Kaieteur News

Guyana contributed to Schlumberger’s US$8 billion profit within three months

United States firm, a critical fuel source for h a

Schlumberger, has revealed energy security and the sequentially and year on established an office at that Guyana is among energytransition. y

several countries that The company’s Chief internationalrevenuegrowth Georgetown, from where it contributed to its US$8.10B Executive Officer (CEO), that resulted in margins carried out it operations in profit recorded within three O l i v i e

when it was hauled months (March 31 to June commented, “I am very divisions and geographical before the local Court by 30,2023).

pleased with our second- a r e a s ” T h e C E O citizens, challenging the Schlumberger is the quarter results, which reflect underscored that compared safety of a radioactive company involved with the significant growth in the to the same period a year facility project. In fact, the handling of radioactive international markets, ago, international revenue High Court had issued an materials, used during particularly in the Middle grew 21%, outpacing North orderfortheoperationstobe productionactivities. East & Asia, and offshore. America which increased by ceased.

O n J u l y 2 1 , North America revenue also 14%.

Georgetown

In justifying the move, Schlumberger revealed that grew sequentially benefiting He said, “Year on year, the company explained that revenue of the US$8 10 from our agility across the revenue grew 20% and during the initial phase of billion profit reveals a most resilient basins and pretax segment operating exploration for oil and gas sequentially increase. It was market segments, although margin expanded 240 basis offshore Guyana, it operated s t a t e d t h a t i n t h e the rig count in the area points (bps), representing remotelyfromanestablished international markets, the declined.” the tenth straight quarter that baseinTrinidad. investment momentum of According to Le Peuch, wehaveincreasedourpretax “However, it quickly the past few years is “As the up-cycle continues segment operating margin became obvious, as the accelerating. The company to unfold, we are excited yearonyear Thiswasdriven successful exploratory wells noted that this is supported about the opportunities for by the international markets, indicated very large Guyanese economy and Schlumberger’s Regional by resilient long-cycle o u r b u s i n e s s , w i t h where we posted our highest commercial deposits, that a population in their Headquarters and Offshore developments in Guyana, international- and offshore- year-on-year incremental permanentbaseinGuyanato operations,” the company ServicesBase. Brazil, Norway and Turkey; led growth fueling strong margininthelastthreeyears, supporttheseoperationswas stated. The facility includes a production capacity pretax segment operating demonstrating the earnings essential. At the same time, It is understood that the Liquid Mud Plant, Dry Bulk expansion in the Middle margin expansion and cash power of our operations in Schlumberger decided that new regional headquarters Facility, and Workshop East, notably in Saudi flows as highlighted in this thesemarkets.” the importance of Guyana as has been under development facilities to support the Arabia, United Arab quarter’sresults.Wearevery A few months ago, afutureregionalleaderinoil by Schlumberger over the offshore drilling and Emirates (UAE) and Qatar; well positioned in these Kaieteur News reported that and gas production justified last four years in what was production operations by the the return of exploration and markets, as international the company is moving its moving our regional previously the old Gafoors Esso Exploration and appraisal across Africa and represents nearly 80% of our regional headquarters from Headquartersto Houston Warehousing Production Guyana Limited the Eastern Mediterranean; global revenue, and offshore Trinidad to Georgetown, and to maximize the property The property (EEPGL) and other oil and and the recognition of gas as constitutes approximately Guyana. partici

currently functions as gasoperators.

Exxon banks US$19.5B in six months citing “record performance” in Guyana

- reveals plans to up production at two Liza ships beyond 400,000 barrels a day

E x x o n M o b i l outstanding performance of volumes from the Permian ahead, the company expects Corporation, an American thecompany’sadvantageous and Guyana yielded double Permian production to multinational, revealed that projects in Guyana and the the unit earnings compared escalate to about 1 million it achieved a profit of Permian, USA She to the volumes from assets oil-equivalent barrels per US$7.9 billion or US$1.94 emphasized that these divestedinthepreviousyear dayby2027. per share in the second projects made significant Liquid volumes saw a 2% Regarding Guyana, quarter of 2023. This figure contributions to the increaseincomparisontothe Woods highlighted the marks a significant decline company’s strong volume second quarter of 2022, projected increase in of US$3.7 billion compared performance during the largely driven by growth in production. He stated that to its earnings of US$11.6 secondquarterof2023. Guyana and the Permian. Exxon envisions the billioninthefirstquarter

Discussing Exxon’s However, gas volumes potential to raise the

C o m p a r i n g t h e Upstream businesses, the decreased by 12%, primarily combined gross capacity of performance to the second Chief Financial Officer duetodivestments. the Liza Destiny and Liza quarter of 2022, the decline (CFO) reported that the Mikells underscored that Unity FPSOs to over in profits is even more Permian production the additional barrels 400,000barrelsofoilperday pronounced, as the company achieved a remarkable produced in Guyana and the t h r o u g h f u r t h e r had earned an additional r e c o r d , p r o d u c i n g Permian not only have cost debottlenecking This US$10 billion during that approximately 620,000 oil advantages but also exhibit represents an almost 20% period, totaling US$17 9 equivalent barrels a day some of the lowest-carbon increase above the initial billion. (oebd). Meanwhile, Guyana intensity within Exxon’s investment basis, which he

The decrease in profits achieved a record gross portfolio This she said considers a testament to the during the second quarter of production of 380,000 reflects the company’s ingenuityoftheirworkforce. 2023 was attributed to lower barrelsofoilperday c o m m i t m e n t t o Notably, Guyana’s

The second-quarter comparable industry natural gas realizations and Mikells pointed out that, s u s t a i n a b i l i t y a n d Stabroek Block has already shareholder distributions commodity prices He industry refining margins, as compared to the same responsible environmental yielded over 11 billion amounted to US$8.0 billion, attributed this doubling of stated by Exxon during its quarter last year, Exxon’s practices. barrels, and Exxon’s which included US$4 3 earnings to the company’s earningscall. global supply received a Exxon’s CEO, Darren Executivesareconfidentthat billion used for share efforts in reshaping its

Despitethedipinprofits, boost of around 90,000 oebd Woods, expressed high the company’s Upstream repurchases and US$3 7 business portfolio, investing the company still managed from the growth in Guyana praise for the outstanding business is well-positioned billionfordividends. in advantageous projects, to accumulate a substantial and the Permian, effectively performance delivered by to meet the surging demand E x x o n M o b i l and enhancing efficiency US$19.5 billion in earnings compensating for natural Guyana and the Permian. He foroilandnaturalgas. Corporation also declared a andeffectiveness. forthefirsthalfof2023. depletion. The CFO also stated that Exxon anticipates

third-quarter dividend of Furthermore, Woods

Regarding cash flow mentioned that this net achieving an average US$0.91 per share, payable emphasized that these from operations, Exxon g r o w t h h e l p e d Permian production of on September 11, 2023, to a c h i e v e m e n t s a l s o reported a total of US$9.4 counterbalancetheimpactof approximately 600,000 oil- shareholders of Common demonstrate the company’s billion The company’s divestmentsinRussia. equivalent barrels per day in Stock on record as ofAugust progress in addressing the capital and exploration Furthermore, the CFO 2023 Looking further 16,2023. dual challenge of meeting expenditures were US$6.2 revealed Exxon’s strategic CEO Darren Woods the world’s energy and billion in the second quarter e ff o r t s t o e n h a n c e expressed his satisfaction essential product needs and US$12.5 billion for the competitiveness by w i t h t h e q u a r t e r ’s whilereducingemissions. firsthalfof2023,inlinewith expanding low-cost-of- performance, highlighting During the earnings call, its full-year guidance of supply assets and divesting that it was twice as high as ExxonMobil’s Senior Vice US$23 billion to US$25 non-strategic, mature assets. the earnings in the second President, Kathy Mikells, billion. She highlighted that the quarter of 2018 under was keen to highlight the

ExxonMobil’s CEO, Darren Woods

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

Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS

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

GOLD SMUGGLING

Anyone new to the ways of Guyana would think that all is brightandbeautifulinGuyana. Listeningtopoliticalleaders fosters this kind of misconception in the naïve and the gullible. This is exactly what came about recently with a sensational press release that travelled across the world. It involvedthesmugglingofgold,amongotherthings,andthe reaction of the PPPC Government senior leader, Vice PresidentJagdeo,wasonefortheages.

Today,Jagdeospeaksamouthfulofhowthegovernmenthas now realized that gold smuggling to neighboring countries needsacloser,sharperlook,whichiswhyafullinvestigation isgoingtohappen. VicePresidentJagdeothenproceededto reassureeveryonethatwhereversuchaninvestigationleads, it will lead, and whoever is behind gold smuggling will be madetopayfortheirerrorsandcrimes. Inotherwords,itis actiontimeandcleanuptimetoeradicatethescourgeofgold smuggling, which has cost Guyana so much relative to lost revenues, and loss of reputation on the international stage. Thisisallwellandgood,butonlyifwhatthepoliticalleader with the power to make so much happen in his hands is genuine. Ifhemeanswhathesays,thenthereistheoutside chance of some enhancements in the gold sector, which is losingsomuch.

Now, any newcomer to Guyana, who does not know Vice PresidentJagdeowouldbreakoutintoapplause,havingbeen takeninbyhisseemingsincerity Theunfamiliarwithhow things really work in this country, the sworn oaths of politicians notwithstanding, would conclude that gold smuggling would be dealt with finally, and given a deathblow Hereisthesoberingreality

Gold smuggling in massive amounts has been suspected, whispered under the wire, to have been the norm since the period that Jagdeo himself was this nation’s leader, which lastedmorethanadecade. Goldsmugglingisnothingnew, andithasneverbeenonthesmallside. Jagdeoalsoknows that very well, so for him to come up with this concoction about now realizing is just another of the verbal sleights of hand at which he gets better and better It was he himself who has mocked reports and claims of gold smuggling to other countries in the region since the PPPC Government returnedtopowerin2020.

The issues involved in gold smuggling is that they run so deep, and encircle so many powerful political presences in this country Gold smuggling is not of small people scamperingacrossGuyana’svastbordersunderthecoverof dark, but of sophisticated participants armed with smart networks. The heavyweight gold smugglers are not of the tinypennyweightvariety,butofoperatorssmugglingbythe thousands of ounces. Successive Governments of Guyana knowthisalltoowell,buthavedonelittletoclampdownon it,whichhasitsreasons.

This is because gold smuggling activities go hand in hand with money laundering, which affords heavy protection fromofficialsandpoliticians. Inarecentreportonthe2020 elections, the EU included “political financing” reforms among its priority recommendations. Though unspecified, the link may be made not only to the quantity of political financing,butthelegitimacyofthefundsdonated. Insuch situations, there is no great enthusiasm by politicians to change the way politics and contributions work in this country Todosowouldbetantamounttotyingone’sown hands behind the back, and leading to great political disadvantage. Perhaps this explains why, aside from ripe speeches, the reception to political financing recommendationshasbeencool.

In the aftermath of the 2020 elections, it became a public secret, running commentary, on who gave many millions, and who gave still more, to the leading political groups in Guyana. This is why Jagdeo’s (and any other politician’s) piouspronouncementsaboutdealingconclusivelywithgold smugglingringhollow Theconcernisthatgoldsmuggling isonlyoneaspectoflocalcrimenetworksinvestedinother activitiesthatalarmforeignpowers,especiallyAmerica. TheproofoftheseriousnessofJagdeowillbeintheresultsof his investigations and the consequences following Guyaneseshouldnotholdtheirbreath.

PRESIDENTALI HAS MANIFESTED THE BEST QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP

DEAREDITOR,

In Guyana, there are many ambitious political leaders, but very few have thetraitsofgood,astute,and inspired leadership as President Dr Ali who over the past three years has displayed some of the most essential qualities of a good leader, such as integrity, consistency, dependability, and trustworthiness PresidentAli’sfirstgoalisto represent the government and the people of Guyana, andeventhoughgovernance and politics have always been complicated and often messy, he continues to do what is right for the country anditscitizensandhaslived by the maxim, “the nation beforeself.”

Since taking office, His Excellency continues to focus on the country’s longterm development and betterment, above and beyond any short-term personal gains Not only does he have a mixture of charm and honesty, but he also has the capacity to evaluate a circumstance and

make a judgment based on what will be better for the country and most of its citizens.Thisisleadershipat itsbest.

Above all, our president has shown statesmanship in all his undertakings, which implies possessing the honesty and candor and the abilitytostandupforwhatis fair and good for all Guyanesefarandwide,even thoughitmeansresigningor losinganelection.

