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Tuesday March 08, 2022

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Minister Bharrat orders CGX to honour 2022 work commitments on Demerara, Berbice Blocks G

iven its positive findings of hydrocarbons at the Kawa-1 well in the Corentyne Block, CGX Energy Inc. told the market last month that it would seek to explore more of the opportunities in that offshore concession instead of going through with commitments this year on its o t h e r t w o blocks—Demerara and Berbice. In fact, CGX in its latest financial report said that it would not engage in drilling activities on the Demerara block in 2022. However, on February 21, 2022, the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat informed CGX which is a partner on the block with Frontera Energy Corporation, that two commitment exploration wells must be drilled on the Demerara Block per the terms of the Demerara Petroleum Prospecting Licence and associated Petroleum Agreement prior to February 12, 2023. CGX said it will nonetheless seek further dialogue with the Ministry of Natural Resources regarding this order. On February 4, 2022, the company, through its 62 percent owned subsidiary ON Energy Inc. had notified the Ministry of Natural Resources that, given the focus on developing the Corentyne Block, as well as

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat

operational considerations and investment priorities, ON Energy would be unable to drill an exploration well on the Berbice Block in 2022 and proposed that seismic acquisition on the block be shifted to commence in January 2023. Once again, Minister Bharrat stood his ground and informed ON Energy that he expects the company to drill one exploration well on the Berbice Block and acquire seismic on the block prior to the expiry of the Berbice Petroleum Prospecting Licence and associated Petroleum Agreement. CGX still insisted that it will seek further dialogue with the Ministry of Natural resources regarding this guidance. It was on February 12, 2013 that the Government of

Guyana had issued the new Demerara Petroleum A g r e e m e n t ( PA ) a n d Petroleum Prospecting Licence (PPL) to the Company. Under the terms of the new Demerara PA, during the initial period of four years, CGX has an obligation to conduct a 3D seismic survey of a minimum of 1,000 km2 (completed in 2014) and to drill at least one exploration well. The Demerara Licence (formerly the Annex Licence) comprises approximately 1.0 million acres (3,975 square kilometres) offshore Guyana. Kaieteur News understands that CGX has 3,400 sq. km of vintage seismic data on the Demerara which was acquired prior to 1998. After

Map showing the onshore and offshore locations of CGX’s Corentyne, Berbice and Demerara blocks. processing about 250 km, CGX had identified two leads—a toe thrust on line 31 and an amplitude lead on the intersection of line 4 and line 25. New 3D seismic will be required to advance these targets to a drillable stage. In 2003, CGX, through its 62 percent owned subsidiary ON Energy, had applied for and was granted the Berbice Petroleum Prospecting Licence consisting of approximately 1,566.2 km2.

On December 15, 2017, the company was issued an addendum to the February 12, 2013 PA. Under the terms of the new Berbice PA, during phase two of the first renewal period beginning on August 12, 2018, the company was expected to complete a geochemical survey of a minimum 120 sq km and commence a seismic programme defined by the geochemical survey. At the end of the first renewal period of three

years, the company had a choice to elect either to relinquish the entire contract area except for any discovery area and the area contained in any PPL or relinquish 25 percent of the contract area and renew the PPL for a second period of three years. It had successfully secured a renewal but with a restructured work programme which the Minister has insisted, must be completed.

“We are not selling the Enmore Packaging Plant, - President we just moving it to Berbice” Irfaan Ali By Shervin Belgrave President Mohamed Irfaan Ali believes that if he was running a private corporation, such as the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), he would have been given incentives and bonuses by its board of directors for scrapping a project like the U$S12.5M Enmore Packaging Plant located on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), and spending more money to build a new one at Albion, Berbice, Region Six. At least this is what the president told reporters at a press conference he held on Sunday. His government on February 16, last had included the packaging plant in a 55-acre land deal it made

with a 52 percent owned Guyanese joint-venture, Guysons K+B Industries Inc. According to reports, the company acquired the US$12.5M plant, owned by GuySuCo, on a long-term lease from the government and intends to transform the facility from its original use to package sugar - into a manufacturing hub to support the oil sector. However, just days before the deal was signed, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GuySuCo, Sasenarine Singh, announced in an online interview, that plans are being made to build a new packaging plant at Albion, along with the expansion of one at Blairmont for 2022 in order to increase the

c o u n t r y ’s p a c k a g i n g capacity for sugar. Kaieteur News had reported in a recent article that many observers held the view that if it is the g o v e r n m e n t ’s a i m t o increase the country’s packaging capability, why would it scrap the operation of the Enmore facility, only to spend millions more then establish another. Observers thought it would be prudent for the government to keep the Enmore packaging facility while adding Albion and Blairmont to the mix. The situation has left many industry analysts perplexed. However, the president does not want to admit that his government is actually scrapping the plant to build a new one so he has decided to

call it a relocation of the Enmore Packaging Plant. His exact words at Sunday’s press conference were, “the packaging plant (Enmore Packaging Plant) is not closed, the packaging plant is part of a strategy and is moving to Berbice; it’s moving to Albion.” The “strategy” to spend another set of millions to move the packaging plant to Berbice, according Ali, is just to create more employment in that area and assist in achieving his g o v e r n m e n t ’s e l e c t i o n campaign promise to create some 50,000 jobs. According to the president, “The Enmore Packaging Plant is not closed. Let me make it clear. The facility at Enmore will

President Mohamed Irfaan Ali speaking at Sunday’s press conference be used. It will be used to sustain all those jobs and expand opportunities for the East Coast corridor because the East Coast corridor is l i n k e d t o t h e industrialisation and manufacturing that is taking place, but no jobs will be lost so I don’t know what is this

fanciful argument some people are coming up with in their heads.” He said too, his government’s move will benefit the country by saying, “We are not selling out any assets we are catalyzing the assets. There (Continued on page 22)

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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

International Women’s Day

I

nternational Women’s Day is here. Though many men may still think of it as mainly about hair, women have made many impressive strides across a greater number of once forbidden fields around the world. We at this paper salute our Guyanese sisters and daughters, and all those others of the fairer gender who fall in some classification of relationship, whether as friend, family, or as stranger. Our women are to be cherished, not as objects, but for what they have achieved against the odds, of how far they have come. We still must bear in mind that they have a great amount of territory in front of them to be covered. We have Guyanese women in their numbers beyond the traditional fields of teaching and nursing. They now proudly and properly occupy many spaces in the higher rungs of those professions. We are glad for them, and applaud them, with the hope that more of the younger ones will be inspired with the thinking that they, too, can do so. We have women in the lower and upper ranks of our law enforcement apparatus, and in our national defence capabilities. In politics, there are women ministers, in the public service, there are women Permanent Secretaries, and in several state agencies there are women running the show at the top, or as heads of departments. Most of all, we have the unsung and the largely unknown: those Guyanese women who go from day to day with the responsibilities and burdens, and somehow manage to keep going. It is where they must be financial analyst and economist, how they must be breadwinner and discipline enforcer and mentor all at the same time. It is when and how they are worker on their feet and chief cook and bottle- washer in the home. How they do it, we don’t pretend to know, and which balancing family and career don’t even begin to consider or cover the sum of what is involved with being a partner, a mother, a sister, daughter and neighbour, and an ever available and ready helper, wherever they are. Impressive may not be enough of a complete description of women on this International Women’s Day, unreal and otherworldly seems more closer to fitting the bill, but it is one which they must pay every day in the shoes that they are called upon to fill. Yet, as meaningful and visible as the progress of women in our society has been, there are those circumstances of some, too many, which bring a pause, and give cause to raised eyebrows, in this presenting of their plights in the most peaceable of manner. We have two women in our judiciary, at the top of their profession and at the head of their operations. But instead of being the cream of the local court system, they have come to represent the kind of organisational froth. This is best attributed to the follies, farces, and failures of tricky political figures always on the lookout for an advantage, even when the judiciary is the area under consideration. There are other areas, involving other women, where they are held hostage to the whims and antics of political leaders and decision-makers. They are part of the pawns in Guyana’s perpetual power struggles that take shape behind the scenes, the traditional collateral damage that results from the wars being fought out of sight. These are part of the contradictions that plague this society. They are what embarrass and humiliate our womenfolk as much as any domestic abuse victim, but in the workplace. For too long we have taken our women in this society and culture for granted. It is that they are there, and that should be enough, all that is required. This has to change, and not from the words and actions of political leaders, who themselves have among the worst records of domestic cruelties and more. Change must be in the minds and hands of rank-and-file Guyanese men and sons and brothers: these wo//*-*men of ours count, and we must make them feel that way, by how we care for them, conduct ourselves in their company, or away from it. Those are our greatest recommendations, our best character references.

NCW hails sterling work of Guyanese women DEAR EDITOR Members of the National Congress of Women (NCW) extend warm wishes to Guyanese women, our Caribbean sisters, and women worldwide, on the occasion of International Women @s Day, March 8, 2022. The theme for IWD 2022 is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. The theme focuses on “sustainability”, and highlights the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are actively involved in programs relating to climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all. A United Nations report states that “the latest data emphasize the link between gender, social equity and climate change, and recognize that without gender equality today, a sustainable future, an equal future and remains out of reach”. Against the background of the theme, the NCW notes that women and their families have experienced difficult situations in the last few years. Climate change and environmental disruptions have caused flooding in different communities, throughout Guyana. Women and their families have also faced economic and social hardships, as a result of the devastating effects of the COVID 19 pandemic. The NCW is appreciative of the sterling work of Guyanese women (frontline workers), who have worked tirelessly, during 2020, 2021, and 2022, to maintain basic services to Guyanese, particularly in the health, educa-

tion, and public sectors. Our organization, also, congratulates our sisters who are contributing to the development of our country in different spheres: politics and public life, legal, education, health, science and technology, environment field, security, trade unions, religious, social and community organizations, and in the field, office, and factory. The NCW, also, recognises the contribution of iconic women of our Movement. The late Jane Phillips Gay and Winifred Gaskin were trailblazers, who founded the Peoples National Congress Women s Auxiliary (PNCWA) in 1957, and were pioneers in the struggle for equality and the emancipation of Guyanese women. Two outstanding leaders, the late Viola Burnham and Shirley Field - Ridley, worked untiringly in Guyana and overseas, during the 1970s and 1980s, to secure the equal participation of women, in all sectors of national development. For many decades, the NCW and its predecessor organizations, the Peoples National Congress Women s Auxiliary (PNCWA) and the Women s Revolutionary Socialist Movement (WRSM) have been in the forefront of advocating for equal rights for Guyanese women. Our Movement resolutely advocated for, and supported the implementation of unprecedented gender equality measures by the PNC Government, during the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. A landmark achievement was the presentation of the State Paper on Equality for

Women in Guyana on 15 January 1976, by Prime Minister, L.F.S. Burnham. The State Paper laid the foundation for many of the gender equality policies which Guyanese women currently enjoy. The adoption of legal and policy measures contributed to the removal of discrimination against women in the legal, education, and employment spheres, and in different sectors of national life. Laws which discriminated against women and children were removed from the Statute Book, and equal rights laws were enacted. Legal measures were also adopted which granted women and men equal justice in the division of marital property. During the phase of the WRSM, from 1976, our organization collaborated with the Council on the Affairs and Status of Women in Guyana (CASWIG), and submitted a formal proposal to the PNC Government, for the adoption of measures to secure women s full and equal participation in development. One outcome of that proposal was the establishment of the Women s Affairs Bureau, (now renamed the Gender Affairs Bureau), as a governmental agency in 1980, with responsibility for monitoring and implementing sustained gender equality policies and programs. Other achievements included the employment of women as Permanent Secretaries in the Public Service, and the eligibility of women to work in the technical field, in industries and factories, on an equal

basis with men. Women s representation increased in the National Assembly, the Regional Democratic Councils, Town Councils, and National Boards and Committees. Our Movement implemented consciousness raising programs, skillstraining and income generating projects, which contributed to the economic and social empowerment of women. Currently, many Guyanese women are at risk of losing hard won equal rights, as a result of environmental issues, low wages and income, and inequitable social and economic policies and practices, in our country. The NCW pledges to work with purpose and vigour, to ensure that all Guyanese women benefit equally from the sovereign wealth derived from the utilization of the natural resources of our country. The NCW pledges to work with women s organizations in Guyana, to ensure that gender equality policies are interwoven in our country s sustainable development policies and programs, and that the equal rights and opportunities achieved by Guyanese women are sustainable. On the occasion of IWD, 2022, the National Congress of Women urges all Guyanese to celebrate International Women s Day, in recognition of the achievements of women in different sectors of national life. Regards National Congress of Women

