Kaieteur News

K

Guyana Wednesday Edition NEWS should tap into int'l partnerships to assist with management of oil AIETEUR

Former EPA Head says...

May 18 2022 - Vol. 17 No. 21

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 65,747

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

Guyana receives US$81M in royalty payments for two years but gives away US$657M in taxes in one year p. 2

Losses in Brickdam fire amounted to $104M - Robeson Benn p. 25

Several injured Ex-convict found after car flips dead with on Soesdyke chop wounds /Linden Highway - two in custody p.

14

p.

20

Police arrest woman for driving dangerously on WCD road- reportedly tells cops she was tired p.

12

Influx of expats in Oil and Gas Sector forces Govt. to update housing laws p. 3

How low will our leaders go, to what length and depth will they sink to continue selling us Ponzi Schemes, who else Listen to Kaieteur Listen to The Glenn Lall Show @11:00hrs Radio@11:00hrs will they use, what’s next to be expected from them in the Chronicle, when will they stop? on Kaieteur Radio on 99.1/99.5FM 99.1/99.5FM

Kaieteur News

PAGE 02

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Guyana receives US$81M in royalty payments for two years but gives away US$657M in taxes in one year

By Davina Bagot For the period April 28, 2020 to January 27, 2022, Guyana received US$81 million in royalty payments, scraped from the two percent deal it signed with US oil major, ExxonMobil, back in

2016.

When converted to local currency, this amounted to just over $16 billion.

This was revealed on Tuesday when the report, dated April 25, 2022, was laid in the National Assembly, during the 47th

Sitting at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

The report, extracted from the Official Gazette, sought to give a detailed financial breakdown of the revenue Guyana received

from its oil resources. It also included the payments of profit oil for the period March 11, 2020 to February 28, 2022.

After calculating the figures for the royalty payment for the two-year period, it is understood that the country barely raked in US$81,005,416.74 or GYD$16,889,629,391. This is the state of affairs while Guyana gave away billions in taxes to ExxonMobil for one year alone.

For instance, Kaieteur News reported that between 2019 and 2020 alone, Guyana granted US$657 million or GYD$137 billion in tax exemptions to Exxon.

The Auditor General, Deodat Sharma highlighted in his 2020 report that this excessive amount represented a whopping 62.75 percent of total collections by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

This means that the $137B forgone by government through tax exemptions for that period, amounts to 62.75 percent of what was actually collected by the revenue authority. The 2021 report by the AG has not yet been laid in Parliament, so information regarding recent tax exemptions is not available.

Nevertheless, in light of the foregoing, the

Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh Commissioner General of the authority, Godfrey Statia Continued on page 8

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 03

Influx of expats in Oil & Gas Sector forces Govt. to update housing laws

Housing and Water Minister, Colin Croal

By Gary Eleazar An influx of expatriate workers into Guyana as a result of its now booming oil and gas sector has, in part,

forced government to update its housing laws with the p a s s a g e o f t h e Condominium Bill 2022 in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

This much was acknowledged by Substantive Ministers responsible for the Housing Sector Collin Croal and Susan Rodrigues as well as their shadow counterpart in the House, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), Member of Parliament Annette Ferguson.

Promulgated by Minister Croal, the Bill will replace the existing 1989 Condominium Regulation and Miscellaneous Provision Act which together with other housing legislations left an ad hoc system in place—a system the new law is expected to correct.

Presenting the Bill to the House for a debate before its vote, government has recognised that the increase in demand for housing was higher in the urban areas and that those participating in the

One of the duplex homes at Perservance, East Bank Demerara constructed by the coalition administration referenced during the debate.

oil and gas sector are seeking alternative forms of housing options such as townhouses or condominiums.

CERTIFICATE OF SALE The current legislative framework, the Minister said, did not adequately cater for such a situation and as such, it was clear to government that there was a need to amend or repeal and replace to current laws in order to provide a clear legal framework.

This, he said, would not only offer greater protection to the owners of such units but would provide a clearer path for investors desirous of developing such types of housing.

He noted that there currently exists a situation where persons have developed condominiums but would have been unable to transfer ownership.

Minister Croal also cited as example the duplex homes that were built under the previous administration and while the individuals would have been provided with certificate of sales, banks and insurance companies refused to accept

that document for use in transactions with those institutions.

According to Minister Croal, the new legislation draws on the experience of other jurisdictions that have had a history dealing with such types of housing options and pointed to the United States of America (USA) and Barbados closer to home.

The Bill is to make provision for the horizontal and vertical subdivision of land and buildings into units for individual ownership and to make provision for the use and management of condominiums and matters connected thereto.

Reminding of the 1989 Legislation, Minister Croal noted that this provided in

Shadow Housing and Water Minister, APNU+AFC’s Annette Ferguson large part for subsidised housing, which in turn ended up saddling government with an enormous debt.

To this end, the units in the early 1990’s had to be sold off for as little as $25,000.

Since those persons were issued only with a Certificate of Sale and not a Transport of Titles, over time, persons Continued on page 17

NOTICE Dear Readers, please be advised that, effective June 1, 2022, the price of our Monday to Saturday editions will be $100 and our Sunday edition will be $150.

PAGE 4

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

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

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

EDITORIAL

The Great Replacement Theory

T

his has nothing to do with oil companies with a global footprint replenishing their reserves, and earning the kudos of analysts and forecasters.

Rather, the Great Replacement Theory currently the rage in the polarized United States of America has to do with who looks to displace whom, and which group appears well set to fulfill the crazed visions of their detractors and now increasingly sworn hate-filled enemies.

The Great Replacement Theory in the turbulent and violent America of today is based almost purely on race. It is founded on fearful race visions, electrified by incendiary race hates, and incited by a wide cross section of profound race considerations. There is this set of circumstances where White America feels more and more under siege, that it is losing ground, that it is losing the identity and culture and the supremacy that have always been its right and might since the founding of the country hundreds of years ago.

The replacers are those in the easy and convenient arrival, presence, and creeping influence of immigrants, Asians, Hispanics, Jews, and Blacks. Minorities all, they are nevertheless feared and hated by significant sections of the majority. Those already significant sections of White America are growing; they are no longer of the far right, militia type, conspiracy believing kind of citizen. Many closer to the center have succumbed to the pull and lure of the radicalised supremacists. Their succumbing may not have yet translated to armed action, but the spirit is there, and the energy to make things happen unflagging.

Moreover, the chambers of the venerable US Congress have members who are farther to the right than Genghis Khan and Atilla the Hun combined. If this is part of the reality, though thankfully still a minority at the present time, of the supreme American lawmaking body, then the future takes on the grimmest of forebodings, with more and more layers of American society feeling the pressure to take a stand. The prospects for Americas many diverse minorities dont look so safe, or so healthy; not with an environment that is so saturated with tense enmity and well-grounded vulnerability.

Waves of immigrants from across the globe has added to the state of dreadful alarm, which has given traction to the Great Replacement Theory gaining strength in America.

What started out as a mob, looks too suspiciously like the middle, with more and more adherents taking their cues and joining in the pews daily. To make matters worse, dismal birthrates in the White segment of Americas demographic signal that, as the numbers of immigrants multiply and their own higher birthrates register, more and more ground is being lost by the majority. The White America that is concerned is not comforted by the studies and experts that point to minority status being decades into this century.

The argument could be made that it is why some take matters into their own hands, as in Buffalo and elsewhere, to lay out what the territory for minorities (especially the Black one) looks like.

There is what could be called this machinegun mentality, as though the objective is to reduce through continuing intimidation, actual gunfire, and the heinous bloodbaths that have become so ordinary today. The police used to engage in the blood sport, and got away with the murdering of minorities on the street almost at will, and up until recently. Judges and juries always seemed (again, up until recently) to find some justification about danger and fear to condone official killings. In some sense, this furnished the fodder to keenly watching America, White America, that the system was titled in its favour. So, when the dead piled up in Buffalo, New York, the condoners found ways to aid and abet spiritually the latest killer on the rampage using false flag and conspiracy and replacement theory to project their groundless positions.

We present this feared Great Replacement Theory of America because its close cousin is right here in Guyana.

It is called elections, and of that, there should be no need for any interpretation. Our history and anxiety are over who replaces whom, who gains ground, and who loses and falls farther back. So far, we have managed ourselves better.

President and Government must craft a viable relief package that includes all DEAR EDITOR, I congratulate the President. He has done it again with this latest exercise in calculated, piecemeal state charity. Well, at least this is what he makes it look like, when he converts aid into the equivalent of a social venereal disease. He now comes across as Guyanas $25000 man. It is sure to generate applause, incite anger, and spread swiftly across divided Guyana. As I evaluate this crafty financial caper by the PPP Government, I detect a determined divide and conquer strategy at work.

To give hinterland communities a cash grant is a good thing; of that let there be no contentiousness. The same could be said for providing farmers with free fertilizer. I commend the commander-inchief, now doubling as partial welfare officer-in-chief. If only he could find it in himself to summon the broader leadership sagacity, the consistent state of being, the national duty officer alert to the travails of Guyana s diverse peoples who fall under his purview, he would do much better, score so much higher.

But he just cant bring himself to shed the petty, narrow, and mean-spirited vindictiveness now so much a regular feature of presidency and governance.

Often, I remind this

countrys President that he is national leader, not that of a couple of constituencies. I have tried unsuccessfully to counsel that he ceases playing politics (with peoples lives) and make a sincere start governing a frail society. To repeat, it is heartening that the President can announce readying to deliver these much-needed goodies to the hinterland, agricultural communities, and homeowners.

Contrarily, I must also articulate that this looks too suspiciously skewed towards buttering up a swing demographic, while being continually liberal to his partys known farming constituency.

I like the idea of a billion for free fertilizer subsidy, in the vision of a pass through to price-fatigued consumers of staples. But it is certain that the15 to 30 percent operational cushion would not be passed on to consumers via lower prices; doubtful, given other subsidy eases and precedents. As discerned, this is another official arrangement to keep supporters happily in the fold. Regarding home owners assistance, I say why not, and cheer. My first misgiving in all of these cash cushions is that suddenly we may end up with more eligible people in those hinterland communities and more farmers than ever

existed. That is, real people and phantoms rushing forward in tandem to cash in on governments helping hand; the party hacks must be licking their lips, since it has been a while from the last cash exercise. I did some backyard farming once, I must figure out a way.

What I dont have to think about is of those left out and wondering if they are seen as illegal aliens, refugees from a chain gang. Those would be public servants, in the citizenship of nurses, police officers, teachers, prison workers, among others. Casting the widest net, there are those hordes of minimum wage workers existing on slave wages. Surely, this benevolent, conveniently generous President could think of them, include.

Of course, there is the handicap of them belonging to the other side of the raw, naked political divide, which automatically converts them into outcasts, forgotten Guyanese.

Obviously, the Presidents people took pains to come up with these noteworthy (no brainer) relief measures, targeted as they are. It would have been better for room to be made; some kindness earmarked for other suffering Guyanese. They may be PNC supporters, but they are still

people. Hurting people in need, and daily feeling deep cost-of-living slashes. I cant understand how His Excellency can sermonize piously about this lovely One Guyana vision, while there is this standard that favours some, and excludes many.

It disappoints that President and Government drum up these selective strategies that embrace some and expel others. This only stokes flickering embers. I thought that by now, there would have been a truly comprehensive aid package that touches not some, but all, Guyanese.

Clearly, the consideration is too stomach churning for the President and his party s senior comrades.

These minor giveaways or handouts to supporters lead to more wounds, for this is a society that misses nothing, forgets nothing but harbours everything. It is regrettable that when the President had the opportunity and demanding circumstances to make good for the whole of Guyana, he stumbled, with this carefully orchestrated setup helping some, piercing others. Bottom line: the President and Government must craft a viable relief package that includes all. It is governance.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

The Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2022 is unconstitutional DEAR EDITOR, The Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2022, Bill No. 3 of 2022 is a repressive piece of legislation, which the PPP/C Government has laid in Guyanas Parliament and is not in keeping with our aspirations for a Democratic state.

The Proposed Amendment, Clause 63 A, will rob the Guyanese Citizen of the right to the protection of his or her liberty and to security under the law of a fair hearing before an independent and impartial court guaranteed under Articles 139 and 144 of the Constitution of Guyana.

Section 63 A provides: 63 A (1) In any proceeding a confession made by an accused person may be given in evidence for another person charged in the same proceedings (a co-accused), in so far as it is relevant to any matter in issue in the proceedings and is not excluded by the court in pursuance of this Section.

(2) if, in any proceedings

where a co- accused proposes to give in evidence a confession made by an accused person, it is represented to the court that the confession was or may have been obtained:(a) by oppression of the person who made it; or (b) in consequence of anything said or done which was likely, in the circumstances existing at the time, to render unreliable any confession which might be made by him in consequences thereof, the court shall not allow the confession to be given in evidence for the co-accused except in so far as it is proved to the Court on the balance of probabilities that the confession, notwithstanding that it may be true, was not so obtained.

This amendment in effect means that where A confesses to the commission of a crime and in his confession he calls the

names of B and C who he implicates as being parties who agreed to commit the offence with him but who were not present on the scene with him, when he acted.

The prosecution by virtue of this amendment can give A’s confession in evidence against B and C unless the confession is excluded for oppression or in consequence of anything being said or done making it unreliable.

If passed by the Parliament, clause 63 A would abolish the existing law relating to confessions where several persons are charged in the same proceedings.

The existing law is that the confession of an accused person is not evidence against a co-accused. That is As confession is not evidence against B and C (co-accused).

Moreover, the existing law too is that no confes-

sion (oral or written) is admissible in evidence against an accused person unless it is shown to have been made freely and voluntarily. The voluntariness of such a confession is determined by a Judge on a Voir Dire (a trial within a trial) on the standard of beyond reasonable doubt and if admitted the confession statement goes to the Jury which determines, as a matter of fact, its truthfulness or the weight to be attached to it. All of this protection would be lost to the individual that is guaranteed by the Constitution, especially where clause 63A imposes a lesser standard of proof namely on a balance of probabilities (a civil standard), and a Magistrate or Judge sitting without a Jury, exercises their power on the question of admissibility.

