One in custody as K NEWS police look for two more in murder of boy, 10 AIETEUR
Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
Sunday Edition March 14, 2021 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com
Price $140
- President visits family
Online readership yesterday, 81,239
Guyana, Trinidad lack transfer pricing law to
prevent massive loss
- ECLAC report finds
ExxonMobil to bring Guyana will be amongst in another drill ship last to be affected by …as operator ramps up oil Due to high quality…
exploration offshore Guyana
energy transition- US Analyst
$414M Bell helicopter arrives AG moves to have Indigenous Bilingual cases against pirates cart off Parliamentary leaders, others food, fuel, fish Secretaries to be trained in from fishermen dismissed restorative justice
SleepIn boss among others arrested for breaching Covid-19 curfew Fuel racket, police prayer, $20M judgement, land giveaways and no evidence of US$Billions coming to Guyana. Listen to Kaieteur Radio @ 11:00hrs on 99.1/99.5FM to find out!
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Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL - Tel: 624-6456 Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Pandemic - one year later For one long year, the going has been hard and heavy, sometimes unbearably tough for many Guyanese. Many times, for many more Guyanese, it had to have felt like the going was all downhill, and with nothing to hope for, with no end in sight. These are some of the realities that were part of the coronavirus pandemic one year endured, a year later. To be out of work, due to controls in place and the closed doors of many places of employment, was the dreary lot of willing Guyanese workers. The businesses, large and small, and mom and pop, which are part of the cottage industry, all suffered from forced shuttering or steep falloff in business demand. Citizens were not earning, which meant they did not have any spending money, not even for the basics. Those who depended upon a steady helping hand from overseas found themselves empty-handed, since those generous friends and family relations were themselves under siege, and in many instances without. It was part of the harrowing picture and circumstances of many Guyanese struggling to make ends that were far apart and obstinately resistant meet, to put food on the table, to buy recommended nutritional ingredients (vitamins and citrus products, and so forth) to fortify against the brutal pandemic assaults. Though the fears came and intensified, particularly from a lack of knowledge, and an accompanying lack of confidence, Guyanese dug deep and, for the most part, managed to survive. They did this through a bruising and depressing elections season that looked like it would never end, with stalemate after stalemate, and raging and rising passions. And, of course, the now notorious national prejudices that bedevil this society. Those who didn’t have enough bread managed to get by on a little water to carry them somehow to the next day. Those who found themselves for many a long month without so much as manageable scraps of sustenance were able to find the spirit within to flow with whatever came, and rise above the dragging dangerous tide. Once again, countless citizens of this country manifested a keen survival instinct. It was that when the chips were down, or they were not any around, and the going was at its toughest, that our fellow citizens rose to the occasion. They survived. Guyanese showed a remarkable resilience that spoke to those elements that are such an inseparable segment of the individual and national character. When there was nothing, they found something. When there was no leadership, they pulled themselves up by the bootstrap, and walked like the men and women that they can be. They have done so before under different leaders (who lost sight of what selfless leadership is supposed to be all about); under different, but always, harshly demanding economic conditions (that knocked the stuffing out of them); and under grim prior circumstances (when there was only darkness, even at that most favourable hour immediately after the break of dawn). The COVID-19 pandemic assaults and batteries left Guyanese wounded, of that there can be no doubt. But it also indicated to them, and the world, that they will not be beaten into the ground. Not by a powerhouse pandemic that just will not go away, not by pitiful political leaders who always seem to be here, and not by the curses that come from both because of the oil that makes men go mad with greed and utter senselessness. There has been some relief, thanks to more facilities, more space to operate from government, some new government thoughtfulness, and some blessings from above. We have not been spared, but we have not been punished into a pulp. We stand upright on our own two feet, looking ahead, planning to go forward amidst more threatening waves and alarming variants. But going ahead we must, since there is no other option. For to be content to be at a standstill is to invite the worst of vulnerabilities, the most potent failures, both personal and national. We can do more, and government can do more. And we must press both ourselves and the government to deliver in the crunch. This is the big test as we go into the second
We should make an oil deal for COVID-19 vaccines DEAR EDITOR, “Wildly uneven and unfair,” were the words used recently by the United Nations boss. He wasn’t talking about Guyana’s Stabroek oil contract but COVID vaccine distribution. He cited that over 130 countries have not had a single dose of the vaccine whereas 10 countries have administered 75 percent of all vaccinations. One of the main purposes of government is to protect its citizens. The nationalism being shown by the Western countries in hoarding COVID vaccines for their citizens should remind us that foreign countries and their companies don’t have our best interest in mind. We should question if the Guyanese government is doing all it can to protect its
citizens? There are many foreign companies engaging in exploiting our oil such as: Exxon and Hess which are based in America; Tullow which is based in the United Kingdom; and JHI Associates which is based in Canada. If one looks at the data of how much COVID vaccines have been administered per 100 people, America has administered 18 shots and the UK has given about 26 shots. Comparatively, Guyana has administered less than one shot per 100 people. Canada has orders to purchase 414 million doses of COVID vaccines which is about six times more than it needs. The Americans, British, and Canadians will all benefit from our nine billion barrels of oil.
year of this most stubborn of viruses. The biggest tests are still around and ahead, and they will test to find out what we are made of, how we will be. We have to be sensible, if we are going to be strong. We must be wise, if we are to have a
How many vaccines have they provided us? Canada has not donated a single dose to any country including Guyana. India is not as rich as Canada monetarily but it appears in this COVID crisis to have richer moral values. India has been more generous in its vaccine donations than Canada. India will donate 500,000 doses to Sri Lanka. Plus, the island of Mauritius, with 1.3 million people, will receive 100,000 COVID doses from India. India produces 60 percent of the world’s vaccines and is set to become the second largest producer of COVID vaccines behind America. We do not need donations from India for vaccines. Instead, we could trade for it. India is heavily dependent on oil to
run its country but lacks significant oil resources. Hence, we should make an oil deal for COVID vaccines. India’s Covishield vaccine, based on the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine, is 90 percent effective. The Chinese vaccine based on results in Brazil is only 50 percent effective. It would be better to administer the more highly effective Covishield vaccine than using Chinese donated vaccines on our citizens. It is estimated Covishield may cost about US$13.55 per dose. Europe is estimated to pay between US$2.18 and US$18 per dose for vaccines from a number of Western pharmaceuticals. The population of Guyana is about 760,000 (Continued on page 6)
chance to overcome. And we must be unrelentingly prudent, if we are going to get the best out of ourselves, and those in government who lead us somewhere, hopefully forward and upward.
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We should all pay heed and learn a lesson or two DEAR EDITOR, The night of the living dead has returned to haunt the living daylight from Guyanese who are trying to forget a devil in disguise who once lead people to the parted sea of political division, only for the diehards and game changers to drown and be devoured by the jaws of crookery. The masquerade party lasted from March 2 to August 2 until it dawned on the jokers that it’s time to wake up from the illusive dream to face reality. A weekly injection of fermented garbage took a turn for the worse. Judas participated in the last supper before delivering Jesus with the kiss of death to the eager hands of the waiting Romans – for 30 pieces of silver. Unhesitatingly, cowards sheepishly burnt the bridge they had crossed to venture unto the promised land of leeches and leprechauns. A duo of farce fascist colluded with a cockroach conscience to glorify hypocrisy and joined a bandwagon of asinine transgressors to replicate the infamous treachery of Brutus, the
assassinator. With big, glossy, green eyes and itchy palms, opened to the pitfalls of hindsight, they pivoted, danced between the rains and wiggled their way to the comfort of shortsightedness and the sound of siren. Selling their souls to Satan; they became stogies to obey the local colonial masters as “yes” servants; to walk the path of unrighteousness, willingly and obligingly; to serve loyally without questioning; to lick the platter of ort happily; to be used and abused royally; to merrily sell out the misled followers; to glibly speak profusely with forked tongues; to cajole carelessly and back pedal unconcerned; to smirk cunningly and be barefaced liars; to deliver deceitfully and to prosper dishonestly; to connive and cooperate with corruption; to trample mercilessly on the rights of others; to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the cry of pleaders; to add salt and pepper to the wound of innocent supporters; to deny bread and butter from those sinking in poverty; to become
Bring back David Ramnarine DEAR EDITOR, Our country cannot go forward if our leaders and managers make and effect decisions that are partisan and take us 20 steps backwards. The Guyana Police Force is our premier entity charged with protecting our people domestically. It does no good to see and hear about the deep divisions that exists within the Force. It flies in the face of the mandate of the Force, that is, service to the people. It should galvanise us to action the words of the police chaplain who appealed for a different Police Force and for interventions. The good chaplain would
know what he was talking about. He had the biggest audience...the President of Guyana...and he made it clear that the Force was haemorrhaging. From racism to corruption, the issues have been raised. The good chaplain must be applauded for saying what all Guyana knows. He has taken the bull by the horns. The reality is that the Force is deeply fragmented because of a power struggle in the hierarchy. The people of Guyana are the collateral damage. The President has to arrest this situation immediately. He was present and heard the appeal for a (Continued on page 6)
merciless parasites to an impoverished society; to laughingly bend backwards anytime and be ready to be botched and booted. Many buddy “friends” would have also had the honour of sharing a meal with the unfortunate, true son of Guyana’s soil, Dr. W.A.R., afterwards, stabbing him in the back, turning the blade and crying, “good riddance, so long old pal.” Those very “brothers and sisters” were wholly and solely committed to a common cause of ridding Guyana of the very “comrades” who they are blossoming with. Their words, deeds and actions make mockery of the principles, which they once defended and practised. Today, bold, brazen and brash, many students who were tutored and nurtured by patriotic mentors who gave their lives for the ungrateful deceivers who ply their trade as imposters to pay lip service to relieve their heavy hearts and guilty minds. Without an iota of shame, an ounce of remorse or a sense of disgrace, those very unscrupulous and unethical miscreants, unhesitatingly
and unreservedly want to rise from their tombs again to shake off the deep sleep and resurrect with new bodies. Having wined and dined in the company of providers, these minstrels are juggling with a sour note to condemn what they once relished, enjoyed and favoured. Having slept in the same bed with the enemies of democracy, they are now calling foul without sympathy or apology. Having soaked their hands in the well of impurity, forever they remain soiled with the curse of the reversed Midas touch. Having once been part and parcel of integrity and dignity, the oppressors turned a blind eye to honour dictators and suppressors. No amount of make-up can portray a new image; it simply applies more dirt to an already soiled imperfection. Gutted with rut, the stagnant water reproduces an unwelcome stench to pollute the very ambience of revellers who are now rebelling. Many have gone to the great beyond and are lucky not to live to see this day when their protégés have broken sincere promises and
have abandoned morality for unrighteousness. These mischief-makers preferred to embrace unethical cohesion and adopted to a way of life truncated from truth and nobility. They have fallen to an unchartered low in the eyes of the poor and suffering Guyanese, especially their friends, families and neighbours who are embarrassed to have been acquainted with them. To go with Bingo and follow Low, to ascribe to their mathematical inaccuracies, to agree to Burnham Black Magic of rejoining bodies to make a whole; to be degenerated by the CCJ scornfully thrice, to be unable to be judgmental between right and wrong, to choose injustice over righteousness, to become demented and dissuasive, these blemished characteristics obviously besmirch and tarnish their reputations. Self-respect has lost its meaning while indulging in profanity, greed
and covetousness. To lend weight to illegitimate appointments, to support financial misappropriations, to indulge in the raping of the Treasury, to coerce, cooperate and corroborate with rogue elements with their villainous activities, to be enablers to ethnic insinuations, to defend a criminal and illegitimate agenda, to hold this nation under siege for a high ransom, to pressure Guyanese with your knees on their necks, to place bread winners on the line, to diabolically fool the hopeful believers, these traits guarantee that these guilty conductors will forever be banished from occupying any seats to govern the affairs of Guyanese anymore. Even Judas, the betrayer, repented in the end, became remorseful and sadly, ended his own life! We should all pay heed and learn a lesson or two. Respectfully, Jai Lall
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...We should make an oil deal for COVID-19 From page 4 and each person would need two doses of Covishield. That would cost US$21 million. We have more than US$200 million from our oil sitting in the bank, that is approximately 10 times more than we need to buy the required doses. Isn’t the most important and urgent use of our oil money to secure vaccines to protect our people? It is clear the Americans, British and Canadians are more interested in exploiting
Sunday March 14, 2021
Kaieteur News
our oil than helping our citizens survive. If the Government of Guyana’s number one priority is protecting its citizens, shouldn’t it trade some of the oil wealth with India for enough vaccines for all its citizens? Is our oil to benefit the pockets of Western mercenaries than lives our citizens? To reuse the UN head’s words, that would be “wildly, uneven and unfair”. Darshanand Khusial, MEng Charles Sugrim, CPA On behalf of OGGN (www.oggn.org/about)
...Bring back David Ramnarine From page 5 better Police Force by the chaplain who has been there for more than a decade and a half. It was shocking for Guyana to wake up to news that to reward the chaplain for being blunt; for doing his civic duty and for being honest that someone or a number of persons decided to end his attachment with the Force. Surely, the President who defended the good chaplain should be unhappy.
The President said he saw nothing wrong with the chaplain’s concerns. It is time for the people of Guyana to have a Force where at least visible efforts by management must be made to improve the image of the Force. We c a n n o t c o n t i n u e this path. Perhaps the powers that be can consider bringing back former Commissioner (ag) David Ramnarine to help in these reforms. The reforms have to begin yesterday not
tomorrow. We t h e p e o p l e o f Guyana cannot continue in this manner. The fish is rotting from its head. Desperate times call for desperate measures. The President would do well to order an inquiry to determine who took the decision to fire the chaplain. The opening is there also to bring back David Ramnarine...a man who knows how to upset the apple cart. Current and former police ranks
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SleepIn boss among others arrested for breaching Covid-19 curfew Club Privilege
SleepIn Hotel and Carnival Casino
Screen grab from a video of a recent police operation at Club Nova The owner of SleepIn Hotel and Carnival Casino, Clifton Bacchus, is among 32 persons arrested for breaching the Covid-19 curfew. The arrests were made between 22:00 hrs. on Friday and 03:30 hrs. yesterday, during an operation conducted by Region 4 ‘A” ranks. The operation was focused on enforcing the Covid-19 regulations. According to police reports, SleepIn Bar and Carnival Casino, located on Church Street, Georgetown, was found operating way past the Covid-19 curfew time. Based on the Covid-19 regulations bars, restaurants or any other business place must be closed by 21:30 hrs. As a result of this breach, police arrested Bacchus, the proprietor of the SleepIn, two of his bartenders and ten Chinese nationals, who were patrons of the establishment at the time. The ranks did not stop there; they also made a stop at Club Altitude located at Sandy Babb Street, Kitty. There they arrested 18 patrons of the club and its owner, Meer Rahaman. Other stops were also made at Club Privilege located on Main Street, Georgetown, and Kairos Bar located on Charlotte Street, Bourda. Arrested from these nightspots were Mark Allen, Manager of Kairos Bar, and Delon Moffett and Akeem Carmichael, bartender and assistant bartender of Club Privilege. All of the curfew offenders were placed on cash bail and are expected to appear in
court soon. The GPF recently came under fire from Giftland Mall owner, Roy Beepat, after he accused its ranks of being selective in their Covid-19 operations. On March 6, ranks had arrested three of the bar owners who operated concessions at the Giftland Mall. Those operators have since been placed before the court for breaching the Covid-19 curfew. Beepat, however, had alleged that his business establishment was being harassed by police over the Covid-19 curfew. In a statement that Giftland Mall had sent out, claims were made that while ranks would turn up to verify its adherence to the curfew, other nightspots around Georgetown would operate as per normal. A video was even posted along with its statement, on its Facebook page to support its allegations against the force. The GPF in a response statement insisted that this was not so, and claimed that it has enforced these regulations on several other establishments across the capital city and the country. Since the arrests of the Giftland Strip Bar operators, Georgetown police had moved to make other arrests at Club Nova located at Robb and Cummings Streets, Georgetown, and other locations. One video of subsequent operations which surfaced on social media showed patrons scattering as police attempted to apprehend curfew breakers at Club Nova.
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Electrical fire at Bagotstown leaves eight homeless A total of eight persons were misplaced, yesterday, after an electrical fire destroyed the upper flat of a two-storey concrete home located at Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara (EBD). According to Fire Chief, Kalamadeen Edoo, the fire erupted around 10:18hrs. Videos and photos seen
by this media house showed the entire top flat engulfed in flames accompanied by thick black smoke. Edoo detailed that three fire tenders had to respond to the scene in order to contain the blaze. He explained that the house was bordered or surrounded by other houses and
had the firemen not responded promptly, it could have been disastrous for those buildings too. “The firemen sprang into action as fast as they could and they were able to contain the flames in one location”, he said. The aftermath, related Edoo, left the entire top flat
Smoke emanating from the building (photo credits to George Alec).
The Bagotstown house on fire.
Dem boys seh...
Home-naught gone home! Dem boys hear how dem send home Home-naught. Dem seh dem need a younger and more agile person fuh move around de country. But dem appoint another old man in Homenaught place. Dah nah mek sense! De PPP bin criticize de Hap-New+Hay-Eff-See fuh employing old men. But dem PPP doing de same. Dem employing dem own old men pun de wuk, and fuh do this dem gat to knock-off people. De HapNew should ask de government fuh a list of all dem persons over 65 wah wukkin in de government.
De PPP bin seh how dem nah gan knock-off Homenaught. He gan get wan job in de Ministry fuh oversee some things. If dem seh how dem need a more proactive person, how dem want he oversee things? But dem call de man and tell he how dem try dem best fuh keep he pun de wuk but de orders come from above. Dem boys gan think is God pass de order. Might be a demi-god though! Dem boys never know dat dem other Ministries now gat Director General. Dem bin know how de Ministry of de Foreign Affairs gat one. And dem boys bin hear about wan
long ago at de National Service. But it look like if Soulja Bai create a new position in the public service. Dat of Director General. Is how much Director General dem gat? And wah gan happen to dem Permanent Secretary if dem gat Director General? De new man at NAR–WE bin seh how dem gat fuh use more science fuh improve de crops and livestock. But if de focus is on science, why send home Home-naught? Is nat he de top agricultural scientist in de country? Talk half and nah wait fuh wan answer!
of the house completely destroyed and the bottom flat suffering severe water damage. Based on investigations carried out, Edoo said that the
fire was electrical in origin. Kaieteur News understands that the electrical wiring of the house was only completed by an electrician
on Friday night. It is believed that wiring was done incorrectly which resulted in an overload of the circuit and sparks, which ignited the fire.
