keeping your path ahead certainandclear.

2. Build faith and confidence in your own ability to succeed Removing doubt in your own competence will guaranteesuccess.

3. Clarify your visions and dreams. Do not keep your goals vague, but try to define them in specific things you need to accomplish.

4. Develop concrete plans on what you will need to do to accomplish your goals. Any effort you make towards clarifying what you will need to do to achieve your goals will be well rewarded with the ease in which you can accomplish these.

We can readily identify those people around us who seem to lack a sense of purposeinlife.

They have no definite plans, no career goals, and no courage to believe in themselves. Unfortunately

this is because they have no one who believes in them or encouragesthemtohavethis trust in themselves. But many only have themselves to blame, as they prefer instant pleasures, and think nothing about building a foundationforthefuture. We will next develop each of these strategies so that you may put them to work in developing your sense of purpose in such a way that the momentum of your life will be sustained, no matter how rough the path you want to follow will become.

Jigsaw Sudoku

Fill in t h e blan k squares so that each row, each column, a n d e a c h j i g s a w s h a p e contain all of the digits 1 thru 9.

N e e d a little help?

T h e h i n t s page shows a logical order to solve the puzzle.

Use it to identify the next square you should solve.

The Purpose of Life

(submitted by Zaleema N. Baharally)

Did you ever stop to think what is life, And for what purpose we strive?

Are you led astray by the theories of evolution, Or are you still a believer in God's Creation?

Does anyone know his day, Or have a map that shows the way?

Is there ever a second chance

To say a last goodbye before that fatal instance?

Are we of the world such inclined sinners, That in living our lives we can hardly be winners?

Was it destiny or can anyone be blamed

For the violent demise of all those who were slain?

In the world of today where confusion is rife, Think on these things as you form your purpose in life. *********************************

Solutions to last week’s

Jigsaw Sudoku Summer Maze

Developing your Sense of Purpose will ensure you move forward in life with certain success and fulfilment.

Natural Hair Treatment Tips for Hair Growth

(Continued on from last Sunday Edition)

7. Onion juice

If you can handle the smell of onion juice, you may find that the benefits are worth it. Onion juice has been shownTrusted Source to promote hair growth and successfully treat patchy alopecia areata — an autoimmune condition in which the body attacks the hair follicles and causes hair loss on various parts of the body

Onion juice is also thought to improve circulation.A2015 study with animals showed improved keratinocyte growth factor, an important mediator of hair follicle development and growth.

To consume onion juice, blend a few onions and squeeze out the juice.Apply the juice to your scalp and hair, and leave it in for at least 15 minutes. Then, follow up with shampoo.

8. Rosemary oil

Rosemary is a common essential oil that people use to promote hair growth and reduce hair loss. Rosemary oilTrusted Source has been found to stimulate new hair growth and can even be used to treat androgenetic alopecia.

Mix a few drops of rosemary oil into a carrier oil, like argan oil or jojoba oil, and massage it into your hair and scalp before rinsing. You can do this a few times per week.

You can also add a few drops of rosemary oil into your shampoo and conditioner daily. However, avoid using essential oils directly on the skin, and always mix them in a carrier oil or shampoo.

9. Geranium oil

Geranium, or Pelargonium graveolens, is a fragrant plant that's native to SouthAfrica. Geranium oil is the concentrated essential oil that's extracted from its leaves. You can use geraniumTrusted Source oil to promote hair growth and boost circulation.

Mix three drops of geranium essential oil with eight drops of a carrier oil, and apply it directly to your hair You can also add a few drops to your shampoo and conditioner

Geranium oil can help strengthen, hydrate, and restore your hair

10. Lemon

You can use fresh lemon juice or lemon oil, since they've both been found to enhance hair quality and growth. Lemon oil may help you maintain a healthy scalp and encourage hair growth.

Apply fresh lemon juice to your scalp and hair 15 minutes before you shampoo. You can also use lemon essential oil diluted in a carrier oil as part of a hair mask.

https://www.healthline.com/health/regrow-hairnaturally#natural-alternatives

Gold Board declaration on decline since 2017 while foreign companies continue to discover massive finds

With foreign companies rushing to cash in on the “gold fever” in Guyana, the country has been suffering massive declines in its annual declarations since 2017.

Thoughananalysisofthe situation seems far from conception by leaders, Kaieteur News this past week delved into the available statistics which depict a frightening trend. Eventhoughgoldcompanies have been boasting of the “unlimited resources” unlocked in Guyana, the excitement of these results has been undermined by a failing sector, at least accordingtothedeclarations made to the Guyana Gold Board(GGB).

AccordingtotheBankof Guyana (BoG) Annual Report for 2022, the total gold declarations last year declined by 2.5 percent to 486,415 troy ounces (oz). It was explained that this was partly due to the poor weather conditions which made access to mining blocksdifficult.

A table used by the financial institution indicated that in 2021 and 2020, declarations were 499,054 oz and 585,433 oz respectively

In 2019, the gold sector had performed better with declarations amounting to 641,828oz.TheBoGAnnual Report for that year explained, “Total gold declaration increased by 4.7 percentandrepresented99.1 percent of the revised targeted amount for 2019. The gold subsector experienced greater declarations by small & mediumscaleminersby23.9 percent to 448,321 ounces whilethecombinedoutputof the foreign companies (GuyanaGoldfieldsInc.and Troy Resources Guyana Inc ) declined by 26 6 percentto186,584ounces.”

Meanwhile,fortheyears 2016, 2017, and 2018, notable decreases were recorded; a total of 712,706 oz, 653,753 oz, and 613,073 o z w e r e r e c o r d e d respectively BoG in the 2016 Annual Report noted that gold declarations had increased by 58.1 percent when compared with the resourcesdeclaredin2015.

“The expansion in gold declarations was on account of contributions from small and medium scale miners of 67.7 percent of the total

output or 482,612 ounces and from two foreign gold miningcompanies–Guyana

Goldfields and Troy

Resources – of 32.3 percent or 230,094 ounces,” the Bank reported in 2016. It addedthattheimprovedgold pricescoupledwithlowfuel costs, and granting of concessions were catalysts forgreaterdeclarations.

MASSIVE DISCOVERIES

Over the years, foreign companies have been reportinghugediscoveriesof goldinGuyana.Therearesix mining districts in the country: Berbice Mining District 1, Potaro Mining District 2, Mazaruni Mining District 3, Cuyuni Mining District4,NorthwestMining District 5, and Rupununi Mining District 6, with the bulk of gold mining currently occurring in Districts2to4.

With millions of ounces of gold pocketed below the surface of the earth, international companies from across the globe have been heading to the city historically believed to be ‘El Dorado’ in a desperate huntfortheresources.

In 2020, an Australiabased mining company, Alicanto Minerals announceditsfirst-evergold find in Guyana, mere days afteranotherAustralianfirm, Troy Resources, announced that it too discovered gold underground.

In more recent times, Kaieteur News has reported on the massive discoveries made. Just a few days ago, Canadian Company, Omai Gold Mines Corporation announced an exciting find for its shareholders with unlimited deposits likely in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

On Monday, the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and

President,ElaineEllingham, said “These impressive new drill results continue to confirmthemagnitudeofthe Wenot deposit, by demonstrating strike and depth continuity of

s i g n i f i c a n t g o l d mineralization. We have not seen any limitations to the Wenot deposit, and as such, are confident that additional drilling can further expand thegoldresources.”

She added that the tests conducted suggest that the mineralgradesmayincrease

Agold mining operation in Guyana

Chartshowingthedeclineingolddeclarationsfrom2017to2022,barringtheimprovedperformancerecordedin2019.

By Wayne Lyttle

Here's How Often You Should Actually Check Your Blood Pressure, According to a Cardiologist

(The Healthy) Heart experts explain how to read blood pressure, plus six tips from a doctor for getting the most accurate blood pressurereadingathome.

When you get upset, you might feel your heart p o u n d i n g , y o u r temperature rising, your face reddening and you may even feel like you have steam coming out of your ears (if you're a cartoon character, that is). The reason for the “blowing a gasket” cliche? All that pressure building up inside—and for real humans, that's your bloodpressure.

Unfortunately, while it's easy to tell whenBugsBunnyhas high blood pressure, it'smuchhardertosee when humans get hypertensive That's why it's crucial for your overall health to know how to read your bloodpressure.

Why it's vital that youknowthisvitalsign

“Your blood pressure is considered a key 'vital sign' because it is one of the most important indicators of heart health, showing your risk for heart disease, heart failure, and heartattacks,”saysYu-Ming Ni, MD, cardiologist at Memorial Care Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.

“But the symptoms of high blood pressure can be silent or easily mistaken for other things, so unless you're measuring yours regularly thenyoumaymissthisvital warningsign.”

W h a t i s b l o o d pressure?

“Blood pressure” refers to the force exerted by your blood against the walls of your blood vessels, particularly the arteries, a s t h e h e a r t pump s it th

rough your body If blood pressure goes too low or too high it can be fatal, so it's important to know yoursweetspotandkeepyoursout ofthedangerzones.

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) because old-fashioned blood pressure measuring instruments used mercury-filled columns. We no longer use the mercury, but we did keep the standard of measurement.

Normal blood pressure: around120/80mmHg

Elevated blood pressure: 120-129/lessthan80mmHg

Hypertension (high blood pressure): 130/80 mmHg or higher

Hypotension (low blood pressure):below90/60mmHg

Howtoreadbloodpressure

What do those blood pressure numbersmean?

Blood pressure is made up of twonumbers(forexample,120/80 mmHg).

The top number, called the systolic pressure, measures the pressure when the heart contracts andpumpsbloodintothearteries.

The bottom number, known as the diastolic pressure, measures the pressure when the heart is at restbetweenbeats.

Here's how often you should measureyourbloodpressure

“I recommend most patients take their blood pressure one to two times per week,” Dr Ni says. “But you should take it daily if you have a s e r i o u s h e a r t condition or are

key to monitoring your blood pressure? “Write it down,” Dr Ni says. “I cannot stress this enough. We look at blood pressure over time to see if there are changes so youneedtobetrackingit.”

You can use a paper journal, a phone app, a computer spreadsheet, or the electronic record on your blood pressure monitor(ifithasthatfeature).

How to take your blood pressureathome

You likely don't see your doctor that often, and not only can you measure your own blood pressureathome—butyoushould. “You're more likely to get an accurate reading at home, as some people get 'white coat hypertension,' meaning that being atthedoctor'smakesthemanxious whichraisestheirbloodpressure,” Dr Nisays.

