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Kaieteur News
Tuesday March 22, 2022
Yellowtail project can inflict permanent damage to marine habitat
Fishermen in Guyana have been complaining of lower catches since the startup of Exxon’s operations. In this image, fisherman, Stayon Frank displays his disappointing catch.
ExxonMobil’s fourth project, the Yellowtail development situated in the Stabroek Block, can result in permanent damage to the environment in which marine species dwell, which can cause them to migrate from Guyana’s waters. This is highlighted in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) prepared by Exxon’s Consultant, the Environmental Resources Management (ERM).
According to the document seen by Kaieteur News, the project may result in permanent loss of benthic habitat offshore, stemming from the installation of equipment, among others, to support the company’s operations. Benthic habitat refers to the ecosystem or place of dwelling for species on the seafloor or at the bottom of a body of water. In Guyana, our most
popular benthic creatures are shrimp and crab. Other crustaceans and seaweeds that are valuable to the food chain may also be permanently disrupted, ERM warned in the Yellowtail EIA. S ec tio n 3 . 5 o f t h e document explains, “There would be a very minor (approximately 0.7 km2 [0.3 mi2]) permanent loss of benthic habitat offshore as a result of the installation of wells, flowlines, and other subsea equipment, which may be proposed to be left in p l a c e u p o n decommissioning.” The text goes on to note that the equipment, which may be left on the seafloor, can ultimately provide the substrate for recolonisation of the impacted areas. Production of some 250,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) is scheduled to commence in late 2025 or early 2026, with operations continuing for at least 20 years. The Project is located approximately 203 kilometres (approximately 126 miles) northeast of the coastline of Georgetown in waters approximately 1,700 to 1,900 metres (5,577 to 6,234 feet) deep. The project will develop the offshore resource by drilling approximately 41 to 67 development wells, including production, water injection, and gas reinjection wells, and using a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel to process, store, and offload the recovered oil. A report by an independent organisation, Frontiers in Environmental Science published back in 2016 highlighted the detrimental environmental effects, routine oil and gas activities can have during exploration, production and decommissioning. The study titled, ‘Environmental Impacts of the Deep-Water Oil and Gas Industry: A Review to Guide Management Strategies’ was done in collaboration with 21 universities in the United States of America (USA), Canada, South Africa, Portugal and others. The document explained, ”During the exploration phase, impacts can result from indirect (sound and traffic) and direct physical (anchor chains, drill cuttings, and drilling fluids) disturbance. Additional direct physical impacts occur
in the production phase as pipelines are laid and the v o l u m e o f d i s c h a rg e d produced water increases. Lastly, decommissioning can result in a series of direct impacts on the sea floor and can re-introduce contaminants to the environment.” Locally, fishermen have been complaining bitterly of low catches which they attributed to ExxonMobil’s operations. To this end, the Ministry of Agriculture recently commenced a study, to better understand the situation. Further, the government has been making strides to limit fishermen’s dependency on the natural habitats for fishing activities. For instance, this newspaper reported that 74 ponds are being developed along the Corentyne coast from the Berbice River Bridge to Number 49 Village, in Region Six, to aid in the rearing of brackish water shrimp. According to Wikipedia, ‘brackish water’, also sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment having more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. Salt water is the ideal environment for the rearing of shrimp. This venture is costing the administration $58 million. In addition, President Irfaan Ali has also signalled the government’s intent to grow fish in cages. In fact, $200 million has been set aside in this year’s national budget to fund the initiative, which is still in trial around the world. M a k i n g t h e announcement was the Senior Minister in the Office of the President, with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, during the recent reading of the budget. He told the National Assembly that a total of $743.7 million has been set aside this year, for the development of the fisheries and aquaculture subsector. Of this amount, “Budget 2022 provides a sum of $200 million to introduce and develop marine cage fishing which will enhance the production of prawns and tilapia. This will provide an important alternative production modality for G u y a n a ’s f i s h e r f o l k . Additionally, government will continue to improve the supportive infrastructure for the fisheries industry,” the finance minister said.
Kaieteur News
Tuesday March 22, 2022
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Guyana playing with danger if it opts-out of ...Venezuela closely watching our CARICOM Treaty obligations respect for int’l agreements - Greenidge By Kiana Wilburg The debate regarding Guyana’s Local Content Law which calls for locals to be given first consideration for employment and procurement opportunities in the oil sector and whether such a provision is in harmony with obligations under the Revised Treaty of C h a g u a r a m a s ( RT C ) continues to attract commentary. Approximately eight days ago, Attorney-at-Law and PPP/C Parliamentarian, Sanjeev Datadin, via his Facebook page, noted that Guyana can so choose to opt out of Treaty obligations that would allow for a hostile and uncontrollable takeover of the country’s booming oil sector, particularly by Trinidadians. The lawyer recalled that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in an examination of opt-out powers as set out in Article 27(4) of the RTC had made clear that a reservation to any treaty obligation can be unilaterally done whilst to opt-out of treaty obligation, it required consent of the other Member States. “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,” he had argued. But upon noting these statements, Advisor on Borders and former Foreign Secretary, Carl Greenidge categorically stated that he out rightly disagrees with Datadin’s perspective which has also been echoed by President of the Guyana Chamber of Commerce and I n d u s t r y ( G C C I ) , M r. Timothy Tucker. Tucker had also launched an attack on the Caribbean Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) leadership for daring to question whether the Local Content legislation is consistent with Guyana’s obligations under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). Before elaborating on his position, Greenidge said one must understand that Guyana would be playing with danger if Datadin’s “opt out arguments” are further perpetuated, believed and worst, yet, acted on by the government. He warned that Guyanese ought to be more cautious and strive to be informed when speaking on such matters as the implications could be far-
Economist and Advisor on Borders, Carl Greenidge reaching. Expounding on this front, the former Foreign Affairs Minister said nondiscrimination has been a key principle underlying the negotiations on liberalisation of the international trading system since the end of World War II and the start of the Uruguay Round in 1982 in particular. Greenidge said it is captured in two rules known as Most Favoured Nation treatment (MFN) and the National Treatment obligation. In simple terms, Greenidge explained that the MFN obligation, the subject of the first General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Article, prohibits a country from discriminating between other countries; the national treatment obligation prohibits a country from discriminating against other countries. Where special privileges are granted, he noted that those privileges have to be extended to all other trading partners. Ironically, given the present context, Greenidge noted that the main exception to this rule is a Common Market – such as the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. He said there is absolutely no reference to petroleum, which incidentally has no significance in economics beyond being a commodity. The Advisor on Borders noted too that there is neither an exception based on a particular definition of local content or free movement. He asserted that the consistency simply turns on whether ‘Chaguaramas’ permits Caribbean nationals/firms to be treated differently from Guyanese. “Article 7, Article 31 (2a & 2b), and Article 37 of Chaguaramas in particular,
PPP/C Parliamentarian and Attorney-at-Law, Sanjeev Datadin
do not permit it, except in clearly defined terms. Therefore, Guyana is not in a position to ignore the rule on grounds that it has either now thought up a justification or has just begun the production of petroleum. Also, alleged discrimination by T&T in the past cannot constitute such justification,” explained the former Vice President. The economist
criticisms, both Messrs. Tucker and Datadin have gone on to suggest that, if Guyana’s Treaty obligations have been infringed, Guyana should seek to ‘opt out’, secure exemption from those obligations or ultimately withdraw from the treaty…Suffice it for me to point out the reality in the realms of the Dismal Science and international Trade, namely that after the USA and Canada, the Caribbean is
continued, “…That a debate of such import could so quickly reflect heightened ill-will, shows how easily public debate in Guyana, whether in politics or business, can quickly degenerate into personal attacks and abuse. Whilst the Guyana Government has not been party to these contentious exchanges, one of its prominent and new Members of Parliament (MPs) has been and recently, President Irfaan Ali offered a comment to the effect that no Head of State has complained of the alleged breach of the Treaty.” He added, “In the face of
our most important export market and being closed out of the latter market will adversely affect the longterm prospects of Guyana’s key industries and frustrate any effort to diversify out of petroleum products.” Greenidge also noted that the “opting out attitude” has implications for the country’s national interest as well as its international standing while adding, that it can likely impact support from the international community for Guyana’s case against Venezuela. The Advisor on Borders noted in this regard that Guyana’s complaint before
the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the Venezuelan Government is based on a number of factors among the most important of which is, Venezuela’s breach of one fundamental legal principle—A State cannot sign a treaty, benefit from the implementation of its provisions for over 63 years then, when convenient, simply unilaterally declare the treaty null and void. Greenidge categorically stated that the sanctity of treaties is enshrined in Article 26 of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT). Thus, either both parties have to agree on invalidity or a Court or other Tribunal, would have to do so. Since Guyana will not agree to invalidate the Paris Arbitration Award, he said Venezuela would need to seek from a competent international tribunal or authority a declaration to that effect. It has refused to do so. Greenidge further explained that a second concern about Venezuela’s position turns on a matter not yet before an international Court. In this regard, he said Venezuela’s proclamation of Decrees (referred to as Leonie Decree of 10th January 1968; 1781 of May 27th 2015; 1859 of 2015; 4415 of Jan. 2021, inter alia), in its local legislation purports to confer maritime rights, to which it would not be entitled under international law. He said citizens must bear in mind that a cardinal principle of international law is that [ex post facto] domestic legislation cannot override obligations entered into under the international treaties a country signs. In
GCCI President, Timothy Tucker fact, Greenidge highlighted that Article 27 of the VCLT states that no municipal rule may be relied on as a justification for violating international law. Simply put, “The tail cannot wag the dog!” Greenidge said too that no matter the issues being fought for, Guyana should not be seen as inconsistent in its treatment of laws, whether local and international in nature. As regards unhappiness with provisions of an existing agreement such as Chaguaramas by the private sector or the 1899 Paris Award (by Venezuela), Greenidge reiterated that international law does not permit a Sate to sign a treaty, enjoy specific benefits as a signatory, adhere to the provisions, then suddenly refuse to adhere to those provisions for whatever reason it deems currently convenient. Greenidge said, “Optouts may be sought and secured during negotiations but not 50 or 5 years after Treaties have been signed and invariably require the consent of the other parties (see Art 237, e.g., of the Revised Treaty which states: Reservations may be entered to this Treaty with the consent of the signatory States).” He said however, that there is an agreed process by which a disagreement or claim of invalidity can be resolved. “That is why we have the Courts and a CCJ, in particular. A less timeconsuming and less costly mechanism than approaching the CCJ itself for a formal opinion would be for the Heads to trigger either the Good Offices (Continued on page 17)
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Tuesday March 22, 2022
Kaieteur News
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
The Speaker – rankly partisan or robustly patriotic
W
e address again today the state of the Speaker of the National Assembly. For as the Speaker goes, so does, to a great degree, the National Assembly itself. It is not an ordinary place, the regular routines of gathering for discussing and deciding, but the national house of Guyanese, each and every one of them, and as it goes so, too, do the interests and the prospects of this society. It can be argued that the very quality of life of the Guyanese people in their diverse presences is impacted by the comportment and kind of leadership that the Speaker of the National Assembly brings with him, and lays on the table for the fullest of fair dissections. Man and office either stand or fall on the basis of his rulings, the sum of his outputs. We would like very much to say that the Speaker has conducted himself well in the delivery of his much-watched duties, the nuances of his conclusions, the wisdoms embedded in his thought processes, and the places they lead him. For when he rules this way or that, it is more than a Motion from a Member of Guyana’s Parliament that is involved. It is about what could become the law of this seemingly lawless land. From such law comes rules and regulations, and following on the heels of those, there are policies and procedures to guide us forward in the daily implementation and enforcement of what started out as a Motion from the mind of a Member and his political group, and made its way in final form into law. It does not matter whether such a Motion emerges from the Government side, or that of the Opposition, the Speaker’s role is to be that much longed for referee standing inside the ring of contesting and grappling for political edge. The Speaker must be seen as neutral, and actually be exemplary in what are the best representations of an independent presence and mediator. He is judge, and to some extent, he is also jury; and like juries, sometimes what they come up with boggles justice and reason. They can be so unfathomable that numerous questions are raised on what kind of deliberation went into the process with which they are saddled. Perhaps, more importantly, what were the types of bias they left behind, or insisted on bringing to the mix, or were influenced to introduce into what is considered sacred proceeding. In these hallowed instances of men and women searching painstakingly for truth and what could pass for fairness and justness, integrity and honour must not desert, or great injustices will be inflicted. In Guyana’s National Assembly today, these are the winds and realities that swirl around the increasingly beleaguered Speaker. Is he or isn’t he, that is, one-sided? Meaning, someone whose neutrality and independence, those elements that are the soaring, non-negotiable hallmarks of a hallowed office, are largely lacking, hence imaginary? The Speaker’s growing list of handiworks is the sword that he can proudly hold aloft, or which condemns him, in that they speak unambiguously of where he has stumbled, fallen woefully short. From our perspective, the Speaker of the National Assembly has not helped his cause, has not lived up to the muscular perceptions for an officeholder, who must be purer than Caesar’s wife. He has faltered, he has flattered, he has failed, and in so doing he has fallen flat on his face repeatedly, with what makes no sense, is minus a smidgen of reasoning. The Speaker has repeatedly crumbled under expectations, when the weight of national realities has been presented before him, when he stood in the solitariness of supreme judge. The Speaker had to be the Guyanese standard-bearer on oil and gas, he was not. He failed to be the soldier in defense of national security that he should have been, when there is flashback to the riotous, now settled, Natural Resource Fund Law. Even as something as endangering as lack of oil spill insurance and pandemic concerns, the Speaker was on the wrong side of what is right, what is nationally important. He now stands with the legacy of his work, the punishing quality of its well-earned self-condemnations.
