Kaieteur News

Secretive large-scale K NEWS mining contracts must be made public on request- Jagdeo AIETEUR

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

Thursday Edition June 16, 2022 - Vol. 15 No. 24 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $100 readership yesterday, 74,286

Contract gives minister special powers to allow Exxon to hold onto unused portions of Stabroek Block ...Provision differs for other oil blocks No bail for Two men die from alleged COVID-19; 120 rapist of schoolgirl new infections Crane residents not consulted on Exxon's gas-to-shore pipeline running through their community

Change must come!

Exxon subsidiary records $132 billion profit from Stabroek Block for 2021

Oil blocks question by farmer angers Pres. Ali in Bartica If the Govt. and Opposition do not get help with this oil sector, is only God Almighty to ensure that the Guyanese citizens don’t starve. Listen to The Glenn Lall Show @11:00hrs on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

Thursday June 16, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Court case over Govt. tax waiver to oil companies…

Glenn Lall has jurisdiction to challenge transaction in interest of public - attorney tells court

The attorney representing Kaieteur News' Publisher, Glenn Lall in the case filed against the Government of Guyana over its decision to grant Exxon Mobil and its affiliates, extensive tax waivers is arguing strongly that the businessman and newspaper owner has the right to challenge the concessions in the interest of the public.

A t t o r n e y - a t - l a w, Mohamed R. Ali noted in his written submission to the High Court in response to the Government's position on the case that Lall is a businessman and a taxpayer, who commenced these proceedings as a publicspirited citizen of Guyana.

In its initial response to the case, the Government of Guyana through the office of the Attorney General had submitted that Lall has no locus standi to challenge the agreement it has with the oil operator and its partners. The Government said that the

transaction falls in the realm of private law and it does not affect Lall personally, hence his reasons for the case, he filed should not stand.

But Lall's lawyer has since replied in a written submission to Court where he contends that although the newspaper publisher is alleging an infringement of his fundamental rights and freedoms in Article 149 of the Constitution of Guyana, he is clear that his interest in these proceedings is not personal and that he will not likely be directly affected in his individual capacity by the actions of the Minister with responsibility for petroleum and the Petroleum Agreement dated June 27, 2016.

The document submitted to the court outlined that, “The Applicant [Lall] asserts that he has both the capacity and the legal standing to bring these proceedings in his own name in his private capacity for declaratory relief

Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall (left) and his lawyer, Mohamed R. Ali. alleging breach of public rights.”

Lall's attorney also cites a number of cases in which he says shows precedence for his position.

In keeping with the

principle established in the case of AG v Dumas [2017] UKPC 12, the lawyer is contending that the court is entitled to entertain public interest litigation provided the litigation is bona fide,

arguable with sufficient merit to have a real and not fanciful prospect of success, grounded in a legitimate and concrete public interest.

In another case cited, Ali noted that seeking declarations is the appropriate remedy when matters are brought by public-spirited citizens having a sufficient interest in the matter: "It would, in my view, be a grave lacuna in our system of public law if … even a single public-spirited taxpayer, were prevented by outdated technical rules of locus standi from bringing the matter to the attention of the court to vindicate the rule of law and get the unlawful conduct stopped,” he said.

As it relates to the issue of whether the matter is one of private law, The general rule is that a public officer may be said to be one who discharges a duty in the performance of which the public is interested…

In this regard, Ali asserts

that “…In Guyana the judiciary has set aside a division of the High Court to b e c a l l e d t h e Constitutional/Administrativ e Law Division. This division is intended to deal with all cases have a “public law element”, namely those concerning acts and decisions of public officials and authorities and involving the interpretation or application of the Constitution.”

In the case, the lawyer stressed that the applicant submits that the said Minister responsible for petroleum public authorities and did in fact obtain his power to act in relation to the said Petroleum Agreement under the sections of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act (PEPA).

“The Petroleum Agreement also clearly states that the Minister responsible for petroleum represents the Guyana Government and (Continued on page 9)

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 16, 2022

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Secretive large-scale mining contracts must be made public on request-Jagdeo

By Gary Eleazar

V

ice President Bharrat Jagdeo is of the view that the large-scale mining contracts in Guyana should be made available to the public should a formal request be made to the Freedom of Information Office.

Jagdeo made the assertion yesterday during a press engagement held at Office of the President when he was confronted with the recommendation by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), that the contracts for the 10 large scale operations in Guyana be made public.

He told members of the media when asked why the contracts were not made public in the first place, that “these contracts don't rest with the president, if you go to GRA (Guyana Revenue Authority) every one of these contracts will be at GRA because they all have dutyfree concessions.”

He qualified his position by pointing to the Bai Shan Lin contract and the fact that it was with GRA is what allowed the tax authority to move against the Chinese logging company for unpaid taxes. According to Vice President Jagdeo, “every single one of these contracts will be with the Agency.” To this end, he recalled the existence of the Freedom of Information Act but conceded “I don't know now who, because Ramson (Former Commissioner of Information Charles Ramson Senior), if Ramson is still

…promises to activate Freedom of Information Act

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo addressing members of the media during a press engagement at Office of the President. there (but) we pass just before I left office a Freedom of Information Act.” As such, he was adamant as long as a request is made to the Commissioner of Information for one of the mining contracts “and you don't get it then that is a different matter, we don't publish the contracts, the contracts are with the agencies.”

He suggested copies of that document would also be with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission that would have first signed off on the contracts, as well as the GRA which would have to assess concessions and such like that a company might be entitled to.

“I think the reporters have to start utilising more that provision, I am going to make sure that we discuss this seriously.”

He suggested too: “I am going to talk to the President

(Irfaan Ali) that we put in place a mechanism to operationalise (the freedom of information provisions) if it is not in place already.” The query posed to the Vice President was rooted in the most recent country report compiled on the country's Extractive Industry. This year, the international transparency watchdog body for the third time flagged the secretive nature of at least 10 large scale mining contracts.

Since becoming a member of EITI the Guyana Government agreed to adhere to several requirements such as publicly disclosing all mineral agreements entered into force prior to the reporting period, in this case,

2019. Importantly, the report highlights that the country's Mining Act (1989) does not include any expressed restrictions on the public disclosure of mineral agreements and licences by the government.

There are currently 10 companies holding largescale licences in Guyana.

The Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. holds three large scale licences for the extraction of bauxite in Kurubuka (Block 22), North East (Block 5 in Kwakwani), Berbice (Block 38) for a total area of 16,691 acres, in which the Guyanese Government has a state participation of 10% as confirmed by the National Industrial and Commercial

Investments Limited (NICIL).Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Inc. holds three (3) large-scale licences for the extraction of bauxite in East Montgomery, Tailing area and Dacouria for a total area of 3,063 acres, in which the Guyanese Government also has state participation of 30 percent as confirmed by NICIL.Correia Mining Co. holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold and diamonds for a total area of 3,681 acres.

Guyana Goldfield Inc.

holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold in Cuyuni (Aurora) for a total area of 14,339 acres while Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc. holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of bauxite in the Bonasika Mining project for a total area of 18,940 acres.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, N o r t h American Resources Incorporated Ltd. holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold for a total 5,950 acres. Pereira Mining Company holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold, silver, and valuable minerals for a total area of 5 , 1 0 5 a c r e s .

Meanwhile, Romanex Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold and valuable minerals for a total area of 11,110 acres; while Ontario Incorporated holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold and copper for a total area of 8,346 acres.

Troy Resources Guyana also holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold for a total area of 15,160 acres.

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Thursday June 16, 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

America, Biden, Guyana and Exxon According to one sacred scripture, God made man, and gave him numerous creative powers. Man, in his turn, made many things, including money which makes much possible. Unbelievably there are now men at America’s oil giant, ExxonMobil, who “make more money than God.” We are not the source of that assertion, United States President Joe Biden is the one who did, and about his own highflying American oil company, ExxonMobil.

Making more money than God is a big thing, and can be a bad thing also. This is because, also, according to The Holy Book, God is a jealous God. And a jealous God is usually an angry God. President Biden is reportedly angry at his own Exxon, as he very well should be. For sheer rapaciousness, the American oil behemoth can’t be topped, it is top of its class, over the top, where any other oil company, perhaps any corporate power is concerned.

The company has compiled an unequalled record of denials, whenever climate change comes up for discussion and serious action. Its newer senior people have since adjusted, somewhat slightly, their public posture of dismissal and resistance about what damages environment and atmosphere. When Exxon denies and scorns climate change science, now ever more compelling, it makes money hand over fist; like the man said, ‘more money than God’ himself.

Exxon in its worship and pursuit of the almighty dollar by any means fair or foul, has run amok right here in Guyana.

The horror movie has many frightening parts, and all to the intense anxieties and rage of Guyanese, who own the oil that Exxon harvests for a paltry penny, if not less. The company has run one racket after another, only a few of which can be touched upon in passing, so many of them there are. It flares and flares gas into the atmosphere, which is its answer to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions alarms. Not content with that excess, the powers at Exxon have compromised Guyana’s political and professional elites, so that both rush forward to justify or minimise what Exxon does and gets away with here.

The Government of Guyana, its leaders, its servants, have only been too glad to give Exxon any pass that it requires (or haughtily demands) so that it can operate more freely and flare more recklessly. The objective is so that the company can polish its bottom line, and load up on Guyana’s money in its overseas banks.

We play around, from the President and Vice President (and subject minister) on down, while Exxon collects and makes complete laughingstocks of this nation before the world. One leader talks up a storm about what the advanced countries have done, how they have poisoned and destroyed the world for decades, and of Guyana’s minimal contributions in this regard. Leaders and helpers distract Guyanese with happy talk about carbon sink, while ignoring the carbon bomb that is constructed by Exxon’s hands.

This is all too clear the way so that Exxon makes more money, while poor Guyanese are starving.

President Biden is so angry that he takes aim with taxes, a much-feared word in the U.S. Exxon (and its kind) must pay more, given that ordinary Americans are struggling to cope. Talk about taxes in this country, and our politicians from the top down get cute.

Before Exxon’s chiefs could open their mouths to defend the tax banditries that it extracts from Guyana, through its oil, our own PPP/C Government races ahead to run interference for the company. Guyana’s leaders speak in solemn tones about ‘sanctity of contract’ and how we must be true to its provisions.

We are being robbed blind and ravished repeatedly and our leaders in this PPP/C Government see nothing wrong with the highway robbery that drains this country of its oil income, and reduces it to nothing but meaningless pittances.

While Joe Biden can appear lost at times, he is dead right on Exxon, and how much money it is making. Guyana needs a national leader, a true patriot, who can stand up, stare down, and step out in carrying the fight to Exxon, so that the company makes less, and we make far more.

AFC could still rebound and go places since it succeeded in running a clean and satisfactory elections process DEAR EDITOR, Finally, somebody got it right, and in the first go around. Applause for the Alliance For Change (AFC) is due, and I give it. I find it refreshing that a group could hold elections and the aftermath is without a whimper of incident, not a whiff of controversy. It is so unlike the norm that rears its disgraceful head in this town, which now goes beyond our decayed national elections apparatus and mentalities, and has infiltrated polling stations involving sport, and other social occupations and spaces.

I think that what the AFC achieved, presented to us, is that a clean election is doable.

I do not fool myself for a moment that what happened with this relatively small, but still consequential, group of citizens in a closeted space could be successfully amplified into broader local govern-

ment and national government elections. Still, I think that a start could be made from what is an incomplete, possibly imperfect (maybe even unworkable) blueprint that may run into heavy headwinds in the challenges and crucibles of national elections where so much more is at stake. What I discern that the AFC was able to do began with a sound and credible system that encircled from sanctioned delegates to rules to operational points to decision points to issue resolution mechanism, and moving on, among other unmentioned steps and considerations. It involved the runup, the gathering, the process, the people, and what followed afterwards. It is that when certain points have been completed, then other elements, and only those, can come into play, until there is that endpoint where it is over.

It is really over, notwithstand-

ing disappointments, hidden frustrations, speculations of what should have been, or what was in place, but did not holdup, and so forth. It takes big people to start out with the underpinnings, and conditions that lead to such a point. Nobody likes to lose, and the only good loser a loser, all have their merits; but it is what is there, and such must be obeyed to the fullest extent.

As I consider all this, I think that what the AFC did was next to the impossible, given the roiling contexts of Guyana, and I speak not only towards the resulting choices for leaders, but the composition of its leadership slate. In so doing, the party has set an example, showed others how to do so, the kind of innards demanded. This is the benchmark. I believe that this sets a standard for the PPP, the PNC, and the nation. Its elections also incorporated timing, ac-

ceptance, and closure. From then it must be moving on to the many big, urgent things that wait for addressing and resolving here.

Now, the party and its leaders must start anew. Both must work diligently to make presence felt. Be a game changer with all the foolishness and dark ruling criminalities raging in this land under the cover of law and secrecy.

The group must reinvent itself and reposition itself before the Guyanese electorate, in which there is an increasing sense of disillusionment and disenchantment. There has to be an end to this groping around like a blind man feeling his way in the dark, while looking for his props.

Since it succeeded in running a clean and satisfactory elections process, then the AFC could still rebound and go places.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Heirs of the Enmore Martyrs… 74 years after and still in the struggle DEAR EDITOR, In the light of developments in the sugar industry, this year’s 74th anniversary of the Enmore Martyrs, is likely to be overshadowed by a more somber and reflective mood among those who still cling romantically to the days when sugar was king hoping that, that era will somehow return and not dim before their very eyes.

June 16th, is the date identified as Enmore Martyrs Day. It’s observance is usually done by recalling the difficult conditions under which sugar workers toiled and sacrificed at that time. Above all, we pay homage to the five who were shot and killed and the two others who were injured as a result of the colonial polices’ actions at the Enmore Estate on the East Coast of Demerara.

One year earlier in 1947, Cheddi Jagan won a seat in what was then called the Legislative Council or ‘Legco.’

Three years after, the PPP was formed on January 1st, 1950.

Following the victory of the PPP at elections held in June 1953 and with a majority in the House of Assembly, the Labour Movement Bill was passed on the same day the British troops intervened in October 1953 and the constitution suspended bringing an end to the first PPP government just after 133 days in office.

Fifteen years (1963) after

the death of their Comrades, the heirs of the Enmore Martyrs and management of the sugar industry were locked in an 80-day strike. This time, it was in connection with what was known then as the Labour Relations Bill. That Bill later became the Trade Union Recognition Bill.

