Kaieteur News

response to a call from our

Publisher, Mr Glenn Lall for all Guyanese to down tools on MondayJuly31,2023inprotestoverthe wholesale 'reap, rape and robbery of this country's natural resources by foreign companies, there will be no publication of the Kaieteur News on Tuesday August 1, 2023. Our next edition will be on WednesdayAugust 2, 2023. Mr. Lall is calling on the entire nation to join him in this protest by skipping work on Monday,July31,2023.

“Guyana is the future for ExxonMobil”...companyspokeswoman saysindocumentary

As the Stabroek Block partners, ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC continue to enjoy the provisions of the lopsided Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed with the Government of Guyana in 2016, thecompaniesareexcitedaboutthe discoveries made and the potential resources yet to be unlocked in the resource-richoffshoreacreage.

Esso Exploration and

Production Guyana LimitedExxonMobil Guyana- in a new episode of 'Access ExxonMobil Guyana', released on Tuesday evening admitted that Guyana has been driving the development of thecompany.

Communications Advisor for ExxonMobil Guyana, Keisha Gilkes in the documentary asked Global Country Communications Manager, Kimberly Brasington about the role Guyana will play not onlyinthefutureoftheindustrybut with ExxonMobil when she disclosed,“Guyanaisthefuturefor ExxonMobil ” Brasington continued that the Guyana operations have been driving the company's growth while at the same time developing country, as shelaudedthepartnership.

But even with Exxon's operations already being driven by the resources discovered in Guyana, the company still believes it'searlydaysandthereisstillmuch more growth to come. Brasington explained, “In 2016 we felt it was earlydays,anditwas,andyoulook athowmuchgrowthwe'vehad,but you're right, to be honest it's still early days because this industry is such a long-term perspective

Oilcontract

Communications

ExxonMobil Global Country Communications Manager, Kimberly Brasington

There is still so much growth to come.”

Presently, ExxonMobil is producing oil offshore at the Liza One and Liza Two projects in the Stabroek Block. A third Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel has already arrived in the country and is expected to startupbeforetheendofthisyear

The company is producing an average of 400,000 barrels per day, well above the prescribed safety limits for each vessel. Exxon said the additional production activities w e r e a p p r o v e d b y t h e Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA).

The third project will add an extra 220,000 barrels per day once successfully commissioned ExxonMobil also has two other sanctioned projects,Yellowtail and Uaru that will startup in 2025 and late 2026, respectively, according to the company's Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) Meanwhile, a sixth project is pendingapprovalattheEPA.Since its first discovery in 2015, ExxonMobil has since expanded the number of finds in the Stabroek Block, taking the total discoveries todateto36.

Despite the continued success of the Block, the People's Progressive Party government, though promising to review and renegotiate contracts, is unwilling to engage the company for more resources out of the deal Government said it will instead develop a new PSA for improved fiscal terms; this PSA will govern the remaining oil blocks and will not extend to the country's largest reservoir,theStabroekBlock.

The PSA, signed by former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman is now known globally as the worst oil contract. Trotman recently cited his support forarenegotiationofthecontractin his new book titled 'From Destiny to Prosperity' and has pledged support to government in this regard Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo is however still adamant that the deal must abide by the 'sanctity of contract' provision, even though he is on record threatening to “rain bricks” on Exxon's head if it refuses to allow a deviation of the auditing provisions.

In the meantime, Guyanese continue to protest against the contract, pressing leaders to secure a better deal. Earlier this year, a group of protestors called for oil production to cease until the operator agreed to changes in the contract.AcomparisonofGuyana's contract to 130 others in theWorld, done by Kaieteur News found that the Stabroek Block deal features some of the worst provisions. For example, the PSA sees the governmentpayingthecontractor's

income tax out of the country's share of the profits. However, none of the 130 PSAs examined shows thisarrangement.

Additionally, the GuyanaExxonMobil PSA is the only one out of 130 contracts, which has no ring-fencing provisions to prevent costs of unsuccessful wells being carried over to that of successful wells.There is also no sliding scale for royalty to increase as production improves. And that is not all. Guyana's PSA is the only one out of 130 in the world that allows insurance premiums to be fully recovered as well as interest on loans and financing costs that areincurredbythecontractors.

Guyana has also agreed for the company to deduct 75 percent of the monthly revenue earned towards cost recovery; the remaining25percentisthenshared equally as profits. In addition to its 12.5 percent profits, Guyana also receives a meagre two percent royaltyonitssweetlightcrude.

As a result of the country's miniscule take from its resources, revenuefromtheoilsectorhasbeen slowlytricklingin,withmajorityof the earnings being deducted by ExxonMobilforcostrecovery

For instance, this newspaper reported that in 2022, the Stabroek Block in 2022 generated some US$9.8 billion in gross revenue, but Guyana only earned a mere US$1.4 billion in profits. This also included the royalty paid by the operator Meanwhile, ExxonMobil deducted a whopping US$7 4 billion towards the recovery of its investment for the petroleum relatedactivities.

Presidentkicksoffweek-longvisittoChina

here.President Ali also visited the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, where he and his team were given a guided tour of the six-storey building which displays Shanghai's urban planninganddevelopment.

The President on Wednesday also met with the Mayor of Shanghai,MrGongZheng.

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday kickedoffhisofficial visit to China and spent the day visiting officials and other placesofinterestinShanghai.

Ali arrived in China Tuesday and was greeted by officials of the Foreign Ministry and later participated inateaceremony

The Office of the President said during his one-week visit, theHeadofStatewillmeetwith thePresidentoftheRepublicof China, Xi Jinping and other

government officials. Members of Guyana's business community are also in China and will participate inanumberofsessionswithmajor Chinesecompanies.

On Wednesday, Ali visited Huawei's Shanghai Research Centre where he met with the company's senior Vice President, Jeff Wang. After a tour of the facility,thetwoofficialsdiscussed a number of areas for cooperation, including the establishment of an ICT college in Guyana and sending a technical team to assess the needs of the private sector

The two leaders discussed several areas of cooperation, including establishing a Shanghai investmentdeskinGuyanaandthe possibility of the South American nation hosting the first Guyana/Shanghai expo. President Ali was accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Hilton Todd, Guyana's Ambassador to China, Her Excellency Anyin Choo, Presidential Advisor on Investment and Business

Development,

Anthony Whyte and a group of Private Sector representatives.

President Irfaan Ali and his delegation on Wednesday met with officials from Shanghai

His Excellency, President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Wednesday met with the Mayor of Shanghai, Mr Gong Zheng

Govt. delays oil blocks auction to September

The Ministry of Natural Resources

a n n o u n c e d yesterday that the Guyana 2022 Licensing Round's bid submission deadline has been pushed back to September 12, 2023.

The government said in a statement that continuous efforts to streamline and improve the petroleum regulatory framework and the resultant comprehensive feedback received from stakeholders led to this necessaryextension.

Whilst recognising the new era of oil and gas development and investors' confidence in economy, the government said it is working to ensure that this competitive licensing bid and future rounds are governed by a modern regulatory framework with improved technical and institutional capacities

Against this backdrop, the government said it will soon complement the model

P r o d u c t i o n S h a r i n g Agreements (PSAs) with a

new Petroleum Activities Bill 2023, which will not only enhance the management of the sector but also provide improved economic measures for all licensees in the bidding round, as well as future development and production operations in Guyana's petroleumsector

The bid round, officially launched on December 9, 2022, continues to receive strongglobalinterest.

Thegovernmentsaidithas benefited from insightful feedback during the consultation periods of the Indicative Terms and Guidelines, the draft model p r o d u c t i o n s h a r i n g agreements and the draft PetroleumActivitiesBill.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, and by extension the Government of Guyana, said it remains committed to thesuccessfulexecutionofthe Guyana 2022 Licensing Round and the strengthening of the nation's fiscal and legal petroleum management frameworks.

Manstabbedaboutbody bygirlfriend'schildfather

Thirty-four-year-old Locksley Adridge of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was reportedly stabbed about his body byhisgirlfriend'schildfatherlastweek.

It was reported that on July 17, 2023, the suspect who lives incloseproximitytoAdridgeandhisgirlfriendwentinfrontof theirhouseandbeganbehavinginadisorderlymanner Adridge saidhetoldthemantoremovefrominfrontofthehouse,which he did but later returned only to continue his disorderly behaviour Adridge said at the time the suspect whipped out a knife and stabbed him to his chest area. They ended up in a scuffle inside a trench where he reportedly received several more stab wounds. The suspect then fled the scene. Adridge wasthenrushedtothehospital.

Map showing the blocks part of the licensing round

Georgetown

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

HIGH INCOME

It is the World Bank that assessed and reported that Guyanaisnowa‘high-income’country Thiswhole countryshouldbejumpingforjoyinthestreets,forit is the kind of news that confirms how Guyanese have it good. Itismostlyduetotheinfluxofprosperitydrivenby oil production, and all the other onshore activities that supportwhatgoesonoffshore.

Unfortunately, the frightening reality that too many Guyaneselivewithisthat,aspleasingastheWorldBank’s numbers are, and the high places at where this once poor countrynowstands,theyarestillinthesamestate. Thatis, poorandwithout,strugglingandfearfulofwhattomorrow willbring. Itisusuallynotmoreorbetter,butlessandwhat woundssomemore.

The World Bank says that the national income per GuyaneseisUS$13,845. Whatadifferenceitwouldmake foreachcitizenofthiscountrytoearnthatkindofmoneyina year,tobeabletofacethetrialsandtormentsofacrueland cripplingcostoflivingenvironmentwithconfidence,evena bitofswaggerandprideintheirstride.

It would be justified because US$13,845 a year would make a world of difference to the Guyanese man, woman, and family who currently scratch around to eke out any meagerkindofliving.

LifeishardinGuyana,justhavetheinteresttoaskany Guyanese in the depressed areas, those without skills, any withoutabigjob. Howtheyaremakingitfromonedayto thenextisamystery Justaskthoseparents,someofthemin chargeofsmallsingleparenthomes,orthoseotherswitha largebroodofyoungchildren,howtheycopeandthereisa shrugthatisacombinationofthestoicandthebitter Godis incharge,changewillcome.

As much as the World Bank’s ‘high-income’ classificationisacauseforpride,itwithersawaywhenitis meaningless to those who need to experience it the most. The harsh and painful reality is that life in Guyana has returned to the dismal and difficult seasons of old, when citizensinthelowereconomictierswereforcedtobindtheir waistsandbeartheirchafe.

What makes the daily encounters of today’s Guyanese draggingsounbearable,isthatthiscountryissorich. How abouttherichestcountryintheworldpercitizen! Thisisthe agonizingirony,whereGuyanesearetheenvyofmanyother countriesintheworld,butiftheyonlyknew.

Iftheyonlyknewofclosetohalfofthelocalpopulation thatisforcedtogetbyonUS$5.50aday. Itisnotamisprint thatUS$5.50aday(anotherWorldBankreport),butthisis thesharpcontradictionfor48%ofGuyanese.

The per person income is US$13,845, or above, which pushes each Guyanese into the ‘high-income’bracket, but lookathowmanyhavenoalternativebutseewhattheycan doorgetwithmerelyexistingonUS$5.50aday

Employing a 365-day assumption, (5 50x365), a considerable number of Guyanese are maxing out at just overUS$2000annually(US$2007). Thereisthishugegap between actually having in hand US$2000 a year, and the calculatedUS$13,845ayearbytheWorldBank. Wherever andtowhomeverthat‘high-income’US$13,845isgoing,it isnottothemultitudeofGuyanese.

Inflationconcernsheldincheck,thetasty‘high-income’ World Bank figure of US$13,845 as earnings per citizen would go a long way in helping locals to grappled successfullywiththehighcostoflivingthatissopunishing tomany

It is no secret who are the ones in the high-income bracket,andhowspectacularlytheyaredoing. Itisnotthe poorandpovertystrickeninGuyana,theleftout,andtheleft behind.

Therainsofoil-relatedprosperity,theshowersof‘highincome’richness,arenotfallingoneveryroofinGuyana.

All the economic calculations, and the wonderful numberthatcomefromthem,accuratelyreassureGuyanese how rich they are from how much they are earning. Just don’ttellthattopoor,disappointedGuyanese.

The Constitution of Guyana does not contain ‘shared-governance notions’

DEAREDITOR,

Contrary to the Final Report of the European Union Elections Follow-up MissiononGuyana(1stJune 2023), the Constitution of Guyana does not contain ‘shared-governance notions’, as usually applied to sharply ethnically polarizedsocieties.

