Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR Cops being NEWS

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Tuesday Edition March 01, 2022 - Vol. 15 No. 09

investigated for threatening to murder teen

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 73,800

Exxon defends throwing limited insurance coverage to Guyana ExxonMobil Guyana, Chief Executive Officer, Alistair Routledge

- as it milks multi-billion dollar profits from nation's oil resources

Oil and Gas employees forced to buy own PPE …GAWU gets Govt. to intervene

p.

15

$650M Public Works estimated Ministry to oversee to upgrade US$14M in sea hinterland defence projects airstrips

Coalition Govt. sold derelict - PAC vehicles below value hears

The protest continues for change to ExxonMobil’s contract. - person who did not bid among beneficiaries

Dangerous and misleading for Brassington to tell nation no - Ram risks in Amaila Falls hydro deal Corrupt Third World leaders maintain EURO Listen to The Glenn Lall Show! and US Dollars at the top! @11:00hrs on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 01, 2022

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 01, 2022

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Exxon defends throwing limited insurance coverage to Guyana H

ead of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), Alistair Routledge, on Monday sought to defend the size of the insurance policy provided by the ExxonMobil subsidiary which has been the Operator of the oil rich Stabroek Block since 1999.

His commentary comes on the heels of an eight-year bashing, particularly from Kaieteur News, on the need for ExxonMobil Corporation, the parent company of EEPGL, to formally agree that it would handle all costs, above and beyond what cannot be met

by EEPGL, for an unmitigated oil spill from its operations.

In a statement to the press, Routledge did not confirm or deny that ExxonMobil Corporation, which milks multi-billion dollar profits from Guyana, has a moral and legal obligation to ensure that it protects the environment and the citizens of the countries its subsidiaries operate in.

He did, however, defend the US$2B insurance coverage EPPGL is throwing at Guyana. Routledge is of the view that the size of the policy is in keeping with international industry standards. Routledge assured as well that for every project in Guyana, EEPGL has put in place mitigations and processes that help to prevent adverse events by utilising the best technologies, equipment, and people in our operations. Importantly, EEPGL had made the same claim prior to the Liza Phase One Project coming on stream. When it did, the vessel's gas compressor was subsequently plagued with a series of mechanical issues which led to over 14 billion standard cubic feet of gas being burnt. This form of environmental pollution has been taking place from December 2019, when oil production started, to now.

The company has pledged to have the said issues fixed by mid-year and bring an end to the toxic pollution of the nation's airspace.

- as it milks multi-billion dollar profits from nation's oil resources ExxonMobil Guyana, Chief Executive Officer, Alistair Routledge

Despite such failings, Routledge is still asking the Guyanese citizenry to trust that the limited liability company he heads is capable of handling all the fiscal implications of an oil spill, should it occur.

Expounding further, he said, “ExxonMobil maintains the industry's only

sustained, dedicated and inhouse oil-spill response research programme, which dates back to the 1970s. Here in Guyana, we adhere to an internationally accepted, tiered response system used to determine the requirements of response personnel and equipment.”

The EEPGL head said,

“This system remains aligned with the principles of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation (OPRC), the Caribbean Island Oil Pollution Preparedness Response and Cooperation (OPRC), and the National Oil Spill Response Plan of

Guyana to provide an efficient framework to build preparedness and response capabilities matching the oil spill risks from all types of operations.”

Further to this, Routledge sought to address commentary in the local press on “full coverage” insurance and guarantees. He said those comments have inaccurately suggested that ExxonMobil Guyana will not be able to effectively manage response activities.

He was keen to note that insurance is just one source of financial assurance that could be leveraged for response activities while adding, “The value of insurance will not limit the company's ability to respond to an event, and response activities would certainly not be delayed by discussions (Continued on page 16)

Dangerous and misleading for am R Brassington to tell nation no risks in Amaila Falls hydro deal Not only is it “nonsense” but it is also “absurd” to tell a nation that a renewable energy project will not be of any risk to a country.

This is according to prominent transparency advocate, Chartered Accountant and Attorney-atLaw, Christopher Ram in an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News.

Ram's comments come on the heels of the announcement made by the Amaila Falls Hydropower p r o j e c t h e a d , Wi n s t o n Brassington, who told the foreign dominated audience at the recently concluded International Energy Conference and Expo, that Guyana will not bear any risks, but instead the contractor, China Railway First Group.

Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram According to the activist, “I think it's absurd to suggest that a 20-year project that relies on several variables, including climate change and water flows has no risks. It's nonsense to say that.”

He added, “Until we see the agreement, we do not know and cannot say for sure who will bear the risks if the project cannot deliver as it is intended to. What we do know for sure is that the Chinese are not in the business of bearing risks in any third world country and that the only people who will meet all the costs, risks and the obligations will be the people of Guyana.”

Brassington told the conference while providing an update on the project that, “like any large project there is a lot of risks in these projects but most of these risks have been put to the developer.”

He, however, glided over the burdens Guyana will bear as a result of the project, even though the country is bracing

Project Head, Amaila Falls Hydropower plant, Winston Brassington

square kilometres reservoir is unable to feed the hydro plant, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) would bear the incurred liability.

Secondly, Guyana will be responsible for political force majeure, that is, if the government changes its mind about the project, it would still have to pay the Chinese contractor for its investment.

The third risk Guyana will stand, along with China Railway, is 'other force majeure'. This relates to damage to the plant, by unforeseen circumstances.

Two other risks will be

borne by GPL if the Amaila Falls project fails to meet the electricity demand.

Given that the project head failed to highlight these risks, Ram told this newspaper, “It is dangerous, misleading and irresponsible for anyone to make the kinds of claims and statements Mr. Brassington is reported to have made to an international audience.”

The Amaila Fall Hydropower project is presently pegged at US$700M. The developer, China Railway First Group (Continued on page 8 )

to face six of the most dangerous risks associated with the project.

These include hydrological, which means if the falls run dry due to climate change, or if the 23

Good Hope Public Road

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Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

Russia

– cornered men tend to lose control

T

he pressures on Russia are being ratcheted up, with no letup in sight. Its invasion of Ukraine has exposed a possible miscalculation, with which its leader, Vladimir Putin, must now live. The likely miscalculation is that America and particularly Europe did not have the backbone to stand firm against its aggression in Ukraine, but which continuing developments indicate how wrong such is proving to be. As the Western world reveals an increasingly united front, and unveils more sanctions with teeth, the Russian strongman, is himself upping the ante. Vladimir Putin has travelled so far that he may not be able to stop his momentum, actually turn back.

To do so might mean losing precious face, which is an allimportant feature in Eastern cultures.

On Sunday, Mr. Putin took matters to an alarming level: he placed the nuclear forces under his control to a state of special alertness, as a response to what he termed “NATO’s aggression”. As to what manner of menaces fill his mind, there can only be speculation, why he feels it necessary to take that ominous step only he would know. But this is part of the playbook in the Russian leader’s hand, and he has not been hesitant to keep pushing the envelope, if only to manifest his willingness to go all out to restore Mother Russia to her past place of pride and glory. There is the probability also that each escalating step that he broadcasts is intended to test the mettle of those who are arrayed against him, as he probes for any sign of crack in the ranks of those standing before him. It is part of the continuum of Mr. Putin’s carefully orchestrated assets that he marshals and deploys with great patience. He wants to see who is going to blink first. As carried by KN on Sunday last, compliments of Al-Jazeera coverage, “Senior Russian security official issues stark threats to the West -Former President Dmitry Medvedev says Moscow may respond to sanctions by cutting diplomatic ties with the West and freezing personal assets” (KN February 27). It is no secret that Mr. Medvedev is a creature of Vladimir Putin, a most trusted ally, and a posture from him is as good as one from the Russian leader. Freezing personal assets may not mean much, since not many on the Western side would have been so foolhardy, or committed, to leave their assets in Russia’s or its allies’ grasp. On the other hand, cutting diplomatic ties with the West is bad enough since this could be dangerous in the event of continuing escalations of sanctions and the resulting stresses. The open line of communication would be gone, and have to be conducted through intermediaries, if at all. This could result in costly delays and mistakes if there is a real breaking point crisis.

What was worse, and took matters into extremely worrying territory was Russia’s threat to opt out of the last nuclear arms treaty that it had with the U.S. No matter how calmly this is looked at, however it is studied, it is neither good nor comforting. For when nuclear alertness and scrapping nuclear treaties enter into the equation of discussion, even consideration, then matters have quickly deteriorated into both the dangerous and the possibly uncontrollable. We don’t like this kind of talk and posture from anybody. Nevertheless, it is clear that the broad range of sanctions currently being deployed across a wide front is biting deeply into the consciousness of Russian leaders, that is, the only one that matters, Mr. Putin himself. Western financial institutions and their awesome bloodless power are aimed square at Russian chokepoints, and could cause untold misery for many there. Then, the European Union announced the shutting of its airspace to Russian planes, while BP is unloading its stake with “immediate effect” in the Russian state-owned oil giant Rosneft (BBC, February 27). Further, the EU is doing something unprecedented: it is sending arms to Ukraine, plus banning Russian news entities. As this is considered, something becomes more obvious. It is that when leaders are cornered, they can lash out with disastrous consequences. This is what the world faces today. Everyone loses, nobody ever wins.

Season of Reconciliation and Peace DEAR EDITOR, The Christians begin the Season of Lent from Wednesday. This is an important time for the Christians and also nonChristians as many people associate Season of Lent to forgoing something such as meat, chocolate and so on.

Lent means ‘spring’; it is a springtime where we are renewed and refreshed through the Lenten observances. We are washed clean so that we enter into paschal mysteries of Christ death and resurrection

through Easter. The Latin based language use the word “Quaresma” for Lent, which simply means 40 days. After the baptism, Jesus was tempted and tried in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights whilst he was in prayer and fasting. Thus, the Church invites the faithful to reflect on one’s own life in order to be aware that we are also tempted in our everyday life.

Temptation is part of human life, but how do we deal with it, is more important than dwelling on the issue of temptation.

The four pillars of Lent, prayer, penance, almsgiving and fasting help not only the people in need but makes us empathize with the poor. In other words, it makes us feel the pain of the needy; for instance, when we fast, we feel the hunger that a poor person goes through. These pillars help us to mend and to deepen our relationship with God. How am I going to observe these fourfold pillars? Jesus focuses on the aspect of humility in our Lenten observances. God knows our hearts and minds;

therefore, I need not showcase my Lenten observances. Hence, Jesus’ words come true, those who humble themselves will be exalted and vice versa.

Pope Francis has asked the Church to fast and pray on Ash Wednesday for the peace in Ukraine and end to violence. This call for peace can be our priority as we pray for the innocent people in Ukraine. Let this Season of Lent bring reconciliation and peace in this world.

Regards, Jerri Dias

The PNC/R wanted to dump AFC after winning the 2015 elections DEAR EDITOR, I was the Secretary of AFC for four years, and the Prime Minister’s Representative for five years, in Region Two during the “Coalition Government”.

I came to realise, by rude awakenings, that the PNCR was not interested in power sharing, as they boasted about, but domination and dictatorship. What they did in the 1960’s was to use the UF, by giving Peter D’Aguiar the Minister of Finance portfolio, to coalesce and form the government through the Proportional Representation electoral system. The means had justified the end for Burnham then. Thereafter Burnham changed the constitution, and rigged consecutive elections, to prevent coalition after elections, depriving the PPP and other political parties from governing.