With the odds stacked against them, the Heirs of The Enmore Martyrs, showed tremendous grit and determination in maintaining the effectiveness of their strike action for eighty days. Ultimately, local politics and capital combined, weaponising the Bill as a means to destabilise the PPP government in the 1962-1964 period.

Fourteen years after the eighty-day strike and twentynine years after the fatal shooting at Enmore, the militancy of the sugar workers was rekindled once again.

Sugar workers struck for 13-weeks in 1977 in support of a poll in the sugar industry to determine the Union of the workers’ choice. The strike proceeded in two stages; the first stage lasted for seven weeks while the second phase lasted for six weeks.

That strike was to become unprecedented in the history of industrial relations in Guyana, it was the first strike ever that was ‘adjourned’ and then ‘resumed’.

During that strike, intense negotiations with manage-

ment were led by experienced trade union giants including ‘Boysie’ Ram Karran, Cheddi Jagan, Harry Lall, Philomena Sahoye, Maccie Hamid, Komal Chand and others.

After thirteen weeks of struggle, the Burnham administration finally caved in, agreeing to conduct a poll in the sugar industry. The result proved that GAWU was the choice of the sugar workers as their sole legitimate representative. History had absolved the efforts of the Enmore Martyrs.

But recognition brought with it new challenges. A major battle was won but the now famous cry; ‘La Luta Continua’ reverberated throughout the sugar industry.

During the 1976 to 1984 period, the heirs of the Enmore Martyrs continued to press their demands for better wages and improved working conditions; their entitlement to merit increments and collective bargaining and for honouring and upholding agreements reached between the union and management; Sugar workers opposed the TUC’s efforts to downgrade their Union’s membership in order to minimise its numerical strength on leading bodies of the TUC; they fought to be included in profit sharing; the right to severance pay and against victimisation and intimidation.

Sugar workers resisted efforts by the Burnham dictatorship to pit bauxite workers against sugar workers and clerical and commercial workers against bauxite workers; sugar workers opposed state terrorism and centrally directed thuggery to frustrate the growing manifestations of working class unity and solidarity reminiscent of the 1940’s. Above all, they joined in the struggle for free and fair elections demanding the right to elect a government of their choice.

For decades agriculture, with sugar, as the major subsector, has been the backbone of Guyana’s economy.

No other industry has emerged and established itself as a way of life for hundreds of thousands of Guyanese as the sugar industry did.

Concomitantly, no other contingent of the Guyanese working class, save the heirs of the Enmore Martyrs have faced uncalled for attacks, wrongful accusations, victimisation and intimidation by the ruling elites in colonial and post-colonial times.

True to their commitment to continue the struggle for better wages and working conditions initiated by their predecessors in June 1948, Guyanese sugar workers emerged as the most politically conscious and militant (Continued on page 6)

Thursday June 16, 2022

BANK-rolling Guyana’s Education Capacity DEAR EDITOR, The summarised press release on the World Bank’s funding of a new Education developmental project identifies the following targets to be addressed: -60,744 Students -2,128 Teachers’ and Principals -600 TVET Students -140 Secondary and Post-Secondary Trainers Subject Areas -A new curriculum for Grades 7-9 -Training teachers on the new curriculum -Teach students with different needs -Coaching and mentoring teachers -Instructional leadership and managerial programme’ for Principals Accommodation Secondary Schools to be built or rehabilitated Without question this is a most laudable human resources project. Multipronged as is, it will require the most focused coordination, with trust being a critical element amongst the adults, who must be trained in a ‘new curriculum’, as well as be ‘coached and mentored’. Principals must wonder about being instructed in ‘leadership’.

Of course, the summarised press release makes no mention of the periodicities of the respective interventions, which leaves for enquiry as to when and where more ‘secondary schools will be built and rehabilitated’.

In the milieu one is left to ponder how this initiative reconciles with those teachers involved in the earlier GOAL exercise.

Then there is the question to be raised about those teachers whose immediate termination was recently threatened if they did not apply for entry into the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), and subsequently be licenced.

So far as the TVET developmental programme is concerned it is interesting to learn the impressive numbers of 140 trainers that would develop 600 students, albeit in a range of unspecified disciplines – particularly against the current background of a non-operational Board –

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Kaieteur News

which means that no legitimate certification is feasible – leaving the provisions of the CSME in limbo.

Intricated in this highly desirable developmental project is the logic of having to restructure curricula to be taught by better qualified teachers, reporting to more informed principals, the eventual result being: i. the elimination of under-qualified teachers o Non-Graduate Head of Department o Non-Graduate Senior Master o Non-Graduate Head Grade A o Untrained Graduate Master o Temporary Qualified Master II/III o Temporary Unqualified Teacher o Teacher Aide o Acting Teacher o Pupil Teacher I/II ii. the consequential restructuring of the colonial job hierarchy obtaining

within the Teachers’ Service, which must acknowledge higher and better specialist skills.

The eventual outcome must therefore be the conduct of the most comprehensive job evaluation exercise – to establish revised grades and related compensation and other benefits – this providing opportunity for discussion with the Ministry’s promised partners – the Guyana’s Teachers Union.

It has to be borne in mind that ‘teachers and principals’ constitute the most target-oriented and p r o d u c t i ve work group across the public service employment spectrum. It has to be remembered that education creates the next generations’ capacities to fulfill the overall strategic developmental targets of the nation’s future, provides inspiration for aspiring leadership. There is nothing for any of the parties to lose. All citizens are bound to gain.

E.B. John

Animals roaming Lethem streets DEAR EDITOR, One week ago, a young Lethem father was riding home on a motorcycle with his small son when a flock of sheep ran across the road and caused them both to fall.

The father received bruises but his son suffered hairline fractures to both his shoulder and hip. The boy has been confined to bed for one month and will therefore miss school for that period.

Over the years I have complained to the past and present mayors and have written letters to the media on this issue but got absolutely no action. Horses also still roam the streets at will, often ridden bareback by boys as young as 10 years old.

Will it take the death of one of the government’s party supporters before they rise from their abject sloth and incompetence?

How soon is soon

DEAR EDITOR, Each time the rallying call is made about the establishment of the PPC the standard response is it will be established soon. Another rallying call has to be how soon is soon? The foot dragging and

sloth in the establishment of this important body can only be viewed as a lax approach to good governance, transparency and accountability.

This was not a manifesto promise.

Shamshun Mohamed

Polling Day, March 2, 2022: Factual clarification DEAR EDITOR, It is with increasing frequency that the politicians, in pursuit of their partisan agendas, keep referring to the events following Polling Day, March 2, 2022, in their attempts to score what can only be considered as political points.

Unfortunately, Stabroek News in one of its editorials also chimed in on the finger pointing exercise.

This situation has moved me to pen this letter of factual clarification to provide those who are interested in the facts, and ultimately the truth, with information that may aid them in their search for the truth.

Any call, by anyone, for political parties to produce their statements of poll is an indulgence in futility and subterfuge.

Those statements are no longer a source in relation to who won or lost the elections.

Their relevance and usefulness in that regard were nullified by the recount that produced statements of recount that were relied on for the purpose of declaring the results. Those statements of recount do not necessarily reflect what‘s on the statement of polls.

They are however a source of exposure of irregularities that actually occurred.

If the petitions are not blocked from being heard, those irregularities will be revealed, by the evidential statements of recount; and confirmed.

The usefulness of the statement of polls is as exhibits in the various elections related court cases, other than the petitions, which are intended to determine whether there are persons who sought to perpe-

trate electoral fraud. It may therefore be concluded that the electoral system strengthened by the legal system worked and produced an outcome that stands as the result, subject to any subsequent judicial determination.

It is therefore ironical that the same persons who witnessed Boodoo’s attempt to declare a false result and contended that the system worked, then are now gungho to prosecute those who they are now accusing of electoral malfeasance, although they turned a blind eye to the malfeasance of 2 0 1 1 ; claimed that the system worked; and retained the suspect in GECOM’s employ.

Had the malfeasance of 2011 succeeded, the impact would have been no different to what is alleged would have resulted if the Mingo’s declaration had been embraced by GECOM. In both instances, the results would have facilitated a declaration of the losing party as the winner by a one seat majority.

What is also ironical is that the recount was mutually agreed to by the major contestants and the judicial system was engaged to address the concerns of the aggrieved, yet the hue and cry is about a five-month period of attempted rigging.

Albeit, that delay could have been averted if the Commissioners had not deserted their posts and denied themselves access to the statement of polls as the system intended. Had the GECOM commissioners not abandon their monitoring role

at the central level, which allowed them to authenticate and be recipients of every statement of poll, they would have been able to determine the true result at the level of the Commission. They, however, abandon that process; and deprived themselves of the documentation and power to oversee the declaration of the results.

They instead joined the uproar that much of the count in District Four turned out to be.

Their anxiety was however understandable since they understood that in 1997 the then Chairman of the Commission abandoned the deliberations of the Commission to make a secret declaration of the results and proceeded in one felt-sweep to swear-in the President.

What they ignored, or were unaware of, or cared not to observe is that there was a change in the procedure, after 1997, that mandated the Chief Elections Officer to produce a report for the Commission as the pre-requisite to the preparation of the final declaration. It was that system which in 2011 thwarted the attempt of malfeasance.

What we are therefore witnessing, in the name of the protection of Democracy, is political pandering and duplicity in the face of engineered system failure, and subsequent recovery.

If the judicial system in not stymied from hearing the petitions, GECOM may well be in a position to confirm what may have gone wrong; and positioned to take corrective action.

Yours sincerely, Vincent Alexander GECOM Commissioner

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Kaieteur News

GNBS gives NAMILCO clearance to use Made in Guyana brand

NAMILCO Managing Director, Roonnarine ‘Bert’ Sukhai and Head GNBS Certifification Services Department, Andrea Mendonca with Certificate The National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) on Wednesday received its certification from the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) to use the Made in Guyana Certification Mark on its ‘Thunderbolt’ and ‘Maid Marian SelfRising’ flours.

The flour company joins three other Guyanese companies which have met the quality requirements of the Made in Guyana Certification Programme, the GNBS said in a release. At the certification ceremony, which was held at Park Rayne, Executive Director (Ag) of the GNBS Ms. Ramrattie Karanin her remarks welcomed NAMILCO onboard the prestigious Made in Guyana Certification

Programme. Ms. Karan stated that “For years, businesses have been calling for such a programme which provides a mark that differentiates their products based on key quality and other requirements.”

The GNBS Head acknowledged the support of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) in the development of the programme and commended the Private Sector Body for its continued support. Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the G M S A , Vi c e P r e s i d e n t Ramsey Ali also extended words of congratulations to NAMILCO even as he lauded the GNBS for its effective implementation of the Made in Guyana Programme. Mr.

Ramsey advised, “Between the GNBS and the Private Sector it must be ensured that the mark is not just a sticker. It must be a good marketing tool that represents a company meeting standards, ensuring quality, etc. It must be a mark of business; not politics or anything else.”

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, the Director of Business, John Edghill noted that the Government has placed much emphasis on this Made in Guyana certification drive and according to him “it is not without merit.”

“Guyana is now in the global spotlight and international companies are constantly seeking trading partners and

Ministerial delegation should take time for Memorial visit DEAR EDITOR, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill and a team of four are on an official visit to India from 12 - 16 June, for the launch ceremony of the ocean-going cargo-cum-passenger ferry vessel being built for Guyana by M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. as part of Government of India’s US$12.7M Line of Credit-cum-Grant project. The ocean-going passenger and cargo ferry will primarily ply the Georgetown-

North West District route.

As a matter of perhaps more than serendipity, the docks from where the ferry was launched are the very same from where 94 percent of the 239,000 Indian Indentured Immigrants (Girmitiyas) departed India.

A memorial plaque was installed at Kidderpore (Demerara) depot on January 10, 2011 by members of GOPIO, at which Chief Minister of W Bengal Marta Bannerjee, other dignitaries

and members of the Indian Diaspora were in attendance.

The depot housed the prospective immigrants, sometimes for months, until a shipload was accumulated. The 75,000 immigrants who returned up to 1955 would have also landed on these docks.

It is hoped that the Ministerial delegation took the time to visit the Memorial from where so many of our populace originated.

Sincerely, Ravi Dev

Still storing documents the old fashioned way DEAR EDITOR, The backward thinking of public officials never cease to amaze. In this twenty-first century MoH is storing documents the old fashioned way, from cardboard boxes to plastic containers (KN June 15), and from all indications this was a positive move.

The difficulty, as related,

of locating pertinent and relevant documents did not prevail upon the officials that this method of storage was useless, impractical, pointless and just plain unworkable.

It is unbelievable that ministries aren’t, from all appearances, fully computerised with the relevant programmes to aid and assist

It is high time that government ministries which expend billions of dollars and which accountability is paramount, move to have records, documents and information digitised for ease of reference and quick retrieval. It is not a luxury but a necessity in this modern age.

Shamshun Mohamed

investment opportunities.”the Business Director stated. He added, “this places us on the world stage, not just for prominence, but this esteemed level, demands greater expectations of our companies, processes, and standards. We are in the big league; it is no longer business as usual.”

Ms. Taijawattie William, Quality Manager of NAMILCO expressed gratitude on behalf of the company for the Made in Guyana Certification of its

products. She stated that her com p a n y i s a l w ays looking for ways to demonstrate quality and admitted that the requirements to attain the mark were stringent. The Quality Manager asserted that the stringent requirements give credence to those achieving the Made in Guyana Certification of their products. The Made in Guyana Certification is valid for a period of one year and is open to all local manufacturers.

Among the requirements to become certified, manufac-

turers must use at least 60% raw materials from Guyana and employ 70% Guyanese staff.

Through the registered Mark, the GNBS aims to provide recognition to locally manufactured products. The Mark is a signature of quality for authentic Guyanese Products. Applications are open for local manufacturers interested in getting their produ c t s c e r t i f i e d . To g e t onboard, business owners can contact the Certification Services Department on 219-0064-66 or email certification@gnbsgy.org.

Heirs of the Enmore Martyrs...

From page 4 branch of the Guyanese working class.

Suffice it to say, bauxite workers, waterfront workers and clerical and commercial workers all had their taste of oppression and suppression by the ruling elite during the period of the 1970’s and 1980’s.

That occurred at a time when real and genuine episodes of working class unity in Guyana emerged posing a serious threat to the rule of the Burnham dictatorship.

One great success of the sugar workers and their Union leaders at that time was their ability to combine the industrial with the political struggle.

