Kaieteur News

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Thursday Edition US State Dept.

AIETEUR NEWS human rights officer latest to resign in Gaza protest March 28, 2024 - Vol. 17 No. 13

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $100 readership yesterday, 58,158

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

UN Committee Member tells Guyana:

‘Wealth derived from oil,

gold only benefits the richest in society, poor remains in extreme poverty’ French UN Human Rights Committee member, Helene Tigroudja

Chevron says takeover of Hess 30% stake in Stabroek ...court cases did not Block good for everyone slow us down

‘Unhealthy air’ circulating Regions 3 and 4 - EPA says Min. Indar:

9 out of 17 new generators on grid ...as oil-rich Guyana continues to be plagued by daily blackouts

Top Cop gets formal complaint to investigate corruption allegations against VP Jagdeo

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Kaieteur News

Thursday March 28, 2024

Chevron says takeover of Hess 30% stake in Stabroek Block good for everyone Michael Wirth, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Chevron Corporation, an American oil giant, recently stated that the US$53 billion acquisition of Hess Corporation, another American oil company, has benefits for everyone, including Guyana.

Chevron is facing legal challenges from U.S oil giant, ExxonMobil Corporation and China's CNOOC, over Guyana's prolific Stabroek Block– which Chevron would gain access to Hess' prized asset, holding a 30% interest in the block. Situated in the northeastern offshore region of Guyana, the Stabroek Block boasts water depths ranging from 1,600 to 2,000

meters. The Stabroek Block i s o n e o f t h e l a rg e s t exploration discoveries globally in recent years.

During the recently concluded CeraWeek in Houston, Daniel Yergin, Vice Chairman of S&P Global and Wirth were engaged in a conversation.

Yergin probed Wirth about Chevron's merger with Hess, expressing curiosity about the company's perspective on recent d e v e l o p m e n t s . Wi r t h , responded, “Look, a couple of things. Number one, this transaction is an important one. It's good for Chevron shareholders. It's good for Hess shareholders. It's good for the country of Guyana. I think it's good for US energy

security. Good for the industry. So we think it's an important deal and a good deal.”

Exxon is the operator of the Stabroek Block with a 45% interest and CNOOC holding 25% stake in the asset. The block-partners have moved to arbitration at International Chamber of Commerce in Paris to assert their rights over Hess' shares in Guyana's golden oil field.

Moreover, Wirth revealed that Chevron had made efforts to engage with the Stabroek Block partners in a constructive manner for several months.

He expressed surprise at the block partners' sudden decision to pursue arbitration. Chevron's CEO

continued, “We did extensive diligence on the joint operating agreement during the negotiation of the contract, we have extensive experience with these types of agreements around the world, as does Hess. And we remain very confident in our understanding of the language and look forward to s e e i n g i t a ff i r m e d i n arbitration.”

Moreover, Exxon announced the discovery of oil in 2015 and swiftly moved to commence production activities by December 2019.

Production from the S t a b r o e k B l o c k developments sits above 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) – with Exxon having the Liza 1, Liza 2 and the Payara

projects online. The oil companies have embarked on an aggressive drilling campaign in the Stabroek Block targeting three other developments: Yellowtail, Uaru and Whiptail projects.

It should be noted that Yellowtail and Uaru have already been approved, while Whiptail is under review awaiting government approval any day now. The Stabroek Block witnessed a remarkable discovery in 2023 with the unveiling of Michael Wirth, Chairman the Lancetfish field, located and Chief Executive in ultra-deepwater and deepOfficer (CEO) of sea layers. Lancetfish field is Chevron Corporation one of the eight discoveries made by Exxon in the Stabroek Block, since 2022, accumulated over 30 new and according to CNOOC discoveries, with a total holds an estimated reserve of e s t i m a t e d r e c o v e r a b l e 746 million barrels of oil. r e s o u r c e v o l u m e o f According to disclosures by approximately 11 billion the operator, the block has barrels of oil equivalent.

Thursday March 28, 2024

r e b m e M e te it m m o C UN tells Guyana:

Kaieteur News

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‘Wealth derived from oil, gold only benefits the richest in society says poor remains in extreme poverty’ “The wealth derived from oil and gold exploitation and mining only benefits the richest in society leaving the poorest in a situation of extreme poverty,” said French United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee (CCPR) member Helene Tigroudja. She made that comment last week, during the Government of Guyana appearance before that body.

Tigroudja explained that one concern of the committee is the right to consultation and information given to the population. She stated: “often the government seems to take consultation as being a synonym for consent. It doesn't recognise that those two issues are separate, you consult and then you wait for the consent.”

Tigroudja highlighted Guyana's legislative framework which recognises the rights of present and future generations to a healthy, clean, and sustainable environment.

She scrutinised Guyana's Environmental Protection Agency, seeking clarification on its functions and mandate to enforce strict environmental standards among all stakeholders.

The Committee member highlighted Guyana's ratification of both the Paris Agreement and the

extractive industries and Escazú regional agreement, their environmental impacts. focusing on the latter's Guyana has been blessed provisions for access to with bauxite, timber, gold, information, public diamonds, manganese and participation, and justice oil. regarding environmental In December 2019, issues in Latin America and ExxonMobil Guyana and its the Caribbean (LAC). partners in the Stabroek However, concerns were Block commenced oil raised regarding Guyana's production in Guyana. exploitation of its golden oil Guyana has been touted as resources, specifically the lack the fastest growing economy of consultation with in the world as a result of oil indigenous populations and operations in the country. the environmental impact of Notably, the poverty illegal exploitation activities, rate, the share of the including mercury poisoning population living below the in water sources.

U.S. equivalent of US$5.5 a Furthermore, Tigroudja day, is about 38.8 percent, criticized the indirect among the highest in the interaction between oil Caribbean and Latin companies like ExxonMobil French UN Human Rights Committee America (LAC), according and the Guyanese people, with member, Helene Tigroudja to the United Nations communication being filtered Development Programme. through the government. She access to information, and Moreover, this underscored the plight of publication had reported that last fisher folk, who lack political decision-making processes. “ S o i n l i g h t o f t h e week the Committee posed a representation and are marginalised in decision-making aforementioned range of concerns, q u e s t i o n t o M i n i s t e r o f processes due to their informal we would like to ask the state party P a r l i a m e n t a r y A f f a i r s a n d sector status and absence from to share with the committee how it Governance, Gail Teixeira, who led concretely intangibly guarantees the Guyanese delegation before the unions.

In response to these concerns, the implementation of the Escazu UN body, inquiring how the wealth is being used to ensure every citizen Tigroudja questioned how Guyana agreement,” she said.

Tigroudja emphasised the need benefits. will ensure the implementation of In her response, Minister the Escazú agreement, particularly to prioritize the interests and needs its provisions for consultation, of communities affected by Teixeira said, “The issue of natural

wealth being shared we have reported here, the increase in allocations for health and education, the fact that in every Amerindian village in our society or Indigenous village in society, every rural village in our society, every municipality, there are schools for children at the nursery, primary and in the regions which are large, we have secondary schools where children come (from) in the interiors where dormitory is provided.”

To this end, she explained that for a country of fewer than 800,000 people, coming from a poor background, significant changes have been made in terms of free education, free health care, subsidize housing, increases in the water availability in the interior and rural areas, and electricity.

Guyana's first trillion dollar was passed in the National Assembly last month.

The largest chunk of the $1.146 trillion budget was allocated to improving the country's infrastructure: roads, bridges, sea defence and airstrips among others, with $221.4 billion allotted to this sector.

For healthcare and education system, $129.8 billion and $135.2 billion were approved respectively.

9 out of 17 new generators on grid Min. Indar:

...as blackout continues to plague oil-rich Guyana Nine out of the seventeen generators recently acquired by the Guyana Power and Light are currently on the grid. This was disclosed by Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar on Wednesday during a telephone interview with this newspaper.

Even with these added sources of electricity frequent blackouts and power outages continue to plague this oil-rich nation. This publication reached out to Minister Indar to get some clarity on the

situation. The minister was asked to provide an update on the new generators that GPL recently acquired and if they were already added to the grid. “Not all of them, not all of them on the grid, actually nine of them on the grid, all are on the planks let me clear it… All of them are on the planks, because I want to make sure you get my information correct. So all are set up and are on the planks (but) nine of them are on the grid, five of them should be added again to the grid sometime during the new week,” he

said.

“There were some electrical works that have to be done and the exhaust and everything have been installed. The fuel tanks and so just some electrical works need to be done to have five more. And then we have three more that will complete the 17 should be done before the end of April. That is the latest update as of Tuesday afternoon at four,” the minister added.

He was also asked about the frequent blackout being

experienced across the country.

Indar said that, “Yes that is the case, I asked GPL to put out a statement, there were three last week that is why I asked you when. Early last week, it would have been because we had two engines at the Power Producers Distribution Inc, (PPDI) two engines totalling 13 megawatts were down. Both engines experienced failures, one with a bearing and one with another issue and those were out of PPDI.” Furthermore, during last week, “one of the 46 or the new one that

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar was purchased under the APNU that engine came with a turbo charger that is half the life of the normal turbo charger. So it is a 8000 turbo charger on those sets and it is only half the life so it only runs for 4000 hours and one of them came so that took out another 9.3 megawatts. So a total of 22 around 22 and a half megawatts were out of the system. So that is why you had some parts were getting outages and so.”

The GPL Inc. in 2023 recorded (Continued on page 6)

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456 Editor: NIGEL WILLIAMS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Death of our young bikers Our young people are going down like flies.

Sometimes, they take down innocent bystanders and other road users with them. Motorcyclists and their pillion riders are particularly endangered, with road deaths and severe injuries persistent items in media reports.

Before it was minibuses that attracted the most attention and the most dread from other road users, including passengers, pedestrians, and others. Though that menace has not depleted significantly, it is motorcyclists who are now making the news more frequently and for the worst reasons: they die too young, or they are badly injured, with others also maimed in the process.

Lives are lost, and the living damaged for life. We reported on Wednesday that five bikers died in three days. There is the usual reckless speeding, with riders often seen weaving breathtakingly through traffic in the city and country areas. They are playing games of dangerous roulette, with the odds multiplying against them daily.

Too frequently for comfort, motorcyclists are seen riding without helmets, or doing ‘wheelies’ (daredevil stunts in the face of oncoming traffic). When bikes collide with the bigger machines, there can only be one loser, and another loss of life being the result. One of the alarming aspects of the road mayhems is the age of those falling victim, either by their own hand, or those of others. The number of younger drivers and riders on our roads is easily observable. Speeding and carelessness seem to be their first callings, likely a product of overflowing testosterone, and the rush of adrenalin that accompanies taking chances by pushing pedal to floor, or throttles to the max. Truth be told, older drivers, especially males, who are supposed to be more mature from longer road exposures, can also be major contributors to the routine breaking of traffic rules and regulations. To ask for, or to expect, basic road courtesies, is an exercise in frustration. Very rare are the occasions on which such are displayed or encountered.

Clouds of lawlessness and discourtesies are not the preserve of ordinary citizens, for what Guyanese live with on a daily basis is a saturation of both in every aspect of life, and at most levels in this society.

The educated might as well be illiterate.

The experienced who have seen a world of good and bad should be a helpful asset. But too often they are too much in the middle of a roiling milieu, of which traffic mayhem is one of the more visible confirmations. It has been the case that when there are traffic developments that lead to conflict, there are no calm, restraining voices, only those that egg on the involved from the sidelines. Traffic drives Guyanese to madness, or makes them run for cover. Citizens take a leaf out of the thick playbook of veteran political figures, who themselves are the worst examples of all that is going wrong in this country. We speak not just of the mockeries that occur on our roads, but of the perversities that go on in remote hinterland communities, and the fixes that have become the norm to make matters go away. Who is not drunk with power, is driving drunk most likely exempt from radar detection, or seemingly drunkenly mangling Guyanese who have the audacity to stand in their way. As regular threatening road users do to their fellows, there is the mowing down of those who are obstacles to the free for all that politicians routinely demand as their due.

One good thing is that there are more police traffic ranks on the roads, either on motorcycles or on foot. The bad thing about their presence is that they seem to be in their own world, minding their own business, which is not necessarily the business that they were put on the roads to address. That is, to keep a sharp eye out for traffic violators, either through speeding, pranks, or what puts others on the road in danger. The more rules there are, the more there are deaths, injuries, and abuses. We love to mouth off about being a nation of laws and not men. A survey of Guyanese life indicates that ‘men’ is an understatement: the monstrous is now the norm, with more daily mayhem, more mangling from high offices to low roads.

Thurday March 28, 2024

UNDER MINISTER TEIXEIRA, THE GOVERNANCE PORTFOLIO HAS DELIVERED NOTHING DEAR EDITOR Minister Gail Teixeira recently came under intense scrutiny as her government’s spokesperson during the hearings of the UN Human Rights Committee on the third periodic report of Guyana. Many would have noted the sheer volume of actions and decisions a government must get right to qualify as having an acceptable human rights and good governance record. In the end, the general consensus is that the minister and the PPP government flopped most of the tests.

Which raises the matter that there exists in Guyana a cabinet portfolio for governance, within the Ministry of Parliamentary

Affairs and Governance. As its minister, Ms. Teixeira is accordingly charged with implementing and protecting principles of good governance in Guyana and with matters related to the country’s obligations under international treaties on human rights and anticorruption (see https://mpag.gov.gy/) Ms. Teixeira is known for her unprogressive and uncompromising approach to politics. In assigning her t h e s e p o t e n t i a l l y f a rreaching responsibilities, the PPP is obviously signaling its own unwillingness and disregard for advancing Guyana’s democracy and political relations.

