Kaieteur News

Chinese mining company doesn’t want employees to speak to the media

DPP still looking at Dharamlall’s file

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), ShalimarAli-Hack, SC

TheofficeoftheDirector of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on Tuesday said thatallcaseshandedtoitforadvice “aregivenduelegalattention.”The statement by the DPP’s office followed protests over the alleged rape by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development,NigelDharamlall.

CrimeChief,WendellBlanhum last week said that file on the alleged rape of a 16-year-old Indigenousgirlbytheministerwas senttotheDPPShalimarAliHack, SC on June 22 for legal advice.

Sincethenseveralgroupsincluding the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the Amerindian People’s Association (APA),haveprotestedforaspeedy returnofthefile.

Minister of Local Govt. and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall

In response to this, the DPP’s Chamberssaidithasobservedthat membersoftheoppositionpolitical parties have mounted protests in frontofitsoffice.

As such, it was stated that the DPP’sofficewillnotbeintimidated bytheseindividualswhoprofessto want justice in a criminal matter even while a police file is being givenduelegalattention.

Itwasunderscoredthattherape file in question, is only one of thousandsofpolicefiles,whichthe DPP’s Office receives from all stations in all 10 administrative regions of Guyana for legal attention.

“We strongly urge the general publictodesistfrompoliticizingan alleged criminal offence It is indeed one of national interest and

Protestors holding placards

therefore, all statements/evidence must be considered before legal advice is given to the Guyana PoliceForce,”itwasfurtherstated.

The DPP’s office said it will continue to carry out its constitutional functions in an impartialmanner

This publication had reported that in a letter to President Irfaan Ali, the teen girl shared gruesome detailsabouthowshewasallegedly groomed and later raped by the minister In her letter, she pleaded with President Ali, Minister of Education,PriyaManickchandand relevantauthoritiestolookintothe matter

According to the letter seen by this publication, the girl first met the minister at an event last year,

when she was 15-years-old. She said she was raped three months after meeting the minister and at thattime,shewas16-years-old.

She disclosed in the letter that aftercontinuouslyharassingherto meet up with him, she eventually agreed to meet the minister The teen said this is when the minister allegedlyrapedandsodomisedher before handing her a sum of money

Following the official report madetothepolicebytheteengirlin thecompanyofanofficerfromthe Child Care and ProtectionAgency (CPA), Minister Dharamlall was arrested and subsequently released on$1Mbail.

Amid calls and protest by civil society for Dharamlall to be

sacked, President Irfaan Ali announced that the rape accused has proceeded on administrative leave to allow for a full probe into theallegations.

Moreover, Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo during a recent interview said that if the rape allegations levelled against Minister Dharamlall are true – the minister would have to face the consequences.

Jagdeoalsostatedthatwhilehe hopes the allegations are not true, neither the party nor the government “will put its neck on a blockforanyone.”Forhispart,the presidenthadstatedthathespoketo the minister who denied the allegations. However, he said, “no onewillbeheldunaccountable.”

Trotman regrets heeding Exxon’s advice to stay silent on lopsided contract

Amid a downpour of criticism from Guyanese and internationalorganizationson the oppressive oil contract signed between government and the ExxonMobil-led consortium in 2016, the Minister who attached his signature to the deal went silent Almost seven years after signing the contract, former Minister Raphael Trotmanadmitsthathemade a mistake by heeding to the adviceofExxontostayquiet on the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) He now contends that the lopsided arrangement can be renegotiated.

Trotman in a new book titled ‘From Destiny to Prosperity’ which chronicles histenureasaMinisterunder theAPartnershipforNational Unity+AllianceForChange (APNU + AFC) Coalition government between 2015 and 2020, with a particular focus on decisions made regarding the emerging petroleum sector, wrote that oneofthemistakeshemade was heeding the advice of Exxon to remain hushed on thedeal.

Trotmanontheprefaceof his 201-pages book wrote, “At some time, and without realizing when, and during my tenure as a Minister, I made two mistakes that can prove fatal in politics The first was that I depended on, and expected others to come tomydefenceandtoexplain thingsaway Thesecondwas thatIfailedtorespondtothe critics; believing that the truthwouldbeseenforwhat itis.”

According to the former Minister, “I had been quite rightly cautioned by Mr Carlton James, media specialist, and Exxon’s former Director for Government Relations in Guyana, never to accept an invitationtoenterintoagutter fight, so I chose to stay quiet.”

Trotman has also called for a Commission of Inquiry (CoI)tobeconductedintothe signing of the 2016 PSA between the Government of Guyana (GoG) and the StabroekBlockpartners

The member of the AFC party had signed the deal on behalf of Guyana and was blamed for tying the country to the oppressive provisions, whichmakeitdifficultforthe country to renegotiate for betterterms

In that agreement, Guyana accepted a two percent royalty on its sweet lightcrudeandagreedforthe

“I had been quite rightly cautioned by Mr Carlton James, media specialist, and Exxon’s former Director for Govt. Relations in Guyana, never to accept an invitation to enter into a gutter fight, so I chose to stay quiet.”

oil companies to take 75 percent of the revenue towardstherecoveryofcosts for their investment. The remaining 25 percent is then shared equally between the partiesguaranteeingGuyana a 12.5 percent share. When Trotman signed the PSA, he alsoagreedtowaivealltaxes for the oil companies, forfeiting billions of USdollars in revenue for the country

Besides the fiscal terms, thecountryhasalsoagreedto a number of other provisions extending an upper hand to the oil companies in the administration of the sector Forinstance,thePSAshields the oil companies from the passage of new legislation that can affect their revenues Transparency advocate, Dr Yog Mahadeo had equated this as a mockery of the country’s Constitution.

Inhisnewbook,Trotman said he had expected that an independent and credible investigation or inquiry w o u l d h a v e b e e n commissioned - even before 2020 Hesaidthiswouldhave allowed him to speak and share freely and openly on whattranspiredbutthisnever occurred.

The former Minister said he had even shared his willingness to participate in anInquirywiththePublisher of Kaieteur News,Mr.Glenn Lall but he noticed that the businessman did not use his platform to advocate for the process

Assuch,hewrote,“These writings therefore are intended to put my actions and decisions into their proper context and perspective and are meant particularlyforthetruthtobe known There is not much newmaterialtoberevealedas most of what is known has already been publicly revealed. However, it has beenimpresseduponmethat IhaveadutytotellallthatI know.”

Trotman, an Attorney-atLaw told Kaieteur News on Tuesday that he has been callingforaninquiryforyears and while the process is not onetorelishover,hedoesfind ittobenecessary Atthesame time, he pointed out that this decision will ultimately be made by the “powers that be”.Trotman,howevermade

it clear, “I am available and will cooperate fully, should there ever be one Ultimately, if the people of Guyananeedtoknowallthe details, then there should be one ” To this end, he explained,“Ihavedecidedto write because I have been

encouragedtodoso-lestthe history of what transpired indelibly becomes someone else’sversionofthe‘truth’ I write because I owe it to my children, relatives, and close friendswhostoodbymyside against relentless torrents of criticism, vitriol, untruths,

half-truths and downright nastiness These writings do not set out to apologize, but to explain, and to do so withhumility.”

Trotman’s new book features 10 chapters, each of which represents an individualepisodeintimeand circumstance, which when broughttogetherwillprovide context of the signing according to him The 201page book was published on June2,2023

Former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman

Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

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

Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

EXTENSION FOR EXXONMOBIL, NO CONCESSIONS FOR GUYANA

Everyoneknewit. ExxonMobilwasgoingtobegivenan extension of the 20% of the Stabroek Block that it was scheduledtorelinquishlaterthisyear Thecompanygetsan extension,butGuyanagetsnoconcession. ExxonMobilgets high, Guyanese get hell. Everything that the PPPC Government does benefits ExxonMobil in some significant way,butdamagesGuyana’shopesatthesametime.

Clearly,neitherPresidentAli,norVicePresidentJagdeo, nor Opposition Leader Norton appreciate how destructive their postures and decisions are to the interests of the Guyanesepeople. ExxonMobil’sAlistairRoutledgetoldthe worldabouthowchallengingitwouldbeforhiscompanyto shelloutafewdollarsmoretoGuyana,buthehassucceeded in obtaining this extension of time for the Stabroek Block. With the additional time, ExxonMobil races ahead with its explorationprogrammetodiscoverandthendraineverydrop ofoilintherichStabroekBlock. ExxonMobilislookingfor any advantage to fill its pockets, but Guyana’s political leaders are shrinking from standing up to the American company and use the bargaining chips they have in their hands.

The relinquishment that is so against ExxonMobil’s interests, visions, and calculations has to be worth something, possibly very much. The fact that ExxonMobil andAlistair Routledge worked doggedly and slickly to get that extension of time ought to inform the Government of Guyana, and the Guyanese people, that by ExxonMobil’s studies, and from the company’s experience, the odds are veryhighthattherearemanymorebillionsofbarrelsofoil equivalentslyingbeneaththeseabed,andarejustwaitingto befound. Itisnotastretchbyanystandardtoconcludethat ExxonMobil’sworld-classexpertsalreadyknewso,whichis why the company wanted the extension of time, and which theGovernmentofGuyanawasonlytoogladtodeliver

How much better it could have been for Guyana if the Government, the President, and the Vice President, with an able assist from the Opposition Leader, had used the extension coveted by ExxonMobil to extract some better termsforGuyana. Suchanaction,suchdetermination,bythe GuyanaGovernmentwouldhaveservedtwopurposes. First, it would indicate just how much the extension is worth to ExxonMobil,viz.,whatpriceitwaswillingtopaytogetwhat itwanted. Andsecond,itwouldhavebeenarareinstanceof thePPPCGovernmentmanifestingitsresolveandreadiness to stand up to ExxonMobil, stare it down, and strike some deal that gives this country more than it is currently getting throughthe2016ProductionSharingAgreementforthevast StabroekBlock.

It was either the company will pay, or the Guyana Governmentwillstaywiththerelinquishmentprovision. As has been the case pitting ExxonMobil on one side of the discussion table, and Guyanese politicians on the other, our leadershavewimpedoutandrolledover,whileExxonMobil has won out and walked all over them and, by extension, everyGuyanese. WhenwehaveExxonMobilanditsguileful Guyana Country Head, Mr Alistair Routledge where we want both, in a corner, either the President or the Vice President (or all two of them) steps back and relieve the pressure that we can apply to the oil supergiant. When we needtheOppositionLeadertosignalhissteelinessandshow his strength on matters of this significance, he is content to makeithisprioritytobe“wukkingpon”thechairwomanof GECOM. The Opposition is trapped in the past, while Guyana’soilfutureisinjeopardyinthehandsofthePPP/C Government.Now thatExxonMobilhasovercomethetime barrier,thankstoourdreadfulanddisastrouspoliticians,itis almost guaranteed that at least one of the new wells to be drilled will result in another huge oil payload. What we didn’t know before, we will know then, compliments of crafty ExxonMobil. The one-year extension would have paidhandsomedividends,andtheproductioncalendargains a few more years to drain every spot of oil from the new project[s].Thisishowthenation’spatrimonyismanagedby thePPP/CGovernment. Wegetatrump,andExxonMobilis givenabigbump.

THREE THINGS THE GOVT. CAN DO TO WIN MYVOTE OF CONFIDENCE

DEAREDITOR,

TherearethreethingsthatthePPP/C Government can do to win my vote of confidence:

1) Consultations: open consultation with the political opposition as is constitutionally required. Consult with

theunionsonwagesnegotiations.And, better consultations with Civil Society ThiswilldeepenDemocracyinGuyana.

2)FeasibilityStudies:thisshouldbe doneonallmajorprojectssothatwedo notendupwithWhiteElephants.

3 ) R e n e g o t i a t e t h e

ExxonMobil/Guyana oil contract: ExxonMobil will renegotiate; they wouldnotwalkawayfromallthatoil. Theseareminimumrequirementsto getmyvoteofconfidence.

Sincerely, SeanOri

Recognition of the late Dr. Honnett Searwar - a doctor of great fame, honour, simplicity, charm and austerity

DEAREDITOR,

Itiswithsorrow,sadness and sympathy we received thenewsofthepassingofDr Honnett Searwar, physician, s u r g e o n , obstetrician/gynecologist of St.JosephMercyHospitalin excess of 55 years of dedicated, devoted, professional service of great skill, charm and patience to and with his patients. He doesnotspeakmuch.

Dr Searwar delivered nearly all of my children,

Mahendra Kissoon, being the first on June 30th 1968. Hebecameafondafragrant friend of my brother Bharat, nowdeceased.

Heisknownprivatelyfor his raucous sense and took greatdelightinthecompany ofthatbrother

He was a man of many parts in the realm of the medical profession, administrator, lecturer and educatorandmentorofmany doctorsandyoungnurses.

He was so selfless in his

service, so punctual in the call at the hospital that he frowns on the behaviour pattern of new professionals within the professions. He complains of a lackadaisical behaviour of nurses on punctualityandseveralother shortcomings which in his viewdonotaidinthehealing process of patients His d e d i c a t i o n a n d professionalism were recognized by the government and people of Guyana in the award of the

ArrowofAchievement(AA) honour

We will miss this doctor of great fame and honour, simplicity, charm and austerity Hewasanobleand faithful devotee of the Lord andthecatholicchurch. May his soul rest in peace. Eternal rest given to thesoulofHonnettSearwar, oh Lord and let perpetual light shine on him. May he restinpeace.Amen.

Regards,

J.T.Kissoon

Call for greater diaspora activism in America to strengthen ties with Guyana

DEAREDITOR,

Last week, at several public meetings during a state visit, the large Indian diaspora that also included hundreds of thousands of IndianGuyaneseintheUSA was lauded by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the President of America Joe Biden for its very important role in helping to bring the two countries together Since the 1970s, several Indian Guyanese and Trinidadians have joined nationals from India to lobby for closer ties betweenIndiaandUSA.The Guyanese Diaspora (of all ethnicities) in America, which is larger than the population of Guyana, has the capacity (numbers and resources) to play a similar meaningfulroleastheIndian diaspora in cementing ties betweentheUSandGuyana. The diaspora can act as an effectiveplayerinimpacting the dynamics of relations (trade, investment, development)betweenthese two nations. Regrettably, successive administrations in Guyana have not maximized use of the diaspora to strengthen ties with the most powerful nationintheworld.

i s indispensablewhenitcomes

to democracy and political changeinGuyana.Guyanese mustneverforgetthattheUS was responsible for the restoration of democracy in Guyana in 1992 after 26 years of authoritarian rule andagainin2020whenthere was an unabashed effort to rigthecountingofthevotes. The US was also tied to change in administrations in 1953,1964,and2015.Thus, one must not discount the powerful role of the US in securing democracy or change in administrations in Guyana.

Opinion surveys conducted by this writer found that the Guyanese diaspora and Guyanese at home are/were very grateful for the role played by Washington in restoring democracy in 1992 and 2020.

The diaspora wants closertieswithAmerica.But successive governments and some political parties in Guyana and their support groupsintheUSdidnotpay heed to popular opinion to bolstertieswithWashington; theyweremoreinterestedin closertieswiththeEastbloc (now defunct) and China. Had the political parties listened to pro-America activists since the 1970s, democracywouldhavebeen

institutionalizedandsecured andprotectedbytheUS.

During the period of the dictatorship, particularly in thelate1970sandcontinuing thru 1992, a few of us, Guyanese and Trinis in A m e r i c a , l o b b i e d Washington lawmakers and theExecutivebranchtohelp the struggle for the restoration of democratic governance in Guyana. We unsuccessfully sought the assistance of left wing or socialist or communist support groups affiliated with parties in Guyana to join us in lobbying Washington We were rebuffed with some choicest wordsusedtodescribethose of us who sought to engage Washington officials to restore democracy in our homeland. We were abused and called bourgeoisie, imperialists, lackeys, and tools of the American exploiters. Lobbying paid off American lawmakers inclusive of Ted Kennedy, Stephen Solarz, Elliott Engel, joined by President Bush Sr., among others, issued statementscallingfor free and fair elections in Guyana Had Washington not intervened, Guyana may well have remained an authoritarian state Similarly, after the no

confidence motion in December 2018 and continuing thru August 2020, a small group of us, yes some of the same imperialists, appealed to Americanlawmakersandthe Trump Administration to protect democracy in Guyana. It worked. Without Washingtonintervention,the voters’ democratic choice would not have been honouredin2020.

As observed in the case of the Indian diaspora, lobbying and soft power work to win allies in Washington and closer relations with India. Given thepoweroftheUStosecure democracy in Guyana and the role of the diaspora in appealing to US officials to protect democracy at home, is it not wise for any a d m i n i s t r a t i o n i n Georgetown to bolster ties with Washington. Shouldn’t political parties and the government of Guyana encourage the diaspora for an active role in American politicalaffairs,especiallyin winningoverlawmakersand executive officials, with the goal of strengthening ties between our two nations? Closer ties will benefit both nations.

Yourssincerely, VishnuBisram

It’s

for the adults who had a role and responsibility for the safety of the Mahdia dorms children be held to a greater account

DEAREDITOR,

One month after the Mahdiafire-Wordscannot fully express the pain and grieffeltnationallyfromthe heart-wrenchingtragedythat occurred at the dormitory of the Mahdia Secondary School in Region 8 on the morningofMay22nd,2023. The devastating Mahdia fire took the lives of 20 children and injured several others causing intense shock, disbeliefandangertospread throughoutthenation.