It is a naked, dirty, and sickly environment DEAR EDITOR, I have no choice but to break momentarily my Lenten distancing from public space of Guyana, when the ugly and obscene occur. In this instance, it involves the Civil groups that came out in protest recently, and spoke out against known Governmental putridity in this society, that which starts from the top and cascades all the way down through governance ranks and places. Though I have come to respect the efforts of groups like TIGI and Article 13, today I focus on the Ursuline Sisters of Guyana, and this back and forth going on with their decision and action in the local environment. It is a naked, dirty, and sickly environment. And when no less a person than the head of state takes it upon himself to take aim at selective protests, naysayers, and those who dare to stand up and speak out against the

numerous egregious wrongdoings under his watch, the nakedness and dirtiness and sickliness of Guyana become more pronounced. The man objects too much, sees enemies where none exist. Further, when his people at the DPI, as reported, could find the time, use taxpayers’ money, and have the energy to work at manipulating and massaging what took place and involved the Ursuline Sisters, then it is a reflection of how sensitive and rigid this PPPC Government and its leaders are to constructive criticism, regardless of the source. It is an indication of how far leader and fawning followers are prepared to go to get their way and message across. Only their narratives, their sordid truths. It is that this is a society that is unified and contented with leadership and governance practices. It is not, and far from it. It is that those who protest are traitors and selec-

tive. Who can be more selective than the President, when he forgets the decades of spirited and concentrated involvement that led to his group being where it is today? Perhaps, he has forgotten, due to his frail years, the endeavors of some of those same Sisters and their brothers back in the 1980s that led to the return from the wilderness and recall to where it is today. In fact, since the President nowadays insists upon manifesting the strains of selective amnesia, I remind him that one of their brothers, a priest no less, was murdered in that struggle; and I remind him that the whispers and fingers pointed are aimed at people known to him, and in his bosom. Editor, in my seven years plus of volunteer contributions in the education field, I have come to know well these Sisters of a broader veiled sorority; they are the heights of dedication and truth, of care

and compassion. This is even more impressive considering their less than perfect flesh, the state of man himself. And just in case the President and the other one pretend to forget, their own people sought futilely to take that same volunteerism of mine and taint it with the most spurious and vulgar of premediated intimidations. It was what reeked of the criminal by the hands of cherished criminals in their midst. It would seem that in the drive toward authoritarianism and encircling totalitarianism (how I hate those two!), the President has now been assigned the role of bullying bad man to compel those standing in the way to cower in abject submission. I have questions for the President: how many does he think that he can menace with his messages? How many does he believe still fall for the deceits that will ultimately trace back (Continued on page 6)

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Government still has time to deliver GTT customer service continues DEAR EDITOR In consideration of the gas-fueled trajectory that Guyana is on it is important that we understand the requirements for development and the need for forward thinking Guyanese to embrace a vision for the development of Guyana. Historically, and maybe to some extent now, we continuously complained about poor infrastructure, institutional service (Government Services), and soon to come, traffic jams if not already. Notably, in consideration of the same needs, which are legitimate, I had voiced my concerns at the NRF Bill now turned law and stated that the government’s hands need to be untethered to do what is necessary to develop Guyana. I was and still am fortified in my belief that we are in need of Constitutional Reform AND a reform of the Parliamentary Standing Orders amongst many others. But most of all we are in desperate need of a reformation of our own attitudes. As a society we utilize our last energies to fight instead of build. There is no doubt that the Government will make some missteps as everyone and every institution does. There was a significant hoop-la about the leasing of the Enmore Packaging Plant to GKB for reasons that seem counterintuitive and borders on the line of insanity. I support the arrangement of the lease of the Enmore Packaging Plant unreservedly. Not to stoke fears of a Trini-takeover, but we complain that Trini’s are taking all the jobs in the Oil and Gas sector and we are left wanting even though we do not have the capacity to occupy

that space. Herein is a great example of Guyanese stepping up to the wicket to bat for Guyana to fill that space! If we do not fill those spaces, someone else will and we will be left complaining. Guysons, a wholly Guyanese company, sought a partnership that will not only create the kind of employment and competency to address Guyana’s deficiencies in servicing that specific OAG Sector, They ARE also creating a significant footprint for Guyanese in the sector that otherwise would have gone to some foreign company and quite possibly would have left the sugar workers unemployed; left the plant derelict for decades; and would have represented another failed monument to sugar. Are we to leave that space for others to occupy? It should by now be clearly understood that sugar in Region 4 is not only unsustainable due to a variety of factors; it makes little to no sense for the cultivation of sugarcane in Region 4. There is no reasonable person that would expect that a cane field would be burning next to the major capital and economic epicenter of the country with all the issues that comes with it. We need to accept that Region 4 will not be the major agricultural powerhouse of this economy as we shift our focus and investments to the regions more capable of absorbing agricultural development. Imagine someone owning a field that is set on fire seasonally next to Manhattan, Toronto, or any major city Globally! The Enmore Packaging Plant is being leased for a handsome penny that goes directly into supporting the sustainability of the sugar in-

dustry thus reducing the subsidy that is paid to the industry – a clear reduction of y(our) tax dollars being used for sugar. The government promised 50000 jobs. The Packaging plant previously boasted 42 employees and GKB will create 500 which is close to a 1200 % increase in employment and those are quality and diversified jobs. We recently passed a Local Content Law in Parliament that requires much of us, and we need to occupy that space competently and professionally lest we sign a waiver and see money taken from our share of the revenues and given to others – and complain. It is important that we as a nation understand how underdeveloped Guyana stood for the Last 56+ years and what it will take to get us to that state of development. Will there be seepage? Of Course! However, we must have some introspection. For us to change Guyana and our trajectory, we first have to change ourselves and our mindset. The people elected the Government based on their manifesto and that is a fulfillment of their consultative process. I will not say that the government does not need to further consult; however, when making such an argument, we must be cognizant of what is in their manifesto which constitutes their promise to the people when elected and they now have to fulfill those promises. Every cycle is 5 years and they have three and half years more to deliver. Respectfully Hon. Lenox Shuman, MP Deputy Speaker

Ursuline Sisters clear the air on Civic group statement DEAR EDITOR, I am writing for the benefit of readers who may be confused as to whether the Ursuline Sisters name on the Policy Forum Guyana press release was authorised. The answer is ‘yes’ it was. As has been the case for a number of years I have been the Ursuline Sisters point of contact with

respect to PFG. The name of Ursuline Sisters has appeared in a number of earlier press releases. When organizations like ours are invited to endorse PFG statements the procedure has always been that PFG sends a draft statement for suggested changes and to indicate whether or not the

organization wishes their names to be included. The same procedure was adopted for the release in question and we replied in the affirmative. There are e-mails available to support this. Confusion arose in this case for several overlapping reasons. A week elapsed between (Continued on page 6)

to frustrate and infuriate DEAR EDITOR I am forced to once again publicly voice my utter dissatisfaction with the Customer Service of GTT. On Saturday 26th February at around 9:00 hrs. I paid for a one week data plan. The message on my phone showed that it was successful. The main reason I put in the data that day was because I had to communicate with my family while my mom went into surgery. The data plan was never activated so I was unable to use it for its intended purpose. On Sunday February 27th I called GTT Hotline # 0488. An operator took my complaint and promised that technical service would get back to me - to this day they never did! On Monday, February 28th I tried calling the hotline number for an update but after listening to multiple automated messages I was repeatedly disconnected. I decided to try their online app, MyGTT and logged into the queue at around 9:00 hrs. After holding for over an hour, someone finally dealt with my

complaint. Eventually my data plan was activated. Clearly the problem lay with GTT. I asked for an explanation why my data was not activated as it should have but my question was ignored by the operator and I never got a reason. Clearly, since the fault was GTT I expected to be given back the time I lost. However this was not to be and on Saturday, March 5th promptly at around 9:00 hrs I received a message saying my data plan had expired. Once again I had to go through the most tedious task of using their online app to log my query. It took me an hour and a half to get to the top of the queue only to be asked if l received a message stating that I had received 1GB of data as compensation for my “problem”. When I stated that l received no such message I was informed once more that the phantom Technical unit will get back to me and if I did not receive my data by the following day I was to contact them again. Utterly frustrated at the amount of time I had already

wasted running behind a problem which was solely the cause of GTT, I informed the operator that I was not going to contact them again and if I did not receive my data I was going to make a public complaint. True to form, one day later I am yet to receive a call from this phantom technical unit nor has my data been replaced. Further, my rollover data which l have on my plan is at risk of being lost because I refuse to renew my plan until I am certain that my lost service has been replaced. All GTT does is offer apologies and placations while their customer service remains poor. I already suffered personal loss on the data plan only to now be burdened with hours of waiting to get on to their customer service. This is utterly unacceptable. As the telecom sector has become liberated I only hope that better will come from other providers. Because it is clear GTT is a lost cause on this front. Regards M. Abraham

Time to move on

DEAR EDITOR After two years, the time has come to move on from the post-election rhetoric if the ‘One Guyana’ push is to be achieved. Each March, since 2020, the events of the elections and the ensuing five months assault on democracy, are told, with much venom and acrimony. As it should be, for those who forget the past are bound to repeat it, but to keep harping on who or which persons and organisations supported or did not lend their dissenting voices to the attempted heist on democracy does nothing to get past this blot on our history and it seems we are stuck there.

The recent tongue lashing on some organisations with opposing views and opinions is a classic example of how not to move forward collectively and must be seen as antidemocratic from those who promote democracy as a hallmark of their achievements.

We must move on from the ills of 2020 for our one Guyana sake and those of future generations. Nothing positive comes from such outward negativity. The future beckons! Regards Shamshun

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The Civic groups should engage the government on their concerns DEAR EDITOR, Reference is made to a Kaieteur News article dated March 3, 2022 with the caption “Civic Groups say Gov’t out of control”. I read with interest the long list of civic groups’ criticisms of the Government. I have been following the debates or I should say the concerns raised by the referenced NGOs, commentators alike, and the responses emanating from other sections of civil society; and from Government officials questioning the legitimacy and agenda of these organizations. However, while the legitimacy; functions and mandates of most if not all of the referenced NGO’s, are not to be discounted, I will not get involved in that aspect of the debate on this subject. Rather, I am treating each of those organizations as a group of individuals with a common modus operandi, who sought to utilize their respective organizations to advocate their collective, individualistic, and singularism agenda, arguably under the pretext of legitimate concerns on the Government’s style of conducting the nation’s business. Editor, I shall now attempt

to highlight the inherent flaws grounded in the groups’ subjective assertions largely on account of their seemingly incapability to critically, empirically, objectively and rigorously substantiate their unfounded assertions. According to the article, the bodies reportedly said that “there is no longer any official institution or agency which anyone – including those sympathetic to the Administration – can turn for an objective assessment of major issues affecting the future of Guyana.” To support this view, the NGOs claimed that the Parliamentary Sectoral Committees don’t meet; regional governments and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) have never been allowed to function independently.” This statement suggests that the respective NGOs do not fully understand the functions of these committees, and where they need to turn to for an objective assessment of issues. There are four sectoral committees of the National Assembly, namely: The Natural Resources Committee, the Economic Services Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee; and the Social Services Committee. These

committees have the “responsibility for the scrutiny of all areas of Government policy and administration. In the exercise of their responsibility they have the power to examine all policies and administration for each sector to determine whether the execution of Government policy is in consonance with the principle of good governance and in the best interest of the nation.” Further to note, these committees are regarded as an extension of the National Assembly, limited by the extent of the authority given to them, but governed in the proceedings by the same rules as those which prevail in the National Assembly” (cited from Parliament of Guyana website). My layman interpretation of this is that if one wishes to have an objective assessment of issues and government policies, then one has to do so themselves. In this case, it is the NGOs that ought to have the technical capability to conduct their own, independent and objective assessment of issues and public policy. Where those NGOs lack such expertise, they can outsource this from independent professionals on the various subject matters. In the

Such a low level journalism DEAR EDITOR Kissoon’s article on Dr. Keith Carter, Martin Carter’s son, and Keith Carter, Martin Carter’s brother was really at a low level of trying to insult for no good reason.

Referring to the brother’s eye problem by saying that Dr. Keith Carter must suffer from something similar because Kissoon disagreed with Dr. Carter’s opinion...using the brother’s medical problem to

insult Dr. Keith...that’s simply vicious. Using someone’s disability as a source of insult. Low level of journalism. Regards Gordon Carrega

It is a naked, dirty, and sickly... From page 4 to him, because he is the official boss where he should know what stops? How long will he harbour the illusion that he and his henchmen can overpower people, and overwhelm the environment with what does not add up, fails to make sense, and which make him look less than honourable, deplorably lacking in excellence? I have some more: when an octogenarian has to set the record straight about what happened, and where matters

truly stand, then how shabby and sullied the words and postures of the President become? I have known this woman, this Sister, for almost a decade, and she has never said a hard word about the politics and practices of anyone in that time to me. For sure, she is a free moral agent with the capacity to think straight and talk straight, for which I laud them all. I would laud the President when he sees fit to practice that kind of straight thinking and straight talk. I would

support him when he works at not twisting himself into knots where truths and facts are concerned, like some Guyanese political Chubby Checker. I would commend him when he ceases playing at games with words in attempts to mangle the concerns and actions of those Guyanese who really care about this country, and go about doing so in the right way. Sincerely, GHK Lall