The 2000 constitutional reformsmerelyexpandedthe committee system of participation, etc., but left them in the usual Westminster type, majoritarian, winner-takesall, construct that is inappropriate for ethnically divided societies such as Guyana.

It is undemocratic for an ethnic government, with an extremely marginal majority,tohavethecapacity to end the much-valued separation of powers, i.e., have de facto control of the executiveandlegislatureand tremendous resultant influence over the judiciary

AddtothisGuyana’shistoric level of ethnic struggle and elections manipulation, and herein lies the problem that shared governance mechanisms are intended to make democratically workable.

The European Union report on the controversial 2020 national and regional elections made 26 reform recommendations, 8 of which were considered priorities, and advised that allofthembeconsideredand implemented by way of a consensualprocess.

The 2023 Final Report notedthattherehasbeen‘no change in the case of 19 of therecommendations.

Two recommendations have been implemented in full, while there is partial implementation of one recommendation.

Action or activity is ongoing,butimplementation has not yet been confirmed, in respect of three recommendations. It is still too early in the electoral cycle to determine the implementationstatusofone recommendation.’

Of some importance, the 2020 report recognized that ‘Thepreparationofthelistof electors for the 2020 electionsprovedparticularly litigious and complex’ and that both the list and the continuous registration

processareverydefective.It recommended that Guyana ‘Undertake a thorough update of the decade old register well ahead of the nextelectioncycle,basedon inclusive consultations and politicalconsensus.

At the same time ensure greater effectiveness of the ‘continuous’ registration system by improving access

both in terms of geographical spread of registration offices and duration of the registration periods.’

Although the Caricom recount group to the 2020 electionsapparentlyclaimed that it did not receive the report containing the numerous discrepancies that resulted from the recount process that it admitted was intended to be more of an audit than a recount, it suggested that: ‘As a minimum condition of electoral reforms, the Team recommend the urgent need forthetotalre-registrationof allvotersinGuyana.’

D e s p i t e a l l t h e difficulties that have surroundedtheelectorallist, fictitious voting, etc , although the opposition s u p p o r t s t h e s e recommendations, the winner-takes-all system is suchthatthePPPignoredthe recommendations and proceeded to unilaterally make changes to the electoral process that have takenabackeventheauthors of the 2023 report and is likely to make the situation worse.

It substituted only the requirement of a ‘registered address’in place ‘residence’ toregistertovote.

The 2023 report exclaimed that this ‘cannot be characterized as a measure of reform. …[I]t is highly unusual, globally, to accord voting rights within the country to the diaspora. Some countries facilitate out-of-country voting (as Guyanahaddoneinthepast a n d s u b s e q u e n t l y terminated) enabling the diaspora to vote abroad, but there is no international standard which mandates this.Votersaremoreusually required to reside and be domiciledintheplacewhere they are registered to vote. This change in the law, adopted in response to a court decision, is extremely

controversial, and not perceived to be politically neutral!’

The 2023 report rightly recognizedthat‘thepolitical context for electoral reform isoneof‘sharppolarization’ betweenthegovernmentand theoppositionandthatithas provenalmostimpossiblefor any consensus to be reached onissuesofelectoralreform, or, more broadly, on any governance issues since the elections in 2020. The shared governance notions present in the Constitution are unfortunately not being implemented and the legislative role of the National Assembly is limited.’

‘Sharppolarizations’that exist in homogeneous societies are qualitatively different from the ‘sharp ethnic polarizations’ to be found in countries such as Guyana where two large ethnic groups and their parties’control over 80% of the voting population and have been in unceasing conflict for more than half a century

These situations usually require forms of executive power-sharing if they are to be democratically manageable.

Withabouttwoyearsleft before national and regional elections in 2025, the 2023 report suggested that since many recommendations could be implemented through administrative and procedural rather than legislative change, ‘[t]his periodoffersenoughtimeto address some of the recurring problems of the electoralprocessinGuyana!’

T h e f o l l o w i n g recommendations have had the highest potential to enhance the quality of electoral processes, and these areas should be therefore prioritised when deciding on any potential

future electoral technical assistance:(1)prohibitionof theuseofstateresourcesfor political campaigning (recommendation 11), (2) development of effective legislation to regulate p o l i t i c a l f i n a n c e (recommendation 12), (3) transformation of stateowned media into a genuine public service broadcaster (recommendation 13), and (4) establishment of a comprehensive election dispute resolution system (recommendation23).

In a democratic country, arulingparty,muchlessone of questionable validity like the PPP, cannot unilaterally, legitimately change the electoral rules intended to bring and keep governments inoffice.

Butthisispreciselywhat the PPPhas been doing, and one must hope that the 2023 report intends and that party understands that its use of ‘non-parliamentary administrative and procedural means to fulfill the recommendations’ should come only after full consultationsandconsensus.

But have we not just agreed that finding consensus is all but impossible in this ethnically polarizedsociety?

Since the nature of governance cannot be left to the will of individual governments, powersharing,orthekindofethnic autocracy the PPP has been perpetuating are the alternatives.

From the former standpoint, properly designed, only in the worstcase scenario, when fundamental interests are at stake, is ‘law-making’ gridlock possible and this is far preferable than the present widespread alienationanddictatorship.

Sincerely,

Dr.HenryJeffrey

How about something for the other passengers inconvenienced?

ptive customer to now the recipient of the airline’s PR damage control u-turn.The remarkwhichcausedafuror and resulted in the airline turningaroundseemstohave been quietly settled with an

apologyandfreemiles. How nice! But what about the other passengers who were greatly inconvenienced both on the flight and at CJIA. Aren’t they deserving too of anapologyandfreemiles?

Yourstruly, ShamshunMohamed

TaziaFestivalinGuyanahasgraduallylostitssignificance

DEAREDITOR,

In the observation of Ashura, the 10th of Muharram, which falls on July 28,2023,wereflecton thehistory ofthefestivalin Guyanadatingbackto1866.

Tazia (Tadja) festivities were celebrated annually by thesmallShiapopulationup until the 1950s in many villagesaroundthecountry

This event used to be observed on the 10th day of Muharram which is also known as the day ofAshura or the day of mourning to honor the martyrdom of ImamHusaynibnAli.

Hewasthegrandsonand last member of the Holy Prophet Muhammed (SAWS) family, who were beheaded by Yazid Ibn MuawiyahIbn Abu Sufyan, the sixth Sunni Caliph and the second of the Umayyad dynastyduring“theBattleof Karbala”inpresentdayIraq, whichtookplaceonthe10th of Muharram in the year 61 AH; this battle is central to theShiabelief.

Duetoregionallinguistic differences many migrants fromBiharandEasternUttar

Pradeshcan’tpronounce Z, thus, Tazia becomes Taja, Nazir becomes Najeer or Zainab becomesJainab,etc. AmongtheearlyHindustani that came to British Guiana, there were a handful of Muslimswhowerefromthe Shia sect, which was not unusual, especially that North India has a large Shia population.

TheseShiasbroughtwith them the practice of Tazia, but which gradually lost its religious significance over theyears.

Asaresult,onDecember 4th,1949, the Sad’r Anjuman-I-Islam and the Islamic Association of British Guiana (IABG) under the leadership of Rahaman Baksh Gajraj, A z e e m K h a n , D r Muhammad.

Barrakatullah Khan, S.Shabrattee,GoolM.Khan, Karamat Mcdoom, Abdool Rayman (Rahaman), and Moulvi Muhammad Ahmad Nasir, Abdul Daoud Hack andS.A.Sattaur, duringthe Second All-Guiana Muslim Conferencein1949, passed aresolutionforthecessation

ofthefestival.

Acopy of the resolution was forwarded to the governmentfortransmission to His Majesty in Great Britain This historical resolutionreadasfollows:

W H E R E A S t h e o b s e r v a n c e o f t h e martyrdom of Imam Hoosein and his family has lost entirely its religious significance;and

WHEREAS in this Colony persons of other religions take an active part in promoting Tazia, for the s o l e p u r p o s e o f entertainment, debauchery and personal gain, all of which are contrary to the spirit and letter of Islamic Lawsandregulations;and

W H E R E A S s u c h practices constitute a gross insult to the revered memory of the distinguished grandson of the Holy Prophet (SAWS), and are a flagrant distortion of these religiousrites;

BE IT RESOLVED by this second All-Guiana Muslim Conference that Government be requested to pass legislation prohibiting

the construction of such symbols, andbothactualand implied, and such other indulgences falsely associated with the observanceofTazia

Those who wrote about the event seemed fascinated bythegatheringofMuslims andanincreasingnumberof non-Muslims partaking in these festivities where the consumption of alcohol became part of the celebration that took on more of a “carnival-like” atmosphere and which gradually lost its religious significanceovertheyears.

Towards the end of the Indian Indentureship system, the festival became sosecularizedthatitsannual celebrationwaspromotedby ownersofrumshops.

On the occasion of Guyana’s independence in May 1966, Guyanese historian P.P Dial wrote an

articlewhichbrieflytouched ontheTaziacelebrations100 years earlier - in 1866. He statedthatinthatyearitwas

one of the biggest celebrations ever held in the colony where a growing number of Creoles took part intherevelry

T h e C r e o l e s participation in the festival was a great concern for Churchmen and Christian priests who feared that their flocks could gradually convert to the Muslim and Hindu faiths with their participation in the “East

I n d i a n s r e l i g i o u s celebrations (especially Tadjah and Holi) with the beatingofthedrums,singing anddancinginthestreets.”It was suggested that Creoles who took part in these celebrationsshouldbejailed and whipped, and greater efforts were made by the churches and even the

government to prevent the Creoles from joining in HinduandMuslimfestivals.

In March of the same year (1866), one churchman expressed the opinion, whichwasalsoheldbymost Christian priests, “that they haveseentheCreolestaking part in these festivals and at alleventsitshouldnotbeand that they cannot afford to allow the Creoles of the colony who are removed ever so little from heathenism and savagery to relapse.”

May God Bless Imam Hussein’ssoul!!

Sincerely, Shabnam Ali RayChickrie

Guyana must manage US ties carefully, be sensitive to China’s presence and ambitions

DEAREDITOR,

With more Guyanese living in USA than in Guyana and hardly any GuyaneseresidinginChina, Guyana should seek to rebalance its relations with China and with USA and avoid entanglement especially that the superpowers are at loggerheadsinarelationship reminiscent of the cold war orUS-Sovietrivalry

Guyana has been vulnerable to cold war rivalry One has not forgotten the impact of the US-Soviet duel on Guyana going back to the early 1950s Guyana’s ongoing prosperity is linked with the USandtheWest.Andalmost everyGuyaneseIengagedin Guyana and in the diaspora want closer links with the USA, a democracy, where human rights are respected and where thousands of Guyanese visitors engage in short term employment off the books as their primary meansofincome;thelatteris vital for economic survival of thousands of families in Guyana where local income cannotsustainlivelihoods.

Going back to Burnham andJagan,Guyanahadbeen favourablydisposedtowards Beijing rather than Washington except briefly (in the 1960s) under Burnham who needed the US to install him in power before turning ‘leftward’ W h i l e C h i n a w a s transitioningintoacapitalist economy (from the 1980s) andproducing‘cheap’goods for America and the West, Washingtondidnotvoiceits

concern against China’s rising status that emerged fromrapideconomicgrowth of almost double figures over a period of three decades.

With its rapid economic rise and huge dollar surplus annually, China began spreading its presence in globalwatersandonland.It also loaned over US$1 trillion to the USA, maintained trade surplus of hundreds of billions annually for over two decades. No corner of the globe was spared of China’s reach including the Caribbean and Latin America China quietly acquired significant influence in Guyana (as is alsothecaseinSurinameand several Latin countries) in thenewmillenniumoverthe economy in particular, and thishasbeentroubling.Ithas become a most sensitive issueforWashington.

China and USA are in a strategic global contestation across oceans and seas over the last decade. The U.S. is concerned about Chinese aggressivenessinSouthAsia and the Pacific Guyana should take note of the communiquefromtherecent NATO summit last week in Vilnius,capitalofLithuania, the former republic of the SovietUnion:“ThePeople’s Republic of China’s stated ambitions and coercive policies challenge our (read Western) interests, security and values.” Inevitably, the US is concerned about China’s presence in Guyana and the region although Chinaitselfisnotathreatto

Guyana.

