Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR NEWS

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Govt. slothful in

thoroughly- Dr. Yog Mahadeo

Sunday Edition March 20, 2022 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

investigating GECOM

Price $140

Online readership yesterday, 61,815

US$2 billion grossly insufficient to cover disastrous oil spill - Chris Ram

Two killed in C'tyne hit and run accident - driver arrested in Kitty

Boat captain chopped, family beaten during Kimbia home invasion Speaker repeatedly limits full ventilation of Opposition's Motions on crucial oil and gas issues

World's largest real estate franchise Keller Williams - eager to capitalise on expands to Guyana record-breaking oil growth

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Sunday March 20, 2022

Speaker repeatedly limits full ventilation of Opposition’s Motions on crucial oil and gas issues

By Davina Bagot

Opposition Member of Parliament, David Patterson

‘Not urgent, ‘no evidence’, ‘I am not obligated to answer’ and ‘the matter is before the Court’.

These are all statements

made by Speaker of the N a t i o n a l A s s e m b l y, Manzoor Nadir, as he defended prohibiting full debates on Motions presented to the House by Opposition Members of

Parliament (MPs) on matters of national importance.

In recent times, the Speaker’s integrity has been questioned as members of civil society and even the Opposition that represents close to 50 percent of the population, publicly gave their reviews on the matter.

It has been the Opposition’s argument that the Speaker of the National Assembly has not only gutted The Parliament Building

their Motions of national interest, but also sat by mute while ‘abuse’ to female MPs on the Opposition benches in particular goes unpunished or even unrecognised.

Just this past week, Guyanese learnt that a Motion submitted by Shadow Oil and Gas Minister, David Patterson, had been gutted to suit the government’s side.

The Motion was put

Speaker of the House, Manzoor Nadir forward by Patterson on February 16, 2022 and was responded to by Nadir on the 28th of that month, indicating that 13 of the 20 Continued on page 16

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US$2B grossly insufficient to cover disastrous oil spill Guyana (Exclusive Economic Zone) EEZ. All predicted impacts from planned Project activities will occur within the Guyana EEZ. However, there is the potential for transboundary impacts to result from unplanned events that may occur, such as oil spills.”

A release from a loss-ofwell control event over 30 days, according to the Attorney-at-Law and Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram

By Davina Bagot As Guyana prepares to ramp up its oil production to meet the 800,000 barrels of oil per day target by 2025, Guyanese across the miles of the country are beginning to fear the dangers such production goals may bring.

Outspoken Attorney-atLaw, Christopher Ram, who has been keeping a close watch on Guyana’s oil and gas sector, recently told Kaieteur News in an invited comment that he believes US$2 billion in insurance would be a meagre amount compared to the possible implications such an event can cause, not only for Guyana, but to the country’s territorial neighbours.

Following a series of reports from this publication in relation to Guyana’s lack of full liability insurance coverage, the oil giant, ExxonMobil revealed that it is presently working to put a US$2 billion guarantee in place.

The company explained that its subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), was established since 1998, and had, as of year-end 2020, almost $US5 billion in assets, which is a primary form of financial assurance.

It was keen to note too that this is separate from the assets of the other Stabroek Block co-venturers who also have substantial assets and share any liability for response activities.

“In addition, we’re working with the Environmental Protection Agency and our coventurers to put in place a combined $US2.0Bn of affiliate company guarantees,” the oil company assured.

To this end, Ram has instead called on the company to give Guyana full coverage in the event of an oil spill.

He explained, “I don’t think US$2 billion would be good enough for any oil spill,

both because of the impacts it would have on Guyana as well as the potential to create harm to neighbouring countries.”

Ram, who is also a Chartered Accountant reasoned that while securing a higher value insurance would be important, it is of equal significance for the parent company to agree to cover excess damages.

“We would certainly want to see some sort of a binding guarantee from the contractors including Esso, Hess and CNOOC that they would guarantee all the costs involved in the consequences of any oil spill so I am suggesting that there should be something over and above the insurance. It would be good of course for the insurance to be much, much higher, but in this case… what we want is something from the parent companies,” he shared.

Since 2015, ExxonMobil Corporation, the parent company of EEPGL, has steered clear of being tied to full coverage insurance for its Stabroek Block projects, which are certain to deliver multi-billion dollar profits on an annual basis. Instead, its subsidiary, EEPGL will be officially on the hook if an oil spill occurs offshore. This is the state of affairs with its Liza Phase One, Liza Phase Two and Payara Projects.

In its most recent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its fourth project, the Yellowtail development, EEPGL warned that transboundary impacts can result from unplanned events, such as an oil spill.

Section 9.24 of the EIA document, prepared by the oil company’s Consultant, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), states, “The planned project activities are not predicted to have any measureable “transboundary impacts”, (i.e. impacts outside the

document, is likely to have impact on over a dozen Caribbean nations. “…there is the potential for oil to reach portions of Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica,” the EIA details.

Furthermore, the

document notes that impacts on resources and receptors in these other countries would be similar to those Guyana would encounter.

These include “(i) impairment of the quality of the natural environment or any use that can be made of it; (ii) injury or damage to property or to plant or animal life; (iii) harm or material discomfort to any person;

– Chris Ram

(iv) an adverse effect on the health of any person; (v) impairment of the safety of any person; (vi) rendering any property or plant or animal life unfit for use by human or unfit for its role in the ecosystem; (vii) loss of enjoyment of normal use of property and (viii) interference with the normal conduct of business,” as is Continued on page 8

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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

Pressure up, squeeze on Guyanese are feeling the squeeze from all over. Intense pressure is felt by most citizens earning below an annual seven-figure level. It is advances in unrelenting fashion, and can be best presented in one word: prices.

Soaring prices impact cost of living and standard of living, with the latter being those essentials that have to be looked at, left alone.

The money just isnt there to partake of the basics for some kind of quality existence. It is ironic that this is in a country awash in oil production, oil developments, and prosperous oil visions. Though that may be so, the harsh reality is that our people, the poorer and lower on the economic ladder, are barely managing to get by from day to day. Guyanas oil might as well be in the Himalayas for all the good that its six-figure daily production number is doing for us.

Meanwhile, steep price increases stalk struggling Guyanese everywhere they turn. Flour price is now up 15 percent, and we all should know what that means. Flour is not for the annual Christmas cake alone, but an everyday commodity, in some form or the other. It just went up to put it on the table, and to get it from the breakfast and lunch counters. Packing a kit for lunch for the working and studying simply became more expensive, more intolerable than it was before.

Getting out of the house is now a more expensive consideration.

This is regardless of whether citizens possess their own vehicles, or take public transportation (minibuses or boats), or partake of what is a receding luxury, a taxi. Gas prices went up to $1120 per gallon, an increase of a shade over 14 percent, using the previous $980 per gallon as a base. The public transportation people are not usually known for their slowness in reacting to a gasoline increase.

This means that the pain from the pump is transferred to the people patiently waiting at the parks, and on the rural parapets. Further, the price for a 20-lb cylinder of cooking gas, almost a national household item, given the disappearance of firesides and kerosene stoves, is now reflecting a close to 20 percent increase, at around $5,000.

The story is the same, though at different rates of increase, for chicken, and Guyanese have been crying out about fish and veggie prices for a long time, which need no repetition today, since they speak for themselves.

The point of all this is that in crucial areas of daily existence Guyanese are being beaten to a pulp by price rises. Food and transportation are only two areas selected for mention, but they should tell the story of where we are.

We are an oil rich nation, but we are struggling more now, with little of the fabulous benefits of oil discovery and oil production touching the lives of ordinary Guyanese, where such matter the most; at the table and in daily getting around. If things continue at this rate, Guyanese could end up being like the man with money in the bank (oil fund) but who withered away and died from starvation and neglect.

Against this backdrop of price increases and deep consumer stabbings, the trade unions have made public appeals for action from the Government of Guyana.

GAWU, FITUG, and the TUC have all come out with spirited calls for some sort of relief to be advanced for working Guyanese and their families (KN March 14). They all give due space to the effects of the extended COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, global supply limitations, and always the bruising and bloodying consequences of prices going only one way, meaning, up.

The unions desire relief in tangible forms, ranging from an increase in the current minimum wage to subventions, but always with intervention from Government in mind.

Minimum wage at some of the levels advanced are nonstarters because they are unrealistic, as they mean little today.

There must be a national wage policy and a staggered approach to address the woes of workers. We agree that there must be tangibles coming from the Government, especially with so many billions earmarked for numerous projects. Guyanese need relief, and they need it now.

Sunday March 20, 2022

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

Liza 2 begins production without legal requirements for Full Liability Coverage DEAR EDITOR, am compelled to write again, about this most crucial matter of full coverage insurance, so as to keep it fresh in the minds of our people; for the modus operandi of the Government and Exxon is to no doubt, wait it out and it will soon be the news of yesterday. The issue of full coverage is too urgent and consequential to the nation, for us to let go; especially considering our Governments neglect of its most exigent role of representing and protecting its people.

This dereliction of duty is no more evident than the disturbing stance of the Government in taking the side of Exxon as it incessantly scorns our rule of law; and by the Speakers emasculation of the Oppositions Motion to address full liability coverage.

I read with sadness, Mr. Routledges response to my recent letter, because of how in full view, Exxon is given

I

carte blanche to pooh-pooh our rule of law with such impunity. I was also chagrined by this Exxon top guns continuous insulting of the Guyanese people with his disrespectful and arrogant empty mumbo jumbo rhetoric. Please be advised Mr. Routledge, that Guyana may be a third world country, but we have first world brains, and are not stupid as you seem to think.

Exxon initially claimed that no insurance existed, but when caught with pants down, now claims there is indeed insurance, and even though not a $2.5 Billion amount, it is “insurance that meets international industry standards”. However, quite puzzling, they steadfastly balk at the opportunity to clear the air by telling us what is that amount. So, Mr. Routledge, if Exxon is interested in restoring any of its little semblance of honesty and credibility, show us this legally required insurance

policy. What do you have, or not have, to hide Mr. Routledge?

To add to his fancy talk, Mr. Routledge professes that “Exxon has sufficient money and assets to meet our responsibilities for an adverse event” - the same corporate line Exxons former boss fed me when I told him, if its that simple, then put it in writing; hence the resulting terms spelled out in the EPA Permits, requiring full liability coverage to include insurance, plus parent company coverage for all amounts over the insurance coverage. Further, Mr. Routledge must explain what he meant by “We are committed to paying all legitimate costs in the unlikely event of an oil spill”? What does all legitimate costs mean? And what are the illegitimate costs in a spill that he will not cover?

You owe the Guyanese people answers, Mr. Routledge!

Mr. Routledge went on to

condescendingly spotlight “that the $2 Billion they are negotiating would exceed the equivalent guarantees required by regulators in Canada, the United States and United Kingdom”; as if to put us in our place that we ought to be thankful for our small mercies. Unsurprisingly, this is the same head honcho who, upon arrival in the country, imperiously threatened that Exxon may have to take its business elsewhere if we dont cooperate. First and foremost Mr. Routledge, Guyana ceased being a colony over 50 years ago; and so, like those countries, is entitled to our sovereign rights to think for ourselves, and set our own laws to protect our own interests.

Again Mr. Routledge, we are not stupid, for we see what is going on in Peru where the Government has to drag a major foreign oil company (also operating in Guyana) through the (Continued on page 6)

Sunday March 20, 2022

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Liza 2 begins production without Investigate GECOM thoroughly and the legal requirements for Full... events pre-and-post-2020 Elections From page 4 courts, forcing them into meeting their obligations.

Also Mr. Routledge, the people of Guyana have not forgotten that with you at its helm, our EPA had to take legal action against Exxon when you refused to pay a paltry fine of $500 USD for six small spills.

Unfortunately, upon my leaving the EPA, and because of the Governments kowtowing to your wishes, the case was dropped and the EPA Attorney prosecuting the case was discharged.

So, Mr. Routledge, your disingenuous comparison with those countries will not fool anyone, because your companys conduct of scoffing at our laws will in no way be tolerated in those countries.

As you are well aware Mr. Routledge, when the regulators in those countries say jump, you would have asked how high.

I know that to be so Mr.

Routledge, because I was a high level regulator in one of those countries.

Mr. Routledges utterances of some kind of $2Billion insurance must be seen as nothing but a hoax and distraction from the noncompliant startup of Liza 2 without the legal requirements for full liability coverage embodied in the EPA Permits.

Section 12.1 of the Permit directs that “The Permit Holder shall have insurance”.

Section 12.4 instructs that “The EPA shall review the environmental liability policy” with determinations to include “amount of cover; notification to EPA of modification, cancellation, intent to renew, expiry dates of the policy; and evidence of payment of premium.”

Section 12.5 manifests that “Permit Holder must provide from the Parent Company or affiliate companies, one or more legally binding agreements to the EPA, undertakings to provide adequate fi-

nancial resources to pay or satisfy their respective obligations if EEPGL fails to do so. The foregoing provides irrefutable evidence of the legal requirements for an insurance, plus a parent company Agreement to cover amounts exceeding the insurance, which the Government and Exxon have dishonourably denied.

As such, by their own denial, Exxon and the Government have admitted breaching the Liza 2 Permit by commencing operations in February 2022, without these critical requirements in place. The Government and Mr. Routledge have an obligation to explain to the people of Guyana why the nations laws were so blatantly disregarded, when the Liza 2 production commenced without the legal requirements for full liability coverage, to the detriment of the nations health, environment and economic well-being.

Best Regards, Dr. Vincent Adams

Something needs to be done about these prices DEAR EDITOR, Something needs to be done about the drivers of r o u t e 5 0 Berbice to Georgetown, hire cars from Berbice to Georgetown and route 56 Rosignol to New Amsterdam.

During the height of Covid in 2020, it was mandated that hire cars from Berbice to Georget o w n only carry three passengers because of social distancing, the buses had to carry less also.

So, all of the above hiked up their fares.

The cars began to take $1500 from Berbice to Georgetown to cover for the one excluded passenger, before the fare was $1000, the 50 buses used to take $800 from Berbice to Georgetown and they raised it to $1000, then the 56 buses used to take $300 and they began to take $400.

During that time how things were that is understood.

However, after the government had relaxed the Covid restrictions and permitted public transportation pro-

Corruption benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor. Say no to it.

viders to be able to carry full capacity these prices still remain in p l a c e e v e n though they have returned to carrying maximum capacity.

The 50 buses even squeeze passengers up by overloading the buses and still take $1000, like youre begging a drop. When it comes to the privileged 56 route bus drivers, they would have been gifted the reduction in bridge fare prices from $2200 to $1900 and they still refuse to readjust their prices to $300.

I ask whatever minister thats in c h a r g e t o l o o k into this as now all Covid restrictions are non-existent and the fares continue to plague everyday travel-

ling Guyanese.

Kind regards, Brian Clementson

DEAR EDITOR, GECOM continues to be the most expensive failure of Guyana and, two years after the disgraceful March 2020 Elections, the President seems to need a reminder of a promise made before swearing-in and during his inaugural speech, that is, to investigate GECOM thoroughly and the events pre-and-post-2020 E l e c t i o n s .

Editor, prosecuting Lowenfield, Mingo et al., is not enough.

Why has there been no Independent Inquiry into GECOM and the 8-billion-dollars fraud that manifested as the 2020 Elections? Why is there no Commission of Inq u i r y ?

Why is the Government silent of Amna Allys ID-card accusation of Nandlall? Or Nortons public testimony of “a woman” who (he claimed) voted twice.

Or worse yet, the immigration officers who sent a supposedly fraudulent list of persons allegedly out of the country but whose votes were recorded? Or the disastrous recount that brought more disgrace on this land?

Or of the manipulation of the report of SOPs at GECOM? Or of the dangerous statements from many persons on the

floor, balcony and offices of GECOMs headquarters? The list is too long to represent here.

But one cannot forget that followers of APNU/PNC feel that PPP operatives stuffed the ballot boxes.

These accusations, wild or not, cannot be taken lightly for there were genuine efforts to derail those elections.

Truth must start to matter to us in this country.

Editor, Why are Guyanese forced to suffer a false presumption that ridding us of Lowenfield and Mingo will be the miracle cure? How can we expect the same GECOM, with its reluctant head, and the same commissioners who held this country at ransom for five months to continue believing that they live in a mythical land that requires no accountability for their intemperate statements and biased but dangerous political and personal agendas?

Is it that the PPP and APNU/PNC, who are the beneficiaries of those fraudulent elections machinations are now happy in office and parliament until the next fraud is imposed upon us? Let us remember that taxpayers monies were abused to perpetuate the gravest fraud, which threatened to remove our con-

stitutional right to our votes.

Editor, racism, violence and death reared their ugly heads and yet we continue to be silent, creating a contrivance for the beneficiaries of fraud!

Who will take the blame for the slain son, the nurse whose car was damaged, the hundreds who were trampled, beaten, pelted etc.? Or the accusation of a bus with children that were abused? When are we going to deal with the accusations that led to mayhem? Or are we now a nation that will allow the perpetrators to get ready for a repeat in 2025?

Until that time when an independent commission of inquiry into GECOM is completed, the death, injury, racism, rape, fraud, financial loss and the disgrace that Guyana faced during the 2020 elections lies solely on the shoulders of Ali and his Government it is they who now have the mandate to investigate and ensure an independent inquiry and review.

The slick of oil and the sparkle of oil wealth must not blind us from ensuring democratic progress.

We hereby call for an independent Commission of Inquiry into the 2020 Elections and GECOM. Dr. Yog Mahadeo

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Govt’s assertion of sovereignty, resolve and threat to adjust CARICOM treaty obligations should be applied to renegotiating oil contracts DEAR EDITOR, I agree with “Guardian of Democracy” MP Datadins recent letter that “The fair and right thing to do is to allow Guyanese to benefit from oil resources.” I could not agree more. However, the MP seems to be reflecting the PPP Governments vow that it will not renegotiate the oil contract, and would instead seek more benefits through the Local Content Act (LCA). This is a weak, sellout position. The country people say, “What rain cant full, dew cant full.”

The rain is the oil contract and the dew is the LCA. The Governments position cannot be that it will not renegotiate a “stink and dutty” contract to get a fair deal, but would try to recoup losses through vigorous implementation of the LCA. We need both. The biggest benefits must come from a new, fair deal from the renegotiated oil contract itself, not from the LCA alone. LCA will mostly benefit the business class, not the ordinary people.

Nation, the big prize of having oil resources is to get high royalties, high profits, oil companies paying all profit and corporation taxes, absolute protection of the environ-

ment, efficient auditing of oil expenses, limits on expenses chargeable to Guyanese taxpayers, ring fencing to make sure we are not paying for unsuccessful wells, proper insurance coverage, national ownership of our oil and gas resources, payment of customs duties on vehicles, and all paying income tax, valueadded tax, excise tax, duty, fees, charges or other impost.

The people of Guyana s benefits should be “all of the above.” The LCA cannot be a replacement or substitute for renegotiation of a rotten, rapacious oil contract, no matter how much the Government spins it. For a Government that likes to boast, “Manifesto promise made, promise kept,” once the Government got in, it abandoned and betrayed the people of Guyana by vowing not to push for renegotiation. Why? Maybe MP Datadin can answer why is it not “The fair and right thing to do is to allow Guyanese to benefit from oil resources” through a renegotiated contract. We want maximum benefits, not crumbs that fall from the masters table. Its “Our Wealth, Our Country.” MP Datadin report-

edly said, “The Guyana Local Content Act 2021 (LCA) received Presidential assent on the 31st December, 2021.

The LCA was the delivery of a campaign promise made vigorously by now Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, whilst in Opposition. The Irfaan Ali lead Government has repeated that promise since taking office in August 2020 and the LCA represents a delivery on that promise.” Mr. Datadin, the PPP also promised to renegotiate the oil contract.

How about that “mother of all promises?” KN Radio has released a conversation making its way around social media where the PPP Presidential Candidate said in the 2020 campaign that if elected they would “review and renegotiate” the contract that “Guyana is getting the short end of the stick.” The interviewer said to the Candidate, “Two things - burning questions that are affecting people…we got 5 minutes and I need these 2 questions answered. People are asking these questions.

The oil contract: Do you agree with the $US55 billion Signed Away Global Witness Report, will you revisit the oil contract? The Presidential Can-

didate said, “We have made it very clear, that we can never agree. How can, how can, I dont think any Guyanese agree with this. No Guyanese except the government that is defending it. We have made it very clear, that we have to go towards, we looking at these contracts, renegotiating these contracts, looking at contract management and all of these things.

Everything we have to relook at because we have to ensure that our country does not get the wrong end of the stick.” Interviewer said, “Everything is on the table for review as it relates to the oil contracts?” Candidate said, “Everything is on the table, available for review and renegotiate.” MP Datadin is reported as saying, “It was ignored that the people of Guyana must benefit more than tangentially or on the fringes; their benefit must be real and substantial. This involvement is seen as the path to lift an entire nation from a poor developing nation to a prosperous nation. Know this, the resolve of the Government of Guyana in implementing and supporting the LCA is unshakable and any

Remaining silent under circumstances knowingly inimical to workers interest is inexcusable DEAR EDITOR, Response is made to Tacuma Ogunseyes letter, “Lewis position is mindboggling” (KN, 15th March, 2022).

Not having sufficient time on my hand, as stated in my last letter, was in no way an indication that I would not respond as I see fit. A sharp mind would have taken note of that.

I am well advised - by universally acceptable principles, and a sense of justice.

The fact that the Working Peoples Alliance (WPA) chose to associate, to be part of the David Granger administration, there is no excuse whatsoever for the WPA’s nonperformance, non-effort to change the untenable circumstances and working conditions of workers under their ministerial portfolios.

The fact that they, an alleged working class party, remained silent under circumstances knowingly inimical to workers interest, is inexcusable and makes them

equally responsible and party to the anti-working class positions meted out to labour by the PPP and continued unabatedly, under a government that they were part of. Ogunseye would like the public to see the WPA through his lens.

The reality is, the WPA does not get to enjoy the benefits of association by way of two Ministries yet absolve themselves from responsibility for labour transgressions inherited or created.

The excuse he proffered can only fool the ill-informed and those who are unable to acknowledge the Partys willingness to sacrifice universally acceptable principles and to address wrongdoing lest they lose favour. The allegation of mind boggling and infantile is posited by he who flourished in an environment accommodating mass deception and disunity.

He fools no independent thinker.

Lincoln Lewis

No masks, no mas, no pain DEAR EDITOR, This is the day that the music stops, and the hope is that the morning after will be manageable. Guyana was lushly joyful on Friday in blissful ecstasies of longawaited release in a cathartic outpouring of uninhibited abandon. Different parts of it, from the involved to the peculiar, as in Leopold Street and Albouystown, with nonHindus and many non-Indians were in the mix of exuberant festivities. I take it that the places mentioned were spontaneous, and not of the sponsored kind made pos-

sible by Bonnie Prince Charlie, the man lurking in the wings and waiting to be king.

Amid all this, I trust that we will not be made to pay for our reckless revelries.

This is because I heard some of the musical cadences at crescendo levels, I saw some of the huddled and gyrating unmasked on the tightly packed trucks and bubbling streets, and I concluded that Guyana has successfully arrived. Beyond the shoals of COVID-19. I thank Minister Frank Anthony, though for what I am not sure, which is why I am guarded.

I am guarded with these relaxations. Though I have personal difficulty with masks, their worth is recognised. Now the latest concern is to be near a maskless stranger: church or street or shop. Dont ask why this is of a man who likes to shake hands, and press the flesh (though not running for anything, including bird watcher); but I have to take Minister Anthonys word that the numbers are down, as in truly down. He is in charge, and I would hope that his is not the case of a man and a minister who has dealt himself

(and us) a hand which reeks of the marked; meaning, the tainted, a hint of the manipulated. On the face of it, this uncertainty swirls, notwithstanding the helpful numbers being where they are.

As much as I appreciate that he is not as strong as he should be, I believe that he is wiser than he comes across, and should not have let the collective weight of powerful comrades overwhelm him.

For there is some mystery for a lost soul like me to fathom how self-testing without reporting requirement (Continued on page 68)

challenge will be met with a determined resolve.” “It is inescapable, that it is the fair and right thing to do to allow Guyanese to benefit from her oil resources in a preferential manner…Those who seek to challenge the LCA in Court do so at their own peril.