Thepainoflosingachild is unimaginable Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families and friends of Adanye Jerome, Tracil Thomas, Lisa Roberts, Delecia Edwards, Lorita Williams, Natalie Bellarmine, Arriana Edwards, Cleoma Simon, Subrina John, Martha Dandrade, Mary Dandrade, LoreenEvan,BelnisaEvans, Omerfia Edwin, Nickleen Robinson, Sherena Daniel, Eulander Carter, Andrea Roberts, Rita Jeffrey and SheranaDaniels.

This unexpected tragedy affected the residents of Mahdia, Chenapau, Micobie, Karisparu and other villages in Region 8, where these innocent souls once called home. During the aftermath of the traumatic event, many questionsandconcernswere raised as to who should be heldaccountable.

To date only a child was held accountable for this national tragedy Guyanese and the rest of the world watched as 19 murder

charges were filed against a teenage girl who allegedly started the fire.

It was subsequentlyannouncedthat thegovernment’sintentionis toestablishaCommissionof Inquiry (COI) to investigate thecircumstancesandcauses surroundingthedeadlyfire.

Sincethen,thenationhas not been provided with any furtherinformationaboutthe establishmentoftheCOI.

As the authorities hold a child to account, it is even more critical that the adults who had a role and responsibility for the safety and safeguarding of these children be held to a greater a c c o u n t T h e recommendations of the UNICEFreportareyettobe addressed and whilst it seems like the Fire Department has started installing fire alert and preventionsystemsatdorms across the country, a more pragmatic and systematic approach is needed from those with responsibilities for protecting children especially in State care

There is a need for transparency and the public should know who is responsible for the various

aspects of safeguarding childreninStatecare.

After one month, the lingering question is “could this incident have been avoided?” and the resoundingansweris,‘Yes’! This was a grave mistake, and maybe one or a small handful of people may be culpable. We are hopeful that the COI will provide some answers on this question We are also concerned that reputedly all the children who have survivedthefirearenownot in a learning environment and it is not clear when they willhaveaccesstoschooling again The children in Region 8 mental and emotional well-being is of criticalconcernasaresultof this fire, however, it is also not clear what systems have beenputinplaceforongoing emotional care for the children and their families who have lost a loved one, especially since there is no resident social service officerintheRegion.

The overall well-being and protection of children from all harm and generally safeguarding families need tobeintegraltothedecision-

making process for local authorities, government ministriesandagencies,civil society and the business community. Decisionmakers must pay keen attention to how and where children access services as this is critical to children’s overallwell-beingaswellas theirsafety

Omattie MadrayChildLink,CSNRG

Juanita BurrowesUnitedBricklayers,CRA

Maureen Hope - Youth withPurpose,CRA

Dmitri NicholsonYouthChallengeGuyana

Ivor Melville - Hope Foundation

NicoleCole–CSNRG

Collin Marks - Help and Shelter

BibiAhamad - We Care Guyana

GaneshSingh-CSNRG

Ayo Dalgety-DeanBlossomInc.

RenataChuck-A-Sang

AkolaThompson

SalimaBacchus-Hinds

Ashome ClarkeChildLinK

H a s a n i Ti n n i eChildLinK

Tieanna JordanChildLinK

DEAREDITOR,

TherearecertainthingsI wouldnotgaugethroughthe lens of politics I am uncompromising when it comes to abuse of women. I have lived a violence-free life but there is something insideofmethatwouldmake me do horrible things to people that hurt children. That thing inside of me scares me. I have spent all my life outside the violence zone.

I asked myself deep within why the PPP government is trying to cover-up those horrific allegations of rape and buggery against one of its ministers. That Amerindian schoolchildtoldtherelevant authorities about the brutal sexualviolationsdonetoher Shemusteredwhateverlittle courage she had left and cried out for help. I am sure the Americans, British; the whole international community, Mia Mottley of Barbados (very silent since

regime change), and the wholeoftheMiddleEastare aware of the allegations of rape levelled against Guyana’s local Government Minister.

I have been asked about the usually right-thinking lawyerandformerpolitician who opted to represent the rapeaccused.Irepeatthathe has a right as a lawyer to represent Satan and the whole of Hell. What I know is that he will not insult the Guyanese people and ever raise his head again in opposition politics The Guyanese people are not stupid. They know who the enemy is and it is obvious they will know who is condoning and protecting evil There is something inside of me that scares me whenIhearofchildrenbeing hurt. I have lived a violence freelife,allmylife.

Sincerelyyours,

NormanBrowne Social and Political Activist

critical

There is something inside of me that scares me when I hear of children being hurt

-

DEAREDITOR,

I lost a dear friend and comrade, Bro Andrew Garnett.AndrewandImetin 1980 when he was an upcoming cadre in the Guyana Local Government Officers Union (GLGOU). He had great admiration for the then GLGOU President, Samuel Thorne, who was seenastheproficientlecturer on the role of the shop steward in the trade union. Thorne honed Andrew’s interest to concentrate on special areas of industrial relations which prepared him to become a lecturer at the Critchlow Labour College and the Labour Movement in areas such as Occupational Safety and Health, and aspects of CollectiveBargaining.

When Thorne left in 1983,Andrewwaselectedto the presidency of the GLGOUandshepherdedthe union in that position until his retirement. The union’s propertyatWoolfordAve,in Georgetown, both the land and construction were acquired and completed underhisleadership.

Andrew was one of the localtradeunionistswhohad

the opportunity of being trainedattheGeorgeMeany CentreforLabourStudies,in Maryland, United States of America He used that training to support local trade union education and training. While the GLGOU comparativelyisnotaslarge as the Teachers Union and Public Service Union, the leadershiphedeliveredinhis union’s quest for integration andsolidarityalongwithhis presentationofselfasatrade unionist of substance and significance, was no less outstanding. It is not surprising therefore that he subsequently became president of the GTUC in 2003. Andrew entered the leadershipofGuyanaTrades Union Congress (GTUC) as an elected Committee Member, then moved through the elected ranks as Assistant Secretary, Organising Secretary, PrincipalAssistantSecretary and President. He was the firstpersonfromGLGOUto become president of the GTUC. Andrew’s quest to become President of the GTUC followed that of a previous GLGOU President Ovid Orderson’s in 1970

who was defeated by Richard Ishmael from the Man Power Citizens Association(MPCA).

As a unionist, Andrew had a great grasp of issues that impacted the wellbeing of health workers, and workers in both traditional and semi-autonomous agencies, which helped to pilot the movement through challenging times. Andrew was generally a cool, calm, soft spoken, well cultured and caring person who exuded finesse and dignity. He cared about workers, cared about his fellow Guyanese. He was a proud African brother and a Pan Africanist. I observed his kindness and thoughtfulness as he interacted with persons and organisations soliciting his assistance Whenever there was an opportunitytohelp,evenifit required him going into his pocket,Andrew never failed tocontributetoacause.

Andrew proudly participated in African functions as he believed these were important to his identity and the collective African presence. For him these were opportunities for

nurturing and moulding generational knowledge and understanding of African history and contributions to national and global development He was overall supportive of opportunities for mentoring, nurturing the talents and bolstering the confidence of theAfricanmanandwoman tovaluethemselvesasequal to not lesser than any other group. Andrew had deep concerns and was intolerant of the politics of hate and division. He viewed this as counterproductive to the unity of the working class, development of every Guyanese and the nation. There were instances where personssoughttoenticehim with lucrative offers, both for positions and finance, that could have undermined the values he embraced, whilst placing him in a position supportive of what he referred to as “antinationalism” Needless to say, Andrew rejected these opportunities and continued to uphold his trade union principles and personal dignity

Andrew made numerous contributions to the trade union movement in Guyana and the wider Caribbean. Particularly remembered was his leading role in developing policies and p r o g r a m m e s o n Occupational Safety and Health, and HIV/AIDS. He worked with the Caribbean Congress of Labour and the Commonwealth Trade Union Congress in developing a Safety Manual for trade unions in the Caribbean He served as Founder Member and Chairman of the National Committee on Occupational Safety and Health. He was also a member of the

downfall”

Administrative Committee oftheCaribbeanCongressof Labour and was the trade union representative on the Guyana Local Government Commission.

Andrew also acted as a Town Clerk of the GeorgetownCityCouncil

To those who didn’t know Andrew personally, beneath the serious facial expression he wore, there was a man who could unwind,havefunandlaugha lot.Asyoungmenwewould party, and Andrew would dance all night. He loved dancing and was considered agreatdancer.

Andrew was great at socialisingandmakingthose in his presence feel comfortable. For instance, while he was not a lover of dominoes, if he attended an event where the sport was being played, he would fit rightinwiththecompetitors and onlookers, urging both sides on, and enjoying the competition.

Formanyyears,Andrew, Norris Witter and I worked verycloselyandsharedideas as we discussed the role of labourinourevolvingsocioeconomic and political circumstances and the c h a l l e n g e s w i t h governmentsandemployers, across the spectrum. Whilst Andrew retired from the public service and trade union leadership, down to his last days he was a trade unionistatheart.

Once a trade unionist, always a Trade Unionist, as the principles of trade unionism run deep to those who are committed to the causes of the working class. There was never a doubt whereAndrew’s loyalty and commitmentwas.Whenever we interacted, having dispensed with the

pleasantries we engaged in passionate discussion about the workers’ plight and future.Iwillrememberthose days. Iwillmissthosedays even more, since he has departedourearthlyreaches.

Andrew was a comrade, a friend, a brother and ally for justice and fair play in society During his last period in the movement, he expressed concern about the future and the seeming unwillingness of persons to take a stand in defence of their rights. Andrew bemoaned the avalanche of assault towards the working classthathasbuiltthisnation with great personal and economic sacrifices. In his memory, I sincerely hope complacency will not be the workers’ downfall, particularly in light of escalating abuses and violations by an uncaring government.Thiswasoneof his greatest concerns. It remainsrelevant.

And whilst his work on earth is done and the Lord has called him home, Andrew shall forever be in my memory, and that of the trade union movement, for hehasleftanindeliblemark. a legacy worthy of upholding The Triad of Andrew Garnet, Norris Witter and Lincoln Lewis is physically broken but what we shared, what remains, runs deep in the spirits and willliveonfarbeyondallof usasaninspirationtoothers. As we celebrate Andrew’s life, he would want us all to remember the words of “Solidarity” from which I highlightoneverse.

“Inourhandsisplaceda power greater than their hoardedgold

Greaterthanthemightof atoms, magnified a thousand-fold

We can bring to birth a newworldfromtheashesof theold

For the union makes us strong”

Solidarity! Solidarity! Sleepinpeace,mybrother Regards,

LincolnLewis

In memory ofAndrew Garnett

“complacency must not be the workers

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NEW EITI RULES MEAN

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GREATER DISCLOSURES ON STABROEK BLOCK PROJECTS

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Guyanese would recall that it was Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo who some months ago, expressed extreme caution when faced with calls for greater disclosures on the exploration, development and production budgets for the Stabroek Block.

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His reservation was buttressed by his belief that Kaieteur News would nitpick; and in any event, it is highly unlikely that other countries do this.

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Thanks to the new rules set by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, disclosures on the costs being incurred by Exxon and other oil players will now be an industry norm. Guyana is required to play by these rules.

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Let’s see what new excuse the country’s chief policy maker for the oil sector will conjure up to continue keeping Guyanese in the dark.

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

APNU submits recommendations on new oil law to media instead of Govt.

TheAPartnershipforNationalUnity(APNU)onMonday releaseditsinitialcommentsonthedraftPetroleumActivities Billtothemediaratherthanthegovernment.

EconomicAdvisortotheLeaderoftheOpposition,Elson Lowtoldthisnewspaperthatthepartywillnotbesubmitting its views to the government as it stands by its view that the two-weekperiodisunacceptable.

Hesaid,“Wewantedtohighlightsomeissuesthatarevital andwilllooktoaddressthemandothersmoresubstantively whenthebillisreadintheNationalAssembly.”

On June 19, the Ministry of Natural Resources released thedraftBillandannouncedatwo-weekperiodforthepublic tosubmittheirfeedback.

Previously,theOppositiondidnotofferanycommentson themodelProductionSharingAgreements(PSAs)togovern future Shallow and Deepwater Blocks. When the Leader of the Opposition,Aubrey Norton was questioned by Kaieteur News’ reporters at a press conference last month, he said he was waiting on general elections to reveal his plans for the petroleumsector

According to him, “we have looked at these issues and whenweareready,wearegoingto…weareapoliticalparty, wewillheadtoanelection,wehavetotimewhenwesaywhat andwhenwebegintodoourelectioncampaignetcetera,we willstateclearlywhatitisweintendtodo;howweintendto doitandwhatchangeswethinkareneededinsomeareas.”

In a subsequent statement, the party released some of its plans to manage the sector, indicating that it will seek a renegotiationoftheExxoncontractduringitsfirst50daysin office.

The Opposition in one of its eight bullet points on the proposed oil law pointed out that while the document considers unfavourable production and makes provision for royalty payments to be waived, it features no similar clause that can ensure Guyanese benefit from an increased royalty ratewhencompaniesenjoyahigherpriceonthesaleofoil.

AsaresultoftheongoingwarinUkraine,oilpricesskyrocketedin2022,surgingtomorethanUS$100abarrelforthe firsttimesince2014.

ThepoliticalOppositionhasraisedconcernthatthedraft oil law fails to make preparations for such an event. It explained that while it is acceptable to help companies throughafinancialcrisis,governmentmustalsoconsiderits people and seek to rake in more value when their partners thriveinfavourableconditions.“Helpingcompaniesthrough financial crisis is acceptable. But while the Bill addresses reducing or deferring royalty payments to government by companies,thereisnoreciprocalorin-fairnessprovisionfor increasingroyaltyratesinsituationswherecompaniesbenefit fromsustainedhighoilprices,”thepartysaid.

TheOppositionadded,“Suchthinkingshouldbeincluded in theAct, without unduly jeopardizing the predictability of theinvestmentclimateorfiscalregime.”

To this end, the political body said that the legislation should make provisions for a price-based, pre-set sliding or variable royalty rate, such as what obtains in the local gold industry

All companies operating in Guyana will be required to abide by the legislation when enacted. The draft Petroleum Activities Bill replaces the Petroleum (Exploration and Production)Act1986.

Asitrelatestoroyalty,theproposedlawstatesthatthese payments can be deferred to another date or remitted by the Minister of Natural Resources, after consultation with the Minister of Finance. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo at his press conference on Thursday said the government may tightenthisprovisiontoallowanysuchdecisiontobemade byCabinetratherthanbeapprovedbytheMinister

Thedraftoillawalsomakesprovisionfortheroyaltyowed tothestatebemadeinpart-paymentsbytheoilcompanies

AccordingtothedraftBillatSection49(1),“TheMinister may, on application made to him by a licensee and after consultation with the Minister assigned responsibility for finance,byorder—(a)remit,inwholeorinpart,anyroyalty payablebytheapplicant,or(b)deferpaymentofanyroyalty, onsuchconditions(ifany)ashemayspecifyintheorder.”

ThedraftBillalsoputsapenaltyinplaceforanypersonwho failstopaythecountryroyaltyowedonorbeforethedeadline

Continued on page 19

THE SIMPLE PLEASURES OF LIFE

The politics of Guyana, indeedlife,canbeextremely depressingandtaxing.Ifitis notonething,itistheother

We live in a highly polarized society, and this acts as a dagger against objectivity One day people will accept something as truth,butwhentheirinterests are threatened, they turn around and argue the opposite Dealing with Guyana’s twists and turns is enoughtosendyoucrazy

The burden of being involvedinlocalpoliticscan be extremely exhausting. It canwreckyourpersonallife. Forthesakeofone’ssanity,it is therefore good to have a mechanism to simply “turn off” from the politics of the

country and to find some joys in the little comforts of life.

MilesFitzpatrick,oneof Guyana’s better known lawyers, was cremated four years ago. How time flies! He had his flirtations with left-wing politics, in his associationwiththePeople’s Progressive Party, the Working People’s Alliance, the ‘New World’Movement of the 1960’s and the Grenada Revolution of 1979-1983 He was the author of one of the best analyses of race and politics inGuyana.

He was deeply involved inhumanrightsandpolitical causes right up to the end of the last century The 21st

Dem Boys Seh...

century saw him take a backseat in his involvement inhighprofilepoliticalcases andcauses.Heeasedhimself away from public life over thepasttwodecades. Perhapsitwasagewhich saw him no longer taking such a high profile public stance against issues Perhaps it was the scarring by the ugly, racist and personally insulting comments which Desmond Hoyte–himself a legal man–made about him in the run-uptothe1992elections. Perhaps it was because he temporarily acted as a judge of the Court of Appeal and feltthathisstatusasaformer judge, even though temporary, proscribed him

Trains coming back to Guyana

De government recently saidthatitmightbringback a train service pon de East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

De government selling pipe dreams, once again. Dem nah gat no feasibility study fuh point nor any study fuh indicate that it practical fuh haveatrainservice.

But dat is how we does rollindenewestpetro-state. Forget about all dem silly studies!

Who needs feasibility studies when you can have blindenthusiasm?

It’s truly remarkable how de government overlooked some practical considerations.DeECDgat plenty small, small villages andpeopledoesliveineach o f d e m . B e t w e e n Georgetown and Mahaica dehgatabout50villages.