Guyana, like all developing countries in America’s backyard, should stay far from the acrimonious struggle betweentheU.SandChinese governments albeit several American cabinet members visited Beijing in recent weeks to work out differences And our spokespersons should be verycarefulwiththeirwords – avoid diplomatic d o u b l e s p e a k Businesspersonsshouldalso takenoteoftheaboveNATO c o m m u n i q u e a n d Washington’s concerns

Guyana must avoid diplomatic engagements, economic and political treaties, investments, and traderelationsthatraisegeopolitical (geo-strategic) concerns in Washington Guyanashouldpursuecloser relations with the U S Guyanese in USA and Guyana should lobby their respective governments to cementtiesandcooperation. Guyanese Americans and othersinthediasporashould invest in their country of origin so that Guyana does not have to rely on capital from countries which raise geo-strategicconcerns.

The US values closer linkswithGuyana.Itisnoted that there has been a lot of USA-Guyana engagements since President Ali took officeinAugust2020;andit wasUSinterventionthatled to Ali’s swearing in as President. PresidentAlimet with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken a couple weeks ago in Guyana and in Trinidad. The Secretary made a special trip to Guyana having already met with the President in Port of Spain a day earlier In June, the President met with Vice President Kamala Harris in Bahamas.ThePresidentwas

welcomed to Washington lastyear,andtheyearbefore he met President Biden in Los Angeles. The US has been sending a clear, unambiguousmessageofthe importance of Guyana and for it to be wary of its relations with outside competitors. Guyana should and must pursue a comprehensive strategic p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h Washington.

All Guyanese should lobby for such a policy action.

Yourstruly, Dr Vishnu Bisram (PoliticalScience)

Guyanese are fighting the wrong fights

DEAREDITOR

Guyanese as long as I haveknownthem,havebeen fighters,sometimesforgood things but mostly for unimportant and useless issues.TherewereGuyanese in the old days fighting against imperialism like CuffyandDamon,andthere were the Enmore Martyrs, the two PPP activists who followed ballot boxes to p r o t e c t G u y a n e s e democracy, Dr Walter Rodney I apologise for leavingoutanyotherworthy fightersforGuyana.Thenwe had Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan and we had a never-give-up cricketing star, the best captain in the cricketing world Clive Llyod We have also ordinary Guyanese fighting sicknessanddisabilitytrying to better their lives to be independent.

Then there are the usual fights,likeschoolyardfights, cricket and soccer fights, love triangle fights, election argument fights, wedding house fights, bar and nightclub fights, road rage fights, neighbours fights, family fights etc Psychologists and social experts will say these are normal in any society, sadly there were tragic deaths and

injuriesfromthesefightsand my sympathies go out to all affected.

The Guyanese leaders arefightingtheirownpeople for, not to get a better deal from their oil and gas resources,nottocollecttaxes from multinational companies, not to get full coverage insurance for environmental disasters, not to disclose business deals with foreign companies, not for foreign companies to obey Guyana’s tax, insurance, environmental and labour laws. Guyanese, for what’s at stake currently for yourselves and Guyana, you are fighting the wrong fights and the wrong people beingyourselves,theleaders are now fighting for the exploitersratherthanforyou Guyanese.

So it is time you Guyanese to channel your energy for the most important fight of all, which istogetyourrightfulshareof Guyana’s wealth and environmentalprotectionfor Guyana. Guyanese wrong fighting, no fighting and Guyanese leaders fighting for the exploiters have emboldenedtheexploitersto openly show their scorn and disdain for Guyanese while takingGuyana’swealth.

The New State Lord of Guyana, Alistair Routledge recently said Exxon has the righttopursuetheWalesgas toshoreprojectregardlessof citizens’concerns.

Mining companies are telling Guyanese they have rights to the lands, rights to the secrecy of their deals, operations and production, and all multinational companies have the right to pay no taxes and noncompliance with Guyana’s environmental, labour and insurance laws. They have the right not to show Guyanese expenses charged toGuyana,sowhatrightsdo Guyanesehave?

Therighttobeg,stealand slave for a pittance to feed themselves in their own rich country?.The former Mayor of Georgetown recently said Guyanashouldstrikeagood deal for its oil and resources sothepeopleshouldbenefit, thisfromthesamemanwho stayed silent when the exploitive oil contract was signed by the PNC, and also said Granger should be reinstated as president even as he lost the national elections.

SincethePandit’sheartis intherightplaceforordinary Guyaneseandheshouldbea knowledgeable man, I will remind rather than inform him and others, Exxon’s success comes from being a ruthless corporation and their shareholders want an increaseontheirinvestments yearoveryear.

For them to attain this, someone has to lose year over year, being obviously ordinary Guyanese, as the localfacilitatorshavetoalso get their piece, the accounting and maths

alwayshavetobalancesince wealthisnotunlimited,itisa zero-sum game where someone wins because someonehastolose.

Just ask Ashni Singh, Bharrat Jagdeo, Winston Jordan and Carl Greenidge. So the Pandit should know the deal has already been struck and if he wants more for Guyanese, he has to join the protest for a better deal and use his influence to get others to be involved. With the current brutal exploitation of Guyana, there are some overnightrichGuyanesebeingcreated, building and buying fancy expensive houses, buying expensive jewellery, clothing, electronics, and vehicles, throwing thousand dollar tips at waitresses and becoming overnight businessmen and women Somearealsocontributingto and also building temples, mosques and churches hoping for forgiveness from godinthefuture.

These new millionaires didn’t win the lottery, they didn’t get an inheritance, they don’t own profitable companies, so where is this moneycomingfrom?,Idon’t know and by the way these overnight rich people I mention here are not in Guyana, but in the USAand Canada predominantly, maybe this can explain the foreignattacksfrominternet trolls on KN Staff, an investigation into these overnightrichGuyanesewill probably provide the results to spark a national protest Guyanadesperatelyneedsto bring back accountability in government.

Regards, R.David.

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STAND UP AND BE COUNTED

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On Monday July 31, 2023, the Kaieteur News team will not be working.

It is the day before all of Guyana join in celebrating freedom from the dark age of slavery.

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Emancipation as we know it, commemorated the abolishment of slavery some decades ago in 1838.

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Today, our politicians are allowing this depressing crime against humanity to slowly slip its way back into Guyana, with our people being treated as second class at the hands of foreigners.

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What we are witnessing presently, is our wealth being reaped and our people being robbed with our politicians silently watching on, allowing the rape to continue.

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The oil contract that has been dubbed the worst agreement on Earth still shackles this nation, as our people toil to put food on their tables.

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We call on all of Guyana to join the revolution as we demand a change from our government on July 31, 2023.

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GFC responds to KN article on 'rape' of gold and forestry sectors

See full statement below from the Guyana Forestry Commission

The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) takes this opportunity to clarify the management of the country's forestry sector following an erroneous article published by Kaieteur News on July25,2023.Thearticleinquestionis a product of the publisher's many deceptive rants; titled 'Foreign companies 'raping' Guyana's gold and forestry sectors' the piece is laced entirely with inaccuracies aimed at misleading the Guyanese people in a sensationalist attempt to boost paper sales.

Firstly,itisextremelyfalsetospew that foreign companies operating in Guyana's forestry sector are awarded contracts to construct roads and bridges while simultaneously 'exploiting' the nation's resources Further, it is an equally damaging falsehood to say that those companies are in turn, barring locals from 'setting foot'ontheroadsandbridges.

We wish to categorically state that no foreign company operating in the forestry sector has ever been given a contract to build roads and bridges. Companies, both foreign and local, developroadswithintheirconcessions fortheirownprivateuse.Thishasbeen a long-standing tradition. Most of the roads used by forestry-related companiesare built and maintainedby theGovernmentofGuyana.

Readers may recall that as part of Budget 2023 – a whopping $781.9 billion and Guyana's largest budget ever passed – over $4 billion was allocated to build, upgrade and maintain hinterland roads and bridges. In keeping with procurement

28 inmates benefit from 'Fresh Start' initiative -PrisonService

requirements, all projects were publicly advertised with the contracts publicly awarded by the National P r o c u r e m e n t a n d Te n d e r Administration Board (NPTAB)

Further to this, a major road corridor –the US$190 million Linden to Mabura road network is being constructed by the government along with new bridgesfromLindentoKurupukari.

Theseroadnetworksareopentoall Guyanese and foreign companies operating in all sectors and are part of the government's transformative agenda of enhancing infrastructure across the country The newspaper and its publisher also fallacious state that foreign companies are given duty-free privileges to conduct its large operations. Kaieteur News and its publisher should be well aware that all heavy-duty equipment such as log loaders, skidders, bulldozers, among others, that utilised in the forestry and other sectors are duty-free. Hence, there no special privileges are given to foreigners, or as a matter of fact, any company Duty-free concessions on heavyduty equipment are legally obtained and can be accessed by any individual or company foreign or local operating in Guyana. The Guyana Revenue Authority is responsible to affording these concessions. The GFC wishes to set straight, as well, that there are over 550concessionholderssmallandlarge operatingintheloggingsector

Currently, there are only five (5) foreign companies holding concessions in the forestry sector

Added to this, the current level of

production is way below the threshold or allowable cut, thereby debunking the deceptive statement that the resources are being exploited. Guyana has one of the best forest management systems globally and the rate of deforestation is among the lowest in theworld.HaditnotbeenforGuyana's low level of deforestation along with prudent forestry management practices,Guyanawouldnothavebeen able to secure a lucrative space in the carboncreditmarket.

Readers may recall that in December last year, 33 5 million tonnes of carbon credits were certified and placed on the market for sale.This was soon followed by the sale of credits valuing a minimum of US$ 750M to Stabroek Block Partner, Hess Corporation.Aportion (15%) of these funds has already been made available to indigenous villages for livelihood activities, thereby transforming the lives and economic sustainability of hinterlandvillagesacrossGuyana.

This singular benefit alone contradicts Kaieteur News' mischievous assertion that there is disregard for the welfare of the Guyanese people and that the nation's citizens 'struggle to secure a meal.' In lightoftheforegoing,theGFC,andby extension, the Ministry of Natural Resources encourages Kaieteur News, andinparticularitspublisher,tokindly reach out to the respective entities to seek facts pertaining to the management of Guyana's natural resources sector The ministry remains assessable and transparent to all those whoseekinformation.

Twenty-eight inmates from various prison facilities have benefitted from the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) 'Fresh Start' programme whichwaslaunchedin2022.

The programme aims to reduce criminal recidivism and expand opportunities for occupational training, with a focus on ensuring inmates develop the skills they need to securejobsaftertheirrelease.

Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI) recently, the Head of the Prison S e r v i c e ' s S t r a t e g i c Management Department, Rae-Dawn Corbin-Cameron explainedthatwhenaninmate is about to be released, they aregiftedwithatoolkittohelp them earn an income or becomeentrepreneurs.

“In 2022, which is when the plan was initiated, we would have offered the kits to 12 persons and in the year 2023, we would have targeted a higher number per month, which is about 10 per month. We have offered the kits to 16 individuals thus far,” CorbinCameron revealed. Toolkits

are given to inmates for areas such as livestock rearing, w e l d i n g , e l e c t r i c a l installation, plumbing, landscaping and cosmetology among others. It is important to note, that not every inmate benefits from this initiative as t h e r e a r e s p e c i f i c requirements.

Sheexplained,“Wehavea criteria list that persons have to qualify for. Of course, after being recommended by trainingofficersatthelocation they would have been, as well as a custodial officer that can attest to their behaviour, as well as the Officer in Charge of their locations.” A committee has also been established to determine which inmates will benefit from the programme. Some $5.5 billion was allocated to the Prison Service as the government aims to transform the service from a penal to a correctional system, by implementing strategic measures to aid inmates' reintegration into society These include training opportunities in hard and soft lifeskillsamongothers.

Head of the Guyana Prison Service's Strategic Management Department, Rae-Dawn Corbin-Cameron

YOUNG PEOPLE CAN HELP WRITE THE FUTURE!

Sometimes in Guyana, you ask yourselves what hashappenedtotheidealism of youth. There was a time when young people were in hand-in-hand with their adult colleagues in pursuing political and social causes. But these days, the level of social consciousness and activism appears to be lacking among our young people.