Fast forward to 2015, the

PNCR used the AFC and other parties to coalesce before the elections in order to oust the PPPC government. It succeeded, then sidelined the AFC, using them as a door mat to be walked over. Every government ministry headed by an AFC minister had a PNCR junior minister as an underdog to monitor. The same was not reciprocal for PNCR ministries.

The meeting to plan the election campaign in 2020, in Region Two, held at State House, Anna Regina, was chaired by Annette Ferguson, a junior minister and PNCR member who is not from Region Two. The default Minister of Business, a senior minister, and AFC executive member, had no campaign position (he appeared satisfied with this since he is not a boat-rocker and accepts everything) since the deputy campaign manager was another PNCR member. At

the meeting, I asked the campaign manager several times if there was no cocampaign manager but she evaded this question until we got to know that there was none. We had expected the Minister of Business- an executive member of the AFC - would have been the cocampaign manager, but the PNCR would have none of that and sidelined the AFC. Except for two AFC Regional Councillors and me, all other members of PNCR and AFC sat there as we were relegated, while we walked out in protest.

Editor, during the five years of the Coalition government, I as AFC Secretary for Region Two wrote numerous letters, hard copies of which I had sent to our AFC leaders about sidelining of the AFC by the PNCR. I complained, on behalf of our members, about hiring practices (employment

opportunities), exclusion from outreaches, heritage celebrations, Tender Board, Regional Standing Committees; harassment by PNCR REO’s. Responses from our AFC leaders were without answers, just acknowledgement or a mere nebulous, “All matters have been fully ventilated”. Editor, AFC is now “Dead Meat”, cannot be resuscitated or resurrected, and cannot help the PNCR to govern again.

AFC leaders were feathering their nests—with gold bangles, expensive furniture and self-serving contracts— and the PNCR were taking note and waiting to boot them out. I know that they will tarnish me with their sour grape responses, but “The Truth Hurts”. The done deal is that the PPPC will govern Guyana for a long time and better the lives of Guyanese.

Yours truly, Karan Chand

We must remind Russia of our opposition to the invasion of Ukraine DEAR EDITOR, Article 13 welcomes and supports the condemnation by the President Ali government and the PNC-R, the main opposition party, of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

We note that President Putin of Russia announced a “special military operation” to “demilitarise” Ukraine at the very moment that the United Nations 15-Member States Security Council was meeting in a last-minute attempt to avoid a full-scale conflict. The meeting was called by Ukraine and a draft resolution calling on Russia, among other things, to cease all military action against, and the withdrawal of all its forces from Ukraine was tabled by Albania and the United States.

Article 13 recognises the cardinal principle, going back to the end of World War 2, that all countries have a right to the security of their borders, the integrity of their territory, and to selfdetermination. We in this Region are all too well aware of military and other forms of intervention and consider that any decision on intervention must be in exceptional case determined not by individual countries, but by the United Nations under its Charter. In our view, Russia’s action is in violation of both the Charter as well as international law.

Putin’s concerns about the security of Russia following the announcement by the Ukraine President of his willingness to have Ukraine join the North

Atlantic Treaty Alliance, which he feared could put American soldiers on the borders of Russia have been undermined by his shifting objectives of his military action, such as regime change, defending breakaway regions of Ukraine, and false claims of genocide in those regions which only Russia recognises as real countries.

On the other hand, those who supported the Ukrainian President‘s willingness to join NATO now offer the invasion as proof of the necessity for Ukraine to have sought protection against its giant neighbour whose President seems to entertain dreams of a return to the days of the USSR and the Cold War. Putin’s threats have now gone from bad to worse, with his latest being to put his

country’s nuclear forces on higher alert, an apparent response to Russia being excluded from the international financial system SWIFT. China and India, countries which themselves have territorial claims or disputes with neighbouring countries, along with the United Arab Emirates, did not support the resolution. It is worth noting that these are all countries with which Guyana has close ties. Of more significance to Guyana however is not that Venezuela has followed Russia in blaming the United States and NATO as the cause of the war but that it has pledged support for Russia in the conflict with Ukraine. It may not be too far-fetched to think (Continued on page 6)

Tuesday March 01, 2022

PROPOSAL TO RENAME STABROEK FIRE STATION AREA, “FIREMEN’S SQUARE” DEAR EDITOR, On this profoundly significant day, 2-22-2022, on eve of the 52nd Republic Day Celebration, while traversing the area in front of the Stabroek Fire Station, I paused and pondered, “This area should be enshrined as Firemen’s Square.”

Notwithstanding the title, this designation in no way impugns female firefighters’ contribution, for on a daily basis, because in many instances, “She is the Man!” Noticing “Rank and File” fire personnel standing before the Station, I approached, and without introducing myself simply stated, “Good Morning Gentlemen, this area should be christened or renamed ‘Firemen’s Square.’”

Of course, I did not follow up with a double statue of male and female fire combatants in full fire-fighter battle regalia.

That will come later! For, we must remain cognizant, when unfortunates run away from the burning fires, these Heroes and Heroines, run towards the inferno to combat and extinguish it. And the females are right there! These gallant and essential warriors very often save lives. Thus, Firemen’s Square of that Stabroek area is a fitting tribute and inspiration to compensate for that neverending challenge.

In response to my suggestion, one of the officers who seemed to concur, responded: “Since this is your idea, you should write a letter to the Editor.” In modesty, I responded, “I don’t have the standing.” To which he rebutted, “As a born Guyanese citizen, you do have such a standing!” Later, in reflection, I agreed!

I was born in Guyana at 26 North Road, between Camp and Alexander Street

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across from the Waterworks where I swam with many other youngsters. I attended St. Barnabas School and was a Choir Boy at St. Barnabas Church. I played cricket and football in Bourda Pasture. At St. Barnabas school, opposite from Dr. Lutchmansingh’s Pharmacy on Regent Street, Bourda, where my grandmother Cherise Preville accompanied me every day to be instructed

by Mrs. Ifill, Mrs. Lester, Mrs. Goodchild, Mr. Cort and Mr. Fung-On, Headmaster; who, even when the school teams won at cricket or football, never “Spared the ‘Wild Cane’ Rod.” These teachers were all instrumental and inspirational educators of great compassion with a desire to see their young charges succeed in becoming good, Guyanese, citizens.

In the teachings and philosophical encouragement of these saintly souls as committed public servants, even as true visionaries who lavished time, effort and care and concern on students as myself, Vibert Gibson, James Bazile, Leonard Fredericks, the Maxwells, the Selmons, the Beharrys, the Cottons, Donna Gill, Mavis Fowler, Robert Changsoon, Sandra Critchlow, Beverly White and her sister, Officer “Wheels” Harding and his daughter, and Selma Damon, among others, their efforts were well worth it. They taught us, ‘reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic; but more important, good citizenship and moral responsibility for as all good teachers, they sought to instill in their students, in addition to those good grades and good behaviour, the tools to make a success of life. More important, when the Christmas School Dance was

a “Big thing!” Let’s not forget “Old Man Yhip” of Yhip’s Bakery at Robb and Alexander Street who handed out “cakes” to kids returning from school in the afternoon and Mr. Clement of Clement’s Grocery opposite who “trust” or gave credit to my father, Peter Monderson, when he could not afford the groceries to feed his wife’s eight children in the mid-1950s.

These were, yet, fun filled days of youthful indiscretion, viz., “scult” from school, “sell marbles to Sue at the ‘Middle,’ buy a ‘Chinee’ and go to “1:00 Matinee” at Globe, Astor, Metropole, Strand, and sometimes even Plaza, theatres.” That is history but the boy on the “41-minibus” told me he is in “Form 4” but “They don’t teach us history.” What a tragedy!

At 17-years old, I was chosen and trained at Carnegie Institute on D’Urban Street to be a waiter at the Independence Dinner at Queen’s College on May 26, 1966. I served the Royal Table with distinction, which was communicated to Prime Minister L.F.S. Burnham. The great and visionary leader’s response was, “Boy, you are good! We have to give you a medal,” which I never received!

I departed for America on March 9, 1969 to pursue an education at an early and challenging time for immigrants. Fortunate for me, that St. Barnabas and then Guyanese College under Dr. Davis and his brother grounding, Mother Mitta Monderson and Grandmother Cherise Preville’s walking me to school and instilling self-respect, self-discipline and self-love in which such elder wisdom was buoys in time of serious ( Continued on page 6)

GAWU wins respect for oil and gas workers DEAR EDITOR, The GAWU’s Oil and Gas Branch was recently contacted by the employees of a well-known and very popular recruitment agency in the sector. The workers who are assigned to the workshop of a foreign-owned oil and gas enterprise operating in Guyana informed our Union that their lawful workplace rights were not being upheld.

The workers shared that the recruitment agency in its contract of employment with the employees required them to provide their own steel-toe safety boots. Such a requirement, however, is contrary to the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act. The law obligates employers to provide their employees with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

The recruitment agency, the Union understands, told some workers who did not have boots that same could be purchased by the agency.

However, the cost would be recovered through deductions from their salaries.

Again, this flies in the face of the OSH Act. After engaging the workers, the Union wrote the Ministry of Labour drawing to their attention what was prevailing.

The Ministry, we learnt, engaged the recruitment agency, and informed that it must be compliant with the Laws of Guyana. It is understood that the agency sought to offer feeble and unconvincing rationales for its contractual provisions. Of course, the Ministry underlined that the law must be upheld.

The workers have since contacted the GAWU to

inform that the agency told them they would now be provided with safety boots at no cost to them. Expectedly, they would receive same soon. They also shared with the Union that the principals of the agency informed them that they ought to have handled the matter differently as the foreign client was upset. We, at this time, wonder how differently the matter could have been handled when the agency had an explicit contractual provision.

At the same time, we contend, the client had a responsibility to ensure that agent/s acting on their behalf were complaint with the Laws of Guyana.

The issue of agency employment in the sector is contributing, in our view, to disrespect to the Guyanese workers.

It is disappointing that a matter as straightforward as this had to require the involvement of the Ministry of Labour before it could have been resolved. Of course, our own review of contracts of employment issued by recruitment agencies have confirmed that many practices, which Guyanese workers have become accustomed to are simply absent. We have seen in several contracts that workers though entitled to uncertified sick days cannot benefit from such entitlement unless their employer is satisfied that they are indeed ill. In our view, the employer is basically having the power to tell an employee when they

can be ill and when they are not. With the practice of agency employment, the question as who really the employer is, is up in the air, at this point, as those who give the employees direction are not the ones who employed them.

The entire episode brings into focus the advice being provided by locals to foreign oil companies.

We have to wonder whether these ‘professionals’ are really knowledgeable or is it a case of them knowingly cheating and deceiving workers out of their rights.

Certainly, whatever is the case, it is disturbing and disheartening. While we welcome the Ministry’s forthright intervention, at the same time, we recognise not all workers may not have access to the Ministry and they may be some who are unaware that their rights are violated and they are victims of exploitation at the workplace.

Regards, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union

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Workers will have to endure poverty in spite of plenty DEAR EDITOR, The DemeraraWaves Wednesday, 23rd February 2022: edition carried an article captioned, “PNCR promises to scrap income tax”. It stated PNCR leader Aubrey Norton’s commitment to end income tax if elected to the government.

That is a welcome and enlightening policy. It will put money in the pockets of workers and increase their motivation to work harder, and benefit the economy and nation. The article cited Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on the government’s position on workers’ wages /salaries increases. This letter seeks to address the grave nature of his position. Jagdeo said, “...steep increases in wages and salaries... will become unsustainable in the long-run when all of the hydrocarbons are exhausted...” Is Mr. Jagdeo, his party and government serious? By a conservative estimate, Guyana’s oil reserves will last at least 50 years. So, is he saying that workers will have to live with starvation enumerations given what the government anticipates could be the situation in the next fifty years? The above position to deny workers a

significant increase in wages is part of the government’s economic policy approach to the country’s development.

