Kaieteur News

UG to start offering K NEWS suite of executive level courses next month

Tuesday Edition

AIETEUR

May 25, 2021 - Vol. 14 No. 21

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

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

Price $80

Online readership yesterday 92,946

Guyana gives more than US$35M in waivers to Troy Resources p.

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in past five years …as country gets about US$85,000 in royalty

Speeding car kills 3 on roadside, 2 others injured p.

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faces Man stabbed in Police ask marketers, Belarus international agents of alleged fury after using chest defending fighter jet to Ponzi scheme to report hijack neighbour’s airliner, to CID headquarters arrest journalist home from thief p.

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Guyana’s poor systems spell disaster for oil money p.

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Listen @11:00hrs Aurora & Troy Resources getting hundreds of millions of US on Kaieteur Radio $$$ in tax waivers while Guyana gets thousands in Royalty 99.1/99.5FM

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

Tuesday May 25, 2021

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Guyana gives more than US$35M in waivers to Troy Resources in …as country gets about past five years US$85,000 in royalty T

roy Resources, an Australian based gold mining company in Guyana, has over the past five years, saved some US$22 million in fuel imports alone and has also benefitted from another G$2.5B or U$13M in tax breaks between 2016 and 2018.

It would mean that the country gave about US$35M in waivers for fuel and tax breaks to the company during the period mentioned.

Guyana was paid on the other hand, G$17M or US$85,000 in royalties from that company during the same period, 2016 to 2018.

As such, it would mean Guyana received G$17 million for the two years or about $8.5 million each year in royalty or US$42,500 every year.

As it relates to the fuel waivers, this publication has learnt that the company imports on average some 19 million litres of diesel annually for its operations.

Thi s work s out to

5,019,269 gallons of fuel.

Diesel is sold at $182 per litre, meaning a 25 percent saving would see the company paying $45.5 dollars less in fuel imports.

As such, this would mean that the company saves some US$4.5 million yearly or US$22 million over the past five years.

Troy Resources has been in operation in Guyana since 2013 when it took over the Karouni Project from Azimuth Resources and has been mining ever since.

The company enjoys similar concessions to that afforded to the principals for the Aurora Gold

Mines—now Zijin Mining Group.

That company pays only 10 percent excise duties on petroleum imports.

Guyanese are subjected to a standard excise rate of 50 percent—a rate that was last revised downwards to 35 percent on February 18, last, in order to cushion against the higher fuel prices on the world market to be reverted again when prices rebound.

Troy Resources, recently announced that its operation is realising an average of 2,200 ounces of Gold from its operation this year but noted that having mined out its Hicks 4 and Spearpoint mining pits, it has since secured another lucrative concession in Guyana—20 kilometres South of its present operation—in the gold rich Potaro locale, an area, which it had identified as a 'must have' target.

The company made the announcement last week Monday, by way of a public missive to shareholders, and

Court case over police promotions ruling likely in June - Lawyer contends promotion without involvement of promotion Board is unfair, arbitrary

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he High Court is likely to rule on the case filed to challenge the Police Service Commission (PSC) over its practices in promoting senior ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on June 18 next.

Attorney C. V. Satram, who is representing several officers in the case, is contending inter alia, that a process devoid of the involvement of the Police Promotion Board is unfair, arbitrary and lacks transparency.

As such, the attorney asked the court to conduct a Judicial review of the procedure and operations of the PSC and make declarations that the practice

Superintendent of Police, Calvin Brutus is unlawful and in contravention of their rights to be promoted as officers of the GPF.

The case came up before Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George-Wiltshire, at the High Court in Georgetown yesterday. During a hearing of the matter, the acting Chief Justice noted concerns over a declaration being sought against the Police Service Commission (PSC)

by Senior Superintendent of Police, Calvin Brutus, and others.

Brutus is among those asking the Court for a declaration that the practice of the PSC to use disciplinary matters as the basis for denying promotion as unlawful.

However Justice George-Wiltshire noted, “We have to be very, very careful in making a (continued on page 17)

said, the secured tenements adjacent to its 100 percent owned Karouni Gold Project in Guyana, “is considered to be highly prospective for large-scale gold discovery. “ With the new claim secured, the company said it increases Troy's landholding, to an area of approximately 3,000 hectares.

The Aurora Gold Mines' operation was halted in July

last and was not restarted until after the takeover by Zijin Mining Group in November.

The Zijin Mining Group acquired the mine from Canadian owned Guyana Goldfields, which had acquired the licence for the Aurora Gold Mines, and as such, enjoys provisions that were enshrined in the contract for the operations in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni locale.

Additional provisions

provided as incentives for the foreign based company includes waivers on imports f o r o t h e r m a c h i n e r y, equipment and other personal items.

This, in addition to there being a sliding scale for the payments to be made—five percent royalty when gold is sold for US$1,001 and below, or eight percent when sold at one cent above that price.

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Tuesday May 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

Revisiting dangerous grounds No matter how often we talk about it, write about it, or broadcast it, we cannot say enough about what is going on, so we have no choice but to continue, until there is some sense that we are making progress. We at this publication must visit again today the horror and the blight of domestic violence. Now it seems that the passions that are ignited will not be satisfied, not be doused, until somebody, some hapless and vulnerable partner, is stabbed to death, shot to death, or otherwise brutalised in some heinous manner to a ghastly death.

It is more than embarrassing to editorialise about this once more. But how can we do otherwise, since such would be the height of irresponsibility, of callous indifference? For the victims, who are mostly women, are somebody’s mother, or granddaughter, or daughter, or sister, or niece, or cousin or well-regarded and well-loved family member or neighbour.

That is, by everyone, including (most ironically) those in whose aggravated minds, and at whose bloody hands, they are dispatched in the most gruesome ways from this world to that of another.

We do not know, but perhaps, at long last, there is some ease, some peace, some blanket of comfort in some form, for those who have lived, indeed, with a long relationship and a longer life of unimagined terror. Terror in their own little homes, terror before their own little ones forced to observe in cowering silence and fear, terror in the little pittance of a life that they were trying to put together, despite circumstances, in spite of the odds.

This is the 21st century, and to some extent, Guyana can be thought of as a society developing towards some sense of modernity, and right alongside the evidence of trickling cosmopolitan standings and ambitions. But yet we seem to remain helplessly bogged down and hopelessly trapped in what is a full-blown national scourge, a humiliating one, which is medieval in its essences. It is humiliating because these incidents of deadly domestic violence, when such senselessly flare to the point of no return, reveals to the whole world the barbaric and backward nature of too many sections of this community here and that community over there, until the sum of them is the national embarrassment that we have to live with, and for which we seem to be all but powerless.

Whether it is from ingrained jealousies, or the ravages of drugs and alcoholism, or the desperations and stresses of economic tightness, there are these stabbings and slashing and shootings and killings that just would not give either partners or country any feeling of relief. They just would not go away, to that much longed for point where, when an incident of lethal domestic violence does occur, it is more of a rarity than an almost everyday reality.

We will agree that things on the murderous domestic violence front appear to be not as rampaging as before. The numbers are lower, the reports are lesser, and the sense is that there have been some tiny steps of progress. That is, until there are these harrowing blasts that batter eyesight in reading, and mind from absorbing, yet again. It does not matter on which day that the news come, there is the feeling of déjà vu, and here we go again. It is that any thinking that things have gotten better is a mirage, and that we fool ourselves. This was what registered in Linden in the instance of a young woman who disappeared (and encircling not just partner and suspect, but a parent and a sister); and also came right back in the face of the terrible killing of a woman living in Durban Street. It is an indication of the jealous rage that went into that premeditated murder that she was stabbed some 14 times, and with her horrified child compelled to witness the deed, who now live with those traumatic scars for the rest of his life.

