Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR NEWS

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

CDB presses CARICOM

to transition

to renewables

Tuesday Edition June 21, 2022 - Vol. 15 No. 24

...but VP Jagdeo Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online says solar, wind, Price $100 readership hydro options too yesterday, 90,769 expensive for Guyana

Jagdeo, Norton, Ramjattan, Patterson unsure whether Exxon recovering 2 % royalty

Vice President - Bharrat Jagdeo

Opposition Leader - Aubrey Norton

AFC Leader - Khemraj Ramjattan

Shadow Oil and Gas Minister MP David Patterson

COVID-19 death $79M in contracts to build nursery toll now 1,248 ...fully vaccinated man latest fatality school, extend dorm Bodies of Pomeroon Govt. awards hospital accident victims contract to Austrian firm recovered from river without tendering project

Guyana may already be in the middle of an oil curse - Int'l lawyer Exxon, other oil companies cheated the USA and others on royalties. Jagdeo, Norton, Ramjattan and Patterson do not know if the 2% Royalty Guyana gets is recoverable. Go Guyana go! Listen to The Glenn Lall Show @11:00hrs on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

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Tuesday June 21, 2022

Kaieteur News

Exxon to hand Guyana another US$2B in bills over next three years ...on leases, capital purchases for Stabroek Block

E

sso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)—ExxonMobil Guyana—plans to spend G$276,434,609, 999 or US$ 1,382,173,049 on operating leases and capital projects or new purchases for this year.

The amount identified by EEPGL for spending on the two categories this year, is included in the items that have been earmarked to be recovered by cost oil meaning Guyana's oil in the Stabroek Block would be used to make the repayments.

The commitment, according to ExxonMobil, for the two categories of spending for this year is pegged at some

G$276,434,609,999 or US$1,382,173,050, the next year 2022, accounts for some G $ 11 7 , 1 3 7 , 4 5 1 , 8 6 2 o r US$585,687,259 and in 2024 G$8,655,139,808 or US$43,275,699 and thereafter G$18,805,838,338 or US$94,029,191.69.

Altogether, EEPGL has earmarked some G$421,033,040,007 or US$2,105,165,200,035 in the near future. The amounts would represent sums to be deducted as part of the recoverable expenses. This publication over the weekend had reported that just one of the thousands of costs for the ExxonMobil Guyana's oil project in Guyana is costing the country more than half of

what it is earns in profits and royalty from. That single deduction relates to the decommissioning or clean up exercise to be undertaken some 18 years from now.

According to the financial statements recently released by ExxonMobil Guyana, the deductions over the last two years amounts to some US$355.7M, while the total earnings for the country from the Stabroek Block during the same period was some US$607M. EEPGL last year generated some US$12B in revenue while the country collected some US$458M, accounting for its share of Profits and the Royalties earned for the entire year. The company's

One of the FPSOs currently producing in the Stabroek Block. after tax profit for that year was recorded some US$634,936,435 or G$132.1B with its total operating expenditure which is recovered from cost oil for ExxonMobil Guyana at US$586,783,567 or $123B. Juxtaposed with the earnings of the entire country through taxes and other revenue streams including its earnings from the Stabroek Block—US$458M—it would mean that the EEPGL—ExxonMobil Guyana—operations last year earned more than the entire country put together.

In 2021, Guyana earned as a country, a total of U S $ 1 , 6 9 0 , 11 5 , 3 8 4 , o r G$351.5B. It would mean that the Stabroek Block production in fact generated more income than the country collectively.

In 2020, the country had

earned for itself US$149M in Royalty and Taxes.

As such, it would mean that for the two full years of oil production, the county earned for itself, some US$607M. Just one of the costs deducted from ExxonMobil Guyana— decommissioning is pegged at a whopping US$355.7M or considerably more than half of the country's total earnings for the entire year.

Based on its 2021 financial statements, EEPGL recovered $15.2B in 2020 and $17B in 2021 for decommissioning costs associated with the Liza One Project. It therefore means that its total take for the two years was US$160M. Its partners also recovered monies too.

Though their financial results have not been made public as yet, Kaieteur News was able

to calculate their take based on the percentage of working interest they hold in the Stabroek Block. With Hess' 30 percent stake, it recovered approximately US$106.7M while CNOOC's 25 percent working interest would be equivalent to US$89M being r e c o v e r e d f o r decommissioning.

Under the deal signed—the Production Sharing Agreement—the company has been taking out money from day one of production to set aside as a decommissioning fee.

This publication had previously reported that ExxonMobil Guyana has in fact been utilising that money which is being deducted from cost oil.

When confronted with the report recently, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had told reporters, however, “It's (Continued on page 8)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 21, 2022

PAGE 03

Jagdeo, Norton, Patterson, Ramjattan unsure whether Exxon recovering 2 % royalty T Zena Henry

aking into account that oil companies do what they must for maximum profits, and the fact that loopholes in production sharing agreements allow them to cream off more than they should from oil projects, questions are brewing as to whether the meager two percent royalty paid on thiscountry's oil endowment is being recovered by the Stabroek Block operators as an expense.

The issue of royalty recovery came to the fore and became a matter of concern when Kaieteur News reporters, during their coverage of the recently concluded Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference in May, found out that for 60 years, oil operator was giving the twin nation royalty payments on one hand and recovering it on the other.

This unfortunate situation, it was explained, befell the CARICOM state after it failed to detail explicitly what costs are recoverable by the oil company in the sharing agreement.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was unable to say pellucid whether ExxonMobil's subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) is in fact recovering

the sums paid as royalty.

When asked the question at his last press conference, the Vice President told this newspaper that he did not want to make a statement that he might have to retract. He preferred to leave the question in the capable hands of the nation's tax and legal authorities/guardians. “I don't want to venture public positions that I may have to walk back on at some point in time so I will be a bit cautious on this,” he told the newspaper.

Opposition members were asked the same question. Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton told the Kaieteur News that the Stabroek operator should not be able to recover the two percent royalty. "If it is r o y a l t y, i t c a n n o t b e recoverable," the Leader said. He added that the Stabroek block PSA doesn't make royalty recoverable, but the smaller blocks have an unusual clause in place that makes royalty recoverable in that regard.

Former Minister of Infrastructure, and current Shadow Oil and Gas Minister, David Patterson also told the Kaieteur News that the two percent, “is not supposed to be recoverable.”

He told the Kaieteur News that according to his understanding of the PSA, Guyana's two percent royalty

Vice President - Bharrat Jagdeo

Opposition Leader - Aubrey Norton

Shadow Oil and Gas Minister - MP David Patterson

is not supposed to be recovered by the oil company.

Leader of the Alliance For Change and former Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan in his contribution submitted that during the Coalition government's handling of the PSA, there was no provision in the document for Exxon to reclaim the two percent royalty. As such, he said he is “unaware” that the payment is recoverable. Ramjattan added too that if the oil company is in fact reclaiming the royalty, it “goes against the contract”, in his view.

Winston Jordan, who was Finance Minister under the last administration, told the Kaieteur News, “absolutely not,” that the two

percent royalty is not recoverable by the oil companies. He even mentioned that the oil company itself has stated that the two percent royalty is coming out of its profit.

Under the PSA, Exxon is allowed to recover cost incurred in the development of Guyana's oil reserves as part of its expenses. The issue therefore is whether the two percent royalty is being recovered as an expense incurred since the PSA does not state explicitly whether this two percent is one of the non-recoverable expenses. In light of the uncertainty, Trinidadian oil experts are urging Guyana to get it clear whether the two percent is a recoverable expense.

Guyana's PSA with Exxon and partners highlights that the two percent royalty is

paid from Exxon's share of profits. Also, where the PSA states what is nonrecoverable, royalty is not listed as such.

In the case of Trinidad, it was stated that instead of the companies paying royalties out of their share of profit oil, the weak Production Sharing Agreements left Trinidad and Tobago actually making those payments on behalf of the foreign oil companies.

This was taking place for almost 60 years due to there being no explicit provision outlining that oil companies must make such a payment to the State and that same is not recoverable under any circumstance. Given the unfavourable situation in which the Trinidadians found themselves, in 2017, the country eventually overhauled its fiscal regime

COVID-19 death toll now 1,248 ...fully vaccinated man latest fatality On Monday, the Ministry of Health reported that a fully vaccinated 75-year-old man from Region Three, who contracted the COVID-19 disease, has died.

As a result of this, the country's COVID-19 death toll has moved to 1,248.

The Ministry via its latest dashboard revealed that within the last 24 hours, 15 persons have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 66,506. The dashboard shows that two patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 26 are in institutional isolation, 868 are in home isolation and four are quarantined institutionally. To date, a total of 64,362 persons have recovered from the virus.

Former Finance Minister - Winston Jordan for the sector and introduced a new and improved fiscal model that demanded a 12.5 percent non-recoverable royalty. Guyana's PSA has been described as one of the most lopsided contracts in the industry, favouring heavily, the foreign oil companies.

It has been described as being especially weak in protecting the finances that Guyana ought to be receiving from its oil and gas sector.

The meagre two percent royalty that Exxon is paying Guyana is for the right to access the oil and gas resource the country owns in its offshore Stabroek Block.

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Tuesday June 21, 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

Take half, leave half

W

hat Exxon is doing to Guyana is nothing but barbaric. It pays Guyana US$607M in two years, as our share of royalties and profits, but collects US$355.7M for decommissioning costs. To make matters worse, Exxon is allowed to keep the money that it deducts for decommissioning (cleanup) and put to its own use for its own benefit. Our earnings are being reduced to the tune of almost US$356M for future cleanup expenses, and the American oil giant is permitted to retain it for whatever purposes it sees fit, and get away with that atrocity.

Something has to be terribly wrong with Guyanese, and it is not us at this paper. There is no Guyanese who could agree with what is nothing but pure stupidity. We are fully aware of the cupidity of Exxon, which is expected; but of our own stupidity and impotency, we are yet to come to grips.

When one of our top leaders could justify what Exxon is doing with the decommissioning monies taken from the share that belongs to Guyana, and use that for its own advantage, then our goose is cooked.

We are trying hard to appreciate how anyone could find any reason to stand on the side of the oil companies and defend what they are doing with these decommissioning funds deducted from our royalties and profits. An Exxon investor does that, and we have no choice but to nod at the self-interest of that shareholder.

But when a Guyanese leader sees it fit, that nothing is wrong with what Exxon is doing with our money, then we are lost as to what could be in store for the poor, expectant citizens of this country.

We are clueless as to how Exxon and its partners arrived at the hundreds of millions to be set aside in their hands for cleanup costs years from now. This is a single deduction that rips out our financial liver. And, from all indications, we are unmoved as to doing anything that, at least, gives us some assurance that the deducted decommissioning dollars will be there when it is cleanup time.

This represents the haemorrhaging of our hopes, a devastating draining of the few more dollars that should come our way.

It is not mauby money, as in a couple of pennies, but hundreds of millions, which are set to grow into the billions of US dollars, as the years roll on, and the annual deductions keep going on. There must be a stop to the manner in which this is happening presently. We have to make a start at this and insist that these decommissioning funds be held not by Exxon, but by Guyana. Those funds must be in Guyanese hands and Guyanese control. We shouldnt have to say this again, but we dont trust Exxon, we have only complete disagreement in how it does business, especially when poorer countries, with nonwhite populations are involved.

It is why it is so perplexing, definitely troubling, that Guyanas chief oil minister could be so dogged, and so agile, in rushing to defend what the company is doing, how it is employing our decommissioning money. That is, to lower its costs of borrowing, hence, its overall costs, leading to greater profits for the company; and that this is the standard that applies.

Somehow, we thought that Guyana would feature more prominently on the mind of Exxons leading defender, Guyanas own oil leader, its Vice President. We never hear anything from the Vice President on the priority of Guyanas interests, Guyanas costs, Guyanas potential for a little bit of prosperity from this oil, because on those he is carefully silent, as if fearing Exxon.

We should have some plans for those decommissioning millions (soon in billions), if only to earn interest for ourselves from them, as held by us.

The Vice President approves of Exxon using our sizable decommissioning funds as the basis for making more money on our backs.

But of standing in approval for those same monies being kept by us for our own confidence and security, he never offers a word. The question, the concern, is whether those decommissioning dollars will be there when it is cleanup time.