Heisafirmbelieverand proponent of good governance, which includes impartiality, fairness, accountability, and transparency the key components needed for the economic,political,cultural, and social transformation of the country No one knows what the future holds, but what His Excellency has done in those short three yearsasPresidentisastrong indicatorthathehasbecome the most successful president that country has seensofar With an abundance of resources flowing from oil,

President Dr Ali’ role has become vital to determine the fair allocation of the resources through governmentalpoliciestothe various regions of the country

He has stated on numerous occasions that no one be left out of the development process regardless of ethnicity, race or party affiliation and all regions, towns and districts will be treated equitably True to his word, President Dr Ali has not only established solid and purposeful partnerships locallyandintheCaribbean, but he has also solidified Guyana’s standing in the international community of heiscurrentlyvisiting.

As President, he has madedecisionsthatcanhave a major effect on a nation’s well-beingandthewelfareof itscitizensinapositiveway HisExcellencyisblessed withgoodandadeptpolitical leadership talents, excellent communication skills and a brilliant vision for Guyana thatcanmotivatethecitizens

andinfluencethemtodothe unimaginable As evident fromhisinteractionswiththe citizens during his regular visits to the towns and villages, he is optimistic, confident,andhopefulabout the future of Guyanese, especially the youths who made up 65 percent of the populationandthesuccessof his ‘one Guyana’ vision whichhasgainedthesupport of Guyanese from all walks of life regardless of race, party affiliation, or social status.

T h r o u g h o u t h i s presidency, His Excellency has encountered many obstacles,buthehaskepthis coolunderthemostextreme circumstances and has wisely reconciled them President Ali is a trailblazer andajudiciousandstrategic thinker who would think longandhardbeforemaking any decision that will affect the progress of the country and the well-being of the people but will stand by it oncethedecisionismade.

Sincerely,

AsquithRose

DEAREDITOR, Reference is made to the letter entitled “The legitimacyoftheOilandGas Governance Network (OGGN) is highly questionable” (Stabroek News, July 27, 2023). In the Summer of 2017, OGGN was created as a legitimate non-profit organization locatedinHollis,NewYork, United States of America. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the United States has determined that OGGN is a public charity under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3) OGGN was granted tax exempt status effective as of August 10, 2022. As a public charity, OGGNisqualifiedtoreceive tax deductible bequests, devices,andtransfersofgifts

DEAREDITOR,

Congratulations to the Minister,theMinistry,Infab, all other partners and supporters; all fellow citizenswhocrossthebridge regularly and those who cross only occasionally; indeed,congratulationstoall Guyanese.

Oneofourlargestpublic engineering jobs so far has

underSection2055,2106,or 2522 OGGN files tax returnsannuallywiththeIRS and it is subject to financial auditsasrequiredbythelaws oftheUnitedStates.

OGGN has no political association and has never endorsed any political party in Guyana or abroad. As a public charity, OGGN is governed by its by-laws and a board of directors comprised of Guyanese living in the country and in theDiaspora.

Collectively, they have years of experience in business, industry, research, and/or academia All of OGGN’sdirectorsworkona probonobasisforthebenefit ofallGuyanese.Inaddition, OGGN can draw on a growing international network of specialists with

been done successfully, ahead of time, and most likelywithinbudget.

Let us take a minute to recognize and acknowledge whathasbeeninmanyways a great lesson for us all, together

No doubt the old bridgeman, bridge engineer, Joe Holder, would have been proud of a job so well done,

expertise in the oil and gas industry, public service, corporate and tax law, and goodgovernancepractices.

OGGN’s mission is to advocate for the rule of law, transparency, good g o v e r n a n c e , a n d accountability with respect to oil exploration and productioninGuyana.

This is best achieved by effective legislation, regulations, procedures, codesofpractice,monitoring andpublicreportingsystems developed in close consultationwithallrelevant stakeholdersinGuyana.

We believe in consensus building and inclusiveness.

Guyana’s enormous oil and gasreserveswillonlyoffera pathwaytoprosperityforall Guyanese, if managed and exploited under the same

breathingrefreshinglifeinto hisDHBbridgeof1976until wehaveournewfixed,high span bridge within the next eighteenmonths.

But even more, and beyond that, the alternative accommodations for the public, and our public courteously accommodating each other in the alternative arrangements, is a

stringent environmental protection standards common,whicharecommon in the US and the European Union. OGGN is also in favor of saving substantial amounts of Guyana’s oil revenues in a Norwegianstyle sovereign wealth fund for present and future generations.Thiswillensure that Guyana’s wealth will endure well beyond the depletion of its finite oil and gasreserves.

Towards these goals, OGGN is accomplishing its missionby:

1 Informing and educating the Guyanese public including the Guyanese who live in the Diaspora on oil and gas issues;

2.Engagingthelocaland (Continuedonpage6)

demonstration of what can be done, what we can become.

Let us congratulate ourselvesallaround.

Ambassador Samuel A.A.Hinds E m b a s s y o f t h e Cooperative Republic of Guyana 2490TracyPlace,NW Washington,DC

OGGN is a public charity, non-political, and focused on maximizing oil and gas benefits for all

Ambassador SamA.A. Hinds sends congrats on solid bridge work

We need nationalists as leaders, and propagandists to answer hard questions truthfully

DEAREDITOR,

Asaconcernedpatriot,it is now apparent that our beloved country is on a slipperyslideintothevalley ofdecadence,corruptionand injustice. For many citizens, this is worrisome as we o b s e r v e a n o t h e r Emancipationanniversary

Many of us admire the noble work being done by many courageous men, w o m e n a n d t h e i r organizations. Among those istheOGGN,andconsistent with the government’s plan tofoolthepeople,oneofthe Government’s principal protagonists, Joel Bhagwandinhasnowturned hisattentiontoattackingthe OGGN by posing a number ofpuerilequestions.Forme, atthisstageoftrouble,Iurge Guyanese to deal with the messagefromthelikesofthe Oil and Gas Governance Network(OGGN)andnotbe distractedbythelikesofMr Bhagwandin about the purported credibility of the messenger It is this very gentleman who is yet to explain or provide evidence when earlier he stated in

DEAREDITOR,

In a recent book, ‘From Destiny to Prosperity’ the former Minister of Natural Resources of the coalition government, Mr Raphael Trotman,hasexplainedhow he felt for accepting the advice of ExxonMobil to conceal from the Guyanese people and from public discussions the amount of recompense to Guyana for allowing Exxon to exploit theoilresources.

The minister does this in hisownwordsandlanguage, but in effect, he expressed regret that he had, in good faith, accepted the advice from ExxonMobil and paid tribute to his children and others who had encouraged himtowriteabookaboutit. He has written his book and has cleared his side of the mishandling of the negotiations with Exxon, people who have no interest in anything but profit Together with this, we have the pronouncements of Vice

defenseoftheGovernment’s housing programme that 45% of housing lands were allocated to Afro Guyanese and 48% to Indo Guyanese and7%totheothers.Iagain request this gentleman to provide the base evidence upon which he pontificates. Whileheandothersusestate funded, state controlled mediatopresentapictureof a caring PPP Government, I ask him further to comment on some, not all of the articles and analysis in the independent media, Stabroek News, Kaieteur News and theVillageVoice. Could Mr Bhagwandin and hisilkdisputetherevelations by Glenn Lall on Kaieteur Radio, which refers to the rapeofournaturalresources, and from my own observation while this is going on, the destruction of flora, fauna and waterways continues unchecked. In the majority of cases beyond repair Severalareassuchas the unfair treatment of our Amerindian brothers and sistersatChineseLandingis simply tragic and reminiscent of the good old

imperial days, the mistreatment to our indigenous brothers and sisters. The wanton use of mercury continues. I recall on a visit to areas in the Potaro-Siparuni areas, I would pause and drink clear black water to quench my thirst.You darenot evenput your boots in those streams today These waterways have been polluted and d a m a g e d b e y o n d restoration.Residentscanno longer bathe in some creeks and rivers because of unpleasant reactions such as itchingoftheskinandmore. Allthisistakingplaceunder the watchful eyes of the champion of the earth. On another matter which points tothewarpedthinkingofour government, I sought clarification with respect to the identity of the s60 truck drivers The contractor buildingtheEastCoast/East Bank road recruited at the instance of the Government Ministry Did these persons have credible police clearance and other certification about their character? Further was an

effortmadetorecruitdrivers from CARICOM Member States and Guyanese in the Diaspora? Are the salaries the same as those paid to Guyanese drivers and more importantly, are they being encouragedtojointheTrade Unions representing workers? Dear Editor, Guyanese journalists and othersmustdemandcredible answers from those managing the information propagandaestablishmentof this government I said before, the PPP has always been matchless when it comestothedeliveryoftheir sideofastorywhileignoring t h e w h o l e t r u t h Unfortunately, the good name and work of several police ranks and officers is now being sullied and tarnished by a few whose operationsseemtotakethem out of their expected professionalism and so certain matters are swept underthecarpet,suchasthe insult to a female Police

President Jagdeo in presenting a bill for the management of the oil industry and his declaration that,ineffect,consultationis a waste of time and a humbug, explaining his decision to hand potent power over to one person, the minister, a continuation of the one-person rule. Mr. Jagdeo comes from a traditioninwhichoneperson rule and rule by one party had been firmly established and persists in far too many countries Mr Trotman’s candidcommentsonhistrust inthosewhorepresentedthe

corporation is one of the resultsofthemissionaryzeal I accused ExxonMobil’s spokespersonwhohadmade bold to tutor the elected representativeofasovereign country However, while welcoming Mr Trotman’s correction of his own attitude,Iinvitereadersable and inclined to do so to investigatetheconstitutional implications of collective responsibility, which is at least mentioned if not explained in the Guyana Constitution.

Veryrespectfully, EusiKwayana

Constable who was describedasablackmonkey Theycannotsolvethe Paper Shortsmurder;weareyetto have some explanation why the visa for a senior public officer was revoked and yet tobetoldwhataretheTerms Of Reference for the promised enquiry of the Mahdia tragedy, even as our Governmentfeelsthatafew milliondollarsisasubstitute for the lives and disfigurement of young people who suffered in the Mahdiaincident.

Ofcourse,ourauthorities are so brilliant that they could arrest and charge a citizen for relieving himself in the dark of the night in a

secluded area. Mr. Editor, differentstrokesfordifferent folks. If you say anything that appears to be uncomfortable for the government, the cybercrime act is swung into full gear Iendbylookingfurtherwith batedbreathtothecountry’s greatest tourist making a statement, to commemorate Emancipation Day and to remind him that the Descendants of Manumitted Africans are unlikely to be fooled by sweet phrases while the administration he leads is doing everything to denigrate, destroy and discredit persons and organizations whose only crimeistorevealthetruthof ourhistory,seekingformsof reparation and to create conditions where we teach each other about the contributions, each and every group has made to the making of Guyana.We look forwardtoagovernmentthat hashealedthewoundsofthe past, a government that should put in place systems so that we can all benefit from the abundance of our natural resources that the creatorhasgivenus.

We look forward to a government that must not givelipservicetoequityand justicebuttrulysubscribesto t h e p h i l o s o p h i c a l underpinnings of justice, equity and may I add decency

We look forward to a government that is serious about cohesion, cooperation and country We look forward to a government that will disallow the exploitation of our natural resources where Guyanese should be the

primary beneficiaries of our timber, marine resources, gold, diamonds, oil and gas, manganese, etc and a country blessed with no natural disasters. We look forward to a government with the nationalistic credentials to do what Forbes Burnham did when he discovered the gold miningcompanywasunderdeclaring their production. They were given two weeks topackupandleave.Areour Leaders possessed with that strength of character and interest in all the people of Guyana reminding them of what that Great West Indian Leader, Prime Minister Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago when facedwith the prospect of unjust and lopsided deals bellowed ‘oil don’t spoil.”May I say this gold don’t rust Our Greenheart don’t rot, diamondsdon’tturntoglass.

A government that must superintend the distribution of this massive wealth in a way that no child should be deprived of free education, free health care and recreational facilities A country where we can all joyously celebrate the beatingofthedrums.

Finally, the World Bank has determined that per capita, we are the richest countryintheworld.Atruly caring government would ensureeveryfamilybenefits fromthisfactoflife.

That, in simple terms, means address seriously the costoflivingdilemmafaced by at least seventy odd percentofourpeople.

Yourstruly, HamiltonGreen Elder

Jagdeo is about one parry and one-man rule, don’t expect any change

Trafficsituationalreadynightmarish,couldgofromchaotictotragic

DEAREDITOR,

Thegovernmentisinthe process of a massive road expansion programme, while hundreds, if not thousands, of new vehicles are entering the country seemingly without restraint orcontrol.

Atthesametime,almost every day, serious accidents involving loss of lives are being increasingly reported on our roads provide evidence that we are failing as a government to manage thetraffic.

It has become a public relations nightmare for the government.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

DrivingnorthontheEast Bank road in the vicinity of Grove in a slowly moving line of traffic many miles long, not one, but two cars, drove into the back of my vehicle when I was stopped behindthecarinfrontofme, causing considerable damagetomyvehicle.

One of the cars was found to be actually owned byagovernmentagencybut drivenuninsuredbyadriver contractedtotheagency The other car was insured for a maximum payment of $300,000.

