Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR NEWS

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

Hess confident Thursday Edition Govt. will maintain lopsided contract June 09, 2022 - Vol. 15 No. 23

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $100 readership yesterday, 65,678

…tells investors of State’s support for faster oil production

Govt. missed opportunity - Opposition to secure more before Aubrey Leader renewing Liza 1 Permit Norton Govt. seeking another US$100M from IDB for roads Opposition lapses on sketchy $5B allocation for cost of living relief …Former Finance Minister stresses need for transparency and accountability

This mother, with her baby, joined the protest at the Square of the Revolution yesterday for a better oil deal. The protest continues today from 10:00hrs. Change Must Come!

Oil company in Guyana destroyed the livelihoods of communities in Uganda

Fear of abusive invade ex-lover Gunmen birthday party, forces woman empty pockets to live in car and bags

…removed villagers, failed to pay promised compensation

Kaieteur News

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Thursday June 09, 2022

Govt. seeking another US$100M from IDB for roads The Government of Guyana has approached the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for a US$100M loan to upgrade the East Bank Demerara (EBD) road – between Grove and Timehri.

In a notice published in the Kaieteur News on Wednesday, the Ministry of Public Works said it was seeking Consultants for the project, which would serve as the Engineer for the design and build works.

According to the document, the loan is being requested through the IDB’s Program to Support Climate Resilient Infrastructure Development.

Under this venture, the government said it will be looking to improve road safety and rideability, improve utility networks w h e r e n e c e s s a r y, i m p r o v e pedestrian infrastructure, address climate adaptation and mitigation measures while reducing congestion and delays faced by commuters traversing along the corridor.

As such, the technical engineering design proposed for Grove to Timehri by the Contractor must provide a solution to the deterioration of the current road pavement and to areas where a road pavement is non-existent; road safety and traffic congestion issues throughout the roadway; the lack of

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill and other representatives from the Ministry meet with a delegation from the IDB safe non-motorised traffic facilities for vulnerable road users and the need for the rehabilitation of or new bridges across the various drainage and irrigation channels along the alignment.

The Consultant, according to the Ministry, shall bear the responsibility of the Engineer for the project under the IDBs regulations for Design and Build Wo r k s . T h e e s t i m a t e d implementation period of the Consultancy is for 42 months or three and a half years.

The Ministry of Public Works was keen to note that consultancy firms will be assessed based on

experience in undertaking similar projects; local and or regional experience; current commitment of works under execution and current progress; use of technology to solve project related issues in past projects and references such as signed completion certificates over the past three years.

It must be noted that the IDB is yet to approve the loan to Guyana for this project.

On Monday, the Public Works Ministry in a public missive said it met with a team from the IDB to discuss the upgrades to the roadway. Representatives from the Ministry during that meeting

included subject Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill and Permanent Secretary, Vladim Persaud.

This year, the Ministry of Public Works was allocated the highest sum of revenue to the tune of $76.1B. The 2022 Budget was capped at $552.9 billion, the largest ever presented in the National Assembly.

The Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh during the presentation of Budget 2022 was keen to note that the country’s loan portfolio is expected to double this year. According to the “Estimates”, Guyana’s loans and grant stock

portfolio is expected to be some $37B this year, up from $17B last year.

The loan aspect of this portfolio, however, is expected to double moving from $13.6B last year to $26.8B this year. The information is documented in the Estimates’ table, documenting specific sources of financing of Capital Expenditure for loans and grants from countries and other International Financial Institutions such as the World Bank and the IDB. According to the information presented, Guyana’s highest loan stock stands and will remain; the IDB projected this year to be some $11.2B, up from $9.6B last year.

India is listed as the source of the next highest source of financing expected to be some $4.2B this year, up from a mere $400M last year. Loans from China are also expected to skyrocket this year moving from 779.6M last year to $1.2B this year.

Grants from institutions such as the European Union (EU), Japan, the World Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank and China is expected to account for some $10.2B of the $37B that will account for financing in the 2022 Budget with funds coming from external sources through loans and grants.

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 09, 2022

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Hess confident Govt. will maintain lopsided contract …tells investors of State’s support for faster oil production Hess Corporation CEO, John Hess (left) and the Moderator at the 38th Strategic Decisions Conference 2020 – organised by Bernstein Anonymous.

The Liza Destiny currently producing more than 20,000 barrels of oil per day above what it was designed for

T

he Guyana Government is u s i n g a consultant—Michael Porter—that was foisted on it by Stabroek Block Operator and partner, Hess Corporation, to develop a country plan.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e P e o p l e ’s P r o g r e s s i v e Party/Civic Administration is in fact, encouraging the accelerated development of the oil resources offshore under the same provisions of the Production Sharing Agreement, since it is a country where “contract sanctity is honoured.”

These were among the views expressed by Hess Corporation Chief Executive Officer, John Hess, who during the 38th Strategic Decisions Conference 2022—organised by B e r n s t e i n Anonymous—sought to impress on stakeholders, the company’s decision to remain steadfast.

According to Hess, Guyana—a former British Colony—is a jurisdiction where contract sanctity is honoured and that the companies are in fact responding to the desires of the administration, forging ahead with the oil operations ahead of schedule.

He told stakeholders present at the confab, “…this government that is running the country is very probusiness.”

Hess elucidated saying the Guyana Government in fact, “wants us accelerate

investing in their oil resource so they can monetize it so they can lift the country out of poverty.”

According to Hess, “the country two years ago had a GDP per capita of Jordan, in the next five years, it will have GDP per capita superior to Brazil or Mexico, so Hess and ExxonMobil as well are working hard with the country to help them help themselves to build a sustainable economic value proposition.”

Addressing the accelerated development by the oil companies in the Stabroek Block, Hess noted that as it relates to the first Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) ship—the Liza Phase I called the Destiny—it had come in with nameplate of 120,000 barrels of oil per day (BOD), but that vessel has since been debottlenecked to where it is now running 140,000 BOD “and you know the prospects are for that to continue, so that’s ahead of schedule.”

Debottlenecking is the process of identifying specific areas and/or equipment in oil and gas facilities that limit the flow of product (otherwise known as bottlenecks) and optimising them so that overall capacity in the plant can be increased.

As it relates to the Liza Phase II—the Unity—Hess reminded that with a capacity of 220,000 BOD, that vessel is currently ramping up production and is also ahead of schedule.

According to Hess, the third ship Payara was supposed to come on-stream at 220,000 BOD, in 2024 but that has since been moved up to the fourth quarter of 2023.

With regards increased production from those vessels beyond nameplate capacity, Hess said, “I would say both Liza Phase II, the second ship, and Payara, the third ship, both have the opportunity to debottleneck to go up maybe another 10 percent just like Liza Phase I.” On the fourth project—Yellowtail—Hess told the confab that development which recently approved is currently having its Hull built to accommodate some 250,000 BOD nameplate capacity representing the largest of the vessels to be put in operations thus far.

That development too is also ahead of schedule and will cost some US$10B, according to Hess.

“The offset to that is that we are developing over 900M barrels of oil resources where the other developments we are developing a lower amount,” he said, and added that “the breakeven for these four ships is between US$25 and US$45 Brent, and the Yellowtail project of itself is the best return on the industry today.”

Meanwhile, as it relates to the relationship between the oil companies and the administration, Hess revealed that, “we worked

and encouraged them (government) to work with Michael Porter, independently of ExxonMobil and Hess, to where they have a country development plan.”

Such a plan, he said, would be focused on human development “which is really education and health care, infrastructure development.”

Additionally, he said the plan should also speak to “how do you tie Brazil to the Caribbean with a deep water port, also have a regional tie and a corridor, economically with Suriname, really to make them a logistical power house if you will, as a

regional centre in the northern part of South America so they have a plant to do that and now they are starting to execute that.”

With this in mind, he disclosed that ExxonMobil “on behalf of our joint venture is working with the government.”

This, since “right now the electric plant in the country is based on diesel; we are going to convert that plant and build a new plant where the government will own and operate it but our joint venture will have 60 Million Cubic Feet per Day of natural gas fuelling it, it will be lower cost electricity for the people of Guyana as

well as a lower carbon footprint that should come on in 2024.”

He added further, that the Guyana Government as part of its relationship with the oil companies is also working with the Mount Sinai hospital “as a strategic partner to help them modernise their healthcare system.”

According to Hess, “I would be very bullish about this really being a role model for how to develop oil the right way, in a sustainable way that benefits their citizens and brings economic prosperity to their citizens but we are early in the journey.”

Labour unions want better maintenance of workers’ rights in oil and gas sector …question who is holding companies responsible The recently renewed Liza 1 Permit has included a number of stipulations to be followed in terms of workers occupational and safety rights; significantly more than what was provided in the old operating permit. But local labour unions are questioning the manner in which monitoring of those rights are being conducted as workers continue to complain about poor treatment within the sector.

The unions have highlighted a number of grave issues

plaguing Guyanese within the new oil and gas industry, and are calling for better monitoring of the sector to protect Guyanese workers.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) General Secretary, Aslim Singh told this newspaper that a lot of what the new permit speaks about regarding the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is already a requirement of the OSH Act. “So it really does not add anything new but probably

Maintenance of local oil and gas workers’ rights continues to be an issue makes it a bit more specific.

However, what is not clear is who actually ensures the provisions are upheld.”

Based on the information being provided in the EPA permit, Singh said, it would appear that the EPA is tasked with ensuring the measures.

“But whether they can adequately ensure the OSH provisions are upheld is not clear.” Singh suggested that the Ministry of Labour’s OSH Department may be better to handle the matter, (Continued on page 24)

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Thursday June 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

Guyana should be riding high, always falls low

W

e have the best of many things. If not the best, then close to it in many respects. The experts point to the reality of our crude oil discoveries and speak in hushed tones about light and sweet which are the industrys terms for premium grade fossil fuels beneath our seabed. To make it even better still, our oil for the operators is cheap, as in giveaway, bargain basement, cheap. We should be riding high with oil of that kind of quality, but the sad fact is that we are not, woefully far from it.

We are known to have gold (like our rum) that is in demand all over, because it is world class in composition and texture, a common characteristic of our metal dug up from below rivers and below the ground. Naturally, the expectation is that we ought to be riding high in the sky, except that the truth is we are no better off for it, for the most part. Other than for a few of the well-positioned bigshot local miners, and a group of foreign exploiters of our mineral wealth, Guyanese are not riding high, but trying to keep their heads above the waterline, so low they are, so far behind they are left. Now comes the news involving still another natural resources sector, which is also good, but leaves us in the same boat that is always leaking and threatening to capsize.

The latest lovely news is just as compelling and pride inducing as oil and gold. The caption relays the story of how endlessly rich this country is: “American company boasts of “highest grade” bauxite find in Guyana” (KN June 5).

This particular one takes things to the heights, namely, that it is not just high-grade ore, but the find is of the very best, the top of the line represented by “highest grade.” It should be a time of thanksgiving and rejoicing for Guyanese, especially those closely involved in the bauxite sector. Thanksgiving for natures bounty and to divine providence (if one is so inclined) for what we find and keep on discovering in Guyana; rejoicing for what this could mean, the possible prospects for this country and its peoples.

The problem is that, that is as far as both go. That is, the thanksgiving and rejoicing, because it is all our workers, hopers, and believers have been doing, since nothing of meaning is coming their way. They get a low paying job, get treated like dogs, and if they raise a fuss is given a swift kick and sent packing. Our hopers about a good life are still hoping and, from every indication, they have as much chance of fulfilling their dreams and aspirations as winning those multimillion dollar prizes that count in a big lottery.

The chances of Guyanese for a real high-level standard of life are that remote, despite all this high quality, top class, oil and gold and bauxite and the rest of the natural resource riches that this blessed country of ours has, but we have not touched upon in todays writing.

For emphasis, we repeat what we represented earlier: this country rides high in the rich substances of its resource endowments, yet the vast majority of our people exist at such low levels.

Our elderly pensioners are forced to get by somehow on $28,000 monthly, which may last them a week, if they are thrifty enough and ingenious enough at stretching those dollars and squeezing themselves.

Our minimum wage workers are supposed to manage on the equivalent of just over US$200 a month, which vanishes in utilities, rent, and transportation, before they can even get to thinking about food and life-sustaining necessities. Our thousands of public servants count their pennies on one hand, and face their days with dread, in the paycheck-to-paycheck circumstances with which they live.

This is not riding high, but of Guyanese living close to the gutter.

Meanwhile, the foreigners comes here and conspire with our sell out leaders, who stab us in the back with these self-destructive deals that drain our riches, while leaving citizens poorer and lower. When Guyanese should be on top of the world, they live in the pits.

The President was ill advised to unconstitutionally appoint and swear in 3 members of the Police Service Commission DEAR EDITOR, I perused a statement from the Guyana Police Association, Re: Appointment of Police Service Commission dated June 1, 2022 signed by Prem Narine, Detective Inspector. Chairman of the Guyana Police Association.

The statement alleged that the Guyana Police Association represents the welfare of 4500 ranks.

Prem Narine recalled that the Parliamentary Sub Committee of Appointments unanimously approved the names of nominees of the Police Service Commission sent to the National Assembly. These names were subsequently submitted to the President for his approval and appointment. Narine assumed that the Opposition Members of Parliament would have reported their findings to their leaders before approving the names. He stated that the President and leader of the Opposition had a meeting on May 13, 2022. Another meeting was planned for May 30, 2022, but the Opposition Leader did not turn up. He suggested that meaningful consultation was done at the meeting on May 13, between the President and the Leader of the Opposition. Prem Narine stated that any constitution process at any time takes precedence over other duties, since constitutional matters are of national interest. He concluded that any challenge(s) to the appointments is a direct attack on the welfare of the ranks of the Guyana Police Force and all Guyana.

Editor, please permit me a little more space to respond to the above. Let me first reveal what is stated in the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana as it relates to the Composition of the Police Service Commission. Section 210 (1) states, “The Police Service Commis-

sion shall consists of - (a) a chairman appointed by the President acting after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition from among members appointed under subparagraph (c); (b) the Chairman of the Public Service Commission; (c) four members appointed by the President upon nomination by the National Assembly after it has consulted such bodies as appear to it to represent the majority of the members of the Police Force and other such body it deems fit: Providing that a person should be disqualified for appointment as a member of the Commission if he or she is a public officer.”