Even with the production of oil and gas shortly and unprecedented revenues, workers will have to endure poverty in spite of plenty.

Workers and their union leaders should take heed of Jagdeo’s statement. He is the PPPC and government strategist on economic and political matters. Once he lays down the line of “march,” it will go unchallenged in the corridors of Freedom House and the government. Only struggle by workers and their unions can reverse this antiworking-class policy. When workers start to fight, they will get the support of political parties and the progressive sections of society. The government’s oppressive policy must be rejected. Given the low incomes of workers and its consequences on the economic and social conditions of workers and their families, the position of Jagdeo will be counterproductive to the development of the economy. At this point in the country, development does not warrant serious consideration. It will take some time before

“significant” increases in workers’ incomes would have negative effects on the economy. A policy that continues to suppress wages and salaries on a projection of what may or may not happen in 50 years will lead to workers’ frustration and eventual resistance. The rulers are setting the grounds

for political, social and economic instability in the country.

And these consequences undoubtedly will negatively affect the nation’s all-round development. The Vice President, while promoting anti-worker policies, is aggressively reshaping the economic and social

architecture of the country.

Unfortunately, it is one based on PPPC’s political domination with the ultimate intent to make their cronies and allies in and out of the country super-rich at the expense of the masses of Guyanese. As one who was asked to “match his earnings with his assets” this intent is

equally applicable to the Vice President. We must rise to the challenge and stop this wicked misadventure from becoming our destiny. We owe it to the labour movement that built this country and to future generations.

Yours faithfully, Tacuma Ogunseye

PROPOSAL TO RENAME STABROEK FIRE STATION...

From page 5 challenge. In addition, collectively such upbringing experiences together with and even more important, possessing a desire for betterment, particularly a similar challenge for youth today, proved a dynamo of analectic propulsion that manifested in an unbelievably hard-earned education, with seven University Degrees, perhaps one of the top 5 in the world.

Ha! Ha! Ha! Resident in New York State for more than 50 years, I served the City of Brooklyn cumulatively for more than 100-years! Viz., 26 years as an educator in college, high, middle and primary schools; 30 years as a member of Brooklyn’s Community Board 8; 24 years as Chairman of Transportation and Traffic after being Chairman of Sanitation, Environment, and Co-Chair of Parks and Recreation, respectively. As Transportation Chairman, I changed or co-named some 15 streets for local heroes

including St. Johns and Washington Avenue as “Fireman’s Corner” for the 10Firemen our Board lost on “911”; served 24 years on Kings County Hospital Corporation Community Advisory Board serving one term as Chairman of the body in which I proposed the HHC “Marge Matthews Health Care Advocacy Award” and the naming of the Marge Matthews Board Room; 15 years on Susan Smith McKinney (now McKinney) Hospital Board, serving two terms as Parliamentarian; served 3 – 2 year terms as Brooklyn’ Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) (Recycling) Secretary; ran for School Board in 1986 and nearly won a seat, then was elected County Committeeman for the 10/43 New York State Assembly; served 30 years as my Block Association President and for 15 years sponsored Fathers’ Day in the Park at Brower Park; As Transportation Chair, I was dubbed “Mr. Angle Parking” because I changed several “wide streets” to

accommodate more parking slots. Of course, I published more than 1000 articles in the New York Black Press, the Daily Challenge, the Afro Times and the New American Newspapers. Presently, some 30-odd books on Amazon.com bear my name including Guyana: Land of Beauty and Many Waters, a part of the National Library on Main Street, and in addition two dozen YouTube videos. Perhaps my most accomplished task was as Chairman of “The Bones Committee” that returned the “Runaway Samuel Carson,” the enslaved African who ran away from slavery in South Carolina and fought in the War with Mexico in 1844, was killed and buried in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, then a segregated Black Cemetery. This historic event that challenged the “Door of No Return” by opening the “Door of Return” was the highlight and symbolic basis upon which Ghana’s President Jerry Rawlings inaugurated the First Emancipation Day

Celebration on August 1, 1998. He even stated, the African in America is Africa’s “Trojan Horse.” Therefore, Mr. Editor, I must humbly admit, I do have the standing to propose the area fronting the Stabroek Fire Station be named Fireman’s Square. I often visit my native country incognito but this challenge has forced me to come out from under the radar. While we’re at it, and having read the laudatory tribute to Professor Dr. Joycelyn Loncke, daughter of Guyana, intellectual giant and extraordinary citizen, I also propose that the area of Queen Street, so many years her domicile, how about “Queen Joycelyn Loncke Street,” a “co-name” with a twist, for what other fitting tribute and message of recognition of service and integrity can be bestowed as an example of long-haul attainment that will inspire for many years to come. Back in 2016 when I visited Guyana, waxing philosophically, I mused, how wonderful it felt, for with so many launched and bid farewell to the Ship of State and to see it return triumphant 50 years later, and like so many other Guyanese, I savoured that precious moment. Editor, please support giving the Firemen and Prof. Loncke, their just reward. “Firemen’s Square” and “Queen Joycelyn Loncke Street.” Let us take advantage of this opportunity and not let it go by way of not saving St. Barnabas Church, an institution of significant Guyanese cultural history.

Regards, Dr. Fred Monderson

We must...

From page 4

that Venezuela’s support for its reckless and unlawful action may have been made with other considerations in mind. Article 13 calls on the Government, the Opposition and indeed Civil Society, to keep reminding Russia of our country’s strong opposition to Russia’s action and to express our country’s disappointment to China, India and the United Arab Emirates that their ambivalence is not helpful to Guyana.

Regards, Article 13

T N U L B . . .

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Tuesday March 01, 2022

Kaieteur News

It is a worrying situation that bandits prey upon us by putting knives and guns to our heads and taking what we have on our person.

But even worse, our leaders have paved the way for us to be robbed without a single weapon being used.

With approval being granted for one outrageous deal after another, our nation is set to be plundered upon for generations to come.

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Tuesday March 01, 2022

Kaieteur News

Oil and Gas employees forced to buy own PPE …GAWU gets Govt. to intervene Even though Guyana's labour laws require employers to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for their employees, some workers in the oil field have been asked to take on this responsibility or have the related cost deducted from their salaries.

This state of affairs was underscored by the Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU) in a statement it released on

Tuesday.

According to GAWU, which only last year launched its Oil and Gas branch, workers who are assigned to the workshop of a foreign-owned oil and gas enterprise, operating in Guyana, revealed that their lawful workplace rights were not being upheld.

GAWU stated, “The workers shared that the recruitment agency in its contract of employment with

the employees required them to provide their own steel-toe safety boots. Such a requirement, however, is contrary to the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act. The law obligates employers to provide their employees with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).”

The union went on to note that the recruitment agency gave the workers an option to purchase the safety boots for

them but the cost would be recovered through deductions from their salaries.

GAWU was adamant that this reasoning by the agency blatantly disregards the OSH Act. In this regard, the union said it was forced to bring the matter to the attention of the Ministry of Labour, which then investigated the claims which were found to be factual. To this end, GAWU said that, “the (recruitment) agency sought to offer feeble and unconvincing rationales for its contractual provisions.

Of course, the Ministry underlined that the law must be upheld.”

As a result of the Ministry's intervention, the workers will now have their safety gears be provided at no cost to them.

It was revealed in the statement too that, “They (the

workers) also shared with the union that the principals of the agency informed them that they ought to have handled the matter differently as the foreign client was upset. We, at this time, wonder how differently the matter could have been handled when the agency had an explicit contractual provision. At the same time, we contend, the client had a responsibility to ensure that agent/s acting on their behalf were compliant with the Laws of Guyana.”

Flawed employment practices In addition to the breach of the OHS Act by the recruitment firm, the Workers' Union complained that this type of employment method was contributing to the disrespect of Guyanese workers.

In fact, GAWU said it was disappointing that the

specific matter regarding the employees' PPE was only addressed after the Ministry of Labour got involved.

It added that in its own review of contracts of employment issued by recruitment agencies, it has concluded that many practices, which Guyanese workers have become accustomed to, are simply absent.

For instance, perusal of the contracts revealed that workers, though entitled to uncertified sick days, cannot benefit from such entitlement unless their employer is satisfied that they are indeed ill. “ I n o u r v i e w, t h e employer is basically having the power to tell an employee when they can be ill and when they are not. With the practice of agency employment, the question as (Continued on page 16)

Dangerous and misleading for Brassington...

From page 3 was awarded the Build Own Operate Transfer (BOOT) project to hopefully deliver 156 megawatts (MW) of electricity upon its completion.

Under the BOOT arrangement, Brassington said Guyana would, in 20 years' time, take over ownership of the project.

He did, during his presentation, seek to point out that during the three-

and-a-half-year period expected for construction, an independent supervision firm would be hired by the administration to ensure the hydroelectric plant is built to specifications. This is in addition to the recruitment of an Operations and Management consultant.

Wi t h G u y a n a t a k i n g ownership of the project 20 years after commissioning, Brassington noted that the project's average price measured over that time

period would be about 7.7 cents which is largely going towards the repayment of the US$700M financing.

According to Brassington, the project will be funded by China Rail and Chinese institutions. They will own the project and it will be operated under a concession f o r 2 0 y e a r s .

At end of the 20 years, he said, it will be handed over to government at no cost and as such, “I think this a great project.”

Tuesday March 01, 2022

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

The more you see, the less you know Second Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo is getting tangled up with his concepts.

Last December, he mixed up transparency with political accountability, and during the recent International Energy Conference, there was a difficulty in making clear a difference between economic inclusion and sustainability.

Last December, Jagdeo was quoted as saying that, “the ultimate act of transparency is fulfilling your promises as a political party.” As this column has said before, before Jagdeo’s notion of transparency was at odds with the more common sense definition employed in the social sciences. Transparency has little to do with fulfilling your Manifesto promises. Transparency refers to the degree of openness of a government.

In terms of governance,

transparency refers to the public access to information that is adequate, reliable, relevant, fair, timely and truthful. The fact remains that instead of more transparency, the public is being shortchanged once again when it comes to openness on the part of the government.

This is due mainly to the PPP/C returning to its old ways. The government is far from being transparent in the manner in which it is administering the affairs of the State.

Just recently, it was reported that the government had leased the Enmore Packaging Facility to a local investor who is partnering with a foreign enterprise to provide services to the oil and gas sector. That packaging facility was reported to have cost US$12.5M inclusive of the building, which is now being leased. Yet to date, the gov-

ernment is yet to inform the public as to the rental, which is being paid by the investors for a facility which belongs to the taxpayers and which cost more than G$2.5 billion.

Even more insulating, the workers’ union was not told of the deal before hand and had to learn about the new arrangement, including the fate of more than two dozen staff members, through the newspaper. But this is the PPP/C’s idea of transparency: the more you see, the less you know.

At the recently concluded International Energy Conference, the Second Vice President made a statement, which has been reproduced on a Facebook page bearing the title of “Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo”. At the International Energy Conference, the Second Vice President was reported to have said: “For the

8 patients in COVID-19 ICU - 18 new infections recorded Although no COVID-19 fatality was reported within the last assessed 24-hour period, the Ministry of Health on Monday stated that eight patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit receiving

treatment.

Further, via its latest COVID-19 dashboard, the Ministry recorded 18 new infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 62, 921.