This is what goes on all too frequently, and serves to remind us that there is this virus and venom in the veins of perpetrators, who live with their passions and frustrations and overloaded and short-circuited emotions. This is a most difficult one to contain, since there is so much of the cultural that is at work so much that is missing in what we have in hand, and what we have to offer the few who brave the odds

After 55 years of Independence, let’s put the nation first Dear Editor, In a few days, we Guyanese will be observing the 55th anniversary of our country’s independence from the United Kingdom. Just as fifty-five years of age for a man or woman is considered to be still young, so must the age of nationhood. In relation to human and infrastructural development, Guyana as a country is better off in many respects since our gaining independence.

But our small population, and huge space within our geographic boundaries has its advantages and disadvantages. Nevertheless, as a country, we are blessed with an abundance of natural resources. Disagreement has always been why with such an abundance of natural resources yet we have not made the ‘Great Leap Forward.’ To this day, the skeptics and cynics are of the view that our newly found wealth will be frittered away without the common man, woman and child receiving any material benefits.

The constant harping and bad talking of our country irrespective of who governs can be heard at home and abroad. Suffice it to say, that as a nation, we did waste a

considerable number of years experimenting with ‘Cooperative Socialism.’ Small wonder why many point us to Malaysia and Singapore as ‘models we should have followed.’

Those of us who know about life in British Guiana can, in retrospect, recognise the remarkable transformations in every facet of our political, economic and cultural life over the past 55 years. This transformation did not come easily nor overnight. It came in the wake of the development deficit experienced by many developing countries soon after gaining independence.

Compounding the development deficit was the model adopted by some leaders who chose to be mimic men of their erstwhile colonial masters.

Notwithstanding the prevailing vicissitudes of social life, compounded by the political tug-o-wars as to who was best to administer the affairs of the country, the point is for fifty-five years, we Guyanese have managed to hold together as a multiethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society. A free and open press has contributed enormously to this holding together.

There is no civil war where

one ethnic group is pitched against another fighting to be integrated in the wider society, save for the political skirmishes, disagreements and controversies that occur from time to time over developmental projects. The bottom-line is that all are committed to the capitalist market economy with all its vagaries including the social and economic inequalities inherent in the capitalist system.

No one in Guyana has been asked to abandon nor to moderate their ethnicity or to adopt customs and mores that are alien to them. On the contrary, these practices are being encouraged. No one needs a Baptismal Certificate or name change to reflect a particular race or ethnicity to be employed as it was under colonialism. Considering the fact, that there were episodes in our political evolution that sought to undermine efforts at social cohesion, the living reality is that we did not end up as a failed, a partitioned nor in practice, as a ‘Cooperative Socialist State.’

The parliamentary democracy, which we continue to live by is based on the Westminster model.

And our legal system as well as our system of local government have evolved

over the years though the degree of their respective maturations remains debatable.

Culturally, the Indigenous languages spoken by our Amerindian people have survived over the years. But regrettably, the tribal languages spoken by the slaves brought in chains to our shores from West Africa; Portuguese spoken by indentured labourers from Madeira and the Hindi dialect and Urdu spoken by indentured labourers from India have either disappeared or have elements assimilated in our own Creolese.

Mandarin spoken by the majority of our Chinese population remains constant.

The doors of temples, mosques, churches and other places of worship remain open to worshipers and believers. And the festivals of the various religions are marked by holidays and festive, celebratory gatherings in which all ethnicities participate.

Regrettably, the bogeyman of race continues to be utilised by some who make every effort to determine how we should view each other.

Fifty-five years after Independence Day one ethnic group’s identity (Continued on page 5)

Recognition should be given to the work of those behind the Little Guyana sign in New York Dear Editor, Little Guyana Way, a street sign, would be officially announced (displayed, unveiled) this coming Saturday at noon at an event in Richmond Hill, long dubbed “Little Guyana” since the 1980s by those of us who have championed Guyana’s interest. The government and people of Guyana must publicly recognise, congratulate and salute the efforts of all the people behind this historic accomplishment.

The achievement is largely the work of IndoGuyanese Richard David, Dr. Dhanpaul Narine and Ashook Ramsaran. Several others offered encouragement and support to realise the objective. Guyanese who I have spoken with are very proud of this achievement.

Others conceived the idea long before 2020 and sought political assistance to realise

it. None was forthcoming until late last year. The official request made by Richard David to Council Member Adrienne Adams was expeditiously addressed. The councilwoman Adrienne Adams is praised for her work.

Her colleagues supported it. She has received the political endorsement of community leaders for her re-election from the greater Richmond Hill area with the primary in four weeks.

The co-naming of Liberty Avenue, at the corner of Lefferts Blvd, the last stop on the A-train, is no simple accomplishment although other groups also have their neighbourhoods. I applaud the efforts of all behind this achievement – developing the concept, initiative, planning, advocacy, and championing of it. I call on the Guyana government to recognise the work of the activists who made “Little Guyana Way” possible.

and actually dare to seek protection. The protections of a piece of paper, or the reluctant and occasional presence of the police (and more and more neighbours, too), all fall short, way short. And these are sometimes not helped by the dead victims own hoping against hope, willingness to live the life of change and second chances. For some, it is the last error in judgment, which too often proves to be a fatal one. It is what our women live with, what this country has to pretend is not as bad as it once was. But it is there, and waiting for the blowup and the fall down.

The government and all the opposition as well as the country at large should be proud of the work of the diaspora. Without the contributions of the diaspora (during the 1960s to 1992), democracy would not have been restored in October 1992 following the election of Dr. Cheddi Jagan. Without the work of the diaspora from January 2019 to August 2, 2020, Guyana would not have remained a democracy. The diaspora has long become an invaluable asset not only to the US but also to Guyana sending over US $100M since the 1980s in remittances annually to Guyana plus much more in goods and materials and in expenditures when visiting Guyana. The country should forever be grateful to the diaspora.

As a result of the name addition to Liberty Ave, publicity is generated about the USA and globally about Guyana. Little Guyana gives additional visibility abroad to the nation. Guyana hosted a diaspora engagement last Saturday. The achievement of the co-naming was not recognised. It should be celebrated.

Diaspora is key to development of our country

similar to the roles played by the Israeli diaspora in industrialisation of Israel, Asian (Oriental) diaspora in Southeast Asia, Indian diaspora in India, Irish diaspora in Ireland, among other examples. The Guyanese diaspora can play a similar role as others in development of ancestral country only if the home country shows appreciation of the work of the diaspora.

Last Saturday’s conference recognised the significance and importance of the diaspora. All the speakers lauded the contributions of the diaspora and appeal for their continued support as well as investment in the homeland. The diaspora is pleased about this recognition. But greater appreciation is warranted for specific acts, individuals, organisations, especially for those who have championed Guyana’s interests and fought for democracy and for Little Guyana. Separately, I call on the community leadership, perhaps led by Richard David, to undertake a mission to have the train station “Lefferts Blvd” conamed “Little Guyana”.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Tuesday May 25, 2021

No charge filed against a politician has ever come to fruition since they protect each other Dear Editor, Most businesses and political parties (politicians) don’t care much for ethics or principles and are driven by greed. They have not made sincere efforts to hold Exxon accountable, not in flaring and not in renegotiation of the contract even though they know the country is being cheated. The country stands to lose in excess of US$45B and counting. That is more than enough to make Guyana into a first world country. As Mr. Glenn Lall stated in one of his radio programmes, neither party wants to hold Exxon accountable or renegotiate the contract or enforce local content rules.