Since 2020, what has

Minister Teixeira done with the several hundreds of millions of dollars from the N a t i o n a l Tr e a s u r y t o promote good governance?

Has she taken any measure to promote such tenets as transparency, accountability, the rule of law, inclusivity, consensus-building, and financial efficiency and effectiveness? Does her Ministry hold training workshops for government officials, propose legislative changes, hire experts and technical staff, circulate administrative guidelines, champion causes and, generally, create much fuss – all in the name of good governance?

No one believes that Ms. Teixeira is so inclined or

motivated. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance is ruled, like the rest of the government, to ensure the government always gets its way. Its disposition is to block, put down, or reverse any progressive idea that stands in that way. Ms. Teixeira’s attempt to miniaturize the Public Accounts Committee is one of her best works in this dishonorable mission.

The country needs a wide-ranging and highflying governance portfolio, one headed by a change agent and an advocate for democracy and political reform. That wouldn’t happen under the PPP. Sincerely Sherwood Lowe

A shortage of the will to do the right things DEAR EDITOR, These last few days identify three significant religious events, which should require their adherence and for that matter all Guyana to observe the stealthy, steady steps to a de facto dictatorship in Guyana.

O n M o n d a y, w e celebrated the Hindu festival, Phagwah or Holi. It celebrates the eternal and divine love and signifies the triumph of good over evil Christians are in the close of Lent and Muslims are in the midst of the Holy month of Ramadan and in different ways, they all point to the love of fellowmen, the dignity of humanity and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

Dear Editor, this period represents a propitious opportunity for us to observe the stealthy steady steps to a de facto dictatorship, in direct contradiction to the requirements in our Holy Books.

When the Government took office in August 2020, there was a pious promise to set us on the path of goodness and the finer aspects of democracy and decency.

So the fit point is this Government and the State controlled media must end this charade of all these evils

and wrongdoings before August 2020. We were appalled and disgusted by the response of Hon. Gail Teixeira at the United Nations Human Rights Meeting in dealing with the failure of our Government to point to a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice leaving the Judiciary without a stealthy, stable and therefore confident Leadership.

The excuse by President Ali that we do have a Chancellor and Chief Justice is infantile, the utterances of an inept school boy. No matter how puerile and unconvincing, the hallmark of a democracy is a structure that sits on four pillars of support, 1. The Executive, 2. The Parliament, 3. An independent, and I stress Independent Judiciary and the fourth estate, that is a free responsible and independent media.

In Guyana we see the Executive manipulating the major law enforcement agencies, the Guyana Police Force where it appears that postings, preference and appointments are all politically motivated. Others have given details of this troubling condition, safe to say Editor, in traditional Government and Opposition communities, there is a

woeful lack of confidence in the majority of members of the GPF. This is a dangerous and distressing state of affairs. Thank God there are still a few professionally driven Police Officers and ordinary ranks.

Second, we must disagree with much of President Maduro of Venezuela’s contentions. But Guyanese should ponder on his recent contention that the oil giants and others are now steering the ship of state in Guyana.

For those of us who took part in the Independence struggle, this is a serious matter. Serious, because it is being driven by stealthy, steady steps to dictatorship.

When you have a Government rolling out the biggest budget ever but not one cent to acquire metres to check and verify the amount of oil being extracted, something is very, very wrong. Or is it stealthy, steady steps to a de facto dictatorship?

When you have a Government that ignores the constitutional requirement to consult with the Opposition, we are making stealthy, steady steps to a de facto dictatorship. When you have a Government that trivialises the important role of education by mistreating

teachers and Guyana Te a c h e r s U n i o n , i n circumstances where the children and the big ones are not affected because they can afford to pay their fees and transportation, Private Schools, you create stealthy, steady steps to dictatorship.

A dictatorship strides in an environment where the majority of a generation is poorly educated.

Where the award of contracts including public advertisements seem lopsided, you have the ingredients of an apartheid situation, the hallmark of stealthy, steady steps to a de facto dictatorship.

When blacklisted Contractors and those who underperform are still allowed to bid for lucrative Government contracts, we are making stealthy, steady steps to a de facto dictatorship. We the people and the independent media must not give up and must not be guilty of the sin of silence.

Finally, over six months ago, the President was blaming the previous Government for the spate of blackouts, and promised that this would end before Christmas 2023. With an abundance of cash, we all believed in His Excellency, (Continued on page 06 )

Kaieteur News

Thursday March 28, 2024

PAGE 05

The Dominican Republic company Urgent attention required for Recent high profile Visitors the rehabilitation of 62 Midpoint Dand quo? Did they come to lobby Guyana. Their stock of E , Irfaan and Jagdeo for people is different from ours Thanks for your front Access Road to 63 Beach contracts for the sponsoring as is the culture and page coverage of the visit of resorted to traversing it by commensurate with the D E , EAR

EAR

DITOR

I am taking a moment amidst the solemn observance of Holy Week to draw attention to a pressing and perennial issue of paramount significance.

The Midpoint Access Road, marked as No. 62, leading to 63 Beach, has long been recognized for its pivotal role within the 63 Beach Area. This thoroughfare, diligently maintained for nearly two decades by the late Vivekanand Narpatty during our residence at the Sunsplash Beach Resort Home, remains in dire need of attention and reverence for its invaluable contribution to tourism and the local community.

Regrettably, since the tragic demise of Vivekanand Narpatty, little has been undertaken to perpetuate his legacy or uphold his pioneering efforts in tourism development within the region.

The critical significance of the Midpoint Access Road to 63 Beach lies in its function as a vital escape route from the relentless onslaught of high tides engulfing both the 63 and 60 village areas along the coastline. This necessity has been poignantly witnessed by myself and fellow patrons, who have found themselves stranded amidst the ferocious tides on holidays, unable to navigate the perilous waters by vehicle or on foot.

L a s t y e a r ’s E a s t e r Monday at 63 Beach bore witness to chaotic scenes of disorganization, haphazard zoning, and severe traffic congestion, exacerbating the need for immediate action.

Despite the dilapidated condition of the street adjacent to Sunsplash Resort, my team and I

foot, navigating through overgrown vegetation, dry mud ditches, and hazardous obstacles, including fallen trees obstructing the path.

Repeated appeals to the Region 6 Chairman have yielded assurances but little tangible progress.

Additionally, the presence of individuals with questionable motives, including deported individuals unlawfully exerting influence over the area, has further hindered efforts for rehabilitation.

Moreover, reports of preferential treatment, such as the construction of a concrete street exclusively benefiting a select few residences behind the Freedom House, underscore systemic disparities and neglect. Contrary to assertions by government officials, the revitalization of the Midpoint Access Road serves not only my personal interests but also promises to foster widespread benefits, including job creation, enhanced tourism opportunities, and improved accessibility for both locals and visitors alike.

In light of the imminent inauguration of the Corentyne Bridge and the burgeoning potential of tourism, it is imperative that immediate steps be taken to restore and upgrade the Midpoint Access Road, ensuring equitable access to 63 Beach and safeguarding the well-being of all stakeholders.

I am currently spearheading a petition campaign, garnering support from both local and international communities, to prioritize the rehabilitation of the Midpoint Access Road as an all-weather thoroughfare,

standards of neighboring streets. Let us seize this opportunity to embrace the transformative power of tourism and foster a culture of inclusivity and accessibility.

By allocating resources to rehabilitate the Midpoint Access Road and implementing comprehensive zoning measures, we can ensure a safer, more vibrant, and prosperous future for 63 Beach and its environs.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation. I remain hopeful that this plea will elicit prompt action from the relevant authorities, allowing all to revel in the splendor of 63 Beach this Easter and beyond.

Warm regards, Miss Ebony Narpatty Bridgebassey CEO of Sunsplash Resort 63 Beach and Upcoming Projects (Advocate for 63 Beach Development and Research)

DITOR

Clinton. We read in social media and local papers that a company from the Dominican Republic sponsored the trips of former President Bill Clinton and former Prime Minister Tony Blair. Is it so? Why? And why in Guyana? Is that the same company that paid for Irfaan Ali’s social event at TWA (Pan Am) hotel at JFK last February? Why did a company sponsor that event? Does it have business in Guyana? Won’t the cost be included in the contract price?

Events and awarding of contracts lead to the above questions and more.

Something is suspicious.

Something does not smell good.

The DR company that sponsored the Clinton and Blair trips — does it have business in Guyana? How much? Were Blair and Clinton paid fees? How much? Was there a quid pro

company?

Tony Blair and Bill Clinton are not held in high esteem any more. They don’t have much relevance to their countries. It is recalled that Blair supported George Bush in the invasion of Iraq to find weapons of mass destruction. None was found. The country has experienced civil war ever since. Millions were killed from the invasion and the civil war. Much of the country lies in ruins. Bill Clinton signed into law the toughest anti-Immigrant and anti-welfare laws in the history of the country. As a result of the immigration law, many Guyanese and millions of foreigners were deported for overstaying their visa or if undocumented.

Why did the duo really come to Guyana and why did the DR company sponsor them? Dominican Republic has no commonality with

language. We have virtually no trade with DR and no diplomatic linkage. DR is not known as a country with significant technical expertise. It has no significant industries. A DR Ambassador recently makes its presence in Georgetown.

Why then is this company given such prominence? Could more experienced companies be found in the USA and Canada? Why not a local company? Business opportunities are given to others. The government bows to overseas players that have no relevance in the home countries. Facilitators of international deals are acting against the interests of the local people. They are not here to help Guyanese but to take from Guyanese.

And our government is in cahoots with them. Guyana is being looted. The government is acting against (Continuedon page 06)

Kaieteur News

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Thursday March 28, 2024

Haiti: US guns pour into Port-au-Prince, fuelling surge in violence Gangs in Haiti have easy access to weapons

(BBC NEWS) Haiti is a state out of action.

More than two weeks after the country’s prime minister resigned, following a surge of violence in Portau-Prince, details of a presidential transitional council have still not been revealed.

One of the challenges this council will have to face is the illegal trafficking of guns, which has powered the gangs which have taken over.

The escalation in violence has sparked an exodus from the capital.

Among those leaving is 14year-old David Charles whose father Israel is nervous with excitement as he waits for his son’s bus to arrive in Cap-Haitien.

A coach with boarded-up windows pulls up to the side of the road. He smiles in

anticipation. His 14-year-old son David soon walks down the stairs with his luggage.

They embrace tightly. David has managed to escape Portau-Prince - a city now torn apart by armed gangs and political chaos. Most of the violence gripping Haiti is centred in the capital: the UN estimates 80% of it is now controlled by gangs. He had been living there for two years without his parents, in order to finish his education, but Israel did not want him “to become a victim”.

This month’s torrent of violence spurred him to get his son out to Cap-Haitien, a city in the north of the country which is safer. “The journey was very long, more than six hours. I was praying the whole way,” says David.

“The bus driver later told us there were a lot of gunshots

in one area, our bus just missed them.” Other passengers on the bus look exhausted, relieved but also upset. One man in a dark Tshirt and sunglasses speaks quietly as we ask him how he is. But becomes visibly angry as he tells us he has a message for the United States.

“All the guns here are from the US, everybody knows it. If the US wants to stop this, they could easily do it one month!” He pleads: “We are asking the US to give us a chance to live, just give us a chance.” For a country that does not manufacture weapons, a UN report in January found every type of gun was flooding Port-au-Prince: high-powered rifles such as AK-47s, 9mm pistols, sniper rifles and machine guns.

9 out of 17 new generators on...

From page 3 a total of 96 countrywide power outages, signaling an increase from the previous year. This revelation came during a hearing of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) last week when the power company came up for review of its 2023 Operating Standards and Performance Targets (OSPT). In 2022, there was a 10% reduction recorded in the outages

frequency. GPL’s Divisional Director for Loss Reduction, Parsram Persaud explained that the interruptions were due to a number of reasons ranging from planned maintenance to emergencies.

Persaud disclosed that the prolonged dry season contributed significantly to the demand for energy in November and December 2023, hence, demand outstripped supply in several

instances.

He said the company was able to grow its generation capacity by 14.5 percent in 2023 but the peak demand for power increased by 21.4 percent. As such, Persaud said that the agency’s Smart Grid pilot project at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was yielding results that may see an increase in power for households and commercial entities.

The weapons are fuelling the staggering surge in H a i t i ’s g a n g - r e l a t e d violence. There is no exact number for how many trafficked firearms are currently in Haiti. The UN report said some estimates put it at half a million legal and illegal weapons here as of 2020. It reported that guns and ammunition were being smuggled in from land, air and sea from US states such as Florida, Texas and Georgia. There have been seizures in the country’s main ports in Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix and in CapHaitien. Illegal weapons are hidden in shipping containers among toys and

clothes donations.

In July 2022, Haitian authorities seized a huge haul of dozens of weapons with 15,000 rounds of ammunition. They were stuffed in a shipment from Florida heading to an Episcopal church in Haiti.

The UN also identified the use of several clandestine airstrips built for humanitarian purposes after the devastating earthquake in 2010, which are now hardly monitored. Earlier this month, a UN spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, told journalists the UN Secretary-General’s message to gangs in Haiti was to “silence the guns”. In

the corner of his office, CapHaitien’s chief prosecutor, Charles-Edward Durant, keeps a semi-automatic weapon.

He says he needs security whenever he travels. For him, things have never been so bad in Haiti. “This is a nightmare, a horrible dream.

