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Wednesday Edition

Hope backlands shootout identified

March 24, 2021 - Vol. 16 No.12

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Price $80

- Police hunt other man who escaped

Online readership yesterday, 109,019

Stabroek Block PSA reveals…

ExxonMobil entitled to recover any disputed costs pending final resolution Papua New Guinea Essequibo woman Guyana not begging ExxonMobil to rescued after worried about amend parasitic gas deal suicide attempt Chinese ‘Debt Trap’

- country had relied on gas major’s studies to greenlight project

by drowning

…will continue borrowing sustainably - Dr. Singh

Guyana should get solid financial assurance from Exxon to protect against oil disasters - International Lawyer

Fisherman Autopsy shows Police to died chopped alcoholic from brain seek advice following row hemorrhage after minors businessman who had over money -beaten had sex him rearrested

Senior Minister skirts question on Guyana getting fair share from oil deals …says revenue already decided by contract terms; we have to work with them 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

PAGE 02

Wednesday March 24, 2021

BK challenges decision by GGMC to grant another company quarry licences for areas it already applied for

B

K Quarries Inc. is challenging a decision by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) over what appears to be a decision to grant four quarry licences to Hadi’s World Inc. of Lot 29 Lombard Street, Georgetown. Hadi’s World Inc. is owned by local businessman, Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohamed.

According to documents seen by this newspaper, the notices of intention to grant these four applications, which were published by the GGMC in the Official Gazette in favour of Hadi’s World Inc. describes an area which overlaps the 2018 application made by BK Quarries Inc. Further, a statement issued by Public Relations Officer (PRO), Adam Harris, explained that BK Quarries Inc. had applied for a quarry licence on August 16, 2018 for the area subject to prospecting licence.

“This quarry licence application was designated

B-1000/000/18. Two years later, after letters dated May 21, 2019 and July 17, 2019, the Commissioner of GGMC wrote to BK Quarries Inc. advising that the application for B-1000-000-18 was being considered seriously at the level of the Board of Directors,” the PRO stated.

He went on to add that there were several commitments arising from the meeting, one such commitment from BK Quarries Inc. being that the company identifies 4,460 acres out of the total area 9,364 acres which was originally applied for.

He noted on January 9, 2020, BK Quarries Inc. agreed to meet with the GGMC and the technical sub-committee. The meeting took place on January 14, 2020 to discuss the application. “There was another meeting on June 17, 2020 to follow up on the application B-1000/000/18.

The following day, the company again submitted a map with the reduced acreage as discussed on 14

January, 2020. More letters were to follow. On July 2, 2020, GGMC requested from BK Quarries Inc. a detailed cartographic description of the reduced areas of interest. It said that it needed this information to continue processing the application,” Harris detailed in the statement.

The PRO noted that the request by GGMC was satisfied on August 6, 2020.

However, he said nothing happened. BK Quarries Inc. sent another letter to GGMC on December 9, 2020.

In the new year, on January 11, GGMC sent a letter to BK Quarries Inc. contending that the application for the 9,364 acres exceeded the 4,500 acres approved by the GGMC for the favourable processing of application.

He said that this was also complied with by BK Quarries Inc., which submitted yet again a map and cartographic details for the adjusted acreage.

However, Harris noted that eight days later, BK

Quarries Inc. received a letter from the GGMC stating that “all quarry licences extant and otherwise are to be reviewed by the Commission’s Board of Directors”.

GGMC, he said had also asked that patience be exercised by the quarrying company and that “should there be any additional requests pertaining to your application, you will be duly notified”.

But all this changed with the publication of the Official Gazette dated February 5, 2021 which stated that GGMC had intent to grant four quarry licences to Hadi’s World Inc. of 29 Lombard Street, Georgetown.

Upon checking the areas gazetted, Harris said it was revealed that some of the areas being granted to Hadi’s World Inc. overlay areas already applied for by BK Quarries Inc. The PRO claimed that at the most recent meeting of the GGMC’s Board of Directors to deliberate on the

Brian Tiwari of BK Quarries. four applications made by Hadi’s World Inc, the issue of the Gazette Publications dated February 5, 2021 was raised as the applications were yet to be approved by the Board. He also claimed that the notice of intention to grant as published in the official gazette was made without the applications being approved by the Board.

Describing the move by GGMC as unlawful, BK Quarries Inc. noted that it had legitimate expectations that its application of 2018 would have been favourably

considered and has cooperated with the GGMC in every way to satisfy the requirements of the Commission.

As such, BK Quarries Inc. has, through its lawyers, voiced its objection to the granting of these four licences to Hadi’s World Inc. on locations already applied for by the company. The company is therefore asking GGMC to withdraw the Notice of Intention to grant the licences to Hadi’s World Inc. and complete the processing and issuance of its 2018 application.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 24, 2021

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Papua New Guinea begging to amend “parasitic” gas deal with ExxonMobil - Country had relied on company’s studies

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n addition to c o n d u c t i n g comprehensive studies to ensure the financial feasibility of the intended gas-to-shore project, transparency advocates also want Guyana’s government to ensure that those studies are independent. Presently, the Government has said that it would rely on ExxonMobil t o c o n d u c t t h e environmental and other technical studies for the project. Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has said that the financial viability of the gas-to-shore project is a “nobrainer”. As critics call on him to justify the project, Kaieteur News will show how Papua New Guinea failed to conduct its own studies, and fell face-first for optimistic projections from a study done for ExxonMobil.

The project became an “economic parasite”, according to one Australian senator Scott Ludlam, and the government is now begging for a better deal.

Optimistic Projections More than a decade ago, ACIL TASMAN (Now ACIL Allen), an Australian economics and policyconsulting firm, conducted a study for ExxonMobil to model the impact of the proposed gas project on Papua New Guinea.

This study was critical in the duping of the people of Papua New Guinea. It used a series of optimistic assumptions to come up which projections, telling the PNG public that the project would revolutionise the economy and the lives of the people.

It is titled ‘PNG LNG Economic Impact Study: An assessment of the direct and indirect impacts of the proposed PNG LNG Project on the economy of Papua New Guinea’.

Here is an excerpt from the executive summary of that report: “The PNG LNG project offers a means of unlocking value from the extensive gas resources of the Southern Highlands region. The project has the potential to transform the economy of Papua New Guinea, boosting GDP and export earnings, providing a major increase in government revenue, royalty payments to

PNG Energy Minister, Kerenga Kua landowners, creating employment opportunities during construction and operation, and providing a catalyst to further gas-based industry development.

The benefits from the project would spread throughout the economy as the government applies the earnings from its substantial share of the project revenues to social and economic programs.

These programmes have the potential to improve the quality of life of Papua New Guineans by providing essential services and enhancing the country‘s productivity.

Benefits would also flow through the economy as the wages and salaries of project staff are spent and as suppliers provide a range of goods and services to the project.

Landowners stand to benefit from direct payments of royalties on production of gas and associated petroleum products, as well

as improved social and economic infrastructure.”

The reality when the project started The US$19bn project has been supplying LNG to Japan, South Korea and China since 2014, using gas production and processing facilities connected by 700km of onshore and offshore pipeline across PNG. A 2018 report by the Jubilee Australia Research Centre titled “Double or Nothing: The Broken Economic Promises of PNG LNG” reveals how the results the LNG project produced for the State fell way below expectations, with one author positing that the country would have been better off if the project didn’t happen at all.

“Despite predictions of a doubling in the size of the economy, the outcome was a gain of only 10 percent and all of this focused on the

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, James Marape l a rg e l y f o r e i g n - o w n e d resource sector itself.”

“Despite predictions of an 84 percent increase in household incomes, the outcome was a fall of six percent.”

“Despite predictions of a 42 percent increase in employment, the outcome was a fall of 27 percent.”

“Despite predictions of an 85 percent increase in

Government expenditure to support better education, health, law and order, and infrastructure, the outcome was a fall of 32 percent.”

“Despite predictions of a 58 percent increase in imports, the outcome was a fall of 73 percent.”

It is stated that the results only exceeded the projection in one area: the export sector.

While the prediction was a

106 percent increase, the outcome was 114 percent, the report noted.

“This reflects the technical success of the project – starting earlier than expected and producing at a b o v e d e s i g n specifications.”

Yet, with this success, the authors held that the shortfall in the other economic predictions is even more remarkable. It went on to add that the extremely low revenues got by the government could not be attributed to low gas prices because the actual revenues collected by the government were one-third of the projections of low gas prices.

Furthermore, it is stated that the project has had a negative impact on the country’s budget, and that that is not likely to change until 2024.

And what’s worse is that Jubilee Australia’s study states that the total net revenues covering the 30year life of the project is estimated by the advocacy body to be a quarter of the (Continued on page 30)

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 24, 2021

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

Main Street execution What recently occurred on Main Street cannot be anything other than the height of utter lawlessness and total disrespect. For this to be planned for and then delivered, where the murderous circumstances unfolded, says so much of what is wrong in this country. And just in case some have not gotten our drift as yet, we point to that cold-blooded killing of a man in a fusillade of more than a dozen bullets just outside a well-attended place of entertainment on a welltravelled street.

The news reports tell the terse story of a man fatally mowed down. He was called out and cut-down in what can be nothing other than a well-thought-out execution, which speaks to long practice by the perpetrators in that kind of bloody and gruesome business. Not too long ago, and right here, the killing fields of Guyana were well watered in the blood soaking that they got. As much as this type of clinical killing harks back to those chilling days of recent times, one would hope that this is simply not part of what seems poised to take wings here once more.

But all of that is moot and somewhat meaningless in the bigger picture, the more relevant and obvious one that could not have been unknown or not matter. It is that that killing took place in what can be safely and literally be measured as the shortest of simple stone’s throws from the official residence of the Head of State of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. As the crow flies, it is such a short flight path as to be over before it has begun before the home of the President and his family is reached and breached.

We say breached because of this simple fact: stray bullets have no clear and predetermined path as to where they finally find a resting place. And the President’s home may be as good as any for such steel jacketed (warheads are what they are called around here) messengers of death to stop by.

Bullets do not discriminate, they do not have regard for bystanders, or the disconnected, or the accidental. They are an accident all by themselves; then again, there is nothing accidental about an arc of lethal bullets seeking targets, any targets that are made of flesh and bone and blood.

From our point of view at this paper, surely all of that has to mean something, a lot of things. It is the proximity and immediacy of the President’s residence, and his person.

Though we at this paper have serious differences on how the sitting President of this country does a whole slew of things, we are appalled and disturbed that something of this cavalier and heinous nature could take place almost on his doorstep.

Surely, the area of his residence has to be totally offlimits for such things as noise nuisances and a host of other unacceptable behaviours, of which we proceed to name a few. Behaviours such as indecent exposure, choice of language, breach of the peace, among other things.

But above all, the surroundings of the official residence of this country’s head of state (and who knows who else might be there at any given time), for all intents and purposes, and with the consideration of every reality, must be a thoroughly demilitarized zone.

Put differently, there can be no kind of shooting, not even of the so-called ‘harmless’ variety that is aimed at the atmosphere. For this to occur at the fairly young hour of approximately 10:30 p.m., conveys the depths of the accumulated depravities that have this society in the firmest of firm grips. And this mention of the time brings us to still another place and point.

According to the current official rules and protocols put in place by the COVID-19 Taskforce, there is a curfew that takes effect at 10:30 p.m. There has been some back and forth about selective enforcement, and now there is this in the face development of barbarous and brutal finality being executed in a very public space at the curfew starting point This does not look good on a number of fronts, with the most troubling being where are we really with crime, what do we have for COVID-19 rule compliance and by way of official protections, and where is all of this ultimately leading.

Last, this much can be said and we do not shrink from saying it: if the official residence of Guyana’s leader is not a consideration for those bent on mayhem and wanton violence, then whose home is? And whose person is truly safe and secure, given what is going on around here?

Essential ingredients of PPP governance DEAR EDITOR, I trust that Guyanese are sitting up straight and taking notice of what has been happening in the last three calendar quarters. There are two developments which, in their resurgence, should emphasize what has been characteristic of previous PPP governments, and which have now returned with a vengeance. I think that they are harbingers of more of the same to come, which should alert first, and then severely agitate next.

The first development involves those large and now fairly frequent instances of cocaine shipments intercepted abroad. The fact that they are being seized overseas should give an indication of how tied down this country is where that kind of rich powdery business (and money laundering

legitimised) is concerned.

Also re-emphasized is how this kind of business bounces back so quickly and so strongly, since the PPP government took office. It is a testament to what its governance has always been about, with this time being even worse than before; there is much lost time to recover.

This is just the beginning.

Second, I was greeted on Monday morning with media reports of that hail of bullets on Main Street, which had all the components of a wellorchestrated execution.

I think that this, too, is an early sign of a return to the good old days of Drug Master Plans and a few ‘bad apples’ for cops and intelligence sharing with crime fighters and freedom fighters. We used to call them phantoms back then; I suggest pillars of democracy

today.

Whatever it is, the dark moneymen are back, and every day is an inauguration celebration for them. In view of what they brought about for governance, they are now well positioned and properly prepared to leverage unchecked.

Now, I have no option but to place this squarely where it belongs: an integral aspect of the dangerous governance culture fostered by the PPP. Its leaders and people may try, but they cannot duck responsibility for what is again manifesting its ugly head in this society. Most of the party’s people are in the positions of power; whether they are or not is moot, because they know what is going on, who is involved, and may be involved themselves. After all, the lure of sweet cash and fast cash

has always proved irresistible in the past. This I suppose has to be accepted as part of the environments and underpinnings of democracy, the pretenses at clean governance, and the peculiar strains of runaway Guyanese capitalist entrepreneurship.