Businesses and the public should hold politicians and Exxon to greater account so more money can flow into Guyana from oil, enough to make every Guyanese a millionaire in American dollars.

There is hardly any role for decent, hardworking political activists or professionals in getting jobs with government and honest business people in landing state contracts; political connection and unofficial taxes are prerequisites for landing a contract. If businesses unite and take a stand on Exxon, there would be a lot of money for local contracts.

Both parties are alike on the issue of accountability when they were/are in government.

The two tend to protect one another. Charges may be filed against politicians (ministers or political bureaucrats), but no charge was ever carried to fruition. They protect each other.

Has any business person, politician, government worker ever gone to jail for corruption even when evidence of fraud is overwhelmingly stacked against them? Both governments have dropped charges against the accused of state corruption.

Eusi Kwayana rightly asked (in KN) why charges were dropped against several accused.

It appears that if one lacks integrity, one can get hired for the highest and most lucrative positions to oversee

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Kaieteur News

big contracts from which huge kickbacks will flow. Lack of integrity and dishonesty are credentials for appointments. Take a look at who is appointed! Absolute loyalists get the top positions; the political bosses must trust you to carry out instructions before you get high posts. Politicians tend not to trust honest workers.

If you are honest, dedicated, and hardworking, you will be given consideration for low level jobs or where small amounts of money flow.

Political leadership has no interest in small amounts of money; that is not worth their while. The political bosses vie for top positions; those who know how to cover their tracks in transactions. How else would one explain some of the characters, like the man from Florida, who are hired to oversee big projects and state corporations? Almost all of them had or have charges pending for corruption under the previous regime and welcomed back following change in government.

Charges dropped!

On state contracts, it does not matter which party you supported in the past. Several of those who financed APNU and AFC in 2015 and 2020 and got big volumes of contracts over the last five years and are now with the PPP. These opportunists know politicians don’t care about party loyalty.

Politicians care about their bank accounts. They do what they must to get contracts. Political affiliation is dumped down the drain!

A contractor from Lima, Essequibo abused and chased senior PPP functionaries from his premises and strongly

supported the coalition from 2014 to August 2020. He got huge contracts under the coalition. He is now with PPP. There are several other cases of contractors who supported the coalition and now switched to PPP to get contracts.

What have the honest party activists at the bottom, the small contractors, and those business persons who were loyal to the PPP gotten so far? Zilch! They hold hope that something will come their way and the leadership has them in a holding pattern telling them, their time will come. It is a strategy to keep the loyalists in line until the next election when they will get something.

There were activists who protected the ballot boxes for five months, sacrificing their jobs, ignoring their families and are still waiting for a job or a small contract. Some PPP activist families prepared snacks, tea, coffee, and meals and delivered to the ballot box guards. These families are still waiting for a “lil thing” from the government or a promotion at their government jobs. Nothing will come their way because there is nothing for the politicians to gain from such small contracts. No financial gains for politicians. An effective way to get something out of this government it to attack it and hold politicians accountable regardless of political affiliation.

Heed the call of Glenn Lall and others in demanding a fair contract so more money is available for development and to hire people.

Yours truly, Jagnarine K Singh

One area we must pay critical attention to is the nation’s infrastructure Dear Editor, One of the things that make for a modern society is its orderliness or the way in which that society organises itself. Be it in commerce, government, education, judiciary and the whole gamut of things that makes everyday life worth living.

Society must carry out itself in a well ordered manner. One such way is in the proper layout and use of our roads and thoroughfares, it is an area that has captured my attention and concern over the years, having seen the situation at home as against those of other countries abroad. And it is against that backdrop that I make my contribution.

There is no doubt that Guyana is blessed with much land space and many roads to accommodate vehicular traffic, however, when we look at the way in which many of these roadways are being used, there is much to be desired. I make specific mention of the too many stretches of open highways, which in the Guyanese context are veritable racing tracks and zones of death; this madness on our roads has to stop.

Now, much of what I have expressed above comes about as a direct result of the way our roads are laid out.

The present structural arrangement of our roads are designed to accommodate fast flowing and speeding

motorists, hence the layout and general engineering work has to change to make it more modern and adaptable to safer and orderly road usage.

It will also curb this nuisance death trap situation that now exists.

For starters, roundabouts ought to be installed at all nodal points and at all intersections where it is necessary and convenient.

Roundabouts have a threefold effect in that they

are a safer alternative to traffic signals and stop signs.

The tight circle of a roundabout forces drivers to slow down; hence, head on collisions and other fatal crashes become non-existent.

Slow pace helps vehicles to move into, around, and out of a roundabout with relative ease.

Secondly, roundabouts improve traffic flow and are better for the environment.

(Continued on page 6)

...After 55 years of From page 4 continues to be constructed in relation to another ethnic group’s identity. This is a troublesome legacy left to us by our colonial past.

Regrettably, after 55 years of creating and building an education system that matches any other Caricom country, we still have in our midst some who equate ethnicity with an intellectual deficiency.

This cyclopic view, fails to take into account the fact that we Guyanese possess the intellectual tools to describe, articulate and address the challenges and opportunities that face us as a country and as a people. At the same time,

these opportunities and challenges are harbingers of difficult times that lie ahead.

Any government that promises life on a bed of roses is out to fool the people.

Those who promised the ‘good life’ turned out to be the “baddest” life for most Guyanese. We have had our fair share of broken promises and shared hostilities to each other over the years. Our differences in opinion, whether in politics or economics should not result in differences that imperil our fragile and malleable democracy. Let’s put the nation first!

Yours truly, Clement J. Rohee

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Tuesday May 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

The Police Association elections should be rendered null and void Dear Editor Sometimes I wonder why elections in Guyana are so inherently incredible whether or not they be National, Regional or otherwise. On May 10, 2021, the Guyana Police Force held two separate elections at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary and elected ranks to serve on the executive body of the Police Association. Two separate groups were elected to serve in the same positions. Please permit me to deviate a bit from the elections and look at what the Laws of Guyana says about the Police Association: Section 43 (1) of the Police Act Chapter 16: 01 states, “ For the purpose of enabling inspectors, subordinate officers and constables to consider and bring to the notice of the Commissioner and Minister matters affecting their general welfare and efficiency, there shall be established an organisation to be called the Police Association which shall act through Branch Boards, Central Conferences and a Central Committee as provided for by rules made under section 44.”

Section 44 states, “The Commissioner may with the

approval of the Minister makes rules for the Constitution and governance of the Police Association and as to any matters appertaining thereto.”

Section 43 (2) states, “ The Police Association shall be entirely independent of and unassociated with any body outside of the Force and shall have no power to make representations in relation to any matter of discipline, promotion, transfer or leave or any other matter affecting individuals.”

Back to the elections.

Recently, Senior Superintendent of Police Calvin Brutus, in a correspondence to Nigel Hoppie who is performing the duties of Commissioner, opined that the Chairman and other executive members of the Police Association were not operating in the best interest of the Force. There is a bigger picture and hidden agenda, which I may explain in another article. He informed the Commissioner that an election must be held to elect new members and fixed May 10, 2021 as the date for the election. The Commissioner told him that according to the rules of the Association, the

next election was due March 2023 as election was held last year March and that no election must be held before that date. I am aware that Commissioner Laurie Lewis had changed the rule of the Association for election to be held every three years instead of yearly. This was done with the approval of Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj in accordance with Section 44 of the Police Act Chapter 16:02.

