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Girlfriend stabbed NEWS to death as her son ran - boyfriend turns up an hour to get help later unconscious at GPHC AIETEUR

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Sunday Edition May 02, 2021

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International Energy Agency says...

Solar is now officially cheapest form of energy - poised to become king of energy markets America Street moneychanger robbed, shot in the leg Motorcycle Government ERC to launch bandits moves to investigation strike issue more into comments again at quarrying by Walton-Desir, Ramjattan Foulis, ECD licence

Exxon resumes talks to buy Liza Destiny from builder - cash flow no longer a problem Listen to why Govt. is hurrying to force the gas-to-shore project on Guyana without a proper financial study @11:00hrs on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

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Sunday May 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

From elections petitions to prospects for the people Guyana’s Chief Justice has ruled and the last elections petition of the opposition coalition is down for the moment.

We say for the moment, because the opposition has indicated that it is not out and will appeal this all the way to CCJ. With that in mind, our thought processes flow along these questioning lines. After that, then what? What about the kind of governance that will prevail here in Guyana? What kind of people will we be, with the relationships that we foster or not? What are our prospects as a land of so many peoples, with so much heaped on our natural resource banquet table?

No matter how we twist or turn, this is more of a racial problem than a judicial one. Therefore, it is one that is best handled at the local and political level, where calm heads and profound minds go to the pains of examining the issues of where we are, how we got there and what we need to do about them, if only so that this society can genuinely position itself as a nation to benefit to the maximum from its blessings.

There was the recent development involving an opposition delegation that held a meeting with ExxonMobil’s top local people.

Some may see that as a positive initial step, which is hard to disagree with, but there is so much that is missing from that picture. We had the prior David Granger Administration, which Exxon made rings around first and then had its way throughout.

Now we have the PPP in power and it has become evident that ExxonMobil is again making utter fools of Guyanese leaders and having them eating out of the company’s hands.

We take that a step further, while all the time trying to maintain a temperate attitude and description of where and how things are.

ExxonMobil not only has today’s PPP leaders eating out of its hands, but all the local political powers do so on hands and knees and beg for the privilege of doing so. The coalition went alone and was found not up to the job and look at where it left us and where we are presently.

The first lesson is simple: divided we fall, together we prevail.

We do better as a united and formidable Guyanese political bloc. When we turn up before ExxonMobil half-assed, we get halfway house treatment and end up with half measures.

We are robbed, taken advantage of and then insulted in the bargain. To the board of directors and senior management team of ExxonMobil, as well as its billion-dollar investors, we are the best bargain anywhere, perhaps of all time.

Second, in this time of court petitions and appeals, we have said that democracy is a wonderful development for Guyana, but Guyana also has to be ready for it. Specifically, its political leaders and professional managers must manifest that indeed they are ready for democracy in the maturity, responsibility and integrity that are essential parts of their persons and their practices. They set tone and way for juniors and citizens.

The problem is that we have had very little of that maturity and responsibility and integrity in our political behaviours, our management of the business of the people and our management and control of personal inclinations to greed and corruption. It is not now and has never been, about clean governance, no matter how much was manifestoed and committed to, but always rarely, if ever, delivered.

Third, when we talk of clean governance for the people, we become the enemy, which now seems to be a continuous state, given the hard and sharp reactions of one government after another. They and their supporters, from so-called towering thinkers to the tiny people in the street, love when we stand up, speak out and scorch the government of the day for its many shortcoming and financial sins. However, when they are out of opposition benches and running the government and we do the exact same things, we are poisonous... Our response is simple and unyielding and in Latin first: Fiat justitia ruat Caelum – let justice be done though the heavens fall.

Are our politicians out of their depth on how to use oil revenues to transform the society?

DEAR EDITOR, President Irfaan Ali, in his last press interview, declared there will be no spending of oil revenues any time soon and a development plan will be crafted later in the year.

Clearly, the PPP government is without a sense of urgency and a vision to use our oil wealth for national transformation.

Meanwhile in the US, in stark contrast, Joe Biden, 100 days into his presidency, is driving the biggest expansion of American government in decades, an effort to use $6 trillion in federal spending to address social and economic challenges at a scale not seen in a half-century.

In its defence, the PPP will likely point to its initiatives such as in housing and education. But to make its case, it has to identify which of these initiatives is driven

by the greater possibilities at hand, and how much of its thinking is outside the regular box.

With oil revenues likely to surpass US$1 billion annually by 2024, little in the last four to five national budgets (yes, my despair also extends to the coalition government) suggests that the country’s development is being propelled towards an inflection point—the point at and beyond which all of us can enjoy the good life.

Instead, the political rulership class in Guyana appears still entrapped by the mentality where, in the face of massive national problems, creeping is good enough. No issue better illustrates this stuck mind-set than that of the WPAproposed cash transfer a few years ago. As a concrete proposal to put oil money directly into the hands of

families, the responses to it from the major political parties fully exposed their unpreparedness not only on the proposal itself, but also on the larger question of how to urgently lift Guyanese out of poverty and the other discomforts of life.

Probably sensing this lack of urgency and vision among our politicians, the populace now greets news of new oil finds with a resigned shrug. The excitement has long evaporated. News of more FPSOs and worldbeating GDP growth rates seem no more significant than the weather forecast, or the IPL cricket scores.

Given all this disappointment, it is time to ask whether or not our entire political class maybe up to the task of taking the country to join the likes of a Dubai, Norway, or Singapore. A

national soul-searching is in order. With money no longer a problem, are we as a nation capable of crafting a radical and ambitious development agenda on the scale of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, or Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, or Joe Biden’s Rescue, Family and Job Plans?

National soul-searching must first incite a national intolerance, a collective moral outrage, against several “unacceptables”—those societal failings we have long normalised, but which can be readily fixed. For instance, we must find unacceptable the persistence of poverty in our midst. We must also find unacceptable that we suffer or die from preventable diseases and curable ailments. It must be unacceptable that our built (Continued on page 6)

Sunday May 02, 2021

Why has construction of the East Central Rupununi all-weather road stopped?

DEAR EDITOR, Why has construction on the all-weather road in the East Central Rupununi area been stopped?

One of the previous government’s flagship projects in Region Nine was to be the construction of an all-weather road connecting villages in the East Central Rupununi corridor to the town of Lethem.

This initiative was expected to generate significant socio-economic benefits for villages such as Hiawa, Nappi, Parishara, Marakanata, Kaicumbay, Katoka, Yupukari, Quatata, Fly Hill, Kwaimatta, Massara and Toka.

The project commenced under the previous government but got only as far as Lethem to Hiawa, which represents less than a quarter of the proposed length of the road.

The APNU+AFC administration subsequently lost the elections and the project came to a halt even though from all indications money was allocated for the completion of the project before the

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coalition government lost power. (See April 3, 2019 edition of the Stabroek News.)

I t therefore remains unclear as to why the project has not been completed. Is it an issue with the contractors, insufficient finance or has the current government simply pulled the plug on the project?

A quick analysis of the election results in the abovementioned 12 villages would reveal that the PPP/C won handily in nine of the 12 villages. It therefore begs the question of why has the PPP/ C not been more proactive in seeing the project through to completion? Clearly, many of their supporters would have benefited.

I would be grateful if clarity can be given by the relevant authorities on the issues raised in this letter, because at the end of day the road stands to benefit over 4,000 Guyanese. And the PPP/C government was elected to office on the promise of a better life for all Guyanese.

Yours sincerely S. Fredericks

Make fire sprinklers mandatory where necessary DEAR EDITOR, I am very sorry for the losses of the occupants of the Sharon’s building mall.

Will the building insurance compensate these occupants?

Will the government compensate the occupants? Will the Guyana Fire Department compensate the occupants? Will the insurance company compensate the occupants?

There will be no help from either. So much losses these individuals has to endure, which could have been avoided by just the mandatory requirement of having Fire Sprinklers installation protection for commercial buildings three storeys and higher. A Fire Sprinkler system can be supplied by the water that would be available for the washroom facilities, a Fire Sprinkler system extinguishes a fire at the beginning, this suppression time is enough to contact the fire department, aiding the fire

fighters to enter the building and confirm the extinguishing of the fire.

I would like to ask the government and the fire department who are responsible if we the citizens and property owners and business owners, small or large, of Guyana, why haven’t you implemented this simple and most effective method of protection into law and commercial buildings? Is the government and Fire department waiting until there are many deaths from Fire to make Fire Sprinkler system mandatory? If it is because of not knowing how Fire Sprinkler system works, I would be grateful to assist for this will be the benefit of my

country and our citizens. Fire Sprinkler systems do not have to be manually operated, you do not need someone to see or acknowledge a fire for it to work, it is automatically designed that in the ignition of a fire, the temperature rises and would pop the thermometer tube which will release the water that would spray into tiny droplets and extinguishes the fire at its beginning. The developed countries has this as a mandatory requirement, don’t we want to develop too, or we will live “come so, do so” and not care about protection.

I say all of this because I am a fire victim and I know how it feels to lose

everything.

Please Mr. President and the Guyana Fire department make it a mandatory requirement of Fire Sprinklers protection for commercial buildings three storeys and higher or where necessary.

Sincerely, Vishul Ishwaridin

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It is time for all Guyanese to stand up against racism DEAR EDITOR, Ever since the conclusion of elections last year, we saw the Coalition taking a stance and labelling the Government as being racist. However, I am of the view that the biggest racists are the ones that like to point their fingers and call others racists.

The APNU+AFC camp is filled with such people. Time after time again we see them

ridiculing PPP/C supporters as being “trench crappos” on social media and yet still, these same ‘leaders’ have the audacity to claim that they represent all Guyanese. Their behaviour reeks of hypocrisy.

Just recently, Amanza Walton-Desir appeared on a live programme with Dr. David Hinds where she described PPP/C supporte r s , t h e majority of whom are of Indo-Guyanese ethnicity, as being “mentally lazy people.” She expressed the view that these supporters find it “burdensome to think for themselves.”

Though she did not explicitly say it, it is

anyone’s guess as to which group of persons she was referring to. It is becoming evident day after day that m a n y o f these so-called leaders within the APNU+AFC hold similar views.

Their mind-set is one that says that Indians are below them and are incapable of being independent and critical thinkers.

How can these people even claim that they are a party that represents all Guyanese when this is the way they view half of the population?

I express my utmost displeasure with WaltonDesir’s comment and urge all right-minded Guyanese to do

the same. Leaders should be able to guide their people in the right direction.

They should have the interest of the people at heart.

Segregating people and having mind-sets that place certain groups above others are not good traits.

Racism and politics do not go hand in hand. In my view, the APNU+AFC continue to show its inability to represent Guyana as a progressive party.

This is one of their many downfalls. It is time for all Guyanese to stand up against racism from the very people who promised to unite us.

Respectfully Yours, Erin Northe

Assurance was misleading DEAR EDITOR, If the origin of that massive fire was electrical, as is being posited/touted, and it is found to be so that perhaps the main electrical system of the complex was faulty, would the owner/ management as the landlord, bear any responsibility/ liability to the tenants?

How frequent were electrical inspections done to the building?

The Fire Chief must take the many lessons (mistakes) from this disaster to improve on his fire fighting abilities and capabilities in dealing with a massive fire such as this one, his first major outing since assuming the position.

There can be no doubt the assurance that the situation was under control proved to be misleading.

Sincerely Shamshun Mohamed

Investigate conflict of interest DEAR EDITOR, There is another news headline of a conflict of interest. This time it is at GPL to add to so many others (Report May 1).

The tsunami of corruption was not imagined when the new government was sworn in nine months ago.

The more things change, the more they remain the same or repeat themselves. The government must pull up its socks or it will face the ire of voters in four years.

This government will soon be known by the moniker “conflict of interest government” because of the personnel sitting on boards with ties to private companies bidding for contracts. Shouldn’t there be an investigation of other Ministries and boards to weed out conflict of interest and eliminate corruption?

There is the case of a

Minister’s children becoming contractors and responding to emergency (no bid) works.

There is also the Chairman of a board who is on the payroll of a company that bids for contracts supplying excavators and equipment for DNI works and cleaning drains.

Aren’t these examples a conflict of interest? Shouldn’t these also be addressed?

Shouldn’t the Minister, Chair and Directors be also removed as was done at GuyOil pending an investigation?

When will government recruit individuals who have a track record of honesty and integrity?

In looking around, there are so many individuals with a history of allegations of corruption. It seems the more one is corrupt, the higher is the position.

Yours truly, Dharmendra Lalji

...Are our politicians out From page 4 environment (towns and villages) is rife with backwardness, ugliness and filthiness. It is unacceptable that the attitude lurks among our political leaders that the masses must forever be trapped in a dependency relationship with them and their parties. Intolerance of these “nonsenses” must motivate us to build a different Guyana. Just as important, it must force seekers and holders of political office to realise that past and present performance is woefully short of the mark.

We must also decide on a critical issue at the heart of any process to rapidly transform the lives of Guyanese. And that issue concerns the rapid conversion of Guyana into a modern Scandinavian-style welfare state. This is both a moral (the right thing to do) and democratic (what the people desire) imperative.

Such a welfare state must not only guarantee free and quality health and education for all. It must also include ambitious social programmes that directly benefit a range of Guyanese in different circumstances and with different needs (such as the elderly, single parents, the newly wed, small entrepreneurs, Indigenous peoples, youths and recent graduates).

Guyana must reach the top on the UN World Happiness Index, along with countries like Finland, Denmark and Switzerland.

Our oil blessings now enable us to make our people happy.

The lack of urgency and vision among our political class now borders on a dereliction of responsibility.

The longer our oil revenues languish in a bank doing nothing for the Guyanese people, the greater the failure.

Sincerely Sherwood Lowe

Sunday May 02, 2021

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Sunday May 02, 2021

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Govt. moves to issue new quarrying licence to satisfy local demand

Section of a quarrying operation.

President Irfaan Ali has announced a move by Government to issue new quarrying licences to satisfy the local demand for stone in the building and construction sectors.

During a press conference held at State House on Wednesday, President Ali pointed the potential for Guyana to supply the extraordinary demand given the construction boom, locally.

According to Ali, in the last few months, the construction boom has required the importation of an estimated forty percent of the demand.

The President disclosed that the stone import was valued at approximately of US$10 million, when “we can produce this locally”.

He noted that there are only a few licenced quarry operators in Guyana and as such, the government will be taking steps to issue a number of new licences through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.

President Ali said too, that the accelerating housing program, massive highways and community roads to be developed across the country will also add to the demand over the next five years.

“In order to maximize the local benefits, to create jobs and expanding local content, we are in the process of issuing new quarrying licences in order to fully satisfy local demands,” the President announced.

In addition to the housing sector, the President said that

President Irfaan Ali. the mining sector also has a demand for the building material, given efforts to maintain approximately 1500 kilometers of hinterland road, repair 40 culverts and build 20 bridges, long bridges.

To this end, Ali said that the Ministry of Public Works has also been given a task to enhance infrastructure and travel along the hinterland trail.

“I have asked the Ministry of Public Works to complete a condition of all bridges along the Linden to Lethem road.

The ministry will further design and cost each bridge which will be built in concrete to international standard, these costs will be included in government’s expenditure” President Ali mentioned at the press conference.

America Street moneychanger robbed, shot in leg A moneychanger, David Wilson, was robbed by two bandits yesterday on the corner of America Street and the Avenue of the Republic.

According to eyewitnesses, Wilson, 49, of Eccles, East Bank Demerara, usually conducts business further down America Street, but because of the Labour Day holiday, he went to the Avenue of the Republic corner to better attract customers.

While he was there, around 11.30 hrs, two men on a black Honda XR motorcycle without number plate rode up to him. Wilson approached them raising his hands in a gesture indicating he changed money, as he would usually do, according to a vendor who witnessed the incident.

According to the eyewitness, the pillion rider of the

bike came off, approached Wilson and demanded that he hand over the cash in his hand. The bandit then took a gun from his waist, shot the moneychanger once to his leg and proceeded to rob him of $600,000 in cash.

The bandit subsequently joined his accomplice on the motorcycle and the two escaped along the Avenue of the Republic. Both bandits were reportedly attired in construction vests while conducting the robbery.

According to eyewitnesses, Wilson, even after receiving the injury, tried to stand up. An ambulance was summoned and the man was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Police subsequently arrived on the scene and collected one spent shell. Investigations are continuing.

Sunday May 02, 2021

ERC to launch investigation into comments by Walton-Desir, Ramjattan The Ethnic Relations Commissions (ERC) Media Monitoring Unit will launch an investigation into comments made recently by Opposition Parliamentarians, Amanza Walton-Desir and Khemraj Ramjattan during the “Politics 101” programme hosted by political scientist, Dr. David Hinds.

According to a reliable source, the ERC was made aware of the comments due to a series of condemnations made against them and more particularly, a column penned

by Freddie Kissoon that was carried in this newspapers April 27, 2021 edition titled: “The ERC should prosecute Amanza Walton-Desir and Khemraj Ramjattan.”

Kaieteur News learnt that the ERC has since reached out for crucial pieces of information about the programme that was broadcasted on Facebook, including, the date, the time and caption (if any).

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This is because the unit has made attempts to locate the video of the programme but they were futile.

Further to that, in his column, Kissoon had offered the recording of the programme to anyone who would like to hear the comments made by Walton-Desir and Ramjattan and the ERC has expressed that it would like to take him up on that offer.

The comments made by the parliamentarians have

not been received well by the public.

In fact, a letter carried in yesterdays edition, saw a citizen asking for one of them to resign.

Just months ago, another APNU+AFC parliamentarian, Cathy Hughes, was investigated by the Commission over comments made on the Facebook platform, which were said to be riot inciting.

However, those comments were proven to be falsified.

Dem boys seh...

Lockdown coming!

Yall start stock up pun yuh grocery. Lockdown coming. And it gan be a long, long lockdown when it start. Start buy yuh flour, rice and sugar because when de storm get worse, yuh gan be confined to yuh home.

De numbers telling a frightening tale.

April was de deadliest month ever. Dem had more dan double de amount of positive cases dan in January when more dan 40 persons bin get infect. In April was more dan 60 persons per day wah test positive.

And on average, more dan two persons died every day.

Was a record breaking month.

Still Prezzie seh how good sense nah prevail. Well, it looks like de government is de chief cook and bottle washer when it comes to good sense not prevailing.

But dem own friends seeing de writing on de wall. Dem private sector company done realise dat de country is in its deadliest surge and dem about to tek action, with or without de government.

Dem boys hear how some private businesses decide

dem gan wuk half day instead of whole day so dat dem staff can get home early.

Some places done start sending home dem workers by 3:00 pm because dem nah wan dem gat to deh in de traffic rush.

People nah waiting pun government. Dem see de storm clouds and dem start to shut dem window. Nuff more people gan dead before dis done. So full up yuh cupboards and wait out de storm at home!

Talk half and stay safe!

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FRONT PAGE COMMENT RECAP As we continue our mission to enlighten you about issues of importance to this nation, we at Kaieteur News, have been publishing a series of front-page comments in the hope of having our leaders take the necessary actions in order to realise the desired outcome. Today, we recap the front-page comments that were published during the past week.

SUNDAY No more secrecy Why the secrecy, fellow citizens, with the OMAI deal?

Why this ‘shroud’ over this rich gold contract? A shroud is what is placed on a dead body to give it some dignity.

Fellow Guyanese, we are not dead, but when President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo engage in this kind of secrecy, then as far as they are concerned, we might as well be.

This absence of transparency is exactly what the PPP/ C leaders did when they were

in office before – big-money contracts were plastered over with secrecy. Terms and conditions of deals in just about everything were hidden from sight and kept away from the attention of citizens. The natural resources of this country cannot be a secret when deals are entered into, when contracts are signed.

We the people must know and all Guyanese should demand to know, about all of them.

The OMAI gold contract must be fully shared now.

That is not negotiable. This nation should not continue living with secrecy, especially when dealing with its resource wealth.

FRIDAY What is Dr. Jagdeo really up to?

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, put on a sideshow for the army of yes-men that accompanied him at Monday’s Oil and Gas Press Meeting he held. Instead of coming clean, it was another exhibition in evasiveness, deception and the creation of

smokescreens in order to hide the truth and the facts.

Dr. Jagdeo spoke about ten thousand words about the gas-to-shore project, but not a word about any supporting financial studies done.