As I present all this, I cannot help but wonder what my dear American and British and Canadian fellows are thinking, how they plan to respond; or, if they will do anything at all, since the PPP has virtual carte blanche to run rackets. The PPP also has the supporting machinery to wax well about law and order, the rule of law, and no one is above the law. That is, other than its own people, particularly the money people, and the muscle people.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Emulate Holland political principles, integrity & electoral system DEAR EDITOR, An interesting development occurred in Holland last January on constitutional governance of which Guyanese politicians must take cognizance and must emulate. The Prime Minister of Holland and his government resigned because of a financial scandal.

Rather than continue in office, the government did the honourable thing – resigned to face the electorate.

With Netherland being a constitutional monarchy, the king who is head of state, asked the PM to run a caretaker administration until election is held and a new government is formed. As is the norm in any democratic country that embraces constitutional governance, new business cannot be undertaken during caretaker status and parliament cannot meet until new elections. The caretaker administration in Holland respects the law and democratic principles and did not pursue any news business or attempt to extend

its stay in office through acts of skullduggery or constitutional violations.

In Guyana, the opposite happened when the government lost a no confidence motion in December 2018. The APNU led government conducted new business and violated the laws of the country as well as various democratic principles. The coalition should have resigned and immediately set a date for elections within 90 days.

Instead, the government held on to power for 15 months, 12 more than the law allows. And it only scheduled elections because of growing international pressure.

In the Dutch elections held over three days, the first for a European country, because of the pandemic, the incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s party (VVD) won the most seats - 35, a gain of two from the last election of 2017. The ballots were protected daily with no election worker attempting to manipulate the outcome or

stuff ballots in the boxes as was done in Guyana when elections were held on one day.

Dozens of parties contested the elections. Most parties lost seats from the last elections in 2017. Some 76 seats are needed for government formation. The VVD will look for partners to meet the threshold.

Alternatively, other parties may try to build an alliance to cobble together 76.

Rutte will remain caretaker until a government is formed.

In 2017, he took 225 days to form a government. He is attempting to garner partners in his fourth coalition government over the last decade.

My studies of comparative political systems reveal that like Guyana, Holland has a PR system.

Some 16 other European states have a PR system. It has slight variation from Guyana’s but the principle is the same in that seats are allocated based on percentage of votes received.

Guyana also has geographic seats based on a combination of first past the post and PR. But unlike in Guyana, Holland and European countries use the D’Hondt PR system. In Holland, candidates are listed in order of preference on a list based on party popularity or leadership to sit in parliament.

But it is also a ranked choice voting system – complex and complicated in which the voters decide on their own preference of who sits in parliament as MPs. Voters can choose a candidate lower down on the ranked list (say number 150, for example) and if he or she gets enough votes will be awarded the seat instead of a candidate who is ranked number five on the list). In Guyana, the party leaders or head of list decides who sits in parliament even if a candidate is very unpopular; very popular candidates are known to be excluded by the head of a list. There is no ranked choice in Guyana. There was ranked choice in 1964 thru 1973 (Continued on page 5)

Letter to Peeping Tom DEAR PEEPING TOM, I normally write to you whenever I find your reporting to be flawed but on this occasion please allow me to congratulate you on your balanced reporting in Monday’s edition of the Peeping Tom Column titled “Guyana is in a bad way”.

You wrote: The people who are being vaccinated at present are the same people who generally would have been taking precautions by

wearing masks and social distancing.

They are protecting themselves further. But there are tens of thousands out there who are walking around without regard for the COVID-19 regulations.

And who, if given the chance, would attend any super spreader event which is held in Guyana at present.

I couldn’t agree with you more. I was appalled at the close contact, which I’ve seen

among people in the markets, many without masks and those with masks wearing them improperly.

At some point in time, people have to be responsible for their own health. It is not only the Government’s or Law E n f o r c e m e n t ’ s responsibilities to ensure rules are being followed.

They cannot be everywhere to monitor everyone.

Guyanese are bombarded daily with

warnings and messages from the media to follow COVID-19 guidelines. The people who refuse to heed these warnings are not doing so out of ignorance but are deliberately choosing not to take heed.

The increase in COVID19 infection rate and fatalities are a direct result of foolish and stubborn behaviour.

Sincerely, Dennis Balgobin

Wednesday March 24, 2021

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Kaieteur News

COMPLIANCE AND COMPROMISE DEAR EDITOR, There has not been enough commentary, and too little retributive action, regarding the spate of terminations of employment across the Public Service, as well as the instant changes in memberships of Boards of Public Sector organisations.

In the latter case, the presumption seems to be that change is automatically for the better, so much so that a structured orientation programme is deemed unnecessary; as was any performance evaluation of the departing Board members – at least to reflect how much the ‘terminators’ know of organisational management and the criteria used for

selecting replacements. (In the process, one must insist on the provision of a justification of the arbitrary dismissal of the CEO of the Guyana Marketing Corporation, after a known lifetime of service).

A transitional exercise would at least have provided useful perspectives of the performance of the senior executive team now to be ‘directed’. In the absence of any such structured information, it is not inconceivable that the parvenus can find themselves being guided (if not themselves in turn ‘directed’) by an astute (if not manipulative) executive team, whose performance they

should logically review at some later point in time. (Are these Boards required to submit reports as do their private sector counterparts, albeit annually?)

The substantive differentiation seen in recent decisions regarding terminations is that while in the case of the Public Service, there were individual victims; in Public Sector organisations, it was the collective Board. It leaves one to enquire about the criteria used for such fatal judgments.

It also leaves one to enquire further why, in the former instance, the Guyana Public Service Union made no assertive representation and, en passant, whether there

A COI is the first step towards Electoral Reforms DEAR EDITOR, In order to reform any proposed system, you must first inquire as to what are the defects of the existing system.

It is within this context that a Commission of Inquiry (COI) should be established to review all aspects of the March 2, 2020 elections.

The European Union Observers Mission recent calls to urgently address electoral reforms brings into the focus the promise made

by H.E. President Irfaan Ali at his inauguration speech when he so eloquently and ardently proclaimed the following: “All of us are painfully aware of the trauma and anguish that our people endured over the past five months as vigorous attempts were made to destroy our democratic credentials, and deny the will of the electorate.

All of us have an obligation to the nation and to ourselves to ensure that never again should any generation of our people be subjected to such unlawful behaviour.

Therefore , a review of events – related to the electoral process over the last five months will begin shortly in order to determine, forensically, exactly what transpired, and to hold accountable any person who sought to pervert and corrupt the system.

More importantly, we will pursue

the necessary reforms to make our democracy stronger and our electoral process more transparent. “ A COI into the events of the March 2, 2020 elections should be commissioned by the President as promised and should comprise of at least three distinguished officers from the Commonwealth that have extensive experience with various electoral processes.

The scope and ambit of the COI should encompass events prior to election day, on the election day and happenings after the fateful election day.

Diligent enquiries should be made but not limited to the following areas: • the appointment of the Chairman of the Elections Commission and overall hiring of GECOM secretariat and day to personnel.

•review of all manuals and Standard Operating Procedures as it relates to registration, voting, statement of polls, ballot boxes, etc.

•selection process for Returning Officers, polling staff, District and Regional officials.

• distribution of ballots and voting on election day.

Counting of the votes after close of polls and transmissions of results to GECOM headquarters • tabulating and

declaration of results with special emphasis on Region Four.

• Conduct or misconduct of GECOM secretariat in the declaration of the final results of the election.

• review of the performance or lack thereof by the Chairman of the GECOM. • whether the attempts at subverting the elections were systemic in nature or was it the premeditated manipulation by select individuals.

• recommendations on electoral reforms.

As was stressed by the European Mission, we should begin the process now in order to have sufficient time to reach a consensus on the reforms for the 2025 elections and to hold those who tried to pervert the system accountable.

Yours sincerely, Reggie Bhagwandin

was any scope for the Ethnic Relations Commission to be involved. On the other hand, it is obvious that the Ministry of Labour would have been substantively neutralised from arbitrating on any emerging complaints, particularly from pensionable public servants. By a similar token, it is indeed appropriate to enquire to what extent the terms of ‘contracted employees’ were honoured.

In the meantime, one is overwhelmed by the resounding silence which emanates from the legal arm (or ear) of the Opposition, as if that too were severed.

What is of concern, however, is that all these histrionics are being observed (and possibly recorded) by an increasing range of foreign interests who employ Guyanese, and who

may be incited by the examples of misbehaviours of official decision-makers.

One searches for the evidence of there being formally briefed on the legal requirements of employment in Guyana, and the implications; of the entitlement to unionised employee representation; of the authority of the Ministry of Labour to intervene concerning reported infractions against relevant laws.

But some would have already observed the virtual immunity enjoyed by foreign employers in the bauxite and logging industries, for example.

There are more who would have had little or no prior experience of “industrial relations”; and are determined not to engage in form of

‘equal’ relationships. Not unlike some local counterparts, institutions such as the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) would hardly have been heard of.

In brief, how then enforceable are our labour laws, moreso in an increasingly technological market, not to mention an unpredictable pandemic environment?

We need desperately to have the dozens of newly appointed labour officers substantively authorised to investigate and enforce compliance - with NIS requirements, e.g. maternity and sick leave benefits, and pension.

Already, there are reports of rampant abuse of sensitive (Continued on page 6)

...Emulate Holland political From page 4 elections. Then Burnham changed the system in 1980 retaining ranked choice, but if was done away in 2007. The head of a list chooses MPs and selection is based on loyalty of political leader rather than voter preference or competence. A MP in Europe has power to disagree with party leadership.

Leadership respects views and gives consideration of ideas of MPs. In both Guyana and Holland, seats are allocated based on the proportion of votes received. It takes about .67 percent of votes to win a seat in Holland’s 150 members

parliament. In Guyana, it is more than doubled and is based on votes received rather than percentage.

Interestingly, three Caribbean islands – Bonaire, Saba, Eustatius (not Aruba, Curacao, Saint Martin) do vote in Holland’s general elections as they are administered directly from Holland and each may have a MP sitting in the legislature in Amsterdam similar to French administered territories in the Caribbean.

A new government may take a long time to be formed after this week’s elections.

Rutte will remain caretaker until a coalition of parties

makes a claim that it has enough seats to form a government. The coalition will approach the king with signatures of a majority of MPs. The king will ask the projected leader to form a government and pass a confidence motion in parliament.

Guyana should examine and give consideration to the Holland method of parliamentary selection and government formation, including choosing the head of the government, as the country ponders electoral and constitutional reforms.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

The COI other recommendations on the Public Service in Guyana (Part 2) DEAR EDITOR, Many of the 89 recommendations of the Lutchman Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the Public Service of Guyana, 11 May 2016, support the creation of a Professional and Politically Neutral Public Service to provide for efficient and effective service to the national community.

The COI strongly supports the enactment of a Public Service Law for the Public Service as is the case in other Commonwealth countries.

The National Assembly, the Government and the Public Service Ministry should carefully consider the other related COI recommendations, or declare otherwise; letting the public know why there is no interest in creating and developing a Professional and Politically Neutral Public Service by a Public Service Act/Law for the national good as called for in the COI recommendation #1.

The other Recommendations contained in the COI, include: The Public Service Commission (PSC).

Concerns were raised about the ability of the PSC to discharge faithfully its c o n s t i t u t i o n a l responsibilities.

The COI affirms that the intended independent Constitutional status should be preserved and protected as in other Commonwealth States, including Canada whose Public Service Act provides for an Independent Public Service Commission with exclusive authority on

employment in the Public Service.

The Commission emphasized that it is imperative that the appointment in the Public Service should be based on merit, and should be made by a Commission that is credible and adequately qualified. The COI in its #6 Recommendation, states: “The Public Service Commission should always be constituted with suitably qualified and competent persons of unquestioned integrity who would strive to be fair and impartial in the execution of their duty in consonance with the Constitutional prescription that they exercise independent judgement and not be influenced by political and other external or extraneous considerations.”

The Authorities should not appoint Members of the PSC who have any conflict of interest.

This was blatantly disregarded with respect to some members of the PSC in the past, and this should be corrected in all future appointments to the PSC by the Government and the National Assembly in the faithful discharge of their constitutional duties in the public interest.

Recruitment and Selection in the Public Service.

Recommendation #9 calls for the Constitution and other Laws to be appropriately amended to empower the Public Service Commission to appoint Permanent Secretaries and Regional

Executive Officers to remove direct political appointments to Public Service positions.

Recommendation #10 calls for all appointments to Public Service positions by open internal and external completions to obtain the best from the labour market.

Recommendation #11 advocated that all appointment’s by the PSC to be based on merit and be free from political influences, and meet the essential qualifications and requirements to be performed.

Contract Employment: On Contract Employment, the COI noted that: contract employment in the Public Service is done outside the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission; - retired at 55 Public Servants, are recruited on lucrative contract terms and conditions; - there is arbitrary use of tax payers money for Public Service employment by the political directorate without regard for the optimum staff required; and - there should therefore, be forensic personnel audit justification, for every position in the Public Service with suitably qualified, experience and skills required.

The COI accordingly recommended that:-

- Contract employment of low level and general staff in the public service should end.

However, contract employment in the public service should be restricted to high level, professional, scarce skills not available in the Public Service, and for project work.

(Recommendations #13 & # 14) - There should be higher retirement age of 60 and 65 for public servants with corresponding higher public service pensions and NIS pensions. (Recommendation # 15) - No public servant who retires from the public service before attaining 65 years should be employed on contract (Recommendation # 15) - there should be justification for each staff in each Ministry, office, division, department, and unit with the appropriate organisational structure to be evaluated and determined by human resource and organisational audits. (Recommendation # 16) Training and Staff Development: The COI recommended that there should be a highlevel representative Committee of Permanent Secretaries to identify, on the basis of merit, candidates to

There are restrictions on our FREEDOM DEAR EDITOR, While the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is of serious concern because of the number of people being infected and have died, of more serious concern is the use of the pandemic by Governments around the world to restrict our freedom.