To be continued…

Regards, Basil Williams SC Former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Guyana is benefitting from oil contract DEAR EDITOR, I write to respond to the claims of a letter published in the press titled “No other country but Guyana has ever received such a low royalty and profit sharing and high cost recovery” that claims once again that Guyana is a “victim” of a bad deal.

First, hyperboles of that proportion are unacceptable without an attempt to present the facts. Vishnu Bisram’s letter overlooks the fact that the contract Guyana has is at very least average when compared to other new producing countries.

According to a study by Rystad Energy, Guyana’s oil production could reach 1.2 million barrels per day by the end of the decade, which should translate into annual oil revenues of US$30 billion within 10 years.

Not even two years into production, we are well on our way. To date, Guyana has received GY$150 billion from its oil operations and for the 2022 national budget GY$126 billion is being used by the government to support economic development in the country.

Mr. Bisram’s centerpiece claim is that the price of oil has nearly doubled since the government signed the contract four years ago, but the percentage benefits have remained the same. This is

more wordplay than real accusation. Of course, the percentage benefits have not changed—that’s how contracts work and that is exactly why percentages are used instead of fixed numbers.

What has changed is that the profits that Guyana receives from every load of oil have almost doubled—from roughly US $60 million per shipment to more than $100 million this year.

Under the terms of the Stabroek Block production sharing agreement, Guyana is entitled to: · 2% royalty; · 50% of all profits · a cost recovery ceiling of 75% This is more than fair compared to other newer oil and gas producing countries like Suriname or Brazil, which both have very similar pay structures. This isn’t out of the ordinary and it’s a gross mischaracterization on Bisram’s part to imply the government is essentially being bamboozled. The reality is that the average government take is likely to be around 60% of profits (factoring in both the pre-cost royalty and the post-cost profits.)

That places the country between Brazil at 63% and Mozambique at 57%. This very notion runs counterintuitive to Bisram’s

implied idea that successive governments of both parties have failed in their most basic duty.

It’s also important to remember what Guyana is not getting in this deal: financial risk. From 2015-2019, oil and gas companies invested around US $8.1 billion in exploration and development activities in the country’s offshore sector. Under Guyana’s fiscal regime, the oil and gas companies investing in the offshore sector have assumed ALL risks during the exploration phase. No taxpayer money has ever been invested into these efforts and Guyana has taken on zero debt. To do this development on our own, the debt needed would have been almost unimaginable.

I must question the motives of this letter as it’s clear Mr. Bisram is finding any reason to criticize the government and score political points. It’s especially disheartening when these claims go against every report that’s been published and the simple evidence of Guyana’s massive growth.

I hope in the future we can all avoid grand hyperboles in these letters and find the courage to hold other accountable in the face of inaccuracy.

Sincerely, Romel Khan

More bizarre than this?

DEAR EDITOR, It is a matter of deep concern that officials in positions and who assume office at the change of government, when before the parliamentary oversight body on government spending are unable to answer questions and provide explanations and clarity to queries.

Their standard response it seems is reposed in the position that they were not in the position or the officer in charge at the time of the questionable transaction.

This is ludicrous and flawed and cannot be allowed to be the acceptable norm of response from incumbents. Once the position has been offered and appointment formalized, the responsibility to find out and know all dimensions of previous transactions and to account is an expectation, which becomes even more important and crucial.

From reports it seems proper hand over/take over procedures are not in place or observed since the haste to get rid of previous holders precludes these basic administrative observations.

And so current incumbents are hauled before the committee ill-prepared-clumsily trying to give plausible explanations to what they do not know of, while those who

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

know and can provide answers are long gone. Can it get any more bizarre than this?

Regards, Shamshun Mohamed

For the govt.: sugar is dead and their crocodile tears of resuscitating the industry is a mere charade meant to deceive and dupe DEAR EDITOR, I was horrified to learn recently that the Central Housing and Planning Authority has effectively brought the GuySuCo cane variety research programme to an end.

A few days ago, the remaining fields at LBI which were earmarked for this purpose was bulldozed by the Authoritys contractors to develop new housing areas.

While it may appear on the surface a harmless casualty of national development by its very actions, the Government

department has set the sugar industry back at least 30 years.

Editor, it takes the sugar company at least three decades for a new cane variety to be developed.

Clearly, our policymakers have no appreciation for their decisions, and I have learnt turned a deaf ear to the pleas of the sugar company.

The absence of any action and compassion by the powers-that-be is a clear signal. For them, sugar is dead and their crocodile tears of resuscitating the industry is

Delayed justice DEAR EDITOR, It feels like yesterday when it was that Chatterpaul and Haresh left us, but is also feels like a decade awaiting Justice for these two sons of our soil. I am sure the Attorney General is working diligently to ensure Justice is done in these two horrific

murder cases, where the thirst for revenge; racial and political instigated violence took over. We await Justice for our fallen brothers!

Sincerely, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

a mere charade meant to deceive and dupe. I can find no other explanation Editor for keeping a lame duck CEO who apparently is aiding and abetting the Administration to sink the industry. This direction was pursued in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago with disastrous results. Up to this time, our neighbour has not recovered from that decision. I hasten to warn our Government to learn from history as it seems destined to repeat it.

Yours faithfully, Liebert Alleyne

PAGE 6

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Our MPs must recognise that they represent the people of Guyana, both at home and abroad

DEAR EDITOR, To the annoyance of members of my household, I often sing the part of a century in Gilbert and Sulivans play .

I was a solid 160-lb member of the Queens College Cadet Corp and I suppose that persuaded the British masters who put on the play to identify me for the role of Private Willis in the play Iolanthe.

His song reflects the conditions of the British Parliament, our then Mother country, the words of the song

sung by Private Willis:When all night long, a chap remains On sentry-go, to chase monotony He exercises of his brains, That is, assuming that hes got any.

So never nurtured in the lap Of luxury, yet I admonish you, I am an intellectual chap And think of things that would astonish you I often think its comical fal,lal,la!

How nature always does contrive fal,lal,la!

That every boy and every gal Thats born into the world alive Is either a little Liberal Or else a little Conservative Fal, lal,la!

When in that house M.Ps divide If theyve a brain and cerebellum too Theyve got to leave that brain outside And vote as their leaders tell em to But then the prospect of a lot Of dull M.Ps in close

proximity, All thinking for themselves is what No man can face with equanimity Then lets rejoice with loud Fal la - Fal la la!

That nature always does contrive Fal la la!

That every boy and every gal Thats born into the world alive Is either a little Liberal Or else a little Conservative Fal, La, Lal! Guyana, for better or for

worse is the product of our last colonizers, the British and for good or for evil, the least this generation can do is to know the underlying principles of this parliamentary democracy foisted upon us.

The book prepared by Sir Thomas Erkskine May “Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament,” should be necessary reading by our Speaker and Members of the National Assembly.

This would avoid the laborious arguments about what is acceptable and not acceptable in the hallowed Chambers of Parliament. MPs under both Burnham and Cheddi Jagan were required to secure copies of this, what we know as the “Bible of Parliament.”

For whatever reason, those days are gone, but as an optimist, I hope not forever.

Our MPs must recognize

that they represent the people of Guyana, both at home and abroad.

As such, we should arrest this downward slide noticeable in the highest decisionmaking body of our country.

This based on my experience is a daunting but necessary and noble task, for I recall in 2005 after a certain high-ranking functionary confused West Indian and Latin America countries, I suggested seminars and workshops intended to help.

I was told at a meeting, at State House that those things do not matter.

This is the reaction of a high-ranking decision maker.

It’s amazing as I often sing the words that I sang seventy-two years ago.

Little has changed but the demands today require that we bring our brains and cerebellum to the fore.

Regards, Hamilton Green

T N U L B . . .

T B N U T L N B T .

U .

L .

L T B . .

N .

U N U T L N B .

U T . .

L N N U T B .

U .

N lies! . distractions and L U BL BLUNNoTmore B . .

T .

T T N N U .

U L . .

L B .

T B . . . .

N .

T U T N N T U N U L L U B .

L B . . . .

B .

T . .

T .

N N T U N L LU U B .

N L . .

U B T .

L . .

N B T .

U . .

N L T U B .

N L . .

U B T .

L . .

N B T . .

U .

N L T U B .

N L . .

U B .

T L . .

N B T . .

U .

N L T U B .

N L . .

U B T .

L . .

N B .

T .

U .

N L T U B .

N L . .

U B T .

L . .

N B T .

U . .

N L T U B .

N L . .

U B T .

L .

B .

UN .BLUNT. L . .

B T . . .

N T U N L . .

U B T .

L .

B .

UN .BLUNT. L . .

B T . . .

N T U N L . .

U B T .

L . .

N B T .

U . .

N L B T .

U . .

N L T U B .

N L . .

U B T .

L . .

N B T . . .

LU ...BLUN B T . . .

N T U N L U B T .

L . .

N B T .

U . .

N L T .

U B . .

N L T U B .

N L . .

U B T .

L . .

N B T .

U . .

N L T BB T...BLU U N L U B .

L . .

B .

T . .

N N T T L U U N L L U B U T...BLU B L . .

N .

B .

T . .

N T U N N N U L U U B L .

BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Wednesday May 18, 2022

Kaieteur News

Rarely the people of Guyana are furnished with the whole truth on the affairs of this country.

In fact, we have had leaders over the years who are geniuses at giving life to the saying: “In every lie there is an ounce of truth”.

Oftentimes when a mega project, funded by tax dollars, is announced, that's literally the ounce of truth in the matter. Who really benefits is often shrouded in secrecy. But our leaders speak of such projects with unbridled pride.

They boast of building multi-million-dollar 'bush roads' and upgrading 'bush bridges' to international standard that only a fraction of the people will ever see, while on the coastland, little children are forced to navigate mud trails with knee-deep craters as they make their way to and from school.

Meanwhile, our leaders seem to find joy in distracting the nation with so much highfalutin balderdash, which are vocalised so sweetly, that even the most intelligent among us are compelled to believe that they will reap some benefit or the other, at some point.

For too long, our leaders have been allowed to carry on with the disregard for this nation.

We all can agree: it is time for the leaders of this land to starve their insatiable appetite which daily compels them to hog the riches of this land for their family, friends and cronies.

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Row over “blocking entrance” Guyana receives US$81M in royalty... leaves three wounded “Blocking an entrance” with a car on Monday reportedly triggered a confrontation which has left three men injured – one critical with multiple stab wounds, a second nursing chop wounds and a third with a wounded right hand.

The wounded men have been identified as Kennedy Barky, 34, a taxi driver, Gordon Branch, 51, also a taxi driver, and Kinray Joseph, 36, a Rural Constable.

They were involved in a violent brawl that took place around 08:20hrs at D’Andrade Street, Kitty, Georgetown.

According to police, Branch “throws box hand” with Joseph’s mother and

had gone to their house to drop off the cash.

He reportedly parked his car blocking the entrance to the yard and this annoyed Barky who is renting an apartment in the same yard.

Investigators reported that Barky, using indecent language, confronted Branch about his bad parking and an argument started between the two. Joseph heard the two “rowing” and stepped out of his home to make peace.

His intervention, however, failed to calm down Barky who pulled a knife from his pants waist and stabbed Joseph several times about his body.

Branch reportedly tried to stop Barky from stabbing

Joseph but ended up being stabbed to his left hand. He then retaliated by running back to his car and arming himself with a cutlass that was stashed inside. He returned and chopped Barky to his right hand.

To e n d t h e b r a w l , onlookers had to call police and report the matter. The men were all taken away by an ambulance to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Barky was admitted while Joseph is still under observation in the Accident and Emergency Ward.

Branch was treated for his stab wound to the hand and sent away.

Investigations are ongoing.

From page 2 predicted that unless policy changes are made in the oil sector, the tax exemptions to the company will only continue to climb.

He cautioned, “significant increase in exemptions is expected in the coming years owing to the burgeoning Oil and Gas Sector, and unless policy changes are effected, exemptions are expected to grow exponentially as the industry develops and matures, and in particular, if the Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) for other blocks have similar provisions for exemptions.”

Statia, in the report, was keen to note that the award of tax exemptions is not under the control of that agency.

He said, the tax exemption regime is a matter of policy, and therefore only administered by the authority.

In fact, the Commissioner General reiterated that he is on record, as stating his preference for the removal of the concession regime and having it replaced with a system of tax credits, as practised in the developed nations, thereby allowing for improved compliance with the tax laws and the terms of Investment Development Agreements (IDAs).

A private citizen has since moved to the local Court, to challenge the “oppressive” tax concessions being extended to the multibillion dollar firm. The legal proceeding was filed by Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall, through his Attorney-at-Law, Mohamed R.

Ali on January 13, 2022.

Lall is arguing that many of the provisions listed under Article 15.1 of the Petroleum Agreement, dated June 27, 2016 between the Guyana Government and the oil companies, grants exemptions to persons other than licensees, which violate the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act, the Financial Administration (and Audit) Act, the Prevention of Discrimination Act, and the Constitution. Lall through his lawyer, therefore contends that the provisions are unlawful, null and void, and of no legal effect.

The matter which ExxonMobil subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), joined as a respondent is set for continuation before Justice Nareshwar Harnanan at the High Court in Georgetown on August 12, 2022.

As such, Lall’s Attorney is expected to file submissions in response to the defence brought by the Government and EEPGL on or before June 3 while the respondents, Government of Guyana and EEPGL are expected to file their answers by July 1, 2022.

All final written arguments are scheduled to be filed by July 29 and August 12, 2022 is set for oral arguments.

On August 12, attorneys from all sides will be given at least 20 minutes to present their case before the court, after which the Court is expected to rule on September 9, 2022.

Wednesday May 18, 2022

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

The Education Cash Grant again The education cash grant has once again become the subject of the tit-for-tat between the PPP/C and its nemesis, the PNCR. The latter is contending that the PPP/C originally planned for a oneoff cash grant and that it was never the intention for it to be an annual payment.

The PPP/C had introduced the Because We Care cash grant in its 2014 Budget.

In his budget speech for 2014, the Minister of Finance explained the grant as providing additional support for parents of school-aged children.

He said that it was intended to be used to meet costs such as transportation, and was expected to improve enrollment and attendance rates. In addition, it was said to be aimed at increasing the disposable income of parents of school-aged children.

