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Govt. to spend Wednesday Edition NEWS $217M to rehabilitate incomplete Bartica Stelling AIETEUR

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

March 30, 2022 - Vol. 17 No.13

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 72,436

CGX's next oil well in Corentyne Block pegged at US$93M - Drilling scheduled for May–August period

Man to spend Head of Mental 7 years Health Unit, for fatally Food & Drug stabbing wife Dept. replaced

Doctor, GDF rank arrested for stealing from Health Ministry's bond released

or f s e u n onti racts. c t s e t The proe to the cont chang

Nigerian community waited almost a decade for US$200 million oil spill compensation 27 Questions about our Oil Industry sent to our leaders for them on Kaieteur to answer. To date, we have received NO answers.@11:00hrs Radio 99.1/99.5FM

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Kaieteur News

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CGX’s next oil well in Corentyne Block pegged at US$93M CGX Resources Inc. recently disclosed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it proposes to drill the Wei-1 exploration well in the Northern portion of its Corentyne Block in the May to August 2022 period.

We i - 1 i s p e g g e d t o c o s t approximately US$93,000,000.

This sum would be recoverable should CGX move to production on the heels of a commercial discovery.

The site of the proposed Wei-1 well is approximately 200km from Georgetown in a north easterly direction in the Atlantic Ocean. The area is bordered by the Stabroek and Kanuku Blocks on the north and west, respectively and Suriname on the east.

Kaieteur News understands that the Wei-1 well will be drilled as a vertical well utilising a semisubmersible rig. CGX said it secured an option to use semisubmersible rig Maersk Discoverer, a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) from Maersk Drilling.

The Canadian explorer said the Maersk Discoverer was selected because of its potential to drill Wei1 effectively and safely. It explained that the rig is designed to sustain extreme environmental conditions and is certified for offshore operations. Additionally, it is fully equipped to handle all the

- Drilling scheduled for May-August period

Map showing the location of the proposed oil and gas exploration well (Wei-1). drilling operations as its blowout preventer (BOP) and well control systems exceed all well control requirements.

CGX also told the EPA that the project will involve onshore facilities and marine/aviation

services in Guyana to support the exploration, drilling and decommissioning activities.

Laydown areas, pipe yards, warehouses, fuel supply, heliport, and waste management facilities are planned to be part of the

support. The company said it will consider Trinidad and Tobago for back-up service activities if not available in Guyana.

It was noted that CGX is in discussion with G-Port Inc. for standard offshore Rig support

logistics, PSV mooring and other Shore base services in Georgetown. The company is also in discussion with Tiger Rentals Guyana for non-hazardous and hazardous waste management disposal services and PSV mud tank cleaning services at the GYSBI Inc. location at Houston, Guyana.

Furthermore, CGX said a “Cradle to Grave Waste Analysis” is being prepared for the project and will include waste profile generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal process stream diagrams, associated volumes, related safety data sheets (sds), and other applicable waste profile details.

It was keen to note however, that there are challenges facing the country regarding waste management and therefore committed to delivering the most practical solutions with the most up to date available technologies. It noted in this regard that it is committed to ensuring the minimisation of the amount or hazardous nature of waste entering the waste streams.

Kaieteur News previously reported that the prospect Wei is named after the tallest and hottest mountain close to the villages of Paramakatoi and Kurububaru in the Pakaraimas. Wei mountain has Continued on page 20

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Doctor, GDF rank arrested for stealing from Health Ministry’s bond released

Kaieteur News

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Agri. Minister elected to serve as Vice Chairman at FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the C’bean

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha was recently elected to serve as Vice Chairman of the 37th session of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The conference which is currently being held in Quito, Ecuador, from March 28 to April 1, 2022 will pave the way for member countries to define the regional priorities and to adapt and localise the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031 to the conditions of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Terrence Williams, the government employee While speaking on the FAO’s Science currently on remand for illegal possession of firearms and attempting to bribe his way to freedom. and Innovation Strategy, Minister Mustapha maintained that there needs to be A doctor and a rank attached to the Guyana Defence more measures in place regionally to Force (GDF), who were arrested on March 21, last, for actively involve youths in agriculture. stealing from the Ministry of Health’s bond located at Minister Mustapha also noted that it is Diamond, East Bank of Demerara (EBD) have been critical for policymakers to take urgent and released on station bail to facilitate further investigations. immediate action to preserve the The two were detained together with Terrance agriculture sector in the region and across Williams, an employee of the ministry who was busted the globe. with a duffle bag containing some $5M in cash and two According to the Minister, “As a body, illegal guns with matching ammunition. Police had and as countries in the region that are reportedly set up a sting operation after receiving a report addressing hunger and trying to achieve of a simple larceny committed on the bond. the Sustainable Development Goals, we While in custody, Williams had attempted to bribe the have to ensure that we take action that will investigators with all the cash in the duffle bag for his preserve this very, very important sector. freedom but they refused. He has since been remanded for And when we talk about agricultural attempting to bribe a police officer and for the illegal research, challenges and opportunities, in possession of two firearms with matching ammunition.

Guyana we have been trying to ensure However, as it relates to a report of theft at the that we implement measures so that we Ministry’s bond, police revealed that more investigation can try to be very innovative. When you must be done into the matter before charging any one. As look around the region, I think this is a a result, William’s alleged accomplices, a doctor and a general fact. When you look around the GDF rank, have been released on station bail. region you find mostly middle-aged and

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha senior citizens are involved in agriculture. Let us ask ourselves ‘what are we doing to involve our young people in the agriculture sector?’”

He then noted what Guyana has done so far to give young people the opportunity to get involved in agriculture. “…in Guyana, we would have done an analysis which revealed that the majority of graduates from the University of Guyana and the Guyana School of Agriculture have office jobs rather than doing practical work. To address this, President Dr. Mohamad Irfaan Ali recently launched a programme that targets these young people, bringing them into the agriculture sector to do practical work. Referred to

as the Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme, it paves the way for construction of hundreds of shade houses for the cultivation of highvalue crops like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots,” explained the Agriculture Minister.

Mustapha said these are the opportunities that will ensure young people are at the heart and core of solutions geared towards addressing food security for the country and at the same time reduce the food import bill of the region.

During the regional conference, member states will also analyse the work done by FAO in the previous two years in the region and agree on recommendations for initiatives and priorities that will guide the organisation’s work during the 20222023 period.

In addition, delegates will present and discuss outstanding innovations that countries are implementing.

Kaieteur News understands that the coming days are reserved for a series of ministerial meetings during which members will exchange their experiences as well as innovative projects that are underway in order to show how the region is overcoming the challenge of transforming agri-food systems.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 30, 2022

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

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

EDITORIAL

It’s impossible If any Guyanese still need more revelations about how this country’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) operates, it is the EPA itself that dishes out how it works.

As the facts are examined, interested citizens should ask themselves a few sharp questions, given how the EPA carries out its duties as a state agency and what mysterious measures its staff use to say that they fulfill the entity’s many sensitive responsibilities to the Guyanese people.

The first question is who and what comes first in the visions, strategies, and practices of the EPA, local and foreign business interests, or the Guyanese people?

Second, why does the EPA think that it has to go about its mandates through delivery of the questionable? Third, why does it believe that the jobs that come under its umbrella should be handled through withholding crucial information that could be of benefit to Guyanese, concerned about health and safety, and the kind of life that should be theirs? And last, for how long does the EPA entertain the hope that what amounts to nothing but shenanigans could stay out of sight, undetected, and not attract the worst of suspicions and heaviest condemnations from troubled Guyanese?

Those questions, and others not presented today, flow from the article that was titled, “Impossible to draw conclusions on new Demerara River Bridge in absence of key details -Environmentalist” (KN March 27). There was a Project Summary that is exactly what it is labelled – a summary. There was little by way of “relevant facts” and there was and still is no proposed project design attached to that summary. It is, indeed, the mother of all project summaries.

Residents in the area neighbouring the settled-for site, are in the dark and, hence, clueless about possible impacts of this new Demerara River Bridge on their lives, and associated quality. They know very little, since what has been shared with them, is almost nothing of substance.

Essential details on such issues as, “the scale, geographic placement, and relative layout of infrastructure, access roads to which the application refers, drainage systems that would have to be modified as stated in the application, or properties in the right of way that would have to be demolished” are missing. The lives of residents in the vicinity of the new bridge could be severely impacted, and they are still waiting to learn more from a state agency that is there to protect them. Who is protecting whom and for what reasons? More pointedly, who have the people running significant areas of Guyana’s EPA, been instructed to protect, which galvanised them into action, so that they rush forward to comply lock, stock, and barrel, even when this could mean that Guyanese pay dearly?

None of this is comforting and the facts are there to support the worst of conclusions. Outspoken Guyanese environmentalist, Ms. Simone Mangal-Joly noted that it took the EPA all of two days to approve the Ministry of Public Works application for an environmental permit back in late November 2021. This is remarkable for its swiftness, and unless the EPA had a slew of supporting details relative to the permit applied for, and stamped as received by the EPA on November 19, 2021, this approval cannot stand.

The question could be fairly asked then, as to the basis on which the EPA issued its approval/waiver for the environmental permit on November 23, 2021, a mere two business days later. What did the EPA know, but did not bother to share with the Guyanese public, especially nearby residents, which is their business to know? What is it concealing? What kind of skullduggeries are at work, when the interests of Guyanese are sacrificed at the altar of government and leadership manipulations?

Not one of these questions speaks in favour of the honesty and integrity of the local EPA in the performance of its duties. Clearly, the absence of vital information does not lend itself to a balanced discussion or any kind of genuine consultation. When a government agency operates in this manner, it is obvious that the outcome cannot be healthy or helpful to Guyanese interests. When our own people are against us, Guyana’s goose is roasted and charred into the unacceptable.

The country would be better off without these needless attacks on trade unions DEAR EDITOR, The position taken by the Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton in an interview with Globespan on March 22, 2022 and as published in Kaieteur Newspaper of March 24, 2022 under the caption “Trade Unions have outlived their usefulness”, inhibit him from further functions in the appointed capacity at the Ministry of Labour.

His unfortunate comments have undoubtedly damaged the image and credibility of the Ministry of Labour and created suspicions and doubts between Trade Unions and the Ministry, which consequentially has put the Ministry’s staff in an awkward position.

While the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is of the belief that the Minister is entitled to his sordid views, he would do better to restrain himself when speaking publicly on such issues. As Minister of Labour, Mr. Hamilton has a professional responsibility, which includes: the maintenance of industrial peace, through advisory, conciliatory or mediatory measures between Trade Union and Employers; protecting working people by enforcing labour legislation; and facilitating access to the labour market.

The reckless abandon displayed by the Minister, who chose to attack the Trade Union Movement of Guyana is appalling and disturbing. It sets a tone for employers’ abuse of the workforce and Trade Unions distrust of the conciliatory processes, among other things. The diatribe was also calculated to reduce the

standing of upright Trade Union leadership in the minds of membership and to inculcate a belief of failure on the part of trade unionism in Guyana.

Minister Hamilton’s was basically regurgitating Government’s narrative about Trade Unions in Guyana to create an enabling environment for the further disenfranchisement of workers. The Minister would have workers believe that “contract employment” is the way of the future and would enable quick investment possibilities.

Never was there a more nonsensical argument to lure young workers into a political trap and precarious labour environment, where they could be preyed upon by the wielders of “the proverbial Sword of Damocles” and lured into slavery, and subsequently being “retooled after retirement” with starvation wages.

The Minister’s accusation about Trade Unionist involvement in politics is even more nonsensical. There are political issues that affect workers’ rights in every hemisphere and Unions must lend their voices to them, provided that these Unions maintain their independence. The GPSU have spoken to many political issues and no Government can accuse it of abrogating its independence.

The GPSU is most disappointed by the Minister’s comments on the issue of “wages and salaries”. The Minister is well aware that in 2020 and 2021 representation was made and industrial action had had to be taken because of Government’s failure

to provide adequate Personal Protective Equipment to Medical Personnel battling COVID-19. As a part of Government, the Minister should be ashamed to even touch the issue, as it would invoke questions about his actions as the Minister of Labour and the advice given to his colleagues on such sensitive “occupational safety and health” issues.