They would be underestimating or not understanding the sentiment across Guyana on this issue; across all ethnic, cultural, class and political lines. In my interactions, “on the ground”, and with those in Government there is a quiet but firm resolve on the issue. A resolve so strong that a treaty reservation/opt out or even a withdrawal are all possible.

Make no mistake, Guyana will assert her sovereignty and right to choose in coming days and, likely, if necessary, adjust her treaty obligations to remove any possible conflict, real or perceived,” Datadin reportedly said. Mr.

Datadin, if such a strong resolve by the Government on the LCA is directed towards renegotiation too, how powerful would that be? Is the oil contract not about national sovereignty? Instead, the Government is on the same side with the oil companies defending a PNC contract against Mr. Glenn Lall representing our poor, huddled masses of Guyana. Guyana is so lucky to be endowed with an abundance of riches more than any other CARICOM country, yet we are the poorest.

We also have the lowest currency in CARICOM. President Ali reminds us we are “a rich country of poor people,” and that we were the “second poorest nation in the Americas” for decades.

Nation, its “Our Wealth, Our Country.” Wake up Guyana!

Sincerely, Dr. Jerry Jailall

Moral decay and disrespect DEAR EDITOR, Here is a scenario: “Daddy, what is a dildo?” asked the six-year old child.

Amazed and puzzled, father responds nonchalantly, “Ask your mother. She knows about it. She uses it.” Mom simply said to the child, “Ask your father. He bought it.”

The frustrated child gave up and told them, “Well, I will ask my teacher tomorrow….” The dildo man (DM) in parliament should imagine himself in such a scenario. I write only because up to now there is no sanction and, as customary, it may be lets sleeping dogs lie hoping it will all go away in time.

Such behaviour is outlandish, vulgar, and misogynistic at any time and place,

but more so in such high office as parliament, and by a minister of government! The DM should come clean and make a public apology, step down and demit his office. He must make amends, and hopefully have a good answer for his child. The DM has company on social media where highly derogatory remarks amuse some people. Some others have gone beyond normalcy in desecrating in the sanctity of parliamentary traditions.

What lessons are these (dis)honourable rapscallions sending to the citizenry! No wonder the nation is going down the slippery slope of moral decay and disrespect.

Yours truly, G. Girdhari

Some business places exploiting prices DEAR EDITOR, Permission to just air at least two concerns, and how they can be resolved. First of all the whole world is affected by the ongoing war, but just as the pandemic hit Guyana two years ago, I remember vividly Guyanese began to panic and started the “buying madness”.

Stores and all the pharmacies in regent and water street were filled with customers, all they wanted was lysol, bleach and other cleaning agents but prices for these products increased significantly, in some

cases by as much as 500 percent. Now a tin of Lysol is less then one thousand dollars.

Now since the petrol raise, overnight businessmen whom I know personally raise their prices, hiding flour, garlic, milk and other basic food items.

Editor I can suggest one solution to this problem and that is ....let the relevant authorities take away or suspend their business licence for two months, then all the madness with high prices will end.

Yours respectfully, Anthony Marks

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Sunday March 20, 2022

Kaieteur News

Culture is influenced by ideas and customs that reflect social behaviours.

Here in Guyana, bad and damaging culture is seen on a daily basis and is quickly becoming an epidemic.

From the policeman taking a bribe instead of writing a ticket, to price gouging by the unscrupulous businessman, our society is one that seems to warmly embrace a Third World mentality and the corrupt practices overwhelm such an environment.

Instead of speaking up for ourselves, the majority of our brothers and sisters would much rather sit in silence and be trampled upon, while looking for others to take up the tough responsibilities that form full citizenship.

Guyanese, for too long we have accepted bad culture over a progressive way of life. We have allowed bad culture from top to bottom to drive us into the gutter.

Guyanese it is time to stand up and say:

PAGE 07

PAGE 08

Sunday March 20, 2022

US$2B grossly insufficient...

From page 3 highlighted in Section Four of the EIA. In addition to these, ERM said that some additional resources could potentially be affected such as corals.

Highlighting this was a group of Caribbean organisations, including the Caribbean Coastal Area Management (C-CAM) Foundation, The Jamaica Fish Sanctuary Network, Jamaica Environment Trust, Institute for Small Islands, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea and Freedom Imaginaries.

In a letter to Kaieteur News back in December, the organisations argued that the Government of Guyana, Exxon's subsidiary (EEPGL), and its British and Chinese partners have been aware of possible transboundary impacts of a potential deep well oil spill, since the conduct of the first EIA for the Liza 1 development in 2017, yet the countries remain unaware of the dangers they are exposed to as a result of this project.

They called for the EIA to be scrapped, given that consultations were not held with the respective countries which are likely to be impacted.

Violation of Human Rights T h e I n t e r- A m e r i c a n Court of Human Rights, in its 2017 advisory opinion on “The Environment and Human Rights” summarised the status of international law in paragraph 196, which states: “Consequently, the Court concludes that States have the obligation to notify other potentially affected States when they become aware that an activity planned within their jurisdiction could result in a risk of significant transboundary harm.

This notice must be

timely, before the planned activity is carried out, and must include all relevant information. This duty arises when the State of origin becomes aware of the potential risk, either before or as a result of the environmental impact assessment. Carrying out environmental impact assessments requires time and resources, so in order to ensure that States potentially to be affected are able to take the appropriate steps, States of origin are required to give this notification as soon as possible, without prejudice to the information transmitted being completed with the results of the environmental impact assessment when this has been concluded.”

As noted by the InterAmerican Court in paragraph 189, this duty “extends to every case in which there is a possibility of significant t r a n s b o u n d a r y environmental harm … as a result of activities planned by a State or by private individuals with State authorisation.

In such cases, notification is usually the first step towards facilitating cooperation and also permits compliance with the duty of prevention [of environmental harm].”

In this regard, the organisations agreed that to date, all of the EIAs conducted by ERM, since 2018, have identified the possibility of significant transboundary harm. Yet, all the EIAs conducted by ERM have failed to identify Guyana's legal obligations to notify and consult with potential transboundary victims before a project is undertaken.

Taking these concerns and others into consideration, the EPA recently ordered ExxonMobil to fix its impact assessment.

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

Garlic price boys seh... gan rise Dem

A man go home after a hard day's work and he ask he wife fuh dish out he food.

She obliged realising how tired he was.

De man put de fuss spoonful in he mouth and den spit it out.

“Is wah happen to you?” he ask she, “Like yuh lose yuh touches with de cooking?”

He wife tell he how he nah gat no gratitude. She complain how she had to stand pun she foot all day fuh cook de food and dat was de thanks she get.

De man try fuh explain dat is de taste of de food he

complaining about. To which de wife explain dat de food nah gat garlic because yuh nah get garlic fuh buy.

One row start and it all because of de shortage of garlic.

It remind dem boys about de story of de man wah bin watching cricket all day pun TV while he wife doing all de wuk around de house.

He finally get up and go and ask he wife wat she cook fuh dinner.

De wife get vex and accuse he of being a couch potato, sitting watching TV all day while she gat to do all

de housework. “Ah can't believe you're asking me bout dinner right now!

Imagine dat me nah deh home. Imagine dat I gone out of town. Fix yuhself yuh own dinner.”

So de man went to de kitchen and start to prepare a sumptuous meal. When he done, he sit down and eat.

De wife finally walk in just as he was finishing and she ask him “Yuh fix something fuh me fuh eat?

Where is mine?”

“Huh? I thought you were out of town.”

Talk half and prepare fuh pay more fuh garlic!

PAGE 09

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Sunday March 20, 2022

Boat captain chopped, family beaten during Kimbia home invasion

By Vanessa Braithwaite Five masked men, who were armed with cutlasses, on Friday, March 18, 2022, chopped 33-year-old boat captain, Ryon Gladstone, and beat his family while

invading their home located at Kimbia, Upper DemeraraBerbice, Region 10.

The men reportedly invaded the home to rob the family.

According to reports reaching Kaieteur News, the

robbery occurred around 23:46hrs.

The main victim, Gladstone, who owns a boat service in the community, was chopped to his back, stabbed to his shoulder and (Continued on page 14)

One of the suspects captured by villagers.

Sunday March 20, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

4 patients in COVID-19 ICU

- 2 new cases recorded

T

he Ministry of Health on Saturday reported that a total of four patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, receiving treatment.

In the last assessed 24-hour period, the Ministry recorded two new COVID19 infections, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the country to

63,183.

According to data provided in its latest dashboard, it revealed that there are 12 persons in institutional isolation, 129 are in home isolation and 12 are in institutional quarantine.

To date a total of 61,812 persons have recovered.

Sunday March 20, 2022

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

PAGE 13

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY! In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes SUNDAY In a time when we are no longer governed by colonial masters, it makes no sense that Guyanese leaders of various backgrounds do not see the wisdom in renegotiating contracts in the interest of Guyana.

Or is it that our leaders are prepared to return us to colonialism?

Colonialism, be it under the crushing hand of a monarch, or a mighty oil power, is one and the same in its effects on the people of the nation subjected to such a demeaning status.

We would be reduced to slavery and indentureship, having no say whatsoever in our destiny. This we must join hearts and hands to resist with our all. We at this publication and we know that many others, across this land and in the Diaspora too, are not willing to see Guyana being preyed upon any longer, and so are ready to resist any effort at binding this nation to heavy financial burdens that will only serve to cripple development.

We will have none of any kind of colonialism.

MONDAY The only thing low is workers' salary We have witnessed the dramatic rise in food prices and other items here as the Russia/Ukraine war intensifies.

We have seen steep increases in a range of items prior to this conflict due to Covid-19, floods and even the supply chain crisis that hit the global market last year.

Unfortunately, while all of these things are happening, our government remains stuck, only promising to cushion the effects, but actually doing nothing to alleviate the suffering of ordinary Guyanese.

Our leaders continue to giveaway much needed revenues through tax exemptions to ExxonMobil and other foreign companies.

They continue to waste billions more on corrupt, failed projects, but crying out that they don't have money to increase salary and give incentives to citizens.

So here we are, with everything rising, but the one thing that remains low is the salary of workers. Guyanese, it is time we fire these leaders.

TUESDAY Taking guns off the street won't save the grand theft of Guyanese wealth!

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) recently celebrated the fact that another gun was taken off the streets.

The GPF is of the belief that “another gun off the street means crime is on the decline.”

But we at this publication, and many Guyanese too, know that this could not be farther from the truth.

Just yesterday, a woman standing in front of a city store was captured on camera trying to wrestle off a thief who succeeded in stealing her cellphone.

One less gun off the streets did not prevent this crime from happening and many more will occur if the Force remains in celebratory mode.

The leaders of this land too are busy celebrating that we have an abundance of natural resources while international gangsters are busy fetching away our Godgiven wealth.

WEDNESDAY What is the Government up to?

Having restricted testing for COVID-19 and approved self-tests kits with citizens not required to report their results, it has virtually declared this country COVID-19-free with its recent policy decisions.

This, of course, is against the warning of the Pan American Health Organization which urged countries in the region not to drop their guards as it was too soon to do so.

The PAHO warning could not have been more telling as over in China, where the virus reportedly originated, a lockdown is currently imposed because of a massive surge in cases. It has been described by CNN, as the worse outbreak there.

People are still being infected and some are dying too.

But maybe our leaders are on to something. Time will tell.

THURSDAY Milking cows!

President Irfaan Ali recently told members of the media that his government will be importing thousands of milking cows, which will generate between $5000 and $7000 for single mothers.

Perhaps that's a good idea.

But we at this newspaper believe that the young President should have his government focus more

in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about onon prudent spending so that the nation does not continue to haemorrhage billions through a sleuth of infrastructural projects (some very questionable), and contracts signed with foreign companies.

Government's continued plugging of money into projects such as the Cheddi Jagan International Airportone of the 'national milking cows' is a cause for concern.

It is high time for President Ali to bring the curtains down on the “milking cow campaign”.

FRIDAY How it is that our society

has become so intolerant and divorced from rational thinking?

This is evident in the way many of us behave. The use of a weapon is often preferred over the spoken words to resolve a dispute.

Then, instead of being concerned about the needs of the masses, there are those in authority, who opt to burden us with their vision, which translates sometimes to projects that only benefit them.

Except we band together with the common goal of making Guyana a better place for all, we will continue

going indecency in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation. along a path of certain doom.

SATURDAY Despite the plethora of evidence and research papers that document the irreversible effects and havoc oil spills have had on countries' marine sectors and not to mention their economies, Guyana's leaders still refuse to demand full coverage insurance from ExxonMobil.

Our leaders appear to be so blinded by well-dressed executives in the oil sector that they fall for empty promises and mere assurances that all shall be well if such an occurrence

does take place offshore.

While countries have been spending tens of billions of US dollars to clean up and compensate stakeholders for losses, here in Guyana, we are being assured by the oil company that they will cover all costs associated with an oil spill.

But the people of Guyana deserve more than promises!

The people of Guyana deserve unlimited liability coverage!

It is time our leaders fight for our cause instead of falling hook, line and sinker for the false promises of oil men.

PAGE 14

Sunday March 20, 2022

Kaieteur News

Boat captain chopped, family beaten during... from page 10 also suffered injuries to his head. His brother, sister-inlaw and brother-in-law were beaten by the bandits.

Gladstone's fiancée, Kayla Fredricks, said that he contacted her via a WhatsApp call while the five masked men were invading

their premises. “He called minutes to 12 and I heard screaming in the background.

He said we are getting rob

and to contact the police at New Amsterdam. I was on the phone with him until the internet was disconnected,” she related.

The woman said that she contacted the police in Region Six, but ranks there told her that they will deal with the matter on Saturday morning (the following day).

This publication was told that the bandits vandalised Gladstone's home as they

stole jewellery and an undisclosed sum of cash.

Fredricks said that she made several calls to persons in the village alerting them of what had transpired.

Those persons reportedly accompanied her injured fiancé, as he pursued the bandits.

However, the bandits managed to escape after abandoning the speedboat they had used.

Later it was discovered that the very boat was reported stolen one week ago. Also, one of the five suspects has since been captured by the villagers and handed over to police.

It is being alleged that the boat captain and his family have been suffering at the hands of bandits for some time but no proper investigation had been conducted.

Sunday March 20, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

PAGE 16

Sunday March 20, 2022

Kaieteur News

Speaker repeatedly limits full ventilation of Opposition's Motions...

From page 2 clauses had been removed as they were not based on facts.

His response to the MP was sent by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs, who detailed that the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th 'Whereas' clauses were removed. The 6th and 7th clauses were also adjusted, while a suggestion was made for the 9th clause to be reworded.

The second clause, which was removed from the Motion, highlighted that worldwide offshore oil production operations show a high likelihood of an oil spill occurring offshore Guyana, and that such likelihood of a spill increases exponentially with the rapid increase in offshore production activities.

The 4th clause, which was also removed, reasoned that the emergency response and clean-up of the British Petroleum Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have so far cost more than US$70 billion.

Even though these details have been widely reported on, and are therefore available for verification through quick

research, these clauses were removed as the Speaker concluded, they must be based on facts.

In fact, the Speaker is reported to have also told Patterson that evidence must be provided to the House to substantiate the claims he made in his Motion, calling for the Government of Guyana to include full unlimited liability coverage for oil spills and other disasters related to petroleum production, as a condition for granting approval for ExxonMobil's fourth project, the Yellowtail development, and all other future petroleum development.

When it comes to the amendments made, the Clerk of the National Assembly said that the Speaker removed the words 'and economic bankruptcy' from the 6th clause.

Before the adjustment was made, the clause stated, “And Whereas a major oil spill offshore Guyana would result in the environmental devastation of Guyana and its neighbouring countries, obliteration of the areas fishing industry, aquatic vegetation, and economic b a n k r u p t c y, i n c l u d i n g possible lawsuits from

neighbouring countries.”

It must be noted that removal of these vital clauses from Patterson's Motion means that they will not be debated in the National Assembly.

Moreover, members of civil society are calling for a full debate to be allowed on the Motion of full unlimited liability insurance. For instance, Economist, Ramon Gaskin has said that many issues in the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) are not clear when it comes to who will be responsible for a possible cleanup of the environment after an oil spill, and more importantly, who would foot the bill.

“We still don't have proper guarantees on who is going to fix it, who is going to clean up the environment and who is going to pay for it.

That is not clear and that is why we need a full debate in the National Assembly and the Speaker should not interfere in it or the text of it, but rather allow for a full debate,” Gaskin said in an invited comment.

Gas-to-Shore Motion 'watered-down' Prior to the removal of clauses from the Insurance Motion, drastic changes were made to another

Motion by Patterson, on the proposed Gas-to-Shore (now Gas-to-Energy) project.

The project is pegged at some US$1.2 billion but the Speaker was reluctant to allow an economic analysis of the project and allow it to be compared to other renewable options, such as solar.

In fact, the Speaker took some 75 days to approve Patterson's Motion, the longest ever documented timeline this paper was told.

The Motion was finally approved, but not before being edited by the Speaker who removed a number of critical resolved clauses.

A clause that was omitted spoke to the need for discussions on gas leakages and exposures in the marine environment, which have shown to be highly toxic to fish, and living organisms and the ecology, which could devastate the fishing industry.

Another omitted clause states that “whereas determined in a March 2021 United States Bureau of Environmental Enforcement (US Offshore oil & gas regulator) comprehensive report, that the technology is not matured and reliable enough to ensure the integrity of deep-water pipelines and detection of subsurface leaks.”

That comprehensive studies be conducted by independent and internationally-recognised consultants to inform the decision on the project, was also outlined in the Motion.

Furthermore, the motion sought an investigation to understand the geological, environmental, and safety risks with mitigative actions, from pipeline leaks, ruptures and movements that may be caused by defective construction, aging, corrosion, seabed landforms,

mudslides, hurricanes, tsunami, faults, fractures, and seismic activities such as earthquakes and volcanoes.

Additionally, the MP requested analyses of the available technology for real-time monitoring of the deep-water pipeline to ensure its integrity and reliable detection of subsurface leaks and the environmental, safety and health risks with mitigative actions associated with accommodating the gaps in technology, among others.

When the Motion came up for debate in the National Assembly the government side voted against the call for investigations and studies to be completed. Patterson's Motion was therefore defeated.

Flaring before the Court Back in February last year, Patterson's Motion on natural gas flaring was submitted to the National Assembly. Parliament on its website said the document was received on February 22, 2021, while the Motion was scheduled for the Order Paper on March 12, 2021.

A case was indeed filed against the US oil major, ExxonMobil, for its rampant flaring in Guyana, but in late May of that year.

The Motion on flaring was never debated in the House as the matter is awaiting the Court's ruling, in accordance with the Standing Orders that govern the proceedings, the Speaker said.

Patterson's Motion was calling for the House to express its dissatisfaction that all reasonable measures have not been taken or are being taken to prevent the flaring of gas and for the oil company to be directed to abide by the terms and conditions issued in the relevant operating Permits.

Moreover, it called for

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take “all reasonable measures to ensure compliance, including EEPGL achieving zero flaring at the Liza 1 Project through reduction of oil production rates and suspension of same Liza 1 Permit if zero flaring is not met, until it is satisfied that all reasonable and lawful efforts are being made to ensure that there is no flaring of gas…”

The Motion also called for the Liza One and Liza Two permits to be amended by the EPA to become consistent with the updated conditions in the Payara Permit, relative to flaring.

COVID-19 not urgent But it wasn't only oil and gas issues that the Speaker targeted. Back in August last year, amid a frightening climb in COVID-19 deaths and cases, the Speaker used his authoritative seat to decide that the matter was not urgent and, therefore, shouldn't take precedence over other matters in the House.

The Motion sought to discuss citizens who were not vaccinated against COVID-19, and were being denied access to government services.

Then Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, attempted to raise the issue as a matter of urgent public importance, but the Speaker decided otherwise.

Harmon reasoned that the gazetted measures were drastically impacting a considerable amount of Guyanese. Further to this, he reminded the administration that although it had announced that the vaccine was not mandatory, some individuals who refused to take the jab were being denied access to their place of work.

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

PAGE 17

CONSUMER CONCERNS

New Silica City could emulate some of Old Georgetown in giving richer life to citizens

By Pat Dial

I

n the Guyanese psyche, over the centuries, there have existed some dreams which exuded an optimism which buoyed spirits and morale and helped Guyanese People to successfully exist with the harsh realities of life. The most known of these is "El Dorado" which is closely linked with the idea that Guyana is a land of rich resources of every kind which is awaiting to be uncovered and developed and will one day bring great wealth to the country and people. A dream of more recent vintage is that Guyana

would have a new and very modern capital city somewhere in the Interior, not growing organically like Georgetown, but planned like Brasilia or Washington, D. C. From decade to decade, even in the harsh days of privations of World War II and Dictatorial Government, and even when Guyanese settled in foreign lands, these optimistic dreams gave them morale and self respect.

Then suddenly, in the first two decades of the 21st century, these dreams began to materialise: The soil of Guyana began to bring forth hundreds of tons of gold and the forests began to earn

foreign exchange and Oil and Gas resources began to be developed and a new annex to the Capital City has started to materialise.

This new City is at present known as Silica City and 3,800 acres of land situated in the upper reaches of the East Bank of the Demerara River between Soesdyke and Timheri have been allocated for it. House lots are being marked out and enquiries are already being made in respect of purchasing land in the area.

It is projected that in about 20 years, the new City will house 50,000 persons. It must be remembered that old Georgetown with 60,000

people was a town, which provided a rich and comfortable life for its inhabitants. There were edifices like the Public Buildings, the Victoria Law Courts, the Stabroek Market, St. George's Cathedral, the Town Hall, a fine Public Library, the Assembly Rooms Theatre and Concert Hall, a number of good educational institutions like Queen's College, an efficient garbage disposal, piped water, a garden city where colourful birds lived, a seawall recreational area, a famed Botanical Gardens and so on. The present population of 300,000 of Georgetown came about

when there was a massive emigration from the countryside from the 1950's and the City was legally expanded to include large areas of East Bank and East Coast Demerara. It was largely the poor administration which took over the City from the early 1960's which destroyed the douceur of Old Georgetown.

The new city is not meant to replace Georgetown as the capital. Dr Ashni Singh has shown in patient detail why this is economically prohibitive at this stage.

Silica City would be creating an urban centre supplementing Georgetown and would be meeting the

Environmental criteria which Georgetown finds so difficult and expensive. For example, Climate Change with its rising sea levels would not be a problem for Silica City.

The new city would be planned on broad lines and not minutely since this would provide an opportunity for organic growth.

In the formal planning, there would be residential and nonresidential districts.

It would be compact, pedestrian oriented with streetscape designs.

A famous example of a street which was specially (Continued on page 67)

PAGE 18

Sunday March 20, 2022

Kaieteur News

Boy, 12, drowns in trench at Black Bush Polder

By Malisa Playter-Harry On Friday, a 12-year-old boy lost his life after he reportedly drowned in a trench at Johanna, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six. Dead is Hemraj Ramnauth, a student of J.C. Chandisingh Secondary School located on the Corentyne and a resident of Lot 88 Johanna, Black Bush Polder, Berbice.

According to reports, the lad left home early on Friday in the company of his 11-year-old friend to be part of the Phagwah celebrations in the village.

Tragedy struck hours later, after he was taken into a trench by the

friend and “let go”. It was revealed that Ramnauth did not know to swim but it is believed that the friend was not aware.

After letting go of his hand and leaving him there, Ramnauth reportedly started clamouring for help and eventually disappeared below the water's surface.

His mother, Sadna Rambarran, said that Ramnauth's younger brother saw what transpired.

“Me son can't swim and he loose am in the trench and me lil son said he start holla fuh help and nobody na come and then two bai on a bicycle hear he and dem go in the water and bring he

out but like he bin already stop breathe," Rambarran said.

After fishing Ramnauth out of the trench, the boys rushed him to the Mibicuri Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A grieving Rambarran recounted to reporters the last moments she shared with her son.

She recalled that they enjoyed a humorous conversation together. He had told her that he did not want fried rice for lunch and requested that she prepare him potato curry with dhal puri instead.

Rambarran recalled that while she was preparing the meal

he wanted, his friend came and invited him to play Phagwah in the village.

The woman said that she allowed Ramnauth to go but had warned him to stay away from the trench. Little did she know that Ramnauth was not destined to return to eat the meal she lovingly prepared for him.

Not long after he left, Rambarran said she received a phone call informing her that Ramnauth had drowned.