Ursuline Sisters clear the air.. From page 5 consenting to the use of the name and the appearance of the Press Release. Sisters who were away or just out of surgery when consent was given were unaware of the release. After the Release was published a man from the Department of Public Information came to the convent several times and spoke to sisters. some of whom were among those unaware of the

release. He came back next day and I gave him the written statement, but didn’t discuss with him. I accept personal responsibility for overlooking not to inform all my community. While not excusing this oversight I have responsibilities in a girls’ orphanage as well as other commitments in the convent and my memory at 88 years of age is not what it used to be. Shared interests

of the PFG and the Ursuline Sisters have led to shared activities over the years, particularly in combatting climate change, so our associating with PFG press releases is not a strange alliance. Please be aware that neither I nor other Sisters will be talking to the media people any further about this matter. Yours sincerely, Sr. Mary Peter Ngui OSU Ursuline Sisters

developed world, countries such as the United States have perhaps hundreds of think tanks, academic institutions and universities that provide objective assessments and analyses on public policies for public consumption. In Guyana, there is no dedicated institution or a credible think tank per se, of any sort, or even the University of Guyana do not conduct any kind of assessments on a regular basis of public policy and national cross cutting issues. We do have however, many letter writers, columnists, analysts, armchair and fly by night experts and organizations that often times pass off many mediocre opinionated pieces as analyses. Notwithstanding, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conducts an annual assessment and analyses through a consultative process on the economic policies of member states. This report known as the IMF Article IV report can be accessed on the institution’s website. This is an example of a credible source from an international institution that carries out assessments on public policy that these NGOs can turn to for guidance. In fact, in the same article the NGOs reportedly criticized the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act. However, the concerned NGOs are probably unaware of the IMF’s recommendations on Guyana’s NRF framework which the amended Act is woefully in compliance in terms of the Fund’s governance structure. The referenced group also went onto register their concern of the “stripping of the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee from the NRF Act. I should point out though that this is not true; as this committee is part of the amended Act albeit in a recalibrated structure and which remained in compliance with international best practice (Santiago Principles). Another critical contention put forward by the socalled civil society grouping, was one that focused heavily on the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI) wherein the authors sought to attack the appointment of the newly appointed Head of the GYEITI. The group hasten to attack the gentleman by attempting to discredit his credentials and vexatiously implied that the gentleman does not have the requisite qualifications – but failing to acknowledge altogether that this gentleman is a prominent and prolific Guyanese academician who held positions such as the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, and has worked in universities abroad

in similar capacities; the gentleman also holds a PhD., two master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree, and he has authored several publications – thus making him an extremely well qualified candidate without question, for the job at hand. Ironically and perhaps hypocritically, these very civil groups responded recently to their critics from persons in civil society and government officials by complaining that the government and others attacked the messenger rather than the message. Yet, this very group in their original statement did not think twice to ridicule an astute and wellrespected Guyanese academician, without providing any credible, cogent and compelling justifications for their opinionated arguments. The manner in which the referenced civil groups wrote about this individual’s appointment to the GYEITI gives one the impression that it is a grave crime being committed by the Government and that transparency and accountability as far as the work of the GYEITI is concerned, will die a natural death. Again, this picture that this particular grouping is trying to paint is far from the reality and is fraught with a noxious propagandistic narrative. To that end, the above is suggestive of this particular grouping’s ignorance of the overarching framework, mandate, functions and structure of the GYEITI because if they do, they would understand that regardless of who is appointed as the National Coordinator of the organization, they cannot deviate from the guiding principles of the organization. For ease of reference, the GYEITI is part of a global standard that promotes transparency and accountability in oil, gas and mining sectors. The EITI is governed by an international Board and there are about 56 countries that have agreed to adopt the EITI standard. The Board consists of 20 members representing implementing countries, supporting countries, civil society organizations, industry and institutional investors. The benefits of implementing countries include more investments, promotion of open and accountable governance as well as greater political and economic stability. Interestingly to note, Guyana gave its first impetus for the implementation of the EITI in 2010 and in 2012, Guyana’s commitment was followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Guyana at the time (which is the current Administration), and the EITI. Clearly, the layman read-

ing this epistle would understand that even though this seemingly vexatious group sought to bash the newly appointed National Coordinator of the GYEITI and by extension the Government, the GYEITI is governed by an international Board. Therefore, the credibility of the process, inter alia, the continued implementation and compliance of this global standard, by and large, is likely to be unjeopardised. In other words, it is the commitment of the Government of the day to implement this global standard, which is ultimately governed by an international Board. Editor, if this particular group of civil society NGOs is really serious about contributing in a meaningful way to Guyana’s development, then it would be worthwhile for them to reconsider their strategic approach. Where for example, instead of criticizing for the sake of critiquing albeit weak and lacking empirical substance, they may want to consider engaging directly with the Government of the day. However, they would have to do better than just selling narratives characterized as misinformation and effectively misleading the public. A framework of open dialogue which I know the Government is open to from all stakeholders would be appropriate. The Government is not averse to criticism, in fact the Government has demonstrated on many occasions that they are open to constructive criticisms. For example, for the first time in Guyana’s recent political landscape that the Government of the day accepted ten of fourteen proposals from the Opposition which was included as amendments to the final Local Content Act. Unfortunately, this cannot be said for the Natural Resource Fund Act, where the Opposition brought zero proposal to the National Assembly as was demonstrated, they had a different agenda. It is also safe to say, and evidently so, that the highest level of Government up to the President himself is visible and accessible to the public, something which was not the norm by the former President. This is an irrefutable fact where the former President hardly interacted with the public, and particularly the press/press conferences. In fact, most of his press conferences were controlled press conferences where journalists were limited in the amount of questions they can ask. And, I can never recall of a time when the former President made decisions on the spot and intelligibly respond to questions on matters of the economy. The current President ( Continued on page 22)

T N U L B . . . T B N U T L N T B . U . L . L T B . N . U . N U T L N B . U . T . L N T U N B . N U . L U L LUNT. B . T . . T T N N B U B . U . L . L T B . B . . N . . . T U T L N N T U U L N L B U . B . . L . . . T B T . . N . N T U L N LU B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . NT LUNT...B NT...BLU N U L B . . B . U . . T L . N T B . . U N . L N T B U N . . L . U T L B . . N B . . . T U . L N T B U . . L . UN T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L B U UN .BLUNT. . . L . T B . . N . T U . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . LU ...BLUNT LUNT...B NT...BL T B U . . L N . T B BLU T...BLUN BLUNT... UNT...B . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B BBLU T...BLUN BLUNT... ...BLU . T . N . N T T U L U L N L B U T...BLU U B . L . N . B T . . . N T U N N N L U U U B L . L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Tuesday March 08, 2022

Kaieteur News

Physician, heal thyself!

Having listened to President Irfaan Ali’s bold declaration on Sunday that his government will be setting aside 25,000 acres of land for foreigners to come here and farm, we were forced to reflect on the Biblical proverb: “Physician, heal thyself”. “Physician, heal thyself” communicates a demand that he who tries to fix or find solutions for others should first do it at home. To many, President Ali’s pledge sounds good, given that Guyana is playing its part as a good regional partner in pushing agriculture.

The irony however is glaring, for we have right here in Guyana, citizens living in squalor: some without proper shelters; others cannot get a piece of land to build a house. Some have had to beg and join long lines to secure a plot of land and still some were forced to abandon lucrative business ventures due to bureaucratic red tape.

Yet, our leader has announced to the world that they can come and get lands to do business; and Irfaan Ali is an honourable man.

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Reg. 6 sees decline in COVID-19 cases There has been a marked decline in COVID-19 cases for the year thus far in Region Six, authorities there have said. Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr. Vishalya Sharma told this newspaper that there has been a 60 percent reduction in new COVID-19 cases from the month of January to date. Dr. Sharma noted that her team at the health authority has been working non-stop to keep COVID under control, despite its massive surge over the Christmas holiday last year. The RHO has reasoned that because persons continue to come forward to be vaccinated for the virus, which has killed millions worldwide and hundreds countrywide, it has helped in flattening the curve. She disclosed that presently there are only 14 active cases in the region. There are three cases in Skeldon, Upper Corentyne, two in East Canje Berbice, five in New Amsterdam and four spread out across the

Corentyne, a drastic contrast to what it was when the year started. Dr. Sharma said that for last week, 300 swabs were done and five persons have been admitted and are being monitored and treated at the newly constructed Infectious Unit at the New Amsterdam Hospital. She further disclosed that for the month of February there were eight deaths. Additionally, with the vaccinations still ongoing countrywide, thus far, for Region Six is 84 percent have taken the first dose and 63.3 percent the second dose. The fixed vaccination sites across the region are the No.47 Health Centre, Skeldon Health Centre, Cumberland Health Centre, Port Mourant Health Centre, Mibicuri Health Centre, No.64 Health Centre, Bushlot (Corentyne) Health Centre, Public Health Department, Crabwood Creek Health Centre and Edinburgh (East Bank Berbice) Health Centre.

Tuesday March 08, 2022

GRA installs baggage scanner at Moleson Creek port Customs operations at the Moleson Creek Guyana/Suriname border crossing has been given a boost with the installation of a new baggage scanner to improve monitoring and promote seamless processing of passengers’ baggage and cargo at the Guyana/Suriname border crossing. The NUCTECH X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT) inspection device was installed at the arrival hall of the Moleson Creek station in December 2021. This device boasts sophisticated features that enable scanning of passengers’ baggage within seconds and colour-coded images of the results are displayed and reviewed by

The recently installed baggage scanner at Moleson Creek

specially trained Customs officers. In a release the GRA said the high-risk consignments including illicit, restricted, or dutiable items are flagged and sent for a secondary examination. Passengers arriving at the port are therefore requested to comply with the laws

regarding true and correct particulars on their Customs Declaration Forms. According to the GRA, the introduction of this baggage scanning technology is in keeping with Customs modernisation efforts, and will revolutionise the Customs (Continued on page 23)

Tuesday March 08, 2022

Kaieteur News

Central America is a competitor not a partner in food security The President of Guyana seems to have run out of ideas. Having been congratulated for his work in developing a regional food security strategy, the President continued to press the same button when he met with the leaders of the Central American Integration System (SICA) He made a pitch at the 4th CARICOM-SICA summit, calling on the two blocs to work together to address food security in the hemisphere. He went as far as saying that the two sides have the solution to hemisphere’s food security problems. His efforts were rebuffed – food and nutrition security received only fleeting mention in the joint CARICOM-SICA declaration. CARICOM has agreed to reduce its food import bill by 25 percent by 2025. It is an ambitious target, one which is not likely to be met. But there are opportunities for Guyana in that process since Guyana is a major agricultural producer and has the potential to be the breadbasket of the Caribbean. Guyana’s food production however, cannot compete with that of Central America. The countries of Central America are high volume and low cost food producers, half of which are exported to markets in the United States. Their production dwarfs that of Guyana. For example, last year Guatemala was expected to produce 2.7 million metric tonnes of sugar; Guyana produced less than 60,000 tonnes. Guatemala is producing more than 45 times the volume of sugar than Guyana. And it is producing sugar at a price which is less than half of Guyana’s cost of production. Suppose Guatemala decides to swamp the

Caribbean market with its sugar. What happens then to both the packaged sugar which Guyana produces and exports to Caribbean markets and which has been deemed so critical to keeping GUYSUCO afloat? The President therefore must view Central America as a competitor in food security and not as a partner. He must not get carried away with his food security platform. It may work for CARICOM but has limitations elsewhere. SICA has its own regional agricultural strategy. It employs a strong focus on developing climate smart agriculture, especially in light of the threats posed by climate change. The strategy favours food and nutrition security and the transformation and reorientation of the agricultural sector as well as the strengthening of family farming so as to provide increased value to rural livelihoods and provide greater opportunities for women, rural youth and should generally reduce inequalities. Despite this and the fact that Central America is the major producer of primary agricultural produce, agricultural cooperation with CARICOM traditionally has been low on SICA’s radar. The CARICOM market is much too small and fragmented to entice Central America. No wonder the 2007 CARICOMSICA Plan of Action was totally silent on agriculture. It dealt with cooperation in the fields of human resource development, health, housing, the environment, foreign policy coordination, crime and security, air transport, tourism and culture. Agriculture was also not on the mind of the incoming

Chairman of CARICOM, John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize when he addressed the 4th CARICOM-SICA Summit last week. He did not even mention the word ‘agriculture” in his presentation. Yet, President Ali took up the task of speaking about agriculture. But it is not clear exactly what he meant when he said, “The areas that you have a competitive advantage are almost identical areas we have identified in CARICOM to boost production and improve competitiveness.” Surely, if there is a convergence between the areas in which CARICOM plans to increase production and the areas in which Central America economies enjoy a comparative advantage, this has only one logical outcome. It is Central America which will displace the Caribbean should it come on board the 25 by 2025 agenda. CARICOM is keen on sourcing, as far as possible, its food needs from within the Region. At its recent Intersessional, the Heads mandated the CARICOM Secretariat to undertake further work on identifying ten (10) major non-food items imported into the Region for which there is production capacity and potential and significant demand. If the intention is to cut regional food exports by 25 percent by 2025, this would entail less extra-regional imports and greater substitution of these imports from within the Region. Central America is, however, an extra-regional source and the Caribbean would not be reducing extra-regional imports if the countries of SICA were to come on board the Region’s food security agenda.

Dem Boys Seh…

Who sending out de invitations? De newspaper report how de Prezzie gan be inviting dem wah planting de weed to a meeting fuh discuss hemp production. Dem boys seh how de Prezzie want to have a ‘joint’ decision on dis matter. It gan also be a ‘high’ level meeting. Dem boys wan know who sending out dem invitations. How dem gah know who planting de weed? Dat one gat dem boys stumped. And who gan turn up to dat meeting and seh dem does plant weed? Dem boys know how de people in Ukraine did elect a comedian fuh President.

But it is in Guyana weh we getting all de jokes. But stricter de guvament, wiser de population. It mek dem boys remember de time when de cops only gat to hear somebody gat marijuana in dem house. Dem used to come and tumble de whole place. But dem gat some people used to use dat to dem advantage. One time de Narcotics Department get wan call. De caller, say, “Hello? ah calling to report my neighbour, John. He deh hiding marijuana inside he firewood!” De popo said, “Thank yuh very much for the info.” De next day, de Narcotics

Squad descend pun John house. Dem find de firewood and dem start buss open every piece with dem axes. But dem nah find no marijuana. Dem leff. A few minutes after, John phone ring. Pun de line was he neighbour wah bin mek de report. “Hey, John, did the police come?” “Yeah.” “Did they chop up yuh firewood?” “Sure dem chopping it up nice and fine. Thanks!” “Great, now is you turn to call. Meh need meh garden plow.” Talk half. Leff half.

It would also hurt Guyana’s plans to become a major regional food supplier. Someone needed to remind President Ali of this fact.