Deliberate attempt to paint Guyana as a backwater nation DEAR EDITOR, The now much talked about 15-minute video, which can only be described as an attempted takedown of Guyana by Vice News, is riddled with lies. But for the purpose of this letter, I wish to deal with the subject of the Amaila Falls Hydro project.

Editor, I have now seen both the 15-minute piece and the full video of the interview of Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo by the Vice News reporter that was almost two hours long. In the full interview, when the issue of Amaila Falls Hydro project came up, the reporter was told about the project, in-depth.

Jagdeo, in the February 2022 interview said: “Amaila was developed through a subsidiary of Blackstone.

They went out to public tender. This was when I was President. They selected a number of people, the Chinese

company to build the hydro.

Then I left office. It continued. The last government stopped the project. When they came into office, Norway was putting in $100M into the project. The project had been approved at the IDB Board the Inter-American Development Bank Board.

Then we urged, because the last government was saying there was corruption, so we asked the last government to Norway to do an assessment. You can check the assessment done by Norway.

Norway said this is the best project to decarbonise the energy sector, the hydro project. So we made it clear in Opposition that there is no way we can achieve our emission targets globally if we dont go with hydro as part of the baseload. So when we got back in office, we retendered the project. We retendered the project. Now

by that time this company that won the bid, in an open process, they won the bid the lowest price financing they had acquired from Blackstone, historically, the material, all the drawing, etc.

So I suspect that is what helped them to put in a better bid. But this was the lowest of the evaluated bids.” The Vice News reporter, demonstrating ignorance of the tender procedures in Guyana, was also told clearly that there was no closed process with Amaila Falls Hydro project.

Still in the 15-minute video, the Vice News reporter, on the subject of the Amaila Falls Hydro project, said: “Even now, in this very, very remote area. You can see the Chinese influence.

This is where they’re building a massive hydroelectric power plant to the Chinese state-backed Corporation has just won the bid to pick up that project and that deal is worth hundreds of mil-

lions of dollars. And what we’ve heard is that the only reason they won that project is because of a very sizable bribe.”

The basics of journalism and reporting are ignored and replaced by a barefaced lie.

There is no sugar coating of this. It was a lie in the face of facts and in the face of a detailed explanation on the history and current position of the Amaila Falls Hydro project.

Still, despite the lies, I cannot help but notice those who would jump on the bandwagon just for the sake of having company in their criticisms of the current government.

People have a right to criticise yes, but with facts, not lies and not at the expense of our country. We should not allow these foreign personalities to succeed in painting our nation as a backwater country with lies.

Regards, Thomas Cole

Celebrating mediocrity in the Public Service DEAR EDITOR, There was a time when the Guyana Public Service consisted only of persons recruited ostensibly within the purview of an active Public Service Commission, and in appropriate view of an attentive Guyana Public Service Union. In 1992, a comprehensive job evaluation exercise was undertaken; the results of which established the following categories of public servants: - Administrative - Senior Technical - Other Technical and Craft Skilled - Clerical & Office Support - Semi-Skilled Operatives & Unskilled Beginning early in this century, there was introduced, and formalised in the Budget, the category of Contracted Employees with financially better arrangements than their permanent pensionable counterparts. For despite the fact that the former were granted gratuity at 22.5% of salary every six months (cumulating to a 90% increase in two years) for doing the same jobs as the pensionables, they were also awarded the same annual increases by all the administrations in substantive contravention of applicable compensation management principles.

The point to be stressed is that given the significant technological development, and consequent organisational changes over the past 30 years, none of the creative administrations seem to have been advised by their selected Contractors/Consultants of the logical need to

invest in a fundamental reconstruction of the Public Service. On the contrary, just recently in Region 6, one heard expounded that better services can be offered by a new breed of public servants, i.e. Part-time Temporaries payable by grants. One is therefore faced with the reality of the latter being categorised under SemiSkilled Operatives and Unskilled in the next years Budget. Already those in Essequibo have been assigned to the Ministries of Education and Health respectively. Alternatively, they may all be placed within the category of Granted Employees.

In all the circumstances, it would not be inappropriate to enquire, whether in the midst of the heralded future of human development, citizens must be resigned to a Public Service that will grow upwards only from the following: - Clerical & Office Support 7199 - Semi skilled Operatives &Unskilled - 5009 12208 Is it to be assumed that the above have neither ambition nor capacity for the fabled development; nor similarly are the 6584 Other Technical & Craft-skilled? Why does the Guyana Public Service Union appear to agree with the view that the abovementioned human beings do not aspire to more productive careers? And how do the latter explain to their children that they are constipated within an employment

construct that stubbornly omits to conduct any expected performance evaluation exercise from which they can dream at least of an increment (now a totally unknown/unutilised descriptor); and even a promotion; for the senior positions are reserved for Contracted Employees presumably in the interest of their specific human development And yet after three decades, no Administration has actually developed the capacity within the Public Service that comes near to understanding and addressing the imperative need for human development.

For Guyana must be exceptional amongst governments the world over in continuing to speak of the position of Personnel Officer reflected in the 2022 Budget as follows within the 14 Grade Structure of the Public Service (with the respective numbers) GS11 - Principal Personnel Officer - 12 (Human Resources Manager 1) GS9 - Senior Personnel Officer - 19 GS6 - Personnel Officer II - 10 GS5 - Personnel Officer I 8 In the absence of evidence of any formal performance evaluation, the above would appear to suggest that promotion could start from the category of Clerical & Office Support.

Exceptionally, however, there is a Senior Recruitment & Manpower Officer in the

Ministry of Labour.

But at the other end of the employment spectrum is the issue of Termination -incidentally the victims of which do not appear to be eligible for either grants or indeed severance pay. Depending on age and service, it is possible that some will lose eligibility for pension; but most critically, the ability to maintain families in and out of school.

How can all the parties involved- winners (?) and losers (!) not recall that the Constitution of Guyana provides certain fundamental rights and freedoms. Of five Rights, three relate to: Article 149A Right to Work Article 149B Right to Pension and Gratuity Article 149C Right to participate in decision making process of the state.

“No person shall be hindered in the employment of his or her right to work, that is to say, the right to free choice of employment.”

149(1) Subject to the provision of this article (a) No law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect; (b) No person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any written law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any authority.

But enough has been said. More fundamental however, is the question asked by the child of a senior official pontificate: Daddy, (Continued on page 6)

Tuesday June 21, 2022

VICE News is back in town DEAR EDITOR, VICE News is back in town, and it is a Cat-5 hurricane. Though expected, it still has the power to sweep across this town and cause alarm in high places. I understand the Hon. Vice President is upset, but it couldnt be otherwise not when he surrounds himself with certain people.

Not when he himself exudes a distinctive odour that exposes him. Not when the troubled culture of Guyana is traced to him by all, including winking supporters.

There he was, Mr. Su in this his fabled second coming, and with my own dear Vice President as the star attraction. The Vice President is the main man; the man who moves mountains, and get things moving pronto, at his slightest command, the merest lifting of regal eyelash.

Jesus walked on water, and Mohamed gained a reputation for moving mountains, but Guyanas Vice President make them talk and dance to his tune.

In the Vice Presidents own words, and it wasnt an impersonation, it was something that Mr. Su handles all the agreements. Say what?

Thats abundant trust in one man, and a foreigner too. It is carte blanche, no matter how mild a meaning I put on that beauty of all the agreements.

I wish that I was in such a position, with such Blue Ribbon approvals, such clearances. In my own words what the Vice President said is this: Comrade Su, is a brother of the flock, he is one of us; he is trusted to do business with because he knows how the system works, what is expected as his side of the bargain. He has delivered in the past, and he is good for the future, no matter the size of the undertaking.

As a middleman, Brother Su and tenant Su (soon to be out on his derriere) cant be beat. For connections to the top of Guyanas political heap.

For doing his part, delivering his share, and keeping his mouth shut. Until now, which

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Kaieteur News

is why the needle on the measurement scales are in the red Cat-5 zone, and suits threatened. It is an earthquake, but not to worry (retuning to later). I detect a cardinal error in putting all eggs in one basket fetched by one man. Recall: he gets all the agreements, which is playing with fire. And it is not because he speaks English, but because of the kind of language he is versed in speaking.

According to Su and his newfound Chinese friend, everything in Guyana is up for grabs, and it goes right up to the heights. The biggest man on the block is the one that businessman Su calls the boss. It is part admiration, part awe, and the last allocating respect where such is due.

In Cosa Nostra lingo, the Vice President is a man to respect, a man of honour. It is do business with him or get lost.

Incidentally, and in his own defense, this is the very claim that the Vice President makes for himself. That he is a man of honour, that he doesnt do business of that nature, and that he doesnt take bribes. I hear the Vice President loudly and very clearly, but that is all. For all I can promise the Vice President today is that I will get back to him some day, when I arrive at that wonderful place where I can say that I am for him and with him on these bold assertions of his. I regret that cynicism and skepticism have crept into consid-

erations about leaders in Guyana. It is the environment, stupid. Still, I feel for the Vice President, and I did warn, lie with dogs and the fleas arrive, and stick. The problem is who is the dog, who is doing the lying down, and who are the sticky fleas.

I take a rain check on that, too.

I regret my support is not of the unequivocal kind that the Vice President gave on behalf of dear Mr. Su. I am simply not made of such magnificent stuff.

Nonetheless, I return to what I said earlier, the Vice President has nothing to worry about, nothing to sweat over. This, too, will pass, like everything else in Guyana. For this is Guyana, and nobody really cares about corruption, bribe taking, and leadership deceptions anymore. This is so second nature to our natures that anything goes and the bigger the better. Again, who cares? And to answer not one Guyanese does anymore.

Thus, the Vice President is on safe ground, and lives to fight many other days.

He has lost nothing, not even face; and nothing to fear or lose. Underminers and all.

Foreign betrayers and all.

And naysayers and critics and all can go to, ah, hell. Talk about sellouts, cant trust anybody these days. On this one, I am one with the Vice President, but nothing else.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

The care continues by the PPP/C DEAR EDITOR, Thanks to the current administration for this most important and much-needed intervention. It is that “Persons with permanent disabilities (are set) to receive lifetime assistance from the government.” This headline must have really been received, by both the disabled community and Guyanese at large. Let me quickly mention a few things concerning the place this kind of governmental input rally has in our society.

First, we need to know that disability is part of being human. Let it be appreciated that almost all of us will temporarily or permanently experience disability at some point in our life. In fact, over one billion people, that is, about 15% of the global population, are currently experiencing some form of disability. Worse yet is the fact that this number is increasing because of population ageing and an increase in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases.

Thus, Guyana is on the right band wagon.

The news I got from the press is that “Persons living with permanent disabilities, HIV, cancer, or any other lifelong incurable or untreatable disease, will now automatically qualify for public assistance for the rest of their lives.” This timely news, from the Human

Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, was made public at the commissioning of a new wing at the Night Shelter in La Penitence, Georgetown. I like the removal of red tapes and bureaucracy, couched in the explanation of the minister. She detailed that “All persons, all living with a permanent disability, will be able to access public assistance without any need to qualify, any needs test; its all automatic access to public assistance.” This is not something in the making too, as she added that “… the initiative would take immediate effect across the country, including for those diagnosed with cancer and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The for life factor is so vital, as many of those in the Community of the Disabled were, and are still victims of little or no income.

Also, as mentioned before, there will be an ease in accessing the provision, as the disabled community will not have to go before the Board of Guardians. The process is automatic, and all one has to do is to register with the National Commission on Disability (NCD). Then from there, registrants will be added to the Register for Public Assistance.

The second thing to note is that the government is really manifesting a commitment to make the One

Guyana motto a reality.

Usually, many think of just the political arena here. And indeed, that is important. But we must remember that many care little for politics and simply want to overcome challenges and have a full and meaningful life. So, my mind goes back to what happened just a while back. We are still in appreciation mode for the one-off cash grant of $100,000 for every child living with a disability.

When he announced it, President Irfaan Ali did explain that the administration was very cognisant of the many hardships parents and guardians of persons with disabilities, especially children, normally face. If we add the COVID-19 pandemic and other global shocks, such as natural disasters and the current Russia-Ukraine war, then we have a really bad situation on hand. For example, as the president explained, “With the increases of gas prices that are bringing tremendous hardship globally, we have been supporting every single group…and today we want to give every single child with a disability, a cash grant of $100,000 this year.”