At the time, there was no indication as to whether this measure was intended to be a long-term measure. The PPP/ C did not present a 2015 Budget because the parliament had been prorogued in the latter part of 2014, and the PPP/C subsequently lost the May 2015 general elections.

After the PPP/C had demitted office, the then Minister of State Joseph Harmon had said that the grant was intended as a one-off payment and was unsustainable.

He indicated that he had seen documents to this effect.

Prior to this disclosure, another APNU+AFC Minister

had said that the continuance of the $10,000 cash grant would depend on a review to be undertaken by the new government. However, this Minister also labelled the grant as unsustainable, and further argued that such grants are supposed to be accompanied by a means test to ensure that the most vulnerable were the prime beneficiaries.

The APNU+AFC had discontinued the grant when it assumed office. The Minister of Education of the APNU+AFC government, Dr. Rupert Roopnarine had said that the government had not yet made a decision on whether to continue with the cash grant. And later in an address to the National Assembly, he said that the cash grant had not met its objectives, but he did not expound on how he arrived at this assessment.

The PPP/C had reintroduced the grant when it returned to office in August 2020 and it made a big splash in condemning the failure of the APNU+AFC to continue it. The mere fact that the grant was reintroduced in 2015 does not mean that it was not intended as a one-off grant in 2014. Unfortunately, however, the APNU+AFC has never made public the documents which at least two of its member said they saw indicating that the PPP/C had deemed the grant unsustainable.

During the 2020 election campaign, the APNU+AFC

promised to introduce an education cash grant. However, this proposal was patterned after the Bolsa Família Initiative in Brazil, which pays grants to families on condition that their children attend school, and are vaccinated.

Strangely, it did not incorporate this suggestion in its published Manifesto but did commit to providing meals and transportation to eligible students.

The argument for a targeted cash grant remains strong. But the PPP/C is a party which does not like to concede its offhand approach to developing initiatives. It appears to act on brainwaves rather than well-thought out plans, and it would not have been unthinkable for the education cash grant of 2014 to have been a mere one-off election gimmick.

It has reintroduced the grant but has not tailored it to suit the original objective of supporting transportation needs of students or increasing enrollment and attendance. Surely, if that was the real intention, it should have abandoned David Grangers initiative of providing buses, boats and bicycles to get children to school.

A while ago, after the National Grade Six Assessment results came out, a video appeared on social media showing a father giving his daughter what appears to be a gift of about $5M for her success at the examination. Under the PPP/Cs Because We Care

Dem boys seh...

Mega farm gone out of fashion Deh gat some big conference tomorrow in Guyana. Is every two morning dem gat international conference in Guyana. Dat is de strategy fuh fill up dem hotels: keep holding international conferences, invite nuff people, get de guvament fuh foot de bill and when de conference done plan another one.

De last one in January was suppose to be some big energy conference with nuff investors. Dem boys still waiting fuh see de investments.

Dis one is about agriculture. One time Guyana bin talking about having mega farms and inviting dem Caribbean countries fuh come and

invest. Den a man named Patrick Manning decide dat Trinidad also gat land fuh mega farms. And he set up he own mega farms. And dat was de end of de Jagdeo Initiative. But guess wah. De mega farms turn mini farms and some become micro farms and others no farm at all. De whole project flop.

Dat is why Guyana should NOT be trying fuh turn back de clock. Leff de past behind and fuhget about mega farms or reinventing de Jagdeo Initiative. It gan only bring unnecessary competition between Guyana and Trinidad It remind dem boys bout de story of de Trinidadian

farmer and de Guyanese farmer. A Guyanese went to Trinidad and he see a farm.

Den he see a man pon de farm and ask de man whether was he farm, “Oh yes, said de Trini, everything from here to de river is my own. This is a mega farm.”

De Guyanese smile because he know dem Trini does call a trench a river. He turn to de Trini and tell he. “In Guyana, I can drive my car all day from one end of my farm without reaching de other end.”

De Trini smile at he and say, “I used to have a car like dat too.”

Talk half. Leff Half.

cash grant, this multi-millionaire parent will be entitled to the same cash grant as that poor child from rural Guyana who was crying while complaining that he could not attend school because some days he did not have food.

The Because We Care cash grant is inequitable. It is not a targeted grant and there-

fore, it can never derive the objectives which it set itself that is to increase enrollment and attendance.

Those billions that the PPP/C is using to give the grant to both the rich and the poor can be used to provide transportation for poor children. But dont tell that to Priya!

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Wednesday May 18, 2022

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Peeping Tom on the Stabroek News

I

quote from the Peeping Tom article of Monday, May 16, 2022: “The Stabroek News has written a nasty editorial describing as vulgar a recent fundraising event purportedly organised by the Office of the First Lady. The r e a s o n f o r t h i s characterisation is because the editorialist felt that the cover charge for the hosting of the all-white party was higher than the current minimum wage.”

This is not coming from Frederick Kissoon's pen. I am not Peeping Tom so some other person out there understands the double standards that this country is

drowning in. As I argued in my column yesterday, some dangerous passions directed against the PPP leadership has been unleashed since the ending of the March 2020 election.

Let's quote from the editorial itself: “There is something vulgar about hosting an “all white” party on a barge in the Demerara River with a ticket price that is higher than the current monthly minimum wage even if it is for a good cause.

Charity does not excuse such “in your face” ostentatious indulgences in what is still a desperately poor country. Of course any criticism will be drowned out by the popping

of champagne corks and the clacking of louboutins. These days, wealth is a virtue in and of itself...”

What does one make of this statement in the Guyana context? I emphasise in the Guyana context. I plan to do an iconoclastic article on Walter Rodney. I couldn't understand how Rodney could have been preaching people's power and revolution to the masses and he was deeply (emphasis on deeply) embedded in a highly middle class outfit where his party leaders, without exception, were middle class elites that did not socialise with the ordinary people.

In contrast, the PPP and PNC had always encouraged working people to be in their hierarchy of their respective parties. In this respect, Cheddi Jagan's contribution to the birth of working class leaders in his party is simply phenomenal.

Mrs. Janet Jagan hardly socialised with Georgetown's middle class elites. I have known Aubrey Norton a long time now, and I will be doing my academic training a

disservice if I classify Norton as having middle class motifs throughout his career. In this context, revisionist historians need to revisit the praxis of Rodney.

What I am going to do here is refrain from commentary and just look at the facts. I will leave it to readers to put their own interpretations. Two points need to be made before the factual enumeration. One is that I have grown up in politics seeing people talk about liberating the masses, and after the rhetoric, they would retire to the world of wealth and privilege.

The second one is that I support the project of the First Lady. To argue against her fund-raising effort targeting contributions from the well-to-do to help charity organisations is foolish. It is normal and has been perfectly normal in the contemporary world and is very much a social characteristic in most countries today. If you are going to get at the PPP leadership, then look for justified issues not

something like fund-raising programmes by the First Lady.

Really man! Please!

W h a t i s heartbreaking is not Frederick Kissoon another soul is going to join me and Peeping Tom and pen a few lines on h ouse. But I am not going to criticise a fund-raising dinner this outrage.

N o w t h e f a c t u a l by a socialist politician if he is targeting people with numeration. money so he can help The Stabroek News is o w n e d b y a w e a l t h y charitable causes.

In these days in Guyana, expatriate family. One of the it is becoming impossible to persons that often speak on tell who is who. We are living elevating the masses publicly in uncertain times in Guyana said his company paid $600,000 for a booth at the where moral compasses and February oil conference and ethical foundations are ebbing away with the tide. exhibition.

One of the leading female Another person who talks about the working people politicians in Guyana in July needing help has bought the 2020 sent her colleagues an latest model in the BMW email saying that maybe it is time for racial partition of the brand of cars.

As I wrote above, I am not country. The graveyard of going to comment on the political discourse and the assets of these people. I see cemetery of journalism failed no reason to condemn the to call upon her to explain.

(The views expressed in assets people have. In terms o f p o o r e r f o l k s , this article are those of the comparatively speaking I a u t h o r a n d d o n o t have more than them; I drive necessarily reflect the a car and live in my own opinions of this newspaper.)

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Guyana should tap into int’l partnerships to assist with management of oil - Former EPA Head

By Rehanna Ramsay Former Head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Vincent Adams is urging Guyana to tap into international partnerships which will assist the country with the management of oil.

In an interview with Kaieteur News, Dr. Adams noted the benefits of tapping the technical and other support offered by bodies such as the World Bank and the Oil Petrochemical and

Energy Risks Association (OPERA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

He stressed that the country is without a doubt in need of the support with regard to better managing the petroleum sector, as the current regulatory body has been relying on the major oil operator to determine which best practices are adhered to.

“At present, we have nothing, no expertise or proper knowledge… I know

this because I was Head of the EPA and based on what I have seen recently, I know for sure that we have not grown much in terms of management,” Dr. Adams explained.

He said that as Head of the Agency, he sought international partnerships for assistance in building the capacity of the EPA. “During my tenure, the World Bank had offered a US$1M grant to set up a petroleum department and

Former EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams

together we set up a 36member team being trained and [were] working to understand various aspects of oil production… The only issue was, there was no one to continue the partnership and continue the work after I was replaced,” he said.

Dr. Adams continued, “I had reached out to OPERA for technical support.”

OPERA provides a debating forum for the interchange of technical information relating to the insurance of oil, gas, petrochemical and power generation risks. It is concerned with all aspects of this class of insurance, but particularly the associated safety and loss prevention issues.

T h e O P E R A membership is drawn from the major Lloyd’s brokers, underwriters, loss adjusters, solicitors, surveyors, engineers, consultants and similar professions.

Dr. Adams noted that Guyana has been presented with the perfect scenario to seek continued assistance to build capacity for better management of the oil sector.

The former EPA Head stressed that Guyana’s management of the sector is “so wanting that something that should be as simple as managing the waste generated from oil production activities has no proper plan in place.”

He stressed therefore

that, “Guyana needs to stop depending on the oil companies for their support, there is much being offered internationally for instance, the UNEP has something which I think we can tap into, the issue is if the EPA or the Government will tap into the assistance available to us.”

Speaking of the UNEP, Dr. Adams said, “…I totally agree that we can benefit from international partnerships to better manage our sector.”

The UNEP explained on its website that while finding substantial reserves of oil and natural gas offers significant opportunities for the social, economic and political development of any country, without following environmental standards, the opportunities brought by oil and gas resources can be wasted.

It noted that oil and gas exploitation can pose significant risks, causing serious environmental damage and compromising public health and safety.

According to the UNEP, “countries with hydrocarbon resources can benefit from over 30 years of international best practice on environmental management Continued on page 13

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Guyana should tap into int’l... Police arrest woman for driving From page 12 in the oil and gas sectors to support sustainable development.”

Enabling countries to access this ‘know-how’ is the key goal of the new partnership between the UNEP and the Government o f N o r w a y ’s O i l f o r Development Programme.

At present, the UNEP says Norway’s Oil for Development Programme currently cooperates with 13 countries: Angola, Cuba, Ghana, Iraq, Lebanon, Kenya, Mozambique, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Through this partnership, UNEP promises to enhance national capacities for improved environmental management in the oil and gas sectors in the 13 countries

supported by Norway.

As such, the UN body seeks to reduce environmental risks associated with the development of hydrocarbon resources. UNEP provides these main services including in-country capacity needs assessments; trainings and capacity building; in-country technical assistance; facilitating multi-stakeholder national dialogues strengthening partnerships on environment and the oil and gas development.

UNEP has experience working with the oil industry in fragile and vulnerable countries and delivering capacity building support. It can draw from its in-house expertise and global network of partners, which will complement the specialised assistance provided by

Norway.

At present, the UNEP and the Government of Norway are collaborating to assist the Government of Somalia to enhance institutional capacities for improved environmental governance and management in the country’s emerging oil and gas sector. A legal and policy review was published in February 2022.

The review establishes a high-level, strategic understanding of the current policy, legal and regulatory frameworks in the sector in Somalia. The report provides a roadmap for further policy, legal and institutional capacity development with regards to environmental governance and management in the country in general and specifically vis a vis the oil and gas sector.

dangerously on WCD road A Spanish-speaking woman was on Monday arrested after traffic ranks tracked a car that was caught on camera almost swerving into a group of pedestrians along the La Jalousie Public Road, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

She has been identified by police as Jourvina Bergmann, 40, of Lime Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown.

Police were able to locate her around 14:00hrs on Monday.

Bergman was reportedly driving a car with licence plate, PWW 1038, that was seen in a cell phone recorded video swerving dangerously along the WCD public road.

At one point, while trying to negotiate a turn, the car almost Continued on page 16

- reportedly tells cops she was tired

A screengrab from the cell phone recorded video of Bergman almost running over a group of pedestrians along the WCD Public Road.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Ex-convict found dead with chop wounds An ex-convict, who was released from prison just three weeks ago, was discovered dead with chop wounds about his body on an empty lot at No.55 Village (burial ground street), Corentyne, Berbice.

He has been identified as Akash Pechia called ‘Loogoo’, 22, of No. 50 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

At approximately 07:00hrs on Tuesday, the butchered and rain-soaked body of Pechia was discovered on the plot of land by persons living in the area. He was lying face up, wearing a black denim jeans, a white vest and a red sweater, which was partially unzipped. He was barefooted.

Upon seeing the body, residents immediately

Dead, Akash Pechia called ‘Loogoo’ contacted police who arrived sometime after and cordoned off the area to commence their investigations.

C r i m e s c e n e investigators placed the

- TWO IN CUSTODY

The remains of Akash Pechia being removed by undertakers. corpse in a body bag and placed it in a hearse to be transported to the mortuary.

Chop wounds were visible

on his wrist, fingers and neck, relatives said when they got a glance of the body.

A cousin of the dead man, Hemwattie Pechia called ‘Diane’, told reporters that he was released from prison about three weeks ago and since his return home, he has been partying heavily with friends and close relatives almost every night at Skeldon.

She added that while he was not permanently employed with anyone, he had been working as a labourer in the village and he would sell coconuts as well.

She said the last time she saw him was about three days ago and they were having a conversation about him staying on the right track and

not returning to prison. She said at some point during the conversation, he mentioned to her that one of his former prison mates, who was recently released, was asking about for him.