The estimated cost of damage to my car to my

insurance company is just under $1M However, though I have full insurance coverage, the insurance company imposes a deductibleof$500,000.

The drivers of both of thesecarshavebeencharged and, at the very most, will pay a fine of $30,000 because our traffic laws and thefinesandpunishmentfor driving dangerously or recklessly are completely out of date, while the insurance companies are under no obligation to provide compensation for extensivedamage.

It is not surprising, therefore, that reckless and dangerous driving continues to prevail without any significant punishment, while safe drivers subjected tothisarenotprotected.Itis obvious that the entire system governing the imposition of punishment for reckless and dangerous driving needs to be revised and the obligation for insurance coverage reviewed.

Letmedescribemyown recent experience driving from Georgetown to New Amsterdam and back and from Georgetown to Parika and back and experienced thefollowing:

*Animals, that is cattle,

horses, sheep, goats freely roamingourmajorhighways and grazing untethered alongside roads throughout the country, presenting a clear,presentandimmediate danger to all motorized traffic.

* On my drive from Georgetown to Parika, I personally encountered, within the first fifteen minutes,thefollowing:

· Motorcycles and cars enteringtheroundaboutwith traffic already circling the roundabout.

This regularly takes place at both roundabouts at the northern and southern endsofMandelaAvenue.

· Cars undertaking, that is inside of the lefthandlane on the “back road” going west towards the East Bank Road and crossing against theredtrafficlight.

·Carsstopped,waitingto go straight in the left hand turn lane at the junction site of the back road to the Industrial Site road leading totheEastBankRoad.

A snow cone cart impeding traffic on the right hand lane of the East Bank roadhighway

· Four motorcycles, one behind the other, overtaking my car at speed, none of the riderswearinghelmets.

While crossing the Demerara River Bridge goingwest,fivemotorcycles with riders wearing no helmets.

· While proceeding on the West Coast Demerara road, cars overtaking while approaching a blind corner,alsoovertakinginthe face of oncoming traffic, forcing oncoming traffic to breaktoavoidacollision.

Frequently observed

cars with fully tinted windows, passing through roadblocks manned by trafficpolice.

* On both drives, while driving at the maximum permittedspeedlimitand,on occasion, slightly over the speedlimit,Iwasfrequently passed by other cars well overthespeedlimit.

On the new Mandela Avenue highway, it is common practice for cars proceeding on the marked lanes for cars to be undertaken by cars on lanes marked for bicycles. On the new Mandela road, it is frequent practice for cars to cross the traffic lights on yellow,justbeforeturningto red.

All of the above traffic offenses are taking place with virtual impunity, often in the presence of the traffic police.

Onenquiry,Iunderstand that the procedure for obtaining a Drivers Licence isasfollows:

1. Apply for a Drivers Licence at the GRA and collectabookinstructingthe rulesoftheroad.

2 Take a written multipurposedrivingtest.

3. When informed that you have passed the written drivingtest,applyandpaya feeatEveLearytoundertake a road practical driving test on the road under the supervision of a police officer

4. Undertake a parking maneuvering exercise between posts under police supervision.

5. With all tests passed, collect the appropriate Driving Licence depending on the vehicle driven during thetest,whethermotorcycle,

car,bus,truck,etc. OBSERVATION

I have, however, investigatedthisprocessand found, from personal conversations, that many fully licenced drivers have beenabletoavoidtakingthe practicalroaddrivingtestby bribing police officers and receivingalicence.

This means that the obvious result of this practice is that there is a some substantial number of driversontheroadwhomay have never actually driven a motor vehicle before becomingfullylicenced.

POSSIBLESOLUTIONS

The following are some possible solutions for consideration:

* Appoint a specially trained traffic law enforcementteamofofficers tasked with ensuring rigid enforcement of all traffic offenses, whether minor or major

* Utilize cameras to monitor every traffic light and roundabout controlled intersection and enforce charges for every recorded offense.

*Assign a mobile traffic enforcement team to detect andenforceoffensessuchas parking within the regulated distance from corners, parking on blind corners, parking to obstruct free traffic flow (cars parked opposite each other on narrowroads),exceedingthe prescribed speed limit, obstructingrightoftrafficon turning lanes (parking on a left turn lane only while waiting to go straight) and parkinginaprohibitedzone.

* Regularly test speed cameras for accuracy to ensure prosecution of speed offenses that cannot be challenged in court for the inaccuracyofthecamera.

* Charge for driving and failing to dip headlights in a

built-up traffic zone such as withinthecityandintheface ofoncomingtraffic.

*Chargeforthefailureto use indicator lights when turning.

* Charge for failure to stop when approaching a pedestrian crossing with a pedestrianwaitingtocross.

*Pedestrianscrossingon highways must be equipped with stop and go lights controlled by the pedestrian whowishestocross.

* Suspend licences for a minimum of one year for third time repeat offenders withinanyoneyear.

*Recordandstatistically monitorthenumberoftraffic offenses charged against offenses actually prosecuted incourt.

* Substantially increase fines and sentences for traffic offenses, including suspensionoflicences.

* Introduce voluntary advanced test for licences earning reduced insurance premiums in collaboration withinsurancecompanies.

* The GRA must ensure againsttheissuingofdriving licencestopersonswhohave not taken and passed a practicalroadtest.

I n t r o d u c e t h e requirement of a public transportation (buses and taxis) driving licence with a minimumageof21years.

CONCLUSION

Wearefastheadingfrom an already dangerous and badly managed road traffic situation to much worse, with the introduction of additional roads and new high-speed highways, if steps are not taken now to addressthissituation.

I have sent this letter to Minister Robeson Benn, Capt. Gerald Gouveia, Mr Clifton Hicken and Mr DennisStephen.

Yourssincerely, KitNascimento

Frompage4 international media to feature topics related to OGGN’scoremission;and

3 Advocating for transparency, accountability, and good governance by raisingrelatedconcernswith the Government of Guyana, CARICOM member states,

a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l organizations.

We cordially invite the readers of Stabroek News to

access the wealth of information on Guyana’s oil andgasindustrycompiledby OGGN via its home page: www.oggn.org.

AndreBrandli

JanetteBulkan

DarshKhusial

JoePersaud

MikePersaud

GangaRamdas

CharlesSugrim

On behalf of the Oil & GasGovernanceNetwork

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

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STAY HOME ON JULY 31

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Alopsided oil contract that does not benefit Guyanese.

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The absence of an unlimited parent company guarantee from ExxonMobil to protect Guyanese should there be an offshore oil spill.

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Gold, diamond, bauxite and manganese being shipped out of the country with little returns for the development of Guyana.

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Agovernment that fights against its citizens in support of international multilateral business interests.

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The wanton borrowing of billions of US dollars, placing Guyanese in a never-ending debt trap.

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Come Monday July 31, it is time for Guyanese to unite against the mismanagement of our extractive sector.

Time for Guyanese to demand better from the government!

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

Take a day off work this Monday! Close your businesses! Show the government that people power matters! That you mean business; that you are determined to fight for a better standard of living.

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No marching, no protests, no demonstrations; just a quiet day to bring the country to a standstill through the simple act of staying home.

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ExxonMobil Executives given salary increases on record breaking profits

...millions paid out as bonus last year

In 2022, Executive Solutions Company, Karen The work done over the past O f f i c e r s o f Mckee were all paid higher few years has laid the E x x o n M o b i l salaries in 2022 with large foundation for these results.

Corporation were bonuses. Where others pulled back in paid increased salaries as a Woods for instance had the face of uncertainty and a result of the record company his salary increased from historic slow-down, the earnings and strong stock US$ 1,615,000 in 2021 to Company moved forward, price performance. The pay US$ 1,703,000 in 2022. The continuing to invest to help hike for the company’s top Shareholders of the meet demand and position brass was augmented by a company have approved a the Company for long-term US-multimillion dollar further increase for the success While today’s bonuspaidin2022. Executives in 2023, taking results clearly benefited

A recent report from the Woods’ monthly salary to from a favorable market, company indicated that the US$1,875,000. these actions coupled with Chief Executive Officer Meanwhile, the Exxon active cost management, (CEO) of ExxonMobil bossalsohadhisbonusmore enabled the Company to Corporation (XOM), Darren than doubled in 2022, realize the full benefit of Woods, along with Senior b a g g i n g s o m e U S $ current market conditions Vice President and Chief 6,382,000 compared to and deliver IOC-leading Financial Officer, Kathryn US$3,142,000in2021. financialperformance.” Mikells; Senior Vice Thereportexplained,“In While ExxonMobil President, Neil Chapman; 2022, the Company Executives have been Senior Vice President, Jack delivered exceptional benefitting from the skyWilliams, Jr and President, business results across all rocketing profits as a result theoilmarket,largelydriven whether his company would partnership. E

onMobil Product performance dimensions of favourable conditions on by the war in Ukraine, the bewillingtorenegotiateona But even with Exxon’s companyhasheldbackonits royalty higher than the operations already being generosity when it comes to current two percent for its driven by the resources itsotheremployees. future projects when he discovered in Guyana, the

Last year it was reported pointedly said this was company still believes it’s that the company’s British simplynotgoingtohappen. early days and there is still employeestooktothestreets Routledge explained, muchmoregrowthtocome. inprotestagainstthe‘pitiful’ “At the end of the day, the Brasington explained, 2.5percentincrease. projects are not getting any “In 2016 we felt it was early

Video footage from easier, so yes we have line days, and it was, and you London based civil rights of sight to number six (sixth look at how much growth group, ‘ReelNews’ showed offshore project) and we see we’ve had, but you’re right, scores of oil workers the costs on the world to be honest it’s still early protesting against the 2.5 market inflating and for days because this industry is percent pay increase. The number seven we don’t s u c h a l o n g - t e r m video which aired on have full line of sight yet. perspective. There is still so Sunday, November 27, 2022 We have mentioned the muchgrowthtocome.” presented interviews with discovery in the Fangtooth Presently, ExxonMobil workers who claimed that area where we have a very is producing oil offshore at the company was making active exploration and the Liza One and Liza Two extraordinary profits but appraisalinthatareabutitis projects in the Stabroek unwilling to speak with a slightly bigger resource in Block A third Floating workersoverapayincrease. that area and we don’t have Production Storage and

“A company making the same surety that we can Offloading (FPSO) vessel billions simply refusing to actually make it work but it has already arrived in the pay its workforce a decent would be premature to even country and is expected to wage,” one worker told the t h i n k a b o u t t h a t startup before the end of this activistgroup. discussion ” year

P e r h a p s m o r e The Stabroek Block is T h e c o m p a n y i s importantly however is the 6.6 million acres and was producing an average of company’s refusal to budge recentlydescribedbyGlobal 400,000barrelsperday,well on the miniscule royalty or Country Communications above the prescribed safety any of the fiscal provisions M a n a g e r, K i m b e r l y limitsforeachvessel.Exxon included in the 2016 Brasington as the “future” of said the additional Production Sharing thecompany production activities were Agreement (PSA) signed According to her, a p p r o v e d b y t h e w i t h t h e G u y a n a “Guyana is the future for Environmental Protection government. E x x o n M o b i l ” S h e Agency(EPA).

D u r i n g a p r e s s continued that the Guyana Thethirdprojectwilladd conference earlier this year, operationshavebeendriving an extra 220,000 barrels per Kaieteur News asked the the company’s growth while day once successfully President of ExxonMobil at the same time developing commissioned. ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge country, as she lauded the also has two other sanctioned projects, YellowtailandUaruthatwill startup in 2025 and late 2026, respectively, according to the company’s Environmental Impact Assessments(EIAs).

Meanwhile, a sixth project is pending approval attheEPA.

Table showing the salary increases and bonuses paid to ExxonMobil’s Executive Officers

BLAME IT ON THE WEATHER

It was one of those days when you wished that you could stay indoors. It was steaming hot The early morningrainseemedtohave had no effect at all. The sun came out in all its glory and steamedtheenvironment.

My regular pick-up was unavailable but had offered theadvicethatIshouldhave no problem getting to my appointment.

There were plenty of other hire cars available.All Ineededtodowascomeout on the road and flag down a hirecar,andforasmallfee,I would be at the appointed destinationinnotime.

I did as was advised, but on this day the yellow cabs seemed to be using another route. I waited for about three minutes and there was no yellow cab. Strange!The Gods must have departed me.

For there were usually a lot of yellow cabs using this route! But not today

Perhaps, the heat had somethingtodowithit.

The heat was getting to me a little. A young lady came out onto the road. She was immaculately bedecked in a black leotard. In this heat, I thought she must be crazy Beneath the leotard she wore a pink blouse. Provided a lovely contrast. But must have added to the

heat. On her feet she wore gym shoes with white socks tocompleteherensemble.

I said good day and she smiled.