These acts of necessary care-taking transcend political grand-standing, as we must heap accolades on the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic for doing (Continued on page 6)

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Tuesday June 21, 2022

Kaieteur News

All fathers and father figures are The good life appreciated for their sacrifices and efforts should benefit all classes of people

DEAR EDITOR, I am indeed privilege on this occasion to have the opportunity to join proudly with the other members of the Guyana Public Service Union to extend a Happy Fathers Day to all the Fathers in and out of the Public Sector.

Undoubtedly, fathers have contributed tirelessly towards the development of their families, the Public Sector and by extension the country.

Fathers have stood up to the challenges of accomplishing their roles and responsibilities during these trying times when Guyana and the rest of the world are resisting being engulfed by the COVID 19 pandemic. This has re-

sulted in loss of their jobs, decrease in their income, loss of love ones and the list goes on but our fathers stood to the challenges and unite us together.

Our fathers within the health sector are our superheroes, you have significantly contributed in providing that quality health care for the sick and the needy during this pandemic.

You have knowingly put yourself and that of your families at risk by ensuring that you execute your duties as a professional health care provider, a father, a father figure and a leader.

It is therefore important that today, a special and significant day be designated as

Fathers Day .We honour the men who have embraced the essential role of fatherhood.

We also take the opportunity to express our appreciation to all fathers and father figures for the sacrifices they have made in embracing the responsibility of nurturing and raising their chidden and more importantly, devoting quality time to the family.

Like mothers, fathers have much influence over their children. The contribution of a father in shaping the life of a child is momentous. Fathers are the ones who put their lives on the line so as to ensure that their children / family are happy and comfortable at all times.

Fathers Day gives us the

opportunity to reflect and appreciate the sacrifices and compromises fathers made in providing a decent standard of living for their families. A sons first hero, a daughters first love, it is said the power of a dad in a childs life is unmatched.

William Shakespeare, the English Poet said, “It is a wise father that knows his own child”.

This indicates the importance of fatherhood.

I therefore take this opportunity to wish all fathers and also those mothers who fathered their children a Happy Fathers Day. Ms. Dawn Gardener, 1st Vice President Guyana Public Service Union

Engineers needed to address flooding situation DEAR EDITOR, I read a proposal, obviously well intended by Ganesh Harilal titled “Invite the Dutch to comprehensively study the flooding.

The question of flooding requires dedication, discipline and a programme to be managed by a group of engineers and experienced persons, all available in Guyana.

It is true many of the experienced engineers have gone to the great beyond, but I am satisfied that there are young engineers and experienced persons who can do the job providing whichever Government in office do not deem this project as one to gain cheap political mileage and to identify sycophants to execute the works.

This letter is not to deal with details, but by way of

example, everywhere when development is taking place on our coastal belt, that is below sea level private and public developers must be compelled to treat as sacrosanct; 1. All existing waterways, that is not to narrow or compromise in any way existing waterways built earlier by the Dutch.

2. For example, we must recognise the monumental mistakes made, when we filled up Punt Trench now known as Independence Boulevard, the Church Street Canal, now known as Merrimans Mall and others. We must also resist, as I did as Mayor, proposals to cover and fill waterways such as the High Street Canal. This must be non-negotiable.

3. In certain areas, such as

Problem in Princes Street, Lodge Dear Editor, There is a problem in Princes Street, Lodge. Burials are taking place in Princes Street, Lodge from Victor Street going eastward. Persons are consuming beers/alcohol, etc., during the course of funeral services and enter private premises to urinate.

Sometimes, they urinate in the presence of children and persons living in the area. We the residents of Princes Street, Lodge are kindly asking the Mayor and City Council to place urinals in the area so that persons can relieve themselves in private.

Concerned residents

big yards, institutions, churches, schools, etc. should not be allowed to capriciously concrete and asphalt those areas, so that during the heavy rainy season, the water has no place to go into the lower aquifer which has to run off into clogged drains and narrow waterways inadequate to take excess rainfall to the main canals.

4. There should be regular Municipal and State funded programmes to keep our main canals free of garbage, builders waste and to be excavated, to be maintained at agreed depths.

5. Next, our outfall channels to the main rivers, in particular Demerara River should be regularly cleared of sling mud, which we discovered some seventyodd years ago is being dis-

charged from the mighty Amazon.

6. Supported by a credible Housing Programme, there should be zero tolerance to squatting, particularly along our waterways.

Editor, there is no need to bring in the Dutch or any other Consultants. All that is required is the will by a Government to treat flooding as an important matter. A Government that is serious about dealing with what we call flooding, needs to identify experienced persons. Give them the money and management authority and in spite of being low-lying areas, rainfall can be a benefit and not a burden with water flowing reducing breeding places for mosquitoes, etc.

Hamilton Green Elder

Funeral home must do post mortem DEAR EDITOR, It baffles that a wrong body is given and not recognised, in the burial mix up. How could it not have been recognised from receipt of the body at the funeral home to burial, no where along the funeral process the mix up was realised?

It is said post mortem does

not bring back the dead, but one will have to be done at the funeral home to determine how this mix up happened and ensure that weaknesses in the system are corrected thus avoiding another heartbreaking occurrence.

My condolences to both grieving parties.

Shamshun Mohamed

DEAR EDITOR, It is gratifying to know that the current government is making leaps in assisting Guyanese. Free fertiliser for rice farmers, $150,000 grants for fisherfolk, $100,000 grants for children with disabilities, cash grants of $25,000, hundreds of part-time jobs (already started), GOAL and other scholarships, distribution of hundreds of house lots, various infrastructural and other projects, to name some of the welcomed developments.

However, much is lacking in other areas. When one goes to a bank/s they, most of the time, have reasonable services. Banks are ubiquitous (fund everywhere) even in rural areas. If they have to keep a copy of your document/s for their records, they do the copying right in the bank/s. This also applies to other private businesses that depend on customers to remain viable.

Juxtapose this with government entities —- GRA, NIS, Passport Office etc. that collects billions of dollars from taxpayers. These entities do not have photocopiers to copy the documents of residents. They send people to copying centres to get copies, sometimes a single page, because they cannot provide that service. I know for a fact

that they do it for a chosen few. The majority of residents, some senior, weak and incapacitated, have to travel to copying centres to procure copies. They walk, take taxis ($500 for short drop) or hitch rides to get copies (one page cost $20 to copy), then return to rejoin lines from the rear.

Surely, these entities can do better to serve the residents.

Competition is very good; telephone and internet providers now vie with each other for customers and, in so doing, improve their services, but the garbage disposal service, a monopoly in Region Two has unilaterally raise their fees four times in the past year. One Public Utilities Commission (PUC) official told me that garbage disposal is not within their purview, that I should contact the government. Well, the government needs to oversee these activities and intervene for the benefit of residents.

I call on the Minister of Social al Protection, Finance and Immigration and others in authority to look into these latter issues which are continuous not sporadic in order to improve quality of all citizens.

The good life should be manifested in all spheres.

Yours truly, Karan Chand Region 2 Resident

Celebrating mediocrity...

From page 4 I miss my schoolmate, who cannot come to school. Her father cannot afford the support since he was dismissed by our Government.

So many keep awaiting Daddys answer (anticipated to be in the defence of human development) mis-

interpreted from the Constitution.

Children of the severed, whether sugar estate or public service, are unlikely to forget; nor would they look forward to themselves being in the category of Granted Employees.

E.B. John

The care continues...

From page 5 the right thing.

Let us bear in mind that people s environment has a huge effect on the experience and extent of disability.

Inaccessible environments create barriers that often hinder the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in society on an

equal basis with others.

Progress on improving social participation can be made by addressing these barriers and facilitating persons with disabilities in their day to day lives.

This is exactly what is beginning to unfold in Guyana.

H. Singh

T N U L B . . .

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Tuesday June 21, 2022

Kaieteur News

The Privileges Committee in Parliament has a motion for the suspension of eight Opposition MPs over their protest against the widely ridiculed Natural Resources Act that was rammed through the National Assembly late December last year.

Instead of Guyanese looking for ways to beat up one another by suspending Opposition MPs, it would be much better for our leaders to consider suspending all oil operations until we get the foreign oil companies to the come to the table of discussion and talk about giving more to Guyanese.

Let's stop playing these games by making enemies out of each other, while allowing the oil companies to run all over us. We must get more, but we have to put our shoulders together and force those who exploit us to see things our way. It is together we go forward, or divided we fall apart. Again, we knock on the door of our oil investors and compel them to be conscionable in their contract deals with us.

PAGE 07

PAGE 08

Tuesday June 21, 2022

Kaieteur News

Guyana may already be in the middle of an oil curse - Int'l lawyer

By Davina Bagot

C

iting the daily debts that continue to rack up as Guyana forges ahead with the production of its oil, coupled with the “astonishing” deal it accepted from the oil company- ExxonMobilI n t e r n a t i o n a l L a w y e r, Melinda Janki believes that the country may already be in the midst of the oil curse, called the Dutch Disease.

Janki gave this view recently while appearing as a panelist on a Moray House discussion on a review of oil,

gas and the environment.

She explained during her presentation that four years ago when she pronounced that oil would make Guyana poorer, rather than richer, the population was opposed to her comments.

However, Janki said today, the reality could not be clearer as it is quite evident that the promised wealth from the oil and gas sector is yet to arrive. In fact, she pointed out, “Guyana is racking up debts that have to be paid to Exxon out of Guyana's oil and so this vast wealth that we were promised will never arrive.

We a r e s e e i n g t h e environmental harm, Liz (the moderator) referred to the loss of livelihoods for the fishermen, the cost of living has gone up but not wages and we are now probably in the midst of the oil curse. A tiny elite is getting richer but the majority of people look to be getting poorer. The government is over spending, borrowing money (and) burdening future generations with debt…”

To top it off, the lawyer reasoned, “We have a contract that is inequitable, unjust and it is astonishing that any competent Minister

could have signed such an agreement.” She pointed out that Jagdeo while in Opposition called the then government “incompetent” for gluing Guyana to such an agreement. She however noted that nothing has changed leaving Guyana with the same lopsided deal.

For instance, the Lawyer said that for every 100 barrels of oil that is pumped, ExxonMobil takes 75 for its cost recovery. She argued “with each new discovery of oil, with each new FPSO (Floating Production Sharing and Offloading vessel), with each new exploration, the costs go up and the time at which Guyana might see any real revenue is put off indefinitely.”

Recently, the Director of Financial Analysis for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Tom Sanzillo shared that for every US dollar that Guyana earns per barrel of oil produced in the Stabroek Block, the Oil companies walk away with six dollars.

Compounding the situation is the fact that at present, given the developments already undertaken and underway, each citizen of this country owes the oil company some US$44,000.

Additionally, at the rate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)—ExxonMobil Guyana—has envisaged the developments, the ones already identified would see the country repaying ExxonMobil at least US$75B to develop which would mean that the country would be repaying debts on that amount until 2070.

International Lawyer, Melinda Janki It is in this regard that Janki also made reference to the government's plan to ramp up oil production. She said too that this simply means that Guyana will be piled with additional burdens.

The Lawyer explained, “the admission from the government that there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity and what we are looking at is massive debt, a shorter time period to make any money from oil and with every day that passes the growing risk that Guyana will be saddled with (such as) stranded assets and with the responsibility for shutting down the wells, now that's not a very attractive future.”

She was keen to note that the wells are about two miles below the seabed, lying under immense pressure. As a consequence, the Attorney said this adds more expense to the country that is already collecting a small amount of revenue, when compared to

the oil giants in the sector; h o w e v e r, g o v e r n m e n t continues to shift these matters to be dealt with in the future.

The Dutch Disease or the resource curse describes an economic phenomenon where the rapid development of one sector of the economy (particularly natural resources) precipitates a decline in other sectors.

Back in February, during the 2022 Budget Debates, former Minister of Public S e c u r i t y, K h e m r a j Ramjattan argued that the document is reflective of a country that is already heading down the path of the resource curse or the Dutch Disease, as is evidenced by the figures presented, confirming a heavy reliance on oil funds while at the same time the non-oil economy shrinks.

According to him, the figures as presented by the Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, on January 26, last, reflect just how oil will become dominant, to the marginalisation minimization of the non-oil sectors. Lamenting the PPP/C's administration's lack of planning, Ramjattan drew reference to the last year's spending, in which government would have returned to the National Assembly with Four Financial Papers for additional withdrawals from the Contingencies Fund, which he called bad planning. This, he said, is even more worrisome in this year's Budget since, even with projected oil revenues and in excess of US$600M in the Bank, there is no mention of a plan for a livable minimum wage.