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FRONT PAGE COMMENTS RECAP Bolivia political tensions reignite As we continue our mission to enlighten you about issues of importance to this nation, we at Kaieteur News, have been publishing a series of frontpage comments in hopes of having our leaders take the necessary actions in order to realize the desired outcome. Today, we recap the front-page comments that was published during the past week.
TAKE LESSONS FROM THE SAUDIS, SURINAMESE AND RUSSIANS
SUNDAY The Russians and Saudis, two oil competitors, are closing ranks to increase oil production. Both are attempting to get richer from their oil. Closer to home, the Surinamese are exercising prudence. Their leaders are working to obtain the best deal for their people by ensuring that their oil is exploited on their terms only. Their handling of their oil wealth provides a blueprint for our leaders.
The Saudi, Surinamese, and Russian oil leaders are acting sensibly. Unfortunately, there is no such levelheaded approach in Guyana. The PPP/C administration is impervious to advice. It can afford to act this way because it faces an Opposition, which is acting deaf and dumb when it comes to the oil and gas sector.Guyana’s know-it-all Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, went on radio and said that it was his personal position that Guyana’s oil must be exploited as rapidly
as possible because he has personal doubts about the future of fossil fuels. Who does Mr. Jagdeo think he is fooling? Everyone knows that Mr. Jagdeo’s personal view is the only one that counts in the PPP/C government. Instead of being a fortuneteller, he should learn from the Saudis, Surinamese, and Russians. They are providing the blueprints and the wherewithal needed to maximize the returns for people and country from their oil resources.
with arrest of ex-President Anez LA PAZ - (Reuters) Bolivia’s former interim President Jeanine Anez vowed yesterday to seek international redress after she was arrested for her alleged involvement in an alleged 2019 coup, reigniting political tensions in the Andean nation. Anez, who helmed Bolivia for less than a year after former President Evo Morales left office following contested elections and violent protests, was arrested in a dawn raid on her home in the central city of Trinidad and transferred to La Paz by military plane. She said her detention was “irregular” and as a former president should have immunity from prosecution. “It is an absolute outrage,
President Jeanine Anez they are accusing us of being accomplices of an alleged coup,” she told local television after arriving at La Paz airport under heavy police escort. “There is not a grain of truth in the accusations, it is
simple political intimidation. There was no coup, I took part in a constitutional succession.”The move marks an escalation of hostilities between the current leftist administration of Morales’ political ally and successor President Luis Arce and more conservative political opponents they accuse of ousting Morales.Bolivia’s socialist government, which swept back to power in October last year, is seeking the arrest of a raft of officials in Anez’s right-wing former administration as well as expolice and military leaders. Anez took power in late 2019 after Morales resigned amid widespread violent protests against his government over allegations he had stolen an election when running for an unprecedented and unconstitutional - fourth term.At least 33 people were killed in violence that followed the election, 30 of them after Anez took office. Government Minister Eduardo del Castillo confirmed yesterday that the Public Prosecutor’s Office had detained Anez for involvement in a “coup in our country”. He said the investigation against her and her ministers began in December and would follow due process. He also confirmed the arrest of Anez’s former Justice Minister Álvaro Coimbra and former Energy Minister Rodrigo Guzmán.
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CARPHA says AstraZeneca 83% of day 1 vaccination target met - Health Ministry vaccine in Caribbean different from batch in Europe
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Health and Wellness is reporting that 83 per cent of its 3,280 vaccination target of the priority group was met last week, when the ministry began administering vaccines. Thirty-nine vaccination sites opened at 8:00 am on Wednesday and closed at 10:00 pm. The ministry noted that the western region exceeded its target of 530, by inoculating 804 people. It said the northeast region hit 99 per cent of its target with 514 individuals vaccinated, six short of the target for day. Meanwhile, the southeast region and southern region reached 63 per cent (1,208) and 64 per cent (192) of their targets, respectively. The ministry said most of the vaccination sites were hospitals and health centres in the four regional health authorities. However, the
Nurse Fiona Ellis administering the COVID-19 vaccine to public health nurse Marcia ThomasYettman, whom the Ministry of Health identified as the first person to get the COVID jab in Jamaica. ministry said the national focus was on the Good Samaritan’s Inn in Kingston, where Public Health Nurse, Marcia Thomas Yettman was the first person in Jamaica to
receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The ministry said it is aiming to vaccinate just over 17,000 persons in the next seven days.
Norman Smith, National Health Fund warehouse operations supervisor, and Marcia Yetman, public health nurse and regional nursing supervisor, inspecting AstraZeneca vaccines. (Ricardo Makyn/ Chief Photo Editor) The Gleaner - In a bid to abate emerging concerns across the region, the
Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has said that the version and batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine being used in the Caribbean is not the same as the one now temporarily halted in Europe. Some European countries have suspended use of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University in England, following deaths from blood coagulation-related illnesses after receiving the vaccine. Denmark was the first to
announce suspension, while Italy’s pharmaceutical agency on Thursday also ordered a precautionary ban on a particular batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine after what it said were “serious adverse events.” Jamaica, this week, began inoculation of its front line workers to include health workers and the police, after receiving 50,000 doses as a gift from India on Monday. In a release Saturday, CARPHA said a link between the vaccine and the deaths has not
yet been determined,notingthat the suspensions are a precautionary measure, while a full investigation is conducted into the reports. “Adverse reactions that happen following immunisation with any vaccine need to be fully investigated to rule out various
factors, for example concomitant illnesses, progression of a disease, and batch assessment, before a final decision is made by the health authorities,” CARPHA said. It continued: “It must be noted that the vaccine being used in the Caribbean is not the same version or batch as the one in Europe.” The regional health agency said it will immediately communicate the findings and any recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) to regional and international health partners as soon as the body gains a full understanding of the relationship between the deaths and the vaccine. It said the WHO’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety is carefully assessing the current reports on the AstraZeneca vaccine. CARPHA is reassuring member states that its Caribbean Regulatory System (CRS) verifies vaccines with emergency use authorisation granted by stringent regulatory authorities of reference. Its encouraging persons who have been vaccinated with any of the COVID-19 vaccines available in their country, to report adverse events that occur after vaccination to their local health authorities.
AG moves to have case... From page 3 were elected members of the National Assembly. He emphasized that in reading the constitution as a whole, it would be incongruous to say that Article 103(3) which references ‘Ministers’ would strictly apply also to Parliamentary Secretaries. “It would in effect render Articles 113 and 186 obsolete or otiose,” Nandlall added. In his view that the applicant appears to be arguing an ab-
surdity to the effect that by appointing Parliamentary Secretaries, two elected members of the National Assembly is to expand the number of seats beyond the 65. “It is therefore submitted that the Court should not be derailed by Article 103(3) in determining this issue as this provision was clearly intended to apply only to the appointment of Ministers by the President,” Nandlall said in his submissions.
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BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY! In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecency in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation. SUNDAY Is David Patterson really serious about making a positive change in the oil industry? The man had all this information when he was Minister of Public Infrastructure, but failed to do with it what he is asking the National Assembly for now. He moves motions now, when is a toothless tiger. Again, we ask, Mr. Patterson. Do you really care, or are you just looking for clout? MONDAY It’s a beautiful day to put aside political leaders, who co-opt and misuse feminist movements to further their own political agendas. It soils progressive movements and minimizes the efforts of women and activists who are actually fighting to improve societal conditions for women. We will not stand for it!
TUESDAY Now that International Women’s Day is over, how many of us are still speaking out in support of the women in our lives, and amplifying our voices when people seek to silence them? Let’s see what the situation is like a week from now, or a month, when people don’t have a date on a calendar to remind them to engage in virtue-signalling. We must be supportive of our women folk every day! WEDNESDAY Here is the PNCR on Facebook yesterday, indirectly admitting to rigging pre-1992 elections. The post was deleted after it started to gain attention for its indirect admission. This is the very party now at the heart of the APNU, which is now stringing the gutless AFC along. This is the party that spearheaded the failed rigging of Guyana’s 2020 elections.
THURSDAY Former President, David Granger’s administration, was not very forthcoming with its public disclosures on oil. It set a low bar for transparency in the oil sector, with few exceptions. It also displayed immense incompetence in its management of oil companies, and its negotiation of oil deals. Because of this, the administration of President, Irfaan Ali, seems to be operating under the impression that transparency advocates will give it a break. If so, we urge President Ali and his government not to labour under this and other delu-
sions about the people letting them down easy. We demand steady, accurate, detailed and reliable information about the production of our oil and the management of our revenues. We should not have to beg! FRIDAY Disrespect for the press is too widespread in a country like Guyana, where journalists go above and beyond to shed light on PPP/C and APNU+AFC corruption, and all else that is going on in this country. Here’s the condition, moving forward - If you do not respect us, DO NOT invite us
to cover your forum. SATURDAY Take a moment to ponder the fact that District Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, has faced no penalties for what he did to his country, one year ago. Today, March 13, marks one year since Mingo declared fraudulent numbers, which, if successful, would have had the effect of grant-
ing the David Granger’s APNU+AFC coalition a false victory. What has the Iron Lady, Justice Claudette done to purge GECOM after its attempt to rig this country’s elections? Tell us, Lady Justice!
PAGE 14 Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, S.C., at opening ceremony of the restorative justice training programme.
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Kaieteur News
Indigenous leaders, others benefit from training on restorative justice
A
ttorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., has an-
nounced that indigenous leaders, teachers, religious leaders, judicial officers and probation officers are amongst those that will benefit from a continuous training in restorative justice to reduce the need for imprisonment for persons liable of criminal offences. In his remarks at the opening ceremony of the train-
ing of facilitators in restorative justice, last week, Nandlall noted the programme is designed to help close the gaps of the criminal justice system. He explained that, “It has been found that the traditional theories and methods of dealing with criminal behaviour and violent conduct have not yielded the results anticipated. In fact, there has been an increase or an upswing in these criminal atrocities...”
As such, the Attorney General said the programme is one of the new innovations that the experts have come up with to deal with criminal behaviour, violent conduct, and deviant conduct. The Attorney General explained that restorative jus-
tice seeks to assess the cause of homicides and address social issues such as poverty, prevalence of domestic and other forms of violence in families and try to prevent other incidents. “[The programme] bring victims and offenders together to melt that ice of hate and non-communication and together reflect on what caused the violence.” The AG announced that the programme will engage several stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministries of Human Services and Amerindian Affairs. He noted that “the Ministry of Human Services has been asked to make available
all of its probation officers for training in restorative justice. The Ministry of Education has been encouraged to
have all teachers trained, so that young people could be targeted, so that the next generation would be able to settle disputes in the formative years of children.” “We believe that if we are able to plant that seed there, when those children grow up, it will have a positive impact in keeping them away from the prisons; that is the ultimate objective of this programme,” he said AG Nandlall also charged the Toshaos present at the workshop to return to their communities and practice the techniques learned. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has been supportive of the Restorative Justice Programmes since 2018. The main objective of the restorative justice project is to reduce the prison population in Guyana.
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52 new infections added to COVID-19 case toll Guyanese fishing boats docked at one of the local wharfs in Guyana
Bilingual pirates cart off food, fuel, fish from fishermen Armed pirates speaking both Spanish and English on Wednesday attacked a fishing boat in the vicinity of Kamwatta, Waini River, Region One and carted off food, fuel and a $100,000 worth of fish. On board the fishing boat were Kumar Narine, 26, of the Essequibo Coast, Joel D’Aguair, 24, of Barima River, North West district and two juveniles.
According to police reports, the fishermen were attacked and robbed in the late evening hours. The victims told cops that men who armed with firearms also took away their cellphones before escaping. Following the attack, the fishermen had sufficient fuel left to navigate their way to the Morawhanna Police Station where they lodged an official report yesterday.
The Ministry of Health yesterday reported 52 new COVID-19 infections via its daily dashboard update, which shows the case toll increased to 9,121. The dashboard also shows that five patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, another eight in institutional quarantine, 32 in institutional isolation and 591 in home isolation. Additionally, a total of 8,287 persons have recovered to date with 22 new recoveries recorded yesterday. The COVID-19 death toll remains at 206 deaths.
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Credit: JHI Associates
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Dear Reader, in light of the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our publisher, with you in mind, has taken the decision to extend our weekly review of some of our major stories in their entirety.
by 2030, confirming routine flaring for at least another nine years. ExxonMobil currently in Guyana operates the country’s offshore Stabroek block, which produced the country’s first oil in December 2019. The block ramped to peak first-phase output in the fourth quarter of 120,000 barrels of oil per day although two additional projects are under development that will begin production in 2022 and 2024, respectively. Those projects will utilize FPSOs with capacities of 220,000 barrels of oil per day.
SUNDAY INVESTIGATION REVEALS SOLGUYANA INC. AVOIDED PAYMENT OF $1.2B IN TAXES – GRA UNCOVERS MASSIVE ABUSE OF TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR FUEL, WANTS DEFAULTERS PROSECUTED An investigation that was recently launched by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has uncovered damning instances where major oil importers abused access to exemption letters, thereby leaving the State losing hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. President, Irfaan Ali; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall; and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh were informed of the status of this probe last week by the Authority via a letter. In the letter seen by Kaieteur News, the tax body said that for several years, it had engaged in the practice of allowing major oil companies to import and enter tax-exempted fuel for various businesses who benefitted from partial or full exemptions on fuel. In so doing, GRA said that oil companies are required and expected to, inter alia, deliver the full exempted quantities imported and entered to all such beneficiaries, which the beneficiaries are expected to utilize for the intended purposes. In 2017, GRA’s Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia, had instructed the Law Enforcement and Investigation Division (LEID) to make visits to the beneficiaries’ places of business to ensure this was being done. Much to his disappointment, LEID officials discovered that the import and clearing of fuel through the Permission for Immediate Delivery (PID) system was flawed since oil importers was utilizing exemption letters to clear fuel without regard to whom it was destined for, i.e., whether the fuel was fully exempted, partially exempted, or subjected to tax. Upon a request for explanations, it was noted that the oil importers’ excuse was that the fuel were held in
MONDAY so-called “virtual tanks” for delivery to the beneficiaries when needed. In correspondence seen by Kaieteur News, President, Nandlall and Dr. Singh, were informed that “This explanation shows distinctly that there were commingling and the oil importers were abusing the system whereby not all exempted fuel cleared by the importer was being acquitted by the beneficiary, thereby allowing the oil importer to benefit from increased cash flow by not paying the government on the required basis.” The tax boss informed the officials that he thereafter instructed LEID and the Customs and Exemptions Tax Office to commence reconciliation exercises between the fuel importers and fuel beneficiaries beginning with the major beneficiaries, namely, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Bosai, Aurora Gold Mines, Rusal and in late 2020, on Exxon. All three major oil importers, SOL, Rubis and GUYOIL, were involved. GRA noted however that SOL’s involvement was to a greater extent. GRA was keen to note that, coming out of the probe, the results were startling. In all cases, the trend was observed where some of the major oil importers would have imported and entered the fuel at duty free rate using the beneficiaries’ tax exemption letters, but failed to deliver the full quantities to the beneficiaries, as required. In the case of GGDMA, $482M worth of fuel was not delivered along with $53M for Aurora, and $61M for Rusal. In late 2020/early 2021, it was noted that ExxonMobil was also a beneficiary. In this regard, GRA said that evidence so far reveals that as early of 2015, the system was being abused by SOL Inc., whereby exemption letters were utilized to clear fuel while the full quantity was not delivered to Exxon. With
the exception of Exxon, which is now awaiting final decision on $2.6B cleared and not delivered, all amounts have been paid, the tax body said. The tax body was also keen to inform the senior government officials of one of the more recent cases involving SOL and Bosai. For the period January 1 to September 30, 2020, it was noted that a total quantity of 34,554,080 litres of Gas Oil was imported and duly entered by Sol Guyana Inc. using both of Bosai company’s tax exemption letters with references LT02-2020 406 and LT02-2020 417. Of this quantity, certified records submitted by SOL Guyana Inc. and Bosai Company revealed that only the accumulated quantity of 20,691,379 litres was delivered to the beneficiary. This meant that the balance of 13,862,701 litres should have remained in SOL’s possession. To this effect and based on the incontrovertible evidence obtained, the Revenue Authority demanded the forgone Excise Tax in the sum of Six hundred and six million, nine hundred and seventy-eight thousand, three hundred and sixty-three dollars ($606,978,363) on the 13,862,701 litres of Gas Oil which was imported, duly entered free of Excise Tax and was not delivered to Bosai company to be utilized for the intended purpose. In an email dated November 27, 2020, GRA said that Sol Guyana Inc. accepted the liability. However, it further alleged that in past periods, notably during 20182019 the company supplied in excess of 24 million litres of duty paid diesel at duty free price to Bosai Company without exemption letters. GRA pointed out however that the alleged quantity (24M litres) stated when reconciled was found to be only 20.3M litres, clear evidence that Sol Inc., does not keep adequate records of acquittals. It was further noted that tax officials are currently
examining Bosai’s Exemption records to see whether the company acquitted fuel from other importers in 2018 and 2019, since they were in receipt of exemptions during the period claimed. Taking the foregoing into consideration, the tax body wants to examine ways of having SOL prosecuted and the relevant taxes and interests recovered in light of the abuses committed. GRA believes that the Attorney General should have a say on the way forward too. EXXONMOBIL NOW BELIEVES STABROEK BLOCK HAS MORE THAN 18 BILLION BARRELS …TO GET IN EXCESS OF 20% RATE OF RETURN ON GUYANASPENDING …PLANS TO CONTINUE FLARING FOR ANOTHER DECADE Kaieteur News – With 18 discoveries to date and another five exploration wells planned for the near future, ExxonMobil Corp. is now revising the potential oil reserves in the Stabroek Block, to be at least 18 billion barrels of oil—double the proven nine billion barrels already discovered. This, according to Neil Chapman, ExxonMobil’s senior vice president of upstream operations, during a recent webcast, where the company’s executive elucidated on the ramping up of operations in Guyana even as its production globally is projected to remain ‘flat’ at least until 2025, he told the Investor’s Day 2021 webcast on Wednesday last. Chapman told ExxonMobil investors, “we expect the potential of the basin to be more than double what we’ve already discovered,” or more than 18 billion barrels of oil. According to Chapman, it’s possible that 10 Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels “will be needed to develop the