Well, appearances can be deceiving When you speak with young people, you realize they share the aspirations of the younger generations of past who wantedtobetterworldanda bettersociety

Young people are concerned about the environment They are concerned about violence. They may be divided on

politicalissuesandmayhave become apathetic. But what they really lack is someone whom they can trust to follow What they lack also is organization. They have become too disappointed withmanyofourleaders.

Theyarenotaloneinthis predicament. But in other parts of the world, young people are not looking for adult leadership. They are organizing themselves and fighting to create the world theydesire.

Particularly in Europe, young people are taking a stand on social issues including the environment.

A youth-led movement known as FridaysForFuture organized a global school strike in March of this year Yet, despite this activity being widely publicized, no young person in Guyana

Dem Boys Seh...

Detrafficcongestionassociatedwiththe Demerara Harbour Bridge used to be a plaster fuh every sore. It used to be the excuseforanyandeverything.Ifsomebody reach to work late, de person used to claim datheorshegetcaughtupintraffic.

Ifdemreachextralate,isbecauseofan unscheduledbridgeopening.Anddemboys used to go and tek a drink after work and whendemwifeaskwhydemcomehomeso late.Wellyouguessedit!Demboysusedto claimdemdidgetstuckintraffic.’

Now all dem excuses gone through de door Sincedebridgeclosedfuhacoupleof days, all dem excuses vanish like smoke in de breeze. De moment dem bridge close, demsamepeoplewhousedtobawl‘boutde traffic find demself gettin’ home in record time.Demboyssehitlikemagic,likeifdem problemsdisappearwithdebridge.

Now, instead of hustlin’ and bustlin’

took up the issue and lent solidarity It was disappointing because if there is any issue around which our young people shouldbegalvanized,itison theissueoftheenvironment.

Since the announcement thatnextMonday,July31st, will be a ‘Day of Standstill’ in Guyana, some young persons have been asking how they can play a role. Theypointtothefactthatthe main action being proposed for this day is for persons to stayawayfromwork.

The young people rightlyaskwhataboutthem. They claim that many of them, are not employed and therefore cannot stay away fromwhattheydonothave: jobs.

But this does not mean that young people cannot play a role in the ‘Day of

Standstill’ next Monday

Young people can do 2 things. First they can refrain frommakinganypurchases

Even if shop owners, market and pavement vendors and supermarkets opt to open next Monday, if fewer persons make purchasesitwillhavejustas powerfulaneffectasifthese places were closed Therefore one of the things which young people can do istoundertakethechallenge of going one day without makingapurchase.

But young people are also highly creative. They can design and create craetive posters and banners whichtheycanpostontheir social media platforms highlighting the ‘Day of Standstill’.

Intheremainingdaysleft until next Monday, young people can also use social media platforms to share informative and educational content about the issues that the Day of Standstill represents They can encourage their friends and followers to participate in the day of rest by staying at home.

for protest. Those young peoplewithartisticskillscan useart,includinggraphicart, tobringgreaterawarenessto the exploitation of the country’sresources,theneed for persons to stand up and be counted and the need for Guyana to obtain a better dealforitsnaturalresources. Forthoseyoungpeoplewho consider themselves as environmentalists, they can use their skills to highlight the damage and destruction to the environment caused by natural resource exploitation.NextMonday’s ‘Day of Standstill’ is a way of reviving youth activism. They should lend their support to the activities in the way mentioned, by spreading the word, using social media to create eyecatching banners and to use art to raise social consciousness about social causes.

The‘DayofStandstill’is therefore a day for young peopletotakeastandandlet the rest of the country know that they are concerned about the manner in which the country’s resources are beingplundered.

‘round fuh an excuse, dem hustlin’ and bustlin’‘round fuh a new story Dem boys hear all kinda tings now One man seh he reachhomesoearly,hewifesuspecthegeta li’l side job!Anodda woman claim she get home so quick, she husband start questioning why she used to be so later before.

But yuh see, dis situation teach we one valuable lesson - sometimes we quick fuh point fingers and blame others fuh our shortcomings Instead of accepting responsibility, we try fuh find a scapegoat, anddepooroldbridgebinoneofdem.

So, as de bridge undergoes dem repairs stop shifting de blame and start being truthful to ourselves and others. And who knows,maybewhendebridgereopen,dem latecomers might just find demself a new levelofpunctualitytoo!

TalkHalf!LeffHalf!

Art is powerful medium

They should see next

Monday as a day of youth awakening.Theyshoulduse this day to as a day of awakeningwherebytheycan let the rest of the country knowthatyoungpeoplealso have a voice and it needs to belistenedto.

Young people must end their prolonged silence They should shatter their silenceandthroughpeaceful means, as suggested above, refusetobeconsignedtothe shadows.

Young people should help lead the way towards a better world and a better country They are called to help rewrite a future for Guyana that we can all believe in! Be part of next Monday’s ‘Day of Standstill’!

(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.)

Since de bridge close, people run out of excuses fuh being late

Four Guyanese granted scholarships to pursue studies in India

our Guyanese Fnationals have been selected to undergo various studies in India, the Indian High Commissionhassaid.

Two of the scholarship awardeeswillpursuestudies undertheIndianCouncilfor Cultural Relations Scholarships for masters degrees and two under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) short term

scholarship programme Davendra Kissoon, an engineer with National Drainage & Irrigation Authority from East Coast Demerara and Narupa Devi Singh, from Corentyne Berbice, who is also an engineer with Ministry of Public Works were both selected to study Masters of Technology in Civil

Engineering at the premier Indian Institute of

Technology Bombay (IIT

Bombay)foraperiodoftwo y e a r s Selected for the ITEC programme were Sirpaul Jaikishun, a senior lecturer with the University of Guyana from Eccles, East Bank Demerara to study ‘Techniques in Mass Production, Quality Control of Biofertilizers and Microbial Bio-pesticides’at the National Institutes of Plant Health Management, Hyderabad for a period of

two (2 ) weeks Indera Hoorilall, a Technical officer from the Guyana Forestry Commission of Herstelling, East Bank Demerara was selected for the ITEC Programme to study Climate Change & SustainableDevelopmentat the Environment Protection Training & Research Institute in Hyderabad for t w o w e e k s The four scholarship recipients called on and

interacted with High Commissioner, Dr KJ Srinivasabeforetravelingto India to commence their respective courses Each participant expressed their gratitudeandexcitementfor the opportunity to study in India being offered by the Government of India. High Commissioner discussed how sharing India’s own development experiences with fellow developing countries on the basis of

partnership and cooperation for mutual benefit via scholarships, help to strengthenthebondbetween IndiaandGuyana. He stated that the Government of India will continue to offer its developmental assistance to Guyana in various sectors i n c l u d i n g s k i l l s development & capacity building and education for the overall growth of Guyana.

Indian High Commissioner with Davendra Kissoon (his right), Narupa Singh (his left and a representative of the mission)

Indian High Commissioner with Indera Hoorilall (his right), Sirpaul Jaikishun (his left) & a representative from the mission

GuyanahasfavourablemininglawswithGovt.support, newCanadiangoldcompanytellsinvestors

Ca n a d i a n m i n i n g company, Alerio Gold Mines has hailed Guyana as a country with favourable mining laws and strong support from a pro-mining government.

This was relayed in a presentation on their gold mining projects in Guyana to investors recently Alerio is the same gold company that had told its investors that there is “gold fever” in Guyana.

According to the company's website, some reasons Guyana is a good choice invest are because of: the country's established MiningAct,it'slocatedina

four new significant exploration targetsatitsTassawiniProject.

According to the company, the f o u r n e w l y i d e n t i f i e d interconnected gold targets, are hosted within a large 3.0 kilometre by 4.5 kilometre anomaly. It was stated too that Tassawini contains a historical mineral resource of 437,000 ounces gold Indicated and an additional 62,000 oz gold Inferred.

Regionwitharichhistoryof economical gold deposit and have favorable min lawsandgovernmentsupport.

AlerioenteredGuyana's industry in June 2021, and had announced its presence in the country via multiple press statements it had posted on its website Notably, while the company was sure to announce its presence in Guyana via its website, the Guyanese government made no formalannouncementtoitscitizens aboutthearrivalofAlerioGold.

TheCanadianfirmpostedonits website that it has 100% interest in two highly prospective projects in Guyana: the advanced exploration Tassawini Gold Project and the Puruni Project. Alerio also posted thatithasin-countryshareholders.

In January, 2022, with the headline, 'Gold fever Guyana', Alerio Gold announced to shareholders that it is going to buy another mega gold field in Guyana, located along the Puruni River in Region Seven. According to the Canadian firm, the gold fields were purchased from another company, 'Goldeneye',towhichtheGuyanese governmenthadleasedland.

Notably, days after it was reported that Alerio boasted of a 'gold fever' in Guyana, a local Miner, Henry Alphonso, came forward to refute claims made by the company that it owns a 9000 acre gold field , Region Seven, whichlegallybelongstohim.

SIGNIFICANT EXPLORATION TARGETS

According to the Alerio, the Tassawini Gold Project is an advancedstagegoldprojectlocated approximately 175 kilometers to the northwest of the capital city of Georgetown, in Guyana, South America. In April 2023, Alerio announced that its continued partnership with Auracle Geospatial Science has identified

Inastatement,AlFabbro,Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alerio was quoted as saying, “It is very encouragingtonotethatthehistoric resource has a relatively small footprint, within a much larger anomaly that has not received any modern exploration, giving the company significant potential for additional discoveries. Utilizing the extensive amount of historical information available to us, in concert with Auracle's proprietary MUD® system, has provided Alerio with a streamlined and costeffective way to expedite and prioritizenewtargetsthatliewithin this anomaly, forming the basis of exploration plans for 2023. Alerio nowhasaclearpathwaytowardthe potential growth of our Tassawini Deposit.”

SECRECY OF CONTRACTS

As the new foreign company continues to explore Guyana's gold fields, the government is yet to deliver on its promise to make all miningcontractspublic.

While foreign companies have beenrushingtocashinonthe“gold fever” in Guyana, the country has been suffering massive declines in itsannualdeclarationssince2017.

Kaieteur News had made several requests for the Government of Guyana to release the mining contracts, particularly large-scaleminingcontracts.

In2019whenGuyanabecamea member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI),thecountryagreedtoadhere to several requirements. In this case, EITI requirement 2.4 (a) of the 2019 Standard states that

Guyanashouldpubliclydiscloseall mineral agreements entered into force prior to the reporting period, in this case, 2019. Although the requirements were known to the administration, it continued to make excuses to avoid the release ofthesecontracts.

In this vain, this newspaper reported in December last year that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo dodged the matter on four different occasions.

During a press conference in April however, he publicly committed to releasing the fiscal termsforallminingagreements.

This was the second time the Vice President promised to “personally intervene” for the release of the fiscal terms of all large-scaleminingcontracts.

The Vice President made a similar commitment in August 2022 during an appearance on 'The GlennLallShow' airedon Kaieteur Radio. While appearing on that radio programme, he told the Kaieteur News' publisher, Glenn Lall, “I don't see the reason why many of these are not in the public domain already I'll find out about it.”

When pressed further Jagdeo said, “I can undertake to find out with you there, what the GRA [Guyana Revenue Authority] is so cagey about that it doesn't want to release… I will undertake anything thatisnon-propriety,thatyougetit. I will personally now see that this happen ” However, despite the promises by the Vice President, the contractsremainhidden.

Missing man found floating in Hope/ Lowlands canal

The body of Yashpaul Thomas who went missing since Sunday was on Tuesday found floating in a canal at Hope, Lowlands,EastCoastDemerara.

According to reports, 26year-old Thomas of Lot 440 Hope Lowlands was a known alcoholic and resided with his reputed wife. The wife reported to investigators that Thomas left home for work on July 23, at about 07:15hrs but did not return home that day She related checks were made around the area for him, but he was not located.

On Tuesday, however, the policesaidatabout08:20hrs,the wife went to Cove and John PoliceStationtolodgeaMissing Person report when she received information that the body of a male was found afloat in a canal at Hope Lowlands. She went to the area and there she identified the deceased's body as Thomas. Police said the body was examined, and no marks of violence were seen. The body was then taken to the Memorial

Al Fabbro, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alerio

Yashpaul Thomas also called 'Ashkay' whose body was found in the Hope Lowlands canal.

Karasabai Apoteri

Ituni Kamuda Village

helping with profits in 2023 despite low oil prices Hess thanks Guyana for

American oil producer, Hess Corporation reported yesterday that it made a net income of US$119 million, or US$0.39 per share, in the second quarter of 2023. This was however, a significant decline in profits when compared with the US$667 million, or US$2.15 per share, it made in the secondquarterof2022.