The dashboard data shows that 32 persons are in institutional isolation, 441are in home isolation and eight are in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 61,219 individuals have recovered.

Dem Boys Seh…

Some women knocking glass even and straight with men Dem boys wan bet dat on a per capita basis, Guyana gat de highest consumption of alcohol in de world. And dat include high wine and bush rum. If yuh count dem, den Guyanese can be said to love dem drinks.

Long ago, it use to be men alone who use to be de main drinkers. But now deh gat some women knocking glass even and straight with man. Dem throwing down tequila like if is water. Dem guzzling down beer like if is soft drink. Nah underrate de

consumption of some ah dem female drinkers. Dem put away a lot ah men when it come to holding dem drinks.

Is still de men who gat a drinking problem. De COVID19 did slow up some ah dem men because dem favourite watering hole nah use to open as often and dem had restrictions. But now things almost back to normal even though dem still suppose to gat restriction. And de heavy drinking tekkin place. Some men going home late. Some nah going home at all. And some can t remember weh

dem living. De odder day, one ah dem boys friends wife ask dem boys fuh talk to she husband. She talk how he gat a drinking problem.

Dem boys decide fuh call he fuh arrange a meeting fuh discuss he drinking problem. He tell dem boys leh we meet over some drinks fuh discuss de matter.

Dem boys also know a friend who was a alcoholic and wanted to be a lawyer.

But he could never pass de bar.

Talk half. Leff half.

PPP/C Government, making Guyana sustainable means ensuring everyone ultimately benefits from the proceeds of the oil and gas industry.”

The Second Vice President is ambiguous with this definition. On the face of it, it can be interpreted to mean that Guyanese, regardless of their race, religion, gender, class or place of residence will ultimately benefit from the oil and gas sector. In other words, there will be economic inclusion, no one will be left out or left behind.

But this is not sustainability. Sustainability has nothing to do with ensuring that a wide range of persons and groups benefit from economic resources.

Ensuring that no one is left out is often referred to as economic inclusion. Economic inclusion can be

looked at in terms of the ends: ensuring that development is broad based enough so as many as possible benefit; or it can refer to the process of enabling individuals and groups the right to participate in economic processes.

Sustainability is a different kettle of fish. The most common definition of “sustainability” is the maintenance of something at a consistent level or rate. Or it can refer to the avoidance of depletion of a natural resource. In terms of sustainable development, this, according to the Brundtland Commission Report, means “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

Or as one World Bank document puts it, “Sustainability is defined as

a requirement of our generation to manage the resource base such that the average quality of life that we ensure ourselves can potentially be shared by all future generations.” Perhaps when Jagdeo said that everyone will benefit, he meant every generation. But not precisely saying so leaves more questions than answers especially considering that there is no National Oil Depletion Policy.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Tuesday March 01, 2022

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Lunatic fringe, usual suspects, Creole middle class: Comparative notes

W

hat are the lunatic fringe (TLF), the usual suspects (TUS) and the Creole middle class (CMC)?

We will describe each of these formations, trace their history then bring the analysis to 2022.

A caveat is in order. This column will have to brutally truncate the evolution of the CMC because there are too many details to be packed into a short column of 790 words (my self-imposed limitation).

Some early words of caution are important before we proceed.

Not since the emergence of the Jagan PPP and the Burnham PNC, has the CMC felt so angry at the consolidation of Indian power in this country as what obtains at the moment with the 2020 election being the context. Secondly, it is the theoretical submission of this analyst that TLF, TUS and CMC posed a graver danger to the PPP

government and democracy than the PNC. The PNC is not part of TUS and CMC. But they have always been historically overlapping between the PNC and CMC which is conspicuous in the evolution of modern politics here.

This adumbration will generate swift rejection by supporters of the PPP who feel that the PNC is the main enemy of the PPP and Indian people. I reject that contention. Such people are not familiar with class analysis. The PNC is a traditional working-class entity that historically competes with the PPP for power and caters for the African population. I don't believe it has eugenic hatred for Indians and the PPP the same way I feel the PPP and Indians do not harbour eugenic dislike for AfroGuyanese.

TUS and CMC are not politically driven. Their traditional concern is cultural objection to Indians

m o v i n g f r o m entrepreneurship and rural life into the world of state employment and government. They are not racist against Indians. They just feel CMC is the natural inheritor of power after the colonials left. They are happy that Indians stick to business.

The post-2020 period in Guyana is going to witness intense and relentless efforts to weaken the PPP because TUS and CMC have not overcome the psychological torture and expanding angst over the reality that the PPP (read that to mean Indians) has returned to power. The emotions were permanent after 2015 that Indian presence in government was finally buried.

Let's describe the contents of TLF, TUS and CMC then trace the evolution of CMC and explain why in 2022, there is an overlapping relationship.

TLF can be found among the pages of the online

publication, Village Voice; in the remnants of the WPA; and among those who have invented nightly programmes through the use of Facebook.

Some members of the TLF are “trench crapo maan”, “black pudding maan”, “run-them-off the road maan”, “the takumsie maan”, “the trade union dictator”, “Benduck guy”, “Onry de Trumpian narcissist”, among others.

These people preach racist sermons all the time. Four examples will suffice. “Rundem-off the road maan” said, since they came into power in August 2020, the PPP leaders stole five billion American dollars.

The “takumsie maan” said that Granger erred in giving up power. He should not have conceded defeat in July 2020. Thirdly, the Trumpian narcissist, quoting Keith Lowenfield, said he believes the March 2020 election was massively rigged. Black pudding “maan” is becoming mentally unbalanced. Each night, black pudding “maan” talks race hate, preaches race hate.

TUS is a multi-racial conglomerate consisting of the following - many Frederick Kissoon women rights groups, paper organisations TUS was completely silent. calling themselves civil Dr. Tarron Kemraj noted that society; middle class Indians the NRFA of the previous f r o m C h r i s t i a n government and the present denominations; certain persons in a particular government is not much section of the media; certain different. International well-known individuals in expert on Sovereign Wealth Funds, Andrew Bauer said society. the current NRFA is an One thing unites all the excellent legislation. But persons in this motley crew – TUS chose to ignore the two they are narcissists seeking men. their 15 minutes of fame.

Research on the nature of They excessively crave TUS will reveal that they are publicity. a frightening bunch of These people will go to people. any length to receive They think they are publicity. There is something missing in the lives of these superior beings that the people – publicity fills that government must listen to.

They preach the need for void. consultation, inclusiveness, Their political leanings accountability, transparency were and are never in the and democratic fair play but direction of the PPP. Their they don't practice these preference is for middle values.

Sorry.

Space has run class parties like the WPA out. and the AFC. TUS never (The views expressed in criticised the five-year rule this article are those of the of APNU+AFC. a u t hor and do not When APNU+AFC necessarily reflect the passed their Natural Resource Fund Act (NRFA), opinions of this newspaper.)

9-month sentence for man who committed crime 'under the influence' Thirty-year-old Christopher Gonsalves, who had told the court that he was under the influence of alcohol when he committed a robbery, was on Monday sentenced to nine months imprisonment for the offence.

G o n s a l v e s o f Independence Boulevard, Albouystown, Georgetown, had made his first court appearance on February 1, 2022, in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus. On that court date, he pleaded guilty to the charge, which alleged that on January 21, 2022 at Camp Street, Werk-en-Rust, he stole from Otas Iobahan and Shanet Daly, several items and a sum of cash.

As such, he was remanded to prison pending a probation report for sentencing. On Monday, when the matter continued, Gonsalves in his address to the court begged for mercy, and requested that the Magistrate only give him three or four months. He even noted that the items he

Jailed, Christopher Gonsalves. had stolen were returned.

Despite his plea, the police prosecutor requested that the defendant be sentenced for nine months, while stating that he is a m e n a c e t o s o c i e t y.

Additionally, the probation officer stated that Gonsalves needed to be punished but also rehabilitated.

The Principal Magistrate sentenced Gonsalves to nine months in prison for the

offence but the one month that he spent on remand was deducted from his sentence.

According to reports, on the day in question, Gonsalves broke into the home of Iobahan and robbed him and his girlfriend, Daly, of the following items: one purse, one Nigerian passport, one laptop, one cellphone, more than $200,000 in cash and some personal items. Upon making checks, the couple discovered that the items listed above were missing.

Iobahan claimed that around 00:30hrs, he secured his apartment and went to b e d , h o w e v e r, a b o u t 03:30hrs his girlfriend woke him and told him the apartment was broken into.

They reported the matter to law enforcement and an investigation was launched.

Police ranks acting on information they received, contacted Gonsalves and told him of the allegations which he confessed to and stated that the articles had been returned to the victims.

It was further stated that (Continued on page 18)

Tuesday March 01, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 01, 2022

Coalition Govt. sold derelict vehicles below value - PAC - person who did not bid among beneficiaries

I

n 2017, the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs sold derelict vehicles way below their estimated market value and it was found too that this occurred, in one instance, without advertisement, and, added to this, a sale was finalised with an individual who did not even put in a bid.

This is reflected in the Auditor General's 2017 Report. Several questions relating to the sale of the derelict vehicles came to the fore of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday after People's Progressive Party/Civic Parliamentarian a n d PA C m e m b e r , Dharamkumar Seeraj raised questions about the issue.

Alluding to the report, Seeraj pointed out that the vehicles were sold for just a tiny fraction of the estimated costs. All the transactions were done while the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) was in office.

The PAC member noted that, “At the time of audit, three vehicles were sold – a Toyota pick-up, a Nissan Frontier and a Toyota Coaster bus. The Toyota pick-up was valued at $500,000 and was sold for $50,000. This vehicle was not advertised for sale, hence no bids were received.

The Nissan Frontier valuated at $100,000 was

Permanent Secretary, Alfred King

hears

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill

PAC Chair, Jermaine Figueira. sold for $50,000. However, the highest bid for this vehicle was $500,000.

T h e PA C m e m b e r explained that based on the report, the Ministry received approval for the sale of six unserviceable vehicles on 23rd June, 2017 from the Ministry of Finance.

But what made the sale questionable, Seeraj said, is the fact that one of the vehicles – the Nissan Frontier vehicle – was sold to an individual who did not bid for the vehicle; and the Toyota Coaster bus that was valued at $950,000 was sold for $301,000 to the third highest of the seven bidders.

The highest bidder offered more than $1M for the bus.

Acting Permanent S e c r e t a r y ( P S ) , Ry a n

Tulsiram, and former PS, Alfred King, were both called upon to provide explanations on the sales.

King and Tulsiram both claimed that procedures were followed in accordance with the Procurement Act/Financial Circular.

They explained that the vehicles needed to be removed to allow for the expansion of the Ministry's building. King added that several national training bodies were contacted but refused the vehicles and that the highest responsive bidder failed to come forward and complete the purchase.

He claimed further that they were all crashed vehicles with the Nissan Frontier being “just a shell.”

However, their response left more questions than answer.

As such, PPP/C's Sanjeev Datadin pressed the accounting officers for answers about the transactions.

“How is it that there was no advertisement but a sale was done, and if it was not advertised, how did they get bidders? And in the other instance, the person who bought the vehicle did not even put in a bid. What happened here?” Datadin asked.

In response, King noted that they were “walk-in bids” since the efforts to discard the vehicles proved futile.

He claimed that although the bids were placed on the vehicles, the

Who wants to advertise and get a return on the cost of the ad!

bidders did not come up with the cash. As a result, King noted that the Ministry took steps to have the vehicles removed from the Ministry's premises.

