Kaieteur News

Africa’s anti-corruption Legend, PLO Lumumba to appear on ‘The Glenn Lall Show’

Dead: Elaine Williams

Africa’s Anti-Corruption

Legend, Patrick Loch

Otieno Lumumba is scheduledtomakeanauspiciousvirtual appearance on ‘The Glenn Lall Show’ on Kaieteur Radio 99.1 on May 27.

Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall will engage the African leader on a number of topical issues that are of nationalimportance.

Lumumba is a Kenyan who served as the Director of the Kenya AntiCorruption Commission from September2010toAugust2011.Since 2014, Lumumba has been the Director ofTheKenyaSchoolofLaw

An eloquent lawyer, Lumumba

earnedhisLLBandLLMdegreesatthe University of Nairobi. His LLM thesis is titled, ‘National Security and FundamentalRights’.

Additionally, Lumumba holds a PhD in Laws of the Sea from the University of Ghent in Belgium

Lumumba is also a staunch PanAfricanist and has delivered several powerful speeches alluding to or about AfricansolutionstoAfricanproblems.

He is also an admirer of Kwame Nkrumah the first president of Ghana, Patrice Lumumba and Thomas Sankara, the assassinated

revolutionary leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

andBurkinaFaso,respectively

Lumumba has referred to and quoted them several times in his speeches Lumumba is also remembered for his emotion-laden and energeticspeechinUgandaatthethird Anti-CorruptionConvention.

OnAugust28,2015,thePAVAnsah Foundation invited Lumumba to speak at the 2015 PAVA Forum on “Good Governanceandtiop,WhitherAfrica?”

ResearchalsoshowsthatLumumba is well respected for his attempts “to slaytheelusivecorruptiondragon.”He is also revered for his contributions in fighting corruption in an environment wherealloddswereagainsthim.

Buxtonwoman diesafterrunover bygarbagetruck

An 84-year-old woman of Sideline Dam, Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was on Tuesday afternoon killed afteragarbagetruckownedbyCevon’sWasteManagement, reversedandranoverher

ThewomanidentifiedasElaineWilliamswasreportedly killedonthespotjustafewmetersawayfromherhome. AccordingtoreportsreachingKaieteurNews,Williams was returning home from an errand when she met her demise. She is popularly known in Buxton for selling ‘pointerBrooms’.

Meanwhile,thedriverofthetruckidentifiedbyPoliceas Timothy Franklin Baynes is presently hospitalized and under police guard after residents from the area dealt him severallashesforrunningoverWilliams.

Investigationscontinue.

Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall

African Legend, PLO Lumumba

Norwegian company gets US$140 million subsea contract for 5th oil project

AkerSolutionsdisclosedthisweekthatit has been awarded a sizeable contract from ExxonMobil’s Guyana affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)toprovidedynamicandstaticsubsea umbilical for the Uaru project offshore Guyana Accordingtoastatement,thecontract isvaluedbetweenUS$46millionandUS$140 million

The contract includes delivery of three dynamic and seven static umbilicals totaling over 52 kilometers in length. Project execution,engineering,andmanufacturingwill take place at the Aker Solutions facility in Mobile,Alabama KaieteurNewsunderstands that the work will begin immediately, and deliveryisplannedforthefirstquarterof2026

TheNorwegiancompanysaidthecontract will be booked as order intake in the Subsea segmentforthesecondquarterof2023

TheUaruprojectwhichwillproduce812 millionbarrelsofoilfromtheStabroekBlock isexpectedtocostGuyanaUS$127B

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)fortheprojectstatesthatitwilldevelop theUaru,MakoandSnoekoil-richfieldswith the potentialtodevelopotherresourceswithin thelicencearea

The project scope includes drilling approximately 38-63 development wells; installation and operation of Subsea Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines (SURF) equipment, and installation and operation of a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO)vessel

A preliminary schedule anticipates that the FPSO called ‘Errea Wittu’ along with other fabrication and installation works will begin in 2024 following the completion of engineering. Development well drilling may also occur during this period.Productionoperations areexpectedtobeginin2027 and will continue for at least 20years.

WithrespecttotheFPSO, EEPGL’s Environmental ImpactAssessmentstatesthat oil production will average at 250,000barrelsofoilperday

It was keen to note that peak ratesmaybehigherduringthe lifetime of the project, dependingonmultiplefactors such as reservoir pressure, number of wells, equipment reliability,etc

It was also noted that the project will be producing 540 million standard cubic feet of gasperday

I m p o r t a n t l y , telecommunications equipment will also be installed on the FPSO to enable safe operation of the facilities in normal and emergency conditions

Kaieteur News understands that this equipment will allow communication with the offices, shore bases, support vessels, helicopters, and tankers, as well as communication within the FPSO EEPGL had previously installedtheFibreOpticCable

Project, which provides the fibre optic communication infrastructure from the StabroekBlocktoshore,enablinghigh-speed, low-latencycommunicationsanddatatransfer betweenEEPGL’sFPSOsandshore

Intermsofemployment,itwasnotedthat there will be a demand of up to 540 persons required to drill and complete the Uaru developmentwells.KaieteurNewsunderstands thatthemajorityofthesepersonnelwillworkin the offshore environment on drill ships. In addition,therewillbebetween10and15trips per week of the support vessels that will be assistingthedifferentdrillships.Mostofthese roles will require prior offshore oil and gas industryexperienceandspecializedexpertise However, the prior development of the Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2, Payara andYellowtail Projects has resulted in continuous capacity building of the workforce, as additional personnel are upskilled and given greater responsibilities

The EIA states that this will create opportunities to increase the pool of semiskilled and skilled workers that can support theproject.

Duringlong-termproductionoperations, thein-country,directoffshoreworkforcewill peak at around 100 to 160 people during periods of higher maintenance activity and duringoffloadingoftheFPSO

The EIA also states that during periods of regular operations, the workforce requirement on an FPSO is estimated to be 90to100people

Logger held with unlicensed gun after threatening to shoot mason

Essequibo logger beenarrestedbypoliceafter hewasfoundwithanillegal shotgun The logger has been identified as 20-yearoldDavidCourtman.

According to police, they received a report at around15:18hofanalleged wounding in Tapakuma backdam area, RegionTwo, and headed to the location on a tractor While arriving, police observed Courtman headingout.

He reportedly told investigatorsthathisbrother Samuel and Vinod Benjamin, a 30-year-old

Courtman escorted the police to Benjamin’s home with the intent of him being arrested for wounding his brother

W h e n t h e l a w enforcement officers arrived, Benjamin during questioning did not deny fighting with Samuel and disclosed that Samuel fell and injured his head during thescuffle.

However, while police was arresting him, he informed that Courtman hadthreatenedtoshoothim on several occasions The

allegation When asked if he owned a gun, the logger saidyes

Policediscoveredthathe was not a licensed firearm holder and pressed him to take him to the location where the weapon was stored.

Courtmantooktheranks to a clump of bushes in the area where police found a 12-gauge shotgun bearing a serial number but without ammunition.

The logger was arrested and is expected to be chargedsoon.

The illegal shotgun

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210

EDITORIAL

At a time like this

ThisisatimeforeveryGuyaneseinthenationalspaceto cometogether

It is most fitting that we do so with sincerity, with humility, with an openness to learning, and with a little giving of self, when so many have lost so much. We must bond in solidarity with our indigenous brothers, if only to extendthefraternalinthisintervalofgrimnationaltravail.

Atatimelikethis,weatthispublicationissuethissimple appeal: let us help one another by putting aside the quarreling,lookingpastthedifferences,andrisingabovethe currentparalyzingcircumstances.

This is when we manifest what kind of people we are deepdown. Itisuptoeachoneofustoshowhowmuchwe care, how much in common we share, and how we will not fear to reach out, to comfort one another, in this season of national tragedy, this interlude of incredible loss, and incomparableanguish.

Our children in faraway communities are struggling to cope. Our indigenous brothers and sisters, who now live withnumbinghorrorofhavinglostanoffspringintheworst ofsituations,needusnow

They need the cooling warmth of our solidarity in the spirit; we all need the comfort of soothing solidarity in this period of national mourning, this remorseless expanse of bittertearsandtiredhearts.

We must show how kind we can be, find the essence of ourselvestoempathizewiththepainanddistressbeingfeltin humblehomesinsmall,remotevillagesthatareonlynames tomanyofus.

If ever there was a time for the deepest expressions of national solidarity, that time is now It would be disrespectful to be otherwise, as we pay tribute to the untimelypassingoftheseyoungchildren,sofullofpromise, with so many visions for themselves, which must now go unfulfilled. Itwouldbetheworstburdenthatwecouldplace ontheparents,whohavelostlovedones,andarethemselves nowlostinahazeofpainandgrief.

Thereareallthesegrand,rushing,flashingthingsgoing onintoday'sGuyana. Now,everythingmustcometoafull stop. Forifwecannotrecognizeourdeadintheproper,most genuinemanner,thenwhatarewecapableof,whatelsecan webecountedupontobeconsiderateabout?

It would confirm our sincerity, indicate our growing maturity,thatwelooktheotherwayforthislongestoflong moments, and that the world is presented with a glimpse of thedecencyweareabletomarshal,whatweactuallycanand dodeliver

Aswereachinhelpfulsolidarity,asweextendourselves to assist, it is wise and even humane that we allow these simple, down to earth native sons and daughters of this countrythespacetogrieveasonlytheycanknowhow We mustbekeenlyaware,sensitive,abouttheneedforprivacy, that special and solemn dignity, that accompanies the death that comes to our doorstep, invade inside the thresholds of ourhearths.

There should and must be a single item that takes the foremostpriority,transcendsallotherconsiderations,every other objective. It is joining in solidarity as a people, as a nation, and help the indigenous community to weather this storm,toriseabovetheircircumstances,asdrainingasthey are. Wehaveagreatopportunitytomanageourselvesinthe bestwaypossibleinthistheworstoftimes,bybeingabout simplegraciousnessandcompellingclass.

Theworstthingthatwecandotheshatteredparents,the struggling communities, is to swarm them, to overwhelm them,inthoughtlessdisplaysthatsuitourownpurposesonly Inthistimeoftraumaandtrial,wearewisewhenweknow whentostepforward,andwiserstillwhenweareunselfish enoughtostepbackforfearofoffending,ofoversteppingthe boundsofdecencyandcivility

Wehavelostchildren,nowitisessentialthatwedonot loseoursenses. Wecanshareinquietmourningbyjustbeing there. It is the profoundest form of solidarity at a heartbreakinglypoignanttime.

Oil costs and a fair share

DearEditor,

IrefertoDr.TaraSingh's KN letter dated 5-19-2023, and captioned 'Once Capital Costs are recovered by Exxon,theflowofoilmoney willaccelerate!'.

WhileIdonotagreewith this expectation of higher profits for Guyana, I will nevertheless examine in moredetailsomeofthedata Dr Singh presented, under the assumption that the financialinformationandoil extraction data are accurate. Dr Singh wrote that at the end of March 31,2023, the total oil extracted from Liza 1 and Liza 2 was 205,759,098barrels.

Additionally, she noted thatthetotalrevenuesearned by Guyana from the extracted oil from the 205,759,098 barrels of oil was US$2 238 Billion, consisting of royalties in the amount of US$277 Million and profit oil in the amount of US$1.961 Billion. Given that Guyana received 14.5 percent of the total revenue (2percentasroyalty(R)and 12.5 percent as Profit oil (PO)), this implies that the total revenue (TR) from the sale of the oil is US$15.4 Billion, with EEPGL share being US$13.2 Billion; and

for every dollar that Guyana receives EEPGL receives $5.90(Table1). Whatisalso importantfromthedataisthe calculation of the total cost of producing 205,759,098 barrels of oil; and the averagecostofabarrelofoil, relative to the cost structure

in the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). The total cost is defined as total revenue (TR) minus total profit (TP). Since Guyana profit share is US$1 961 Billion and EEPGL profit shareisthesameasGuyana's profit share; therefore, the

total profit is US$3 922 Billion Furthermore, the total cost (TC = US$11.5 Billion) is the difference between the total revenue (US$15.44Billion)andtotal profit US$3 922Billion (Table2).

