Kaieteur News

Stop approving oil projects until robust regulatory systems are established

-EnvironmentalActivisturgesEPAboss ...saysExxonchoosingitsownstandards

Environmental and Human Rights Activist, Danuta Radzik, has urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to hold off on granting Environmental Permits to ExxonMobil for more oil projects until the requisite

systems are put in place to adequately monitor and regulatetheindustry Radzik in a 16-page submission,addressedtothe Executive Director of the EPA,KemrajParsramonthe Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA)submitted

by Exxon for the fifth oil project, Uaru, said the document submitted by the oil company’s Consultant, AcornInternational,exposes the lack of an established regulatory mechanism in Guyana, particularly as it relatestowastematerialsand chemicals associated with offshore production activities.

Radzikinherlettertothe EPA, dated March 8, 2023 points out that after more thanthreeyearsofoperation at the Liza One project and almost eight years after the discovery of hydrocarbons incommercialquantities,the nation is yet to implement laws to hold petroleum companies accountable for theiractions.

She said, “Guyana as a country has failed to pass legislation and adequate regulations for standards to whichoilandgascompanies can be held legally accountable, has not developed independent abilitytomonitorandensure safepractices,andhasfailed to produce verifiable monitoring information that can be used for more accurate and relevant EIA studiessinceLizaOne.”

Radzik is adamant that Exxon’sUaruEIA“supports thecasethattheEPAshould stop processing permits for offshore oil and gas production, until Guyana as a country has both the legal and technical capacity in placetomanageimpactsand regulatetheindustry.”

The activist cautioned that in the absence of Guyana’scapacitytoregulate the sector, oil companies enjoytheroleofbothoperator and regulator, with a wide discretion for voluntary industrystandardsthatdonot often adhere to the stringent protection standards in internationalguidelines

For instance, Radzik noted, “The global standard fortheoilinproducedwater

discharges is a daily maximum of 30 ml whereas ExxonMobil is being permitted a maximum of 42ml,whilebestpracticeand technology recommend that these be at zero levels. The produced water should be reinjected into appropriate reservoirs and wells according OSPAR, IFC W o r l d B a n k a n d International Association of OilandGas(IOGP),andthe European Commission on Best Available Techniques (BAT) on Upstream Hydrocarbon Exploration andProduction.”

Theenvironmentalisthas requested that the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB) convene a public hearing on the Uaru EIA,whichshesaidhasbeen reportedly submitted without Exxon’s signature, meaning no proof that the company accepted responsibilityforthestudy.

She told Parsram in her missive, “As you are aware, the only meetings held on thisEIAwereorganizedand controlled by the company, whose interest is to promote the project. Relevant and critical questions asked at those sessions did not meet with satisfactory answers. The Environmental Protection Act does not foresee that a company would be interfering in the public’s 60-day comment process on EIAs afforded undertheAct.”

Radzik noted that Exxon’s consultation process that was voluntarily organized with EPA’s supportandtheEIAstudyin many cases failed to gather and present information relevant for an adequate assessmentofimpacts.

Danuta Radzik has worked for over 30 years on gender justice, prevention, protection and response to gender based violence, TraffickinginPersons(TIP)

Continuedonpage16

EPA Head, Kemraj Parsram

Human Rights and Environmental Activist, Danuta Radzik (Guyana Chronicle image)

Govt.appoints‘energy pushers’on Environmental Assessment Board

Mangal-Joly urges President Ali to reconsider appointees

Environmental activist, Simone Mangal-Joly has written to President Irfaan Ali, asking that the Head of State reconsiders the appointed members of the Environmental Assessment Board(EAB).

This Board is a mandatorybody,requiredby the Environmental ProtectionActinSection18. According to the legislation at Section 18 (1) “There is hereby established an Environmental Assessment Board, and the Third Scheduleshallhaveeffectas to the constitution of the Board and otherwise in relationthereto.”

It tasks the members of this board with the responsibility of conducting hearings into all appeals made by the public, regarding EIAs and Environmental Impact Statements(EIS).Italsosays the Board may recommend whether an EIA should be rejected, amended, or accepted, whether a Permit should be issued by the Agency and what terms and conditions should be includedinthePermit.

In summary, this Board plays a critical role in approving projects that may impact the environment Government projects are alsosubjectedtothescrutiny ofthisprocess.

Be that as it may, the Government of Guyana on February 10, 2023 via the Official Gazette published a Cabinet decision to appoint Dr Mahendar Sharma as Chairman of the EAB and Dr Garvin Cummings and Mr Joslyn McKenzie as membersoftheBoard.

The Government Notice revealed that Cabinet c o n s i d e r e d t h e Memorandum presented by

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira and approved the appointment of the EAB membersforaperiodofone year, with effect from January1,2023toDecember 31,2023.

It is apposite to note that Dr Sharma heads the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), while McKenzie functions as the Permanent SecretaryfortheMinistryof Natural Resources. Finally, Dr Cummings is the Chief Hydrometeorological Officer(CHO).

Given the individual functions of the appointed members in their respective state-owned entities, Mangal-Joly told President Ali in a letter dated March, 10,2023,“Itisdisappointing that rather than address the issuesofconflictsofinterest withgovernmentduties,you have doubled down and appointed a board with two of three members having direct conflicts of interest with their government duties.”

She went further to note that this decision is in fact a

stepbackwardsasthenewly appointedEABnowlacksin its entirety any members w i t h e x p e r t i s e i n environmental protection, coupledwiththefactthatitis built with government representatives.

Mangal-Joly told the President, “As you are aware,sincetheadventofoil production in Guyana, most ofthemattersbroughtbefore theEABhavehadtodowith projects directly related to areas within Dr Sharma’s and Mr McKenzie’s remit.

Dr Sharma...ischargedwith overseeing the development of all types of energy projects in Guyana, including fossil fuel-based projects. He was previously Chairman and is currently a Director of the Guyana PowerandLightInc.(GPL).

Mr McKenzie is the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources – with this Ministry having chief responsibility for promoting petroleum development and the publicly funded USD 2 billion plus Gas to Energy project.”

Shewaskeentonotethat while these individuals are no doubt competent; their employment situation and governmentdutiesresultina glaring lack of separation of powers and present a high probability of conflict of interestinmattersthatcome before the EAB. “This, in fact, is the situation unfolding in the matter of o b j e c t i o n s t o t h e Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to waive an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the 300MWNatural Gas Power Plant Project, which isanessentialpartoftheGas to Energy Project,” the environmentalist pointed out.

In pointing out what she believesisaflaweddecision, Mangal-Joly explained that the Guyana Power and Gas Inc.submittedanapplication

to the EPA for the 300 megawatt power plant that will utilize gas to generate electricity for the national grid Project documents reveal that the Guyana Power and Gas Inc will be thelargestsupplierofenergy toGPL.

Mangal-Joly also flagged that Dr Mahender Sharma’s wife, Mrs. NadirSharma, is a Director of the GuyanaPowerandGasInc.

As such, she queried, “Here you have two of the project proponents who are duty bound to promote the project, one who is director of an agency directly involved in the application, presiding over the appeals

process for the power plant. How can the EAB provide a fair hearing when two of its three members are in compromising situations? Even if Dr. Sharma and Mr. McKenzie were to recuse themselves, which they clearlyhavenotdonetodate, how could the remaining EAB member, Dr Garvin Cummings, also a governmentemployee,serve assoleadjudicator?”

The environmentalist argued that the EAB is an appealsbodythathasalegal duty to be impartial in its consideration of matters “The Environmental ProtectionActmandatesthat m e m b e r s m u s t b e u n e n c u m b e r e d b y conflicting loyalties and duties.Withoutthistherecan be no public trust and confidence in the impartiality of the body or t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability in the decision-making process,” sheurged.

In addition, the environmentalistsaidlackof trust in the fairness of the EAB’s decisions can also feed conflicts and lead to lack of stability and predictability in the country’s environmental management system. This cannotonlyadverselyaffect publicinterestbutalso

Continuedonpage10

Head of the Guyana Energy Agency, Dr. Mahendar Sharma has been appointed Chair of the EAB

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources, Joslyn McKenzie

Chief Hydrometeorological Officer, Dr. Garvin Cummings

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

Guyanese women taking to the streets

The women of Guyana are feeling the squeeze, they knowaboutpainandfears,whatitistoworryaboutfamily, about the state of the home. Guyanese women still possessing some amount of self-respect are concerned aboutwhattheGuyanaGovernmentisdoingasitrelatesto protectingthiscountryshouldadestructiveoilspilloccurin ExxonMobil’s offshore oil operations. The fact that those operations are over a hundred kilometers away does not provideanycomfort,forwhenaseriousoilspillhappens,it isasgood(orbad)astakingplacerightonone’sdoorstep, with damaging consequences sharply felt. This is why someGuyanesewomenaretakingtothestreets,andforthe simplest of reasons. They want protection, the security blanketthatproperinsuranceoffersineventofanoilspill.

Weatthispublicationcommendandsupportthesebrave womenofGuyana,fromtheRedThreadorganization,and others, long known for devoted service to this country They have been tireless and fearless before. It is encouraging to note, that they have not lost a step when boldnessiscalledfor,whentruthisanecessitythatcannot be overlooked nor played games with, as circumstances dictate.

ThetruthisthatGuyananeedsasmuchprotectionasitcan get so as not to be left holding a big bag of liabilities that it cannotaffordtopay Inotherwords,wearestaringatsomany liabilitiesinthelocalandregionalrealmsthatthespecterof national bankruptcy hovers The women protesting in the streets of Guyana are worried about intensifying operations byExxonMobilatitsoffshoreproductionfacilities Theyare concerned that the vitally required robust full liability coveragefromEssoGuyana’sparentcompany,ExxonMobil, isnotwhereitshouldbe,whichissigned,sealed,andineffect

The PPPC Government has been all talk, lots of hot air, andnotmuchelsewheneverfullliabilitycoverageisamong theissuesraised PPPCleaders,spearheadingthenation’soil sector, have been too hesitant, too complacent, and too resistant to frank discussions on where this country really standswithExxonMobil Unknown,ishowmuchpressureis beingappliedtothecompanytogettheinsuranceneeded,to giveussomepeaceofmind Peaceofmind,becauseGuyana wouldnotbeonthehookfordevastationsfromacatastrophic oil spill, which could negatively impact the national economiesofothercountriesintheregion Peaceofmindthat weourselveswouldhavesomethinginplacetoseeusthrough anydamage,anyloss,anyexpensesthatcouldallbepartof thekindofoilspillfeared,withusleftnakedandhanging

Fullcoverageliabilityprotectionisnotakindnessfrom ExxonMobil, it is a nonnegotiable obligation of the company,andofthatthereshouldbenoifs,ands,orbuts. It must be a done deal, with no more of this waffling and wiggling around by Vice President Bharat Jagdeo Guyanese are getting more disgusted and more upset with the PPPC Government, with VPJagdeo, and ExxonMobil forfoolingaroundanddancingaroundforsolong,withthis straightforwardandclear-cutissueoffullliabilitycoverage. AswenotedinourMarch9thedition,thewomenprotesting inthestreetsareunhappy,asonewomanmadeclearforthe littlegroup:“We…areconcernedandweareangryandwe mad that they take they eyes and pass us and we fed up of this eye pass because they on the one hand reporting how much billions they are making in oil profits from Guyana andyettheyeyessopassus,thattheyarenotofferingusfull liability coverage.” It is time that Guyanese, both women and men, get mad and get going for what they should get from ExxonMobil for this top quality, bargain oil that it is grabbing from Guyana by over a million barrels weekly Full liability coverage is only a start. Royalties and taxes are others in a list of demands. We must demand of ExxonMobil, and if it does not respond favorably, then Guyanese must getout in thestreetsto getExxonMobilto agreetoourdemands. Or,thereisthealternative:getoutof Guyana.