resource we’ve discovered so far.” He noted that production in the Permian Basin in the United States is expected to be ramped up 700,000 barrels of oil per day by 2025, “assuming favourable market conditions” using eight rigs—down from 57 rigs that was being used during the past year. This projection, according to Chapman, has had to be revised downwards from the initial planned production of one million barrels of oil from 2024 in that basin. Contrasting the US and Guyana operations, Chapman said that the partners working in the Stabroek Block envisions even more production from the Stabroek Block than in the Permian Basin at about 750,000 barrels per day from five FPSOs by 2026. This, in addition to a planned sixth Guyana project, scheduled to begin producing by 2027 from the Stabroek Block. Notably, Chapman in his presentation underscored that the Guyana projects aim also to deliver a more than 10 percent rate of return, “and potentially more than 20 percent, at an oil price less than $35 per barrel.” A rate of return references the net gain or loss of an investment over a specified time period, expressed as a percentage of the investment’s initial cost. ExxonMobil and its partners in the Stabroek Block—Hess Corp and China’s National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC)—have so far claimed to have invested some US$20B so far in the Stabroek Block. Oil prices have since rebounded to US$70 per barrel with an upward trajectory in prices in light of OPEC’s decision to limit global production. Chapman in his presentation also committed the company’s operation to reach a target of zero flaring
EXXONMOBIL SLASHES GLOBAL SPENDING, PRODUCTION TO FOCUS ON STABROEK BLOCK …GUYANAPROJECTED TO SUPPLY QUARTER OF ITS TOTAL OIL, GAS PRODUCTION WORLDWIDE ExxonMobil has slashed its global oil and gas production from its operations globally to 3.7 million barrels per day in stark contrast to its push to ramp up production in Guyana. This would lead to Guyana accounting for a quarter of ExxonMobil’s total daily global production, which is being ramped up in the Stabroek Block, projected at 750,000 barrels per day in five years’ time. These disclosures were had during its Investor Day Conference on Wednesday last, when Chief Executive Officer, Darren Woods, announced too that ExxonMobil has taken a decision to further slash its capital expenditure globally—a stark contrast to its increased expenditure in the Guyana Stabroek Block. Investors have since been told that the company estimates its 2021-capital budget to be in the range of US$16 to US$19 billion, which indicates a decline from the 2020 level of US$21.4 billion. Capital spending by the company is expected however, to rebound to between US$20 and $25 billion per annum through 2025. These investments will be focused primarily in Guyana’s Stabroek Block in addition to its Brazil operations and the Permian Basin in the United States. In the Permian Basin, production is expected to rise to 700,000 barrels per day in 2025, from 370,000 barrels daily in 2020. Anticipating its investments to generate more than 30 percent returns, (Continued on page 26)
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From page 25 investors were told that the company’s greater focus going forward is “on more profitable assets and divesting the less profitable ones.” This, the CEO noted “will enable it to generate more profits and cash flows, while keeping production (globally) essentially flat.” The Company this past month, in an effort to focus on its more lucrative operations, dumped assets in the United Kingdom and previously in Canada. Investors were informed that ExxonMobil’s slash in its global production for oil and gas production will also allow the company to focus on cutting costs and preserving dividends “to win back investors that have soured on the company after years of overspending.” The company, a day before the Investor Conference, had announced that it will also cut 300 jobs or 7 percent of its workforce in Singapore. This follows the historic losses recorded by the company of US$22.4 billion last year for at the time; it had fallen out of the Dow Jones index of top US companies while its shares plunged to a two-decade low. ExxonMobil and its partners in the Stabroek Block—Hess Corporation and China’s National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC)—have so far claimed to have invested some US$20B in the Stabroek Block. Oil prices have since rebounded to US$70 per barrel with an upward trajectory in prices in light of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) decision to limit global production. ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited had first oil back in December 2019. The block ramped to peak first-phase output in the fourth quarter of 120,000 barrels of oil per day while two additional projects are under development that will begin production in 2022 and 2024, respectively. Those projects will utilize Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSOs) vessels with capacities of 220,000 barrels of oil per day. THE ERAOF GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY IS OVER – GREENIDGE ON VENEZUELA Government Advisor on Borders, Carl Greenidge, has no tolerance for Venezuela’s brand of diplomacy, as it
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promulgates its desire for Guyana’s Essequibo region. “The era of gunboat diplomacy and forcible acquisition of foreign territory, in particular, is past,” the former Foreign Affairs Minister told Kaieteur News in an invited comment. Gunboat diplomacy is a term, which speaks to the practice of implying or threatening warfare to fulfill foreign policy goals. It tends to be practiced by nations or kingdoms with immense military might. This is the case for Guyana’s neighbour to the west, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Ever since Guyana discovered oil offshore, the country has ramped up its claims of ownership over the Essequibo region, which it calls ‘Guayana Esequiba.’ Most notably, in 2018, the country’s naval vessels intercepted ExxonMobiloperated vessels in Guyana’s waters, claiming that the vessels were in Venezuela’s territory. Guyana, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Guyana’s other international partners had said that Venezuela acted in violation of Guyana’s sovereign rights. International support has played a critical role in keeping Venezuela at bay. “This is not the 19th century,” Greenidge told this newspaper. “Gunboat diplomacy is a doctrine with no place in modern Latin American international relations. A state cannot simply forcibly seize a piece of territory and the people of another state on some flimsy excuse, because it feels like it or because it chooses to rewrite or right imperial history of 150 or 350 years. People’s lives and livelihoods matter. This is the 21st century!” For 2021 so far, Venezuela has infringed on Guyana’s territory by apprehending Guyanese fishing vessels operating in the Essequibo, and by conducting military exercises in the region. It intends to conduct further exercises. Most recently, Venezuelan lawmaker, Hermann Escarrá, announced the country’s intention to conduct the exercises in the region, following a meeting with Venezuelan military commanders and the Minister of Defence. As Chair of ‘Special Commission for the Defence of the Guayana Esequiba Territory and Territorial Sovereignty,’ he also proposed the inclusion of the Essequibo region in Venezuela’s Constitution during a February 23 sitting of the Republic’s national
assembly. This, Escarrá said, would be done “in order to ratify that the Essequibo territory is ours.”
GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia
SOLGUYANADENIES MASSIVE ABUSE OF TAX EXEMPTION LETTERS FOR FUEL – SAYS THIRD PARTY BEING HIRED TO PROVE GRA WRONG Even though an investigation by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has found a major oil importer abusing its tax exemption letters for years, that company has come forward to deny such a finding, while adding that it is “false, highly misleading, and damaging.” The company embroiled in this controversy is SOL Guyana Inc. In a statement to the press last evening, the oil importer said that it has robust procedures in place to ensure it remains in compliance with the use of its exemption letters. Further to this, SOL said it has commissioned an independent third party to conduct a verification and reconciliation of its duty position, “which (will) confirm Sol is currently compliant with duty exempt importation regulations…” The company’s defence of its reputation comes on the heels of reports by Kaieteur News and other media outlets that its abusive behaviour regarding the tax exemption letters and GRA’s Permission for Immediate Delivery (PID) system, led to the tax authority losing billions in revenue. In a letter seen by Kaieteur News, the tax body said that for several years, it had engaged in the practice of allowing major oil companies to import and enter tax-exempted fuel for various businesses who benefitted from partial or full exemptions on fuel. In so doing, GRA said that oil companies are required and expected to, inter alia, deliver the full exempted quantities imported and entered to all such beneficiaries, which the beneficiaries are expected to utilize for the intended purposes. In 2017, GRA’s Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia, had instructed the Law Enforcement and Investigation Division (LEID) to make visits to the beneficiaries’ places of business to ensure this was being done. Much to his disappointment, LEID officials discovered that the import and clearing of fuel through the Permission for
Immediate Delivery (PID) system was flawed, since oil importers was utilizing exemption letters to clear fuel without regard to whom it was destined for, i.e., whether the fuel was fully exempted, partially exempted, or subjected to tax. Upon a request for explanations, it was noted that the oil importers’ excuse was that the fuel were held in so-called “virtual tanks” for delivery to the beneficiaries when needed. In correspondence seen by Kaieteur News, President, Irfaan Ali; Attorney General, Anil Nandlall; and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, were informed that, “This explanation shows distinctly that there were commingling and the oil importers were abusing the system, whereby not all exempted fuel cleared by the importer was being acquitted by the beneficiary, thereby allowing the oil importer to benefit from increased cash flow by not paying the government on the required basis.” The tax boss informed the officials that he thereafter instructed LEID and the Customs and Exemptions Tax Office to commence reconciliation exercises between the fuel importers and fuel beneficiaries beginning with the major beneficiaries, namely, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Bosai, Aurora Gold Mines, Rusal and in late 2020, on Exxon. All three major oil importers, SOL, Rubis and GUYOIL, were involved. GRA noted however that SOL’s involvement was to a greater extent. GRA was keen to note that, coming out of the probe, the results were startling. In all cases, the trend was observed where some of the major oil importers would have imported and entered the fuel at duty free rate using the
beneficiaries’ tax exemption letters, but failed to deliver the full quantities to the beneficiaries, as required. In the case of GGDMA, $482M worth of fuel was not delivered, along with $53M for Aurora, and $61M for Rusal. In late 2020/early 2021, it was noted that ExxonMobil was also a beneficiary. In this regard, GRA said that evidence so far reveals that as early of 2015, the system was being abused by SOL Inc., whereby exemption letters were utilized to clear fuel while the full quantity was not delivered to Exxon. With the exception of Exxon, which is now awaiting final decision on $2.6B cleared and not delivered, all amounts have been paid, the tax body said. The tax body was also keen to inform the senior government officials of one of the more recent cases involving SOL and Bosai. For the period January 1 to September 30, 2020, it was noted that a total quantity of 34,554,080 litres of Gas Oil was imported and duly entered by Sol Guyana Inc., using both of Bosai company’s tax exemption letters with references LT02-2020 406 and LT02-2020 417. Of this quantity, certified records submitted by SOL Guyana Inc. and Bosai Company revealed that only the accumulated quantity of 20,691,379 litres was delivered to the beneficiary. This meant that the balance of 13,862,701 litres should have remained in SOL’s possession.
To this effect and based on the incontrovertible evidence obtained, the Revenue Authority demanded the forgone Excise Tax in the sum of Six hundred and six million, nine hundred and seventy-eight thousand, three hundred and sixty-three dollars ($606,978,363) on the 13,862,701 litres of Gas Oil, which was imported, duly entered free of Excise Tax and was not delivered to Bosai company to be utilized for the intended purpose. In an email dated November 27, 2020, GRA said that Sol Guyana Inc. accepted the liability. However, it further alleged that in past periods, notably during 20182019 the company supplied in excess of 24 million litres of duty paid diesel at duty free price to Bosai Company without exemption letters. GRA pointed out however that the alleged quantity (24M litres) stated when reconciled was found to be only 20.3M litres, clear evidence that Sol Inc., does not keep adequate records of acquittals. It was further noted that tax officials are currently examining Bosai’s Exemption records to see whether the company acquitted fuel from other importers in 2018 and 2019, since they were in receipt of exemptions during the period claimed. Taking the foregoing into consideration, the tax body wants to examine ways of having SOL prosecuted and the relevant taxes and interests recovered in light of the abuses committed. GRA believes that the (Continued on page 27)
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From page 26 Attorney General should have a say on the way forward too. TUESDAY NATURALRESOURCES MINISTRY GETS PALTRY $150M FOR 2021 PETROLEUM SECTOR BUDGET – OIL & GAS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES SLASHED BY MORE THAN HALF Guyana’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), which holds responsibility for the management of the country’s petroleum sector was this year allocated a paltry $150M as part of a multi-year Oil and Gas Sector Development Programme. This would mean that the 2021 budget for the programme has been slashed by US$193M, since it would have been allocated $343M in 2020, in addition to $120M that was budgeted and spent in 2019. That $4.2B multi-year programme is being funded by the International Development Association—a component of the World Bank’s group. According to the scope of the programme—as outlined by the Ministry of Finance in the recently approved Budget Estimates for 2021—the funding will go towards the completion of a gas to power study in addition to the enhancement of the legal and institutional framework for management and oversight of the Oil and Gas Sector. Additionally, the funds are expected to go towards the creation of an oil and gas data management system, in addition to support for public relations for the sector and its project management. This year’s allocation of $150M—according to the Ministry of Finance’s Estimates—is also expected to fund “capacity building for the ministries of Natural Resources and Public Works, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the Department of Energy. The Ministry has since activated mechanisms to begin utilizing the allocations inviting tenders for the revamping of the country’s archaic sector laws—a project to be completed in 24 months, commencing in July. According to the Ministry’s request, the objective of the assignment is for the consultant to provide legislative drafting services, inclusive of on-thejob-training, in relation to the development of the legal and regulatory framework for the
oil and gas sector to MNR, and the Petroleum Commission (PC)—the sector Regulator—once established. According to the scope of work identified for the successful consultant, is the undertaking of a “comprehensive review of Guyana’s existing legal and regulatory framework…such review to include and maximize upon existing institutional, legislative and regulatory analysis and revision documentation.” Additionally, the consultant is expected to support MNR in detailing the legislative and regulatory instruments required to update and establish Guyana’s governance, management and oversight of the upstream, mid and downstream oil and gas sector, so as to establish a modern and competitive framework. This, in addition to the development of a prioritized legislative agenda and implementation action plan. The consultant will also be expected to support the Attorney General’s Chambers in the review, assessment and drafting necessary to ensure that the legislative and regulatory instrument are finalized in good order for presentation to the National Assembly, and for passage into law. “Provide for the transfer of knowledge, including onthe-job training and review workshops, for selected personnel from the MNR, PC, Attorney General’s Chambers and other ministries/agencies as identified by the MNR, on
legal aspects of the petroleum industry.” Additionally, the Ministry has earmarked $4M in Capital Expenditure for the purchase of furniture and equipment. The Ministry’s current allocation for the year for the Petroleum Management Sector has since been revised upwards to in excess of $435M for the payment of wages and salaries among other administrative expenses. US CDC ADVISES AGAINST CO-ADMINISTRATION OF COVID-19 VACCINES – LOCAL HEALTH MINISTRYADVISES AGAINST TAKING COVID-19 VACCINE AND FILARIA PILLS TOGETHER The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States of America (US) has advised against the co-administration of COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines. This is because data is lacking on the safety and efficacy of COVID19 vaccines being administered simultaneously with other vaccines. The US CDC said that the series of COVID-19 vaccines should be routinely administered alone. Notably, most COVID-19 vaccines are administered in two doses, weeks apart. When the vaccines are administered, there should be a minimum interval of 14 days before or after administration of any other vaccine, according to the CDC. “However, COVID-19 and other vaccines may be
administered within a shorter period in situations where the benefits of vaccination are deemed to outweigh the potential unknown risks of vaccine co-administration (e.g., tetanus-toxoidcontaining vaccination as part of wound management, rabies vaccination for postexposure prophylaxis, measles or hepatitis.) A vaccination during an outbreak or to avoid barriers to or delays in COVID-19 vaccination (e.g., in long-term care facility residents or healthcare personnel who received influenza or other vaccinations before or upon admission or on boarding),” it outlined. Meanwhile, Guyana’s Ministry of Health has advised against taking filaria pills and COVID-19 vaccines on the same day. The Filaria drug administration campaign and the COVID-19 immunization campaigns are both being rolled out currently and there is a chance that persons may seek to have them both on the same day. The Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has stated that it is an extra precautionary measure to prevent potential side effects. He stated that the Health Ministry has established internal protocols “out of an abundance of caution” to monitor side-effects from the COVID-19 vaccines and it would be hard to monitor those side effects if the vaccines are taken with other medications. Both campaigns started last month. The Filaria campaign started with Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and
Four (Demerara-Mahaica), while the COVID-19 immunization campaign kick started with frontline health care workers. WEDNESDAY WORLD BANK, CHATHAM HOUSE REPS HAD CALLED PUBLISHING OIL CONTRACTS A BAD IDEA – FORMER PRESIDENTIALADVISOR Former Presidential Advisor on Petroleum, Dr. Jan Mangal, said that representatives from Chatham House and the World Bank told him it was a bad idea to publish the contracts Guyana signed with international oil companies (IOCs) for the rights to operate their respective blocks. The comment is included in a public LinkedIn post by the good governance advocate. The World Bank is Guyana’s development partner of many years, and Chatham House (the Royal Institute of International Affairs), is a policy institute which at times assists governments. Dr. Mangal reported finding it quite surprising that representatives from these institutions would advise against transparency. He told Kaieteur News “I was taken aback by these comments from Chatham House and World Bank representatives, as I always imagined these organizations would be for transparency which is proven to help countries, and would not be advocating for secrecy which would have the
opposite effect.” At the time, he was advocating for the publication of the contracts, while working for former President, David Granger. Dr. Mangal shared extracts of his Terms of Reference to the administration, which included the recommendation “Release all executed O&G contracts to civil society, to help foster a culture of accountability and transparency.” “It is my view,” Dr. Mangal said, “that natural resource companies benefit unfairly from secret contracts, and the resource owners, i.e. countries, lose huge value because of secret contracts. Getting the contracts into the public domain is only the first step, and now Guyanese and others need to work towards re-balancing these unfair contracts.” The representatives he referred to had other ideas. He told Kaieteur News that though it was a while ago, he recalls that an excuse given was that “releasing contracts will likely confuse the public, who are not knowledgeable about these contracts.” This was in addition to excuses, Mangal said, from Ministers of the Granger administration. They were “interesting excuses as to why the contract with ExxonMobil for the Stabroek Block should not be released to the Guyanese people (the very people who owned the oil), and it was obvious to me why they were doing this. Very few countries succeeded in publishing their contracts as quickly as we did in Guyana, and this was particularly remarkable since the hugely unfair contract for the Stabroek Block was/is key to the future viability of companies such as ExxonMobil and Hess Corporation.” After publication of the contracts, the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) especially received much public scrutiny and criticism as it governed the handling of a massive find. Public ire over the contract’s industry low fiscal terms for government’s share grew even more as more discoveries were made. Presently, ExxonMobil estimates that the block holds nine billion barrels of proven reserves. The only major party which has shown interest in renegotiating the deal is A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) through Member of Parliament (MP), David Patterson. However, when Global Witness released its now withdrawn (Continued on page 28)
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From page 27 report criticizing the deal, the Granger administration in early 2020 defended the deal in a statement. Patterson has not explained why prior to the 2020 elections, the administration he formed part of, rejected public pressure to renegotiate the deal for years, but has now changed its tune. “STRATEGIC CONSULTATIONS” BEING CARRIED OUT ON DRAFT LOCAL CONTENT POLICY Following the inaugural opening of consultations on the draft local content policy at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) mid-February, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has disclosed that it is undertaking a series of “strategic stakeholders’ consultations” to advance the development of the document. These strategic discussions commenced on March 3 and will conclude on March 19, 2021. During this extended period of discussions, the Ministry said that comments are welcomed regarding all matters addressed under the policy’s vision, mission, and objectives. Kaieteur News understands that these strategic engagements are focused primarily on the parameters, principles, and pillars of the draft policy which are needed for the government to consider in defining the participatory measures of Guyanese workers and companies, and on identifying the capacity and competency that exist within the local markets to support oil and gas business development in Guyana. The Ministry said that the series of consultations will allow it to engage public sector, private sector and civil society organizations involved in various sectors and linkages industries, with particular focus on workforce enhancement such as education agencies; manufacturing and fabrication services; business development and support; financing; audit and accounting; shipping, warehousing and onshore services; hospitality; housing and infrastructure; regional and international trade; and other economic sectors such as tourism, agriculture. For those who have not perused the more than 50page document that is on the website of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Kaieteur News has compiled a list of