The full force of the coercive arm of the State was meted out to sugar workers; digging up their yards in search for arms and ammunition; making unwarranted arrests and detentions; harassment; seizure of food supplies; surveillance by the Special Branch of the Police Force; using armed thugs to beat up sugar workers, and, in some instances, using scab labour to break strikes; along with persistent attacks on trade unions that eventuated in what we have today – a fractured trade union movement. Small wonder why the national outcry for a $60,000 national minimum wage has asphyxiated due to a lack of oxygen that should come from a united and energised labour movement.

Seventy-four years after the Enmore shooting and the emergence of at least three generations of workers, the sugar industry now appears to be on the cusp of a redefining period that demands ‘sweeping changes’ if it to survive.

In every election manifesto the PPP/C, has expressed consistent support for the sugar industry to; ‘ensure its viability;’ that it ‘remains an important mainstay of the economy’; that it will

‘expand and modernise the industry to make it globally competitive’ and that it will ‘improve the welfare of the workers and the social infrastructure on the estates.’ But the promises made have been debilitated by a combination of global and domestic realities.

Developments in the sugar industry over the past year or so, including the most recent at Uitvlugt, poor production and the slow pace in reopening shuttered estates have caused many to express concern over what they see as a redefined industry that will impact the welfare of sugar workers and their families across the entire sugar belt.

Concerns have been expressed over redefining the future of the industry as exemplified by a narrative hinting at ‘impending changes’ in the industry; that workers should ‘seek alternative avenues of employment’ with a view to ‘transitioning to get higher paying jobs in other sectors.’

The use of these reference points framed in a new narrative must be concerning for sugar workers.

The extending of ‘golden handshakes’ of $250K to sugar workers as part compensation for earnings lost and also to establish income generating activities; offers of training opportunities; assurances of part-time jobs; offers of a 10-day $40K per month jobs; and an open invitation to join in the GOAL scholarship programme must have been welcomed by sugar workers who had earlier received the COVID 19 $25K cash grant and wage increases in 2020 and 2021.

To the worker’s concern over the call for them to ‘transition’ to other jobs and hints at redefining the industry’s future, was the sale of fiftyfive acres of ‘sugar land.’ We were told that the packaging plant at Enmore is to be relocated and reassembled at Re-

gion Six. Of interest to workers was the news that GuySuCo’s Training Centre at Port Mourant will be converted to a National Oil and Gas Institute. That training Centre was at one time, the only one of its kind in CARICOM, it supplied many highly trained mechanics to a number of CARICOM countries.

However, these untoward developments notwithstanding, a sliver of hope, real or imagined, continues persists in the minds of workers that the industry will be back on its feet sooner than later, and that the die will not be cast to put the future of the industry in jeopardy.

The sliver of hope came on the eve of Enmore Marty’s Day when President Ali, at a meeting with the leadership of GuySuCo read the riot act declaring; “It cannot be business as usual anymore, there must be sweeping changes.”

Adopting a no-holesbarred position, the President continued, “We are not investing all of these resources in GuySuCo for failure. The restructuring and strengthening of GuySuCo is not a joke.

When we said we want to make this industry viable, it is not a mystery” The problems plaguing GuySuCo aside, there is hardly any doubt in anyone’s mind that the oil and gas sector is strategically poised to replace the sugar industry as the major contributor to Guyana’s GDP growth rate.

It is in that context that the question being asked is; which branch, if any, of the Guyanese working people will replace the sugar workers as the most militant and politically conscious?

The answer is probably too futuristic. Let us pray that the legacy left to the Guyanese working people by the Enmore Martyrs does not fade away.

Yours faithfully, Clement J. Rohee

T N U L B . . .

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Thursday June 16, 2022

Kaieteur News

Guyanese urgently need to awake from their slumber and arrest the rapid slide of the nation.

When you listen to our leaders, many of them seem to have no clue as to what it takes to develop a nation.

They continue to make bad decisions and sign lopsided deals with foreigners, while citizens are left empty-handed.

Daily this newspaper continues to highlight the plight of our citizens and also give voice to those who are protesting for a better cause.

PAGE 07

Thursday June 16, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 8

Contract gives minister pecial powers to allow Exxon to hold onto unused portions of Stabroek Block

Maps showing the offshore blocks in the Guyana basin.

...Provision differs for other oil blocks

A

ccording to Guyana's laws governing the oil s ecto r, co mp an ies ar e required to give up varying portions of their respective oil blocks to the State over a 10-year period. The first period of relinquishment occurs after four years while the second and third timelines occur after a period of three years each.

All petroleum agreements for onshore and offshore concessions confirm to the foregoing stipulations except for one—The 2016 Stabroek Production Sharing Agreement (PSA).

This agreement only

requires ExxonMobil's subsidiary and operator, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) to return a portion of the oil rich, deepwater acreage after seven years.

Most importantly, if the company is convincing enough, there is a provision that empowers the subject minister to let Exxon hold onto the entire block for much longer.

According to the provisions of the 2016 Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), Article 4 - Exploration Programme and Expenditure Obligation states that from the effective date of the

contract, June 27, 2016, the contractor has a minimum work programme to execute within four years. This means the first four years comes to an end on June 27, 2020. The PSA further states that the contractor, Exxon's affiliate, EEPGL, shall within the first four years, complete the interpretation of any 3D seismic acquired in respect of the Contract Area and complete the drilling of a minimum of one e x p l o r a t i o n .

At the end of the initial period of four years, the PSA goes on to state, “The Contractor shall elect either to relinquish the entire (Continued on page 22)

Oil blocks question by farmer angers Pres. Ali in Bartica The female farmer asking President Ali about Guyana's oil blocks.

An Angry President Mohamed Irfaan Ali at Wednesday's Bartica outreach.

By Shervin Belgrave

P

resident Mohamed Irfaan Ali, was in swell mood on We d n e s d a y d u r i n g a n outreach in Bartica, Region Seven, until a female farmer's question about Guyana's oil blocks angered him.

The President's outreach was held at the Bartica Community Centre Ground and began at around 11:00hrs. After delivering a dramatic speech about his government's vision for the country, Ali decided to open the floor for the Barticans, who attended, to voice their

concerns and ask him questions.

The question and answer segment was going well and the President was happy as he listened to residents' request for better roads, culverts, good drainage systems, small business grants and loans. He looked so concerned and appeared as though he really cared about the Barticans as he jotted down notes and offered on the spot solutions to their problems but when a question about “oil blocks” by the female farmer was asked Ali became angry. The woman's exact words were: “Ah want to ask you what

happen to the oil blocks, tell we something about the oil blocks”.

That question immediately changed the President's mood and it was quite evident that he got annoyed. Ali got so angry that he shouted at the audience and the woman while making his response.

His remarks were so harsh that the crowd began to laugh when he was lashing out at the farmer who asked for a simple explanation

about her wealth. The loud tone of his voice and words he spoke apparently intimidated the woman because she disappeared from the outreach soon after.

She had stood up confidently when the microphone was handed to her to ask her questions and related to the President some of the problems she faces as a resident of the region. The woman started off by following up a concern raised by another farmer about

being hampered by bad roads to transport produce from the distant areas in the community to central Bartica. “Mr. President I am a farmer too,” the woman said, adding that another problem faced by farmers is the lack of transportation to bring out their produce from their farms.

She related currently that there is only one little car owned by a farmer and all of them depend on it to transport their crops from their farms.

The woman requested that the President help them with transportation to bring out their produce.

However, before taking her seat the woman said: “And I have one more question, ah want ask yuh wah happen to the oil blocks, tell us something about the oil blocks”.

At first a section of the crowd cheered her for asking such a question. Probably they expected Ali to respond calmly or in a positive way, (Continued on page 22)

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 16, 2022

I would love to live to one hundred years. Beyond that my limbs and joints would have become calcified, cataract surgery would be impossible as my sight declines and even if I could survive the operation, my memory would fade.

That would be the right time for me to go and meet my Maker.

But before then, I would love to spend the remaining days of my life in Guyana where the sun shines every day and where even on the highest mountain peaks, it is bearable.

I would love to live in a new capital, located somewhere on the banks of the Essequibo River. I would love to each morning wake up to the birds chirping, and to see and experience the dew on the grass.

I would love nothing better than to have a window looking out to the rising morning sun and when evening sets to experience that wonderful sunset that can

I WISH

only be found in Guyana.

I would love to be able to swim in the warm creeks until the day I die and to sit all day under a tree, read a good book or find a faithful companion who will not run off – as is the case so often these days – with someone else.

I would love to grow old gracefully and hope that the NIS does not close down before I receive my benefits.

I hope that no new sickness afflicts me since this would mean my automatic disqualification from benefits from the NIS. I hope to have the privacy to bathe at least once every three months in the rain without the police hauling me over for indecent exposure despite me having on my underpants.

I would love to sit in the evenings and enjoy the cool nights under a lovely starry sky, reminisce on the day gone by and the days long gone and never return.

I would love to do the things

that I never had the time to do in my younger days. I would love to collect stamps, to learn the art of barbering and how to finally play the guitar.

That surely cannot be asking too much.

I would love to see hydroelectricity come to Guyana, finally. Too many promises have been made, too many dreams have been abandoned. It looks as if we will finally have hydroelectricity, cheap current as they say.

I hope that those who will inherit this cheap energy and use it in their homes and factories will be willing to pay for it and not have the GPL running after them.

I hope that I can travel by road all the way to Boa Vista and from there join the transcontinental highway all the way to Argentina.

But I hope more than anything else to return to Guyana, where each day there is sunshine and lovely people.I hope that the new generation of Guyanese

Glenn Lall has jurisdiction to challenge...

From page 2 accordingly, his functions, duties and powers are of a public nature and he has the authority to ensure compliance with the law, making the state culpable under the state action doctrine,” Ali explained in the document.

Furthermore, the lawyer said that Petroleum Agreement regulates the exploitation of petroleum in its natural condition which is vested in the state of Guyana; is signed by a cabinet member on behalf of the Government of Guyana; and is the subject of an Order of the National Assembly of Guyana signed by the Minister responsible for Finance. He continues that the “the Minister responsible for Petroleum in consultation with the Minister of Finance approved and authorised the tax and royalty provisions outlined in the Agreement. The Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act No.3 of 1986 Cap 65:04 confers on these ministers' functions, duties, and powers of a public nature and responsibility to secure

Dem

boys seh...

When de weather people tell yuh run, you muss walk.

Last week, de guvament send out warning. Dem seh how a tropical wave coming and dat de country muss prepare fuh flood.

Dem tell de people of de coastland, Region 7 and 10, prepare fuh flooding. De tropical wave was suppose to sweep over de country fuh de next five days.

Wan odda report seh how dem gan gat two days of heavy rains starting

implementation of the law.”

Lall's attorney therefore submits that the Government's argument that the said Petroleum Agreement between the licensees and the Government of Guyana is in private law is misconceived and erroneous.

He emphasized too that the Minister with responsibility for Petroleum and the Minister with responsibility for Finance are not acting in their private capacity under the Petroleum Agreement as it is therein distinctly stated that petroleum in its natural condition in strata in Guyana is vested in the State.

As it relates to the agreement, Ali contends that both ministers are operating on behalf of the Government of Guyana as public authorities. “This would mean that the tax and royalty provisions in the agreement were made in the exercise of a public function and additionally, it would mean that such provisions have the potential to affect public law rights, obligations and expectations,” he stated.

Yuh gat to weather de weather Saturday.

Dem boys know a man who tek de warning serious.

De man buy raincoat, umbrella and long boots.

De man buy some sandbags and put it round he house so dat when de flood start, de water nah gan get in de ground floor of de house.

It look like if de tropical wave, wave at Guyana and pass we straight.

Nuff people breathe a sigh of relief. But de man wah buy de umbrella, de

raincoat, de long boots and de sandbags counting he losses. De losses wah it cost he fuh buy all dem thing fuh prepare fuh floods.

Dat is wat does happen when yuh put tuh much faith in de weather man.

It mek dem boys remember when de did buy de Doppler radar. It didn't set up in time fuh help to prevent de Big Floods. Doppler or no Doppler be careful how yuh believe de weather man.

Talk half, Leff half.

people never forget to cook their cultural foods. What would Guyana be without its foods? What would Guyana be without Banks Beer and El Dorado rum?

I would love to see more of the interior of Guyana. I would love to see roads open up this interior to more people so that they can appreciate what they have and stop dreaming of a better life overseas because the best life is here in Guyana.

I would love for those roll-on ferries to begin rolling soon so that I can enjoy a trip up the river.

I would love to see that stelling at Supenaam completed so that travel to the Essequibo Coast can be made safer and more enjoyable.

PAGE 09

I would love to see the people of Guyana stop fighting around politics. I would love to see politics bring people together rather than divide them. I would love to see everybody being happy.

I would love to see a railway to Lethem. This will be great for travel and tourism.

I would love to see a railway line also run along the Corentyne River so as to open up more lands and then veer over the river to link up with Suriname.

From there you can travel by good roads all the way to French Guiana.

I would love to see more tourists come to Guyana and create jobs for our people and fill the hotel rooms.

I would love to see all those specialty services that are being provided by private hospitals and by some new hospital which is to be constructed to be done by the public health system so that I, when my time comes for some major surgery, my little savings do not have to go to private individuals who are going to make a great deal of money if specialist health care is put in the hands of those who already have more money than they can spend.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Thursday June 16, 2022

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Olympian fight inside the Guyana Olympic Association U

nfortunately the media has not given coverage to a battle of Olympian proportion in the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) that has formidable implications for freedom and democracy in Guyana. Mr. K.A. Juman-Yassin who has been the president of the GOA for 25 years has announced his intention to seek re-election.

Some GOA executives are opposed to this for the wrong reason – age. They say

Mr. Juman-Yassin is 75 and the International Olympic Association stipulated age of retirement for the presidency is 70. If that is so, that is a different matter to the argument that age should be a consideration in holding office. It should not.

Yesu Persaud held the chairmanship of DDL way into his eighties. He was in his nineties and was still chairman of Demerara Bank.

Joseph Pollydore was General-Secretary for the Trade Union Congress while

in his nineties.

Clifford Reis heads Banks DIH and is in his eighties. Major General Joe Singh is chairman of the National Resources Fund and is older than Mr. JumanYa s s i n . M r. M i k e McCormack, head of the Guyana Human Rights Association is over 75. The head of the TUC is over 75.

President Joe Biden is touching 80.