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

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Tuesday March 08, 2022

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

I did not oppose bail for Kwame McCoy, et al The record is there for the current generation and future generations to see. When Kwame McCoy, Jason Abdulla and Shawn Hinds appeared in front of Magistrate Judy Lutchman for throwing a miasmic substance on me (it wasn’t faeces but that is a long story how that fiction came about simply because of a joke in Kaieteur News), I did not oppose bail. Here are my words to the magistrate when she asked me if I wanted to say anything before she decided on bail: “At a philosophical level, I do not believe in denying people their freedom.” Please see the Stabroek News of February 23, 2016 for a report of that day in court.” I believe the bail system is in place to prevent perpetrators of crime from evading justice. It is of universal application and makes sense. But without context, it makes no sense. It made no sense for the police to deny me and Mark Benschop bail for two minor traffic offences. Benschop and I were not going to skip Guyana for two traffic

offences, which carried noncustodial sentence and $7000 fine. We stayed in the Brickdam lockups for three days. Bail denial must have context. I cannot agree with a serving officer in the police force being put on bail of $1.5 million for death by dangerous driving. Did the circumstance dictate that he would evade his trial? This entire nation is hurt that two teenagers died in the chase. But there is a but, so I cannot comment on the specific matter which is now before the court. I got a call from my friend, Raymond Persaud, the minute the tragedy occurred. He wanted to know if the police should have engaged in a high speed chase. This is what I told Raymond. I will repeat it here without any comment on the court matter. What would Guyana have said if there was a kidnap victim in the trunk, the driver ignored a police roadblock, no chase followed, and the victim was later found dead. First, why evade a road block if you are not engaged in criminal conduct?

Secondly, given the physical landscape of our road structure throughout Guyana, a high-speed chase is not wise. Before I return to the bail discussion, I strongly believe there should be a policy of no-police pursuit for helmet-less riders who do not comply with police request to stop. The bail assigned to former high level officials in the PPP government during the rule of APNU+AFC was unnecessary. Not beyond the wildest imagination could one say that these former high officials would not have attended court. What was shocking was the hand-cuffing of some of these gentlemen. So we come to Winston Jordan. I do not agree and will never that that $3M bail should have been assigned to Jordan. That was completely unnecessary and it should be withdrawn at the next sitting. Mr. Jordan should not have been handcuffed. I need to point out that when Benschop and I were put in the paddy wagon and driven to the court-yard, we were not in handcuffs. We entered the courts

without being handcuffed. I honestly believe and accept there should be an investigation of the contract between the Government of the APNU+AFC and Mr. Brian Tiwari over the river front property. I don’t know if anything was illegal or improperly done so Mr. Jordan should have no reason to threaten libel over this column. I am merely offering my uninvolved opinion that it is in the public interest to examine the contract. Such a call does entail any accusation. Bail denial is not only inappropriately done constantly in this country but there is also the question of oppressive bail. Countless times ordinary folks have huge bail imposed on them which they are unable to meet. Go through the court cases and you will see the offences involve misdemeanours like fighting, petty stealing and small amounts of fraud. When these things happen, you cannot help wondering where civil society is. A prominent attorney

Frederick Kissoon wrote two days ago that there are several areas of life in this country where civil society should become functional. He named alcohol abuse, the traffic situation, among others. I would add the court system and bail. The problem is civil society wants to concentrate on political issues only where publicity is to be gained. And when you ask these actors why they confine their activities to governmental behaviour only, they accuse you of being a sycophant or supporter of the government. But I guess this is Guyana where nothing makes sense and everything is senseless. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Tuesday March 08, 2022

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Tuesday March 08, 2022

Millions $$$ allegedly being pilfered from Kara Kara toll booth

O

fficials from the Linden Mayor and Town C o u n c i l (LM&TC) are calling for an urgent investigation into the alleged pilfering of funds from the Kara Kara toll booth. The call was renewed at the recent statutory meeting following the release of statistics from the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC). The GFC’s Linden office is just a stone’s throw away from the toll booth. The figures, which show the total revenues collected at the Kara Kara toll booth, within a given period, is significantly less than what was collected from the GFC for logging trucks only. The total figures received from the LM&TC finance department for all vehicles that paid the toll in 2019, 2020 and 2021 were $57M, $46M and $40M respectively, while the figures seen from GFC for those same periods collected from logging trucks only are $58M, $53M and $59M respectively. In addition to collecting revenues from logging trucks, the toll booth also

collects revenues from vehicles transporting fuel and machinery into the region and any other vehicle entering the town for commercial purposes. The financial records for 2018 show that $52M was collected, however in 2017, the toll booth raked in a whopping $92M. The recommissioning of the toll booth was to increase revenues for the cashstrapped council so that it can clear debts and sustain itself. This is according to Linden’s Deputy Mayor, Wainwright Bethune who revealed that the toll booth, since 2016, has only marginally increased the revenue of the council and it remains cash-strapped. Currently, revenues garnered can only meet 20 percent of the council’s expenditure. With millions of dollars in question, Bethune is alleging that the administration is complacent in its duties, since the issue of pilfering has been on the table since 2017 and little to nothing is being done to stop it. This leaves questions on the table as to whether there is apparent collusion between the staff operating

Town Clerk, Orleena Obermuller the toll booth and those with the responsibility to investigate the matter. Bethune is asking for a c o m p r e h e n s i v e investigation to be done for the administration to aggressively pursue those who may be guilty of theft. “They never pay attention to analyse the reports given by the finance department while the LM&TC has not been paying staff effectively, the staff is taking home below

minimum wage salaries, their NIS and PAYE benefits are not being paid for, all of the council’s vehicles have mechanical problems, the council is short of staff and they are over $200M in debt,” he expressed. While Bethune calls for a m o r e i n t e n s i v e investigation, he said, “there should be an increase in surveillance around the work site; these cameras should be monitored, data should be refined and compared daily w i t h F o r e s t r y ’s d a i l y information, and they should observe daily footage to see what vehicles stopped to pay revenues. The employees on

Linden’s Deputy Mayor, Wainwright Bethune duty must be held responsible for any discrepancy unearthed.” Town Clerk Orleena Obermuller, in the statuary meeting said, she is open to an investigation being done, to compare revenues and she plans on writing the Local Government Commission to assist with an audit as well as to review previous camera footage. In 2016, former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil William had recommissioned the toll booth, after it was disbanded in 2013 by former Minister of Local Government, Norman Whittaker.

In 2017, during the Mayorship of Carwyn Holland, mere months after the toll booth was recommissioned, two employees were fired for pilfering funds. This prompted the council to install CCTV cameras, but apparently, the situation remains the same since records show the continuous decline in revenues. The council proposed to the administration to relocate the toll booth to Bamia, where there will be police presence and there are no other alternative routes to enter the township.

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PAC requests contract document for medical - after company fails supplies to Govt. Forensic Lab to deliver on time The non-delivery of items and stale dated cheques were among the issues on the agenda of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as members examined the records related to the procurement of goods under the Ministry of Home Affairs in relation to the audit report for 2017. The issues raised in the meeting saw the PAC, in the end, requesting the contract document between the Ministry and Caribbean Medical Supplies (the contracting firm) for the purchase and delivery of goods for the Guyana Forensic Lab. The issue

occurred under the leadership of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government. Minister of Public Works and PAC member, Juan Edghill brought questions over the handling of the contract to the fore. According to Edghill, the 2017 report outlined that the sum of $77.198M was expended on drugs and medical supplies. He said that included in the amount of $77.198M is a contract which was awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) in the sum of $16.947M for the

The Government Forensic Lab.

procurement of drugs and medical supplies for the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory. “The full amount was paid to the contractor, however, at the time of

reporting of the auditors, materials to the value of $10.818M were still to be delivered,” Edghill said, asking for clarity into the transaction. “What I would like to

know is how this contractor was given 100 percent payment without the delivery of the items? Who a p p r o v e d t h i s payment?”Edghill asked. In response, Finance

Secretary Sukrishnalall Pasha pointed out that the ministry had no authority to decide on its own to make a 100 percent advance payment without the (Continued on page 21)

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Tuesday March 08, 2022

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Tuesday March 08, 2022

Despite Exxon’s warning of dangers in Canje Block, EPA tells them to go ahead H

undreds of tons of waste will be generated on a monthly basis as oil giant, Exxon through its subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), embarks on its 12-well drilling campaign in the Canje B l o c k , b u t t h e Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has exempted the operator from c o n d u c t i n g a n Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the three-year drilling programme, despite being warned that it could yield adverse effects. The EPA, in a recently published notice to the public on its website explained that the application by Exxon has been screened by the agency to assess the potential environmental impacts. To this end, the EPA has concluded that the project will not “significantly affect the environment or human health.” However, the operator will be required to prepare and submit an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the project. In its project summary for the 12-well campaign, Exxon pointed out that while similar impacts from its other campaigns could be expected from this project, these could be adverse. According to the Canje Project Summary, “The potential impacts, which are expected to be similar to impacts identified in p r e v i o u s exploration/appraisal drilling Environmental

Assessment and Management Plans in the C a n j e , K a i e t e u r, a n d Stabroek Blocks, could be directly and/or indirectly generated by the Project during drilling and/or abandonment, and such impacts could be adverse or positive in nature.” When it comes to the positive impacts of the project, Exxon said capacity will be built in the local labour force. “The Project is expected to build capacity in the local labour force, increase demand for skilled labour, and increase demand for service industries,” the oil company noted. On the other hand, the document said that air quality, marine geology and sediments as well as marine water quality may be impacted. It adds that sea turtles, sea birds, marine mammals and even fish can suffer as a result of the project due to noise disturbance, offshore lighting, wastewater effluent discharges, non-routine or unplanned events such as an oil spill or vessel strike and non-routine temporary flaring, among others. It was keen too that this campaign could potentially “stress” the capacity to manage wastes in Guyana. EEPGL is hoping to commence its drilling campaign in the fourth quarter of this year and wrap up in the first quarter of 2025. Kaieteur News understands that based on the water depths in the Canje Block, multiple dynamically-positioned drill

ships would be used to drill the wells. The Canje 12-well programme aims to gather data on the reservoir characteristics, hydrocarbon presence, pressure, and temperatures. If the presence of hydrocarbons is discovered, wells will be tested to establish the limits of the reservoir. A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e productivity of wells and the oil or gas properties present will be tested. Once the proposed drilling operations are complete, the exploration well will be permanently plugged and abandoned. Back in September last y e a r, t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n reported that with regard to hazardous waste, oily residue between 31 and 77.6 tons each month will be generated. As it relates to nonhazardous waste, the company says it envisions this at between 46 and 100 tons each month, while sanitary and domestic waste see amounts of up to 4,500 tons each month. Industry stakeholders have until March 18, 2022 to send queries and concerns to the EPA regarding the 12well campaign for the Canje Block. The Canje Block is located offshore, in deepwater of Guyana, southeast of the Kaieteur Block, and north-northeast of the Stabroek Block, where EEPGL has conducted substantial exploration and development activities to date. Based on data from these exploration and

Kaieteur

Map showing the areas in the Canje Block where the 12 wells are slated to be drilled

Stabroek

development activities, EEPGL said the proposed 12 exploration/appraisal wells may be drilled within seven Prospect Areas. While some of the 12 wells will be drilled for exploration purposes, EEPGL said it is also possible that some of the wells may be drilled as appraisal wells within proximity of previously drilled exploration areas. If discoveries are found, at particular locations, the company said subsequent wells could be drilled in the vicinity of such locations to

further assess the commerciality of the discoveries. Priorities and schedules could therefore change, it said. Award of Canje Block For several years, this newspaper was at the forefront of calls for there to be a thorough, independent investigation into the award of two blocks – Kaieteur and Canje – since several industry stakeholders who e x a m i n e d t h e m a t t e r, concluded that they were awarded under suspicious circumstances. The Canje Block was

awarded by the Donald Ramotar administration on March 4, 2015, days before the elections that year. The former President said he acted on the advice of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and then Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud. When Persaud was asked who the oil block was granted to, he said he never met them and could not remember. When further pressed, he said he could not even remember the lawyers who signed on behalf of the owners.

5 patients in COVID-19 ICU - seven new infections recorded

A

lthough no deaths have been reported since March 3, the Ministry of Health on Monday revealed that there are five patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit receiving treatment. The Ministry reported that within the last 24-hour period, seven new infections were

recorded and these have brought the total number of confirmed cases to 63,062. According to its daily COVID-19 dashboard, there are 14 persons in institutional isolation, 206 in home isolation and three in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 61,607 persons have recovered from the virus.

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Tuesday March 08, 2022

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Oil spill spill at sea: Oil sea: who will pay for Peru’s worst environmental disaster?

The effects of the oil spill.