S u b s e q u e n t Commissioners allowed the status quo to remain. Brutus went outside of the Force and received directions that the election be held on the date stated by him. It was held behind closed doors.

Surprisingly, he served as the returning officer and emerged with the news that Inspector Prem Narine was elected Chairman and Inspector Kuldip Vice Chairman among other elected to serve on the Association.

Later that same day, on instructions of Hoppie, another election was held and Inspector Roseann Forde was reelected Chairperson.

Several other ranks were elected to serve in various positions of the Association.

...One area we must pay critical From page 5 Research shows that traffic flow improves after traditional intersections are converted to roundabouts. Less idling reduces vehicular emissions and fuel consumption.

Thirdly, roundabouts are safer for pedestrians who walk on sidewalks around the perimeter of the roundabout and cross paying attention to only one direction of traffic at a time. Crossing distances are relatively short while traffic speeds are lower than traditional intersections.

On this note, I further advocate that we build more sidewalks and footpaths; these are structures that would keep the pedestrian public out of the main pathway of moving traffic.

Here are some examples of places where roundabouts are of extreme importance. · The Eve Leary Intersection by the Police Training School. · The Pegasus Junction. · The Homestretch and Mandela Avenue Intersection. · The Vlissengen and South Road Intersection around the 1763 Monument Square. · The Durban Street and Mandela Avenue Intersection. · The Arapaima and Mandela Streets Junction, that is, by the East La Penitence Police Station. · On The East Coast of Demerara Road, (a) the University Of Guyana

Intersection.

The above list is by no means exhaustive and to this end, I call on The Ministry of Public Works’ Engineering team to make their own assessment and come up with their own list of futuristic developmental works.

As our nation heads into the future, one of the critical areas that we must pay strict attention to, is its infrastructure. It is a critical area when one considers how most of the large and more developed countries are fashioning theirs to meet the high demands of modern development. To this end, Guyana must take its place in this modern transformational arena.

Yours truly, Neil Adams

The following day, Hoppie quite rightly vitiated both elections, but subsequently rescinded his previous letter vitiating both elections and ordered that the election that elected Prem Narine was legal and the one that reelected Roseann Forde was illegal. In his written directive dated May 12, 2021 to R. Forde, whom he addreseds as Chairman of the Police Association, Hoppie stated, “ ... upon a more mature consideration of the relevant issues and after reviewing the relevant issues and provisions of the Police Act and Standing Orders bearing upon this matter and upon legal advice received, I wish to withdraw my letter dated 11/5/2021 in relation to the subject at caption.” Hoppie further stated, “ In my capacity as Commissioner of Police, I am directing that the first elections held at 10:00 on Tuesday, April 11, 2021 be recognised as valid and binding elections of office bearers to the Guyana Police Association and that the persons duly elected at the elections be recognised as the office holders of the offices to which they were elected.” Wow! These elections massively violated the Laws of Guyana Chapter 16:01 and the Guyana Police Force Standing Orders No. 35.

According to the Chairman and the Executives, no consultation was done with them prior to the election; members of the Branch Boards, Central Conferences and Central Committee were not consulted as required by the Laws of Guyana.

Arrangement for voting as set out in Standing Orders was dashed through the window; there were no Force Orders publication for the information of all ranks; the procedure for counting votes was not complied with; no ballot boxes and elections materials were in place; ballot boxes were not allocated to any of the ten regional police divisions; among a long list of violations, is that the Rules

for Procedures at Meetings of Branch Boards, Central Conferences and the Central Committee as stated in the Guyana Police Force Standing Orders No. 35 did not come into play. The violations of the Laws of Guyana and the Police Standing Orders were so widespread and transparent that the elections must be considered as null and void.

At the Police Officers Annual Conference 2021, their pastor in a prayer for the Force highlighted many ills, including division and disunity in the GPF. He ended up in hot water. He had to be rescued by the highest ranking man in the land.

Disunity and division which are at the apex of management in the GPF have now manifested themselves in a very big way at ‘ground zero’ to include chief inspectors, inspectors, sergeants, corporals, lance corporals and constables who make up the vast majority of the Force.

This sad state of affairs must be corrected. A menu of measures must be put in place to bring back sanity to the GPF. The members of the Association elected last year must be allowed to serve their term unless the general ranks feel otherwise and call for a new, free, fair and transparent election and vote them out of office. Moving forward, the time is ripe for the appointment of a substantive Commissioner of Police, not an acting Commissioner or a Deputy Commissioner to perform the duties of the Commissioner. Commissioner Leslie James demitted office on May 01, 2021, so there is a vacancy for a Commissioner.

In addition, there are vacancies for at least three Deputy Commissioners. The appointments of Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners are Presidential Appointments.

All the President has to do is to have meaningful consultations with the Leader of the Opposition and the Chairperson of the Police Service Commission after the

Chairperson would have consulted with other members of the Commission and make the appointment. It is the same procedure for appointment of Deputy Commissioners. This is clearly set out in Article 211 of the Constitution of Guyana. The appointment does not call for any agreement as is the case of the appointments of the Chief Justice and the Chancellor of the Judiciary.

The Commissioner must be allowed to take full command and control of the Guyana Police Force. In doing so, he must perform his duties without favour or affection, malice or ill will and to the best of his skill and knowledge discharge all the duties of his office faithfully according to law, so help him God. The police cannot do effective policing without God. If the police want to be effective, they must read the Holy Bible, the Qur’an, the Bhagavad-Gita and other holy books. They are numerous stories therein that will enlighten law enforcement officers how to be effective in the discharge of their duties. May God be with all members of the Guyana Police Force and the movers and shakers of the Force.

Let me be pellucid. I hold no brief for any group or member of the Force. These views alluded to above are my personal views. I have an abiding interest in law enforcement, particularly the Guyana Police Force. I gave thirty-nine years of high quality and continuous service to that noble institution.

Thanks to the media, my candid views on law enforcement are frequently ventilated for public consumption. Last but not least and contrary to the perception of a limited few, I am an apolitical person.

Yours truly, Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired)

Region Four should be divided into smaller electoral districts Dear Editor With elections’ reform in the air, Guyanese must remember that each of us, regardless of political loyalty, suffered at every election since independence, with the March 2020 Elections

providing the clearest, most recent example of the will to lie, cheat and steal by the politically affiliated persons in GECOM. Electoral reform must be ongoing - but it must also be aimed at removing the ability to collude and defraud the Guyanese people as the March 2020 elections showed us. One of the very important reforms must be the dividing up of the size and scope of Region (District) #4.

Throughout our history, this

Region/District has created problems and remains a festering sore in Guyanese psyche.

Even the Guyana Police Force has divided up Region 4 into A, B and C. This is a simple but important move that will remove the long waiting period from future elections. No more behemoth Region/District 4 that can be “mingoised” by anyone.

Yours truly, Dr. Yog Mahadeo

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Tuesday May 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

When desperate enough, any living thing would engage its survival instinct.

Worrying it is, however, when individuals engage in banditry (and other criminal activities) as a means of survival.

While our nation is home to a wealth of natural resources, many within our population are still living in poverty and will likely do whatever is necessary to survive.

Although criminal action may be a last resort for some, such acts should never be celebrated or condoned.

Rather, Government, having recognised the problem, should see the need for a collaborative effort to address the root of the problem.

Our nation is currently in a desperate state.

We at this publication believe that it is time that an urgent intervention is activated before our nation descends into anarchy.