Age has nothing to do with talent and performance.

What is priceless in the

Guyana context is term limit.

Term limit is extremely crucial and extremely important in Guyana because Guyana has one of the youngest populations in the world.

I have stressed term limits on these pages several times over the past years and as recent as March 11, 2022 in which I referred to a stupid thing the Berbice Cricket Association has done. It rejected a proposal for its head to serve three terms only, extending it to five.

The quarrel over Mr. Juman-Yassin within his own association needs broad debate because the battle has consequences for democracy in Guyana. If there were term limits in the GOA, the quarrel about age would never have arisen. Mr. Juman-Yassin and others would have their two terms.

One of the problems in life is how to control power. It has been with civilisation since civilisation began.

Throughout the thousands of years that humans have existed there have been countless treatises on how to prevent power from being abused by its possessor.

One of the modern ways is through term limits. Fidel Castro became a despicable figure in the world because 49 years, five months in power imprinted in his mind the belief that he was Cuba

and Cuba was him. For all his talk about Frederick Kissoon liberating his people after he came to power in 1959, he imprisoned them limits are inside.

All over this country, you and that was because he was see how the absence of term their jailer who couldn't be limits has created little gods. removed.

W h i l e C a s t r o w a s In the trade union sphere, derogating his fellow Latin lack of term limits has leaders who had to demit created virtual dictators who office after two terms or 10 behave as if they own these years, he almost reached 50 unions.

There are two men in the in power. If there were term trade union community in limits in Cuba, it would not Guyana who have been at the have been in the state it is in t o d a y. V l a d i m i r P u t i n helm of their respective removed the two term organisations for more than restriction in Russia. He is 30 years respectively. Two going to rule that country others have chalked up more than 20 years. This is in a until he dies.

Humans cannot control country where 75 percent of power, and society has to the population is under 45.

Reflect on the control it for them. Term limit is one of the solutions. But consequences of this. It the argument for term limits means that those young trade are potent and convincing unionists will grow older and when it comes to Guyana. I will only get their chance quote from my column of when they are in advanced March 11, 2022: “If Sunil and age.

That is a moral outrage.

Masood are both at 40 and Vincent Alexander once they both contest the leader proposed term limits for position of their organisation and Sunil wins and spends party leaders.

Mr. Aubrey Norton will the next 35 years at the helm, be 69 when the next general Masood gets his chance when election is due. Age 69 is still he becomes 75. When Sunil retires and Masood gets his y o u n g c o m p a r a t i v e l y 35 years, he will be 110 years speaking. But what about term limits? when he retires.”

(The views expressed in The GOA has announced that it has completed a new this article are those of the constitution. I don't know a u t h o r a n d d o n o t what is inside of it but one necessarily reflect the desperately hopes that term opinions of this newspaper.)

Thursday June 16, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Thursday June 16, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Crane residents not consulted on Exxon gas-to-shore pipeline running through their community ...petition EPA to recall impact study, consult with villagers

E

sso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), commonly referred to as ExxonMobil Guyana, is seeking construct a pipeline to transport gas from the Liza Fields in the Stabroek Block to the Wales development site on the West Bank of Demerara.

Importantly, the developer of this gas line, which will pass through communities such as Crane and the Canal Polders have not consulted with the villagers who will be directly impacted.

This is according to a letter sent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in which more than a dozen residents complained that they were not consulted.

Only on Tuesday, a resident who lives in Crane told Kaieteur News that as she was preparing to go to work, she observed the lands being cleared and suspected it was to facilitate the pipeline.

She said she had no clue that the structure would be situated so close to her

property.

In the company's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted to the EPA, ExxonMobil signaled that some land owners in Crane, Canal Number One and Canal Number Two, in Region Three may not be allowed to grow crops or develop new structures that may interfere with the pipeline to be laid.

The document said that one residential property within the planned onshore pipeline route about 175 meters south of the shore crossing may have to relocate, along with four other dwellings located within 500 meters of the heavy haul road and temporary materials offloading facility (MOF).

EEPGL was keen to note that the government is responsible for Projectrelated land acquisition but the company will support the administration in developing and implementing a 'Resettlement and Livelihood Restoration Strategy' aligned with “international standards”.

When it comes to land use, the oil company explained that the project may result in a change of land ownership or tenure for all or part of a property, parcel, or land use area.

It explained that a 12.2 meter wide permanent right of way (ROW) will be established to aid in operation and maintenance of the onshore pipeline.

As such, any land that falls within the permanent ROW will be frozen. The document did not say how many homes will be affected by this ROW. The ROW, according to the EIA crosses populated areas in the vicinities of Crane, Canal One, and Canal Two. Already, the residents of the Canal Polders have informed the EPA that they were not consulted with by the developer.

Villagers from Crane are now claiming too that Exxon has not held any consultations with them, prior to the development of the EIA. In their letter to the EPA

A representation of the proposed Gas to Energy project.

Executive Director, Kemraj Parsram, the villagers said “we the residents of Crane an area through which the proposed pipeline runs were not consulted at any time before the submission of the EIA and EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) for the gas-to-energy project.

This is a fundamental breach of our rights and those under (the) Environmental Protection Act Section 11(9) along with a breach of the principles of internationally recognized consultations

practices.”

As such, the Crane villagers called on the EPA to suspend the 60 days comments period that was opened, after the EIA was submitted.

They also told Mr. Parsram that the EIA should be nullified, due to the lack of consultations on the proposed pipeline, in addition to the other concerns that were previously raised by other citizens.

The Environmental Protection Act clearly states at Section 11(9) “During the course of the environmental impact assessment, the developer and the person carrying out the environm e n t a l i m p a c t assessment shall (a) consult members of the public, interested bodies and organizations; (b) provide to members of the public on request, and a t n o more than the reasonable cost of photocopying, copies of information obtained for the purpose of the environmental impact assessment”.

Exxon's EIA was prepared by a United Kingdom Consultancy firm, Environmental Resources Management (ERM).

The group said in the document that 11 in-person public scoping consultations took place in Regions One to Six, and two virtual public scoping consultation meetings.

In addition, 36 representatives from the

Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region Three were engaged while 150 businesses in Regions Three and Four were surveyed along with 370 individuals in Region Three during the 2021 socioeconomic household surveys, including 122 individuals categorised as members of vulnerable groups.

Importantly, in volume three of the EIA, the Consultant explained that “key informant stakeholders that have been engaged to date include, but are not limited to: African Culture Development Association, Association of Trawler Owners and Seafood Processors, Big Bird & Sons Fishing Complex (Charity), Bureau of Statistics, Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD), Conservation International (CI), Department of To u r i s m , F i s h i n g Cooperatives (e.g., Lima F i s h e r m e n ' s Development Co-op, Georgetown Fishermen's Co-op Society Ltd., Parika Fishermen's Development Co-op, etc.), Georgetown-based real estate agents, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha,” and a number of other organisations.

It, however, made no mention of engaging communities that will be impacted by the project.

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 16, 2022

PAGE 13

India delivers new US$12.7M North-West ferry UTA

W

orks on the new oceang o i n g passenger and cargo vessel which is set to benefit the people of Region One has been completed.

The vessel which is

called MV Ma Lisha was being built in India to the tune of US$12.7 million by Gardens Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) as part of the Government of India's Line of Credit-cum-Grant project.

MV Ma Lisha was officially launched on Wednesday in Kolkata, India and will soon set sail for Guyana.

Speaking at the l a u n c h i n g c e r e m o n y, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill said that the vessel will provide great

service to the people of Guyana especially those in the Region One area who depend heavily SDU on such transportation.

The vessel is slated to ply the Georgetown to North-West route when it

arrives in the country.

In his remarks, the Minister also expressed gratitude to the contractor for having the works on the ferry completed in such a short time. As reported on, the contract for this vessel was signed in January last year and was expected to be delivered within 18 months.

Edghill yesterday said that the building of this ferry “will certainly aid in writing a new chapter in the ties between Guyana and India.”

Explaining some of the features of the vessel,

Alleged rapist, Ameer Inshanally

The taxi driver who is accused of raping a 14-year-old school girl from Berbice was on Wednesday remanded to prison on the charge.

Ameer Inshanally of Sand Reef, Albion, Corentyne, Berbice appeared at the Reliance Magistrate's Court before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh where the charge was laid under section 10 (3) of the Sexual Offences Act, Chapter 8:03. He was not required to plea and was remanded to prison until the 13th July 2022. Kaieteur News was also informed that the victim is still hospitalized in a stable but serious condition.

Inshanally is accused of picking up the victim in the capacity of a hire car driver. The

The newly built MV Ma Lisha, which will soon set sail for Guyana.

Edghill related that “this ferry is actually twice the size of those vessels that we currently own and with a current top speed 15 knot, it will cut the travel time by half.”

Currently, he said there are three wharves in Region One that are under construction to accommodate the vessel when it is docked in the region.

The ferry which measure 70 metres long was designed by the in house GRSE team.

The vessel is being

No bail for alleged rapist of schoolgirl victim's destination was her school, however, the accused drove past her school street and took her down a dam in Albion where he removed her clothing and committed the brazen act.

He then drove her to New Amsterdam and back to the Corentyne before dropping her off at her street.

The victim then went home but did not tell her mother what had taken place. She waited until her mother was asleep before consuming a poisonous substance in an attempt to end her life. After she began vomiting, she was rushed to the hospital where she was admitted. The accused was subsequently arrested and charged.

propelled by two caterpillar engines and twin gear boxes to achieve a maximum speed

of 15 knots.

It is designed to carry 294 persons, 14 vehicles, two fully-loaded trucks, and 10 containers.

It has a capacity of 250 tons and complies with all international regulations.

GRSE Chairman & MD Cmde P R Hari IN (Retd) in his address, lauded the efforts of High Commissioner of India to Guyana Dr. K J Srinivasa in resuscitating this prestigious project and ensuring proper

progress of the ferry building despite the challenges posed by the pandemic (the contract was signed in January 2021).

He lauded the workforce at GRSE for ensuring that the ferry was built within a record time of just 7 months after the keel was laid.

With this launch, GRSE added another feather in its cap by being the first shipyard in India to launch a ship for a country in the Southern American region.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Thursday June 16, 2022

Russia/Ukraine war pushes Europe to rethink gas, accelerate renewable

To this end, the European Union, Israel and Egypt yesterday signed a tripartite natural gas export deal as the bloc seeks to diversify away from Russian energy. The deal, finalised at the East Mediterranean regional energy conference in Cairo, will allow “significant” exports of Israeli gas to Europe for the first time, the Israeli energy ministry said.

Meanwhile as the Climate Change realities now compounded by the fossil fuel supplies India's Union power minister R K Singh,

“

Today the world is moving from fossil fuel to green energy. Hydro is green energy, a clean energy.

The climate is changing, resulting in global warming; hydro power projects are the need of the hour; Solar and wind energy are being added as other forms of clean energy; Hydro is a natural requirement,” India's Energy Minister

energy. Hydro is green energy, a clean energy. The climate is changing, resulting in global warming,” said Singh. He added that hydro power projects are the need of the hour.

Solar and wind energy are being added as other forms of clean energy.

“Hydro is a natural requirement,” he said.

Union power minister R K Singh, who is on a two-day visit to the northeast from Monday, has said mega hydropower projects are being constructed in the region in tandem with the

“

T

aking its lead from Germany, the European Union has signalled its intention to embrace renewable energy much faster than was planned, a direct result of the war being waged between Russian and Ukraine.

Russia provides much of Europe with its Natural Gas. As such, the EU is now looking in the interim to make its purchases from other sources, such as Israel but even those supplies would not be adequate leading to the now stated position of accelerating its push towards renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind and hydro among other forms of new clean energy technology being developed.

who was on a two-day visit to the northeast from Monday, reiterated that country's commitment saying mega hydropower projects are being constructed in the region in tandem with the global resolution to arrest climate change. He said India must move towards green energy as the rest of the world is doing.

Singh was at the time reviewing the progress of the 2000-MW Lower Subansiri Hydropower Project, which is the country's largest underconstruction hydropower project, at Gerukamukh along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.

According to the Indian Government Officials,

India must move towards green energy as the rest of the world is doing. Singh was reviewing the progress of the 2000-MW Lower Subansiri Hydropower Project, which is the country's largest underconstruction hydropower project, at Gerukamukh along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. The Lower Subansiri project received massive resistance from various anti-mega dam organisations in the northeast but Singh said commissioning of the project will be a big gain for the country.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed a memorandum of understanding with Egypt and Israel in what has been described as a 'historic agreement' [Photo: AP]

“Today the world is moving from fossil fuel to green

global resolution to arrest climate change. He said

“Today the world is moving from fossil fuel to

green energy. Hydro is green energy, a clean energy. The climate is changing, resulting in global warming,” said Singh. He added that hydro power projects are the need of the hour. Solar and wind energy are being added as other forms of clean energy.

“Hydro is a natural requirement,” he said.

Singh said hydropower projects will increase the state's earnings and have multiple effects like generating jobs and creating business. “ A m o n g t h e infrastructure projects, hydro has the maximum multiple effects. People's developmental needs are associated with hydropower projects,” Singh said.

In the frontier state Arunachal Pradesh, he said several new projects, including the 2,800-MW Dibang multipurpose power project will be expedited.

“Arunachal's total potential is 58,000 MW. Even if 50 percent of it is exploited, the per capita income of the people of the state will go up five times,” Singh affirmed. Guyana on the other hand, is pressing ahead with the construction of a Gas to Energy project as part of its Energy Transition with life span of some 20 years.

PAHO: Countries must redouble efforts to meet 70% vaccination target for COVID-19 Washington D.C., 15 June 2022 (PAHO) – As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the Americas for the eighth week running, PAHO Director, Carissa F. Etienne, has called on countries to increase efforts towards achieving the World Health Organization (WHO) target of 70% vaccination coverage by mid-2022.

Last week, countries of the region reported more than 1.2 million new cases of COVID-19, an 11% hike from the previous week.

“Thanks to the commitment of donors and national governments, we now have the supplies and financial and technical support to help countries reach the 70% target,” the Director said during a media briefing on Tuesday. “Our priority now should be turning

vaccines into immunity, ensuring that the doses we have are making it into people's arms and saving lives.”