(The Guardian) More than a month after Peru’s worst ever environmental disaster on its coastline there are few signs of reckoning for Repsol, the Spanish energy company that manages the refinery where more than 10,000 barrels of crude oil spewed into the Pacific Ocean after a routine tanker discharge went awry. The black slick, pushed north by wind and currents, tarred 25 beaches, polluted three protected marine reserves, and covers an area of about 106 sq km (40 sq miles) – the size of Paris. It has wreaked destruction on one of the world’s richest marine ecosystems; killing fish and invertebrates, leaving more than 1,000 seabirds coated with oil, several hundred dead, and a toll on marine mammals such as endangered sea otters, according to Peru’s national service of state-protected natural areas (Sernanp). In the early hours of 15 January, a rupture in an underwater pipeline sent crude oil gushing into the ocean from the Italianflagged tanker Mare Doricum which was discharging from an offshore buoy linked to La Pampilla, Peru’s biggest oil refinery, just north of the capital, Lima. The catastrophe for one of the world’s richest marine ecosystems, and at least 2,000 coastal fishers who

depend on it, has raised the question of how environmental crimes should be punished during a time of climate crisis and catastrophic wildlife loss, as the oil firm, the captain of the tanker and the Peruvian state all blame one another. Under Peru’s strict liability law, Repsol is ultimately responsible for the spill, said Manuel Pulgar Vidal, the country’s former environment minister and now global leader of climate and energy at WWF. But Peru has a poor record of holding big business to account for pollution, he says. “Expectations for getting [decent] compensation are very low.” Peru accuses Repsol of reacting late, launching its contingency plan for the spill the day after it occurred. This is denied by the company, which said in a statement that it “activated its contingency plan and communicated the facts to the relevant authorities … the same night as the ship’s accident”. Four Repsol officials, including t h e c o m p a n y ’s P e r u president, Jaime FernándezCuesta, have been barred from leaving the country while a state prosecutor investigates whether the oil company properly maintained its system of underwater pipelines. News reports showed photos of the ruptured pipes covered in rust. While the oil company

initially said a tsunami created by the eruption of a volcano in Tonga had triggered the spill, it later blamed the Mare Doricum, which it claims shifted its position during the oil discharge, allegations which the tanker company has denied. The ship has been seized by the Peruvian authorities and the vessel’s Italian captain, Giacomo Pisani, has been included in the investigation. Pisani alleges that there were a series of irregularities in the discharge process and claimed the company’s containment barriers were not long enough. Assigning blame has been further complicated because the Peruvian navy did not issue a tsunami warning after the Tonga volcanic eruption, unlike neighbouring Ecuador and Chile. While the argument over responsibility for the spill c o n t i n u e s , t h e environmental and social consequences ripple

outwards. The UN’s special rapporteur on toxics and human rights, Marcos Orellana, who spent a week in Peru last month, says the slow reaction of the company and the authorities “aggravated the impacts” on the environment and the people who depend on it for food. The effects on coastal fishing communities in Aucallama, about 30 miles north of the spill, have been overwhelming, as the tide of viscous crude clogs up the rock pools and cliffside crags where they catch crab, octopus, sea bass and grunt. Fishing came to an abrupt halt, says Marcelo Muñoz, 60, who has been making a living by casting a hook and line from the cliffside since he was 12. The fish were so plentiful that he could earn more than $50 a day selling directly to the seaside restaurants serving ceviche to summertime beachgoers. Now Muñoz and nearly 50 fellow artisanal fishers rely on food donations, which are shared in an “olla común”, a makeshift soup kitchen flanked by rows of empty clapboard eateries, all deserted during the busiest

months of the year. They are among about 2,000 people living off fishing who have been affected along a 50-mile stretch of coastline, says Juan Carlos Sueiro, fisheries director at the conservation group Oceana Peru. “Businesses associated with the summer months, such as restaurants, parasols and transport have all been abruptly cancelled since mid-January and we believe they should be compensated too,” he says. On Friday, the company said it was trying to help about 4,100 people affected by the spill and had handed out 6,599 vouchers each worth £100 to affected families. There is not enough information to assess the social impacts of the oil spills, says Orellana. “This is a huge gap that needs to be addressed because people depend on the seas for sustenance, livelihoods and food.” The long-term effect on the ecosystem is even harder to calculate. While the oil is less visible, the toxic impact lingers. At La Isla Pescadores, a protected marine reserve 37 miles

north of Lima and home to almost 200,000 seabirds, park guards are recovering between 10 and 20 dead birds from the water every day. Many initially died from the oil covering their nostrils, says Giancarlo Inga Díaz, a vet working for Sernanp. “In the following days and weeks, the oil ruins the quality of the feathers and they cease to be waterproof. When that happens, the animals die of hypothermia.” Others starve because they can no longer dive for fish, Inga Díaz says, or, over time, may become poisoned from ingesting toxins as they use their beaks to clean their feathers. “We believe that this pattern [of bird deaths] will continue in the long term,” he says. Repsol estimates the clean-up will cost $65m. The company has paid more than $400,000 in environmental fines but more are expected. Pulgar Vidal says Peru’s environmental assessment and enforcement agency should fine Repsol for the current clean-up and also order the firm to “adopt (Continued on page 23)

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Russian Embassy in Guyana says it will not support Venezuela in border controversy

O

Officials from the Russian Embassy in Guyana approach protestor, Glenn Lall, inviting him to a meeting

n Friday, protestors who flocked the R u s s i a n Embassy, calling for cease fire in Ukraine were summoned to a meeting, where Russian officials

assured that their country will not support their ally, Venezuela in the border controversy with Guyana. The meeting was attended by protestors Yog Mahadeo, Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram and Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall. The two Russian representatives from the Embassy included a First Secretary. Following the half hour discussions between the two parties, Christopher Ram explained that one of the questions that were put to the officials is whether Russia would support Venezuela if the country decided to move against Guyana. Ram said that the gentlemen assured that Russia would not. “I said I hope if it got further than this they would hold that position but they did say no, they would not support any Venezuelan action against Guyana,” the Attorney reported. Friday’s protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was organised to not only lend support to the innocent civilians being attacked, but to also send a strong signal that there are Guyanese who will not remain silent on such matters. In fact, Lall told reporters, “If we don’t show solidarity as a people, as Guyanese you know what can happen here? We are sitting (and) we are living next door to a bully in Venezuela. They can walk in here tomorrow morning and say Guyana belongs to them, then what happens? Can we fight against Venezuela? No, because of this I am here supporting the Ukrainian people because at the end of the day, anything can go wrong here and we would need (the) support of the World.” Similarly, Mahadeo reasoned, “What happens if Russia and Venezuela gets together and realise Guyana is the only other major source of oil wealth? Where are we then? And if you think what is happening in Ukraine and everybody is saying well why the US (United States of America) and why Europe is not going there and fighting they are not because everybody wants to avoid the World War Three and the same sentiment will apply here if there is a problem…”

It has been just over two weeks now since Russian troops invaded Ukraine, killing innocent people as it conducts its “special military operation” ordered by President Vladimir Putin. News reports from the BBC said that Russia is seeking to seize the big cities and overthrow Ukraine’s democratically elected government. The war between the two countries has caused some 1.5 million people to flee the country as food, water, medicine and other supplies run desperately short in some parts of the country. The UN refugee agency said this is “the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.” Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy has however rallied his people to remain defiant, especially in those cities that Russian soldiers have entered, a reporting agency said. In South America, Guyana and Venezuela remain in the international court as the dispute continues over the ownership of the Cinderalla County, Essequibo. The recent rivalry between the European countries has sparked local concerns since Venezuela and Russia has been close partners for years. In fact, a Reuters report published only two weeks ago said Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov visited Venezuela as the countries look to deepen bilateral ties. Below is a section of the Reuters report: Venezuela’s President, Nicolas Maduro said he met Borisov and discussed the powerful military cooperation between the two countries. “We are going to increase all training and cooperation plans,” Maduro said in a broadcast on state television, adding that Venezuela supported Moscow in dispelling threats from NATO. Following a meeting w i t h Ve n e z u e l a n O i l Minister Tareck El Aissami earlier on Wednesday, the senior Russian leader described Venezuela as a major partner in the region. See full article in the link https://www.reuters.com/wo rld/venezuela-key-russianally-latin-america-borisov2022-02-17/

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Kaieteur News

Angry Zelensky vows to punish Russian atrocities (BBC NEWS) President Volodymyr Zelensky has said everyone who commits atrocities against Ukraine’s civilians will be punished. He said Ukrainians would not forgive or forget, and accused invading Russian troops of deliberate murder. “There will be no quiet place on Earth for you. Except for the grave,” the president said. Ukrainian officials say Russia is striking civilian targets around the country, including hospitals, nurseries, and schools. But Russia denies targeting civilians, saying it is carrying out a “special military operation” against Ukrainian “nationalists” and “neo-Nazis”. Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna told the BBC that, after “strong resistance” from the Ukrainian army, there was an “enormous operation” by Russia against civilians. On Sunday alone, a family of four were killed when Russian forces fired shells at people fleeing the conflict in the town of Irpin, north-west of Kyiv. And in the port city of Mariupol, promised evacuations were cancelled on both Saturday and Sunday amid fresh attacks. The city council there said Russian shelling had

made safe movement impossible. Russia has blamed Ukrainian forces. The city is now in its sixth day with no running water, no power, and no sanitation. Food and water are fast running out. Moscow announced it would open new evacuation corridors at 09:00 local time (07:00 GMT) in Mariupol and other cities. However, the routes published by Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency show some of the corridors end in Russia and Belarus. The corridor from Kyiv

PAC requests contract document for... From page 11 approval of NPTAB. When she was called upon to explain, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Daniella McCalmon could not provide details on the transaction. She told the committee that she was not present for the preplanning meeting of the contract nor does she have the requisite documents to give a plausible answer. “All I know is that 50 percent of the money was paid and after deliveries were delayed then the bond was submitted and the final payment handed over,” she said. Additionally, it was noted that after the delays between 2017 and 2018, the supplies were delivered in 2019. During that time, a bond was requested but none of the officers could immediately say who requested the bond. It was also revealed that the bond was lodged by way of two cheques but again no one could clarify if it was a manager’s cheque or a personal cheque. It was also observed that one of the cheques was “stale-dated.” Members of the committee agreed that the holding of

cheques were against the standard operating procedures as outlined in procurement laws. Such a bond should come directly from a banking or otherwise financial institution like an insurance company. Since neither the PS nor the Finance Secretary could not provide answers to the committee, Member of Parliament (MP) Vishwa Mahadeo introduced a verbal motion to have the agency “go, sort themselves out, and come again.”Meanwhile, the Accountant General, Jennifer Chapman observed that it was an unusual practice with officers at the Home Affairs Ministry and went on to claim that it was an isolated incident and it should not have happened. “I want to caution Permanent Secretaries to please comply with the SOPs,” Chapman appealed. “If we continue, government will lose funds because should we have needed to encash the cheques later, the provider may not have had the cash… please desist,” Chapman said. Her position was supported by PAC members, Gail Teixeira and Finance Secretary Pasha.

will lead to Russian ally Belarus, and civilians from Kharkiv will only have a corridor leading to Russia. Corridors from the cities of Mariupol and Sumy will lead both to other Ukrainian cities and to Russia, the AFP news agency reports. In a video address to mark the Orthodox Church’s Forgiveness Sunday, Mr Zelensky said that instead of forgiveness there would be a day of judgment. “We will not forgive, we will not forget, we will punish everyone who

committed atrocities in this war on our land,” he said. He said Russia had announced shelling of defence targets which were built in cities in Soviet times. “Thousands of people work there. Hundreds of thousands live nearby. This is murder. Premeditated murder,” he said. He also condemned Western governments for failing to speak out against the plan. The World Health Organization said health facilities were being attacked, with its director-general Tedros Adhanom

Ghebreyesus saying they had caused “multiple deaths and injuries”. The British government has accused Russia of targeting populated areas “in multiple locations”, noting in an intelligence update that it had “previously used similar tactics in Chechnya in 1999 and Syria in 2016”. On Sunday, UN monitors said 364 civilian deaths had been confirmed in Ukraine since the invasion began on 24 February, but the real figure was likely to be “considerably higher”. The UNHCR said more than 1.5 million people had fled Ukraine since Russia invaded. Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna who was speaking to BBC TV’s Sunday Morning programme - accused Russia of “military tactics right in the cities of Ukraine”, adding they were carrying out a “terroristic plan”, with attacks coming from the air and also by land. “Shelled hospitals, the shelled houses for kindergartens and schools, and the ordinary households,” she said. “This is how the reality looks.” She said Ukraine was seeing “another wave of implementation of this terroristic plan of [the] Russian Federation”. Ms

Stefanishyna claimed Russia was suffering “enormous losses” of soldiers and equipment, but this “does not deter Russia”. “It only encourages further aggression,” she said. Attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure - such as schools and hospitals - is against the Geneva Conventions, which are treaties agreed by all countries that are supposed to regulate war. As well as the WHO, other non-government organisations have also reported attacks on civilian targets. Amnesty International says it has verified various attacks - including cluster munitions hitting a kindergarten and nursery, and a ballistic missile hitting a hospital. Pic save as woman cries A woman holding a child cries after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. Russia announced yet another cease-fire and a handful of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine. Previous such measures have fallen apart and Moscow’s armed forces continued to pummel some Ukrainian cities with rockets Monday. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

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Tuesday March 08, 2022

Kaieteur News

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ing for a corporation. He said, “You know the funny thing is that if I was running a corporation, the board of directives would have given me as an incentive because you are creating more jobs, you are creating more revenue stream and you are expanding opportunities. The discussion in that would have been how do we give the persons who did this a bonus.” As Ali moves ahead with his plan, the joint-venture, GKB, will be transforming the Enmore facility into a manufacturing hub to make profits from Guyana’s emerging oil and gas sector. In addition to the plant, the company also cashed in

on some 50 acres of prime lands that surround the plant and plans to invest some US$37.7M to create a stateof-the-art oilfield services facility. A statement from the company noted that a minimum of 50 acres of land is required to effectively deliver OCTG and Premium Accessory Services to the Oil and Gas Sector and for this, GKB engaged the government. GKB had said it proposed a site closer to port facilities in Georgetown but saw merit in the “government’s recommendation of Enmore.” Importantly, GKB had made it known that its lease is for the Enmore packaging facility, not the sugar estate,

which is approximately 100,000 sq. feet. In a February 17, 2021 report, Kaieteur News reported that the financial arrangement between the government and GKB for the lands and the US$12.5M packaging plant is still being negotiated. GKB’s Chief Executive Office, Fazil Khan told this newspaper that negotiations are still ongoing between the two parties and assured that Guyana will get a fair deal. Khan did reveal however, that an agreement was reached for his company to purchase 25 acres of the land, lease another 25 and also lease the packaging plant on a long-term lease.