Nonetheless, the question of wages and salaries in the Guyana context is very relevant, given that workers are poorly paid. This is a serious issue that Governments including the present one, of which the Minister is a part, have repeatedly denied the workers representation in breach of existing legally binding Collective Labour Agreements, Labour Laws and International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions. The Minister in his odious arguments on the issue trivialized the importance of this issue to workers and their families, for now and in the future. Autocratic Government control on wages, salaries and allowances in Guyana has hindered the socio-economic development of the Country and has led to investor abuse of the Guyanese people.

Lastly, membership development within each Trade Union is an internal matter for each Trade Union, the strategies of which is not within the portfolio of the Labour Ministry. If the Minister wishes to pry, then maybe he can humbly ask and even subscribe to the process. He mentioned the availability of training under the auspices of the Labour Ministry to which

the GPSU have been a beneficiary, even though as a Trade Union it also contributed skills to prop-up the Ministry’s training resources.

This should in fact have helped him to understand some of the GPSU policies and abilities for enabling its young membership in Trade Unionism, rather than for him to negate the existence of succession planning, in this regard.

The GPSU has always been in the vanguard, subscribing to enlightened labour reforms and developments to the absolute benefit of workers, their families and consequently the nation, as a whole. Only recently GPSU promoted the increasing of the national minimum wage, but to date the Minister for all his clout is unsuccessful in having his proposed monthly minimum of $60,000 implemented.

Another national engagement in which the GPSU was involved was the Public Service Modernization Project that was funded by the Inter/ American Development Bank (IDB).

All in all, the Minister’s rantings sounded more like a political excursion to misrepresent the realities of the labour movement in Guyana and to propagandize the realities of Government’s failure to satisfy the needs of Guyana’s labour force. The Country would be better off without these needless attacks, but better off with caring Governments and employers.

Yours sincerely, Kemton Alexander GENERAL SECRETARY (AG)

MR. JAGDEO AND THE PPP ARE UNDER A MISAPPREHENSION DEAR EDITOR, An educated population is the means by which a democracy is organised and sustained. It was recently disappointing to read that Guyana’s Vice President said, “If we find 40,000 Guyanese we will pay for them,” and, “we just want all our people to be educated.” Why do the VP and the PPP Government continue to insult the intelligence of the Guyanese people and disown their own record of history?

Readers ought to think critically about what’s being promised by the politician, and the implication of such a remarkable claim by his Administration. Firstly, the Guyanese State derives its revenue primarily from the

sale of the country’s bountiful natural resources; but that revenue does not belong to, or is not owned by, the government. Secondly, the natural resource wealth of the country is a birthright that the Guyanese nation have inherited from the colonial power and Kingdom of Great Britain in 1966. Thirdly, Guyana is a republic & democratic state; that means the Government and MPs are merely elected representatives of the people and whose duty it is to act in the interest of the people (they work for you).

Mr. Jagdeo and the PPP are under a misapprehension of consequential proportions.

The PPP Government would be wise to remind itself that Article 27 of Guyana’s Con-

stitution, the supreme law, clearly states that “every citizen has the right to free education from nursery to [university]…” – this means that university education is a fundamental and inviolable right of the Guyanese people.

Therefore, it was unconstitutional, and also immoral, when the PPP ended free education at Guyana’s only public university in 1994 – during a period when Guyanese were at their most vulnerable – and it’s still unlawful in 2022 for Guyanese to pay to attend their own national university.

It’s a truism that the Guyanese people do not trust either of the two racially derived political parties to award them scholarships in a fair and ethical manner. In fact, no one,

except the PPP Government, knows for sure the exact criteria by which an applicant is awarded a scholarship or rejected that award from within the Ministry of Public Service – the process itself has never been transparent or made public, not even under the previous PNC-AFC Administration. Now, as if the picture wasn’t already unflattering, the most bizarre feature that underlies the entirety of the scholarship scheme is the fact that almost all of the universities in GOAL are third world institutes, and are ranked much lower than Guyana’s own national university, by all leading university ranking databases or international ranking metrics, (Continued on page 5)

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Barbados: a beautiful but humbling experience.

DEAR EDITOR, There is wanton suffering in paradise. I did not realise that my first few days in Barbados saw me as just another tourist that could afford the luxury and beauty of that Island.

It was from that vantage point that I had done a LIVE, glorifying t h e m a j e s t i c beauty of the island; how safe and affluent it was and certainly it will always be that way through the eyes of tourists. Legend Condos, the place where I stayed is located in Mullins, St Peters, somewhere on a coast by the sprawling blue sea.

It is a beautiful estate; a forested place with monkeys and birds. The sea is directly across the road from Legend Condos. The matriarch and patriarch of the estate, a white woman and blackman were friendly, pleasantly accommodating, warm and receptive.

Legend Condos was a home away from home because of that genuinely lovely couple.

I would recommend that place to anyone visiting Barbados. Gravitating to the capital, Bridgetown and other parishes where I came face to face with the real Barbados was nothing but astonishing.

Black people were hustling to survive in a paradise of poverty. In my life’s struggle it has always been human suffering that concerned me.

Yes, beautiful sites are a thing to behold.

To paraphrase a great Black leader from America, “ mountains are mountains and seas are seas, rivers are riv-

ers and trees are trees but it is human suffering I am interested in.”

I listened to the stories of the difficulties, daily struggles and impoverishment from the mouths of the man and woman in the streets.

I saw countless homeless Blackmen on the roadways. Mental illness is rife there.

I am told that people trafficking is a phenomenon on that Island and drug abuse is widespread; perhaps an escape to shut the pain out in a paradise that offers the ordinary people nothing but a tough life.

Even in the ghettos people are dressed in a trendy way and the women are voluptuous and beautiful with natural hair mostly in dreadlocks.

Yet, it is the ghetto and those great people in it that offered me the best experience; one that no amount of money can purchase.

I thank them from the depths of my soul. The love I received from my Guyanese brothers and sisters was humbling.

Many of our people walked up to me and in conversation showed me their arms with the pours raised on them.

No amount of money can make up for the kind words spoken to and of me. As the Virgin Atlantic plane lifted skyward, quiet tears trickled down my face.

Regards, Norman Browne Social and Political Activist

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Kaieteur News

HIS FRACTURED COUNTRY DEAR EDITOR, At the Oscar celebrations last Sunday evening, in a joke by a comedian about Will Smith’s wife illness and the reason for her bald headed appearance, her husband walked up to the stage and slapped the comedian for his comment, while swearing and at him.

As a single parent who raised two girls, I would go and have gone to the extreme in their defense. In this fractured country it is alleged that a lawyer, because of some dispute became so irate that he spat in the face of a police

woman and further insulted and demeaned her in the worst way. As for the toothless women’s organisations in this country, we know who you are, your positions and of course who you represent..

Looking at Will Smith’s behaviour, the question then is; What should this woman’s husband, her sons, her Father in Law, her brothers, Uncles, and cousins do?

The former President of this country had said, “a Fish rots from the head” need I say more.

Respectfully, Milton Bruce

Constitution to be followed was promised DEAR EDITOR, It was promised the constitution would be followed in the appointment of the next top COP. So in the absence of the requisite constitutional bodies, can it be reasoned the

recent acting appointment is temporary, until the bodies are in place for consultations on the substantive appointment?

Regards, Shamshun Mohamed

Mr. Jagdeo and the PPP are...

From page 4 such as uniRank, EduRank, and Webometrics.

Should it not concern the nation and Parliament that the PPP Government is spending billions of dollars from the treasury to fund a dubious scheme such as GOAL et al, instead of righting the historical wrong done to the Guyanese people? Put differently, why isn’t the Government prioritizing tuition free higher education at UG; developing the latter into a world class (top 200 – 500 ranked) university; and transforming its antiquated tertiary education institutes into state of the

art polytechnic universities?

Certainly money is not the problem for the foreseeable future.

Yours truly, Joshua Faria

Packaged and Contained at Enmore Estate DEAR EDITOR, Rumour has it that the employees of the sugar industry’s Packaging Plant located at Enmore, ECD have already been separated, and more so awarded financial grants.

One hopes this is not true, for such a transaction would constitute a subversion of the Collective Agreement normally honoured by the employer GuySuCo and the worker representative GAWU – the normal transparent intervention that is ‘Severance Pay’.

How come this surrounding mystery?

Further, is it true that the dismantled equipment is being transferred to the LBI location where it is being checked by personnel from Albion/PM Estate – for its reoperation at that location?

The question is why should there be such obfuscation about what should be a transaction consistent with the administration’s persistent proclamation of ‘transparency’? For it indeed makes eminent commonsense that the packaging plant should be integrated into another productive sugar factory operation.

So it leaves one to wonder how much more than the location of the former plant is involved in this transparent transaction and its cost that voters should know.

Should not the Union be regarded as partners and be fully informed as equals – for starters about when these puzzled workers are likely to be re-engaged – for training in the first instance – 2022?

Regards, Elijah Bijay

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Wednesday March 30, 2022

Man to spend 7 years for fatally stabbing wife Almost three years after the fatal stabbing of 39-yearold Farida Khayum, a mother of six, her husband, 52-year-old Daveanand Narine, a chainsaw operator formerly of Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, was on Tuesday sentenced to 16 years in prison, but will only spend seven years, two months due to the time that was deducted from his sentence.

The couple had been married for six years before it tragically came to an end on May 16, 2019, after

Narine killed Khayum at their Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast home.

Narine was charged with murder, but on February 16, 2022, he opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. He was arraigned in the Suddie High Court before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow. The State was represented by prosecutor Tiffini Lyken.

According to a probation report, read to the court before Narine’s sentencing, the man dropped out of school at age 12 and started

Jailed, Daveanand Narine to work on a family farm. He later migrated to Venezuela before moving back to Guyana when he met Khayum and they got married.

Narine was described as a hard-working man who would usually consume alcohol and smoke cigarettes.

A report from the Guyana Prison Service ( G P S ) o n N a r i n e ’s

behaviour stated that the inmate’s performance was given as ‘very good’ and that he translates for the Venezuelan inmates.

A victim impact statement from three of the victim’s son revealed that they missed their mother and that because of her death, they had to move to live with their father in Region Three.

In a plea of mitigation, Narine’s lawyer, Latchmi Dindyal, stated that his client is a first time offender and noted that his client had expressed deep remorse for his action.

In Narine’s address to the court, the man apologised for his action and stated that while being incarcerated he realised that he should have walked away instead of letting his emotions get the best of him.

On the day of the incident, Narine was at a bar imbibing and when he got home, there was another man there which caused a fight between Narine and

Dead, Farida Khayum Khayum.

Three of the victim’s five sons and her ailing mother were at home when the incident occurred.

Around 21:00hrs, Khayum was preparing for a ceremony just minutes prior to her gruesome demise. The woman was combing her hair while Narine was smoking a cigarette outside.

There was an argument between the couple before

Narine armed himself with a knife and repeatedly stabbed Khayum about her body.

The woman was stabbed some 12 times about the body, primarily in the abdomen and behind the neck. She was pronounced dead at the Suddie Public Hospital.

When the police arrived on the scene, Narine was found on a bed foaming at the mouth, after he ingested a poisonous substance. He was taken to a hospital where he was treated and sent away.

In handing down her sentence, Justice Barlow stated that the court had classified the crime as domestic violence and as such it cannot be condoned although alcohol played a part.

The judge sentenced Narine to 16 years in prison but made a one-third deduction [six years] for his early guilty plea and also deducted the two years and 10 months he spent on remand.

Wednesday March 30, 2022

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Kaieteur News

The government is plucking projects out of a hat Guyanese are being fed the same old rigmarole. They are being encouraged to support the use of public funds for infrastructure on the basis that this investment will help diversify the economy.

Guyana’s Second Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was recently embroiled in controversy when he suggested that in order to avoid the fate of Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana should invest in agriculture so that the country’s non-oil sector can generate jobs here.

Increased investment has long been touted as the means to create jobs. Every time, it is revealed that the government has offered extremely generous concessions to investors, the government claims that this is in order to generate jobs.

The investments have been coming but where are the jobs? The Marriott Hotel was supposed to generate local jobs.

But when the hotel was commencing construction, the media discovered that the majority of the workers were Chinese and that the only local onsite Guyanese was the gateman.

Investment has not had the desired impact on jobs.

Nor has public spending on infrastructure.

Since 1989, the government has been injecting billions of dollars into infrastructure and yet there is little to show in terms of improvement in jobs or competitiveness.