Another mystery? DEAR EDITOR It is over a month since the fishing trawler and three of its crew members disappeared. While consistent efforts were employed to locate the boat and crew to date the search has yielded nothing substantial except fishing net.
Is this another mystery as that other mystery - the MH 370 flight - which disappeared several years ago and today remains disappeared and unfounded? Regards Shamshun Mohamed
Has the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages in schools been banned as promised? DEAR EDITOR, An article in the December 3, 2019 edition of Kaieteur News announced that a ban on the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages in schools would take effect in 2020. Here is a link to the article: (https:/ / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2019/12/03/ban-on-sugarsweetened-beverages-inschools-to-take-effect-in2020/) Has this actually happened? This initiative was “aimed at reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and the scourge of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes”. Being a parent of school-going children myself, I am wholeheartedly in support of this as I believe it will significantly improve the health of our young ones.
DEAR EDITOR, The Russia/Ukraine war has pushed the age-old, but important concept of ‘national interest’ on to the center stage of world politics. The national/security interests of both countries have been festering for a number of years. Long before the war, the term ‘national interest’ was so frequently bandied about, it became a political football used by some governments for their political and ideological interests while for others, it was used in a narrow nationalistic sense as a means to a selfish and destructive end. The national interest of a country is inextricably bound up with its security interest. The two are indivisible, and if separated, can result in a national, humanitarian disaster. A country’s national interest would include its political, security, economic and cultural interests as well as its other vital interests. The most fundamental of all national interests, is a country’s security interest. That particular interest should be part and parcel of a country’s strategic thinking. It is in that context that a country’s national interest can evolve to play a transformative role at a particular historical juncture of a country’s development. Guyana is a case in point. Justifying its launch of a
Sugar-sweetened beverages contribute as much as 11% of additional caloric intake in youths, according to this study (https:// health.ri.gov/healthrisks/ sugarsweetenedbeverages/). This can increase the incidence of child obesity by as much as 60%, and wreak havoc on a child’s developing teeth. These drinks have been shown to provide little to no additional nutritional value and are no substitute for a glass of water or fresh juice when it comes to quenching thirst. Thanks in large part to the well-funded and targeted marketing campaigns of beverage distributors; society is inundated with all brands and sizes of these drinks. Editor, I am seeking clarity from the relevant source
on whether this ban has been put into effect from 2020 as promised, and if so, where is the data and reporting to show how it has worked so far. Are schools (private and public) subject to regulations and inspections of their canteen and vendor facilities to gauge compliance? Are parents being vigilant and monitoring their children’s access to these beverages? Often it is convenient for parents to include beverage funds in the ‘lunch money’, which enables the problem. There are better alternatives that can be offered that are healthier, tastier and more cost-effective, such as locally produced or even homemade fruit and vegetable juices and bottled water. School feeding programs can set the example using this model, and even-
National interests ‘limited military operation’ that turned out to be a conventional war against Ukraine, Russia declared that it did so because its security interest was threatened and, more so, would be severely jeopardized were Ukraine to become a member of the European Union and by extension, a member of NATO. This appears to be a stark reminder of Thucydides’ contention that nations are moved to go to war for one of three reasons; ‘honour, fear and interest.’ Russia’s invasion of Ukraine should be viewed through the prism of Thucydides’ contention. At the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly, and within the meaning of the UN Charter, Russia was condemned for violating Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Ironically, in seeking to protect and uphold its own security interest, Russia not only violated the UN Charter, it put paid to its Eastern neighbour’s security interest. At the 15-member Security Council, eleven countries voted in favour of the resolution, one of the P5 voted against while three abstained. At the General Assembly of the 193 members, 141 countries voted in favour of another resolution with five against while thirty-five abstained. There was much jubila-
tion when it was announced that 141 of the 193 members voted in favour of the resolution; ‘deploring in the strongest possible terms Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in violation of Article 2 paragraph 4 of the UN Charter’ and calling for Russia to ‘immediately, completely and unconditional withdraw its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.’ All joined in the chorus declaring that henceforth, Russia is isolated internationally. But as if in an ironic twist in the history of who stands isolated or not because of votes at the emergency session of the UNGA, is apposite to recall that at the 2021 UNGA, 184 of the UN’s 193 members voted in favour of a resolution demanding an end to the 60 year-old US imposed economic, commercial and financial blockade plus 243 recent sanctions against Cuba. It is interesting to note that Colombia, Ukraine and Brazil abstained when the vote on that resolution was taken. About a week after Colombia had co-sponsored the resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Colombia was promised ‘Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status. Colombia joins Argentina and Brazil who already enjoy MNNA status. The potential ABC MMNA alliance’s vote in favour of the resolution
tually across the board in private and public schools, this can become the norm. For it all to work, however, there must be a collaborative effort among policymakers, educators, caregivers, school administrators and parents to monitor and enforce compliance with nutritional guidelines to ensure this is not just an ‘on paper only’ initiative. This is by no means an attack on beverage companies, I believe adults have the right to consume as they wish, they are informed enough to make their own choices. However, let us do everything we can to create a healthy, beneficial nutritional culture in our school systems so our young ones can grow well. Regards, Shazaam ‘Shaz’ Ally
demonstrated how their national interests coincided. MNNA is a designation given by the US government to close allies that have strategic working relationships with US armed forces but are not members of NATO. Countries so designated enjoy military and economic privileges in areas of research, training, placement of US reserve stockpiles on their territory and receipt of excess defense articles but no security commitment. Will the realization of MNNA status promised to Colombia pose an existential threat to Venezuela’s national security? An examination of the voting patterns on the Russia/ Ukraine and Cuba/US resolutions and the promise to grant MNNA status to Colombia will show how the national interest of countries can either converge or diverge when it comes to defining their respective security interests. History shows that not too long ago, Russia’s and America’s interests coincided in a number of areas. It was the US that sponsored Russia’s admission into the G7 (1997) bringing it to the G8; Russia entered into a Partnership for Peace with NATO (1994) despite its objection to NATO’s expansion to Eastern Europe (1999-2004). And for the first time since World War ll, (Continued on page 6)
Tuesday March 22, 2022
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Kaieteur News
Govt. sweeping under the Questions about Cottage carpet a Minister’s banality in Pump Award Parliament on the ‘dildo’ issue DEAR EDITOR Guyanese in particular our youths, should be extremely thankful that in spite of the current contortions in our society, we have had patriotic inputs in the form of letters from the likes of Vincent Adams, G. Girdhari, Dr. Jerry Jailall, Lincoln Lewis, G.H.K. Lall, Earl B. John, Janette Bulkan, Clement Rohee, Former President, Donald Ramotar, Dr. David Hinds and of course, the superb Editorials found in the Stabroek News and Kaieteur News. These, all give us good guidance, but I hope that in the not too distant future that their wisdom and patriotism will help save Guyana’s Ship of State from hitting the proverbial iceberg sinking and taking with it the hopes and dreams of Guyanese who, thanks to the enormity of our natural resources, can be happy, prosperous and well educated. We’ve noted for example, that the Administration is sweeping under the carpet a Minister’s banality in Parliament on the ‘dildo’ issue. My friend Gerry Gouveia, businessman and once a key player in the Private Sector Organisation, and now a P r e s i d e n t i a l A d v i s o r, sought to assure me that President Ali means well. Will the Government fail to discipline a Minister, whose behaviour in Parliament is unacceptable? The Government’s failure to renegotiate a terrible agreement made by the APNU Administration, which I criticized and they criticize, is worrisome. I now avoid the nonsense in the ring-fencing agreement which determines that if the oil companies while drilling come up with an empty or dry well, Guyana must pay the cost of their effort. The emasculation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now patent. We now hear that our Dumpsite at Eccles must now receive waste from the operations of the Oil Companies, not catered for in the initial planning. When one Government operative says you can’t renegotiate contracts, it shows the dilemma we face. Recent history amongst States, Corporations and Groups show that major agreements are changed if either Party is unhappy with existing conditions, even at the personal level, man and woman, before God and Man
promise, “For Better for Worse, For richer, for poorer, till death do us part.” At the time, they both meant it, however, everywhere there is a long list of divorce cases before the Courts. Guyanese, I believe that the root cause of their dilemma is their loss of moral sense and the lack of a moral rudder. If a ship’s rudder is broken, it is bound to either run aground or sink. I lean on a tested theory advanced more than two centuries ago, which is that the moral sense is the faculty by which we distinguish between moral right and wrong. The deliverance of the fact of this faculty are feelings or sentiments; hence, it is counted as a sense. Our observation of an instance of virtuous action is the occasion for a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction, which enables us to distinguish that action as virtuous. Similarly, our observation of an instance or vicious action is the occasion for a feeling of pain or uneasiness, which enables us to distinguish that action as vicious. The moral sense is also an influencing motive in our pursuit of virtue and our avoidance of vicious behaviour, and it plays a part in our bestowal of praise and blame. Dear Editor, Fellow Patriots, herein is our biggest problem when our Leaders of the Country, genuinely are unable to distinguish between right and wrong. To differentiate what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. You see the environment in which some of our Leaders grew up, particularly in the last generation or two, has witnessed the moral decline, here and elsewhere, which for some of these Leaders, is now the norm. I recall visiting some comrades who lived at Grove, East Bank, where the operation of Diamond Estate discharge produced an unpleasant odor. For