(Continuedonpage6)

All Guyana needs to do fire safety checks, Mahdia tragedy must spark major reforms

DearEditor

The Mahdia students heartwrenching tragedy that made international headlines must jolt all Guyanatobefire-safetyconscious,and majorreformsmustbeimplementedfor fire prevention, firefighting, and building codes. We do not have all the details as yet, but from what is known, there appears to be some key lapses. Theremustbeaninquiryintothisfire–probably one of the deadliest in our history

Whether there was criminal negligencewillcomeoutinaninquiry The President must be credited for his alacrityintakingcommandoflogistical responseatOgle,anddeclaringnational days of mourning. The Minister of Education was there too with many pictures showing her offering hugs and comfort. Minister Benn who was there has much work to do to push for more firefighting equipment. So nation, imagine what calamity would befall Guyana if there were to be an oil spill and Exxon does not provide full coverage for all liabilities? Can we handle it? Or each of us will be struggling to survive? It was a big job forustodealwiththishorrificfire,how will we deal with an oil spill for which there is no proper insurance and guarantees in place as yet? Will we be doomed?

There are too many unanswered questions about this dormitory and the fire.Weretherenofireextinguishersas reported? Why not? Was there only 1 dorm supervisor for a dorm with 60 people?Thereshouldhavebeenatleast 3-4 keeping watch. Did the dorm not haveseveralfirealarms?Whynot?Did children have cell phones to call for help? Did Mahdia have only 1 fire engine? How many engines in Region 8?Lotsofquestionsaboutcapabilityof the fire services. One major problem appears to be grilled windows, which became a permanent feature of homes under both the PNC and PPP regimes becauseofongoingrampantcrime.Our buildings have become prison-like fortresses to ensure our security from criminalinvasions.Severalhavediedin fires because they could not get out on time because of iron grilles. Part of the reform must be to have grilles with hinges that can open easily to permit hasty exits from buildings.AMr. Dion ThomasisreportingthattheEssequibo Technical Institute has unsafe grilles, and nobody is listening to such complaints.

About a student setting the fire, we need to have eyewitness account from thesurvivingstudents.TheMedianeeds to get to work to get the real story Let thesurvivingstudentstellthestory Has thatstudentbeenarrested?Whynot?

We understand the wrath of protesters picketing for “justice” becausetheirbrokenheartsarehurting. The PNC which issued a statement of sympathy probably has nothing to do with the protest which seemed badly timedwhenwearecollectivelynursing bleeding hearts. In the USA, schools must do mandatory fire drills, and fire inspectors do regular compliance checksandgivereports.Mr Changlee's letter calling for heads to roll at the Ministry of Education might be a little bitharshastheMinisterorMinistrydid not cause the fire (“Replace those not worthy of the responsibility given to them,”SN,May23,2023).

OurMahdiaDormchildrenmustnot dieinvain.Thepublicmustbevigilant to demand that national priorities include safety and security. We are spending US$34+ million on new ID cards–asolutionlookingforaproblem. Whyisthatapriority?Isuggestthatour Governmentspendsthatmoneyonreal urgentprioritiessuchasanationaltrash plan,firefightingandsafetyequipment, and a National Equity Plan where rural communities have equal access to education and services May God comfort our nation in this time of sorrow Maywelearnlessonsfromthis firesohistorydoesnotrepeatitself.

Sincerely,

Dr JerryJailall

Table1: ShareoftotalRevenueobtainedbyGuyanaandEEPGL totheendofMarch2023

Pause and pray and reflect on the lives lost at Mahdia

DearEditor

The Bar Council of the Bar Association of Guyana expresses its deepest condolences and sincere sympathiestothefamiliesof 19 children who tragically lost their lives in a fire at their school dormitory in Mahdia on Sunday 21st May,2023.

Today and onwards, our prayersforstrengthandhope goouttothefamilies,friends and loved ones of Adonijah Jerome, Andrea Roberts, Delecia Edwards, Ariana Edwards, Mary Dandrade, Martha Dandrade, Belnisa Evans,SabrinaJohn,Loreen Evans, Nathalie Bellarmine, BibiJeffrey,EulandaCarter, Omerfia Edwin, Losa Roberts, Nickleen Robinson, Sherena Daniels, Cleoma Simon, Tracil Thomas and Lorita

Henry Jeffrey brings Naipaul and Fanon alive, but for the wrong reasons

Williams, and the communityofMahdia.

We also remember all those who were injured during this tragedy and are either recovering or require intense care. We pray for their full and speedy recovery We also wish to unreservedly commend the effortsofallfirstresponders who immediately and fearlessly responded to this tragedytoreducelossoflife suffered by the people of Mahdia.

In the coming days, we call on all Guyanese to pause,prayandreflectonthe livesofsomeofourNation's brightest souls now lost by thistragedy

BestRegards, Mr Keoma

Secretary

D.Griffith

The Bar Association of Guyana

Electric Bikes Laws

DearEditor

1. Electric bikes are a controversial means of transportation It is very beneficial to the lower income population across thecountry

2 The new laws concerning these bikes are a bittoostringent.Itwouldnot be manageable for most of the population, mainly the older folks who are benefitting from it widely Also used by many disabled persons.

3.Manydisabledpersons across the nation is using thesebikesdaily

4. The abusing of these bikes by youngsters is knownbutnotacceptable.

5. It is very difficult for

persons living in housing schemesandinbacklandsto reach the public road, schools,workplaceetc.The bikes are making they lives easierbutprovidingacheaper cost of transportation rather thanTaxi.

6 I acknowledge the accidents these bikes cause daily,ButIsuggestthetraffic office & the Government come together and educate thepeopleontheusage.Also makelawstoguidethem.

7. I also suggest that an Agelimitcanbeputinplace and provide a yearly license forridingorevenjustletthe riders have an ID card presentwhileriding.

Regards ZakirAlly

IRRESPONSIBILITY

DearEditor

Theonlythinglefttosayaboutthetragediesandmissteps pervading in my country is for all present parliamentary politicianstogivethepeopleawelldeservedbreakfromthe endlessineptitudeandtoquitforthwith,vamoose.

I speak for the dead children and all who hurt from the incompetenceofthesejerks.Saveusthetroubleofhavingto turnyouallout.

Regards

JohnDeBarros

DearEditor

In a recent letter in Kaieteur News (5/21/2023)

Dr HenryJeffreyfiredoffa longandemotionaloutburst about oppression, a performance that in my view, brings to life V.S. Naipaul'sessayonpower(in t h e O v e r c r o w d e d Barracoon). It also begs the psychoanalytic work of Frantz Fanon. Although the piece begins by invoking Aristotle, there is little evidence of “political science” in it Instead, readers are subjected to a litany of predictable talking points associated with that electoral deadbeat, the WPA. Instead of Aristotle, the one-time ardent supporterofthePPP,should have more properly begun his remonstrations with TacumaOgunseye.Itshould alsobenotedthatFanonhad rejectedAristotleasusefulin the analysis of colonial domination.

V.S.Naipaulwascritical of Afro-Caribbean political rhetoric because of the tendency towards style and performance Grand performance that is! Performance such as the speechesdeliveredbyL.F.S. Burnham Like Mr Burnham, the letter under consideration here is built a r o u n d i d i o m a t i c expressions of historical suffering, all the while ignoring the author's own highlyactiveparticipationin government, the latter now offered up as a sacrificial lamb.

I have always insisted that slavery was more than an economic crime. It was also a crime against humanity,andworse,acrime thatdeniedhumanity Itwas a systematically organized and executed machinery of racialpowerthatobliterated peoples, communities, selves,andagreatdealofthe future.Yes, I agree. But one must also be mindful of Frantz Fanon's warning, if indeed that is what it was.

Fanon wrote “I will not make myself the man of the

past.Idonotwanttosingthe past to the detriment of my present and my future” (Black Skin: White Masks, 1952) Fanon, the revolutionary psychiatrist, obviously knew well the temptationsofpowerhehad found in many an aspiring leader And one way or another,allofusinthisland need to talk about Fanon's construction of personal identity outside of the guarantee of absolution embodied in narratives of oppression. He put it thus –“in no way does my basic vocation have to be drawn from the past of peoples of color”(1952,201).

These must have been incredibly difficult words forFanon.Thesewerewords that must have allowed him to break free from a consciousness, a state of mind,whichhad“hemmed” him in for so long. It would be wrong to universalize F a n o n ' s o w n 'deliverance 'But unlike Fanon's courageous exit from the past in service of his own renewal, the letter underconsiderationhereisa perfect illustration of a refusal to take history in your own hands. Instead, history is simply a permanent alibi, always available,alwaystheretobe used and abused whenever theoccasiondemandsit.

The following quotation from that letter highlights how past oppression (through colonization and s l a v e r y ) i s u s e d symbolically in the present, to serve the politics of the present. Here is the quote “[t]hecolonialistsmayhave feltthemoralcompulsionto behave secretly but today, moreentrenchedthaneverin our ethnic quarrel, the PPP has thrown such caution to thewind:'goodlife'forallis a forlorn hope.” And again “[i]t is most unlikely that nearly 200 years after the abolition of slavery, the successorsofthosefreemen will in any substantial number allow the PPP's blatant attempt at vote

buying to cause them to relinquish that freedom that wassodearlywon.”

Well,Dr Jeffreyhimself did more than vote for the PPP/C.HewasaPPP/Cman for sixteen years! He ran more than one ministry and hadthepowertobringabout change. The social forces that he now supports had state power for five years recently and if they were successful at their grand rigging attempt they would stillbeenthere.Before1992 the ones that Dr Jeffrey claims are oppressed had statepowerfortwenty-eight (28)years.

In other words, the comrades that are being represented as oppressed had power for 33 years, and when they didn't, they had Dr Henry Jeffrey in office, at the highest level, for sixteen years. I doubt that 200yearsafterslaveryAfroGuyanese in Georgetown would not see the utter absurdityofferedtothem.

Thereisalotintheletter about the distribution of contracts. Two things are important here. Firstly, no one should be surprised that there is a shortage of AfroGuyanese contractors. The shortage is in part due to intellectuals in that

community, and especially from the WPA and the old PNC, which have for decades raged against business They associate business with exploitation, of economic accumulation. They tell young people that business is evil, that they should instead aim for a decent job in the public service,ortheprofessions.

Secondly, it is necessary here to repeat what I said to Mr Nigel Hughes in a previous letter If you know o f a n y c a s e s o f discriminationagainstAfroGuyanese contractors, then take the matter to court. We have a good judicial system and relief can be sought. I would further like to know what Dr Jeffrey did during his sixteen years in high office to solve any of the problemshethinkexists.For those who do not know, Dr Jeffrey performance was such that he was no longer entertained in the Jagdeo administration.

I close with some words from Naipaul that seem relevant to the letter I have engaged – “Opportunism or borrowed jargon may [be used to] define phantom enemies…”

Sincerely

Dr.RandolphPersaud

Oil costs and a fair...

Frompage4

Given that 205.7 million barrels of oil was extracted, it therefore implies that the averagecostofabarrelofoil is:Totalcost(TC)dividedby the number of barrels of oil (NBO)whichisUS$55.98.

Comparingthiscostwith thecoststructureinthePSA, which states that 75 percent oftherevenueisallocatedto cost, indicates that the PSA total cost is US$11 58 Billion, yielding an average costperbarrelofUS$56.28, which is larger than the actual cost per barrel by thirty cents per barrel (table2). In my previous letter (KN: 5-162023—https://www.kaieteur newsonline.com/2023/05/1 6/inequity-in-the-uaruproject/), it was stated that the average cost of a barrel of oil was estimated at US$52 50 Furthermore, comparing the average cost per barrel of oil, US$ 55.98, US$56.28 and US$52.50, it is clear that Guyana under current arrangements is a high-cost producer that is moreexpensivethanseveral countries Equally disturbing is the idea that several cost items such as taxes and environmental insurance, among other

costs,arenotincludedinthis calculation; and these costs will have to be paid from Guyana's meager 14 5 percent share of the total oil revenue.