“He come and deh gaffing with me and he deh tell me how a boy name Abel, catch one of his friend at Skeldon and beat he up and the same Abel ask he friend where ‘Loogoo’ deh.

Suh me ask him if he do the boy anything and he said no, but that the boy went jail with him. I warned him not to go on the road late but he like go Skeldon and sport,” the cousin explained.

She added that upon remembering the conversation she had with

him, she went to the Springlands Police Station to provide the police with the bit of information and they indicated to her that they were investigating the matter. She believes that the men who allegedly attacked her cousin’s friend should be questioned by police.

Meanwhile, Regional Commander, Boodnarine Persaud has confirmed that two persons are presently in police custody assisting with an investigation. The two persons were said to be the last to see Pechia alive.

Kaieteur News was informed by a reliable source that Pechia was attacked and chopped at the location he was found and that the police Continued on page 16

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

PAGE 15

Inaugural Agri Expo and Forum to provide Caribbean nations with increased investment opportunities

By Zena Henry The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) can no longer take comfort in being primary producers with a hefty food import bill of some US$6B. As such, the three-day Agri-Investment Forum Expo set to commence Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre will provide regional nations with the opportunity to significantly address matters of investment in the regional agriculture sector.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha told media operatives during a press briefing held at the conference centre on Monday that preparation of the venue is in its final stage with 550 registered delegates set to attend, of which almost 400 are from overseas.

The Minister explained that the Heads of Government of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and Trinidad and To b a g o w i l l b e i n attendance, while the Deputy Prime Minister of the Bahamas and the Premier of Montserrat are also confirmed. Nine Ministers of Agriculture and six ministers within the sectors of tourism, trade and innovation, among others, will also be there.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, 1 0 0 exhibitors will have displays. Twenty-five will be from countries such as the USA, Jamaica, Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago to name a few. “Sixty-two local ago-processors will be represented.

They will showcase diverse quality agricultural products, supporting

systems and the vast potential to reduce the regional food import bill and the realisation of the 25 by 2025 programme,” the Minister related.

In a rundown of what the three-day event will look like, it was noted that the opening will be held at the National Cultural Centre by President Irfaan Ali and other Heads of Government.

Following this, the Agriculture Minister said, the expo will immediately open. On the first day, the expo will be open to the public from 14:00hrs. There will be a Donor roundtable where donor agencies such as the Caribbean Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Food Programme, inter alia, will have a chance to discuss opportunities with the various CARICOM states.

Day two will bring together potential investors and other stakeholders on new and emerging opportunities in CARICOM’s agriculture.

There will be matching of bankable agricultural projects with available private and public financing and a Plenary on Advancing the Agri-Food System Agenda. Day three of the event will focus on Youths and Gender.

With a US$6 billion regional food import bill, Minister Mustapha insisted that increased investment in agriculture and food production is extremely vital for the region and in achieving the 25 percent food import reduction target by 2025. The event will promote informed dialogue

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha (centre) to his right Assistant Secretary General Joseph Cox and other Ministry and CARICOM officials. and engagements among key stakeholders along the agrifood value chain of policymakers, development partners, foreign and local private investors, farmers, distributors.

The minister informed that “The three-day event …will provide an opportunity for potential investors to contribute to food and nutrition security, with a view to identifying specific areas in which investment is needed to overcome existing structural and operational challenges.”

The Agriculture Ministry and the CARICOM Secretariat have led in the capacity of co-chairing, planning, management and execution of the event. The Committee consisted of stakeholders from government, development partners and the private sector.

Assistant Secretary General on Economic, Integration, Innovation and Development at CARICOM, Joseph Cox stated in his remarks the urgency in which the region needs to grab the opportunities confronting it. He said opportunities exist in animal and animal products, primary production and food processing as “we are

Ongoing work for Thursday’s opening of the Agri Expo and Forum.

moving up the value chain.”

He said it is no longer that the region should take comfort

in saying that it is a primary producer of certain goods.

“We have to now move up

the value chain and get that additional value added in our Continued on page 16

Kaieteur News

PAGE 16

Man gets broken leg for refusing to buy rum

R

egion Seven ranks are hunting a suspect accused of fracturing his co-worker’s right leg around 21:00hrs on Sunday at Kaburi Village, Essequibo River because he refused to buy him some rum.

Hospitalised with a

fracture to the tibia and fibula bones of his right leg is James Dos Santos, a 30year-old supervisor of Pearl, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

He told police that he and the suspect worked together for a logging company. He recalled that he was resting inside the

company’s truck at the village when the co-worker came and woke him up for some money to buy rum but he refused to give him any.

His refusal reportedly aggravated the co-worker and the man picked up a heavy object and lashed him to his right leg. Dos Santos reportedly collapsed from

the blow and shouted for help. Several villagers came to his rescue and the suspect ran away.

He was taken to the Bartica Regional Hospital where he was admitted and treated for a broken leg. Dos Santos has since been transferred to the city for further treatment.

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Man on the run for stabbing ex-girlfriend Allowing an exboyfriend to sleep over almost turned deadly for 39year-old Sharon Hoppie after the man allegedly invaded her room and stabbed her twice before running away.

Hoppie, a resident of 32 Hadfield Street, Lodge, Georgetown, was attacked by the man around 03:30hrs on Tuesday. He allegedly stabbed her once to her neck and the left-side of her abdomen.

She told investigators that the relationship between her and the man ended two months ago.

Hoppie has since started dating another man.

However, after midnight, the ex-boyfriend showed up at her home and reportedly saw the man leaving. The t w o g o t i n t o a

misunderstanding and after they settled the argument, Hoppie allowed him to sleep over because “it was late for him to go home.”

The woman claimed that she went to bed around 02:00hrs but was startled out of her sleep with her ex standing over her with a knife in his hand. She reportedly tried to fight him off but he managed to stab her twice before escaping.

Her screams alerted a neighbour who rushed to her assistance. She was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where doctors treated her wounds.

According to police, doctors said her condition is stable.

Ranks are currently hunting the suspect.

Inaugural Agri Expo and...

From page 15 economies.” The CARICOM official was optimistic that this inaugural forum and expo would receive support for its continuation.

The Expo and Forum is being held under the theme: “Investing in Vision 25 by 2025”. President Ali who is Lead Head of the Government responsible for Agricultural Diversification and Food Security within the regional Bloc had presented a detailed Action Plan for commercialising the agri-food sector and attaining the vision of reducing the food imports by 25 percent in 2025 at the 33 Inter-Sessional Conference of Heads of Government earlier this year.

CARICOM Heads of Government agreed that an Agriinvestment forum would be an appropriate platform to tackle the issue of investment in the sector.

Ex-convict found dead with...

From page 14 are in possession of footage that can help their probe.

However, when questioned, neighbours said they did not hear or see anything Monday night since there was a heavy downpour.

Pechia, who was arrested in August 2021 in relation to larceny and theft, had escaped from police custody at the No.51 Police Station. Police after launching a manhunt for him, subsequently recaptured him at Hazel Street, Springlands, Upper Corentyne, Berbice and he was expected to be charged. It is unclear if Pechia was charged for escaping custody but, according to Commander Persaud, the penalty for escaping custody is three years imprisonment.

Police arrest woman for...

From page 13 ploughed into three pedestrians at the corner of the road. It even appeared as if it hit one of them as it swerved away.

Police received the video around 20:19hrs on Sunday.

Speaking with Kaieteur News, investigators said that they began to track the car and eventually located it and its driver the following day. While in custody, Bergman told the investigators that she was “tired” at the time and was falling asleep behind the wheel.

Investigators, however, believe that Bergman was probably driving under the influence of alcohol but because they found her one day later, they were unable to confirm their suspicions. Nevertheless, it is quite evident that she was driving dangerously and is likely to be charged with dangerous driving.

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

Influx of expats in Oil & Gas Sector forces Govt. to...

From page 3 found it difficult to use the Certificate to obtain loans and insurance and that situation remained in place for years.

DUPLEX INITIATIVE Compounding the situation, Minister Croal reminded the House that when the coalition launched its Duplex Initiative, the laws were not updated and as such, these persons too were only issued with certificates of sale, useless at financial institutions.

A P N U + A F C ’s Ferguson, in her presentation to the House on the Bill, informed that in principal, the opposition supports the legislation but that there were a number of concerns, key among which were the powers to be vested in the hands of the Minister and joined her AFC counterpart Deonarine Ramsaroop’s call for the Bill to be deferred to a Special Select Committee for further clarifications and adjustments where necessary.

She posited that in the present iteration, it can allow for the discrimination of Guyanese developers as a result of the decisionmaking powers that lie in the hands of the Minister.

She observed too that the new legislation that has been brought about is in large part of a replica of the existing legislation and that there had been minor adjustments.

This, she noted, as she quipped that the government minister was giving the intention there was no such legislation already in existence, stating that it was the People’s National Congress’ vision.

She pointed to the existence of condominiums already in existence and pointed to units such as those i n L a i n g Av e n u e i n Georgetown commonly referred to as ‘Range Houses’.

Ferguson in her presentation did concede that persons had encountered problems during attempts to transact business with financial institutions.

According to the opposition MP, they had attempted in 2017 to remedy the situation but the no confidence motion the following year scuttled this attempt.

She did use the occasion to concede that there is need for updated legislation especially with the demand coming from overseas.

She noted that with the Guyana’s economy on the rise due to the resources to be

had from the oil and gas sector, there is need for the modernisation of the laws.

TRANSFORMATIONAL DEVELOPMENT This, she said, is evident with the influx of expatriates coming to Guyana and their demand for different housing accommodation and that their preference would be for gated communities with amenities and condominiums.

While indicating support for the Bill, she was adamant that it be sent to a Select Committee in order for there to be wider consultations not just with friends and cronies but with the opposition and a wider section of the Guyanese society.

To u r i s m M i n i s t e r O n e i d g e Wa l r o n d i n responding to Ramsaroop’s condemnation of the legislation citing the fact that it did not go far enough; the Minister said the proposed legislation is just one component of a raft of measures aimed at providing better housing solutions.

Rodrigues, the Minister within the Ministry of Housing lamented the opposition’s calls for the Bill to be sent to a Special Select Committee would only further delay the reliefs intended for citizens.

She used the occasion to also rebut allegations over the powers of the Minister and pointed to limitations outlined in the Bill.

According to Minister Rodrigues, with Guyana on the cusp of major transformational development, updating the housing legislation is crucial.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall in his contribution to the debate observed that it’s a public secret in Guyana that there is inadequate accommodation and the situation is likely to get dire if not remedied.

A s s u c h , t h e administration wanted to ensure that not only are there a number of branded hotels on the horizon or are already under construction but there was also need for different styles of ownerships and condominium form part of that.

PATENT AND LATENT He too sought to lament the “patent and latent deficiencies” in the existing laws, a situation compounded by the dual land ownership system in Guyana—Roman/Dutch.

Such a system, he explained, involves instruments of ownership such as a Transport and a

C e r t i f i c a t e o f Ti t l e , depending on the zone within which an edifice is constructed.

He cited too the problems encountered by persons looking to transact business with financial institutions and said that the Bill will remedy this situation.

Seeking to correct his opposition colleague, Minister Nandlall noted

that the first condominiums to be constructed in Guyana had been spearheaded under the hand of the late President, then Housing M i n i s t e r — p r e independence—Janet Jagan.

He said, what the PNC did in 1989 was to regularise the status quo for the persons living in those homes in order to provide some form of titular ownership.

Investors, he said, are currently flocking to Guyana and there is need to cater to the real estate boom in Guyana, which has since attracted international companies such as Century 21 Real Estate.

Adding his voice to the debate too was Prime Minister Mark Phillips who dismissed the calls for the Bill to be sent to a select committee saying

development delayed is development denied.

He was adamant that the Bill is aimed at providing additional reliefs for its citizens.

Minister Croal in wrapping up the debate iterated it is government’s intention to put the necessary administrative procedures in place as soon as possible in order to bring the provisions to fruition.

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Murder suspect found dead with insecticide next to his body A 57-year-old fisherman accused of stabbing his wife to death on April 12, last, was reportedly found dead on Monday with two bottles of insecticide next to his body in the Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) backlands.

The dead man was positively identified as Vijaimal Raj, a suspect wanted by police for the murder of Savitri Raj, 57, at their home located at Lot 563 Foulis, ECD. His remains were discovered by a cattle farmer around 12:30hrs.

Raj and his wife Savitri had been married for 33 years, but around 02:00hrs on Tuesday, April 12, their marriage came to a tragic and abrupt end. Their children who lived in the bottom flat of their two-storey home were awakened by her screams.

They reportedly rushed upstairs to find out what was wrong only to be greeted with their father’s words, “this not none of y’all business”. His son reportedly forced open the door and Raj broke the louvres windows and ran away.

Together with his sister, they headed to their mother’s bedroom where they found her bloodied remains lying on her bed.

Raj was the prime suspect in the murder and a

The dead Vijaimal Raj and his late wife, Savitri Raj, in happier times. wanted bulletin was issued for him but he was never caught and was in hiding since then. It was rumoured that he had showed up at his wife’s funeral and had peeped at her cremation from the bushes but nothing else was heard of him.

On Monday, according to police, a farmer of Cummings Lodge, ECD, was grazing his cattle in the Enmore Backlands, when he spotted a mosquito net in some bushes. Curious, he decided to check out the unusual site and stumbled

upon the decomposing body that was later identified to be that of Raj. Due to the advanced stage of decomposition of the remains, police believe that Raj had been dead for a while. Two bottles of insecticides were also found next to his body, which was clad in a red jersey, a blue short pants and a black cap.

Raj spent his last moments lying under a blue mosquito net on a bed made with old cloth and salt bags in the bushes of the Enmore backlands.

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Several injured after car flips on Soesdyke/ Linden Highway

The scene of the accident.

Two children, ages one and five, are among six persons who were severely injured on Tuesday after a car flipped and toppled several times along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway before coming to a halt in some bushes.

Police identified the injured as the driver of the car, 33year-old Paul Archer of Half Mile, Wismar, Linden, Region 10, Nitchell Warde, 1, Maica Liddell, 4, David Ward, 24, Michell Petters, 36, and Ayanna Liddell, 19.

