Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News

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Sunday June 27, 2021

Gas-to-Shore Project could kill fish, other marine life - ExxonMobil E

xxonMobil's subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), recently submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), its project summary for its gas-toenergy project which could cost Guyana at the very least, US$900M. The first 19 pages of the 27-page document speaks glowingly about the c o n s t r u c t i o n , commissioning and operational aspects of the project while noting, that it will create employment and lead to cheaper electricity rates for years to come. But what is buried at the bottom of the summary, speaks volumes about the potential this project holds to have a devastating impact on the environment. ExxonMobil in the document noted, that the project could impact Guyana's marine geology

and sediments. It said this can occur through the installation of offshore and non-routine or unplanned events which was not explained. Regarding the possible effects on human life and the environment where this is concerned, ExxonMobil said it could result in the “Disturbance of the seabed during offshore pipeline installation activities has the potential to affect benthic habitat and cause death/injury of benthic fauna.” In short, any marine life that is near or close to the seafloor where this project is being done is at risk of being killed or injured. The oil giant goes onto state, that the project has the potential to affect some marine fish in the Project area by way of activities such as underwater sound generated by marine component operations and activities, ship strikes, lighting on offshore pipeline

Map showing the route to be taken by ExxonMobil for the gas project.

installation vessels, wastewater discharges, offshore pipeline

construction, hydrotesting discharges, vessel movements, operational

effluent discharges, and nonroutine or unplanned events which again was not

explained. Exxon noted that the (continued on page 18)

Kaieteur News

Sunday June 27, 2021

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In the event of an oil spill, Hess only has GYD$66M in local subsidiary's bank account - Billions in profits moved to American parent company - Chris Ram

A

t the end of 2020, Hess G u y a n a Exploration Limited (Hess), transferred $6.9B in profits to its parent company in the USA, Hess Corporation, which was made from its 30 percent working interest in the oil rich Stabroek Block. Following this, all that was left in its bank account was $66M. It therefore means that should Guyana suffer an unmitigated oil spill in the Stabroek Block, these are the meager resources it would have to depend on since the parent company has failed to give Guyana full coverage insurance for the Liza Phase One Project. Exposing the state of the company's financial affairs and what it means for Guyana was Chartered Accountant and Attorney-atLaw, Christopher Ram, in his column called, “Every Man, Woman and Child in Guyana Must Become OilMinded.” In one of his publications, Ram said he had examined the 2020 financial statements of the subsidiary and was appalled at the findings. Ram said he found that the total value of assets of the Branch at year-end was

Hess Corporation CEO, John Hess

Chart showing Hess Corporation's profits vs. the balance left in its subsidiary's bank account. $469,363 million of which p r o p e r t y, p l a n t a n d equipment accounted for 91%, with the remainder spread fairly evenly over cash, receivables and deferred income tax asset. He also discovered that at December 31, 2020, Hess is shown as having an advance to ExxonMobil's subsidiary, Esso Exploration and

Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), of some $13,167 million while an amount of $14,879 million is shown as owed to Esso. He also founded that, “The Branch's bank balance at year end was $66 million while its commitments for capital expenditure on the Stabroek Block was approximately $544.0

billion (United States Dollars: $2.6 billion), to be incurred over the next several years.” Ram said it is unclear where this money will come from since at December 31, 2020 even the parent company's cash resources stood at US$1,739 million while its total debt and lease obligations stood at

Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram that it is necessary that the company demonstrate that it

US$8,534 million. Upon noting the foregoing, Kaieteur News asked the lawyer if it is not more than enough for Guyana to pressure the parent company to give a formal agreement and evidence that it will handle the costs associated with any oil spill. Ram answered in the affirmative while adding

has the necessary funds for future projects. If Guyana fails to do this, Ram said Guyana could expect Hess to take more loans to finance future projects, which the country would ultimately have to pay for along with the interest rates.

Three killed in fuel boat explosion T

hree men were killed yesterday after a fuel boat, Canada Club Georgetown, exploded. The boat was moored at a wharf located at Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD). Police identified the dead men as Seenarine Persaud,

Mark Mangal and Damon Denia. The explosion, according to investigators, took place sometime between 16:40hrs. and 17:30hrs. Kaieteur News was told that the men are residents of Riverstown, Essequibo, and was the only persons

onboard the vessel at the time. This newspaper understands that it was a security guard working at the wharf who heard the loud explosion. He reportedly stepped away from his post to investigate the sound and noticed thick black smoke

emanating from the bow of the vessel. The security reportedly alerted his superiors along with the relevant authorities. Up to press time, investigators related that it is not clear as to what caused the explosion, which reportedly took place at the

vessel's bow; however, the Guyana Fire Service was conducting the necessary investigation to determine its origin. Additional information received by this media house from reliable sources detailed that the vessel was empty of cargo at the time

leaving many puzzled as to what really caused the explosion. This newspaper learnt that the vessel is used to transport fuel for the Guyana Oil Company (Guyoil) and the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL). Investigations are ongoing.

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Sunday June 27, 2021

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

Where are our prominent Guyanese business leaders? An interesting article in the June 19th edition of the New York Times, DealBook section is titled, “How Public Letters Became Companies’ Favourite Form of Activism – Chief executives have signed countless statements in support of social causes over the last few years. Do they make a difference?” In America, “strongly worded statements from some of the nation’s most prominent business figures” on such burning issues as “anti-LGBTQ legislation, police brutality against Black Americans, violence against Asian Americans and the recent efforts to restrict voting rights” have been made. We ask this simple question, where are our prominent Guyanese business leaders speaking out against governmental corruptions and secrecies, shady oil deals, and the frauds and trickeries of senior politicians, with our natural resources wealth? Where are those who talk big about democracy and clean governance, about reform? They can’t be so suspiciously silent and missing in action now. As the Times article noted, “It can be easy to dismiss the significance of a letter as a tool of change. A signed statement is, quite literally, all talk, and it doesn’t guarantee any further action. But these letters also mark a shift in the relationship between companies and their employees and customers.” These public statements and positions pinpoint who stand where regarding the big issues that mean much to citizens. This publication has set aside significant space, sacrificed revenues, to speak out against oil skullduggeries, at the hands of corrupt national political leadership in this government and the previous ones. We have created space so that as many citizens as can be accommodated can have their say and announce their positions for or against publicly. We did hear loudly from citizens about democracy and elections, but hear little today of fears and anxieties concerning their wealth that is being wasted secretly. Why only tiny sounds from citizens today on their own prosperity? Why no strong position from the private sector on the obvious mismanagement of our oil and other resources that can enrich? Of course, we recognise that the private sector is fearful of speaking (publicly) to truth, or come across as biting (treacherously) the hand that feeds it, or risk incurring the wrath (quietly) of government leaders and being locked out (permanently) from partaking in the rich business opportunities that abound. In the U.S. workers and consumers “do not accept silence as neutrality anymore,” said assistant professor Nooshin Warren of the University of Arizona. In this society, ask any citizen and there is no such thing as ‘neutrality’ anymore, not even for those who see themselves as neutral, uninvolved, or independent. A reasonable expectation is that since the present and future of every single Guyanese is impacted, for better or worse, by how our wealth is managed, that an army of citizens would be out in the public and making known where they stand and what they like or dislike about how the nation’s oil and general business is being handled. Further, the Times article noted that it is safer to speak out and take a stance as a group, which 100 companies did in a joint statement on restrictive voting rights. Thus, those Guyanese who pay attention have to be asking themselves one question of two groups: where is the private sector and the Chamber of Commerce? Casting a wider net, and with a bow to the spirited efforts of the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc. (TIGI), what has happened to civil society? Why is there a lack of voices, presences and public outrage with leadership’s management of oil and other promising sectors? Malia Lazu, a lecturer at M.I.T. Sloan School of Management stated, “The most important thing a letter does is publicly commit the individual or company to change and it “gives people who want to hold corporations accountable an I.O.U.” To local companies we add the media, civil society, and society in general. Where are they? And why the public indifference?

Guyana Police Force on life support DEAR EDITOR, Kindly permit me space to ventilate on a matter of great importance to me in particular and Guyana in general. It’s the state of disaster that is suffocating the Guyana Police Force currently. The force has become a politically directed and administered organisation. Police are being asked to be loyal to the government and not the constitution and laws of the land. The command structure of the organisation has been in disarray for many years with wholly unqualified people managing departments where they are less than assets to the force. There may be currently 10-15 senior officers in the force worthy of their command. Many hold open allegiance to political organisations. This is a problem. You are indeed entitled to your political views and opinions, but you are not at will to allow your politics to influence the manner in which you conduct

yourself professionally. The police force because of poor leadership and political shenanigans continues to degenerate into chaos. It used to be that there was strict adherence to the organisational chart, which lays out the chain of command. The force was headed up by the Commissioner, four Deputy Commissioners, Admin, CID, SB, Ops. Today we have no such organisation. Instead, we have junior officers being reported to by people their senior in rank, all because their placement was politically instituted. We always hear about that young cop who takes a bribe, but we know nothing about those very senior officers known to be involved in corrupt transactions. Many have been departmentally charged for these activities, but their matters lie in a file gathering dust. How can you have disciplined junior ranks when you have dirty senior officers? Whose fault is it

when a constable fails to attend court in a matter that gets dismissed because he absented himself from court? Here’s an example of the dysfunction of the force. It’s against the law to have tinted or heavily tinted windshields and windows, but some of the darkest tints can be found on young policemen’s cars. Do they not have Sergeants, Inspectors, etc.? To my knowledge, there’s only one senior officer who’s had a zero-tolerance attitude towards police driving heavily tinted cars. Victimisation in the force is now part and parcel with the job. If you’re perceived rightly or wrongly, to be in support of some other political group other than the government, then you get shunted to the side. One of the brightest young officers in the force was removed from his post and sent to manage the equine assets of the force, while one who has disciplinary matters was made

the head of the premier white collar crime fighting unit all because politicians got involved. Old police talk that said, this wuk is a look back wuk. Meaning if you were able to observe what others, senior to you, did and how they did it, then you should have no problems doing your job. If the current crop of police would take a look back into the past and note how this job is supposed to be done, then Guyanese would be better off. The entire force could learn from the great men and women, who came before them. I think there is no better example than Balram Raghubir of how a Commissioner of Police should comport himself in private and public. There’s no better handler of men than Cecil Roberts so why not set your standards against his? So why can’t officers who aim to be leaders of men use men like Alvin Smith and Isaac Alexander as a barometer of (Continued on page 6)

Sunday June 27, 2021

Let there be a genuine consultation of revised EIA guidelines DEAR EDITOR, I refer to the article titled, “EPA withdraws revised impact assessment guidelines - to consult with public after concerns raised” (SN June 26). Today, I guardedly laud this decision and action. From now, I emphasise that there is little that is confidence inducing about Guyana’s EPA, in its current state of malaise and political misdirection, as well as its deliberate jellylike consistency on the vital things of Guyana. As most Guyanese with a whiff of discernment in them are quick to recognise, the EPA today is a passive, hamstrung entity, one lacking the needed skills and strength to apply brakes on the business big shots. Things are so unpalatable at the EPA that I spare its acting head today: she has her orders, and she has followed them well. It is against this backdrop that there came this announcement of the withdrawing of “revised impact assessment guidelines” to facilitate “public concerns.” Several thoughts surfaced. First, there had to be more than a

few Guyanese who stirred themselves into actually registering their alarms with the EPA. Second, among that set of citizens, must be a subset that is not to be trifled with, because they will rock boats and make waves elsewhere. Perhaps, all over and loudly and persistently, too; thus, give them a listening. Third, though previously guilty of these failures, I do so again: I give the EPA (and PPP leaders) the benefit of the doubt, in willingness to accept this business of “consult with public after concerns raised” as genuine and not just for the show of it. Fourth, and to elaborate: that it is not for the record that public consultations did occur with open minds and receptive ears leading to meaningful revisions and safeguards being put in place in response to anxieties and constructive criticisms about deficiencies in the original revisions. Fifth, if this is a bona fide public consultation, then it must reach the widest public audience, with a series of such consultations, at convenient times and

locations. Sixth, that the final revision of the revision involves a handful of nonEPA people, who could bring balance and fairness (and teeth) to the revisions before they take effect. Editor, I now proceed to what I put forward must be the key: whatever those revisions, if any, of the withdrawn revised EIA guidelines end up being, they must not be simply paper procedures. I do appreciate “guidelines” are exactly what they say, and nothing more. It is sort of discretionary on the part of the involved constituency, a kind of niceto-have, a feel-good flavouring. To reiterate: those post public consultation revised guidelines cannot be, as a matter of compliance, it is there on paper, the people were listened to, so it’s all over. The oversight is just beginning, and the EPA must be strong enough, fearless enough, and independent enough to stand up for Guyana and say: this is what it is going to be, regardless of which gargantuan foreign company or domestic commercial demigods are involved. Sincerely, GHK Lall

10,287 lawyers qualified in the Caribbean DEAR EDITOR, As I commenced research on the operations of the Council of Legal Education (CLE) which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, it was discovered that a total of 10,287 persons have qualified as attorneys from the Hugh Wooding Law School in St, Augustine, Trinidad (5,147), 4,646 from Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica, and

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Kaieteur News

494 from the Eugene Dupech in the Bahamas. Most of the graduates are females, and hundreds of them hold top legal positions. The President of the CCJ, the apex Court, and nearly all the Chief Justices and Judges throughout the Region are regionally trained. After the establishment of the Faculty at Cave Hill in Barbados in 1971, and law schools, would-be lawyers ceased to proceed to London

to the Inns of Court, saving them thousands of dollars and away from the bitter cold. And now although there are so many lawyers, there are suggestions from a former Prime Minister, Kenny Anthony, of St. Lucia, for a law school to be established in the Eastern Caribbean since the Hugh Wooding and Norman Manley Law Schools are overcrowded. The APNU+AFC Government in (Continued on page 6)

Are Guyanese a special kind of undeserving fools? DEAR EDITOR, It came as no surprise that former Minister Ferguson, with her penchant for nonsense, would seek to question Ashni Singh in the recent sitting of Parliament about the $30 billion bond borrowed by her APNU+AFC party, allegedly to revitalise GuySuCo. Ferguson could have gotten most of the information she wanted from her old ministerial circle, but she probably thought the PPP Government was squandering the remainder of $17.5 billion that was drawn down, so she chose the big stage parliament, to further embarrass the ousted APNU+AFC regime. The revelation from Ashni showed that her government was using monies from the bond to service the debt on the bond - the kind of silly stuff people without collateral do to raise their credibility to get bigger loans in the future. Ashni said that the GuySuCo bond “was not raised through a competitive process as far as can be ascertained” and argued that the arrangement committed the government to pay a 4.75 percent interest rate “at a time when its Treasury Bills would only have cost one percent or thereabout.” Even more damning was this assessment

from Ashni - “the cost savings that would have been incurred (by the use of Treasury bills) would have been around $2.1B.” The analysis here is that there was a conspiracy to defraud the Guyanese people of 2.1 billion dollars. I cannot envision Ferguson receiving anything less than the wrath of her fellow APNU+AFC parliamentarians for asking for yet another “can of worms” produced by the APNU+AFC government to be released to the prying eyes of the public. This commentary is not intended to malign Ferguson and the pastAPNU+AFC regime, the disclosures of their transgressions keep coming like

the torrential rains that recently inundated Guyana. It is to enlighten the Guyanese people of the possible reason for the continued disregard that the beneficiary of 2.1 billion dollars has for the people of Guyana, reflected in the poor service provided - two tellers working while there is space for five while customers are dehydrating in the line outside at their branches. Despite a ton of letters in the media about this mistreatment, not a finger is lifted to improve service to customers. If our government could have committed to handing over 2.1 billion dollars on a platter when better could have been done, government and people must be seen as a special kind of undeserving fools. Respectfully, Rudolph Singh

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Kaieteur News

The rise and dominance of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 is good reason to get vaccinated ASAP DEAR EDITOR, By now, most would have heard of the Delta variant or lineage B.1.617.2 first detected in Maharashtra (India) in December 2020. Initially it was not seen as anything special but then in April 2021, with almost 30,000 cases of infection reported daily in Delhi, it was of grave concern. From Delhi, it continued to spread and now likely to become the dominant form in the world as it accounts for 90 percent of infections in the UK; consequently, their reopening plans were delayed. A surge in cases in Lisbon (Portugal) caused the Portuguese government to impose a three-day travel ban between the city and the rest of the country. Andrea Ammon (Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) said that, “It is very likely that the Delta variant will circulate extensively during the summer, particularly among younger individuals that are not targeted for vaccination” and “…that by the end of August it will represent 90 percent of new cases in the EU.” It is also thought to cause surges in Indonesia, Russia and other countries and is on the rise in North America. Israel, with 60 percent of its population fully vaccinated, is reinstating its indoor mask mandate due to a steep rise in cases attributed to it. Variants arise as the virus mutates naturally. Every time a virus replicates during infection, there is a chance it

won’t copy itself correctly. These types are present in the new copies of itself as they move on to infect others. Some of these ‘mistakes’ appear, some disappear, and some persist; some are harmless, while some can increase contagiousness or allow the virus to escape our immune system’s protection/antibody neutralisation. The variants of concern (VOC), including the Delta variant, have different combinations of mutations, which can have one or more of the following properties: more contagious, more virulent and vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics and public health measures show a reduction in effectiveness against them. Many of these troublesome mutations are found on the Spike (S) protein (protrudes from the surface of the virus). The S protein binding to our cells allows virus entry and is a main target for vaccines and treatments. All vaccines in use are based on creating or using a form of this S protein. For example, both the OxfordAstraZeneca and Sputnik V vaccines, adenoviral vector vaccines, comprise a gene with instructions for making the S protein in our bodies. When our bodies see this protein, an immune response occurs as if you were infected with the virus; antibodies defense molecules that can neutralise the virus - are produced without us getting infected as the infectious genetic material of the virus is not present, just the S protein.

So if vaccines are based on the original form of the S protein but we’re infected with a virus with a new mutated S protein, then the neutralising antibodies produced after vaccination may not neutralise the virus or not as effectively, since a mutation may change the shape of the S protein thereby, altering the binding strength of neutralising antibodies (antibodies we produce from vaccination are specific to the virus, binds to it and prevents it from getting into our cells thereby neutralising it). This of course, depends on the mutations on the variant in question. Ongoing research suggests the Delta variant possesses about 15 mutations that enable more efficient entry into our cells thereby, making it more transmissible than any other VOC currently. Studies suggest that its mutations allow it to escape neutralising antibodies which impact vaccines’ efficacy (vaccination induces our immune system to produce these protective antibodies). Research also suggests that these mutations result in stronger binding of the S protein to our cells and faster splitting of the S protein into the form that infects our cells. There is a lot that researchers are still finding out, but what is definitely known is that, one vaccine dose is not good enough, we need two for protection and we need protection as soon as possible, so as not to allow

Caribbean American Legislative Week wraps up with critical announcements and recommendations DEAR EDITOR, Caribbean American Legislative Week wrapped up Saturday with a number of critical announcements and recommendations, which serve to reinforce the CARICOM/United States partnership under the Biden/ Harris Administration. Before getting into details about the week’s deliberations, I would like to highlight and commend the level of Guyanese participation in this year’s deliberations, which were held virtually. The deliberations were officially declared open by Ambassador George Talbot of Guyana, on behalf of Foreign Minister, Hugh Todd, and

benefitted from comprehensive contributions during the week from Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, former ministers Carl Greenidge and Dr. Richard Van WestCharles, National Security Advisor, Gerry Gouveia, Professor Edward Greene, Dr. Troy Thomas, Dr. Vincent Adams, Ramesh Dookhoo, Rishma Eckert and Desmond Sears, among others. Oh, for the brainpower of our dear land of Guyana! By way of background, Caribbean American Legislative Week is one component of Caribbean American Heritage Month, which is celebrated each June in the United States, and is

organised by the Washington, DC based Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS). For more than two decades, Caribbean American Legislative Week has served as a forum to advance recommendations on, and concerns about, US/ Caribbean relations. Prior to COVID-19, these deliberations were held on Capitol Hill, the White House, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Organisation of American States (OAS). In the interest of brevity in this letter, I will focus only on the US/Caribbean Diplomacy Agenda component of the (Continued on page 62)

the virus room to evolve into an even worse form. To prevent emergence of worse forms we need population immunity, which means most people need to get vaccinated. That’s it. There is no other way to force it into non-existence. Natural immunity does not cut it. This is best exemplified by Brazil where many, prematurely, thought they had acquired ‘herd immunity’ naturally. There were so many people infected and sick with COVID19 in Manaus – 70 percent or more of their population - that they thought they had achieved herd immunity (naturally) by fall 2020. We know the story. They were wrong, a new surge in cases was seen in December 2020, daily hospital admissions grew, which eventually overwhelmed the health care

system and a crisis followed. This new wave involved people who had COVID-19 previously becoming reinfected and local scientists attributed the situation there, mainly, due to a worse form of the virus emerging and dominating (the P.1 or Gamma variant). The health ministry recently declared that their situation is critical (once again) as they hit 500,000 deaths (the second highest in the world) and leaders are being accused of prioritising and promoting unproven treatments ahead of vaccination (less than 20 percent of their population is fully vaccinated). The Gamma variant has 11 key mutations which research suggests change the shape of the S protein on the surface of the virus in a way that makes it

more difficult for it to be neutralised with antibodies and so like the Delta variant, two vaccines doses are needed for protection. Clearly variants can undermine progress made with vaccination campaigns. Modifying vaccines to target variants may be fast, but the modified form needs to go through three phases of clinical trials again and results reviewed by regulatory bodies. This takes time so we need to make the most of the vaccines we have available now, we need to get immune protection at community and population levels as soon as possible. We need most vaccinated to suppress the virus. So, get vaccinated! Sincerely, Jacquelyn Jhingree, PhD

...10,287 lawyers qualified in the From page 4 Guyana had advocated for the establishment of a law school in Guyana. But it did not materialise and now that government is no longer in office. It is not yet known if the new PPP/C government will push for a Law School because many of their students cannot gain entry to the Hugh Wooding Law School since the 25 quota is inadequate. I know for a fact, that the Norman Manley Law School is overcrowded, so much so that Belizean students cannot gain entry. A few years ago, the institution was considering double sessions in order to accommodate the large number of students seeking entry. Besides the costs and inconvenience to study in England, the Caribbean

trained lawyers are more equipped to practice their profession in the Region. Some feel that there are far too many lawyers in the Region, but that is not the case, because most of them are not in full time practice per se, but attached to Insurance Companies, other Corporations and institutions, as well as lecturers at universities and law schools; the legal training serves as a base for other endeavours. Many lawyers are politicians. If the CLE was not established in the Region, most of the 10,287 would not have been Lawyers. I am one who would not have been an attorney because of the high costs to study in England and I am certain thousands of others. At this juncture I should state, like as in any

other profession, there are a few who have not lived up to the noble profession and are dishonest, corrupt, engage in excessive drinking, gambling and sexual exploitation. A few were charged for embezzlement and bribery, and even jailed. Several activities are planned to mark the 50th anniversary. Last Wednesday the President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders, spoke at a Lecture to mark the occasion. The topic was “The CCJ and the promotion of law and order” and on Thursday night Dame Sandra Mason, Governor General of Barbados, who was one of the first graduating students, touched on the operations of the CLE. Sincerely, Oscar Ramjeet

...Guyana Police Force on life From page 4 honesty and integrity? I maintain politicians have no desire to have a disciplined and professional police department, because the chaos that ensues from a disorganised and poorly led force is perfect for their own nefarious reasons. Some small steps were taken during the tenure of the last government but not nearly enough. For example, there are hundreds of well-trained and capable retired officers, who would love to impart their knowledge to the young members, but they are never called. One of the greatest homicide investigators in the history of the Guyana Police Force is Michael Marks and I

am positive he was never approached for any advice in the last 15 years. Mind you, there are countless unsolved murders still waiting to be concluded by arrest and successful prosecution. I share the same view of a now retired detective superintendent that the force is now unrecognisable to us who served during a different period. To the ranks, I say this. Be reminded, that you serve the constitution of Guyana, and not any particular political group. Politicians come and go, but police are constant. Do the job. It is your right to refuse any illegal order. Respect your obligations to the courts. Before I go, I must address

the baseless claims that there is racial discrimination in the selection of applicants to the force. That is hogwash, and it boggles the mind why anyone would believe it. If an advertisement is published in all newspapers in Guyana tomorrow for applicants to the force, the percentage of such applicants who are not of African descent would be negligible. It’s sad that politicians would say these things in private let alone publicly. I thank you for this opportunity to express my disillusionment. Yours truly, Richard A. Dickson Former Homicide Investigator - GPF

T N U L B . . . T B N U T L N B T . U . L . L T B . . N . U N U T L N B . U T . . L N N U T B . U . N L U BL BLUNT. B . . T . T T N N U . U L . . L B . T B . . . . N . T U T N N T U N U L L U B . L B . . . . B . T . . T . N N T U N L LU U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . U . . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . . U . N L T U B . N L . . U B . T L . . N B T . . U . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B . T . U . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . U . . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . B . UN .BLUNT. L . . B T . . . N T U N L . . U B T . L . B . UN .BLUNT. L . . B T . . . N T U N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . U . . N L B T . U . . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . . . LU ...BLUN B T . . . N T U N L U B T . L . . N B T . U . . N L T . U B . . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . U . . N L T BB T...BLU U N L U B . L . . B . T . . N N T T L U U N L L U B U T...BLU B L . . N . B . T . . N T U N N N U L U U B L . BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

Exxon says sanctity of contracts,

Jagdeo says sanctity of contracts. Exxon says yes to gas-to-shore,

Jagdeo says yes to gas-to-shore. Exxon says Wales destination,

Jagdeo says Wales destination. Exxon says no renegotiation,

Jagdeo says no renegotiation.

Exxon says, “pump baby pump”

Jagdeo says, “pump baby pump”

Exxon says interest rate is confidential, Jagdeo says he does not know. If Exxon says, ‘jump!’

Will Jagdeo say, “how high?”

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Kaieteur News

Matt Hancock quits after breaking COVID rules by kissing aide UK Health Minister, Matt Hancock, has resigned.