those of us passing through the village, it was stink. But when you made those remarks to some of those who were born and lived there, they did not recognise that the place was stink, and this is to my mind is our greatest challenge of persons who grow up unable to distinguish between something that is pleasant and something that is offensive. Buddhism implores us thus, “though one should conquer a million men on the battlefield, yet he, indeed, is the noblest victor who has conquered himself.”(Dhammapada 103). Judaism - Who is strong? He who controls his passion.” Islam:- The prophet declared, “ We have returned from the lesser Holy war to the greater Holy war.” The acts “ Oh Prophet of God, which is the greater war?” he replied, “ Struggle against the lower self.” Many Christians have adopted the ideas cont a i n e d i n I s a a c Wa t t s ’ Statement that “Life is the time to serve the Lord, the time T ensure the great reward; and while the lamp holds out to burn, the vilest sinner may return.” And the Bible reminds us dear Friends of the President and his mighty fore, St. John, Chap 3:3: Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The big question is will our Leaders accept there is an urgent need for them to change course, and abort the present silly steps of shared stupidity and dishonouring the sacrifices and suffering of our noble ancestors. Will they recognize that we are slowly being re-colonized and dishonouring those who struggled through slavery and indentureship for our Independence and to preserve our sovereignty? Best regards, Hamilton Green Elder
DEAR EDITOR, The Ministry of Agriculture was supposedly building and installing a pump station at Cottage, Mahaicony. The project has been in the works for a while now and is incomplete. Whistle blower reports that a particular company was granted the project. The tender was awarded last August. No work has been done on site until now, some six months later. And the whistle blower reports that the contractor received advanced payment for the project. This can be verified by examining award of contracts. Is it true that award was given before evaluation report was completed by tender board? Is it true that this particular bidder did not include import duty and VAT in the bid price? Is it true that evaluators were instructed
to do evaluation report to fit the bid? Is it true that contract was given without VAT and duty? Would this bidder or contractor be allowed to supply items under the contract duty free and VAT free? Wasn’t/isn’t this evaluation a disadvantage to other bidders who included VAT and duty in their bids? Would the Ministry allow an independent audit of the evaluation of the project done so far to determine cost and veracity of claims? Would the Ministry allow such a submission without VAT and duty? Is it true that the awardee of the project was the highest bidder even though the bid lacked VAT and duty? Isn’t this not unfair to other bidders? Is it not improper for officials to give instructions to evaluators on who to give contracts? Yours truly, Nigel Griffith
National interests... From page 4 Russian and American troops served side by side in both Bosnia (1992-‘95) and Kosovo (1998-‘99) The national interests of two nuclear powers merged to serve a common goal. But when it came to nuclear disarmament and European security the two countries’ security interests at one time diverged and at another converged. Britain’s and France’s interests coincided when they sought to work together to slow the re-unification of Germany fearing the rise of a ‘Wehrmacht’ once again. And the US’ and its European Allies interests coincided to weaken the USSR, bring about the collapse of the German Democratic Republic (1989) and hasten the unification of Germany (1990). The UK’s and China’s interests coincided with respect to the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong to China (1997) as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China’s. But the US’ and China’s interests do not coincide with respect to the future of Taiwan notwithstanding the US’ assurances of not supporting ‘Taiwan Independence.’ The UK’s and the Soviet Union’s interests did not coincide as regards ending the outpouring and settling the million plus refugees or ‘Boat People’ who fled Vietnam (1979) following the fall of
Saigon (1975). China has been consistent on questions such as respect for each country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in their internal affairs, peaceful settlement of disputes and strict adherence to the UN Charter. China has not forgotten the turmoil at Tiananmen Square (1989), the aggressive campaign waged by the western media concerning alleged human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the recent attempts to destabilize Hong Kong and the boycott of the Winter Olympics by western governments. China is currently labouring under 765 trade sanctions and restrictions yet it is being asked to join in the sanctions against Russia or else! On the home front, protecting and upholding Guyana’s national interest is reflected in the Constitution of Guyana. Our Constitution pro-
claims in favour of safeguarding and building on ‘Guyana’s rich heritage, won through tireless struggle, bequeathed us by our forebears.’ It affirms ‘our sovereignty, our independence and indissolubility’ as a Nation. Our Constitution proclaims that the State of Guyana ‘supports the legitimate aspirations of other peoples for freedom and independence and will establish relations with all states on the basis of sovereign equality; mutual respect, inviolability of frontiers, territorial integrity of states, peaceful settlement of disputes, non-intervention in internal affairs, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and cooperation among States.’ Guyana’s national interest is captured within the meaning of these concepts and precepts and it is precisely what Guyana is defending on the world stage. Yours faithfully, Clement J. Rohee
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Tuesday March 22, 2022
Kaieteur News
PSC ‘blindly loyal’ to one political party - Timothy Jonas Chairman of the A New and United Guyana (ANUG) political party, Mr. Timothy Jonas, SC, has criticised the Private Sector Commission (PSC), headed by Mr. Paul Cheong, of being politically aligned. Jonas made these comments last Wednesday while appearing virtually on a GlobeSpan24x7 panel discussion on ‘Civil Society-Government Relations: Opportunities and Challenges’. Recently, the President Irfaan Ali-led government, lashed out at a group of civil society organisations, which in a statement to the media on March 2, concluded that the government was out of con-
trol, accusing it of operating with impunity, while noting that the bewildering pace and range of official decision-making is rendering the administration accountable to no one and generating a widely felt dilemma of who to trust and what to believe. To this end, Jonas during the discussion contended, “They will paint with the same brush any dissenting voice, by saying all of you people are anti-PPP, you are not concerned with fairness or honesty.” In further arguing his case, Jonas, an Attorney-atLaw who was named Senior Counsel (SC) after the
People’s Progressive Party Civic assumed office in 2020, said that the party questions civil society bodies where their voices were while alleged riggers were trying to steal the leadership of a country, during the last elections. However, Jonas said the silence of those groups does not mean they are impartial. In fact he said, “Those civil societies are, for the most part, in Guyana, badly flawed, because they are for the most part partisan, equally blindly loyal…equally ethnically aligned.” While citing an example, Jonas said that the Private Sector Commission, in his
view, falls neatly into that description as they are “blindly loyal, blindly aligned, don’t care a damn (and) going down one road with one party.” On the other hand, he pointed out that Transparency International- Guyana Inc (TIGI) is a good example of what a civil body should exemplify. “I am also of the view that Transparency Guyana has equally demonstrated that it is not impartial…” he related. Wednesday’s discussion was moderated by Mr. Paul Tennassee. Other members of the panel included activist Vanda Radzik and businessman Floyd Haynes. The political Opposition has frequently accused the PSC of being a supporter of the PPP government. For instance, the Coalition party’s Shadow Oil and Gas Minister David Patterson has said that the administration, given its coziness with the PSC, will have complete control over the Natural Resource Fund (NRF)
ANUG Chairman, Timothy Jonas
PSC President, Paul Cheong
Board of Directors as the new legislation paves the way for the private sector group to select a nominee t o sit on the governance panel. Section 5 (1) of the Natural Resource Fund Act 2021 provides that there shall be a Board of Directors of the Fund which shall comprise of not less than three and not
more than five members who shall be appointed by the President, one of whom shall be appointed Chairperson by the President. According to the act, the National Assembly and the Private Sector Commission (PSC) will be identifying one candidate each for the board, which leaves the President with three nominees.
4 patients in COVID-19 ICU - 1 new case recorded The Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday, via its daily COVID-19 dashboard, reported that four patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit receiving treatment. No new deaths have been recorded but the Ministry noted that one new COVID-19
infection was recorded within the last assessed 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 63,195. Of the confirmed cases, 34,096 are women while 29,099 are men. The dashboard also shows that 12 persons are in institutional isolation, 128 are in home isolation and eight are in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 61,829 individuals have recovered.
T N U L B . . . T B N U T L N T B . U . L . L T B . N . U . N U T L N B . U . T . L N T U N B . N U . L U L LUNT. B . T . . T T N N B U B . U . L . L T B . B . . N . . . T U T L N N T U U L N L B U . B . . L . . . T B T . . N . N T U L N LU B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . NT LUNT...B NT...BLU N U L B . . B . U . . T L . N T B . . U N . L N T B U N . . L . U T L B . . N B . . . T U . L N T B U . . L . UN T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L B U UN .BLUNT. . . L . T B . . N . T U . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . LU ...BLUNT LUNT...B NT...BL T B U . . L N . T B BLU T...BLUN BLUNT... UNT...B . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B BBLU T...BLUN BLUNT... ...BLU . T . N . N T T U L U L N L B U T...BLU U B . L . N . B T . . . N T U N N N L U U U B L . L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Tuesday March 22, 2022
Kaieteur News
It is too early for us to let down our guard as it relates to COVID-19. That much should be made clear and stated fearlessly, since all of us are endangered. But that is not the message being preached in these parts these days.
Instead, the government, through its esteemed Minister of Health, has seemingly advised citizens to ‘proceed at your own risk’. Since assuming office in August 2020, the government has moved from making vaccination mandatory to now saying the equivalent of: ‘you’re on your own’. Guyanese it is time that we realise that we really ‘deh pon we own’, and not to expect anything from government.
It is time for ALL citizens of this land to understand how things are, and where they stand and start fighting for what’s yours today.
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Tuesday March 22, 2022
Police to hand out more tickets for traffic violations - as AG flags costly harassment of road users
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) will be stepping up its efforts to minimise the incidence of police harassment of road users. This comes days after Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, SC, spoke of how police misconduct and harassment on the roadways
has been costing the State. In an invited comment, Deputy Communications Director attached to the GPF, Stan Gouveia, explained that the steps are being taken for senior officers to ensure that the traffic ranks are equipped with their ticket books when they leave the stations for duty.