“Measuring your blood pressure at home allows you to be more relaxed and consistent—two key things to getting an accurate measurement.”

Step 1 to measuring your blood pressure at home: Get an automatic blood pressure cuff. (That link takes you to a verified product with an average 4.7-star rating from more than 20,000 Amazonshoppers.)

You can use a manual cuffandstethoscope,butit'seasier and more accurate to use an automatedbloodpressurecuff,Dr Ni says. You can get these at any drugstore, big box store, or off the internet. They range in price from $15 to $200. “The simple ones are as accurate as the pricier models, they just don't come with all the bells and whistles,” he explains. This automated blood pressure cuff gets 4.6 stars and is less than

$30atpresstime.)

Step 2: Place the cuff around your arm, following the directions on the cuff. (Most have an arrow showing you which directiontoplacethem.)

Step 3: Take a few minutes to sit or lay down, breathe deeply and relax. Then press the start button. Hold still while the machinedoesitsthing.

Step4:Saveorrecordthe numbers.

Cardiologist-approved tips for taking your blood pressure at home

the numbers can change even in a single day, but fluctuations are normal,”Dr Nisays.

Hydration is often the main culprit in blood pressure fluctuations, he explains, as water makes up the bulk of your blood volume. So being dehydrated (or, less commonly, overhydrated) can reallyaffectyournumbers.

Other reasons blood pressure readings can vary throughout the day include physical activity, stress, medications, emotions, mealtimes,andoverallhealth.

Whentocalladoctor

I f y o u r b l o o d pressure readings are high consistently for a few weeks, give your doctor a call. If they go into the extreme high range (over 180 on top and over 100 on bottom) and you are having any symptoms of a heart attack, like chest pain, trouble breathing, nausea, dizziness, chest pressure, or pain in your left arm—this is a true emergency and you should go directly to the nearest emergency department.

We asked Dr Ni to share his pro tips to get the best, most accuratereading when taking your ownbloodpressure.Measureyour bloodpressure:

At the same time of day on the same day every week. For instance, take your blood pressure 30 minutes after waking every Sundaymorning.

Before taking any medications.

Before eating or drinking, especially anything with caffeine,likecoffeeortea.Wateris fine, and you should be normally hydrated.

Before checking the news, your text messages, or anything else that might make you feelanxious.

While sitting in a comfortable chair with both feet on the ground. No crossing your legs!

Resting your arm on a table or arm rest at the same level asyourheart

It's normal for your blood pressurenumberstofluctuate

“One thing that often makes people anxious about taking their own blood pressure is how much

“If you know you have high blood pressure or that you have a strong family history of heart disease, it's important to get regular checkups with your doctor in addition to monitoring your blood pressure at home,” Dr Ni says, adding that your doctor will discuss which lifestyleandmedication M a i n t a i n i n g a healthybloodpressure

Anything that is good for your heart health is good for your blood pressure, Dr Ni says. Start by getting 30 minutes of daily exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, setting yourself up to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night, strengthening close relationships, and finding ways to manage your stress. One way to limit stress? Limit your screen time—using your phone for this many hours a day causes high bloodpressure,accordingtoanew study

Alsoupyournutritiongameby eating a heart-healthy diet, limiting processed foods and sugary drinks, keeping your salt and alcohol intake moderate, and talktoyourdocaboutaddingthese supplementsshowntolowerblood pressure.

“Knowing your numbers is reallyimportanttoyourhealth,we call high blood pressure the 'silent killer' because it often has no warning signs or symptoms, and youmaynotevenrealizeyouhave it unless you are regularly measuring it,” he says. “Do not ignorehighbloodpressure.”

Promising natural skin, hair and health care products that can be found at home

By: Christal Yong

Potatoes Potato is a versatile and nutritious food that can be enjoyed in different ways. It has tremendous health benefits and is alsogoodforyourskin.

Potatoes are rich in nutrients such as Vitamin C and B6, potassium and flavonoids which helpstoreduceredness,itchingand irritationoftheskin.

The starch in potatoes helps with the absorbing of oil and dirt leaving the skin clear and refreshed.

T h e y h e l p i m p r o v e complexion, moisturize skin with their astringent properties, and further tones and tighten skin. The anti-inflammatory properties in

potatoescanalsohelptoreducethe appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Due to potato being rich in

Vitamin B6 and potassium it can helpreduceacne. Vitamin B6 helps to maintain

healthy sebum production which regulates hormones that affect acne. Potassium assists with the maintaining of healthy blood vessels and keeps skin clear and unblemished.

The presence of Vitamin C in potatoes helps the body produce collagen, which is the most importantproteinforskinhealth.In addition, they contain antioxidant that helps protect the skin from damages caused by free radicals. Different methods to follow when using potatoes for hyper pigmentation, removal of dark spot, tightening of the skin, sun burn, exfoliation of skin, and dark circlesaroundtheeye:

Potato Juice: Slice the potato intotwohalvesandputsomedrops

ofwaterontheirsurface. Proceedtorubtheslicedpotato onyourpigmentationsuchthatthe juicecanactonyourskin.Nextlet itremainfor20-30min. Thiscanbedonetwiceaweek. A potato dark-circle lightening mask:Thispotato-basedsolutionis whatyouneedtosetyoursightson. Make your DIY blend using two teaspoons each of potato and cucumberjuice. Mixitwellandapplyunderthe eyes before going to bed at night. Wash it in the morning with fresh coldwater Inconclusion,whether youeatpotatoes,juiceorusethem topically (use outside the body), potatoes can help improve the appearance of your skin and help nourishandrevitalizetheskin.

From Passion to Purpose a Decade of Massage...

Frompage55

AnTaraMassageStudioasa household name, where people recognize the quality ofserviceprovided.Helping others is his way of generating good karma and making a positive impact, onemindandbodyatatime.

R e g a r d i n g advancements in massage therapy, Deonarine believes that while there may not be ongoingresearchinthefield, progress is always forthcoming. He finds the M a s s a g e W o r l d Championships on Facebookfascinatingandan excellent source of learning. Observing therapists from around the world showcase their skills inspires him to incorporate new techniques intohissessions.

When asked about his greatest satisfaction and fulfillment as a massage therapistafteradecadeinthe business, Deonarine highlighted the fact that people feel better after a session. Compliments such as: “your hands are magic,” “thisismyfirstmassage,and itwillnotbemylast,”or“my knee hasn’t hurt since you rubbed it”, validate his dedication.Itisthesesimple expressions of gratitude that keephimmotivated.

Deonarine further explained that people are becoming more educated about the benefits of massage therapy, and hearing testimonials from others encourages them to experience it themselves Whilesomeindividualsonly seektherapywhentheyhave anissue,hebelievesthereis a growing awareness of the importance of mental health and overall well-being

Massage therapy not only helps with tension but also

addresses insomnia, stress, arthritis, joint stiffness, sciatica, and more, without the need for medication

Education is key and if individuals educate themselves,theywillrealize the numerous benefits, whichmassagecanprovide.

Deonarine occasionally incorporates physiotherapy techniquestoaddressmuscle stiffness.

He highlighted the s y n e r g y b e t w e e n physiotherapy and massage therapy, particularly in Thai massage, where stretches play a significant role Athletes, for instance, often require pre-workout or pregame stretching to enhance their performance For individuals with prolonged muscle stiffness, a combination of massage therapy and physiotherapy exercises, such as squeezing a ball or picking up objects, canhelprestoremobility

Deonarine emphasized the importance of seeking medical attention before pursuing massage therapy, especially if a person is experiencing extreme pain or discomfort. He advised individualstoprioritizetheir health by consulting a medical professional first.

Deonarine believes that not everypainshouldberubbed, as certain conditions may require specific medical attention. However, once a doctorrecommendsmassage therapy, he is ready to provide his services He emphasized that massage hasnotevolved,butpeople’s minds have evolved as they educate themselves about t h e b e n e f i t s a n d effectiveness of massage in dealing with various ailmentsnaturally

Deonarine has encountered ethical dilemmas or challenges,withonenotable issue being gender stereotyping. He mentioned thatsomemaleclientsprefer female therapists, while some female clients hesitate due to their partners’ concerns. However, he believes that once people experience the benefits of massage therapy, they become less concerned about the gender of the therapist and focus on the positive effects of the treatment.

For those skeptical or hesitant about trying massagetherapyforthefirst t i m e , D e o n a r i n e recommended finding a massage therapist who can be trusted and genuinely caresabouttheclient’swellbeing.

H e e n c o u r a g e d individuals to overcome theirskepticismandtakethe plunge, assuring them that theywouldnotregretit.

Deonarine shared his approach to self-care as a massage therapist, which includes practising meditation to find inner peace Additionally, he emphasized the importance ofspendingtimewithfamily and engaging in activities thathelphimstaygrounded. Being aware of burnout and fatigue, he stressed the significance of sleep in repairing the body Lack of sleep can lead to physical and mental exhaustion, which is why he values rest asavitalaspectofself-care.

In terms of public perceptionandacceptanceof massage therapy as a legitimate healthcare modality, Deonarine mentioned his social media presence, where he shares

information about massage, dispelsmyths,andhighlights thebenefits.Hebelievesthat personal testimonials and w o r d - o f - m o u t h recommendations are effective in changing people’s perception of massage therapy. As more individuals become informed about its benefits, acceptance of massage as a legitimate healthcare option grows.

Reflectingonhisjourney as a massage therapist, Deonarine expressed a deep appreciation for health, recognizingitastruewealth. Through his profession, he has developed a greater senseofgratitudeforlifeand the well-being he possesses. While he empathizes with

thosestrugglingwithvarious ailments, he acknowledges the limitations of massage therapy and the importance of seeking appropriate medical care. Nonetheless, he remains committed to helping others to the best of hisabilities.

As the interview concluded, Deonarine reiterated his belief that being a massage therapist is incredibly rewarding Witnessing the positive impactonpeople’slivesand hearing their expressions of gratitudemakesthelearning experienceandthepursuitof his career worth it He encouraged individuals to prioritize their health and e x p e r i e n c e t h e transformative effects of

massage therapy firsthand. Within those 10 years, he took4yearsofftopursuehis studiesinpsychology,which he completed last year, earning a BSc in General Psychology. Now, this year, hehasstartedhisbusiness.

If you are interested in booking an appointment with AnTara Massage Studio,convenientlylocated at 43 Garnett Street in the C o L a b s B u i l d i n g , Georgetown, to schedule your appointment, please feel free to contact Deonarine at 657-8208 or e m a i l h i m a t avinashkd1127@yahoo.com

You can also find more informationandreachoutto himonFacebookatAvinash Deonarine’spage.