Uitvlugt factory grinds to halt... From page 11 sugar is linked to how quickly we decouple sugar from other activities, and so going purely after sugar itself it would mean a longer term return to

viability. If we can merge sugar with other economic activities on these estates which we are trying to do then we can achieve overall viability faster.” He said the gov-

ernment will be examining several proposals for the sugar industry this year, even as he acknowledged that GuySuCo has not only a financial problem, but a pro-

duction problem. For last year alone, GuySuCo received over $6 Billion from the national treasury. It received a further $6B in this year’s budget.

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From page 3 is a difference. You can’t have dead assets, idle assets.” However, in doing so, the president might have indirectly admitted that the US$12.5M Enmore Packaging Plant was becoming a “dead” and “idle” asset and in order to keep his government’s promise that it will revitalise the sugar industry, it is now seeking to take a risk by investing more money to build a similar plant in Berbice hoping it will be viable there. Ali is of the view that his plan to do so, that is “to move the Enmore Packaging Plant to Berbice,” would have gained him “bonuses” and “incentives” if he was work-

The Civic groups should engage the government... From page 6 is well versed in these areas and on many occasions instructed his ministers and made decisions on the spot to address concerns of the citizens, whenever he is in an outreach exercise. I can also attest personally to the fact that the former President in his five years term in office rarely or perhaps never afforded the leadership of private sector organisations (which are also civil society stakeholders) the

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opportunity to engage with him in meetings. Today, the current President and all of the cabinet ministers are almost always available to engage private sector organizations upon their requests to so do. The hullabaloo by the referenced civic groups that the Government is out of control and that there is no objective assessment of issues, are two unjustified assertions, and divorced from reality. If they are looking for objective assessment of public policies and issues, there are several credible organizations they can turn to, such as the IMF, the IDB and a few other international think tanks such as Rystad that produces analyses on the oil and gas sector.

It is untrue that Government policies and issues are not clear to the public. The Government’s policies and development agenda are clearly articulated, well documented and accessible to the public. Also, these civic groups and organizations need to be able to conduct their own objective assessments and analyses of public policy and issues and more importantly, to be used as the basis in engaging the Government in dialogue to work together in achieving a common goal. It is my humble and respectful opinion that the Government is on the right path in terms of accelerating Guyana’s development. We

are 20+ years behind owing to our own peculiar development challenges, historically. We need to now formidably overcome those challenges which, includes correcting misinformation being peddled by naysayers and critics who are on a mission to derail Guyana’s accelerated development for the benefit, upliftment and prosperity of all of its people. Editor, I will close here for now as there were several other concerns raised by the civic groups which space precludes me from addressing in this letter. I shall contribute my thoughts on the others in forthcoming letters. Sincerely J.C Bhagwandin

Tuesday March 08, 2022

Oil spill at sea: who will pay for... From page 17 permanent monitoring” for at least the next five years. “Sadly, it is impossible to recover all the oil after a spill. At least 30% will remain in the ocean,” he says. A “culture of impunity” and a lack of effective regulation is hugely harmful in one of the world’s most biodiverse nations, Pulgar Vidal says, adding: “We have the laws, we have good oversight agencies – the problem is enforcement.” The global trend towards environmental justice in much of the world, he says, has “not reached Peru’s justice system”, which has a chequered record of enforcing environmental fines. Orellana says the institutions, norms and implementation need to be strengthened to deal with ecological incidents so that the “people who are affected, the nature that is affected, can be properly remediated and prevention can be a reality”.

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GRA installs baggage scanner at Moleson Creek... From page 8 operations for better effectiveness and efficiency. “GRA plans to soon install scanners at the EFCIA (Ogle Airport) and supplement the one at CJIA Airport, to expedite clearance of courier and express consignments. GRA remains committed to providing such services to facilitate expeditious movement of passengers and goods while ensuring

compliance and protecting the revenues,” the release stated. Customs functions at the country’s ports of entry are in keeping with the Customs Act Chapter 82:01, particularly Part VIII of the

Customs regulation made under section 275 of the Act, EMBARKATION AND DISEMBARKATION OF PA S S E N G E R S A N D OTHER PERSONS. The Customs duties are also supplemented by

counterpart agencies that intervene on matters that warrant their attention. The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), Immigration and Port Health – Plant, and Animal Quarantine are among them.

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Tuesday March 08, 2022

Uitvlugt factory grinds to halt The Guyana Sugar Corporation has confirmed that the Uitvlugt Sugar Factory is presently out of operation due to a mechanical failure of its #1Mill gearbox. In a statement on Monday the sugar corporation said the factory went down on Saturday. It added that immediately after

the mechanical problem was detected the technical team kicked into action and had the required repairs commence at a fabrication workshop. “The promised delivery date from the workshop is March 8th, 2022. If this plan is fulfilled, grinding operations will recommence on the evening of March 9th, 2022 where

some 600 punts of cane are scheduled to be crushed,” GuySuCo said. The corporation added that its experts are testing the cane every day to determine the purity level which will help to make production decisions. “However, at no time did the Executive Manager considered dumping any of these

canes…” GuySuCo said in response to claims that the canes were being dumped. GuySuCo last year produced 30,865MT less of sugar when compared with 2020. Based on a report, GuySuCo’s pre-audited production stood at 58,025MT of sugar in 2021 compared to 88,890MT in 2020. Despite the significant shortfall, the Corporation had said it met all the needs of the local market for 2021. It was explained that the shortfall was a result of the loss of some 35 percent of the standing cane during the 2nd Crop of 2021 due to the flood. “At Albion, where 50 percent of the production was programmed to be made, the mortality rate for

- GuySuCo cites mechanical failure to Mill turbine gearbox

the standing canes planned to be harvested for the 1st Crop of 2022 is estimated at 80 percent due to the floods. On the Berbice Estates where more than 77 percent of the production is made, the rainfalls in 2021 were 72 percent more than the previous year,” GuySuCo detailed, while noting that it drained some 4.5 million tonnes of water off the land daily during the 65-day flood. The ailing sugar corporation has, over the years seen a continuous decline in performance in terms of production but has seen billions of dollars from the nation’s coffers being plugged annually into the industry. In its Mid-Year report last year, the Irfaan Ali

Back in 2017 the Coalition Government had unveiled what it termed a ‘State Paper on the Future of the Sugar Industry’, which it then said would focus on the poorly-performing estates and have them shift from sugar to diversification. The plan was to amalgamate Wales Estate with Uitvlugt Estate and reassign its cane to the Uitvlugt factory, since the estate is operating at 50 percent capacity. Sixty percent of its drainage and irrigation infrastructure is in a dilapidated condition. The corporation furthermore seeks to divest itself of the Skeldon Estate. The estates of Albion and Rose Hall were to be amalgamated and the factory at Rose Hall is to be closed.”

Government had acknowledged that the sugar industry continues to decline. In the financial report, the Ministry of Finance said that at the end of the first half of 2021, GuySuCo produced 29,650 tonnes of sugar. “This performance reflects the record high levels of rainfall, which resulted in waterlogged soils, particularly at the Albion Estate, and strike action that resulted in over 5,600 mandays being lost,” the MidYear Report indicated. As such, it was emphasised that the sugar industry declined by 22.4 percent when compared to the same period in 2020. Some of the reasons indicated were a 30 percent mortality of mature cane at Albion estate, 10 percent at Uitvlugt and five percent at Blairmont due to the floods. Another 15,000 tonnes of sugar in the second crop were also expected to be lost, based on the Report.

The Coalition had said that the industry would then consist of three estates and three sugar factories. The estates would be Blairmont on the West Bank Berbice, Albion-Rose Hall in East Berbice and the UitvlugtWa l e s e s t a t e i n We s t Demerara. The three estates will be complete with factories and will have cane supplied from all five locations. By virtue of the amalgamation, the Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Rose Hall, Berbice factories were to be closed. The PPP/C had criticised the move and made a central theme of its 2020 elections campaign to reopen all of the shuttered estates. However, two years after being in office, the government has not been able to reopen any of the estates. In fact, late last year Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo told state media that: “timeline for viability on (Continued on page 22)

The Uitvlugt Sugar Factory is currently out of operation

Tuesday March 08, 2022

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Kane scores two as Spurs hit five against struggling Everton BBC Sport - Tottenham increased Everton’s growing relegation fears and maintained their own top-four aspirations as Frank Lampard’s side were outclassed and humiliated. On an embarrassing night for Lampard and his players, Spurs ran riot as Everton capitulated in a fashion that raises genuine doubts about their ability to maintain Premier League status. Everton defender Michael Keane set the tone for the night by firing Ryan Sessegnon’s into his own net after 14 minutes while goal-

keeper Jordan Pickford was at fault for Son Heung-min’s second three minutes later. Matt Doherty set Harry Kane free to put the game out of sight eight minutes before half-time, while any slim hopes of an Everton revival were snuffed out when substitute Sergio Reguilon scored with his first touch at the far post seconds after the restart. As Everton simply fell apart, Kane added the fifth after 55 minutes, meeting Doherty’s perfect cross with a crisp left-footed volley. Everton are just one point and one place above the rel-

egation zone with a game in hand on Burnley below them. Everton in serious danger Everton were last relegated from the top flight in 1951 and have had two lastday escapes in 1993-94 and 1997-98, but after this they should brace themselves for another cliffhanger this season. Years of mismanagement on and off the field have led to the acquisition of a mixand-match bunch of individuals who appear to have neither the heart nor stomach for a fight, especially away from home. As so often this sea-

Tuesday March 08, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Communication with a significant other might hit a brick wall, and you may not be able to get through. Money could be coming in the mail, Aries, but probably won't arrive today.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Even if you aren't romantically involved, Libra, you're likely to feel especially passionate today and anxious to schedule an intimate evening with someone who's caught your eye.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You are passionate by nature, Taurus, but the strength of your desires might surprise even you today. You're feeling especially romantic and even sexier than usual.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) While you are Earthy by nature and enjoy physical passion, Scorpio, this might seem even more pronounced today. Racy novels and movies could be especially appealing.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Communications with family members and others should be clear, honest, and loving. Although your physical passions may be surging beneath the surface today, Gemini, they're still very much present.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Your mind isn't likely to be on the job today. That could cause a number of problems. You might be feeling especially romantic.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) A phone call from your sweetheart might bring out your passionate, romantic side today, Cancer. You'll probably have a lot to do, and therefore not be able to meet with him or her until late. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) As someone who tends to operate through your intellect, Leo, you might be surprised by the surge of romantic passion that comes your way at this time. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You're a born romantic by nature, Virgo, but today you're likely to think more in terms of physical passion than idealized romance.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) A renewed sense of physical vigor could have you plunging with determination into whatever projects you need to do today. However, your mind won't really be on them, Capricorn. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You're in a romantic mood today, Aquarius. You're more likely to notice attractive strangers you pass on the street, and attract admiring glances from them. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) An evening at home with your sweetheart could seem very appealing today, Pisces. Sex and romance are very much on your mind, and you might surprise yourself with how Earthy you feel.

Sir Andy Roberts, Roland Butcher

Harry Kane’s 176 Premier League goals for Tottenham have come in 270 appearances. (Getty Images) son, Everton collapsed at the first sign of adversity and once Keane, who is having a nightmare campaign, hammered emphatically into his own net early

on, this was only going one way. What will concern Lampard most - and it should be remembered he inherited this mess rather than created

it - was the heartless fashion in which Everton appeared to throw in the towel once Spurs hit them with two quick goals. It was an abysmal performance, with Everton’s midfield non-existent and their defence horribly vulnerable, easy prey to the likes of Kane and Son. Given their abject form on their travels, Everton will now be reliant on home for to keep their heads above water, especially as two of those away games are trips to relegation rivals Watford and Burnley. They have two crucial home games coming up against Wolves and then fast-improving Newcastle United. Defeat in either is unthinkable but a genuine possibility such was the sheer incompetence on show here.

Ramdhani siblings... From page 31 are scheduled to represent Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) at Nationals (CCAA) on March 17, 18, & 19, 2022. Then later in April, the siblings will be competing in the Panam Individual Championship being hosted in El Salvador, From April 28 - May 01, 2022, when they will compete in Singles and Mixed Doubles category. A memorial table and a moment of silence were observed for their father Gokarn Ramdhani as the Provincial Tournament was held at Olds College where he coached as a Head/Technical Coach from 2019-2021. In local Badminton news, the Guyana Badminton Association will be hosting the Gumdac Singles Easter tournament on April 1 & 2, 2022 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

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South Africa’s Mokoka breaks world record in first 50km race (Reuters) - South Africa’s Stephen Mokoka, who had never run a 50km race before, broke the world record on home soil in Gqeberha Sunday. Mokoka, 37, crossed the finish line in two hours, 40 minutes and 13 seconds,

beating the record set by Ethiopian Ketema Bekele Negasa (2:42:07) at the same event last year. “I’m tired,” Mokoka, a three-times Olympian, said. “It’s a long way and I don’t know how I’m going to feel later, but I

enjoyed it.” Ethiopia’s Amelework Fikadu Bosho dominated the women’s race to finish in a time of 3:04:58, nearly four minutes ahead of the rest but 34 seconds short of the world record.