I would like Haitians to wake up and work to have a better country.” Is he worried that with guns being so prolific, the violence could make its way into Cap-Haitien?

At this, he smiles with more confidence: “We are resisting, we have our ways: informants, checkpoints.

Are they afraid of us? Of (Continued on page 17)

A shortage of the will to do... High incidence of accidents

From page 04 but as I dictate this letter at 3:50 pm in Lodge where I live, we’ve had a second power outage for the day.

There is no shortage of money these days but there seems to be a shortage of the will to do the right things. All the President has to do is appoint persons with the

skill to manage the power company, but as long as the present culture of the Administration is to appoint persons whose prequalification must be loyalty to the PPP top brass, we will continue to have blackouts.

In other words, the proclivity for square pegs in round holes persist. Stealthy,

steady steps to a de facto dictatorship.

Concerned citizens of all sides of our political and social box must speak up, speak up and speak up and do not be guilty of the sin of silence.

Regards Hamilton Green Elder

involving motorcyclists of major concern DEAR EDITOR It was another holiday weekend with several deaths, particularly young people, following road accidents, a number involving motorcycles; fires, two, which claimed lives; vehicle accidents among other incidents resulting in deaths or injuries and damage to and loss of property.

The continuing trend of accidents on a daily basis must be of major concern, as is the high incidence, of recent road deaths involving young motorcyclists.

The cause, more often, being speeding and losing control.

It seems as soon as youths meet the age for a license, the acquisition of a motorcycle or car is their

priority.

When will they learn?

The answer is blowing in the wind.

My condolences and sympathies to all affected in one way or the other by these sad events over last weekend. Another holiday weekend is almost with us.

All are urged to be safe.

Regards Shamshun Mohamed

The Dominican Republic company...

From page 05 the interests of Guyana and Guyanese contractors and other businesses. If Blair and Clinton really wish to assist Guyana, they would urge Exxon to give Guyana a fair deal in the contract.

Guyana is not getting a free ride from the

visitors and the sponsoring DR company.

Blair and Clinton will walk away with fees of millions of American dollars and our country is paying them billed in overbids of contracts.

Is any local also getting a fee?

Yours truly, Edward Burrowes

T N U L B . . .

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Thursday March 28, 2024

Kaieteur News

Wild bikers

Too frequently for comfort, motorcyclists are seen riding without helmets, or doing 'wheelies' (daredevil stunts in the face of oncoming traffic) and of recent even without lights at nights.

When bikes collide with the bigger machines, there can only be one loser, and another loss of life being the result.

One of the alarming aspects of the road mayhems is the age of those falling victim, either by their own hand, or those of others.

The number of younger drivers and riders on our roads is easily observable.

Speeding and carelessness seem to be their first callings, likely a product of overflowing testosterone, and the rush of adrenaline that accompanies taking chances by pushing pedal to floor, or throttles to the max.

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 8 10

Thursday Monday March May 02, 28, 2022 2024

Top Cop gets formal complaint to investigate corruption allegations against VP Jagdeo A

c t i n g Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken is now in possession of a formal complaint to investigate corruption allegations against Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo.

The police chief was written to by a local organisation called Institute for Action Against Discrimination (IFAAD) to commence investigations and was sent nine days after the government told United Nations (UN) Human rights Committee CCPR that it never investigated Jagdeo because no official police report was made against him.

In the letter also copied to the Director Public Prosecution, Shalimar Ali Hack SC. and signed by former Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine, the organisation requested that a formal investigation be launched into allegations of corruption made against Jagdeo by Vice News.

“The evidence presented in their report suggests that high level officials may be engaging in illicit activities, which must be thoroughly investigated to maintain public trust and uphold the rule of law,” the IFAAD said while urging the Commissioner to ensure that the investigation be done transparently and without any obstruction.

Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo The IFAAD added, “Once the investigation has been completed, we kindly request that you share all the findings with the public,” IFAAD said while calling on Hicken to take the appropriate legal action if the allegations made are “substantiated” with evidence.

On Monday March 19, US Candidate to the Human Rights Committee for the years 2023- 2026, Professor Laurence Helfer grilled the government's representative at its 140th session, Gail Teixeira, the country's Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, for answers on its shortcomings when it comes to transparency and investigating allegations of corrupt practices.

Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken

In posing questions about alleged corruption in Guyana Helfer said that the human rights committee understands that the current Guyana Government had dismantled the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) when it took office and in 2020, in response to concerns about its effectiveness and asked which agency is now responsible for recovering stolen state assets.

He then followed up by pointing out that the Human Rights Committee reiterates its “request for information on measures to ensure prompt and effective investigations into allegations of corruption and the prosecution of perpetrators” before stating

“The committee is aware of public frustration regarding

for example the failure to investigate reports of corruption by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo”.

Helfer did not say what alleged corrupt practices Jagdeo is accused of but Teixeira in her response spoke of a Vice News article that accused him of using a Chinese businessman, Zhi Rong Su to “cash bribes for government contracts”.

She said, “…there was no followup because there was no police report made by Vice News or anybody else and so police cannot investigate without some form of report or complaint.”

“However, the VP has answered this issue publicly

several times in the same media that has carried these reports”, Teixeira added.

In 2022, Jagdeo's former friend and tenant, Zhi Rong Su implicated him (Jagdeo) in bribery and corruption. Su had disclosed to VICE News reporters posing as Chinese investors that Jagdeo took “cash bribes” for multimillion dollar contracts and that he (Su) was his middle man. VICE News on July 7, 2022 premiered a documentary with its findings.

In the documentary, Jagdeo called Su “a good friend of ours” and his tenant during an interview with one of the VICE News' reporters.

The letter sent to the Top Cop

Kaieteur News

Thursday March 28, 2024

PAGE 09

Jagdeo is wrong about civil society Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has a false understanding of civil society. For him, civil society cannot be limited to those organisations that he perceives as being antigovernment, but is much wider and includes the religious community and the private sector both of which he says have large membership.

At his last press conference, Jagdeo was emphatic that the private sector is part of civil society.

He said, “the private sector is part of civil society.” He needs to go back and educate himself as to the definition of civil society. Civil society refers to voluntary and collective action undertaken by individuals and organisations to advance shared interests, values, and goals within a society. It encompasses a wide range of organisations, associations, groups, and movements that operate independently of the government, political parties and the private sector. Civil society plays a crucial role in democratic societies by providing a platform for citizens to express their opinions, advocate for their rights, participate in decision-making processes, and hold governments and other institutions accountable.

Examples of civil society organisations include nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), community groups, trade unions, advocacy groups, charitable organisations, religious institutions, and grassroots movements. These entities often focus on addressing social, political, economic, environmental, and cultural

issues, working to promote positive change and social justice. Jagdeo wrongly includes the private sector as part of civil society. But the private sector does not belong to civil society, contrary to what Jagdeo believes. The World Bank effectively places the private sector outside of civil society.

The World Bank defines civil society as, “as the space among family, market and state; it consists of not-forprofit organisations and special interest groups, either formal or informal, working to improve the lives of their constituents.” The family is therefore not a member of civil society.

Neither are market groupings, such as the private sector nor is government part of civil society. The private sector comprises of businesses and enterprises that are owned and operated by private individuals or groups for profit-making purposes.

While the private sector plays a significant role in society, it is not considered part of civil society.

There are several reasons for this distinction. For one, the primary goal of the private sector is to generate profit and maximise shareholder value.

Businesses operate with the intention of producing goods or services that are exchanged in the marketplace for monetary gain. In contrast, civil society organisations often pursue broader social, cultural, or environmental objectives that may not be directly tied to financial profit. Political parties also are not typically considered

part of civil society. They are primarily focused on contesting elections, forming governments, and implementing specific political agendas rather than advancing broader social or public interest goals. While political parties play a crucial role by providing a platform for citizens to participate in the political process, mobilising support for specific policies or candidates, and representing diverse interests within society, they are distinct from civil society organisations.

Supporting a strong and diverse civil society is integral to promoting a plural model of political inclusion. Civil society serves as a vehicle for diverse voices, perspectives, and interests to be heard and represented within the public sphere. By fostering a robust ecosystem of nongovernmental organisations, community groups, advocacy networks, and grassroots movements, civil society enables marginalised and underrepresented communities to be heard and to advocate for their rights and positions. It allows other actors, apart from political parties, to hold governments and institutions accountable.

In a plural model of political inclusion, where diversity of opinions and identities is valued, civil society acts as a counterbalance to concentrated power. It enriches public discourse. It expands the scope of democratic participation. It ensures that the needs and aspirations of all segments of society are taken into account in the formulation

DEM BOYS SEH

Standing in line Workers have been paid and de lines at the ATM machines longer dan twine.

People lining up fuh draw dem money fuh dem month’s expense and fuh de long Easter weekend.

And nuff of dem ATM running out of money. It aggravating people who have to drive all over town to find a working ATM. When yuh in de line, yuh does get nuff laughs. A woman deh taking money out of an ATM, when de person behind her says, “Ha! Ha! I know your p a s s w o r d . I t ’s f o u r asterisks.”The first women replies, “Ha! Ha! No it’s

not. It’s 3862.”

But we gat some people who can’t stand in line.

Dem does always somehow stand outside of line and jump in when dem time reach to enter de ATM. You ever see one a dem standin’ dere like a lost sheep, waitin’ to be herded into de fold? It’s like dem gan get some kind of injury if dem stand up in the line or dem believe dem too big fuh be standing in line. So dem does stand at de side of de line. Keeping a straight line is an allergy to dem.

Some of dem ATM running out of cash and it s t r e t c h i n g p e o p l e ’s

patience. One man get so angry de odder day dat he seh he going inside de bank to complain to de manager.

Within seconds, he come out back and claim how, “De complaints line inside longer than de ATM line outside.”

So as yuh bob and weave through dis ATM maze, remember dis: stay calm, stay straight (in de line, dat is), and may yuh pockets be fat with cash and yuh wit sharper dan a freshly sharpened cutlass.

Dem boys seh, “Keep de line straight, nah bend it like Beckham!”

Talk half. Leff half.

and implementation of policies and laws. This is the value of civil society and why Jagdeo should be less touchy about criticisms from civil society. Jagdeo, or any leader, cannot selectively embrace civil society organisations based solely on their alignment with the government’s agenda while disregarding or attacking those that hold dissenting views. Upholding the principles of political pluralism requires recognizing and respecting the diversity of civil society in all its dimensions,

whether they have large or small memberships, and whether their perspectives align with the government or not.

By engaging with civil society across the spectrum, leaders like Jagdeo can demonstrate a commitment to democratic principles, inclusivity, and dialogue.

He can foster an environment where all voices are heard, all perspectives are considered, and all citizens feel empowered to participate in shaping the future of their country.

This approach not only strengthens democracy but also promotes social t r a n s p a r e n c y, a n d accountability in governance.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10 S

UTH

D TR

HAR

HK

BY G

LALL

Thursday Monday March May28, 02,2024 2022

H@RD TRUTHS

BY GHK LALL

Jurist in waiting Judge not lest ye be judged.

Being the incorrigible renegade that I am, here I am looking for trouble again. Where the gods dare not tread, just check and see who is seen, if not me.A good judge, we have some, but too few of them. We are in dire need of more of them. With just about all the other major national institutions either in thrall of, or cowering in fear before, or prostrated in subjugation to, the caprices of local leaders, the judiciary is theoretically the last standing presence guarding the bridge.

Both the guardians and what is being guarded have manifested an increasing rickety side.

Decisions that make no sense by their illogic.

Interpretations that are foreign (in word and practice) to wisdom.

Verbiage that exhibits the garbage that judges come up with to rationalize their holdings.

Wi t h o u t a reasoned and resolute judiciary, Guyana is deader

than a doornail. With a ramshackle one, Guyanese are dead without them declared to be so, and them not even knowing it.This is the backdrop against which the screening and selection process of new judges has been hailed and much watched.

May it be more of a genuine process and not part of the widespread and domineering political pretense. For the love of God, may this society be gifted a huge handful of new judges that stand for constitution, country, and citizens. Whether company law or the law of comrades (godfathers), let judicial acumen and not judicial artifice prevail. Let judicial sagacity and not judicial servility take precedence.

The last thing that this country needs, that this population, can absorb, is an extension into the storied realms of jurisprudence from the madcap, dunce cap culture that has invaded and controls Guyana's National Assembly. Though difficult

to believe, Guyana's house of the people (parliament) has been reduced to a house of charlatans and a large warehouse of corrupt people.

If anyone finds that I have breached the protocols of parliament by using certain censored elements of the English Language go ahead charge me, jail me, or shoot me. They do that here, don't they? The point is that Guyanese are in urgent need of a flock of new judges who would make them proud.

Judging on the merits.

Standing for the people.

Being about what is judicially astute and not what is politically expedient.

Or what reeks of substances that are personally enhancing. No position, no promotion, no judicial conclusion and production is worth the ambition. Can it. Kick it up the road, and down into the swamp of oblivion.

This is what erects an unbreachable barrier between authentic princes of the judiciary and shambolic jokers not worth their law

degree. This must be the caliber of the incoming batch of judges, they must stand in stark contrast to those who juice their way into favor.

Guyana needs judges who are about national and natural justice, not those who allow themselves to become pawns of nincompoops, the puppets of those mocked in grand assemblies.

What I call for, push for, plead and press for, has its teething pains, for Guyana as a nation still struggling to recover from its birth pains.

Almost three score years have passed, and the toddler stage is still clutched to, as if continued existence depended on it.