I asked whether she was waitingforayellowcabalso. She said not really, any hire car would do. She said she waslateforthegym.Iasked howfarawayitwas.Shesaid two corners. Just as I was abouttoaskwhysheneeded a vehicle for a ride two blocks away, she stretched out her hand. A white car came screeching to a stop. Withoutasmuchasalookin mydirection,sheopenedthe rear door, got in and the vehicletookoff.Iwondered whether she would take a ride back after her workout orwhethershewouldsimply walk or jog back. It must be the weather that forces someonegoingtothegymto prefer to take a cab rather thansimplywalk.

Just then I noticed approachinginthedistancea similar vehicle with “H” numberplates.Iimitatedthe actionoftheyoungladyand the vehicle pulled up a l o n g s i d e m e The driver was young. He was dressed in a jersey and jeans He seemed more preoccupied with the music that was coming from his deck.

I i n d i c a t e d m y destination.Hesaidnothing.

Dem Boys Seh...

He did not offer to open the door Ipresumedthoughthat hewaswaitingformetoget it.Ididnotknowwhetherto sitinthefrontortheback.

He offered no help, just kept nodding his head from side to side in rhythm with the music. I took the front seat and off we went Suddenly he departed from the main road and began to navigate through a number of cross streets. I began to worry Where was this guy takingme?

Without wishing to indicate my worry, I simply repeated my destination. He said nothing. He continued to dart through the side streets.

Beads of sweat began to appearonmyforehead.This timeithadnothingtodowith the temperature outside. It hadtodowithfear Ibeganto wonder where this guy was taking me. My fears raised like a tidal wave when he again turned another corner, darting in and out of side streets.

I did not recognize the buildings.Theplaceseemed strange.Where was this guy taking me? Had I made a mistake in getting into this vehicle?All those questions floodedmymind.

I told myself to be calm. Itwouldnotbewisetopanic in this situation. I looked again at the driver He was

Having to go!

We live in a country where public restrooms are as rare as a jaguar sighting and where when nature calls there are few places to provide answers. Dis is why having a jungle is such a treasure.You can go and squat among the bushes and do nature’sbiddingawayfromprayingeyes.

Andevenwhenyuhcanfindarestroom, itisahealthriskenteringsomeofthem.Deh gatsomepublicrestrooms,whereyuhgatto closeyuheyesandholdyuhbreath.Notime fuhaimandnotimeforshame.Isinandout as quick as you can before the stench and sightcausesyoutovomit.

Disiswhysomepeoplepreferthegreat outdoors. Some people like trees. Others takealikingtothelanternposts.Othersuse car doors as screens. All serve the same

purpose.Any

portforastorm!

One day nature made its whistle on a driver Hewasdrivingalonganopenstretch withnohousesaround.Thishefeltwasthe perfectspottoeasehisdiscomfort.Hecame outspottedalanternpostanddecidedtodo histhing.Halfwaythroughtheprocess,he looked down at his shoes and realized that hehadsteppedontoanestofbitingants.He danced his way back to his vehicle, all the whilemakingaliquidpatternonthegrass, roadandonhistrousers.

Sowhennaturecalls,rememberbefore youzipdown,takealookaroundfuhprying eyesandpreyingants.Thecallofnatureis not always intended to be answered in the wild.

TalkHalf!LeffHalf!

still nodding to the beat of the music He seemed oblivioustomyworry

I was just about to ask him whether we were using the right route when he stopped.

I looked around and to my great relief discovered thatwehadactuallyreached my destination. I could not believeit.

Relief caused the

question to roll off my tongue. I asked him why he had taken such a circuitous route.Whydidhenotusethe mainroad?

“Too much traffic lights!” he said. “This route isshorterandquicker.”

And to think that at one stage during that drive I presumed that I was being kidnapped. Shame on me! Musthavebeentheheat!

(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.)

GUYANA – GOING TO HELL ON A HIGH SPEED BOAT

The things that are onthewrongside of what makes for a civilized community, anexistenceofpride,areall over the place in Guyana. Outrightwrongsandfailures infest every segment and every tier of Guyanese society They don’t have to besearchedfor,andbecause they are so abundant, they shower on the head, and tangle the feet, if one does not pay attention to where and how (and with whom) walked. These are the hard truths about life in Guyana. I have to start somewhere, and the first question is wheredoIbegininthislove story that is Guyana? The PPP Government, meaning Dr Jagdeo, came racing out the blocks to announce opening of the bidding on covetedoilblocks. Thatfell short of the mark. Another round of bidding was in the cards, only for that deck to be discovered to be tainted, as in missing some aces. It

figures. For once there is overloading with jacks and jokers,thenonlythefoolish can be expected, which was notlongincoming.

The bidding is being delayed (again) because the required fit and proper regulatoryframeworkisina state akin to that of the Demerara Harbor Bridge. The latter could be patched andfixed;butthemysteryis what kind of fix does the PPP Government (meaning His Royal Highness, Dr Jagdeo, [my brother]) have inmind? Thereasonablein this society, and there are a fewstillpresent,wouldbein order to think that a robust regulatory framework wouldbeamongthehighest priority planks to be addressed first, and deliveredfirst. Butherewe are accelerating forward with bidding for our prized oil blocks, but with no steering wheel nor mirrors nor braking system (and a blind driver). No wonder

thedarnedbiddingranintoa gutter Thanks for nothing, Brother B.Here is a little advice from stupid man corner: put the paperwork together first, then put the blocks on the selling block. What could be simpler than thedonkeyfedandwatered, andthenyokedtothestalled express bidding train! Do that, Sir J, and there would be horsepower, and not donkey city Gawd, help wee! No! helpmeeee.

The judiciary then got intotheact,inthismadrush to more madness. Yeah, anotherhardtruthisthatthis Guyanaisamad,mad(mad) world. A citizen brutally wounded his neighbor, who made the cardinal error of askingfortheloudmusicto be lowered Seh wha? Chop, chop, chop! The presidingjudgesaidteklife, buddy, and ponder the error of ways. The higher court ruled that that was not restorative, but primitive. I

couldagree. Toapoint. But I can’t agree with going in reverse from life to 9 years. Nossir! No ma’am! Not I, lords and ladies. I could have lived with 20, with a minimumof10served. But nine,your(my)worship? In Guyana, it seems that walking on the wild side leadstothejudiciaryending up on the wrong side of the tracks. Somebody help us, please. I give the divine a rest.

The matter that involves allegedpublicurinatingand exposing and expounding by an MP (a PNC one! gotcha!)isoneforthebook, bankbook. Imean$200,000 is on the high side of lonesome. Oh!ThenIfound out about jail, if convicted. Keep this up, and only Guyanesefemaleswouldbe visible in this town. The menwouldmostlybeinjail for assaulting the dignity of fences, catwalks, bulwarks, boardwalks, and the many other walks of life in

Guyana. Myword, we have progressed (or declined) from thought police in the media to the ‘p’police in public. Please note that I only used the letter,notthenoun. So, the hope is that the PPP policedon’tcometogetme. Anadah waan bite de dust!

One less troublemaker to consider

T h e H o n o r a b l e Permanent Secretary (yes, I do believe that, and that it fits)oftheMinistryofHome Affairs lost in the matter of her claim in the court about cyber humiliation. I am sorry to hear, PS. Now, welcome to the crowd, Madame,PS. No!NotLive in Guyana; but those who have been vilely smeared, butaboutwhichtheGuyana Police Force Cybercrimes Unit was a study in, er, ah, let’s see, absence and distance It is my understanding that the Hon. PS has some prints around

that Live in Guyana PPP Gestapo strike force, and regular lime and caustic sodaarenotuptothejobof scrubbingherslateclean. A pity,thatis. Butthereisthat olesaw:whagohroundduz cum round. I have another one,arealhardcoretruth,for all those heavyweights in PPP and PNC lands; I am likeablackcat.

Domewrong,andIhave toturnaroundandfeelsorry forthosewhodid. Itispart ofthehardtruthsstoryofmy life,sobedulywarned.

(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.)

High Court throws out GPSU’s challenge to Goolsaran’s appointment to PSC

- awards court cost at $1.5 million

Chief Justice (ag)

Roxane George, SC, on Friday, dismissed the court action brought by the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) challenging the nomination of Mohandatt Goolsarran to sit on the Public Service Commission (PSC).OnJune28,2023,the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) filed legal proceedingschallengingthe decision of the Standing C o m m i t t e e o n Appointments of the National Assembly and the National Assembly to consider nominations from the Public Service Senior Staff Association (PSSSA) to nominate Mr Mohandatt Goosarran for appointment to the Public Service Commission(PSC).

However after hearing oral arguments from the Attorneys-at-Lawforallthe parties, the Chief Justice found that the applicant’s case contained not a “scintilla of evidence, was unmeritorious,frivolousand vexatious”.

In dismissing the GPSU’s case, the Chief Justice awarded costs in the

sumof$750,000.00each,to the Attorney General of Guyana and to the Speaker of the National Assembly, each named as respondents inthecase.

Mandisa Breddy appeared for GPSU while Mr Ralph Ramkarran, SC and Kamal Ramkarran appeared for the First Named Respondent, the Speaker Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC Nigel Hawke, Deborah Kumar, Shoshanna V Lall, Loretta Noel, Ocelisa Marks and Pierre Squires appeared for theAttorneyGeneral.

The GPSU’s argument was that the PSSSAis not a certified trade union recognised by the Trade Union Recognition Act for the purpose of representing public officers for the appointmenttothePSC,and hence could not properly nominateMr Goolsarranfor appointment to the PSC in accordance with Article 2 0 0 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f t h e ConstitutionofGuyana.

Article 200(1) (b) provides, that the Public Service Commission shall consistofsixmembers,two of whom shall be appointed

by the President “upon nomination by the National Assembly after it has consulted such bodies as appear to it to represent public officers or classes of publicofficers.”

Oral arguments were heard by the Chief Justice Roxane George, SC on 27 July, 2023 The Attorney General in his arguments firstly contended that the Applicant abysmally failed to establish a case of violationoftheConstitution or any principle of law or any provision of any statute law Furthermore, it was argued by the Attorney General that the framers of theConstitutiondeliberately and intentionally used the term ‘such bodies as may appear’ in order to lend to the widest possible interpretation.

Any attempt to narrow this clear intention would violate or fetter the supremacy of the Constitution.

Accordingly, he said an attempt to use the Trade Union Recognition Act to constrictthelanguageofthe Constitution is without any basis and would be an

obvious unconstitutional exercise.Theframers of the Constitution also applied and used the term ‘trade union’ in various other provisions, but deliberately chose to use the word “bodies” in Article 200 (1) oftheConstitution.

The Attorney General also highlighted that the framers of the Constitution arefamiliarwiththemanner in which public officers can be represented and that this is seen in the widely recognised fundamental right of the freedom of association. This right to associate freely is further reinforced inArticle 200(1) by the recognition of any “body”,beitanassociation, a non-government organisation or trade union, of public officers or classes of public officers. He said there is no requirement, underArticle 200(1) for the PSSSA to be registered anywhere in pursuance of theirexerciseofthefreedom ofassociation.

A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l emphasised the concept of parliamentary privilege, which is grounded in the

commonlaw,subjectonlyto the supremacy of the Constitution. Essentially, it was argued that as long as theNationalAssemblyacted intra vires the Constitution, the court has no reason, and or oughtnot,tomeddleinto itsinternalaffairs.

The Attorney General alsounderscoredthatArticle 200(1) of the Constitution veststhepowertodetermine the bodies to be consulted, solely with the National Assembly

Accordingly, the National Assembly by Resolution 24 of 2003 decided that the PSSSA would be among the bodies to be consulted pursuant to Article200(1).

Henotedthatforthepast 20 years, the PSSSA has been invited to submit nominees to the Public ServiceCommission,which

ithasaccordinglydone,and its nominees have correspondingly been accepted, adopted by the outer Assembly, and thereafter appointed to the PublicServiceCommission.

Mr Ramkarran, SC made similar submissions on behalf of the Speaker Additionally,hepointedout that the Trade Union Recognition Act has no application to the case, and in any event, would have only been relevant if there was a dispute between or among unions in respect of representations of employees, as that is the mainobjectiveofthatAct.In this case, there is no such dispute and both the GPSU and the PSSSA are r e c o g n i s e d a s representatives of public officers or classes of public officers.