Once again, the Second Vice President is saying that we should be investing in infrastructure so as to develop the non-oil sector and avoid dependence on the oil sector.

And true to form, he has

come up with some new infrastructural projects for the drainage and irrigation sector.

What is most interesting is that the government has not indicated just how it arrived at these projects. But it says that these projects have been suggested. But suggested by whom? The man in the street? In a dream someone had?

We are told that stakeholders in Region suggested the construction of several gates to connect canals to the Pomeroon River.

But who are these stakeholders who suggested this? And is this how public infrastructural projects are conceptualised?

Projects are supposed to arise from technical assessments, not from ideas from stakeholders. Billions of dollars cannot be thrown at ideas unless there has been some preliminary assessment which establishes the need for specific projects.

In the Canals’ Polder there is an idea to build a third canal.

Where is the technical study which recommends this? The problem with the Canal Polders is the length of the main canals and the poor discharge into the Demerara River.

How is a third canal going to improve either of these two problems?

The Abary River is dead and instead of a proposal to revive this River and clear the heavy siltation, we have ideas being floated about new drainage outlets in Region Five and rehabilitating the Mahaica Creek embankment.

For Region Six, the idea is to construct a flood embankment on the west of the Canje creek, traversing from #66 creek to Canje, then

to the #52 main drain at Mibicuri and finally onto Brotherson irrigation canal.

But where are the technical assessments which establish that these are options that should be examined. How did the government arrive at these ideas?

It appears as if the government is plucking ideas out of a hat.

Why assemble stakeholders to discuss ideas when they were not presented with the technical assessments which suggest the need for these projects.

Instead the ideas are being thrown out and hundreds of millions are now going to be spent on feasibility studies for these questionable projects.

Instead of throwing out ideas the government should undertake a comprehensive assessment of the country’s drainage system and for recommendations as to how to address the system’s faults.

These recommendations should then be subject to feasibility studies to decide whether they are viable.

Instead of this approach, the government is floating ideas – from heaven knows where – and asking stakeholders to comment on them before embarking on feasibility studies.

But why should stakeholders be enticed into rubber stamping a list of projects, the origins of which they know very little of?

The government is in a mad rush to spend the oil money on infrastructure. \And they claim that it is necessary to save the non-oil economy and avoid the Dutch disease and to generate jobs.

Have we not heard this all

Dem Boys Seh…

Managing de seamless line When dem intellectuals meet up, is nuff fancy talk does tek place. Dem bright boys does talk above dem boys level so dem boys does duck and stay in dem corner.

Dem boys nah got all dem fancy initials behind or in front dem names. So dem boys nah qualify as a bright boy.

Prezzie went to de university de odder day and he talk some words dat gat dem boys bass-e-dee. Dem boys seh was real scholarly talk. Dem boys still nah understand wah he say.

De UG launch some new course and de Prezzie talk how: “This programme is geared towards the development of the minds in a policy framework, in an analytical framework; bringing the output to a level

in which they (the graduates) can apply themselves to very complex problems and complex issues.”

Dem boys try fuh break it down but dem boys still struggling fuh understand how yuh gan develop people’s mind in a policy framework and in an analytical framework, and how yuh gan bring de output to a level to apply to complex problems.

Sounds to dem boys like sheer blow-blow!

But dat is how dem intellectuals does talk. And dem wah listening does nod dem head, showing dem understand. But dem boys does gat fuh shake dem head because dem boys nah know fact from fart.

But wat mek dem boys think is sheer blow blow bin

pass at de UG event was when de Prezzie seh, “A seamless border does not mean a border that anyone can go through.

But a seamless border is an imaginary line in which those on both sides of the line agree on a set of values, principles and goals governing that line.”

“And both sides agree that the line creates a seamless opportunity for the achievement of those goals.

Whether it is trade agreements, diplomacy, collaboration and security, that line is a defining line.

That small line can create huge wars and poverty and injustice. So, we have to be careful how we manage that line.”

Talk half and leh de blowblow blow.

before?

The time has come for Guyanese to reject this reckless approach to developing public infrastructural project.

Projects should not be plucked out of the hat the way the Timehri Airport Project was selected after it was said that a senior Chinese leader came through the Caribbean

waving funding for projects.

At the pace at which the PPP/C is proceeding, the bulk of the country’s oil revenues are going to be ploughed into infrastructural projects. Little is going to be left for the small man.

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

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday March 30, 2022

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

My third call for Guyana to have diplomatic relation with Israel In my career of 33 years as a newspaper columnist, I have proposed twice that Guyana establish diplomatic relation with Israel. I repeat this suggestion against the background of the following realities.

1 – The global boycott of Israel which reached its zenith with the 1973 Arab oil embargo and the birth of the Non-Aligned Movement is now a footnote in history. No major Arab state still cling to that epoch. International relations since that era has gone through phenomenal changes which bear no resemblance to the 1970s.

2 – The replacement of General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the concretisation of globalisation and neoliberalism have virtually devastated many poor, developing countries. The effects of globalisation on the CARICOM economies have been graphic. The sugar and banana industries were literally killed off . Trade preferences given by former

colonial empires were made illegal by the WTO. A spin off from this incredible transformation in the world economy, saw Third World (TW) states facing survival tests, looking to other countries for trade and aid outside of the traditional alliances that existed with the West before Independence.

3 – The demise of the Cold War resulted in the abandonment of American aid generosity.

The most conspicuous example of this is Grenada.

Invaded by the US in 1983 to stop the spread of influence by the USSR and Cuba, the Americans saw no special relationship with Grenada after the end of the Cold War. In a nice column done for this newspaper, Sir Ronald Sanders wrote the following: “The 14-nation CARICOM have been at the bottom of US official development assistance for decades. In 2019, for instance, total US foreign assistance globally was US$47 billion, of which collectively, 13 CARICOM

countries received US$70 million only. For 9 of the 13 countries, the sum provided did not amount to US$1 million.”

What more proof TW leaders need that international affairs have changed profoundly than those statistics? At present, the UK is contemplating a reduction of foreign assistance to the TW in certain areas. What the TW has done since the fall of international communism and the consolidation of capitalism in China and Russia is to survive through redirection of their foreign policy of which China has benefitted immensely (See my article of Sunday, July 11, 2021, “The future shape of Guyana's foreign policy.”).

4 – The TW need to continue on the trajectory that globalisation and the end of the Cold War pushed them into. In a world where big, rich states no longer have colonial guilt, their aid generosity has declined and they demand high, and

unreasonable international standards for TW products (for example the fishing industry in Guyana), the TW can no longer rely on socalled ideological friends in world affairs.

5 – Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo in analysing the increasing weakness of Trinidad's mono-culture, emphasised that Guyana needs to have a diversified economy rather than rely exclusively on oil. A diversified economy can be accelerated through a diversification of foreign policy and foreign trade.

Israel is a small developed country that is an economic powerhouse. It makes no sense for a country like Guyana to continue to shun Israel.

If the connection with Israel was made by a Guyanese non-Muslim president, it could have caused anger among Guyana's large Muslim population.

We have a president who is a practicing Muslim with an excellent rapport with

imp o r tan t M u s l i m organisations. He should consult with them about the prospects of having Frederick Kissoon diplomatic relation with Israel. Their rejection would make no w ithout the pitfalls of monosense in terms of how the culture which Guyana world is going. Why should suffered terribly from with Guyana continue to avoid sugar from the 1950s until Israel when other more sugar collapsed and almost developed TW states have took the Guyanese economy with it, then looking to other resident Israeli embassies? parts of the world for trade, One way of approaching the issue is for President Ali aid and investment must be a to replicate the strategy of priority.

The president has just President Burnham in 1974. returned from a visit to one of He wanted a Cuban the Gulf nations. This is the diplomatic presence in Guyana and he broached the direction of the future. He issue with his CARICOM should add Israel to his list. colleagues who agreed. It The world is changing and so wasn't Guyana then that is Guyana. It is time to start brought the Cubans to the the survival game by looking C a r i b b e a n , i t w a s a for friendship and trade from C A R I C O M i n i t i a t i v e . those who are willing to Burnham was thus protected reciprocate. Israel is one such from American Cold War country.

(The views expressed in anger by using the canopy of this article are those of the CARICOM. I f t h e G u y a n a author and do not Government wants to build a necessarily reflect the multi-pronged economy opinions of this newspaper.)

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Miner gets 14 years for killing friend Lexroy Garraway, called ‘Bam Bam’, 39, a miner formerly of Lower Pomeroon, Region Two, was on Tuesday sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for the fatal stabbing of his friend.

On February 15, Garraway opted to plead guilty to manslaughter – the lesser count of murder. He was sentenced by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow in the Suddie High Court. Garraway was represented by attorney-at-law Latchmi Dindyal and the State was represented by prosecutor Tiffini Lyken. It was on May 22, 2019, at Takatu Landing, Mazaruni River, Region Seven that Garraway killed Eric Nurse, called ‘Black Boy’, 24, of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

In his address to the court, Garraway expressed sorrow for his action. On the other hand, Justice Barlow considered the seriousness of the offence and the aggravating circumstances. She also considered the fact that he was previously jailed for assault.

As such, she sentenced Garraway to 20 years behind bars but made a one-third [six years] deduction for his early guilty plea.

From those 14 years, the prison authorities would also have to deduct the time he spent on remand. According to reports, Garraway and the decease were at a shop imbibing.

Lexroy Garraway called ‘Bam Bam’

Garraway later left the shop and went into a room occupied by a female. Upon seeing the defendant in the room, the female raised an alarm. Nurse then went to her rescue and dragged Garraway out. The woman who ran out of her room during the altercation later went back into her room as a scuffle ensued between the two men outside.

Nurse tore Garraway’s shirt and reportedly armed himself with a sharp object which he used to slash Garraway to his hand.

However, Nurse was then relieved of the weapon by Garraway, who then used same to repeatedly stab Nurse.

Nurse was later discovered lying face down with injuries about his body. He was picked up and rushed to the Bartica Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Govt. to spend $217M to rehabilitate

INCOMPLETE BARTICA STELLING

Making use of its $217 million budgetary allocation for the Bartica stelling, the Ministry of Public Works, through the Transport and Habours Department is seeking contractors to continue the rehabilitation works at the Region Seven stelling which has been under re-construction for some time now.

In the national budget this year, the government had allocated the sum of $455 million for the continued rehabilitation of the Leguan, Fort Island and Bartica stellings. During the consideration of the estimates back in February, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill had stated that out of that money allocated for the stellings, $217 million will go towards the Bartica stelling, $168 million for the completion of the Leguan stelling and a

sum of $38 million to complete works at Fort Island.

The Bartica stelling project, which has been ongoing for a few years, is one that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration had inherited from the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change Coalition when it assumed office back in 2020.

The contract is worth a total of $434 million.

Works at the Bartica stelling began in 2017, when the first phase was awarded to Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited. According to reports, the first phase was completed in October 2018.

The first phase description dictated that the southern section of the stelling be demolished and reconstructed with support piles made of greenheart for

the substructure. The phase now accommodates commercial concessions and a modernised passenger waiting area. Following this, it was reported in January 2019 that the second phase contract was also awarded to Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited and the works had commenced.

Kaieteur News had reported back then that this phase entailed the extension on the northern section of the stelling, as a way to accommodate the drawbridge. It is unclear what works took place after then, but in 2021 during a visit to the Bartica and Leguan stellings, the Minister had expressed his disappointment with the pace of work ongoing at those facilities.

The Minister was quoted in a Department of Public Information article saying

that the projects which his government inherited from the previous administration were at a stage of failure and riddled with poor performance and delays.

The Minister had stated back then too that his Ministry had engaged with contractors to get the works done and that the projects are delivered.

In February, this year Minister Edghill had told the National Assembly during the consideration of the estimates that the former administration had paid 90 percent of the contract sum for the Bartica stelling, when only 15 percent of the work was completed.

Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Annette Ferguson, while questioning the minister in the Committee of Supply, had asked that he disaggregates the sum of $455 million

allocated for Leguan, Fort Island and Bartica stellings.

In fact she said, “I know for a fact that Leguan is under construction and also Bartica.

You know, y’all inherited a nice stelling there at Bartica from us, modern stellings. So to the honourable member can you provide us a status report on what is happening at both Leguan and Bartica stellings…?”

