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Former Chancellor NEWS of the Judiciary, Justice Cecil Kennard dies at 86 AIETEUR

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Sunday Edition March 13, 2022 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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Govt. in talks with Chinese contractor for Amaila Falls hydro project to build new DHB Price for flour up by 15% - NAMILCO

Patrol ranks save man from being killed in street brawl

Bulkans file motion for

expedited hearing at Court of Appeal

- believe ruling in favour of Republic Bank indicates “grave miscarriage of justice”

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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

Bulkans file motion for expedited hearing at Court of Appeal - believe ruling in favour of Republic Bank indicates “grave miscarriage of justice”

Republic Bank’s Chairman, Nigel Baptiste

Justice Navindra Singh

Receiver, Kashir Khan

Ronald Bulkan, one of the Managing Directors of Precision Woodworking Ltd (in receivership)

Ronald and Rustum Bulkan, the joint Managing Directors of Precision Wo o d w o r k i n g L t d ( i n receivership), on March 7,

2022, via their Attorney, Roysdale Forde filed a Motion at the Court of Appeal seeking an expedited Continued on page 10

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

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Govt. in talks with Chinese contractor for Amaila Falls hydro project to build new DHB

By Davina Bagot The Government of Guyana is currently in talks with the company that will be constructing the Amaila Falls Hydropwer Project, China Railway First Group, to also build a new bridge over the Demerara River to link Regions Three and Four.

On Saturday, Minister within the Ministry of Public Wo r k s , D e o d a t I n d a r explained that a consortium of companies have been engaged as they were the second lowest bidder for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB).

He was keen to note that the discussions with the companies are not yet complete and that there was still a long way to go in finalising an agreement.

The companies are China Railway Construction Corporation International Limited in joint venture with China Railway Caribbean Company Limited; and China Railway Engineering Bureau Group Company Limited.

Three financial proposals were submitted by the firms for the project of US$260,852,464, US$260,852,464 and US$300,000,000.

It is understood that China Railway First Group, China Railway Construction Corporation International Limited, China Railway Caribbean Company Limited and China Railway Engineering Bureau Group Company Limited are all subsidiaries of the parent company ‘China Railway Group Limited’.

Research conducted by Kaieteur News show that the company is headquartered in Beijing, China. The firm said on its website that China Railway Group Limited “is a super-large corporate conglomerate engaged in engineering s u r v e y, d e s i g n a n d construction, industrial equipment manufacturing, real estate development, re s o u rc e s a n d m i n i n g development, financial investment, and other fields.”

It also boasted of being one of the world’s largest construction and engineering contractors, being listed among Fortune Global 500 for 16 consecutive years.

This publication also found that the major shareholder of the company

is the state-owned China Railway E n g i n e e r i n g C o r p o r a t i o n (CRECG).

The Chinese company said it has long enjoyed a good reputation in the global market and since the construction of the 1,861kilometre Tanzania-Zambia Railway in the 1970s, the company has successively built a large number of “excellent projects” in countries such as Asia, Africa, Europe, South America and the Atlantic. In fact, it said it presently has representative offices and carries out projects in more than 90 countries and regions around the world.

About the new DHB The contract for the new DHB was first awarded to another Chinese firm, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited to the tune of $53.7B. Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo announced earlier in February, during an interview with a foreign media house that the contract was pulled from the firm as the cost of financing was too high.

During the interview, the Vice President said, “we have just terminated the negotiations with them (CSCEC) because the cost of financing is too high.”

The Chinese firm had secured the contract to build the new bridge under a Design-Build-Finance (DBF) model.

During the reading of the Budget 2022, however, Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, D r. A s h n i S i n g h h a d announced that this year, some $21.1B has been allocated for the project.

The government was aiming to start construction of the new four-lane flyover bridge by the end of 2021.

With a contract still to be signed, the proposed location for the New Demerara River Bridge will see the structure being laid between Nandy Park on the East Bank Demerara and La Grange on the western end of the Demerara River.

Continued on page 19

The bids submitted back in October last year for the construction of the new Demerara Harbour Bridge.

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

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

Fill up those boats The truth of that Guyanese saying is underlined again: mouth open, story jump out. For there was a mover and shaker from Exxon doing the talking and confirming the direction to where things are heading for the company in Guyana (“Our objective is to fill up those boats -Exxons VP says objective is to produce more, faster in Guyana” -KN March 7). The numbers give an indication of how quickly Exxon is going, and how quickly Guyana is falling behind to get more from its own oil.

The man doing the talking for Exxon is Neil Chapman, one of its Senior Vice Presidents. Like Guyanas own Vice President, when Mr. Chapman speaks, people listen.

Guyanese had better listen up, for what is now already in the works is how much Exxon is intensifying its production drive in this country. There is no slowing it down, not even for the briefest of pauses. Certainly, not for Guyanese leaders and the Guyanese people to get a grip on what is happening with the oil under their seas.

Exxon is set to ramp up production from a staggering million barrels a day in 2027 to 1.2 million barrels daily in that same year. We have gone from zero to a hundred in less than the span of a whole decade, from first oil just the other day, to the first million in a few short years ahead. Yet, we are now in the same way, a largely left behind people, and looks highly likely to be in almost the exact same place by 2027. That is, other than for political leaders and their cronies making much money (on the side) while Exxon runs away with the oil.

Here we will be in 2027, a member of the oil club elite, and the great majority of Guyanese are lagging in a kind of no mans land.

On the one hand, they have all these hopes, while on the other, there are all these disappointments. There are all these government and commercial leaders making money hand over fist, while they the people to whom the nations oil wealth belong are left to scratch out a living on minimum wages that cover less and less, and leave them naked and bitter.

As Exxon realises its stated objectives as its senior man said, which is “to fill up those boats” we hope that the eyes of Guyanese are fully opened to what is going on under their noses.

Fill up those boats means the filling up of the pockets of the people attached to Exxon at the expense of passive and disengaged Guyanese.

The executives at Exxon will reap a treasure trove of cash. The big investors and other smaller shareholders will read of and celebrate sweet returns from their cash and trust placed in the company and its management.

For their silence and sordid sellouts of Guyanas oil to Americas Exxon, the political leaders of Guyana (PPP/ C and PNC and AFC) have and will continue to benefit monetarily that many of them wouldnt have thought possible. Fill up those boats is both boast and bludgeon.

The former is to reassure Exxons workers and investors and watchers.

The latter is to call out and compel Guyanese leaders, who tied dirty treacherous bundles with Exxon, to do their all to ensure that nothing and no one gets in the way of slowing down the drive for more barrels of oil to be produced daily by 2027.

As greater numbers of Guyanese get a better understanding of what is really going on with the nations oil, more of them grow angrier by the day. This is causing the people at Exxon some uneasiness since they do not want anything to cloud their vision of more production from Guyanas wells.

When people rail against a toothless and spineless local EPA, Exxon watches how the President and Vice President run interference, by fulfilling their first responsibilities, which are to Exxon, not Guyana.

When Guyanese come out in the streets to protest against oil crimes and leadership oil obscenities, Exxon expects local leaders to take care of business. Nothing must prevent Exxon in its rapid quest “to fill up those boats.”

Sunday March 13, 2022

Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

Why is PPP Govt. defending the tax lawsuit for the PNC giveaway that pays the oil companies taxes?

DEAR EDITOR, National Hero Glenn Lalls case against the Government paying the oil companies taxes is now on trial.

All of Guyana should have been there in the protests to show support for Glenn Lall.

Many lawyers should have joined in “amicus” to support Mr. Lall and young attorney, Mr. Mohamed R. Ali. After all, its “Our Wealth, Our Country.”

If Exxon wins in our own courts, all Guyana loses. Why is the PPP government defending this case? It is now Glenn Lall for the people of Guyana on one side versus the PNC contract, the PPP Government and the oil companies on the other side.

The government is siding with Big Oil to rob the country of much needed cash, at a time when people are crying out and catching hell because of daily increases in the cost

of living.

How will this play out in the campaign ads of 2025, that our PPP working-class Government is siding with the oppressor to milk our nation?

Look at the Black Bush rice farmers now battling with the police in protests there because they are losing income.

For the little people, the Government takes your taxes every time you get a pay cheque. It is called PAYE (Pay As You Earn).

They cant wait to get their hands on your taxes; they take out the taxes up front.

The rich oil companies do not have to do PAYE or corporation profits taxes. We the people do it for them because we love them so much. When you buy anything, you pay VAT right away.

The rich oil companies dont have to pay VAT. In addition to VAT, we the people have to pay enormous customs duties on vehicles, in-

come tax, value-added tax, excise tax, duty, fees, charges or other impost. The rich oil companies dont have to do that.

Can the oil companies tell us which other countries in the world are paying their taxes, the way the Guyana Government is writing fake receipts pretending to receive their taxes (from the oil companies)? Next door in Suriname, the tax rate on oil companies is 36 percent. In Ghana, the tax rate is 35 percent.

They said we made US$607 million income in the Natural Resource Fund.

If we actually deducted taxes from that amount, one estimate says our real oil income would be about US$240 million less. So, does the PPP Government want Glenn Lalls lawsuit to fail and let this bad provision of the worst contract in the world to continue?

Why is that? At least, the AG

has sense to send other people to argue against Glenn and Guyana, or else it would be bad for him if he ever becomes a Presidential Candidate to have to explain why he defended the case himself.

If the PPP Government is defending the lawsuit and fighting Glenn, is the PPP side now saying the PNC did nothing wron g w h e n i t t o l d Trotman to sign the “gift of deed” contract that gave away the national patrimony?

Is that why both the PPP and PNC promised Exxon they will not renegotiate the contract?

KN Radio released a conversation making its way around social media where the PPP Presidential Candidate said if elected they would “review and renegotiate” the contract that “Guyana is getting the short end of the stick.”

(Continued on page 5)

Sunday March 13, 2022

Kaieteur M@ilbox Why is PPP Govt. defending the tax lawsuit for the PNC...

From page 4 The interviewer said to the Candidate, “Two things burning questions that are affecting people…we got 5 minutes and I need these 2 questions answered.

People are asking these questions. The oil contract: Do you agree wi t h t h e US$55 billion Signed Away Global Witness Report, will you revisit the oil contract? The Presidential Candidate said, “We have made it very clear, that we can never agree.

How can, how can, I dont think any Guyanese agree with this.

No Guyanese, except the government that is defending it. We have made it very clear, that we have to go towards, we looking at these contracts, renegotiating these contracts, looking at contract management and all of these things.

Everything we have to relook at because we have to ensure that our country does not get the wrong end of the stick.”

Interviewer said, “Everything is on the table for review as it relates to the oil contracts?” Candidate said, “Everything is on the table, available for review and renegotiate.”

Not only is that a “promise made, promise not kept.”

Now we have the PPP Gov-

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Kaieteur News

ernment essentially saying in Court that the Guyanese people paying the oil companies taxes is legal and OK, that Trotman did no wrong, and that Glenn Lall fighting for the people of Guyana is wrong to challenge the tax giveaway.

We should note that the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has reported a global deal to ensure big companies pay a minimum tax rate of 15 percent and make it harder for them to avoid taxation.

This agreement by 136 countries calls for countries to bring it into law in 2022 so that it can take effect by 2023.

Nation, lets support Glenn Lall who fights for the people while our PPP Government is now hand in glove with the big oil companies ripping off our poor country while our people live in persistent poverty.

Wake up Guyana! Its “Our Wealth, Our Country.”

Sincerely, Dr. Jerry Jailall

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Govt. and Opposition work best when women have equal participation DEAR EDITOR, Two seats in the National Assembly will be made available to the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) with the resignations of Dr. Nicolette Henry and Mr. Joseph Harmon. Henry’s resignation, which was announced in February, is to take effect from March 31. Harmon’s will take effect from March 15 .

With the resignation of Henry, which came first, it has long been accepted that Mr. Aubrey Norton, the PNC/R Leader, would have filled the seat, paving the way for his entry into the Assembly and election as Leader of the Opposition. Earlier this month, Harmon announced his resignation. Whether Norton will take up his expected position earlier – given Harmon’s resignation takes effect two weeks earlier than Henry’s – has not been made public at the writing of this piece. What is known, however, is that there will be another vacant seat.

It is disappointing the names circulating to fill the

other seat see no consideration for a woman, even though one left. The PNC/R in its press statement on International Women’s Day saw it most fitting to remind us of the United Nations’ (UN) affirmation that: “Without gender equality today, a sustainable future, and an equal future, remains beyond our reach.”

Women comprise half of society (49.7 according to Trading Economics). They are believed to be the majority in the PNCR and often touted as being the most reliable base.

Women’s presence and support led to Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, the Founder Leader, referring to them as “the vanguard” of the party. Even if some were to argue the second replacement is not about gender but competency, they are sufficiently competent women who can be selected from the List. The PNC/R under this new leadership

must demonstrate its commitment to women’s empowerment and equal inclusion in the highest decision-making forum of our country. Women fought to be on the List of Representatives and elected to the National Assembly rather than leave it to the attention or generosity of their male counterparts. As a group, women agitated via submission to the Constitutional Reform Commission, to have at least one-third presence on the List with expectation that constitutional recognition will result in representation in the National Assembly and other high offices in government.

Guyana is a signatory to the 2015 UN (Paris) Climate Change Agreement, which

places high premium on society being able to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which sets 17 Goals. The Agreement, signed on December 12, 2015, came into effect from November 4, 2016. Leading up to said Agreement, Mary Robinson, a former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, President of the Mary Robinson Foundation and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Change, addressed the issue of women’s role in Sustainable Development. Writing in The World Economic Forum, (March 10, 2015) Robinson, in an analysis titled, ‘Why gender equality is key to (Continued on page 6)

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Sunday March 13, 2022

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox Govt. and Opposition...

From page 5 sustainable development’ noted: - “Gender equality is not just the concern of half of the world’s population; it is a human right, a concern for us all, because no society can develop – economically, politically, or socially – when half of its population is marginalised.

We must leave no one behind.” Critical to the realisation of the 17 Goals, as per the Forum’s article, is that “those participating would be wise to remember that inclusive sustainable development can be realised only when all human rights – including gender equality – are protected, respected, and fulfilled.”

As society’s nurturers, women see the development of their spouse and/or family as vital even if it means

leaving herself undone or deferring the fulfillment of personal development.

Women want to be treated as equals. The late United States’ Congresswoman Shirley Chishlom, who was of Guyanese extraction, offered words of wisdom associated with challenging a status quo that leaves behind or ignores the wellbeing of others. She said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

This is a timely reminder to women to request their space because government and opposition work best when women have equal participation.

Further development of society requires women taking up positions equally alongside men and where necessary, leading.

Minette Bacchus

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Guyana is blessed to have Sadhguru grace its soil DEAR EDITOR, It was a pleasant surprise to get a notification on Friday evening that Sadhguru has graced the soil of my homeland Guyana and that he would make a public appearance. His presence is a blessing to the nation.

He comments on varied issues using a spiritual explanation or relevance. He is perhaps the greatest philosopher or thinker out of India this century.

He is a phenomenon.

Guyanese in the diaspora, people everywhere, treasure his teachings and explanations of events.

People of all faiths and nationalities speak well of him and look forward for his commentaries on happenings.

It was only recently that that I started listening to the philosophical enunciations and thoughts of Sadhguru on various aspects of life and of past and contemporary current. His views and explana-

tions of events are phenomenal and unique. He is an intellectual par excellence.

He is a man of immense spiritual knowledge. And clearly, he has read a lot and seems to have mastered almost every subject or topic one can think of. Sadhguru is erudite and learned.

He is very devotional and is seen as being very blessed and among the most sacred, yet he is very earthly and engaging. If someone has not heard him before, I urge you to listen to or view his podcasts.

As websites have pointed out, “Sadhguru”, a title given to his real name Jagdish Vasudev. He is well-known around the world as Sadhguru.

The title Sadhguru is a position to a person who is mystical about nature and who is well versed in the Vedas, Upanishads, and other scriptures.

He, himself, is described

as an Indian Yogi, author, spiritual master, environmentalist, and philanthropist.

A website says he has been teaching yoga in India since 1982. He founded the Isha Foundation in India in 1992.

He is revered by religious figures, celebrities, politicians, academics, and others.

Actors and actresses in Hollywood and Bollywood seek him out for advice.

Machel Montano of Trinidad recently traveled all the way to India to perform at a spiritual concert, which he hosted.

A website notes, “He has been valued by the western government and NGOs. He has addressed the British parliament, House of Lords, United Nations Millennium World Peace Summit, World Economic Forum, and many more”.

For his work, he was honoured by the Indian government with the Padma Vibhusan, Indias secondhighest civilian Sadhguru says that, “The only real purpose of life is to explore it in its fullest depth and dimension.”

A website says that his fundamental vision of life is “to offer the science of inner wellbeing to every human being a science that helps a person realise the ultimate potential within.

From this vision stems a

multitude of projects, programmes, and methods, all towards the same aim: to raise every human being to the peak of their potential, so that they are exuberant, all-inclusive, and in harmony within themselves and the world”.

Sadhguru addresses issues from a practical point of view with a spiritual intonation.

And he does so as a pragmatist, a realist. One can relate to him.

And he is also a great, effective communicator — speaks with clarity and perfect English without any strange accent or pronunciation of words. (He is multi-lingual).

He discusses issues ranging from aspects of everyday living like eating and sleeping and even what the colour of clothing people should wear at particular settings to addressing global issues like poverty and climate change.

Most remarkable about him is his cool and calm disposition at all times despite efforts of provocation by a few. As Trinidadian author, Hanoman Doolorchand describes him, “he is the embodiment of the rishi of yore not hidden away in some cave or ashram but engaged in the thick of human activities”.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Sunday March 13, 2022

Kaieteur News

In a time when we are no longer governed by colonial masters, it makes no sense that Guyanese leaders of various backgrounds do not see the wisdom in re-negotiating contracts in the interest of Guyana.

Or is it that our leaders are prepared to return us to colonialism? Colonialism, be it under the crushing hand of a monarch, or a mighty oil power, is one and the same in its effects on the people of the nation subjected to such a demeaning status.

We would be reduced to slavery and indentureship, having no say whatsoever in our destiny. This we must join hearts and hands to resist with our all.

We at this publication and we know that many others, across this land and in the Diaspora too, are not willing to see Guyana being preyed upon any longer, and so are ready to resist any effort at binding this nation to heavy financial burdens that will only serve to cripple development.

We will have none of any kind of colonialism.

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Sunday March 13, 2022

Alleged wife beater, accomplice assault cops with wood Two arresting officers were on Friday reportedly attacked and assaulted with a piece of wood by an alleged wife beater and his accomplice at a house located at Crane Housing S c h e m e , We s t C o a s t Demerara (WCD).

The officers, identified by police only as Constable

Haymer and Constable Bowen, had to discharge a round from their firearm to protect themselves from further harm, before they were able to detain their attackers.

The assault of the officers took place around 21:40hrs. They had gone to the house in Crane to arrest a

24-year-old man – one of the attackers. They had received a call from his 26-year-old common-in-law wife that he had assaulted her.

According police, when the two ranks got there the accused was sitting in the yard with another man.

Upon seeing the ranks, they allegedly located a piece of

wood and attacked them.

Police reported that both ranks were attacked – Constable Haymer was struck to his right hand and Constable Bowen to his back.

It was reported too by the ranks that as they attempted to arrest the men, (Continued on page 18)

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

“Pressure boys seh... buss pipe” Dem

Food security gat a different meaning now. Is no longer bout having sufficient and nutritious food. Is bout walking with yuh security guard when yuh going to buy food.

People gan soon gat to hire security firm when dem buying food items.

Bread price raise de odder day. Cooking oil mekkin hay but de price gone up high, high.

Provision price jumping. De price of vegetables now de same as meat. And chicken price fly through de coop.

Dem criminals gan soon start snatching yuh market bag rather dan yuh purse.

Dem young boys

frighten fuh carry out dem girlfriend.