Section (4) states in part, “If the office of an appointed member of the Police Service Commission is vacant or if the holder thereof is for any reason unable to perform the functions of his or her office, the President, acting after meaningful consultation with the leader of the opposition, may appoint a person who is qualified to be appointed as a member of the Commission to act in that office...; “ The watch words are, “Meaningful Consultation.” Remember when President David Granger appointed Justice Patterson as Chairman of GECOM, there was an appeal. The Caribbean Court of Justice ruled that the appointment was unconstitutional as there was no meaningful consultation. As a result, President Granger had to rescind the appointment. Back to the statement of the Guyana Police Association alluded to above. The Parliamentary process to receive nominees and to approve the list of persons to be approved and submitted to the President for appointment is just part of the constitutional process. For it to be completed there must be meaningful consultation between the President and

Leader of the Opposition.

The assumption by Prem Narine that the Opposition Members would have informed their leader of what took place is unadulterated piffle. In fact, when the approval took place, Aubrey Norton, the now Leader of the Opposition was not even a Member of Parliament, more so, the Leader of the Opposition. In my honest view, that the meeting between the President and the Leader of the Opposition on May 13, cannot be considered as meaningful consultation but an encounter. A second invitation for a meeting did not materialise, so there were no meaningful consultation as required under the Constitution. I agree with Prem Narine that constitutional duties take precedence over other matters and are of national interest, but that did not materialise in the case under review. The President rushed an unconstitutionally appointed three members of the Commission without meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition as required by the Constitution.

I am alarmed with the Usain Bolt like speed in which the Installed Chairman of the usually dormant and illegal Guyana Police Association hastily defended the unconstitutional action of the President. The appointments were made on May 30, 2022 and the response signed by Prem Narine was on June 1, 2022.

In another letter, I will write about the illegal Guyana Police Association. Here are some pertinent questions: Is it that the writer is singing for his supper? Were there intellectual authors or was there a lone wolf? Where was the Association when special constable Shawnette Bollers made allegations against attorney-at-law Navin Singh about assault and racial remarks committed against her

by him? Where was the Association when police constable Kellon Gilbert from the Tactical Services Unit was found sleeping on duty at the residence of Harry Gill, Ministerial Advisor to the Home Affairs Minister after performing over eighteen hours of continuous guard duty with a rifle and his photograph was circulated widely in the social media? Allegations are that there were no meaningful consultation with the executive members of the illegal Association in respect to the unlawful appointment of the three members Police Service Commission and the issuing of the statement. The tone and language of the statement appear to be of a political nature. I remember when serving as a member of the Police Service Commission headed by retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe, I read a report from the Commander of the installed Chairman of the Police Association that he was absent from duty and was seen at the Ashmin building during the Elections Fiasco engaging in activities that were not apolitical. The cameras and video images do not lie. In view of the above, it is pellucid that the President was ill advised by his legal team to unconstitutionally appoint and swear in three members of the Police Service Commission. This is a flagrant violation of the letter, spirit and intent of some of the most sacrosanct constitutional procedures. In this instant case, there are too many constitutional, political, legal and social issues and concerns dangling overhead. They are crying out for urgent judicial review. Let the process begin.

Yours respectfully, Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired)

The PPP/C Govt. has saved sugar from the guillotine DEAR EDITOR, It is with great disappointment and utter consternation that I read a letter captioned, Losing sugar workers support again could be permanent. I wish to strongly point out to this letter writer and put it very bluntly that if ever sugar workers withdraw their support from the PPP GUYSUCO will suffer a sudden death and this time around the sufferings will be unbearable and will escalate to the point of no return.

In life we need to be cognisant

of the fact that whenever something bad passed us, it is always close by and can return with venomous rage.

When I was a child I could recall vividly a saying from my grandfather (God rest his soul) that some people are like yard fowls they eat and wipe their beaks and forget that they had eaten and when you throw some paddy again and they will eat hungrily as though they never ate at all.

Some people are like that.

Since this Government took Office in August 2020, this country has taken off on a development trajectory as

never seen before and the Government has done a lot to ease the burden of the people: wages and salary increases to all workers, reduced taxation and in some cases no taxation, increasing the income tax threshold, removal of VAT on essential items, reducing excise tax on fuel to lower the cost of living, reduced licence fees, COVID cash grants (some received twice) to every Guyanese, Cash grants to disabled children, flood relief to all affected even those who plant kitchen gardens, education cash grants (Because We Care),

school uniform allowances, cash grants to severed sugar workers, electricity and water subsidies to pensioners, grants for small businesses, reduced cost of borrowing, cash grants to all fisherfolk and creating part-time jobs for the unemployed. The list goes on and will go on.

Should we not be thankful for all these and more? The Coalition did the exact opposite of this and yet some who are vociferous now were silent then.

President Irfaan Ali in January this year was (Continued on page 5)

Thursday June 09, 2022

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Kaieteur News

The perception is that electorally, we are just slightly ahead of Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, and Nicaragua DEAR EDITOR, SNs June 8 article, “Guyana gets low score for perception of elections integrity - after marred 2020 polls” refers. We are in the worst of places at the worst of times, which “low score” and “perception” about “elections integrity” confirm when they feature like this. For when such is the case, it is my belief that our entire system of governance is questioned, if not dismissed; our leaders in

the government in place disdained and discredited; and our every effort and act under the umbrella and rhetoric of democracy crumble before an avalanche of the gravest suspicions, the worst of conclusions.

I continue to use the word “worst” since it fits so smoothly. The perception is that electorally, we are just slightly ahead of Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, and Nicaragua, which all have something

in common in lesser or stronger shades of black. I hesitate, but frankness necessitates-killer gangs, death squads, criminal militias, and their close cousins named extrajudicial executions. We are too dangerously close to that combined state prevalent in other locales, and that is not merely perception, but how the wind blows, smells, and tastes. On the one hand, we are flushed with the flavourings of free and fair

and, on the other, there is this icy shower of reality. Our entire apparatus of selecting a set of people to govern and lead has been, is, and will continue to be plagued by unmoving perceptions that the degree of integrity required for a credible elections process and result is just not there.

Incredibly, as indicated by a prior survey/poll, this perception of skullduggery stretches across into the win-

The PPP/C Govt. has saved sugar from the...

From page 4 pellucid and affirmative that his governments budget is about removing burdens to Guyanese citizens and creating opportunities, reducing burdens, enhancing welfare, giving back more to the population, enhancing livelihood, improving living conditions, and improving the quality of life of the Guyanese people.

This is being realised day after day even though the Government has had to deal with the deadly and costly COVID19, soaring global prices due to related supply chain issues and a series of devastating countrywide floods. He committed his Government to more investment in people, more allocation to the vulnerable, [and a] better quality of life for the Guyanese people.

This commitment is kept alive as Guyanese continue to be buffered from the fallout from the crippling issues mentioned.

Guyanese for one moment must not feel that rising food and gas prices are only experienced in Guyana. It is worldwide phenomenon. Just call your relative in the USA and find out what is happening there. We must show our gratitude to this Government instead of decrying its efforts.

What the Coalition had done to the Guyana Sugar Corporation deserves special mention.

Let me just outline the mass devastation which the Coalition wreaked on this entity alone and one which sugar workers must never forget.

Imagine one morning 7,000 sugar workers woke up and had to deal with not only be-

ing jobless but with no economic alternative and the stark reality of their families going hungry, children are unable to go to school, loans became unpayable and for some, suicide was the only option. That is for dismissed workers.

Then after three years when the PPP/C Government made the decision to reopen four closed estates but it was found that tens of billions of dollars in infrastructures, factories, machinery, equipment and cane cultivation were lost. These estates were in grinding mode when they were closed.

Mr. Jordan had promised that these closed estates will be kept operational for selling. However, it was found that Wales and Enmore were unsalvageable and Skeldon and Rose Hall were targeted for reopening with Rose Hall Estate being the first to be reopened by 2023. Not only this but the operational estates, Uitvlugt, Albion and Blairmont were starved for vital capital investments and the $30 billion dollars bond secured by the Coalition was never went to revitalise the sugar industry as Mr Jordan

had claimed. It is still to be accounted for. It was just an excuse to make the fat cats fatter.

To make matters worse the sugar workers were not given a dollar increase by the Coalition-this means that from 2014 to 2020 no wage increase was given. However, in the late 2020 and 2021 the sugar workers received 5% and 7% wage increase from this Government this is in addition to the Covid-19 cash grant. This what a caring government does.

It became crystal clear that the intention of the Coalition was to close the remaining estates and had it managed to rig the 2020 Elections then that closure would have been imminent. Therefore,

despite GuySuCo being unable to achieve its target primarily due to the disastrous floods, sugar workers have benefited from wage increases under this Government and will continue to do so but above all everyone one should be thankful that severed workers are once again being employed and those in employment have their jobs secured. There will be no closure under this Government and sugar workers lives can only keep improving.

In conclusion, whenever a negative letter like the one mentioned is penned, let the writer pause and reflect on the facts written here.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

ners enclosures. No less stupefying, there is the perception of widespread corruption at all levels (State Department report), but it ranks low down on the pole of Guyanese concerns. That may be so for money and business, but when the issue is elections, then we are in nuclear territory. It is why I suspect - indeed, there is the fear - that unless we work our hardest, be at our wisest, and come with our sincerest visions, then what we have will be sustained interminably, and that cannot be sustained either in the intermediate or longer term. I place no frame of time on the euphemism (intermediate) that is employed deliberately. But, on something else, I must remove the gloves: we are poised on the precipice.

It is not of the sweetly and doggedly marketed prosper-

ity that impacts only a few.

The precipice is of the passions and prejudices that boil furiously right beneath the surface of this polity. If none other dare to face the pungency of our circumstances, I do. We cannot go on mouthing off about all the cascading positives touching this country when a sizable segment of the citizenry is condemned to the barren, outer edges. Handouts and hugs lack durability. I dont think that any Guyanese in his or her right mind believes for a moment that that will hold indefinitely and tranquilly.

Even if the perception of elections integrity was much better, the results of the polls reasonable, somewhat incontestable, it does not automatically translate to the acceptance that is compulsory for productive calmness. We are (Continued on page 6)

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Thursday June 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

Police officer among Lamming Stood for Fairness and Justice on Race 5 held for human trafficking and child prostitution

DEAR EDITOR, It is with sadness I learn of the passing of George Lamming. He was an outstanding literary figure with tremendous output, who like VS Naipaul and Derek Walcott, examined, related, and analysed Caribbean life experiences through the critical lens of poetry, fictional novels, short stories, and other genres. He even penned an autobiographical sketch that reflects life in Barbados and the larger Caribbean society.

I remember the works of Lamming having been commanded to read some of them as part of my early university training. His writings, much like Naipaul and Walcott, focused on the relationship between imperial powers and their colonies and the effects of their rule on subjects.

Lamming’s writings were Afro-nationalistic and PanAfricanist in nature. And though he was proud of his African identity with almost all of his writings on his people, he was not ‘racial’ towards others. He was a fair, non-racial man who did not possess any racist cell and who did not judge others on account of race.

He batted for Indians when they were attacked in Barbados, and he came to the defense of Guyanese Rickey Singh when Tom Adams deported him in 1983 and when politicians used slurs and micro-aggressions against Indians. He reminded his countrymen and Guyanese who had

set upon Indians that Indian hands fed Guyana and the region, and he pointed to their productivity in and economic contributions to Barbados.

Lamming’s writings were mandatory in college on Caribbean literature. When I was a Sophomore (2nd year) in university, in 1978, studying Bio-Chemistry, a required elective was a course in Literature.

I opted for a course on Africana Literature; there were no courses on Indian or South Asian or Indo-Caribbean Literature. Almost every week of the fourteen weeks course that met thrice weekly was an analysis of a different novel or book of poetry or of short stories. The works of Aime Cesaire, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison, Alex Haley, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Derek Walcott, George Lamming, and V.S Naipaul, among others were read.

Lamming’s “In the Castle of My Skin” was required reading with a 10-page written analysis. It is an autobiographical of growing up in Barbados. Lamming became famous and an iconic figure from that work, an Afro nationalist piece that is used in virtually every course on the Caribbean.

James DeJongh of St. Thomas, who was the Professor, described the work as an accurate description of the colonial experience not only

Rosey Estate Predictions DEAR EDITOR, Once more there is talk of the value of investment in the sugar industry this time in relation to “five new tilling machines valued at $100M” intended “to spur greater production in the fields” (as distinct from productivity) dependent on the varieties most conducive to Rose Hall Estate, Berbice. So that it will be simplistic to announce (to those who know better included) that machines themselves would make a significant contribution to the prom-

ised estate agricultural development, without competent supervision and management at the respective levels. In short, human resources are a priority ingredient of productivity, wherever.

The latter are even more critical so far as the factory operations are concerned.

There is not yet any prediction about reconciling the timing of the tillage operations with the resurgence of the Rose Hall Estate Factory.

What a promise to be fulfilled!

E.B. John

in Barbados but throughout the Caribbean, and not only Black Caribbeans but IndoCaribbeans as well. It was a classic narrative of the Black colonial experience, not much different from say Naipaul’s classic “Miguel Street” of growing up in the Caribbean or of India’s Wounded Civilisation. Lamming and Naipaul recount boyhood experience of yesteryear during the late colonial era at the dawn of independence.

In the Castle of My Skin, like Miguel Street, related the effects of colonialism on race, family relations, social life, poverty, education, labour movement, migration and more issues in Barbados and by extension in Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean. He said colonial education served the needs of the imperial powers not the colonies or the peoples self-satisfaction.

Lamming was a champion of self-determination. He supported the independence movements in the region and wrote on them so that the people can pursue their own goals and interests and their own culture rather than that of the European who saw non-whites as primitive.

He abhorred racism. He saw racism in the relationship between Whites, European powers and the varied peoples they colonised or enslaved and indentured. Unlike other academics or scholars and writers, he spoke out against injustice.

He condemned the racism directed towards Indians.