If the once and still great United States of America with 200 years of experimentation and fermentation over Guyana is still working its way through less than stellar judges (Louisiana and Texas), then the prospects do not look too good here. When the still vaunted US Supreme Court found it necessary to apply

the brakes on colleagues on lower benches, then there has been a glaring loss of judicial honesty.

When a different kind of loyalty becomes the primary determining factor, then the check, the balance, the sobering-so much yearned for-dissipates in a haze of adjudications that make no sense.

Regardless of the supporting phrases intended to deceive, and no more. It is what brings the judiciary into disrepute. If in America, where does that leave Guyana? Loyalty to the lure of lucre is injustice writ large.

We have had that, and too much of it.

Loyalty to lousy leaders, and there is a growing list that proves who stands for what, and where that condemns crucial issues of the times.When the compelling matters of this State have had to be escalated to what is deliriously called the apex court, the CCJ, then this does not say much about domestic intellect or integrity. For

when the CCJ is hailed and worshipped as the apex court, the final arbiter of matters Guyana, then I think that that consigns Guyana's proceedings and rulings to a perpetual state of being less than the best. Of being second guessed locally and superseded regionally.

It would be inspiring to learn of local decisions that instill confidence, which inspires hope, in turn.

It is that this country can hold its own, that there is a judiciary that is its own searcher of truth, its own finder of fact. And nothing more, so help them God. I hope the latter still has some meaning and traction in this country.

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

‘Unhealthy air’ circulating Regions 3 and 4 - EPA says The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday said that its sensors are reporting air quality in Regions 3 and 4 in the 'unhealthy' range, based on the World Health Organization Standards for Good Air Quality.

In a press advisory, the EPA said its sensors at Eccles, East Bank Demerara and Sophia, Georgetown are currently showing much higher concentrations than that recorded on March 25, 2024. “In light of its data, the EPA encourages members of the public to take precautionary measures to protect their health by limiting the time spent

outdoors and to wear dust masks as practicable.”

Additionally, the EPA said during the period March 19-26, a heat signature comparison revealed a substantial increase in heat signatures along the low coastal plain of Guyana. Visibility has been and continues to be affected by smoke from active fires in Regions 3 and 4. “In this extended period of little or no rainfall, the conditions are more conducive to spontaneous combustion which may lead to wildfires. It is also more likely in these conditions that careless or deliberate human actions may lead to wildfires.”

Kaieteur News

Thursday March 28, 2024

PAGE 11

Mistreatment of teachers will eventually drive them away The continued mistreatment of teachers will eventually drive them away to greener pastures, General Secretary of the Guyana Teacher's Union (GTU) Coretta McDonald has said.

McDonald's comments come even as the Government of Guyana announced a move to recruit over 500 healthcare workers from Bangladesh to fill the country's shortage. The decision to recruit the Bangladeshi workers comes at a time when the government is refusing to raise the salaries of local nurses, forcing hundreds of them to take up lucrative jobs in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

In an invited comment, McDonald asserted that if the government is not careful, it will contribute to another mass exodus of more public servants. “This time,” she said “it is the teachers who will be leaving for greener pastures, or at least to where they can find pastures that are green.”

“You see our teachers are most valuable but they are not being regarded as such.

All they want is to be paid livable salaries so they can offset the expenses that come with the rising cost of l i v i n g . H o w e v e r, o u r government is blatantly ignoring their cries and because their concerns are not being heard then they will take their services elsewhere,” explained the GTU General Secretary.

McDonald warned too

– GTU's McDonald that unlike the health sector, finding suitably skilled replacements for teachers w i l l n o t b e a s straightforward. “Unlike the health sector where the skills are universal, and the Government can sign some deal to recruit worker from a place as far as Bangladesh, finding qualified teachers will not be as easy because even if they go as near as in the Caribbean or far as the Middle East, they will not find persons willing to work for what they are paying teachers here.”

“Most of the teachers in the English-speaking Caribbean are being paid double and triple what teachers earn in Guyana, so they won't come here. And if they Government should go beyond that they will encounter many issues to find trained and experienced teachers to replace those who leave because they will face issues like language barriers and so forth.”

To this end, McDonald said the Government should take into keen consideration how they are handling teachers. “Everyone saw what played out with the efforts to achieve collective bargaining for better salaries and the Government has been stubborn, not willing to address concerns of its teachers.

As a result, Guyana will end up losing a lot of them and then the nation's children

General Secretary of GTU, Coretta McDonald will suffer. I hope they are able to remove from their stubborn position and treat teachers with a little more respect, and then they may be a different ending” McDonald asserted.At the end of 2023, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) the country's main referral hospital, had a deficit of about 600 nurses to meet its needs and achieve industry standard.

Just last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it approved Sigma Engineers Ltd., a Bangladeshi recruitment agency to recruit healthcare workers, with the view to addressing concerns raised both by the public and private sectors on the severe skills shortage in the health s e c t o r. T h e M i n i s t r y explained in a statement that “The Private Sector Commission has on

numerous occasions requested the Government's assistance in addressing the need to fill the skills shortages not only in the health sector but also in the

critical sectors of construction, engineering, and services given the expansion and growth of Guyana's economy.”

“In this regard, the recruitment agency was appointed to liaise with relevant authorities from various countries to recruit healthcare workers including, but not limited to Bangladesh. It is within this context that the authorization letter was issued by the Ministry to prevent issues such as human trafficking or any abuse of this process,” the statement added.

The ministry said to date, no one has been recruited through Sigma Engineers Ltd. Inc. as shortages are currently being filled by personnel from Cuba.

“The Government of Guyana remains open to the

recruitment of specialized skills which do not currently exist in Guyana from any part of the globe, for both the public and private sectors,” the statement concluded.

Government in recent times have been recruiting nurses from Cuba and other countries and reportedly paying them more than their local counterparts.

Sigma Engineers Ltd. Inc. was given the approval as the recruitment agency in a letter dated February 5, 2024. In the letter which was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, the government confirmed that Sigma Engineers Ltd as the agent to do the recruitment of 500 Bangladeshi healthcare workers for employment and liaise with the relevant authorities.

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Thursday March 28, 2024

Health Ministry working with Prison Service to tackle Chickenpox outbreak The Ministry of Health on Wednesday said that it has been working with the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) to tackle a chickenpox outbreak at the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The statement was in response claims made by Opposition Shadow Health M i n i s t e r, D r. K a r e n Cummings that the outbreak could have been prevented had there been better screening policies in place at the prison. “The MOH (Health Ministry) rejects totally the assertion by the PNC/APNU that the MOH and the medical team that work with Prisons Health have not taken adequate actions to combat the chickenpox outbreak in the Lusignan Prison”, the ministry said, while assuring prisoners and their relatives and staff members at the prison that “all necessary actions are being taken to ensure no further spread of chickenpox occurs at the Lusignan Prison”.

The ministry said that the

outbreak had only affected 53 inmates and was likely started by either a prisoner or a staff member or a visitor.

“The medical and surveillance teams are presently conducting contact tracing to identify the source of the infection”, it added.

Affected inmates according to the ministry were treated with (Acylovir and Calamine Lotion while the rest of the inmates and staff members at the prison were vaccinated by the Va r i c e l l a - Z o s t e r Vi r u s vaccine. “The medical team will continue to monitor the situation and ensure that the outbreak is halted” the ministry said while adding “At the moment, the outbreak appears to be under control”.

It continued that chickenpox outbreaks in prisons settings are not rare and have been commonplace in detention centers across the world.

“Varicella-Zoster virus is one of the most contagious infections among unvaccinated and nonimmune populations”, the

Lusignan Prison ministry said as it accused the Opposition of creating unnecessary panic by giving the impression that outbreak is “out of control”.

Dr. Cummings in her statement on behalf of the Opposition had said, “The coalition confidently expresses that there should have been better screening policies and tools to indicate evidence of varicella immunity especially for incoming inmates who are in the care of the State”, She added too that, “Special attention should also have been paid to the staff members and the inmates who are susceptible and are in close quarters where transmission and spread of

the disease could easily occur”.

Meanwhile, the prison service in an update of the outbreak on Wednesday said, that there are no new cases of chickenpox at Lusignan Prison. “So far, there have been no new cases of chickenpox detected at the Lusignan Prison, and according to Officer-incharge, Deoraj Gyandat, seven of the 25 active cases have been clear” the prison service said.

According to the prison service, screening processes are currently taking place at prison to avoid the spread. “All currently incarcerated people have been screened

Three juveniles charged with murder of Patentia teen Three juveniles were on Wednesday charged with the murder of 17-year-old Aron Bess of Patentia, West Bank Demerara, who died last week.

According to the police, the three teens made their first court appearances at the Wales Magistrate's Court before Magistrate Rhondel Weaver, where the charge was read to them. They were all remanded to the Juvenile Holding Center and are expected to make their next court appearance on April 30, 2024.

This publication had reported that Bess was killed by a group of teenagers who reportedly lashed and stabbed him several times about his body. Bess had just left a relative's birthday party in Patentia and was headed to a shop to buy a drink when tragedy struck.

The police had reported that on March 20, 2024 at about 21:30hrs, while on his way to a shop, Bess was attacked by the suspects who pelted him with bottles and bricks.

Police said that the attack stemmed

Dead: Aron Bess from an old misunderstanding. “As Bess continued his journey, the suspects approached him, and one of the teens dealt him two lashes with a piece of steel while the other teen took

out a knife from his waist and dealt him several stabs about his body,” the police reported. After committing the attack, the suspects reportedly fled the scene.

It was reported by the police that after Bess was attacked, he was picked up by residents in the area and rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police said upon examination of his body, wounds were discovered to his left upper chest, left lower stomach area and right-side neck (jugular vein).

His body was later taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home where a postmortem was conducted. Police previously stated that the suspects were a 17-year-old school dropout, a 16-year-old student from Skull City, Patentia and another teen whose age is unknown. Kaieteur News was told by a relative that Bess had lost both of his parents at a young age and that he was residing with his grandfather before he met his demise.

once, and new admissions are screened when they arrive,” the GPS stated while explaining that the screen is a questionnaire “to better determine the risk of an

offender contracting chickenpox.” It was noted too that if individuals are suspected of having the virus, they will be presumptively isolated.

Repeat offender remanded for armed robbery, illegal gun, ammo A man who is no stranger to court was remanded to prison on Wednesday, after he appeared before at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court to answer to several charges.

T h i r t y - t w o - y e a r- o l d Marvin Blackman, who is a fish vendor at Meadow Bank Wharf, and a resident of Critchlow Street, Tucville, G e o rg e t o w n , a p p e a r e d before Principle Magistrate Faith McGusty, where five charges were read to him.

The father of one pleaded not guilty to the following charges: robbery under arms; discharging a loaded firearm with intent; having a firearm in his possession without being a holder of a firearm licence and two counts of ammunition charges, that stated he had ammunition in his possession without being the holder of a firearm licence.

The court heard that on Saturday last, at River View, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, whilst being in the company of others and armed with a

Remanded: Marvin Blackman

firearm, Blackman robbed Travis Harley of a 40 pennyweight gold chain valued $480,000 and $600,000 cash, total value being $1,080,000. He is also accused of discharging a loaded firearm with intent. It is further alleged that on Monday, he was nabbed with an unlicensed firearm, and ammunition in Albouystown, Georgetown.

Blackman was represented by Attorney-atLaw George Thomas, who made application for bail in a reasonable sum, but the prosecution objected on the grounds of the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. The prosecutor also pointed out that the accused is a repeat offender, who appeared multiples time before the court for offences of a similar nature. In light of the facts presented by the prosecution, the court refused bail and Blackman was remanded to prison. He is scheduled to return to court on April 17, 2024 for reports and statements.

Kaieteur News

Thursday March 28, 2024

PAGE 13

The illegal connection set-up by the squatters

Zeelugt residents fearful of electrical fires from squatters’ illegal GPL connections

The shacks set-up by squatters at Fisher dam, Zeelugt

R

esidents of Blood Street, Zeelugt, West Cost Demerara (WCD) are fearful that their houses can be destroyed by electrical fires from illegal Guyana Power and Light (GPL) connections set-up by squatters at Fisher dam.

The residents said that there are some 30 shacks set up by squatters at the dam which borders their street from the others.

The illegal structures are not only hindering the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) from using the dam to clean a trench critical to preventing floods in Blood Street when it rains but some of them (reportedly eight) are allegedly stealing electricity from GPL light poles via illegal connection.

On Wednesday, one of the affected residents, 80-year-old, Leslie Debarros visited Kaieteur News with evidence of the illegal connection set up by the squatters.

Kaieteur News was shown a photograph of a small black wire

connected to one of the GPL light poles in the street.

It was buried along the ground and then strapped to the pole with insulation tape. Debarros claimed the squatters have run the wires in some cases through the backyards of the Blood Street residents.

“We have little children”,

Debarros said while noting that they could get electrocuted.

However, Debarros said the biggest concern is that these illegal connections can cause devastating electrical fires that could destroy multiple houses at Blood Street.

“We got ten house pon one side and 11 on the other side”, Debarros told

Kaieteur News while explaining how close the squatters are with their illegal connections to the residents of Blood Street.

He said that he and other residents have complained to GPL asked them to visit Blood Street and see the illegal connections and remove them but one month has

passed and the state-owned company is yet to show.

He even contacted the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) but they sent him to the Leonora Police Station to file a report.

“Me tell the fire service that y'all could tek blame fuh not getting water when the fire start but is GPL na come hay fuh get rid of the source of the problem”, the resident recalled while complaining to the firefighters.