According to Gouveia, the ticketing system is already in place, it just needs to be in enforced. “We will be putting a system in place for the senior officers to ensure that ranks have their ticket books with them when they leave the station so they can’t make the excuse not give out the tickets,” he said. Added to this, Gouveia is urging members of public to utilise the avenues available to them to report police harassment. “The Guyana Police Force has made it easy for citizens to lodge complaints with the senior officers. We took the initiative earlier this year to make public the phone numbers of the commanders. So any member of the public can call the commander directly and have their concerns addressed. What we would like to see is more utilising this avenue for reportage of harassment,” Gouveia said. T h e D e p u t y Communications Director noted that the numbers are available on the GPF Facebook page and at any district police station. During an airing of his weekly Facebook commentary, AG Nandlall, SC, spoke of police abuse on the roadways and the impact it has on State resources. He explained that the incidence of police stopping people and detaining them without cause is a violation of the constitutional rights of the citizens. Nandlall noted that “people tend to sue and when it is the State that has to pay for the misbehaviour and the violation of the law, and the abuse of power by the police officers.” He stressed, while police officers must be allowed to discharge their statutory functions and duties, this
should not be done in a manner that infringes, violates, or tramples upon the rights and freedom of citizens. He stated that “The (members of the) public are constantly complaining about the police behaviour, particularly on the roadways … Unless it’s a very serious offence, such as Causing Death by Dangerous Driving, the police have no right to detain vehicles for the alleged commission of traffic offences. We have a ticketing system in place that allows errant drivers or road users to be ticketed, and that process is not supposed to be a long one. Reasonable time should be expended, and the persons should be allowed to go their way with their vehicles.” As it relates to arrests, AG Nandlall outlined that a person should only be arrested or detained upon reasonable suspicion that a serious offence was committed. He explained that “When the police detain those vehicles and legal proceedings are filed, it is the Attorney General who has to go to a judge and explain why this vehicle is kept so many days. And I can’t, in law, offer an explanation that makes sense. And every day I have to keep negotiating with various lawyers and various litigants in very difficult circumstances.” Nandlall emphasised that “It is the Attorney General who is required to answer in the Court of Law for Police misconduct and misbehaviour. It is the State, using taxpayers’ dollars that have to pay compensation – sometimes running in to millions – for police misbehaviour and police violations of the law, police v i o l a t i o n o f p e o p l e ’s constitutional rights.”
Mason charged for allegedly killing GDF rank A 28-year-old man who was arrested for the murder of a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) medex, who was stabbed to death during a brawl at his sister’s wedding last Sunday, was on Monday remanded to prison. The defendant, Nizam Persaud, a mason of Good Hope Squatting area, East Coast Demerara (ECD), made his first court (Continued on page 16)
Fatally stabbed, Chavez Mangal
Tuesday March 22, 2022
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Kaieteur News
Sugar is dead The G$250,000 grant per sugar worker in Skeldon was a farewell gift. Some of the sugar workers may have felt that it was a grant from a caring government; little did they know that it was sounding the last rites for that estate. The government has bitten off more than it can chew. During the elections campaign, the PPP/C promised to reopen the sugar estates closed by the APNU+AFC, namely Skeldon, Canje and Enmore. It always knew that it could never reopen Wales given the dismantling of the sugar factory there. But so far none of the closed states have been reopened. Skeldon is a dead duck. This was the site of the greatest catastrophe in the history of the sugar industry: the construction of that monstrous white elephant known as the Skeldon Sugar Factory. That entire project should have been subject to a Commission of Inquiry. It may have ended the political career of one PPP/C big wig. The government has now decided that Enmore cannot be reopened. It has leased the factory and moved the packaging plant to Albion. Enmore is now being touted as an industrial centre, just as Wales is. The displaced Enmore sugar workers do not need to be told that sugar is now off of the radar for them. They know that the sugar industry in East Demerara is now dead and buried. So too it seems at Skeldon. The grant which was paid to sugar workers should be
treated as a redeployment grant. The sugar industry in Skeldon will not be reopened. There is no investor and the government does not have the money or the confidence in the future of the industry to risk reopening Skeldon. Canje is likely to be reopened next year. But that will require significant investments. What it means is that most of the sugar production is going to be concentrated in the East Berbice estates. But that in itself is a major risk. When the APNU+AFC sent home over 7,000 sugar workers, these workers resigned themselves to a fate without sugar. Albion and Blairmont were kept open but the production is not there and the workers are no longer around; they have moved on. Even if the monies could be found to reopen the closed sugar estates, the workforce is not going to be there. At present both Albion and Blairmont are struggling to find workers. Workers are not going to be found to optimise production at the working estates, much less to reopen the closed ones. Sugar is dead. It was terminally sick under the Jagdeo administration. It was left to the APNU+AFC to simply administer the last rites. The Coalition did so in a heartless manner and for this it suffered a loss at the 2020 elections. But the PPP/C is in no position to resurrect the industry. The PPP/C therefore has to look at other options to create employment in the sugar
belt. The most viable is food production. The idea has long been touted of Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) being a food production company. This idea should be developed especially since the President is now hyped on food security. The Ministry of Agriculture is harvesting swamp shrimps. This is a high-priced commodity which fetches anywhere between $9,000 per bucket to $40,000 per bucket. The majority of the locally grown swamp shrimp is sent overseas. Guyanese who live in the dispora love this shrimp which when fried turns red. There is therefore a ready market for any amount of swamp shrimp which can be produced. However, instead of allowing GuySuCo to develop the ponds and grow these shrimps, the swamp shrimp project has been handed to the private sector. But it is a lucrative commodity which can help create employment in the sugar belt and earn income for workers. We are told that government is also keen on bringing black belly sheep to Guyana. This too can be another lucrative investment for GuySuCo. GuySuCo has all the lands and waterways necessary to become a major food producer. But those who defend bourgeois interest would not wish for these commodities to be put into the hands of state workers. If the PPP/C, however, was really seriously about
Dem Boys Seh…
Fix de old before building de new De Ministry of Health biting off more dan it can chew. It announce multibillion dollar plans fuh dis year. It seh it gan start wuk pun a whole set ah new hospitals. But before it do dat, it should fix dem brucka-down hospitals wah it gat. It should start with de Georgetown Hospital. Deh gat a show call Undercover Boss weh de head of dem company
does put on disguise and go around to dem businesses to see de service dem providing. De Minister of Health should put on a disguise and walk in some of de departments of de public hospitals. De system does not work at de guvament hospitals. And before dem create mo hospitals and mo headaches fuh demselves, dem in de guvament should start addressing de shortfalls of dem hospitals wah we gat.
Dem boys seh Guyana is an oil producing country and a simple thing like CT scan yuh gat to pay fuh at dem public hospital. Dat shouldn t be happening and de only reason nuff wrang thing happening is beca use dem gat too much conflict of interest within de health system. Put yuh existing house in order before yuh acquire new ones. Talk half. Leff half.
helping the displaced sugar workers, it would put the vast acreages to work rather than taking GuySuCo lands for housing and commercial devel-
opment. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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Tuesday March 22, 2022
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Dear Sir: This is not how historians do research I
n yesterday’s column, I made passing reference to a letter in another newspaper. The composer praised a certain organisation that was active in the 1970s against the Burnham dictatorship. The missive went on to state that historians will judge this socalled civil rights groups generously and history will judge harshly those critical of the once famous group. This article here is a tame response. When I was younger I would have used a harsher judgment on this letter. I guess we all mellow with age. I rather suspect the Kaieteur News columnist Peeping Tom in his/her offering yesterday had this very subject in mind. When historians assess an organisation or a person, they use the methodology of holism. They take the entire span of existence then come to conclusions. The historians do not select which circumstances to highlight and which to obfuscate. When they do that, they write history selectively and they open their
credibility to devastation. The most exciting example of how the historians operate is Forbes Burnham. He was a complex personality with fine examples of visionary thinking way ahead of most if not all post-colonial leaders. He was also the embodiment of deep Freudian darkness. Any biography of Burnham must capture his superb futuristic plans in remoulding post-colonial Guyana and the manifestations of the demons that destroyed him. The historians will be kind to Nelson Mandela. He did not live long enough so the historians can fault him if he had supported the war in Iraq. Martin Luther King (MLK) will receive a generous biography from the historians because he did not live long enough for the historians to criticise him for admiring Black American music whose lyrics demean Black women. Of course MLK would have spoken out against such things. The historians then in the cases of Mandela and MLK do not have to do the odious thing and decide
what to highlight and what to hide. In relation to the letter written by this gentleman, he needs to understand that the organisation he praises for its activities in the 1970s have undergone transformation and this is where the historians’ work comes under scrutiny. In writing about the person or the organisation historians have to use two perspectives. One is to sift through materials not released before but currently available. Archives around the world release state documents after 30, 40, 50 years and we learn unflattering things about people. Also when people die, others publish their experience of the person. The famous actor, William Hurt died last week. Two memoirs put him down as a very violently a b u s i v e b o y f r i e n d . H u r t ’s biographer will have to take these women’s accusations when he/she writes about the legacy of Hurt. The other perspective is the present-day functionalism of the entity or the person. The historian when they write, they have to look at the entire years
of activism not selected periods. So we come to the organisation that was praised in a letter in the press last week. The entire commentary was about what this group did when Guyana was in the throes of dictatorship in the seventies. Many, many Guyanese made phenomenal sacrifice in that very period. Many are alive today and their presence is visible around us. Many of them have stayed true to the things they believe in, one of which is priceless – the right to vote and have that vote counted. I am no young man. I don’t want to be young again. But I was around in the entire two decades of the seventies and eighties. I have seen people who stood up courageously and defend that right. And in the 21st century for whatever psychic reason, they went through a transformation process. They have changed entirely and their activism is now open to question. Many of those persons I knew, up, close and personal. Our friendship is dead. They supported rigged elections in March 2020
Frederick Kissoon and still do. How can you say the historians must only concentrate on what they did when they were part of a broad anti-dictatorship movement 50 years ago? What happened to this very moment now, right now in the 21st century? The March 2020 election has been a turning point in the contemporary history of Guyana. Too many people that we expected to help save Guyana did not. I believe those people will never be seen with positive eyes any longer. The organisation that gentleman wrote about falls into this category. The columnist Peeping Tom is right. He/she wrote that the organisation in failing to condemn election rigging in the 21st century has met its Waterloo. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Tuesday March 22, 2022
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Tuesday March 22, 2022
Better integration of science into policy-making needed to protect Guyana’s marine environment - as marine manager portal becomes available to Guyana
G
uyana has been urged to ensure the employment of scientific research in policy making to ensure a meaningful balance between the environment and oil production development here. With insufficient research, a report from the Global Fishing Watch has stated, that it would be difficult to project the impacts of human activity in Guyana’s marine space. T h e w e b s i t e (https://globalfishingwatch. org/) which is a partnership between non-profit organisations Oceana and SkyTruth, recently featured HananLachmansingh, a volunteer for the Guyana Marine Conservation Society who pointed out that, “Transparent policy, clear and actionable data and significant analysis are needed to ensure a balance can be reached between oil wealth and a fragile ocean.” Lachmansingh said in her February report that while Guyana is poised to undergo significant economic growth, the effects of this growth go beyond the immediate marine environment surrounding offshore drilling. Despite these concerns, she said that there has been
little research and investment in Guyana’s marine environment, due to a lack of awareness and resources. The report highlighted that there is now an urgent need for better integration of science into policy-making. “Lacking baseline research, it is difficult to project the impacts of anthropogenic activity in Guyana’s marine space.” She noted that by providing dynamic, interactive marine data in near real-time, the Global Fishing Watch Marine Manager, whichprovides the world’s first global view of commercial fishing activities, supports the design, management and monitoring of marine protected areas. Lachmansingh noted that, in Guyanese waters, the marine manager portal has highlighted a steep increase of marine vessel traffic related to Guyana’s growing oil and gas sector. As documented in a report on this issue, 36 percent of all vessels observed in Guyanese waters were potentially connected to the oil extracting sector, with an increase of 38 percent in numbers of oil-related vessels observed between 2015 and 2020. Additionally, an increase
of 227 percent in oil-related activity was observed between 2018 and 2020. Further research using the marine manager portal is now under way to assess the potential impacts this increase in ships and activity might have for Guyana’s marine life. In the meantime, “A report was presented to the Minister of Agriculture in 2021 to inform and demonstrate how to use the marine manager portal to monitor Guyana’s exclusive economic zone.” Global Fishing Watch said that it has its sights set on helping to ensure that marine life is not left behind in the new rush to exploit oil and gas. “The non-profit organisation has been a key partner in collecting baseline environmental and human activity data for Guyana to support better management and protection of its water by working with local agencies and NGOs to facilitate marine science research.” The monitoring body said that Guyana’s marine environment is home to sperm whales, pygmy killer whales, dolphins, marine turtles, sharks and more than 900 species of fish, some of which support the local artisanal and industrial fisheries sector. “For a long time, knowledge of these
species was based on strandings, their presence in neighbouring countries and accounts from fishermen, and the first extensive expedition and survey of Guyana’s marine area which was only conducted in late 2021. This is a great start to understanding what marine species are present and therefore at risk as Guyana begins to extract its oil riches.” Beyond obvious benefits from Guyana’scoastal and marine environments, the report said that local, Indigenous and other fishers depend on fisheries in the rivers and ocean for food and livelihood—the artisanal, industrial and semiindustrial fisheries sector of Guyana contributes approximately $8.3 billion GYD to the gross domestic product and employs over 15,000 people. C u r r e n t l y, l o c a l fishermen are concerned over what they say are low catches which they are attributing to ExxonMobil’s oil operations offshore. However, proper research to determine same is yet to be made available. The non-profit organisation said that there is also a leading concern that, although there is a national oil spill contingency plan,
During an August 2021 meeting with members of the Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS) to discuss areas of collaboration on fisheries research, and other partnerships, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha received a hardcopy of the report “The Impacts of a Growing Oil and Gas Sector on Guyana’s Marine Vessel Traffic from 2015 to 2020" from Ms. HananLachmansingh the capacity building to ensure its execution requires specialised training and equipment that is not readily available in Guyana. “Moving forward, Guyana needs to prioritise training the members of its oil spill response committee and other relevant institutions to ensure there is a mechanism
that will protect Guyana’s land and sea resources, should the need arise. Without research to quell fears—and with a lack of t r u s t i n t h e government—many people seem worried that the promised riches of the oil industry may skip them and bring only detriment.”