Abefore and after photograph of someone using potato for skin care

drill results continue to confirm

The Policia Federal has since

however when it comes to currency) worth of gold through the magnitude of the Wenot translating that wealth to the anothershellcompanyregisteredas deposit, by demonstrating strike population, this has been taking one trading in hospital supplies. and depth continuity of significant some time. In fact, the specialist Investigators checked out the gold mineralization. We have not pointed out that for the wealth to address of that company too and seen any limitations to the Wenot benefit the population, it would found that no hospital supplies deposit, and as such are confident require structural planning by the werebeingsoldthere. that additional drilling can further administration. “The operation seeks to clarify expand the gold resources. At To this end, Deakin said, “The whether the amounts (of money) Wenot, 88% of the NI 43-101 government lacks a clear vision, a moved originate only from mineral resource estimate lies clear plan on how it’s gonna spend smuggling gold from Guyana or above a 300 m depth and the few the money it’s receiving from the whether the businessman was holes that tested below confirm oilrevenuesoIthinkthereisalotof illegally exploring mines in continuity and suggest that grades roomforimprovement.” indigenous areas in the state of may increase with depth, He was keen to note, “Of Roraima(Brazil),”Brazilianpolice particularly at the west end of the course, the government is going to said. deposit.” saythattheyaredoingareallygood

Kaieteur News had reported in realizing an inclusive green The purpose of Guyana’s job, they wouldn’t admit that they obtained three search and seizure January2022 thatthecompanyhad economy;and(b)essentialprojects Natural Resource Fund is to ensure arenotandthereisalotofcreditfor warrants issued by the 4th Federal struck the jackpot only in itsWenot that are directly related to there is prudent management of the what they are doing in terms of CriminalCourtoftheFederalCourt Gold deposit. It had found the 1.6 ameliorating the effect of a major nation’s oil earnings for the present bringing in new investment for the inRoraima. million ounces gold some 400 naturaldisaster.” and future benefit of the people by oil and gas field for the Stabroek metressouthoftheFennellopenpit Government has not identified ensuring that volatility in natural Block and also surrounding THURSDAY - a pit that has produced some 2.4 whatarethe“nationaldevelopment resource revenues does not lead to blocks…but when you’re thinking million ounces of gold for Omai in priorities” being funded by the oil volatilepublicspending. about structurally planning, Pres.Ali finally holds thepastanditwaslocatedatadepth revenue This then begs the With little transparency sustainable long-term wealth for press conference, invites suitable for open pit mining. Nine question as to how exactly the regarding the use of Guyana’s oil thepopulation,Ithinkthere’sstilla one reporter per media months later, Omai was able to money generated from the nation’s wealth, International Financial lot to be done. I haven’t seen a plan house to ask one question increase its gold resource in the naturalresourcewasputtouse. Analysts worry that the revenue or a clear structure of how the WenotDepositfromthe1.6million On August 30, 2023 President may not be used to develop the money is gonna be spent in a way ounces to 1.86 million ounces-a 16 Irfaan Ali appointed the members country and improve the lives of its that’sgoodforthepopulation.” percentincrease. of the NRF Board along with the poorcitizens.

Guyanese businessman under Public Accountability and For instance, Director of investigation by Brazilian police

WEDNESDAY Oversight Committee, and the Financial Analysis at the Institute for laundering US$16 5M in Investment Committee These for Energy Economics and smuggled gold through shell Govt. yet to account bodies are expected to assist in the Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Tom companies for use of US$607M managementoftheFund. Sanzillo recently pointed out that The Brazilian Federal Police in oil money in 2022 Section 32(1) of the legislation the government has not been Boa Vista, Roraima are …as NRFAnnual Report requires the Board of Directors to prioritising saving the funds investigating a Guyanese yet to be made public prepare and submit to the Minister, generated from the industry like businessman for allegedly as soon as practicable but not later Norway but has instead embarked laundering some US$16.5M in The Government of Guyana than 30 days after the receipt of the on a massive infrastructural and smuggled gold through shell (GoG) was hit with severe audited financial statements of the energy development scheme which companiesinBrazil. criticisms in 2021 when it rushed Fund and the external auditor’s may very well benefit its partner, According to the Brazilian through the passage of the Natural report from the Bank, the annual ExxonMobil more than the citizens Federal Police (Policia Federal), Resource Fund (NRF) Act in reportoftheFund. inthecountry the investigation was launched on Parliament during the Christmas The audited financial He reasoned, “It may work to Fridaylast. season. In fact, the legality of its statements should have been Exxon’sbenefittoputinnewroads, “On the morning of this Friday passage was even challenged in the completed since April 30, 2023, in itmaybeExxon’sbenefittobuilda (7/7), the Federal Police launched High Court by Opposition keeping with the provisions of the new gas plant but they don’t need Operation Vanglória, with the aim Months after Kaieteur News Parliamentarians, in a bid to NRFAct. that kind of electricity system in of investigating suspects using and other independent media address its deficiencies but was Theannualreportisexpectedto Guyana and who knows if they shellcompaniestomovemorethan housescalledforapressconference subsequentlydefeated. include the audited financial actually need the roads that are R$80 million (US$16.5M) that with President Dr Irfaan Ali, one

A key concern for Guyanese statements of the Fund and the being built because there is no would originate from the purchase wasfinallyheldyesterday wastransparencyinthegovernance external auditor’s report on the publicprocesssowhatyouhaveisa andsaleofillegalgold,”theFederal That engagement was and use of the revenue that flows Fund,toaccountforitsuse. plan and the plan is to use the Police announced on its official m o d e r a t e d b y P u b l i c intotheaccountfromtheoilandgas The annual report, according to moneytokeeptheexistingpolitical website. Communications Consultant, Kit sector Stakeholders were the NRF Act shall also include structureinpowerandthat’swhatis “The investigations began after Nascimento at the Head of State’s especially disturbed that the featuredetailsofalldepositsto,and goingtobedone.” receiving information linking a Shiv Chanderpaul Drive Office. legislation features no penalties for withdrawals from the Fund, among Meanwhile, Director of Energy Guyanese businessman, who There, journalists were not allowed misuseofthefunds.Whenitcomes othercriticalinformationregarding at Americas Market Intelligence, would work in the mining industry toaskalloftheirquestions. to transparency, the Act provides theperformanceoftheFund. Arthur Deakin, during a recent in his home country (Guyana), to In fact, prior to the start of the for an annual report, detailing the According to the legislation at panel discussion on Guyana’s oil suspicious activities in Brazil,” the conference, Nascimento explained use of the revenue, to be laid in the Section 32(4), the Minister is wealth shared the view that Brazilianauthoritiessaid. that each media house would be National Assembly and published expected to lay this report in the government lacks a clear structure While the police did not reveal allowed one question and a followfor all Guyanese to see, however NationalAssembly at least 30 days on how the resources from this the businessman’s identity, it up. If that permitted for more this document is yet to be made after receipt from the Board of sector will be used to transform the detailedthat“on paper”the suspect questions, that process would be public. Directors.The Law goes on to state livesofGuyanese. owns a company that sells food restarted.

In 2022, Guyana for the first that this particular report, along Deakin was asked to share his items in Manaus, Brazil but when The Head-of-State spoke time used a portion of its oil with audited financial statements viewsonwhyGuyanastillhashigh investigators arrived at the extensively, for approximately one revenue to fund its National shall be made available to the levels of poverty and why he was location,nosuchbusinessexists. hour, on some of the key Budget. Some US$607.6 million public,threedaysafterbeinglaidin optimisticaboutthesituation.Inhis Instead, there was only a achievements made by his was approved in the National Parliament. response, the International Energy vehicleshopatlocationwithnoties government as it nears the threeAssembly Be that as it may, the Annual Analyst explained that the tothesuspect. year mark in office come August,

Section 16.2 of the NRF Act Report of the Fund could not be Government of Guyana has made Investigatorsalsofoundoutthat 2023. Given Ali’s comprehensive explains that “All withdrawals found on the Ministry of Natural “fruitful decisions” which led to the Guyanese businessman is overview, journalists were only from the Fund shall be deposited Resources websites yesterday investments from the ExxonMobil- working along with a Brazilian allowed one question and a followinto the Consolidated Fund and Efforts made by this publication led consortium in the Stabroek partner to smuggle gold through up. shall be used only to finance- (a) yesterday to contact the subject Block. He noted that Guyana’s oil other shell companies in the During his presentation, Ali national development priorities Minister, Vickram Bharrat on the sectorhasbeenmovingatoneofthe country The two of them managed waskeentonotethattheGuyana including any initiative aimed at progressofthereportwerefutile. fastestpacesknownintheindustry; to launder some R$60M (Brazilian (Continued on page 59)

From page 58

said include the building of a m o d e r n , f a s t p a c e d , economy has almost tripled since national skills training centre technologicallydrivenand,coming the end of 2020, thanks to many of “This is a more than US$100M backtotheheartoftheissue,indeed the progressive policies being investment that will include the of support by a different type of implemented across the petroleum, hospitality institute that will train humanresourceasset. health, education, housing and about 6000 people and we are WhileAliandothermembersof othersectors. working on creating a system in his administration have said the

Ali said, “With our nominal which all of our teachers will short-term solution will be the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) become trained right from where importation of skills, no clear plan movingfrom$1.1trillionin2020to theyare…andthiswillenablethem of how this will be achieved and $3.1 trillion at the end of 2022. Of toaccesshighersalaryscaleswhich when, has been disclosed to the course, this is largely owing to the we are also working on to reflect widermedia. startup of oil production at the Liza this.”