Debarros complied and filed a report at the Leonora Police Station too but the illegal connections remain intact.

“We ga fuh get rid of this thing because if me house bun down is a big lost because me got tenants there too”, Debarros said while adding: “me is 80 and me wife is 74, if a fire start we nah gon able to run out a deh fast”.

Brazilian pleads guilty to causing death, eight other charges A Brazilian national on Tuesday pleaded guilty to 'Causing Death by Dangerous Driving' and eight other charges.

The charges were read to 26-year-old Casmero Cyril Juan at the Lethem Magistrate's Court by Magistrate Omadatt Chandan. He was charged with, Causing Death by Dangerous Driving, Driving a motor vehicle whilst breath alcohol level

exceeded the prescribed limit, Failing to Stop after accident, Failing to render assistance to an injured person, Taking Motor Vehicle without owner's consent, Unlicensed Motor Vehicle, Uncertified Motor Vehicle, Unlicensed Driver, Uninsured Motor Vehicle.

The charges were read to him, and he pleaded guilty to all of them. He was remanded to prison, and the case was

postponed to 16 April 2024 for sentencing.

According to the police, the man was involved in a fatal accident which occurred on the 22nd of March, 2024 on Barrack Retreat Public Road in the Lethem Commercial Zone.

The accident involved a pickup GAD 6773 which struck pedestrian Shamell Lindie, a 48-year-old from Culvert City, Lethem Central.

Remanded: Casmero Cyril Juan

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Thursday March 28, 2024

Miner who throws gun in river, tells cop he wanted to kill a man A

fter throwing a firearm overboard in a black bag at Bartica Stelling, Cuyuni Mazuruni, Region Seven, a 29-year-old miner reportedly told police whilst in custody that he had an illegal firearm in his possession because he wanted to kill a man.

Police have identified the man as Fernando Fredericks, a resident of Old Scheme Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE). According to a report issued by police, Fredericks was arrested on Friday last at Bartica Stelling.

It was related that Fredericks was a passenger in a Parika-bound speedboat, at the time of his arrest.

During the process of Frederick's apprehension, he reportedly threw an object he had in his possession in a bag overboard.

Thereafter, ranks escorted him to the Bartica Police Station, and he was placed in custody, where he was questioned about the article that was in the bag he threw overboard. Fredericks initially claimed that the bag contained

Arrested: Fernando Fredericks marijuana, which was made submersible because he had a brick in the bag.

Notably, police said further investigations over the weekend revealed that he lied and the item in the bag was not marijuana but actually a firearm. The man

reportedly told ranks that some time ago he bought the firearm from an individual in Venezuela and hid it on the Landing while passing through Puruni.

Fredericks further alleged that some time ago, a man who had an ongoing problem with his family went to his (Fredericks) mother's house in the Essequibo Coast and discharged several rounds.

Due to this incident, Fredericks explained that on Thursday last, he returned to Puruni and retrieved the firearm with the intention of returning to Essequibo to kill the man, who fired rounds in front of his mother's house.

Police subsequently took Fredericks back to Puruni to identify the location from where he had retrieved the firearm. On Sunday, at about 22:00hrs with the assistance of a diver, ranks were able to retrieve the firearm that was in the black bag from the river at Bartica Stelling.

The firearm, a 9mm Luger was shown to Fredericks, who

The 9mm that was found

identified it as the firearm he threw overboard. It contained five 9mm rounds of ammunitions. Notably, no visible serial number was seen on the firearm. Following that, Fredericks was told of the offence

and cautioned.

The firearm and ammunition were marked, packaged and lodged.

He remains in custody, assisting with the investigations.

Over $300M in contracts awarded to drill new water wells in Regions 1 & 3 The government through the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) will be spending a p p r o x i m a t e l y $306,304,500 to drill new water wells this year in some 16 hinterland and riverine communities in Regions One and Three.

This is according to the projects recently awarded through the National Procurement and Tender Administration (NPTAB) office. Information p u b l i s h e d b y N P TA B revealed that contracts for the drilling of wells for Barima Kariabo, St. Anslem, Red Hill, and Powaikuri in Region One have been awarded to the tune of $77 million to contractor Fabra Enterprise.

Another contract awarded to Fabra Enterprise is for the drilling of wells at

Hotaquai and Hobodiah villages in Region One. The project is worth $39,380,000.

Still in the Region One a r e a , c o n t r a c t o r S RT Contracting and General Supplies was allotted a contract for $52,840,000 to drill water wells in Santa Cruiz, Kokorite, and Warapoka. Contractor, Adamantium Holdings also won the bid to drill wells in Wa i o a k a r a b i , C h i n e s e Landing, Assakata, and Kariako, for $79,392,000.

Moving to Region Three, water wells for Caria-Caria, Santa Mission, and Lower Bonasika Creek communities will be done by R. Kissoon Contracting Service to the tune of $57,692,500.

With a number of wells slated for other hinterland

villages this year, Kaieteur News understands that the projects all form part of the governmental macro plan, which is aimed at achieving 100 percent water access in riverine and hinterland communities by 2025. At the commissioning ceremony for two water wells last week in Region One, Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal had mentioned that $1.5 billion is set aside this year to drill 40 more wells in the hinterland regions. He added that with more than $700 million already invested, the plan is to drill a minimum of 25 new wells in Region One. During this year's budget presentation, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with the Responsibility for Finance, D r. A s h n i S i n g h h a d

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal at the commissioning of the 60.6 water well in Waramadong, Region Seven last year. mentioned that government spent a total of $16.8 billion last year to improve water

quality and supply systems across the country. This year, government has budgeted

$22.5 billion for further advancements in the water sector.

Kaieteur News

Thursday March 28, 2024

Female soldier crushed to death by truck on Linden Highway

A

female soldier of the Guyana Defence Force died Wednesday evening when a truck crashed into her and another colleague while they were walking on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

Dead is Sergeant, Deslyn Nicholson.

In a press release the Guyana Defence Force said it regrets to inform about the passing of Sergeant Nicholson who died We d n e s d a y e v e n i n g following a motor vehicle accident.

According to the GDF Sergeant (SGT) Nicholson was among a number of ranks participating in the Force 30

km Annual walk which commenced at approximately 17:50 hours Wednesday.

While in the vicinity of the Splashmins Fun Park on the Linden Soesdyke Highway, SGT Nicholson and two others were struck by a truck bearing numberplate (GAC 5915.) SGT Nicholson and the two other soldiers were rushed to the Diamond Hospital Complex by a GDF ambulance. She was pronounced dead on arrival.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, Officers and Ranks of the Guyana Defence Force extends sincere condolences to the family of Sergean Deslyn Nicholson.

More scholarship opportunities available in China With a holistic plan to ensure free and equitable education is provided to citizens, the Governments of Guyana and China continue to collaborate to open up more scholarship opportunities for Guyanese.

Over the years, the two countries have been in talks and fostering partnerships in education as well as infrastructure, energy, and trade, among others. Just recently, the two states t h r o u g h t h e Yo u t h o f Excellence Scheme of China programme announced that they are offering a limited number of scholarships for Guyanese to pursue studies at the master's degree level for the academic period of 2024 to 2025.

Some of the courses include Software Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Agricultural E c o l o g y, G e o s p a t i a l Information Science, and Energy and Power Engineering. Guyanese stand

to reap significant benefits from these programmes.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, u p o n completion, these students can return home where they are guaranteed gainful employment by the government. To be eligible, applicants must have a bachelor's degree in the relevant field of study with a strong academic background.

They must also be 45 years or under and must be the holder of a valid Guyana Passport.

Interested persons are required to register and complete the Ministry of Public Service's online application via the website http://mps.gov.gy/. The closing date for applications is April 7, 2024. The constant educational collaboration tightens the bilateral bond between the two countries. It oftentimes sees students from both nations coming together to enjoy each other's culture and tradition. In fact, in 2023, it was recorded that over 100 Guyanese benefitted from this partnership. (DPI)

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Thursday March 28, 2024

Kaieteur News

EPA issues warning over several reports of human-induced fires

T

WANTED

VACANCY

Experienced furniture maker for Aracari Resort, Vreen-nHoop. Call: 264-2946/ 6265290.

Male & female needed to work in the Interior, ages 18 years and older. Call: 6998486.

One live-in Caretaker to take care of plants and keep surroundings clean. Call: 2332053,705-6937, 233-2923.

Experienced able-bodied canter Driver needed, flexible hours. Call: 699-8486.

Handyboy needed. Must be willing to work and be a team player. Call: 661-1000.

Lorry driver needed. Must be experience and have a valid lorry licence. Call: 661-1000.

Porter needed for truck. Call: 661-1000.

Workers to work on cash crop farm. Salary $ 6500 per day. Call: 679-7552.

Sales Representative, canter Drivers & Porters to work in warehouse. Call: 673-7373.

One Typist/ Clerical Assistant. Apply at St John Association, 110 Cowan Street Kingston, Georgetown. Call: 225-9082.

Urgently needed dried carilla bush (any quantity).

Call: 609-8281/ 693-3003.

One Painter needed. Call: 615-9132/ 645-8443.

One Plumber needed for Eccles. Call: 645-8443/ 6159132.

Waitress/ Room Attendant to work shift in bar at Soesdyke, EBD. Call: 644-6551/ 661-3608.

Receptionist, Deskstaff, Room & Laundry Attendant & Security Guard needed at 233, South Road Lacytown.

Call: 225-0198.

Vacancy exists for one Daf truck Driver to work for a Construction Company. Call: 624-9505/ 656-0603/ 225-5818.

Vacancy for Domestic/ Maid in Georgetown, includes cooking and evening man for cleaning yard & wash cars.

Call: 653-4537.

Night Guard at Soesdyke area, Handyman & 1 Accountant Clerk with NIS/ payroll experience. Call: 2192170/ 708-4374.

One Handy person to work in the Interior. Call: 677-0869.

FOR RENT

One Luxurious furnished, 4 bedroom apartment fully AC, hot and cold water etc in Campbellville, G/town.

Price US$2000. Call: 6167351/624-7436.

2 bedroom apartment in Georgetown. Call: 649-0761.

Newly constructed two bedroom apt in a safe and healthy evironment. Call: 698-6496/ 622-6512.

1 Honda CRV, includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, sproiler, crashbar, low mileage PTT Series (first owner). Contact: 6490956.

1 Toyota Allion, Pioneer DVD, CD & USB deck, reverse camera, alarm, low milage. Call: 649-0956.

Leyland DAF single Axle, model m with winch, Nissan 4 door Pathfinder. Call: 6446551/ 661-3608.

Toyota Hiace van panel for sale, price $ 2.7 mil neg. Call: 609-8281.

SERVICES Business/ residential PFSGYD$58M, Visa Application, advertisements, graphics design, passport application forms & i130 application.

Call: 626-7040.

Elevate your brand with our professional Graphic design services. For more information Call: 619-0007, 629-5526.

We repair & install fridge, freezer, washer & dryer, AC units, stove, etc. Whatsapp/ Call Omar: 683-8734/ 6549711.

Place to rent at Vreed-enhoop junction, for lessons, church, office, storage bond, other. Call: 603-6400.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

2014 Mercedes Benz CLA250 PWW series, low mileage.

Call: 609-8989/ 655-6283.

Handyman to work in Bel Air Springs, 7am-12pm. Call: 6098989.

Wanted! Male & Female workers preferably from WBD, for packaging pasta and chowmein. $4100 per day. Call: 611-7839.

he Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a warning to the public that there are currently a number of fires within Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and Nine.

Importantly, the EPA said in a statement that the fires are caused by a mixture of spontaneous combustion and possibly human-induced.

The EPA is currently investigating this matter. The significant increase in fires has

For low cost repairs for AC units, refrigerators, freezers, gas stoves, washing machine, dryers, etc. Call: 6294946, 225-4822.

FOR SALE/ RENT 1 Lexus SUV, forklifts 3.5 tons diesel truck weigh scales (60 tons,40 ft) . (new installed at your site) Low bed trailers-60 tons,triple axle. Call: 665-3880.

All sizes loaders, excavators & rollers, concrete pump & mixer trucks, mobile crane and Howo 30 ton dump trucks. Call: 650-0402/ 652-0251.

FOR SALE

PEN PAL

One Rav4, 4 wheel drive, fully Ac etc ideal for interior (Bush) work. Price$2.2M. Call: 621-5140.

One middle age man is interested in a single female, Accommodation available. Call/ text: 704-6826.

House lots & commercial plot for sale available at blankenburg W.C.D. Call: 652-0251/ 650-0402.

A significant increase in fires has been reported by residents from affected communities and detected via satellite imagery. been reported by residents from affected communities and detected via satellite imagery.

To this end, the agency has explained to residents and communities within these regions to remain vigilant and take all necessary precautions to ensure personal safety and reduce ex-

posure to the smoke, which could potentially cause a dry cough, throat, eye irritation.

“Residents within the affected areas are advised to desist from lighting fires to burn garbage or vegetation.

Children, the elderly, and persons with underlying respiratory or cardiovascular illness are most vulnerable.”

As such, the EPA has advised the public to report any sighting of fires to the Guyana Fire Service or the Civil Defence Commission and adhere to any advisory issued by local authorities.

The EPA said that it will provide the public with further updates as information becomes available.

Israel says UN resolution damaged Gaza ceasefire talks (BBC NEWS) Israel says Hamas’s rejection of a current proposal for a Gaza truce deal with Israel shows the “damage” done by the UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel would not surrender to what it called the Palestinian armed group’s “delusional demands”.

They include an end to the war and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.