Local grapes production

DEAREDITOR

About six months ago therewasamediareportthat Mr Devin Gilliard of Corentyne, Berbice had successfully grown grapes and was ready to move forward to grow them commercially

The Government had givenhimtwoacreswiththe promise of more land if he

would have planted the two acressuccessfully Wehope the proactive Minister of Agriculture, Hon Zulfikar Mustapha would have NAREI give technical help and support to Mr Gilliard. He should also be offered Business support and the Ministry may ask a private entrepreneur to help in this regard. Probably TOPCO

couldbeapproached.Anold friend who had visited the vineyards of Europe including those of

Champagne and Tokay in Hungary informed me that many Portuguese families grew grapes in their yards in the 19th and early 20th century since they originated in Madeira which grew grapesandproducedwine It

may be useful to send a member of NAREI’s staff to Chile,ArgentinaorCalifornia toacquiremuchmoreskillsin grapecultivation

Couldwegetanyfurther news of how Mr Gilliard is faring? A newspaper reportercoulddothis.

Yourssincerely P a u l V a l i d u m Ramlochan.

Thank you ‘concerned citizen’

DEAREDITOR

I once wrote a letter printed in Kaieteur News saying partition may be a solution to our problems (“Is partition a viable option”, 5th July

2022). AConcerned Citizen w r o t e a r i p o s t e “Tweaked proposal for partition” (KN, 11th July 2022)

I would like to take this opportunity to

T HANK “Concerned Citizen”foropeningmyeyes asithasrestoredmyhopesin aUnitedGuyana.

At times we need to be shown the error of our ways or we will just be

makingthesameerrorsover andoveragain.

Once again, THANK YOU CONCERNED CITIZEN

Sincerely

SeanOri

No place for race-baiting

DEAREDITOR

There can be no place in Guyana for race-baiting. Anyonewhoseekstoexploit raceasameansofachieving politicalendsisdoingagreat disservice to the people of Guyana. Ihavealwaysmaintained the view that Guyana is

evolving to higher levels of multiculturalism and ethnic tolerance. We only have to look at the recent Mashramani and Phagwah festivalstogetasenseofhow much we have embraced each other as a people, regardlessofourethnicityor politics These

manifestations of cultural assimilation must be encouraged. As Dr. Martin LutherKingsaid,anindividual must be judged not by the colour of his skin but by the strength of his character.This isindeedapowerfulstatement whichshouldbeembracedby all Guyanese Guyana is an

ethnically diverse society

Our strength lies in our diversity. Any individual or groupthatseekstodivideus on the grounds of our diversity must be called out. It diminishes us as a people andasasociety Regards HydarAlly

Gov’tshouldengageOgunseye, Hindsontheirextremism

DEAREDITOR

AcalltoarmsbyTacuma Ogunseye is a very serious proposition and given Guyana’s history must be takenassuch.

T h e P P P C Government should have a conversation with Tacuma Ogunseye, David Hinds, et al to find out what has caused their extremism.

I understand that Ogunseye, Hinds, et al

believe in a cause That is, theAfrican-Cause.

But calling for the o v e r t h r o w o f t h e democratically elected Government by arms is notthewayforward.

S o , i f t h e democratically elected G o v e r n m e n t i s overthrown, what next? Does this mean that all people not of African descent will be excluded from the affairs of

Ogunseys, Hinds, et al panacea? Are they then going to use the armed forces to subjugate the majority of the population ofGuyana?

It would seem as if Ogunseye, Hinds, et al have become confused in what they are fighting for They may have started out fightingfordemocracyand equality, but they have become consumed and are now fighting for the

opposite

This is what happens when you have limited access to wider support structures that is friends andfamilieswhocanguide yourdecisions

To its credit the armed f o r c e s h a v e b e e n professionalin categorically statingthattheyarenotakith n’ kin operation; kudos to theirprofessionalism.

Sincerely

SeanOri

TrafficControlintheCapitalCityfirst

DEAREDITOR

Onenotesthecontinuing complaints of so many survivors, as well as Editorials, about the increasing numbers and types of road accidents, resulting primarily from our poor traffic management Surely, those involved should be organised into a seriesofworkshopsinwhich they can freely brainstorm what remedial action is necessary, that is apart from they themselves being trustworthy as Traffic

Controllers.

It is hardly enough for them to be scolded, rather, they should rise above their limitations and be bold enough to recommend to their leaderships that the latter urgently construct an Invitation of Interest to appropriately qualified international experts who would advise in the

comprehensiveTrafficPlan. Such a plan must include recommendations

for parking, which should betheajointresponsibility ofPublicagenciesaswellas Private businesses (e g Hotels).

But then it is the presence of Exxon and colleagues that would have enticed this precipitate invasion, indeedconfusion.

Perhaps therefore they should make a remedial offer that the Government and citizens cannot refuse, taking into consideration the prospect

of: a) 50,000 jobs. b) Six newhospitals.

c) Implying quite a large number of newly licenseddrivers.

In the anti-tourist confusion which surrounds our Parliament Building, should it be given first priority, including the stilted Stabroek Clock, in a welloiledTransportManagement programme?

What will bethefuture ofDraycarts!!!

n

The fire (again) this time

D

EAREDITOR, Last Wednesday, I was a panellist on a social media platform along with WPA’s DavidHindsandDeonAbrams (and two others) to discuss ‘Strategies for fostering Social CohesionintheeraofOiland Gas’ Ipointedoutthatinamost divisivepoliticalrealm;wehad been “fortuitously” delivered intoasituationwherewearea nationofminorities Andthata partycommittedtodemocratic norms could rationally appeal tovotersoutsideoftheirbaseto secure political office It happened in 2011, 2015 and 2020

Iexplained,however,thatI had viewed the WPA’s recent public meetings at Mocha, Golden Grove and DenAmstel and the narrative adopted by Hinds,OgunseyeandDeonetal were“destructiveinourpresent circumstances” I explained: “Narratives can make certain actions more plausible, and therefore more probable, than others They also can serve as exacerbators or inhibitors of conflictThemorethatexclusivity and mutual incompatibility are expressed, the harder it is for opponents to alter their relationship;conversely,themore thosenarrativesare,orbecome, inclusive, the more likely it is that the parties can deal successfully with differences” And the WPA narrative was most exclusive and mutually incompatible I pointed out that Hinds’ description of the PPP as “enemies” rather than “opponents” was not helpful And,thatinexhortingthearmy and police to stand down as “kith and kin”, they are promoting “anarchy” in Guyana I said I knew there wouldbeameetingatBuxton the following evening and

wonderedwhetheritwouldbe the same cherry-picked narrative expressed in “vitriolic language” that stirs up deeply hostile emotions in African Guyanese by highlighting state actions againstAfrican Guyanese but silencing identical actions againstIndianGuyanese.

Inotedthatasapoliticalparty seeking votes, the WPA’s onesidednarrativewouldcreateaselffulfilling prophecy that could destroy the Opposition’s chancesofsecuringcrossover votes necessary to win elections Hinds responded: “For me it’s not about elections: elections will solve nothing in Guyana – that is merely exchange” I responded: “For David to dismissdemocracyasacentral valuethatweshouldholdonto is reminiscent of Forbes Burnham and what he did to this country when he played fastandloosewiththenotion ofdemocracy Ineverthought that someone from the WPA would dismiss democracy; if notdemocracy,thenwhat?”

At Buxton last Thursday, we found out: it was the “solution” of an armed force coup against the PPP government Tacuma

Ogunseye offered a background that matched Hinds’ and concluded bluntly: “We cannot wait on elections cycle to resolve this matter”. He continued, “… for the WPA in this present campaign we have some clear objectives. The first objective is to get the African team in a state of battle readiness… the AfroGuyanese police and soldiers… would stand with Afro-Guyanese in resisting mainly Indo-Guyanese supportingthePPPC.”

“ Sometimes people tell me that the struggle to removethePPPwillbehard and long but I don’t necessarily agree with them

Because at the end of the day no government could surviveiftheydon’thavethe support of the military and thosewhocarryweaponsfor thestate…Therealityis,the army,thepolice,aremajority African Guyanese… once we organise our people and once we begin to fight we will ensure that our brothers andsistersinuniformwilldo therightthingandwhenthey dotherightthingthismatter is over in days and not weeks it have to be strategic. The struggle don’t necessarilyhavetobelong”

Tacumaleftnodoubtabout the nature of the “struggle”: “During the (Buxton-based) crisisof2002-2005 theWPA met the foreign diplomats A Whitediplomat said,“Idon’t understandapeoplesayingthey areoppressedandtheyhaveall thegunsintheirhands Theyare the majority in the army; the majorityinthepoliceandthey still say they are oppressed?”

AboutMinisterRonaldGajraj: “Themanbigsuh(openinghis armswide);youcan’tmiss!”

Hinds agreed with Tacuma in noting: “When thetimecomes,ourbrothers in uniform know what they have to do because they come from us…They stand here tonight to protect us…they stand here tonight asourkithandkin.”

In response the Chairman of the Joint Services, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, said the Joint Services “is an apolitical institution”. Weshallsee.

Sincerely,

RaviDev

Aleader worth celebrating: Honouring Glenn Lall on his 60th Birthday

DEAREDITOR, Kaieteur Newspaper has been a reliable source of informationformeandmany othersinthecountry,anditis a testament to your leadership that it has remained so successful and respected.

Your dedication to producing quality content and keeping the public informed is truly admirable, and your ability to inspire andmotivateyourteamtodo the same is a testament to your leadership skills Glenn Lall. Your leadership has helped to create a culture of excellence in media that is

reflectedinthequalityofthe contentyouproduce.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish you a very happy 60th birthday This milestone birthday is a testamenttoyourmanyyears ofhardwork,dedication,and servicetothiscountry

I hope you take some time to reflect on your accomplishments and to celebrate with your loved ones.

Birthdays are an important time to celebrate the milestones in our lives and to appreciate the people whohavehelpedusalongthe way Your contributions to

the field of journalism, and to the community, are truly appreciated, and I hope you have many more years of successaheadofyou. Thank you for all that you do to keep the country informedandengaged.Your contributions to the field of journalism are invaluable, and your leadership is an inspirationtousall.

I look forward to continuing to read your newspaper and to seeing the great things that you and yourteamwillaccomplishin thefuture.

Regards

AshraLukhan

Awoman’s touch can heal an ailing nation

DEAREDITOR

An Afro and Indo Guyanese woman will lead the PNCR and its coalition into the next general elections Guyana, for decades,hasbeendominated by men in political leadership.We have had our fair share of a male dominated society that has plunged us into a country of chaosandconfusion.

A woman’s touch can healanailingnation

Guyana is ailing and women across the ethnic divide will be given the opportunity to begin the healing of a nation. In our worst moments; be it in sickness or trouble, regardless of our gender, we

look to the loving and tenderness that come from ourmothers.

Thereisahealingbalmin the palm of the woman that assuages Men protect, women nurture. What our nation needs almost immediatelyistobenurtured back to healthy governance andprosperity

Historylikeneverbefore isuponusandourpopulation comprising the majority of womenwillnotonlyleadbut save our powerful and

destructive men from themselves, while saving Guyana. The two women will be presented to the Guyanesepeopleinthevery nearfuture.

The revolution will be ledbywomenanditwillnot beabloodyone.

Iyearntofeeltheirtouch as they save Guyana and us menintheprocess.

Sincerelyyours

NormanBrowne Social and Political Activist

NIS woes: The plight of the elderly

DEAREDITOR

I am an octogenarian. Ipso facto I was around when NIS started and interestingly participated when their Inspectorate d i s c u s s e d t h e Rules/Regulations at TUC sponsored Workers

Education seminars at locationsalloverGuyana. We learnt how the contributions were calculatedandcollectedand percentage distributed for relevantbenefits.

Weaskedsincethenwhy if we contributed to

‘maternitybenefits’wemen did not get our percentage contribution returned as ‘paternity benefits’ for our own children? We also questioned why in ‘survivors benefit’ when we as men die, our wives obtained ‘survivors benefit’ but when our wives die we as men were deniedthesame‘survivors benefit’for which we/they contributed

We question why we

cannot now obtain assistance for our medical andprescriptionneeds?

T h e g r e a t e s t disappointment however is the pension paid to us in this group based on the sameRegulations

Research suggest that thesameRegulationswere amended sometime in the firstdecadeofthiscentury t o e n h a n c e t h o s e proceeding on their NIS bound pension with no thought as to correcting t h e p r e v i o u s disadvantaged group No one, none, in the ‘80 age groupandabove’(andsome inthe70groupaswell)earn more than the minimum NIS.

W h e t h e r t h e y contributed at the lowest level or at the highest level or for how much more than the 750 contributions they are all bunched at the same (minimum) pay But that minimum has not

moved for the last three years. It is still $35000 per month.