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Police ask marketers, agents of alleged Ponzi scheme to report to CID headquarters

T

he Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a notice yesterday requested that all marketers and agents of the alleged Ponzi scheme operated by Yuri GarciaDominguez and his wife,Ateeka Ishmael, visit its Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, with their documents receiving and handing over cash to the operators.

This is being done as part of the investigation into several reports that were made at the CID headquarters by agents against the couple. Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum, told this newspaper that the

agents have made reports alleging that GarciaDominguez threatened them to repay the investors.

According to the Crime Chief, the agents told the police that the monies, which they had in their possession were already returned to Garcia-Dominguez who in return gave them a small commission. The agents also told the police that they find Garcia-Dominguez's statement requesting agents to repay investors, “mine boggling.”

According to information received, the agents collected a commission for every investor who they recruited to invest with

Garcia-Dominguez's c o m p a n y, A c c e l e r a t e d Capital Firm Inc. (ACF).

Kaieteur News was told that the monies GarciaDominguez claimed is being withheld by the agents are reserves that were set aside to repay investors in case the company's operations should ever run into issues.

This publication had reported that GarciaDominguez claimed that the agents had collected millions on behalf of the investors.

According to a WhatsApp message seen by this publication, GarciaDominguez informed ACF investors, that ACF will return 30 percent of

investments made by the investors and the remaining 70 percent ought to be returned by the agents.

However, the agents have since reported to the police that they returned the monies to Garcia-Dominguez.

Garcia-Dominguez is a Cuban national who was granted citizenship in June 2020. He and his wife, Ishmael, are accused of milking Guyanese of millions of dollars. The alleged Ponzi scheme operators are currently before the court facing 80 plus fraud charges and two charges under the AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act. The charges were brought against the couple by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and represented the first time SOCU has instituted charges under the AML/CFT Act. The AML/CFT Act, Chapter 10:11, prohibits businesses from operating as financial institutions without the necessary registration for regulation and supervision by the Regulatory Authorities, the Financial

Alleged Ponzi scheme operators, Yuri Garcia-Dominguez and his wife Ateeka Ishmael Intelligence Unit (FIU) and Guyana Securities Council.

The duo is currently before three different courts facing charges, which allege that they obtain monies under false pretense. They were released on $30M bail after spending over a month in prison on remand.

Garcia-Dominguez and Ishmael are officials of ACF Inc., a company that lured thousands of Guyanese to

invest their money and promised them a 40 percent profit on their investment.

The company also encouraged its investors to enlist others in order to earn a 10 percent commission for each person they enlist.

The “investors” included businessmen and church members, with a number of religious leaders accused of playing roles in recruiting unsuspecting Guyanese.

Man stabbed in chest defending neighbour's home from thief

A

3 9 - y e a r- o l d resident of Swan Village on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway was stabbed to his chest on Saturday while trying to ward off a robber from his neighbour's home.

Nursing a single stab wound to his upper right chest area is Shaun Millington, a labourer of Lot 41 Swan Village, Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

Police sources close to the investigation revealed

that before the incident which occurred around 01:00hrs, Millington was in front of his house when he noticed a man walking into his neighbour's yard.

Sources further revealed that the man followed the perpetrator into the yard and observed that he was trying to gain access to the house.

Millington upon seeing that called out to the known perpetrator and confronted him. The two, according to reports, were involved in a

brief scuffle when the suspect pulled out a sharp pointed object from his waist which he used to stab Millington. The perpetrator then made good his escape.

This publication was informed that the injured man was escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he remains in a serious state.

Police sources said that they are still pursing the attacker as they continue with their investigation.

COVID-19 claims lives of 2 more men -105 new infections recorded

T

he Ministry of Health (MoH) y e s t e r d a y announced that two men who tested positive for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have died. Their deaths have now brought the country's COVID-19 death toll to 361.

The Ministry in a release noted that the latest fatalities are that of a 69-year-old from Region One (Barima-Waini) and an 86-year-old from

Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo). Both men died on Sunday while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

Furthermore, the Health Ministry in its daily COVID19 dashboard recorded 105 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 16,235.

A breakdown of new cases per Region shows that Region Four leads with 44

new cases, Region Two with 25, Region Six with 17, Region One with six, Region Five and Region Nine with five each, and Region Three with three. The dashboard also shows that 19 patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 94 are in institutional isolation, 1,755 in home isolation and four are quarantined institutionally.

To date, a total of 14,006 recoveries have been recorded.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday May 25, 2021

PAGE 09

Guyana has become a cold and uncaring society N

othing better exemplifies the c o l d a n d uncaring nature of our society than the indifference which is being shown to the large number of elderly who are succumbing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those whose immune systems are weak or compromised are dying and yet there has been no massive outcry over the deaths; it is almost as if these persons are being treated as collateral damage.

So far, 359 persons have died locally from COVID-19 related causes. The majority of these have been persons above the age of 55 years.

And perhaps, it is because the majority of those dying are senior citizens which accounts for the care-free attitude of the younger generation towards the pandemic.

The Ministry of Health has indicated that the uptake of vaccinations among the younger population has been disappointing. The fact that the elderly are succumbing more easily has led to a situation in which many young persons are not exercising the safety practices which are needed because they feel, quite wrongly, that they are invincible and will not die.

But what they fail to acknowledge is that many of

Dem

boys seh...

D

e Vee Pee and De Prezzie sit at de same table during de Diaspora Conference last Saturday morning. Dem wear de identical shirt. So dem boys wan know if dem shopping at de same place or is a buy one, get one free.

One time dem boys walk in a pizza shop. De attendant tell dem boys, “Tonight, we have a special offer; buy one pizza and get de second one free.”

Dem boys seh, “In dat case, we gan just take de second one.”

Nuff people does go and shop fuh fancy clothes when dem gat to go to function.

them are indirectly responsible for the deaths of their elderly members of their households. Most of the elderly who are contracting and succumbing to the virus are not gallivanting around the streets without masks.

Many of them are housebound, some hardly leave their homes. But they are being infected by other household members who bring the virus into the home.

Despite this, every day you can see hundreds of citizens moving around without masks. Even if these persons do not wish to take precautions for themselves, they should consider the health of the elderly members of their household.

But why blame them alone, when the government is also acting callously. The government is refusing to tighten the social restrictions. One person has gone as far as absurdly claiming that curfews do not work. In that case, one has to ask why it is then there is still a curfew in place from 10pm to 4am. Why not remove this if it does not work!

But the government is able to get away with this sort of approach to the pandemic because the vast majority of the people of this country have not been lending their voices to calls for social restrictions such as the closure of non-essential

businesses, work-fromhome and rotation and the extending of the curfew hours.

There has been no massive public outcry over the large numbers of deaths which are taking place and which will get worst. Almost 1,000 cases have been recorded over the past week alone and 16 persons have died during that period.

Given the death rate per infections, it is expected that of these 1,000 cases over the past week, more than 20 are likely to die. The probability is that four of the 19 persons in the COVID-19 ICU are also likely to die within the next two weeks. And each day, more and more persons are being infected and adding to the numbers in the COVID-19 ICU. By the time the pandemic abates, Guyana is likely to see 600 deaths or more. For a small country like Guyana, this is a calamity. Yet, the public appears more preoccupied with political quarrels than with protecting the elderly.

But the elderly is also not without fault. It was shocking to learn that only 60 percent of the elderly population, the most highrisk age group, has thus far been vaccinated. While vaccination does not offer an absolute guarantee that you will not be infected or

De Vee Pee and Prezzie shopping at de same place!

