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ExxonMobil evading Sunday Edition liability for oil mishaps NEWS by not signing Environmental Impact Studies - Former EPA Head AIETEUR

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Govt. wants audit of Exxon’s 2018, 2019 and 2020 bills completed in fourOpposition months MP asks court to quash Hicken’s appointment as acting Police Commissioner Although ExxonMobil warned operations could impact fish…

Agri. Minister says study finds oil production not affecting fish catch

Loans to small-scale farmers account for bulk of financing Woman admits to killing husband provided by IPED The OGGN group based in Queens, New York yesterday resumed their Campaign to call for Renegotiation of the Oil Contract. Several members turned out to raise their new banner. The group plans to continue this campaign every Friday at 3:00 pm.

in kitchen before going to bed

…as asset base now tops $4B, representing growth of $512M

US$190M Linden/Mabura road is CDB’s single largest project to date …UK had threatened to withhold grant money when PPP said project was not a priority - Patterson Listen to The Glenn Lall Show @11am, 4&7pm on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

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Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

ExxonMobil evading liability for oil mishaps by not signing Environmental Impact Studies - Former EPA Head

By Davina Bagot An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) forms the foundation for a Permit to be granted to a developer by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for specific projects to be pursued.

The document is intended to clearly outline the risks a project can cause and state measures that will be taken to mitigate or respond to such events.

Given the important nature of the document, project developers are required to affix their signature/s to guarantee that they not only accept the environmental study, but more importantly, its findings and assurances for response activities. By attaching their signatures, it legally ties the company to accept liabilities caused as a result of the listed impacts, likely to be caused.

However, by refusing to sign these studies, liabilities are transferred to the Consultant that prepared the

Attorney-at-law, Elizabeth Hughes

Former EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams

project, whose signatures are attached to the document.

This is according to Former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams.

Adams in an invited comment explained to this publication that while he was h e a d i n g t h e E PA , ExxonMobil was mandated to attach its signatures to the EIA, as this is the global practice.

He explained that as Head of the regulator body, Exxon had submitted an EIA

which he refused to accept, as it was not signed. “I packed up the stuff and I said I am not accepting it without your signature, and what he (Former Country Manager, Rod Henson) told me, he said well you know that’s the way that the EPA does it, which is for Liza One, because I wasn’t there for Liza One. So I said I really don’t care how the EPA has been doing it and I said you know that you can’t do this in the United States for example, and he said yes Vince I know that, but this is the way that they

want it, and I said this is not the way that I want it so you better change it. I packed up the volumes in a box, sent it back to him and immediately he signed it for Exxon and sent it back,” Dr. Adams shared.

This newspaper was unable to verify that the signature of the oil company was attached to the Liza Two EIA, however, the impact study for its third project, Payara, was signed by Exxon’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEGPL) Country Manager, Alistair Routledge in July 2020.

Explaining the significance of ExxonMobil not attaching its company signature to the EIA, Dr. Adams said, “What you are doing here, you are just transferring liabilities. You can always blame the Consultants but it's your project.”

He argued that this regulation was one of several that was reversed after he Continued on page 14

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

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US$190M Linden/Mabura road is CDB’s single largest project to date …UK had threatened to withhold grant money when PPP said project was not a priority - Patterson

A section of the oftentimes impassable road for which the contract was inked and sod turned.

By Gary Eleazar The Government of Guyana on Friday last inked a contract for a paved stretch of road between Linden and Mabura as part of a larger plan to extend the ingress and egress route to Lethem and ultimately Brazil.

In a public missive by the Ministry of Finance outlining some of the specifics with regard the financing of the project, it was confirmed that the Linden to Mabura Road Project is also the largest single project ever financed by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and marks its largest geographic footprint.”

Providing a breakdown of the source of financing for the US$190M venture, it was noted, US$112 million of the amount would be coming in the form of a loan from the CDB. According to the Ministry, the remainder of the financing will be coming in the form of a grant of US$66M from the Government of the United Kingdom via the CDBadministered United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (CIF).

Government is expected to pitch in US$12M from its coffers—monies that include earnings from the still nascent oil and gas sector.

The information was disclosed during the sod turning ceremony for the construction of the 121

kilometres of asphaltic road.

It would be poignant to note that when Senior Minister within the Office of the President, Dr. Ashni Singh presented the national budget in January this year, a perusal of the estimates revealed that of the total $552.9B figure, a significant portion would be had from loans—a loan portfolio that is projected to double this year.

It was observed at the time, according to the information presented, that Guyana’s highest loan stock stands and will remain; the IDB projected this year to be some G$11.2B, up from G$9.6B last year.

India is listed as the source of the next highest source of financing expected to be some G$4.2B this year, up from a mere G$400M last year.

Loans from China are also expected to skyrocket this year moving from G$779.6M last year to G$1.2B this year.

Grants from institutions such as the European Union (EU), Japan, the World Bank, the CDB and China is expected to account for some

Some of the officials present during the unveiling of a plaque, marking the occasion.

The official sod turning ceremony representing the beginning of the construction of the roadway.

G$10.2B of the G$37B that will account for financing in the 2022 Budget with funds coming from external sources through loans and grants.

The Ministry in its missive, in relation to the sod turning ceremony, observed that in February last, the CDB had issued its no objection for negotiations to Continued on page 15

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.

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Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

No oil sector regulator The failure of political leaders to have in place an oil sector regulator is more than shameless, it stands as a leadership obscenity, almost a premeditated crime. The fact is that “Seven years later: Guyana has no independent oil sector regulator - Opposition mulls re-tabling old Petroleum Commission Bill - as PPP/Government continues pussyfooting around issue” (KN May 16). By any consideration, this flies in the face of commonsense and, given what has happened in other oil-related areas, it is a slap in the face of all Guyanese.

Not to have an independent regulator standing guard over this nations oil sector reveals so much about what is wrong with how this country goes about handling important elements of this wealth. Not to have such a regulator for a year may be understandable, but to be without one for seven years, and given all the suspicions alongside the hopes of citizens, is inexcusable, almost a sin. To be without an independent oil regulator for such an extended period, but to have a legal mechanism regarding how to spend money from the nations oil fund already firmly in place proves what leaders in this PPP/C Government are all about, what are their ambitions.

PPP/C Government leaders desire with a passion to be as near to the oil money as possible, and under the camouflages that they put in motion in the law on how to access it, and spend it. This means more skullduggeries and shenanigans operating under a legal umbrella that they made sure to prioritise, so that the oil monies can be drained away with massive con games built around what is called financing “national development priorities.” We ask that all Guyanese, no matter how politically loyal they may be, to remember these words and positions of ours that are placed in the public domain. Sooner than later, time will provide the proof on how much on the money we were and are.

It is why the leaders of this government have no time, can spare no energy, to do what is right by Guyana. An independent oil sector regulator would be the much-needed, much delayed, product of “an updated legislative and regulatory framework that is essential for the protection of the oil industry against mismanagement and corruption” (KN May 16). From such an enhanced framework would flow the Petroleum Commission Bill, which prepares the ground for this independent oil sector regulator to be vigilant in its “responsibility for monitoring and enforcing Guyanas modernised petroleum laws, policies and oil agreements.

The body is also intended to ensure oil companies comply with health, safety and environmental standards.” This was tabled originally by the then APNU+AFC Coalition, just over five years ago. Yet we have no such thing at all, but we do have a law on how to access and spend the oil fund monies, which already has been put into action.

The President himself said in his inauguration that he is for such an independent body, but almost two years later, it remains one more commitment on which he has walked back.

In fact, the man in charge of Guyanas oil industry (the Vice President), and the man with general responsibilities for the broader resource portfolio (the Minister of Natural Resources) have both come out strongly for such an independent group. Both are on record that it is needed to watch over this sector that holds so much of the nations future in its grasp, and for it to keep political interference at bay. Their public words and postures about an independent oil regulator have proven to be empty, lacking in supporting substance, and doubtful as to either their seriousness or sincerity. Nothing is new in this regard, which is why this country languishes in having onboard this protection that both the PPP/C Government and the Coalition Opposition say and claim we must have. As is now the political and leadership culture in Guyana, words are plentiful, and they are cheap. They are uttered by politicians who cheapen themselves further, and menace the prospects of Guyanese, the longer they delay and drag their foot in making an independent oil sector regulator a reality. Why this is such a problem is a mystery.

Send your letters to Kaieteur News, 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

The Agri-Investment Forum may well result in big deals for which our government is very famous by now DEAR EDITOR, Oily, newly rich Guyana has become a center of assembly for various bodies of state and private officials who wish to justify their activities in economic projects with popular appeal of wealth creation. Even though some of them will aggravate the climate crisis in a region already highly vulnerable to climatic crisis. Some months ago, there was the energy symposium at which the voices of perceptive Guyanese critics were repressed. On Thursday, the Agri-Investment Forum

opened in our capital city.

Unlike the menace posed by oil exploration and its hazards, agriculture is without a doubt population friendly. And if well planned with popular participation, one of the most beneficial of economic activities.

Because of the way money is being spent in Guyana today, where the word “billion” (as a billion or billions of dollars) has become an official buzz word, it is necessary to raise certain issues while the forum is in progress. The mode of development being pursued

by the government elected in 2020 is designed to benefit friends of the government.

As soon as the 2020 election had been decided, the present Attorney General issued the proclamation, “the victory of the PPP represents a triumph of good over evil.”

These words can only mean that in the programmes to follow, virtue, ranking and entitlement had already been determined by the way people marked their ballots in the 2020 election.

The new cabinet hit the ground running and has never stopped unfolding

plans already cut and dried with selected investors who knew their chances long before the returning government was sworn in.

One reason for this letter is the need to alert the public to the fact that things are proceeding with no reference whatever to the way Guyana has developed.

As I argued last year, spelling it out in my message on the 135th anniversary of the birth of Victoria village, Guyana is the complex of village civilisations all of which can claim (Continued on page 5)

Sunday May 22, 2022

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Oil deal is contemptuous of Guyanese; PPP had said they will “review and renegotiate” DEAR EDITOR, The response by one Romel Khan to Dr. Bisram s letter that the oil deal is bad causes much wonder whether this person is real, whether he must have used some substances that made him write such silly things or whether

he was put up to write that by the PPP, PNC or oil companies, which are on the same team arrayed against the working people of Guyana.

While Bisram has rebutted and completely demolished the viewpoints of contract praiser, Mr. Khan,

Bisrams error was when he said, “The centrepiece of my argument was the coalition entered into a badly negotiated deal. Contrary to what the writer penned, I did not cast blame on PPP or even Exxon but squarely on the coalition for such a poorly arrived

agreement that cheated Guyana of a fair amount of funds to finance or industrial development. I also praised Exxon for its negotiating skills.” While the PNC committed the original sin, the PPP is an equal co-sinner. The PPP did a “bait and switch” on the voters. While they were using the Global Witness report to slam the PNCs contract,

The Agri-Investment Forum may well...

From page 4 by now to be organic. First, there are the native or Indigenous villages of the first nations located at strategic points and locations along rivers and in relation to savannahs and forests.

Secondly, there is a village civilisation that resulted from the self-emancipation of the enslaved peoples of Africa.

The third set of villages resulted from a second wave of migration from plantation ranges and other various conditions. Two of these conditions included involvement of the Colonial State, the second being spearheaded by the Venn Commission after the Enmore Massacre of 1948.

Without going into detail, it can be said that an important part of the life of all these villages has been agricultural. Elsewhere, I have mentioned researches that show many of these village civilisations in food security for the population, as well as for export to the region and beyond. This agriculture was complex and included a very lively Guyanese shipping service based on schooners.

Rice was only one of the crops grown and after a time became the leading item in terms of

organised farming and foreign earnings. This summary will have its weaknesses, but the main argument can be defended if challenged.

Some other commentators, like Mr. Glenn Lall, have pointed to the over-kill of roads leaving everywhere and costing billions in a procurement process that has been questioned by many. At the risk of engaging the unbridled fury of my critics and perhaps being turned into a super “monster” with “race on the brain” if monsters have a brain, I declare publicly my fear that the Agri-Investment Forum may well result in big deals for which our government is very famous by now.

New lands will continue to be alienated to financially empowered groups and classes but the villagers, who had been tilling the land since the middle of the 19th century, in too many cases find it impossible to find a road leading into their farms, or any means of transporting their crops from farm to market.

The Guyanese citizens with long experience in climate change and conservation have sounded an alarm about that part of a

shrinking fish harvest noticeable since the start of oil drilling. The fishing industry has created a class of “fishermen” and women fish vendors all along the coast. In support of this was a boat building and seinemaking craft that engaged many. One of the most vibrant rural cooperatives was a fishermens co-op which among other things traded in supplies to the sector. Villagers along the coast with whom some of us have frequently grounded are aware of their unused resources and potential including ground provisions, rice, coconuts, and sweet water fishing. Decades long neglect, since the end of foot and mouth disease, of the pig sector which is a base for pork, ham, and bacon, is almost a crime. There has been no famous advancement in cattle and dairy. Many households have persisted with keeping their chicken enterprises alive and should be commended. In many of these domestic small sectors, women are the cheap producers. My challenge to the Agri-Investment Forum is to seize the chance of advocating and supporting small producers who have

been the foundation of the peoples economy. The development of this sector is the foundation of an organic native small factor capable of growth and expansion with the potential of achieving many of the stated aims of the leaders concerning food security.

The farmers and peasants of Guyana are proud of their work. This letter has been rushed after Thursdays newscast. Its time that we begin to point and rely on the productive resources of ordinary simple Guyanese of all races whose labour has created and sustained the political elites that rule and misrule. I shall continue to argue that it is neglect of these concerns that have taken the vigour out of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) on which I hope to comment soon.

Yours sincerely, Eusi Kwayana

and the PPP were saying they will renegotiate the oil contract, they were secretly telling Exxon that they will not renegotiate. They lied to the voters. That was a promise made, promise not kept.

Why? Bisram also erred when he said, “My letter suggested what the coalition should have done: … a clause for revisiting the contract, and a clause for reduction of cost recovery if price of oil increases beyond a certain amount so that we get more revenues. I dont see how such a proposal can be considered as a critique of the PPP administration.” The PNC contract actually has a clause that says the contract can be reviewed upon agreement by both sides. T he Government has never responded to questions whether they had asked for a review and the oil companies denied it. It appears as if they would never ask for a review.

Why? The Governments excuse is that they will try to get benefits from “local content” measures, but they will leave the root causes of the poor, giveaway, lopsided contract intact, under a bizarre notion of “sanctity of contract.” The PPPs own lackey union GAWU said this week, “Intimidation, victimisation order of the day in oil and gas sector GAWU General Secretary.”

In an interview during the election campaign, the PPP Presidential Candidate said if elected, they would “review and renegotiate” the contract that “Guyana is getting the short end of the stick.” The interviewer said to the Candidate, “Two things - burning questions that are affecting people…we got 5 minutes and I need these 2 questions answered. People are asking these questions. The oil contract: Do you agree with the US$55 billion Signed Away Global Witness Report, will you revisit the oil contract?

The Presidential Candidate said, “We have made it very clear, that we can never agree.

How can, how can, I dont think any Guyanese agree with this. No Guyanese, except the government, that is defending it. We have made it very clear, that we have to go towards, we looking at these contracts, renegotiating these contracts, looking at contract management (Continued on page 6)

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Sunday May 22, 2022

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Oil deal is contemptuous of Guyanese; PPP had said they...

From page 5 and all of these things. Everything we have to relook at because we have to ensure that our country does not get the wrong end of the stick.”

Interviewer said, “Everything is on the table for review as it relates to the oil contracts?”

Candidate said, “Everything is on the table, available for review and renegotiate.”

Mr. Glenn Lall and Kaieteur News and Stabroek News have dedicated enormous resources to expose the bad oil contracts. Civic Society groups such as “Our Wealth, Our Country,” Oil and Gas Governance Network (www.OGGN.org), TIGI, Article 13 and others have been educating Guyanese of the ongoing fleecing of the Guyanese working class

though this worst oil contract in the world. Regardless of how much oil is found, for every 100 barrels of oil, Guyana gets a pittance of 14.5 barrels while the oil companies get 85 .5 barrels. We get the crumbs that fall from the oil masters tables. Nation, is that a fair deal? Praiser Khan thinks thats a great deal! The PNC and PPP too! And the oil companies are dancing all the way to the bank, while you walk on mud roads and are living hand-to-mouth as the cost-of-living skyrockets.

There is a lot of oil money swirling but its going to the pockets of the business people, not the working class pockets. The rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer!

The worst part of the oil

contract is the poor governance of oil, the lack of transparency and accountability, refusal to release requested information on oil production and related environmental and feasibility studies, and the ongoing hounding and harassment of Civil Society groups who ask accountability questions.

The recent Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) report has given Guyana mostly low grades across the board indicating that Guyanas oil governance is below average.

Both the PNC and PPP have committed more mistakes than possible with the governance of oil the lack of ringfencing; the failure to audit US$9.5 billion in oil companies expenses; flaring of gas continues; inadequate insurance to cover risks of oil spills and environmental disasters; rushed approvals of oil projects; the PPP acts as the PR arm of the oil companies defending them at every turn; unilateralism and lack of con-

sultation with the Opposition or failure to discuss major projects in Parliament although such projects can bankrupt the country; Guyana paying the oil companies taxes; retention of the “stability clause” which provides stability in the oil companies profits but instability for the working poor; tax-free concessions and salaries for oil folks; Guyana having to buy the gas from Exxon for the gas-to-shore project; reductions in fishing catches, etc.

The Government simply allows the oil companies to ride roughshod over the nation and kowtows to all their whims and fancies. Anyone who says the oil deal is good needs to check in at the Canje Hospital in Berbice.

Its our wealth and our country, and we must fight for Guyanese to get the bulk of the benefits. Wake up, Guyana!

Sincerely, Dr. Jerry Jailall

Reducing our food bill DEAR EDITOR, The speech recently given

by His Excellency President Jagdeo was both timely and appropriate. To add an additional perspective to the discussion on how to achieve the goal of reducing our food and agricultural costs practically, the following should be considered: 1. Monetary Policy 2. Energy costs 3. Focused regional suppliers Currently, the inflation rate in the USA is above 8% with a forecasted rate of 5.5% for 2022. The strengthening Guyanese economy should target a 2% inflation rate to achieve an improvement in our buying power. The management of our monetary policy is essential in achieving this. Energy independence plays directly into the achievement of such a goal and our investments in renewable energy will help drive us to this goal.

This leads to the consid-

eration of our energy costs.

The largest food retailer in the world incurred a reduction in profit greater than 20% for the last quarter, which was driven primarily by increased energy costs. Energy independence and the leveraging of renewables will significantly reduce the cost of local production and positively impact the import bill for food products. Eating locally produced high quality food is achievable once the needed solar and wind farms are established. This should be considered an achievable goal in the near future.

The current Administration, in conjunction with Caricom, should use the 80/ 20 rule to review the regional food and agricultural import bill and answer the following questions: 1. Where is 80% of the money being spent?

2. Which countries have the know-how and capacity to leverage an existing (Continued on page 56)

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BBL Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

The parliamentary opposition, APNU+AFC, is gearing for yet another court battle. This time its focus is on the acting appointment of Clifton Hicken as Police Commissioner.

While this is all well and good, the opposition's passionate attention should be equally directed to issues such as the continuous pillage of our resources and the ongoing squandermania in the name of development.

When precious little is done to prevent this nation from continuing down a path of doom and gloom it becomes clear that Guyanese must stand up and fight for themselves. Clearly, the politicians have their own interests at heart.

But be assured, we at publication will not sit idly by and watch this nation be sentenced to a lifetime of hopelessness simply because those elected to serve are ill-prepared or simply unwilling to see the big picture.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

Dem Boys Seh…

De media lax

Guyana is nat a real place. Deh gat nuff people who does read story and always find some prablem with it. Dem does seh how de report wrang or dat something nah right bout wah somebody sehing.

Is a case of people believing wat dem want to believe rather dan trying fuh find out de truth. And people does believe some things dem read without hearing all sides ah de story.

And de media does aid and abet in dis narrative.

Nuff times, dem does carry only one side of a story and nah mek no attempt fuh check de odder side.

Tek de story of de woman wah claim dat some lawyer mek racial remarks pon she and spit pon she. Dat is wan allegation. But some people believe wat was said even before dem hear de odder side.

And de media been carrying de story without even asking de lawyer wat was he side ah de story. Was one-sided reporting until de lawyer finally give a denial without going into details because de matter was in front de court.

Is de same thing does happen with plenty story in de media. Dem journalist does not even mek de effort

fuh get de odder person side of de story. And because of dis, people does believe wat dem want to believe.

Right now de media practising double standards.

Dem bin jump pon dem high horses when de journalist did get chop to pieces in de S a u d i e m b a s s y. D e American media keep a whole set ah noise.

But now dat a Palestinian-American get kill allegedly by Israelis, yuh nah hear too much noise.

Even de local GPA nah issue no statement as yet.

Is suh we does roll in dis unreal place.

Talk half. Leff half.

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Sunday May 22, 2022

Woman admits to killing husband in kitchen before going to bed A 50-year-old Port Kaituma woman, on Friday reportedly confessed to stabbing her husband to death in their kitchen after a drinking session they had at their home on Thursday.

She told police that after stabbing the man identified as Felix Henry, a 43-year-old chainsaw operator, she left him in a sitting position on the kitchen floor and then headed to bed for a nap.

The woman claimed that she did not know he was dead until she woke up around 06:00hrs the following day and saw his motionless body in a pool of blood on their kitchen floor.

However, police only learnt that Henry was killed after his 28-year-old son visited the couple's home located at 10 Miles, Port Kaituma, Region One. According to police, the son got there around 06:30hrs and when he saw that Henry was dead, he immediately alerted police at the Port Kaituma Police Station.

Ranks visited the home around 09:40hrs to conduct the necessary investigations and removed Henry's remains.

Investigators were also able to locate the suspected murder weapon, a brown handle knife with bloodstains, at the crime scene and noted that there was a wound measuring two inches at Henry's neck.

They arrested the woman

and while interrogating her, she admitted to killing her husband.

She confessed that they had started drinking together at 17:00hrs on Thursday. Later that evening, they got into an argument with each other.

The woman, identified only as “Inese”, further alleged that Henry armed himself with a cutlass and began to chase her around the yard. She then allegedly retaliated by heading to the kitchen for a knife to defend herself. Henry reportedly followed her there, she stabbed him to his neck and he fell to the floor.

According to her, Henry has been abusing her for some 20 years now.

However, persons who knew the couple well said it was the other way around. In fact, they alleged that the couple had not even been together for such a long period (20 year).

The individuals related that the woman would normally get violent when she is under the influence and on one occasion, she had stabbed one of “Henry's eyes out.”

They even claimed that Henry was not her first victim since she had reportedly killed a spouse before. Henry was described as a hardworking man who cut wood for a living.

Meanwhile, the woman remains in custody as police continue their investigation.

Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

Govt. wants audit of Exxon's 2018, 2019 and 2020 bills completed in four months

By Kiana Wilburg

T

he Government of Guyana has a affixed a fourmonth completion timeline for the company or group it selects to audit the 2018, 2019 and 2020 cost recovery bills for ExxonMobil's subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).

This was revealed by Business Professor and Accountant, Floyd Haynes, during his appearance on Kaieteur Radio's Programme, Guyana's Oil and You. While there, Haynes was asked to provide an update on the auditing contract which government had expressed interest in awarding since last year.

He recalled that Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and President, Irfaan Ali had decided that a consortium of local accounting firms should be part of the auditing process for ExxonMobil's bills.

Haynes said, “I agree with that approach.

Guyanese should be given an opportunity to protect their country's interest. As a result, I was approached to put together a consortium and it initially included: Ram and McRae, Haynes and R a m d i h a l , Vi t a l i t y Consulting, and Eclisar Financial and Professional Services. When we submitted the proposal, we came up with a cost and Christopher Ram felt it was too high, he said it was unconscionable.”

The accountant added, “I explained it is just to open the door. It is also a good negotiating tactic to start high and then go back.

But I was the team lead and I was sad to see him go.

He would have been a good part of it but he is unquestionably one of the best accountants in this country.”

Following Ram's departure, Haynes said the consortium then evolved to Ramdihal and Haynes, Vitality Consulting, and Eclisar Financial and Professional Services.

Kaieteur News understands that government

Financial Analyst and Accountant, Floyd Haynes subsequently asked for some clarifications from the group and those were provided.

Haynes said the team is now awaiting word on if they won the bid to audit the 2018, 2019 and 2020 expenses for EEPGL. He said too that they will have four months to get this job done. “We have a dozen experts.

And I have access to more in country. It is possible to get it done once all of the documentation is streamlined but Exxon is an organised firm,” Haynes said.

It should be noted that Haynes and team submitted a $340.7M bid to audit approximately US$9B in costs incurred in the Stabroek Block for the period 2018 to 2020.

Importantly, the public is unaware of the outcome of the audit of the US$460 million pre-contract costs, which was done by IHS Markit. The contract to the UK firm had cost US$300,000.

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat had said earlier this year during a parliamentary sitting that the said audit was still ongoing.

Kaieteur News has reported on several occasions that the country has a limited two-year window within which it can audit EEPGL's expenses or it would have to be accepted as correct.

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

PAGE 13

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

SUNDAY Promises Are Not Enough!

The Gas-to- Energy project can result in two major disasters – an oil spill or a gas leak.

While ExxonMobil has rushed to submit its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project, to get early approvals to start spending the US$1.3 billion on its side of the deal, the company has failed to include how it would respond to a gas leak.

Moreover, it is already dodging the important matter of full coverage insurance!

Guyanese must not sit by and allow the same mistakes to keep repeating itself. It is time we stand up for our resources, our wealth and our future generations.

A gas explosion can result in serious damage at the proposed Wales, West Bank Demerara site. We must demand full coverage insurance before the project is approved and the company slides pass this much needed pledge.

Promises are simply not enough since, as the old maxim goes, 'A promise is a comfort to a fool'.

We must not wait until a disaster happens to find out that this multi-billion dollar firm will not take full responsibility.

Instead, we must secure these agreements before approvals are issued.