British Health Minister Matt Hancock has resigned, a day after being called out for breaking social distancing rules by kissing an aide. The 42-year-old handed his resignation to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday after The Sun tabloid published photos of the married minister embracing a woman who he had appointed to a taxpayer-funded role to scrutinise the performance of his department. The pictures that enraged the public and politicians were taken on May 6 – 11 days before lockdown rules were eased to allow hugs and other physical conta ct with

people outside one’s own household. Hancock has been at the centre of the government’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic, routinely appearing on television and radio to tell people to follow the strict rules to contain the virus. His departure means Johnson will have to appoint a new minister to take on the huge department that is responsible for overseeing the health service and tackling COVID-19 at a time when cases have started to rise again. Johnson had said on Friday he had accepted an apology from Hancock and considered the matter to be closed, but the latter had faced rising pressure to step down. “We owe it to people who

have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down as I have done by breaching the guidance,” Hancock said in his resignation letter. Johnson said in reply that he was sorry to receive it. “You should be immensely proud of your service,” he wrote. “I am grateful for your support and believe that your contribution to public service is far from over.” The main opposition Labour Party also questioned whether he had broken the ministerial code: the woman, a longtime friend of Hancock’s, was appointed as a non-executive director, on a taxpayer-funded salary, to oversee the running of his ministry. Labour leader Keir Starmer said on Twitter that Hancock was right to resign. “But Boris Johnson should have sacked him,” he added. With 128,000 deaths, the United Kingdom has one of the highest official death tolls from COVID-19 in the world and Hancock, in the post for almost three years, had been heavily criticised for his initial handling of the pandemic. However, Johnson’s Conservative government has been boosted by a rapid rollout of the vaccine programme, with 84 percent of adults having one dose and 61 percent having both, well ahead of most other countries. (Al Jazeera)

Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

Former Coalition Govt. drug supplier arrested in New York for stalking, harassing ex-lover

D

espite facing pos sible criminal charges for intimate partner violence in Guyana, a Guyanese-American businessman found himself before a New York Court charged with threatening and harassing his ex-lover. According to court documents seen by this newspaper, Hardat Singh, the proprietor of HDM labs – a pharmaceutical company in Guyana – was arrested in Queens, New York, on June 23, 2021 for harassing and communicating a threat to Ann Narine, his ex-girlfriend. Singh, who is known locally as a supplier of drugs and pharmaceuticals to the former A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration, appeared in a Criminal Court in Queens, New York, on Wednesday and was released on his recognisance. The businessman, who was arrested for allegedly stalking his former girlfriend, had faced scrutiny locally for the circumstances in which he received a bulk of the contracts to supply pharmaceuticals to Guyana under the David Granger-led Coalition administration. According to the New York Police report, Narine alleged that Singh has been harassing her, making numerous abusive phone calls and turning up at her home in New York, threatening her. She reportedly provided the New York Police with videotapes and recorded phone calls of Singh’s harassment. The woman was granted an order of protection from the New York court that remains in force until June 22, 2022. Singh is scheduled to appear on September 29, 2021 for his next court appearance in New York.

Hardat Singh, Proprietor of HDM labs.

While speaking to Kaieteur News about the incident, Narine explained that her former partner has been targeting her due to a dispute they have over monies he owes her for investments she made in his business. The woman claimed that their 14year relationship soured after she started enquiring about her share of the profits in the business. “He had been very nasty and abusive towards me since then, he even beat me up mercilessly and I now believe he is trying to kill me because I went to court and got judgment against him to pay me my money,” she said. Narine said however, that police have been slow to charge her ex-lover. “I been back and forth with the police trying to find out what is happening, I made a number of reports. I even have a case before the court where his current wife abused me, he abused me as well but he has not been

charged and he just keeps coming after me,” Ms. Narine stated. The woman told Kaieteur News that she is now fearful for her life. “It is not safe for me, because even though he faces possible charges in Guyana, he still travelled to New York, came to my home banging on the doors, threatening me with violence. I really need this matter highlighted,” Narine added. Given her concerns, the woman is hopeful that the charges will be laid against her abusive ex-lover soon, and that the law will find him culpable for his violent acts. “I have been waiting a long time for justice. The last time I spoke with the police they said that the file was with the DPP [Director of Public Prosecutions] and that was over a month ago. I am just hoping that something can happen soon so I can move on peacefully with my life,” she said.

Dem boys seh...

Juk fuh juk Too many people dying in Guyana from de effects of stab wounds. Every two marnin’ yuh reading about somebody get stab up. And dis happening since Guyana was a colony. Is like we like to juk up people. Is nat like other countries nah gat stabbing. In fact, one man in de USA ask he friend, “Did you hear about that Hollywood actress who was stabbed? What was her name again?? Reece something...” De friend answer, “Witherspoon?” ”No, with a knife!” replied de man. Dem gat stabbing all over but Guyana beat all dem country when it comes to stabbing. Last Friday, dem boys hear how a man fatally stab he brother. Deh gat nuff people walking de streets

with ice pick and knife in dem waist. Dem boys want know why de police nah stopping more people and tekkin’ away these dangerous weapons. And when de police do stop dem wah gat Rambo knife and ask dem wah dem doing with it, dem seh how dem is use it fuh peel mango. If all dem knife had circular or blunt tips, we might a save more lives. But den again dem boys would a mek knife and ice pick out of dem same knives by filing down de tips. One day a woman call she husband and ask he, “Do you ever get a shooting pain across your body, like someone’s got a voodoo doll of you and they’re stabbing it?” De concerned man replied, “No...” She responded, “How about now?” Talk half and remember wah Sparrow seh!

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Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

Burnt-out car found on Linden-Soesdyke Highway linked to Fagundes’ murder The burnt-out car that was found abandoned along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, mere hours after Ricardo Fagundes was gunned down in front of Palm Court on Monday March 22, is the same one that was used by the men who killed him. Fagundes better known as “Paper Shorts” was slain around 22:00hrs. that day. Cops had long suspected that the car was the same one used in his murder but had only recently found sufficient key evidence to confirm it. Investigators related, “The burnt-out car is the same heavily-tinted white Toyota Fielder used to transport Fagundes’ murderers to and from the scene.” Confirming the develop-

ment with Kaieteur News as well was Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum. Kaieteur News recently reported that aided by CCTV footage, the investigators were able to trace the Toyota Fielder from North Road, Georgetown to Palm Court, located on Main Street, prior to the gunning down of Fagundes. Based on other video footage of the shooting, the car was seen parked outside of Palm Court for a while, until Fagundes stepped out. As he walked towards a black pickup parked on the western end of Main Street, his assassins emerged from the back passenger seat of the car and ran towards him, riddling him with bullets. Fagundes dropped to the

ground and they fired a few more shots at him before reentering the car as it sped off in a southern direction. His family members had told this media house that police had disclosed to them that they have identified someone who might be the prime suspect in the heinous killing of their loved one. That individual, according to relatives, “is seen driving a car around the city every day with police escorts and taking photos with top politicians of the country.” The relatives disclosed too that that investigators hinted that others are involved in the crime and updates to them will be provided as the investigation unfolds. Investigators reportedly told them

that they are pursuing certain leads and it would take a while for them to wrap up the entire investigation. However, the relatives expressed their doubts that cops will be able to arrest the prime suspect. They stated that the reason for their doubts is because the suspect is a “very wealthy and influential individual.” Nevertheless, should the detectives not keep their word; Fagundes’ relatives said that they would stage protests in the streets demanding justice. On the night of his assassination, Fagundes was socialising with his best friend, Roger Khan, and others at Palm Court. He had reportedly stepped out of the bar to bring Khan’s pickup closer to the entrance but he was killed before doing so. Khan had publicly said that he was the intended target and during Fagundes funeral reiter-

Murdered in front of Palm Court, Ricardo Fagundes better known as ‘Paper Shorts.’

ated “every one of the bullets was meant for me (Khan).” Fagundes and Khan were

almost the same height and on the night of his murder, they were reportedly dressed alike.

Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

Kamala Harris visits US border amid migrant crisis Kamala Harris has made her first trip as vicepresident to the nation’s southern border as the White House grapples with political pressure over a growing migrant crisis. (BBC) - In El Paso, Texas, Ms Harris called for an end to “finger-pointing”. She also criticised ex-President Donald Trump. One of her fellow Democrats said this administration’s handling of the border situation made the party look “weak”. A record level of undocumented migrants have arrived at the border this year. The numbers of asylum seekers and economic migrants fleeing poverty, corruption and gang violence in Latin America are only expected to grow during the summer months. This year US border agents have also separately apprehended two Yemeni men who were on a terror watchlist. In Friday’s brief trip, Ms Harris visited immigration facilities and met girl migrants

aged 9-16 not far from the border. “They were asking me questions: ‘How do you become the first woman vicepresident?’” Ms Harris said. “It also reminds me of the fact that this issue cannot be reduced to a political issue. We’re talking about children, we’re talking about families, we are talking about suffering.” She called for an end to political “finger-pointing” and “infighting”. During the trip she also said: “It is here in El Paso that the previous administration’s child separation policy was unveiled,” in a reference to Mr Trump’s splitting up of migrant families. Critics said Ms Harris should have visited a tent complex at nearby Fort Bliss, where migrant children are being held. A BBC investigation of the Fort Bliss detention centre found reports of sexual abuse, Covid and lice outbreaks, hungry children being served undercooked meat and sandstorms

US Vice President, Kamla Harris.

engulfing the desert tent camps where the young people are being held. Ms Harris’ motorcade was greeted by pro-Trump protesters waving flags. One demonstrator’s sign said: “How many little girls need to be raped for this to be a crisis?” US President Joe Biden’s administration said on Friday it would investigate conditions at the site. It also announced Health Secretary

Xavier Becerra would travel there next week. Mr Biden tasked Ms Harris back in March with addressing the root causes of immigration. This month she visited Guatemala and Mexico, where she asked that potential migrants not make the trek to the US. But the vice-president had until now repeatedly deflected questions about whether she ought to visit the

US-Mexico border, dismissing such a trip as a “grand gesture”. The White House announced her visit this week after Mr Trump, a Republican, said he would head to the border on 25 June. Ms Harris denied on Friday that she was only going because of Mr Trump, though her travel caught White House reporters unawares since they are usually briefed a week ahead

of such trips for planning purposes. “I said back in March I was going to come to the border, so this is not a new plan,” the vice-president told reporters after landing in Texas on Friday. Ms Harris faced inevitable criticism from Republicans like Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who dismissed her visit as “a glorified photo-op”. But she was also upbraided by a fellow Democrat, congressman Henry Cuellar, whose constituency straddles part of the southern border. “The administration is making Democrats look weak,” he told the Associated Press news agency. “I’ve heard, from Democrats and Republicans in my area, what the heck is going on with this administration?” US Customs and Border Protection said it caught 180,034 migrants in May, the biggest monthly total since 2000, and up slightly from the previous two months.

Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

CCJ dismisses appeal in Guyanese rice investors case The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Friday dismissed an appeal from Guyana in the matter where two companies, Blairmont Rice Investments Inc. and Kayman Sankar Investments Ltd, were engaged in a legal battle over an alleged breach of contract over the purchase of rice lands. According to documents released by the CCJ, Blairmont Rice Investments Inc. had entered into three

contracts in December, 2006 for the purchase and sale of lands in Von Better, Berbice, from Kayman Sankar Investments Ltd, Kayman Sankar and Company Ltd, and Beni Sankar. At the time, the parties understood that the purchase price was to be used to satisfy Sankar companies’ debt, which they owed to the bank. According to the information from the CCJ, the payment of the purchase price was

spread over nine years with twice-yearly installments, which were to be paid in June and December of each year. However, Blairmont Rice Investments Inc. failed to pay either of its installments for the year 2010 even though Sankar reminded them that payments were due. As a result, by letter dated January 17, 2011, Sankar communicated to Blairmont Rice Investments Inc. that the contracts were terminated and

that they would now treat the commercial relationship between the parties as being over. Blairmont did not accept that the contracts were terminated and took legal action. At the time when legal action began, the purchasing party had been struck off the register of companies. The High Court decided in favour of Sankar and Blairmont Rice Investments Inc. appealed to the Court of

Appeal. That court decided that the payment clause was an “essential” or very important term and a breach (or failure to comply) with it went to the heart of the contract, causing the contract to be terminated. On Friday, the CCJ dismissed the subsequent appeal to that final court filed by Blairmont, affirming the orders of the Guyana Court of Appeal. In a majority judgment delivered by Justice Andrew Burgess, the CCJ determined that the payment clause was an “innominate” or “intermediate” term (this is a term in a contract that could be breached in either a minor or a significant way). In coming to this decision, the Court said that the question to be asked was what a reasonable person would have understood the parties to mean by use of the language in the payment clause. Further, considering the language, the CCJ noted that it was clear that there were a variety of consequences that

could be caused by the failure to make the payments. The regional court then looked at the consequence of the breach and decided that it was a significant one because it deprived Sankar of the whole benefit of the agreements. The benefit was that the payments be made in a timely manner to prevent Sankar from losing their properties to the bank. Given the significance of the breach, the Court determined that Sankar could rightly terminate the contracts. As a result, the CCJ upheld the decision of the Appeal Court and ruled in favour of Sankar. Apart from Justices Saunders, Burgess and Jamadar, the panel also included Justices Jacob Wit and Maureen Rajnauth-Lee. Blairmont Rice Investments Inc. was represented by Attorneys-at-law Jamela Ali, SC, Sanjeev Datadin and Donavan Rangiah, while K.A. Juman-Yassin, SC, and Teni Housty appeared on behalf of the vendors.

Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Sunday June 27, 2021

Underground water springs holding up emergency road works in Region 10

U

nderground water springs are holding up the emergency road works being done in Region Ten according the Ministry of Public Works. Last Wednesday, the Washer Pond Road in Linden, Region 10, in the vicinity of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) was closed to vehicular traffic due to the road works being carried out by the Ministry. Traffic was diverted

along the Noitgedacht Road, which was also recently rehabilitated. The project was visited on Friday and the Ministry's Engineer, Colin Gittens, pointed out a continuous flow of water emanating from the subsurface of the road. The Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, stated to this publication that two underground water springs were discovered and they are trying to find solutions to the issue.

Picture showing the area where the continuous flow of water is coming from Edghill further stated that work has been done on the drains around the area to prevent the said issue. Kaieteur News understands that the engineer has already ordered the problematic sections of the road to be dug up and properly addressed before bringing the surface to its reported final surfac e thickness of three inches of asphalt cover. Regional Chairman, Deron Adams, urged the team to come up with a solution that would see the preservation of the road beyond the time span obtained in recent past

rehabilitation efforts at that location. This roadway, extending from the highway along Sir David Rose Avenue, along the Washer Pond Road and across the Wismar Bridge along the Winifred Gaskin Highway onto the road leading to Brazil was referred to in the past as the Federal Highway, for which responsibility for upkeep and maintenance falls to the Ministry of Public Works. Minister Edghill stated that he is unsure of whether the issue with the underground water springs will cause the road closure to be extended.

Gas-to-Shore Project... From page 2 foregoing ecological impacts could potentially have ramifications for commercial and/or subsistence fisheries. It should be noted that E x x o n M o b i l i n collaboration with the government, is moving ahead with this project at a time when the world is moving away from fossil fuel based projects. In May for example, this newspaper had reported on the United Nations' (UN)

call for a shift in the policy of countries worldwide, to move away from supporting fossil fuel projects through financing such as subsidies, towards renewable energy and the promotion of the transfer of technology to developing countries. Tomorrow, Kaieteur News will continue to expose more of the potentially devastating impacts this project can have as stated by ExxonMobil in the EPA document.

Kaieteur News

Sunday June 27, 2021

… is k ee W e th f o er rk o W e in tl n o Our Fr

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Surveilance Officer

Surveillance Officer, Sushelia Persaud

Sushelia Persaud towards extinguishing the fear she had for COVID-19. As she described her first experience, she said, “The first experience in the fields was early last year, during the start of the pandemic in Region Two. I can remember heading to Charity because we heard of someone coming into the Region with flu like symptoms, so we had to go do a screening exercise.” She added, “We were doing mostly interviews to find out about their travel history. I was a bit nervous at the time, because I can recall being so close to this suspected case.” FACING CHALLENGES

By Romario Blair

“

I can remember the first time I was in the field; dealing with COVID-19…I was so scared knowing I would be coming so close to this virus, a virus which I had little knowledge of.” Those were the words of 24-year-old Sushelia Persaud, a frontline worker attached to the Suddie Public Hospital on the Essequibo Coast. As a Surveillance Officer, Persaud comes into contact with suspected COVID-19 cases almost on a daily basis. Explaining her role since the onset of COVID-19, she said, “I would usually deal with the statistics aspects of COVID-19; we also have to do contact tracing…so if a person tests positive for COVID-19 we have to try as best as possible to identify everyone the individual may have been in contact with, as they too are at risk of having the virus.” Persaud hails from Abrams Creek, a quiet community in the Upper Pomeroon. She resides with her parents, Jainarine and Roxanne Persaud, along with her brother. Reflecting on her formative years, she spoke of attending the Abrams Creek Primary School, and then a few years later, the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary where she pursued studies in the Science stream. In the year 2015, Persaud was enrolled at the Turkeyen campus of the University of Guyana to study Biology. Soon after graduating in 2019, she ventured out into the world of work. HELPING OTHERS According to Persaud, it had always been a dream of hers to one day become a doctor. This, she said, was owing to the fact that, “I always liked helping people; I saw the medical profession as an opportunity to help others, specifically as a doctor.”

Although she had not yet been able to achieve the goal of becoming a doctor, Persaud insisted that her motivation to help others has not waned. “I didn't' turn out to be a doctor as I wanted. Instead, I got to be a surveillance

It has now been over a year since her first experience in the field with suspected COVID-19 cases. Persaud said that she is confident that her year of experience has prepared her for the challenges ahead.

“

I would usually deal with the statistics aspects of COVID-19; we also have to do contact tracing…so if a person tests positive for COVID-19 we have to try as best as possible to identify everyone the individual may have been in contact with, as they too are at risk of having the virus.

officer, and I don't regret having the opportunity, because I still get to help people, especially at a time when there are so many in need.” Persaud said that she joined the profession during what she would describe, as one of the scariest times in Guyana's health sector – the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. She, like others in the health care system, had little knowledge of the disease to work with. What was even scarier, she said, was the fact that she would be in the fields with suspected cases, when others were being told to maintain social distancing and stay indoors. Persaud said that while her friends and colleagues were supportive, the immense support her family displayed, also granted her the courage to continue the valiant fight. “My parents were also scared for me being on the frontline. But despite having that fear, they still supported me and so I am thankful for them in my life. Though we're far apart, I know they have been praying for me a lot,” said Persaud. According to the surveillance officer, her first experience in the field was in fact, her first step

”

Donning personal protective gear

Like most jobs, there are challenges in being a surveillance officer, and Persaud related that the most challenging aspect while on the frontline, is contact tracing. As she explained further, she said, “as

Family – her main source of support

a surveillance officer we try, as best as possible, to contain the spread of the virus. So, whenever someone is confirmed positive, we have to contact as many persons as possible (continued on page 54)

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Kaieteur News

Sunday June 27, 2021

Decades-old conflict between Berbice rice and cattle farmers flares up with flooding

Cattle grazing in riceland

A

The New York-based Oil and Gas Governance Network group joins the Kaieteur News protest for a better oil deal

s various areas bordering several major rivers are still suffering repercussions from the recent spate of intense flooding that Guyana has had to endure, the way of life of thousands of farmers, cattle farmers and other has been stagnated. The most recent tragedy to befall the Nation's agriculture sector has been the devastation caused to farmlands, rice lands and grazing pastures caused by severe inundation as a result of persistent rainfall. Effects of the natural disaster itself aside, this phenomenon has served as a catalyst to exacerbate a bitter land use dispute between cattle farmers and rice farmers in the Kokerite savannah, Black Bush

Polder area. The most recent manifestation in the bitter dispute that has plagued the Kokerite savannah are persons believed to be rice farmers inflicting chops upon the cattle of the farmers who had rescued what remained of their herd from the badly flooded backlands. The backlands, which were designated as a grazing pasture for the cattle and which were also closer to the Canje Creek have consequently been swept under abnormally high water levels. Flooding in the area has plagued farmers in a periodic but continuous fashion, and seems to be increasing in severity with each occurrence, with the most recent marking one of the worst floods the area has ever seen. In fact, if this flooding persists, it would prove to be the most disastrous of any such incidents in the area since the overtopping of the Canje Creek in 1960. With the aid of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), cattle farmers in the backlands have relocated what remains of their herd to the higher front lands, which now houses multiple rice farming operations. The worsening flood situation has only enflamed the conflict between the two classes of farmers and has only served to further divide the two sides and to act as a precursor to acts of violence as demonstrated in the recent cattle attacks. The floods act as a catalyst for a heightened

state of tension as both sides are placed in extremely difficult positions and ultimately each side acts in the best interest of their investment as severe inundation kills crops and livestock alike. This acting in ones best interest has resulted in various actions being taken by persons from each side. For the cattle farmers, this includes allowing the surviving herds to scavenge at will and graze indiscriminately, sometimes on the crops of rice farmers. In a bid to help rice farmers, the regional administration would normally supply them with wallaba posts and barbed wires to fence their fields. However, these wires were deliberately vandalised, allowing cows to gain entry into the rice fields. In 2004, it was reported that cattle had damaged some 400 acres of cultivated rice land belonging to 25 farmers, which amounted to over $10 million in damages. Another report was done in 2009 highlighting similar losses. In 2019 further complaints by rice farmers in the area also quoted damage in the millions of dollars. For the rice farmers, selfinterest appears to take the form of draining their lands to the detriment of grazing pastures, fencing areas, which are not designated for crops, and physical injuries to livestock deemed to be invading on rice lands. In 2009, 30 heads of cattle were poisoned in the area. A decade later, in 2019, (continued on page 53)

Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

Miss Lisa Andrea Narine

This week's beauty is the lovely Lisa Andrea Narine, Delegate #2 in the upcoming Miss India Guyana 2021 Pageant. Her photograph was taken by the talented Saajid Husani. Kaieteur News wishes her all the best in her future endeavours.

This week's beauty is the lovely Lisa Andrea Narine, Delegate #2 in the upcoming Miss India Guyana 2021 Pageant. Her photograph was taken by the talented Saajid Husani. Kaieteur News wishes her all the best in her future endeavours.

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Kaieteur News

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Sunday June 27, 2021

VOLUNTEER YOUTH CORPS

…a humanitarian agency helping to empower our youths

O

ver the past 25 years, Volunteer Yo u t h C o r p s (VYC) Inc., a local humanitarian agency, has been assisting youths in the areas of education, health and social development. Under the leadership of Ms. Goldie Scott, who is a founding member of the organisation since 1996 and the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), VYC has engaged in 25 years of initiatives geared at helping to make lives for young people in Guyana a bit easier. Etched in its strategy to achieve this, is a holistic approach to youth development; one that embraces the highly tested notion that involves youths as active partners, influencing positive health and social outcomes. In furtherance of its mission, VYC, alongside its longstanding partners, implemented several inschool and after-school programmes to advance the academic and social development of children and youths in Guyana. These programmes include Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education after school projects; inclusive of robotics, which serves over 700 students in 15 schools in

Ms. Goldie Scott, CEO of VYC Inc. Guyana Regions Three and Four, its youth employment training, career guidance initiative and the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring project. VYC understands that education; a love for learning, mentorship and a stable support system are fundamental variables, which create an environment

Youths engaged in a STEM Camp programme sponsored by VYC.

where success is more attainable. As such, in its annual portfolio, the organisation underscored that “our core values emphasise care, innovation, respect, learning and effectiveness. The ultimate aim is to create an encouraging atmosphere so that our students can have

The newly renovated VYC centre in D'Urban Backlands, Georgetown

fun while learning.” In this regard, the organisation boasts an excellent track record working with international agencies such as ExxonMobil Guyana,

USAID, UNDP, UNESCO and Japan's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects GGP and has also worked with private sector organisations such as Guyana Goldfields and VSO/CUSO Guyana. Under its overarching theme, 'Caring for Humanity,' the VYC has successfully implemented several programmes to provide assistance to youths and children, even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, since the pandemic started, the VYC via its Provision of Primary Education Assistance provides workbook assistance four days per week for primary level children from schools within various communities. The primary school children from Enterprise Primary in D'Urban Backlands and Lodge Primary have been the main beneficiaries of the project. Wi t h t h e h e l p o f volunteer teachers, students in Grades Four, Five and Six work to complete the workbooks in accordance with the Ministry of Education's curriculum. Wi t h a l l C O V I D - 1 9 guidelines in place, the

classes are held at the D'Urban Backlands VYC Centre four days a week from 09:00hrs. to 12:00hrs. Deborah Baird, Assistant to the CEO, shared that students also receive a nutritious meal and juice every Thursday, even as she revealed that VYC hopes to expand this initiative to provide after school lessons/assistance for 100 students, ages 12 and under, at the centre. In addition to this, she said that the organisation has a history of providing nutritional support for children, through its feeding programme, which targets 1,000 disadvantaged children, 12 years, and under, in schools and communities, on a monthly basis. VYC, she said, also carries out a series of meal and hamper distribution inclusive of basic household amenities. Students, Baird added, are able to benefit from annual STEM Camp, STEM Conference, Robotics and prize giving and awards ceremony. Added to this, she said, VYC has been able to support students and teachers during this difficult time by connecting them via (continued on page 51)

Kaieteur News

Sunday June 27, 2021

PAGE 23

One dollar a month! M

y attention was drawn recently to an Alliance For Change column, which appeared in the Kaieteur News' edition of June 16, 2013. It was penned under the name of Moses Nagamootoo and now Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Mr Sasenarine Singh, and titled “Economic Security for S u g a r Wo r k e r s i s Imperative.” How times have changed! Mr. Singh is now in the camp of the People's Progressive Party and has been catapulted into a position in which he can implement the very proposals, which he recommended in that column. Among the proposals offered were for the sugar industry to produce ethanol. According to the column, the AFC had been pushing for a National E10 (10 percent blend of ethanol into gasoline) which would immediately enhance the cash flows of the industry and help guarantee workers' wages. In fact, Singh posed the question, last October, just after he took over: “Do we need a cogeneration plant, do

we need a refinery, do we need a distillery, do we need an ethanol plant, do we need combinations of these, what is the right model we need to get to make this work?” But he did go on to hint that over the long-term the corporation was looking at refined sugar, ethanol and rum manufacturing, alcohol manufacturing, [and] agroenergy. But not much has been heard about these longterm plans since. There was also a proposal in the 2013 column for packaged sugar and alcohol production. Under Singh's stewardship so far, the sugar corporation is attempting to revive and expand packaged sugar as part of the long-term strategy to reduce the corporation's strategy to reduce its dependence on bulk-sugar exports. GuySuCo is now moving full-steam ahead on the production of packaged sugar. According to the new CEO, the vision is to move the sugar corporation from bulk sugar to value-added products. As such, it is said that Blairmont is going to be focusing exclusively now on the export market for packaged sugar and Enmore on the local market.” In fact,

it now appears that the production of packaged sugar is the only leg on which the reform of the industry is running. In terms of field operations, the 2013 column, of Nagamootoo and Singh, had noted that the best practice of replanting canes every five years had been abandoned. It stated that workers were advising that replanting was then taking between eight to 12 years. So, what is the plan in this regard? Is the sugar corporation going to replant every five years? Of interest now, was the proposal for flood fallowing every five years and for parts of the cultivation to remain flooded, and fallow for sixnine months to “improve the structure of the soil, reducing the need for nitrogen fertiliser and assisting with the control of weeds, pest and disease, continues to be delayed.” At present large tracts of cultivation are under water and have been for the past

month. This water eventually is released through the drainage canals into the Atlantic and has been known to find its way into residential areas and other farmlands. It may be suitable now that instead of releasing the water from its flooded cultivation, that parts of the cultivation should be “flooded and fallowed' for the next six-nine months thereby, reducing the amount o f r u n - o ff w a t e r a n d increasing the fertility of the flooded and fallowed fields. It was also noted in that column, that GuySuCo has been registering a low net grinding time. In 2012, for example,

this was a mere 50 percent when international best practices usually recommend 80 percent. We have heard nothing since August 2020 about improvements in net grinding time of the factories. But the suggestion, which was most intriguing, was one, which emerged from Singh in a letter to the newspapers, one month later. In that letter Singh pointed to the example of one Mr. Vikram Pandit of CitiGroup who when he took over operations at that bank said, that until the Bank returns to profitability, he would only accept a salary of US$1 per month.