Former Region Five REO ‘wanted’ by PAC - Committee seeks answers for financial irregularities
Former REO of Region Five, Ovid Morrison. Former Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Five, Ovid Morrison, is wanted by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to provide answers in relations to the financial
irregularities found in the 2017 and 2018 audit reports. Morrison, who is said to have been out of the jurisdiction, was the REO for Region Five under the previous A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance
For Change (APNU+AFC) government. During the PAC meeting on Monday, it was noted that when the former REO was in place, there were issues over the misuse of budgeted funds for payment of staff as well as prepayment for water and other services. An audit examination of the payroll for January to December 2017 revealed that amounts totalling $4.425M were paid to 58 contracted employees of which 16 are eligible to be transferred to the pensionable establishment. Further, it was noted that the Regional Administration continued to hire employees on a contractual basis with 14 such persons being offered employment during 2017. In addition, some $1.477 billion was budgeted for employment costs for a
staff complement of 1,071. As of 31 December, 2018, however, amounts totalling $1.474 billion were expended which meant that there was an issue of overbudgeting for staff. T h e R e g i o n a l Administration of Region Five, led by the current REO, Genevieve Blackman, made an appearance before the PAC on Monday, but the team could not provide clarity to several financial irregularities flagged by the Auditor General in the 2017 and 2018 audits. Blackman told the PAC that she could not answer several of the questions put to her since she was not the REO during 2017 and 2018. She noted too that she was given the courtesy of a proper hand over from the previous REO Morrison. As
such, Blackman diverted several questions to the Audit Office representatives present at the meeting. When the answers seem unsatisfactory, Members of Parliament (MPs) spent several minutes in a debate over the inability of the Region Five REO to respond to questions. Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill told the Committee that he believes that enough was not done to make contact with the previous REO. Blackman had explained that based on information from the Police Commissioner, Morrison was not in the jurisdiction between November and December 2021. The REO could not give an update about the current whereabouts of Morrison, as no further efforts were made
to determine this. As such, members of the Committee, including Edghill, said they do not believe that it was logical to have questions posed when the current REO could not answer. Towards the end of the meeting, APNU+AFC MP Ganesh Mahipaul, who was chairing the meeting at the time, explained that the regional administration would be given more time to meet with the Auditor General, the Accountant General and the Finance Secretary so that the PAC can be accurately informed. Mahipaul said it is hoped that at the next PAC meeting with the Region Five Administration, the team would be in a better position to respond to questions, and the previous REO would be helpful to the process.
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Tuesday March 22, 2022
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Brothers fearful after ‘village bully’s’ violent attacks By Shervin Belgrave
T
wo brothers who reside at D-Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown are now living in fear after near death encounters with a bully in their community. One of them, 20-year-old Mawanza Clarke, was on Wednesday afternoon almost shot to the head at close range by the bully identified only as “Omari”. Realising that it was a “life and death” situation, he managed to relieve his attacker of his gun and gave him a sound thrashing before running all the way to the Turkeyen Police Station. Relating the incident to Kaieteur News on Sunday was Clarke’s elder brother, Anthony Clarke, who was almost stabbed to death by the same individual some two weeks ago. Anthony said, “ My brother’s exact words to me that afternoon was ‘bro you coulda come home and find me dead this afternoon, I was scared for my life but I had to bottle the fear and try meh best to save meh life, I seh is do or die’.” Clarke was attacked during the late afternoon hours while riding home from work on his bicycle. Anthony said that his brother
recalled that as he was riding he heard someone say, “ d o n ’t m o v e ” . C l a r k e reportedly stopped but when he turned around he saw the bully standing with a gun. The next thing Clarke reportedly remembered is trying to save himself from being shot but after the attacker pointed the gun to his head he decided to throw caution to the wind and fight for survival. Clarke’s encounter with the gunman was captured by CCTV cameras mounted on a nearby building and was later uploaded to the Facebook. The footage shows Clarke trying to walk around his attacker slowly while using his bicycle as a shield. The gunman, however, continued to charge at him and suddenly pointed the gun to Clarke’s head. Clarke somehow managed to retaliate quickly by dropping his bicycle and grabbing the gunman’s arm with the weapon and wrestled him to the ground. Although the attacker’s resistance was fierce, Clarke dealt him several blows with his hands and used his knees and body weight to pin him to the ground. After taking possession of the weapon, Clarke got up
and ran away, leaving behind his bicycle and the attacker who was seen struggling to get back on his feet. The attacker recovered and rode away on another bicycle that was parked beside the road. Anthony told Kaieteur News that his brother had sprinted to the Turkeyen Police Station where he lodged the weapon and made a report. Omari, the bully, was later arrested by police ranks and taken into custody. It is unclear if the suspect is still in custody. The past two days, when Kaieteur News made contact with the relevant authorities, the response was that no one was in a position to give an update on the matter. In the meantime, the brothers are fearful for their lives since this is not the first time the suspect has attempted to kill one of them. In fact, on the day that Clarke was attacked with the gun, it is alleged that the suspect was also looking to end Anthony’s life as well. The bully is said to be the leader of a gang. Some two weeks ago he and 12 men had barged into the brothers’ yard and attacked them with a knife and an ice pick. Recounting the experience, Anthony said, “I was talking with my brothers
in the yard and then one of them seh ‘Anthony run!’…when I look back he done deh up under me with the knife.” Anthony said that the suspect fired a chop at him with the knife and he barred with his hand. His right index finger was almost severed during the attack. “Bleeding,” continued Anthony, “I turned and ran away without looking back.” He said that he ran to a nearby health centre where his friend was working to seek medical attention. After being treated, he reportedly made his way to the Turkeyen Police Station where he reported the incident. The suspect was arrested but was released from custody the following day and reportedly started hunting for Anthony to kill him. Kaieteur News understands that the suspect was released on station bail while ranks investigated the matter. Asked why the suspect seem bent on causing them harm, Anthony related that he is a known bully and part of a criminal gang. He claimed that the suspect’s plan to kill them began on the same he was almost stabbed to death.
Anthony Clarke who was almost stabbed to death by the suspect two weeks ago. “I was in the yard with by brothers when he was riding past on a bicycle. I noticed him watching me aggressively and I said to one of my brothers, ‘is why he watching me like that?’” Anthony told Kaieteur News. According to Anthony, the suspect overheard his remark and got offended by it. “He turn back on his bicycle and walked up to us and seh, ‘is wuh you seh deh, I could watch anybody I want’ and he start to carry on,” Anthony related.
The two became involved in an argument and as things escalated, one of A n t h o n y ’s b r o t h e r s intervened. The suspect was then chased away from their premises but before he left he reportedly threatened to return and kill Anthony. Eight minutes later he returned with a group of 12 men to follow through with his threat. Moreover, Anthony is pleading with law enforcement to assist him since it seems that the suspect will not stop “until he kills us.”
Orinduik Block holding estimated 8.1B barrels of oil - Report
Map showing the location of the Orinduik Block
Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd., the exploration company focused on the offshore Atlantic Margins, was pleased to disclose on Monday that it updated its Competent Person’s Report (CPR) on its assets Offshore Guyana, Namibia and South Africa. Kaieteur News understands that the CPR was compiled by WSP USA Inc., of Boulder Colorado, USA, an independent thirdparty auditor and can be found on the company’s website. With respect to its Guyana asset, the main one being Orinduik Block, it was noted that the concession carries a best estimate of 8.1 billion barrels of unrisked oil and gas liquids along with 6.8 billion cubic feet of gas. It was observed from the report that 681 million barrels of oil and 544 billion cubic feet of gas are net to Eco. C o l i n K i n l e y, C o Founder and Chief
Operating Officer of Eco Atlantic noted that given the company’s current strategy for increasing stakeholder asset base, it has focused solely on strategic acquisitions that can add material and near-term growth and catalysts for the company. Kinley said, “The addition of the Azinam assets in Namibia and South Africa has quickly added prospective resources to our portfolio. As we work towards the completion of our recently announced binding term sheet to acquire JHI’s 17.5 percent interest in the Canje Block offshore Guyana plus the maturation of additional resources currently being interpreted from ongoing 3D processing in Block 3B/4B we expect to see even further growth of the portfolio from here in the coming months.” Importantly, Kinley said Eco’s acquisitions and strategy to deliver mature drillable prospects in the
near term is driven in part by the current heated energy market, the reduction in worldwide exploration, and the marked cycling it anticipates through energy transition in the coming years. The COO said Eco has the capacity to participate and provide strategic value accretion through the drill b i t . “ … We a r e a l s o confidently progressing towards drilling in Orinduik Block offshore Guyana, subject to available funding, and look forward to confirming a drill target and timing with our partners in the coming months,” Kinley stated. Assuming the acquisition of JHI, one of the original Canje Block owners, completes as planned in the coming months, Kinley said this acquisition will also provide Eco with the opportunity to participate in a number of targets on the Canje Block as (Continued on page 16)
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WANTED Two(2) housekeepers to work at guest house,age 25-45 shift system.Call:668-0306/6557405. Wanted skilled carpenters, masons & labourers to work in GeorgeTown & Linden. Contact: 657-5800 / 615-7526/ 602-9469/ 660-6385. VEHICLE FOR SALE One Honda CRV,fully loaded immaculate condition, low mileage 3.3M negotiable. Contact:649-0956.