MONDAY No “One Guyana” with doubtful election process A major hindrance to a 'One Guyana' is the fact that many Guyanese do not trust the elections process. How do citizens unify if they do not believe in the process which allows them to choose the leader they desire?

As one civil society group puts it, election reform is vital to strengthening democratic institutions and processes in Guyana in order to maintain political stability and raise the standard of living of citizens.

But for some reason, there seems to be a reluctance to urgently and comprehensively review the country's electoral process, i n p a r t i c u l a r, a t t h e constitutional level. Citizens

must demand a reason for this because simply, there cannot be unification in such a diverse society if any group feels cheated and even worse, can easily point to plausible loopholes.

Guyana's leaders must stop toying with the idea of electoral reform. They must do it and restore citizens' faith in the process.

TUESDAY Time to lift up your voices Every day you open the newspapers, or turn on the radio or even browse social media, the collective theme is one of a nation angry at its leaders.

And it bothers us that despite the loud crescendo of complaints and feelings of disgust, the people we voted for to govern us seem to care less.

Go around the country and you will witness the malaise; the countless potholes that citizens have to navigate on a daily basis.

Look around and you will see our streets, littered with garbage; look at our Parliament and you will see the moronic display of MPs hardly serving our interest.

And so we ask of you today dear citizens, how long will you stand aside and look?

We say it is time to correct the mistakes; put a check on government excesses, lift up your voices against corruption and squandermania.

WEDNESDAY No more distractions and lies!

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

r oads' 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.

THURSDAY Shameless Chronicle The Guyana Chronicle has become a national embarrassment.

It is the view of many that the Guyana Chronicle serves no useful purpose other than duplicating content being produced by the Department of Public Information. In fact, the DPI, Guyana Times, Newsroom, MTV and all the other PPP surrogate news entities individually and collectively are doing a far greater, more professional job in selling the government than the Guyana Chronicle.

It seems as though even government ministers do not sit down to give interviews to the newspaper.

Its choice of lead story earlier this week: “Gas-toshore project could save Guyana $653B”, quoting the so called 'well-known finance professional and business analyst, Joel Bhagwandin' is nothing more than rank propaganda.

The sliminess of such an article demonstrates how low the government and others would go to hoodwink the nation.

Imagine, this Finance Professional, sees profit without knowing the present cost to set up the project;

doesn't know the price the gas is going to cost Guyana to the plant, but this financial fella already know you making profit.

This project would have further ongoing costs that we don't know as yet, when they have to move from one oil platform out there to another, from Liza 1 to Liza 2.

Despite all of this, the so called 'Nation's Newspaper' made these cheap comments into a lead story selling to a country.

As the state newspaper, the Guyana Chronicle has had its issues over the years, but to allow itself to be used and abused in such a manner to deceive this nation with a fake story is almost criminal.

No wonder the reporters want the Editor-in-Chief, Tajeram Mohabir removed.

FRIDAY 25 by 2025 The Regional AgriInvestment Forum opened

on Thursday at the National Cultural Centre here in Guyana.

It is a noble initiative and we give great credit to President Irfaan Ali for his vision and foresight in organising such an event.

The forum, which emphasises the need for the Caricom Region to attend to its food security against the backdrop of a very high and unsustainable food import bill could not have come at a better time.

Listening to the various speeches of the regional leaders yesterday, one gets the impression that everyone is onboard in the drive to make Caricom food secure.

We a g a i n c o m m e n d President Ali and trust that the remaining days of the exposition would truly expose our local and regional farmers and help open up markets for them.

We also hope that flowing from the discussions,

concrete actions will be taken to realise the dreams and theme of the conference, which is to reduce the Region's food import bill by 25% by the year 2025.

SATURDAY It has long been established that a person is innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. We certainly embrace this notion.

But when some of the injustices in this land are taken into consideration, it is easy to be swayed into believing that some people, those who mete out wrong that will be felt for generations, should be placed behind bars without a trial to languish for eternity.

PAGE 14

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

ExxonMobil evading liability for oil mishaps...

From page 2 was removed from the agency.

“This is another example where they have reverted to what they used to do before.

This is a typical example and obviously if I was there, it wouldn't happen and the thing is that Exxon knows fully well that they shouldn't be doing this. This is an absolute breach of the best practices and they admitted

person carrying out the environmental impact assessment shall submit the environmental impact assessment together with an environmental impact statement to the Agency…”

She went on to explain that because the EIA lists possible project impacts and outlines measures to be taken by the developer in the event of such an occurrence, it is imperative for the document

“…with a contract, you have to sign it and the terms in that contract govern how your behaviour is monitored, so the lack of signature in this, because this all forms part of the permission that will be granted thereafter, if they don't sign all those technical studies and (responses), the whole thing is out. The only thing they will be governed on is the Environmental Permit…” that this here is only what Guyana wants,” the former EPA Head added.

The issue of the developer's signature being absent on this critical document was first highlighted by an attorney, Elizabeth Hughes, who had made her views public at a consultation hosted by EEPGL on the proposed Gas-to-Energy project.

Hughes was asked to weigh-in on the subject from a legal perspective.

According to her, the Environmental Protection Act requires the developer to sign the EIA, specifically at Section 11(10) which states: “The developer and the

to be signed by the company that submitted the application.

She pointed out, “…with a contract, you have to sign it and the terms in that contract govern how your behaviour is monitored, so the lack of signature in this, because this all forms part of the permission that will be granted thereafter, if they don't sign all those technical studies and (responses), the whole thing is out. The only thing they will be governed on is the Environmental Permit…hence my agitation about this at a very deep level because it's a lack of adherence to the country's norms.”

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

PAGE 15

US$190M Linden/Mabura road is CDB's single...

Former Minister for Public Infrastructure, David Patterson From page 3 commence with the most r e s p o n s i v e bidder—Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A. from Brazil—being awarded the contract for the upgrading of the road.

The project is being touted as the first link of the highway between Linden and Lethem and is the first segment of the approximately 450 kilometres roadway.

The occasion was not had without what has now become the norm between the government and political opposition.

During the sod turning ceremony held in Linden, Region 10, Senior Minister Singh, in delivering the keynote address told the gathered officials that the Linden to Mabura Road was part of a larger more integrated plan of the People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government which was long in the making and which comprises several transformational projects.

Former Minister of Public Infrastructure under the coalition administration, David Patterson, however, in a bid to provide some additional clarity on the path to securing the funding for that project, disagreed and said that it was his administration that had managed to secure the funding for the project.

Patterson in his submissions, first publicised on his social media platform and later shared formally with media houses, said that it was in 2015, “in an effort to reconnect with its former colonies, who they felt were moving more towards China for their infrastructural needs, the UK government offered seven Caribbean countries a grant of £300M to execute landmark projects (United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (UKCIF).”

Guyana's portion of that grant amounted to £55M. He said that in a bid to access the grant, “Several

projects were submitted for consideration by the then Ministry of Public Infrastructure, namely: Linden-Mabura Road; Fixed bridge crossing at Kubururu; Lethem Regional Airport Upgrade; Parika Stelling Upgrade.

According to Patterson, the Linden-Mabura Road was selected as the most viable project and feasibility and design works commenced in 2016, while several rounds of consultation were held with communities in Regions 8, 9 and 10.”Final designs, he said, were completed in 2019 and the loan agreement was signed in 2020.

“Of interest, in 2019, the PPP informed the UKCIF team that the LindenMabura Road project was not a priority project for their party, and if they were successful in the upcoming elections, they will cancel this project. The response by the UK was unequivocal cancel this project and we will cancel our funding.”

To this end, he posited, “while everyone should rightly be pleased to see this long talked about road linkage come to fruition, don't be fooled or misled that it is only now being c o n s i d e r e d a n d implemented.”

He was adamant that the indisputable facts are that the signing is a result of the vision of the previous administration coupled with the support of the UK government and of course the Government's good sense to follow through with a great project that will benefit all Guyanese.

According to the Ministry of Finance in its public missive, however, the process leading to the award of the contract followed a stringent and transparent procurement process whereby the call for proposals for the prequalification of contractors was made in February 2021.

Ten contractors were

prequalified and the prequalified list of contractors was approved by the CDB in October 2021 after which the bidding process began in October 2021 and concluded in December 2021.

“The bids were carefully scrutinised and evaluated by a team of local engineers.

After a thorough evaluation process involving engagements and consultations with the Caribbean Development Bank Consultant, Mott MacDonald and other

specialists, Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A was determined as the most responsive bid indicating full compliance with all Environmental, Social, Health and Safety requirements.”According to the Finance Minister, the CDB subsequently indicated its concurrence with the recommendation of the Guyanese evaluation committee and issued it noobjection to commence negotiations with the winning bidder.

The contract inked is for

an asphaltic road 121 kilometres long with a 7.2 metres wide carriageway that will also feature a cycle and pedestrian lane measuring two metres wide, along with 10 bus stops outfitted with ramps for persons with disabilities along with a number of bridges and culverts that will be replaced and some 123 lights will to be installed.

Among those gathered for the occasion on Friday—sod turning and contract signing—were British High Commissioner

- Jane Miller, Minister of Public Works - Bishop Juan Edghill and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works - Deodat Indar who all delivered remarks at the ceremony.

Others present included Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works Vladim Persaud and Chief Executive Officer of GOI n v e s t - D r. P e t e r Ramsaroop, among other regional leaders along officials of the contracting firm Constructora Queiroz S.A.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 16

Sunday May 22, 2022

==The Creators' Coven== Creations and services fighting against food insecurity

By Zena Henry

G

overnments of the Caribbean must decrease their food importation bill by 25 percent by 2025 as they work to address the

matter of regional food security urgently.

The weakness of the Caribbean bloc, CARICOM, was made clear during the COVID-19 pandemic and became even more pronounced when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Anil Singh busily working on his drinks

Tourism Anil Singh is a mixologist at the Bistro Café and Bar. In keeping with the concept of the Forum and Expo, he innovated the “sugar cane Daquri,” an ideal drink that can be added to the favourites of any tourist coming to experience the uniqueness of Guyana.

“The country is a producer of sugar cane, so we are keeping it local and at the same time exotic,” the drinks specialist explained. “I know for sure that a lot of Guyanese may have never tried a sugar cane Daquri. So, we are trying to use all local products in keeping with the theme.” The sugar cane Daquri was created for the expo and by Friday, he had sold hundreds of the concoction.

Agro-processing Ashdel's is owned by Grace Parris who packages interesting pre-cooked foods. For instance, the coveted Guyanese pepper-pot is now packaged and available to eat after just three minutes of heating. Parris said that Ashdel's is a fairly new manufacturing company that produces ready-toeat products such as pepper-pot, porridge and soups. “Everything here is ready to eat,” she told The

The sugar cane Daquri, a great addition to Guyanese taste

Those key European commodity exporters were no longer able to do so, causing economic constraints that further stressed production costs globally. CARICOM must now work to rely less on extra regional food importation and “What we do is we take participants through a year of training, coaching provide access to international experts in marketing, in operations and in finance, and at the end of it, if they are successful, they are awarded with a grant.” The grant helps to scale their businesses and export their product. This year, five successful locals received US$30,000 to invest in their businesses. Some products included ready to eat cook up rice (add hot water and eat in a few minutes), sour cream, onion flavoured plantain chips and Shake and Fry seasoning coating, among others. Agro-processors can go to w e b s i t e : wwwinnovateguyana.org/grow and apply to the grant programme.

Their businesses must be about two years old, the operators must be 18 years and older, it must be an agro-processing product and Guyana Revenue Authority and National Insurance Scheme obligations must be in order.

Packaging Caribbean Containers Incorporated (CCI) located at

develop its own capabilities to produce the various needs of the region.

The Agri- Investment Forum and Conference held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre over the last three days was meant to bring

Shondell Brotherson with Sherlene Croal who also spoke about the USAID sponsored technical support 'farmer to farmer' programme offered to farmers, groups and others.

Farming Tajenarine Lallman from Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara had Expo attendees in awe with his bright yellow watermelons. Many persons had never seen a watermelon with yellow insides. But what was exciting for those who tried the fruit for the first time, is that it tasted sweeter than the regular red centred watermelons. Lallman told the Coven he has been growing the fruit for two years

Grace Parris displays some of her items.

and is now trying to expand his production. The seeds, he said, were purchased from a local company that sources them from Thailand.

Fertilisers Quincy Benjamin and his wife Esther from Mahaica Organics are the producers of liquid organic fertiliser. The material, which includes organic waste that is “brewed” with other ingredients and water, is left to sit for several (Continued on page 63) Tajenarine Lallman and his watermelon varieties.

Coven. “The pepper-pot is heated for a few minutes, plated and ready to eat. The plantain porridge comes with milk and sugar or plantain alone. One cup of hot water is added to the contents, stir and ready for consumption.” Ashdel's products are available at the Guyana Shop.

Finance The Economic Development Fund has a programme sponsored

by USAID in the Economic Development Accelerated Programme for Agro-processors in Guyana. Shondell Brotherson said,

various regional stakeholders together to arrest the issue as a collective. The Creators' Coven went in search of the unique inventions and contributions Guyana is offering to reduce the food importation bill.

Cindy Francis and another CCI staff stand with the various packaging boxes Farm on the East Bank Demerara is the only manufacturer of correlated packing.

Cindy Francis said that the company supplies various industries with packaging for fresh produce, marine and other commercial goods.

The boxes are made in different styles and maintain food grade packaging for fresh pepper and pineapples, among other fruits. The company also provides packing for major companies like Banks DIH, DDL, Topco, among others. They also provide boxes for generic purposes.

Quincy Benjamin and his wife display some of their products.

Sunday May 22, 2022

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

Caribbean culture showcased at Ramps Logistics’ OTC cocktail event

Masqueraders wearing frontline costume hand-made by the Lost Tribe’s Valmiki Maharaj, gave the crowd a taste or carnival at Ramps Logistics Caribbean Night Cocktail held in Houston, Texas.

T

he Caribbean culture was on full display at Ramps Logistics’ Caribbean Cocktail Event. The event, hosted in collaboration with Digicel Business Solutions, was held at Club Decorum in Houston.

It highlighted the Caribbean Culture to many who attended the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2022 held in Houston, Texas early this month, the company revealed via a press release.

The Caribbean Diaspora in the United States is large and undoubtedly carries considerable influence. Caribbean Cocktail event showcased elements of this rich culture while simultaneously creating an unforgettable night of edible meals, drinks, great company, and potential opportunities.

This unique event offered attendees the chance to relax, unwind, and network with key stakeholders, including the Ramps Logistics Family. El Dorado Rum, Soca and Chutney music and an abundance of authentic Caribbean dishes from Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago were on the menu for the event.

Attendees included the United States Ambassador to Guyana, Ms. S a r a h - A n n Ly n c h , G C C I ’s P r e s i d e n t Ti m o t h y Tu c k e r, President of the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber Maniram Prashad, dignitaries from the Mexican Embassy, representatives from Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Energy, and executives from top energy companies based in Houston.

Upon entry, guests were greeted by the talented Steel Vibrations Steel Band, whose unforgettable renditions wowed attendees.

Later, the sweet sounds from the Houston-based Moving Stars Tassa group got the crowd moving.

Also performing at the cocktail event was Trinidadian Soca Artiste, Sekon Sta, who delivered an

energetic act. Equally exciting was the depiction of Carnival by the beautiful masqueraders. COVID19 may have caused Carnival to be cancelled for two years but fortunately, Caribbean night masqueraders gave guests a taste of Carnival while wearing frontline costumes hand-made by The Lost Tribe’s Valmiki Maharaj.

Guyana’s rapid growth since the discovery of oil in 2015 has caught the world’s attention. There are reports that Guyana is on track to overtake the U.S. Gulf of Mexico in an unprecedented production ramp up. “We are happy to bear witness to the South American Country’s development and take pride in ensuring we share with the world its unique culture through music, food and in any other way possible,” the release added.

From left: Rudy Rampersad, Vice President of Regional Initiatives, Gerald Gouveia, Director of Arapaima Logistics, Richard Rambarran, Executive Director GCCI and Timothy Tucker, President of the GCCI at Ramps Logistics Caribbean Night Cocktail event.

From left: Kadelia Achille, Communications Supervisor; Rudy Rampersad, Vice President of Regional Initiatives, Benjamin Hulefeld, Economic Officer, US Embassy Guyana; Gerald Gouveia, Director of Arapaima Logistics; US Ambassador to Guyana, Ms Sarah-Ann Lynch; and Samantha Cole, Logistics Director at Ramps Logistic Guyana Inc. at Ramps’ Caribbean Night Cocktail in Houston.

Ramps Logistics is a supply chain technology company that provides integrated logistics s o l u t i o n s g l o b a l l y. T h e

organisation’s core ideals surround its people, processes, and technology to achieve increased o p e r a t i o n a l e ff i c i e n c y a n d

excellence. In every office location, they embed themselves in the culture and the social issues that matter to its employees.

The Ramps Logistics team poses for a photo at the Cocktail night recently held in Houston, Texas.

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Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

>>>Young Entrepreneur on the Move<<<

Satisfying your uniqueness…

‘The Sarcastic Tee Shop’

By Allyiah Allicock Since he was a teenager, Ivor Rajnarine wanted nothing more than to own his own business. It was something he was always passionate about and had his mind on accomplishing. Fulfilling his long awaited childhood dream, Rajnarine is now the proud owner of a customising business called ‘The Sarcastic Tee Shop’.

‘The Sarcastic Tee Shop’ opened its doors back in February of this year and offers more than just customising tee-shirts. Persons can have items such as wallets, phone cases, cups and more customised.

In a recent interview with this publication, Rajnarine said that before delving into the customising arena, there were a few business ideas he was contemplating. “I had a few ideas but I was very much interested in graphic tees and my curiosity lead me to follow-up and learn everything I could possibly learn about it.

Fast forward to a few years later, here I am finally doing what I love and always dreamt about,” he shared.

His decision to open up his business was backed by tremendous support from his family and girlfriend. “I really can’t thank them enough, it’s important to have that kind of support, it helps you mentally, which is very important,” the young man noted.

Since opening its operations, his

customising business has only had about a handful of challenges along the way. Among them has been the sourcing of materials locally which proven to be quite difficult. To meet customers’ demands and to avoid delays, materials, he said, must be purchased online in advance.

Another challenge he faces, is the marketing aspect. Marketing, as we are aware, is a very important ingredient in running a business. But marketing will not remain an obstacle, as the 27-year-old entrepreneur said he is working on ways to fix that.

As for the pandemic, his business has not been affected but he did highlight, however, that he was worried about the outcome not knowing what problems may arise along the way during these times.

Rajnarine is very grateful for what he has accomplished thus far and the way his business has been flowing. Looking at the bigger picture, he hopes to expand one day his operation and to help others wherever he can.

Our featured entrepreneur is of the belief that young entrepreneurs are not only inspirational to younger people but they are great contributors to s o c i e t y a s w e l l . “ Yo u n g entrepreneurs are talented and brave individuals, making our society a better place thus using their creative skills creating a market for unique and locally-made products, creating jobs for persons

Some of the young man’s work.

“Young entrepreneurs are talented and brave individuals, making our society a better place thus using their creative skills creating a market for unique, locally-made products, creating jobs for persons who need a daily income.” wh o need a daily income,” he expressed.

To this end, he calls on relevant authorities to open more platforms that w o u l d

Young entrepreneur and proprietor of ‘The Sarcastic Tee Shop’, Ivor Deodat Rajnarine.

showcase what young entrepreneurs have to offer.

“Provide locations or events for upcoming entrepreneurs to display their products and get their names out in the open and I encourage our citizens as well to support and perhaps invest in the business as well,” the young man stated.

Persons interested in Rajnarine’s unique service can reach out to him via Facebook or Instagram at Thesarcasticteeshop_gy, or via WhatsApp on mobile number (592) 638-6693.

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

Dominica proposes passing of regulations to force sale of CARICOM produce in supermarkets Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit

The Dominican Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit has urged heads of government in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to implement regulations that will force the sale of regional produce in supermarkets.

This charge was given at the opening of the three-day inaugural Agri-Investment Forum and Expo on Thursday. The event was hosted under the theme ‘Investing in Vision 25 by 2025’ which seeks to reduce the regional food import bill by 25 percent by 2025 through fostering accelerated and targeted

investment in agriculture and food production and its business ecosystem within CARICOM member states.

Outlining his concern for the future as it regards food security, Skerrit said, “If we do not concretise the recommendations in this 25 by 2025 and beyond initiative and we as current leaders, I believe that there is political will to allow it to happen, the private sector must come on board and not display a rush to profits and believing that you can get cheaper produce from outside (the region) in larger quantities and you flood the

markets…”

The Prime Minister also urged consumers to become more open to products manufactured in the Caribbean, rather than rely on foreign produce with the belief that regional goods cannot match the quality coming from elsewhere.

He said, “Let us all join forces. It’s not going to happen only because of us and it’s not going to happen by us only as political leaders of these islands. Everyone of Continued on page 63

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Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

Retail monopolies, concessions, among in-country hindrances to “25 by 2025” goal …Jagdeo says Caribbean far away from mission Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

By Zena Henry Among the many constraints preventing the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) from reducing its food importation bill by 25 percent by 2025 is the fact that there are private sectorrun monopolies in some business areas that influence trade regionally and prevent competition, existential threats that affect the ability to trade internationally, and the fact that governments need to sign trade barrier removals now to ensure the region contributes to its food security.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo shared the foregoing when he gave his keynote address on the “Binding constraints to agriculture growth” at the inaugural Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, which was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre over the past three days. In fact, the Vice President said that a political issue exists which was not highlighted in previous CARICOM food security documents.

On the issue of concessions, he revealed that usually the sectors with the greatest lobbying powers are often the ones that e m e rg e i n a n a t i o n a l framework with greater concessions.

The tourism industry is one that walks away with large concessions because of their lobbying power as they add to the country’s foreign currency as well as employ large personnel. In the same vein, there must be a champion group for agriculture to lobby its position on a national

framework.

At governmental levels, the Vice President said, the state must make commitments and keep it, so that if a decision is taken for example, to grow the agriculture budget to 15 percent every year for next five years, “that it is not to be treated as a residual allocation but that it is a priority…” and that the ringfence sum which would go to roads, research, among others, would remain when balancing the budget. There is also the need for fiscal concessions for agriculture to be comparable with what other sectors enjoy.

Added to this, there is a need for government offices to help cut through local retail trade monopolies. This is a single large group that has strong political influence by their sheer presence and period within a country, thus making it hard for newcomers, which e n c o u r a g e s competitiveness.

“Someone needs to break that up,” Jagdeo said, highlighting the lobbying power of these monopolies and their deep connections within governments and regulatory agencies. They push the regulatory agencies and restrictive phytosanitary standards as protectionist tools and maintain dominance.

“We have had that issue when we try to get some of our exports out and we know where it is coming from directly…,” said the Vice President as he noted that it is not necessarily governments, but the private sector pushing these Continued on page 57

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Kaieteur News

Sheneeza Deonarine -David

Sunday May 22, 2022

Beauty, Sheneeza Deonarine-David, is a New York- based Guyanese who describes herself as a fun-loving woman who strives to always have a positive outlook on life. Sheneeza loves to travel, shop, and blog. She is also a lover of fashion who boasts of having a good sense of style. She says: “I don't let little things get me down and I'm thankful for everything I have, so far.” She holds dear to the saying: “Things change, friends and family leave, life doesn't stop for anyone.”

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Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

PAGE 23

The 25 by 2025 target is unachievable

T

he joke on the sidelines of the Regional AgriInvestment Forum is that Guyana agreed to host this event in the midst of the rainy season.

If a major flood occurs during the conference, or soon after, it will hurt the Region's chances of attracting the investments which are needed under the Ali Initiative.

The Agri-Investment Forum which took place in Guyana is part of an attempt by the Irfaan Ali administration to reinvent the failed and flawed Jagdeo Initiative. But there is a major point of departure between the two initiatives.

The Ali Initiative places greater emphasis on food security and consequently on regional trade.

However, judging from the presentations which have been made this past week, Caribbean governments are not necessarily singing from the same hymn sheet.

There has been talk, for example, about the need to dismantle barriers to trade but not much about how this is going to be achieved.

Before the conference, the target was set to reduce regional food imports by 25 percent by 2025.

Everyone seems to agree that this should be done but there appears to be no plan as to how it will be achieved.

The region's leaders know what should be the objective but, as with most things, do not have a plan to achieve the objective.

There has been talk about the need to improve transportation.

But the private sector is not going to get involved in this area unless it sees before clear evidence of this need being driven by market demand.

You cannot ask the region's private sectors to invest in fast boats when the investors are not certain about the cargo.

The key to the Ali Initiative is the idea of linking regional food security to reducing regional food imports.

This idea of linking food security to trade, however, was not the brainchild of Irfaan Ali. It should be credited to Prime Minister Mia Mottley

of Barbados and to a specific proposal from the Caricom Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) – the same private sector organisation which an obscure local grouping wants CARICOM to derecognise.

But achieving 25 by 2025 is not going to be easy if at all possible. Guyana's Second Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has said that the region would need US$7.5B in investments in order to reduce its food import bill by 25 percent.

The enormity of the investments required makes President's Ali's previous proposal of a Caricom Sustainability Agriculture Credit Facility laughable.

The facility provides a mere US$100M to all CARICOM states with an interest rate of 2.5 percent.

This is a drop in the ocean to what is needed to revitalise agriculture and reduce the Caribbean's food import bill by a quarter.

Under the Jagdeo Initiative, there was supposed to be created a Special Fund for the Modernisation of Regional.

But that never gained any

traction in a region which is notorious for its panhandling.

One of the signal failures of the Agri-Investment Forum has been the absence of bankable projects for investment.

Investors have come from all over the world for this event and they have not been presented with a list of bankable projects to which they need to invest.

Much of the requirement investment to which Jagdeo alludes is required to improve infrastructure.

When he was touting his mega farms idea, he had in mind lands in the Canje Basin and in the Intermediate Savannahs.

One regional firm had done a feasibility study in order to invest in this mega farm project in the Basin but it changed its mind after it realised the huge infrastructural investment, which would

have been needed.

The Intermediate Savannahs has a mixed record when it comes to agricultural investments.

Guyanese got excited when they hear about plans to grow rice in the usually dry and scorched Intermediate Savannahs.