According to police, Archer was speeding north along the highway and lost control of the car in the vicinity of Yarrowkabra. Based on cell phone recorded videos of the scene, some of the occupants who were lying in the grass were placed into a vehicle by public-spirited citizens.

Police stated that the vehicle took them all to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre. The one-year-old child, the driver and Warde were treated and sent away while the remaining three victims were referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further medical attention.

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

PAGE 22

Wednesday May 18, 2022

“Lionheart” Harris is “satisfied” after clearing Cabinet (ST KITTS AND N E V I S O B S E RV E R ) Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris is satisfied with his decision to fire six Cabinet members last week

following their absence and their public attempts to remove him as Prime Minister.

Last week Dr Harris announced that he was

removing six cabinet ministers namely Deputy Prime Minister Shawn Richards, Mark Brantley, Jonel Powell, Alexis Jeffers, Lindsay Grant and

Eric Evelyn after they wrote a letter to the GovernorGeneral revoking their support in the Prime Minister as well as filing a Motion of No Confidence

and not attending cabinet meetings.

Dr Harris said, “They started to get overly ambitious…”

The Prime Minister

Prime Minister, Dr. Timothy Harris reminded that a lady came from Trinidad and said she walked up and down the country and for all the things that were happening in the country that he must consider doing a third term.

He however indicated that he never said anything about wanting a third term but indicated his wish to stick to the agreement.

“I did not ask the lady to say anything. The lady said what she had to say. Up to now, I have not told anybody about a third term.”

He indicated however that while he allowed the former minister to air their grievances publicly it became “overbearing”. “It had become overbearing and I said I going to talk to the governor-general. I told the governor-general that they were out of order and are attempting to disgrace our country and we will not allow it and I explained all the circumstances. I prayed about it and I told the governor I will remove all of them “You cannot refuse to do your work and still every month goes to the Treasury for a big fat check.” He said for 91 days the former Deputy Prime Minister had not been to the cabinet. Out of order!

“I feel very satisfied that we have now cleared the country of shame and scandal of having some jokers parading themselves as government ministers and trying to take power which they can’t control.”

The Prime Minister said that they would not be bullied by any politician.

“They thought they could bully me…They thought going on the radio going all over the region…that I who have a lion heart will be afraid of them. There is nothing they can do to force this government to surrender.”

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

PAGE 23

Murders up by 4.1% so far this year in Jamaica (JAMAICA OBSERVER)– The island has recorded 534 murders as at May 14.This represents a 4.1 per cent increase when compared to the 513 murders recorded this time last year. The information is contained in the latest Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Periodic Crime Statistics Review, which covers the period January 1 to May 14.

The St James Police Division leads the murder count nationally with 92 cases, a 50.8 per cent increase compared to the 61

homicides reported in the division up to May 14 last year. The Westmoreland Police Division is second on the list, with 56 murders since the start of the year, while St Catherine North is third after 48 murders were recorded there.

St Andrew South is fourth with 41 murders, though, ironically, that figure represents a 43.1 per cent decrease in homicides when compared to the 72 cases reported last year. However, St Mary had the highest percentage increase in murders, with an 500 per cent rise.

There were 18 murders committed in the parish up to May 14, compared with three for the corresponding period in 2021.

The Kingston Central Police Division, where a Zone of Special Operations (ZOSO) is under effect in Parade Gardens, saw a decrease in murders of 44.4 per cent for the reporting period.There were 15 murders up to last Saturday, compared to 27 last year. Portland is the least murderous parish in 2022, having recorded four murders over the period. Regarding

the other areas of crime, the JCF data shows that there has been fewer cases of shootings, with a decrease of 56. So far this year, between January 1 and May 14, there have been 418 shootings, in comparison to the 474 over the same period last year. There were 153 cases of rapes over the period under review, compared to 183 for the same period last year, which represented a decrease of 16.4 per cent.

Some 334 robberies were recorded up to May 14 this year,

down from the 347 observed in the corresponding period last year, representing a reduction of 13 cases or 3.7 per cent.Break-ins, however, saw a 6.8 per cent increase with 359 incidents this year compared to 336 in 2021. Overall, the JCF said the total number of serious and violent crimes committed so far this year has declined by 3.0 per cent. A total of 1,798 serious and violent crimes were reported to May 14, when compared to 1,853 incidents reported last year, representing a difference of 55 cases.

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Mexico disappearances reach record high of 100,000 amid impunity Relatives of the disappeared say they are often met with indifference by officials.

(BBC NEWS) The number of people reported as disappeared in Mexico is at a record high of 100,000, figures suggest.

Government data, which goes back to 1964, shows that almost all the disappearances have occurred since 2007, when then-President Felipe Calderón launched his “war on drugs”.

The United Nations has called it “a human tragedy of enormous proportions”.

Many of the missing are victims of organised crime and hardly any of those responsible are punished.

The latest update to the national registry of missing people kept by Mexico’s attorney general’s office shows that over the past two years, the number of disappeared has risen from 73,000 to more than 100,000.

Three quarters of those reported missing were men and one fifth were under the age of 18 at the time of their disappearance. Relatives of the disappeared say that the government is not doing enough to find them, and that officials are indifferent when they report their loved ones missing.

Many have taken matters into their own hands, digging up unmarked graves in the hopes of finding remains of their loved ones. On 10 May, the day Mexicans marked Mother’s Day, hundreds of women took to the streets to demand the authorities do more to locate the missing and punish those behind enforced disappearances.

According to the UN, only 35 of the recorded disappearances have led to the conviction of the perpetrators. It said that the “staggering rate of impunity” was mostly to blame on the lack of

effective investigations.

“It leaves victims’ families, already deeply affected by the disappearance of their loved ones, to cope alone with the additional burden of trying to ascertain what happened to them,” the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement.

In a report published last month, the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances said that organised crime had become a “central perpetrator” of disappearances in Mexico “with varying degrees of participation, acquiescence or omission by public servants”.

Rights group Centro Prodh asked on Twitter “how many more have to go missing for the government to come up with a policy to prevent and eradicate disappearances”.

The state with the highest number of disappearances is Jalisco, where the Jalisco New Generation Cartel has its power base. In recent years, migrants have increasingly been among those reported missing.

Last year, 349 foreign nationals were reported as disappeared, compared to 89 the previous year, according to a report by the Jesuits’ Missing Migrant Search Program (SJM).

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 25

Losses in Brickdam fire amounted to $104M Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn on Tuesday submitted a written response to Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Geeta ChandanEdmond, where it was revealed that just over $104

million in equipment, exhibits and vehicles were destroyed in the fire at the Brickdam Police Station in October of last year.

During the 47th Sitting of Parliament, the Minister’s response was circulated

which detailed that a total of 1,603 items were destroyed at the sum of $104,391,100.

The items listed included 36 body cameras which cost $2,520,000, 60 mattresses at a total cost of $2,100,000, 20 laptops totalling $5,000,000,

six copy machines that cost $7,200,000, two heavy duty staple machines costing $200,000 and two digital recorders amounting to $2,400,000.

The Ministry said one minibus was destroyed by the fire that was valued at $4,500,000.

The fire reportedly began around 11:06hrs on October 2, last in the upper part of an eastern building and spread to several other buildings in the compound.

Following the destruction of the Divisional Headquarters, ChandanEdmond, mere days later sent several questions to the Minister, seeking clarity on the outcome of the event.

A video recorded confession, released on October 6, last, proved that Clarence Greene, called

“Molly”, had willingly admitted to setting the fire.

He was reportedly placed in a cell located on the second floor of the lock-up which is situated extremely close to an office located on the upper flat of the eastern half of the Brickdam Police Station.

As it relates to how he was able to enter the cell with a lighter (which he reportedly used to set the fire), Greene said on camera that he was searched by an officer who had initially taken away the item from him. However, he had requested that the officer return the lighter because, “I does want to smoke one, one cigarette some time.”

“Getting frustrated that me alone in the cell, the guy wah give the statement, he went doing something

- Robeson Benn

outside and I see the wire and I tell he pass the wire fuh me deh.”

He revealed that he had lit the end of the sponge that was left in his cell and went to sleep. A short while later, the inmate who had passed him the wire to start the fire came knocking at his cell door alerting him about the fire.

Since then, seven companies have submitted bids to design an eightstorey building to replace the burnt structure. Bids were opened for the project on March 22, last. The Ministry has not yet invited bids for the construction of the new building.

In this year’s budget, the sum of $400M was allocated to the Ministry, which would go towards the construction of the new complex.

PAGE 26

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Bids open for rehabilitation of Umana Yana roof At Tuesdays opening of fice, it was revealed that the tenders at the National Pro- Umana Yana roof is slated for curement and Tender Admin- rehabilitative works. The istration Board (NPTAB) of- project which is being underMinistry of Culture, Youth and Sport Rehabilitation of roof, Umana Yana

taken by the Ministry of Cul- submitted bids to the NPTAB ture, Youth and Sport is esti- to execute the works. mated to cost $12.9 million.

Below are the companies Nine contractors have and their bids: Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Construction of concrete bridge at National Exhibition Centre

Ministry of Agriculture Rehabilitation of Alliance Bridge, Timehri, East Bank Demerara

Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation Construction of Asphalt Plant Administration and Quality Control Laboratory Building, Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara

Supreme Court of Judicature Extension of Bailiff Bond and Construction of two self-contained living quarters at Lethem, Region Nine

Ministry of Human Services and Social Security Services Printing and compilation of old age pension, public assistance and permanently disable booklets for 2023

Upgrading of KI 1 southern access road, Ruby Back Area, East Bank Demerara

Ministry of Finance Construction of annex building for the Ministry at Lot 77 Croal Street

GECOM Procurement on janitorial supplies

Construction of stores at Head Office, Lamaha & East Street

Supply, delivery and testing of one new 4x4 double cab pickup

Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) Supply and delivery of solar PV equipment for the GEA

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 27

PAGE 28

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

65 new COVID-19 cases

- 3 still in ICU

VEHICLE FOR SALE One Honda CRV,fully loaded immaculate condition, low mileage 3.3M negotiable & 1 new super custom Hiace Bus 2.5M .Contact:649-0956.

2014 Kia Sportage,brand new excellent condition 49,000km $5.7M negotiable. Call:6697644.

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design,Advertisements, Wedding decorations & Elderly grooming: Hair,Nail etc.Tel:626-7040.

Specialized repairs/service refrigerator,washing machine, pressure pump, stove, treadmill,dryer,filteration system, deepfryer.Call:6949733.

Glasgow's Executive Cleaning Service.We offer residential and commercial cleaning & maid services. Call:6503133/672-6935.

WANTED Cook,Kitchen Helper & Young man for Bar-B-Que Cook.Tel:629-2044.

Farmer seeking workers to live on Pomeroon farm. Call: 661-2828.

Waitress to work in a bar live in.Must have ID card. Contact:659-1930 or 221-2785.

One experienced female able bodied sales clerk.Tel:2252313,226-1497.

One experienced male able bodied worker. Tel:225-2313, 226-1497.

1 experience housekeeper to work in Providence,age 40.

Tel:697-0157.

Pitman to work in Interior.

Call:223-7165/225-8645.

One live in babysitter needed.Contact Melissa on 693-6617 or 636-2310.

S&S Security Service. Security Officers.Contact:6916081.

Urgently Needed female Bartender and shop attendant.

Must have experience. Serious person can call:689-4461 or 662-6254.

Urgently Needed female cook for cook shop in the interior,38 yrs & over.Call or whatsapp 689-4461 or 6626241.

FOR SALE

Seamstres,Tailor wanted.

Tel:691-1918 whatsapp.

Passion Fruits for sale.

Call:661-2828.

One adult female German Shepherd & German Shepherd pups black & tan.

Tel:665-9140.

Cases of Hand Sanitizer, 500ml for $300,100ml $75, Disinfecting Wipes 300 pcs in bucket for $2,500.Tel:6251514.

Block Maker.Tel:691-1918.

Driver salesman & porters, attractive salary.Call:6611000.

1 planner/moulder operator,1 woodmizer operator. Contact:264-2524.

Female for general domestic with cooking skills,age 2545yrs.Contact:652-9616.

Male & Female to work in factory. Apply to R.P's Ent.Area K LeRessouvenir E.C.D. Tel:220-2818.

FOR RENT Business place to lease or rent,23 Saffon St G/Town.

For more info contact:6631876.

1 cook needed.Tel:623-8654.

Driver 45-55yrs,Live in Cook 30-40yrs, Handyman 18yrs, Waitress 20-25yrs 233-5477/ 634-4281.

Experienced cashier & counter person.Apply @ Shanta's 225 Camp and New Market St.

Even as the number of persons in intensive care remains at three, the Ministry of Health revealed on Tuesday that within the last assessed 24-hour period, it recorded a total of 65 new COVID-19 cases.

The new infections have brought the total number of confirmed cases to 63,926.

The dashboard data shows that 13 persons are in institutional isolation, 360 are in home isolation and one is in institutional quarantine.

To date, a total of 62,322 persons have recovered from the virus.

VACANCY Lash,Nail Technician & Mani-Pedicurist.Must be English literate. Contact: Reign L.A.B on 643-5855.

Clerical assistants live-in accommodation available for out of town applicants covid vaccinated persons only.2237500.

Pump Attendant/Cashier, shifts (6am-2pm & 2pm-10 pm).Shell Station Providence E.B.D, email: Shell ramsburg @gmai.com.

2 Experienced hairdresser, location E.B.D.Contact:6770040.

Masons & Carpenters, wages $7,000-$10,000 per day.

Call:650-1394,650-1941.

1 salesgirl/pharmacy assistant. Drop application at Patient Needs Pharmacy, stall 16-18 Section A Bourda, Phar patientneeds @ gmail.com.

Teachers for Grade 5,preschool & janitors. Contact: 649-8174.

Experienced Skidsteer (Bobcat)/Mini Excavator Operator.

Tel:623-2728,619-0898,6984321.

Servicemen for Interior location. Applicants must be experienced. Call:231-2250.

Maid to cook and clean for East Bank area.Call:615-9132 One able body Porter, Handyman,age 20-35yrs.

Must be vaccinated photo & recommendation. Keyfood McDoom Village.

Grade 2 Teachers,Secretary & Security Guards. Contact:6 49-8174.

Cleaner,Time keeping,Tool issuing clerk,2 security (night & day).Contact:621-6969/ 615-7784.