Even in countries that have strong democratic foundations, FREEDOM is being restricted. As examples, freedom to associate collectively and curfews are in place in certain countries.

The pandemic is obviously being used to

scare us into sacrificing our freedom. And, we are giving our willing consent for “our protection”.

Even with VACCINATION programmes, there will still be restrictions.

I hear of a certificate (to say that we have been vaccinated) would now be needed to travel.

This is only a small step towards us needing a Biblical “mark on our hands or head” to trade.

We are living in “interesting times”.

Yours faithfully, Sean Ori

be awarded fellowships and s c h o l a r s h i p s .

(Recommendation #17) Salary and Remuneration Commission: The COI recommended, as in the case with Trinidad and Tobago, A Salary and Remuneration Commission be established by law to make periodic recommendations to the National Assembly on remuneration for high level political and public service offices including the President, Vice-Presidents, Prime Minister, Ministers, Leader of the Opposition, Members of the National Assembly, Permanent Secretaries, Regional Executive Officers, and Regional Chairpersons.

(Recommendation # 57) This Commission should also recommend to the National Assembly, the appropriate remuneration for judges of the High Court and the Court of Appeal, and Constructional offices.

The COI recommended the resumption of Collective bargaining in good faith encounters at negotiations, and conciliation/mediation processes Failure at these levels to resolve issues in dispute, require reference to a mutually agreed Arbitration Tribunal in keeping with the existing procedures, OR as recommended in the COI, to the National Assembly, based on the recommendations of a Salaries Review Commission for final d e t e r m i n a t i o n .

(Recommendation # 58) The Public Service Appellate Tribunal The COI recommended that like the Public Service Commission, the Public Service Appellate Tribunal should be appointed with suitably qualified persons with no conflict of interest, to adjudicate on disputes with

the Public Service C o m m i s s i o n .

(Recommendation # 60) The Public Service Ministry The COI recommended that the Public Service Ministry and the Public Service Commission should be constituted with professional personnel with high integrity to rebuild trust and confidence in the Public Service. (Recommendation # 73) The acceptance and implementation of the recommendations of the COI are essential for good governance, transparency, public accountability, and management of the Public Service.

The Public Service Ministry and the Public Service Commission are charged to ensure fair employment practices, and developing a professional Public Service to serve the national community fairly and impartially.

These recommendations speak to removal conflict of interest at professional and political levels, setting the procedure for finality of public negotiations, and having the National Assembly setting the remuneration of those in the Governing Authorities and the remuneration in the Judicial system and other Constitutional Offices.

The adoption and Implementation of these and other recommendations will rebuild confidence and trust in our country for the good of all.

I again invite persons and organisation with interest, to join the discussion and debate these recommendations of the COI in the Public Service, and call on the Government to take the appropriate actions in the national interest.

Yours sincerely, Samuel J. Goolsarran

...COMPLIANCE AND From page 5 conditions of service as they apply to female employees of who are described as ‘small business entrepreneurs’. One is directed particularly to locations in Regent and Robb Streets, Georgetown occupied by an impressive number of foreign owners.

It is against such a background of misdirections, or the absence of any official directives that it is possible to conceive of a local professional’s service being terminated without notice by his foreign employer, and unable to obtain appropriate redress.

For it is not too fanciful to consider an environment in which the right type of legal representation already being contracted to comparable foreign interest and is therefore selfexcusable from making even a simple enquiry. Meanwhile any other counter-active intervention is unlikely to be taken by any regulatory agency.

These are by no means inconceivable employment issues to be addressed by any administration sensitive to the ramifications of international relationships.

E. B. John

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, should not think it is alright to bet hundreds of millions of dollars on his hunch that the gas-to-shore project is a no-brainer.

Ghanaian leadership had the same attitude and are regretting it to this day.

Ghana may be able to afford such massive annual losses, but Guyana cannot.

PAGE 07

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Guyana not worried about China’s …will continue borrowing sustainably ‘Debt Trap’ - Dr. Singh Guyana’s Minister with responsibility for the Finance Sector Dr. Ashni Singh has dismissed concerns raised by stakeholders that the country could likely fall prey to the China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)—now described by some western countries as debt trap diplomacy.

Dr. Singh gave his views on Monday during a live broadcast hosted by GlobeSpan24X7 and was asked specifically about the Initiative.

According to the senior Finance Minister, “Whoever we borrow from, whenever and whosever we borrow from, we are firmly committed to maintaining fiscal and debt sustainability.”

This, he said, is in order to meet obligations going forward, irrespective of “who we are borrowing from” and singled out China, the international markets or International Financial Institutions; he said this would be done in a manner that would ensure the country remains in a position to service its debts and debt payments

Defending the notion of borrowing, Dr. Singh was adamant that proceeds from any loans secured would be going towards infrastructural projects aimed at bringing about long-term benefits and reiterated government prudence in its financial obligations.

Economies, he said, are oftentimes grown on the basis of borrowing and that the prudent contracting of debt is normal.

He stated that his administration is cognizant of the difficulty of bringing a country out of bankruptcy to solvency, and juxtaposed the economic landscape prior to the People’s Progressive Party Civic taking office and said, “Going forward, we will continue to guard very carefully our debt sustainability.”

The Finance Minister’s assurances comes on the heels of a virtual meeting between Chinese and Guyanese Presidents, Xi Jinping and Dr. Irfaan Ali, on the promotion of a series of initiatives, including BRI— China’s controversial plan to

The President Irfaan Ali (at centre) led negotiating team in talks with China’s President, Xi Jinping build a trade superhighway across the globe.

The Office of the President subsequently reported that President Ali led a high-level ministerial team in the discussions, one that included Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Dr. Ashni Singh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, and the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill.

The BRI was unveiled in 2013

by President Xi. Its official outline states that the initiative is meant to “promote

the connectivity of Asian, European and African continents and their adjacent seas, establish and strengthen partnerships among the countries along the Belt and Road, set up alldimensional, multi-tiered and composite connectivity networks, and realize diversified, independent, balanced and sustainable development in these countries.”

Guyana signed on to an instrument signaling its intent to participate, in July 2018.

The then David Granger

administration’s, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, who is now Government Advisor on Borders, had signed on to a Memorandum of Understanding with Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jianchun, noting that Guyana would cooperate within the Framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative.

Under the initiative, scores of countries appear to benefit from multimilliondollar soft loans from China

for the construction of roads, bridges, airports, deepwater ports and other infrastructure.

Because the project has potential to impact the global political and economic reality significantly, it has become controversial, and has been dubbed by the West as a manifestation of China’s debttrap diplomacy.

Kaieteur News has highlighted how China has been targeting weak and/or corrupt governments to sign onto its initiative, signing away exorbitant loans for (Continued on page 12)

Wednesday March 24, 2021

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

Blame it on the people!

March has been a deadly month as it relates to COVID19 in Guyana. Four persons lost their lives yesterday and it is likely that at least two more persons will perish before the end of the week.

Twenty-one COVID-19 deaths have been recorded thus far in March. This is more than the recorded COVID deaths in December and January, when there were only 13 deaths each. Last month, February, there were 20 deaths.

The government however is not accepting blame for this calamitous situation.

Two hundred and twenty (220) persons have died so far, as the government continues to deflect responsibility and blame for this state of affairs.

Accusations were levelled at the former government. The APNU+AFC were accused of under-reporting deaths. Yet, to date, the person making this accusation has not presented a shred of evidence to support this charge.

The political games must stop. When it comes to life and death decisions, there can be no room for political gamesmanship. The government was determined to reopen the economy; regardless of the consequences and it accused the APNU+AFC of low levels of testing, a justifiable criticism, and then it also suggested there was underreporting of deaths.

The public is also being blamed for being irresponsible and not abiding by the COVID-19 guidelines. But the government is not taking any blame for the flouting of its own regulations.

The government appears to have a penchant for organizing public gatherings. It loves to keep meetings with the public in large outdoor settings. In most instances, the COVID-19 regulations are observed to be in the breach.

A few days ago, there were photographs and video footage in the media about an outreach by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security. The photographs and footage showed clear evidence of the COVID-19 regulations being observed in the breach.

An event such as this should never have been organized during this time, when infections are fast increasing. These events are aimed at ‘taking services to the people.’ They are window dressing. They reveal problems with the delivery of public services, problems which cannot be fixed by a one-off event of taking services to the people. And it was grossly irresponsible of the Ministry to have undertaken such an activity in the midst of a pandemic, since it is not a sustainable or cost-effective measure.

The government now wants the law enforcement agencies to engage in more

stringent enforcement of the COVID-19 regulations. But the government knows about the problems in doing so.

Each afternoon, there is a group of traffic policemen who lurk at the junction of Church and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, waiting to pounce on motorists who do not dead stop at the junction. On most days there are at least two junior ranks engaged in this form of entrapment.

Yet, the police ranks would observe persons not wearing masks in public and not do anything about it. But they would stand at this particular junction every afternoon, during peak hours to harass motorists for failing to not dead stop.

The law enforcement authorities have been lax in enforcing the COVID-19 regulations. Operation COVICURB started with a blitz and then fizzled out into a drizzle. But what about the responsibility of the government?

Surely, given the rise in deaths and numbers, and the fact that there are more than 900 active cases, should have led to the reintroduction of restrictions which were previously eased. But the government is not in the mood to return to any of the previous restrictions which have since been lifted or slackened.

When there was a spike in cases in Canada and the United Kingdom in December, those two countries went on lockdowns, which effectively

Dem Boys Seh…

Wah gan happen to de hydro project if we get gas-to-shore?

Dem taxi man now does gat fuh do feasibility study before dem tek on certain jobs.

When people call or ask dem fuh drop dem in certain places, dem taxi man does gat fuh think twice. Dem does gat fuh calculate whether de money dem gan charge de customer worth de risk of dem getting rob, losing dem vehicle or losing dem life. Dem does do dem own quick feasibility study.

Well, it look like if we gat a man in Guyana wah want de country operate like a dray cart economy. He mekkin mental calculations about whether de gas-to-shore project feasible. Dem boys hear he seh how, because de cost of energy gan come down, dat there gan be no need fuh feasibility study.

Dem boys did remember when de same

party wah he does represent did call for a feasibility study fuh GuySuCo, when de former government bin tekking out a G$30B bond.

So how come a feasibility study was good den and not now for a much bigger project.

Dem boys remember de same sala-wala when dem bin trying fuh build a hydropower plant. Dem bin seh how electricity price gan drop. Just like dem sehing now.

Well, de developer decide it not feasible fuh dem fuh continue unless de Opposition give dem support.

But dem boys believe dem know wah playing out with dis gas-to-shore project. And if you smart yuh gan know too wah playing out.

Talk half and watch dis project with hawkeye!

put a damper on Christmas celebrations. Germany is now about to go on lockdown. The United Kingdom is only now easing its lockdown. France and Poland are intensifying their lockdown measures.

Some states in India are about to go into lockdown mode.

The Pan American Health Organization is warning of an increase in COVID-19 infec-

tions in the Americas. But in Guyana, the government is blaming the public and not imposing any stricter restrictions.

More than 300 persons are going to die in Guyana at this rate. And when it is all done, there needs to be a Commission of Inquiry to determine just who is advising the government regarding

this pandemic and whether the government is listening.

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

PAGE 10

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

The PNC and WPA: Class and Race Betrayal The analysis to follow excludes the Alliance For Change (AFC). I will refer to the AFC in the past tense because I believe it is dead. It cannot resuscitate itself because its raison d’être has long gone. The AFC started out as a middle class party in the genre of the National Democratic Party of Sir John Carter of the 1950s, which catered exclusively for the elite, light-complexioned Creole society.

Ironically, the United Force of the 1960s formed by Portuguese businessmen to protect business and commerce had an interesting dualism about it. It also was active among the least economically prosperous ethnic community in Guyana – the Indigenous folks. Also the United Force did not neglect the ordinary Portuguese workers.

The AFC did not commit class and race betrayal. It never professed to be a working class organisation and openly abstained from using

terms such as the “labouring masses,” the “working people.” Unlike the PPP, PNC and WPA, it found the mention of the word, “socialist” disdainful and none of its founding leaders ever mentioned it since the AFC was born in late 2005. In relation to reality of racial divisions, its shape never catered to serve any particular ethnic constituency.

In the consciousness of African Guyanese society, the PNC is an African party whose role is to represent Afro-Guyanese. The PNC is also a class-based party. It has never been an openly probusiness or an openly promiddle class entity. Like the PPP, its leaders always come from the bottom without being born into privilege. The WPA, as its name bears, seeks to advance causes of the working people.

The new PNC, after its Corbin era was over, came to power in 2015. The WPA since its formation in 1976

never entered the halls of government. It did in 2015. In power for five years, the PNC showed no concern for the plight of African Guyanese working people. The WPA in power simply existed in name only and advanced not one policy formulation to create space in the political economy for the urban proletarian and poor rural peasantry. In fact, one of the WPA’s leaders, Clive Thomas was chairman of GuySuCo when that State body literally devastated the lives of the rural proletariat putting 28,000 families in the sugar industry to live an uncertain existence.

Since their ignominious fall from power in the election, they both tried to steal (David Hinds and Desmond Trotman of the WPA were vicious during the five-month election drama), the PNC has been appealing to the instincts of people who they have betrayed – African Guyanese.

The WPA keeps lamenting the mistreatment of the

poorer folks though they did nothing to help them when in office. Let’s look at a few examples.

The WPA issued a statement two weeks ago deploring the abuse small depositors have to endure at commercial banks.

The banks are demanding self-employed folks pay a chartered accountant to do their submissions. The WPA is a sickening bunch of dishonest minds. The cruelty of the commercial banks was going on when the WPA was in power for five years. Its statement meant it did nothing about the banks when it was in government.