Research suggests that thepracticehasbeentopay fifty percent of the Public Sector minimum wage as thatminimumrate.

However even after the G o v e r n m e n t announcement, NIS never paysretroactivelyandinthe instantcasehasnotpaidany increaseforyears.

T h e s e N I S pensioners are now part of the living poor and are dying out one by one without benefitting from

t h e i r s w e a t a n d

c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o development of this ‘One Guyana’.

Would the NIS Board and/or the Minister of Finance examine discuss andadviseuswhytheseare not items warranting immediatecorrectionin the sea of plenty And please do not tell us of “ b a d ( B r i d g e )

investment” We little “ants” had no say or input when the big “elephants” rumbledanddecided.

As the Political Directorate examines this dilemma, please be remindedthatthisgroupasa whole are on fixed income: NIS $35000, OAP$33000 Some earned a “work pension” and would have a calculation of (maximum) about half of their salary at retirement. Maybesomesavingsadded; maybesomeotherinputs. I would be surprised if their total income exceeds $6000 per day/$180000 month.

Now look at the “theoretical nutritious bread/COL basket for an octogenarian” and wonder how we live! No! How we survive! Thatisthefaceofpartof the living poor in our ‘One (oilrich)Guyana’. Regards LA.Camacho.

Opposition MPs warned overfailure to pay court costs afterlosing suspension challenge

The eight Opposition members of parliament (MPs), who were suspended for their disruptive behaviour in parliament and the removaloftheparliamentarymace in 2021, have been issued with lettersdemandingthattheypaythe monies owed to the State in the suspensioncase,withinsevendays fromMarch10,2023.

Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, wrote to Opposition member and Attorney-at-Law, Roysdale Forde SC on March 10, 2023,fortheeightMPstomakethe payment.

The eight Opposition MPs, Chief Whip, Christopher Jones, Sherod Duncan, Natasha SinghLewis,AnnetteFerguson,Vinceroy Jordan, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Ganesh Mahipaul, and Maureen Philadelphia were sanctioned for their chaotic and disruptive

behavior during the passage of an amended Natural Resources Fund (NRF)Bill,inDecember2021.

Following the incident, the House had officially approved a report of the Committee of Privileges, which recommended that the eight parliamentarians be suspendedfortheirinvolvementin interaliadesecratingtheSpeaker’s Mace on December 29, 2021. The eight MPs had challenged the parliamentarydecisionincourtbut they lost and were ordered to pay theStatecostinstead.

In his letter issued last Friday, AG Nandlall emphasised that to date,nopaymenthasbeenmadeby the MPs in breach of the order of the court in a ruling rendered by High Court Justice Damone Younge.

Failuretocompletethepayment of costs awarded in the case, the letter stated, “would result in

enforcementoftheaforesaidOrder ofCourtwithoutfurthernotice.”

TheMPsweremandatedtopay $350,000 in costs to the state by February 6, according to the decision rendered by Justice YoungeintheHighCourt.

The High Court had refused an application to overturn the suspension of eight Opposition parliamentariansfortheirroleinan unrest in the Chamber of the National Assembly in December 2021 over the passage of the NaturalResourceFundBill.

Inherruling,JusticeYoungesaid the High Court could not intervene in the internal workings of the Parliament.JusticeYoungeasserted that the Parliament must be able to conduct its affairs without interferencefromtheCourt.

She explained that when it comes to the internal operations of the National Assembly, only that

organcouldexclusivelycontrolthe management of its own internal affairs,notthejudiciary

According to the Judge, it was legally determined that matters of the Privilege Committees are only controlled by the National Assembly, and added that the Parliamentarians have taken an oathtobeboundbytherulesofthe NationalAssembly

She said the court would not inquireintotheinternalaffairsofthe National Assembly otherwise it wouldamounttoausurpationofthe powersoftheParliament.

Following the decision, Attorney General (AG) Anil NandlallSClobbiedfortheCourtto impose a $2M total cost on the suspendedMPs.Hestressedthatit would teach them to take proper consideration before bringing matters before the court to waste judicialtimeandresources.

Attorney General and Minister of LegalAffairs, Mr.Anil Nandlall, SC

However, Attorney Selwyn Pieters who represented the MPs, beseeched court for a more reasonable cost given that the Members of Parliament (MP) sufferedfinanciallossbyreasonof theirsuspension.

However,takingthemattersinto consideration, Justice Younge ordered that House Speaker, Manzoor Nadir, Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs and the main respondent, AttorneyGeneral,AnilNandlallbe paidGY$350,000incosts.

HOW THE MODERN WORLD REALLY WORKS!

Topretendistoact as if something is true when in fact we know differently To deceive ourselves is not to knowthetruthbuttobelieve thatwedo.

We have seen this in relationtotheoutcomeofthe general and regional electionsfor2020.

People know the truth aboutwhathappenedbutthe lousylosersinsteadoffacing up to their defeat opted to deceivetheirsupportersinto believingotherwise.

We do great danger to ourselves when we believe that we have what it takes. One of the areas where we are grossly lacking is in the availabilityofskills.

There are many highly skilled persons in Guyana but not in the numbers that arerequired.

In many areas, specialized skills are lacking,seriouslylacking.

This has nothing to do withthebraindrain.Welike to deceive ourselves into believing that those skills havemigrated.

A great many of the specialists that come from overseas were developed overseas; these skills were nothonedinGuyana.

Wehaveagoodrecordof producing bright persons, but for these bright persons to develop high-tech competencies, they have to go where those skills are better harnessed. They have to go overseas. We are not producinganywherenearthe level of skilled personnel

that we need and therefore Guyana has to look outside forskills.

We probably will never in the next fifty years have theskillsweneed.

Thatistherealitythatwe havetoface.Theeconomyis expanding at a rate which is too fast to produce the requisiteskillslocally

If we want to be the best, if we want to have the best skills; we have to send people abroad for training and more so for the relevantexperience.

You cannot develop a nuclear scientist in Guyana by asking him to repairadonkeycart.

There are many people graduating from school and university in Guyana who believe that they have arrived. They want top jobs with top pay, even though manyofthemdonothavean ounceofexperience.

Their ambition must be admired And they have a lot of persons drummingitintotheirheads th at th ere are n o opportunities in Guyana Well just pick up the newspapers each day and take a look at the vacancies thatareadvertised.

Then ask some of the employers in the country how hard itistogetskilled persons.

There are children coming out of school with a whole bundle of subjects and when some of them go into the workplace they cannot function. Hundreds of applications are received

Dem boys seh...

for jobs and yet employers are not finding persons with therightskillsthattheyneed.

G u y a n e s e a r e overrating themselves They are pretending that they have what it takes or they are deceiving themselves into believing thattheydo.

Had the Skeldon Sugar Factory been up and running, we would have run into a skills-deficit problem.

The same is going to happen with the gas-toshore project and the proposedrefinery We are only fooling ourselves into believing that we can over the next few years produce the skills needed for such facilities. Wecannot.

All over the world this is how technology is transferred

The persons providing theequipmentcomeandrun theoperationsforaspecified period of time or train the beneficiary countries in the operations of the plant. We did not do this because we deluded ourselves into believing that we had the skills.

The government is only nowrushingtocountrieslike Indiaforskills.

But it should have knownthiswhenitsetabout its spending spree and launching massive projects. It should have recognized the limitations of the local human resources.We do not havetheskills

There is a model

De price of funerals gone up too!

We gat to be fair to all concerned

We bin complaining about decostoflivingfuhmonths now

But is not we alone! People all over de world, including in de United States bin complaining about de rise in de cost of living.

At one time de cost of petrol at de pump was so high, dat even de corona virus decide dem nah travellingnomore.

Dem bin seh was a supply-chain crisis But dem boys nah buy dat argument. Dem boys hear deAmericanVicePresident claim how de freight

industry is controlled by a few companies and dem jackupprices.Sodemboys believe people trying fuh mekbackalldemoneywah dem bin lose during de pandemiclockdown.

In Guyana we had a situation weh dem vegetable and fruit vendors didjack-updemprices.But yuh gat to give Jack he Jacket.

D e p r i c e s f u h vegetables and fruits fall, anditfallsubstantially Itnahdehwehitusedto deh but fruits and v e g e t a b l e s m o r e reasonable. And dem boys hope dat dem importers of groceries tek note and try fuhseeifdemgandropdem

howeverwhichisbeingused bytheUnitedArabEmirates. That model is to import skills. But is that a model of national development, and howdifferentisitfromwhen

the western countries outsourced their production to cheaper markets in Asia?

It is a model unfortunately from which we should stay clear

pricestoobecausedeprices indesupermarketstillhigh.

One thing yuh does learninGuyanaisdatprices does go up and not down. So dem boys glad fuh see dat de prices of fruits and vegetables start to decline indemarket.

But what get dem boys vex is when dem went de odder day to de funeral parlour fuh pay fuh a funeral fuh a relative. De parlour charge wan set a moneyfuhdefuneral.Dem boysprotestandask,“Why de price fuh a funeral gone up?’ De man at de funeral parlour seh how, “Is becauseofderiseindecost ofliving?” Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

Guyanesebeingencouragedtosignupfor150kcodersinitiative

programmers, software developers, among other skillsets as part of the 150k Guyana Coders Initiative (GCI).

For the next three years, 150,000 Guyanese 14 years and older will receive free instruction in the fundamentals of computer coding as part of this initiative.

This aligns with government’s transformative plans to make Guyana a centre for ICTs which will ultimately transform the nation into a hub for data services, data centres, and databanks.

come…This step is about you taking our country forward in 2030 and beyond, ensuring that you are competitive, resilient, functional… ensuring that we as a country have the tools that will take us forward, and our economy is among the strongest,” President Ali highlighted duringthelaunch.

In addition, the president declared that Guyana would be prepared to serve as a centrewheremembersofthe Caribbean Community (CARICOM) could gain from the initiative in the future.

n i

a t i o n Technologies (ICTs) are

essential to reducing poverty,improvingaccessto health and education services and creating new

sources of income for Guyanese. Government is urgingpersonstoregisterfor the150kcodersinitiative.

Registration is ongoing for Guyanese across the country to be equipped and trained as computer

ProvidingGuyanesewith greateraccesstoICTswillbe a major factor in driving competitiveness, economic growth and social developmentnationwide.

This initiative was launched by President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali in December2022.

Itisapartnershipbetween government and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This strengthens the existing commerceandtechnological advancement ties that exist betweenthetwonations.

Following a number of meetings, workshops, and high-level field visits with leadersofbothcountries,the M e m o r a n d u m o f Understanding (MoU) was signedinMarch2022.

During the launch, PresidentAlihighlightedthat this initiative will position Guyanaasakeyplayerinthe globaltechnologymarket.

“Today is important, it is about what Guyana 2030 will be and must be. The next eight years are very important years for Guyana, we are starting way behind the race, and if wearetoadjustourselvesin this race in a straight-line manner, we will be way behind for decades to

Coding,alsoreferredtoas computer programming, is theprocessofcarryingouta certain computation, typically through creating a functional computer programme. This initiative aims to teach Guyanese the necessaryskillstoworkasIT technicians, systems administrators, cyber security analysts, and other related positions which include animation, website creation, and software engineering.

A certificate will be issueduponcompletionofthe programme and will be recognisedbytheUAE.

Upon completion of the programmes,topstudentscan get scholarships for internationally recognised trainingprogrammes.

Thechancetocompetein regional and national coding competitions will be available to students. Top performers will also receive cashawards.

Students can register to study the course of their choosing at no cost and take online classes to earn a professional software developmentcertification.

Persons can visit wwwguyanacoders govgy toenroll (DPI)

Govt.appoints...

Frompage3

investor interest, as companies can be exposed to legal and stakeholderrisks,shenoted.

TheenvironmentaladvocateexplainedtothePresidentin herletter,“Yourdecisiontoappointmemberswithconflictsof interest to the EAB and to exclude non-governmental and suitably qualified environmental professionals sends a message to citizens and potential investors that the government is not committed to good governance and protecting the environment, and instead may prioritize business and special interests over public health and safety Youhavemissedaninstanceforpositivedevelopmentintoa nationwheregovernmentactswithproprietytofulfillitsduty toprotectthepublicinterestandcreateastableandpredictable investmentclimateforbusinesses.”