Imagine de train gat fuh

stop fuh put off and tek in passengers at each one of dese villages. After all de reasonitcomingbackisfuh easedetransportationwoes. Withalldemstops,itganbe faster fuh ride a bicycle to reachMahaicathantotravel withdetrain.Butperhapsde government gat a better plan.

Dem should have thoughtaboutlightrailsinto de major housing schemes on de East Bank – at Diamond/ Grove – and at Tuschen/ Parfaite Harmony –ondeWestCoast.

Dat would have saved thembillionsofdollarsfrom nothavingtobuilddemnew four-lane highways and bypassroadsdembuilding.

But is dreaming does pass fuh planning in Guyana.

Or, more likely, the

government just making things up as it goes long, relying on wishful thinking andpoliticalgrandstanding. Why plan when acting on brainwaves is a more excitingadventure?

But let us not forget de magical allure of trains Who needs efficient transportation systems when you can have a choochoo train? Tourists will surely flock from far and wide to experience the wonders of a train that crawls at a snail’s pace and has to stop every ten seconds.

So Guyanese sit back andwaitfuhdeECDtrain.It gan be a ghost train, empty of passengers and running oninvisibletracks.Justlike deideawhichgaverisetode announcement.

TalkHalf!LeffHalf!

Medical data protection bill to be tabled in parliament soon

Abillthatwillensurethe protection of medical data for persons in Guyana will be laid in Parliament within thecomingweeks.

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, disclosed theinformationatthelaunch oftheFamilyHealthManual at the Ministry of Health, Brickdam,onTuesday

Hetoldpersonsgathered for the launch that the bill was written as part of the government’s efforts to securepersons’data,evenas Guyana transitions to an electronic health record system. “If we are going to doelectronichealthrecords, then people’s information must be kept confidential.

So, you can’t go and steal people’s information,” he said.

The legislation outlines heftyfinesforpersonsfound guilty of any breach of confidentiality,rangingfrom a minimum of 20 million dollars,allthewayupto100 milliondollars.

It also provides for p e r s o n s t o f a c e imprisonment for offences under the act Minister Anthony said that the bill and its consequences serve asawarningtoeveryonethat as healthcare workers, it is pertinent to ensure the protection of patients’ data. The government intends to lay the Data Protection Bill

from active commenting, advocacy of or involvement in political causes. Perhaps, he simply gave way to a newer generation Or perhaps, like so many other Guyanese,hefoundawayof simply ‘turning off’ and sought refuge in the simple pleasuresoflife.

There are many Guyanesewhohaveoptedto simply ignore the rotten, constantly combative and contentious political environment, the unceasing crime and the crudeness of Guyanese life in general. Some people – believe it or not – simply do not watch local news They are unconcerned about the depressing news which emanatesfromGuyanaeach day They grind no political axesandtakelittleinterestin the public affairs of the

nation. They live their own lives as if Guyana did not exist. They only look at the foreign newscasts; they go overseas on long vacations andtheyhavehobbieswhich keep them occupied and oblivious to the twists, turns andtragedieshere.

It would have been impossible for Miles Fitzpatrick, given his political groundings, to not have taken an interest in whatwas takingplacein his country But in his last days hereonearth,hedidseemto find things to do which brought him great pleasure and which allowed him to keep away from public involvement in Guyana’s contentious politics He found ways of enjoying the simple pleasures of life. It was said that he enjoyed good wine, loved cooking, wasafamilyman,andhadan

obsessionwithhorseracing. Miles Fitzpatrick played his partinthefightforfreedom, democracy and respect for humanrights.Therecomesa time when the greatest of warriors have to lay down their weapons and allow others to continue the fight. Miles, to his credit, knew when the time had come to put down his weapons and simply enjoy the simple pleasuresoflife.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)

2023 in the National Assembly after it engages key stakeholders It is currently conducting consultations with several stakeholder organisations f o l l o w i n g w h i c h , recommendations will be taken on board to enhance the legislation. The bill will help to regulate the collection, storage, processing, use, and dissemination of personal data,allinaprivatemanner It will consider an individual’s right to privacy and will aid in aligning Guyana with the best international practices on data protection and privacy (DPI)

BYGHKLALL

H@RD TRUTHS

BY GHK LALL

RESOURCE CURSE - MIGHT OF AMERICA, BLIGHT ON GUYANA

Oftentimes we think we know, only to discover thatweknowamountstothe miniscule. Ithinkthatafew thinking Guyanese have someideas,arecontentwith that state, fear knowing more. Others who don’t know prefer ignorance, the darkness that comforts

What is shared today, in heavilycompressedform,is about resource curse. It is distant from textbook definitions, intimately closer to the experience of poor, limited nations of mainlycoloredpeople. This particular type of resource curse sheds light on many thorny local issues; crippling political developments. It is about high politics for high stakes inhighwireacts.

Our resource curse explains the impotence of PresidentAli,andthefarces, follies, and frailties of Vice President Jagdeo Both leaders are trapped in powerful centrifugal forces

that reduce them to puppets and pawns. Our resource curse explains the removal offormerPresidentGranger and his group; and his desperate, rearguard actions tostickaroundin2020. Our resource curse explains the energies, bustles, objectives of Her Excellency, US Ambassador Sarah Ann Lynch (and likeminded Europeancronies).

And, last, our resource curse reveals how Exxon owns Guyana lock, stock, and barrel (no puns intended).

Oilwasfoundin2015by Exxon, and a contract was signed in 2016. It was the opening of Guyana’s Pandora’s Box, our first troubles. To his credit, Excellency Granger wanted to change the contract soon afterwards, as its disadvantagesbecomemore obvious, conspicuously more ominous for Guyana. Ideas about changing the contract signaled the beginningoftheendforhim

and his party When a CIA base in the Northwest was resisted, it was over for the PNC-deadmeat. Ithought, wrote, of a military base: wrong. Guyanese could now imagine what kinds of activities would have originated in the Northwest and directed against whom andwhere.

Quietly, over a dozen American generals came here for “training” of ranking Coalition people. No sonic boom, no social mediaflurry,camefromthat development.

When David Granger became unsettled at the injustices in the contract, AmbassadorLynchreceived herorders,andsetabouther rounds. Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo became the darling courted. There was none readier than he himself: say the word about whatisexpected,whatmust be done, and it is done. For clarity, this is not about heroes or villains; it is Guyanese leaders (and their

Palace Guards) remade into cartoon characters, such as FredFlintstone(lost,always several steps behind), Yosemite Sam (all blabber and bluff), and Daffy Duck (all gyrating, but losing). The only hero is Bugs Bunny, and he isAmerican. It is the reality of oil, Exxon’s vast reach, American power, and what the confluence of the two delivers, means, for a backward, divided society likeGuyana.

Now to Exxon; the company has operating budgets bigger than most countries. Thinkofthat,for a start. Exxon has the caliber of experts, departments, research capabilities, and general staffing that are all on a grander, better, and wiser scale than most countries, with only the G-20 group exempted. The rest of the world remains. Exxon had the swagger and strength to reject White House help during its Russian challenges. Exxon had the clout to get the US Coast Guard Commander (sent as the White House emissary) recalled from Alaska in the early days of the Exxon Valdez oil spill catastrophe. But,recallthatExxonhada CEO, Rex Tillerson, who became US Secretary of State. An interesting side vibe: Mr Tillerson was scheduled to visit Guyana,

a n d a b r u p t l y cancelled just the day before his arrival, and within hours the announcement came of his appointment as US SecretaryofStateinthe Trump Administration However pondered, there is this irrefutable fact: the economicandotherinterests of Exxon and the United States of America are one and, at times, inseparable. Thosecoalescedintheform of the perfect storm that descended upon Guyana Quickly, I think that Exxon even has an emissary to the Vatican.

Now, when David Grangergotinthewayofthe Exxoncontract,Americagot him out of the way.

Guyanese: be done with the bilge, garbage, and offal about democracy and free and fair Burnham used to claim those also, braced by his American sponsorship. Then, there is Bharrat Jagdeo, who may be many things,fewofthembrightor positive, but he is no dummy, no hick, no neophyte. Jagdeo is very aware of the fate of David Granger (and the PNC), which is why he mangles himself into roadkill and mincemeat. Jagdeo plays American ball, plays the fool (that he is not) for Exxon and America. He will do anything, stoop to the lowest, make himself

smallest, weakest, and shiftiest, not to have Granger’s fate fall on his head When Granger resisted being an American flunkey and cutthroat, the Yanks found a willing taker inJagdeo. Itiswhyhedoes all the heavy lifting for Exxon, piles the dirty work of the company on his own people. Hiscomrades,some of whom know the score a little,aretheretolendevery support, regardless of its lack of the national, no matter how economically devastating to Guyanese They all work overtime to stave off that fate by any means,atallcosts. Lookat Jagdeo, and there is proof, there is pathos of ambition. It is how power corrodes first, then confines to the smallest denominator. As said, high stakes and hire wireacts.

Returning to Exxon, I press Guyanese to think. Decide for self how our border matter landed at the ICJ,andhowmuchisgoing on behind the scenes for specificoutcomes. Partisto solidify Exxon’s hold here; another is to get even with Venezuela. I have one tiny snippet, a spare nugget, for contemporaries.

Former Ambassador Brent Hart and outgoing Excellency Sarah Ann Lynch are about to share space in a most intriguing place. It is appointments to USSouthernCommandand at Special Operations Control. I wonder if they were ever diplomats in the professional sense to begin with, considering these careerpostings. Thingsand people fall in and out of place (Granger,Ali, Jagdeo, Norton,HartandLynch). In sum,therichnessofaspecial kind of resource curse, as lived by Guyanese, with most of them totally, serenelyoblivious.

It is why I often contemplate, how much of what goes on here would succeed, survive, if Guyanesearetogether

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)

HARDTRUTHS

Int’l Group demands Guyana; other countries disclose how they monitor oil companies’ costs

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has issued a new set of rules which demandthatthegovernmentsofits member states make greater disclosures about the extent to which they are monitoring and auditing costs incurred by oil, gas andminingcompanies.

The international body underscored that such a move is criticalsinceinflatedcostsincurred bythesecompaniescanaffecthow muchrevenuethegovernment,and citizensbyextension,receivefrom aproject.

Under the 2023 EITI Standard, countries are now required to disclose how they monitor companies’costsandtopublish,at minimum, summaries of final tax and cost audits. Companies and governments are also encouraged

- now required to disclose audit results

to disclose capital and operating expenditures declared by companies, as well as total costs incurred since the commencement oftheproject.

Other new requirements include reporting more granular, comprehensive and higher quality disclosures on production and exports; disclosing sales agreements; introducing leaner processes for revenue disclosure; disclosingcompanies’effectivetax rates, incentives and deductions; and shedding light on companies’ costs and government systems for monitoringsame.

The new requirements would therefore ensure Guyanese get

greater disclosures on the costs being incurred by ExxonMobil on theStabroekBlock.Infact,citizens canusethesenewrulesasgrounds to demand more information on how the government is monitoring costs for five sanctioned projects totallingmorethanUS$40B.

EITI implementing countries will be assessed against the 2023 EITI Standard from January 1, 2025. To facilitate the transition, EITIsaidcountriesareencouraged to integrate the changes in their nextEITIwork.

Guyana was this year temporarily suspended from the EITI Group due to its failure to submit a key report for fiscal year

January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020sinceDecember2022.

InaccordancewithArticle10of Section 4 of the EITI Standard, an implementingcountrymaypetition the EITI Board to review its decision regarding suspension Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat subsequently appealed the decision through addressingtheChairoftheBoardin a letter The Board concluded however that the letter does not present additional evidence that would merit revising the Board’s decision. The Board reaffirmed Guyana’s temporary suspension, noting that the deadline for the publication of the outstanding

reportremainsDecember31,2022.

ABOUTEITI

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative is a global standard for the good governance ofoil,gasandmineralresources.It seeks to address the key governanceissuesintheextractive sectors. By becoming a member of the ExtractiveIndustriesTransparency Initiative (EITI), countries commit to disclose information along the extractive industry value chain –from how extraction rights are awarded, to how revenues make their way through government and how they benefit the public Through participation in the EITI, morethan50countrieshaveagreed toacommonsetofrulesgoverning whathastobedisclosedand

Continued on page 20

Financial aspect of new oil law will not affect Stabroek Block

...Exxon will play by other regulatory rules - VP Jagdeo

Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo recently confirmed that the fiscal regime outlined in the PetroleumActivitiesBill2023will not apply to the ExxonMobiloperated Stabroek Block. Outside of that, the oil major will have to play by all other regulatory rules oncethenewlegislationispassed.

The proposed law has several new fiscal demands which will governnewblockstobeawardedin the country’s first auction of 14 concessions.

TheBillstatesthattheholderof a petroleum exploration licence wouldhavetopaythegovernment rental fees in respect of their exploration or appraisal period. Theamountof therentalwouldbe

specified in the petroleum agreement. The Government has saidthiswouldbeintheamountof US$1Mforthetimebeing.TheBill states that rental would be paid annuallyontheeffectivedateofthe petroleum exploration licence and on the anniversary date so long as thelicenceremainsinforce.

Furthermore,theBillstatesthat the minister may condition the grant of a petroleum exploration licence upon payment of a signature bonus by the licensee. Where a petroleum exploration licence is granted through competitive tender the minimum value of the signature bonus shall be established in a legal notice. Where a petroleum exploration

licence is granted through direct negotiationthevalueofthebonusis the amount resulting from the negotiation process For the ongoing auction, government had announced that it would accept a minimum signing bonus of US$10M for shallow water blocks and a minimum of US$20M signing bonus for deepwater blocks.

There is also a provision in the billforthestatetocollectretention fees.Inthisregard,itnotesthatthe Minister will have the power to approve an oil company’s application for retention of a discovery, even though it may not be for immediate development or production works. In so doing, the

applicantshall,inaccordancewith thepetroleumagreement,paytothe government a retention fee for the durationoftheretentionrights.The retentionfeeis tobepaidannually on the date of approval by the Minister of an application for retention rights and on the anniversary date so long as the licenseeretainsthediscovery

Subject to this draft Act, the holderofalicenceshall,alsopayto the Government royalty in respect of petroleum obtained by the licensee in the development and production area to which the licence relates Kaieteur News understands that if the holder of a petroleum production licence fails topayanyroyaltydueonorbefore

the due date, or any further time allowed by the Minister, the Minister may, by notice served on the holder of the licence, prohibit theremovalofanypetroleumfrom the development and production area concerned, or from any other development and production area subject to a licence held by that holder, or from both, until all outstanding royalty in arrears has beenpaidoruntilanarrangement

Continued on page 22

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Woman claims Govt. Official raped her over promised REO job

…cancels contract after being rebuffed continuously

Amid growing concerns about sexualabusebyteenagegirlsatthe hands of public officials, another youngwomanhascomeforwardto share harrowing details about how she was allegedly raped, and sexually exploited by a government official who had promised her the position of Regional Executive Office (REO) oftheRegionTwoAdministration.

Thewomanhassincecontacted law firm-Dexter Todd and Associates and would be filing an officialreporttotheGuyanaPolice Force. The young woman in a statement said she met the alleged perpetratorin2020,whenhewasa member of the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) youth group. She explained that she was interested in joining the party’s group. She shared that during her first time meeting the accused, it was over dinner where they had a professional interaction, but added that some of his actions that evening“wasjuststrange.”

Afew months later, she shared that the official called her about a joboffer “Ireplywithmuchvigour thatIwillbeathisdisposalforthe position he mentioned,” the young womandetailedinherstatement.A dateandtimewaslatersetforthem tomeet.Thewomansharedthatshe was happy to have, “some sort of realprofessionalconversationwith the(official)whosaidhefoundme qualified for an REO position. I wasn’t comfortable with the post, frankly, so my intention was to discussthismatterwithhimandhis team. He led me to believe he was travellingwithateamwhichmade sense.”Onthedayofthesupposed meeting with the official and his team, the woman shared that she drovetoStateHouse,AnnaRegina, RegionTwowheretheofficialsaid ameetingwillbeheld.

However,whenshearrived,she realised: “The vibe is strange. It was completely empty except for one gentleman eating at a table. I didnotknowwhattoexpectbutthe whole set up and energy was not

what I expected from a (name provided) travelling on official government business. I did not have any indication that (name provided)wasinterestedinhaving sexual relations with me, he never indicated any interest and I obviously never picked up anythingofthatsortonmyradar I was never attracted to him or interested in him sexually! This man is almost 50 years and I’m in my20’ssoIsawhimasaneldernot as someone who was having a sexualinterestinme.”

According to the woman, she was taken to a different part of the building “resembling a living room.” “After (name provided) finishes his food, we walked to a different section of the building, resembling a living room As we wereoutofearshotandsightofthe man eating at the table, (name provided) suddenly looks back to makesurewearenotbeingwatched Hegrabsmyhandinatightgripand justcasuallywalksupthestairstoan upper floor with rooms opposite eachotheracrossahallway Itwas very strange and I felt pity for him becauseIassumedhethoughtIwas interested It was embarrassing to havetorejecthimsoblatantlyandI was wondering what made him thinkIwasinterestedinhim,sinceI am a lesbian and never made any sortofindication,Iwasinterestedin getting physical. This was all happening so quickly, my mind racingastowhat’shappeningandI wasperplexed.”