Ramnauth was described by his mother as a brilliant boy who wanted to become a doctor one day.

Police are investigating.

Dead, Hemraj Ramnauth

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

PAGE 19

World’s largest real estate franchise Keller Williams expands to Guyana

K

eller Williams (KW) which is regarded as the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count, recently announced that it would be expanding its operations to Guyana’s shores so as to capitalise on the nation’s record breaking oil growth.

KW specifically stated that it has awarded a new master franchise in Guyana which would be led by Regional Operating Principal, Stefan John, KW Guyana. The local base is expected to open in the first quarter of 2022.

As of December 31, 2021, KW was keen to note that it had increased sales volume by 88.7 percent outside of the U.S. and Canada to US$12.1 billion, compared to 2020 and hopes to maximise these sales following its expansion to Guyana.

- eager to capitalise on record-breaking oil growth

William E. Soteroff, President of Keller Williams Worldwide (KWW), recently shared, “As of March 1, we now have more than

15,000 agents across 54 worldwide regions, representing a strong foundation to continue to expand our market share aggressively in

2022.”

“We are thrilled to announce we’re in business with Stefan, a phenomenal leader who is poised to

build and embody our culture in Guyana, our ninth master franchise in South America.”

He added, “Stefan and his core leadership understands our disruptive model and how it allows agents to thrive.”

A seasoned entrepreneur, John founded D&J Group Inc., a company focused on logistics and real estate services catering to the oil and gas industry. With nearly a decade of experience facilitating real estate brokerage services throughout Guyana, John is believed to be a well-established business leader in Guyana.

“The real estate market is growing bigger than any other industry besides oil and gas in Guyana,” said John. “KW will be the preferred agency that everyone goes to, mainly because the agents Continued on page 67

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

Govt. slothful in thoroughly investigating GECOM – Dr. Yog Mahadeo

By Rehanna Ramsay Shortly after taking office, almost two years ago, President Irfaan Ali promised that his administration will launch a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to ensure that the atrocities committed during the March 2020 Regional and General Polls never happens again.

However, as time passes it appears as though the Head-of-State and government are in need of a reminder of the promised probe into the affairs of GECOM. This is the viewpoint of businessman and transparency advocate, Dr. Yog Mahadeo, who is also a member of the civil society group, Article 13.

Dr. Mahadeo, in a letter to the e d i t o r, e x p r e s s e d h i s thoughts on what he believes is the slothfulness of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)

Guyanese businessman, Dr. Yog Mahadeo.

“Until that time when an independent commission of inquiry into GECOM is completed, the death, injury, racism, rape, fraud, financial loss and the disgrace that Guyana faced during the 2020 elections lies solely on the shoulders of Ali and his Government” a dministration to deal with the problems of GECOM. He stressed that the move by law enforcement to charge three top ranking officers of elections is simply not enough. “Prosecuting Lowenfield, Mingo, et al, is not enough. Why has there been no independent inquiry into GECOM…[The March 2020 elections] continues to be the most expensive failure of Guyana…almost two years and counting…why is there no Commission of Inquiry?” Mahadeo asked.

He noted that while some of the accusations surrounding the March 2020 elections may seem farfetched, they cannot be taken lightly since there were genuine efforts to derail those elections.

As such, he queried, “Why is the government silent on Amna Ally’s ID-

c ard accusation of Nandlall?

O r N o r t o n ’s p u b l i c testimony of ‘a woman’ who he claimed voted twice. Or worse yet, the immigration officers who sent a supposedly fraudulent list of persons allegedly out of the country but whose votes were recorded? Or the disastrous recount that brought more disgrace on this land? What of the manipulation of the report of [Statement of Polls] SOPs at GECOM? Or of the dangerous statements from many persons on the floor, balcony and offices of G E C O M ’ s headquarters…?”

In the meantime, he opined, Guyanese are forced to suffer a false presumption that getting rid of Lowenfield and Mingo will be the “miracle cure” for GECOM.

Gafsons Industries Limited will finally be opening its new outlet at Diamond, East Bank Demerara for which it seeks e-applications to fill the following positions:-

Kaieteur News

Surika Danraj

Sunday March 20, 2022

Meet the vivacious Surika Danraj. This Guyanese beauty is a Make-up artist and Entrepreneur. She enjoys Interior Design, Travelling and Philanthropy in her leisure time. One of her favourite quotes is by American Author Wayne Dyer: “Fall in love with the process of becoming the very best version of you…”

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Kaieteur News

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Sunday March 20, 2022

Earth Hour 2022 calls on Guyanese to ‘Shape Our Future’ On March 26th at 20:30 hrs., Guyana will again join the global movement of Earth Hour by switching off in solidarity with the planet and the natural world. This year, WWF-Guianas, its partners, and supporters will be combating plastic pollution for the protection of the marine environment.

This is according to a release shared by WWFGuianas’ Communications Officer, Kemptorne Daly, which states, “We seek to create and raise nationwide awareness through the p r o m o t i o n o f environmentally focused actions such as a plastic art project, and a coast clean up activity.”

Ta k i n g p l a c e a t a particularly crucial time for the planet, Earth Hour, the release added, invites people to take a stand and signal their support for a naturepositive future. An issue of local and global concern is that of plastic pollution.

Studies have predicted that plastic pollution is set to quadruple by the year 2050, potentially setting a 50-fold increase in toxic microplastic concentration in the environment by the end of the century.

There is hope however, as WWF has called on world leaders to establish an ambitious global treaty to

address plastic pollution, and UN Member states at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) have unanimously agreed to develop a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution.

Earth Hour in Guyana seeks to build on this momentum, by encouraging people to take action for our oceans and stop plastic

pollution. As the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment, Earth Hour is set to once again unite millions of people around the world to show their commitment to the planet. “We are still adapting to the impacts of COVID-19 and in the face of growing global instability, owing to the conflict in Ukraine, Earth Hour 2022 aims to signal the end of “business as usual” and herald in a new era that puts people and the planet first,” the release added.

PLASTIC ART PROJECT AND THE COASTAL CLEAN-UP Earth Hour in Guyana will see various activities and events designed to raise nationwide awareness through public discussions, and environmentally focused activities. Also, encouraging and promoting innovative ideas for countering plastics pollution.

To k i c k s t a r t t h e awareness activities “we have launched a ‘Plastic Art Project’ on March 12th that will end on March 23rd. The project is open to persons of

all ages and gives the public a chance to get creative and showcase their artistic skills by transforming plastic bottles, bags, covers, and other everyday plastic waste into beautiful works of art.”

The pieces of art submitted will be displayed on the night of Earth Hour Lights off event, with prizes being awarded to those participants.

On the day of Earth Hour, a plastic clean up activity is planned along the Kingston seawall from the Kitty roundabout to the Marriott Hotel, starting at 06:30hrs.

The objectives of this activity are to: contribute to existing efforts of keeping our environment free of plastic waste, get people directly involved in the care for the environment, contribute to awarenessraising on the problem of plastic waste and influence change in behaviours towards the environment.

actions add up, building bridges for others to help strengthen and sustain current and future actions for nature,” the release outlines.

“Lights off involve everyone: places of business, government buildings, people at home and other organisations.”

This year will be WWF’s first physical countdown event since the pandemic began. At the event, there is expected to be participation from multiple organisations, partners, and supporters, all united in symbolically switching off for the planet.

The event is slated to be held on March 26 in the National Park with a 19:30hrs starting time. The event will be streamed live on ENetworks TV. Earth Hour in Guyana is organised in partnership with the United Nations office in Guyana, and supported by Guyana Youth and Environment Network, Environmental Protection

“We are still adapting to the impacts of COVID-19 and in the face of growing global instability, owing to the conflict in Ukraine, Earth Hour 2022 aims to signal the end of “business as usual” and herald in a new era that puts people and the planet first.”

The clean-up exercise will see the recording of data on the amounts and types of trash collected. This data will be used to inform future public education and awareness activities.

Registration for the clean-up activity is now open, where you can join as a team or individually.

“Earth Hour lights off is the moment when we encourage a collective pause to understand how our

Agency, Seawalls and Beyond, Rotary Club of Georgetown Central, Protected Areas Commission, and Lion’s Club.

Visit Earth Hour 2022 | WWF (wwfguianas.org) to find out what is happening at Earth Hour in the Guianas and according to WWF, “This is our time to stand up for nature and help shape our future for generations to come.”

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Kaieteur News

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The GHRA lacks credibility The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has long faced a credibility crisis. But its trustworthiness, reliability and consistency were fatally eroded by its failure to condemn the attempted rigging of the 2020 elections.

During the five month impasse between 2nd March, 2020 and 2nd August, 2020, there was a diabolical plot to steal the election. The GHRA and many other civil society organisations did not come out and condemn the attempt to pervert the Region Four results.

The attempt to rig the 2020 general and regional elections was widely condemned both within the Caribbean and locally. Yet, the GHRA failed to condemn the gravest threat to human rights since the rigging of the 1968 elections.

Guyana was on the brink of a return to the dark days of democracy. Dictatorship was on the country’s doorstep.

The GHRA is only too aware of the dangers that dictatorship poses to human rights. The GHRA is well aware that the worst human rights abuses in Guyana took place under the dictatorship. For example, the United States Department of State Human Rights Report on Guyana for 1983 stated, “The Burnham Government has harassed the opposition and kept it weak, fragmented and ineffective by arrests, police searches and other legal procedures.”

According to the Report the government’s human rights record for 1983 did not show an improvement. It pointed out that major areas of concern were police harassment and misconduct and the use of the security forces for political control, and infringement of freedom of the press and freedom of assembly. It went on to note that beatings by the police to elicit confessions were not uncommon and it pointed to abuses such as arbitrary arrests of members of the political opposition.

The GHRA was not oblivious to the fact that these excesses which had their origins in political dictatorship. Indeed, the GHRA clearly understood the importance of defending free and fair elections.

In 1980, it was reported to have sponsored a group of international persons to observe the elections of that year. The team issued a statement after the elections in which it said described it as a most ‘blatant fraud”.

The team concluded that on the basis of abundant evidence that the elections were flagrantly and massively rigged.

The GHRA continued to be involved in denouncing electoral fraud. It co-signed a statement with a number of other organisations in 1985 which expressed concern about the conduct of the 1985 elections. The statement observed that the

elections were characterised by the “familiar and sordid catalogue of widespread disenfranchisement, multiple voting, ejection of polling agents, threats, intimidation, violence and collusion by police and army personnel...” The statement concluded that these events attested to the PNC’s attempt to retain power and the ends to which it would go to do so.

The GHRA therefore has no excuse whatsoever for not condemning the attempt to rig the 2020 general and regional elections.

Merely calling for the head of GECOM to bring an end to the elections impasse obscures the breach of the right of people to elect their government.

If the GHRA wishes to be taken seriously ever again, it owes the public an explanation for its failure to condemn the attempt at rigging the elections. The organisation had merely confessed that it remained silent during the first month following the elections but has since stepped out.

The GHRA did not go into hibernation during the period of the APNU+AFC government. The organisation had condemned the unilateral manner of appointment of Justice James Patterson as Chairman of GECOM. But it clearly was not operating with the same degree of vibrancy as it had in the past. However, since August

2020, it has b e c o m e reinvigorated . This has j u s t l y exposed the GHRA of accusations of being selective in condemnations.

A long-standing criticism of the GHRA concerns its internal workings. As an organisation which has to expose and condemn abuses of human rights, the GHRA would be expected to demonstrate greater accountability. Yet, very little information is provided by the GHRA about its membership, leadership and its financing even though it says that this information is in the public domain.

The failure of the GHRA to condemn the attempted rigging of the 2020 elections may have been its Waterloo. The GHRA has emerged from that episode with a serious credibility deficit. It is not going to be taken seriously given its inconsistency and opacity.

The GHRA should either come clean about its sins or stay clear of condemning abuses by the government. Its affairs are not in order.

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

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Sunday March 20, 2022

The international order is broken – where are the enlightened leaders to remake it?

By Sir Ronald Sanders

T

he international order, which had existed, although shakily, since the end of World War II and the establishment of the Charter of the United Nations, is now severely broken.

Whether the pieces can be reassembled and strengthened to guarantee a peaceful world is uncertain.

What is certain is that the world is now in a dangerous

place and urgently needs visionary leadership to try to pull it back from its current perilous circumstances and to set it on a path of peace and cooperation between nations.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, threats of nuclear c o n f r o n t a t i o n , unprecedented economic sanctions, high oil prices with the prospect of more increases, shortages of food supplies and attendant high costs, are the prevailing

order of the day. No nation has been spared and the situation might well worsen in the coming weeks, with developing countries and small economies suffering the most, since they have the least capacity for resilience.

Every country and region will experience disruption in projected economic growth this year.

The European Union has already announced that it expects much less than the 4% growth that it had

expected for its 27 nations collectively.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which was conceived as the forum for guaranteeing peace by ensuring that nations would uphold and respect international law and the principles of the UN Charter, has only been effective when the vested individual interest of the five permanent members was not involved. Once any of the five – Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States (US) – were affected, each of them used their anachronistic veto power to block UNSC action – the only international instrument binding on every nation.

The absurdity of the world being subjected to the veto power of one of five nations was brought into sharp focus throughout the UNSC’s deliberations on R u s s i a ’s i n v a s i o n o f Ukraine.

Not only did Russia make it clear that it would veto any decision it disliked, but it also presided over the proceedings as the rotating President.

This unrepresentative and gravely flawed system has proved impossible to change, and it now seems set to harden.

The UNSC’s role has departed from the original concept enshrined in the UN Charter, specifically articles 39 to 51 of Chapter VII, titled “Action with respect to threats to the peace, breaches of the peace and acts of aggression”. This chapter established a framework for collective security based on the use of military forces and gave the UNSC authority for enforcement.

But since 1947, the political and military ambitions of the nations of the East and West put this chapter into abeyance. It has remained there ever since.

Over the years, a more limited role described as “peace keeping” has emerged. While this role has been beneficial when it has been activated, it has been fraught with difficulties.

For instance, peacekeeping can only be launched after a conflict has broken out; a mandate from the UNSC is required, and this depends on agreement by all 5 Permanent members of the Council (which seldom happens); no automatic or obligatory mechanism for financing peacekeeping exists.

Financing depends on the

v o l u n t a r y contributions of rich countries, and peacekeepers cannot pressure combatants to withdraw from occupied territory or to resolve the conflict in general.

In summary, the UNSC and consequently the UN Charter have proven to be paralyzed and ineffective, particularly when permanent members have a vested interest, either directly or indirectly.

Since the end of 1990s, and an initial détente between the nations of the West and East, the nations of the West and Russia have developed different and contradictory approaches to peacekeeping.

Ostensibly, the Western approach is to resolve armed conflicts through inclusive peace processes and liberal state transformation including democratisation, human rights, political freedoms and good governance.

Although, it has to be said that there is more than a little hypocrisy in that stand, as was seen in the US military intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the US accommodation of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.

For its part, Russia has argued for the primacy of sovereignty, the need for strong states and political order, and the rights of government to suppress internal conflict using any means necessary.

This was Russia’s stance, for instance, in relation to the conflict in Syria. There is a clear pattern of rigid differences between Russia on the one hand, and the US, UK, and France on the other, with China claiming neutrality.

Russia has now taken the differences a leap further by invading a sovereign nation in pursuit of its own interests, with scant or no regard for the UN Security Council or the 141 members of the UN that voted in a Special Session of the UN General Assembly to condemn the invasion of Ukraine.

Only five nations voted against sanctions; all of them headed by tyrants. Thirtyfive countries abstained, including China, India and South Africa.

Many of the countries that voted in favour were fearful of being invaded themselves or recognised

Sir Ronald Sanders that, in their own interest, they had to condemn violations of international law. Those nations that voted against might have been contemplating following the Russian action as a basis for their own use of force in their territorial ambitions.

The motivation of the abstaining nations was rooted in what they considered to be their own national interest. For a few, that included not offending Russia on whom they depend for political support and military equipment.

In short, humanity now exists in a troubled world, which, even before the invasion of Ukraine, faced major crises such as managing the impact of Climate Change, increasing pandemics, widening economic inequality between developed and developing nations, and restructuring the global financial architecture. All of these issues require the involvement of all countries.

None can be tackled by any one nation or group of nations.

Humanity’s need for enlightened global action, with cooperation at its centre, is now more urgent than ever. It is such international cooperation that should now invigorate the world’s peoples, making it clear that invasions and war are not answers. Might is not right.

Leadership based on ethics, morality, fairness, and justice is needed. Small Caribbean states must demand it, and give it, principally by insisting on respect and adherence to international law by all.

(The writer is Antigua a n d B a r b u d a ’s Ambassador to the United States of America and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto) Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : www.sirronaldsanders.co m

Sunday March 20, 2022

Kaieteur News

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THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Irfaan Ali and Aubrey Norton, PPP and PNC: A class analysis Frederick Kissoon

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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

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COVID-19: How should we live during this time of transition

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Emergency Medicine Specialist COVID-19 cases are at an all time low in Guyana and the country has eased all restrictions. However, this doesn't mean that COVID-19 is over and we can throw all caution to the wind. The risks posed by COVID-19 are now low enough here, that legislated restrictions can ease. But the virus is still circulating and we cannot ignore it altogether. The goal is to find the balance between living freely but smartly enough to mitigate our chances of becoming a victim to COVID-19. Today, I will share my thoughts on how to best transition as we start to figure out how to live with this disease.

Determine your risk level COVID-19 will still continue to take lives for the foreseeable future. While the hospitalisations and deaths should be manageable, there are certain people whose risk of having a bad outcome is high and should take more precautions than others. The following persons are still vulnerable to COVID-19: · Elderly · Those with co-morbid conditions (HIV, Obesity, Chronic kidney disease etc.) · The unvaccinated, especially those with no recent COVID-19 infection · Those that live with high-risk persons should protect them by taking

precautions If you're in any of the categories above, then you should continue to practice preventative measures until this disease is fully endemic.

Should you still vaccinate?

If you were recently infected with COVID-19 during the Omicron wave, then you currently have the best immune protection against COVID-19 and getting vaccinated now is not as vital as it may be for others.

The Omicron wave helped push us to the so called “herd immunity” we were trying to achieve and there aren't many persons left for the virus to infect. Hence, the reason for the low infection numbers currently.

However, those that are uncertain, unvaccinated, or incompletely vaccinated, should get vaccinated until they are fully boosted.

What about wearing mask?

Mask wearing saved many lives during the worst of the pandemic and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. However, it comes with discomfort and does hinder freedom of life.

We now need to think about masks like an umbrella; when it's raining, you have it on and when it's sunny, you do not have to use it. While it's sunny in most of Guyana, it's still wise to wear your mask if you're in any of the following environments: · Closed spaces with poor

free flow of air · Hospital and other medical institutions · Very crowded spaces There is no need for masks when you are in the open and it's not crowded.

But do have your mask with you in the event that your environment changes and it becomes “rainy”. Also, be compassionate to those that still wear mask as their rainy day may only be cloudy for you.

Is the threat from the BA.2. variant real?

The U.S and most of the western world are now seeing a rise in cases from the Omicron BA.2. variant which is sub variant of Omicron.

It is like the sister to the Omicron BA.1. variant that we would have recently experienced here in Guyana.

It is more infectious but is not more life threatening or rapidly spreading.

It's just a matter of weeks before it reaches us here and causes a rise in case numbers.

However, the numbers

should not be as severe as those of the Omicron wave since it doesn't reinfect those that were previously infected with Omicron BA.1.

Given the large number of persons that were infected during the Omicron wave, only a small proportion of our population should be vulnerable to infection from Omicron BA.2.

The skies are clearer and the light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. Once we act smartly, there is no reason why we cannot transition into

living freely again knowing that we can “take our umbrellas out for a bit if the storm comes”.

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

SUNDAY GOVT. IN TALKS WITH AMAILAFALLS CHINESE CONTRACTOR TO BUILD NEW DHB The Government of Guyana is currently in talks with the company that will be constructing the Amaila Falls Hydropwer Project, China Railway First Group, to also build a new bridge over the Demerara River to link Regions Three and Four.

On Saturday, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar explained that a consortium of companies have been engaged as they were the second lowest bidder for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB).

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

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

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

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

Research conducted by Kaieteur News show that the company is headquartered in Beijing, China. The firm said on its website that China Railway Group Limited “is a super-large corporate conglomerate engaged in engineering survey, design and construction, industrial equipment manufacturing, real estate development, resources and mining development, financial investment, and other fields.”

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

Sunday March 20, 2022

Kaieteur News

16 consecutive years.

This publication also found that the major shareholder of the company is the state-owned China Railway Engineering Corporation (CRECG).

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

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

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

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

During the reading of the Budget 2022, however, Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh had announced that this year, some $21.1B has been allocated for the project.

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

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

Amaila Falls Hydropower Project The Amaila Falls Hydropower Project has been marred in controversy ever since its proposal more than 10 years ago. The previous administration had completely thrown out the project, as it believed the venture was not feasible.

However, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government is running full speed ahead with this project, to be executed by China Railway First Group.

The project is expected to cost some US$700M, but Guyanese will not be paying for the project up front.

Instead, the country will be purchasing electricity from the plant at an average cost of $7.7 cents, as the project is being pursued under a Build Own Operate Transfer (BOOT) model, in which Guyana would, in 20 years’ time, take over ownership of the project.

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

“GPL will buy all of the power under a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement),” and the contractor will have to assume the majority of the risks in the project, Project Head, Winston Brassington said.

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

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

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

Two other risks will be borne by GPL if the Amaila Falls project fails to meet the electricity demand.

MONDAY CIVIL SOCIETY POOLS FUNDS TO FIGHT TAX GIVEAWAY CASE …AS GUYANESE PAY FOR EXXON’S LEGAL FEES Based on the arrangements in the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) between oil giant, Exxon Mobil and the Government of Guyana (GOG), the country will pay all legal fees incurred by the oil company regarding challenges directly related to their operations. This of course, would include the court matter brought against the state by Kaieteur News’ Publisher, Glenn Lall, where Exxon’s subsidiary, Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) has decided to become party to the matter given its particular interests.

But, even as Guyana is contractually obligated to pay the legal costs for the oil major, civil society persons have been pooling their resources to help Lall mount the court challenge. This is according to Lall who told this newspaper that it was the coming together of three persons that saw the legal challenge moving forward.

“Yes, it was three persons who contributed to the (legal) fees, myself included. We came together and we each put one, one million to take this thing to the court.”

The Kaieteur News publisher is of the firm view that under the country’s petroleum law, exemptions of value-added, duty and excise tax among others, to operators other than the licensee are against existing legislation. Lall filed the High Court case back in January challenging what he

describes as some of the most repressive tax provisions of the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited.

Prepared and filed by his Attorney, Mohamed R. Ali, the legal document outlines among other things that many of the provisions listed under Article 15.1 of the Petroleum Agreement, dated June 27, 2016 between the Guyana Government and the oil companies, grants exemptions to persons other than licensees, which violates the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act, the Financial Administration (and Audit) Act, the Prevention of Discrimination Act, and the Constitution.

Through his lawyer, Lall contends that the provisions are unlawful, null and void, and of no legal effect. With respect to violations of the Petroleum Law, Lall further contends that this occurs at Article 15.1 of the oil contract which states: “…no tax, value-added tax, excise tax, duty, fee, charge or other impost shall be levied at the date hereof or from time to time thereafter on the Contractor or Affiliated Companies, in respect of income derived from Petroleum Operations or in respect of any property held, transactions undertaken or activities performed for any purpose authorised or contemplated hereunder…”

Where it is also stated in the Agreement that, “Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Article, Affiliated Companies or Non-Resident Sub-Contractors shall not be subject to the provisions of the Income Tax Act (Cap 81:01) and Corporation Tax Act of Guyana (Cap 81:03) during the exploration period on income earned in Guyana for any given tax year if the

Affiliated Company or NonResident Sub-Contractors have conducted business for one hundred eighty-three (183) days or less on a cumulative basis in the tax year of assessment,” the Attorney flagged those for legal inconsistencies.

Apart from these and other areas of legal contention, Lall has charged the reason behind the court challenge to the extent of which the provisions of the petroleum contract creates oppressive circumstances that hinder locals as well as the extent to which it breaches the laws.