He claimed that the vehicles had been in the Ministry's compound for months hampering efforts to expand the building.

The answer given by the PS seemed unsatisfactory as Minister of Public Works and PAC member, Juan Edghill enquired about the names of the purchasers – a request that was immediately met with rejection by former Minister of Public Works, David Patterson, and supported by Chairman of the PAC, Jermaine Figueira.

In turn, Edghill accused Figueira and three other APNU+AFC members of the PAC of attempting to suppress the release of information of the irregular sales that occurred while the

Coalition was in government.

“Who were the buyers?”

Edghill pressed, as he enquired whether Patterson had knowledge of the sale, having been the minister at the time, and reiterated that there was an attempt to “suppress information.”

Figueira ruled that Edghill was “out of order” and instructed that the minister's microphone be muted.

“I am chairing this meeting,” Figueira asserted.

The minister persisted, “…I am making a point and you are interrupting…you and your members have an interest in this matter…was the buyers members of staff and/or related to members of the ministry?

Or was [it] a government official?” Edghill questioned. Nevertheless, the session ended without Minister Edghill receiving the relevant answers.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 01, 2022

PAGE 13

$650M estimated to upgrade hinterland airstrips

T

he Ministry of Public Works is planning to upgrade the Ekereku Bottom Airstrip in Region Seven and the Karisparu Airstrip in Region Eight to concrete structures, at an estimated cost of $650 million.

This is according to an invitation for bids issued by the Ministry in the daily newspapers. According to the advertisement, the rehabilitation of the Region Seven airstrip is projected to cost $316 million while the runway in Region Eight is pegged at $334 million.

Kaieteur News was reliably informed that the airstrips are in poor conditions and pose a danger to aircraft and passengers utilising them.

It was explained that the Karisparu Airstrip, which has a sand-gravel surface, would become waterlogged when it rains therefore rendering the structure inoperable for takeoff and landing of flights.

The source told Kaieteur News that the surface is equally dangerous when dry as it becomes loose and

therefore affects the performance of aircraft.

As a result of the poor condition, there are limited flights to this location and the community is highly dependent on air travel because of the absence of efficient alternative modes.

Similarly, this publication was told that the Ekereku Bottom runway has a bituminous surface treatment, which has

potholes. The Ministry had previously conducted repairs to the airstrip but the structure has

The present condition of the Ekereku Bottom Airstrip in Region Seven.

reportedly deteriorated and poses danger to the landing gears of planes.

This specific runway is

slated to be widened from 40ft to 50ft to be compliant with Guyana Civil Aviation Authority's (GCAA) regulation.

This newspaper was told that restrictions have been implemented on the weight of the cargos being

transported to these locations, as a result of the state of the runways.

To this end, the Ministry said it will be rehabilitating the airstrips from sand-gravel to concrete surfaces to better facilitate the users.

I n J a n u a r y, S e n i o r Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh said, during his presentation of this year's budget, that the government had expended $345 million in 2021 for the rehabilitation and maintenance of several hinterland airstrips including at Baramita and Paramakatoi.

This year, $600 million has been allocated for the rehabilitation and maintenance of hinterland airstrips at Eteringbang, Karisparu, Paruima and Ekereku Bottom.

“The interventions to be undertaken on the airstrips earmarked for this year are intended to make them compliant with the GCAA's minimum engineering standards. Moreover, this will improve the safety for travellers, aircraft and personnel using the airstrips.

This subsector has been allocated $2 billion, including $927 million for CJIA, Dr. Singh had told the National Assembly.

The Ministry in its public notice states that the project will be opened on March 31, at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board office and that bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding procedure specified in specified in the Procurement Act 2003.

Fagundes' relatives prevented from holding candlelight Cops being investigated for vigil on Main Street

threatening to murder teen

Murdered on Main Street, Georgetown, Ricardo Fagundes Based on reliable information reaching this newspaper, police ranks, on February 21, last, prevented family members of slain businessman, Ricardo Fagundes, from holding a candlelight vigil on the Main Street, just opposite Palm Court, a night club and bar.

Fagundes was shot at least 20 times on March 21, 2021 just after exiting Palm Court. Police are yet to solve the brutal murder.

With his killers are still at large, his relatives, on the 21st of each month, have been holding a candlelight vigil at the spot where he was killed.

According to them, they will

A screengrab from the video recorded by Ricardo Fagundes' family members of them being prevented from holding a candlelight vigil at the spot where he was gunned down. continue to do this until his killers are brought to justice.

But on February 21, last, however, when relatives turned up at the location, ranks were dispatched to prevent them from holding the vigil. They were told that they must stop what they were doing and go home. The relatives managed to capture a video recording of the ranks prohibiting them from holding the vigil.

One of the relatives said, “We are not free as a family to hold a vigil for our loved one. It seems that the Police Force and the government of Guyana do not recognise the death of Ricardo Fagundes.

There is no investigation; there's no murder…Ricardo is still alive!”

But according to the relatives, they will not stop until justice is served.

Recently, Kaieteur News reported that one of the main suspects had threatened the lives of police ranks who had gone to arrest him. Although a report of the threat was lodged at the Brickdam Police Station, no other police rank has since made an attempt to arrest the suspect.

In fact, one of the threatened ranks has since been taken off the case and transferred.

A group of patrol ranks stationed in Bartica, Region Seven have found themselves in some hot water after they allegedly assaulted and threatened to murder a teen during a traffic enforcement operation they had on Saturday last.

According to a statement issued by the Guyana Police Force's Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) on Monday, those ranks are now under investigation by the Force's Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) for their alleged wrongdoing.

They are accused of not only assaulting but also threatening to kill Christopher Crighton, a motorcyclist they had stopped during their operation.

B a s e d o n t h e investigation conducted so far, the ranks in question reported that they had stopped Crighton on Third Avenue, Bartica. They said that the young man did not have in his possession a rider's licence or any other legal documents for the motorcycle, which he was

Christopher Crighton riding.

Crighton had reportedly also refused to take a breathalyser test and as a result, he was arrested and taken to the Bartica Police Station.

The ranks reportedly kept him in the lock-up but had subsequently released him on self-bail when his relatives showed up the following day with the relevant documents for the motorcycle.

However, Crighton had returned to the station on Monday and lodged a report

ag ain s t th e r an k s f o r assaulting and threatening to murder him during his arrest.

He even posted a video to Facebook showing how the police ranks treated him on the night of his arrest.

According to Crighton, he was not trying to resist arrest but rather he was trying to place his motorcycle in the tray of the police pick-up but the ranks did not want him to do that.

In the video posted on Facebook, ranks were heard telling Crighton to walk to their pick-up. When he got to the door, it was unclear what happened next but the camera started shaking. It appeared as though one of the ranks tried to force Crighton into the vehicle and he resisted the force used a bit but was given a blow.

This was followed by these words, “Bai come in this vehicle before I kill you.”

The rank then turned to his colleagues and said, “I would murder this bai yuh know.”

There were some more exchange of words between the ranks and the suspect before the video ended.

PAGE 14

Tuesday March 01, 2022

Kaieteur News

Govt. to spend another Caribbean leaders to focus $267M on Ituni/Tacama road on “planting more” to reduce food import bills A m o n g t h e k e y as a collective. This is about security."

She detailed too that on objectives of the upcoming u s b e i n g s u c c e s s f u l two-day CARICOM Heads t o g e t h e r. . . We c a n n o t the agenda for the meeting, of Government meeting will a d v a n c e t h i s i f t h e “the heads will be discussing be the Region's food import c o m m i t m e n t a n d f u l l tomorrow (Tuesday) and on Wednesday…the impact of bill. According to the participation are not there.”

The President had noted the COVID-19 pandemic; CARICOM Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett, too that the intention is to be we are now moving towards “planting more” is one of the able to lead an effort to focusing on economic most effective ways to mobilise technical help and recovery. We are going to be financial resources and to talking as well about the achieve this goal.

H e r r e m a r k s w e r e work with the Member CARICOM single market forthcoming during a virtual States in achieving the target. and triggering more robust implementation." press conference on In fact, Dr. Barnett Monday during which added that there is she observed that the significant impetus for government of Guyana, the Caricom Single i n p a r t i c u l a r, H i s Market and Economy Excellency, President Dr. (CSME) due to the Irfaan Ali, is leading the impact of COVID-19. charge in that area.

According to her, she is "There is some looking forward to the interesting and important conversation among the undertaking that he have regional heads and the made in terms of definitive conclusions investing in things like that will come out of such protected agriculture, discussions. targeting the particular Also on the agenda food items that we import will be climate change on a regular basis and and preparations for making investments in COP27 and outcomes producing more," Dr. CARICOM Secretary General, from COP26, as well as Barnett added. To this Dr. Carla Barnett. holding discussions with end, she noted that those Haiti's Head-of-State in are the things, which the It should be noted that order to resolve some of that CARICOM members are expecting him to report on Guyana currently holds the country's issues. It was noted d u r i n g t h e H e a d s o f lead responsibility for too that there will be agriculture, agricultural preparations for the summit Government meeting.

President Ali has been diversification, and food with the Central American emphasising the importance security in CARICOM and is Integration System (SICA), of CARICOM Member spearheading the regional which will be held on S t a t e s m a k i n g b r o a d body's quest to reduce its Thursday, immediately after commitments to achieve the US$5 billion food import t h e m e e t i n g w i t h t h e CARICOM Heads of States. target of reducing food bill.

"So there is a lot on the Meanwhile, at Monday's imports by 25 percent by press conference too, the table for discussions, and we 2025.

In fact, President Ali has Secretary General revealed are looking forward to said, “It is either we are that at the upcoming Heads having really energetic and serious about this or we are of Government meeting, productive discussions at not serious about this—we "We'll be specifically talking this meeting," the Secretary have to decide. This is not an about agriculture, and General said before opening individual country trying to agriculture development, the floor for questions from achieve something. This is us food security, and nutrition the media.

Last year, the Government of Guyana spent a whopping $261.7 million to rehabilitate a section of the Ituni/Tacama road in Region 10 and this year, another $267 million will be pumped into the same road.

O n S u n d a y, t h e Ministry of Agriculture, through its National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), invited bids for the rehabilitation of 25 kilometres of the main access road which the engineer estimated to cost $267 million.

According to the invitation, interested eligible bidders may inspect the bidding documents and obtain further information from the Procurement Office of the NDIA during normal working hours.

Bid documents will be available from March 4, 2022 and can be uplifted

from the office of the NDIA cashier's Finance Building at the Ministry of Agriculture on Regent Street and Vlissengen Road, Georgetown.

Bids, the invitation noted, must be submitted in a plain sealed envelope and addressed to the Chairman of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Ministry of Finance, Main and Urquhart Streets, Georgetown. The document must be deposited in the tender box no later than 09:00 hours on Tuesday March 29, 2022.

In October last year, the Agriculture Ministry awarded a $261.7M contract for the first phase of the rehabilitation of the access road. The contract was awarded to a private construction company, Castilho Engenharia Incorporated, for an 18kilometre stretch.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha had said that the rehabilitation of this road will allow access to thousands of acres of farmlands and will allow more unused lands to be available for cultivation.

Senior Minister within the Office of the President, with responsibility for finance, Dr. Ashni Singh during his 2022 budget presentation, told the National Assembly that some $426 million has been allocated for the completion of the road.

He further noted that the 47 kilometres of farm to market road will stretch from the junction of the Linden-Ituni road, heading east towards the Berbice River. The project, he said, will open up approximately 61,000 hectares of prime farmland in the Tacama, Wiruni, and Ebini Savannahs on the eastern side of the Berbice River.