During the company's earnings call yesterday, Hess said the decrease in adjusted after-tax results reflects lower realised selling prices. Though its profit margin took a major plunge, Hess was keen to point out that its assets in Guyana and the Bakken, USA deliveredhigherproductionvolumesin the second quarter of 2023 which helpedtocushiontheblow

Hess told the market that net production was 387,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) in the secondquarterof2023,comparedwith 303,000 boepd in the second quarter of 2022, primarily due to higher productioninGuyanaandtheBakken.

Expounding on the performance of its Bakken assets, Hess said net production was 181,000 boepd in the second quarter of 2023 compared with 140,000 boepd in the prior-year quarter, reflecting increased drilling andcompletionactivity,higherNatural Gas Liquid (NGL) and natural gas volumes and higher uptime after weather related shut-ins in the prioryearquarter

The American explorer said the Bakken's net production is forecast to be in the range of 175,000 boepd to 180,000 boepd for the full year 2023, upfromourpreviousguidancerangeof 165,000boepdto170,000boepd.

At the Stabroek Block where Hess

Father pleads for help in finding missing 15-year-old daughter

has a 30 percent working interest, the company said net production from the Liza Destiny and the Liza Unity floating production, storage and offloading vessels (FPSOs) totaled 110,0002 bopd in the second quarter of 2023 compared with 67,0002 bopd in theprior-yearquarter

Hess said the Liza Unity FPSO, which commenced production in February 2022, reached its production capacity of approximately 220,000 gross bopd in July 2022. In the second quarterof2023,Hesssaiditwasableto sell nine cargos of crude oil from Guyana compared with six cargos in theprior-yearquarter

Additionally, Hess said net productionguidanceforGuyanaforthe full year 2023 is expected to be approximately 115,0002 bopd, compared to its previous guidance range of 105,000 bopd to 110,000 bopd.

With respect to the third development project in the Stabroek Block called Payara, Hess reminded that it has a production capacity of approximately 220,000 gross bopd and remainsontrackforstartupearlyinthe fourthquarter

Turning to the fourth development, Yellowtail, Hess said this project was sanctioned in April 2022 with a production capacity of approximately 250,000 gross bopd and first production expected in 2025. As previously reported, the fifth development, Uaru, was sanctioned in April 2023 with a production capacity of approximately 250,000 gross bopd andfirstproductionexpectedin2026.

Hessalsonotedduringtheearnings call that the the end of the first renewal

periodoftheexplorationlicenceforthe Stabroek Block was extended one year from October 2023 to October 2024 as a result of force majeure due to the COVID-19pandemic.Comenextyear, the company will be required to relinquish 20 percent of the block not heldbydiscoveries.

Hess was also keen to note that during the second quarter, it diverted muchofitsrevenuestoGuyanaandthe Bakken. In this regard, the company said exploration and production expenditures were US$933 million in the second quarter of 2023 compared with US$622 million in the prior-year quarter

Chief Executive Officer, John Hess believes such investments are destined to pay off, specifically as it relates to Guyanawheremorethan30significant discoveries of low cost barrels have been unearthed Hess said the company will remain focused on executing its strategy to deliver industry leading cash flow growth and financial returns to shareholders while safely and responsibly producing oil and gas to help meet the world's growingenergyneeds.

Naresh Persaud, a single father of Hampton Court, Essequibo Coast, is seeking the public's help in locating his missing fifteen-year-old daughter,KayshenaPersaud.

Persaud told Kaieteur News that last Friday he received a call from a neighbour,whoinformedhim that his daughter appeared to have been leaving home. The devastated father said that he went home, only to observe thathisdaughterwasmissing, alongwithherbelongingsand $20,000 from his wallet. He said, “Friday, I went to work,

when reach in something tell me check my purse… when I checkIseeImissing20,000.I ask her she tell me she ain't trouble no money About 12:30-1:00 I meet a family friend and he said how he see meh daughter walk out with a big bag from the street like, she a go weh. I went to the police and I report it… She got the laptop computer, and $20,000 from the cash grant money she take that and gone with it ” Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is asked to contact Mr Persaud on 6687311.

NDC

and contractors butt heads over removal of dirt at No.58 Village for construction in Berbice

Contractors who have beenremovingsandalongthe stretch of new road at No.58 Village, Corentyne, Berbice

inthedistrict.

TheNDChassaidthatthe relevant permissions were not sought and granted to dig at such depths and distance, ultimatelycausingdamageto the newly constructed $1 Billion farm-to-market road that was commissioned by President IrfaanAli last year Truck drivers employed by the contractors to transport the dirt had blocked the

No.58 PublicRoadwiththeir trucks on Tuesday grinding traffic to a halt for approximately15minutes.

Chairman of the 52/74 Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Emraj Gansham said that after receiving several complaints they visited the location in an effort to speak to the truck driversdiggingand (Continued on page 16)

Missing: Kayshena Persaud

CEO, John Hess

Images showing the depth of the digging close to the road

TT firm hammered for sloth in Conversation

Tree Road Project

Inspecting the road works ongoing from Conversation Tree to Dennis Street, Georgetown, Minister of Public Works, Juan EdghillonTuesdaycalledoutoneof the two contractors, a Trinidadian firm over its pace of works on the project.

The minister was accompanied by residents and other government officials to the project site on Tuesday

During the visit to the project site where both Trinidadian company, Kallco Limited and Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc are

met me at various forums and said they are not satisfied with the inconvenience and the rest of it. I have come myself and have seen what is going on, both contractors need to up their game, this project needs to be finished in the contracted obligated time 5th November,”theMinisterexplained.

Headdedthat“Jagmohanseems tobemakingprogress,whileKallco ispracticallymakingnoprogress.”

He further shared that from the engineers' advice, some 65 percentage of the contract time has elapsedandonlyabout25percentof the work has been completed. He

conducting work, the Minister said he received a barrage of complaints from residents in relation to the sameproject.

Followingawalk-throughofthe project site, Minister Edghill told media operatives that this particular project is a significant one that will make a huge difference in the lives of residents of surrounding communities, and everyone else as it will improve the country's road networksystem.Hesaidthisproject cannotbelefttodragalongthisway

“I walk the alignment today to see the progress of works, and apart from merely checking, residents from the Campbellville area who you heard voiced their concerns, as well as residents from the Bel Air area, have called me, contacted me,

noted that he has instructed that Kallco meet with him at his office on Monday afternoon, for them to determine if this project will continue with them or be terminated.

Kaieteur News understands that the contractor will be issued with a warningletterforpoorperformance in relation to the road improvement project that is the widening of the corridorsfromConversationTreeto DennisStreet,Georgetown.

It was reported that the $1.8 billion road project which entails the construction of a four-lane carriageway from the East Coast Highway to Delhi Street, a doublelane carriageway on the reserve westofDelhiStreetfornorthbound

(Continued on page 16)

GTA establishes training facility to aid hospitality sector

The Guyana Tourism

A u t h o r i t y ( G TA ) h a s established a training facility, after working with tourism stakeholders throughout the years to facilitate various types oftrainingforthoseoperatingin thesector.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) recently spoke with GTA's Manager of Training and Licensing, Tamika Inglis, who noted that the agency offers more than 20 areas of training. “We thought it was necessary that we have our own training room, so we put forward that plan and it has come to fruition and we are pretty much excited about that.

It would definitely cut our overhead cost as well as give us the opportunity to have more trainingdone,”Inglisexplained.

Shesaidthefacilityhasbeen in the making for some time, as the outsourcing of venues to host training has been quite costly. The training manager noted that the GTA prioritises training based on an assessment of the needs of the industry. “So far, we would have been able to train 1300 persons to date and those training covers mixology, first aid and CPR, delivering quality service, introduction to tourism, tour guiding, and birding. We have a whole list of training that we try to cover to build the capacity of the industry,”Inglisadded.

Currently, persons who benefit from the training are already operating in the industry, however, due to several hotels slated to begin operations in the future, the

interest is growing. “Persons calling us every day asking for training in different areas, even areas that we don't offer like waitressing.

What we are trying to do now, when these requests come, we see how best we could providethetraining,”shenoted

The GTAis also planning to develop a human resource data base for the tourism industry, especiallyforthehotelsthatwill begin operations in Guyana. “What we want to do is to be able to have a pool of persons that are trained in various tourism or hospitality areas, so that those hotels can pull from that pool,” Inglis added. In 2021, 1,500 persons were trained by the GTA and more than 2,000 in 2022.The training targetissetat3500thisyear

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill at the project site on Tuesday.

Some of the works ongoing on a new four-lane carriageway from Conversation Tree to Dennis Street, Georgetown.

Training facility at the Guyana Tourism Authority's headquarters

Ex Minister Patterson arrested and placed on $200K bail for urinating along side fence

Police on Wednesday arrested former government minister David Patterson for allegedly exposing his genitals to a Kitty family last week.

Kaieteur News was told by police that the Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) was “wanted for questioning in relation to exposing his genitals.Exposingofgenitals isanoffenceundertheSexual Offences Act. According to police, Patterson turned himself to police on Wednesday in the company

of his lawyer “At the police station, Mr Patterson was told of the allegation made against him by a member of the public and promptly arrested”,policestated.

The ex-minister was released on $200,000 as police continue their investigationagainsthim.He expected to return for questioning today “The probe continues and upon completion, the file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP Shalimar Ali Hack SC ) for legal

CDB plugs US$400,000 into climate-smart agriculture in region

Recognising the need for an accessible digital platform to facilitate innovative approaches to agricultural production in its B o r r o w i n g M e m b e r Countries (BMCs), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), is providing U S D 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 f o r preliminary studies to drive thedevelopmentandpiloting of a Climate Smart Agriculture Knowledge and Information Platform (CSAKIP).

In a press release the CDB said the platform, which will be designed closely in collaboration with major stakeholders involved in the regional agricultural landscape, including universities, commodity groups, agriculture developmentinstitutionsand regional coordinating mechanisms, represents a significant opportunity to advance multiple facets of agricultural production which is crucial for the region'sgrowth.

“The Caribbean is wellpositioned to effectively enhance the output of its agriculture sector while fostering sustainable practices and reinforcing market linkages A knowledge and information platform can increase stakeholders' access to climate smart agriculture technologies, data and practices, which is particularly important as the region remains heavily reliant on food imports, leading to global supply and price shock vulnerabilities,” said Dr Martin Baptiste, CDB's Social Sector DivisionChief.

advice” Police said

Allegations of indecent exposure by Patterson first surfaced on Facebook.Acell phone recorded video of Patterson urinating on a fence in Kitty; Georgetown was uploaded and went viral.

He continued, “the project will seek to determine the feasibility of such a platform and its potential to enhance agriculture human capital, by, among other things, servingasateachingtooland a mechanism for the multidirectionalflowofvital information ” CDB's assistance in this initiative supports the Bank's objective of increasing the u s e o f i n f o r m a t i o n technology to modernise the agriculture sector in all BMCs Envisioned as a c a t a l y s t f o r r u r a l advancement, CSAKIP will be particularly beneficial for keydemographics,including farmers, agriculture entrepreneurs and students, who will be equipped with a platform that can identify information gaps, enhance skillsets and elevate the region's capacity to produce safeandsustainablefood.

Staying true to CDB's inclusive approach to development, the project will take a genderresponsive approach ensuring that women, who have significant presence in the agriculture industry and are primarily responsible for meeting the dietary and nutritional needs of households, are not disadvantagedbyfactorsthat could give rise to genderbased inequality Scheduled to roll out over a three-year period,CSAKIP,whilebeing in alignment with CDB's goal to be a centre for knowledge and information for BMC's and the wider Caribbean region, will also forge strong linkages between vital sectors such as healthandtourism.

A man heard in the background cursing the former minister and calling him disrespectful. Kaieteur News understands that a Kitty family had confronted Patterson about urinating on their property Patterson had left but returned to urinate again at the same spot and endedupinanargumentwith the family It is alleged that Patterson showed them his “middle finger” and waved his genitals at them before leaving Following the allegations the former Minister stated on his Facebook page, “Weekend beers at my local roadside bar, had a close encounter with a "family" in Kitty which left them traumatised. Apparently the "family" n e e d e d s o m e f r e e advertisement,businessslow – so folks, drop in anytime, relief guaranteed. Have a greatweekendfolks!”