But while 16 countries and territories of the region have already vaccinated 70% of eligible populations, and Colombia, Bermuda and El Salvador are close behind at 65%, 11 others have yet to reach even 40% coverage. Since the start of COVAX in 2021, PAHO's Revolving Fund has delivered over 142 million vaccines to countries in the Americas, and thanks to the commitment of donors and governments, the region now has the necessary financial and technical support to help all countries reach the 70% target, Dr. Etienne said.

It is therefore “crucial that

countries redouble their efforts to protect those most at risk,” she added, including the elderly and immune-compromised, health professionals and pregnant women.

To achieve this, they must tailor efforts to address the concerns that still surround vaccines and collaborate with communities to develop outreach strategies in areas where coverage is poor.

As some countries begin to scale back local vaccination centers such as those in grocery stores, schools and local marketplaces, Dr. Etienne urged governments to continue to use resources wisely and try to reach people where they are.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is not a short-term problem,” the PAHO Director said.

And with PAHO's latest

Essential Health Services survey revealing that routine immunizations were heavily disrupted by the pandemic, it is vital that countries integrate COVID vaccination into their national immunization programs “so that we have robust services in place to deliver routine vaccines, expand COVID coverage and better prepare for future emergencies.”

Dr. Etienne also highlighted that the recent cases of monkeypox and acute hepatitis further underscore the need to build more resilient health systems that can respond quickly to new and emerging risks.

To ensure this, PAHO is working to support and train healthcare providers to help reduce the shortfall of 600,000 public

health workers in the region. “Now is the time for countries to take everything we have learned from the response to the pandemic, and commit to investing in stronger, more resilient health systems,” she said.

Turning to the COVID-19 situation in the region, in North America over the past week, cases increased by 71% in Mexico, and the United States reported a 2% increase in hospitalizations and 4.2% rise in ICU admissions. South America reported a 20% hike in cases, while in the Caribbean, the number of new infections increased by 3.7%.

Central America was the only sub-region to report a downward trend, with a 32% reduction in COVID-19 cases and a 36% fall in deaths.

Thursday June 16, 2022

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CDB calls on members to closely align national budgets to SDGs for accelerated development Director of Economics at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Ian Durant advocated for the Bank's membership to embrace a new model for national budgeting which more closely aligns with and tracks progress to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Speaking at a Seminar entitled Budgeting for Sustainable Development at CDB's 52nd Annual Meeting being held in the Turks and Caicos Islands on June 14, Mr. Durant stated that “there is a need for effective mapping of expenditures to targets, to help improve resource allocation.” While indicating that an overhaul of existing parliamentary budget systems and governance structures was not required, he expressed a need for “…complementing existing mechanisms to monitor, measure, and evaluate investments with respect to targeted economic, social, and environment objectives.”

He added that the issues and challenges faced by Small Island Developing States, especially in terms of climate change and its

impacts, are persistent and require modern, innovative, and inclusive solutions. The Director stated that “in order to build a more resilient region, development activities must be targeted to achieve optimal results for intended beneficiaries.

Better measurement of spending and planning strategies are required.”

CDB, recognising this need, is moving with deliberate haste to strengthen regional and national efforts toward achieving the SDGs, Durant stated.

Discussions at the seminar included private and public sector interests, who demonstrated, from varying perspectives, the benefits of results-based measurement and budgeting to achieve greater economic, social, environmental, institutional and, financial resilience, all the while working towards national development goals and the SDGs. Mapping of budgetary and planning methods in Mexico, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, all Member Countries of CDB, were examined by the panel.

According to Pennelope Beckles-Robinson, Minister

of Planning and Development, Trinidad and Tobago, “We recognise that more must be done…. The government,” she stated, “understands the importance of data and statistics whether accurate, timely, sufficiently disaggregated and accessible and easy to use particularly for decision makers.”

She added that strengthening the statistical system would improve development by facilitating improved decision making and an increase in evidencebased policies and that these actions, once complemented by cross sectoral partnerships and engagements, can build a more resilient region. These partnerships are vital and start with the engagement of s t a k e h o l d e r s , communication between agents, and the support of national and regional ecosystems.

An example of this cross fertilization of development financing, planning and measurement mapped to the SDGs in the private sector was presented by Mr. R i c h a r d S a m m y, Vi c e President Elect of Designate, Republic Bank Financial

Limited, whose organisation is the first indigenous bank to formalise an environmental sustainability office and sign on to the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) Principles of Responsible Banking. The Bank, he stated, is leading on identifying territory specific SDGs and including these in the institution's sustainability and governance. Data driven Environmental, Social, Governance reforms will inform decision making throughout the group's

operations, inclusive of its investment portfolios.

Expanding on this point, Durant emphasised that entrenching some best practices in measurement and budgeting for the SDGs in national plans is essential for identifying development priorities and anchoring strategic planning and budgetary expenditure.

Embedding the SDGs as targets underpinning the planning process is an important step in improving the planning approach and

progress towards achieving the SDGs requires using a whole of government and society approach with the meaningful engagement and action by all actors.

Also speaking at the event were Ms Catherine K r u g e r, I n t e r- r e g i o n a l Advisor, The Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS 21) and Ms. Francine Baron, Chief Executive Officer, Climate Resilience Execution Agency for Dominica.

Woman among four committed to stand trial for murder of Sophia man T

he woman, who is accused, along with three others, of murdering her son-in-law, w a s o n We d n e s d a y committed to stand trial in the High Court for the capital offence.

In August 2021, the accused: Brenna Nurse and three of her son's friends, Devon Harry, Nicholas Hercules aka “Bucko,” and Peter Lam, were jointly charged for the murder of Keron McPherson, 24, of 'D' Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

The preliminary inquiry (PI) into the matter was conducted in the Sparendaam Magistrate's Court. At the conclusion of the PI, Magistrate Roshelle Liverpool ruled that the prosecution had provided sufficient evidence to the court for the accused to stand trial in the High Court for murder. The matter was prosecuted by Police P r o s e c u t o r Vi s r a m

Dead, Keron McPherson Ramjattan.

According to reports, McPherson died from a single gunshot wound to his abdomen.

It was reported that Nurse along with her three co-accused, had conspired to murder McPherson, following a previous altercation he had with them.

Brenna Nurse It was reported that early on the evening of Saturday August 14, 2021, McPherson had gotten into a heated argument with his girlfriend over money she had squandered.

The argument escalated and it turned physical between him and his motherin-law, along with the three

From left: Devon Harry, Nicholas Hercules aka “Bucko” and Peter Lam. men, who had allegedly attacked him. Nurse had reportedly lashed her son-inlaw to his head with a beer bottle while one of the men had chopped him to his chest.

McPherson had managed to escape and went home.

However, it is alleged that he was later lured to his death by a phone call.

According to reports, Nurse's daughter, had called McPherson close to midnight on the said Saturday. He was reportedly reluctant to go at first but the woman kept calling him so he eventually heeded and left home to meet her.

H o w e v e r, h e n e v e r returned home and around

04:00hrs the following morning his body was discovered lying in a yard at 'C' Field Sophia with gunshot wounds.

Nurse, Harry, Hercules and Lam are slated to go on trial for the murder of McPherson at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Assizes.

Kaieteur News

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Thursday June 16, 2022

‘Ramped-up oil production must ...Opposition Leader says strategy be stopped' fits into “greedy” agenda of PPP/C The strategy to ramp up oil production despite climate change warnings and the flagrant abuse of environmental standards by the major operator, ExxonMobil neatly aligns with the greedy agenda of the government of the day.

This is according to the Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton. He shared this view on Tuesday during his weekly press engagement.

Norton argued that “I do not think an approach which says just take out the oil, get as much money as you can, can be the approach”.

The Leader's sentiment comes at a time when Guyana is poised to ramp up its oil production, even as the International Energy Agency (IEA) has urged that no new oil and gas projects be pursued owing to the critical need for the global temperatures to be sustained.

Norton, in an invited comment, explained that while he believes that developing countries must be given the space to exploit their resources and grow their economies, this must be done in a sustainable manner.

“I believe that developing countries must be given the environmental space…the developed world would have

had space to use the environment and achieve their objects. Now as developing countries, we need to develop as well so I believe there is some amount of environmental space that should be created, but I also believe that we have to focus on climate change and the environment generally and ensure whatever we do is sustainable,” he explained.

In this regard the Opposition Leader said there must be a different approachone in which guarantees safety of the environment and more importantly, benefits for the present and future generations.

However, Norton argued that the ramping up of oil production seems to align with the government's agenda, which is to siphon off the oil revenue for themselves. “We need a more measured approach…(to) ensure that production is done in a way that: one, present generations benefit but future generations benefit and are protected. So it is not a straight case of just ramping up oil production. I think the talk about ramping up oil production seems to fit in to the greed of the leadership of the People's Progressive Party. Produce as much as you can so I could thief it

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton during his press engagement.

now, rather than a structured approach that allows us to protect our environment, to conserve the environment and at the same time promote the development of our people,” the Opposition Leader pointed out. Back in March, Kaieteur News reported that ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC, are gearing to ramp up oil production at the Stabroek Block's Liza Field as the Russia-Ukraine crisis continues to drive more supply shocks in the global oil market.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hess Corporation, John Hess noted at the 50th Annual Scotia Howard Weil Energy Conference that the Liza Destiny, Guyana's first

floating, production, storage a n d o ff l o a d i n g v e s s e l (FPSO) is up for a planned turn around. He said this includes production optimization. Previously, Hess' Chief Operating Officer, Greg Hill had disclosed that such works could increase the Liza Destiny's operating capacity to the range of 140,000 barrels to 150,000 barrels of oil per day. The vessel was operating at nameplate capacity which totals 120,000 barrels of oil per day.

As for the Liza Unity, Guyana's second FPSO which began pumping oil in February is also poised to be optimized so that it can achieve nameplate capacity of 220,000 barrels of oil per day.

China's top legislator holds talks with House Speaker, Nadir China's top legislator Li Zhanshu yesterday held talks with Manzoor Nadir, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Parliament of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, via video link.

Li, Chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that political mutual trust is a solid foundation and a significant guarantee for the healthy and stable development of ChinaGuyana relations.

Li said the two countries have always respected and treated each other as equals, understood each other in their efforts to explore development paths suited to their respective national conditions, and supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns.

China appreciates Guyana's long-term adherence to the one-China principle, Li said. Noting the economies of China and Guyana are highly complementary, Li said there is massive potential to synergize the Belt

and Road Initiative with Guyana's Low-carbon Development Strategy 2030 and expand cooperation in trade and investment, climate change, and culture and health.

Li said China and Guyana are both developing countries and share the same or similar positions on major international and regional issues. Li added China welcomes Guyana's active support and participation in the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative and its efforts to jointly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law.

China also welcomes Guyana's efforts to promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Noting China and Caribbean countries are good friends and partners for mutual development, Li said China is willing to join hands with Caribbean countries, including Guyana, to push

forward the comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and Caribbean countries.

He emphasized the NPC is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the National Assembly of Guyana to promote the steady and long-term development of the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries.

Nadir said that Guyana attaches great importance to developing relations with China and firmly abides by the one-China principle. He congratulated China on its tremendous development achievements and thanked China for its important support in the fight against COVID19.

The National Assembly of Guyana looks forward to joint efforts with the NPC to strengthen the rule of law exchanges and play a positive role in promoting pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in all areas, Nadir added. (BNN)

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.

A fourth project, Yellowtail, with a production capacity of approximately 250,000 gross barrels of oil per day and startup expected in 2025 was also approved.

The CEO said his company continues to see potential for at least six FPSOs with a production capacity of more

than 1 million gross barrels of oil per day at the Stabroek Block in 2027, with the potential for up to 10 FPSOs to develop the gross discovered recoverable resources currently estimated at more than 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

One environmentalist, Simone Mangal-Joly believes that the ramped up production rates are a reckless chase after money.

She said it is, “A reckless rush (Continued on page 22)

Two men die from COVID-19; 120 new infections On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health announced that two more persons, who tested positive for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, have died. The latest fatalities are that of two men, a 68-year-old from Region Six and a 49year-old from Region Four. Both men passed away on Tuesday while receiving treatment at a medical facility. As a result of this, Guyana's COVID-19 death toll has moved to 1,244.

Further, the Ministry, via its COVID-19 dashboard, revealed that within 24 hours, 120 new cases were recorded

across the country, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 66,129. Out of the number of confirmed cases, 30,358 persons are men and 35,771 are women.

A breakdown of the new cases shows that Region Four recorded 66 cases, Region Two recorded 19 cases, Region Six recorded 15 cases, Region Three recorded 13 cases, Region Seven and 10 recorded three cases each and Region One recorded one case.

Presently, there are 19 persons in institutional isolation, one in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 820 in home isolation and none in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 64,045 have recovered from the virus.

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 16, 2022

PAGE 21

Exxon subsidiary records $132B profit from Stabroek Block for 2021 ExxonMobil's subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) disclosed on Wednesday that at the end of 2021, it recorded a $132B profit after working in the Stabroek Block since 1999.

The company noted yesterday that its revenue for the reporting period increased to $254B reflecting higher production volumes and a stronger price environment versus 2020.

Importantly, the company said this was the first profitable year it recorded since working in the basin.

Kaieteur News understands that overall expenses in the Stabroek Block were up in 2021 versus 2020 mostly due to increased production costs and higher depreciation, both of which were driven by increased oil production.

This newspaper understands that lease

expenses for the reporting period were primarily related to the Li a Destiny Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel and according to ExxonMobil, were down by 15 percent versus 2020.

Furthermore, EEPGL's share of royalty expenses related to the Stabroek Block production was $5.8B, an increase of 184 percent versus 2020.

In its Statement of Financial Position, at yearend 2021, assets totaled $1.3trillion, an increase of 30 percent versus prior year mostly reflecting substantial incremental investments in the Stabroek Block.

Also, EEPGL's equity increased 25 percent versus year-end 2020 to $875B driven by earnings and additional equity contributions. The subsidiary said this

The Liza Destiny FPSO

z underscores its strong financial position to meet its ongoing obligations to the government and people of Guyana.

EEPGL's Vice President and Business Services Manager, Phillip Rietema told media operatives that the performance of the company underscores the years of investments required before pay off.

The VP said, “Our total investments to date total $1.3Trillion, and with our partners it is over $3Trillion.

With the plans we have in place out to 2025 will take investments north of $6T.

We continue to invest greater than the returns we receive and we will continue to do so for many years.”

To date, EEPGL and its co-venture partners, Hess Corporation and CNNOC Group, currently have four sanctioned developments on the Stabroek Block.