LAND FOR SALE Double lot for lease or sale,Bent St.Call:661-2828.

One empty land located in Parfaite Harmonie,price $2,500,000.Tel:697-6311/6421252.

VACANCY Female Cleaner for office.

Call:642-9823.

PROPERTY FOR SALE Fully concrete top & bottom 24x42 + 8ft extension 4 12x12 rooms,30mil.Tel:692-7305.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

PAGE 29

Duo pleads guilty to killing Professor Mars Timothy Paul Chance and Andre Benjamin on Tuesday changed their pleas and admitted to killing Professor Pariedeau Mars, called Perry, in 2016.

Earlier this month, Chance and Benjamin were arraigned in the Demerara High Court, before Justice Sandil Kissoon, when they pleaded not guilty to the charge which states that on May 12, 2016, in the County of Demerara, they killed Mars in the furtherance of a robbery.

However, on Tuesday, the duo opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. As such, their sentencing was set for June 9, 2022.

Chance and Benjamin are two of the five teens who were charged back in 2016 for the murder of the professor.

In 2019, three teens opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of

arrival.

Investigations revealed that an accused who was 17 years old at the time, was known to the now dead man as she would visit his home from time to time. It was further revealed that the said accused confessed to conspiring with her boyfriend to rob the elderly man as he was home alone on the day of the incident. Her boyfriend reportedly brought along other friends to be a part of the crime.

Professor Pariedeau Mars called “Perry” manslaughter, while Chance and Benjamin were remanded awaiting trial.

On July 16, 2019, Justice Singh sentenced Nikisha Dover, 19, the mastermind behind the killing, and her two co-accused, Naomi Adams, 18, and Orin McRae, 19, to 12, 10

Timothy Paul Chance

Andre Benjamin

and 12 years’ imprisonment, respectively.

Initially, the five teens were all charged jointly for the capital offence of murder when they made their first court appearance in May of 2016 and were remanded to prison.

According to police reports, Mars, 75, of Bissessar Avenue, Prashad Nagar, Greater Georgetown, was found bound and beaten in his home on the day in question by his wife. He was subsequently rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on

PAGE 30

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Wednesday May 18, 2022

PAGE 31

Kaieteur News

SIMON TAUFEL STARTS ONLINE COURSE TO BOOST UMPIRING From page 32 be qualified to officiate in competitive matches straightaway. But it would equip the person with wide knowledge and resources which currently, Taufel pointed out, is only learned by umpires "onthe-job".

"We've sort of gone into areas that traditional umpire education doesn't necessarily go into. We do a lot more match management and resourcing. We do a lot more technique resourcing around positioning and the people skills involved. And again, it's do-it-at-your-own-pace. It's something that isn't overly onerous. And you don't have to, sort of, sign up for multiple nights or weekends to do that. It is reasonably flexible.

"What I would like to point out is that accreditation is not training, they are completely different. So, it does set the benchmark and help prepare and confirm that the umpire is ready for that level that they're willing to take on.

I think there's a real gap in the needs of the umpires, people that are new to the sport or people who want to develop their skills. There's a real gap between that and what a lot of the governing bodies are offering. And that's unfortunate. So, what we've tried to do here, with the ICC Academy, is to fill some of that gap."

Taufel pointed out that getting accredited was different to training as an umpire.

Accreditation, Taufel said,

was about "understanding what the competencies are and to meet those benchmarks [standards]." In case one was not competent in an area then the person would need more training and education.

Taufel, who retired from international cricket in 2012 having won the ICC's Umpire of the Year award on multiple occasions, remains an influential voice on the officiating side of the game. He said that, unlike coaching, umpiring did not have a uniform system of evaluation.

This online programme could, he said, be customised by the ICC as well as the member boards to their requirements. It could also help the governing bodies dedicate

Wednesday May 18 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Has it been difficult these past few days to communicate with those close to you?

Are you a little skeptical about your charm?

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) It has been fairly easy for you to detect the truth behind the situations you've encountered lately. However, beginning today, your analytical abilities won't be so reliable.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) How intense the past few days have been! You could spend months just reflecting on these recent experiences.

But the mood isn't conducive to introspection right now.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) The day ahead may help you break away from the surrounding gloom and doom. A more playful influence is trying to make its way into your relationships, especially your emotional commitments.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Sometimes you feel like you're navigating through a thick fog, but the obscurity will finally lift today. The skies ahead are sunny and clear!

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) Was someone close to you rude without any provocation? Were you the target of unpleasant criticism? You take these slights to heart.

Beginning today, and throughout the days to come,

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Having a personal opinion on any question isn't the most difficult thing in the world to do, Libra. More difficult is confronting with some objectivity the opinions of others.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Enough of thinking about yourself, Scorpio! The hour has now arrived to draw some conclusions. You're at the end of the lengthy volume you were writing on your inner life. .

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Seduction through words is your real power, Sagittarius.

You have a great talent for anything involving words.

So you're going to be able to attract even more admirers around you today!

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) With today's celestial energy, you're going to feel like you're on vacation, Capricorn. This planetary configuration often gives people the feeling of having a fresh mind and calm disposition.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Do you say yes every time someone asks for a favor, Aquarius? Is it sometimes hard to find time for yourself because you're so busy coming to the rescue of a friend or family member?

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Do you think your body reflects who you are, Pisces?

If you have the feeling that it doesn't, it's probably because the image you have of yourself isn't quite right.

more personnel and resources for making umpiring a vital cog in cricket development which currently in several countries is negligible.

"A lot of countries do not have dedicated resources for umpiring. There are a lot of countries and members who don't have a person responsible for umpiring. And as a result, what we are lacking is sort of clear directions: what is effective training and coaching for cricket umpires?

What is a clear assessment for

umpires? What is a clear pathway? And what is, I suppose, a clear selection policy?

"We hope that in providing this resource, we are going to be able to have a lot more firmer conversations with those governing bodies to see how this can either dovetail into where they'd like to go because they might have nothing or they might just have in many countries at the moment, the only accreditation they've got, the only pass or fail mechanism

Woods grouped with McIlroy and Spieth to...

From page 36 starts, will head out at 2:36 p.m. ET with U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm and British Open winner Collin Morikawa.

World number one Scheffler is bidding to become the first player to win consecutive majors since Spieth won the Masters and U.S. Open in 2015.The action will begin at 8:00 a.m. ET when former champions John Daly, Shaun

Micheel and South Korean Yang Yong-eun head out from the first tee.

Phil Mickelson, who became golf's oldest major champion at last year's PGA Championship when he triumphed shortly before turning 51, is absent this week as he remains on a hiatus from the sport following the reaction to comments he made regarding the Saudi-backed golf league.

they've got, is purely a Laws' exam.

"There are many Full Member countries where their filter is a Laws exam. And umpiring is so much more than just passing a Laws exam.

Umpiring is something that a lot of countries only really assist with on-the-job training. And what we're trying to do here is to really create awareness, a competency around all those other things that go into empowering other than just the Laws."

Harpy Eagles face...

From page 35 after the lengthy break. For us, it's backing our plans and sticking to it.

We cannot underestimate any of the opponents and execute what we have been doing at training” said Brathwaite, the leader of a powerful Barbados unit which is well set for its 13th title.

Guyana has lifted 12 titles including five in a row from 2015-to 2019.

Kitt strikes gold twice...

From page 39 ancestry also had a commendable performance at the event.

The middle distance athlete competed in the Boys 9-10 Division and was third and fourth in the 800m and 1500m races.

Also competing out of the Dashing Dons and Divas Track Club, Murray turned in a time of 2:43.59s for third place in the 800m and was only bettered by AJ Brown and Jackson Li who ran 2:38.70s and 2:41.28s for first and second, respectively.

In the 1500m race, Brown and Li were once again the names to beat as they finished first and second. Brown trumped the field with a time of 5:11.15s, Li ran 5:14.25s, Kaden Pye was third with 5:18.63s, while Murray was fourth with a time of 5:26.27s.

Tamim ton puts...

From page 36 114 and reached tea on 133 including 15 boundaries, but the effort in the hot and humid conditions forced him to retire, 19 runs from 5,000 in tests.

Mushfiqur, largely watchful, and Liton Das, the aggressor, continued to wear down the Sri Lanka bowlers with their near-century stand from 35 overs.

Mushfiqur raised his 26th half-century off 125 balls and Liton his 11th off 96.

Stumps: Bangladesh 318 for 3 (Tamim 133 retired hurt, Mahmudul 58, Litton 54*, Mushfiqur 53* Rajitha 2-17) trail Sri Lanka 397 (Mathews 199, Chandimal 66, Nayeem 6105, Shakib 3-60) by 79 runs.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 32

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Simon Taufel starts online course to boost umpiring ESPNcricinfo - Simon Taufel has designed an online accreditation course that he hopes will plug gaps in umpires' training, development, and benchmarking. The course went live on Tuesday and o ff e r s t h r e e l e v e l s o f accreditation: introductory, Level 1 and Level 2. It is open to everyone, meaning a layperson, wanting to become an umpire, can access it, as well as umpires at all levels who want to top-up their skills and knowledge base.

Taufel, who has been the game's premier umpire for many years, has written the entire course material himself and has created the programme in conjunction with the Dubai-based ICC Cricket Academy, which has contracted him. Taufel said the online course was based on a more practical approach to umpiring rather than the traditional "dry approach" which relied on studying the Laws of Cricket.

"What we're launching at the ICC Academy is an

umpire's accreditation programme where we can benchmark some core competencies that we are looking for in cricket umpires at different levels," Taufel told ESPNcricinfo. "So, we have three courses that we have developed/are developing. The first one is an introduction to umpiring, which is aimed at mums and dads and schoolteachers and people that are new to umpiring. Try and teach them the role of the umpire, what to do on match day, what to do in preparing for a cricket match and how to get them through their first experience of being a cricket umpire.

"The traditional approach in introducing umpires to cricket has simply been to teach them the Laws of Cricket. That has limited value, and it is a very dry approach to inducting new people to umpiring. What I would like to stress is, we've really focused on more video content. And trying to make it easier for people to watch and listen, rather than just reading lots of text."

Simon Taufel: 'We've sort of gone into areas that traditional umpire education doesn't necessarily go into'.

(Graham Crouch/ Getty Images) The courses take a matter of hours to get through and Taufel said that the Laws of Cricket were not part of any of the three programmes.

Taufel also said that the existing umpires at all levels could partake of the course by attending Levels 1 and 2 progammes.

"The umpiring pathway is outlined in the course and the accreditation levels match up to the different levels of the game.

So someone who wants to start umpiring or just officiate school/ junior cricket would do the introduction course.

Someone who wanted to progress and be ready to

officiate club premier cricket [on turf] would do Level 1 first. There are recognised prior learning (RPLs) for Level 1 and 2 - an existing umpire may not need to do the introductory course level for example based on their level of experience and capabilities."

Taufel stressed that while the online course did not have the Laws as a component, it did provide the link to the MCC Laws elearning platform.

"Accreditation is not pass or fail," he said. "You understand the core competencies of what it takes to be a cricket umpire.

S o , h o w d o w e

communicate? How do we manage conflict? Or how do we deal with pressure? How do we respond to appeals?

What to expect in our first experience with cricket umpiring? And how can we prepare for that? We can either show those competencies or we can keep continuing to work through them. If someone doesn't give us all the answers that we're looking for, they can keep going through the material until they do understand it."

The Level 1 course is for the umpire at a more premier level, who might be looking at it as a career path. The

Level 2 course is still being developed but, Taufel said, "would be our national panel level or pathway representative cricket umpires and so, we want to get into more technique, put some more meat on the bones."

This is a first-of-its-kind global accreditation course on umpiring, and one open to the public. Taufel said it was an opportunity for the ICC as well as member boards to "encourage" umpiring by backing the online course.

Taufel, though, said that clearing the online course did not mean the umpire would (Continued on page 31

2022 Magnum Independence Cup…

Back Circle issues warning to Sparta Boss for finale

F

ollowing several notable defeats inclusive of a final's loss in the 2019 edition, Back Circle captain Selwyn Williams stated that the team is seeking revenge against Sparta Boss on Saturday in the grand finale o f t h e M a g n u m Independence Cup at the National Park tarmac.

This was stated in an official release from the t o u r n a m e n t o r g a n i s e r.

Williams stated, “We are going for revenge in this final, we have met before in three previous finals, and never got past them so we are looking forward to doing what we have to do to win this title.

This finale is all about beating Sparta Boss.”

Sparta Boss defeated Back Circle 2-1 on penalty kicks, after full time ended 44 in the 2nd edition of the championship in March 2019 at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

Unbeaten Back Circle sealed their place in the 2022 final, after overcoming fellow powerhouse Gold is Money 5-2 in the semi-final round. On the other hand, Sparta Boss defeated Bent Street 18-17 in arguably the greatest match staged on local shores in the format.

Quizzed on the significance of securing the title, Williams stated, “It would mean a lot to us based on our supporters who are

also looking for this victory and because we have not won a major tournament in a long time. We are not going out there just to beat them, we are playing for the pride and the bragging rights of the community. This match is for bragging rights.”

Asked about the team's confidence level heading into the matchup, Williams said, “We are not underestimating Sparta because they are a good team and have quality players, five of which are part of the national team, and are training and fit but we are confident of defeating them, and securing the title.”

Meanwhile, Gold is Money and Bent Street will face-off in the third place playoff. Likewise, North East La Penitence will battle Future Stars in the Plate Finale.

The winner of the tournament will receive $700,000, and the championship accolade, whilst the runner-up will pocket $400,000 and the corresponding trophy. The third and fourth place finishers will pocket $200,000 and $100,000 respectively. The winner of the Plate Section will receive $40,000.

The other sponsors of the event are MVP Sport, Nigel Hind Financial Services, Andrews Supermarket, Bold Expressions Barbershop, Fireside Grill 'N' Chill, Star Party Rentals, and Lucozade.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

PAGE 33

Chattergoon (3-4) inspires Cambridge Jaguars to victory C Cambridge Jaguars team strike a pose after the game.

ambridge Jaguars began the 2022 Canadian Premier Softball Cricket League (CPSCL) Regular Season 20-overs competition auspiciously, trouncing Amazon Sports by seven wickets on Sunday at the Williams G. Davis Public School ground, Cambridge, Ontario.