PROPERTY FOR SALE
2 porters.Call:223-9677.
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Live in or out waitress, boarding & lodging free, $20,000 wkly 18-25yrs. Tel:610-3974.
Transportedproperty Montrose, E.C.D, 6 million down, 3 years to pay balance. No Bank. Call: 661-5099
SERVICES Massages and Rehabilitation physical preparation personalized training. Bachelor in Physical Education and Sports: Kirenia Ballard Bell.Call:669-6910. Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design,Advertisements, Wedding decorations & Elderly grooming: Hair,Nail etc.Tel:626-7040.
Commercial foreign used convection oven, 240V. Call: 681-1312.
LAND FOR SALE 48 acres of transported rice land situated in Goodhope, East Bank Essequibo. Contact:1-917-807-6424/688-9077.
2 pure breed german shepherd, black & tan seven wks old,fully vaccine. Contact: 650-9998 or 626-0953.
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EDUCATION Music Lessons - Individual Tuition, Learn to play the Piano & Trumpet, learn to read & write music. Contact:6503686.
Swimming Pool family fun & Picnic-Crystal Clear pool, kids & adult sections. Safe Aracari Resort.Tel:264-29469.
Male cleaner.Call:642-9823. 2 professional nail technician & one make up artist,location Grove E.B.D.Call:652-5800.
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For auto body work men and apprentice. Contact: 6421070. Pitmen,Serviceman,Hauler Operator and Welder for interior location.Applicants must be experienced. Call:2312250. One female to work in Mobile food van.Contact:689-4339.
WANTED Masoner& Labourers. Please contact Damion on 681-9554.
ENTERTAINMENT
One clerk for TSI Eccles office English & Maths, grade 1 or 2.Call:615-9132 or email application to techserigy @ yahoo.com
Driver/Expediter to work with Hardware store. Contact Seema on 226-9416.
FOR RENT Restaurant-WBD,(Aracari Resort,between Harbor Bridge and Vreed-en-Hoop, turn key business. Tel:2642946,626-5290.
Maid to cook and clean for East Bank area. Call:615-9132
One experienced Welder/ Fabricator and one female cashier.Call:231-1408/6429191.
2-1 acres land@ blankenbu rg W.C.D. Contact:650-0402/ 652-0251. 1-40 acres land@Linden Highway.Contact:650-0402/ 652-0251.
1 male office assistant, knowledge of office duties from E.B.D.Tel:225-9304.
VACANCY
FOR SALE
Prime Business Spot, located at Zeelugt public road,3 storey building & 1/2 acres at Parika.Call:650-0402/6520251/260-4115.
1 mechanic welder.Driving would be an asset.Tel:6189186.
Great Diamond,Tuschen, Onderneeming, Haslington, Eccles & more.Contact:2278274/223-6035/673-6210.
In Elaine’s Ville,next to the Providence Stadium, E.B.D, size (100x135) gated community. Contact Sarge:659-4333.
6-Cement Mixer Truck,1-New loader.Contact650-0402/6329929 or 260-4115.
Tuesday March 22, 2022
Kaieteur News
One male able bodied clerk.Tel:225-2313/226-1497. Person to cook and manage restaurant in Charity Esse quibo.Accomodation provided, attractive salary. Call: 223-5273/223-5274.
WB Cleaning & Janitorial Services,hiring male & female age 25-40yrs.Tel:698-3644/ 503-2502. For person to straighten wheel and assemble bicycle, apply in person at Alabama Trading,65 Robb St Bourda.
Mason charged for allegedly killing... From page 8 appearance at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate, Fabayo Azore where the capital charge of murder was read to him. Persaud was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that on March 13, last at Lot 143 Phase Two, Good Hope, ECD he murdered 30year-old Chavez Mangal. Magistrate Azore remanded the young man to prison and the matter was adjourned to May 13, 2022 for statements. It was reported that on the night of March 13, 2022 the fatal stabbing was perpetrated by a group of uninvited guests. Kaieteur News was told it was Mangal’s younger sister who got married that day and it was at the groom’s residence that he was allegedly stabbed. One of the dead man’s sisters had told this publication that while everyone was enjoying themselves, there was a group of young men who were picking trouble with some girls on the dance floor. She related that the young men are from the Good Hope area but they were not invited to the wedding. “There were these young guys there by the music set drinking and touching girls as
they dance,” the woman explained. According to her, it was one of her cousins and the young men who had an altercation after that. The woman said when the fight broke out, the men started to pelt beer bottles at each other, causing the guests at the wedding to run and hide. Kaieteur News was told that Mangal was stabbed while trying to be a peacemaker between his cousin and the group of young men. After he got stabbed, he reportedly ran into the kitchen where he collapsed, and it was one of his sisters that discovered that he was injured and rushed him to the hospital. A police report stated that it was one of the suspects who was at the DJ booth at the time, that pulled a knife from his waist and stabbed the GDF rank to his right upper chest. An eyewitness who related the stabbing incident to police was also injured during the ordeal. Similar to what Mangal’s sister told this newspaper, the police reported that the four young men had armed themselves with glass bottles and had thrown the bottles at the building, after which they ran away. The report also states that
the 24-year-old DJ who had exited the yard during the commotion, was confronted by one of the suspects who chopped him to his left hand and robbed him of a Mac Pro Book laptop computer valued some $130,000. The injured DJ was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was examined and admitted. According to police, Mangal, who was rushed to the Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital, succumbed to his injuries around 01:00hrs on Monday, March 14. Mangal, who worked in the army for about 10 years, resided at Enterprise Garden, ECD and was described as a loving and caring person. It was reported that Persaud was arrested about five houses away from where the incident occurred. According to reports, he was searched and ranks found two knives and a scissors in his pants waist. The suspect had visible injuries to his forehead, left hand and body. He was questioned about his injuries and reportedly told police that he was at the wedding house and was attacked. Kaieteur News was told that the three other suspects involved in the brawl are still in hiding and investigations are ongoing.
Orinduik Block holding estimated 8.1B... From page 15 prospects are matured by ExxonMobil. ABOUT ECO Eco Atlantic is an oil and gas exploration company with offshore licence interests in Guyana, Namibia, and South Africa. Eco has often
PENPAL Female seeking male,any age.Call:666-8669.
said it aims to deliver material value for its stakeholders through its role in the energy transition to explore for low carbon intensity oil and gas in stable emerging markets close to infrastructure. Offshore Guyana in the proven Guyana-Suriname Basin, the company holds a 15 percent Working Interest in the 1,800 km2 Orinduik Block operated by Tullow Oil. In Namibia, the Company holds Operatorship and an 85
percent Working Interests in four offshore Petroleum Licences: PEL’s: 97, 98, 99 and 100 representing a combined area of 28,593 km2 in the Walvis Basin. Offshore South Africa, Eco will soon become designated Operator and hold a 50 percent working interest in Block 2B, and a 20 percent Working Interest in Blocks 3B/4B operated by Africa Oil Corp., totalling some 20,643 km2.
Tuesday March 22, 2022
Kaieteur News
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Guyana playing with danger if it opts out of CARICOM Treaty obligations... From page 3 Dispute Settlement Mechanism, to establish a Working Group of Heads of Government to consider the matter or to request an Advisory Opinion from the CCJ. Any of these could spare us the poisonous debate to which we have been subjected,” the Advisor on Borders stated.
W h a t i s t h e R e v i s e d Tre a t y o f Chaguaramas? This Treaty provides inter alia, for integration of efforts in economic matters, co-ordination of foreign policies and functional cooperation in a list of areas including labour administration and industrial relations and social security among subscribing states. The Treaty of
Chaguaramas established the Caribbean Community and Common Market, popularly known as CARICOM. It was signed on 4 July 1973 in Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago. It was signed by Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. It came into effect on 1 August 1973. The 15 CARICOM member states
and signatories to the Treaty as follows: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat (a British overseas territory in the Leeward Islands), Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday March 22, 2022
Tuesday March 22, 2022
Kaieteur News
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Tuesday March 22, 2022
Kaieteur News
West Berbice clubs benefit from Fiazal Jaferally MP Trust Fund - Jaferally hails cricket development in the county as unmatched Representatives of the clubs pose after the presentation with BCB President Hilbert Foster, Member of Parliament Faizal Jafferally and WBCA President David Black.
“You are a true friend of Berbice cricket and I am very proud to work along with you to improve the level of the game in the county especially in the West Berbice area. You are an inspiration to us in the BCB and I look forward to working with you in the future to make sure that all our players are given the equal opportunity to develop themselves. West Berbice cricket is on the move and you are one of the main reasons for this.” Those were sentiments expressed by BCB President Hilbert Foster as he addressed a simple ceremony at the Cotton Tree Ground to
launch the first edition of the Faizal Jaferally MP Trust Fund. The fund is sponsored by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Member of Parliament and targets the development of clubs in the West Berbice area. Foster stated that he had approached the pro-active Member of Parliament for assistance in getting the fund set up and had received a positive reply in less than twelve hours. He stated that one of the main objectives of his administration is to assist clubs as much as possible to fulfill their mandate of produc-
ing high class players who would go on to represent the county, Guyana and the West Indies. He recalled that clubs and players in the area have benefitted from a wide range of items from the BCB and the RHTYSC, MS under his leadership. The items included cricket gears, cricket balls, catching cribs, grass cutters, bicycles, scorebooks, uniforms, educational grants, school bags, educational materials and water pitchers among others. Numerous players have also benefitted from their own personal gears and from the board’s comprehensive
coaching programmes. The BCB President also unveiled plans for the legendary Sir Andy Roberts’ visit to the area shortly as West Berbice is well known for its tradition of fast bowling. He expressed thanks to Mr Jaferally for his continuing support of his administration. The MP has also sponsored a cricket tournament on an annual basis in the area and assisted to attract other sponsors on board. Mr Foster used the opportunity to announce that several other tournaments are on the cards for the area, including two other seniors, under15 and under23 competitions. In addition, the BCB would be expanding its coaching programme in the area and offering even more assistance to players. A total of twenty four youth players from West Berbice would soon receive a piece of personal gear, while thirty would benefit from computer training in a joint project with the Office of the Prime Minister. Mr Jaferally, in well received remarks, stated that he was very pleased with the current development of cricket under the administration of Hilbert Foster, who he described as a visionary and transparent leader. He committed himself to assisting Berbice cricket as much as possible once Foster remains in charge and also hailed the leadership of David Black in
the West Berbice area. He urged the BCB and the West Berbice Cricket Association to host a special awards ceremony for the area and committed himself to donating five laptops to outstanding students who would be selected by the BCB in a transparent way. Each of the team received a box of red cricket balls, a pair of wicketkeeping gloves along with a pair of inners. The Rose Hall Town Youth and
Sports Club also handed over a scorebook to each of the clubs present at the meeting. Among the clubs that benefitted were Bath, Cotton Tree, Achievers, Bush Lot Sports Club, Bush Lot Rising Stars, Paradise and DEdward. The BCB also handed over a box of cricket balls and a scorebook to the Fort Wellington Secondary School while the Cotton Tree Primary School collected a cricket nursery kit.
