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AIETEUR NEWS

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Video surfaces of gold dealer’s execution... Tuesday Edition

Burnt car found hours after shooting on Linden Highway

March 23, 2021 - Vol. 14 No. 12 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday p. 2 113.639

THREE KILLED IN E.C.D. BACKLANDS SHOOT-OUT - 2 Mazaruni Prison escapees among casualties p. 24

Ghana’s failure to conduct proper gas-to-shore studies resulted in hundreds of millions US$$ in yearly losses p. 3

Joint services to Govt. clamps down on enforce COVID-19 illegal logging, mining p. measures p. 12 22

in Protected Areas

- persons to be charged for not wearing masks - non-compliant businesses to be penalised - as Ministry sets aside $250M for forest inventory database

K/News’ security Govt. commits to Guyana’s shore base guards remanded paying $100M lacks skilled workers to meet oil industryp. for allegedly killing advance taxes p. p. needs - GM, GYSBI 14 homeless man 17 to City Hall 16

GuySuCo sells bulk sugar for half the cost of production p. 8

- as Govt. looks to resuscitate ‘junkyard factories’ Watch out Guyana, another Ponzi Scheme heading our way. Listen to The Glenn Lall Show on Kaieteur Radio (99.1/99.5FM) @11:00hrs

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday March 23, 2021

Video surfaces of gold dealer's execution…

Burnt car found hours after shooting on Linden Highway A

s cops try their best to find the m e n w h o executed a popular gold dealer in front of the popular nightclub, Palm Court, Sunday night, footage has surfaced of the dreadful moment. Not only has the video surfaced but cops have since located a burnt out car at Swan Village on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

The car was reportedly found hours after the gold dealer's execution and is believed to be the same one his executioners used to get away from the scene.

The gunmen had emerged from a new model white Toyota Fielder and shot the g o l d d e a l e r, R i c a r d o Fagundes better known as “Paper Shorts”, at least 15

A screengrab of the video showing the men exiting the car before executing Fagundes

The car which was set ablaze and found hours after on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway

Gunned down in front of Palm Court, Ricardo Fagundes

times. The execution style killing, according to police reports, occurred around 22:00 hrs. Video footage obtained from a CCTV camera showed Fagundes exiting the nightspot located at Main Street, Georgetown, and walking towards a black Ford pick-up.

At that moment, two men armed with guns exited the backseat of the heavily tinted Toyota Fielder which was parked on the western lane of Main Street. One of them

was dressed in a white jersey and dark coloured long pants, while the other had on a white t-shirt and a light coloured short pants along with a black fanny pack, which hung around his shoulders.

They ran up to Fagundes and opened fire at him.

Fagundes attempted to run and hide behind the pick-up, but was apparently struck by bullets. He collapsed in front of the pick-up.

The gunmen then finished the execution by shooting him multiple times, while he was lying on the road. The Toyota Fielder car was seen reversing and the gunmen then ran back into the car as it

drove off in a southerly direction along Main Street.

A few seconds later two men ran out of Palm Court to check on Fagundes, who was lying on the roadway bleeding from his bullet wounds.

Kaieteur News understands that Fagundes was hanging out with some friends at Palm Court that night, when he received a phone call to meet someone outside. According to police sources, it is believed that the phone call was a trap to lure Fagundes outside to be executed.

(See video of execution here https://fb.watch/4oX74o -cPZ/)

Ministry records another COVID-19 fatality

T

he Ministry of Health (MOH) y e s t e r d a y reported the death of a 69year-old man from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), as the country's latest COVID-19 fatality.

A c c o r d i n g t o information released by the Ministry, the man died while receiving treatment. His death has been recorded as the 216th COVID-19 fatality.

Guyana has seen a notable number of COVID19 deaths being reported in the past two weeks, with a new case being recorded almost every day. In just two

weeks, 15 deaths have been reported by the Health Ministry and the only days in which deaths were not reported were March 12 and March 19. The MOH also revealed 19 new infections via its daily dashboard update yesterday, increasing the cases to 9,668.

The dashboard shows that 11 patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care U nit, another 11 in institutional quarantine, 63 in institutional isolation and 856 in home isolation.

Additionally, a total of 8,522 persons have recovered to date with 24 new recoveries recorded yesterday.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 23, 2021

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Ghana’s failure to conduct proper gas-to-shore studies resulted in hundreds of millions US$$$ in yearly losses

D

emocracy does not begin and e n d w i t h elections. In every liberal democracy, taxpayers have the right to be part of every level of governance. They have the right to demand their government provide clear justification for their plans.

This is because, with every transaction a government makes, it is either spending the people’s money or building up debt on the people’s backs. The case is no different when it comes to the heavily touted gas-toshore project.

Guyana is not even aware of what it will cost to develop this behemoth of a project. Yet, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has personally decided that it is not important for Guyana to conduct an independent study of the financial viability of this project.

Whether Guyana will allow the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to saddle its back with a project likely to cost US$1B, on the hunch of one man, remains to be seen.

Kaieteur News will show how one West African c o u n t r y ’s f a i l u r e t o comprehensively study its intended gas-to-shore project resulted in massive gains for energy companies, but hundreds of millions in annual losses for its taxpayers.

Ghana’s experience The Republic of Ghana was blessed with massive gas reserves – the Sankofa gas field. In determining what to do with it, Ghana must have seen the decision as a no-brainer. With a population of over 25 million people at the time, the then government figured it needed to bring gas to shore to lift millions out of

Ghana’s former Finance Minister, Seth Terkper

poverty and revolutionize its energy sector.

In support of the Sankofa gas project, the World Bank said Ghana “has suffered macroeconomic shocks in recent years – partly due to challenges being faced by the country’s power sector.

A combination of water shortages for hydropower, erratic gas supplies from external sources, and delays in the development of domestic gas resources and new power plants have led to frequent power outages that have affected the poor the most.”

The project could not have come at a better time, so Ghana was eager to deliver a mega-project to help those who were below the poverty line.

Ghana’s then Finance Minister, Seth Terkper, had said the project would help shape the country’s energy sector for the next 20 years.

“This project is an essential element of the drive towards consolidating our middle income status, and will help secure our natural gas resources for a more affordable and reliable power supply,” Terkper had stated. “This will help boost economic activity and generate more jobs for Ghanaians.”

Does this sound familiar? Here’s what happened next.

An independent policy centre called Institute of the Americas pointed out in a

report last year that, after suffering frequent power outages, Ghana was able to use the Sankofa project to reduce power costs, lower emissions and make electricity services more reliable.

According to the World Bank, since the startup of the project, Sankofa resulted in the provision of power to 1.6

million households, decreased oil imports by 12 million barrels a year, and reduced carbon emission by 1.6 million metric tons.

However, there were adverse effects, which have rendered Ghana’s energy sector unsustainable.

Ghana signed a longterm take-or-pay Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with gas and power suppliers, through which it would have to pay for a significant portion of the produced gas from the field, no matter the demand, Kathryn Hillis, the author of the report, wrote.

“In an environment of

frequent power outages where a large portion of the population lacks access to electricity, this seemed like an ideal arrangement,” the Institute of the Americas report stated. However, the market is now severely oversupplied, with the government paying hundreds of million annually for unused power.

As a result of the take-orpay provision, Ghana was billed US$250M for unused gas in 2019. To put this into perspective, the Petroleum Commission of Ghana said in a July report that Ghana’s Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF) received US$925 million in oil revenues.

That means Ghana’s bill for its unused gas amounted to more than a quarter of the revenue it got from

petroleum in that year.

Ghanaians are also reported as arguing that the tariffs in the Power Purchase Agreement are not competitive, causing the government to overpay for power.

Recognizing that the energy sector is not financially sustainable, the current administration responded by creating the Energy Sector Recovery Programme (ESRP) to identify the policies and actions needed to recover the sector financially.

The programme would have to scramble to find uses for all the extra gas and work

on ensuring fairer agreements in the future.

Part of the programme involved having Cenpower, a major power company in Ghana, switch its primary fuel consumption from light crude to natural gas. Hillis said that Ghana will need to do a lot more to find off take sources for the gas, because the company’s switch is nowhere near enough.

The Institute said that Ghana is in this situation because it did not s u ff i c i e n t l y s t u d y t h e project. Ghana failed to properly assess its energy demand, and is now up to its neck in annual losses.

Institute of the Americas is not the first institution to have spoken out about the Ghana project.

The Bretton Woods Project, a UK based nongovernmental organization, was formed to challenge the work of the World Bank and the International Monetary F u n d ( I M F ) o n development, usually in the areas of the environment, human rights and democratic governance.

It said that Ghana’s offshore gas is rapidly becoming a fiscal burden amidst the country’s debt crisis, and that this raises questions about the role of the World Bank in the country’s gas development.

It said that the publicprivate partnership (PPP) for the project is backed by a total of US$1.2 billion in World Bank guarantees and debt financing.

As early as 2015, Ghana Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), like the African Centre for Energy Policy, criticized the contract’s terms as unfavourable.

The Bank has noted the considerable criticism in the media for the development, and the perception that the petroleum companies supported by the bank were

just exploiting the resources for their own benefit.

The bank said that part of the economic benefits of the development project will not be realised immediately.

Bretton Woods also pointed out in a 2017 article that over 150 CSOs have called on the World Bank and the IMF to stop their aggressive support for PPPs because the CSOs have recognized significant risks where these projects are concerned.

Bretton Woods said that PPPs have potential serious negative consequences, such as their fiscal impact through the creation of legal obligations for governments to make payments only if particular events occur, such as the take-or-pay provision in Ghana’s Sankofa contract.

The CSOs made their call in a manifesto, which called for “those concerned with justice, equality, sustainability and human rights” to instead push for publicly funded, democratically controlled, accountable public services.

The Guyana Situation ExxonMobil has made 18 commercial hydrocarbon discoveries since 2015, amounting to nine billion oil-equivalent barrels. About 20 percent of that is natural gas. Deciding what to do with it is a big decision. The PPP/C has decided to bring it to shore.

The former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change ( A P N U + A F C ) administration had wanted to do the same.

However, it was voted out of office last year after lording over the negotiation of a disgraced Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil. It had also failed to audit billions of US (continued on page 21)

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Tuesday March 23, 2021

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

NO BRAINER According to Guyana’s Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, the financial feasibility of the gas-to-shore project favoured for Wales is a “no brainer” (KN March 21). We at this paper have no problems with anyone making any claim that something is a “no brainer,” and not when such comes from a figure as this country’s Vice President. But not because he said so, and only he says so, that Guyanese must take his word for it. The reality should be far from such, as circumstances have often proved, where the Vice President is concerned.

It may be an overwhelmingly huge matter for what those citizens, disagreeable Guyanese, the Vice President may readily think of, as not having, what he described as necessary to understand completely the financial feasibility of the proposed gas-to-shore project at Wales. The Vice President spoke of “Any sensible person with a modicum of sense, a tiny brain, even a residual brain, would understand that.”

Understand what, Mr. Vice President? There is nothing to understand when the Vice President has been the sinkhole of secrecy, with everything related to the project, known to him and him alone. Since it is so simple that even an imbecile or an addict, or a child, can understand the financial feasibility of this much-hailed gas-to-shore project, then it is mandatory that the Vice President shares with Guyana all that is behind this project, all that has gone into his insistence that this is a viable project, and all that is relevant to the project be put on the table for full public viewing, full public analysing, and full public commenting.

For the edification of Mr. Jagdeo, we are willing to admit that we may be lumped among those he scorns for disagreeing with him and standing against him. But give the nation the fullness of the facts on the project, and we can be converted. Since there is this profound leadership wisdom, this grand financial expertize, then we now challenge the Vice President to share the entire extent of the underpinnings of this project, in all elements and essentials, with nothing concealed. Then we can all make our own judgments and agree or disagree with what the Vice President presents in a manner that brooks neither interest in clarification nor patience with the protesting.

For emphasis: it cannot be so, just because he said so. It cannot be accepted as truth coming from God, because the Vice President has spoken from the perch that pleases him.

Since this gas-to-shore project is so financially feasible and nationally viable, then there should be no need to hide anything related to it. Not a single document or development ought to be sealed; after all, it is the oil wealth, and all of its rich related features belong to the people of Guyana. It is their property, and they have the first claim on every scrap of information about it, with nothing withheld.

We must be clear: we are neither impressed nor intimidated by the Vice President and his representations in friendly circles and before applauding audiences. It was he, who knew so much that we didn’t, that he misinformed the Guyanese people on that small matter about how much gas was being flared into the atmosphere. Billions of cubic feet of gas flared may be “tiny” and “small” to Vice President Jagdeo’s mind, but those billions are big for us. And though the Vice President has converted bullying into personal standard, we are not intimidated either.

He may try to ram down the throats of Guyanese, and shame them into believing that their minds are “tiny” and “small” for not grasping what he titillates with, when he exposes that little seductive flesh about, “If you are generating power at $12 or $13 per kilowatt hour with the current price of fossil fuel…if you can supply power at $7 or $8 per kilowatt hour, a mad man would make the decision to do so….”

What the Vice President did there is what those engaged in a certain kind of nighttime street work do: they show some flesh to lure. Sooner than later, they have to deliver the real deal, and they do. Thus, in response to that disdainful question from the VP: “What else do you need?”

We say show the whole thing. Bare and bring forward all the secret attractions. The stated costs, and the hidden costs, those have come back to haunt us and hurt in project after project overseen by the Vice President when he was

The state media has a continuing problem with basic language use Dear Editor, Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs within the Office of the Prime Minister (NCN, GNNL which produces the Guyana Chronicle and the Department of Public Information (DPI)), Kwame McCoy, emphatically stated that he has “a plan for the overhauling of the agencies (and that he) will soon begin and will look at the human resource capacity”. His direct words (Stabroek News-September 21, 2020) are that “We want to start with a human resource audit because you have to know what we have in the system and if it would facilitate the objectives for the plan we have. It is the same for any business model, you want to know the skillsets of your personnel to effectively plan so it ensures that your goals are met. So, assessing human resources is first to be looked at.”

Let me say that I was initially enamoured with him for such a bold declaration, but quite a few months have gone by and I have noticed that, in the area of ‘proper and basic language’ use, there is a continuing problem, reflective of ‘insufficiency of knowledge.’

Under McKoy’s present watch, there are at least (or supposed to be) four experts in the basic use of language.

NCN has a CEO (Chief Executive Officer) in Michella

Abraham-Ali, an EIC (Editorin-Chief) in Leeron Brummel and two adjoining heads in Edward Layne (Department of Public Information) and Neaz Subhan (Voice of Guyana/ GTV (National Communications Network Inc.). The ‘list of experts’ extends to the Chronicle with its Editor-in- Chief, Tajeram Mohabir. So, I am forced to ask: How come there is a plethora of errors in the state media, particularly the Chronicle (I will spare the Voice of Guyana in this letter, since it super abounds with solecisms and mispronunciations, which I will address subsequently)?

The language ‘horror’ is partially itemized below, and my hope is that the relevant heads will seek some kind of help. As a caveat, I will not expose issues of spelling variations nor even capitalization, unless they are quite egregious.

February 1: “Govt. eyes one million tonnes...”; “The production rate of quarriable substances HAVE...” (Should be HAS) February 1: “Works progressing on $83.9M in Santa Rosa...”; “...the project c o m p l e m e n t s the INFRASTRUCTURE works...”

(Should be INFRASTRUCTURAL) February 1: “MV Kimbia returns.” “...repairs exceeded the ministry’s expectations due to the severity of

DAMAGES...” (Learn the difference between DAMAGE and DAMAGESplease) March 1: “Well-known pastor dies in Berbice accident” “The driver of the minibus, along with three unnamed passengers, WERE (Should be WAS) taken to Fort Wellington Hospital and later transferred to New Amsterdam Public Hospital.