That rice turned out to be a variety, which is not used in Guyana and produces for export.

A Barbadian investor came and made the investment but has since sold his shares in the venture. On the other hand, some local investors have done a trial study, which they say proves the feasibility of growing soya in the savannahs.

The Guyana Sugar Corporation needs investment to revive sugar.

Yet, little was heard from President's Ali and Second Vice President Jagdeo about reviving sugar production.

This is all proof that sugar is

terminally ill in Guyana.

The bottom line is that this week's Agri-Investment Forum was more about companies showing what they have to sell than about attracting the investment, which is needed to achieve the 25 by 2025 target.

That target is not going to be reached because there is no coherent and coordinated policy.

The US$7B investments will not materialise. The Jagdeo Initiative even if reinvented as the Ali Initiative was always a dead duck.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

Sunday May 22, 2022

FOSTER MOM SURPRISES DAUGHTER WITH “REAL LIFE” MOANA EXPERIENCE

By Shervin Belgrave

A

bout a month ago, photographs of a fouryear-old girl, Kayla Gomes, dressed up as Moana for her birthday party went viral after they were posted on Facebook.

Many were taken aback because the photos brought the animated movie character, Moana, to life and little Kayla was the star.

In one of the photos, she is seen with a paddle in her hand, sitting on a bamboo and wooden raft that floated in a creek located at Karaudarnau. Karaudarnau is a small Indigenous village that could be found in the Rupununi Savanah along the right bank of the Rupununi River in the Region Nine district of Guyana.

Standing beside her in the water were Maui with his fish hook, one of the heroes of the Walt Disney animated film and Moana's mom.

After seeing the photos, Kaieteur News was eager to meet Kayla and learn about the story behind the Moana themed birthday celebration that captivated a huge social media audience.

This newspaper soon found out that it was actually part of a surprise package that took two months of preparation and planning by Kayla's foster mom for her fourth birthday on March 23, last.

Speaking with Kaieteur News, her foster mother, Krista DaSilva, age 24, said, “We have always celebrated her birthday before but this time, we wanted to do something special for her.”

“I was thinking and thinking and then the idea came, she loves Moana, let us do her a Moana themed birthday party,” DaSilva related.

Rather than just preparing just a Moana themed cake, DaSilva decided to go the extra mile. She wanted to give her little princess a “a real life” Moana experience for her birthday.

“I wanted it to be real for her, for it to be real life, something that she would always remember,” DaSilva told Kaieteur News.

DaSilva began her planning early January and started the preparation by gathering the materials for the costumes.

She tasked her own mother with designing and making the costumes and even hired a craftsman to build the raft, carve the paddle and make Maui's hook and the other props to replicate items of the film.

As the ideas kept coming, she decided that the same craftsman, Aaron Stephen, popularly known as the Guyanese “Jack Sparrow”, will impersonate Maui to make the experience for Kayla even more

I knew what I had to do; I had to get “real life”. myself a costume too,” DaSilva Stephen agreed and DaSilva added. decided to take it a step further by As the young woman having the invitees dress in reminisced on March 23, she costumes too and rehearse dances chuckled while describing Kayla's and songs from the movie for the reaction to the surprise they had big day. prepared for her.

Finally, it was the eve of March “She was all smiles; she was 23 and a nosey little Kayla saw her just so happy. We did the entrance costume and got a heads up of what dance for her and we tried to make was coming, but one thing was our performances perfect, missing. perfect,” said DaSilva.

“After she saw her costume, For Kayla, there was only one she said: 'Mommy, mommy where disappointment, her dad is her hero is yours? You have to get one too, and she wanted him to be Maui, you are my mom',” recalled nevertheless, she became DaSilva. comfortable with the “I had no plans of playing the Maui role of Moana's mom but looking into her little excited eyes, Kayla Gomes and Maui (impersonated by Aaron Stephen, an Indigenous craftsman and actor popularly known for his impersonation of “Jack Sparrow”)

Kayla and her dad, Shane Gomes

she got and was quite happy and contented with the surprise for her birthday.

Even to this day, DaSilva said she would tell her friends about the party and would look back at her photos every day, to see herself starring as Moana.

Asked why Kayla fell in love Moana, DaSilva responded, “We really don't know. She watches cartoons like any other toddler but when it comes to Moana, there is something different; she recites all the songs and would watch the movie over and over again. She even wanted a pet like Moana; we could not get her a chicken but we got her a pig and he is troublesome.”

Her parents believe that Kayla associates herself with the Moana character because of

The Moana themed birthday party.

the environment where they live.

Her village resembles that of the village seen in the movie; it is located close to a river, has a little beach and the practices of the villagers are almost the same: they hunt, fish and even farm. It might just be that little Kayla will one day be the hero of Karaudarnau Village, following in the footsteps of Moana, a character known for her bravery, fearlessness and determination for success.

Probably she might have already started being a hero by bringing people together.

In fact, she was the one that brought DaSilva and her dad, 21year-year-old Shane Gomes, together.

A few months after she was born, her biological mom separated from her dad and left the village.

Gomes was a young father at the time and did not have much (Continued on page 46)

Little Kayla posing for a photo with her step mom, Krista DaSilva, and Maui

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

PAGE 25

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

A philosophical note to our local 007, James Bond

M

y Friday column was about an interestingly analytical Facebook post by PNC stalwart James Bond. There is an aspect to that delivery which I think a philosophical mind needs to engage James on.

The main thrust of his articulation was that African Guyanese need to withdraw from public sector jobs and seek endeavours in entrepreneurship. He mentioned occupations in the civil service, police and nursing profession, among others. His contention is that those jobs do not provide its holders with meaningful income.

In one cynical moment, he ridiculed a policeman celebrating his birthday in a big way, saying that he does not know what he is celebrating because police pay is poor.

James' adumbration is contextually positive but philosophically negative.

Context is everything in life

and James needs to know that ASAP. In the context of Guyana, he is right. Public service in Guyana does not make for comfortable economic and financial life.

I spent 26 consecutive years teaching at UG after studying at three universities including two top global institutions. When my contract was terminated at the end of 2011, my take home pay was $160,000 monthly. My wife spent 14 years at GOINVEST and before that at GUYMIDA, both public sector jobs.

Everyone, who knows me, knew I drove a dilapidated RAV 4 for 21 years.

James is right about such income but context comes into play. I will discuss context then leave James with a philosophical note.

In terms of context, public service posts and nonentrepreneurial positions are not poor paying occupations in the developed world. On the contrary, people live good economic lives on public

service pay and nonentrepreneurial employment in the developed countries and in certain oil-rich Middle East nations and recently in Trinidad.

All my professors in Canada, and I repeat all, had summer homes and top class houses. One evening, our professor, RH Johnson, who taught us the course in Russian Civilisation at MacMaster University, invited the small class to his home. It was certainly not even a lower middle class home but a high bourgeois structure and he spent all his life as a lecturer at MacMaster. That was where his income came from.

M a n y n o n entrepreneurial retirees like professors, army officers, etc., in the developed world have stocks and shares but they bought them from their non-entrepreneurial income.

In other words, good salaries enabled that.

For years, my wife advised that we should buy some Bank of Guyana bonds

but the wish was one thing, the reality was another. That purchase had to come from the ant-like salaries, which we earned as public sector employees.

Teachers, professors, engineers, municipal managers, media editors, army officers, police high command and an ocean of other non-entrepreneurial occupation holders live well in the developed world, especially in Scandinavia.

University education is free in Germany so as a government clerk, don't have to worry how to get money to pay fees.

N o w f o r t h e philosophical point which needs to be inculcated by all those misguided humans in the world who believe that business investments are what all humans should engage in.

There are 7 billion souls in this world and a majority of those folks have a calling that does not involve business and profit-making.

Humans are not one-

dimensional in t their thoughts.

Some people have the calling to teach, others to Frederick Kissoon serve in the army, others to become judges, others to aught by professors who will serve humanity through retire and not even have one medicine. And the list goes percent of the income that on. It is absolutely definite rich business folks have. that many among those 7 What would become of billion who do not see civilisation if all humans had business as what they want one overriding instinct and and that would bring peace of one compelling vision – to mind. I know that feeling. earn profits from business? I My mother-in-law left a believe a substantial number l a r g e s u p e r m a r k e t i n of people in that 7 billion Wortmanville/Werk-en-Rust want to live comfortably, for me and her daughter to provide for their children, take over. It was the only then live within their means. I supermarket in those two believe they do not want to be Georgetown wards. My wife super billionaires. loved her job at GOINVEST I believe it is a mind like and I thought that my calling that, that has held civilisation w a s t o a c a d e m i a a n d together for thousands of journalism. years. Money is good but I have absolutely no p e a c e o f m i n d k e e p s doubt in my mind that had my civilisation intact.

(The wife and I chose that venture, views expressed in this it would have been successful article are those of the author and I would not have had to and do not necessarily reflect drive a cork-ball RAV 4. t h e o p i n i o n s o f t h i s James became a lawyer,

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Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

PAGE 27

COVID-19: The Omicron 2 surge is here; what should we do?

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Emergency Medicine Specialist

A

pproximately 10 weeks ago, I had alerted to the fact that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus had formed sub-variants and the Omicron Ba. 2 subvariant (Omicron 2) was most likely to take over from its sister variant, Omicron Ba.2 (Omicron 1). It was the Omicron 1 which was responsible for the largest number of infections we've ever had since the pandemic started. Omicron 2, has now become the dominant form of the virus worldwide and is most likely responsible for the surge in infections here, given the anticipated pattern of rise, which we are currently seeing. Our experience with previous waves will help through this wave but we should not throw caution to the wind and be reckless. Today, I will share with you my thoughts on this new wave and some tips that will help you manoeuvre through this risky period.

Will this be similar to the Omicron 1 surge?

Yes and no! Given the data from other countries that would have experienced the Omicron 2 surge, there are some similarities but sufficient evidence to suggest differences that will be to our benefit when compared to the Omicron 1 surge.

While Omicron 2 is more infectious than Omicron 1, it appears to be less deadly and has caused less hospitalisations. It is infecting the fully vaccinated and those that were previously infected with Omicron 1. However, almost all that were previously infected are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. The fully vaccinated are being infected at higher numbers

but smaller numbers are getting the severe form of the disease when compared to the unvaccinated.

Given the data, I anticipate a surge that may last about 6-8 weeks leading to an increase in hospitalisations and deaths but at about half the proportion that we would have seen with Omicron 1.

Who's more at risk?

The following individuals are at higher risk of being hospitalised or dying from Omicron 2: · The elderly · Those with Co-morbid conditions (cancer, HIV, Obesity, poorly managed diabetes, etc.) · The unvaccinated If you do not fall into any of the mentioned categories, it doesn't mean that you are not at risk; it's just that your risk of dying or having the severe disease is lower. If you are exposed to someone with the disease and they were to emit a large amount of the virus which you inhaled, you are at a high risk of getting a severe form of the disease no matter how healthy you may be.

Can I live freely if I am fully vaccinated?

It is very difficult to live freely during a pandemic or endemic. However, it doesn't mean that you cannot go about everyday life either.

Living smartly should be sufficient for you to do your daily activities while derisking your chances of becoming a victim of this wave.

Even if you are fully vaccinated and boosted, you can still be infected and die from the disease, but chances of this occurring are lower when compared to an unvaccinated person.

What basic measures should I take?

Everyone including the fully vaccinated (and boosted) is at risk of being infected during this Omicron 2 surge.

We should therefore avoid closed, poorly ventilated, and crowded spaces as much as possible.

If we cannot avoid such spaces, we should ensure that we are masked up and others around us are masked also.

Using mask in outdoor spaces is unnecessary unless

you are in a dense crowd and persons are breathing in your face. Also, ensure you get your vitamins (especially Vitamins C&D and zinc) and you are keeping healthy so that your immune system is primed for any infection.

Getting daily sunlight is vital for your immune system so ensure you are exposed to the sun daily.

Data has shown that countries with year around sunlight, fared better with

Covid-19 when compared to others. Sunlight is needed to convert Vitamin D to its active form and

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux also helps with Emergency mood. These are Medicine Specialist key factors that help in the fight a bout our lives during this against Covid-19.

So, there is no reason to surge, but we should arm panic; we have enough ourselves and be smart with armour to withstand this our choices in order to win wave of Covid-19. We can go this battle.

PAGE 28

WEEK IN REVIEW SUNDAY GUYANAWILLLOSE MORE THAN GAIN FROMANATIONAL OIL COMPANY - WHY IS GOVT. SO EAGER TO CREATE ONE WHEN IT FAILED TO IMPLEMENT MANY PREREQUISITES FOR SUCCESS? – DR. JAN MANGAL, OIL CONSULTANT Former Oil Advisor to Guyana and International Consultant, Dr. Jan Mangal does not agree with the government’s possible pursuit of a National Oil Company (NOC).

In a written contribution to the Energy Advisor (an online platform which features fresh analysis from business leaders and government officials on a range of issues), Dr. Mangal said there are numerous reasons why Guyana should not develop a NOC in the short-term, or even over the long-term, due to the climate crisis.

The consultant argued that developing a NOC would be putting the cart before the proverbial horse. Dr. Mangal said, “Guyana failed at most prerequisites for a successful industry. And I define success as an industry that benefits the people and future generations, and does not only benefit the oil companies, local business elites and politicians. Success also requires an industry that recognises its impact on the climate and constrains production.”

The former Presidential Advisor added, “Guyana failed to negotiate fair oil contracts even when it had

Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

complete leverage over ExxonMobil in 2015-2016.

Guyana failed to award oil blocks in a transparent public manner and in ways to maximise revenues for the country. After seven years, it still failed to develop the human and organisational capacity to negotiate, regulate and manage the industry, and it failed to develop the basic laws, and also to protect its environment.”

Additionally, he said Guyana has not even started to consider and mitigate the very difficult issues associated with the so-called ‘Dutch disease’ and the resource curse, and has not embarked on sustainable/ inclusive national development.

Dr. Mangal said the only positive step seen in Guyana was the publication of the oil contracts in 2017. Dr. Mangal said, “To now focus sparse resources on creating a NOC is unwarranted and unjustified, and one has to wonder why the government is so eager to create a stateowned company when it was incapable of completing many prerequisites for success.”

Dr. Mangal’s advice is also similar to that of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Back in 2017, the financial institution categorically stated that there is no business case for such an institute here.

In one of its analytical reports, the financial institution noted that many countries have a NOC which allows the government to participate in the block like an investor would. The IMF said that this move also allows the government to have a “seat at the table” for decision

making.

The Fund noted, however, that given the substantial regulatory powers the government can have over the upstream petroleum sector, it is not evident that participating would necessarily be adding much more value.

Furthermore, the financial institution warned that participating interest by government requires it to contribute to handling a portion of the costs, including in the development phase of the oil block. It was keen to note that the government can raise its own money to handle those expenses, or it can lean on the operator and repay the oil company with interest.

The Fund noted that the latter option delays the receipt of any major benefits for the government.

As such, the IMF said that the government may be better off securing a higher government take in the contract itself. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/15/national-oilcompany-unwarranted-andunjustified/) ‘LARGE-SCALE THIEVERY COMING’ GLENN LALL - MEGA GOLD FIRMS SPELL MORE DOOM FOR GUYANA - COUNTRY HAS LITTLE TO SHOW FOR OMAI, TROY RESOURCES, RUSAL INVESTMENTS G o v e r n m e n t ’s announcement that three large scale gold firms are poised to set up shops here is cold comfort to Guyanese who continue to be shortchanged by foreign investors, businessman and Publisher of the Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall has said.

In fact, he believes given the heavy loss this country has suffered at the hands of foreign investors over the years it would not be too bad an idea to leave the resources unexploited until “we can find the right people to negotiate proper deals for us that will benefit this nation.” Lall made the comments last Friday evening on his radio programme “The Glenn Lall Show’ aired on Kaieteur Radio (99.1, 99.5 FM).

Speaking at the Private Sector Commission Annual General Meeting last week Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh told business leaders that at least three promising world-class, large-scale gold mining operations are to be established here soon.

Regarding the gold mining operations, Dr. Singh said each of the operations will be bigger than Omai Gold Mines,

one of the largest gold operations ever experienced locally. “You know how significant Omai was.

Contemplate for a moment three large scale operations, each of which is larger than Omai. Consider for a moment that each one of these will be employing more than 100 Guyanese. Consider the food and other supplies, transport services, construction, equipment supply and maintenance services and all the multiplier benefit these operations will generate,” the Finance Minister said, as he assured that the government will continue to stimulate activities in all sectors and not just oil and gas. He said emphasis will be placed on ensuring an emerging rapidly growing and highly competitive non-oil economy that will also include agriculture.

However, Mr. Lall said Guyanese should not be optimistic about the impending gold mining ventures, directing this country’s attention to the lopsided deals Guyana entered into with previous companies. “I have said from the day we discovered oil, in the quantity we did, Guyana should run out every single foreigner fetching out our natural resources, leave that for bambai, leave that in the ground where it can’t spoil for future generations and live off this new found oil, in which we can live an extremely comfortable life, equal to and better than that of an American citizen, and also save big money for future generations, if it’s done correctly,” Lall told his audience tuned in both on the radio and on the station’s social media platforms.

He urged that the authorities should concentrate on closing the loopholes in the oil contract with ExxonMobil, renegotiate the deal and Guyana will have more than enough to feed, clothe and not only develop this country but the region too. “That’s the kind of wealth we have out there. We already have foreigners, for instance in the bauxite industry, fetching out we bauxite, for over a decade and say they not making money, so why do we still have them here fetching out our resources? If they not making money after 10 years in your country, why are they still here?” the newspaper publisher questioned.

At the said AGM of the PSC, Minister Singh announced that Guyana was preparing to export manganese for the first time in 54 years. Dr. Singh told the gathering that ships docked in the North-West District are

being loaded with the mineral for export. “Right now, as we speak, vessels are being loaded in the North West of Guyana with Guyana’s first shipment of manganese in 54 years,” the Finance Minister announced. He said this type of operation is important in keeping with the government’s efforts toward a diversified and resilient economy. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/15/large-scalethievery-coming-glenn-lall/) MONDAY GUYANAWILLLOSE MORE THAN GAIN FROM ANATIONAL OIL COMPANY - ANALYST SAYS COUNTRY BETTER OFF SEEKING HIGHER ROYALTIES IN FUTURE CONTRACTS Guyana would be better off pressing for increased royalties in future oil contracts rather than rushing ahead with plans to set up a national oil company, Arthur Deakin, Co-Director of the Energy Programme at Americas Market Intelligence has said.

It was Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo who had announced earlier this year government’s interest in setting up such a company ahead of an oil block auction in September. Ever since his announcement, there has been a lot of push back to his idea, which he has disregarded.

Locally, some sections of the media have resurrected arguments by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has worked closely with Guyana since 2015. The financial institution has contended that there is simply no business case for a NOC here. There are quite a few persons who agree.

Deakin for example, recently told Energy Advisor that the drawbacks of creating a NOC in Guyana far outweigh the benefits. The analyst reminded that the

Guyanese Government has said it is looking for an open, public bidding process for its remaining oil blocks where the most competitive bidder wins. Deakin said that awarding the block/s to a state-owned oil firm, or limiting key players such as ExxonMobil from participating, goes against that—especially since some of the participating companies (like Exxon) have local experience that could lead to economies of scale.

Further, Deakin reminded of the government’s desire to accelerate its oil production to ensure that it does not get ostracized by global climate targets. The analyst argued however that a NOC with little to no experience and wherewithal would potentially delay this accelerated pace of oil development, as the government would need to create the supporting legal and regulatory structure around the company.

Deakin said too, there is a strong risk of corruption and nepotism that comes with creating a NOC. He said this is seen by regional peers; such as, PDVSA in Venezuela, Petrobras in Brazil and Pemex in Mexico. The analyst said, “Perhaps more important is that since the blocks are prospective, the NOC would mean new risks and costs for the government. A simpler way to increase their percentage of profits, while avoiding taking on new risk, is by increasing its royalties in future production-sharing agreements.”

Regarding the oil curse, a term which describes the political and economic dysfunction that occurs when leaders fail to properly manage and invest oil revenues, Deakin believes it is too soon to tell whether Guyana will be able to dodge it. He said, “It has set up a relatively promising sovereign wealth fund, but it is unclear how transparently and efficiently it will spend its oil money.” To ensure (Continued on page 29)

Sunday May 22, 2022

From page 28 further economic diversification, and encourage local entrepreneurship, Deakin said Guyana needs more government incentives, more robust technical training and easier access to financing.

IMFADVICE In one of its analytical reports, the financial institution noted that many countries have a National Oil Company, which allows the government to participate in the block like an investor would. The IMF said that this move also allows the government to have a “seat at the table” for decision-making.

The Fund noted, however, that given the substantial regulatory powers the government can have over the upstream petroleum sector, it is not evident that participating would necessarily be adding much more value.

Furthermore, the financial institution warned that participating interest by government requires it to contribute to handling a portion of the costs, including in the development phase of the oil block. It was keen to note that the government can raise its own money to handle those expenses, or it can lean on the operator and repay the oil company with interest.

The Fund noted that the latter option delays the receipt of any major benefits for the government. (https:// www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/16/guyana-willlose-big-with-national-oilcompany-analyst-sayscountry-better-off-seekinghigher-royalties-in-futurecontracts/) SEVEN YEARS LATER: GUYANA HAS NO INDEPENDENT OIL SECTOR REGULATOR - OPPOSITION MULLS BRINGING BACK OLD PETROLEUM COMMISSION BILL - AS PPP/C PUSSYFOOTING AROUND ISSUE This month, makes seven years since Guyana is without an updated legislative and regulatory framework that is

PAGE 29

Kaieteur News

essential for the protection of the oil industry against mismanagement and corruption.

One of the key regulatory architecture that remains in limbo is the Petroleum Commission Bill that would pave the way for the appointment of an independent regulator. The Petroleum Commission Bill was initially proposed by the APNU+AFC for the establishment of an independent body which would hold responsibility for monitoring and enforcing Guyana’s modernised petroleum laws, policies and oil agreements. The body is also intended to ensure oil companies comply with health, safety and environmental standards.

On May 8, 2017, then Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman had tabled the Petroleum Commission of Guyana Bill 2017 during the 64th Sitting of the Eleventh Parliament.

The passage of that Bill would have seen the creation of the Petroleum Commission of Guyana which will oversee and manage Guyana emerging oil and gas industry.

The Petroleum Commission of Guyana will have the responsibility of monitoring and ensuring compliance with the policies, laws and agreements for petroleum operations.

It would have also, inter alia, be responsible for ensuring compliance with health, safety and environmental standards and ensure local content and local participation in all of the activities.

Also, the commission would have been tasked inter alia, with researching efficient, safe, effective and environmentally responsible exploration, development and production of petroleum in Guyana, including the optimum methods of exploring for, extracting and utilising petroleum and petroleum products The new regulatory body will also have an advisory role to the Minister on matters

related to the conduct of the industry. The Bill was however sent to a Special Select Committee since its most fatal flaw or characteristic was that it gave the Natural Resources Minister a toxic level of control over the said body.

Upon assuming office in August 2020, the PPP administration had promised an overhaul for Guyana’s petroleum laws. In fact, President Dr. Irfaan Ali during his inauguration address pledged to establish a Petroleum Commission to insulate the oil and gas sector from political interference.

Also, both the Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo and Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat have agreed that such a body is needed to ensure the sector is independently managed and kept away from political influence.

In fact, in March 2021, Minister Bharrat had stated that within a matter of weeks, the independent regulator the government promised to establish for the oil sector would be in place.

Minister Bharrat was also quoted on the Guyana Basins Summit website as saying that the Commission is needed so it can “manage this emerging sector without political interference.”

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, had told Kaieteur Radio during an interview with Guyana’s Oil & You hostess, Kiana Wilburg, that the Bill is at the Ministry of Natural Resources and it is being actively considered by a Legal Department within that Ministry.

That was when the Attorney General cited that changes are likely to be seen.

Since then, the government has not disclosed the progress made on this front.

However, it has been 21 months since the PPP/C Government assumed office and it has yet to honour its promise to the nation. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/04/25/almost-sevenyears-laterguyana-has-no-

independent-oil-sectorregulator-archaic-laws-stillin-place/) TUESDAY WALES GAS-TOENERGY PROJECT… EXXONMOBIL NOW PROMISES GAS LEAK MANAGEMENT PLAN BEFORE STARTUPOF OPERATIONS ...ACKNOWLEDGES DOCUMENT ISA GLOBAL REQUIREMENT A gas leak management plan is a critical document that is most times included in a developer’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a study that lays the foundation for a permit to be granted by regulators for such a venture.

In Guyana, ExxonMobil through its subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), is pursuing in part, a Gas-toEnergy project, which will see the natural resource being transported to Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD) via a pipeline from the Liza One and Two fields in the Stabroek Block.

An EIA for the project has already been submitted, however, the document does not state how gas leaks, a likely event listed, will be responded to, even though the Project Manager, Friedrich Krispin, has acknowledged that the company is required to present such a document around the world.

During a consultation hosted by ExxonMobil on Friday last at the Leonora Te c h n i c a l Institute, Jainarine Narine, Chairman of the Stewartville/Cornelia Ida Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) asked the oil company’s representative to specifically state what its management plan is in the event of a gas leak.

Krispin told the Chairman that the company rules its operations through a model referred to as ‘Operations Integrity Management System’ which requires the

firm to establish and outline such response mechanisms.

In this regard, he said, “so for a facility like this one we are required to do this everywhere, all over the world, to set up an oil spill management plan (and a) gas leak management plan. That is (the) bread and butter of our operations because you cannot run an operation like this one without being unprepared to handle an unforeseen effect.”

Even though he acknowledged the importance of the document, the Project Manager addressed the news of the absent management plan by informing the handful of residents present that the Stabroek Block partners, which will also be involved in the project, have not only been investing time into the venture to ensure such events are avoided but are also financially stable to respond.

Krispin boasted, “the one thing I will say is that the Stabroek (Block) coventurers have spent a lot of time making sure that these things don’t happen and therefore we will do all the best we possibly can; we buy all the best pipes, we install this facility in the best way we can etcetera.