In an OILNOW report (https://oilnowgy/news/atimeline-of-exxonmobilsguyana-oil-developmentprojects/), it is stated that LizaPhase1andLizaPhase 2 haveatotalendowmentof 1,050 million barrels of oil equivalent, which would be the estimates established by experienced geologists and oilspecialists.Currently,the extraction from these two operations of 205,759,098 barrels is approximately 20 percent of the endowment. How long will it take EPGL to extract the remaining 80 percent (844,240,902 barrels) is unknown; and untilthe85.5percentoftotal revenue for EEPGL is changed, Guyana will continue to receive crumbs, from which it pays EEPGL taxes,issuefaketaxreceipts, and pay other costs from its meager 14.5 percent of total revenue Additionally, acknowledging that President Routledge said that if “we try to change the contract,theinvestmentwill stop ” (KN: 5-22-2023,

Mahdia's tragedy, the pain

https://wwwkaieteurnewso nline com/2023/05/22/nothi ng-more-for-guyana-fromexxonmobil/),it is clearthat EEPGL does not hold Guyana's interest and sovereignty in a positive light, for after all we are Non-Owner Associates in a PSA that does not mean 'Production Sharing Agreement', but instead, it means 'Please Stand Aside', for here comes the real owners of Guyana's endowment, the EEPGL stockholders. Furthermore, since Guyana is not a shareholderinEEPGL,even though we own the endowment, I have some cautionary words for Dr. Singh who wrote: 'Once Capital Costs are recovered by Exxon, the flow of oil money will accelerate!' Really, Dr Singh? As our heroes and heroines of old had to fight for everything that upholds our human dignity, we Guyanese will havetofightforanequitable share of the cake for our future generations, because crumbs do not qualify as cake!

Sincerely,

Dr. C. Kenrick Hunte Professor and Former Ambassador

DearEditor

My pain is unbearable, andifthisbemine,thenthat of the Indigenous Guyanese communityhastobebeyond the blood of anguish that I sweat, the convulsions that wrack. Oh! The horror and agony of 19 young schoolchildren,theflowerof indigenous womanhood, trapped in a cage and savaged by fire, then transformed into human pyres.

There is nothing remaining of them, but the bitterestashes inthemouths of parents maddened by grief, and a community struckinthecruelestmanner, from both loss and the incredible contempt that came in the wake of their untimely,harrowingdeaths.

All the right words and phrases are uttered, but they meannothing.

Therewillbethreedays of national mourning, but with a careful eye to completethatinconvenience in time for the usual Independence Day fun and frolic.

How can this be, even contemplated,whenGuyana hasjusthadtheequivalentof amasskilling. Whatkindof people are we? Of which goddoweclaimtobe? What has happened to our humanity, or does this not

extend to the indigenous people?

Nineteen gone, and we cannot even give them our time, our attention, our hearts.

Surely, Indigenous life cannotbethisdevalued,this cheap.

One can only imagine theoutrage,theexplosionof emotion and passion, if it were children other than Indigenous children, who had died like this, as prisoners, when their only crime was wanting an education, hoping to be somebody

Surely, these dead Indigenous young are due some dignity, unlike what they got, where they met theirgruesomeend,inacage ofsteelandconcrete.

My heart is wrenching, whenthethoughtcomesthat the only feature that was missing had to be surroundingbarbwiretoseal the crematorium that is now their final place of stealthy restlesssleep.

It was what came like a thief in the night, and snatched their breaths, their life, away, with powerful authority, with fearsome finality They had no chance. They were as good asdead. Andnow,therushis for this to be over and done with, so that the festivities

couldnotbeinterrupted.

Oh,theurgeistocallfor 'heads to roll', and there are many,andofthattheremust be at the proper time and place. Presently,thepriority is for the Indigenous community to bury these young beloveds, these now foreverlostones.

Amid the ugly official formality, I call upon my people, my own indigenous sistersandbrothers,grieving mothersandhelplessfathers, let us do our duty and bury our dead with love in our hearts and dignity in our steps. It is at times like this that the Guyana Indigenous community, none like those strickenparents,whoselives have been ripped to shreds, know what it is to live the soaring, immortal words of thatgreatGreekphilosopher, Aeschylus:

“Even in our sleep, pain whichcannotforget falls drop by drop upon theheart until,inourowndespair, againstourwill, comes wisdom through theawfulgraceofGod.”

I pray for the parents. I pray for the Indigenous Guyanese community I prayforGuyana. Lord,give us the strength and courage. Giveusthegrace.

Yoursfaithfully,

MervynWilliams

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

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Let us pause….

How we dignify our dead, emphasizes our humanity.

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

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How we respect them, reflects how we respect ourselves.

We pause for a poignant moment for these children.

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BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

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We hurt for their hurting parents.

We reach to support family, community, and people.

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

A photo of the scene where Kevin was crushed to death.

Mancrushedtodeath byconcretebeam

A concrete beam fell on a labourer on Tuesdayataround10:45hrsandkilledhimin Buddy’scompoundlocatedonSheriffStreet, Georgetown.

Themanwasidentifiedbyhisworkmates only as Kevin of Sophia, Greater Georgetown Kevin along with his colleagues was involved in construction workonthebuildingwhentragedystruck.

One witness told reporters that he left Kevin and went to buy them some energy

Couple freed of narcotrafficking charge

Freed from a narco-trafficking charge, Shelroy Clarke and Patricia Grant

drink.Whenhereturned,henoticedthatpart of the building had caved. He called out for Kevinbutgotnoresponse.Hesubsequently saw Kevin motionless and partially buried underneathconcreteslabs.

Based on photographs seen by Kaieteur News Kevin’s upper body appeared to have beencrushedunderneaththeconcrete. Investigations are ongoing to determine whatcouldhavecausedtheconcretebeamto collapseonhim.

The Sparendaam Magistrate’sCourthasfreed a couple from a marijuana trafficking charge when the trialconcludedrecently Shelroy Clarke, 34 and Patricia Grant 29, Goedverwagting,EastCoast Demerara (ECD) were charged on May 2, 2021 for trafficking marijuana after police reportedly found some 867.8 grammes of the drugsattheirhome.

Attorney, Bernard Da Silva represented them couple during the two-yearlong trial and after listening to their defense case, the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court ruled that they were not guilty of the charge.

Grant, the woman was freed on April 25, after the presiding Magistrate,Alisha George upheld that prosecution made a no case submission against the defendant.

Grant’s husband grant was freed almost a month later on Tuesday May 23 after the magistrate agreed with Da Silva’s argument thattheprosecutionfailedto prove beyond reasonable doubtthatthedrugsfoundin his client’s possession belongedtohimandwerefor thepurposeoftrafficking.

The prosecution’s witness had told the court that Shelroy had made an oral statement to police

during his arrest that the drugs might be his According to the witness Shelroy had said “I know whoinformonme,thisthing just come here” while his wiferemainedsilent.

Da Silva however, challenged the witness’ claim arguing that prosecutiondidnothaveany evidence to prove that his client had made such a statement “Defence contends that: there is no evidence submitted to this honourable Court to support any such oral statement, consequentlytherecanbeno relianceonthisstatementby the prosecution”, Da Silva reportedlytoldthecourt.

The Mahdia Secondary School has had its problems in the past

Ma h d i a Secondary School, the scene of this week's tragedy has had its problems before. Theschoolhasnotoftenbeen in the news but mostly when it did it was for the wrong reasons.

As far as is known, Mahdia Secondary School is one of only three secondary schools in Region 8. The others are Kato Secondary School and the Paramakatoi Secondary School The vastness of the region, the limited number of students and the long distances which some have to travel to attend school made it necessary for dormitoriestobeestablished. And yet despite its many isolated and far-flung communities, Region 8 has had an impressive rate of primary school enrollment.

In fact between 2014 and 2018,itsenrollmentratewas far better than Region 4's enrollment rate But enrollmentdoesnottranslate to attendance. The Region has fared poorly in this area, andthisfactwouldhavealso informed the decision to buildschooldormitories.

However, having dormitories come with its problems. The students do not have their own rooms or even shared rooms. They sleepinthepresenceofothers and therefore privacy is a problem.Thelackofprivacy isknowntoincreasethelevel of stress and inconvenience experienced by children. It could also distract students from studying; in fact it is difficult to imagine how studentscanstudyeffectively

in a dormitory housing dozensofchildren.

With students now havingallkindsofgadgeton which they can play and listen music, this can be anotherproblem.

Then there is the noise which is created when students get together to have fun before lights out. In an environment where dozens ofstudentsarehousedinone facility, there is bound to be personality conflicts This canleadtofightsandstrained relations.

Having students housed in dormitories greatly increases the risk of the spreadofinfectiousdiseases. And this poses health risks for the school population. A virusspreadinginadormcan forcetheclosureoftheentire school

Personal safety is major issue. Students, especially female students have to be protected from intruders includelarcenists.

Insomecasesthetheftis done by fellow students Schools with dormitories in Guyana also have problems peculiar to Guyana. A few yearsago,theKaieteurNews highlighted situations where students we being forced to fetch whether to bathe and washandinanotherinstance they were forced to gather and fetch firewood for cooking. This was certainly not the reasons why their parents sent them to dormitoryschools.

And then there are the necessary restrictions which can become intrusive and which,aswehaveseen,pose a serious threat to safety in

Dem Boys Seh...

the event of an emergency. Over the years, the Mahdia SecondarySchoolhashadits fairshareoftroubles.Infact, the school has exhibited much of the problems associated with having dormitories.

At one time, a former male student of the school was found in the female dormitory This would have no doubt led to tighter security measures which in themselvescouldhaveledto difficulties in exiting the female dormitory during Mondaymorning'sfire.

At another time, there were complaints about the lighting in the compound of theschoolsdormitory Itwas the community policing group which had discovered thisproblemandbroughtitto the attention of the authorities There were concerns about the threat it posed to the security of the studentsthere.

The problems were not only limited to students Even teachers have had complaints A few years back, a headmistress of the schoolhadcomplainedabout the insanitary conditions in thebuildinginwhichshewas designated to live. She was l a t e r p r o v i d e d accommodation in a guest house. But this proved even more abysmal since it was claimed that the conditions therewerenotmuchbetter

Ten years ago, it was reported in the media that a teacher of the school was caught semi-nude with a student The student was foundatthelivingquartersof the teacher The regional

authorities and police were called in. The media did not seem too interested in following up on this report whichitpublicised.

There have also been para-normal and abnormal developments at Mahdia Secondary School In November 2012, classes had tobesuspendedafterareport that some female students had showed signs of being possessed by evil spirits. On a n o t h e r o c c a s i o n ,

pandemonium broke out after some children began to scream and contort their bodies as if possessed by demons.Intheensuingmelee damage was done to the schoolproperty

The school comes under the control of the Regional DemocraticCouncilandthat Council will have a lot of questions to be answered a b o u t t h e r e c e n t development But the educational authorities will

have to determine whether the stigma which will be caused by this tragic fire should not lead to a relocationofthisschool.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaperanditsaffiliates.)

A

song for our departed children

Inthelandofinnocence,wheredreamssoaredlikeakiteinthesky, Theragingflamestookyoufromusandleftuswithapainwecannotdeny Oh!childrensoyoung,sosmart,thoughyou'renolongerwithus, Yourspiritcannotbedestroyed.

Chorus: “Fly,youngones,flytoyourheavenlypalace. Youneverhadtimetosaygoodbye,tomakethatlastphonecallorsendatext, Thoughyourtimewithuswasshort,yourfootprintsremainandwillnotdisappearwith thewashingtide.”

Werecallthefuntimeswehad,thelightlaughter

Likethemorningbreeze,yoursmileslituptheday,yourheartswerepure.

NowyoudancewiththestarsandsitbesidetheGods;yourspiritsarefree. Youlookdownbutwecannotseenortouchyou;butweknowyouarethere.

Chorus: “Flyyoungones,flytoyourheavenlypalace, Youneverhadtimetosaygoodbye,tomakethatlastphonecallorsendatext, Thoughyourtimewithuswasshort,yourfootprintsremainandwillnotdisappearwith thewashingtide.”

Westringthismelodyforyou;nodancingallowed. Mayyourspiritsfindpeace,wherefearandhurtcannottouchyou. Restnow,sweetchildren,inyourheavenlypalace.

There is a time for mourning- it is now

We must go on, though our hearts are breakingwithpainthatisso unbelievable as to be i n t o l e r a b l e a n d unmanageable.

Onward we must go, despiteoureyesoverflowing withscaldingtears.