In response to MP Ferguson, Edghill said, “Mr. Chair I would have thought that the honourable member would avoid asking questions on this. Mr. Chair for the simple reason. Let’s start with Bartica…the total contract sum for Bartica was $434 million and when the PPP administration came into office, 90 percent of the money was already paid and 15 percent of the work was completed.”

According to Edghill, the

contractor is not currently engaged at the stelling. He noted that an audit was completed on the stelling and the value of the materials was checked. The minister continued by stating that despite the monies being paid, the people of Bartica still do not have a stelling.

“So this budget is making appropriation.

This is making appropriation for us to be able to have that stelling completed at Bartica,” Edghill said.

The Ministry’s public notice states that bidding for this Bartica stelling project will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding process specified in the Procurement Act 2003 and that the bidding is scheduled to open on April 21, at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board office.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Canadian High Commission hosts movie screening to observe Int’l ‘French Heritage’ Day T h e H i g h Commission of Canada in Guyana hosted a screening of the Canadian movie ‘Je m’appelle humain’ (My Name is Human) in celebration of the International Day of La Francophonie which was on March 20th, last.

The International Day of La Francophonie was inaugurated in 1988 to promote and celebrate the French language and the political, educational, economic and cultural cooperation among La Francophonie which is a group of 88 states that share French as a common language.

Canada is bilingual with over eight million of the population speaking French as a first language including some members of Indigenous communities.

French is also widely spoken throughout the world.

In some countries, including Guyana, French is also taught in schools and the Alliance Française is also

vibrant in Guyana promoting the French language and providing French classes. It is the High Commission’s hope that the interest in the French language will continue to be

“The Francophone community is an integral part of our national identity and helps to make it unique,” he said. He also spoke about the movie’s Indigenous theme.

“We are very proud to showcase a small fraction of the Indigenous culture of Canada with this movie.

And I am also very proud to collaborate with Guyanese indigenous peoples on a number of projects,” he added.

In recent times, Canada has been m a k i n g e ff o r t s t o reconcile with The movie screening was attended by Deputy Speaker, Mr. Lennox Shuman and I n d i g e n o u s representatives of the Indigenous People’s Commission, as well as the President of communities both in the Alliance Française in Guyana, Ms. Dhamatie Goring and her team.

Canada and abroad given its challenging history. Therefore, the screening of the movie alive in Guyana and more I n d i g e n o u s P e o p l e ’ s diplomatic community in was two-fold in nature, to persons will be interested in Commission, as well as the Guyana celebrate Canada’s French Before the screening of heritage and also to shine President of the Alliance learning it.

The movie screening Française in Guyana, Ms. t h e m o v i e , H i g h more light on the efforts was attended by Deputy Dhamatie Goring and her C o m m i s s i o n e r M a r k towards language and Speaker, Mr. Lenox Shuman team, and other Indigenous Berman made some brief cultural preservation in and representatives of the guests and members of the remarks.

Indigenous communities.

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Nigerian community waited almost a decade for US$200M oil spill compensation A N i g e r i a n community had to wait almost a decade before it received compensation from American oil giant, E x x o n M o b i l Corporation’s (EMC) subsidiary for a series of oil spills that occurred between 2000 and 2010.

In June 2021, nine years after the legal p r o c e e d i n g s commenced, a Nigerian court ordered Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC) and Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU), which is a subsidiary of Exxon, to pay 82 billion Naira (US$199.5 million) in compensation to the Ibeno community of Akwa Ibom State for a The impacts of an oil spill on a Nigerian river. series of oil spills.

The lawsuit had attempted to directly e n g a g e s i n c r u d e o i l Plaintiffs in the event of a include MPNU’s parent company, ExxonMobil. exploration and production successful determination of H o w e v e r , t h e c o u r t in Nigeria. According to the the lawsuit in their favour Plaintiffs, MPNU is a shell and, therefore, EMC “being disagreed.

According to media company and an appendage the parent company should reports, the Plaintiffs’ of EMC and as such EMC be compelled to bear c o n t e n t i o n w a s t h a t should bear joint liability for whatever liability that may ExxonMobil, though an the tortuous claims of the arise from the Suit.” The American-based company, Plaintiffs against NNPC and defendant in its arguments contended that ExxonMobil presides over or “holds MPNU. The Plaintiffs further is not resident in the country itself” out as the parent organisation of Mobil contended that the limited and has no presence in P r o d u c i n g N i g e r i a liability status of MPNU Nigeria and consequently is Unlimited (MPNU), a renders it incapable of not subject to the territorial Nigerian company that satisfying any corporate debt jurisdiction of the Court.

In terms of physical that may accrue to the

residence, the EMC occupies no physical address in Nigeria, “whether as owner, lessee or licensee” of the said space. The defense also argued that ExxonMobil holds no shares whatsoever in the Nigeria’s state owned Petroleum Company.

In its judgment delivered on 21 June, 2021, the Court agreed completely with the defendant’s submissions and held that MPNU is not a subsidiary of EMC and that the Plaintiffs’ action as it relates to EMC was speculative.

The court held that MPNU is capable of defraying the judgment that may arise from the Suit against it, and also found that in any case the NNPC should share the liability with the MPNU and not the EMC. On the basis of the findings and reasoning, the Court held that the EMC was not a necessary party to the Suit and was accordingly struck out.

This in effect served to afford ExxonMobil a reprieve from the finding of the Abuja Federal High Court that the two companies had been negligent in how they responded to oil spills in the community, and consequently had to pay the damages within 14 days.

Failure to do so would result in accumulated interest added to the amount, at a rate of eight percent per year.

Nigeria’s Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC) welcomed the court finding and indicated that the ruling aligns with the recent case against Shell, from the Ejama-Ebubu community, in

Eleme, Rivers State.

Also reacting to the development is the Executive Director of The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo, who described it as a landmark judgment on the long walk to environmental justice and protection of the environment and livelihoods.

“The judgment is significant because payment of compensation to victims of oil pollution will impact positively on the lives of the people of the Niger Delta suffering under the heavy burden of oil spills pollution and destruction of their livelihoods,” he said.

Similarly, Kaieteur News recently reported that it took 30 years after a legal proceeding commenced against an oil company for citizens to receive compensation following a spill in that country.

The lawsuit was filed by Nigerian farmers and communities affected by spilled hydrocarbons. The communities and farmers had long fought legal battles over oil spills and environmental damage before they received compensation.

It should be noted that not only did the affected Nigerians had to wait 30 years after the legal proceedings commenced to be compensated, but the compensation came 11 years after a federal court had ordered the company to pay same.

This publication reported, last week that after two years of protest from citizens for full liability

insurance coverage from ExxonMobil in the unfortunate event of an oil spill in the country’s waters, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has finally come on record to assure that his administration is now working with the parent company to secure such guarantee. Jagdeo made the revelation last Thursday evening, during an interview with the Department of Public Information.

Since the startup of its oil operations in December 2019, ExxonMobil has evaded demands to provide insurance coverage, and instead tied its subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) to provide this guarantee. It has been argued however, that EEPGL, being a fairly new company, with assets worth only about US$5 billion, would not be able to effectively cover all costs associated with an oil spill in Guyana, should such an adverse event occur.

So far, three of the oil company’s operations, Liza One, Liza Two and Payara, have been granted approval, without guarantees in place from the parent company.

With approval for its fourth project -the Yellowtail development – in the making, Jagdeo has made it clear that a separate document will be issued to Exxon, which ensures a guarantee is secured, should an oil spill occur.

He said, “…Yellowtail will be stronger than any (Permit) they (the former government) have issued and separately, not part of the permitting process for Yellowtail, but separately, we are working with the companies to secure a parent guarantee that will cover the entire Stabroek Block. Not Liza 1, Liza 2, Payara or Yellowtail, but the entire Stabroek Block, but that is a separate issue.”

The Vice President did not disclose figures, or further details regarding the guarantee his government is now looking to secure from ExxonMobil; more than two years post first-oil. Jagdeo was keen to note during his interview, however, that the former Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams had merely thought of or “had something” up his sleeves while at the organisation, but it is the PPP that is ensuring it is done.

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Kaieteur News

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IDB Board approves roadmap for reform, more funding for Latin America, Caribbean Region The Boards of Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) recently approved a roadmap for a series of institutional reforms for the financial institution as well as mandated a proposal for capital increase to IDB Invest, the Bank’s privatesector arm.

The Governors’ actions essentially modernise the IDB, IDB Invest and IDB Lab, which is the organisation’s innovation laboratory, thereby ushering in a new, 21st-century business model that will help countries across Latin America and the Caribbean more effectively address challenges. These include poverty and inequality, climate change and the need for digitalisation.

Executives at the institution said the proposed reforms will empower the Bank to accelerate inclusive and sustainable growth by strengthening the synergies between the public and private sectors, ensuring equal opportunities for women in areas of education, business and justice, and doing more to help countries reach netzero-emissions targets.

“Our record year, 2021 proved how the IDB can optimise its balance sheet and mobilise resources, but the new IDB can do even better. This is a historic moment for the IDB and IDB Invest. The Boards’ actions mean we are gaining the muscle, flexibility and tools needed to support the urgent needs of Latin America and the Caribbean in the 21st century,” said IDB President Mauricio Claver-Carone at the Bank’s annual meeting.

“The pandemic hit our most vulnerable citizens hard. Now the region faces rising inflation, higher global interest rates, and shifting geo-economic and

geopolitical concerns. We rose to the occasion in 2020 and 2021, but we can now do even more by leveraging our strengths. Thanks to the Governors’ actions, we are now empowered to better help the region by mobilising more privatesector resources and doing more in critical areas such as climate change and gender equality,” he said.

The new business model envisioned for IDB Invest, or IDB Invest 2.0, will be developed over the next six months and submitted to the Board for approval this fall.

The approval to advance with the new vision signifies confidence in IDB Invest’s ability to develop an even more impactful approach to development. Furthermore, the new model will allow it to scale up work with investors and companies throughout the region.

Additionally, the IDB Invest’s innovative, new approach is expected to focus on originating more impactful projects, derisking private-sector investment, and using new financial and technical tools to help crowd-in investment.

The new business model essentially goes hand-inhand with the mandate for a capital increase proposal for IDB Invest, the details of which will be presented to the Boards of Executive Directors later this year.

During the 2022 annual meeting that was held virtually, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, lauded the commitment of the IDB Group to the continued support to the Caribbean sub-region. The Minister was speaking on behalf of the Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, the smallest member countries of the IDB Group.

“The Bank’s instruments to support our countries in achieving our development agendas are crucial and must remain agile to respond to

mounting volatile Therefore, welcomes adjust the

needs in this environment. the Caribbean the proposal to instruments on

offer,” expressed the Senior Minister.

“We particularly wish to highlight the important role of PBLs (Performancebased loans) in supporting integral reforms at this critical juncture and support the call for PBL caps to be made more flexible. We also welcome the proposal to exclude green PBLs from counting against the PBL cap,” Dr. Singh said, adding that guarantees will be key in

mobilising private resources to contribute to confronting emerging development challenges and delivering on the 2030 agenda’.

Dr. Singh concluded by encouraging the IDB Group’s Management to fulfill their pledge to develop a sub-regional strategy for the Caribbean with emphasis on health, education, infrastructure, private sector development, the digital Continued on page 19

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Wednesday March 30, 2022

Ministry initiates plan to help CSEC, 73 educators equipped with CAPE students perform optimally improved management skills To ensure students are provided with the best opportunities to perform optimally at the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), consultations began on Tuesday with secondary school teachers across the country.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand along with the Chief Education Officer, Dr. Marcel Hutson, and other Education officials met with CSEC and CAPE teachers from the 11 education districts.

The objective of the engagement was to listen to the concerns and challenges faced by

teachers and find solutions that will guide decisions to help students better prepare for the examinations.

The teachers were engaged in two separate meetings. The first of which was attended by teachers from Regions Two, Three, Five and Georgetown while the second meeting featured teachers from Regions One, Four, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and 10.

Minister Manickchand said that following the results of both examinations at the 2020 sitting, many students were marked poorly for several reasons and therefore it has Continued on page 19

Some of the graduating teachers.

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand engaging teachers in one of the two virtual meetings to discuss CAPE and CSEC examinations.

To i m p r o v e t h e management skills of educators across Guyana, 73 teachers in the Georgetown Education district on Monday afternoon graduated from the Ministry of Education’s Education Management Certificate Course.