The young woman recounted that from the living room area, the official headed into a selfcontained room. “I scan the room, stay at the door, and I’m unsure how to get myself out of this misunderstanding However, (official)shovepassmeandcloses the door and immediately tries to kissmeandheforceshimselfonto meagainstthewall.Iimmediately rejected his advances and made it clearIwasnotintohavingsexwith him and that nothing was going to happen. I told him in no uncertain

terms that I am not sexually attracted to him and I start to feel guilty as though something was expected of me that I did not know...this was my first stint in politicsandsofar,Ididnotknowif thiswassomesortofsickinitiation processthatinordertojointhePPP YouthArm,youhavetosleepwith its members or in order for me to getajobwiththegovernment,Ihad tosleepwith(theofficial).”

She explained that once the doorsclosed,itwaslikea“flipped switch”withtheofficial.Sheadded that she was surprised by his actions given that she had never had any sexual or romantic conversation with him. In that moment, she said she excused herself to go to the washroom. However, by the time she exited, the official was completely naked laying across the bed and licking hislips.“Hejumpedupandpulled me onto the bed and tried to coax me into penetration and anal sex, whichIrefused.Hekeptaskingme to unclothe which I refused and I keptmycomposureandshowedno fear I could not leave the room becauseheblockedthedoor Ikept sayingnoanditgottoapointwhere theonlythingIcandoisnothing.I realized (official) had no social cues. Maybe within half hour, (the official) and I went back and forth about having intercourse. He wanted me to cuddle with him naked which I refused to do, and I keptputtingmylayersontoleave. HekeptinsistingthatIstayandhad a habit of rambling...as though he was on some sort of high. He forcefully took my clothes off and he attempted to penetrate me... I triedmyhardesttofighthimoff.He got worked up and sort of angry when I refused and he forcefully performed oral sex on me. At this point,Idisassociatedandcried,but he doesn’t know this as he busy raping me He is physically stronger than me and I could not fight him off. His goal was anal penetration which I fight off. The guilt and shame made me numb, I

gotdressedandleft.”

Notably,thewomansharedthat the official went under the pillow and pulled out a Glock and bolstered it, which she explained, “waslikeasymbolofthreat.”

Explaining that she was in a flabbergastedstate,thewomansaid she got into her vehicle and drove home during which she tried to process what had just happened to her She said it felt like a “sick nightmare” According to her, as soonasshegothome,sheshowered, after which she received a text messagefromtheofficialwhoasked whether or not she had a shower to which she responded “yes” She added that the official responded to her text message by saying he did not shower because he wanted to keep the smell of her on him The womansharedthatnightwasjustthe beginningofhernightmareasitgot worsefromthere

Sheexplainedthatshelatergot signedwithoneofthegovernment ministries and named several officials in that ministry who she told that she was sexually abused by the other government official.

“My contract started in early November(2021)andwouldendat the very end of December (2021).

(The official) nor I had any particular meet-ups besides two or three verbal exchanges, all professional pretexts…He kept tryingtogetmealonewithhimand I simply refused. After December 2021 had passed, my contract was up in the air due to budget constraints and casualties as (the official) worded it…I was never reimbursed for the two months I signedonasaconsultant.”

The woman explained that a few months after she was terminated, she got an opportunity totalktotheofficialaboutthelack of consideration and breach of government contract.As such, she agreed to meet the official in a publicplace.However,theofficial managed to lure the woman to his home, under the pretense of needingtopickupsomething.The

woman shared that while the official managed to coax her upstairs,shekeptherdistance.She explained that he tried to remove her clothes while making sexual advances.

“I refused to partake in any of his stupid advances and used the word rape multiple times. I asked him if he intended on raping me again because he was not respecting any boundaries and seemedtogoallblackinhisspirit. He kept his head down muttering under his breath, almost like he wouldexplodeifhedoesn’tgethis way.It’slikehehastoforcesexto get high. He gets very quiet and mad and forcefully tries to put his penisinmyunderwearwhileIwas standing by the door, he was unsuccessful mainly because I foughthimoffandalsobecausehis penis is small so he couldn’t get whathewantedstandingIstoodmy ground being taller and not intimidated made him back down andrealizedhescrewedup.”

Shortly after he bolstered his Glock, the woman said. However, she added that she scolded him aboutbeingunabletotakenoforan answerandafterthat,shewasable to leave his home. “I don’t believe he listened to a word because he couldnotrapemeagain.”Afterthe incident with the official, the woman said she related her harrowing escape to a prominent friend. She added that she has related her story to many others who empathized with her but are scared of losing their job or get theirbusinessestargeted.

“Many have came to me and empathized but scared to be vocal about this because he is a big governmentman.Hesimplyneeds tobestopped,”shesaid.Moreover, the woman shared that while the physical evidence of the crime has already been washed away, she believes that someone of such character should not be allowed to bearepresentativeofgovernment, using it as a means to take advantageofwomen.

StatementagainstGovt.Official SexualExploitation,RapeandAttemptedAnalPenetration

FIRSTMEETING

I met (name provided) early in the year 2020 when he was a member of the PPP Youth Group, of which I was interested in becoming involved. He was aware of my interest through my mother so I eventually got his number through my parents who are business people and are acquainted with (name provided) because of their line of work. Nigel and I agreed to meet and have a discussion regarding my interest. (Name provided) and I convened at theMarriottfordinnerwhichhepaidforandthiswasentirely underprofessionalcircumstances.Wedidnotchatforlong; hepickedmybrainaboutmyqualificationsandmadesome

remarksthathewasimpressedbymespeakingMandarin.I foundhisremarksabitoff-puttingandmisogynistic.Hedid notdrinkalcoholnorgaveareasonastowhy,sohiswhole manner was just strange. I had never networked with someonewhosatacrossfrommeandgawkedatmeeating, withoutaddinganyvaluetotheconversation.However,Idid not know the man and so wasn’t sure what to expect. He alludedthatthetopstudentsofRegion2suchasmyselfisof interest to him since he goes there a lot and represents the PPPinthatRegion.

Iworkedatthe(nameprovided)locationatthetime,so

our meeting ended but the strangest thing happened when (nameprovided)agreedtodrivemebackhome.Aswegot intohisvehicle,hepulledoutaGlockandshowedittome,as thoughhewantedtobrandishitandseemyreaction.Iasked him to hold it and it was heavy and I’m not sure if it was loadedbutIdidn’tfindthattoonormal.Iwasamusedmore than intimidated. My first time meeting with this man left muchtobedesired.LittledidIknow,hehadnocapacityfor professionalismwhenitcametomeandhewasformulating hishideousideas.

SECONDMEETING

DuringAugust2020,notlongafterbecomingaminister, (nameprovided)calledmeandsaidthathehadajobforme inRegionTwoandIrepliedwithmuchvigourthatIwillbeat his disposal for the position he mentioned. In the month of November 2020, (name provided) finally made me privy that he would be in Region 2 for some sort of local governmentworkandthatwewouldmeetupatAnnaRegina after he completed his formalities. Naturally, I’m finally happy to have some sort of real professional conversation withthe(nameprovided)whosaidhefoundmequalifiedfor anREOposition.Iwasn’tcomfortablewiththepost,frankly, so my intention was to discuss this matter with him and his “team”. He led me to believe he was travelling with a team whichmadesense.

IdrovetoStateHouseinAnnaReginaafter19:00h.The vibe was strange. It was completely empty save for one gentleman eating at a table. This man did not acknowledge meinanyway Isatacrossfrom(nameprovided)atthislong tableandwechattedontheotherendoftheothergentleman eating.Ididnotknowwhattoexpectbutthewholesetupand energy was not what I expected from a (name provided) travelling on official government business. I did not have ANY indication that (name provided) was interested in having sexual relations with me, he never indicated any interestandIobviouslyneverpickedupanythingofthatsort onmyradar Iwasneverattractedtohimorinterestedinhim sexually!Thismanisalmost50yearsandI’minmy20’ssoI sawhimasaneldernotassomeonewhowashavingsexual interestinme.

He clearly veers the conversation on the topic of my sexuality. (Name provided) is made aware that I am a woman who likes women only and the conversation gets light-hearted. He makes a comment that a member of Parliamentisalsointowomenandthat“hewouldteaseher.” Hewasreferringto(nameprovided) Inmymind,itwasjust lightbantersoIdidn’treallythinktoomuchofitonceagain.

After(nameprovided)finisheshisfood,wewalkedtoa differentsectionofthebuilding,resemblingalivingroom.As wewereoutofearshotandsightofthemaneatingatthetable, (name provided) suddenly looked back to make sure we werenotbeingwatched.Hegrabbedmyhandinatightgrip andjustcasuallywalkedupthestairstoanupperfloorwith roomsoppositeeachotheracrossahalfway

I was confused, taken aback, and was still thinking to myself that he was keeping this light-hearted. It was very strangeandIfeltpityforhimbecauseIassumedhethoughtI wasinterested.Itwasembarrassingtohavetorejecthimso blatantly and I was wondering what made him think I was interested in him, since I am a lesbian and never made any sort of indication, I was interested in getting physical. This wasallhappeningsoquickly,mymindracingastowhatwas happeningandIwasperplexed.Hewenttoaself-contained room where he had his belongings. I scanned the room, stayedatthedoor,andIwasunsurehowtogetmyselfoutof that “misunderstanding ” However, (name provided) shovedpassmeandclosedthedoorandimmediatelytriedto kiss me by forcing himself on me against the wall. I immediatelyrejectedhisadvancesandmadeitclearIwasnot into having sex with him and that nothing was going to happen.ItoldhiminnouncertaintermsthatIamnotsexually attracted to him and I started to feel guilty as though somethingwasexpectedofmethatIdidnotknow…thiswas myfirststintinpoliticsandsofar,Ididnotknowifthiswas some sort of sick initiation process that in order to join the PPPYouth Arm, you have to sleep with its members or in orderformetogetajobwiththegovernment,Ihadtosleep with the minister It’s not like I ever had any previous conversations with this man and spoke about sex or a relationship.Thiswasallsupposedtobeaboutthejoboffer that he told me he wanted to meet me about. He still didn’t discussanyofthis.It’slikeheusedthatasatricktogetmeto goandmeethim.MysinwasthatItrustedhim.

I told (name provided) to keep his clothes on and I excusedmyselftothebathroom,totrytodelaythesituation and gather my thoughts. I drove alone, COVID was in full effectandtheplacewasdesertedsoIrealisedmysafetycould havebeencompromisedhere.Icomeoutofthebathroomand

(name provided) is already completely naked with his genitalsout,layingacrossthebed,playingwithhispenisand lickinghislips.I’msickenedthatherefusedtostayclothed. Hejumpedupandpulledmeontothebedandtriestocoaxme intopenetrationandanalsex,whichIrefuse.Icouldnotleave theroombecauseheblockedthedoor Ikeepsayingnoandit getstoapointwheretheonlythingIcandoisNOTHING.I realised(nameprovided)hadnosocialcues.

Maybe within half hour, Nigel and I go back and forth about having intercourse. He wants me to cuddle with him whichIrefusedtodo,andIkeptputtingmylayersontoleave. HekeptinsistingthatIstayandhadahabitoframbling…as though he was on some sort of high. He forcefully took my clothesoffandheattemptedtopenetrateme,butbecauseof theheightsimilarity Nigelisawareitwasn’tgoingtobeeasy gettingphysical.Itriedmyhardesttofighthimoff.Hegets workedupandsortofangrywhenIrefusedandheforcefully performed oral sex on me.At this point, I disassociated and cried, but he didn’t know this as he was busy raping me. Driving home was like a sick nightmare. As soon as I got home at 23:00h or so, I showered immediately (Name provided) soon texted me and asked whether or not I had showered.Iscoffedandreplied“yes”andherepliedthathe didnotshower,hewantedtokeepthesmellonhim.It’shis sicktrophy

Iwasinshockforawhileanddidnotknowtheextentof (nameprovided)sexualproclivities.However,itgotworse from there. I later on got signed with the Ministry of Local Government.Idealtdirectlywiththe(nameprovided),who bythewayItoldabout(nameprovided)sexualabusetome, alongwithstafflike(nameprovided)and(nameprovided), among others. My contract started in early November and would end at the very end of December. (Name provided) and I hadn’t any particular meet-ups besides two or three verbalexchanges:allprofessionalpretexts.

He would be in parliament and messaging me to see if I wanted to meet in a room and have sex. I just ignored him. ThismanwhoispaidbytaxpayersandisinParliamentwants tohavesexintheHouse.Sexisalwaysonhismind.Hekept tryingtogetmealonewithhimandIsimplyrefused.

AfterDecember2021hadpassed,mycontractwasupin the air due to budget constraintsand “causalities”as (name provided) worded it. I was never reimbursed for the two monthsIsignedonasaconsultant.

THIRDMEETING

Around March of 2022, (name provided) and I finally gottotalkingaboutthelackofconsiderationandbreachofa formalgovernmentcontract.Iagreedtomeethiminapublic place. I was sceptical after what he did to me but I did nonetheless. I thought he somewhat changed now since he knew I was not sexually interested in him. Under the usual blank pretences of needing something from his (name provided) residence, we detoured from our meet up spot (a publicrestaurantandoutdoorarea)andhesaidthatheneeded tochangeorgetsomethingfromthehousewhichwasinthe mostunkempt,dinghystate.Allshuttersweredark,curtains weremustyandsuitcaseswereallovertheground...scattered asthoughhealwaysleaveshishouseinafrenziedhurry He coaxedmeupstairs(akintothefirsttime)butIamverywary thatthishouseisnotnormalandgavemecreepyvibes,Ikept mydistance,whiletryingtobecivilsinceIassumedheknew Iwasnotsexuallyinterestedinhimandhewasaministerin officeandhedidbehaveprofessionallyforthelongestwhile.

LittledidIknowthathisgreatestweaponwasthatfarce powerandstatusheparadedaround.Hetriedtounclotheme slowly as a joke and made light of the situation (since it happened before, in his head). This time, however, if his obscenetextsandschoolboydemeanourwereanindication, hewasnotgoingtotakeanyresistancefromme.Hehadone intention and that was to have sex with me. Within one minute,Irefusedtopartakeinanyofhisstupidadvancesand used the word “rape” multiple times. I asked him if he intended on raping me again because he was not respecting any boundaries and seemed to go all black in his spirit. He kept his head down, muttering under his breath, almost like hewouldexplodeifhedidn’tgethisway.It’slikehehasto force sex to get high. He got very quiet and mad and forcefullytriedtoputhispenisinmyunderwearwhileIwas standing by the door, he was unsuccessful mainly because I

fought him off and also because his penis is small so he couldn’t get what he wanted standing. I stood my ground (being taller and not intimidated made him back down and realizedhescrewedup).

He then immediately bolsters a Glock which was under oneofthebedroompillows(itwastherebeforeIgotintothe room,soheprobablyhadmultiplevictimsandplacedthegun theretofrightenwomenandgirls.Iscoldedhimaboutbeing unabletotakenoforananswer Idon’tbelievehelistenedtoa word because he could not rape me again. He took me to a shortcut from home where I met a prominent friend and relayedmyharrowingescapefrom(nameprovided)tothis gentleman.Ihavesincetoldmanypeopleaboutwhat(name provided)didtome.Manyareprominentpeoplehere,they empathize and are angry but are scared to say anything publiclybecausetheirjobsandbusinessescouldbetargeted allbecause(nameprovided)isabigoneinthegovernment.

Manymaysaywhynotreporthimtothepolice?Whynot file charges? Why stayed silent all this time? Where is the evidence?Youknowtheanswertothosequestions.Nothing will ever come of this because he is a (name provided) protected by his government. In fact, he boasted to me that (name provided) is his buddy and would never see anyone touch him. So, he has his protection. The female ministers cannot say anything or support women as myself because they are muzzled. Note they always have selective voices whenitcomestoviolenceagainstwomen.

It all depends on who the perpetrators are. I attempted suicide not long after this incident and destroyed my phone becauseIwantedtodie.Theseincidentstraumatizedmeonto thisdayandIspentcountlessnightscryingandhurting.Iwas happy and carefree before he did this to me and my mental healthisseverelyaffected.Hisforcedactionsagainstmehas causedmemypeace.Icutmyselfbadlybutsomeonesaved me.The marks on my body leave its scars.All my physical evidenceisgonebutI’mwillingtotakealiedetectortestand (nameprovided)shouldbeforcedtotakeonetoo.Toomany victims get no justice. (Name provided) plays with one’s mindandlife.Hedestroyswhateverhetouchesandfeelsthat hehasrightstoourbodies.Heneedstopayforhiscrimesand is not a man that taxpayers should pay to be in office. The photo ops he loves to use with babies, girls and women is a farce.Hewantsthepublictothinkhecaresandloveswomen andwillprotectthemwhilesecretlyheislookingforhisnext victim. Many came to me and empathized but scared to be vocal about this because he is a big government man. He simplyneedstobestopped.

President Ali as the President of Guyana, you took an Oath to protect me, a citizen of this country So now I am asking you to protect me and my rights as a woman and to have an audience with you and your female ministers of government. I don’t want you to say I should report (name provided)totheauthoritiesbecauseyouknowIcannotsince all bodily fluids have been washed away long now Your office should have a code of conduct which should be enforcedandIwouldliketodescribethehorrorsmetedoutto mebyyourstaff,(nameprovided) Youarehisemployerand IcantellyouhowIsawhimmadeincrementsof$100million dollars disappear on paper while I worked for his ministry Butthisisnotaforumforthatorwhatthisisabout.