The US called the Israeli statement “inaccurate in almost every respect”.

A state department spokesman insisted that Hamas’s response had been prepared before the Security Council vote on Monday.

The Israeli military meanwhile said it had confirmed that the deputy leader of

Hamas’s military wing, Marwan Issa, was killed in a strike on a tunnel complex beneath Nuseirat refugee camp about two weeks ago.

“We have checked all the intelligence,” spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said. “Marwan Issa was eliminated in the strike.”

Hamas political official Izzat al-Rishq said he had “no confidence” in the Israeli claim and that the group’s military leadership would have the “final say”.

Rear Admiral Hagari described Issa as the group’s “number three” and “one of the organisers” of Hamas’s attacks on southern Israel on 7 October, when about 1,200 people were killed and 253 others taken hostage.

More than 32,400 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including 81 people in the past 24 hours, according

to the Hamas-run health ministry. Israel reacted furiously after the UN Security Council adopted for the first time a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the war in Gaza following months of deadlock over the issue.

Fourteen council members, including the UK, voted in favour of the text, which also demanded the unconditional release of all remaining hostages and an urgent expansion of humanitarian aid deliveries.

The US - Israel’s closest ally and military supporter criticised the resolution for failing to condemn Hamas for the 7 October attacks.

But in a sign of its increasing frustration at the way Israel is conducting the war, the US abstained, saying it fully supported the key objectives.

Kaieteur News

Thursday March 28, 2024

PAGE 17

40 companies bid to reconstruct $131M BV Police Station

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he Beterverwagting Police Station, East Coast Demerara (ECD) will be reconstructed

at an estimated cost of $131million.

This was revealed during the opening of tenders on

Below are the companies and their bids: National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA)Construction of timber revetment at Baracara School, Baracara.

Tuesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) Office.

Over 40 contractors have bid for the project.

With over $40billion approved in the 2024 budget

for the Ministry of Home Affairs, the ministry intends to reconstruct a number of police stations across the

country and complete ongoing works at other police stations that began last year.

Construction of high level canal at #51/52 Villages lot 1 to 4.

Ministry of Home Affairs Reconstruction of Beterverwagting Police Station.

Extension of workshop building with tool room and locker room, NDIA Mechanics Store, Lusignan.

Haiti: US guns pour into...

From page 06 course. We are not playing.

Anything can happen.

If a gangster comes, he’s not here to play, and so we aren’t playing with them either.” The US says it will throw its weight at the problem of guns and gangs, too.

L a s t y e a r, t h e S t a t e Department indicated it had plans to help establish a new policing unit in Haiti to address weapons being trafficked into the country.

Barbara Feinstein, the deputy assistant secretary of state for Caribbean Affairs and Haiti, said at the time it was only “one piece of the equation”.

However, with no head of state, and effectively no government, Haiti’s people are trapped in yet another vicious circle of violence powered by illegal guns.

One of them is Juliette Dorson. The 50-year-old fled Port-au-Prince after surviving a shooting.

The party planner still bears the scars from the bullets which hit her when she was ambushed at an event she was catering for.

“I said run, run, run because they are shooting.

At that moment, I was shot twice: once in my feet and the other in the arm.”

Ten people were killed, including her 22-year-old business partner, Luc. She sobs as she speaks about him. The memory of it all is too traumatic to talk about at length. Juliette shows us the small space she currently lives in, sharing a bed with a friend.

It is a world away from the home she once owned in the capital.

The gangs have claimed that. She cannot return.

“When the gangs and the violence started in Port-auPrince, the government didn’t do anything to stop it.

And they let this grow and g r o w. I t ’s n o w t o o complicated to stop.”

Kaieteur News

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Thursday March 28, 2024

US State Dept human rights officer latest to resign in Gaza protest - while Biden administration has faced internal dissent over policy, only a handful of officials have resigned

(ALJAZEERA) Annelle Sheline, a Middle East analyst who promoted human rights on behalf of the United States government, has become the latest staffer at the US Department of State to leave her post in opposition to President Joe Biden’s Israel policy.

Sheline announced her resignation in an interview with the Washington Post on Wednesday, as the official death toll in Gaza reached 32,490 since October 7 and the World Food Programme has warned that famine in the enclave is imminent.

“I wasn’t able to really do my job anymore,” Sheline told the newspaper.

“Trying to advocate for human rights just became impossible.” Sheline’s resignation followed another State Department official, Josh Paul, a director in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, who resigned in October of last year, and Department of Education official Tariq Habash, a Palestinian American and Biden political appointee, who resigned in January.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Habash said Sheline’s decision to leave underscored how the United States’s standing both at home and abroad has

diminished amid the war in Gaza. “It’s not surprising that there are people who tried to do important and critical work related to human rights at the State Department who felt like they were unable to do their job,” he said.

“It’s not surprising that [Sheline] felt like the only way that she can make an impact is by leaving, because in almost six months we’ve seen no substantive change in policy, and our influence at the international stage seems to be disintegrating by the day,” he said. Sheline joined the State Department through a fellowship with the Bureau of Democracy, Labor, and Human Rights (DRL) as part of the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. She was tasked with promoting human rights and compiling annual reports on the issue.

She holds a PhD and had previously been a researcher at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.

Her work at the State Department, she told the n e w s p a p e r, i n v o l v e d coordinating with activist and civil society groups across the Middle East and North Africa region. She said she saw firsthand how US credibility has degraded

among those groups as the war progressed. “If they are willing to engage, they mostly want to talk about Gaza rather than the fact that they are also dealing with extreme repression or threats of imprisonment,” Sheline said of the groups she worked with across the region. “The first point they bring up is: How is this happening?” Sheline’s departure came as the Biden administration has continued to pledge support for Israel, even while rhetorically warning Israeli counterparts about an expected ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Earlier this week, US Vice President Kamala Harris warned of “consequences” if Israel launches a ground assault, but officials have so far refused to leverage aid. A day after Harris’s comments, the US abstained from a UN Security Council vote calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza.

On Tuesday, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the administration had received “written assurances” from Israel that US weapons were not being used in violation of international human rights l a w, d e s p i t e r e p e a t e d

A boy walks with bags of produce as others ride bicycles near a destroyed building in Gaza City [AFP] allegations from rights groups. He said the State Department had so far found no evidence of violations in its “ongoing” assessment.

‘Who’s next?’

Speaking to reporters on We d n e s d a y, M i l l e r described Sheline as a “fellow at the State Department” who had finished the first year of a programme with an option for a second year. He said that Secretary of State Antony Blinken “meets with employees who have a broad range of views.

He listens to their feedback and he takes it into account in his decisionmaking and he encourages other senior leaders in the

department to do so as well.”

For his part, Habash d e s c r i b e d S h e l i n e ’s departure as “a really big moment” that shines a light on the internal dissent within the Biden administration.

That has included letters signed by staffers with USAID and the Department of Homeland Security, protest actions by federal workers, and a growing number of legislators in Biden’s Democratic Party calling for a full ceasefire or at least for aid to be conditioned. “I think it will continue to send a message to the president, the secretary of state and to the world that even though the United States policy hasn’t

changed, there are a lot of people who fundamentally disagree with the position that our government and our elected officials have taken,” he said. “And we are finding ways every single day to communicate that in whatever ways we know how to.”

In a post on LinkedIn, former State Department official Paul also said he was “so proud of” Sheline for becoming “the third US official to publicly resign over the absolute disaster that is the Biden Administration’s continuing support for Israel’s war crimes, bombings, and starvation of innocent civilians in Gaza”.

Senegal’s president-elect pledges to fight corruption after a stunning victory for the 44-year-old DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal woke up Tuesday to a new presidentelect, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a former tax inspector and political newcomer who inspired voters, including many unemployed youth, with a vow to fight corruption and reform the economy.

Faye, 44, was catapulted into the presidential campaign when he was backed by the popular opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who had been barred from running due to a prior conviction.

Wi n n i n g S u n d a y ’s presidential election was a dramatic rise for Faye, who was released from prison less than two weeks ago and is now due to be the youngest leader of the West African nation.

“I pledge to govern with humility and transparency, and to fight corruption at all levels. I pledge to devote myself fully to rebuilding our institutions,” he said during his first speech Monday night as presidentelect, restating promises made during his campaign.

Advertisement Celebrations erupted around the capital Monday evening as news of Faye’s victory spread, but calm returned on Tuesday and citizens went about their normal business. Mamadou Diakhaté, a 32-year-old market vendor from Dakar’s suburbs, said he was relieved that elections had been peaceful and that life could resume after months of uncertainty.

“We hope the new president will not

disappoint,” Diakhaté said Tuesday. “The young have a lot of hope in him.”

While official results of Sunday’s vote are not expected until Friday, the other front-runner — former Prime Minister Amadou Ba who was backed by incumbent President Macky Sall — conceded defeat based on clear margins in preliminary results. Ba and Sall both congratulated Faye and named him the winner.

The election followed months of unrest ignited by the arrests last year of Sonko and Faye, and concerns that the president would seek a third term in office despite constitutional term limits.

The violence shook Senegal’s reputation as a stable democracy in a region that has seen a wave of

coups. Rights groups said dozens were killed in the protests, while some 1,000 people were jailed.

Sall sought to delay the election until December but that move was blocked by the country’s constitutional court, and the government was forced to allow an election to go forward this month.

Faye was considered an anti-establishment candidate, and his campaign messages of economic reform and anti-corruption resonated with the youth.

Almost a third of young people are unemployed with thousands risking their lives on dangerous journeys in search of jobs in the West.

Abibatou Fall, a 25-year-old unemployed tourism graduate, said she was praying that the incoming

president can improve the economy and create jobs. “I am unemployed and my parents continue to look after me,” said Fall said.

“We needed change.” Faye has vowed to improve Senegal’s control over its natural resources by promoting national companies to prevent the country from falling into what his campaign called “economic enslavement.”

His manifesto promised to renegotiate Senegal’s oil and gas contracts and introduce a new currency.

On Monday night, Faye outlined some early foreign policy priorities, which included reforming the troubled West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS. Rida Lyammouri of the Policy Center for the New

South, a Morocco-based think tank, said that a promise by Faye to move away from former colonial power France could define the foreign policy of the country’s new government.

“A win by the opposition also means major changes ahead in domestic and foreign policies,” Lyammouri said. However, analysts at Pangea-Risk said that the lack of a majority in Senegal’s parliament and financial conditions imposed by the IMF will prevent Faye’s more drastic pledges.

A l r e a d y, F a y e h a s backtracked on the promise to create a national currency, adding that he will first seek to reform the regional currency CFA, shared between 14 West and Central African nations.

Thursday March 28, 2024

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Brazil fight back to draw six-goal thriller with Spain T

GAPLF to convene AGM on April 13 at Racquet Centre

AFP - Brazil snatched a late leveller to share an entertaining and occasionally heated 3-3 friendly draw with Spain on Tuesday.

Lucas Paqueta fired home a stoppage-time penalty to deny La Roja victory at the Santiago Bernabeu, after they had taken a late lead.

Spain captain Rodri scored two heavily debated penalties of his own in a pulsating battle under a closed roof in the Spanish capital.

The Manchester City midfielder opened the scoring from the spot in the 12th minute after electric winger Lamine Yamal tumbled in the box and Dani Olmo extended Spain’s lead with a fine indi-

Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta (L) celebrates scoring his team’s third goal in the draw against Spain in Madrid. (Thomas COEX) vidual goal.

A mistake by Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon allowed Rodrygo to pull one back be-

fore the break and teen sensation Endrick, on as a substitute, fired Brazil level five minutes into the second half.

Thursday March 28, 2024 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Sometimes, it's amazing to see how your relationships can spin so easily out of control, Aries. Today you may have to deal with a lot of tension within your group.

You'll almost feel as if no one understands the situation.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) As the dawn of another quiet and peaceful day appears, Libra, you will be in the best disposition to observe and appreciate the lightness of things. Life can seem so beautiful on some days.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You sometimes have difficulty making up your mind. You don't always know exactly what you want.

Today, Taurus, you'll be at peace with yourself.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You will find a clean page on the agenda today, Scorpio.

You should try to think only about yourself. This will allow you to meditate about your life and be at peace with yourself. .

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You will wake up today on cloud nine, Sagittarius. Your morale is at a peak. You will feel totally free and be able to clearly perceive the essentials of life.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Sometimes we all feel a little lost, Gemini. We often want to move mountains and use all our energy and enthusiasm to try to do so.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You have a natural ability to accomplish a great deal rather easily, Cancer. But today you may feel snowed under with projects. Things around you might be moving quickly.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Your day has finally come, Leo. You have your own vision of life and you like sharing it with others. You're far from thinking that you're any sort of new messiah.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) Today you'll have the strange feeling that something is floating in the air.

The time is right to try to understand the different needs of your family circle.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The The astral energy will have you reminiscing all day long over childhood memories, Capricorn. These memories will take you to the houses and places where you were raised.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You love interacting with people others might consider eccentric. You can't help it. You're simply attracted to them. You will probably encounter one of these people today, Aquarius.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You have always tried to build up your health using traditional methods, and you take great care of yourself.

Rodri dispatched his second spot-kick late on after Dani Carvajal was clipped by Lucas Beraldo but Paqueta had the final say.

The match, arranged to help combat racism after various incidents of abuse aimed at Real Madrid and Brazil winger Vinicius Junior in Spain, proved a pulsating battle between two of football’s heavyweight nations.

Vinicius captained Brazil for the first time but was largely kept quiet, with his teenage compatriot and future Los Blancos team-mate Endrick continuing to enjoy the limelight, while Yamal shone for Spain.