Amazon Sports won the toss and opted to take first strike but the decision proved unjustifiable as wickets fell frequently leaving them tottering at 15-5 before they were predictably bowled out for 53 in the 12th over.

The Jaguars combination then made light work of the chase surpassing the target in 8th over.

Their commanding victory was totally collective starting with the ball. In the round-arm exhibition, all four bowlers used showed great effectiveness.

Hemnraine Chattergoon led the demolition job by snaring three wickets for only four runs from two overs, while Rishi Harrichara, who opened the bowling, also delivered with precision to capture three wickets for 14 runs from his maximum four overs.

Skipper Shilender Singh accounted for two victims having conceded five runs in his two-overs outing while experienced campaigner Teddy Nandkisore, who shared the new ball with Harricharan, made an impression too by picking up two wickets for 24 runs off four overs. Only captain

Zaheer Allard scored 12 for the Amazon boys to reach doublefigures.

When Cambridge Jaguars batted, reputable hard-hitting batsman, Rajkumar Budhram, once again displayed inclination for aggression as he slammed two mighty sixes in his 30 and tucking away a boundary.

Jaguars started off badly losing opener Sunil Sankar without a run on the board with the second ball but Budhram ensured the target was quickly achievable. Young talented

middle-order batsman Ajay Jhappan and Nankissore closed off proceedings with 10 and 2 not out respectively.

Singh stated that his team had wanted to play positive c r i c k e t f r o m t h e commencement of the game so he was not astonished with the outstanding performances.

He attributed the first-match success to team's cohesion and he is confident and optimistic they will continue to play the same level of dynamic

cricket in this year's edition.

In 2021, Cambridge Jaguars featured in the 20-overs final against Sunshine at the Ontario Round-Arm Softball Cricket Association but Singh revealed that they are anxious to win the championship in 2022 albeit in the different League.

Manager of the t eam and Canada-based Guyanese Mohamed Jinnah lauded the excellent effort of his team relating that their preparations for the competition began greatly by paying off.

Jinnah said he was anticipating quality cr i c k e t f r o m Cambridge Jaguars and w ith several high-profile players on show, he was not surprised with this kind of phenomenal performance. Apart from Chattergoon and Budhram, Naresh Roopnarine is also being a member of the lineup.

Meanwhile, a distinguished guest Donna Reid w i t n e s s e d the action in glorious sunshine. She is the Acting Mayor of Cambridge.

Liverpool beat Southampton to keep title race alive

Liverpool are on 89 points after 37 Premier League matches, with leaders Manchester City on 90. (Reuters)

BBC Sport - Liverpool have taken the Premier League title race down to the final day of the season by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Southampton.

Jurgen Klopp's side knew defeat would hand the title to Manchester City - while even a draw would effectively end the challenge because of their inferior goal difference.And it looked as if Liverpool might have a struggle on their hands when Nathan Redmond gave Southampton a 13th-minute lead with a curling right-foot shot beyond Alisson.

Liverpool, with nine changes from the side that won the FA Cup by beating Chelsea on penalties at Wembley on Saturday, once again showed their resilience and reserves of strength as Takumi Minamino levelled before half-time with a thumping drive against the club where he spent a spell on loan last season.The pressure built after the break and Liverpool took a deserved lead after 67 minutes when Joel Matip sent an instinctive looping header over Saints' keeper Alex McCarthy.

City will still retain their title with victory over Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium but Liverpool have pushed them all the way again and ensured the fight will go down to the wire.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 34

Wednesday May 18, 2022

BCB/Shimrom and Nirvani Hetmyer Cricket Development Trust Fund

Thirty UCCA clubs receive cricket balls Thirty cricket clubs who are members of the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association on Sunday last received a box of red cricket balls from the Berbice Cricket Board under the BCB/ Shimron and Nirvani Hetmyer Cricket Development Trust Fund.

The presentation was done at the No72 Cut and Load Cricket Ground by BCB President Hilbert Foster and UCCA President Dennis D'Andrade along with other executives of the BCB and UCCA. Foster, who has indicated that he plans to step down on the 31st of July this year to concentrate on his duties at the RHTYSC, MS stated that the Trust Fund is being sponsored by West Indies batting star Shimron Hetmyer and his wife Nirvani.

The couple first invested into the fund in 2021 and earlier this year contacted Foster, who they enjoy a close friendship with, to inform him that they would not only renew their support but would increase the sponsorship from $1M to $1.5M for this year.

- Rejects BCB President Resignation letter and express confidence in his leadership

Representatives of the thirty clubs pose with their box of cricket balls after the presentation.

The generous couple also stated that their support to the fund would only continue as long as Foster remains as President as they have full confidence in his leadership and vision for Berbice cricket.

This year the fund would invest one million dollars in cricket balls for clubs, two hundred thousand dollars in educational grants and three hundred thousand dollars in a one day grass root

tournament and a female three team tournament.

Foster urged the clubs to use the balls for the intended purpose and also to support Hetmyer in his cricketing career. He stated that he was very impressed with the current state of cricket in the Upper Corentyne area and the dedication that all the clubs were showing. This year the BCB and UCCA have already completed the Vi l a t i l y I n c 2 0 / 2 0

tournament, while the Vishu Superstore 40 overs round robin is currently being played and another 20/20 tournament would start later in the year.

Clubs in the area under Foster leadership have receive balls for five successive years and have also benefited from donations of cricket gear, scorebooks, bicycles, educational materials, stumps, catching cribs,

BCB President Hilbert Foster cricket uniforms, water pitchers, trophies, medals, rain coats and a pitch covers among others.

UCCA President Dennis D'Andrade stated that when Foster became President in 2018, cricket in the area was in total decline and in just six months, he was able to spearhead a total restoration and today, the game is at its highest level.

He stated that the BCB President has visited the area a total of one hundred and ten times since his election in 2018 and is always available to offer assistance, advice and resolve conflicts.

D'Andrade stated that Foster was by far, the best leader that the county has ever had in cricket and Berbice could not afford to lose his leadership at this crucial state.

The veteran cricket administrator noted that like the executives of the BCB, the UCCA would also like to make it quite clear that it rejects the planned resignation of Foster and would like to urge him to reconsider his plans for the future.

Representatives of the different clubs also shared

the same views, with one even telling Foster that they would be very disappointed with him if he walks away from them.

Another delegate stated that Foster was the only hope that youths have in cricket and because of him they believe they have the best shot at fulfilling their cricketing dreams.

All of the clubs at the fully attended meeting voted to support a motion moved by the UCCA President to reject the resignation and to express confidence in Foster.

The BCB President listened to the pleas of the clubs and while not making any announcement to them, stated that he was happy that they have confidence in his administration's leadership.

He also stated that Berbice cricket would be in safe hands once everyone on board develops a culture of hard work, dedication and looks after the interest of the youths and the game. He warned that personal ambition must never get in the way of the game.

Distribution of the balls would continue this Sunday to fourteen clubs in the West Berbice area.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

PAGE 35

Harpy Eagles face B'dos Pride today in must win game

Dwight Yorke

By Sean Devers in Trinidad In association with WD Hotel & Mall Charity & Dave's West Indian Imports

Yorke lands coaching job with Australia A-League club Macarthur SportsMax - Former T r i n i d a d a n d To b a g o international and Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke has landed a coaching role with Australia A-League (ASL) club Macarthur FC. The journey to such a position has been a long and arduous one for the 50-yearold who has in years gone by often complained of a lack of diversity in English football.

According to Yorke, despite the recommendation of legendary coach Sir Alex Ferguson he struggled to even land interviews. The former top marksman has, however, finally gotten his chance.

The Trinidadian has, however, served football in other capacities, taking a role with the Trinidad and Tobago national team, as an assistant

coach, in 2009, after retiring from the sport.

Yorke, who was also an advisor within the Manchester United youth set-up, also interviewed for a job with Sutton United but was not selected to coach the National League club. The former player was also thought to have been in contention for the Aston Villa job earlier this season but the team opted for former Liverpool player Steven Gerrard.

He has, reportedly, agreed to a two-year contract with Macarthur, which is based in Southwestern Sydney. Another Caribbean international, Adrian Marriapa, who represents Jamaica's Reggae Boyz, is a part of the squad having joined the team last season.

Leon Johnson

T

oday at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, defending Champions Barbados clash with the Guyana Harpy Eagles in what is a must win game for the Guyanese in round three of the Regional First-Class tournament for the Headley/Weeks Trophy.

After two rounds in February, the tournament resumes today with three games.

Unbeaten Barbados leads the points table with 40 points, while Guyana, whose five-year winning streak was broken in the last tournament in March 2020, are fourth on 21.4 points, behind T&T Red Force and Leewards Hurricanes and must win this game if they are to any chance regaining their title.

West Indies Test batter and Barbados Skipper Kraigg Braithwaite is expecting a heavy diet of spin from the Leon Johnsonled side whose top order have let them in both matches they have played.

Guyana beat the Windwards by one wicket before suffering a heavy defeat to Leewards.

“It's good to see the

Kraigg Braithwaite players getting in some good performances during the practice matches. It's about getting our mental focus in order and perform as we know we can,” said Johnson, who admitted the batting was the main worry.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul was the only batter to get a century in the practice games forcing the selectors to three changes to the touring party which arrived here on Sunday.

The Rabindranauth Seeram led selection panel selected three bowlers as the changes although Shimron Hetmyer who played in the first two matches is unavailable for the remaining games against Barbados, Jamaica and host T&T.

They dropped pacer Keon Joseph for disciplinary reasons explained Seeram, although the West Berbice pacer was invited to participate in the practice matches.

Ronsford Beaton, who has not played First-Class cricket since 2016, has been recalled as have off-spinner Kevin Sinclair, while the only new cap is 25-year-old Rose Hall Town speedster Demitri Cameron, who replaces Clinton Pestano.

The four-prong spin attack of left-arm trio, Ve e r a s a m m y P e r m a u l , Gudakesh Motie and Anthony Adams will be complimented by Sinclair.

Nial Smith will spearhead to pace attack

along with Vice-Captain Keemo Paul, Cameron and Beaton.

They will depend on Test batters Johnson and fellow left hander Vishaul Singh who got into the 90s in February in Trinidad.

A lot will also be expected from Chanderpaul, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Anthony Bramble, Paul and young guns Akshaya Persaud and Tevin Imlach.

The main contenders for the batting spots; Trevon Griffith and youngsters, Kevlon Anderson and Matthew Nandu failed to force the selector's hand with big scores.

“The Guys are looking forward to the challenge (Continued on page 31)

Gayle, de Villiers Scorpions captain Campbell in good place inducted to ahead of West Indies Championship resumption RCB hall of fame SportsMax - West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle and South African batsman AB De Villiers have become the first cricketers to be inducted into the hall of fame of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The 42-year-old Gayle represented the franchise between 2011 and 2017.

The batsman never won a title at the club but set a number of records while there, including the highest ever individual T20 score of 175 during the 2013 IPL season.

Former RCB skipper Virat Kohli thanked the two greats for their contribution to making the IPL what it is today. Gayle thanked the club for the special honour.

"I want to thank the RCB family for the opportunity, for everything. It's been special to me as well. And to be inducted is something fantastic, and I will always keep RCB close to my heart.

I share a lot of memories with some special players and some special coaches,” Gayle said.

“It's been fantastic. I wish I were there to give this speech, look into you guys' eyes, and tell you exactly how I feel. AB mentioned it's going to be emotional because it's very touching for such a franchise that has been created over the years.

It's fantastic. And to Virat, thank you for the kind words as well. Fantastic sharing the dressing room with you guys as well."

John Campbell

SportsMax - Jamaica Scorpions captain John Campbell says he is in a good place ahead of the resumption of the West Indies Championship today.

Campbell's Scorpions are currently last in the standings after two rounds, with 8.8 points, and will take on the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba from May 18-21.

The West Indies Test opener will go into round three coming off some good form in the recently concluded Dream 11 Jamaica T10 tournament where he finished as the leading runscorer, with 302 runs in 11 matches, while captaining the Middlesex United Stars to a third-place finish.

The short turnaround between formats could pose a challenge to adapt for some batsmen but Campbell insists it's

the nature of the modern game.

“In this day and age there's a lot of cricket being played so the waiting period between formats is, oftentimes, very slim,” said Campbell in a press conference o n M o n d a y, a h e a d o f Wednesday's game.

“We had an opportunity to play a three-day game before we left Jamaica and I've had numerous net sessions with coach Coley that were centred around the longer form of the game.

I'm in a good place right now,” he added.

When asked what role he could play with the bat to help turn the Scorpions' season around, Campbell had this to say.

“For me, It's good starts. As an opener, setting the foundation for the rest of the innings is very important and we need big totals to win games.”

Kaieteur News

PAGE 36

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Woods grouped with McIlroy and Spieth to start PGA Championship

The winning team collect their reward.

Boston's 6 cart off Arianna and Noah Shew feature dominoes

B

oston's 6 led from pole to pole to emerge winners of the Arianna and Noah Shew feature dominoes tournament, played last Wednesday night at the Everest Cricket Club pavilion.

The tournament, which was sponsored by Mannie Shew of Shew's General Store, in honour of his twin grandkids who reside in Toronto, Canada, saw Boston's 6 romping to victory with 85 games.

Ali's trailed 17 games behind on 68, while

Persaud's trailed in the cellar on 62.

Deno “Slammer” Bissessar led the way for the winners with 17 games while skipper Orin Boston, Khedar Seopaul and Arvin Ajodha registered 15 games each.

The top marker for Ali's 6 was Ramroop “Spoon” Sukhai while Ronald Beharry and Edmund Sammy topped for Persaud's 6 with 15 and 12 games respectively.

Trophies were awarded to the winning and runner-up teams and the three best

players on the respective teams. Bissessar copped the award for Boston's 6, Sukhai for Persaud's 6 and Beharry for Persaud's 6.

Arianna and Noah Shew are celebrating their seventh birth anniversary on May 22.

Muntaz Ali, who led Ali's 6 and now resides in Florida, was a long-standing member of International 6, is also vacationing in his homeland.

Sponsor Mannie Shew expressed appreciation to the executives of Everest Cricket Club for allowing the game to be played at the venue.