In the meantime, Guyana Unity floating, production, storage

The Head-of-State also remains regarded as having the and offloading vessel. Guyana is highlighted the importance of the world’s fastest growing economy now the fastest growing economy Guyana Online Academy of with11billionbarrelsofoilalready intheworld.” Learning (GOAL) Scholarship unlocked in the prolific Stabroek

Fortheperiod2023to2026,Ali programme which is geared to B l o c k , o p e r a t e d b y a n said Guyana is projected to grow at produce not only persons that can ExxonMobil-ledconsortium. an average 25% annually function in the oil industry, but also The country is projected to Expounding further, Ali said in other industries that are key to grow at an average 25 percent Guyana’s non-oil growth is now government’s plan for a diversified annually from 2023 to 2026, with projected at 7 9% this year, economy growth in the non-oil sector buildingon11.5%growthrecorded Though the President did not projected at 7.9 per cent this year lastyear Despitevaryingeconomic provide details on the number of This will build on the 11.5 per cent challenges, Ali said Guyana persons or experts supporting the growth in the non-oil sector last managed to grow its economy and oil sector’s management, as well as year put measures in place to reduce the aforecastofhowthatisexpectedto burden of aggregated prices on grow, he did note that help is FRIDAY citizens, while at the same time forthcoming from Guyana’s prudently managing financial bilateral partners. These include Exxon paid almost resources. Qatar, Ghana and India. “They are half of what Guyana earned

At the end of 2022, he said perdaybytheendof2027. will be responsible for ensuring willingtosendafullslewofhuman in 2022 to rent oil ships Guyana’sdebttoGDPratiostoodat new players abide by the letter of resource capacity to work with our 24.6% down from 38.9% a year Guyana’s oil sector galloping their contracts? Guyanese or people to help bring them up to Esso Exploration and prior, demonstrating government’s at breakneck speed foreignhelp? speed with the management of the Production Guyana Limited commitment to prudent fiscal - even as Pres. Ali admits country Significantly, stakeholders sector,”hesaid. (EEPGL), the operator of the management of the country’s faces human resource crisis have pondered the pace at which Notwithstanding those efforts, Stabroek Block and subsidiary of resources. Guyana is boosting its capacity to Aliagreedthatthecountryisfacing American oil giant, ExxonMobil in

He said, “Now if you look at A US$1 8B gas-to-energy keep track of, and audit, a crisis of skills. He said this not 2022 recovered a total of US$7.4 economic growth estimates, the project, an auction of 14 new oil ExxonMobil’s rising costs in the only cuts across the oil sector but billionincoststodevelopthecrude world is estimated to grow at 2.8% blocks, ongoing audits for US8.9B Stabroek Block. The American oil also in the expanded construction discoveredintheStabroekBlock. in 2023, advanced economies are in expenses by ExxonMobil, along giant has five sanctioned projects sector Even the health sector he A whopping US$558.8 million expected to grow at 1.3%, Latin with a suite of legislative and already and a sixth is underway for said has not been spared as he alonewasexpendedontherentalof America and the Caribbean 1.6%, regulatory reforms—These are but review by authorities. What is the painted a grim picture of shortage the Floating Production Storage the Caribbean tourism dependent a few of the herculean tasks the government’s plan on managing of nurses at the Georgetown Public andOffloading(FPSO)vesselsand countries at 3 2%, Caribbean government must juggle in this critical area to ensure revenues HospitalCorporation(GPHC). drill ships among other equipment commodity exporters 18.7% and Guyana’soilindustry aren’tlost?

“Only yesterday, I met with a to support the offshore activities. Guyana is expected to grow at The extent to which these On matters of regulation, how number of nurses at GPHC. Some This accounts for almost half of the 25.1%.” undertakings will be successfully manyGuyanesearebeingtrainedto of them are doubling up on shifts total revenue Guyana earned last

In terms of inflation estimate, handled however, all depends on support the enforcement of new because of the shortage. When I year for the petroleum production Ali said the world estimate is at how well the PPP/C administration lawstocomefortheoilsector? spoke at the GPHC administration, activities.During2022,thecountry 6 1%, Latin American and responds to the shortage of human Kaieteur News at a press they now have hundreds of nurses benefitted from US$1.4B from the Caribbean at 11.8%, and Guyana is resources. engagement with President, Dr short of their full complement and revenue generated in the Stabroek estimatedat3.8%. It has already been established Irfaan Ali yesterday was unable to that is why we are moving Block.

A l i a l l u d e d t h a t t h e by several local and regional drill down into the foregoing aggressively with a training

Thisinformationiscontainedin macroeconomic outlook for the authorities that Guyana’s matters. Nonetheless, Ali was still programme to bring more nurses the recently released 2022 Annual countryremainspositiveespecially population of roughly 700,000 asked to say how human resource intothesystem,”thePresidentsaid. Report by EEPGL- ExxonMobil as the oil industry remains on an persons is not enough to meet the management is being tackled in He also shared that Guyana is even Guyana. accelerated growth path With unprecedented demands of the l i g h t o f t h e s e g r o w i n g looking to Cuba for possible

According to the document respect to Guyana’s oil resources, industry Be that as it may, many responsibilitieswithintheindustry support from its nurses in this seen by this newspaper, the lease Ali noted that total recoverable multi-million dollar projects The Head-of-State stressed that regard. cost last year amounted to a total of reserves are over 11 billion barrels requiringmassivehumanresources a number of immediate measures While the government must $ 1 1 1 , 7 6 1 , 9 7 4 , 0 1 9 o r in the Stabroek Block, adding that are still receiving government’s are being implemented to ensure also manage the challenges of the approximatelyUS$558.8M. the crude oil reserves have been approval. therightinstitutionsareinplacefor human resource shortage across The financial statement ranked 17th in the world and 3rd in The government is currently Guyanese to be empowered to take various sectors, Ali said his disaggregated the amount, Latin America. He also noted that undertaking the country’s most advantage of opportunities in the administration still has to maintain indicating that $89,821,181,301 with increased production of the expensive development with the world’sfastestgrowingeconomy its focus on building out other was allocated to depreciation and country’s medium sweet grade gas-to-energy initiative That Ali said, “As you know, we aspects of the economy with amortization fees for the use of the crude with low sulphur content, project, expected to reduce have invested tremendously in supportfromtheoilrevenues. vessels, while the balance of government revenue is projected to electricitycostsby50percentusing Technical and Vocational

Alisaidthiswouldentailgiving $21,940,792,718 was specifically be US$10 billion annually by the gas from the Stabroek Block, will Education, much of which is to persons more opportunities to be due on lease interest or the rental endofthedecade. need for example, a team of support the oil and gas industry entrepreneurs, opening up more fees.

Currently, Guyana’s crude oil qualifiedexperts/specialistsaswell Secondly, we have supported lands for agriculture, improving Guyana currently has two production which includes the Liza as a capable workforce to support private training opportunities access to capital with reduced FPSO’s operating in the Stabroek UnityandtheLizaDestinyfloating, its operations when it comes on directlyforoilandgas,whetheritis interest rates, improving access to Block namely the Liza Destiny and production, storage and offloading stream in 2024. What is the human in the maritime industry, welding housing, investing in value added Liza Unity that started producing (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek resource management plan to and fabrication, auxiliary services, agro-processingetc. oil in 2019 and 2022 respectively Block average is about 400,000 ensurethisprojectisasuccess? transportandlogistics,allofthiswe “ we are pushing this The third FPSO, Prosperity is barrels per day. Production is If all 14 oil blocks are awarded havesupported.” economy in a new direction,” Ali expectedtostartproduction forecast to meet 1.2 million barrels in the upcoming auction, then who Othercomplementaryeffortshe said, adding that this pathway is (Continued on page 60)

From page 59

view is taken on board, so the bill commenced laying the 12-inch activities later this year It is likely will be one that is responsive of the pipeline that will be used to that this will also further balloon whole national view that surrounds transport natural gas from the Liza the lease costs being charged to thesectoritself,”thePresidentsaid. Field in the Stabroek Block, to the Guyana. He was also asked whether he Wales Development site on the

ExxonMobil in its financial believes, in the early stages of the WestBankofDemerara. statements have indicated that in oil sector’s development, that the The disruption to the 2021, the total expense for lease government should have a strong livelihoodsoffisherfolkduringthis charges amounted to just over $41 arm in the management of the season, which usually accounts for billion If one considers the sector beyond a policymaking the highest fish catches, have been approximate $112 billion charges level. This strong arm has been the disregarded by both the in 2022, it would mean that the practicaleffectofthegovernment’s Government of Guyana (GoG) and expense increased by a whopping slothfulness in establishing the its development partner, $71B. Commission. ExxonMobil according to

KaieteurNewsunderstandsthat Ali refused such insinuations, Environmental activist Dr Janette SBM, the Dutch ship builder based arguing that he does not believe the Bulkan. in Netherlands was contracted to government should have a strong Bulkan is a Guyanese scholar operate the leased Liza Destiny arm in anything. “We want high and Associate Professor in the (FPSO) for a period of 10 years, levels of transparency and Department of Forest Resources while the Liza Unity (FPSO) and accountability Thatiswhywehave Management at the University of Prosperity (FPSO) contracts cover taken an arm’s-length approach in British Columbia (UBC) in a maximum period of lease and termsofmanyaspects,whetheritis Canada. She has been an advocate operate of two years, within which the Sovereign Wealth Fund and onenvironmentalmattersforovera the FPSO ownership and operation different aspects of the industry decadenow will transfer to the client, itself,”thePresidentsaid. In a letter to this publication on ExxonMobil’s affiliate, EEPGL. He explained that in much of Friday, the environmentalist Both ships were built by the world- the government’s work, it has pointed out that, “The sheer renownedshipbuilder sought the counsel of international organisational magnitude and

The Liza Destiny was built to consultants. He stressed that these efficiency of ExxonMobil as an the tune of US$1B while its sister, are people who have the industrial power was shown in the the Liza Unity was built for experience. “So I don’t see the M A R A D ( M a r i t i m e US$1.2B. Both vessels operate government as taking a strong arm, Administration) Notices to within the Liza field and produce even in our normal course of Mariners numbers 106 and 107 approximately 400,000 barrels of business. I see the government as a (2023) dated 12 June these oilperday facilitator of growth and Noticescoverthenear-shorelaying

Just last month, it was reported development.” of the pipe for the Gas-to-Energy that ExxonMobil Guyana’s Vice

He expressed that government project.” President and Business Service A new report from Wood projects that are yet to commence should not be in the “business of Previous Notices by the state Manager, Phillip Rietema Mackenzie, a global research and oil production, thereby shortening business”,butonlyinthe“business agency provided an confirmed that the company is consultancy group, has however the profits in a given month to be offacilitatingbusiness”. advisory for progressing with plans to purchase signaled that the daily rental fees dividedwithgovernment. Meanwhile, when the same the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity are likely to increase to $100 questionisputtoVicePresidentDr FPSOs. million.Accordingtothereport,rig Pres.Ali gives no timeline for Bharrat Jagdeo, he is often