It is the only thing not chilled, cold to the bone, frozenstiff,inGuyanaatthis time,foreventhesunseems faded and lacking its usual warmembrace,asthoughin recognitionofthisgreyestof greyGuyanesehour

How we go on I do not know, but go on we must Strength will come, wisdom will be found, and that indefinable something called faith will lift up and carryusthroughthisendless day It will carry us on foot and upon back through all

the other days that will remindusofMahdia,andof 19 young strangers, almost all daughters and sisters, with one little son and brother, consumed in a scorching, searing inferno thatsweptthemalloutofour embrace, away from this earthlypale.

Mahdia,themotherofall fires, with its raging, vengeful,destructivepathos, hasleftusterriblywounded, with limping on our sore, swollen,heels,anddragging with wretched spirits too numb to respond to the commandsofaguidingmind impaled by the horror, transfixed by the shadow of death from an irresistible wallof flameand fieryfury

As a community, the indigenous people that are our own, must grieve first, then rise up; and we from

nearandfarmustgivethema shoulder to lean on and straightenup,aneartolisten to, if only to keep them going.

This is a time of mourning and grieving, and suchisthestatethatIcannot tell the difference between oneortheother,orifthereis any at all. It is at times like these that these instinctive humanconcernsshouldgive way,mustnotmatter Whatmattersisthatwe mournasapeople,wecryas a national community, and weoffersolacetoeachother as citizens of this scorched, sometimes so wretched earth.

Yes! this is a time for mourning. There will be time enough for all those other things, those many other thoughts that must be stilled today, and the

abundance of ideas, that I hope will help us knit and heal. In times of great humantragedylikethese,we must learn; for if cannot bring ourselves to do that, thenwemightbeasgoodas dead ourselves, only we don'tknowit.

We must learn how to grow; and grow we must beyondourcurrentinflamed state, our present imprisoning limitations Our children (yes, they are ours) have been burnt to death in the worst of conflagrations with no way out, no room for one struggling breath of saving oxygen.

Let us-me and you-give lifetotheirmemory,totheir short youthful steps on the lushsoil of this richest of emerald swards. Let us honor our fallen young, let us manifest the strength and authenticity to respect our dead now departed forever, by how we pay tribute to them, how we treat each other

As this nation mourns, let us in our private grief, remember that there are thesesimple,saltoftheearth people set in those distant villages around Mahdia that are nestled at the feet of

mountains. They aretheparentswho have lost children, and we must identify with their piercing, bludgeoning, crippling pain.

We succeed in doing so in the best possible manner, with the highest regard for their sorrow, when we hold offontheangeratwhatwent wrong,atwhoisatfaultand should be blamed, and of what consequences there must be. There will come the time for that long moment of hard, honest national self-examination, for an accounting of what should have been, but wasn't Of those lengthy national post-mortems, I am sure there will be, but I appeal that they be in the propertime,andalwayswith a mind focused on the victims and their hurting, punishing survivors of the same flesh and the same blood.

The horrible is compounded by the harrowing: more than one dead in a family; more than one or two or three gone by leaping, reaching, incinerating tongues of fire inasmallvillagethatisjusta name to a stranger, an

untutoredone,likeme.

Thisisatimeofweeping and wailing, and I say let it be.

Letitbeinthecatharsis of release, in any flood of tears, any expression of the pain that twitches and tortures, and torments in torrentsalmosttoomuchfor humanstobear

But bear we must, and it is our duty, it my responsibility, to help those wholosttoknow,tobelieve, to accept that they will live again.

I don't know how, only that the flood of grief must be replaced with the grace andgoodnessthatcomesout of nowhere, and step by inexorable step teaches us how to start over and to be some semblance of ourselvesagain.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)

Countrieswillnowhavetoexplainrationalefor fast-trackingoil,mininglicences -NewEITIRules

The Board for the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) has agreed to several changes to its Standard, one of which includes a new demand for countries to explain their rationale for fast-tracking oil and mining licences.

The full list of rules that comprise the 2023 EITI Standard

willbelaunchedonJune13,atthe EITI’s upcoming Global ConferenceinDakar,Senegal.

The Board in a statement explained that the updated requirements for the 2023 EITI Standard have been agreed by representatives of countries, companies, and civil society organisations participating in the

EITI Board. The Board also noted that the 2023 EITI Standard strengthens EITI disclosures and governance requirements to improve understanding of the impact of the energy transition, address corruption risks, promote gender equity and strengthen revenuecollection.

“The global shift towards a

low-carbon economy will have a range of impacts on the citizens of resource-rich countries,” said HelenClark,EITIBoardChair The official added, “Astrength of the EITI has been to adapt to current and evolving challenges. Those associated with the energy transition are now reflected in the EITI Standard I commend

governments,companies,andcivil society on working together to achieve consensus on these revisions I look forward to presenting the 2023 EITI Standard to stakeholders at the EITI Global ConferenceinJune.”

Since it was first introduced in 2013,theEITIStandardhas Continued on page 22

Devastating Mahdia fire highlights need for implementation of adequate safety, prevention measures — Civil society advocates

While it is very tragic and saddening, the recent fire at a high school dormitory at Mahdia, Region Eight exposes a greater social problem, the lack of implementation and enforcementofadequatefire safety and prevention measures.

Civil society advocates, who joined in mourning the deaths of the 19 children who died on Sunday night, arecallingontheauthorities to implement better fire prevention policies and

framework for public buildings.

While he expressed condolences to the parents andfamilymembersofthose who died in the fire, businessman and founding member of civil society group ‘Article 13’, Dr Yog Mahadeo noted it is a very costlylessonforGuyana.

Dr. Mahadeo noted that firesthattookplaceatpublic buildings point to the need for the government to examine policies and framework for public

buildingswithregardstofire safetyandprevention.

“We must ask ourselves whatisthefirecodeforthese publicbuildings.Lookatthe Police HQ.... and then look at the School in Mahdia and let’s ask where there fire drills?What [building] code is in place and how effectively are they revised and practised?” Dr. Mahadeo said therefore that the time to start the assessment of schools and publicbuildingisnow

“Let the public be

assured that code, drills, practicesessions,andallthe relevant safety protocols are certified in all schools and public buildings. We cannot and must not let this lesson belostinvain,”hesaid.

US-based Guyanese transparency advocate, Dr. Jerry Jailall also shared similar views. He noted that fire prevention, safety, and building codes enforcement should get a higher priority after lessons learned from eachfirethatoccurredatthe building.

“We move from one fire to the next and very little remains unchanged With Government buildings costing so much these days, we hope that proper fire prevention and fire safety featuresarebeingincluded.

Even where there are rules and laws and regulations, supervision is weakandenforcementislax. Thereneedstobeaninfusion

of a large dose of accountability in the process.Wemustmodernize our building codes to match today’s science on building constructionandsafety,”Dr Jailallsaid.

He noted too that all publicbuildingsshouldhave warningsystemssuchasfire alarms,smokedetectorsand alarms, sprinkler systems

and fire extinguishers in eachbuilding.

According to Dr Jailall, Government buildings must set the standard. This must be supported by regular site visits where inspectors give reports on each visit and follow up to make sure violationsareaddressed.

TheUS-basedGuyanese

Continuedonpage22

US-based Guyanese, Dr. Jerry Jailall ‘Article 13’founding member, Dr. Yog Mahadeo

Mahdiadormfire… Survivors to be flown to Georgetown for further assessment –Pres.Ali

Inadditiontotheninegirlswho were flown to the city on Monday followingthedevastatingfireatthe Mahdia Secondary School dormitory,RegionEight,President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday announced that in relation to those who survived, preparation has been made for them to be flown to Georgetown for further medical assessment.

The President made the announcement yesterday where he gaveanupdateonthegirlswhoare hospitalised and the government’s planmovingforward.

Opening his briefing, the President said that a number of bodies were burnt beyond recognition. Due to this, Guyana has received help from Barbados whereaspecializedteamarrivedon Tuesday morning to help with Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) sampling.

Herelatedthattheteamisinthe process of collecting all samples fromtheremainsandoftheparents after which those samples will be packaged and transferred

sometimeonWednesday(today)to MountSinai,inNewYork.

“Thesampleswouldhavetobe flown to Mount Sinai labs in New York, we had to use the Mount SinailabsinNewYorkbecausethis labprovidetheshortestreturntime in terms of the result,” he explained.

School students across the country on Tuesday paid tribute to the 19 children who died and those who are injured following the Mahdia Secondary School’s dormitory fire on Sunday. (Photo courtesy, President Irfaan Ali Facebook page)

President Ali shared that the matching results are expected to return to Guyana on Friday, May 26. Kaieteur News had reported that while post mortem examinationshavebeenconducted onsomesixbodies,13bodieswere scheduledtoundergoDNAtesting.

ThePresidentexplainedthatin relation to the nine girls that were initially admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), three are in theIntensiveCareUnit(ICU),two of whom are deemed critical. He noted that another two girls are in

theHigh-DependencyUnit(HDU) andareconsideredtobeinastable condition and are improving. In relation to the other four girls, he said they are in the open ward and arealsoimproving.

Inrelationtothosewhowere Continued on page 24

Subrina John, one of the students who will be buried today in her village at Karisparu, Region Eight.

dormfire…

Police confirms female student started fire, file to be sent to DPP

Guyanese paid tribute to the 19 victims of the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory fire on Tuesday night at the Umana Yana where a candle light vigil was held.

TheGuyanaPoliceForce (GPF) on Tuesday confirmed that a female student of the Mahdia Secondary School reportedly started the fire that claimed the lives of 18 girlsanda5-year-oldboy.It is unclear if the girl is in PoliceCustodyatthistime.

Several of the students were interviewed in the presence of a Probation Officer,andstatementswere taken. The report on the fire will be sent today to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC for legaladvice.

Around 23:00 hours on Sunday night, fire ravaged through the female dormitory of the secondary school. At the time of the fire, there were 57 female students in the dormitory which is a one-flat concrete building measuring about 100 feet by 40 feet, with several windows, all grilled, andwithfivedoors.

ThePoliceintheirreport said investigations so far revealed that a female student is suspected of having set the devastating

fire because her cellular phonewastakenawaybythe dorm mother, Carletta Williams,andateacher.

Afemale student related to the police that they were asleep and were awakened by screams. Upon checking, they saw fire/smoke in the bathroom area, which quickly spread in the building, causing several students to receive burns to their bodies and smoke inhalation, whilst several managedtoescape.

Fire fighters and public spiritedpersonshadtobreak thewallsofthedormtofree thegirlsthatweretrappedin theinferno.

The injured students were taken to the Mahdia District Hospital and were seen,examinedandadmitted by doctors. At the hospital, five of the female students werepronounceddead. Asearch was carried out in the building, which was completely destroyed by the fire, and fourteen burnt remains of human beings werefound.

According to the Police, the scene is presently secured and guarded by

ranks as investigations continue.

The names of the children who died on Sundayare:

1.AdonijahJerome

2.TracilThomas

3.LisaRoberts

4.DeleciaEdwards

5.LoritaWilliams

6.NatalieBellarmine

7.ArrianaEdwards

8.CleomaSimon

9.SubrinaJohn

10.MarthaD’Andrade

11. (and twin) Mary D’Andrade

12.BelnisaEvans

13.LoreenEvans

14.OmerfiaEdwin

15.NickleenRobinson

16.SherenaDaniels

17.EulandaCarter

18.AndreaRoberts

19.RitaJeffrey

Kaieteur News had reported that the 5-year-old Adonijah was the son of the dorm mother Mayor of Mahdia, Mr David Adams had explained that Williams hasherownapartmentthatis attached to the female dormitorybuilding.

“I understand when she was alerted to the fire, she

rushed out of her apartment andrantosavethem,leaving hersonbehind.Itwasduring thechaosthathersonended

upperishinginthefire,”Mr Adamssaid.

Mayor Adams also said, “It was compounded by the

fact that we only have one fire tender in the town ship andwhatmadeitalso

Continuedonpage24

ChiefPrisonOfficerdiesinMelaniecrash

ChiefPrisonOfficerattachedto the Guyana Prison Service (GRS), Patrick Perry on Monday lost his life after the motorcar he was driving crashed into a sand heap along the Melanie Public Road, EastCoastDemerara(ECD).

According to information reaching this publication, the fatal accident occurred just around 23:55hrs.