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some of the key objectives and provisions of the document which seeks to ensure Guyanese are placed in the driver’s seat of the oil and gas industry. The draft document proposes to have an implementation policy, which will identify specific initiatives and measures to deliver each objective. Importantly, the document proposes to have companies achieve certain targets for local content. These will be progressive to reflect the changing state of the domestic supply base and the forward demand. It was noted that implementation will be undertaken in a collaborative manner with stakeholders and will include regular reporting in a manner that is easily accessible and comprehensible to all parties. As regard the targets, the policy proposes to ensure that there is a minimum growth rate over the years in the use of Guyanese in the areas of employment and the provision of contracts to locals for goods and services. From the date of effectiveness of the licence or petroleum agreement, the draft document proposes that companies should have up to five to seven years to ensure supervisory staff, technical core staff, professional support staff, and semi and unskilled workers, are more than 50 to 60 percent Guyanese and 10 years to ensure that management staff is at least 45 percent local. This is for upstream oil businesses such as those involved in exploration, drilling, and extraction of the petroleum resources. Targets are also set for companies in the midstream and downstream aspects of the oil industry. Midstream companies are those involved in the transportation, storage, and wholesale marketing of crude or refined petroleum products. Downstream businesses are involved in converting oil and gas into the finished product. These include refining crude oil into gasoline, natural gas liquids, diesel, and a variety of other energy sources. The draft policy proposes that these companies have up to seven years to ensure that the employment of locals for their supervisory staff, technical core staff, professional support staff, and semi and unskilled workforce is above 60 to 80 percent. They have up to 10 years to get beyond that. The draft policy notes too that Guyanese must be given opportunities to provide services in the areas of:
1) Front End Engineering Design (FEED) 2) Fabrication, Construction and Storage 3) Procurement of Materials 4) Research and development relating to incountry services 5) Transportation, supply, and disposal services 6) Well drilling services 7) Health, safety, and environmental services 8) Information systems, information technology, and communication services 9) Marine operations and logistics services 10) Financial and insurance activities. For further benefits to Guyanese businesses, the draft policy recommends that there be unbundling of contracts to reflect the state and growth potential of the local market; market conditioning, including early notification of intended activities; preferential treatment of locals; contract management with supplier performance improvement strategies. It also recommends facilitating partnerships between Guyanese and international suppliers; providing contract terms that facilitate access to competitive financing; opportunities to learn and grow transparency and accountability for decision making in procurement; measuring and reporting on local content policy implementation and achievements; along with benchmarking, best practice sharing and continuous improvement. FUNDINGFOR GUYANESE TO BE EXPLORED Further to the foregoing, the draft document suggests that there must be access to affordable and competitive funding for locals. It notes
that multiple approaches have been used in different jurisdictions, including the provision of specially capitalised and managed funds and innovative contracting and lending mechanisms. ALL FOREIGNAGENTS/ CONTRACTORS MUST PAY The draft policy is also proposing a key provision, which will see an increase of public revenues (royalties and taxes) generated from the oil and gas industry which can be used by government to provide infrastructure and social services, to counter commodity price volatility and/or saved in a sovereign wealth funds for intergenerational wealth transfer. In this regard, it notes that local participation will allow for more locals to be employed and more local companies to make profits, hence, enhancing the tax base of the country. The document notes however that locals alone must not be expected to pay their fair share of taxes. It categorically states that foreign suppliers must be required to pay up too. To the extent that the administrative effort of the local tax authority is reasonable, the draft policy proposes that foreign companies doing business as agents, contractors, or subcontractors to operators in Guyana must be required to register a local company and/ or be licensed and pay taxes in Guyana. LAYERS OF REGULATION During the implementation of the foregoing, the sector will be regulated via different layers, starting with the Sector Regulator. Under the legislation that is envisioned to give life to the Petroleum Commission of
Guyana (PCG), it is being proposed that this body will be the Regulator to ensure reports are submitted to the Parliament and to mandate that oil companies and their contractors manage their procurement through local content policies and strategies that align with the national policy. It is envisioned that the PCG will undertake these tasks through a dedicated Local Content Secretariat or Unit, which will be responsible for the implementation of this Policy and the pertinent regulations. The Local Content Unit will also measure and report on the local content performance by Operators and Contractors, in a transparent and consistent manner. The government, this newspaper understands, intends to have the Local Content Unit be overseen by the “Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee,” made up of senior officials of the various government ministries and agencies that will be charged by the Minister to oversee the implementation of this Local Content Policy. It is also expected to identify those goods and services to be reserved for Guyanese and set targets for local content and participation in the provision of key goods and services and review same from time to time. A “Multi-Stakeholder Working Group on Local Content” will also be set up and chaired by Government, involving representatives of key stakeholders’ groups, including the major Operators, international services companies, local private sector including the financial sector, education and training institutions, nongovernmental organisations,
labour and civil society. The Working Group is expected to advise the Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee and support collaboration and coordination among and between stakeholder groups and allow for early action on critical items required for operationalizing of the Local Content Policy. THURSDAY PPP/C GOVT. REDUCES INFORMATION IN LATEST OIL REPORT The Ministry of Natural Resources sent out a release Wednesday, announcing receipt of payment for Guyana’s fifth oil lift from production at the Exxonoperated Liza Phase One operation. Though this report gives some information on lifts dating back to the start of oil production, it is immediately noticeable that the report contains a vastly reduced account of information on oil production and revenues, when compared to a report from the Ministry of Finance under the previous administration. This report comes after a month of advocacy by Kaieteur News for Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, to keep his commitment made during a February 9 press conference, to release reports on Guyana’s production. The Ministry of Natural Resources said that it “recommits to transparency and accountability within the Petroleum Sector…” The report concluded by saying, “The Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Natural Resources is committed to providing updates on oil lifts and sales as may be necessary to ensure all stakeholders and members of the public are (Continued on page 29)
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From page 28 informed.” On the fifth lift, the Ministry stated, “On February 05, 2021, 997,420 barrels of oil were lifted from Liza Destiny with a value of US$61,090,968.03 with a grand total to date of 5,009,797 barrels of oil worth US$246,542,662. Inclusive of Royalties, the total in the Natural Resources Fund Account now stands at US$267,668,709.12.” In addition to a singular table which provides basic figures on the laden date, volume of oil, and value of each of the five lifts, the aforementioned represents the entirety of this administration’s public disclosure on Guyana’s oil and revenues. A photo attached to this article shows the singular page of information from Vickram Bharrat’s Ministry. This is accompanied by excerpts from a five-page document provided by the previous administration for January 2020, for comparison. In stark contrast, the report envisioned by former Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, provided pages of detailed information on Guyana, with several tables. Jordan’s report, titled Report on Petroleum Production and Revenues, included information on production, including all oil produced in that month, barrels used for facility fill, crude remaining in the hose and piping of cargo tanks and the crude offloading point that connects to the offloading vessel, whether changes are made to volume of ballast crude, whether there were operational losses or crude used for transportation. A table accompanies this information, which shows the mathematics to ensure the public knows where all its oil went. Furthermore, Jordan’s report provided information on sales and entitlement, which includes a breakdown of government’s share and the contractors’ share, cost oil in relation to the cost ceiling, profit oil; with tabular and diagrammatic illustrations. Jordan’s report also reveals information on transfers to the Natural Resource Fund (NRF), including that of royalties. There is a diagram to illustrate. Jordan’s report notes the need for the monthly oil reports to be produced, in addition to several other reports, for which the law mandates publication. It states “These reports will allow the public to monitor deposits in and withdrawals from, the NRF so as to ensure that petroleum revenues are being managed according to the provisions of the NRF Act 2019. However, these reports may not contain sufficient information to allow one to determine how government revenues that are deposited into the NRF are calculated. As such, the Report on Petroleum Production and Revenues (RPPR) serves to bridge this gap by providing regular updates on petroleum production and revenues. The regular publication of the RPPR will allow for greater transparency in this new sector of the economy, ensuring that the public is fully aware of the amount of petroleum being produced and
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revenues being generated. Such transparency is important, given the magnitude of revenues that will be generated from this resource.” Though former Minister Jordan noted the legal requirement for these reports, many of these documents expected from 2020, before the David Granger administration was unseated, cannot be found. With this lack of information from both administrations, through 2020, the public is left to speculate about its oil revenues and production details, after the precedent for transparency set by Jordan at the start of oil production. The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administration intends to replace the Natural Resource Fund Act, and is looking for experts to revamp Guyana’s almost entirely out-dated petroleum legal framework. However, there has been no amendment to the Act to move responsibility for publication of these reports from the Finance Ministry to the Natural Resources Ministry. Notably, the Act does not specify the extent of detail to be placed in these reports. However, not publishing the legally mandated monthly reports on the Finance Ministry’s website is a breach of the law. CUSTOMS OFFICERS, MAJOR OIL IMPORTERS RESISTED MEASURES TO REDUCEABUSE OF TAX EXEMPTION LETTERS – GRA BOSS After its initial investigations found that the nation’s major oil importers — SOL Guyana Inc., Rubis, and GUYOIL—were abusing their tax exemption letters, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)
sought to implement measures that would bring an end to this dreadful state of affairs. But instead of cooperation to ensure greater transparency and accountability, the tax authority saw great resistance from not only the oil importers but even its Customs Officers too. This was detailed in a letter seen by Kaieteur News from GRA’s Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia, to President, Dr. Irfaan Ali; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall; and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh. In that document, Statia noted that the major oil importers were habitually abusing tax exemption letters, which allowed them to import fuel at duty free rates but with the understanding that it was only going to certain beneficiaries. The tax exemption letters also allowed the importers to have access to GRA’s Permission for Immediate Delivery (PID) system. GRA’s probe later found that companies were bringing fuel into the country under the guise that it was intended for certain companies but when a reconciliation of the books was done, millions of dollars’ worth of fuel were never delivered. GRA sought to tighten this system by proposing that with each payment and the clearing of a PID, a computation must be attached showing Imports, Exemptions vs. Acquittals for each import, along with the importer submitting a monthly schedule detailing similar information, but advising on who are the beneficiaries. It was proposed that thereafter, GRA’s Law Enforcement Unit would utilize the monthly submissions and
reconcile same with the beneficiaries, thereby allowing for timely and easier reconciliation and payment. In his letter, Statia said, “Suffice to say that notwithstanding the agreement reached regarding the aforementioned process, the oil importers expressed reservations and gave every reason as to why this new requirement should not be thrusted upon them (for obvious reasons). There was also pushback by Customs officers who for one reason or another, did not see the need or understood the rationality for the change, or resisted the changes for their own gain. This led to a piecemeal approach and the eventual return to the old system…” Over the weekend, Kaieteur News and other media outlets had exposed the extent of the abusive behaviour of oil importers regarding the tax exemption letters. In the case of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), $482M worth of fuel was not delivered by SOL, along with $53M for Aurora, and $61M for Rusal. In late 2020/early 2021, it was noted that ExxonMobil was also a beneficiary. In this regard, GRA said that evidence so far reveals that as early of 2015, the system was being abused by SOL Inc., whereby exemption letters were utilized to clear fuel while the full quantity was not delivered to Exxon. With the exception of Exxon, which is now awaiting final decision on $2.6B cleared and not delivered, all amounts have been paid, the tax body said. Taking the foregoing into consideration, along with other damning findings, the tax body
wants to examine ways of having SOL prosecuted and the relevant taxes and interests recovered in light of the abuses committed. GRA believes that the Attorney General should have a say on the way forward too. CHAPLAIN DISMISSED OVER PRAYER FOR “TROUBLED” POLICE FORCE The Guyana Police Force (GPF) Wednesday dismissed Reverend, Patrick Doolichand, of Success, East Coast Demerara. In the dismissal letter seen by this publication, it was noted that Doolichand is being investigated for alleged financial crimes. Also referenced in the letter signed by Senior Superintendent, Calvin Brutus, Doolichand’s prayer at the opening ceremony of the Annual Officers’ Conference last Thursday, was also a major bone of contention. The letter noted that Doolichand’s conduct “precipitated His Excellency (Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali), Ministers of Government and other distinguished guests in attendance of the ceremony to express utter disgust at such repugnant, fallacious and inappropriate utterances at the dignified and professional activity.” It further stated that Doolichand’s prayer wrongfully and deliberately portrayed the Force’s image negatively. Last Thursday (March 4, 2021), the GPF launched its three-day Annual Officers’ Conference at the National Cultural Centre, Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown. In attendance were President Ali; Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn; Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Yonette Cummings-Edwards and other (Continued on page 30)
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From page 29 distinguished guests of the Joint Services. During Doolichand’s prayer, he asked God to protect the president and give him wisdom and understanding to lead Guyana into great success. The Reverend then went on to pray for the GPF. He said, “We lift the Guyana Police Force before you…if we are honest we are able to say that this Force is haemorrhaging right now. We stand in the gap and we confess the sins of this noble organization, we confess every spirit of racism in this organization, we confess the spirit of corruption and bribery, we confess the spirit of injustice.” Doolichand then said, “Above all we confess the disunity, and we pray oh God, right now, that the Force is so fragmented that unless you help this Force, this Force will continue to be in trouble.” The GPF in a brief statement Wednesday afternoon noted that Reverend, Doolichand’s appointment, was revoked effective Wednesday. He has been replaced by Former Assistant Commissioner, Reverend, Eric Bassant. FRIDAY GUYANA BOASTS OF COLLECTING BILLIONS IN OIL MONEY BUT NO EVIDENCE TO BACK IT – US FINANCIALANALYST For five years, Guyanese have heard varying accounts from previous and current government officials about the billions of dollars the nation is poised to receive from the exploitation of its oil resources. But what continues to be withheld from citizens is evidence to support such claims. Making these and other assertions in his most recent column on the state of affairs in Guyana is Director of Financial Analysis at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Tom Sanzillo. Sanzillo said there is a
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crying need for more transparency in Guyana’s oil industry while noting that he is left to wonder for how long Guyanese will continue to accept this level of nondisclosure. The IEEFA Director said years after the Stabroek Block deal was struck with ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC/ NEXEN, Guyanese remain in the dark about the anticipated revenues from the project, how much it costs the country to obtain its share, and the size of its share compared to ExxonMobil’s. Sanzillo wrote, “…The many stories filling the airwaves today about Guyana often chatter about earnings in the billions with spending only in the millions. There is, however, no publicly available government or corporate financial disclosures to check these rumours beyond mere gossip.” The IEEFA Director added, “Five years after the signing of the contract, public disclosure at a higher level is important for ExxonMobil’s shareholders who have to be concerned about the company’s weak position and for Guyanese who are interested in what their government is doing with their money.” Further to this, Sanzillo noted that the oil deal with ExxonMobil requires several pieces of information be submitted to the government but it remains hidden from the people who are the true owners of the resource. Expounding in this regard, Sanzillo asserted that Annex C, Sections Four through Nine of the ExxonMobilGuyana deal, categorically state which state that the oil giant must submit regular reports on production, costs, profit calculations and other basic information to the Guyanese government. He said that some of the information also predicts future production and revenue targets. These statements presumably are then reviewed or audited by the Guyanese government or
its designated representatives. Sanzillo said that the release or disclosure of these fundamental reports/ statements would not only lend to the promise of transparency, but help Guyanese to see the truth about the lopsided Stabroek Block deal. BOY, 10, SHOT DEAD IN SOPHIA HOME INVASION A 10-year-old boy had his life snuffed out Thursday, after he was shot dead by bandits during a home invasion. Killed by a bullet that struck him in the chest area is Anthony Cort, of Packet Corner, C Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown. The young boy was shot sometime around 13:00 hrs., while he and his mom were at their neighbour ’s home located just two lots away from their house. His mother has been left devastated by the tragedy and up to press time was still in a state of shock. According to police, two masked-men armed with a gun had invaded the neighbour’s home around that hour. Anthony’s mother was at the time chatting with the neighbour and another woman in the bottom flat of the house, while the young boy was upstairs with the neighbour’s son. The neighbour told this newspaper that the invasion took them by surprise and that she did not see where the gunmen came from. They were held at gunpoint; police stated and stripped of their gold jewellery, including bands, rings and a chain. The bandits also robbed them of two cellphones. After robbing them, they forcefully took three women upstairs at gunpoint. As they were almost at the top of the stairs, Anthony ran out of a bedroom and one of the bandits fired a round, which struck him to the chest. He fell to ground and the bandits aborted the robbery by running out of the house and scaling the fence. An ambulance was summoned,
but by the time it arrived, Anthony was dead. The paramedics examined his body for signs of life but found none. They pronounced him dead and the police were called in to carry out the necessary investigations. Based on a spent shell found by detectives at the scene, Anthony Cort was shot with 9MM calibre pistol. As the hunt is now on for his killer, Anthony’s sister remembers him as pleasant child who was loving and always willing to help, and a lover of video games. SATURDAY GUYANESE TAXES PUMP FOUR TIMES MORE $$$ INTO ECONOMY THAN OIL Guyanese over the past five years would have been regaled with promises of a better future, living a life on par with the likes of those in oil rich Abu Dhabi, but the country’s main source of revenue continues to be taxes paid by workers, companies and domestic transactions. Earnings from the country’s first year of oil production have seen returns on its crude accounting. But this is less than a quarter of what was collected in taxes from a population of less than one million people. Government last year collected $218B in taxes, but received a total of $53B from its sale of just over five million barrels of oil and a two percent royalty on production. According to the Ministry of Finance’s budget estimates for 2021, the Government is looking to rake in even more taxes from Guyanese workers and Corporations this year, projecting $242B in returns. Personal Income taxes (PAYE) paid over to government accounted for $34.6 billion in collections last year with the government projecting receipts this year, to surpass $37.8B. This, in addition to the projected $38.2B government aims to collect this year from ‘Company Income Tax,’ an increase from last year’s $72.2B. While a reduction in the rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) charged saw revenues declining last year to $83.8B, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is aiming to collect $93.7B this year. According to the figures outlined in the 2021 Estimates, Non Tax revenues including Rents, Royalty and Land development schemes is expected to bring directly to the treasury $3.2B.