If something were to happen, the Stabroek (Block) co-venturers will firstly make sure that the source of the leak is stopped, so we have leak detection systems…we make sure that we take every precaution and have emergency response teams that can react to an event like this.”

He continued, “…one thing I can tell you about insurance, is two things the co-venturers in the Stabroek Block have the financial strength and the financial muscle to be able to (respond to) any kind of emergency that these facilities could have.” ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/17/exxonmobilnow-promises-gas-leakmanagement-plan-beforestartup-of-operations/)

21 MONTHS LATER… VP JAGDEO SILENT ON KAIETEUR, CANJE OIL BLOCKS PROBE While in Opposition, Guyana’s Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had stated that an international investigation into the award of the Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks – both of which were signed away days before the March 2015 elections – would get his support.

Similarly, during a November 2020 press conference, Jagdeo reiterated his position and disclosed that he had asked for internal documents to be prepared and that he does not have any objection to any probe.

But it has already been 21 months and there has been no word on the probe into the two oil blocks.

In a series entitled ‘The Fleecing of Guyana’, Kaieteur News had exposed some of the red flags in the Canje and Kaieteur oil Blocks agreements.

The Canje Block for instance was awarded by the Donald Ramotar administration on March 4, 2015, days before that year’s General and Regional Elections, to a local company, Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas. Similarly, the Kaieteur Block was awarded on April 28, 2015, just two weeks before the elections, and like the Canje Block, it was done based on the advice of former Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud.

Two companies received the block with 50-50 stakes - Ratio Energy Limited (now Cataleya Energy Limited) and Ratio Guyana Limited.

The award of the oil blocks to the companies was especially concerning since the ultra-deep drilling is required for those blocks, a technique which only a handful of companies in the world have the technology, track record, and capability to execute.

The red flags which have manifested in both situations include that the awards were (Continued on page 30)

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From page 29 given to unqualified companies, that the initial owners quickly flipped the blocks without doing any work, that they are incorporated in ‘secrecy’ jurisdictions, and that Guyana likely lost revenue due to the avoidance of an open, competitive bidding process.

That matter was marred with controversy and the former president faced public scrutiny due to the fact that the blocks were given out so close to Election Day. Ramotar was also criticised since it was alleged that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) knew oil was discovered when it awarded the blocks to the companies.

When Kaieteur News first raised the issue of red flags surrounding the awards, in 2019, the then Opposition Leader—Jagdeo—had said that an independent probe would receive his support.

It was during a June 2019 press conference, he told reporters that he would prefer if an independent, international firm investigated the award of the Kaieteur and Canje oil Blocks. He had said that the State Asset Recovery Agency is too political, in his view, to carry out such an investigation.

In a subsequent press conference the following week, when asked if he would support an investigation into the award of the Stabroek oil block as well, Jagdeo said that an independent investigation would have to deal with all of those issues. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/17/vp-jagdeosilent-on-kaieteur-canje-oilblocks-probe/) WEDNESDAY GUYANARECEIVES US$81M IN ROYALTY PAYMENTS FOR TWO YEARS, BUT GIVES AWAY US$657M IN TAXES IN ONE YEAR 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

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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 Commissioner General of t h e a u t h o r i t y, G o d f r e y Statia 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 multi-billion 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. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/18/guyanareceives-us81m-in-royaltypayments-for-two-years-butgives-away-us657m-intaxes-in-one-year/) INFLUX OF EXPATS IN OIL & GAS SECTOR FORCES GOVT. TO UPDATE HOUSING LAWS 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 passage of the 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 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 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 found it difficult to use the Certificate to obtain loans and insurance and that situation remained in place for years. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/18/influx-of-expats-

in-oil-gas-sector-forcesgovt-to-update-housinglaws/) THURSDAY ANOTHER FOREIGN COMPANY BOASTS TO SHAREHOLDERS OF MEGA GOLD FIND IN GUYANA- GUYANESE IN THE DARK Canadian mining company, Golden Shield Resources Inc., on Tuesday boasted on its website in a release to its shareholders that the results of its drilling activities in Guyana have yielded significant results.

To date the Guyana Government, namely the Ministry of Natural Resources responsible for the sector, is yet to make a formal announcement as it relates to the drill results from an initial hole of a 13-hole, 3,000-metre programme at Mazoa Hill, the most advanced of eight prospects at the company’s flagship, 5,457-hectare, Marudi Mountain gold project located in the Rupununi District of southwestern Guyana namely the “Marudi Project.”

Golden Shield is currently drilling the ninth hole of its 3,000-metre, 13-hole Phase 2 drill programme at Mazoa Hill.

Drilling of the remaining four holes of the programme is progressing and will be finished before the end of this month.

According to the company in a release, Golden Shield interprets gold mineralisation to occur in a series of en-echelon highgrade shoots defined by intense silicification within a broader silicified zone, previously described as quartzite-metachert (QMC).

Dr. Colin Porter, Vice President, Exploration of Golden Shield in making the announcement said, “because historical drill holes did not intersect the lower limb extension, previous models assumed the QMC host-rock terminated at depth. However, Golden Shield’s reinterpretation of the Mazoa Hill mineralisation has shown that the deposit is open at depth along the lower limb extension. This will allow the Golden Shield team to continue to define a new, updated resource at Mazoa Hill, as we continue to step out laterally, and at depth.”

As such, the company noted that following the completion of the Phase 2 drill programme, company geologists and field crews will focus on advancement of the existing prospects to drill stage, if merited, and (Continued on page 31)

Sunday May 22, 2022

From page 30 exploration for additional prospects, “Once results from Phase 2 drilling are received and additional drilling will be planned.”

The company also announced the signing of an agreement with OGIB Corporate Bulletin (OGIB) for a six-month term for which the company will provide certain marketing, online corporate communications, publishing, writing and investor relations services.

Leo Hathaway, P. Geo, Executive Chair of Golden Shield, and a ‘Qualified Person’ as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed, verified, and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release and has verified the data underlying that scientific and technical information.

Golden Shield Resources was founded by experienced professionals who are convinced that there are gold mines yet to be found in Guyana. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/19/anotherforeign-company-boasts-toshareholders-of-mega-goldfind-in-guyana/) EXXON’S 5TH PROJECT WILL SINK FISHING INDUSTRY INTO DEEPER TROUBLE Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)—ExxonMobil Guyana—has in its project summary conceded that the project will, in addition to emitting additional Green House Gases into the atmosphere but can possible decimate not only the fishing industry, but could potentially impact beaches, mangroves, and wetlands as wildlife habitat.

As such, according to the company, throughout the life of the project there will be a continued threat to Guyana’s environment and marine habitat in the event of an unplanned event such as an oil spill.

This much is contained in the Project Summary for the oil company’s fifth project in Guyana Urau that will likely also incorporate the Mako location into its operations.

In outlining the potential impacts of the project it was firstly noted, that the air quality climate generally will be impacted.

It was explained that as it relates to the air and the environment “Localized, increased concentrations of criteria pollutants, in ambient air could contribute to health

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concerns in exposed humans and wildlife. Combustion of hydrocarbons from Project activities will contribute to GHG emissions.”

This the company said, could result from emissions from construction equipment and back-up diesel-fired power generation, emissions from operational point sources, non-routine, temporary flaring, pilot flare and other de minimis background flaring, plant emissions, fugitive emissions from construction or operations and non-routine or unplanned events.

It was noted too, that the Project has the potential to affect marine geology and sediments along in the Project Development area.

According to the Project Summary, the drilling of the wells and the installation of the subsea equipment and Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel to be used, will lead to the disturbance of the seabed during offshore drilling, and installation activities has the potential to affect benthic habitat and cause death/ injury of benthic fauna.

The company said too, that the development could have localized impacts to marine water quality in the Project development area from discharge of drill cuttings and from routine operational and hydrotesting discharges, and that the development could also potentially impact marine water quality in the Project area of interest (AOI) as a result of non-routine, unplanned events such as a spill or release.

In such an instance, the impacts would mean an increase in total suspended solids concentrations, chemical concentrations, or temperature in water column that has a potential to affect marine water quality and marine habitat quality and affect wildlife. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/19/exxons-5thproject-will-sink-fishingindustry-into-deepertrouble/) FRIDAY ‘FOOD AND WATER MORE IMPORTANT THAN OIL’ – PM MOTTLEYTELLSAGRI INVESTMENT FORUM After cheering President Irfaan Ali on for being the host of the inaugural Agri Investment Forum which provides Regional leaders an opportunity to tap into the rich resources available in the respective Caribbean countries, Prime Minister of

Barbados, Mia Mottley went on to caution that food and water remain priority rather than oil, at a time when the global supply chain remains grounded, due to strains from the pandemic and the European war between Russia and Ukraine, especially.

While turning slightly from her audience at the National Cultural Centre to address the Guyanese Head of State, Irfaan Ali Mottley said “…to do what you have done in the last 18 months is nothing short of phenomenal and let me say my friends that we have suspected it for some time but we now know it; food and water are as important or more important than oil.”

Prefacing this guidance, the Prime Minister and fifth speaker at the opening ceremony of the forum told the delegates that “we are here together at a most critical time in our history.”

She explained that as of May 17, 2022 several countries have moved to impose export restrictions, in a bid to secure food for their people. Specifically, Mottley highlighted that Indonesia have imposed export restrictions on palm oil, while sunflower seeds and oil as well as wheat have been banned from export by Russia.

Similarly, Ukraine has also stopped exporting wheat and oats, while Argentina too has extended export restrictions on beef products until next year. India and Kazakhstan most recently have restricted exports of wheat too, contributing to a global

shortage in baby formula.

Mottley, who co-chairs the One Heal Global Initiative, said that the worrying trend is likely to continue as governments move to safeguard their food supply, in the face of soaring inflation.

To this end, she said, “We are at that moment in time where it is up to us to stand up to the challenge or to recognise that the consequences of it will indeed be difficult and potentially devastating for our people.”

The Barbados leader even noted that the 25 by 2025 initiative, which seeks to cut the regional import bill by 25 percent, come 2025 may even need to be revised to take this goal to 50 percent, especially since “a crisis like no other is before us”.

She added, “I trust and pray that we would move with greater energy on these issues, but more importantly that the example of the disruption of the global supply chain and the combination of the climate crisis that can take out Miami for three (to) four (or) six weeks and hence no ship coming with food from Miami what happens? That those two examples now hopefully would allow us to have a different response when we argue once again for special and differential treatment, especially for small island, developing states and landlocked countries…”

Only yesterday, Kaieteur News reported on the impacts oil production projects have been having on the environment and the local economy. For instance, Esso

Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)— ExxonMobil Guyana—has in its project summary for its fifth project conceded that it will, in addition to emitting additional Green House Gases into the atmosphere can possibly decimate not only the fishing industry, but could also potentially impact beaches, mangroves, and wetlands as wildlife habitat.

As such, according to the company, throughout the life of the project, there will be a continued threat to Guyana’s environment and marine habitat in the event of an unplanned event such as an oil spill. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/20/food-and-watermore-important-than-oil/) ROWLEY OFFERS TO BUILD BUSINESS MODEL TO BOOST REGIONAL FOOD SUPPLY - MULLS ONE CARICOM REGISTER FOR BUSINESSES - CALLS ON INT’L DONORS TO HELP FUND SUPPLY VESSELS Now more than ever, Member States o f t h e Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are gripped by the inescapable need to break free from rhetoric and commit to meaningful,

collaborative action that will improve the region’s food production system. It is with this very understanding in mind that Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a g o ’s Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley proposed that his c o u n t r y, o n e o f t h e founding members of CARICOM, would be willing to build a business model to boost regional food supply with Guyana’s vast agricultural potential as a springboard for success.

The Prime Minister made this offer at the opening of the inaugural Agri-Investment Forum and Expo which had an official opening at the National Cultural Centre yesterday. The event is being held under the theme, “Investing in vision 25 by 2025.”

D r. R o w l e y s a i d t h e event which concludes on Saturday represents a giant step in getting the region to improve the quality and quantity of its production systems for food sustainability in all conditions. The CARICOM leader was keen to note however, that time and action are of the essence.

PM Rowley said, “I have seen this before, I have heard this before and that means, we know what to do but, the question is, are we prepared to do it? I have been saying, unless we get the appropriate investments, the scale at which we are required to perform will not be achieved…” “It therefore means that Guyana’s role in giving CARICOM the opportunity to produce on the scale at which we can produce to be a participant in feeding ourselves is important, hence I am here to support this initiative which is driven by the w o r k s o f P r e s i d e n t D r.

Irfaan Ali and Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo who are integral leaders in CARICOM.” Even as this support is given wholeheartedly, PM Rowley said there are some key issues, which have to be addressed.

He said there are some persons who are going to lobby to have the conversation of increased production done with a level of protectionism. PM Rowley warned however, that the greater good for the region cannot be achieved if there is fear of disturbing a few in their comfort zones.

Along with the need to confront those who wish to keep the status quo as is and protect their interests, the (Continued on page 32)

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From page 31 official said the regional leaders must address the question of transportation barriers to goods and services among CARICOM States. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/20/rowley-offersto-build-business-model-toboost-regional-food-supply/ SATURDAY AS FISHING INDUSTRY DWINDLES… GOVT. UPDATES REGULATIONS WITH NEW PROTOCOLS FOR FISH IMPORTS Guyana has been producing oil since December 2019 and during that course of time there has been a significant decline in the domestic fishing industry purportedly as a result of the drilling production operations by the International Oil Companies currently operating offshore.

Against this backdrop, government on Wednesday last signed off on a raft of new regulations to be enforced under the Fisheries Act that cater for, in addition to protocols for the handling and processing of local catch, the importation of fish and fish products.

The regulations signed on Wednesday last by Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha has since been gazetted.

Among the provisions in the new regulations is the designation of the Veterinary Public Health Unit as the ‘competent authority’ to enforce the regulations.

The regulations signed off by Minister Mustapha also speaks to the approval of vessels and processing facilities, conditions to be met before fish can be placed on the local market and importation among other aspects. As it relates to the importation of fish, the regulations speak specifically to the conditions to be met by an importer, notifications, offshore inspections as well as foreign government

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inspections.

The updated regulations does under Part VII provide for the exportation of Guyana’s catch and the general conditions and criteria to be met.

Additionally the new regulation aims to enforce in a more efficient manner, the general and more specifically the hygienic conditions to be met by not only processing plants and facilities but the vessels.

Moreover the new regulations also provide a plethora of best plant practices to be met with regards quality assurance systems and production conditions.

The move to update Guyana’s fisheries regulations under the substantive law comes at a time when the fishing industry has been experiencing a rapid decline in recent years in addition to a regional push—being spearheaded by Guyana—to reduce the regional food import bill.

Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, in presenting the Budget for this year had noted that said, despite the challenges currently being faced by the subsector, fishing was estimated to have grown by 11 percent, having shown signs of recovery in the latter half of 2021 which resulted in some 15.7 percent growth in fish production.

He said too that notable increases were observed in production across all fish products, with the most significant growth observed for industrial finfish, which grew by 235.4 percent.

“Undermining the subsector ’s overall performance was a 13.5 percent decline in the production of shrimp, as a result of declines in catches of white belly and industrial seabob shrimp.

These declines outweighed increased catches of artisanal seabob shrimp and prawns.”

Fisher folk on the other hand continue to insist that there has been a substantial decline in their catch despite the pronouncements made

by Dr. Singh.

Chairman of the Guyana National Fisherfolk Organisation and the Upper Corentyne Fisherman Co-op Society, Parmeshwar Jainarine had scrutinized the figures released by the Ministry of Finance, as they relate to the production/catch percentage within the local fishing industry and had contended that it is far from what it really is and has noted that the fishing industry is collapsing and is being neglected by the Government.

This past week Kaieteur News had reported that Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)— ExxonMobil Guyana—has in its project summary conceded that the project will, in addition to emitting additional Green House Gases into the atmosphere but can possible decimate the fishing industry.

A key report from an American multinational had warned that there will be significant impact on the nation’s marine resources, due to the cumulative impact of those oil related activities.

This disclosure was made in the project documents for the Yellowtail development in the Stabroek Block, operated

by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, EEPGL. The report, which formed the premise for consultations on the Yellowtail development, noted that there are several exploration and development activities planned or are already in operation by EEPGL that will compound the situation. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/21/govt-updatesregulations-with-newprotocols-for-fish-imports/) GUYANESE SHOULD HAVE BREAKDOWN OF HOW OIL MONEY IS BEING SPENT – INT’L ANALYST …GOVT.’S CURRENTAPPROACH NOT IN KEEPING WITH BEST PRACTICE The PPP/C Government has since transferred over $40B in oil earnings from the Natural Resource Fund to the Consolidated Fund so that it can support several projects

outlined in the 2022 budget.

As a result of the oil money being lumped with revenues from other sectors, there is no way of tracing which projects it is going to.

International Energy Analyst, Arthur Deakin is of the belief that such an approach is not in keeping with best practices. He believes Guyanese ought to know exactly what projects their oil money is being spent on in the interest of transparency and accountability.

This observation was noted by the Co-Director of the Energy Programme at Americas Market Intelligence (AMI) when he appeared on the Kaieteur Radio’s show Guyana’s Oil and You on Thursday evening.

The analyst, who has vast insight into the energy sector, particularly in the Americas, advised that Guyana should consider increased oversight mechanisms so that it safeguards all opportunities for proper development through its oil wealth.

Deakin said that based on the information relating to the NRF, there appears to be no mechanism defining the spending from the NRF by line item.

As such, the country may know what amount is being transferred from the NRF but has no information on exactly how those sums are spent and who would have received same.

The analyst highlighted that this mechanism of spending is “concerning and should not be the case” when it comes to spending money from Sovereign wealth for Natural Resource Funds.

Deakin noted that this trend is not unique to Guyana but is seen happening across different countries for example in the Middle East and other oil producing States where there are shell companies for instance, that allow for discretion in the way monies are spent.

“But this is concerning,” Deakin reiterated. “If it goes through a consolidated budget it should be clearly defined what those funds are going towards and what they are being used for.

If not, it opens room for discretionary spending that there is just no way to know where that money is going.”

Additionally, “I still haven’t seen any type of programme or structure looking at the amount that is spent from the NRF detailed line by line. It is known what is going to be spent this year, “but we don’t know exactly where those funds are going and who is getting those funds.” When it comes to transparency, “… this is extremely important for the society to ask for,” Deakin submitted.

The energy analyst also noted a couple of avenues that citizens could use to further hold their government

responsible when it comes to the spending of their oil sums. He said citizens must use the electoral process to keep their leaders in line.

Deakin said going out to vote and holding politicians accountable via presidential elections as well as municipal and regional elections is critical. “That’s the best way to hold your politicians accountable and responsible for their actions and words.”

Furthermore, Deakin reiterated the need for a “third party task force or team” to observe the movement of oil sums and ensure that it is being spent accordingly. This team, Deakin suggested, could be made up of the private sector, some government officials and other relevant stakeholders, “whose sole responsibility is to make sure that the NRF is being spent transparently and the funds are held accountable.”

Until there is something like that, Deakin opined that Guyana will still lack the transparency that is needed.

Currently, the NRF has an accountability team but it is made up of mostly government selected persons either directly or indirectly.

“So, that’s going against the purpose of accountability,” Deakin pointed out. He said those are important things that civil society can demand in moving forward.

Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Ashni Singh, announced last week that the government made its first withdrawal from the NRF to the tune of US$200M or G$41.7 billion. As part of the Budget 2022 process, parliamentary approval was also granted for a total of more than US$600 million, almost the total amount currently in the Fund, to be transferred to the Consolidated Fund during the fiscal year 2022.

The sums, it was noted, will be used to complement the financing of several budgetary projects of an infrastructural nature among others.

In Guyana’s budgetary process, spending is examined by line item and these would receive approval. However, the bulking of the oil related monies in the budget would not allow for the specific identification or tracking of the oil money. As such, there is no separation of oil funds from other revenue sources that make up the budget. This year’s budgeted sum totals a massive $553B. ( h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2022/05/21/guyaneseshould-have-breakdown-ofhow-oil-money-is-beingspent-intl-analyst/)

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Sunday May 22, 2022

>>> ENCOURAGING EVENTS, DISTURBING DEVELOPMENTS <<<

The PPP Government Voter Stabilisation Act

By GHK Lall

I

t is a wonderful thing, this Presidential menu of relief measures involving hinterland communities, farmers, and homeowners. It comes with slippage, a huge one: plenty people left out.

Yes, I understand the Lord giveth.

In Guyana, Lord Ali of Leonora, Santa Rosa, pockets of Demerara, somehow forgot to remember that he the leader of a mixed society called Guyana. When he and his people left out the other people, the PNC people, the encouraging faded, the disturbing invaded. How c o u l d t h i s b e , D r.

Excellency?

I laud giving a timely hand to the brethren in Corentyne and Catherina, but there are limping citizens present in Ann's Grove and Golden Grove who did vote, but likely not for the PPP. This doesn't make them

“non-Guyanese”. I gather from this very strategically calculated $25,000 cash to the hurting hinterlands was less about a helping hand, and more of a voting gesture and reminder. It is politics, and I recognise the P r e s i d e n t i a l Vo t e r Stabilisation Act (aka relief) at work. When I add the billion for free fertilisers to farmers, I nod approvingly, for another widespread constituency is reeled in, reminded, and refurbished.

On behalf of them, thank you Excellency. To them, I beg: let other Guyanese-nonfarmers, but consumers-feel some fraction of that 15-30 percent assistance; it would make a difference. Please don't let it be like gas people, who always have old expensive stocks, or businesspeople who took the shipping rate duty relief and made it their duty to ship numerous Guyanese to the bread line. Last, when I attach the mixed bag of homeowners, and the

assistance coming their way, I say: nicely done, commander-in-chief; it is moving on sensitive fronts to secure vulnerable flanks. I marvel at the tactical cunning that is embedded in this package of goodwill for only some.

It would have been h e a r t w a r m i n g , presidentially inspirational, if the reach of relief was constructed with a view of inclusion, and not sowing dissatisfaction, cultivating the territory for obstruction.

Particularly from those places and people neglected.

The doles handed out by the youngster carving out his own niche to other youngsters under the flags of sport and things cultural could turn out to be insufficient and ineffective in a pinch. To those who know, I urge reading the fine print.

I am thinking of all those tens of thousands of Guyanese workers and their families, who are largely left

out of the financial festivities announced by the leader.

Everybody else is seeing green; they are seeing red.

Speaking candidly, I see this disturbing colour-coded relief package-well thought out and well-executed, which has heavy scents of politics and elections, and nothing of the broad and enduring.

I may be jumping the gun because the President and his government may be weighing a special separate relief package for those left out in Monday's announcement. Whatever is being contemplated to do (or not do) for watching, waiting, wanting public servants should not be long in coming, one way or another.

If it is worse rather than better, then minimum wage labourers doing our dirty work, cleaning up after us, watching out for us, and will still be left wasting away, despite all this wealth, this generosity extended to other

Guyanese.

T h i s leadership i n e q u i t y, measured presidential imbalance, has to rankle, twist the talons of torture more deeply. I ask out aloud if this is the s t u d i e d vengeance of elections. The purer of spirit may rush to distance themselves, but I raise my hand – I am a believer that this is what is happening today with the public and minimum wage sectors of this society. The private sector has been blessed with its bundles of joy; the flooded got theirs; sugar surged with sweetness for seconds.

Most of Guyana did with COVID-19 cash (I must remember to inquire of the Hon. PM how he is doing with his 'pink' slips representing those who

By GHK Lall missed the bus).

In essence, it is conspicuous that most of PPP Guyana (sugar, flood, business [not Ann Jardim's] have tasted the fruits of state aid.

It is even more noticeable that public servants and minimum wage toilers are on their own.

What about those kith and kin, your Excellency?

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

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Sunday May 22, 2022

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Jaxx International Grill invites you to Brunch Let this and every Saturday and Sunday be a weekend of a difference. Break out of the monotony and introduce your tastebuds to some of the most delectable cuisines of the world at Jaxx International Grill’s brunch event. Enjoy the island vibes, unforgettable Guyanese hospitality and create new memories with family and friends today.

Jaxx International Is the place to be today. See you there!

Lessons from a Lashpreneur !!!

Examining the difference between silk, synthetic and mink lashes

By Latoya Zephyr Hey lash babes, this week we will be looking at the different between silk,synthetic and mink lashes. One of the questions that is asked about extensions is the difference between them. We’re familiar with the difference,pros and cons of different kinds and why u might choose one over the other.

Synthetic eyelash extensions: These are made from a polished, acrylic material and are the firmest/sturdiest of all. In appearance, they are a little shinier or glossier than the mink or synthetic, and when applied quite thickly, more dramatic.

While they come in a wide variety of thicknesses and curls, and can be applied to look very natural, these are most popular with ladies wanting a more dramatic and made-up look. They hold their curl extremely well due to their firmness. Some people don’t find them as ‘soft’ or ‘natural’ looking than silk or mink eyelash extensions, and while they last a long time, the thickest type don’t have quite as good staying power as the silk and the mink.

They are most suitable for those with healthy, dense lashes of their own, and are generally favoured by younger clients. However because they are heavier in weight than silk or mink eyelash extensions And on some, with very thick natural lashes, it can look simply fantastic.

Silk eyelash extensions: These are the mid-weight type of lash extensions, and are finer and more flexible than the synthetic type. Because they are softer and more porous, they tend to hold on slightly longer than the synthetic ones. They can be made to look very natural or very glamorous, but sometimes quite as dense/thick as the synthetic lashes. Because they are lighter weight, they are often a much better option for your lashes if your own ones are weak or fine. They sometimes last longer than synthetic lashes too.

Like synthetic lashes, silk come in a variety of curls and lengths, though are a better option for a more natural look, as the curl is not generally as uniform as synthetic lashes.

Mink lashes: At Lift and lashes, we’re against animal cruelty, which is why we do not and never will use real mink fur for lash extensions (we explained why in an earlier article ).Faux-mink lashes, which are man-made fibres, is designed to imitate real mink fur. They are very fine, soft and silky, just like real fur. However, they have been improved, in that if you wet them, they won’t lose their curl. When wet, real mink fur lashes become straight and wispy and you often need to use a curler to curl them back up.