Lall is concerned about the severe impact the contract’s provision will have on the nation’s ability to satisfactorily benefit from the oil resource. “When you take into account the cost of these provisions to the country, the enormous revenue Guyana is giving away and the impact it can have and it will have on the country and its citizens, it is unimaginable. It must therefore be challenged,” he insisted.

Lall pointed out that according to the Audit General’s report, in 2020 alone Guyana lost some US$720M in taxes. This equates to more than 1.4 billion Guyana dollars. The publisher told the newspaper that where the matter is concerned, it is the role of civil society on full display. He said that even as the monies to challenge the repressive exemptions are being pooled by ordinary citizens and Exxon is having their legal fees paid for by the Guyanese people in the PSA’s recoverable costs outlines, he is prepared for the long haul since he deeply believes that Guyana deserves more for their oil resources.

The PSA specifies that, “All costs and expenses of litigation and legal or related series necessary or expedient for the procuring, perfecting, retention and protection of the contract area and in defending or prosecuting lawsuits involving the contract area or any third party claim arising out of the activities under the agreement or sums paid in respect to legal services necessary or expedient for the protection of the interest of the parties are recoverable.

Where legal services are rendered in such matters by salaried or regularly retained lawyers of the contractor or an affiliated company of the parties comprising contractor, such compensation will be included instead under subsection 3, 1 (B) or 3.1(D) above as applicable.”

Subsection 3, 1(B) speaks to (Continued on page 29)

Sunday March 20, 2022

From page 28 labour and associated labour costs and 3, 1 (D) speaks to third party contracts. If there is an oil spill and ExxonMobil is sued, Guyana will also pay the price.

ExxonMobil is a veteran in the oil and gas industry and a global power house. This mega company is well known for dwelling in profit margins that dwarfs the size of some country’s Gross Domestic Product.

EPA DOING GUESSWORK - ENVIRONMENTALIST SAYS AGENCY LACKS DATA TO CONCLUDE 12WELL DRILLING CAMPAIGNS WILL NOT HARM ENVIRONMENT The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has waived the requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be done by oil giant, ExxonMobil that is gearing to start two 12-well drilling campaigns in the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks of Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

In doing so however, the agency did not provide the data it used to reach this conclusion. Instead, the EPA in notices to the public informed that its screening of the application for the various projects have found that they will not significantly affect the environment or human health. But in the absence of baseline information on fish and mammal life cycle and migratory patterns among others, where the activities are scheduled to take place, Environmentalist Simone Mangal-Joly has questioned the reasoning behind the EPA’s decision to waive the impact assessment requirement.

In a letter to the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB) which was seen by this newspaper, MangalJolly said, “…the agency lacks the relevant empirical data required to conclude that the proposed drilling activities are not likely to significantly impact the natural environment or Guyana’s offshore fish populations and fisheries sector.”

Mangal-Joly went on to explain that the EPA must be in possession of adequate information before it can decide that a proposed activity will not significantly affect the environment.

In this regard, she noted that there is no recorded evidence anywhere, in any EIA already completed, or baseline studies conducted offshore, of the locations of coral reefs and fish nurseries relative to existing drill sites and/or proposed exploratory

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Kaieteur News

drill sites and deep-sea current and seabed contour information.

The Environmentalist reasoned, “There is no baseline information in any of the baseline studies to which the applications refer on fish and mammal life cycle and migratory patterns, and the extent and full economic and socio-economic value of offshore related fisheries or near shore fisheries affected by offshore oil and gas logistic activities. There are no baseline biological assays of fish, biomarkers of fish population and communities, or any related monitoring and evaluation data for these and other relevant parameters in and around areas where production and exploratory drilling is in progress or has been concluded.”

Moreover she pointed out that the impacts of Kaieteur and Canje multi-well drilling activities scheduled to run from 2022-2027, cannot be disassociated from the Stabroek 25-well, Stabroek 12well, Canje 3-well, Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2, Payara, and Yellowtail developments or the activities of other oil and gas actors offshore.

Mangal-Joly reminded that the EPA Act in Section 17 requires a cumulative impact assessment. For this, adequate data must be available on the specific and relative locations of each activity, sensitive ecological features, as well as biophysical parameters such as ocean currents, and interactions among all these parameters, she said.

As a consequence, Environmentalist Simone Mangal-Joly argued that the regulator body must furnish the public with the screening reports for the drilling campaigns, as these documents are presently not available to the public.

In a letter to the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB), the specialist explained “as of today March 11, 2021, I have not been able to find the screening report for the Kaieteur drilling campaign under the Screening Reports link on the EPA’s website or under the EEPGL (Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited) documents link. You are aware that these reports ought to be available for the full statutory 30-day period in which the public may examine the EPA’s decision and register any objection”.

To this end, she asked that a copy of the Kaieteur12 well Screening Report as well as the screening methodology that the EPA has applied be shared. In fact, she said that such documents ought to be available in the

interest of transparency so that the public may also exercise its right to evaluate the merits of the Agency’s decision in accordance with the intention of the EPA Act. In her letter to the EAB, the Environmentalist pointed out that on August 28, 2021 she had objected to the EPA’s first notice to waive an EIA for the Canje-12 well drilling campaign on grounds that the Agency had violated Section 36 of the Environmental Protection Act by failing to provide reasons.

The EPA had acknowledged the violation in a response to Mangal-Joly on October 26, 2021. She said that EPA’s recent public notices for both the Kaieteur and Canje drilling campaigns refer to EPA’s Screening Reports, which were presumably intended to satisfy the requirement of Section 36 - reasons for the waiver.

Given that the screening reports have not been made public for citizens to confirm the EPA’s conclusion that no significant environmental damage will be done during the drilling campaigns, the Environmentalist gave her objection to the proposed activities.

Canje 12-well drilling campaign EEPGL is hoping to commence its drilling campaign in the fourth quarter of this year and wrap up in the first quarter of

2025. Hundreds of tons of waste will be generated on a monthly basis as Exxon’s subsidiary EEPGL, embarks on this project, but the EPA has exempted the operator from conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment, despite being warned that it could yield adverse effects.

In its project summary for the 12-well campaign, Exxon pointed out that while similar impacts from its other campaigns could be expected from this project, these could be adverse.

According to the Canje Project Summary, “The potential impacts, which are expected to be similar to impacts identified in previous exploration/appraisal drilling Environmental Assessment and Management Plans in the Canje, Kaieteur, and Stabroek Blocks, could be directly and/ or indirectly generated by the Project during drilling and/or abandonment, and such impacts could be adverse or positive in nature.”

Kaieteur 12-well drilling campaign This exercise, once approved, would start in 2022 or 2023 and conclude by the first quarter 2027.

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

However, EEPGL assured that all waste streams for the project are expected to be managed in accordance with

a Comprehensive Waste Management Plan (CWMP).

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

In light of the foregoing, the EPA said project impacts have been deemed negligible to low, short-term, and localized. As such, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not required.

TUESDAY AHEAD OF EXXON’S 12 WELLCAMPAIGN… ECO GRABS UP REMAINING JHI SHARES IN CANJE BLOCK Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd. has been a junior player in Guyana’s oil basin since 2016. Its main asset since its entry into the nation’s oil and gas industry has been the Orinduik Block. There, it works alongside Operator Tullow and holds a 15 percent working interest. In 2019, Eco and its partners struck heavy oil in two wells in the Orinduik Block.

As a result of this underwhelming result, its

attention shifted to the highly prospective Canje Block that is operated by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).

In 2021, Kaieteur News observed and reported that Eco initiated a series of small share purchases amounting to almost seven percent in JHI Associates Inc. which is one of the original licence holders for the Canje Block.

In a most ambitious play to raise its stakes in the Guyana basin, on Monday, Eco disclosed to the market that it took a bold step with the acquisition of the remaining shares in JHI, thereby giving it full ownership of the company and its 17.5 percent working interest in the Canje Block. It is important to note that the move by Eco follows an application by EEPGL to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to drill 12 wells in the block starting this year.

That application is still under consideration.

On closing of the acquisition, JHI is to have a minimum cash balance of US$15 million, acquired as part of the transaction with Eco. Pursuant to the Term Sheet and subject, inter alia, to the signing of a binding Arrangement Agreement and completion of the Acquisition, Kaieteur News understands that Eco Atlantic will issue to JHI’s (Continued on page 30)

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From page 29 shareholders, along with the holders of any JHI options and warrants, such number of new common shares in Eco that will provide JHI’s shareholders with 34.1 percent of Eco’s issued share capital, or approximately 127 million new common shares of Eco. This, therefore, provides for a cashless acquisition, with a value of approximately US$52 million.

Completion of the acquisition is subject, inter alia, to the signing of an Arrangement Agreement and satisfactory completion of due diligence by Eco and any requisite approvals from the Government of Guyana, the Canje Block partners, and the TSX Venture and AIM exchanges. In addition, certain shareholders of JHI will enter into lock-up agreements to restrict the sale of the consideration shares.

As of 31 December, 2021, JHI’s audited financial statements provides that it had total gross assets of approximately US$30.7 million, of which approximately US$19.7 million are cash and cash equivalents and US$3.5 million is the book value of its interest in the Canje Block.

These financial statements also provide that JHI had total liabilities to third parties of approximately US$500,000.

On the heels of the disclosure, John Cullen, the Founder and CEO of JHI said the transaction provides JHI’s shareholders access to Eco’s exciting portfolio of exploration opportunities in the emerging oil basins of Namibia and South Africa, and in Guyana with their Orinduik Block, while maintaining their exposure to the Canje Block, where we have been working steadily with partners to identify the next prospect to drill. ”It also represents the culmination of a tremendous amount of work from JHI’s technical team which, over the last six years, saw two supermajors join the Canje Block, and three wells drilled providing valuable information towards unlocking the potential of the deeper water portions of the Guyana-Suriname Basin,” the CEO said.

He added, “JHI’s team has come to work well with Eco’s team since they became shareholders last year, and we know that they will continue to be good stewards of the Canje Block as they add it into their impressive and expanding exploration portfolio.”

As for Gil Holzman, CoFounder and CEO of Eco Atlantic, he commented that being a shareholder of JHI since last year has given his

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company a deep understanding of the Canje Block and its prospectivity.

Holzman said, “This transaction adds to Eco’s strategic acreage position in Guyana and ensures that there will be a number of drilling catalysts over the next couple of years on Eco’s eight offshore blocks. In addition, the enlarged Group will benefit from JHI’s current cash position, adding US$15million to Eco’s balance sheet, further strengthening the company’s liquidity position.”

Given Eco’s strategic investor base and proven access to the public capital markets, Holzman said the anticipated addition of JHI’s interest in the Canje Block and its working capital, will further augment the enlarged Group cash position for its share of all near term exploration programmes on its current blocks including: US$2B in South Africa where drilling preparations for a late third quarter spud are underway and work in the Eco Orinduik Block offshore Guyana to follow.

The Eco Chief concluded, “Ahead of our planned drilling campaign on Block 2B offshore South Africa, we are also looking to finalise drilling targets in the Orinduik Block, offshore Guyana.

This demonstrates that the Eco team is head down and focused on delivering value for shareholders. We look forward to providing further corporate updates as appropriate.”

ABOUT JHI It should be noted that JHI which has been overtaken by Eco, was a Guyana pure-play deepwater exploration company that was only founded in 2011. In 2014, JHI teamed up with Guyanabased Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas Inc. (“MOGI”) which was awarded the Canje Block in 2015 by former President,

Donald Ramotar, just a few months before General and Regional Elections were held.

Both companies which are industry unknowns, had no wherewithal, and zero experience in deepwater drilling. In spite of no track record, JHI and its partner were awarded the block with no signing bonus to the country.

In 2016, JHI and MidAtlantic sold the major parts of their interest to ExxonMobil which allowed the American company to become the Operator. In 2018, Total Energies farmed into the Block. Five years of extensive technical and seismic data analysis led to the Canje partners identifying multiple drillable prospects and successfully applying for a multi-well drilling permit.

These wells were drilled but oil was not found in commercial quantities.

The ownership structure of the block is as follows: Esso Exploration & Production Guyana Limited (35 percent), Total Energies E&P Guyana B.V. (35 percent), Eco Inc. (17.5 percent) and Mid-Atlantic Oil & Gas Inc. (12.5 percent).

MORE ABOUT CANJE The Canje Block is approximately 4,800km2, located approximately 180 to 300 kilometres offshore Guyana in water depths ranging between 1,700 and 3,000 metres.

The Canje Block is a large and significant licence which captures the lower slope and base of slope play fairways, channels and fans outboard of multiple ExxonMobil discoveries in the adjacent Stabroek Block which is immediately up-dip of Canje.

Canje is covered with 6,100km2 of 3D seismic and holds over three dozen prospects in four proven plays in the Lower Tertiary and Upper Cretaceous confined channels, Lower

Cretaceous Carbonate structures and, with recent drilling of Sapote-1 well and Stabroek discoveries, now offers the opportunity of yet deeper horizons.

LEGAL CHALLENGE TO NRFACT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH EXPEDIENCY – CHRISTOPHER RAM The slothfulness of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) opposition to challenge the legality of the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act can lead to irreversible losses and consequences.

This is according to Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-law, Christopher Ram. Ram, in an invited comment to this newspaper, agreed that the matter should be handled with expediency.

Ram said, “The Opposition must act more swiftly on its promise to challenge the legality of the NRF Act because it is important to remove all uncertainty from the law.

They need to move a lot faster, lest by the time they are ready all the oil monies will be withdrawn and utilised.”

The parliamentary opposition has been mulling legal action over the NRF Act, which the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C) forcefully passed through Parliament without proper consultation last December.

Back then, it was noted that the government rushed to pass the law after it removed several safeguards that allowed for transparency and placed the management of the oil fund largely under the control of the President and the Minister of Finance.

Under the new law, the President and Finance Minister, et al, are vested with sweeping powers to appoint members to sit on the NRF board.

Already, with its majority on the Committee of Appointments, the PPP/C disregarded arguments by the opposition in favour of their nominees and settled on their own choice for the board.

Additionally, the government has already signalled its intention to use some $126 billion from the oil account in this year’s budget.

“As it stands, the government is already moving in the direction of withdrawing the money, so that the Opposition needs to be faster,” Ram emphasised.

He stressed further that the NRF Act provides the perfect scenario for litigation.

“There are a number of ways, if you look at the Act, that it can be challenged in the courts. For instance, the constitution provides for consultation before a law is passed, that was not done, that is one major legal point that can be examined in the case,” Ram said.

Ram is not the only person who has criticised the “rushed” passage of the NRF Act. A number of civil society organisations, including the recently formed Article 13, have expressed disappointment at the undue haste with which the government rushed the NRF Act through Parliament, which they believe opens the door for misuse, and without regard for the Santiago Principles, which set out the basic tenets of transparency and accountability in expenditure of oil funds.

Speaking to Kaieteur News on the matter, businessman and founding member of the Article 13, Yog Mahadeo shared the view that there are certain issues of legalities that should be looked at, when it comes to the NRF Act. He explained that for instance, the budgetary allocation was made without a board in place.

According to Mahadeo,

the government’s intention to spend the oil funds without a proper system of control in place is already a sign that it will lead to disaster.

In the meantime, the APNU+AFC coalition says it is still actively considering mounting a legal challenge to government’s passage of the controversial NRF Bill.

APNU+ AFC Shadow Attorney General, Roysdale Forde, SC, who contends that the passage of the Bill “constitutes the rejection of participatory governance as recognised as part of the constitutional system of Guyana,” noted too that civil society has been rejected from having a critical and essential role in the governance of the country.

WEDNESDAY GOVT. BYPASSES CRITICAL OVERSIGHT PROVISIONS IN NRF ACT – YOG MAHADEO The Government of Guyana has bypassed critical oversight provisions in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act, with its move to allocate some $126 billion to this year’s national budget.

This is an observation made by businessman and transparency advocate, Yog Mahadeo.

Mahadeo, who is also a founding member of the civil society group Article 13, told Kaieteur News during a recent interview that the absence of critical oversight committees raises concerns about transparency, control and accountability of the government’s use of the oil funds.

The transparency advocate pointed to the NRF Act which makes provisions for a Board of Directors, an Investment Committee, and a Public Accountability and (Continued on page 31)

Sunday March 20, 2022

From page 30 Oversight Committee –none of which were in place to help steer the allocation of the $126 billion for the national budget.

He noted too that the supplementary budget allocation from the NRF makes it difficult for citizens to track and understand how exactly they are benefiting from the oil funds.

He said, “I think the government has acted on presumption by allocating the oil monies in the 2022 budget before the team that helps determine the spending is in place.

And that is what I believe civil society is concerned about, that the budgetary allocation is in place but these boards are not, because it threads on management, accountability and transparency.”

Continuing he said, “My question is how can you plan to spend the monies without the planning and management team? Then it will leave questions about the systems of control, management and accountability of the Natural Resources Fund. As it stands, no one knows what the monies will be spent on.”

His comments come just weeks after President Irfaan Ali approved the selection of members of his party to sit on the Board of Directors for the NRF. The government’s belated selection of members of the board was criticised by the opposition and members of civil society alike.

It was amplified that government already had a

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plan in place to include $126 billion from the NRF in the budget before putting in place the necessary infrastructure to guide the process.

According to the NRF Act, the Board of Directors of the fund, which shall be appointed by the President, shall be responsible for the overall management of the fund. For reviewing and approving the policies of the fund, monitoring the performance of the fund and ensuring that the general oversight of all aspects of the operations of the fund are managed in compliance with the law.

The Board of Directors is also responsible for preparing the investment mandate to include the items specified in Section 27 of the Act, which states that, “The investment mandate shall be prepared, in accordance with this Act to include directions relating to the management of credit, liquidity, operational, currency, market and other financial risks.”

The investment mandate in Section 27 states further that the mandate should be made with “directions regarding ethical investment, including policies standards; and procedures for avoiding prejudice to Guyana’s reputation as a responsible member of the world community.”

According to the Act, the mandate “shall guide the percentage of the fund that shall be invested in each eligible asset class; relevant indices for investment; eligible treasury bills and eligible commodities…”

Further, the Act provides

for the establishment of an investment committee which is responsible for advising the Board of Directors on the investment mandate.

The investment team is also expected to take into account the overall objectives of the fund as outlined in the Act, which includes the current conditions, opportunities and constraints in the relevant financial markets, the need to ensure sufficient funds are available for withdrawal from the fund and international best practices in the investment portfolio management.

In the meantime, the law also makes provision for the public accountability and oversight committee, in which once appointed, some members of civil society will be responsible for providing non-governmental oversight of the fund. The list of duties of this committee includes preparing and submitting quarterly reports on the

management of the fund to the Board of Directors and later to the Speaker of the National Assembly as an annual report.

During a previous interview with Kaieteur News, Chartered accountant and Attorney-at-law, Chris Ram noted that Article 13 of the Act itself, clearly states that, “withdrawal from the Fund can only be used for national developmental priorities and essential projects related to natural disaster.” However, Ram pointed out that based on the Estimates, the drawdown this year is purely budgetary support.”

GUYANA’S TREATY OBLIGATIONS CAN BE ADJUSTED IF NECESSARY - CARICOM NATIONALS CANNOT TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER LOCALS IN OIL SECTOR– DATADIN When Guyana’s Local Content Act (LCA) came into being on December 31, 2021, major private sector interests in Trinidad and Tobago were visibly worried. Fears of losing lucrative market share here translated into discussions in the upper echelons of the Trini business grouping about the ways in which the new law could be challenged for violating the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC).

In fact, it was less than two weeks after the passage of the law, that a leaked email quoted Chairman of the CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO), Gervase Warner, as stating that Guyana’s Local Content Law contains several provisions that are in contravention with the Treaty of Chaguaramas.

Warner had allegedly said the CPSO will raise its concerns with the Guyana Government and then ultimately with CARICOM.

Warner who is also an Executive Director of Massy Holdings and the President and Group CEO of the Massy Group, had said Suresh Beharry, Chairman of Edward B. Beharry and Company Limited, will assist with the communications strategy to be ferried to the government.

While Beharry has since distanced himself from this arrangement, the divisive comments continue on Guyana’s law which demands that locals be given first consideration in its oil sector.

One key observer of this worrying development since January has been PPP/C Parliamentarian and attorneyat-law, Sanjeev Datadin.

In a comment posted on his Facebook profiles on Tuesday, Datadin said the introduction of the LCA has indeed brought with it “whispers of resistance,” mainly from Trinidadian businesses.

Datadin said these “whispers in the shadows” recently made a bold entrance into the light Sunday last in an article portrayed as a legal opinion of sorts published in a Trinidadian newspaper about the legality of the LCA; with detailed focus on its compliance with treaty law.

The attorney-at-law added, “The sense of entitlement was un-surprising in the article. The implied portrayal of Guyana’s oil resources as CARICOM’s oil resource (as opposed to Guyana’s) was most significant and interesting.

The attitude in some quarters seems to be that Trinidad’s involvement in Guyana’s oil sector, by virtue of them being a historical oil producer, was somehow pre-ordained and unstoppable.”

Datadin was keen to note however, the writer of that article ignored, e n t i r e l y, t h e m o o d a n d sentiment of the Guyanese people and the resolve of the Government of Guyana on this issue. He said it was ignored that the people of Guyana are firm that they must benefit more than tangentially or on the fringes; their benefit must be real and substantial.

The lawyer stressed that this involvement is seen as the path to lift an entire nation from a poor developing nation to a prosperous nation. Datadin who is a key representative of the government on such policy issues, said too that i t i g n o r e s t o t a l l y, t h e determination of the present Government to deliver on its promises.

More i m p o r tantly, Datadin said it is useful to note that every CARICOM Member State can issue a

reservation and/or opt out of treaty obligations at its discretion. Expounding in this regard, Datadin said the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in an Advisory Opinion (AOOJ2019/001) in an examination of opt-out powers as set out in Article 27(4) of the RTC made clear that a reservation to any treaty obligation can be unilaterally done whilst to optout of treaty obligation it required consent of the other Member States.

The lawyer said, “The reality is that Guyana can enter a reservation to the relevant part of the RTC and/ or opt out; depending on the prevailing circumstances.

This may be sought for a period of years deemed sufficient for the Guyanese sector to mature and be able to compete with foreign businesses.”

The attorney-at-law said it is well known that Bahamas has taken itself out of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and therefore does not allow free movement of CARICOM Nationals. He added as well that Antigua and Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis have opted out of the free movement of skilled labour (security guards and agricultural workers) in 2019.

In concluding his argument, Datadin who has been on the frontlines of the government’s local content fight said, “It is inescapable, that it is the fair and right thing to do to allow Guyanese to benefit from her oil resources in a preferential manner. This is not to say that our CARICOM neighbours are not welcome; everyone is, but respect must be had to the LCA in this regard.

The benefit to our CARICOM brothers can’t be at the expense or marginalisation of Guyanese nationals and companies.”

The Parliamentarian said those who seek to challenge the LCA in Court do so at their own peril while adding, “They would be underestimating or not understanding the sentiment across Guyana on this issue; across all ethnic, cultural, class and political lines.”

He further noted that in his interactions with those in Government, there is a quiet but firm resolve on the issue. He said the resolve is so strong that a treaty reservation/opt out or even a withdrawal; are all possible.

“Make no mistake, Guyana will assert her sovereignty and right to choose in coming days (Continued on page 32)

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From page 31 and, likely, if necessary, adjust her treaty obligations to remove any possible conflict, real or perceived,” the lawyer concluded.

THURSDAY GUYANA STILL LACKS TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, LEADERSHIP NEEDED TO MAXIMIZE OIL GAINS IDB REPORT Notwithstanding all that has been articulated over the years about the need for a modernised legal framework for the oil sector, Guyana will still face additional bottlenecks to execute its role in the oil sector due to an inadequate supply of sectorwide leadership, management and technical talent required.

This is according to the Inter-American Development Bank, one of Guyana’s key lending partners for decades.

In a report titled: Traversing a Slippery Slope: Guyana’s Oil Opportunity, IDB experts noted that while the number of Guyanese with formal training in oil and gas policy, economics, management, law, and engineering has

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increased in recent times, the level of technical expertise and institutional leadership required to effectively ensure the maximization of economic and social returns from the resources remains at a nascent level.

Moreover, the bank said developing the capabilities to manage and regulate an oil producing contract will surely overlap with those required for other oil blocks currently under exploration, as well as other transcendental capacities to be handled by the government, such as rights (license) management, longterm gas commercialization, and marketing of the government’s share of oil production. It said this situation therefore increases the risks of delays and value erosion during oversight activities and heightens the probability of lower social returns.