Monies accrued from the sale of Guyana’s oil however, is deposited into the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) held in the New York Federal Reserve, and not directly into the treasury, with disbursements to be made utilizing special rules promulgated under its substantive legislation—to be amended, as proposed by the current administration. Under the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed with ExxonMobil Subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) and its partners—Hess Corporation
and China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC)—the country will share profits 50/ 50, minus royalty and cost oil. Notably 75 percent of production is being set aside monthly as cost oil, to be used in the production of oil from the Liza Destiny Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading Vessel along with making repayments on the operator’s investments. The two percent royalty accepted by Guyana under its PSA with the oil consortium, in addition to the absence of a breakdown of information on what constitute(s) cost oil (Continued on page 31)
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From page 30 has been long criticized domestically and internationally by experts in the field. MEDIA COULD RECEIVE MORE OIL INFO UPON REQUEST – MINISTER BHARRAT Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, has said that the media could request the information it needs on oil and gas production and revenues. He made these comments on the sidelines of the opening of Vitality Accounting and Supplies, a new oil service company stationed at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD). The government’s latest
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oil report on the fifth oil lift, released by Bharrat’s Ministry on Wednesday, vastly reduced the detail provided by the previous administration’s Ministry of Finance. Asked by Kaieteur News whether he is comfortable with the level of detail being provided, in light of government’s promise of transparency, Bharrat said that the government has no problem giving out information. He encouraged Kaieteur News to ask for the information it needs. He also encouraged Kaieteur News to rely on the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, and the Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, to address some of
the specific concerns about the reports and the issue of transparency. The Minister said, “Actually, Finance Minister should be the best person to respond to that. Finance Minister should actually be the best person to respond to it because he’s dealing with reports and declaration and all that. But of course, we would do whatever is necessary to ensure that information is disseminated, and there is transparency and accountability. You know, since I took over I’ve always been saying that, and then our government has been saying that we will stick to what we campaigned on, and that is transparency and
accountability in the sector. We would have highlighted that previously, Guyanese didn’t know, for example, about the signing bonus. People weren’t told so often as we’re doing it, how much money is in the natural resource fund. We’re doing that. We made a public statement Friday on that. The day after we received the fifth payment, we made that public statement. So we’re not trying to withhold information from the public by any means. But once information is requested too, we’ll be willing to give also. So I don’t see that as a problem in terms of giving information to ensure that the sector is run in a transparent
manner. So I know some of the issues can be dealt with better by Finance Minister, and also, VP will deal with some of the issues.” Kaieteur News has been reporting on the lack of transparency in the management of the oil sector, for months, since the Irfaan Ali administration took office. Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, had said on February 9, that reporters should request information. However, at least 10 consecutive attempts were made to get oil reports from the Ministry of Natural Resources in the month following the VP’s commitment. The requests were made for information for several months. The result of all of those requests was the
release of a one-page document on Wednesday with block figures for each month. In stark contrast, the report envisioned by former Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, provided pages of detailed information with several tables, in a January 2020 report. “The regular publication of the [report],” Jordan had stated in the document, “will allow for greater transparency in this new sector of the economy, ensuring that the public is fully aware of the amount of petroleum being produced and revenues being generated. Such transparency is important, given the magnitude of revenues that will be generated from this resource.”
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Coronavirus: The deadly 3rd wave has hit Brazil; I fear we’re next By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt Medical Center This past week culminated one year for the pandemic which was also the same date that Guyana had its first case of COVID-19. I had planned on sharing the difficulties of the health workers and the ordeal we went through at the beginning of the pandemic,
but the situation in Brazil has made me change plans. I am worried that a similar situation can soon occur here and lead to a devastation that we’ve never experienced before. Today, I will therefore enlighten you on what can occur if the mutated strain from Brazil hit us so that you can see why we all need to get vaccinated ASAP. The current situation in Brazil The mutated strain in
Brazil has triggered a third wave there and most hospitals are above 90 percent occupancy rate. It is also responsible for Brazil having the highest death toll in the world for the past week. One of the main hospitals is turning away patients as it is full to capacity and cannot see more cases. While experts have linked this to the mutated strain, they are also associating it with the poor vaccination rate in Brazil,
where less than three percent of the population has been vaccinated so far. The WHO is urging that serious measures be taken there before the situation gets worse. What does this mean for Guyana? The WHO has sent a warning that the situation in Brazil can become similar in neighbouring countries if immediate actions are not taken. Given my recent observations and the rise in cases locally, I fear that this is beginning to occur here. We saw a similar pattern with a previous mutated strain (D614G mutation) that crossed over from Brazil and was responsible for the 2nd wave that we faced here at the end of last year. This new mutation from Brazil has a higher death toll and is causing more hospitalizations than usual. It will be difficult for us to keep up if a similar surge in infections does occur here. This has the potential to accelerate our death rate and
leave more patients with long term morbidities. The recent rise in cases locally I have noticed an increase in cases and hospitalizations over the past week and I am beginning to worry that my fear is becoming a reality. We have become accustomed to seeing COVID-19 patients but in the past few weeks, the way cases are presenting is different from what I have gotten used to and it worries me. Patients are presenting earlier with moderate to severe disease which seems to be affecting younger adults more severely than previously. I am therefore concerned that there may be a new mutated strain circulating but this is just my clinical suspicion and I do not have laboratory evidence to back it up. My intention here is not to create panic but to detect early trends and share with you so that we can take preventative actions to prevent an escalation and avoid the fate that Brazil is currently facing. Get vaccinated ASAP!!! Preliminary data over the past week indicates that the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines are effective against the new mutated Brazilian strain. While this still has to
Dr. Zulfikar Bux be reviewed, it is very encouraging as these two vaccines are currently being distributed here in Guyana. We therefore need to get ahead of the curve and beat this mutated strain by getting vaccinated as soon as possible. If you are eligible, do not hesitate; go to the nearest vaccination centre and get vaccinated! This is the best armour we currently have against the mutated strain and is the most practical way for us to avoid this deadlier third wave. Avoiding the third wave is therefore firmly under our control; get vaccinated and continue to practice preventative measures and you will help us to avoid this deadly threat.
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==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==
Three East Indians: Glenn Lall, Chris Ram and Freddie Kissoon I was interviewed from London last Thursday by well-known diaspora activist, Norman Brown. I met Mr. Brown during my long years of struggle. He is an African Guyanese whose politics I will guardedly classify as falling into anti-dictatorship activism in general and African rights activism. He hosts a programme in the UK titled, “Voice of the Diaspora.” Mr. Brown posted the interview on YouTube. I guess if you search under the reference, “Freddie Kissoon and Norman Brown” it will come up. If you are an African Guyanese who has a genuine concern about African Guyanese directions in Guyana you should tune into the interview. It is valuable not for what I elaborated on but what Mr. Brown had to say. The essential political point in our dialogue lies in a compelling, dynamic contradiction between Brown’s adumbration about his positive conceptualizations of me and the negative conceptualizations of me by certain African Guyanese that Brown says he does not accept. In that little emanation from Brown lies a large sociological, political and psychological meaning of political life in this country. Although you may see the interview on YouTube, others may not so this column is about sections of the interview that I consider of immense value to historians who one day will write about this era of Guyana’s life. Here are crucial snippets from our conversation. My host told me that he was dissuaded from having me on
his programme by African Guyanese who described me as a pariah. It is Brown’s response that should resonate among African Guyanese who have to shape a multi-racial future for this country. They should research for themselves the ongoing psychological exploitation of African Guyanese by the PNC and their racist surrogates. Brown’s description of his response to my detractors was three-pronged and it was pointed, trenchant and forcefully strong. He said he told them that; (one) it was people like Freddie Kissoon who helped to make the 2015 victory possible. Two African people cheered this Indian boy on when he was fighting an Indian government. Now he is a pariah because he fought the PNC government. Three that he, Norman Brown, was influenced by the struggle of people like Freddie Kissoon. The contradiction here between African Guyanese is glaring. Brown personifies the progressive African who sees things contextually and refuses to be part of a narrative that denigrates certain Indians as racist because they criticize the PNC. But the interview becomes absorbing when Brown related to me more of what he heard of me. He indicated that people (Black Guyanese in the diaspora, of course, where he lives) accused me of only picking on African Guyanese personalities and who is Freddie Kissoon to define the African reality. My response was automatic; what is the African reality and who defines it.
I pointed out to Brown that he, Brown, is not part of the narrative that is shaped by those who think that they own African Guyanese. It is those who think they own Black Guyana that invented a narrative (based on formidably frightening deceptions) and have turned it into gospel and they now are the custodians of that gospel. But Brown himself is a living rejection of that sermon. I didn’t mention to Brown that there were nine other opposition parties that contested the 2020 election and none was purely Indian; one in fact was born out of a religious denomination in Guyana whose worshippers are mostly African Guyanese. Do these people see criticism of the PNC leaders by Indians as racist? My answer is a resounding no. The original title of this column was “I am not easily intimated.” I changed it to the one above because it has more explanatory power and is a direct exposure of the falsity of that narrative referred to above. There is an unashamed, dangerous conspiracy shaped by the PNC and their racist surrogates that seek to intimate Indians who criticize African politicians who are essentially undemocratic. This conspiracy is hateful, immoral, fetid and sick. It takes away the recognition of brave Indians like Glenn Lall and Christopher Ram, who stood up and exposed a government that was of their ethnic makeup - East Indian. By some weird, contorted logic, Ram and Lall are either anti-African, anti-PNC or, proPPP all because since 2015 they have exposed terrible
governance of a party named the PNC, which is predominantly African. Three Indians – Lall, Ram and Kissoon – then should have followed the logic of these Black racists – stick with your own people when they are in
government. I’m glad Norman Brown is not part of that demented narrative. It is antiphilosophy and anticivilization. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not
Frederick Kissoon necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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The Court Journal
What you need to know about Magistrates, Prosecutors and Attorneys By Renay Sambach The Magistracy is like t h e h u b o f G u y a n a ’s Judiciary. There are more Magistrates’ Courts than High Courts, and as such, a large number of criminal cases are disposed of at the Magistracy level. The Magistracy conducts summary criminal matters, civil matters and it also facilitates Preliminary Inquiries (PI) for serious offenses like murder, carnal knowledge, rape, and other serious crimes. All serious criminal matters commence at the Magistracy level, before it is sent to the High Court, if enough evidence is produced. In addition to criminal matters, Magistrates also hear some civil cases and family disputes. At the Magistracy, there are Magistrates, Prosecutors and Attorneys-at-law. In this article, we will examine the role they play at the Magistracy level. MAGISTRATES Magistrates are Judicial Officers who administrate the law. At the Magistracy level, some Magistrates oversee and supervise the law in summary criminal, some civil, family, and other matters.Magistrates work in the Magistrate’s Court in the various districts throughout the country. The Magistrates function by examining facts presented to the court by the prosecution and defence and then applying the relevant laws to reach a final verdict or decision.At the Magistracy, there is the Chief Magistrate, Principal Magistrates, Senior Magistrates, and Magistrates. According to the law, the chief magistrate, a principal magistrate, and a senior magistrate have, exercise and perform all the functions conferred on a magistrate under the SUMMARY J U R I S D I C T I O N (MAGISTRATES) ACT. The Chief Magistrate acts under the direction of the Chief Justice, and exercises control and supervision of all other Magistrates. This also includes supervision for all Magistrates in the various magisterial divisions throughout the country and the administrative staff. Presently sitting as the Chief Magistrate is Ann McLennan. Some Principal Magistrates are: Sherdel
Isaacs-Marcus, Judy Latchman and Faith The Chief McGusty. Additionally, Magistrate, some Senior Magistrates are: Ann McLennan. Fabayo Azore, Leron Daly, Dylon Bess, Alex Moore, Clive Nurse and Zameena Ally-Seepaul. Other Magistrates are: Annette Singh, Rhondell Weever, Alisha George, Rochelle Liverpool, Sunil Scarce, Crystal Lambert, Peter Hugh, Wanda Fortune, and others. The Chief Magistrate has the power to allocate work amongst the various courts and also transfer cases or pending matters before any court to another court, which has jurisdiction to hear such case. This is done to ensure expeditious disposal of the Police prosecutors are court’s work or matter, and to police ranks who were relieve congestion of cases assigned to work with the being backlogged. c o u r t s u p e r i n t e n d e n t ’s As reported in a previous office. The police officers, article of ‘The Court who prosecute undertake a Journal,’ “Disposal of limited training in the area of matters… Trial, Preliminary prosecution. Inquiry and Paper Despite their limited Committal,” those are the training in the law field, three ways Magistrates some police prosecutors dispose of their matters. have proven to handle the job In that article, it was fairly well going up against noted that “In the attorneys-at-law who Magistrate’s Court, there are studied law for several years three different methods in before being accepted to the which matters are tried. For bar to practice. the not so serious offences, a However, it has also been trial is conducted, while for observed that due to the the serious offences the police prosecutor’s lack of Magistrate can either training in the legal field that conduct a preliminary many criminal matters that inquiry (PI) or a paper pass through the Magistrates committal.” Court, end in favour of the For the serious offences, defence counsel who has the defendant is not allowed superior knowledge and to plead either guilty or not training in the law field. guilty, since the matter was Most of the criminal laid indictably. For those cases in the Magistrates offences, the Magistrate Court are handled by police does not impose a sentence prosecutors. but rules whether or not In order to strengthen sufficient evidence was Guyana’s Criminal Justice presented to the court for the System, Minister of Legal matter to either be Affairs and Attorney discharged or for the General (AG), Anil defendant to be committed to Nandlall, S.C., announced stand trial in the High Court las t S ep temb er, th e of the respective district. recruitment and training of However, while a PI can persons who have a law last for more than five years, degree, but have not most Magistrates prefer this completed law school. method, and the paper Minister Nandlall had committal, which was stated that they are a number introduced in 2008, can last of persons who completed up to 45 days. the local Bachelors of Laws PROSECUTORS Degree Programme, but A prosecutor is a legal have not yet proceeded to officer who represents the study at a law school in the state in criminal matters. In region. He added that if those the Magistrates Court, they persons are interested, they are police prosecutors and would have to undergo a special prosecutors. Every one-year accredited courtroom at the Magistrates prosecutorial training Court is assigned two or course, after which they will three police prosecutors, in be hired as prosecutors and some instances more.
will join the police prosecutors in the Magistrates’ Court, across the length and breadth of Guyana.According to information from the Office of the Department of Public Prosecution website, to improve the quality of prosecutions, it was decided that police prosecutors be assigned to the chambers of the DPP full-time. There are presently three police prosecutors who are assigned to the chambers. By being at the chambers, it is expected that they would have immediate access to the state lawyers at the chambers to get advice on the prosecution of cases as well as to have access to the c h a m b e r ’s l i b r a r y f o r research purposes. Additionally, they are special prosecutors, those prosecutors are attorneys-atlaw who are often hired by the Attorneys General Office and tasked with prosecuting certain cases. In addition, agencies like the Special Organized Crime Unit (S.O.CU) and Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit
(C.A.N.U) have their own prosecutors. Relatives of a murder victim or the virtual complainant in any matter can also request to hire an attorney-at-law to prosecute the case instead of using the police prosecutors. It should be noted that the prosecutors at the Magistrate’s Court level are not legal officers. ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW Attorneys-at-law are a practitioner in a court of law who is legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court on the retainer of clients. Attorneys are also called lawyers, counsel, among other names. They give advice to individuals, businesses, and also government agencies on legal issues and disputes in both criminal and civil cases. The lawyers also represent them in court and for legal transactions. From just giving legal advice, it can move to preparing a document or eventually, appearing in court to advocate on behalf of clients.A lawyer conducts research on legal issues and is qualified to interpret laws, regulations, and rulings. They can also draw up legal documents like deeds, wills, lawsuits, contracts, and appeals. Additionally, they can also oversee legal assistants or paralegals. A lawyer may specialize in many different areas of this profession. Sometimes you might hear someone suggesting a specific lawyer for your case because that lawyer is experienced and more au fait with that area of the law field. Some lawyers may specialize in the criminal law, prosecution, defence, tax, intellectual property, or family law, or environmental law, among others.
Moreover, they are prosecutors and attorneys that work with the government at the DPP chambers. Based on advice from the DPP’s office, charges are filed against an individual for violating the law. They are also public defenders who represent individuals who cannot afford to pay for an attorney. Someone who wishes to seek legal advice or representation but cannot afford to pay for one can contact the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic (GLAC), which provides free or subsidized legal representation. Lawyers who work in law firms often start as associates and may advance to the partnership or part owner in their firm. Like other members of the court mentioned in this article, attorneys may also face pressure during trials trying to meet deadlines for submission and to keep track of all matters they are involved in. It should be noted that before you become an attorney-at-law there are years of dedicated studies that must be completed and a certain academic requirement. It usually takes three years of law school after college to become a lawyer. All states require lawyers to pass licensing tests called “bar exams” to practice law. Anyone with prior felony convictions may be disqualified from practicing law.However, Guyana does not have a Law School so persons who desire to study law after completing the Bachelors of Laws Degree at the University of Guyana (UG); they then proceed to study at the Hugh Wooding Law School or another law school.