The programme, according to a Ministry of Education release, is executed through the National Centre for Educational Resources Development (NCERD). It

Chief Education Officer (CEO) Dr. Marcel Hutson is a specialised course designed to improve teachers’ leadership skills and is open to Head of departments, Senior Teachers and Head teachers.

The graduation ceremony was hosted in the Queen’s College auditorium.

Delivering the feature address was Chief Education Officer (CEO), Dr. Marcel Hutson, who stated that it is widely recognised that one of the key factors influencing effectiveness, is the nature of leadership and Continued on page 23

Best graduating teacher, Mr. Hubern Collins

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 30, 2022

PAGE 19

UG introduces “transformative” Master’s in Strategic Development Studies A new Master’s Degree in Strategic Development Studies has been introduced by the University of Guyana and, according to President Irfaan Ali, it is one of the most transformative aspects of the institution.

The Head of State made this assertion on Monday during his keynote address at the launch of the programme at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre, at the Turkeyen Campus.

“This programme is geared towards the development of the minds in a policy framework, in an analytical framework; bringing the output to a level in which they (the graduates) can apply themselves to very complex problems and complex issues,” the President was quoted as saying in a release UG shared.

STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT The President pointed to the significance of holistic development and the way the programme unearths a strategic level of thinking.

“This programme is about aligning theory with practice, with real-life problems and developing the capability of each individual to strategically deal with those challenges and prepare you to understand future challenges by appreciating the evolution of such challenges.”

On this note, President Ali emphasised that national development cannot be contextualised in isolation from regional or international development,

President Irfaan Ali as illustrated by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and its implications r e g i o n a l l y a n d internationally. “ We c a n n o t b u i l d resilient, sustainable, strong, national development programme or a national development agenda without understanding and contextualising it in the wider global environment.”

This course, he added, allows us to take a deep dive into what shapes us as a region along with the threats as well as the opportunities that exist.

REGIONAL AGENDA The programme will also cater for all CARICOM nations since, according to the Head of State, it is imperative to have regional integration and a structural regional agenda.

The programme, he stressed, is integral to understanding the relationships that exist at a country-to-country level within the region and under

Ministry initiates plan to...

From page 18 been a priority of the Ministry to address any gaps that may exist so that a recurrence can be prevented.

She spoke about the importance of submitting SchoolBased Assessments and committed the Ministry’s support to that process. During the consultations, various points were raised by teachers, all of which have been recorded to be addressed immediately.

Similar engagements will continue so that the Ministry of Education can maintain a productive relationship with all of our stakeholders to achieve the desired outcomes and improve the education sector.

IDB Board approves roadmap...

From page 17 economy, climate change, the blue economy, and the orange economy.

He also encouraged the Bank to move with alacrity in delivering support at the scale needed, on both the public and private sector sides of the Group’s operations, to facilitate a sustainable recovery in the Caribbean and to help the SubRegion embark on a path towards lasting economic growth and prosperity.

The Minister then reiterated the strong appreciation of the Caribbean for the support provided by the IDB to the subregion over the years as well as the importance of the Group to the development of Latin America and the Caribbean, in particular. He added that the Bank remains the premier strategic partner of choice in member countries.

the broad umbrella of CARICOM. He called these components “critical” to enable future leaders to have a realistic overview of the current environment and its dynamics.

The President also underscored the importance of strategic development with issues like food security, climate change and water scarcity.

IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP He acknowledged the importance of the partnerships created by the programme, not only between UG, the security apparatus and the National Development apparatus, but the partnership with Guyana’s international partners.

“The partnership that this programme has already created is worth celebrating, but there are a lot of opportunities down the road for an even greater and stronger partnership. This programme will look at national development in the c o n t e x t o f globalisation—national development cannot be isolated from globalisation.”

The policymakers of the future, the President said, must be able to understand the way in which international organisations operate and how the institutions themselves are governed and their importance to the framework of global development.

He also pointed to the flexibility of the course and

its ability to analyse current events. This “practical nature,” he said, must lead to strategic thinking, critical analysis, policy formulation, shared responsibility and threats, challenges and opportunities.

“This is important, understanding our shared responsibility in dealing with threats, challenges and opportunities. More importantly, it should allow us to understand threats to development…it must equip us with the knowledge and the analytical capability to strategically align policies, national policies to meet those threats, to mitigate against those strengths and challenges.”

President Ali emphasised that we cannot take our country to greater heights if

we don’t have a vision, and the creation of something different requires a vision, which requires ideas which in turn require people.

“If we’re static in our thinking, we will not be able to develop ideas. If we cannot develop ideas, we cannot create a vision, and after you create that vision, it is important that we communicate that vision and bring everyone along with that vision. That is what brings success, and it’s not a top-down approach or a bottom-up approach. It is a circular approach, and the only thing that unifies the circle is the vision.”

Government ministers, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and high-level security officials were also at the launch.

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday March 30, 2022

CGX’s next oil well in Corentyne Block pegged at...

From page 2 commanding visibility over all the surrounding terrain, so it was used as a sentinel post by the Patamona people to guard against attacks.

Wei-1 is also the second prospect following Kawa, currently being drilled (September-December 2021), that has been identified in the Northern Corentyne area for exploration drilling.

Kaieteur News previously reported that CGX is an oil and gas exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Canada and was incorporated in 1998 for the primary purpose of exploring for hydrocarbons in Guyana, South America.

In partnership with Frontera Energy Corporation, CGX holds an interest in three Petroleum Agreements (PA) known as the Corentyne, Berbice and Demerara Blocks, covering approximately 11,005.2 km2 (approximately 9,748.2 net km2) offshore and onshore Guyana.

The original Corentyne PA covered approximately 11,683 km2 under two separate Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPL).

The Annex PPL (4,047 km2) was held 100 percent, as was the offshore portion of the Corentyne PPL (6,070 km2), while the onshore portion of the Corentyne PPL (1,566 km2) was held net 62 percent

by CGX through ON Energy, its subsidiary.

The original Corentyne PA was awarded to CGX in 1998, following which the company began an active exploration programme consisting of a 1,800 kilometre seismic acquisition and preparations to drill the Eagle well.

The Eagle drilling location in 2000 was 15 kilometres within the Guyana-Suriname border.

However, a border dispute between Guyana and Suriname led to the company being forced off of the Eagle location before drilling could begin.

As a result of that incident, all active offshore exploration in Guyana was suspended by CGX and the other operators in the area, including Exxon and Maxus (Repsol, YPF).

On September 17, 2007, the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (“ITLOS”) awarded a maritime boundary between

Guyana and Suriname. In the decision, ITLOS determined that it had the jurisdiction to decide on the merits of the dispute and that the line adopted by ITLOS to delimit the parties’ continental shelf and exclusive economic zone follows an unadjusted equidistance line.

The arbitration was compulsory and binding.

CGX had financed a significant portion of Guyana’s legal expenses at a cost of US$9.8 million. The decision was beneficial for CGX, as it concluded that 93 percent of CGX’s Corentyne PPL and 100 percent of the Georgetown PPL would be in the Guyana territory.

Because CGX was prevented from gaining unhindered access to a portion of the original Corentyne PPL area during the seven-year resolution, the term of the contract was extended to June 2013.

In 2008, CGX was the first company to commit to acquire 3D seismic in Guyana when the Company acquired a 505 square kilometre 3D seismic programme to enhance its interpretation of its newly defined Eagle Deep prospect, a large stratigraphic trap in the Cretaceous. The

cost of the seismic p r o g r a m m e w a s approximately $8 million.

P r o c e s s i n g a n d interpretation of the 3D seismic was completed in 2009.

B a s e d o n t h e interpretation of the 3D seismic volume and concurrent activities on both sides of the Atlantic margin, CGX interpreted numerous prospects on the Corentyne PPL. One significant prospect was a Turonian sand at approximately 5,600 metres.

Because the offset Jaguar1 well on the Georgetown PPL was testing another C r e t a c e o u s Tu r o n i a n prospect, the Corentyne commitment well was targeted to 4,250 metres to test the Tertiary Eocene and Cretaceous Maastrichtian trend.

The Eagle-1 well spudded on February 13, 2012 and was initially budgeted for 60 days of drilling, but experienced weather delays and mechanical issues which extended operations to 107 days. The initial cost estimate for the Eagle-1 well was US$55 million. However, due to additional time for

drilling and additional logging of potential reservoir sands, the final costs associated with the Eagle-1 well were approximately US$89.4 million.

In May 2012, the company completed the analyses of the results of its Eagle-1 well on the company’s 100 percent owned and operated Corentyne PPL, offshore Guyana.

The well was declared a dry-hole after encountering hydrocarbon shows in three formations, but the potential reservoir sands proved to be water-bearing. The company recognised the total cost of Eagle-1 well as a dry hole expense in the financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012.

As of March 19, 2013 and effective December 31, 2012, an Independent Resources Evaluation was completed by DeGolyer and MacNaughton of Dallas, Texas, USA (the “D&M Report”).

In the D&M Report, the total best estimate (P50) of Prospective Resources for six oil and gas prospects within the Corentyne PA are 779 MMbbl of oil, 743 MMbbl of

condensate, 6,943 Bcf of sales gas plus 696 billion cubic feet of solution gas.

The D&M Report has been filed on CGX’s website at www.cgxenergy.com. The D&M Report was prepared in accordance with the requirements of Section 5.9 of National Instrument 51101 – Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities.

On November 27, 2012, the Company received a new Corentyne PA, offshore Guyana, renewable after four years for up to six additional years. That New Corentyne PA applied to the former offshore portion of the Corentyne PPL, covering 6,212 km2.

On December 15, 2017, the Company was issued an addendum to the November 27, 2012 PA. Under the terms of the addendum to the new Corentyne PA beginning November 27, 2017, during phase two of the first renewal period the Company has an obligation to drill one well.

That well was drilled last year August with Kawa1 . A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e addendum to the New Corentyne PA resulted in a reduction of acreage to 4,709 km2.

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Victim forgives serial rapist - Man ‘100 per cent cured’; ‘very, very sorry’ (TRINIDAD EXPRESS) ONE of the victims of a selfconfessed serial rapist has forgiven her attacker saying we as humans would from time-to-time always make mistakes in life.

The woman, who was just 17 years old when she was sexually assaulted by the man in 2007, said while to this day she still experiences “all types of emotions” because of the assault, she was willing to forgive him for his transgressions. Even though she was not raped, she was forced to perform oral sex on her attacker, Kester Benjamin, after she entered his “taxi” in Port of Spain to be taken to her Diego Martin home.

Benjamin was about to rape her when police officers arrived at the scene and arrested Benjamin, saving her from further assault.

The two addressed each other yesterday before Justice Lisa RamsumairHinds during a virtual hearing when Benjamin pleaded guilty to two offences – grievous sexual assault, and unlawful detention of a female for the purpose of a sexual assault. His guilty pleas came after his attorneys and those for the State arrived at a plea agreement, in which the recommended sentence was that of 20 years’ hard labour. Benjamin has been on remand for the offence for the past 15 years.

However, this agreed sentence still has to be accepted by the judge.

Benjamin, with the consent of the victim, was first allowed by the court to address her and offer his “apologies” for what he had done.

He said he had taken notice of what was stated in the woman’s victim impact statement that was read by prosecutor Danielle Thompson.

In that statement, the woman said after the incident occurred, she had to stop her academic studies because of the trauma she had suffered.

Every time news surfaced of another woman being abducted, including that of 18-year-old Ashanti Riley and 23-year-old court clerk Andrea Bharatt, the woman said she would be mentally launched back into that night of August 29, 2007, when she was assaulted but was fortunate enough to escape. Both Riley and Bharatt were murdered after being abducted.

‘Extreme sexual perversion’

In his address to her, Benjamin said he was “very, very, very sorry” for what had taken place, but over the course of the past ten years, he attended therapy sessions and believed he was 100 per cent cured from what he called “extreme sexual perversion.”

“I am sorry to hear that you had to abandon your studies and so on because of me.

That part of the statement really impacted on me and I don’t know if when I am out I can help through the court to officer financial support when I start to work to help you if you decide to go back,” he said.

“If it is possible if I can pay some kind of money through the court because it was wrong for me to do what I did that day.

There is absolutely no explanation or excuse for it.