Bail too high

Meanwhile, Patterson's lawyer, Ronald Daniels said that he accompanied the Member of Parliament to the

station Daniels said the police had visited Patterson's home on Tuesday and requested his attendance at the station to answer an allegation. “The allegation was put to him and he exercised his constitutional right to remain silent. He is alleged to have 'intentionally exposed his genitals' by urinatingatacertainlocation and using expletives when c o n f r o n t e d b y t h e proprietor,” Daniels said in his statement posted on his facebok page. “We attended thestationjustafter2:00p.m. and the interview (though short)concludedat4:00p.m. Theinterviewwasconducted bytheinvestigatingrankwho is one of the very senior and decorated police officers

whom I have a good measure of respect for He reported to his senior at the close of the interview for instructions on next step. There was a series of back and forth phone calls relative to MP Patterson while there His senior instructed that MP Patterson be placed on bail in the sum of $200,000. I inquired who the senior was and engaged him. I alerted him that the quantum of bail is gravely out of proportion to the circumstances This is essentially an allegation of indecent exposure and obscene language made against MP Patterson by the proprietor of a business place. Even if MP Patterson i s c h a r g e d f o r t h e commission of this offence,

no court with a sense of justiceandanappreciationof the chief consideration in granting bail would put MP Patterson on bail in this sum,” the lawyer detailed in hisstatement.

Daniels said the chief considerationingrantingbail is whether the accused person would submit himself to the jurisdiction of the police (in the case of station bail) or the court once the accused is before the court. Other considerations, he said arewhethertheaccusedhasa criminal past, is likely to interfere with witnesses, is a flight risk, whether the offence is of a serious nature, etc.

“These are by no means serious offences on the graduating scale of offences. MP Patterson submitted himself to the police without a conventional arrest having tobeeffected.Thisinitselfis a demonstration of his readiness to submit himself to the jurisdiction of the police and by extension that of the court. He is a wellknownpersonandcanhardly flee undetected. The police know where he lives.And he doesnothaveacriminalpast. The court is a higher authoritythanthepolicewith respectto,amongother

(Continued on page 16)

Opposition Member of Parliament

David Patterson

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From page 13 transporting the sand for ongoing works in the region to desist from doing so unless the proper permissions are granted. “…after receiving a number of complaints from residents, this is the third time I am asking these truck drivers to seek the relevant permission from the NDC before they come and do their digging using our road. None didn’t come to NDC and I have asked them many times to come....they must report to the NDC when doing digging etc.” Gansham said.

He added that the digging and the use of the heavy-duty trucks transporting the sand have resulted in damage to the newly built farm to market road. “This road will definitely cave in with the current depth of digging. We are currently working out a solution. We understand that they have to go through a process to seek permission from the Geology and Mines Commission, EPA

(Environmental Protection Agency)...” Gansham noted. He stated that engineers attached to the Ministry of Public Works visited the location Tuesday and they are currently working out a solution to the issue.

Meanwhile, one of the contractors, Anirudh Ramcharitar said he and his colleagues have been digging at the location for the past two months and that the land that is being dug is transported land that was bought by them.

He said there was a verbal understanding between the NDC and them and that “we worked with the NDC verbal understanding”.

Ramcharitar said that the NDC visited about three weeks ago and had put some specifications in place with one of them being that 12ft is left from the edge of the road and according to the contractor that was done. “Monday they came back and halt the

operation …they said the road damaging...there were cracks in the road but that was before we started.

They brought some technical people Tuesday...”. He stated that they were given the go ahead to dig by the engineers and that they (contractors) have made a commitment that any damage done to the road as a result of their actions and usage, will be fixed, noting that a new contract will be put in place for that cause.

Gobin Harbhajan, a community activist had mentioned that he had brought the issue to the NDC’s attention and had also contacted the relevant ministers on the matter.

He opined that “contractors digging both side of the road must follow the rules and regulations for approval to be given by the NDC and other relevant agencies.

According to Harbhajan, “these trucks are over 40 ton

and they are rattling the foundation, the digging that is being done will eventually lead to erosion...” He said that contractors are looking at the easier way out considering all the construction that is currently ongoing in the region.

He added that while development is welcomed, contractors executing these works also have to be considerate. He said there are many other locations that these contractors can access the soil needed for construction.

He suggested the Alness backlands, No.42 backlands and Bushlot backlands.

Harbhajan noted that with what is being done at 58 Village “it defeats the purpose of the farm to market road”. President Ali at the opening of the road had said that the farm-to-market road project is part of a “larger infrastructure plan which will lead all the way to the Canje Creek and will open up over 50,000 acres of land for production.”

Former Minister arrested for allegedly...

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From page 15 things, the granting of bail. And I dare say that no reasonable court should or would grant someone in similar circumstances bail in a sum exceeding $40,000. Anything about this is potentially troubling; and $200,000, as requested by the police, is simply outrageous,” Daniels lamented.

The lawyer added that the senior officer indicated to him that he is working with instructions from above him,

and agreed to relay his concerns up the ladder.

“He subsequently told the investigating rank that the sum of the bail remains unchanged. MP Patterson inquired from the police whether he can be accompanied by the police to secure the monies for his bail at a location not too far from the police station. Instructions came from higher up that no such courtesies would be granted,” Daniels added. “This is what our criminal jus-

tice system looks like. And I do not exaggerate when I say this is a mild exhibition of it. One does not have to search too deep to construct real imaginations of the plight of those who have neither the power of resource, status or connections. And woe to him who has neither of these plus lacks education. Whatever the motivations are relative to MP Patterson, it is plain to see that they are not inspired by a sense of justice,” Daniels asserted.

TT firm hammered for sloth in Conversation...

From page 14 traffic, concrete revetments between the East Coast Demerara Highway and Railway Embankment with concrete drains on both sides of the proposed roadway between the railway embankment and Delhi Street, and two large concrete bridges to create a link to Dennis Street, is divided into two lots.

fice last year saw that Lot 8A of the project was awarded to S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc. to the tune of $1,066, 358,738, while Lot 8B was awarded to Trinidad’s Kallco Guyana Inc. to the tune of $830,293,458.

concrete structures project which are situated along the Kurupukari to Lethem corridor.

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The project which was awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) of-

This publication had reported earlier this month, the minister had flagged contractors on their slow pace of works at another project. He was at the time inspecting the ongoing works on the 32 hinterland wooden bridges to

There, he had mentioned that it seems as though some people want to do work at their own time when they are ready and when they feel like doing it.

With this being said, he made it clear that “mediocrity will not be condoned by me in anyway … excellence is the standard that I set…not mediocrity.”

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Guyana recognises urgency in food system transformation

- Min. Mustapha tells UN Food Systems Summit

With only seven years remaining until 2030, the government has recognised the urgency to address agriculture transformation to develop the local food system to promote sustainable growth and eliminatehunger

Thisfactisevidentwiththe increaseinbudgetaryallocation to the agriculture sector from $133billionin2019to$332in 2023,astaggering150percent increase Thiswasunderscored by Minister of Agriculture, ZulfikarMustaphaWednesday morning,whenheaddressedthe United Nations (UN) Food Systems Summit +2 StocktakingMomentinRome, Italy

The session acts as the first major global follow-up to the 2021 Food Systems Summit, where participants committedtoacceleratingthe transformativepoweroffood systems for the full implementation of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Minister

Mustaphasaidthesummithas revealed a renewed sense of urgency for financing the national food system transformation. He stated that CARICOM’s vision 25 by 2025 is a strong political commitment and action plan, which aims to lower the region’s high food importbillby25percentby theyear2025.“Asministers

of agriculture, we are the frontline responders to the farmers through effective policies and required solutions Our efforts in Guyana are rooted in the obligation to leave no one behind while achieving the SDGs I encourage all to work together to identify transformative policies and actionstoadvancethatagenda withafocusonleavingnoone behind,” the agriculture ministersaid

He noted that the catastrophic situation in the regionhasbeenevaluatedby regional authorities, and actions are being taken to hasten the realisation of the vision. To date, numerous programmes and policies have been implemented to improve food security.

“Guyana is open to assisting our fellow sister countries in whateverwaywecan Wehave commenced bilateral agreementsinagriculturewith Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago,andSt Vincentandthe Grenadines We continue to holdconversationswithmany others,” the minister underscored The national pathway created by nations has shown the country’s capacity to fulfill its obligation to find the gaps and solutions necessary to achieve coherence in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Works advancing on sentencing guidelines – Attorney General

In this regard, the government is investing in enhanced infrastructure, e x p a n s i o n a n d diversification of the livestock sector, cultivation of new crops, utilising climate-smart agriculture practices, production of brackishwatershrimp,cage fish farming, and prawn production among others. The transformation of Guyana’s food system is beingconsiderablyaidedby the efforts and policies now in place. To address the urgent concerns of capital, capacity,anddevelopmental prospects, Minister Mustapha noted that Guyana’s relationship with the UNagenciescontinuesto beessential “Wemustrelyon your support to bridge these gapsandachieveourgoals We know those who are left the furthest behind are often the ones with the weakest capacities to engage and partner effectively As such, we must help provide that enabling space. It all starts with a conversation, and willingness for partnerships isaprerequisitetothis.”The summit’s side event is centred on ‘Using National Pathways as a platform for the enhancement of public policies with close support fromtheUNsystem–cases of Guatemala, Peru, and Guyana.’(DPI)

Guyana’s justice system will improve drastically as the government advances efforts on crafting sentencing guidelines, which are expected to bring consistency to the country’s legalstructure.

Theinitiativeissupported by the US$8 million InterAmericanDevelopmentBank (IDB)-funded Support for the Criminal Justice System (SCJS) programme, to ease prisonovercrowdinglocally Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, speaking on his weekly programme ‘Issues in the News,’ Tuesday evening, notedthatthegovernmenthas acknowledged the inconsistency in the judicial system when handing out sentencestopersonswhohave

committedcrimes Hesaidthis isanissuethatisbroughtupat every community meeting

the government has facilitated Speakingonthe ongoing project, Minister Nandlallhighlightedthatthe project entails, “Examining Guyana, examining similar guidelines promogulated in the Caribbean in particular and then other jurisdictions andformulateforGuyana,a peculiar and unique set of guidelines for the Guyanese judiciary and the Guyanese legalsystem,thatwilltakeinto account, the realities of Guyana,”

It also inc ludes consultationswiththerelevant stakeholders including the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Bar Association and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP)

Consultative engagements with these stakeholders have concluded except with the judiciary

The AG noted that the engagement with the judiciary will be facilitated shortly, following which, the sentencing guidelines will become available for promulgation “

Thejudiciaryiscentralto the process because it’s the judiciary that will have to hand down these sentences So, input from the judiciary is crucial in this whole process,” hepointedout

The IDB-funded SCJS programme aims to help Guyana overcome prison overcrowding by reducing pre-trial detentions, and increasing the use of alternativesentencing,among othermeasures.(DPI)

Hunter Biden: Plea deal for president’s son collapses in dramatic court hearing

(BBC NEWS) - An agreement expected to see US President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, plead guilty to tax charges and admit a gun offence has dramatically fallenapartincourt.

Thepleadeal,negotiated over several weeks, was expected to spare the younger Mr Biden prison time.

But a judge on Wednesday said she could not “rubber stamp the agreement”. Thecasemarks the first time the justice department has charged the childofasittingpresident.It follows a five-year investigation into the finances of Hunter Biden, who arrived on Wednesday morning at the court in Wilmington, Delaware. In a plea agreement announced last month, the US first son was to be charged with two misdemeanour counts for failing to pay his taxes on timein2017and2018.

Hewasalsotoadmitthat he had illegally possessed a gunwhilebeingadruguser, and agree to drug treatment and monitoring in lieu of a more serious felony charge and possible jail time. But during the hearing, US District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika questioned whether the deal wouldprovideHunterBiden with immunity from crimes he could be found liable for inthefuture.

Defence lawyers had cast the plea deal as the final chapter in the inquiry into their client’s finances, but prosecutors confirmed in court that their probe is “ongoing” Officials with the justice department are still investigating whether Hunter Biden violated federal law s that required him to register as a foreign agent while working in China and Ukraine during his father’s vice-presidency, CNN reported Legal teams for both s i d e s w e r e s e e n negotiating in full view of reporters inside the court in an effort to salvage the deal or carve out a narroweragreement.