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Alkaline Water: Benefits and Risks What is alkaline water? You may have heard various health claims about alkaline water. Some say it can help slow the aging process, regulate your body’s pH level, and prevent chronic diseases like cancer. But what exactly is alkaline water, and why all the hype? The “alkaline” in alkaline water refers to its pH level. The pH level is a number that measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is on a scale of 0 to 14. For example, something with a pH of 1 would be very acidic and something with a pH of 13 would be very alkaline. Alkaline water has a higher pH level than regular drinking water. Because of this, some advocates of alkaline water believe it can neutralize the acid in your body. Normal drinking water generally has a neutral pH of 7. Alkaline water typically has a pH of 8 or 9. However, pH alone isn’t enough to impart substantial alkalinity to water. Alkaline water must also contain alkaline minerals and negative oxidation reduction potential (ORP). ORP is the ability of water to act as a proor antioxidant. The more negative the ORP value, the more antioxidizing it is. Does it really work? Alkaline water is somewhat controversial. Many health professionals say there isn’t enough research to support the many health claims made by users and sellers. Differences in research findings may be related to the types of alkaline water studies. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular water is best for most people. They state that there is no scientific evidence that fully verifies the claims made by supporters of alkaline water. However, there are a few studies that suggest alkaline water might be helpful for certain conditions. For example, a 2012 studyTrusted Source found that drinking naturally carbonated artesian-well alkaline water with a pH of 8.8 may help deactivate pepsin, the main enzyme that causes acid reflux. Another study suggested that drinking alkaline ionized water may have benefits for people with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. A more recent study that included 100 people found a significant difference in whole blood viscosity after consuming high-pH water compared to regular water after a strenuous workout. Viscosity is the direct measurement of how
efficiently blood flows through the vessels. Those who consumed high-pH water reduced viscosity by 6.3 percent compared to 3.36 percent with standard purified drinking water. This means blood flowed more efficiently with alkaline water. This can increase oxygen delivery throughout out the body. However, more research is needed beyond these small studies. In particular, research is needed to answer other claims made by alkaline water supporters. Despite the lack of proven scientific research, proponents of alkaline water still believe in its proposed health benefits. These include: · a n t i - a g i n g properties (via liquid antioxidants that absorb more quickly into the human body) · colon-cleansing properties · immune system support · hydration, skin health, and other detoxifying properties · weight loss · cancer resistance They also argue that soft drinks, which are notoriously acidic, have very positive ORPs leading to many health problems, while properly ionized and alkalinized waters have highly negative ORPs. Green tea is rich in antioxidants and has a slightly negative ORP. Possible side effects and risks of alkaline water Although alkaline drinking water is considered safe, it may produce negative side effects. Some examples of negative side effects include the lowering of natural stomach acidity, which helps kill bacteria and expel other undesirable pathogens from entering your bloodstream. Additionally, an overall excess of alkalinity in the body may cause gastrointestinal issues and skin irritations. Too much alkalinity may also agitate the body’s normal pH, leading to metabolic alkalosis, a condition that may produce the following symptoms: · nausea · vomiting · hand tremors · muscle twitching · tingling in the extremities or face · confusion Alkalosis can also cause a decrease in free calcium in the body, which can affect bone health. However, the most common cause of hypocalcemia isn’t from drinking alkaline water, but from having an underactive parathyroid gland.
Natural or artificial? Water that’s naturally alkaline occurs when water passes over rocks — like springs — and picks up minerals, which increase its alkaline level. However, many people who drink alkaline water buy alkaline water that’s been through a chemical process called electrolysis. This technique uses a product called an ionizer to raise the pH of regular water. Makers of ionizers say that electricity is used to separate molecules in the water that are more acidic or more alkaline. The acidic water is then funneled out. Some scientists advise using reverse-osmosis to adequately purify water before connecting an alkaline ionizer, which can raise pH and add minerals. A study published by the World Health OrganizationTrusted Source cautions against drinking water with low mineral content, which is created by reverse osmosis, distillation, and other methods (without additional mineralization) on a regular basis. Where do you get it? Alkaline water can be bought in many grocery or health food stores. It can also be found online. Water ionizers are sold in many large chain stores as well. You can also make your own at home. Even though lemon and lime juices are acidic, they contain minerals that can create alkaline byproducts once digested and metabolized. Adding a squeeze of lemon or lime to a glass of water can make your water more alkaline as your body digests it. Adding pH drops or baking soda is another way to make water more alkaline. If water is properly filtered to remove contaminants, ionized and re-mineralized, or purchased from a quality source, there’s no evidence to suggest a limitation on how much alkaline water can be consumed daily. Is it safe? The issue that many health professionals have with alkaline water isn’t its safety, but rather the health claims that are made about it. There isn’t enough scientific evidence to support the use of alkaline water as a treatment for any health condition. Medical experts warn against believing all the marketing claims. Drinking natural alkaline water is generally considered safe, since it contains natural minerals. However, you should use
caution with artificial alkaline water, which likely contains fewer good minerals than its
high pH would have you believe, and may contain contaminants. Also keep in
mind, drinking too much alkaline water may leave you deficient in minerals.
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Barefoot White Zinfandel: The true embodiment of a sophisticated Rosé Often referred to as “White Zin,” the Barefoot White Zinfandel is an off-dry to sweet and usually pink coloured wine. Zin is in the class of wines called rosé but is made from the Zinfandel wine grape variety which generally produces a spicy, red wine with presence and sophistication. If the White Zin is served too cold, flavors and aromas will be muted. Too warm and they become flat and flabby. It therefore means that one must have an ice bucket to chill this bottle down! Once
this is done, you will notice that the sugar content in White Zinfandel can make it taste like a fruit punch. It should be noted that this sophisticated selection is loaded with the refreshing, fruity flavors of sun-kissed strawberries, succulent pears, sweet pineapple, and Georgia peaches. For those worried about alcohol content, not to worry as this one of a kind selection is 9-10 percent alcohol by volume. FOOD PAIRING In terms of food pairing,
white zinfandel goes well with the following: 1) Light appetizers 2) Light meat, including chicken, pork and lamb 3) Seafood 4) Pasta dishes 5) Spicy international flavors, including Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern and Latin American cuisine Be sure to grab this bottle which is distributed by Ansa McAL Limited and enjoy responsibly with your family and friends.
West Indies vs Sri Lanka 3rd ODI to air today on E2 Channel
The Sri Lanka Tour of West Indies 2021 has completed three (3) T20Is, and two One-Day Internationals (ODIs). The
final ODI is scheduled for today. This highly anticipated game will be aired on Flowsports and E2. Be sure to tune in.
Grammy’s to air today on the E1 Channel The Enetworks family will be airing the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony today at 8PM on the E1 channel. The programme which will also be broadcast on CBS will be held in and around the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles and will recognize the best recordings,
compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from September 1, 2019, to August 31, 2020. South African comedian Trevor Noah is set to host the ceremony. Beyoncé received the most nominations with nine, followed by Lipa, Roddy Ricch, and Taylor Swift with six each.
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>>>GNBS IN FOCUS<<<
WORLD CONSUMER RIGHTS DAY BIODEGRADABLE PACKAGES AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PLASTIC Pollution caused by polystyrene and other forms of plastic has become one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges, and in Guyana, this is no different. In the capital city alone, the Solid Waste Department of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) removes bulks of plastic and other waste from markets, makeshift dumpsites and residents regularly. The consumer movement marks March 15 “World Consumer Rights Day’’ every year, and this year the focus is on “Tackling Plastic Pollution”. Plastic is a highly useful material in our everyday lives, but our production and use of plastics, especially single-use plastic, have become unsustainable. This is taking a severe impact on our ecosystems, causing negative environmental consequences including pollution and threatening human health. As consumers, we are therefore encouraged to adopt quickly the use of alternatives. Thankfully, with the production of biodegradable packaging options, we have useful alternatives. The Government of Guyana from January 1, 2016 banned the importation, manufacture and sale of Polystyrene and Styrofoam containers forcing companies to utilize bio-degradable or recyclable materials. The Environmental Protection (Expanded Polystyrene ban) Regulations prohibit the use or provision of these containers by food service establishments. To support the enforcement of the regulation, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) in 2018 developed a National Standard for the Labelling of Biodegradable Food Containers (GYS9- 19:2018) under the Specification for labelling of commodities. The basis for the Standard also seeks to weed out other types of containers, which are making their way into the country without meeting the requirements to be considered biodegradable. According to the Standard, a biodegradable material is one in which degradation results from the action of naturally occurring micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae. It specifies that all biode-
gradable containers shall be clearly labelled with: A material composition that should be safe and of food-grade quality, the time taken for the item to decompose not exceeding nine months under normal conditions along with its microwavable properties. In addition, biodegradable certificates are granted for the manufacturing and importation of such products. Consumers and businesses alike must understand their responsibility in reducing plastic waste. This not only reduces the long-term challenges to managing pollution but also contributes to the reduction of associated health and ecosystem issues. Waste reduction protects the environment for future generations. As a result of the GYS919:2018 compulsory standard, consumers can also upbraid businesses that continue to use any form of polystyrene or Styrofoam materials. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for monitoring the manufacture, importation, sale and disposal of biodegradable food container according to the Standard. Consumer Bodies including the GNBS, the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) and the Department of Consumer Affairs of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce join in hosting a range of activities to mark the occasion. World Consumer Rights Day is an opportunity to raise global awareness about consumer rights and needs. According to Consumer International, celebrating the day is a chance to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest against market abuses and social injustices, which undermine those rights. For further information, contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-006266 or on WhatsApp at 692GNBS (4627). Please visit our website: www.gnbsgy.org and like our Facebook page: Guyana National Bureau of Standards.
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A Man with a Lamp
Once upon a time, there was a small town. There lived a man by himself who couldn’t see. He was blind. Yet, he carried a lighted lamp with him whenever he went out at night. One night as he was coming home after having a dinner outside, he came across a group of young travellers. They saw that he was blind, yet carrying a lighted lamp. They started passing comments on him and made a fun of him. One of them asked him, “Hey Man! You are blind and can’t see anything! Why do you carry the lamp then?!”
T h e b l i n d m a n r e p l i e d , “ Ye s , unfortunately, I am blind and I can’t see anything but a lighted lamp which I am carrying is for the people like you who can see. You may not see the blind man coming and end up pushing me. That is why I carry a lighted lamp”. The group of travellers felt ashamed and apologized for their behaviour. Moral: We should think before judging others. Always be polite and learn to see things from others point of view.
Sunday March 14, 2021
Junior page
Mini Egg Topiaries
Photo by DAVID HILLEGAS countryliving.com
Made from moss and faux boxwood, these topiaries make the perfect focal point for your Easter table. To make: Using hotglue, attach preserved green sheet moss and fake mini boxwood greenery to a round Styrofoam ball until covered. Nestle faux robin’s eggs in moss, attaching with glue. Fill a clay pot with floral foam. Poke a stick into bottom of topiary, and insert into floral foam; cover foam with moss.
FUN WITH POETRY
Wake up early and be happy by Uncle Roy Sometimes I feel like sleeping late, And get up after everyone, But when I do rise and come outside, My eyes burn from the bright sun. At other times when I get up early, The sun is now peeping out, I find the air so nice and cool, It feels so good to move about. That is why I now try every night, To sleep so as to rise early; Then I can greet the sun coming up, Which makes my whole day so happy
FUTOSHIKI Fill in the squares so that each digit from 1 to 4 occurs exactly once in each row and column.Greater-than and less-than signs indicate the relationship of the two adjacent squares. There is only one solution, and you can find it without guessing.
Kaieteur News
Sunday March 14, 2021
Make the most of yourself by using your resources wisely
PAGE 59
TEEN TIME Each of us human beings has been endowed with resources which are available to us to use in the proper manner so as to make the best of ourselves. These include our personal qualities, which include our senses and other properties of our bodies, the things that we own which we use to carry on our lives, such as our material possessions, our financial assets with which we provide what we need to keep living, the natural resources, such as water, energy sources and fresh air, as well as the natural things around us. We always need to remember that it is necessary for us to ensure that we use these responsibly and do not waste them as we go about our daily activities. It is sad to see people abusing the freedom they have to utilise the things at their disposal,
which is making a negative impact on the world’s resources. This may not
valuable resources we all have been granted is the time we have at our disposal.
seem crucial to them from the small amount that they expend, but little by little these are adding up, with the possibility in the long term that we may come to the point when some vital resource is no longer available to us. Another of these
You will do well to make sure that you use this irreplaceable asset to do things that work to get the best benefit out of it. One of the ways in which you can ensure this is to plan your future activities, both on the short term on a daily basis, and long term, as weekly,
monthly and even for longer periods. For students, this will involve getting rid of distractions, like watching television while doing your work, playing games on the computer or your cellphone, and spending some of your available time to really get connected to your family and friends, and do the things necessary to make you successful in working towards your goals. One way people use their time beneficially is to read something worthwhile daily – poetry, a good book, passages from the scripture of your religion. Some people develop a wonderful practice of writing down their thoughts about what is happening to them every day, and this can be good reading in the future, and help you to see things more clearly, and make more fruitful plans.
SAMURAI SUDOKU Within each of the five 9x9 squares, each digit from 1-9 occurs once within each row, columnand 3x3 block. There is only one solution, and you can find it without guessing.
The Future What does the future hold for us? Smog filled skies and poison cars, And broken land with useless dust, And nature’s beauty behind bars. Can I ever show my children, If they ever come my way, The beauty of a sunset, At the ending of the day? Can I walk into a forest, And surround myself with trees, Yet know that it will remain, For me to visit as I please? I know that I can today Do all the things I’ve said, But when today is yesterday, Will all these things be dead? This problem is enormous As we gradually take heed, So we must fix it quickly, Using words and thoughts and deeds.
Just as we are freely best owed with so many resources to enrich our life, we have an obligation to ensure that we use them as efficiently as we can. TELL IT TO UNCLE ROY I would like to inform our readers that the Uncle Roy email address is temporarily unavailable. So please send any contributions you would like to make to this page to roypaul2002@yahoo.com
Solutions to last week’s
Sudoku
SlitherLink
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Kaieteur News
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Sunday March 14, 2021
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Kaieteur News
WHO, EMA and CARPHA addresses claims of blood clots from AstraZeneca vaccine - WHO, EMA says vaccine The World Health Organization (WHO), the European Medical Agency (EMA) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) have all addressed claims of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine being linked to blood clots, which ultimately led to some countries suspending the use of the vaccine in their immunization programs. Some of those countries are Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Bulgaria. Following reports of the suspensions, the WHO launched an investigation into persons allegedly receiving blood clots after receiving the vaccine. In one instance, it was also stated that a 50-year-old man had
is safe for use
died in Italy after developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT). However, a WHO spokeswoman, Margaret Harris, at a briefing re-
cently, stated that countries should not halt the use of the vaccine in their immunization campaigns because there is no indication that the
blood clot reports being linked to the vaccine is true. Harris said that there is no link between the blood clots and the jab or that there is an increased risk of developing a blood clot. Further, she referred to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as an “excellent vaccine.” According to the BBC, around 5 million Europeans have been vaccinated using the AstraZeneca vaccine. Harris was also quoted as saying that blood clotting episodes are common in people “so it’s not clear if this was something that was go-
ing to happen,” so it cannot be said that the vaccine was responsible. “A causal relationship ….has not been shown,” Harris contended. The EMA, which is the European Union’s medicine regulatory agency, also addressed the issue of blood clots, stating that “There is currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions, which are not listed as side effects with this vaccine. The position of EMA’s safety committee, PRAC, is that the vaccine’s benefits continue to outweigh its risks, and the vaccine can (Continued on page 62)
PAGE 62 WANTED
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WHO, EMA and CARPHA... From page 61 continue to be administered while investigation of cases of thromboembolic events is on-going.” T h e Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC), is the EMA’s committee that is responsible for assessing and monitoring the safety of medicines. It further stated that the AstraZeneca vaccine is made up of another virus “(of the adenovirus family) that has been modified to contain the gene for making a protein from
SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca does not contain the virus itself and cannot cause COVID-19.” The most common side effects according to the EMA are usually mild or moderate and persons improve within a few days after being vaccinated. Referring to the suspensions, the Trinidad based CARPHA said that it was done as a precautionary measure while a full investigation is conducted into the reports of the blood clots. “At present, it cannot be determined whether there is a link between the vaccine and the disorders.
Adverse reactions that happen following immunization with any vaccine need to be fully investigated to rule out various factors, for example, illnesses, the progression of a disease, and batch assessment, before a final decision is made by the health authorities,” the health agency noted. Additionally, CARPHA highlighted that the vaccine being used in the Caribbean is not the same version or batch as the one in Europe. Kaieteur News would have previously reported that there are two versions of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
X-ray Technician/Nurse Vanessa Vandenburgh VACANCY Technical services 18-23 industrial site, Eccles 1. Fitter/ Machinist 2. Welder Frabricator 3. Apprentice 3 years experience apply in person Male and female security officers experience will be an asset must be over 18 years old. Call 223-4172 Excavator operator, hauler operator, servicemen and pitmen for interior. Applicants must be experienced. Call 2312250 1 Legal typist clerk phone 6247087/ 258-0213 urgent Female cleaner for office. Call: 642-9823 Taxi & Bus drivers 225-3234, 628-1183 Delivery riders - Country 120 jobs available to ride company o w n e d motorbikes.Phone:658-9124 or email jobs@gorchum.com One office manager with experience in MS office must have own vehicle, contact shazam 673-6210
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House plan drawing and estimate K. Lakeram building contractor. Call us 216-0671/ 692-8464 or whatsapp 6220267
Sunday March 14, 2021
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From page 52 do the work study programme at the New Amsterdam Hospital. As noted above, she was encouraged to do the X-ray Technician Training Programme, which she completed in 1997. She was appointed the Supervisor for the Radiology Department on March 1, 2015. She was also trained to become a CT Technician in February 2020 and boasted of her online studies in COVID-19 course with Coursera. BEYOND IMPORTANT Vandenburgh is presently the head of the Radiology Department of the New Amsterdam Hospital and the role she plays during the pandemic is beyond important. She is currently the lone technician assigned to the Region Six COVID-19 Task Force and her responsibilities include performing x-rays on suspected COVID-19 cases. The x-rays are done to
assist with diagnosing patients. Essentially, what she does allows the doctor to see the state of a patient’s lungs and thereafter a complete diagnosis can be made. Happy with what she does daily, Nurse Vandenburgh said that she made the brave decision to volunteer on the task force, pointing out that while it was terrifying at first, she realized that one of the most important things was safety. “As time went by, I became very comfortable and confident with my duties,” she said. The career driven health worker noted that one of the challenges that came along with her job during the pandemic was the lack of cooperation from some suspected COVID19 patients. For her, it is heartening that she can help doctors in their diagnoses of a patient by providing them “clear and prompt” radiographs. Her role during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a quiet one, but one, nonetheless, worthy of recognition. But the modest Nurse Vandenburgh is fully aware
that she has only been doing her job “by the grace of God”and with the support of her hardworking colleagues. Her faith has also kept her going to be a mother to her two beautiful daughters, even as she endeavours to ensure that she remains healthy and active enough to and fight to eradicate COVID-19 continues. To do your part, Nurse Vandenburgh reminded, that it is still important to follow all COVID-19 guidelines including: the proper wearing of face masks, social distancing and the practice of proper hygienic measures. As we continue to salute the many frontline workers throughout the country and the world over for their commitment to fight on, it gives us the opportunity to be more appreciative of the work they do. Though there may be days when they simply cannot muster the energy to give a smile to a patient, these health workers, like Nurse Vandenburgh, must still be appreciated.