Your government says it has zero tolerance for abuse againstwomenandhereIamputtingmynameandmyfacein the public domain knowing the ridicule and judgement I wouldgetfromyoursupportersbutnevertheless,Iwanttobe awomanwhostandsforandtostandagainstabuseevenifit’s againstpowerfulmen.Maybetheothervictims(andthereare manyothers)willthenbeemboldenedtoalsocomeforward publicly so that this monstrous sexual predator and abuser canbeputawayfromsociety Ourtaxpayers’moneyshould nothavetofundhisdisgustingbehaviour Hesimplycannot beoneofourrolemodelsandleadersinthis“OneGuyana” youaretryingtobuild.Heshouldbeinajailcellandrotforall eternity!

Finally, Ms. Priya Manickchand, you are usually vocal selectively against men who abuse women. I am looking forward to see how you will help me. I am crying for your help;wouldyougiveittome?(Nameprovided)needstopay for his sins committed in the past instead of parading like a reformedwhore.

‘Wearenotpaidthesalarywedeserve’-Teachers

Two secondary school teachersonTuesdaysaidthat they are overworked and underpaid.Theteacherssaid they have been waiting for a long time to receive salaries theydeservebutalltheyhave gottenareemptypromises.

Speaking with this newspaperAndrayHaynes,a math teacher at St. John’s College said that for being a certified educator with a university degree, the wage he is being paid is not even enoughtocoverhismonthly expenses.

“I went to University, with doctors, engineers, lawyers and I could tell you the person that graduated same time with me received their bachelor’s degree and worked in the Agriculture Ministry, within a couple of yearshissalarytriumphmine by $100,000,” Hanes said noting that teachers are grosslyunderpaid.

“I had to take up a parttime job just to make ends meet,” Haynes said while noting that the money he takes home is insufficient to take care of his bills as a singlefatherofone.

Adding to his woes of surviving on a low salary, Haynes said that the cost of

living in the country is too high and even a discount card given to him and other teachers by the government in 2021 is useless because n o n e o f t h e supermarkets recognize it.

“I never used it, since it came out; it is still in my wallet, because if I show certain places the card, they don’t even know what it is,” a frustrated Haynessaid.

Kaieteur News understands that the ministry had promised tosendteachersalistof the business places that would accept the discount card but they neverdid.

“As known, Guyana has enoughresourcestodropthe cost of living and that wouldn’t just benefit teachers only, but every citizen of Guyana,” Haynes toldthisNewspaper

Meanwhile, another teacherKalehiaJohnson,ina letterpublishedinMonday’s editionofthe Kaieteur News saidthatteachersaregrossly underpaidinGuyana.

Inthelettertitledto‘The

Other Side to Teaching’ Johnson wrote, “…Teachers give so much of themselves to the profession that many ponder why the salary is often so poor in several countries”.

Recently, several t e a c h e r s j o i n e d representatives of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) to protest for higher salaries. They had staged their protest in front the Ministry of Finance’s Office onMainStreet,Georgetown.

DEEP HOLE on a Grove, EBD road claims another vehicle Urgent measures MUST be taken by the authorities to fix this hole that poses a serious threat to the public.

Teachers protesting for higher salaries in front of the Ministry of Finance.

A Teacher’s Discount Card

APNU submits recommendations on new oil law to media...

Frompage8

ItnotesthattheMinistermay,bynoticeservedontheholderofthe licence,prohibittheremovalof,oranydealingsin,orwith,any petroleumfromthedevelopmentandproductionareaconcerned, orfromanyotherdevelopmentandproductionareasubjecttoa licence held by that holder, or from both, until all outstanding royaltyinarrearshasbeenpaidoruntilanarrangementhasbeen made,andacceptedbytheMinister,forthepaymentoftheroyalty

inarrears,andtheholdershallcomplywiththenotice

The draft Bill goes on to make it clear that any person who contravenes these requirements shall be guilty of an offenceandshall,onsummaryconviction,beliabletoafine of$20millionandimprisonmentforthreeyears

The Petroleum Activities Bill is expected to be supplemented by a set of regulations that will follow in the coming months and provide the government the necessary

toolbox for responsible and efficient management of the petroleum activities within the Guyanese economy The document is available on the Ministry of Natural Resources websites:wwwnregovgyandwwwpetroluemgovgy Atwoweekconsultationphaseisongoingallowingforthepublicto provide feedback All comments should be sent via email to jmckenzie@nregovgy during the period and by close of businessonMonday,3rdJuly2023

Int’l Group demands Guyana; other...

Frompage12 when–theEITIStandard.

The EITI was formed in London in June 2003,when140delegatesfromgovernments, companies, industry groups, international organisations,civilsocietyorganisationsand investors agreed the EITI Principles, establishing the EITI as a multi-stakeholder organisationandunderpinningitsmission.

ThemomentumfortheEITIcameinpart from a growing body of research, which described how the potential benefits of oil, gas and mining activity were not being realised and mapped their association with increased poverty, conflict and corruption. Transparency and public dialogue were identified as an important starting point for remedyingthis“resourcecurse”.

Govt. unveils new Plea Deal Bill

A s p a r t o f t h e Government’s legislative agenda to modernise and make more efficient the criminal justice system, a draft Criminal Procedure (Plea Discussion and Plea Agreement) Bill has been prepared by the Attorney General Chambers and MinistryofLegalAffairs.

The Bill seeks to repeal the Criminal Procedure (Plea Bargaining and Plea Agreement) Act, Cap 10:09 andre-enactlegislationwhich addresses the gaps in the current law to effectively e x p e d i t e c r i m i n a l proceedings,protecttherights of the individual and ensure offenders are properly sentencedinaccordancewith law TheBillseekstoprovide for the establishment of a systemofpleadiscussionand plea agreements in criminal proceedings Its primary intent is to provide the opportunity for prosecutors and accused persons to meet under specific circumstances and negotiate a settlement acceptabletotheprinciplesof justice

This will inevitably save judicial time, reduce the backlog of criminal cases, reducetheprisonpopulation onremandwhileatthesame time ensuring that accused persons face penalties proportionate to the crimes committed.

Only recently, judges of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) lauded the manner in which plea bargain mechanisms have w o r k e d i n o t h e r jurisdictions, contributing significantly to speed and e f f i c i e n c y i n t h e administration of criminal justice,theAttorneyGeneral Chamberssaidinarelease.

The Attorney General Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs in April, 2023 invited comments in writing on the draft Criminal Procedure (Plea Discussion and Plea Agreement) Bill. Submissions were solicited from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Office of the Police Legal Advisor, the Guyana Bar Association,theBerbiceBar Association, and the Law Reform Commission. The Bill will be soon taken to Cabinet before being laid in theNationalAssembly EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Meanwhile,accordingto t h e e x p l a n a t o r y memorandum of the Bill, it seeks to provide for the establishmentof asystemof

plea discussions and plea agreements in criminal procedure and for matters connected thereto. This Bill is divided into five (5) Parts andcontainsthirty-eight(38) clauses and one (1) Schedule.

PartIoftheBillprovides forthepreliminaryprovisions and contains clauses 1 to 4 Clause 1 of the Bill provides for the short title and commencementoftheBillon a date to be appointed by the Minister by Order Clause 2 providesfortheinterpretation of certain terms used in the Bill including “improper inducement”, “particular course of action”, “suspect” and“victim”

Clause 3 of the Bill provides for the application of the Act to both summary and indictable offences and expressly clarifies that the Act does not affect the right ofanaccusedpersontoplead guiltywithoutenteringintoa plea bargaining nor the right ofanaccusedpersontoseek asentencingindicationfrom theCourt.Clause4oftheBill provides a substantive definition of a plea agreementanditsscope.

Part II of the Bill provides for the procedure pertaining to plea discussions and contains clauses 5 to 12. Clause 5 of the Bill provides for plea discussions to be held and plea agreements concluded atanytimebeforeconviction including before charges are instituted. Clause 6 of the Bill requires the written permissionoftheDirectorof Public Prosecutions to be obtainedpriortoaprosecutor entering into a plea discussion or concluding a pleaagreement.

Clause 7 of the Bill prohibitstheuseofimproper inducementstoencouragean accusedperson or suspect to participate in a plea discussion. Clause 8 of the Bill prohibits a prosecutor from participating in plea discussions in certain circumstances, inter alia, a plea discussion that requires anaccusedtopleadguiltyto an offence that is not disclosed by the evidence or inadequately reflects the gravity of the provable conductoftheaccused.

Clause 9 of the Bill prohibits a prosecutor from engaging in plea discussions with an accused person or suspect in the absence of his or her attorney-at-law, where thataccusedpersonorsuspect has retained counsel to represent him or her Clause 10 of the Bill prohibits a

prosecutor from initiating plea discussions with an unrepresentedaccusedperson or suspect, unless the prosecutor informs the accused person or suspect of certain rights, inter alia, the right to be represented by an attorney-at-law Clause 11 of theBillimposesadutyonthe prosecutor to provide the suspect or accused person withawrittensummaryofthe evidence against the suspect or accused person in circumstances where plea discussions are initiated before charges are laid, as well as in circumstances where plea discussions are initiatedafterchargesarelaid respectively Clause12ofthe Bill sets out the procedure to be followed by a Judge or Magistrate upon the first appearance of the accused in Court.

Part III of the Bill provides for victim impact statements and contains clauses13to18.Clause13of theBillimposesadutyonthe prosecutor to inform the victim of his or her right to provide a victim impact statement and require that certain content not be includedinthevictimimpact statement.

Clause 14 of the Bill imposes restrictions on the contents of a victim impact statement. Clause 15 of the Bill provides for relatives of thevictimtoprovideavictim impact statement in circumstances where the victim has died, is ill or is otherwise incapacitated, or cannot be found. Clause 16 of the Bill provides the procedure to be followed in circumstances where an impact statement is being providedbyavictimwhoisa child.

Clause 17 of the Bill providesforadulyauthorized representative of a business that has been the victim of a crime to provide a victim impactstatementonbehalfof thatbusiness Clause18ofthe Bill sets out the duties of the prosecutor in respect of the victim impact statement and thevictim Thisclausewould alsorequiretheprosecutorto servetheimpactstatementon theaccused

PartIVoftheBill

Continuedonpage22

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall

Steadfast in his food security agenda w i t h i n t h e

Caribbean and Latin America, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Tuesday, underscored the importance of enhancing food production and integrating food security objectives with reducing povertyandinequality

“We can't speak about nutrition in the region and food security if we don't also bring into the discourse, a poverty reduction strategy and reducing inequalities,” President Ali said The Guyanese head-of-state was addressing the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) high-level Ministers of Agriculture meeting held at t h e A r t h u r C h u n g Conference Centre (ACCC) inLiliendaal.

Theeventbringstogether leaders and stakeholders from33CELACcountriesto addressthecrucialmattersof foodandnutritionsecurityin the region. PresidentAli said that to comprehensively address the issues, p o l i c y m a k e r s a n d stakeholders must confront matters of climate change, improving the education and healthcare systems, as well as sustainable development. Hefurthernotedthatthelack

ofsupportfrominternational f u n d i n g a g e n c i e s , commercial banks, and monetary institutions in financing agriculture must alsobeaddressed.

“Food production and nutritionisaboutgoodhealth and good health and food production is about national prosperity And national prosperity is about national security,” President Ali explained.

President Ali underlined the importance of a health sector that understands its role in ensuring food and nutrition security He noted that a crucial objective of the meeting should be to define the specific responsibilities of the health sector in each country to achieve this goal. The role of education must also be addressed by integrating nutritional changes into the education system,startingfromnursery throughuniversity,hesaid.

“We must produce the action plan. We are not here t o d w e l l o n t h e problems…you are here as the policymakers to craft policyinaregionalsettingby learningfromeachother,”he toldtheparticipants.

The president also acknowledged the need for establishing a technological support system within the region to enhance food

Four alleged “romantic bandits” charged

production, with a particular focus on empowering women in this sector He mentioned that the Government of Guyana has set a target of ensuring that 35% of livestock farms are owned by women as part of efforts to develop the livestock industry At the regional level, the president said a project was launched that involves the use of g r e e n h o u s e a n d hydroponics.

This forms part of efforts to boost food production across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to achievethe25by2025target which is, lowering the food import bill.Statistics show that between 2019 and 2021, the number of hungry people in the region increased by 13.2 million, higher than the globalaverage.

Therefore, President Ali stressedtheneedforCELAC as a region, to implement an aggressive programme that actively engages young peopleandwomen.

Guyana's Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha and St. Vincent and the Grenadine's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, F i s h e r i e s , R u r a l Transformation, Industry & Labour, Saboto Caesar also delivered remarks at the event.(DPI)

Four persons were on Monday charged for scamming eight women in a WhatsAppromancescam.

The defendants were identified as Khadija Long, 27, of Central Amelia's Ward, Mackenzie Linden, Wayne Halley, 27, of First Street Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD), 43-yearold Kevon McBean, a postal clerk of Lot 42 Amelia's Ward, Linden and a 36-yearold Nigerian National, Matthew EjikeNwackukwu, of DuncanStreet,Kitty

They were charged with 21 counts of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and three countsofForgery

The defendants appeared at the Linden Magistrates' Court before Principal Magistrate Rondel Weaver They all pleaded not guilty Long, Halley and McBean were released on bail, $50,000, $300,000 and $100,000respectively,while the Nigerian national was remanded to prison. Their next court date is scheduled forJuly27,2023.

According to police, the eightwomenswindledbythe “Romantic Bandits” were befriended by a male Caucasian on WhatsApp The man established a longdistance relationship with women and convinced the victims that he was sending giftpackagesforthemwitha cologne, bags, watches, chainsandUScurrency

Afterpromisingthegifts, the women received

messages from a delivery agent of the Delta Courier Service, informing them that the packages are in transit at theirChicagoOffice,USA.

They were then asked to send cash to Khadijah Long, Wayne Halley and Matthew

Ejike Nwackukwu to facilitate the delivery of the packages. Subsequently, the victims sent a total of $ 8 0 4 , 0 0 0 0 0 to the individuals but never receivedanypackage.

McBean was later contacted by Halley to assist

in processing transactions at the McKenzie Post Office in Lindenandsheagreed.

Between24thJune,2022 and 14th July, 2022, she allegedly colluded with Halley and forged the signatures of recipients on several Guyana Post Office Corporation Inland Money Orderandcollectedthecash. The matters were reported to the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) and investigations ledtotheirarrest.

Wellness, family health, equity, gender, community action, and people-centred care are among the key conceptsbeingtargetedbythe Ministry of Health, as they launched the revised National Family Health Manual on Tuesdaymorning.

At the launch, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, underlined that the manual comes at a very important time, as Guyana's healthcare system is undergoing serious transformations.

“ B e f o r e , o u r programmeswerealittlebit here, a little bit there, and you didn't see that continuing. So, our focus now is not just on… child health, but we must [also] have adolescent health and adult health. We must cater for people as they get older, so you're seeing that continuum,”heexplained.

He noted that the manual contains crucial interventions outlining areas of focus that Guyananeedstoworkon,and how the interventions are to

be carried out so that the country can achieve better overall health results. He also pointed out that in the past, there was a common occurrence whereby pilot programmes were launched by the health ministry, but nevercontinued.

While there was no issue e s t a b l i s h i n g p i l o t programmes, too often the project remained a pilot, failing to expand on a largescale Minister Anthony explained.

This reduced the

ministry's ability to demonstrate that the projects andinitiativeswerecapableof makingsignificantimpacts.

Further, Dr Anthony explained that many of the concepts outlined in the manual have been tested in other countries, demonstrated proven success, and are considered best practices. He emphasised that the manual will assist Guyana in moving from just the pilot phase of implementing new projects, to having the concepts

established on a large scale. He also charged healthcare workers and health officials present to ensure that the manualisutilisedtoitsfullest.

“I hope that the launching of this new manual, that you do not just take it and put it on a shelf, but you actually read what is in there, because the team spent lots of hours updating theinformationinthereand making sure that it's relevant, making sure that it's the updated knowledge that we have around the world. We have condensed that and put it in here,” he expressed.

The new family health manual aims to provide a guide on practices to achieve o p t i m a l f a m i l y a n d community health and wellness. It is designed to educateandempowerpersons to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing, and to equip healthcare providers with the knowledge to assist in achieving these goals.(DPI)

The USAID Eastern and Southern Caribbean office is pleased to launch the WaterforAllPitchCompetition,whichseeks entrepreneurs located in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean region to submit gamechanging innovations that focus on the water sector. In a press release, USAID said the pitch competition aims to bring regional awareness and drive action to promote water sectorresilienceinthefaceofclimatechange andotherhazardsaffectingtheregion. Itwill amplify the private sector's role in water solutions by showcasing promising innovations and practices and to strategically connect them to advanced support systems that will ultimately support the scaling up of their innovations for the benefit of all. This wouldenabletestingofideastoidentifywhat worksandcatalyzefollow-oninvestmentsfor and bring attention to proven solutions for greater scale. Entries must be submitted in E n g l i s h t h r o u g h t h e w e b s i t e : https://www waterislife2023 com Eligible entrepreneurs must have an existing innovationorprototype,pitchesmustprovide solutions for water resilience and sustainability, and ideas must be driven or amplified by technology The pitch competition is open to eligible applicants in the following ESC countries: Antigua and

Caribbean

Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Up to five entrepreneur finalists will be shortlistedtoparticipateinanin-personpitch in Barbados with a total of a USD$50,000 cash prize. The Grand Prize winner will win a USD$25,000 investment in their pitch. The first and second runners-up will win USD$15,000 and USD$5,000 investments, respectively The other three finalists will receive non-financial support in the form of business development, market assessment, public relations and communications, technical expertise, and travel services in order to accelerate and facilitate continuing developmentoftheirpitches.