South Africa’s Stephen Mokoka finishes second in the men’s Morrisons Great Manchester Run. (Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Boyers file photo)

Putin, Rotenberg removed from all positions on Judo’s governing body (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and a Russian businessman have been removed from all positions in the International Judo Federation (IJF), the sport’s governing body said, in the latest sporting rebuke following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The decision, announced in a brief statement, comes after Putin, a black belt who has co-authored the book titled “Judo: History, Theory, Practice”, was suspended as IJF honorary president last week.. “The International Judo Federation announces that

Mr Vladimir Putin and Mr Arkady Rotenberg have been removed from all positions held in the International Judo Federation,” it said. Billionaire businessman Arkady Rotenberg had been on the IJF Executive Committee as a development manager since 2013. The federation did not mention Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but it said on Feb. 27 it was suspending Putin as honorary IJF president “in light of the ongoing war conflict in Ukraine”. Putin was also stripped of his honorary taekwondo

black belt conferred in 2013 by World Taekwondo and a FINA Order, awarded to him in 2014 by swimming’s global body. Since the beginning of what Putin has called “a special military operation” in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian teams and athletes have found themselves frozen out from international competitions across sports. Belarus has been a key staging area for Russia’s invasion of its neighbour. The IJF also cancelled a May 20-22 Grand Slam event in Kazan, Russia.

Jackson runs 7.18 for third in 60m dash at Paris Indoor Meeting SportsMax - Shericka Jackson was third in the 60m dash at the Paris Indoor Meeting Saturday. In a clash between the Tokyo Olympics 100m bronze medalist and the Swiss 60m champion, Mujinga Kambundji, the Jamaican proved to be no match for her European rival. Jackson, who has a season-best 7.12, clocked 7.18 while finishing behind Finland’s Lotta Kemppinen, who ran a season-best 7.17 for second place and Swiss champion Mujinga Kambunji, who set a meet record 7.06. Jamaica’s Shashalee Forbes ran 7.26 for fifth place. Jackson, 27, had cruised into the final clocking 7.20 to win her preliminary

Shericka Jackson was third in the 60m dash in Paris. heat. Forbes was second in that heat in 7.26. However, Kambundji, who won the Swiss 60m title on February 26, in a season-best 7.05, broke the meet record of 7.12 when she won her heat in 7.11.

Meanwhile, Mike Rodgers of the USA won the men’s dash in 6.61 over Frenchman Jeff Erius (6.72) and his compatriot Dylan Vermont, who ran a personal-best 6.73 for third.

Tuesday March 08, 2022

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Kaieteur News

Shane Warne: Australian cricket Two more U-15 cricketers benefit legend died from natural causes – police ‘Cricket gear for promising cricketers in Guyana project’ Brandon Henry and Peter Khan are the latest U-15 cricketers to benefit from ‘Cricket gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana project’. Henry, who is not currently attached to any cricket club, is a left arm spinner, while Khan plays for DCC and is a wicketkeeper/batsman who can also bowl right arm leg spin. They are participating in the DCB Inter Association U15 Tournament which is being used to select the Demerara team to participate in the GCB U-15 Inter County Tournament. Henry, who took 6-23 for GT against East Coast in the first round, received one pair of cricket shoes and Khan, who is also having a good tournament, collected a pair of batting gloves. Anil Beharry, a partner in this initiative explained that he reached out to the counties through the GCB WhatsApp group and GCA, DCB and GCB Executive Shawn Massiah, took up the offer to identify the promising young cricketers. The boys thanked Beharry and Kishan Das for the tokens and promised to make good use of the cricket equipment which will help in their preparation for the tournament. Beharry, speaking on behalf of the project which was conceptualized in partnership with Das of the USA, said that they are happy to give to young and talented cricketers and hope it will help them to be better rounded human beings. He promised to continue to help and develop as many young players as possible in Guyana. Total cricket related items collected so far: $40,000 cash, two trophies, eleven cricket boots, fifteen pairs of batting pads, fifteen bats, nine pairs of batting gloves, eighteen thigh pads, one wicket keeping pad, one arm guard and four cricket bags.

To date, thirty young players from all three counties of Guyana have benefited while Rose Hall Estate Cricket Club benefited from six stumps and bails and two clubs in the Pomeroon area received two used bats. The Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenaam Cricket Committees received one box of red cricket balls each. Cricket related items, used or new, will be distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in

Shawn Massiah makes the presentation to Peter Khan

Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients. Talent spotting is being done across the country and club leaders will also assist to identify same. Beharry and Das thanked Javed and Imran of West Indian Sports Complex, Option Group of USA, Hilbert Foster, Bish Panday of P and P Insurance Brokers, Sean Devers, Trevis Simon, Årïêl J. Tïlkú, Aaron Beharry, Leanna Bachan and Imran Saccoor, Devon Ramnauth, Teddy Singh, Romesh Munna, Ravi Etwaroo, Ravin Harkishun, Surendra Harkishun, Allan Mangru, Vishal Mahabir, Sherman Austin, Huburn

Windies head coach... From page 31 something that you have to guard against too. They have quality bowlers who we still have to bat well against,” he said. Simmons also spoke about the importance of having one specialist spinner in their squad, Veerasammy Permaul. “Your spinner, at least in the first couple of days, will always play that holding role. Permaul has been bowling really well so, hopefully, by the time we get to the fourth day he will come into play and possibly be a match-winner

Brandon Henry

for us,” Simmons said. Simmons also mentioned the conditions he expects at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium today. “It looks like it’s going to be a good wicket. We’re going to have to work hard for our runs but also work hard for our wickets,” he said. At the conclusion of the Test match, the teams move on to the Kensington Oval in Barbados for the second Test set to start on March 16. The final Test is scheduled to be played at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada beginning on March 24.

Evans, Rajendra Sadeo and Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall, Sheik Mohamed of Star Sports Awards and Trophies and Ajay Gainda of Cricket Equipment Guyana. Distribution will continue. Anyone interested to contribute can contact Anil Beharry on 623-6875 or Kishan Das on 1-718-664-0896.

BBC News - Australian cricket legend Shane Warne’s death in Thailand on Friday was from natural causes, police have confirmed. A senior Thai police official said the post mortem exam showed no signs of foul play in the 52-year-old’s death. Warne, who is considered to be one of the greatest cricketers of all time, died of a suspected heart attack on Koh Samui island, where he was holidaying. The Australian government is bringing his body back to Australia where he will be given a state funeral. Warne was a larger-thanlife figure whose fame transcended sport and he inspired generations of fans. He was found unresponsive at the Thai villa where he was staying with friends. Attempts to revive him in hospital were unsuccessful. The post mortem exam showed Warne died of a “congenital disease”, Songyot Chayaninporamet, deputy director of Samui Hospital, told a news conference, Reuters news agency reported. “There is no Covid-19 infection and no sign of assault or murder.” Thailand’s deputy police spokesman Krissana Pattanacharoen said in a statement: “Investigators received an autopsy report today in which a forensic doctor concludes the death was due to natural causes.” He said the player’s family had been informed and accepted the findings. Warne is survived by his three chil-

here have been tributes like this one in Melbourne left for Warne on Koh Samui too. dren with former wife Simone Callahan. The death of one of Australia’s favourite sons has shocked the country, and brought a flood of tributes from cricket fans and others around the world. Warne’s family have made their first comments following his sudden death, with his parents, children, ex-wife and brother saying how much they missed him. “To find words to adequately express our sadness is an impossible task for us, and looking to a future without Shane is inconceivable,” parents Keith and Brigitte said in a statement. “I wish I could’ve hugged you tighter in what I didn’t know were my final moments with you,” his daughter Summer said. Police say Warne’s body will be flown to Australia today. Security concerns were raised when a German woman carrying flowers managed to

climb into the back of the ambulance taking the cricketer’s body off Koh Samui. Thai police questioned her and later described her as a “fan who wanted to pay her respects and sincerity” to Warne. Warne’s mastery of legspin - a style of bowling that declined during the 1970s and 1980s when fast bowlers dominated - revolutionised cricket. He took 708 Test wickets, the second most of all time, in 145 matches across a stellar 15-year international career. Warne helped Australia win the 1999 50-over World Cup. In 2000, he was named one of the five Wisden cricketers of the century, alongside Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Jack Hobbs and Sir Viv Richards. He retired from international cricket in 2007, going on to a career as a commentator, pundit and coach.

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Australia trail Pakistan by 27 runs in 1st cricket test RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Australia’s batters flourished on a flat wicket yesterday to cut Pakistan’s lead to 27 runs as the first test heads toward a draw. Australia, playing its first test in Pakistan since 1998, reached 449-7 at stumps in its first innings on Day 4 on a grassless wicket with Marnus Labuschagne (90) and Steve Smith (78) scoring half centuries. Cameroon Green (48) showed himself to be a test allrounder by spending more than two hours at the crease, facing 109 balls. No. 8 batter Mitchell Starc spent almost the last hour and was not out on 12 with skipper Pat Cummins not out on 4 as stumps were drawn three overs before scheduled because of bad light. Pakistan had declared its first innings at 476-4 late on Day 2 on the back of big centuries from Azhar Ali (185) and Imam-ul-Haq (157). “There’s not a great deal of pace and bounce in (the wicket) for the seamers, that’s for sure,” Smith said. “I thought it would break up a little bit more and probably turn a bit more from the start, but it probably hasn’t done so.” Opening batter Usman

Pakistan’s Nauman Ali, second left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Australia’s Steve Smith during the 4th day of the first test match between Pakistan and Australia at the Pindi Stadium. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Australia’s Steve Smith, right, and Cameron Green run between the wickets during the 4th day of the first test match between Pakistan and Australia at the Pindi Stadium, in Rawalpindi. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) Khawaja narrowly missed out on a century in the country of his birth on Sunday when he was dismissed for 97, but shared a rapid 156-run opening wicket stand with David Warner, who made 68. On a docile wicket where there was no appreciable turn for the spinners, left-arm spinner Nauman Ali grabbed 4-107 mainly because Australia’s batters went for extravagant shots. Labuschagne was the

second Australian batsman to fell in the 90s when he was caught in the slip in Shaheen Afridi’s (1-80) third over with the new ball after a wet outfield following overnight rain prevented any play in the first session. Labuschagne hit 12 boundaries in his knock but attempted a drive off a wide delivery from Afridi as Abdullah Shafique grabbed a well judged low catch in the lone slip.

Travis Head (8) was a rare batsman to fail in a batterdominated test match when he edged Nauman to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan while going for a cut shot as Pakistan claimed two wickets in the mid session. Green showed lot of determination in his 81-run stand with Smith before Nauman induced false strokes from both batsmen by bowling consistently outside the leg stump line in the last

session. Green smashed two of his three boundaries in Nauman’s one over but topedged a sweep to short fine leg. Smith also went for a similar shot and was caught by Rizwan down the leg side. Smith, who hasn’t scored a test century since the 2019 Ashes, batted for nearly five hours, hitting eight fours during his 196ball knock before he was nicely setup by Nauman to go

for an over ambitious shot. “Pretty annoying, I got a bit greedy with the field they had set,” Smith said on missing out on his 100. “Disappointed to have worked pretty hard and got myself in a nice position to go on and get a big score.” Scores: Australia 449 for 7 (Khawaja 97, Labuschagne 90, Smith 78, Warner 68, Nauman 4-107) trail Pakistan 476 for 4 dec by 27 runs.

Cricket icons unveil Richards/Botham trophy ahead of Apex Test series SportsMax - Cricket icons Sir Vivian Richards and Lord Ian Botham unveiled the new Richards-Botham trophy which will be won by the victors in Test Series between West Indies and England Men’s Team. The trophy pays tribute to two all-time greats – whose rivalry and friendship embodies the close relationship and mutual respect between the two sides. The unveiling ceremony was held on Sunday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua ahead of the first Apex Test match which starts today, March 8. The sparkling new trophy symbolizes “Courage. Friendship. Respect” – values that represent the Test cricketing rivalry between West Indies and England, and of two legends who best define them – Sir Vivian Richards and Lord Ian Botham. It has an ultra-modern design and consists of an

upside-down cup, based on a Georgian rummer, with the joining sphere a cricket ball. One end is a rummer for drinking rum and the other a wine/ ale goblet. The rummer has palm fronds and the ale cup has willow leaves. The ceremonial idea is that the winning team holding the trophy would have the rummer that represents their team face upward while they held it and it would be ceremoniously turned over when the other team wins. Test matches between these two rivals date back to 1928 when West Indies made their first trip to England. The teams, under the captaincy of Kraigg Brathwaite and Joe Root, will renew the rivalry with the Apex Test Series. “It’s a truly special feeling to have the fantastic trophy named in honour of my great friend Ian and myself. We played a lot together and built a great friendship on

and off the cricket field,” said Sir Vivian. “As I said earlier, I am truly delighted to know that the game that I have shown my love for all my life is naming such a prestigious award in recognition of what I managed to achieve. It’s a beautiful trophy and I want to again thank everyone who came up with this idea and contributed to its creation.” Botham said he was honoured to have a trophy in his name. “It’s a great idea and a truly lovely trophy. It really stands out and I’m honoured to have my name on the trophy alongside my friend Sir Viv,” he said. “The captain who picks up the trophy at the end of the upcoming series will be a happy man.” Meanwhile, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite said he was eager to get going on Tuesday in what he

Cricket icons Sir Vivian Richards and Lord Ian Botham with the new Richards-Botham trophy. expects to be a closely contested series. “We’re really excited and ready for the upcoming Apex Test Series against England. This is going to be an amazing three weeks of cricket,” Brathwaite said. “It’s extra special too that we’re playing for the new Richards-Botham trophy, a fitting tribute to these two great men. We want to be the first team to get our hands on it and celebrate with our fans.”