In its 2019 annual report, SBM utilization has returned to pre- Petroleum Commission dismissive, arguing that there are had indicated it would recover the COVID levels, driving rates up by …but says govt. should not countries around the world that are full cost of its investments on the 40 percent in the past year, with an strong-arm oil sector still corrupt even though they have two vessels, through a sale to the expectedincreaseof18percent. such commissions to manage the client, ExxonMobil In the Wood MacKenzie anticipates Three years after taking office oil sector Even as he steps over the meantime, significant interests are before the end of the year, rates of the IrfaanAli Government is yet to fact that it was the governing being paid to support leasing and US$500,000/day or above may fulfill one its elections campaign administration that promised and operatingarrangements. return for highly-prized, promise- to establish a Petroleum argued for a Petroleum

Drill ship rentals advantaged

ultra-deepwater rigs. Commission. This commitment to Commission in the run-up to the

It must be noted that Guyana is Benign ultra-deepwater rigs have GuyaneseinthePPP/C’smanifesto 2020 General and Regional also paying hundreds of thousands averaged US$420,000/day in the shouldhavebeendoneshortlyafter Elections, the government of US-dollars daily to rent the drill firsthalfof2023,withutilizationat taking office. And after being in continues to evade calls to provide ships being used by Exxon in its 90percent. office for three years, it cannot a timeline for the establishment of exploration campaign offshore. A ExxonMobil just last week provide any timeline for this to be thiscommission. United Kingdom firm, Noble received a green light from the done. K a i e t e u r N e w s h a s Corporation was hired to lease the Environmental Protection Agency President Ali held a press demonstrated that with the vesselstoGuyana. (EPA) to commence another 35- conference on Wednesday, during configuration of the Petroleum

Notably, in May last, Noble well drilling campaign in the which he spent over an hour Activities Bill, which vastly announced ExxonMobil Guyana StabroekBlock. outlining achievements of the expands the powers of political has extended their contract for the This means that the rental fees administration However, no hands in the oil sector, the PPP/C the deep-water pipeline laying rental of four of their drill ships at will significantly increase as the mentionwasmadeofthePetroleum government’s promise of a activities further offshore in the an average day rate of about new drilling programme is Commission in his opening Petroleum Commission is nothing Liza field in the Stabroek Block. US$420,000(GYD$84million)for scheduledtocommenceinthethird statement. The institution would butapipedream. The new Notices however indicate each. With the new extension by quarterofthisyearandconcludeby provide a much-needed layer of that the construction team will be Exxon,drillshipsNobleSamCroft, thefourthquarterof2028. protection, guarding the oil and gas SATURDAY operating closer to shore in an area Noble Don Taylor, Noble Tom It must be noted that the sectorfromthetentaclesofpolitical of 65 square nautical miles (22,500 Madden, and Noble Bob Douglas Production Sharing Agreement control. When asked what has held Gas-to-Energy project... hectares)out39nauticalmilesfrom will work in Guyana until second (PSA) Guyana inked with the government back from Fishermen unimportant, the coast. An exclusion zone has quarterof2027. ExxonMobil and its partners allow establishing the Commission, the invisible to Exxon been identified that stretches from Noble Corporation earned the consortium to recover 75 President said there have been no ...as company commences the coast to about 18 nautical miles significantly from Guyana last percent of the revenue each month humbugs, but that the issue is a pipeline laying works with no (33 kilometeres) offshore Guyana year It was reported that the towards cost recovery while the complex one which has to be consultation, compensation for and covers an area of about 61 drilling company generated some remaining25percentisthenshared carefullyexamined. disruptions- Janette Bulkan square nautical miles (208 square US$1.4 billion in total revenues for equally between the two sides as “The new bill has to be very kilometers), according to the the year ended December 31, 2022, profit. comprehensive. That’s to take a lot Esso Exploration and MARADNotice. with a plurality of the revenue In the absence of a ring-fencing of new circumstances into Production Guyana Limited Bulkan in her missive was keen coming from its operations in provision, the oil giant has consideration. It’s very important (EEPGL), commonly referred to as tonotethattheexerciseand Guyana–US$469million. commenced recovering costs from that every stakeholder and every

An ExxonMobil office

President Irfaan Ali

From page 60 theirtraditionalgroundsbythenew exclusion plot covers a substantial eastwards-sweepingsediment. area of traditional grounds of the The Guyanese Professor said, artisanalcoastalfishermen. Tothis “In a generation’s time, end,sheargued,“Therehasbeenno ExxonMobil and the other public consultation about carpetbaggers will fold their tents scheduling this work to avoid and slink away At the current rate, conflict with the season which they will leave behind a despoiled usually provides the largest fish Atlantic Ocean, reduced marine catches (and) no discussion about life, including shrimp and fish, and compensation for disrupting the a polluted coastland in which only livelihoods of Guyanese therichcanaffordadecentlife.” fishermen.”

During the conduct of the EIA

The Environmental activist by ExxonMobil Guyana for the noted that “the treatment of our pipeline component of the GTE fishermen as invisible and project, stakeholders were engaged unimportant to Exxon, and on possible environmental impacts apparently to the Government, is of the project. The operator said evident if you have looked over the fisherfolk were part of these sea wall of Georgetown since the engagements.

Jan De Nul dredgers have been

In that document, the oil widening and deepening the company committed “EEPGL Demerara Ship Channel for would keep the public informed Exxon’s support vessels and for about the general progress of the constructing the VEHSI shorebase Project (e.g., completion of Project (Port of Vreed-en-Hoop) for NRG stages such as construction and HoldingsInc.” installation) and respond to

TheScienceProfessorcontends grievances (i e , specific that since the dredging activities complaints) filed under the company to taking responsibility “Because once you talk about commenced to facilitate Project’s CGM (Community for the damages caused The institutional issues and legal ExxonMobil’s production Grievance Mechanism) ”

Shadow Oil and Gas Minister framework and things like that, activities, a different type of mud is However, there has been no update pointedtotheurgencyofthefishing those are not things that now visible from the seawall, on the project by Exxon since it industry being resuscitated as the organisations can do on its own. stirred with fine sediments and commenced In fact, this subject of food security takes the Those are things that require swept eastwards by the inshore newspaper made efforts in the past limelightintheCaribbean. governmentintervention.” counter-current. for photos of the ongoing works to According to the chairperson,

Dr.Bulkan explained that the be shared, but was told there were Govt. continues to work against since July 2022, IDPADA-G was mud from the local andAmazonian noneavailableatthetime.Thiswas IDPADA-G – VincentAlexander ready to engage the government. In rivers provide nutrients for the sea overamonthago. fact, he said that the organisation creatures which feed the fish that Moreover,Exxonisyettomeet Chairperson for International had written to President Irfaan Ali Guyanese fishermen have been with fishermen directly on how the Decade for People of African requesting a meeting so that they catching for generations. To this company’s operations to facilitate onset of oil and gas activities in the Descent Assembly – Guyana can engage the government, and end, she reminded that the the GTE project can affect their country (IDPADA-G), Vincent Alexander, possibly“motivatethemtodowhat Environmental Protection Agency livelihoods. Though Exxon had alerted the on Friday said that instead of isrequiredofthegovernment.” ( E PA ) h a d w a i v e d a n Fisherfolk cash-grant authorities in its EIAs that the working with the organisation, the Unfortunately, he said, while Environmental Impact Assessment In 2022, the GoG handed out activities can pollute the country’s Government of Guyana has President Ali had promised on a (EIA) for the project, while the about $150 million in one-off cash waters and impact the industry, engagedindenigratingit. few occasions to engage the body fishermen who will face losses as a grants to about 1,300 fisherfolk Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had During a press conference on thathasneverhappened. result were never engaged or amid complaints of lower fish arguedtherewasnosucheffect.He Friday, Alexander rubbished the ”What we saw instead was an compensated for the elimination of catches that some attributed to the explained that it was only a report that was conducted by avalanche coming from the Vice seasonaloccurrence. financialanalyst,JoelBhagwandin, President(BharratJagdeo)tryingto We i g h i n g i n o n t h e on IDPADA-G’s Strategic Plan for criticizeanddenigrateIDPADA-G, government’s cash-grant initiative, 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 2 4 H e s a i d , thatiswhatwehavegottenfromthe Opposition Member of Parliament, “Government’s most recent piece government, rather than the David Patterson told Kaieteur ofpropagandaisacriticalreviewof exchanges we were looking for,” News that it was merely a band-aid IDPADA-G’s Strategic Plan Alexanderunderscored. approach to solving the problems conductedbyJoelBhagwandin.” Moreover,ithasbeentwoyears thatplaguethefisheriessector Alexander noted that while the since IDPADA-G received its last Patterson argued that a body continues to pursue the goals subvention from the government. comprehensive plan was required of the Decade, with limited In April, the Government of to offer relief to the dwindling resources available, in spite of the Guyana said it will disburse the industry. He pointed out that a very government’s continued 2023 subvention meant for the important component of that plan withholding of subvention without advancement of the lives of Afroshould entail an independent justifiable cause for the past two Guyanese,butinsteadofgivingitto baseline study into the fisheries years – the government continues IDPADA-G, it will hand over the sector. He stressed that while to wage a propaganda campaign subvention directly to the 55 ExxonMobil has been conducting againstIDPADA-G. organisations that make up that offshore studies, it would be “What’s important to note coordinatingbody outright foolish to believe the however, if one looks at the Speaking on this yesterday, company would provide strategicplanonewillseethatthere Alexander noted that as far as he is information that suggests negative are a number of areas that require aware, none of the organisations aboutitsoperations,hencetheneed state intervention and in this in has received the promised for an independent baseline study many regards is in keeping with subventionfromthegovernment. tobeconducted. whattheUnitedNationsspecified,” The People’s Progressive Party Another important alternative headded. Civic (PPP/C) Government has Patterson listed was compensation Alexander explained that accused the IDPADA-G of being from the oil company He pointed IDPADA-G has embarked on a partisan and Vice President Jagdeo out that the baseline study could process of preparing itself to make hadallegedthattheagency’sBoard help identify whether the oil representation to the government, of Directors were personally operation is indeed impacting the forittoactinareasthatrequirestate benefiting from an almost $500M countrywhichwouldthentietheoil intervention. Stateallocation.

Environmental activist, Dr. Janette Bulkan

Guyanese fishing boats docked at a local wharf

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Gold Board declaration on decline...

From page 53 with depth, particularly at the west end of the deposit.

Kaieteur News had reported in January 2022 that the company had struck the jackpot in its Wenot Gold deposit. It had found the 1.6 million ounces gold some 400 metres south of the Fennell open pit- a pit that has produced some 2.4 million ounces of gold for Omai in the past.

Since 2019 when Guyana became a member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the country agreed to adhere to several requirements, including the public disclosure of all mineral agreements entered into.