Shethereforesaid,“Iurgeyoutoreconsideryourdecision andappointgovernmentandnon-governmentmemberstothe EABwhoarefreefromconflictsofinterestandhaveproven qualifications and commitment to sound environmental management. This will help create a stable and predictable contextforinvestors,protectthepublicinterest,andenhance thegovernment’sreputationforgoodgovernance.”

President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, Director General of the Office of the Prime Minister of UAE, His Excellency, Abdulla Lootah, and other officials at the 150k coders launch in December 2022 (DPI Photo)

Lindeners stage protest as Bosai bulldozer operator remains missing

On Sunday relatives and neighbours of the missing Bosai bulldozer operator staged a protest in front of the entrance of the Bosai bauxite plant. They were outragedthatthecompanyis yet to make a public statement on the matter and

demanded that it shut down operations until the body of the Bulldozer operator, Neptrind Hercules, 59, is found.

They chanted “No Tearup(hisalias)!nowork!”.

Lindeners wanted Bosai to conduct a 24hr search for Hercules, but the search ended at 18:00hrs on Saturday due to bad light. OnemantoldKaieteurNews bad light should not be an excuse for stopping the search because throughout

Womanhospitalizedafter beingshotwitharrowandbow

A woman is presently hospitalized at a city hospital, after she was shot withaarrowandbowduring an alleged drunken brawl at Fall Stop - an Amerindian village, located halfway along the Port Kaituma to MatthewsRidgeTrail,North WestDistrict,RegionOne.

The woman has been identified as Dianne David. Kaieteur News understands thattheincidenttookplacea few days ago at a night spot in the area Information reaching this media house suggests that Davis had gotten into an altercation withanotherwomanandwas choppingher

The woman’s brother

wasclosebyandafterseeing his sister being assaulted, allegedly retaliated by armedhimselfwithanarrow and bow which he used to

shootDavid.

Persons restrained him andthepolicewerecalledin. Both David and the woman she was accused of chopping, were reportedly rushed to the Port Kaituma Hospital, while the suspect wastakenintocustody

David was later referred toahospitalinthecity

Police are yet to divulge details regarding the incident,buthaveconfirmed with this newspaper that the victim was indeed shot with an arrow and bow and suspectwasarrested.

According to police, she is hospitalized and they are treating the case as an attemptedmurder

the many years of service Hercules gave the company, hewasforcedtoriskhislife byworkinglatehoursinbad light.

“The most that they could do for him now is to conduct a continuous search forhimbecauseincaseheis

stillalive,ortofindhisbody asquicklyaspossiblebefore it starts to decay,” the man said.

It is said that the company conducted the continuoussearchforhimon Sunday, but they called off thesearchagainat18:00hrs.

The protestors became angryagainandblockedone of the trucks from entering the compound. Up to press timetheLindenerswerestill protesting in front of the company’sbauxiteplant. Herculeswason Continuedonpage16

2ndBiggestBankFailures in the HistoryoftheUS

OnFridaysomeofthebiggestbanksinthe United States (US), Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley collectively lost more than $50 billion in marketvalueinoneday

On the other hand, those banks still exist, butyoucannotsaythesameforSiliconValley Bank As of Friday morning, Silicon Valley BankorSVBhasgoneundercompletely That makes the second-biggest bank failure in the historyofUS

SVB financed nearly half of all venturebackedhealthcareandtechnologycompanies in the United States. It also apparently held significant cash reserves for some of the biggest cryptocurrencies, and it is now gone. Federalregulatorshaverenameditandtakenit over.Thismeansthatalotofpeoplelostalotof money;moneythatapparentlywasnotinsured

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) only guarantees bank depositsupto$250,000,andaccordingtosome

reports,morethan90%ofalldepositsatSBP exceeded that and it is unclear whether those peoplewilleverseetheirmoneyagain

Infact,whencustomersshowedupatSVB’s branchinManhattantogettheirdepositsback, Managers called the police So, what we have hereisa1929stylebankrunandthat’snotagood sign for anyone The question is whether the peoplewhorunSVBsawitcoming

The CEO, a man called Greg Becker, apparently sold more than $2 million in bank stockoverthelasttwoweeks Accordingtothe site, “Unusual Whales,” several other highlevel employees of SVB, including Chief Marketing Officer Michelle Draper, Chief OperationsOfficerPhilCox,GeneralCounsel Michael Zuckert, all sold significant amounts ofstockinSVBthisyear.Didthoseemployees knowtheirbankwasintrouble?Wedon’tknow and once again, where were the regulators? They’resupposedtopreventthis (TuckerCarlson–FoxNews)

Shot with an Arrow and Bow, Dianne David

People line up outside of the shuttered Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) headquarters on March 10, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. Silicon Valley Bank was shut down on Friday morning by California regulators and was put in control of the U.S. Federal Depos (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Buried Alive, Neptrind Hercules

Protestors in front Bosai on Sunday

America’sdebtisnowover31trilliondollars

As the 20th century ended, America’s coffers were flush with tax revenue and light on military obligations, a combination that many leaders thought would hold up well into the

future Itdidnotlastayear

The dot-com bubble burst, cutting into tax revenue The Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks spurred a furious rearmament push in Washington, as President

George W Bush mobilized warsinIraqandAfghanistan Mr Bush, a Republican, broke from historical precedent and did not raise taxesorissuewarbondsto Continuedonpage18

(New York Times)

America’s debt is now six times what it was at the start of the 21st century It is the largestithasbeen,compared with the size of the US economy,sinceWorldWarII, andit’sprojected to grow an averageofabout$1.3trillion ayearforthenextdecade.

The United States hit its $314 trillion legal limit on borrowinglastmonth,putting Washington on the brink of another fiscal showdown Republicans are refusing to raise that limit unless President Biden agrees to steepspendingcuts,echoing a partisan standoff that has played out multiple times in thelasttwodecades.

ButAmerica’sballooning debt is the result of choices made by both Republicans and Democrats Since 2000, politicians from both parties have made a habit of borrowing money to finance wars, tax cuts, expanded federal spending, care for baby boomers and emergencymeasurestohelp the nation endure two debilitatingrecessions.

“There have been bipartisan tax cuts and bipartisan spending

increases” driving that growth, said Maya MacGuineas,presidentofthe CommitteeforaResponsible Federal Budget and perhaps thepre-eminentdeficit hawk in Washington. “It’s not the simple story of Republicans cut taxes and Democrats grow spending Actually, theyallliketodoallofit.”

Few economists believe the level of debt is an economic crisis at the moment, though some believe the federal government has become so largethatitistakingtheplace ofprivatebusinesses,hurting growth in the process. But economists in Washington and on Wall Street are warning that failing to raise the debt limit before the government begins shirking itsbills—asearlyasJune— couldprovecatastrophic.

Despite all the fighting, lawmakers have taken few steps to reduce the federal budget deficit they have produced Ithasbeennearlya quarter-century since the last time the government spent lessthanitreceivedintaxes.

Because spending programs today are so politically popular, and

because retiring baby boomers are driving up the cost of programs like Social Security and Medicare every year, budget experts say it is unrealistic to expect the books to balance again for anotherdecadeormore.

The White House estimates that borrowed money will be necessary to cover about one-fifth of a $6 trillion federal budget this fiscal year a budget that includes military spending, the national parks, safety net programs and everything else the government provides.

In just two decades, America has added $25 trillion in debt How it got itself into this fiscal position has its roots in a political miscalculation at the end of theColdWar

In the 1990s, America reaped a so-called peace dividend Itreducedspending on the military, believing it wouldneverhavetoinvestas muchinnationalsecurityasit had when the Soviet Union was a threat. At the same time, a dot-com boom deliveredthehighestfederal taxreceipts,asashareofthe economy,inseveraldecades.

Capitol Building

WANTED VACANCY

PORTERS WANTED FOR PVC CEILING. APPLY@ WHY PAY MORE TRADING, 7 PUBLIC RD HOUSTON E.B.D WITH APPLICATION.

Experienced Pit Workers, Utility operaters (must have valid driver's license) and Cooks wanted for mining operation. Call: 697-2533.

Elderly bus Driver wanted for route 32 and 31. Call: 6781610.

Live- in Waitress to work in bar, must have an ID. Call/ WhatsApp: 659-1930.

Cook and Domestic needed. Call: 223-5273/ 223-5274.

Drivers/ Expediters needed. Call: 223-5273/ 223-5274.

Handyman and Porters needed. Call: 223-5273/ 223-5274.

Able-bodied Porters needed, $30,000 Weekly Mon-Sat. Call: 223-9677.

One Plumber needed. Call: 615-9132.

Experienced kitchen gardener needed to work in Queenstown 2 days per week. Call: 648-8977, between 8am-4pm.

One experienced female Bartender needed, preferably from Georgetown. Call: 6141133/ 641-1288 for interview.

Wanted cash for your land Parfaite Harmonie, Tuchen, Farm, Providence, Eccles and elsewhere. Call: 6708788.

One experienced Waitress needed @ Avery Lounge located @ 218 Bladen Hall, E.C.D. Call: 653-3356.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Properties in Subryanville, Peter's Hall, Ogle, Bel Air and Better Hope. Call Ray's Realty: 627-9685.

U.S House Committee advances legislation to increase federal offshore royalties to 50%

Last Thursday, a U.S House Committee advanced legislation that would increase the federal offshore royalties that Louisiana and

other oil-and gas-producing states receive.

NOLA (New Orleans, Los Angeles) news agency reported that the move by the House Committee was done for the first time in a decade.

Merchandisers and Receptionist needed. Email: info@ vegeworld.net or Call:2277714/ 223-3448.

Driver required, ages 23-50 yrs. Must be able to assist in Workshop at Eccles and must have car and van licence. Call: 645-8443.

Room attendant, Receptionist & Desk Staff needed, 2550 years old at 233 South Road Lacytown. Call: 2250198.

Live-in Caretaker, farm Workers, Labourers, Office Assistant, Fabricator/ Welder & Semi-skilled Worker. Call: 621-6969/ 615-7784.

Security Guards needed. Interested persons can make contact on tel #701-4000.

One Massagist/ Physiotherapist needed. Call: 6159132.

One Clerk for TSI Eccles office. English & Mathematics, grade one or two, email application to: techserigy @yahoo.com or Call: 6159132.

Maintenance Guy needed, 25-50 years old at 233 South Road Lacytown. Call: 2250198.

Vacancy exists for two experienced Dispatcher at Confidential Cabs. Call: 695-1961 /231-5784.

Expirenced Hairstylist, Domestic/ Cook, Receptionist & Guard/ Handyman needed. Call/ WhatsApp: 649-5005/ 226-6705.

Security Officer, Front desk Clerk, Cook, male stock Clerk, Wait Staff, Restaurant Supervisor and Male function Assistant needed. Email: hotelregency3@yahoo.com

A able-bodied live-in female Housekeeper to work in Virgina U.S.A. Between the ages of 30-50. Call: 845-3258241/ 592-615-5476.

Clerk needed to work in document centre. Experience will be an asset, must be computer literate. Call: 227-4921/ 227-2530.

VACANCY

Vacancy exists for 2 experienced Hairdresser at Grove E.B.D. Call: 652-5800/ 6770040.

“The revenue-sharing increase that Louisiana has been seeking since 2006 will be part of the bill that is the No. 1 priority for the House this term: The Lower Energy Cost Act, sponsored by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson,” NOLA reported.

“I will be introducing our H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, to cut red tape and increase energy production here at home to lower energy costs and stop our reliance on hostile foreign dictators for our energy and minerals,”

Scalise said on Thursday. The new bill is an amalgamation of a dozen or so energy-related measures that were heard and advanced out of House committees on Thursday. H.R. 1 will likely receive a vote by the full House by the end of the month.

“This bill also includes the BREEZE Act that will increase the revenue our state receives from oil and gas exploration and production in the Gulf and create the framework to receive revenue from future offshore wind development,” Scalise said. “This will give Louisiana millions more to restore our coast and provide stronger flood protection for our communities.”

The Budgeting for Renewable Electrical Energy Zone Earnings Act, called BREEZE,

would increase royalty payments to Louisiana and other producing states from 37.5% to 50% of the take and remove the cap that limited the amount of total money going from the federal treasury to the states.