Exxon to hand Guyana another US$2B in bills over next three...

From page 2 not like Exxon would put the money in there and leave it; the funds are fungible so to the extent that it is utilised and it reduced the cost of say borrowing which is ultimately a cost to be borne by the company then ultimately that would be seen as productive use.”

He said, “…if they use it for private purposes alone then that would not be seen as a productive use.”

It has since been noted that such a situation meant that ExxonMobil is currently deducting money from cost oil for decommissioning at the end of the lift of the project—in another 15 years—and would

have been using the money on the project, which is then deducted with interest again, as a loan that has to be repaid by the company.

It has been estimated by international experts that throughout the life of the project, in excess of US$3B would be deducted from cost oil to go towards the decommissioning of the project.

Poignantly, ExxonMobil is yet to develop a decommissioning plan for any of its project and has in fact signaled its intention to abandon all of its subsea equipment on the sea floor and that it is expected that the production ship—the Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel—the Liza Destiny and others, would be towed away.

Tuesday June 21, 2022

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

Press freedom is under threat again T

he President of Guyana waxed lyrically about his governments respect for the media in his address to a World Press Freedom Day event earlier this year. During his presentation, the President assured the journalists of his governments support for the media.

That support is now being called into question by the recent incident in which the police turned up at the Stabroek News to question the newspaper about the legality of a source of information concerning a local logistics company which a Minister of the government was once involved with.

The Guyana Police Force must explain who it was that filed the report which led to them visiting Stabroek News to enquire as to whether the newspaper was in possession of stolen documents. Someone had to file the report which triggered the investigation.

The police must also explain the basis on which it decided to investigate any such report. The police cannot simply go into a media house to investigate source documents. The possession of such documents is considered as privileged and there has to be ample cause for investigating such sources. The police would need to be satisfied that there was reasonable suspicion; first that documents were stolen from a business place and, second, that the Stabroek News was in unlawful possession of stolen documents. Was the Police Force so satisfied?

The investigators need to ask themselves why anyone would break into a business place to steal documents, especially documents which

are public in nature and which reveal no wrongdoing. And why would thieves steal documents which can be obtained publicly from the Court by anyone?

While the police have a right to pursue criminal investigations, there is equally the obligation to ensure that in so doing the right to freedom of the press is not infringed.

The police are required to be cautious when pursuing investigations which relate to a journalists source or sources. In Nagla v Latvia (2013), the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) held that the right of journalists not to disclose their sources could not be considered a privilege dependent on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of their sources, but rather as an intrinsic part of the right to information that should be treated with the utmost caution. In this case the ECHR found that the police had failed to properly balance the interest of securing criminal evidence against the interest of protecting the journalists freedom of expression The actions of the Guyana police therefore should have been on reasonable suspicion that the newspaper was in possession of stolen property. It is respectfully submitted that the mere filing of a report that an office has been burgled and documents removed does not constitute an ample basis for suspicion that the newspaper is in possession of stolen property. As explained earlier, the police needed to question why would someone steal documents which were nonincriminating.

The actions of the police were disproportionate to the public interest which they were purportedly protecting,

especially considering that the said documents which Stabroek News obtained could have been paid for at the court by any citizen. No reasonable basis therefore appears to exist for the polices visit to Stabroek News.

The actions of the police therefore constitute an affront to freedom of expression. The Stabroek News believes that the actions of the police were intended to intimidate the newspaper. If this is indeed so and from all appearance is likely then the police should be condemned for acting without reasonable cause.

If the police felt, justifiably, or suspected that the newspaper had in its possession correspondence that was stolen, it should have approached the courts for an order to conduct a search. Instead, the police sent investigators to question the journalist and spoke to the editor in chief. It is hard to fathom how the police could be investigating stolen documents without a search warrant? To question a journalist or editor about how it came into possession of correspondence, amounts to an interference in the work of the press and is thus a violation of the constitutional right to freedom of expression.

Freedom of expression is a protected right under Guyanas constitution. No one has a right to interfere with the right of anyone who is exercising a right to free expression. While there are exceptions to this general rule, those exceptions are qualified under case law, and in the instance concerning the present case would require reasonable cause and proportionate actions, none of which, it is respectfully submitted, exists.

Dem boys seh...

De go-between gat he fee tuh Dem systems dont wuk too good in Guyana. If dem systems bin a wuk good, everything woulda been smood sailing. Suh dats why we does gat suh much go-between.

Sometimes we does call it de middleman, intermediary or linkman.

When yuh wife leff yuh and move out, yuh does gat to get someone to act as yuh emissary. De person does gat to go and mend fences and beg fuh yuh.

Lang ago when food bin short and de supermarket shelves bin empty, yuh use to gat to know somebody who know somebody who gat

a contact inside. When yuh bin want import licence yuh can apply and wait but if yuh had a contact high in guvament, all it use to tek is one letter and yuh get yuh licence.

If yuh did want passport, yuh does gat to talk to somebody who know a middleman who could get yuh passport in one day. Otherwise yuh gat to wait months fuh get it.

If yuh bin want tax clearance, yuh gat to know a middleman wah can arrange it fuh yuh. And if yuh nah want line up fuh birth certificate, yuh bin have to pull lines.

Middleman is nothing new. Dese days if yuh want meeting with some big ones, yuh gat to know who fuh talk to. And yuh gan get through fast.

Dem middlemen gat de connections. Dem gat de keys to open doors and dem does mek things easy fuh yuh.

Dem does save yuh time, trouble and money.

Suh nah vex if de middleman ask fuh a lil fee fuh do wah he doing.

He does gat he expense too. He nah become middleman suh easy. He too does gat to spend.

Talk half. Leff half.

The actions of the police therefore must be scrutinised.

This action, comes on the heels of two suspected police officers being caught trailing the Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, an act which was questioned even by the Minister of Home Affairs. The

visit to Stabroek News by the police is an ominous development for press freedom.

(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

Monday May Tuesday June02, 21,2022 2022

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Oil cash grant is contextually horrific nonsense

W

inston Jordan, f o r m e r F i n a n c e Minister (has he settled down, meaning, no libel threats anymore to me?), no doubt being on the same political wave length as Professor Clive Thomas has massaged Thomas' ego by referring to cash grant from oil as the Buxton proposal.

Thomas in instilling an ethnic, political ingredient to the cash grant from oil debate deliberately chose to name the idea, Buxton proposal. I have dealt with that silly name before (see my column of Thursday, October 7, 2021, “The Buxton Proposal: Subliminal ethnic instinct.”).

Now Jordan has made Thomas happy by referring to that misleading fiction.

Here I will call it what everyone else in Guyana and in all oil economies refer to it as - cash grant from oil. I would suggest, persons who are not part of the political world of Clive Thomas and Winston Jordan, to use the term – “cash grant from oil.”

There are two contexts to understand before comprehending the cash grant proposal. Thomas made his money transfer suggestion in Buxton in 2019. That was four years, four months after three top leaders of the WPA – Thomas, Drs. Rupert Roopnaraine and Maurice

Odle – secured state power.

In addressing the gathering at Buxton, Thomas and the chairman of the meeting, David Hinds, and the remnants of the WPA knew that after four years in government, the WPA's big wigs had nothing to show the working people of Guyana and the citizens of Buxton.

What was Thomas, Hinds and the remnants going to tell Buxtonians? So it is in that context one has to understand Thomas' money transfer idea.

It was born out of p r o p a g a n d i s t i c circumstances. After the suggestion hit the press, Thomas remarked that it is only the business class that

would oppose the cash grant.

I quote from my article, “Clive Thomas: Atavism or pappy show?” of Saturday, September 28, 2019: “I laughed even louder when he told his listeners on Monday that it is the business class that is opposing the idea but this same class don't mind receiving tax breaks and subsidies. Well, this former revolutionary found his radical voice lost over the past four years.”

The second context relates to President Obama in Kenya. On visiting Kenya, Obama said that Africa needs to appreciate gay rights. The Kenyan president was livid and embarrassed Obama. The controversy

was given global coverage.

President Uhuru Kenyatta replied saying some basic things in Kenya need to be fixed before gay Frederick Kissoon rights can be focused on.

He said America has a top class library with all fixed those things, so t h e l a t e s t m o d e r n America could move on to technology.

In Guyana, almost all the gay rights. Kenyatta had in r o a ds and streets are mind the basic right to essential things a modern s a n d w i c h e d b e t w e e n country should have, maybe trenches and gutters. What like clean, drinking water, happens is erosion is natural electricity, etc. The other and it occurs frequently in context is cash grant in rich this country. Some major economies. The fact that streets are literally sinking. those countries are rich with One of which is Thomas immense achievements in Road which is one of the every area of life, then main roadways that serves money distribution by the the army. Last week, they just repaired a section of it. state is easily doable.

To stop that erosion, A Third World country those streets and roads like Guyana cannot go that route for decades to come. I throughout Guyana need am typing this article at revetment.

A billion American 10PM on Sunday night after dollars would complete that waiting for electricity to task quite easily. A billion return after four hours of blackout.

Annual cash American dollars in one year transfer at 5000 American can bring top schools to the d o l l a r s t o e a c h p o o r countryside that so badly household would cost the need them.

This is where a poor state one billion American dollars each year. If that country has to put its money. money is put into GPL, our Cash grants are basic and electricity woes are over and should be basic in any poor our goods become cheaper country. There are single mothers who need it. than foreign ones.

There are people living Electricity cost is a in terrible squatter houses. destructive element in local They need it. The state manufacturing.

There is an ice-cream cannot distribute money coming from Suriname and freely to countless people in the Dominican Republic that a poor country. That not only is $1000 cheaper than the lacks commonsense. It is horrific insanity. local ice-cream.

(The views expressed in Let me repeat - $1000 c h e a p e r. O n e b i l l i o n this article are those of the American dollars transferred a u t h o r a n d d o n o t to UG means that UG can necessarily reflect the hire top class talent and have opinions of this newspaper.)

Tuesday June 21, 2022

Kaieteur News

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PAGE 12

Tuesday June 21, 2022

Kaieteur News

Govt. awards hospital contract to Austrian firm without tendering project T

By Davina Bagot

he Government of Guyana has, behind closed doors, approved and awarded a contract to an Austrian c o m p a n y, VA M E D t o construct a maternal and paediatric hospital at Ogle, East Coast Demerara, all without the approval and scrutiny of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

On Wednesday last the country's Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo announced that the Austrian company had been awarded the contract for the works. He did not elaborate on the contract sum; neither did he provide other details pertaining to when the agreement was signed.

Contacted on the issue on Monday Adviser to the Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy confirmed with Kaieteur News that the project was not tendered for.

In fact, he detailed that the contract is a “special” one.

“This was a special project, a European Union (EU) project. It's an Austrian firm that will do the work,” he shared. Ramsammy said he could not share the cost for the hospital to be constructed as this was still being negotiated.

When the former health minister was asked to clarify what exactly he meant by “an EU project” and to clearly say whether the EU was funding the venture he said, “It is a European project.

I am not sure where the funds coming from but it's not the Guyana Government directly.”

Back in April during a government outreach to Dundee, Mahaicony in Region Five, Kaieteur News had questioned the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony on whether the project had gone to tender. He however said that the purpose of the visit was specifically to hear from residents and that details pertaining to the

An artist's impression of the Paediatric and Maternal Hospital to be built by VAMED. hospital would be shared at a later forum. Subsequent enquiries to the Minister's office on the matter were unsuccessful.

On Sunday, Kaieteur News searched all of the contracts awarded for the year by the Ministry of Health and found no trace of the maternal and children's hospital on the NPTAB website.

According to the Procurement Act of Guyana, construction contracts above the cost of $20 million must be tendered.

There have been instances in the past where Cabinet gave its no-objection for projects that are mostly considered 'urgent' in which the tender process is waived to allow for immediate action by the contractor.

Additionally, the Guyana Press Association (GPA) has been repeatedly calling on the government to recommence the hosting of post-Cabinet briefings, where matters such as these can be addressed easily, but since the People's Progressive Party (PPP) returned to office, there has not been a single postCabinet press briefing by the President Irfaan Ali administration.

Nevertheless, documents on the Environmental

Protection Agency's website indicate that some 20,000 square meters of land have been set aside for the project which is intended to reduce maternal and child mortality rates in Guyana; improve access to quality diagnostic services; reduce the need for traveling outside of the region or internationally for health care, among others.