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In November last year, a Canadian mining company, Alerio Gold Corp boasted to its shareholders that there was a “gold fever” in Guyana as the company entered into a property purchase agreement to acquire a 100 percent interest in five gold prospecting licenses here, known as the Puruni Gold Property.

Although the requirements were known to the administration, it continued to make excuses to avoid the release of these contracts.

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Just two weeks prior, it was reported that Omai had struck a new gold find that was worth two times the country’s total debt at the time. The company disclosed in a statement to its shareholders that it was “extremely pleased” because it has been able to double a previous gold find of 1.6 million ounces of gold to 3.69 million ounces of gold within nine months. The find by Omai was worth over US$6.2B; while Guyana’s total debt at the time was US$3.2 billion.

Following two years of intense pressure from this newspaper, the government finally published the mining contracts for companies operating in the country.

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In May, the administration published five mining contracts on the Ministry of Finance website. They include Aurora – Mineral Agreement; Guyana, GGMC and Reunion Manganese Inc. – Mineral Agreement; Guyana, GGMC, First Bauxite & Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc. – Mineral Agreement; Karouni – Mineral Agreement and Toroparu – Mineral Agreement.

An additional 13 Licences granted to the mining companies were also made public. They include Atlantic Golds Inc; Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. 2006; Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. 2010; Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. 2012; Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Inc. 03 2004; Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Inc. 04 2004; Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Inc. 05 2004; Guyana Goldfields Inc.; Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc.; Guyana Manganese Inc. ML 022022; Guyana Mining License G-1000 000; Ontario Mining License and Troy Resources Pharsalus.

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trade name in your daily newspaper in occurrence with the requisite criteria and law in obtaining a Money Lender Certificate. Pursuant to section 4, Money Lenders Act) Osafa Bess of Lot 111 Miles Mahdia, Pataro Siparuni, Region 8 and Athoya Ramsarran of Lot 15 Rahaman’s Park East Bank Demerara, hereby give notice that WE have applied to the Magistrate of Essequibo District to be held in

Mahdia, Pataro Siparuni, Region 8 for a Certificate under the Money Lenders Act authoring to grant us a Money Lender’s Licence to Carry on the Business of Money Lender under the Title of BESS’S JEWELLERY & PAWNSHOP located at Lot 111 Miles Mahdia, Pataro Siparuni, Region 8. NOTICE of any objections to this application should be sent forthwith to the CLERK OF COURT OF THE ESSEQUIBO MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT, and a copy of any such Notice should be sent to the Subscriber Osafa Bess and Athoya Ramsarran.

LonebanditshotafterinvadingRio ApartmentstorobVenezuelanwomen...

Frompage13 neighbours alerted police that a robbery was in progress. Policeranks from the Alberttown Police Stationarrivedpromptlyon the scene and were able to corner the bandit before he attemptedtoescape.

Thebandit,inanattemptto eludethecops,firedshotsat the cops but lost the duel and was eventually captured.

Personsfromneighbouring buildings captured the shoot-out on video. The video seen by Kaieteur News showed the police

arriving in a pick-up and armed ranks jumped out of thesaidvehicle.

Gunshots were heard and sent those persons in close proximity scampering for cover Spanish-speaking persons were heard in the background saying, “Van a matar un Venezolano vale [they are going kill a Venezuelan]”.

Policestated,however,that when the ranks arrived at the building, they saw Hawkerwalkingwithagun in his hand and called on himtodroptheweaponand surrenderbuthedidnot.

“…Thesuspectdischarged threeroundsinthedirection of the police ranks, forcing them to take cover. One of theranksreturnedfireatthe suspect, hitting him on his right thigh,” police said. The bullet struck the suspectinhisrightthighand hefelltotheground.

Police quickly took possession of his illegal weapon and recovered the victims’ cell phones from hispocket.

Hawker was taken to GPHC for treatment where he remains under police guard.

$31M estimated to rehabilitate Diamond Primary School

With some $12 bil lion set aside for the construction, rehabilitation, extension and maintenance of educational facilities across the

country, the Ministry of Education is preparing to use part of the proceeds to have the Diamond Primary School rehabilitated.

At the recent opening of

Below are the companies and their bids:

tenders at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPATB) office it was revealed that $31,689,350 is estimated to fix up the school.

A total of five contractors

South Korea landslides, floods kill more than 20

have applied for the job. During the reading of bids too, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is looking to rehabilitate the Sophia Care Centre, at an estimated cost of $17,712,860.

Supply, Installation and Commissioning Two Dryback Firetube Boilers.

Ministry of Human Services and Social Security Rehabilitation of Sophia Care Centre.

A general view shows landslide caused by torrential rain in Yecheon, South Korea, July 15, 2023. Yonhap via REUTERS

Reuters - Twenty-two people have died, 14 were missing and thousands evacuated in South Korea as of Saturday, according to ministry data, as a third day of torrential rains caused landslides and the overflow of a dam.

As of 6 p.m. (0900 GMT), 4,763 people had been evacuated nationwide, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety, as water overtopped the dam in North Chungcheong province on Saturday morning.

Local governments’ evacuation orders covered more than 7,000 people at various times, according to provincial authorities.

The tally is expected to rise as more heavy rain is expected on the Korean peninsula on Sunday, the Korea

Meteorological Administration forecasted.

Korea Railroad Corp said it was halting all slow trains and some bullet trains, while other bullet trains might be delayed due to slower operation, as landslides, track flooding and falling rocks threatened safety.

A slow train derailed late on Friday when a landslide threw earth and sand over tracks in North Chungcheong province, the transport ministry said. The engineer was injured, but no passengers were on board.

In a meeting with government agencies on Saturday, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo called for the military to actively join in rescue activities, working with government officials to mobilise equipment and manpower.

Ministry of Education Rehabilitation of Diamond Primary School.

Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Supply and Delivery of IT Equipment for Data Centre.

Procurement of Works to Repair the Matron’s Office.

Gas-to-Energy Permit challenge…

ExxonMobil was appointed agent of GLSC to access private lands

- Govt. tells High Court

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, S.C has told the High Court that Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)ExxonMobil Guyana- was appointed an agent of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) to access privately owned lands toconductsurveysforthe12inch pipeline now under construction for the Gas-toEnergy(GTE)project.

The AG in his defence application filed in the High Court on Friday featured a sworn statement by Head of the GTE Taskforce, Winston Brassington who highlighted key occurrences prior to the Environmental Permit being granted to the oil company to undertaketheproject.

Exxon was granted a Permit on November 25, 2022, to commence the pipelineworks,however,two citizens moved to the High Court on March 27, 2023, seeking an order to quash the Permit. In their application,

the citizens contended that at the time the Permit was granted,EEPGLhadnoproof of ownership for the lands through which the pipeline willpass.

The Attorney General and the oil company were approvedbytheCourttojoin the matter in which the EPA was the first named respondent.

Brassington in the Affidavit in Defence of the Attorney General said that as part of the GTE Project, the Government of Guyana (GoG) was responsible for acquiring lands pursuant to the Acquisition of Lands for Public Purposes Act, Chap. 62:05, to enable the construction of the onshore gaspipeline.

These lands are located along the pipeline route from PlantationNouvelleFlanders to Wales, West Bank Demerara.

HetoldtheCourtthatthe applicants argue the granting of the Permit did not comply with Regulation 17(2)(c)(ii)

Man caught on camera breaking into house at Princess Street P

A suspected burglar dressed in a black hoodie and a pair of short grey denim jeans wascaughtoncamerabreakingintoahouseat PrincessStreet,Georgetown.

Kaieteur News understands that the incidenttookplacesometimelastweek.

Security cameras from nearby captured themanpryingopenthepadlockononeofthe d o o r s w i t h a m e t a l - l i k e r o d

Based on the footage, the man was determinedtoenterthehouse.Hespentalong time in the rain trying to pry open the lock. The footage showed the man repeatedly trying to open the padlock until the rod was bent.

Instead of giving up, he straightened the rodandtriedagainuntilhefinallysucceeded.

No details were revealed about what was stolen but the man did enter the house and leave. Kaieteur News understands that the incidenttookplacesometimelastweek. Investigationsareongoing.

of the Environmental Protection Authorisation Regulations, in that the application “failed to include or provide any proof of ownership, a lease or other agreement with the landowners of the said areas, as required”bythelaw Regulation 17(2)(c)(ii) of the Regulations provides: "An application for an e n v i r o n m e n t a l authorization…shall contain t h e f o l l o w i n g information…(c) proof that

the applicant either owns the facility or has a lease or other agreement with the landowner or occupier to enable the applicant to conduct the activity on the facility or has legal rights or ability to conduct the activity without the consent of the landowneroroccupier.”

Brassington told the Court that he believes the Applicants “in reliance of a narrow construction” of the Environmental Act failed or refused to recognize that that legislation provides for an applicant to possess “legal rights or ability to conduct the activity.” As such, he argued that the application waswhollymisconceived.

He said that at all times, EEPGL had the requisite permission, legal rights, or ability to conduct the activities associated with the GTEProject.

TheGTETaskforceHead went on to elucidate that in a letter dated July 29, 2021 issued by Commissioner of State Lands, Enrique Monize, EEPGL was appointed as an agency of GLSC to access and enter upon public lands in the pathwayoftheGTEproject.

Permission was therefore granted for the oil company to “undertake and/or carry out activities related to the Gas to Energy Project on the surface and in the subsurface of the Land ("theActivities") for the duration of the Activities, including Activities such as onshore geotechnical surveys, environmental, studies Further, such activities shall also include the bringing on, storage and deployment on the Land any plant, machinery,equipment,stores or materials which are required for carrying out said activities.”

Brassington went on to note that the Commissioner of State Lands also indicated thattheGLSCwouldseekthe permission of the Minister of PublicWorks,JuanEdghillto appoint EEPGL as agents of the Commissioner of State Lands and of the GLSC, to enteruponprivatelandstobe

requested that costs be awardedtotherespondentsin thematter

He argued, “I am advised by my Attorneys-at-Law and verily believe that the Applicants' FDA, which s eeks to quas h the Environmental Permit and to require its re-application in c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f a completed and closed acquisition process, constitutes an abuse of the process of the Court, is frivolous, vexatious, misconceived and an uneconomic use of judicial timeandresources.”

Background

acquiredfortheGTEProject, to survey or otherwise examine the lands, and to i n t e r a l i a , c o n d u c t g e o t e c h n i c a l a n d geophysical work He explainedthatthepermission to access and enter private lands was conditional on an Order to that effect being gazetted.Thepermissionwas gazetted, according to the Head of the Taskforce on August7,2021.