Clive Thomas went to Buxton and scored some cheap, vulgar publicity. He urged that US$5000 be given to low income families from oil revenue but that effort existed without a working class agenda being tabled to Cabinet as part of government’s policy.

The same Thomas was

head of SARA, paying millions monthly in rent to one of the Caribbean richest families who were not African. His deputy, Aubrey Retemyer, told me on the seawall one afternoon that he was uncomfortable with that decision of Thomas and suggested I speak to Thomas about it. I was too contemptuous of Thomas to speak to him.

The PNC after 2015 never raised the retirement age for civil servants, the police force and the army, 90 percent of whom are Afro-Guyanese.

The PNC after 2015 did not offer a substantial pay rise to teachers and nurses, of which more than 75 percent are AfroGuyanese. The PNC after 2015 increased the subvention to UG most of which went to paying salaries of a small elite group with the Vice Chancellor’s salary being doubled to almost two million dollars monthly. Almost 70 percent of UG staff is AfroGuyanese.

Absolutely nothing was

Frederick Kissoon done for Georgetown street vendors of which 99 percent are Afro-Guyanese. The point is made – when in power, the PNC let down the African Guyanese proletariat.

When in power, the WPA was the Worst Possible Alternative (WPA) in Guyana’s future.

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

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

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Kaieteur News

Guyana not worried about China’s ...

From page 8 mega-infrastructural projects. In 2018 alone, China acquired over 20 deepwater harbours and airports from several countries around the world. The country was able to do so by lending those countries massive amounts of money, which they were unable to repay within the stipulated period.

The country is accused of leveraging

these massive loans, which it holds over small states worldwide to snatch assets and increase its military footprint. Developing countries from Pakistan to Djibouti, the Maldives to Fiji, all owe huge amounts to China. Already there are examples of defaulters being pressured into surrendering control of assets or allowing military bases on their land.

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Former Finance Minister asks Court to dismiss lawsuit over sale of lands to BK Marine Former Finance Minister Winston Jordan has filed an application asking the High Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed against him by the current government over the sale of lands to BK Marine Inc. Jordan is contending that the action brought against him over the sale of river front property to BK Marine, “is politically motivated, actuated by bad faith, vindictiveness, spite, constitutes an abuse of power, is frivolous and vexatious, and or scandalous.”

In court documents drafted by attorney Roysdale Forde, SC, Jordan specifically claims “action is indicative of political harassment” over the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. On those grounds, he is seeking

Former Finance Minister Winston Jordan. to have the case thrown out.

Last month, Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC lodged a claim in the High Court seeking to overturn the contentious sale, which ac-

cording to him should have been valued at $5B but was sold to BK for a fraction of that figure. The AG also listed the former CEO of National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Colvin Heath-London, and the Registrar of Deeds as defendants in the proceedings.

In addition to a court order to repossess the lands, the Attorney General has claimed damages in excess of $300 million against Jordan, Heath-London, and NICIL for loss and damages suffered as a result of negligence and/or breach of duty; loss and damages suffered as a result of conspiracy and/or breach of duty; and loss and damage suffered as a result of a (Continued on page 15)

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Victims in Better Hope backlands shootout identified - police hunt other man who escaped The three individuals who were killed on Monday night during a shoot-out with police in the backlands of Better Hope, East Cost Demerara (ECD), have been identified.

The two Mazaruni prison escapees among the dead were identified as Imran Ramsaywack, 25, and Rayon Jones, 28.

The third individual, a woman, has been identified as Savita Rajkumar, 49, also known as “Debbie” of Better Hope South, Squatting Dam.

According to police, she was a close acquaintance of one of the dead prison escapees.

As their bodies lie at the Lyken Funeral home, police are currently hunting another man who escaped, following the shootout with the cops.

He is believed to be a Mazaruni prison escapee as well.

Ramsaywack and Jones were among four high profile prisoners, who on February 16, cut their way to freedom from the Mazaruni prison. The other two who escaped with

them are Kenrick Lyte, 44, and Samuel Gouveia, 36.

The four of them had reportedly made their way to Bartica and were further assisted in their escape by Jones’ father, Ralph Jones, who lived there. Jones Sr. was later remanded for harbouring them as police continued the massive manhunt for the fugitives.

On Monday, police received information that they were hiding out in the Better Hope backlands and ranks (Continued on page 16)

Despite securing court judgment - New York-based Guyanese loses $10.4M after investing in local company New York -based Guyanese Mohan Narain is still reeling from his loss of a US $52,000 investment which he made in Green Leaf Solutions, a local company which trades in biodegradable containers.

Narain recently spoke to Kaieteur News about his unsavory investment experience. He revealed that even if he wanted to take further steps to recover his investment, it is just not possible.

This is despite, a judgment order from the High Court which stipulates that the Green Leaf Solutions and its Azad L.D De Abreu are culpable for paying Narain, the US $52,000 which is the equivalent of GYD$10.4M for the investment.

According to documents seen by this newspaper, in April 2015, Narain a resident of Pinegrove, Jamaica, New York invested US $40,000 under an agreement that he would earn at least thirty percent return as well as profits from resale on his investment to the company.

Two years later, a lawyer’s letter was issued to Green Leaf Solutions and its Director Azad L.D De Abreu outlining Narain had not received any of the monies invested in the company, which trades in biodegradable products imported from China.

Back then, the lawyers had demanded that the company should return to Narain the investment and profit on resale of the biodegradable products or face legal action.

The lawyers noted that they were instructed to demand that the company and its principals take steps to immediately liquidate their indebtedness, failing which legal proceeding would be filed against the company.

In court proceeding that followed, the company outlined that as per the investment agreement, the sum was used to purchase several biodegradable compartment food boxes, soup bowls, meat trays and other items.

Following a Fixed Date Application (FDA), which was later heard before Justice

Franklyn Holder, the court granted judgment against the company, ordering that the full sum of US $52,000 or its equivalent in Guyana currency be paid by Green Leaf Solutions, to clear its indebtedness.

Owing to an inability by the company to pay the judgment cost, a subsequent agreement was made for Narain to accept goods from Green Leaf Solutions in the value of the judgment sum of US $52,000 but that agreement also fell through.

Commenting on the outcome of the matter, Narain noted that, “The company does not have the sum in stock or assets so I can’t even take steps to levy on its property,” he said.

The New York-based Guyanese told Kaieteur News that at this point, he has exhausted all options legally or otherwise. “The lawyers said that there is nothing that can be done at this point, so I guess [that] I will just have to accept what happened,” he added.

Killed during a shootout with police, Rayon Jones

Killed during a shootout, Imran Ramsaywack.

PAGE 14

Kaieteur News

Autopsy shows alcoholic died from brain hemorrhage - Businessman who had beaten him rearrested The Annandale man, Mohammed Khan, 51, who was found dead on Saturday, has died from brain hemorrhage, which resulted from blunt force trauma to the head. His cause death was revealed during an autopsy conducted on his body yesterday.

Commander of Region 4 ‘C,’ Khali Pareshram, said that it was an old injury that Khan sustained some six weeks ago. It is believed that those injuries were inflicted by Annandale businessman, Harripersaud Bhagwandin, 62. As a result, he was rearrested as police continues investigation into Khan’s death.

Bhagwandin was previously arrested last month for assaulting Khan with a cricket bat. He was charged and subsequently placed on $50,000 bail.

Kaieteur News had reported that Khan was

beaten by Bhagwandin on February 10 for breaking a pipe in his yard. Khan had gone there to assist Bhagwandin’s tenants to move out, when the incident occurred. Eyewitnesses detailed that he was stripped and beaten by the businessman until he started to tremble.

Khan was hospitalized for a few days and doctors had said that apart from lacerations to his body, he had also sustained a severe head injury. He was reportedly hemorrhaging in the brain and had to undergo surgery. He was treated and later discharged.

A month later on Saturday March 20, he was found dead, lying at the side of Marshall Street, Annandale, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

He had reportedly gone there before dawn that morning, to guard some vehicles with fish cargo for market day.

Dead from brain hemorrhage, as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, Mohammed Khan.

His nephew and a neighbour had told Kaieteur News that since the incident with the businessman, Khan has never been the same.

The neighbour said that he was sickly, while his nephew said that he had started to suffer from seizures.

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Fisherman chopped following row over money

A

27-year-old fisher man is currently a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) suffering from multiple chop wounds after he was chopped by two brothers whose boat he damaged because he didn’t get the money he had wanted to borrow.

The injured man has been identified as Christopher Bridgemohan of Kumaka Waterfront, North West District.

The incident that landed the man in the hospital took place on Monday afternoon in the community of Kumaka.

Kaieteur News learned that the fisherman was attacked by two brothers, a 34-year-old and a 40-year-old who own a fishing boat and employed two Venezuelan men to work with them.

According to police reports on the day of the incident, Bridgemohan left his residence and went to Cat Walk, Kumaka to meet the two Venezuelan nationals to borrow some money from them.

Upon his arrival, he was told by the men that their boss (the suspect) did not pay them as yet.

After hearing that, the 27year-old got annoyed and armed himself with a cutlass then began lashing the boat.

Shortly after he left, the owners of the boat were informed of situation and immediately left to confront the man. Both men reportedly showed up at Bridgemohan’s house armed with cutlasses.

There, a heated argument erupted, which later turned violent.

One of Bridgemohan’s neighbours,

who was home at the time, reported to investigators that after hearing the noise, he went over to the fisherman’s house and found him in a pool of blood.

Immediately, an alarm was raised with persons in the area, who rendered assistance and took the 27-yearold to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital.

There he was examined and treated by a doctor but later had to be medevaced to the GPHC for further medical attention. At the GPHC, he was admitted in a serious but stable condition.

Kaieteur News understands that one of the brothers was later nabbed by police and is in custody, while a manhunt has since been launched for the other suspect.

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

Police to seek advice after minors had sex R

anks in Region One are preparing to send a file to the Director of Pub lic Prosecution (DPP), Shalimar AliHack, S.C, after two minors allegedly had sexual intercourse.

The 12-year-old girl and 13-year-old boy are said to be boyfriend and girlfriend. According to information, between March 15, 2021 and March 16, 2021, at Port Kaituma, North West District (NWD), the minors allegedly had sex.

Kaieteur News understands that on March 15, 2021 around 10:30 hrs., the 12-year-old girl’s foster mother left her and her other siblings at home and went to Arakaka, North West District (NWD).

The woman returned the following day and observed ‘hickies’ on the child’s neck.

As such, the matter was reported to the District Welfare Officer and to the police.

The child was then taken to the Port Kaituma Hospital, where she was medically examined by a doctor and it was revealed that she was sexually active.

According to Regional Commander, Khalid Mandall, the 13-year-old boy was contacted in the presence of his parents and released, since under the Juvenile Justice Act, he is not criminally capable of, or guilty of committing an offence. However, Commander Mandall stated that they are still sending the file to DPP for advice.

PAGE 15

Former Finance Minister asks...

From page 12 breach of fiduciary duty.That property situated at Mudlots 1 and 2, Lot F of Mudlots 3, and Lots A, B and D, North Cummingsburg was offered for sale to BK by then National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Horace James for $202,602,759.However, BK had only paid $20,260,276, a mere 10% of the purchase price when it was vested to him by the then Minister of Finance Jordan on March 28, 2020. During that time, the country was embroiled in a heated elections scandal. Taking this into consideration, the AG is contending that the sale was “illegal, unlawful, null, void, repugnant and contrary to public

policy”. He is also claiming that Jordan colluded with NICIL and acted in a negligent manner. Furthermore, the AG contended as well that the Finance Minister at the time had no legal power to act in such a manner. Notwithstanding the forgoing, the court documents outlined too that there were a slew of other breaches to BK’s contract. BK was initially leasing the property beginning December 4, 2006 for $10 million annually for a 20year period with the option to purchase it at $110 million later on.The agreement outlined that the property was meant to be used for the operation of a tourism/ office/ wharf facility and for the purpose of developing a stateof-the-art hotel.

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Fire Service says children accidently caused Aurora blaze with matches - Family argues that no one was home The rubbles that remain from the Aurora blaze.

The Essequibo Fire Department has concluded that last Saturday’s fire at Aurora Village was accidently started by children playing with matches.

This information was confirmed yesterday, by the Anna Regina Fire Department.

Kaieteur News reported on Monday that the fire destroyed a two-storey home, located on the west bank of the Essequibo River, leaving

six homeless. The family however, is claiming that the Fire Department’s findings might not be true since no one was at home when the fire started.

The home was owned by Sharifan Gafoor, who is believed to be in her mid-fifties.

The woman reportedly lived with her daughter and son-inlaw, her grandchild, and her son.

Prior to the investigation’s findings, the woman’s brother who spoke with Kaieteur News had said

that at the time of the fire, Gafoor was walking her grandchildren who had visited her for the day to the public road.

Not long after, black smoke was then seen emanating from the house.

“Nobody really was at home.

And I see the black black smoke coming from the house. My sister run upstairs to see what really happen but by the place had a lot of smoke, she couldn’t get in the (Continued on page 24)

Victims in Better Hope backlands...

From page 13 swooped down at the location to capture them. The ranks reportedly saw three wooden shacks on an abandoned field, located in a swamped and busy area.

They decided to search the shacks and as they approached the second one, they heard a voice coming out from the third.

The ranks reported that they identified themselves as the police, but a man came

out, shot at them and ran away.

In retaliation, the ranks said that they returned fire.

When they entered the shack where the man came out of, they the saw Ramsaywack and Jones lying on the floor, alongside the woman, Rajkumar, bleeding from gunshot wounds.

Ramsaywack was a notorious Berbice gang member, who was convicted of murdering and dismembering a US-

based citizen and boutique owner, Samantha Benjamin, on March, 25, 2015.

After some four years on remand, he sentenced to death in 2019.