The BREEZE wording was inserted into the sweeping Transparency, Accountability, Permitting, and Production of American Resources Act, or the TAPP Act, which cleared the House Natural Resources Committee on a party-line 24-19 vote. The TAPP Act, H.R. 1335, is the largest of the energy-related bills advancing that address promises Republicans made during the November midterms to increase oil and gas production. All those bills are being merged into H.R. 1.

FOR SALE

One double Lot 80x160 on the east side of Friendship Public Road, $12M GYD neg. Call: 626-4234/ 628-6212.

Maid needed to cook and clean at East Bank area. Call: 615-9132.

1 general Domestic needed to cook & clean, Mon- Fri and preferably living within East Bank Area. Apply at Keyfood Mc Doom village next to the post office.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

Lindeners stage protest as Bosai...

From page 14

Saturday buried alive in his machine after an old bauxite mining pit he was reportedly working in along with colleagues, to refill with overburden (waste earth that was extracted from the pit to extract the bauxite), collapsed.

The incident took place during the morning hours at the company’s East Mont-

gomery Mines.

It is unclear what transpired but Kaieteur News understands that Hercules was reportedly clearing land with his bulldozer at the location when tragedy struck.

This newspaper was told that he ended up too close to the edge of the old pit.

It is believed that the pit’s edge might have collapsed

underneath the weight of the bulldozer and sent it crashing into the pit.

As the bulldozer toppled into the pit, the entire wall caved in behind and buried the machine with Hercules still inside.

His co-workers rushed to the rescue but he nor the bulldozer were anywhere to be seen.

FOR RENT

Furnished Apt in Providence and Diamond, 1, 2 & 3 bedrooms plus unfurnished houses, 3 & 2 bedrooms in New Road, Vreed-en- Hoop. Call/ WhatsApp: 604-6664, 682-6238, 216-2299.

2 & 4 bedrooms furnished and unfurnished Apartments at Bladen Hall, E.C.D. Call/ WhatsApp: 700-0030.

One bottom flat 2 bedrooms Apt for rent in Prospect, E.B.D, $60,000 monthly. Preferable working couple. Call: 500-7339, 615-8790 or 6145710.

Two bedrooms Apts in Campbellville, Albertown, Houston & Bel Air and 12 Apts in Queenstown for residence. Brickdam 8000 sq ft & Hadfield St for business. Call Ray's Realty: 627-9685.

Stop approving oil projects until robust...

From page 2 and laws and policies on Gender Based Violence. She also plays a role in Non-Governmental Organizations in the area of counselling, advocacy, project coordination, education, monitoring and evaluation in migrant and TIP issues.

Additionally, she is active in networks of civil society organizations on advocacy and action against women, gender and child abuse, including child sexual abuse and LGBTIQ, disability and migrant discrimination.

NEW OIL POLICIES

In January this year, Kaieteur News reported that the Ministry of Natural Resources will be pursuing a suite of activities for 2023, all in an effort to ensure better management of Guyana’s oil resources. According to Natural Resources Minister,

Vickram Bharrat, some of these works will include the implementation of an Upstream Oil and Gas Policy and Strategy.

This document is premised on a broad objective of attracting and securing investments in upstream exploration activity, and effectively outlining how the industry is to be regulated to ensure sustainable economic development. Meanwhile, the Ministry in its Energy Brief, issued to the press last month explained that the Petroleum (Production) Act Petroleum (Exploration and Production, E&P) Act was listed among four legislations that were identified for review and enhancement.

It was stated that the Government seeks to modernise its legal and regulatory framework as it relates to the petroleum sector to address issues

such as oil revenue management, licensing, Production Sharing Agreement models, local content, and Health, Safety, Environmental and Security (HSES) management.According to the ministry’s brief, the result would be maximising the economic benefits to the country, improve management of the technical, environmental, social and financial risks linked to the sector and building capacity to engage effectively with investors.

The other legislations to be reviewed and enhanced include the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission Act, the Mining Act and the Environmental Protection Act Occupational Safety and Health Act. Also mentioned was the Upstream Legal Requirements for Petroleum and a Model Production Sharing Agreement.

Visa Application: Canada and UK & U.S.A. Graphics design & advertisements. Wedding decorations & elderly grooming: hair, nail etc. Call: 626-7040.

Elevate your brand with our professional Graphic design services. Call: 619-0007, 629-5526.

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

Stall for sale in Section1 Stabroek Market. Call: 6664002.

ICT roadshow gets underway today

Secondary school students in forms four to six and from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six, will today benefit from the I n f o r m a t i o n a n d

C o m m u n i c a t i o n s Technology(ICT)roadshow, beinghostedbytheOfficeof the Prime Minister’s Industry and Innovation Unit.

The event which runs from March 13-27 is being held under the theme, ‘Today’sYouth,Tomorrow’s Digital Innovators’ and is aimed at engaging young people, while spreading awarenessontheimportance ofICT Attheevent’slaunch

on Friday last, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips said it will play an instrumental role in government’squesttobridge the digital divide ensuring that Guyana is not left behind.Informationsessions willseerepresentativesfrom theGuyanaOnlineAcademy of Learning (GOAL), 150k Coders Initiative, and University of Guyana promoting ICT education and careers during various engagement within the ICT roadshow

The Industry and Innovations Unit has embarked on several initiatives to further the

government’s development

agenda on the ICT landscape,suchasGuyanese Girls Code, ICT Summer Camp,andHackathons.

ICTs have become, critical in transforming

social and economic development particularly in developing nation like Guyana They are fundamental enablers of economic prosperity Additionally, government’s holistic ICT strategy has seenICThubsbeingcreated countrywide as an ongoing advantage that will bring connectivity, while narrowing the ICT gap acrossthecountry (DPI)

Kuru kururu man shot dead one day after house was ransacked

ByShervinBelgrave

A59-year-oldlabourerof K u r u K u r u r u , Linden/Soesdyke Highway, was on Wednesday last foundshotdeadjustoneday after his house was reportedly broken into and ransacked.

The dead man was identified as Brian Thomas. Police believed that he was killed inside of his home between23:00and23:30hrs.

The body of Thomas according to police, was found lying in the doorway of his second bedroom. It was clad in a grey vest and blue short pants. Blood was reportedly seen on the right side of his abdomen (belly) and two 9MM spent shells were found on his kitchen floor

Police do not know who might have wanted Thomas dead and why, but according to reports, there is a female witness claiming that she saw two men running into Thomas’ home and confronting him just mere minutes before he was killed She described that one of them had “puffy hair”. The force c o m m u n i c a t i o n s department stated that she did not stick around to see what happened next but left immediately and ran to the Timehri Police Stationwhereshereported whatshesaw

She claimed that she had visited Thomas’s home that evening to pay for a quantity of concrete blocks she had ordered from him and was speaking with Thomas from the bottom of his stairs when the two men ranpasther.

The woman alleged that the last thing she heard

Consultant hired to review

that he found his house r a n s a c k e d a r o u n d 22:00hrs after arriving home from the police lock-ups

Hewasinpolicecustody for allegedly threatening to chophisex-wifetodeathon Monday,March6.

Despite he and his exwife were at loggerheads over a break-up that reportedly ended in January, relatives do not believe that shewouldwanthimdead.

Sexual Offences Act, other related legislation

Anoverhaulofthesexual offences act as well as other related legislation is imminent with the government hiring a consultant to commence the work.

before running away, was one of the men telling Thomas, “You eyes pass me”.

Meanwhile relatives of Thomas were informed by police around 05:00hrs the following day (Thursday) thathewasmurdered. They were taken aback by the news and were clueless too as to why anyone would kill him. However according to them, he was never a block maker and found it strange that he would be selling blocks. Thomas, they claimed, worked as a labourer most of his life and would normally do oddjobs“suchasclearing landforpeople”.

Hewaslastseenaliveby his relatives on Wednesday morning.

They recounted that he was riding his bicycle and the last thing he told them was that someone had broken into his house and ransacked the place but didn’tseemtooworried.

Police on the other hand said Thomas was fearful that his wife wanted to kill him for his houseandland

He had reportedly related this to detectives while reporting the break in andenter

He told the lawmen

They said that she was the one that was fearful of beingkilledbyhim

Kaieteur News learnt that Thomas accused the woman of leaving him for another man and has been harassing and stalking her since she moved out of his home They claimed that on Mondaylastheshowedupat her new home armed with cutlassandattackedher

She is escaped being chopped by retreating into her house and shutting the doorbehindher

Eyewitnesses claimed that he was so angry that he began chopping at the woman’s door leaving chop marksimprintedinit.

Afterheleftshewentand reported the matter to the police and he was arrested andlockedup.

However,KaieteurNews understands that he did not leave right away after allegedly attacking his exwife O n e o f t h e eyewitnesses recalled that Thomas was standing in the dark in front his exwife’s house when and a man approached him. The eyewitness did not get a glimpse of the man was but claimed that they overheard him arguing withThomasover$50,000 he(theman)wasowed

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC told the media,lastMonday,duringa briefingathisChambersthat the review is necessary to close the gaps and weaknesses found in these crucialpiecesoflegislation.

Nandlall said, “We are overhauling the Sexual Offences Act. A consultant has already been retained andwillsoonbeginwork.”

H e c o n t i n u e d , “Fortunately,wewereableto get the very person who drafted the Act some ten yearsagotoresumeworking on the Act with a view of correctingwhatevergapswe discovered in the legislation and whatever weaknesses thereare.”

“We are also finalizing the Family Violence Bill which we hope will replace the domestic violence legislation,” the Attorney Generalalsosaid.

The Ministry of Human ServicesandSocialSecurity had announced plans to

modify the Sexual offences and Domestic Violence for better handling of sexual offences and domestic violencecases.

The Ministry had said in a statement, that it recognizes that there have been several gaps within the legislation as it relates to domestic violence and sexualviolence.

Minister of Human Services, Dr Vindhya

Persaud explained that “The law is being amended so we will have wider coverage, greater protection of people and we will be replacing the

Domestic ViolenceAct with theFamilyViolenceAct.“

“The Bill is in the draft and we will be engaging the public to consult on thisAct so that Guyana owns this piece of legislation and that this legislation protects us all,”shesaid.

In addition to this, the Human Services Ministry has to reduce the incidences of domestic violence been spreading awareness on its 914 domestic violence tollfree, 24-hour hotline, which provides citizens with a safe space to report any form of domesticviolence.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips with members of the Industry and Innovations Unit (DPI Photo)

Murdered, Brian Thomas

Record-strength Cyclone Freddy pounds Mozambique after making second landfall

America’sdebtisnowover31trillion...

Frompage15 pay for those conflicts. (War bonds tend to pay lower interest than other government bonds, adding less to the debt.) Neither did his successor, President Barack Obama, who inheritedthoseconflicts.The resulting spending added trillions of dollars to the nationaldebt.

TheDefenseDepartment estimated last year that the direct costs for the wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan exceeded $1 6 trillion B r o w n U n i v e r s i t y researchers,whoaddindirect costs, particularly care for veterans of those wars and interest on the money borrowed to finance the military, found that the total cost was much higher: just under $6 trillion for all of America’s “War on terror” efforts in the wake of Sept. 11.

accounting for increased economicgrowth

“Ifyou’regoingtohave lessrevenue,youhavetobe willing to control the spending,” said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former d i r e c t o r o f t h e Congressional Budget Office who now runs the conservative American Action Forum think tank “The Achilles’ heel of the Republicans has been they lovethetaxcuts,buttheyare unwillingtobeseriousabout spending.”

approve a nearly $800 billion package of tax cuts and stimulus spending Safety-net spending continued at high levels for the next several years as the economy recovered sluggishly

(CNN) Cyclone Freddy b a t t e r e d c e n t r a l Mozambique on Sunday after making landfall for a second time in a month, breaking records for the duration and strength of tropical storms in the southernhemisphere.

Communications and electricity supply in the storm area have been cut so theextentofthedamageand number of casualties were notclear

More than 171,000 people were affected after the cyclone swept through southern Mozambique last month, killing 27 people in M o z a m b i q u e a n d Madagascar More than half amillionareatriskofbeing affectedinMozambiquethis time, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

UNICEF said in a statement that Freddy made landfall with sustained winds of nearly 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour), causing “severe damage and cutting off children and families

fromcriticalservices.”After passing the port town of Quelimane, the storm continuedinlandtowardsthe southern tip of neighboring Malawi, satellite data showed.