Faux-mink lashes are becoming very popular because they are so light and fine, they feel exactly like your own lashes. They are also shinier in texture than the silk lashes, giving the lashes a glossy look. They are (with proper care!) very long lasting, and are great if your own lashes are fine and weak. Because they are so light, they don’t tend to drop or twist, even after many weeks of wear. Because they are so fine, the surface-area-ratio between your own lash and the extension is much closer to 1:1 (with synthetic it can be 1:2 or even higher) so they last longer. It takes a longer time (around 1.5-2 hours) to apply a set of faux mink lashes because of how fine it is.One downside is that even with a lot of volume, they are still beautifully natural and fluffy looking, so those that want a really glamorous “Kardashian” look are better off going for synthetic lashes which give even more volume.

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Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

Dangerous chemicals hiding in everyday products

I

t was long believed that you could acquire “better living through chemistry.” But that may really not be the case. In a landmark alliance, known as Project TENDR, leaders of various disciplines have come together in a consensus statement to say that many of the chemicals found in everyday products can result in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and attention-deficit disorders.

“Ten years ago, this consensus wouldn’t have been possible, but the research is abundantly clear,” said Irva Hertz-Picciotto, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of California, Davis and co-chairwoman of Project TENDR. “At some point, we say we know enough to take preventative action,” said Frederica Perera, a professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University.

Perera is also a signatory on the statement.

Last year, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (PDF) stated that “Widespread exposure to toxic environmental chemicals threatens healthy human reproduction.” Other medical groups such as the Endocrine Society (PDF), the world’s oldest and largest organization devoted to researching hormones, have expressed

similar concerns.

But this is the first time that leading scientists, doctors and policy advocates across various disciplines have come together to say that the science on toxic chemicals is clear: They can harm brain development.

Everyday chemicals carry toxic burden These everyday chemicals, including organophosphates, flame retardants and phthalates, can be found in food, plastics, furniture, food wrap, cookware, cans, carpets, shower curtains, electronics and even shampoo.

They are pretty much everywhere around us.

Scientists and researchers are concerned that many of these chemicals may be carcinogenic or wreak havoc with our hormones, our body’s regulating system. But the impact of these chemicals may be most severe on the developing brain, Perera said.

Brain development is the “most complete and most rapid during the first nine months, prenatally,” she said.

During that time, neural connections and pathways are being developed.

“Any interference by a physical stress like a toxic chemical or other stressor can disrupt this natural progression that is so very delicate and complex,” explained Perera.

Though the group hopes to come up with regulatory recommendations to reduce this toxic burden, there are some simple things that individuals can do to reduce their exposure.

Chemicals to watch for.

ORGANOPHOSPHATE PESTICIDES Organophosphate pesticides (PDF) are a class of neurotoxic chemicals used as warfare agentsin the 1930s.

However, today, they account for about half of all pesticide use in the United States. And they can make their way onto crops that we use as food sources. Areas that spray

pesticides heavily, such as farms, may find higher rates of exposure.

Children exposed to higher levels of these pesticides have been found to have higher rates of attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder.

You can reduce your exposure to them by eating organic and using alternative pest control methods.

PHTHALATES These chemicals soften plastics and help scents and chemicals bind together.

Exposure to phthalates has been associated with lower IQ levels.

They can be found in shampoos, conditioners, body sprays, hair sprays, perfumes, colognes, soap, nail polish, shower curtains, medical tubing, IV bags, vinyl flooring and wall coverings, food packaging and coatings on time-release pharmaceuticals. You can reduce your exposure to phthalates by using unscented lotions and laundry detergents, microwaving food in glass containers rather than plastic, using cleaning supplies without scents, and avoiding air fresheners and plastics labeled as No. 3, No. 6 and No 7.

POLYBROMINATED DIPHENYL ETHERS These chemicals are used as flame retardants, chemicals that can slow the speed of a flame. They can be found in televisions, computers, insulation and foam products, including children’s toys and baby pillows.

Products can shed ethers that can accumulate in dust.

Exposure to these ethers have been associated with thyroid issues.

There isn’t a directory that lists which products have these ethers, but consumers may still be able to reduce exposure by looking for products that advertise themselves as free of flame retar-

dant. These chemicals were found in a lot of older foams, so replace products such sofas and pillows that have exposed foam. And use a highefficiency HEPA filter vacuum to clean up dust.

AIR POLLUTANTS Air pollution from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil or gas is usually associated with respiratory issues. However, these pollutants can also include nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde and benzene.

Higher exposure to air pollutants has been associated with lower birth weights, preterm deliveries and congenital heart defects. The World Health Organization (PDF) considers exposure to benzene a major public health concern. Aside from trying to avoid polluted areas, you can make sure to buy furniture and products that advertise themselves as formaldehydefree. Try to avoid buying furniture made with particleboard, plywood or pressed wood. Many of these products use glues containing formaldehyde.

LEAD Lead is a naturally occurring metal. It was banned from gasoline in the 1970s but can still be found in older homes that used leaded paint. Lead can also make its way into water, because of corrosion from old water pipes. Lead is also used in a variety of products like industrial paints, car batteries and wheel weights.

Lead exposure has been associated with ADHD, lower IQs and developmental delay.

Infants and toddlers are at greatest risk for lead exposure because they frequently put their hands and toys in their mouths after they may be exposed to lead in dust.

Find out if you have lead in your water by reaching out to your local water supplier or even getting an at-home test kit from a home improvement store. If your home was

built before 1978, test your paint. If the paint is chipping or peeling, it will need to be stripped or covered.

Homeowners may want to consider using a professional who is lead-safe certified to help you. Parents can also talk to your doctor about having your children tested for lead if there is reason for concern.

MERCURY Mercury is a naturally occurring element, but it can also be released into the environment from the burning of coal and oil. Mercury can also be found in some household items such as thermometers, light bulbs and oldermodel clothes dryers and washing machines. Mercury in the environment can make its way into fish and shellfish.

Some fish, such as some kinds of tuna, may have higher concentrations of mercury.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, exposure to mercury in utero may impact memory, attention and cognitive skills.

While you can’t completely eliminate mercury from your environment, you can reduce your exposure to mercury by avoiding fish high in mercury. Try to use mercuryfree thermometers. When getting rid of household items with mercury, reach out to your state or local household hazardous waste collection center for advice.

POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS Between 1929 and 1977, thousands of tons ofpolychlorinated biphenyls were used worldwide. Production of the chemical in the U.S. was banned by the EPA in 1977, but they can linger (PDF) in the environment for a long time and make their way into the food chain.

These chemicals have been used as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment because they are good insulators. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with cancer in occupational settings and has been associated with issues with motor skills and short term memory in children.

Much like mercury, they have made their way into our food sources, particularly fish and some meat. To avoid polychlorinated biphenyls in your food, the Environmental Defense Fund suggests, before cooking, removing the parts where toxic chemicals are likely to accumulate, such as the skin, fat and internal organs. When cooking, make sure to drain away fat and avoid drippings. http:// edition.cnn.com.

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Sunday May 22, 2022

Loans to small-scale farmers account for bulk of …as asset base now tops $4B, financing provided by IPED representing growth of $512M The Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED), on Tuesday last, announced at its Annual General Meeting (AGM), held at its headquarters in Georgetown, that it has seen an increase of 12 percent in asset value when compared to the previous year with small scale farmers benefitting from the bulk of loans provided last year.

This, according to the entity in a public missive that detailed the highlights of that AGM and outlined that IPED's assets at the end of 2021 were valued at $4.9B, an increase of $512M or $4.2B as of December 31, 2020.

Members of IPED's Board of Directors. From left: Major General Joseph Singh (Ret.), CEO - Jagdesh Haripershad, Komal Samaroo - Chairman of the Board, Sherrie Hewitt-Robin Company Secretary and Legal Manager, Ramsay Ali, and Dr. Ian McDonald Assets, IPED said, recorded as of December 31, 2021, have been financed by accumulated surplus of $3.8B and liabilities of some $998M. This is in comparison to

2020's accumulated surplus of $3.5B and $800M liabilities.

IPED, in its Annual Report for last year, quoted Chairman of the Board, Komal Samaroo as saying, “I

am happy to report that IPED stands financially healthy and stable as of December 31, 2021.”

According to Samaroo, “we are optimistic about IPED's future as it pursues

the fulfillment of its many objectives, which include building partnerships with organisations that provide complementary support services to micro and small businesses entrepreneurs to

enhance their production potential, and capacity to meet their market demands.”

IPED, he said, remains resolute in providing services to its new and (Continued on page 46)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 46

Opposition MP asks court to quash Hicken's...

From page 45 Williams. “That is the convention that exists at the time to ensure that the Guyana Police Force continues to function with someone at the helm,” Jones said.

In his affidavit, Jones recalled that the then substantive Police C o m m i s s i o n e r, L e s l i e James, proceeded on preretirement leave on July

31, 2020 and Deputy Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie acted as Police Commissioner from June 1, 2018. As such, he noted that the natural course of succession should continue.

President Ali, on assuming office on August 2, 2020, failed to consult with then Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, until he and his party recognise the government.

FOSTER MOM SURPRISES DAUGHTER...

From page 24 experience to raise Kayla on his own and needed some help.

According DaSilva, Kayla's “cuteness” attracted her and she decided that she would babysit and help Gomes take care of her.

The days she spent with

Kayla created a bond and she did not want to leave her.

As fate would have it, Kayla's dad started falling in love with DaSilva and when the opportunity presented itself, she did not refuse to become Kayla's mom.

Jones said that in or around August 8, 2021, the term of the Police Service Commission (PSC) ended, but had been suspended before. The constitutionality of the suspension is still before the court.

He explained that, “Shortly thereafter, and in private, the President of Guyana, His Excellency Mohamed Irfaan Ali i l l e g a l l y a n d unconstitutionally appointed a Commissioner of Police, in the name of Mr. Clifton Hicken. His Excellency Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, appointed Mr. Hicken as acting Commissioner of Police without any requisite consultation.”

The Opposition MP, therefore, contends that President Ali and then Leader of the Opposition Harmon were required between August 2, 2020 and January 20, 2022, when there was a Chairman of the

PSC and an Opposition Leader, to meaningfully consult on the matter.

He claimed that there w a s r e f u s a l t o “meaningfully consult” with the Leader of the Opposition between August 3, 2020 and January 26, 2022 on vacancies in several constitutional offices.

Jones noted that, “the insistence that the Opposition must 'recognise' the government before any consultation or meeting could take place has had a meaningful impact on how the exercise of the purported necessity has to be evaluated and analysed.”

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e APNU+AFC MP pointed out that, “There has been no publication in the Official Gazette or any other published legal document which attests to or substantively proves that Mr. Hicken the 'appointed' acting Commissioner of Police is in fact legally in office.”

Sunday May 22, 2022

Loans to small-scale...

From page 44 existing clients.

It was noted that in 2021, IPED processed 4,060 clients for a total value of $3.2B compared to $3.5 for a total value of $2.9B in 2020.

According to IPED, 325 loans for a total value of $402M have been refinanced, granting entrepreneurs the opportunity of furthering their respective enterprises which IPED determined to be worthy investments.

Loans were granted to 2005 small scale farmers accounting for 49 percent of loans granted for 2021.

“This shows IPED's major role in supporting small-scale farmers…As at December 31, 2021, IPED services 4,122 small and micro enterprises with a gross loans receivable of $3.7B.” It was noted too that nonperforming loans as of December 31, 2021 were $310M or eight percent compared to 2020's $368M or 10.8 percent.

Cash resources and financial investments at the end of 2021 totalled $530M compared to $510M in 2020.

IPED in its Annual Report said it was able to cover all operating and loan impairment costs for 2021.

Total operating income for 2021 was $717M compared to $594M in 2020, an increase of $123M or 21 percent while total operating cost before loan impairment for 2021 was $550M

compared to $515M in 2020, an increase of $35M or seven percent.

Loan impairment cost for 2021 was $14M compared to $56M in 2020 and, according to Samaroo, “IPED was able to cover all its operating cost and loan impairment cost for 2021 and 2020 to generate a surplus of $153M and $24M respectively.”

According to the lending institution, after remeasurement of its employees' pension plans, net total comprehensive income for 2021 was $314M compared to $72M in 2020.

Samaroo in his report said that, “IPED's success in achieving its mission to provide financial and advisory services to small and micro business entrepreneurs enabling them to build sustainable enterprises, remains a true testament to its indelible contribution to reducing poverty and expanding Guyana's economy.”

Several awards were also handed out for outstanding performances by businesses for the year including accolades for Best Medium Enterprises, Haimlall P e r s a u d ; B e s t Yo u t h Enterprise, Munesh Persaud; Best Small Enterprise Project, Hardat Pearce; Best Micro Enterprise Project, C e c e l i a P e t e r s ; B est Woman in Entrepreneur, Naveta Ramkripal; and Best Agricultural Project, Jagdesh Sookhoo.

Sunday May 22, 2022

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==GNBS IN FOCUS==

PAGE 47

GNBS HOSTS SUCCESSFUL METROLOGY DAY ACTIVITIES The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) as the National Metrology I n s t i t u t e ( N M I ) o ff e r s verification and calibration services to stakeholders in the various sectors including health, law enforcement, oil and gas, manufacturing, and agriculture. The measurement services offered by the GNBS aim to ensure there is accuracy, reliability, and value for money.

On Friday May 20, 2022, the Bureau joined other Measurement Institutes across the world to observe World Metrology Day under the theme Metrology in the Digital Era. The theme this year recognised the role of technology in revolutionising the field of metrology or

measurements in every sphere of society.

In keeping with the theme, the GNBS launched its Metrology Portal to increase efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of accurate and reliable measurement services. The portal essentially digitises the services offered by the Legal Metrology and Industrial Metrology Departments of the Bureau, reducing the need for the manual completion of checklists and other paperbased methods of conducting business.

According to Heads of the Industrial Metrology and Testing and the Legal Metrology Departments, the portal will promote faster response times to requests for

calibration and verification, ensure certificates are issued in a shorter timeframe and increase the overall speed of communication within the departments, and with departments and their stakeholders. The portal will also help the Bureau to better store stakeholder information and manage their needs.Further, to guarantee accurate and reliable measurements from persons working in related fields, on May 19, the GNBS offered a free training session on the 'Introduction to Metrology.' The three hours of training covered the importance of precise measurements, calibration, traceability of measurements and the contributions of metrology to citizens' rights,

trade, health, safety and more.

Lectures were also conducted at three Technical Institutes to promote similar principles at the skills training level. These sessions were held at the Georgetown Industrial Training Centre, the New Amsterdam Technical Institute and the Essequibo Technical Institute covering the services offered by the GNBS, other crucial aspects of measurement including the calibration of devices, traceability of measurements, the care and use of instruments, the importance of ensuring accurate and reliable measurements, and the SI/Metric Units.

By virtue of the 1981 Weights and Measures Act,

the GNBS is given the mandate to manage the National Measurement System, and the Standards Body has been continuously sensitizing users of measuring instruments and consumers on their respective roles to ensure measurement transparency across all sectors of our economy. To observe World Metrology Day 2022, the GNBS also conducted radio interviews, television interviews and social media publications to bring awareness to the GNBS' role in measurements and its importance and application in our daily lives.

World Metrology Day commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in

1875, which forms the basis for international agreement on units of measurement and celebrates the contribution of all the people that work in metrology.

For further information, please contact the GNBS on Tel: 219-0066 or visit our website: www.gnbsgy.org or like us on Facebook: gnbsgy

Kaieteur News

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THE

Court Journal

By Renay Sambach Last year, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Colvin Heath-London, and Former Head of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC), Trevor Benn, were charged in separate matters involving State land giveaways.

Today I will chronicle those matters.

In May 2021, the former NICIL boss was charged along with People's National Congress Reform (PNC/R) m e m b e r, J a m e s B o n d ; Director of A-Z Pharmaceuticals Medical Supplies and Equipment Inc., Eddie Doolal, and a principal of ARKEN Group Inc., Jermaine Richmond.

The aforementioned defendants were charged in relation to the prime state land giveaway at Plantation Peter's Hall, East Bank Demerara.

Bond and Heath-London were slapped with three joint charges, while Doolal was implicated in a second joint charge and Richmond is implicated in a third joint charge.

The first charge alleges, that Heath-London and Bond, between August 1, 2017 and November 30, 2 0 2 0 , a t G e o rg e t o w n , conspired together and with others to defraud NICIL and its sole shareholder, the Government of Guyana, of property interest in land, namely the grant of a lease of land known as Plot A17, A18, and A19 Plantation Peter's Hall, East Bank Demerara, owned by NICIL, without the necessary Board and Cabinet approval to do same and for purposes other than that of NICIL. The second charge states, that Heath-London, Bond, and Doolal, between August 1, 2017, and November 30, 2 0 2 0 , a t G e o rg e t o w n , conspired together and with

others to defraud NICIL and its sole shareholder, the Government of Guyana, of property interest in land, namely the grant of a lease of land known as Plot A7, A8, and A20 Plantation Peter's Hall, East Bank Demerara, owned by the said NICIL without the necessary Board and Cabinet approval to do same and for purposes other than that of NICIL. The final charge alleges that Heath-London, Bond, and Richmond, between August 1, 2017, and November 30, 2020, at Georgetown, conspired together and with others to defraud NICIL and its sole shareholder, the Government of Guyana, of property interest in land, namely the grant of a lease of land known as plot A1, A2, A3, and A4 Plantation Peter's Hall, East Bank Demerara, owned by NICIL, without the necessary Board and Cabinet approval to do same and for purposes other than that of NICIL. The charges were laid indictably and as such, the defendants were not required to enter a plea after the charges were read to them.

According to reports, Doolal and Life 1 Pharms Inc.'s Director, Avalon Jagnanadan, both leased acres of prime state land from NICIL, but transferred the state land at a price to Chinese National, Jianfen Yu. It was further alleged that in another land deal, Richmond, on behalf of a company, also leased acres of land from NICIL. It is alleged that Bond received a payment from Trinidad logistics company, Lennox Petroleum, for the sale of several acres of the land that was leased to Richmond on behalf of the company.

The same company also sold the remaining acres of land to local logistics company, GLASS Holdings Inc. This publication had reported that the government of the People's Progressive

Sunday May 22, 2022

Former public officers who ended up before the court for State land giveaways

Former CEO of NICIL Colvin Heath-London.

Party/Civic, which came to office in August 2020, had insisted that it found a significant number of irregular land transactions involving state properties, including former sugar lands worth billions of dollars.

A number of companies had returned lands, which were supposed to be developed. In these instances, investigators found that NICIL, as the representative of the people of Guyana for the transactions, did not even collect all the money when it transferred lands into the recipients' names.

In relation to the former GL&SC boss' matter, he was charged for misconducting himself in public office by selling a portion of State land t o C e v o n ' s Wa s t e Management Inc. for $80M. Benn, 53, of Century Palm Gardens, Georgetown, is facing three charges in relation to the illegal sale of State land.

He was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge which alleges that between October 1, 2018 and August 31, 2020, at GL&SC, Georgetown, while being a public officer, he willfully misconducted himself by executing the sale of land – a parcel of Track 'B', Plantation Le Repentir, containing an area of 1.356 acres and being shown, laid down and defined on a sketch plan by Shaquille Mayer, Sworn Land Surveyor dated September 3, 2015.

T h e c h a rg e f u r t h e r alleges that Benn willfully misconducted himself without any excuse or reasonable justification, when he caused Cevon's

Waste Management Inc. to pay the sum of $80M to GL&SC for the portion of land knowing at the time that he did not have the authority to sell the said land.

This publication had reported that, on April 21, 2021, Benn appeared in court after he was charged for misconducting himself in public office by selling a portion of State land for four times less than its initial value. That charge alleges that between December 1, 2018, and August 31, 2019 at GL&SC, Georgetown, while being a public officer, he willfully misconducted himself by executing the sale of two parcels of lands, all being a portion of Middle Walk, Plantation Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The charge further states that Benn willfully misconducted himself without any excuse or reasonable justification, when he caused Wilfred Brandsford, a businessman and former Director of the GL&SC, to pay the sum of $13.5M to GL&SC for the portion of land knowing at the time that he did not have the authority to sell the said land and knowing the plot had been previously valued at the sum of $60.8M. Benn's conduct amounts to a breach of the public's trust.

Kaieteur News had reported that Brandsford is the owner of Car Care Enterprise, and he allegedly benefitted from the sale of 'severely undervalued' land located at Plantation Ruimveldt, Georgetown. In fact, when the portion of land that Brandsford bought was compared to other similar land sales by the

Government, it was discovered that Benn had allegedly sold the land for 10 times less than its actual value.

Also, on March 12, 2021, Benn appeared before City Magistrate, Leron Daly, for the alleged illegal sale of six acres of land and was placed on $200,000 bail for the offence.

He was not required to plead to the indictable offence, which alleges that between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2020, at GL&SC, Georgetown, while being a public officer, he willfully misconducted himself by causing the sum of $27,000,000 to be paid by Janico Vide Industrial Engineering Limited for the lease of six acres of land at Plantation Ogle, East Coast Demerara, knowing that the

transaction was made pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the company and the GL&SC signed. That MoU dictated that the engineering company would lease the land for 50 years and pay $200,000 per acre annually.

According to reports, Benn was appointed Commissioner of GL&SC in 2016 by the David Granger administration and was granted presidential powers related to the sanctioning of renting and granting of leases, licences and permission of occupancy of all public lands.

However, when the Irfaan Ali administration took office in August 2020, he was stripped of those powers and was later sent packing in November.

Following the revocation

Former Head of GL&SC, Trevor Benn.

GL&SC did not have the authority to lease any land at Plantation Ogle, East Coast Demerara.

The charge also allege that on March 27, 2020, Benn granted a Provisional Lease to Janico Vide Industrial Engineering Limited and willfully misconducted himself thereby leading to a breach of the public's trust.

Benn was arrested on March 10, 2021, after a probe was launched into the alleged illegal land sale. It is reported that despite the fact that the lands belonged to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Benn moved ahead to illegally lease the plot of land to a company called Janico Vide Engineering Limited for some $27M. This publication had reported that the $27M

of his presidential powers, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, S.C., had stated that his government would review all the leases, licences and permissions to occupy Public Lands granted by GL&SC after the NoC o n f i d e n c e Vo t e o f December 2, 2018.

Notably, in May 2021, Vice President of the People's Progressive Party /Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, announced that the government will move to settle with the principals of Cevons, Car Care and Courtney Benn services.

He had stated that the government will not pursue the unsuspecting businessmen, but the public officers who contracted the deals will be held liable.

However, there has been no other announcement on the matter.

Sunday May 22, 2022

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Sunday May 22, 2022

India High Commission commends Guyana's hosting of Agri Event The High Commission of India in Guyana has commended the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on the successful organisation of the CARICOM Agri Investment Forum and Expo in Georgetown from 1921 May 2022.

The event was one that not only attracted the top political leaders from the region but also from the private sector as well as investment agencies from around the world.

In a brief release from the Commission noted that High Commissioner of India to Guyana (also concurrently accredited to Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis & CARICOM), Dr. KJ Srinivasa, stated that the event would go a long way in ensuring the food security of the region and to reduce the food import costs by 25

percent by 2025. He stated that three well known and world renowned Indian farm equipment/machinery and tractor companies, viz., Mahindra & Mahindra (Makers of Mahindra Tractors), Farmtrac Global (Escorts India Group) and Sonalika tractors (marketed as Solis brand) have showcased their products in the Expo. UPL - a USD 10 billion global provider of sustainable agriculture solutions technology & services like IOT & innovations in agriculture was also represented at the Expo. “This showcases Indian commitment to Guyana's agriculture sector.

Meanwhile some Indian investors are also interested to explore the new initiatives by the Government of Guyana to promote dairy farming, commercial crops, etc.,” the release added.

Some of the top regional officials who attended the CARICOM Agri Investment Forum and Expo in Georgetown.

Sunday May 22, 2022

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g tin s... s e e er atur t In re C

Sunday May 22, 2022

Common Vampire Bat

The common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) is a small, leaf-nosed bat native to Latin America. It is one of

three extant species of vampire bat, the other two being the hairy-legged and the white-winged vampire

bats. The common vampire bat practices hematophagy, mainly feeding on the blood of livestock. The bat usually

approaches its prey at night while they are sleeping. It then uses its razor-sharp teeth to cut open the skin of its hosts and lap up their blood with its long tongue.

The species is highly polygynous, and dominant adult males defend groups of females. It is one of the most social of bat species with a number of cooperative behaviours such as social grooming and food sharing.

Because it feeds on livestock and is a carrier of rabies, the common vampire bat is considered a pest. Its conservation status is categorised as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because of "its wide distribution, presumed large population tolerance of a degree of habitat modification, and because it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

Physical description The common vampire bat is short-haired, with silver-grey fur on its undersides, demarcated from the darker fur on its back. It has a deeply grooved lower lip, and a flat, leafs haped nose. A w elldeveloped, clawed thumb on each wing is used to climb onto prey and to assist the animal in take-off. The bat averages about 9 cm (3.5 in) long with a wingspan of 18 cm (7 in). It commonly weighs about 25–40 grams (2 oz), but its weight can drastically increase after a single feeding. The braincase is relatively large, but the snout is reduced to accommodate large incisors and canines. It has the fewest teeth among bats. The upper incisors lack enamel, which keeps them razor-sharp. Its dental formula is 1.1.2.01.1.3.0, for a total of 18 teeth.

While most other bats have almost completely lost the ability to maneuver on land, vampire bats are an exception. They can run using a unique, bounding gait in which the forelimbs are used instead of the hindlimbs to propel forward, as the wings are much more powerful than the legs. This ability likely evolved independently within the bat lineage. Three pads under the thumb function like a sole. It is also capable of leaping in various directions, heights, and distances. When making a jump, the bat (Continued on page 57)

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

PAGE 53

VICE…

WITH OVER SIX DECADES OF DISTINGUISHED SER

N,

GUYANA’S MOST DECORATED KARATE ICO

Master Frank Woon-A-Tai

IS A ‘SPECIAL PERSON’’

By Rehanna Ramsay

The Oxford English Dictionary defines an expert as someone who has acquired special knowledge, skill, or training in a particular subject, area, or field.