NDIA Deputy CEO, Dave Hicks signs the $261.7M contract with a representative of Castilho Engenharia Inc. (Photo: Ministry of Agriculture/October 27, 2021)

Businessman pleads not guilty to murdering teen Businessman, Junior France, called 'Bora,' 44, of 210 Tabatinga, Lethem, Rupununi, on Monday denied that he murdered 17year-old miner, Dane Jerrick of Lot 1 'A', Ann's Grove, East Coast Demerara.

France was arraigned before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow in the Suddie High Court. He denied the charge which alleges that on May 17, 2020, at Puruni Landing, Mazaruni River, Region Seven, he murdered Jerrick.

A jury was empanelled and the hearing will commence on Thursday March 3, 2022.

The State is being represented by State Prosecutor Tiffini Lyken, while France is being represented by attorneys-atlaw, Nigel Hughes and

Businessman, Junior France Ronald J. Daniels.

According to reports, on the day in question, the teen was shot to his lower back, allegedly by France, who is a licensed firearm holder.

Dead, Dane Jerrick.

France alleged that the teen intruded his property [a shop], which caused him to discharge several rounds – one which hit Jerrick in the back.

Tuesday March 01, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

PAGE 16

Tuesday March 01, 2022

Kaieteur News

Exxon defends throwing limited insurance...

Prime location (Business).

Lot 22 Covent Garden E.B.D. Tel:682-7490/647-4236.

From page 3 with insurers.”

Routledge continued, “We have the financial capacity to meet our responsibilities for an adverse event and we are committed to paying all legitimate costs in the unlikely event of an oil spill.”

Additionally, Routledge boasted of his company's assets as he noted that up to the end of 2020, EEPGL had almost US$5.0B in assets, which is a primary form of fi-

WANTED

Oil and Gas...

PROPERTY FOR SALE FOR RENT

VEHICLE FOR SALE One Honda CRV,fully loaded immaculate condition, low mileage 3.3M negotiable.

Contact:649-0956.

1 Nissan pathfinder in good condition, CAT 215 used parts.Tel:683-7225/275-0367.

1 Hino Canter,enclosed long tray 8000cc, Landcruiser Prado 2003 silver 3500cc. Call: 653-0490 whatsapp:641-4614.

Female ages 25-40 to take care of elderly male in Trinidad, accomodations provided.

Call:1-868-489-4087 or 1-868755-1990.

One (1) male able bodied clerk.Tel:231-2029/616-5954.

One male able bodied clerk, one female able bodied clerk.

Tel:225-2313/226-1497.

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040 Drawing of Building plans and Estimate,K.Lakeram building contractor.Tel:2160671/692-8464 whatsapp 6220267.

Installation, Repairs and parts for AC,Fridge, Washing machine, Stove etc.Call Nick#656-0110.

Prestige Janitorial Services.

House,Commercial & Office cleaning,Land mowing/ weeding,after party clean up.

Call:670-0734/639-9745.

Salesgirl & Porters.Apply at Best Buy Food Supplies. Lot 1E Dennis C Middleton St Campbellville with written application.

One (1) live in nanny/baby sitter,must be vaccinated.

Tel:626-6450/646-7142,Ogle East Coast Demerara.

1 attractive waitress to work at Arvin Bar Pink Shop. Attractive salary offer.Tel:6897481,254-1523.

Live in domestic.Must know to cook indian dishes,$30$40,000 weekly.Tel:610-3974.

Experience waitress to work 8hrs shift,$20,000 weekly.

Tel:610-3974.

VACANCY

Experienced Taxi Driver (Hire car license) and bus driver at Princess Hotel. Contact:6165419/265-7075/265-7076.

Vacancy exist at P.S.G.C.S for Labourers, General Cleaner, Maintenance worker,Time Keeping,Tool Issuing clerk-

Wanted Lorry Drivers.

Call:220-2818/3710.

FOR SALE Cases of Hand Sanitizer For Sale, 250ml at $350 and 500ml at $500. Call 650-5626.

1-152 Laverda combine with Wobble box & Fiat engine farm ready.Call:637-8027.

Chainsaw Operator and Labourers to work in wood concession.Call:667-8441.

Male seeks confidential companion,ages (30-60) to live with,salary $100,000 monthly.Call:603-9085.

FOR RENT

Upper 2 bedrooms apartments in Parfaite Harmonie, close to the #1 Public Road $100,000 monthly.Tel:6611585/617-2047.

Pharmacist,Sales Girl, Maintenance Supervisor and Office Manager. Call: 621-6969 or 615-7784.

One Housekeeper to work with family,Mon-Sat,over 35yrs.Tel:503-0359/608-2444.

General Assistant.Must have CXC(Math & English), Computer Knowledge, Graphic Design Skills.Call/whatsapp: 600-4497.

One experience receptionist, over 35yrs.Contact:503-0359/ 608-2444.

One bedroom apartment, Middle road.Tel:686-4564.

One,two & three bedroom apt,furnished & unfurnished. Providence and New road Vreed-en-hoop.Call:6826238/whatsapp 604-6664.

From page 8 to who really the employer is, is up in the air, at this point, as those who give the employees direction are not the ones who employed them,” GAWU contended.

The union added that the entire episode brings into focus the advice being provided by locals to foreign oil companies and noted that it brings into question whether the advice sought was from professionals or if the companies were knowingly cheating and deceiving workers out of their rights.

“While we welcome the Ministry's forthright intervention, at the same time, we recognise not all workers may have access to the Ministry and there may be some who are unaware that their rights are violated and are victims of exploitation at the workplace,” the union said.

VACANCY One salesman,able bodied porters.Experience in writing bills,stocktaking & cashing.

Keyfood Trading, Mc Doom village.

For one driver and one porter.Apply to Global Healthcare Supplies, 110 thirdst, Alberttow n.Email:gl obalhealthsuppliesinc@gmail.com.

For experience Hauler & Canter Drivers.Apply in person at Alabama Trading,65 Robb St Bourda.

One clerk for TSI Eccles Office,English & Maths grade 1 or 2.Call:615-9132 or email application to tech serigy@yahoo.com.

Maid to cook and clean for East Bank areaa.Call:6159132.

Immediate vacancy exists for one female cleaner.Call:2311408/642-9191.

Diesel & Auto mechanic, Truck & small vehicle drivers, porter to work in Interior.

Call:682-3923/611-5398.

nancial assurance. He said citizens should note that this is separate from the assets of the other Stabroek Block co-venturers who also have substantial assets and share any liability for response activities.

In addition, Routledge said EEPGL is working with the Environmental Protection Agency and its co-venturers, Hess Corporation and CNOOC Group, to put in place

a combined US$2B of affiliate company guarantees.

Routledge stressed that this value exceeds equivalent guarantees required by regulators in Canada, the United States and United Kingdom.

The EEPGL head also denied that there was any previous agreement for insurance valuing US$2.5B with a previous EPA administration.

“As stated by ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods at the

recent International Energy Conference, ExxonMobil is committed to Guyana for the long term.

ExxonMobil Guyana has invested billions of dollars in multiple oil and gas projects here.

We are dedicated to avoiding any spill, but should one occur, we are prepared to mitigate and resolve it as quickly and comprehensively as possible,” Routledge concluded.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 01, 2022

PAGE 17

Paria moves divers mission from rescue to recovery

(T&T Guardian) - After two days of searching for four members of an underwater maintenance crew, the Paria Fuel Trading Company has given up hope of finding them alive and now moves to recover their bodies.

During a press conference at the Pointe-aPierre Staff Club at Pointe-aPierre Refinery, Paria said the recovery operations will begin today using a water displacement method to move the bodies out of the 30-inch submarine pipeline.

Chairman Newman George said Paria's engineering team was designing the recovery procedure intended to ensure the uninterrupted movement of the bodies to the point of recovery.George said Paria came to this decision after a lengthy meeting between Paria, LMCS, the Coast Guard and two independent diving experts.He said the company sent probes into the horseshoe-shaped line but it encountered something at a certain depth and could go no further. They believe the

men's bodies could be there and will insert pressurised water into the pipeline, hoping to lift the bodies out.

“Based on advice from all the experts, the operation has now moved from rescue to recovery. The experts have also agreed on a joint effort which will see a water displacement process being used to gradually push the bodies along the 400-metre pipeline to where they can be successfully recovered at Berth 6,” George said.

Paria's General Manager Mushtaq Mohammed said

Public Works Ministry to oversee US$14M in sea defence projects During the opening of tenders last Tuesday at the National Procurement and T e n d e r B o a r d Administration (NPTAB) office, a total of $2,866,163,182 (over US$14M) in projects were opened for the construction of a number of rip rap sea defences for communities in Regions Two, Three, Four,

Five, Six and Seven.

The procuring entity for these projects is the Ministry of Public Works.

Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, who delivered this year's budget, had stated that “$5 billion is allocated to further strengthen Guyana's flood protection infrastructure

system through sea and river defence works in areas such as Grove, La Resource, Maria's Delight, Zeelandia, Leguan, Bygeval, Essex and Bengal.”

These projects that were opened at the NPTAB office cater for works in those areas.

Below are the companies and their bids:

Paria Fuel Trading Company Ltd representatives, from ,left, Mushtaq Mohammed general manager, left, Newman George, chairman and Collin Piper, terminal operations manager and incident commander speak after their press conference, at the he Pointe-a-Pierre Staff Club, yesterday. during the meeting y e s t e r d a y, m e m b e r s determined it was too risky to send divers to attempt rescue operations without first determining the condition in the pipeline.

Mohammed said Paria used various technologies, including sending cameras and underwater crawlers to ascertain the conditions.

He said there was no concrete evidence that the men were dead, but the information collected indicated that the probability of survival was very low. He said the risk of rescue was also high and intolerable.

“The decision was made after careful consideration to two key factors: the extremely low likelihood of survival and the risk of placing human life in danger in furtherance of a rescue objective. Our focus now is to treat these bodies with respect during the process of recovery and return to their loved ones. We also place particular emphasis on not placing any persons in harm's way during these operations,” Mohammed said.He said the company will be very respectful to the bodies of the men in the manner in which the recovery procedure is done, noting that they will be careful not to damage the bodies in the process.

Around 2.30 pm Friday, Christopher Boodram, Fyzal Kurban, Rishi Nagassar, Yusuf Henry, and Kazim Ali Jr, all employees of private contractors from LMCS Ltd, were conducting an underwater maintenance exercise at the No 36 Sealine riser on Berth #6 at the company's Pointe-a-Pierre f a c i l i t y. A n i n c i d e n t occurred, which sucked them into the pipeline. Ali Jr is the son of LMCS's managing director Kazim Ali.Boodram was recovered in the pipeline, and up to yesterday, he remained in a

stable condition at the San Fernando Hospital. He indicated that his colleagues were also in the pipeline.

Paria said it immediately implemented a response aided by the coast guard, Fire Service, and commercial diving experts. Mohammed confirmed that an emergency diver responded when they lost sight of the men was unsuccessful in finding them.Paria's management extended condolences to the missing men's families. They said counselling is available to them.Families deny being told before news conference Immediately after the Paria news conference political activist Phillip Alexander head of the Progressive Empowerment Party called on Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob to open a criminal investigation into Paria and its response to the situation involving the divers.

Alexander urged Jacob to declare Berth Number 6 at Point-a-Pierre a crime scene.

Angry relatives who sat alongside Alexander accused Paria officials of being secretive about the

situation and denied that they were told before the news conference that Paria had changed the mission from rescue to recovery.