Itwasreportedthat36-year-old Perry of Lot 57 Victoria Road, Plaisance, ECD was heading west along the southern side of the MelaniePublicRoad,reportedlyat a fast rate of speed, when he lost control of his vehicle while negotiatingaleftbendontheroad.

Asaresult,thevehiclecollided

withaheapofsandstationedonthe southern parapet and toppled severaltimes,policesaid.

Due to the impact, Perry was flungoutofthevehicleandlanded ontheroadway,wherehereceived injuries about his body He was seen and examined by the Emergency Medical Team (EMT) at Melanie, where he was pronounceddead.

Perry’s body was then taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital’s mortuary and is awaiting a postmortemexamination.

In a statement, the Prison Service said it mourns the loss of two of its officers, Perry and TerrenceGordon.

According to the GPS, Gordon

wasonSundayeveninginvolvedin an accident at Loo Creek area on theLinden-SoesdykeHighway

Gordon, who is attached to the LusignanPrison,wastravellingina motorcar when a tire blowout is believed to have caused the driver to lose control before the vehicle veered off the highway and overturned.

Both Gordon and the driver wererushedtotheLindenHospital Complex,wherethePrisonOfficer diedwhilereceivingtreatment. Meanwhile,DirectorofPrison, Nicklon Elliot, said both Gordon andPerrydidtheirjobsandtheydid exactly what was expected from prisonofficers.

“Mr Elliot expressed sincere

Prison Officer, Terrence Gordon

anddeepestcondolencesonbehalf oftheGuyanaPrisonService,tothe families,friends,andcolleaguesof the two officers. He also sent prayers that all those grieving the

Guyana Prison Service, Chief Prison Officer, Patrick Perry

twodeathswillbegrantedcomfort during this difficult and trying period,”thestatementnoted. Further, the Prison Head urged PrisonOfficersandotherdriversto be more responsible and adhere to the road safety regulations when traversingtheroadways.

‘Superman’remanded for breaking into pensioner’s home

Andy Persaud called ‘Superman’was on Monday remanded for breaking into a pensioner’s home at Hope, West Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and stealing fromher Thedefendant,a31-year-oldmanalsoof

Hope, West Enmore, made his court appearanceattheCoveandJohnMagistrates’ CourtbeforeMagistrateFabayoAzore.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge of Break and Enter and Larceny and was remandeduntilJune23,2023.

Remanded for stealing for pensioner

Holness turns down salary hike; makes slight changes to Cabinet

Jamaica ObserverPrime Minister Andrew HolnessonMondaysaidthat he will not accept the salary increase granted to him under the public sector compensation review, stating that, as leader of the country, he has a duty to show solidarity with Jamaicans who are experiencing economic hardships.

He also announced a minimal reshuffle of the Cabinet, cutting one ministry, while pulling into the executive new Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon as minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) responsible for skills and digital transformation.

Additionally, the prime minister said that job d e s c r i p t i o n s a n d performance evaluations, which were previously drafted, will be immediately implementedforthepolitical directorate.

Holness and his Government have been taking heavy flak over massive salary increases grantedtoCabinetministers, Members of Parliament ( M P s ) a n d p a r i s h councillors.

The increases, which rangeashighas200percent, were announced in Parliament last Tuesday by Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke. At the time, the Oppositionstatedthatittook no issue with the new salaries. However, by the next morning it issued a release objecting to the increases.

On Monday, during a news conference streamed from Jamaica House, Holness reiterated the Administration's argument that the improved salaries will attract talent to the publicsector.

"There are many Jamaicans who understand the bigger picture of having an incentive-compatible system, where jobs — as a s s e s s e d b y t h e i r responsibility, skills and time—arepaidproximateto market, and where responsibilities align with compensation," the prime ministersaid.

"Such systems usually attract the best talents, and benefit greatly from innovation and productivity

Thiscompensationreviewis the most objective evaluationwe'vehadofjobs in the public sector It is the most objective pegging of jobs proximate to market value that we've had," he insisted.

"The process, though objective, has yielded increases for ministers which, again, though commensurate to their roles and duties, [are] considered unfairrelativetoadjustments of other groups," Holness said.

"This springs from a historic distrust of the political class and a deep belief that some politicians are only looking out for themselves.Quiteapartfrom the skills and efforts they bring to the job and the responsibilitiestheybear,for which they should be compensated,thereisalsoan expectation that politicians must show solidarity with the suffering of the people. Given the stage of the development of our democracy, these feelings should not be ignored," he said.

Arguing that there is need for an efficient compensation system that aligns compensation with effort and responsibility, Holness said that, nevertheless, it is important that the country is assured that its leader, symbolically and truthfully, understands citizens'concerns.

"As your leader, I do. Therefore, I have directed the Transformation Implementation Unit to remove the prime minister's compensation from the new salary scale The prime minister'scompensationwill therefore remain at it's previous level. To be clear, noretroactivepaymentswill applytotheprimeminister's pay,"hesaid.

The adjustments had the prime minister's salary moving from the current $9.169millionasat2021,to $22.332 million with effect April 1, 2022, then to $25 267 effective April 2023, after which it would rise to $28 58 million effectiveApril2024.

The deputy prime minister's pay will move from the current $8 031 million as at April 2021, to $25 729 million effective April2024.

The finance minister's salary will move from the current $7.440 million as at April 2021 to $24 585 millioneffectiveApril2024.

Cabinet ministers will continuetoearn$52.00more than the maximum salary of permanent secretaries, movingfrom$6.893million in 2021 to to $22.87 million effectiveApril2024.

Meanwhile,MPswillsee theircurrentsalaryof$4.331 million move to $11.077 million effective April 1, 2022, then to $12 532 millioneffectiveApril2023, then increase to $14 179 million with effect from April1,2024.

Asked if his Cabinet ministerswillacceptthenew salaries Holness said yes, addingthatheisencouraging them to take it as he genuinely believes "it will improve governance in the country".

Hisdecisiontonotaccept thenewsalarymeansthathe will be paid less than all members of the House of

Representatives.

Holness also said that written job descriptions for ministers and MPs, which werealreadyinplace,willbe tabledinParliamentshortly Hesaidacodeofethicsto govern the conduct and duties of MPs, which was already developed under the PJPattersonAdministration, has been enhanced and presented to him. It will be reviewedatthenextCabinet meeting and turned over to Parliament for review and eventualimplementation.

Also to be implemented are financial penalties for unexcused absences from sittings of Parliament and committee meetings. At the same time, each MP will be requiredtoprovideawritten accountability report to Parliament detailing activities undertaken and achievements.These will be reviewed by a special committee.

Additionally, special training courses for MPs are tobedesignedandtheymust

completeacertainnumberof hours and become certified in the parliamentary procedures.

Turning to the longawaited Cabinet reshuffle, Holness said Senator Morris Dixon's focus on skills and digital transformation is designed to ensure that the country develops people with the type of technical skillsneededingovernment.

Robert Nesta Morgan remainsintheOPMandwill continue to manage the informationportfolio.

Homer Davis will continue as minister of state intheOPM.

Holness remains head of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, where Everald Warmington will continue overseeing the works portfolio, while Matthew Samuda continues managing climate change, water and other areas assignedbyHolness.

Dr Horace Chang remains as national security minister and will be supportedbynewministerof stateJulietCuthbert-Flynn.

Mininghasbeenaddedto the Ministry of Agriculture andFisheriesnowheadedby Floyd Green with Frank Witterasministerstate.

Olivia "Babsy" Grange retains the reins of the MinistryofCulture,Gender, EntertainmentandSport.

The Ministry of Education continues to be headed by Fayval Williams, whowillhaveMarshaSmith asministerofstate.

Dr Nigel Clarke remains Minister of Finance, with

Zavier Mayne as minister of state.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade continues to be headed by Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, who will be supported by Alando Terrelongeasstateminister

Dr Christopher Tufton continues to head the Ministry of Health and Wellness, while Senator AubynHillremainsminister of industry, investment and commerce.

The Ministry of Justice continues to be headed by Delroy Chuck, and Marlene MalahooForteremainshead of the Ministry of Legal and ConstitutionalAffairs.

Desmond McKenzie is retainedasMinisterofLocal Government, while the transport portfolio has been added to the Ministry of Science, Energy, and Telecommunicationsheaded by Daryl Vaz, who now has JCHutchinsonasministerof state.

Thereisnochangeatthe MinistryofTourism,headed byEdBartlett,whilePearnel Charles Jr, who was the agriculture minister, now leadstheMinistryofLabour and Social Security, with NormanDunnashisminister ofstate.

AfternamingtheCabinet Holness thanked Karl Samuda, who up to last Friday was minister of labour and social security, and Audley Shaw, who was minister of transport and m i n i n g , f o r t h e i r contributiontoJamaica.

Ecuador's Lasso issues decree to boost investment

Reuters - Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso on Tuesday signed a decreetoattractprivateinvestmentand createnewjobsastheSouthAmerican nation faces deepening political uncertainty

The decree would create regions with special customs, tax and foreign trade regimes, as well as tax exemptions,thegovernmentsaid.

"We are going to positively transform local and international trade," Ecuadorean Economy Minister Pablo Arosemena told reporters at the decree-signingevent.

Lasso is ruling by decree after dissolving the national assembly legislature which had sought to impeachhim.Tuesday'sdecree,likethe

tax cuts he announced last week for middle-income

businesses, is subject to

is unclear whether Lasso will run in the elections, which are likelytobeheldAug.20.

Oneinternationalmedia outletquotedhimsayinghewouldnot, buttheministerofgovernmentsaidon Tuesday Lasso was weighing the decision.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness speaking at a news conference at Jamaica House on Monday. (Photo: JIS)

Two-vehicle smash-up at Hill Foot claims life of Friendship, ECD man

A Friendship, East Coast Demerara (ECD) man was on Monday killed in a two-vehicle smash up in the vicinity of Hill Foot, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

Dead is 23-year-old Joel Alexander.

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According to the police, Alexander of Lot 145 Wilkins Street, Friendship met his demise just around 16:50hrs on Monday. The accident involved his motorcar and a motor lorry owned by Alabama Equipment Rental and Transportation Service which was driven at the time by Sudesh Rohit, a resident of Leguan Island.

Rohit told investigators that the lorry was traveling east along the northern side of the road when the car, which was heading in the opposite direction, overtook a white car and ended up in the

lorry’s path.

The truck driver said upon seeing this, he pulled to the left to avoid a collision, but the two vehicles collided despite his effort.

Kaieteur News understands that Alexander as a result of the collision received injuries to his head and about his body. He was removed from the wrecked vehicle by the Police in an unconscious condition and was then taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Center, where he was seen and examined by doctors on duty and was pronounced dead on arrival.

His body was then taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home where a post mortem is expected to be conducted.

Meanwhile, police disclosed that a breathalyzer test was given to the lorry driver but no trace of alcohol was found on his breath. He remains in custody assisting with investigations.

Devastating Mahdia fire highlights need...

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From page 14 stressed that the Mahdia tragedy is a wake-up call for all Guyana. He noted that the government needs to invest more in fire prevention and safety, and each household and business must take stock of their own building safety.

“The Mahdia children must not die in vain. As a nation, we must all take responsibility for our own safety, but especially the government must lead the way to modernize our fire prevention and firefighting methods,” Dr Jailall added.

Many public buildings in Guyana are not equipped with adequate fire safety and

prevention measures.

According to information posted via the Guyana Bureau of Standards’ (GNBS) website adequate fire prevention requires built-in equipment and warning systems that must be installed to alert occupants of a potential or current fire in a building.

These can be in the form of smoke detectors, sprinklers or alarm systems that alert the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) when a fire starts.

Further, the GNBS said that the Building Code stipulates, in the event of a fire, adequate fire-suppression equipment shall be available to restrict the fire to the room in which it originated. Such a

system will minimise damage to the building and its contents and prevent the fire from spreading to other rooms or buildings.

In addition, many times, firefighters are hindered by the amount of smoke emanating from buildings that are on fire. As such, adequate smoke control systems are recommended by this section of the code to minimise the spread of smoke to escape paths, compartments and other buildings to enable access. Such control systems also aid in protecting occupants of the building and enable them to leave the structure and its precincts in safety. (Rehanna

Ramsay)

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From page 13 evolved through innovations at a country and company level.