This week, our ‘Special Person’ aptly fits that description having spent six decades of his life honing the skills as a martial arts specialist, adding to the degrees of accomplishments under his belt.

Today’s feature highlights the service of Guyana’s most decorated and distinguished karate icon, Master (Shaihan) Mr. Frank Woon-A-Tai. Master Woon-A-Tai has, since 1969, trained thousands of Guyanese as well as nonnationals in the disciplines of karate.

He has worked tirelessly to guide young people in the areas of character, sincerity, effort, etiquette, and most importantly, self-control; achieving his ultimate goals of keeping them off drugs and the street and breaking the cycle of crime and violence.

His strides in the Japanese sport have yielded much fruit as he has produced tens of thousands of national and international respectable lawabiding citizens, several of whom hold their own distinction in the sport.

In fact, since 1972, Master Woo-A-Tai has produced National, Pan American, and World karate champions. In 1978, he won a gold medal in Montreal at the Pan American Karate Championships.

In technical development, both for his students and himself, Mr. Woon-A-Tai was among the first Guyanese/Canadian graduate

Master Frank Woon-A-Tai is a Guyanese Karate icon.

Legacy: Master Woon -A- Tai’s grandson, D’Pharaoh, is an actor who is proud of his Guyanese Chinese heritage. of the prestigious International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF) and the Japan Karate Association (JKA) Instructor Training Institute.

Moreover, in 2008, he became the first of four instructors to be promoted to the Eighth Dan black belt. In turn, he has produced thousands of Guyanese and International black belts ranging from First to Ninth Dan. The martial arts specialist is also the founder of the Japan Karate Association of Guyana and the Guyana Karate College (GKC) and the International Karate Daigaku (IKD University).

The latter has an astonishing membership to date of 80 regions in 58 countries within just 10 years.

Prior to establishing the IKD, Master Woon-A-Tai served as Vice Chairman of the ISKF. Moreover, he served as chairman of ISKF Canada for 26 years thus achieving excellence of a national and international standing and recognition in the art of karate.

His most recent feat occurred on December 22,

Master Woon-A-Tai breaks ice during a karate showcase in 1980.

2021, he was promoted to the highest rank in karate. The Tenth Dan was bestowed on

him by the International Karate Daigaku (University) Continued on page 55

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Sunday May 22, 2022

Court ruling on environmental permit paved way for citizens to challenge oil operators on other infractions

By Rehanna Ramsay The court ruling which essentially brought the environmental permit for oil

operators in conformity with the law paved the way for citizens to challenge oil companies over other environmental infractions.

This deduction was made by local scientist and university lecturer, Professor, Troy Thomas.

Prof. Thomas was at the

time speaking about the High Court ruling which brought ExxonMobil’s Liza I’s 20+ years environmental permit in conformity with

the law, which stipulates its validity for five years.

An order granted by Justice Jo Ann Barlow in 2020 effectively reduced

Professor, Troy Thomas Exxon’s environmental permit to the correct time as prescribed by law.

The matter was settled in court following an initial hearing of the case filed against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by Prof. Thomas.

Speaking with Kaieteur News recently, the former President of Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI) emphasised the need for citizens to be more proactive on the issues related to protecting their environment.

He noted that while a few persons have been at the forefront to defend Guyana against Exxon and its bold faced environmental atrocities, it is for all Guyanese to take a stance.

He stressed too that having a shorter period for re-evaluation under the environmental permit gives citizens an opportunity to assess the work of the oil companies and make their demands.

“I think citizens need to realise the value of using their voice to make a difference’; this issue requires the effort of each and every citizen. For example, we had challenged successfully, the issuance of the environmental permit reversing it from 20 years to five years. Having done this, citizens can now challenge the oil companies… And I believe Exxon is a perfect candidate for this because they have been flaring; so this gives an opportunity for citizens to step up and challenge them to ensure that stricter perimetres are set, that they are forced to do remedial work…” posited Prof. Thomas.

“When the permit expires, citizens can make their demands,” he added.

Prof. Thomas noted that the constitution provides for citizens right to a clean environment.

“In my view this is Continued on page 57

Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 55

...Master Frank Woon-A-Tai, is a ‘Special Person’

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jnr. and supporters of the site of the Karate dojo being built at Liliendaal, Georgetown.

From page 53 and the Shihan-kai Senate of nine founding masters with Eighth and Ninth Dan during t h e I K D 2 0 2 1 Te n t h A n n i v e r s a r y announcements.

Added to these achievements, Master Woon-A-Tai is the 2011 recipient of the Guyana Medal of Service for 48 years of karate service and a 1996 recipient of the French Guiana Medal of Honour for 20 years of karate service.

Master Woon-A-Tai has been the driving force behind the Japanese art of Karate in Guyana and throughout the world as a karate teacher. He has proudly represented Guyana internationally as a Guyanese Ambassador of Karate.

The karate master has also authored and published Shu-Ha-Ri: My Life in Japanese Karate, IKD Honbu Inc. He produced D V D s : F W Vi n t a g e Demonstration, Eclipse of Life, 1997; Soul of Kata; IKD First World Cup; Road to the Cup; and The Next Generation.

Master Woon-A-Tai credits his success to character, integrity, skill and “a fighting spirit.”

I t i s t h e r e f o r e n o virtue, Master Woon-A-Tai Song, in Charlotte Street. It coincidence that at age 72, he is what most locals refer to as was a two-bedroom flat. We lived at the corner of North is nowhere close to retiring. a ‘Guyanese Chinese’.

Woon-A-Tai was the Road and Light Street.”

His most immediate project He continued, “Imagine is building a state-of-the-art sixth of 12 children from a Karate College at Liliendaal poor family. He explained: surviving in a flat with 18 for Guyanese children for “My family name, Woon-A- people and one washroom. which the land was granted Tai, is unique. It was Woon, Thus, we grew up in poverty. to GKC by former President and my grandfather’s first All my siblings older than name was A Tai. Then the me left school to find jobs to Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

The school, he said, will British gave him an English support our family. I was the also serve as the IKD name, Benjamin. Thus, one last to do so. I left school Technical Headquarters for Benjamin was the first at age 14.” students worldwide.

However, the work will “I became successful in Karate with not end there as Master the highest international technical Wo o n - A - Ta i a l s o credentials, I felt something was estimates that in the near missing in my life – education. I future, he will also build a was with the prestigious Japan high-level sports arena Karate Association JKA, and all with dorms, apartments instructor graduates in Japan were for coaches and officials, and a restaurant. university graduates.”

‘GUYANESE CHINESE’ Though he has ‘A FIGHTING SPIRIT’ Wo o n - A - Ta i a n d t h e acclaimed success and founding Treasurer of the At that time, Woon-Adistinction as a sportsman in British Guiana Chinese Tai began training in Karate.

Guyana and abroad, Master Association in 1920.”

“It was fascinating for me. I Woon-A-Tai’s life story T h e K a r a t e M a s t e r taught myself by reading started out in a time when explained, nevertheless, that books, watching 8mm black Guyana had not yet acquired his childhood was marred and white karate films, and independence from British with a series of rough going to the movies. I rule. patches after his father died remember going to the Rio He explained that he in 1959, leaving his mother Cinema in Albouystown to came from a lineage of penniless. see ‘Karate the Hand of Chinese who had Woon-A-Tai said, “He Death’,” he shared. immigrated to British was a gambler… Shortly, Much later in his life, Guiana during the period of [after his death], we lost the Woon-A-Tai realised his indentureship but Guyana is house and moved in with my future karate teachers were the land of his birth. By this mother’s sister, Mary Woon- in the movies. In 1970, the

Master Woon-A-Tai and Yoko Tobi Geri engage in a battle.

young Woon-A-Tai acquired a black belt in Suriname.

The same year, he travelled to London, England, to train with Master Keinosuke Enoeda, a legendary JKA master.

According to Woon-ATai, the experience opened his eyes; “that was what I wanted – training and certification from the best masters in the world.” It was no secret that the young Woon-A-Tai loved to fight and was evidentially drawn to Karate.

Then in 1971, Woon-ATai travelled to Tokyo, Japan — the Mecca of Karate. “I restarted as a white belt, and one month later, I was graded to JKA shodan black belt… In 1978, I won the Pan American Karate Championships in Montreal, Canada. It was euphoric,” he added.

After he completed his training, the Karate Master returned to Guyana and taught Karate the international way it should be taught.

He later brought Masters: Masatoshi N a k a y a m a , Te r u y u k i Okazaki, Yutaka Yaguchi, Takayuki Mikami, Shojiro Koyama, Shigeru Takashina, and Yukichi Tabata to visit Guyana. Master Nakayama succeeded the founder of Karate, Master Gichin Funakoshi.

This year, 2022, Master Woon-A-Tai is celebrating 100 years of Karate Lineage

directly to the founder of Karate.

Though his recent attainment of the highest rank in Traditional Karate – the International Tenth Dan, makes him the first Guyanese to be awarded this ultimate rank that only a few masters in the world possess, Woon-A-Tai still desired success on the academic front.

He explained that due to his impoverished childhood, higher academic education was missing in his life.

“I became successful in Karate with the highest international technical credentials, I felt something was missing in my life – education. I was with the prestigious Japan Karate Association JKA, and all instructor graduates in Japan were university graduates,” he added.

As such, at age 50, Woon-A-Tai returned to complete his formal education at the University of Toronto. He graduated four years later with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Japanese Studies with a minor in History.

He noted that he could have easily settled for just success as a sportsman but he chose to challenge and qualify himself. According to him, his academic success also came from having a determined mindset. He noted too that the achievement has made him a better qualified and Continued on page 63

Master Woon-A-Tai stands alongside some of his students.

PAGE 56

Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox A Third Party or a Fifth Column?

DEAR EDITOR, The word making the rounds and gaining some attention is that there is a need for a Third party. I agree. Yet all the pluses touted from the presence of such a group, or cluster of groups, have been realised with only negatives, through more of the same that has been the norm of our unchanging politics.

I have shared before that a third presence, in all of its various splinters, could be the game changer lacked, could be the icebreaker needed, and could be the difference-maker so much sought after totally unsuccessfully. It should be noticed that I used and reused the word could three times; it was to emphasise that it is what we would like to be, what should be, but what never is. Not even to some degree, because what we have experienced can best be described in any of several ways, all accurate, perhaps even more emphatic when fused into a whole.

When the idea, a good one, starts out about a third grouping, I start out with Fifth Column because of the traitorous, self-serving nature of such past presences. They sold out to the bigwigs, set themselves up for personal recognition, and proved traitorous with the trusts vested in them. In my book, betraying to Venezuela may (may) amount to a lesser evil.

A second derogatory label that suits the citizens who come forward and compile into what were supposed to be viable third presences would be Trojan Horse. They come out of nowhere shining lustrously to entice and lead to lowering of guard (trust

again), and when they have wormed themselves into the interior of Guyanese political (and racial) battlefields, then the game is up, and they take care of business. Their interests, their selfish ambitions; in a word themselves. Down goes Guyana. Down goes Guyana has been the result, and those who hoped in them. My last name for these third parties should be a tad eye-opening, but I think it fits.

I see them as a political phantom squad. They represent something, have the potential (another dirty local word) for some upside, but fall by the wayside, in who they seek to please, whose interests they serve, and how they end doing good for themselves, by doing a whole lot of harm to vulnerable Guyanese.

To switch gears, I look at this from the perspective of the hopeful. There are some Guyanese, not many, who seek a change to the monstrous political status quo.

There are more who may start out wishing for the same, but any, ah, adjustment to the status quo translates to a distancing from and trampling on the racial status quo. From that they shrink, of that, they will have no truck, not tamper with meaningfully, which can only be via revolutionary or radically alien terms.

There we will not go, and of more I will not say, for that is loaded enough. To some degree profound too, for this converts most Guyanese to what they will strenuously object to, meaning, racists, bigots, fundamentalists, and/ or fanatics. I think it fits, after all our talking and sparring and feeling around for the right public phrases. It is this

same essential hypocrisy that perpetuates the political behemoths we live with (and love), and occasionally perpetuates the passing thrill of a John Wayne like third calvary coming from somewhere over the horizon to the rescue of helpless and besieged Guyanese.

Editor, who is kidding whom? Who is the monkey and who is the jackass to echo, The Tradewinds? We have to be honest with ourselves, get real: either we want to be rid of these people who torture us and dash dreams decade after decade; or we learn to live with them in some manner, hopefully self-sufficiently. There is no science to this; just plain damn commonsense. If anyone needs any evidence or proofs of any of this, I point to the Fifth Columnists, Trojan Horses, and political phantoms squad(s) that graced Guyana in the last elections season. It is who took care of themselves, and who made sure to take care of them for their treacheries. Thus, as I hear or read or observe old, new, or emerging third groupings, I dismiss them out of hand from now. Because if them, dont get to where they want, they will still end up getting some of what they wish for, inclusive of recognition, being called inside the tent of success, and living contentedly after.

I will leave my peers to decide on which fits best: opportunists or self-enrichers or visionary strategists and tacticians. Yet another season of barterers, users, and schemers.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Kaieteur M@ilbox Guyana is heading in the right direction DEAR EDITOR, Reading that “Guyana targets aquaculture, soya, poultry (in order) to cut food import bill,” is very heartening.

This utterance came from President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who delivered a keynote address at the inaugural Agri-Investment Forum and Expo. His audience comprised regional Heads of Governments and their Cabinet members, Caribbean Community officials, diplomats, dignitaries and invited guests, who were seated at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre this past Thursday. The address was timely and it got the deserved attention of our leaders in the region.

Now, I want to put things in perspective, so that we can grasp the import of what President Ali really said. According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021 report, “Projections now show the world is not on track to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger, by 2030, and, despite some progress, most indicators are also not on track to meet global nutrition targets.

The food security and nutritional status of the most vulnerable population groups is likely to deteriorate further due to the health and socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic” I hope that this will remain with us, and that it will motivate us to rally behind the efforts that are ongoing in Guyana.

The inner details from the expo show that “Guyana is looking to upscale its food production in key areas, to avoid the pitfalls of food insecurity challenges.” This is

WPA registers its protest against DPPs decision DEAR EDITOR, The Working Peoples Alliance registers its protest against the decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to discontinue the private charge brought by Shawnette Bollers against Nirvan Singh. Ms. Bollers has accused Singh of racist verbal abuse and spitting on her while she was on guard duty at his family home. There are

no ordinary accusations. Yet the police to date have not brought charges against the accused. It is in the absence of police action that Ms. Bollers private charge assumes importance.

Against this background, WPA views the DPPs action as a wanton abuse of power that sends an ominous signal to the society at large. It is tantamount to the use of in-

stitutional power to condone racism. On a matter that is so socio-politically sensitive and so central to the stability of our country, the DPP has come down of the side of the accused rather than the accuser. This is the kind of activism from the DPPs chambers that potentially rocks confidence in the Justice system. The role of the DPP is not to act as judge and jury as this

Reducing our food bill...

From page 6 advantageous regional lowcost position to meet our regional needs? The terms should include a long-term agreement that shows an annual cost reduction reflecting a percentage of the improved cost position gained due to volume increases.

3. What regional barriers to entry need to be in place to ensure that the focused

regional players do not loose demand to external suppliers?

4. In lieu of a regional solution, is there a high-ticket item that our combined volume and increased buying power can positively impact?

Keep in mind that the world’s largest retailer is 7 times larger than Caricom and has more buying power, yet increased energy costs have driven

down profits.

Therefore, I submit to my learned friends that regional low-cost energy via renewable sources should be the highest priority within any plan to reduce the food and agricultural bill of the region.

Best regards, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

decision suggests. The role of the DPP is not to stand in the way of justice, but to facilitate justice. At the very least, she should have allowed the accused to have his day in court to defend himself against the accusations. Even if Ms. Bollers charges appear unsubstantiated, let the courts decide. It is too sensitive a matter to be determined by a single individual. The DPPs discontinuation of the charge denies Ms. Bollers an opportunity for justice and equal protection before the law. The DPP protects Nirvan Singhs right while denying Ms. Bollers the same rightshe is in effect saying that the two citizens are not equal before the law. The decision also says that the burden of proof even for bringing a charge on alleged racism rests with the accuser.

By raising the bar for bringing charges so high, she (Continued on page 62)

like a go-go-now situation, more so, that it is not only the effects of the global pandemic that we have to counter, but the escalating war between Russia and Ukraine. With this background, “President Ali pointed out that Guyana will (rightly) invest heavily in areas such as fisheries.

The reason is that “By 2030, less than 50 percent of the marine stock will be fished sustainably,” and thus proper management measures are necessary, even as climate change will push numbers further downwards. After all, Guyana and the region by extension, want to minimise imports, and hence aquaculture production and expansion must be pushed extensively.

The staggering truth is that “In 2020, close to 100 metric tons of fish and fish products were imported amounting close to US$340 million.”

This is draining us. It is therefore vital that we grasp the necessity to press on quickly towards “… improved management of the fisheries and investment in aquaculture, in order to supply farm fresh and salt-water species to replace declining catches.”

I mean we have no choice, or face dire circumstances. I feel very optimisitic that we can make it, as more than G$100 million has been invested in brackish water shrimp production. This is proving a good move so far, as it has

realised an increase from 250,000 kilograms a year ago, to 1.2 million kilograms in the same time frame.

The word as we know it is that some additional G$150 million is expected to be invested in this said area to boost production by more than 50 percent, while some $40M will be invested in State research and green programmes of Indigenous fresh water species fish, of which trials have already begun. This kind of incremental investment shows wisdom and futuristic thinking, and that is the safe way to go.

In fact, as of the present, some 50,000 metric tons of poultry is being produced in Guyana, but (thank God) that number is projected to reach 90,000 metric tons by 2025. In the area of corn and soya, the figure stands at 4300 metric tons, but here too that is likely to increase, reaching some 35,000 metric tons by 2025.

The signs are good and things will in all likelihood continue the upward trend.

This is because of a whopping G$651 million is said to be allocated to develop the area deemed a “consortium” of farmers.

I will not belabour the issue, so, I close with a most importunate reality, that is, “We cannot continue thinking of agriculture, the environment, health, poverty, (Continued on page 62)

Actions taken to bring relief to ordinary Guyana should be commended DEAR EDITOR, There is no doubt that the rise in the cost of living is affecting all our Guyanese people.

The governments announcement of a number of interventions such as the $25,000 cash grant for households in riverine and hinterland communities is a welcome move.

News reports quoted the President as saying that some $800M will be put into households in communities across the country. This is quite a significant figure and must be lauded.

Secondly, the farming community suffered a triple whammy. Farmers had to contend with the effects brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, then the massive flooding which destroyed crops and livestock, and to make things worse they had to deal with the effects of a steep rise in fuel which sent up transportation and fertiliser costs. This rise was transmitted undoubtedly to consumers as the price for

vegetables, other farm produce, and meat went up significantly.

The announcement by the President that the government will purchase $1B worth of fertiliser which will be distributed to all farmers for free is therefore welcomed as it will reduce production costs.

These and other interventions, though they might not see a drastic reduction in the price of food and other items, will still provide some relief.

Guyana is not alone in terms of feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war which drove up fuel prices.

At present, the Guyana government collects zero taxes from the sale of fuel.

This along with the other relief interventions should all be commended. Many other countries right here in the Caribbean and across the world have not seen this sort of action taken.

Respectfully, Attiya Baksh

Kaieteur News

PAGE 58

Sunday May 22, 2022

Junior page

By Aaminah Zeenah Once upon a time in a forest far, far away there lived a snow-white unicorn among the other creatures in the forest. She was happy and content with her beautiful life, but the one thing she wished for, more than anything else, was to have a pair of elegant wings.

She often looked at the birds and butterflies, soaring high in the sky, so one day she set out to find a creature who could give her their wings.

First, she met a bluebird.

“Oh, bluebird,” she said, “can you give me your wings?”

“I'm sorry,” said the bluebird, “but my wings are the wrong colour for you.”

Next, the unicorn met a butterfly. “Oh, butterfly,” she sighed, “can you give me your wings?”

“I'm sorry,” said the butterfly, “but my wings are the wrong size for you.”

By now it was nighttime, and the miserable unicorn sat down by the pond. Suddenly, she heard someone cry out

for help. Turning around, she saw a winged unicorn stuck in a thorny gorse bush. She hurried to free the unicorn with her horn.

“Thank you for saving me,” said the other unicorn.

“Here is the reward for your

kind heart.”

Then there was a bright silver flash, and the unicorn, looking at her reflection in the pond, saw that she too had wings!

So she flew up into the sky to be happy forever.

May 11, 2015 By Claire Supplies You Need: Pint Sized Mason Jars Jars (you could also recycle jelly jars, etc) Sea Life Miniature Figures (we got a 12 pack & I saw these later – more variety & a little smaller) Assorted Plastic Aquarium Plants (these are a 6 pack and the ceramic base is helpful)

Inkies

Fill in the blank squares so that each row and each column contain all of the digits 1 thru .

The heavy lines surround areas (called cages) that contain groups of numbers that can be combined (in any order) to produce the result shown in the clue, either using

addition (+) or subtraction (-) as shown in the clue. For example, 12+ means you can add the values together to produce 12.© 2015 KrazyDad.com Numbers in cages may repeat, as long as they are not in t h e s a m e r o w o r c o l u m n .

Aquarium Gravel – any color you choose Glitter (optional) Wa t e r ( d i s t i l l e d o r filtered water is a little less cloudy) Blue Food Coloring DIY Mini Mason Jar Aquariums are perfect for ocean themed parties or beach weddings. Such a fun craft for kids too!

To assemble, we added the plant first, then a little gravel, about an inch or so, and 1/2 tsp of glitter.

Fill a large glass with water and add 1 drop of blue food coloring. You don't

want the water to be TOO blue so it's better to get the color you want first and then pour the water into the mason jar.

We then dropped in two sea animals and added the water carefully until mostly full – right to the lower rim.

Then, we just screwed the lid on tightly and that's it! A sweet little mini aquarium.

We keep ours stored upright so no worries about leaking and you can shake it gently and watch the glitter swirl around.

ETRY O P H T N WI

FU

What Independence means to me

by Uncle Roy We shall soon be celebrating Independence Of our country that is now free; Where before we were ruled by others, We now enjoy national liberty.

By this we take the responsibility For our own country's development, For taking care of all of our people, So that all Guyanese enjoy unity and contentment.

So let us celebrate together, Wherever we may be, And pray that we will always live In love, peace and harmony.

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

TEEN TIME As we celebrate our nation's Independence, see the need to move towards your own For the past week we Guyanese have been celebrating our country having achieved another year since its Independence from colonial rule 52 years ago. It is fitting that we do so because this is the direct result of the efforts of many of our ancestors who were convinced that we should be allowed to look after our own affairs as a free nation.

As a young person, you are on the same road to make your own way in the world.

Your parents have been taking care of you since birth, giving you what you need to develop in body, mind and spirit. I expect that the training they have imparted to you, plus what you have learnt from school and other sections of your community, is aimed at equipping you to do the same for yourself when you are old enough to make your

F

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To build Guyana (by Rosina Ragobeer) To build Guyana, for it to be better, We have to treat it as a serious matter To build Guyana it needs cooperation, So we need to introduce specialisation.

It's like when I read you will write, In this way there will be no fight.

I can till while you weed, Another dig, and the next plant the seed, Some will have to take their education, While others work on the plantation; Some must for minerals dive, As others in the dangerous rivers drive; To build Guyana I must work to my maximum, For it's not fair to my brothers facing the sun.

own way.

First of all, you have to make sure that you derive the full benefit of this training, and you now have the duty to use this to provide for yourself all that would be necessary to live a successful life. The values that were taught to you, the skills that you learnt along

ill in some of the dotted line segments to f

orm a meandering path that forms a single loop. The path does not cross itself, branch, or touch itself at corners. The numbers indicate how many line segments surround each cell. Empty cells may be surrounded by any number of line segments.

the way, the good sense and the proper way of reasoning, will all combine to help you in this effort to take care of your own affairs.You now have to demonstrate that you are able and willing to make use of all this and move towards the freedom and independence that is the right of every human being.

If you fulfil this obligation, then the time will come when, like our nation, you will be able to truly celebrate your own independence as you become older and accept more responsibility for taking care of yourself and helping others to do the same.

There is one unique solution, and you should be able to find it without guessing. You may find it helpful to mark segments that cannot be filled in.

The aperiodic 5-fold tiling in this puzzle is named for Sir Roger Penrose, who discovered it. Special thanks to Craig Kaplan for assistance.

Need some solving help? Visit krazydad.com/slitherlink

Working with this idea and strong management, We can all enjoy our money and ensure it's well-spent; Some must fetch the loads and fill the crates, While some in the ocean are setting baits; Many in the fields will be working late, Thus no man will be able to dominate.

To build Guyana, all must play a part, Sharing work evenly right from the start, Planting roots of pine, cashew and banana, With this simple advice, we can all build Guyana.

All you learn today is to prepare you for your independence tomorrow.

l Tel o it t

Dear Uncle Roy, While our country is celebrating Independence, each of our young people should be thinking about the time when they themselves would be independent of others and try to prepare themselves for this time.

First, it is important that we should live up to a set of standards that we know can maintain our balance and a principled type of living, and not let these be set for us by the negative demands of our modern society. In establishing these standards, we must see the need to make an effort to not fall prey to peer pressure. It is necessary for us to decide on those principles that will affect our lives positively.

We should remember that, no matter what our status is, we are part of society and we have the right to make choices that will not only help us as individuals, but that will set an example for others to follow. Many times we hear that “youths are the future of tomorrow”.

This is so true because the time will come when we would be the ones who will have the responsibility to make the decisions that would affect ourselves, our families, our communities, our careers and our country.

If we do not strive to learn to make the right decisions, we would certainly not be able to do so when we become independent. So, as you encounter the daily obstacles which we all experience day by day, stop and think on what should be the best for everyone involved.

Make sure that you make the right judgement, and as a result the right choices, at every turn, and you will surely be contributing your best for the time when you are independent.

Yours truly, L.P.S., School of Nations.

Solutions to last week’s Cows and cactus

Killer sudoku

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Menstrual Cramps: 5 Tips for Getting Relief From Period Pain How to relieve period cramps fast at home Here are five ways to help get relief from menstrual cramps: 1. Apply heat "Heat can help relax the muscles contributing to cramping, so applying heat to your abdomen or back can help relieve your pain," says Dr. Borchardt.