TULSA, Oklahoma, (Reuters) - Tiger Woods, in only his second start since a car crash nearly ended his career, will play the first two rounds of this week's PGA Championship with Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, according to the starting times released yesterday.

The high-profile trio, who have won a combined 22 major championships between them, will head out at 9:11 a.m. ET (1311 GMT) from the 441-yard par-four 10th hole at Southern Hills Country Club on Thursday and at 2:36 p.m. ET on Friday from the first tee.

It will mark the first start for Woods since his highly-anticipated return to competition at last month's Masters where he opened with a one-under-par 71 but finished 13 over for the week and in 47th place.

Spieth is looking to complete the coveted career Grand Slam of golf's four majors this week while McIlroy arrives in fine form having recorded topfive finishes at his last two events, including a runnerup finish at the Masters.

Scottie Scheffler, who won his first major at last month's Masters amid a run during which he won four times in six tournament (Continued on page 31)

Tiger Woods hits his tee shot on the 12th hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at Southern Hills Country Club.

(Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports)

Rory McIlroy not happy with his putting on the 2nd green during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at Southern Hills Country Club.

(Michael MadridUSA TODAY Sports)

Jordan Spieth hits his tee shot on the 13th hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at Southern Hills Country Club. (Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports)

Tamim ton puts Bangladesh in charge of 1st test on Day 3 C H AT T O G R A M , Bangladesh (AP) — Opener Tamim Iqbal's first century against Sri Lanka put Bangladesh in charge of the first test after three days yesterday.Bangladesh was 318-3, only 79 runs behind Sri Lanka's 397.

Tamim made 133 off 217 balls before retiring due to muscle cramp during the tea interval.But Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das put on an unbroken 98-run stand to keep Bangladesh in command.Mushfiqur was 53 not out and 15 runs from becoming the first Bangladeshi to 5,000 test runs. Liton was 54 not out."It is confidence, understanding what their game plan is. They executed it beautifully,” Bangladesh batting coach

Jamie Siddons said “If you noted, there was no big shots in the air, apart from Liton a couple of times.

Everyone was super disciplined.”Bangladesh started the day on 76 without loss, and Tamim on 35. He went after the Sri Lankan bowlers aggressively, hitting Vi s h w a F e r n a n d o f o r consecutive boundaries in the first two balls he faced.

Fernando, who was hit on the helmet during Sri Lanka's innings, went for a medical checkup after bowling just four overs and was ruled out of the match.Tamim and the more restrained Mahmudul Hasan added 81 runs in 28 unblemished overs in the morning to reach lunch at 157 w i t h o u t l o s s .

Bangladesh's first

opening century stand in more than five years ended moments after lunch on 162 when Mahmudul edged pacer Asitha Fernando behind down the leg side.

Mahmudul scored 58 off 142 balls, with nine boundaries.

Sri Lanka had more joy when medium-pacer Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando's concussion replacement, had Najmul Hossain caught behind for 1 and bowled captain Mominul Haque for 2 .

Mominul has gone for five single-digit figures in a row and 10 in his last 13 innings.Bangladesh lost three wickets for 22 runs to b e 1 8 4 - 3 . B u t Ta m i m continued in attack mode and brought up his 10th test century off 162 balls, flicking

Litton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim added 98 runs for the fourth wicket by close of play.

(AFP/Getty Images)

Asitha for a single through m i d w i c k e t .

He and Mushfiqur helped Bangladesh regain control.

Tamim was dropped on (Continued on page 31)

Kaieteur News

Wednesday May 18, 2022

PAGE 37

History-making Girmay injured as champagne cork mars Giro win

AFP - Biniam Girmay claimed stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia yesterday to create history as the first Black African to win on any of the three grand tours but his celebrations were cut short by a champagne cork.

Girmay was struck in his face when fumbling with a magnum bottle on the winners' podium, leaving him rubbing and holding his left eye.

A champagne cork can fly at up to 50mph (80kph) as it leaves a bottle and Girmay appeared deeply agitated as he was led into an ambulance and taken to hospital.

The cyclist had placed the bottle on the floor and bent over it as he undid the binding before the cork flew off hitting him from close range.

Girmay's team said a decision would be made Wednesday morning on whether or not he would continue in the race.

The 22-year-old Eritrean had proven too strong for Dutch ace Mathieu van der Poel, who threw up his hands in resignation after a long struggle for the line at Jesi.

Van der Poel hugged Girmay at the line after giving him a sporting thumbs up while he watched his rival race to victory.

He now stands second in the sprint points race just three points behind Frenchman Arnaud Demare on 151, with Van der Poel third another 58pts behind.

Intermarche sports director Valerio Piva said the win was a landmark for cycling.

"This is a big moment, another continent arriving on the scene who will be important in the future," he said.

- 'Piece of history' While multiple tour winner Chris Froome was born in Kenya and Daryl

Impey of South Africa has won stages, Girmay is the first Black African to do so.

"I watched the Giro as a kid on television and then went out riding with the dream of one day taking part," Girmay said, before his podium accident.

"We write a little piece of history every day," he added.

"I'm really happy about what I did today, I don't have the words to describe it.

Thanks to my team who controlled the race from early on."

Impey paid tribute to Girmay's achievement in a post on Twitter: "What. A. Sprint. @GrmayeBiniam bossed that @giroditalia.

Amazing for Eritrea and Africa again. He's just getting started, it seems.

Chapeau (Hats off)!"

Girmay, who rides for the Intermarche team, signalled his coming of age in March when he became the first

Biniam Girmay celebrates making history. (AFP/Luca Bettini) African to win a one-day classic at Gent-Wevelgem, when still just 21.

He first shot to attention at the world championships when he became the first Black African man to feature on the podium when he came second in the under-23's at the 2021 event in Belgium.

He has already racked up eight wins since turning professional in 2020.

Spain's Juan Pedro Lopez of Trek retained the race lead as the main contenders in the overall standings all finished together.

Stage 10 left Pescara with a potential for a mass bunch

sprint, but the pure sprinters such as Mark Cavendish and Caleb Ewan were dropped when the pace picked up in the hills.

Cavendish and Ewan have a better chance when today's stage 11 takes a pancake flat 203km run to Reggio Emilia.

Sunrisers cling on against Mumbai Indians to stay alive in IPL play-off race SportsMax - Sunrisers Hyderabad kept their Indian Premier League play-off hopes alive with a dramatic three-run win over Mumbai Indians.

Rahul Tripathi's 76 helped Sunrisers post an imposing total of 193-6 at the Wankhede Stadium.

Despite an opening partnership of 95 between Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma (48) and Ishan Kishan (43), Sunrisers appeared to be coasting to victory when Rohit's side were reduced to 144-5 in the 17th over.

But the subsequent over brought chaos as Tim David clobbered Thangarasu Natarajan (0-60) for four sixes, including three in succession.

The final ball of the over, however, saw David run out for 46 as he chased an ill-advised single.

Mumbai could not recover the initiative from there, Bhuvneshwar Kumar's excellent wicket-maiden 19th over leaving them with too much to do in the final six balls.

With one game to play, Sunrisers are among three teams two points behind fourth-placed

Tim David hammered a flurry of fours and sixes in the last phase of the Mumbai innings. (BCCI)

Nicholas Pooran was all intent and big hits from the moment he walked out. (BCCI)

Delhi Capitals but will need help to reach the play-offs given their negative net run rate.

Game turns on 18th over chaos David appeared set to end Sunrisers' hopes as he punished Natarajan for a series of dismal full

tosses, his fourth six of the 18th over a 114-metre blast that marked the second-longest of the tournament.

But his decision to chase the strike for the start of the 19th with a single that never looked on

effectively ensured victory for Hyderabad.

Sunrisers streak stopped A win that was too close for comfort ended a run of five straight defeats for Sunrisers, though that streak will likely still keep them out

of the play-offs.

Scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 193 for 6 (Tripathi 76, Garg 42, Pooran 38, Ramandeep 3-20) beat Mumbai Indians 190 for 7 (Rohit 48, David 46, Kishan 43, Malik 323) by 3 runs.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 38

EDFA/Stag Beer Men's League…

Two double headers slated for the weekend After a successful return to football with the East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) Stag Beer Senior Men's League this past Sunday, the Regional Association will be having twice as many matches this weekend.

On Saturday May 21 the first double header of the weekend will be contested from 16:00 hrs when Airy Hall meet Ann's Grove then Buxton United lock horns with Buxton Stars in the feature match at 18:00 hrs.

The two matches will be played at the Buxton ground.

The following day, Victoria Kings tackle the Victoria Scorpions from 16:00 hrs then Dynamic FC m e e t M a h a i c a Determinators from 18:00 hrs, both at the Golden Grove Ground.

When the tournament kicked off on Sunday, Dynamic stormed to a massive 7 – 0 win against

Melanie's Seon Haywood Haslington FC in the feature match of the evening.

Goals from Anthony

Abrams (8th minute), Bryan Wharton (17 t h minute), Travis Williams (32 n d ), Carlos Kingston (38th & 48th minutes) and Adam Gonsalves (61 s t & 64 t h minutes) led to the one-sided drubbing of the opposition.

In the match that preceded, a hat-trick from Seon Haywood propelled Melanie to a victory over Mahaica Determinators, 3 – 2. With goals in the 57th, 76th and 85th minutes, Haywood's effort overshadowed the two goals scored by the opposition from Shamal McPherson and Eon Abel in the 55th and 90th minutes, respectively.

The Participating Teams are Airy Hall Stars FC, Ann's Grove United FC, Buxton Stars FC, Buxton United FC, Dynamic FC, Haslington Stars FC, Melanie FC, Mahaica Determinators FC, Victoria Kings FC and Victoria Scorpions FC.

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Rockaway Group and Sunita's Travel Agency East Coast Commander's Cup U17 Cricket

Captivating matches anticipated as tournament heightens

T

he Rockaway Group and S u n i t a ' s Tr a v e l A g e n c y Sponsored East Coast Commander's Cup U17 Cricket Tournament continues on Saturday with several potentially captivating affairs. Over at the LBI Community Center Ground, LBICC would be at home to Enmore Community Centre CC, while Ogle CC will also enjoy home advantage against Golden Grove CC. Buxton CHCC will be up against Fairfield Rivals at the Fairfield Community Center Ground.

Meanwhile, in earlier matches, the Enmore Community Cricket Club (ECCCC) defeated Golden Grove SC by 328 runs after the latter team won the toss and elected to field.

The match was further affected after the umpire arrived late forcing the game into a 35 over per side encounter.

The ECCCC, led by a sterling knock of 102 by Vickash Wilkinson (11 x 4) and an unbeaten half-century by Hemraj Harripersaud (3 x 6, 3 x 4) amassed a total 345-5 in their allotted overs. Romel Persaud then returned with an incredible bowling spell of 6 wickets for 5 runs, while Suresh Sugrim supported with 3 wickets for a miserly 6 runs to dismiss the Golden Grove SC for a paltry score of 21 in 14 overs, securing the victory by 328 runs.

Buxton U-17 lost by 8 wickets in its match against LSC U-17 after calling correctly and electing to bat. They amassed 50 in 15 overs which proved to be inadequate after LSC U-17 knocked off the required total (52 for 2) in 9.2 overs. Right arm off-spinner, Alex Datterdeen, clinched a hat-trick towards eventual figures of 6 wickets off his 10 overs. He was supported by left-arm orthodox bowler, Neeran Bani (2 for 2 off 2) and right-arm medium pacer, Kapildev (2 for 12 from2.2 overs.

The match between LBI U-17 and Enmore U-17 was also reduced to 30 overs with the former team romping home to victory by 97 runs.

LBI U-17 won the toss and batted first, scoring 151 all out in 28.1 overs. Sachin Balgobin (47) and Romeo Deonarine (43) were the principal scorers for the winners, while Gary Shuman (2 for 9 off 3 overs) topped the bowling averages.

In reply, Enmore, playing with 8 players, were dismissed for 53 off 17 overs.

Mickel Sharma was the best batsman, scoring an unbeaten 17.

Gary Shuman took the bowling honors for LBI U-17 with 2 for 9 off his 3 overs with Romeo Deonarain, Nathan Gill, Munesh Outarand Gopaul Ramchand, all picking up one wicket apiece.

Meanwhile, the U-17 match to have been contested between Lusignan and Ogle, on Saturday March 23, had been aborted after it was discovered that some players from the Ogle lineup also comprised a part of the Demerara and President's Eleven teams slated to play in this year's Inter-County Cricket Tournament and were, therefore unavailable for the current tournament.

Alex Datterdeen

Vickash Wilkinson

Wednesday May 18, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 39

Kitt strikes gold twice at Northeast Twilight Classic in NY

Y

oung Sean Kitt continues to impress in the junior track and field arena in the United States after another impressive performance this past weekend when the 2022 Northeast Twilight Classic unfolded at the Icahn Stadium in New York, NY. Kitt competed out of the Dashing Dons and Divas Club, powerfully triumphed in the Boys 8 & under Division's 100m and 200m

Justin Murray dash on a wet track in both races.

He clocked a time of 16.03s to win the 100m race ahead of Prospect Park Youth Running Club's athletes, Victor Wills and Harvey Hightower who ran times of 16.20s and 16.76s for second and third, respectively.

In the Boys 200 Meter Dash, Kitt stormed to victory in 33.51s ahead of Wills once again, who ran a time of 34.43s to finish second while Liam Acevedo, competing out of The Camp, clocked 35.20s.

Kitt was more effective at this meet in the shorter distances since his mixed bag

Sean Kitt

of fortunes just two months ago at the USATF 2022

National Youth Indoor Championships where he

competed in the 200m, 400m and 800m.

Meanwhile, Justin Murray, another impressive

youngster of Guyanese (Continued on page 31)

2022 Magnum Independence Cup…

Back Circle issues warning to Sparta Boss for finale p.

32

Back Circle are haunted by three finale defeats at the hands of Sparta Boss.

s

rt Spo

Gayle, de p.

Villiers 35 inducted to RCB hall of fame

West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle

History-making Girmay injured as champagne cork mars Giro win

p.

37

Biniam Girmay won stage 10 of the Giro in a landmark moment for Africa.

(AFP/Luca Bettini) Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.