Nandu (60), Looknauth...
Rikhi on drives Fudadin at Everest yesterday. (Sean Devers photo) From page 21 more back-to-back games. Rikhi, who has two ODIs for the USA and Jacobs who played 50 First-Class and represented the West Indies
‘A’ team before playing for the USA, will be guests on tonight’s ‘Sean Devers Sports Watch’ Radio Programme from 8-9pm on Kaieteur Radio.
Tuesday March 22, 2022
Priyanna Ramdhani...
ACS Guyana tour
Nandu (60), Looknauth (3-7) spur Everest to 6-Wkt win ACS loose first game…face Guyana 1X today at Everest By Sean Devers West Indies U-19 skipper Matthew Nandu stroked an accomplished 60 after off spinner Richie Looknauth captured 3-7 from five overs to lead Everest to a commanding six-wicket victory at Everest yesterday over the touring American Cricket Society (ACS) team. In the wonderful setting of the Everest ground, a stone throw away from mighty Atlantic Ocean, the home team broke the three- match win-
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Kaieteur News
ning streak of the ACS with yesterday’s win after the visitors had beaten Canal Number 2 at LBI and Enmore at Enmore and Chesney in Berbice on Sunday. In mainly overcast conditions, ACS were restricted to 129-7 in a match reduced to 25 overs due to a late start, Trinson Carmichael top scored with a typically aggressive unbeaten 31 from 26 balls with four fours and a six but only the consistent Dominique Rikhi, who missed
Sunday’s game in Berbice to relax on his birthday, reached 20 with a classy 24-ball 25 with four boundaries to follow-up his 48 and 63 in his two games. Kevin Boodie (16), Damion Jacobs (13), Orian Williams (11) and Randall Williams (10) all looked set before losing their wickets. Off-spinner Richie Looknauth was again impressive while Gudakesh Motie, bowling left-arm wrist spin, took 2-41.
Tuesday March 22, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Long-term investments, especially those involving real estate, could pay off now, Aries. If you've been thinking of buying or selling a home, this is the time to do it.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Your hard work on the job may appear to be finally paying off, Libra, as all signs indicate that a raise, promotion, or other form of advancement is coming your way.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Kicking ideas around with colleagues today could lead to planning social events and bringing important people together in order to ensure cooperation on ambitious projects.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Studying in solitude may appeal to you today, Scorpio. A new interest has captured your imagination, so you may decide to sequester yourself at home or in the library to learn about it.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A lot of paperwork, perhaps involving contracts, could lead to financial gain on the job, Gemini. You could make or save some money for your employer, which could prove important.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Memories welling up today could trigger a desire to get in touch with old friends, Sagittarius, or relatives you haven't seen in a long time.
CANCER (June 21–July 22) Today you might want to put your innate business sense into making a success of a pet project of your own. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) New discoveries that capture your imagination could find you spending most of your day sequestered in your home and learning as much as you can. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You may have plans to get together with friends, and you're probably looking forward to it. However, Virgo, delays could get in the way, although you aren't likely to let them stop you.
CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Business-oriented social events could take up a lot of your time today, Capricorn. You could either be planning or attending them. If the latter, however, it could well be more than one. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Your innate charm and good manners have brought you good relationships with both co-workers and superiors. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Work on your own projects may be very much on your mind today, Pisces. They could involve studies of some kind or the arts.
When Everest began the run-chase they lost Tagenarine Chanderpaul; caught at point cutting at leftarm spinner Carmichael for five at 6-1. Former West Indies Test Opener Rajendra Chandrika (8) and Nandu took the score to 38 before ACS’s leading wicket-taker, former Jamaican First-Class leg-spinner Jacobs had Chandrika caught and bowled to claim his 10th wicket in four matches. The left handed pair of Nandu and Askaya Persaud joined forces in an entertaining 81-run partnership with victory just a few runs away, Rikhi removed them both in the over. Nandu, who got his innings going with an imperious square-driven boundary which speed across the lush green outfield, faced 60 balls and reached the boundary five time in his 60, while Persaud’s 43 lasted 38 balls and included three four and two sixes. Former West Indies batter Assad Fudadin, who bowled an impressive spell of medium pace, finished unbeaten on 11. Today ACS face a Guyana XI in their fifth game in five days before playing three (Continued on page 20)
From page 24 several of the seeded players and beat them to the bronze medal in the 3rd place playoff.In the group stage they lost 3 out of their 5 matches but managed to secure a spot in the medal round (semi-finals). In semis they played against the No. 1 seed
Victoria Duong and Praanjal Taneja and lost 21-19, 21-18. They then played Salina He and Kathie Liu and won in a thrilling third setter 18-21, 21-16, 21-16, Priyanna playing hard and strong to secure a bronze medal for her team. This championship brings the season to a close.
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Tuesday March 22, 2022
Kaieteur News
Deo, London, Harry triumph in House of Majesty annual golf tourney Bholawram Deo, Shanella London, Bridgelall Harry were the big winners on a hot afternoon when the Lusignan Golf Club hosted the House of Majesty annual golf tournament on Saturday. The champion best net golfer was the remarkable poised Bholawram Deo – who’s playing partner, Chilean ambassador Juan Miguel, is described as a most consistent golfer. His patient approach often results in a place on the podium. London’s victory in the 0 to 9 flight was amazing because she was also a major part of the host committee. She managed to keep her composure to emerge in a deadlock with club captain Patrick Prasaud, winning first place after a count back. The full list of winners is; Best net overall- Bholawram Deo, Best Gross and Longest drive- Avinash Persaud. Nearest to the flag- Patangilee Persaud. Best Net Scores by Flight- Handicap 9 and under: 1st- Shanella London, 2ndPatrick Prasaud, 3rd- Mike Mangal, 4th- Kasim Khan Handicap 10 to 18: 1stBridgelall Harry, 2nd- David Harry, 3rd- Assrodeen Shaw, 4th- Maxim Mangra. Handicap 19 and over: 1stBholawram Deo, 2nd- Jordi Pinol, 3rd- Chet Bowling, 4thMaurice Solomon. LGC Club secretary, Chet Bowling, thanked the representatives of The House of Majesty Beacon Ministries for doing a fantastic sponsorship, creating a family oriented environment. He added that this is very important to
Shanella London (R) accepts her prize from Bishop Roxanne.
golf and is something which the Lusignan Golf Club cherishes. Bowling also thanked the members for turning out in large numbers, recognizing the most important role members play in keeping golf relevant in Guyana. Archbishop Guy Griffith spoke on behalf of the sponsor and began by paying homage to the driving force behind the House of Majesty, Pope Emanuel London. The Archbishop recognized London’s sportsmanship by listing a few of the sports disciplines he has been involved in and said he is someone who always strive to bring the best out in people. Griffith also thanked the LGC for the opportunity to sponsor. He reminded the members and attendees that Beacon Ministries has been sponsoring tournaments since 2013 and is fully intending to continue. He thanked all players and congratulated
the winners while presenting a token to all participants courtesy of Beacon Ministries. In the coming week, the Lusignan Golf Club will be sharing details of its youth outreach agenda which will take flight on April 16th. This new push is intended to begin a sustained campaign designed to give more youths access to the golf course and mentors. LGC hopes to develop the next generation of golfers to represent Guyana on the international stage. With professional golf being a very lucrative sport as well as an Olympic event, Guyanese should set our sights on achieving top status. The LGC hopes to also garner support from the government for the expansion of the club to an 18 or 27- hole professional golf course, which will greatly aid in the growth and development of golf locally.
Concacaf confirms details for 2022 Concacaf W Championship draw - Guyana to play home and away Concacaf has announced important details for the 2022 Concacaf W Championship (CWC) official draw that will see Guyana, play one match at home and one away when the April window opens. Guyana face Nicaragua on Friday April 8 at the National Track and Field Centre in Leonora from 20:00hrs then battle with rivals, Trinidad and Tobago, at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in the Twin Island Republic. The region’s eight best women’s senior national teams will compete for the W Championship title, including the United States and Canada (two highestranked nations) and six nations determined via the 2022 Concacaf W Qualifiers.
A total of 30 nations are currently participating in the W Qualifiers and will compete in the final matches during the Women’s International Match Window of April. At the conclusion of April’s window, each of the six group winners will qualify for the 2022 CWC. Guyana leads Group F with six points and a superior goal difference ahead of T&T who also have six points. Nicaragua sits third on three points while Dominica and Turks and Caicos are yet to score a point. When the top team from each group moves on, the 2022 CWC will kick off with a Group Stage. After round robin play, the top two teams in each group will move on to the semifinals and in doing
so, qualify directly to the 2023 FWWC (four teams). Meanwhile, the third placed teams in each group will qualify for a 2023 FWWC Intercontinental Playoff (two teams). The semifinals, final and third-place match will be played in a single elimination format, with the Champion qualifying for both the 2024 Paris Olympics and the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup, to be held in 2024. The runner-up and thirdplace teams will also square off in a Concacaf Olympic play-in series, scheduled for September 2023. The winner of the playin will also qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
USATF 2022 National Youth Indoor C’ships…
Kunusasha wins, improves in all events
Kunusasha Medas-King continues to destroy the competition following her magnificent performance over the weekend in the USATF 2022 National Youth Indoor Championships, hosted at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex, New York. She swept Gold in the Girls 9-10 400m, 800m and 1500m races and vastly improved her time in all three events, one week after another sparkling performance in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Indoor Track and Field National Championship at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. In the 800m event, she easily turned in the best time of the 30 competitors, 2:37.67s, comfortably claiming the top spot ahead of the closest competitor that ran 2:42.03s. Her time for the meet one week ago which she won was 2:37.90s Competing over 1500m, Medas-King was again the name to beat in a grid which featured 16 athletes. She won with a time of 5:18.28s, beating the second best time of
Kunusasha Medas-King (left) and Sean Kitt display some hardware won at the USATF National Youth Indoor Championships.