Using a heating pad or soaking in a warm bath are great ways to ease period pain, but you can also use heating patches if you're looking for a discrete, on-the-go way to get relief.

2. Take a pain reliever Since period cramps are painful, it's probably fairly obvious that pain relievers make the list of remedies.

But, when it comes to period cramps, are all pain reliever options created equal?

"Different classes of pain relievers work differently. For period pain, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are likely to work best since they can reduce prostaglandins — the hormones that stimulate the contractions leading to menstrual cramps," explains Dr. Borchardt.

Ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) are examples of NSAIDs. Just be sure to take each of these medications according to the label's instructions.

"Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may also help dull your pain, but it doesn't actually address any of the inflammation that might be contributing to the severity of your period cramps," adds Dr. Borchardt.

And while some medications claim to specifically relieve period pain, such as Midol, just be sure to check the label as many are multisymptom medications that contain several active ingredients — but don't always contain an NSAID. 3. Exercise When you're in pain, you may think it's best just to relax and get some rest. But physical activity is actually a natural pain reliever.

"Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, which are chemicals produced by the body that help block the perception of pain," says Dr. Borchardt.

Plus, exercise is also a great way to reduce stress — which also happens to affect how you feel pain.

4. Take steps to reduce stress "Stress affects your body in many ways, including lowering your threshold for pain," says Dr. Borchardt.

Reducing stress is easier said than done, of course, but taking steps to do so can help you find relief from period cramps.

In addition to exercise, here are several ways to reduce stress: Yoga ,Deep breathing exercises ,Meditation ,Counseling 5. Get your vitamins and minerals Eating a healthy diet may be yet another way to relieve period pain, since certain vitamins and minerals have been suggested to help reduce cramps.

"More research is needed, but some evidence shows that vitamin B1, also called thiamin, and magnesium may help reduce period cramps What to do when menstrual cramps are severe The period cramp relief tips above are a good place to start, but they may not work for every woman — especially for those who have very painful cramps.

If you're experiencing serious pain during your period, it's important to talk to your OB-GYN. She or he will ask you about your symptoms and cycle and can recommend lifestyle changes that may help ease your pain, as well as perform a pelvic exam and prescribe medications, if needed.

"For instance, hormonal birth control medications are sometimes used to treat menstrual cramps and the pain that accompanies a period," adds Dr. Borchardt.

Plus, in some cases, severe pain may be a sign of something more serious."Beyond the significant impact that period pain can have on your everyday life, the cramps themselves aren't typically a medical concern," says Dr. Borchardt. "However, severe menstrual cramps can sometimes be caused by a more serious gynecologic condition."

In certain cases, severe period cramps can be a sign of: Endometriosis – uterine tissue gets implanted in your fallopian tubes, ovaries or pelvic lining Uterine fibroids – noncancerous uterine growths that can cause pain Adenomyosis – uterine tissue grows into the muscular wall of the uterus Pelvic inflammatory disease – infection of your uterus, fallopian tube(s) and/or ovaries.

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

Sunday May 22, 2022

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Kaieteur News

$56M estimated to extend Stella Maris Primary School School. The project was opened on Thursday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board As was earlier reported, (NPTAB) office which saw a the education sector this year total of 17 contractors placwas allocated the sum of $6.6 ing bids for the project. billion to facilitate the conBids were also opened for struction, rehabilitation, ex- the construction of an annex tension, and maintenance of building at The Bishops High educational facilities across School, that project is pegged the country. at $108 million, and for rehaPreparing to use a portion bilitative works at the of that money, the Ministry Georgetown Public Hospital of Education is looking to Corporation. spend some $56 million to exBelow are the companies tend the Stella Maris Primary and their bids: Ministry of Education Construction of Bishops High School

Supply, delivery, installation and testing of ICT equipment and furniture for classrooms and desktop computers - MISU AND National Library Lot1: computer accessories, Lot2: desktop computers.

Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Procurement of Microsoft licenses

Procurement of works in order to pave the waiting area of the Mental Health Ward

Procurement of retrofitting works at the Main Outpatient Department

Procurement of works in order to renoVATe the Psychiatric Department

Procurement of retrofitting works at the Industry Health Centre

Extension of building - Stella Maris Primary School

Supply and delivery of dietary supplies- Presidents College Lot1: perishables, Lot2: fresh goods and Lot3: dry goods.

Ministry of Housing and Water Rehabilitation of eastern wall at the Ministrys main housing building

Ministry of Agriculture, National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Mechanical repairs to NDIA no.147 caterpillar D6T hydraulic bulldozer located in MMA Region Five.

Supply and delivery of cooked meals for the resident students at CPCE Lot1: breakfast, Lot2: lunch, Lot3: dinner.

Mechanical repairs to NDIA no.6 caterpillar 320CL hydraulic excaVATor located at Lusignan compound, East Coast Demerara.

Bureau of Statistics Procure the service of a public relation firm

Ministry of Health Supply and delivery of medical supplies

PAGE 62

Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox WPA registers its protest against DPPs...

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

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.

One 4 apt building at 14st Diamond New Housing Scheme.Contact:619-9191/ 501-2824.

WANTED

FOR RENT Bobby’s Reality,good for business– 4.018 acres of prime land in New Amster dam, Berbice. Reduce Price.

Call: 679-2497.

Large supermarket and huge Bond in Cumberland, East Canje for sale or rent. Call:679 2497.Bobby's Reality.

Bond/Supermarket space for rent,Mc Doom Public Road.

Price negotiable. Call: 6130007.

Furnish room to let,bottom flat preferably person who is working,parking available.

Contact:231-4933.

One,three room unfurnish.

New Road V/Hoop,furnish apts in Providence one & three bedrooms,604-6664/ 682-6238.

WANTED FOR SALE 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.

One model(M) engine turbo (C).Tel:680-6192.

Cases of Hand Sanitizer For Sale: 250ml at $250 While Supplies Last. Call 650-5626.

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.

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

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

Seamstress,Tailor wanted.

Tel:691-1918 whatsapp.

Block Maker.Tel:691-1918.

1 cook needed.Tel:623-8654.

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

Furnish house and land for sale on Ferry Street, New Amster dam, Berbice. Call: 679-2497.

From page 56 in effect facilitates racial abuse. This is a new development in Guyana that smacks of racism or the protection of racism in high places.

When one adds the refusal of the police to act to this summary decision by the DPP, Ms. Bollers civil rights

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

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

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

1 trainee washing machine & refrigeration technician.Call or whatsapp:660-8905.

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

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

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

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

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

Maid to cook and clean for East Bank area.Call:615-9132 Female Cleaner for office.

Call:642-9823.

Security Officer.3 CXC,3-5 yrs experience.Must have police clearance,2 recommendations. Call:225-7517.

Lifeguard.Must have water/ life safety course,CPR license, police clearance,2 recommendations. Call:225-7517.

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

PENPAL Male seek non racial female.

Must be single.Whatsapp 698-6391.

have been violated by the very State that is charged with protecting those rights. WPA therefore supports Ms. Bollers lawyers decision to seek judicial review of this action by the DPP. However, more importantly, the time has come to legislatively reduce the totalitarian powers of the DPP.

Corruption benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor.

Say no to it.

It is an anti-democratic institution that has no place in a modern democracy.

It must be reminded that only recently, the CCJ had cause to cite the gross over-reach of this officer in the Bisram case. Finally, the WPA feels that even as the court reviews this decision, justice for Ms.

Bollers cannot await the sloth of the judicial process.

This decision is yet another alert that Guyana, under the current regime, is moving swiftly down the road of totalitarianism.

Guyanese must stop this descent sooner rather than later.

Working Peoples Alliance

Guyana is heading in the...

From page 56 and hunger in isolation.” This is according to Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) who spoke at the virtual launch of the report. He added

that “World problems are interconnected, and the solutions are intertwined. The current pandemic is a wakeup call to all of us.” Guyana, as we can see, is on the right track.

H. Singh

Sunday May 22, 2022

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Kaieteur News

Although ExxonMobil warned operations could impact fish…

Agri. Minister says FAO study finds oil production not affecting fish catch

By Davina Bagot Oil giant ExxonMobil has warned in all of its Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) prepared to date that its offshore operations could impact marine species, including fish, but an “independent study” conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has found otherwise.

This is so according to the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha.

The Minister told Kaieteur News on Friday that the study has concluded that the visible impacts to the local fisheries sector was merely

as a result of climate change.

According to him, “It’s not as a result of that (oil operations)…the report says about climate change and the fresh water that was responsible.”

On the other hand, the official added that there has been an increase in fish catches recently. However, when he was pressed to say how much of an increase and what method was used to determine the increase, Mustapha said he was in a meeting and would return a call.

The Minister did not keep his promise to call after his meeting and yesterday all ef-

forts proved futile when this publication again tried reaching him by phone.

He had noted, during the earlier conversation, that the FAO report would be released shortly after the government peruses it.

In all of its EIAs submitted to the relevant authorities, the American oil giant’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) has admitted that an oil spill from its approved Liza Phase One, Liza Phase Two, Payara and Yellowtail Projects, has the potential to cause significant damage to the commercial fishing indust r y .

...Master Frank Woon-A-Tai, is a ‘Special Person’ From page 55 respected teacher.

It is with this same determination that Master WoonA-Tai continues to build on his karate legacy.

He estimates that with the assistance of his family and supporters that he will achieve his ultimate goal to complete the state-of-the-art dojo at Liliendaal for the children of Guyana. The project, he said, is 70 percent completed.

PROUD GUYANESE Among the things he is most proud of, Woon-A-Tai noted that he has never forsaken the land of his birth.

Throughout his worldwide tours, Woon-A-Tai has met several Governor Generals, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers, and members of the Diplomatic Corps. He said he is often asked, ‘are you from Japan?’ and his reply is always, “no Sir, I am from Guyana - born and bred!”

And while he was in Jamaica as Chief Instructor in 1976, he always found time to return to Guyana several times each year to promote karate for all Guyanese.

The karate expert also brought several overseasbased Guyanese home who trained with him in Toronto to support the GKC. Even as he strives to achieve his ultimate goals, Master Woon-A-Tai is building a legacy of Karate champions in his own household.

Together with his wife, Maureen, a Ninth Dan, the Karate Master has three children – Diandra who is ranked as Fifth Dan in the sport, Michelle also a Fifth Dan; and Ken a Sixth Dan, a police officer and four-time world champion.

The couple’s five grandchildren are all black belts.

According to Woon-A-Tai, the eldest are twins, who are very successful TV and Mo-

tion picture actors.

Moreover, he said that his twin grandson D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, a black belt and actor, proclaimed he is OjiCree (Native American) and Guyanese on the Hollywood Red Carpet at the Premier of his TV Series, Reservation Dogs, in which he is the lead actor.

“He has brought Guyana to Hollywood like other distinguished Guyanese before him. At 20, he is the youngest, and his recently found fame has attracted many young Guyanese youths as fans. In 2018, he and his twin brother taught karate to the children on a visit to Guyana,” disclosed the proud grandfather.

Finally, Master Woon-ATai made honourable mention of the latest addition to the family, his great-granddaughter, Edna Rose, whom he hopes will follow in the family’s legacy.

Dominica proposes passing of regulations...

From page 19 us are the consumers, we cannot as consumers talk about agriculture and what government is doing for agriculture and then we take our trolleys and we go to the supermarkets and we look for the foreign produce, that we believe that the beef from elsewhere is not comparable to the beef coming from Guyana.”

Skerrit urged that the decision was critical in reducing the Region’s food import bill, which stands at almost US$6 billion annually.

“We, if each of us here, and those who are listening to us, the millions who are listening to us in the Caribbean region, were to make a decision today that we are supporting Caribbean produce, we would solve our problem.

We would solve the problem, notwithstanding, and then you would put political pressure on these leaders to remove all the barriers that they have in the country, because you would be saying to them,

I do not want any ginger coming from a country that doesn’t have land, I want Dominica ginger. And let us have it recognised on the supermarket shelves. Let us pass regulations to force the supermarkets to put CARICOM produce,” he urged.

The Head of State was proud to tell the conference delegates that his government has a strict policy when it comes to supporting Caribbean goods, as the country only imports sugar and rice, for example, from Guyana.

Similarly, he said the country’s flour only comes from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, even though the price may be heftier than if purchased from foreign countries. “We are cushioned because we understand that if we can keep the dollars in the Caribbean Region, it’s gonna [going to] benefit Dominica eventually and if each of us adopt that attitude then our presence here in Guyana go-

ing forward would be a good success,” Skerrit assured.

The regional event brought leaders from the Caribbean together between May 19 and 21 to foster discussions on future agriculture partnerships, as they seek to reduce the region’s reliance on foreign goods. It also gave local farmers and regional suppliers an opportunity to market their goods and services and develop possible business relations.

The need for the initiative was highlighted specifically as strains from the COVID-19 pandemic affected the global supply chains. The burden was then heightened as a result of the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has led to a global shortage of baby formula for example.

Participating countries in this year’s event included Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, Montserrat, Bahamas and the host country, Guyana.

But even with no oil spill, fishermen have been complaining, especially in recent times, that their catch is dwindling at worrying rates. Dreading the destruction of the industry, they had appealed to the government to conduct a study to understand how, and to what extent, EEPGL’s oil production and development operations are affecting their main source of income.

Reports of fish shortage on the local market and the decline in catch by fishermen triggered the study by the Ministry of Agriculture back in December last year.

During a meeting with fishermen on November 24, 2021, the Minister acknowledged that there is indeed a shortage of fish. It was there he made the commitment to undertake a study to get a true understanding of the situation. At the meeting, the Agriculture Minister informed the fishermen that the government has since engaged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the FAO to assist with conducting an analysis to determine the reason behind the low catches.

Kaieteur News had reported on the cries of fisher-

men, who complained of a steep decline in their catches and predicted that they may very well be out of jobs in the next five years, while they attributed this to ExxonMobil’s operations offshore.

Deep within the EIA of the Payara Project are blatant admissions from EEPGL that this third oil development which will produce over 220,000 barrels of oil per day, can have an impact on the migratory pattern of the local fish stock.

It also warned that toxic effects can also be unleashed on these aquatic vertebrates.

The oil company noted that its drilling operations for the project will have an impact by way of artificial lighting on drill ships and major installation vessels, installation of equipment for vessels including pile driving, permitted liquid waste discharge, and permitted drill cuttings and fluids discharge.

The key effects on the fishing industry from this project are as follows: changes in the distribution of fish due to altered water quality, auditory impacts from vessel sound, auditory impacts from sound from vertical seismic profile surveys and pile

driving and attraction to artificial light.

As for production operations, EEPGL said this could lead to changes in the distribution of fish due to altered water quality, auditory impacts from vessel sound, changes in distribution and habitat usage due to altered bottom habitats and the presence of project infrastructure, and loss of fish eggs and larvae due to entrainment of immature life s t a g e s .

EEPGL was also keen to note that the combined impact of increased temperature and chlorine concentrations will make the localised mixing zone inhospitable to some species.

Similarly, for its fourth project, the Yellowtail development, EEPGL said marine fish could be impacted as a result of deteriorated water quality, from discharges generated during the project. In addition to poor water quality, acoustic effects or noise from the company’s operations can also cause fish to be impacted. These species can also be sucked into the equipment which Exxon will be utilising for oil production, the impact assessment cautioned.

Creations and services fighting against food insecurity...

From page 16 months. The alkaline level of the mixture is then tested and when ready, the fertiliser is bottled. Benjamin said that his product is organic, safe for the environment and can be used alongside synthetic chemicals. Benjamin said that there is an improvement in the growth rate of plants. “Also, for example, leafy vegetables, you will find that they will have large leaves, and it maintains the plant and help it grow,” he shared.

Mahaica Organics also packages dried herbal medicines for detoxification, colds,

and tummy aches, among many other ailments. The traditional sweet broom and lemon grass were among the different herbs known to help with non-communicable diseases. Technology GUYDRONES, which is located at the Ogle Airport GuySuCo hangar, is providing some of the more technologically innovative products being added to the local agriculture sector.

The company, which was launched in August of last year, is providing service drones to the rice industry and other agricultural areas

Sheik Yaseen stands with one of the drones used for agriculture

The underwater drone kit

as well as security forces. The company's sales manager, Sheik Yaseen said they have drones that also submerge.

The underwater drones can help to examine and inspect the bottom of ships for example, rather than having to bring the vessel on land. “We have several types of drones,” Yaseen told The Coven. The water drones are now being used and being introduced to Guyana and they go to a depth of 200 metres, he said. By next year, the company is looking to commence the assembling of drones in-country.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

PAGE 65

As Int'l Day for Biological Diversity is observed…

EMC joins calls to build a shared future for all life T

o d a y, S u n d a y, May 22nd, 2022, global attention will be focused on biodiversity issues as International Day for Biological Diversity is observed.

This observance is done annually to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.

This year's theme, 'Building a Shared Future for All Life,' was chosen to build momentum and support for a strong global biodiversity framework that will 'bend the curve' on biodiversity loss.

Guyana is located in two of the world's most biodiversity-rich zones – The Amazon Region and the Guiana Shield.

The country's ecosystems are largely intact and Guyana has one of the highest levels

Managing Director of Environmental Management Consultants Inc., Shyam Nokta of biodiversity in the world with more than 900 species of birds, 625 known fresh water fish species, 250 mammals, 250 amphibians, 210 reptiles,

and 8000 plants.

Environmental Management Consultants Inc. (EMC), as an environmental service provider and promoter of green growth, in a release noted that it works to support efforts to protect and sustain t h i s r i c h b i o d i v e r s i t y.

"Guyana's biodiversity is integral to its people and economy.

Leveraging is key to addressing many of the country's sustainable development aspirations and building a shared future for all life," says Shyam Nokta, EMC's Managing Director.

"EMC supports our clients to integrate the highest environmental standards and procedures, including biodiversity protection and management in their activities.

We conduct biodiversity

assessments and resource mapping exercises across Guyana's coast and hinterland which helps to build knowledge and awareness of Guyana's rich biodiversity,” he said.

Additionally, Nokta said,

“We continue to work with partners to support initiatives aimed at raising awareness and promoting a better understanding and appreciation of biodiversity.” EMC, as part of its Corporate Social

Responsibility, is supporting the Saxacalli Rainforest Centre and Mahaica River Birding Tours initiatives to continue exploring, documenting, and protecting Guyana's rich biodiversity and ecosystems.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

Sunday May 22, 2022

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Kaieteur News

Men’s 100m showdown stymied by...

From page 73 top three, Christian Coleman has a bye into worlds as defending champion.

Full Birmingham results are here. The Diamond League moves next Friday and Saturday to Eugene for the Prefontaine Classic.

In other events yesterday, world silver medalist Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain won the women’s 100m in 11.11 seconds, edging Olympic bronze medalist Shericka Jackson of Jamaica by .01. Gabby Thomas, the Olympic 200m bronze medalist, was fifth in 11.31.Two-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica withdrew on Thursday, a precautionary move citing discomfort in training, and plans to return to competition shortly.

Another two-time Olympic 100m gold medalist, Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, remains fastest in the world this year at 10.67.

In the women’s pole vault, American Sandi Morris posted the world’s top outdoor

clearance this year of 4.73 meters. She beat a field that included the last two Olympic champions — Greek Katerina Stefanidi (second, 4.65 meters) and American Katie Nageotte (4.30, seventh place).

American Valarie Allman edged Czech Sandra Perkovic in a battle between the last two Olympic women’s discus champions.

Allman threw 67.85 meters to Perkovic’s 67.26.

Czech Kristjan Ceh won a men’s discus that included the top six from the Olympics.

Ceh, who was fifth in Tokyo, threw 71.27 meters, improving his personal best by three feet. Only Olympic gold medalist Daniel Stahl of Sweden, who was third on Saturday, has thrown farther over the last nine years.

Olympic gold medalist Malaika Mihambo of Germany recorded the farthest women’s long jump since last June, winning with a 7.09-meter leap. (via Yahoo Sports)

Yates wins Giro d’Italia stage 14 as Carapaz takes maglia rosa

Jayco’s Simon Yates celebrates on the podium after winning stage 14.

(REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini)

Curry, Warriors rally past...

Sunday May 22, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may want to keep your ship on an even keel today, but remember that no matter how hard as you try, this simply might not be possible.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) This is your day to shine in many respects, Taurus. The action you take is right on target, so draw back your arrow as far as you can before letting it fly. There is a quiet strength to your being that comes out occasionally.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You could be wondering why everyone has to be so serious and emotional all of a sudden. You're likely to be feeling this way, too.

CANCER(June21–July22) Don't put up with anyone's shenanigans, Cancer. Your time is too precious and your energy too powerful to waste on those who see you as a fair-weather friend or emotional crutch.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You may have the intellectual side of the equation completely set in your head, Leo. You've collected all the facts and have all the data worked out in such a way that it's impossible for anyone to fault your calculations.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Other people might have a hard time navigating through the day, thanks to the intensity and corruption that's likely to surface. You have nothing to worry about, because your adaptable nature is perfectly suited to dealing with the stubborn forces that are likely to rear their heads.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Secure your bunker and make sure it's fully stocked with heavy artillery, because there is bound to be a battle, Libra. Trust that you need to be fully prepared in order to enter the fight today, because you do.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You tend to get quite emotional about things even though you don't always show it prominently to the outside world, Scorpio.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) If situations get too hot and heavy, Sagittarius, your first instinct is to run away or jump to the next subject before anyone notices you're avoiding the serious ones.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Your actions today could take an investigative approach, Capricorn. You're able to probe much more deeply than usual as you search people's eyes for the answers you seek. Feel free to take aggressive action based on your gut instincts.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Your courageous strength and desire to take a leadership role may be threatening to others today. Be careful of automatically assuming the dominant position before learning what other people feel about the situation.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You can cut through to the truth quite easily today, Pisces, so don't hesitate to do so. If you come to an intersection and no one seems to know who should go next, take the initiative and go.

From page 70 clinching Game 6 of the semifinals against Memphis, Looney shot 10 for 14 after making all five of his field goals in Game 1. He was one of five players to appear in all 82 regular-season games.

“He’s been the rock in the inside for us,” Porter

said. “... When he’s down there he’s doing all the dirty work, cleaning up the rebounds.” Looney notched his second career postseason double-double.

“Tonight was my night to make a big difference and I just stepped up,” Looney said.

(Reuters) - Simon Yates went solo in the finale to win the 14th stage of the Giro d’Italia as Richard Carapaz took over as overall race leader yesterday.

Briton Yates, whose title ambitions had already been dashed, attacked from a group of four with four kilometres left to prevail in Turin after a 147-kilometre ride from Santena.

Ecuador’s Carapaz, who was third on the day behind Australia’s Jai Hindley, snatched the leader’s maglia rosa jersey from Juanpe Lopez after the Spaniard cracked on the penultimate ascent of the day.

Former champion Vincenzo Nibali was fourth, 15 seconds down on Yates and beaten in the sprint by Hindley and Carapaz.

Ineos-Grenadiers rider Carapaz, who won the 2019 Giro when riding for Movistar, attacked on the Superga climb, a 5-km ascent at 8.6%, and Lopez lost touch to finish four minutes and 25 seconds off the pace.

Carapaz was however caught by Hindley, Nibali and Yates on the ascent to the Colle della Maddalena and he lacked a bit of juice for the final sprint.

Overall, he now leads Hindley, whose BoraHansgrohe team blew up the race with 80km to go, by seven seconds, and Portugal’s Joao Almeida, who took sixth place 39 seconds behind Yates, by 30 seconds.

Tom Dumoulin, the 2017 winner, abandoned early in the stage as he was suffering from back problems.

Today’s 15th stage is a brutal 177-km mountain trek from Rivarolo Cavanese to Cogne in the Aosta valley.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 68

Sunday May 22, 2022

Paul (4-90), Smith (3-76) and Chanderpaul’s cameo take Harpy Eagles to 5-Wkt win CWI Regional FC Cricket 4

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

O

n a day of fluctuating fortunes at the Queen’s Park Oval in the third round game in the CWI Regional First-Class tournament, Guyana Harpy Eagles clawed their way to a thrilling five-wicket win over defending Champions Barbados Pride on another steaming hot day in Port-ofSpain yesterday.

Guyana were set 68 to win from 13 overs after bowling out the Bajans, who were following-on, for 291 and in T20 scenario it was the unlikely batter who propelled the team from the South American continent to their second victory in three game as they reached 73-5 in 12 overs.

After scoring the slowest Regional First-Class century by balls in the first innings,

Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who turns 26 on May 31, kept Guyana’s hope alive of winning their 13th title, with a sensible and extremely positive batting exhibition to finish unbeaten on a quickfire 10-ball unbeaten 23 with four boundaries at a strike rate of 230.

The Everest left-hander and son of the illustrious Shiv Chanderpaul, demonstrated what many who have followed his cricket as a teenager, already knew; that he could be aggressive when he chooses to be.

Dropped down the order due the nature of run-chase, Chanderpaul joined his level-headed Captain Leon Johnson with the Harpy Eagles threatening to throw away the encounter at 46-5 in the 10th over.

With most of the fielders protecting the boundaries, he worked balls from outside the off stumped for crucial on-side runs, before sweeping debutant pacer Akeem Jordon for a couple

of boundaries (one due to a miss-field from Raymon Reifer) and with one run to win from seven balls, smashed Jordon over mid-on for four to seal the win with six balls to spare.

Jordon followed his three wickets in the first innings with 4-31 from six impressive overs which almost triggered the panic button in the Guyana team.

Jordon removed opener Keemo Paul, who hit Reifer for six in his 10; caught at long-off before Chanderpaul Hemraj (6) tried to hit him for six with five runs per over needed to win.

The pacer also had Tevin Imlach (7) caught behind attempting an irresponsible scoop shot to a short ball.

Jordon also induced first centurion Gudakesh Motie (2) to hit a catch to long-off in a period of brainless cricket after Akshaya Persaud (4) failed to deposit Jonathon Carter for six and was taken at long-off by Jordon.