Please find it in your heart in some way, maybe not now to forgive me for that and I assure you if the court gives me the chance, something like this will not happen again,” Benjamin said.

Benjamin stated it was his intention that whenever he is released from prison to become a counsellor and assist other men who may be suffering from “the disease.” He also asked the c o u r t ’s permission to apologise to the other women he had assaulted but never convicted for it.

“There are some cases that I won and I did the crime. I don’t know if I can apologise to those people too,” he said. The request was denied by the judge.

Apology accepted In response to his “apology”, his victim stated while at first she believed she could not have forgiveness to offer Benjamin, her position has since changed.

S h e s a i d h e r family members encouraged her to not participate in any conversation with him, but chose to defy their advice. In making reference to her victim impact statement, the woman said: “Mr Benjamin, I accept your apology. The part where I said don’t have any mercy, I was in a different place when I wrote that even though it was a little while ago.

“After seeing you, you are a human being.

(Continued on page 22)

Kaieteur News

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Victim forgives...

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 30, 2022

73 educators equipped with...

From page 18 management. Hence, the quality of leadership and management are fundamental factors in changing the status quo.

“In the school system, it is important to note that like professionals, administrators need to accept a large measure of responsibility for the wholesome development of students.”

Hutson, who congratulated the teachers for their completion of the course, noted that the dynamic nature of education demands the continuous implementation of new ideas and initiatives.

NCERD Director, Ms. Quenita Walrond-Lewis in her charge to the graduates, urged them to adapt to change in the prevailing environment. She noted that over

the last few years, the education sector has been transformed, particularly by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic not only highlighted several challenges in the sector it also provided the opportunity for more creative means of education delivery. She also encouraged them to be the leaders “to rebuild, recapture and restore” the education sector.

Best graduating teacher, Mr. Hubern Collins, in his brief remarks advised his colleagues to be an example of excellence towards the holistic development of the nation's children.

The graduating teachers were from Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools across the Georgetown Education District.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Ukraine war: Russia to curb Kyiv assault as peace talks progress (BBC NEWS) Russia has announced it will “drastically reduce” military combat operations in two key areas of Ukraine “to boost mutual trust” in peace talks.

The decision to scale back operations around the capital, Kyiv, and the northern city of Chernihiv is the first sign of tangible progress in talks since Russia invaded on 24 February.

Ukraine has proposed neutrality in exchange for security guarantees.

A key aim of Russia’s invasion was to stop Ukraine

joining the Nato alliance.

Russia had already refocused its military campaign on “liberating” Ukraine’s eastern regions after a series of setbacks to the north-west of the capital, Kyiv. It is also seeking to capture a land corridor from Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, to the Russian border. Russian officials said peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey, had moved to a practical stage. Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, who was taking part in the talks, told Russian TV that as “Ukraine’s neutrality

and non-nuclear status and security guarantees” had progressed, the de f e n c e ministry had taken the decision to cut its operations dramatically in the two areas to “create the necessary conditions for further negotiations and for the signing of the aforementioned agreement”.

Ukrainian negotiator Oleksandr Chaly told reporters that its offer of neutrality was a chance to “restore the territorial integrity and security of Ukraine through diplomatic

and political means”.

Ukraine’s aim was to “fix its status as a de facto nonbloc and non-nuclear state in the form of permanent neutrality”.

Russian forces have encircled Chernihiv, where officials say up to 400 people have been killed and some 130,000 residents are without heating, electricity or water supplies.

Russia’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said talks had been “meaningful” and Ukraine’s proposals on neutrality would be put to

Hundreds of civilians have been killed in Chernihiv which has been encircled by Russian forces President Vladimir Putin, holding out the possibility of a sum m i t involving U k r a i n e ’s Vo l o d y m y r Z e l e n s k y. H o w e v e r, h e made clear that before that could happen a treaty would have to be drafted and approved by negotiators, and then signed by foreign ministers.

“This is not a ceasefire but this is our aspiration, gradually to reach a deescalation of the conflict at least on these fronts,” Mr Medinsky told Russian state news agency Tass.

Launching the invasion, Mr Putin had described Nato

as a threat that was becoming more dangerous to Russia by the year. However, there was no mention in the talks of Mr Putin’s regular demands that Ukraine be demilitarised or that it be “de-Nazified”, an allegation that has been widely ridiculed as Russian propaganda.

Ukraine’s negotiators in Istanbul handed the Russians detailed proposals covering neutrality and other core issues in the conflict: Ukraine would become a “non-bloc and non-nuclear” state, with no foreign military bases or contingents on its territory.

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Head of Mental Health Unit, Food & Drug Dept. replaced The Ministry of Health (MOH) has replaced the Head of Department for the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GAFDD) as well as the Mental Health Unit.

Kaieteur News understands that former Director of the GA-FDD, Dr. Marlan Cole was recently removed from the post, a void that has been filled by Ms. Tandeka Barton who previously served as the GA-FDD’s Principal Analytical Scientific Officer and is a part-time lecturer at the University of Guyana (UG).

A source attached to the MoH, explained that the Ministry is moving to reshuffle a number of Head of Departments in the coming weeks.

In addition to Cole, the Health Ministry has, thus far, replaced Director of the Mental Health Unit, Dr. Util Richmond-Thomas with Dr. Timothy Morgan, who has been serving as the Coordinator of that Unit.

Dr. Morgan was the Best Graduating student among the batch of Guyanese doctors that returned to the country in 2013 after studying in Cuba for six y e a r s . D r. R i c h m o n d Thomas has been reassigned

Former GA-FDD Head, Dr. Marlan Cole

New GA-FDD Head, Tandeka Barton

Former Head of the Mental Health Unit, Dr. Util Richmond-Thomas

New Head of the Mental Health Unit, Dr. Timothy Morgan

to the Enterprise Health Centre, East Coast Demerara, following a reevaluation of the work of the unit.

The Health Ministry had written to Dr. RichmondThomas, first terminating her services then rescinding it before assigning her as a Government Medical O ff i c e r, a c c o r d i n g t o correspondence seen by this newspaper.

The termination of her contract as Director of the Mental Health Unit was originally dated January 27, 2022 and should have taken effect on March 23, 2022, but the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health on March 22, 2022 informed

her that the termination was withdrawn.

“Please be informed that after further deliberation on the matter, a decision has been taken to rescind your termination and for you to be

redesignated Government Medical Officer with effect from 2022-03-23 inclusive,” the letter addressed to Dr. Richmond-Thomas stated.

Meanwhile, in the case of Cole, he was reassigned to

work closely with the Director of Standards and Technical Services to assist with capacity building with particular focus on quality control.

Cole was on Friday

3 patients in COVID-19 ICU, 4 new cases recorded On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health revealed that three persons are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. Also, the Ministry shared via its dashboard that it has recorded four new infections within the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 63,239.

The new cases were detected in Regions Three and Four which recorded two cases each. The Health Ministry stated that of the 63,239 cases, 34,123 are women and 29,116 are men.

According to the dashboard data, the death toll remains at 1,226, six persons are in institutional quarantine, 16 are in institutional isolation and 69 are in home isolation.

Additionally, eight persons have recovered within the last 24-hour period, taking the total number of recoveries to 61,935.

officially stripped of his responsibilities as Director of the GA-FDD. In a letter, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Malcolm Watkins t o l d C o l e : “ Yo u a r e instructed to meet with the Chief Medical Officer and the Director of Standards and Technical Services to discuss your scope of work, the specifics of your new role and the activities to be undertaken in that regard.”

The former GA-FDD Head had worked with the Ministry of Health for 27 years and is a fixed establishment employee since 2013. As such, his reassignment has been regarded as a demotion.

Prior to the demotion, Cole had been sent on administrative leave.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Wednesday March 30, 2022

SAMSON, PADIKKAL, HETMYER SOUND ROYALS WARNING From page 34 buzzer. In his first over, pace sensation Umran Malik had Buttler edging to slip, but he, too, overstepped. Even offspinner Washington Sundar bowled a no-ball.

There were enough errors made for Royals to race away to 58 in the powerplay.

Samson checks in Samson is well-known for his good starts to IPLs when the pitches are new and fresh and quick. This match was no exception. He used the fast bowlers' pace, and effortlessly pulled spinners for sixes down the ground. Five of his hits cleared the boundary. With this half-century, Samson now has 327 at 65.4 and a strike rate of 174 in the first matches of the last five IPLs.Without Rashid Khan for the first time since 2017,

Surnisers looked light in the middle overs. Their spinners went for 62 in their four overs.

Malik, though, came back superbly from his 21-run first over with the wickets of Buttler and Padikkal, both on defence.

Hetmyer provides the finishing touch When Samson got out at 163 in 16.1 overs, Royals were well on their way to a challenging total against a thin batting line-up, but Hetmyer all but put the matter beyond them with some power hitting.

Those before him had punished errors from the bowlers, but Hetmyer took toll of perfectly acceptable near-yorkers from T Natarajan. When Bhuvneshwar pitched short to him, he unleashed an incredible baseball-style pull over long-off for a six. If the

pitches say true, Royals were sounding a warning to other teams too.

Boult, Krishna break Sunrisers' back Boult and Krishna then served a reminder of what Sunrisers missed out on this surface. Boult drew swing and seam with the new ball while the ball flew off the surface for Krishan's more hitthe-deck lengths. Even before the wickets began to fall it was apparent how difficult it was to hit if the bowlers got their lengths right. In the second over, Williamson eventually edged one for a questionable rebound catch at first slip.

Tripathi's dismissal was more straightforward as Krishna got the ball to hold its line outside off. Pooran then missed a full, swinging delivery from Boult. Samson saw

Wednesday March 30, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Expect a hectic pace today, Aries. Some of your colleagues may have been procrastinating a little and now everything has to be done at once. Don't get too frustrated, however.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Have you been planning to travel, perhaps for business, Taurus? You might receive word that your trip has to be postponed, which could be disappointing. However, bear in mind that this is only a delay, not a denial.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A proposed get-together with a love interest might have to be postponed until much later tonight or perhaps another evening, %. This could make you a little blue.

Your insecurity might even get the better of you.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Are you expecting a close friend or love partner to visit you at home, Cancer? Don't panic if your friend doesn't show up at the allotted time.

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Kaieteur News

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Love matters could have you feeling uptight and somewhat fearful today, Libra. Perhaps this involves a relationship that hasn't really SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Have you been planning to travel, perhaps for business, Scorpio? You might receive word that your trip has to be postponed, which could be disappointing.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Money worries could cause you to resist attending a group event with some friends, Sagittarius. Are you afraid you'll be tempted to spend more than you can afford now?

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Someone you know from work could suddenly seem to have romantic feelings for you, Capricorn. At first this might make you a little uncomfortable, since you've never thought of this person in that way before. Don't do anything rash.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) An emotional phone call could come from a close friend or love partner, Leo. This person has a lot of worries, and is apt to lay them all on you if you let it happen.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Is your love interest out of town, Aquarius? If so, you might spend much of the day feeling lonely and gloomy. Your friend misses you, too, so don't think you'll be alone for long.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Financial worries could plague you today, Virgo. This is unfortunate, because your concerns are probably misplaced. There may be a few adjustments to make, but nothing a little belt-tightening for a few days can't fix.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Financial worries could plague you today, Pisces.

This is unfortunate, because your concerns are probably misplaced. There may be a few adjustments to make, but nothing a little belt-tightening for a few days can't fix.

the opportunity and bowled all six powerplay overs with them.

Chahal joins the party If the contest had some life yet, Yuzvendra Chahal squeezed it out. So far behind the asking rate, with an accurate R Ashwin offering nothing to hit, the batters went after Chahal, who proved to be too wily for them.

Abhishek Sharma, Abdul Samad and Romario Shepherd all fell to him trying to hit a big shot. Chahal gave them no pace to work with, and did enough in the air to keep defeating them.

A 55-run partnership between Washington - 40 off 14 - and Aiden Markram controlled some of the net-runrate damage but they still lost by 61 runs.

Scores: Rajasthan Royals 210 for 6 (Samson 55, Padikkal 41, Malik 2-39) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 149 for 7 (Markram 57*, Washington 40, Chahal 3-22, Krishna 2-16) by 61 runs.

West Indies Championship...