5:19.29s. This meant she improved her time by over eight seconds, with the previous event time being 5:26.82s The 400m sprint was the only race she entered with preliminary rounds. Kunusasha clocked a time of 1:10.88s in the prelims which was the second best time behind Isa Young who ran 1:07.24s. However, in the final, 1:05.27s was more than enough to win her the top spot on the podium. This time was at least
three seconds faster than a week ago when the place fourth with a time of 1:08.81s. Meanwhile, young Sean Kitt who also attended the AAU Indoor Championships competed in USATF Indoor event also. He was able to secure bronze in the 8-andunder Boys 400m but was not so fortunate when he took part in the 200m and 800m events. However, they were very commendable performances. He is now rated as among the top 10 in his age group in the 400m.
Noble House Seafoods 2-day 2nd Division tournament
Campbell’s ton takes DCC to play despite Azeeze’s 5-36 An attractive 102 from Demerara Cricket Club’s (DCC) Jadon Campbell powered DCC to the top of Zone B and a place in semi-finals of the GCA’s Noble House Seafoods two-day Second Division Competition in their drawn encounter against Transport Sports Club (DCC) over the weekend. By virtue of their first innings lead in the drawn fixture, DCC moved to 124 points. TSC batted first on the small DCC ground and fell for 183 with Myhiem Khan (48), Shiloh Adams (31) and Riyad Latif (33) getting starts without going on to big scores. DCC ended the opening day 95 without loss with Campbell and Brandon Jaikarran at the crease. They took their partnership to 188 on the second day before Jaikarran, who made 81 from 162 balls with four fours and a six, became the first of Azeem Azeeze’s five wickets. Campbell played some lovely shots before departing for 102 from 200 balls with four fours and a six. Daniel Mootoo contributed 30 and Shemar Yearwood 36 as the host reached 301 from 104.3 overs. Azeez had 5-56 and got support from Stephen Sankar who took 2-42 for TSC who were 188-3 in their second innings when play was called off on Sunday. Alvin Mohabir finished undefeated on 38, while Adams 17 and Jeremiah Hohenkirk 17 were the other batters to reach double figures. DCC will face MYO, while GCC will battle Police in the semi-finals. Although Police and Everest ended on the same points, Police advanced since they beat Everest in the preliminary rounds. (Sean Devers)
DCC’s Jadon Campbell during his century against TSC.
Tuesday March 22, 2022
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Kaieteur News
Dar helps Pakistan end 18-match World Cup losing streak - Jolts West Indies out of semis (ESPN Cricinfo) - Pakistan aced the trial by spin on a Seddon Park surface where run-making was not easy to end their record 18-match losing streak in Women’s World Cup. Playing her first match in the competition, lefthand batter Muneeba Ali scored 37 off 43 balls and helped chase down 90, with seven balls and eight wickets to spare, in a 20-overs-perside game. The win got Pakistan their first points while jolting West Indies’ chances of making the semi-finals. The last team Pakistan had beaten in a World Cup was also West Indies, back in 2009. Muneeba played out a maiden off Hayley Matthews in the first over of the chase, but soon got a measure of her, hitting the off-spinner for back-to-back fours in the third over. She also worked the offspin of Anisa Mohammed behind square on the leg side and ran well between the wickets to help Pakistan get off to a positive start. Afy Fletcher, who troubled Bangladesh in the previous game, struck immediately to dismiss Sidra Ameen, who went for a wild slog to be bowled. But Muneeba found the ropes in three out of next five overs to keep Pakistan in front at the halfway stage. Her partnership with captain Bismah Maroof also stood out for the
numerous tap-and-runs to rotate strike, something Pakistan were guilty of in their previous outings. But Shakera Selman’s introduction saw Muneeba slice a short ball to backward point. This, after she saw a catch go down as well as survive a runout chance - both off the same delivery, a ball before her dismissal. Maroof then found an ally in young Omaima Sohail, who survived some nervy moments to help Pakistan see through the chase with minimum drama, an anomaly given the number of close finishes this tournament has seen. It was the magic of Nida Dar, who picked up her careerbest ODI figures earlier, that helped Pakistan keep West Indies to 89 for 7 after a delay of over five hours due to rain and wet outfield. Deandra Dottin hit a flurry of fours in the first three overs, including three in an over off Diana Baig, after Pakistan opted to bowl. But from the other end, left-arm spinner Anam Amin, who came into the XI for Ghulam Fatima, kept it tight by bowling a maiden in the final over of the four-over powerplay. That brought about a wicket for Pakistan as Hayley Matthews top-edged one to backward point off Fatima Sana in a bid to break free.
GCC, MYO, DCC and Police advance in NBS 2nd division semis Georgetown CC, Muslim Youth Organisation, Demerara CC and Police have advanced to the semi finals of the Georgetown Cricket Association New Building Society second division 40-over competition. Meanwhile, GCC, MSC, DCC and Everest have qualified for the Noble House Sea Foods 2nd division two-day semi finals. According to Chairman of the GCA competitions committee Shaun Massiah, they are hoping to stage one of the semi final games in the NBS 40-over competition and one semi final match in the Noble House Sea Foods two-day tournament this weekend and the remaining semi finals next weekend which will be followed by the finals. Below are the points standing: NBS 2nd division 40 overs - ZONE A - GCC 136, MYO 113, UG 97, GDF 83, MSC 76, GYO 57, Diplomats 40, Third Class 13. ZONE B - DCC 124, Police 102, Everest 102, Transport SC 98, GNIC 72, SOPHIA 48, Ace Warriors 39 and Bel Air Rubis 38. NB: please note that Police and Everest ended on the same points and as such Police have advanced because they won against Everest in the preliminary round. Noble House Seafoods 2nd division ZONE A: GCC 163, MSC 113, GDF 108, GYO 106, MYO 95, GNIC 54 and Ace Warriors 29. ZONE B: DCC 148, Everest 129, Transport 114, U.G. 106, POLICE 102, Bel Air Rubis 69, Diplomats 66 and Third Class 27.
Pakistan’s Bismah Maroof (C) and Omaima Sohail (R) celebrate beating the West Indies (AFP/Michael Bradley)
Captain Maroof kept the pressure on by bowling Amin’s four overs at one go and bringing on another left-arm spin-
ner in Nashra Sandhu soon after. Dar struck with her first ball to dismiss Dottin for 27
as West Indies’ scoring rate dropped further on a surface aiding the spinners. Stafanie Taylor promoted herself up to
No. 3 but failed to have the desired impact, eventually falling for 18 off 31 to Sandhu, who delivered a wicketmaiden in the 17th over of the innings. Apart from Dottin, Taylor and Fletcher, no other West Indies batter could get into double digits as Dar ran through the middle order, picking two wickets in two balls at one point. Off-spinner Sohail also made inroads by getting one to spin past Chedean Nation to bowl her. Fletcher and Aaliyah Alleyne struck some useful blows towards the end, adding an unbroken 26 off 23 balls for the eighth wicket. But it wasn’t enough for them to notch up a fourth win that could have smoothened their passage to the semi-finals. Match details: Pakistan Women 90 for 2 (Muneeba 37, Selman 1-15) beat West Indies Women 89 for 7 (Dottin 27, Dar 4-10) by eight wickets. 20 overs per side’
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Tuesday March 22, 2022
Kaieteur News
Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association Championship 2022
Priyanna Ramdhani win Bronze in Women’s Doubles Brother Narayan finishes 4th in Men’s Singles Priyanna Ramdhani copped a bronze medal in the Women’s Double, while her
older brother Nayaran missed out on a medal after finishing fourth in the Men’s Singles
at the Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association Championship 2022 National Bad-
minton competition over the weekend. In the group stage (roundrobin) Narayan won 4 out of his 5 matches then went on to the medal round in semifinals, there he lost to Kunal Sokar 21-14, 16-21, 21-12 after a very tiring and upsetting match where several questionable calls were made which frustrated and demotivated Narayan. Notwithstanding, he went on to play for 3rd place but was not successful and lost to Yuge Zeng 21-17, 21-11. However,
Nayaran and Priyanna Ramdhani following their latest competition in Canada.
he played a good season and was awarded ACAC Athlete of the Year and the CCAA AllCanadian Award. His younger sibling,
Priyanna, played exceptionally when she and her partner Abbey Taylor came from the lower rankings and took on (Continued on page 21)
Kaieteur News
Tuesday March 22, 2022
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GAICO Grand Prix Chess Tournament underway - All matches to be live streamed Anaya Lall (left) was defeated by Oyeyipo Oluwadare.
Chlesea Juma (left) battled to a draw with Italy Ton-Chung.
O
v e r- t h e - b o a r d chess returned in a big way over the weekend with some of Guyana’s top national players competing aside up-and-coming stars in the sport in the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) organised GAICO Grand Prix Tournament which was held at the Guyana National Stadium. Intense competition got underway with the first four rounds played on Sunday and Saturday as players of all ages vied for a spot on the national team to represent Guyana at this year’s FIDE Olympiad in India. The Grand Prix initiative, the brainchild of GCF Director Loris Nathoo, is a point-based system which will aid in the selection of the best players to represent the Country. The Olympiad is an international biennial event for the sport where hundreds of countries send their best players to face off. This year’s edition was m o v e d f r o m M o s c o w, Russia to Chennai, India. The new date is yet to be announced. Adrian Roopnarine and Chess Master Anthony Drayton lead the points table on 3.5 each after four games heading into the next round. Roopnarine racked up wins against Italy TonChung, Pooja Lam and Ethan Lee, and drew his match against Drayton. He will now face Oluwadare Oyeyipo in the fifth round. A tense struggle between Drayton and Davion Mars took place on board 1 in round 4. The two showed their vast experience in the opening and their creativity in the middle game. Advantages were held by both players in an extremely imbalanced endgame. Both players’ time had
been drained after 4 hours of struggle, and the game was held afloat only by the 30second increment gifted per move. Mars’ time had unfortunately elapsed before he could move, declaring Drayton as the victor in the most grueling game of the weekend. Drayton will now face Nathoo in the next round. Oyeyipo and Keron Sandiford are currently leading for the juniors on three points each. Oyeyipo drew his matches with Jaden Taylor and Nathoo but defeated Jessica Callender and Anaya Lall. Sandiford won against Lall, Lucas Simpson and Jaden Taylor but lost to Mars. He faces Ethan Lee in the next round. Chelsea Juma is leading for females on 2.5 points after drawing her match with Taylor and defeating Arysh Raghunaugth and Italy TonChung. She faces AFM Davion Mars in the next round. For the first time, the GCF is broadcasting the games from boards one to six for each round on the internet. Spectators from Guyana and around the world can watch these games, in near real-time, on their computers, phones and other devices and participate in the emotional rollercoaster ride that comes with this glorious sport. All chess players are encouraged to pay close attention to these broadcasts since much can be learned from observing the strategies and tactics of these top players. The public can access the broadcast on the Guyana Chess Federation w e b s i t e a t www.guyanachess.org and clicking on the flyer for the tournament. The remaining four
rounds will be played over the upcoming weekend, March 26 and 27. Action will kick off at 9am on Saturday at the same venue. At the conclusion of the
tournament on Sunday, trophies will be awarded for the best female player in the tournament, as well as the top male and female junior players.
Trophies and cash prizes are up for grabs for the top three finishers in the tournament while medals will be given to 4th to 10th place finishers.
The GCF remains thankful to GAICO Construction for their continuous support towards the advancement of the sport throughout the year.