According to its website, VAMED is a global provider for hospitals and other facilities in the healthcare sector.

The VAMED portfolio ranges from project development; planning and turnkey construction, via maintenance, technical, commercial and infrastructure services; to the total facility management of healthcare facilities.

The Project Brief seen by this publication, states that the hospital will have an Inpatient and Out-Patient service, General and Subspecialty Paediatric, General and Subspecialty Surgical, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Paediatric Intensive Care (PICU) and Step-Down Unit (SDU). It will also feature an Operating Suite, High- Risk Prenatal and Post-Natal Clinic, General and Subspecialty Paediatric and Surgical Clinics, Paediatric

Emergency Room and an Immunization centre.

The institution will also

include a Maternal section with its own Antenatal Ward, Birthing Suites, Operation

Rooms, Post Natal Ward, A d u l t h i g h dependency/critical care, Bereavement support, Antenatal Clinic for HighRisk patients, Pre-Natal Clinic with Ultrasound services, Post-Natal and a Clinic/ Neonatal Follow up Clinic.

Other services to be offered will include Radiology MRI, CT, X-rays, Laboratory, Pharmacy and several others. The Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh in his Budget speech said that $12.4 billion was allocated for the design and construction of the paediatric and maternal hospital as well as the upgrade of the West Demerara and Bartica regional hospitals, and the construction of six modern regional hospitals.

Speeding driver dies following East Bank accident

The aftermath of Edmond's truck.

R

elatives of Ezekiel Edmond of Plantation Hope, West Coast Berbice were thrown into a state of mourning on Saturday, after he succumbed to his injuries following an accident he was involved in just after midnight that day.

The accident which claimed the life of the 27year-old man occurred sometime around 03:10hrs on the Brickery Public Road located on the East Bank of Demerara. According to police reports, Edmond who was driving motor lorry GAB 4267 was heading south along the eastern side of the public road, at a fast rate, when he lost control of his vehicle and collided to the rear side of motor lorry GAC 1059 which was parked on the eastern parapet of the road.

As a result of the collision, motor lorry GAC 1059 ended up turning turtle in a nearby trench while Edmond's truck received extensive damage to its front left side. Edmond who received injuries to head and legs was pulled from the wrecked by public-spirited persons in an unconscious condition and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where he was seen and examined by a doctor on duty who then transferred him to the Georgetown Public

Dead, Ezekiel Edmond

Hospital Corporation for further treatment. The young man who underwent emergency surgery for his injuries passed away sometime around 15:00hrs that day while receiving treatment. His body is presently at the hospital's mortuary awaiting a post mortem examination. An investigation into the accident has since been launched.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 21, 2022

PAGE 13

$79M in contracts to build nursery school, extend dorm T

he Ministry of L o c a l Government and Regional Development on Monday signed two contracts worth over $79 million for the expansion of a dormitory and the construction of a new nursery school in Region Three.

According to a statement posted on the Ministry's Facebook page, the contracts which were signed by the Region's Regional Executive Officer (REO), Jagnarine Somwar are for the construction of a school in Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo and the expansion of the Leonora Secondary School dormitory on the West Coast Demerara.

Kaieteur News understands that a contract worth $27.6 million was awarded to NK Engineering Services to expand the dormitory while a contract

worth $51.4 million was given to TVS Contracting & Engineering to build the nursery school.

The ministry stated that upon completion of the projects, some 200 pupils are expected to be housed at the nursery school while with the expansion some 30 students will be at the dormitory.

Construction is slated to begin on June 28, 2022 and will run for six months.

Mi n i s t e r o f L o c a l Government and R e g i o n a l Development, Nigel Dharamlall who witnessed the signing of the contracts urged t h e c o n tractors to ensure that persons within the surrounding community gain employment through these projects and to also ensure value money.

From this year's budget, it a sum of $6.6 billion has been dedicated towards the

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall along with the contractors and REO yesterday.

construction, rehabilitation, extension, and maintenance of educational facilities.

This would see the commencement of the

Bodies of Pomeroon accident victims recovered from river The area where the accident happened.

Dead, Devor Naughton

Dead, Sherwayne Welcome

T

he bodies of 28-year-old Devor Naughton and Sherwayne Welcome, 18, of Hackney, Pomeroon River, were on Monday recovered from the Pomeroon River, on Monday by a search party.

Welcome and Naughton, who are related

were involved in a boat collision on Father's Day, in the Pomeroon River around 18:30hrs.

Kaieteur News had reported that the boat, which was powered by an outboard engine, collided with a fishing vessel. Two individuals from the smaller vessel reportedly fell over board and are yet to be recovered.

construction of the Prospect Secondary School, and the reconstruction of North Ruimveldt and North West Secondary Schools, both of which were destroyed by fire last year.

Further, according to the

budget, the money will go towards the construction of nursery schools at Hydronie, Haslington and Vryheid Lust and primary schools at Bamia, Amelia's Ward, Kaikan, Karabairu, Zeelugt and Oronoque.

It was reported in the media that over $8 billion was approved for Region Three from this year's budget. Out of that amount, some $4.6 billion was put aside for the Region's education sector.

PAGE 14

Tuesday June 21, 2022

Kaieteur News

CDB presses CARICOM to transition to renewables E

nergy security is on top of the agenda for Caribbean countries and President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr. Hyginus 'Gene' Leon, underscored the urgent need for the region to accelerate the transition to renewable energy.

This was highlighted during his address at the opening ceremony of the bank's 52nd Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors last week in the Turks and Caicos Island.

Dr. Leon stated that energy is an essential input into all economic activity and it is a critical ramification in the social and environmental context. He added that the regions high dependency on imported fossil fuels, not forgetting the associated high cost of electricity has been stifling the pace of growth of development in the Caribbean.

He also pointed out that the dependency on fossil fuels is a continued threat to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To this end, the CDB president said, “As

...but VP Jagdeo says solar, wind, hydro options too expensive for Guyana

such, there is a dire and urgent need to accelerate the transition to increase renewable energy generation utilising our abundant solar, wind, hydro and geothermal resources.”

However, he emphasised that while doing the aforementioned, it is important that the transition to renewables is managed in a manner to reduce the potential of negative effects or disruption. He noted that the cost for disruption cannot be ignored and therefore the pace at which the region makes that transition has to be an essential element of that development agenda.

Dr. Leon underlined that some of CDB's Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) such as: Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) economies are largely reliant today on fossil fuels.

“Over the last decade, the region has been pursuing a shift towards sustainable energy through the increased use of renewable energy sources and improvements in energy efficiency,” he added.

The CDB president then explained that the agreed

target by the region energy ministers is for a 47 percent contribution from renewable energy by 2027, which he added translates into a 55 percent contribution by 2030. However, Dr. Leon pointed out that the progress towards that target has been slow. He also stated that the current estimate cost for the region to transition to renewables will cost over US$20 billion.

Notably, he then added that at CDB, they are updating the energy sector policy and strategy. It was also stated that the bank have proposed to embed within a framework called the Accelerated Sustainable Energy and Resilience Transition 2030 framework (ASERT 2030), is intended to support its BMC as the region urgently ramp up the energy sector transitions.

The CBD president, comments comes on heels as the world is pushing to transition towards renewable energy. Kaieteur News recently reported that taking its lead from Germany, the European Union (EU) has signaled 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.

To this end, the EU, Israel and Egypt last week 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.

Earlier this year, the Government of Barbados inked a deal that in the near future will see the country realising some 178 megawatts of electricity using hydrogen and solar energy at a cost of some US$100M, while in Ethiopia, that country will soon realise 6,500 MW of hydro power electricity at a cost of just over US$600,000 per MW.With the world on a (Continued on page 16)

Calls grow for swear-in of procurement commission after Vice News revelations

T

he Opposition's calls for the swearing in of the Public Procurement Commissioners (PPC) have effectively gotten louder following damning allegations made against Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and the government that bribes are being paid by Chinese investors for the awarding of hefty developmental projects in the country.

Just last week, opposition members of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) made earnest calls for President Irfaan Ali to activate the PPC, some two months after the National Assembly approved the names of members to sit on the constitutional body.

In light of the recent revelations from Vice News, Member of Parliament (MP) and PAC Chairman Jermaine Figueira has reiterated demands for the PPC, while calling for a full investigation

PAC Chairman Jermaine Figueira (head table) at one of the PAC meetings with other members. into the accusations made against the Vice President.

“There is need now more than ever for the President of Guyana to swear in the members of the Public Procurement Commission.

This will go a far way in minimising corruption,” the PAC head highlighted in an online statement.

Figueira is adamant that “the President has a glorious opportunity to manifest his

commitment to transparency, accountability and the rule of law by immediately establishing a reputable group of investigators to investigate the allegations raised in the Vice News report.

To this end, assistance could be requested from the international community.

This will go a far way in portraying Guyana as a country that is serious about

its wealth benefitting our people and not squandered by greedy government leaders and corrupt businessmen.”

In a public missive, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton said that failure to address the allegations against the VP Jagdeo will signal to all in Guyana that bribery and corruption are condoned by the PPP government, and that they

themselves are self-imposing the Dutch disease on the country. He said that there is clear indication that the state does not want to be accountable. “It is in this context that we must view the government's unwillingness to establish the Procurement Commission and their passing a Motion in Parliament that puts control of the quorum of the Public Accounts Committee in the

hands of the government, which was never the intention of Parliament.”

“The Leader of the Opposition condemns the actions of the PPP in reversing all the measures put in place by the APNUAFC to ensure transparency and accountability and calls on the government to take immediate action to bring a halt to every accusation of high level of corruption in government.” Norton urged the embattled VP to do the decent thing and resign to facilitate an unbiased investigation.”

“Failure to do so should result in the President relieving him (Jagdeo) of his a p p o i n t m e n t a s Vi c e President and ordering a full investigation into the allegations against him.

Failure of the President to do so will further indicate that the PPP is a corrupt outfit that does not only facilitate corruption, but is itself corrupt.”

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 21, 2022

PAGE 15

Guyana among three Caribbean countries producing more than 50% of its own food Guyana is among three Caribbean countries that produces more than 50 percent of its own food. This was highlighted during the featured address of Dr. Hyginus 'Gene' Leon, President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) at the Opening Ceremony of the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of CDB last week.

Leon stated that the CDB's focus for 2022 to 2023 will be on advancing food and nutrition security, energy security and water security in the region. “I think you will all agree these are three key securities that the region cannot afford not to address over the year and long term,” he added.

Dr. Leon stated that for decades, the Caribbean has been over reliant on food imports. In making further sentiments, the CDB president noted that the World Banks has estimates that between 80 and 90

Dr. Hyginus 'Gene' Leon, President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). percent of all food consumed in the Region comes from abroad, with only three Caribbean countries, Guyana, Belize and Haiti, produce more than 50% of their own food.

To this end, he noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities across the board including in employment,

housing, health care and food security.

“It is estimated that there is now 2.7 million food insecure people on the English speaking Caribbean and according to the third round of the CARICOM COVID-19 Food Security and Livelihood surveys 71 percent of the respondents observed higher than usual food prices,” Dr. Leon stated.

The CBD president added that as a Region, the heads of state must focus on building a modern, competitive, inclusive and resilient agricultural sector in which food and nutrition security have primacy of place and the potential for wealth creation as an attraction to young agripreneurs.

Giving reference to the recently completed AgriInvestment Forum that was held in Guyana, Dr. Leon stated that at the event, CARICOM leaders

PAHO urges Caribbean to produce own medicines, vaccines ...calls for greater cooperation to increase regional self-sufficiency for medical products The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Carissa F. Etienne, called on countries to work together to raise manufacturing capacity and decrease the regional dependence on imports for medicines, vaccines, and other key health products as a major lesson from COVID-19.

“We are learning that as a Region, we must collectively embark on a sustainable and collaborative, rather than competitive, pathway to s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y, ” t h e Director told Member States at the opening of the 170th S e s s i o n o f PA H O ' s Executive Committee. Dr. Etienne cited PAHO's Revolving Fund for Vaccines, as an “exceptional expression of Pan-American solidarity for public health.”

Established in 1979, the Fund has enabled countries in the region, regardless of economic status, to access quality and safe vaccines at a single price.

Since the start of COVAX in 2021, it has delivered over 142 million vaccines to countries in the Americas.