Some ah dem gal stomach lang and given de price of food, dem boys pocket nah long enough.

Things getting suh rough dat even old people now shoplifting.

De odder day a ole lady appear in front a magistrate.

She get charge fuh stealing a tin of sausage from de supermarket.

De magistrate ask she why she steal de tin of sausage which was only selling fuh $300.

She tell de magistrate, " Yo u r Wo r s h i p , m e h husband and me nah gat much and we very poor. We

did hungry and ah was simply trying fuh get something fuh me and he to e a t . " De magistrate feel sorry fuh de old lady and ask, "How many sausages were in the de tin?”

De old lady responded dat it was only six sausages i n d e t i n .

De magistrate she, “Ok, ah gan sentence yuh to one day in jail fuh every sausage. Dis means that yuh gan spend de next 6 days in prison.”

All dis time de husband remaining quiet. But den he decide fuh talk. He turn to de judge and say, “Yuh honour, she also stole a can of peas.”

Talk half. Leff half.

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Sunday March 13, 2022

Bulkans file motion for expedited hearing...

From page 2 hearing of their case—No. 30 of 2021—against the decision of Justice Navindra Singh delivered on February 15, 2021, in the lawsuit against Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited and receiver Kashir Khan.

In the Bulkans' application, a copy of which has been seen by this paper, the brothers allege that they

have established circumstances that indicate a grave miscarriage of justice, which should warrant the Court of Appeal's permission of an expedited hearing of their appeal.

One such circumstance they said is that the trial judge, Justice Navindra Singh, in giving his decision, disregarded a Full Court Order, which had struck out

three sub-paragraphs of a Statement of Claim. Instead, the brothers noted that Justice Singh opted to rule on those same struck out subparagraphs (plus one more) and not on the 12 subparagraphs he was expected to consider for the case.

The Bulkans' affidavit contends that the premise of the decision, based on these struck out sub-paragraphs,

was therefore flawed and constituted “a substantial and grave travesty of justice.”

They believe that the High Court on this ground did not properly consider their case.

The aggrieved applicants also highlighted that a specialist court, the Commercial Court, took almost nine years to make this flawed decision.

They said this was partly

because the First Defendant, Kashir Khan, took four years to file a witness statement after being ordered by the Court, without reprimand or penalty.

The Bulkans contend that they made more than 100 court appearances in the matter and that in addition to the immense financial harm suffered, they continue to endure hurt, ridicule and severe emotional distress for more than a decade in which the matter has languished.

They further allege that the receiver appointed by the Bank, Kashir Khan, has disposed of all of the company's assets, including prime real estate and specialised manufacturing equipment, and has refused to give them any account of his dealings, nor has he filed accounts with the Registry as required by law.

The Bulkans, in their affidavit, have stated that after the dismissal of their action, they have written to Republic Bank requesting the accounts, which the receiver has refused to provide, and these requests have also been ignored.

They have pointed out that since they have issued personal guarantees to the Bank, in the absence of the information regarding their accounts, they are denied the opportunity of restarting their business and pursuing legitimate livelihoods.

The Bulkans were responsible for establishing and managing one of Guyana's leading valueadded manufacturers, Precision Woodworking Limited, which was founded

in 1983 to manufacture and export high-quality furniture for the European market using indigenous Guyanese hardwoods. In 2001, the company received the Ernst & Yo u n g C a r i b b e a n Entrepreneur of the Year award for its export achievements – the only Guyanese company to do so at the time.

After encountering financial difficulties during the global financial crisis in 2009, the company secured an offer to purchase some of its real estate, which would have enabled them to restructure operations and continue the business.

However, due to absurd actions by the company's bank, Republic Bank, this plan was botched – leading to the filing of the Bulkans' action since 2011.

The Bulkans' application for an expedited hearing to the Court of Appeal is expected to be determined in the coming weeks.

They believe that they have satisfied the Court's criteria on granting expedited hearings, which the Court expressed in a 2018 Application by Sharmella Inderjali, represented by Mr. Siand Dhurjon and Mr. Sanjeev Datadin.

The Court had said that “any exceptions (to accord priority) must be for some good reason, justifiable on its face and transparently applied,” with the applicant first proving some exceptional circumstance in the case that justifies urgency and, second, that the appeal has strong prospects of success.

Sunday March 13, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Patrol ranks save man from being killed in street brawl

P

atrol ranks on Saturday morning turned up just in time to save a man from possibly being killed in a street brawl at Parika Junction, East Bank Essequibo, (EBE), Region Three.

The rescued man has been identified as Dorrel Cambridge, 30, of 62 Namrick, EBE. He reportedly received wounds to his chest believed to have been inflicted by a

broken bottle during the brawl which ended around 00:30hrs.

The ranks, it was revealed, were on duty when they saw several men armed with broken bottles, involved in a street brawl.

Their attention was then drawn to one of the men bleeding from his chest (Cambridge). The ranks decided to intervene but when they tried to do so, the group of angry men reportedly attacked them.

The ranks retaliated by discharging two rounds in the air and the men ran away, leaving a wounded Cambridge behind.

Ranks rushed him to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he received treatment and was later discharged.

Arrests are yet to be made.

Sunday March 13, 2022

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

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BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY! In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes SUNDAY The 'Guardians of Democracy' did their part during the 2020 general and regional elections and Guyana continues to be a democracy.

But can the 'Guardians of Guyana' please stand up?

You are needed to join the fight to safeguard Guyana from the actions of a few that could cripple this beloved nation of ours.

Don't be silent, for as we know, silence is often misconstrued for consent.

MONDAY A lawsuit has been filed to challenge Government's lax approach to oil operators when it comes to taxes.

The lopsided Production Sharing Agreement between Guyana and ExxonMobil and its partners ensures that they pay no taxes.

Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall is challenging this in the local Court. However Exxon is now joining the government to fight Lall, a citizen of this country.

What an irony, instead of

the government stamping its authority to ensure that the country gets more than crumbs from the sector, it has teamed up with the oil companies to allow the rape of Guyana's patrimony.

This therefore begs the question, is the government a subsidiary of Exxon?

TUESDAY 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

in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about onhave 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.

WEDNESDAY Guyana needs more than a few isolated protest actions to see positive changes manifested.

If we are to survive some of the bad decisions, which some of our leaders have made, we need people of every class, colour and creed to protest.

It is time that we demand that our leaders rethink their flawed approach to governing this land.

THURSDAY Why would any good government, willingly,

choose to irresponsibly indebt its country for generations to come?

This we ask of those critics who say that our criticisms are too harsh, too blunt; those who say we use our pages to assault one administration more than the other.

They conveniently forget that our positions have been consistent, administration after administration, since they are the ones that are in charge and make things happen.

Harping on the past solves nothing.

Be assured, this publication is in no way affiliated with any political party; rather we keep on the front burner, issues that affect the very existence of each citizen of this land.

WHEN THIS IS T O T A L L Y UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED, THEN WE ARE ALL ABOUT G U YA N A , A N D N O T PARTISAN POLITICS. FRIDAY

going indecency in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

Glenn Lall, the Publisher of this newspaper, over the years, has kept a tireless and relentless fight going for a better Guyana.

So fierce and conspicuous his efforts are, so irresistible his energies of late that an oil company, a global oil power, has joined government to fight him in a tax giveaway case.

Glenn Lall and Kaieteur News have been fighting continuously for more and better for Guyana. Guyanese need to know what their leaders are doing to them and demand better.

But until slumbering Guyanese stir awake, and rouse themselves to action, Glenn Lall as well as other patriotic brothers and sisters, heroes in their own right, will continue to go as far as the courts, to reverse any decision designed to undermine this nation's development. They will fight with all their might.

Government.

Exxon.

Whoever. Let the battles

begin.

SATURDAY Exxon agreeing to compensate our fishermen for their losses, may seem a negligible development but we at this publication see it as a s m a l l v i c t o r y, t h e beginnings of what could be bigger and more meaningful things for Guyanese, at the hands of a trusted partner.

A genuine partner in a real partnership, where all parties flourish.

The fact that Exxon can entertain the idea that its operations could impact the livelihood of our fishermen, and is prepared to recompense, tells us that all is not lost.

It is why we must persevere in this struggle with the power of a spirit and the kind of compelling persuasion that will not take no for an answer, or which will not be denied.

Brothers and Sisters, expect more victories in the near future.

We are doing our part.

You must too.

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Sunday March 13, 2022

Sunday March 13, 2022

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Sunday March 13, 2022

Kaieteur News

==GNBS in Focus== CAN EFFECTIVELY GUIDE BUSINESSES TO IMPLEMENT AN ISO 22000 FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Over the last couple of weeks, focus was placed on technical assistance provided by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) to local businesses for them to effectively implement a Quality Management System, and an Occupational Safety and Health Management System based on the ISO 9001:2015 Standard and the ISO 45001:2018 Standard, respectively.

Ensuring the safety of food for human consumption is also important for the health and safety of our population, and it supports the sustainability of the local food sector. The GNBS cadre of experienced Technical Officers is also capable of p r o v i d i n g Te c h n i c a l Assistance to Businesses desirous of implementing the requirements of the ISO 22000:2018 Standard: A Food Safety Management System – Requirements for any organisation in the food chain.

The ISO 22000 standard specifies requirements for a food safety management system to help organisations demonstrate their ability to control food hazards, to ensure that food is safe at the time of human consumption.

This control begins at the farm and ends at the fork.

The standard applies to all primary producers, processors, manufacturers, food service providers, storage service providers, catering service providers, transportation service providers, cleaning, and sanitation service providers.

With GNBS support, local food companies can derive many benefits from implementing this international standard.

The standard allows conforming businesses to

access lucrative international markets. Yes, certification to the standard will open doors to many domestic and international opportunities.

The standard also enables c l e a r, d y n a m i c communication across the entire supply chain through organised and targeted communication among trade partners, suppliers, customers, regulators, and other interested parties. In addition, traceability, which identifies an organisation's impact on food safety within the supply chain, can be achieved through the standard.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e standard allows for greater confidence in the safety of food and related products that are served and delivered along the food chain.

Foodborne diseases are also reduced and there is greater protection of workers in the food industry. Further, implementing the ISO 22000 reduces the risk of financial penalties caused by product recalls and litigations.

Meanwhile, many food companies are using the standard as a generator of consumer confidence.

These companies use less time and effort to earn the trust and confidence of prospective customers during product promotions.

Usually, c o m p a n i e s implementing the ISO 22000 standard have recognised the need to continually improve their products and processes to maintain competitiveness.

These companies experience fewer errors, returns on customer complaints, which foster improved relationships with suppliers, business partners and customers, and give businesses a real advantage (Continued on page 57)

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

CONSUMER CONCERNS

PHAGWAH SHUBH! HOLI SHUBH!

By Pat Dial On Friday 18th, March Phagwah or Holi is celebrated countrywide. It is the most ancient holy day in Guyana's holiday calendar since it could trace its origins to over 5,000 years ago. It was introduced to Guyana by Indentured Immigrants from India in the 19th century and quickly attracted celebrants of all races, religions and cultures thus becoming one of the first integrative forces in Guyana's plural society.

Over the 5,000 years of its existence, many varied traditions came to be attached to or absorbed into it but they all had a celebratory aspect as well as moral and religious which proclaimed that Truth and goodness will always triumph over evil and wickedness. In Guyana, there are two main Holi or Phagwah traditions which are strongly maintained: The story of the defeat and death of the tyrant Hiranya Kasipu and the return of Lord Rama from his 14-year exile to his kingdom of Ayodhya.

In ancient India, there lived a great and powerful king named Hiranya Kasipu who was a strong believer in God and who devoted himself to the Divine, practising the most severe austerities (tapasya).

God himself acknowledged H ir an y a K as ip u ' s g r eat devotion and rewarded him with three boons of his choice.

The first boon granted was that Hiranya Kasipu could never die or be killed on the face of the Earth; the second was that he could never be killed or die at night nor day; and the third was that he could be killed by neither man nor animal.

When Hiranya Kasipu attained these great powers, his personality suddenly changed and extreme arrogance and selfishness overtook him. He declared he was immortal and was God himself and became a tyrant oppressing his subjects. He then declared that everyone must worship him as God on pain of death to themselves and families and the temples had to remove the icons of God. The people lived in fear until his young son Prahalad publicly declared that he believed in God and that his father was no God. He incurred his father's extreme hatred and he decided to kill Prahalad.

He and his sister Holika, who was a witch with the power of fire never harming her, worked out a plan to kill Prahalad. A large pyre was built and at nightfall, Holika

took Prahalad in her lap, sat on the pyre which was then set alight. Next morning when the pyre had burnt out, the citizens found Prahalad alive and well but that Holika had been burnt to ash. The king became demented with rage and went into the largest temple shouting that he was God and if there was any other God, let that God come and meet him.

As he paced about in his rage, he struck one of the columns of the temple with his sword and out jumped a Man-Lion, Narsingha, who was an Outar or incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Narsingha immediately attacked the king and they struggled for a long time until dusk had set in. They fell on the steps of the temple and Narsingha managed to catch Hiranya Kasipu by the throat, lifted him off the ground and strangled him. The king was killed at dusk which was neither night nor day; he was throttled in midair off the earth; and his executioner was neither man nor animal.

The people broke into spontaneous jubilation, exchanged meals, sprayed each other with coloured water, especially red to symbolise the tyrant's death and called their festival "Holi" to remember Holika's death and Prahalad's great faith in God which saved his life.

The other Phagwah or Holi t r a d i t i o n i s t h e commemoration of Lord Rama's return from his 14year exile. The story is well known of King Dasrat of Ayodhya having three queens who bore him three sons with Ram being the heir apparent and one of the queens, Bharat's mother, scheming to have her son made king. She was successful in having Ram exiled for 14 years into the wild forests where survival was difficult. But Bharat, who was the epitome of nobleness, integrity and honesty, found his mother's action abhorrent.

He never sat on the throne but placed Ram's sandals there and governed as regent for Ram. It was while Ram was in exile that his wife Sita was kidnapped by Ravan, the demonic king of Lanka, and Ram, assisted by Hanuman, an incarnation of Lord Shiva, gathered an army, invaded Lanka, killed Ravan and rescued Sita. This part of Lord Rama's life is recounted in many Ramayanas even as far away from India in countries like Indonesia and Thailand.

In Guyana, the Ramayana used is written by Tulsidas and (Continued on page 62)

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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

Alleged wife beater, accomplice assault...

From page 8 several other persons who were close by began gathering around to defend the suspects.

Police said that it was, as a result of this, Constable Haymer was

forced to shoot in the air in order disperse the crowd before arresting the two men.

The suspects are currently in custody pending possible charges.

Sunday March 13, 2022

Govt. in talks with Chinese contractor...

From page 3 Amaila Falls Hydropower Project The Amaila Falls Hydropower Project has been marred in controversy ever since its proposal more than 10 years ago.

The previous administration had completely thrown out the project, as it believed the venture was not feasible. However, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government is running full speed ahead with this project, to be executed by China Railway First Group.

The project is expected to cost some US$700M, but Guyanese will not be paying for the project up front. Instead, the country will be purchasing electricity from the plant at an average cost of $7.7 cents, as the project is being pursued under a Build Own Operate Transfer (BOOT) model, in which Guyana would, in 20 years’ time, take over ownership of the project.

Under this agreement, the owner—China Railway—will assume all of the debts and equity and that power will be purchased by the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL).

“GPL will buy all of the power under a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement),” and the contractor will have to

Kaieteur News assume the majority of the risks in the project, Project Head, Winston Brassington said.

Even though this assurance has been given, Guyana is still burdened by six of the most dangerous risks associated with the project. For instance, the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) in addition to agreeing to purchase all of the power to be delivered to Georgetown from the 156 megawatt (MW) Plant has also agreed to assume the hydrological risks involved in the project.

As such, it would mean that GPL would bear the incurred

PAGE 19 liability whenever the Amaila Falls runs dry or if the 23 square kilometres reservoir is unable to feed the hydro plant. Secondly, Guyana will be responsible for political force majeure, that is, if the government changes its mind about the project, it would still have to pay the Chinese contractor for its investment.

The third risk Guyana will stand, along with China Railway, is ‘other force majeure’. This relates to damage to the plant, by unforeseen circumstances. Two other risks will be borne by GPL if the Amaila Falls project fails to meet the electricity demand.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

Sunday March 13, 2022

Kaieteur News

Tiffani Bonner

Meet 23 year old, Tiffani Bonner, a gym fanatic, model and a lover of all things art- music, painting and creative writing just to name a few. Tiffani is currently an Intern at Meta (Facebook) as a Clients Solutions Managertaking Corporate America by storm. A quote she stands by is “Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up”- Jesse Jackson

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Kaieteur News

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Sunday March 13, 2022

war zone of Iraq…

Defying the odds from rugged streets of Albouystown to the Guyana-born retired US Army Chaplain,

Tony Pantlitz is a ‘Special Person’

With his lovely wife, Felicity.

By Rehanna Ramsay

T

here is a common saying that goes like this, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.” Well, nothing can be further from the truth because words can sometimes cause deeper pain than any stick or stone, as was the case of this week’s ‘Special Person’, 59-yearold Guyana-born retired US Army Chaplain, Anthony Pantlitz.

Some persons may recognise Pantlitz from the short-lived tenure as host of Kaieteur Radio’s ‘Wake up Guyana Show’ where he presented under the moniker ‘Toni from Mahaicony’.

As it is with most people, there is much more to Pantlitz than meets the eyes.

He had his fair share of hurdles to cross in life, with the details of his journey being as unique as his fingerprints.

He shared with Kaieteur News that though he was

Posing for a pic atop a US army battle tank.

born in Guyana, he migrated to the United States as a teenager. But before leaving for America, Pantlitz admits that his life was on a downward spiral.

Growing up in the relatively depressed community of Albouystown, Georgetown, Guyana, Pantlitz said that he knew nothing more than a life of drugs, alcohol and crime. To make matters worse, when the young Pantlitz attended school, he was told by his teachers that he was destined to fail at life.

“I was called a dunce and they said that I would either end up in jail or die young,” Pantlitz said, as he recalled how those words stung and prompted his next decision – to drop out of high school.

He noted that perhaps, his teacher’s predictions would have proven true in his life if it had not been for the compassion of his aunt, Olga Muesa, who lived in America.

“Aunt Olga,” he said, “decided that she wanted to

give my siblings and me a chance at a better life and she sent for us.”

You see, Pantlitz’s mother, Enid, had several other children – Orlton, Wayne, Kairy, Troy, Diane and Denise – to care for and life was hard because his biological father had deserted the family, early on.

drastically.

The young Pantlitz soon realised that he was not dunce or incapable of learning at all, rather he discovered in America that he had a learning disability and that he was capable of overcoming it.

Not only, did this week’s ‘Special Person’ overcome

A proud member of the US Army.

Anthony Pantlitz as a retired chaplain with the Air Force, in 2004 at a hospital in Baghdad’s Green Zone with an Iraqi boy, Mootah, who survived an attack that killed some of his family members.

Naturally, his mother more than welcomed the opportunity for her children to travel to America to get a shot at a better life. The retired Chaplain said that was the best decision that his mother ever made, because by moving to America the trajectory of his life changed

his learning challenge, but he went back to school, enrolled at Northeastern Bible College, and Columbia Bible College where he earned not one but two Bachelor’s Degrees, in addition to a Master of Divinity Degree at the Howard School of Divinity in Washington,

D.C. He later embarked on a career in the US military and spent his time serving as a US Air Force Chaplain. In short, Pantlitz made something of his life by devoting his time to serving humanity. In hindsight, Pantlitz said that he sees those dark moments in his life as nothing than teachable moments that today he can use his time to give back to the youth of his homeland.

Pantlitz asserted, “Going back to school to get my high school Diploma was my first challenge. Attending university was my next obstacle to overcome. Next, it was the United States Army Basics Training School. Having successfully overcome these hurdles, my greatest hurdle was yet to be overcome, service to America. This I was able to accomplish by being deployed three times to Iraq and Afghanistan.”