PSC nominee, Mohandatt Goolsarran

Child rights group calls for swift judicial appointments

…to address backlog of child sexual abuse cases

Recognizing the urgency judgesandmagistrates. at which sexual abuse cases “…Morecitizensneedto must be dealt with, a group recognize the connection of child rights organizations between the roles of these have made a collective call Commissions on the for the newly constituted wellbeing of all citizens, J u d i c i a l S e r v i c e particularly, the most Commission (JSC) to act vulnerable and add their swiftly in appointing judges voices to the need for the and magistrates to deal with effective functioning of the the backlog of child sexual Commissions,” the CRA abuse cases before the saidinthestatement. courts. The group noted that Child Rights Alliance while the appointment of the (CRA) which consists of members of the JSC and the representatives from the Commission’s consequent Orchid Foundation, the r e c o n s t i t u t i o n i s a United Bricklayers, Youth commendable step in the They noted too that made by boys. It is evident swift and decisive actions by harmed and that offenders withPurposeandChildLinK right direction, swift and Commissions such as the that children, including theentirechildrenprotection will be held accountable,” Guyana in a statement noted transparent justice is JSC are a safeguard that boys, are reporting with system – of which the the group stressed as it that the young survivors of essential to realizing a safe holds offenders accountable m o r e f r e q u e n c y judiciaryisakeystakeholder challenged the JSC to ensure sex crimes have become society where children, and gives victims some Consequently, systems must – that will hopefully send a that its mandate is frustrated with the slothful w o m e n , a n d o t h e r measure of confidence and be in place to ensure that clearmessagetoperpetrators implementedimpartiallyand progression of their cases vulnerable segments of our assurance in the judicial reports are translated into thatourchildrenarenottobe inatimelymanner beforetheCourts. society can be free from process to report abuse. In

The group noted that harm and violence and recognizing this, the group “The current backlog of develop their potential in said that all citizens should cases has resulted in many safety let their voices be heard in accused offenders currently “We believe that the JSC support of the swift freely traversing the streets must and will fulfill its reconstitution of the JSC and triggering trauma in functions to ensure that the whenitstenureisup. many victims who have to requisite complement of According to the CRA, pass their perpetrators in the magistratesandjudgesarein the reconstitution of the JSC streets.” place to significantly isverytimely,asitcomesata

As such, the CRA called increase the efficiency of the time when we there are on the JSC to aggressively trial process and relieve the increased reports of child fulfill its functions to ensure strain on the current sexual abuse cases to the t h a t t h e r e q u i s i t e complement of judges and Childcare and Protection complement of magistrates magistrates. Specifically, we Agency(CPA). and judges are in place to hope to see increased

“From 2019 to 2021, significantly increase the efficiency in the prosecution there were more than 3,000 efficiencyofthetrialprocess of sex offenders in the reports of child sexual abuse and relieve the strain on the Sexual Offences Court,” the to the CPA and more than current complement of allianceadded. 470 of those reports were

Prison Service moving towards using non-lethal weapons

Ranks of the Guyana Prison Service (GPS)willbereceivingadditionaltrainingin the use of non-lethal weapons at the various facilities across Guyana, Acting Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot said in a recent interview with the Department of Public Information(DPI).

Non-lethal weapons are less likely to kill a living target than conventional weapons such as knives and firearms with live ammunition. These weapons are designed to minimise the risk of serious/permanent injuriesordeathasmuchaspossible.

Opposition Leader calls for monitoring of gold sector as declarations fall

L e a d e r o f t h e Boa Vista, Roraima are Opposition, Aubrey Norton investigating a Guyanese on Thursday called for businessman, for allegedly greater monitoring of the laundering some US$16.5M gold sector as the in smuggled gold, through declarations continue to shellcompaniesinBrazil. d e c l i n e d e s p i t e According to the announcements of mega Brazilian Federal Police discoveries by foreign (Policia Federal), the companies. investigation was launched Norton was at the time onJuly7,2023. responding to a question Jagdeo said he believes from Kaieteur News during that miners are engaged in his weekly press conference this activity to avoid paying when he explained, “I think the five percent royalty unless we put the Gold owedtotheState,alongwith Board in order, put the the two percent final tax institutions responsible for attached to the mining monitoring and working activities. smuggling now too and its with those industries (in According to him, “That absolutely right…Kaieteur place) then we would have might be one of the reasons, News has (reported) a drop theproblemswehave.” so we, there is an ongoing in declarations of gold from

He believes that the investigation into that and 2017…it’s absolutely true problem would continue to we are gonna take tough that we have noticed, p e r s i s t u n l e s s t h e measures against people especially the last couple of government changes and because we are gonna track years a significant deviation leaders who are “genuinely also those who are and the story coming out interested in Guyana” are b e n e f i t t i n g f r o m from Brazil now we realize electedtooffice. concessions.” itmaybediverting(there).”

Acting Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot

To this end, the Prison Service is procuringnon-lethaldevicestobeusedinthe variouspenitentiaries. respect.Meanwhile,a mentalhealthunit will

“It is our overall goal to move towards be established to support the staff of the non-lethal devices, we actually started the PrisonServiceaswellastheinmates. procurementaspectandpersonsweretrained ThePrisonServicewillalsobepartnering insomeaspectsofitandinAugustmonth,we with its counterparts for an exchange will be receiving some training by programme so, “that we can be able to see Queensway with the use of tasers into the what best practices can be drawn from them system,”Elliotexplained. into our system,” the director noted. The Additionally, he explained that ranks are government is supporting the prison’s mandated to be exposed to human rights transformation with an allocation of as $5.5 training to ensure inmates are treated with billionthisyear (DPI)

Just last week, Vice The Vice President The former Head of President Bharrat Jagdeo pointed out that medium State noted that the a n n o u n c e d t h a t a n scaleminersoperatinginthe governmentwasformerlyof investigation into the steep mineral-rich acreages in the the view that gold from decline in gold declarations interior locations that Venezuela was coming into made to the Guyana Gold benefit from concessions, Guyana to bypass the Board (GGB) over the past granted by government, will sanctions, then head North six years is underway, as face the consequences if through a legal route authorities here believe the they are found involved in However, it has now resources are being the racket to export the realized that it is Guyana’s smuggled into neighbouring country’sgoldillegally gold that is being smuggled Brazil. Declining declarations intoBrazil.

He explained, “I see a Ananalysisofavailable It was reported that the big thing about gold (Continued on page 17) Brazilian Federal Police in

ChildLink staff presents ‘One Thousand Boys’ project, an anti-child sex abuse campaign.

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton

President Ali meets with President Xi Jinping

President Irfaan Ali, on Friday met with Following the meeting, PresidentAli and Xi Jinping, the President of the People’s his delegation, toured the Chengdu RepublicofChina.Themeetingtookplacein Rongsheng Pharmaceutical Company-an Chengdu, capital city of southwest China’s affiliate of the China National Sichuan Province. This is according to PharmaceuticalGroupCo.,Ltd(Sinopharm). information posted on President Ali’s Chengdu Rongsheng Pharmaceutical Facebookpage. Co., Ltd. was established in March 1997; it

President Ali is in China to attend the mainly produces three types of blood openingceremonyofthe31stsummeredition products, namely albumin, immunoglobulin oftheFISUWorldUniversityGames. and coagulation factors, which use human Duringthemeeting,PresidentXisaidthat plasma as raw materials, as well as China and Guyana should be good friends genetically engineered recombinant blood who trust and count on each other, and both products. countries should share opportunities, meet Also, on Thursday, President Ali and his challenges, seek cooperation and promote delegation were given a guided tour of the developmenttogether ChengduMuseum.

Forhispart,PresidentAli,inhisremarks, The Chengdu Museum has been around reiterated that Guyana firmly adheres to the since 1958, and is said to be the largest ‘one-China principle’, noting that China has comprehensive city museum in Southwest played an important role in the economic and China as well as a national first-class social development of Guyana and the museum. The museum covers an area of Caribbean region, not only by sharing its about 11,333 square meters with a total floor experience but also providing valuable area of around 65,000 square meters, of assistance in developing infrastructure, which about 20,000 square meters are connectivity,healthcareandotherareas. devotedtoexhibitions.

Blacklisted Chinese company to extend

project in Guyana - VP Jagdeo

VicePresidentDr BVice four, three and six, these are Huawei Technologies PresidentDr BharratJagdeo the three most popular was later contracted to build on Thursday disclosed that regions in the country, they a command centre, at the blacklisted Chinese tech (Huawei) are putting in the Arthur Chung Convention giant, Huawei has been works, and they have a Centre(ACCC)atLiliendaal c o n t r a c t e d b y t h e contract for the cameras for over 100 security government to extend etc”. cameras strategically placed Guyana’s “Safe City”

The“SafeCity”orSmart across Georgetown. The projecttoRegionsThreeand City project is a CCTV construction of the Six. surveillance system set up command centre was part of

TheVice President made with the aim of reducing a US$32M the disclosure while crime in the country The beenoperatinginGuyanafor responding to questions of project was first started by a while Jagdeo said, “We are possible concerns by the the A Partnership for expanding the smart city United States that Guyana is National Unity + Alliance programme (Safe City) to usingHuawei’stechnology for Change (APNU+AFC) Region Six and Three, these Noting that Huawei has coalitiongovernment. are the most popular, so its

National Broadband Project received f r o m t h e C h i n e s e Government in 2017 and it wascompletedin2019. Followingthe (Continued on page 19)

Jagdeo

President Ali touring Rongsheng Pharmaceutical and Chengdu Museum

President Irfaan Ali and President Xi Jinping

“safe city”

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat

- President Xi Jinping

Guyana and China should be ‘good friends, share opportunities’

Chinese President Xi

China has played an country’s total external debt. Jinping on Friday said that important role in the A d d i t i o n a l l y, d e b t Guyana and China should be economic and social repaymenttotheChinaExim good friends who trust and development of Guyana and Bank had accounted for 82 count on each other The the Caribbean region, not percent of debt repayments Chinese leader was at the only by sharing its to bilateral creditors. In the time meeting with President experience but also firstthreemonthsoftheyear, Irfaan Ali who is on a one- p r o v i d i n g v a l u a b l e US$10.6Malonewaspaidto weekvisittoChina. assistance in developing the Chinese lending

Chinese media entity, infrastructure, connectivity, institution,upby1.4percent. Xinhua reported that healthcareandotherareas. The increase, according to President Xi said both

The Guyanese leader the Central Bank, was as a countries should share said Guyana regards China result of higher principal opportunities, meet as a highly reliable repayments during the challenges, seek cooperation cooperative partner and reviewperiod. and promote development w e l c o m e s C h i n e s e At that time, Guyana’s together companies to invest and do total stock of public debt,

Xiurgedthebuildingofa business in Guyana while which comprises both more close-knit China- noting that Guyana supports external and domestic debt Guyana community with a a series of major initiatives stoodatUS$3.248billion. sharedfuture. put forward by President Xi China Exim Bank was a

Guyana was the earliest and actively participates in major contributor to a loan country in the Caribbean to t h e B e l t a n d R o a d Guyana had taken to recognize the one-China cooperation. modernise the Skeldon principle and establish

The President said too Sugar Factory This plant diplomatic relations with the that Guyana is ready to was to boost the sugar People’s Republic of China. closely communicate and production figures of the Last year, the 50th collaborate with China to industry; to essentially a n n i v e r s a r y o f t h e promote the building of a rescue the sugar sector from establishment of diplomatic between the two countries, facilitate mutual travel and t o p r a c t i c e t r u e community with a shared its ailing state. Instead, it relations between China and Xisaid. visits, and consolidate the multilateralism, safeguard future for humanity and turned out to be a Guyanawascelebrated. Xi said China welcomes foundation of public support the common interests of establish a fairer and more contributing factor to the President Xi said China Guyana’sparticipationinthe for friendship between the developing countries, and equitableinternationalorder poorhealthoftheindustry a n d G u y a n a , b o t h China International Import twocountries. jointly address global Moreover, Guyana has In 2017, this newspaper developingcountries,should Expo to introduce more of China and Guyana have challenges such as climate often been warned by the reported that the Ministry of strengthen communication Guyana’s distinctive and broad common interests and change, food security and experiences of other Finance contracted two and cooperation, firmly high-quality products into similar positions in energysecurity countries when it comes to loans for the Skeldon support each other, and theChinesemarket. international and regional He said China is willing borrowing loans from China project.These were from the advance bilateral relations China encourages its affairs, President Xi said to work with Caribbean and the foreign country Export Import Bank of steadily for the fundamental companies to invest in who congratulated Guyana countries to build a closer funding local projects China, the repayment period andlong-terminterestsofthe Guyana, expand mutually on being elected as a non- community with a shared throughprocurementmodels for which ends in 2025 and twopeoples. beneficial cooperation in permanent member of the future.Xiexpressedthehope that allow for transfer to the Caribbean Development China is willing to areassuchasenergy,mining, United Nations Security that Guyana will continue to governmentatsomepoint. Bank, the repayment period deepen the alignment finance, agriculture, Council for the 2024-2025 play an active role in President Ali, however, forwhichendsin2033. between the Belt and Road fisheries and infrastructure term. promoting relations between is not threatened by those On the two loans, the Initiative and Guyana’s construction, and foster new President Xi said China China and the Caribbean warnings and instead total amount that the Low-carbon Development sourcesofgrowth,hesaid. supportsGuyanainplayinga countries. believes that China has an Government is paying Strategy 2030, and elevate Xi called on both greater role in international Noting that Guyana and integral role to play in the (principal and interest) is the level of high-quality Belt countries to strengthen and regional affairs, and is China have enjoyed sound development of Guyana. He US$3.8Mperyear and Road cooperation people-to-peopleexchanges, willing to work with Guyana relations and solid political made his position clear Another project that was mutualtrust,Alisaidthepast during a virtual interview completed and funded by 50 years since the with a Chinese Journalist, loans from China is the establishment of diplomatic Wang Guan on the China Cheddi Jagan International relations have been years of Global Television Network Airport,Timehri. friendship, cooperation, and (CGTN),releasedinJanuary The airport expansion mutualsupport. 2023. contract was signed in 2011

Additionally, President Guyana has been under then President, Xi said that China is ready to borrowing majority of its Bharrat Jagdeo, and was deepen the Belt and Road bilateral loans from the passed through the truncated initiative (BRI) alignment People’s Republic of China. presidency of Donald withGuyana. In fact, China is one of Ramotar However,whenthe The Belt and Road Guyana’slargestlenders. D a v i d G r a n g e r initiativeisamassiveChina- On December 30, 2022, administration took over in led infrastructure project the Government of Guyana 2015, it said that the very Notably, over 140 countries entered into a new contract defective plan needed are part of China’s BRI with the China Export adjustments and changes includingGuyana. Import (EXIM) Bank for the were made. The decade-old PresidentAli is currently US$172 million loan to help project was awarded to leading a Guyanese build the new Demerara China Harbour Engineering delegation in China for one- Rivercrossing. Company (CHEC) for the week.