And sometimes when dem tun up at de function, dem find people wearing de identical clothing like dem.

It does be embarrassing, especially if yuh get a bargain but yuh want people feel yuh buying expensive clothes.

Dem gat some of dem people wah does look fuh deals. Dem does look fuh dem sale.

And some of dem store does gat stuff fuh dump so dem does sell it off cheap or offer you to buy one and get one free.

Some people when dem hear de word, “discount” dem does seh “to me dat means a great deal.”

Dem boys did know one time an airline did put on a special promotion fuh dem customers.

Dem introduce a special half fare fuh wives accompanying dem husbands pun business trips.

De airlines bin expecting some nice feedback. So de airline's Public Relations Department send out letters to all de wives of de businessmen who used de special half-price offer. Dem asking dem how dem enjoyed de trips.

Responses still pouring in asking, “What trip?”

Talk half and find out weh de Prezzie and Vee Pee shopping fuh dem shirts.

become severely sick, it has been pointed out that there is only very minute risk of serious infections for fully vaccinated persons and fairly high efficacy levels for those who have had their first vaccination.

Guyana will incur a serious curse because of its attitude towards the deaths

of the elderly. No country can hope to progress when it adopts such an uncaring and selfish attitude towards the spate of COVID-19 deaths.

It is time for a serious rethink of social restrictions in Guyana. It is time for more stringent social restrictions.

But who will champion these calls when it appears that the

majority of the population are quite prepared to tolerate the present high levels of infections and deaths rather than further restrict their activities.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Tuesday May 25, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

$300,000 bribery and rich Guyanese that rape the law T

omorrow Guyana achieves 55 years as a sovereign country.

I will have a mouthful to say in my next column. They say you don't know what will happen the next moment in anyone's life.

But no matter what cataclysmic event occurs tomorrow, I will still focus my tomorrow's article on 55 wasted years in which we appear to go forward but the backward direction is incredibly horrific.

A few days ago, I read that a prosecutor for the Geology and Mines Commission was charged for allegedly receiving a bribe of $300,000.

It is impossible to ask a society not to charge a public officer for financial transaction. I do not think any scholar who argues that society treats the poorer sections harshly could defend bribe-taking.

My contestation here is that the harsh treatment of the poorer classes is class

discrimination based on hegemonic domination of the society by the wealthy in Guyana. I look out my window and I see policemen stopping motorists every week for darkness of tint.

Then I drive to the supermarket, the National Park, on the roadways, and I see tints that are darker than the hell that Faust visited. In each case, the vehicle is of the extravagantly expensive type. The end result is the school teacher has to take off his/her tint while moneyed

people can darken their car windows anyhow they like.

Do you know I did two columns and spoke to the traffic chief about seven years ago about a Portuguese gentleman of extreme wealth who as a matter of routine did not use a helmet while riding his motorcycle?

One day outside of Kaieteur News, Dale Andrews and I saw him so we jumped into my car and drove behind him to see if Ruimveldt station would stop him. They didn't.

One afternoon, the gentleman, without helmet, rode through a road block on the Linden highway. It was witnessed by me; the editor of the Catholic Standard, Colin Smith, and Office of the President consultant, William Cox. Maybe he is still doing it. Guess why?

He's wealthy. In a small country, wealthy people own the population.

So the prosecutor is alleged to have taken $300,000. That sum is funny and I mean really funny. The rich and super rich spend that within hours at Palm Court and Hard Rock Café; the very rich and super rich that hardly pay taxes. Now taking a bribe is a criminal offence.

The law compels owners of property to pay the municipal government rates

and taxes.

Both the Mayor Frederick Kissoon and his deputy told me that I can quote $300,000 is monopoly them as saying that the money. But the rule of law hundreds of expensive hauls the alleged bribe-taker buildings that have gone up before the courts while the t h e p a s t 1 0 y e a r s i n billionaires spend $300,000 G e o r g e t o w n a r e n o t in an hour at Palm Court and registered as tax-paying absolutely refuse to pay rates entities. and taxes.

See my column on the The situation becomes subject of Sunday, January comically bizarre because 31, 2021, “What the Mayor the Mayor and City Council and his deputy told me constantly complain that makes Guyana an unfit there isn't money to clean the nation.” This unfit nation city. I drive around this town will be celebrating 55 years and a huge mystery canopies of Independence tomorrow. it. We have become an oilMy mother-in-law died five producing country. years now and we are still There is no a guaranteed paying rates and taxes on her boost to the Treasury but house and it is not a small Georgetown and Guyana are amount. stink.

Can one argue a case for Last Wednesday, my the guy alleged to have taken wife and I went to Mon the $300,000? The answer is Repos. She said let's drive up no. But we can argue that he to Enmore to see the East i s a v i c t i m o f c l a s s Coast. She asked to be taken discrimination. to Kissoon's Housing Estate.

If the law stipulates that it As we entered the place, the is a criminal offence for first street we saw was dirty, public officers to demand a with old fridge, old fans, and bribe, the law also stipulates rubbished strewn all over. that you have to pay rates and All the streets in that place taxes. had that appearance.

Here now is the evidence Tomorrow is 55 years of of the alleged bribe-taker Independence. Watch me! being a victim of a cruel class (The views expressed in divided society. this article are those of the The owners of those a u t h o r a n d d o n o t extravagant structures are necessarily reflect the b i l l i o n a i r e s t o w h o m opinions of this newspaper.)

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Foundation aims to take kidney disease awareness countrywide A

bout 10 percent of the world's population is affected by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), with over two million people globally receiving either dialysis treatment or having benefitted from a kidney transplant.

Celebrated on March 11, World Kidney Day (WKD) 2021, which focused on “Kidney Health for Everyone, everywhere –Living Well with Kidney Disease”, aimed to increase education and awareness on effective symptom management and patient empowerment.

The WKD campaign stressed that with timely identification and appropriate treatment, patients with kidney disease can lead a healthy and successful life and maintain their role and social functioning in line with their priorities, values and goals.

The global call to action centred on improving patients' understanding of their role, and providing a facilitating environment that improves their skills and allows them to get the most out of the healthcare system.

Locally, the Kidney Foundation of Guyana (KFG) has been in the forefront of this year's o b s e r v a n c e f o r Wo r l d Kidney Day, with the hope of raising public awareness on CKD and its contributing

factors in Guyana.

The Foundation has since lauded its success in spearheading a number of activities to mark the occasion in collaboration with the Chronic Disease Unit of the Ministry of Health, the Nephrology Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and the University of Calgary in Canada.

The activities planned include a series of CME's which have been continuous and cover a wide range of topics on renal health and media guest appearances by doctors, patients and caregivers in the print and broadcast media. Among one of the highlights in observing World Kidney Day in Guyana every year, is an annual walk, which has not been possible due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

H o w e v e r, t h e Foundation noted in its release that it has been finding effective ways in reaching the Guyanese populace with the use of the local media and its social media platforms. It added, the media houses, both print and broadcast, have been very supportive in sensitising the population during the month of March.

Educational sessions for medical professionals and patients, it noted, were done virtually via the Zoom

platform and social media but mainly through the Foundation's Facebook page.

“The KFG has received tremendous response to its outreaches and applauds the support of the local media, the public, patients and their

caregivers, and members of the local medical fraternity, in its public awareness drive,” the release added.

For the remainder of 2021 and beyond, the Foundation is poised to take its public awareness and sensitisation drive on

CKD countrywide. It will focus on addressing issues that patients and caregivers are faced with, and educating the public on risk reduction strategies so as to reduce the burden of CKD. According to the

release too, the Foundation hopes to engage other organisations and stakeholders with the aim of improving the quality of life and reducing the mortality rates among those living with kidney disease in Guyana.