Pastor Farley was pronounced dead at the Fort Wellington Hospital. The accident occurred AT AROUND 14:40h.”

March 3: “Youth who allegedly murdered Ghandi remanded” “… Following the conclusion of the game at 20:30 hrs, Willis reportedly visited the mother of his daughter at 22nd Street, Paradise Housing Scheme, ECD, and left AT ABOUT 23:00hrs for home. The following day, AT ABOUT 05:30 hours, a resident of the area who was heading to work, observed Willis lying on the roadway and summoned the police (Do you mean EXACTLY AROUND/ABOUT?) It is either ‘around’, ‘about’ or ‘at.’

NB. ‘At’ is precise, so a time cannot be ‘precisely’ ‘about’ or ‘around.’

March 1: “Region Ten to rollout anti-filaria-campaigntoday” (Please learn about the huge difference between

ROLLOUT and ROLL OUTthey cannot be used interchangeably) March 3: Budget 2021 centred on indigenous youths, social development.”

In this case, it could be that lassitude resulted in ‘indigenous’ as against ‘Indigenous.’

March 4: “Two Colours files Constitutional Motion” “Wayne, along with coaccused Melroy Doris ARE (Should be IS) currently on remand awaiting a re-trial for the murder of cosmetologist, Ashmini Harriram.

March 6: “Distribution of Sinopharm vaccines (BEGIN) begin this weekend” (Should be BEGINS).

I can go on endlessly, but I think my point is well made.

And lest you think that I am picky or prejudiced against Kwame’s state media, namely the Chronicle, this is the Kaieteur News for you. In “Taxi driver found guilty of raping girl, 12,” March 6 issue, I note that a rape was committed in one of our courts…that is according to what I saw in the article: “A 32-year-old taxi driver was unanimously found guilty of RAPING A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL AT THE GEORGETOWN HIGH COURT …” I add ‘she needed help’; or is it the Editor-inChief of Kaieteur News who needs it?

Yours truly, Prescott Mann

When Jagdeo should have been kingly, he was cowardly Dear Editor, The Hon. Vice President has done something out of character. He shares the real story; he even speaks to truth (“Payara licence could have been better but Govt. was under “enormous pressure” Jagdeo” KN March 22). After hiding so long, he finally owns up: to his weaknesses and limitations.

There is no time at which Exxon will not exert “enormous pressure” on Guyana’s leaders, and that is even when it appears to be generous. It is for our leaders to have the savvy and strength and steel to say, ‘hold on’ and ‘this has to have a lengthy fine-tooth

review period’ and ‘we will not be rushed.’ The fact that Exxon’s people were in a hurry was the best clue that they were desperate.

The Vice President had to discern that (which he did) and use their own strength and energy against Exxon’s hard charging musclemen like a judo or aikido practitioner would, and hurl them on their arrogant insulting faces or behinds. But the Vice President lacked the acumen, the nerve, and the guts to bring that to bear and disembowel our foreign corporate ransom holders and tormentors.

The Vice President has shown himself not to be

president. He shouldn’t need any regurgitation of that costly record, which was built on secrecy and stands as his definition of financial feasibility. We name only one from yesterday today: Skeldon.

We make clear again: if this gas-to-shore project is so good, then give Guyana the goods on it. All of the goods, not what is felt like and when it pleases to do so. If it is such a “no brainer,” there is absolutely no need for the strange dances and dodges in which the VP engages, thrills himself.

devoid of any of those ingredients (acumen, nerve, and guts) when bullying the media or compromising domestic political opponents or confronting local critics.

Because he can be about all of those elements - when he chooses - I think that he faltered and fell before Exxon’s “enormous pressure” because its people had (and have) him where he is weakest.

It is of what is darkly suspected of him, of his all too human flaws, which is an open book to the foreign operators, and among which I include my brethren in the American Embassy, and the others from that clique. To put this pointedly, the Vice President has his Achilles heel, several of them.

Guyanese know them, his own people know them, and those are what Exxon use to snare him and then trap him to the extent that even when he may want to do better, he is trapped in feebleness.

We existed as a society in

the vacuum of a most wounding 19-month elections, with the piercings of crippling cardiac attacks that came in unrelenting waves.

But there was Exxon looking for closure in two weeks and two days into the new government.

That did not originate with me; it is from the VP’s lips. So, he lamely tells the nation today of how well he did: he held Exxon off until September.

The VP must fancy himself to be King Leonidas at Thermopylae. He was not: when he should have been kingly, he was cowardly. Yet here he is, telling Guyanese how brave he was, while under “enormous pressure.”

August and September and 2020 were his opportunities to say: not so fast. We are regrouping. We need to rethink our whole oil vision and approach. But he caved. He is due a medal.

Yours truly, GHK Lall

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Where are the SoPs of the Coalition?

Dear Editor, The ‘Alliance on the Move’ Program aired in Berbice has now become a hilarious version of the ‘Night of the Living Dead’ the only difference being that these presenters are oblivious of the fact that the AFC have been pronounced dead on more than one occasion and buried deep a long time ago. It baffles the mind to say the least and it’s most pathetic to watch Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan and Mrs. Cathy Hughes trying to convince Berbicians that the PPP/C rigged the 2020 Elections and that sugar is dead.

Moreover, the young Member of Parliament, Ms Juretha Fernandes was at a loss to augment their argument as she struggled to find the right words to say that the PPP/C rigged the elections. Maybe in time she will be able to lie convincingly like her compadres, but I hate to see deliberate attempts to wean a promising young Guyanese into the PNC’s world of lies and deceit. The MP began to narrate what happened at the Recount but never provided any example of rigging. She should follow in the footsteps of the many young and talented persons such as former MP Mr. Reynard Ward, Mr. Joel Edmond and Mr. Michael Leonard just to name a few, who made their exit before becoming tainted by the PNC’s corruption brush.

Ramjattan and Hughes should explain the ‘rigging’ when the entire world at large saw the many Coalition attempts to rig the 2020 Elections. Those attempts are well documented. Where are the SoPs of the Coalition?

Until now their supporters have been deprived of the privilege to have a look at these documents. The PPP/C submitted theirs even before the Recount started and it coincided with the Recount results. That is also well documented and published

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Kaieteur News

for the world to peruse. The AFC should use their parliamentary seats to support the Government and so ‘save some face’ and salvage some respect of the Guyanese populace. The spurious legal challenges have done more harm than good for the image of the Coalition. The AFC should realize that Berbicians, especially the rice farmers and the sugar workers will not be fooled again. They had emphatically proven this in the 2020 Elections.

The AFC cannot convince anyone anymore that they are of any relevance to Guyana’s political landscape. Even its main political partner in crime, the PNC cannot fool their supporters anymore that the PPP/C rigged the Elections now that they have seen that the PPP/C Government is effectively governing on behalf of all Guyanese. The racial discrimination practiced by the Coalition has been reversed and obliterated.

Equal opportunities are given to all Guyanese and the 2021 Budget ensured that all Guyanese are the recipients of the real good life, not the delusion foisted on the Guyanese by the Coalition.

Year after year for five years they made theirs, their families and friends ‘sucked the blood’ of the taxpayers.

Christopher Jones and Ramjattan deliberately shifted this label in a vain attempt to fit the sugar workers, but everyone knows that the Coalition were the real ‘bloodsuckers’.

The sugar workers gave this country their blood, sweat, and tears to transform it into a better place. Some paid the ultimate price by sacrificing their lives.

Ramjattan and his panel on the Program denigrated the job of cane harvesting as being menial and akin to slavery. Probably, as a politician Ramjattan has failed to read about the dignity of

all types of labour; John D Rockefeller Jnr, had said that ’I believe in the dignity of labour, whether with head or hand.’ It is time that the AFC and the PNC learn to respect the sugar workers who take pride in doing their job. Any cane cutter will boast that their job is independent and they love it. Ramjattan should understand better than most that Berbicians love the fields.

It is the reward of manual labour which made him a lawyer not unlike the many others who have reached great heights, but some are indeed ungrateful. There will always be need for manual labour in a world where not everyone can be lawyers and doctors.

It was the height of callousness when Ramjattan bragged about the closure of the estates which snatched bread from more than 7,000 workers and their families, with their children going hungry and suffer severe deprivations, some even dropped out of school. How can anyone justify such a move? He and Hughes barefacedly submitted that the decision to close was the best decision. The AFC presenters lambasted the PPP/ Cs decision to reopen the Estates and made a very illogical conclusion that sugar will fail simply because there will be a shortage of labour. This showed how little they know about what is happening in GUYSUCO. They should keep abreast of the various facets of development which are ongoing including the mechanization and the valueadded investments. At this juncture, there is no place for lies and propaganda – be a responsible Opposition. In conclusion, the AFC is simply being vindictive since the sugar workers who made them powerful in 2015, have now realized the deceitfulness of the AFC. Yours truly, Haseef Yusuf

Walter Rodney would have been 79 today Dear Editor, Today, Tuesday March 23 is the 79th birth anniversary of brilliant historian Dr. Walter Rodney who was assassinated on June 13, 1980, by a bomb blast. It is more than five years since Sir Richard Cheltenham handed in his report to the Guyana Government following a three member Commission of inquiry into the assassination of Dr. Walter Rodney, world renowned historian turned politician. President of the APNU+AFC coalition government, David Granger refused to receive the report and the Chairman was forced to deliver it to a low ranking secretary. The lengthy report was never made public, but it leaked and bits and pieces were reported in the media which reportedly linked the PNC and its leader Forbes Burnham to the brutal murder.

A former GDF sergeant Gregory Smith made the bomb in the form of a walkie talkie and handed it to Rodney who died when the bomb exploded as he (Rodney) was trying to activate the so called walkie talkie near to the Camp Street Prison.

Smith was whisked out of the country by a GDF helicopter hours later. He ended up in Cayenne, French Guiana where efforts to extradite him were fruitless since the French laws do not permit extradition on capital offence charges where the penalty is death. He however died several years later in Cayenne from cancer.

The PNC government under Forbes Burnham never tried to investigate the bomb blast which cause Rodney’s death despite wide scale protests both locally and internationally. However President Desmond Hoyte in 1988 - eight long years after the slaying – ordered an inquest, only after Rodney’s widow, Patricia, sent a sorrowful letter followed by protest from a group called “Women in Guyana” and a

weeklong vigil by Rodney’s son Shaka .The Coroner’s Inquest conducted by Magistrate Edwin Pratt, a former Prison Officer, found that the death was by accident or misadventure . The International Commission of Jurist (ICJ) when it visited Guyana later, said the findings were “marred by grave defects”.

When the PPP took over the government in 1992, a f t e r 2 8 y e a r s in the opposition, President Cheddi Jagan failed to carry out a proper inquiry. He contested what a conviction a n d imprisonment of the suspect (Gregory Smith) w o u l d d o f o r R o d n e y, instead announced that brilliant historian would be awarded the country’s highest honour, the Order of Excellence (OE) posthumously. Of course this did not go down well with the family and the general public. It was two decades later when Donald Ramotar was President in 2014 (34 years after the assassination) the Cheltenham Commission was established with the Barbadian as Chairman and Jamaican QC, Jacquline S a m u e l s - Brown, and Trinidadian/Guyanese, Seenath Jairam, SC as members.

After several setbacks and postponements the Inquiry was prematurely concluded without at least two main persons Rupert Roopnaraine co-leader of the WPA, and a close friend of Rodney, and Crime Chief Skip Roberts (who investigated the bomb blast) and personally knew the WPA leader testifying. President Granger argued that the hearing lasted far too long

and must be concluded immediately since it was costing the taxpayers too much money.

Unconfirmed reports state that the Commission made certain recommendations which might be helpful to preserve law and order. After all the Guyana government spent millions of dollars on the Inquiry and should not be dumped in a cabinet accumulating dust... the findings have not yet been officially announced. It should have been five years ago, but was concealed because it was too revealing and critical of the PNC and the founder leader. The famous historian who was an idol in Tanzania. Jamaica and other parts of the world, could not be employed by the University of Guyana because he was a critic of Burnham. Rodney’s widow, Patricia, has set up a Foundation in his honour in which distinguished historians and other intellectuals deliver lectures every year to mark his birthday.

This year Angela Davis, a global icon, is the speaker. Her topic is “Democracy Under Stress”. President Irfaan Ali please make the Report public and act on its recommendations; only then there will be some sort of closure to the brutal assassination of this country’s and the Caribbean’s most brilliant son.

Yours truly, Oscar Ramjeet

PAGE 6

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Kaieteur News

The pain of slavery should not be measured against pain of indentureship Dear Editor, I refer to the letter titled “We are all victims of the divide and rule policy” dated 11 March, 2021 and published in Kaieteur News. Hamilton Green obfuscates the issues in his reply to Harry Hargash’s letter. He attempts to institutionalise one race in perpetual suffering more than others which can only be a subtle attempt to establish both a legitimacy and rights to first preference entitlements. Not only does it completely demean African magnificence but it relegates them to a dependency by its conception repetition, advocacy and more implications. To operate some 175 years after Emancipation insisting slave descendants remain shackled in mental structures that impede their wellbeing while the descendants of indentured labourers Portuguese, Indians, Chinese and Amerindians have gotten over it and moved on can only be counterproductive as it is self damning.

Fortifying any debilitating mental entombment as legitimate in a Caribbean context cannot be acceptable but only guarantees a set up where some are racially ensured first class entitlements, others with second choices and still others who are silent with no entitlement rights at all in the ‘national patrimony’. By promoting that slaves suffered more, first entitlement rights accrue

automatically. Exulting that African ownership (Prof Rex Nettleford) of the Caribbean when the colonials departed was automatic is guaranteeing that all other ethnic groups remain second fiddlers. Inevitably and without any inclusive debate or agreement, Guyanese are most definitely not destined for any unity or shared governance whatsoever regardless of our “one people, one nation, one destiny” motto or by any other criteria.

By its rosy ‘Unity and Human development’ ‘ banner which the PNC seeks political power through a Trojan horse bait (which no one cannot deny is desirable), it is still employing trickery in counterfeit advertising. Was President Obama wrong in reminding us that a pig still remains a pig even when they put lipstick on it? How does anyone measure the inhumanity of suffering?

Before slaves came to the Caribbean they historically enjoyed God given freedom to be themselves in their native natural forest habit. So what then made Indians the usual favourite targets to be brutalised and plundered by successive invaders for hundreds of years? The expansionist Alexander of Macedonia conquerors, invading Mughals, France’s Pondicherry, Portugal’s Goa and the British colonialists all found India desirous. Under foreign occupation for seeming eternity, Indians were all damaged goods hammered

by successive foreign subjugation into lower economic castes and poverty.

For an Indian to break the cultural taboo of crossing the ocean only added to their sunken self-esteem making them further stigmatised when they eventually arrived as confirmed labouring damaged goods. They were the last choice picked when all else failed. Returning to India only sunk them lower on the outcaste ladder.

Conscripted by grandiose promises into indentureship, on arrival, they were relegated to mud logies with open pit latrines as their homes. The freed unpaid slaves had moved on from this and bought plantations. Working daily under the hot sun, under the same slave masters from whom the slaves had become permanently emancipated was not easy. Their colonial masters were still the same in both British colonies. Frying pan was now open fire.