The Liza Phase 1 development, which began production in December 2019 utilizing the Liza Destiny floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) with a production capacity of approximately 120,000 gross barrels of oil per day,

New GRA HQ for Ogle

recently completed production optimization work that expanded its production capacity to more than 140,000 gross barrels of oil per day.

The Liza Phase 2 development, utilizing the Liza Unity FPSO, began production in February 2022 and is expected to reach its production capacity of approximately 220,000 gross barrels of oil per day by the third quarter.

The third development at Payara is ahead of schedule and now expected to come online in late 2023 utilizing the Prosperity FPSO with a

production capacity of approximately 220,000 gross barrels of oil per day.

The fourth development, Yellowtail, is expected to come online in 2025, utilizing the ONE GUYANA FPSO with a production capacity of approximately 250,000 gross barrels of oil per day.

At least six FPSOs with a production capacity of more than 1 million gross barrels of oil per day are expected to be online on the Stabroek Block in 2027, with the potential for up to 10 FPSOs to develop gross discovered recoverable resources.

The land at Plantation Pattensen, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara which was allotted to GRA to build its permanent headquarters.

...Jagdeo defends giving Pattensen land to hotel developer

V

ice President, Bharrat Jagdeo has come out in defence of Government's decision to transfer a plot of prime land that was allocated for the construction of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)'s Headquarters to Surinamese-based company Pasha Global to build a hotel here.

Last week, it was revealed that the land at Plantation Pattensen, Liliendaal East Coast Demerara allotted to GRA to build its permanent headquarters had been taken back and given to Pasha Global.

While details surrounding the transaction have been sketchy, Jagdeo sought to address the questions surrounding the issue during a press conference on Wednesday.

He said: “often, we see a lot of issues for example the GRA matter has been made into a front page story about

rental. [Opposition leader Aubrey] Norton said that Government is renting to cronies. Since, we got back to office we cut back on rent and I pointed this out while in opposition that rentals under the APNU government grew by $2B and you didn't need to look very far to find out why…”

A c c o r d i n g t o Vi c e President, GRA has not been left out of Government's land allocation plans; it is just more profitable for investors to have some prime lands.

He explained: “we need to bring the hotels closer to the city…We just decided that there will be three international hotels that will employ about 1500 to 3000 Guyanese there… The GRA building can go little further on the Coast so that is the idea. It's not to take away the lands. Government services need to be accessible but we should not occupy all prime lands. We need rooms to host a proper convention. We

don't have enough accommodation for CPL. We need about 12 hotels and so that is not an attempt to deprive GRA.” Further in the planning process, the Vice President said that the Government is now building infrastructures which will see 12 lanes of traffic coming into the city.

“We said to ensure that the people of Guyana all have easy access to the GRA that is along the four lane road which we just started that is where the new GRA headquarters will go at Ogle,” he said.

Jagdeo told the media too that the decision to allow GRA to rent the Camp Street Building from the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is beneficial for the State entity in the long run.

“The rental goes to NIS

GRA Commission General, Godfrey Statia because the building is owned by them and you know that we now have to fix the NIS because the contributions can't sustain the benefits and that's why in the future we will need to make a big injection, “he said.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo Back in 2017, GRA had secured a 50-year lease for the controversial investment site, to build its headquarters.

The land located at Plantation Pattensen, Liliendaal, ECD which was reportedly taken away from GRA, was originally

intended for the construction of a multi-million dollar investment, sporting a luxury hotel and several other facilities.

The venture fell through when the overseas investor breached its agreement with a local businessman. Back then, GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia had told members of the media that the building which currently houses the GRA headquarters and almost 900 employees is no longer sufficient.

Earlier this year, GRA was in the process of inviting bids to commence construction of the building but before the revenue authority could have gone through with it, it was revealed that the land was transferred back to a hotel dealer.

PAGE 22

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Ramped-up oil production must...

From page 20 to chase money without counting the damages and losses in other areas in the process, both in direct benefit we accrue daily, and monetary terms, is shortsighted and dangerous to all of us, including businesses and our economy as

a whole.”

She explained that each time a new FPSO vessel is welcomed to Guyana, it also brings along tonnes of toxic waste that is discharged into the waters, thereby impacting our fish and other marine species.

Not only this, but a tremen-

dous amount of waste is being brought to shore for treatment and disposal, Mangal added.

The envir onmentalist was keen to note that the risks are not only limited to an oil spill, but the dangers extend way beyond such an event.

Contract gives minister pecial powers...

From page 8 Contract Area or renew the Petroleum Prospecting Licence (PPL) for a further period of up to three (3) years.”

With the contract renewed, lasting a period of three years (until June 2023), the agreement says the contractor shall drill one exploration well. At the end of the first renewal period of three years, the PSA states, “the Contractor shall elect either to relinquish the entire Contract Area, or renew

the Petroleum Prospecting Licence for a second period of three (3) years…” Once renewed, this would take the PPL into June 2026, at the end of which the contractor has to relinquish the entire contract Area. Come June 2026, however, the PSA states clearly that the Minister can extend the exploration period “pursuant to a showing of good cause by the contractor.” It should be noted that no other agreement the nation

has with other oil explorers has such a special provision.

Such discretion is not even catered for in Guyana's oil laws.

As Guyana prepares for its first bid round by the end of the third quarter, the government has said it will pursue aggressive relinquishment of offshore acerage. It therefore means that portions of the Corentyne, Kaieteur, Canje, Demerara, and Kanuku blocks would be up for grabs.

Government has not confirmed if Block C which is in ultradeep waters and sandwiched between Exxon's Canje and Kaieteur Blocks, would be part of the upcoming bid round.

Given the provisions for relinquishment in the Stabroek Block deal, investors will have to wait possibly another four to 10 years before any portion of this oil rich block can be part of future bid rounds.

Oil blocks question by farmer angers Pres. Ali...

From page 8 but his response left several in the audience shocked. His face changed and he started off by mockingly saying, “We have said that the oil blocks are being auctioned off, we are auctioning off the oil blocks, if she wants (referring to the woman) she could submit a bid fuh one”.

The tone of his voice then rose sharply as he continued, “I don't know how much time we have to explain this thing.”

Ali then added, “We could either choose to leave the oil or use it for the prosperity of Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean.” The President then started lashing out at the woman.

He said that instead of trying to be negative and ridicule, Guyanese should find out how other countries, they sometimes proudly talk about, became highly developed and rich. “But in this country when we are blessed with natural resources we have people that see all kinds of jumbie in that

blessing”, Ali shouted.

It was at this point that a section of the crowd began laughing and probably it motivated Ali to continue ranting. “They don't see the realisation of better hope, of a better future, they don't contribute to the debate that would lead to how we translate this (speaking about oil) to that better future”, the President ranted during his lengthy response to the woman's question.

He then spoke directly to her and said: “You yourself asked for transportation to bring out the produce, I want to give you the transportation but you know what will help me do it faster, the revenue that will help to build the infrastructure that will support agriculture, that will help you with the subsidies that you want for your input in agriculture, that will help to build the modern infrastructure, that will create a services industry”.

The President then tried

to boast during his angry response by stating that Guyanese should be contented that oil is bringing in investors to build hotels so that they can have jobs. “You think those six, seven hotels that are coming now would have come. Guyana existed a long time before oil.

Those seven hotels that are coming will employ hundreds of thousands of Guyanese, don't you see that”, the President said.

He then sought to make it appear as though the woman's question was irrelevant by adding that Guyanese must be factual and understand the reality and not just “gaff.”

“This is not a President that is interested in gaffing.

This is a President that is interested in doing. So if yuh want to gaff, if yuh want ,you can call “Critic” (a social media personality known as the Guyanese Critic) and them boys and gaff”, the President told the woman sternly as the

crowd and the master of ceremonies laughed at her.

Kaieteur News has been on the fore front exposing how Guyana has been shortchanged with its oil resources. Although the government is moving to auction off some of the oil blocks, a lopsided contract with ExxonMobil's Subsidi a r y, E E G P L f o r t h e Stabroek oil block, one of the most lucrative oil blocks, empowers Guyana's minister to allow the company not to give up the unused portions.

Apart from this Exxon has been making billions of US dollars in profits from Guyana's oil while Guyanese receive hundreds of millions.

In fact, the President of United States of America (USA) Joe Biden stated recently that Exxon “made more money than God this year” and wants Exxon to stop cheating its own home country of taxes. Meanwhile, Guyana signed a deal committing to pay taxes for Exxon.

Thursday June 16, 2022

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Kaieteur News

$35M estimated to expand Guyana Tourism Authority building During the opening of tenders on Tuesday, it was revealed that the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) building located at the National Exhibition Centre will be expanded this year.

The project which is being undertaken by the Ministry of

Tourism, Industry and Commerce is estimated to cost $35,877,125.

At the opening it was revealed that six contractors are vying for the contract. Bids were also opened for the rehabili-

tation of the air condition system at the Linden Hospital which is estimated to cost $24 million and the rehabilitation of the electrical system at the Suddie Hospital which is estimated to cost $22 million.

Below are the companies and their bids: Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Expansion of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) building at the National Exhibition Centre.

Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Rehabilitation of electrical system at the Suddie Public Hospital, Essequibo Coast.

Supply and delivery of five pivot irrigators.

Construction of 500m light duty revetment at Blairmont Estate.

Ministry of Health Rehabilitation of air conditioning system at the Linden Hospital Complex, Region 10.

Ministry of Agriculture Procurement of boats and engines Lot1: procurement of two new outboard engines, Lot2: procurement of two new wooden boats with shed.

“SHE DID NOTHING WRONG”: Minnis defends former ambassador to Belgium after Bell’s spending claims

Procurement of a new 4x4 double cab pickup.

Audit Office of Guyana Provision of audit services.

Ministry of Home Affairs Procurement of firefighting kits.

Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) Supply and delivery of double axle dump trucks.

(ewnews) - NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Former Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis is defending the former ambassador to Belgium and head of mission to the European Union, Maria O’Brien, whose residence and accommodations under his tenure reportedly cost the government hundreds of thousands of dollars, emphasizing that ambassadors do not spend taxpayer funds and that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs likely followed proper protocols.

His comment came after Senator Darren Henfield, the former Foreign Affairs Minister, called for an official investigation into Keith Bell’s claims that more than $1 million was spent on the ambassador’s residence and hotel accommodations during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnis said it is unlikely that Henfield would know about the expenditure.

He said Bell, who discussed the matter in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, was being disingenuous. “First and foremost, the ambassadors do not spend money themselves, so clear that up,” he told Eyewitness News.

“There is a system. The min-

istry, they would look at various apartments, complexes etc and once it meets their requirements, that would be approved by the ministry.

“In terms of purchasing furnishings etc, again, the government has a policy in place. “So, the ambassador herself would have nothing to do with that, the system don’t allow that. “That’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Why didn’t the minister of foreign affairs present it?

“That’s a concern to me.

And I would like to see what the protocols were there because there are protocols to follow.” Minnis confirmed that the ambassador’s residence in question is located in Brussels. In 2018, he appointed Maria O’Brien ambassador to Belgium and head of mission to the European Union. For his part, Henfield said neither he nor his permanent secretary at the time, Jack Thompson, knew about the expenditure.

Asked about the matter, including verifying the residence in question, Henfield’s successor, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell, said: “I have no comment to make on this.”

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 16, 2022

Thursday June 16, 2022

PAGE 25

Kaieteur News

Kemar Roach added to West Indies... Taiwan condemns Qatar...

From page 26 best figures at the venue are 5-8 which also came against Bangladesh in 2018.

Head Coach Phil Simmons said: “It’s brilliant that he’s fit for the Test match.

He’s always an inspiration for the younger players we have here and h e ’s r e a d y t o g o . Wi t h 250 wickets around the corner, we’re happy with what he brings to the table, not just on the field but in the dressing room as well. I’m glad he’s fit and looking forward to seeing him getting out there and doing what he does so well.”

Fans can purchase tickets for the two match Se-

ries 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 additi o n t o b e i n g a b l e t o c h o o s e 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 dis-

counts when they buy tickets online for this Series as well as forthcoming T20I and ODI games in the Caribbean.

FULL SQUAD Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain) Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain) Nkrumah Bonner John Campbell Joshua Da Silva Alzarri Joseph Kyle Mayers Gudakesh Motie Anderson Phillip Kemar Roach Raymon Reifer Jayden Seales Devon Thomas Reserves Tagernarine Chanderpaul Shermon Lewis

From page 29 to refer to Taiwan as part of China in official documents and on websites, often using the wording “Taiwan, Province of China”, or “Taiwan, China”.

When asked about the

complaints made to the Qatar World Cup organisers by Taiwan officials, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said he wished to reiterate that “Taiwan is part of China”.

“Maintaining the one

China principle is a basic norm of international relations and is the widely held consensus of the international community,” Wang told re porters at a regular briefing in Beijing yesterday.

Forrester's cements support for...

From page 23 their businesses with the club. Slingerz FC is here to stay (this time).

We endeavour and pride ourselves in being a professional

club and one which has shown that we are capable of helping to elevate the status of the game in Guyana,” Ali said.

Slingerz FC will once

again compete in the West Demerara Football A s s o c i a t i o n ( W D FA ) ; the same league which they had won back-to-back in 2013 and 2014.

Thursday June 16, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Sometimes, it's amazing to see how your relationships can spin so easily out of control, Aries. Today you may have to deal with a lot of tension within your group.

You'll almost feel as if no one understands the situation.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) As the dawn of another quiet and peaceful day appears, Libra, you will be in the best disposition to observe and appreciate the lightness of things. Life can seem so beautiful on some days.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You sometimes have difficulty making up your mind. You don't always know exactly what you want.

Today, Taurus, you'll be at peace with yourself.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You will find a clean page on the agenda today, Scorpio.

You should try to think only about yourself. This will allow you to meditate about your life and be at peace with yourself. .

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You will wake up today on cloud nine, Sagittarius. Your morale is at a peak. You will feel totally free and be able to clearly perceive the essentials of life.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Sometimes we all feel a little lost, Gemini. We often want to move mountains and use all our energy and enthusiasm to try to do so.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You have a natural ability to accomplish a great deal rather easily, Cancer. But today you may feel snowed under with projects. Things around you might be moving quickly.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Your day has finally come, Leo. You have your own vision of life and you like sharing it with others. You're far from thinking that you're any sort of new messiah.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) Today you'll have the strange feeling that something is floating in the air.