Last year, it was reported sum of US$150M – $138M

Chinese media entity, that the bulk of the country’s from the China Exim Bank Xinhua reported that loanswereowedtotheChina and $12M from the President Ali said that EXIMBank. consolidated fund –Guyanafirmlyadherestothe The Governor of the taxpayers’money ‘one-China principle’ and Bank of Guyana (BoG), Dr Even though the highly admires President Gobind Ganga in an modernisation project has Xi’s outstanding leadership, interview with this been completed, according and highly values China’s publication had said the to the subject Minister, Juan internationalinfluence. China Exim Bank accounts Edghill, works will continue PresidentAlisaidtoothat for 39 5 percent of the attheairport.

President Irfaan Ali and President Xi Jinping.

(Photo credit: Xinhua)

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Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 35 (thirtyfive) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice.

TO: INDAR DEO

JEWANRAM

Formerly of Lot 104 De Willem, West Coast Demerara.

TAKE NOTICE that on the 13th day of June, 2023 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by INDAR

DEO JEWARAM, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE

Dated the 28th day of June, 2023

VEHICLES FOR SALE

One CRV Honda, $3.3M negotiable and 1 Toyota Allion, $3.350 M, fully loaded immaculate condition, low mileage . Contact: 649-0956.

LEGAL NOTICE 1

Filing Attorney: MS. SHELLON BOYCE, Guyana Legal Aid Clinic

“Maraj Building:” 185 Charlotte & King Streets Georgetown, Guyana. Tel: 225-9238/ 225-9246

Email: legalaid@netyorksgy.com2023HC-DEM-CIV-FD-367 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OFJUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO. FD-367 BETWEEN:PATTERSON (ELVIS PETER) Petitioner -andPATTERSON (JUNE ANN NICOLA CARLOTTA nee JOSEPH) Respondent

TO: JUNE ANN NICOLA CARLOTTA·PATTERSON nee JOSEPH

Last known address Lot 136 South Sophia, Georgetown, Guyana

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Monday_the_28th day_of_August, 2023_at_9:00_am_before the Honourable Madam Justice Sandra Kurtzious via Zoom Meeting ID: 648 779 9256 and Password: 5hRiHf.

IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 30th day of June, 2023.

NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 16th day of June, 2023 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News, a daily newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web.

AND FURTHER TAKE

NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents.

AND FURTHER TAKE

NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), an Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 35 (thirtyfive) days from the date of the Second and final publication of this Notice.

LEGAL NOTICE 3

Applicant in Person: Onika Anthony nee Liverpool

Address: Lot 67 Samaroo Dam, Klien Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara Tel#: 699-3201

2023-HC-DEM-CIV-FD962

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION

PETITION NO. FD-962

BETWEEN: (ANTHONY) ONIKA nee LIVERPOOL Petitioner -V(ANTHONY) WELINGTON C. DAVID Respondent

TO: WELLINGTON C. DAVIDANTHONY

Last Known Address Lot 67 Samaroo Dam, Klein Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara

PROPERTY FOR SALE

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TAKE NOTICE that on the 2nd day of March, 2023 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by ELVIS PETER PATTERSON the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 9th day of June, 2023 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the Guyana Kaieteur News Newspaper, a daily newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web (Online). AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at

2023-HC-DEM-CIV-FD914

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION

PETITION NO. FD-914 BETWEEN:JEWARAM (INDAR DEO)

Petitioner/ Applicant -V-JEWARAM (MAHESHWARIE DEVI) nee RAMCHARRAN Respondent

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Monday the 28th day of August, 2023 at 9:00 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Sandra Kurtzious at the High Court at Georgetown via Zoom Meeting ID: 648 772 9256 and Password:5hRiHf.

IN DEFAULT of you filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, an Answer and/ or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00 am and 3:30 pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00 am to 2:30 pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

TAKE NOTICE that on the 20th day of June, 2023 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by ONIKAANTHONY nee LIVERPOOL the Petitioner/Applicant in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 26th day of June, 2023 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News, a daily newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web. AND

FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents. AND

FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement

LEGAL NOTICE 2

US orders non-emergency personnel to leave violence-hit Haiti

(Al Jazeera) - The United States has ordered non-emergency government personnel to leave Haiti, as the Caribbean nation continues to reel under widespread gang violence, kidnappings and political instability.

In a travel advisory issued late on Thursday, the US State Department ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel and their family members, and said US citizens in Haiti should leave “as soon as possible”.

“Kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include US citizens,” the statement said, adding that violent crimes including armed robbery and carjackings are also common.

“Protests, demonstrations, tire burning, and roadblocks are frequent, unpredictable, and can turn violent.

The US government is extremely limited in its ability to provide emergency services

to US citizens in Haiti,” it said.

Gang violence has surged in Haiti and the capital, Portau-Prince, particularly after the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. And the country’s virtually nonexistent government system has made stemming attacks even more difficult.

The violence has impeded access to healthcare facilities, forced the closure of schools and clinics, and worsened already dire food insecurity by cutting residents of gangcontrolled areas off from critical supplies.

And Haiti’s de facto leader, Prime Minister Ariel Henry, whom Moise chose for the post just days before he was killed, has faced a crisis of legitimacy – and attempts to chart a political transition for Haiti have failed.

This week, groups of displaced Haitians gathered outside the US embassy in Portau-Prince to try to seek safety from the gangs.

Kidnapping and violent crimes are widespread, State Department says in latest travel advisory for Caribbean nation.

one woman outside the embassy said, as reported by CNN.

Last October, Henry called on the international community to help set up a “specialised armed force” to quell the violence, a demand that has the backing of the US and the United Nations.

“Solutions to the crisis must be owned and led by the people of Haiti, but the scale of the problems is such that they require the international community’s immediate response and support,” UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres said in April.

And in mid-July, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution (PDF) urging member states to provide support to the Haitian National Police, “including through the deployment of a specialized force, upon consultation with Haitian stakeholders”.

tion, saying past deployments have brought more harm than good to the country.

LEGAL

NOTICE

3 of Service, Notice of lntention to Defend (Forms are available Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within from the date of the final publication of this Notice. TAKE NOTICE

that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Monday the 4th day September, 2023 at 9:00am before the Honourable Sandra Kurtzious via Zoom meeting ID: 648 772 9256 and Password: 5hRiHf

IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 7th day of July, 2023.

“Gangs just shoot and they ask for control of the area. They took our house and we are in the street. We want help to go back home,”

But no country has agreed to lead the mission, and some Haitian civil society leaders have rejected the prospect of foreign interven-

Many instead have called on countries to better equip Haiti’s national police force –which lacks resources to take on the gangs – as well as to

stop the flow of weapons into the country and sanction corrupt Haitian political and business actors.

“There is a strong case for deploying an international force to Haiti, but it could be a very risky mission,” Rich-

“The

IMF, Argentina reach staff deal on loan reviews to unlock $7.5 billion

(Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund said on Friday that it has reached a staff-level agreement with Argentina to unlock about $7.5 billion and complete the fifth and sixth reviews of the struggling country’s $44 billion loan program.

The agreement, which still needs IMF Executive Board approval, eases some program requirements because a devastating drought has created a “very challenging” economic environment in Argentina, causing some end-June financial targets to be missed.

Reuters first reported that the agreement would combine the fifth and sixth reviews of Argentina’s IMF program — a move that provides additional loan funds sooner. The IMF said its board would meet to consider the agreement in the second half of August.

The Fund said in a statement that since the fourth review of the loan program in March, Argentina’s economic situ-

ation has become very challenging due to the larger-than-anticipated impact of a drought, which had a significant impact on exports and fiscal revenues.”

“There have also been policy slippages and delays, which have contributed to strong domestic demand and a weaker trade balance,” the IMF added.

MEASURES AHEAD

To sustain demand for Argentina’s peso currency, the agreement calls for authorities to ensure that policy interest rates remain “sufficiently positive in real terms.”

The agreement projects a more gradual accumulation of reserves, with a target of around $1 billion by the end of 2023, compared to a $8 billion goal set in March.

The agreement calls for Argentina to tamp down import demand with new foreign exchange taxes for imported goods and to strengthen expenditure controls. But its 2023 primary fiscal deficit target

remains unchanged at 1.9% of GDP, the IMF said. With no liquid currency reserves in the central bank, Argentina has recently introduced more peso exchange rates to stop the drainage.

The Fund said that the program will need waivers because these measures are “against the introduction of multiple currency practices.”

The government will need to take some additional measures, known as prior actions, between the staff level agreement and the board approval, according to a source familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the measures are still not public.

The next review is expected to take place in November, a month earlier than originally scheduled.

Argentina is set to have another three reviews on its 2022 IMF programme by September 2024, though the IMF statement didn’t specify what would happen with those.

The IMF’s board ap-

proval of the reviews would come after a primary vote on Aug. 13 in which Economy Minister Sergio Massa runs as one of the presidential candidates for the ruling coalition.

The country still needs to avoid a default with the Fund next week, with maturities of $2.6 billion due on July 31 and almost $800 million due on Aug. 1.

Argentine officials are

working to “get financing from several sources” to meet these obligations, the source added, without providing any further details.

While it is not clear how the country will make those payments, Buenos Aires could potentially use a swap line with Beijing, a move it recently made to complete part of its June payment to the IMF.

Opposition Leader calls...

From page 12 statistics, done by this newspaper, found that even with foreign gold companies announcing mega gold finds, declarations to the Guyana Gold Board have been declining since 2017.

According to the Bank of Guyana (BoG) Annual Report for 2022, the total gold declarations last year declined by 2.5 percent to 486,415 troy ounces (oz).

Meanwhile, in 2021 and 2020, declarations were 499,054 oz and 585,433 oz respectively.

In 2019, the gold sector

had performed better with declarations amounting to 641,828 oz.

Further, for the years 2016, 2017, and 2018, notable decreases were recorded; a total of 712,706 oz, 653,753 oz, and 613,073 oz were recorded respectively. Notably, in the first quarter of this year, the trend continued with the Bank of Guyana reporting a contraction of 5.3 percent in declarations when compared with same period last year.

This publication understands that the declarations were approximately 110,000 ounces.

ard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, told the AFP news agency this week.

gangs are well-armed and there is no clear exit strategy if a mission does deploy,” he said.

GPHC launches Electronic Medical Records System

ByAllyiahAllicock

is a moment that all of us at all of its clinics shouldbeveryproudofanda A c c o r d i n g t o D r

Filing charts by moment where we not only Ramsammy, “we are hand will soon launchbutalsocelebrateone working with the Inter-

become a thing of steponastepofmodernizing American Development the past as the Georgetown healthcare.” BanktoensureGuyanarolls Public Hospital’s (GPHC)

The launching ceremony of the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) System at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Friday. (Photo credit, DPI)

Similarly, he stated that out a high quality electronic Medical Clinic launched its this has been engaged for medical record for this is Electronic Medical Records quite some time, but the justthebeginningofthat ” (EMR)systemonFriday hospitalishappytobeableto D u r i n g p r e v i o u s

Thesimpleyetsignificant champion the system, discussionsofhavingpatients ceremony was attended by makingitareality records digitized, Minister of Advisor to the Minister of Rambarran on Friday Health, Dr Frank Anthony Health and Chairman of the expressed gratitude to all had mentioned that “There Board of Directors of GPHC, personnel and stakeholders are numerous advantages to Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who played a role in goingtoanelectronicsystem GPHC’s Chief Executive establishing this system, as One, we can be able to store Officer (CEO), Mr Robbie this new development will large amounts of data, Rambarran, Health Systems help the GPHC be more retrieveit,readilyandhaveall and Services Advisor, efficient in providing the patients’ records in one PAHO/WHO, Mr Daniel servicestoitspatients. place, but it’s also very Albrecht, and Head of Meanwhile, Advisor to convenient for both patient, Medical Clinic and the Minister of Health and doctors, medical staff and so Ambulatory Services

Chairman of the Board of forth ” CoordinatorattheGPHC,Dr Directors of GPHC, Dr After taking office, Grace White among other Leslie Ramsammy said that President Irfaan Ali in 2020 invitees h a v i n g t h e E M R had mentioned that his Dr White in her remarks development of an EMR AccordingtotheHeadof thoseweserve.” implemented is a significant government is exploring the said that the need for the systematthehospital. GPHC’s Medical Clinic, Dr Whiteaddedthatthis development as it would not implementationofelectronic electronic system at the Dr White shared that the “Our aim in all of this is to step is just the beginning as only help improve the records system as part of his hospital and at the wider road to achieving the EMR run a more efficient health the intention is to extend the hospital’s services but also vision of delivering a worldh e a l t h s t r e a m w a s was a long one, not without system, from more reliable system to other units and other departments/ clinics class healthcare service in recognisedyearsago. its share of challenges, but record keeping to safer departments of the hospital withintheinstitutionwillget Guyana.