Jones on the other hand was serving a 28-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He had reportedly admitted to killing a mechanic, Purand Baljit, on June 9, 2016, at his Madawini, Timehri home, during a robbery.

Wednesday March 24, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Senior Minister skirts question on Guyana getting fair share from oil deals …says revenue already decided by contract terms; ‘we have to work with them’ Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, on Tuesday skirted the question of whether Guyana was getting a fair share of its revenue from its oil deals, to instead say that what Guyana gets is already dictated by the contract and that, “We have to work with them and to make the best of them.”

He was at the time appearing on a Live Globespan24X7 broadcast, moderated by Dr. Asquith Rose and Charles Sugrim, and

was asked directly to respond to the question of whether Guyana was getting a fair deal of its share of revenues from the Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) entered into by oil players and producing offshore Guyana.

Dr. Singh was reminded of President, Irfaan Ali’s position, that Guyana’s resources would be useless to the nation’s development if not exploited.

“Guyana is blessed with an abundance of natural resources that provides opportunities for every Guyanese. There is no reason

for our country to be poor, or for our people to want. We, together, have to take hold of these natural resources that have been gifted to us and turn them into national treasure,” President Ali told the recently concluded Guyana Basin Summit.

He had also at the time noted that with the growing oil discoveries, Guyana is poised for greatness and added, “We welcome investment in the Guyana Basin as well as the multiple opportunities it will spawn within our economy.”

While not directly

answering the moderator on whether Guyana is in fact receiving its fair share of revenues on the oil contracts specifically, Dr. Singh noted instead, that “I would say to you that we are getting the revenue that is dictated by the contracts that we have at the current point in time.”

Those contracts he reiterated “Were granted at a particular point in time and those are the terms we are getting and I think we have to work with them.”

Defending the revenues earned by Guyana—as is structured under the PSAs—

the Senior Minister sought to underscore that Guyana or any country should get their fair share of resources that are extracted from their country but “One has to take into consideration the reality that applied at the time the contract was concluded and the implication of the timing with which the contract.”

“These are the contracts

Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh.

we have at the current point in time and we have to work with them and make the best of them,” Dr. Singh said.

He was adamant “It is very easy to sit and debate on what terms should have been obtained or what terms should not have been obtained or what should have happened at (Continued on page 23)

PAGE 18

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

Guyana has ‘boundless’ economic prospects -Assures participants at Guyana-EU Investment Conference - President Ali

(DPI) His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, assured investors that Guyana’s growing economy will support business expansion and that innumerable investment openings will be available in all of the country’s sectors.

The Head of State made this assertion while delivering remarks this morning at the opening of the inaugural Invest in Guyana virtual Forum hosted by the Delegation of the European Union in Guyana in partnership with the Caribbean Export Development Agency and the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-INVEST).

“The opportunities will be boundless… This Conference allows our investors to gain

insights into the economic opportunities which will become available. Investors doing business with Guyana can be assured of an ever-improving, enabling environment for business. They can be sure of a growing economy which will support business expansion.”

The President added that potential investors can also anticipate a macro-economic framework that guarantees stability and protects their assets. In addition, they can expect fiscal incentives to attract their investments and ensure greater competitiveness. “They can look forward to improvements in ease-ofdoing-business and respect for property rights and the

of an ever-improving, enabling environment for business rule of law. Guyana offers a number of advantages for European firms.”He reminded the participants that Guyana has been engaged in an economic partnership with Europe for the past 45 years and therefore has well-established investor relations. He said that Guyana offers a number of advantages for European firms and is also strategically located and offers access to key markets, including the Caribbean.

He noted that Guyana welcomes investors from Europe and looks forward to European foreign direct investment and for Euro-based firms to partner with local companies in seizing the unfolding economic

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh. opportunities.“Guyana is on an upward trajectory. We will soar to greater heights. This is a time of great change in Guyana. It is also an opportune moment for us to reset our relations with Europe.

Investment must be a key element of that process. And, you are the trigger to ensuring it happens.”

The Head of State expressed appreciation to the organizers and the various

agencies for the hard work that has gone into the planning of the event.

TIMELYCONFERENCE He said the timing of the Conference could not have been more favourable, as both the European Union (EU) and Guyana are undergoing changes. “Guyana is pursuing a transformative agenda, which will require significant investment. The European Union, in turn, is charting its

post-pandemic reopening and recovery, and this will drive the bloc to explore new trade and economic opportunities for enhancing its global reach and influence.”

More importantly, he said that the Conference is taking place against the prospects of a renewed long-term partnership between Europe and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP); the event, (Continued on page 28)

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Men charged for attempting to rob Republic Bank…

Magistrate to rule on no-case submission S enior Magistrate, Leron Daly, is expected to rule on the defence lawyers’ no-case submission for the four men who are charged with attempting to rob Republic Bank in 2016.

The men implicated in the botched robbery are: former Police Constable, Anfernee Blackman, 21, of 65 Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown; former Republic Bank employee, Shawn Grimmond, of 137 Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown; Rural Constable, Gladston George, 24, of 55 Princes Street, Lodge, Georgetown and Keron Saunders, 24, of 59 Burnham Boulevard, Mocha, East Bank Demerara.

The trial for the matter is being conducted in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, and the defendants were all placed on $500,000 bail each, pending the outcome of the trial.

Last month, the prosecution closed its case and in response the defence attorneys made their no-case submission, in which they

stated that the prosecution failed to make out a case against their clients.

Wi t h b o t h p a r t i e s submitting their arguments, Senior Magistrate Daly adjourned the matter and set April 14, 2021, for the ruling on the no-case submissions.

Kaieteur News had reported that on the defendants’ first court appearance, they denied the charge, which stated that on July 4, 2016, while being armed with guns, they attempted to rob Republic Bank’s Water Street, Georgetown branch.

The botched robbery attempt on the financial institution had left 25-yearold agronomist, Elton Wray, dead. He was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire between his alleged accomplices, police, and guards attached to the Professional Guard Service (PGS).

According to reports, Wray was the best friend of Jamal Haynes, a former Republic Bank employee.

On Haynes’ first court appearance, he admitted to the charge and was sentenced to a total of 10

years on charges of attempted robbery underarms; illegal firearm and ammunition possession and unlawful restraining.

According to reports, on the day in question, around 07:30 hrs., a report was made to the police of a robbery in progress at the bank. The ranks responded promptly.

When they arrived at the scene, the alleged perpetrators discharged several rounds in their direction.

In an attempt to escape, Haynes reportedly begun running through the arcade, but was later apprehended by police during an exchange of gunfire. He was found hiding in a stall in the arcade. The facts of the charge revealed that the illegal gun and ammunition were found lying on the ground next to him. Moments after Haynes was apprehended, Saunders, a cousin of Wray, was also apprehended by police, after he was observed acting in a suspicious manner. Haynes and Saunders then implicated the others in the robbery attempt on the financial institution.

Essequibo woman rescued after suicide attempt by drowning A woman, who on Monday reportedly attempted to kill herself by drowning in the Essequibo River, was rescued by a passing paddling boat.

Police reports identified the woman only as Rajeshree, 40, of Supenaam

Creek.

Rajeshree was fishing together with her husband, Motiram Persaud, 48, in the river when she reportedly plunged over board around 19:00hrs. Her husband had lodged a report with police around 05:00hrs, the following day. He stated that his wife failed to resurface after she jumped overboard.

However, Rajeshree was found alive and well; investigators who had initiated a search operation for the woman were told that she had been rescued sometime after plunging overboard by a passing paddle boat.

The occupant(s) of that boat reportedly spotted the woman swimming in the Essequibo River in the vicinity of “Buck Hall”.

Rajeshree told the cops that her decision to kill herself stemmed from an argument, which she had with her husband that evening. She said that he accused her of being unfaithful after she received a cellphone call that evening.

Rajeshree added too that her husband even told her that if she wanted to kill herself, she can go ahead.

The woman recounted that she swam a good distance before she was rescued.

Rescued after attempting to commit suicide, Rajeshree.

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday March 24, 2021

Guyana should get solid financial assurance from Exxon to protect against oil disasters - Int’l Lawyer It is high time for Guyana to secure “solid financial assurance” from Stabroek Block operators E x x o n M o b i l , CNOOC/NEXEN and Hess to ensure that it is protected should an oil disaster occur on our shores, says i n t e r n a t i o n a l l a w y e r, Melinda Janki.

And with ExxonMobil’s looming financial troubles, she said “sooner is better than later.” “ We k n o w t h a t ExxonMobil is in financial difficulties. ExxonMobil just wrote off 30% of its proven reserves. ExxonMobil has borrowed around US$70 billion, and still can’t make a profit,” Janki told to Kaieteur News in an invited comment.

To u n d e r s t a n d t h e magnitude of costs behind an oil disaster, Janki pointed to the British Petroleum (BP) and its well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico of 2010. In that disaster, which is deemed as the world’s worst accidental oil spill, BP was required to pay for US$70B in damages. Eleven years later, BP is still paying for that spill.

Added to that, is the fact that ExxonMobil’s local subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) does not hold enough assets to properly protect Guyana. In fact, EEGPL has so little assets that Guyana would be left to bear the brunt of costs should disaster strike.

“Guyana could be left with a billion dollar liability so the Government must now

International Lawyer, Melinda Janki require ExxonMobil and its partners to provide a performance bond or financial guarantee to protect Guyana,” the international lawyer continued.

So far, Guyana has been unable to obtain written evidence that the Stabroek Block operators would accept full liability of any ensuing costs.

What Guyana currently has is an “assurance” from EEPGL that the parent companies will do such. But this is not enough – it has been over a year since the company made that commitment to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Kaieteur News had reported extensively on this very issue and had reached out to Exxon’s Government and Public Affairs Advisor, Janelle Persaud via email to ascertain whether the company has stuck to its commitment and provided evidence to Government that Guyana has comprehensive oil disaster insurance coverage from the parent companies. Persaud gave a (Continued on page 23)

Labourer placed on $150,000, bail for allegedly raping girl, 11

A

labourer was on Friday placed on $150,000, bail for allegedly raping an 11year-old girl.

The defendant, David Williams-McIntyre, 20, of Pakera, Matthew’s Ridge, N o r t h We s t D i s t r i c t , appeared virtually before Magistrate Dylon Bess.

He was not required to plead to the charge, which alleged that he raped a child under the age of 16.

Magistrate Bess then placed Williams-McIntyre on bail and the matter was adjourned to May 3, 2021.

Charged, David Williams-McIntyre.

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

Finance Minister skirts question... on whether the country was getting its fair share of revenues under the existing agreements, the substantive minister reiterated, “I would say to you that we are getting the revenue that is dictated by the contracts that we have at the current point in time.”

On the sore matter of insurance by the oil (but) I think we have to, as any other companies in the case of a spill or other government, we have to carefully environmental disaster requiring insurance consider all of the realties that surround coverage, Dr. Singh, while conceding the environment in which we are operating ignorance on the complete details, said “to before we make any decision in that the best of my knowledge I believe that there is…as far as I am aware we have the necessary regard.”

Pressed on the matter by the moderator protection.”

From page 17 renegotiation,” referencing a second round of negotiations in 2016, concluded by the coalition, A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration.

According to Dr. Singh, “There is a lot that has been said, there’s a lot that can be said,

PAGE 23

Guyana should get solid financial...

From page 22 reply, but the oil giant’s spokeswoman dodged the question with the response, which provided no indication of such.

The company in its response had boasted of being “committed to environmental performance excellence”, however it is no stranger to oil spills.

There was the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil spill, said

to be one of the most devastating man-made disasters in the world.

The Exxon-Valdez oil tanker ran into a reef in Alaska causing more than 10 million gallons of oil to cloak the Alaska coastline.

The spill killed thousands of whales, seabirds and other marine life.

The tourism and fishing industries were devastated for years.

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Fire Service says children...

From page 16 house,” he had said.

The woman’s son Javid Gafoor, on the

other hand, said that his 11-year-old nephew had observed sparks from the GPL wire connected to the house prior to the blaze.

According to Javid, the boy was at the time

seated on a bench in front of the house.

“The fire start in the front room weh all the breakers and main switch deh, I know for fact that the fire is electrical… the fire service need to come back and do a proper investigation cause since the night they come and they put out the fire, they never come back,” said Gafoor.

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday March 24, 2021

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

Four new COVID fatalities recorded

The Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday reported four new COVID-19 fatalities, bringing the total number of fatalities to 220. Earlier yesterday, the Ministry reported a 74-yearold female from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), and an 82-year-old male from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

According to the MoH press release, the woman passed away while receiving treatment at a medical facility and the man died at home.

Late last night, the Ministry sent out an up-

PAGE 27 date listing an additional two fatalities, a 50year-old male and a 48-year-old male, both from Region Three.Additionally, the Ministry statistics revealed 64 new COVID-19 infections yesterday via its daily dashboard. The total number of cases has increased to 9,732. The dashboard also shows that 11 patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit and another 15 are in the institutional quarantine, 61 in institutional isolation and 840 in home isolation. In addition to that,

a total of 8,602 persons have recovered to date.

PAGE 28

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Guyana has ‘boundless’ economic prospects

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From page 18 therefore, provides the opportunity to reposition Guyana-EU relations.

PARTNERS IN DEMOCRACY President Ali used the opportunity to reiterate his appreciation for the democratic stance by the European Union, during last year’s election.

“This month, Guyana is observing one year since the eventful elections of March 2, 2020. Allow me in this regard to express, yet again, the appreciation for the principled role played by the European Union and particularly the Head of the EU Delegation in Guyana in insisting on respect for the democratic will of the people.”The European Union, he added, has been a bastion for promoting respect for human rights and democracy.

“Guyana’s relations with the European Union and its member states are based upon respect for human rights and democratic norms.

Democracy remains indispensable to ensuring a favourable environment for attracting investment, stimulating trade, and fostering economic development.”