The time is right to try to understand the different needs of your family circle.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The The astral energy will have you reminiscing all day long over childhood memories, Capricorn. These memories will take you to the houses and places where you were raised.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You love interacting with people others might consider eccentric. You can't help it. You're simply attracted to them. You will probably encounter one of these people today, Aquarius.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You have always tried to build up your health using traditional methods, and you take great care of yourself.

Volodímir Zelenski

PAGE 26

Thursday June 16, 2022

Kaieteur News

Women’s Super50 oversbegins today at Providence Defending Champs B’dos favoured against Windwards

By Sean Devers After playing some bad cricket against Trinidad &Tobago which cost them the T20 Blaze title which they had won for past two tournaments, Barbados women will now focus on defending their Super50 title when that format begins today when they battle the Windwards.

After winning the 50-over title in the last tournament in Guyana in 2019, Barbados has a powerful team even without their superstar Deandra Dottin and will be favoured today on a fast outfield and good track with fingers crossed for good weather conditions.

Barbados has qualified for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in August and will aim to capture their fourth 50over crown after winning that title in 2015, 2018 and 2019 while the Windwards is looking for their maiden title.

When the Bajans won their last title, Dottin and Hayley Matthews were the leading players with bat and ball in the 2019 tournament but now their fortunes will rest on the 24-year-old flamboyant Matthews with both bat and ball.

The Bajans have two pairs of twins in their side; the Knight sisters (Kycia & Kyshona) and Shanute and Shai Carrington along with Aaliyah Williams.

The 32-year-old Shakera Selman has played 58 ODIs and will spearhead a strong Bajan pace attack which includes Shanika Bruce, Shamilia Connell and Aaliyah

Afy Fletcher

Haley Matthews

Shakera Selman

Pearl Etienne

Alleyne.

Matthews will spearhead the spin department with support from 37-year-old Charlene Taitt, Barbados joined the West Indies domestic structure for its inaugural season in 1976, playing in the Federation Championships in Grenada with their only victory being against Grenada who they beat by an innings and 83 runs Until 2014, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia and St Vincent competed separately in the two competitions. In 2015, two teams; South Windward Islands and North Windward Islands, competed before the Windwards began playing as a team in 2016.

The Windwards will bank on their 35-year-old Skipper

and West Indies leg-spinner Grenadian Afy Fletcher, Kimone Homer, Malika Edward, Tracy Byron, StacyAnn Adams and 18-year-old Zaida James who missed matches in T20 Blaze because she had to write her CXC exams.

Their pace attack will be led by 40-year-old Dominican Pearl Etienne, the oldest and among the fittest player in the tournament. She will expect support from Qiana Joseph left-arm pacer Jannillea Glasgow.

Fletcher should get support from off-spinner Carena Noel while Wicket Keeper Glendeen Turtinis expected to play a crucial role today.

The game is scheduled to commence at 09:30 hrs.

Kemar Roach added to West Indies Test squad ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Kemar Roach has been included in the West Indies squad for the first Test match against Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The experienced fast bowler passed a fitness assessment and was added as the 13th player ahead of the start of the Padma Bridge Friendship Test Series, presented by Walton. The match bowls off today, Thursday 16 June. The first ball is bowled daily at 10am (9am Jamaica).

Roach has made a full recovery from an injury sustained while playing for Surrey in the English County Championship. Roach is the highest ranked bowler West Indies bowler in the ICC

Kemar Roach bowls during practice yesterday

rankings and is West Indies’ leading current wicket-taker in Test matches. He brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to the bowling attack with an impressive record of 242 wickets in 72 Test matches at 27

runs apiece and he is also the leading wicket-taker at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium with 43 wickets. His career best figures of 6-48 came against Bangladesh in 2009, while his (Continued on page 25)

Thursday June 16, 2022

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Kaieteur News

BCB to launch a massive inter-secondary school coaching programme in Berbice - Part of a comprehensive developmental plan The Berbice Cricket Board as part of a comprehensive developmental programme for the ancient county of Berbice would be unveiling a major countywide coaching programme for secondary schools. The programme would be officially launched early in July with sponsorship from one of the leading companies in Guyana. BCB President Hilbert Foster held discussions with the Chief Executive Officer of the company and was able to obtain a sponsorship of one million dollars for the historic coaching programme which would start in the new school year starting in September.

Foster noted that the programme would involve twenty two secondary schools in Regions five and six. The vibrant BCB President stated that the schools would be divided into five sub zones - West Berbice, Lower Corentyne, New Amsterdam/Canje, Upper Corentyne and Central

Corentyne.

A battery of coaches including Winston Smith, Julian Moore, Travis Hardcourt, Delbert Hicks, Leslie Solomon and Balram Samaroo would spearhead the programme which would last until March 2023.

Each sub zone would undergo days of intense coaching with the coaches with special emphasis on batting, bowling, fielding, wicketkeeping and physical fitness.

The coaching part would be the second of three different segments of the comprehensive programme with the first being the donation of gears and uniforms to all of the schools. The multi million dollars donation would be done in conjunction with overseas Guyanese Lochan Samkarran, while the third and final part would be the hosting of five tournaments via the inter zone system.

The coaches after the end of the three segments would

then select a forty man squad consisting of both male and female for further training.

Every student attending the camp would also receive a copy of the BCB historic coaching manual. Foster stated that the BCB also intends to train at least one teacher from each school in basic coaching techniques, so that they would continue working with the students in school.

The BCB President hailed the upcoming school programme as another major red letter day in the history of Berbice Cricket and predicted that it would have a positive development in Berbice cricket.

The main aim of the school programme would be to look for new players, to develop existing talent and to return the schools to their status as the nursery of the county’s cricket. The sponsor of the programme would also provide uniforms for the coaching staff and promo-

Jamaica Reggae Boyz, Mexico share spoils in 1-1 Concacaf Nations League draw SportsMax - Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz and Mexico were forced to settle for a share of the spoils after a feisty 1-1 draw in group A of the Concacaf Nations League Group A on Tuesday at the National Stadium.

The Mexicans began the game in an enterprising fashion and almost took the lead minutes after the kick-off.

A sweeping attacking move e n d e d w i t h S a n t i a go Gimenez being brilliantly thwarted by Jamaica custodian Andre Blake who snuffed out the 2nd-minute attempt no more than four yards away from goal.

It was the Jamaicans who, however, took the lead, against the run of play, through a sweeping move of their own, punctuated in the 7th minute by a bullet-header from Leon Bailey, who was picked out in the box by Shamar Nicholson.

Nicholson almost got on the scoresheet himself five minutes later but his towering header, after rising from a corner, crashed on to to the top of the crossbar.

After continuing to dominate the majority of the play, the visitors seemed set to end the half empty-handed but got some reward for their en-

Leon Bailey terprise in time added on.

Luis Romo brought the team back on level terms after beating the Jamaican backline to a ball whipped into the area and heading past Blake just before the whistle.

In an entertaining second half, Nicholson almost restored the Jamaican’s lead but saw his chip to goal cleared off the line by two Mexican defenders after successfully dinking the ball over the head of onrushing Mexican keeper Rodolfo Cota, after being

played through on goal by Bailey.

The visitors, however, had plenty of attempts of their own, and Blake was kept busy, most notably diving full stretch to parry a fierce drive on goal from livewire Diego Lanez in the 68th minute.

With the result the Jamaicans remain at the top of the group on 5 points, while Mexico picks up their first point of the competition, joining Suriname on 1.

tional materials.

The BCB has Guyana’s most active cricket development Coaching programme with the hosting of the Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh coaching programme for clubs and the board also hosts clinics for the different aspects of the game on a regular basis. The BCB has also invited legends of cricket to conduct sessions with its players including Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Curtly Ambrose, Jimmy Adams, Dr Desmond Haynes, Roland Butcher, Reon King and Clyde Butts.

Foster and his marketing team are also currently working to obtain sponsorship for another countywide coaching programme for students in primary schools and expect to make a major announcement soon.

BCB President Hilbert Foster MS

Hardik Pandya to captain India in Ireland T20Is; Rahul Tripathi gets maiden call-up Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav are also back in the squad ESPNcricinfo - Hardik Pandya will lead India during their two-match T20I tour of Ireland at the end of June.

With the squad lacking a number of regulars who will be in England preparing for the Edgbaston Test match, Hardik will get a chance to bring to international cricket the leadership skills he displayed while captaining Gujarat Titans to the IPL 2022 title.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be his deputy.

The squad includes a first-time call-up for Rahul Tripathi, who scored an impressive 413 runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad during the recently concluded IPL season, at an average of 37.54 and a strike rate of 158.23. His performances, which were marked by his willingness to take risks early in his innings, drew widespread praise, with a number of experts suggesting he was ready to play international cricket. Speaking on the ESPNcricinfo show T20 Time:Out, former India coach Ravi Shastri said Tripathi was “not far at all” from an India call-up. “It is a very big opportunity, a dream come true [moment] and [I] appreciate [it],” Tripathi told PTI. “I am very happy that the selectors and everybody believed in me and whatever hard-work I have put in, I have got the rewards. And hopefully, if I get an opportunity to play, I will try and give my best.”

There are also recalls for

Hardik Pandya recently led Gujarat Titans to the IPL title. (BCCI) two other middle-order batters in Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav, with the latter having recovered from the forearm injury that ruled him out of the closing stages of the IPL as well as India’s ongoing home T20I series against South Africa.

The rest of the squad is along expected lines, with no unforced changes from the squad that is currently trailing South Africa 2-1 after three matches of the fivegame series. The only exclusions are of Rishabh Pant, who is captaining India in that series, and Shreyas Iyer, both of whom will be part of India’s Test squad in England.

The BCCI release an-

nouncing the squad has Dinesh Karthik slotted in as wicketkeeper although both he and Ishan Kishan can fulfill the role in Pant’s absence.

Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik, the two uncapped fast bowlers who are yet to feature against South Africa, will travel to Ireland too. VVS Laxman will coach India on the tour, standing in for regular head coach Rahul Dravid who will be with the Test squad in England. Laxman will be assisted by batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule and fielding coach Munish Bali.

The two T20Is are scheduled to be played on June 26 and 28 in Malahide.

PAGE 28

Thursday June 16, 2022

Kaieteur News

Bangladesh look to abandon horrors of 2018 against buoyant West Indies starting today ESPNcricinfo - Big picture Four years ago, Bangladesh’s last visit to Antigua wasn’t a pleasant experience. On the first day of their 2018 tour, West Indies routed them out for 43, their lowest Test total.

The visitors went bellyup for the rest of that Test series, which lasted a total of six days.

While humiliation was the main outcome then, Bangladesh have a bigger consequence facing them now.

The current tour of West Indies is their penultimate in this cycle’s World Test Championship, as they fight their own demons.

They have just been knocked over by Sri Lanka at home, after getting hammered by South Africa previously.

If those were not enough, Mominul Haque resigned from captaincy following the Sri Lanka defeat, even after being named captain for the West Indies tour.

Shakib Al Hasan was handed the reins but his apathy towards Test cricket is well known.

To make matters worse, Bangladesh will be without

Mushfiqur Rahim - their topscorer against Sri Lanka - after he opted to go on Hajj, as well as Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam who are both recuperating from injuries.

And to add to all that, Mushfiqur ’s middle-order replacement Yasir Ali has also been ruled out due to a back injury.

There is, h o w e v e r, some respite for the visitors from their d r a wn warm-up match at t h e C o o l i d g e Cricket Ground last week.

Tamim Iqbal bounced back from his pair against Sri Lanka with 162 against the CWI President’s XI, while Najmul Hossain Shanto got a much-needed fifty. Mustafizur Rahman, bowling with a red ball after a long time, and Ebadot Hossain also took three wickets each.

Meanwhile, hosts West Indies are a bit short of recent Test experience, having only played a single Test series in 2022.

But the 2-1 win against England in March was reassurance that with Kraigg Brathwaite in charge, they were perhaps back on track.

If Kemar Roach can pass

his fitness test, West Indies can threaten Bangladesh with a proper pace attack that also includes Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales and newcomer Anderson Phillip.

There are also first-time call-ups for wicketkeeper-batter Devon Thomas and leftarm spinner Gudakesh Motie for the series.

Brathwaite will lead the batting line-up with his deputy Jermaine Blackwood, to go with Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua Da Silva and Kyle Mayers.

Raymon Reifer also offers an interesting choice with his left-arm pace and batting.

West Indies have also included Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Shermon Lewis as reserves.

In the spotlight Joshua Da Silva was West Indies’ Player of the Match in their last Test appearance against England back in March. He made an unbeaten hundred and took five catches.

Da Silva will once again be in the thick of things against Bangladesh, especially being one of the main batters to have recently played firstclass cricket in the West Indies 4-Day Regional Championship.

It is not often that a Bangladesh batter finds himself among the top three rungetters six months into a year, but that is exactly where Litton Das is at the moment. He is just behind Usman Khawaja and Joe Root, but 558 runs with two centuries despite being a wicketkeeper coming in at No. 7 remains a talking point. No doubt then that his elevation to becoming the vice-captain was a matter of time.

Team news Now that Shamarh Brooks is dropped, is it likely that Bonner will be back at No. 3? Does Thomas’ inclusion mean anything for Da Silva batting higher up the order, or do th e s e l e c t o r s t a k e a chance with newcomer Chanderpaul from the reserves?

Will Reifer replace Jas o n H o l d e r, w h o h a s been rested? There could be a lot of questions facing the West Indies team management.

West Indies (probable): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 John Campbell, 3 N k r u m a h B o n n e r, 4 Jermaine Blackwood, 5

West Indies players had a practice session yesterday. 2

Kyle Mayers, 6 Joshua Da Silva (wk), 7 Devon Thomas, 8 Raymon Reifer, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Anderson Philip/Kemar Roach, 11 Jayden Seales Shakib should come out at No. 5 since Mushfiqur and Yasir aren’t available. Nurul Hasan will bolster the batting unit, but Mosaddek Hossain’s form is a concern. Mustafizur could get a spot if Bangladesh want five bowlers, but that would mean risking a long tail. *Bangladesh have called up Anamul Haque, who last played a Test in September 2014, as a re-

placement for Yasir but he will leave for Antigua on June 17 to be available for the second Test starting June 24 in St Lucia.

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Mahmudul H a s a n J o y, 3 N a j m u l Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Litton Das (wk), 7 Nurul Hasan, 8 Mosaddek Hossain, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Khaled Ahmed, 11 Ebadot Hossain Pitch and conditions It is likely to be a strawcoloured pitch at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. Rain isn’t forecast over the five days.