From page 31 Round 1 – February 9-12 Barbados Pride beat Leeward Island Hurricanes by 4 wickets at Kensington Oval Guyana Harpy Eagles beat Windward Islands Volcanoes by 1 wicket at Queen's Park Oval Trinidad and Tobago Red Force beat Jamaica Scorpions by 3 wickets at Brian Lara Cricket Academy Round 2 – February 15-18 Barbados Pride beat Jamaica Scorpions by 10 wickets at Kensington Oval Leeward Island Hurricanes beat Guyana Harpy Eagles by an innings and 57 runs at Queen's Park Oval Trinidad and Tobago Red Force beat Windward Islands Volcanoes by an innings and 43 runs at Brian Lara Cricket Academy To be played Round 3 – May 18-21 Guyana Harpy Eagles v Barbados Pride at Queen's Park Oval

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force v Leeward Island Hurricanes at Diego Martin Jamaica Scorpions v Windward Islands Volcanoes at Brian Lara Cricket Academy Round 4 – May 25-28 Trinidad and Tobago Red Force v Barbados Pride at Brian Lara Cricket Academy Windward Islands Volcanoes v Leeward Island Hurricanes at Queen's Park Oval Jamaica Scorpions v Guyana Harpy Eagles at Diego Martin Round 5 – June 1-4 Windward Islands Volcanoes v Barbados Pride at Diego Martin Trinidad and Tobago Red Force v Guyana Harpy Eagles at Queen's Park Oval Leeward Island Hurricanes vs Jamaica Scorpions at Brian Lara Cricket Academy

Haslington first to ...

From page 28 the winning purse of $600,000.

Among the business entities lending sponsorship support are: IPA, DDL, Digicel, Johil,

John Fernandes, General Equipment, Busta, GTT, Namilco, Macorp, New Thriving, Sattar Gafoor, B. Megan, Pritipaul Singh, Ready Mix, Eddie Bobcat, Silvie's, Caribbean Containers, E Networks, Super Bet, Cummings Electrical, China Trading, Dave Lumber yard and Schlumberger.

The rules governing the tournament includes the no offside rule and teams are allowed five substitutions.

The games are of two 20minute halves for a 40-minute duration.

The tournament is a straight knockout one with no extra time being played.

A tie at the end of regulation would result in the teams dueling in the dreaded sudden death penalty shootout.

All other FIFA rules apply and the Referee is the sole authority of these games. Teams showing up late beyond a reasonable time determined by the organisers will be disqualified and their game forfeited via the walkover route.

Savannah Star...

From page 29 one six. Latif captured 3-12.

Batson collected the best batsman trophy, Latif the best bowler prize and Vickey Jaikissoon the best catch accolade.

The competition was sponsored by Navin Construction, Shamir Imports and Exports, Two Sisters Car Rental, Revision Optical, Javed Auto Shop, Rockaway Roti Shop of New York, Busy Bayo Woodworking, Hanso Fishing Establishment, 401 Furniture Store, Sydartha Anandjit and Klass Auto.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 28

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Annual Mayor's Cup 9-a-side Inter Ward/Village KO Football

Haslington first to 8-team finals following opening play, action continues Sunday at GFC Play in the Annual Mayor's Cup 9-a-side Inter Ward/Village Knockout Football tournament got underway at the Buxton Ground on the East Coast of Demerara last Sunday and Haslington marked their name as the first team through to the 8-team finals.

The tournament is also set to continue on Sunday April 3 and all attention will be focused on the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground from 6:00pm for the next salvo of matches featuring

several of the City's big guns led by the impressive Sparta Boss.

When the tournament returned after a two year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic on Sunday last at the Buxton ground on the East Coast, The Lennox Arthur organised event, which is in recognition of the Mayor of Georgetown, then Hamilton Green, who was also a former Prime Minister of Guyana and now current Mayor of Georgetown in Mayor Ubraj Narine, eight

games were scheduled.

Mahaica started things off against 50 United and the teams played out a 1-1 stalemate in regulation time, which according to the rules will see the sides going to sudden death penalty kicks.

50 United came out the winner of that scrap. Golden Grove got a walkover from Church as did Melanie from Victoria in the next two scheduled games.

BV brushed aside Buxton Youth Developers 3-0, Friendship Front rolled over

Paradise 4-0 then Haslington overcame Brush Dam via penalties after they reached regulation scoreless.

BV got past 50 United on penalties following a 1-1 stalemate and Haslington also won on penalties against Melanie after they reached a 0-0 deadlock to book their spot.

Friendship and BV are set to lock horns on April 24 to determine who take another spot in the eight team finals.

Meanwhile, this Sunday's action at the GFC will open

with Charlestown battling Club 45, Campbellville tangle with Lilliendaal in the second game to be followed b y Tu c v i l l e o p p o s i n g Annandale, Bourda All Stars against Kuru Kururu, Road Warriors face Agricola and the big boys, known for their tenacity, Sparta Boss, will look to set the stage for the rest of the tournament against the upset minded Belle West Stars.

These teams are battling for attractive prize money and the respective trophies

City Mayor Ubraj Narine with a first prize of $600,000, second prize $300,000, third $200,000 and fourth $100,000 on offer. Mid Atlantic Oil and Gas Company is the sponsor for (Continued on page 27)

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 29

Savannah Star, Success Masters triumph Savannah Star of Canal The winning Savannah Star team.

Number Two and Success Masters of East Coast Demerara won the open and masters divisions respectively when the Lusignan Sports Club hosted its 7-a-side softball competition on Sunday last.

Savannah Star beat West Side by 44 runs in the open final. Batting first, Savannah Star managed 57-2 from their reduced quota of three overs with Kishore Smith scoring 53 Richard Latif accepts the which included one four and seven sixes. Greg Singh took Masters best bowler trophy.

1-17.

West Side were restricted Singh received the prize for the best Rockaway by 24 runs. Success to 13-3 in reply. Ajay Kishan catch.

Masters took first strike and posted claimed 3-13. Smith took the best In the Masters segment, 141-5 in 15 overs. Oslyn Batson batsman prize, Kishan collected the best bowler trophy and Sachin S u c c e s s M a s t e r s d e f e a t e d struck four fours and four sixes in a

Kishore Smith receives the best batsman prize in the Open division.

Oslyn Batson receives the Masters best batsman prize. top score of 60 while Richard Latif made 38 with four sixes. Diaram Hemraj took 2-22. Rockaway responded with 117 all out. Sunil

Singh made 34 with one four and three sixes while Eon Lovell made 23 which contained two fours and (Continued on page 27)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 30

Wednesday March 30, 2022

“Cricket Gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana” Two more cricket clubs receive support from Project

J

unior cricket teams of Cotton Tree Die Hard, West Coast and the rapidly rising Rose Hall Community Centre CC, Canfield, both in Berbice, received one box of red cricket balls each.

This initiative is a joint venture between Anil Beharry of Guyana and Kishan Das of the USA. The balls were handed over to the clubs over the past weekend.

Speaking on behalf of the initiative, Beharry said that he is truly impressed with the rapid rise of both teams. He added that RHCCCC have already qualified for the BCB/Tenelec Under15 final, while Cotton Tree Die Hard were knocked out in their semifinal vs traditional power house, Port Mourant CC. He also mentioned that it must be noted that Cotton Tree Die Hard have played in their first ever under15 BCB cricket competition.

In response, Roshan Gaffoor of Cotton Tree Die Hard and Dr Beharry of

Beharry, on the right, handing over the balls to Awaza Gaffur of Cotton Tree.

RHCCCC commended the initiative and promised to continue to develop young cricketers.

Both teams have been producing quality young cricketers with Adrian Hetmyer, son of former National under19 batter, Seon and nephew of IPL batter Shimron, leading the way with three centuries in the competition so far.

T h e o rg a n i s e r s a r e hopeful that a new breed of young players will come

through the system, making Guyana and West Indies cricket strong again. Sport in general help to keep young people off the streets and is an avenue to a better life.

Total cricket related items collected so far: $130,000 cash, two trophies, eleven cricket boots, fifteen pairs of batting pads, fifteen bats, nine pairs of batting gloves, eighteen thigh pads, one wicket keeping pad, one arm guard and four cricket bags and in addition to the above,

$600,000 worth in gear.

To date, thirty-two young players from all three counties of Guyana have already benefited from a junior gear bag, two trophies, nine bats, nine pairs of cricket shoes, six pairs of batting pads and seven pairs of batting gloves. In addition, the Rose Hall Estate Cricket Club benefited from a pair of stumps and bails and two clubs in the Pomeroon area benefited from two used bats.

Pomeroon, Leguan and Wa k e n a a m C r i c k e t Committees, Cotton Tree Die Hard and Rose Hall CCCC also received one box of red cricket balls each.

Cricket related items, u s e d o r n e w, w i l l b e 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 will also assist to identify talent.

We take this opportunity to thank Javed and Imran of

Neil Danns converted a penalty for Guyana in their 1-1 Draw with T&T last night. (file photo)

Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago's National men's teams played to an exciting and entertaining draw last night at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, in their second match of the Courts Caribbean Classic Friendly tournament.

The friendly series which have Barbados as the third competitor has so far seen both T&T and Guyana beating the men from the land of the flying fish 9-0 and 5-0, respectively.

Last night's match was played with the energy and vigour that is expected when these two teams that share a rich history of football

Sheik Mohamed left handing over the balls to Dr Beharry of RHCCCC.

West Indian Sports Complex, Option Group of USA, Hilbert Foster, Bish Panday of P and P Insurance Brokers, Sean Devers, Trevis Simon, Årïêl J. Tïlkú, Aaron Beharry, Leanna Bachan and Imran Saccoor, Devon Ramnauth, Te d d y S i n g h , R o m e s h Munna, Ravi Etwaroo, Ravin Harkishun, Surendra Harkishun, Allan Mangru, Vishal Mahabir, Sherman Austin, Huburn Evans, Rajendra Sadeo and Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall, Sheik Mohamed of Star Sports

Awards and Trophies and Ajay Gainda of Cricket Equipment Guyana, Peter Ramkissoon, Rabindranath Saywack, Roshan Gafoor, Ameer Rahaman and Dr Cecil Beharry. Thanks to the media for the role they are playing in promoting this venture, the organisers informed.

Distribution will continue. Anyone interested to contribute can contact Anil Beharry on 623-6875 or Kishan Das on 1-718-6640896.

Golden Jags & Soca Warriors settle for a draw rivalry clash.

Two penalties were awarded in the match and both were questionable. The first was awarded when winger Trayon Bobb was brought down in the T&T box, which was converted expertly by Neil Danns in the 59th minute.

The second penalty was saved by Guyana's custodian Akel Clarke, who was easily the man of the match for his numerous saves that kept Guyana in the game. T&T were able to equalise from a header off of a corner kick.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Garrett was solid at the back with some vital interceptions

Neil Danns and tackles as the Soca Warriors piled on equal pressure that was placed on their defence by the Guyanese.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 30, 2022

PAGE 31

Seegobin, Dhanai, Ali, Adams propel Mahdia Movements Family

D

eonarine Seegobin, Suresh Dhanai, Ershad Ali and Ricardo Adams turned in splendid performances with the bat to lead Mahdia Movements Family to victories in three consecutive Tapeball fixtures played recently.

Mahdia Movements Family beat host Lake Mainstay by 55 runs.

Batting first, Mahdia Movements Family made 156 - 1 from 10 overs. Seegobin struck an unbeaten 89 while Dhanai made 46 not out.

In reply, Lake Mainstay were bowled out for 101. M. Singh took 2-5, Raydon Austin 2-6, Dhanai 28, Ricardo Adams 2-11 and Ragkumar Singh 1-0.

A t C a p o e y, M a h d i a Movements Family defeated the

home team by 143 runs. Mahdia Movements Family took first strike and posted 198 - 3 from 10 overs.

Dhanai slammed 95, Ryan Adams 82 not out and Alex Rodriguez 12. Capoey were sent packing for 55 in reply.

Ragkumar Singh grabbed 4-7, Dhanai 2-11, Ershad Ali 2-25 and Ricardo Adams 2-35.

In another fixture, Mahdia Movements Family beat Capoey by 136 runs.

Led by an unbeaten 110 from Ershad Ali and 94 from Ricardo Adams, Mahdia Movements Family scored 225- 2, taking first strike.