He believes that because he has some numbers in his head, that all Guyana must go along without questioning him. When he was questioned about the basis of his figures, he decided that a heavy dose of irrelevancies was the way to camouflage

the issue. He answered questions without ever answering them to the point and with regard for facts and substance.

While U.S. President Biden’s ground-breaking commits to move away from fossil fuels and to cheaper, cleaner renewables, our own Dr. Jagdeo doesn’t want to hear about that. He is driven to get his way with his imagined figures, which are all he has to support this costly gas-to-shore project, which could be Guyana’s next white

elephant.

Guyanese: we knew a lot about sugar. Dr. Jagdeo spent (wasted) US$200M on the Skeldon Factory and look at where we are today. On the other hand, we know very little about oil and gas and there is Dr. Jagdeo pretending that he knows more than Americans and Europeans, who are readying to lessen their powerful fossil fuel dependency. Something is not right about this. What is Dr. Jagdeo really up to, that no one else knows?

Sunday May 02, 2021

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Sunday May 02, 2021

Motorcycle bandits strike again at Foulis Motorcycle bandits have claimed another victim, this time at Foulis, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

According to a police report, at about 11:20 hours on Friday, driver Moniram Persaud arrived at a bond located at Seventeenth Street, Foulis, ECD, in motor vehicle PHH 3399.

Persaud was in the process of handing over some spare parts when two men on a black Honda XR motorcycle, one of whom had a handgun in his possession, came from the eastern direction and approached the left passenger side of the vehicle. The pillion rider reportedly dismounted the motorcycle, took out a black handgun, discharged a round into the air and demanded that Persaud hand over cash, to which he com-

plied.

As seen in a video of the incident posted on news website, News Room, Persaud exited the vehicle and ran into the bond.

The bandit then proceeded to search the vehicle, taking one Samsung cellphone valued $50,000, one gold ring valued $60,000 and two excavator filters valued at $30,000.

After acquiring the items, the suspect then mounted the motorcycle and the two escaped.

The matter was reported to the Enmore Police Station. Checks were made within the area for the suspects but were unsuccessful.

A statement has been taken from Persaud and an investigation is in progress.

A screenshot of a CCTV footage displaying the events of the robbery

Sunday May 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

Labour Minister flags SOL for not paying overtime

Following a visit to SOL Guyana Incorporateds headquarters on Friday, the Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, has flagged the companys Surinamese management for not paying its workers overtime, stating that it is a breach of Guyanas Labour Laws.

In an interview conducted with News Room, an online media entity, Hamilton expressed his disappointment and also affirmed, “I dont even allow Guyanese employers to attempt to take advantage of Guyanese people, and I take great offence when people who come to this country to work think they can take advantage. That will not happen… there are no sacred cows.”

Despite Guyanas Labour Act outlining that workers are

Mister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton to be paid overtime salaries for all hours worked beyond their eight-hour shift, it was revealed during the interview that SOL workers were not paid their overtime salaries since last year. The company had complained of the effects the COVID-19 pandemic caused and instead, it sought to compensate for the owed monies by giving the employees days off. In response to (Continued on page 56)

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Thirteen-year-old Sophia girl missing A 13-year-old Sophia girl has been missing since Tuesday and relatives have been pleading for her return.

According to an aunt who spoke to this paper but who wished to remain anonymous stated that, Maria Sampson disappeared from her A Field, Sophia home on April 27, sometime after 19:30 hrs.

“She left to go to the washroom but she never returned,” said the aunt.

Realising that hours had passed, the woman recalled, Maria’s little sister was sent to check on her but she was not in the washroom. The aunt continued, that they became worried and began searching the house for the teen and observed that her clothes were scattered in her bedroom.

“We checked with all her

friends, acquaintances and other relatives but no one has a clue of where she is or might be,” related the aunt.

The young woman’s family has had to deal with false and unsuccessful leads since the teen’s disappearance.

“Someone had called on Friday night,” the aunt told Kaieteur News, “and said that Maria was seen on Bent Street and Louisa Row, Georgetown, but when the police turned up Maria was not there.”

This paper understands that the ranks searched the entire area but were unsuccessful in locating anyone matching Maria’s description.

Her relatives received another call yesterday in the early morning hours that Maria was at the “Sophia Blacka,” the stretch of the Lamaha Canal bordering

Sophia, Lamaha Gardens and Guyhoc Park.

Her aunt said that they rushed to the area but once again, there were no sign of Maria.

They spent the entire morning searching she added but up to press time, they could not locate the teen.

Maria Sampson’s relatives related that they are becoming more worried and concerned about her safety as the hours pass.

They have since lodged a missing person’s report at the Turkeyen Police Station.

Maria was last seen wearing a pink and white top, damaged blue jeans and a pair of black slippers.

Anyone who might have seen her or knows where she is can contact her relatives on 641-9753, 629-6472, 600-6315 or the nearest police station.

Missing since April 27, Maria Sampson.

Two new COVID-19 fatalities pushes death toll to 298 The Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday reported two new COVID-19 fatalities: a 71-year-old woman from Region 8 (Potaro-Siparuni), and a 73-year-old woman from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), increasing Guyanas COVID-19 death toll to 298.

In its press release, it stated that both persons died

whilst receiving treatment at a medical facility. With an alarming increase in deaths at an average of two deaths being recorded each day, very soon Guyana will surpass the 300 benchmark.

The MoH also reported 121 new infections via its daily dashboard update yesterday, which shows the total number of confirmed cases

increasing to 13,404.

The dashboard also confirmed that 17 patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, another 10 in institutional quarantine, 89 in institutional isolation and 1,701 in home isolation. Additionally, 11,299 persons in total have recovered to date with 91 new recoveries recorded yesterday.

Sunday May 02, 2021

Dear Reader, in light of the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our publisher, with you in mind, has taken the decision to extend our weekly review of some of our major stories in their entirety.

SUNDAY EXXONMOBIL’S SYSTEMIC FAILURES FRIGHTENING – ARJOON-MARTINS - NATION’S ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS ERODED

BY ITS UNPRECEDENTED FLARING Following the recent commemoration of World Earth Day, Environmentalist, Annette Arjoon-Martins says she remains “deeply troubled” that the nation’s environmental credentials are being continually eroded by ExxonMobil’s ‘frightening’ flaring of gas since December 2019 due to the Liza Destiny’s faulty gas compressor system. By burning the associated gas from the Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil, is releasing, on a daily basis, over 250 toxic chemicals into the nation’s airspace. In an invited comment, ArjoonMartins asserted that ExxonMobil was sold to Guyana as the gold standard of oil operations, but upon noting its environmental performance to date, particularly as it relates to flaring, she stated that the oil giant is more akin to having a “brass standard.”

The Head of the Guyana Marine Conservation Society said, “That this global giant has been incapable of resolving a malfunctioning gas compressor for one and a half years (for the Liza Destiny vessel) which has resulted in several billions and counting of cubic feet of gas being flared, is frightening.

Frightening because it makes me wonder what other systemic failures we may expect.” She added, “It is more frightening because of the implications of what this flaring, [which is] being permitted over two administrations means with absolutely no penalties whatsoever. I am left to wonder if this precedent may be indicative of if, heaven forbid, there is an oil spill.”

What is also worrying for the environmentalist is that ExxonMobil’s own oil spill modelling has shown that an unmitigated oil spill will impact the Shell Beach Protected Area, its invaluable biodiversity, watersheds and fisheries, all of which represent an integral element of Guyana’s blue economy.

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She noted too that Guyana’s former impeccable environmental credentials were largely a result of the environmental stewardship of the present administration.

While she is deeply grateful to the government for the opportunities provided to her to be of environmental service in marine conservation and mangrove restoration programmes, Arjoon-Martins said she looks forward to the PPP/C administration instituting severe penalties on those responsible for the current state of affairs with ExxonMobil’s operations.

“Our country and future generations deserve no less,” she said while noting her delight that Guyana has ratified the Escazú Agreement that not only protects the environment but also the people who defend it.

Just four days ago, Kaieteur News would have reported that ExxonMobil Guyana could take as much as three months to fix a component of its gas compressor which malfunctioned for a fourth time on April 13. The company said that the faulty discharge silencer has been removed, and will undergo further assessment for damage, following which a determination will be made regarding the necessary scope of repairs and/or modifications.

In the meantime, the American oil explorer and operator of the Stabroek Block said that production will be “slowly ramped up” to 100,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd). It can also go as high as 110,000 bpd the company noted. Further to this, Kaieteur News and other media entities were told that flaring levels have increased from three to four million cubic feet of gas to 15 million cubic feet of gas. In its statement, which provided justification for the increase, ExxonMobil said, “These operating parameters were defined after careful consideration of safety, environmental, technical and economic factors as well as discussions with the relevant government agencies on the best path forward while repairs and upgrades are ongoing.”

While it is extremely disappointed by its poor performance to date, ExxonMobil Guyana said it is nonetheless “proud of the team offshore that continues to work safely and manage operations efficiently during the COVID-19 pandemic…”

Since December 2019, Kaieteur News would have diligently followed and reported on ExxonMobil’s continually malfunctioning gas compressor system. On December 20, 2020, it had

announced that the gas compressor issue was fixed once and for all. But during that one-year period, it had already flared 12.4 billion cubic feet of gas per day, equivalent to the removal of 1.6M acres of forest. In simpler terms, this means that Exxon flared toxic Natural gas that could have been offset by a forest the size of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

However, the issues with its gas compressor would soon return. On January 13, 2021, the gas compressor malfunctioned for a second time. The company did not reveal the cause at that time but said that it was fixed within a matter of hours, or so it thought.

On January 29, 2021, the gas compressor broke down completely, forcing ExxonMobil this time around to send the faulty equipment to Germany for repairs and upgrades. A detailed assessment of the compressor subsequently revealed that an axial vibration of the compressor rotor is what led to mechanical disruptions.

The equipment was back in Guyana by the second week of March where it was installed on the Liza Destiny vessel.

Tests were subsequently being carried out in the early part of April, but before that could be completed, the gas compressor which was supposedly repaired and upgraded, malfunctioned for the fourth time.

MONDAY GRA SEIZES FUEL SHIPMENTAT HEART OF GUYOIL SCANDAL …AS ARI BOSS REVEALS COMPANY OFFICIALS PROMISED TO GET HIM IMPORT LICENCE The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Friday

seized a shipment of fuel at the centre of a scandal at the state-owned Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL). Jayson Aaron, the principal for Aaron Royalty Inc. (ARI), the company that ordered the fuel for GUYOIL confirmed the seizure talking to this paper Sunday; he also admitted that the company does not have an import licence for fuel, but claims he did not bring the fuel into Guyana’s waters as per agreement with GUYOIL officials.

Aaron explained that under his verbal agreement with the entity’s officials, GUYOIL was supposed to send their pilot ship to escort the vessel from international waters, on arrival. This did not happen The ARI boss explained saying, “I have it in wording from the owner of the vessel, that’s what he told me; the Coast Guard gave instructions to [the] lighthouse to radio the vessel, to tell the vessel to come in” after which it was formally detained. He shared with this publication what he classified as the last known location for the vessel via satellite tracking. The vessel has since been moored at the Ruimveldt Sugar Terminal.

Regarding the fact that he did not have a fuel import licence, Aaron explained that under the agreement he had with the GUYOIL Director and senior official who engaged him, they were to – on the ship’s arrival – use their “fuel permit to bring the ship with the cargo in.” According to Aaron, “I told them in the beginning I didn’t have a permit and it was being processed at GEA and they said that after this shipment they would speed up the process of my permit.”

Asked to elaborate on the agreement, Aaron told this publication he had requested a contract but “they said,

when this emergency load is received, they will put everything in place for a contract; so basically, this was supposed to be a trial run for my company with them.”

This publication understands the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has also launched an investigation into how ARI managed to import the fuel without a licence. GEA head, Dr. Mahender Sharma, when asked Sunday, would only confirm that an investigation has been launched into the matter. He declined to comment further, saying that he did not want to prejudice the investigation. According to Aaron, he is expected to meet with the GRA today on the matter.

Efforts to contact the GUYOIL Chairman of the Board of Directors, Paul Cheong, on Sunday for an update into the internal probe, proved futile. Cheong in an earlier comment to Kaieteur News, had shared that it was he who directed one of the company’s Directors, Akanni Blair, to source a fuel supplier for two shipments that the state company had tendered out for.

He had said that Blair was only asked to provide the company’s management with the information for the company. According to the GUYOIL Chairman, the company in question, ARI was not known to him until Good Friday last, when Blair and a senior GUYOIL official met with the ARI Principal, Aaron, at his home. He told this publication that he had only instructed the two officials to go ahead and begin the due diligence process for the supply of the two shipments of 31,000 barrels of fuel each, destined for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Company.

Efforts to contact the

senior official that was said to have met with Aaron on Good Friday last, to discuss the fuel deal, proved futile as calls to his mobile telephone went unanswered. That official has been said to be the person at the other end of a WhatsApp message thread where details of the fuel transaction was discussed and Aaron was assured of payment if he kept quiet on the matter.

Aaron had last week issued several ultimatums to GUYOIL to conclude the transaction with him or he would expose that officials of the company had contacted him to procure the fuel and that there was some corrupt aspects to what was subsequently required of him to secure the deal. He has since told Kaieteur News that the deal between him and the GUYOIL officials was squashed, since, according to him, the officials had found another dealer that was offering a higher pay off. This publication understands that that other purported arrangement also fell through since GUYOIL ended up purchasing the fuel for GPL from Staatsolie, the Surinamese state-owned oil company.

TUESDAY NO INDEPENDENT STUDIES, NO MASTER PLAN, NO TEAM OF EXPERTS IN PLACE FOR US$900M GAS PROJECT Even though the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration (PPP/C) does not possess an independent study, a master plan, or even a team of experts with experience in protecting State interests, the administration is still forging ahead with its controversial gas-to-shore (Continued on page 22)

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From page 21 project now pegged to cost US$900M. This state of affairs became apparent during a press conference that was held Monday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. There, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo; Head of the Gas-toShore Taskforce, Winston Brassington and other officials, sought to address concerns regarding the absence of studies for the project that will be spread across 10,000 acres of land at Wales.

Jagdeo and his team were keen to note that several studies were done before on the project and its feasibility by the APNU+AFC Coalition. The five studies in question are the Gas-to-Power Feasibility Assessment in Guyana

by K&M Advisors; an Oil and Gas Master plan by Japan Cooperation Centre Petroleum Chiyoda Corporation – updated February 2021; a Study on System Expansion of the Generation System by Brugman SAS; a Desk Study of the Options, Cost, Economics, Impacts and Key Considerations of Transporting and Utilising Natural Gas from Offshore Guyana for the Generation of Electricity (2017) by Energy Narrative; a Feasibility Study for Guyana’s Offshore Natural Gas Pipeline, NGL Separation and LPG Production plant, and related electricity infrastructure – 2018 by Energy Narrative; and a Feasibility Study for Guyana’s Offshore Natural Gas Pipeline, NGL Separation and LPG Production plant, and related electricity infrastructure – Revised Final Report: Appendix C by Energy Narrative.

Following an assessment of the foregoing, Jagdeo said the government was able to draw one common conclusion—bringing gasto-shore makes economic sense.

Going forward, the government said that a geotechnical, geophysical and an environmental study would be completed so as to outline what the new project parametres will be, given the government’s selection of Wales as the home for the project. It should be noted that these three studies slated for completion in 18 months (2022) would be done by ExxonMobil. Following this revelation, Kaieteur News asked the Vice President to identify the experts providing guidance on protecting the interests of the State. While he did not provide the list requested, he did note however that the government would publish a few advertisements in the coming days, which would look to fill certain key positions. The first position to be advertised will be for a Value Engineer. This person would be responsible for ensuring Guyana is getting value for money on all expenditure by ExxonMobil.

The Vice President said too that a Legal and Commercial Consultant is being sought to monetise and conclude all of the contracts associated with the gas project, including one for the price to be paid to ExxonMobil for transporting the gas via the pipeline. This consultant would also be responsible for

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completed, but assured that it would be done soon.

GAS-TO-SHORE PROJECT… EXXON TO CO-OWN PIPELINE AND SELL GUYANA’S GAS …PRICE STILL UNDER NEGOTIATION—VPJAGDEO

commercialising other aspects of the by-products derived from the gas project.

A Procurement Process Reviewer is also on the list of positions to be advertised. This person, Kaieteur News understands, would be responsible for ensuring contracts being awarded in the oil sector are not tailored to keep locals from having a fair shot.

Another key person being sought is for Petroleum Data Management for Transparency. The holder of this post would be responsible for ensuring the government has its own repository of credible data needed to hold ExxonMobil accountable. That Consultant would also be required to improve the relationship between the Ministry of Natural Resources and the public.

While the aforementioned was deemed a commendable effort on the

part of the government, Jagdeo was still pressed by other members of the media to identify the experts used to provide guidance on the selection of Wales as the most suitable landing site as opposed to other areas. The Vice President was quick to note that Guyana does not need foreign experts for that type of work, as there are several knowledgeable locals who are able to competently make those judgments.

He noted however that the government is currently being advised by Petroleum Consultant, Simon Shaw, who has over 20 years experience of design and construction management in the Oil and Gas industry primarily relating to offshore projects, particularly pipelines and subsea systems.

As regards this publication’s question on whether a Gas Master plan has been completed or in draft mode, the Vice President acknowledged that this was not

ExxonMobil Guyana, the operator of the Stabroek Block, will be co-owners of the intended gas pipeline from the Liza Destiny since the piece of infrastructure will be paid for out of cost-oil from the oil produced offshore. This will result in a 50/50 ownership between the operator and Guyana.

At least this is according to Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who Monday led a special briefing on the proposed gas-to-power project at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

He was joined by Winston Brassington, the lead person on the Gas-to-Shore working group, who disclosed that contrary to the publicly stated figures, the price tag that the administration is using is some US$900M for the entire project.

Former Energy Minister in Trinidad and Tobago, Kevin Ramnarine, had said that the conservative estimate for the pipeline alone was between US$600M and US$800M. It was disclosed too Monday that the negotiations are underway for the price to pay ExxonMobil for the gas that will be provided.

When confronted with the fact that ExxonMobil is still looking at the economic impact on its operations from potentially providing gas to Guyana, VP Jagdeo called the position “commercial gaff” and noted that Guyana was looking to pay just over US$0.03 cents and no more.

He conceded however, that these negotiations are still to be concluded.

Providing an update on the gas project, Brassington told those in attendance that the project was under study since 2016 and that when the current administration took office in August 2020, there were no major decisions at the time.

According to Brassington, the negotiations with ExxonMobil by the current administration commenced in December and that at end of the year the key decisions taken were publicly communicated.

These, he noted, relates to the gas pipeline terminating at the former Wales Estate on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD).

Importantly however, it was noted that the pipeline will not be traversing the Demerara River but rather would be landing at Crane, West Coast Demerara (WCD) before being piped along the communities to Wales.

According to Brassington, the operator has committed to providing the country with an initial supply of some 50 million cubic feet of gas per day.

VP Jagdeo had explained that the company was only looking to commit some 35 million cubic feet

daily but the administration managed to secure a commitment for more.

Despite the reluctance on the part of ExxonMobil—taking into account the need to re-inject gas in order to optimise the amount of oil that can be had from the reservoir— Jagdeo claimed that the increase supply would not hinder the operations in the Stabroek Block.

According to Brassington, the 50 million cubic feet will allow for enough gas to power the 250MW power plant.

Despite the fact that several studies such as the Environmental Impact and Social Assessment are still to be completed, the project head nonetheless envisions the project coming on stream by 2024.

This, he said, gives 18 months to complete all of the outstanding studies after which a competitive tender for the construction of the pipeline will be pursued.

He was adamant that while the administration is working with a US$900M price tag for the entire project inclusive of pipeline, the final cost would be determined when the project goes out to tender.

“The entire scope of the project as defined by Exxon has an outer limit of US$900M, this is not just a pipeline, this is the onshore pipeline facility, the gas processing plant and all of the related infrastructure,” he said.

In the breakdown provided, it is envisioned that the cost of the offshore pipeline and Riser would be between US$560M and US$630M. Additionally, the onshore pipeline between Crane and the Wales site would cost between US$80M and US$100M while the Natural Gas Liquids/Gas Plant is estimated at US$120M. The other cost cited was for ‘infrastructure’ pegged at between US$40M and US$50M. Addressing what he termed the “outer limit” on the capital costs associated with the project, Brassington told stakeholders, “…we agreed that Exxon would fund the pipeline out of cost-oil.”