Marics injects $100k into GCF Fide Chess Olympiad Team’s preparations Marics and Co. Ltd, the home of Honda in Guyana, has donated 100K towards Guyana’s National Chess Team’s participation in the 44TH FIDE Chess Olympiad hosted in the birthplace of chess, Chennai, India.

Their donation will go towards the hosting of the fundraising dinner for the team which will be held on Saturday June 25th, 2022 at the Ramada, Georgetown Princess Hotel.

The Olympiad is the biggest chess event in the world with over 150 countries set to participate.

Guyana has been fielding players to represent the country at the Olympiad since the 1970s and we have not missed a single Olympiad event since 2014.

S o m e o f G u y a n a ’s best chess players, selected after a series of q ualifying tournaments, are CM Taffin Khan, FM Anthony Drayton, Roberto Neto, Loris Nathoo and

Ethan Lee who will all be playing in the Open Category. Sasha Shariff, Pooja Lam, Anaya Lall, Jessica Callender and Nellisha Johnson will be playing in the Women’s Category.

N o t a b l y, this is Guyana’s first ever team to include a player with a disability through deaf chess player Anaya Lall w h o beat out a number of far older and more experienced players to earn her spot.

She is also the youngest member of the team at 12 years old.

The team is expected to travel next month to C h e n n a i , t h e v e n u e for the 44th chess Olympiad, the first-ever to be held in India.

Chennai, a 382 year o l d c i t y, k n o w n f o r i t s rich culture, heritage and history, also boasts modern medical and engineering amenities as well as educational institutes.

The Guyana Chess Federation is extremely thankful once again to Marics

and Co. Ltd who has been a faithful supporter of chess in Guyana.

Marics has been a sponsor since 2020 towards the then planned Carifta Junior Championships which was consequently postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Marics is the authorized distributor for all Honda products in Guyana.

Their o f f i c e i s l o cated at 186-87 Charl o t t e S t r e e t , L a c y town, Georgetown.

They supply quality service in a diverse line of eco-friendly Power Products, vehicles, ATVs and motorcycles.

T h e y a l s o stock a large inventory of spares and promote reliable after sales services.

M a r k e t i n g M a n a g e r, Anjanie Hackette stated that, “Marics & Co. Ltd. is pleased to assist with sponsorship of the Guyana team to the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India. We wish the team well.”

Thursday June 16, 2022

Taiwan condemns Qatar for ‘politicising’ World Cup amid China spat General view inside the stadium before the match. (REUTERS/ Mohammed Dabbous)

TAIPEI, (Reuters) Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry condemned organisers of the World Cup in Qatar yesterday for saying Taiwanese fans may be listed as being from China, and demanded organisers not allow “improper political factors” to interfere in sporting events.

The issue is extremely sensitive for democraticallygoverned Taiwan, which bristles at China’s claims of sovereignty over it, and particularly its giant neighbour’s efforts to claim people from Taiwan as being from China.

All World Cup ticketholders must apply for the Hayya card used to identify fans, which also serves as their entry visa for Qatar.

On Tuesday, a drop-down menu of nationalities on the application system had no listing at all for Taiwan, and a senior Qatari official said Taiwanese were likely to be listed

as being from China on the card.

By yesterday, the online system was listing “Taiwan, Province of China”, terminology that equally angers Taiwan’s government and many of its people, though it did also include a Taiwanese flag, a symbol anathema to China’s government.

Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou said it was “unacceptable to belittle our country” and they were looking for organisers to make an “immediate correction of their ways”.

“The Foreign Ministry again calls on the organisers of the World Cup to not allow improper political factors to interfere with simple sports activities and tarnish sporting venues that value fair competition and emphasise the spirit of the athletes,” she added.

Organisers should let sports be sports and give

fans around the world “a clean World Cup football event”.

There was no immediate response to the comments from World Cup organisers.

The Qatar government’s communication office was not immediately responding to request for comment.

Taiwan competes at most international sporting events, like the Olympics, as “Chinese Taipei” to avoid political problems with Beijing.

It has never played at the World Cup finals and crashed out in the second round of Asian qualifying for the 2022 tournament last year after losing all eight matches. Taiwan has no diplomatic relations with Qatar, which, like most countries, only recognises China’s government. China, seeking to assert its sovereignty claims, has been stepping up pressure for countries and foreign companies (Continued on page 25)

Lim holds Junior National Javelin, Discus records Gabriel Lim is now Guyana’s junior National Javelin record holder following a good performance at the Jamaica Athletics Association (JAAA) 2022 All-Comers Track and Field Meet.

Lim finished fourth overall in the Men’s Javelin throw with an attempt of 57.54m to eclipse the previous National mark of 57.31m set by Linden’s Joshua Tappin. Competing at Jamaica National Stadium, Lim had throws of 44.94m, 49.77m and 56.40m, coupled with two fouls in the line-up alongside his best attempt.

The top finishers in the event were Elvis Graham (74.34), Orlando Thomas (66.66) and Dorian Charles (62.70). Lim, who competes for Jamaica College, also has

PAGE 29

Kaieteur News

Gabriel Lim

Guyana’s junior National Discus record under his belt with a distance of 46.58m. He also

bettered the previous record holder, Tappin, who had a mark of 40m set.

Guyana Cricket Board congratulates Motie on his maiden Test call up The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has congratulated Gudakesh Motie on his maiden call up for the West Indies Test team in an official release from the board.

West Indies will play Bangladesh in a Two (2) Test series starting from today June 16 to 28, 2022.

The 27 year-old Motie who hails from Albion, earned his call-up following outstanding performances for Guyana in all formats during the past year.

The left-arm spinner has played 34 First-Class matches for Guyana and West Indies ‘A’ teams taking 117 wickets with best figures of 6-20.

In the recently concluded West Indies Championship, Motie struck his maiden FirstClass century against eventual champions, Barbados, a shot filled 110 to showcase his improving batting prowess.

Motie made his interna-

Gudakesh Motie

tional debut when he played a T20 international against Pakistan at Karachi in December 16, 2021.

The President and Execu-

tive members of the Guyana Cricket Board would like to extend best wishes to Motie as he looks to make his mark in Test cricket.

PAGE 30

Thursday June 16, 2022

Kaieteur News

With a record 6 teams, Asia resets goals for World Cup SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Australia’s win over Peru in the intercontinental playoffs this week guaranteed an unprecedented six teams from the Asian confederation at the World Cup, giving the continent an opportunity to repeat the success of 2002 when it first staged soccer’s marquee event.

South Korea reached the semifinals and Japan made it to the Round of 16 when they co-hosted the tournament in 2002, but Asia has under-performed in every edition since.

In the first World Cup in the Middle East, Europe, with 13, will be the only continent with more teams represented.

Qatar’s hosting of the Nov. 21-Dec. 18 tournament has added to Asia’s usual automatic four qualification spots filled by Saudi Arabia, Japan, Iran and South Korea.

“This is indeed Asia’s time and there is no better way to underline this celebration than with the qualification of a record six teams at the FIFA World Cup for the first time in our history,” Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said. He’s hoping 2022

Australian players celebrate after winning in a penalty shoot-out during the World Cup 2022 qualifying play-off soccer match between Australia and Peru in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Monday, June 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed) will show a marked improvement from Asia’s performance in 2018.

With just over five months to go, signs are mixed.

Japan was shaping up as the best hope. A narrow 1-0 loss at home to Brazil on June 6 was sandwiched between 41 victories over Paraguay and Ghana. On Tuesday, however, Hajime Moriyasu’s men lost

3-0 at home to Tunisia.

“The result was disappointing,” Moriyasu said, but he added that the friendlies had given him an opportunity to try different formations.

“This will help in the future and I will use this as a springboard to improve.”

Japan starts and ends Group E against Germany and Spain with the middle game against Costa Rica, which

edged New Zealand on Tuesday for the last of the 32 spots in the draw for Qatar.

Saudi Arabia finished above Japan and Australia in qualifying but lost earlier this month to Colombia and Venezuela, two teams that did not qualify from South America.

It leaves Saudi Arabia’s opening Group C game against Argentina looking ominous.

“The players are tired af-

ter a long season and the coach (Herve Renard) has been trying different strategies and we hope to get the benefit from that,” Saudi Arabia’s federation president Yasser Al-Mishael said. The Saudis plan to have six or seven more friendlies.

“September’s training camp will be focused on correcting mistakes and preparing for the World Cup.” Iran has to face England, the United States and Wales in Group B, but the team’s only game since securing qualification was Algeria in Doha on Monday and ended in a 2-1 defeat. The team from Qatar, which has never appeared at the World Cup before, has not seen much international action at all.

The Australians have been up and down. After winning 11 straight qualifying games in the second round and start of the third round of Asian qualifying, the Socceroos registered just one victory in seven games to finish third in their group.

The Socceroos beat United Arab Emirates 2-1 in an Asian playoff last week. Six

days later at the same stadium in Qatar on Monday, the Socceroos qualified for a fifth straight World Cup after edging Peru, the fifth-place team in South America, 5-4 on penalties.

The reward is a place in Group D and games against defending champion France, Tunisia and Denmark.

South Korea, appearing at a 10th successive World Cup, started its buildup with a heavy 5-1 loss to Brazil in Seoul on June 2. Results improved as the Taeguk Warriors beat Chile 2-0, drew 2-2 with Paraguay and then defeated Egypt 4-1.

The South Koreans, who beat Poland, Portugal, Italy and Spain on a remarkable run to the semifinals at home in 2002, will be playing in Group H against Uruguay, Portugal and Ghana in Qatar.

“The biggest positive to take is how the players reacted against Chile after the defeat against Brazil and how they fought back from 2-0 down against Paraguay,” South Korea coach Paulo Bento said. “We still have work to do.”

Modernisation of Mackenzie Sports South Americans critical of Wenger’s comments on Africa Club to begin before year end says Minister of Sport Charles Ramson ...Akanni Blair to head Net Rockers FC’s IMC

Fifa President Gianni Infantino, center, former Brazilian soccer player Ronaldo, right, and Swiss soccer coach Arsene Wenger stand together during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Monday, May 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) SAO PAULO (AP) — South American soccer’s governing body has rebuked FIFA’s chief of global development Arsène Wenger for suggesting Africa’s infrastructure is inadequate for talent development and that Europe is the only continent where rising stars can reach full potential.

CONMEBOL on Tuesday said it sent a letter to soccer’s global organizers to “condemn the very unfortunate expressions of the high FIFA officer.”

Wenger, the high-profile Former Arsenal manager, said in an interview with ESPN FC earlier this month that if

French striker Kylian Mbappé “had been born in Cameroon, he wouldn’t have become the striker he is today.”

“There’s Europe and there’s rest of the world,” Wenger added. “The latter needs help, otherwise we’re going to miss a great deal of talent.” CONMEBOL said frequently the “most objectionable prejudices are disguised as reasoned and intelligent reflections.”

“Wenger’s words, beyond showing an unusual ignorance about the valuable input of African players in world soccer, and particularly in Europe, show a denigrating twist that hides the effort

of footballers and sporting institutions that are not in Europe,” the CONMEBOL statement said.

“Just like Africans, we South Americans know first hand that kind of behavior that comes from the belief that the world begins and ends in Europe.”

FIFA did not immediately respond a request for comment from The Associated Press. CONMEBOL also criticized FIFA’s unilateral decision to allow five replacements per team per game instead of the current three. It said the move “took place without a process of consultations and debate.”

Minister of Sport Charles Ramson is seated fourth from right and Akanni Blair is second from right at the meeting.

After paying a visit before one of Linden’s top clubs, Net Rockers FC, installed an Interim Management Committee which will see the club to an election after three months, Minister of Sport Charles Ramson was asked when the MSC will be rehabilitated for which he responded that work towards this being achieved will be

before the end of the year.

The Net Rockers FC meeting with members was last Sunday at the Wisburg Secondary School and present also was Upper Demerara Football Association official Mr. Jermaine Forrester.

The IMC, which was installed, has Akanni Blair as President, Gordon Paine the First Vice President, Ray

Fraser second Vice President, Mrs. Yonessa Welcome Mercurius as Secretary, Mr. Monty Jones Treasurer, Ms. Onita Harry the Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, Mr. Eyon Wills as Technical Director and Coach, and the Committee Members Ms. Nikita David and Ms. Britney Edwards.

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 16, 2022

PAGE 31

Forrester's cements support for Slingerz FC

Forrester's Lumber and Building Complex, located at Stewartville, West Demerara, became the first business entity to cement its support for Slingerz Football Club on its quest to regain supremacy in Guyana's football.

The former National Club Champion, known for their dominance during their 2013 – 2016 reign, announced their reappearance to local football on Tuesday, promising a return to the throne they once sat on as Elite League Champions.

However, Club president, Javed Ali, said this will not be achieved without the assistance of corporate Guyana, since the aim of Slingerz FC is to allow their players to focus entirely on playing the 'beautiful game'.

Forrester's, known for its supply of building materials and other services on the 'West Side', said their motto, 'supporting development, providing support', also speaks to helping in the area of sports and Slingerz FC provides the perfect opportunity for them to give back to the country's athletes.

According to the company, Slingerz FC, which is based in Vergenoegen, is a product of the 'West Side' and during the club's

Club president, Javed Ali (centre) along with Reps of Forrester's and players during the re-launching of the club.

Kacey Pearson (L), a member of Slingerz FC, receives the club's support from Forrester's representative. three years in existence they have brought recognition to West Demerara and East Bank Essequibo.

The company said they will continue to support the Club's president, Javed Ali, and his push in helping to create jobs for local

athletes using football.

Ali thanked the company for their support, calling it “the start of a long partnership with Slingerz

FC.”“We welcome Forrester's to the club as one of our sponsors, and I'm making a call on others to align (Continued on page 19)

Bangladesh look to abandon horrors of 2018 against buoyant West Indies starting today West Indies players had a practice session yesterday.

Kemar Roach bowls during practice yesterday. (CWI)

Kemar Roach added to West Indies Test squad Women's Super50 oversbegins today at Providence

Defending Champs B'dos favoured against Windwards Shakera Selman

t r o Sp Representative from Marics, Khemraj Jaikarran, hands over the sponsorship cheque to GCF Secretary, Marcia Lee.

Haley Matthews

p. 21

Marics injects $100k into GCF Fide Chess Olympiad Team's preparations

Afy Fletcher

Pearl Etienne

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