Given the financial woes of GuySuCo and the added problems which the industry now faces as a result of the floods, it would be a nice idea to pick up the newspapers and read that the present CEO of GuySuCo is doing exactly what his mentor, Vikram Pandit, did at CitiGroup: accept a salary of US$1 per month until the corporation is restored to profitability. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Sunday June 27, 2021

Joint endeavour or collective surrender: resisting global tax By Sir Ronald Sanders

T

he proposal by t h e U . S . Government to establish a global minimum corporate tax is not a remote matter from the lives of people in the Caribbean. It is a real issue with deep implications for Caribbean economies, and, indeed, for the capacity of Caribbean

countries to continue to participate meaningfully in the global trading and financial system. Neither Caribbean Governments nor Caribbean people should ignore it. Their livelihoods depend on it. Further, the countries of the Region should already have launched an initiative to respond to the U.S. Government's proposal

collectively. When the idea was mooted by Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, on April 5, every experience I had as a representative of Antigua and Barbuda, dating back to 1998 when the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) launched its assault on lowtax jurisdictions, told me that

developing countries would be steamrollered into acquiescing to it. Consequently, I organised a meeting between officials of the U.S. Treasury Department and a few Caribbean Ambassadorial colleagues on May 7, to better understand the scope of the initiative and the pace at which it would move. It was clear from that meeting,

at which the C a r i b b e a n Ambassadors present made their concerns and fears clear, that a minimum global corporation tax would be a juggernaut that would not easily be stopped. It would have been foolhardy to believe that, even in its transition period, the Biden finance team had not canvassed the minimum tax with officials of the OECD and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It was no coincidence that, shortly after Secretary Ye l l e n m a d e t h e announcement of a minimum global corporation tax of 21 percent, IMF officials were endorsing the idea. It took no more than two months for the G7 countries the U.S, the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and Japan, plus the European Union (EU) - to adopt a minimum tax for corporations of 15 percent. They did so on June 7, proclaiming it “a landmark deal.” The G7 agreed figure is six percent less than the U.S. had proposed, but no one should believe that the matter has ended. It is only the beginning of a new phase in the onslaught that the OECD officially started in 1998 to end what its members called 'harmful tax competition.' There is no guarantee that the minimum global corporation tax will remain at 15 percent, or, that intrusion into setting tax

Sir Ronald Sanders rates will not extend into other areas. The OECD members then – and now – regard low tax jurisdictions as competitors in attracting corporations and, therefore, their ability to tax them. Having heavily taxed their populations from the cradle to the grave and beyond (no hyperbole) and faced with little possibility of taxing them further without voters heaving governments out of office, these governments focused on low-tax jurisdictions, demonised them in the media and elsewhere. The OECD governments claimed they were operating on a playing field, which was not level for them. Blacklists and threats of sanctions quickly followed, causing a procession of governments of developing countries to concede their sovereignty over tax matters. This 'level playing field' effort is now an attempt to force corporations to stay in rich nations by securing a minimum global rate of tax that would give them no great advantage in shifting to lower tax jurisdictions. The next step is to get the agreement of the G20 countries when they meet in October. These countries are the G7 and the European Union with 12 others, including China, India, (continued on page 39)

Sunday June 27, 2021

Dear Reader, in light of the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our publisher, with you in mind, has taken the decision to extend our weekly review of some of our major stories in their entirety. SUNDAY TRINIDAD TOOK DECADES TO CLOSE OIL LOOPHOLES - EXPERT WARNS GUYANA NOT TO WALK THE SAME ROAD Even though Guyana’s CARICOM sister, Trinidad and Tobago, has been in the oil and gas industry for well over 100 years, its poor management and weakened institutional capacity that spans decades have thrown its economy into a state of ill health. The Government, led by Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, is struggling to repair the damage by embarking on a campaign of contract renegotiations, while its experienced industry stakeholders zero in on Guyana’s emerging oil wealth as a means of survival. To ensure it does not find itself in the same predicament, Trinidad and Tobago’s energy expert, Anthony Paul, firmly asserts that Guyana needs to begin the critical groundwork now. The energy strategist made these and other remarks during one of his appearances on Kaieteur Radio’s Programme, ‘Guyana’s Oil and You.’ There, the transparency advocate noted that Trinidad and Tobago has been in trouble with the management of its gas resources for years. The problems have only been exacerbated since the COVID19 pandemic. “Trinidad offers a lot of lessons for Guyana because the country has been struggling with managing its Natural gas for some time now in terms of production. And in my view, it is something that requires good governance, strong institutional framework, good decisionmaking to correct…” Further to this, the industry expert shared that Trinidad’s institutional capacity to govern the sector weakened considerably over the years, while noting that this even resulted in the late observation that there was a shortage in production. In this regard, he said that production was falling by almost a billion cubic feet per day and very little revenue was going to the people. Paul said, too, that the country subsequently became aware of the fact that there was

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massive tax avoidance by the oil companies. “That means that the gas was being sold but the benefit was not coming back to TT.” Considering how weak the institutional capacity had gotten over time, as well as the significant effort it would take to correct this once and for all, Paul shared that the Government in 2018, moved to increase its royalty for Natural gas to a whopping 12 ½%. By doing this, Paul said that millions of dollars Trinidad was losing over the years via tax avoidance by the oil majors started returning. He said too, that this loophole was able to be plugged by ensuring that legislation was put in place. To ensure that Guyanese are not made to suffer the same way, Paul urged the authorities to ensure the relevant protective measures are in place. MONDAY PUT LAWS IN PLACE NOW TO AVOID BEING TRAPPED, CONNED BY OIL COMPANIES – TT EXPERT URGES When one reflects the extent to which Guyana has prepared for the effective regulation of its oil and gas sector and the revenues to come, Trinidadian Energy Strategist, Anthony Paul, asserts that there is indeed more the nation can do to protect itself. During one of his appearances on Kaieteur Radio’s programme, ‘Guyana’s Oil and You,’ Paul posited that Guyana needs to put robust laws in place as quickly as possible so that oil companies can have no room to debate or wonder what exactly is required of them. With such laws in place, the industry expert said, that Guyana would reduce the chances for regulators being surprised by certain tactics or simply being fooled. The Trinidadian said, “It has been a difficult year for everyone because of COVID19 and Guyana, since it started, has had to move at a rapid pace, and has been forced to improve its institutional capacity as quickly as possible. But that aside, Guyana has been able to get its lifts offshore done on time, and it has managed to find partners to sell the oil to and get the revenue put away for the future.” He added, “…But the spotlight of the world has been on Guyana and how it is managing its resources. Now, we know Guyana has limited resources and it has been

trying to do as much as it can with that.” Paul said that such circumstances are not unique to Guyana. He has seen it to varying degrees with Trinidad and Tobago, and even Ghana. In the case of the latter, he said that this African nation had the luxury of having had a state oil company in the earlier years with technical people who knew the industry, and could have supported the current regulatory arm that was needed to monitor its industry. But even then, Paul said, that Ghana still took some time to get off the ground with its oil finds in 2010 and improve capacity. The expert said, “But once they did, they ramped up very quickly…Importantly, they put in very early, strong laws and regulations to underpin the experienced people who were doing the work. Now the challenge of small countries doing oil and gas and dealing with sophisticated companies, is making things right. At every point, there is a discussion or negotiation on what to do.” When countries like Guyana are in such a position, where the institutional capacity is not strong, Paul said, he would recommend putting in place, the strong rules and regulations as well as procedures, so that it is easy for companies to know what they must do and how they must do it. “That way, there is no discussion, argument or surprise where this is concerned. And it is easy for the government to get things right, so someone who is making a decision without strong experience, won’t be bullied or cowered

or fooled.” Paul said he is aware that Guyana is still to do this, while adding, that he knows there are efforts being advanced to correct this. Be that as it may, he said it would be in the nation’s interest to spend some time looking back at what happened from discovery to production, and evaluate what it can do better and perhaps, assess what improvements could have been had, if the laws and regulations were where they needed to be. He said that this is a pertinent exercise since many of the decisions made in the past would have to be repeated. “I am sure you want to improve, there is no reason why you can’t learn from your past,” Paul concluded. SECOND DOSE OF SPUTNIK V VACCINES CAN BEADMINISTERED UP TO THREE MONTHS LATER HEALTH MINISTER While there is, no official word on when the next batch of second dose Sputnik V vaccines will arrive in Guyana, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony has reassured citizens scheduled to receive their second dose, that the vaccines have a timeframe of up to three months in which it can be administered. Quoting the Russia’s Gamaleya Research Centre; the developers of the vaccine, Minister Anthony told reporters during his daily briefing on COVID -19 pandemic, this week, that the minimum interval between the first and second doses of Sputnik V can be extended from three weeks to three

months. He was at the time responding to questions about the delay in the delivery of the second dose of Sputnik V vaccines, and the effect it will have on persons who were scheduled to receive it within the four weeks’ time frame, prescribed locally. Last May, the Ministry of Health had announced that there had been a delay in the shipment of the vaccines and since then, the country has been out of second doses of the vaccine. In fact, the second dose of Sputnik V has been unavailable in Guyana for close to a month, now. During his briefing this week, Dr. Anthony explained that “while the Sputnik V, which is a totally different vaccine when it comes to the second dose, is not available in the country right now, the government is making arrangements to get it as soon as possible.” He said, “For those concerned about missing the date prescribed to receive the second dose, the Gamaleya Institute, the people who manufacture the vaccine said, that you can receive the second dose within three weeks to three months.” In the meantime, the Minister said that health workers will continue to administer the first dose of the Sputnik V vaccines at vaccination centres countrywide. The Sputnik V has been among several vaccines approved for use in Guyana to safeguard against the deadly effects of the COVID19 virus. But unlike other vaccines, the Sputnik jab uses two slightly different versions for

the first and second dose of the vaccine – set to be administered (initially) three weeks apart. “The idea,” a global report said “is that using two different formulas boosts the immune system even more than using the same version twice – and may give longerlasting protection.” TUESDAY GUYANACAUGHT IN FINANCIAL CHOKEHOLD; MUST FIND OVER $5B TO PAY 2020 INCOME TAX FOR TWO STABROEK BLOCK PARTNERS Within the next few days, Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, must find over $5B to pay the 2020 Income Tax for two Stabroek Block partners. Highlighting this recently was Chartered Accountant and Attorney-atLaw, Christopher Ram, in two columns published on his website www.chrisram.net. His conclusion was arrived at following a review of the financial statements of Hess Guyana Exploration Limited and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited (formerly CNOOC/NEXEN). He noted that for Hess, Bharrat has to pay $2.3B to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). For CNOOC, he must pay GRA, Corporation tax totalling $3.1B. The total to be paid for the two companies out of the government’s portion of its revenue is $5.4B. It therefore means that Hess and CNOOC walked away with $16.2B in profits in 2020 tax-free. Failure to pay the taxes, Ram noted would constitute (Continued on page 26)

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Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram outlined in the Stabroek Block From page 25 a breach of the Stabroek Block agreement should have been Petroleum Agreement and much higher than 50 percent. would also incur late filing Furthermore, the IMF penalty (10 percent) and which is one of Guyana’s key interest (18 percent). partners in developing its Upon noting the capacity for the management foregoing, Ram said Guyana of the oil sector, highlighted has voluntarily allowed itself that the PSA provisions to be in a financial chokehold supersede the nation’s by the Stabroek Block Income Tax Act. partners. There were In its 2019 report, the IMF previous calls for this said, “While the ITA (Income provision in the contract to Tax Act) applies to the operations be amended or for Guyana to petroleum increase its take of royalty performed under a PSA, its from the current meagre two provisions are superseded by percent. But those appeals fell the provisions of the PSA dealing with the on deaf ears. IMF REVIEW determination and payment of According to all the income tax, subject however Production Sharing to the special authorisation Agreements (PSA) Guyana process set forth in Section has with the world’s oil 51 of the Act.” The Fund noted that majors, the Government will pay the companies’ income Section 51 allows for the Finance taxes from this nation’s share Minister to take an order to the of the profit oil. National Assembly which allows The International for the Income Tax Act to not Monetary Fund (IMF) has apply to the oil companies. That said there is absolutely Order for ExxonMobil and its nothing wrong with this partners, Hess Corporation and arrangement, except for the CNOOC/NEXEN, was passed part where Guyana fails to onAugust 2, 2016 in the National increase its take of the profit Assembly. oil upon agreeing to pay the It therefore means that while local companies are required to said taxes. In a technical report dated obey all provisions in Guyana’s April 2019, the IMF had laws covering taxes, the informed the previous Stabroek Block partners are government that this insulated from it. arrangement, which it has in the PSAs is referred to as Pay WEDNESDAY On Behalf (POB). The IMF said POB is quite common and EXXON’S 2020 used in over 20 petroleum- FINANCIALSTATEMENTS producing countries. VAGUE; NOT IN KEEPING The financial institution WITH INTERNATIONAL said, “As a consequence, STANDARDS-CHRIS RAM when the POB scheme applies to the sharing of profit After reviewing the 2020 petroleum, the agreed financial statements of percentage of the ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, government’s share in profit Esso Exploration and petroleum has to be Production Guyana Inc., the higher…” It therefore means largest of three partners in the that since Guyana agreed to Stabroek Block, Chartered pay the income taxes of Accountant, Christopher ExxonMobil and partners, its Ram, said he could only take of the profit oil as describe it as vague and

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certainly not in keeping with International Financial Reporting Standards. In his most recent writings, Ram first pointed out that one ought to bear in mind that Esso is the Operator of the Stabroek Block as it holds a 45 percent working interest and is therefore charged with conducting day-to-day activities. He noted however that this crucial or fundamental point was not even acknowledged by Esso in its financial statements. It was also not recognised by Esso’s other partners on the block, Hess Guyana Exploration Limited and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana, in their 2020 financial statements. With respect to Esso’s income statement, Ram said what stands out is that not a single line item of income or expenditure carries a note to explain or expand on what they are for. He said readers are therefore left to figure out for themselves what comprises these numbers and what they mean. Ram noted for example that as presented, no transactions are carried out with related parties, production is sold to nonExxon companies, there is no cost for management support from Exxon and that the only related parties are Hess and CNOOC. “If that is not the case, then, again, the financial statements do not comply with International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS),” the Chartered Accountant stated. He further noted that the income statement is so bare that the reader has no idea what constitutes Esso’s $18.3B exploration costs or the composition of its $20.8B administrative expenses, which were incurred in 2020. Overall, Ram noted that the financial statements by the Stabroek Block partners share one troubling characteristic—to disclose as little as possible, if not to mislead. Ram noted that he will conduct a more detailed analysis on the financial statements this week but for now, “it seems clear to me that the three entities are not in compliance with the relevant International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) governing such operations.” COALITION USED $30B GUYSUCO BOND TO REPAY LENDERS NATION STUCK WITH SERVICING HIGH INTEREST RATE – FINANCE MINISTER Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, revealed during

a recent sitting of the National Assembly, that the APNU+AFC Coalition was using proceeds from a syndicated bond for the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) to repay the same lenders that provided it. Dr. Singh made this disclosure while he was being questioned about the bond by Coalition Member of Parliament (MP), Annette Ferguson. The bond was secured by State entity, the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), in March 2018 while the Coalition was in power. It was announced back then by the ex-boss of NICIL, Colvin Heath-London, that the company was successful in securing a $30B (US$150M) syndicated bond to revitalise GuySuCo. Kaieteur News had reported that NICIL had used its assets as collateral to secure the amount from the lender. During the 29th Sitting of the National Assembly which was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara (ECD), Ferguson sought to ascertain how much of the $30B bond was received by NICIL and how much has been repaid so far. In response, Dr. Singh told the House that out of the full amount, NICIL had drawn down a total of $17.5B at a net trustee fee of $121M. He had also detailed that to date, a total of $5.125B has been repaid to the lender and noted, that when his Government entered office in

August 2020, it had discovered an “astonishing situation” in terms of repaying the bond holders. He said, “It might be worthwhile to note Sir (the Speaker of the House, Manzoor Nadir) that when we came into office, we discovered a rather astonishing situation, that NICIL was actually servicing the bond out of the proceeds of the bond…” The Minister pointed out too, that the bond was supported by an “unconditional Government guarantee,” which means that it will be required to “step into the borrower’s (NICIL) shoes, if needed.” Singh told the House that such a circumstance did arise, and the Government was forced to make payments under the bond arrangement. According to him, his Government has paid a total of $4.019B to date. Out of the amount repaid by his Government, Singh said that the principal was $3.41B while the interest totalled $606M. He added too that in addition to this, payments of agency fees and trustee fees were made and had amounted to $1.75M each. Singh had also revealed that the interest rate that NICIL had agreed to pay on the bond is 4.75%. It should be noted that when reporters had asked Heath-London, the former head of the entity, what was the interest rate agreed to, he had refused to disclose the information and had assured that the deal was

a good one. However, Singh told the House that it must note that the bond “was not raised through a competitive process as far as can be ascertained” and argued that the arrangement committed the Government to pay a 4.75% interest rate “at a time when its treasury bills would only have cost 1% or there about.” The Minister with responsibility for Finance continued, that had the then Government raised the bond at 1% instead of 4.75%, “the cost savings that would have been incurred would have been around $2.1B.” He continued, “That bond includes a clause that prevents or penalises early repayment of the instrument (bond) which effectively means, that we are stuck with this 4.75% interest rate that was committed to by the APNU+AFC while in Government.” Singh upon request by the opposition had also divulged that at the end of 2020, a total of $11.471B was disbursed to GuySuCo. Out of that amount, $8.978B was related to current expenditure – meaning, that it was spent to keep the company’s operations running – while the remaining $1.293B was related to capital expenditure, meaning, that this amount was used to purchase assets for the company. NICIL had disclosed in 2018 that the facilitator of the bond arrangement is the Republic Bank Limited (RBL) (Continued on page 27)

Sunday June 27, 2021

From page 26 of Trinidad. Ali approaches Islamic Development Bank for aid to support farmers, strengthen national drainage system Tuesday, Dr. Irfaan Ali met virtually with the President of the Islamic Development Bank, Dr. Bandar Hajjar, and his team to discuss intervention measures, and the Bank’s support in the wake of the recent floods across Guyana. The Head of State raised the need for aids to farmers to restore their productive capacity, support for drainage and irrigation initiatives, and further strengthening of the national drainage system. Discussions also centered on assistance for the affected hinterland and riverine communities. These areas, the President explained, depend predominantly on the mining and forestry sectors. Other critical interventions identified, were the restoration of river dams, hinterland roads and bridges, many of which were destroyed and remain submerged. The President of the Islamic Development Bank assured that no effort would be spared to support Guyana’s rebuilding efforts, and enable more resilient infrastructure. Dr. Hajjar added, that a technical team will be in contact with Guyanese officials to develop the response mechanism and to mobilise resources needed under these very “urgent circumstances”. The Head of State said that a technical team from Guyana would mobilise and gather all the necessary information to accelerate the implementation of the interventions raised. He also thanked The Islamic Development Bank for its commitment to working with the Government and the people of Guyana and for its overall support. THURSDAY LOCALACTIVISTS TELL EXXON SHAREHOLDERS… OIL SPILL FROM PAYARA PROJECT COULD REACH JAMAICABUT GUYANA STILL WITHOUT FULL COVERAGE INSURANCE As part of their ongoing efforts to protect the environment for current and future generations, 30 Guyanese have reached out by way of letter to ExxonMobil’s shareholders, informing them of the “catastrophic oil spill potential” of the American company’s operations

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offshore Guyana. shareholders, it was noted that Exxon is drilling in the Amazon-Orinoco Influence Zone, an area rich in marine biodiversity, with species that are rare, threatened or endemic. It was outlined that a well blowout would have a tragic impact on the region’s marine ecosystems. The activists also stated that it could destroy the livelihoods of people in Guyana and the Caribbean who depend on those ecosystems. It was at this point that the activists informed the shareholders that an unmitigated oil spill from ExxonMobil’s Payara project could reach as far as Jamaica. That project, scheduled for operation by 2024, will produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day. This is also noted in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project. That document was keen to note however that Jamaica is not the only nation that would be severely affected by an unmitigated oil spill from Guyana. Due to its location at the southern end of the Lesser Antilles, the EIA notes that Trinidad and Tobago is the only island that would have the potential to be affected by the transboundary effects of any unmitigated loss-of-wellcontrol event, regardless of the season. It therefore means that at any point of the year, Trinidad and Tobago would be in grave danger if there is an oil spill offshore Guyana and it is not mitigated. The EIA goes on to state that “the probability of oiling at least a portion of the coast of Trinidad and Tobago and/ or its coastal waters is

approximately 90 to 100 percent…” It notes as well that Venezuela would suffer too. In this regard, the EIA states that the Spanish speaking nation has numerous marine turtle nesting beaches, mangroves, important bird areas, coral reefs, and shallow coastal lagoons that would be at risk of oiling. Additionally, the EIA highlights that numerous fishing areas are located east of Trinidad and could be impacted by a large unmitigated spill from a lossof-well-control event. Furthermore, the EIA underscores that the economies of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao are dependent on tourism to varying degrees but especially so in Bonaire, which is known internationally as a destination for recreational diving. With this in mind, it was stated that the economic effects of an oil spill on these countries would depend to a large degree on the extent to which these industries would be affected, and how rapidly they would recover. Either way, these nations are all at risk. Other countries that could suffer devastating effects from a potential oil spill from ExxonMobil’s operations include Dominican Republic, Haiti, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The 30 Guyanese were keen to remind that in 2010, the Macondo well blowout had killed 11 people, devastated the Gulf of Mexico and cost British Petroleum (BP) over US$65B to clean up. They reminded too that the same blowout occurred in an area saturated with oil and gas infrastructure and oil spill

response equipment and expertise. They posited that Guyana, on the other hand, lacks the funds, equipment, personnel and experience to deal with a well blowout while adding that such a circumstance would be economically and environmentally catastrophic and have a comparable impact on shareholders’ investments in Exxon. What makes Guyana’s case even more concerning is the fact that it is without full coverage insurance for any of the projects being led by ExxonMobil in conjunction with its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited. With this in mind, they urged Exxon shareholders via their detailed letter to ensure the oil giant discloses the following promptly and publicly: (1) The financial guarantees and assurances that Exxon has in place to cover the enormous response, recovery and remediation costs from an unplanned event such as a well blowout; (2) An updated risk assessment in light of Exxon’s use of faulty equipment and failure to follow proper procedures; (3) A risk mitigation strategy for a well blowout updated in light of the above systemic failures; (4) An updated oil spill response plan in light of Guyana’s continuing limited ability to take action to mitigate the impact of a well blow out; and (5) The total amount of gas that Exxon has flared since first oil. The signatories to the letter include activist, Ramon Gaskin; Chartered Accountant and former Auditor-General of Guyana,

Anand Goolsarran; Fred Collins, President of Transparency Institute Guyana Inc.; and Gerald Perreira of the Organisation for the Victory of the People. Other activists and stakeholders from academia, science, engineering, religious, business backgrounds have also joined the letter for action. It was also endorsed by over 60 international organisations and individuals from Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the United States of America, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia, the Philippines, India, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom. The letter was specifically addressed to The Coalition United for a Responsible Exxon (CURE), which represents a global spectrum of stakeholders focused on sustainability and committed to delivering long-term returns that account for the realities of a changing climate and energy sector. As of March 3, 2021, CURE brings together over 145 institutional members, who collectively represent approximately US$2.4 trillion in assets. US$100 MILLION CEMENT FACTORY TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON E’BO COAST A new variety of cement will soon be added to the Guyanese market, following the construction and commissioning of a proposed Cement Plant on the Essequibo Coast. During the sod turning for the plant

Wednesday, the brand ‘Hydraulic Cement’ was unveiled. Kaieteur News understands that the plant will operate under the Georgetown Cement Company, for which Mr. Vijay Sukhdeo is the Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Sukhdeo, who hails from Wakenaam Island, migrated to the United States at the age of 17 and has some 30 years of experience in his business. During Wednesday’s ceremony, which was hosted at the proposed site at Maria’s Delight, Essequibo Coast, it was revealed that the project is pegged at US$100 million. Kaieteur News was told that the project should commence later this year and is expected to be completed within a year’s time. The company’s CEO revealed that the plant will be producing both white and grey cement in an unprecedented quality at 50,000 metric tons per month. He added, “Once completed, the plant will utilise both French and German technology, producing grey and white cement. Our aim is to complete within 12 to 13 months so we can start grinding cement right after.” The Prime Minister’s representative to Region Two, Arnold Adams, said that the plant will be the first mega investment in the Region within the manufacturing sector. Adams pointed out that the project will have multiple economic advantages to the Region. The CEO, Mr. Sukhdeo, stressed on the economic advantages, noting that cement within Guyana will be (Continued on page 28)