She said that after years expressed gratitude that has keeping, not withstanding “And more so as we stand at to access results “in real- At an event in October of discussion, it was in beenrealized. more efficient data retrieval t h e t h r u s t o f t h e time.” 2020, he disclosed that the March 2021 that the Shesaidthatafteraseries and research potential introduction of national With the launching of governmenthelddiscussions leadership of the GPHC and ofdevelopmentalphases,the Ultimately, these improve e l e c t r o n i c m e d i c a l this system, he noted that in with the Indian High the Pan American Health first set of patients were capability that would records,”sheadded a year’s time the GPHC Commissioner to Guyana on Organisation (PAHO) added to the system in July, translate into the best Briefly in his remarks, would be able to say that it h a v i n g t h e s y s t e m c o m m i t t e d t o t h e thisyear possible medical care to all GPHC’s CEO said that “this is fully equipped with EMR implementedhere.

Blacklisted Chinese company to extend “safe city”...

From page 13

Coalition’s loss of power, President Irfaan Ali in 2021 had said that

Meanwhile, Jagdeo also sought to defend his government’sdecisiontouse the “Safe City” blacklisted company’s project yielded results in technology by saying that its fighting crime and equipment is much cheaper announced plans of than those of the western expanding the surveillance world. programmecountrywide. “The thing is that a “ Nationally we are number of countries in the going to have a Safe City world are using Huawei’s country programme. We are equipmentmanycountriesin going to have the entire the developed world is using country connected on the H u a w e i ’ s CCTV cameras so that all of equipment….because what I the country will be [under] gather even from the private the watch by the relevant people who are making authorities so that we can be investments now is that the proactive in crime fighting,” equipment are significantly President Ali said in an cheaper than equipment addresstothenation. from western sources,” the With Jagdeo’s disclosure vice-presidentexplained. on Thursday, it is quite clear Former American that the government has President, Donald Trump alreadybegunmovinginthis had blacklisted the Chinese direction by expanding the tech giant because of “Safe City” initiative to the security concerns It is tworegions. alleged that Chinese use of Huawei’s equipment security threat to the United concernstoobecausewelive thecountry Hereasonedthat The cost of this Government is using the because of the security States(U.S.). in the western hemisphere Guyana has “nothing” for expansion and the source of company to spy on the US. concerns When current Jagdeo acknowledged and a lot of our business has theU.S.orChinatospyon. the financing are not yet The country had asked all of American President, Joe that if the U.S. has any to be done with the U.S. and “They just have to go known but Huawei, its allies not use Huawei’s Bidentookofficeheoptedto concerns with Guyana using almost all of our cables end downtoBamBamAlleyand according to Jagdeo is Technology The Guyana let the company remain Huawei equipment, the upintheU.S.,”Jagdeosaid. you will get all of what contracted to set up the Telephone and Telegraph blacklisted. According to a country will have to address With regard to security happens in the government infrastructure and install the Company (GTT), in 2021 2021 Reuter’s article, Biden them. concernsforGuyana,Jagdeo or in the Opposition,” the cameras. had even scaled back on the still saw the company as a “WewilladdresstheU.S. said that it is not a threat to VicePresidenttoldreporters.

A 2019 photo of the Safe City Command Centre built by Huawei

Tropical Shipping Drag Wars 2.0...

Rameez Mohamed looking to upset the field

Motorsport enthusiasts in Guyana eagerly anticipate the adrenaline-fueled spectacle of the Tropical Shipping Drag Wars 2.0 that gets underway tomorrow at the South Dakota Drag Strip at Timehri. One name that is sure to stand out among the competitors is Rameez Mohamed.

Rameez is a multi-discipline motorsport driver; passionate about Endurance, Circuit races, and Drag Racing, Rameez is no stranger to victory. However, this time, he has a burning desire to win with his recently acquired BM Soat Auto Sales and Rentals 2jz Mustang.

Rameez’s journey with his 2jz Mustang began just two days before the previous Drag

Wars event. Acquiring the car so close to the race gave him little time to get familiar with it. But, being a determined and skilled driver, Rameez took the challenge head-on. The last event served as an opportunity for him to get acquainted with the powerful machine. Although he didn’t secure a win, his drive left a lasting impression on the fans.

Throughout 2023, Rameez Mohamed has tasted victory driving various cars, including his Endurance Honda Integra, Group 2 Honda Civic, and Toyota Starlet. These triumphs have undoubtedly boosted his confidence as he prepares to take on the field tomorrow at Drag Wars 2.0

Saturday July 29, 2023

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

In order to reach your destination, you may have to take an unusual route today, Aries. Zigzag your way to the finish line. Don't automatically assume that this is a bad thing.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Get out of the doldrums and enjoy life, Taurus. The situation is such that if you remain stagnant for a little while, you will soon sink into a spiral of depression and downward thinking.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

This morning is your time to shine, Gemini. You should be in a good mood, with a positive outlook that helps you attack the day's tasks with vitality. Elements of the unexpected.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

You may get a bit frustrated in the morning because of a lack of commitment on the part of others, Cancer. You may find it hard to pin down an answer when everything seems to be up in the air.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

The energy you put out today will most definitely fuel the fire, Leo, so make sure you have an extinguisher within reach.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

You may feel indecisive today, Virgo, especially in the morning. Other people's actions may confuse you. Don't worry. Concentrate on your projects and goals.

with his 2jz Mustang. Rameez is focused on personal victories and has a strong desire to represent Guyana on the motorsport map. His performances in various disciplines have already showcased his versatility and adaptability as a driver.

Regarding his upcoming challenge, Rameez is confident in car’s capabilities. Rameez believes that with enough preparation he can be highly competitive with his Mustang.

One of the key characteristics that set Rameez Mohamed apart from his peers is his love for the fans. He understands that they are an essential part of the motorsport experience, and he

Region Five Chamber of Industry and Commerce presents Chamber Cup 2023

always aims to put on a show that leaves them thrilled and excited.

Tickets for the event cost $3000 for adults, $1000 for children and $10,000 for VIP.

RHTYSC receives...

From page 25

HA Snacks co Ltd, The Gift Center, John Lewis Styles, Ministers Joseph Hamilton and Collin Croal, Ricks and Sari Agro Inc, DeSinco Trading, Roger Harper, Sheik Mohamed, Food for the Poor, PPDI, Skeldon Energy Inc, Dr Phillip DaSilva, Delmur Shipping Ltd, Ansa Mcal, Bank DIH Ltd.

Ryan Persaud of Kings Jewellery World has donated a West Indies Cricket medallion for the Cricketer of the Academy.

The Region 5 Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Region 5CIC) will once again be staging its President Cup 10/ 10 cricket competition for teams in that Region.

The one day competition is set for Sunday July 30 at the Cotton Tree Die Hard Ground, West Coast Berbice.

Six teams have been invited to participate namely Cotton Tree Die Hard, West Berbice Achievers, Police CC, D’ Edward Cricket Club, Blairmont Blazers Cricket Club and Bush Lot CC. Speaking to the media, Imran Sacoor, stated that the Region 5CIC is delighted to be of continued service to the community. They believe that investment in youths and sports represents investment for the future. Sacoor said

that they are urging the communities to come out and support the matches and enjoy the grand festivity.

He noted that the Chamber will continue to support the development of communities within their purview. There will be lots of giveaways, face painting and icecream for children. A number of gifts will be distributed to patrons in anticipation of the Emancipation Festivities in Guyana. Musical entertainment will be in full swing and the atmosphere will be lived up by cheerleaders. First ball will be bowled at 9:30 hrs and admission is free.

Among some of the sponsors on board are Banks DIH Limited and Trophy Stall. (Samuel Whyte)

Who will win the Kares...

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

Emotionally, you should be feeling quite good today, Libra. This is important since you may get thrown off balance by a strange, unexpected force. The more stable you are on the inside,

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Free your mind and consider alternative options, Scorpio. This is a time to throw away the old to make room for the new. There's a distinct advance in original and forward thinking today.

.

SAGIT (Nov.22–Dec.21)

You might find your energy comes in strong, erratic bursts today, Sagittarius. Don't be surprised if you're high as a kite one moment and down in the dumps the next. Even if you're driving everyone.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The

You may feel a tendency to do things the same old way today simply because it's what feels most comfortable, Capricorn. Even though the familiar route may be tempting now,

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

An extra log has been thrown on your fire today, Aquarius, so don't be surprised if you burn especially hot.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

Don't feel like you have to rationalize everything, Pisces. Accept the fact that there are some things in life that occur without a specific logical explanation. More than likely these are the most interesting

Several overseas friends of the RHTYSC also contributed with cycles and other prizes. They include Bruce Butcher, Zaeer Ali, Romel Ayasammy, Yogimdra Narine, Devindra Narine, Andy Lamphins, Papie Asfrali, Francoise Culley and Lavern Lawerence.

RHTYSC Secretary Hilbert Foster expressed thanks to the numerous donors for their support and expressed confidence that all the planned activities would be properly organised and successful. He noted that the cricket teams would also be organising tribute programmes for fire men in the town ship of Rose Hall and undertaking some restoration of the Area H Ground. The teams recently did some repairs to the internal fence in the venue and West Indies white ball allrounder Kevin Sinclair has committed to the restoration of the main pavilion. Foster noted that the venue badly needs an upgrade to host matches and the club has committed to spearheading the effort. The RHTYSC currently has a membership of hundreds of youths that includes Kevin Sinclair, Junior Sinclair, Kelvon Anderson, Shemaine Campbelle, Shabika Gajnabi and Sheneeta Grimmond who would be playing soon in the upcoming Caribbean Premier League. Jonathan Rampersaud and Jeremy Sandia, Guyana leading under19 bowlers, are also members of the club. The cricket teams of the RHTYSC are Poonai Pharmacy under 11 and 13, Farfan and Mendes under 15, Bakewell under 17 and second division, Pepsi under 19 and intermediate, Metro females and NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour under 21 and first division.

From page 24 Jacobs Jewelry & Pawn Shop, First Change Builder Inc. Impressions Inc. and Sicko Mode, 94.1 BOOM FM, Assuria Insurance, Montra Restaurant & Longue, Gafoors and Hard Rock Café are among the sponsors.

The first-ever champions will pocket $1M, while the losing finalist will collect $300,000.

The two losing semi-finalists will walk away with

$100,000 each. There will also be prizes for outstanding individual performances.

The Most Valuable Player of the series will get a motorbike valuable over $250,000, compliments of Assuria Insurance.

Additionally, there will be a celebrity match before the championship match where the winning side will be rewarded $200,000, which will be donated to a charity of their choice.

GFF 2023 School Holiday Grassroots Development programme underway

In keeping with its mandate to local football, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) took a significant step towards advancing the sport in Guyana, with the launchingofthe2023School

Holiday Grassroot Development Football programme yesterday at the GFF National Training CentreinProvidence.

The programme will run throughout the month of August, this initiative aims toattractyoungstersfromall agegroups,withtheultimate goal of bolstering club-level participation and nurturing talentforthenationallevel.

Leading the launch were GFFPresident,WayneForde and Technical Director Bryan Joseph, showcasing thefederation’scommitment to the programme’s success.

With this ambitious grassrootsfootballinitiative, the GFF aims to ‘pave the way’forabrighterfuturefor football, while developing talented players and strengthening the sport’s foundationsatalllevels.

During the event, the GFF also demonstrated its support for grassroots football by distributing essential football development equipments to t h e n i n e r e g i o n a l

associations.This assistance seeks to revive grassroots football in their respective jurisdictions.