On the costs with regards to the generation of electricity, Brassington said that the outer limit considered is three and a half cents per kilowatthour.

This, he said, together with operation and other costs will still see power being generated at less than half the cost of electricity generation paid by the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL).

It was noted by Jagdeo, however, that this price is still subject to negotiations and has not been finalised as yet.

He said that included in the US$900M figure is the power plant, pipeline and gas treatment plant.

It was noted by Brassington and Jagdeo that while the current administration has not yet completed any of its own independent studies, the ones done between 2016 and 2020 by their predecessors are being used to inform the decisions being taken at present. According to Brassington, (Continued on page 23)

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From page 22 in addition to the savings from using gas, government will also be seeing additional benefits from utilisation of other gases, which, he said, would potentially offset the cost of the project.

These however have not been the subject of any studies and VP Jagdeo said they have not looked at revenue streams using other gases, since the focus initially is on using the Natural gas for power generation.

NO CURRENT PLANS BEYOND LIZA 1 FOR GAS-TO-SHORE PROJECT – VP JAGDEo ExxonMobil Guyana is forging ahead with plans to have at least 10 Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Vessels producing in the Stabroek Block over the next decade, but even as the ruling administration also pursues a gas-to-shore project to capitalise on the available associated gases, there is no current plan beyond using the resource from the first oil field, Liza I. This, according to Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, who this past Monday led a press engagement at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) aimed at putting to rest the speculations in the public domain over the multimilliondollar project.

Addressing the stakeholders gathered at the ACCC, VP Jagdeo, when asked about the administration’s plans said, “We’ve not contemplated the second project because the numbers on this project as a standalone project are so good, it’s a dream set situation. If you’re a private investor, somebody would want to invest in a project like this.”

Dr. Jagdeo also responded to queries on additional costs to the project with the coming on stream of additional production fields, saying, “…the monetisation is so, you can monetise this project quickly and make a lot of money, the good thing is it would belong to the State.”

With regards to the gas which will be had from the Liza I production field, Dr. Jagdeo told stakeholders that in Guyana the oil exploration companies are not in fact drilling in search of gas fields: “What we have here are wells that are drilled to take out the oil but they let gas come in, associated gas, so there is not like a gas well.”

According to Jagdeo there could very well be large discoveries of gas fields like in neighbouring Trinidad and

Tobago or Venezuela saying, “I don’t know if they may at some point in time hit a large gas reservoir that could warrant its own development on its own that could then move you into the big leagues where you can start producing large quantities of like ammonia or urea and stuff.”

The Vice President said, “…with the ones we have here now with the gas that we’re going to get will be small quantities for domestic demand.”

He noted that the pipeline, which will be used for the gasto-shore project, would have the capacity to bring to shore more than double what the Stabroek Block operator has committed to, so “that is a bonus,” and that the current shelf life for the Liza 1 field is estimated to be some 20 years.

Additionally, the Vice President noted that as it relates to actual revenues to be had from the project, “we haven’t monetised the Natural gas linkage as yet.”

“I doubt,” he said, “they’re going to make any money on the pipeline; where the project will make some money is in the sale of the Natural gas and other things that are there,” citing as example the sale of Liquefied Propane Gas (LPG).

The Vice President did concede however, “…we haven’t worked out the framework and monetised that as yet because we’re focusing wholly on the studies and the project parameters at this time.”

He posited that once the administration has managed to monetise revenue to be had from the excess associated gases to be had from the first field, “then that will give you a figure, a revenue figure and then when you add all of the other sale of the other facilities, of the other byproducts that would give you a revenue figure.”

According to Jagdeo however, “We haven’t gone there as yet – we’re looking mainly at the studies now to deal with this. Once we settle that this is a big gas project and bringing gas-to-energy is a feasible option, everything

else is a bonus.”

WEDNESDAY UARU-2 WELL TAKES EXXON’S STABROEK BLOCK DISCOVERIES TO 19 Stabroek Block operator, ExxonMobil, announced Tuesday that it made an oil discovery at the Uaru-2 Well, pushing the finds in the offshore concession to 19.

According to ExxonMobil, Uaru-2 will add to the previously announced gross discovered recoverable resource estimate for the block, currently estimated to be approximately nine billion oil-equivalent barrels.

The company noted that drilling at Uaru-2 encountered approximately 120 feet (36.7 meters) of high quality oilbearing reservoirs including newly identified intervals below the original Uaru-1 discovery. The well was also drilled in 5,659 feet (1,725 meters) of water and is located approximately 6.8

miles (11 kilometers) south of the Uaru-1 well.

Following the announcement, Mike Cousins, Senior Vice President of Exploration and New Ventures at ExxonMobil said the Uaru-2 discovery enhances the company’s work to optimally sequence development opportunities in the Stabroek Block.

He added, “Progressing our industry-leading investments and wellexecuted exploration plans are vital in order to continue to develop Guyana’s offshore resources that unlock additional value for the people of Guyana and all stakeholders.”

Kaieteur News would have reported in January 2020 that Uaru-1 was the 16th discovery in the Stabroek Block. The well had encountered approximately 94 feet (29 meters) of high quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoir and was drilled in 6,342 feet (1,933 meters) of water.

ExxonMobil anticipates at

least six projects online by 2027 and sees potential for up to 10 oil ships to develop its current recoverable resource balance.

As for the start-up of Liza Phase Two, this remains on target for 2022, as the Liza Unity FPSO prepares to sail from Singapore to Guyana later this year. The Unity’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) have a production capacity of 220,000 barrels of oil per day at peak rates.

With regard to the hull for the Prosperity FPSO vessel, which will operate at ExxonMobil’s third project at the Payara Field, the oil giant has since noted that it is complete and topsides construction activities have commenced in Singapore with a start-up target of 2024.

ExxonMobil said these new projects continue to drive investment in the Guyanese economy.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometers). ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is the operator and holds 45 percent interest in the Stabroek Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Limited holds 30 percent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds 25 percent interest.

GAS-TO-SHORE PROJECT… GOVT. STILL UNSURE ON DESIGN OR NUMBER OF POWER PLANTS The Guyana Government is forging ahead with plans to install some 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity using Natural Gas from the Stabroek Block, but a design is yet to be decided on. Further, the administration is also unsure as to whether it would even be building a single plant or several modular facilities.

The revelation was had on Monday last, when Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, led a press engagement at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) and it was disclosed that the power generation aspect of the gasto-shore project might even

be proceeded with ahead of the gas pipe from the producing field offshore Guyana.

Dr. Jagdeo told those in attendance–including publishers and editors of local media houses–”we may be able to, in a modular form, advance the building of the power plant.”

According to the Vice President, the administration is examining, “if we are going to put in a 300 megawatts power plant, the configuration of the 300 megawatts, [or] whether it would be small units.”

He said, these details are still to be decided on by the “technical people” but posited, “We believe that if we settled everything we are examining now, we can do 150 megawatts and supply it from through the gas that we bring in now, [even] before the pipeline comes on stream.”

This he said is given the urgent need for power even now.

He suggested that by the time the pipeline terminates at the Wales Estate, “We will then build the second 150 megawatts.” He reiterated, “That’s being examined now.”

The Vice President did caution however that this approach would be dependent on the finalised location for the pipe.

He explained, saying, this would be obtained when “the pipeline guys will come and say, here is where the power plant will terminate.”

Dr. Jagdeo used the occasion to also speculate, should the hurdle be surmounted, that “once you settle that, the Government, we, have to now invest in the road to the site and to build a facility.”

He in fact suggested this as the reason the Administration has already started looking into aspects of the riverbed and banks, “to look at where you would have to build a wharf there to land the big pieces of equipment, the power plants and all of these things, heavy duty roads to take you up to the site.”

The Vice President was (Continued on page 24)

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From page 23 adamant, “all of this work has to be done.” He speculated too, “it’s a lot of different projects but all connected to the power plant,” and that at a later stage the Administration would be looking into, “whether the Government would fully own, say the urea plant or it will go out to tender, or something else.”

According to Jagdeo, at present, “there is no commitment to that as yet; we are just seeing, examining the details; we are working on the details to get this one project, the power plant, off and running.”

As it relates to the additional gases to be had from the associated gases coming from the Stabroek Block, Dr. Jagdeo noted that at present there is no definitive plan for its use.

He was at the time responding to queries over the overall returns from the gas resources and not just the US$150M savings, said to be had, whenever the power plant is fired up. According to Jagdeo, “we haven’t monetised the natural gas linkage as yet.” He conceded however, that the administration will not be making any surplus or profits on the pipeline of itself. “I doubt they’re going to make any money on the pipeline and the gas at three and a half (US) cents,” he disclosed.

The Vice President posited, “Where the project will make some money, is in the sale of the natural linkage, the LPG (liquefied propane gas [cooking gas]) and the other things that are there.”

He told stakeholders gathered at ACCC, “We haven’t worked out the framework and monetised that as yet, because we’re focusing wholly on the studies and the project parameters at this time.” According to Jagdeo, “once we’ve monetised those, you would see how much (gas) would be available.”

Citing hypothetical examples of prices for cooking gas and other “by-products that would give you a revenue figure,” Dr. Jagdeo reminded however, “we haven’t gone there as yet.”

According to the Vice President, “once we settle that this is a big gas project and bringing gas-to-energy is a feasible option, everything else is a bonus.”

THURSDAY LOCALS WILL HAVE GOVT.’S FULL SUPPORT TO BE COMPETITIVE IN OIL SECTOR – PRES. ALI Though several local businesses may be hamstrung by varying factors that hinder

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their competitiveness in the oil sector, President Irfaan Ali has given all assurances that Guyanese entrants will have the support they need to be successful when going up against foreign entities. Ali gave this guarantee during a Press Briefing Wednesday morning at State House.

As he made his presentation on his government’s plans for economic growth, the President disclosed his intention to have oil companies use local services once they are deemed as competitive. With this in mind, Kaieteur News informed the Head of State that several local businesses have been struggling to break into the industry and maintain competitive rates especially when they are made to go head to head with seasoned foreign companies that enjoy concessions galore.

While he acknowledged this state of affairs, the President was quick to note that the government will be providing support in terms of training and certification. He was keen to note that he has seen a behaviourial shift in the private sector, particularly as it relates to businesses putting in the work that is required to meet the standards expected in the new sector. While he deems this to be commendable, the President said his overarching belief is that certain jobs must go to Guyanese.

The President also hinted that there needs to be another shift in the mindset of local companies. He said it is not only about meeting the standards via training or getting the necessary certificates.

According to the President, companies need to understand that they can increase their competitiveness by entering partnerships with each other too. “We have a history of family owned businesses and we don’t have a history of

consortium type of activity. I have explained this to the private sector…We are too small most times so we need to come together to build partnerships to compete,” Ali stated.

In terms of his overall vision for local content, the President said he will not accept local companies being relegated to an associate position in any partnership with a foreign company, while little benefit is going to the Guyanese. “That is not true local content,” Ali expressed.

The President said he wants Guyanese to go after big opportunities in the sector while reiterating that the government will provide the support that is needed. The Head of State said too that he wants to see certain services in the sector such as those related to logistics being provided by locals alone.

By the same token, the President said he understands that Guyanese would need help in enhancing their capacity so that they can provide effective services to the sector.

In this regard, the President said, “Logistics requires a company to provide various services while being nimble and flexible…It must have a health arm, brokerage arm, transportation arm, etc., and that is what we have to develop. That is the type of capacity we have to build in order to get that competitiveness.”

Further to this, Ali said there has to be a frank discussion about what the oil companies need in terms of goods and services over a period of time along with a needs assessment of what Guyanese can supply and what they would need to do to address any deficiencies.

In closing, President Ali said Guyana’s Local Content Policy will seek to address these matters while ensuring that the relevant human

resources are in place to grow other industries.

MASSIVE CORRUPTION AT GUYOIL - DIRECTOR, FINANCE CONTROLLER SENT HOME - INVESTIGATIONS UNDERWAY IN $300M ARMY FUEL Head of State, President Irfaan Ali, has ordered that a Director at the State owned Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil), Akanni Blair, and the company’s Chief Finance Controller, Shawn Persaud, be sent home pending investigations by the police and the Auditor General’s Office, into, among other things, massive corruption at the agency.

The investigations relate to a recently unearthed transaction with a private fuel dealer involving some US$3.4M, in addition to another $300M transaction involving fuel for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

Additionally, the Head of State said, the entity is being investigated “in relation to companies collecting fuel from the terminal and [that] those companies had no right to be there collecting fuel in other agencies’ names.”

The damning revelations were made Wednesday when President Ali held a press engagement at State House and insisted that the state of affairs was “inherited.”

He told reporters that as it relates to Trevor Bassoo, the GuyOil General Manager (GM) who had resigned, “he stays resigned.”

Bassoo had been sent on leave by the Board of Directors, headed by Chairman, Paul Cheong, to facilitate a performance audit of his work but subsequently resigned.

As it relates to the entity’s Finance Controller, the President noted that he was already on probation and that he has since been removed.

Over the weekend, this

publication had reported on an audio recording of a telephone call that had surfaced purportedly between Director Blair and the go-between for the fuel dealer —Aaron Royalty Inc. (ARI).

That conversation with the go-between, who was identified by Blair to be ‘Chrissy,’ had detailed aspects of the fuel transaction between GuyOil and ARI Inc., — headed by Jayson Aaron—for fuel that was intended for the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL).

Chrissy then enquired “how ah getting the change, duh is wha ah wan know?”

According to the Director, “I gun tell duh man he gah give you a money bai, I gun call Aaron and tell he leh he give you a money for setting up the deal; he (Aaron) got to do it, he got to do it, he got to pay he initial dues.”

Chrissy at this point sought to query “but we gone through clear dey though?” in relation to the agreement for ARI to supply the fuel to GPL, to which he was told by the Director, “we good, we good.” That reaction was met with a burst of laughter by Chrissy, who then reminded the Director to call Aaron to drop the money.

He said “tell he you can’t make it, tell he drop the thing for me right, you boy ain’t got $20 in he pocket, literally me ain’t got $20; but god is good bai.”

Blair for his part had stated publicly that he is innocent of any skullduggery being portrayed in the media.

This was reported in another section of the media.

Chairman of the Board of Directors at GuyOil, Paul Cheong, had confirmed that it was he, who directed Blair to source a fuel supplier for two shipments that the state company had tendered out for.

Cheong, in an invited comment recently, told this publication that the reports

were accurate but that Blair was only asked to provide the company’s management with the information for the company.

In a separate set of communication between ARI’s Jayson Aaron and Persaud, the Finance Controller who was sent home, the conversation begins with a message purportedly from Persaud saying, “Good day Mr. Aaron I understand that you are upset and not answering your phone but I want you to understand that is not me it’s MR. BLAIR is the person who cause this deal to go sour cause he is the one who talk you down to us, and also he didn’t believe you can do it and also it’s he is the person when you left the board meeting that said that we are gonna get more money from the other supplier who is giving you a cut back.”

Aaron responds by stating that he is unconcerned about GuyOil’s internal dealings and went on to remind the official that “y’all come to my place Good Friday when I am with my family to request fuel that was an emergency.” He also spoke of encountering problems with getting a purchase order and to have his invoice signed off.

In response, the official tells Aaron that he “broke the rules” by sending the invoice and that since there was nothing written “you can’t win.” The official continued by advising Aaron to keep quiet and he would ensure that he gets his money.

Aaron had last week issued several ultimatums to GuyOil to conclude the transaction with him or he would expose that officials of the company had contacted him to procure the fuel and that there was some corrupt aspects to what was subsequently required of him to secure the deal.

In multiple parts of the conversation, the financial (Continued on page 25)

Sunday May 02, 2021

From page 24 official indicates that he is new to the post and that he needed time to adjust: “Please don’t do anything, now I started this job 12 weeks ago, not looking to get into problems now when we can make money every month for the next 12 months.”

When told by Aaron that he was only looking to get paid what was due, the official indicated that payment was not a problem. “I have 50 million in my account and your business is just over 3 million so it’s not about the money. I will pay you but you have to keep it quiet all I ask, you are gonna make more money than you can ever imagine with me.” It is believed that the “three million” refers to the value of the deal which is in US dollars. The official continued by exhorting Aaron to “Please remember to delete as we talk I don’t want to call cause I heard you are recording conversations.”

This publication understands that the official has since gone to the police to attempt to clear his name and has since divulged that the conversations contained in the screenshots are not recorded in his phone.

Aaron was subsequently arrested and is being investigated for purportedly breaching the Cyber Crime laws. Additionally, President Ali in his press briefing Wednesday noted that in addition to the officials being sent home, “there is an ongoing investigation with GuyOil where $300M in fuel is being investigated with the army.” Citing that the investigations are currently with the police and Auditor General, the President noted that “they had great risk management, the AG had raised that.”

According to the President, this is in addition to the ongoing investigations into the use of Permits for Immediate Delivery (PIDs) at the state entity.

President Ali was adamant however, “these are things we inherited, those investigations are going on, those conversations are with the police and the AG at the moment, so I can’t comment more on that but those are things we inherited, massive, massive corruption we inherited there…let me make it very clear, massive corruption.”

FRIDAY NO GAS EXPERTS ON TEAM THAT SELECTED WALES FOR US$900M GAS PROJECT Vice President, Dr. Bharrat

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Jagdeo, confirmed on Monday that the selection of Wales for the US$900M gasto-shore project was not done by experts. The selection was done by locals who Jagdeo firmly believe were competent enough for the job.

The official who holds oversight responsibility for the sector made these and other comments during a press conference held last week at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre with publishers, editors and journalists of the local media fraternity. Although five studies were done by its predecessor on bringing gas to shore via a pipeline leading from the Liza Phase One Project, Jagdeo said when the PPP/C took office; it found that the APNU+AFC had made no critical decisions on those documents.

As a result of this, Jagdeo said he and his team started work on selecting a suitable site. He said that Ogle, Crab Island and Wales were the areas under consideration.

Following a detailed evaluation, the politician said Wales – where over 10,000 acres of land were allocated to house the industrial park – emerged as the most feasible option.

“Wales came out most feasible. Crab Island was all swampy and low and so development cost would have been extremely high and one of the good things about Wales is that it is less prone to flooding in that area,” expressed the Vice President.

But when pressed by the media to identify the gas experts on his team who helped with the selection of the site for example, the Vice President said, “Our team has planners et cetera, we can

assess that. You not suggesting we need a foreigner to do that to select a site where we know what the parameters are, where we know where flooding takes place and where it doesn’t, where we know the cost of land is more expensive like Ogle versus Wales for development, you aren’t suggesting we need a foreign expert for that. We have enough technical people to do that.”

Apart from the site that was selected, Jagdeo said that another factor considered by his team early on was the price ExxonMobil would call for transporting the gas.

Based on the sound of ongoing negotiations, Jagdeo said he expects the gas to come in not at market price and most certainly not in keeping with the pricing structure in the Production Sharing Agreement. Jagdeo said he is pushing to get the country a sweeter deal on the gas, which in his eyes, works out as close as possible to zero.

In terms of the amount of gas to be received, Jagdeo said that he was able to get a commitment from ExxonMobil to provide 50 million cubic feet of gas per day instead of the 30 million cubic feet the oil giant originally proposed.

Jagdeo said, “30 million cubic feet would not allow us to generate 250 megawatt of power from the 300 megawatt plant we hope to build. So the 50 million cubic feet of gas will allow us to do 250 megawatts of power and have additional gas that will remain for other purposes such as urea, protein for the agriculture sector, et cetera.”

Jagdeo said too that the government made the

decision to go with a 12-inch pipeline, which would come in handy for storing more gas.

In the meantime, the Vice President said engineers are evaluating two routes, one of which will be used to have the pipeline pass through Crane so as to feed the proposed Wales Industrial Park.

ExxonMobil to run all production ships in Guyana above nameplate capacity — Hess Corp Stabroek Block operator, ExxonMobil Guyana, is gearing to run each of the 10 planned Floating Production, Storage, Production and Offloading (FPSO) vessels above its full capacity with the second ship to arrive in the second half of this year.

The revelation was made on Wednesday by the ExxonMobil Stabroek Block partner, Hess Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Greg Hill, during the company’s first quarter earnings call for shareholders.

He was at the time speaking to planned activities this year to push the Liza Destiny FPSO, beyond its nameplate capacity of 120,000 barrels per day through “debottlenecking.”