Further to this, the InterAmerican Development Bank was keen to note that the petroleum industry is a highly-specialised technical and commercial sector while reminding that studies of the performance of petroleum producing countries

demonstrate that the creation of a regulatory agency with a skilled, professional staff, who understand both the technical and commercial drivers of the sector is a key structural feature of countries that have successfully increased investment, production and revenues from their natural resources over time.

The experts who were contracted for this analytical report on Guyana also noted that it has been widely recognized over recent decades that a key best practice for a country’s petroleum sector is the

separation of functions of policy making for the sector from the regulation of the sector.

In this regard, the consultants explained that the regulation of the sector is most effective, then, when regulatory action implements the country’s policies based on technical and commercial considerations and not changing political interests.

They noted that the separation of the governmental functions – that is, the policy-making function from the regulatory function - creates the conditions for such regulation. The experts added that the cases of Brazil, Colombia and Peru show that they have employed specific legislative and regulatory measures to divide these functions between the Ministry and an independent regulatory agency. To achieve this, it was suggested that Guyana may consider core precepts that hinge on institutional autonomy from political interference and dependencies on financial appropriations from the national budget.

FRIDAY DISHARMONY IN EPA MARITIME, PETROLEUM LAWS COULD SPELL DISASTER FOR GUYANA IF OIL SPILL OCCURS –IDB REPORT An analytical review of Guyana’s legislative framework for the oil sector has unearthed concerning instances of disharmony which could work against the interest of the State.

Specifically, experts at the Inter-American Development Bank have said such friction exists in the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act 1986 (PEPA), the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1996, and the Maritime Zones Act 2010.

In a technical report titled: Traversing a Slippery Slope: Guyana’s Oil Opportunity the consultants highlighted that these three pieces of

legislation not only have overlapping duties which could cause confusion, but also contain vague language regarding environmental standards, which ultimately, could allow oil operators enough scope to escape penalties for negligence.

Elaborating on the web of discord uncovered, the IDB consultants said one must first understand the powers of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA is a semi-autonomous body corporate, governed by the Environmental Protection Act of 1996. That law brings under its jurisdiction, functions concerning Guyana’s natural environment and includes all land, water, sea, seabed, marine and coastal areas, and natural resources.

The EPA therefore plays a coordinating role in the preparation and implementation of crosssectoral programmes of environmental contents and to perform such other functions pertaining to the protection of the environment as may be assigned to it by the subject Minister by or under the Act or any other written law. Thus, IDB consultants said it would be impossible to underestimate the EPA’s authority over any environmental matter in Guyana, including areas of the sea where oil companies operate and that are claimed

by Guyana and to which – under the Maritime Zones Act – its law extends.

Further to this, the IDB consultants noted that the EPA Act’s plenary authority over environmental matters is complex with certain key elements of the Act and its regulations fundamental to the regulation of the oil and gas sector. In this regard, it was noted that the EPA Act prohibits any public authority from giving any development consent in any matter where an environmental authorization is required.

The EPA’s issuance of an environmental authorization is also a sine qua non (essential condition) for the

Minister’s ability to issue a license under the PEPA and the President’s ability to issue a prospecting or production license or letter of authority under the Maritime Zones Act. It is here that the consultants pointed out that the Minister’s regulatory powers under the EPA Act, clearly overlap with those ascribed to the official who would be empowered to act under the Maritime Zones Act. They noted that while the Minister under the Maritime Zones Act is obligated to consult with the Minister with responsibility for the environment before making regulations, the potential for overlapping regulations is clear.

Additionally, it was highlighted that the regulatory powers of the EPA subject Minister also overlap with those of the subject Minister under the PEPA, and - unlike the Maritime Zones Act - there is no obligation for the Petroleum Minister to consult with the EPA Minister before making regulations under the Petroleum Act. The IDB experts stated that as an example of this fact, the petroleum regulations include environment-related provisions that are quite ambiguous when compared with the standards set forth in the EPA Act and the applicable regulations subsequently made under it.

In this regard, they explained that the EPA Act and regulations made under it establish detailed principles and requirements for the protection of the environment that apply to any entity falling under the Act’s jurisdiction, and an environmental permit issued under the EPA Act shall be subject to conditions which are reasonably necessary to protect human health and the environment.

In addition, the IDB consultants said an environmental permit shall contain an implied condition that the developer shall have an obligation to use the most appropriate technology and to restore and rehabilitate the environment.

The EPA, they pointed out, is also prohibited from issuing an environmental permit unless it is satisfied that the developer can pay compensation for any loss or damage, which may arise from the project or breach of any term or condition of the environmental permit.

The IDB consultants said therefore, that there is significant overlap between the EPA Act, regulations and environmental authorizations issued under it, and the EPA’s (Continued on page 33)

Sunday March 20, 2022

From page 32 authority, on the one hand, and on the other hand the environment-related authority of both the Oil and Gas Minister under the PEPA and Petroleum Regulations and the Minister under the Maritime Zones Act, in setting the requisite air-tight environmental standards applicable to petroleum prospecting and production.

The IDB consultant said, “A real risk of disharmony exists between these principles and standards of the EPA Act and the standards in the PEPA and Petroleum Regulations.

Specifically, the standard applicable to licensees under the PEPA is mere good oilfield practices, which is defined as all those things that are generally accepted as good, safe and efficient in the carrying on of prospecting for petroleum or, as the case may be, operations for the production of petroleum.”

The experts warned however that it is obvious to all observers that the term “good oilfield practices” may not equate to the principles established in the EPA Act and regulations made under it, as its ambiguity allows enough room for interpretation and legal challenge.

They also concluded that the overlapping functions in the laws with respect to the environment not only lead to possible confusion and unhelpful confusion among government entities but more importantly, the disharmonies standards for safe environmental practices “are potentially disastrous for Guyana, particularly (but not only) if an oil spill were to occur.”

SATURDAY CITIZENS DEMAND FULL DEBATE ON PATTERSON’S OIL SPILL INSURANCE MOTION Members of civil society are demanding a full debate in the National Assembly on Opposition Member, David Patterson’s Motion which calls for full coverage insurance for oil spills and other disasters related to petroleum production from ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).

It was recently revealed that the Speaker of the House, Manzoor Nadir, weakened the Member of Parliament’s (MPs) Motion by removing 13 of the 20 clauses in Patterson’s Motion, while two of the ‘whereas’ clauses were also amended.

In his defense, the

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Speaker said that the clauses in the Motion must be based on facts and were therefore disallowed.

To this end, Environmental and Human Rights Activist, Ms. Janette Bulkan, Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram, Economist, Ramon Gaskin and Transparency International Guyana (TIGI), are calling for a full debate of the Motion, since they believe that the floor of the National Assembly is where the facts ought to be determined.

For instance, the second clause, in the insurance Motion, which was removed by the Speaker states, “And Whereas worldwide offshore

transparency and so that there is a public record of at least some aspects of the discussion,” she reasoned.

In fact, Bulkan said that the partisan actions of the Speaker confirm the low assessment of democracy in Guyana. She pointed out that real and present danger of oil spills to the marine life and ecosystems that line not only Guyana’s coast, but those of a huge swathe of Caribbean nations, makes the issue of full insurance coverage urgent and timely.

As a consequence, the environmentalist called for a full debate on the issue.

Bulkan was keen to note that former Speaker of the National

that. All of that about whether Guyana would be left bankrupt or not will come out during the debate and the government and the ordinary people would have an opportunity to debate and understand that particular issue about the possible economic effects of an oil spill,” the Economist reasoned.

He went on to explain that the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) between Guyana and the oil company allows the Minister of Natural Resources to foot the expenses associated with a cleanup and then forward same to the oil major, ExxonMobil. However it is his

oil production operations show a high likelihood of an oil spill occurring offshore Guyana, and that such likelihood of a spill increases exponentially with the rapid increase in offshore production activities” and the fourth clause read, “And Whereas the emergency response and cleanup of the British Petroleum, Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have so far cost more than $70 billion USD.” Even though these details have been widely reported on, and are moreover available for verification through quick research, these clauses were removed as the Speaker concluded they must be based on facts.

In this regard, Bulkan in a letter to this publication said she believes that Nadir may be acting outside of his remit by seeking evidence to substantiate the claims made

by Patterson in the Motion of full liability coverage, in the event of an oil spill.

The environmental activist in her missive quoted a report produced for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on democracy which highlighted that the executive branch of government is both protected and isolated from outside influence since there is no real ability for the opposition, civil society or the media to penetrate the inner workings of the executive.

“Dispiriting as that observation is, Guyanese citizens still expect the National Assembly to serve as a convening space in which Parliamentarians can discuss matters of national interest, in the interest of

Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, who served between 2001 and 2011, on 27 March 2008, clearly outlined that a Member can challenge the Speaker by way of a motion – ‘Where a Member is dissatisfied with a decision of the Speaker approving a motion.’

“Then Speaker, Ralph Ramkarran, ended his Statement by saying, ‘Let me hasten to add that decisions of all public officials, including the Speaker, are subject to critical review by the press and public’… I call on: MP David Patterson to present a procedural motion to allow a full debate on the issues raised in his motion gutted with little explanation by the Speaker, the Speaker to allow all the clauses of MP Patterson’s Motion ‘full unlimited liability coverage for oil spills and other disasters related to petroleum production’ to be debated in our National Assembly,” the activist said. On the other hand, Economist Ramon Gaskin contended that the Speaker is completely out of order and should be replaced.

He argued, “He is not behaving as an impartial Speaker. He is not a PPP Speaker. He is in charge of the business of the National Assembly and he needs to conduct himself impartially and he is not doing that.”

Gaskin told this publication that Nadir should allow a full debate on the Motion and further noted that he should not make omissions to the document.

“He is totally out of order by calling on the people who are moving the Motion to provide evidence about all of

view that such an occurrence can cost Guyana billions.

In addition to this, Gaskin said “the Minister has no capability or capacity, technical or otherwise, to deal with no spill so it is a matter that ought to be debated properly in the National Assembly”.

Moreover, the Economist explained, “In the first agreement, the 1999 agreement which was signed

by Janet Jagan when she was President, she allowed Exxon to have its own ‘selfinsurance’ on the question of a spill, this means that if the government or the people of Guyana had to make a claim against Exxon they would have to go to Exxon…the one which was signed by Trotman himself is not a great improvement on that. We still don’t have proper guarantees on who is going to fix it, who is going to clean up the environment and who is going to pay for it. That is not clear and that is why we need a full debate in the National Assembly and the Speaker should not interfere in it or the text of it, but rather allow for a full debate.” Similarly, Christopher Ram argued that Patterson as an elected Member of Parliament should be allowed to present his ‘unrestricted’ Motion to Parliament.

He said, “This is an elected Member of Parliament.

Parliament is the forum for debates and here we have an unelected person seeking to restrict that debate. The purpose of Parliament should be to expand and the purpose of the Speaker should be to facilitate and not to restrict any debate, notwithstanding any

standing orders or anything like that.”

Guyana’s transparency advocates also joined in the call for a full debate of the Motion.

TIGI President, Mr. Collin Fredericks in an invited comment told this publication that while the agency is not an expert in Parliamentary procedures, it believes that the Parliament of any country has a duty to be concerned about the delivery and fairness of justice.

“We believe that it is the government that has the resources to establish whether the claim is correct or not. We do not know enough about parliamentary procedures to determine whether Mr. Patterson or the opposition would be expected to mount a thorough investigation and research to support his claim…every which way we look at the Speaker’s request it does not make sense,” the President added.

THE INSURANCE MOTION The Motion on full liability insurance coverage was submitted by Patterson to Parliament on February 16, 2022. The Speaker in a written response to the Member of Parliament (MP), dated February 28, 2022, informed that 13 of the 20 clauses in Patterson’s Motion have been disallowed, while two of the ‘whereas’ clauses were also amended.

On the other hand, the Speaker also suggested that

Patterson reword one of his clauses as the information included was “inaccurate”.

The Speaker’s response was sent by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs. In the document seen by Kaieteur News, Isaacs particularly stated that the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th ‘whereas’ clauses were removed. With regard to the clauses amended by the Speaker, this newspaper understands that the sixth and seventh clauses have been adjusted, although the Speaker said it was the “fifth and sixth clauses”.

The document from the Clerk of the National Assembly detailed, “Further, the Speaker has amended the 5th ‘And Whereas Clause’ by deleting the words, ‘and economic bankruptcy’. He has approved the other part of the clause.” However, it was Patterson’s clause six, which sought to highlight and discuss the potential financial impact an oil spill can have on Guyana, by specifically describing the effects as leaving the country in economic bankruptcy.

According to clause six, “…a major oil spill offshore Guyana would result in the environmental devastation of Guyana and its neighboursing countries, obliteration of the areas fishing industry, aquatic vegetation, and economic b a n k r u p t c y, i n c l u d i n g possible lawsuits from neighbouring countries.”

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>>> ENCOURAGING EVENTS, DISTURBING DEVELOPMENTS <<<

Electricity bills unchanged, flour up, infections down, restrictions lessen and EPA’s 'guesswork'

By GHK Lall

T

he encouraging news is that there are silver linings behind the thickening clouds.

It came from Guyana's strongman, oilman, moneyman, everyday allpurpose man, and now light bill man, the Hon. Vice President.

Thanks to Guyana's one

big man, electricity bills will not be hiked.

It is a big deal for little people, which should arrest price spikes in many other basics, from meat to bread.

I would be further encouraged by a position from the Vice President, which powers forward dealing with big picture matters, like squeezing billions from Exxon, and

getting meaningful oil spill insurance coverage for Guyana, and not this clever cherry-picking.

Going the other way was the report that flour price is up by 15 percent.

It is not a small number, and already I am trying to figure out what the new prices for bread, roti, and chowmein, among other things will be, since flour is

the main man in these everyday items.

They can't hold at current levels, which is disturbing, and could have been a twofisted blow, if the light bill had also gone up. I tell all Guyanese: the Vice President is a real saviour to this country. Everyone must pray for him, so that he can use this newfound care and compassion for the ordinary

Guyanese family, as a starting point to do more and better for all citizens. I w i l l b e uncharacteris tically selfish and grasping, and recommend fearless oil management and clean governance. While I am at it, I throw in for 'bam-bye' ethical leadership practices, too.

It also encouraged that COVID-19 infection numbers are down. Way to go, Minister Frankie. There are some who doubt the accuracy of those numbers.

But I take it that the Minister is an honourable man, and will not have any of such tomfooleries on his watch; this is despite misgivings with arrangements like selftesting, and no reporting requirement.

With those good numbers (are they really?) stirring, the President stirred himself from his countless cleanups to break the news: Down with restrictions. Down with some limitations (I hope). If that doesn't sound like the PPP of old under Cheddi, then I am becoming senile. Just so as not to cause any jealousy in high places of the PPP/C Government, I thank His Excellency to keep things even, though I must confess for what I don't know.

Guyanese can now get to maintain their normal disorderly and lawless behaviours. The keen would have noted that I said 'maintain' and not resume, since there was not much by way of compliance. Still, I am worried.

There was the mixed coming out of civil society, especially in the committed and patriotic presence of environmentalist, Ms. S i m o n e M a n g a l - J o l y.

According to her, the EPA is doing “guesswork” relative to some of its conclusions

By GHK Lall about 12-well drilling campaigns not harming environment (KN March 14).

With respect to this honest and dedicated Guyanese, I think she got it wrong. The E PA i s n o t d o i n g “guesswork” where all matters of oil and gas are concerned. IT IS DOING NO WORK, PERIOD. To be absolutely clear, Guyana's EPA is not doing any work of substance in the oil sector; it is simply going through the motions of appearing to be doing something, and with its beleaguered head given the nasty job of justifying the unjustifiable before the public. I feel for the man, and recommend that he be given all the national awards that others are making so much noise about. Those would be in recognition of his faithful dedication to duty, when he delivers those hollow truths that have no basis in reality.

He knows it and it shows in his haggard and halting speech, his lackluster demeanor.

To be extremely pointed and deadly serious, the EPA has no work to do (not even 'guesswork') because its decisions are made for it, and handed down to it, after a decent enough interlude has lapsed, to parrot dutifully to the public.

It should disturb all Guyanese as much as it does me, since the EPA stands guard over so much, and has done so little to justify its existence; or to safeguard our interests.

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

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Guyanese share views on the rising cost of living

By Zena Henry

T

he cost of living has seen a significant jump owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and now, the Russia-Ukraine conflict which has caused added strain due to the hike in oil prices.

The Kaieteur News spoke to a few citizens and this is what they had to say: Hollanda Neblett, a 35year-old mother of three from Perseverance on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), told the newspaper that her family has been managing with the recent economic changes, but they have had their challenges.

The snackette operator said that it has been tough during the pandemic but she is now concerned that things might be getting worst with the increase in food prices.

“Simple things I purchased like the soya oil that was three something, that is now six something. Fish, meat have gone up and we are getting it right here. If we paid $1000 for four, five Banga, now it’s two or three.”

Neblett is also concerned about transportation cost.

The woman said that her home is a far distance from the east bank public road and so she must pay another $100 to a driver of a shortdrop car after getting to the area in a mini-bus. However, by 19:00hrs (7 p.m.) these short drop cars increase the fare to $200. “That means from home to town and back, I pay $500 for one person, and it’s five of us in the home. If things keep going up, just now we might have to pay more.”

Neblett said she was a beneficiary of the COVID19 cash $25,000 grant which significantly helped her

51-year-old Denise Taylor

family. She believes another intervention should be made.

The woman and her husband are doing their best to make ends meet, but given the current situation, some more assistance should be brought to citizens. >>>>>>>> Denise Taylor a 51-yearold Guyana Power and Light employee said she has three adult children and one grandchild and her family is has to prioritise, given the increased cost of living. The woman said she had contracted COVID-19 and that added even more pressure on her family, especially since only two persons were working during the pandemic. She said things became very difficult.

“Because you find that since the COVID everything gone sky high, things like oil, sugar, flour; food stuff in the whole, even vegetables, cooking gas everything gone sky high.” Taylor said no one in the home owns a mode of transportation, and is concerned whether the fair will increase. She noted

Hollanda and her son while selling at her snackette.

however, that since Guyana has started receiving money from its oil reserves, a lot more should be happening for citizens.

has faced hardships given the economic situation; the increase in fruit prices and the scarcity of goods to sell.

“We had to take the risk to come out here cause at the end of the day you got to hustle for a living, you got your family to maintain and care for. Plus you got sales are slow.” Mohamed who has two persons employed with him said that, “we are still struggling because things not like before. We still ain’t get back to where we were.”

The, man said, nonetheless, that his customers are happy he is at the location which saves them trips to town in heavy traffic. Mohamed said he did receive the $25,000 COVID cash grant. He agreed that something more should be done for citizens to cushion the pressure. He said, “Everyone would be happy

May Cameron operates stall 358 near the wharf.

“There are lots of people having a hard time maintaining the home.

Where we are living, you have lots of single parents and young people currently unemployed. They need to do more, God has blessed us and I think that oil is supposed to be able to give us a higher level in the country in terms of our finances living standards and such but not much is being seen.” >>>>>>>> Safriz Mohamed is a 35year-old fruits vendor. The father of two told this newspaper that he is the sole breadwinner for his home.

The man who vends along the east bank public road, near the Harbour Bridge, said that he moved to that location since the pandemic hit and the Stabroek Market had to be closed. The Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo resident said he

for something more.” >>>>>>>> Sixty-six-year-old May Cameron of Haslington, East Coast Demerara believes

Fisher and wife selling at the Stabroek Market. government should provide a monthly relief. The woman who operates stall 358 at the Stabreok Market wharf said that the pandemic has been extremely hard on her since she depended heavily on her adult children for financial assistance. The woman said she is already facing hardships at the market wharf, which is up for repair.

“Since they break down this wharf, business has been very slow because nobody coming at the back here.”

She said with many vendors moving closer to the market entrance, a small number of customers venture to her location. “So I was already not doing much and then the pandemic came.”With less sales, cost of living being high,” Cameron said she is surviving by the grace of God. She said all of her items are purchased from the Pomeroon and with the increase in the price of goods, there is a bigger reduction in profits. She said, “Right now we are only working for food and bills,

Safriz Mohamed at his fruit stall.

nothing to put aside.”

The woman said she had received the $25,000 COVID cash grant but thinks it’s time the leaders revisit such types of assistance. She said the money had helped but food prices were already increasing, “so by time you mek three turn it finish.”

“We the people need something every month, because we are getting the oil and right now cost of living is an emergency,” she added. >>>>>>>> A 45-year old father of two, who goes by the name ‘Fisher’, said, “The pandemic was a real squeeze.” He said that despite the country opening up back slowing and economic activity increasing, his family is still feeling the pressure.

The La Bonne Intention resident said that during the pandemic he had to find work in construction since the market where he sells greens with his wife had closed. “But even then things were slow, so that didn’t do much.” The increased living cost compounded the situation which saw the family falling into some debt as they had difficulty honouring some bills. “We had to squeeze to make it work,” the father said.

The father said some type of help should be given to citizens. He said he had not received the $25,000 COVID cash grant that was handed out by the government because he was not at home at the time. The father posited, however, that another initiative should be rolled out. He believes where the country is receiving oil money, it should be shared with the people.

Continued on page 42

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Guyanese share views on... CARPHA member states commit to ‘Shake the Salt Habit’

Paula Hutson takes some time from her shopping to speak to KN. From page 40 Paula Hutson, a 42-year-old Port Kaituma resident said she had moved to the East Coast of Demerara since her home had burned down. She said she did not receive the $25,000 cash grant because she lost her personal documents in the fire.

She noted, however, that the pandemic was very “bad” for the family since as a house wife, her husband alone worked. She said his work slowed down and the family had to depend on assistance from overseas. “This was hard because sometimes she (overseas based relative) would say she send the money but it didn’t come, so we really had to make it the best way we could.”

The woman said her husband is back out to work but is still facing hardships because of rising food prices. “We are just managing to do what we can. I just think that they (authorities) should do something for us.”

Wellington

“Too much salt in our diets can harm our health, leading to unnecessary deaths from heart attacks and strokes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs),” stated Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), in observance of World Salt Awareness Week.

This is according to a CARPHA release, which noted that the Caribbean is well known for its high dietary consumption of fats, salts and sugars predominantly obtained from processed and ultra-processed foods.

Sodium consumption in the Region has been determined to average 9-12 grams per day. This is twice the World Health Organization recommended amount of less than 5g/salt or 1 teaspoon (<2g of sodium) per adult per day, from all sources.

CARPHA Member States have committed to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) voluntary target to reduce sodium (salt) consumption by 30 percent by 2025.

The CARPHA members states include: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, BES Islands, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and

Turks and Caicos Islands.

To support Member States’ initiatives to reduce sodium consumption in their populations, CARPHA developed a Regional Framework for Sodium Reduction in

Populations.

Lowering sodium use in children’s diets today can help prevent heart disease later in life, especially for those who are overweight. The Regional Continued on page 65

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Lessons from a lashpreneur!!!

Eyelash extension red flags: Why do my eyelash extensions hurt?

There’s a reason eyelash extensions are so popular – they give your face an amazing glow even without makeup. Plus they make your beautiful eyes pop!

However, horror stories about painful eyelash extensions are not unheard of.

You may have heard stories about pain and discomfort felt when some people have had lash extensions applied. And because of these stories, you may steer clear of lash extensions even if you’re itching to try them out. But there are some reasons why this happens…

Are there ways to avoid this from happening to you?

Read on for reasons why some people find the process painful.

IRRITATING INGREDIENTS IN GLUE It’s glue, so it’s expected that there could be a few harsh ingredients that could hurt the eyes. Some types of glue may also emit chemicals in a process that has the same effect as chopping onions Of course, we’re careful enough to use glue with the

mildest ingredients. At lift and lashes we pride ourselves on using superior products. We don’t need to overdo our use

of glue because our highquality glue secures the lashes with just a small amount.

The problem occurs when some lash studios doesn’t use the right kind of glue.

When the glue is of low quality, the technician needs to use a huge amount just to make the lashes stick, which could trigger an allergic reaction. For those who have a sensitivity to the glue used, the discomfort should be gone within 24 to 48 hours.

By this time, the glue would have completely settled.