England’s captain Joe Root believes the trophy named in honour of the two greats is a fitting tribute to the rivalry between the two teams. “Test series between England and West Indies are iconic, and to have a trophy named after arguably the two most outstanding England and West Indies cricketers of all-time in Lord Ian Botham and Sir Vivian Richards is a fitting tribute for this great rivalry. We are enthused about

the next month of competition, and we hope to make the England fans proud by lifting the Richards-Botham trophy,” he said. The Apex Test Series will feature three Test matches. The first at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, the second Apex Test will be played at Kensington Oval, Barbados from March 16-20, with the climax in the third Apex Test at the Grenada National Stadium, Grenada on March 2428.

Tuesday March 08, 2022

Women’s World Cup: New Zealand beat Bangladesh for first win of tournament Suzie Bates (right) was playing on her home ground in Dunedin for the first time in international cricket. (Getty Images)

BBC Sport - Hosts New Zealand got their first win of the Women’s World Cup with a nine-wicket victory over Bangladesh. After losing their opener to West Indies, the White Ferns were in danger of further frustration when rain delayed the start in Dunedin. However, in a match reduced to 27 overs per side, World Cup debutants Bangladesh were restricted to 140-8. New Zealand raced to their target in 20 overs through Suzie Bates’ 79 not out and an unbeaten 49 from Amelia Kerr. Bangladesh go on to play Pakistan on Monday, while New Zealand meet 2017 runners-up India in Hamilton on Thursday.

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New Zealand are likely to by vying with India, South Africa and West Indies for two semi-final spots and a washout against Bangladesh would have been hugely detrimental to their last-four hopes. For much of the day it looked like the White Ferns could be left disappointed at the world’s southernmost international cricket ground. Play eventually began at 15:00 local time and Bangladesh, who pushed South Africa in their opening game, made another encouraging start. Shamima Sultana and Fargana Hoque added 59 for the first wicket in little more than nine overs. They were parted when Sultana was well held by Lea

Tahuhu, running in from the leg-side boundary, from the off-spin of Frankie MacKay. Although Hoque went on to make 52, Bangladesh were kept in check by 3-25 from Amy Satterthwaite. Former captain Bates led the chase, playing on her home ground in an international for the first time in a 16year career. Bates also became only the sixth player to pass 1,000 runs in Women’s World Cups as she shared an unbroken stand of 108 with Kerr. Scores: Bangladesh 1408 (27 overs): Hoque 52 (63), Sattherthwaite 3-25; New Zealand 144-1 (20 overs): Bates 79* (68), A Kerr 47* (37). Result: New Zealand won by nine wickets.

Mekdeci leads the GSA League The Georgetown Squash Association (GSA) organised 2021/2022 Squash League continues to steam ahead after reaching nearly 70 percentage of its completion over the weekend at Georgetown Club Squash Courts. Currently on top with total numbers of wins is Ian Mekdeci with 12, while Robert Natiello trails closely with 11 wins. The third highest accumulation of wins is currently held by Jean-Paul Bones and Alex Arjoon, who each have nine. Brian Edwards and Ashley De Groot both have eight wins while Javid Rahaman has secured seven victories. Tied on six wins are Jason Khalil, Kristian Jeffery, Nicholas Verwey, Regan Pollard, Steven Xavier, Mohryan Baksh, Jonathan Antczak, Adam Alves, Jonathan De Groot, Demetrius De Abreu, Adrian Bacchus and Tony Farnum. The League consists of over 60 players that are divided into 12 Groups namely Arapaima, Tapir, Camoudi, Duck, Eagle, Frigate Bird, Gaulin, Howler Monkey, Ibis, ID, Jaguar, King fisher and Labaria. Other Group toppers include Benno DaSilva and Carlos Rodrigues, who both have 5 wins each. Their effort perhaps mimics those of Taylor Fernandes, Daniel Ince, Nicolette Fernandes and Dejé Dias who are also pegged at the same amount. According

Ian Mekdeci

to the GSA Chairman of Competitions Committee, the League has been progressing quite well since the players have ample time to prepare for matches even under the sweep of the pandemic and a tight playing schedule. Most of these players will be geared toward tighter competition in a few days with the revealing of the playing fixtures for the upcoming Senior National Championships. The qualifiers for the National Championships rolls off on Friday afternoon when Pollard meets Alves then Reagan Rodrigues takes on Louis Da Silva. Peter-Michael De Groot will face Stefan Jeffery, while Demetrius De Abreu battles Jason Van Dijk.

As the evening presses on, Michael Alphonso goes head-to-head with Zachary Persaud then Javed Ali squares off with Antczak. On Saturday the action continues with the fixtures that open with Baksh versus Ethan Jones then continues with a clash featuring Mekdeci, followed by Steven Xavier versus Jonathan De Groot, Shiloh Asregado versus Rahaman, Dias versus Ingram Edwards and ends with Avinash Odit versus Joshua Abdool. The winners of those matches move on to the final phase on Sunday to see who advances to the Championship stage which officially serves off on March 17.

Ramdhani siblings medal at Windies head coach expects top-order Badminton Championship batsmen to come good against England ACAC Alberta Colleges Athletic

SportsMax - Today marks the start of the three-Test Apex series between the West Indies and England. The visitors have not won a Test series in the Caribbean since their3-0 triumph in 2004, the same series in which Brian Lara scored a world record 400 not out in the fourth Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground. In 2019, when the teams last met in the Caribbean, the hosts secured a 2-1 series win and West Indies head coach Phil Simmons wants his team to keep the trend alive. “We’re looking to play the cricket that we know will put us in a position to win the series. We’re trying to make sure we’re ready for everything England can throw at us,” the Trinidadian head coach said during a pre-match press conference yesterday while indicating that it will critical for the hosts to build strong opening partnerships when they bat. In that series, Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell shared opening stands of 53, 52, 70, 17 not out,

West Indies head Coach Phil Simmons.

57 and five and they will once again be entrusted with the responsibility. “The last time we beat England here, the opening pair was Kraigg and John Campbell. Let’s hope that’s a good omen for us because they gave the team some good starts. We’ve been talking about getting a good start and making sure that the top four put things together and not leave it for the middle and lower order,” Simmons said. “That’s been the focus of our camp leading up to this series. We need batsmen to bat long so the bowlers can

have something to work with and I think the camp went well so I expect good things from them.” The absence of James Anderson and Stuart Broad from the England team has been a big talking point ever since their squad was announced, but Simmons says he is more interested in who they do have. “We keep harping on no Broad and Anderson but when you don’t have the experience, you have young players who are hungry to make their name and that is (Continued on page 29)

Conference Badminton Championship (Provincials) was played last weekend, March 5 and 6 at the Olds College Auditorium. Day one saw the players competing in the team tournament, while the individual championship was held on day two. The Ramdhani siblings have once again made great strides. Narayan Ramdhani maintained his Athlete of the Year Award and won gold for the King’s University in Men Singles. He played and won against: Sivansh Shivansh (21-12, 21-18) in Round 1 David Jay (21-12, 21-16) in quarter-finals The older Ramdhani sibling defeated Smith Patel (2118, 9-21, 21-17) in the finals after a tough battle, to once again claim the men’s singles ACAC title for the second time in his college career. Priyanna Ramdhani won bronze for Olds College in Women Singles, she played against Makayla Basque and won 21-7, 21-9 in Round 1. Coming up against Abbey Taylor, she won 21-8, 21-9 in

Narayan and Priyanna Ramdhani display their latest batch of awards.

the quarterfinals. She then lost to Jasleen Kaur 21-16, 21-13 in semi-finals and then gained a walkover from Cecilia Wolski to win 3rd place. Priyanna carried her team Olds College (who placed 4th in the Team tournament) to

win five medals at the Championship partnering with Abbey Taylor as the duo won silver in the Women Doubles. In the Mixed Doubles games, Priyanna and Tye Belanger placed third. The Ramdhani siblings (Continued on page 27)

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Tuesday March 08, 2022

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Esau, Williams spur Herstelling Ex USA U-19 player Amarnauth A to EBDCA 40-over title ACS/Everest to tour Guyana from March 17...

Persaud to lead team

By Sean Devers The ACS Everest teamfrom the USA will begin a tour of Guyana from March 17 and are scheduled to play seven matches including and Day/Night encounter on March 23. The team will be led by 28-year-old former USA U-19 batsman Amarnauth Persaud, who was born and raised in Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Demerara, Guyana. The visitors will play matches in the City, West Demerara, East Coast and West Berbice. Berbician and former Guyana U-19 batsman Akshay Homraj has played eight ODIs for the USA. The 25-year-old also represented the USA in the West Indies’ Regional Super50 tournament. The 35-year-old Karan Ganesh, who last represented the USA in July 11, 2015 against Ireland, is a former Guyana Youth and USA senior team Captain and hails from Bush Lot in West Berbice. The Berbice pair of batsmen 28-year-old Dominique Rikhi, who played two ODIs and former Bermine left-arm spinner Trinson Carmichael, have also represented Guyana at the youth level and played with the USA senior team. Also in the team is the experienced former Jamaica youth and Senior Team legspinner Damien Jacobs who has captured 212 wickets from 54 First-Class games and 51 from 30 List ‘A’ games. The 37-year-old has also played for the Barbados Tridents. “The purpose for this tour is to expose these players to different playing condition and competition, show some of the talent that is in the USA and to give back to the com-

Delroy Williams (L) collects his prize from Daniel Barker.

Trinson Carmichael, Dominique Rikhi, Amernauth Persaud Karan Ganesh A fine half century from Safraz Esau and a four-wicket haul from Delroy Williams guided Herstelling A to a 98run victory over Herstelling B in the final of the East Bank Demerara Cricket Association 40-over competition on Saturday last. Batting first at Farm, Herstelling A were reduced to 19-3, but the left-handed Esau provided impetus to the innings as he struck two fours and three sixes before he was caught off Pernell London for an even half century which came off 60 balls. Quazim Yusuf and Reaz Esau, the younger of Safraz propped up the innings with an eight-wicket stand of 41. Yusuf hit three fours and a similar number of sixes before

munity where we came from,” said the 29-year-old Carmichael. The spin bowling all-rounder, who played two T2OIs for USA last November in Antigua in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifiers, added

Akshay Homraj has played 8 ODIs for the USA.

that the hope is to have a successful tour being victorious, safe and at the same time have some fun. Squad: Amarnauth Persaud (captain), Akshay Homraj (wicket keeper), Karan Ganesh, Dominique Rikhi, Trinson Carmichael, Stefan Rampersaud, Avin Gangadin, Damien Jacobs, Randall Wilson, Emanuel Seecharran, Shiv Rahubar, Zamin Amid & Charlton Senior. Date of arrival March 17th 2022 Date of departure March 27th 2022 Schedule of games: Friday March 18th @Canal cricket ground Saturday March 19th @Enmore cricket ground Sunday March 20th @Chesney cricket ground Monday March 21st @ Everest cricket ground Wednesday March 23rd night game vs Guyana x1 Thursday March 24th @ Malteenoes cricket ground Friday March 25th @ Bush lot cricket ground.

he was caught and bowled by Buddan Baksh for 46 which came off 36 balls. Reaz Esau made 23 with one four and three sixes, while Beepaul Bandoo contributed 12 as Herstelling A made 182 all out in 27.3 overs. Chandershaker Bisram claimed 3-38, Baksh 2-30, Rawl Reid 2-39 and London 2-48. Herstelling B were pegged back early in the chase as Ricky Sergeant and Derrick McCalmon made early inroads, reducing them to 16-5. However, Baksh and Reid put on 38 for the sixth wicket, but Williams ended their resistance when he sent back Baksh for 31 which came off 24 balls and contained two fours and three sixes. Reid was bowled by Williams for

14, while P. Jaigopaul was the only other batsman that made it into double figures with 16 which included four fours as Herstelling B were bowled out for 84 in 16.1 overs. Williams captured 4-20, Sargeant 3-11 and McCalmon 2-28. Safraz Esau was named man-of-the-match and also won the prize for scoring the most runs in the final (two trophies and $10,000). Williams took the prize for taking the most wickets in the final (a trophy and $5,000). Herstelling A pocketed a trophy and $50,000 and Herstelling B a trophy and $30,000. Chairman of the Competition Committee Eric Sukrah said a T20 competition is set to start this weekend.

My dad is a fighter, Pele’s son says of cancer battle RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) - Pele’s son Edinho took over as coach of minor club Londrina on Sunday and led the team to a 1-0 win before reassuring fans his soccer legend father was “a fighter” and giving his all in the battle against cancer. Pele, 81, had a tumour removed from his colon in September 2021 and has been in and out of hospital for chemotherapy on a regular basis ever since. A urinary infection meant his last stay in hospital was longer than planned but the three-times World Cup winner is now back at home near Santos, the city and club where he made his name. “He’s good. He is in a tough battle over his health, but my father is a fighter, just as he has been his whole life,” Edinho told reporters. “He’s still fighting. Our family prays

Brazilian soccer legend Pele laughs during the inauguration of a refurbished soccer field at the Mineira slum in Rio de Janeiro September for him a lot and we’re hoping that he will recover.” Edinho, who played in goal for Santos in the 1990s, said he was unaware if his father watched Londrina’s 1-0 win over Cianorte in the Parana state championship. “I confess that I don’t know,” Edinho said. “But he is going to find out once I tell

him. We are cheering for him to above all get well as soon as possible.” Edinho, 51, is normally Londrina’s Under-20 coach but was in temporary charge for Sunday’s game. He is expected to return to his normal duties next week with the arrival of a new firstteam coach.

Tuesday March 08, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Started as a registered Nurse and