OATH TO SERVE At age 21, Pantlitz had already shown a desire to serve. First, he served as a missionary and just after graduating, the chaplain married his wife, Felicity Quallis.

Soon after, Chaplain (Captain) Pantlitz began his career as an enlisted member of the Army Reserve at Air Force Hurlburt Field, Florida.

As a member of the Special Operation Command, he established guidance and provided advice on all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of Air

Force personnel. He was responsible for establishing a n e ff e c t i v e c h a p l a i n programme to meet the religious needs of all members of the Air Force and their dependents.

Pantlitz related, “growing up in Albouystown prepared me for the rough and tough of the US military.” He continued, “I wanted to get away from home and see the world and make a difference in the world so I joined the American military and served 18 months in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

SURVIVING THE WAR However, Pantlitz soon discovered that nothing could have prepared him for a life in combat. This is where he learnt the true meanings of the words “sacrifice, honour, duty and service above self.”

He recalled that as a father of five, he spent one Thanksgiving in a mortar (bombing) attack in Iraq, where he saw three security guards charred “like burned meat.” For a time, Pantlitz said he lost his faith altogether. The chaplain’s loss of faith is particularly unfortunate but it was certainly not the end of him.

He recalled that in those dark moments, “A still small voice frequently asked me, where is your God?” “Experiencing the horrors of war, the loss of lives; sometimes innocent women and children,” he said, “made me feel so isolated and alienated from people, the world, and Continued on page 53

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

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The PNCR is now shifting blame from GECOM to Granger After 24 years of political dictatorship between 1968 and 1992, Guyana enjoyed an extended run of democratic governments from 1992 to 2015 under the PPP and then from 2015 to 2020 under the APNU+AFC. But it was no forgone conclusion that the democracy had become firmly entrenched.

The PNC, later the PNC/R, had always exhibited a tendency towards undemocratic behaviour. It had attempted to subvert the 1997 elections and tried to overthrow the PPP/C through street protests. This attempt morphed into a criminal insurgency following the 2001 elections. By 2006, however, the PNC/R was weakened and is no longer in a position to press for extralegal regime change. It opted instead to pursue its own brand of coalition politics.

That gambit paid off when, along with the Alliance For Change, it was able to deprive the PPP/C, of its parliamentary majority in the 2011 elections. It then joined with the AFC and a number of obscure parties and narrowly won the 2015 general and regional elections.

But despite the favourable change in the country's voting demographics, the PNC/R still displayed authoritarian and undemocratic instincts while in office. The examples of those have been featured before and are well known to political observers.

Therefore, there is no need for them to be repeated here. Those instincts however, culminated in the attempt to benefit from rigged elections in 2020, one of the most disgraceful episodes in Guyana history and a setback after 28 years of free and fair elections.

The PNC/R has persisted with its discredited narrative that the 2020 elections were rigged.

H o w e v e r, f o r t h e purposes of its internal politics has now shifted blame for its loss in the elections.

The party's leadership is now contending that its 2020 campaign was the worst run in the PNC/R's history. While this contention does not mean that the PNC/R is now abandoning its claim that the 2020 elections were marred with massive irregularities, it does have some implications for that particular discredited narrative.

If the PNC/R's election campaign was the worst run in the party's history, then the party should not have expected that it would have won those elections. After all, it did accept that it lost the 2006 elections. So, if the party was more poorly organised in 2020 than it was in 2006, how can the party then expect that it would have done better in 2020 than it did in 2006?

The reason for the shifting of the blame is to discredit the old leadership of the party. To those making these new charges, it will act as a justification for the tactics, which were adopted to force out the old leadership. After all, if it can

be established that the 2020 campaign was the worst ran elections in its history, then a credible case can be made out for the then leadership to have been removed.

The reason, however, why daggers were pulled on the former Leader David Granger was not because of the 2020 elections campaign but because of Granger's decision to approve of the Recount of the votes and his decision to reject the final GECOM declaration, which handed the PPP/C a narrow victory.

Granger faced a mutiny within his party after the election loss. There was a concerted and conspicuous attempt to force him out of office.

He eventually walked away from the leadership after there were noconfidence discussions in regions and groups. This led to factionalism within the party.

The effects of these divisions were evident at the virtual Congress, which was held. The 2021 Congress was the worst ever in the party's history. Even though it was virtual, there was public airing of the addressing of the outgoing Leader or the report of the outgoing General Secretary. But even more shocking was that there was no assessment done about the

party's performance in the 2020 elections and very little means for the highest organ to have any meaningful input into the decision-making of the party through resolutions, etc.

But if the PNC/R's ran its worst ever election campaign, how then does one explain the fact that the APNU+AFC coalition got

more votes in 2020 than it did in 2015. In 2015, the APNU+AFC secured 207, 201 votes; in 2020 it secured 217, 920, more than 10,000 additional votes.

Given that the voter's roll was larger than in 2015 and the turnout at the polls only marginally lower than in 2015, the total number of votes cast in favour of the

Coalition does not support the claim that PNC/R ran a poor election campaign relative to other elections.

Kaieteur News

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Sunday March 13, 2022

The Commonwealth at a time of threat to the international legal order

By Sir Ronald Sanders The Commonwealth, made up of 54 nations of which 32 are small states, should be deeply concerned at the grave threat to the international legal order caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and should act together to show strong disapproval.

This was the theme of a lecture I delivered at the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, on March 7, to over 100 high-level government and military participants from 47 countries, 14 of which were Commonwealth members.

This week's commentary is a brief outline of some of the

points in a 45-minute lecture.

Russian military forces have invaded the sovereign territory of Ukraine in violation of the agreed principles of the United Nations and of international law. In the words of a distinguished group of international lawyers and academics, on March 4: “President Putin's decision to launch attacks on Ukraine poses a grave challenge to the post-1945 international order. He has sought to replace the rule of law and principles of selfdetermination for all peoples by the use of force”.

In almost every international forum, the actions of the Russian

government have been roundly condemned, and many governments have instituted measures not only to register their strong disapproval, but also to penalise the Russian government.

However, the response of the 54 Commonwealth countries to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has not been uniform.

Commonwealth countries are located across the globe. Nineteen of them are in Africa, eight are in Asia, 13 are in the Americas and the Caribbean, three are in Europe and seven are in the Pacific.

The most telling evidence of the differing positions of

the 54 Commonwealth countries is the vote, on March 2, in the United Nations General Assembly on a Resolution that condemned the Russian invasion. Forty-three of the 54 Commonwealth member states voted in favour of the Resolution; and 11 of them abstained or absented themselves.

Of the 11 Commonwealth countries that abstained or stayed away from the vote seven were African and four were Asian. The three other regions – the Americans and the Caribbean, the Pacific, and Europe – comprising 23 countries, all voted in favour.

To be clear, there was no meeting of governments

u n d e r a Commonwealth umbrella before the United Nations General Assembly Special Emergency Session on March 2, or at any time, concerning the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Each Commonwealth country voted at the Session, or stayed away from it, either on the basis of its own government's conviction, or in harmony with other nonC o m m o n w e a l t h organisations of which it is a member. Every small state voted for the Resolution of condemnation.

These small countries would almost automatically oppose any military aggression toward any country or invasion of it.

Lacking the military means to defend themselves against a powerful aggressor, and also deficient in economic strength to apply sanctions, these countries depend on respect for the rule of international law and adherence to the principles of the UN Charter to safeguard their sovereignty and territorial integrity. When the walls of international law are breached, these small and militarily powerless nations become even more vulnerable to aggression from others. The arbitrary and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine demanded their immediate condemnation in what they would have considered to be their own interests.

The Commonwealth's greatest benefit to each of its leaders is that it puts them in close contact with each other at first hand, and privately at their retreats, when the leader of the smallest country can talk with the leader of the largest or richest nation as an equal, in frank discussion.

As a practical matter, no other association of countries brings together governments and non-governmental organisations from every continent in the world that have a voice in almost all regional and multilateral groupings, including the G7, the G20, NATO and a host of multilateral organisations such as the Organisation for Co-operation in Economic Development, the Organisation of American States, the African Union, the Association of South East Asian Nations and the Caribbean Community and Common Market.

The potential of a collective Commonwealth outreach into these and other

Sir Ronald Sanders international groups remain of enormous value.

In the present dispensation of international politics and military and economic alliances, it would be impossible to form the Commonwealth today. That it already exists as a forum for international dialogue and debate in an atmosphere of intimacy is a gift to its members.

In this regard, events in Ukraine and the precedent that Russia has now set by discarding international law and replacing it with force to invade and subjugate the country, should remind the Commonwealth that it, too, has disputes that threaten its member states. Among these are: India and Pakistan over Kashmir; Guatemala which claims all of Belize; Venezuela that claims twothirds of Guyana; Argentina and Britain over the Falklands Islands; and issues with Turkey over Cyprus.

As early as 1971, in their D e c l a r a t i o n o f Commonwealth Principles, Commonwealth countries stated that they were “convinced that the Commonwealth is one of the most fruitful associations” for “international cooperation (that) is essential to remove the causes of war, promote tolerance, combat injustice and secure development among the peoples of the world”. That declaration remains valid today, with even greater urgency.

The nations of the world are now engaged in a struggle to safeguard the international legal order, which has been gravely threatened by Russia's invasion of a sovereign State. No state is more vulnerable than small ones which are usually the first victims.

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador to the United States of America and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto).

Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : w w w. sirronaldsanders.com

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

PAGE 25

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

The Vaseline moment when spreadsheet became bedsheet

E

xactly two years ago, on this date, this country returned to archaic, sad, Draculean days in the long past when events at the head o ff i c e o f t h e G u y a n a Election Commission were a re-enactment of the night of long knives of 1968, 1973, 1978, 1980 and 1985.

It wasn't only that the elections in those years were rigged. It was the external dimensions of the fraud.

Opposition supporters were killed and beaten up. The police and the army secured the elections for the PNC under Forbes Burnham and in 1985 for Desmond Hoyte.

Each of those four elections, including the 1978 referendum, fear, violence and mayhem punctuated the landscape of Guyana. No one who lived through those fiery ordeals ever wanted to see those human bestialities again as they moved from youth into middle age and in advanced age.

The sordid image

returned to Guyana on March 13, 2020 and a nation once more stood facing the abyss of doom. Before we d e s c r i b e t h e Va s e l i n e moment in the history of election insanities, let me define the Caribbean slang word, “pampasett.” It means to be noticeable in a gesticulating way but there is no substance to your action.

In fact, your action is just a show that should not be given any attention by serious people.

After the five-month election fiasco, a number of Guyanese in the diaspora and at home began attacking the government on the issue of transparent, accountable, inclusive governance. The sermons started after Dr. Irfaan Ali was sworn in and hasn't stopped up to this day.

There is nothing wrong and everything right about individuals and organisations holding the government accountable. It p r e s e r v e s d e m o c r a c y, generates a culture of debate

and provides knowledge to the population. Any government must be under the watchful eye of the media and civil society. Guyana must not be different.

But there must be the expression of patriotism and the need to speak up when the society is threatened.

This is what is expected of the citizenry. What we have in this country since the swearing in of Dr. Ali are questionable people looking for publicity and pampasetting themselves while unwilling to discuss, muchless concede, what happened from March to July 2020. My classification of this type of societal actor is “the usual suspects.”

Here is what happened on this day March 13, two years ago. The acting Chief Justice (CJ) on March 11 ruled that the Returning Officer (RO) for Region Four must use the statement of polls (SOPs) to arrive at the results. Days before, spreadsheets were used that

did not reflect what was on the SOPs. This should have brought the election controversy to an end.

The RO did not follow the CJ's instruction and contempt of court writ was filed against him. The March 2020 election was about to conclude on March 13 at the head-office of GECOM in Kingston. What transpired there was the atavistic reversion to 1968, 1973, 1978, 1980 and 1985.

The RO moved his operation to GECOM's head office on March 13. Just as in 1968, 1973, 1978, 1980 and 1985, state security hassled, humiliated and manhandled bone fide opposition delegates and candidates who had a legal right to be in the building.

There are videos of government-supported thugs assaulting members of the media. Three journalists from KN reported the fear that overcame them.

This was history all over again. The RO used a

d e f e c t i v e projector, with a corrugated bedsheet and a piece of cardboard to highlight the SOPs. But the lens of the projector was deliberately smeared with Vaseline, according to Deputy Minister of Public Works, Deodat Indar, so the numbers were too vague to discern on the soiled bedsheet.

Then the RO did something else. In China, they have super trains that before using them, it took five hours to get from one part of China to the other.

The trains reduced the time by four and a half hours. The RO put up and took down the SOPs faster than the super trains in China.

When you look at what happened to Jonathan Yearwood, one of the opposition candidates that afternoon in the GECOM building on March 13, it was déjà vu for all of us who are

Frederick Kissoon over our sixties. Accosted by a thug, in protecting himself, he was arrested by the police.

On July 30, through the e n e rg y o f t h e w o r l d , particularly the US Ambassador, Sarah-Ann Lynch, free and fair election and the legal results prevailed.

If I were to advise the government, I would tell them not even for a fleeting moment, they should accept, not even a five-minute, dialogue with the usual suspects.

Any human that could criticise the government in 2022 but stayed silent from March to July 2020 is unfit for modern civilisation.

(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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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

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“Sleeping Pills”: The dangers associated with their use

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Emergency Medicine Specialist

I

am often faced with patients who are on sleeping pills and cannot come off. What's worse is that they have become dependent on the drug and cannot come off it or sleep.

Sleeping pills or anxiolytic (antianxiety) drugs slow down the activity of the brain. Benzodiazepines (Ativan, Halcion, Librium, Valium, Xanax, Rohypnol) are the best known. Alcohol has some properties similar to the above drugs, but alcohol is so common that health experts classify alcohol-related problems separately.

Regular use of these drugs often leads to “drug dependence.” That is, the body adjusts to them and it takes a higher and higher dose to achieve the desired effect. Dependence also can develop, meaning withdrawal symptoms will occur if the drug is suddenly stopped. Many of these drugs have legitimate uses.

Benzodiazepines are a good treatment for anxiety and are also useful in sleep disorders.

But they should be avoided as long term remedies.

Combining any of these drugs, or using them with alcohol, can lead to dangerous effects. People often take these combinations to try to boost the feeling of intoxication or to counter unpleasant effects of other street drugs.

ARE THERE SYMPTOMS OF SLEEPING PILLS DEPENDENCE? Ye s . S y m p t o m s o f dependence on sleeping pills include: · A craving for the drug, often with unsuccessful attempts to cut down on its use · Physical dependence (development of physical withdrawal symptoms when a person stops taking the depressant) · A continued need to take the drug despite drugrelated psychological, interpersonal or physical problems.

People with drug dependence eventually develop physical tolerance (the gradual need for greater amounts of the drug to feel the same effects). But addiction implies that the person is also craving the drug's effect or relying on the drug for a reason other than the intended therapeutic uses of the drug.

If the person suddenly stops taking the drug, the body's accustomed internal environment changes d r a s t i c a l l y, c a u s i n g symptoms of withdrawal: anxiety, tremors, nightmares, insomnia, poor appetite, rapid pulse, rapid breathing, b l o o d p r e s s u r e abnormalities, dangerously high fever and seizures.

CAN THIS BE PREVENTED? To h e l p p r e v e n t problems, follow any prescription directions exactly and avoid taking

more of the medication than your doctor ordered.

The biological, psychological and social forces that lead to addiction, however, are difficult to prevent.

If you feel that you need the medication for longer than prescribed, consult your doctor immediately.

Never take medication that has been prescribed for anyone else. Avoid using sleeping pills as a long term solution.

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR SLEEPING PILLS DEPENDENCE? The first goal of treatment is detoxification (withdrawal from the drug).

Detoxification usually involves gradually reducing the dose of the drug or temporarily substituting a medication that has less serious withdrawal symptoms.

The substitute medication, if used, also will be reduced gradually.

Depending on the severity of the drug dependence and other factors (significant heart or lung disease, liver failure, high blood pressure, a person's age and general health status), detoxification may need to take place in the hospital.

All addictions are complex and have multiple causes.

A drug use disorder is usually not an isolated problem.

Commonly, people with sedative, hypnotic or

anxiolytic drug addictions are also struggling with other mental disorders, such as anxiety or depression.

Thus, treatment is best tailored to the multiple needs of the individual.

This should begin with a comprehensive evaluation (medical, psychological and social) to identify the variety of troubles that are fueling the drug use.

Counseling, behavioral therapies, and group programs can help a person address the addiction.

M e d i c a t i o n s o r psychotherapy can address craving or habits that could lead to relapse.

They also are helpful for other symptoms or problems that are discovered in the course of evaluation and treatment.

WHEN TO CALL A PROFESSIONAL It is best to seek help as soon as possible.

Like alcoholism, sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic drug use disorder is a real illness, not a sign of weakness or poor character.

Sometimes, if an addiction has caused problems at home, at work, or with the law, an external push from family, employers, or the law can further motivate an addiction sufferer to seek treatment.

Sleeping pills dependence is difficult to shake without support and without treatment for the root causes.

Withdrawal is likely to be safe when the dose of the substance is reduced gradually. People who

develop withdrawal symptoms that get bad enough to require hospitalization have a 2% to 5% risk of death, a rate similar to severe alcohol withdrawal.

However, most people get help before reaching that stage. Since it is easy to overdo it with some of these drugs, the risk of accidental overdose is significant. In general, formal treatment is likely to reduce the risk of relapse (or returning to the addictive behaviour).

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Dear Reader, in light of the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our publisher, with you in mind, has taken the decision to extend our weekly review of some of our major stories in their entirety.

SUNDAY EXXON’S SUBSIDIARY APPLIES TO JOIN GOVT. IN TAX CASE BROUGHT

BY GLENN LALL Exxon’s subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) has applied to the High Court to be joined as a party to the case for which Kaieteur News’ (KN) Publisher Glenn Lall is challenging the repressive tax provisions contained in the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA).

The PSA between the oil giant, its partners and the Government of Guyana essentially states, “…no tax, value-added tax, excise tax, duty, fee, charge or other impost shall be levied on the Contractor or Affiliated Companies, in respect of income derived from Petroleum Operations with the Stabroek Block.”

The Stabroek Block is currently being drilled by Exxon’s subsidiary EEPGL, Hess Corporation and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited.

In January, KN’s publisher, through his attorney, Mohamed R. Ali, filed an action in the High Court which outlined that the tax reliefs listed under Article 15.1 of the Petroleum Agreement, dated June 27, 2016, between the Guyana Government and the oil companies, violate the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act, the Financial Administration (and Audit) Act, the Prevention of Discrimination Act, and the Constitution.

In that court case, Lall is seeking declarations to have the provisions nullified and reversed.

Last Thursday, EEPGL, the Exxon operator filed an application to join the proceeding alongside the government of Guyana to oppose the court case.

According to the document which was seen by this publication, the Exxon operator applied to be joined as respondent in the case alongside the Government of Guyana. In the document, the oil operator noted it has “a very real and substantial interest,” in the matter.

In an affidavit to support the application, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair

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Kaieteur News

Routledge outlined concerns that EEPGL and its coventurers are the ones that would be most adversely affected, if the 17 declaratory judgments sought by the applicant (Lall) should be granted.

Routledge claimed that the Petroleum Agreement was solemnly negotiated with the Guyana Government.

He stressed that “certain fiscal arrangements therein agreed with the Guyana Government make the Liza Phase 1 Project, the Liza Phase 2 Project and the Payara Project financially feasible and commercially viable.”

Routledge noted further that in addition to the abovementioned projects, Esso and its co-venturers have committed themselves to massive and substantial expenditures both past, present, and future totalling billions of US dollars.

He explained that “If the declaratory reliefs the applicant is seeking are granted, it would similarly cause Esso and its coventurers to sustain substantial and potentially unsustainable financial loss and damage.