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From page 27 much more affordable. It is expected that residents will benefit tremendously as they will benefit from cement at a cheaper price. “We decided to step in because of the cement demand and price for the product presently. Instead of importing the finished product, we will be importing the ingredients like iron ore and line stone gypsum. The entire process will be done locally, and since the cost of production is cheaper in Essequibo, we will be able to produce at an affordable price, thus selling for an affordable price.” Commenting on the quality of the cement, Sukhdeo said, “Hydraulic Cement is great for sea defence and stands up longer to salt air… it’s trying time is 30 minutes longer than that of all-purpose cement, but it allows for the cement to have a better bonding.” The Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, was also present at Wednesday’s sod turning. During his remarks, the High Commissioner also focused on the economic advantages and the development of local content. “Guyana is set for a take-off. If you look at the cost of importing cement to Guyana, you will realise that there’s an excess drain on your country. But in producing, you will not only be saving foreign exchange but also earning. Also, this project will create employment for some 200 persons right here in your Region.” Kaieteur News understands that the plant will not only be supporting all of Guyana with Hydraulic Cement but will also be supplying other Caribbean countries, including Suriname. Also present at Wednesday’s sod turning was CEO of Go-Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop. FRIDAY EXXON NOW RACING TO PUMP 1.2 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY BY 2025 – HESS BOSS REVEALS About three years ago, ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana, had told the local and international market that they would be using five ships to pump 750,000 barrels of oil from the Stabroek Block. They had said this would be accomplished by 2026, latest. Today, those figures have increased significantly. Head of Hess Corporation, John Hess has revealed that ExxonMobil is now racing to

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Kaieteur News

produce up to 1.2 million barrels of oil from the Stabroek Block. Even the timeline has shortened as the CEO noted that this would be achieved by 2025 via five oil projects. They are the Liza Phase One, Liza Phase Two, Payara, Yellowtail, and Uaru/ Mako. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) made this disclosure during his recent participation in J.P. Morgan’s 2021 Energy, Power and Renewables Conference that was held virtually on Wednesday. Also participating on the call was Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Hess Corporation, Greg Hill. In providing the international audience with an update on the plans for productive capacity for the Guyana operations, Hill was keen to note that the Liza Phase One Project is already operating at nameplate capacity; in other words, it is producing 120,000 barrels of oil per day. This is taking place while the Liza Destiny’s flash gas compressor is undergoing performance testing before being operational by next month. Kaieteur News would have reported some months ago, that the flash gas compressor had experienced several mechanical issues which led to it being removed and sent overseas for repairs. As a result of the faulty compressor system, Exxon has burnt more than 14 billion cubic feet of gas which has released more than 250 toxic chemicals into Guyana’s airspace. Once the upgraded equipment is up and running, Hill noted that the capacity of the Liza Destiny will increase to 130,000 barrels of oil per day. He said that another capacity increase will soon follow when the vessel goes for a two week shut down in November for the installation of a new flash gas compressor system. Once this is done, the Liza Destiny would be able to produce between 140,000 barrels of oil to 150,000. With respect to future projects, he said once they spend about a year in operation, each ship will undergo an optimization or debottlenecking exercise which would see capacity increase between 10 to 15 percent. Adding to his colleague’s disclosure, the Hess CEO said, “And when you helicopter down you can have five ships by 2025 producing in excess of one million barrels a day and that number used to be at 750,000 barrels, so it gives you an idea of the quality of the reserves

and the producibility of the wells.” Hess even revealed, that ExxonMobil had told its investors that it plans to increase the capacity to have 1.2 million barrels being pumped out of the Stabroek Block in five years by way of five ships. He also noted, that the Stabroek Block partners are currently going through several regulatory processes to ensure the Yellowtail project gets the approval it needs. The Hess boss confidently noted that he had met with the government in May, specifically, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and he is confident from that engagement, that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administration is desirous of having Yellowtail stay on track for first oil by 2025. Hess noted that the approval is expected by year end latest. Once everything comes on stream, Yellowtail will be producing up to 250,000 barrels of oil per day in 2025. GUYANA’S OIL TAKES HIGH PRIORITY IN U.S CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING While discussing several critical issues that currently have severe impact on Caribbean countries, Guyana’s oil and gas sector was given priority by the Unites States of America (USA) Congress during the House of Foreign Affairs Committee briefing. During Wednesday’s briefing – which was focused on the Joseph Biden administration efforts to deepen the US engagement in the Caribbean – Congressman Albio Sires (DNJ), Chairman of the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, and Trade Subcommittee, during the first minutes of his presentation stated, that the

US government should work to ensure that every citizen of Guyana benefits from the oil revenues. The congressman further conveyed that the US government will engage Guyana’s government, the opposition, all businesses and civil society to achieve an advanced, inclusive economic growth. Sires was among a group of c o n g r e s s i o n a l representatives who had visited Guyana in January, 2020, where discussion was held with then President David Granger, and other representatives from Guyana on the then upcoming General and Regional Elections. Congressman Sires at the briefing stated, that the severe flooding Guyana has faced in recent months is a reminder that climate change is having a devastating impact on Caribbean countries. As such he noted, “We need to step up our efforts to support climate resilience and energy security in the region.” Fellow congressman Mark Green (R-TN) and Ranking Committee M e m b e r, in his presentation stated, that this year has proven to be a pivotal year for the C a r i b b e a n ’s e n e rg y resources and highlighted, that Guyana’s oil sector is growing and will potentially provide an alternate to Venezuela’s. According to Green, Guyana’ oil and gas sector is critical, since it can transform the country from one of the poorest in the Caribbean to one of the wealthiest. The American congressional focus on Guyana’s oil sector comes at a time when the deal between Guyana and American oil giant company, ExxonMobil has

been placed under increasing scrutiny by industry advocates and observers, both local and international. Kaieteur News has reported that the concerns about Exxon’s deal have focused on the economic and environmental impact of the oil industry. For example, this publication had reported that international lawyer Melinda Janki believes that ExxonMobil’s relationship with Guyana amounts to an attempt at colonization. While speaking to anti-colonialist Kingston University Professor, Andy Higginbottom, Janki, in speaking about the Exxon contract, had stated during the online forum that, “the main point of colonization is to take a country’s resources and to pay little or nothing. The colonizing entity co-opts the political elite, [then] the colonizing entity and the coopted political elite rely on agents and accomplices. Together, you have an unholy trinity that completes the colonization.” Additionally, former Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams, had also said that the US oil company, needs Guyana more than the country needs them, especially now that the oil company is facing some financial challenges. Dr. Adams had underscored during his presentation on a virtual Moray House Trust discussion, the need for Guyana to stop being intimidated by ExxonMobil and demand favourable terms as the American multinational’s standing in the future is highly dependent on the successful outcome of its projects here. In Thursday’s edition, this publication reported that local activists told Exxon shareholders that an oil spill from Payara project could reach Jamaica but Guyana remains without full coverage insurance to offset an oil spill. In a letter to the shareholders, the activists noted that Exxon is drilling in the Amazon-Orinoco Influence Zone, an area rich in marine biodiversity, with species that are rare, threatened or endemic. It was outlined that a well blowout would have a tragic impact on the r e g i o n ’s marine ecosystems. The activists also stated that it could destroy the livelihoods of people in Guyana and the Caribbean who depend on those ecosystems. The American company has also been facing international criticism and

internal pushback due to the environmental impact of its operation. SATURDAY EXXON SUBMITS APPLICATION TO EPA FOR US$900M GAS-TOENERGY PROJECT – GUYANESE HAVE 28 DAYS TO DETERMINE TOPICS TO BE INCLUDED IN EIA ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) has submitted an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to move ahead with its US$900M Gas-toEnergy Project. According to a notice by the EPA last evening, the project is expected to include the construction, commissioning and operation of: 1. An Onshore Natural Gas Liquids and Natural Gas Processing Plant (NGL Plant) proposed to be located at the Amsterdam (Demerara River)/Vriesland Area, West Bank Demerara; ‘ 2.An Offshore 12-inch pipeline (approximately 220km long) from the Liza Phase One and Liza Phase Two Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels situated within the Stabroek Block, Offshore Guyana to La Jalousie/Nouvelle Flanders, West Coast Demerara; 3.An Onshore 12-inch pipeline (approximately 27km long) commencing North from the proposed NGL Plant Site, then West and North again towards Canal No.2, where it turns West travelling along the Canal, before proceeding North across Canal No. 2, through agricultural fields, an additional smaller canal, Canal No.1 and residences of Canal No.1, and additional agricultural fields to a point West of La Parfaite Harmonie, Westminister and Onderneeming. The route then moves East through agricultural fields and across the West Coast Demerara Highway at a point West of Vreed-en-Hoop/Crane, and northward through agricultural fields, and across a road and a pair of canals until reaching the seawall; and 4. A temporary Materials Offloading Facility (MOF) at Amsterdam/Vriesland on the West Bank of the Demerara River, inclusive of other support works such as associated dredging, in-water construction activities, road construction, road improvements and postconstruction restorative (Continued on page 29)

Sunday June 27, 2021

From page 28 works around the entire proposed project area. As a result of the intended developmental activities, the EPA said possible effects on the environment may include impacts to marine water quality, air quality, marine and terrestrial flora and fauna, socio-economic resources, among others. As such, in keeping with the Environmental Protection Act, Cap. 20:05, the EPA has determined that the proposed project may significantly affect the environment and therefore will require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The EIA will include but not be limited to all possible alternatives studied, effects on the environment, and assessment of risks, and may lead to further optimisation of the proposed project. Members of the public are hereby invited, within twentyeight (28) days of this Notice, to make written submissions to the Agency, setting out those questions and matters, which they require to be answered or considered in the EIA. A summary of the project can be viewed on the EPA’s website or uplifted at the EPA’s Offices in Linden (Region 10), Whim (Region 6) or Sophia, Georgetown, at the reasonable cost of photocopying. MOREABOUT THE PROJECT The Gas-to-Energy Project which includes the construction and operation of a pipeline from the Liza Phase 1 and Liza Phase 2 Floating, Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessels will transport up to approximately 50 million standard cubic feet per day (MSCFD) of dry gas to an onshore natural gas liquids (NGL) and natural gas processing plant (NGL Plant). The NGL Plant will drop the pressure of the gas, dehydrate it, separate out propane, butane and pentanes+, and treat the gas to the specification to be received by a planned power plant. The power plant will be owned and operated by the Government of Guyana. The Government will also consider alternative options on ownership. The entire project is expected to cost US$900M. THIRD OIL SHIP TO COST $200B - DUTCH MANUFACTURER SBM Offshore was pleased to disclose Friday that it was able to secure financing to construct Guyana’s third oil ship, called

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Kaieteur News

Prosperity. The Dutch shipmaker noted that Prosperity which will be used in the Stabroek Block’s Payara Project will cost US$1.05B (over GYD $200B). SBM said the financing was secured from a consortium of 11 international banks while adding that it expects to draw the loan in full, phased over the construction period of the Prosperity Floating, Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) Vessel. The financing will also become nonrecourse once the FPSO is completed and the precompletion guarantee has been released. The project loan carries a variable interest rate plus 1.60% SBM stated. Kaieteur News understands that the Prosperity FPSO will utilise a design that largely replicates the design of the Liza Unity FPSO, which is on its way to Guyana for hook-up in the Liza Phase Two Project. As such, the design is based on SBM Offshore’s industryleading Fast4Ward® programme that incorporates the company’s new build, multi-purpose hull combined with several standardised topsides modules. Furthermore, SBM said the FPSO will be designed to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day, will have associated gas treatment capacity of 400 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day. The FPSO will be spread-moored in water depth of about 1,900 meters and will be able to store around 2 million barrels of crude oil. The project is part of the Payara development, which is the third development within the Stabroek Block, located 200 kilometers offshore Guyana. Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, an affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation, is the operator and holds a 45 percent interest in the Stabroek Block, Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds a 30 percent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited holds a 25 percent interest. MEETING PARIS AGREEMENT TARGETS CRITICAL TO PREVENT FUTURE WATER DISASTERS - PRES. IRFAAN ALI President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has said that unless the targets that were set at the Paris Agreement in 2015 are realised, the world can expect to experience future water disasters and further setbacks to the Sustainable Development Agenda. The Head of State made this assertion during his

virtual address at the plenary session of the 5th United Nations (UN) Special Thematic Session on Water and Disaster, held Friday. The President also reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to working with the UN and the international community to press for coordinated global attention and action to combat climate change. Ali said, “I commend the United Nations for organising this vital Session, which I believe has an obligation to move the global community towards greater action in addressing climate change as a trigger for water-related disasters… Guyana, however, remains engaged in working along with the United Nations and the rest of the international community to press for concerted global attention and action to arrest climate change.” The President was also keen to note that the pandemic and climate change are the foremost extant threats to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The pandemic, he added, has served to magnify the already existing problems within society and in relations between states. “The COVID-19 pandemic has added to challenges posed to the SDGs. In many small states, the pandemic has reduced the fiscal space needed to propel the SDGs. Not only have these states had to shoulder the burdens of unanticipated and excessive health care costs, but the COVID-19 pandemic has also led to economic contraction and massive job losses. And as the recent experience of my country illustrates, water disasters compound the difficulties posed by states which are

vulnerable to climate disasters.” Notwithstanding this, President Ali reiterated his stance during his address to a Regional Consultation organised by the Global Water Partnership in February of this year, where he said that the pandemic “should not divert attention from or diminish the gravity of the threats” posed by other disasters such as hydrohazards. “Addressing the climate crisis is therefore integral to the post COVID-19 recovery. It would amount to a misadventure on the part of the international community if, in its efforts to rebuild stronger and better after the pandemic, it neglects the potent threats posed by water disasters or ignores the indisputable link between these hazards. Indeed, it is vital that the international community recognises the impact of the pandemic on developing countries and how these impacts can retard progress towards the SDGs.” Ali further noted that Guyana has committed itself, irreversibly, to a low carbon path to development, in which mainstreaming the SDGs in national development while combatting climate change are fully compatible. The template he pointed out therefore exists for a post COVID-19 recovery that promotes climate resilience and commits to the SDGs. He, however, noted that the pace of the necessary reforms to achieve these objectives will, especially for small-island developing and low-lying coastal states, be dependent on international cooperation and assistance.

Furthermore, the President acknowledged that the Special Thematic Sessions on Water and Disaster have highlighted the gravity of the threats posed by hydro-hazards and have reaffirmed the importance of addressing climate risks in realising the SDGs. “The link between climate change and water disasters hardly needs restating. The awareness of the problems exists. What is now urgent is greater international resolve to commit resources to combat the climate crisis. It is now time for action, not debate.” He wished the participants success and expressed the hope that the Special Thematic Session on Water and Disaster would result in greater efforts on the part of the international community to urgently accelerate support for the

building of climate resilience. Friday’s event was held under the theme “Building Back Better towards More Resilient and Sustainable Post COVID-19 World” with Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Tajikistan, High-Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP) and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) of Japan as co-hosts. It focused on sharing experiences and promoting actions to achieve a more sustainable, resilient and climate-adaptive post COVID-19 world based on the lessons learned from the pandemic. It also provided a tangible step towards accelerating the SDGs and other globally agreed agendas by providing useful lessons, innovative ideas and common understandings.

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Sunday June 27, 2021

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==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==

The NCM and rigged elections: I don’t intend to prove anything to anyone

W

hen the Los An geles Lakers crashed out of the NBA tournament, Anthony Davis in response to criticism of his role said, “I don’t need to prove anything to anyone and I’m not going to prove anything to anyone.” Davis was born long after I felt that way and had used those words as a social activist, UG academic and newspaper columnist. In my long years in the public limelight, I watched this nasty, hypocritical society shower praise on people who would fail any test of moral uprightness. Guyana has been like that and is like that. I have sustained ugly criticisms the past decades from people whose words sprout caring sentiments but whose character doesn’t possess an ounce of the caring quality that humane people should embody. This is the society I saw since I became a UG freshman in 1974. This side of Guyana hasn’t changed since. I have never written on something I am about to announce here. Do you know for the past 20 years the publisher of this newspaper, Glenn Lall, received from power-wielders from the PPP, PNC, AFC, civil society, women groups, business folks and from UG, countless complaints about the contents of my columns that have urged Mr. Lall to stop the column?

When you hear the names of these people, you will have contrasting emotions – both laughter and annoyance. These were people not fit to criticise a columnist who has never harmed a soul while their policies hurt other people. They would call Mr. Lall and rage on. Then the next week, they would do something for which the entire society should ostracise them. One night I walked into Kaieteur News. Mr. Lall and Adam Harris were laughing. Adam Harris has a phenomenal sense of humour. Lall said he cannot show me the entire letter but just the part that I need to see; the part that he and Harris found hilarious. The letter was written by one of Guyana’s most prominent lawyers who was once a PPP bigwig. Here are the words, “… you lied to me; you had no intention of ever firing Freddie Kissoon.” This gentleman wanted Lall to stop the column because of my criticism of him. This very gentleman is respected by the very people who couldn’t be bothered with his authoritarian instinct and his intolerance of free speech. The letter is in Kaieteur News’ file but if I name him, I will get a libel writ. He wanted to be president of Guyana but that was scientifically impossible. Do you know how I came to stop doing columns for the

Stabroek News? I discovered a powerful WPA woman had secret connections with the PNC. I wrote about it. She went to her friend, co-founder of the Stabroek News, Miles Fitzpatrick (deceased) who insisted to David DeCaires that he drop the column. These are the people who we were told fought for democracy under President Burnham. Someone in the WPA was involved in Rodney’s assassination. A clerk, when he was a 17year-old employee at Bookers Store in the 1950s, stole a packet of bicycle tube, was arrested and placed before the courts. When I was the same age, I stole books from the national library. In a civil matter in court in which he was the opposing lawyer, he kept shouting out in court with a broad smile, looking at me directly and speaking so the judge can hear, “I’m a book thief, I’m a book thief.” He did not sing for the judge the words, “I am a bicycle tube thief.” If he had stolen the philosophy books I did, then he would have appreciated the value of freedom and not advice Forbes Burnham on how to jail and murder people. Some of the condemnations of me have come from people whose minds are far uglier than mine. These are the people who are openly praised all the time in Guyana but their moral values are questionable.

They continue to penetrate society and the society welcomes them, not even for a moment reflecting on the appalling double standards of these soulless creatures. I have pontificated for more than 19 months since December 2018 on the serendipitous effects of the no confidence motion and the five-month election catastrophe. All young people who love this country and will con-

tinue to love it have now seen for themselves the nature of the beast. Those they looked up to, those who are supposed to be urbane, cultured, soft spoken, educated with societal recognition and national status oozing from them, have turned out to be narrowminded demonic creatures who were prepared to destroy this country for their depraved, degenerate agenda. Race, partisan politics and

Frederick Kissoon anti-PPP hatred were put before love of country. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Coronavirus: The scary Delta variant is rapidly moving towards us By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt Medical Center

O

ver the past few weeks, attention has shifted to the Delta variant of the SARSCOV2 virus, which is spreading rapidly worldwide. It is leaving a trail of devastation that is unrivaled by any other mutated forms of the virus. We cannot let our guard down now as we still have time to get ourselves in order before it possibly hit our shores and make things far worse than they are currently. Today, I will shed some light on this variant so that you can understand why you need to act now and not wait until it is too late. What is the Delta variant? The Delta variant came about from a mutation of the SARSCOV2 virus (Coronavirus) and was first detected in India. It is called the B.1.617.2 variant and was responsible for the recent devastation in India and now the upsurge of infections that are occurring in the UK. Recent data from

the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that it has already spread to 74 countries. The WHO’s Director for Europe has warned that Delta is “poised to take hold in the Region,” as many countries prepare to ease restrictions and allow more social gatherings and travel across borders. Recent evidence suggests that it is already accounting for 10 percent of cases in the USA. Evidence suggests that the number of persons infected by it doubles approximately every 11 days. It is more transmissible than any other known variant and is 60 percent more transmissible than the alpha variant that was first detected in the UK last year and caused a wave of infections and deaths worldwide. Does it cause more severe disease? Evidence from the data available so far suggests that the Delta variant is likely to cause more severe disease. A study recently done in Scotland showed that the risk of being hospitalised from the Delta variant is two times

higher than from the alpha variant. Given the higher number of infections and hospitalisations, the potential for deaths should be higher especially in unvaccinated populations. Are Vaccines working against it? Researchers are rushing to gather data on the effectiveness of vaccines against this variant. The available data suggests that the vaccines effects may be a little weaker than against other variants but are still significant enough to prevent destruction from this variant. Data from UK suggests that the Pfizer vaccine is 88 percent effective in preventing symptomatic disease from the Delta variant in persons who were fully vaccinated. The AstraZeneca vaccine was 60 percent effective in preventing symptoms from the Delta variant in persons who were fully vaccinated with it. However, the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines had 96 percent and 92 percent efficacy respectively in preventing hospitalisations from the

Delta variant. Where does this leave us? The Delta variant is lurking around us and it may only be a matter of time before it reaches our shores. We cannot determine how or when this may occur but we need to utilise the time we have on our side and be prepared for this threat. Thankfully, vaccines seem to still have the upper hand against this variant and we need to take advantage of this and arm ourselves. The best way to do that is to get vaccinated now so

that your immune system is prepared to fight this Delta variant if you come in contact with it in the near future. The longer you take to get vaccinated, the less likely you will be prepared to fight this form of the virus; you are therefore putting yourself at risk of being another statistic in the long list of deaths that this variant is leaving in its trails. This may end up being the toughest battle in the war against COVID-19 thus far. The good news is there is sufficient armour in the form

Dr. Zulfikar Bux of vaccines to protect us against this deadly variant. Arm yourself by getting vaccinated and you will help guarantee victory against this deadly Delta variant when it reaches our shores.

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>>> ENCOURAGING EVENTS, DISTURBING DEVELOPMENTS <<<

Leadership shortcoming everywhere: crime, COVID and cresting floods

By GHK Lall ne has to be the sturdiest of believers to take things at face value in Guyana. Some say crime is declining, and I wonder which country they inhabit; that this is being done and that, too, by the PPP government, which I find supportable up to a point, which is not high; and that the best is being done relative to flooding and COVID-19 responses, on which I again differ by degrees, many such. I look for the opportunities and leadership practices that could be encouraging, and I am still looking, mostly unsuccessfully.

O

Regarding crime, it is obvious that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has its serious challenges. The finesses of politically correct language and times call for soft speech with the softest words selected, so I settle for 'challenges.' I think that the GPF has conflicts that signal a state approaching crisis. It needs all the help that can be extended, but be careful not to hold breath, as suffocation can come quickly. The internal politics of the GPF makes it limp, and the surrounding external politics-some from government, some opposition-lessens it still further. At this juncture, esprit decorps is at a low ebb, which directly impacts crime-fighting strategies and strengths, all of both, that could be marshaled and delivered. It disturbs that the longsuffering public is held to ransom, suffer more, because of leadership manipulations. I think of flooding, and I detect

entrenched unity in this country. Meaning only half of it. The other mutters discontentedly and merely focuses on keeping foot and forehead, and possessions dry. It is a bigger struggle to do the same with the mind. I hear no talk of the Dutch boy(s), who have successfully placed more fingers in leaky and rampaging overrunning dykes than all Guyanese leaders combined. But I do hear about billions and borrowing for flood, for anything that stirs the fancies of leaders. It is disturbing that they relish the excitements that come from billons, but lack the basicsintegrity, decency, creativity- to understand fully how to get the most out of every dollar of those billions. On the COVID-19 pandemic, as in this catastrophic flooding, there is so much that could have been done with linking of arms, melding of minds, walking a different talk, across the harsh, unforgiving political environment. It disturbs that even with death knocking at our doors, we still find

the time to undermine (an opposition behaving like a vagabond), and to divide (a government reminding of excrement). Like the vandals and barbarians of yore, the more there is desecration, the more there are these sickening leadership sepsis. It encourages that we have oil and minerals aplenty, but it is disturbing that part of the accompanying downside has to be the abundance of the government and opposition leadership garbage that pollutes everything and everyone in sight. I am trying to be kind here; the realisation dawns that I am barely making it. Nothing seems to be able to separate leaders from the sewer in which they love to make their permanent home, while prancing and dancing. Braying and blustering, too. Meanwhile, I couldn't help noticing that, while crime creeps forward relentlessly, still more menacingly daily, domestic violence has resumed its frightening march, albeit witless

numbing frequency presently, but spreading horror, nevertheless. Just to read from a distance brings cringing. And no matter how infrequently the moments of savage brutality, there can be no true understanding of the scars of those in the vicinity, particularly severely traumatised observers. They are the captive ones that go by the name of family survivors. I reach for the encouraging, but taste falsity only. I know I fool myself. When a powerful dose of foolishness is hunted for, as a pastime, there are enough PPP and PNC leaders around to do the best job necessary in that foolishness department. Crime doesn't move them. COVID-19 doesn't move them. Cresting floods doesn't move them. Crude oil and its crooked vulgarities are what move them to action. This disturbs incalculably. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Sunday June 27, 2021

>>> Young Entrepreneur on the Move

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<<<

' s n o i t a e r C c ‘Eccr ethnotseriunique accessories fo

By Allyiah Allicock

M

any young men and women in business in our society today have proven that age is just a number and therefore does not determine the level of one's success. They are passion-driven go-getters who are helping to change our economy for the better. Currently taking the business industry by storm is 21-year-old Alexandra Willabus. Her dexterity is what is shaping her into the successful businesswoman that she hopes to become. Willabus is the founder and proud owner of “Eccentric Creations,” a local arts and craft business that provides accessories for women, men and children. Not only that, she is also the owner of another small business called “Majestic designs and Accessories” which provides dance instrument and accessories for Christian dancers. During an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News, the young entrepreneur revealed that after attending an annual church fair in 2018, which had given her the exposure to exhibit her products, she officially launched her business in August of that year. According to the young woman, her passion and the love for arts and craft is what had inspired her to start a business. “It has continued to push me to build on my creativity and talent to produce even more unique accessories, some of which are not found in Guyana,” the 21-year-old shared. F o r Wi l l a b u s , i t i s t h e authenticity she brings to the table that leaves people mesmerised with her pieces. Her business, which provides a wide variety of accessories, are made with materials such as African print fabric, beads, wire and ribbons. Among her creative pieces are necklaces, earrings, bands, purses, brooches and hair accessories. The colourful pieces with unique designs that she produces always succeed in attracting customers, she noted. According to this talented entrepreneur, her support base has been tremendous, since not only locals, but people from abroad have been gravitating to her business. Recognising the appreciation for her handiwork, Willabus said that she decided to introduce a physical store with more choice pieces for her

customers. When COVID-19 entered our shores last year, the fledgling entrepreneur said that her business, like the rest of the sector, was impacted. But Willabus admitted that the impact has been both positive and negative. She stated, “at the beginning of the pandemic, the COVID-19

entrepreneurs play an important role in society, because many entrepreneurs have businesses that have inspired other young persons to build on their ideas or talents to establish their own businesses." On that note, she is encouraging young persons to develop and build on their talent(s) and despite what challenges they face, they should

“

Young entrepreneurs play an important role in society because many entrepreneurs have businesses that have inspired other young persons to build on their ideas or talents to establish their own businesses.

guidelines and restrictions caused a drop in customers' support and purchases, but it also gave me time to produce new accessories to add to our products list which in turn, created a spike in sales after a few months.” Another challenge to her production, she related, was the sourcing of materials, especially beads and African prints, to suite customers' needs. This young innovator is currently a final year student at the University of Guyana pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations. She has, moreover, been challenged to balance her studies and the business. She shared that sometimes the business would have to be closed or she has to put aside orders so that she can focus on an assignment or to prepare for an exam. Despite the obstacles, she still pushes ahead. Willabus is of the firm opinion that young entrepreneurs, such as herself, are crucial to the growth and development of our society. A c c o r d i n g t o h e r, “ y o u n g

”

keep pushing for success. In concluding, she noted that even though there are many resources available to entrepreneurs to help build their businesses, training exercises and conferences on how to manage

Alexandra Willabus, founder and owner of 'Eccentric Creations' and 'Majestic designs and Accessories.'

finances and customer services can go a long way. Added to this, she said, that networking with other small business and entrepreneurs should also be encouraged.