Local Govt. Commission meets with Local Govt. Organs Attendees listening to a presentation

O

n Friday May 21, 2021, the Local Government Commission (LGC) hosted an outreach to educate the Local Government Organs of Region Three on the roles and functions of the LGC as well as to listen to their concerns.

In a release, it was noted that during the outreach several concerns were raised that were documented and

will be addressed at the Commission's level.

The Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Julius Faerber, noted that the LGC in the past was not as visible and stressed that this current Commission would ensure that they take a more active role in the oversight of the Local Government Organs throughout the country.

He said that all Local

Government Organs would benefit from training and guidance sessions to execute their duties properly.

The Region Three attendees included the Regional Vice Chairman, Deputy Regional Executive Officer and other senior officials of the Regional Office, the Chairpersons and Overseers from the Neighbourhood Democratic Council.

Those who attended from the LGC included the Chairman, Mr. Faerber; the Deputy Chairman, Mr. Norman Whittaker and other senior officials.

The meeting forms part of the LGC's work plan to bring the Commission to the people to ensure that democracy at the local level is observed and maintained at the highest standards.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday May 25, 2021

PAGE 13

UG to start offering suite of executive level courses next month

T

he University of G u y a n a ' s Institute for Energy Diplomacy (IED) has announced a suite of Executive Level Professional Courses to begin in June 2021. In a release, UG noted that the courses are being taught by leading international academics and experts from Universities around the world with long track records in training for the energy sector.

The Institute will deliver a minimum of two professional courses per month for the rest of 2021 and expects to accelerate its offerings in 2022. IED, the release added, aims to certify several hundred persons across various disciplines in its first year of offerings commencing from June 2021 as the University rolls out its programmes in an effort to help fill the performance gaps and expressed interests of professionals in Guyana and the region.

The professional courses currently being offered are: Energy Markets, Oil and Gas Va l u e C h a i n , E n e r g y Transport and Shipping and Crude Oil Trading.

The courses cover not only a range of upstream, midstream, and downstream oil and gas activities but equip participants with wider energy training.

Prospective participants are

expected to possess an undergraduate degree or at least five years of experience in a related field.

Each professional course is assessed by a 100 percent final-online exam and is taught over one or two weeks. Person's may opt for an exam or no exam mode.

However, it should be noted that the certification and costs of the two options will

differ. The main difference is that those taking the exams for course credits will have the option of adding these to other offerings with UG for a postgraduate diploma in the future based on the modular framework of courses offered through the Institute for Energy Diplomacy.

IED Founding Director, Alex Armogan, stated that IED's professional courses are optimised for online delivery and a busy work life.

UG has pioneered domestic tertiary level education for 58 years.

Today, via its Institute for Energy Diplomacy, UG is leading the push for professional energy training to meet the evolving skills gap. The Institute's courses are guided by past and ongoing work done by UG and international organisations to map knowledge gaps. UG's professional training facilitates the need for Guyana to become a fastenergy learner. Director Armogan emphasised that while IED's primary focus is on the Guyana-Suriname basin, the international quality of the course content and online delivery, added to the prestigious University of Guyana certification, makes the Institute's courses internationally attractive.

Vice Chancellor XI, Prof. Paloma Mohamed has said that the courses underscore UG's continued drive to ensure that Guyanese can take full advantage of the local content requirements as well as those spin-off opportunities that are emerging rapidly in the local market. Additionally, this specific suite is a low-cost and rapid results model for scores of those working on

energy matters in the public sector. VC Mohamed notes that this joins the new offerings in the Faculty of Technology (Degree and Masters in Petroleum Engineering and Masters in Renewable Energy), Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences (Masters in Environmental Management for the Oil and Gas Industry), and SEBI (Masters in Management of Supply Chains and Procurement) all being offered from September 2021.

The brief description of the first suite of Executive Courses being offered by UG's Institute of Energy Diplomacy are as follow: Energy Markets This course provides fundamental knowledge of energy market economics.

The aim is to provide you with an energy-specific toolkit, which will allow you to understand the broader economic concepts and issues in this sector. Areas covered include energy demand, oil and refined products, natural gas, electricity and renewables.

O t h e r e n e rg y - s p e c i f i c courses will cover more detailed operational and financial issues.

Oil and Gas Value Chain This course provides participants with an overview of the key business aspects of the Oil and Gas Business, with an emphasis on the upstream petroleum business. It explores the oil and gas value chain, key contracting and portfolio management, risks and challenges in the 21st century and discusses the important functional management issues, including technical, financial, environmental,

and social.

Energy Transport and Shipping This course provides fundamental knowledge of energy transportation and the tanker shipping market.

The main aim is to provide participants with the skills and tools required to understand broader terms, concepts and issues in the oil and gas shipping sector in Guyana. The module consists of six topics with an introduction of energy transportation, the world tanker market and operations, shipping contracts and freight market economics, and international regulations in shipping.

Crude Oil Trading This course provides fundamental knowledge of energy trading economics.

The aim is to provide you with an in-depth study of the energy industry structure and strategies, study the fundamentals of oil and energy trading economics and relate those to current market trends. You will be introduced to the key issues involved in physical and financial energy trading as well as advanced issues related to the production and trading of oil before dealing with more detailed operational issues, which are covered in other energyspecific courses. Areas covered include oil pricing mechanisms, trading strategies, contracts and contract exposures, and risk management.

Interested persons can visit www.ugied.com or contact the Institute directly at team@ugied.com or +592 613 5776 for more information.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Rosignol Fishing Complex's IMC accused of mismanagement - Government's intervention being sought

By Malisa Playter-Harry

F

ishermen and security personnel attached to the Rosignol Fishing Complex are accusing the facility's Interim Management Committee (IMC), which was formed in 2019 to improve its operation over a six-month period, of not only prolonging its stay but gross mismanagement. The group of affected individuals, who engaged the media on Tuesday, spoke of the dilapidated state of the complex and noted that they have been forced to work under wanting conditions.

P r i o r t o t h e implementation of the IMC, the Rosignol Fishermen Coop Society had responsibility for the complex; however, there were reportedly internal issues among the members and a petition was filed by

Maiku, another frustrated fisherman some of them to have the Coop's chairman replaced.

The matter was brought to the attention of the management of the Coop and a decision was made by the Chief Coop Officer (CCO) to disband it and have an IMC in place for a period of six months. The IMC

y e a r- o l d m a n w h o i s employed as a security guard, said that he and the majority of the old workers were employed by the Coop.

He said that in 2019 when the IMC was put in place, they were informed of the new development.

He said that since then, they have not been receiving their salaries in a timely manner and are currently owed salaries for a month and a half.

“So, they told us that they are here for six months to help the Coop to be more Raymond Nazrudeen, one efficient, but six months of the affected fishermen passed and they are still here. In 2020, we start to experience our salary falling back. We (use to) get paid commenced operation in June 2019. The fishermen, every two weeks (but) when however, are contending that the fortnight ends you since the IMC was put in getting one week late, and place, the state of the facility then two weeks late, and b e c a m e p r o g r e s s i v e l y when we start to speak out for our salary, we start get worse.

Deodat Gildarie, a 51- v i c t i m i s a t i o n f r o m

Boats moored at the wharf at the Rosignol Fishing Complex

The current state of the wharf

A security guard showing a notice from the IMC informing them of a delayed fortnight payment in March management,” Gildarie related.