The ExxonMobil Guyana President continued, “The subject matter of the instant litigation is whether Esso and its co-venturers are entitled to enjoy the fiscal arrangements negotiated and agreed in good faith with the Guyana Government.”

He added that “Esso and its co-venturers have expended sums in excess of US$4 billion of total expenditures to execute the Liza Phase 1 Project. Esso and its co-venturers are also in the process of expending another US$6 billion to execute the Liza Phase 2 Project and yet another US$9 billion to execute the Payara Project.”

As a result, Routledge contends that Esso and its coventurers’ constant position is that there is no legal justification for any change to these arrangements which were solemnly agreed to between the parties.

He emphasised too that “if the basis on which the Petroleum Agreement was negotiated and agreed is changed, that would cause Esso and its co-venturers considerable economic disruption, confusion, and uncertainty.

“Naturally, as these expenditures were premised on the agreements contained in the Petroleum Agreement inclusive of its fiscal arrangements (including tax exemptions/reductions for Esso and its contractors), Esso and its co-venturers

have a very real and vested interest in maintaining the Petroleum Agreement in the form which was agreed.

Esso has a very real and substantial interest in the subject matter of these proceedings, namely whether the terms and provisions of its Petroleum Agreement with the Guyana Government are lawful and valid, and whether it would be entitled to carry out the above-described projects based on the said provisions of its Petroleum Agreement, and it is thereby entitled to be a party to the said proceeding,” Routledge explained.

As such, the country President contends that it would be improper for the case to continue and Esso is not added as a respondent to the proceeding. Routledge said therefore, “it is necessary and appropriate for Esso to be added as a Respondent to the FDA (Fixed Date Application)...”

He claimed that there can be no prejudice to Lall or his case from adding Esso to the matter.

“As it were, he [Lall] ought to have named Esso as a Respondent in the first place and it is because of his deliberate omission that Esso is now forced to make this Application to correct the said omission. Not joining Esso would constitute a grave and serious breach of the rules of natural justice and in particular, the audi alteram partem rule,” Routledge contested.

Further, he stressed that there is no prejudice the applicant would suffer if Esso were added as a party to defend its interests and to

object to the declaratory reliefs sought against it.

MONDAY ‘OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO FILL UP THOSE BOATS’ - EXXON VP SAYS COMPANY TO PRODUCE MORE, FASTER IN GUYANA With an initial target set at one million barrels per day from the Stabroek Block from 2027, US Oil Major last Wednesday revised this to 1.2 million barrels daily from that year.

The company began production back in 2019 with the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) at a capacity of 120,000 per day.

This was complemented this year when its second FPSO— the Liza Unity—began production earlier this year with a design capacity of 240,000 barrels daily.

A third vessel Payara is currently under construction, with the company already working full speed ahead to get a fourth production up and running with the Yellowtail Development.

The news to increase its earlier estimates of production from Guyana was confirmed by the company’s senior Vice President, Neil Chapman, who during an earnings call informed analysts that “Clearly our objective is to fill up those boats.”

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Darren Woods, during that shareholder activity, in his report noted that “We are focused on leading the industry in safety, reliability,

environmental performance, earnings and cash flow growth – and ultimately shareholder returns.”

It was reported too that the company plans for the year include annual structural reductions of US$9B a year by 2023, compared to 2019, building on US$5B annual structural reductions achieved to date.

“These savings and other improvements, including a streamlined organizational structure, will enable ExxonMobil to double earnings and cash flow potential by 2027 versus 2019, reduce breakeven costs by roughly $10 per barrel, boost returns on capital employed, and sustainably grow total shareholder returns and distributions,” the official said.

Exxon THROUHG ITS Subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited along with and partners Hess Guyana Corp and China National Offshore Oil Company Ltd have been working assiduously in Guyana with some 23 commercial discoveries to date, amounting to in excess of 10 billion barrels of recoverable oil.

Exxon reminded during its shareholder activity that it can drill in Guyana around ten new exploration wells in 2022 and another ten next year.

Earlier this year, Exxon started a new production vessel [the Liza Unity FPSO] that brought the country’s total capacity to more than 340,000 barrels per day. According to officials, to improve future earnings, ExxonMobil is upgrading its portfolio with low-cost-ofsupply opportunities by

investing in advantaged assets, including Guyana.

GOVT. CONFIRMS AMAILA HYDRO PROJECT WILL NOT POWER ESSEQUIBO SAYS BERBICE WILL BENEFIT THROUGH LINK TO DEMERARA SYSTEM The Ministry of Finance, by way of a public statement on Saturday, confirmed that any power to be generated at the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Plant will not initially supply residents of Essequibo.

Additionally, the Finance Ministry said its master plan for the electricity sector includes linking isolated Essequibo systems with the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System by 2026.

The Ministry was at the time responding to a “banner carried on the front page of Kaieteur News on Saturday, which indicated that the Amaila Falls power plant will not supply electricity to Essequibo and Berbice.

According to the Ministry, Amaila will supply electricity through Sophia to the national grid for distribution and this will include Berbice which is already connected through the DBIS. The Ministry said too that even in advance of Amaila, the government is already working to deliver approximately 10 megawatts of peak solar power to be delivered directly to Regions 5 and 6.

The resuscitated Amaila Falls Project was handed to (Continued on page 29)

Sunday March 13, 2022

From page 28 China Railway First Group in November last, said at a cost of US$700M. Senior Minister in the Office of the President, with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, during his budget presentation for this year announced that the Chinese contractor, who was granted approval to construct the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, will commence operations on the mega venture this year.

Dr. Singh had told the National Assembly at the time, “regarding renewable and low carbon energy, our most promising venture continues to be the AFHP (Amaila Falls Hydropower Project) with an expected capacity of 165 MW”.

He informed that government has already requested, received and evaluated proposals for the project and negotiations are in progress with the ‘highest ranked company’ China Railway First Group (CRFG) – the same company that had previously signed a contract to build the said project several years ago.

During the recently concluded Energy Conference and Expo, project head Winston Brassington had outlined that “Like any large project, there is a lot of risk in these projects but most of these risks have been put to the developer,” adding that they include the construction cost with all the “usual checks and balances”, geotechnical risks, hydrology risks, and force majeure risks.

He told the Conference Guyana that the 165 megawatt station itself would cost U$500 million but the government would not be paying for the facility. Under the Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model, the company China Rail, would be selling power to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) at 7.7 US cents per kilowatt hour—a price still to be finalized as part of a Power Purchase Agreement . “This cost is largely the repayment of financing,” he said.

TUESDAY DESPITE EXXON’S WARNING OF DANGERS IN CANJE BLOCK, EPA TELLS THEM TO GOAHEAD Hundreds 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 12well drilling campaign in the Canje Block, but the Environmental Protection

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Kaieteur News

Agency (EPA) has exempted the operator from conducting an 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 previous exploration/appraisal drilling Environmental Assessment and Management Plans in the Canje, Kaieteur, and 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, nonroutine 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 dynamicallypositioned 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. Additionally, the 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 year, this publication 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 12-well campaign for the Canje Block.

The Canje Block is located offshore, in deepwater of Guyana, southeast of the Kaieteur Block, and northnortheast of the Stabroek Block, where EEPGL has conducted substantial exploration and development activities to date. Based on data from these exploration and 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 examined the matter, 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.

MINISTER BHARRAT ORDERS CGX TO HONOUR 2022 WORK COMMITMENTS ON DEMERARA, BERBICE BLOCKS Given 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 other two 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 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 Agreement (PA) and 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 (Continued on page 30)

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From page 29 that CGX has 3,400 sq. km of vintage seismic data on the Demerara which was acquired prior to 1998. After 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.

WEDNESDAY MULTI-WELLDRILLING PROG. FOR KAIETEUR BLOCK EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTALSTUDY -EPAGIVES CITIZENS 30 DAYS TO SEND OBJECTIONS ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), recently submitted an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a 12-well exploration and appraisal drilling programme in the Kaieteur Licence Area, Offshore Guyana. This exercise, once approved, would start in 2022 or 2023 and conclude by the first quarter 2027.

According to project documents with EPA, the Kaieteur multi-well programme aims to gather data on the reservoir characteristics, hydrocarbon presence, pressure, and temperatures. If the presence of hydrocarbons is discovered, EEPGL said wells will be tested to establish the limits of the reservoir.

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Kaieteur News

Additionally, the productivity of wells and the oil or gas properties present will be tested. Once the proposed drilling operations are complete, the exploration well would be permanently plugged and abandoned.

Kaieteur News understands that the project will generate hazardous and non-hazardous wastes.

However, EEPGL assured that all waste streams for the project are expected to be managed in accordance with a Comprehensive Waste Management Plan (CWMP).

As regards the potential impacts from the project, these are expected to be physical, biological, and socioeconomic in nature. The project, according to the Kaieteur Block operator, can potentially affect biological organisms too. Additionally, the project is not expected to directly cause negative changes to the coastal population demographic.

In light of the foregoing, the EPA said project impacts have been deemed negligible to low, shortterm, and localized. As such, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not required. Be that as it may, the EPA said an E n v i r o n m e n t a l Management Plan (EMP) is required to outline the measures to be implemented to mitigate the impacts associated with the project.

The EPA subsequently issued a notice on March 6, 2022 which states that persons who object to the decision of the EPA, to not subject EEPGL to submitting an EIA for this drilling programme, are invited to send objections within 30 days. Persons therefore have until April 6, 2022 to send concerns or queries about the project.

Appeals and comments must be addressed to the Chairman of the Environmental Assessment Board at said email a d d r e s s : Eabguyana21@gmail.com.

Wi t h r e s p e c t t o t h e offshore concession, EEPGL’s documents note that the Kaieteur Block is located in deep offshore waters of Guyana, more than 200 kilometres northeast of the coastline of Georgetown, and adjacent to the northern boundaries of the Stabroek Block where EEPGL has conducted substantial exploration and development activities to date.

Based on data from exploration and development activities, the proposed 12 exploration/ appraisal wells may be drilled within the seven Prospect Areas as depicted in the map attached to this story. However, the exact locations of the 12 exploration/appraisal wells comprising the project have not yet been finalised.

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 the proximity of previously drilled exploration areas.

If discoveries are found at particular locations, EEPGL said subsequent wells could be drilled in the vicinity of such locations to further assess the commerciality of the discoveries, as such, priorities and schedules could change. EEPGL said it will therefore continue to submit the well information necessary to obtain approval for an Environmental Permit from the Guyana Environmental Protection Agency.

EEPGL currently has six drill ships operating offshore Guyana: the Stena Carron, the Stena DrillMAX, the Noble Bob Douglas, the Noble Tom Madden, the Noble Don Taylor, and the Noble Sam Croft. The wells could be drilled by any one of these six drill ships or other drill ship of opportunity.

The drilling of the exploration/appraisal wells in the Kaieteur Block is expected to occur simultaneously with other drilling activities, including: The Liza Phase 2 Development Project well drilling programme and production operations; The Payara Development Project well drilling programme, installation, and start of production operations (authorised under Environmental Permit Ref. No. 20181204-PPOIX); Ongoing exploration/appraisal well drilling operations in the Stabroek Block covered under a 25-well campaign Environmental Assessment and Management Plan (approved on 1 October, 2019) together with the individual environmental permits issued by the EPA for individual wells in this campaign; the Yellowtail Development Project well drilling programme and installation, which is seeking environmental authorisation from the EPA, and the Canje Block Project, which is also seeking environmental authorisation from the EPA for drilling up to 12 exploration/ appraisal wells.

While much of the exploration/appraisal activities will be offshore, EEPGL said it plans to use the existing Guyana shorebases located on the east side of the Demerara River as the primary shorebases supporting the project.

BRIEF KAIETEUR BLOCK HISTORY The Kaieteur Block, which spans 13,500 km2, holds a gross, estimated prospective resource of over 2.1 billion barrels of crude. To grasp a better understanding of the size of the block, it is bigger than three of the founding members of CARICOM: Jamaica (10,991 km²), Trinidad and Tobago (5,131 km²), and Barbados (431 km²).

The massive offshore concession was awarded in April 2015, just days before the May 2015 elections by former President, Donald

Ramotar to Cataleya Energy Corporation (CEC) which was formerly Ratio Energy Limited and Ratio Guyana Limited, a subsidiary of Ratio Petroleum Energy Limited Partnership, headquartered in Israel (Ratio Petroleum).

Over the years, the original block owners have faced several criticisms for being awarded the offshore concession by the Ramotar administration. There were concerns that the block was awarded to a well known gold miner, Ryan Pereira and his partner who had no known track record in the industry as deepwater oil explorers and developers. There were also calls for the award process to be investigated.

But since assuming office, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo who is also considered the local oil czar has categorically stated that the process, in his view, was above board and that it was free of corruption. He also said that the award of the Kaieteur Block was in keeping with the nation’s oil laws which state: “No licence shall be granted to an individual unless he is a citizen of Guyana or to a body of persons unless it is a company; or a corporation.”

The Vice President as well as President Irfaan Ali are also on record as lauding the inclusion of Guyanese investors in the upstream industry as they are of the firm belief that locals ought not to be excluded from any aspect of the multi-billion dollar sector.

Subsequent to the Upper Cretaceous play-opening at the Liza-One discovery in May 2015, a farm-in agreement executed with ExxonMobil, along with various other arrangements, saw the effective date of the Kaieteur Petroleum Agreement being amended from April 2015 to February 2017.

As a result of the farm-in, the Kaieteur Block is operated

by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Production and Exploration Guyana Limited,

in partnership with CEL, Ratio Guyana Limited and a subsidiary of Hess Corporation.

THURSDAY EXXON GOES TO COURT TO MAINTAIN LOPSIDED OIL CONTRACT …GLENN LALL’S HISTORIC CASE CHALLENGING TAX GIVEAWAY OPENS THURSDAY Exxon’s subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) is fighting to maintain the status quo of the lopsided Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) it has with the government.

This position is clearly outlined in the application by EEPGL to join the case filed

by Kaieteur News’ (KN) Publisher, Glenn Lall, over the repressive tax provisions contained in the Stabroek Block PSA. The matter is expected to commence on Thursday at 10:0hours before Justice Nareshwar Harananan at the Georgetown High Court.

The PSA between the oil giant, its partners and the Government of Guyana states inter alia that, “…no tax, value-added tax, excise tax, duty, fee, charge or other impost shall be levied on the Contractor or Affiliated Companies, in respect of income derived from Petroleum Operations with the Stabroek Block.”

The Stabroek Block is currently being drilled by Exxon’s subsidiary EEPGL, Hess Corporation and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited.

However in January, KN’s publisher, through his attorney, Mohamed R. Ali, filed an action in the High Court which outlined that the tax reliefs listed under Article 15.1 of the Petroleum Agreement, dated June 27, 2016, between the Guyana Government and the oil companies, violate the (Continued on page 31)

Sunday March 13, 2022

From page 30 Petroleum Exploration and Production Act, the Financial Administration (and Audit) Act, the Prevention of Discrimination Act, and the Constitution.

In that court case, Lall is seeking declarations to have the provisions nullified and reversed. Last Thursday, EEPGL, the Exxon operator, filed an application to join the proceedings alongside the Government of Guyana to oppose the court case.

According to the document which was seen by this publication, the Exxon operator noted it has “a very real and substantial interest,” in the matter. In an affidavit to support the application, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge outlined concerns that EEPGL and its co-venturers are the ones that would be most adversely affected, if the 17 declaratory judgments sought by the applicant (Lall) should be granted.

Routledge claimed that the Petroleum Agreement was soberly negotiated with the Guyana Government. He stressed that, “certain fiscal arrangements therein agreed with the Guyana Government make the Liza Phase 1 Project, the Liza Phase 2 Project and the Payara Project financially feasible and commercially viable.”

Routledge noted further that in addition to the abovementioned projects, Esso and its co-venturers have committed themselves to massive and substantial expenditures both past, present, and future totalling billions of US dollars.

He explained, “If the declaratory reliefs the applicant is seeking are granted, it would similarly cause Esso and its coventurers to sustain substantial and potentially unsustainable financial loss and damage. The ExxonMobil Guyana President continued, “The subject matter of the instant litigation is whether Esso and its co-venturers are entitled to enjoy the fiscal arrangements negotiated and agreed in good faith with the Guyana Government.”

He added that “Esso and its co-venturers have expended sums in excess of US$4 billion of total expenditures to execute the Liza Phase 1 Project. Esso and its co-venturers are also in the process of expending another US$6 billion to execute the Liza Phase 2 Project and yet another US$9 billion to execute the Payara Project.”

As a result, Routledge contends that Esso and its coventurers’ constant position is that there is no legal

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justification for any change to these arrangements which were solemnly agreed to between the parties. He emphasised too that “if the basis on which the Petroleum Agreement was negotiated and agreed is changed, that would cause Esso and its coventurers considerable economic disruption, confusion, and uncertainty.

“Naturally, as these expenditures were premised on the agreements contained in the Petroleum Agreement, inclusive of its fiscal arrangements (including tax exemptions/reductions for Esso and its contractors), Esso and its co-venturers have a very real and vested interest in maintaining the Petroleum Agreement in the form which was agreed. Esso has a very real and substantial interest in the subject matter of these proceedings, namely whether the terms and provisions of its Petroleum Agreement with the Guyana Government are lawful and valid, and whether it would be entitled to carry out the above-described projects based on the said provisions of its Petroleum Agreement, and it is thereby entitled to be a party to the said proceeding,” Routledge explained.

FRIDAY GOVT. DEFENDS TAX GIVEAWAYS TO OIL COMPANIES - SAYS DEAL WITH EXXON IS A MATTER OF PRIVATE LAW The Government of Guyana (GOG) has come out in denial of each and every claim made by Kaieteur News’s Publisher, Glenn Lall, in the case filed to challenge the discriminatory tax provisions granted in the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) for ExxonMobil and its partners.

In fact, the GOG described its deal with the oil companies as a matter of private law. The applicant’s case prepared by Attorney-at-Law, Mohamed R. Ali, came up virtually at 10:30 am on Thursday at the High Court before Justice Narweshwar Harnanan.

During the proceeding, the parties involved in the case were, inter alia, briefed on how to proceed with their submissions.

Those present included Mr. Lall and his attorney, Mr. Ali, Senior Counsel Edward Luckhoo and Andrew Pollard who are representing Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)— the Exxon subsidiary that was Thursday joined as party to the matter. Solicitor General (SG) Nigel Hawke, and Deputy

SG, Deborah Kumar who were part of the panel standing in for Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, SC—the legal representative for the GOG were also present. The State‘s team submitted an affidavit in response to Lall’s challenge to the excessive tax waivers granted to the oil companies.

In the affidavit, Gopnauth Bobby Gossai Jnr. Senior Petroleuem Coordinator at Ministry of Natural Resources, who swore to an affidavit on behalf of the government, denied, “each and every averment of fact or contention of law,” made by Mr. Lall. In his application, Mr. Lall contended, among otherthings, that many of the provisions listed under Article 15.1 of the Petroleum Agreement, dated June 27, 2016 between the GOG and the oil companies, grants exemptions to persons other than licensees, which violate the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act (PEPA), the Financial Administration (and Audit) Act, the Prevention of Discrimination Act, and the Constitution.

With respect to violations of the Petroleum Law, the publisher contended that this occurs at Article 15.1 of the oil contract which states: “…no tax, value-added tax, excise tax, duty, fee, charge or other impost shall be levied at the date hereof or from time to time thereafter on the Contractor or Affiliated Companies, in respect of income derived from Petroleum Operations or in respect of any property held, transactions undertaken or activities performed for any purpose authorised or contemplated hereunder…”

Lall therefore requested declarations from the Court that the provisions are

unlawful, null and void, and of no legal effect. However in an affidavit in response to the case, Gossai Jnr., a Senior Petroleum Coordinator at Ministry of Natural Resources, defended the decision by the government to grant Exxon, its subsidiary and its partners broad tax waivers.