Persons who wish to purchase any of Willabus' pieces can contact her on (592) 614-6855 or visit her Facebook and Instagram page @Eccentric Creations.

Some of the outstanding accessories produced by 'Eccentric Creations.'

Kaieteur News

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T

Sunday June 27, 2021

Red Howler

y e k Mon

he Colombian red howler or Venezuelan red howler (Alouatta seniculus) is a South American species of howler monkey, a type of New World monkey, found in the western Amazon Basin in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil The population in the Santa Cruz Department in Bolivia was split off as a separate species, the Bolivian red howler, in 1986, and more recently, splitting off the population in northeastern South America and Trinidad as the Guyanan red howler has occurred. All howler monkeys belong to the family Atelidae and the infraorder Platyrrhini (New World monkeys). Sexual dimorphism in this species is small; males range from 49 to 72 cm and females from 46 to 57 cm long. The males weigh 5.4-9 kg, while females weigh 4.2–7 kg. It has a long prehensile tail of 49–75 cm. The tail is covered with

fur except for the last third of the underside, which allows it to grab branches. The colour of both males and females is a deep reddishbrown, and the colour shade changes with age. Their faces are surrounded by fur and they have stubby noses. The jawbone of the red howler monkey is large, especially the body of the mandible. The position of the foramen magnum is very posterior to make way for the expanded jaw and enlarged hyoid bone. Howler monkeys also have an inflated bulla, which is the bony encasement of the middle ear. This makes them an exception among other New World monkeys. The diurnal Alouatta seniculus is an arboreal primate, so it spends much of its time high in the canopy. Its preferred method of locomotion is quadrupedal walking with minimal leaping. Its long, prehensile tail also assists it by providing both support and

grasping abilities. In addition, its hands and feet have a grasping pattern that allows it to better move about in the trees. This can be seen by the wide separation of the second and third digits of the hand. Social interactions

It lives in groups of three to nine individuals (usually five to seven). The groups are polygynous, with only one or two males and the rest females and their offspring. One male is the usually dominant monkey of the group, the alpha male, and he is responsible for leading them to new food sites and defending them. The females of the group a r e i n c h a rg e o f t h e offspring. Venezuelan red howlers are most active in the morning, when the group is on the move to find another feeding spot. These howlers are famous for their “dawn chorus”. These roaring and

howling calls are performed mostly by the males in the group. The roars can be heard up to 5 km away in the forest, and make their presence known in the area. This is also used to prevent confrontations between groups, which will prevent energy loss by avoiding physical fighting. Because of their lowsugar diets, conservation of energy is key. The calls also help in the scattering of the groups and lessens the competition over food. Diet and dentition A. seniculus monkeys are folivores, which means their diets mainly consist of leaves, but they also rely on nuts, small animals, fruits, seeds, and flowers for important nutrients. These foods provide sugar necessary for growth and energy. The most important part of their diets is leaves,

which they cannot live without for more than a week. They eat both older and younger leaves; however, the older leaves provide more nutrition. These howler monkeys are able to eat the fibrous leaves due to the structural aspects of their dentition. Narrow incisors aid in the ingestion of the leaves, and molars with sharp, shearing crests help them to better chew their food. In addition, they have complex stomachs to aid in the digestive process. Their hindguts and large intestines also help with digestion. The hindgut contains bacteria that digest leaves and makes up a third of the Venezuelan red howler's total body volume. Like other New World monkeys, the Venezuelan red howler's dental formula (maxilla and mandible) is two incisors, one canine,

three premolars, and three molars. Reproduction The fierce sexual competition between males is due to an unbalanced sex ratio. A female attracts males by moving her tongue around to initiate mating. If the male does not respond, she moves on to another mate. The average gestation period is 190 days. The infant will stay with the mother for 18–24 months. After males reach sexual maturity, they are expelled from their natal group. The male must then invade a foreign group. There, the male kills off the other leader and whatever offspring the first leader sired. By doing this, the male is killing any possible competition. Less than 25 percent of offspring survive male invasions. (Source: Wikipedia)

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Sunday June 27, 2021

Joint endeavour or collective surrender: resisting global tax From page 24 Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. If Caribbean countries, and other small developing states, are to try to put a brake on the steamroller, getting their case before the large, developed countries in the G20 is crucial. For, if the G20 endorses the plan, smaller countries will again be cast aside – the hapless victims of the world's powerful states, as they are with Climate Change and getting vaccines to fight COVID-19. That is why vital alliances need to be struck now, starting within the Caribbean, extending to embrace countries in Asia and the Pacific, and then with other nations that are far from happy about being coerced into losing revenues and business to satisfy the tax hunger of a few. For instance, Switzerland is reported to be planning to give subsidies to companies, headquartered there, to offset the 15 percent tax. Ireland – an EU nation – has an advantageous corporate rate of 12.5 percent that has helped to grow its economy and improve its people's lives. It wants no

increase. These two countries and others could be important allies. The fact that Caribbean countries – and other developing countries – oppose the imposition of a global corporate tax rate, should not be mistaken as hostility toward the U.S. or any other country that favours higher taxes. But setting tax rates is a right of nations not an international prerogative of the powerful. All nations understand that in the U.S., President Biden has an ambitious plan to build-out needed infrastructure to keep the U.S. globally competitive, to create jobs and to rebuild after the COVID-19 pandemic. Other countries, especially, small developing ones have the same problems, but without the resources or the clout to establish a global rule that would suit them. They have to continue to compete on unlevel playing fields in almost every area of economic and commercial activity. Low taxes help Caribbean countries and others to attract investment they desperately need, because their exploitation

and under development, for centuries, have made it d i ff i c u l t f o r d o m e s t i c investment alone to drive their needed economic growth and social improvement. No time should be wasted by Caribbean governments to assemble a strong team to advance their joint cause. There is not much time until the G20 meets in October, and much work needs to be done to give its developing member countries a convincing case to champion. Giving-in again should not be an option, but no one country can stand up alone. This is a joint endeavour, or it is surrender – one by one. (The writer is Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador to the United States and the Organisation of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are his own.) Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : www.sirronaldsanders.com

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Kaieteur News

Lessons from a Lashpreneur!!!

Eyelash Retention... what u need to know By Latoya Zephyr Imagine getting gorgeous lash extensions, and marvelling at how natural and full they look. However, how long will they last? Lash retention is how long your extensions will last on your natural lash before they shed or fall off. Keep in mind that each person has a different hair growth cycle so there’s no set amount of time when it comes to determining how long each lash should last. Aside from the hair growth, there are other factors that can influence the length of your lash retention. Don’t worry, though— We’re here to guide you through all things lashes. In this article, We’ll help you get a better understanding of what lash retention is, the numerous factors that could affect it, and how to help your lash extensions stay on for longer. What Affects Lash Retention? Change in Seasons Like hair and nails, lashes may go through seasonal hair shedding. A change in climate during autumn and spring can cause your lashes to become brittle, which then causes them to shed sooner. While this effect can’t be prevented, the good news is this is only temporary. Your growth cycles will eventually go back to normal. One other thing you could do during this period, aside from being extra gentle with your extensions, is to invest in and use a lash serum. Hormones or skin type Your hormones play a role in lash retention, too. If you have overly sebaceous glands, the oil can cause the

adhesive to break down faster. Use blotting paper on your eyelid and avoid applying makeup around your eye area to remedy the situation. Additionally, pregnancy, menopause, and thyroid medication may also cause lash retention issues. Medications Medications, such as those for the thyroid, may change the environment of your lash area. This could lead to you having overly oily, dry, or brittle lashes. What to Avoid Putting makeup on your eye area The wrong makeup can spell disaster for lash retention. Mascaras and eyeliners may have compounds in them that can cause your lashes to clump together or the adhesive to soften. Not Thoroughly Cleansing Your Lashes It’s best to clean your lashes regularly (after the initial 48 hours) using a cleanser that’s safe for extensions at least every 2-3 days. Not thoroughly

cleansing your lashes can cause oil, makeup, or debris build-up which can lead to inflammation and irritation. Not cleansing can also cause your lashes to stick together at the base—which is not a pretty sight to see. This sticking actually keeps your natural lashes from growing through, and if you come for infills, chances are the new lashes won’t stick properly... Also, make sure that you regularly brush your lashes with a spoolie to ensure that your lashes will grow in the right direction. This also prevents your lashes from crossing over as they grow. Just be careful not to overdo it, though, and take care not to brush them too roughly. Doing so runs the risk of prematurely pulling out your natural lashes. Strenuous exercise You might want to take a break from your regular strenuous exercise routine, especially during the first 48 hours after your lash application. Strenuous exercise leads to sweat, which can lead to lash loss.

Wine of the week…

DARK HORSE BIG RED BLEND Dark Horse Big Red Blend is made from a medley of Malbec, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Merlot sourced from Argentina, California, and Australia. This red blend dares to be bold and serves as an exploration of some of the best varietals red wine has to offer. Dark Horse Big Red Blend underwent alcoholic fermentation with handchosen yeast to provide enhanced color, structure, and fruit characteristics. It showcases deep flavors of dark berry and blackcurrant, supported by plush tannins, hints of dark roasted oak, and a long finish. Vinted and bottled by Dark Horse Wines, a brand of

E. & J. Gallo Winery. At Dark Horse Wines, their passion is crafting bold wines that deliver the unexpected. They marshal the best agricultural and winemaking practices from around the world to guarantee the highest quality. Their winemaker, Beth Liston, believes winemaking is a treasure hunt. She is constantly experimenting with different grape varietals and new winemaking techniques. From bold Red Blend to smooth Chardonnay, her passion for creating exceptional wines that outperform their price is unsurpassed. Be sure to enjoy this selection responsibly this week.

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9 Aloe Vera Benefits for Face and Skin! Aloe Vera, the modest houseplant is a ‘miracle,’ wonder plant, often hiding in plain sight. Having been around and used as a medicinal herb, it nourishes the body from the inside – it is rich in nutrients, aids in improving digestion, and even boost immunity. Aloe Vera can be used topically too, i.e., its gel can be used to enhance one’s skin, especially the face and the hair. However, before we get into the essential reasons and health benefits of Aloe Vera, let us first learn how to extract Aloe Vera gel directly from the plant. If you have an Aloe Vera plant at home, select its fatter leaves or stems and cut it from the base. Or you may pull the leaves from their bottom. Be careful as the plant has thorns. Next, use a sharp knife to slice the thorns from the edge of each leaf. Then slice the stalk into half and keep the gel side up. You may slice open leaf as well. Use a spoon to scrape the gel out into a container.

When all the gel is extracted, refrigerate the gel. If this process seems too tedious for you, you can buy Aloe Vera gel from the market as well. Here are six reasons to apply Aloe Vera gel on your face, skin, and hair – 1 Helps soothe sunburn Aloe Vera gel has cooling properties and is antiinflammatory. Hence, it is one of the most natural remedies for sunburn or burnt skin. Applying this gel helps with a protective layer for the skin, and it also helps to retain moisture. It is rich in antioxidants and minerals that boost the healing process. So now you can maintain your summer skin health using aloe vera. 2 Helps to moisturize the skin Unlike regular, marketbought moisturizers, Aloe Vera gel when used as a moisturizing gel doesn’t leave a greasy film on the face and the skin. In fact, it does just the opposite – it unclogs the pores and softens the skin. It can be used as an aftershave-treatment. This is because the Aloe Vera gel

helps to keep the skin hydrated and heals burns by razor and smaller nicks & cuts. It also helps treat dry skin. 3 Boosts healing of wounds It is now a known fact that Aloe Vera is highly beneficial for burns, cuts, and other injuries. This is because Aloe Vera boosts the healing of wounds, i.e., reduces the time of healing. This is true especially in the case of 1st degree and 2nd-degree burn. It’s a great skin burn treatment. It also helps to speed up skin cell reproduction as much as eight times. Aloe Vera is also known to penetrate the epidermis, i.e., the outer layer of the skin faster than water. 4 Fights skin-aging Aloe Vera gel has vitamin C and E, beta-carotene in abundance. Therefore, it has anti-aging properties. It also contains antimicrobial properties and is antiinflammatory. It also helps to eradicate skin blemishes and diminish age lines. Additionally, it helps to increase the

production of collagen in the body and skin elasticity. 5 Reduces infection and acne Those who suffer from acne will find respite in Aloe Vera. It helps in gentle cleansing, and its antimicrobial properties treat pimples without causing any damages to the skin. It is an antiseptic that allows protection against bacteria. Aloe Vera contains polysaccharides and gibberellins. These help in the growth of new cells and at the same time, reduce inflammation and redness. It also works as an astringent that reduces the size of pores, flushing out the excess sebum, microbes, and dirt.

6 Lightens blemishes on the face As we already know, Aloe Vera contains powers to boost skin cell reproduction, reduce redness, and fight skin inflammation, it is a natural treatment for stretch marks and acne marks. To treat freckles and lighten age spots, add some lemon juice to the gel mixture. It is one of the perfect home remedies for glowing skin. Aloe Vera for hair and scalp 1 Helps in hair growth Like skin reproduction, Aloe Vera gel helps in activating new hair growth as it increases the blood circulation to the scalp. It also provides essential minerals and vitamins. Aloe Vera contains

proteolytic enzymes that help repair dead skin on the scalp. So aloe vera works as a great remedy for scalp problems in women and men. 2 Keeps dandruff at bay Aloe Vera helps in healing dry skin, fungal infections, and excessively oily skin. All these are significant causes of dandruff. It is one of the natural ways to get rid of dandruff. 3 Acts as a conditioner to the hair and scalp Just as how it moisturizes the skin, Aloe Vera helps to condition the hair and soften it. Regularly applying Aloe gel to the hair and scalp helps to maintain the vitality of the hair and its shine. (https:// pharmeasy.in/blog/9-aloevera-benefits-for-face-skin/0

9 Simple Home Remedies for Glowing Skin! Gone are the days when glowing skin was only a woman’s top priority! These days everyone yearns for a soft, smoother and of course, blemish-free glowing skin. And with each of us engulfed in hectic schedules, irregular eating habits, inadequate sleep and pollution, achieving flawless and picture-perfect, glowing skin has become difficult, if not an impossible task. While there are scores of skin and beauty care products available in the market, nothing beats the goodness and wholesomeness of natural products. So, walk into your kitchen today and create some of these handy and easy to implement home remedies that promise to give you glowing skin! Turmeric Blessed with antibacterial properties, Turmeric is one divine spice that will never let you down. Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant that helps in achieving that wonderful glow. It has curcumin which is an antiinflammatory agent and helps to get rid of puffiness. Not only does it give your skin a glow, but turmeric also makes the skin rejuvenated and keeps dull skin at bay. Read More: 10 Health Benefits of Turmeric Turmeric not only eliminates free radicals that damage the skin but also enhances the collagen

production that helps keeps the skin supple and fresh. · How To Use Turmeric for your Skin Mix about half a teaspoon of turmeric powder with a cup of gram flour (chickpea flour). Add enough milk/water and mix well to form a smooth paste. Now, add a few drops of rose water and mix it again. Apply this paste on your face and neck and leave it on till it dries. Then, rinse with cool water. You should include this step in your summer skin health routine. Honey Honey is a great moisturizer and helps to keep the skin well-hydrated. Honey’s anti-bacterial properties help to ward off infections and also reduce blemishes and acne at home. Honey ensures spotless skin. It is rich in bleaching properties and helps in fading of the pigmentation and scars. · How To Use Honey for your Skin You can directly apply honey on your face and neck area but ensure that your skin is clean and damp. Massage for a few minutes, allowing it to get absorbed by the skin. Now, wash off with lukewarm water. Olive Oil Olive oil acts as an antioxidant for the skin. It helps in preventing early ageing of the skin. Putting

olive oil on the skin after exposure to the sun is known to fight cancer-causing cells. Olive oil is known to repair skin damage. It’s not only great for the skin but also gives it a nice shiny glow. · How To Use Olive Oil for your Skin Every night before hitting the bed, take a few drops of olive oil and apply all over your face and neck. Massage in an upward direction for about two to three minutes. Now, dip a towel in warm water, squeeze off the excess water and place it on your face and neck for about a minute. Dip the towel again in warm water and use it to gently wipe off the excess oil on the face and neck. Now, with another clean towel dry off the face and neck area. You should also include this step in your monsoon skincare routine. Orange Juice Oranges are known to be brimming with Vitamin C and can help in detoxification. A glassful of orange juice daily helps to clean the complexion and rejuvenate the skin in no time. Thanks to its Vitamin C and citric acid content, orange also helps to control acne and gives firmness to the skin. · How To Use Orange Juice for your Skin So, make it a regular practice to squeeze a few oranges each morning. Add a pinch of salt and some black pepper to this freshly made

juice and gulp it down along with other regular breakfast items. Alternatively, you can also take a few pieces of orange peel and grind it with a few drops of rose water to make a smooth paste. Apply this paste all over your face and rise after 15 minutes with cool water. Milk Tyrosine, the melanin controlling hormone leads to darkening of the skin. Milk controls the level of Tyrosine in the skin and promotes a skin full of glow. Raw milk is one of the easiest accessible ingredients for getting good looking skin. · How To Use Milk for your Skin You can apply raw milk to your skin or mix it with any other ingredients and form a paste. Besan This has been a tried and tested agent in homes over the years. Besan hasn’t failed when the desire for healthier and shinier skin has come calling. Besan or gram flour acts as a natural exfoliator and helps in removing dead skin cells. you don’t need to buy fancy cosmetics or face packs off the shelves. Besan works wonders by bringing to the surface healthier and newer skin. · How To Use Besan for your Skin Besan is used by mixing it with water, milk or any other

ingredients. It is applied like a pack on the skin. Sometimes, sugar is also added to help in exfoliation. Cucumber Dry skin, chapped skin, dark circles? Include cucumbers not only in your diet but also in your beauty regimen. Cucumber has the same pH level as that of our skin. It helps in replenishing the skin’s protective layer, keeps the skin hydrated thus promoting glowing skin. · How To Use Cucumber for your Skin You can put slices of cucumber on your eyes as they show in all the magazines and televisions. You can also put cucumber in a mixer grinder and apply the juice. Papaya This one comes with a secret beauty ingredient – papain. Not only is papain good for your liver but works wonders for your skin. This enzyme has skin lightening properties and can lighten blemishes and scars if applied to them. Papaya also acts as a gentle exfoliator and helps in removing inactive protein cells and dead skin cells. It gives wonderful results and

keeps the skin looking young and healthy with a beautiful glow. · How To Use Papaya for your Skin Papaya can be put in a mixer grinder too and the paste can be applied generously on the skin. Aloe Vera Aloe Vera is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that are good for our skin. Aloe Vera keeps skin glowing and soft. It also prevents acne. Aloe Vera application on sunburns helps in faster healing. Aloe Vera application on the skin helps to keep skin hydrated, improves elasticity and prevents the development of wrinkles. · How To Use Aloe Vera for your Skin: You can make aloe vera juice at home or add aloe vera gel to smoothies and other drinks. It can also be applied directly to the skin. Gently scrape out aloe gel from the leaves and apply it to your skin. Leave it for 10 to 15 minutes. Then rinse your skin with cool water and pat dry. ( https://pharmeasy.in/ blog/simple-home-remediesfor-glowing-skin/)

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Human Services Minister conducts one-on-one interaction with residents of Grove/Diamond Residents of the D i a m o n d / G r o v e communities on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) had the opportunity on Friday to interact on a oneon-one basis with the Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, and her team from the Ministry. In a release, it was noted that the outreach was very successful and scores of persons from communities all across the EBD braved the rainy weather to show up and were able to access key services on the spot. The activity at the New Diamond/Grove Primary School started from 09:00hrs. and ran up to about 14:00hrs. Because senior officers attached to the Ministry were on hand to interact with the public, persons were able to have immediate access to services pertaining to public assistance, old age pension, childcare and probation matters. Accompanying Minister Persaud were Director of Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), Ann Greene; Deputy Permanent Secretary, Anjanie Ramlall; Assistant Chief Probation Officer, Mahendra Thakurdat; and a number of officers from the G r o v e / D i a m o n d communities. Apart from receiving assistance to fill up their forms, persons were also afforded the opportunity to sort out issues that they have had pending for a long time. “The residents were happy not only to receive the services, but to be able to have conversations with me and heads of departments.

Minister Persaud’s outreach on Friday in the Grove/Diamond, East Bank Demerara communities. We were there to listen to them one-on-one and give any guidance they required on concerns they had,” Minister Persaud explained. She also had the opportunity to interact with newly formed women’s groups whose members were quite interested on how they can benefit from the Ministry’s programmes. They were able to clarify concerns about issues affecting women in their communities. There were also the usual exercise of free eye testing and scores of persons were able to benefit, thanks to the Ministry in partnership with Optical Works. CPA Director Green spoke to residents about the importance of community

involvement when it comes to addressing the issues affecting children. “It was a very good exercise because we were able to interact with the people,” she said.

She noted that the CPA relies on the community for help with child protection. “I was glad for the opportunity to go; wherever people are gathered, I love it, because I

get a chance to explain,” Greene expressed. She observed that the interaction was effective as the residents were very receptive to the information.

Meanwhile, Minister Persaud is continuing her visits to locations all across Guyana in an effort to take the services being offered by her Ministry to the people. Her latest visit last week was to Monkey Mountain in R e g i o n E i g h t (Potaro/Siparuni), where she similarly interacted with residents and helped them sign on to various programmes that the Ministry is working on at the moment, including the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN). Minister Persaud’s next outreach will be tomorrow at the Mon Repos Primary School, East Coast Demerara, from 09:00hrs. to 14:00hrs.

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The Needle Tree The Moral It’s important to be kind, as it will always be rewarded. Once, there were two brothers who lived at the forest’s edge. The oldest brother was always unkind to his younger brother. The older brother took all the food and snatched all the good clothes. The oldest brother used to go into the forest in search of firewood to sell in the market. As he walked through the forest, he chopped off the branches of every tree, until he came upon a magical tree. The tree stopped him before he chopped its branches and said, ‘Oh, kind s i r, p l e a s e s p a r e m y branches. If you spare me, I will provide you with golden apples.’ The oldest brother agreed but was feeling disappointed

Junior page COFFEE CAN DRUMS

with how many apples the tree gave him. Overcome by greed, the brother threatened to cut the entire tree if it didn’t provide him with more apples. But, instead of giving more apples, the tree showered him with hundreds of tiny needles. The brother fell to the ground, crying in pain as the sun began to set. Soon, the younger brother became worried and went to search for his older brother. He searched until he

found him at the trunk of the tree, lying in pain with hundreds of needles on his body. He rushed to him and started to painstakingly remove each needle with love. Once the needles were out, the oldest brother apologized for treating his younger brother so badly. The magical tree saw the change in the older brother’s heart and gifted them with all the golden apples they could need.

By Andrea Mudler-Slater WHAT YOU NEED: An empty coffee can (or oatmeal container) with a lid (small, large, whatever you have). Construction paper, glue & scissors. Paint or markers. Paintbrushes & water. Dowels or sticks from trees in the park. String, leather, feathers, beads… any bits of scrap material you might have. WHAT YOU DO: 1. You have two options here. Either paint the coffee can with paint or cover the can with construction paper. Leave the plastic lid on the coffee can. This will be your drum head. 2. If you cover the coffee can with construction paper, you can paint or draw designs and creatures on the coffee

Inky F

Sunday June 27, 2021

ill in the blank squares so that each row and each column contain all of the digits 1 thru 3. The heavy lines indicate areas (called cages) that contain groups of numbers that can be combined (in any order) to produce the result shown in the cage, with the

indicated math operation. For example, 12× means you can multiply the values together to p r o d u c e 1 2 . © 2 0 2 1 KrazyDad.comNumbers in cages may repeat, as long as they are not in the same row or column.

RY OET P H

FUN

WIT

can. Have a look at pictures of different kinds of drums and the images found on them. (Try covering the can with aluminum foil for a neat effect.) 3. After the paint is dry, you can glue all sorts of wonderful things to your

drum. 4. Using wooden dowels or simply wooden sticks, drum away on your new coffee can drum. 5. Older students may want to try pounding the bottom of the coffee can with a rubber mallet to make a Caribbeanstyle steel drum.

Eat and play right

by Uncle Roy There are many things we like to do, To have fun alone and with others, But many times when we do too much, We can suffer in one way or another. This may be something we love to do, Like playing games or watching TV, Or it may be something nice to eat, Like ice cream, cake or sweets. When we play too much or watch TV, We cannot find time to do things helpful, Like our work at home and for school That really make our life useful. So always try to do your best In the things you do and eat; Sharing your time and eating well Will in the end make you feel great.

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Sunday June 27, 2021

Make your greatest contribution to the world by developing the values that will help to make it better TEEN TIME

Last week we dealt with the values that will benefit us personally. Today we will expand on those qualities that will serve to help others in their efforts to live their best lives. To truly fulfil this purpose, we need to make a conscious commitment to our loftiest ideals, elevating our thoughts, words, and actions to a higher, more enlightened level, and secondly, to move beyond ourselves and contribute to others, so that we leave this world a significantly better place than when we came here. The following values will empower you to fulfil this purpose: Contribution – the effort to help in what is required by others, or in some institution to which you belong. Dedication – making a continuous effort to contribute to what you believe in Devotion – being

constant in what you practise towards your aspirations. Endeavour – willingness

are involved in. Standards – acting always to the highest ideals. Support – giving help to

positive steps to determine and adopt these values, you will be fulfilling your responsibilities to yourself

to strive to achieve your goals. Grace – showing dignity in your actions. Humour – recognising that you need to not take yourself too seriously. L e a d e r s h i p – willingness to make a special effort to be at the forefront of any effort you

others in what you are involved in. Teaching – making an effort to educate others with whom you associate on what you feel they need to enrich their lives. Thoughtfulness – taking care to reflect on the things that others need. When you take

and to the world. This is the last in the series in which we discuss the values on which to base your life. It would be very helpful if you can review all those which we have mentioned over the past few weeks, and use these in your effort of making the best of yourself.