The Water for All Pitch competition will be open for applications through July 14, 2023. All interested participants should read carefully through the eligibility criteria and entry process before submission. If the entrant experiences any difficulty with submitting an entry, please contact ESC Resilience Te

New manual offers holistic approach to family health, wellness

USAID “Water for All” Pitch competition opens to youth and business entrepreneurs in the Eastern and Southern

Khadija Long Wayne Halley

Kevon McBean

Matthew EjikeNwackukwu

Reducing poverty, inequalities is key to achieving food security – Pres. Ali

WANTED VACANCY

LatheOperator,Welderand Handyman needed at Good Hope on the East Coast. Call:645-9333.

Skilled Carpenters, Masons & Labourers needed. Call: 602-9469, 660-6385/ 6257642.

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Nervous driver stops car, plunges overboard after seeing cops

AdriveronMondayafternoon abandoned his car and plunged into a trench at La Grange,WestBankDemerara (WBD)afterspottingranksof theGuyanaPoliceForce. His actions drew a crowd as police surrounded the

trench. He dived under for a bit but the police were not leaving. Despite surfacing, the driver was reluctant to leave the trench and police officers had to drag him out of the muddy water As they took him to custody, onlook-

ersaskedthepolice:“Whahe do?” and the officers responded “drugs, drugs”.

KaieteurNewslaterlearnt thatthemanhad“twojoints” (marijuana)inhiscar Asenior police official told Kaieteur News that “he has no clue

why the driver decided to run” because persons don’t getlockupforsmallamounts ofmarijuana.Henotedthatif it exceeds the legal amount then the most that can happenisthatasuspectwillhave to do community service.

SERVICES

For the completion of US & Canadian non-immigrant visaapplicationsandGuyana passport applications. Call/ whatsApp:592-645-5695.

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One Clerk needed for TSI Ecclesoffice.MusthaveEnglish and Mathematics. Email:techserigy@yahoo.com orCall:615-9132.

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Hick's Ville Hotel is now hiring Receptionist and HotelAttendant.Required to work shifts. Call: 6400673, 227-7714. Email: info@vegeworld.net

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One experienced Domestic needed to work 3 days per week in Bel-Air Park. Call: 226-2322.

Vacancyforoneprofessional Cook for family, should be abletoclean.Call:503-0359, 608-2444.

Water delivery Driver and Porter needed for E.C.D. Call:676-1363/692-6768.

Govt. unveils new Plea Deal...

From page 20 provides the procedure to be followed in respect of plea agreements and plea agreement hearings and contains clauses 19 to 27.

Clause19oftheBillprovides for circumstances where a plea agreement is concluded betweenaprosecutorandthe attorney-at-law for an accused person or suspect and provides a list of documents which shall accompany the plea agreement and which must be filed with the Clerk of the Court or Registrar, as the case may be.

Clause 20 of the Bill pro-

vides for circumstances where a plea agreement is concluded between a prosecutor and an unrepresented accused person or suspect and provides a list of documentswhichshallaccompany thepleaagreementandwhich must be filed with the Clerk of the Court or Registrar, as the case may be.

Clause 21 of the Bill providestheproceduretobefolloweduponthefilingofaplea agreement.

The clause would, inter alia, require the Clerk of the CourtorRegistrar,asthecase maybe,tolistthematterfora pleaagreementhearingwithin twenty-eight days of the filing of the plea agreement.

sion of committal proceedings.

Clause 24 of the Bill providestheproceduretobefollowed at a plea agreement hearing.

Theprosecutorisrequired to disclose certain informationtotheCourtandtheCourt is required to make certain enquiries of the accused at the plea agreement hearing. Clause25oftheBillprovides that a plea agreement is not binding on the Court.

the grounds upon which the Director of Public Prosecutions may seek the leave of the Court of Appeal to have a plea agreement, a conviction or a sentence set aside.

Clause32oftheBillprovides for the extension of time for filing a notice of appeal.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

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

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PurebreedGermanshepherd pupsforsale.Call:680-1828, 632-9022/639-4966.

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Fully furnished 2 bedrooms apartment in Albert Street, Alberttown. Preferably students, no smoking and no petsallowed.Call231-5695/ 611-9134.

One bedroom apartment for rent in Cummings Lodge, U.G, not suitable for family Call:222-3435.

Clause 22 of the Bill providesthatwhereapleaagreement is filed before the commencement or during the conduct of committal proceedings but before an accused is committed to stand trial in the High Court, the Magistrate shall, inter alia, ceaseconductofthecommittal proceedings and order thatthepleaagreementhearingbetransferredtotheHigh Courtfordetermination.

Clause 23 of the Bill imposes a duty on the Director ofPublicProsecutionstoprefer and file an indictment withinaspecifiedtimeframe, incircumstanceswhereaplea agreement is filed before the commencement or conclu-

Clause 26 of the Bill provides that where a Judge or Magistrate accepts a plea agreement, the accused shall be requested to plead to the charge. Clause 27 of the Bill provides the procedure to be followed in circumstances where an accused person withdrawsfromapleaagreement. Part V of the Bill provides general and miscellaneous provisions and containsclauses28to38.Clause 28oftheBillprovidesthatan accused person may appeal to the Court ofAppeal where a Court has rejected a plea agreement. Clause 29 of the Bill provides that the Director of Public Prosecutions may appeal to the Court of AppealwhereaCourthasrejectedapleaagreement.

Clause 30 of the Bill provides the grounds upon which an accused may withdraw from a plea agreement.

Clause31oftheBillprovides

Clause33oftheBillprovides that the evidence of certain matters, inter alia, a pleaagreement,whichislater withdrawn, shall not be admissible against the accused who entered into a plea agreementorwasapartytoa plea discussion.

Clause 34 of the Bill empowers a Court to order that the records of plea discussions or a plea agreement be sealed, in the interest of justiceandrequirestheCourtto give reasons for the order Clause35oftheBillempowerstheMinistertoamendthe SchedulebyOrderandclause 36 of the Bill empowers the Ministertomakeregulations.

Clause37oftheBillprovides for the repeal of the CriminalProcedure(PleaBargainingandPleaAgreement) Act,Cap.10:09.

Clause 38 of the Bill saves any actions, proceedings and decisions in respect of plea discussions or plea agreements commenced or takenundertherepealedAct, upon the commencement of this Act.

Financial aspect of new oil law will not...

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Surinametour"BoldCaricom weekend trip" to Suriname. June 30th (Fri) - July 3rd (Mon),2023.Call:639-2663/ 673-2348.

From page 13 has been made, and accepted by the Minister, for the paymentoftheroyaltyinarrears, and the holder shall comply with the notice.

US$1M.

holderofalicence.

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For Sale: cement mixer & pump truck, mini excavator andconcretebatchingplant. Call:652-0251/650-0402.

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Any person who contravenes such a notice shall be guiltyofanoffenceandshall, on summary conviction, be liable to a fine of $20M and imprisonmentforthreeyears. Notably, the minister has the power to defer royalty payments or waive them altogether

Jagdeo has noted however that such a power to waive royalties should be censored by Cabinet.

Apart from royalties, the Billalsocallsforthepayment of a training fee payable annually throughout the validity of the petroleum agreement.

This is currently set at

According to the Bill, the petroleum exploration and productionlicencesmayalso require the licensee to establishaprogrammeoffinancial support for environmental and social projects to be funded by the licence holder

The terms of the programme and the financial contribution by the licensee are to be established in the petroleumagreement.

The Minister may also, fromtimetotime,makesuch arrangements as appear appropriatetohimtosecurethat the holder of a licence complies with thisAct and the licence, and in particular may accept guarantees in respect of that compliance from any person including from shareholders in a body corporate, whether or not the body corporate is, or is to be, the

TheMinistermayalsorequire an applicant for the grant or renewal of a licence to execute a bond, satisfactory to the Minister, for the performance and the observance by the applicant of the conditions of the licence upongrantorrenewalthereof ortomakearrangements,satisfactory to the Minister, for the execution of such a bond.

Notably, the new oil law once passed will support the fiscaltermsalreadyfinalized forthenewProductionSharing Agreements for shallow and deepwater concessions.

The new oil agreements areexpectedtofeatureapaymentof0to0.75percentproperty tax, 10 percent income tax, 50/50 profit oil sharing, and 65 percent cost recovery cap.

Inclusive approach needed to address gender inequality in the Caribbean

B R I D G E T O W N , Barbados, June 27, 2023: The need for genderresponsive, inclusive approaches, laws and policies that address gaps in early childcare services, and a men and boys platform for peaceandaction,aresomeof the robust responses needed to address the worsening issue of gender inequality in the Caribbean according to a panel of experts who posited their views at a seminar entitled “Solutions on All Sides: Addressing Multiple Crises to End Gender

Inequality”, hosted by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) at their Annual Meeting held recently in SaintLucia.

The seminar was staged to find solutions to counter the setbacks from recent challenges and crises which slowed progress on gender equality, social equity, and access to justice. A Virtual Solutions Room, featuring key professionals, provided innovative solutions to the issues raised by the panel of experts that included Ms. Judith Wedderburn, board director of Women's Media Watch Jamaica, Ms. Nicole PitterPatterson,international trade and gender expert, Dr Halimah Deshong, Head and Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Development and Gender Studies at the UniversityoftheWestIndies, Cave Hill, Ms Michele Irving, President of the Belize National Women's Commission, and Ms

Tamara Huggins, Director of Women's Voice and Leadership Equality Fund Caribbean.

Lack of involvement of women in leadership at the public and private sectors, occupational segregation, a widening gender pay gap than that of many developed countries, exclusion of Indigenous women and vulnerable groups from decision-making, and waning motivation to find funding for human rights matters were some of the issuesraised.

Marissa Hutchinson, Environmental Justice Programme Officer at the International Women's Rights Action Watch – Asia Pacific,saidthattheCOVID19 pandemic had raised awareness of the need for g e n d e r - r e s p o n s i v e approaches in relief and grant-based funding. “It is likely to address and accommodate the unique needsofwomenandgirlsand other vulnerable groups, and this is important in preventing them from further marginalisation, ” Ms Hutchinson said, adding that investing in community resilience was also important.

Ms Ashlee Burnett, founder of Feminitt Caribbean, said prevention through evidence and agebased comprehensive sexuality education for young people was one means of addressing gender-based violence across regional

developmentsectors.

“Whilst there is pushback against implementing Comprehensive sexuality education and a lack of political will to find alternatives, we can also committoaninterimstrategy that focuses on out-of-school training and engagement for young people and this also provides an opportunity to engageparentsandguardians in programming,” Ms Burnett said, adding that a whole of community approachwouldbenecessary for the strategy to be effective “This allows for brave spaces for women and girls and the LGBT+ community to really understand and challenge g e n d e r n o r m s a n d stereotypes which causes street harassment, sexual violence, and domestic violence to be kept alive within this region,” she added.

Ms Kavell Joseph, consultant with the World

Bank's Latin America and Caribbean Gender Equality Action Lab, addressing the question of how to put research into practice to recognise the fullness of w o m e n ' s e c o n o m i c participation, stated that a three-pillared childcare policy was needed to address gaps.“Anadequatechildcare policy should have (sic) availability, affordability, and quality To ensure convenience, childcare laws should regulate the hours of operation that should at minimum, accommodate the needs of parents working full time,”shesaid.

She also suggested solutions that Caribbean

g o v e r n m e n t s c a n accommodate, including direct government provision, financial support through tax breaks, incentives for non-

state provision, and e m p l o y e r- s u p p o r t e d childcare. Deputy Director, Bureau of Gender Affairs, Trinidad & Tobago Mr Amilcar Sanatan suggested a Caribbean boys and men platformforpeaceandaction to address the need for partnership in gender equality in the government, development agencies, and academia.

“It must apply a gendertransformative approach to peace and security in support of the declaration of the

Heads of Government on crime and violence as a public health issue. The Caribbean Boys and Men Platform for Peace and Action recognises that gender inequality is one of the root causes of crime and violence in Caribbean societies at social and structural levels,” Sanatan said.

He added that the Platform aligns with three action pillars in the CDB's equality policy and operational strategy: economic empowerment for all, education, and training for all, and eliminating gender-basedviolenceforall.

Sentencing

deferred for trio found guilty of murdering Soesdyke Highway vendor

The expert panellists who participated in the Caribbean Development Bank's (CDB) seminar, entitled “Solutions on All Sides: Addressing Multiple Crises to End Gender Inequality”, (from left) Ms Tamara Huggins, Director of Women's Voice and Leadership Equality Fund Caribbean, Ms. Nicole Pitter Patterson, international trade and gender expert, Ms. Michele Irving, President of the Belize National Women's Commission, Dr. Halimah Deshong, Head and Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Development and Gender Studies at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, and Ms. Judith Wedderburn, board director of Women's Media Watch Jamaica.

Four Chinese firms among five prequalified for Corentyne River Bridge project

Four out of the five

contractors/ joint ventures who have been shortlisted for the Corentyne River BridgeprojectareChineseowned.

In a release on Tuesday, the Ministry of Public Works stated that the list of pre-qualified contractors for the project are as follow: China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) – (China); China Railway Construction International Ltd (CRCCI) in joint venture with China Railway Construction Caribbean Co Ltd (CRCCCL), and China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co Ltd (CRBG) –(China); Ballast Nedam Infra Suriname B.V.; China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) –(China); and China Overseas Engineering Group Co Ltd (COVEC) in joint venture with ChinaRailwayEryuanEngineering GroupCoLtd(CREEC),andChina RailwayFirstGroup(CRRG).

Kaieteur News had reported that the Corentyne River Bridge, which is a project being embarked on by both the Governments of Guyana and Suriname, will be constructed using the Design,

Build, Finance, Operate, and Maintain(DBFOM)model.

It will be done through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. This means that the successful contractor or joint venture will be responsible for its final design, construction, financing, operation, and maintenance.

The bridge, according to a Public Works Ministry's advertisement, will span the Corentyne River from South Drain in Suriname to Moleson Creek in Guyana, and is slated to have a life spanof100years.

Back in May last year, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, alongside Suriname's Minister, Dr. Riad Nurmohamed, inked the contract for the feasibility study and design of the bridge with consultancy firm, WSP Caribbean Limited,aTrinidadianFirm.

Thecontractwasawardedtothe Trinidadian firm to the tune of US$2 million and is said to have a seven-monthduration.

In its statement yesterday, the PublicWorks Ministry said that the Surinamese Minister will visit Guyana on Wednesday and

Thursday to attend the second High-Level Decision Makers (HLDM)Meetingfortheproject. This meeting heralds the culmination of the Consultancy assignment that was awarded to WSP Caribbean in May 2022 for the Feasibility Study and Detailed Designs for the Construction of a BridgeovertheCorentyneRiver

The ministry noted that the meeting is a milestone activity of

Major General (Ret'd), Joseph Singh to chair COI into deadly Mahdia dorms fire

Major General (Ret'd) Joseph Singh will soon chair the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the deadly Mahdia dormitory fire which claimed the lives of 20 youngchildrenbackinMay

President Irfaan Ali made the announcement on Tuesday on the sidelinesofanevent.ThePresident said he will be meeting with Singh andhisteambeforetheweekend.

“We are finalizing the TOR [Terms of Reference] right now I have a meeting before the end of this week with the team. I can tell you I identified Major General (retired) Joe Singh to led that team; I have a meeting with him before the end of this week. I'm also having a meeting with the family members of the Mahdia fire to discuss some outstanding issue,” thePresidentmentioned.

Following the fire, President Ali had signaled the government's intentiontoestablishaCommission of Inquiry (COI) to investigate the tragic fire at the Mahdia dormitory, which claimed the lives of 19 younggirlsanda5-year-oldboy

During his Independence Day speech, he had said, “We are also committed to establishing a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the causes and circumstances of the fire which destroyed the dormitory and to inquireintorelatedissues.Thiswill be done soonest. The findings of that inquiry will inform the way

forward”.

OnthenightofMay21,2023,a firesweptthroughaheavily-grilled dormitory which housed students of the Mahdia Secondary School, RegionEight(Potaro-Siparuni).

DeputyFireChief(ag)Dwayne Scotland on May 22, 2023 disclosed that the fire which took approximately three and a half hours to be extinguished, was maliciously set. It was confirmed by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on May 23, 2024 that a female student of the Mahdia Secondary School reportedly started the fire because her cellular phone was

taken away by the dorm mother, andateacher Shewaslatercharged and remanded to a Juvenile HoldingCentre.

The 20 children who died as a result of the fire are, Adonijah Jerome, Tracil Thomas, Lisa Roberts, Delecia Edwards, Lorita Williams, Natalie Bellarmine, Arriana Edwards, Cleoma Simon, Subrina John, Martha D'Andrade, (and twin) Mary D'Andrade, Belnisa Evans, Loreen Evans,

Robinson, Sherlyn Bellarmine, Eulander Carter, Andrea Roberts, RitaJeffreyandSheranaDaniels.

the Consultancy where the key experts from WSP Caribbean will present the main findings and key considerations and field questions from the Guyana and Suriname delegations.

While in Guyana too, the SurinameseMinisterwillmeetwith Minister Edghill to discuss matters relatingtothe construction of the Corentyne River Bridge for which Tender Document was

i s s u e d t o t h e f i v e ( 5 ) prequalified contractors on May 9, 2023 and will close on August1,2023.