He said based on the advice of his attorneys there is no breach or violation of the PEPA Cap 65:04; the Financial Administration and Audit Act (formerly Cap 73:01) ; the Prevention of Discrimination Act , Cap 99:08 and the Constitution, as alleged by the applicant, [Lall].

In rebuttal of Lall’s claim, the Senior Petroleum Coordinator said that he was instructed by his lawyers that the Minister is vested with the power under Section 51 of the PEPA and the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) (Tax laws) to grant EEPGL, CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited, and Hess Guyana Exploration Limited concessions of tax exemptions to their licensees.

Further, in answer to Lall, Gossai said that parliament expressly made provisions for the grant of tax exemptions to persons who are non-resident in Guyana, generally under the provisions of the laws of Guyana including the Income Tax Act, Chapter 81:01.

He emphasized “…The said petroleum agreement dated the 27th of June, 2016 accords with those provisions,” Further, as it pertains to Lall’s affidavit, Gossai noted that the license under the Act is one and the same as the contractor under the petroleum agreement.

As such, he noted that the Minister has the express

power by virtue of Sections 10 and 51 of the Petroleum Act to enter into the said petroleum agreement and direct by the order, which was subject to the affirmative resolution of the National Assembly, that specified Acts relating to tax, shall not apply to a person who enters into a PSA with the GOG. Additionally, he noted that Lall has not furnished any evidence to the court to demonstrate how and in what manner articles 15.1, 15.4, 15.5 15.7, 15.9, 15.10, 15.11, 15.12 of the petroleum agreement violates the Financial Administration and Audit Act. According to Gossai, the advice of his attorneys is that the provisions of the petroleum agreement cannot alter the laws of Guyana, separately, cumulatively or in the other manner.

Moreover, the respondent contends that “the tax exemptions were lawfully, sanctioned and duly passed

by National Assembly by affirmative resolution…”

The Senior Petroleum Coordinator noted too that Lall failed or neglected to show how he has been discriminated against in accordance with the Prevention of Discrimination Act and how his rights under Article 149 of the Constitution has been infringed by the provisions of the petroleum agreement. He claimed too that the newspaper publisher misconstrued the matter as his case only addresses the issues of waiver of taxes and makes no mention of remission of taxes by the Government on behalf of licensees. “…Lall failed to show the nexus as to how Section 49 of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act violates Section 6 of the

Financial Administration and Audit Act…”he added.

The respondent held that “PEPA and the order is presumed constitutional and to displace the constitutional presumptions is a high bar and the burden of which rest on the applicant ...”

Towards the end of his affidavit, Gossai asserted that based on the advice of his attorneys, he believes that the petroleum agreement between the licensees and the GOG is made in private law. In the circumstances, he asked the court not grant the declaratory orders sought by Lall and dismiss his application for lack of evidence.

Last January, Lall, in an historic move, filed a case in Guyana’s High, which challenges some of the most repressive tax provisions of the Stabroek Block PSA with ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited.

The application by Lall also flagged paragraph 2 of Article 15.10 of the Agreement which states: “Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Article, Affiliated Companies or Non-Resident Sub-Contractors shall not be subject to the provisions of the Income Tax Act (Cap 81:01) and Corporation Tax Act of Guyana (Cap 81:03) during the expiration period on income earned in Guyana for any given tax year if the Affiliated Company or NonResident Sub-Contractors has conducted business for one hundred eighty-three (183) days or less on a cumulative basis in the tax year of assessment.”

Thursday, the matter came up for the first time (Continued on page 32)

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From page 31 before Justice Harnanan.

Before the start of the matter, the Judge made disclosure that he has a sibling who works for Exxon. In the interest of fairness and justice, Harnanan gave the parties involved 10 minutes to discuss if they wanted him (Justice Harnanan) to continue with the matter or for the matter to be returned to the Chief Justice to be reassigned.

When the matter was called again, there were no objections to Justice Harnanan continuing the case and therefore the judge dealt with the application by Exxon subsidiary, EEPGL. No objections were given and therefore EEPGL was added as a respondent. Thereafter, Lall‘s attorney asked for 21 days to reply to Gossai’s affidavit. Permission was granted for the Applicant to file a reply on or before the 31st March 2022. EGGPL asked for 21 days to file their affidavit and was granted permission to file on or before the 31st March, 2022. The Applicant was granted 21 days to file a reply to EEPGL’s defense, if necessary, on or before the 21st April, 2022.

The matter will continue on the 22nd April, 2022 at 1:00 PM. ONE YEAR LATER… PPP YET TO HONOUR PROMISE TO RELEASE LIST OF BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF OIL BLOCKS It has been over one year since the PPP/C Government has failed to honour its promise to release the beneficial owners of the oil blocks offshore which include but are not limited to the Kaieteur, Canje, Orinduik, Kanuku, Demerara, Corentyne, and Berbice concessions.

The issue was first raised in November 2020 by the Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who holds an oversight responsibility for the oil and gas industry. Back then, he said that the government would seek to determine the beneficial owners of Guyana’s resources, with first priority being given to the owners of the nation’s oil blocks.

Dr. Jagdeo had said that the government intends to have a greater understanding of the ownership structure of the companies with the said licenses while adding that this is important for transparency and taxation purposes.

Jagdeo said too that while a number of the companies which are operating Guyana’s oil blocks are registered in tax havens, including Barbados and the Cayman Islands, the

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Kaieteur News

government will ensure it goes after their information to ensure they pay their fair share of taxes.

The Vice President had also given a commitment to ensure that this was completed before the end of 2020. That was the same deadline given to Guyana and other members of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) to have such information made public.

The international body, EITI, had said it decided to crack down on this global problem since hidden identities in the extractive sectors only help to feed corruption and tax evasion. It also added that people who live in resource-rich countries are at particular risk of losing out when facing this problem as extractive assets are too often misallocated for corrupt reasons.

The EITI further noted that its standard requires public officials, also known as Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), to be transparent about their ownership in oil, gas and mining companies.

The international watchdog said that this information, once provided by its members, will be publicly available and will be published in EITI Reports and/or public registries.

Once published, EITI said, law enforcers, civil society and others have a responsibility to scrutinize the information, and take action to hold to account those who misuse anonymous companies. It should be noted that countries which fail to honour the requirements of the international body could

face expulsion.

Last year June, the Ministry of Natural Resources had indicated that it had not forgotten the issue as it noted its intention to start a beneficial ownership register. It also issued a call for consultants to assist in this regard.

Unfortunately, several calls to the Vice President and Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, since Monday to Thursday for an update on this matter proved futile.

SATURDAY CARICOM MUST END SILENCE ON ABSENCE OF FULL COVERAGE INSURANCE FROM EXXONMOBIL - AS OIL SPILL OFFSHORE GUYANA COULDAFFECTENTIRE REGION -TIGI Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI) is just one of the many agencies that has over the years registered concerns about unsettling matters that remain unaddressed as regards the effective management of the local oil and gas sector.

The transparency body is however looking to take their advocacy a bit further as it intends to press the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on their silence regarding oil and gas matters in Guyana that have the potential to adversely affect the region.

In a recent TIGI column, the transparency agency noted that while local authorities here seem to be shunning persons and

organizations who criticize their handling of the oil sector, it is also notable that CARICOM seems not to be focusing on the potential dangers that it too faces where certain decisions are made in the local industry.

“We have some more questions to ask but not of the (Government of Guyana) GOG. We have a certain regional organization to ask whether the Treaty of Chaguaramas envisioned that one country would be able to sign contracts with multinationals that expose the entire region’s people and tourism industry to such high levels of risk without guaranteed compensation.”

TIGI was at the time referencing the contractual agreements made between Guyana, US-based oil giant Exxon Mobil and its subsidiary agencies for the pumping of the country’s offshore oil reserves. Civil society bodies like TIGI and other concerned parties have highlighted a number of grey areas that include environmental concerns, tax payment concerns, local content concerns and the sharing of oil profits among other matters.

TIGI is of the firm conviction that one of the most obvious arrangements that should concern CARICOM is the failure of Guyanese leaders to ensure that ExxonMobil would take responsibility for all costs associated with the unfortunate occurrence of an oil spill caused by its subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).

Instead, should such an

unwanted situation occur, EEPGL which is the operator of the Stabroek Block, and is in partnership with the subsidiaries of Hess Corporation and CNOOC Group, would be responsible for handling the cleanup costs. Importantly, these companies would be unable to provide Guyana with full coverage insurance that would ensure all costs associated with an unmitigated oil spill would be completely taken care of.

Additionally, the money expended by the limited liability companies would be recoverable from Guyana if the oil producing nation fails to prove the environmental disaster resulted from “gross negligence.”

With Guyana playing an integral role within the Caribbean bloc and being in proximity to its CARICOM neighbours, TIGI believes that small islands that depend on fishing, tourism and other such commercial activities could be directly affected and as such, should express concerns.

In the same way that the Guyana government is asking civil society where they have been as they have been selective in their criticism of the government, TIGI said, “The people of Guyana should be asking them (CARICOM) where they have been. Why have they been silent?”

TIGI indicated that CARICOM is run by funds coming from the peoples of the region and the Bloc should thus have a bigger interest in matters that could affect them.

EXXONMOBIL BOASTS OF FUNDING $120M ‘EGG SANDWICH PROJECT’ IN HINTERLAND REGION Oil giant ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Petroleum Guyana Limited have funded an ‘EggSandwich Project’ in the Hinterland region, aimed at boosting poultry production at that end of the country.

On Friday ExxonMobil announced that the project, valued over $120 million or US$608,000, was pulled off through the Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI).

According to the oil companies, “…the ‘EggSandwich Project’, is the first regional socioeconomic project to be funded by the GGI. It is focused on enabling the hinterland residents to raise their local poultry capacity thereby enhancing consumer access to high quality local poultry products

and economic independence.”

On February 22, 2022 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with local company, The Consultancy Group (TCG), which is the implementation partner for the project. TCG will work with the Rupununi Livestock Producers Association (RLPA) to grow poultry production in the hinterland.

TCG’s Lead Consultant, Timothy McIntosh said, “Our job is really to take them at a place where they’re able to take the really fantastic work that they’ve been doing in the Rupununi outwards to the other hinterland regions.

Our job is really as stewards to help them along, get them to where they need to be.”

The consultant noted that in 2018, an estimated $300 million in poultry meat was imported into the Rupununi from Brazil.

To this end, the partners believe that the ‘Egg Sandwich Project’ can benefit some 25,000 people from the hinterland by reducing the import and by providing fresh produce.

President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, noted that the project is geared towards sustainable development as part of the Greater Guyana Initiative. “It is exciting. It is where we implement the GGI. A lot of it so far, we’ve been getting traction with the educational part of it, whether it’s TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training), the University of Guyana … this is the first significant project which is getting to the sustainable economy part.

Education, of course, builds that foundation but this is helping more practically,” he said.

Exxon in a statement said that its President also underscored that its subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) places much importance in ensuring that Guyanese across the country benefit from the petroleum sector, not only through revenue but also through such projects.

Meanwhile, CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited’s Regional Manager Anand Gohil and Projects Controls Manager Huang Zhao were also in attendance at the signing.

The Greater Guyana Initiative was launched in February 2021. It is a 10-year, US$100 million programme under which ExxonMobil and its co-venturers Hess and CPGL will fund capacitybuilding projects in keeping with the country’s overall development objectives.

sweN rueteiaK

Sunday March 13, 2022

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>>> ENCOURAGING EVENTS, DISTURBING DEVELOPMENTS <<<

EPA to Exxon: keep moving, don't bother stopping; Russia not moving for Venezuela in Guyana border controversy; and H.E. Ali re packaging plant - only moving, not selling

A

ll three of the issues identified above possess the disturbing about them. I think most Guyanese would be similarly uneasy. The troubling facts follow.

Exxon was kind enough honest also - to give Guyana a gift.

In documents submitted to Guyana's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the company did a rare, good deed.

It presented the truth and spoke in carefully balanced language about the potential dangers involved in its 12-well drilling campaign in the Canje Block. In Exxon's own words: “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.”

Exxon was wise enough to speak to both sides of the

risk coin, through hedging that impacts could be “adverse or positive…” At the very least, given such early warning, one would have thought that the EPA would want to know a little more about what such “adverse” impacts could represent, and to share them with interested and/or worried citizens. Instead, Guyana's EPA stepped aside obediently with the clearance of no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) needed, in yet another inexplicable collapsing by the agency's people when the interests of Guyanese are at stake.

We have seen what the fate of segments of our fishing sector has been, but it is still full speed ahead to clear the way for Exxon.

This is not two or three wells, but a dozen of them, with the opportunity for the EPA to gain much-needed insights in what are the extents of its responsibilities.

But another opportunity to manage the Exxon juggernaut better is overlooked. We are unable to keep pace with Exxon's current operations, unlearned regarding all the

components of its offshore activities, yet we could not be more casual and unconcerned.

It disturbs how we cheat ourselves, when the EPA bows to the dictates of corrupt government leaders and engage in these approvals (sellouts and betrayals) of Guyana's gifts.

When developments that mean much to Exxon present themselves for bargaining by Guyana, the best Guyanese agents and leaders can do is betray us still more.

On the Venezuelan front, the word is that Russia will not move for our covetous neighbour in this century long border controversy.

Any Guyanese who trusts that position should be whipped with the cat.

Russia has billions invested in Venezuela, is counted as a staunch ally of Nicholas Maduro, has aided in sanction busting, and there are those proven oil reserves.

In short, Russia has way more involved in Venezuela than Guyana, and could stand to lose out in this developing Great Game South.

Public posture notwithstanding, I believe that, should push come to

shove, Russia will lean more towards our neighbour than Guyana. Guyanese should not forget, nor mislead themselves with a false sense of confidence and security, about what the Russians say.

After all, Ukraine is not war, but a 'Special Military Operation.' It takes a special magician to come up with that one.

Incidentally, Putin's War has now come to Guyana.

Guyanese consumers better get ready for gas prices, and the GPL. Market forces, folks; none should need an education about the disturbing cascading effects on local cost-of-living.

Last, there was the President, Guyana's selfsatisfied political word wizard. His latest creation rabbit is that the Enmore

packaging plant is only moving, not selling. As I absorb this stirring presidential c o m e d y moment, I recall those timeless words of an American g e n e r a l during the 1950s Korean War. It was Marine General Oliver P. Smith, who said after leading the American fallback from Chosin Reservoir, “Retreat, hell we're not retreating, we're just advancing in a different direction.”

As I read the latest in the packaging plant soap opera from the President, I

By GHK Lall detected the same playing around with circumstances, while playing mind games with his followers.

Guyanese with any brain cells still left, listen to their leader and have a long laugh.

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

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Sunday March 13, 2022

3 years of offering exquisite healing services…

Vivaanta Ayurvedic Spa/Salon continues to satisfy

V

i v a a n t a Ayurvedic Spa and Hair Salon, for the last three years, has been helping Guyanese discover the healing and wellness properties of the ancient ayurvedic treatments. Since opening its doors here, Vivaanta has evolved, having become a proven leader in quality personal care services and products.

The spa’s unwavering devotion to superior aesthetics has led it to offer consumers elegant and innovative services at the highest standards.

Customers have raved of the wonderful and affordable service offered by Vivaanta Spa via its Indian-based healing centre located at Lot 3, Church Street, Georgetown.

The company was established by father and son duo, Nitin Mehra and Karan Mehra, who hail from India.

They both share the title of Owner/Director.

Vivaanta, they shared, was established with a “burning desire” to infuse the ancient heritage of ayurvedic therapies in Guyana.

In addition to their exquisite pampering services, Vivaanta offers its customers a variety of

The company is known for its excellent aesthetics and exquisite service.

At right: Owner/Directors of Vivaanta Spa and Hair Salon Nitin Mehra and Karan Mehra, along with family members.

ancient therapeutic treatments that help with various health issues.

For example, the spa offers Indian head massage service, which is a deep massage, using a variety of pressure and techniques, including circular massage strokes on your scalp, deep tissue work on your shoulders and stretching of the neck.

This treatment is said to be good to cure headaches, sinuses and stimulate blood flow and hair growth.

Vivaanta also offers cupping therapy, which is one of the oldest and most effective methods of releasing the toxins from body tissues and organs. It is also known as vacuum cupping. It is a practice in which the therapist puts special cups on the skin to create suction.

This causes the tissue beneath the cup to be drawn up and swell causing

increase in blood flow to affected areas. Enhanced blood flow under the cups draws impurities and toxins away from the nearby tissues and organs towards the surface for elimination.

In addition to services aimed at improving the overall wellbeing of individuals, Vivaanta is described as the one-stop centre for haircuts, styling and treatment; facial treatments, essential waxing and other hair removal services; body polishing and massages.

The company was introduced to Guyanese by t h e I n d i a n businessmen/investors following the success of a similar enterprise in Trinidad and Tobago (Aryanveda Ayurvedic Spa and Hair Salon) in 2011.

According to Director

Karan Mehra, “Vivaanta’s mission is to go above and beyond industry expectations to provide professional, high quality services and products to everyone within and outside of our community.”

He noted that “At Vivaanta, we have created a perfect fusion between ageold therapies and modern spa technology, creating a fusion of Asian, Western and Indian Ayurvedic treatments which is one of the world’s oldest, holistic ‘whole-body’ healing systems developed more than 3,000 years ago in India. It is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit.”

Karan Mehra explained that Vivaanta’s main goal is to promote good health; not fight disease, however, salon treatments may be geared toward specific health problems.

“Vivaanta introduced a totally new concept of care and cure and Vivaanta ensures we do everything we can to accommodate the needs of our clients so that they feel as much a part of the Ayurvedic family as we do,” he said.

Additionally, at Vivaanta, the herbal care products and treatments are designed to remedy a host of skin and health-related issues.

The steady and continued success of Vivaanta’s has led to its continued expansion. This has led the Ayurvedic treatment company to establish a weight loss Centre in 2021 where it offers a variety of noninvasive, non-surgical fat reducing therapies. This latest initiative is led by an expert team of consultants, coaches and dietitians.

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Price for flour up by 15 percent – NAMILCO As the war between Ukraine and Russia continues, fuel prices and food costs have escalated around the world, with customers in Guyana beginning to feel such effects over the past week.

But the fallout between the two neighbouring states in Europe is poised to have further impacts, as the cost for wheat has also gone up by a whopping 40 percent, thereby impacting the National Milling Company (NAMILCO) which was forced to announce a 15

percent increase in its products over the weekend.

The company in the daily newspapers said, “Manufacturing companies worldwide are experiencing unprecedented increases in the costs of raw materials, freight, packaging materials, e n e rg y, a n d o t h e r inputs…the price of wheat today is 40 percent higher than it was on February 15, 2022 just three weeks ago.

During this period, we have also seen increases in the cost of packaging, additives, and just recently, fuel.”

As a consequence, NAMILCO said it can no longer sustain its operations at the current price for flour.

In this regard, the milling company said it must increase its prices by 15 percent with immediate e ff e c t , t o e n s u r e t h e continued supply of the important commodities. “ We w i l l w o r k a t leveraging economies of scale available to us (through wheat vessel ownership) to mitigate some of the adverse impacts of freight logistics, market access and raw

Former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Cecil Kennard dies at 86 Former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Cecil Kennard has died at age 86.

Kaieteur News understands that Justice Kennard was hospitalised several weeks ago but he died at home just before 02:00hrs on Satuday.

After devoting over 50 years of his life to serving Guyana, Justice Kennard was in 2017 forced to retire from his post as Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), by the then President, David Granger.

Before embarking on his career, the former Chancellor had studied Law in the United Kingdom’s prestigious Lincoln’s Inn. He returned to Guyana in 1962 to open a private practice in Berbice, from where he hails.

In 1965, he was appointed State Counsel (prosecutor) in the Director of Public Prosecutions Chambers, before being elevated to senior State Counsel in 1968. He also served as the Guyana Police Force’s legal advisor.