Ripple Effect The heavy lines indicate areas called cages. Fill each cage with unique digits, counting up from 1. For example, a 1-cell cage must contain the number 1, a 2-cell cage contains 1 and 2, a 5-cell cage contains 1 through 5,and so on. These numbers may appear in any order within the

cage. If twoidentical numbers appear in the same row or column, at least that manycells must separate them. For example, if two 3s appear in the samecolumn, they must be separated by at least three other cells that do not contain 3.

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POETS’ CORNER

YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES You have what it takes to succeed, You have within you everything you need to become anything you want to be, And the zeal to approach your tasks enthusiastically. You have power within you to apply yourself energetically; You have wisdom within you to wisely take the necessary steps to your good; You have all within you to answer the call to be whatever you want to be; You have imagination within you to see in your mind what you want manifested; You have love within you to be loving in all your methods and ways; You have life within you to pursue the happiness that is your birthright; You have strength within you to hold and pursue true ideas; You have intelligence within you to renounce every bad thought and action; You have faith within you to fulfil your destiny and make the most of yourself.

When you strive to help others, you will reap the reward, although this may not be obvious at the time. TELL IT TO UNCLE ROY Uncle Roy is again appealing to our readers to make a contribution to this column by either giving a feedback on what is published, asking for some help with some personal problem, offering some advice to fellow teenagers, or sharing the news of what is happening in his/her community. Please send your contribution to roypaul2002@yahoo.com

Solutions to last week’s

Father’s Day Crossword 1 Necktie, 2Tickle,3 Joke,4 Camping 5 Son, 6 Father,7 Barbecue ,8 Hug 9 Golf ,10 Daughter ,11 Fishing

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7 Natural Remedies to get rid of dark spots Drink Plenty Of Water Drinking plenty of water can do wonders to your skin. It helps in cleansing the body by eliminating all the toxins. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water per day will be the best and the most natural way of developing a clear, smooth and glowing skin. Water helps in flushing out all the toxins and waste from your body. However, try to avoid the consumption of alcohol, carbonated and sugary drinks. Include fruits and vegetables which are high in water content in your diet. Also, wash your face at least 2 times a day to remove dust and dirt from your face to improve the appearance of your skin. Lemon Juice And Yogurt Face Mask We all know that lemons have a number of benefits. It can be used to get rid of dark spots. The vitamin C and the citric acid present in lemons make it a perfect bleaching agent which can help in lightening the dark spots. This is the most trusted and age-old practice which has shown unfailing results. The bleaching property of lemon and the cleaning property of yogurt are a great combination to lighten the dark spots and to bring a glow to the face. Sugar has exfoliating properties and can be used as a scrub to remove the dead skin on the face. This gives a refreshed look. Buttermilk Buttermilk is rich in lactic acid which helps in removing dead skin from your face and lightens your dark spots. Apply buttermilk directly on dark spots with the help of cotton and leave it for 20 minutes. Wash your face with clean water and see the results. Aloe Vera Aloe vera is a plant that has many beneficial properties and is one of the best and natural things to improve the quality of the skin. It contains 90% of the amino acids found in the body and also has vitamins A, B, C, and E in it. Aloe vera plant possesses anti-aging and skin-nourishing properties. It helps in removing dark spots and also reduces discoloration on the skin. It is used as pain relief and also has antiseptic properties. It even works as an excellent moisturizer and therefore can make your skin smooth and soft. Tomatoes Tomatoes can be used as a very good skin toner. It brings a natural glow to your face. Tomatoes are not only good when directly applied to the skin but also do wonders when you have it raw. Apply tomato paste on your face like a face pack and leave it for about 10 minutes. You can rinse it with cold water. This makes your skin soft, smooth, and glowing. Papaya Papaya has enzymes and mineral elements which are the natural ingredients in removing dark spots. Apply a paste of ripe papaya on your skin and leave it to dry. Rinse with clean water after 20 minutes. You can repeat this method every day for a week and it will help in bringing a glow to your face. Honey Applying pure honey on the skin is one of the best ways to get rid of dark spots and it also improves the quality of your skin by making it smooth and soft. Honey helps in maintaining healthy skin and also has hydrating properties. Follow these remedies to get rid of dark spots and get smooth, soft, and radiant skin.

https://www.manipalhospitals.com/blog/7natural-remedies-to-get-rid-of-dark-spots

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Guyana’s premier Rotary Club installs new Board of Directors

On June 19, 2021, the Rotary Club of Georgetown – Guyana’s premiere Rotary Club – installed its new Board of Directors for the year 2021-2022 under the leadership of President Ramona Singh. This is according to a release, which informed that the Club celebrated its 62nd anniversary on May 20, 2021, a significant milestone. Over these years,

it noted too, the club has made notable contributions to society such as the construction of the Convalescent Home, construction of water wells in areas, such as Old England/Siberia and Coomacka; donation of a Bookmobile to the National Library; several medical outreaches and many other projects. The Rotary Club of

Georgetown was the creator of the Annual International Bar and many would recall the grandeur of this event that significantly contributed to the club. Immediate Past President, Clyde de Haas, thanked the outgoing Board of Directors for going the extra mile and significantly contributing to the achievements of the club over the past year. He

highlighted some of the projects in the just concluded year which included the distribution of COVID-19 Relief Food Hampers to various communities; distribution of School Supplies to the Sophia Literacy Centre through a collaboration with the Rotaract Club of Georgetown; Food Supplies to various Senior Citizens Homes; donation to the

Night Shelter and the distribution of hampers to various flood affected communities. The Installation of its new Board of Directors was yet another great way to continue its celebrations as the Club continues to execute life-changing projects. President Ramona in her acceptance said, “It is a great honour to serve as President

Rotary Club of Georgetown Board of Directors 2021-2022

Caitlin Vieira Service Projects

Devindra Kisson Vice President

Liselle Blankendal Secretary

Sheldon Hazelwood President Elect Romona Singh- President

Veerendra Bhagwandin Membership

Gautam Thani Foundation

Nerissa Moore Public Relations

Clyde de Haas Immediate Past President

Sueanna Lovell Club Administration

Goswami Parmesar Treasurer

Harryram Parmesar Sergeant at Arms

Dominique Harris New Generations

for Guyana’s prestigious club for the Rotary Year 2021/2022.” She committed to leading her club through yet another successful year under the Rotary International Theme: “Serve to Change Lives.” She further stated, “The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic undoubtedly has changed our lives and its accompanying challenges continue to plague us and the world over. It perhaps, has resonated within all of us the volatility of many things, we may have overlooked in the past. Notwithstanding, it has provided Rotary with unique opportunities and new avenues for service.” She indicated that her club would focus on executing service projects, in areas such as Mental Health and Wellness; Child Care and Welfare; Education and Agriculture, among others. In doing so, the release added, they will seek to form new strategic partnerships with institutions and agencies that are likeminded to bolster community involvement to allow for greater reach and impact. The newly appointed President charged Rotarians to RENEW their commitment to the causes of Rotary as they continue to unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, “in our communities and in ourselves.” The President concluded her remarks with a quote from Rotary’s Founder, Paul Harris, “I would like to think that the pioneering days of Rotary have only just begun. There are just as many new things to be done as ever there were. Kaleidoscope changes are taking place, many of them without our will. Even to hang on to the fringe of this fast-changing world is about all most of us can do. Rotary simply must continue to pioneer or be left in the rear of progress.” According to the release too, “The Rotary Club of Georgetown wishes to express its appreciation to all of its sponsors, partners and volunteers for their generous support over the years which has made their projects and activities successful.”

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The Court Journal By Renay Sambach n interesting matter that had reached the court last year was that of a man who thought he was divorced and remarried but ended up with a bigamy charge. Bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. A legal or de facto separation of the couple does not alter their marital status as married persons. While many may not be aware that such an act is illegal, it should be noted that marrying while still being legally married to another carries a fine and jail time of possibly seven years. R e c e n t l y, M i c h a e l

A

Sunday June 27, 2021

How marrying a woman while still being legally married another landed a man in court Taylor, 38, an airport ramp attendant of Lot 1 Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, made headlines after he was found guilty of marrying twice and was fined $100,000 (or in default 12 months in prison) for the offence. On May 25, 2020, Taylor made his first court appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan. The charge was filed under Section 83(1) of Criminal Law (Offences) Act, which stipulates, “Everyone, who being married, marries any other person during the life of the former husband or wife, whether the marriage takes place in Guyana or elsewhere, shall be guilty of

Charged for marrying twice, Michael Taylor. a felony and liable to a term of imprisonment for seven

years.” The matter was later transferred to Magistrate Rondel Weever’s courtroom for trial. After the trial, Magistrate Weever ruled that the prosecution had provided enough evidence to show that Taylor did in fact commit bigamy. In handing down her ruling, Magistrate Weever had disclosed her findings and subsequently fined Taylor $100,000 and it was noted that if he failed to pay his fine he would have to serve 12 months in prison. Taylor had pleaded not guilty to the offence. On the first hearing, his lawyer had told the court that her client is a law-abiding citizen and a father of two who did not know about the crime. She had also made a bail application for Taylor on that hearing. The court learned that Taylor was unaware that he was still married to his first wife due to the fact that she promised to divorce him before he moved out of their

marital home some time ago. However, in her address to the court, the lawyer had admitted that there was no record before the court to show the couple had ever filed for a divorce. The charge was brought against Taylor after his first wife found out about her husband’s wedding in February 2020 and notified the General Register Office (GRO). During an interview with Kaieteur News, the woman had stated that she reported her husband to the authorities after she found out that he had remarried without divorcing her. The woman had claimed to have married Taylor in 2015 and that she and Taylor have two children together. She also disclosed then that she and Taylor had lived together for five years before they split. The woman claimed that her husband moved out of their Timehri, East Bank Demerara home in November 2019 and went to live with his girlfriend at

Soesdyke. The couple reportedly separated after the wife confronted her husband about his infidelity. However, the wife found out about her husband’s second marriage, months after he moved out, from a mutual friend. According to the woman, “de person call me and say you deh home and your husband have big wedding going on.” Shocked by the news, the woman said that she started to investigate the claims. “I went all over to find out if there is anything I could do,” the woman said, “then a lawyer advised me to go to GPO to the Register Office and find out if they were married legally.” As advised, the wife visited the GRO and presented her marriage certificate. She said that soon after, o ff i c i a l s a t t h e G R O uncovered another marriage certificate in the name of her husband and his new wife. According to the woman, the second marriage was registered in January 2020. She said that she learned from the Head of the GRO, Mr. Louis Crawford, that a crime had been committed and that the matter would be forwarded to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force. She said that she was later contacted by the department to give a statement, which she did. Subsequently, her husband was charged with bigamy and placed before the court. Currently, there is no other public report of anyone else in Guyana being charged for committing bigamy.

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VOLUNTEER YOUTH CORPS …a humanitarian agency helping to empower our youths From page 51 ZOOM and other platforms, as well as providing laptops, tablets and other devices. Under the programme, VYC promises to loan 150 tablets to disadvantaged students under the programme to ensure they are able to participate in the online classes as well as sustain or improve their academic performances, according to Baird. Under its Career Guidance Programme, VYC has a two-year career education programme for High school students in Georgetown. The programme, Baird said, is implemented in 11 high schools. The purpose of the programme, she explained, is to help young people make appropriate education and career choices to help them develop their full potential as they access education and work opportunities aligned with their personal interests and skills. Added to this, the organisation provides employment training for workforce readiness. The youth employment programme, Baird noted, aims

to reduce risk factors for crime and violence through increased access to employment opportunities for at-risk youths between the ages of 16-29 years old in Georgetown. The programme, as advertised by VYC, is designed to bolster empowerment of youths through a participatory, competency-based skills training covering the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) curriculum; employment readiness and basic life skills training; and job placement and aftercare support. In addition to sustaining its full time academy programme which sees it working full-time with 60 atrisk youths (those who have dropped out of school early), VYC is implementing a healthcare project to provide the best pediatric care on site. Under healthcare, the organisation is also looking to address dental hygiene for students as well as the provision of Vitamin 'C' and 'B' Complex tablets. Chief among its projects for this year is the VYC renovation project, which

The Primary School programme implemented by VYC to help children with their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic. commenced in February, 2020, and concluded on June 18, 2021. The project, according to Baird, was part of a partnership initiative between the Government of Japan and the Volunteer Youth Corps Inc. It was also facilitated by the Office of the President through the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs. The renovation, according to the VYC officials, was completed under a Grant from the Government of Japan totalling $19.9 Million. The newly renovated space, Baird shared, will give

the organisation the opportunity to expand its services and focus on the safety and security of children through the implementation of feeding, clothing and toy distribution programmes which will

serve 1,000 vulnerable children per month, the provision of the best pediatric care on site, and a full time academy which will afford 60 at-risk students a second chance to complete their CSEC Examinations.

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Junior Calypso Monarch winner 2020, accepted into prestigious arts college in Jamaica

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unior Calypso 2020 Monarch winner, Omaiah Aaliyah Hall, has recently been accepted into the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts in Jamaica and is currently seeking funds to cover her tuition. The 19-year-old is very passionate about the arts and holds many titles across various disciplines, aside from singing; Ms. Hall is also a dancer, model, poet and writer. She was a finalist in the first e v e r M i s s G u y a n a Te e n Scholarship Pageant and was placed in the Top 5. In 2020, she entered the Junior Calypso Monarch Competition and dominated over nine other competitors; persistent and determined, Omaiah then went on to compete in the Senior Calypso Monarch competition where she was placed third. Refusing to rest upon her laurels, Omaiah challenged herself earlier this year to walk down a path of self-discovery; along this path she explored her writing skills and is now a co-author of the book “The 4 C's: Civility, Community, Creativity, Climate Change.” In February, Ms. Hall applied at the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts to study Arts Management; somewhat two

– seeking funds to cover tuition Omaiah Hall

Omaiah Hall performing at the Senior Calypso Monarch Competition 2020. (Hall) months later she received an email stating that she was accepted into the college of her dreams. However, what should have been a moment filled with excitement,

was a moment filled with brooding for Ms. Hall; despite being accepted, she was not prepared for the reality of the situation, the $3.2M per year tuition. She

Decades-old conflict between... From page 20 two rice farmers were arrested for shooting six cows that allegedly ventured onto their lands and a cattle farmer was also shot by an irate rice farmer later in the year. Most recently, several rescued cattle have been chopped after allegedly venturing onto cultivated rice lands in the front lands. These violent progressions of this decadesold conflict has recently been addressed by the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, in a press release, who stated “I know these are very troubling times for farmers who are trying to preserve whatever cultivation and livestock they have left. I'm urging farmers to work together and be their brother's keeper because this flooding is a national issue that has affected us all. This is time for us to demonstrate compassion for life and our fellow farmers,” Further, the press release stated that GLDA and Regional Agricultural Officers are working with farmers to ensure cattle brought from the backlands remain housed

in secure areas and away from farms and rice fields. The GLDA has also been providing feed free of cost to farmers. However, it appears from all indications that the conflict will only get bitterer due to exacerbating circumstances fuelling it, such as the flooding in the backlands forcing animals to higher ground. The entirety of Kokerite savannah was originally designated as communal pasture for cattlerearing; however, as leases were issued for parts of the land, persons realising that the leases were agricultural leases, began to plant rice as it presented greater gains at the time than cattle rearing. In time cattle rearing was confined to the backlands while the front lands were reserved for rice cultivation. In 2019, the then Regional Chairman, David Armogan, has suggested that the only way the conflict could be dissolved is to completely demarcate lands within the farming areas, to separate cattle and rice farming. “There needs to be complete demarcation with a

fence, the facilities of water and so need to be put into the cattle area because people are just grazing all over the place because no area is designated for cattle,” the chairman stated. Armogan further said, “You have to demarcate where cattle should be and where rice land should be.” He explained that there are no stringent laws and regulations in the Region and there never was, in relation to agricultural land but that in itself “is what is causing the problem, everybody is doing everything everywhere. There was never a land policy in place.” The floods continue to force animals into the cultivation area despite the best efforts of the GLDA and consequently this has resulted in cattle farmers approaching persons with unused rice lands to request that their animal be placed there. One farmer notes that, in some areas persons who are not using their rice lands are now requesting rent from the cattle farmers. This has the potential to breed more conflict given the already difficult situation.

described the challenge of raising the money as “heartbreaking.” The determined teen started to send out letters to various ministries seeking a scholarship;

she was hopeful that she would've been able to attain that but after months and months of trying and time running out, with no support, Omaiah Hall is now seeking help from the public to cover her tuition fees. “I'm pleading with persons to assist me in not only making my dreams a reality, but investing in the culture of our nation.” She added also “My goal after pursuing this course is to return to Guyana and build on the Arts foundation of my country with the career goal of becoming a creative director. The person making highlevel creative decisions, and with those decisions oversee the creation of creative assets such as advertisements, products, events, or logos. This will definitely benefit Guyana holding our creative sector to such a standard unlike any in the Caribbean, the goal is to return with Guyana being the top spot for culture and creativity in the Caribbean.” Omaiah is currently trying to raise the funds to cover her first year tuition and accommodation, which needs to be paid by midAugust 2021. Persons who are interested in donating towards her tuition fees can contact her on her face book: I Am Omaiah Hall or on Instagram: beingomaiah or on telephone number (592) 616-9946. “One, one dutty build dam.”

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Kaieteur News

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Sushelia Persaud

From page 19 who would've been in contact with that infected person. At one time, we had 20 confirmed cases at once. So sometimes, we may be at it early in the morning or late in the afternoon, or sometimes both.” According to Persaud, the most affected areas in Region two has thus far been in the Pomeroon. This riverine area has multiple indigenous communities along its banks. Persaud explained, “if someone experienced symptoms they may not have reported it at any time, and so overtime they would've contacted other persons within their communities, so by the time one person realise they're positive, a great portion of the community

Donning personal protective gear

may also be infected.” Our featured surveillance officer related that overtime, that trend changed in communities that were once hotspots. She said that today those communities are recording less confirmed cases, an achievement she believes materialised through increased fieldwork. Currently, there is no indication as to when the pandemic will come to an end, but Persaud has her mind set on furthering her studies to be of greater service to the health sector. “I want to reach for a Master's in either public health or something environmental. I'm still deciding. But one thing is for sure I want to learn more,” she related.

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Guyana records 100 new cases alongside 3 deaths

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he Ministry of Health yesterday has reported in its daily COVID-19 update that a further 100 persons have tested positive for COVID19 within 24 hours, which brings the total number of confirmed cases to 19,774. The update also reported that unfortunately three males who tested positive

for the virus have passed away whilst receiving medical attention. This has caused the total number of deaths to increase to 462. These latest victims are a 53-year-old Region 3 resident and a 57-year-old from Region Six who both passed away on June 14, while a 79-year-old, also from Region Six, died on

June 22. At the present time, there are 19 patients in the ICU and a total of 1,646 persons in home and institutional isolation; this brings the total number of active cases to 1,665 in the country. Approximately 17,647 persons have recovered from this severe virus in Guyana.

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Kaieteur News

Biden tries to walk back comments on infrastructure bill to stem GOP defections

President Joe Biden President Joe Biden on Saturday tried to walk back remarks from earlier this week when he said he wouldn’t sign a bipartisan bill on infrastructure unless it came paired with a reconciliation proposal for “human infrastructure,” the latest in a series of cleanup efforts from the White House seeking to stem defections from the newly-announced bipartisan agreement. Biden wrote in the Saturday statement that his comments “created the impression that I was issuing a veto threat on the very plan I had just agreed to, which was certainly not my intent.” His efforts to clean up those comments amounted to one of the most significant course corrections of Biden’s highly disciplined presidency, which had until now mostly defied his reputation as a gaffe machine. “The bottom line is this: I gave my word to support the Infrastructure Plan, and that’s what I intend to do,” Biden said Saturday. “I intend to pursue the passage of that plan, which Democrats and Republicans agreed to on Thursday, with vigor.” Still, Biden said, “I have been clear from the start that it was my hope that the infrastructure plan could be one that Democrats and Republi-

cans would work on together, while I would seek to pass my Families Plan and other provisions through the process known as reconciliation.” The statement stands in contrast to Biden’s East Room remarks Thursday, where he warned, “What I expect — I expect that in the coming months this summer, before the fiscal year is over, that we will have voted on this bill, the infrastructure bill, as well as voted on the budget resolution. But if only one comes to me — if this is the only thing that comes to me, I’m not signing it. It’s in tandem.” The remarks quickly drew criticism from Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who warned in floor remarks Thursday, “That’s no way to show you’re serious about getting a bipartisan outcome.” While Biden’s advisers believed his sentiment was accurate — they want both deals passed in tandem — they acknowledged the tactic of demanding as much publicly was too forward and needed to be softened, as CNN has previously reported. In their public comments, White House officials — including press secretary Jen Psaki — declined to directly reiterate Biden’s threat of leaving the deal unsigned if the larger package doesn’t materialize. White House officials believe it has long been clear the two packages would move together and publicly scoffed at suggestions lawmakers were caught by surprise. But Biden’s ultimatum did appear to test the durability of the agreement, leading the same aides who negotiated the deal to get back on the phone with lawmak-

Florida building collapse... From page 14 the collapse is set to begin after the rescue mission. As the building has stood since 1980, it was due its standard 40-year review. It was undergoing its “recertification” process and required repairs, officials said. Kenneth Direktor, a lawyer involved in the work, was quoted in the New York Times as saying engineers had identified rusted steel and damaged concrete that needed repairing, but added that he saw nothing to suggest the collapse had anything to do with that review. A study from researchers at Florida International University published last year found that the building had been sinking at a rate of two millimetres per year in the

1990s, which may have affected the building structurally. But the author has cautioned that the study was just a snapshot in time. The building was constructed on reclaimed wetland, which experts say is always of concern as the land underneath can compact over time, leading to shifts. On the sinking, the author of the study, Prof Shimon Wdowinski, told the Miami Herald newspaper: “We’ve seen much higher than that, but it stood out because most of the area was stable and showed no subsidence.” Prof Wdowinski said the research was not meant to suggest certainty about the latest incident.

ers Friday who were balking. Steve Ricchetti and Louisa Terrell, two of Biden’s lead infrastructure negotiators, reached out on Friday to members of the bipartisan Senate group amid the Republican furor over Biden’s remarks about the legislative process, according to a White House official.

Earlier Friday, White House aides scheduled a midday call with Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who’d led negotiations for Senate Democrats, to reassure her of where Biden stood. The White House released a readout of their conversation — an unusual move typically reserved for foreign counterparts — that said Biden and

Sinema discussed his plan to try to build support for the agreement among both Democrats and Republicans. A senior administration official acknowledged they were attempting to walk back Biden’s remarks and directly tied his conversation with Sinema to that effort. Going forward, the White House plans to focus on sell-

ing the bipartisan bill instead of getting involved in the order of when Biden receives the legislation, letting Democratic leadership handle the timeline. Biden will take his sales pitch for the bipartisan infrastructure agreement on the road, starting with a speech in Wisconsin on Tuesday, a White House official said.

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Kaieteur News

ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Standard still relevant after revision

>>>GNBS IN FOCUS<<< Used by millions of organisations around the globe, including many local companies in Guyana, the world-standard reference for quality, ISO/9001, Quality management systems/– Requirements, has just passed its “warrant of fitness,” meaning it is still useful and is not in need of an immediate revision. This is according to an

article published by Clare Naden, ISO Communications Specialist on June 22, 2021. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has adopted the popular standard, and has for years, assisted local businesses to implement its requirements towards international certification. Like all ISO standards,

ISO 9001 undergoes a systematic review every five years to decide whether it is still valid or needs updating. This is important to ensure the standard is still globally relevant and meets the needs of its users. In doing so, the subcommittee responsible for the standard, SC 2, Quality systems, which operates under

technical committee ISO/TC 176, Quality management and quality assurance, undertook a number of activities including discussions with committee members and a survey of ISO 9001 users. The result was that no revision was needed and the latest version of ISO 9001 still provides as much value to those implementing the standard as it did when it was last updated in 2015. Going forward, a special task force within the committee will continue to evaluate and monitor any possible market or other changes that could impact the standard, and propose a revision if and when required. ISO 9001:2015 specifies requirements for a quality management system. It enables an organisation to consistently provide products and services that meet applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. It also aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, in-

cluding processes for improvement and the assurance of conformity to customer requirements. The standard is based on the quality management principles and outlines typical actions to improve organisational performance. The quality principles are customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach improvement, evidence-based decisionmaking and relationship management. For organisations implementing the requirements, the standard presents context including the needs and expectations of interested parties, the scope of the system and the processes for implementation. Additionally, the standard outlines requirements for leadership, planning to address risks and opportunities, and use of resources which include people, infrastructure and the environment. To maintain quality, the standard also stipulates cru-

cial requirements including operation planning and control, requirements for products and services, design and development, and control of nonconforming outputs. Finally, the standard addresses performance evaluations and improvement. All the requirements of this International Standard are generic and are intended to be applicable to any organisation, regardless of its type or size, or the products and services it provides. In Guyana, there are more than 25 companies and organisations that are ISO 9001:2015 Certified; many of which have benefitted from technical assistance and training provided by the GNBS. With Oil and Gas in Guyana, more local companies are seeking certification to this international standard with GNBS support. For further information on this subject, contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0064 or 219-0065 or WhatsApp us on 692-4627.

Government Public Relations Training Programme has commenced Kwame McCoy, Minister media entities for making the within the Office of the Prime sacrifice to better their knowlMinister with responsibility edge in media relations. He for Public Affairs, com- noted that there are five other menced the Introduction to training programmes, which Communications Training are designed for specific arProgramme for State media eas of communications, social workers at the Arthur Chung media, broadcasting etc. Conference Centre, yesterKaieteur News underday. stands that the training tarThe Minister thanked the gets hinterland radio anrepresentatives of the State nouncers and volunteers, Minister McCoy interacting with the participants and facilitators of the Government Public Relations Training Programme. (DPI)

public relations officers, regional information officers, content developers, journalists and feature writers operating in the State media. Participants will be trained in the areas of Research and Writing, Interviewing, Production and Presentation, Broadcasting, Film, Public Relations and Communication.