Hill told shareholders the exercise can be expected on each of the FPSO’s operating in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone and posited, “I think you can assume that there would be a debottlenecking potential on all those ships.”

He explained the debottlenecking exercise to say “what typically happens is you’ll bring these facilities up to their nameplate and then you’ll gather a lot of dynamic data, and you really need that

data, so you need fluids running through the facility at full capacity to determine where are my pinch points, where are my bottlenecks and what can I do to increase that capacity.”

He suggested, “that’s why you typically see these debottlenecking projects, occur years after that operating experience on the vessel, because the key piece of data that you need to have on that vessel is the dynamic data of how’s that vessel really operating.”

According to Hill, “I think you can expect every one of those [FPSO] will get debottlenecked above their nameplate in the future.”

The Hess Corp COO insists, “…there’s nothing remarkable, there’s piping changes et cetera, just to eliminate [and] reduce deflection flowing through the facility on the topsides.”

As it relates to the second FPSO destined for the Stabroek Block, Hess Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer, John Hess, in providing an update said, the Liza Unity with a production capacity of 220,000 gross barrels of oil per day is preparing to sail from the Keppel Yard in Singapore to Guyana mid-year.”

According to Hess, the Liza Phase Two project is progressing to plan “with about 90 percent of the overall work completed and first oil remains on track for early 2022.”

With regard to plans for the year, it was noted that the third oil development on the Stabroek Block at the Payara Field, is expected to achieve first oil in 2024—also with the capacity of 220,000 gross barrels of oil per day.

He noted too that, “we’re nearing work for Yellowtail; a fourth development on the Stabroek Block is underway with anticipated startup in 2025, pending government approvals and project sanctions.”

According to the Hess Corp CEO, “we continue to see the potential for at least six FPSOs on the block by 2027.”

He reiterated that in the longer term the partners are looking to have up to 10 FPSOs to develop the discovered resources on the Block.

Chief Financial Officer, John Riley, in his interaction with stakeholders, disclosed that during the second quarter of this year, “we expect to sell two one-million barrel cargoes from Guyana, whereas we sold three onemillion barrels of cargo in the first quarter.”

The CFO noted too “…we expect to sell five one-million barrel cargoes over the second half of the year.

SATURDAY MISSING LINDEN WOMAN… GIRL, 15, CONFESSES TO HELPING BURY SISTER IN SHALLOW GRAVE - BOYFRIEND ON THE RUN, FATHER IN CUSTODY The Guyana Police Force has issued a wanted bulletin for 21-year-old Shaquan Alleyne after the decomposed body of his 20year-old girlfriend, Shonette Dover, was discovered by ranks in a shallow grave at the back of his Canvas City home in the wee hours of Friday (Continued on page 26)

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From page 25 morning. The woman was missing for 28 days leaving family and friends deeply concerned about her whereabouts.

According to the police, Dover’s 15-year-old sister was contacted on Thursday evening and was interviewed in the presence of a Child Care and Probation Officer. During the interrogation process, Kaieteur News understands that the teen allegedly confessed to the crime and agreed to take investigators to the scene where she said, she, along with Shaquan, allegedly buried her sister.

The teen told investigators that on the night the victim went ‘missing’, Saturday April 3, last, Alleyne was oiling his brownish gun in his living room. She said the 21-yearold then pointed the gun at her sister who told him “he like play and he should put away that thing.” The young lady said she then heard a loud sound, akin to that of a firework.

Alleyne who is not a licensed firearm holder subsequently exclaimed, “Oh shoots, I shoot that girl!”

The 15-year-old said she then saw her sister’s mouth open as her blood quickly started to cover her face.

Upon seeing this, she said to Shaquan, “Let’s take her to the hospital” but the boyfriend refused as he retorted, “No, she dead already.” Alleyne then accompanied the sister to his father and told him of what he did. Alleyne’s father then told him “don’t tell (me) stupidness, why (you) playing with the gun?”

After doing their collective deliberation about what to do with the body, they decided that it was best to bury her in the backyard unknown to other parties.

Armed with a spade, Kaieteur News understands that the suspects dug a shallow hole after which Shonette’s body was rolled into it and covered up. Alleyne then hid the gun.

Commander of Region 10, Hugh Winter, said that the father did not participate in burying the victim while adding that the sister and the boyfriend subsequently left the scene on a motorcycle.

He said the sister related that Shaquan instilled fear in her and told her both of them would be jailed if she disclosed what occurred to any family member, or the police. But the teenager who perhaps, could not deal with the weight of the terror she felt, confessed to the police about what had occurred.

In the wee hours of Friday, the 15-year-old led ranks to the Canvas City home and

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Kaieteur News

dug up the area where Shonnette was buried. By the time they had reached four feet, they stumbled upon her partly decomposed body, which made it difficult to see any marks of violence.

The latest news of Shonnette’s death sent shock waves throughout Linden Friday as hundreds of persons converged at the Canvas City residence, where the body was found.

Upon learning of how her niece met a horrific demise, Odessa Luther told Kaieteur News that she is scared for Shonnette’s mother who has been thrown into a state of deep emotional distress and turmoil.

It was only a few days ago the family buried an uncle.

“I feel very sad because the mother deh home there, and she come from a very poor family and she is taking it real hard because only the other day we bury an uncle and now Shonette,” she said.

Her grandmother, Constance Dover shared similar sentiments as she said the family is deeply saddened by the news. “I feel bad, very much hurt, is only God can heal this wound right now, nobody else can heal the wound, only God because He

knows what we are feeling, what we went through and what we got to continue to go through because of her absence,” she said.

The family is also grieving for the 15-year-old sister who is now implicated in the murder. Constance said she believed that her granddaughter was threatened by Shaquan to stay quiet.

But what came as a shock to the entire family, Constance said, was the fact that the boyfriend was involved.

Kaieteur News was told that the boyfriend was helping the family search for Shonette every chance he got. In fact, it was he who prompted the family to file a missing person’s report, as the pain was supposedly too much for him to bear. He wanted answers and demanded the police’s involvement.

With this behaviour, the grandmother said, “I never suspected that he was involved. I didn’t expect that he would do anything of this nature, never ever think that would have happened and I want to believe he threatened her (the 15-year-old) because she never exposed or tell us anything…So according to my knowledge, she was

threatened, that is why she kept silent.”

Speaking about the relationship, which she shared with Shonnette, the grandmother said they were very close while adding that her death has affected her health. “I am living upstairs (in Blue Berry Hill, Wismar, Linden) and she was downstairs…If I cook, she eats up here. She used to help me clean up too. We were very tight…,” the distraught grandmother said.

After living with her boyfriend for three years, Shonnette had told her cousin, Esther Dover that she wanted to move out and return to her grandmother’s home.

“She was planning on leaving her boyfriend to move back with the grandmother where we used to stay, she was planning to move back and leave him…I am the only person she told, I am the only person that know what she was planning…he is a cheater but she never mentioned him

being abusive,” Esther Dover said.

After Shonnette had gone missing earlier this month, her boyfriend Shaquan Alleyne had told Kaieteur News that he and Shonnette had no issues. On the day that she disappeared, he said he had left her home, “good, good.”

The suspect said he had woken up on the morning of April 3, last, and had breakfast with Shonnette. After this, he said he left their home to drop some clutches for someone who was involved in an accident. From there, he said he went to his aunt’s home where he ate lunch and ‘chilled’ with his family before returning home in the afternoon. Alleyne then shared that his girlfriend’s sister related to him that Shonnette had already left for work. He then dropped her little sister to another sister’s residence before going to a party in Blue Berry Hill with his friends, after which, he said he returned home and realised that Shonnette was not home. “When I go and look and see I left the key right where it was earlier and I said this girl ain’t come home. But I know the first time she did something like that and I was looking for her, she was at her mother’s residence so I didn’t dig nothing, I sleep,” he related. After calling her phone the next day, April 4, last and it was going to voicemail, he went over to the mother’s residence who told

him Shonnette was there.

He had said, “Right away, I start getting suspicious and I start calling all she friends to find out if they see this girl.

Is then I got to understand that the brother saw her over the river (Mackenzie) with a girl.”

Upon learning this, Alleyne said he decided to make a report at the police station on Monday, April 5, with Dover’s family present.

While doing this, Alleyne said the sister related that Shonnette was allegedly seeing someone else. “The sister start telling me about this man (name given) that she used to meet up at she place and is now I gon get to learn about this (name given). She said he used to come and meet Shonnette by she house and Shonnette would go out and go in the car and they used to meet up steady by the sister house.” It was the same name, which he claimed to have seen calling her phone on previous occasions.

The suspect said too that he not aware Shonnette was planning to leave him while adding that she had walked out before after learning that he cheated with another woman. Shaquan is no stranger to the law as he was remanded to jail for possession of narcotics when he was 17-years-old. His father, Shawn Alleyne, is a high school teacher.

Investigations into this gruesome case are ongoing.

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Coronavirus: As the world struggles to breathe, we remain oblivious to the growing suffocation here

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt Medical Center

A

lthough a year has passed and we understand more about COVID-19, the world is still battling the worst phase of the pandemic with more deaths and infections than ever before.

It is amazing that more than 151 million persons have already been infected and close to 3.2 million people have died from this devastation thus far.

What’s even more alarming is the fact that many more will be infected and die because of our behavioural choices.

While we have been fortunate so far and have not been hit as hard as other countries, our case numbers are at its highest and if we are not careful, we can suffer similar devastation to what’s occurring around the world.

Grim situation around the world Currently, the new, deadlier strains of the coronavirus are responsible for the surge in deaths and infections around the world.

What’s even worse is the fact that scientists are concerned that more strains are evolving that can be more deadly and vaccine resistant because of the current rapid spread.

This can only mean more devastation similar to what is

currently occurring in developed countries such as Brazil and India.

Patients are dying because of unavailability of hospital space for them to be treated. Hospitals do not have sufficient oxygen to help save lives of so many that needs it to take another breath.

This is leading to deaths that could have been avoided if these health systems were not overwhelmed.

The irresponsible behaviour in Guyana If someone had told me two years ago that there would be so many deaths and devastation and yet many would be insensitive to the situation, I would not have believed.

This is the stark reality of the situation in Guyana. Our people continue to be irresponsible and behave reckless although they are aware of the risks they pose to themselves and others.

Sacrificing desires and comfort to save lives is too much to ask these days.

People prefer to gather and party and have a good time even after knowing they are risking their lives and the lives of others with such events.

But when they get infected, they expect miracles and everything to go their way although it is not realistic given what we are going through.

Health workers are

fatigued While most health workers have adjusted to working with COVID-19, it is still a daily challenge to keep up with the demands of the pandemic.

It’s still difficult to digest the risks we are exposing ourselves and our close ones to every time we have to go to work.

Then there are some who are traumatised from being infected or from the suffering their patients have gone through before dying.

We have pushed ourselves beyond norms daily for so long and after a while it begins to take a toll especially when the expectations of some are impossible.

The constant pressure and abuse from society because they expect care as per normal just add to the fatigue.

If the capacity of our health system is breached, I fear that it will also break the will of some health workers and this will only make the situation worse for everyone.

We need our people to help us by being responsible and that should give us the impetus that we need to continue to strive for the preservation of their lives.

Take responsibility and stop blaming others We all know that this virus thrives in our weak moments and when we do not follow prevention guidelines. We are

all humans and are bound to have moments of weakness.

However, repeating those moments and consistently throwing caution to the wind is where recklessness and irresponsibility lies.

So far, there have been many people in Guyana who have been irresponsible and reckless in their behaviour.

However, they expect frontline workers to be perfect in an imperfect system and are often the first to cry foul when things do not go their way.

We need to understand that we are still in the middle of a pandemic and norms have

been stretched beyond what any of us would have previously expected in our lifetime.

If we continue to be irresponsible, these norms will be pushed to abnormalities similar to what’s occurring in other parts of the world. We will not have space for the sick and will be unable to give oxygen to help prevent them from suffocating.

The fault will lie with each and every one of us who were either reckless, irresponsible, or allowed others to be like this and not

Dr. Zulfikar Bux taking a stance. We should all therefore take a stance and help stamp out irresponsible and reckless behaviour so that everyone can continue to breathe freely in Guyana.

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==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==

Four East Indian politicians I wouldn’t vote for My choice for the American presidential candidate last November was Bernie Sanders. If Sanders had won, I think he should have picked Elizabeth Warren as his running mate. There are four East Indian conservative politicians in powerful positions around the world that I would not hesitate for a fraction of a moment to vote against in favour of opposing White candidates if I had a choice.

They are the current UK Home Affairs Minister (Home Secretary), Preti Patel; Current UK Finance Minister (Chancellor of the Exchequer), Rishi Sunak; former Chancellor, Sajid Javid under Prime Minister Boris Johnson; and Nikki Halley, former UN Ambassador under President Trump.

Why would East Indians and non-Whites in the UK vote for Patel, Sunak and Javid in the Conservative Party in the UK against progressive White liberals in the Labour Party? Why should East Indians and non-Whites vote for Halley in the US? There could only be one answer – because you choose the criterion of ethnicity over ideology.

This has to be an irrational almost psychotic choice because humans vote for

politicians who they want to do general good for their lives and those of their loved ones.

They want to have opportunities for higher income; expansion of services provided by the state; secure working environment; good schools and universities for their children; equality in society; equality rights regardless of class, race, etc., etc., etc.

The four East Indians named above are far more conservative, less democratic and more pro-business, less working class oriented than White politicians in the Labour Party in the UK and the White politicians in the Democratic Party in the US. When I was growing up it was unthinkable for immigrants, whether Indians, Africans or mixed-race folks to join the Conservative Party in the UK and the Republican Party in the US. The issue of race was the quintessential reason.

The Labour Party and the Democratic Party are more inclusive of people of colour than the Conservative Party and the Republican Party.

And it has been like that historically.

It defies commonsense that immigrants in the US would sing for the Republicans whose racist record is a

global fact, not only against Blacks but Hispanics. A majority of Republican senators are people who scare you when you listen to them and you reflect on how the Nazis saw racial differences.

If you vote for Patel, Sunak and Javid because they are Indian and you are Indian, then, you are a highly irrational human. What about the White politician running against Patel that has a far greater concern about the welfare of the poor than his Indian rival? Surely, humans have to be more sensible than this.

We come now to Andrew Yang who is running for Mayor of New York and is in the lead in the polls. Yang’s candidacy should be yanked from him because he is the Asian version of the four Indians cited above. Well his platform may be yanked because 400 Asian Americans have signed a petition two Thursdays ago rejecting his candidacy.

They say he is not a progressive Asian. This is good politics from sensible citizens.

Humans should vote for issues not the colour of skin.

We should see people for what they are; what they are made up of, what values they

possess. I have spent my entire life; I repeat my entire life, in this country asking, urging, cajoling, begging people to vote for issues not the ethnicity of politicians.

In that process I was labelled a self-hater by many prominent Indians who felt I didn’t like my own race and that I should not have departed from the flock. I have been described as an Indian racist by those who wanted me to side with an African based party that set out to rig the March 2020 election.

I was active with the multiracial WPA as a young man in the seventies. I voted for

the WPA in all the elections it contested. I campaigned and voted for another multi-racial party, the AFC, in all the elections it fought in. Last year, I voted for the Amerindian party.

I was confused why African youths last year voted for the PNC when in power for five years, 2015-2020, it promised to join the world in accepting the use of marijuana in small quantities but barefacedly reneged on it. It drove hundreds of vendors from Stabroek Square to hold an Independence anniversary celebration. I could go on but from 2015, African Guyanese

Frederick Kissoon were betrayed by their party.

But unwisely in 2020 they voted for the race of their politicians. Let’s hope they learn in 2025.

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

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What is ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer refers to any cancerous growth that begins in the ovary. This is the part of the female body that produces eggs.

Ovarian cancer is now the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death among females in the United States.

That said, deaths from ovarian cancer have been falling in the U.S. over the past 2 decades, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

The ACS estimate that in 2019, around 22,530 people may receive a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Around 13,980 people are likely to die from this condition.

Read on to find out more about how to recognize the symptoms and what to expect if they occur.

Symptoms Share on PinterestAbdominal pain can be a symptom of ovarian cancer.

Most ovarian cancers start in the epithelium, or outer lining, of the ovary. In the early stages, there may be few or no symptoms.

If symptoms do occur, they can resemble those of other conditions, such as p r e m e n s t r u a l syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, or a temporary bladder problem. However, in ovarian cancer, the symptoms will persist and worsen.

Early symptoms may includeTrusted Source: · pain or pressure in the pelvis · unexpected vaginal bleeding · pain in the back or abdomen · bloating · feeling full rapidly when eating · changes in urination patterns, such as more frequent urination · changes in bowel habits, such as constipation If any of these symptoms last for 2 weeks or more, a person should see a doctor.

There may also be:

· n a u s e a and indigestion · appetite loss · weight loss · breathlessness · fatigue The symptoms can change if the cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

Causes and risk factors Ovarian cancer develops when cells in this area of the body divide and multiply in an uncontrolled way.

Why ovarian cancer happens is not clear, but experts have identified some risk factors. They include: Family history Having a close relative with a history of ovarian or breast cancer increases a person’s chance of developing ovarian cancer themselves.

Undergoing genetic screening for mutations in the BRCA gene may help determine if someone has a higher risk of both ovarian and breast cancer.

Age Around 50% of ovarian cancer cases occur after the age of 63 years.

Reproductive history Share on PinterestA person’s family history, age, and reproductive history may all affect their risk of ovarian cancer.

Having had one or more full term pregnancies is associated with a lower risk of ovarian cancer. The more pregnancies a woman has, the lower the risk seems to be.

Breastfeeding may also lower the risk.

However, having children later in life (after age 35) or never having children are associated with a higher risk.

People who use some types of fertility treatment may have a higher chance of developing borderline cells, but not all studies confirm this.

Learn more about carcinoma in situ, or abnormal cells that may become cancerous.

Females who use birth

control pills or an injectable contraceptive hormone also appear to have a lower risk.

Breast cancer People with a history of breast cancer seem to have a higher chance of ovarian cancer. This may be due to changes in the BRCA gene.

For this reason, some people with breast cancer who test positive for this gene mutation may opt to have an oophorectomy, or surgery to remove the ovaries, as preventive therapy.

Hormone therapy Undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause appears to increase the risk of ovarian cancer.

The longer a person uses HRT, the higher the risk.

However, the risk appears to fall after treatment stops.

Obesity and overweight Ovarian cancer is more common in people with a body mass index (BMI) of over 30.

Gynecologic surgery Having surgery to remove the uterus, called a hysterectomy, may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by onethird.

HPV Scientists have been finding links between t h e h u m a n papillomavirus (HPV) and various cancers, including tonsil cancer and cervical cancer.

In 2013, the authors of a meta-analysis reported finding a high rate of HPV among people with ovarian cancer. However, they could not confirm that HPV causes it, and they called for further research.

Other possible risk factors Other factors that may increase the risk of some types of ovarian cancer include: · having high levels of androgens, or male hormones · dietary factors · the use of talcum powder However, researchers have not yet proven a link between these factors and ovarian cancer.

Risk for transgender people Some studies suggest that having high levels of androgen may increase the risk of ovarian cancer. This may be a concern for transgender men who use hormone treatment in their transition.

A studyTrusted Source from 2017 notes that having the ovaries removed may lower the risk, but the authors urge people to be aware that ovarian cancer

remains a possibility.

The National LGBT Cancer Network point out that transgender people may have difficulty seeking regular medical help due to concerns about revealing their gender identity.

They encourage people to ask friends, their local hospital, and their insurance company to find a suitable doctor who can help them take care of their health and their body.

Stages If a healthcare professional diagnoses ovarian cancer, they will need to determine the stage and grade to decide on a treatment plan.

The stage refers to how far the cancer has spread. For example: · Localized: Cancer cells affect only the ovaries or fallopian tubes and have not spread elsewhere. · Regional: Cancer has spread to nearby organs, such as the uterus. · Distant: Cancer is present elsewhere in the body.

It now affects other organs, such as the lungs or liver.

The grade, meanwhile, refers to how abnormal the cancer cells appear.

Getting an early diagnosis usually means that treatment can be more effective. However, other factors can affect this.

These factors include the person’s age and overall health and the type or grade of the cancer cell, as some types are more aggressive than others.

Types There are over 30 types of ovarian cancer, depending on the type of cell in which they start.