The process for refining the 2023 EITI Standard was underpinned by wide consultation. It drew on lessons learned in the past ten years of implementation to identify relevant and timely disclosures that will inform policy and public debate.

fast-tracking of extractive licenses, thereby strengthening safeguards in the allocation of those licenses as projected demand for minerals required for the energy transition increases.

Anti-corruption provisions have now been explicitly integrated into the objectives of the EITI Requirements.

said such disclosures are important for identifying conflicts of interest and the participation of politically engaged persons in the extractive sector.

TOURS

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The most recent revisions strengthen and clarify the EITI Requirements. They identify important new areas for disclosure, including on commitments, policies, and plans for the energy transition; capital and operating expenditure costs; carbon pricing mechanisms; carbon taxes; greenhouse gas emissions; and subsidies. They require countries to document the rationale for any

Furthermore, all companies supporting the EITI and participating in EITI reporting, including state-owned enterprises, are now expected to disclose their anti-corruption policies. Moreover, the EITI Standard encourages a minimum ownership threshold for disclosing the identities of individuals who own or control companies, and clarifies beneficial ownership disclosures for state-owned enterprises. The EITI board

It said the revisions also promote the participation of women in the extractive sector by extending gender-disaggregated disclosures to employment and benefits from the sector. They also extend disclosures related to environmental and social monitoring and impact as well as community consultations.

Kaieteur News understands that the revised EITI Standard paves the way for developing a leaner approach to reporting revenues and payments to manage reporting costs, drawing on lessons learned from adapting EITI reporting during the COVID19 pandemic.

Dead, Joel Alexander

Harry loses court bid over UK police protection

Reuters-PrinceHarryon Tuesday lost his legal bid to challenge the British government's refusal to let him pay for his own police protection when he is in the United Kingdom Harry, King Charles' younger son, was stripped of the police security usually afforded to

royal figures in the United Kingdom after he and his American wife Meghan stepped down from their officialrolesin2020tomove totheUnitedStates.

The High Court in London last year already agreedheshouldbeallowed to challenge the original

decision to end his protection.ButonTuesdayit rejected his bid for a second court review over the rejection of his offer to pay privately for the highlytrainedofficers.Thedecision to remove publicly-funded security was taken by the ExecutiveCommitteeforthe

Policeconfirmsfemalestudentstarted...

Frompage17 difficult is the fact that they had no fire hydrantintheareawherethefiretookplace. Sothefirefightershadtoshuttlewaterfrom the creek to the school, where the fire was. They really tried their best, given the circumstances and what they had to work with.”

The Mayor told this publication that the students did not have any training on fire preventionmeasures.Healsoconfirmedthat thedormitorywasnotequippedwithanyfire extinguisheratthetimeofthefire.

“Going forward, we have to look at the systems that are in place for dormitory and schools, and ensuring that the necessary precautionsaretaken,”headded.

While the officials met with the parents and guardians of the victims, residents of Mahdia protested outside of the Mahdia SecondarySchool.

Theprotesterscalledfor“justice”asthey hold up their placards. One protester called for more fire trucks in the mining township. “Everymotherweeps,everycowcryfortheir calf who feels it knows it,” another protestersaid.

Moreover, Michael McGarrell shared several protest photos stating, “As they mourn the loss of several students from the villageinthefirewhichoccurredlastnightat the Mahdia Secondary School's dormitory, residents of Chenapou are calling for justice.”

OnMonday,GovernmentPathologist,Dr Nehaul Singh performed post-mortem examinations with dissections on six of the bodies: Nickleen Robinson, Natalie Bellarmine, Eulanda Carter, Subrina John, Martha D'Andrade and Adonijah Jerome at the Mahdia District Hospital's mortuary and the cause of death was given as smoke inhalationandburns,respectively

The Mahdia Secondary School female dormitory fire is possibly the largest mass fatalityresultingfromafireinthehistoryof Guyana. Following news of the tragedy, Guyanese flooded social media platforms expressingtheircondolencestothebereaved relatives of the victims. President Ali on Monday announced three days of mourning for the 19 children that perished in the fire and pledged government support to the grievingfamilies.

Protection of Royalty and PublicFigures,knownbythe acronym RAVEC, which approves security for the royals andVIPs, such as the prime minister.Last week, lawyers for Harry had arguedRAVECdidnothave the power to reject his funding offer, and even if it did have such authority, it waswrongnottoconsideran exception or hear representations on his behalf.However,lawyersfor the police and the governmentsaiditwouldbe wrong to allow the fifth-inlinetothethronetopay,asit would mean wealthy individuals were able to "buy" specially trained officers as private bodyguards.

PUBLICINTEREST

They argued it would be unreasonable for officers to be required to put themselves in harm's way if the committee had already considered it was not in the

public'sorthestate'sinterest to do so It was very different to paying for policing for a soccer match, a marathon, or even a celebrity's wedding, they said.In his written ruling, Judge Martin Chamberlain agreed "RAVEC's reasoning was that there are policy reasons why those services should not be made available for payment, even though others are. I can detect nothing that is arguably irrational in that reasoning,"hesaid. His ruling comes less than a week after Harry's spokesperson said the prince, his wife Meghan and her mother were involved in a "near catastrophic" car chase with press photographers afteranawardsceremony

inNewYork.

The prince has spoken out about his fears for the safety of his family and regularly hit out at press intrusionwhichheblames forthedeathofhismother Princess Diana, who was killedwhenherlimousine crashed as it sped away fromchasingpaparazziin Paris in 1997.Meanwhile last year, Britain's former counter-terrorism police chief said there had been credible threats made against the couple by farright extremists.The case is one of a number that Harry is currently pursuing at the High Court. His lawyers are alsoinvolvedinatrialwhere heandothersaresuingMirror Group Newspapers over allegationsofphone-hacking and other unlawful activities.

SurvivorstobeflowntoGeorgetownfor...

Frompage16 admitted to the Mahdia District Hospital after the incident, the President disclosed, “we have offered to bring all the remaining girls to Georgetown even those who were discharged sothatwecanhaveasecond reviewandensureeverything isokay.”

The head of state shared that eight additional girls were then brought to Georgetown for a second review

Fortheothersremaining, those that were discharged, headdedthattheyarehoping tohavethemflowntothecity soonforasecondassessment.

While they would be examined, the President statedthatalreadyafullteam ofpsychiatrist,psychological counselors and social workers have been assembled to provide counseling for all the students, their families, teachers, members of their communities.

“We have four teams working everyday out of Mahdia and we are going to ensure that these teams remaininplaceatleastforthe next three months,” he said. AlsoteamsareattheKanuku Hotelwherefamilymembers and parents of those in hospitalandthosewhocame out to identify the bodies of theirchildren.

“We have a high-level team of additional doctors thatwillbepostedtoMahdia for the next three months, to provide specialized care and to support their colleagues thereintheworkthattheyare doing,”heannounced.

In pledging his government’s support, the President said that full and unconditionalsupportwillbe given to every single family and every single child affected.

“This support is not only medical, but also includes immediate financial, t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , accommodation, meals, and it would go far beyond this. While we appreciate and welcome all the offers for support, I want to assure all thefamiliesandallGuyanese thatthegovernmentwillfully supportallthesefamiliesand children.

Wewouldprovideallthat is necessary in support of thesefamiliesandchildrenat thistime,”herelated.

Following the fire, some residents of the communities where the children came fromheldprotests,callingfor compensation.

PresidentAlisaidtoothat the government will also addresscompensation.

He added that they have assigned cabinet members to every single family to give directsupport.

At his briefing, the Presidentannouncedthat16year-old Subrina John of Karisparu Village, Region Eight will be buried today John is the first of the studentstobeburied.

Further, President Ali saidthatonWednesdaythere will be a flower laying ceremony in Mahdia where thefiretookplace.

A number of officials including Ambassadors and High Commissioners will be inattendance.

As for the country’s Independenceeventwhichis slatedtotakeplaceinLethem later in the week, the President said that this will now take the form of a night of remembrance and prayers in memory of the children whodied.

Kaieteur News had reported that nineteen children – 18 of them school girls and one 5-year-old boy died Sunday night when fire swept through a heavilygrilled dormitory which housed students of the Mahdia Secondary School, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni)

Informationreachingthis publication revealed that of the 19 children, 14 children died at the scene, while five died at the Mahdia District Hospital.

Among the casualties weretwinsisters.

Thenamesofthechildren who died on Sunday are as follow: Adonijah Jerome, TracilThomas,LisaRoberts, Delecia Edwards, Lorita Wi l l i a m s , N a t a l i e Bellarmine, Arriana Edwards, Cleoma Simon, Subrina John, Martha D’Andrade,(andtwin)Mary D’Andrade, Belnisa Evans, Loreen Evans, Omerfia Edwin, Nickleen Robinson, Sherena Daniel, Eulander Carter, Andrea Roberts, and RitaJeffrey

In a press briefing on Monday afternoon, Deputy Fire Chief (ag) Dwayne Scotland confirmed that the f i r e w h i c h t o o k approximately three and a halfhourstobeextinguished, wasmaliciouslyset.

AnnaReginaMagistrates’Courttocost$179M

Magistrates’CourtatAnnaRegina, Region Two is estimated to cost $179,638,476, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) announced on Tuesday at the openingofbids.

Seven contractors have submitted bids to NPTAB’s office for the Supreme Court of Judicature project: K&J Persaud Contracting Service -

$166,788,864, Satesh Narine$123,056,390, Jaikam

Construction & Supplies Inc.$162,539,256,Builders Hardware GeneralSupplies&Construction$242,352,473, Satar Mohamed & Son Construction & Hardware Supplies - $178,232,102, Builders Engineering & Architectural Consultancy - $204,402,000, and Mohamed Sidique Ramjohn Contracting Service$219,499,412.

Upon completion, the Anna ReginaMagistrates’Courtwilljoin the Friendship and Timehri Magistrates’Courts,EBDthatwere recentlycompleted.

Kaieteur News had reported last month that the Supreme Court of Judicature would finance the construction of a Magistrates’

Court at Friendship, EBD at an estimatedcostof$418millionand at Timehri, EBD at an estimated cost of $319 million Nine contractorshavesubmittedbidsfor the construction of the Friendship Magistrates’ Court while eight havesubmittedbidsfortheTimehri Magistrates’Court.

This publication understands that this year, the judiciary was allocated some $4 billion for the further development of the sector At a re-commissioning ceremony fortheMibikuriMagistrates’Court inOctober2022,AttorneyGeneral (AG)andMinisterofLegalAffairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, had announced

plans for the construction of the Friendship and Timehri Courts amongothers.

Kaieteur News had reported that the AG announced that new court houses are being constructed at Mabaruma, Region One, Vigilance, Cove and John and Mahaicony on the East Coast Demerara (ECD), La Parfaite Harmonie on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD) and also at TimerhiandFriendshipontheEast BankofDemerara(EBD).

Nandlall said too that government has its eyes on building a modern complex to be the headquarters of the judiciary The headquarters, he detailed, will house all of the High Courts, the Court of Appeal and the Land Court. He pointed out that such investments are being made because access to justice is important as is access to any importantservice.

The $177M Bartica Magistrates’Court and Living Quarters which was commissioned back in 2021.

Wednesday May 24, 2023

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19

The desire to meet with a romantic partner and look andfeelyourbestcouldgive rise to a lot of short journeys inyourarea.Perhapsyouwill want to work out, buy some newclothes,orgetahaircut.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

TodayanarticleorTVshow may set your mind spinning in the strangest directions. You could finally a c k n o w l e d g e y o u r fascinationwiththeoccult.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

It's time to stop acting like you think others want to see you act, Taurus The planetary configuration confirms that it's time to expressyourself.

CANCER(June21–July22)

A reunion with a family member who has been away oroutoftouchcouldgenerate some powerful emotions, Cancer

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Todayyourmindislikelyto be on travel, Leo.You might have to spend a lot of time running errands in the car Youcouldalsobeplanninga longvacation.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Today you might decide to putinsomeextrahoursonthe jobortakeonanextraprojectof somesortinordertobringina littlemoremoney Sinceyou're feeling strong and energetic enoughtomovemountains.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Passion and determination mark today Your energy should be high, Libra, and you should feel strong and powerful. This is the perfect day to give whatever goals you've been trying to accomplish.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

Your inner power and awareness should be acute today,Scorpio.Someintense dreamsandrevelationscould come from deep within, allowing you to release old traumasandphobias.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Working toward goals you sharewithotherscouldbring youclosertogetherasfriends andlovers,Sagittarius.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Today you might face a task that seems as workable as emptying the ocean with a teacup. But with help from others, you will not only be able to handle it but also produceexceptionalresults.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

The desire to travel, perhaps to visit a close friend, may come up today, Aquarius. You may put a lot of energy into exploring the possibilities.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Expect a lot of activity in your home today, Pisces. A group, perhaps a large one, hosted by you or a family membercouldmeetthere.