However Indians, unlike the Portuguese and Chinese who left the plantation, were to incur the additional resentment of the freed slaves who saw them as interlopers undermining their rights. Has anything changed drastically (which is redeeming) in the resentment and sporadic wrath directed at Indian presence? Can resentment targeting Chinese upward mobility be justified or condoned? Slavery was undoubtedly dehumansing and a heinous crime to impose on human beings . But

the European mentality which imposed it did not become overnight magnanimous masters who were inclined to anymore tolerate any financial losses from Indians so soon after their Portuguese and Chinese indentured abandoned the plantations. Such debilitating events can therefore only be best understood within its own ethnocentric historical narrative; not slavery versus indenturedship by which some Afrocentric advocacy remains ensnarled. To continue embracing such a fallacy only accentuates and prolongs Guyana’s race animosities however it is viewed. Discontinuing it, cannot make it any worse.

Hamilton Green and others must therefore cease this measuring scale of the weight of pain of slavery comparing it to indentured ship and assuming that one group has won the boxing match because of whatever.

It just cannot be measured and conclusions are mostly deducted in the absence of unavailable, unpresented hard evidence. Constantly comparisons which ignore where any group has advanced not in absolute or even universal terms but in relation to other races only continues to reflect a distorted picture. With

African perceptions entitling themselves as the natural primary inheritors of the Caribbean (Rex Nettleford) how hollow is any notion offering and demanding any equality or shared governance when the primary motive is not repudiated or readjusted but remains fixed in slavish embrace and finality? What is wrong and excites resentments is measuring and judging one’s achievements by that of other races’ successes. It begins to percolate and becomes more grievously fanned into riotous protests with all its destructive consequences and then expecting consoling satisfaction in monetary relief from taxpayers’ money.

Adding insult to injury is the bizarre insistence that not all indentured servants but especially Indians only began suffering only with indentureship with its termination in the reflection of the PPP/C in 1992.

Apparently the successive foreign invasion and brutality imposed on Indian or Chinese before they arrived does not matter. Subsequent PNC misrule and atrocities are dismissed as miniscule and insignificant. Hamilton Green also seems to suggest that Afro Guyanese only can graduate from “tribulation to triumph” when they

collectively hold political power and ‘pun top’. Such is the desirable euphoric closure versus ‘something else for others.’ Demanding partition has not been repudiated but has now become recalibrated into shared governance entitlement. That would imply the PPP/C government is a failure in not prioritising Indian interests as paramount similar to what the PNC ‘medicine’ did for black people when they were in government! Could any PPP/C perceived negligence account for increased Indian apathy and their reaction in the 2011 elections? The amusing irony is that Green as an Afrocentric advocate never found anything wrong in the PNC stacking the public service and armed forces with its supporters. But suddenly he now seems to feel that Africans are trapped therein with no chance or redeeming or equal possibilities! Shouldn’t the PNC bear the blame and responsibility? Green would completely ignore PNC policies which locked out Indo Guyanese from the civil service and armed forces.

What choices did Indians have except to go into private business even as the majority remained in agriculture?

Yours truly, Vassan Ramracha

Government should never get into the business of building homes Dear Editor Government should never get into the business of building homes for residents and I make this bold statement based on the clear fact that the new homeowners soon forget that they have to repay the housing authorities. The homeowner very easily forgets that he has to service his loans and goes on these years of default on their payments with no care in the world. This has been a bugbear for the governments and the public housing sector on a whole.

I know that I may come across as being overly harsh but the reality of the situation is that most homeowners simply default on their payments as governments are left with the harsh reality of picking up the tabs left by the defaulters. We also have an additional burden of political parties who exploit the situation for their own narrow political gains.

Because some political parties in their usual belligerent

fashion, exacerbate the problem with the associated racial overtones. They will make out a case that a certain racial group is deliberately denied access to affordable housing. So, this is the real life situation that we have to face up to.

The provision of affordable housing to citizens is not a new phenomenon in Guyana, we have gone through this phase before and the lessons learnt from pass experiences should guide us into the future.

What I am saying is that middle to low income homeowners have as their main objective the business of gaining access into the homes built by the state, after that the problem of servicing the loans becomes a huge problem.

The situation becomes even murkier when there are multiple occupants in a single home (I call it the mini-bus syndrome) with no one attempting to take responsibility for servicing

the loan. It gets even worse when the signatory to the loan dies or in some cases happens to move abroad, then no one takes responsibility for payment. In the meantime the property goes into disrepair. These are the glaring realities that governments have to face up to in the housing sector.

If you ask me for candid advice on housing, I would readily settle for government providing the basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity and potable water among other necessities like security and primary healthcare.

But providing homes for them should be definitely off the radar.

I hope the authorities in the Ministry of Housing take the following recommendations into consideration, because it would definitely go a far way in the avoidance of the pitfalls that lie ahead.

Yours truly, Neil Adams

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Tuesday March 23, 2021

Kaieteur News

Any billion-dollar foreign company with no concern for Guyana's laws and the rights of its people, will come here to mistreat us, once they know that they would only have to pay GYD$1,000 for a breach.

Successive governments keep making promises to reform Guyana's outdated laws, but they are yet to deliver.

Can we get this law reform over and done with, already?

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Tuesday March 23, 2021

GuySuCo sells bulk sugar for half the Govt. looks to resuscitate cost of production …as 'junkyard factories' T

he Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has in recent years found itself in dire financial straits with newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sasenarine Singh, now conceding that the industry currently sells bulk sugar for about half of what it costs the industry to produce.

Compounding the situation, the three factories that Singh have been tasked w i t h resuscitating—shuttered by the David Granger administration—are in fact now 'junkyards' the like of which the new CEO

describes as, 'Sanford and Son' type facilities.

Singh gave the damning revelations on Monday during a candid interview with moderators Dr. Asquith Rose and Charles Sugrim—broadcast by Globespan24X7.

The newly appointed CEO told the moderators that the industry currently sells sugar for just about US$340 on the international market but its production cost is closer to US$600.

He said, the sale of bulk sugar was unprofitable for the industry, hence the decision to move away from a focus on production to a

more market-driven industry, with an emphasis on value added sales.

Pointing to the packaged sugar produced by GuySuCo, Singh noted that only 29 percent of its production winds up in the value added chain.

According to the CEO, the industry can rake in, in excess of US$670 per ton selling packaged sugar. He noted, however, that this past year the industry was only able to export about 29 percent of its packaged sugar.

The CEO has since projected that the industry is looking to increase its sale of

packaged sugar by at least 10 percent this year.

“Selling at US$300 a ton when production is US$600 doesn't make any economic sense…what we are focused on is getting a greater percentage of the business at a profitable level,” Singh said. The new CEO disclosed too that gone are the days when the sugar industry produced and sold upwards of 300,000 metric tonnes of sugar annually.

He said, the industry has since set itself more moderate targets by looking to produce just about half of that but with a greater focus

on value added sales.

Singh pledged too, to focus the industry efforts on greater partnerships with the private sector. According to the CEO, “it is very important for the private sector mentality to invade GuySuCo.” This, Singh posited, since the industry is “too stuck in democracy” as he lamented the amount of loopholes to get basic things done.

He said too, that key among the industry's new efforts under his stewardship, in addition to increasing revenue, is cost

GuySuCo's CEO, Sasenarine Singh cutting measures, in addition to greater diversification on the value added front.

Singh cited as an (continued on page 10)

Death of 4-day-old baby…

Hospital officials to meet with parents this week

T

wo weeks since she passed away a t t h e Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), the parents of four-day-old, Aklima Mohamed, are optimistic that they will now have answers as it relates to her death, when they meet with hospital officials this week.

A c c o r d i n g t o Communications Manager at the GPHC, Ms. Chelauna Providence, the head of the hospital's investigating team is in possession of the baby's post mortem examination report and is in the process of completing the investigation.

In light of this development, she said that the child's parents will be called in this week to discuss the findings of the investigation.

Little Aklima was born on March 4 last and had passed away on March 7 at the medical facility.

The dead infant's mother, Stephanie Burnett, had told this publication that after giving birth to her, she was assured by the doctor that she was safe and the baby was healthy.

However, the grieving woman had explained that while she was discharged the following day, her baby remained in the hospital because of an infection. The 26-year-old woman said she was also told that her baby needed antibiotics treatment for the infection.

The woman had recalled

Stephanie Burnett with her baby the day before she passed away too that after the child had been administered a dose of the medication, she started to turn blue and was panting for breath.

Worried about the child's wellbeing, the woman said that she had raised an alarm with one of the nurses, who had asked her about the child's colour. According to the woman, she had explained to the nurse that it occurred after the medication was administered to the child. The child was taken from her mother and rushed to a doctor, who examined her. After watching the doctor in action, the

devastated woman said that she was convinced that something was wrong with her child. After waiting for some time, she and her husband were called downstairs to speak with the doctor.

When they arrived, the woman said that the doctor told them that the baby had died. It was also explained to the couple that the reason the child was rushed to the doctor was because she was not breathing and it was found that her lungs were damaged.

Attempts to resuscitate the child were futile, the parents were told.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 23, 2021

PAGE 09

The Public Service needs to be headed by a reformer T

he absence of public sector reform has been one of the disappointing aspects of the new PPP/C government. The last time there was any major reform in the public service was in the 1990's under Desmond Hoyte. Since then, there has been some capacity building programmes masquerading as public administration reforms, but no major restructuring of the public service has taken place in more than 30 years.

There is a need for reform. At present, the system is bloated and slothful, thereby resulting in poor services and an onerous financial burden on the National Budget.

The public service needs to be culled. The number of persons needs to be slashed, but this is always a difficult option for governments worried about the effects of any such downsizing in workers.

As such, the cost of administering the public bureaucracy becomes exorbitant. At present, it costs taxpayers more than $500M per day to keep the public bureaucracy going.

Yet, there has been little mention of any plans to scale-down the size of the public service. In fact, very few plans at all are being announced for the public service.

Another major problem concerns the retention of retirees on the job. One of the excuses made is that these persons have the skills and

Dem

boys seh...

I

n Guyana we does always try fuh full de hole after somebody fall in it. Dis is exactly wat happening in relation to de illegal sale of properties.

Is long now people house getting sell behind dem back. Some people living in dem own house and it get sell and dem nah know. Dem tun tenant in dem own house, just like how Exxon tun all ah we into tenants in we own country.

When yuh property get sell behind yuh back is a different kinda blow. And

there are no replacements.

But how will anyone be able to replace the retirees, if they are not being given the opportunity and training needed to replace retirees.

When retirees are hired, it keeps young professionals on the sidelines. It restricts their upwards mobility and frustrates them.

There are quite a few retirees, who have been retained within the public sector. A letter writer in this newspaper last week pointed out the case of someone long past the age of retirement, who has been retained by the Guyana Revenue Authority.

There are many similar cases throughout the government service.

It is fact, however, that the age of retirement in the public service in too low.

This matter was addressed by the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service, which was launched by the APNU+AFC. The Report of that Commission of Inquiry noted that the age of retirement in Guyana's public service is 55 years, while in some government agencies, such as the Guyana Revenue Authority and Audit Office of Guyana it is 60.

Judges in Guyana retire at 65.

The Commissioners argued against the age of retirement being 55 years.

This is what they said: “It is argued that the age of 55 is too early an age for retirement for Public Servants. Testimonies to the Commission support and advocate for higher retirement age for Public

Service staff. The contention is that at age 55, Public Servants would have acquired deep knowledge and wide experience in public management and in their professional and specialist fields.

Therefore, it is a great loss of skills and expertize to the Public Service with a retirement age at 55. This is one of the arguments used to justify the re-employment of retired public servants on contract immediately upon retirement.”

They recommended that the retirement age, for those now entering the service and those who are below the age of 50 years, be adjusted to 65 years with the option of retiring at 60. They also recommended that no person who retired before the age of 65 should be employed on contract in the public service.

The APNU+AFC had established the Commission of Inquiry but did not do anything about these recommendations. Public sector reform was placed on the backburner.

The PPP/C has come in and there has been no policy announcement in respect to the age of retirement in public entities, including the public service. In fact, the PPP/C has employed persons who are past the age of 70 years.

The PPP/C too has i g n o r e d t h e recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the public service. We have heard about legislative

Property selling behind yuh back! dem boys hoping dat by next week, not next month, new legislation gat be table fuh help prevent property fraud.

Den dem gat some people wah does mek will and leff property to dem family, property wah dem nah own.

It remind dem boys about de man who get terminally ill and bin in hospital waiting fuh die. He call all de nurses fuh witness wah he gat to tell he wife and children.

He tell he son dat he leffin he in charge of all de

houses near East Bank.

He tell he daughter she can take de offices down town. And tuning to he wife, he tell she, she must take charge of de houses in Georgetown.

Dem nurses shock. One of dem tun to de wife and seh, “I did not know your husband owned all of dem properties.”

“Own what!” replied the wife. “He is the newspaper delivery man.”

Talk half and check yuh transport fuh see if it still in yuh name.

reforms, constitutional reforms and justice sector reforms, but not much about public sector reforms.

Last December, it was announced that the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) had assigned the pitiful sum of US$1M for public sector reform.

This sum was said to be for improving fiscal management including public procurement, public financial management, public investment, and macro-fiscal management.

This can hardly be c o n s i d e r e d a s

comprehensive public sector reform.

The PPP/C has always been poor at policy-making.

And this trend continues in respect to public sector reform. But even if the PPP/C lacks the capacity to engage in comprehensive public sector reforms, it can take some steps towards this goal, beginning with a policy on the age of retirement and the hiring of persons on contract and who are above the age of retirement.

At the minimum, the government should indicate its plans, if any, for adjusting

the age of retirement and it should place an immediate moratorium on the employment of persons above the age of 65 years.

If after a person reaches the age of 65 and that person is found to be indispensable, then it means that something is radically wrong with succession planning and training within the public sector.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Tuesday March 23, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Ramon Gaskin: The many faces of Guyanese politics M

y daughter w o u l d occasionally say to me, “When are you going to write your book?”

But do you know how many persons have said that to me?

What is shameful about this lapse of mine is that I don't think it will happen. Laziness?

Yes. Lack of research money?

Yes. But there is a more important reason.

When you write history, do it as factually, as truthfully, as far as possible

because those contents will remain forever. Hundreds of years after, people will see the past through correct lenses. In this context, I remember chastizing Eusi Kwayana for a pathetically nonsensical approach he has to the writing of history.

Last year, he informed Guyanese readers through a letter in the newspapers that he took notes at the trial of Donald Rodney, which was presided over by “a certain magistrate.” That magistrate is

dead and gone. That magistrate was horrible and an embarrassment to the rule of law. Her name was Norma Jackman. Kwayana had an obligation to factually record history and was being silly by using the words, “a certain magistrate.”

If the circumstances became auspicious and attractive for me to write the book, it will be a half-baked concoction. Here are some lines from one of my all-time favourite love songs, entitled

MacArthur's Park.

“MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark All the sweet green icing flowing down Someone left the cake out in the rain I don't think that I can take it 'Cause it took so long to bake it And I'll never have that recipe again” If I write that book, the omissions will be countless because in telling it like it was, I will receive literally hundreds of libel writs.

Guyana is a human tragedy.

Guyana has been one of the world's enduring tragedies.

Will it change? No one can predict the future and if you love Guyana, then you have to hope for the best and dream that it will one day come good.

If I publish the book with those countless omissions then it becomes a caricature.

To o m a n y p r i c e l e s s dimensions of history will go missing. At my age, I will never have that recipe again to bake my cake and let people see the real ingredients that make it delectable.

Do you know how many people I have encountered in my 50 years of social activism that were and are more unacceptable humans than the following presidents that they were actively involved in opposing are: Forbes Burnham, Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Bharrat

Jagdeo, Donald R a m o t a r, D a v i d Granger, etc.