But the hearing ended withJudgeNoreika,aTrump

appointee, declining to sign the deal. She gave the two parties14daystohashouta newdealandbriefher

Mr Biden, who initially offeredtoenteraguiltyplea, ended the hearing by pleading not guilty to the allegationsagainsthim.

The misdemeanour tax counts are minor charges compared to the more serious allegations against Hunter Biden

that congressional

R e p u b l i c a n s h a v e introduced to committee hearings Republicans have alleged that Hunter Biden has been given an unusually lenient plea deal because he is the president’s son

T h a t c l a i m i s d e n ied by the US Attorney for Delaware, David Weiss, who led the investigation Mr Weiss was appointed by former President Donald Trump and left in place by the Biden administration to finish the investigation into Hunter Biden

The prosecutor has offered to testify in front of Congress to address criticism of the inquiry.

T h e H o u s e o f

R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s Oversight Committee,

which is examining

various allegations against Hunter Biden, has already heard

t e s t i m o n y f r o m a

whistleblower who

claimed the justice

d e p a r t m e n t h a d

deliberately slow-

w a l k e d t h e t a x

investigation

R e p u b l i c a n congressman and oversight panel member Tim Burchett toldtheBBCheisdisgusted bythatassertion.

“Why would you break the rules for a dirt bag like Hunter Biden?” said the Tennessee Republican “I mean, he’s got all this money “He is just a despicable human being. And yet, this is the kind of guythattheDemocratswant tocoverfor.”

Republicans have focused on a notorious laptop that Hunter Biden apparently abandoned in a computer repair shop in Delaware.

The contents of the computer have been used to try to prove bribery and corruption against the president’s son and to attempttoconnecthisfather to illegal business dealings. But Democrats say it is no c o i n c i d e n c e t h a t Republicans are attacking the justice system while Mr Trump faces two criminal indictments and may soon learn of charges against him in two more cases DemocraticstrategistAshley Etienne said politicians will still be talking about Hunter Biden’s laptop right up until next year’s presidential election.

She argued that Republicans were trying to create a “false equivalency” between the misdemeanours towhichHunterBidenwants topleadguiltyandthecrimes with which Donald Trump hasbeencharged.

In a plea deal reached last month, Hunter Biden agreed to admit to illegally possessing a gun while a drug user

GAPLF & World athletes pay a courtesy call on Minister Ramson

The Federation’s plans for athletes and general development discussed

Having taken over the administration of the sport back in March of 2023, members of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) along with two athletes met with Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Hon. Charles Ramson Jr. on Monday afternoon last at the Ministry’s Boardroom.

GAPLF President Franklin Wilson, Secretary Roger Rogers, and Treasurer, Maxwell Denny were the Executive members along with Carlos Peterson-Griffith who enjoyed a successful sojourn at the Annual World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships held from June 11 – 18, 2023 in Malta.

Romeo Hunter and

Dominic Tyrell (virtually) also attended the meeting, the two athletes are set to represent Guyana at the IPF World Classic & Equipped Sub Junior And Junior Powerlifting Championships to be held from 24 August – 3 September 2023, in Cluj Napoca, Romania.

The meeting afforded both parties the opportunity to share an outlook for the collective development of the sport in Guyana.

Minister Ramson shared the Government of Guyana’s policy on sports development, highlighting the focus on infrastructure and capacity development aimed at affording athletes the best opportunity for development and success.

Thursday July 27, 2023

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

Are you an artist, writer, or musician, Aries? If so, your work may take on a more symbolic or impressionistic tone. Today you're probably more interested in conveying feelings and impressions than details.

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GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

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He assured the Federation that where an athlete has the potential and likelihood of succeeding at a competition, the Ministry will support it within its resource availability. It was acknowledged that the cost of participation is on the higher end of the scale, this is a constraint for which much work is needed to overcome.

The Ministry has pledged to work with GAPLF with a view to acquiring equipment to outfit for competition and training purposes.

Federation President Wilson, briefed Minister Ramson on activities for this year including the novice and Intermediate competitions which have already been completed as well as plans for the an-

nual FESUPO Regional Powerlifting Championships slated for 6th to 10th September 2023 in Lima, Peru.

World Juniors and IPF World Classic & Equipped Masters Powerlifting Championships from 8th – 15th October 2023 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia where three athletes, Nadina Taharally, Roger Rogers and Gordon Spencer will attend.

The Federation assured the Minister that its vision

prioritises the principles of good governance and aims to make the body a model sister Federation.

Also, the Federation noted that it will always aim to have the broadest eligible representation at all times to ensure the best athletes are representing Guyana.

Peterson-Griffith brought Minister up to date with his exploits attained at the Annual World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships

in Malta where he landed a silver medal in the deadlift and a bronze in the squat. He also ended 6th in the 93kg Class which attracted some 38 lifters.

This competition was the biggest in IPF history, with a total of 65 member nations taking part and over 400 lifters, 37 referees, and 257 other officials, it was the largest and most diverse participation in any Open Classic World Championship ever.

West Indies look to stay in the present...

From page 22 geopolitics for one set of players to have any real influence on it. What they can do in this series, however, is stay in the present, pay attention to the next ball, and then the one after it, and let their opponents worry about things like World Cups.

In the spotlight

Kishan and Sanju Samson competing for the wicketkeeper’s spot and a possible three-way battle for the third seamer’s role.

Pitch and conditions

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

Are all of your friends into astrology, divine science, or spiritual matters, Libra? It might seem like most of them are today, anyway. You may have many new friends in those fields.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

A love partner may host a social event or meeting of some kind, Scorpio. It might be interesting to get acquainted with friends of your mate you haven't yet met.

SAGIT (Nov.22–Dec.21)

Are you contemplating a trip, Sagittarius, perhaps to a place you've always dreamed of visiting? If you're in doubt as to whether or not you can do it.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The Material values may pale beside spiritual ones today, Capricorn. You might consider giving up the rat race and retreating to the wilderness.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

A current or potential romantic partner might seem like the most perfect, wonderful person in the world to you, Aquarius. Your romantic nature could get the better of you today.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

You might not be able to concentrate on your work today, Pisces. Your head may be in the clouds and your eye for detail could fail you somewhat.

He has five ODI hundreds, including two against India, and has a 35-plus average and a 100-plus strike rate after 47 games. There aren’t too many cricketing reasons for Shimron Hetmyer not having played a 50-overs game for West Indies since July 2021; he’ll hope this fresh start will rejuvenate his career in maroon. Despite all the competition he faces in the spin department, Kuldeep Yadav has been a constant in India’s ODI attack this year, playing eight of their nine games and picking up 15 wickets at an average of 21.13. He has an excellent record in the West Indies, where he has 11 wickets in seven games at 20.00 - among the countries and regions he has played ODIs in, he has a better average only in South Africa (13.88). Another good series here will keep him clear of Yuzvendra Chahal as India’s premier 50-overs wristspin option.

Team news

With Hetmyer and Oshane Thomas back after long absences, Gudakesh Motie, Yannic Cariah and Jayden Seales back from injury, and Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran and Keemo Paul unavailable, West Indies will field a new-look combination as they try to make a new beginning as an ODI side.

India have lately adopted an ODI combination that features three allrounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and either Axar Patel or Shardul Thakur depending on whether they want to play an extra spinner or seamer. They’ll likely have that choice to make in Bridgetown, as well as two others, with Ishan

Kensington Oval hosted all three matches during West Indies’ ODI series against New Zealand in August 2022. The surfaces for that series produced first-innings totals of 190, 212 and 301, and had something in them for both seamers and spinners. While the top three wicket-takers were fast bowlers Trent Boult,

Jason Holder and Tim Southee, the fingerspinners were hard to get away, with Kevin Sinclair, Akeal Hosein and Mitchell Santner finishing with economy rates below five. That series, however, featured day-night games. All three ODIs in this series will be day games, with Indian TV audiences in mind. The weather could affect the first ODI, with a 20% chance of rain today. The forecast for the second ODI on Saturday, however, is grimmer, with a 50% chance of rain.

GKC honours five new International Black Belt awardees

In a momentous ceremony held yesterday at theNationalRacquetCentre in Woolford Avenue, G e o rg e t o w n , f i v e accomplished members of

the Guyana Karate College (GKC) were awarded prestigious International Black Belt diplomas. The event, spearheaded by the esteemedChiefInstructorof

the International Karate Daigaku (IKD), Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai, M.S. 9th Dan, marked a significant milestone in the recipients’ martial arts

journey

The awardees, namely David Hacket, Gobin Kumar, Balran Dass, Shawn Jemmott,JayenPersaud,and the young prodigy Azari Samuels, were presented with their well-deserved diplomas along with personalized black belts, signifying their expertise and dedication to the art of Karate.

Frank Woon-A-Tai, a prominent figure in the world of martial arts, delivered an inspiring speechduringtheceremony Having a Guyanese heritage himself, Karate Master Woon-A-Tai holds several esteemed roles within the karatecommunity Heserves as the Chief Instructor of IKD (Guyana), President of

the Caribbean Karate College, Chairman of the GKC, as well as Chairman and Chief Instructor of the IKD in Canada His profound influence and expertise in the field make himanexemplarymentorfor the awardees and aspiring karatepractitioners.

Woon-A-Tai’s own journeytotheesteemedrank of a Black Belt commenced inGuyana,andculminatesin Japan in 1971, when he achieved this prestigious honour at the Mecca of Karate - the Japan Karate Association (JKA) Head Quarters in Tokyo His remarkable achievement markedamilestonenotonly for himself but also for his homeland, as he became the first and only Guyanese to

receive such recognition directlyfromJapan.

The ceremony was not merely about conferring accolades; Woon-A-Tai also took the opportunity to impartvaluableinsightsinto thepathofbecomingaBlack Belt.Hesharedhisgratitude for being able to teach this revered discipline in more than 62 countries worldwide.Hisdedicationto spreading the teachings of Karate across the globe has beenaninspirationtomany

As the event progressed, Woon-A-Tai commended the five karate practitioners on their remarkable achievements and urged them to continue their journey with diligence and passion.Withasenseof (Continuedonpage19)

WestIndieslooktostayinthepresent...

Frompage23 players to have any real influence on it. What they can do in this series, however, is stay in the present, pay attention to the next ball, and then the one after it, and let their opponents worry about thingslikeWorldCups.

Inthespotlight

He has five ODI hundreds, including two against India, and has a 35plus average and a 100-plus strike rate after 47 games. There aren’t too many cricketing reasons for ShimronHetmyernothaving played a 50-overs game for West Indies since July 2021; he’llhopethisfreshstartwill rejuvenate his career in maroon.

D e s p i t e a l l t h e competition he faces in the spin department, Kuldeep Yadavhasbeenaconstantin India’s ODI attack this year, playing eight of their nine games and picking up 15 wickets at an average of 21.13. He has an excellent record in the West Indies, where he has 11 wickets in

seven games at 20 00among the countries and regions he has played ODIs in, he has a better average onlyinSouthAfrica(13.88). Anothergoodseriesherewill keephimclearofYuzvendra ChahalasIndia’spremier50overswristspinoption.

Teamnews

With Hetmyer and

Oshane Thomas back after long absences, Gudakesh Motie, Yannic Cariah and Jayden Seales back from injury, and Jason Holder, NicholasPooranandKeemo Paulunavailable,WestIndies will field a new-look combination as they try to make a new beginning as an ODIside.

Indiahavelatelyadopted an ODI combination that features three allrounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and either Axar Patel orShardulThakurdepending onwhethertheywanttoplay an extra spinner or seamer They’ll likely have that

c h o i c e t o m a k e i n Bridgetown, as well as two others, with Ishan Kishan a n d S a n j u S a m s o n

c o m p e t i n g f o r t h e wicketkeeper’s spot and a possible three-way battle for thethirdseamer’srole.

Pitchandconditions

Kensington Oval hosted allthreematchesduringWest Indies’ ODI series against New Zealand in August 2022. The surfaces for that series produced first-innings totals of 190, 212 and 301, and had something in them for both seamers and spinners.Whilethetopthree wicket-takers were fast bowlers Trent Boult, Jason HolderandTimSouthee,the fingerspinners were hard to get away, with Kevin Sinclair, Akeal Hosein and Mitchell Santner finishing with economy rates below five.

That series, however, featured day-night games All three ODIs in this series will be day games, with IndianTVaudiencesinmind. The weather could affect the firstODI,witha20%chance ofraintoday Theforecastfor thesecondODIonSaturday, however, is grimmer, with a 50%chanceofrain.