Kennard later served at the Court of Appeal until he became Chancellor of the Judiciary from 1996 to 2002, when he left the Judiciary to take up his position at the PCA where he served until 2017.

During his career, he was the recipient of two national awards, the Order of Roraima, the second highest order and the Cacique Crown of Honour – the third highest order.

Justice Kennard was also the honourary President of the Kennard Memorial Turf Club located at Bush Lot. Justice Kennard was most famous in the sporting fraternity for hosting his annual Boxing Day horse racing meet, Emancipation Day Horse racing meet and Independence Day meet

Dead, Justice Cecil Kennard

which were held every year at the club until the pandemic put a halt on the proceedings.

During his stellar career, Justice Kennard would have prosecuted some of the most high-profile cases both in Guyana and Antigua.

In sharing his sympathies on the passing of Justice Kennard, Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, SC, noted that as a judge, he presided over thousands of cases, in particular criminal cases, some being the most famous criminal cases of that era.

“The Guyana Law Reports, the West Indian Law Reports and the Commonwealth Law Reports, have recorded some of the landmark judgments he would have written and rendered during his long and illustrious career. Criminal law was certainly his forte,” he said.

Nandlall added that Kennard’s erudite judgments in areas of the criminal law, such as, acting in concert, corroboration, identification evidence, admissibility of confession statements, right to counsel in criminal trials, have guided legal practitioners and judges for years and will continue to do so long into the future.

“He was always willing to offer advice and guidance

to young lawyers. I benefited tremendously in this regard.

His hunger to render public service was another of his many phenomenal characteristics. Only a few weeks ago, he and I spoke about his interest to serve in a particular legal office. He certainly has left his indelible print on the fabric of Guyana and indeed, the C a r i b b e a n ’s c r i m i n a l jurisprudence,” the AG added in a statement.

Meanwhile, the government via an official statement expressed its deep regret and sadness at Kennard’s passing.

“The passing of such an exemplary son of the soil also creates a void in the sporting fraternity in Guyana, more specifically the Horse Racing and Cricket administrations. He presided over the Judiciary at a time when Guyana experienced major constitutional reforms and the respect and independence of the judiciary was restored,” the statement read.

Added to this, the government extended sincere condolences to Kennard’s family and friends and thanked them for sharing a distinguished husband, father and friend with Guyana.

r flour, as seen The new price fo ty supermarkets in one of the ci

m a t e r i a l s u p p l y, ” t h e company assured.

It said too that last year when Guyana was impacted by rising costs, NAMILCO absorbed these escalations and avoided passing the costs to its customers, however no other option is left in this specific circumstance.

On Saturday, when Kaieteur News visited a few grocery stores around the capital city, the increase was evident as the price for flour reached as much as $400 and $460 from its previous price of $280.

This publication observed some elderly customers discussing the food price increases in the aisle of a supermarket, even

as their baskets remained with few items, presumably in their bid to keep within their budget, amid the climbing inflation rate.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has resulted in sanctions being imposed against Russia, which has impacted the cost of fuel and wheat as the country is a global supplier of both commodities.

This past week, the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) also said it was struggling to keep the agency afloat as the cost for fuel has increased thereby driving up its operation costs.

GPL complained that fuel prices have reached US$140 per barrel, thus

driving up the company’s operating expense to a whopping $4.5 billion monthly, while electricity sales merely account for $3 billion.

The power company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Bharat Dindyal, during an exclusive interview with this publication on Tuesday told reported that while this increase is not presently being reflected on customers’ bills, it may very well be an option if the electricity consumption is not reduced.

This increase would however, have to be first approved by the Power Utilities Commission (PUC) before being imposed.

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Sunday March 13, 2022

PAGE 39

Beware of “silent thief of sight” – Ophthalmologist warns

…DURING OBSERVANCE OF WORLD GLAUCOMA WEEK

An Optometrist at the Awareness Booth at the GPHC during the past week.

The GPHC Eye Team, led by Dr. Shailendra Sugrim (stooping at far right), and members of the George Subraj Foundation collaborated for a vision screening outreach at No. 57 Village, Berbice as part of the WGW observance.

T

h r o u g h awareness initiatives and outreaches, the Ophthalmology Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), during the past week, observed World Glaucoma Week (WGW).

WGW is a Global Initiative of The World Glaucoma Association (WGA) designed to raise awareness.

This is seen as important since glaucoma is the second leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. This was highlighted in a report done by Head of the GPHC O p h t h a l m o l o g y Department, Dr. Shailendra Sugrim.

In that report he noted, “It is estimated that 79.6 million people have glaucoma and that number is expected to increase dramatically by 2040,” as such “World Glaucoma Week aims at alerting

members of the broader community to the need for regular simple eye checks, which allow earlier detection and, hence, saved sight.”

“Did you know that you can have your vision today and hardly see tomorrow?” asked the doctor, as he informed, glaucoma is known as “the silent thief of sight.”

Dr. Sugrim shared this and much more as he chronicled, in his report, the past week of activities to enlighten the nation about the threat.

“It’s a serious disease that damages a nerve in the back of your eye called the optic nerve. It is known as one of the leading causes of blindness and vision loss globally,” he revealed.

But even worse, glaucoma has no early symptoms. Diagnosis, Dr. Sugrim said, is through a comprehensive dilated eye exam. If detected early, it can be treated to prevent further

damage that can lead to vision loss, but there is no cure, he noted.

Glaucoma is treated by lowering eye pressure (intraocular pressure) and depending on the particular case, the options may include prescription eye drops, oral medications, laser treatment, surgery or a combination of any of these.

There are two major types of glaucoma – Openangle and Closed-angle.

Open-angle glaucoma is a chronic condition that progresses slowly over a long period of time and, Dr. Sugrim revealed that it is the most common type. He said that Closed-angle glaucoma, on the other hand, develops quickly and usually causes painful and immediate vision problems. He urged that people who experience these symptoms “should go to their eye care professional right away.”

In his report he shared some worrying statistics too.

A GPHC optometrist examining a glaucoma patient.

For instance, in 2013 it was estimated that 64.3

million were affected by this condition around the world, then in 2020 it increased to 76 million and it is further projected that by 2040, 111.8 million will acquire

glaucoma.

Without giving figures, the doctor revealed that in Guyana, in 2010, glaucoma was seen as the second Continued on page 51

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Lessons from a lashpreneur !!! E-Networks to air series of

Why Good lashes fall out sooner.

By Latoya Zephyr Hey lash babes,picking up from last week’s article, This week we are gonna switch it up and talk about why good extensions fall out sooner. It’s True but it’s also great and healthy that way To fully explain it, here’s the method good lash technicians will use when applying extensions: 1.Ensure room humidity is between 50% and 70% to allow the glue to work properly 2.Separate a single fully grown natural lash (never the small lashes which aren’t strong enough to hold an extension) 3.Add a tiny dot of glue (the size of a toothpick head) 4.Place extension on and keep separated from other lashes 5.Move to the other eye to allow the glue on the previous lash to fully dry to guarantee no lash clumping Repeat from step 2 This means that there’s only 1 extension per strong natural lash. At the end of the appointment, I’m able to comb through the lashes – they feel light and look natural. There’s absolutely no glue clumping or tension of any kind. It also means that when one of your natural lashes falls out the extension that’s attached to it will obviously go with it. So since your natural lashes cycle completely every 6 weeks, that means that after around 3 weeks, half of your extensions will have fallen out, so getting infills (which is just half of a full set) will bring you back to the full lashes you love!

In photo C it shows work work where The lash tech (not my work) applied one extension per strong natural lash. The glue used was so minimal that it’s not visible (the shininess is the extensions, not the glue) which make the extensions look much more natural. You can see the gaps (C) where she didn’t have any strong natural lashes to add extensions to.

You might also be able to see that there’s around a 0.5mm gap between where the extension is glued and the skin of the eyelid. This is a CRUCIAL thing many inexperienced lash technicians don’t know about, but it is essential to avoid any pain or irritation from the lash poking back into the skin. I’ve heard horror stories from clients of their lashes hurting so much that their eyes constantly watered, or they had trouble sleeping… One client even said

exciting shows this week

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that her lash technician had a “pain scale” where 1 was light irritation and 10 was excruciating! She would pause for her clients when their pain level got above a 7.

It SHOULD NOT hurt to have eyelash extensions – if it does then something is going horribly wrong. What You’re Left With After Good Lashes After good eyelash extensions, you’ll be left with your normal natural lashes.

They’ll just follow their natural cycle since there is no added strain or tension on the lash. Another benefit of having lashes done this way is that you won’t get any pain if your eyelash touches the pillow in the night (whereas bad lashes can be very uncomfortable) What You’re Left With After Good Lashes After good eyelash extensions, you’ll be left with your normal natural lashes. As u see

in photo D…..They’ll just follow their natural cycle since there is no added strain or tension on the lash. Another benefit of having lashes done this way is that you won’t get any pain if your eyelash touches the pillow in the night (whereas bad lashes can be very uncomfortable) This is a photo of a client who hadn’t had her lashes done for around 6 weeks so all her previous extensions were gone but you can see her natural lashes are in perfect condition. There are hundreds of strong healthy lashes compared to the earlier photo of the client who had a removal after a bad set and only had around 50 to 60 strong lashes remaining.

Your lashes should always be kept in the condition you see in photo D and eyelash extensions shouldn’t degrade your natural lashes in any way if they’re done properly.

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Kaieteur News

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Sunday March 13, 2022

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Kaieteur News

POST– COVID HEALTH IMPLICATION AND MANAGEMENT By : Dr. Jagan Nadipelly, Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Pharmacology at Texila American University College of Medicine The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) was discovered in China in December 2019. Since then, more than 440 million individuals have been infected worldwide.

Travel prohibitions, mask use, quarantine, social distancing, regular hand washing, and sanitizing are among the measures and conventions that have been introduced internationally to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Despite enormous scientific and medical efforts, the bulk of the population has been infected with COVID-19.

Most people with COVID-19 get better within weeks of becoming ill; however, some persons with COVID-19 who have symptoms that last longer than 12 weeks may develop postCOVID health consequences.

Several studies have given varying estimates of post-acute COVID-19 symptoms. Various studies have found that the prevalence of these symptoms ranges from 10% to 87.4%. According to a recent CDC report, 35% of people who contracted COVID-19 did not fully recover and had some symptoms that lingered. These are a variety of new or persistent symptoms that can last weeks or months after getting infected with COVID-19 for the first time. Extreme exhaustion (fatigue), shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, difficulty sleeping (insomnia), heart palpitations, dizziness, pins and needles, joint pain, depression and anxiety, cough, headaches, sore throat, and changes in sense of smell or taste are all common complaints. According to a recent scientific investigation, COVID-19 absorbed impairments in pulmonary function, such as impaired carbon monoxide diffusion capacity, in non-critical cases of hospitalized patients.

People who suffer from post-COVID health complications can reduce their symp-

toms by living a healthy lifestyle that includes drinking plenty of water, limiting salt and fat in their diet, eating at small home-cooked meals at regular intervals, reducing stress, getting enough sleep, and staying in touch with friends and family. At least 45 minutes of moderate exercise, yoga, and meditation every day.

Controlling any underlying co-morbidities, such as diabetes and hypertension, is critical, as is having your kidney function tested as directed by your doctor.

Depending on the patient’s presentation, relevant accepted protocols for patient management and care should be followed.

There are no specific care guidelines for people with post-COVID health issues that are based on evidence. Symptoms are usually self-limiting and will go away on their own.

It is critical to avoid selfmedication for symptom alleviation and to seek medical advice from your family doctor if symptoms are severe and persist for an extended length of time.

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MEDEXES - ACCORD...

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g tin s... s e e er tur t In rea C

THE

Western Mastiff Bat

The western mastiff bat (Eumops perotis), also known as the western bonneted bat, the greater mastiff bat, or the greater bonneted bat, is a member of the free-tailed bat family, Molossidae. It is found in the Western United States, Mexico and South America, and is the largest bat native to North America. The subspecies Eumops perotis californicus is a species of

concern as identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The range of this subspecies is principally southwest desert regions of the United States, along the border with Mexico; however, the range extends as far north on the Pacific coast to Alameda County, California.

Description The western mastiff bat has a body length of 5.5 to

7.5 in (14 to 19 cm) and a wingspan of over 22 in (56 cm). It has chocolate brown fur and 30 teeth. The body mass of this species can range from 60 to 70 g (2.1 to 2.5 oz).

Behaviour The western mastiff bat needs at least 3 m (9.8 ft) of open space under its roosting spot for takeoff. Its echolocationary squeaks can be heard from up to 300 m

Beware of “silent thief...

From page 39 leading diagnosis at the GPHC Eye Department. “Now you may ask yourself, am I at risk for glaucoma? Anyone can get glaucoma, but some people are at higher risk.

You’re at higher risk if you are over age 60, African and over age 40 and most importantly, if you have a family history of glaucoma,” Dr. Sugrim detailed in his report.

For the past 11 years, he noted, the GPHC has been annually coordinating glaucoma awareness activities in Guyana during this period. In honour of WGW 2022 observances, the hospital was involved in three activities: awareness sessions on Radio and TV, an awareness booth at the GPHC and vision screening outreaches.

At the GPHC, where the condition is both diagnosed and treated, persons can access the services, at no cost to them, between the hours

of 8am and 2pm, Monday – Friday, or call telephone number: 227-7500 for assistance.

Annual eye exams, Dr. Sugrim noted, help doctors to check for common diseases, assess how your eyes work together and evaluate your eyes as your overall health.

But according to Dr. Sugrim, “patients need to be referred to the hospital before they can obtain an appointment for any service.

These referrals can be obtained from their general physicians or optometrists. Screening services can also be accessed from the National Ophthalmology Hospital - Port Mourant, New Amsterdam Hospital, Mahaicony Cottage Hospital Vision Centre, Linden Hospital Complex, Diamond Diagnostic Centre Vision Centre, West Demerara Regional Hospital Vision Centre, Leonora Cottage Hospital Vision Centre and the Suddie Regional Hospital Vision Centre.”

PAGE 51

(Eumops perotis)

(980 ft) away.

This is unusual as most bat species produce calls in a kHz range far above that of which is audible to humans.

During the day they form colonies of less than 100.

Unlike most North American bats, they do not undergo either migration or prolonged hibernation, but are periodically active all winter.

Diet It feeds on insects, up to 80 percent of which are moths. (Source: Wikipedia)

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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

Soesdyke residents up in arms against “Chill Spot” for noise nuisance

Ron's Chill Spot, the road side business that has been allegedly blasting loud music much to the ire of Soesdyke residents.

A group of residents are up in arms against, Ron's Chill Spot, a small business place located at the Soesdyke Junction on the East Bank of Demerara, for causing them to have sleepless nights.

A resident, who lives a few houses away from the business place, related that the establishment became a source of noise nuisance back in 2018, causing many residents to lose out on many nights of quality sleep. But then in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic struck and brought with it some level of peace. This was owing to the early lockdown and curfew that were implemented. But as the curfew became less restrictive, the resident said that their sleepless nights returned.“The noise does be (Contined on page 56)

A flyer promoting a Colour Party to be hosted at Ron's Chill Spot on March 17.

Sunday March 13, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 53

...Tony Pantlitz school, the teachers called me a fool so I dropped out of high school. Some people called me a good for nothing and said that I’ll never amount to anything. But then, I went to America and joined the military and became a Christian and that saved my life.”

Pantlitz noted too that although in those moments During one of his speaking on the battlefield of engagements at a church.

Iraq, the fear of dying was real, it was a From page 22 tremendous privilege myself. I felt like a I was born a poor lad in to protect and defend prisoner of a war who America. He said, “I a violent village. When I had been forgotten on risked my life in went to school, the the battlefield.” combat to…I almost teachers called me a fool Pantlitz said by the got blown up in Iraq time his faith returned, so I dropped out of high but God had mercy on it came with a different school. Some people me.” force – the numbness, These days, the called me a good for flashbacks and deep US army veteran is nothing and said that I’ll isolation remained. He paying it forward; he never amount to anything. had developed Post continues to serve in Tr a u m a t i c S t r e s s But then, I went to his local church and Disorder (PTSD)—a America and joined the travels throughout condition which is not Guyana at his own military and became a uncommon for expense, speaking at Christian and that veterans and those schools, youth centres saved my life. surviving the war to and other places. His develop. ultimate goal is to The Chaplain also invest in the youth of developed a habit of this country and give journaling as a means them a similar chance of relieving himself of that God doesn’t waste that he was given in the memories that haunted anything.” life. him.

“Sometimes God He explained, “Because P a n t l i t z e x p l a i n e d , p u r p o s e l y b r e a k s t h e America has given me so “When I came back from the chaplain so he can make much. It helped me to reach Iraq war, I brought the war them a better chaplain,” he the unreachable and made home with me. Like many said. “In my case, I was my impossible dream come veterans returning from war, wounded, and I use my through, I would never I b r o u g h t b a c k m o r e wounds to be a healer to regret serving that nation. I baggage than I took. Some of others. This has made me a love Guyana because I was that baggage is dark and b e t t e r C h r i s t i a n , ” h e born here, so I try to be a frightening. Very few people continued. good role model and mentor understand the baggage that PAYING IT FORWARD to children.”

I brought home with me, not Today, as he reflects on “At my own expense, I my family, friends, and even his journey, Pantlitz is travelled to 10 regions in some counsellors do not forever grateful for the path Guyana to speak at schools, u n d e r s t a n d w h a t I that he led. community centres and experienced in combat. I He reminisced, “I was churches to encourage cannot blame them. The only born a poor lad in a violent children to stay in school. people who understand are village. When I went to How many sleepless nights I my fellow veterans who have been there, have done that, and have gotten the tshirt to prove it.”

He continued, “…When I returned from the war, I brought home memories of dead bodies and not just any kind of dead bodies, but the ones whose stench was terrible.”

“More than a decade after the war, I’m still trying to escape the smell,” he added.

Yet, if he could turn back the hands of time, he said, “I would not change anything…I would still serve.”

He added, “To go to Iraq, to get PTSD, and to use it, to make me a more ironically compassionate person, which opened doors for me to tell people who have been through trauma, difficulties,

spent in the hinterland sleeping on boats, on dirty mattresses and in dirty hotels to help the poor, powerless and forgotten,” he added.

Pantlitz now focuses on his family and his work in counselling groups. He also plans on building a Youth Centre on the East Bank of Demerara to cater for children in depressed communities.

He said, helping the less fortunate keeps him motivated. “I do a lot of volunteering at schools and churches…I’m retired, so I spend my time with family.

All my children are adults and have their own lives.

They remain my world. My wife, daughters, Keisha, Abby, Floresha, Jauncenta and my son, Kevin, are

Guyana-born US army Veteran, Anthony Pantlitz. everything to me,” the US Vet stated.

He noted too that he will forever be indebted to his Creator for the way his life turned out and as such will continue to use his efforts to spread his word and testimony.

“When you give your life to God and He can do wonders with it, I’m a living witness…according to the teachers, they expected me to

be in jail or die young but God made sure of it that I overcame those predictions and made it to live victoriously,” he emphasised.

Pantlitz is constantly travelling between Guyana and the US. For those wishing to communicate with to learn more about his journey, email h i m v i a quallis1_s@yahoo.com or call telephone number 6753062.

PAGE 54

7 new infections recorded The Ministry of Health (MoH) on Saturday reported that six patients are now in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit receiving medical treatment.

According to the M i n i s t r y ’s d a i l y dashboard, there are seven new infections, taking the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 63,134.

With no recorded deaths, the dashboard data shows that 12 persons are quarantined institutionally, eight are in institutional isolation and 193 are in home isolation. Additionally, a total of 61,699 individuals have since recovered.