T h e s e thoughts flew into my mind and formed the basis of this column when I read in the media a letter by Ramon Gaskin on the wharf controversy between BK Tiwari and the Frederick Kissoon Attorney General.

Gaskin noted that 14 example of industrial years ago, he was the relations correctness. I would consultant to BK Tiwari like to inform readers that in when the deal was inked.

2019 I received complaints What Gaskin left out was about violations at the BK t h a t h e h a s b e e n t h e Tiwari Company. consultant to BK for more This is the same Gaskin than 14 years and still is. that appeared three times as When I wrote about industrial chief witness in the three violations by BK (I called him libel writs filed by Dr. Walter on the phone one day when I Ramsahoye against this was exercising in the National columnist and Kaieteur Park about complaints I News. He lost all. In his received from some of his testimony, Gaskin referred to employees; complaints I still Ramsahoye as a great get) and cited Gaskin's double Guyanese and his best friend standards as a high level (at the time). Ramsahoye was employee. Gaskin replied in a one of the most obnoxious letter saying he wasn't an humans this world produced employee. and a human with one of the He was both right and ugliest minds in the world. wrong. The issue here was For more on his mental deception. He was using ugliness see my column of legal language to deceive Saturday, August 22, 2020, readers. A consultant is not titled: “Walter Ramsahoye, legally, an employee but in the nature of humans and practical life, a consultant is correcting history.” I never an employee. That is how he liked Gaskin. See my earns his income. To make it revulsion of him as a Stabroek simpler – a company News columnist in 1989. employs a consultant.

That is 31 years ago. I still All the years Gaskin harbour the identical dislike. spent criticizing presidents (The views expressed in from Burnham to Granger this article are those of the inclusive, he was in no a u t h o r a n d d o n o t position to do so when his necessarily reflect the own employer was no opinions of this newspaper.)

GuySuCo sells bulk sugar for half the cost of production From page 8 example, agro energy and ethanol production.

While not getting into details, Singh documented examples of revenue wastage such as on the purchase of parts where GuySuCo had been found to be paying as much as 10 times more that the item can be acquired for.

With regards to the move to a more value added focus on production and likely added cost, Singh illustrated for the moderators that this would be negligible since it would cost the industry just about US$50 to convert bulk to packaged sugar.

Speaking to the

resuscitation of the estates that had been shuttered by the now ousted coalition, A Partnership for National Unity, Alliance for Change ( A P N U + A F C ) administration, Singh lamented, “GuySuCo in 2010 and 2011 was a kingdom compared to what we have.”

He said that the facilities have become so dilapidated that a visit to the Rose Hall estate recently documented that there were only two tractor frames at the location when records show that there were 17 functional tractors left at the estate.

“After three years of plunder by the Ramjattan

administration, they left frames…it was a disaster that's why I said Sanford and Sons.”

He told the moderators “…on those three estates…it is a junk yard…we have to rebuild from scratch.”

The sugar industry, according to its new CEO, managed to produce some 88,898 tonnes of sugar with 22,000 tonnes being consumed by the domestic market.

The United States of America, he said, had been providing a preferential price for Guyana's sugar for about 12,500 tonnes even as the industry looks to secure additional US customers.

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Joint Services to enforce COVID-measures

By Sueann Wickham

T

he government is touting more s t r i n g e n t enforcement of the gazetted COVID-19 measures, to ensure that citizens and businesses comply.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, made this revelation during a virtual press conference yesterday.

While addressing the recent increase of new infections, Dr. Anthony highlighted that there are currently about 900 active

- persons to be charged for not wearing masks - non-compliant businesses to be penalized cases and most of the infections have been recorded in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

This, the Health Minister referred to as “quite worrying.”

Furthermore, he highlighted that many people are not adhering to

one of the most important COVID-19 measures – the wearing of facemasks. At the seawalls, he said, persons are seen in their numbers without facemasks.

In light of these happenings, the National COVID-19 Task Force held a meeting yesterday, which was led by its head, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret'd)

Mark Phillips. It was stated that through the joint services, which includes the Guyana Police Force, there must be increased enforcement since continued disregard of the guidelines in public spaces will lead to increased infections.

Moreover, the Health Minister lamented that Guyana's COVID-19

immunization programme is not at a level where the number of severe infections can be minimized. The government has only extended vaccine eligibility to a small category of persons, which includes the elderly, frontline healthcare workers and members of parliament.

D r. A n t h o n y a l s o d i s c l o s e d t h a t hospitalizations have increased, with 51 persons in total in the Intensive Care Units, at the West Demerara Regional Hospital and the Liliendaal Infectious Disease Hospital (the Ocean View COVID-19 Hospital).

According to the Minister, it seems as though persons have “dropped their guard” but “COVID is not over, we have COVID that is circulating and we have to take those precautions.” As such, he is continuing his appeal for persons to take all precautions.

He stated that more people would be charged for not wearing masks, suggesting that it was a practice that was already being enforced. Up until the Minister's disclosure, this

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony publication had received no reports of persons being charged for not wearing their masks.

The Minister said too that police ranks would be monitoring public transportations to ensure that passengers, especially in minibuses and boats, are wearing their masks.

He announced too, that businesses that fail to follow the guidelines will “see a penalty coming their way.”

Currently, the Guyana To u r i s m A u t h o r i t y i s monitoring restaurants and bars permitted for reopening to ensure they maintain the mandated 40 percent capacity and six feet social distancing.

Con artist who attempted suicide in prison, escapes officer from GPHC - Prison interdicted

A

convicted con artist, who was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) last F r i d a y, f o r a l l e g e d l y swallowing a razor blade in an attempt to commit suicide in the prison, on Sunday made good his escape from the medical facility.

The inmate has since been identified as 34-yearold, Mohammed Ali, who was incarcerated at the Timehri Prison.

The Director of Prisons (Ag), Nicklon Elliot, who confirmed that the inmate escaped, stated that the incident took place Sunday morning while Ali was waiting for medical attention, after he allegedly swallowed the blade.

The rank, who is attached to the Guyana Prison Service and was guarding the 34year-old inmate during that

Currently on the run: Mohammed Ali time, was yesterday morning interdicted from his duty and is expected to be charged.

Kaieteur News learnt that the inmate escaped before (continued on page 13)

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Kaieteur News

Con artist who attempted suicide in prison...

From page 12 doctors could attempt to remove the razor blade from his stomach. Ali, who no stranger to the law, was in 2015 arrested, charged and sentenced to eight years in prison for simple larceny and fraudulent conversion committed on several unsuspecting females, including an elderly woman and school girls.

He reportedly swindled them of hundreds of

thousands of dollars worth in jewellery and electronic gadgets. Two years after, the 34year-old, again, while in prison, defrauded three persons by impersonating Former First Lady, Sandra Granger, by falsely pretending he was in a position to grant them scholarships. He was sentenced to six months on each charge.

An investigation into the matter has since been launched.

PAGE 13

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday March 23, 2021

Guyana's shore base lacks skilled workers to meet oil industry needs L

imited human resources is the main reason that the Guyana Shore Base (GSYBI) at Houston is unable to meet the demands in the country's oil and gas industry. This is according to General Manager of GYSBI, Sean Hill.

Hill shared these critical points during a panel discussion at the Guyana Basins Summit (GBS) last Thursday. This was a virtual three-day oil and gas conference, which concluded on Friday. It was aimed at delivering networking and valuable

insight into the region's potential, its challenges and the road ahead.

A shore base is an onshore support facility that during drilling, development, maintenance and producing operations, provides services to the oil companies. These services include handling waste management, chemical storage, warehousing, construction, berthing of s u p p l y v e s s e l s , c a rg o marshaling area, loading and offloading, supply chain management, expatriate management, and customs services.

- GM, GYSBI During the panel discussion, Hill highlighted that, “Human resource is a limiting factor to how much work we can do here in Guyana. A lot of the skill sets that we have in our industry are non-transferrable.” He noted, however, that GYSBI is doing its best at retaining the workforce, which will expand to 500 employees by year's end.

In continuing, the General Manager, also acknowledged that the shore

base facility is now faced with a situation where it is “impossible” to grasp all the necessary skills for the environment.

Meanwhile, another method for GYSBI to adequately support the oil industry, Hill said, Guyana needs to expand its shore base capabilities outside of Georgetown.

Hill, in supporting the need for GYSBI to expand its capabilities beyond the capital city, informed the

GYSBI General Manager, Sean Hill panel of the congestion around Georgetown, and added that Guyana's oil industry is focused mainly on the Demerara River.

“There is quite a lot of mixing of various services and products [being] supplied to the oil industry, mixing with residential zoning,” Hill explained. “We don't have that differential zoning between an industrial sector and a residential sector.”

In moving forward, Hill states that Guyana now has to balance the current needs of ExxonMobil in its “challenging deepwater environment” with the current capabilities that exist today for the country. This, he notes, will put the country in a position to compete in an international environment.

The GYSBI official added, “That needs to be balanced off with the future plans of ExxonMobil offshore, who we know are going to be here for many decades to come. I do believe that we need to be looking outside of where we are today and expanding the capabilities just outside of Georgetown, and it needs to be done in a sustainable manner so that we don't risk what is currently going on and all the great work that these people and companies have been putting into the industry.”

Notwithstanding predicaments of congestion and a limited workforce, Hill says that GYSBI will continue to grow and develop Guyana's local content, while seeking to support the needs of the nation's oil industry.

Govt. grants “Fly All Ways” approval to re-enter Guyana's air space

I

t has been revealed that “Fly All Ways”, a Suriname based airline, has recently been approved to operate flights to and from Guyana. Speaking with Kaieteur News yesterday, the Director of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Egbert Field, confirmed the approval.

He stated that the flights the airline is slated to operate will be between; Paramaribo, Georgetown and Antigua; Paramaribo, Georgetown and Barbados; and Paramaribo Georgetown and Curacao.

The announcement was first made by the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, during a press briefing on Friday at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

He was quoted as saying, “Fly All Ways out of Suriname will be operating the Suriname route, the

Barbados route and Curacao route out of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport,” in a Department of Public Information report.

The airline had been approved to operate flights in Guyana in 2016. However, its operation here was shortlived as it pulled out in 2017.

The company's reason for leaving Guyana was that it was not receiving customer support.

Now that the airline is reentering Guyana's air space its track record is concerning.

Kaieteur News had previously reported that Dilip Sarjoe, the owner of Fly All Ways, was promised lucrative concessions to make Guyana one of its hubs, according to people familiar with the development. A Curacao Chronicle report stated that sources also said that the development and the (continued on page 19)

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

Kaieteur News

PAGE 16

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Govt. commits to paying $100M advance taxes to City Hall T

he Government has committed to paying $100M in advance taxes to City Hall.

During a meeting between Mayor of Georgetown, Pandit Ubraj Narine; Deputy Mayor, Alfred Mentore; and a ministerial team at State House yesterday, President, Irfaan Ali, committed to making advance payments of the sum.

President Ali and the group discussed a range of issues affecting City Hall, as well as, ways of strengthening collaboration between Central Government and the Mayor and City Council (M&CC).

In a government release, the President said that the “city and the national heritage of the city is a reflection of ourselves,” even as he pointed to the need for protection and preservation.

He called City Hall and its adjacent buildings important historical sites that need to be maintained.

“These things will cost a

fortune to rehabilitate. But we have to start. We will pay a sum of the Government taxes in advance towards these projects. So we can have approval on that, so you can move that forward,” he told the Mayor.

Senior Minister within the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh; Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall; and Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud, were also in attendance.

SINGLE WINDOW PERMIT Among the other areas discussed, was the implementation of a 'Single Window Permit,' which will have linkages to several key agencies and address issues of slothfulness.

“We all know whether it's the Central Housing and

He proposed that the City Council work in tandem with the Private Sector to achieve infrastructure projects, such as the enhancement and maintenance of parapets and drains in key parts of Georgetown, as well as the construction of modern parking facilities.

ENHANCED COLLABORATION

The meeting in session yesterday.

Planning Authority (CH&PA), whether it's the NDCs, or the City Council, our greatest criticism is slothfulness in which things take time to get done in terms of approvals and so on. And at the end of the day, it is the elected officials who get the blame. So the first thing I think we have to do is look at a modern permitting system that integrates all agencies via health, the city, CH&PA,

etc., into one single window.

So when an application comes, it goes to everybody s i m u l t a n e o u s l y, ” t h e President said.

According to the Head of State, this mechanism will also address criticism of corruption and will go a long way towards improving the investment climate in the city itself.

In addition, the team discussed the 'sprucing up' of

the capital, especially for the 55th Independence Anniversary and the allocation of the necessary funds to make this a reality.

PARKING IN THE CITY The Head of State said too that the issues of congestion and parking were paramount, since structured systems are the hallmark of modern cities.

President Ali noted too that collaboration between Central Government and City Hall is vital in addressing key and critical issues, which affect the city.

“How do we build a deeper, more structured relationship between what the Government does and what the city does? I understand that at the level of the Council, the type of arguments that are made there, there are different political interests there, but there must be a place in which you can reach out to the Minister, and we can discuss important issues that are critical and key for the city itself,” said the President.

He reiterated that with (continued on page 21)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 23, 2021

K/News' security guards remanded for allegedly killing homeless man Remanded: Yan Licorish (left) and Tony Waldron

Dead: Mohabir Singh called 'Emile.'

T

wo of Kaieteur News' security guards, were yesterday, remanded to prison, when they appeared in court for allegedly killing a homeless man.

The defendants, Yan Licorish, 49, and Tony Waldron, 39, who are being represented by attorney-atlaw, Latchmie Rahamat, made their first court appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates' Court before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

They were not required to plead to the charge, which alleged that between March 15, 2021 and March 16, 2021 at the Kaieteur News' Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown office, they m u r d e r e d 5 8 - y e a r- o l d , Mohabir Singh, popularly known as 'Emile.'

Licorish and Waldron were remanded to prison, and are expected to make their next court appearance on April 19, 2021.

This publication had reported that on Tuesday last, at around 08:30 hrs., Singh's lifeless body was found by an employee under a shed at the Kaieteur News' premises.

The employee had gone to remove a truck, when he

saw Singh's body lying in its tray.

As a result of the discovery, the matter was reported and the police arrested the two security guards. Both men were subsequently charged with murder.

Last Friday, a postmortem was conducted on Singh's body by Dr. Nehaul Singh, who gave the cause of death as brain hemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the head.

This publication had reported that Singh had been homeless for some 25 years, due to his drug addiction. His son, Mohinder Singh, told this newspaper that his father was a wealthy gold smith, who owned his own business a t We s t R u i m v e l d t , Georgetown.

However, because of a drug addiction, which he developed in his 30s, Singh ended up losing everything and eventually became homeless. He was placed in rehab twice, and came out a “brand-new man,” but soon returned to his old habits, Mohinder said.

The son also revealed that his father had even spent some time in jail, where he wrote the CXC exams and achieved distinctions.

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Upsurge of COVID-19 cases in Berbice…

Residents urged to take necessary precautions

By Malisa Player Harry

T

here has been an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Region Six, with New Amsterdam and Albion identified as the current hotspots. This was the disclosure of Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, an advisor to the Health Minister, during a visit to Region Six. Dr. Ramsammy, who was in the company of the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, made it clear that "there is an upsurge of COVID cases in Region Six.” He continued, “People think we got vaccine (and) we don't have to be careful anymore but that is a mistake and so as we are speaking, Region Six is showing an upsurge, what we call the third wave of COVID." As of Sunday, there have been 31 confirmed cases in the Region with the majority in the areas of New Amsterdam and Albion on the Corentyne. The remaining cases are spread throughout different villages in the Region. Dr. Ramsammy is moreover urging those living in the areas which have been identified as

hotspots to “avoid crowds, stay at home and if you have to leave, wear a mask and sanitize.”