When Indians were attacked

and prevented from entering Barbados, he reminded that those were the hands that fed Black Caribbeans. No notable Indian writer or academic made such a factual profound statement.

Lamming condemned Burnham for denying Rodney employment at UG and for Rodney’s deportation from Jamaica by the Hugh Shearer administration, Burnham’s murdering Rodney, and of Tom Adams’ exiling Rickey Singh. He also stood up to Tom Adams rallying for Singh leading to the cancellation of the deportation order.

Lamming also accused Burnham of murdering Rodney and WPA activists, and he urged comrades to take protective measures. He described Burnham as a dictator and he said an injustice was committed against Dr. Jagan denying him his rightful place as the legitimately elected leader of Guyana. He praised Jagan’s leadership and non-racial socialist credentials.

He stood on the side of justice cheering Jagan’s return to power in 1992. He also showered accolades on Jagan at his passing. And he condemned those who engaged in violence in 1997 and after during the rule of Janet Jagan.

Lamming was a noble man. His stance on fairness and principled position on issues and his literary contributions will be remembered forever.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Tangling with the Constitution DEAR EDITOR, Here we go again, tangling with the Constitution. Is it for the OL to submit names to the President to agree with or is it for the President to engage the OL in seeking consensus on his (President’s) nominees for the top judicial appointments?

There are strands of similarity as in another case where the then president, from his interpretation, arrogated onto himself the right to submit names to the then OL for the position of Gecom chair. Oh, how we tangle with the Constitution...

Shamshun Mohamed

The perception is that electorally, we are...

From page 5 too tight numerically, too raw racially, too immersed historically, too committed politically. Now I present perception of elections integrity in a different way. Winning means forever, be it by hook or crook; losing means death for the other, also possibly eternally. Whether perception or otherwise, who is going to roll over and pretend at surrender, the end result of which is nothing but racial and political death? We are not that

mature or democratic or sophisticated yet; very far from it. We are neither that respectful nor appreciate nor tolerant of each other so far, and with each passing governmental and leadership outrage, when the daggers twist unwittingly or purposely, the bell tolls for this country. In the bluntest terms, it is that we have cannot hold. And if perception - real, manufactured, or incited - is what it takes to electrify us to these heaving states, then we are

but a flicker away from being a Nicaragua or Honduras.

The irony is that I wrote earlier that this is the worst of times. Ironic, indeed, because with the arrival of oil, it signalled the ascent of the worst in us. Sentiments settle over who is getting, who is being left out, who is being punished, and who is the big, bad, brutal bigot. Oil does that everywhere. And its presence is the equivalent of a Gorgons grimace, and Lots wife looking back: both freeze into

stone. When I wrap my arms around the reality of Guyana, this is more than about the perception(s) of elections integrity. It is the dirty, ugly, deadly story of a country that gnaws at part of its soul on every occasion, and of the horrendous aftermaths with which we are left. In short, if there was no perception about elections integrity, then its invention works just as well.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

(T&T EXPRESS) - A police officer and two foreigners are among five people to be charged in connection with human trafficking and child prostitution.

The five are expected to be charged with supporting a gang, trafficking in children, inciting a child to become a prostitute, arranging and facilitating the prostitution of a child, and sexual penetration of a child.

Three of the men are also expected to be charged with being gang leaders.

The five were held between Friday and S a t u r d a y, following enquiries by officers of the Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a g o Police Service Northern Division and Arima Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

The officers first executed a search warrant at a house located at John Shaw Avenue, off Eastern Main Road, Arima, on Friday.

While there, police found and rescued several foreign nationals, including minors.

Sex paraphernalia, a quantity of condoms, a large amount of alcohol, a quantity of cash and a r o u l e t t e m a c h i n e were among the other items found and s e i z e d f r o m t h e unlicensed premises. The items found there led officers to conduct further enquires, which resulted in search warrants being e x e c u t ed on Saturday, including at the home of a police officer.

This led to the seizure of one kilogramme of marijuana, $45,000 in cash, and other items.

Student, 15, who stabbed schoolmate to face criminal charges (T&T GUARDIAN) Criminal and disciplinary action is being pursued against a 15-year-old Form Two student of the Williamsville Secondary School, who is now in police custody for a knife attack against another student on Monday.

The girl was expected to be taken to the Juvenile Booking Centre at the Oropouche Police Station last evening.

The incident, which occurred shortly after school was dismissed, left the victim, another 15-year-old Form Two student, hospitalised with stab wounds to her face, chest

and arm.

Speaking with reporters at her New Grant home yesterday, the injured girl’s grandmother, who did not wish to be named, said she became aware of the incident after a video was posted on social media. However, she claimed her granddaughter had been threatened previously by the girl who stabbed her.

While the school is aware of the threats, she said as far as she is aware, no action was taken. Unable to explain how she felt after seeing the video, she lamented that violence amongst students in the nation’s schools is terrible.

We need experts to save Guyana DEAR EDITOR, Can anyone please tell me how the president of the nation, with all of the power at his disposal, allows a Vice President to achieve the perception to be THE president of/by the people.

When its the presidents power to stop this, what power does the vice president hold over the rightful man in charge?

Was this because the vice is owed something for the presidents election?

Also Mr Ali was questioned on his qualifications to

run the country. Who has asked the Vice President for his qualifications as it seems he has none: only that of failure in everything he has been associated with since his he was president and now beyond.

On this alone, President Ali must use his power and remove him forthwith and become the president.

He was elected, for we dont need an “Ex SPURT”; we need experts. We have them, then use them and save Guyana.

David Carpenter Citizen

T N U L B . . .

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T U T L N N T U U L N L Where is the food security Mr. President?

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We must get this right! .

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T B BBLU T...BLUN BLUNT... ...BLU .

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Thursday June 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

Our young President has taken on the role of positioning Guyana to become the food basket of the Region.

Food security has become the talk of the day, with measures being taken to improve transportation and remove barriers to trade between Caribbean states.

In our own country, people are starving.

Our schoolchildren are being forced to eat ‘shine rice’ – a meal with little nutritional value – but the focus of our leaders is elsewhere.

There is a popular saying that you shouldn’t hang your hat where your hands can’t reach.

For those who don’t understand, it simply means to do only which you are able.

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Kaieteur News

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Thursday June 09, 2022

Govt. missed opportunity to secure more before renewing Liza 1 Permit - Aubrey Norton T Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton during his weekly press conference

he Government of Guyana has missed an opportunity, in keeping with the law, to secure better terms for its people, by failing to exploit the renewal of the Liza One Permit.

This is according to the Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, who during a press conference on Tuesday, said the most recent move by the People’s

Progressive Party (PPP) government exposes its ineptitude. He was at the time responding to a query from this newspaper and noted that the government had the opportunity, in keeping with the law, to revisit it and get a better deal for the people of Guyana.

According to Norton, “the opportunity was provided that it be done within the law and the opportunity should have been taken. Unfortunately, the government didn’t take it and the Guyanese people will suffer because of government’s inaction on a matter in which conditions conducive to dealing with the issue existed but the government did not utilise it.”

Norton concluded, “I have no doubt that the failure to do that is clearly a case of the government’s ineptitude, their incompetence, among other things.”

The Leader of the Opposition was also keen to note that while he believes in the sanctity of contracts, the Liza One Permit could have been used to rake in a better deal, without touching the

Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) government signed in 2016 with the oil company.

The Liza One Permit, the first project to be approved for Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)—ExxonMobil Guyana—was renewed after expiring on May 31. The Liza 1 Oil field in the Stabroek Block first began pumping oil in December 2019 after hydrocarbons were found in commercial quantities in 2015. The field is being produced using a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Ve s s e l — t h e L i z a Destiny—with an installed capacity of 120,000 barrels per day.

International experts had been lobbying the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to not renew the permit until a better deal is forged for Guyana. For instance, International Lawyer Melinda Janki had recommended that a new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) be conducted based in part on the fact that Guyana does have very strong laws in

relation to EIAs. She lamented, however, “…those laws are not being implemented or enforced.”

The international lawyer had argued that the Liza I Permit should not be renewed, as the operations pose grave harm to the environment. She had also referenced the miniscule “gains” from the company’s current operations, which far outweighs the damage being caused in the same process.

Tom Sanzillo, Director of Financial Analysis for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), during the recent webinar, had also suggested that the EPA use the Liza 1 permit renewal as leverage to address the numerous shortcomings in the oil contract signed with ExxonMobil in 2016.

Notwithstanding the experts’ advice, the permit was renewed with a few changes underscored.

According to the EPA’s statement, the key provisions that were made to the permit are as follows: flaring, financial assurance, monitoring and grievance mechanism.

Thursday June 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

I AM ENTITLED I told her the disappointing news. I knew it would not go down well. I had anticipated tears, but I was ill-prepared for the way in which she took the news. She went on and on about Guyana. She said it was no wonder that things were backward in that place. She cursed the government saying that they were not good for anything. She said that the country was full of corruption and that is why people are being denied their entitlements. She was upset.

She cursed from Harry Right to Harry Wrong. But she had kind words for Cheddi. He was a good man. He cared for the people. If he were around, this would not have happened to her. Those in government were not living up to his good name. She went on and on. I did not know how to change the topic. I wondered whether I had made a mistake by volunteering for the mission.

I could not change that now.

The task has been thrust upon me. I had little choice.

You cannot tell an old lady no to a simple request. It all began two days before I left for Guyana. I was relaxing on the stairways leading to my flat, watching the kids skating along the pavement. It was a cool, lazy afternoon but my mind was on my forthcoming vacation back to Guyana. I had planned everything down to finest detail, even to the hour when I would make a whistle stop at the Red Dragon. I could not wait to get on the plane back home. I planned to pass the remaining time just as I was doing:

lazing around. I looked up towards the end of the street. I saw what looked like a familiar figure, snaking her way towards me. As she got closer, I recognised the old lady and wondered what she was doing on my block.

She stopped in front of my entrance. “Hi, Aunty!” I greeted her. “What are you doing in these parts?” ”Is you I come to see,” she said. I was surprised and suspected that some favour was behind the visit. After the usual chit-chat, she got to the point. “I hear you going Guyana this week. I want a little favour.” I did not reply.

This did not however stop the old lady. She continued, “It is about my pension. I want you to check on it for me.” ”Check on it?” I asked. This was news to me for I distinctly recalled when this very old lady was bad-mouthing Guyana. At the time, she had not arrived and had bragged that she would not even bother with applying for pension in Guyana since it was a mere pennies and not even worth the car fare to the Poor Law Board. Things had obviously changed. She was now very much interested in obtaining a pension book. I asked her why bother with the pension. You are in America now and you receive social assistance, so why bother with the pension from Guyana. “You do not need that money.” She said that it was no longer a pittance.

“The money good Son!” Is a decent sum you does get and if I bank it when I go back on

holiday, I will have enough to repair the house.” I tried to convince her that she had no need for that money. “Why do you want it?” I asked. ” I am entitled to that,” she replied. ”How so?” I asked ”I paid my taxes and therefore I am eligible for pension.” ”What taxes?” I asked. “You never worked a day in your life”. She got agitated. “But my husband worked and he paid taxes. He paid taxes for me. I paid rates and taxes for my property. And in any event, I am a Guyanese and I am entitled to that pension.”

I saw that the topic would not go away and so I promised that I would check on things for her. After telling me what a good child I was and how my parents would have been proud of me, she kissed me goodbye and departed.

After she left, I looked at the paper on which I had written the information that I thought would have been necessary to enquire about her pension.

I placed it in my travelling bag with the knowledge that I had better not forget to make the necessary enquiries in Guyana. It took one telephone call to receive the news that the old lady was not entitled to a pension book.

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

Dem boys seh...

It does hurt when yuh no longer de centre of attraction Dem boys know de pain and de anguish wah dem diehard supporters of de Opposition going through. It must be huttin dem real bad, eating away at dem soul fuh see how de Pee Pee Pee regain power.

Dat muss be de hardest thing fuh bear. De unkindest cut of all.

Imagine getting invite to a diplomatic reception but you is no longer de centre of attraction. Yuh getting dis and put in a corner fuh stand up while de Pee Pee Pee boys

getting all de attention. And to think all dat attention coulda bin you own. Dat gat to hurt.

De Pee Pee Pee is now de life ah de party. Everybody want dem near dem. Heads of States coming to Guyana and meeting dem, and dem nah gat too much time fuh de Opposition who nat so long ago did basking in de limelight.

When yuh use to walk in a room, everybody use to stand up. Now is you gat to stand up when de Pee Pee Pee

walk in a room. Dat gat to hurt.

Is suh with life. One time yuh up and de next time yuh down. When yuh up, everybody want be yuh friend. Yuh like nectar to dem bees. But when yuh down, yuh mash dog down.

But some people nah understand dat life gat its seasons. So dem tekkin on. Dem face sour when dem see de Pee Pee Pee getting all de acclaim and attention. But day does turn night.

Talk half. Leff half.

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Kaieteur News

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Thursday June 09, 2022

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Michael Carrington does not agree with David Patterson In November last year, I informed Guyanese and nonGuyanese who keep an eye on unfolding affairs here that I was in possession of a confidential dossier compiled by two persons intimately connected with the evolution of the AFC. It was commissioned by the leadership of the AFC, and titled, “The Way Forward.”

Only a selected few were privileged to see the dossier which is to be tabled at the AFC congress for adoption this Saturday. In plain, pellucid, unambiguous language, the dossier adumbrates an argument for two things. One is that there must be leadership changes but not at the moment.

The second one is a persuasive point – the AFC must leave the coalition with APNU (remember WPA says that the APNU no longer exists (see my column of Wednesday, April 13, 2022, “Should the PNC leader recall this man from GECOM?”). Since that announcement of mine in November, 91 persons, including media houses, requested the

document online and I delivered on each request (see my column of Saturday, November 27, 2021, “Ruel Johnson used the S-word to describe the AFC’s dossier”).

When Neil Marks interviewed Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine in July 2020 during the assault on the March 2020 general election, I chastised him for not doing his research. On asking Roopnaraine questions on Walter Rodney, Roopnaraine was both sentimental and eulogistic about Rodney.