POOR APPLICATION TECHNIQUE If you find yourself feeling a little pain, it may be the way the technician applied the lashes. Some lash technicians may end up placing lashes too close to the eyelids.

This means that the additional lashes would be poking at your lids the whole time they’re there. They may also have little control over the amount of glue they use, which may cause some of your lashes to stick together and pull at each other.

REMOVING EXTENSIONS YOURSELF First-timers may feel a bit unusual with their new lashes on. One of the biggest issues we see is lash newbies touching or tugging at their new lashes to see how durable they are. Please don’t do this! Your fake lashes are glued right onto your natural lashes. This means that every tug, every pull, is felt by your hair follicles and your eyelids.

You should never attempt to remove the extensions yourself as this can cause discomfort and result in your natural lashes being pulled out. We follow a special procedure when removing lash extensions so please leave the removal to the professionals.

WRONG CHOICE OF EXTENSIONS You may ask for the thickest, longest, most dramatic set of lashes available. But professional technicians know that you shouldn’t give in to client requests like that. Can you imagine how lightweight your lashes are? Your natural lashes do not have the ability to carry anything bigger or

heavier than their own weight.

Remember that it’s going to be your natural lashes bearing the weight of the additional lashes. There’s a limit to how thick and how long you can go depending on your natural lash. When you apply lashes that are too heavy or too thick, you will definitely feel like your eyelids are being weighed down.

Stress is applied to the hair follicles, which could cause pain and discomfort.

So should you avoid getting lash extensions because of these risks?

The key is choosing the right lash tech.

It’s not just about getting the lowest price. It’s about trusting your lash technician knows what they’re doing.

When lashes are applied by a professionally trained technician, the entire process should be a pleasure.What if your lashes are already in and they’re causing you discomfort? Always see a professional so they can safely remove your lash extensions.

GETTING EYELASH EXTENSIONS FOR SENSITIVE EYES Sensitive eyes can be a bit limiting, especially when it comes to choices like choosing your makeup or getting lash extensions. The wrong choice can result in wasted time, resources, and red, irritated eyes.

While lash extensions are generally safe, you still need to do a bit of research to know what you should avoid and what you should ideally look for, especially if you have sensitive eyes.

Can you still get lash extensions at all even if you do have sensitive eyes? The short answer is yes, you definitely can!

LASHES AND SENSITIVE EYES If you’ve experienced getting red eyes after a lash extension service, it’s usually caused by fumes from the glue. This happens when gas molecules from cyanoacrylate, the base compound of lash adhesives, are emitted.

Depending on how the

lashes were applied and your eye sensitivity, the lash adhesive may also potentially irritate your eyes.

PREVENTING IRRITATION You can prevent irritation by observing the following tips: Make sure that the lash extension service is conducted in a wellventilated room to direct the harmful fumes away from your eyes. The room should also have its humidity and temperature controlled to allow the glue to work and dry properly.

Consult with us beforehand if u have sensitive eyes.

TREATING IRRITATION In case irritation occurs, there are several ways to alleviate the condition: Taking allergy medication may help alleviate and soothe the symptoms of irritation.

Use a cold compress to calm the irritated eye(s).

Apply cortisone cream to the affected area. This can help reduce redness and discomfort caused by the irritation.

GETTING YOUR LASH EXTENSIONS This is how lash extensions work: each extension is glued to one healthy natural eyelash so that your natural lashes won’t get damaged. They are applied from the middle or to the outer 1/3 of your natural lashes so the glue won’t come into contact with your skin.

Eyelash extensions should be applied one at a time to your natural lashes by a certified lash technician to keep them from clumping together, from having too much glue, and to minimize incidents of irritation.

Getting your lashes done at Lift and lashes means getting high-quality extensions. You’re in good hands with our lash technician so you’re guaranteed to achieve great results. We only use medicalgrade equipment and follow strict procedures to ensure the safety and satisfaction of our clients.

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9 Kettlebell Swing Benefits That Will Have You Swinging From Dusk To Dawn The kettlebell is an absolutely fantastic piece of equipment to have in your home. There is so much that you can do with a kettlebell that it would blow your mind if you read it all at once. However, today we aren’t here to talk about kettlebells and their general benefits. We are actually here to talk about the benefits of kettlebell swings, the swing being one very specific exercise that you can do with the kettlebell. Let’s get right to it and talk about what all of the kettlebell swing benefits are!

What Is A Kettlebell?

A kettlebell is probably the simplest workout tool that you could have, yet also one of the most versatile and useful ones too. It is pretty much a large cast iron ball with a single handle on the top.

Kettlebells can come in various weights. This may sound like a very simple piece of equipment, which it is, but it does in fact have many uses, with one of the best uses being the kettlebell swing.

What Is A Kettlebell Swing?

A kettlebell swing is a specific exercise that you can do with the kettlebell. You start out with your legs and feet spread slightly more than shoulder width apart. Hold the kettlebell’s handle with the kettlebell in between your legs, which means that you have to be crouched over slightly as well as bent at the knees.

Then, start to lift the kettlebell upwards and outwards, using your legs, core, and arms to generate the force necessary to get the kettlebell up. The ending position will have your arms outstretched in front of you and slightly above your head, holding the kettlebell, with your legs straight. Then, once you have done this, simply lower it back down, going through the same process which you went through to lift it up in the first place.

The Kettlebell Swing Benefit #1: Get A Total Body Workout – Muscle Strengthening One of the biggest benefits that come along with doing kettlebell swings is that they provide you with a full body workout which trains almost every single muscle in your body from top to bottom. The kettlebell swing is a very efficient exercise that you can do with the kettlebell. Just to make things clear, the first stage of the swing, where you start to swing it upwards, requires your legs, glutes, hips, and lower back to generate the force required to lift the kettlebell. Then, once the swing is in progress and you are in the process of lifting it up, your abdomen and abs contract to keep the force going, thus training your core. Then as you are reaching the upright position of the swing, your arms, shoulders, wings, lats, and chest engage in order to get it to the position where it is over your head.

Then on the way down all of that happens in reverse. As you can see, a kettlebell swing is amazing for training every single muscle in your

body. Of course, the end result of all of this is that you will end up with stronger muscles after just a short period of time. Obviously, we all want stronger muscles because they help to increase physical performance in sports, they make everyday life easier, and they look great too. The kettlebell swing is a great way to get your body ready for beach season no doubt.

Benefit #2: Kettlebell Swings Are Very Versatile Yet another thing that makes the kettlebell swing such an awesome exercise is because it is extremely versatile, or in other words, anybody can do the kettlebell swing. This exercise, and the kettlebell in general, is not just meant for men.

Anybody, man and woman, young and old, can do the kettlebell swing. This is because a kettlebell comes in many different weights.

Smaller women, older people, and younger kids can start out with a kettlebell that only weighs 2.5, 5, 7,5, or 10 pounds, whereas middle aged men, or strong people in general, can use a 15, 20, 25, 30, or 35-pound kettlebell with ease.

These things can range in weight from 1.5 all the way to 100 pounds and more, which means that literally everybody can find a good kettlebell that is adequate to do the kettlebell swing with. Moreover, you don’t have to be at the gym to do kettlebell swings either.

As long as you have enough space you can do the kettlebell swing at home, in the backyard, at the gym, at the park, or even in your workplace office too. There is also the fact that buying a kettlebell is much cheaper than buying various other pieces of exercise equipment.

Benefit #3: You Can Target Certain Muscles – Different Arms Another thing that we really like about the kettlebell is that it allows you to target various muscles in your body quite accurately. For instance, if you want a nice even muscle workout like we described in benefit number one, simply use both hands for the kettlebell swing in order to target both sides of your body evenly.

However, if you need to work out one side of your body more than the other for whatever reason, you can always do one handed kettlebell swings, in which case they will target the side of your body which you are using to do the swings with, especially that specific arm.

You can even increase the challenge by doing alternate kettlebell swings, where you do one with one arm then the next with the opposite arm, and where you literally throw the kettlebell from one hand to the other every time you switch sides.

It is really convenient to have an exercise like the kettlebell swing which lets you choose which parts or side of your body to target the most.

Benefit #4: The Swing Incorporates More Than One Type Of Exercise The next big benefit that is definitely worth mentioning about kettlebell swings is that they allow you to train multiple fitness aspects at the same time. A heavy kettlebell takes a whole lot of power to swing up and down time and time again, therefore it is a type of weight or strength training no doubt.

However, the kettlebell swing also involves constant intense motion, because with a real kettlebell swing you never stop moving. This is a cardiovascular aspect, and doing a swing over and over again will go a long way in training your cardiovascular system too.

If you want a good exercise that will allow you to train your strength and cardio, then the kettlebell swing is the way to go. It’s a great exercise to use on cross training days where you want to either take a break from pure strength training or pure cardio training. The kettlebell swing is the best of both worlds!

Benefit #5: Cardiovascular Training Like we just mentioned, the kettlebell swing is a form of cardiovascular training, which means that it works out the heart just as well as it works out the muscles.

If you don’t believe us, just do 20 kettlebell swings with each arm, and then do 20 with both arms, and tell us that your heart is not pumping so hard that you think it is going to explode. This is an exercise that will get your heart pumping well above your average resting heart rate, something which is definitely a good thing. Cardiovascular training is extremely important for your health and overall wellbeing.

A healthy heart leads to the reduced risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke, it lowers you resting heart rate, it lowers blood pressure, it helps reduce cholesterol, and it makes your heart not to have to work as hard to do its job, thus prolonging how long it can keep ticking for. Having a stronger, healthier, and more efficient heart also does not hurt in terms of physical performance either.

Benefit #6: Healthier Lungs The next benefit of doing kettlebell swings on a regular basis is that they can help make your lungs stronger, healthier, and more efficient at their job. Just like kettlebell swings work out all of your muscles and your heart, so do they work out your lungs. This is a very energy intensive form of exercise, one that requires a lot of oxygen to continue, one that taxes your lungs quite heavily. The faster and harder you do the kettlebell swings, the more your lungs need to work in order to supply your body with the oxygen necessary to keep going, or in other words, it trains your lungs to be more efficient. This kind of exercise causes your lungs to be able to absorb and process more

oxygen as time goes on, also it makes it easier for your lungs to send oxygen to your muscles.

The overall result is that your muscles will have more oxygen to function with, thus increasing how long and hard they can work for.

There is also the fact that you will feel less winded, or not at all, when you walk up stairs or go for a run, not to mention that healthy and efficient lungs are also less prone to breathing related conditions too.

Benefit #7: Diabetes Control Another benefit that comes along with doing kettlebell swings is that they can go a long way in helping you control your diabetes.

Diabetes has to do with the inability of your body to process sugar, specifically glucose, which then stays in your body and harms your liver, kidneys, and other organs. In the long run, this can be deadly.

However, the kettlebell swing can help control this by using up unused glucose. Your muscles will burn through that glucose when doing kettlebell swings, thus reducing the need for your diabetic body to process it, something which it really cannot do on its own.

Benefit #8: Increased Endurance Several of the benefits that we have mentioned earlier all contribute to this benefit of endurance.

Kettlebell swings help you build your physical endurance, and that is because of other benefits that come with them, benefits such as increased muscle strength, cardiovascular training, and increased lung efficiency.

To start out with the obvious, stronger muscles can do more. The stronger your muscles get from doing kettlebell swings, the more physical output you will be able to muster. You will be able to lift more, throw harder, jump higher, and run faster, all thanks to those kettlebell swinging muscles.

Moreover, your muscles need oxygen to function, and that is where your strong heart and efficient lungs come into play. Efficient lungs trained by doing kettlebell swings can absorbs, process, and send more oxygen throughout your body. Your muscles need that oxygen to prevent them from getting fatigued and it also helps stop the buildup of lactic acid, that stuff that makes your muscles burn. Finally, the strong heart that kettlebell swings give you is necessary for pumping that oxygenated blood to your muscles. As you can see, all 3 of these things, stronger muscles, a stronger heart, and stronger lungs, are all benefits that you get from doing kettlebell swings, and they all result in your increased ability to perform intense physical exercise for a prolonged period of time.

Benefit #9: Increasing Your Ability To Balance Yet another benefit of doing kettlebell swings is that they can help you increase your ability to balance.

When doing the kettlebell swing you move it from between your legs while you are bent over, to having it above and in front of your head with your

arms extended upwards and outwards.

This quick and constant shifting of positions means that your body has to compensate for those positional changes, automatically move itself to accommodate the shift in position, and therefore your balance gets trained in the process.

Your proprioceptors are the receptors in your muscles which account of positional changes, and they are the things which automatically force your body to adjust in order to stay upright.

Just like training your muscles or your memory, the more you do things that force you to balance, the better your balance will get over time.

Of course, having good balance is very important for many different aspects in life. On a side note, kettlebell swings also help improve your posture by strengthening your core and back muscles. A stronger core leads to better posture, and ultimately that helps you balance much better too.

Conclusion As you can see, the kettlebell swing is a fantastic exercise that comes with many different benefits.

Literally, your whole body from top to bottom will benefit from this exercise. The benefits of kettlebell swings will leave you a happier and healthier person no doubt! (https:// www.fitandme.com/kettlebellswing-benefits/)6. Jump squats Like with jump lunges, jump squats add a cardio element to a basic strengthening move. You’ll perform a bodyweight squat with your arms straight out in front of you or bent with your hands behind your ears. At the bottom of the squat, jump as high as you can, land with your knees slightly bent, then immediately sink into your next squat. Muscle & Fitness can show you how. (https:// www.cheatsheet.com/healthfitness/fat-burning-cardioexercises-you-can-doanywhere.html/)

Sunday March 20, 2022

MEDEXES - ACCORD...

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Tropical

By Imani he day was warm and sunny, and Imani and Lily were going to the beach. Imani was taking her little bird called Silver, and Lily was taking her pet butterfly called Pinkie.

They loved going to the beach, swimming and playing in the sand were their favourite activities. As they walked down onto the sand they saw two boys they knew, their names were Dru and Logan. The boys were always teasing and bullying the girls, both Lily and Imani wanted to show the boys that what they did to them was hurtful. Both boys were going surfing and the girls decided to make them know that everybody has feelings and it wasn't nice to hurt others.

The girls hatched a plan, they took the boys' surfboards and replaced them with two turtles. The boys were so busy being nasty to everybody that they didn't notice their boards had been replaced. As they paddled out to the surf, the turtles headed out to sea, taking Dru and Logan with them. The boys didn't know what was happening, how were their surfboards swimming without them paddling.

All of a sudden Dru looked into the water and he could see a head and flippers, and he yelled to Logan, “my surfboard has a head and flippers, these aren't surfboards, they are turtles.”

They couldn't turn the turtles around, so they started to scream, “help… help, our surfboards are turtles.”

Imani and Lily heard the boy's screams for help. There was an old man that lived near the beach and he was just going to take his canoe into the water when the girls asked if he would help rescue the boys.

He could see the boys heading further out to sea and he said, “yes I'll help you.”

The girls helped him push his canoe into the water and they all jumped in, and they all began to paddle towards Dru and Logan.

Silver and Pinkie flew up into the sky to see

Sunday March 20, 2022

Junior page

T

Recycle Craft: CD Coasters Turn those old CDs into gorgeous coasters

where the boys were, and they led the way towards the boys. The turtles didn't know they had passengers so they kept swimming further out to sea.

When the canoe caught up to the turtles the boys jumped into the canoe and thanked the girls and the old man for saving them.

Imani and Lily told the boys they were sorry for hiding their surfboards, but they were tired of being bullied by them and they wanted the boys to realise it was not nice to hurt others.

When they replaced the surfboards they didn't know the turtles would swim far away.

The old man laughed and told all of the kids before you decide to trick somebody you must make sure nobody will get hurt, that's the first rule. Silver and Pinkie landed on the canoe because it was a long way back to the beach and they were tired. The girls cuddled their pet friends when they landed. Both girls were very glad the old man helped them rescue Logan and Drew.

They all paddled back to the beach, and they thanked the old man for helping with the rescue. The boys apologised for being so nasty and said they would never bully or hurt anybody again. Both Imani and Lily went home after they gave the boys their surfboards.

Silver and Pinkie had helped with the rescue and they sat on the girls' shoulders as they all headed home. Both girls felt pleased that nobody was hurt, and they hoped the boys would keep their word and never be nasty and hurt anybody ever again.

Supplies * Recycled CDs or DVDs * Colorful fabric * Sand paper * White spray primer * Felt * Hot glue gun * Sharp scissors * Mod Podge Hard Surface Instructions Trace a CD onto your fabric.

Repeat for as many different fabrics you want to use.

Lightly sand off the side of the CD that has a design or writing on it.

You don't have to sand everything off, just take the gloss coat off.

Spray 2 coats of primer onto the CDs, allowing for proper dry time in between coats.

Cut the circles out of the

fabric, cutting them a little smaller than the traced circle to allow for some "border" around your coasters.

For each coaster, cut a 3inch circle from the felt.

When primer is dry, hot glue the felt circles to the bottom of the Cds. To the top of the CD add a coat of Mod Podge.

Gently press the fabric circle onto the coated CD and press out any wrinkles or creases.

Allow to dry for 20 minutes before continuing.

Apply two coats of Mod Podge to the top of the CD over the fabric, allow 2 hours dry time in between coats.

Bridges Connect these islands with bridges until each island can be reached from any other island, and each island has as many outgoing bridges as its number. You may only connect islands vertically or horizontally and bridges may not cross. There may be one or two bridges connecting pairs of islands, but no more than two.

Each puzzle has a unique solution that can be found without making guesses.

FUN WITH POETRY

Helping others There are many things I love to do – To play and laugh and have fun, To eat and drink the things I like, And go with my parents to town.

I love to play so many games, Both outside and inside my home, I also enjoy watching TV, And having a party when friends come.

But what makes me the most glad Is when I do things to help others, My family and friends and neighbours around, And they smile and tell one another.

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

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TEEN TIME

Make your life matter by helping others to cope with problems they face with other persons

C

an you remember some time in your life when you felt that life was not being fair, and you wanted to condemn someone for treating you badly? Then you are not alone, for all of us at some time or another have had the same experience. Some people may take the high road and give to benefit of the doubt to the other party, and work to make the situation better.

But there are many others who would give in to the idea that lashing out is the way to deal with the problem, and would get themselves in trouble for doing so. In fact, when they behave in this way, they would not be doing anything to improve the situation, but only make it worse.

If and when you experience any friend, relative or other acquaintance wanting to retaliate for some wrong they felt was done to them, you would be doing everyone a favour if you advise them to desist. Make them see, as you have, that there is a much better and effective solution to the problem than yielding to the temptation of revenge.

You may advise them to face the situation and try to come together with the person who they perceive has wronged them. If this does not work, then you need to do your part to let them believe that they should give the benefit of the doubt, and move on with

We are all One No matter where we are born, We are all human beings – same chemistry, With like emotions and feelings, As well as bodily functions and energy.

You cannot get around it, No matter where you go, You are no better than I, And I have nothing more than you.

The only difference, I can see, Is in what you think is right; The shade of the skin doesn't matter, We all cry and smile as bright.

The feelings that make us happy or sad, The thoughts making us false or true, Would you believe that I too have All these the same as you.

So let us follow our destiny, On the same road hand in hand, To make the most of ourselves And of our beautiful homeland.

their lives. You can be assured that at some later time that person will realise that they erred in their behaviour, and may come back to inform you that they have tried to make amends, even to the point of reconciling with the one they perceived had wronged them.

If you follow this practice of

always trying to make peace between any parties who come into conflict, then you may experience some time in your life when others will come to you to assist them in this effort at reconciliation. This will surely make you feel that your life matters in a very important manner.

Galaxies Connect the dots to make edges so that each circle is surrounded by a symmetrica l galaxy shape, and the puzzle is completely tiled with galaxies.

Each galaxy shape must be rotationally symmetric, having an identical appearance when rotated 180 degrees.

You have the power to make your own life matter by helping others to solve their personal problems.

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

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Taking Good Care Of Yourself Working Toward Goals People in recovery offer the following suggestions: * Focus on your strengths. * Focus on solving problems. * Focus on the future instead of reviewing hurts from the past. * Focus on your life instead of your illness.

As you work on your recovery, you might want to write down some of your main goals. These goals can be short-term and easily achievable, or you can start identifying bigger, more long-term goals that you want to work your way towards. It's helpful to think of small steps to take toward them over a certain amount of time, like a week or a month. Remember to congratulate yourself for any successes. Achieving goals - even small ones - is a sign of hope and accomplishment.

Developing goals for recovery can be tricky, especially if you aren't sure what it is that you want to accomplish.

Consider your interests, things that bring you joy and things that keep you motivated. Also, think about the things you want, like where you want your life to go or what you would do more of if you could. Having a deep investment in the goals that you set will increase the chances of completing them.

Once you have set goals for yourself, you need to figure out what things are necessary to accomplish those goals. Be clear about why you set this goal and how your life will be different once this goal is achieved. You should also consider the strengths and skills that you possess that will help you achieve your goal. Try to involve necessary support systems and resources that can help you through the process if and when you need it. Finally, remember to stay focused on the goal and not on the difficulties you might be having. Keep an open mind, and know that you may hit barriers along the way.

Recovery is no easy task, and focusing on the negative experiences will only make things harder.

Create a journal or scrapbook with pictures and clippings to help maintain your goals. Keeping a journal or scrapbook is a good way to track your goals and remind you of the things you've accomplished and the things you still plan to accomplish. Continue to add new goals as they come up.

Recovery is a constant process and continuing to set goals for yourself will keep you motivated to reach and maintain wellness.

Care For Yourself Taking good care of yourself is paramount to the success of your recovery process. People in recovery find that their physical, spiritual, and emotional health are all connected, and that supporting one supports the others. Taking care of all aspects of you will increase the likelihood that you stay well.

To help support you in your recovery, you can access a three-minute screening tool and progress monitor for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. Click here to take the screener or mark your progress.

Some tips for self-care include: Live Healthy, eat healthy foods, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and avoid drugs and alcohol. Manage stress and go for regular medical check-ups.Practice good hygiene.

Good hygiene is important for social, medical, and psychological reasons in that it not only reduces the risk of illness, but it also improves the way others view you and how you view yourself. See friends to build your sense of belonging. Consider joining a support group to make new friends.

Try to do something you enjoy every day. That might mean dancing, watching a favorite TV show, working in the garden, painting or reading.

Find ways to relax, like meditation, yoga, getting a massage, taking a bath or walking in the woods.

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g ts in s... e e er tur t In rea C

THE

Scarlet-banded barbet

The scarlet-banded barbet (Capito wallacei) is a species of bird in the New Wo r l d b a r b e t f a m i l y, Capitonidae. It is endemic to Peru.

Taxonomy and systematics The scarlet-belted barbet was discovered in 1996 and formally described in 2000.

According to the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), the species is monotypic.

H o w e v e r, t h e S o u t h American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society (AOS) and the Clements taxonomy include the “Sira barbet” (Capito fitzpatricki) as a subspecies of it. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's B i r d s o f t h e Wo r l d acknowledges that the “Sira” form is significantly different from the nominate and suggests that it be accorded species rank.

Description The scarlet-banded barbet is 19.5 cm (7.7 in) long and weighs 65 to 78 g

(2.3 to 2.8 oz). A strikingly coloured species, its cap and nape are scarlet, while a broad white supercilium separates the crown from the black ear coverts. Most of the upperparts are black except for a yellow midback and large white rump patch. Below, the throat and upper breast are white, bordered below by a broad scarlet band, while the rest of the underparts are shades of yellow.

Distribution and habitat The scarlet-banded barbet has been found only on a ridgetop known as Peak 1538 in the remote Cordillera Azul National Park in south-western Loreto, Peru. (It was mistakenly listed as being in Ucayali, Peru, in its formal description.) There it inhabits humid, mossy, submontane and montane forest at elevations between 1,350 and 1,500 m (4,430 and 4,920 ft).

Feeding The scarlet-banded barbet forages in the forest

canopy. It was observed in small groups of the same species and in mixed-species foraging flocks. It feeds on fruits and seeds and probably takes insects as well.

Breeding The scarlet-banded barbet specimens collected during the 1996 expedition indicate that the nesting season is probably March through May. No other information about its breeding habits has been published.

Vocalisation The scarlet-banded barbet's song is “a fast, lowpitched trill...'tdddddd-'” that sounds like a woodpecker's drumming. Its call is a “guttaral 'ggrrrakk'”.