"Don't take a chance. For all those mothers and wives, make sure your husbands don't go to the bars and hang out because these are the places where they are picking it up and bringing it back home," he advised.

On Sunday, Health workers were conducting a swabbing exercise in Albion. "For weeks people in Albion been gathering in crowds at the local bars and supermarkets and the police that deh couple house away does pass and see the crowd and do nothing. So they encouraging the slackness and that's how we get so many cases now...the people dem drinking daily out deh plenty and nobody not doing anything," a frustrated resident said.

Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer, Dr. Vishalya Sharma, disclosed that over 3,000 persons, above the age of 60, have been vaccinated in Region Six thus far.

But she noted too that there have been several reports of persons far below the age of 60 receiving the vaccine as well.

Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Minister Frank Anthony engage some residents An elderly man in his 60s told this publication, on the basis of anonymity, that when he showed up to be vaccinated at the Skeldon Hospital vaccination site, he was required to wait for hours. He said that while he waited he saw several persons, who he knew were very young, being vaccinated. The man said he turned up at the site very early and left the site hours later without being vaccinated. He said he

was forced to visit another site to be vaccinated the following day.

“It was absolute madness and they saying only people 60 and over getting vaccine, but plenty people I know who very, very young getting it. It's like the authorities don't have no control over the process. It was massive confusion; there were other people my age that were there complaining too," the man said.

M i n i s t e r A n t h o n y, D r.

Ramsammy and RHO Sharma were able to visit all the testing sites in Berbice on Sunday. There are currently testing sites at the New Amsterdam Hospital, Number 47 Health Centre, Port Mourant Health Centre, Brothers Health Centre, Mibicuri Health Centre and the Skeldon Hospital. The vaccination campaign, Dr. Anthony said, will now be focused on persons 50 years and older.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Sophia man remanded for allegedly killing brother-in-law

Dead: Daniel Boutrin

Remanded: Martin Blair

A

2 3 - y e a r- o l d Sophia resident was yesterday remanded to prison after he appeared in court for allegedly killing his brotherin-law. The defendant, Martin Blair, a mason of Lot 578 'D' Field, Sophia, Georgetown, appeared in the Sparendaam Magistrate's Court before Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool.

Blair was not required to plead to the charge which stated that between March 13, 2021 and March 15, 2021 at 'D' Field, Sophia, he killed his brother-in-law, 23-yearold Daniel Boutrin of Lot 157 Guyhoc Park, Georgetown.

According to the facts of the charge, during the latter part of 2020, Boutrin reportedly borrowed a

bicycle from Blair, but he lost the bicycle. On Saturday March 13, 2021, around 08:30 hrs, Boutrin was at his in-law's home when he became involved in an argument with Blair over the bicycle.

According to police, the argument escalated and both men armed themselves with weapons. Boutrin was armed with a cutlass and his brother-in-law was armed with a knife. However, the suspect's parents intervened and that caused him to leave the yard.

Sometime after the argument, as Boutrin was about to enter a taxi, his brother-in-law, who was still armed with the knife, confronted him and fired several stabs at him. Boutrin was still armed with the

cutlass and in return, he fired several chops at his brotherin-law, but missed.

The injured Boutrin managed to run for some distance before he collapsed, while his brother-in-law made good his escape.

Boutrin was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was hospitalised in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He was stabbed to his left side chest.

He remained in the ICU until Monday March 15, 2021when he succumbed to his injuries at around 02:48 hrs. Police later issued a wanted bulletin for Blair and he was subsequently arrested and charged. The matter was adjourned to May 28, 2021 and Blair was remanded to prison.

PAGE 19

Govt. grants “Fly All Ways” approval to...

From page 14 concessions granted were shrouded in secrecy and lacked transparency. Further, to avoid the baggage of Blue Wing, its sister company, which was blacklisted by the European Union (EU), it was registered as a separate entity.

It was stated that Blue Wing has had many accidents and has been consistently blacklisted by the EU. The company was completely banned from the EU's skies in July 2010.

The Vice President of the European Commission, responsible for transport, Siim Kallas, had made a stern assertion on the company's operations, saying, “We cannot

afford to compromise on air safety. Where we have evidence that air carriers are not performing safe operations or where regulators fail in their obligation to enforce safety standards, we must act to guarantee safe skies for our citizens when they travel.

We are ready to support those countries which need and want to build up their technical and administrative capacity to guarantee the highest standards of safety of civil aviation.

The Commission is working closely with the European Aviation Safety Agency to further strengthen its efforts in providing

technical assistance.”

In 2014, Fly All Ways acquired two of KLM's Fokker 70s to execute its planned regional routes from the Paramaribo City Airport, Zorg en Hoop and the owner had promised the government of Guyana to station one of the 80seater Fokkers in Georgetown.

It was also reported that the Fokker 70s have an average age of 20 years and they were manufactured between the years 1993 and 1997.

Nevertheless, the company has already been given the goahead for its flights to and from Georgetown, Guyana, but the aforementioned track record still remains worrisome.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Death of mother and baby...

Frustrated relatives protest outside N/A Hospital; accuse officials of cover-up F

By Malisa Playter-Harry

amily members, including the parents, siblings and children, of Vanessa Lewis yesterday protested in front of the New Amsterdam Hospital, calling for justice to be served for the deaths of Lewis and her baby.

Lewis and her baby died

following complications during surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and the New Amsterdam Hospital, respectively, a few weeks ago. Lewis' father, Eric Lewis, told reporters that he is convinced that the Regional Administration and Regional Health Services of Region Six are facilitating a

Relatives on the protest line yesterday

Vanessa Lewis' parents cover-up into what took place at the hospital. While two nurses and a doctor were suspended, the family believes that such actions are not justice, since the medical professionals will be back on their jobs after the suspension. The grieving father stated that the family is also yet to receive his daughter's belongings, including her cell phone, which he claims, has evidence that could facilitate an investigation for possible murder committed on the woman and her baby.

He stated that to date the family has not been able to confirm if indeed the health workers who attended to his daughter have been suspended. The father said too that although the Regional Chairman, David Armogan, and Regional Health Officer, Dr. Vishalya Sharma, had told them that the phone was found, they have since back paddled and indicated that the belongings were not located. The back and forth about the whereabouts of the belongings have spurred a police investigation, which is currently ongoing. The dead woman's clinic card, family members said, has also been withheld from them.

The family also said that since the investigation was done at the hospital, no one from the investigating team has spoken to the relatives to provide them with information about the findings.

Lewis' mother, Claris Cecil, said, “Dem people don't want to come and tell us nothing about my daughter's death and they don't want to give up the phone. Sharma

said she gonna give back everything and she called Mr. Khan and tell him to lock up the phone in she office and that she will give us back everything. She offer us money, $100,000, we don't want money, we want back her stuff. Sharma is telling too much lies, we want justice.”

The family's protest action yesterday caught the attention of Regional Chairman, David Armogan, who stopped and engaged with the dead woman's parents.

Speaking to the media, Armogan said that the relatives are understandably angry, “because they lost their daughter and they lost a grandchild too, and so the entire community is with them and they want answers and so we will have to be able to provide answers to them.” He further stated that because the relatives are requesting that someone from the investigating team engage them, “they deserve that answer and that is why they are there.”

When asked why the administration waited until a

protest has taken place for them to decide that someone from the investigating team will speak with the relatives, Armogan said, “the administration took action, but I don't know why they haven't come to explain to the family...what I know is that action was taken and the doctor was sent back to Cuba, and two of the nurses that were working in that ward are on suspension pending further investigation.”

As it relates to Lewis's belongings, Armogan stated that, “I don't think they have it.” He, nevertheless, offered at the regional level to pay for the phone, but later learnt that the relatives wanted the woman's phone, since they believe that it contains evidence that could help to provide answers as it relates to the deaths.

“What they are saying is that the phone has very important information which they need to take further action, because there has been some back and forth argument between the patient and one of the nurses...they want that (continued on page 22)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 23, 2021

PAGE 21

...Ghana’s failure to conduct proper gas-to-shore studies From page 3 dollars in recoverable costs, and operated secretively despite numerous calls for it to be forthcoming with information. All of that shows that the former David Granger administration did not set the bar very high when it comes to management of the petroleum sector.

Ye t , t h e c u r r e n t administration rode into office with the gas-to-shore project as one of its major manifesto promises. And because there is a general election every five years, there is tremendous pressure to deliver a mega-project, which would revolutionize the lives of all Guyanese before the next election. The gas-to-shore project appears to be the PPP/C’s choice for that mega-project, since Guyana has had electricity woes for decades.

“Due to the country’s poor electrical infrastructure and vulnerable energy supply, Guyanese people experience an average of 31 days of power outages per year despite recent efforts to improve reliability.”

This is what the Institute of the Americas had to say about Guyana’s electricity woes. It continued, “In the hinterland, the interior region of the country outside the coastal area, there is little to no access to the electricity grid. To compound the problem, energy demand in Guyana is only forecast to increase in coming years.

Future required generation capacity is estimated to double by 2035, without accounting for the power needs of oil production. The high cost and unreliability of electricity has slowed economic development and private sector investment in the country.”

Dr. Jagdeo aims to revolutionize the energy sector. During a February press conference, the Vice President told reporters that four studies would be conducted on the intended project: namely a g e o t e c h n i c a l s t u d y, a geophysical study, a light detecting and ranging (LIDAR) study, and an environmental impact study.

This, the VP had revealed, while noting that there have been adverse comments in the press that the government may be rushing forward without ensuring the project’s feasibility.

Of concern to some transparency advocates is the fact that the government is relying on ExxonMobil to conduct those studies, instead of contracting

power grid and power generation capacity.

Does this sound familiar?

independent firms to conduct the studies on the government’s behalf.

Yet, the study most advocated for in the press was not mentioned – one to ensure that the project would be financially viable.

Dr. Jagdeo has grown irritable with critics who are calling on the government to show how this project will work. There are concerns that if Guyana is not careful, the project may end up making Guyana’s energy sector financially unsustainable. The Vice President appears to hold the view that a financial viability

ExxonMobil Guyana Country Manager, Alistair Routledge. study is unnecessary.

“The financial aspect is a no-brainer,” he said, during a Globespan appearance, days ago. “Any sensible person with a modicum of sense, a tiny brain, even a residual brain, would understand that.” “If you are generating power at $12 or $13 per kilowatt hour with the current price of fossil fuel…if you can supply power at $7 or $8 per kilowatt hour,” Dr. Jagdeo said, “a mad man would make the decision to do so and that is what this opportunity offers…to cut the cost of generation by 50 percent from its current level.”

“What else do you need,” he asked, adding, “If you can get power at half the price at which you are generating?

That would allow us to cut the cost that you sell it at so it is a no-brainer. You just have to think it through for a couple of minutes.”

The Vice President expects Guyana to trust cursory internal calculations, in lieu of an independent financial study.

But already, there are signs the project may not work for the country.

In December last, Former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, had appeared on

Kaieteur Radio, where he admitted that in 2018, ExxonMobil offered to bring 30 million cubic feet of gas to shore per day, to meet Guyana’s energy needs.

However, that amount is more than Guyana needs.

The former Minister said that the government had asked the World Bank for assistance with studies for the project.

Patterson said that they were close to an arrangement, including discussions about which party would own the pipeline, and the cost per cubic metre the government

Kaieteur News has shown that the gas-to-shore project would be just another cash cow for ExxonMobil and its partner, Hess and CNOOC. According to preliminary reports that were done by the previous administration on the feasibility of bringing gas to shore from the Liza Phase One Project, it was noted that an offshore pipeline is estimated to cost between US$165 million and US$270 million to build, depending on the size and landing site location. As for the onshore compression and separation of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas, this is estimated to cost

Former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson. would be meant to pay. He said that Exxon wanted to quickly recoup its expenditures made on the construction of the pipeline.

The former Minister said that “obviously” Guyana would not be able to utilize all of the gas. Hence, discussions included a “take or pay” provision, which would oblige the government to take the gas or pay a specified amount.

After Patterson revealed that ExxonMobil offered the former government more gas than Guyana needs, the numbers went even higher.

ExxonMobil country manager, Alistair Routledge, in January said that it could deliver about 50 million cubic feet of gas per day – 20 million cubic feet of gas more than the daily volume it offered APNU+AFC. Routledge said, “… we’ve identified and are certain that we can deliver the kind of volumes that are needed to support a gaspowered plant.”

This is exactly what Ghana faced.

Patterson said that the project is a viable one because Guyana’s electricity needs have been growing seven percent per annum since 2015, and because of its struggle with power outages due to a poor state

project. He said that the crude estimate for the cost of the project is between US$500 million and 800 million, depending on the design, pipeline size and surveys. But he is not sure.

The VP said the cost would ultimately be defined when the government goes out to tender – “That’s the only time we will actually know the actual cost of it.”

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

between US$43 million and US$114 million. Finally, distributing the natural gas to the various electricity generation locations is estimated to cost between US$95 million and US$127 million depending on the landing site selected.

During a February press c o n f e r e n c e , t h e Vi c e President had given a crude estimate of four years for the repayment of the development cost for the proposed gas-to-shore

How does one determine that the financial viability of a project is a “no-brainer” when he does not even know what it costs?

Guyana is expected to handle the costs for the infrastructure of onshore facilities while ExxonMobil would take care of the offshore aspect of the project, but all costs based on the terms of the Stabroek Block PSA would be recoverable in the end.

Guyana would also have to

pay ExxonMobil for the transportation of the gas, but that price is still being worked out between the oil giant and the PPP/C Government. Specifically in October last year, the government had said that it is negotiating the price for the gas that would fire a 300MW power plant. It has said too that its appointed task force on the matter “will decide whether we will do a private/public partnership (PPP) or build, own, operate and transfer arrangement, or whether government will fund it totally.” Once the price is settled, ExxonMobil will not only be able to recover all costs incurred on realizing the project, but it will have another cash cow on its hands.

Last year, International Lawyer, Melinda Janki; Guyana’s former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran; and co-founder of the Oil & Gas Governance Network, Darshanand Khusial; challenged World Bank President, David Malpass, in a joint letter to press his team on its support for Guyana’s gas-to-shore project.

The World Bank is being challenged to prove that Guyana’s gas-to-shore project will not fall to the same fate as Ghana’s project.

That request for a justification was made months ago, but there has been no response.

...Govt. commits to paying $100M From page 16 the major transformation expected and the impending big projects on the horizon, there will be a greater need for strengthened collaboration between Central Government and the M&CC. Mayor Narine used the forum to address challenges faced by the Council, including outstanding taxes.

He assured the President, that as Mayor, he is willing to work along with the Government for the benefit and development of the city and its citizens.

“I know you have spoken many times about procrastination, at the level of many agencies within the

M&CC. We want to discuss how we can be able to implement some of your strategies, some of your vision so that we can be able to work with the investor and the business community at large, so that we can be able to deliver in a timelier manner.” Following the engagement, the Mayor expressed appreciation to the Head of State for hosting the "fruitful meeting" and said that he is looking forward to similar collaborations and further engagements between the M&CC and Central Government.

“Firstly, I want to thank the President for reaching with us—the Mayor and

City Council; myself and the Deputy Mayor. We had numerous discussions and we are looking to work along with the Government for the development of the City and its people,” he said.

Mayor Narine added that he was happy with the President's commitments.

He also expressed anticipation of strengthened collaboration with the Ministries “to get these things quickly done.”

Owing to yesterday's engagement, it is expected that the City Hall officials will work in tandem with the Ministry of Local Government to finalize the plans proposed and to chart the way forward.