But Marks failed to ask Roopnaraine three questions that were compulsory. 1- Why did he not testify at the Rodney inquiry? 2Why he voted in Parliament during the APNU+AFC’s time in office not to release the inquiry’s report?

3- What were his views about Dr. Rodney’s wife’s accusation against him in relation to her request to him for an enquiry since in 2005?

Last week, the journalist of iNews-Guyana that interviewed David Patterson, GeneralSecretary of the AFC, did not do his/her homework. Patterson denied in the interview that the

AFC is considering pulling away from the APNU+AFC coalition. He said, “The Way Forward document is the way forward for the next two years for the Alliance For Change.”

If that journalist had done his/her research, he/she should have had a copy of The Way Forward dossier that in straightforward language urges the AFC to consider ending the coalition. If the document is to be debated then using any type of words, ending the marriage with APNU is up for consideration at the congress on Saturday.

That journalist has an obligation to the principles of journalism, to his/her profession and the Guyanese people to make contact with Patterson, quote the relevant section of The Way Forward and ask Patterson for a response. If not then the editors of iNews have serious professional problems. My copy of The Way Forward is available to them. Enter AFC executive, Michael Carrington.

Before we do that, I need to tell readers that when I announced in

November 2021 that I had the dossier, three executives of the AFC contacted me for a copy. They did not have it. They never saw it.

But the document was two years old at the time. Back to Carrington.

He is a long standing stalwart of the AFC and former parliamentarian.

On Saturday, he is contesting the position of General-Secretary.

Carrington told me yesterday that while Patterson was in his right to speak publicly, he, Carrington, as an executive member would like to assert that right too. He said he wants to make his position public.

He believes the AFC should leave the coalition. Explaining his position, Carrington argues that Guyana needs a third force in politics and he sees the AFC as occupying that space.

He concedes that there are other parties that are vying to be the third force but he still accepts that the AFC better fits the bill. For this reason, he thinks the time has come for the AFC to revert to its original existence and leave the arrangement with APNU. Here is the proposal on page 7

Frederick Kissoon in The Way Forward to withdraw from the coalition: “Exit the current construct and move forward independently, which will allow the party to rebrand, reinvent and regain its identity.

This may carry the shirt-term risk of not being in parliament.”

What do the authors mean by “not being in parliament?” Under the law, there is no party in parliament that holds seats under the name Alliance For Change.

There are two opposition parties in the House – the Liberty and Justice Party and the APNU+AFC. If the AFC withdraws from APNU+AFC, it cannot sit as the AFC in the House. The law does not allow for that. This is where the fight will break out on Saturday.

The reality is that the AFC is dead meat.

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

Thursday June 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Thursday June 09, 2022

Region 6 man is latest COVID-19 fatality The Ministry of Health on Wednesday reported that a 71-year-old man from Region Six, who contracted the COVID-19 disease, has died. The man, who was fully vaccinated and inoculated with a booster shot, died on May 27, last, while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

As a result of this, the

country’s COVID-19 death toll has moved to 1,239.

Via its daily dashboard, the Ministry continues to record an increase in cases.

According to the data provided, within the last assessed 24-hour period, 138 new infections were recorded.

The new infections, which have brought the total

number of confirmed cases to 65,560, were detected in Region Four – 56, Region Two – 44, Region Three – 20, Region Seven – seven, Regions 10 – Six which recorded five each and Region Five which recorded one. From the 138 new cases, 73 are women and 65 are men.

The dashboard also

shows that one patient is in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 27 persons are in institutional isolation, 988

are in home isolation and 11 are quarantined institutionally.

Additionally, a total of 70

persons have recovered with the last 24 hours bringing the total number of recoveries to 63,305.

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 09, 2022

PAGE 13

mmg+ payments accepted at Sol Guyana’s Shell-Branded Service Stations One of Sol Guyana Inc’s Customer Service Representatives showing a customer how to pay for fuel via mmg+ Mobile Money Guyana (mmg+) in conjunction with Sol Guyana Inc., through its network of Shell-branded Service Stations, now offer their customers an additional, safer and cashless payment option nationwide.

This was revealed in a release issued on Wednesday by the Guyana Telephone

and Telegraph company.

“The introduction of this mmg+ payment option represents an innovative solution to the changing landscape in Guyana, through the availability of a seamless and convenient payment option that supports the global move to reduce cash transactions, and

Sol Guyana Inc., in collaboration with mmg+, has launched a cashless payment system to fuel-up replace them with digitised options,” explained Bobita Ram, General Manager of mmg+.

Ram revealed that for the first time in Guyana,

payments through QR and merchant codes, would be possible at the pumps. All of Sol’s network of Shellbranded Service Stations in Guyana are outfitted with the

mobile money application and customers can now pay for their fuel at the pump in addition to purchase of products and services from the convenience of their

secure mmg+ wallets.

“COVID-19 has taught us to become more innovative in the ways we get the job done – this reality (Continued on page 19)

Kaieteur News

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Thursday June 09, 2022

Gunmen invade birthday party, empty pockets and bags D

etectives on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) have managed to arrest three suspects accused of invading a birthday party on Wednesday and emptying the pockets and bags of eight prominent businessmen.

The businessmen were robbed of millions in cash, cellular phones and expensive jewellery.

Police stated that the armed robbery took place around 01:30hrs at one of the businessmen’s house located

at Fourth Street, La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Those in attendance at the party recalled that four men armed with handguns stormed into the house through a back door that was left opened.

They were all held at gun point and the bandits relieved them of cash and other valuables before escaping in a waiting car.

Among those robbed were prominent attorney-atlaw, Everton Lammy-Singh, Michael Kunjbehari, Robin

Satrohan, Ryan Jahurali, John Ali, Mario Joseph, Ramsammy (only name given) and Anthony Joseph.

The bandits reportedly stole a total of $3.5M in cash from the eight businessmen along two laptops, one Samsung Galaxy 10, two Samsung Note20 Ultra, one Samsung Note22 Ultra and an iPhone 13.

A $700,000 bag was also stolen along with a $4M diamond ring, two gold rings valued $532,000 and a $1.1M gold chain. Wallets containing an ID card and a driver’s licence were also taken away.

After the gunmen left, the businessmen called police and investigators immediately started working on the case.

The items that were recovered by police (Photo Credit: GPF)

Police were able to track one of the stolen phones to a house in Plum Park, Sophia, Greater Georgetown. No one was found but police were able to recover a bag with the stolen laptops, the driver’s licence and some of the

stolen phones.

The recovered items were dusted for fingerprints and around 06:00hrs, ranks were tipped off and descended on a house at Melanie, ECD where they arrested three suspects and

took them to the Beterverwagting Police Station.

The businessmen have since positively identified the three men as part of the four-man gang that robbed them.

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 09, 2022

Venezuela engaging in effort to delay ICJ’s judgment on merits of border case - Foreign Affairs Ministry

Foreign Affairs Minister, Hugh Todd The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Guyana has reason to believe that Venezuela is engaged in an effort to delay the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the merit of the border case.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that it received a letter from the Registrar of the ICJ, advising that the Government of Venezuela has submitted preliminary objections to the admissibility of the case before the Court regarding the Arbitral Award of October 3, 1899 (Guyana versus. Venezuela).

The Ministry said that it recognises that the Rules of Procedure of the ICJ allow for such an objection to be lodged and considered by the Court, and that, as a consequence, the proceedings on the merits of the case are suspended until the Court rules on the preliminary objections.

T h e G u y a n a Government, the Ministry said, will submit its observations as soon as the

Court advises of the time by which it expects to receive them.

T h e M i n i s t r y emphasised that, at all times, Guyana has steadfastly adhered to the rules of international law and the rules and procedures of the ICJ with regard to this m a t t e r, a n d “ w e w i l l continue to do so.”

Observing that Venezuela had previously not recognised the jurisdiction of the Court to consider the case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation also noted that, by submitting an objection at this advanced stage of the proceedings before the ICJ, t h e “ Ve n e z u e l a n Government is patently engaging in an effort to delay the Court’s judgment on the merits of the case.

Nonetheless, by its action, the Venezuelan government now joins the judicial process which Guyana had always urged it to do - a step that Guyana welcomes, confident of the validity of its position on the merits of the case,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday June 09, 2022

Oil Company in Guyana destroyed the livelihoods of communities in Uganda …displaced residents, fail to pay promised compensation

T

The protestors also unfurled a banner with ‘End Oil Colonialism’ across the front of the May Fair Hotel on Stratton Street. (Photo Credit: DailyMail)

he discovery and production of hydrocarbons—c rude oil and associated gases—have over the past 100 years, transformed the global landscape to the benefit and prosperity of some and the detriment of others.

Oil companies over the past century have, across the globe, in their quest for ‘black gold’ exploited numerous countries of this precious resource, literally plundering nations while pauperising its citizens further.

The African Continent is blessed with an abundance of resources, including oil, which is being produced in large quantities but to the detriment of its people.

Tw o w e e k s a g o , Extinction Rebellion staged a protest at the Mayfair Hotel in London, England where an African Oil Conference was being hosted and demanded an end to the exploitation of Africa and an end to the ‘oil colonialism’ in the continent.

During that activity, testimonials were aired, speaking to the destruction and decimation of livelihoods being perpetrated with one such focusing specifically on Uganda by one of oil companies there — Total which also operates in Guyana.

Speaking to just one of the hundreds of operations t h e r e — To t a l ’s — i t w a s pointed out by a citizen of Uganda that up to 10 districts had been affected with people’s livelihoods lost, to the point where houses are now falling apart, schoolchildren have had to drop out and the schools now shuttered.

Detailing the travails meted out to the communities, particularly farmers, the Ugandan citizen, “indeed the situation on the ground especially for the project affected persons in the 10 districts starting with my district is not good.”

Speaking to one facet of their travails, the Ugandan citizen recalled that the persons in the 10 districts who are affected, had their properties assessed around December 2018 up to May

2019.

It was pointed out that this cut off point was s e l e c t e d b y To t a l ’s consultant and was established in order to effect a resettlement plant and to stop the project affected persons from using their land from any further development.

“Imagine from 2019 to now, no one has been compensated, people have not been using their land,” the Ugandan citizen lamented.

It was further noted that during interactions with one such affected person, a cattle keeper who had seven acres –they (Total) told him to stop, don’t develop it.

He was telling me he used to bring the machine to cut the grass and make sure that the farm is clean but because he was told that anytime he would be compensated, he stopped that.”

Citing another example, it was pointed out that during discussions with one of the elders of another district, that the affected persons had also been barred from farming their produce—all with a promise of being compensated.

The Ugandan used the opportunity to stress that most of the affected persons are like the elders, “who grow coffee; most of the people along this corridor, they are farmers, cattle keepers. Most of them, they are growing coffee and you realise that indeed, there is a big challenge.”

Additionally, it was revealed that after the affected citizens began to bring pressure on the authorities, “Total came back and said you can grow crops that cannot take beyond three months; you can imagine coffee takes almost three to five years to grow.”

In providing the testimonial, the Ugandan stressed that this was not an isolated situation but rather was a trend that continues to happen.

“All the schools are closed, all the children have dropped out of school; today if you come to the area where I stay, it’s really a mess,” the protestors and conference delegates heard.

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 09, 2022

Opposition lapses on sketchy $5B allocation for cost of living relief …Former Finance Minister stresses need for transparency and accountability The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government has begun to dole out portions of a massive $5B sum budgeted for cost of living relief.

However, the way the government continues to hand out the money has come into question, more so, the manner in which the “block sum” was allowed to pass in Parliament.

Former Finance Minister Winston Jordan in an invited comment told Kaieteur News he believes that the manner in which the money was passed in Parliament, does not coincide with the l a w ’s i n t e n t i o n o n transparency.

Jordan is adamant the law does not permit for the budgeting and passing of any block sum, for which its purpose or spending is to be determined at a later date.

Even as the sum is being utilised to support citizens through this rough financial period, Jordan insists that the information is “too vague” as government spending should be transparent, especially with such a large sum of money.

He warned the opposition to pay more attention to government spending, and urged that in this case, a motion be moved in parliament for government to come back to the House and clearly define its plans for the $5B. Government after the approval of the 2022 budget, decided to provide cash grants to citizens in riverine areas, farmers, fishermen and one billion dollars for fertilizers, among other initiatives but this was not specified during the budget debates. Jordan explained that even if government wanted money to deal with the cost of living as an emergency, they did not have to include that sum in the budget since there is a Contingency Fund that allows for spending in unforeseen circumstances.

The cost of living issues were known and the government ought to have identified their intentions, Jordan insisted.

“They knew what was happening, they knew all these things and so it should have been highlighted by item,” the former minister stated.

Additionally, it is unclear under which item heading the relief fund fell. If the money was placed under a different heading, approved

in the budget and is now being used for the stated cost of living relief, then this would be contrary to what the law states, Jordan maintains.

He was of the view, if government had the cost of living relief money for agriculture, health or any other area, it should have been under those headings.

The only anonymous heading in the budget, Jordan advised, is that pertaining to wages and salaries, “every other item must be identified to be debated on.”

According to Jordan, in this case, the Opposition did not have a say on the $5B before the money was approved and does not have a say now that it is being spent.

He was adamant the $5B allocation should not have been approved in Parliament in the first place. Whether it was a “mistake” that the sums were approved without the necessary scrutiny, the Opposition must now call the government back to the Parliament, and have them stipulate how the money is being spent and then debated on before anymore is dished out.

The Former Finance Minister reminded that the Standing Orders stipulate how the money is to be represented for spending and as such, the manner in which the money was approved and is now being spent is setting a bad precedent.

Jordan also questioned what would obtain if the government were to decide next year that they would allocate $70B for matters to be identified at a later date.

As such, Jordan urged the Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), to not be sidetracked and stay focus on matters of transparency and accountability in government spending.

The government sporadically announces uses for the $5B relief money, Jordan reiterated, and reminded that the sums exact use is not known until government states its intention.

The former Finance Minister is of the view, there is no law that allows for the government, “to wake up one morning and decide they will give the fishermen so much, they will give the farmers so much.”