However, the national p o w e r c o m p a n y E l e c t r i c i d a d e d e

Moçambique said that by mid-afternoon electricity had been restored in most areas, with the exception of Milange, Lugela, Maganja da Costa, Namanjavira and partsofthecityofMocuba.

“The wind was very strong into the night There is a lot of destruction, trees fallen down, roofs blown off,” Guy Taylor, the UNICEF chief of advocacy, communications and p a r t n e r s h i p s f o r Mozambique, told Reuters by satellite phone from Quelimane. He had no word yetoncasualtiesornumbers ofdisplaced.

“It’s potentially a disaster of large magnitude, and additional support will be needed,” Taylor said, addingthatheavyrainswere continuingtofall.

In Malawi, authorities werebracingforthecyclone to pass near the southern tip ofthelandlockedcountryby evening, bringing torrential rains and flooding, the d e p a r t m e n t o f meteorological resources and climate change said in a statement.

Freddy developed on February6offthenorthwest Australian coast, before tracking thousands of miles across the South Indian Ocean towards southeast Africa, affecting the islands ofMauritiusandLaRéunion ontheway

Thestormhittheeastern coast of Madagascar on February 21 before slamming into Mozambique a few days later, bringing torrential rain, destructive winds and flooding which has destroyed houses and affected nearly 2 million people.

It then looped back out towards the Mozambique Channel, gaining energy from the warm waters, and headed toward the southwestern coast of Madagascar.

As military spending surged, federal revenue declined as a share of the economy

That decline was a direct result of tax cuts that Mr Bush signed in 2001and2003

Those tax cuts were temporary, but in 2012, Mr Obama struck a deal with congressional Republicans to make more than four-fifths of thempermanent.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-leaning think tank, has estimated that from 2001 through 2018, those tax cuts and the additional i n t e r e s t c o s t s o f borrowing to finance them added up to $5 6 trillion or about onethird of the additional debt the government had incurredinthattime.

In 2018, a new round of Republican tax cuts signed by President Donald J. Trump which did not include spending cuts to offset their cost kicked in. They were passed by some of the same l a w m a k e r s n o w contending that the government must not raise the borrowing limit without first taking steps toreinindebt.

Some conservatives claimed those cuts would “pay for themselves” by boosting economic growth and tax revenue, but independent analysts disagreed

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated in 2018 that the law would add more than $1 2 trillion to the debt through the 2022 fiscal year, even after

Some new, permanent spending programs also contributed to the debt A Medicare prescription drug benefit, passed on a bipartisan basis under Mr Bush, “clearly” increased deficits, costing more than $100 billion in 2022 alone, said Josh Gordon, health policy director for the CommitteeforaResponsible Federal Budget in Washington.

Mr Gordon said it was much harder to calculate the deficit impact of the Affordable Care Act, Mr Obama’s signature health care expansion The act has pushed up federal spending on Medicaid and healthinsurancesubsidies.

But it also raised some taxes And the changes it made to the health care system have contributed at least to some degree to a reduction in Medicare spending compared with previous projections, offsetting some or all of the spendingincreases.

“ Y o u c l e a r l y wouldn’t want to give theA C A all the credit”

for the reduction in Medicare spending, Mr Gordon said in an email, “but I do think it had a meaningful impact ”

Mr. Holtz-Eakin estimates a larger deficit effect from the Affordable Care Act. He also faults lawmakers for not doing more in the last two decades to reduce the growth in spending on

Social Security and Medicare, which have already come under financialpressurefromthe firstwavesofretiringbaby boomers

The biggest and often bipartisan drivers of debt have been the federal responses to two s h a r p e c o n o m i c downturns: the 2008 financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic recession

Shortly after Mr Obama took office in 2009, inheriting a recession, he pu

Mr Trump approved a much larger collection of aid packages, totaling more than $3 trillion, after Covid-19 swept the world in 2020 Mr Biden took office the next year and signed a $1 9 trillion stimulusplansoonafter Economists disagree on the size and design of thoseresponses

But they generally agree that by borrowing money in a sharp downturn, the federal government helped revive the economy and protect peopleandbusinesses

“Not all debt is created equal, ” said Lindsay Owens, an economic sociologist who is executive director of the liberal Groundwork C o l l a b o r a t i v e i n Washington

“When we’re making critical investments, and stimulus, coming out of a recession,therearealotof economic benefits to keeping money flowing in the economy, keeping unemployment from reaching astronomically high levels, keeping small businessesfromdefaulting.”

It is difficult to fully assign responsibility to individual presidents or parties for total levels of debt, because policy decisions often influence oneanother

By one crude measure, debt has been a bipartisan pursuit: It grew by $12 7 trillionwhenMr Bushand M r T r u m p , b o t h Republicans, were in office, and by $13 trillion under the Democratic administrations of Mr. ObamaandMr.Biden.

That calculation i g n o r e s t h e reverberations that policy decisions can h a v e e v e n a f t e r presidents leave office

Mr Bush’s tax cuts, for example, are still r e d u c i n g f e d e r a l r e v e n u e C h a r l e s Blahous, a researcher at George Mason University who studies the federal budget, tried in a recent paper to apportion blame topresidentsandpartiesin Congress for the federal deficitatvarioustimes

For the 2021 deficit, he wrote, Mr Trump bore the most blame, even though he was out of office Mr Bidenwastherunner-up.

Satellite imagery shows Tropical Cyclone Freddy approaching Madagascar.

One dead, another injured in New Amsterdam chopping incident

Police are investigating anallegedchoppingincident that occurred yesterday that has led to the death of a 22year-old man and leaving another person injured and hospitalised at the New AmsterdamHospital.

The dead man has been identified as Kevin Junior Small of Patrick Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam Regional Commander Shivpersaud Bacchus confirmed that based on information received there was a fight between several youths of the Angoy’s Avenue area, which reportedly led to the incident.

Small was found with

U.SVPdelegationfor3-dayvisittoGuyana

Special Advisor to U.S Vice President, Kamala Harris, Joseph Salazar and Deputy Director for the WesternHemisphereAffairs (WHA),OfficeofCaribbean Affairs, Michael Taylor, is scheduled for a three-day visittoGuyana.

The U S Embassy in Guyana in a press statement disclosed that the U S delegation will meet with governmentofficials,business leadersandnon-governmental organizations, leading on issuesofgovernance,security and prosperity Discussions will include topics of mutual interest, including food security, energy security, and the U S -Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030)

In June 2022, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris launchedPACC2030.Itwas stated that since then, the

United States has been working with Caribbean nations to develop wideranging, long-term energy security and climate resilience solutions. Since theSummitoftheAmericas, Vice President Harris has met with six Caribbean heads of state, including President Irfaan Ali,

buildingontheUnitedStates partnership with Caribbean governments in defense of our shared values, and to improve Caribbean resilience in all aspects –economic, security, and democracy

According to the fact sheetofthePACC2030,the initiative establishes a framework to elevate U.S. cooperation with Caribbean countries,tosupportclimate adaptation and strengthen energy security, while building the resilience of critical infrastructure and local economies to the climatecrisis.

PACC2030willserveas the U S government’s primary mechanism for regional climate adaptation and resilience, and energy cooperation through 2030, as we work toward meeting the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement and the

2 0 3 0 S u s t a i n a b l e DevelopmentGoals(SDGs).

It was stated that the approach recognises that all countries in the region are vulnerabletoclimatechange and extreme weather events and require support to addressthesechallenges.

The collaboration under the PACC 2030 framework will advance two strategic objectives that are strengtheningenergysecurity and promoting climate adaptationandresilience

In order to achieve the two aforementioned objectives, PACC 2030 will organize its activities and programmes under four pillars: improving access to development financing, facilitating clean energy project development and investment, enhancing local capacitybuilding,deepening the U.S collaboration with Caribbeanpartners.

injuries and in an unconsciousstateatahouse inBudhanScheme,Vryheid, West Canje Berbice. The houseissaidtobealocation where Small would usually hangoutwithotherfriends.

Kevin Small, 51, the father of the dead man, said that he was playing a game of cards Saturday night when three individuals showed up where he was looking for some persons. Hesaidthemenwerearmed with cutlasses and were looking for the persons in relation to a chopping incident that occurred two nights prior Small said he also heard that his son was involvedinthatincident.

“Night before the last I hear he name calling in the chop up. Last night I was playingcardandthreeofthe individual come with

cutlass. My son don’t lime there but dem come looking for other people dem seh namecalling.”

According to the man, the men subsequently left, but yesterday morning he said he got up early and ventured to the upper flat of his home where his son sleeps, with the intention of telling his son what he had heard,buthewasnowhereto befound.

Thefathersaidheleftfor work and when he returned homelaterinthedayhewas told that his son was chopped.Hesaidtheybegan searching for him and subsequently found him at thehouseinBudhanScheme with injuries about his body andinanunconsciousstate.

HewastakentotheNew Amsterdam Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.Aprobeisunderway

U.S Vice President, Kamala Harris Special Advisor, Joseph Salazar

DEAD: Kevin Junior Small

The house where the body of Kevin Junior Small was discovered.

Barrington, Harvey dominate Jefford’s Classic Mile

By Rawle Toney

Devaun Barrington and Attoya Harvey ruled supreme over their competition yesterday at the inaugural Jefford’s Classic Mile.

Over 200 athletes from across the country swarmed the National Park, all looking to cash in on the lucrative races, especially in the open category.

However, it was ‘blue ribbon’ races which featured the crème de la crème in distance and mid-distance athletes that grabbed the attention of the scores that gathered.

Barrington took the start-

ing line alongside Cleveland Thomas, Winston Missingher and Marlon Nicholson in the 16-man race.

An interesting day of racing in the National Park culminated with a race that showed why Barrington is regarded as one of the best mid-distance athletes in Guyana.

When the dust settled in what was a heated exchange between the athletes, Barrington crossed the finish line in all smiles, clocking four minutes, 20.8 seconds (4:20.8s).

Nicholson, Barrington’s

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) club mate settled for second (4:23.8), while Police Progressive Youth Club athletes Thomas (4:26.5) and Missingher (4:30.1) were third and fourth respectively.

Meanwhile, over in the women’s Open Category, Attoya Harvey was in a ‘no-nonsense’ mood as she dismantled the field to easily win her group, registering a time of five minutes, 31.04s (5:31.04).

Harvey’s closest competition, Jessica Wright, finished second

Monday March 13, 2023

ARIES (Mar. 211pr. 19)

If you've been concerned about your health for any reason, Cancer, today your medical professional could give you a clean bill of health. You will believe it, because you're likely to feel wonderful.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Some strange but wonderful things could be happening to you now, Taurus. Sheer luck could well be in the picture. Have you wanted to move to a nicer place.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

A rather black mood that's been plaguing you since early morning could suddenly disappear when a business or romantic partner brings wonderful news your way, Gemini.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

If you've been concerned about your health for any reason, Cancer, today your medical professional could give you a clean bill of health. You will believe it, because you're likely to feel wonderful.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Creative energies are flowing like a river today, Leo. Ideas for projects should come thick and fast. You can't wait to get started. You may even formulate plans to market them once they're done.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

Dreams should shed light on some difficult issues you've been trying to resolve, Virgo. You can finally make the problems disappear. This should be more than a relief to you - it's a blessing!

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

More than one call could come today with absolutely wonderful news! Exciting and wonderful changes are in the wind, Libra, but you need to bear in mind that with the good news comes the unknown.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

A sizable sum of money could come your way today, Scorpio, probably as a surprise. This is a significant day for you. The money will open up new doors, particularly where creativity is concerned.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Today you may wake up feeling energetic, enthusiastic, optimistic, and very happy, Sagittarius. You may not be able to trace this to anything logical.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The Have you been feeling psychic lately, Capricorn? Has a recent dream or premonition come true? Any insights that you receive today aren't likely to be clothed in complex symbolism - they should be easily understood.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Today you might gather with some very smart friends at a coffee house for an intellectual conversation, Aquarius. Some fascinating ideas and useful information could be exchanged.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

A fabulous career break could come your way today, Pisces. It could be a raise, promotion, or even a new job in a new field. It could also involve a completely different location.

(5:54.1); Delicia Tinnis (6:57.1) was third.

Tiana Springer won the U20 women’s category, finishing well ahead of Teresha Baynes and Rosemond Harvey.