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Kaieteur News

Germany: Police puzzle over motive of Würzburg knife attacker The suspect in a knife attack that left three women dead in southern Germany has been remanded in custody on suspicion of murder. Authorities are still investigating a possible motive for the stabbing spree in the Bavarian city of Würzburg, around 120 kilometers (74.5 miles) east of Frankfurt. On Friday, the suspect walked into a department store and asked a saleswoman where the knives were, regional police chief Gerhard Kallert told a press conference Saturday. He is then alleged to have stabbed three women to death before attacking people outside. Six people were injured, one of them criti-

cally. The attacker was subdued after being shot once in the thigh by police. According to his lawyer, he is facing three charges of murder and six of attempted murder. The suspected perpetrator is a 24-year-old Somali man who has lived in Germany since 2015. Prosecutors told reporters he had temporarily been admitted to a psychiatric hospital earlier this year after threatening someone with a knife at a homeless shelter where he was living. Chief criminal director Armin Kühnert said investigators had also found hateful texts on a phone at the

shelter where the man was last based. Authorities said the suspect displayed “disturbed behavior with psychological abnormalities.” Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said investigators were looking into whether the suspect’s mental state or possible Islamist motives could be behind the attack. “We don’t know either one thing or the other for sure at the moment, but I just want to note that they don’t rule each other out,’’ Herrmann said. Witnesses reported hearing the suspect shout “Allahu Akbar” (God is great-

est in Arabic) during the attack. Authorities said the suspect is not known to the police for crimes that “lean in the direction of Islamic extremism.” Local Würzburg officials said the case would now be taken over by the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office. Chancellor Angela Merkel said the investigations will ultimately reveal the suspect’s motive. “But what is certain is that the horrific act is directed at all humanity and every religion,” her spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Twitter. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier voiced shock at the

“extreme brutality” of the attack.“We are mourning in all of Germany today with the relatives of the victims,” Steinmeier said, wishing the injured a swift recovery. Representatives of the Catholic, Jewish and Muslim communities were expected to attend a memorial service for the victims on Sunday. Meanwhile, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, known for its anti-immigration stance, slammed what it called “Islamist” violence and blamed the attack on Merkel’s “failed migration policy.” Investigators have not confirmed the attack as an Islamist act. But such a conclu-

sion could reopen a debate over immigration in the leadup to Germany’s federal elections in September. The topic has not been discussed as widely this year, compared to the last vote in 2017 when the AfD won seats in parliament for the first time.

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Kaieteur News

==CONSUMER CONCERNS==

Human realities of the destructive Interior floods

By Pat Dial In this offering, we have highlighted the serious floods which have inundated the Interior and which is one of the greatest natural disasters, which has affected Guyana in its recent History. People in Georgetown and Region Four who have been spared these destructive floods by the effectiveness of the Hope Drainage Canal are largely unaware of the terrible suffering of our Interior compatriots and though the media have carried photographs of the flooded areas, they have not been able to com-

municate the enormity of the human suffering and the privations and loss of life’s savings which the flood victims are suffering. Almost all the Presidents of Guyana, from the time of Independence, were confronted with serious problems as soon as they succeeded to office but President, Irfaan Ali, has had to face more serious challenges than any of the others. President Ali, one of our youngest Presidents, as soon as he was sworn in was met with the Covid Pandemic and shortly after, with the disastrous floods. In addition,

he had to bear the heavy burden of Governance, which included unprecedented challenges such as managing the nascent Oil Industry from the Government’s side, engaging the Diaspora in a mature and meaningful way, dealing with exhausting legal/electoral problems and executing his Party’s programme of economic, social and political transformation of Guyana into a modern state. President Ali has not been overwhelmed but has shown his mettle by constructively meeting all challenges. With remarkable energy

and devotion, he has been leaving Georgetown and visiting the flood-hit communities, walking through the water and bringing comfort to the flood victims almost on a daily basis. His empathy with their sufferings is reflected in his words, which captures the human reality better than most journalists, “You may not know what is happening,” remarked President Ali. “Many of our brothers and sisters across Guyana are faced with the worst disaster we have ever had, or they have ever had, in the History of our country, you may not see it here. I have just returned from Olive Creek, Kurupung Bottom, Jawalla and Kamarang …I spoke with people of Jawalla and Kamarang where their entire lives have been destroyed. Everything they worked for all their lives has disappeared . . . And when you speak about the impact, I am talking to you about the farmer who reared his livestock over the last four generations but which is no longer there today . . . Listening to a father in tears telling me that his avocado farm is completely gone, but worse, the trees will no longer be there after the floods. With his 15-year old son standing behind him, he glances at his son and says ‘what is this boy going to do?’ These are very emotional times across

the country. The scale of the disaster is not understood by those of us in Region Four.” . . . “This is going to take some doing to bring about a recovery. Hundreds of homes have been ruined while thousands of farms have been completely obliterated; mining camps are empty, infrastructure in some areas completely destroyed. Only seeing it at first hand could give you the full extent of the gravity of the disaster”. . . Over the last few weeks, the President has been visiting the affected communities everywhere in the country and has been speaking with them. He and his team including the CDC have been bringing them emergency supplies of food, drinking water, medical supplies and medical help and arranging shelter and have even helped those who have relatives and friends who live on higher ground to get to them. The floods have been caused by the continuous very heavy rainfall attributed to Climate Change and the neighbouring countries have also been suffering in the same way. The criticism that measures could have been taken by the APNU/AFC Administration or the present Administration, which has been in Office for only 8 months to avert these floods, is therefore meaningless since

these Climate Change floods are unprecedented and no one could have for seen them. The rivers do not drain but overflow their banks, sometimes by as much as by 20 feet. The governmental authorities, in those areas where it is possible, have been trying to do some emergency drainage by the use of large agricultural machines but are quite aware that novel solutions such as draining directly into the Atlantic Ocean as Hope Canal does will have to be considered. President Ali has already rolled out a three-phase Plan: First - Immediate emergency relief; second - rehabilitation by rebuilding roads and other infrastructure together with restoring homes and livelihoods; thirdly - long term development plans including drainage. President Ali has already had Parliament allocate $10 billion towards the first phase. All Guyana and people of goodwill would desire to see the country quickly emerge from the disaster since it is estimated that the loss of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) would be more than that of the 2005 floods, which was estimated at 59%. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Mexico: 18 dead after shootout between rival drug cartels The bullet-ridden bodies of the cartel members were discovered in the north-central state of Zacatecas. Earlier this week, two missing police officers were found hanging from a bridge in the same area. Eighteen bodies were discovered Friday after what appeared to be a shootout between members of rival drug gangs in northern Mexico. The deadly incident occurred in a remote area in the northwestern state of Zacatecas, and came days after a similar shootout in a town close to the US border. State security department spokeswoman Rocio Aguilar said there was evidence the shootout resulted from a confrontation between gunmen from the Sinaloa and Jalisco criminal cartels over drug trafficking routes.

Three vehicles, one of them burned out, were also found at the scene. Local media reported several similar shootouts this week in the same area. On Wednesday, seven people were also shot to death in a neighboring city in the state. On the same day, the bodies of two abducted police officers were found hanging from a bridge in the state capital. Gunmen from cartels often hang bodies to send out a message to either authorities or rival members, but they seldom target law enforcement officials. Aguilar said authorities have not found a link between the discovery of the officers’ bodies and the latest gun battle. The state of

Zacatecas, once dominated by the old Zetas cartel, has been the scene of many intercartel battles. The township of Valparaiso, where the shooting occurred, borders Jalisco state, a stronghold of a powerful cartel called Jalisco Nueva Generacion (Jalisco New Generation). Authorities said cartel members have been waging a violent campaign to dominate drug trafficking routes. Several other groups, like Sinaloa, Gulf and Northeast drug cartels are also involved in violent turf battles in the area.Mexico’s drug wars have claimed more than 300,000 lives since 2006, when the government started deploying federal army troops to fight the country’s powerful cartels. (DW)

Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

Argentina says AZ, Sputnik V single dose cuts mortality up to 80% A single dose of Russia’s Sputnik V or the Oxford University-AstraZeneca (AZN.L) vaccine reduces mortality from COVID-19 by between 70% and 80% in people aged 60-plus, realworld data from Argentina’s national inoculation program show. The preliminary study data, released on Friday by the country’s health ministry, involved some 450,000 people aged 60 years of age and above who received one or two doses of either vaccine, which are the most widely used in Argentina. “The first dose generates

almost 80% immunity, the second, in general, increases that response and makes it more durable over time,” Health Minister Carla Vizzotti said in a statement, adding with a second dose mortality decreased around 90%. Argentina’s inoculation campaign has been built around the Sputnik V and AstraZeneca vaccines, as well as using Sinopharm and CoviShield shots. The country has vaccinated over 19 million people, of which 3.8 million have received two doses. This week the country passed 90,000 deaths from

COVID-19 as it tries to leave behind a painful second wave of the virus. It currently has one of the highest average daily death

tolls in the world, behind only Brazil, India and Colombia. Vizzotti said that the data supported the country’s immunization strategy of having a 12-week gap between

the first and second shot, saying this was done in order to cover as much of the population at risk as possible with a single dose. “It was an appropriate decision and the results of this study confirm that high

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PAGE 62 WANTED

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Sunday June 27, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Teaching Service Commission DEAR EDITOR, Once again, one hopes that the Teaching Service Commission would take note of the massive World Bank Grant of $1.4 B. For time is overdue for the Commission to rise up from its Colonial mindset, and with more proactive determination, set about the reconstruction of the constipative compensation structure in which it has so long indulged, albeit to the frustration of 28 categories of teachers, including those who are ‘permanent temporaries’ — the only job descriptor of its kind in Guyana’s Public Service, and for that matter, their counterparts in the Caricom Region. In a related vein, predictable in these pandemic times, when it is necessary to pass the COVID-19 test, who would wish to aspire to the zenith of a profession only to be compensated by a fixed salary for the rest of a career. Ask the Principals of Queen’s College, Bishops High School, Cyril Potter College, and other educational institutions. There has been no salary increases in the past two

years or, for that matter, any Uniform Allowance, assuming uniforms are still required in a zooming environment. Rather they should be provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). As a matter of substantive interest, please note the following summarised version of Job Categories and related salaries scales. Job Grades of Grades Salary Scales

Numbers Range of

TSI (A) – TS 2 (C) 6 Grades $74,184 — 98,646 TS3 — TS 8 (B) 10 Grades $131,525 — 193,027 TS 9 — TS 17 9 Grades $201,760 — 283,297 TS 18, 19, SPECIAL 3 Grades $300,473 — 332,841 The above relates to persons whose outputs are scrutinised by the supervising Ministry, the very students, their parents and the communities in which they serve. Then students later emerge to qualify and contend for bet-

ter-paid jobs even in the very Ministry, as well as other Public Service agencies; not to mention the Private Sector, most of whose deliverables are not subject to public evaluation. But as in the whole Public Service there has not been any structured performance appraisal exercises over several Administrations, all of whom pathetically resort to compulsive increases, whether annually or not. Just compare the above with the 14 bands in the Public Service, the lowest of which reads as follows: $70,000 - $76,350 and the highest $438,945 – 777,645. From Office Assistant to Permanent Secretary, except when any of the latter are contracted they, more often than not, are better paid, without being required to produce deliverables for evaluation. Please send up prayers for our Teachers (and your children) in these Pandemic times. Teachers, if not the Ministry of Education, must certainly ponder this glaring inequitability. Yours faithfully E. B. John

Caribbean American Legislative Week wraps... volume, and ensure the effectiveness of the vaccines acquired. Noting the sharp decreases in revenue experienced by CARICOM countries as a result of the pandemic and its devastating impact on their economies, Martin disclosed a menu of initiatives being developed under the US 20/20 Enhanced Strategy for Development in the Caribbean which include collaboration in areas such as health, education, disaster preparedness and resilience and public safety and security. In declaring the deliberations open, Ambassador George Talbot, Guyana’s top envoy to CARICOM and director of the Division of the Americas in the Foreign Ministry, praised the ongoing level of the US/Caribbean partnership while advancing recommendations for reinforcing the relationship. He thanked the US for the announced donations of vaccines noting that the Americas, including the United States, with 13 percent of the world’s population has accounted for 40 percent of the pandemic’s cases and 48 percent of deaths, globally. These statistics he pointed out highlight the need for equitable and efficient vaccine distribution, and urged the US to encourage the G7 countries to implement commitments given regarding vaccine distribution. Pointing to the VACANCY devastating impact of the pandemic on the CARICOM For packers,apply at Alabama member states, Talbot said Trading.65 Robb Street Bourda. that debt to GDP ratios in the From page 6 deliberations, which I had the honour to chair on the opening day of the week’s engagements. The United States, through its representative, Mr. Pedro Martin, acting director of the Office on Caribbean Affairs at the US State Department, delivered a comprehensive report on the ongoing and new initiatives being taken by the Biden Administration to reinforce the US/Caribbean partnership. First, Martin announced that a total of 20 million vaccines would be made available to the Caribbean and Latin America by the end of June. He also disclosed the possibility of Caribbean countries receiving additional vaccines from an allocation of 500 million, which are to be donated by the United States to 92 low and middleincome countries, as well as from another programme geared to assist small island states in the Caribbean, Pacific and North Atlantic. In a later panel on the diplomacy platform, Guyana’s former health minister, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, requested the US to consider allowing the CARICOM Region to purchase vaccines through US purchasing arrangements, in the event the donations do not satisfy the needs of the Region. He said purchase through the US would provide for lower purchase prices due to

Region have gone up significantly with financing gaps nearing four billion US dollars annually. He made a case for increased attention to be paid by the international community to the Region’s external debt, which has been compounded by the pandemic. He urged Caribbean diaspora organisations to assist in helping to bring this issue to the attention of the relevant agencies and international financial institutions. Also impacted by the pandemic is the issue of food security, a recent survey in CARICOM revealing that 2.7 million people in the Region are food insecure since COVID-19, compared to 1.7 million in 2020, a 58 percent increase that impacts 15 percent of CARICOM’s population. Talbot urged that the US government seeks to encourage heightened US private sector investment in agriculture in the Region. Critical to strengthening the US/Caribbean partnership is assistance with digital transformation, which Talbot disclosed forms part of a CARICOM economic report entitled “Speeding Up the Economy 9.58,” taken from Usain Bolt’s world record. He said the report points out that digital transformation goes beyond technology and includes training, up scaling and modern digital regulations. Editor, thank you for affording me the space in your letter column to inform readers about just aspect of last week’s deliberations. Sincerely, Wesley Kirton

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BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY! In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecency in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation. SUNDAY If our leaders are honest, they will admit that whatever they know about oil, it is too little. If Guyana’s self-anointed oil czar is wise, he will recognise the need to learn from Trinidad. Trinidad mismanaged its oil wealth; Guyana can learn from those mistakes. The loopholes that took the Trinis so long to close, we can learn from those lessons and close gaps now. We call upon President and Vice President: do it! Just do it! MONDAY We must hand it to Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, the audacity of the man, to tell the United Nations that Guyana is doing what is required to be one of the world’s least corrupt societies. Surely, he can’t be serious? We believe that Dr. Singh is educated enough and smart enough to know when leadership skullduggeries are present, then leadership secrecies usually follow to obscure the real truth. Is this not what his leaders in the PPP have? There are little oil disclosures. Only secrecy! Guyanese know nothing about the giveaways in mining contracts. Only secrecy from leaders! But he goes before the world body and spreads what

is more than garbage. Dr. Singh should know that Guyana is not closing the wide gaps on corruption. Guyana is widening the gap through massive corrupt practices. He should not have made representations that anti-corruption measures will bear fruit in the future. With leaders like these, what can Guyana get? TUESDAY People are more security conscious these days; just about every other home is outfitted with CCTV cameras. Added to this, there are many persons with smart phones at the ready to record the least of misdemeanours. Our psyches are battered daily with a deluge of criminal activities caught on camera that are posted to social media platforms. Because of the consistency of these transgressions, it would seem that there is an organised criminal unit, with countrywide reach, taking advantage of hapless citizens. We cannot allow our nation to descent into utter disorder! Mr. Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie, isn’t it about time that we hear about a REAL plan to combat the prevailing spate of crime we are witnessing every day? WEDNESDAY The Agri. Minister said this flooding is worse than the one from 2005. We agree. The

Moruca man was shot dead over old grievance A Moruca man, who had reportedly attempted to save himself on Tuesday from being murdered, was actually shot dead over an old grievance he had with his killer. Shane Blake, 30, a miner of Hymakabra, Moruca Village, Region One, was killed around 05:20hrs. inside of an abandoned building at Apaiqua, Middle Mazaruni River, Region Seven. But before he received the fatal gunshot wound, Blake had tried to save himself from being killed by chopping his shooter to the shoulder with a cutlass. His wounded killer had been on the run but was eventually caught by police the very next day (Wednesday) around 19:25hrs. While in custody, he admitted to shooting Blake. He did not state his motive for the killing, but cops had found out that it was an old grievance. Kaieteur News had learnt as well from information received, that the suspect and Blake had a disagreement

over a matter a long time back, and that often times they would get into heated arguments and threaten each other. This newspaper was told, that it was the shooter’s intention to murder Blake that morning but his plan had almost backfired. According to a police report, Blake was asleep in the abandoned building and was awaken by the suspect. The suspect was armed with a handgun and reportedly ordered Blake to put on his clothes. Based on other reports from the area, Blake was also ordered by his killer to step outside afterwards. He had reportedly acted as if he was complying with the order but located a cutlass nearby and fired a chop at his killer, wounding him. Before Blake could have reacted any further, his killer retaliated by discharging a round. The bullet, according to police struck Blake to his upper chest and he fell to the ground as his killer ran away.

President said that this is a national disaster. Again, we agree. But when they go to beg for billions to bail us out from the floods, we cannot agree. We will NEVER AGREE TO THAT, when we have all this wealth, and are giving all of it freely (or secretly and roguishly) to Exxon and others. We can have our own rainyday fund, with no need for borrowing billions of which no Guyanese knows how many billions and on what terms. All we know is that we are doing bad all over, and the one blessing we have to give us a way forward is being squandered by leaders in bad deals and worse indebtedness. When will our leaders get some sense? Face reality? Be honest with themselves and Guyanese? THURSDAY

Nobody likes to admit being the victim of a con. But that is exactly what has happened to Guyana under the coalition government, and today with the PPP government. The problem is that as our leaders have been conned, so are all citizens, who live with costly leadership stupidities. Anthony Paul, the TT oil expert, keeps warning us: “put laws in place to avoid being…conned by oil companies” (KN June 21). We have been conned, and will continue to be conned, by oil companies, unless our leaders get the backbone to admit that Exxon has inflicted a big con on Guyanese. LEADERS MUST GET IN THE FACE OF EXXON - DEMAND A FAIR SHARE. They must put laws in place. That is, unless they are so much in bed with Exxon that they fear upsetting Exxon.

FRIDAY The people at Exxon really take their eyes and pass the Guyanese people. Exxon has been compiling financial statements for a hundred years, and complying with existing standards. Yet, with Guyana’s interests and monies at stake, Exxon is vague and dumps a lump of numbers on this country, that doesn’t meet international standards. It is as if the leaders of Exxon scorn us so much that they say: take that and go away. Don’t bother us for backup details, since we don’t have time to waste with Guyanese. If we had leaders with some sense of pride, patriotism, and principle about their responsibility to Guyanese, their response to Exxon would have been: take these stupid financial statements and shove them… But we don’t have such leaders, in either

the PPP government or the coalition opposition. Exxon knows that, since it has them in its pocket. No wonder it drops this busload of accounting gobbledygook on Guyana. The company thinks it can, and does, get away with murder. SATURDAY Look at us: one year later and we are still in elections mode and fighting elections battles. Clearly, something is wrong with our heads. As Guyanese like to say, ‘he hed in good.’ We have to agree, because here we are squabbling about elections, while the White people are fetching away our treasures. How stupid and shortsighted can we be? We are asking for outsiders to take advantage of us, and they are. We continue this way, and soon there will not be anything left to fight over.

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All smiles for Biles, as Tokyo comes into focus at Archibald cops bronze in Bahamas National C/Ships U.S. trials (Reuters) - Four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles backed up her reputation as the world’s greatest gymnast on Friday, dominating the first d a y o f t h e w o m e n ’s competition at the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials, less than a month before the Tokyo Games. While Biles can boast one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport, the 25-time world medallist must earn her t i c k e t t o To k y o t h i s weekend in St. Louis, as Olympic hopefuls vie for a spot on Team USA.

She made clear that would be no problem. Competing in front of a packed crowd at the Dome at America’s Center, the 24year-old put on a show in her floor routine, unleashing her signature triple-twisting double back maneuver to pick up a top score of 15.366 - an improvement over her best of 14.95 at nationals - with a 6.800 difficulty. “Going into this one, I know exactly what to expect,” said Biles, a seven-times all-around national champion, reflecting on the five years since her previous trials. “I’m a lot more emotional

this time around which is so crazy. Even walking out I was tearing up and crying.” By the end of the night she had topped the field with a total score of 60.565, followed by Sunisa Lee and Jordan Chiles, who finished 2.899 and 3.422 points off the lead, respectively. MyKayla Skinner (56.598), 24, an alternate at the 2016 Olympics, finished the evening fourth in the standings, months after recovering from pneumonia and a COVID19 diagnosis. The top two finishers will earn spots on the team,

while two members will be determined by a selection committee with one more individual quota spot to be filled. Lee, 18, widely considered a frontrunner to make the team after a strong performance at the U.S. national championships last month, put up the top score on the uneven bars (15.300), after picking up bronze in the event at the 2019 World Championships. The women will return to the dome Sunday for the second and final night of their competition, as the m e n w r a p up their competition on Saturday.

...Dawid Malan hits 76 Sunday June 27, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your flexible nature may get you in trouble today. Personalities may clash when no one is willing to lead. Be aggressive without being manipulative.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You may be indecisive today, Libra. You may not be able to find solutions you can live with. You don't need to finalize anything now. Use this day to lay low and gather data.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Things will flow smoothly for you, Taurus. There's barely a reason for you to lift a finger. You have the good fortune of enjoying this day with very little effort on your part.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) There is plenty of air to fuel your fire today, Scorpio. You're able to get quite a bit done. Multitasking is key to accomplishing what you want to do.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) People aren't going to want to be quite as intense as you require today, Gemini. Things are light and airy. You may find that no one is in the mood to delve as deeply as you want to go.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You may need to make some slight adjustments in order to get through to people today, Sagittarius. The pace may be a bit faster than you'd like. Remember that people aren't mind readers.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) It may be hard for you to make a decision about anything today. Things may seem wishy-washy and unclear. Don't worry about it.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Today is an excellent day for you, Capricorn. You will receive some bursts of unexpected energy that help you accomplish whatever it is you wish to do.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Things probably aren't going to go exactly as you planned today, Leo. Realize that people may act in erratic, powerful bursts, especially when it comes to emotional issues. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today is an excellent day for you. Events will flow quite smoothly. The only thing to be aware of is that your emotions may seem rather erratic and unwieldy. There's a great deal of power behind your words and people are sure to listen.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Things may be moving a bit too quickly today for you to grab hold of anything. There's an element of the unexpected entering into the equation. The mood of the day is especially light and perhaps a bit superficial. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Enjoy the day today, Pisces. Take control of the situation and make the most of whatever comes your way. There's a great deal of funloving, excited energy ready for you to draw upon.

From page 66 surely done enough to silence any questions over his place. England outclass Sri Lanka again England’s collapse was sparked by seamer Dushmantha Chameera, who bowled excellently at the death to remove Malan, Billings, Eoin Morgan and Moeen Ali with a mix of slower balls and yorkers. It seemed to give Sri Lanka an outside chance but, as they have in each game of this three-match series, they performed miserably with the bat. Having plodded to 111-8 batting first in the second T20, they began their chase in wild fashion. Number three Oshada Fernando swiped at almost every ball, missing most, until he top-edged to point to fall for 19 off 27 deliveries. Wickets tumbled to England’s seamers amid a flurry of poor shots - spinner Adil Rashid was not introduced until the 17th over - and only a counter-attacking 20 from number nine Binura Fernando prevented Sri Lanka surpassing 82, their lowest T20 total. England, who were only tested when collapsing to 364 in an ultimately comfortable win in the second game, will have learned little from such a one-sided series against a side whose performance matched their ranking of nine in the world. Scores: England 180 for 6 (Malan 76, Bairstow 51, Chameera 4-17) beat Sri Lanka 91 (Binura 20, Willey 3-27, Curran 2-14) by 89 runs.

- Misses 100m final

Emanuel Archibald Guyana’s Emanuel Archibald had a tough going in the 100m but found some success in his pet event, the men’s long jump to cop a consolation bronze at the Bahamas Athletics Association (BAAA) National Senior and Junior Championships which is underway this weekend. Archibald finished third in his 100m heats with a disappointing time of 10.56s, which is nowhere close to his personal best. Last weekend, he ran a +2.6 wind assisted 10.18s to cop Guyana’s national title and just a month

ago, he was crowned the second fastest man in South America after copping his first silver medal at the 2021 South America Senior Championships which was held in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The Lindener, who holds Guyana’s long jump record, then found redemption with a half decent jump (by his standards) of 7.63m to finish third in his favourite event. He finished behind winner Laquan Nairn, who had a best jump of 7.96m and Holland Martin that reached a distance of 7.87m for second.

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The Laras, the Sachins spent their careers doing remedial work’ - CWI director Adams questions players commitment to working on flaws

CWI Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams SportsMax - Cricket West Indies (CWI) Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams, has questioned whether West Indies and regional cricketers are aggressive enough with their approach to honing their craft and overall self-improvement. The issue comes to the fore on the back of a tough, lopsided loss to South Africa, where the batsmen, in particular, struggled to deal with the guile and pace of the opposition bowlers. Many, however, will point to the team’s proclivity to succumb to batting collapses as a chronic illness. From his perspective, the situation has left the former batsman to ponder about the amount of work and investment being put in by individual players behind the scenes. He, however, admitted that the overall issue was a complicated and difficult one to assess. “Is it that heading into a Te s t s e r i e s w e a r e n ’t preparing well enough technically and mentally, or is it that when players have their own downtime they are not targeting key areas that are critical,” Adams asked on the Mason and Guest radio programme. “Any successful player, at the international level or the elite level, who stays there for any period of time, would have spent all of that time doing remedial work

because the cycle never ends,” he added. “If you get exposed, you cover that gap. When you think you have that gap covered you get exposed somewhere else. You talk to any of them, the Laras the Ricky Pontings, the Sachins, they can confirm that they spent all their careers doing remedial work.” Against the South Africans, the Windies batsmen were floored for 97 in the first innings and never managed to make 200 in any of the four innings against the visitors. ”I would throw it out for consideration, do we have that mindset amongst our quote and quote elite players? I’m not talking about just international players; I’m talking about first-class cricketers as well. Are they attacking themselves enough? “Not just batsmen, bowlers, and wicketkeepers as well. The one thing that you can guarantee at the international level is you will know where your weaknesses are. If you are deaf and blind, then the rest of the world will know. The critical question is am I as a player embracing that? I am taking ownership in a way that as soon as I have my spare time I am attacking myself, I am getting at my weaknesses because the opposition already has it.”