Kaieteur News

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Sunday March 13, 2022

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Sunday March 13, 2022

Soesdyke residents up in arms against “Chill Spot” for noise nuisance From page 52 too unbearable; share boom, boom, boom in yuh ears, does mek you yuh get headache all… All yuh windows does deh rackling and shaking up,” said the frustrated resident.

He claimed that he and a few other residents had made countless

reports to police since 2018. This was confirmed by a senior police official.

Ranks had reportedly visited the location and the man managing the business was charged on one occasion. That matter is still before the court.

But the residents are worried

that there seems to be no end in sight to their suffering.

“We continue to report to police and would make calls when it gets unbearable but they never came back and stop him or instruct him to turn off the music,” the resident shared.

Kaieteur News understands that

the proprietor has claimed that he does not operate a drinking spot or host parties but sells fast food and snacks such as pholourie and eggball.

However, in several video recordings seen by this publication, persons were seen partying to loud music at the location on multiple

nights.

The affected residents are calling on the relevant authorities to “properly address” the situation. They made it clear that it is not their intention for the business to be shut down but that consideration be given to residents in the area.

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

PAGE 57

CAN EFFECTIVELY GUIDE BUSINESSES TO IMPLEMENT AN ISO...

From page 16 in the marketplace.

The ISO 22000 food safety policy and objectives help to improve the performance of the organisation.

Technical assistance offered by the GNBS is the

starting point for businesses to experience the many benefits of the ISO 22000 and other ISO Standards.

The process is simple and starts with the business acquiring a copy of the standard to better understand

the requirements.

The Bureau will then conduct a gap analysis to determine what requirements are being met and those which need to be updated.

This is followed by the

preparation of documents and a pre-assessment audit.

The pre-assessment audit will produce a report paving the way for international certification.

If you are in the food business, don't hesitate.

Contact the GNBS for reliable, helpful, and affordable technical assistance.

Our team of Officers is ready to bring your businesses closer to realising the many benefits of

certification to the international standard.

F o r f u r t h e r information, call the GNBS on telephone numbers: 2190064 or 219-0065, or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgyorg

Kaieteur News

PAGE 58

FUN WITH POETRY

Treat everyone like a brother

by Uncle Roy Among my friends in and out of school, There are those who look different, Because of the colour of their skin, Otherwise I see no difference.

Sometimes when we are together, Two of them start to bicker, And they call one another names, Which have to do with this colour.

This seems to me so silly, When I know they are otherwise good, And in all other things we do, They deal with one another as they should.

I now make it my duty Not to judge people by their colour, And tell others to do the same, And treat everyone like a brother.

Sunday March 13, 2022

Junior page Making Bath Bombs Supplies · 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup citric acid, · 1/2 cup Epsom salt, 1/2 cup Corn Starch · 2 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil Melted · 3/4 Tbsp water · 8-15 drops essential oils of your choice. · Bath Bomb molds see notes under tips, Liquid coloring for soap Craft tools · Medium size mixing bowl, Small glass jar, Spoon, Whisk or fork, Measuring cup, Measuring spoons, Baking sheet with sides Instructions 1. Combine the dry ingredients together in medium size bowl. Use the whisk or fork to stir together and remove any lumps. If adding dried flowers or herbs, add them in this step.

2. In the small glass jar, stir together the wet ingredients.

3. If coloring your bath bombs, now add 1-2 drops of coloring to the wet ingredients and stir.

4. Slowly (and I mean slowly!) pour the wet mixture in with the dry mixture, whisking as

By Ann Kollegger [August 28, 2020] you go.

If you see the mixture fizz or foam, you may be adding the liquid too quickly. Just slow down adding the wet mixture.

5. Once the wet ingredients are combined with the dry, take a small amount in your hand and squeeze it together.

It should stick together in maybe 1 -2 pieces.

If it's still too powdery to hold together, just slowly add a tiny bit more water and try squeezing it again.

Molding With 2 Sided Molds Tightly pack each half of your mold with the mixture until it's just overflowing a little. Press the mold pieces together, then gently remove one side of the mold.

Place the bath bomb on a tray and allow to dry out before removing the other side (about an hour). The key here is be gentle in the un-molding process.

Expert Tips: You can use plastic fillable Easter eggs as a mold. If your epsom salts already have a fragrance, skip adding the essential oils. If you are making as gifts, keep in mind that people may be sensitive/allergic to different ingredients.

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

PAGE 59

TEEN TIME

True Friendship God in His wisdom made a friend, Someone on whom we can always depend, A loyal friend who'll understand, And always lend a helping hand.

He felt we'd need somebody who Could comfort us when we just feel blue, Whose special warmth and happy smile Would make us feel that life's worthwhile.

Someone with whom we can take a walk, Or share a joke or have a talk, Who'd chat for hours on the phone, Or sense our need to be alone.

In short, God made a friend to be Someone we're always glad to see; There's little else that God can send That means as much as one true friend.

Whenever you get NO for an answer, remember that NO means “NEXT OPPORTUNITY”, which gives you another chance at any effort you are making.

I would like to inform our readers that the Uncle Roy email address is temporarily unavailable. So please send any contributions you would like to make to this page to roypaul2002@yahoo.com

Solutions to last week’s Tough sudoku

Sudoku

Behave in such a manner that your life matters to all those with whom you associate When you have taken the steps to make the best of yourself, as we have been suggesting over the past weeks, you should be finding now that you can help others to do the same in the way in which they themselves behave.

This is one of the rewards for the effort you make to improve yourself, and is maybe greater than what you have achieved for yourself, as you can influence so many others to become better persons.

You can also do better in this effort by searching for other ways to reach out to your friends, and lead them

T

towards understanding this approach to the proper solution of the problems with which they are faced in their everyday lives.

You can start a discussion group in which you get them to interact and spread your ideas of good behaviour.

This would be particularly beneficial to all involved, as they would be able to look at all the various problems which face us as ordinary human beings, and get the opportunity to learn how to apply these solutions when they encounter problems.

You can also single out anyone who

he heavy lines indicate areas, called cages, from one to six squares in size.

Fill each cage with unique digits, counting up from 1. So

seems to be behaving in an errant manner, and try to show them how they can follow the right course to acting better.

You can get someone from the church or other organisation to speak to your group on this and other matters which keep others from doing the right thing.

Just believe that you can make a huge difference if you are willing to take the trouble to help. No act of kindness goes unpaid, and it will always come back to you in the end and give you the satisfying feeling that your life really matters.

for example a 2-square cage contains the numbers 1 and 2; and a 6-square cage contains the numbers from 1 to 6.

Adjacent (touching) squares, even ones that touch diagonally, may never contain the same number.

PAGE 60

Sunday March 13, 2022

Kaieteur News

Russia intensifies assault, warns U.S. weapons sent to Ukraine are ‘legitimate targets’ (Yahoo) - Russian forces kept up their bombardment of cities across Ukraine on Saturday, capturing the eastern outskirts of a key southern port and waging an increasingly violent campaign with an eye to encircling the capital even as they sought to bring a political veneer to their occupation in cities they have captured.

The moves come as the White House announced it would send an additional $200 million in arms and equipment for Ukraine. That announcement came hours Moscow signaled it could soon expand the war to embroil Kyiv’s allies, warning the U.S. that it would consider convoys carrying weapons to Ukraine to be “legitimate targets.”

While wide-scale Russian bombing campaigns intensified in cities including Mariupol, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Chernihiv, Russian forces plan to conduct a referendum that would turn the city of Kherson — the first major city captured by Russian forces earlier this month — into a vassal breakaway republic, said Ukrainian Foreign Min-

ister Dmytro Kuleba.

“Given zero popular support, it will be fully staged,” he wrote on Twitter, warning that it was a repeat of Russia’s playbook in 2014, when Russian-backed separatists held a referendum that led to the creation of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics in eastern Ukraine.

“Severe sanctions against Russia must follow if they proceed. Kherson is & will always be Ukraine.”

Sergey Khlan, a deputy in the Kherson Regional Council, said in a post on Facebook on Saturday that Russian authorities were contacting deputies and asking for their cooperation in holding the referendum to create a putative Kherson People’s Republic.

“The creation of Kherson People’s Republic will turn our region into a hopeless hole without life and future,” Khlan wrote.

“Do not give them a single vote! Do not give them any opportunity to legitimize [the Kherson People’s Republic]… Enter the history of Ukraine not as traitors whom nobody wants, but truly as citizens whose names will be remembered by the next generations.”

Meanwhile, in Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Saturday that shipments of Western weapons to Ukraine could be attacked by Russian forces, according to Russia’s ITARTASS news agency. Western nations’ “thoughtless transfer” of portable air defense and antitank missile systems to Kyiv, Ryabkov said, demonstrated “the escalatory component of Washington’s policy.”

The White House announced Saturday it approved an additional $200 million in arms and equipment for Ukraine, on top of $350 million President Biden approved last month.

“We have warned the U.S. that the U.S.-orchestrated inundation of Ukraine with weapons from some countries is not just a dangerous move, but also an action that makes these convoys legitimate targets,” Ryabkov said. The Russian diplomat did not say whether Russian forces would target such convoys in Poland or Romania, NATO countries that border Ukraine.

The tough talk came on a day that Russian forces sustained “heavy losses in manpower and equipment” in areas northeast of Kyiv and were prevented from regaining a foothold on previously captured frontiers, according to the Ukrainian military.

Northwest of the capital, the bulk of Russian ground forces were gathered Saturday about 15 miles from the city center, according to the U.K.’s Ministry of Defense.

Parts of the large Russian col-

umn north of Kyiv had dispersed, the ministry said, either in an effort to encircle the city or limit its risk of Ukrainian counterattacks.

Early in the morning, loud explosions reverberated near the capital. Rumbles — louder and closer than the booms of previous days — could be heard throughout the day and well into the night in Kyiv. They served as the calling card of the twin Russian pincers stretching toward the capital from its northeastern and northwestern flank.

Despite holding off enemy forces from the capital, Ukrainian officials admitted a bitter defeat, acknowledging that Russia had seized part of Mariupol, a strategic city in the southeastern Donetsk region that could allow it to build a land corridor from proMoscow enclaves in the east to Russian-annexed Crimea in the south. Russian shelling of the city hit a mosque sheltering more than 80 people, including children, and repeated efforts to evacuate 430,000 residents have failed as their convoys come under artillery fire. Dozens of buses loaded with humanitarian supplies were reported to be attempting to reach the city.

“Let’s see whether this one gets here or not,” Mariupol Deputy Mayor Serhiy Orlov said in an interview with the BBC, noting that six previous attempts to bring food, water and medicine to his beleaguered city were unsuccessful.

“The convoys were not let through,” he said. “They were bombed, the road was mined, there was shelling in the town.”

In Mykolaiv, another major Black Sea port and shipbuilding center about 300 miles west of Mariupol, Mayor Olexandr Senkevitch claimed in a video posted Saturday on Instagram that eight civilians were injured and more than 160 houses, three hospitals and 11 educational institutions were damaged overnight.

“We will definitely repair and restore everything,” he said. “We heal the wounded.

And defeat these damn orcs” referring to the Ukrainian nickname for Russian forces.

With those forces assembled about 15 miles outside Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky struck a confident tone from inside the capital, where citizen militias are armed with missiles, machine guns and Molotov cocktails.

THE

Court Journal

By Renay Sambach

I

n the Magistrate's Court, there are three different methods in which matters are tried.

For the not so serious offences, a trial is conducted, while for the serious offences, the Magistrate can either conduct a preliminary inquiry (PI) or a paper committal.

For the serious offences, the defendant is not allowed to either plead guilty or not guilty, since the matter was laid indictably.

For those offences, the Magistrate does not impose a sentence but rules whether or not sufficient evidence was presented to the court for the matter to either be discharged or for the defendant to be committed to stand trial in the High Court of the respective district.

However, while a PI can last for more than five years, most Magistrates prefer this method, and the paper committal which was introduced in 2008 can last up to 45 days. Also if the defence requests to cross-examine the witnesses, it may take longer to conclude.

TRIAL Some matters can be disposed of at the Magistrate's Court level.

Some of these matters are larceny charges such as simple larceny, larceny from the person, break and enter and larceny, assault charges

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Sunday March 13, 2022

and threatening and abusive language.

While those offences are still criminal acts, those matters can be disposed of in the Magistrate's Court.

On the defendant's first court appearance, he/she is required to either plead guilty or not guilty to the charge after it is read by the Magistrate.

With a guilty plea, based on the offence, the Magistrate can either, sentence the defendant to not more than five years, impose a fine or order the defendant to do community service.

In some instances, some persons are fined and sentenced, but the Magistrate would also take into consideration the defendant's honesty and with a not guilty plea, the matter will have to go to trial.

The defendant is either granted bail or remanded, and a date will be set for report and fixture.

This will be based on the readiness of the prosecutor, who is expected to have his/her file completed and be ready for trial.

With the file completed, a date is then set for trial.

During the trial, the prosecutor will call his/her witnesses to testify orally in court.

Each witness who testifies is subject to be crossexamined by either the defendant or his/her attorney.

The Magistrate will

Disposal of matters…

Trial, Preliminary Inquiry and Paper Committal usually take written notes of each witness' testimony, which is called a longhand deposition.

After that process is c o m p l e t e d , t h e defendant/attorney will then make his/her no-submission to the court and the prosecutor will also make a submission.

A no-case submission to the court occurs when the defence highlights aspects of the matter to support their claims that the prosecution does not have a matter against their client.

When the Magistrate is finished reading both parties' submissions, a date will be set for ruling on the submissions.

If the Magistrate upholds the defence's no-case submission, the matter will be dismissed.

However, the Magistrate can also rule that there is sufficient evidence against the defendant.

In the Magistrate's Court, someone who is found guilty of an offence can only be sentenced to a total of five years, which can be accompanied by a fine.

PRELIMINARY INQUIRY (PI) For the more serious offences like rape, murder, manslaughter, treason, and causing death by dangerous driving, among other offences, a trial cannot be conducted in the Magistrate's

Court.

For those matters, the Magistrate can either conduct a preliminary inquiry (PI) or paper committal.

It should be noted that what is said in court by the witnesses during a PI, cannot be reported on.

Magistrates often choose to conduct a PI into a matter, even though it can take more than five years to complete.

Like the trial, the Magistrate takes down in writing every witness' statement and records and marks all items presented to the court as exhibits.

After the prosecution would have called all of his/her witnesses to testify, the prosecution can then close their case.

Most prosecutors are hopeful that the evidence they would have produced to the court would satisfy the Magistrate to make out a prima facie case, so that a reasonable jury can convict the defendant.

If the Magistrate finds a prima facie case is made out against the accused, he/she can opt to lead their defence or not.

A defendant, who chooses to lead their own defence, can call their witnesses to testify in the matter, but a defendant who refuses to lead their defence would automatically be committed to stand trial.

The accused will then

join the line of accused awaiting trial at the next convenient sitting of the criminal jurisdiction of the High Court.

It should be noted that the assizes do not consider the accused matter until the Magistrate's longhand depositions are typed by the court staff.

A longhand can take anywhere from a few weeks to years to be completed.

Additionally, there are several aspects of the PI, which cause delays.

Not only does the Magistrate have to set the matter to accommodate other PIs, summary civil matters, summary criminal matters, inquests, and other statutory and administrative functions, but also the police prosecutorial system and the defence counsel's schedule, and the number of witnesses and the availability of the witnesses must be taken into consideration.

While this method is commonly used by Magistrates for serious offences, the PI into a matter usually takes years to complete thus this method often causes backlog in cases.

PAPER COMMITTAL The Criminal Law Procedure (Amendment) Act No. 17 of 2008 introduced a system, which is known in other jurisdictions as 'Paper Committals.'

A paper committal is when the witnesses' statements and documentary evidence are tendered to the Court without the witnesses being present in court and are inventoried and marked as exhibits.

Based on the written records, the Magistrate will take approximately 45 days before giving a ruling on whether there is sufficient evidence for a prima facie case to be made out for the accused to stand trial in the High Court.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e Magistrate may also consider submissions from counsel that there is insufficient evidence or allow the crossexamination of witnesses before making his or her decision whether to commit the accused for trial.

It should be noted that Magistrates are not expected to allow cross-examination ad nauseam as this would defeat the purpose of the act.

The defence on his own motion or on an application to the proceedings can require any witness to attend before him and give evidence – the cross-examination is also allowed.

Issues have been raised in the past whether the Magistrate should have more guidance in the form of regulations with appropriate safeguards to ensure the process would be executed in a fair manner.

PAGE 62

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Sunday February 13, 2022

Speaker Manzoor Nadir accused of being bias...

From page 54 the House by the AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, and the matter was later rectified when the Speaker was forced to take the House out of the Committee of Supply in order to properly move the motion and this was done.

Opposition Chief Whip, Christopher Jones, following the initial motion for suspension—since it was determined to be improperly moved and approved—protested the action of the Speaker and his misapplication of the Standing Orders.

VIDEO EVIDENCE Jones in a letter to the Speaker contended, “we the APNU+AFC Members of Parliament formally wish to bring to your attention issues of grave concern that have occurred as a result of the events of last evening which took place in this Honourable house.”

According to Jones, “of most concern is the misapplication of the Standing Orders

in relation to the suspension of Member of Parliament Sherod Duncan.”

He noted that “…you may recall on review and there is enough video footage to support this, that the suspension was done while in the Committee of Supply instead of the larger National Assembly giving the sanctity of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of Guyana we feel this error must be corrected for the record.” Jones in his lamentations noted “…your decision to suspend Member of Parliament, Sherod Duncan, but find it interesting that the same level of sanction has not been applied to Minister Nigel Dharamlall who is on public record as uttering, while on the floor, one of the vilest comments that could be directed to any female member of Parliament anywhere in the world.” According to Jones, “this we find totally unacceptable and expect that the same level of censorship will

be applied to the offending Minister. It is our hope that you will review your position on both these issues as we understand the difficulty of managing the situation at the time and that you may not have been in possession of all the facts.” Notably, Minister Dharamlall himself did, subsequent to the incident, conceded to the offending nature of his remarks and apologized, both to the House and on social media, to those who might have been offended. At the end of the 10-day long process— five days for debates, four for Committee of Supply and one to present—$552.9B was approved for spending by the PPP/C administration, large amounts of which had been approved en-block given the time restrictions compounded by the fact that time was wasted interrogating as little as $2,005 dollars in a $552.9B Budget inclusive of $126B of oil revenue.

Sunday March 13, 2022

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U.S. Talks to Ease Oil Sanctions on Venezuela Get Blowback - Republicans and leading Democrats oppose any move to lift sanctions to help boost crude supply amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (Wall Street Journal) -The Biden administration’s interest in regaining access to Venezuelan oil is facing stiff opposition at home over concerns it would prop up an autocratic regime that is a close ally of Russia.

The pushback comes from both Republicans and many prominent Democrats, as well as Venezuela’s U.S.backed opposition, that recently warned officials in Washington it is a mistake to consider turning Caracas back into an energy ally without restoring democracy there first.

“The democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people, much like the resolve and courage of the people of Ukraine, are worth much more than a few thousand barrels of oil,” Sen. Bob Menendez (D., NJ), an influential ally of President Biden who is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement earlier this week.

The bilateral opposition to tapping into Venezuelan crude underpins the political minefield for the Biden administration as it seeks alternative sources of oil for the U.S. during Russia’s war on Ukraine, which prompted the White House to ban Russian oil and has led to soaring prices.

The U.S. imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry in 2019, shortly after President Nicolás Maduro won reelection in a vote widely seen as a sham. The sanctions hit an already battered oil industry in Venezuela, which says it has among the world’s largest oil reserves but has seen its output decline over the past two decades of mismanagement by its socialist government.

Last weekend, senior U.S. officials met with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas in the first trip by a White House official to Venezuela since 1999, when the late Socialist firebrand Hugo Chávez took office. The delegation included Juan Gonzalez, the White House special assistant for Western Hemisphere affairs; Jim Story, the Colombia-based ambassador to Venezuela; and Roger Carstens, the U.S. spe-

cial presidential envoy for hostage affairs.