The Ministry shared too that accordingtotheagreementreached between Guyana and Suriname at the first HLDM Meeting in Suriname which was held in February, offers for the project will be evaluated, negotiated and a contractawardedbyOctober2023.

Bicycle bandits rob rum shop, leave with owner's motorcycle

TwobanditsonMondayrode to rob a rum shop at Enterprise, EastCoastDemerara(ECD)ona bicycle and left with the owner's motorcycle.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has confirmed that they are investigating the robbery. The owner reportedly claimed that the bandits armed with a hand gun robbed him of $200,000 Security cameras capturedthebandits-oneofthem masked-pullingupinfrontofthe shop on a bicycle They

dismounted the bike and walked into theshopbrandishingahandgun.

The one armed with the gun walked up to counter and stuck-up the owner while the other ran through the pockets of patrons who were apparently instructed to lie on the ground.

Theattendantwasthenseenfilling the bandits' haversack with money while a gun was pointed at him. After securing their loot, one of the bandits grabbed something that looked like a key They then proceeded outside and fledontheshopowner'smotorcycle.

An artist's impression of the bridge across the Corentyne River.

A screengrab from camera footage of the robbery

Major General (Ret'd) Joseph Singh

President Irfaan Ali

Chinese mining company doesn’t want employees to speak to the media

BOSAI Mineral Group (Guyana) Inc , a Chinese bauxite company operatinginLinden,Region10,wantsits employees to sign an agreement barring themfromspeakingtothemedia.

Someemployeesarereluctantsignthe agreement According to them, the union doesnotrepresentthemwellandthemedia istheonlymediumthroughwhichtheycan voiceconcernsifanissuearises

Kaieteur wasabletoobtainacopyof the agreement called “Code of Conduct andbusinessEthics”.

Partoftheagreementlabelednumber four, speaks to “Media Relations and DisclosureofInformation”.

According to the section, only the General Manager, Community Relations Officer and Industrial Relations Officer are allowed to speak on the company’s behalf.

“Unlessauthorized,noemployeemay give his personal opinion, disclose confidential information or discuss matters pertaining to the company to members of the news media and the public in general,” Section Four of the agreementstated.

The agreement also charges employees to inform their bosses when information is inadvertently released to thepublic.

The portion of the agreement that bars employees from speaking to the media.

GBBFF President reveals lucrative cash prizes

- as countdown heightens for the 2023 Stage of Champions event

Get ready for an exhilarating showdown as the countdown begins to the highly anticipated 2023

Stage of Champions International Bodybuilding championship.

The event is penciled for 9th of July at the prestigious Ramada Princess Hotel in Providence.

The 2023 event is generating a buzz that is hard to ignore. Particularly after a lengthy break from competition owing to the recent Covid 19 pandemic.

Yesterday, the Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness

Federation (GBBFF), together with the event's

promoters, organizers, and sponsors,hostedabriefpress conference at the Camille Academy's Auditorium in Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.

The Stage of Champions is dubbed as the pinnacle of bodybuilding excellence, with three titles up for grabs in the categories of Mr Bodybuilding, Mr Physique, and Miss Bikini. Meanwhile, during the press conference, Keavon Bess, the President of GBBFF, emphasized that this competition will be graced by the most exceptional athletes in the field.

Already, seven countries have registered to participate

in this year's competition, including Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname, Jamaica, Grenada, St Marteen, and the host nation, Guyana.

Bess revealed the staggering prize money for the winners. According to him, the first-place prize for Mr Bodybuilder is set at an impressive $500,000, while second place will walk away with $250,000, and third place will take home $150,000.

Also in the Miss Bikini category, the first-place winner will be awarded $300,000, second-place w

Wednesday June 28, 2023

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19

Despite all your rage, you're still just a rat in a cage. Get out of your box, Aries Influences from other people may cause some serious transformation in your mindset.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20)

You may be anxious to say what's on your mind today, Taurus. Words are on the tip of your tongue and you aren't afraidtoletthemspillout.Be careful.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Your mind is extra clear today, Gemini. Make sure you're helping yourself as well as others. Take care of any tasks that require a great dealofbrainpower

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Do your thing today, Cancer, and don't take garbage from others. Take control of the issue when you see that somethingneedstogetdone.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

You will be able to think clearly today, Leo. Do the best you can with what you have to work with. Do your thingandletpeopledotheirs.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

Don'twaitforaninvitationto speak your mind, Virgo. No one will ask what you think. Express yourself. You've given other people plenty of time to have their say. It's now time to chime in with youropinion.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Your mind is sharp as a tack today, Libra. There's a great deal of power behind your thoughts, so use it wisely Take this energy to work and see how much you can accomplish.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

What are you waiting for, Scorpio? You aren't going to meet anyone new by staying inside all the time.You aren't goingtobecomearockstarif you never pick up an instrument.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Don't waste time today, Sagittarius. Act with courage. Tap your primal nature and throw caution to the wind. Your wit and keen mind provide you with opportunitiesthatyoushould jumpon.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

There's a powerful force urging you to act today, Capricorn. Someone may be working counter to your aims and trying to rub you thewrongway

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

Put the pedal to the metal todayandhaveconfidencein allyouractions,Aquarius.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

Something about silence doesn't seem right to you today, Pisces Keep

alking Eventually someone will say something meaningful.

$200,000,andthethird-place winnerwillsecure$100,000.

The Stage of Champions team continues to elevate the sport of bodybuilding in Guyana and the Caribbean through their unwavering commitment to education, discipline, and hard work.

However, this year's competition has attracted renowned athletes such as Barbados' most decorated bodybuilder, Hoskin Worrel, and Guyana's reigning Mr G u y a n a , D a r i o u s Ramsammy,whosecuredthe second position in the recent Roger Boyce Classic in Barbados.

Rampersaud, the reigning

Novice Miss Bikini, Melitha Anderson, the reigning Mr P h y s i q u e , E m e r s o n Campbell, and the CAC champion, Julio Sinclair, are among the stellar lineup that is set to captivate the audience on championship night.

The championship aims towitnesstheparticipationof over forty athletes from across the Caribbean, all vyingforthecovetedtitles.

Meanwhile, the event has garnered support from prominent sponsors including New GPC Inc, Western Scientific, Guyana Outdoor Sports, Camille Academy,WestIndiesSports C o m p l e x , T w i n s Manufacturing, Space Gym and Fitness Express. Tickets cost$3000.

Cricket must learn its...

From page 29 MP, chair of the House of Commons' Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said: “Today's report confirms the Culture, Media and Sport Committee's finding 18 months ago that there is a deep-seated issue of racism in cricket.

“The volume of evidence, n o t o n l y o f r a c i a l discrimination but also of sexism and elitism, is unacceptable in a sport that should be for everyone, and must now be a catalyst for change.

“The test now for the new leadership of the ECB is to ensure the whole sport is a welcome and inclusive place for all. We welcome their recognition of the need to reset, and look forward to making sure they follow t h r o u g h o n t h e i r commitments.”

GBBFF President Keavon Bess (center) during yesterday briefing.

Savory grateful for Harpy Eagles contract, says real work now begins - Pleased to see young players getting drafted

Guyana Harpy Eagles wicketkeeper /batsman Kemol Savory said the inclusion of several young players to the squad this season, is good for the development of their skills at an early age, adding that he's more locked in than ever after being among those recently drafted.

Savory, who was among the new faces to earn contracts following the end of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Professional Cricket League (PCL) Player draft last week, told Kaieteur Sports it feelgoodtofinalsolidifyhisspotin the team.“It's a great feeling to be rewardedformyhardworkoverthe seasons.I'vebeenputtinginalotof time and dedication towards improving how I play my cricket and as I said, I'm happy that I can

now focus on keeping my place in the Harpy Eagles team while improvingmygame”.

The 26 year-old said outside of his long-term plans to improve and up his cricket, he's especially geared towards making an impression in the upcoming Super50. “My focus is and has always been to get fitter and stronger, but I'm shifting focus to increasing my training and getting myself ready for the Super50 tournamentahead.”

Shifting focus to the slightly new-look side, featuring a few senior players but with roughly 7 players under the age of 25, the Eagles will be banking on their rising stars, a number of which have been successful for Guyana/ WestIndiesattheyouthlevels.

Giving his thoughts on the team's new faces, Savory, who was once a young player in the Academy among a number of senior stars before eventually gettinghisopportunityatthesenior level, said, it was good to see the

GTA One Guyana Open to serve off on June 30

8 times doubles and singles females champion, Afruica

“The Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) is incredibly excited as it prepares to serve off the inaugural GTA One Guyana Open Tournament,” the association informedinaMediaRelease.

The country's best players and a few former champions making a comeback will battle for $2 million incashandprizes.

Thetwo-weeklongcompetition is sponsored by the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and

Sport in collaboration with the GTA. Matches will be played at the new National Racquet Centre, WoolfordAvenue,Georgetown.

This tournament will feature four categories: Men's Open Singles, Ladies' Open Singles, Men's 35 Singles, and the Men's 45 singles Men's 2022 yearend Champion, Donnie Anderson will hope to make his mark and defend his title, while, 8 times doubles and singles female champion, Afruica Gentle is bent on continuing her dominance.

Main-draw play begins on Friday June 30 following the openingceremonyat15:00hrs.

MatcheswillbeplayedMonday through Friday from 15:30 hrs to 18:30 hrs, and on weekends from 14:00 hrs to 18:30 hrs. Best-ofthree sets is the format for all categories.

“The GTA continues to be appreciative of the Government's support, as it shows a steadfast dedication to the continued development of tennis in Guyana,” theassociationnoted.

selector giving young players opportunities and instilling trust in thematanearlyage.

“It feels good to see young players like me, getting this opportunityatanearlyagetobetter our skills while being ambassadors

for our country I believe we have a good balanced team and I think us young guys still have a lot to learn but given this new opportunity I think we will be able to continue growingfromstrengthtostrength,” heended.

Republic Bank CPL, Massy WCPL Draft show to air on June 30

ThefullsquadsfortheRepublic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Massy Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL)willberevealedduringthe upcominglivedraft.

The Draft Show will be broadcasted live on the tournament's Facebook and YouTube pages from 10:30h

Eastern Caribbean Time on Friday

During the show, the drafted players as well as the overseas signings for both tournaments will be revealed to their new franchise andfansalike.

The show will be hosted by AlexJordanandwillfeatureformer West Indies players, Ian Bishop, Daren Ganga and Windies

Women's spinner Anisa Mohammed, who will be giving their expert opinions on the squads

for both the CPL and WCPL tournaments.

Fans will be able to view the Draft Show on Friday via the following mediums; CPL's Facebook and YouTube –Worldwide, Star Sports – India, Fancode – India, SportsMax – Pan Caribbean , TV6 – Trinidad & Tobago,Willow–USA,BTSport–UK,SkySports–NewZealand.

The show will be broadcasted on the CPL's social media pages at the following times: 10:30am ECT, 2:30pm GMT, 3:30pm BST and 8:00pm IST The franchise which bowls off from August 16September 24 will see franchises; Barbados Royals, GuyanaAmazon Warriors, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Saint Lucia Kings and Trinbago Knight Riders battling to become championsofthisyear'sedition.

Guyana Harpy Eagles wicket-keeper /batsman Kemol Savory

Gentle

Men's 2022 yearend Champion, Donnie Anderson

LGC bids farewell to Escarraga …MACORPannualtournamenttocontinuebeingyearlyspectacle

On Saturday, June 24, 2023, the Lusignan Golf Club bid farewell to outgoing Chief Executive Officer of MACORP Guyana, Guillermo Escarraga.

LGC Secretary Chet Bowling, noted that Escarraga has been promoted within the MACORP group to Senior Vice President of Product Support."Forthelasttenyears Guillermo and MACORP, under his leadership and guidance and love for golf, has ensured that MACORP has continued to sponsor golf tournaments, provide monetary and in kind support to maintain the grounds of our golfclub.

They have also maintained our sign, put up signs indicating key information at each hole and host to the annual MACORP Golf Tournament each year," Bowlingshared.

He also noted that on a personal level Escarraga shared a love and passion for the sport. Bowling went on to relaythatEscarragahasmadea great contribution to the game ofgolfattheLGCandgavehis word that even in his absence MACORP will continue to hostitsannualtournament.

Also, sharing his bit was outgoing CEO MACORP Guyana, Guillermo Escarraga, who said, "I was fortunate to have the chance to learn the game of golf in Guyana. It was a great journey for me. Golf is now part of my life just like Guyana and I will always be grateful for the time I spend here.

I will miss the course and all the players I played with. Wehadsomekeencompetition overtheyears.

The Saturday tournaments is what I will miss the most, good days bad days it was all a rewarding experience full of memories. The Lusignan club members are outstanding

individuals from whom I learned a lot.The camaraderie and friendship of this club is unpar."

Escarraga divulged that having the opportunity to represent LGC and Guyana wasathrill.

He shared that playing abroad and having the confidencethatonecanhavea good round of golf, is the best takeaway from his time at the LGC. He also reiterated that during his time at the club his most memorable tournament was the Guyana Open where he scored his best net overall, something which he deemed a s h i s g r e a t e s t accomplishment.

In closing Escarraga said, "I just want to thank the management and staff of the Lusignan golf course for their dedication and support. Also the management committee and its president Pur for their remarkablecareofthecourse.

Finally special thanks to my Caddie Harry who was withmesinceIstarted.

Agentleman I will always rememberforhelpingmeover theyears.”

Members of the LGC share a light moment.

Special Olympic team at World Games welcomed home after successful outing

Awelcomingparty w h i c h w a s headlined by Director of Sports Steve Ninvalle, in the wee hours of yesterday morning, ushered in the return of the Guyana Special Olympics World Games contingent to local shores at the Cheddi Jagan Airport,Timehri.

An Indigenous dancing quartet and a Tassa Troupe provided a festive hero's welcome to the five-member Olympics contingent which comprised Head of the Delegation Wilton Spencer, Athletes Rachel Mortley, Stephanie Ramotar, Daniel Samsundar, and coach LavernLee-Alleyne.

Guyana's participation in the16theditionoftheSpecial Olympics World Games, which was held for the first time in Berlin, Germany, fromJune17th-25th,resulted in five medals in the disciplineofBocce.

The team returned to local shores with one gold accolade in the female singles segment, three silver medals in the female doubles division, and a bronze award in the male singles section.

Approximately 7000 athletes and 3000 coaches from 190 nations participated in the prestigious event which featured26disciplines.

Director of Sports

Ninvallepraisedthegroupon behalfofPresidentIrfaanAli,

Minister of Culture, Youth andSportCharlesRamsonJr, and the Government of Guyana,fortheirmomentous accomplishments in the representation of their nation According to Ninvalle, this achievement highlights what can be achieved when unwavering commitment supersedes prevailing challenges, noting thatsupportwillemanateand be forthcoming from the relevant sports entities in an effort to build on this noteworthysuccess.

Ninvalle disclosed that whilehehasneverplayedthe sport of Bocce, the resulting triumphs of the team have afforded the discipline mainstreamaspiration.

He further revealed that a formal meeting between the Olympic team and Minister Ramson Jr will ensue and that all matters relating to the development of the sport can and will be ventilated in an effort to move the discipline forward.

“To the team heartfelt congratulations”, Ninvalle

concluded.

On the other hand, Head of the Delegation Spencer thanked the welcoming c o m m i t t e e f o r t h e u n e x p e c t e d b u t o v e r w h e l m i n g a n d appreciative reception, noting that the team worked assiduously to be able to compete at a “world-class activity” despite being only afforded a preparatory phase ofsevenmonths.

According to Spencer, though the team was unable to train on the requisite

surface for the discipline, a realitythatwasonlyafforded upon arrival in Berlin, he is very satisfied with the performanceofthegroup.

He explained, “Even though better could have been done. We made a few mistakes which cost us a few more gold medals, but never the less we rallied through and returned to Guyana with one gold, three silvers, and a bronze.”

Spencer further declared that the Special Olympics teamhasneverdepartedlocal

shores to compete at this strata and returned emptyhanded, affirming that not only financial support is requiredbutfacilitiesthatare c o n d u c i v e t o t h e development of this sporting fraternity

Meanwhile, the softspokenathletictrioofRachel Mortley, Stephanie Ramotar, and Daniel Samsundar stated thattheeventwasanamazing experience and that they are elated to have represented their country and secured silverware.

Cricket must learn its lesson following damning report

SportsMax - SirAndrew

Strauss has described the damning report into discrimination in cricket as an “awakening” for the sport and urged those in power to offer more than “lip service” inresponse.

The long-awaited Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report found racism was entrenched in the sport, that women routinelyencounteredsexism and misogyny and that little ornoactionhasbeentakento address class barriers within thesport.

T h e I C E C r e p o r t describes the sport in England and Wales as “elitist andexclusionary”.

Strausshasspentmuchof his career in influential positions at the England and Wales Cricket Board, from England captain, to director of men's cricket and latterly strategicadvisertotheboard,

but left the organisation earlierthisyear.“Thisisareal time of awakening for the game of cricket,” he said at an event for the Ruth Strauss Foundation.

“You have to move forward as a sport. The clear takeaway is the game has to do better, has to move forwardandnotbedefensive.

“We have to make sure anyone who wants to play cricket feels included, welcomed and appreciated. If we get to that stage the game of cricket will be in a muchhealthierplace.