Sunday June 27, 2021

Max Verstappen on Styrian Grand Prix pole, Lewis Hamilton second BBC Sport - Red Bull’s Max Verstappen beat the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton to take pole position at the Styrian Grand Prix. Verstappen, the form man all weekend, was 0.194 seconds clear of Bottas, with Hamilton a further 0.032secs adrift. McLaren’s Lando Norris was impressive in fourth ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly. Bottas will drop three places because of a penalty for spinning in the pit lane, promoting Norris to start third. Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda was also given a three-place grid penalty for impeding Bottas in the final part of qualifying, so he will start 11th. Hamilton heads into the race 12 points behind

Verstappen was also on pole for last weekend’s French Grand Prix. (Reuters) Verstappen in their drivers’ championship battle. The seven-time champion was chasing Verstappen all through qualifying and unusually did three runs on ‘soft’ tyres in the final part of the session trying to close the gap to the

Red Bull. But he was unable to get close to Verstappen’s initial time of one minute 3.841 seconds on his first run, which the Dutchman did not match on his final run, although he set a second lap that would have been good

enough for pole. “It has been a very good weekend,” Verstappen said. “The car was very good to drive in qualifying. It was not easy to deal with the traffic the fifth lap in Q3 was good enough in the end.” Hamilton said: “They have been so fast this weekend. Been giving it absolutely everything. It wasn’t the greatest of sessions but still on the front row after the penalty. I did everything I could and we go into the race tomorrow for a fight. “They’ve generally had a quarter of a second on us all weekend. We have managed to eke closer in qualifying but in the race run yesterday they were 0.25secs quicker. It will be interesting but I don’t think we will have the pace to overtake them, but hopefully we can keep up.”

Dawid Malan hits 76 as hosts complete 3-0 series win Dawid Malan made a 48-ball 76. (Getty Images)

BBC Sport - Dawid Malan hit 76 from 48 balls as England thrashed Sri Lanka by 89 runs in Southampton to complete a 3-0 clean sweep in the Twenty20 series. Malan shared an opening stand of 105 with Jonny Bairstow, who made 51, in England’s 180-6. Although England lost 519 late on, the target proved beyond a Sri Lanka side who were outplayed in all three games. They were bowled out for 91 with seven balls unused as David Willey took 3-27 and Sam Curran 2-14. Willey had Danushka Gunathilaka caught at

second slip with the second ball of the innings and Sri Lanka subsided in embarrassing fashion after a chaotic start. Chris Woakes, recalled for this series after a six-year absence, claimed 1-9 - the most economical four-over spell by an England bowler in T20s - while Sam Billings underlined a ruthless allround display for the hosts with a brilliant direct hit runout from deep mid-wicket. It was England’s fourth biggest win in terms of runs in T20s, while Sri Lanka’s total was their fourth lowest. The sides meet at Emirates Riverside on

Tuesday in the first of three one-day internationals, and the evidence of the past four days suggests Sri Lanka face a mighty task against the world champions. Malan back to his best This was a timely return to form for 33-year-old Malan - the top ranked T20 batsman in the world - with the T20 World Cup looming in October. T h e l e f t - h a n d e r ’s credentials came under scrutiny after he made seven and four in the first two matches of this series, having passed 25 once in five matches in India earlier this year.

Promoted to open because of a hamstring injury to Jason Roy, Malan struggled for the strike early on before racing to 50 from 30 balls. He hit four leg-side sixes and also scored around the wicket with sweeps, reversesweeps and lofted extracover drives. Malan and Bairstow’s century opening stand brought up in only 11.1 overs - was England’s first in T20s since 2013. Malan eventually drove to long-off - the fourth man to fall in England’s lateinnings collapse - but he has (Continued on page 65)

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Sunday June 27, 2021

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Guyana’s Clayza Babb tries to dispossess Madison Babineau during their 13-0 defeat to the Canadians.

Sarah Klautky on the go for Guyana against Uruguay.

2021 Indoor Pan American Cup

Tough outing for Guyana’s women

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he Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) women’s side had a tough outing at the 2021 Pan American Hockey F e d e r a t i o n ( PA H F ) Challenge Cup, losing all four of their group matches heavily. The team would’ve been crippled late on to the loss of their two most senior and prolific forwards in Gabriella Xavier and Sonia

Jardine but still set out with high optimism. Following their opening two losses on Friday, Guyana lost their other two matches in similarly devastating fashion yesterday. The first loss yesterday was against 13-0 result against Canada with Kathleen Leahy scoring four and Allisson Lee with four being the top scorers.

In their second and final group round-robin match, the Guyanese ladies showed the most resilience but eventually lost 7-1 to Uruguay with Captain Marzana Fiedtkou scoring what turned out to be the third goal for Guyana in four matches. Constanza Barrandeguy netted a hat-trick for the Uruguayans. On day one (Friday),

Team Guyana lost 20-2 to USA with Rose Hope leading the charge for the North American side with six goals, while Abosaide Cadogan managed the two consolation for the Guyanese, a Field Goal (FG) and a Penalty Corner (PC) each, for the Guyanese. In Friday’s second game, Guyana were looking to get a win and recover from the 20-

2 defeat against the United States and also take revenge from the last game in which they faced the South Americans, which was in 2017 for this same tournament at home (Cliff Anderson Sports Hall) where Argentina had won 30. The Argentine girls struck quickly and at the beginning they took the lead thanks to a goal from Carina

Guzmán and then from Zanni and Gomes on two occasions. At the end of the first quarter Zanni scored again, but this time with a penalty stroke. Thus the first 10 minutes ended 5-0 in favor of Argentina. The script remained the same through the match with the Argentines eventually won 14-0.

Julian Alaphilippe Takes Yellow on Crash-Filled Tour de France Stage 1

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FP/Bicycling.co m - From June 26 through July 18, the Tour de France returned to its summertime glory for 2021. The Tour rolled out of the Atlantic port of Brest yesterday, with teams of eight riders embarking on a 21-day trek across France with all eyes on defending champion Tadej Pogacar. Stage 1 Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe dusted himself off from a fall to claim the first yellow jersey of the To u r d e F r a n c e r d a y, winning stage 1 by a clear margin on a crash-marred opening day. Wo r l d c h a m p i o n Alaphilippe shot up the early section of the final climb taking 10 bonus seconds at the finish line as Australia’s Michael Matthews came second and Primoz Roglic of Slovenia took third. Just before the finish, around 20 riders lay stricken and needing attention shortly after a first mass fall on the Tour de France opening stage including four time champion Chris Froome. Unlike the earlier crash caused by a fan, the second

Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe dusted himself off from a fall to claim the first yellow jersey of the Tour de France. (Christophe Petit Tesson - Getty Images)

came as the peloton was going around 70kph some 5km from the finish line. A first fall happened some 45km away from the finish line of stage one of the Tour between Brest and Landerneau. A fan brandishing a sign

brought down German rider Tony Martin who was riding near the head of the pack and close to excited roadside spectators. The Jumbo-Visma rider fell, bringing down a huge number of fellow peloton members behind him. The

crash held up the race for five minutes while bikes and bodies were untangled. The race leader slowed down to allow the stragglers to catch up and despite the spectacular tangle only one rider, Germany’s Jasha Sutterlin of DSM, has so far

had to pull out due to the accident. Italian champion Sonny Colbrelli and Dutch rider Wout van Aert, who ran over Martin before falling head over heels, had both been amongst the favorites to win the first stage hilltop

finish but were both badly delayed. Hordes of unmasked fans decked out in red-and-white polka dot caps and shirts lined the narrow Brittany country lanes for the 197km stage as France eases its COVID-19 restrictions.

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Sunday June 27, 2021

2021 Concacaf Gold Cup

We have a talented and young team and we’ll bounce back - ‘Golden Jaguars’ Captain Matthew Briggs

By Franklin Wilson in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida compliments of the GFF As preparations for the Guyana’s Senior Men’s National Team, the ‘Golden Jaguars’ continue here in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida ahead of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup competition, Captain of the team, Matthew Briggs is quietly confident that they will bounce back and show what they are capable of doing. Briggs, who plays with Vejle Boldklub, one of the most successful clubs in Danish football history, says he is aiming to lead this young and talented team to glory days in a new era of development that has commenced with regards to restocking the team. And, still early in charge of the team, having taken over the Captain’s arm band in June this year during the final two matches of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers in St. Kitts and Nevis against the home nation and Puerto Rico, Briggs reminded of the disappointing run of matches that saw Guyana bowing out of contention but assures that

Golden Jaguars’ Captain Matthew Briggs putting in the work at training. (Franklin Wilson photo)

the team would rebound. “This mission is very important, it’s a major tournament, obviously we are disappointed from the last camp – world cup qualifiers, and not being able to reach the target that we wanted to achieve; so I thought that this is very important in the sense that

we need to bounce back and show people that we are a better team than we displayed on the last sojourn, because I know we are. We’ve got so much talent in the squad and as Captain I want to lead the team to victory.” Whilst acknowledging what happened in the past

few months, Briggs was also quick to point out that they would not be dwelling in the past but have vowed to quickly learn from their mistakes. “I’ve taken a conscious effort to remind the boys that this is the Gold Cup, we’ve got Guatemala coming up and it is vital that we give it everything we’ve got to progress to the next round and get into the group stage. For us and Guyana to get into the group stages once again would be a big, big thing for us and the nation. I try to make it clear that it’s a world stage, so many people are watching in America, Europe, all over the world really and it’s a chance for us to put on a good display and hopefully get scouted. If that doesn’t motivate you, then I don’t what will.” Friendly matches in these very challenging times of covid-19 have been seriously hampered with many nations not being able to play due to varying reasons. The fact that the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has been able to organize two matches here in the USA and invest in the team coming together almost two weeks ahead of their first match is highly appreciated,

Briggs stated. “I think this is so important in the sense that we get to train and play these warm up games to get our fitness and use them as a fitness exercise. But not only that, we get to work on our tactics that we’ve been working on in training and in team meetings for the players to understand their role and responsibilities within the team so that when we come to play Guatemala, everybody will know what they are doing and we can go into the game full of confidence and with a game plan.” Looking at the rebuilding process that the GFF has undertaken to ensure a solid foundation going forward, Briggs noted that it can be hard at times and will take some getting used to. “But, I think we have got a good group of boys in the team from Guyana and overseas which is exciting and promising and we are taking it in stride. It is also exciting to see the amount of talent that we have coming out of Guyana, the more games they play the better they’ll get. It’s all about the time you spend together, the longer the team stays together, the quicker we’ll

adapt to each other and understand each other’s game and become a more solid team.” Whilst acknowledging that their opponent on July 3rd next will be tough opponents, Captain Briggs posited that they will be going for a win and nothing less noting that the team has more than enough ability and talent to come out victorious. “We are going there to win and our focus is on qualifying for the group stage of the Gold Cup.” Captain Briggs is encouraging the fans to keep supporting their team: “I want to say to the fans to keep believing in us, keep supporting and cheering us on. I know it’s been frustrating seeing us lose a few games but nobody is more frustrated than us as players, we don’t want to go on the pitch and lose games, we want to win. Just stick with us, it will take a little bit of time through this transition of this new squad coming together and build a solid base. I think we are on the right track, just keep believing, keep supporting because we need you the fans, you are our 12th man and without your support we are at a disadvantage.”

3 teams vying for 2 spots in - Windies T20 captain Pollard not bothered by Copa America controversy surrounding selection of older players’ quarterfinals portsMax - West “So, I think it’s what’s

‘Damned if you do damned if you don’t’

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Indies T20 captain, Kieron Pollard, insists he will not be overly perturbed by the din surrounding the selection of some senior players for the team, as a debate would have surrounded the squad regardless. The selection of veteran players Chris Gayle, Fidel Edwards, and Dwayne Bravo has ruffled the feathers of some fans who insist the team should be more focused on developing younger players. With the T20 World Cup coming up, however, the position of the panel of selectors, and articulated by Pollard himself, has been to leave the door open for any

West Indies T20 captain, Kieron Pollard player that can meaningfully contribute to the team winning a third title. Gayle (41), Edwards (39), and Bravo (37) have been called up to the team ahead of a series of T20 contests, ahead of the global tournament, which began

with a series against Sri Lanka back in February. “When you look at if from a logical perspective if you go with youngsters there will still be noise. No matter what you do there will be noise,” Pollard told members of the media, in addressing the issue.

best for us, what’s best for us, and what we think is best for us going into a tournament like that. If those guys can be assets for us, then why not get the opportunity to use the little bit of experience or a little bit of cricket that they may have left in them,” he added. “It’s a situation that we are looking to pick the best team. So, these guys they play around the world, and we get the opportunity to see them play around the world and we wonder why they are not playing for us but then when we select them, we ask the questions, why are we selecting them? Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”

BUENOS AIRES (AP) Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela are in the fight for the last two spots in the Copa America quarterfinals. The prize is likely Lionel Messi’s Argentina. The top four in each group advance to the knockout stage of the troubled tournament in Brazil, rife with the coronavirus. Group B has Brazil with nine points, followed by Colombia and Peru with four, Venezuela at three, and Ecuador counting two. Colombia is the only team that has already played all of its four group games. If Peru doesn’t lose to Venezuela today it will advance for sure. Ecuador needs to beat host and defending

champion Brazil. Ecuador can still advance with a defeat as long as Venezuela fails to win against Peru and the goal difference doesn’t change much. After three matches, the Ecuadorians have minus one and the Venezuelans minus three. Group A has been decided with Bolivia missing out after three defeats. Argentina leads with seven points, followed by Paraguay with six, Chile five, and Uruguay four. Whoever finishes in the fourth position will face Brazil. Uruguay needs to beat or draw with Paraguay tomorrow to leave Chile in fourth place. Chile has already played all of its four group matches.

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Evin Lewis smashes 35-ball 71 as West Indies trounce South Africa ESPNcricinfo - A week is a long time in international sport. West Indies went from being completely outplayed i n t h e Te s t s e r i e s t o completely outplaying South Africa in the opening T20I of the five-match series. West Indies had successfully chased down a target of 160 or more at home only once before this match - against India in 2017 - but on Saturday, they reached the total with five overs to spare. They made South Africa’s total of 160 look completely insufficient and forced Temba Bavuma, in his first match as T20I captain, to consider team balance and strategy. South Africa went into the match with six specialist batters, a spin-bowling allrounder, three seamers and a s p e c i a l i s t s p i n n e r, a combination that did not seem to work for them on the day. West Indies do not need to think too much about their line-up, because the top four did the job with the bat before their attack, with a mix of youth and experience, limited South Africa to a gettable total. Left-arm spinner Fabian Allen enjoyed the best return of any of the bowlers and was well supported by leftarm seamer Obed McCoy a n d o ff s p i n n e r K e v i n Sinclair alongside senior bowlers Jason Holder, Andre Russell and Dwayne Bravo.

Evin Lewis plays a cut, West Indies vs South Africa, 1st T20I, St George’s, June 26, 2021© AFP/Getty Images

Fabian Allen celebrates a wicket, West Indies vs South Africa, 1st T20I, St George’s, June 26, 2021© AFP/Getty Images But it was Evin Lewis who stole the show. His 71 off 35 balls batted South Africa out of the match and gave them some questions to consider ahead of the second fixture in less than 24 hours. Fabian Allen’s career-best West Indies chose to introduce spin as soon as they could, opening the bowling with Sinclair and bowling Allen in the fourth over. While Sinclair ’s second over cost 17 runs, Allen had almost immediate success. Reeza Hendricks advanced down the track to meet the fourth delivery Allen bowled but the ball snuck between the bat-pad gap and hit his off stump. Allen celebrated with a signature dance move that he may have wanted to bring out several more times. He appealed for lbw after Rassie van der Dussen missed the reverse sweep and was hit on the pad and Kieron Pollard agreed to review but replays showed the ball was going over the stumps. Allen was brought back in the 12th over, with South Africa well

on their way to 100 runs, and had Temba Bavuma caught at deep square leg, off the sweep, to end an innings that seemed well set. Allen conceded just 18 runs in his four overs at an economy rate of 4.50, the best in the match. van der Dussen’s fourth fifty In Faf du Plessis’ absence, van der Dussen proved to be the glue that kept South Africa together. He survived an lbw appeal off the second ball he faced and went on to play an attractive array of strokes, mostly on the leg side. van der Dussen’s first boundary was a deliberate guide through third man and he went on to slog Bravo and Russell through square leg, pull Bravo over midwicket for six, and sweep McCoy over midwicket and through fine leg. He finished unbeaten on 56 and was, by some distance, South Africa’s most accomplished batter of the innings. Evin Lewis’ 1000 Chris Gayle is the quickest West Indian batter to get to 1000 T20I runs, in 34 innings, and Lewis is right behind him, reaching there in his 35th innings. Lewis opened his account with a pulled six off George Linde, and then smacked Kagiso Rabada over midwicket for four to become the sixth West Indian to reach 1000 T20I runs. He went on to flick Rabada for four more and then hook him for six before plundering 20 runs off Lungi Ngidi’s opening over. He reached his half-century off

Rassie van der Dussen raises his half-century, West Indies vs South Africa, 1st T20I, St George’s, June 26, 2021© AFP/Getty Images 22 balls, with a glorious six down the ground off Ngidi. This was Lewis’ fifth T20I fifty in less than 25 balls. His career strike rate of 158.20 is also the second-highest, a fraction behind Glenn Maxwell’s, among batters with at least 1000 T20I runs. Running out of options S o u t h A f r i c a ’s X I contained only five bowling options but with West Indies on 93 for 1 at the halfway stage, they decided to try

something different. Very different. Though Reeza Hendricks has turned his arm over at first-class and List A level, he had never bowled a ball in T20 cricket, never mind T20Is but was tasked with delivering the 11th over. Gayle sent Hendrick’s first ball back over his head and his second over midwicket for successive sixes before taking a single to give Lewis strike. Lewis hit another six and took a

couple and Hendricks’ over cost 21 runs, the most expensive among the South African bowlers. The two teams clash in the second match of the series today at the same venue from 2:00pm. Scores: West Indies 161 for 2 (Lewis 71, Gayle 32*, Shamsi 1-27) beat South Africa 160 for 6 (van der Dussen 56*, de Kock 37, Allen 2-18, Bravo 2-30) by eight wickets.

Jamaica Trials: Fraser-Pryce wins 100m title in 10.71 - Jaheel Hyde wins 400m hurdles in 48.18

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portsMax - When it comes to winning races that count, there is hardly a better sprinter than Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. In eight global finals, since she won her first Olympic title in Beijing in 2008, the Pocket Rocket has won six. She demonstrated that mettle once again on Friday night when she won her fourth national 100m title against a strong field on day two of the Jamaica National Championships in Kingston. The two-time Olympic champion stormed to victory in 10.71, the secondfastest time run by anyone this year, only bettered by her world-leading 10.63 run at the same venue on June 5. Using her explosive start to her advantage, she got away from the field that was

unable to close as she flashed across the finish line. Second was Shericka Jackson, who surprised everyone when she clocked a big lifetime best of 10.77 to win her semi-final just over an hour before. She ran an equally impressive 10.82 holding off the 2016 double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who was third in 10.84. Briana Williams, who at 19, was the youngest in the field, finished fourth in 11.01, which earned her a place at her first Olympic Games. There was also another surprise in the men’s 100m as Tyquendo Tracey ran 10.00 flat to edge Yohan Blake 10.01 and an ecstatic Oblique Seville, who ran a personal best 10.04 for third and booked a spot to his very first Olympic Games.

There were two runaway winners in the 400m hurdles but the more impressive of the two was Jaheel Hyde who clocked a lifetime best 48.18 to win and also exceed the Olympic standard of 48.90, which means he is also going to Tokyo this summer. He punched the air as he crossed the line and saw the flash time on the electronic clock on the infield. Second went to Sean Rowe who stopped the clock at 49.60, just ahead of Kemar Mowatt, who was third in 49.61. Janieve Russell ran away with the women’s race to win in a season-best 54.07. Ronda Whyte was second in 54.94 while Leah Nugent was third in 54.98 in a close finish that saw Shian Salmon finish fourth in 55.00.

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Sunday June 27, 2021

GCB holds first legal Ordinary General Meeting in ten years

Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice Cricket Boards with the GCB Executives.

- Ibrahim, Sukhai and Saywack elected to important positions The newly-elected Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) held its first Ordinary General Meeting for the 2021-2023 term on June 19, 2021 at the LBI Sports Facility. This meeting was chaired by the President of the GCB, Mr. Bissoondyal Singh, who welcomed the attendees and noted that, for the first time in ten (10) years, all three (3) County Boards were present at what was described as a highly successful meeting. Among the matters discussed were, the development of cricket including youth and women’s cricket, prudent

financial management, accountability and transparency of all GCB matters. Also discussed was Pakistan’s upcoming tour of the West Indies. Three (3) T20 matches are scheduled to be played at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. As per the important agenda item and consistent with the Guyana Cricket Administration Act 2014, three vacancies on the Executive Committee of the GCB were filled. Mr. Azad Ibrahim was elected VicePresident, Administration. Mr. Ibrahim is an executive member of the Muslim

Rabindranauth Saywack Youth Organization (MYO), a Vice-President of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) and

Hussain to lead Speedboat in Independence Cup playoffs Wazeer Hussain will lead Speedboat in the playoffs of the WeCare Community Services and Promotion Inaugural Independence softball cup which is set for today at NOC ground, Region two.The squad reads; Wazeer Hussain (C), Greg Singh, Safraz Esau, Shazim Hussain, Safraz Karim, Beepaul Bandoo, Lennox Marks, Ameer Mohamed, P e t e r A l l e y n e , Wa s i m Sundar, Navin Singh, Fawad Esau and Vickash Dhanpaul. Speedboat will take on Region two winner Golden Fleece, while Slayers XI of region three will face region two runner up Adventure before the two winners battle for a spot in the final.

Ms. Shariza Khan presents the cheque to a member of the organising committee. The winning team will then take on Warner Brothers in the final. M e a n w h i l e , K h a n ’s Construction and Transportation Services of region three is the latest entity to support the competition. The entity

handed over a cheque to the organisers at a simple ceremony held yesterday. Ms. Shariza Khan, a representative of the sponsors wished the teams well and said she is looking forward to an exciting playoffs.

Brian Sukhai Treasurer of the Demerara Cricket Board. He was recently appointed as manager of the Guyana National Stadium. Members agreed that Mr. Ibrahim would be able to establish an important nexus between the GCB and the Stadium. Mr. Brian Sukhai was elected to the position of treasurer of the Board. Mr. Sukhai is a former student of Queen’s College and a Guyana Scholar who qualified as an ACCA. Mr. Sukhai played cricket for a number of years for the Malteenoes Sports Club and was treasurer of the People’s Assembly Church for three years. He is presently

Azad Ibrahim employed as the Divisional Director with Responsibility for Finance at Power Producers and Distributors. Previously he worked as an accountant at GBTI, as a Business Analyst at MICROFIN and for ten (10) years was the Programme Manager of the European Union (Guyana). Mr. Sukhai has been highly recommended to the GCB and with his expertise in financing and wealth of experience, he is expected to be of tremendous assistance in the financial management of the Board. M r. R a b i n d r a n a u t h Saywack was elected to the position of Marketing

Manager of the GCB. Mr. Saywack brings to the Board a wealth of experience in management and presently holds the position of VicePresident of the Berbice Cricket Board. He has been involved in cricket administration and coaching programmes in the West Berbice region for a number of years. He is a former Cadet Officer of the Guyana Defence Force and a successful and wellrespected businessman in the agricultural sector. At the conclusion of the meeting, President Singh praised the members of the three (3) County Boards for their contribution to the meeting as many critical issues were discussed and important decisions taken. He thanked the members for their lively and interactive participation and commended them for their commitment to the development of Guyana’s Cricket. President Bissoondyal Singh said he looked forward to the continued support and cooperation of the members in furtherance of the development and promotion of Guyana’s Cricket.

Inaugural GCB Under-19 One Day 50 Overs Franchise Tournament Postponed

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ccording to the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) the inaugural GCB Under-19 One Day 50 Overs Franchise Tournament has been postponed until further notice. The postponement is due to the current inclement weather, which is expected to severely affect the player’s opportunity to showcase their talents.

The GCB remains committed to completing the tournament as soon as the weather conditions consistently become more suitable for play. All individuals who were expected to play the respective roles in the effective conduct of the remaining matches are hereby accordingly informed of this postponement a release noted.

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GBA launches Air Badminton at UG Vice Chancellor Prof. Paloma Mohamed-Martin tries her hand at Air Badminton.

GBA personnel on hand gives demonstrations of the game to attentive UG staff.

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he Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) Launched Air Badminton at the University of Guyana (UG) Turkeyen Campus on Friday 25, 2021 last to continue the spread of Badminton in Guyana. N a t i o n a l a n d International Champions Narayan Ramdhani and Priyanna Ramdhani conducted the Programme which introduced the Game to the UG Staff and Students w h i c h i n c l u d e d Vi c e Chancellor-Prof Paloma Mohamed-Martin, Dr. Anna Perriera, Head of the UG Campus of Berbice, Prof Gomes along with the Members of the Biology, Robotics & UGSS Clubs. The Students and Club

members will pass on all they learnt to other UG Students. The GBA’s President Gokarn Ramdhani made a presentation of Shuttlecocks, Rackets & Nets to the Vice Chancellor which was happily received to have Air Badminton played on Campus. The GBA in a drive to have Badminton played around Guyana, is doing a number of projects which started last year when Air Badminton was launched in December 2020 at the National Park & St. Roses High School followed by Shuttle Time Programmes this month which was delivered to New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School, Berbice

High School, Mackenzie High School and the C h r i s t i a n b u rg Wi s m a r Secondary School. Air Badminton is an ambitious new development project in partnership with HSBC, BWF’s Global D e v e l o p m e n t P a r t n e r, designed to create opportunities for people of all ages and ability to play badminton on hard, grass and sand surfaces in parks, gardens, streets, playgrounds and beaches around the world. The project has been five years in the making, starting with a vision to develop a new outdoor shuttlecock with increased durability, stability and wind resistance to allow people to have a more

positive experience of badminton outdoors. S t r a t e g i c a l l y, A i r Badminton will allow the GBA to fulfill their overall objective of putting a badminton racket in the hands of as many people as possible. “Given that most people’s first experience with badminton comes in an outdoor environment, we are now making it easier for everyone to access the sport through a new outdoor game and new shuttlecock, the Air Shuttle. In the future, we see Air Badminton as an exciting, new, energetic version of the sport. Overall, the aim is to inspire more people to play more badminton in more places,” GBA President Gokarn Ramdhani noted.

GBA President Gokarn Ramdhani hands over gear to UG Vice Chancellor-Prof Paloma Mohamed-Martin in the presence of staff, students and GBA officials.