Capoey were bowled out for 89 in reply. Ragkumar Singh took 2-4, Raydon Austin 2-8, M. Singh 2-14, Ali 2-22 and Alex Rodriguez 2-31.

West Indies Championship resumes on May 18 ST JOHN'S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) yesterday announced the West Indies Championship 2022 will resume on Wednesday, May 18. CWI unveiled the match schedule for the final three rounds of the four-day first-class red ball tournament for the six professional regional franchises.

The first and second rounds were played in February ahead of the Apex Test Series which concluded with West Indies beating England 1-0 to win the newlyminted Richards-Botham trophy. The West Indies Championship returns with all matches being played in Trinidad at the Queen's Park Oval, Brian Lara Cricket Academy and the Diego Martin Sporting Complex.

The third round will run from May 18-21, the fourth from May 25-28, with the fifth and final round from June 1-4.

Defending champions Barbados Pride lead the points table with 42 points, with Trinidad & Tobago Red Force second on 38.6 points – both recorded wins in their first two matches. They are followed by Leeward Islands Hurricanes on 24.6 points, Guyana Harpy Eagles on 21.4 points, Windward Islands Hurricanes on 10.8 points, and Jamaica Scorpions on 8.8 points.

The teams will be competing for the Headley Weekes Trophy named in honour of West Indies legends George Headley and Sir Everton Weekes. The current top two teams face each other in Round 4 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy with the chasing four teams aiming to win their games in round 3 of the West Indies Championship

to close the points gap ahead of the concluding matches.

Jimmy Adams, CWI's Director of Cricket welcomed the return of the four-day format and reiterated this competition plays a critical role in the playerdevelopment pathway. Adams said: “The resumption of the West Indies Champions, our regional four-day competition, has been good to see. While we cannot recover the two years lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, we can now re-start critical aspects of our development pathway that depended on this tournament.

I'm especially pleased for all the players and support staff that have had to put their own development on hold during the enforced break.”

For the ongoing tournament, each squad will consist of 15 players due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CWI is also implementing a special “player loan” system to try to ensure that each team will be able to complete their fixtures.

If a team has a player(s) ruled out due to a positive COVID19 result, they can request to use a player(s) from another team and/or from a pool of locally registered reserve players.LIVE ball-by-ball scoring of each game will be available through the www.windiescricket.com match centre. CWI will be streaming each of the matches with commentary via the Windies cricket YouTube channels. The Championship will also be streamed live in India on FanCode, as part of CWI's partnership with the Indian broadcaster.

Full match schedule completed (Continued on page 27)

The victorious Mahdia Movements Family team.

PAGE 32

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Janet Jagan Memorial Windball Cricket...

Celeste Austin unbeaten half century leads President's College in latest action

Students watch the action during the latest play in the Windball Cricket tournament.

Competition in the Janet Jagan Memorial schoolgirls Windball cricket played at the National Gymnasium continued recently with President's College leading the way thanks to an unbeated half century from Celeste Austin.

Presidents College batted and made 98-2 off 5 overs with Celeste Austin unbeaten on 60 (6s x 5, 4s x 4) and Yukel Armstrong supported with 15.

Their opponents, Diamond Secondary, in reply were held in check at 21-6. Joyleen Abrams 3 -1 and Fairy Duncan 2-11 applied the screws in the bowling department.

Friendship Secondary scored 56-4, Jamace Austin 16 and Serena Kaissian 12 were the principal scorers, however, Covent Garden Secondary romped to victory with 57-0 off 3.4 overs ad Latifa Dublin hit 32 and Faria Boodhoo 24.

Stewartville Secondary reached 29-1 batting first with Rookmanie Shivpersaud 10. Zeeburg Secondary strolled to 33-0 to win the contest with Sarah Bheir top scoring with 22.

Labonne Intention Secondary (LBI) made 33-4 as Cindy Taylor scored 14.

Buxton Secondary responded with 34-0 to clinch the victory with Christol Sealey 13 and Sheneiza Williams 10.

Government Technical Institute (GTI) made 45-2,

Canica William hit 28.

Charlestown Government Secondary replied with 50-0, Althea Barnwell scored 34.

Defending champions Tucville Secondary opened their account on a winning note when they made 85-2 w i t h Ta n y a M o h a b i r compiling 63 (6s x9).

Diamond Secondary were held to 53-2 off their overs with Alzura Fernandes making 36.

Debutant Hope Secondary made 59-4 as Jahaira Lawrence top scored with 24 after which Bladen Hall Multilateral School romped to 67-0 with Aveah Ally 54 (6s x 7).

Stewartville Secondary made 31-1, Neitu Jagrup 18 and Delicia Floy 10.

Zeeburg Secondary reached 32 to win with Sarah Bheir 22 and Rashoda Khan 12.

Region three last four teams in the competition are: L e o n o r a S e c o n d a r y, L'Aventure Secondary, Vreed en Hoop Secondary & Zeeburg Secondary.

Region 4 East Coast last four teams are: President's College, Buxton Secondary, Bladen Hall Multilateral School and Annandale Secondary.

The programme was declared open by WPO Chair person and Member of Parliament B.S. Verasammy.

Also addressing the players was former Windball player who represented Mae's and now Guyana in Table Tennis, Olympian Cheleea Edghill.

President's College Celeste Austin in action.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 30, 2022

PAGE 33

Archery Guyana's Seven Seas 2021 National Outdoor Competition

Nail-biting thrills and excitement in the men's category, Rookie ladies grab medals too It was a fine day for shooting on Sunday last at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence where Archery Guyana ran off their 2021 National Outdoor Championships sponsored

by Seven Seas. The competition commenced a few weeks ago at the same venue but due to very heavy rains, it was forced to be postponed. This gave athletes the opportunity for some extra training, and saw several new entries into the Women's Recurve and Barebow divisions, as well as the Men's Barebow division thereby adding to the competitive spirit.

Once the 30-metre field

Director of Sport, Mr. Steve Ninvalle was on hand to deliver the feature remarks at the opening ceremony, in which he promised support for the sport of archery and wished the archers good luck in the competition. The Vote of thanks was delivered by Archery Guyana's President Mr. Mohamed Khan and the Competition was declared open.

Action got underway with the Women's Recurve qualification match which saw Theresa Jaikishun emerge in the top spot followed by Shereeda Yusuf, Roshini Boodhoo, Vidushi Persaud McKinnon and

The winners of Sunday's Archery Guyana's Seven Seas 2021 Outdoor Competition; From left: Mohamed Khan-President, Seven Seas Rep, Shereeda Yusuf Umasankar Madray, Robert Singh, Roshini Boodhoo (stooping ), Nicholas Hing, Theresa Jaikishun, Jeewanram Persaud and Elizabeth Mason. the top spots in the barebow division. Theresa Jaikishun topped the rankings again followed by Roshini Boodhoo and Elizabeth Mason. In match-play Jaikishun advanced to the final as Mason and Boodhoo battled it out to challenge Jaikishun for the gold.

Boodhoo knocked out Mason to advance, but

Some of the Chess Federation's youths trying their hands at archery.

of play was set up by the Competitions Committee under inspection of the Chairman of Judges, Mr. Mohamed Gamal Khan and the Director of Shooting, Mr. Ry a n M c K i n n o n , t h e athletes were given time to get some practice shots and get sighted-in on the targets before the start of the competition.

Elizabeth Mason, and Men's Barebow qualification match with Jewanram Persaud topping the rankings followed by Nicholas Hing, Kenrick Cheeks, Robert Singh, Fabian Ramdatt and Saeed Karim.

The ranking rounds continued with the Women Barebow and Men Recurve as the ladies fought hard for

Jaikishun took home the gold Boodhoo and Mason taking silver and bronze respectively.

In the match-play of the Women'sRecurve, Yusuf came up against PersaudMcKinnon and Boodhoo against Mason as Jaikishun advanced to the final. Yusuf and Boodhoo emerged the winners with their 6 set

points each and then had to go up against each other in the semi-final. Yusuf beat Boodhoo to advance to the final against Jaikishun who emerged victorious against Yusuf in the gold medal match.

Match-play in the Men's Barebow division saw Persaud and Hing advance to the Semis as Ramdatt went up against Cheeks, and Singh went up against Karim in quarter-finals. Cheeks was knocked out by Ramdatt as was Karim by Singh, and they advanced to the Semifinals. Persaud beat Ramdatt and Singh beat Hing to advance to the final, and Hing went up against Ramdatt for Bronze while Persaud took the gold as Singh took silver.

In the Men's Recurve division, the top ranked qualifiers Jeewanram Persaud, Umasankar Madray, Robert Singh and Fabian Ramdatt battled it out in the gold, silver and bronze medal match play. In the match between Singh and Persaud both archers were evenly matched in set points and went into a shoot-off andSingh was judged the winner with his arrow closest to centre in the target.

This gave Persaud the Bronze, as Ramdatt was

beaten out by Madray. The gold medal match resulted in Madray beating out Singh for the gold to relegate Singh to the silver medal.

There was also a separate target set up off the side of the field of play for spectators and members of the public to experience the sport of Archery. It was encouraging to see ViceP r e s i d e n t , M r. A n a n d Raghunauth lead a number of the Guyana Chess Federation members together with family members to enjoy some target practice.

The competition concluded with the Medal ceremony presided over by the Chairman of Judges and Director of Shooting. Seven Seas Representative, Ms. Stacy Sam was present to assist with the awarding of special prizes to the winners of their products.

The official Results were as follows: Women Barebow Theresa Jaikishun - 1st gold Roshini Boodhoo -2nd silver Elizabeth Mason-3rd bronze Women Recurve Theresa Jaikishun- 1st gold Shereeda Yusuf-2nd

The competitors and officials line up for a photo op with Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle.

silver Roshini Boodhoo -3rd bronze Men Barebow Jeewanram Persaud-1st gold Robert Singh-2nd silver Nicholas Hing-3rd bronze Men Recurve UmasankarMadray-1st gold Robert Singh-2nd silver Jeewanram Persaud-3rd bronze Thanks was expressed by Archery Guyana to Seven Seas for their continued collaboration as a competition sponsor. Special Thanks to the Management of Massy Distribution (Guyana) Inc., Seven Seas and Oasis Water, Guyana Beverages Inc. and its management as the sport moves forward to promote the sport of Archery in Guyana.The Board of Directors also wish to extend thanks to the Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport, the Honourable Mr. Charles Ramson Jnr. and the General Manager of the National Stadium, Mr. Azad Ibrahim for making the venue possible and look forward to future events, local, regional and international, being hosted on the prestigious grounds.

Archery Guyana's Seven Seas 2021 National Outdoor Competition

Nail-biting thrills and excitement in the men's category, Rookie ladies grab medals too

The athletes lined up for warm-up practice and sighting-in their bows on the field of play.

Samson, Padikkal, Hetmyer sound Royals warning

Sanju Samson began his IPL 2022 with a blistering half-century. (BCCI) ESPNcricinfo - Rajasthan Royals became the first team to successfully defend a total in the 2022 IPL in grand style.

Their batters - led by captain Sanju Samson's 27-ball 55 scored nearly 150 runs in boundaries, and their fast bowlers ran roughshod on a quick Pune pitch.

There was just enough assistance in the surface for good bowling, but equally the margin of error was low because of its true nature.

Sunrisers Hyderabad made errors aplenty, bowling four no-balls in the Powerplay two of which could have got Jos Buttler out - and often

allowed the batters to swing their arms.

Royals have a batting line-up that doesn't need second invitations: they didn't care much about the 52 dots they played out; their 41.2% runs in boundaries were the joint-fourth-highest in 118 totals of 200 or more in the IPL. Samson and Buttler were joined by Devdutt Padikkal and Shimron Hetmyer in the fireworks. Hetmyer plundered 32 off 13 at the death.

Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna then ended the contest with the new ball, consigning Sunrisers to the

joint-lowest powerplay in IPL history: 14 for 3, which included the wickets of Kane Williamson, Nicholas Pooran and Rahul Tripathi.

Sunrisers overstep the m a r k These were tailormade conditions for Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had Buttler fumbling in the dark in the first over. Three outswingers were followed by a wide inswinger, which set him up for the outswinger fifth ball.

Buttler played for inswing, edging it through for a superb slip catch by Abdul Samad but soon sounded the no-ball (Continued on page 25)

s t r o Sp Keemo Paul

West Indies Championship resumes on May 18

Vishaul Singh

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