The President said that Guyana is also grateful for the EU’s support, over the years, for private sector development and for its role in supporting climate adaptation and mitigation.

Through the European Development Fund and its support for Guyana’s National Indicative Programme, the EU has made a significant contribution to the country’s efforts to reduce

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poverty and build greater climate resilience.“This Conference must add impetus to this intent by becoming a pacesetter in encouraging greater investment flows from the European Union to Guyana.

In doing so, it will serve to reposition Guyana’s longstanding ties with the EU.” He noted that Guyana is unfurling a national transformative agenda; as such, the next ten years will witness unprecedented levels of

growth and development and will open up investment opportunities across all sectors.

The EU Ambassador to Guyana, His Excellency, Fernando Ponz Cantó, said that the participation of close to 500 delegates from 47 countries is proof of the potential and the importance of Guyana as a businessfriendly destination.

He added that it is only the beginning of Guyana’s potential, given that it is the fastest-growing economy in

the hemisphere and one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

In his remarks, the Executive Director for the Caribbean Export Development Agency, Mr. Deodat Maharaj, pointed to the ‘spirit of optimism and possibility’ that pervaded the event.

He reiterated the Agency’s commitment to partnering with Guyana to promote investment opportunities in Europe and the wider world.

Wednesday March 24, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Tender Board opens 114 bids and Urquhart Streets. construction of a bridge at Mocha, EBD; and supply and deThe National Procurement and Tender Administration Board Notable projects included the supply and delivery of livery of infant formula.

(NPTAB), on Tuesday, opened 114 bids for six government equipment for remote hearings for various magistrate courts; Below are the companies and their bids. agencies at their Ministry of Finance (MoF) office on Main National Parks Commission: Provision of security Supply and delivery of care hamper services (baton) for Zoological Park and the Botanical Gardens

Fisheries Department: Construction of concrete ponds, fence and road at Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculture Station

Supply and delivery of wooden pallets

Central Housing and Planning: Construction of bridge at Mocha, EBD

Construction of care houses at Parfaite Harmonie

Supreme Court of Judicature: Supply and delivery of equipment for remote hearings for various magistrate courts

Ministry of Health: Approval of supply and delivery of infant formula

Kaieteur News

PAGE 30

Wednesday March 24, 2021

...Papua New Guinea begging to amend “parasitic” From page 3 scenario sold to the people with a low oil price scenario.

One former Australia senator, Scott Ludlam several years ago criticised the current Exxon-led operations as “economic parasitism”.

Why is it that the Exxon PNG LNG project failed to deliver on the results, which the people thought it would?

Papua New Guinea begs for a better deal Plans for the expansion of the project led by ExxonMobil have stalled for over a year, as ExxonMobil refuses to offer fair terms to the State. The government has demanded a bump up from 40 percent in existing deals to 60 percent for newer projects. PNG Prime Minister James Marape, who gained popularity for condemning unfair exploitation by extractive companies, decried the lopsided deals the povertystricken nation had signed with several foreign companies.

The PM said that the country has been “unfairly held to ransom” by Exxon and its partners, and told the P a r l i a m e n t h i s administration would forge ahead with plans to increase the State’s take.

Energy Minister, Kerenga Kua said that ExxonMobil is determined to exploit the vulnerable people of the economically impoverished nation of Papua New Guinea.

“Parties need to ensure they are prepared to do a deal in good faith,” Kua told ABC Australia Journalist, Richard Ewart last year. “Exxon came in to exploit our weak economic circumstances.

How could we ever strike a deal with that kind of mindset?”

After years passed, expectations set in that the PNG government could secure terms that granted the country a fair share. So, when talks started on the expansion of the $13B P’nyang venture, with intent to double the country’s gas exports in just a few years, PNG set out to negotiate for more. Kua told ABC Australia that the government saw it necessary to use the experiences of neighbouring nations in Southeast Asia as guidance during negotiations.

From other nations’ experiences, PNG learnt of the parameters ExxonMobil operated in, and noted that what PNG was offered was not enough.

“When you look at that

and you compare it to Papua New Guinea, the total State take is far, far lower than what you’re offering for those other countries,” Kua told ABC Australia.

He said that when they went to the negotiating table, the State showed ExxonMobil what it was willing to offer other countries, and said: “Why don’t you bring it up so that there is parity?”

ExxonMobil did not appreciate that. Minister Kua said that the response the S t a t e g o t f r o m E x x o n M o b i l ’ s representatives is that they are obligated to stick to the terms they already set out, and that Papua New Guinea is not entitled to any more than what was being offered.

Kua stressed that the offer was the lowest in comparison to anything else in the neighbourhood of Southeast Asia. A spokesman for ExxonMobil told Reuters the company was disappointed an agreement could not be reached. Though talks broke down, Kua did not allow it to down his spirits.

“This exercise” he said, “has restored the dignity and pride of all of us as a nation, and that means a lot more to us.”

Asked whether the country is willing to let the gas stay in the ground if the terms for the State do not improve, Kua said: “We are happy to wait for a few weeks, months, years. If it happens, it happens. But it’s going to be on our terms.”

He said that Papua New Guinea has grown and changed; that the people have become educated professionals who are advising the government to demand more.

“We are taking a position based on proper advice from our own people.” He said.

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo “It’s their country. That’s the way they want us to run it, and that’s how we will run it for them.”

Reuters reported in February that the PNG Government allowed French oil major, Total SA, to expand a gas project it leads alongside Exxon’s. There were plans for Total’s and ExxonMobil’s projects to undergo a joint expansion.

But because Exxon would not agree to a larger government share, Total was allowed to add production units to its operation alone, Reuters reported.

Guyana’s plight “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 i m p r o v e r e l i a b i l i t y, ” Institute of the Americas, an independent policy institute s a i d a b o u t G u y a n a ’s electricity woes, last year.

“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.”

Gas appears to be the cure-all, but Guyana has a lot to learn from countries that, in the past, moved to quickly develop their gas fields, and got duped by oil companies and their partners.

During a February press conference, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo 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.

O f c o n c e r n to some transparency advocates is the fact that the government is relying on ExxonMobil to conduct those studies, instead of contracting independent firms to conduct the studies on the government’s behalf.

Dr. Jagdeo has grown irritable with critics who are calling on the government to show how this project will work. There are concerns

The optimistic study, which Papua New Guinea fell for

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 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.”

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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...Fraser-Pryce opens season Two Reggae Boyz cleared, two others From page 37 first time in 2021. However, earlier this year and was dethey will get antest positive 48 hours before USA friendly lighted to get her first race of asotherto when chance to see her per-

Reggae Boyz delegation facing Covid problems with positive tests.

Wednesday March 24, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A relationship with a close partner may get a bit confused, Aries. You could react quickly to a situation without really thinking before speaking.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) The gas is on, Libra. One spark can cause an explosive fireball. There's a tremendous amount of potential energy to the day just waiting to be unleashed.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You may run into a great deal of opposition from just about every quarter, Taurus.

The most frustrating part about this is that even the people you turn to for help will transform the situation into an even bigger mess.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) This is truly a day of new beginnings. You can start a fresh cycle of emotions and understanding that can help you develop the quality and depth of your relationships.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You're becoming much more perceptive, Gemini. At the same time, your psyche and unconscious knowing are also more acute.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You're likely to act with great immediacy. You will instantly know what to do in a situation, especially a crisis.

You're likely to be thinking at top speed and moving with efficiency and courage.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) If someone tries to criticize you, Leo, don't be afraid to defend yourself. Other people aren't going to be afraid to speak their minds.

You may feel like someone is prodding you with a stick.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Be a friend to someone new and lend a hand to a greater cause than just your own advancement. Ally with people by offering your support instead of asking for it.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Stop dwelling on old projects and routines based on situations that have long since expired. Note the changes that have occurred around you and adjust your plans.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You're apt to feel stronger within, helping you to connect the inner and outer sides of your personality.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) There's an explosive quality about the day. You may walk along, minding your own business, when someone accidentally bumps into you. Your first reaction may be to push that person back.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You have a tremendous amount of drive and enthusiasm to help you move forward in your projects, Pisces. Be careful that you don't act hastily or impulsively. Be careful of starting out on a new path without having a good idea about where it's going.

Sportsmax - The two players in Reggae Boyz delegation who tested positive for the Covid-19 virus have now tested negative.

However, two other players including one who is based in England have tested positive and have been isolated 48 hours before they face off against the United States in an international friendly.

According to a statement from the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), another test was done today Tuesday, March 23 “as per UEFA match day minus two protocol”.

Those results will be available today.

“The protocols are being strictly followed in the hotel and every individual is constantly reminded of his responsibility by the team medical personnel and team manager Roy Simpson,” the JFF said.

The team now has a physiotherapist in the form of Nico Reishofer, an Austrian.

The first training session in Austria was scheduled for 6 pm yesterday.

...Belize football team bus held From page 26 together and please make the best decisions when it comes to the team.”

An image posted on the Federation’s (FFB) Facebook page showed the gang on motorbikes, wearing masks and carrying weapons.

In a statement, the FFB said: “The Football Federation of Belize takes this time to express its disappointment and disgust at an unfortunate incident faced by the Jaguars as the team was headed from the airport to the hotel in Haiti.

“Despite the four-man police escort, the team bus was stopped by an uproar of insurgents with assault rifles on motorcycles and police escorts were forced to negotiate with them for the team bus to continue its journey to the hotel.

“We are pleased to report that our Jaguars, although shaken by the terrible experience, are safely at their hotel.”

The FFB added the safety of the team was its “top priority” and had contacted Fifa and the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) over moving them to a safer environment.

The team is scheduled to play Haiti in their opening World Cup qualifier in Portau-Prince tomorrow.

Fifa has been contacted by the BBC for comment.

the season under her belt.

“Competition is essential to the training. If you are training for months, you would want to see where you’re at, how the training is progressing, so [we] definitely need the competition, so I am glad I was able to get one [race] in today,” she said.

The Velocity Fest event was the third meet for seniors this year and fans would have been happy to watch the “Pocket Rocket” perform while watching online for the

form remains a mystery as the sprinter herself does not know.

“I don’t know,” was her response to the question as to when she will race again.

“I just know that when I am told to run, I show up, otherwise from that I don’t know when the next competition will be,” Fraser-Pryce said.

As things stand, there are no track and field events scheduled for senior athletes for this weekend.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 34

Sri Lanka lead West Indies by 153 in 1st test ESPNcricinfo - NORTH POINT, Antigua (AP) — Sri Lanka led the West Indies by 153 runs with six second innings wickets in hand by stumps yesterday on the third day of the first cricket test.

On a day of changing fortunes, Sri Lanka first wrapped up the West Indies first innings for 271 — a lead of 102 over its own first innings of 169. Sri Lanka then reached stumps at 2554.

Lahiru Thirimanne and Oshada Fernando kept up Sri Lanka’s concerted fight back, batting the tourists into a strong position at 170-1.

Thirimanne made 76 to follow his 70 in Sri Lanka’s first innings and Fernando

made 91 in a partnership of 162 for the second wicket from 301 balls.

Kyle Mayers then struck back for the West Indies, dismissing Fernando for his first wicket in tests, then adding the wicket of the outof-form Dinesh Chandimal (4), both caught by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva.

When Kemar Roach bowled Thirimanne, Sri Lanka was 189-4, 87 ahead, after having lost three quick wickets for 19 runs.

Dhananjaya de Silva and Pathum Nissanka then rallied Sri Lanka again, putting on 66 in an unbroken fifth wicket partnership by stumps. De Silva was 46 and Nissanka 21 at close of play.

Kemar Roach celebrates with his teammates, West Indies v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, North Sound, 3rd day, March 22, 2021 © Getty Images Sri Lanka is working toward a strong position because the West Indies, who won the toss and bowled, face the task of batting last on a wearing pitch at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

“I think the wicket is a good one. It’s flattened out n i c e l y, ” M a y e r s s a i d .

“Obviously they had the upper hand today but the game is still evenly poised.

“We’re still in the game — 150-run lead. All we need is two early wickets tomorrow and then we’re in with a chance.”

Sri Lanka began the day by swiftly wrapping up the West Indies first innings, dismissing top-scorer Rahkeem Cornwall for 61.

The West Indies had early success with the new ball, removing Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne (3) when Sri Lanka was 8 in the fifth over.

Thirimanne and Fernando then stuck together for almost 51 overs to erase the first innings deficit and to bat Sri Lanka into a strong position. Fernando reached his second test half century from 84 balls and Thirimanne his seventh from 123 balls. Mayers began his first class career as a bowling allrounder but has bowled less often recently after an ankle injury. He had bowled only 16 overs in two tests before Tuesday when his four overs returned 2-10.

Kemar Roach has 2-28.

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 24, 2021

PAGE 35

István Kovács appointed St Lucia has withdrawn from Secretary General of AIBA FIFA World Cup qualifiers set to begin tomorrow - sources T

wo-times AIBA World Champion and Olympic champion István Kovács was appointed as a Secretary General of the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

The decision was taken by the AIBA Board of Directors on Monday, March 22nd, during a meeting via videoconference.

‘The fate of our organization has to be decided and will be decided by the boxers themselves. They have dedicated their entire lives to boxing, they know it from the inside and understand the needs for our sport effective development better than any managers. Therefore, I am pleased to announce that the Board of Directors members have approved István Kovács as AIBA Secretary General. István Kovács is a two-time World Champion and an Olympic champion, boxing is life and AIBA is a family for him. I am positive that as Secretary General he will be able to bring AIBA to a fundamentally new efficiency level and transparency of management,’ said AIBA President Mr. Umar Kremlev.

‘I am very grateful for the confidence placed in me by the AIBA Board of Directors.