Black Belt awardee, David Hacket (center) demonstrates his acquired skills at yesterday’s presentation

Assuria Insurance gifts motorbike for MVP at Kares One Guyana T10 Blast

Compliments of Assuria General a n d L i f e Insurance Companies, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the Kares One Guyana T10 Blast will ride off with a brand new motorbike.

Valued at more than G$250,000, the organisers welcomed the support from one of Guyana’s leading insurancecompanies.

The handing over was done yesterday at the company’s massive headquarters at 33 Church Street,Georgetown.

Sanjiv Nandlall, Assuria’s Senior Supervisor for Information and C o m m u n i c a t i o n s Technology (ICT) and Marketing, expressed i m m e n s e j o y i n collaborating with the organisiers, noting it a tournament that he predicts to be “very exciting” and expects a massive following toattendoverthetwodays.

Representativesfromthe

company should be present further to inform the public about their secure and affordablepackages.

Co-Director of the tournament,JohnRamsingh, thanked Assuria for the support, noting it was more than a noble gesture, as he highlightedthesupportfrom corporate Guyana and President Dr Irfaan Ali is paving the way for the tournament to blossom in yearstocome.

The tournament features 32teamswithrepresentation from all regions except RegionNine.

Several active and former national players will feature for their teams over thetwo-dayextravaganza.

Preliminarymatcheswill bestagedatthePoliceSports Club, the Guyana Defence Force, Queen’s College Ground, YMCA, and TransportSportsClub,while the finals will be held at the Everest Cricket Ground on July30.

Thefirst-everchampions

willpocketG$1M,whilethe losing finalist will collect G$300,000.

The two losing semifinalistswillwalkawaywith G$100,000each.

There will also be prizes for outstanding individual performances.

Additionally, there will be a celebrity match before the championship match where the winning side will be rewarded G$200,000, which will be donated to a charityoftheirchoice.

Inwhathasturnedoutto be the perfect familyoriented event, the organisers have promised to setupaspeciallydesignated area,theKidsZone.

The children will enjoy free rides in the childfriendly zone, including a bouncycastle.

In partnership with BanksDIHLimited,freeice cream, soda, snacks, and water for the young will be free.

Admission is free to all venues

New Bike for MVP! From left: Co-Director of Kares One Guyana T10 Blast, Yusuf Ali, Sanjiv Nandlall (Assuria’s Senior Supervisor for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Marketing, Fiona Sooklall (Fire and General Insurance), Co-Director of Kares One Guyana T10 Blast, John Ramsingh and Nandanie Persaud (Marketing, Sales and Social Media Officer) at the company Church Street headquarters.

ESPNcricinfo - Big picture-Indiaaregearingup forahomeWorldCup,finetuning their combination withjustovertwomonthsto go for the big event. West Indieswillplaynopartinit.

While ODIs will be the mostkeenlyfollowedformat of international cricket over the coming weeks, West Indies may wonder what exactly they’re trying to achievewhentheyplaytheir 50-overs cricket They’ll want to pick themselves up, of course, after the shocks theysufferedattheQualifier in Zimbabwe, but pick themselvesuptodowhat?

With no World Cup to preparefor,there’snowider context to ODI cricket for West Indies for now There are no World Cup Super League points to win, and there’snothreatjustyetthat they’llfailtomakethe2027 World Cup, which will feature 14 teams who will qualify based on their ODI rankings.

West Indies’ fans, however, would do well not tomistakethelackofawider contextforalackofpurpose. While it would be easy to

look at the team’s failure to qualifyfortheWorldCupas a sign of their unstoppable declineasacricketingforce, the reality isn’t quite so abject. The top Associate teams have made white-ball cricket more competitive now than it ever has been, and the gap between the world’sninth-bestand13thbest ODI teams has never been narrower It just so happens that the sport is growingwhenitsWorldCup hasshrunk.

WestIndieswilldowell,

then, to put the Qualifier behind them, put the World Cup out of their minds, and stop worryingabouthistory Shai Hope and Brandon King shouldn’t have to feel worse about missing out on theWorldCupthanBrandon McMullen or Harry Tector do just because they happen to play for a team that once featuredCliveLloydandViv Richards.

ThefutureofWestIndies cricket is too tangled up in thesport’seconomicsand

(Continuedonpage21)

West Indies look to stay in the present as India build towards World Cup

Shimron Hetmyer (Getty Images)

Japan down Costa Rica to put one foot in last 16

DUNEDIN, New Zealand, (Reuters) - Two goals in two first-half minutes gave Japan a 2-0 win over Costa Rica at DunedinStadiumyesterday to all but secure the 2011 champions a spot in the knockout rounds of the Women’sWorldCup.

TheNadeshikoreprised the effervescent passing game of their opening 5-0 win over Zambia and will progress to the last 16 for the fourth straight World Cup if Spain, as expected, beat the African side in Wednesday’slaterGroupC gameinAuckland.

“Wedidwhatweneeded to do, and we did it well,” said Japan coach Futoshi Ikeda. “We’ve prioritised winningpoints.Theplayers

came here with a serious goal in mind and we’re all looking towards that same goal.”

Playing through Mina Tanaka in an advanced midfield role rather than playmakerYuiHasegawaas they had against Zambia, Japan were already well in the ascendant before the double blow that knocked the stuffing out of the CentralAmericans.

Left winger Hikaru Naomotostruckfirstinthe25th minute,pouncingonaslipfrom MariaPaulaCotoandstorming intotheareabeforestrokingthe ballintothenetpastthediveof goalkeeperDanielaSolera.

Twominuteslater,teenager

AobaFujinoturnedadefender ontherightwing,randirectlyat goalandbeatSoleraathernear

postfromatightangle

Costa Rica, who were beaten 3-0 by Spain in their opener,werebarelyabletoland ablowontheiropponentsandit looked from then on only a matter of how many goals Japanwouldrackup

Despite having 25 attempts on goal, however, Japanwereunabletoaddto their tally - a shortcoming that might concern Ikeda with tougher challenges lyingahead.

Japan face Spain in WellingtononMondayina match that will almost certainly decide which of thetwosidestopthegroup, while Costa Rica - still seeking their first World Cup win - will take on Zambia in Hamilton at the sametime.

Canada-based Guyanese Imran Ali hits 104 for Hawaiian Sensation in OMSCC Over-40 T20

De s t r u c t i v e o p e n i n g batsman and Canada-based Guyanese, Imran Ali, hit 104 retiredhurt for Hawaiian Sensation whowhippedRelianceLions by 72 runs last Sunday at A s h t o n b e e P a r k , Scarborough in the continuation of the 2023 Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) Over-40,T20competition.

The left-handed Ali hammeredninesixesandsix fours during his enterprising 59-ball show at the crease leading Hawaiian Sensation toimposing218-0offthe20overs.

Reliance Lions, in reply, onlyreached146-6whenthe 20-oversranout.

Apart from the Ali’s landmark, he also participated in a recordbreaking 207-run firstwicket stand with former Guyana first-class wicketkeeper/batsman Azib AliHanif.

The right-handed Hanif also batted aggressively to make82whichcontained11 foursandamaximum.

For Reliance Lions, veteran batsman Jaimini Singh stroked a fighting 48 and 33 from Chaitnarine Monelall.

And across at Dean Park also in the Scarborough District, Canadian Legends humbledWarriorsClubwith five-wicketmargin.Warriors

Cricket Club only managed an insufficient 108-9 at the expiration of the 20-overs while Canadian Legends, in response, reached the target with13ballsremaining.

Nishal Dass led the way with 40 while Abinash Ramnarayan contributed an unbeaten 27 Earlier, Warriors Cricket Club, last year’s runners-up side, was invited to take first strike afterCanadianLegendswon thetoss.

Seasoned batsman and ex-Guyana youth player,

Rovendra Mandolall, scored 24 and 22 from RakeshDyalasRajaPooran bagged 3-8 from his allotted threetidyovers. Defending champions Rebel Masters had drawn thebyebuttheactionisset to continue this Sunday withtwomorematches.

Hawaiian Sensation will come against Canadian Legends at Dean Park while Warriors Cricket Club will tackle Rebel Masters at Ashtonbee Park facility Both encounters commence at1:30pm.

Imran Ali

GGA Elects Inclusive Board for 2023/24 2023/2

The Guyana Golf Association held its revised AGMasguidedbytherules of the Guyana Olympic AssociationonTuesdayJuly 25thattheScoutAssociation

Ground After opening prayers by Bishop Guy Griffith, Executive Vice President Vic Oditt welcomed the members, all of whom were present in personandvirtually Therewasreadingofand adoptionofminutesfromthe June 28th meeting, after which the President

presented the state of the association address. This was followed by the Treasurer’s Report which wasunanimouslyadopted.

With no motions to address, the election of office bearers for Period 2023-2024wascalledasthe next business Mayo Robertson Esq , of the Robertson Law Firm was nominated and appointed to serve as the Returning Officer

Havingestablishedthata quorum was met with all

memberspresentandhaving dulybeennotifiedasperthe by-laws of the Association, the RO called for nominations for the various postsandcarefullyfollowed procedures to declare the outcomes.

Aleem Hussain was unanimously elected as President;VikramOdittwas unanimously elected as Executive Vice President; Dallas Thomas was unanimouslyelectedasVice President; Philip Haynes was unanimously elected as

CWIRisingStarsU19Men’s3-Daytournament…

Rampersaud, Yearwood keep Guyana in control against Trinidadians

Amagical5-wickethaul from Joshua Rampersaud coupled with Shamar Yearwood’s half-century gave Guyana a slight lead over Trinidad and Tobago with time winding down on intheirbattle.

Day 2 witnessed Rampersaud ripping through the Trini middleordertohelpGuyanaregain some control of the match, keeping their opponents to 95-6in37overs.

Joshua Charles grabbed 1-13 but it was the In-form Guyanese all-rounder Rampersaud who starred with the ball, grabbing 5-16 as he continued his brilliant bowling patch, adding yet another5-Fertohistally

G u y a n a conunterpunchedwithsome good knocks including 38 fromtheircaptainMavindra

Dindyal and a solid halfcentury from Yearwood whichstabilizedthemiddleorder

When Yearwood departed, Guyana were already in the driver’s seat

with the score 152-4 in 47 overs at stumps and their lead 57 runs with Zeynul Ramsammy (16*) and Rovaldo Phillips (5*) resuming their innings today.

Vice President; Al Junior Wilson was unanimously elected as Secretary; Michelle Codrington was unanimously elected as Treasurer; Bishop Guy Griffith was unanimously e l e c t e d a s A s s t

Sec/Treasurer

The following Board advisorsandkeyCommittee members were then appointedbytheBoard: Mayo Robertson- Legal Advisor; Kenny Attai-

Technical Advisor; Cesar Guiterrez- Technical Advisor and MonnafArjune to serve as Public Relations Officer. Kevon Jawahir and Keisha McCollin were appointed as Special Committee members to serve for the 2023-2024 term.

M e m b e r c l u b s represented: Westside Golf & Country Club- in person by Monnaf Arjune and virtually by Michelle

Codrington;EastCoastGolf Club-inpersonbyAlJunior Wilson; Nexgen Golf Academy- in person by Philip Haynes and virtually by Dallas Thomas; Ros-Nol Golf Club- virtually by Kevon Jawahir; and West Coast Golf Club- virtually byKeishaMcCollin. Withnootherbusinessat hand, the new board was installed to continue serving the nation’s interest in developmentofthesport.

L-R: Al Wilson, Philip Haynes, Cesar Guiterrez, Bishop Guy Griffith, Aleem Hussain, Mayo Robertson, Vic Oditt, Monnaf Arjune.

Joshua Rampersaud snapped up 5 wickets to keep Guyana in control against Trinidad and Tobago.

five

International Black Belt awardees Sports

GAPLF & World athletes pay a courtesy call on Minister Ramson

West Indies look to stay in the present as India build towards

Cup

Master Frank Woon-A-Tai seated (2nd from left) shares photo with Black Belt awardees in the presences of GKC officials.

Minister Ramson receives a token from Carlos Peterson-Griffith in the presence of; from left, GAPLF Treasurer Maxwell Denney, President Franklin Wilson, Secretary Roger Rogers, Oudit Seenarain and Romeo Hunter

The Federation’s plans for athletes and general development discussed