“It’s a shame it got away from us in the last second, it was a penalty we could have avoided,” Rodri told Teledeporte.

“We were united against a great team, they have such individual quality, we competed.” Rodri was given the armband on this occasion by regular skipper Alvaro Morata, as a gesture for the recent death of the midfielder’s grandfather.

“I dedicated (the goals) to my grandfather, for everything that he taught me,” added Rodri.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente picked a close to fullstrength side to face the fivetime World Cup winners.

La Roja excelled in the first half, barely allowing Brazil a sniff in Selecao coach Dorival Junior ’s second match at the helm.

- ‘Never friendly’ Yamal won the penalty converted by Rodri for the opening goal, although the Barcelona winger was fortunate it was given after tumbling easily under a challenge from Joao Gomes. The 16year-old continues to grow in stature with every match and played in Olmo for the second goal.

RB Leipzig attacker Olmo finished it brilliantly, with some slick footwork to take Beraldo out of the picture before curling past Brazil goalkeeper Bento.

Spain allowed Brazil into the match just before halftime when goalkeeper Unai Simon gave the ball away carelessly to Rodrygo, who lobbed the ball over his head and into the net.

Dorival brought on Endrick, who scored the winner against England on Saturday in another friendly, at half-time, for his first appearance at the home of his future club, Real Madrid.

he Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) is set to take place on Saturday April 13th, 2024, at the National Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue and Camp Street.

This would be the first AGM under the Presidency of Franklin Wilson who took over the helm of the Federa-

tion in March of 2023.

Apart from the election of a new executive, the presentation of the audited financial statement, which has not been done for many years, would be presented by Treasurer, Maxwell Denny. Reports from the President and General Secretary, Roger Rogers will also be tabled.

The AGM will be called to order at 09:00hrs.

Derek Kallicharran and friend once...

From page 23 six helmets, twenty seven pairs of cricket shoes, eighteen pairs of batting pads, twenty four thigh pads, one bat rubber, thirty one pairs of batting gloves and three pairs of wicketkeeping gloves.

Many others youths would have benefited indirectly too. In addition, two clubs in the Pomeroon area benefited from two used bats.

Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenam Cricket Committees and Cotton Tree Die Hard also received one box of red cricket balls each, Cold Fusion Cricket Club thirteen color uniforms while RHCCCC received three boxes of balls, fifteen white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicket keeping gloves and a set of stumps and bails. Other beneficiaries are The Essequibo Cricket Board, the Town of

Lethem and youth coach, Travis Persaud, softball teams in the Upper Corentyne area, No.65 Young Titans, Just Try CC, Wakenaam Cricket Academy, National fast bowler Shemar Joseph, Nehemiah Hohenkirk, Shamar Apple and Leguan Cricket Committee, Essequibo.

Cricket related items, used or new, are distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients. Talent spotting is being done across the country and club leaders also assist to identify talent. Progressive and well managed cricket clubs with a youth programme will also benefit.

Anyone who wishes to make a contribution can contact Anil Beharry on 623 6875 or Kishan Das on 1 718 664 0896.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 22

Thursday March 28, 2024

Guyana makes debut at Indoor Hockey Masters World Cup A Guyana Masters Over45 men’s hockey team left the shores of Guyana for Nottingham, England, where they will be participating in the Masters Indoor Hockey World Cup scheduled for 28 March to 1 April 2024. This is the first time ever that Guyana will be making an appearance at a world level tournament.

This event is the largest ever, with 42 men’s teams and 33 women’s teams in divisions running in 5-year groups from Over-35 right through to over-60. The tournament is scheduled for the David Ross Sports Village on the University of Nottingham Campus.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Men’s team will find themselves in the prestigious company of teams from host country England, Australia, F r a n c e , G e r m a n y, Bangladesh, Canada and Wales. There will be two pools of 4 teams each and Guyana has been included in Pool B with England, Canada and Wales. The schedule sees Guyana facing Canada in its opening match

Guyana Masters team assembled for photo-op upon arriving in Nottingham for the 2024 Masters Indoor Hockey World Cup.

today (Thursday 28th March) at 0600 hrs Guyana time.

The lone South American side then takes on England the following morning and completed the pool round against Wales on Saturday 30th.

Guyana has selected a

solid contingent with its 12 man team featuring no less than four former national captains in Ian Nicholson, Alan Fernandes, Philip Fernandes and Devin Munroe.

The full squad is as follows: Jerazeno Bell

(Captain), Gregory Garraway (Goalkeeper), A z a d D e A b r e u (Goalkeeper), Dwayne Scott, Chris Low-Koan, Marc King, Devin Munroe, Alan Fernandes, Devin Hooper, Ivor Thompson, Ian Nicholson and Philip

Fernandes. Allan Newark will serve as Team Manager while Jonathan Roberts will act in the capacity of Team coach.

Notably, Nicholson, the oldest of the group assumed the captaincy of the Guyana National team, back in the

late eighties and held the position for several years before migrating to the USA. While there are three more overseas based players selected, in Marc King (Canada), Captain Jerazeno Bell (Jamaica) and goalkeeper Gregory Garraway (Trinidad), the rest of the team are all based in the homeland of Guyana.

Locally-based players, goalkeeper Azad DeAbreu, Devin Hooper, Chris LowKoan, Ivor Thompson, Devin Munroe, Dwayne Scott and the Fernandes brothers round out the selection. All twelve players have represented our nation during the prime of their career which is testament to the quality of the side.

The team will be coached

by Canadian International, Jonathan Roberts, who is the son of the late Cecil ‘Skip’ Roberts, a former hockey stalwart and captain of Guyana.

The rest of the team Management comprises of Assistant Manager, Jeremy Roberts and Assistant Coach George Melville.

Construction and General Supplies’ CARIFTA Games contingent ECSsupports Easter ‘Cash & Gold’ Cup departs today Minister Ramson challenge athletes to better last year’s performance

BY RAWLE TONEY Guyana’s 23-member contingent for the CARIFTA Games in Grenada is set to depart the country today to compete in the 51st edition of the games, which commenced in 1972.

Yesterday, the team paid a courtesy visit to Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. at his Main Street office, where they received words of encouragement to be exemplary ambassadors for Guyana.

Minister Ramson, whose office provided the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) with its largest financial backing for the CARIFTA Games, also issued a challenge to the athletes to surpass last year’s performance, where they secured 13 medals – three gold, two silver, and three bronze. This year’s squad marks the largest representation from Guyana for the CARIFTA Games which is scheduled to take place from March 30 to April 1 at the Kirani James Stadium in St. George’s.

All eyes will be on Ti a n n a S p r i n g e r, w h o clinched gold in the 400m event last year and continued her winning streak in the 400m at the Commonwealth Youth Games and the South A m e r i c a n U 2 0 Championships in Athletics.

Expectations are also high for athletes such as Javon Roberts, Nerissa McPherson, double medallist Attoya Harvey, and Malachi Austin to shine in Grenada.

The team also includes Sahel Cornett, Charisa December, Nalicia Glen, Rondell Green, Jamal Sullivan, Robert Marcus, and Dhnielson Gill, who will compete in Under-20 categories. The U-17 contingent comprises Athaleyah Hinckson, Duel Europe, Skylar Charles, Kaidon Persaud, Ezekiel Millington, Easter McKinnon, Ryan Joseph, Akilla Blucher, Keneta Fraser, Marissa Thomas, and Nathaniel Samaroo. U-20 Females: Tianna Springer: 400m, 200m, 4x400m, 4x400m Mix - Charissa December: 400m Hurdles, 4x400m -

Attoya Harvey: 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 4x400m, 4x400m Mix - Nerissa McPherson: 400m, 4x400m, 4x400m Mix - Nalicia Glen: 100m, 200m U20 Males: Jaheel Cornette: 100m, 200m - Javon Roberts: 800m, 1500m, 4x400m, 4x400m Mix - Malachi Austin: 200m, 400m, 4x400m, 4x400m Mix - Rodell Green: Long Jump, Triple Jump - Jamal Sullivan: 800m, 1500m, 4x400m, 4x400m Mix - Robert Marcus: Long Jump, Triple Jump - Dhnielson Gill: 400m, 4x400m, 4x400m Mix U17 Females: Athaleyah Hinckson: 100m, 200m - Esther McKinnon: 1500m, 3000m - Akilla Blucher: 1500m - Keneta Fraser: Long Jump, 100m, 200m - Marissa Thomas: 400m, 800m U17 Males: Duel Europe: Long Jump, Triple Jump - Skylar Charles: 100m, 200m Kaidon Persaud: 400m, 800m - Ezekiel Millington: 100m, 200m - Ryan Joseph: Long Jump, Triple Jump Nathaniel Samaroo: Shot Put, Discus Throw

ECS Construction and General Supplies has pledged its support to the ongoing Easter ‘Skills Cash and Gold’ Football Championship. This commitment was solidified during a brief presentation ceremony held last Friday at the company’s premises.

The Managing Director of ECS Construction, Ewert Saner alongside event promoters Lynton Luke, President of Cool Promotion, and Gledford Fordyce, President of Paradise Sports Club (PSC), collaborated to alleviate the financial burden of organising this grassroots football competition.

Since its inception, the tournament has experienced continuous growth, surpassing previous year’s achievements. Luke and Fordyce have joined forces to raise the bar for this year’s competition, aiming to attract a larger audience and establish themselves as one of the leading organising committees in local grassroots football.

Meanwhile, the winners of the tournament will walk away with a substantial prize of $500,000, inclusive of medals and the championship trophy. Additionally, 20 gold championship rings will be awarded to the champions. Second-place finishers will receive $300,000, along with a trophy, medals, and 20 silver rings. Third and fourth place will secure $150,000 and $50,000 respectively, along with medals and trophies.

In an interview with Kaieteur Sports, Luke expressed profound gratitude to ECS Construction and General Supplies for their financial backing, which has made this competition possible. He remarked, “The

Managing Director of ECS Construction and General Suplies, Ewert Saner (right) handing over sponsorship to President of Cool Crew Promotion, Lynton Luke. support has been overwhelming, and I am deeply grateful for enabling us to host a highintensity football competition for these young players. It also allows us, as members of Cool Crew Promotion and PSC, to offer substantial incentives as rewards for their performances.”

Additional sponsors for the event include Anchor Cement, Central Housing and Planning, Moore and Son Construction, Singh and Son Construction, the Urban Shoe Company, Republic Bank, JS Engineering and Supply, Lucozade Energy, Magnum Brand, Professor Emanuel Cummings, Curtis Andries, Colin Joseph, Park Square, Legal Entertainment, Chicken King, KK Techcom Suppliers and Rentals, and Grill King Enterprise.

Kaieteur News

Thursday March 28, 2024

PAGE 23

Dharry, Marques promise fireworks on April 20 - Allicock to make Pro debut

By Rawle Toney Elton Dharry and Dexter Marques are set to ignite the ring with explosive action on April 20 at the Everest Cricket Ground, as they vie for the World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Flyweight Gold Title.

The bout marks the second showdown between the two pugilists, with Dharry claiming victory in their initial encounter back in 2011 via a seventh-round Technical Knockout at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Tensions ran high as both fighters exchanged bold declarations of triumph, briefly sparking heated exchanges before officials intervened to separate them. “ T h i s i s n ’ t 2 0 11 , ” Marques asserted during the press conference held at the Everest Ground yesterday,

highlighting the evolution of both fighters since their first encounter.

Dharry made it unequivocal that he is the superior boxer, pledging to step out of the ring on April 20 with an enhanced record.

Since his professional debut in 2007, Marques has stepped into the ring 21 times, amassing a commendable record of 18 victories and three losses.

His most recent win was against Colombian fighter Luis Carrillo, while his last defeat came at the hands of Panamanian Gilberto Pedroza.

As for Dharry, the current holder of the WBC International Super Flyweight title, boasts a notable record of 27 wins, six losses, and a draw.

Dharry has maintained an

undefeated streak since his controversial 2019 bout against Australian Andrew Moloney, where he was forced to retire hurt in the eighth round of a scheduled 12-round fight for the Interim WBA Super Flyweight World title.

In another highly anticipated match, worldrated amateur boxer Keevin Allicock has punched his way into the professional arena for the first time against Barbados’ Gardel Roberts.

Despite Roberts’ record of just one win in 11 outings, Allicock made it clear that he is not underestimating his opponent as he aims to establish his dominance in the professional ranks.

Laured Stewart, initially slated to face Jermaine King who withdrew from the card,

will now take on Imran Khan in a six-round bout, promising an exciting showdown for fans.

Stephan Da Silva is set to make his comeback to the ring following his 2022 victory over Fiji’s William Mel in Sydney, Australia, where he claimed the prestigious World Boxing League (WBL) Junior Lightweight Title.

Da Silva’s opponent for this highly anticipated bout is Barbados’ Ricardo Blackman Jr, who has yet to secure a victory in his professional career, having lost all nine of his previous fights.

In another match-up, Edmond DeClou will make his return to the ring against Charwin Estwick in a sixround contest.

DeClou, boasting a

Dexter Marques (left) and Elton Dharry will fight for the WBA Super Flyweight Gold title. (Rawle Toney photos)

record of 17 wins and four losses, last entered the ring in 2018 against Jamaica’s Sakima Mullings, where he suffered a TKO defeat in the sixth round.

Peter Abdool, President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), expressed gratitude to

Dharry Promotion, Bristol’s Promotion, and the Guyana Television Network for organizing the event.