Outspoken economist, Ramon Gaskin, also shared

similar concerns. He told this publication, “…this $5B that they say they are spending, the law doesn’t allow for that. It doesn’t allow you to set aside a sum of money and the president can draw from it whenever he wants. It’s illegal, it has to be a line item because the way the estimates are prepared as part of the budget and Appropriation Act, it’s the line item that has to be in (Continued on page 22)

PAGE 17

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha interacts with fisherfolk as part of government’s latest cash grant relief

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 09, 2022

Fear of abusive ex-lover forces woman to live in car

Scars on Sheron Codrington’s body from a recent attack

By Shervin Belgrave A 44-year-old woman has been forced to abandon the comfort of her own home and is now living in her car in order to avoid being attacked and possibly killed by an exlover who has been repeatedly assaulting her over the last three years.

Described as a vicious abuser, the ex-lover, Esan Lawrence, is a former murder accused, who was released from prison in 2019 after a High Court jury found him not guilty of the offence.

Since his release, he has been reportedly tormenting and physically abusing Sheron Codrington, the 44year-old woman, whose home is located at Vreed-enHoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD). She had managed to get a restraining order against him but on Friday last, Lawrence proved that a

court order was not going to stop him from stalking the woman and showing up at her home to beat her.

In fact, he attacked her three times on Friday last – a security camera on a nearby building captured the first attack around 06:30hrs when he entered her premises. The footage shows the man, who was wearing a red jersey and a multi-coloured toque, cuffing Codrington to her head. According to the woman, the man even used a rock to beat her.

The matter was reported to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station and after Lawrence learnt that she had lodged a report against him, he returned and assaulted her again physically.

The woman decided to head to the Leonora Police Station to report the subsequent assault but

The former murder accused who is presently before the court for repeatedly abusing Sheron Codrington somehow Lawrence managed to elude police and launched another attack around 19:00hrs. During the third attack, Codrington said that the man threatened to take her life. Fearful that he would follow through with his threat, the woman said that she started living in her car.

Ranks finally managed to arrest Lawrence and he was taken into custody. With peace returning to her life, Codrington felt safe enough to return home.

But the peace she had for a few days was short-lived.

Lawrence, this newspaper was informed, was slapped with three more assault charges and appeared in court Tuesday. During that hearing, the magistrate granted bail to Lawrence and he has been on the streets ever since. Upon receiving the news, Codrington said she has again left her home and taken up residence in her car.

Driven by frustration, the woman decided to share her story with the media. She told Kaieteur News, “Ah fedup, I ain’t able no mo. It too much, I don’t know what more to do. Sometime ah does even think about committing suicide cause like a can’t bear it no more.”

According, to Codrington, she had met Lawrence when she was a young woman and had spent 17 years living with him.

Those years, she related, were “like living in hell.”

The woman said that she wanted to leave the relationship but claimed she felt incapable of doing so because of the violence and death threats.

“I can remember one time I was walking down Regent Street and suddenly I felt something like a sharp sting, burning sensation in my back and a lady shouted out: ‘Oh my god, watch how you bleeding bad’ and when I turned around, he was right there in a corner watching

me… He had stabbed me with something,” she related.

Not only was he abusive towards her but Lawrence turned out to be a known character who would be in and out of jail for robberies.

He was even accused of snatching a gold chain from a patron at GuyExpo in 2012.

The following year, in September, he was once again on the police’s radar – this time for participating in a robbery at Meten-MeerZorg, WCD during which a father of two, Zulfikar Namdar, was shot dead.

Lawrence and six others were accused of invading Namdar’s grocery shop to commit a robbery and endedup gunning him down.

Lawrence was eventually charged with murder and remanded to prison. For Codrington, it was a blessing in disguise.

She said that it was as if her prayers had been answered and she was finally free from an abusive relationship.

The woman said that she felt free to start a new life and while Lawrence was in prison, she struck up a relationship with another man and got married. Things were peaceful for her until the High Court jury found that Lawrence was innocent of the Meten-Meer-Zorg murder allowing for him to walk free.

He reportedly found out that Codrington had moved on with her life and started to stalk and attack her.

“Sometimes he would attack me in the street, beat me up and take away all me money. He would curse me and say that I am very disrespectful to him for leaving him and starting a new relationship,” she related.

The woman even accused Lawrence of showing up at her home and attempting to attack her husband.

“My husband suffered a stroke recently and I does be (Continued on page 19)

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 09, 2022

Bahamas investigates suspected case of monkeypox Health authorities are investigating a possible case of the monkeypox virus after a foreigner was placed in isolation after showing symptoms linked to the disease.

“I have been informed that there is a potential case and I want to make that clear, a potential case of monkeypox in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said.

Media reports said the foreigner

is believed to be a man in his mid40s and it is not clear when he arrived in the country.

Darville said he understands the suspected case has been in New Providence for a “few days”.

“It’s a foreign national who came into the country who presented with signs and symptoms associated with monkeypox.

“That individual is being treated in isolation and we’re being updated on a regular basis of the improvements. Samples were taken

(and) those samples were forwarded to the Ministry of Health for further evaluation and that’s all I have at this particular time. There is a suspected case and the doctors who are dealing with the case are reporting to the Ministry of Health every step of the way.”

The health and wellness minister said while he cannot disclose the identity of the foreign national, he believes the individual arrived in the country on a British Airways flight. (CMC)

Fear of abusive ex-lover forces woman...

From page 18 fearful for him too because he is not too well, but when he (Lawrence) see him (her husband) he does tell he, I want Sheron. Where is Sheron?” Codrington said.

Friday last was no different when Lawrence showed up at her home. Lawrence, according to reports, had tried to attack the woman’s husband.

“He got stroke and I did not want he to beat him, so when I heard

him calling out, I ran downstairs,” she recounted.

The move she made would result in Lawrence beating her up brutally with a rock.

Speaking with Kaieteur News about the woman’s dilemma was Region Three Police Commander, Mahendra Siwnarine.

Siwnarine confirmed that Lawrence has been repeatedly abusing the woman. His ranks, he said, have been doing their best to

protect the woman from harm and would arrest Lawrence each time he attacks. However, when the matter reaches the court, he revealed, bail is always granted and there is someone ready to bail him.

Siwnarine explained that when the matter reaches the court, there is nothing that investigators can do when a magistrate grants bail. As such, he related, the only thing that his ranks can do is try to prevent another attack on the woman.

PAGE 19

mmg+ payments accepted...

From page 13 is now our ‘new normal’ and mmg+ is pleased that Sol has joined in offering Guyanese a cutting-edge, mobile payment option, which also ensures the customers’ safety,” Ram added.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the mobile financial company has increased its efforts to team up with different organisations to provide an alternate payment option that eliminates physical contact. Ram added, “Although the spread of COVID-19 has significantly reduced, it is still important that we continue to revolutionise the mobile money space to allow for secure, safe, every day transactions.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar said initiatives like these are essential to building a more developed Guyana, where innovation and the improvement of individual life experiences are priorities.

“Guyana is growing rapidly and we need more 21st century solutions like the recent Harbour Bridge easy [automated tolling

system] and like this cashless payment at the pump option. I congratulate mmg+ and Sol Guyana on this venture,” the Minister added.

General Manager of Sol Guyana Inc, Earl Carribon, expressed a shared desire to ensure heightened customer safety while also reducing the physical handling of cash transactions.

“Sol remains committed to the communities in which we operate, and our core values of Integrity, Respect, Safety and Community are at the center of operations.

Entering into this agreement with mmg+ solidifies our commitment to the people of Guyana, including our employees, and we are proud to take these steps toward safer daily transactions,” Carribon, stated.

The mmg+ team took the opportunity to remind customers of the online banking option to transfer money to their mobile wallets, which further increases the convenience, and safety of transactions. To learn more about mmg+ or to establish a wallet visit www.mmg.gy.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Murder of Corentyne phone card vendor…

2 get death sentences, 2 get life sentences, 1 gets 17 years

Mark Dhuman

Dead, Danian Jagdeo

Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Berbice High Court on Wednesday handed down two death sentences, two life sentences and a 17-year sentence to the five men who were found guilty of murdering Danian Anthony Jagdeo, 36, a phone card vendor of Williamsburg Corentyne.

Those jailed are: Mark Dhuman, 22; Abdul Salam Azimullah, called “Sato”; Shuman Batson, and Satesh Budram, 19; all of Hampshire, and Zaheer Abdulla called “Gold Teeth”, of Adelphi East Canje.

Dhuman and Azimullah received death sentences, (Continued on page 22)

Thursday June 09, 2022

Thursday June 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

6 companies bid to supply Ed. Ministry with 5000 flash drives During the opening of tenders on Tuesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office, it was revealed that six companies have submitted bids to supply 5000 flash drives to the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry in its request for bids had stated that it will be utilising a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to purchase some 5000 flash drives in an effort to recover learning losses during the restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The notice did not provide details pertaining to who would be the beneficiaries of the flash drives but in the

budget this year, the Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, had announced that approximately 11,000 tablets and flash drives loaded with teaching materials will be provided to students at the primary and secondary levels.

Bids were also opened for the design-build of medical gas supply for the Mabaruma Hospital, Port Kaituma Hospital and the Lethem Regional Hospital.

These projects are being undertaken by the Ministry of Health and according to the engineers estimate the projects are to cost $112,049,500.

Below are the companies and their bids:

Design-build of a medical gas supply at the Port Kaituma District Hospital

Design-build of a medical gas supply at the Lethem Regional Hospital, Region 9

Guyana Marketing Corporation Construction of receiving and washing shed at Parika Processing Facility

Supreme Court of Judicature Retrofitting of the Old Magistrates Court at Wales to a Magistrates Quarters and Library/ Research Centre, Region 3

Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Infrastructure development works, roads, drains, culverts, water distribution network, Amelias Ward, Linden

Ministry of Education Supply of 5000 flash drives for schools

Construction of a Magistrates Court at Cove and John, East Coast Demerara Ministry of Public Works Lot 1: Emergency reconstruction of Durey Lane and Lamaha Street- Region Four, Lot 2: Emergency reconstruction of Jamoon Drive

Guyana Water Incorporated Supply and delivery of transmission and distribution materials, Lot 1&2

Construction of a Magistrate Court at Mahaicony

Ministry of Human Services and Social Security Printing of media campaign materials, posters Guyana Sugar Corporation Rehabilitation of fertiliser at Rose Hall Estate

National Drainage and Irrigation Authority Supply and delivery of 500 metric ton of granular urea fertiliser 46% nitrogen package in 50kg waterproof sacs for distribution in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five & Six.

Recruitment of 20 Survivors Advocates Guyana Election Commission Procurement of outboard engines

Procurement of new 4x4 vehicles

Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Procurement of infusion and syringe pumps

Ministry of Health Design-build of a medical gas supply at the Mabaruma Regional Hospital, Region 1

Guyana Civil Aviation Authority Upgrade of Communication Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Systems hardware and software

PAGE 22

Thursday June 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

2 get death sentences, 2 get life sentences, 1 gets 17 years...

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Abdul Azimullah called ‘Sato’

Shannon Batson (left) and Satesh Budram From page 11 Zaheer and Batson received life sentences, while Budram was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Notably, Zaheer and Batson are eligible for parole after 35 years.

According to reports, Jagdeo, called “Damion”, a father of four was shot dead around 15:30hrs on February 5, 2017 while distributing phone cards in Adventure Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

It was reported that

Jagdeo was in a shop when a suspicious man entered. He then asked the bar woman if she knew who the individual was and she said no. In a matter of seconds, it was revealed, the individual, who was not alone, whipped out a gun. The shopkeeper took evasive action as several gunshots rang out. The bandits had reportedly grabbed a bag that Jagdeo had in his possession – it contained a quantity of

phone cards and cash – and fled. They had reportedly escaped on a black Honda Elite motorcycle with a fake licence plate number.

The motorcycle was found abandoned by two persons along the public road of Friendship Village, Corentyne – the motorcycle was subsequently identified by a resident who claimed that it was stolen from his yard.

The cops worked diligently throughout the

Zaheer Abdulla

night, following leads and arrested seven persons. A search of one of the suspects’ home had revealed a .32 snub nose revolver and two matching rounds. A quantity of phone cards was also found. A car was also impounded. A post-mortem examination on Jagdeo’s body revealed that he died from shock and haemorrhage due to gunshot injuries. Two bullets were extracted from his body.

Opposition lapses on sketchy $5B allocation for cost...

From page 17 there. They can’t set aside any sum to figure out later what they want to do with it. There is no such thing.”

He too believes, the opposition is dropping the ball on this matter. “(Opposition Leader Aubrey) Norton is not

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doing his work, he is worried about who is shaking whose hand,” Gaskin lamented.

According to Gaskin, Parliament should never have allowed the sum to go through.

As such, he too believes government must be called in to explain the sum as it is included in the budget estimates. Article 13 member, Dr.

Yog Mahadeo had also raised his voice in relation to this matter.

He too called for transparency in spending the cost of living relief and questioned how much longer was the government going to offer cash grants rather than increasing the minimum wage.

Unless there are mecha-

nisms in place, he said the cash grants and other reliefs could be seen as campaigning tools.

It should be noted that sums from the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) has also been incorporated into the 2022 estimates.

It gave the budget a more than 30 percent boost compared to last year’s estimates.

Thursday June 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

PAGE 24

Thursday June 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

Turkey, Russia discuss efforts to restart Ukrainian grain exports (AL JAZEERA NEWS) Turkey’s foreign minister has said a United Nations plan to restart Ukrainian grain exports along a sea corridor was “reasonable” during talks with his Russian counterpart in Ankara.

“Various ideas have been put out for the export of Ukrainian grains to the market, most recently is the UN plan [including] a mechanism that can be created between the UN, Ukraine, Russia and Turkey,” Turkey’s Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday, speaking alongside Russia’s Sergey Lavrov.

The UN-led mechanism aimed at establishing a secure corridor for the shipment of an estimated 22 million tonnes of grain sitting in silos in Ukraine through the Black Sea and could involve a Turkish naval escort for tankers leaving Odesa and other Ukrainian ports currently blockaded by Russia’s navy.

“We see it as reasonable,” he added. “Of course, both Ukraine and Russia must accept it.”