PAGE 22

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Kaieteur News

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- as Ministry sets aside $250M for forest inventory database The Ministry of Natural Resources in conjunction with the Protected Areas Commission (PAC) has announced plans to seize all equipment being used by illegal loggers and miners found to be operating in protected areas. In addition, it noted that legal actions will be instituted to prosecute those found guilty.

The warning was made public yesterday by the Ministry, which has since called on “all miners and loggers carrying out illegal operations within designated Protected Areas to cease forthwith.”

These areas include the Kaieteur National Park, Iwokrama, Kanuku Mountains, Shell Beach, and the Konashen Amerindian Protected Areas.

In a statement, it was noted that the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and the PAC continue to receive reports of illegal mining and logging in Protected Areas, particularly at the Kanuku Mountains, Iwokrama and Kaieteur National Park.

According to the Natural Resources Ministry, “these VACANCY

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Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat. illegal activities are not in keeping with the various Acts that govern these regulatory agencies.”

The warning by the Ministry comes a day after the country observed International Day of the Forests being observed under the theme, ‘Forest Restoration—a path to recovery and well-being.”

Substantive Minister with responsibility for the sector, Vickram Bharrat, in his message to commemorate the day, had underscored that the

ruling administration is committed to maximizing the returns from the vital resource in keeping with the principles of sustainable management.

Guyana, he said, has recorded one of the lowest deforestation rates globally of just 0.070 percent—having never exceeded the one per cent mark.

He used the occasion to announce too, that his Ministry has approved in its 2021 expenditure some $250M to undertake a National Forest Inventory (NFI).

This initiative, he said, “was deemed necessary for Guyana in order to boost planning capability of the forestry sector and maximize the potential of our rich, tropical, multiple forest use.”

He said that data secured from the NFI will be analysed to provide much needed forest resource statistics and environmental benefits for reference databases that will directly enable evidence based forest management and planning.”

He reminded too, that the country has made significant progress with the European Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Initiative (EU/FLEGT) that captures the parameters of strong forest governance, sound environmental principles, legality and wide stakeholder input.

According to Minister Bharrat, it is expected that EU/FLEGT licences will be issued in another three to four years.

He noted too, that Guyana is also exploring becoming a member of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification.

Bharrat said, “This, in tandem with the FLEGT, will give assurance of legality and sustainability to consumers.”

Additionally, the Minister reminded of the five-year National Log Export Policy ending in 2025 that will allow for the consolidation of log exports by concession holders, saw millers and timber dealers.

...Frustrated relatives protest outside N/A From page 20 evidence...” The Regional Chairman said that he was at the family's home when he received a call from RHO Sharma that the phone was found but subsequently when the relatives went to uplift the belongings, they were told it wasn't.

“I am not saying all is well with the health system, there are difficulties with the health system presently and we are trying to rectify it.

We recently formed the Mortality and Morbidity Committee, which means every mother and every child that dies at the hospital, there must be a report. The committee was in place years ago and

is back in play,” said Armogan.

He added, “The entire system of record keeping, and the protocols will now have to be followed.

There was a breakdown in protocol and that is why we ended up in this situation.”

Yesterday the relatives, armed with placards, called for the removal of the RHO and the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Michael Khan. Chants of “we need justice” rang through the air. In addition, in the protest line was the former Mayor of Rose Hall Town, Mr. Vijay Ramoo, who also believed that the administration and the medical professionals should be held accountable.

He too believes that there is a “cover-up” afoot and noted that a mother and child were butchered to death.

Meanwhile, there are reports that the administration is quiet on the death of another infant at the hospital.

The mother, who hails from Letterkenny Village, Corentyne, Berbice, was told that she delivered a stillborn baby, but the woman has since insisted that her baby was alive.

Armogan was asked about that incident as well, but he claimed to be unaware that it even occurred despite it being reported in sections of the media.

Tuesday March 23, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Tender Board opens bids for 10 Projects The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), on Tuesday last, had opened bids for 10 government ministries at its Ministry of Finance (MoF) office

on Main and Urquhart Streets. Notable projects included the approval of supply and delivery of male and female condoms for the Ministry of Health; and the supply and delivery of

Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI): Supply and delivery of service connection and meter installation

service connection and meter installation for the Guyana Water Incorporated.

Below are the companies and their bids.

Supply and delivery of stationery

Supply and delivery of water meters and boxes in two lots

Supply and delivery of janitorial supplies

Guyana Livestock Development Authority: Supply and delivery of one pickup for Disease Surveillance for the Guyana Livestock Development Authority

Supply and delivery of rugged tablets with SIM and GPS capabilities to the Guyana Livestock Development Authority

Guyana National Bureau of Standards: Procurement of new vehicle with Hiab

Procurement of new systems hardware

Ministry of Health: Approval of supply and delivery of male and female condoms

Supply and delivery of emergency refrigerator

Supply and delivery of dietary supplies

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Tuesday March 23, 2021

Kaieteur News

3 killed in Better Hope backlands shoot-out - 2 Mazaruni Prison escapees among casualties

Ranks at the Sparendaam Police Station last evening.

Two prison escapees were reportedly killed last night following a shootout in the Better Hope, East Coast Demerara backlands.

The two met their demise after exchanging gun fire with police. Police early this morning confirmed that a third person, a woman, was wounded too.

According to a police report, ranks last night, acting on information that the Mazaruni Prison escapees were hiding out at a location in the Better Hope South

backlands, went to the said area where it was observed to be an abandon field in a bushy and swamped area.

The ranks, it was revealed, observed that there were three wooden shacks on the field with two partly constructed ones. The police ranks began clearing the first shack but no one was seen. As the ranks were approaching the second shack, a voice was heard in the third shack and the ranks immediately identified themselves as police.

A male, according to the

police report, immediately emerged and discharged a round at the police ranks and then ran. The police ranks returned fire. Two males and a female were wounded and lay in the shack with gunshot injuries, whilst one male escaped.

A sawn-off double barrel shotgun was found at the scene, the police report added.

Kaieteur News reporters had ventured out to the location where the shooting took place but they were forced to turn back because

of the rough terrain.

Nevertheless, the reporters were able to obtain some details from ranks at the Sparendaam Police Station.

Checks were also made at the hospital this morning but reporters were told that the bodies were yet to arrive.

Earlier this year this publication had reported that four high profile prisoners, Imran Ramsaywack, Rayon Jones, Kenrick Lyte and Samuel Gouveia, were able to

The bars that were cut by the prisoners to aid their escape. cut their way out of the Mazaruni maximum-security prison. They had turned up at Jones’ father’s home who had rendered assistance to them. Jones’ father, Ralph

Jones, has since been charged for helping the fugitives.

More details of the shooting will be provided in our next edition.

Regional public health practitioners to benefit from clinical management of HIV course (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat) - The PanCaribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, is facilitating an exciting educational and capacity building opportunity for Public Health practitioners working in the Region’s HIV response.

PANCAP is providing financial support for 20 Public Health practitioners to attend the Clinical Management of HIV course at the University of Washington Global Health ELearning Programme. The course provides a global perspective on the diagnoses and clinical management of HIV. Participants will learn from experts in the field, who offer real-world examples of diagnosing and treating HIV and STIs in both resourcerich and resource-constrained settings, with a focus on using US-based guidelines.

The course will commence in April 2021.

During a virtual orientation, Dr. Rosmond Adams, Director, PANCAP, highlighted that the course is happening at a critical time

when Public Health Practitioners are challenged with maintaining the HIV response while tackling COVID-19.

“Our public health practitioners have mounted an extraordinary response to COVID-19,” stated Dr Adams.

“Within a few months, the Region reacted with COVID19 testing, appropriate safety measures and public health education. Now we’re witnessing the rollout of effective COVID-19 vaccines within a year after the start of the pandemic. Our healthcare workers were responding to COVID-19 while maintaining the gains made in the HIV response. PANCAP is pleased to enhance their ability to test, treat and provide care for HIV by facilitating access to the course,” Dr. Adams added.

Dr. Shanti SinghAnthony, Coordinator, Knowledge Management, PANCAP, explained that the online graduate-level course consists of video lectures, readings, discussion forums, and quizzes. She emphasised that group participation is encouraged as it provides a platform for discussing course concepts and applying them to the Caribbean. Dr. Singh-

Anthony further highlighted that the course is part of PANCAP’s overarching Knowledge Management strategy to empower regional public health practitioners to achieve the 2030 goal of ending AIDS through providing the requisite capacity building, training and knowledge.

The course is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through support to the PANCAP Coordinating Unit. Mr Jason Fraser, USAID Country Representative, noted that they are indeed glad to support this initiative to build capacity as the Region advances action towards ending AIDS. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Guyana, Mr. Malcolm Watkins, thanked PANCAP for spearheading this initiative and stated that it would build capacity for practitioners working in HIV to advance national and international targets.

Participants include Medical Doctors, Nurses, Physician assistants/ Medexes, National AIDS Programme Managers, and Civil Society Organisation (CSO) representatives with clinical backgrounds.

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Tuesday March 23, 2021

$60M agro-processing facility being - to be completed constructed in Region 2 before the end of June Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, engaging the contractor.

W

ithin the next three months, farmers from Pomeroon-Supernaam will benefit from a state-of-theart agro-processing facility that is currently being constructed by the Ministry of Agriculture's New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC).

According to a statement from the Ministry, the project is being executed at a tune of $60 million and will be located in a separate building adjacent to the Guyana School of Agriculture's (GSA) Region Two campus.

During a recent visit to the Region, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, conducted a site visit to the location to assess the progress of the ongoing works.

While offering comments on the project, Minister Mustapha said that

his Ministry would be constructing several of these facilities to assist farmers with adding value to their produce.

“In the agriculture sector, we want our farmers to have better value for their produce. We are now constructing a lot of these agro-processing facilities across the country. We have this one in Region Two. We'll also build one in Region Three.

We'll retrofit the one at Parika and make it into a modern facility and adopt a Public/Private Partnership there,” the Minister said. He added, “We'll also construct one at Kara Kara in Linden and two in Region Nine at St. Ignatius and Arnaputa. I'm also looking to develop the industrial estate in Region Nine to construct a suitable agro-processing facility.

We'll also construct one in Black Bush Polder/

Lesbiholden.”

The agro-processing facilities will function for both commercial production and product development for small and medium agroprocessors.

The subject Minister also said that these facilities are being constructed because government intends to ensure farmers are able to add value to their produce while encouraging them to advance from subsistence farming. "These facilities will enable our farmers to properly package their produce and label them so that they can be exported to various parts of the Caribbean and the world.

Local consumers are also looking for better packaging so we are making the necessary investments to ensure our farmers can tap into those markets," Minister Mustapha said.

The Minister also said

Ongoing works at the site for the new agro-processing facility

that the contractor had indicated that the project was on schedule for completion within the next three months, once the weather is favourable.

Funds for the

construction of the agroprocessing facility were part of the Ministry's 2020 emergency Budget.

Over the last five years, the agro-processing sector declined by a whopping 45

percent. However, as a result of the many efforts made by the government in 2020, the industry recorded a nine percent increase in nontraditional exports in 2020 over 2019.

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Tokyo Olympic organisers to bar most international volunteers

President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Seiko Hashimoro, delivers her opening remarks during a presentation on Olympic Charter and Gender Equality next to Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member and speaker Kyoko Raita and Tokyo 2020 Chief Executive Toshiro Muto, in Tokyo, Japan March 22, 2021. (Kimimasa Mayama/Pool via Reuters)

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo Olympic organisers said yesterday that Japan would not allow in volunteers from overseas except for some who are deemed essential, after it decided to bar international spectators amid public concerns over the novel coronavirus.

Athletes’ families are also likely to be barred although organisers have yet to make a decision, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto told a news conference.

Muto said the decision on volunteers was regrettable but that organisers wanted to decide now so there would

Tuesday March 21, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) There's an emotional intensity inside you today that's squirming to find a way out, Aries. Sudden outbursts are likely, so take care to hold your temper in check.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Today may have some crazy emotional ups and downs, Taurus. There seems to be an intense cloud seeping into every part of your day. Don't try to fool people.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) This day will be filled with many exciting surprises for you, Gemini. Approach it with gratitude and you will be amazed at the number of things that just naturally seem to flow your way.

CANCER(June21–July22) There's a larger trend operating in your life, Cancer. It's asking you to break the rules and enter a new realm - a new mindset or way of living.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Pour yourself a comforting cup of tea today, Leo. Take a hot shower or a long bath. In short, pamper yourself. You may be picking up on the extra tension of the people around you. Be conscious of this and make a mental note to strip away the garbage that others dump on you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) It may be that people are a bit upset by some of your recent actions or words, Virgo. The offhand remark you made a couple weeks ago is catching up to you. Think before you speak.

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Kaieteur News

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) This is an exciting day for you, Libra. You can accomplish quite a bit. Your intuition is especially acute and your sensitivity is strong.

Computers might irritate you today.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You might be a bit jittery, even without caffeine, Scorpio. Sudden actions may cause people to freak out, since people will be on edge in general today anyway.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Things may be coming at you from all angles today, .

Sooner or later you will be forced to take action.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) ou may be excited about an idea today, but unfortunately no one else may be. You spring up with enthusiasm only to smack into a brick wall. One side of you may be communicative and witty while the other is confused.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Much of today will be a continuation of yesterday, but with perhaps a bit more intensity for you, Aquarius.

There's an added buzz in the air, like static on a radio.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today is one of those days when you might feel like four people have a hold of each of your limbs. The people are tugging and you're getting stretched in every direction. Someone wants you to go there, someone wants you to come here.

not be confusion for those people overseas who were waiting for a decision.

Organisers said on Saturday they had decided not to allow in foreign spectators during the Games and would refund some 600,000 Olympic tickets and another 30,000 Paralympic tickets purchased by overseas residents.

“So considering that decision, we have also decided that we will not be able to allow volunteers from outside Japan into Japan this summer to take part in the Games,” Muto said.

Muto added that organisers had yet to reach a conclusion about the families of athletes but that they would likely be considered in the same way as foreign spectators.

More than 110,000 volunteers had put their lives on hold waiting for word from Olympics organisers about their roles this summer.

Volunteers take care of everything from translating and guiding people to driving visitors around and venue management. A rich part of the Olympic tradition, they range from university students to retirees and come from all around the world.

Muto said exceptions would be made for volunteers with expert and specialised knowledge about specific sports and that these people would receive individual notifications.

It was not immediately clear how many exceptions would be granted. Kyodo News reported earlier that organisers might allow around 500 foreign volunteers into Japan under special entry rules.

...Zoom meeting with Minister From page 31 The possible venue for the Pro/Am card could be the Providence Stadium.

Plans are also in place for a rated Venezuelan to battle Marques in contest dubbed…not a blade of Grass, while Dharry could come up against a Brazilian.

Owner of the Gary St Clair Boxing and Fitness Gym in Sydney Australia, the 46-year-old is one of six Guyanese boxers (including two females) to win world titles.

He is last one to do so when he defeated Cassius Baloyai in South Africa in July 2016 to claim the IBO and IBF World Super featherweight title.

“The Objective is to set up discussions with the directors of Ansa McAl, Banks DIH, DDL, the Oil Companies operating in Guyana, the Guyana Government and the Tourism Industry.

The reason for this is to prepare our promotion group to alert these Megga Companies of our plan to televise pay-per-view in the main Guyanese diaspora.

These places would be Miami, New York, Toronto, London and the Caribbean,”

informed Sinclair, who has a pro record of 60 bouts, 46 wins, 18 KOs, with 12 losses and two draws.

The Guyana Boxing Board President is optimistic that with the pandemic out of the way we have a chance to take the sport of boxing to a world class level, the airline industry will flourish and our Country will be talked about long after the Event.