The PAHO Director also called on countries to

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Carissa F. Etienne increase long-term investment in public health, both financial and human capital, to ensure universal health and improve the resilience of systems against future health threats.

“This pandemic has harshly exposed the deeply rooted fault lines of inequity and inequitable access to health that exist in our Region,” Dr. Etienne said.

Continued underinvestment will hamper the “more agile, consolidated, and efficient response to the next pandemic which we so earnestly desire.”

The 170th Session of PA H O ' s E x e c u t i v e Committee takes place from 20-24 June. Discussions

include the organization's budget, as well as policies to strengthen pandemic preparedness and most pressing health issues in the region. PAHO's Governing Bodies comprise the Pan American Sanitary Conference, the highest governing authority which meets every five years to determine general policies; the Directing Council, which meets annually in years when the Conference does not meet; and the Executive Committee, which meets twice a year and acts as a working party of the Conference or Council.

This year, a one-day Forum will be convened after the closure of the Executive Committee, where PAHO Director candidates will have the opportunity to present their vision for the organization to Member States, Participating States and Associate Members.

The election of the PAHO Director will take place during the 30th Pan American Sanitary Conference in September 26-30, 2022.

The elected person will take office on February 1, 2023 and serve for an initial term of five years.

expressed grave concern about food shortages, high prices of imported food, fertilizer, other agricultural inputs and the limited

options for transportation of agricultural products within the region.

“They have stressed the need for urgent actions to

take forward the vision for agricultural development championed by President Irfaan Ali of Guyana. That (Continued on page 16)

PAGE 16

Tuesday June 21, 2022

Kaieteur News

Bennett and Lapid agree to dissolve Israel’s government LAND FOR SALE

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JERUSALEM (CNN)Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett — along with his key coalition ally Foreign Minister Yair Lapid — has agreed to submit a bill to dissolve parliament. This would trigger a general election later in the year.

A short statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said the move came “after attempts to stabilize the coalition had been exhausted.”

A bill would be submitted to parliament at some point

CDB presses Caricom to transition...

From page 14 pathway towards reducing carbon emissions as a result of burning fossil fuels primarily for electricity generation and transportation, Barbados is now leading the Caribbean region with the announcement that it will soon be building the largest clean hybrid power plant in the Caribbean, producing base load power for 16,000 Barbadian households from solar and locally produced green hydrogen.

On the other hand, Guyana's Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, who was one of six persons back in 2010 to receive the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Champion of the Earth – at his recent press conference claimed that the generation of power in Guyana through renewable options such as solar, wind and even hydro is “very, very expensive” when compared to the highly touted Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project which will cost billions of US dollars.

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next week, the statement added.

If it is passed, Lapid will be set to take over from Bennett as Prime Minister, in line with the original coalition agreement struck last year.

Among other things, that would mean Lapid would be Israel’s leader for

the planned visit of US President Joe Biden next month.

The election would be the fifth in Israel in under four years.

The Bennett-Lapid government has been in power for just over a year, and was formed from a coalition of eight parties stretching across the political spectrum, includ-

ing for the first time an Arab party, led by Mansour Abbas.

However, recent weeks have seen a number of members of the coalition either quitting, or threatening to quit, leaving the government without a majority in parliament to pass legislation.

Breaking story, more to follow...

Guyana among three Caribbean countries...

From page 15 targets a reduction in the food import bill by 25 percent by 2025,” he underscored.

In making further comments, he stated that he believes that 25 percent by 2025 is not enough, and that it should be doubled to 50 percent no later than 2030. He then asked Guyana's Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, who was present at the event to relate his message to President Ali. Reducing the Caribbean food import bill is on the top

agenda for the Regional Leaders.

In fact, President Ali is leading the charge in that area as Guyana currently holds the lead responsibility for agriculture, agricultural diversification, and food security in CARICOM and is spearheading the regional body's quest to reduce its US$5 billion food import bill.

Ali has been emphasising the importance of CARICOM Member States making broad commitments to achieve the target of reducing food imports by 25 percent by 2025.

The president is reported

in the media as saying, “It is either we are serious about this or we are not serious about this—we have to decide. This is not an individual country trying to achieve something. This is us as a collective. This is about us being successful together…

We cannot advance this if the commitment and full participation are not there.”

The President had noted too that the intention is to be able to lead an effort to mobilise technical help and financial resources and to work with the Member States in achieving the target.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 21, 2022

PAGE 17

Guyana/Suriname seeking to pre-qualify contractors to bridge Corentye River T

he Guyana Government under the auspices of the Ministry of Public Works has commenced the first phase of bridging the Corentyne River connecting the country's physically to neighbouring Suriname.

To this end, the Public Works Ministry has invited Expressions of Interest from potential contractors to construct the long awaited bridge under a design, build, finance, operate and maintain (DBFOM) model.

The decision has since been communicated publicly with the government agency putting out public invitations calling on interest parties to prepare and submit proposals to be considered by the governments of both countries. In the request by the ministry, it was pointed out that interested contractors in their proposal must include a conceptual design and preliminary costing.

Additionally, the proposal submitted should include proposals to maximise local content including local firms, suppliers and labour from both Suriname and Guyana.

It was noted in the Invitation that the governments of both countries, through their respective ministries of public works “have

jointly agreed to embark on the construction of a bridge over the Corentyne River to connect the two countries. The Bridge will span the Corentyne River from South Drain in Suriname to Moleson Creek in Guyana and will be built with a lifespan of at least 100 years.”

It was noted in the invitation for EOIs that the responses will be used to prequalify firms that are interested in participating in the proposed works.

Earlier this year, a US$2M contract was signed in Suriname for the feasibility study and design of the Corentyne River Bridge.

Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill and his Surinamese counterpart Riad Nurmohamed signed the contract with WSP Caribbean Limited.

Minister Edghill, at the time, had led a delegation to the neighbouring country for the signing of the contract. During remarks, Edghill said the bridge is more than an infrastructural project but a vision for further development of the two countries. “Development practitioners have agreed that bridges are key drivers of economic activity ensuring the increased efficiency of trade, rapid exchange of ideas and

The proposed alignment for the Corentyne River Bridge and approach roads. quick access to services for those you need them most,” Edghill said.

He said Guyana's President Dr Irfaan Ali and Suriname's President Chandrikapersad Santokhi have made the completion of the bridge a

top priority for their first term in office.

The bridging of the Corentyne River has been on the cards for some years with the structure coming closer to realization

following a State Visit to Guyana

by Surinamese Head of State, Santokhi. A Special Committee had been established, at the time, to have works progress smoothly involving the two countries.

Economist calls for probe into distribution of prime State lands ...underscores need for sale or lease of all national assets to be made public

W

hen it comes to the distribution of Guyana's national assets, the need for transparency is once again underscored.

This viewpoint was expressed

by Economic and Youth Policy Advisor at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, Elson Lowe during an invited comment on the issue surrounding the transfer of lands initially earmarked for the construction of the headquarters of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to Suriname-based hotel developer, Pasha Global.

Lowe not only bemoaned the fact the GRA—the nation's premier tax collection agency was not given precedence in the situation with a private and foreign-based investor but stressed on the manner the transaction was done—in secret.

As such, he called for an investigation to be launched into the government's distribution of prime State lands.

He noted too that after news surfaced about the PPP/C 's Government's decision not to award the prime plot of land at Plantation Pattensen, Liliendaal East Coast Demerara, Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo attempted to shutdown concerns by stating the Revenue Authority will be given land but further along the East Coast Demerara at Ogle.

Lowe stressed Jagdeo's response to GRA land issue only warranted more questions than it gave answers.

Lowe noted that for instance, the government appears to have failed to take into consideration, the centralised service that the tax agency offers to move it all the way up the East Coast.

“This is my position, why would you move such an important agency where people need to access services daily and place it all the way at Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara, away from the capital

which is the hub of business and development.

Take the IRS in the US for instance, that building is located in center of development in Washington DC so that the population can easily access the services when needed.

The Government would need to consider before it goes in that direction,” he said. Moreover, Lowe said it is even more important for terms and conditions on the transactions that have to do with the sale and lease of national assets be made public.

“In light of the recent revelations on the Vice News documentary on how some of these lands for hotels are handed out, I think it would be a good time for an investigation to be launched into how these assets are distributed,” Lowe asserted.

Just last week, Oil and Gas Governance Network (OGGN) advocate, Dr. Jerry Jailall

reprimanded the Government over its decision to transfer the land to pasha Global.

In a letter to the editor, the OGGN advocate said he believes the needs of foreign investors should not trump the national interest. He noted that GRA should be made a priority since it is the most important agency collecting revenue for the government.

“How do private hotels have priority over Guyana's needs?

Why would the Government go out of its way to commandeer State land for private hotels by moving a national project?” questioned Dr. Jailall.

In his letter, Dr. Jailall said that the recent debacle of the GRA losing its land on which its new head office would have been built, raises concern about how State assets are doled out.

He opined that the Government does not yet understand that transparency is important.

Opposition Leader, Economic and Youth Policy Advisor, Elson Lowe.

PAGE 18

Tuesday June 21, 2022

Kaieteur News

More than 100 civilians killed in Mali attacks: Gov’t (ALJAZEERA) - More than 100 civilians have been killed in attacks by suspected armed rebels in central Mali, the government has said.

Members of the Katiba Macina armed group assaulted at least three villages in the rural commune of Bankass, in Malis central Mopti region, on the night between Saturday and Sunday, the government said in a statement on Monday.

At least 132 civilians were killed and some of the perpetrators have been identified, it added.

It said the civilians were “coldly killed by fighters of the Macina Katiba of A m a dou Kouffa”, an organisation affiliated to alQaeda.

The killings took place in Diallassagou and two nearby villages, Diaweli and Dessagou, in central Mali, which has long been mired in insecurity.

“Investigators are on the spot today to find out exactly what happened,” Moulaye Guindo, the mayor of Bankass told The Associated Press

news agency.

Mali and the central Sahel region have for months faced a string of civilian massacres blamed on armed groups.

The country has since 2012 been rocked by insecurity as groups linked to alQaeda and ISIL (ISIS) have attacked civilians, plunging the country into crisis.

Violence that began in the north has since spread to the centre and to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks in central Mali.

For several weeks rebels in central Mali have been blocking the road between the northern city of Gao and Mopti in central Mali.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali issued a statement about the attacks on Twitter saying it is concerned by “attacks against civilians in the Bandiagara region (the area of central Mali) perpetrated by extremist groups.

These attacks have reportedly caused casualties and displacement of populations.”

Tuesday June 21, 2022

PAGE 19

Kaieteur News

FIFA, World Athletics review transgender rules after swimming’s change MANCHESTER, England, (Reuters) - World soccer’s governing body FIFA and World Athletics said yesterday that they are reviewing their transgender eligibility policies after swimming passed new rules that restrict transgender participation in women’s events.

On Sunday, swimming’s world governing body FINA voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women’s competitions and create a working group to establish an ‘open’ category for them in some events as part of its new policy.

The new policy states that male-to-female transgender swimmers (transgender women) are eli-

gible to compete in women’s competitions only if “they can establish to FINA’s comfortable satisfaction that they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 (of puberty) or before age 12, whichever is later”.

A spokesperson for FIFA told Reuters it was in a consultation process over a new policy.

“FIFA is currently reviewing its gender eligibility regulations in consultation with expert stakeholders,” said the spokesperson. “Due to the ongoing nature of the process, FIFA is not in a position to comment on specifics of proposed amendments to the existing regulations,” the

spokesperson added.

Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, told the BBC that the organisation’s council would discuss their regulations at the end of the year. Coe praised FINA for taking the decision, which has been criticised by trans rights advocates. “We see an international federation asserting its primacy in setting rules, regulations and policies that are in the best interest of its sport,” he told the BBC. “This is as it should be. We have always believed that biology trumps gender and we will continue to review our regulations in line with this. We will follow the science.

“We continue to study, research and contribute to the

growing body of evidence that testosterone is a key determinant in performance, and have scheduled a discussion on our regulations with our council at the end of the year,” he added.

FIFA said it was taking guidance from medical, legal, scientific, performance and human rights experts and also the position of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“Should FIFA be asked to verify the eligibility of a player before the new regulations will be in place, any such case will be dealt with on a caseby-case basis, taking into account FIFA’s clear commitment to respect human rights,” the spokesperson

Serena Williams...