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February halted Kyiv’s Black Sea grain exports, threatening a global food crisis. The UN appealed to the two sides, as well as maritime neighbour and

A deal could involve Turkish naval escort for tankers leaving Odesa and other Ukrainian ports currently blockaded by Russia’s navy [Photo: Matthias Williams/Reuters] NATO member Turkey, to agree to a solution.

Ankara, which has good relations with both Kyiv and Moscow and had previously said it was ready to take on a role within an “observation mechanism,” also backed Russia’s request for an end to sanctions to help grain

onto the world market.

“If we need to open up the international market to Ukrainian grain, we see the removal of obstacles standing in the way of Russia’s exports as a legitimate demand,” Cavusoglu said.

Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Ankara, said

there was “no conclusive result to the meeting”.

However, Turkey was planning to host an upcoming encounter in Istanbul that Ukrainian officials will be invited to attend.

Serdar added that Moscow was expecting a

Ukrainian delegation to be present at the event but that Kyiv was weighing security concerns. Speaking at a press conference alongside Cavusoglu on Wednesday, Russia’s Lavrov appeared favourable to a deal on grain exports but said Ukraine needed to let merchant

Labour unions want better maintenance of workers’ rights in oil...

From page 3 “but from what I saw, I am not sure they have locus standi in the context of the permit.”

Singh said that the GAWU has previously indicated that they received reports that personal protective equipment (PPEs), were not always provided to workers, although it is a legal requirement for the type of work in the sector.

Additionally, there have been accidents at workplaces which may not have been reported, Singh disclosed. “It therefore brings into focus how will the relevant condi-

tions in respect of Section 11 of the permit be monitored and what would be the penalties for non-compliance?”

President of the General Workers Union (GWU), Norris Witter has also questioned the monitoring aspect of oil operations in relation to local workers. He said that even before the question of monitoring and consequences is brought to the fore, there must be the “political will” to earnestly address workers issues within the sector. He said the government must say whether they have the complement of inspectors

that could manage the system and whether the proper training has been provided to ensure capacity in conducting the necessary tasks.

Assuming that there is a full complement of inspectors and they are trained, Witter questioned whether these agents would even be given the latitude to conduct their work professionally by identifying those not adhering to laws and whether the political directorate would allow for sanctions against these companies.

While the union leader does not think the oil and gas workers are at the mercy of the oil companies, he believes that only “independent” unions, those not affiliated with the administration, can bring real representation to the workers.

He said even when reports were made against Exxon and the Labour Ministry, along with a labour union, attempted to go onboard the offshore vessel, they were

not allowed.

“What is required is for independent unions like the GWU to step in and actively work toward the protection of workers’ rights.”

Witter noted that unions with “incestuous” relationships with the government will find it hard to do anything with the support of the administration if their activities make government or the oil operator unhappy. The Liza 1 Permit under Section 10, identifies four matters under the title “Employees” which speaks to the provision of PPEs, the employment of a health officer, and adherence of the OSH Act, while the renewed permit specifically provides 26 items to be looked at in relation to worker’s rights under the title “Employees and Personal Safety”.

The permit requires that the operator ensure its on and off shore contractors are duly authorised by the agency for the purposes under the permit. It also requires the permit

holder to ensure that adequate safety gears are available, worn and kept in good condition.

There is, however, no mention of the permit holder being responsible for its contractors to ensure that the regulations are adhered to; nor does it state the consequences for the companies failing to adhere to the permit requirements. Kaieteur News was told that some of the complaints affecting local workers include an oil and gas staff being sent home for inquiring about PPE safety gears. In separate instances, two oil and gas workers were also sent home after being injured on the job, but received no compensation.

One clear issue, however, is that local oil and gas workers are fearful of going public with complaints against oil companies. Given the small sector, they fear being blackballed. The labour unions have all bemoan this grave situation.

vessels leave its ports safely in order to reach an agreement on the commodities corridor.

He added that the onus of de-mining ports prior to resuming grain shipments fell on Kyiv and blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for “categorically” refusing to resolve the problem.

Lavrov also said that Moscow would not use grain shipments in and around the Black Sea to advance what it calls its “special military operation”.

“These are guarantees from the president of Russia,” he said. Ukraine said on Wednesday it would not demine waters around the Black Sea port of Odesa to allow for grain to be exported, citing the threat of Russian attacks on the city.

“The moment we clear access to the port of Odesa, the Russian fleet will be there,” spokesman for the regional administration Serhiy Bratchuk said in a video statement on social media.

The meeting between Cavusoglu and Lavrov came as Turkey voiced opposition to Sweden and F i n l a n d ’s b i d s t o j o i n NATO. Moscow has also objected to the Nordic countries’ candidacy – which analysts say may play a role in discussions concerning Syria. Ankara has maintained its close ties to both Ukraine and Russia. It has criticised R u s s i a ’s i n v a s i o n o f Ukraine, but has not joined international sanctions against Moscow.

Lavrov arrived in Turkey days after NATO members Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro reportedly refused to allow his plane to fly through their airspace to reach Serbia. Lavrov’s plane was able to fly directly to Turkey over the Black Sea. Talks were also expected to focus on Turkey’s plans to launch a new cross-border offensive in northern Syria against Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara considers to be a security threat.

Turkey needs Moscow’s approval to continue its presence in northern Syria, despite the two supporting opposite sides in Syria’s civil war. In 2020, 37 Turkish soldiers were killed in Russiabacked air strikes against rebels in Syria’s last rebelheld Idlib province.

Thursday June 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Thursday June 09, 2022

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Kaieteur News

‘He did have his shortcomings’ - JFF boss Ricketts explains situation surrounding resignation of former Gen Sec Dalton Wint SportsMax - President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Michael Ricketts was candid in offering his thoughts on the tenure of former JFF General Secretary Dalton Wi n t w h i c h came to an end on Monday.

“I think Dalton, like all of us, did have his shortcomings and my only problem with him is that I don’t think he would’ve learned as quickly I would’ve liked,” Ricketts said in an interview with Nationwide Radio on Tuesday.

“He was strident, loyal,

and committed to what he was doing but, like I said, there could very well have been some shortcomings that he would have, not with the level of urgency that I would’ve liked, learned, and been able to correct,” Ricketts added.

Wint tendered his resignation in the wake of an administrative nightmare that saw the Reggae Boyz being stranded in Suriname after their Concacaf Nations League encounter on Saturday.

The team was expected to return to Jamaica on Saturday night for the return fix-

ture on Tuesday but was unable to after the JFF had failed to make proper arrangements. The players ended up arriving in Jamaica at 7:15 am on Monday.

“In a meeting in Suriname, all the players gathered and briefly called Mr. Wint and myself and said that the situation as it is now is that they have gotten a mandate from all the members that they will not work with Mr. Wint and th e y ’ r e i n s i s t i n g that he tenders his r e s i gnation,” Ricketts

outlined before pinpointing why the players wanted Wint gone.

“They cited incompetence and, for whatever reason, there seems to be a very strained relationship,” he added.

While also explaining how unfortunate it is for players to be able to essentially dictate staff members’ job status, Ricketts ultimately said Wint did what had to be done.

“In the interest of the sport, the own players, and this nation, Wint has decided to offer his resignation,” Ricketts said.

Babar Azma...

Thursday June 09, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You'll have all the inspiration you need to get to work on some of the problems that have been plaguing your group lately, Aries. You'll use your pragmatism and tact to efficiently tackle those things that have been making life.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Your family is encouraging you to reconsider some of your long-term plans, Taurus. In fact, some of your loved ones' needs are changing.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Without a doubt, your day will have important consequences for the future of your love life. The doubts you may have today, especially concerning your feelings.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) ou're naturally involved in things and bursting with energy. You're also trying to work on how you relate to other people.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today you may be wondering just how much you should get involved in a certain conflict between family members or in your career.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) You need to cut down on stress and stop getting upset over nothing, Virgo. Even if up until now you haven't been able to figure out what is really bothering you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Those arrogant types really need to watch out around you, Libra. Even if they don't mean you any harm, you head straight to the attack in order to make them understand that they don't intimidate you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) This is an important day for you, Scorpio, especially if you're an artist. The work you have already begun is beginning to escape your grasp. .

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Are you an intellectual or a poet, a novelist or a playwright, Sagittarius? The celestial energy leaves you alone with your anxieties and questions.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Have you been working yourself too hard and denying yourself many of the pleasures that you see others enjoying that you'd like to have.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Perhaps your family is far away and you miss them a lot, Aquarius. You need to realize that you can count on your friends. They'll able to prove their love for you and show you that you're as important as the air they breathe.1 PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) That little child you once were and that you're trying so desperately to forget is still causing you problems, Pisces.

From page 32 on the board on a surface that appeared conducive to batting. Despite a stuttering start that saw them lose Kyle Mayers early - Shaheen Afridi invariably striking in his first spell - Hope and Brooks grew increasingly comfortable out in the middle after the Powerplay. Once the field spread out, the dot balls - of which there were 40 of in the first 10 overs - vanished.

The Hope-Brooks partnership was as artistic as it was effective. There was some sumptuous strokeplay against both spin and pace bowling, Brooks regularly presenting the full face of the blade in the process of caressing some lovely straight drives, while Hope’s dismantling of Hasan Ali and Nawaz meant regular runs were an everpresent feature of the middle overs.

But when, once too often, Brooks looked to power Nawaz agai n s t t h e t u r n through midwicket, his fortune ran out. A top edge flew up in the general vicinity of short third man, and if the man in question hadn’t been Shadab, the stand might have continued on its jolly way. As it was the allrounder put in a dive, left arm outstretched, plucking the ball out of the air and breathing new life into a bowling effort that was beginning to wilt.

Pooran could offer little more than a cameo - though consecutive cow corner sixes off Nawaz did keep the runs ticking over. Brandon King’s struggles to get going perhaps recalibrated West Indies expectations of a truly huge score, though by now, Hope had got his hundred with a crunching cover drive and appeared to be truly

Buxton teams, Airy...

From page 32 Heywood (64’) and Nail Hernandez, who scored from the penalty spot in the 74th minute.

The following day which had loud rain, Airy Hall crushed Haslington 3 – 0 with goals from Dellon Desa (16’),

Elton Amsterdam (47’) and Omar Williams (63’).

The final game of the night saw Ann’s Grove needled the Victoria Kings with the lone goal scored by former national spinner, Clive Andries, from the penalty spot in the 8th minute.

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Thursday June 09, 2022

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Dozens of abuse survivors sue FBI over Nassar investigation (Reuters) - More than 90 women filed lawsuits yesterday against the FBI, accusing former agents at the agency of botching the sex abuse investigation into onetime USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, one of the law firms handling the case said.

Olympic gymnastics gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney were among the women who filed federal tort claims against the agency, seeking a total of more than $1 billion, the California law firm of Manly, Stewart and Finaldi said in a statement.

“It is time for the FBI to be held accountable,” said Team USA and NCAA National Champion gymnast Maggie Nichols.

FBI officials were not immediately available for comment.

Federal tort claims law allows individuals who were injured due to negligence or a wrongful act or omission by the federal government to be compensated.

The women accuse the FBI of mishandling credible complaints from numerous sources and failing to act on

Larry Nassar, a former team USA Gymnastics doctor who pleaded guilty in November 2017 to sexual assault charges, stands in court during his sentencing hearing in the Eaton County Court in Charlotte, Michigan, U.S., February 5, 2018.

(REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/ File Photo/File Photo) corroborating evidence the agency received in July 2015.

They say the FBI’s inaction allowed Nassar to continue molesting young women and girls up until the time he was charged in 2016.

The filings come two weeks after the U.S. Justice Department said it will stand by its prior decision not to file

criminal charges against former FBI agents accused of botching the investigation.

In April, 13 unnamed sexual abuse survivors of Nassar submitted administrative tort claims against the FBI, seeking a total of $130 million from the FBI over similar allegations.

Nassar, who is also a

U.S. Olympic gymnasts Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Maggie Nichols arrive to testify during a Senate Judiciary hearing about the Inspector General’s report on the FBI handling of the Larry Nassar investigation of sexual abuse of Olympic gymnasts, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 15, 2021. (Saul Loeb/Pool via REUTERS) former employee of Michigan State University, was sentenced in 2018 to up to 175 years in prison for abusing young female gymnasts entrusted to his care.

In September 2021, high profile Olympic gymnasts including Biles and Maroney gave heart-wrenching testimony before a U.S. Senate panel about the sexual abuse they endured for years under Nassar’s care.

At that hearing, the gymnasts blasted the FBI for its mishandling of the investigation, with Biles accusing the bureau of turning a blind eye to all of Nassar’s victims.

A July 2021 report by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz uncovered widespread and dire errors by the FBI that allowed Nassar to continue to abuse at least 70 more victims before he was finally arrested.

Two former FBI agents were singled out in the report - the former Indianapolis field office Special Agent in Charge W. Jay Abbott and a former supervisory special agent who has since been identified as Michael Langeman.

Horowitz said the agents waited five weeks before conducting a phone interview

with just one victim Maroney - while failing to contact other victims.

Langeman did not properly document Maroney’s interview until more than a year later, and when he did, it contained misstatements and omissions, the report found.

Horowitz also said Abbott violated ethics rules by trying to get a job with the U.S. Olympic Committee in the midst of the investigation, and later lied during his interview with the inspector general’s office.

Abbott retired from the bureau in 2018, while Langeman was fired last fall.

Thursday June 09, 2022

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Kaieteur News

Motie in West Indies squad named for 1st Test vs Bangladesh in Antigua Chanderpaul in CWI President’s XI squad named for Bangladesh warm-up match ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Men’s Selection Panel yesterday named three uncapped players in a 12-man squad for the first Test match against Bangladesh to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua from Thursday, June 16 to Monday, June 20.

The uncapped players are wicket-keeper/batsman Devon Thomas, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie and fast bowler Anderson Phillip.

Thomas has played 21 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and four T20 Internationals (T20Is).

Motie has so far played one T20I and was a reserve for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last year.

Phillip was in the squad throughout the recent Apex Test Series victory against England, b u t h a s n o t made his debut to date.