(BBC Sport) - Britain's Geraint Thomas reclaimed the overall race lead at the Giro d'Italia as JoaoAlmeida took victory on Monte Bondone in a thrilling 16th stage.

After appalling weather marred the Giro's first two weeks, the general classification race ignited on Tuesday with Thomas, 36, makinghismove.

The Welshman finished runner-up in a sprint to the line with Almeida, who he now leads by 18 seconds overall.Primoz Roglic is 29 seconds behind Thomas after histhird-placefinish.

"It would have been nice to win the stage but I had to keepriding,wedidn'twantto play cat and mouse with Roglicbehind,"Thomassaid.

"He led it out and got the jumponmeandunfortunately hewonthesprint.Butit'snice tobebackinpinkandtogain sometime."

After clinching his first Giro stage win, UAE Team Emirates rider Almeida said: "I'msuperhappy,it'sadream come true. After four years I was so close and finally I got it."

Stage17onWednesdayis

West Indies drawn In...

Frompage30 men.Ourdutyistoalsomake our fans proud and we intend todoexactlythat.”

FULL SQUAD: Shai Hope (captain), Rovman Powell (vice captain), Shamarh Brooks, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran, RomarioShepherd

MATCHSCHEDULE

All matches start at 9am local time (3am Eastern Caribbean/2amJamaica)

Sunday18June

West Indies v USA, TakashingaCricketClub

Thursday22June

West Indies v Nepal, HarareSportsClub

Saturday24June

Zimbabwe v West Indies, HarareSportsClub

Monday26June

W

Takashinga CricketClub

Geraint Thomas (Getty Images)

Cycling

to Monte

Thomas reclaims overall lead as Almeida wins stage 16

Giro d'Italia:

(BBC Sport) - Chennai Super Kings are through to their 10th Indian Premier League final after beating defending champions GujaratTitansinQualifier1.

OpenerRuturajGaikwad top-scored with 60 from 44 ballsasChennaiposted1727afterbeingputintobat.

On a pitch growing increasingly difficult to bat on, Gujarat were all out for 157withonlyShubmanGill -42from38-makingascore ofnote.

GujaratgointoQualifier 2, while CSK advance to S u n d a y ' s f i n a l i n Ahmedabad.

The M.A. Chidambaram Stadiumwasaseaofyellow astheChennaicrowdroared onMSDhoni'ssidebutthey were silenced in the second overwhenGaikwadchipped tamely to mid-wicket off DarshanNalkande.

CSK into final with win over Titans in Qualifier 1

However,theopenerwas reprieved as replays showed Nalkande had overstepped anditprovedacostlyerror

Gaikwadhitthenextball forsixandproceededtoplay thematch'sdefininginnings, reaching his half-century from36ballsasheputon87 with Devon Conway for the firstwicket.

OnceGaikwaddeparted, battinglookedmuchtougher but useful cameos throughout the order, including an unbeaten nine from four balls from England all-rounder Moeen Ali, took the Super Kings to acompetitivetotal.

Gujarat failed to build anyrealmomentumwiththe turnandbounceofRavindra

Jadeja and Mahesh

Theekshana causing the battingsideproblems.

Gillwentpast700runsin amagnificentIPLseasonbut

evenhestruggledforfluency before falling to Deepak Chahar, two balls after Jadeja had bowled David Miller

Rashid Khan hit three foursandtwosixeslateonto givetheTitansaglimmerof hope but Chennai held on comfortably and took the finalwicketwiththelastball ofthematch.

What is the IPL play-off schedule?

Deepak Chahar had Shubman Gill caught on the long-leg boundary for 42 (Getty Images)

Chennai are now safely through to the final on Sunday,May28,andGujarat couldyetjointhemthere.

Wednesday will see third-placedLucknowSuper Giants take on five-time champions Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator, with the loser going out.The winner of the Eliminator will then face Gujarat on Friday in Qualifier 2. Whoever wins that will advance to play

Chennaiforthetrophy

BriefScores:Chennai SuperKings172-7in20 overs(RuturajGaikwad60, DevonConway40, MohammedShami2-28, MohitSharma2-31)beat GujaratTitans157all-out in20overs(ShubmanGill 42,RashidKhan30, RavindraJadeja2-18, MaheeshTheekshana2-28) by15runs

West Indies A Tour of Bangladesh

Jordan and Sinclair help restrict home team on Day one

Bangladesh“A”reached 175-5off49oversatstumps onarain-affecteddayoneof the second four day “Test” against West Indies “A” at the Sylhet International

CricketStadiumonTuesday Afif Hossain and Saif Hassan have top-scored so farforthehostswith37and 31,respectively.

Akeem Jordan has taken 2-24 in his 11 overs, so far, while Kevin Sinclair, who has also bowled 11 overs,

took2-37.

The West Indies have madetwochangestotheirXI from the first Test with GudakeshMotieandYannic Cariah being replaced by Keacy Carty and Anderson Phillip. (SportsMax)

Kevin Sinclair (Photo: CWI)

NBA play-offs: Jokic leads Nuggets to first finals appearance

(BBC Sport) - The Denver Nuggets reached the NBAfinals for the first time in their history after Nikola Jokic led a second-half fightback to complete a 4-0 Western Conference championshipsweepoverthe

either the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics in the finals fromJune1-18.

The Heat can secure the serieswithawiningamefour on Tuesday (01:30 BST Wednesday).

LeBron James had

Nuggets offense in the third quarter, scoring 13 points as the Western Conference top seeds outscored the Lakers 36-16 to turn the contest on its head.A dramatic fourthquarter finale saw Jokic put Denver two points ahead

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) drives to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers center Tristan Thompson. (USA TODAY Sports)

driving floater was blocked byDenver'sAaronGordonto leave the Nuggets celebratingafamouswin.

"Wedon'tgiveup,"Jokic said. "I've been saying this forfiveyears-whenwewere bad or when we were goodwe don't give up. And that's whathappened.

"They jumped on us the first half, they were better, more aggressive, scoring easilyanddidn'tmiss.

"But in the second half we turned the page and

everybodysteppedup.Itwas acollectiveeffort,it'snotjust oneguy."

Although James finished with 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers, their supporting cast once again failed to step up when it mattered, with a series of missed baskets in the fourth quarter allowing theNuggets,oneof11teams intheleaguewhohavenever wontheNBAchampionship, toholdontoclinchvictory.

Lakers head coach

Darvin Ham, who was appointedlastyearafterthey failed to reach the play-offs, said his team had paid the price for not making enough shots, praising Denver's ruthlessness down the stretch.

"Thesignofagreatteam is if you make any mistake, they're going to make you pay for it," Ham said. "And theydidjustthat.

"This is year one. Losing sucks, but I think we can do somethingspecialhere.”

LosAngelesLakers.

TheNuggetsoverturneda 15-point half-time deficit to win 113-111. Jokic, the twotime NBA Most Valuable Player, finished with 30 points.TheNuggetswillface

lookedtobesingle-handedly keeping the Lakers' season alive after scoring 31 points in a superb first-half display that left the 17-time NBA champions73-58ahead.

But Jokic led a resurgent

Anthony confirms NBA retirement after 20-year career

(BBC Sport) - Carmelo Anthony has confirmed his retirement from basketball aftera20-yearcareerintheNBA.

A10-time NBAAll-Star, the 38-year-old was one of the most prolific scorers in basketballhistory

AnthonyplayedhislastgamefortheLos AngelesLakersinApril2022andannounced his decision in a video montage on his Instagramaccount.

"IrememberthedayswhenIhadnothing, just a ball on the court and a dream with somethingmore,"hesaid.

"But basketball was my outlet. My purpose was strong. My communities, the cities I represented with pride and the fans thatsupportedmealongtheway."

Denver Nuggets selected Anthony with the third overall pick of the 2003 draft and traded him to the New York Knicks in February2011.

HejoinedtheOklahomaCityThunderin 2017 before ending his career with spells at the Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers andLosAngelesLakers.

Overthecourseof20seasonsintheNBA, he amassed 28,289 points at an average of

with a driving layup through heavy traffic with 51 7 secondsremaining. With four seconds left, Jameshadonelastchanceto tie the match and force overtime, but his attempted

22.5pointspergame,puttinghimninthonthe NBA'sall-timescoringlist.

Anthony also won three straight gold medalsasamemberoftheUSOlympicteam in 2008, 2012 and 2016, plus a bronze in 2004.

"Iamforevergratefulforthosepeopleand placesbecausetheymademe,"headded.

"Butnowthetimehascomeformetosay goodbye:tothecourtwhereImademyname, tothegamethatgavemepurposeandpride."

Carmelo Anthony is a ten-time NBAAll-Star

ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifiers…

West Indies drawn In Group A

ST JOHN'S, Antigua –WestIndieshavebeendrawn alongside the Netherlands, Nepal, United States, and hosts Zimbabwe in Group A of the ICC Men's Cricket

World Cup Qualifier tournament.

TheICChasunveiledthe twogroups,matchschedules and venues for the 10-team tournament from June 18 to

July9.

All matches will start at 9am localtime(3am Eastern Caribbean Time/2am Jamaica Time) Group B features Sri Lanka, Ireland,

Scotland, Oman and United Arab Emirates (UAE). The ten teams will be competing for the two remaining places at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup which will be played in India in October andNovemberlaterthisyear

WestIndiesfacetheUSA in the opening Group A fixtureonSunday,June18,at Takashinga Cricket Club, followed by Nepal on Thursday, June 22, at Harare SportsClub.

West Indies meet hosts ZimbabweonSaturday,June 24, at Harare Sports Club. The fourth preliminary

match will be against the Netherlands on Monday 26 June.

Each side will play the other teams in their group once with the top three from thegroupsprogressingtothe Super Six stage from Thursday June 29 to Friday July7.

Theteamseachplaythree Super Six matches against thesidestheydidnotmeetin thegroupstage.

All points won in the groupswillbecarriedoverto the Super Six stage apart fromthosegainedagainstthe bottomtwofromeachgroup.

The final will be played at Harare Sports Club on Sunday, July 9. The two finalistswillbothprogressto theICCMen'sCricketWorld Cup2023.

West Indies Head Coach Daren Sammy said, “We know what's at stake and the singular focus is to secure one of the two spots for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023. We trust in our preparationand,nowthatwe know the matchups, we will plan accordingly These are exciting times ahead for this confidentbunchofyoung

(Continuedonpage27)

GBBFF Stage of Champions set for July 9

The 5th edition of the Stage of C h a m p i o n s B o d y b u i l d i n g Championshipsisscheduled for July 9 at the Ramada Princess Hotel, Providence, astheGuyanaBodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GBBFF) collaborates with the Stage of Champions teamonceagain.

The highly esteemed event aims to bring together bodybuilding and fitness athletes from both regional a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l backgrounds to compete in various categories such as Bodybuilding, Bikini, and Men'sPhysique.

Overtheyears,thisevent has attracted participants from countries including Suriname, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda,

Anguilla, St Marten, Grenada, and Trinidad and

Tobago This year's championship has already received registrations from eight countries, including Guyana.

The 2023 edition of the eventwillshowcasealineup of exceptional athletes, featuring renowned champions like the reigning Mr Guyana Bodybuilding

Champion, Darious Ramsammy, reigning Mr G u y a n a P h y s i q u e Champion, Emmerson Campbell, and Central America and Caribbean (CAC) gold medalist, Julio Sinclair

Fans are encouraged to attend and witness the intense competition among local and international bodybuilders as they vie for

supremacy and substantial cashprizes.

TheStageofChampions t e a m h a s s e c u r e d sponsorship from several prominent companies, including New GPC Inc, Camille's Academy, Masterpiece Rentals, Prem's Electrical,WestIndiesSport Complex, E-Master Inc, Unity Gym and Cabs, Frontline Restaurant, Ele's Hardware and Trading, VFitness, Lyft Gym, Western Scientific, IPA Health Care, Innovative Electronics, CrownMiningSupplies,and G u y a n a O u t d o o r s Sportsman.