In the U20 Men’s race, Odida Parkinson had the better of Samuel Henry and Akandy VanMaalson in a close contest. Javon Roberts registered 4:40.4 to claim the U18 Boys division, beating Jamol Sullivan (4:40.9) and Lestron Lovell (4:47).

National Table Tennis

player Ebo Mc Neil showed off his ability in track and field, winning the Boys U14 category ahead of Paul Clarence and Shaquan Shepperd.

Ester McKinnon won the Girls U14, getting the better of Kaymayara Lacon and Joanna Antwon.

Following the event, Edison Jefford, the event’s organiser, told Kaieteur News that he was pleased with the outcome of the first Jefford’s Mile Classic, adding that he overwhelmed with the turnout of athletes and spectators.

From page 23 on Tuesday cannot legally proceed as it would be in direct contravention of the Constitution.”

Robin Singh will go headto-head with Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) president Godfrey Munroe in the run-off for Yassin’s seat after the administrator for almost three decades is not eligible to seek re-elections according to the GOA Constitution’s age-limit clause. Director of Sport and president of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle, Guyana Hockey Board president Philip Fernandes and Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA) Cristy Campbell are contesting the Vice President position. The GOA only allows for three Vice Presidents, which will give the aforementioned sports administrators an automatic place on the Executive Committee. Commonwealth Games gold and silver medalist and Chairman of the Pan Am Sports Athletes Commission, Aliann Pompey, was deemed ineligible to contest due to article 14.4.1 “being a national of Guyana and ordinarily resident in Guyana.” The Secretary-General position will see current Vice President Karen Pilgrim coming up against Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon and the President of the Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, Attorney-At-Law Keavon Bess. Garfield Wiltshire was the lone nominee for the position of Treasurer, while the Assistant Secretary-General will be contested between Deion Nurse and Latoya Herbert. Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) president Michael Singh will challenge Nurse for the Assistant Treasurer position.

From page 25 talks would have been initiated by Secretary Rogers with counterparts in Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Jamaica and Barbados amongst other nations would be approached to reactivate the Caribbean Championships. Additionally, the new VP Chase has a passion to see a national schools championship being introduced and the new committee would be working assiduously towards making this a reality in the near future. Hosting of the GAPLF’s Calendar competitions will be done apart from athletes being selected for overseas competitions. Intermediates, Raw Nationals, and Senior Nationals are the remaining local competitions that are slated for this year. Novices were held on February 19 at Cornelia Ida on the West Coast of Demerara.

Another aim o the new committee is to host competitions in all three counties engaging and involving gyms from all around Guyana.

Wilson elected...

Yassin challenges...

Victory Valley Royals saddled Colts to win

GBF ‘BIG 4’ tournament

A clinical display of basketball by the Victory Valley Royals saw them defeat Colts 77 – 70 on Saturday evening to win the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) ‘BIG 4’ tournament.

Played at the Burnham BasketballCourt,thefinalof the tournament that also featured Ravens and Kobras was played in honour of the GBF’sfirstpresident,Joseph ‘Reds’Perreira.

Yannick Tappin, Harold Adams and Orlan Glasgow combined for 59 points in theirteam’swininthegame that was closely contested between the Linden and Georgetownclubs.

Glasgow had a teamhigh22points,Tappinhad 20, while Adams chipped in with 12 points and the c u r r e n t N a t i o n a l Championships winners returned to Linden with $200,000

After trailing by three points (13 – 16) at the end of the first period, Tappin and Glasgow led the Royals to a 21-point second stanza, while the team’s gritty defence restricted Colts to 16 points in the quarter, as

the Linden unit held on to atwo-point(34–32)leadat HalfTime.

However, Colts, backed by their national players, Point Guard

Shelroy Thomas, and Centre Shane Webster, continued their seesaw contest with the Royals, but the City team trailed bythreepoints(56–53)at the end of the penultimate period Thomas, who also

WestDemeraraSecondarywinBeckles Lumberyardsecondaryschoolboys

Tapeballcricketcompetition

had 22 points, along with Webster, who finished the night with 18 points, rallied Colts to a 17-point fourth quarter, but it was not enoughtosecureawin.Colts settled for the second-place purseof$100,000.

For his sensational play in the tournament, Tappin walked away with the Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy and $25,000. (Rawle Toney)

West Demerara Sec School won the Beckles Lumber yard secondary schoolboys Tapeball cricket competition, played on DurbanParktarmac.

Some 18 schools took part andWest Dem knocked out favorites Diamond Sec. Schoolinthefirstsemifinal. Diamond batted first and scored 51 for 5 in their 5 overs, West Dem knocked

off the runs scoring 54 off their 5 overs, in the second semifinal.

Vergenoegen Sec defeated North Georgetown Sec.

NGSS bat first and scored 46 off their 5 overs, VSS knocked off the runs scoring48for3in4.3overs.

Then final went down to superoversandattheendof thesuperoverstherewasstill

atiesoithadtobedecidedon who scored the most boundaries and West Dem got the better by scoring 7 boundariestoVSS5.

Trevon Boston made the present on the behalf ofBeck’sLumberYard N Singh got the MVP prize for the competition James aka Uprising Lewis was the coordinator of the event

Panthers humble GDF 45-26 at GRFU 12’s

The Guyana Rugby FootballUnion(GRFU)12’s league continued yesterday in the National Park, where Panthers proved to be too good for the Guyana DefenceForce(GDF).

Clinical plays and dissecting the GDF’s defence with surgical precision, Panthers easily playedtheirwaytoa45–26 win. GodfreyBroomesand D’arcy Durant had two tries, followed by a try each from Delroy Fordyce, Kareem Fisher and MakayahSmith.

B r o o m e s w a s ‘ b u l l s e y e ’ o n h i s conversions, registering fiveontheday

TheGDFhadtriesfrom Avery Corbin, Jamal Darrel and Akeno James, along with conversions from Leon Cole and Kevin Wills The GRFU 12’s will continuenextweekendatthe NationalParkRugbyField.

The winning West Demerara Sec. School team.

Panthers Rugby Club

GBF president, Michael Singh, presenting Yannick Tappin with the MVP trophy.

First round of matches completed, Second round kicks off March 18

The first round of the 2023 Petra-organised Milo Under-18 Schools Football Tournament is in the history books following the completion of the final four matches, yesterday, at the Ministry of Education Ground.

Day four’s proceedings saw Santa Rosa dismantle NewAmsterdam8–0,New Central High and Charity battledtothefirstdrawofthe tournament, Mackenzie High won against President’s College 4 – 1 while West Ruimveldt steamrolledVergenoegen8-

1. In the first match, Ron Van Sluytman (10’, 50’ & 53’) led with a hat-trick and was supported by a double from Deon Chapelle (15’, 46’) along with a goal each from Rockwell Harris (17’), Nelon Lucas (70’) and a much-welcomed own goal from the opposition in the 34thminute.

Thesecondmatchended as a draw as New Central High gained the lead in the 34thminute,complimentsof Kenneth Gordon, while Charity equalised through a strike from Keiron Mendonza in the 58th

minute.Matchthreefeatured the other Linden unit, Mackenzie High, making light work of President’s College with goals from Jevon Dennis (5’), Joel Siland (31’), Azainneo Benjamin (34’) and Aaron M u r r a y ( 6 0 ’ ) , overshadowing the opposition’s lone goal scored by Eleton Lewis (49’).

Thelastshowdownofthe day saw West Ruimveldt’s Elijah Sattaur record the s e c o n d f i v e - g o a l performance of the tournament as he found the

back of the net in the 7th, 12th, 16th, 53rd and 63rd minutes.

Donovan Welcome (34’, 55’)andJadenJackson(14’) accountedfortheothergoals whileQuonJackmanpicked u p Ve rg e n o e g e n ’s consolation goal in the 37th minute.

Defending Champion amongDaythreewinners…

Saturday’s results had Cummings Lodge winning against St Cuthbert’s Mission 2 – 1, 8th of May overpowered Vryman’s Erven to win 7 – 3, CWSS started their title defense with a 5 – 0 triumph over West Demerara and St Stanislaus College reigned supreme against Dolphin in an encounter that ended 2 –1. In the first showdown, it was Cummings Lodge that drew first blood as Keyshawn Millington found the back of the net in the 22nd minute before St Cuthbert’s Mission

equalised through a strike fromEyonSimoninthe24th minute Dequan Thom’s 47th minute goal regained the lead for Cummings Lodge and eventually becamethedecider

After that, 8th of May Secondary School kept scoringatregularintervalsto seal their victory against a resistantopposition.

DoublesfromDeAngelo Davidson(10’,15’),Simeon Douglas (20’, 52’) and Sachel Marks (38’, 50’) along with a 60th minute strike from Leon Farrell overwhelmed the efforts of Akeem Hosannah (17’, 57’) and Joshua Dougall (55’) for Vryman’s Erven. Thedefendingchampsmadea strong statement in their opening match as Kelvin Hintzen (13’, 20’), Kristian Lewis (40’, 56’) and Amani King (47’) accounted for CWSS’s five goals in their clean sheet performance againstWestDemerara.

The day’s final match saw St Stanislaus return to Schools’ football with a morale boosting win over the active Dolphin team Goals from Omarie Nelson (17’) and LeBron James (45’) laid the foundation for victory even though Cadwell Peters (20’) found the first equaliser early on. However, that was all they wereallowedtoleavewith. M e a n w h i l e , t h e tournament which is sponsored by Nestlé t h r o u g h M a s s y Distribution,continuesthis weekend with eight more matches to be played between March 18 and 19 atthesamevenue

This event is sanctioned bytheMoEandtheGuyana Football Federation (GFF) andalsosupportedbyMVP Sports, Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc (GINMIN) and General Equipment & S u p p l i e s I n c (GENEQUIP)

Yassin challenges legality of March 14 GOA elections

ByRawleToney

With 24 hours to go before the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Electoral General Meeting (EGM), there’s a call from the long-serving president, Kalam Juman-Yassin, to not proceed.

The former Chief Magistrate and now Attorney-at-Law believes that hosting an election with some affiliates challenging severalstatutesintheGOA’s constitution would ultimately bring the Associationtodisrepute.

A c c o r d i n g t o a correspondence from the GOAtoitsmembers,only17 associationsweredeemedas worthy to participate in the elections while the Guyana Baseball League (GBL) along with Guyana Judo Federation, Guyana Netball Association, Guyana Canoe Federation, Guyana

TaekwondoAssociation and the Guyana Fencing Federation were listed as ineligible.

Archery Guyana,

G u y a n a A m a t e u r PowerliftingFederation,and the Guyana Wrestling Association are Associate members pending affiliation to the GOA and are also ineligible to vote at the EGM.

In a letter to the Associations attached to the GOA,Yassinstatedthatnone of the Constituent Members canbedisqualifiedunderthe pastorcurrentconstitution.

“ T h e c u r r e n t Constitution was approved onthe16thofJune,2022and a year has not yet passed to ascertainwhethertheyarein breach of having a national championship The

Constitution is not retroactive and became active in June 2022,”Yassin

-Callsforelectionstobepostponedciting fraudincorrespondencetoAssociations

said. According to Yassin, “even if any of the deemed ineligibleAssociations were inbreach,noneofthemwere ever sent a warning or final letters requesting compliance with the Constitution. None of them was ever suspended by the CouncilasisrequiredbyArt 16.5.HowcantheExecutive or the Returning Officer disenfranchise any of them?

Ultimately it is Council that hasthatpower.”

“I have noted in correspondence dated the 11th March that the Returning Officer has overturned her previous in relation to Ms Vidushi Persaud and maintained that Aliann Pompey is still ineligible. I do believe that

she is in breach of Art 16.5 and is acting ultra vires as it is for the EGM to so determine if there is any doubt or dispute. To the highest, she may offer an opinion but not make a decision,” the former Magistratestated.

Yassin also questioned the legality of the GOA’s notices to the Associations, since Secretary-General Hector Edwards informed that he did not sign or a u t h o r i z e t h e correspondence,“thismeans that the letter dated the 7th March is of no effect and lacks the legality and efficacy as is required under Art 11.3.5. It means that therehasbeenabreachofthe electionprocessandthetitle

of Art 11 specifically spoke abouttheElectionProcess.”

“What is extremely troubling,” Yassin reasoned, “isthattheauthorofthesaid letter of the 7th March may beamemberoftheexecutive andhasnotcomeforwardto explain or own up to what can be called a criminal offence of forgery Hector Edwards has informed me

who that person is, as that personhadtriedtogethimto agree that he had signed but Hector told him that he did notanditmustbecorrected.”