According to Forde, the core objective of this programme is to expand the pool of players as well as strengthening the overall brand of football in the country

Covering all nine regional associations, the programme is expected to reach every interested boy andgirlineverycommunity With a well-structured and engaging curriculum, the programme promises to be

both enjoyable and informative.

Meanwhile, at these grassroot sessions, participants will be taught theABC’s of the game, they will also be taught the importance of sports among our youth During his featured speech, Forde expressed his vision of witnessing a surge in the number of young boys and girls playing football across

thenation,believingthatthe holiday period provides an ideal opportunity for achievingthisgoal.

He also urged the presidents of the respective associations to execute this mandate with utmost diligence, emphasizing the importance of their commitment to the programme’ssuccess.

The funding for this endeavor comes from the

groundbreaking M-FAP programme, launched back in2020.

As the 2023 Grassroots Football programme unfolds,Fordeexpressedhis anticipation of visiting the variousgrassrootsinitiatives in Bartica, Linden, Essequibo, Berbice, and Georgetown in the coming weeks, underscoring his continued support for the entirefootballfraternity

Ramcharran stars with ball to give Apollo Sports Club victory in Canada

Former Guyana youth cricketer Sharaz Ramcharrangrabbedfourwicketsfor18runs to help Apollo Sports Club beat defending champions Melbourne Sports Club by 25 runs last Saturday at Centennial Park, Etobicoke,Canada.

It was another preliminary round match in the 2023 Canadian Commonwealth Cricket Association of Toronto 40-overs competition The off-spinner Ramcharran bowledseventidyoversasMelbourneSports Clubwasdashedoutfor72in23.2oversafter ApolloSportsClubhadmadeamodest97all outin32.2overs.

Apart from Ramcharran, who strategically opened the bowling, his fellow Guyana youth player Kevin Umroa also bowled splendidly well to finish with 3-19 from his maximum eight overs on a responsivepitch.

Pacer HortonWhitley supported with 213 in his four-over outing while another exGuyana under-17 player, left-arm orthodox spinnerDennisLegayclosedoffthingswith 1-3 Only Miguel Gordon offered some resistance with 15 as wickets fell regularly underabluesky

Essequibian and former Guyana youth batsman Nathan Persaud also played an instrumentalroleforApolloSportsClubwith twocatchesandanimpressivestumping.

Earlier,ApolloSportsClubwonthetoss

andoptedtotakefirststrikebutthedecision backfiredonthemastheytoolostwicketsin acluster

Opener Harrinarine Chattergoon hit a top-score of 25 while Persaud chipped in with a vital 17. Former Barbados and West Indies off-spinner Ryan Hurley took 3-16 from 8 economical overs while seamer HafeezUllahalsoclaimingthreewicketsbut conceded34runsoffeightoversaswell.

Eugene LaFleur, the left-arm orthodox spinner snatched 2-4 from 6.2 overs. Both Chattergoon and LaFleur represented GuyanaattheregionalUnder-19level.

The 14-team competition is slated to continuetoday,Saturday ApolloSportsClub still remaining at the top of the points’table and Melbourne Sports Club behind at number2.

Sharaz Ramcharran

Scenes from yesterday’s launching at Providence

GFF President Wayne Forde (right) and Technical Director Bryan Joseph at the launching of the 2023 School Holiday Grassroots programme.

Digicel Schools’ Football Championships... Bartica Secondary cops Region Seven title

Bartica Secondary played outstandingly to grasp the Region Seven title of the 8th Digicel Schools’ Football Championships, last evening, at the Ministry ofEducation(MoE)Ground.

Playing against DC Fox Secondary School, the eventual Champion dominated to emerge victorious4–0.

Bothteamsnowmoveon t o t h e N a t i o n a l Championships, which is scheduled to kick off today, Saturday,July29,attheMoE and National Insurance SchemeGrounds.

T h e n a t i o n w i d e tournamentkicksoffwiththe Round-of-32 stage, which is scheduled to be contested overthreedays.

This tournament is organised by the Petra organisation.

Bartica Secondary are the Region Seven Digicel Schools’Football Champions.

Digicel Schools’ National Championship kicks off today

Today, the Digicel Schools’National Championship, which is organised by the PetraOrganisation,kicksoff today at the Ministry of Education (MoE) and National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Grounds, with the Round-of-32stage.

At the MoE Ground, the actionkicksoffatnoonwith Tucville versus Bartica then Vryman’sErvencollidewith Waramuri Top at 14:00 hrs.

In the other two matches at the venue President’s College will tackle St Ignatius and Kato take on Carmel at 16:00 hrs and 18:00hrs,respectively

Over at NIS, the tripleheader starts at 12:00hrs as Dolphin battle Brickdam before Friendship take on WestRuimveldtat14:00hrs then Marian Academy go

head-to-headwithCharityat 16:00hrs.

The following day, July 30, the five matches on the card will see Kwakwani

versus Soesdyke and

MackenzieHighversusEast Ruimveldt at the Wisburg Ground at 14:00 hrs and 16:00hrs,respectively

The other three

m a t c h e s t h a t a r e scheduled to take place at the MoE Ground are D C Fox versus Vreed-enHoop, Buxton versus Excelsior Academy and

Santa Rosa versus

Richard Ishmael at 14:00 hrs,16:00hrsand18:00hrs, respectively

Day three of the

double-headers at the Edinburg Facility and Scott Ground On the

Westside, Charlestown will battle Leonora and Westminster takes on North Ruimveldt while in Berbice, Tutorial Academy face

Mahaicony Technical Institute and Berbice Educational Institute go up againstQueen’sCollege.

Followingthethreedays of battle, the quarterfinal roundwillcommence.

This season’s Regional Champions are Santa Rosa (Region 1), Charity (Region 2), Leonora (Region 3), Region 4 (East Coast) –Buxton, Region 4 (East Bank)–Soesdyke,Region4 (Georgetown) – Dolphin, Mahaicony TI (Region 5), Berbice Educational Institute (Region 6), Bartica (Region7),Kato(Region8), St. Ignatius (Region 9) and Mackenzie High (Region 10).

Action in the Region Seven finale between Bartica and D.C Fox at the MoE Ground, Carifesta Avenue.

Both teams will now advance to the National Championships which begin on July 29.

GCB President pays courtesy visit to LBI as National U-13 players as encampment ends

On Wednesday afternoon the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) President, BissoondyalSingh,metwith thenationalunder-13teamat thehostel.

The team had their final session Thursday as they completed preparations for the upcoming Goodwill Bilateral Series between Guyana and Trinidad and

TobagoscheduleforJuly30, toAugust9,2023.

The Goodwill Bilateral Series is an arrangement between GCB President and Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board President Azim Bassarath The Trinidad and Tobago (TT) under-13 team visited Guyana last December for thefirstGoodwillBilateral Series which the ‘Soca-

boys’won 3-1 This tour to TTmarksthereturntourof what would be an annual series between the two countries with the hope of eventually having a regional under-13 tournament in the near future.

Intheshortmeetingheld, Singh met with the players and management to commend them for their

efforts during the recently concluded GCB Under-13 Inter-County tournament as well as the commitment shownduringcamp.

Mr Singh stressed discipline, dedication, and hard work; three attributes needed to be a successful cricketer

He also told the very

young and exuberant group that they have now become ambassadors of Guyana and should carry themselves as proud representatives of our country both on and off the field.

At the meeting, it was brought to the attention of the GCB President that several players were not

equipped to go on the tour This was quickly addressed, and those players were assisted with the needed equipment and other necessities.

The team will leave Guyana 05:00 hours on Sunday,July30andplaythe firstofthefour-matchseries onAugust2.

Who will win the Kares One Guyana T10 Blast?

- Teams ready to bring ‘A-Game’ as tournament bowls off today

The battle will commence today as 32 teams will vie for top honours in the Kares One Guyana T10 Blast set for s e v e n v e n u e s i n Georgetown.

The grounds will be Police Sports Club, where Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, who is performing the functions of President, will do a ceremonial bowl-off at 08:40h.

The other grounds are Georgetown Cricket Club, Bourda, Transport Sports Club, Everest Cricket Club, which will host the finals, YMCAandQueen’sCollege ground.

The team captains all expressed confidence in doing well, noting they had

been long in preparation for theevent.

T h i s y e a r , t h e tournament has 32 teams, who have come from all regionsexceptRegionNine.

More so, President Dr Irfaan Ali, the tournament’s p a t r o n , r e c e n t l y recommitted his support for the tournament, noting it is aneventthatwillbringmany people together from varying communities under the‘OneGuyana’banner

The President also unveiled the specially-made hand-crafted winner’s trophy Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips was also present, and he, too, pledged his support towards the tournament.

Several active and

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

To progress to the championshipmatch,ateam must win three matches on day one and their semi-final ondaytwo.

Theywillthenqualifyto competeforthefirstprizeof $1M cash and the specially craftedOneGuyanaTrophy Star Rentals, Avinash ContractingandScrapMetal Inc.,ENet,RegalStationery and Computer Centre, Trophy Stall, Premier Insurance, Cricket Zone USA, Beacon

é, Continental Transport, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, National Sports C

,

RestoBarandLounge, (Continuedonpage21)

GCB president Bissoondyal Singh (first from left seated) alongside the National U13 team and their coaching staff at the LBI indoor Facility

GBA celebrates World Badminton Day with tournament

Th e G u y a n a B a d m i n t o n Association ran off the World Badminton Day Tournament 2023 to commemorate World

BadmintonDay

This tournament is sponsoredbyTotalSolutions and it included students of the Nursery Badminton Academy,YonexBadminton Club and the Berbice BadmintonClubs.

WhatisWorldBadminton Day? According to the BadmintonWorldFederation - World Badminton Day brings people and communities together to experience fun and inclusive badminton,throughavariety of active, engaging, and innovativebadmintonevents

These events will take

placegloballyoverthesame periodoftime.

Whileeventsmayrangein size, location, and focus; the common theme to celebrate and promote badminton will

be shared by all When is WorldBadmintonDay?

05JulyTheInternational Badminton Federation (IBF), as it was originally named (now Badminton World

RHTYSC receives massive support for school holiday activities, Basil Butcher Trust Fund

- Kings Jewelery World, Star Party Rental and P/P Insurance Brokers among those on board

The cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS during the current school holidays would be hosting several activities for youths in the ancient county of Berbice. The club which is widely considered Guyana most progressiveyouthandsports organisation on an annual basis hosts a record seven activitiesunderawiderange of sub headings including sports, culture, coaching, charity, youth development, community development, publications, anti drugs, religious, anti suicide, anti alcoholandawards.

The club is currently hosting the fifteenth edition of the Republic Bank HolidayCampandthethirty fourth edition of its annual cricket academy The academy is sponsored by Bakewell and the Guyana BeverageCompany

Both events have attracted a large turnout of students and cricketers. The camp is being held at the Rose Hall Town Primary School and its main objective is to assist grade six students to make a successful transition from the primary school to the secondary level. The cricket academy, which has attracted close to eighty youths, has been the foundation of success over

PAND P Insurance P Brokers Kesha Ramsammy Howard hands over donation to RHTYSC Secretary

Hilbert

Foster

the last thirty years and has produced over one hundred players at all levels for Berbice, Guyana and the WestIndies.

On Wednesday last the club received major support from several of its major supporters for the two graduation ceremonies where the top students and cricketers would receive overeighthundredthousand dollars worth of prizes including a motorbike, gold medallion, cycles, food hampers, cosmetics packages, designers watches, cricket gears, clothing,householdutensils, while each youth would receive a school bag along witheducationalmaterials.

MrBishPandayofPand PInsuranceBrokers,Former cricketer Lennox Cush of Star Party Rental, Noreen Gaskin of Sentinel Security

Ltd, former Berbice senior playerIshwarSingh,Allister Collins, Rion Peters and SafrazSheriffudeenofVNet

Communications all contributedfinancially

Additionally, the cricket teams also received special giftsfortheawardeesfroma wide range of supporters. OverseasbasedformerRose HallTownresidentDrLenny Kudrath has donated two hundred school bags in memory of his late cousin Farouk Kudrath a former RHTYSC Asst Secretary CEO of Beacon Cafe, RamdeoKumaralsodonated a large amount of school bags Speaker of the NationalAssemblyManzoor Nadir also chipped in with a contribution of educational materials.

Other donors include CanadianSurplus,Namilco, (Continuedonpage21)

Federation – BWF), was established on 05 July 1934 with nine founding Member Associations

In recognition of this significant date in

badminton’s history, World Badminton Day will be celebrated annually on 05 July, with activities and events delivered throughout thisweek.

TheGBAhasorganiseda threedayeventwhichstarted on Thursday and continued yesterday and is set to conclude today at the NationalGymnasium.

TheGuyanaBadmintonAssociationwouldlike to thank Total Solutionsforbeing thesponsorforthesecondyearnowandfromtheinceptionofWorldBadmintonDay Thetournamentcontinuedyesterday,July28, 2023 and concludes today,Saturday, July29,2023.

Participants take time out for a photo at the World Badminton Day event.