Brassington explained that following the gazetted order, EEPGLwas appointed anagentofGLSCpursuantto the letter dated September 3, 2021, “For the purpose of surveying, save and except cadastral surveys, or otherwise examining the lands described in the Schedule”.

EventhoughtheGazetted orders, as pointed out by the Head of the Taskforce permitted the oil company to conduct surveys on the private lands, he told the High Court in his 15-page application that he believes t h i s s e r i e s o f correspondences aggregate to provide proof of EEPGL's legal rights or ability to conduct the activities associated with the GTE project, without the consent ofthelandowneroroccupier

Brassington said the requirement of Regulation 17(2)(c)(ii) was satisfied and askedtheCourttodismissthe challenge brought by ElizabethDeane-Hughesand Vanda Radzik. Moreover, he

Through their lawyers, MelindaJanki,AbiolaWongInniss, and Joel Ross, the citizens are seeking an Order of Certiorari to quash the decision made by the EPA to award an Environmental P e r m i t t o E E P G LExxonMobil Guyana- to undertake the GTE project activities, on the grounds inter alia that the decision was in breach of the p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e Environmental Protection Act (Cap. 20:05), and more p a r t i c u l a r l y , t h e Environmental Protection (Authorisation)Regulations.

The citizens outlined that ExxonMobil Guyana in its application, dated June 24, 2021 includes details of the project site, the proposed route of the pipeline and the areas to be used and affected by the project, which includes residential properties, commercial properties and state-owned properties. Be that as it may, the application did not include or provide any proof ofownership,aleaseorother agreement with the land ownersofthesaidarea.

Notwithstanding, the EPAgrantedEEPGLaPermit to undertake the project on November 25, 2022

Subsequently,theMinisterof PublicWorks,JuanEdghillin January 2023 passed various orderstoacquirelandsforthe purpose of the project, pursuanttotheAcquisitionof Lands for Public Purposes Act, Chapter 62:05

The burglar breaking into the house

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall S.C

Head of the Gas-to-Energy Taskforce, Winston Brassington

2023 DeSinco National Junior Championships… Impressive start for youang chess players

Wi t h t h e N a t i o n a l Junior Chess Qualifiers concluded earlier this week, the young chess players are rested and revived to bring their best game to the board on day one.

TheQualifierswereonly a glimpse of the players capabilities, with surprise wins and losses emerging after rounds one and two on Friday,July14th.

Kishan Puran was the first to face off against the reigning Junior Champion Ricardo Narine on day one He fought valiantly but was powerless to scrape a victory as Narine earned his first point on the nineround journey to defend his title.

M e a n w h i l e , qualifying champion E t h a n L e e f a c e d

Oluwadare Oyeyipo in Round One

The two young men made it to the Nationals without facing off against each other once in the qualifying event

It would appear they were comparable today, their match ending in a draw where Lee was a pawn up with the material advantage but low on time and in a

Vingegaard and Pogacar in close thriller as motorbikes spoil stage

precarious position.

Oyeyipo went on to face Narine in round two where the result was once again, a draw, with the two players splitting the point as they steeled themselves for the matches ahead

Matthew Singh, however, earned a decisive victory over Kishan Puran. Puran remained with just three pawns against Singh’s four pawns, a queen and a rookwhenhecapitulated.

InLee’sfinalgameofthe day, he was defeated by Under-14 Champion Kyle Couchman.

While Lee’s opening tacticsgavehimapositional advantage, Couchman launchedanassaultonLee’s king which he was helpless to defend against or overcome.

He resigned the game and Couchman finished day one undefeated, having claimedvictoryinroundone overtheUnder16champion AlexanderZhang.

Undefeated players in the tournament thus far are Couchman and Ronan Lee, both on 2 points, with Narine, Sandiford, and Singh on 1.5 points heading intodaytwo.

Oyeyipohas1point.On half a point is Ethan Lee. Still to earn a victory are

Puran, Alexander Zhang, andNicholasZhang.

The 2023 Junior N a t i o n a l C h e s s Championship is a RoundRobinTournamentunderthe time control of 90 minutes with 30-second increments. Games will play between July 14th and 19th at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The Guyana Chess Federationextendsgratitude to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for once again providing the venue forthetournamentandtothe eventtitlesponsorDeSinco Limited and Milex: one of the leading distributors of fast-moving consumer goodsinGuyana.

Goingintoroundthree, players recognise that: ReigningchampionNarine isofftoagoodstart,buthe has to keep winning if he wants to defend his title Qualifying champion Lee is down on points, he will need to find a way to improve his standing if he wants to challenge for the title Couchman has made a strong start to the tournamentandisoneofthe playerstowatch.

The tournament is still wide open, and there are a number of players who couldchallengeforthetitle.

(Reuters) - In 1989, Greg LeMond won theTour de France by a mere eight seconds over Laurent Fignoninanail-bitingfinale but this year’s edition might well provide an even closer endingasTadejPogacarand JonasVingegaardarelocked inaclassicbattle.

Defending champion Vingegaardopenedup a 53second gap in the first mountain stage in the Pyrenees only for Pogacar, the2020and2021winner,to claw back time in the next three uphill finishes to cut thedeficittonineseconds.

That increased to 10 on Saturday as Vingegaard, by virtue of the bonus-second rules, gained one second on his rival despite finishing just behind him in the 14th stagewonbySpain’sCarlos Rodriguez.

Pogacar was the first to attack,3.7kmfromthetopof thelung-bustingColdeJoux

Plane(11.6kmat8.5%),and he dropped the lanky Vingegaard but the Slovenian could not extend his lead beyond five seconds.

Two kilometres further up, Vingegaard was back and when Pogacar tried to launch a fierce sprint for bonus seconds at the summit,hewasunabletoget past a photographer’s motorcycle riding alongside thetelevisionmotorcycle.

“I lost a bullet but it is what it is,” said Pogacar “I wasblockedbyamotorbike, whichwasalsoblocked.”

The motorcycle was itself hemmed in by the crowdclosinginontheroad.

“I told my driver to accelerate when Pogacar attacked but he could not as therewerefansinfront,”the photographer told Reuters. “Weshouldhavegoneaway before and forgotten about thepicture.”

Officials excluded both motorbikes from Sunday’s 15thstage.

“Those motorbikes should not be there but I appreciate that everyone is trying to do their job here,” Pogacar’s UAE Emirates team manager Mauro Gianettitoldreporters,while the team’s sports director MatxinFernandezcalledthe incident‘unacceptable’.

At the end of the day, Pogacar is still breathing downVingegaard’sneckand heisconvincedtheTourwill be decided by a small margin.

“It will be a matter of seconds in the coming days. We’llfightuntiltheend,”the 24-year-oldsaid.

Dane Vingegaard believesotherwise.

“I still don’t think it will be decided by seconds. At onepointsomeonewilltake a fair bit of time on the other,”hesaid.

Team Jumbo–Visma’s Jonas Vingegaard and UAE Team Emirates’Tadej Pogacar in action during stage 14 as spectators cheer on. (Reuter)

Blairmont CCC Club summer coaching clinic starts

With the closure of schools for the July-August holidays several activities have been planned to keep thechildrenactive.

T h e B l a i r m o n t Community Centre Cricket Club (BCCCC), West Bank Berbice has commenced its cricket academy and coaching clinics for crickets andyoungstersmainlyonthe WestCoastofBerbice.

The clinic which began on Friday 14 is expected to continue until July 19th at the Blairmont Community CentreGround.

Accordingtocoordinator Shabeer Baksh, several top coaches in the country will be present to conduct the sessions.

Among the coaches expected to be in attendance

are national coaches Esuan Crandon, Julian Moore, Garvin Nedd and former West Indies player Sewnarine Chattergoon and former National U19 player, BalramSamaroo.

According to Baksh persons registering for the sessions will, have an opportunity to register to become members of the Club.

Persons ages 10-21 are eligibletoattendthecamp.

OnJuly14,18and19,the cricket clinic will run from 10:00h to 17:00h while on theotherdays,theclinicwill be from 14:00h to 17:00h. Persons still interested in being a part of the camp can visit the location on make contact via WhatsApp No 644-2714.(SamuelWhyte)

Gentle defeats Kalekyezi to win the GTA One Guyana Open Ladies’ Title

The GTA One Guyana Open 2023 Tournament is a pillar of the emerging National Sports Academy; aninitiativewhichisfunded by the National Sports Commission (NSC), Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and by extension theGovernmentofGuyana.

Afruica Gentle defeated the Girls 18 champion and No. 2 seed Paula Kalekyezi 6/4–6/2tobecomethefirst GTA One Guyana Open Ladies’ Singles Champion. The victory netted Gentle her fourth Ladies’ Singles Title.

“Thiswinwasn’tjustfor me. It was also for my dad whopassedawaylastmonth. Tennis meant a lot to him, and it means a lot to me. I know this is something he would’ve wanted,” Gentle said. Gentle finished the fortnight without losing a set, defeating two Ladies’ Singleschampionsalongthe way

From the start, both players displayed their confident and aggressive baseline game with KalekyezibreakingGentle’s serve in the second game of thefirstsettotakea2/0lead. Gentle used her power and clutch serving to keep Kalekyezi at bay to win the nextfourgames.

Trailing 2/4, Kalekyezi began to unravel Gentle’s

offense with persistent baseline defense to win the nexttwogamesandlevelthe match.

The four-time Ladies’ champion responded by firing winners from both sides to break Kalekyezi’s serveforthethirdtimeinthe first set. Gentle held serve comfortablyat5/4towinthe opening set and maintained that momentum to seal the win in an hour and 20 minutes.

“Thank you to everyone whocameouttosupportthe GTA One Guyana Open 2023 Tournament. I think this tournament was a big success,” the four-time

Ladies’champ said. “Kudos to the GTA, the Ministry of Culture,YouthandSportand MinisterCharlesRamsonJr for making this tournament happen. I hope there are manymoretournamentslike thesetocomebecauseitwill h e l p w i t h j u n i o r development.”

The GTA One Guyana Open 2023Tournament will concludeonSunday,July16 with the Men’s Open Final between two former Men’s champions – No 2 seed Gavin Lewis and Phillip Squires. The match will be played at 14:30 hrs. at the National Racquet Centre, WoolfordAvenue.