Johnson, showing

wonderful calmness and great responsibility, kept his nerve even with the asking rate increased to over a runa-ball, and remained unbeaten on 14 from 24 balls.

E a r l i e r, B a r b a d o s , resuming on 44 without loss, following-on, needing 224 runs to avoid an innings defeat, led by Skipper Kraigg Braithwaite’s 27th First-Class ton of 111 from 241 balls with 16 fours and Shane Dowrich 48 from 85 balls with nine boundaries, put together 84 for the first wicket.

But once first innings centurion Shai Hope was LBW to Motie for five, only Reifer, 27 with four fours, reached 25.

Paul, in an inspired spell of fast bowling, hit Braithwaite on his helmet and Carter on his ‘box’ and finished with 4-90.

Nail Smith, in an improved performance of genuine fast bowling before lunch, had 3-76 while Motie had 2-35.

The results of a dramatic round of the CWI 4-day championship. (CWI) The next round starts on Wednesday and the Harpy

Eagles battle Jamaica in Diego Martin.

At the French Open, it’s Rafael Nadal versus the lot and Iga Swiatek versus the field

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

PAGE 69

AP Source: Mbappé signs new PSG deal after rejecting Madrid PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappé signed a new threeyear contract to stay at Paris Saint-Germain after one of s o c c e r ’s m o s t - c o v e t e d players turned down the chance again to join Real Madrid, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press yesterday.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the contract talks publicly.

The World Cup-winning forward’s contract was expiring in June and he would have been available on a free transfer.

Instead of joining 13time European champion Madrid, which has chased him for so long, the 23-yearold Mbappé is staying to try to deliver PSG its first Champions League title.

Madrid managed to beat PSG in the Champions League this season but not in the transfer market once again.

The Spanish giant’s failure to sign Mbappé is a significant blow for its president, Florentino Pérez, who has been trying to get the transfer over the line for a

year.

PSG turned down Madrid’s official bid of 180 million euros ($190 million) — the same amount it signed Mbappé for from Monaco in 2017 — and even another reported amount of 200 million euros ($211 million) was not enough to sell its star despite him having only a year remaining on his contract. Mbappé said he wanted to leave at the end of last season but only on the right terms for PSG. The wealth of the club’s Qatar sovereign wealth fund ownership linked to the emir allows PSG to resist bids that could prove irresistible to other clubs without state funding.

The non-transfer reflects the shifting power dynamics in European football. Pérez was one of the architects of the European Super League breakaway from the UEFA Champions League that imploded within 48 hours in April 2021.

PSG opted out of joining the 12 Super League founders, allowing its president, Nasser AlKhelaifi, to gain one of the most powerful roles in the game as head of the

European Club Association.

Pérez is still pursuing his Super League dream in conflict with UEFA. Meanwhile, Spanish league president Javier Tebas was irate.

“It is an INSULT to soccer that PSG is going to renew Mbappé with huge quantities of money (who knows from where and how they will pay them) after losses of 700 million euros in recent seasons and more than 600 million euros in salaries,” he wrote on Twitter. “Al-Khelafi is as dangerous as the Super League.”

Mbappé, who starred for France at the 2018 World Cup, would have been a statement signing for Pérez — especially if he had lured Mbappé away from a team that emerged as a rival only in the last decade through its Qatari funding.

But the energy expended in pursuing the transfer, and optimism from Madrid, which is chasing its record-extending 14th European Cup win when it meets Liverpool in next S a t u r d a y ’s C h a m p i o n s League final in Paris, has come to nothing.

PSG’s Kylian Mbappe warms up prior to the start of the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Troyes at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Sunday, May 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) When Mbappé won the league’s best player award for the third time last Sunday, he said his mind was basically made up but didn’t say which way.

The tension between the clubs was evident when PSG was knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 by Madrid in March — despite leading 2-0 overall with two Mbappé goals — and Al-Khelaifi remained under UEFA investigation for allegedly confronting match officials after the loss.

Madrid is being thwarted yet again, having tried to

sign Mbappé after he left Monaco in 2017 — and even before that.

He visited Madrid’s facilities at age 14, and was greeted by France great Zinedine Zidane, but he instead chose to launch his stellar career at Monaco.

Mbappé’s first professional goal came at the age of 17 years, 62 days, which beat the Monaco club record held by Thierry Henry.

Henry is France’s record scorer with 51. Mbappé is already on 26 and may well overtake him as a PSG player.

He is PSG’s secondhighest scorer with 168 and could surpass Edinson Cavani’s record of 200 next season.

He was looking to add to his league-leading tally of 25 later Saturday in the seasonending home game against struggling Metz at Parc des Princes, alongside teammates Lionel Messi — the record seven-time Ballon d’Or winner — and Neymar.

The glittering attacking trio, which hasn’t clicked as expected this season, will play together again next season.

H o w e v e r, M b a p p é misses out on the chance to play alongside France teammate Karim Benzema for Madrid in what would have been a devastating partnership and the envy of Europe.

Over the past year they have been prolific together for Les Bleus and both netted when France won the Nations League final.

Another one of the world’s coveted young forwards is Erling Haaland, who is leaving Borussia Dortmund for English powerhouse Manchester City.

Florence Griffith Joyner’s 100m world record is under threat - Dina Asher-Smith P

Dina Asher-Smith ran in the 100m at the Birmingham Diamond League meet on Saturday. (Martin Rickett/PA)

A Media - Dina AsherSmith believes Florence Griffith Joyner’s 34-yearold 100 metres world record is under threat.

The 26-year-old feels the record can fall as technology progresses in the sport.

The world 200m champion ran in the 100m at the Birmingham Diamond League meet yesterday – although she did not face Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah after she pulled out on Thursday.

The Jamaican ran 10.54seconds – just 0.05secs off Griffith Joyner’s 1988 record last year – while ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce has openly spoken about running 10.4secs and Asher-Smith feels the 10.49s mark could go with the aid of shoe and track technology.

“I think so,” said the British record holder, who has run 10.83s.

“We shouldn’t put limits on ourselves.

When you stop thinking about limits and focus on the processes, who knows what can be achieved?

Everything seems impossible until it’s done.

“Definitely given the advantages

of (spike) technology, definitely given the increase of track technology.

“That plus all the advantages, the competition – domestic and international – nice wins, amazing crowds, we have all been starved of crowds because of the pandemic.

“If I said no (that she couldn’t break it), what would you say?

Crazier things have been done and nothing is impossible.

I’m excited to go out there and put together some really good races.

Who knows.” Asher-Smith is planning to defend her five titles this year with the Commonwealth Games and European Championships following July’s World Championships in Eugene.

She won the 200m at the Worlds in 2019, 100m, 200m and 4x100m at the Europeans in 2018 and the 4x100m at the Commonwealth Games four years ago.

She said: “I’d like to double up at Worlds and Commonwealths and, with the Europeans, we will definitely be a bit more mindful of how the World Championships is and how I feel coming off that. It is a really tight turnaround.

“You have to be reactive and react to the fact we have a lot of races in an incredibly short space of time.

“This year is a unique year for Brits. You have to have your mind on the World Championships and I have five titles to defend across the Championships.

I will hoping to make an appearance at all of them.”

Keely Hodgkinson, who won 800m silver in Tokyo, Holly Bradshaw who took bronze in the pole vault and Josh Kerr, after his 1500m bronze in Japan, also ran in Birmingham yesterday.

World heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson also competed in the long jump.

Hodgkinson pulled out of the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in March with a thigh tear having been heavy favourite for the 800m title.

She added: “Belgrade was disappointing, I was hoping to bring back a medal.

“I made the decision not to run, it took six weeks to get healthy. But everything happens for a reason, I moved on with it and I’m healthy and looking forward to racing.”

Kaieteur News

PAGE 70

Sunday May 22, 2022

UDFA’S Senior League

Capital FC stop Haynes Winners Connection 2-0, Topp XX get past Milerock 2-1 Shattas meet Panthers, Blueberry Hill face Botafago tonight

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ins were recorded by Capital FC who stopped Haynes Winners Connection 2-0, while Topp XX eased past Milerock 2-1 when play in the Upper Demerara Football Association’s (UDFA) Senior League competition continued Friday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.

Two more interesting matches are slated for tonight when play will see from 6.00pm Amelia’s Ward Panthers come to grips with Silver Shattas and the second at 8.00pm brings together Blueberry Hill and Botafago.

Capital FC capitalized on an off key Haynes Winners Connection side which could

not find their rhythm against a brimming Capital FC unit and found themselves in trouble as early as the 12th m i n u t e w h e n Ty r i c McAllister made the best of a free kick to score for a 1-0 lead. The score would remain that way and while both teams surely are not in great form it was the Capital FC which looked more purposeful. Forward Emmanuel Atkins would finish a good pass from McAllister, finding the back of the net in the 84th minute that sealed a 2-0 win for the relatively new kids on the block Capital FC, against the e x p e r i e n c e d Wi n n e r s Connection.

It was always going to be an uphill task as Milerock fielding a relatively unknown side barring

Topp XX scorers Abraham Browne and Travis Waterton (right). veteran Rawle ‘Boney’ Gittens against their more experienced opponents Topp XX. Topp XX would use this experience to their advantage and when

Abraham Browne was fouled Travis Waterton made no mistake in taking the penalty in the 65th minute to break a 0-0 deadlock in the second period of play.

That 1-0 advantage

Capital FC scorers, left, Emmanuel Atkins and Tyric McAllister. would be doubled in the 81st minute when Milerock lapsed, allowing striker Browne to finish a ball that was cleared, but found the feet of Waterton who set the play for Browne to score

making it 2-0.

Late in the game Milerock would gain a consolation goal in the 87th minute to lose by a 2-1 scoreline through Jermaine Maison.

Curry, Warriors rally past Mavs for 2-0 lead in West finals SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Luka Doncic had been dominating for most of the night, yelling in celebration and flexing his arms in Stephen Curry’s house.

Then Curry and the Golden State Warriors delivered one of those signature third-quarter flurries that have defined so many of their postseason runs — with this one sparked

by Kevon Looney.

Just like that, the Warriors are two wins from getting back to another NBA Finals.

“Night night,” Curry declared as a 3-pointer went through the net in the waning moments.

Curry scored 32 points with six 3-pointers and eight more rebounds, Looney had a career-high 21 points and 12 rebounds, and the Warriors rallied past the Dallas Mavericks 126-117 on Friday for a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

“I feel honored just to be a part of the ride,” Looney said.

Doncic scored 42 points and the Mavericks led most of the way before Golden State grabbed its first lead of the night on Otto Porter Jr.’s 3-pointer 18 seconds into the fourth. Curry could see a momentum shift at that moment.

“We have that attitude

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA basketball playoffs Western Conference finals in San Francisco, Friday, May 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

and spirit that we’re never out of it,” Curry said.

Doncic had 18 points in the first quarter, two shy of his 20-point Game 1 total.

His 3-pointer with 13 seconds before halftime — the Mavs’ 15th of the first half — made it 72-58 at the break and gave him 24 points.

Doncic even got a Twitter shoutout from O a k l a n d ’s o w n M C Hammer: “Ok young Luka

… We see you.”

But Golden State answered with a 25-13 third quarter to pull to 85-83 going into fourth — coming out of halftime with a performance reminiscent of those thrilling third quarters of past. The Warriors trailed by 19 at one point.

“We know how good they are as a third-quarter team,” Dallas forward Reggie Bullock said. “It’s just something that slipped

away from us as the game continued to go on.”

Doncic shot 12 for 23 and shined in a game of brilliant shotmaking — the Warriors finished 56.1% from the floor. In the first half alone, Dallas edged Golden State 52.3% to 51.2%, including a remarkable 55.6% to 53.3% from 3-point range.

“Against someone that good you’re just trying to limit the easy stuff,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr

said.

Looney then had 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting in the third and Golden State outscored Dallas 68-45 after halftime.

“It’s the Warriors. They have a great team. They’re a championship team. We’ve got to adjust our defense,” Doncic said. “... We were up 19, so it’s a tough situation.

But we can’t look back.

What happened, happened.

So we’ve got to move on.”

The series shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Sunday. Golden State is two wins from a return to the NBA Finals for the first time since making five straight trips from 2015-19.

“We’re on the road against one of the best teams in the league. It happens.

They held serve,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said.

“We’ve seen this in Phoenix so now we have to go back and just focus on Game 3.”

Jordan Poole scored 23 points off the bench, Andrew Wiggins had 16 and Klay Thompson — held scoreless in the first half of the series opener — added 15 points for a second straight game.

Golden State scored 62 points in the paint.

Jalen Brunson scored eight of the first 14 Dallas points on the way to 31. The Mavericks didn’t have to see as much of Draymond

Green, who picked up his fifth foul with 6:01 left in the third, then returned with 6:33 left before fouling out with 2:25 to go.

The teams tangled with 8:03 left in the second quarter in front of the Dallas bench. Warriors reserve Damion Lee closed out as Davis Bertans hit a 3-pointer from the corner and Bertans tripped Lee and sent him in a flip hard to the floor. Lee had to be held back by official Eric Lewis.

The players were issued double technicals.

In Game 1 two days e a r l i e r, D o n c i c f a c e d smothering defense from Wiggins and shot just 6 for 18 and 3 of 10 from deep.

Kidd expected a far better outing in Game 2.

Golden State continued to push the pace and committed 16 turnovers after 15 in the opener. At halftime, Kerr asked his team to settle down.

“I told them that if we developed some poise in the second half, that the game would come to us,” he said.

“But I thought we were so scattered in the first half.

Maybe emotionally more so than anything. Dallas came out and just punched us.”

RELIABLE LOONEY Moved back into the starting lineup for the (Continued on page 65)

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 22, 2022

PAGE 71

RCB sneak into playoffs after Tim David, Jasprit Bumrah knock Delhi Capitals out

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Rovman Powell lined up Hrithik Shokeen’s fingerspin. (PTI)

SPNcricinfo - Ten balls. That’s all it took. Ten balls of carnage to end Delhi Capitals’ season and thrust Royal Challengers Bangalore into the playoffs.

Tim David would have been out for 0 had they opted to review a caught-behind decision in the 15th over when the equation was 65 off 33.

Instead he got to face 10 more balls and score 34 heartbreaking runs to punish Rishabh Pant and his men for an error that will haunt them for what will feel like forever.

Bumrah roars Even in this atrocious season, Mumbai Indians managed to have a say in who would win the IPL.

They restricted Capitals to 159 for 7 in a must-win game.

Jasprit Bumrah (4-0-253) was extraordinary. Even on a slow pitch, he hurried batters with his pace and picked up the kind of wickets that will form a fast-bowling hype reel. Prithvi Shaw bounced out. Mitchell Marsh caught at first slip. Rovman Powell cuh-lean bowled.

The thought of him bowling in tandem with Jofra Archer next season is just bonkers.

Powell power Wankhede tonight was all about pace off the ball and even a hitter of Rishabh Pant’s repute was going at 10 off 15 and later 24 off 28.

Rohit Sharma was worse: 2 off 13.

Lewis Hamilton admits ‘I’m struggling with the car’ after qualifying sixth

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A Media - Lewis H a m i l t o n admitted he is struggling with his Mercedes and should not be losing to team-mate George Russell.

As Charles Leclerc bounced back from a spin to see off championship rival Max Verstappen and claim pole position for today’s Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton qualified sixth.

Russell finished two places ahead in fourth.

Hamilton and Russell are three apiece in qualifying this season, but the younger Mercedes man has beaten Hamilton in four of the five grands prix staged so far.

Hamilton is 23 points behind his team-mate, and 68 points adrift of championship leader Leclerc.

The Silver Arrows have brought a number of upgrades to Barcelona’s scorching Circuit de Catalunya – including a revised floor and new front wing – and the early signs are encouraging for the team which has won the last eight c o n s t r u c t o r s ’ championships.

Mercedes were a second back in Miami, but Russell finished six tenths slower than Leclerc here with Hamilton seven tenths adrift.

Hamilton has already written off his chances of an

Lewis Hamilton admits he is struggling with his Mercedes. (Joan Monfort/AP)

Capitals needed someone to defy the conditions just like Bumrah did and up stepped Powell.

With the score at 50 for 4 in the ninth over, he understood that he needed to bat time.

Then, after he had taken the time to assess the pitch, he took a calculated risk, targeting a fingerspinner who brought the ball into him. Shokeen was smashed for 20 runs in the 12th over.

This was a fine finisher at work, respecting the conditions when he needed to, and then winning a favourable match-up to bring his team back into the game.

Powell made 43 off 34 balls, the best of those runs a pull for six off the virtually unplayable Bumrah.

Capitals’ fight At 5.1 overs, Capitals had a 57% chance of winning the game. At 5.2, when Rohit fell, that rose to 62% At 11.2 overs, Capitals had a 43% chance of winning the game. At 11.3, when Ishan Kishan fell, that rose to 51% At 14.2 overs, Capitals had a 69% chance of winning the game. At 14.3, when Dewald Brevis fell, that rose

to 77%.

The bowlers did everything they could to keep them in the game. Then came 14.4. Thakur to David.

0 runs. It was a gorgeous ball.

On the kind of length that batters don’t know whether to come forward to stay back.

Kissing the pitch and whooshing through to the keeper.

The appeal was instant.

Umpire Tapan Sharma was unmoved. Pant and Thakur got together. They spoke at length. Then they separated and all was good with the world until the replay came on the big screen and UltraEdge had a big spike as ball passed bat.

Pant kicked the turf.

Ponting fumed in the dugout.

David kept hitting sixes. And Capitals were drained of hope. Eleven men in red and blue skulked around the Wa n k h e d e o u t f i e l d , expressionless, as for the second season running, their IPL ended in heartbreak.

Scores: Mumbai Indians 160 for 5 (Kishan 48, David 34, Thakur 2-32) beat Delhi Capitals 159 for 7 (Powell 43, Bumrah 3-25) by five wickets.

Tourism Authority supports Prime Minister Independence Domino tourney in Linden

eighth title this season, but do Mercedes’ improvements provide him with hope he could yet find himself in the championship mix?

“I am not really putting my mind to that because I am still way off,” said the 37year-old.

“My team-mate is fourth so that means I should be at least third or fourth, and I am sixth. I am still struggling with the car and qualifying wasn’t great for me.

“I don’t know how to get around that. I don’t know what I am going to do, but I will just continue to work hard and try to figure it out.”

Hamilton has so often reigned in Spain, taking four of the last five poles as well as six overall wins – a record he shares with Michael

Schumacher – but he has played second fiddle to Russell this weekend.

“This car just doesn’t talk to Lewis in the way that he likes a car to talk to him,” said respected pundit Martin Brundle on commentary duty for Sky Sports.

“We have had years of Lewis being absolutely precise everywhere and he is fighting, he doesn’t know what the car is going to do next.

“Lewis is having to hustle, and that is not how we are used to him driving a Mercedes. George seems to be able to be more precise.”

Russell lucked-in with safety cars at the races in Melbourne and Miami to finish ahead of Hamilton.

But the 24-year-old, in

his first season alongside the seven-time world champion, is proving to be an able match, and then some.

Is he over-delivering by getting the better of the sport’s most decorated star?

“No not really,” said Russell. “I just focus on myself and try to do the best job possible and where that leaves me I’ll review from there.

“But obviously I believe in myself, I’ve still got a lot to improve. I don’t feel like I’m truly optimising the package and compared to Lewis I’ve definitely got room to improve in a number of aspects.

“I guess it gives me excitement to see what I can deliver a little bit later on in the season.”

The Guyana Tourism Authority has joined in sponsorship for the Hon. P r i m e M i n i s t e r Independence Domino Competition. Handing over the cash sponsorship was Director ag. Mr Kamrul Baksh to Mark ‘Jumbie’ Wiltshire and Colin B.L. Aaron of the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, who are the main organisers of the event.

The event is in honour of Prime Minister, Ret’d Brigadier Mark Anthony Phillips and in recognition of Guyana’s Independence celebration. The Domino Tournament will be staged on Thursday 26 May, 2022 at 2330 Central Amelia’s Ward, L i n d e n ( S h a n g h a i ’s Residence).

This will be the First Independence Cup Tournament being staged in the Mining Town and all Clubs affiliated to the Linden Domino Association and all affiliated clubs from all other Associations are invited to

take part.

Attractive prizes are at stake and they are: 1st Place $500,000 2nd Place $300,000 3rd Place $100,000 The winner will also claim the Hon. Prime Minister Lien Trophy.

Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall has donated the trophies for the winner, 2nd and 3rd place teams. A number of other individual prizes are also to be won. The competition promises to be keen.

Among the other sponsors on board are: Office of the Hon. Prime Minister, Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports, Bakewell, Beharry Group of Companies, Ansa McAl and t h e G u y a n a To u r i s m Authority.

Entrance fee is $15,000 per team and details on registration for the tournament can be had by contacting B.L. Aaron on telephone 662-3497 and or Mark ‘Jumbie’ Wiltshire on 659-8672.

Kaieteur News

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Sunday May 22, 2022

Asher-Smith and Hodgkinson Rockaway sparkle in Diamond League Group of Companies supports Mahaica cricket

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British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith beat Olympic bronze medallist Shericka Jackson to win the women’s 100m at the Birmingham Diamond League. (AFP/Paul ELLIS)

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FP - Britain’s leading athletes Dina AsherSmith and Keely Hodgkinson powered to victory to delight a home crowd at the Diamond League meeting in Birmingham Yesterday.

Asher-Smith clocked 11.11sec to beat Olympic bronze medallist Shericka Jackson of Jamaica by one hundredth of a second for her best result so far of a season in which she is aiming to retain her world 200m title.

Hodgkinson controlled the women’s 800m to show that the surprise silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympics is in convincing form on the road to the world championships in Oregon in July.

The 20-year-old kicked hard in the home straight to open up a gap on the field and win in 1min 58.63sec from France’s Renelle Lamote.

“It’s a confidence-

booster and I want to build on it with two months to go before the world championships,” Hodgkinson told the BBC. She said she was looking forward to a “good test” when she runs against the Americans in the Oregon Diamond League next weekend.

Olympic 200 metres champion Andre De Grasse was beaten into fourth place in a disappointing men’s 100m that was deprived of American Trayvon Bromell a n d B r i t a i n ’s Z h a r n e l Hughes by false starts.

De Grasse was outclassed by Canadian compatriot Aaron Brown who won in a modest 10.13sec, with 32-year-old Jamaican Yohan Blake second in 10.18.

De Grasse’s time was a pedestrian 10.24 but he showed better form when he anchored a Canadian quartet to victory in the men’s 4x100m relay in 38.31.

Keely Hodgkinson showed she is in the right form to win world championships medals at 800m to add to her surprise Olympic silver. (AFP/Paul ELLIS)

Britain’s first-choice quartet, who were stripped of their Olympic silver medal after Chijindu Ujah failed a doping test, made a bad start to the 2022 season when Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake dropped the baton in the final changeover.

Another home favourite, Laura Muir, showed she is building back strongly from a back injury she suffered in February when the Briton won a hard-fought women’s 1500m in 4min 02.81sec, holding off Australia’s Jessica Hull. “I’m so happy, I couldn’t wish for more from my first race,” Muir said.

Hansle Parchment, who caused an upset to win the Olympic 110m hurdles title last year, set a world-leading 13.09sec to beat another Jamaican, reigning world champion Omar McLeod.

American Dalia Muhammad, the Olympic champion in 2016 and silver medallist last year, eased to victory in the women’s 400m hurdles in 54.54sec, ahead of two Ukrainians, Viktoriya Tkachuk and Anna Ryzhkova.

In the men’s high jump, Gianfranco Tamberi, who famously shared Olympic gold with Mutaz Essa Barshim in Tokyo, had to settle for second in a competition won by Canadian Django Lovett with 2.28m to the Italian’s 2.25m.

Germany’s Olympic gold medallist Malaika Mihomba leaped a worldleading 7.09m to dominate the women’s long jump.

In the men’s discus, Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh moved into the men’s alltime world top 10 with a huge throw of 71.27m.

ockaway Group of Companies has continued with its generous support for sports in Guyana. Recently, the entity’s Chief Executive Officer Hafeez Ali presented a quantity of cricket uniforms to Mahaica community. The gesture is to assist the community with the formation two cricket teams one of which is a softball team.

Ali said he is happy to be part of such venture and offered words of encouragement to the players.

Herman Persaud would like to thank Ali for his support in the community.

CEO of Rockaway Group of Companies Hafeez Ali (right) presents a jersey to Seeraj Bhimsain.

The victorious Fisherman team.

Bowlers hand Berbice 10-wicket win against Select XI

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collective effort by the bowlers handed Berbice a 10-wicket victory over The Select XI when the Guyana Cricket Board senior women’s inter county 50-over competition continued yesterday.

Tremayne Smartt triggered the slide with four wickets in her opening spell after the Select XI were inserted at Providence. She had Kareena Smith (00), Renata Liverpool (00) and Realeanna Grimmond (00) caught before uprooting the stumps of Sarah Amin (01) to reduce the Select XI to 15-4.

Grimmond disturbed the stumps of Kimberly

Sookdeo (06), while Plaffiana Millington bowled Crystal Durant (01) as the Select XI continued to lose wickets at regular intervals.

Niveena Ramnauth top scored with 12 not out, while the other batters failed to get off the mark as the Select XI were bowled out for 40 in 17 overs. Smartt claimed 4-3 off four overs while Ashmini Munisar took 2-1 and Grimmond 2-3.

Berbice responded with 41 without loss in four overs. Grimmond struck three fours and one six in an unbeaten 24 off 13 balls while Katana Mentore made 16 not out with two fours off 12 balls.

Sunday May 22, 2022

Kaieteur News

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CWI Regional FC Cricket 4 The Guyana camp erupts as Tagenarine Chanderpaul strikes the winning runs.

Paul (4-90), Smith (3-76) and Chanderpaul’s cameo take Harpy Eagles to 5-Wkt win Player of the match Tremayne Smartt accepts her prize from Omar Bacchus.

Bowlers hand Berbice 10-wicket win against Select XI

Tourism Authority supports Prime Minister Independence Domino tourney in Linden

Guyana Tourism Authority Director ag., Mr Kamrul Baksh hands over their sponsorship to Mark ‘Jumbie’ Wiltshire and Colin B.L. Aaron.

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