“I was lucky enough to play in inclusive teams and I know how powerful that can be.

“What the report is obviously showing is we haven't done well enough traditionally

“It's an important moment for the game to embrace this, learn the lesson, don't pay lip service to it and make sure what we seeatthebackendisactually change.”

The ECB issued an unreserved apology for the failings highlighted in the report and to the victims of

discriminationincricket,and will work over the next three months on a package of reforms based on the 44 recommendations within the report.

Richard Gould, the ECB chiefexecutive,said:“Itisan existentialissueforthesport. This is a report that the ECB specifically asked for two-

and-a-half years ago, and deliberately did not set narrowparameters.

“This report is a seminal moment for us. It helps us to fully understand the scope of the issues within the game, it allows us to understand the apologies that we quite rightly make to those people thatsuffereddiscrimination.

“We are determined to be able to act on this report and deliver on its intent in the comingmonths.

“This report will contain lots of information which willcomeas ashock tomany and many people will be disappointed by But there's also a huge amount of determinationthroughoutthe game, throughout the country, to make sure that cricket can deliver and in onlyawaythatcricketcan.”

The ICEC report highlighted past, failed e f f o r t s t o

discriminationinthesport.

ItsaidtheECB'seffortsto address the challenges of equity, diversity and inclusion in cricket only gained real momentum following the introduction of its independent board in 2018, nearly 19 years after the 1999 'Clean Bowl Racism' report concluded that racism existed in the sport.

Asked why the response would be different this time to 1999, Gould said: “You're quite right to allude to a report previously, which was not acted on in a sufficient manner Determination (to getitrightthistime)ishuge.

“And I think that the quality of work that's gone intothisreportwillhelpusto find the right routes through and we expect to be held to accountaswegoforward.”

DameCarolineDinenage (Continued on page 29)

Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle (2nd from right) posing with the Guyana Special Olympics World Games contingent following their return on Tuesday morning at the Cheddi Bharrat Jagan Airport, Timehri.

Sir Andrew Strauss

Sir Andrew Strauss

Century 21 Guyana sponsors National Under-16 Rapid Chess Tournament

The highly-anticipated National Under-16 Rapid Chess Tournament returns on Monday, July 3rd at Marian Academy The championship event is sponsored by Century 21 Guyana, a recently established international real estate companyinGuyana.

Playersundertheageof16have until Sunday, July 2nd at 5 pm to register in either the Open or Girls category

Trophies will be awarded at the endoftheone-dayeventforthetop threeplayersaswellastheBestU8, Best U10, and Best U12 players in eachcategory

Seven rounds of gameplay begin at 9 am sharp. Each match will be played under a time control of 20 minutes per player with a 5secondincrementaftereachmove.

Thistournamentpromisestobe the most intense and impressive yet,fueledbythemomentumofthe

boomingchessinschoolsprogram. The passion and dedication exhibited by the younger generation of chess enthusiasts promiseexcitingcompetition.

Returning to defend their coveted titles are the reigning male

and female 2022 Under-16 champions, Kyle Couchman and Italy Ton Chung. Queen's College student Couchman remains one of themostactivechessplayersacross youth and open tournaments, having copped the Under-14 Rapid Tournament title just a few months ago.

St. Stanislaus College student

Ton Chung also ranks among the strongest for Under-16 female players, having demonstrated consistentprowessovertheyears.

This tournament will also serve as a platform for the selection of some players for the upcoming CAC Youth Chess Festival to be held in Trinidad in August, which will attract players from the entire Caribbeanregion.

Registration is free for members of the Guyana Chess Federation. Children who are not registered with the Federation and

still wish to compete can pay a fee of $2000 via MMG Online registration is required for the tournament. Inquiries can be made to707-4529formoreinformation.

The Guyana Chess Federation would like to thank Marian Academy for their unwavering

support in providing the venue for the tournament and to extend heartfelt gratitude to Century 21 Guyana, the generous sponsor of this event. Their support has paved the way for the further advancement of youth chess in Guyana.

Cricket World Cup to begin Oct. 5, Ahmedabad hosts final

NEW DELHI, (Reuters)The Cricket World Cup will begin on Oct. 5 with England facing New Zealand in Ahmedabadandthesamevenue hosting the final on Nov. 19, organiserssaidonTuesday,with the schedule for the showpiece in India also confirming Pakistan'sparticipation.

The fixtures were revealed by the International Cricket Council during an event in Mumbai, less than four months before the start of the 50-overs tournament, with the delay partly due to sour political relations between India and Pakistan.India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in August-Septembertriggeredthe latest dispute between the bitter neighbours,whoplayeachother onlyinmulti-teamevents.

Pakistan responded by threateningtoboycotttheWorld Cup if they were not allowed to stage at least some matches of theAsiaCuponhomesoil.

The stalemate was finally resolved this month when Pakistan agreed to split matches withSriLanka,whereIndiawill playtheirAsiaCupmatches.

South Asia's arch-rivals meet in the tournament's most anticipated match on Oct. 15 in Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium - the biggest cricket venueintheworldbycapacity However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) added a caveat saying they would still need government clearance for any tour to India, including WorldCupmatchvenues.

"We are liaising with our

government for guidance," PCB Communications Director Sami UlHasansaidinastatement.

"This position is consistent to what we had told the ICC a couple of weeks ago when they sharedwithusthedraftschedule andsoughtourfeedback."

India begin their campaign on Oct. 8 against five-times champions Australia in Chennai.

England's opener against New Zealand is a rematch of the 2019 final in which England prevailed via a now-scrapped boundarycountrule.

Among other key fixtures, 1992 champions Pakistan meet Australia in Bengaluru on Oct. 20,whileEnglandtakeonSouth Africa the following day in Mumbai.

Australia captain Pat Cummins said he was looking forward to the atmosphere at the matchwithIndiainChennai.

"You know there's going to be big crowds, but no bigger than playing India at home in a WorldCupgame,sothat'sgoing tobeexcitingforus,"hesaid.

"It will be a huge challenge, they're a top-class team but if you want to win a World Cup you're going to have to be better than everyone else, so why not takeonIndiastraightup?"

The first semi-final will take place on Nov 15 in Mumbai with Kolkata hosting the second the following day Both games, as well as the final, will be daynightfixtures.

There will be a total of 10 venues for the 10-team tournament - Hyderabad,

Ahmedabad, Dharamsala, Delhi,Chennai,Lucknow,Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kolkata.

Apart from hosts India, the teams that have qualified include Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.Two more sides will join them following a qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe, whichwillconcludeonJuly9.

Twice winners West Indies have appeared at every tournament since it was first staged in 1975 but defeat by the Netherlands in the qualifying event on Monday leaves their

National School Basketball Festival (NSBF) in Guyana

Two schools have so far qualified for the next stages of the ongoing National School Basketball Festival (NSBF). The tournament, which is organizedbythebyYouthBasketball Guyana (YBG), is in its 17th edition andissponsoredbyExxonMobil.

The winners in Region 6, East Berbice Corentyne, (New Amsterdam/ Canje) and the Region 10 competition in Linden, school basketball competition have been decided.

The Berbice final saw top teams New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School (NAMS) and BerbiceHighSchool(BHSmatching skills t the New Amsterdam BasketballCourt.

The students from NAMS took command early and won easily

against their BHS counterparts with a commanding 41-26 points win to take that title. Leading the charge for NAMS was Xavier Ferreira with 13 points. That performance also won himtheMostValuablePlayer(MVP) award. He got support from Jared Dant and Timothy Rampersaud with 1 1 p o i n t s e a c h Over in Region 10 it was Kwakwani Secondary from the Berbice River that won that segment of the competition with an easy victory over Christiansburg Wismar Multilateral Secondary by a wide marginof110-62.

Leading the scoring for Kwakwani Secondary was Kelon Phillips, who bucketed 37 points, he was supported by Kasim English w i t h 2 3 p o i n t s . LeadingtheboardforChristiansburg

Wismar Multilateral was Teishawn Kittswith32points.

The NSBF is one of the biggest school basketball tournaments in the country,bringingtogetheryoungand talented student-athletes from different regions to compete at a nationallevel.

In addition to sponsoring the NSBF, ExxonMobil is also supporting the Student-Athlete Pathway Conference and the Regional School Basketball Conference for the second year in a row

The tournament this year has seen over 70 schools playing in Regions3,4,5,6,&10.

The finals are expected to be played later this month with the respective champions clashing in Georgetown. (SamuelWhyte)

Italy Ton-Chung

Kyle Couchman

Delmur Company latest sponsor on board for KMTC CARICOM Day horse race meet

As race day draws nearer for the much anticipate Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC), CARICOM Horse race meet, set for Monday3rdJulyattheclubs entity, Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne Berbice

Sponsors and entries continue to pour in for what is expected to be a classical event.

So far close to 55 of the country's top horses have takenentry

The Delmur Company

Limited and the Elcock Racing Stable are the latest to join the hoard of sponsors already on board for the marqueehorseracemeet. With the KMTC known to host quality horserace meets more sponsors and

horses are expected to climb onboardfortheevent.

Sixracesarelistedonthe day's programme which will have a whopping $4M in cash and trophies up for grabs.

The feature event is for the horses' classified G3 non winners and lower A fiery event is anticipated with the likes of American Traveler, Nuclear Fire, Memories, A m e r c e a b l e K a t e , Republican and Pocoyo among others looking to burnupthetrack.Thewinner will race away with $500,000 and trophy over 7 furlongs.

Horses running in the event classified J1 and lower over 6 furlongs has a pole positing taking of $300,000

andtrophy

The contest for the three yearsoldmaidenhorsesover 6 furlongs will see the winner taking home

$250,000andtrophy

The top animal in the event for Guyana Bred two years old horses competing over 5 furlongs will also run away with $250,000 and trophy

The event for animals classified L class Open and thefinalraceforJandLnonearners are both over 6 furlongs for similar pole position taking of $200,000 andtrophy

Other top entries include Top Rankin, Miss Olympic, GT Boss, Strom Town, Republican Too, War Time, Asome Banner, Amazing

All-round Matthews leads

West Indies to 1-0 series lead over Ireland

SportsMax - West Indies Captain, Hayley Matthews, starred with a century and a three-wicket haul to lead the West Indies to a 58-run win overIrelandinthefirstODIat the Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium in St Lucia on Monday

The hosts first posted a respectable 297-6 from their 50overs,theirsecondhighest total ever, after winning the toss.Matthews was the star of the show, scoring a 106-ball 109, her fourth ODI hundred and first since March 2022. She hit 10 fours and two sixes.

Former skipper, Stafanie th Taylor, made her 39 fifty inn ODIs, 55 off 69 balls, in support while Chinelle Henry, coming off injury, hit seven fours on her way to a maiden fifty in ODIs, 53* off 37balls.

Hayley Matthews scored 109 and bagged 3-53 for the West Indies.

Leg-spinner, Cara Murray, took 3-60 off her 10 overs.

Ireland, despite a crafty 83 from opener Gaby Lewis and 40 from skipper Laura Delany, fell 58 runs short of their target, eventually finishing 239-9 from their 50 overs.

Grace, Quiet Warrior Harianna, Cash and Carry a n d W a r T i m e Outstanding performers will r e c e i v e a c c o l a d e s compliments of Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall andtheorganisers. Alltwoyearsoldanimals will be subjected to a vet check before they are allowedtorace.

The day's event will be conducted using the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority(GHRA).

Interested persons can make contact with Club Secretary Niketa Ross 6624668, Ivan Dipnarine 3310316, Basil Bactowar 6617815, Fazal Habibulla 6577010 or Isaac Dalloo 6890629. (SamuelWhyte)

Orla Prendergast also contributed 37 as Matthews provided the goods with the ball for the hosts with 3-53 fromher10overs. SpinnersAfyFletcherand Qiana Joseph also chipped in withtwowickets,each.

The second ODI will be playedtoday,Wednesday

YBG Exxon Schools Basketball Georgetown Regional Final set for today

Old rivals Saints Stanislaus College and the Bishops High School will contest the Georgetown Regional Championship today attheBurnhamCourtvenue.

TheCityFinalissettocommenceat5pm andpromisestobeakeenlycontestedaffair

The Regional Conference is sponsored by ExxonMobil, with support from Edward B. Beharry, G-Boats GY, and the National SportsCommission.

Meanwhile, in the semifinal contests, SaintsoverpoweredaspiritedStRose'sHigh 46pointsto28pointstostayundefeated.

Playing on Sunday last at Saints Court, Brandon McKoy 29 points, 3 rebounds, 3

steals and Lemuel Heyliger 7 points, 5 reboundspilotedSaints,whiletopperformer for St Rose's was Chad Martin 16 points and 4rebounds.

Thesecondsemi-finalsawBishopsHigh holding off the Government Technical Institute 31 points to 27 points on two clutch free throw from their captain Matthias Arrindelinthedyingminutesofthegame. Arrindel led his team with 17 points, 6 reboundsandgotsupportfromDanielBailey 9 points, 9 rebounds, while for GTI, Martin Edwards 7 points, 10 rebounds and Peter Langevine 7 points, 7 rebounds were the maincontributors.

Anticipation rise as fans and participants prepare for Sunday's One Guyana Breeders Cup Horse race Meet

...Bush Lot United Turf Club expected to sizzle

Horseracing fans are in for a chockfull of excitement.

Anticipation has reached

fever pitch as fans and participants alike set their sights on the Jumbo Jet T h o r o u g h b r e d R a c i n g Committee's, One Guyana Breeders Cup Horserace Meet fixedforthisSunday

Theeventisbeingstagedatthe Bush Lot United Turf Club located at Sea View Park, Bush Lot, West Coast, Berbice and the organisers were pushing to get the venue all p r e p a r e d a n d a l l o t h e r arrangementsinplace.

Fans will be treated to top class racing as most of the leading racehorses in Guyana and a few making the trip from Suriname are set to battle for the attractive cash prizesonoffer

The side entertainment also promises to be to the fans desire and patrons are expected to leave the venue fully satisfied. A major sound clash of the leading DJ's in the country looms and the venue promises to be rocking as the DJ's spintheirmusicalmagicasthehunt

bragging rights and lucrative cash prizes said to be in the vicinity of $3M.

Whilepermanentstandsarenot yetinplaceatthevenue,Nasrudeen Mohamed Jnr , head of the organising committee, has indicated this should not be a problem and fans will be comfortable.

He had informed that four trailers have been brought in and placed alongside the track where the stands originally were. The trailers would be covered to provide much needed shelter from the sun and a quantity of chairs would be available for additional comfort.

The Bush Lot UnitedTurf Club is expected to be transformed to host one of the most anticipated One Day Horseracing events since the sold out races at Port Mourant and Guyana Cup and action will commence 1:00pm sharp with a well-structured 8 race card. Over $7,000,000 in cash and prizes are up for grabs with bragging rights

being the order of the day from grudgeraces.

Suriname horses Black Cat and Jet Lee among other should serve a severe treat to the local line up which include Ariana's Vision and Wild Texas Tom, Jessica pride, Convertor, Looking to heaven, Ice cream Sunday, Early bird, Bank note,GTbossandNotthistime.

AsseeninGuyanaCupanewly designed walkthrough entrance will be set-up to ensure a smooth flow in and out the event. Clearly marked signs will be erected to ensure all patrons and competitors are directed to their respective areas to guarantee a hassle-free experience.

The Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee is working closely with Guyana Police Force to ensure traffic congestion does not affect surrounding areas and commuters.

The countdown has begun for one of the biggest Horse Racing EventinGuyanacardedforSunday atBushLotUnitedTurfClub.

Guyana 3x3 women's team depart for CAC Games

Guyana's National women's 3x3basketballteamhasembarked on their journey to the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in El Salvador, filled with anticipation for the upcoming action.

Leading the team is Spainbased player Ruth Adams, who brings a wealth of experience to the squad. Joining her are Shania Sears, Jamaicy Ogle, and KenneshaLeacock.

Unfortunately, Kristy Thomas, who hails from Bartica, had to be replaced by Ogle due to unforeseenlast-minuteissues.

While the CAC Games officially commenced on June 23 and will conclude on July 8, the 3×3 basketball event is scheduled to take place from June 30 to July 2.Expressing his best wishes, the President of the Guyana

Basketball Federation (GBF), Michael Singh, extended his supporttotheteam,statingthatthe entire country stands united in their hopes for a successful performanceinSanSalvador

T h e G B F p r e s i d e n t emphasised the federation's commitment to supporting women'sbasketballinGuyana.

Singh highlighted the significance of the CAC Games, asitpresentsauniqueopportunity forthelocally-basedplayers,allof whom hail from Region 10, to showcase their skills and compete against counterparts from the Centrobasketregion.

As the team embarks on this exciting journey, they carry with them the hopes and dreams of a nation, fueled by the belief that their talent and dedication will shineontheinternationalstage.

Nasrudeen Mohamed Jnr. finds time for the fans at a previous event.

Ruth Adams will make her National Team debut at the CAC Games. She plays professionally in Spain.

(L-R) Shania Sears, Jamaicy Ogle and Kennesha Leacock. Missing is Spain-base player Ruth Adams.

Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle (2nd from right) posing with the Guyana Special Olympics World Games contingent following their return on Tuesday morning at the Cheddi Bharrat Jagan Airport, Timehri.

Head panel at yesterday's press conference, including athletes and sponsors as well as Competition organiser Videsh Sookram (extreme left) and GBBFF President Keavon Bess (far right).