The sponsorships received will primarily contribute to the cash prizes awarded to the successful athletes on the night of the Championships.

Daren Sammy is the new West Indies Head Coach. (Photo: Peter Della Penna)

Devon Thomas suspended for corruption by ICC

Devon Thomas suspended for corruption by ICC

(Cricinfo) -The ICC has suspendedWestIndiesbatter Devon Thomas, slapping seven charges under its anticorruption code on him including "contriving to fix" matches. Thomas, who was named in the West Indies squad for the forthcoming three-ODI series against the UAEinDubai,has14daysto respond.

The charges against 33year-old Thomas are with regard to his conduct while playing in three franchisebased tournaments: the Lanka Premier League (LPL), the Abu Dhabi T10 and the Caribbean Premier League(CPL).

In a media statement on Tuesday, the ICC said Thomas had breached the anti-corruption codes at all three tournaments and its anti-corruptionunithadbeen authorisedbyallthreeboards in question - Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket West Indies (CWI)to conduct the investigation

on their behalf. In a media statement,CWIsaiditwould fully support the ACU investigation and that it was resolute about "denouncing corruption"incricket.

Overall, Thomas faced four charges under the SLC anti-corruption code on his conduct in that tournament. The four charges are of "contriving or being party to an agreement to fix or attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspects of matches", "failing to disclose […] full detailsofanapproach"tothe ACU, "failing or refusing, without compelling justification,tocooperate"in an ACU investigation, and "obstructingordelaying"the investigationby"concealing, tamperingwithordestroying any documentation or other information".

Thomas also faced a single charge under the ECB code for failing to disclose details of an approach made toindulgeincorruptconduct

during the 2021 edition of AbuDhabiT10,whenhewas a part of the Pune Devils team.

The remaining two chargesarefromthelasttwo editions of the CPLwhen he played for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Barbados Royals, respectively One of the charges concerns, again, failing to disclose an approach.

The second charge is about failing to report the "receiptofanygift,payment, hospitality or benefit (a) that he knew or should have known was made in order to procure a breach of the CPL Code, or (b) could have brought the player or the game of cricket into disrepute".

Thomas last played for West Indies in the day-night Adelaide Test against AustraliainDecember2022, his only appearance in the format. He has also turned out for West Indies in 21 ODIs and 12T20Is since his internationaldebutin2009.

The Paris Olympics takes place from 26 July to 11 August 2024. (Getty Images)

France to deploy 35,000 security personnel with fears over possible drone attacks

(BBCSport)-Francewilldeploy35,000 securityandmilitarypersonneltoprotectthe Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony from threats including drone attacks.

The opening ceremony will take place along a 6km stretch of the River Seine, featuring160boatswithathletesandofficials frommorethan200countries.

Crowds of more than 600,000 people are expectedtolinetheroute.

"Drones represent a totally new threat," said French interior minister Gerald Darmanin.

"We've done a lot of work on the classic

threat,whetherit'sdelinquents,whetheritisa person armed with a weapon, a bomb... We knowhowtodetectandcombatthisthreat.

"The arrival of drones loaded with explosivesinthetheatreofcivilianoperations is new There is no certainty this threat will materialise,butitisthehardesttostop."

TheParis2024openingceremonywillbe thefirstheldoutsideofastadiumatasummer Games.

Organisers are planning to install the OlympicflameontheEiffelTower,although notonthetopofthemonument.

The 2024 Olympics take place from 26 Julyto11August.

Devon Thomas (Getty Images)

Arsenal forward signs new contract until 2027

(BBC

Sport) - Buyako

Sakahassignedanewdealto stay at Arsenal until 2027, saying the club "is the right placetomakethenextstep".

TheEnglandforwardhas scored 14 goals for the Gunners this season, contributing11assists.

Just 21 years old, he has a l r e a d y m a d e 1 7 8 appearances for the club and has featured in all Arsenal's Premier League games over thepasttwocampaigns.

"I'm just really happy," saidSaka.

"There's been a lot of

talking and it's been a while, butI'mherenow.Ithinkthis is the right club, the right place to make the next step. It's a beautiful club - look whereweare.

"For me, it's about achieving my personal ambitions-howmuchIpush

myself and demand from myself each game, week in, weekout.ThenIhaveallthe right people around me in terms of family, and when I come to the training ground, myteam-mates,thecoaching staff "I think I have everything I need to become the best player I can be, and that's why I'm happy to stay here and be here for the future, because I really believe that we can achieve bigthings."

Second-placed Arsenal host Wolves in their final game of the season on

Sunday, having missed out onthePremierLeaguetitleto ManchesterCity

Nextseason,theGunners willplayChampionsLeague football after a six-year absence."I have seen a lot of change. I've seen this team and the club grow, and one thingthateveryonearoundus can be excited about is that we are going in the right direction,"addedSaka.

"Timeisonourside.You canlookatourteamandalot of the players are young. We're hungry, and a lot of us haven't won trophies at

Arsenal so we want to achieve big things. If you watch the way we all speak, we want to win and we want towinhere."

Manager Mikel Arteta said: "It's great for the club thatBukayohasextendedhis contract. Retaining our best young talents is key to our continued progress and Bukayo represents such an important part of our squad nowandforthefuture.

"As well as being a fantastic talent, Bukayo is a specialperson-he'slovedby usall.”

GAPLF Intermediates/Masters Championships… Fitness Express continues long-standing support

Powerlifters who madetheirmarkat the Novices competition earlier this year will be aiming to take their careers a step closer to seniorswhentheysteponthe platform for this year's edition of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) Intermediates and Masters Championships.

This year's competition will take place for the first time at Chase's Academic Foundation Auditorium, Parade Street Kingston just opposite the Theater Guild. Yesterday, a longtime supporter of the Federation, Mr Jamie McDonald, Owner and Manager of Fitness Express, located at John and Sheriff Street, Campbellville, made a monetary contribution towardsthisSunday'sevent.

McDonald, in handing over the contribution to GAPLF President, Franklin

Wilson,saidthathewasvery pleased to be maintaining a proudtraditionofsupporting sportsdevelopment.

“I am really happy to be once again throwing Fitness Express' support behind this sport. I've known you for a verylongtimeandamhappy toseeyounowtakingupthe challenge to lead this sport. You can be assured of our unflinching support for our a t h l e t e s a n d t h e strengthening of the sport. We wish every athlete and your Federation every successonSunday.”

Wilson, in responding to McDonald, noted that he was happy to take up the mantleandrecalledthatever since Fitness Express openeditsdoorsforbusiness in Guyana, over a decade ago,theyhavebeenbacking powerliftingeveryyear

“This current executive which I am proud to lead, would like to applaud you for your committed

partnership over the years, I recall covering so many presentationsyou'vemadeto the various presidents and now I am at the helm of a sport which I've been associated with since its rebirth under Peter Green, overtwodecadesago."

"On behalf of the executive and members of the Federation, I would like toexpresssincerethanksfor your continued generosity which will go a long way in making this event a success.”

Meanwhile, Wilson has informed that McDonald and himself are in talks to pursue other avenues where athletes can benefit even more from Fitness Express. Details of the initiative will be forthcoming in the nottoo-distantfuture.

The Federation will also on Sunday, be hosting a fundraising bar-b-que at the competition with a view of raisingmuch-neededfunds.

Bukayo Saka joined Arsenal as an eight-year-old.

(Getty Images)

Teneze Ferme Club, Pomeroon, newest member of Academy Academy

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) added the Pomeroon area to is ongoing county-wide Academy, withTenezeFermeClub,thelatest addition.

Academies bowled off officially across the Cinderella CountyfromMay16,asEssequibo recently set the tone for the implementation of the GCB AcademyProgram,for2023-2024, withthelaunchofAcademiesinthe North, South, and Wakenaam Essequibo.

Teneze Ferme Ground, PomeroonCricketCommittee

Just off Charity, Essequibo, a few miles down the Pomeroon River,thePomeroonareajoinedthe listofgrownCricketCommitteesin Essequibo, to have their Academy introduction hosted by the

GCB/ECB

team. With a sprawling ground just a few steps from the mighty Pomeroon River, Teneze Ferme Estate Ground, Dutch of origin, hosted a large number of playersandparentsfromthearea.

Withsomelevelsofsentimental attachment having come from this area, ECB President Deleep Singh said, “It was a pleasure to see cricket development being a primary focus in Pomeroon, as the areastretchestoevenmorepartsof the Island, where young men and women are eager to be introduced tothesportofcricket.”

Roughly nine (9) players at the launch in the Pomeroon resided “down the river,” hailing from the Amerindian village of Moruca. They came with their parents and added to the expansion and commitment which President

DeleepSinghalludedtoearlier President Deleep Singh, pointed out, that “the Pomeroon area can now focus on producing more cricketers for not only EssequiboCountybutGuyanaand WestIndies,asithasbeenbooming with talent, having a few youth playersonrecentnationalteams,as such the GCB saw it necessary to have an Academy launched in Pomeroon Island, to further enhancetheirprogress.

CoachErnestoDemattoes,who hailsfromMorucawillbeworking alongsideafewotherDevelopment OfficersfromtheECBaspartofthe Academy'sweeklyprogram,which runs 3 days in the week and on Saturdays.

ECB Vice-President Elroy Stephany, during visits to both LeguanandPomeroon,saidhewas

elated that the Academy launches, especially the one in Pomeroon, citingitasspecialforthearea.

He added that from birth the natives in Pomeroon are great at cricketandswimmingbutwiththe GCB now placing emphasis on these rural areas, cricketing talent willnowbeeasilyharvestedforthe future.

Colin Stuart, Ex-West Indies pacer and current GCB TDO, during both visits to Leguan and Pomeroon, explained the importance of the Academy to Players, Coaches, Developmental Officers,andParents.

Stuart said “Outside of the actualtrainingandpractice,players and coaches must be in sync and should always be ready to adjust andthinkonthefeet,whenneeded. The TDO stressed the need to eat

correctly as it enhances players' capabilities on and off the field.” Further, he posited the need for athletes to carry out tasks in the nets,gym,andmatchesinapositive manner, an approach that will facilitate the realization of their optimallevelsofachievementona givenday.”

TheformerGuyanafast-bowler toldtheAcademyPlayersthattheir taskaheadishugeandimportantto their post-cricket careers, and life ingeneral.

He pointed out that such consistency and poise which must beharnessednow,willhelpplayers tofunctioninthecorporateworldto similar success as they do on the pitch,addingthattheAcademywill help to shape players as ambassadors and stalwarts of their trade.

Barbados Royals, Jamaica Tallawahs confirm retentions for 2023

TheBarbadosRoyalsand Jamaica Tallawahs have confirmed their Caribbean playerretentionsaheadofthe 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The tournament gets underwayon16Augustwith the final taking place on 24 September There will be matches in Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.

The Caribbean players the Royals have retained are as Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Obed Mccoy, Rahkeem Cornwall, Justin Greaves, Joshua Bishop, Nyeem Young and Ramon Simmonds

The Royals have also brought in Rovman Powell whowastransferredfromthe JamaicaTallawahs.

l e , t h e Caribbean players the

Tallawahs have retained are BrandonKing,FabianAllen, Shamarh Brooks, Raymon Reifer,AmirJangoo,Shamar Springer,NicholsonGordon, Kirk Mckenzie and Joshua James.

The Tallawahs have also brought in Hayden Walsh Jr whowastransferredfromthe BarbadosRoyals.

Krishna Persaud, owner of the Jamaica Tallawahs, said:“Wearedelightedtobe the defending champions, but that was last year Now we will focus on this year's team as we look forward to another great tournament We are excited and our team will seek to defend the CPL championship.”

Theoverseasplayersand draftpickswillbeannounced during the Republic Bank CPL draft show, which will be broadcast at the end of June.

ECB president Dillip Singh alongside GCB Territorial Development Officer Colin Stuart (centre back row) and his executive team at the Teneze Ferme Ground in Pomeroon

Jamaica Tallawahs will begin their campaign this year as the defending champion.

Stage

Darious Ramsammy was presented with the Mr Guyana trophy from GBBFF President, Keavon Bess