It is a great honor and at the same time a great responsibility to become the Secretary General of the International Boxing Association and to work together with President Umar Kremlev, a man who lives by boxing. Now AIBA is undergoing a period of

István Kovács global reforms. All of them are necessary for boxing to develop as a sport loved by millions of people around the globe so that our athletes and coaches show the best results in international competitions at all levels. I see that the new AIBA leadership is heading in the right direction and is committed to working with full dedication to support and reinforce this course of positive change. I pledge to act in the best interests of boxing and guarantee maximum openness and democracy in my work. I am sure that together we will be able to carry out all the necessary reforms and bring AIBA to a fundamentally new level,’ Mr. Kovács said.

Mr. István Kovács will take over as AIBA Secretary General this week.

St Lucia has withdrawn from the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

SportsMax - St Lucia has withdrawn from the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Even though there has been no official word from the St Lucia Football Association, official sources have said ‘the FIFA office’ has confirmed that SLFA will not take part in the qualifiers that are set to begin today.

No reason was given for the withdrawal.

Phone calls to Ces Podd, the Technical Director of the St Lucia federation went unanswered. Official sources also say that the CFU has been trying to get in contact with SLFA President Lydon Cooper on unrelated

matters for some time and has been unable to do so. Other sources indicate that logistic challenges are behind the decision to withdraw.

There has been no domestic competition in St Lucia since March 2020, when the global pandemic lockdowns came into effect.

There were also reported challenges in pulling players from across the globe for training camps for the national team.

St Lucia were set to play Nicaragua today at the Nicaragua National Stadium in Group E action and then Haiti on March 28.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 36

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Rules will be flouted when penalties are not enforced Scoring in GCA’s cricket ‘terrible’ not adhering to Laws of cricket

By Sean Devers Some people’s mind-set is to disobey rules but this only happens when they realise that the penalties for their transgressions are not enforced.

I see many people walking in congested areas with no masks although it’s mandated that masks be worn in public places or fines imposed for not adhering to the Covid-19 regulations.

But no action is taken in this regard while Police many times turn a ‘blind eye’ on

those who flout the 10:30 hrs curfew.

One of my friends in England told me that Guyana is a Lawless Country and my response was ‘We have all the Laws like anywhere else but the problem is that most times they are not enforced.’

Generally, the Guyanese mentality is to try to get away with things if nobody is willing to impose punishment for their wrongdoings and this transcends into all aspects of life including cricket.

As I review the resumption of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) cricket over the weekend, I thought of what Chairman of GCA’s Competition Committee Shawn Massiah said on last Wednesday’s ‘Sean Devers Sports Watch’ on Kaieteur Radio about the Association’s plans to deal with the Covid-19 regulation and the guidelines set for scorers.

After two Sports disciplines were banned for

...Meet the Golden Jaguars players who From page 41

Name: Márcio Máximo Position: Head Coach DOB: 29.04.62

Name: Ian De Vieira Position: Goalkeeper Coach DOB: 23.02.77

Name: Rawle Adams Position: Team Operations Manager D.O.B: 28.08.68

Name: Charles Pollard Position: Assistant Coach DOB: 24.03.73

Name: Denzil Hernandez Position: Lead Physiotherapist DOB: 20.02.78

Name: Naseya Brewster Position: Assistant Team Operations Manager DOB: 29.03.90

Name: Quacy Paddy Position: Physiotherapist DOB: 05.11.86

Name: Wilson Toledo Position: Head of Sports Science DOB: 03.03.67

Name: Trevor Burnett Position: Equipment Manager DOB:04.16.63

breaching the Covid-19 regulations, it was pleasing to see that by and large, all measures to curb the spread of the Pandemic were adhered to in the six games in GT over the weekend.

Masks were worn, there were very few ‘fans’ in the stands and the GCA officials and the teams must be commended for adhering to these safety measures.

Most of the grounds were in ‘good’ condition taking into account the Covid-19 Virus, the rainy weather and that this was first time GCA cricket was being played in close to a year.

I was impressed with good condition of the Everest ground and especially the two grounds at Queen’s College. I was informed that the ‘big’ roller from Everest was used on the Police ground, while all the grounds had covers for the pitches.

But there are things that could be improved, including the general standard of the cricket and the ‘don’t care’attitude of some of the teams who are mandated to be accompanied by someone who can properly and correctly transcribe the scores in the scorebook, the poor quality of most of the pitches and the fact that most of the matches had only one scorer and one Umpire.

The pitches at most of the venues were low and slow with many balls keeping very low but this could be excused since there was little work on the pitches at most grounds due to absence of officially organised cricket since early last year. Pitches and the heavy outfields should improve as the season progress and the GCA will hope for favourable weather conditions.

The lack of two umpires at many venues could also be excused since it is understood that some Umpires are sceptical about their safety from the pandemic and have taken the position of better safe than sorry.

This can be understood, since players, Umpires, Officials and reporters have to be very careful operating in what can possible be unsafe conditions, especially since very few involved in the tournament have been tested for the Virus.

The two biggest problems with GCA in the

last two decades, apart from the unavailability of grounds due to other activities, remain the generally poor standard of cricket, especially the batsmen, who continue to play impetuously and the scorers, who cause plenty of stress for reporters.

Let’s address the first problem first and look at the only two-day Division One game played over the weekend since this is the highest level of club cricket in the City and included West Indies and Guyana players.

Despite contrasting hundreds from Berbician and former West Indies U-19 batsman Kevlon Anderson and Quinton Sampson and a five-wicket haul from ex Berbice U-19 off-spinner Kelvin Leitch, five wickets in the game including four in the first innings from West Indies ODI pacer Ronsford Beaton, the overall standard of at the Police ground was appallingly low.

Beaton utilised a twopace track to bowl out GNIC, (who turned up with only 11 players and no scorer) for 110 as nobody reached 30 and lacked the temperament to spend ‘time’ at the crease.

When Police batted, they slumped to 68-6 as the top order all threw away their wickets with injudicious shots before the 20-year-old Anderson, arguably the most accomplished young batsman in Guyana, built a well-crafted 106 and along with Sampson who targeted the small straight boundary in his pugnacious 106, added 177 for the seventh wicket as Police recovered to reach 304.

GNIC fell for 95 in their second innings on a track that ‘crept’ while the spinners bowled too fast and flat and failed to extract prodigious turn from a helpful track but were still successful due to the batsmen lack of patience and inability to play spin.

I n t h e p a s t , G e o r g e t o w n ’s c r i c k e t produced the bulk of the young National players but this is no longer the case as GCA’s cricket is now dominated by players outside of Demerara, especially from Berbice which has the most cricket and the best run Board which mandates teams travel with Managers.

In the recent past the overall standard of scoring, especially at the second

Shawn Massiah

Ronsford Beaton

Kevlon Anderson division level, had gotten progressively worse with the scorers (most times being several different players) writing incorrect names, no full names, no number of balls faced, no fall of wickets recorded and many times incomplete scorebooks at the end of an innings or match.

In the late 1980s and 90’s the Chronicle carried the full scorecard of all Division One games, even if the interest to do this still existed, the quality of the scorebooks would make that impossible to do.

In Berbice, (when Carl Moore was BCB Secretary) if both teams did not submit their scorebooks, their points would not be recorded and the GCA should implement such penalties. The Laws of cricket state that at least TWO scorers have to be present for a game to start.

However, in the interest of games being played, the Umpires ignore this Law which encourages low standards.

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 37

Krishna stars as India beat England by 66 runs in 1st ODI India’s Shikhar Dhawan bats during the first One Day International cricket match between India and England at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, India, Tuesday, March 23, 2021.

(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Prasidh Krishna celebrates his first international wicket, India vs England, 1st ODI, Pune, March 23, 2021 © BCCI England’s Jonny Bairstow.

(AP Photo/ Rafiq Maqbool)

Homebody Osaka hopes schedule tweaks bring more Grand Slams (Reuters) - Naomi Osaka dislikes long and busy stretches away from the comforts of home and so will plan the European portion of her schedule accordingly in the hope of improving her title hopes at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Osaka, competing this week at the Miami Open near where she grew up, said that while she chases success relentlessly she is still trying to shape her playing schedule to give herself the best chance of success.

“I’m not really sure what a normal schedule is but I’ve never thought of myself to be the type of player that would play week in and week out,” said Osaka. “I personally get homesick quite often and it makes me kind of sad sometimes.”

Japan’s four-time Grand Slam champion collected her second U.S. Open title last September and followed that

up with a second triumph at the Australian Open in February.

Despite her success in those events, the 23-year-old Osaka has never advanced past the third round at Roland Garros or the All England Club.

“I’d love to just travel somewhere and just really focus on that tournament; for me that is something that I’ve learned works for me,” said Osaka.

“Hopefully it will work for me this time in Europe because my results there haven’t been that great, but I feel like every year I am on tour I learn more about myself and what type of schedule I like to play.”

Osaka is the second seed in Miami and has a bye into the second round of the twoweek tournament where she has a chance to unseat defending champion Ash Barty as world number one.

PUNE, India (AP) — Prasidh Krishna became the first India bowler to take four wickets on his one-day international debut as the hosts defeated England by 66 runs in the first game of the three-match series yesterday.

England, chasing 318 to win, made an outstanding start when Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy put on 135 for the first wicket from just 86 balls.

But India then showcased its fast-bowling strength in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami. Krishna took 4-54 while Shardul Thakur picked up 3-37 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed 2-30 as the tourists were bowled out for 251 in 42.1 overs, losing 10 wickets for 116 runs.

“One of our sweetest victories in the recent past,” said India skipper Virat Kohli. “We haven’t won many good games in ODIs. I am a really proud man right now, the team showed great character and intensity.”

A late onslaught by debutant Krunal Pandya (58 not out off 31 balls) had earlier propelled India to 317-5 after Shikhar Dhawan narrowly missed out on his 18th ODI hundred.

Dhawan, who made 98 off 106 balls, and Kohli shared a 105-run secondwicket stand before India lost four wickets for 36 runs.

Dhawan batted for three hours, hitting 11 fours and two sixes, but just when he looked set for a century he offered a tame catch while attempting a pull shot.

Kohli, who had earlier lost the toss, scored a sedate 56 while Lokesh Rahul returned to form with an unbeaten 62 as he put on 112 in 57 balls with Pandya.

England seemed to be in control with India on 205-5 after 40 overs but Pandya and Rahul cut loose with some powerful drives and pull shots.

Bairstow and Roy made a flying start to England’s reply before the latter again fell in the 40s when he was caught at backward point.

Number three Ben Stokes, who had earlier taken 3-34, offered a tame catch in the covers when he was on one.

Captain Eoin Morgan (22), who needed four stitches on the webbing of his right hand after fielding, could have been out first ball

but Kohli dropped him in the slips and missed a run-out chance after throwing at the stumps.

Bairstow smashed seven sixes and six fours in a swashbuckling 66-ball 94 before falling when he holed out at deep mid-wicket.

“The two openers were outstanding but we failed to build on that,” Morgan said.

“We need to execute better than we did today. India did really well and deserved to win.”

The second game is at the same venue on Friday followed by the third match on Sunday.

Scores: India 317 for 5 (Dhawan 98, Rahul 62*, Krunal 58*, Kohli 56, Stokes 3-34) beat England 251 (Bairstow 94, Krishna 4-54, Thakur 3-37) by 66 runs.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 38

Wednesday March 24, 2021

GFF President Wayne Forde weighs in on Guyana’s chances in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers

By Franklin Wilson in the Dominican Republic, compliments of Secure Innovations & Concepts, Industrial Safety Supplies Inc., Fazia’s Motor Spares and GFF

GFF’s Head of Sports Science Wilson Toledo has the rapt attention of the Golden Jaguars during a video and motivation session yesterday.

W

i t h t h e ‘Golden Jaguars set to take on Trinidad and Tobago in its first FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying match in the Dominican Republic in less than 48-hours, Kaieteur Sport reached out to GFF President Wayne Forde to tap into his thoughts on the two very important matches as well as some other related matters.

Guyana will also play Bahamas next Tuesday here, this decision though hard, was necessary given the current challenges being faced by all the nations brought on by covid-19 pandemic. As a matter of fact, not only Guyana, T&T and Bahamas would be playing here, Saint Kitts, Puerto Rico, Dominica, Panama, Barbados, Turks & Caicos Islands, Nicaragua, Belize, Anguilla and the host nation would also be in action from tomorrow.

Following are the questions and answers: KS – President Forde, what message you would like to send out to the ‘Golden Jaguars’ and the Guyanese people?

WF – I would like to express my deep appreciation to the players and staff for their service to this beautiful nation through football. They are all legitimate Sons of the land of many waters and deserves the honour we have bestowed upon them to defend our dignity as a nation, in what we expect to be an extremely testing qualification campaign. I am truly humbled by their

collective sacrifices and wish to assure them that all of Guyana is behind them and we send nothing but positive thoughts and prayers for a successful first round.

KS - How confident are you that we can finish this round with six points?

WF – I derive confidence from the things I can control. For example, (1) We have assembled an exceptional fulltime Technical and Coaching staff, which is being led by Mr. Ian Greenwood and Coach Márcio Máximo; (2) the national team players began their preparations in early January – training five days a week; (3) they are training unhindered at Guyana’s very first technical centre, which is built by my administration; (4) we have made huge investments in new state of the art equipment, software and other first world technologies to further professionalise the national team programme; (5) we are taking very good care of our players by ensuring that they were being shuttled to and

from the training venue during the preparation in order to reduce the risk of them contracting covid-19; in addition to providing nutritious meals etc. each training day; (6) we were methodically shaping a programme that leads all the way to 2026. While the results are influenced by many factors, I want it to be absolutely clear that Coach Máximo has my complete confidence and support.

With that being said, I have every reason to believe that our ‘Golden Jaguars’ are more than capable of ending this round with six points on the board and the Executive Committee is prepared to do all that we can to support them in this quest.