He has featured in three ODIs, including l a s t w e e k ’s 3 - 0 S e r i e s win against the Netherlands and is in the ODI squad for the ongoing ODI Series in Pakistan.

T h e Te st squad also includes left-handed allrounder Raymon Reifer who has one match on his record.

Experienced fast bowler Kemar Roach is to undergo a fitness assessment as he recovers from an injury sustained in the English County Championship with Surrey. If he is passed fit, he will be included as the 13th player in the Test squad.

Allrounder Jason Holder is unavailable for selection as CWI has granted his request for a period of rest and recovery. He will therefore miss Bangladesh’s all-format tour of the West Indies.

Batter Ta g e n a r i n e Chanderp a u l a n d f a s t bowler Shermon Lewis have been selected as reserves.

The Selection Panel also named the CWI President’s XI to face the visitors in a three-day warm-up match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua from Friday, June 10 to Sunday, June 12.

The team will be captained by allrounder

West Indies Captain Kraigg Brathwaite

Gudakesh Motie, Tagenarine Chanderpaul

Yannic Cariah.

Lead Selector, the Most Honorable Dr Desmond Haynes said: “Devon Thomas has been knocking on the door for quite some time.

He has done extremely well in our franchise cricket system and we view this as a good opportunity to give him a go. You would notice that Raymon Reifer is also in the squad.

He is another person that has done impressively well in the four-day competition and against England (earlier this year).

So again, we are giving opportunities to guys who are performing.

We t h i n k G u d a k e s h Motie is one o f t h o s e guys who is also bowling well, and we think it will be a good opportunity for him to be involved.”

Haynes added: “We are looking to pick up World Test Championship points against Ba n g l a d e s h which will be very important.

It would be good for us to use our home advantage to win both Test matches and collect those points.”

On the CWI P r e s i d e n t ’s X I , H a y n e s noted: “Yannic Cariah has captained Trinidad & Tobago at youth level and he was also the captain of the West Indies Emerging Players team which won the CG United Super50 Cup in 2019. We are looking at future leaders.

We need to start identifying these persons as early as possible.

While we will need

some assistance from the territo r i e s a s w e l l , w e want to make sure there are leaders we can identify and begin grooming for the f u t u r e o f We s t I n d i e s cricket.”

Fans can purchase tickets for the two match Series via the new WINDIES TICKETS service presented by Mastercard, at www.tickets.windiestickets.com.

Tickets start from US$6/ EC$15 for mounds/ grounds entry with general admission seating available for just US$15/EC$40.

In addition to being able to choose and pay for your seats in advance, the service allows

fans to save their purchased tickets to their device for ticket scanning at the venue, avoiding the need for queues and travel to the box offices.

Fans registered for the WI Insider fanmail and on the WINDIES TICKETS service will receive promotional discounts when they buy tickets online for this Series as well as forthcoming T20I and ODI games in the Caribbean.

TEST SQUAD Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain) Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain) Nkrumah Bonner

John Campbell Joshua Da Silva Alzarri Joseph Kyle Mayers Gudakesh Motie Anderson Phillip Raymon Reifer Jayden Seales Devon Thomas Reserves T a g e r n a r i n e Chanderpaul Shermon Lewis CWI President’s XI Yannic Cariah (Captain) Colin Archibald Alick Athanaze T a g e n a r i n e Chanderpaul Bryan Charles Roston Chase Tevin Imlach

Jeremiah Louis Preston McSween Marquino Mindley Jeremy Solozano Jomel Warrican MATCH SCHEDULE – Bangladesh tour of West Indies June 10-12: Bangladesh vs CWI President’s XI – Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua Local start time 10am/9am Jamaica time June 16-20: 1st Test – Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua. Local start time 10am/9am Jamaica June 24-28: 2nd Test – Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia. Local start time 10am/9am Jamaica July 2: 1 s t T 2 0 I – Windsor Park, Dominica.

Local start time 1:30pm/ 12:30pm Jamaica July 3: 2nd T20I – Windsor Park, Dominica Local start time 1:30pm/ 12:30pm Jamaica July 7: 3rd T20I – Guyana Stadium, Guyana, Local start time 1:30pm/ 12:30pm Jamaica July 10: 1st CG United ODI – Guyana Stadium, Guyana. Local start time 9:30am/8:30am Jamaica July 13: 2nd CG United ODI – Guyana Stadium, Guyana.

Local start time 9:30am/ 8:30am Jamaica July 16: 3rd CG United ODI – Guyana Stadium, Guyana. Local start time 9:30am/8:30am Jamaica

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Kaieteur News

El Salvador score late goal to hold Grenada in 2-2 draw

Reggae Boyz cruise to comfortable 3-1 win over Suriname - move to top of group A Jamaica Reggae Boyz celebrate during the match.

El Salvador scored a late goal to hold Grenada.

SportsMax - El Salvador got a late goal from Cristian Gil to rescue a 2-2 draw with Grenada in Group D of League A of the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League on Tuesday night at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium in St. George’s, Grenada.

Just like in their first encounter on Saturday, a 3-1 El Salvador win, the two sides would trade goals in quick succession in the first half.

This time it was Grenada breaking the deadlock in the 29’ when Jacob Berkeley

Agyepong pounced on a deflected ball in the El Salvador area and fired into the net to make it 1-0 to the hosts.

But six minutes later in the 35’, El Salvador was on level terms, 1-1, when Nelson Bonilla was fouled in the Grenada area and Alexander Larin calmly converted the spot kick.

When it comes to the CNL for Grenada, no player delivers more in the big spot than Jamal Charles and the star striker would score his seventh career CNL goal for the

Spice Boyz in the 54’ when he got behind the El Salvador defence and hammered in a right-footed shot to give his side a 2-1 advantage.

El Salvador looked to respond right away but they had to wait until the waning minutes for the 2-2 equalizer to come.

In the 88’, Darwin Ceren lofted a pass to Roberto Molina, whose shot was initially blocked by Grenada GK Jason Belfon, but Gil swooped in and scored to earn a precious point.

SportsMax - Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz cruised to a comfortable 3-1 win over Suriname in group A of the Concacaf Nation’s League at the National Stadium on Tuesday.

After a fairly even opening stanza, which saw Suriname slightly shade the scoring chances, it was Derby County midfielder Ravel Morrison who gave the Jamaicans the lead, with an inch-perfect free-kick, in the 16th minute.

Plucky Panama, however, mounted an almost immediate response and were back on level terms five minutes later.

The speedy Yanic Wildschut,

who was played in over the top, from just over the halfline, left a flat-footed Jamaica defense trailing in his wake before blasting the ball wide of Jamaica custodian Amal Knight 6-yards away from goal.

The Reggae Boyz refused to be kept quiet and would take the lead again in the 43rd minute. The influential Morrison would find himself involved again. This time the midfielder showed off a silky touch to bring down a lofted pass into the area and played the ball back to Junior Flemmings, who drifted across the area before firing a shot that wrong-footed

Suriname goalkeeper Warner Hahn.

The Jamaicans were a much more dominant unit in the second half and capped that advantage off with another goal in the 70th minute.

This time, Jamal Lowe was played through on goal by Shamar Nicholson, following Suriname’s loss of possession, and easily placed the ball wide of Hahn.

The win saw Jamaica move to the top of the threeteam group A, after a 1-1 draw between the teams on Sunday.

Mexico, the other team in the group, are yet to play a match.

Ex-soccer chief Blatter too ill to testify at his fraud trial BELLINZONA, Switzerland, (Reuters) - The trial of former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and French footballing legend Michel Platini over alleged corrupt payments ground to a halt yesterday when Blatter said he was too ill to testify.

Swiss prosecutors accuse the pair, once among football’s most powerful figures, of unlawfully arranging a payment of two million Swiss francs ($2.08 million) in 2011.

Blatter and Platini both deny the charges.

But Blatter, looking frail during the hearing at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, said he was unable to address the court due to chest pains.

“The pain will come back and I am having difficulty breathing,” the 86year-old told, the court in a whisper.

The judges told Blatter the trial, which is due to last two weeks, was running on a tight schedule

but eventually allowed him to make his testimony on Thursday.

The senior judge, Joséphine Contu Albrizio, wished Blatter a good recovery.

E a r l i e r, l a w y e r s f o r Blatter and Platini failed to shift the trial to a local court or dismiss FIFA’s civil claim against Blatter and Platter to reclaim the two million francs.

“This case is being heard in the wrong stadium,” Platini’s lawyer Dominic Nellen told the court, saying federal prosecutions should be reserved for large, international cases.

The judges dismissed the argument, and allowed FIFA to remain involved. “ I t i s o b v i o u s t hat FIFA has been damaged,” said its lawyer Catherine Hohl-Chirazi.

“Two million francs was stolen.”

Three judges will hear the trial, which runs until

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter arrives with his lawyer Lorenz Erni and daughter Corinne Blatter in front of the Swiss Federal Criminal Court (Bundesstrafgericht) in Bellinzona, Switzerland June 8, 2022. (REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann) June 22. A verdict is due on July 8. If convicted, Platini and Blatter face up to five years in jail.

Both have denied wrongdoing and say they had a verbal agreement over the payment, which related to consultancy work by Platini between 1998 and 2002.

Blatter, once the most powerful figure in global football, arrived at the court walking with a stoop and holding the arm of his daughter Corinne.

Before the hearing, he said he was positive and in a good mood.

“I know I have not done anything against

the law. My life was footb a l l , f or 45 years with FIFA,” he told journalists outside the court.

Platini, a former UEFA President, also said he was confident, and joked he would have to improve his German so he could follow the proceedings.

“I am convinced that jus-

tice will be fully and definitively done to me after so many years of wild accusations and slander,” he said in statement before the hearing.

“We will prove in court that I acted with the utm o s t h o n e s t y, t h a t t h e payment of the remaining salary was due to me

by FIFA and is perfectly legal,” he added.

The Swiss Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has accused B l a t t e r and Platini of “fraud, in the alternative of misappropriation, in the further alternative of criminal mismanagement as well as of forgery of a document”.

Platini, who as a player captained France to victory in the 1984 European Championship, was also charged as an accomplice.

Blatter and Platini, 66, were both banned in 2016 from soccer for six years over the payment, made with Blatter’s approval for work done a decade earlier.

Thursday June 09, 2022

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Kaieteur News

Richardsons and Maxwell star in Australia’s wobbly but series sealing win ESPNcricinfo - The Richardsons - Kane and Jhye - shared seven wickets between them to clean out Sri Lanka’s middle and lower orders. Glenn Maxwell took two as well, and Josh Hazlewood bowled four overs for just 14 runs. All this meant that on either side of a 66-run stand for the third wicket, Sri Lanka’s batting fell to pieces again, and the hosts limped their way to 124.

This should have made for another straightforward chase, but Wanindu Hasaranga magicked his team back into the game with two wickets in the Powerplay, and two more later on, returning match figures of 4 for 33.

At the end of Hasaranga’s last over, Australia still needed 26 runs, with only three wickets in hand. But they had 48 balls remaining, and Matthew Wade took them home with an unbeaten 26, with Jhye for company. It was a comfortable win in the end, but not one without tense moments.

A dramatic Powerplay part I Although Australia were chasing a low total, their batting Powerplay was box-office. Clearly, Aaron Finch and David Warner were intent on

taking down Sri Lanka’s main bowlers.

Dushmantha Chameera was welcomed to the attack with two bludgeoned square boundaries either side of the wicket by Finch. Warner then blasted him into the stands beyond deep midwicket later in the over. And when Hasaranga came on, Finch was looking to dominate him again, as Australia had done early on in Tuesday’s match. He bashed the first ball down the ground for two, then crashed him through extra cover for four, before heaving him towards midwicket for another two… …and Part II Then Hasaranga struck, setting a little top order stumble in motion. Finch tried to carve Hasaranga over the offside, but ended up slicing it aerially Danushka Gunathilaka at cover, who took a good catch above his head. There was some drama over whether Hasaranga’s back foot had crossed the return crease (which would have constituted a rare, backfoot no-ball) but it turned out that the foot was landed behind the crease.

There were four fours before the next wicket - two to

Kane Richardson’s 4-for helped Australia clean Sri Lanka’s lower order.

(ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) Warner, and two to Mitch Marsh, before Hasaranga struck again, this time by slipping a googly under Marsh’s sweep shot to trap him in front. In the last over of the Powerplay, Nuwan Thushara hit a shuffling Steve Smith in front of the stumps as well.

Because Australia had struck 10 fours and a six inside the Powerplay, they were still way ahead of the game, and had no reason to worry.

Yet… Hasaranga’s doublestrike Despite those three Powerplay wickets, followed

Soccer great Pele urges Brazil authorities to ramp up search for British journalist SAO PAULO, (Reuters) Brazilian soccer legend Pele yesterday urged the country’s authorities to intensify their search for a British journalist and an indigenous expert that went missing in the Amazon jungle on Sunday.

Pele said on Instagram that he was moved by the disappearance of Dom Phillips, a freelancer who has written for the Guardian, the Washington Post and other publications, and Bruno Pereira, a former senior official with federal indigenous agency Funai.

“The fight for the preservation of the Amazon Forest and the protection of indigenous groups belongs to all of us. ...

Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira dedicate their lives to this cause,” Pele said. Phillips and Pereira had been on a reporting trip in the Javari Valley, a remote jungle area that is home to the world’s largest number of uncontacted indigenous people, as well as cocaine-smuggling gangs, and illegal hunters and fishermen.

Brazil’s government dispatched navy, army and federal police personnel to join a

Legendary Brazilian soccer player Pele waves to the spectators before the start of under-17 boys’ final soccer match of Subroto Cup tournament at Ambedkar stadium in New Delhi, India, October 16, 2015.

(REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee/File Photo)

search for the pair in a vast indigenous reserve with an area larger than Austria, but local groups criticized the security forces for taking too long to deploy search teams.

“I join the many voices that make the appeal to intensify the search and to find them as soon as possible,” Pele said while sharing a video of Phillips’ wife, Alessandra Sampaio, making an emotional plea for authorities to intensify their search efforts.