Sunday March 14, 2021
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Hoping to bring publicity to cryptocurrency trading in Guyana: Meet 25 year old Manisha Wong By Sueann Wickham s the world be comes more knowledgeable about cryptocurrency, better known as electronic currency, and many persons have been reaping the benefits of investing into the seemingly fruitful money making method, Manisha Wong, a 25-year-old US-based Guyanese, is hoping it can be more publicized in her home country and contribute to the economy. In her exclusive interview with Sunday Kaieteur News, she expressed that while she is not a professional cryptocurrency trader, it has allowed her to make some “quick side money”. Wong stated that she was first introduced to crypto during a fruitful conversation with a close friend as they were “getting into finances”. He explained to her that the cost of Bitcoin would actually go up as the years went by, but she did not pay much attention. She then recalled hearing that around September last year, the value of Bitcoin was around $US9,000 and is now around $58,000 meaning that her investment could have quadrupled had she dived into cryptocurrency trading since then. People also use cryptocurrency as a savings account since the value of the currency usually rises, according to Wong. Wong said that she officially started cryptocurrency trading in January this year and she has learnt that there are many types. “You just pick one study and predict the
A
The 25year-old crypto trader and model, Manisha Wong.
rises and falls,” the 25-yearold noted. Since then she has been investing and seeing profit and being able to benefit from that venture. She also noted that in the US, cryptocurrency is taxable, so that has taught her to be responsible. It was exciting to her because she’s never been able to see that method being used to make money before, and thought it would be great for Guyanese youths to start building their wealth. “These digital currencies have been making their way into the mainstream for a while now and certain banks are accepting it... certain businesses are taking paymentsdigital crypto currency payments. So this is something that’s just not ‘gonna’ go away and if people were to get onto it early especially small countries with less [fewer] than a million people in it...earlier than later instead of being behind, which we always seem to be about 20 years behind, it would actually- it would be a benefit, “ Wong outlined. Further, she lamented that the main reason for most people shying away from cryptocurrency is the capital needed for a start-up; however, she is determined to dismantle the belief that you need a lump sum of money to get started. She added that persons can start with whatever funds they have and that she merely started with an investment of US$1,000 and in the next month, she saw an increase to US$1,600. As it relates to ‘e-money’
laws in Guyana, Wong said, “I don’t know if laws will have to change to cater for crypto but everything that deals with money, I’m sure there will be things put in place to regulate crypto. I just feel that they should not be so hard on small traders now that businesses are big traders who do over a US$100,00 in trades or 50,000; however, they should be taxed because that could be taken as another form of tax going to other institutions in Guyana, or infrastructure.” This infrastructure she
said, can be the building of roads and other things similar. She also added that small traders should get some incentives so they would be encouraged to trade and earn an extra income. “I don’t think that the regulations should be so hard on the small traders because that’s exactly how you stop people from rising... if you cripple them with too much tax,” she maintained. Additionally, she believes that “big” traders should pay their fair tax, which will be beneficial for both govern-
ment and the free market people. Wong shared that way before venturing into cryptocurrency trading, she was well on her way to establishing her future and said that she changed courses a lot as she pursued her studies. She has a patient care technician certificate, which she acquired from the Medger Evers College in NY and an Associate of Arts Degree in Psychology from the Miami Dade College. The ambitious young woman also travelled to
Kerala in India to study yoga philosophy and is a certified yoga instructor should she decide to teach it. “But I still consider myself a student and hope to take longer more intense courses throughout my life,” she noted. Currently, Wong is a model and works in the fashion industry, with the hopes of launching a business venture and pursue higher education when the time is right as it would be very time costly and she wants to make sure it is something she is very sure of.
Sunday March 14, 2021
Russia lambasts ‘stupid’ CAS decision to stop athletes replacing anthem with folk song MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision to stop Russian athletes from playing patriotic folk song “Katyusha” at international sporting events is stupid, TASS cited the former head of Russia’s Olympic Committee as saying yesterday. Russian athletes in January proposed playing “Katyusha”, a song that gained huge popularity during World War Two, while the national anthem and flag are banned for the next two years over widespread doping violations. “Katyusha” is short for the girl’s name
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Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) President Alexander Zhukov. (REUTERS/ Maxim Shemetov) “Ekaterina”. “The CAS panel considers that ‘any anthem linked to Russia’ extends to any song associated with, or with links to, Russia, which would include ‘Katyusha’,” CAS said in a statement carried by
Olympics news website insidethegames on Friday. CAS did not immediately respond to a Reuters request to confirm the statement’s authenticity. “I can call this CAS decision stupid. I have nothing more to add,” TASS cited Alexander Zhukov, now a member of the lower house of parliament, as saying yesterday. CAS, which is based in Switzerland, in December upheld a ruling which barred Russian athletes from competing at major international events, including the Olympics, under the country’s flag until 2022.
Sunday March 14, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Get on the fast track and use your powerful words and creative mind to make quick decisions that are mindful yet spontaneous. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Start the day with some vigorous yoga and then some meditation to help clear your mind. Stretch your body and get the blood flowing through all of your limbs. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Do something for the community today, , and really consider how your talents and skills can best be put to work. Consider volunteering at a school or library. CANCER (June 21–July 22) If you're having trouble tackling a giant problem, Cancer, don't get discouraged or overwhelmed. They key for you is to break things down into smaller chunks, analyze them, and figure out their role within the greater whole. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) If you're having trouble tackling a giant problem, don't get discouraged or overwhelmed. They key for you is to break things down into smaller chunks, analyze them, and figure out their role within the greater whole. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Imagination and fantasy play a big part in your thinking today, Virgo, and you shouldn't hesitate to embrace this frame of mind.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Engage more of your rational mind today, Libra. If your mind continues on its track into a fantasy world, you might consider enlisting the help of people who can help you bring some discipline to your situation. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Suppose you were someone else for a day, Scorpio. How would it feel to be treated the way you normally treat other people? This is a good time to put yourself in someone else's shoes and experience life through their eyes. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today your thoughts may turn to fashion and the different ways in which you can improve your wardrobe. Don't be afraid to create a look that reflects your true inner spirit. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The amazing thing about your nature is that, like a good politician, you have just the right tone of voice and catch phrase for every situation. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You're apt to get the feeling that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence today, Aquarius. Try not to get too hung up on this. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your mind may wander to a fantasyland full of castles, wizards, and magic dragons today. You could find that you're putting yourself in the robes of a beautiful or handsome figure.
...From boxer to trainer, Raul Frank teams From page 71 legal, financial, and marketing advice to entrepreneurs.” But what is the connection between Joshua’s activities and his dad’s former career? “My dad is now retired from professional fighting and trains clients at Gleason’s Gym. Through such activities he molds the minds of youngsters with the emphasis on self-confidence,” explained Joshua. He also said that his dad’s input helps children to build self-confidence and adults to live healthy lifestyles, in total cohesion with (Joshua’s) agenda. Indeed, Gleason’s, situated in front Street, Brooklyn, is one of the oldest boxing gyms in the USA and is historically referred to as “The Home of Boxing.” Several world-renowned fighters have practiced their trade at this institution including “Iron” Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Saoul Mamby, Aaron Pryor and many other pugilists. The programmes and objectives knit with those
...Team Sanasie/Hope From page 71 Board of Directors of the BCA, Chairman of the Marketing & Public Relations Committee, Chairman of Youth Selection Committee, and Member of the Senior Selection Committee. Since 2017 he has been serving as BCA’s Vice President, and Chairman of three (3) Committees-Cricket Committee, Marketing & Public Relations Committee, and Barbados Cricket Legends Committee. He has had many achievements in cricket administration in various BCA capacities over the years. Mr. Hope is also a director on the Board of Directors of CWI from 2017 to present, currently appointed to CWI HR Committee; and previously served on CWI Marketing & Business Development Committee. He is a practicing Attorney-at-Law and a Tourism Development & Marketing Specialist with several years experience. (Continued tomorrow)
...Bel Air Rubis EC U-17 trump From page 69 and were eventually restricted to 110 from their 30 overs. Jonathan Vanlange (30) and Wavell Allen (27) were the principal scorers. Hemraj Harripersaud returned with the ball to take 2 for 9 from 4 overs and was well supported by Neeraj Bani and Chaitram Balgobin with two wickets apiece.
nestling in Joshua’s breast. “Renowned movie star of ‘Million Dollar Baby’ fame, Hillary Swank, actually utilized this facility for scenes in her movie and I actually have photos of my dad sparring with her during training for the movie,” the younger Frank intimated. My dad currently oversees the office of his former trainer, the late Bob Jackson, who also trained with the late, CusA’Mato, Mike Tyson’s former trainer. “My dad’s ambition is to broaden his skills and knowledge as a trainer even as he aspires to own a gym,” explained Joshua. Consequently, the younger Frank plans to promote boxing around the world but intimated that his primary objective is to return to his home country, Guyana, in the very near future. Already, he has commenced works with this goal in mind and explained that he has collaborated with his dad to form an LLC, build a
website, increase his social media presence, and get a contract that limits his liability for training people in NYC. He emphasized that one must pay careful attention to the legal ramifications. “Proskauer Rose and Fried Frank helped us accomplish this. One of the videos we created with the guidance of Small’s social media team has generated large viewership, totaling some twenty-two thousand views,” he said. Joshua also intimated that student interns from the City University of New York (CUNY) also helped his team to significantly increase its social media presence. “The skills that I acquired in law school enabled me to communicate with peers and review contracts in a way that wasn’t possible for my family before. It’s indeed beneficial to be able to employ my legal skills in a way that can literally change somebody’s life, especially when that somebody is your own father,” he concluded.
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Sunday March 14, 2021
Struggling Sri Lanka search for one last hurrah ESPNcricinfo - Big picture Sri Lanka’s tours over
the past two months have a sense of haunting familiarity to them. Key players are
absent due to various unfortunate reasons (on this t o u r, L a h i r u K u m a r a
couldn’t make it because he contracted Covid-19, Dasun Shanaka’s visa didn’t come
through, and Angelo Mathews has had to return home for personal reasons). The players that remain have shown fight at times, putting together decent partnerships, occasionally stringing together some solid spells. But the series wins have eluded them. Since December, Sri Lanka have lost all matches apart from that one T20I last week. West Indies, meanwhile, have been propelled by their openers. In two matches, they’ve struck a century apiece, and the lowest score either has been dismissed for is 65. Hope’s quality has been obvious for some time, but Lewis has been particularly impressive this series, showcasing a more measured approach to his batting than we are used to seeing from him. Their success has also been down to the variety in their attack, and Jason Mohammed’s offspin in particular, has made a substantial impact. He’s taken 5 for 59 in the series so far, and on Friday was instrumental in keeping Sri Lanka pinned to the wall through the middle overs. In the spotlight Hope might be West Indies’ premier ODI batsman for now, but 24 innings in, Nicholas Pooran is putting together a mighty ODI record too. He needs 33 more runs to complete 1000 in ODIs (if he does it in the next two innings, he’ll be the third-fastest West Indian to the milestone, behind Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge). On Friday, he was nerveless in the final over, which West Indies needed nine from, punishing even slight errors of length from Nuwan Pradeep. A batsman who is both adept at rotating the strike against spin, as well as blasting the quicks, Pooran seems set to be a middle-order force for West Indies for a while. Like many young Sri Lanka batsmen, Danushka Gunathilaka has had a long
and at times difficult internship in the national team, but are there signs he is finally getting things together? He’s been easily Sri Lanka’s best batsman in the series so far, putting up scores of 55 off 61 and a runa-ball 96. Part of his recent success has been because he has hit fours - along the ground - more frequently and proficiently than he ever has, and has put away some of the riskier aerial strokes. Sri Lanka desperately need Gunathilaka to become a consistent performer at the top of the order - something they haven’t had since TM Dilshan’s retirement. Pitch and conditions The pitch for the third ODI is likely to be battingfriendly, as the surfaces for the first two were. The weather is forecast to be good for the duration of the match. Team news West Indies may be tempted to give Kevin Sinclair or Kyle Mayers a game, though as ODI Super League points are on the line, there is the temptation to play their best XI even for this dead rubber. West Indies (possible): 1 Shai Hope (wk), 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Jason Mohammed, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Kieron Pollard (capt.), 7 Jason Holder, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Fabian Allen, 10 Akeal Hosein/Kevin Sinclair, 11 Alzarri Joseph Dasun Shanaka becomes available for this game, so it is possible he comes in. Though as he’s fresh out of quarantine, that’s not a guarantee. Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt.), 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Pathum Nissanka, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Ashen Bandara, 6 Oshada Fernando/Dasun Shanaka 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Lakshan Sandakan, 10 Dushmantha C h a m e e r a , 11 N u w a n Pradeep
Kaieteur News
Sunday March 14, 2021
Residents call for upgrading of Mon Repos ground - Rockaway Group of Companies lend support
CEO of Rockaway Group of Companies Hafeez Ali with members of the Mon Repos Sports Committee on the newly constructed bridge. Residents of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara are calling on the authorities to upgrade the play field which is situated at Block 8. Residents of the area told Kaieteur Sport on Wednesday last that the facility was not upgraded in about 15 years and they are forced to use to ground in its present state. Ronald Jagmohan, Chairman of the Mon Repos Sports Committee said they have two male cricket teams and a female softball team. He stated that the club participates in cricket competitions on the East Coast. He explained that the ground needs backfilling and proper drainage and informed that a letter was forwarded to the NDC, but they didn’t receive any assistance. Jagmohan said that the club has a number of talented players and one of the objectives of the club is to keep the youths meaningfully occupied, but it’s very difficult to do so
without adequate facility. The Committee was formed 13 years ago and even though its members cannot gain maximum use of the facility they are doing fairly well. Jagmohan said they are looking to form an U15 and U19 team, but it’s very difficult to keep the youths due to the current state of the ground. Meanwhile, Rockaway Group of Companies has constructed a bridge for easier access to the ground. The bridge cost in excess of $600,000. CEO of the entity Hafeez Ali said he is happy to render assistance and pledged his continued support. Ali said it’s a wonderful facility and that he would like to see the Committee gain maximum use of the facility whereas they can host matches and other activities. Jagmohan thanked Ali for his support. The ground is under the control of the Lusignan NDC. (Zaheer Mohamed) The current state of the playfield.
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Sunday March 14, 2021
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers
Forde underscores importance of T&T and Bahamas matches as he visits team By Franklin Wilson President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wa y n e F o r d e h a s accentuated the importance of the ‘Golden Jaguars’ matches against Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas on the 25th and 30th of this month in the Dominican Republic. Under cloudy skies yesterday morning, Forde observed the penultimate training session here ahead of the team’s naming and travel on Wednesday of this week. Following the intense session at the GFF National Training Centre, Forde congratulated the players
and Technical Staff for the consistent commitment they have shown over the past nine-weeks. “I just wanted to drop in to see you guys in action and take a look at how things are going and I wanted you guys to know that all I’ve been receiving is very, very positive and encouraging feedback from the things have been going in the camp. I know you all have been working very hard along with Head Coach Márcio Máximo and his team.” Whilst wishing the team safe travels to the Dominican Republic, Forde reminded the local based players who would be joined by their
overseas based counterparts there; the importance of the matches to the national programme. “I’m very pleased with the feedback; I’ve heard about everyone being here punctually, the discipline and commitment in the sessions and I’ve seen clear evidence of that this morning. So good luck and let’s have a good round of o u r 2 0 2 2 Wo r l d C u p Qualifiers.” Forde, who was reelected as GFF Head for his second term last November, shared that it is important for the leader to be visible and interact with players: “It’s also important for them to
hear from me in terms of how I see the progress and development taking place at the national team programme. I am also here to support the Head Coach and Technical Staff who have been sacrificing and doing an extraordinary job, working under clearly what is clearly challenging circumstances.” He said that they did not have the time that was really needed to prepare for a tournament of this caliber but acknowledged that the other competing nation have been faced with similar circumstances. “So I am very optimistic about what I’ve seen here
today, the session was very sharp, the guys were really, really looking good out there. I saw the coaches really working hard and making adjustments as the session progressed, so all in all, I think I have more than enough reasons to be optimistic that we would have a successful first round of qualifiers.” Head Coach Máximo thanked President Forde for the impromptu visit whilst also expressing on behalf of the players and staff, their profound gratitude to the GFF and Technical Director Ian Greenwood for their continued investment in developing a solid programme. Coach Máximo shared that the final training session would be held today whilst positing that the players have been showing a high level of commitment along with tactical, technical and physical discipline. He also complimented the players for their consistency in attending training. The main tactician pointed out that they have been implementing lots of things off the pitch that adds up to the players keeping the
focus and putting in the hard work which leads to good results. “Our hope is high because the players have shown that they can do it and we would be joined by our international players soon.” It was also pointed out that the competitiveness for positions in the team remains healthy any and high. The team would be made up of experienced players as well as young and exciting players who will all combine to bring home positive results for the nation. “I think if you train well, you play well. The game reflects what you do in the training. The first game would be very tough, we have to be realistic, and we have to respect our opponents at all times. We have reviewed the statistics of the last match and we would be prepared for the battle.” He is aiming for the ‘Golden Jaguars’ to play against the ‘Soca Warriors’ and’ Bahamian Slayersz’ like they did against Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in Reggae Land when the two nations drew 1-1 on November 18, 2019 in the Concacaf Nation’s League.
WeCare and Zeeburg Sports Club to hold West Demerara 10\10 Softball Cricket Cup
W
e C a r e Community Services and Promotions will be teaming up with the Zeeburg Sports C l u b o f We s t C o a s t Demarara to hold the first “West Demerara 10\10 Softball Cricket Cup”. The competition is slated to be played on 10th and 11th April starting from 09:00hrs at the Zeeburg Sports Ground, WCD. According to the organisers over $150,000 will be up for grabs in cash and trophies. The competition will be played under STRICT
COVID GUIDELINES and teams interested are ask to contact the coordinators on 698-6406, 647-7507, 6047 8 8 9 o r e m a i l wecarecommunitysvs@gm a i l . c o m o r wecareproms@gmail.com. A limited number of teams will be accepted and it will be done on a first come basis. All teams that are registered and accepted to participate MUST follow the Rules and COVID GUIDELINES at all times. Closing date for registration of teams is 8th April 2021.