Tuesday June 21, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may have felt somewhat frustrated in your initiatives over the past few days, Aries. Either outside obstacles, such as events that caused delays, or inner restraints, such as your own apathy.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Sometimes people might reproach you for being less than tactful in relationships, Libra. However, today's planetary energies are going to help you be more sensitive.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) It will be a stimulating day for you, Taurus! You'll feel great and have no trouble channeling all your energy into your activities. But don't be surprised if you encounter some resistance.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You have an unusual gift for making a situation seem less dramatic, Scorpio. Today, you'll witness crises of all kinds. You will be the one who reassures people. .

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Dare to express your ideas without fear of ridicule. This is what the planetary configuration has to say to you today, Sagittarius.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Be careful not to lose your temper today, Gemini. You're chomping at the bit these days, although your daring nature has been reined in by financial and professional constraints.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Today time will stop and might even seem to go backward, Cancer. Use this pause to reflect on your motivations.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Overall, the climate is tense at work and at home, Leo. You'll sense a feeling of restlessness and a longing for change, but you'll also feel a reluctance to make any real moves in that direction.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) Your stroll through the universe of possibilities that you so love has come to an end, Virgo. It's time for you to come back to Earth and join the rest of us.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) If you've always felt the desire to write, now is the time to take the plunge, Capricorn. You certainly don't lack the imagination!

Your problem may be that you have difficulty taking your prose seriously.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You might have some strong hesitations during the day, Aquarius. You may have to cover up the truth or, on the contrary, say it out loud. If this is the case, say what's on your mind.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) There are moments when your powers of clear thinking reveal the tremendous amount of maturity that you have, Pisces. You aren't usually a dreamer, so it's rather difficult to lead you into ambiguous situations.

From page 21 face Sara Sorribes Tormo and Marie Bouzkova at Devonshire Park with the doubles match expected to take place on Tuesday.

“I think it surprised everyone but it’s very good to have her back. It really amazes me how she has all this hunger for the game,” Badosa said of Williams.

“It is a great inspiration.

It is nice to have her back and I hope she can be back for much more time because I think she does very good for tennis.

“But the other side, of course I don’t want to play against her! I hope the draw goes for another player because no one wants to play against Serena and less on grass. Let’s pray for that!”

said. Last year, the IOC issued a ‘framework’ on the issue, leaving eligibility decisions up to individual sports bodies, but adding that “until evidence determines otherwise, athletes should not be deemed to have an unfair or disproportionate competitive advantage due to their sex variations, physical appearance and/or transgender status”. World Athletics’ current rules cap testosterone levels at five nanomoles per litre (5nmol/L) for transgender athletes and for competitors with differences in sex development (DSD) in some women’s running events.

Coe said it was important to protect the integrity of women’s sport.

“When push comes to shove, if it’s a judgement between inclusion and fairness, we will always fall down on the side of fairness - that for me is non-negotiable.

“We can’t have a generation of young girls thinking there is not a future for them in the sport. So we have a responsibility…maintaining the primacy and the integrity of female competition is absolutely vital,” he added.

Last week the International Cycling Union (UCI) tightened its rules on transgender participation by increasing the transition period on low testosterone to two years and reducing the maximum permitted testosterone level.

PAGE 20

Tuesday June 21, 2022

Kaieteur News

Carlos Brathwaite accused of ‘reckless’ fielding after penalty-runs decision ESPNcricinfo - Carlos Brathwaite, the Birmingham Bears captain, was accused of “reckless” behaviour during his side’s seven-wicket defeat against Derbyshire in the Vitality Blast on Sunday, after being hit with five penalty runs for throwing the ball at

the opposition batter, Wayne Madsen.

The incident occurred in the 13th over of Derbyshire’s chase at Edgbaston, when Madsen attempted to take a run, but turned back quickly as Brathwaite picked up the ball in his follow-through. The

Bears’ captain instinctively threw the ball to break the stumps but instead hit Madsen’s bat handle, with the ball deflecting away for an overthrow.

Brathwaite raised his hand straightaway to apologise to Madsen, indicating it was not

intentional. His opponent, however, was unimpressed, immediately gesticulating towards the square-leg umpire, Ben Debenham, before being called through for the run.

Brathwaite, meanwhile, was seen complaining to the standing umpire, Steve O’Shaughnessy, that his shy had been a reaction to Madsen stepping out of his crease initially, but after a consultation between the two umpires, he was overruled.

Brathwaite was ultimately penalised for a Level 2 offence under the MCC Laws pertaining to ‘Unfair Play’, and Derbyshire, on 111 for 1 at the time of the incident, were awarded five extra runs in a 160-run chase that they eventually completed with 11 balls to spare.

The wording of Law 42.3.1 deals with incidents of “throwing the ball at a player, umpire or another person in an inappropriate and danger-

ous manner”, although the same rule is not part of the playing conditions in international cricket and other franchise T20 tournaments such as the IPL. In international cricket a similar action would earn the bowler a demerit point along with a potential monetary penalty. In the IPL, a player would be handed a monetary penalty along with a code of conduct warning.

However the Blast and the PSL have adopted the MCC ruling and so Brathwaite and his team had to grin and bear the penalty.

“The umpires deemed Carlos Brathwaite’s throw reckless and that is what it was,” Madsen told the ECB Reporters Network afterwards.

“I was in my crease and he didn’t even look. I know it’s a competitive game but if that had hit me on the back of the head, like the umpires

said, there is real trouble. Because I was back in my crease before he had even released the ball, it was a bit reckless.”

It has been an eventful Blast for Brathwaite.

On Friday, he picked up a three-wicket haul to help Birmingham defend the highest total in Blast history, against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

And it was also against Notts that Brathwaite decided to retire out during the teams’ first meeting in a rain-reduced match earlier in the month.

Recognising that Notts had d e c i d e d t o b o w l legspinner Calvin Harrison in the final over of a match that had been reduced to eight overs, Brathwaite called for the in-form Sam Hain, a decision that ultimately had no bearing on his team’s one-run win, but which Notts’ coach Peter Moores told ESPNcricinfo was “selfless”.

IBA President thankful to Professor McLaren’s team for full-scope investigation IBA President Umar Kremlev stressed the importance of the McLaren Global Sport Solutions (MGSS) independent investigation and its findings for the future of boxing at the Olympic Games.

Yesterday Prof. Richard McLaren presented the findings of his investigation into boxing at the press conference in Lausanne.

‘I am grateful to Prof.

McLaren and his team for the pivotal role they have played in the process of reforming boxing. IBA is going to work on the implementation of his recommendations based on the principles of transparency and integrity. We are committed to making our sport clean and changing the overall culture that lead to the crisis that plagued our sport,’ Kremlev said.

‘We all know that the im-

IBA President Umar Kremlev

age of IBA was damaged due to the mismanagement of the organisation and years of wrongdoings, corruption, biased judgment. Our task is to restore it and build a trustworthy organisation that takes care of its athletes and

coaches as a first priority.

Change of culture doesn’t happen overnight, but we are doing our utmost to ensure that proper education for our officials will lead to the highest standard of officiating at our events,’ he added.

IBA to act on McLaren findings and recommendations

Following the publication of the report on the final stage of Professor McLaren’s investigation into the International Boxing Association, IBA has committed to acting on his findings and recommendations.

Professor McLaren was appointed in 2021 with a broad remit to investigate issues of historical mismanagement and corruption, together

with widespread allegations of manipulated competition results.

As acknowledged by Professor McLaren in his report, many recommendations have already been implemented in recent months, especially with improvements to sporting integrity.

Meanwhile, IBA has also made progress in implementing comprehensive reforms in

the areas of governance and finance. Beyond these measures, the IBA is continuing on its path of culture change, based on a clear vision that focuses on the importance of fair fights.

Tuesday June 21, 2022

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Australia’s Seebohm backs FINA Simmons praises Brathwaite’s determination decision on transgender swimmers after 1st Bangladesh Test SportsMax - West Indies Head Coach Phil Simmons has praised Captain Kraigg Brathwaite’s determination after the team’s seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Sunday.

In the first innings, Brathwaite made 94 off 268 balls, batting for 400 minutes in the process.

“There’s not much to tell as a batsman because I think everybody’s seen his determination and unique style,” Simmons said in an interview after the match. “He doesn’t have a problem being there for five days and doing his job which is unique because a lot of batsmen nowadays want to play shots and be done with it but, from his point of view, he wants to be there all the time for his team and that rolls into the captaincy,” he added.

Since being named permanent Captain in March 2021, Brathwaite has led the team to a series win against England and drawn series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

“He seems to be growing

West Indies Captain Kraigg Brathwaite bats during the first innings.

into the role as we go along,” Simmons said.

“He’s not loud but the players know what he wants in his unique way. He makes them understand what he wants from them,” he added.

Brathwaite’s next assignment will be to lead the team to victory in the second test against Bangladesh which begins on Friday at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia.

Serena Williams told it will be‘super difficult’ to win at Wimbledon The Independent - Serena Williams’ comeback appearance will not take place until at least Tuesday but old sparring partner Karolina Pliskova has shot down suggestions the 23-time grand slam winner could be a contender at Wimbledon.

The 40-year-old caught the tennis world cold last Tuesday when she announced her intention to play the third major of the year and at this week’s Rothesay International Eastbourne.

Williams suffered an injury to her right leg at SW19 in 2021 and was forced to retire in the first round but has accepted a wild card to return to the All England Club, where she has won the title on seven occasions.

After being absent from the WTA Tour for 12 months, the American will partner up with Ons Jabeur to play doubles at Eastbourne before she once again attempts to draw level with Margaret Court’s tally of 24 grand slams.

But last year’s Wimbledon finalist Pliskova said: “I don’t know how long it has been since she has

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) Australian Olympic gold medallist Emily Seebohm has welcomed FINA’s decision to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women’s swimming, saying the sport could now move on with certainty.

FINA made the decision at its extraordinary general congress (EGC) on Sunday after members heard a report from a transgender task force comprising leading medical, legal and sports figures.

Five-times world champion Seebohm, who won a medley relay gold medal for Australia at last year’s Tokyo Games, said the decision would encourage swimmers to stay in the sport. “I’m finally happy that we have a decision, and we know where the sport’s going and what we’re going to be doing,” the 30-year-old told Sky News Australia yesterday. “We just didn’t know what was going to happen and when we just don’t know, it’s hard to commit fully to our sport if we have no idea the direction it’s going to go. “We can all move on. We can all just go back to the sport that we love ... and know that we’re getting in the pool and it’s going to be a fair, level playing field and that’s what we want.”

Athlete Ally, an advocacy group for LGBTQI+ people in sport, said FINA’s decision was “discriminatory” and “harmful”.

“If we truly want to protect women’s sports, we must include all women,” they said in a post on twitter.

Transgender rights has become a major talking point

Emily Seebohm of Australia reacts after winning the Women’s 200m Backstroke - Semifinal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. (REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth)

as sports seek to balance inclusion with fairness.

The debate intensified after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history after winning the women’s 500-yard freestyle earlier this year.

FINA said it will create a working group to establish an “open” category for them in some events as part of its new policy.

‘FAIR AND SAFE’ Several top Australian female swimmers have raised concerns about competing against transgender athletes.

Four-times Olympic champion Cate Campbell told FINA’s EGC that she supported a restriction on transgender athletes competing in women’s categories and urged people to “listen to the science and experts”.

“Women, who have fought long and hard to be included and seen as equals in sport, can only do so because of the gender category distinction,” Campbell said before delegates voted in favour of the ban.

“To remove that distinction would be to the detriment of female athletes everywhere.” However, Madeline Groves, a former national champion swimmer who won a butterfly silver medal at the 2016 Rio Games, took exception to Campbell’s comments and was scathing of FINA’s ruling.

“You’re okay with ostracising an already marginalised group? Real accepting,” the 27-year-old Australian said on social media. “Shame on everyone that supported this discriminatory and unscientific decision.”

Australian women won eight of the country’s nine gold medals at the Tokyo pool.

The Australian Olympic Committee also backed FINA’s decision, saying sports were bound to ensure participation was “fair and safe.”

“While inclusivity must be respected, fairness in competition is a core value of sport,” a spokesman said.

“FINA has made a decision based on the circumstances in the sport of swimming to achieve that balance.”

GC United Women’s Super50 Cup

Jamaica beat Windwards by 8 Wkts on DLS System for semis place Serena Williams played. Has it been a year? It amazing player, she achieved is a long time and she is not so much and still a number of the youngest any more so I players will be super scared suppose the body also takes to play her. This is her advansome time to get back into tage but let’s see the level. I shape. cannot really say.”