Status The IUCN has assessed the scarlet-banded barbet as Vulnerable. While it appears to be fairly common, its range is tiny and the total population has been estimated at fewer than 1000 individuals.

(Source: Wikipedia)

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Sunday March 20, 2022

>>>Young Entrepreneur on the Move<<<

‘The Elements Shop’ …FOR YOUR CUSTOMISED CROCHET AND TIE-DYE CLOTHING

By Allyiah Allicock

W

hen the pandemic hit Guyana back in 2020, it forced learning to go online in a bid to help protect students from contracting the COVID-19 disease.

Rebekah Waddle, a University of Guyana student pursing a Bachelor’s of Science in Geography, was one of many who was affected by this and had to find ways of adapting to the new changes. Of course, the changes were not easy for learners across Guyana since it was a whole new lifestyle they had to adjust to.

In a recent interview with Kaieteur News, Waddle shared how this new experience, and having a lot of time on her hand, made her become a part of the business arena. “Being a University student when the pandemic came, I found myself with a lot of time and usually

from time to time, I did tie dyes as a hobby,” she said.

Little did she know, this very hobby would turn her into the entrepreneur she is today. She recalled that during the early pandemic days, she started to do pieces of tiedye clothing for persons and this soon grabbed the attention of many more people. There the idea of being a part of the business world sparked, Waddle explained.

The young woman, who hails from Berbice, is now the proud owner of a customising business called ‘The Elements Shop’, which consists of “tiedye and crochet pieces.”

According to the young lady, while she learnt her tiedyeing techniques in high school, having studied the clothing and textiles subject, her crocheting skills were inspired by her mother.

Waddle, who has been in business since July 2020, said that her support system has been quite good. She noted that tremendous support has been forthcoming from customers who continuously share her pieces online.

Nevertheless, along the way she too had her fair share of challenges. “Well this business started in the pandemic, and one of the challenges was reaching new customers but social media was one of the ways that challenge was overcome,” she pointed out.

Another hurdle for her was the shortage of supplies, which she orders online since all that she needs are not really available locally.

Waddle was keen to note that her business is now her income generator even as she noted that getting a good job while at the University as a full time student was difficult.

For this customising business, our featured entrepreneur disclosed that her ultimate goal is to expand into the Caribbean and even beyond. “Moving from online based to owning my own physical space and inspiring other young entrepreneurs,” is also what she is aiming for.

Speaking about inspiring others, this 20year-old said that entrepreneurs, like herself, help to not only transform our society but with the things they introduce, “they sort of

add flavour to the economy.”

“Young entrepreneurs bring passion and excitement to society; innovating and creating while adding the taste of our generation to what we do,” she expressed.

To boost small businesses

eurs bring “Young entrepren ment to passion and excite g and creating n ti a v o n in ; ty e ci so taste of our while adding the at we do.” generation to wh

The talented Rebekah Waddle, owner of ‘The Elements Shop’.

Waddle on her social media pages – Tie Dye Elements and Crochet Elements on both Instagram and Facebook, via phone or WhatsApp on (+592) 617-6144 or email her at tiedyeelements@gmail.com.

Some more of her crocheted pieces.

locally, she thinks governmental organisations and other stakeholders should engage business owners to provide guidance, offer courses, grants and small loans, and even host mini expositions. This, she highlighted, can help take small businesses to a higher level.

Persons can contact Rebekah

The young woman displaying one of her crocheted top.

Some tie-dyeing pieces she worked on over the months.

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

Schoolboy suffers fractured skull after classmate beats him with wood

By Shervin Belgrave A 16-year-old student of the New Silver City Secondary School located in Wismar, Linden, Region 10 is currently hospitalised with a fractured skull after he was reportedly attacked by one of his classmates who battered him last Thursday with a piece of wood.

Hospitalised with a fractured skull, Jaheim Strator

A screengrab from a cell phone recorded video of Jaheim Strator being attacked by his classmate.

The severely injured teen has been identified as Jaheim Strator of MacKenzie, Linden. Police have since

confirmed that Region 10 ranks are currently investigating the assault on Continued on page 66

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Sunday March 20, 2022

Two killed in C’tyne hit and run accident

By Malisa Playter-Harry Police are investigating a hit-and-run accident that occurred on Friday, March 18, 2022, on the No.70 Village, Upper Corentyne, Berbice public road which left two persons dead.

One of the dead persons has been identified as 20year-old Tony Lakeram, a carpenter of No.71 Village, Upper Corentyne, Berbice.

The other deceased, a female, has not yet been identified.

According to police, after promising to turn himself in, the driver of the vehicle was arrested at 15:00 hours on Saturday, March 19, at a Kitty, Georgetown address.

Earlier in the day, police found the car that was reportedly involved in the accident, in a yard at Number

Killed in a hit and run accident, 20-year-old Tony Lakeram.

69 Village.

According to police, the accident took place at approximately 23:20hrs on Friday, 18th March, 2022, and based on preliminary investigations, “an unknown” motor vehicle was heading north along the

western drive lane on the No.70 Village public road at a fast rate, when the vehicle crashed into Lakeram and the unidentified female.

The mortally wounded duo slumped to the ground and the car sped off. Soon after public spirited citizens rushed to their assistance, taking them to the Skeldon Public Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival. The body of Lakeram is presently awaiting a post mortem examination while the body of the female awaits identification.

Meanwhile, the aunt of the dead man, Monica Narine, said that she received a call between 22:00 and 22:30hrs, from someone who told her that Lakeram was involved in an accident.

- driver arrested in Kitty However, when she and others arrived at the scene, his body had already been taken to the hospital.

According to the woman, her nephew left home early Phagwah Day, as he does each year, to partake in the celebratory activities.

Family members, she said, did not hear from him throughout the day.

She said they knew he had a girlfriend but did not know who she was or where she lived but they assumed he was with her throughout the d a y. E v e n a s p o l i c e investigate the matter, the woman said that her family members are hopeful that justice will be served.

The car involved in the accident.

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Sunday March 20, 2022

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==GNBS in Focus== WORLD CONSUMER RIGHTS DAY 2022...GNBS COMMITTED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AS FOCUS IS PLACED ON DIGITAL FINANCE

O

n March 15, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) joined other Consumer Protection Bodies nationally and internationally to c o m m e m o r a t e Wo r l d Consumer Rights Day 2022.

The theme chosen by Consumer International for this year's observances is: 'Fair Digital Finance'.

Even though the theme chosen this year may seem to have minimal relevance to the work and function of the GNBS, the Bureau recognises the far reaching implications of digital financial transactions which are categorised to be unfair to consumers. The GNBS unequivocally supports the view that for financial transactions to be fair they must be inclusive - allowing all to have access, and that these transactions must be safe and sustainable.

Additionally, as advocacy grows and the requisite protective framework is put in place, our financial institutions are encouraged to expand on their range of digital financial services that will create the ease of transactions for consumers, and their staff as well.

Consumer protection continues to be the leading motive as to why the GNBS works to deliver its range of services across the length and breadth of Guyana. Since its establishment in March 1984, the GNBS has committed and has been at the forefront of consumer protection through facilitating the development and access to standards. The organisation also acts to make many of these s t a n d a r d s c o m p u l s o r y.

Compulsory standards provide technical

requirements, which are enforced by various regulatory agencies including the Bureau, to protect the health and safety of consumers. Labelling standards are prime examples of compulsory standards.

Consumers are also protected through the verification of weighing and measuring instruments used in trade such as scales, masses, measures and fuel pumps. Accuracy and fitness for use are established when these instruments are taken through the verification process by the GNBS, and this prevents consumers from being cheated when making purchases.

Meanwhile, under the Product Compliance Programme, many consumer products are monitored by Inspectors of the GNBS for labelling and quality requirements. These products include household electrical appliances, cellular phones, gas stoves, electrical equipment and fittings and vehicular tyres. It is important to note that because of these product monitoring efforts yearly, many substandard products are prevented from getting into the hands of consumers.

Further, the Bureau continues to expand its capabilities to offer testing services, which ultimately protect consumers. Testing services offered by the GNBS include the testing of gold jewellery and concrete (hollow) blocks for quality.

With quality, consumers get value for money.

Over the years, and more so since the start of 2022, the GNBS and other Consumer Protection Departments under the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and

Commerce have been collaboratively reaching out to consumers through outreaches to the outlying Regions, through radio programmes and other initiatives. These activities go a very far way in the

delivery of consumer information and to garner their feedback. Many more of these collaborative consumer engagement activities will be conducted as the year progresses.

World Consumer Rights

Day is observed annually, as a means of raising global awareness about consumer rights and needs. Celebrating the day is a chance to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest

market abuses and social injustices, which undermine those rights.For further information on this subject, co n tact th e G N B S o n telephone numbers: 2190065 or 219-0064 or visit its website: www.gnbsgy.org

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Sunday March 20, 2022

CARPHA member states commit to 'Shake...

From page 42 framework intended for p o l i c y m a k e r s , manufacturers, health professionals, and relevant multi-sectoral stakeholders from public, private and civil society, envisions a healthy and vital Caribbean people whose average sodium intake falls below the current global target of

5g per day for adults.

This year, the CARPHA joins forces with the regional and international communities to observe World Salt Awareness Week from March 14 to 20 with the slogan: “Shake the Salt Habit”.

“Let us try to shop smart a n d c o o k s m a r t . We encourage you to add more

flavour, use less or no salt when cooking. Try using fresh herbs and seasonings.

Limit the consumption of salty snacks,” says Dr. Tamu Davidson, Head of the Chronic Disease, and Injury Department.

She added, “Take the time to carefully read the nutrition labels on food products. They can help you

with choosing healthy food options and keep a check on foods you are eating that are high in salt.”

Kids Can Cook Too produced by CARPHA provides recipes with little or no salt.

A major component of the CARPHA 6-Point Policy P a c k a g e i s t h e implementation of Front of

Package Labelling so consumers can be empowered to make healthful food purchasing choices.

The eduction of salt in processed foods, coupled with mandatory nutrition labelling are part of the dietary considerations that have to be implemented.

Governments and food

manufacturers are urged to create supportive environments to enable lower salt options to be provided, implement front of package labelling to provide easy-to-readand-understand information for c o n s u m e r s a n d reformulate food products to contain less salt.

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Sunday March 20, 2022

Schoolboy suffers fractured skull after...

From page 61 Strator by another juvenile.

Kaieteur News also reached out to the Head Mistress of the school but she declined to share any details pertaining to the incident.

Nevertheless, the victim's mother, Fiona Lewis, who had no qualms about speaking to the media, said that she is seeking justice for her son.

Video footage of the attack that left her son hospitalised was captured on a cell phone. That video, seen by this publication, shows a young man armed with a piece of wood ambushing Strator from behind while he was standing in front of a shop outside of the school's compound.

As the armed teen got closer, his friends could be heard saying “lash he up,

lash.” The suspect then dealt Strator a blow to the back of his head.

The sound of the wood connecting to Strator's skull was audible in the video and someone shouted “wah.” As Strator tries to escape, those around were heard encouraging the attacker, “Lash he Randy”. Another blow was administered to Strator's head before the video ended.

Lewis said that one of Strator's friends related to her that after being struck to the head, Strator fell to the ground but got up a few minutes after. Together they walked to the riverside at Wismar for Strator to board a boat to get to Mackenzie but when he got there he asked to relax a little.

The friend reportedly gave him a piece of gum but while chewing the gum,

Strator suffered a seizure.

His friend became worried and took him to the police station and reported the matter.

The ranks there immediately rushed Strator to the Mackenzie Hospital.

Lewis told Kaieteur News that she learnt of the incident when she received a phone call from police instructing her to head down to the hospital because her son was severely injured in an incident.

She recalled that when she arrived at the hospital, Strator was in and out of consciousness and doctors there referred him to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for a CT scan.

“There was no ambulance available at that time and I offered to take him in my own transportation but the doctors said that his

condition was not stable to travel without medical professionals,” Lewis told Kaieteur News.

The following day, doctors said it was safe for him to travel, so Lewis took her son for the prescribed scan.

After completing the scan she took him back to the Mackenzie Hospital.

The results were reportedly emailed to the doctors there informing them that Strator had suffered a fractured skull.

Kaieteur News understands that the hospital there does not have a neurologist and so Strator will be referred to the GPHC for treatment.

In the meantime, Strator is being monitored daily by doctors.

As it relates to what might have prompted the attack on Strator, Lewis said that she has been told that revenge might have been the motive.

A c c o r d i n g t o

Jaheim Strator's CT scan report information she received, the classmate and her son had a confrontation in school around 10:00hrs on Thursday.

“They had an exchange of words and this boy cuff my son to his face,” said Lewis.

Her son had reportedly retaliated by fighting back and had allegedly won the scuffle in the eyes of their peers who were present.

Strator's teacher was reported a “peace maker” in the matter and “had sat both boys down in the class and spoken with them.”

While the teacher was speaking with them, it is alleged that the classmate (the suspect) walked out angrily and left the school's premises.

It is believed that he returned later that afternoon for revenge.

Govt. slothful in thoroughly investigating...

From page 20 following, the March 2020 polls, “racism, violence and death reared their ugly heads – and yet [citizens] continue to be silent, creating a contrivance for the beneficiaries of electoral fraud!”“How can we expect the same GECOM, with its reluctant head, and the same commissioners who held this country to ransom for five months to continue believing that they live in a mythical land that requires no accountability for their intemperate statements, and bias and dangerous political and personal agendas?” the businessman asked.In calling on the Ali Administration to fulfill the promise to thoroughly probe and improve GECOM, Dr. Mahadeo reminded that it was taxpayers' money that was abused to perpetuate the gravest fraud.

He said, “Until that time when an independent commission of inquiry into GECOM is completed, the death, injury, racism, rape, fraud, financial loss and the disgrace that Guyana faced during the 2020 elections lies solely on the shoulders of Ali and his Government.”Moreover, he said that the onus is now on the government to investigate and ensure an independent inquiry and review of GECOM.“… Are we going to deal with the accusations that led to mayhem? Or are we now a nation that will allow the perpetrators to get ready for a repeat in 2025? The slick of oil and the sparkle of oil wealth must not blind us from ensuring democratic progress. We hereby call for an independent Commission of Inquiry into the 2020 Elections and GECOM,” Dr. Mahadeo said in his call for a probe into GECOM.

New Silica City could emulate...

From page 17 designed is the Champs Elises in Paris. The transportation system would accommodate both private and public vehicles and would avoid the parking problems of , for the foreseeable future. The drainage system would be different from Georgetown which is below sea level.

The Educational, Recreational and sporting areas would be extensive enough to accommodate growth and there would never be the shortage of land as occurred in Georgetown in the Thomas Lands/Eve Leary area. Indeed, there would be more than one site to cater for such activities.

There would be a golf course and an ecoindustrial park. The garbage disposal would be carefully planned so there would be no recurrence of the problems of Georgetown.

For example, there would be separation of types of garbage and recycling.

The City, from the start would be using Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and would be powered by solar, hydropower and possibly wind power which would be healthier and cheaper and synchronising with Guyana's International Commitments such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

There would be the avoidance of utility

poles and pipes going willy nilly over the city since there would be a shared Utility Corridor routed underground.

A very large agricultural area, "a backdam" should be allotted to farmers who will keep cows and other livestock to supply the city with fruits and vegetables and milk and meat. In Old Georgetown, La Penitence and Ruimveldt, now turned into housing areas, were used for that purpose.

In the new city, as had been done in Old Georgetown, the house lots allotted should be large enough to have backyards where fruit trees and kitchen gardens could be cultivated with space in front yards for flower gardens.

With so many fruit trees, birds of every type flourished in Old Georgetown and one woke up in the mornings to the sound of birdsong and the sight of colourful birds.

When Georgetown began as Stabroek, it had five or six thousand inhabitants and in its glorious days when it provided a rich and civilised life for its inhabitants it had 60,000 citizens as had been pointed out above. Silica City could certainly emulate some of Old Georgetown.

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

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

PAGE 67

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PAGE 68

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Kaieteur M@ilbox Aircraft Owners Association of Guyana’s (AOAG) vile agenda

DEAR EDITOR, One(1) housekeeper/nanny The leaked letter from the to work 4 days weekly. Call: AOAG, addressed to the Min624-8597. ister of Public Works, pretentiously representing the AviaTwo(2) housekeepers to work tion Industry, is full of inacat guest house,age 25-45 shift curacies with the intent to insystem.Call:668-0306/655fluence policy decisions of a 7405. statutory state body for its Wanted skilled carpenters, own vile agenda.

Editor, allow me the opmasons & labourers to work in GeorgeTown & Linden. portunity to set the record Contact: 657-5800 / 615-7526/ straight. Air Services Ltd, AG Air Inc., Guyana Rotorcraft 602-9469/ 660-6385.

Services Inc. and some private Air Operators are not mem2 porters.Call:223-9677. bers of the AOAG; and thereLive in or out waitress, board- fore the AOAG cannot speak ing & lodging free, $20,000 on behalf of the Aviation Inwkly 18-25yrs. Tel:610-3974. dustry. Naturally, the Association can only speak on behalf of its limited membership, but not everyone. Editor, lets not be blindsided by Guyanas improved ICAO compliance ranking from 44 percent to 75 percent within the last six VACANCY years under the present GCAAs leadership. AdoraMaid to cook and clean for tion is credited to a team and East Bank area. Call:615-9132 not to one individual.

After 2015, the GCAA One clerk for TSI Eccles ofconsistently drained its coffice English & Maths, grade 1 or 2.Call:615-9132 or email fers to deficit, created an old application to techserigy @ boys club work culture, and have over-regulated the doyahoo.com mestic Aviation Sector to Male cleaner.Call:642-9823. such a great extent that there is now a human capital crisis One female cleaner.Apply at:Lens 136 Sheriff St C/Ville Georgetown.Contact:2272486 or 227-1511.

From page 6 could lend credence to 2 professional nail technician those low numbers that I re& one make up artist,location luctantly welcome.

Grove E.B.D.Call:652-5800.

I sense a situation of numbers cornered to concoct a Security to work with mining certain comforting outcome, firm in G/Twon.Contact:632- a proper environmental am2234. b i e n c e . PA H O s o u n ds One experienced Welder/ troubled (a proper tactful Fabricator and one female word), so there is stalwart cashier.Call:231-1408/642- company. I think Guyana jumped the gun, unholstered 9191. too quickly, too completely.

Accounts Clerk, Counter Thus, in my post-subh Holi Clerk, Graphic Artist, I.T (see I do know a thing or personnel, 5 Subjects & a t w o ) c o n t e m p l a t i o n s , I maid. Apply at Trophy Stall wonder what price is to be paid for this reckless toyBourda. ing with the fates, with forced Male Clerical Asst,age 25-30 numbers, retreating premayrs.Must have Secondary ture protocols, and cascades Education & license is required. Tel:225-8131/2236488.

in the Aviation Sector- lack of Flight Crew, Maintenance Personnel and Aviation Inspectors in the entire system.

Unfortunately, the leadership structure of the GCAA continues to add and apply more rules and regulations in pursuit of higher rankings, masked as: “in the interest of safety”, without properly considering Guyanas unique operational environment.

The effect is: more complexity and operational barriers in the Aviation Industry.

Things simply take longer and become harder to get done, while utilising considerable amount of resources certainly not exemplary as AOAG asserts. Lets not forget what happened at the beginning of the pandemic and during the 2020 elections crisis when Air Operators were shamelessly called unscrupulous by the GCAA; and were even threatened with closure and price control over ticket prices.

As the GCAA has now come full circle in doing the very thing it was supposed to do since 2015, that is to progressively build its oversight capacity in order to satisfy ICAO standards free of the old boys club culture, the

leadership remains loyal to nepotism. A clear example of this is stated in the AOAG letter when it makes a half baked case for the GCAA to retain a favoured contracted employee at the expense of other least favored qualified candidates. The tentacles of the AOAGs influence becomes deeply concerning as it boldly states in its letter to the Minister that after having seen the shortlist of names, it is not impressed. How did the Association get access to such information much-less use the information in an attempt to influence the Government Minister? This must be halted. I am calling on the Hon. Minister Edghill to allow the Chairman of the GCAAs Board to properly execute his functions under the law and that a fair process free of interference is guaranteed. There should be no sacred cow. Investigate the AOAGs attempt to manipulate a statutory process of a state agency in support of its agenda.

Yours faithfully, Capt. A. Mazahar Ally Managing Director for Air Services Ltd., Guyana Rotorcraft Services Inc., AG Air Inc.

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of celebrations.

It is as though we learned nothing (China, New Zealand, America), and are asking for it. In the kisser. This comes as I think additionally of those who soothe themselves with symptoms merely being a bad case of the flu, stay below official radars. Please dont come near to me. There is sufficient sense of self that I make my narrow circle tighter, since I block out and lock out political luminaries like the dancing bear of a President that we have (not to be mistaken for Teddy Roosevelt, more like a rather nimble Guyanese Chubby Checker).

There is a wizard of a Vice President, who I wonder what the gods of Holi would think when they survey his creations in Guyanas public spheres.

He is conspicuous by his nuanced distancing from riotous delights of Friday.

Editor, we have felt severe pain from the COVID19 pandemic, which is why I ask myself about the unholy hurry to inflict more

distress upon ourselves.

We did in December, and regretted in January, while we lived with misery and anxiety.

The President and his people may be outraged at what I write and share, which confirms the right things are ventilated front and centre.

I remind all this public service is not for the pleasure of President, Vice President, Prime Minister, and whoever else are left out.

Somebody has to shed some light, speak to truth in this country.

As much as I yearn for a widening return of the good ole days (not runaway cheating, stealing, and deceiving), I register my misgivings.

Some alarms also.

On Minister Anthonys head I lay this one. He was in a recent season listed among contenders for the presidency. Now with uncommon lack of commonsense, he looks lesser, more of a loser.

The problem is that if he gambled and lost, so do a lot of celebrating Guyanese.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Sunday March 20, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 69

PAGE 70

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

Sunday March 20, 2022

PAGE 71

Kaieteur News

Kamjundji runs fastest time in two decades to take 60m gold

Miller-Uibo and Richards strike gold in 400m at World Indoors

- Williams, Jackson miss out on medals despite PBs SportsMax - Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambudji ran a massive lifetime best of 6.96 to win 60-metre gold at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Belgrade on Friday.

Kambudji’s time was the fastest time run in 23 years since Katerina Thanou ran a similar time in March 1999.

P r i o r t o F r i d a y ’s f i n a l , Murielle Ahoure of the Ivory Coast was the fastest indoors with her time of 6.97

she ran in March 2018. The time also ties Jamaica’s Merlene Ottey as the fourthfastest all-time and bumped Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson Herah’s shared time of 6.98 to ninthbest.

In what was a thrilling race to conclude the opening day of competition, the USA’s Mikiah Brisco claimed the silver medal in a lifetime best of 6.99 while her compatriot Mary-Beth Sant

Price got third with 7.04.

Mere thousandths of a second separated the next four places as the gold-medal favourite, Ewa Swoboda of Poland, was fourth while Briana Williams and Shericka Jackson ran identical personal best times for fifth and sixth, respectively.

Michelle-Lee Ahye of Trinidad and Tobago was seventh in a season-best 7.11 while Brazil’s Vitoria Rosa ran 7.21 for eighth.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo added more gold to her massive trophy case.

Sunday March 20, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may appear to have your head in the clouds today. The truth is, you've got a lot of important things on your mind. Others might be offended or even amused at your distance.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Travel and adventure are on your mind. You could be daydreaming about flying to exotic places and doing unusual things, such as touring the ancient sights of India or going on safari in Kenya.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You might feel that money is flowing out of your bank account all too quickly lately, and this might be a cause of worry for you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) It may not be easy for you to convince someone today.

No matter how profound your idea or how convincing your explanations, the other person just isn't ready to believe it yet.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) This will be a good day for you, Gemini. You should be feeling happy, excited, enthusiastic, and optimistic about the future. Relations with family, friends, and neighbors are likely to be warm and congenial.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) A rush of humanitarian spirit and a desire to do some real good might find you looking into various charities in order to find those you might want to help.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You, along with a significant other in your life, could be very busy trying to make time to see each other today, Leo. Later, when you're finally alone, your phone could be ringing nonstop, further intruding upon your time together.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today you could be faced with a bunch of people from out of town that you've never met before. You're likely to find this exciting and stimulating, but you could also feel a bit flustered. You might also not be at your most outgoing right now.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) A trip by air could be very much on your mind. Perhaps you're planning a vacation with your family or a romantic partner. You could well be caught up in the excitement that seems to be the driving emotion today.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You've got a lot on your mind right now, Capricorn, and others might be interpreting your quiet behavior as your being aloof. Go right ahead and let them think whatever they want.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) A number of invitations to social events could come your way today, some from people you really don't know well. Don't pass them up, however. You could make some fortunate contacts or even some new friends at these parties.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Visitors could come to your home tonight, Pisces, possibly for an informal get-together of some kind. Dear friends might be involved in some way.