They insisted they only learnt that it had been changed to recovery via the news conference.

They also said it was insulting that Paria officials went to a news conference and extended condolences to the families without first meeting with the families of the men or without confirmation that the men were dead.

Alexander also questioned why it took 54 hours for Paria to come to the press rather than having addressed the situation on Friday night.

Alexander also said a private hospital had been identified to accommodate Christopher Boodram, the lone survivor who has now become an important witness to what happened on that fateful Friday.

Relatives of the missing men said it was curious that all of a sudden they were hearing that Boodram had tested positive for COVID19.

PAGE 18

Tuesday March 01, 2022

Kaieteur News

Ukraine: Fighting escalates despite ceasefire talks (BBC) - Fighting has continued on the fifth day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,

despite talks aimed at securing a ceasefire.

Missile strikes killed doz-

ens of civilians in the country’s second city, Kharkiv, while air raid sirens

sounded again in the capital, Kyiv.

U k r a i n e ’s P r e s i d e n t Volodymyr Zelensky called the Russian bombardment of Kharkiv a “war crime”.

There were reports of fierce shelling in the northern city of Chernihiv.

Russia is attacking Ukraine on several fronts, but its advance has been slowed by Ukrainian resistance.

All three cities remain under Ukrainian control.

Away from the battlefields, economic and diplomatic moves have continued.

President Vladimir Putin has banned Russians from moving money abroad as he tries to halt a plunge in the value of the rouble following the imposition of sanctions.

And a rare emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly has heard a demand from the secretary general for an immediate halt to hostilities.

On the northern border with Belarus, Ukrainian and Russian officials ended their first round of talks.

There was little expectation the session would bring a breakthrough, but a Ukrai-

nian official said both sides would now return to their respective capitals for further consultations before a second round of negotiations.

Russia said both sides had agreed to continue talking and would meet again “in the next few days”.

In a late-night address, Mr Zelensky said there were eyewitness accounts of civilians being deliberately targeted during a sustained attack on Kharkiv.

He called for the West to consider a no-fly zone over Ukraine - something the US so far ruled out over fears it could draw it into a direct conflict with Russia.

Videos shared on social media showed rockets landing in Kharkiv, in what some defence analysts described as typical of a cluster munition strike on a dense urban area.

Russia has previously denied targeting residential areas.

New satellite images showed a Russian military convoy stretching for about 40 miles (64km) north of Kyiv.

But reports of fresh fighting on the outskirts of the capital forced residents

back into their shelters on Monday evening. Another video circulating on social media showed huge clouds of smoke at a burning shopping centre in Chernihiv, another city that has been under pressure from the Russian offensive.

One teacher in Chernihiv, Oksana Buryak, told the BBC the situation was “like from some horror movie”.

“Our hearts are broken, we don’t understand anything,” she said.

To the south, Russian forces are trying to take control of the key strategic port of Mariupol, near Russia-annexed Crimea.

Ukraine denied reports that Zaporizhzhia, home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, had fallen into Russia hands.

Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyy, speaking to the BBC, said the situation across the country was “serious, but stable”.

“Every day the enemy sends more and more forces.

But our glorious armed forces are basically destroying everything that arrives to Kyiv,” he added.

9-month sentence for man who committed...

From page 10 Gonsalves claimed that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crime.

He also claimed that the door to the couple's home was “open” and added that he was

unaware of his actions. However, Iobahan stated that the door could not have been open and insisted that Gonsalves opened the back door and entered.

Iobahan further claimed that the bag was returned, how-

ever, his passport was not.

Gonsalves is no stranger to the law; he was released from prison in June 2021 after serving three years for attempting to bribe a police officer to get out of a narcotics charge.

Tuesday March 01, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 01, 2022

Tuesday March 01, 2022

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Sir Andy Roberts to visit Berbice as BCB Coaching Programme expands - To hold joint clinics with Roland Butcher Widely considered the father of modern fast bowling in the Caribbean, Sir Andy Roberts is regarded as one of the all time greats of cricket.

The legendary fast bowler, who retired in 1983 after the West Indies tour of India, would be a special guest of the pro-active Berbice Cricket Board during the month of April.

The visit of Sir Andy would be a continuation of the BCB county-wide coaching programme with special emphasis being placed from the Under 13 to Under 19 levels.

BCB President Hilbert Foster stated that the main objectives of the massive and

well organized coaching programme is to identify the most promising players in the county and to make sure that they have all the opportunities to develop.

Thousands of youths have benefitted from intense training by the BCB panel of coaches headed by level three Coach Winston Smith over the last four years.

Special emphasis has been placed on batting, physical fitness, mental preparation, fast bowling, fielding, wicket keeping, off-spin, legspin and left-hand or orthodrox.

Additionally, the BCB created history when it published its coaching manual for

youth players and also a youth information booklet. In 2022 to date, the BCB has hosted a series of very successful coaching clinics with former players Clyde Butts, Sheik Mohamed, Sean Devers, Reon King, Nolan McKenzie and the Legendary Sir Curtly Ambrose.

Foster was contacted by a close friend of Sir Andy and he readily agreed to the visit, which is scheduled to take place between the 20th to 24th of April.

Widely considered as an encyclopedia on the game, Sir Andy is expected to have one on one, along with group sessions with Berbice top junior and senior players.

Tuesday March 01, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today could be a strange day where money is concerned, Aries. You might not be sure exactly where you stand financially, so it might be a good idea to get all your records together and go over them carefully

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today could be a strange day where money is concerned, Libra. You might not be sure exactly where you stand financially, so it might be a good idea to get all your records together and go over them carefully.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Unsafe conditions could exist around the house, Taurus, which may result in accidents if they aren't rectified.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Setbacks on the job might have you a little depressed and worried. Don't worry, Scorpio; all will be well.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Gemini, one or more of your co-workers could appear to be rather upset or depressed on the job today, and this is likely to affect your own efficiency.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Profligate spending in the past may come back to haunt you now with regard to money, Cancer. There could be blocks in receiving funds you were expecting or an unexpected but necessary expense could come up.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Boredom and restlessness may plague you today, Leo. You could feel the need to break loose from the ties that bind you to mundane affairs.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your concentration should be high today, Virgo. You're likely to be more observant than usual. Don't be surprised if you find yourself noticing people.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Sudden events that come to you via TV, newspapers, or the Internet, could shake up long-cherished belief systems today, Sagittarius.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) A task that you've been working on for a long time could come to a standstill today due to circumstances beyond your control.

You're likely to feel quite frustrated.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Be prepared today, Aquarius. A longtime dream regarding your career may finally become a reality. At first you might not believe it, fighting the news in order to avoid possible disappointment.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You tend to be your own worst critic, Pisces, and today you're more likely to be that way. Recent setbacks on the job might find you harboring doubts about your own capabilities.

Sir Andy Roberts, Roland Butcher

He would be assisted by a battery of local coaches including Winston Smith, Travis Hardcout, Leslie Solomon, Delbert Hicks,

Julian Moore and Balram Samaroo.

At the same time, Roland Butcher, who was the first African to play for England,

would be conducting a batting clinic for about 40 of Berbice Finest.

Butcher, a close family friend of the BCB President, offered his services to the board after saying he was very impressed by the high standards of its work.

Butcher played three test matches and three one day internationals for England, while scoring over seventeen thousand runs at the first class and fifty overs levels overall.

Roberts, fondly known as the “Hitman”, played 47 test matches between 1974 to 1983.

He took 202 wickets at an average of 25.6 and an economy rate of 2.67.

He played in three World Cup Finals, winning in 1975 and 1979.

Remembering...

From page 23 had a profound impact on my career as a member of the Guyana Police Force. He always showed an interest in what I did, even after I retired.

He would call me frequently to talk cricket, a game he loved, and other topics. We had our frequent lengthy Face-time chats.

“I was amazed that despite his failing health his memory was sharp as ever. Despite his frailty his voice was strong and steady. Uncle Neville and Aunty Juliet, his wife of 60 years, were dealt a cruel blow of fate in 2017 when the apple of their eyes, Jewel, their only child, passed. He was devastated by the loss but showed the strength that we all knew he had.”

“I am sure that we all have very fond memories of my friend, my mentor, my big brother my father figure, Stanislaus Neville Denny.

“Uncle Neville leaves to mourn his wife Aunty Juliet, his brother Noel, his grandson Tariq Mbozi, his nieces, his many other relatives and friends in the shooting fraternity, both locally in the Caribbean and further afield, those in the athletic community and the many persons whose lives he touched. We will miss him dearly.”

“Tomorrow being Sunday I am sure that if there is a rifle range where he is, he will be there competing with the likes of 'Dickie Fields', Claude Archer, Leslie Dowridge, Morris Young, Cecil Das and all the others who went before him. Rest in Peace Uncle Neville and rise in glory.

Shoot many possibles,” he culminated.

PAGE 22

Tuesday March 01, 2022

Kaieteur News

Ninvalle announces hosting of twice monthly U16 boxing Following the return of Amateur Boxing for the first time in over two years, president of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle, announced that the

association will be hosting twice monthly U16 Championships to increase competition for the youngsters.

The Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors tournament

is set for August and Ninvalle noted that, “We would need to have our young pugilist have as much competition as possible.”

The GBA, backed by sponsors Pepsi, hosted their Mike Parris U16 Championships last weekend at the

Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis Gym in Albouystown.

Jeremiah Duncan, haili n g f r o m t h e Yo u n g Achievers Boxing gym copped the coveted best boxer award, while Vergenoegen and Berbice Jammers were joint winners for the Best Gym trophy in the first boxing action since the Covid19 Pandemic forced a halt of the sport over two years ago.

“We would want to thank Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) for being on board. We would also like to thank the National COVID-19 Task Force for finding it fit and having the trust in us to approve the tournament and for being able to stay within the guidelines mapped out by the National COVID-19 Task Force,” Ninvalle said.

According to the GBA president, “We’re coming out of two years of not having any competitive boxing, so we need every single round that we’ll have. With that, I’ve spoken to National Coach, Lennox Daniels and with the Technical Director Terrence Poole (MS) and we’ve decided that twice a month there will be a U16 competition.”

The recent U16 Championship saw exceptional performances from the boxers fighting out of the Vergenoegen and Berbice Jammers Boxing Gyms.

Steve Ninvalle

“It was also heartening to note that Rose Hall Jammers was able to provide such a large team and the return of Vergenoegen to our fold. Vergenoegen has been out for it for sometime but Mr Clifton Moore has promised me that he has been training his boxers and they will be back,” Ninvalle reasoned.

“Boxing is back with a bang, especially in the nursery department which we said we would be placing so much emphasis on,” informed Ninvalle. “It was heartening to see what took place this weekend; to see the sort of professionalism with everyone involved. It gives me a

lot of energy to move forward. So people can expect a lot of nursery boxing now until August or even beyond that, because as I said, this is our focus right now; the nursery of the sport,” Ninvalle pointed out.

Guyana is the defending champs of Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors Championships which they won in 2019 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Best boxer performances from Patrick Harvey (male junior) and Alisha J a c k m an (female school girl) say the home side hold the overall trophy with eight gold medals in the process.

FIFA and UEFA ban all Russian teams until further notice SportsMax - FIFA and UEFA have banned Russian teams from club and international competitions, denying them entry to the 2022 World Cup and Women’s Euro 2022.

The decision means Spartak Moscow will be removed from the Europa League last 16, where they were due to face RB Leipzig.

UEFA has also ended its relationship with Gazprom, the Russian state-owned energy giant that was a major sponsor of the Champions League.