Abdool also hinted at additional fights being added to the card and urged boxing enthusiasts to show their support for the sport.

Kallicharran and friend once again Fruta Conquerors crush Derek on board with Project “Cricket Gear for Pakuri Jaguars 5-0 young and promising cricketers in Guyana” - Amanda McKenzie finishes with hat-trick Fruta Conquerors showcased their prowess on Sunday as they delivered a resounding 5-0 victory over Pakuri Jaguars in the latest Women’s Senior League Football tournament, second round fixture held at St. Cuthbert Mission.

From the opening whistle, it was evident that Fruta Conquerors meant business, dominating possession and dictating the pace of the game. The match quickly turned into a one-sided affair as the Fruta Conquerors’ ladies exhibited a masterclass in aggressive football, leaving Pakuri Jaguars struggling to find their footing.

The standout performer of the match was none other than Amanda McKenzie, whose sensational hat-trick stole the spotlight.

McKenzie’s brilliance was on full display as she found the back of the net in the 28th, 46th, and 71st minutes, putting Pakuri defence in shambles and securing a commanding victory for her team.

However, McKenzie was not the sole contributor to Fruta Conquerors’ triumph.

Marissa Frank set the tone early on with a goal in the 12th minute, followed by Ciara Glasgow’s superb finish just 9 minutes later, giving Fruta Conquerors an early lead and laying the groundwork for McKenzie’s heroics.

Despite brief flashes of brilliance from the Pakuri Jaguars side, particularly highlighted by Frank’s early goal, they struggled to maintain momentum against Fruta Conquerors’ relentless attack. The pressure intensified when Glasgow found the net just nine minutes after Frank’s opener, leaving Pakuri Jaguars scrambling to regain

Fruta Conquerors goal scorers (L-R) Ciara Glasgow, Amanda McKenzie and Marissa Frank. control.

Meanwhile, as the match progressed, Pakuri Jaguars found themselves increasingly on the back foot, and desperation seemed to seep into their play.

McKenzie capitalized on this vulnerability, netting her first goal just seven minutes after Glasgow’s strike and ultimately completing her hat-trick with two more clinical finishes.

In the end, Fruta Conquerors’ dominant performance left Pakuri Jaguars reeling, unable to find an answer to their opponents’ relentless onslaught.

USA based Guyanese Derek Kallicharran and Shazam Hussain have once again provided support in the form of three boxes of white cricket balls to this joint initiative of Kishan Das of the USA and Anil Beharry of Guyana. The presentation was done on Kallicharran’s recent visit to Guyana during a friendly cricket game to honour the national team that won the double in 1983 (Shell Shield and Geddes Grant/Harrison Line).

Kallicharran, a former West Indies “B” all rounder, said that they are impressed with the noble purpose of this fine gesture that helps so many young cricketers across Guyana and will continue to provide support as it becomes possible. This project is very grateful for the assistance and will continue to support cricket clubs that have a vibrant nursery programme.

The project also calls on corporate Guyana, private businesses and individuals to help sports clubs in their areas. Village leaders are also encouraged to mobilize the youths and get them actively involved in sports and keep them away from drugs and crimes. “There has

At Left, Anil Beharry and Derek Kallicharran.

been a recent surge in teenage criminals and let’s work together to eliminate this from our society,” a statement from this joint initiative noted.

Total cricket related items received/purchased so far: $370,000 in cash, thirteen colored cricket uniforms, two trophies, twenty pairs of cricket shoes, thirty three pairs of batting pads, thirty five cricket bats, thirty pairs of batting gloves, twenty five thigh pads, three pairs of wicket keeping pads, six arm guards, two chest guards, two boxes, twelve cricket bags, six bat rubbers,

six helmets, one softball cricket bat and thirteen boxes of white balls. In addition to the above, over $600,000 worth in gear was donated by Sheik Mohamed, former National wicket keeper/batsman. All cash collected is being used to purchase cricket gear requested and not available at the time.

To date, seventy two young players from all three counties of Guyana have directly benefited from seven gear bags, two trophies, four arm guards, thirty one bats, three boxes, (Continued on page 21)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

Thursday March 28, 2024

PELE FC Alumni to host four matches today in memory of Pele F.C. Fallen Heroes

Flashback! Past players of Pele FC, local and overseas based take time out for a pic at last year’s event hosted at the GFC Ground.

Football fans and lovers will today be treated to four matches when the Pele FC Alumni Corporation host a special afternoon of action in memory of Pele FC fallen heroes at the Georgetown Football Club Ground, from 16:00hrs.

The local chapter of the club, led by Dirk Exeter has teamed up with the USA based Alumni for what is expected to be a memorable day of action with a number of past and pleasant players expected to attend.

According to Chairman of the Pele FC Alumni Corporation, Denis Ivor ‘Carrie’ Carrington, the day’s activity is very special for those players who have made the journey back to their homeland to celebrate the contributions their past stars, many of who they have played with back in the glory days. ”This event today is dear to us all as we not only reflect on the contributions of these players but keep their memories alive by letting the now generation of

players know and appreciate their contributions. It would be a very entertaining afternoon and evening of football, on and off the field of play.” Carrington further informed that the likes William ‘Bucka’ Chan, L i n d o n ‘ C o l t ’ C a r t e r, Lawrence Stoby, Lyndon ‘Pinhead’ Laing, Patrick ‘Labba’ Barton, Eric ‘ Riggy’ Smith, Alfred ‘Morro’ Morrison, BrenthleyYiraiyah Babb, Clyde ‘Farmer’ Browne, and himself will all be present at

the venue, once known as the mecca of the game in Guyana.

The first match today, and Under-15 clash will see Pele taking on Black Pearl which would be followed by a female clash between Pakuri Jaguars and GT Kanaimas.

Honouring the memories of the Pele FC Fallen Heroes will then take center stage followed by an Under-20 showdown between Pele and Buxton Stars FC. The main event of the night will be a

senior shindig between old rivals Pele, and Santos.

Fallen Heroes being honoured are Frank Watson, Cecil McKenzie, Billy Braithwaite, Denis ‘Pancho’ Alexander, Harold ‘Lightweight’ Kissoon, Joe Liken, Alice Liken, Wendell Manifold, Gregory ThorneStewart, Rodwell Anderson, Shefton Young, Shawn Bishop, Orin “Big Ears” Parris, Ashton “Chucker” Taylor, Sherwin “Dighty” Maxwell, Mark “Flap Hat” Stanton, Corwin Benjamin,

Devon “Worm” Charles, Rosco Charles, Keith Giddings, Gavin “Bulla” Thompson, and Lawrence “Shorty Peck” Glasgow.

Meanwhile, the Alumni’s annual Youth Development Seminarfor youths during their Easter break I set for April 2nd, and 3rd of 2024 and will attract over 150 youths between the ages of 11-17.

This year’s programme will be held at Marian Academy Auditorium, Carifesta Avenue.

Argentina roar back to beat Costa Rica 3-1 in friendly AFP - Angel Di Maria, Alexis Mac Allister and Lautaro Martinez rescued Argentina on Tuesday as the world champions came from behind to beat Costa Rica 31 in an international friendly in Los Angeles.

The South American giants, missing injured captain Lionel Messi, wrapped up their two-match tour of the United States with a deserved victory at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Lionel Scaloni’s side, who defeated El Salvador 30 in Philadelphia on Friday, dominated the opening 45 minutes and carved out a series of promising

openings.

However it was Costa Rica who took the lead on 34 minutes after a sweeping counter-attack.

Alvaro Zamora latched on to Manfred Ugalde’s pass and fired a low shot that was blocked by Argentina goalkeeper Walter Benitez.

Benitez’s save however fell invitingly into the path of Ugalde, who bundled home the rebound for 1-0.

Argentina got back on level terms early in the second half with a superb equaliser from veteran Di Maria on 52 minutes.

The 36-year-old Benfica winger hit a superb free-kick

from just outside the area which flew into the top corner beyond the reach of Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

Argentina made it 2-1 four minutes later from another set-piece.

N i c o l a s Ta g l i a f i c o headed against the bar after a corner and Liverpool midfielder Mac Allister reacted first to nod home the rebound from close range.

Inter Milan forward Martinez made the game safe in the 77th minute, latching on to a delightful through ball by Rodrigo De Paul before lifting a deft finish over Navas.

Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister slides in to tackle Costa Rica forward Manfred Ugalde in their friendly win in Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Frederic J. BROWN)

Kaieteur News

Thursday March 28, 2024

PAGE 25

GBA officially launches its National Academy Training Programme In what can only be described as a move of historic proportions, the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has officially launched its National Academy Training Programme, which will be rolled out in various sections of the country, with Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis gym in Albouystown serving as the initial starting point, a release from the association disclosed.

The novel endeavour, which will feature a judge/referee component, will also be conducted during the month of August as it seeks to further expand and concretize its local scope. The primary function of the academy is to unearth and nurture new talents in the discipline.

Steve Ninvalle, President of the GBA, said, “It’s not how you start, but how you finish. If we start with this group, I see that when it comes to the end, we will have many more people here.

It would be remiss of me if I did not applaud the efforts of some of our senior boxers, including Desmond Amsterdam.

Colin Lewis, Abiola, and Alesha Jackman for seeing it fit to turn out to be something like this. It shows that their hearts are with boxing, as are all of us at the head table and all of you who are here. We decided to make this academy a reality not because the executive wants to pump its chest as being the

GBA Head Steve Ninvalle (centre foreground) along with some of the young boxers and officials at the launch.

first to do something but because we think something like this is needed.

We need to bring young and fresh blood to the sport of boxing. Maybe you don’t know, and some of you are too young to know that boxing has the only Olympic medal that Guyana has won.

Boxing is the only sport where we have won world titles, and this is a sport that some people see as someone going out to intentionally hurt you, but we see it as an art and something that can be rehabilitative.”

He further said, “It is an expensive exercise, but we see it as something fitting and something that is needed, and this academy will not be run in Georgetown alone; it will be run in Berbice, Linden, and

other parts. So, if you ask me, and I hope to be honest at all times, boxing is moving.

Last year, we would have had, for a very long time, the most international tournaments that we would have sent fighters to and participated in.

This year, we expect to do the same thing. We would have had 16 U-16 competitions last year, and this year we intend to improve that.

I must say thanks to the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport, the National Sports Commission, and the government of Guyana for assisting us in all of our endeavours.

As a matter of fact, as we speak, the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport has ordered and paid for

three competition rings for boxing in Guyana. What that says is that we are better able to decentralise the sport and be able to have a quality ring in Berbice and in other places, so I want to say thank you to the honourable Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., because that is the sort of support that we need if we are to take boxing to where it should be and where we want it to be.”

Ninvalle also disclosed, “Very soon, a team will be leaving Guyana to go to the Champion of Champions in St. Lucia, and we have shortlisted a squad.

I don’t think the entire squad will make the team, but we are working assiduously to make that a reality. What we also want to

do is focus more on the female component of boxing. Before, we would have had one or two, but now that I will sit and see four, five, and six, it says that we are going in the right direction, and I would want to say to the two Jackman sisters that you must take this on and shoulder it as your burden to make sure that you keep doing the right things so as to encourage other young women to come to the sport.

They will be looking to see what you do, and it’s very important that you act as leaders so that we can have many more females coming into the sport of boxing.”

“The reason we have our one star, who will soon go to a two-star referee or judge here, is because we want this

to be a comprehensive programme. There is no way that we can be boxers and good boxers without knowing the rules, so while you are physically capable, we want to make sure that we equip you with the rules so that you can become a much more rounded person and boxer. The longest journey begins with your first step, and your first step is never your best, but it gets you started.

This may not be our best step in having this academy, but it has gotten us started, and as I sit here, I want to assure you that this will be an annual affair because in August we expect to have a longer-running academy, but rest assured that this will become something of an annual nature,” he added.

Farm Supplies and Mercury continues to support Bartica Regatta FARMSUP Sales Coordinator, Ms. Tracy Cox hands over cheque to BERC Member, Adrian Brandsford.

F

arm Supplies Ltd. (FARMSUP), a pioneering force in the agricultural and industrial equipment sector has once again thrown its support behind the organisers of the annual Bartica Easter Regatta.

This week, Sales Coordinator, Ms. Tracy Cox handed over the company’s sponsorship cheque to Adrian Brandsford, Member of the Bartica E a s t e r R e g a t t a Committee.

Ms. Cox intimated that FA R M S U P h a s b e e n

supporting the Regatta for many years now, noting that Bartica is one of the many communities that support their products. ”This is a way of saying thank you to our faithful customers and many of whom are from Bartica.

We know that Regatta is the most anticipated time for the community, and we will continue to play our part in ensuring that the many activities are s u c c e s s f u l l y undertaken.”

FARMSUP was

established in June of 1993, by Renger Oene van Dijk, and continues to play a pivotal role with the supply and maintenance of heavyduty equipment in t h e a g r i c u lture, mining, construction, forestry, quarry, power generation, and marine industries.

Mr. Bransford extended thanks on behalf of the Bartica E a s t e r R e g a t t a Committee to Ms. Cox, Management and Staff of FA R M S U P f o r t h e i r committed support towards the event.

CARIFTA Games contingent departs today Minister Ramson challenge athletes to better last year’s performance

Members of Guyana’s CARIFTA Games squad along with Minister Charles Ramson and members of the National Sports Commission (NSC).

rts o p S Keevin Allicock (left) and Stephan Da Silva Things got a little heated between Dexter Marques (left) and Elton Dharry.

Dharry, Marques promise fireworks on April 20 - Allicock to make Pro debut Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.