There are three common cell types: · epithelial cells, which occur in the lining of the surface of the ovary · germ cells, which will become eggs for reproduction · stromal cells, which release hormones and link up the structures of the ovaries Epithelial tumors are the most common and the most invasive. They occur in around 85–90% of people with ovarian cancer.

Germ cell tumors are often

benign. In 90% of cases that become cancerous, treatment is effective.

Diagnosis If routine screening or symptoms suggest that a person may have ovarian cancer, a doctor will typically: · ask the person about their personal and family medical history · carry out a pelvic examination They may also recommend: Blood tests: These tests will check for high levels of a marker called CA-125.

Imaging tests: Examples include a transvaginal ultrasound, an MRI scan, or a CT scan.

Laparoscopy: A healthcare professional will insert a thin tube with a camera attached through a small hole in the abdomen, to see the ovaries and perhaps take a tissue sample for a biopsy.

Biopsy: This involves the microscopic examination of a tissue sample.

Only a biopsy can confirm that a person has cancer. A healthcare professional may do this as part of the initial assessment or following surgery to remove a tumor.

What does a biopsy involve?

Knowledge is power. Get our free daily newsletter.

Dig deeper into the health topics you care about most.

Subscribe to our facts-first newsletter today.

Treatment Share on PinterestSurgery is one possible treatment for ovarian cancer.

Treatment will depend on many factors, including: · the type, stage, and grade of the cancer

· the individual’s age and overall health · their personal preferences · accessibility and affordability of treatment Options tend to include: Surgery: The choice will depend on the type of cancer and how far it has spread.

Surgical options include a hysterectomy, removing one or both ovaries, and removing affected lymph nodes. A doctor will discuss suitable options with the individual.

Chemotherapy: These drugs aim to kill cancer cells.

If a person takes chemotherapy drugs by mouth or as an injection or infusion, they will affect the whole body. Another option is intraperitoneal chemotherapy. In this case, a tube delivers the drug directly to the body area affected by cancer. Chemotherapy can have widespread adverse effects, especially if it affects the whole body.

Learn more about chemotherapy, including its adverse effects, here.

Targeted therapy: Some treatments target specific cells that help promote cancer growth. Examples include monoclonal antibody therapy and angiongenesis inhibitors.

Targeted therapy aims to limit the adverse effects by targeting specific functions.

Radiation therapy: This technique uses X-rays to kills cancer cells. One way to do this is by introducing a radioactive liquid into the peritoneum. This may help people with advanced ovarian cancer.

Immunotherapy (biotherapy): This aims to boost the immune system’s ability to defend the body against cancer. Vaccine therapy involves injecting substances that will find and kill a tumor. It may help people with advanced ovarian cancer.

Some of these are relatively new types of treatment. Some people may opt to join a clinical trial, which can give access to some of the newest approaches. (https:// www.medicalnewstoday.com/ articles/159675#survival0

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Lessons from a Lashpreneur!!!

Guyana Talent Search airs tonight History of the lash lift (lash perm) on E1 The management team at the Ministry of Culture, Youth, And Sport will be airing the second episode of its Guyana Talent Search

Competition which is conducting virtual auditions.

The show airs tonight at 7PM on E1. Sitting in for the first time as a judge is Guyanese songbird, Poonam Singh who is joined by the beloved Joel Gansham and Guyana’s

Music Princess, Timeka Marshall. Crowing off the list of top-notch judges is Akelo ‘DJ Akelo’ Elliott.

Be sure to catch this week’s episode to see Guyanese showcase their enthralling talent pieces.

By Latoya Zephyr Hey lash babes, this week we will be looking at the history of the lash lift (lash perm).

In the 1970s, acid balanced perms were introduced, which were less damaging than previous perming methods. Then in the 80’s, this method led to eyelash perming.

In eyelash perming, a chemical and physical change occurs that permanently alters the structure of the eyelash hair. The physical change happens when the eyelashes are wrapped on a rod or secured within an iCurl Lash Clicker. The chemical change is created by the perm solution (reducing agent), then the neutralizer (oxidizing agent). To understand how the perm works, we must understand the structure of the hair.

• The cuticle is the outermost layer.

• The cortex is the major component of the hair (middle section). This is where the change occurs.

• The medulla is the innermost layer.

The chemical composition of a lash is called keratin; this is a protein made up of approximately 19 amino acids. When many amino acids are bonded together, they form chains of polypeptides. These are wound around each other, resembling the shape of a spring.

The lash hair contains high concentrations of the amino acid cysteine, which joins together crosswise with disulfide bonds, which add strength to the keratin proteins. In order for the perm to work, the bonds must be broken. The lash will become soft and conform to the shape of the rod. Then the neutralizer is applied to chemically bond the broken disulfide bonds back together.

A Lash Lift, otherwise known as a lash perm or lash curl, is not harmful or damaging

to your lashes but It is always advised to get it done by a trained and experienced professional that will be gentle with your lashes and will make sure they use the specific size curler for the length of your lashes to give them the best curl. A trained professional also ensures that your skin and eyes are protected from the perming solution. It is a relaxing treatment and is finished off with a lash tint to enhance the appearance of your eyes even more. The curl in the lashes lasts up to 8 weeks, but as the lashes have a 10-12 week growth cycle, the new lashes grow back straight, which is the indication to re-book for your next lash lift treatment.

Be sure to join us next week for more thought provoking lessons from a lashpreneur.

GREY GOOSE® VODKA In the world of premium vodka, Grey Goose is known as ultra-premium. But there are other interesting facts about this selection that make it a must-have for any occasion.

See below: 1). Grey Goose has only been on the market since 1997 when an American named Sidney Frank had an idea for a high-end vodka brand. He wanted Americans to see his vodka as ultra-premium; therefore, he set up all operations for the brand in France – a place Americans see as affluent and luxurious.

To this day, each and every bottle of Grey Goose is produced in France, and so are all of the ingredients and packaging.

2) Don’t be fooled. Grey Goose isn’t a faux French company. The cellar master, Francois Thibault, earned his stripes making Cognac in France. When he came on board at Grey Goose, he designed the entire production process, all done the French way for authenticity you can taste.

3). All the Grey Goose in the World is Produced by 20 People. The operation in La Vallee de l’Oise is small, with

about 20 employees total! All the better for tasting, as each batch of Grey Goose is taste tested before it ever leaves the facility. Employees take turns in the tasting room, giving their seal of approval.

Sample premium vodka all day? Where do we sign up?!

4). There are many different fermented materials that could be used in vodka – potatoes, barley, rye, grapes, etc. Grey Goose chooses to use wheat sourced from France’s breadbasket region.

The wheat sown is soft winter wheat, and Grey Goose

argues that their vodka has a softer, smoother texture given the use of wheat vs. other fermented grains.

5. Did you know that even the flavored Grey Goose vodkas use real fruit juice to create the flavors? Not to mention, all of that fruit – except the oranges from Florida – come from France.

One certainly cannot expect anything less from this brand that is distributed locally by Ansa McAL. Be sure to enjoy this week’s selection with friends and family responsibly.

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Sunday May 02, 2021

le==

==The Unexpected Inevitab

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Cut down in his quest to make his mother proud…

The heartrending story of a Mabaruma youth

By Shervin Belgrave

A

t 19 years old, A v i n a s h Fernandes had big dreams of joining the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). Although he was hoping to make his entry as a Cadet Officer, he had his heart set on becoming Chief of Staff one day. He was nevertheless willing to let the sky be the limit when it comes to his future endeavours. In so doing, this youth who hailed from Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini), caressed ambitious ideas of becoming Prime Minister or better yet President.

His ambitious drive was fuelled by a childhood promise — to make his mother proud.

Unfortunately, while working to make this a reality his precious life was snuffed out by a killer who strangled him to death on Monday April 5, sometime after 21:30 hrs. at Arakaka, Region One. His body, in a decomposed state, was found three days later at around 05:00 hrs. floating in the Arakaka River by a team of police officers and his “bossman,” a dredge owner, identified as Keith Alphonso.

It is believed that his killer(s) might have dumped his body in the river after murdering him.

So far, detectives have arrested one person and are seeking the whereabouts of one of his workmates who was seen with a wound to his face around the time that Avinash went missing.

WHO HE WAS? Describing Avinash as her “baby” and “eye-ball,” his mother, Zelena Fernandes, revealed during an interview that he did everything just to make her smile.

She said that he was the last of her nine children and the second of her two sons.

He entered the world on February 8, 2002 and according to her, “I never use to let him out of my sight, I always kept him close.”

The woman recalled too, that there were occasions when persons would make her feel that she was being “too protective.”

But she was motivated to be “too protective,” she said, because “I only got two sons, the rest are girls and I wanted to make sure that nothing happens to them especially my baby (Avinash).”

Gone too soon: Avinash Fernandes.

As she reflected on Avinash’s short life, she recalled that like many boys he had lots of friends.

However, one of the things that she most admired about him was his determination to do well and achieve great things.

That attitude of “doing well,” she explained, was his mantra to make her proud.

From a tender age, she said, it would appear that Avinash would feel some amount of satisfaction from doing things to make her smile.

He was always striving for major accomplishments, she recalled.

In fact, she added, it was just such a feat he was aiming for when he decided to delve into playing football.

His efforts had seen him becoming an excellent footballer who represented Mabaruma from a very young age.

Zelena said she was thrilled when he was listed as his team’s captain when he was just 17 years old. She recalled vividly too the moment when he led Mabaruma to victory over their rival Hosororo in the last football match he played.

She noted that although he loved football and often dreamt of being “a Neymar” and representing the Golden Jaguars (the National football team) at the

international level, becoming a cadet officer and Guyana’s future Head of State were more tempting options to him.

“I would laugh and then provoke him by saying ‘boy what are you saying, you are getting big, ah gon marry you off to a girl just now’,” Zelena shared.

It was during one of those moments of provoking him; she recalled that Avinash shared his future p l a n s w i t h h e r.

“I remembered him saying, ‘Mommy me ain’t want no girl now. I want to go to Georgetown and sign-up for the Cadet Course at the GDF’,” recounted Zelena.

She recalled asking him, “Why you want to be a cadet officer so bad?’’

His response, she related, was “‘Mommy once you become a cadet officer you does get a lot of opportunities.

I could become a Chief of Staff or get into politics and be a President or Prime Minister.

M o m m y, I will make y o u proud

base.

Zelena said, “I was at work when he and Shimroy (Avinash’s elder brother) came riding on their bicycles.”

They had come, she said, to inform her that they had found work on a dredge and were travelling by boat to Port Kaituma and from there they would head to Arakaka in a vehicle.

“I was not pleased…it was the first time he was stepping out of my eyesight and I tried to convince him not to go. I said, ‘boy you don’t need to work stay’,” Zelena recounted.

He too, she said, became emotional and started to cry as he contemplated changing his mind for a bit but then looked over at his elder brother and said, ‘Mommy I am going with Shimroy, I will be fine.’

Those words, Zelena related, caused her to ‘’soften up’’ and she brushed her fears aside and hugged him good-bye.

“I did not get a chance to see them off at the boat but when they arrived at t h e i r destin ati

Zelena still treasures the memories she has of Avinash, her son.

mom m y. I will make you proud Mommy!’”

MILES FROM HOME Wanting to fulfill his ambition, Avinash decided to leave his home in late November 2020, for the first time in his life, just to work in a gold mine located miles away.

His plan, Zelena said, was to work there for a few months to earn a significant amount of money.

T h e m o n e y, s h e explained, was to assist him in relocating to Georgetown where he would sign-up for the cadet’s course at the GDF’s Camp Ayanganna

on they called and said ‘Mommy we reach we ok’.”

For the next four months Zelena would speak “every two weeks” with her sons via phone. However, on April 6, she would receive a phone call that shattered her emotionally.

“The Tuesday (April 5) Shimroy call me, and he was crying, right there and then I started to tremble…I seh, ‘boy tell me what happen’,” she narrated.

S h i m r o y, s h e s a i d , informed her that Avinash

was missing and that his efforts at finding him were futile.

Confused, the woman said that she in response said, “Shimroy you got to look for he, yuh can’t come home without he, yuh hear!”

DREADFUL NEWS She would not receive a call from Shimroy again until around 11:00 hrs. on Thursday April, 8.

“He called me again crying, by this time I expected the worst,” Zelena said as she recalled Shimroy telling her “Mommy a find Avinash, a find ma brother, it look like them bruk up he hand.” After hearing those words, Zelena said that she already knew that he was dead.

“I just tell he boy, mek sure dem treat yuh brother (the remains) good and come out with he and see that he reach safe,” the grieving woman recalled.

Shimroy, during an earlier interview with this publication, had revealed that he and Avinash had planned to go home for the Easter holidays.

On Monday April 5, they had left their campsite at 13 Miles Arakaka, together with other workers and travelled to the Arakaka Landing.

Their intentions, he had explained, was to catch a vehicle to Port Kaituma and then a boat from t h e r e t o Mabaruma.

Howev e r, t h o s e plans fell through when they arrived late at the Arakaka Landing that evening and could not locate any transportation.

The brothers, along with their colleagues, reportedly stopped at a shop. There eyewitnesses had detailed that Avinash was drinking a few beers with his workmates.

Shimroy said that he had left the shop close to 21:00 hrs. in search of a place where they would spend the night until the following morning.

Some 55 minutes later he reportedly returned to the shop but found it closed.

His “bossman” had told him about a fight, but Shimroy admitted that he failed to pay attention to the details.

Instead, he said that he asked whether anyone had seen his brother. Shimroy

said he began searching for Avinash that same night but could not find him anywhere.

He said too, that he had even returned to their campsite to see if Avinash was there but had only met one of their workmates, who had a fresh wound to his face.

Shimroy said that he became very worried and filed a missing person’s report with the Arakaka police before continuing his search.

His search would come to a tragic end when a party of policemen accompanied by his “bossman” fished Avinash’s decomposing remains from the Arakaka River.

The wounded workmate reportedly went into hiding shortly after.

Though faced with immense despair, Zelena is daily trying to come to grips with her son’s demise.

“He was my baby and I am trying to figure out if it was the devil that snatched him from me or if it was God’s will for him to die so soon,” she said.

Nevertheless, she continued, “he is gone and there is not much that can be done about that.”

But Zelena has a renewed game plan, which, she said, will see her doing everything within her power to protect her only surviving son. “I am not going to let him get snatched away from me too,” she said with confidence.

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Physically and emotionally scarred…

A Linden family struggles to recover after a brutal attack

By Vanessa Braithwaite It is an innate desire of most mothers to ensure their children are safe and not in harm’s way. In fact, mothers have testified of a feeling in their tummy, unique to them, when bad news about their children reaches their ear. It is the same feeling of contractions when you are giving birth, some have asserted.

A few weeks ago, Sandra Singh, a mother of two young Linden women, experienced this same feeling, when she heard her daughters, Sunita and Manisha Singh, were brutally attacked by father of Manisha’s children, Rajin Allen. Her mind was racing with bloody thoughts and even death, as memories of her daughter being attacked in her home by the hands of the same man, came rushing back to her mind. In many instances, she had to save Manisha from the blows she received from the man when they had lived just a stone’s throw away from her home.

When Sandra turned up at the hospital, it was as if life left her body when she saw the state her daughters were in. Sunita’s entire face was bandaged from seconddegree burns she received from scalding water that Rajin threw on her. Manisha was barely recognisable, with her eyes and other parts of her face swollen.

Sunita has since been discharged from the hospital but her face remains disfigured. Recollecting what transpired on that dreadful day, was a painful ordeal for the 18-year-old. It was as if she was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

With tears in her eyes, she recalled the moments before she was doused with hot water. “I didn’t have no confrontation with them two, because I was in the bedroom and they were in the living room but he attacked me, before he beat she, with the hot water and then he went and beat she, then come back in the house and continue to beat me,” she recalled.

As she lay helpless on the floor, Rajin demanded the password for her sister’s phone. “That was the first time, I didn’t know what really was going on; I was so

Sunita Singh’s face has been disfigured.

Manisha Singh.

confused. I didn’t had my head on. When he come in the house, I said Rajin you bun me up, why you do this?

You want the phone, look the phone. Then he said open the phone, when I tell he I don’t know the password, he started beating me,” she recalled.

At that time, Manisha was lying in an unconscious state in the yard after Rajin allegedly beat her with a concrete block and other tools. Her head and feet got the brunt of the beating.

According to Sandra, that attack was the end result of years of abuse her daughter endured at the hands of Rajin. Her daughter, she revealed, had lived with the young man since she was 15 years old.

“My daughter and Rajin live about five to six years now and from beginning he was like an abusive man to she.

Many times they would get problem home; he would beat up she, chop she, cuff she, buss up she mouth, bound up she eye and when I go and talk he, he would buse me,” she recounted.

Several reports of physical abuse were made to police and Rajin was arrested on a few occasions.

As a result, Sandra said she had encouraged her daughter to end the relationship, but she (her daughter) hesitated because of the three children she shares with Rajin.

The woman recalled, however, that her daughter decided to leave last December, not only because of the physical abuse, but

Rajin Allen has been sentenced to four years in prison.

also because of financial abuse. “He would work and don’t give she no money to buy goods and she would come and say ‘mommy I need things to cook’ and I would say Manisha what kind of man you living with that hungrying you and yuh children,” she said.

When her daughter left, Sandra recalled that she did so without her children and when she returned weeks later to collect them, Rajin had refused to give them to her.

This, the woman believes, was in fact a tactic to lure her daughter back to the home. Since he was not successful in doing so, she is convinced that the eventual attack was premeditated.

After the attack, Rajin, in a Facebook live, accused Manisha of cheating and partying while he worked hard to take care of his children. “I didn’t want do it you know, you know is years upon years of sacrifice and

she partying, me ain’t want kill she......suicide is not the way. Me chiren is the most important thing to me, I does climb coconut tree, I does fish and buy and sell greens, construction work, gas station work and all yuh want do is party…all the

party you going to, I got to beg you to come and see you children, literally beg she to come and see she children. I had to put an end because I fed up,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sandra has willingly taken on the responsibility of helping to care for Manisha who remains hospitalised. But it hasn’t been an easy task since, according to the woman, neither she nor her husband is currently employed. The two, she revealed, would normally survive on subsistence farming. But since the incident, Sandra said that they have not been able to sell crops to make a daily earning as she has been visiting the hospital twice per day. “Well right now it is financially challenging, every day I got to get money to go and come, morning and afternoon. I don’t have a job, we does do gardening and sell and the money we does get it can’t support everything because the quantity we does sell when the day come is just a small amount. Right now it is very hard because I am not getting to work because I am busy with she, me ain’t getting to earn a dollar,” she said.

In addition to the

financial challenge, she is worried about her grandchildren who are currently with the father’s family. As such Sandra engaged the Welfare Officer on the matter but was told that she cannot take custody of the children at this time.

As she tries to come to grips with the incident, Sandra said that she is praying for her daughter’s speedy recovery. “She did she foot surgery; she can’t get up, she can’t get up to do nothing on her own. She can’t eat properly, she can’t get up to do nothing, every time she get up she head swinging because of the fractured skull, so we just gah hope and pray she come through.”

Rajin has since appeared before Magistrate, Wanda Fortune, and pleaded guilty to two counts of felonious wounding. He will spend the next four years behind bars.

While he will walk free again, a young woman (Sunita) will never look into the mirror and see the beauty she once possessed and three children will live with the emotional trauma of witnessing a brutal attack that caused their mother (Manisha) to be hospitalised with debilitating injuries.

Manisha who is recovering at the hospital.

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Sunday May 02, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Our FFrontline rontline W orker of the W eek is… Nurse LLocrecia ocrecia Inniss Worker Week From page 16 training I was successful and was appointed as a nurse aid in 1996,” she related.

As her ambition grew, so did her desire to continue the academic climb. “I decided I don't want to be in one position all the time so I applied to do professional nursing and after an interview I was given an opportunity to be a nursing assistant.” Though things did not go according to plans, Nurse Locrecia said, “I took the opportunity though it wasn't my dream to be a nursing assistant. I took the opportunity and after two years of training, I did a six months course in Georgetown to be trained as a scrub nurse, that

is, to work in the theatre as an assistant during surgery.”

In the year 2004, she again applied for professional nursing training but was asked to do a Midwifery programme.