KS – Do you have any reaction to the criticism levelled against the Head C o a c h re g a rd i n g t h e selection of the Team?

WF–Debates around team selection is unavoidable and at times can be very useful in promoting a fixture and driving public interest and excitement.

However, what we have witnessed over the past week

was clearly a wellcoordinated plan to shape the narrative – this has been a consistent pattern by some sections of the media.

Despite this, I do believe that most of our fans and the Guyanese public at large can see right through the thick smog of deception and empty noise being made by specific actors within the media fraternity. Their sinister agenda, which also seeks to break the spirit of the team and undermine the public confidence in the qualification campaign, will fail. To say more about this is a complete waste of my time.

I would only say this to the nation, let’s come together and celebrate each occasion when a young man emerges from a difficult community, a broken home, the temptation to enter a life of crime ever looming but instead, through his own hard work and perseverance – earns the right to represent the Golden Arrowhead on the international football stage, then this I believe would be a more fitting headline and story of meaningful public interest.

While the buck ultimately stops with me, the Head Coach has the right to independently select the National Team based on the guidelines, strategy and goals of the GFF Executive Committee. He is an experienced professional whose record with the programme is there for all to see – I do believe that he puts a lot of thought into his decisions and I trust his judgement.

Every Coach brings his own experience and Management style to the job and while it is reasonable to expect disagreements and differences of opinion, it is absolutely that he be given the tools and space to do the job for which he is accountable.

KS - How will this campaign influence the future of the National Team programme?

WF – This campaign will allow us to gauge progress, identify weaknesses on and off the pitch, gather critical data and make whatever adjustments are deemed necessary. Our goal is to build the Regions leading

national Team programme.

We a r e i n v e s t i n g strategically to achieve this and I am confident that in two-year’s time we will have a sustainable world class player development programme. The facilities that are part of the ongoing construction of the GFF National Training Centre will enable us to do extensive work with our most gifted players.

Our National Teams are already showing huge progress – the youth boys and girls in particular. These are early days yet which of course encourages higher expectations for the future. I have been consistent over the past five years, the 2026 FIFA expanded (48 Teams) World Cup is what we are targeting and I remain extremely optimistic about our chances.

KS – Do you have any final thoughts for the team?

WF – Don’t be distracted by the empty noise – the task ahead is much, much greater than an ill-informed opinion.

All of Guyana is behind you and praying for a successful campaign.

Belize football team bus held up by armed gang in Haiti

The Belize squad travelled to Haiti for a World Cup qualifier scheduled for Thursday. (Belize Football Federation)

BBC Sport - The Belize Football Federation has e x p r e s s e d i t s “disappointment and disgust” after a bus taking the national team to their hotel in Haiti was held up by an armed gang.

The incident occurred on Monday shortly after the squad had arrived in the country for a 2022 World Cup qualifier.

Police escorting the team were forced to negotiate with the gang to allow the bus to proceed to the hotel.

Captain Deon McCauley described the incident as “a moment of intense fear”.

“I am happy everyone is safe and I commend you guys for being brave,” he added.

“Let’s continue to stick (Continued on page 31)

Wednesday March 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 39

Evander Holyfield’s reps say Mike Tyson Fraser-Pryce opens rejected $25 million fight offer season with 200m win Yahoo Sports - Mike Ty s o n a n d E v a n d e r Holyfield have been in negotiations to fight each other for the third time, but it looks like that fight might not happen after all.

According to Holyfield’s representatives, Tyson rejected a $25 million guaranteed offer to fight Holyfield on Memorial Day. “We thought this was a done deal but it quickly fell apart when Tyson’s people declined all offers,” Holyfield’s manager, Kris Lawrence, said in a s t a t e m e n t v i a NYFights.com. “We were negotiating in good faith all along and it appears we just ended up wasting our time.”

The statement makes it pretty clear that Holyfield’s reps place all the blame on Tyson and his camp for the unsuccessful negotiations.

The parties have been in intense negotiations for several months and Team Holyfield sincerely believed a deal was imminent, especially after the Hard Rock threw its support

behind the project, and there were multiple other offers conveyed to Team Tyson.

However, Team Tyson’s demands recently became untenable, and not what Mike Tyson had originally agreed on in direct conversations with Holyfield.

Drama between Tyson and Triller This report from Holyfield’s camp may be a direct result of drama between Tyson and PPV s e r v i c e Tr i l l e r. Ty s o n worked with Triller for his exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, and they reportedly have the rights to one more Tyson fight.

If they do have the rights to market another Tyson fight, Tyson is definitely not interested. He posted a statement on Instagram Thursday declaring that he has no deal with Triller and has no plans to associate with them in the future.

It seems that Triller disagrees. On Sunday, Triller seemingly responded to Tyson’s claims. Michael

Woods of RingTV.com reported that Triller sent a letter to several broadcast platforms that asserts their right to market another Tyson fight.

From NYFights.com: Triller’s legal team has sent out alerts to various cable and satellite companies, platforms and broadcast corporations, informing them that Triller asserts they have the right to accept or pass on b e i n g t h e m a i n producer/promoter/marketer for the next Tyson fight. And, if that isn’t hashed out, that contractual reality isn’t adhered to, then any Tyson fight that might be planned for May 29, or whenever, would not be kosher.

According to Woods, the news that Triller is insisting that it owns the rights to the next Tyson fight is brand new, and was only learned by negotiators in the last few days. Neither Tyson nor his reps have publicly commented about his reported rejection of the $25 million fight offer with Holyfield.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (second right) leads the field into the turn in the women’s 200m at Velocity Fest 8 at National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday. (Photo: Dwayne Richards) Jamaica Observer - The long-awaited and highly anticipated season opener of two-time 100m Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce came at Velocity Fest 8 at National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

Running in section two of the women’s 200m, Fraser-Pryce was comfortable in winning the race, stopping the clock at 23.19s, while running into a

headwind of -1.6m/s. She was followed home by 400m specialist Stephenie-Ann McPherson of MVP who was second in 23.47s and Ronda Whyte of Sprintec who was third in 23.49s.

Running out of lane five, Fraser-Pryce was quickest out of the blocks and covered Whyte who was in lane six, halfway through the turn and came into the straightaway a metre in front. She continued to pull away from the field in

the home stretch, leaving McPherson and Whyte to battle for the minor places as she powered to the line, easing up with five meters to go. Despite slowing down at the tape Fraser-Pryce still won by three meters and appeared to have more left in the tank.

Fraser-Pryce had championed the cause for a return of sports, especially track and field to the island (Continued on page 31)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 40

Wednesday March 24, 2021

PAHF announces new dates for Pan Am Junior and Senior C/Ships

Pan Am Challenge and Pan Am Senior Championships pushed back to August this year.

Different sport disciplines including basketball and football have been returning to play in many countries with professional leagues in United States, Europe and even Central America being contested since the coronavirus pandemic gripped the world.

However, field hockey has not been able to pick up the pace and with South A m e r i c a ’s e v i d e n t challenges to contain the spread of the virus, the Pan Am junior and Pan Am Senior and Pan Am

Challenge Championships have all be postponed by the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF).

In a press release, the PAHF explained that is understands that COVID 19 still has a big impact in the Region, therefore a new date for the Junior Pan American Championships (Qualifiers to World Cup) was agreed with host country; Chile.

The event will now take place from August 16-29 instead.

PA H F i s c u r r e n t l y working on a document that will serve as framework for

the safe return to competition. The PAHF noted that, “The evolution of the COVID 19 impact continues to be very dynamic so we will continue updating our document and work with the host country to inform in due time about the protocols and requirements to enter Chile.”

Regarding the age of players and the extension of the window to play the qualifier, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced: FIH Competitions Committee, unanimously

Pan Am tournaments postponed again. agreed, that the window to hold these events (Jr World Cup Continental Qualifiers) has been extended until the end of August and that the age limit for all Junior Continental Championships held in 2021 shall be “All players shall be under 21 years of age as of 31 December 2019, that is all players shall be born on or after 1 January 1999” regardless of which month the event takes place in this year. The qualification document on the website will be updated accordingly.

For clarity, the age

group limit for the Junior World Cups in December, remains as it has always been: “All players shall be under 21 years of age as of 31 December 2020 that is all players shall be born on or after 1 January 2000”.

Regarding the postponement of the Pan American Challenge and South American Championships which will both hosted in Lima, Peru, the new dates, subject to the final number of entered teams, is September 23rd October 3rd 2021.

The PAHF detailed that,

“We are working to ensure safety for all involved in our events. There is still a lot of u n c e r t a i n t y, r e g a r d i n g COVID 19 status in different countries, and many of our NAs (National Associations) are still impacted by the lock down with little activity or none.”

T h e PA H F E v e n t Coordinator is working in close contact with the Health & Safety Panel, to assist host countries and participants in preparation for events.

General Protocol Guidelines will be provided closer to dates of Events.

Queenstown U-19 are Devon Ramnauth Youth Cricket League Champs

Q

The victorious Queenstown U-19 team.

ueenstown Under19 defeated Reliance Hustlers by 139 runs to win the final of the Devon Ramnauth Youth Cricket League which was contested on Saturday at Affiance #1 Ground, Essequibo Coast.

Queenstown Under19 played unbeaten throughout the competition, winning five games.

Queenstown U19 batted

first and managed 185-3 in 20 overs .

Seon Glasgow struck an unbeaten 59 while Carl Gilgeous made 53 not out, Azim Mohammed 26, Ameer Singh 25 and Leon Swamy 20. Shasif Mohammed took 2-21 from four overs.

Reliance Hustlers were bowled out for 46 all out in 15.3 overs, in reply. Kishan Lall got 14 as Seon Glasgow bagged 5-10 in 3.3 overs and Jason Holder took 3-7 from four overs. Seon Glasgow was named man-of- thematch.

In the third place playoff, Golden Fleece Vikings beat United Warriors and Capoey Ladies overcame Dee Angels in the female exhibition game. Awards were given to MVP - Seon Glasgow 104 runs and 10 wickets, one half century, One 5 - wicket haul), Best

Batsman - Azim Mohammed-129 runs (one half century, Best Bowler Jason Holder - 11 wickets , Best Wicket Keeper - Abdool Nadir.

In round four action, which was played on Friday, at Affiance #1 Ground, Queenstown scored 161-3, Leon Swamy made 51, Seon Glasgow 40 and Azim Mohammed 38. Imtiyaaz Ally had 2-32.

Vikings replied with 35 all out in 13.3 overs. Wazim Mohammed claimed 3-14, Seon Glasgow 3-6 and Jason Holder 2-10. Queenstown U19 won by 125 runs.

Leon Swamy was named man-of- the-match.

Rising Stars Spartans failed to show up for their game against Reliance Hustlers, while Essequibo Eagles showed up with five players for their fixture against United Warriors.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 24, 2021

PAGE 41

Meet the Golden Jaguars players who would be representing Guyana in the Concacaf Qualifying Zone of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Dominican Republic, March 2021

By Franklin Wilson in the Dominican Republic, compliments of Secure Innovations & Concepts, Industrial Safety Supplies Inc., Fazia’s Motor Spares and GFF

Name: Kai McKenzie-Lyle Position: Goalkeeper Club: Cambridge United FC D.O.B: 30.11.1997

Name: Kadell Daniel Position: Defender Club: Margate FC D.O.B:03.06.1994

Name: Terrence Vancooten Position: Defender Club: Stevenage FC D.O.B: 29.12.1997

Name: Ryan Hackett (Debut) Position: Midfielder Club: Guyana Defence Force FC D.O.B: 11.09.1999

Name: Akel Clarke Position: Goalkeeper Club: Mount Pleasant Academy D.O.B: 25.10.1988

Name: Nicolai Andrews (Debut) Position: Defender Club: Santos FC D.O.B: 03.11.2002

Name: Bayli Spencer-Adams (Debut) Position: Defender Club: Watford FC D.O.B: 26.06.2001

Name: Daniel Wilson Position: Midfielder Club: Guyana Police Force FC D.O.B: 01.11.1993

Name: Omari Glasgow (Debut) Position: Forward Club: Fruta Conquerors FC D.O.B: 22.11.2003

Name: Callum Kyle Hariott Position:Forward Club: Colchester United D.O.B: 04.03.1994

Name: Shawn Adonis (Debut) Position: Goalkeeper Club: Guyana Police Force FC D.O.B:14.05.2002

Name: Jeremy Garrett (Debut) Position: Defender Club: Guyana Defence Force FC D.O.B: 01.01.2000

Name: Sam Cox (Captain) Position:Midfielder Club: Hampton and Richmond FC D.O.B:10.10.1990

Name: Jobe Caesar (Debut) Position: Midfielder Club: Guyana Defence Force FC D.O.B: 01.01.1999

Name: Keanu Marqheal Marsh-Brown Position: Forward Club: Newport County AFC D.O.B: 10.08.1992

Name: Trayon Bobb Position: Forward Club: Uitvlugt Warriors FC D.O.B:05.11.1993

Name: Emery Welshman Position: Forward Club: Hapoel Raanana D.O.B: 09.11.1991

Name: Nicholas McArthur Position: Forward Club: Fruta Conquerors FC D.O.B: 21.12.2001

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Technical and Management Team Profiles

Name: Miguel Scarlett (Debut) Position:Defender Club: Unattached D.O.B:27.09.2000

Name: Matthew Briggs Position: Defender Club: Vijle Boldk D.O.B: 06.03.1991

Name: Nathan Moriah-Welsh (Debut) Position: Midfielder Club: Bournemouth FC D.O.B: 18.03.2002

Name: Pernel Schultz Position:Midfielder Club: Guyana Defence Force FC D.O.B: 07.04.1994

Name: Kelsey Benjamin Position: Forward Club: Guyana Defence Force FC D.O.B: 08.05.1999

Name: Ian Greenwood Position: Technical Director DOB: 06.03.85 (Continued on page 36)