Youngsters paying keen attention as coaching sessions began at the Blairmont Community Centre

KFC Elite League 2023…

GPF to feature in tonight’sdouble-header

With just two more games to go in the fifth edition of the league, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) FC are currently the onlyteamchallengingfrontrunnerstheGuyanaDefence Force(GDF)FCforashotat thisyear’sKFCEliteLeague title.

While the soldiers are flying high with 22 points (As of Sunday, July 9), the Police Officers have 18 points following a commanding 6-0 victory over the Buxton United on Tuesdaylast.

Inthatmatch,goalsfrom Jemar Harrigan (8th), Darren Benjamin (38th) Micholas McArthur (52nd), Dorwin George (76th, 83rd) and Junior Redmond (80th), propelled Police to the much- needed victory; in a scenario where the team needs to win all their remaining games in order to liftthecovetedtrophy

In a chat with the media following the first of three must-win games, Coach Wayne Dover discussed the importance of Tuesday’s victory.

“This victory is very important, knowing that we

have 2 more games to play and this would give us a foundation as we enter the penultimate game where we would try to score as much goal as possible, but more importantly, look for the 3 points,”Doverexplained.

He added, “Because heading into the final game, knowing we have one more game to win to win the league, that’s what makes thesegamesimportantforus towin.”

Quizzed about whether or not they will be focused onpickingupalotofgoalsin their next game, against Milerock FC, Dover disclosed that the ‘3 points’ istheultimategoal.

The renowned coach divulged, “Despite the amount of goals we score in thisgame,wedohavetobeat G D F t o w i n t h e championship. But scoring isimportantsowecouldplay like we’re trying to intimidatetheminsomeway or the other, in terms of sending a threat of our goal scoring.

So, we hope that a little intimidation factor could comeintoplay.”

Quizzed about their preparation ahead of their

finalleaguegameagainstthe fearsome GDF unit, Dover noted that discipline will be ever- important, if the Policemenaretocomeaway with a victory in the highly anticipatedclash “We’re preparing just like them and we all know that they have some good players, but again, we have to be discipline in our approach to the game and once we execute the things we work on in training I think we can manage to get the results that we look for on the final day,” Dover shared.

Thecoachfurtherstated, “Toworkasateamandtobe organized, that would be very critical because we know the GDF have players and we will need to be very organizedagainstthem.”

The Policemen will come up against Milerock FCintheirpenultimategame of the league tonight, at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Training Center, Providence, East BankDemerara(EBD)from 19:30hrs.

Priortothatgame,Ann’s Grove United and Victoria Kings will meet from 17:00hrsatthesamevenue.

Afruica Gentle

Guyanese Golfers received warm welcome at Tobago Invitational Open

T h e G u y a n e s e contingent of Golfers received a warm welcome upontheirarrivalatTobago, ahead of the Invitational Open being hosted at the Tobago Plantations MagdalenaGolfResort.

The teams of eight players were warmly welcomed on Friday, by the presidentoftheTrinidadand Tobago Golf Association WayneBaptiste,“Weextend our arms in welcome to our Guyanese brothers and sisters and commit that this will be the beginning of a long-term relationship that will see the development of the sport in many unique ways.”

Attheopeningceremony ofthetwodayevent,with94 international golfers set to battle for top honours, Vice president of the Barbados Golf Association David Phillips also welcomed the visiting team, “This is an exciting time for Caribbean golfandwearehappytosee Guyana taking a more visible role in the developmentofthesport.”

TheTobago Open is one of the most celebrated tournaments in the Caribbean and is being playedonatoughOceanside golf course where the wind and natural hazards add to the challenge. Thousands of golfers take on its challenge annually and now for the first time, Guyana’s golfers willbeputtothetest.

President of the Guyana Golf Association (GGA)

Aleem Hussain thanked the host nation and expressed hisgratitudetothemembers of the team for making the effort to travel to Tobago to participateintheevent.“We are happy that both of our golf clubs in Guyana are represented here and feel that we have the ability to perform well over the comingdays.”

Representing Guyana are: First Flight - Aleem Hussain, Monnaf Arjune & RakeshHarry,SecondFlight - Panko Ramsundar, PopeEmanuel London, Third flight - Ganpat Hardeo, Ladies: Shanella London & EurekaGiddings.

Some of the Guyanese golfers pose following the opening ceremony of the Invitational, held at the Tobago Plantations Magdalena Golf Resort.

Dorne and company give Barbados 300-run lead over Guyana

Atrifecta of halfcenturies from the Barbados middle-order gave them a 300 run lead over Guyana when day 1 of the CWI Rising Stars 3-Day tournamentbowledoff.

Guyana will enter day 2 today with a tall task of erasinga300rundeficitafter Barbados gained the upper hand thanks to some tremendousbatting.

At stumps Guyana were 2-0 with Shahid Veira (02*) and Aryan Persaud (0*) resumingthetalltasktoday

Barbadosearlierpiledon 302-9 in 86 overs after Joshua Dorne (86), Jayden Bollers (50) and Joshua Morris(59)didthedamage.

AchillesBrownhit46as fast-bowler Isai Thorne grabbed 3 for 77 while Jeremy Sandia and Joshua Rampersaud had 2 wickets each.

Other matches: Jamaica

152-9Dec1stinningsversus Trinidad and Tobago 43-1

1stinnings,LeewardIslands

141allout1stinningsversus Windward Islands 85-5* 1st innings

2023 Junior Caribbean Squash

Championships… Maikoo, Bulkan, Rodrigues and Verwey among winners on opening day

The 39th National LotteriesJuniorsCaribbean SquashChampionshipinSt. Vincent commenced with a burst of enthusiasm as our young squash players showcased their skills on the opening day of the tournament The event features captivating draws forJuniorBoysandGirlsin the Under 11’s, 13’s, 15’s, 17’s,and19’scategories.

TeamGuyanawastedno time in leaving a strong impression on Day one. In the Boy’s U17 category, Guyanese Shiloh Asregado set the tone with an impressive 3-0 victory over Yohann Marshock, d i s p l a y i n g h i s determination and talent on the court. Chad De Abreu also delivered a stunning performance, securing a clean 3-0 win against Oneil Sprott. Another remarkable match featured Josh Verwey, who defeated

an’s

ander

Dailey 3-1, adding to Guyana’s list of triumphs. DemetriLoweengagedina thrilling battle against T&T’s Marcus CampsCampins, ultimately claiming a hard-fought victory with a scoreline of 3-2 Louis Da Silva defeated his fellow countryman Asregado (116, 11-2, and 11-4) in his opening match at the 2023 edition.

Over in the Boys 15 category, Richard Rodrigues displayed his prowess, overcomingDruSamuelina closelycontestedmatchwith scores of 12-10, 11-8, 8-11 and 11-1 Meanwhile, Blake Edwards executed a dominant performance, trouncing De’ron Lewis 3-0 In the Girl’s U15 division, MaliaMaikooalsoregistered another win for Team Guyana;defeatingVincentian Niara-SkyeJohn3-0

The Boys U13 division witnessed Jacob McDonald

continuing the winning streak for Guyana. He delivered a wonderful performance,defeatingAiden

DeFreitaswithanimpressive scoreof11-4,11-2,and11-5, proving himself as a rising starinthetournament While young, Kaylee Lowe also secured a 3-0 victory against Cayman’s Kaylee Pierre in the Girl’s U13 category Not to be outdone, young Ethan Bulkan demonstrated his talent in the Boy’s U11 category by making light work of Barbados’ Finn

Graham, securing a convincing 11-1, 11-2, 11-9 victory

Meanwhile in the afternoon session, Zion Hickerson made a strong comeback to defeat Ethan Webster of St. Vincent and the Grenadines 3-0 in a thrillingU11encounter,after facingadefeatearlieragainst New Zealander Bodhi Philp JustinTenPowlaterreturned to overcome Ross D’Juran

(11-7,11-4,11-1)inhisfinal U13 match on the opening day.D’Juranreturnedshortly after and defeated Jacob McDonald 11-3, 11-2, 11-5, as Nicholas Verwey stunned BarbadianAidanParris(8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-3) in his U19 matchup Unfortunately, Kirsten and Tiana Gomes’ matches were rescheduled for late Saturday evening due to their late arrival causedbylogisticalissues.

Up to press time, a remaining four matches featuringlocalplayerswere scheduled to be played, including the Girls U17 matchup between Safirah Sumner and Bermuda’s RosePaulos,andBoy’sU17 division clash between Asregado and Barbados’ Armaan Suleman, those results will be featured in Monday’s edition of the Kaieteur Newpapers. The tournament concludes today with thirteen exciting matches.

Joshua Dorne

2023 Major League Cricket… Seattle Orcas, San Fran Unicorns record wins

(SportsMax) - The Seattle Orcas opened their 2023 Major League Cricket campaignwithafivewicket win over the Washington FreedomattheGrandPrairie StadiuminDallasonFriday

TheOrcasrestrictedtheir opponents to 144-7 off 20 overs after winning the toss andelectingtofield.

Akeal Hosein led the way with the bat for the Freedom with an unbeaten 22-ball 33 including a four and a pair of sixes. Earlier, Andries Gous made 28 and Captain, Moises Henriques, made 24 against a pair of wickets, each, from Wayne ParnellandHarmeetSingh.

The Orcas then needed 19.4 overs to reach 148-5 and secure victory Quinton DeKockledthewaywith48 off 37 balls including three foursandasmanysixes.Allrounder, Imad Wasim, finished unbeaten on 43 from 38 balls. Shimron Hetmyercontributed23.

San Francisco Unicorns

MI New York by 22 runs…

New Zealander, Corey Anderson, hit an unbeaten 91tohelptheSanFrancisco Unicorns open their 2023 MLC campaign with a 22run victory over MI New York at Grand Prairie StadiumonFriday Anderson’s knock came off52ballsandincludedfour foursandsevensixestohelp the Unicorns post a formidable 215-5 from their 20 overs after winning the toss.

It was an excellent recovery for the Unicorns who were reeling at 50-4 after seven overs before a crucial 129-run fifth wicket

Tim David led the way with an unbeaten 53 off 28 balls while Captain Pollard contributed 48 and Pooran hit40.

Former England pacer, LiamPlunkett,took2-30for theUnicorns.

Anderson and Pakistani all rounderShadabKhan.Khan made a rapid 30-ball 61 includingfourfoursandfive sixes.

Pacers Trent Boult and Kagiso Rabada took 2-38 and2-32,respectively.

MINewYorkthenmade a solid effort to chase down their target, eventually finishing193-5fromtheir20 overs.

Imad Wasim goes cheeky (MLC)