“Playing matches at tourOne of those who will naments is still very much dif- hope to avoid Williams in the ferent to just practising and Wimbledon draw is Spanish from what I understand she player Paula Badosa. is not playing (singles) here, World number three she is just playing doubles.

Badosa is among several top“I think it will be difficult, 10 players involved in the super difficult for her no mat- WTA 500 singles event along ter which kind of player she with the likes of Pliskova, who is because this is a thing most recently beat Williams at where you still need some the 2019 Australian Open. time.

Jabeur and Williams will “But of course, she is an (Continued on page 19)

By Sean Devers Jamaica, led by an unbroken 79-run third wicket stand between Skipper Stefanie Taylor and Rashada Williams, beat the Windward Islands by 8 wickets on the DLS system yesterday at Providence in their GC United Women’s Super50 Cup encounter.

The 31-year-old Tayl o r, r e c e n t l y a p p o i n t e d as Guyana Amazon Warriors Captain for the inaug u r a l Wo m e n ’s C P L , stroked six fours in her 50b a l l 3 6 w h i l e Wi l l i a m s reached the ropes five times in her 43 from 69 balls to spur their team into the semi-finals.

The pair joined forces

at 21-2 after 40-year-old fast bowler Pearl Etienne had removed Natasha McLean (8) and Kenisha Ferron and played an array of beautiful shots to see their team to the revised total of 100 in 33 overs with 58 balls to spare.

On a day in which there were two stoppages for rain, T20 Blaze Champions Jamaica reached 1002 a f t e r t h e Wi n d w a r d s had made 101-9 from their 33 overs which was initially reduced to 39 overs after the first break.

Wi n d w a r d s were asked to bat and off-spinn e r Va n e s s a Wa t t s r e moved Stacy Ann Adams (1)

and Malika Edward (11) to leave the score on 14-2.

Taylor then got rid of Zaida James (3) and Skipper Afy Fletcher (11) to leave the score on 37-4.

Japhina Joseph, unbeaten on 23 and number 10 batter Carena Noel, who was run out for 21, added 39 for the ninth wicket to see their team to a threefigure total.

Taylor finished with 3-22 while Watts had 210.

To d a y G u y a n a a r e scheduled to face Leewards from 9:30 am and the winner will join defending Champs Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica in the semi-finals.

PAGE 22

Tuesday June 21, 2022

Kaieteur News

‘Where I want to be’ - Miller-Uibo feeling in good shape with World Champs fast approaching

Bahamian track star Shaunae Miller-Uibo is feeling confident ahead of the upcoming Oregon World Championships.

SportsMax - Bahamian track star Shaunae MillerUibo was left feeling confident, with the upcoming Oregon World Championships on the horizon, after a dominant win at the Paris Diamond League on Saturday.

After putting her opponents under pressure from the starter’s gun, Miller-Uibo eventually coasted home to stop the clock in 50.10.

Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek was second in 50.24 and her compatriot Anna Kie³basiñska third in a personal best 50.28.

The race was only the

Bahamian’s third of the season, in the event, but she believes the performance sets her up in good stead, with her country’s National Trials set for next week.

“I had a great race tonight. Really great. I did a strong start, I pushed a lot on the first 300m. Then, I managed to stay in the lead. I still had some gas in the tank to finish strong. The track is fast,” Miller-Uibo said following the event.

“I’m quite happy about the model of 400m I want to execute this season. Now, I’m gonna travel back home, no

more meetings on my schedule because we have the trials for World Championships next week. At this stage, I’m quite confident about my chances to succeed at Eugene.

I’m healthy, everything is doing great at training. I’m exactly in the shape I wanted to be at this time of the season,” she added.

Despite being the reigning Olympic champion MillerUibo has never won the World Championship, with two silver medals in 2015 and 2019 standing out as her best finishes.

Delmur Company Inc. and its subsidiary Dequan Trading Inc. assists National U19 female Cricket selectee The Prospects of National Female U19 Cricket Selectee Realeanna Grimmond has been given a tremendous boost after she received cricket gear compliments of Delmur Co Incorporated and its Subsidiary Dequan Trading Incorporated.

The young talented allrounder, opening batter and medium pacer, who hails from East Canefield, East Canje, Berbice, plays for the Rose Hall Community Centre Cricket Club in East Canje.

Speaking with Kaieteur Sports the young all round sports talent stated that she began playing the sport in 2019. She was always interested in sports, being an athlete where she participated intensely in most sports discipline at school and the national school athletic championship. She said that she had always loved cricket and use to watch the game on Television and in open fields. She used to play whenever she had the

opportunity.

When she got the chance to join the RHCC in 2019 she grabbed the opportunity and began taking the sport seriously.

However, the pandemic slowed things up tremendously and after a more than two years wait she had her opportunity recently and is so far making the most of it.

She represented Berbice in the recently concluded female U19 Inter County Cricket competition where she made a commanding 91 in one of the innings, which was the highest score in the competition. She also had some good bowling spells with the ball.

She is having the full support of her parents and her extended family.

The multitalented teen is hoping to go all the way and represent the West Indies and play in the big leagues someday.

Her exploits caught the attention of businessman, sports enthusiast, sports administrator and community activist Colin Elcock who

immediately decided to assist through his Delmur Company Incorporated and its Subsidiary Dequan Trading Incorporated.

The young lady received the full complement of cricket gear including cricket bat, cricket bag, pair of pads, pair of batting gloves and two practice balls.

The equipment was presented to Ms. Grimmond by Ruth Harris on behalf of the Delmur Company Incorporated and the Dequan Trading Incorporated.

Ms. Grimmond expressed her delight and thanks to Mr. Elcock and the Company for assisting her in such a big way.

She also expressed thanks to her parents Stevenson and Ruenalhae Grimmond, coaches, teachers, colleagues and other well-wishers. She promised to do her best and make her donor, family and well-wishers proud and be a proud ambassador for Guyana. (Samuel Whyte)

TAIPEI, (Reuters) - Taiwan accused China of bullying yesterday after organisers of the World Cup in Qatar again changed the reference for Taiwanese visitors applying for an identification card that doubles as an entry visa to list their nationality as “Chinese Taipei”.

All World Cup ticketholders must apply for the Hayya card used to identify fans, which also serves as their Qatar visa, but Taiwan’s government expressed concern after discovering the online application system made no mention of the island. It was subsequently listed as, “Taiwan, Province of China”, terminology that equally angers Taiwan’s government and many of its people, and then changed again to just “Taiwan”, earning praise from the government in Taipei.

However, the listing has

changed again, to “Chinese Taipei”, the name Taiwan uses to compete in most international sporting events like the Olympics to avoid political problems. China’s Foreign Ministry expressed its “appreciation” to the Qatari government’s “adherence to the one-China principle and its handling of relevant matters in accordance with the usual practices of international sports events”.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the move, saying organisers were “unable to strictly reject the intervention of improper political forces”. China engaged in “bullying”, and “has repeatedly and blatantly used its fictitious ‘One-China Principle’ to continue to belittle Taiwan internationally and create the false impression that Taiwan that belongs to China”, it added.

There was no immediate

response to requests for comment from the World Cup organisers or Qatar’s government communications office.

Taiwan’s democraticallyelected government rejects China’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their own future. China, seeking to assert its sovereignty claims, has stepped up pressure for countries and foreign companies to refer to Taiwan as part of China in official documents and on websites, with phrasing such as “Taiwan, Province of China”, or “Taiwan, China”. Taiwan 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.

Taiwan accuses China of bullying over World Cup name change

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 21, 2022

Veteran Nigel London cops top honours in Linden Town Week Classic After being delayed for a few weeks the Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycling Club was finally able to host this year's annual Linden Town Week (LTW) Classic where veteran cyclist Nigel London took the top honours.

Completing 10 laps of the Mackenzie Circuit, Nigel London, the club's veteran cyclist, was the top rider for the day in front of the likes of former National Champion Orville Hinds, and his brother Delroy Hinds who placed third, veteran Garfield Lorrimer was fourth Denzil Huntley battled another veteran and former Lindener Ryan Austin for fifth place.

Savannah Hyles won the juvenile

Roach elated to pull level with Holding on all-time Windies wicket-takes list - targets 300 club

Linden Town Week Classic winner veteran cyclist Nigel London receives prize from Jeffrey Yearwood of Bauxite Flyers Cycling Club. event, while Shaphone Douglas won the Boys BMX with Karen DeSouza taking second position.

Despite being unable to host all the intended events the small crowd was not short of excitement.

This event was made possible through the kind compliments of Guyana Breweries using their Gensing Brand, Aurora Gold Mines (AGM) and Professional Keyshop.

The Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycling Club will be teaming up with the Linden Riverfront Festival Committee to host the Riverfront Festival Sprints on July 3, which will be a Linden cyclist only event as they push to promote the sport especially among Linden based cyclists.

Nandu shines again in Canada with 75

G

uyana and West Indies U19 opener Matthew Nandu continued with his outstanding form in Canada.

On Saturday last he scored an impressive 75 to help Kaieteur Cricket Club beat Canadian Eagles by 130 runs in the continuation of the Brampton-Etobicoke and District Cricket League Premier Conference B 50overs competition at Laurel Creek ground, Waterloo, Ontario.

Recently, Nandu scored a century and few halfcenturies.

In this match, the lefthanded Nandu hit six fours and one six from 78 balls as Kaieteur CC rattled up a sufficient 252-8 from 50overs while Canadian Eagles only responded with 122 all out off 25.1 overs.

Apart from his halfc e n t u r y, M a h e n d r a Jaipersaud scored 51, while Miguel Nandu (cousin) also made an impact with the bat by contributing 47. Offspinner Pritipaul Sandhu grabbed four wickets for 48 runs from nine overs.

In Eagles' innings, Prampreet Sandhu offered a

PAGE 23

Matthew Nandu, right, and his cousin Marcel strike a pose after the game. fight with 42 as leg-spinner Marcel Nandu, claimed four wickets for 31 runs from 6.1 overs while Parvesh Jhappan was supportive with 2-30 in his five-overs outing.

The competition is set to continue on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Matthew is

the son of former Guyana under-19 captain and firstclass player Arjune Nandu.

Matthew played for West Indies at this year's International Cricket Council youth World Cup that took place in the Caribbean.

SportsMax - Windies fast bowler Kemar Roach has admitted to feeling a tremendous sense of pride after joining legendary pace bowler Michael Holding on 249 Test wickets on the all-time West Indies Test wickets list.

On Saturday, the 33-year-old put in another stirring performance against one of his favourite opponents, Bangladesh. The bowler's 10th five-wicket haul, on this occasion figures of 5 for 54, not only left the West Indies on the verge of winning the first Test but represented a huge personal milestone.

His latest tally sees the bowler now tied for 6th all-time on the list of the regional team's top wicket-takers, shoulder to shoulder with the revered Holding, and 10 behind Joel Garner for 5th. The significance of the moment was not lost on the player, who made his Test debut against the same opponents in 2009.

“I'm proud. I'm proud to know how I started, obviously, I came into the team under very difficult conditions, and to build a career and get among the greats is a good feeling,” Roach said.

“I'm one for stats, I love my stats. I'm always checking once I'm not playing, so it's always good to be among the greats,” he

Windies fast bowler Kemar Roach added.With more left in the tank, the bowler has targeted the 300 wickets milestone, which would put him 9 behind spinner Lance Gibbs and fifth on the all-time list.

“I'd love 300 Test wickets. I'm at 249, I have about two to three more years left in me, so that's the target.”

Ruth Harris presents the cricket gear to Ms. Grimmond on behalf of the Delmur Company Incorporated and the Dequan Trading Incorporated.

GC United Women's Super50 Cup...

s t r o Sp

Stafanie Taylor (ICC Cricket.com)

Delmur Company Inc. and its subsidiary Dequan Trading Inc. assists National U-19 female Cricket selectee FIFA's logo is seen in front of its headquarters during a foggy autumn day in Zurich, Switzerland November 18, 2020. (REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann)

FIFA, World Athletics review transgender rules after swimming's change

Jamaica beat Windwards by 8 Wkts on DLS System for semis place

Carlos Brathwaite's shy at Wayne Madsen led to a penalty-runs decision.

(Getty Images)

Carlos Brathwaite accused of 'reckless' fielding after penalty-runs decision

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