“There was a shortage of midwives and I applied to do the professional nursing but the matron at that time called and asked if I can be in the Midwifery programme,” she recalled. In 2015, she finally commenced her training in professional nursing. Sadly, it was during her training that Nurse Locrecia experienced one of the greatest pains known to man – the death of a loved one.

Losing a mother Nurse Locrecia is the sec-

ond of eight children born to Robert and Indra Inniss. The loss of her mother, she related, was especially devastating since she shared a close relationship with her.

“My mother was my best friend and my father used to say I'm his heart string. I used to go out of my way for both my parents. When my mom passed, I took it really hard. I even got sick because I wasn't eating; if I did, it was hardly anything.”

While she was still grieving the loss of her mother, Nurse Locrecia said that she also had to provide the emotional support for her elderly father who was also devastated by the tragedy. “Daddy

use to get sick as well, he was really traumatised. There was this one time he got really sick and at the hospital he said that his time has come. But I give him the emotional support and since then he's taking it one day at a time.”

Fighting COVID-19 As she continues the fight against COVID-19, Nurse Locrecia said that her role is to provide as much care to a patient as possible, while remaining safe. “Being in

Quarantine (Department) wasn't exactly my choice because I live with my 78-yearold father who's a hypertensive and diabetic case but I said once I have my PPE I don't mind.”

Over the years, Nurse Locrecia said that she has grown to love her job, particularly the aspect of delivering new bundles of joy. “I'm proud to be a nurse; you feel good when years down the line, your patients call and say you de-

liver this baby. The best part is that patients recognise the goodness and kindness.”

Proud of the career path she decided to take years ago, Nurse Locrecia advised that those venturing into the profession must do so with a good attitude. She added, “The road isn't easy, there are times when you get challenges but because of your love for the profession and your desire to help others, you will never feel the need to quit.”

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Kaieteur News

Sunday May 02, 2021

Sunday May 02, 2021

Nichola and Brummel Stabbed to death by her boyfriend, Nichola Wilson. in happier times.

A Durban Street, Georgetown, woman was stabbed to death last night by her boyfriend even as her son who witnessed the incident ran to find someone to save his mother.

That boyfriend was discovered an hour later unconscious at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corpo-

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Wilson’s covered remains on the veranda.

ration.

According to eyewitness reports, Nichola Wilson, 44, was killed yesterday when her boyfriend, Lawrence Brummel, turned up at her Lot 57 Durban Street, Lodge, home and reportedly accused her of infidelity. Neighbours say that a quar-

rel reportedly broke out and Brummel attacked the woman.

Wilson’s 14-year-old son, who sitting outside of the home at the time, was alerted by his mother’s screams and reportedly saw the man over his mom with a knife. He sought to physically intervene to prevent

Her remains being removed from the crime scene by undertakers. the attack but Lawrence attacked him too and he ran to get help, at which point the man, said to be in his mid-forties, continued his attack on Wilson, stabbing her to the face and about the body. By the time the teen could bring neighbours to assist, Lawrence ran, entered his car

and drove off.

When Kaieteur News arrived at the scene, Wilson’s remains lay covered on a veranda located at the back of her house. Crime scene experts had cordoned off the scene to begin their investigation. As (Continued on page 58)

PAGE 52

==CONSUMER CONCERNS==

By Pat Dial It has become necessary for us to revisit the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in Guyana. The pandemic first attacked Guyana over a year ago and the country was fortunate to have had Dr. Frank Anthony, the Honourable Minister of Health, personally taking charge of operations against it. Dr. Anthony immediately began to establish the infrastructure necessary to meet the pandemic on its march.

These included, equipping a special hospital to treat Covid patients; increasing the number of hospital beds for Covid patients; ensuring oxygen supplies; testing kits; educating the public about the pandemic and the precautions to be taken against the virus; fully extending the same quality of service provided by the best institutions on the coastal to the interior regions; establishing farsighted bilateral and multilateral contacts so as to facilitate the exchange

Sunday May 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

Revisiting the march of the COVID-19 pandemic

of information and to secure the adequate supply of vaccines; the establishment of a countrywide vaccination regime which has, at the time of writing this article, administered 70,000 vaccinations and will be moving in an increasing crescendo as vaccines are procured from abroad and of course, the tightrope walking process of imposing the lockdown. Dr. Anthony and his team’s management of the pandemic compares with the best worldwide and has been so successful that the population tended to become relaxed and drop their guard and began to behave as if normality was about to return.

This attitude of confident complacency was at variance with the warnings and advice constantly being issued by the Covid Taskforce. The realism of the advice became apparent when at the beginning of March, there was a spike in the pandemic and the infection and the death rates rose to very un-

comfortable levels.

The leaders of the society including President, Irfaan Ali, himself appealed to the population to take safety measures to protect themselves and pointed out the seriousness of the situation and the immanency of the infection and the suddenness with which death could strike. This message, which had now been internalised in developed countries, has now resulted in citizens being more careful to protect themselves and the curve very gradually is beginning to flatten.

In Guyana, the message is gradually beginning to be internalised and the police have begun to take action against persons infringing the safety precautions, such as ignoring the curfew or not maintaining social distancing.

The understanding that death could strike anyone at any time irrespective of age, social standing, race, religion or profession is a sobering realisation. Dr. Anthony and his team are doing their part;

if the public does its part, Guyana would be able to tame the pandemic, achieve normalcy and enter into the realm of quick social and economic development, which the oil revenues promise.

Among the measures taken in all countries to curb the pandemic is the lockdown of economic life to prevent the conglomeration of large numbers of people where the virus could be transmitted with great ease.

The lockdowns have devastated all economies and have resulted in much poverty and suffering though they have saved millions of lives. As against the lockdowns, there is a body of opinion, which advocates that economies be allowed to function and that the pandemic should be allowed to run its course though it may be responsible for much loss of life.

They point out to the experience of past pandemics where society was able to recover after the frightening loss of life. The Spanish Flu,’ for example, killed at least 10 million persons worldwide

but economies slowly began to recover after it had receded.

Fortunately, governments worldwide have chosen the way of the lockdowns since no one knows for how long the pandemic will persist, or the devastation it would cause to humans. In the Middle Ages, the Black Death or Bubonic Plague, persisted for several years and killed at least half of the population of Western Europe.

Another issue, which has arisen because of the pandemic, is the production of effective vaccines.

The normal vaccine takes about five to 10 years of research and trials before Regulators would give it a full clearance to be placed on the market. Now, driven by the urgency of the situation, they have been giving temporary clearances, which have caused some uncertainty in the public. Scientists in several countries have been feverishly working on the production of vaccines. After a year, China has come up with four, United States with three,

Europe with three, Russia with two and India with one.

These vaccines have been evaluated at various levels of efficacy but they all could be used with some positive effect.

Vaccine production is multinational business and though a vaccine may have been formulated in one country, its main production line may be in another country.

Astra Zeneca, for example, is an English made vaccine but India produces a large part of its total production.

There is a worldwide shortage of vaccines and richer countries have been buying up available supplies leaving poorer countries on the waiting list. In Guyana, Dr. Anthony’s Covid Unit has been able to secure Astra Zeneca produced in India, Sputnik V from Russia and Sino harm from China.

Before we end this offering, it is apposite that we reiterate the basic safety measures which citizens must take to protect themselves: Masks must cover nostrils, mouth (Continued on page 56)

Sunday May 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

Biden to veer from Trump, Obama policies in taking on North Korea WASHINGTON - (AP) The White House says President Joe Biden plans to veer from the approaches of his two most recent predecessors as he tries to stop North Koreas nuclear programme, rejecting both Donald Trumps deeply personal effort to win over Kim Jong Un and Barack Obamas more hands-off approach.

Press secretary Jen Psaki announced Friday that administration officials had completed a review of U.S. policy toward North Korea, seen as one of the greatest and most vexing national security threats facing the United States and its allies.

Psaki did not detail findings of the review, but suggested the administration would seek a middle ground between Trump’s “grand bargain” and Obamas “strategic patience” approaches.

“Our goal remains the complete de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula with a clear understanding that the efforts of the past four admin-

President Kim Jong Un istrations have not achieved this objective,” Psaki told reporters on Air Force One as Biden traveled to Philadelphia.

The administration announced it would conduct the review soon after Biden took office in January. Psaki said officials consulted outside experts, allies and predecessors from several previous administrations as part of the process.

“Our policy will not focus on achieving a grand bargain, nor will it rely on strategic patience,” she said.

Biden, like his old boss Obama, has confirmed that he sees North Korea as perhaps the most delicate foreign policy quandary for the United States and its allies.

But Psaki’s comments suggest distancing from Obama’s dual-track policy that kept engagement open for its good behaviour while seeking to impose sanctions for its bad behaviour.

The Biden administration also appeared to signal it is trying to set the stage for incremental progress, in which denuclearization steps by the North would be met with corresponding actions, including sanctions relief, from the U.S. There was no mention of U.S. security guarantees for North Korea or a formal end to the Korean War, both of which had been demanded by the North and considered by the Trump team as part of a larger package.

PAGE 53

Kaieteur News

PAGE 54

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi A certain man had a donkey, which had carried the corn-sacks to the mill indefatigably for many a long year; but his strength was going, and he was growing more and more unfit for work. Then his master began to consider how he might best save his keep; but the donkey, seeing that no good wind was blowing, ran away and set out on the road to Bremen.

“There,” he thought, “I can surely be town-musician.”

When he had walked some distance, he found a hound lying on the road, gasping like one who had run till he was tired. “What are you gasping so for, you big fellow?” asked the donkey.

“Ah,” replied the hound, “as I am old, and daily grow weaker, and no longer can hunt, my master wanted to kill me, so I took to flight; but now how am I to earn my bread?”

“I tell you what,” said the donkey, “I am going to Bremen, and shall be townmusician there; go with me and engage yourself also as a musician. I will play the lute, and you shall beat the kettledrum.” The hound agreed, and on they went.

Before long they came to a cat, sitting on the path, with a face like three rainy days!

“Now then, old shaver, what has gone askew with you?” asked the donkey.

“Who can be merry when his neck is in danger?” answered the cat. “Because I am now getting old, and my teeth are worn to stumps, and I prefer to sit by the fire and spin, rather than hunt about after mice, my mistress wanted to drown me, so I ran away. But now good advice is scarce. Where am I to go?”

“Go with us to Bremen.

You understand nightmusic, you can be a townmusician.”

The cat thought well of it, and went with them. After this the three fugitives came to a farm-yard, where the cock was sitting upon the gate, crowing with all his might. “Your crow goes through and through one,” said the donkey. “What is the matter?”“I have been foretelling fine weather, because it is the day on which Our Lady washes the Christ-child’s little shirts, and wants to dry them,” said the cock; “but guests are coming for Sunday, so the housewife has no pity, and has told the cook that she intends to eat me in the soup to-morrow, and this evening I am to have my head cut off.

Now I am crowing at full pitch while I can.”

“Ah, but red-comb,” said the donkey, “you had better

come away with us. We are going to Bremen; you can find something better than death everywhere: you have a good voice, and if we make music together it must have some quality!”

The cock agreed to this plan, and all four went on together. They could not, however, reach the city of Bremen in one day, and in the evening they came to a forest where they meant to pass the night. The donkey and the hound laid themselves down under a large tree, the cat and the cock settled themselves in the branches; but the cock flew right to the top, where he was most safe. Before he went to sleep he looked round on all four sides, and thought he saw in the distance a little spark burning; so he called out to his companions that there must be a house not far off, for he saw a light. The donkey said, “If so, we had better get up and go on, for the shelter here is bad.” The hound thought that a few bones with some meat on would do him good too!

So they made their way to the place where the light was, and soon saw it shine brighter and grow larger, until they came to a welllighted robber’s house. The donkey, as the biggest, went to the window and looked in.

“What do you see, my grey-horse?” asked the cock.

“What do I see?” answered the donkey; “a table covered with good things to eat and drink, and robbers sitting at it enjoying themselves.”

“That would be the sort of thing for us,” said the cock.

“Yes, yes; ah, how I wish we were there!” said the donkey.

Then the animals took counsel together how they should manage to drive away the robbers, and at last they thought of a plan. The donkey was to place himself with his fore-feet upon the window-ledge, the hound was to jump on the donkey’s back, the cat was to climb upon the dog, and lastly the cock was to fly up and perch upon the head of the cat.

When this was done, at a given signal, they began to perform their music together: the donkey brayed, the hound barked, the cat mewed, and the cock crowed; then they burst through the window into the room, so that the glass clattered! At this horrible din, the robbers sprang up, thinking no otherwise than that a ghost had come in, and fled in a great fright out into the forest. The four companions now sat down at the table, well content with what was left, and ate as if they were

Sunday May 02, 2021

Junior page PICTURE VASE

going to fast for a month.As soon as the four minstrels had done, they put out the light, and each sought for himself a sleeping-place according to his nature and to what suited him. The donkey laid himself down upon some straw in the yard, the hound behind the door, the cat upon the hearth near the warm ashes, and the cock perched himself upon a beam of the roof; and being tired from their long walk, they soon went to sleep.

When it was past midnight, and the robbers saw from afar that the light was no longer burning in their house, and all appeared quiet, the captain said, “We ought not to have let ourselves be frightened out of our wits;” and ordered one of them to go and examine the house.

The messenger finding all still, went into the kitchen to light a candle, and, taking the glistening fiery eyes of the cat for live coals, he held a lucifer-match to them to light it. But the cat did not understand the joke, and flew in his face, spitting and scratching. He was dreadfully frightened, and ran to the back-door, but the dog, who lay there sprang up and bit his leg; and as he ran across the yard by the strawheap, the donkey gave him a smart kick with its hind foot.

The cock, too, who had been awakened by the noise, and had become lively, cried down from the beam, “Cocka-doodle-doo!”

Then the robber ran back as fast as he could to his captain, and said, “Ah, there is a horrible witch sitting in the house, who spat on me and scratched my face with her long claws; and by the door stands a man with a knife, who stabbed me in the leg; and in the yard there lies a black monster, who beat me with a wooden club; and above, upon the roof, sits the judge, who called out, ‘Bring the rogue here to me!’ so I got away as well as I could.”After this the robbers did not trust themselves in the house again; but it suited the four musicians of Bremen so well that they did not care to leave it any more. And the mouth of him who last told this story is still warm.

SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR MASON JAR PICTURE VASE For this project you will need the following: Clean mason jar ; paint; paint brush; sticker and picture; painters tape; clear spray paint STEP 1: PLACE VINYL OR PAINTER’S TAPE OVER JAR AND PAINT To create your picture frame window on your jar, place vinyl or painter’s tape on the area that you don’t want paint.

You could create a square using painter’s tape and decorative edge scissors.

Paint the outside of the jar and immediately remove your sticker.

You do not want to wait until the paint is dry or else it will be difficult to remove your sticker.

STEP 2: CUT A PICTURE TO SIZE AND ATTACH TO JAR WITH PAINTER’S TAPE - I tried out a few different pictures before deciding on the one I liked best.

I sized my pictures in a Word document and then just printed them off on my laser printer.

The painter’s tape allows you to easily change out the picture.

STEP 3: SEAL THE OUTSIDE OF THE PAINTED JAR WITH CLEAR SPRAY PAINT. The paint will easily scrape off of the jar if it is not sealed.

To add durability to the paint, spray it with a clear spray paint.

Your picture will be ruined if you fill the inside of the jar

with water. Place a paper cup inside the jar, fill the cup with water, and place your flowers in the cup.

RY OET P H

FUN

WIT

I want to be good I think it is only right That I must always try to be good, To say and do the correct thing, And behave as well as I could.

I will always try to be honest, In whatever I have to do, Not to take what belongs to others, And always speak what is true.

I will try to be always fair, Whenever I work or play, Always make sure I do not cheat, And do what is right in every way.

Above all, I will not be selfish, And share with those who have less than me; This will make me feel so good, As they say thanks to me. by Uncle Roy

Ripple effect The heavy lines indicate areas called cages. Fill each cage with unique digits, counting up from 1. For example, a 1-cell cage must contain the number 1, a 2-cell cage contains 1 and 2, a 5-cell cage contains 1 through 5,and so on.

These numbers may appear in any order within the cage. If twoidentical numbers appear in the same row or column, at least that manycells must separate them.

For example, if two 3s appear in the same column, they must be separated by at least three other cells that do not contain 3.

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 02, 2021

TEEN TIME

W

Determine the Principles to Govern your Life

hen you have developed the confidence to use your unique talents to make the best of your future career, either in a quest for higher education or to the world of work, you will need to be more serious about the direction in which your life is headed.

The world is becoming more and more complicated, with temptations all around, and the young person needs to be very careful in the next steps he will be taking, so as to ensure that he would not waste his life, and would keep on the right path to his eventual success in the various aspects of life.

Young adulthood is a period of great challenges, and to have achieved some success in your education, and at the same time living according to some high values, is worthy of celebration.

But the world that is now beckoning is more challenging in every respect, and will need some serious consideration about your approach to it.

You will have to take more responsibility for your actions, display more

discipline, and even be willing to make some sacrifices to retain your

up your mind to follow these principles in whatever you do in the future.

of your Creator; gratitude to your parents and those who have helped you and will be

PAGE 55

POETS’ CORNER

Principle of Family Integrity Family is the basic unit in society, Created through love and integrity; Nowadays families are breaking apart, One must determine in such not to take part.

Family today is loaded with adversities, Frustrations emanate from social difficulties; Lack of job security, or single-parent dilemmas, Imminent divorce breaks troubled families in mass.

The origin of marriage had exalted family union, The Creator of humanity declared such dominion; ’What God has put together let no man put asunder’, Humans were created to glorify the Creator yonder.

God had brought Adam and Eve in harmony, Husband and wife should stick in matrimony; The pursuit of life-styles now violates the holy accord, Tainting the standard set by the Almighty Lord!

Lack of family integrity causes many hardships In family life because it destroys relationships, Drains most families of quality time and camaraderie; If integrity is the centre in the family, there shall be glory!

e n e rg y a n d d i r e c t i o n towards your success and happiness, as well as those who should come under your charge if and when you develop a family of your own.

The right course of action then is to sit down and decide on the correct principles to govern your life from here on, and make

Some of these principles are: Following your conscience in deciding right from wrong; trying always to be fair to others; being kind to others; giving some service to improve the lives of others; getting rid of bad habits and cultivating good ones that will serve to uplift your life; devoting some time to prayer and worship

helping you along the way; identifying your goals in life and working hard to achieve them; giving a fair days work if and when you start on a career.

As is suggested before, devote some special time to think about these principles, and how you can inculcate them into your own personality.

Samurai sudoku Within each of the five 9x9 squares, each digit from 1-9 occurs once within each row, column and 3x3 block.

There is only one solution, and you can find it without guessing.

Make true principles the rock on which you build your life, and you will always be assured of moving on the right path.

TELL IT TO UNCLE ROY Uncle Roy is again appealing to our readers to make a contribution to this column by either giving a feedback on what is published, asking for some help with some personal problem, offering some advice to fellow teenagers, or sharing the news of what is happening in his/her community. Please send your contribution to roypaul2002@yahoo.com

Solutions to last week’s

Sugaru

Bridges

PAGE 56 VACANCY

Vacancy for workers at P.S.G.C.S 1 cleaner, 1 maintenance superviser, 1 officer supervisor/ manager Contact 621-6969/ 615-7784 Excavator operator and front end loader operator loaction : Linden Soesdyke Hightway Contact : 639-2845 Pitmen, welder and servicemen for interior location. Applications must be experienced. Call 231-2250

VEHICLE FOR SALE Toyota Land Cruiser Pardo 2013 PWW fully loaded Tel#663-8895

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040

WANTED Cook/ baker and technical assistant for interior location.

Technical assistant must have mechanical experience and driver's license. Call 231-2250 1 Research personal to research analyst & report on project of interst to Alabama Trading Call 623-1615 One male able bodied clerk Call 231-2029, 225-2313, 6165954 One female cook and one female kitchen assistant to work at Iteballi Landing 684-3039 1 skilled qualified plumber Contact 693-2900

FOR RENT Ransom (Concrete mixers), Scaffolding, Power washer, compactors, hire truck service etc, free delivery. Telephone: 610-5360.