SportsMax - Bahamian superstar, Shaunae MillerUibo, added to her massive trophy case by winning gold in the Women’s 400m at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade yesterday.

Adding to a bronze medal in the 400m from the 2014 World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Miller-Uibo got a good lead on the field at the start and used her strength to carry her home in a time of 50.31.

Dutch 400m Hurdles Olympic bronze medallist Femke Bol was second in 50.57, while Jamaica’s Stephenie Ann-McPherson was third in a national indoor record 50.79.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards ensured the

16 and counting Surinamese...

From page 71 Rameez Mohamed iterated these companies’ usual willingness to support motor sports locally.

“Palm Court and Windjammer are companies that are always ready to rally behind motor racing. They usually help in whatever way they can and this time around, it’s a great effort from both of them.”

Tickets for this highly anticipated meet go on sale on Thursday and cost $2000 for adults and $500 for kids and can be purchased at the following locations.

GMR&SC OFFICE; Albert Street, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Motor Trend Service Center; Area L Foulis Public Road E.C.D ,West Coast Customs wash bay; Vreed-en-hoop, W.C.D, Homeline Furnishing; 592 New Amsterdam, Berbice, Sukhpaul’s Business Enterprise & Auto Sales; Lot 7-8 Stands New Amsterdam, Berbice and Sukhpaul’s Service Station, Corriverton, Berbice.

Caribbean swept the 400m events with a brilliant championship record 45.00 to win gold ahead of the USA’s Trevor Bassitt (45.05) and Sweden’s Carl Bengstrom (45.33).

The 2017 World Championships 200m bronze medallist now has two World Indoor Championships medals after his bronze from the 4x400m in the 2012 edition in Istanbul.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 72

Orain Williams (left) celebrates his 50 at Enmore yesterday.

Sunday March 20, 2022

Rikhi & Williams score fifties while Jacobs bag 4 wickets ACS beat Enmore by 44 runs on Guyana tour

By Sean Devers Watched by a small but vocal crowd on a humid day yesterday at the Enmore Community Centre ground, ACS registered their second consecutive victory on their seven-match tour, with a 44run win against the host.

ACS lost Randel Wilson; bowled by Ramjeet Harilall off the second ball of the innings but recovered to reach 214-8 with Dominique Rikhi following up his 48 on Friday with a well complied 66 from 55 balls with four fours.

Rikhi, with two ODIs under his belt, shared in a 63run stand with Kevin Boodie who smashed a quick-fire 41 from 39 balls with a four and four sixes and 84 with Jamaican Orin Williams who clobbered three fours and fours sixes in a pugnacious 50.

Trinson Carmichael (20), Karran Ganesh (17) and

Askaya Homraj (12) reached double figures.

Satish Jagnarine and Chaitram Balgobin took three wickets each for Enmore who were bowled out 170 with Vishwanauth Ramlakhan making an accomplished unbeaten 54 from 59 balls with three boundaries, while Chaitram Balgobin (20) was the only other batter to reach 20.

Jamaican leg spinner Damion Jacobs followed up his three wickets in the first match with 4-33.

Today the visitors will travel to Berbice where they will oppose Chesney from 12 noon.

Rikhi scored 63 yesterday at Enmore. (Sean Devers photo)

Kevin Boodie blasted a quick-fire 41 at Enmore. (Sean Devers photo)

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

PAGE 73

Despite Brathwaite’s 160, England lead West Indies by 136 runs at stumps (Reuters) - Marathon man Kraigg Brathwaite was finally bowled for 160 after nearly 12 hours at the crease before West Indies were dismissed for 411 in their first innings against England yesterday in a second test most likely headed for a draw.

After toiling for 187.5 overs in the field, England were rewarded with a first innings lead of 96 in a Kensington Oval match where wickets have been at a premium.

The visitors built their overall advantage to 136 runs at stumps, 40

without loss in the second innings at Kensington Oval.

Openers Alex Lees (18) and Zak Crawley (21) were mostly untroubled apart from an lbw decision against Crawley that was overturned on review.

Earlier, Brathwaite faced 489 balls - 487 more than fellow opener John Campbell, when his defences were breached by spinner Jack Leach with a delivery that turned enough to beat the bat and clip off stump.

If Brathwaite’s second-highest

test score was testimony to his powers of concentration, Leach also displayed relentless accuracy in his 69.5 overs, finishing with figures of 3-118.

Debutants Saqib Mahmood (258) and Matt Fisher (1-67) were tidy but not overly dangerous for the most part.

B r a t h w a i t e ’s b a t t i n g performance is unlikely to win any new converts to the five-day game, but his utter determination not to give away his wicket cheaply was something that has been too often

lacking by some of his team mates in recent times. He went 30 consecutive balls without scoring at one stage just before lunch, eliciting a sarcastic cheer from the crowd when he finally pushed the ball for a couple of runs.

Brathwaite was not that far away from breaking Brian Lara’s record for the most balls faced by a West Indies batter - Lara faced 582 balls in making an unbeaten 400 against England in 2004.

There has been four centurymakers in the current test — Joe

Root (153) and Stokes (120) for England, and Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood (102) for West Indies.

While a draw is odds-on on a pitch described as “turgid” on Saturday by England spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel, England might entertain some hope of victory by declaring on the final day, just as they did in the first test which was ultimately drawn in Antigua last week.

The final test of the series starts in Grenada next Thursday.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 74

Sunday March 20, 2022

Shamilia Connell discharged from hospital after getting all-clear Shamilia Connell bowled just three overs against Bangladesh.

(CWI Media Photo/Adriel Richard)

ESPNcricinfo - Shamilia Connell, the West Indies quick who collapsed during the game against Bangladesh on Friday and had to be taken to hospital, has been discharged by medical authorities after her “tests returned clear results”, a C r i c k e t We s t I n d i e s

statement said yesterday.

“She was discharged the same evening (Friday),” CWI said. “She is now resting comfortably, under the care and supervision of the CWI Medical Team. She is in good spirits and thankful for all the well wishes.”

Connell, who was fielding at midwicket, collapsed on the field in the 47th over of Bangladesh’s chase. Team-mates and medical professionals were by her side immediately, and she was taken to hospital in an ambulance soon after. In a positive sign, she managed to get up and get into the ambulance with a bit of support. The exact nature of her illness wasn’t clear.

At that point, the match was on a knife’s edge with Bangladesh’s last-wicket pair trying to eke out the 13 they needed off 19 balls. Play resumed not long after the incident, and Stafanie Taylor sealed a final-over win for her team by picking up the last wicket.

“It was sad to see her go down,” Taylor said of Connell at the post-match presentation ceremony. “But we need to look at the bright side - it was time for us to regroup, we came back and changed the momentum.”

Connell bowled three wicketless overs in the match, which West Indies won by four runs to jump to third on the points table.

Hayley Matthews, Taylor, Afy Fletcher and Shemaine Campbelle played leading roles in the win.

West Indies next play Pakistan on Monday, and there is no confirmation yet as to whether Connell will be fit for that game, or whether she will play a part in the remainder of the tournament.

‘We have to do better’ - WI Women all-rounder Matthews admits team must improve with bat to have chance at World Cup SportsMax - West Indies all-rounder, Hayley Matthews, was pleased with the team’s narrow win over Bangladesh on Friday but admits they must find a way to produce more with the bat to have a real chance of competing for the ICC Women’s World Cup. On Friday, the Caribbean team managed to secure their third win of the campaign with a narrow four-wicket victory over Bangladesh, but the team’s performance at the crease made it far from a straightforward affair.

Batting first, the Windies Women could only put up 140 for 9 on the board, but that was in large part due to wicketkeeper Shemaine Campbelle’s staunch 53 in the middle order. At one point, the team found itself at 70 for 7 before gritty middle and lower order resistance presented a defendable target.

In fact, despite being third in the table, the West Indies have the second-worst run net run rate in the standings, just ahead of last place Pakistan. Ahead of the Pakistan encounter, Matthews knows the team needs to improve, even after the euphoria of the much-

Hayley Matthews needed win over Bangladesh.

“Just looking at it everyone knew we didn’t get enough runs on the board.

We definitely need to be doing better in that aspect.

At the same time, we knew we could have gone out there and defended the runs by bowling in the right areas.

Keeping the stumps in play was very, very important,” Matthews told members of the media.

“We managed to do that well today, but at the same time we definitely need to do better with the bat if we’re going to have any chance at this World Cup.”

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

Classy Lanning leads Australia into World Cup semi-finals

A

FP - A classy 97

by Meg Lanning confirmed u n b e a t e n Australia’s place in the Women’s World Cup semifinals as a record run chase saw them to victory over India yesterday.

In a match that went down to the wire in Auckland, title favourites Australia reached 280-4 to overtake India’s 277-7 with three balls to spare.

The previous best successful run chase in a Women’s World Cup match was 258-2 set by Australia against Sri Lanka at Bristol in 2017. Australian captain Lanning guided the innings with her player-of-the-match performance and said she feels she is coming into form after scores of five and nought in her previous two games.

“It was nice to contribute. I was disappointed after the last couple of games,” she said.

“It was a belter of a wicket, it came on really nicely, there wasn’t a lot of turn and any width given was really hard to defend.

“So, yeah, we’ll take the win today, but understand we’ve got a bit to work on.”

Australia have a superior run rate over the only other unbeaten side, South Africa.

The two meet in a muchanticipated showdown in Wellington on Tuesday.

The other three places in

the last four of the tournament are still up for grabs although South Africa seem sure to go through.

India, sent into bat by Australia, believed they had set a competitive target after Mithali Raj, Yastika Bhatia and Harmanpreet Kaur all scored half centuries.

But Australia were undaunted and received a rollicking start from Rachel Haynes and Alyssa Healy, who together raced to 121 at better than six an over before Healy was out for 72.

H a y n e s , t h e tournament’s leading run scorer, went in the following over when she edged a shortpitched delivery from Pooja Vastrakar to wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh.

Lanning, with Elysse Perry for support, punished the Indian bowlers and the pair put on 103, of which Perry contributed 28.

Australia needed eight to win off the final over and Beth Mooney, who had replaced Perry, went four, two, four, to seal the match.

India, after being rocked by two early wickets, were rescued by Raj and Bhatia, who turned the innings around with a 130-run stand for the third wicket.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Vastrakar added a further 64 at the close.

The Indian total was also boosted by 29 extras including a phenomenal 24 wides, of which 10 came in

Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes put on 67 in the first ten overs © Getty Images

Perry’s opening over.

Scores: Australia Women280 for 4 (Lanning 97, Healy 72, Haynes 43, Mooney 30*, Vastrakar 2-

43) beat India Women 277 for 7 (Raj 68, Bhatia 59, Harmanpreet 57*, Vastrakar 34, Brown 3-30, King 2-52) by six wickets.

PAGE 75 Australia’s captain Meg Lanning runs between the wickets (AFP/David Rowland)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 76

Sunday March 20, 2022

GCB names Senior Squad to play ACS in 40-Over match at Everest Tuesday

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n an official release, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has announced a fifteen-man squad to face the American Cricket Society (ACS) in a one-off 40-Over match at the Everest Cricket Club ground on Tuesday March 22, 2022. The ACS senior team is currently in Guyana to play a series of matches.

The manager for the ACS is Terry Hastoo and assistant manager Charlton Senior. The ACS team includes Triston Carmichael, Karan Ganesh, Avin Gangadin, Akshay Homraj, Damion Jacobs, Amarnauth Persaud, Emanuel Seecharran, Dominique Rikki, Stefan Rampersaud and Randall Wilson.,

Orin Williams, Kevin Boodie and Yuvraj Dayal.

The Guyana Senior Team which was selected under the new chairman of senior selectors, Ravindranauth Seeram, is: Keemo Paul (Captain), Chandrapaul Hemraj (Vice Captain), Trevon Griffith, Akshaya Persaud, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Christopher Barnwell, Kevlon Anderson, Demitri Cameron, Kevin Sinclair, Kemol Savory, Anthony Adams, Ronsford Beaton, Matthew Nandu and Mavindra Dindyal. The manager is Albert Clements, Head Coach is Esuan Crandon and Assistant Coach Ryan Hercules.

The match starts at 10:30 hours.

Keemo Paul

Gudakesh Motie

Chandrapaul Hemraj

Ronsford Beaton

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

PAGE 77

GFF hosts inaugural Competition Management Workshop GFF Workshop conductor Lakeisha Pearson (standing) engage the participants.

T

he Guyana F o o t b a l l Federation (GFF) has hit the ball running and has tackled yet another technical aspect which will assist in their advancement in the football fraternity when they hosted the first ever Competition Management Workshop yesterday at the GFF Training Centre Annex, Providence.

The workshop was one on the Federation’s new ‘short’ season which has been crafted since the

challenge pandemic protocols forced numerous planned activities into a deadlock.

At the event which was attended by members of the nine Regional Associations (RA), the President of the GFF, Wayne Forde, was on hand to observe and support every step of the way.

Forde, along with the conductors of the workshop, National Player Lakeisha Pearson and A s s i s t a n t Te c h n i c a l Director Brian Joseph, briefed the participants in

theoretical aspects of Competition Management then later put them to the test with an official match that featured the Guyana Under-16 and Under-20 Boys Teams.

Speaking with Forde who was quite elated to have the one-day programme engaged, he said: “We are working through all the protocols and management functions that are critical to the staging of a well-run competition.

So, this is being done because as you may be

aware, the restrictions have been lifted, and we have received formal approval from the Government that we can bring football back to the pitch. It’s been almost 24 months since we’ve had any League or anything being played. So we are excited to do that.” “ We a r e t a k i n g advantage of the opportunity that we have now to ensure that our members are given the information and the tools to read a standard of competitions or original Association levels. So this

workshop covers several presentations on best practices,” he added.

The GFF boss is fully aware that in any learning process, it will take some time to really come to terms with everything, but believes in their ability for the future.

He opined, when the workshop is completed they would like the participants to go back and interrogate these ideas with their clubs and other stakeholders and arrive at good decisions because what works for one RA may

not work for the other.

Forde also found that of the nine RAs present, only three had persons with any experience of managing a competition. So he is certain there has been a sense of enlightenment.

From a step as such, Forde knows if these participants shows the aperture for the effective managing of competitions then a host of opportunities are abound, beginning with working alongside the Federation to host higher levels of tournaments.

Inniss hits 112 in ESCL over-40 competition

Lloyd Inniss

Lloyd Inniss hit an impressive 115 for Queenstown Tigers against hosts Hibernia Strikers last Sunday in the continuation of the 2022 Essequibo Softball Cricket League (ESCL) over-40-overs, 20overs competition in Region Two, Essequibo Coast.

But Hibernia Strikers came out victorious by two wickets. Queenstown Tigers made a challenging 211-9 from the allotment of 20overs while Hibernia Strikers responded with 2148 in the penultimate over.

Curtis Russell supported

the pugnacious Inniss with 21 as Mohamed Fizul grabbed 2-9 from three overs.

When Hibernia Strikers batted, Gobin Chandrika led the way with 66. Dexter Grant captured two wickets for 25 runs from 1.5 overs, delivering for the Tigers.

Across at Affiance, Caribbean Cricket Club (CCC) defeated Devonshire Castle Sports Club (DCSC) by two wickets.

DCSC only made an inadequate 142-6 from the 20-overs while CCC replied with 145-8 in the 15th over.

Former Essequibo Intercounty player Prashad Mahadeo made a top-score for the winner with 32, while Eshwar Singh chipped in with 27. Wayne Moore snatched 2-27 from his four overs. In DCSC’s innings, Antonio Persaud made 71 and the experienced Basil Persaud (unrelated) scoring 20. Ekie Baksh and Patrick Rooplall collected two wickets apiece. And also at Hibernia facility, Ravens Sports Club (RSC) got the better of Sunriser Masters by 64 runs.

RSC rattled up a

respectable 212-8 in their 20overs and then dismissed the Masters’ Boys for 148 in the 16th over. Veteran and prominent softball player Ramesh Narine struck 97 for RSC while the consistent Fazeer Khan made 48.

For Sunriser Masters, Gopaul Deen and Shivsankar Bissoon scored 29 and 26 r e s p e c t i v e l y. T h e competition is set to continue today with three more matches. CCC will collide with Hibernia Strikers while Queenstown Tigers do battle with RSC and Sunriser Masters take on DCSV.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 78

Sunday March 20, 2022

ACS Guyana tour

The siblings Nayaran and Priyanna Ramdhani pose for a photo.

Rikki, spinners spur American team to 84-run win

Nayaran Ramdhani collects his Athlete of the Year and All Conference Award.

Trinson Carmichael took 3-13 after making 25 for ACS at LBI on Friday. (Sean Devers photo)

By Sean Devers On a day blessed with glorious sunshine the American Cricket Society (ACS) opted to bat on an LBI ground which looked like a beach and a slow track with variable bounce against West Bank Demerara side Canal Number two in the first match of Guyana tour on Friday.

The American unit, which arrived in Guyana on Thursday night and will play seven matches in eight days, won their opening game by 84 runs.

Watched by a fair size crowd in the first cricket match since the Covid restrictions were lifted in Guyana on a National Holiday to Celebrate the Hindu Religious Festival Phagwah, the visitors were all out for 165.

Berbice born former Guyana U-19 batter Dominque Rikki, who has played two ODIs for USA, hit an attractive 48 from 43 balls with three fours and a

six before he was stumped off leg-spinner Nityaudan Maturia and was supported by 25 from Trinson Carmichael and Karran Ganesh on an outfield where free scoring was a laborious task for the batters.

Maturia (3-27), left-arm spinner Kishan Seyhodan (345) and medium pacer Parmanand Ramnauth (2-24) were backed by good fielding.

Number 2 Canal were dismantled for 81 as only Chabraj Ramcharran (29) and Sidier Shalam with an unbeaten 15 reached double figures.

Left-spinner Carmichael, who represented Guyana at youth level and played two T20 Internationals for USA in Antigua, had 3-13 including two wickets in two balls.

Former Jamaican legspinner Damion Jacobs who played for the West Indies ‘A’ team, took 3-28, while Yuvraj Dayak tool 3-1 for the tourists.

Dominique Rikki made an entertaining 48 for the visitors at LBI. (Sean Devers photo)

Ramdhani siblings reach semis of Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association Nat’l Championships

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a r a y a n Ramdhani, after winning the coveted All Canadian Award 2022, advanced to semi-finals for Men’s Singles at the Canadian Collegiate Athletics Priyanna Ramdhani in action in Canada.

Association (CCAA) National Championships.

He was previously awarded Athlete of the Year and All Conference Award at the Provincial Championships held recently.

His younger sister,

Priyanna Ramdhani, also advanced to the Semif i n a l s f o r Wo m e n ’ s Doubles with partner Abbey Taylor.

The National Championships Day one started Thursday March 17,

2022 with the Group/Round Robin round and continued Friday.

The siblings both advanced to the semi-finals round (knock-out) being in the top four in their respective category.

Nayaran Ramdhani in action during the singles tournament at the CCAA National event.

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 20, 2022

PAGE 79

Systems in place for Annual Mayor’s Cup 9-a-side Inter Ward/Village KO Football - GFF approval given as Mid Atlantic Oil and Gas Company sponsors first prize

S

ystems are falling into place for the return of the Annual Mayor’s Cup 9-a-side Inter Ward/Village Knockout Football tournament after a two year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The event, organised by former national footballer and Coach Lennox Arthur, has been held for some 40 years now and is in recognition of former Mayor of G e o rg e t o w n H a m i l t o n Green, who was also a former Prime Minister of Guyana. The current Mayor of Georgetown in Mayor Ubraj Narine.

The event gets underway on Sunday next, March 27th with the opening salvo of matches fixed for the Buxton ground on the East Coast of Demerara from 5:00pm.

The tournament is set to conclude on Sunday April 24th at the Buxton ground with the quarter-finals, semis, third place playoff and Grand Finale.

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

Mid Atlantic Oil and Gas Company has committed to the winning purse of

$600,000 and Organiser Lennox Arthur has expressed pleasure at them coming on board.

A number of other business entities have also signaled their intent to aid the event and among them are: IPA, DDL, Digicel, Johil, John Fernandes, General Equipment, Busta, GTT, Namilco, Macorp, New Thriving, Sattar Gafoor, B. Megan, Pritipaul Singh, Ready Mix, Eddie Bobcat, Silvie’s, Caribbean Containers, E Networks, Super Bet, Cummings Electrical, China Trading, Dave Lumber yard and Schlumberger.

Arthur expressed gratitude for all the help he has received so far from the sponsors and those to come on board. He noted the assistance was much needed following the recent covid19 pandemic and is heartened by the return of football and other sports. He thanked the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) for their approval of the event and noted that many fringe players will be on show along with a few standouts adding flavour to the event and giving fans to see some of the talent available.

The recent lifting of some covid19 restrictions

Mayor Ubraj Narine

Lennox Arthur

will see the much needed return of fans to the games.

The tournament fixtures, rules and teams competing have been recent released and the teams have ballooned to 48. Games will be played at the Buxton, Georgetown Football Club and Den Amstel grounds on the 24th March (Buxton), April 3, 10 (FGC), 17 (Den Amstel) and 24 (Buxton).

Among some of the team involved in this Inter Ward/Village setup: West Demerara – Den Amstel, Uitvlugt, Pouderoyen, Stewartville, Wales, Sara Lodge, West Side Masters, Belle West All Stars and

Back Street Kings.

East Coast – Mahaica, Brush Dam, Buxton Youth Developers, Melanie, Ann’s Grove, Golden Grove, Beterverwagting (BV), Vi c t o r i a , P l a i s a n c e , Lilliendaal and Turkeyen.

Georgetown – C h a r l e s t o w n , Campbellville, Bourda All Stars, Road Warriors, Tucville and Sparta Boss.

East Bank – Timehri, Mocha and Agricola.

Berbice – New Amsterdam, Mahaicony and Airy Hall All Stars.

The rules governing this tournament that makes it interesting and exciting is

the no offside rule and teams are allowed five substitutions. The games are of two 20-minute halves for a 40-minute duration. The tournament is a straight knockout one with no extra time being played. A tie at the end of regulation would result in the teams dueling in the dreaded sudden death penalty shootout.

All other FIFA rules apply and the Referee is the sole authority of these games. Teams showing up late beyond a reasonable time determined by the organisers will be disqualified and their game forfeited via the walkover route.

The opening games on March 27 at Buxton will see

Mahaica against 50 United, Church versus Golden Grove, Victoria battle Melanie, Buxton Youth Developers tangle with BV, Friendship Front oppose Paradise and Brusche Dam take on Haslington. The respective winners of these matches will tangle in further elimination action to determine who advances.

The next playing date; April 3 set for the GFC will see Timehri versus City Strikers, Soesdyke against Lilliendaal, Kuru Kururu battle Turkeyen, Mocha engage Plaisance, Ann’s Grove tackle Agricola and Diamond battle Belle West Stars. The winners will again battle in a playoff to see who moves forward.

GMR&SC Quarter Mile Return

16 and counting Surinamese competitors confirmed - Palm Court and Windjammer support

Local speedsters are set to be challenged by more than 16 Surinamese competitors.

The Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) ‘Quarter Mile Return’ Drag Race meet is set for next Sunday, and it will be a showdown between drivers from Guyana and Suriname, the renewal of an age-old rivalry.

According to the organisers, several leading cars and drivers from Suriname have already confirmed their participation in the event.

President of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club, Rameez Mohamed,

shared with the media that a total of 16 competitors from our Dutch-speaking neighbours, Suriname are about to make the trek across the border to South Dakota for some 1320 action.

Meanwhile, support from cooperate Guyana continues to pour in for the event with signing on to the premier drag race meet, Palm Court and Windjammer International Hotel and Restaurant joining the sponsorship list.

GMR&SC President (Continued on page 71)