Abdool informed that Minister Ramson feels that the card could be held by September since he says by then most of the population should be vaccinated for the covid-19 pandemic.

“The meeting was very promising for the Boxing Board in terms of getting title fights back to Guyana and resurrecting our Friday night fights. We were asked to send all the details including a budget and the Boxing Board is in full support of this venture which should rekindle the interest in Professional Boxing in Guyana,” posited the GBB President.

Both Dharry and Marques confirmed having verbal discussions about the proposed Event with St Clair.

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday March 23, 2021

Alzarri Joseph to join Worcestershire for start of County Championship

E

SPNcricinfo Alzarri Joseph, the West Indies

fast bowler, is to join Worcestershire as their overseas player for the

opening weeks of the 2021 season.

Joseph, who is currently

playing against Sri Lanka in the first Test in Antigua, will fly into the UK from the Caribbean on April 4, and will be available to Worcestershire for their first seven County Championship fixtures.

The ongoing Test is Joseph’s 15th, in which he has claimed 34 wickets, in addition to a further 54 in 34 ODIs. He was part of the West Indies squad that toured England during last summer’s bio-secure Test series, claiming three wickets in his two Test appearances at Southampton and Manchester.

“I am thrilled to be joining Worcestershire for the early part of the summer,” Joseph said.

“When I heard the club was interested in me, I had

no hesitation in saying yes.

The club has a strong squad with a nice balance of youth and experience, and I’m really looking forward to working with bowling coach Alan Richardson.

“I would also like to thank Cricket West Indies for allowing me the opportunity to go and experience county cricket” Joseph, 24, first played for West Indies as a 19-yearold in 2016, having starred at that year’s Under-19 World Cup with 13 wickets in six games.

His batting has become an increasingly valuable part of his game, with scores of 86 against New Zealand in Hamilton in December, and 82 versus Bangladesh in Dhaka in February, having been dismissed in single figures in his first 14 Test

innings.

His most spectacular moment to date, however, came at the IPL in 2019, when he claimed figures of 6 for 12 on debut for Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad - the best performance by a bowler in the competition’s history.

“He is a quality performer, and we are delighted to have signed him for the best part of two months,” said Paul Pridgeon, Worcestershire Cricket Steering Group Chairman.

“With it looking like Josh Tongue and Pat Brown may not be match fit for the start of the season, Alex Gidman [Head Coach] and Joe Leach [Club Captain] both felt they needed another seamer.

“Alzarri is going to be available for seven matches and is an exciting prospect.”

BCB/Troy Halley Grassroot Cricket Tournament 2021-Bush Lot Ground

D’Edward CC wins thriller to lift another BCB Title The Berbice Cricket Board on Sunday last successfully completed the final of the ten grassroot tournaments it had promised to host across the county in an effort to bring back the passion for the game of cricket after an enforced absence of one year due to the covid 19 pandemic. The final leg was played at the Bush Lot Village Ground for the Troy Haley Challenge Cup. Four teams were involved in the one day tournament –D’Edwards CC, Achievers CC, Bush Lot United and Bush Lot Rising Stars.

D’Edwards won the toss and batted first. Thy amassed a healthy 181 for 7 from their allotted 20 overs. Lakeraj Sukwah top scored with 60 which included four massive sixes and five boundaries.

He received support from Altaf Khan 28, Deonauth Persaud 20 and Keith Fraser 18. Bowling for Bush Lot United, Andrew Rambarran took 3 for 37 from his four overs, while Rajpat Khemraj and Rajeef Kishun took one wicket apiece for 13 and 44 respectively from four overs

each.

In reply, the home team fell short by six runs as they ended on 175 for 8 from their twenty overs. Needing to score fourteen runs from the last over, Bush Lot United only managed eight runs to give D’Edwards the title.

Nawindra Prasad scored a polished unbeaten 51 which included two boundaries and three sixes and got supported from Kymant Ally 29 and Rajpat Hemraj 42. Bowling for the visitors, veteran Heeralall Bridgelall took two wickets for 11 runs from two overs while Lakeram Sukwah completed a fine all round performance by taking 2 for nine from one over.

Earlier in the day, D’Edwards CC defeated Bush Lot Rising Star CC by eight wickets while Bush Lot United eased past Achievers CC by eight wickets as well.

The nine other tournaments were sponsored by a wide range of former cricketers associated with Berbice cricket. They included former test player Narsingh Deonarine, Hemnarine Chattergoon, Vishal Nagamootoo, Karran

Singh, Arjune Nandu, Mukesh Appiah, Jermey Gordon and Shimron Hetmeyer.

Apart from renewing the passion for the game among players, the other objectives of the grassroot tournaments were to identify new talent, promote social cohesion and to allow smaller clubs, the chance to win a BCB title.

BCB President Hilbert Foster announced that teams in the four sub zones- West Berbice, Upper Corentyne, New Amsterdam/Canje and Lower/Central Corentyne would now clash in their own inter zones knockout tournaments before the countywide round-robin tournament starts later in the year.

BCB Vice President Robby Saywack extended gratitude to Troy Haley, a former West Berbice player for his support and called on others to follow in his footsteps. The winning and runner up teams received a financial prize along with trophies, while Lakeraj Sukwah was named Player of the finals and received a medal and cash prize as well.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 23, 2021

Cornwall, Da Silva stretch West Indies’ recover from 171 lead after Lakmal five-for -forWest7 toIndies open up a potentially

E

SPNcricinfo Until Rahkeem Cornwall joined Joshua Da Silva at the crease, Sri Lanka were in the game, with serious hopes of restricting West Indies to a lead of less than fifty. Suranga Lakmal had already claimed a fivewicket haul, all the specialist batsmen had been dismissed, and the second new ball was around the corner, with West Indies leading by just two runs.

But Cornwall, intent on proving he is a better batsman than his Test stats suggested, began to free his arms midway through the third session, hitting thumping blows down the ground, cracking seamers on the up, pulling ferociously, cutting on occasion, and generally imposing himself on the match in a manner that no batsmen had previously managed on this pitch. By day’s end, he was not out on 60 off 79 balls - 48 of those runs having come from boundaries (nine fours, two sixes).

His 90-run eighth-wicket stand with Da Silva, who contributed only 29 to the partnership, broke the match open for the West Indies.

Where before Cornwall’s arrival it seemed as if the teams were in for a secondinnings scrap, West Indies had achieved a commanding position by stumps - a triplefigure lead almost in hand.

Cornwall had Kemar Roach for company at stumps, the team score at 268 for 8.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers will feel, however, that the final scoreline on day two does not reflect their discipline, which had kept West Indies under significant pressure for the majority of the day.

Lakmal was both the most potent and most persistent of Sri Lanka’s operators, as he often is on foreign tours, and ended the day on 5 for 45 from 24 overs. Dushmantha Chameera bowled aggressively at times, and took 2 for 71, though thanks to his pace he was also the most hittable of Sri Lanka’s frontliners. On a surface that offered only slow turn, Lasith Embuldeniya took 1 for 64, and kept an end tied while seamers attacked from the other. Cornwall was somewhat watchful early on, playing out 15 deliveries before venturing a boundary, but when he arrived, he came like a storm. He smoked Suranga Lakmal past mid-

match-winning lead Rahkeem Cornwall pulls for six © RANDY BROOKS/ AFP/Getty Images

off to collect his first four, before several overs later, he b l u d g e o n e d Vi s h w a Fernando to and over the deep midwicket boundary within the space of three balls. Sri Lanka had taken the second new ball by this stage, but that only made it disappear faster off Cornwall’s blade. He rarely missed the chance to capitalise on errors on length, and although the feature of this innings was his boundary-hitting, Cornwall was not averse to working the singles on occasion. He reached his maiden half-century off the 62nd ball he faced. Da Silva largely ticked along sedately at the other end.

Before Cornwall hijacked the narrative, though, it had been Lakmal’s day. He bowled a maiden first up, and then first ball of the second over, drew Kraigg Brathwaite into a loose shot outside off stump, the ball flying to second slip.

The rest of his morning session was quiet, but he came in strong after lunch, bowling Jermaine Blackwood with his first ball of the session - a full, straight delivery that the batsman played all around. Several overs later, Lakmal also had Kyle Mayers (who had struck an effervescent 45) caught in the slips.

The two wickets to complete the five-for came after tea, as he bowled Jason

Holder off an inside edge, before having Alzarri Joseph caught at point. This was his fourth five-wicket haul, the other three also having come away from home.

Before Cornwall, West Indies largely tiptoed their way through the day, respecting bowling that was frequently - almost uniformly - tight. John Campbell toiled his way to 42 off 132, forging a 56-run partnership with Nkrumah Bonner, who made 31. They were each dismissed either side of the lunch break, before Mayers injected some energy into the West Indies innings with his 45 off 70.

Mayers’ innings was a little streaky - he edged his fourth ball past slip - but his aggression was calculated, and it shook West Indies out of the torpor that was threatening to overcome their innings at the time.

Mayers hooked a Dushmantha Chameera bouncer for six over deep square leg against the wind, in the 43rd over, and would hit another six soon after, launching Dhananjaya de Silva’s offspin over the sightscreen. He looked set to make West Indies’ first halfcentury of the innings until Lakmal angled one in from wide of the stumps, bowling over the wicket, and got him to edge to second slip.

Mayers had got West Indies to within 40 runs of the lead, but it was Cornwall

who rode West Indies into their excellent position. Sri Lanka’s main hope now is that Cornwall’s innings is an indication that the pitch has become much better to bat on.

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Kaieteur News

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Tuesday March 23, 2021

BCB/Premium Asphalt and TR Construction 20/20 tournament

Rose Hall Town Tigers win first ever title after ten wicket victory over Chesney - Baldeo hits majestic century

The winning RHT Tigers team Delbert Hicks and Balchan Baldeo The Rose Hall Town Tigers Cricket team finally won a cricket tournament after defeating arch rivals Chesney in the final of the Berbice Cricket Board Premium Asphalt and TR Construction 20/20 tournament. Founded in 2015, by several veteran members of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS, the team had reached several semifinals and finals but failed to clinch a BCB title. The tournament had started in late 2019 but the covid 19 virus had forced

the board to suspend the final, which was to be played last year March.

Rose Hall Town Tigers won the toss and elected to field. Chesney were given a flying start by openers Yogendra Gurdyal and Former National player Imran Khan. The aggressive pair added 85 for the first wicket in eight overs Khan struck four boundaries and two sixes in his score of 43 but Gurdyal in a brilliant display of power hitting carried Chesney to an imposing 194 for two off

T/10 softball competition set for Corentyne Softball players in the central and lower Corentyne will have an opportunity to showcase their softball talents after almost a year of lacking competitive cricket due to COVID-19, as We C a r e C o m m u n i t y Services and Promotions team up with the No.70 Sports Club to hold a oneday 10\10 Softball Cricket Competition.

The competition is set to take place on 4th April from 09:00hrs at the No.70 Sports Ground, Corentyne, Berbice, and will be played on a knock-out basis. According to the organizers, a limited number of teams from Central and Lower Corentyne will be accepted.

The teams will be selected based on a first-come basis

through a registration process.

According to the organizers, there will be over $200,000 in cash and trophies up for grabs and prizes will be awarded to the Winner, Runner-Up, MVP, Best Batsman and Bowler in an innings, Man- of –thematch in the final, and Most Sixes Hit in Final.

Interested teams are asked to contact the competition coordinator Mr. Anil Ramgahan on 6125898, WeCare on 647-7507 o r e m a i l wecareproms@gmail.com.

Closing date for registration is 2nd April at 16:00hrs.

Meanwhile, Rohan Auto Spares won the Mahaica Cup which was contested recently.

their allotted twenty overs.

He ended on 99 not out, while J. Latchana contributed 25 with a six and a boundary. Leroy Bristol took one wicket for 29 runs from four overs in an otherwise poor bowling display by the Tigers bowlers.

Needing to score 195 runs from 120 legal balls to clinch their first ever title, Rose Hall Town Tigers started like a house on fire as former national player

Delbert Hicks struck Medium pacer Imran Khan for three sixes in the first over, which cost twenty four runs. The Chesney bowling attack never recovered and were taken apart by Hicks and his opening partner Balchan Baldeo. Baldeo, a former national player, blasted eight massive sixes and ten boundaries in a majestic 116 not out, while Hicks also ended unbeaten on 77 not out in a record 201 unbeaten opening stand; - a

Berbice Cricket second division 20/20 record for a opening pair.

BCB President Hilbert Foster congratulated the Rose Hall Town Tigers on winning their first BCB title and urged them to use the championship win to achieve more success. He also urged the Chesney team to continue working hard as there is a lot of cricket tournaments coming up.

Special thanks were extended to the management

and staff of Premium Asphalt and TR Construction Ltd for their support and Foster expressed confidence that the relationship would continue in the future. Foster also urged the teams to invest their championship prizes into obtaining cricket gears for themselves and to stop supporting the nearby rum shops. He sternly stated that clubs cannot expect the BCB to support them at all times if they do not invest in themselves.

Cricket West Indies President Ricky Skerritt issues statement on the Sanasie report

P

resident of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Ricky Skerritt has issued a statement on the ethics violation report made by his challenger for the position of President of CWI, CWI Director and Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Secretary Anand Sanasie. Skerritt informed that he has not been notified by the CWI Ethics Committee of the matter, while citing efforts by Sanasie’s running mate, Calvin Hope of Barbados, accusing him of unethical conduct. He pointed to the efforts as being baseless and mischievous in the run up to the CWI elections. Here in the full text of the statement: “I note that Mr. Anand Sanasie has publicly stated that he has ‘reported’ me to the CWI Ethics Committee because of my attendance at a meeting with Honourable

Calvin Hope (Twitter)

Anand Sanasie

Ricky Skerritt

Charles Ramson of Guyana.

Other than through Mr. Sanasie’s public announcement, I have not been notified that there is any matter before the Ethics Committee.

I also note for the record that, just in the last year, there have been two previous mischievous attempts by Mr. Sanasie’s running mate, Calvin Hope, to accuse me of unethical conduct during my tenure as CWI President. On both occasions the Ethics

Committee found that there was no basis to the Calvin Hope complaints.

In this latest baseless tactic, Mr. Sanasie is showing a contemptuous disregard for the established system of the election of a President of CWI, just as he has done over many years in Guyana. It is Mr. Sanasie’s own disregard for good governance and his disrespect for the judicial system which seven years ago brought about related

Government Legislation, designed to prevent his continued abuse of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB). Even if he has actually complained, such a complaint could not disqualify my nomination for the presidency of CWI. This attempt to involve the Ethics Committee in petty politics further highlights my concern that Sanasie’s only plan for West Indies cricket is to get power over it, by any means whatsoever.”

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 23, 2021

PAGE 31

Zoom meeting with Minister Ramson and GBB President went well says St Clair

By Sean Devers The Gary St Clair Superhero fight night Promotions is planning to stage a pulsating International Boxing card in Guyana which could be shown on a Pay-per-view channel.

According to St Clair, speaking from his home in Sydney, Australia, the planning for this mega Event is in its infancy stages and if all goes well, including approval for the Ministry of Health and Covid-19 Task Force, USA based Eton Dharry and Dexter Marques are expected to feature on the main and supporting bouts respectively with both fighting for World titles.

Last Saturday morning (midnight in Australia) Sinclair, President of the Guyana Boxing Board Peter Abdool and Minister of Culture, Youth & Sports Charles Ramson discussed the staging of the Event during a ‘Zoom’ meeting with the Minister.

“The meeting went well.