Email:dmdscaffolding@yahoo.com One bottom flat 2 bedroom apartment to rent. Contact 265-7435 Office space for rent furnished and unfurnished starting at $120,000 on Croal street Call 691-1564/ 6972167 TO LET Unfurnished apartment in Eccles New Scheme Tel#6281183, 225-3234 Spaces available at Enmore Mall E.C.D office space camp st. Call Richard 6097675, 674-1705

1- salesperson needed Tel#226-5795 between 10:00am to 4:00pm 1 handy man with gardening experienced Tel#227-7850 Male looking for serious relationship with female. age 2035 years. Contact 608-6288 Wanted experience Lorry driver Tel#626-4691, 627-1835 Live in domestic must know to cook, live in waitress salary $20,000 - $25,000 Weekly Tel#610-3974 Wanted experience hire car taxi drivers at latchman's taxi and rental services contact 6165419/ 265-7075 Wanted Joiners/ Cabinet Makers very attractive salary for futher details, please. Call 6408969

PROPERTY FOR SALE Commercial property for sale or rent Providence old road Call 623-3440 / 233-5600 One unfinished house and business at Kaneville E.B.D price $10M. Contact 6997546, 600-4292 Developer in US selling custom built vacation homes in berbice $25 million CBG proerties. 001-346-818-0822 FOR SALE / RENT For sale or rent, good for business- 4.018 acres of prime land in New Amsterdam, Berbice. Tel# 679-2497 Large property with Huge concrete bond, prime location Cumberland, Canje.

Ideal for business. Sale or rent Call# 679-2497

Sunday May 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

VACANCY Maid to cook and clean for the East Bank area Call 615-9132 TM and Logs trucks drivers, porters must be experience call Richard 609-7675, 674-1705 Cook/ Maid 35yrs - 45yrs within Georgetown area Phone 227-1459/ 629-2435 Vacancy exists for one experience sales girl between the age of 18-25 years Conatct 6885951 / 225-7579 Auto Electrical apprentice Age 19-25yrs apply in person Lot 120 forth street Albertown G/Town or Call 610-0340

Bus & Taxi drivers 628-1183/ 225-3234

Labour Minister...

From page 13 that Hamilton said, “Apparently, in Suriname, they dont pay overtime.

What they do is calculate the overtime and they give you as days off.

So that is what they have migrated here but the law here is that you have to pay money.”

It was also said that workers were being intimidated by management after complaining of their grievances with

the company, but Hamilton asserted that they have nothing to be afraid of.

“You have nothing to fear via people attempting to intimidate you for speaking up and out for your rights and seeking intervention from the authorities.

Any such attempt to penalise people for standing up for their rights, we will take it to the other place,” he lamented.

He has since written to the companys management and they are expected to have a meeting on May 6, 2021.

Kaieteur News would have reported that just recently the Labour Ministry swooped down on Vaitarna Holdings Private Incorporated, an Indian logging company operating in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), for “obvious violations” of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, as well as, breaches of the labour legislation, in particular overtime payments for workers.

The company was also flagged for poor human rights conditions and a complete absence of COVID-19 Protocols in the workplace.

In addition, last year the Ministry intervened in a grievance between local employees of Zijin Mining, the company that has taken over the Aurora Gold Mines, over unpaid overtime salaries and has been rolling out an advanced programme to safeguard workers rights.

Revisiting the march...

From page 52 and chin and must be worn everywhere; hands must be frequently washed and sterilised with alcohol or an alcohol based steriliser; so-

cial distancing of at least 6 feet between persons; greetings done by touching elbows and never hand shaking; avoidance of places where there may be large congregations of people such as bars, funerals and political party gatherings.

If persons strictly conform to the safety prescriptions and seek immediate medical help if affected by any of

the suspected symptoms of Covid, they would be able to protect their health and lives and the country would emerge from the pandemic and embark upon the social and economic development, which the new oil revenues offer.

Guyana is one of the few countries in the world, which would be quickly recovering economic wellbeing largely owing to the flow of oil revenues.

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

Sunday May 02, 2021

PAGE 57

Kaieteur News

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY! In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecency in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

SUNDAY Even as the COVID hospital bursts at the seams, Government continues to operate as though it is doing a remarkable job of containing COVID19.

But in much the way the little child was brave enough to tell the Emperor he was wearing no clothes, we at this publication are bold enough to let Government know that it is not doing a ‘perfectly splendid’ job in handling this contagion.

Although we understand and quite well too, that a healthy economy is needed to foster development, of what use will be such an achievement when all of our people are incapacitated, or worse, dead?

People are being infected in droves and the deaths are constant.

As such, dear Govern-

ment, we ask of you, isn’t it time that drastic measures are employed to save what’s left of our declining population?

MONDAY Today the Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, will be hosting an engagement with senior media persons on the issue of the gas-to-shore project. It is unfortunate that this was not done before, but only after continuous pressure, particularly from this media house. Transparency should not come after so much duress.

TUESDAY When it comes to the gasto-shore project, the PPP/C Government is leading this country down a dangerous path. They don’t have a single independent study, no team of experts to guide them and no master plan in place.

Yet, they are positive about moving forward with

the most expensive project in this nation’s history.

This is the epitome of backwardness and troubling, to say the least.

WEDNESDAY The PPP/C Government says the gas-to-shore project is good for Guyana, that the pros outweigh the cons. If so, let them show us the evidence.

Show the people the financial studies you did which prove that you are not leading Guyanese into another debt trap.

Show the people that this will not be another white elephant like the US$200M Skeldon factory. Stop treating Guyanese like fools and earn their trust for their mega project.

THURSDAY Alarming it was, a year ago, when a person passed away due to COVID-19 com-

plications.

But times have changed!

Earlier this week the Health Ministry recorded, in a single day, five COVID-19 deaths.

But life went on as per norm for most.

In fact, some people haven’t been bothered enough to take precautions to help safeguard themselves and loved ones.

It would seem that COVID has come to show us just how indifferent we are as human beings.

Lives are being lost daily but yet we just smile and look the other way.

It is indeed a sad state of

affairs that indifference has penetrated just about every sect of our society.

FRIDAY Information is the primary currency of the world today.

It not only enhances existing commodities but also is in itself a commodity that is traded, horded and utilised in various ways.

With regards to our gasto-shore plans, we seem to be suffering from a deficit of information, one that threatens to devalue or doom the largest single investment in our history. We cannot continue this initiative with the poverty of information that currently surrounds it.

SATURDAY The PPP/C Government says the gas-to-shore project is good for Guyana, that the pros outweigh the cons. If so, let them show us the evidence.

Show the people the financial studies you did which prove that this project is sound.

Prove that you are not leading Guyanese into another debt trap.

Show the people that this will not be another white elephant like the US$200M Skeldon factory. Stop treating Guyanese like fools and earn their trust for their megaproject.

PAGE 58

India’s daily COVID-19 cases pass 400,000 as second wave worsens

NEW DELHI - (Reuters) - India recorded more than 400,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time yesterday as it battles a devastating second wave, and the country’s massive new vaccination drive was hampered in some areas by shortages of the

shots.

Authorities reported 401,993 new cases in the previous 24 hours, after 10 consecutive days of more than 300,000 daily cases. Deaths jumped by 3,523, taking the country’s total toll to 211,853, according to the federal

Albion sugar workers stage...

From page 50 cane cutters like a pack of wild cow. Management can see if we can get a checkup every week."

Meanwhile, Albion Estate Manager, Threbhowan Shivprasad, when contacted disclosed that there are adequate measures in place to ensure that workers are safe but noted that workers should also be responsible as they go about their daily lives.

He said that there are union representatives who they engage with weekly and concerns such as the overcrowding of the lorries are not raised.He confirmed that one person tested positive for the virus and that individual has

Sunday May 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

since been placed in isolation and several others have who may have had interactions with him have also been tested and quarantined.

Shivprasad said, "We can't test everyone from the gang" but workers who had contact with the positive case and the suspected case were asked

to come forward to be tested.He also stated that as it relates to sanitisation and the wearing of masks, workers were asked to provide their own masks, but the estate has been providing the sanitisers since the estate produces ethanol.

He said that the trucks and workers are sanitised every day.

health ministry.

The surge in infections has overwhelmed hospitals, morgues, crematoriums, and left families scrambling for scarce medicines and oxygen.

And while India is the world’s biggest producer of COVID19 vaccines, shortages of the shots in some states hindered the opening of vaccinations for all adults.West Bengal

state was unable to start a drive aimed at adults aged between 18 and 45 due to a shortage of shots and urged the federal government to provide more supplies, a senior state health official said, declining to be named as he was not authorised to speak with media.Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of the hardhit state of Delhi on Friday

Girlfriend stabbed to death as ...

From page 51 they walked up Wilson’s steps to examine her remains, one could be heard saying, “Look, watch blood dripping there.”Her siblings were on the road at the scene, inconsolable. One sister who did not give her name recounted that for Mother’s Day the siblings were to tile their mother’s tomb. Another sister, Abigail (only name given), said that she last spoke to her sister in church yesterday and they had planned to celebrate the birthday of another sister last night. She related as well that Wilson had planned to move

to a new apartment sometime soon.

Even as Kaieteur News was on the scene yesterday, information was received that police were able to locate Brummel in an unconscious state at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). According to the police sources that this paper spoke to at the GPHC last night, he had turned up at the hospital sometime after killing Wilson and told staff that he had ingested a poisonous substance. Brummel will remain under police guard as he is being treated.

==GNBS IN FOCUS== Organisations can lead by implementing an OSH management system During the month of April, labour organisations across the globe went into an awareness and advocacy mode to encourage organisations to improve and implement Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) practices in places of work.

This culminated with observances on World Day of Safety and Health at Work on April 28, which provided opportunities to reflect on how to prevent work-related occupational diseases, deaths, injuries and illnesses.

It was also a day to remember those that have died from a work-related injury or illness.

Locally, many organisations and businesses, including the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) are working to establish and maintain good Occupational Safety and Health practices in accordance with the OSH Act of 2004.

Meanwhile, with the implementation of the ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems - requirements with guidance for use, organisations can go beyond the stipulations of the legislation to become leaders in OSH. This international standard has already been implemented by numerous corporations globally as a necessity or as an option to further improve practices.

The ISO 45001 specifies OSH management system requirements with guidance for use to enable organisations to provide safe and healthy workplaces by preventing work-related injury and ill health, as well as, by proactively improving OSH performance.

The standard is applicable to any organisation that wishes to eliminate hazards and minimise risks (including system deficiencies), take advantage of OSH opportunities, and address management system nonconformities associated with its activities.

The implemented OSH system will ensure continual improvement of performance, help organisations fulfil legal and other requirements and achieve their OSH objectives.

Crucial aspects covered by the standard include leadership and worker participa-

tion, which focus on leadership and commitment, organisational roles, responsibilities and authorities, and consultation and participation of workers.

Organisations can also effectively plan to address their risks, opportunities, responses to emergencies.

To effectively implement the OSH management system, key supports must be put in place. As stated in the standard, these supports include the need for resources, the establishment of workers competence, worker awareness, and communication of the system.

Regarding the operation of the organisation, requirements outlined in the standard relate to operational planning and control, which covers eliminating hazards and reducing OSH risks, the management of change, procurement and outsourcing.

In addition, conforming organisations must establish, implement and maintain a process (es) needed to prepare for and respond to potential emergencies.

Finally, as it relates to the standard, there is need for performance evaluation.

Organisations have to put a system in place to monitor measure, analyse performance, and conduct internal audits and management reviews at planned intervals to ensure conformance of their OSH management system.

Though the requirements of this international standard would seem like a “big task” to implement, implementation augers significant benefits to organisations. It provides a competitive advantage for those looking to serve the Oil and Gas Sector and it ensures a proactive approach to maintaining safety, thereby reducing liabilities.

The GNBS encourages local organisations to consider the implementation of this international standard to meet and exceed their OSH expectations.

For further information, or to purchase the Standard, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0064/65/66.

You can also visit the GNBS’ Facebook and Instagram pages for regular updates.

Sunday May 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

Venezuela gives US oilmen house arrest in gesture to Biden MIAMI - (AP) — Six American oil executives jailed in Venezuela more than three years ago on corruption charges were granted house arrest on Friday in a gesture of goodwill toward the Biden administration as it reviews its policy toward the politically turbulent South American country.Family members of the men confirmed the partial release of the six employees of Houston-based Citgo to The Associated Press.

Tomeu Vadell, Jose Luis Zambrano, Alirio Zambrano, Jorge Toledo, Gustavo Cardenas and Jose Pereira were hauled away by masked security agents while at a meeting in Caracas just before Thanksgiving in 2017. They had been lured to Venezuela in order to attend a meeting at the headquarters of Citgo’s parent, state-run oil giant PDVSA.The so-called Citgo 6 were granted house arrest once before — in December 2019 — only to be re-jailed two months later on the same day that President Donald Trump welcomed opposition leader Juan Guaidó to the White House.In releasing the men, Maduro could be betting he will receive a better hearing from President Joe Biden, who on the campaign trail called Trump’s policy of regime change an “abject failure” that has served only to strengthen the socialist leader.

Early last week, senior Biden officials from several federal agencies were sched-

President Nicolás Maduro uled to meet to weigh U.S. options, including whether to ease up on crippling oil sanctions it inherited and take steps to support an uncertain attempt at dialogue between Maduro and his opponents, according to two people familiar with the plans.

The meeting, which was to be attended by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, followed a series of moves by Maduro in recent days to grab Biden’s attention including yielding to longstanding U.S. demands that the World Food Programme be allowed to operate in the country at a time of growing hunger.

In recent days, Maduro’s allies have also quietly discussed with opponents the makeup of new electoral council, joint efforts to combat the coronavirus and met with diplomats from Norway trying to revive negotiations to end the country’s neverending political crisis.

Health Ministry targets 30,000 people as vaccinations restart tomorrow NEWSDAY - The Ministry of Health will restart the country’s vaccination programme tomorrow with the hopes of giving 20,000 to 30,000 more people their first shot of AstraZeneca.

At the ministry’s virtual press conference yesterday morning, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said people’s second dose would be administered when the second and third tranche of vaccines from the Covax Facility arrive in TT. He said approximately 33,600 are expected to arrive in early May, and the third tranche in June.

TT has already received 75,600 vaccines. Two thousand were a gift from Barbados, 33,600 from the Covax Facility, and 40,000 from the Serum Institute of India (SII).

He explained each batch had extra doses of ten to 15 per cent, taking the total number of doses to around 83,000 to 87,000.

Approximately 42,000

people have already been vaccinated, leaving a remainder of about 37,000 doses of SII vaccines. Some of the extra doses had already been used.

He announced there would be 29 vaccination sites, including one mass vaccination site in each regional health authority (RHA) in Trinidad. There will be five vaccination sites in the Eastern RHA, six in the North Central RHA, five in North West RHA, ten in South West RHA, and three in Tobago RHA. Speaking at a press conference in Tobago on Thursday afternoon, the Prime Minister announced that all the available vaccines would be used instead of being reserved for the second shot.

He said the vaccines that would be used for the second shot would come via Italy while pointing out that Italy had earlier banned the export of AstraZeneca vaccines.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday May 02, 2021

Sunday May 02, 2021

Pakistan ease to innings win over host Zimbabwe in 1st test HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Hasan Ali bagged a total of nine wickets, while middle-order batsman Fawad Alam hit a century as Pakistan trounced host Zimbabwe inside three days by an innings and 116 runs in the first test match yesterday.

The 26-year-old Ali produced an admirable spell of fast bowling at Harare Sports Club, varying his pace and lengths brilliantly on the third day, finishing with figures of 5-36 after Zimbabwe needed to score over 250 runs to make Pakistan bat again.

The right-armer, named

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Kaieteur News

player of the match, removed Kevin Kasuza (28) Donald Tiripano (2), Tendai Chisoro (0), Blessing Muzarabani (2) and Richard Ngarava (5) as the African side was bundled for 134 runs in its second innings.

Earlier in the match, Ali (453) combined with fellow opening bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi (4-43) to pick up eight wickets to rattle Zimbabwe’s batting lineup, which collapsed to 176 all out in the first innings on a good batting wicket.

In response, Pakistan showed aplomb, with the opening pair of Imran Butt

(91) and Abid Ali (60) reaching 115 runs together at the top of the order.

Alam, the 35-year-old left-hander, then took over with a controlled innings.

Continuing on 108 not out from the second day, Alam faced 204 balls and cracked 20 boundaries before he was dismissed by Zimbabwe pace bowler Muzarabani for 140.

A weakened Zimbabwe side, under stand-in captain Brendan Taylor in place of the injured Sean Williams, fielded three debutants in batsman Milton Shumba, Roy Kaia alongside pacer Richard

Ngarava. Pakistan handed a debut to bowling allrounder Sajid Khan.

Pakistan, which is on a strong run of form in limitedovers cricket, is now the favorite to clinch the twomatch test series against outof-sorts Zimbabwe.

The second match begins next Friday at the same venue.

Zimbabwe is desperate to prove its longer-format pedigree, having drawn its last test series against minnows Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates.

Scores: Pakistan 426 (Fawad 140, Butt 91, Abid 60, Muzarabani 4-73) beat Zimbabwe 176 (Kaia 48, Afridi 4-43, Hasan 4-53) and 134 (Musakanda 43, Hasan 5-36) by an innings and 116 runs.

...Sri Lanka eyes victory Sunday May 02, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) It's probably in your nature to want to include everyone in your plans today, Aries.

Perhaps you're running around making sure everyone is being cared for.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Emotionally, you should be doing well today, Libra. But when it comes to taking action, you're apt to be indecisive. Every option seems to look fantastic.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You may find that you have a strong will now. Once you get fired up to go somewhere, there's little chance that anyone can stop you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) There's tension in the air today, Scorpio, and you might be restless and anxious to start something.

There is plenty of energy around to feed you, but the trick is to make sure that you're doing things for the right reasons.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) - Calm down today, Gemini, and be careful about accusing someone of something when you don't have all the facts. Keep your wrath under control. If you strike out now, you may find that you lose their respect forever.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may be feeling a bit more in touch with your warrior side than your emotional side today. More than likely this will set the stage for conflict in your world of hopes and dreams.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You may be feeling a bit more in touch with your warrior side than your emotional side today. More than likely this will set the stage for conflict in your world of hopes and dreams.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may be focused on a certain trajectory, but today you could run into complications based on overlooked issues.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You may find that someone or something is thinking or working opposite to the way you are, Leo. This feeling is aggravated even more by a strong warrior force that wants to be recognized.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Pay attention to your body today and feel free to stop when your body says to stop.

There's a strong aggressive force asking you to take action in one way or another.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Pay attention to your body today and feel free to stop when your body says to stop. There's a strong aggressive force asking you to take action in one way or another. Make sure that you are considerate of others.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Emotionally, you should be doing well today, Pisces. But when it comes to taking action, you're apt to be indecisive. Every option seems to look fantastic. You probably aren't going to want to miss out on anything.

From page 62 with the new ball taken after 80 overs, Lakmal cleaned up.

With two full days left and a massive first-innings lead, Sri Lanka was expected to enforce the follow on, but didn’t.

In the second innings, Lahiru Thirimanne was caught on 2 and Oshada Fernando stumped on 1. At stumps, Karunarate was 13 not out, and Angelo Mathews on 1.

Sri Lanka will secure the series by winning the second test after the first one ended in a tame draw.

Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo was disappointed with his side’s batting.

“They are putting in the hours in the field and the nets.

Unfortunately, today we just came unstuck,” he said. “We made some poor decisions, I suppose, when we were batting. There’s no excuse for the batting failure.”

Domingo was confident his players will not give up.

“Sri Lanka are dominating at the moment, but if we can pick up early wickets tomorrow morning, cause a little bit of jitters in the change room, you never know,” he said.

Scores: Sri Lanka 493 for 7 dec (Thirimanne 140, Karunaratne 118, Taskin 4127) and 17 for 2 lead Bangladesh 251 all out (Tamim 92, Mominul 49, Jayawickrama 6-92) by 259 runs.

Sunrisers axe Warner and appoint Williamson as captain SportsMax - Kane Williamson has been appointed as Sunrisers Hyderabad captain for the remainder of the Indian Premier League after David Warner was axed.

It appears Warner will also be dropped by the struggling Sunrisers for today’s game against the Rajasthan Royals after the franchise revealed a change to the overseas combination will be made.

Warner scored a halfcentury in a midweek defeat to the Chennai Super Kings, but took “full responsibility” for the loss as he “batted too slowly.” The Australia batsman had previously questioned the decision to omit Manish Pandey from the team and Warner could now find himself out of the side, with Jason Roy awaiting his chance.