Widely considered to be the best of all time, the 81-yearold former Brazil, Santos and New York Cosmos forward has reduced his public appearances recently as he receives treatment for a colon tumor, but remains active on social media. Other sports personalities such as Everton and Brazil striker Richarlison and former Brazil international Walter Casagrande Junior have also urged authorities to step up their efforts to find Phillips and Pereira.

by losing Warner and Marcus Stoinis right after, Australia were still cruising.

That was until Hasaranga claimed two wickets in two balls to yank Sri Lanka back into the match, in the 12th over.

He floated one up to Glenn Maxwell, who holed out to long-off. Then next ball, he ripped a legbreak between Ashton Agar’s bat and pad to leave Australia seven down.

But with Wade still in, Australia knew they could do it in singles, which is what they mostly did. Wade’s 26

Wanindu Hasaranga’s wickets clawed Sri Lanka back but were not enough.

(ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) was at a run-a-ball and featured just two boundaries.

Sri Lanka’s batting shambles As with the first match, Sri Lanka found themselves seriously short of both batting firepower and nous. Charith Asalanka was involved in a good partnership again, hitting 39 off 33, as he and Kusal Mendis - who made a run-aball 36 - put on 66 together.

But their Powerplay had been woeful, having lost two wickets for 28.

And after Maxwell broke this partnership, getting Asalanka to top edge an at-

tempted strike down the ground, Sri Lanka’s middle and lower-middle orders stumbled rapidly, losing five wickets for 31, as the Richardsons bowled hard into the pitch and mixed up their pace.

Sri Lanka managed only four fours in their last six overs. And two of those came off edges.

Scores: Australia 126 for 7 (Wade 26*, Finch 24, Hasaranga 4-33) beat Sri Lanka 124 for 9 (Asalanka 39, Mendis 36, Kane Richardson 4-30, Jhye Richardson 3-26) by three wickets.

GuyanaNRA Smallbore /SICI/IPSC Level 1 Match…

Hopkinson, Dayaram and Gordon emerge as top shots When the Smallbore Section of the Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA) held an International Practical Shooting Federation (IPSC) Level 1 Match on Sunday last the Timehri Rifle Ranges, emerging as the best shots on the day were Harold ‘Top Gun’ Hopkinson, Satya Dayaram and Jude Gordon.

The event was sponsored by Secure Innovations and Concepts located at 246 Samaan Drive, Meadow Brook Gardens, Georgetown.

Hopkinson outshot a very experienced field in the Open Division, accumulating 313.4879 points for a 100% match average to beat into

second place, Smallbore Captain, Gordon Richards, who ended with 270.0 points while third place went to Dallas Thomas with 238.4712 points.

Occupying fourth place was Roberto Tewari followed by Carlos Mendonca and Murtland Smith in the order.

Ruling the roost in the Production Class was Satya Dayaram who mirrored the 100% returns of the Open winner in her category which attracted the most competitors of the day.

Dayaram tallied 322.5801 points well ahead of the second-placed David Dharry (298.6836) and Joseph Chin in third on 203.2876 points.

Fourth, fifth and sixth

places were occupied by Kelsey Andrews, Surujbali Persaud, and Vyvian Crandon.

A total of 24-persons contested this category.

The top shooter in the Standard Class which saw eleven persons competing was another 100% achiever, Jude Gordon, whose 338.5062 points saw him claiming the winner’s trophy ahead of the experienced Ryan McKinnon who managed a 93% return with his 317.5772 points.

Third was Azaad Hassan with 276.9051 points, followed by Rajiv Latchana, Lavendra Luckiram and Romesh Latchana, in that order.

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Kaieteur News

Babar Azma ton, Khushdil Shah cameo ensure Pakistan win a thriller ESPNcricinfo - It was all going to plan, until it suddenly wasn’t. The usual hundred from Babar Azam - his fourth in five innings - set Pakistan up for what looked like a fairly straightforward chase of 306, before a middleorder stutter let West Indies back in. In the end, it was left to a gem of a cameo from Khushdil Shah, who smashed four sixes en route an unbeaten 23-ball 41, to see Pakistan home by five wickets and four balls to spare. It meant Shai Hope, whose 12th ODI hundred was classy enough to merit winning the game in its own right, ended up in vain, as the visitors fell just short in an attritional ODI. The target didn’t hold much fear for Pakistan, at least while some combination of the ever-reliable top three were still out in the middle.

When Jayden Seales forced Fakhar Zaman to flat-bat one to short point, it brought Imam and Babar together two men who combined famously to chase down 349 against Australia. The West Indies fast bowlers, though, kept things tight on a Multan surface that looked like it wasn’t allowing the ball to come on so easily in the evening, and for a while, it was all Pakistan could do to

Imam-ul-Haq reverse sweeps. (PCB)

Shai Hope and Shamarh Brooks run across for a single during their second-wicket stand. (PCB) ensure they didn’t lose a cluster of wickets while waiting for batting to get easier.

While Babar took his time en route his first 50 runs, Imam was brisker. After fortuitously surviving a marginal lbw call early on, he took on charge of keeping the asking rate in check, finding regular boundaries and routinely turning the strike over. It took 56 balls for him to get to his half-century, by which time the asking rate was creeping to seven.

Eventually though, the wicket-taking threat that West Indies posed began to fade, and Babar was beginning to

whir into action. By the time Akeal Hosein struck to remove Imam, Babar was in full flow, inexorably motoring along to his 17th ODI hundred. Mohammad Rizwan, whose lack of form in this format has come under scrutiny - if only for the sharp contrast it presents compared to his T20 record - kept him company. Pakistan were building towards something of a cruise of a finish, with 72 required in nine overs with eight wickets still in hand.

But Alzarri Joseph, perhaps the pick of the West Indies bowlers, drew Babar into mistiming a bouncer, and

with 69 to win and a fragile middle order to come, West Indies sniffed an opportunity.

The runs dried up and Romario Shepherd got rid of Rizwan soon after, and suddenly an asking rate that looked comfortable was pushing 12 in the final four overs.

It was time for the Khushdil show. Shepherd was put away for three successive sixes - the bottom hand power in each of them particularly impressive - as Pakistan inched closer once more. West Indies struck with

the wicket of Shadab Khan and took it to the final over, but by then, the damage Khushdil had inflicted was too much to recover from.

Mohammad Nawaz sealed the win with a six over long-on, and Pakistan had survived a scare.

A classy 127 from Hope, which took him past 4,000 runs in ODIs, had powered West Indies to 305. The backbone of the innings was a 154run partnership between Hope and Shamarh Brooks, two men who effortlessly

made the transition from cool Amstelveen to sizzling Multan. It set for the visitors a glorious platform, but Pakistan struck back after Brooks fell for 70 in the 31st over thanks to a superb diving catch from Shadab. Pakistan secured regular wickets from thereon, while also keeping the run-rate in check, but a strong finish from Rovman Powell and Shepherd catapulted West Indies past 300.

Winning the toss, Nicholas Pooran opted to put runs (Continued on page 27 )

EDFA/Stag Beer Men’s Senior League 2022…

Buxton teams, Airy Jamaica open campaign Hall, Mahaica & Ann’s with win over T&T Grove record wins CG Insurance T20 blaze

In the third match which was played under lights on Tuesday night, Chinelle Henry helped Jamaica to a 79-run victory over Trinidad and Tobago, with a fine all-round showing in first round action of CG Insurance Women’s T20 Blaze at Providence.

Henry registered the only fifty in the round; blasting a pugnacious 52 from 38 balls with seven boundaries to spearhead Jamaica to 133-6 off 2 0 o v e r s .

Natasha McLean got the Jamaicans off to a flying start with 30 off 27 balls, which included five boundaries and shared in a 29-run opening partnership with Rashada Williams who was dismissed for 10.

Skipper Stafanie Taylor added 14 which included two boundaries.

Caniesha Isaac was the best bowler for Trinidad and Tobago with figures of 2-21 from four overs.

The experienced pacer Neisha-Ann Waisome destroyed the Trinidad and Tobago batting under lights as she ripped the middle-order apart to finish with career-best figures of 5-8 from four overs.

Only Kirbyina Alexander (15), the last batter to be dismissed, reached double figures as Trinidad and Tobago were

Chinelle Henry (ESPNcricinfo file photo) bundled out for 55 in 13.3 overs. Henry completed a good match with figures of 220. (Sean Devers)

This weekend the East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) organised Stag Beer Men’s Senior League is scheduled to continue with four matches.

According to the fixtures, Buxton United and Dynamic FC contest the opening match of Saturday’s double header at the Buxton Ground from 16:00 hrs then Buxton Stars and Victoria Scorpions meet in the feature match which starts at 18:00 hrs.

The following day the action continues at the same venue with another double header that has Melanie and Ann’s Grove battling in the curtain raiser from 16:00 hrs then Mahaica Determinators tackle the Victoria Kings in the feature from 18:00 hrs.

On Saturday last, Mahaica Determinators defeated Victoria Scorpions, 3 – 1, while the Buxton Stars outshined Melanie to win 3 – 2.

Airy Hall scorers from L-R: Dellon Desa, Elton Amsterdam and Omar Williams.

In Mahaica’s win, the opposition drew first blood in the 10th minute from an own goal credited to Shamar Pollard but the equalizer came five minutes later, compliments of Kadasi Barns. The encounter continued with scores leveled until the brink of half time where Eion Abel made his presence felt.

Abel gained the lead for Mahaica in the 44th then com-

pleted his brace after the break when he scored in the 64th minute to put the victory beyond doubt.

In the game that followed, a brace from Buxton Stars’ Neil Hutson (28th & 68th) and the opening goal from Stephon Thomas in the 11th minute was enough to defeat the Melanie side that saw a goal each from Seon (Continued on page 27)

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 09, 2022

PAGE 33

Sports, community relations high on agenda as acting Commissioner holds first meeting with National Scout Leaders

Acting Commissioner Mr. Hicken meeting with the Scout Leaders in the Commissioner’s Conference Room at GPF’s Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown.

Acting Commissioner of Police Mr. Clifton Hicken is sticking to promises made to lead from the front as the Guyana Police Force (GPF) move to resuscitate groups that are aligned with the

organization. Among such organizations are Scouts, Youths and sports groups across the country, a number of which has already been activated.

On Monday, Mr. Hicken

took time out to meet with Scout Leaders from across the country in an effort to speed up the resuscitation of Scout Groups in Guyana.

The meeting took place in t h e C o m m i s s i o n e r ’s

Conference Room at GPF’s Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown.

The meeting was cordial and encouraging and according to Commissioner Hicken, the vision is for the

GPF’s continued inclusion of young people and youth initiatives as part of its Social Crime Prevention Plan.

The various Police Commanders and other heads of departments across

the country were earlier given the charge by Commissioner Hicken to begin resuscitating or forming scout, youth and sports groups under their purview. (Samuel Whyte)

South African boxer Simiso Canada-based Guyanese Rukhram slams 196 not out Buthelezi dies after ending bout punching ‘invisible opponent’ in OSCL’s tournament…

Prolific left-handed opening batsman and Canada-based Guyanese Avish Rukhram continued to make headlines having fashioned his way to backto-back centuries in the continuation of the 2022 Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) regular Season 20-overs competition.

Last Sunday at Ashtonbee Ground, Scarborough, Rukhram slammed a scintillating 196 not out to follow up his unbeaten 153 the previous week representing Mercenary. Choosing to bat first against 3 Counties EBD/Miss Phoebe, reigning champion Mercenary piled up a massive 327-3 from the 17 overs when time was called.

3 Counties EBD/Miss Phoebe, in response, were bowled out for 46, losing appallingly by 281 runs. But the day belonged to the consistent 30-year-old Rukhram who clobbered 23 sixes and 8 fours in his magnificent batting exhibition. Before the innings concluded, Zaheer Allard also showed

Footage of the fight showed Simiso Buthelezi (left) throwing punches towards an empty corner.

Avish Rukhram equal aggression by hitting an entertaining 57 laced with eight sixes.

Mercenary now have four wins from as many matches and their bowlers did a fantastic job as well.

Rabindra Diaram and Kristopher Karran, the son of veteran softball player Muniram Karran, picked up three wickets each to help with the demolition job.

Details from the other games will be available in a subsequent article.

The competition is set to continue on Saturday with a list of matches across the Greater Toronto Area.

Meanwhile, Rukhram had dominated a few years ago in the Ontario RoundArm Cricket Association competitions with two double-centuries.

BBC Sport - South African lightweight Simiso Buthelezi has died after suffering bleeding on the brain following a boxing bout at the weekend in Durban.

The 24-year-old faced compatriot Siphesihle Mntungwa for the WBF All Africa lightweight title on Sunday, but the 10-round contest was stopped by the referee after Buthelezi appeared to shadow box an invisible opponent. Footage of the fight showed Mntungwa falling through the ropes and then, after the fight was restarted, Buthelezi advancing towards an empty corner where he started to swing punches.

Mntungwa was declared the winner and Buthelezi subsequently collapsed and was rushed to hospital.

He was placed in an induced coma after it was discovered he had bleeding on the brain.

Boxing South Africa (BSA) confirmed

Buthelezi had died on Tuesday evening in a statement jointly issued with the boxer’s family.

They hailed Buthelezi as “a great boxer who was exemplary both outside and inside the ring”, and BSA also said it will undertake an independent medical review of incident.

“At the hospital Mr Buthelezi was given the best care possible but he however succumbed to the injury,” the statement said.

“Boxing South Africa will conduct an independent medical review of the injury and will then make public the results of that medical review.

“The Buthelezi family and BSA acknowledges warm words of condolences of the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture.”

Trainer Bheki Mngomezulu said Buthelezi had been in perfect health in the lead-up to the bout.

rts o p S

Babar Azma ton, Khushdil Shah cameo ensure Pakistan win a thriller Shai Hope drives towards the covers. (AFP/Getty Images)

Hopkinson, Dayaram and Gordon emerge as top shots Guyana NRA Smallbore/ SICI/IPSC Level 1 Match…

The respective category winners display their silverware alongside the other competitors.

Motie in West Indies squad named for 1st Test Chanderpaul in CWI President’s XI squad vs Bangladesh in Antigua named for Bangladesh warm-up match Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.