The GOA president further added, that “as a result of the grave breach of Art 1.3.5 it is my view both aspresidentandfromalegal standpointthatthemeeting

Mackenzie High School’s scorers (L-R): Aaron Murry, Joel Silan, Jevon Dennis and Azainneo Benjamin.

Santa Rosa’s goals were scored by (from left): Nelon Lucas, Roy Van Sluytman, Rockwell Harris and Deon Chappelle.

GOA president, Kalam Juman-Yassin

Magnificent ton from Yearwood and fiver to Nedd put Yearwood Demerara in command on day two

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Men’s Senior Inter County Four Day cricket tournament, round two continued at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda.The match between Demerara Men and GCB’s Select XI, Demerara Men resuming on 360-8 on Day Two with Shamar Yearwood 94 and Steven Sankar 11 runs not out. Demerara added 59 runs to their overnight score before they were eventually dismissedfor419inthefirst innings Jonathan Rampersaudfinishedwith3-

82 as Wong, La Rose and Cameron grabbed two wicketsapiece.

Yearwood started the scoring on Day 2 with a beautiful cut-shot; caressing a delivery from Demetri Cameron for four runs in frontofpoint-positionasthe ball ran down to the boundary as Yearwood moved to 98* on a sunny SundaymorningattheGCC Bourda.Shortlyafterthat,he followedwithaglidedstroke down to third-man for two runstogettohismilestone;a delightful century from the youngleft-handedbatter

Notlongafter,CarlosLa Rosebrushedtheedgeofhis bat on the way through to first-slip.LaRosefinallygot his man. Yearwood out caughton105runs,hebatted for 174 balls and 195 minutes;hitting7foursand4 sixes.

DemeraraMennow3979, Omar Torrington joined Sankar at the middle, Demerara immediately pushedthescoreto401-9as Torrington got off the mark with a gentle push down to the third-man boundary for four runs. Torrington was lasttodepart;caughtatmidwicket. Demerara dismissed for 419 from 101.4 overs including 22 extras with Steven Sankar unbeaten on 46runs.

Select XI with a first innings target of 419 Rajendra Chandrika took first strike for Select XI, immediately getting off the mark as he steered a ball downtothird-manattheend of the first over Select XI 40 However, Demerara bowlers kept the Select XI opening batters quiet in the first hour before Richie Looknauth got the break through; removing Oswin

Blair for five runs

Chandrika and Alvin Mohabirtookthescore34-1 beforethecalloflunchwith 9 wickets remaining Chandrikaon24notoutwith

Mohabir on 4. After the lunchbreak,AshmeadNedd struck straight away, trapping Chandrika LBW; trying to playing back to a straightdeliveryfromNedd, Select XI 40-2 with both opening batters back in the hut.Twenty-three overs into the Select XI first innings, they crumbled to 81-6 as AlvinMohabiroutcaughtat first-slip,JeremiahScottand Shane Wong lost their wickets cheaply as the Demerara spinners (Nedd and Looknauth) made battingdifficultforSelectXI top order batters; the pair gathered 3 wickets apiece inside the first hour of play afterlunch.

Nedd later took his fourth scalp; rattling the stumps of David Williams forfiverunsasSelectXItail started to wag at 82-7. La RoseandRampersaudhada

brief eight wicket partnershipwhichyielded38 runs, pushing the score to 102-7 at the thirty-second over Torrington later broke the partnership between Rampersaud and La Rose. La Rose was bowled; offeringnoshottoastraight ball, having his off stumps knockedbackfor21runs.At tea Select XI 137-8 with 20 extras. Select XI were eventually bowled out for 166 in 46.2 overs with 21 extras. Nedd finished 5-43 from 15.5 overs, 4 maidens, whileLooknauthgrabbed351. Demerara later returned with the bat, in the second innings with a lead of 253 runs Sachin Singh and Narendra Persaud opened thebattingastheylostafew early wickets Narendra Persaud departed early; fishing at a swinging delivery from La Rose

Demerara Men found themselvesat9-2,as Sachin was trapped in front his stumps; out LBW to Cameron. Raymond Perez also lost his wicket to Cameron;outcaught-behind for 8 runs. Ronaldo Ali Mohammed followed shortlyafter,caughtonlongoffboundary.Demerara33-4 at this time, Chris Barnwell joined Akshaya Persaud at the crease, they look to resuscitate the Demerara’s secondinnings;keptscoring meaningfulrunsastheypush thescoreto92-4attheendof play Akshaya Persaud unbeaten on 25 runs and Barnwellon36runsnotout. Demetri Cameron took 2-23 andCarlosLaRose2-20.

Play continues today with Day Three action with DemeraraMen94-4from25 overs in the second innings withaleadof347runs.

Kohli ends Test ton drought with 186 as India dominate Australia

AFP-Virat Kohli hit his first Test century in more than three years with a towering186asIndiabatted themselvesoutofdangerofa series-levelling defeat to Australia in the fourth Test yesterday

The hosts finished their first innings on 571 to overhaulAustralia’s480and get a first-innings lead of 91 on another run-filled day four at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Kohli was the last man out after he fell to Todd Murphy in the final session of play as India lost their ninth wicket and Shreyas Iyer did not bat due to back pain.

Australia reached three for no loss at stumps with TravisHeadgettingtheruns w h i l e a l o n g s i d e nightwatchman Matthew

Kuhnemann.

The left-handed Kuhnemannmadeasurprise entry to the crease after opener Usman Khawaja, who hit 180 in Australia’s innings, did not come out to bat after getting hurt on the field.

Kohli ruled the day with his28thTesttonafterhegot a single off spinner Nathan Lyoninthesecondsessionto bringthehousedownasfans wentwildwithcelebration.

Kohli, who now has 75 international tons across three international formats, kissed his locket before lookinguptothesky

Resuming on 59 after reaching his first Test halfcentury on Saturday since January 2022, the landmark came after a patient innings of241balls.

Kohli then hit a flurry of fours after reaching his

hundred and along with an attacking Axar Patel, who made 79, put on a marathon stand of 162 for the sixth wicket.

Khawaja attempted to catch an Axar six at the boundary but could not stay inside the rope, hurting his foot in the process and limpingoffthefield.

Kohli got past 150 after tea andAxar raised his third half-century of the series to wear down the opposition bowlers on a pitch vastly different from the rank turners in the previous three matches. Spinners Lyon and Murphy bowled 110.5 overs betweentogetthreewickets each on another day of hard grindforthebowlers.

Axarwentintofifthgear after his fifty as he slogged and smashed Kuhnemann for two sixes in an over before being bowled off an

inside edge by Mitchell Starc. Kohli lost his overnight partner Ravindra Jadeja for 28 in the morning session and Srikar Bharat fellintheafternoonafterthe wicketkeeper-batsmanhit44 inan84-runpartnershipwith theformercaptain.

Iyer didn’t come out to bat after he went for scans following complaints of lowerbackpainaftertheend ofdaythree.

Opener Shubman Gill led India’s strong reply on Saturdaywithhis128before hefelltoLyon,whoreturned with figures of 3-151 from 65overs.Indianeedawinto clinch the series and be sure of a berth in the World Test ChampionshipfinalinJune.

Scores:Australia 3 for 0 &480(Khawaja180,Green 114,Ashwin6-91)trailIndia 571 (Kohli 186, Gill 128, Axar79)by88runs.

Virat Kohli and Axar Patel put up a century stand for the sixth wicket. (Getty Images)

Shamar Yearwood in delight as he reaches his century.

Shamar Yearwood on day two during his magnificent knock of 105.

Wilson elected Power Lifting Federation President; Rogers continues as GS

Sports Journalist and administrator Franklin

Wilson was on Saturday morning last elected as the newPresidentoftheGuyana Amateur Power Lifting and FitnessFederation(GAPLF) when the body held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the National Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue. Wilson gained the confidence of the electorate ahead of Mark Seymour, who served in the previous e x e c u t i v e , a s

PRO/Organising Secretary

Outgoing President, Gordon Spencer, did not seek reelection.

Owner of Chase Academic Foundation, Mr Henry Chase gained the nod for the Vice President position ahead of Keisha Abrigo while Roger Rogers retained his position as General Secretary from the previousbody.

ThenewTreasurerisMr. Maxwell Denny, a qualified andexperiencedAccountant,

whilst returning to the executive after a few years, is Mr Denroy Livan who takesontheresponsibilityas the Public Relations

Officer/Organising Secretary, a position he held before.The Board Members are Keisha Abrigo, Farouk Abdool,andZaneleChase.

Wilson in remarks after the new committee was asked to take its place by Returning Officer, Mrs. Vidishi Persaud-McKinnon, thankedthemembersforthe

support and confidence reposed in him and the new executivecommittee.

He said the new body wouldservetothebestofits ability whilst expressing gratitude to the immediate past president, Mr Gordon Spencer,andhisteamforthe work that they have put in, sincebeingelectedin2019.

”I would like to express gratitude on behalf of this new committee to President Spencer and his team for keeping the sport going and

would like to let him know that we would certainly be calling on him and others to continue contributing to the sportinatangibleway.”

Spencer is the most senior Referee in Guyana and is tipped to head the Referees Corp of the GAPLF, Wilson disclosed. Training and retaining Refereeswouldbeoneofthe priorities of the new body Wilsonfurthershared.

”We would also be working on reforming our

constitution to make it more modern and one of the areas is increasing the term of officetotwoyears,fromone. Coaches training is another areathatthenewbodywould pursue.”

Wilson also stated that therevivingoftheCaribbean championships that Guyana hosted in 2010 under the presidency of Peter Green would be a high-priority agenda item for the committee.Somelevelof

(Continuedonpage21)

KW Logistics & Bus Services provides support for DCB’s “Friends of Demerara Cricket Fund”

KW Logistics and Bus

Services is the second company to provide support to this new initiative of the Demerara Cricket Board

The recently launched initiativeistogarnerfundsto cushionthecostofitsjunior Inter Association Cricket Tournaments in particular Funds will also be used for thedevelopmentofthegame and its players, fulfilling its mandate.

The Demerara Cricket Board is embarking aggressively to run cricket competitions at all levels, under13 to Senior male and f e m a l e T r a i n i n g programmesforcoachesand cricketers, seminars for managers, book, Board and electronic scorers, match refereesetcwillbedone.

At a simple but significant ceremony held recently at the LBI cricket facility, Ms KarenA.Waith, o

directorofKWLogisticsand

Bus Service said that she is delightedtobeonboardwith DCB to assist with its 2023 programmes She also indicated that her Company also offers Catering and General Janitorial Services.

Speaking on behalf of the B o a r d , P r e s i d e n t Bissoondyal Singh congratulated the young entrepreneur and thanked herforhertimelygesture.

He promised to return Demerara Cricket to its former dominance in Inter CountyCricketinGuyana. The fund was launched recently with Gafoors of Guyana being the first to comeonboardnowfollowed bytheabovecompany Total receivedsofar:$260,000.

The DCB, while in negotiations with several prospective sponsors, some of which approvals are already secured, recognizes the limited sponsorship monies available in the system, as a result, this new

innovation. The Demerara Cricket Board encourages private individuals, private businesses and Corporate Guyana to support this initiative and make Demerara the dominant cricket team it once was We assure good m i l e a g e a n d accountability for funds received and notes that sponsorship for sports and charitable organizations canenjoytaxbreaksasthe Lawallows

Anyonewhoiswillingto support this project can make contact with

Bissoondyal Singh, President on 623 0055, Davteerth Anandjit, Secretary on 617 8502, Vicky Bharosay, Treasurer on 652 0947, Anil Beharry, Marketing Manager on 623 6875oranyotherExecutive Member of the Demerara Cricket Board. The board looks forward for your support.

Constitutionalreform, resuscitationofthe Caribbeanc/ships,andlocalschoolscompetitionontheradar

New GAPLF President, Franklin Wilson (center) flanked by Executive Committee Members (from left), Roger Rogers, Keisha Abrigo, Maxwell Denny, DenroyLivan, Zanele Chase, Henry Chase, Farouk Abdool and Returning Officer, Mrs. Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon.

Bissoondyal Singh receives the sponsorship from Ms Karen A. Waith of KW Logistics and Bus Service in the presence of DCB and sponsors officials.