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Bel Air Rubis EC Regal cricket teams donate winning is yet U-17 trump DCC again purse to GHDS school project to‘….thecome’best- Hardyal
T
he Dalai Lama once said, ‘our primary purpose in life is to help others’. This is a quote that resonates well with local businessman Mahendra Hardyal who recently presented monetary donations to the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (GHDS) for their continued efforts in humanitarian work. Hardyal, Managing Director of Regal Stationery and Computer Centre (RSCC) who is always lending a helping hand recently presented a total of $1,250,000 to the non-profit organization for the Bal Nivas Shelter for Abused Children and for the completion of the Dharmic Rama Krishna Secondary School. The Regal boss presented $250,000 to the Bal Nivas Shelter in Ankerville, Corentyne Berbice which represented the entire winning purse from the inaugural Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Over40 tournament which Regal Masters won earlier in December. The shelter caters for up to 60 children who are suffering from various forms of abuse and needs approximately $500,000 monthly to keep the centre going. However, due to the corona virus pandemic, they are facing tough times especially with fund raising
Manager of Regal Stationery and Computer Centre Telesha Ousman (left) hands over the donation to Rajnarine Singh of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha. events. This is according to Director of the GHDS, Rajnarine Singh who welcomed the timely donations. At the presentation which took place at the headquarters of the GHDS, it was stated that it was the first time that a Regal team took part in a hardball tournament which made the moment much more pleasing. In softball cricket, their more favoured format, the Regal Legends retained their title at the Prime Minister’s T20 Cup in November, while their Masters and All Stars team suffered mixed fortunes. For their consistency, Hardyal praised the players and expressed gratitude to their supporters while promising more successes on and off the field. A presentation of
$1,000,000 was also done on behalf of Regal Stationery and Computer Centre and the extended Hardyal family to aid in the construction of the Dharmic Rama Krishna Secondary School. The presentation was made by Office Manager, Telesha Ousman who gave the history of the donation, stating that support from the Hardyals dates back several decades when Mahendra’s father, Bhisham served an executive member of the GHDS and was fully supported by his wife Shirley. The devoted couple then got their children; Mahendra, Krishna, Ravi and Ishri deeply involved. Ousman said there is nothing more pleasing to the Hardyals than supporting children in education and to recover from difficult situations.
In accepting the donation, Singh thanked the Hardyals, the Regal Business Group and cricket teams for their considerations and wished them nothing but success in their future endeavors. The director further stated that the money will go towards the three-phased project which is expected to be completed for the new academic year which is expected to start in September later this year. So far, approximately $200M has been spent to see one building at 90 percent completion, while the second building is 70 percent completed. The third building is yet to start. The remainder of the project requires a further $150M which upon completion will cater for more than 500 primary school students and a similar number of secondary level students. Over the years, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre and Regal Sport have assisted several persons and organizations in various ways, while the Regal cricket teams remain the most decorated outfit on the field. Nevertheless, this may just be the beginning as the passionate and optimistic Mahendra Hardyal reiterated ‘that with spiritual beliefs and talent in sport the best is yet to come both on and off the field’.
GCS deliver footwear to athletes Some of the athletes with their shoes.
The Guyana Committee of Services has started to deliver on their Project which is to supply one quality pair of running Shoes to athletes. The first batch of Shoes was distributed recently. The GCS continue
to look forward to the support of the general public by purchasing stickers at $250 each. The funds will go towards purchasing the Shoes for the athletes. Stickers are available at Payless stores.
in 30 overs Cricket
A select East Coast U-17 team again made light work of DCC in a 30 overs cricket rematch on Wednesday evening at the DCC ground. East Coast chose to bat first on a track which aided bowling and were soon wobbling with the loss of three wickets for 26 runs after 10 overs. Chaitram Balgobin (29) and Ajay Gainda (9) then steady the innings with a 34 runs partnership. Thereafter DCC continued to make inroads with Inderjeet Nanan grabbing three quick wickets. At 81 for eight, allrounder Hemraj Hariprashad then struck 41 not out (6x4, 2x6) and dominated a 48 run partnership to take his team
Hemraj Hariprashad to a challenging 129 runs. Romeo Deonarine and Inderjeet Nanan took three for 21 and 34 respectively. In reply, DCC loss wickets at regular intervals (Continued on page 65)
GFF host MFAP Competitions Development Workshop With the aim of ensuring that all its Regional Members Associations (RMAs) are fully equipped to execute their duties in a professional and efficient m a n n e r, t h e G u y a n a Football Federation (GFF) yesterday hosted a Members Financial Assistance Programme (MFA P ) a t t h e G u y a n a National Stadium, Providence. This historic initiative e m u l a t e s F I FA’s comprehensive and worldwide funding mechanism; the GFF’s MFAP programme would see RMAs and Affiliates now being able to receive assistance in four key areas, namely: administration and operations, equipment and materials, competitions and technical development, and infrastructure. It is behind this backdrop that the Federation hosted a workshop to enlighten its members on the historic initiative which was first made known at the 2020 GFF Ordinary Congress. Forde who shared the head table with General Secretary Ian Alves and Technical Director Ian Greenwood complimented the members for making the
effort and time to attend the very important session. He encouraged the high ranking executives which included presidents and secretaries to share candidly challenges faced within the administrative realms of their individual Associations. “This is also a learning occasion for us, like any other designed process, we have designed a programme based on feedback from you and our own observations and our own experience but we also know that you guys and ladies would share with us other bits and pieces of information that will help us in the ongoing improvement of that programme which will evolve.” To p i c s d i s c u s s e d yesterday included M-FAP in a nutshell, competition alignment to national programme, competition planning (group work), reporting structures, financial accountability, media & public relations. Presenters included Forde, Alves, Greenwood, Brian J o s e p h ( Yo u t h Development Officer), Marco Meredith (Accountant) and Keeran Williams (Marketing and Social Media Officer).
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Sunday March 14, 2021
Berbice Educational Institute Receives trophy for Top Performance
S
enior Education Officer Sadiek Ishmael, Nicholas Fraser and Guyana Scouts Association Chief Scout Andrew Ramcharitar assisted Guyana Golf Association president Aleem Hussain in presenting the trophy for the First InterSchool Golf Championship held in Guyana to members of the winning team from Berbice Educational Institute at the Nexgen Golf Academy on Woolford Avenue. The successful event was held on Friday March 5th with support from corporate sponsors Assuria General Insurance, Copa Airlines, Trophy Stall, and Nexgen Global Marketing. The winning team was accompanied by their Physical Education teachers Osafa Dos Santos and Trolston Embrack, along
with their top Male and Female Qualifier scorers Delton Cassiano and Subrina Balgobin and the National Male School Individual Champion Jamal Campbell. BEI dominated the first ever inter-school Golf Championships and were emphatic about their chances to retain the top spot. “We are working hard to develop our team and to bring at least 10 additional schools from Region 6 onboard with the programme in the next few weeks,” said Mr. Dos Santos. This comes hard on the heels of Region 10’s launch of Golf in all of their Secondary schools with the support of Regional District Education Officer Nigel Richards, along with talks for possibly 8 schools in Region 3 to join Leonora Secondary in the Golf programme.
A c c o r d i n g t o M r. Ishmael, “This is a fully covid-19 compliant sport that promotes great qualities, focus and dedication for our kids and of course we at the Ministry of Education will rally behind the development of anything that promotes health, wellbeing, education and more importantly a fun, safe activity such as golf. With the help of Mr. Hussain and the Guyana Golf Association, we see this as becoming one of the major sports in Guyana very shortly.” Guyana is now the leader in development of a school programme (and golf in general) in the region and it is expected that by end of 2021, more than 6,000 new players will be engaging in the sport, making it one of the most participated individual sports in the
Champions Berbice Educational Institute Receives the trophy. country. This is absolutely amazing when one considers that a year ago, the country only had approximately 65 active golfers. The increase in the numbers can be credited to the opening of the lighted Nexgen Golf Academy and Driving Range on Woolford Avenue in the heart of
Georgetown and the determined drive by the Guyana Golf Association to promote the sport to all persons who have ever been interested in playing. “Our sole focus has been making the sport accessible and affordable to everyone no high membership fees, equipment cost or limited
access. We provide a unique teaching system that guarantees that anyone will be able to hit the ball properly in less than 15 minutes.” said Hussain. Vi s i t N e x g e n G o l f Academy or the Guyana Golf Association Facebook and Instagram pages for more information.
Team Sanasie/Hope Transformational Leadership will deliver measurable results - Manifesto Team Sanasie/Hope will aim to develop a strategic plan and funding model to establish the most advanced cricket academies and team training facilities in the world, enabling greater cultivation of regional cricket talent and elite West Indies cricket players, their manifesto has promised. Current Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board Anand Sanasie and Barbados Cricket Association vice-president Calvin Hope will be looking to dethrone President Ricky Skerritt and his vice president Dr. Kishore Shallow at March 28 Cricket West Indies elections. Sanasie and Hope on Friday announced their manifesto under the theme ‘Operation rescue’. Sanasie and Hope are both Directors of CWI. ‘Operation RESCUE’ is based on Restoring Excellence, Soundness, Confidence, Unity and Enthusiasm. Below is an extract from their manifesto; Why should we change CWI Leadership at this juncture? Is the current CWI leadership capitalizing on the true value of West Indies Cricket at this critical inflection point? Is our beloved sport in the right hands to realize its
fullest potential for the benefit of current & future generations? What will team Sanasie & Hope Deliver? What tangible impact will the Sanasie & Hope leadership team provide over the short to medium term that justifies a change at the helm? Establishing the #1 Women’s Cricket Team in the World! Women’s cricket is one of CWI’s biggest opportunities and the Sanasie & Hope team will be on a mission to create a high performance cricketing culture that will make our w o m e n ’s t e a m w o r l d renowned. This process will begin with the appointment of a Director of Women’s Cricket Development within the first 100 days of leadership. Develop the most technologically advanced high performance regional cricket training centres in the world. The Sanasie & Hope leadership team will develop a strategic plan and funding model to establish the most advanced cricket academies and team training facilities in the world, enabling greater cultivation of regional cricket talent and elite West Indies cricket players. Establishing a
commercial office in Mumbai to expand CWI global brand reach Sanasie & Hope will establish a greater presence in the EuroAsia market with the establishment of a Mumbai commercial office aimed at CWI brand promotion and securing revenue opportunities such as s p o n s o r s h i p s , merchandising & licensing contracts and joint ventures with counterpart cricketing bodies. The visionary leadership of Sanasie & Hope is needed to overcome current gaps and challenges in West Indies cricket. To establish Future-Proof, Inclusive and Transformative policies for restoring West Indies cricket as a powerful brand and product in the international cricket arena and beyond. Sanasie & Hope Transformational Leadership will deliver measurable results Team Sanasie & Hope will implement “OPERATION RESCUE” for West Indies cricket at all levels: The Proposed CWI Leadership Team interests and investments extend principally into real estate. His clients include Digicel and the Guyana Election Commission with whom he has had long and mutually
beneficial relationships over a considerable number of years. Mr. Sanasie has been a relentless and industrious cricket administrator for over 25 years and rose through the ranks from the club level to serve as a CWI Director for ten years and the Chairman of CWI’s Umpire and Match Referees SubCommittee. He is the longserving Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board under whose stewardship Guyana’s cricket has thrived even as he has had to lead the effort to stave off Guyana’s cricket from coming under political control. During his tenure at the GCB the Guyana teams have won twelve regional titles at all levels of cricket including five consecutive regional first class titles and six under 19 titles. During his over two decades of distinguished service in cricket administration Sanasie served as President of the Wales Cricket Club and President of the West Demerara Cricket Association prior to his elevation to the Guyana Cricket Board. He has served as Demerara Cricket Board Vice President for a number of years and won the Guyana National Sports Commission Administrator of the Year
Anand Sanasie Calvin Hope (Twitter) Award in 2016. For the last six years he has also served, pro bono, as CEO of both the Guyana Cricket Board and Cricket Guyana Inc (Jaguar Franchise). Sanasie is widely and highly regarded throughout the cricket fraternity in Guyana and the Caribbean and has built a strong network of both cricket and private sector associates. He has also used his vast experience in cricket administration to advise o t h e r s p o r t i n g administrations and officials in Guyana. Sanasie is not only widely respected for his astute business acumen but also brings robust fresh thinking to cricket administration. It is under his leadership that Guyana’s modern Cricket Academy Complex, complete with hostel, lighted field and
training facilities was conceived and realised within a few short years. The LBI facility is now one of the leading cricket and sports facilities in Guyana. Sanasie is a former military officer of the Guyana Defence Force. He is also a dedicated family man and has three children with wife Donna. Calvin Hope from childhood and has played cricket as a professional in Holland and the United Kingdom for a period of 5 years. He is also a former captain of the Barbados Under19 team in West Indies regional cricket and captain of the First Division teams of Carlton and Wanderers Cricket Clubs in Barbados domestic cricket. Director of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) with over twenty three (23) years in the administration of Barbados cricket in various capacities. Mr. Hope has served as Director on the (Continued on page 65)
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From boxer to trainer, Raul Frank teams up with son, Joshua, to reignite the sport locally Boxing buffs of the late 70s/early 80s would undoubtedly remember the name Raul Frank, a mean punching machine from Durban Street, Lodge Housing Scheme, who went on to carve his name into the annuls of international boxing history. Raul, emanated from an era of competitive boxing among top Guyanese pugilists and as an amateur boxer, he’s tangled with the best, representing Guyana and winning numerous local and international titles. Following an impressive amateur tenure, Raul ‘stripped his shirt’ in March 1987, and defeated his compatriot, Conrade Hunte. As a fledgling professional fighter, Raul chalked up several other victories against top local fighters the likes of Jeff Roberts, Barrington Cambridge, Marcelle Daniels, Nedrick Simmons and Fitzroy Davidson among others. During the early stages of his illustrious career, Raul also
tackled Spanish fighters, Puerto Rican, Rafael Solis and Venezuelan, Eduardo Iriarte, clinching a points decision from the latter fighter, while stopping the former. After migrating to the United States of America, Raul, engaged in many battles, most notably, two epic encounters with Vernon Forrest for the World International Boxing Federation (IBF) Featherweight title. The first encounter in August 2000 ended in a stalemate forcing a rematch 9 months later, which Frank lost unanimously. Raul has since hung up his gloves on a successful note after notching up a points decision over local fighter, Denny Dalton, in November 2010 and now tutors young fighters in the art of the fistic sport. History is replete with boxing stars who would have passed on the baton to their offspring and one would have surmised this to be the
story in Raul’s case. On the contrary his son, 27 years old, Joshua, has chosen an unconventional path; he is an aspiring lawyer, currently a second-year law student at Berkeley Law School, California. Earlier, he was a Fulbright scholar in Malaysia, South East Asia and graduated from the Trinity College in Connecticut. Kaieteur Sport spoke with both Franks but specifically, Joshua, who regards his affiliation to Guyana as umbilical in nature. “My dad was a competent pugilist and won many titles including the United States Boxing Association (USBA), the Latino International title and was a two-time contender for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) W e l t e r w e i g h t Championship,” he said. Joshua also pointed out that many of his uncles had campaigned in various divisions and at different levels. He was referring to
DCB officials pay courtesy call on Sports Minister Ramson
DCB Meeting with Minister Charles Ramson Jnr From Left: Raymond Barton, Azad Ibrahim, President Bissoondyal Singh, Pretipaul Jaigobin, Minister Charles Ramson Jnr, Bradley Fredericks, Claude Raphael and Ronald Williams. Absent: Roger Harper, Davteerth Annandjit and Neil Barry.
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inister of Culture, Yo u t h a n d Sport, Hon. Charles Ramson Jnr., was paid a courtesy call by the recently-elected Executive Committee of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB). T h e M i n i s t e r congratulated the members of the DCB and urged them to set aside all contentious issues and work diligently for the progress and development of cricket in Demerara. He discussed several key issues including
school cricket, female cricket and the rehabilitation of cricket grounds within Demerara. Minister Ramson updated the DCB Executive on the Unity Cup Cricket Competition, an initiative of President Irfan Ali, which will initially be played among teams on the East Coast of Demerara and subsequently throughout Demerara. In response, President of the DCB, Mr. Bissoondyal Singh, thanked the Minister for accommodating the visit
and also for his encouraging remarks. Mr. Singh lauded the Minister for his insightful advice and attributed this to the fact that the Minister is a former firstdivision cricketer. Minister Ramson concluded the meeting by reminding the DCB members of their responsibilities as cricket administrators. He added that he would be keenly following the progress of the DCB and that he is willing to lend his support whenever necessary.
his father’s siblings, Rory, Ronson and Stephen. Further, his grandfather, the late, Richard was a trainer and an ardent cheerleader for his sons. Joshua recounted his childhood days when he would take note of his father’s activities in the ‘square jungle.’ “My dad was a regular feature on Don King and Roy Jones’ Boxing Promotion and I vividly remember him being interviewed by the great George Foreman,” reminisces Joshua. He also recited the pride he experienced when boxing legend, Floyd Mayweather, occupied front a row seat in one of his dad’s fights for the I B F We l t e r w e i g h t Championship in Las Vegas. “Being a part of these experiences were helpful to me as I employed similar concepts in my legal studies,” admitted Joshua. He outlined some of them as negotiations skills and understanding complex contract terms and offers
Raul Frank and his son Joshua (left). among others. “Even though I was merely a tot, many of these memories remain etched in my mind,” he said. Joshua recited that he grew up in Brooklyn and it was during those formative years that nurtured thoughts of development in the black and immigrant communities. “Getting involved in the legal field provided the opportunity for me,” he said. Expounding on his initial experiences, Joshua said, “Law school was a big transition for me as a firstgeneration student. It took some time to adjust to the different learning processes but I was able to adapt, thanks to the collaborative environment at Berkeley
where students are more inclined to work together.” The younger Frank further stated, “I really loved that about the Berkeley Law community. I chose this college for the opportunities it presented to engage in realworld work outside of the classroom from as early as the first year,” he explained. He said that contrary to popular belief, the legal fraternity is not necessarily high priced and inflexible. He expounded on pro bono services; “From as early as the first year of studies I learned about ‘Start Small’ through the Pro Bono Programme. It is an organization that provides (Continued on page 65)
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