Sunrisers are rooted to the bottom of the table with five defeats from six matches

and New Zealand skipper Williamson will lead them for the rest of the tournament.

A statement released by the franchise yesterday said: “Sunrisers Hyderabad would like to announce that Kane Williamson will be taking over the captaincy for tomorrow’s match and for the remainder of the IPL 2021.

“The team management has also made the decision that they will be changing the overseas combination for tomorrow’s match against Rajasthan Royals.

“This decision has not come lightly as the management respects the enormous impact David Warner has had for the franchise over a number of years.

“As we face the remainder of the season, we are sure David will help us thrive for success both on and off the field.”

Kaieteur News

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Shihan A. Nazim Yassim has done it again

O

n March 15th 2021, Shihan Yassim entered a China-Latin American and Caribbean Taijiquan online Competition representing t h e G u y a n a Wu - S h u Association with well over 9000 competitors.

The competition started in March and concluded on the 20th April 2021 and when the dust settled Shihan Yassim walked away with the Viewers’ Choice First place Award and the Group D third place performance awards proving that he’s still in the game and age is just a number.

The Shihan has noted to Kaieteur Sport that the award has given his students and t h e G u y a n a Wu - S h u

Association a timely boost, as at one point in time all seemed dead for this sport and discipline in Guyana but Shihan Yassim, who has been the Secretary-general and Senior coach of the association never gave up on his training.

Chen Xilai, Charge d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy, congratulated Yassim on his achievement and presented him with his Awards (certificates) and a small token on behalf of the Embassy hoping to see this sport grow in Guyana as he looks to the future development of the Guyana Wu-Shu Association and the possible cooperation between the embassy and the Association, while

Ya s s i m p l e d g e d h i s continued support to its development here in Guyana.

The grandmaster, Ya s s i m , m a d e s p e c i a l mention of gratitude to everyone that stood with him and helped him to win this competition at his level including his student Bisram Ramnarain for ensuring that his performance was on time and to standard, Wang Qiuyi of the Chinese Embassy who assisted with all the updates on the competition and his wife Marcell L. Yassim, along with everyone else who voted for him.

Anyone with the desire to learn Wu-shu or Taiji can contact Mr. Yassim on 6627211 (same on WhatsApp).

Portuguese Grand Prix: Valtteri Bottas takes pole position

Bottas denied Lewis Hamilton the 100th pole of his F1 career. (EPA)

B

BC Sport Valtteri Bottas beat Lewis Hamilton to pole position in a bizarre qualifying session at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Bottas headed Mercedes team-mate Hamilton by 0.007 seconds, but Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had a faster lap ruled out for exceeding track limits.

And Hamilton set a much quicker lap in the second part of qualifying, 0.4secs faster than the eventual pole, but could not match it when it mattered.

Verstappen salvaged third with a final attempt, just under 0.2secs off Bottas.

Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez took fourth place, ahead of the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz and the improved Alpine of Esteban Ocon, for the team’s best qualifying performance of the year so far.

O c o n ’s t e a m - m a t e Fernando Alonso, quick on

the first laps of the first session of qualifying, faded after a spin at the end of that session, and could manage only 13th on the grid.

And Daniel Ricciardo was even worse off in the McLaren, knocked out in first qualifying and 16th, with team-mate Lando Norris seventh ahead of the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly’s Alpha Tauri and Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin.

Why did that happen?

While the result might look familiar to followers of F1 over the last couple of years, the way it came about at Portimao was unusual in the extreme.

And it seemed a change of wind strength into the final session was enough to turn things around.

Hamilton had done a stunning lap of one minute 17.968 seconds in second qualifying, half a second clear of the field, but no one was able to get near that in

the final session when it mattered. And Bottas’ pole time was set on his first lap, as neither Mercedes driver was able to improve when they switched to the medium tyre for their final runs, even though they both preferred its feel.

They, the Red Bulls and Leclerc, though, all have the medium for the start of the race having used it to set their fastest times in second qualifying, which could be a significant advantage.

Perez, who out-qualified Verstappen at the last race in only his second outing for Red Bull, was again impressive, just 0.144secs behind the Dutchman.

Sainz has looked strong all weekend and he delivered in style in qualifying, outpacing Leclerc for the first time since joining Ferrari for this season - even though the Monegasque had been faster on medium tyres in the second session than the Spaniard was on softs.

Sunday May 02, 2021

IPL 2021: Kieron Pollard smashes Mumbai Indians to stunning win over Chennai Super Kings Ambati Rayudu provided late lift for CSK, Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2021, Delhi, May 1, 2021 © BCCI/IPL

BBC Sport - Kieron Pollard blasted 87 not out from 34 balls as Mumbai Indians completed a stunning chase of 219 against the Chennai Super Kings on the final ball.

The West Indian came in with 138 needed from 62 balls but hit eight sixes and six fours for a four-wicket win.

Mumbai needed 16 from the final over - and Pollard, dropped two overs earlier on 68, hit a six, two fours and scampered a two from the last ball.

It was the second highest chase in Indian Premier League history.

England all-rounder Moeen Ali had earlier hit 58 from 36 balls before Ambati

Rayudu blasted a 27-ball 72 to lift top-of-the-table Chennai to 218-4.

On a flat pitch and small ground in Delhi, Mumbai started well in pursuit, before slipping from 71-0 after 7.3 overs to 81-3 in the 10th.

But Pollard took on a brutal assault, repeatedly clearing the boundaries and reaching his fifty from just 17 balls.

With 34 needed from 14, Faf du Plessis dropped a relatively straight-forward chance to dismiss Pollard at long-off which proved crucial.

England all-rounder Sam Curran, who took 3-34, bowled the penultimate over and was hit for two sixes by Hardik Pandya before

having the India batman caught at long-off and Jimmy Neesham caught at fine leg.

It left South Africa bowler Lungi Ngidi 16 to defend but Pollard hit two leg-side fours, swiped a full toss over square leg for six and then got enough bat on a yorker on the final ball.

Defending champions Mumbai stay fourth after the win but now have eight points, two fewer than Chennai, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals.

Scores: Mumbai Indians 219 for 6 (Pollard 87*, de Kock 38) beat Chennai Super Kings 218 for 4 (Rayudu 72, Moeen 58) by four wickets.

Archibald gets success in Texas despite the elements

By Calvin Chapman National men’s 100m champion and long jump record holder, Emanuel Archibald, got a major boost in his Olympics qualifying hopes after an outstanding o u t i n g a t t h e Te x a s Invitational Track & Field Meet at the Mike A. Myers Stadium at the University of Texas in the USA. Archibald, in his first meet in the USA, won the men’s long jump final with a jump of 7.95m in unfavourable conditions which included heavy rain and negative wind assistance.

The star athlete that hails from Amelia’s Ward in Linden explained to Kaieteur Sport during an invited comment that it was a wonderful experience for

him to be competing in the United States for the first time and that he was pleased to win his event but it wasn’t easy.

He highlighted that he was on his own and if he had his coach with him, he probably would’ve done better. Besides being alone in Texas, the young man highlighted that it was a lot of travelling and after arriving in the State that borders Mexico on Thursday, it was straight into competition on Friday when he won the men’s Long Jump but he is nevertheless grateful for high level competition.

Archibald that was ranked 30th in the world standings for men’s Long Jump has since dropped to 49th and he attributed that to the fact that he has not been

getting to compete as much as he would like to. He also noted that from the three Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) meets that he participated in this year and won, results from just two of those events have been updated on the World Athletics website.

However, he projects that he should return to somewhere around the top 35 but he needs to keep competing if he is going to break into the top 30 and solidify a chance of making it to the Tokyo Games.

Despite Archibald running consistently in the 10.2s region, he did not fare so well on Saturday as he failed to make it out of the men’s 100m heat with a time of 10.51s. The heat was won

by American Chris Royster in 10.25 seconds.

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 02, 2021

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The Gary St Clair Superhero fight night Promotions

Laured ‘the Lion’ Stewart aiming to devour opponent

By Sean Devers

T

he Gary St Clair Superhero fight night Promotions is planning to stage a pulsating International Boxing card in Guyana which could be shown on a Pay-per-view channel and 27-year-old San Diego based Guyanese pugilist Laured ‘the Lion’ Stewart plans to devour his opponent when the Card which will include two World Title bouts, set tentatively for September, is held.

Laured, who fights in the S u p e r We l t e r w e i g h t division, disclosed that he jumped at the opportunity and without hesitation accepted to be part of the Card which will see US based Guyanese Elton Dharry and Dexter Marques (who resides in Guyana), fighting for world titles.

Dharry is scheduled to battle a Brazilian, while Marques will match gloves with a Venezuelan opponent.

“I’m looking to leave a performance and a half in memory of my late friends who lost their lives to the system; Mark Wilson who was one of Guyana’s best amateur boxers, Mark Anthony another boxer, Kevon Payne and Kerwayne Benjamin who were great Footballers all died young without having a chance to do anything we spoke of

doing while growing up. So I’ll be dedicating this fight to them.... when I win we all win. We all were supposed to take off in our careers but they passed so since I’m still here I’ll do it for them,” promised Laured, one of the Boxers expected the do battle on the proposed card, which includes five Pro and five Amateur bouts.

“I believe Boxing in Guyana will benefit greatly from this fight Card in that many will turn their attention back the sport once Dexter and Elton put the work in and b e c r o w n e d G u y a n a ’s newest World champions.

Guyanese will be reminded that Boxing was and still is the only sport which has ever brought h o m e a W o r l d Championship to Guyana,” posited Laured, who left Guyana just after turning pro in 2013.

Laured, who lived for eight months in the Continent of Australia, migrated in search of opportunities.

“While I was an amateur boxer I looked around me and noticed a ceiling for Boxers in Guyana and I wanted to escape that box.

Denny Dalton ...

Mitchell Rogers and the like are all great Guyanese boxers, but because they were unable to escape the box, meaning Guyana, when they reached the ceiling they

Laured Stewart is also screen writer out of the ring.

couldn’t grow any further.

I looked at boxers like Gairy St Clair...Six Head, Vivian Harris and Lennox Allen just to mention a few, all whose careers took off after leaving Guyana,” explained Laured, who has fought in Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad, and the United States.

Laured, also a Track Athlete who represented Guyana in the shotput and discuss, has a professional career of just four fights between 2013 and 2020 when he lost a close fight against Jalen Renaud at the Palladium, Worcester in the US on February 28 last year just before Covid-19 became a global pandemic, resulting in sports, like most other things, being shut down.

That was his only loss which he still feels that he won, while two of his victories came by way of knock-outs; against Daniel Flores and Eversley Browne, which was his last fight in Guyana in 2013.

The 52 9½3 Boxer explained that presently the pandemic is under control in San Diego and training is allowed.

The Guyanese also explained several issues prevented him from having the number of fights that he would have liked.

Laured feels the difference with boxing in the USA when compared to boxing in Guyana, is that there is more exposure in the USA. “There’s much more competition not only in America but with neighbouring countries on a more consistent level, so the boxers are way more experienced and exposed and when they have opportunities, they don’t get cold feet like most of Guyanese fighters at home.

I believe if Guyanese boxers get opportunities to fight overseas more, then when we do have the chance at a big fight we won’t get cold feet.

Also the support they receive from the sporting community here.... the National boxers can afford to just Box knowing that the community will take care of them,” continued Laured who is married to Tiwana Stewart.

Stewart scores to body of Jalen Renaud at the Palladium, Worcester in his only loss last year in his last fight.

“Also a good diet is a big part of any athletes’ performance....... Americans food intake by sportspersons is way better than what I ate as a boxer in Guyana. We ate what we had and didn’t have a choice,” added Laured, whose favourite punch is his left hook.

Laured believes the sport of Boxing needs support from the Government, Corporate Guyana and the Boxing Board.

“Let’s look at cricket for example; many cricketers go on to play for millions while living in Guyana. For instance, Hetmyer, Barnwell, Sarwan and even Chanderpaul ... why?

Because cricket is consistently played in Guyana at a local level.

T h e n t h e r e ’s t w o Regional competitions; 50 overs and the Regional Fourday....to add to that there’s also the franchise cricket in CPL...the guys have a chance to express themselves and when they are called upon to play internationally, they earn big money... because they are seen and exposed.

Please tell me, apart from Kev, (Allicock) recently... which other Guyanese Amateur boxer is known or seen?

Prior to him was (Clive) Atwell when he was an amateur, who else?” asked Laured, a member of the F o r g o t t e n Yo u t h s Foundation in Albouystown.

Laured grew up in Alberttown in Georgetown and attended St Gabriel’s Primary and Queenstown secondary schools.

“While at school I captained our school’s cricket team, kept goal for our football team and took part in shotput and discuss, while I later went on to represent Guyana in the shotput and discuss.

I was raised in an extended family....we never had a gold spoon but we also never had a wooden spoon (laughs), so I guess you can say I grew up as an average young man... I don’t know what it was like to be hungry but I sure did wish I had a better life, which was my biggest motivation to keep fighting,” Laured revealed.

“As a child whenever my mother sent me over to my father (Laurex Benn Stewart) .... I would see him either coming home from gym or leaving for the gym.... on Saturday nights the TV was always on HBO boxing and on special days he would bring down the gloves and have his kids and our cousins box each other.

Through those many activities my love for the sport began,” remembered Laured.

“I started training at age 11 after I wrote the Common Entrance exams and my mother finally agreed that it was okay for me to fight... my coach …Sebert Blake… however never let me fight

until I was 12. I trained one year straight,” informed Laured with a big laugh.

He said his most memorable fight was his first International amateur bout in Barbados against Cobe Breedy.

“He had just come back from the Commonwealth Youth games with a Bronze medal and I beat him in his own country.

Although I’ve fought many good amateur fighters, a guy from Trinidad and Tobago named Prince, was the best ... I lost the fight… he was very good.

My most memorable Professional fight was my first fight on American soil in which I knocked out America’s Daniel Flores in the second round,” stated Laured.

“I’m working on becoming a comedian ...I’m also working on becoming a good screen writer. I am about to release my first movie,” disclosed the Boxer, who is also a Minister of the Gospel.

“Keith Brazillio, my father Laurex Stewart, my Mother Yonette Benjamin and my Second Sebert Blake were among those who helped, supported and encouraged me during my boxing career,” said Laured, who enjoys playing sports.

“You place any sports challenge on the table and I’m ready to do it,” laughed Laured who is a big cricket fan.

Kaieteur News

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Sri Lanka eyes victory in 2nd test after Bangladesh collapse PA L L E K E L E , S r i Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka is eyeing its first test win in more than a year at Bangladesh’s expense after finishing day three 259 runs ahead yesterday.

Bangladesh, in reply to Sri Lanka’s 493-7 declared, was building nicely at 214-3 but collapsed to be all out for 251. Left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama triggered the turnaround and became the fifth Sri Lankan to claim a 5-for on debut as he took 6-92.

With a first-innings lead of 249, Sri Lanka was 17-3 at stumps in the second test.

The pitch offered some assistance for spin and Jayawickrama cleverly mixed up his deliveries to trouble Bangladesh. Fast

bowler Suranga Lakmal and offspinner Ramesh Mendis took two wickets apiece as Bangladesh was bowled out in 83 overs.

“The advice that I got from the seniors,” Jayawickrama said, “was to not be rattled when the batsmen go after the bowling. They wanted me to bowl lots of dot balls and create the pressure, and that worked.”

Tamim Iqbal was solid troubling the Sri Lanka seamers with an array of attacking shots. With the seamers unable to make the breakthrough, captain Dimuth Karunaratne turned to his spinners and Jayawickrama and Mendis bowled accurately, denying Tamim frequent boundaries.

Tamim, who had been dismissed for 90 in the first test, fell for 92 when Jayawickrama foxed him with a ball that did not turn much.

Mominul Haque (49) and Mushfiqur Rahim (40) fought back but they were dismissed either side of tea as Sri Lanka wrestled back the initiative.

Mushfiqur’s dismissal ended his 63-run stand with Mominul in the 62nd over and started Bangladesh’s descent as they lost the last seven wickets for 37 runs.

Mominul was dropped on 1 and 11, both off Jayawickrama, and his luck finally ran out one short of a half-century when he missed a full toss by Mendis that rapped plumb on the

pads.

Jayawickrama claimed his fifth wicket when he trapped Mehidy Hasan leg before wicket for 16. He is the fifth Sri Lankan to take a five-wicket haul on debut a f t e r K o s a l a Kuruppuarachchi, Upul Chandana, Akila Dananjaya and Lasith Embuldeniya.

“Really happy with the effort to take six wickets on my debut, but a lot of work is left to be done over the next two days and I am looking forward to the challenge,” Jayawickrama said.

Taskin Ahmed was Jayawickrama’s sixth victim and third given out lbw.

Bangladesh was not picking his straight one and he could have run through the tail, but (Continued on page 59)

Sunday May 02, 2021

Maradona care ‘deficient and reckless’ before death, medical board report finds

Gimnasia y Esgrima coach Diego Maradona before a match on March 7, 2020. (REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian) Reuters - A medical board appointed to investigate the death of Diego Maradona has concluded that the soccer star’s medical team acted in an “inappropriate, deficient and reckless manner,” according to a copy of the report shared with Reuters on Friday.

Maradona’s death in November last year rocked the South American nation where he was revered, prompting a period of mourning and angry finger pointing about who was to blame after the icon’s yearslong battle with addiction and ill health.

Argentine prosecutors launched investigations shortly after Maradona’s death at age 60 from heart failure at a house near Buenos Aires, including ordering searches of properties of his personal doctor and probing others involved in his care.

Maradona, nicknamed “D10S,” a play on the Spanish word for god, and “Pelusa” for his prominent mane of hair, had battled alcohol and drug addiction for many years and had undergone brain surgery in November.

In March this year, a

medical board appointed by the Justice Ministry met to analyze allegations that members of the health team who attended Maradona did not treat him adequately.

“The action of the health team in charge of treating DAM (Diego Armando Maradona) was inadequate, deficient and reckless,” said the medical board report dated April 30 and shared with Reuters by a source close to the investigation.

The report said Maradona had become seriously unwell and was dying for around 12 hours before his death at around midday on Nov. 25.

“He presented unequivocal signs of a prolonged agonizing period, so we conclude that the patient was not properly monitored from 00:30 on 11/25/2020,” the report added. Reuters could not reach prosecutors and lawyers involved in the case for comment on Friday.

Maradona, a world champion with Argentina in the 1986 Cup, played for Barcelona, Napoli, Seville, Boca Juniors and Argentinos Juniors, and is widely heralded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time.

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 02, 2021

PAGE 65

Former cyclists Keith Massey and Cyril Hunte give back Clubs and individuals in Berbice, Linden and Georgetown benefit Seasoned campaigner Junior Niles accepts his gear from William Howard.

Arthur Chung (right) accepts the trophy from Garfield Shepherd.

Garfield Shepherd presents a trophy to Mark Wiltshire.

Snook’s Jewellery and Variety Store Supports Wiltshire dominoes Former cyclists, Keith Massey and Cyril Hunte, who are both now residing in the USA and still active, have combined efforts to assist a number of cycling clubs and a few individuals with equipment.

Executive member of Flying Stars Cycle Club (FSCC) William Howard coordinated the distribution of the items which includes clothing, helmets, seats, shoes and water bottles. Howard expressed gratitude to the donors for their largesse which he said is timely given the challenges that have been presented with the covid-19 pandemic

Carlton Wheelers rider Jaikarran Sukhai receives donation.

putting a huge dent of the finances of the cyclists.

“The donation of these items is well received and appreciated by all the clubs and individuals who have benefitted and will go a long way in assisting the cyclists to be properly attired whilst competing and even training.”

The clubs benefitting are Linden Bauxite Flyers CC, Carlton Wheelers CC, Flying Ace CC and Flying Stars CC. Some of the presentations took place at Chin Chan Cycle Shop located in Robb Street, Georgetown.

Snook’s Jewellery and Variety Store has supported the Mark Wiltshire dominoes tournament which commenced yesterday at Supervisor Club in Linden. Garfield Shepherd of Snook’s Variety recently handed over two trophies to the organisers which will be given to the outstanding teams.

The winning team will take home

$175,000, a trophy and nine medals, the runner will pocket $75,000 and a trophy, third place $35,000 and a trophy and fourth place $15,000 and a trophy.

The most valuable player will receive $10,000, while the best female player will collect $10,000 and a hamper.

The competition concludes today.