U.S. officials are exploring the idea of easing sanctions to allow U.S. companies to invest again in Venezuela’s oil sector and help raise the country’s production of about 800,000 barrels a day, say people familiar with the matter. In addition, the White House also sees an opportunity to reduce Russian influence in Venezuela, which is Russia’s top ally in South America, and rethink a U.S. policy toward Venezuela that has failed to dislodge Mr. Maduro from power.

After the meeting with Mr. Maduro, the U.S. officials held a call on Sunday with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guiado to explain Washington’s position, according to a senior member of the Venezuelan opposition.

Mr. Guaidó, who is recognized by Washington as the country’s interim president, was angered, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. He wrote a letter to Mr. Biden arguing that Venezuela isn’t in a position to produce enough crude to ease oil prices and that lifting sanctions would reward a dictator responsible for forcing millions of Venezuelans to leave the country, this person said.

A few days after the U.S. visit, Mr. Maduro, who has long sought to have sanctions lifted, agreed to restart negotiations with Venezuela’s opposition in Mexico. Mr. Maduro—who has a $15 million reward on his head after he was indicted by U.S. prosecutors on charges of narcoterrorism conspiracy—released two Americans, including a former oil executive whom the U.S. says had been imprisoned on spurious charges. Mr. Maduro has called the U.S. drug charges “dirty, false accusations.”

Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia said Saturday that U.S. oil companies are welcome to return to Venezuela “if they accept that the only and legitimate government of Venezuela is the one led by President Nicolás Maduro.”

News of the talks with Venezuela sparked an outcry from both political parties, especially in Florida where

there is a large Venezuelan diaspora of people who fled Mr. Maduro’s political crack-

downs as he oversaw an economic collapse.

Opponents of lifting sanctions note that doing so would barely benefit the U.S. While Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves, it would require tens of billions of dollars and years of investments to increase production after

the collapse of output in recent years, according to Venezuelan oil experts.

On Friday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a rally against buying Venezuelan oil, saying the U.S. should increase domestic production instead to offset the lost supply from Russia. Senate Re-

publicans, including Florida’s Marco Rubio, presented a bill to prohibit the U.S. from importing Venezuelan crude.

The legislation would also ban Iranian oil. The lifting of sanctions is also a no go for Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, a congressional adviser said.

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Sunday March 13, 2022

Sunday March 13, 2022

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GMR&SC Circuit Racing resumes today at South Dakota All lights are green for today’s Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) Circuit Race event at the South Dakota Circuit.

Grading and shaping of the entrance roads along with other track preparation works were completed in the week with drivers reminded to use the Highway entrance.

Racers will get a chance to dust the cobwebs off their machines after nearly two years without a circuit racing event, though they will have to do without spectators for this event. According to GMR&SC President Rameez Mohamed, all systems have been put in place for the event which is expected to begin at 09:00.

“We have gone through all the necessary setups and processes to ensure that tomorrow [today’s] event is pulled off

without a hitch. The reason we are able to have this event in the first place is because the National COVID-19 Task Force granted permission based on how we would have run our endurance event.”

“I’m asking all participants, marshals and those who are required to be there to ensure that they follow all the preset rules that the taskforce has set out for us.”

These rules include only the entrance of fully vaccinated personnel, proof of which is to be presented at the checkpoint on entry to the venue along with relevant Identification.

Sanitization stations and social distancing along with mask wearing are also requirements on the day as was reminded by the NCTF via letter to the club last week.

Persons are also reminded that the task force will be onsite to ensure that these measures are upheld.

Berbice Jammers emerge as top gym - Sampson named Best Boxer

B

erbice Jammers Boxing Gym emerged victorious when the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA)/Pepsi/ Mike Parris U16 Championship was hosted yesterday at the Andrew ‘Six Heads’ Lewis Gym in Albouystown.

Vergenoegen Boxing Gym of East Bank Essequibo took the runner up spot while Young Achievers and Pacer and Power were tied in third position and Forgotten Youth

Sunday March 13, 2022

Tiquan Sampson (right) receives the MVP award from Seon Bristol (Zaheer Mohamed photo) Foundation (FYF) place fourth.

On an action packed day, Tiquan Sampson of FYF was voted the best boxer on show. Competing in the 48-50kg class, he dominated his contest against Jadon King of Berbice Jammers forcing the referee to stop the fight one minute and 54 seconds into round one. Among other winners were Daniel Stephen, Keyon Britton, Jeremiah Duncan and Jevon Anthony. More details in tomorrow’s edition. (Zaheer Mohamed)

Sunday March 13, 2022

Tough fixtures ahead for Lady Jags...

From page 69 pool, and we accomplished that.”

Dr. Joseph hailed the exploits of the local based players in the squad with special mention of Annalisa Vincent as one of the best takeaways from the first round of qualifying matches.

In addition, the coach hailed the overall composition of the squad which he believes has the right mix of youth and experience that now gives him the question of what’s the best XI to put forward.

Nicaragua will be a tough opposition according to the coach. He described them as

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Kaieteur News

very technical and this side had beaten Turks and Caicos 19-0 while Guyana only managed a 7-goal victory.

In addition, history has proven that Guyana does not do well against Trinidad and Tobago, so the coach is looking to change the lady jags poor record against them.

Guyana are top of the group F standings with sixpoints while Trinidad & Tobago, with a lesser goal difference are second with six, and Nicaragua are third with 3 points. Turks & Caicos and Dominica both have 0 points.

Bonner, Holder help West Indies salvage draw in first Test (SportsMax) - Defiant second innings batting from man-of-the-match Nkrumah Bonner and Jason Holder helped the West Indies salvage a draw on day five of the first Apex Test match against England at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Saturday.

England’s unbeaten pair of captain Joe Root (84) and Zak Crawley (117) started the day attempting to add on to England’s overnight 217-1 and eventually got to 225 before Crawley became the first scalp of the day, falling to Holder for 121.

Sunday March 13, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Some interesting information could come to you from another state or country, Aries. This could induce some pretty deep thinking, leading to decisions that could alter the course of your life in some way.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Congratulations! You've finally reached a goal you've been working toward for a long time. Success and advancement are on their way, and you should be feeling extremely enthusiastic and optimistic about your future.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You should wake up feeling strong and confident. Expect to receive some good news today, which will only heighten your mood.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Vivid, wonderful dreams may have haunted your sleep last night, leaving you disappointed that they weren't real. They have a message for you, so write them down, set them aside, and analyze them later.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your outgoing and jovial nature is intensified today, Gemini, and so you're probably going to be sought after for any parties or celebrations.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Inspiration is the keyword for today, Cancer. An optimistic and enthusiastic attitude could lead to powerful imaginings, which may take solid form as plans for future projects.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A group you're associated with could bring information to your attention that puts you in a very positive frame of mind and almost has you skipping all the way home.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your faithful and diligent work, Virgo, in addition to a lot of sacrifices for the sake of your career, will soon bear fruit. The anticipation of a great evaluation, with possible advancement, is likely to have you walking on air all day, full of dreams and plans for the future.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Feel free to take full advantage of the very open social energies of today. You, especially, will feel at home in any social gathering, totally at ease talking to new people and charming the room.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Expect some very pleasant surprises today, Capricorn.

If you're single, you're likely to receive a phone call from someone who interests you romantically.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You should be feeling especially strong, healthy, and charismatic. You're likely to receive some invitations to exciting parties.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Optimism and enthusiasm for the months ahead have you feeling confident and strong. The sky's the limit!

A male visitor could have some surprising news for you. This is a great day to make investments.

Root carried on and brought up his 24th Test match hundred, the secondmost by an Englishman only behind former skipper Alastair Cook’s 33.

Dan Lawrence, who joined Root after Crawley’s dismissal, made a breezy 37 before he was removed by Alzarri Joseph to leave England 295-3 off 78.3 overs.

With a declaration looming, England’s batsmen tried to step up their scoring rate but kept losing wickets quickly, including Root for 109 and Ben Stokes for 13.

Joseph finished with 3-78 off 23.2 overs while Kemar Roach picked up 2-53 off 19

overs.

They eventually declared on 349-6, leaving the West Indies needing 286 for victory.

The West Indies started their pursuit just before lunch, eventually reaching 4-0 at the break.

After lunch, Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell continued their fruitful partnership at the top of the order with a second 50 partnership of the match.

They got to 59-0 before Brathwaite was trapped in front by Stokes for 33.

Campbell was then dismissed in the next over by Jack Leach for 22 to leave the hosts in a spot of bother at 59-2.

Shamarh Brooks (5) and Jermaine Blackwood (2) then quickly became Leach’s next two victims to leave the West

Indies struggling at 67-4 in the 35th over.

Thankfully for the West Indies, Bonner (38) and Holder (37) safely negotiated the final 36.3 overs to lead the West Indies to 147-4 off 70.1 overs.

Jack Leach was the pick of the England bowlers with 3-57 off 30.1 overs.

Final Scores: England 311 and 349-6 declared, West Indies 375 and 147-4.

The second test gets underway on March 16th in Barbados.

Match details: West Indies 375 (Bonner 123, Brathwaite 55) and 147 for 4 (Bonner 38*, Holder 37*) drew with England 311 (Bairstow 140, Seales 4-79) and 349 for 6 dec (Crawley 121, Root 109)

India hammer Richards impresses at GNRA...

For the Juniors’ .22 Precipage 66 West Indies... From points that included 5 bulls sion competition, Satya

From page 72 Dottin. Dottin’s bowling is used sparingly because of an ongoing back problem, and after sending down five overs she was struggling as she left the field at the interval.

Still, she was able to add another thrilling performance in a tournament where she has already bowled the matchwinning over against New Zealand and taken a spectacular catch to dismiss England’s Lauren WinfeldHill.

With limited mobility, Dottin peppered the boundary with 10 fours and a six her half-century came from only 35 balls.

However, she required treatment at the beginning of Rana’s over and, two balls later, top-edged a sweep to short fine leg. From there, West Indies unravelled. The Caribbean side faces Australia on Monday March 14.

Match details: India Women 317 for 8 (Mandhana 123, Harmanpreet 109, Bhatia 31, Anisa 2-59) beat West Indies Women 162 (Dottin 62, Matthews 43, Rana 3-22, Meghna 2-17) by 155 run

GNIC, Police in winner’s...

From page 73 there were two wickets each for Stephon Johnson, Kester Harcourt and Rocky Hutson.

In reply, Police reached 101-5 with Alex Burnette leading the charge with 32 from 43 balls which included three fours and two sixes while Patrick Tyndall made 20 and Kevin Christian followed up his half-century in the last round with 14.

Terrence King was the most impactful bowler for the opposition with 3-74.

while Harold Hopkinson was second with 231 points (6 bulls) and Surujbali Persaud came in third with 225 points (6 bulls).

In the 9mm competition, Richard carted 230 points with 4 bulls while Joshua Ramlakhan claimed the second place spot with 222 points (4 bulls) and Roberto Tewari was third with 214 points (2 bulls).

Dayaram finished on top with 225 pts (5 bulls), Royland Fraser was second with 188 pts (2 bulls) while Kesley Andrews crossed the line third with 183 points (3 bulls).

In the Juniors’ 9mm Precision match, Michael Gupta won with 165 pts (1 bull), Yonelle De Abreu was second with 157 points (1 bull) while Fraser ended in third with 155 points (2 bulls).

Kaieteur News

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Sunday March 13, 2022

Richards impresses at GNRA HandGun Precision Competition The Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) successfully hosted the Murals Logistics Agency Inc. HandGun Precision Competition on Saturday March 5th, at the Tactical

Services Unit (TSU) Ranges in Eve Leary.

The event featured a junior and senior category with all of the matches having a maximum of 250 points.

Gordon Richards reigned supreme in the Senior Division as he won both the .22 Precision and 9mm Precision competitions.

Richard ended with 236 (Continued on page 65)

The top shooters took a photo op with their accolades following the event.

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

PAGE 69

Lady Jags Head Coach, Dr. Ivan Joseph

2022 Concacaf W Championship Qualifiers…

Tough fixtures ahead for Lady Jags Guyana national women’s team, the Lady Jags, began their qualification bid for the 2022 Concacaf women’s championship in great fashion with a 4-0 triumph over

Dominica and a 7-0 drubbing of Turks & Caicos in their first two Group F matches.

Guyana’s upcoming matches are against Nicaragua and Trinidad & Tobago.

Dr. Ivan Joseph, coach of the local women’s team, during a zoom press conference yesterday mentioned that, “We’re very pleased with our first round performance. We’re

not satisfied but we’re pleased.

Our main objective was to come away with results where we would still be in a position to finish in first place of our (Continued on page 67)

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Kaieteur News

Cheddi Jagan Memorial softball on today at Lusignan The annual Cheddi Jagan Memorial softball competition will be contested today at Lusignan in four categories.

The action will commence at 09:30hrs with Rockaway and Wellman battling in the over- 50 category which be followed by the over 45 Division where Wellman, Rockaway and Fisherman will face off.

Savage and Success will then contest the over-40 segment which will be followed by the open category with six teams set to take part. At stake are trophies sponsored by the National Sports Commission (NSC). No entrance fee is required while teams are ask to be present at the venue at least 30 minutes prior the time for play to start.

Sunday March 13, 2022

Blairmont Blazers, Albion to clash in Shameer Baksh memorial today

T

he Albion Community Centre will come alive on Sunday with top teams Albion and Blairmont Blazers set to clash in the inaugural Shameer Baksh Memorial 50-over cricket match. The game which will bowl off at 09:30hrs is in memory of the father of Shabeer Baksh, the proprietor of Big B’s – Baksh’s Restaurant.

The game will feature several top players, including Devendra Bishoo, Kevin Sinclair, Gudakesh Motie, Jonathan Foo and Anthony Bramble.

Blairmont Cricket Club (Blazers): Javed Karim, Kevon Jawahir, Kevin Sinclair, Seon Glasgow, Neil Persaud, Chris Harry, Nigel Deodat, Satyah France, Waqar Hassan, Farouk Suban, Suresh Dhani, Altav

Balman, Razam Koobir and Arun Jaikaran.

Albion: Gudakesh Motie, Devendra Bishoo, Jonathan Foo, Anthony Bramble, Kandasammy Surujnarine, Sharaz Ramcharran, Adrian Sukhwa, Ramesh Kassinath, Kelvin Umroa, Gaurav Ramesh, Joshua Harrichan, Dimitri Cameron, Beshan Surujnarine, Jeetendra Autar and Devendra Latchman.

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

PAGE 71

Agricola, 4-R Lions victorious in GCA’s U-19 cricket

By Sean Devers

A

gricola and 4-R Lions registered wins in the opening round of the Georgetown Cricket Associations’ (GCA) Ramchand Auto Spares, Survival Group of Companies & Trophy stall U-19, 50-over cricket tournament yesterday.

At the Queen’s College Ground, QC were rattled out for 72 in 21.2 overs as only Jadon Alves reached double figures with 26 from 35 balls which included four boundaries.

Andell Manohorilal

captured 6-9 for the debutants Agricola who replied with 74-3 to start their campaign in GCA cricket auspiciously with a commanding 7-wicket win with 29.2 overs to spare.

Joel Gilkes led the way with an unbeaten 29 from 24 balls with two fours and three sixes and shared in an unfinished 51-run fourth wicket stand with Shaun Thompson who scored an undefeated 22 from 59 balls with three fours.

Manohorilal (10) was the other batter to reach double figures while Laurel Baptiste had 2-9 for the Students.

In the other match at Bourda, half-centuries from West Indies U-16 batter Mavendra Dindyal and allrounder Thaddeus Lovell could not protect GCC from the star studded 4-R Lions, comprising of players from all three Counties including the lively Berbice and West Indies U-19 fast bowler Isaiah Thorne.

They made 187 all out in 49.4 overs in their first outing in a GCA tournament.

Ta n a m i C a e s a r t o p scored with 46 from 78 balls with three fours and received good support from Romeo Deonarain who made 42

from 94 balls with four boundaries.

Thorne made 33 from 32 balls with a four and six and Kevin Kesten who struck two fours and six ended with 20.

Lovell had 3-42 while

Aryan Persaud and Krsna Singh had two wickets each.

GCC replied with 167 all out with Dindyal’s even 50 coming from 62 balls with four fours and a six before he was run out while Lovell’s 53 included four fours and a

six and lasted 69 balls.

Zachary Jodha with 22, was the only other batsman who got into double figures There were two wickets each for Bruce Vincent, Deonarain and Rashad while Thorne had one.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 72

2022 ICC Women’s World Cup… (BBC Sport) - Hundreds from Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur propelled India to a 155-run victory over West Indies at the Women’s World Cup in Hamilton.

Mandhana’s elegant 123

Sunday March 13, 2022

India hammer West Indies and a classy 109 from Harmanpreet lifted India to 317-8 - their highest total in the World Cup. Deandra Dottin clubbed 62 from 46 balls to give West Indies a blistering start.

But after she was caught

off the off-spin of Sneh Rana, the Windies faltered, losing all 10 wickets for 62 runs to be bowled out for 162.

It is West Indies’ first defeat, following surprise w ins over hos ts N ew

Zealand and England in their opening two matches.

India’s second win from three games lifts them to four points, level with four other teams at the top of the table.

Mandhana and Harmanpreet lead India resurgence India’s batting had been ponderous in their win against Pakistan and defeat

by New Zealand, leading to a call for greater intent from captain, Mithali Raj. The 2017 runners-up responded by piling on the second-highest total they have ever made in a one-day international.

Mandhana and

Harmanpreet added 184, an India record for the fourth wicket and their highest partnership of any kind in a World Cup match.

Harmanpreet could have been caught on 30, but Anisa Mohammed failed to get a hand on a loopy chance at short fine leg, while Mandhana was put down on 94 and 118.

Dottin’s assault had India on the back foot, only for Rana to make the breakthrough.

From there, India had control. Rana picked up 322, while 39-year-old pace bowler Jhulan Goswami had Mohammed caught at mid-

wicket for her 40th World Cup wicket - a tournament record.

Dottin assault not enough for Windies Whereas West Indies held their nerve defending totals against New Zealand and England, here they faced the pressure of fielding first for the first time in the tournament.

They wilted in the face of India’s superb batting. Not only were they harmed by dropped catches, but bizarre tactics and injuries to all of seamer Shakera Selman, wicketkeeper Shemaine Campbelle and all-rounder (Continued on page 67)

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 13, 2022

PAGE 73

GCA/NBS 40-over 2nd Division...

GNIC, Police in winner’s row

By Sean Devers GNIC beat Transport Sports Club (TSC) by two wickets at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) Ground while Police defeated Bel Air at Eve Leary as action continued in the NBS 40over second division cricket competition on Saturday.

At DCC, led by a run-aball 58 with eight boundaries from Alvin Mohabir, a solid 34 from Rafael Singh and 29

from Riyad Latif, TSC reached 176-9 in 35 overs batting first.

Jermaine Grovsnor (333), Trevon Jones (3-40) and Jeremiah Benjamin (2-29) took the wickets for GNIC who reached their victory target of 178-8 in 30 overs.

For GNIC, Shawn Desouza made 39 from 42 balls with four fours and a six, David Dick scored 39 from 32 balls with five fours

and a six and Benjamin made 37 from 42 balls with five boundaries which included a six to get GNIC over the line.

Myhiem Khan had 3-28 and Kevin Ross 2-29 in a losing effort.

Over at the Eve Leary Sports Complex Ground, in rare sunshine, the game commenced close to one hour late due to absence of Umpires.

Bel Air were eventually

shot out for 97 despite 21 from Hiradea Jailall, 18 from Ranoi Qransult, 16 from Keon Franklin and 14 from Rajendra Singh. Ameer Mohamed took 3-22 while (Continued on page 67)

Rajendra Singh is bowled by Keston Harcourt who took two wickets in the over at the Police ground yesterday.

(Sean Devers Photo)