A joint statement from FIFA and UEFA read: “Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine.

“Both presidents [Gianni Infantino and Aleksander Ceferin] hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve

significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people.” The sporting world has called for sanctions to be imposed on Russia following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last week.

Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic – Russia’s World Cup play-off opponents – all announced an intention to boycott their fixtures, although FIFA’s initial sanctions allowed the Russian Football Union to put forward a team playing under a different name and flag in a neutral location.

But this FIFA decision was widely criticised, including by players’ union FIFPro, which wanted more than “the lightest of sanctions” and said Russia’s continued involvement in international competition was “not a pos-

sibility”. That was a view shared on Monday by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which said Russian and Belarusian athletes should be excluded from sporting events to “protect the integrity of global sports competitions”.

FIFA subsequently changed its stance in a jointannouncement with UEFA, ruling Russia – hosts of the 2018 World Cup – out of tournaments including this year’s two showpiece events in Qatar and England.

Russia were set to face Poland and then either Sweden or the Czech Republic in World Cup qualifying, while they had already reached the Women’s Euros, drawn into a group with Sweden, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Tuesday March 01, 2022

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

Arthur to re-apply for Mayor’s Cup sanction The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) continued their astute disciplinary policy with a stern warning to their member affiliates about the alignment with unsanctioned tournaments, but the Federation may have comically jumped the gun.

It came with an official missive to Presidents and Honorary Members of the

Regional Associations, Member Affiliates, and Member Clubs from the General Secretary of the GFF, Rev. Ian Alves.

It stated, “I write on behalf of the President & Executive Committee of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to inform all Regional Associations (RAs), Member Affiliates, and Member Clubs, that

Organiser Lennox Arthur

the GFF has observed, through advertisement in the daily newspapers, the intended hosting of a tournament entitled, Annual Mayor’s Cup Inter Ward/Village Knockout Football Tournament, scheduled to commence today 27th, February, 2022.

Members are hereby informed that this intended tournament is not sanctioned by the GFF neither was approval granted for the conduct of same. Consequently, the GFF uses this opportunity to remind all of its affiliated bodies of Article 13:h of the GFF Constitution, which obligates Registered Players and Officials not to maintain any relations of a sporting nature with entities (e.g. clubs, Leagues) that are not Members or Affiliates nor with Members that have been suspended or expelled.”

“Please therefore advise all of your members that nonadherence to Article 13:h (e.g. participation in the tournament named earlier) could lead to sanctions being applied to the guilty party.

Kindly take serious note accordingly,” it ended.

However, the GFF has erred in their release pertaining to the event which is actually scheduled to commence on March 27th, 2022.

According the story released in Stabroek Sports, it has the error which stated that the tournament begins on February 27, which may have prompted the letter from GFF. The tournament which has been in existence for some four decades is organised by former national footballer and coach, Lennox Arthur.

When Kaieteur Sport contacted Arthur, he stated that his committee had already written to the GFF in 2021 when they billed the tournament for December 27.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, t h e busy December period did not allow for the tournament to commence.

Arthur is unsure if the previous letter written is still official, but immediately made steps to reapply to the GFF to sanction the tournament for the intended date.

Should permission be granted by the GFF, the Annual Mayor’s Cup 9-a-side Inter Ward/Village Knockout Football tournament will see a return following a two year hiatus, due to the pandemic.

At stake are prize monies and the respective trophies with a first prize of $600,000, second prize $300,000, third - $200,000 and fourth - $100,000.

The five-night tournament kicks off at the Den Amstel Ground and concludes at the Georgetown

Football Club Ground.

Games continue on April 3 at Den Amstel, followed by April 9, 10 and 17 at the GFC Ground.

According to Arthur, preparation for the event has being going swimmingly with much appreciated support from sponsors Mid Atlantic Oil and Gas C o m p a n y, I PA , D D L , Digicel, Johil, John Fernandes, General Equipment, Busta, GTT, Namilco, Macorp, New Thriving, Sattar Gafoor, B. Megan, Pritipaul Singh, Ready Mix, Eddie Bobcat, Silvie’s, Caribbean Containers, E Networks, Super Bet, Cummings Electrical, China Trading, Dave Lumber yard and Schlumberger.

PAGE 24

Tuesday March 01, 2022

Kaieteur News

Guyana-China 50th Anniversary of Partnership logo unveiled

GTTA Head Godfrey Munroe (left) and Chinese Ambassador Guo Haiyan.

Guyana and China will mark half a century of diplomatic cooperation come June this year, and the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), that has benefitted much from this relationship, hosted the Friendship Table Tennis Tourney in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy on Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

The momentous day also served as the official unveiling of the ‘Guyana-China 50th year friendship logo.

Attendees of the event included representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Coop-

eration, the Chinese Embassy, Speaker of the National Assembly; Manzoor Nadir, along with usual table tennis stakeholders.

Head of the GTTA and vice-president of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Godfrey Munroe, hailed the significance of the event and highlighted the benefits the GTTA would’ve gained from their good-standing relationships with China.

Several players have attended training camps, while local tutors benefited from elite coaching education from some of the best in the business. In addition, the GTTA and the Ministry of Educa-

tion (MOE) had signed a MOU that has seen and will continue to see schools being supplied with Table Tennis equipment.

The Chinese Ambassador Guo Haiyan is keen on ensuring Guyanese players return to the Hebei Zhengding Table Tennis Training Centre for more camps. In 2018, Natalie Cummings, Joel Alleyne, Nigel Bryan and Elishaba Johnson spent one month at the facility.

The Ambassador noted that Guyana has been an important partner of China in the past 50 years, and anticipates closer cooperation in the future.

Underdog win Surujpaul birth anniversary dominoes title Underdog emerged champions of the Khemraj Surujpaul birth anniversary dominoes competition which was contested recently at Carlosh Sports bar, Good Success, Wakenaam. Underdog marked 74 games to beat All Stars with 70 and V Net on 68. Amit Ramnarine made the maximum 18 games for the winners while Vickram Ramnarine marked 16 and Krishundat Hansraj 15.

Nazeer Mohamed scored 16 games for All Stars while Raj Narine made 15 and Alex Chung 14.

Anil Ramrattan and Suraj (only name given) top scored for V Net with 15 games each, while Kalid Zaman contributed 14.

Surujpaul congratulated the winners and thanked the teams for participating.

Underdog Captain James Ramnarine (right) accepts the winning trophy from Khemraj Surujpaul.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 01, 2022

PAGE 25

Remembering the impactful life of Stanislaus Neville Denny

A

true pioneer of rifle shooting local and abroad, Stanislaus Neville Denny, was laid to rest this past Saturday at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Brickdam.

During the touching ceremony to celebrate the life of Denny, his eulogy was done by his dear friend, former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe. Slowe regaled with tales of the respecting friendship they shared and was very appreciative of the mentorship he bestowed upon him.

Tributes were also made by his brother Noel Denny, family friend, Harold Hopkinson, Bank of Guyana Deputy Governor Leslie Glen, GOA President K.A. J u m a n - Ya s s i n , f o r m e r Amateur Athletics Association President Claude Blackmore and GNRA's Col (ret'd) Enoch Gaskin.

Denny was born on August 5, 1933 in Bishop Street, Georgetown, Guyana.

He was the second of six children. Uncle Neville, as he was called by most of us, attended several Primary Schools in districts where his father, who was a policeman, worked. He also attended St. Stanislaus College, and the G o v e r n m e n t Te c h n i c a l Institute.

After school uncle Neville first worked at the

Mackenzie Bauxite Company as a store keeper.

In March of 1956 he joined the British Guiana Police Force and was given regulation number 6162. He spent ten years in the Force, mainly at the Police Communications Branch, where he established transmission links and other vital police communication systems. He resigned from the force in 1964 with the rank of Inspector; a remarkable feat in those days, and testimony to his outstanding ability.

After deciding to make a career change uncle Neville trained at the American Motor Company and was employed as a Manager at Sanbach Parker. As one who constantly sought new challenges, uncle Neville moved to the Bank of Guyana in 1966, and became the Security and Maintenance Officer. He retired from the bank in 1993 as the Director of Maintenance and Security.

Uncle Neville was always fascinated with shooting, both hand guns and rifles. He started shooting small-bore in 1957, and was introduced to Full-bore shooting the same year by Superintendent of Police, Freddie Cannon. His first shooting instructor was the legendary Mohammed Ali. At that time, technical training for young shooters was done at British Guyana

Vo l u n t e e r F o r c e s Headquarters, which was located in Eve Leary, where we now have the Police Sports Club. Fullbore shooting was done on Saturdays at Thomas land, which is now the Army Headquarters (Camp Ayangana).

Uncle Neville fondly tells of his first rifle, which he got in the 1960s from C.C. Allen, another outstanding Guyanese shooter, and which was bought from Fulton at Bisley.

He told the story of winning his first major trophy in 1960. The trophy was presented to him by the then Governor Ralph Grey.

Denny was a regular fixture in the Guyana shooting team as a shooter and wind coach. He was also a member of the first West Indies full-bore shooting team, which went to Bisley in the UK in 1985.

Throughout his illustrious shooting career, uncle Neville won all the challenge trophies that were on offer. At one meeting he managed to capture all the first prizes on offer at one meeting. He was also an excellent shot with the revolver.

Apart from his considerable shooting skills, he was also an outstanding administrator. He was for a number of years a Vice President of the GNRA, and

Jacobs Jewellery and Pawnshop Inks Deal with Georgetown Cricket Association

J

acobs Jewellery and Pawnshop and the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) in February signed an Advertising Agreement between the two entities.

The one-year promotion partnership will allow Jacobs Jewelry and Pawnshop to showcase its products and services through the Georgetown Cricket Association's website, reaching a fresh market of digital consumers.

Jacobs Jewellery is proud to partner with the Georgetown Cricket Association who is deeply committed to its role of developing young talent, producing quality cricketers who will proudly represent both Guyana and the West

Shaun Massiah (left), GCA's Competition Committee Chairman receiving cheque from Jemel Semple on behalf of Jacobs Jewellery & Pawn Shop.

Indies.

GCA lauds Jacobs Jewellery for their ongoing support of budding

cricketing talent in Guyana.

V i s i t https://cricclubs.com/Georg etownCricketAssociation

was one of the earliest Presidents of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council.

He was also a long serving member of the Guyana Amateur Athletics Association.

Uncle Neville is responsible for unearthing, many local shooters, such for Assistant Commissioner Paul Slowe, Ransford Goodluck, Lennox Braithwaite, Ryan Sampson, and many others, including those from the GDF, like Col Gaskin, Terry Stewart, Wayne McKenzie, and 'Garth Angoy. He was always looking to identify and recruit new members into the shooting sport.

Uncle Neville is regarded as the god father and grandfather of many of the current crop of rifle shooters.

Despite his advancing age and failing health, he maintained an interest in the sport, and would frequently make contact with members to be updated on what was happening on and off the

Neville Denny receives his Hall of Fame plaque from WIFBSC President, Major (ret'd) John Nelson. range.

He became a life member of the Guyana NRA and was one of the first inductees into the West Indies Full-Bore

Shooting Council Hall of Fame.

During Denny's Eulogy, Slowe stated, “Uncle Neville (Continued on page 21)

The 50th Anniversary logo

s t r o Sp The special attendees and players take a photo-op yesterday.

Guyana-China 50th Anniversary of Partnership logo unveiled

FIFA and UEFA have banned Russian teams from club and international competitions.

FIFA and UEFA ban all Russian teams until further notice Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.