It was such a pleasure the meet Minister Charles Ramson and am grateful that he took time out from his

GBB President Peter Abdool Minister of Culture, Youth & Sports Charles Ramson busy schedule to have a causal conversation with us.

Mr Ramson is very supportive of this upcoming promotion and said that he is looking forward to working with the Gary Sinclair Superhero fight night promotion,” said Sinclair from Sydney.

“It was also a pleasure to have the company of Mr Abdool and I thank him for his testimony of my character to the Minister,” a d d e d S i n c l a i r, w h o represented Guyana in the 1994 Commonwealth Games before turning professional later that year.

(Continued on page 25)

Ex Guyanese World Champion and Boxing Promoter Gary St Clair with his belts.

Correction In March 17, 2021 edition under the caption “Letter to the Sports Editor, Active East Coast Cricket Executives respond to Secretary” we inadvertently made reference to Guyana Times newspapers dated February 05, 2021. This was also published in the

Stabroeknews on March 16, 2021. The correction should read “on newsroom.gy dated March 06, 2021’’, instead of Guyana Times newspapers.

We s i n c e r e l y apologize to Guyana Times newspaper for the error.

B. Ramkelawan

Guyanese Boxer Dexter Marques

US Based Guyanese Elton Dharry

Kaieteur News

PAGE 32

Tuesday March 23, 2021

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

We’ve gone in at the deep end and we’ve hit the ground running - Captain, Sam Cox

By Franklin Wilson in the Dominican Republic, compliments of Secure Innovations & Concepts, Industrial Safety Supplies Inc., Fazia’s Motor Spares and GFF ‘Golden Jaguars’ Captain Sam Cox who plays with Hampton and Richmond FC in the National League South, the sixth tier of English football will earn his 28thcap when this nation face old rivals Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday evening from 19:00hrs at the Panamericano Stadium here in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

It’ll be the start of the Concacaf first round of qualifying for these two nations in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 competition and it’s a must win game for Guyana. Cox, who will be in charge of the team from the engine room (midfield) for the 24th time, having earned his first Captain armband against Curacao in 2016, is quietly confident that the team would be ready for the challenges at hand that’ll be presented by T&T and Bahamas whom the Guyanese will face on March 30th from 15:00hrs at the Felix Sanchez Stadium.

“It’s brilliant to be back

in and amongst the boys again and just integrating with the new young fresh faces. It’s always a pleasure, honour and privilege to represent my country. Just seeing the development of the programme since I first came in 2015 is fantastic.

We’re all optimistic and are preparing well and all looking forward to the challenge.

We’re training hard every day, training’s been intense, we’ve gone in at the deep end and we have hit the ground running. Everybody is working and showing the professionalism and commitment to the programme.”

The T&T game Cox noted comes with a lot of rivalry between the two nations that has gone back for many years. On the previous two occasions the nations met, the matches ended 1-1, the last being at the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup in the USA when the Soca Warriors had to come from behind to earn an equal share of the points against the Golden Jaguars.

The Land of Many Waters ended the group stage ahead of the Twin Island Republic in their debut year at this championship; the USA and Panama also competed in the same group.

“We know the rivalry that comes between us and T&T, no one’s hiding that and it’s going to be no different going into the game on the 25th.

It’s going to be a game of huge importance in terms of qualification into the next round of world cup qualifying. Of course the Bahamas match is massive as well, but I think this one’s going to set the tone for the rest of the group.”

Cox reminisced that when he joined the programme almost seven years ago he was young and would have been guided by the players in the programme then, but now, he’s playing a different role.

“I’m on the flip side now where I am passing down my knowledge and experiences to this young crop of local based players.”

He noted that there has been a lot chatter about the composition of the squad in terms of the young players being given an opportunity, questioning if they should or shouldn’t be given a chance.

“Listen, they’ve got the quality, they are fantastic kids willing to learn and gain as much knowledge as they can. They’re confident young men still learning their trade, they ask questions, they’ve got a great

Captain Sam Cox getting prepared for the task at hand.

(Franklin Wilson photo)

head coach in Máximo whose tactical knowledge and experience is something we can all learn from.

But the discussion regarding if they are ready, I think the proof would be in the pudding; they have a fantastic opportunity now to express themselves and take their opportunity in training and if they get their chance on the field then you know, the proof would be in the pudding.”

Cox also noted that it’s not the fault of the young players that they have been brought into the programme, stating that they must have been doing something right in order to get the call-up and that must be respected.

“There’s going to be disappointments which there

Chance set for debut this weekend

M

arch 26 and 27, 2021 will f o r e v e r remain special for Guyana men’s 400m indoor record holder, Arinze Chance, as he is set to make his professional debut then at t h e We e m s B a s k i n Invitational that will run off on Friday & Saturday at the University of South Carolina, Columbia.

Chance is upbeat to make his debut but he noted that it is just the first step on his road to glory. He divulged with Kaieteur Sport that, “Right now I’m working really hard in practice and training even harder in the weight room. I’m trying to get as many meets lined up because with constant competition I believe I will

move from strength to strength. Any and every meet that I anticipate will have good competition, I intend to be there.”

The recent University of South Carolina graduate who majored in Global Studies made his intentions clear to Kaieteur Sport he doesn’t want to talk much about the meet before but rather let his performances do the speaking. And, with the Tokyo Olympic just around the corner, he will be digging deep to make the 44.9s Olympic Standard. His personal best (PB) in the 400m outdoors is 46.05s when he last ran the event in 2019. Among the track meets Chance is eyeing to prepare and qualify for the summer Olympics include

Guyana’s Senior Championships that is scheduled for April 17 & 18 at the National Track & Center on the West Coast of Demerara and the South America Senior Championship that is slated for Argentina in the Month of May. The sprinter has broken the national indoor quartermile record twice in the past two years, however, he has not competed Outdoors for the same time period. The 2019 Aliann Pompey Invitational (API) men’s 400m champion is not fazed by that and declared that he will achieve his goal, “The Goal is just to run fast. Every race I’ll be trying to run fast.

It’s a year for fast running and I want to be present.”

Arinze Chance during a training session.

has been and there’s a lot of people who have expressed their displeasures but at the end of the day, the coach has the final decision.The Coach sees them working on a day to day basis so he has an opinion and a philosophy on what he wants for the programme in terms of

development and giving the local based opportunities. If he feels that they are good enough or better placed for an opportunity then, that’s his decision. In England we have a philosophy, the coach is king, and if that’s what he wants to go by then you have to respect that.”

Archery Guyana’s Indoor Competition commences shortly Further to the submission of Covid-19 Protocols to the National Covid-19 Task Force, Archery Guyana secured the requisite approvals to commence shooting sessions. As such, Archery Guyana’s Indoor Championship Style competition is the new initiative launched by Archery Guyana that will be held each quarter of 2021 with the first competition starting in March, a release from the organisation informed.

Archers will be able to showcase their skills in this specially designed virtual competition that will be 18 metres Recurve style for males and females of all ages held indoor or outdoor.

Each Archer is expected to shoot 60 arrows at 18 metres for the ranking round.

The Competition will feature an honour based scoring system and subject to observation by the Directors of Shooting or their nominees. The scores will be recorded on a digital

template provided by Archery Guyana and must include the total number of 10s and 9s shot by each archer. A Whatsapp Group will be created for recording scores and sharing photos among members.

The Competition is designed to give Archers the opportunity to compete and enjoy the sport at selected venues that are vetted and approved by specially formed Competitions Committee of Archery Guyana. The Competitions Committee will ensure that each venue conform to the national Covid-19 regulations as well as the necessary safety protocols for archery competitions.

Archers will be able to select the dates and times for their shooting based on the availability of Judges.

Ranking rounds were down to begin on 22 March 2021.

The Board of Directors wishes to thank the National Covid-19 Task Force and the Competitions Committee for organising this event.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 23, 2021

PAGE 31

Georgetown Royal Rangers, Essequibo Eagles, West Dem Warriors triumph - Deoram Persaud hits ton Part of the action in the recent games of the BMC tournament.

G

eorgetown Royal Rangers, Essequibo Eagles and West Dem Warriors recorded victories when the Big Man Cricket 25-over competition continued recently.

At No. 72 Cut and Load ground, GT Royal Rangers managed 173-6, batting first.

Nadir Baksh made 45, Shaun Massiah got 37, Tajenarine Ramroop 27 and Mustapha Azimullah 20. Michael Singh took 2-24.

Upper Corentyne

Rangers made 119 all out in 2 3 o v e r s i n r e p l y.

Chatterpaul Lionel scored 31 not out and Prince Trotman 27.

Bashur Khan claimed 320, Baksh 2-18 and Oslyn Batson 2-30.

GT Royal Rangers won by 54 runs; Baksh was named man-of-the-match.

(Match Points: GT RR: 20 for win + 8 batting bonus points + 10 bowling points = 38 points; UC Rangers: 5 batting bonus points + 6 bowling bonus points = 11

points) At Imam Bacchus Cricket ground, Affiance Essequibo Coast, West Side Vipers took first strike and made 125-9. Muneshwar Balgobin scored 46 and Suresh Ramdeen 23.

Besham Seepersaud grabbed 4-23 and Trevis Simon 2-16.

Essequibo Eagles responded with 128-2 in 17.1 overs.

Ramesh Narine struck an unbeaten 64 off 48balls with six fours and three sixes,

GCA Noble House Seafoods 2nd Division cricket

Gransult and Pierre star in latest encounter

Dion Pierre had 13 wickets for Third class over the weekend.

B

el Air Rubis two Wi c k e t k e e p e r Renai Gransult missed what would have been a well-deserved centaury by just three runs, but that feat was overshadowed an incisive spell of fast bowling Dion Pierre who captured a career best 13-wicket haul to lead Third Class to a crushing win in their GCA Noble House Seafoods twoday second Division cricket match on Sunday at the QC ground.

Renai Gransult

Third Class batted first on the impressive outfield on a track which was low and slow but led by 47 from Shameer Hussain, 38 from Donald Gouveia and 19 from Lenny Pramchan as Persaud had 3-6.

Bel Air Rubis two ended the opening day on 186-8 as Gransult’s onslaught was not really supported by anyone else although several batsmen got into double figures but none reached 20 as they only added seven runs to their overnight total.

Pierre was the main destroyer as he bagged 6-42 for Third Class who declared at 217-9, an hour after lunch as Troy Domingo made 66 and Gouveia again got into the thirties with 34 but failed to convert into something bigger.

Mahendra Jeenarine had 3-36, while Floyd Jones took 3-18 for Bel Air Rubis who fell for 92 as Pierre sliced through the opposition’s batting line-up like a knife cutting hot butter by grabbing 7-15.

Dharmandeo Lall made 36 off 35balls with three fours and Deopaul Drepaul 18 not out.

Essequibo Eagles won by 8 wickets. Seepersaud Baksh was named man-ofthe-match.

(Match points: Essequibo Eagles 20 for win + 6 batting bonus points + 9 bowling bonus points = 35 points; West Side Vipers 6 batting bonus points + 2 bowling bonus points = 8

points) At Farm Community Centre ground, East Bank D e m e r a r a , We s t D e m Warriors posted 254-5, batting first.

Deoram Persaud slammed 106 off 74balls with 13 fours and four sixes while Ganesh Persaud 36 off 37balls with six fours, Eion Williams got 29, Patrick Khan 27 and Seecharran Persaud 18.

In reply, Real Warriors

made 29 for 9 (innings closed) in 10.2 overs. Steve Haripaul claimed 4-5.

West Dem Warriors won by 227 runs Deoram Persaud was named man-of-the-match.

(Match points: West Dem Warriors 20 for win + 12 batting bonus points + 10 bowling bonus points = 42 points; Real Warriors 1 batting bonus point + 5 bowling bonus points = 6 points)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday March 23, 2021

PAGE 33

Georgetown Royal Rangers, Essequibo Eagles, West Dem Warriors triumph - Deoram Persaud hits ton Part of the action in the recent games of the BMC tournament.

G

eorgetown Royal Rangers, Essequibo Eagles and West Dem Warriors recorded victories when the Big Man Cricket 25-over competition continued recently.

At No. 72 Cut and Load ground, GT Royal Rangers managed 173-6, batting first.

Nadir Baksh made 45, Shaun Massiah got 37, Tajenarine Ramroop 27 and Mustapha Azimullah 20. Michael Singh took 2-24.

Upper Corentyne

Rangers made 119 all out in 2 3 o v e r s i n r e p l y.

Chatterpaul Lionel scored 31 not out and Prince Trotman 27.

Bashur Khan claimed 320, Baksh 2-18 and Oslyn Batson 2-30.

GT Royal Rangers won by 54 runs; Baksh was named man-of-the-match.

(Match Points: GT RR: 20 for win + 8 batting bonus points + 10 bowling points = 38 points; UC Rangers: 5 batting bonus points + 6 bowling bonus points = 11

points) At Imam Bacchus Cricket ground, Affiance Essequibo Coast, West Side Vipers took first strike and made 125-9. Muneshwar Balgobin scored 46 and Suresh Ramdeen 23.

Besham Seepersaud grabbed 4-23 and Trevis Simon 2-16.

Essequibo Eagles responded with 128-2 in 17.1 overs.

Ramesh Narine struck an unbeaten 64 off 48balls with six fours and three sixes,

GCA Noble House Seafoods 2nd Division cricket

Gransult and Pierre star in latest encounter

Dion Pierre had 13 wickets for Third class over the weekend.

B

el Air Rubis two Wi c k e t k e e p e r Renai Gransult missed what would have been a well-deserved centaury by just three runs, but that feat was overshadowed an incisive spell of fast bowling Dion Pierre who captured a career best 13-wicket haul to lead Third Class to a crushing win in their GCA Noble House Seafoods twoday second Division cricket match on Sunday at the QC ground.

Renai Gransult

Third Class batted first on the impressive outfield on a track which was low and slow but led by 47 from Shameer Hussain, 38 from Donald Gouveia and 19 from Lenny Pramchan as Persaud had 3-6.

Bel Air Rubis two ended the opening day on 186-8 as Gransult’s onslaught was not really supported by anyone else although several batsmen got into double figures but none reached 20 as they only added seven runs to their overnight total.

Pierre was the main destroyer as he bagged 6-42 for Third Class who declared at 217-9, an hour after lunch as Troy Domingo made 66 and Gouveia again got into the thirties with 34 but failed to convert into something bigger.

Mahendra Jeenarine had 3-36, while Floyd Jones took 3-18 for Bel Air Rubis who fell for 92 as Pierre sliced through the opposition’s batting line-up like a knife cutting hot butter by grabbing 7-15.

Dharmandeo Lall made 36 off 35balls with three fours and Deopaul Drepaul 18 not out.

Essequibo Eagles won by 8 wickets. Seepersaud Baksh was named man-ofthe-match.

(Match points: Essequibo Eagles 20 for win + 6 batting bonus points + 9 bowling bonus points = 35 points; West Side Vipers 6 batting bonus points + 2 bowling bonus points = 8

points) At Farm Community Centre ground, East Bank D e m e r a r a , We s t D e m Warriors posted 254-5, batting first.

Deoram Persaud slammed 106 off 74balls with 13 fours and four sixes while Ganesh Persaud 36 off 37balls with six fours, Eion Williams got 29, Patrick Khan 27 and Seecharran Persaud 18.

In reply, Real Warriors

made 29 for 9 (innings closed) in 10.2 overs. Steve Haripaul claimed 4-5.

West Dem Warriors won by 227 runs Deoram Persaud was named man-of-the-match.

(Match points: West Dem Warriors 20 for win + 12 batting bonus points + 10 bowling bonus points = 42 points; Real Warriors 1 batting bonus point + 5 bowling bonus points = 6 points)