He said that he and three other security guards have not been paid since April, and they have since been informed that there are no finances available to facilitate such payments.

“Now we are over one and a half months, we ain't get paid since April. We owe the shopkeeper all kinda things; we stop getting credit from the shop, we owe GPL, GWI, the people looking to disconnect and so we must find means.

Before the new management was in place, the salary was never late. I reported to the Ministry of Labour in April and they said they would investigate it.

When we talk about our salary the management say

'when we get money y'all going to come to work',” said Gildarie.

As he lamented the predicament he and the other security guards are faced with, Gildarie appealed for President, Irfaan Ali, to intervene on their behalf.

The man noted too, that the failure on the part of the IMC to pay them should have never materialised since it has been in a better financial position.

He revealed that while under the Coop, the ice factory that operates within the complex had operated there for free but since the IMC was installed, a monthly rental had become compulsory.

“The members were running the Society with no rent from the ice factory and we were getting our salary up to date and now they getting $300,000 a month and we not getting our salary.

The other thing is, that we are taxpayers and when we found out that there is no tax paying for us but our tax deducting, I went to GRA and found out that,” he disclosed.

Meanwhile, 50-year-old Raymond Nazrudeen, who has been a fisherman for most of his life and was also a member of the Coop Society when it was in place, has concluded that it is bad management that has put them in such a situation.

“We run the Fisherman Coop and we had $2.5M in the bank, and we did not like what the Coop was doing, and we wrote a letter to Ms. Gibbs who was the CCO at (continued on page 17)

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

PAGE 16

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

Speeding car kills 3 on roadside...

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From page 11 old Rodwel Jerome.

Kaieteur News was informed that shortly before the tragic incident, the family had returned from a church service and was sitting on the side of the road conversing with each other. The family was at the time waiting on of one Henry's grandsons to return from an outing.

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trol around 21:30hrs and collided with the left side curb of the road.

The ca r w a s b e i n g driven by Kevin Bizzeth, a member of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS). After the car hit the curb, it then crashed into the family whose members were still sitting on the side of the road.

After the family was struck by the car, eyewitnesses immediately went to their aid and escorted them to the hospital.

Little Akese Jerome was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre

where she was examined and pronounced dead on arrival.

Henry and Emmanuels were picked up and taken to the Mackenzie Public Hospital also in an unconscious state, and they too were pronounced dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, Persaud and Rodwel, who were also unconscious, were taken to the Mackenzie Hospital where they were examined and admitted.

Due to the extent of Persaud's injuries, she was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where she was admitted to the Inten-

sive Care Unit (ICU).

Meanwhile, 39-year-old Bizzeth, who had fled the scene, was later intercepted in Linden and was taken into custody.

A breathalyzer test was conducted on him but no trace of alcohol was found in his system. An investigation has since been launched into the fatal accident.

Commander of Region Four 'B', Mahendra Siwnarine, and other members of the Force yesterday visited the family of those who died and assured them that a thorough investigation would be done.

Tuesday May 25, 2021

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

Guyana’s poor systems spell disaster for oil money

By Kiana Wilburg Guyana ushers in its newfound oil wealth in an era of poor systems for governance, procurement and management that has existed for decades.

The reports from the Audit Office, the guardian of the nation’s purse, testify to this on an annual basis.

Those reports speak to numerous cases of rampant corruption and procurement breaches across ministries and regional departments.

In September 2019, Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, expressed dismay with the fact that the majority of his yearly recommendations to Ministries, Departments and Regions to improve systems and practices for governance and accountability are not acted on. In fact, Sharma said that 76 percent of his recommendations were not fully implemented with many of them being repeated each year. As a result of the inaction, Sharma has said that weaknesses and issues that impact negatively on Government’s governance and accountability mechanisms continue to occur.

This state of affairs remains an area of serious concern for many transparency advocates, especially when taken in context of advice recently provided by Trinidadian Energy Expert, Anthony Paul.

During a recording of Kaieteur Radio’s Programme, “Guyana’s Oil and You”, Paul said it is critical that Guyana gets proper management systems for the expenditure of oil money; otherwise, it will risk losing significant revenue.

Further to this, Paul said that proper management systems for governance and procurement would help to ensure Guyana does not find itself in the same boat with other major oil producing nations such as Nigeria and Angola that are now at the doorsteps of i n t ernational financial institutions with appeals for funding to fight the COVID19 pandemic.

The Energy Expert, who is currently helping the government of Mozambique, said that there are several mistakes these countries made but there is a key one Guyana should pay attention to. He said, “Governments

tend to track their budgets with their revenues rather than, and I would suggest, the ability to spend money efficiently and that has been a challenge in countries that have oil and gas. They have high budgets, high levels of spending and high levels of inefficiency. So I would say the lesson for Guyana is to understand the level of capacity you have to manage efficiently…”

The Trinidadian warned that high levels of spending, even on the most crucial projects, would essentially be a recipe for disaster if the weaknesses of the governance and procurement systems are left unaddressed.

Further to this, Paul said, “The local authorities also have to bear in mind that the price for oil will fluctuate. So ask yourself, what the right level of revenue expectation is and pitch your budget below that so whatever surplus you get, you can save it for rainy days like the one that is upon us.”

Using his home country as a point of reference, the Local Content Expert said that Trinidad and Tobago’s problem has never been access to revenue but rather,

...Court case over police promotions ruling From page 3 declaration in that frame.”

“I think that it is very, very wide. This is not the only service commission. There are a number of other service commissions and I am very concerned at the breadth of the declaration sought in this regard, given the implications not only to this matter but to the entire Public and Teaching Service and for that matter maybe even the Judicial Service Commission,” she said.

Towards the end of the hearing, the CJ granted permission for Satram to file additional submissions on behalf of his clients.

The documents have been served on Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, SC, who, along with the PSC, are the named respondents in the case.

In the submissions, the lawyer has raised several questions over the procedure as well as rights of officers as it regards the promotions. He stressed that it was never intended that the PSC would operate without judicial scrutiny.

According to Satram, the autonomy which was afforded to the PSC by the Constitution does not allow it to act entirely as it sees fit in the exercise of powers conferred upon it.

He contends that, “it is clear therefore that the decisions of the Commission are amenable to judicial review and the Commission is

bound by considerations of fairness. It is also clear that the Commission is bound by the fundamental rights guarantees found at Article 137 to 153 of the Constitution.”

“As a general rule, the reviewing Court is not entitled to substitute its own views for those of the primary decision maker…It is for the Courts to say what the law is. If the PSC commits an error of law, the question as to whether it was reasonable or permissible or within its discretion is irrelevant,” he added.

Further, Satram noted that while the Applicants in each case do not deny that the PSC has power to promote and discipline them, the allegation is that the powers and discretion vested in the Commission have not been properly and fairly exercised.

“It is the legality of the decisions made by the PSC which is under challenge,” he said.

Addressing issues related to the procedure for promotion, the attorney noted that the PSC does not interview ranks for promotion and has never done so.

He said, “It [the PSC] has always relied on the recommendations of the Commissioner of Police who is part of a larger Promotion Board which consists of Senior Officers from various divisions of the Police Force.”

Further outlining the process, the lawyer noted that the PSC should be able to act outside of the promotion

board when it comes to promoting officers.

As such, he said that any attempt by the PSC to separate itself from the process which it has relied on for decades is disingenuous and can only result in arbitrary appointments.

Satram added that, “the system of promotion devoid of the recommendations of the Promotion Board is unfair, arbitrary and lacks transparency. The members of the PSC perform their functions on a part-time basis and know very little, if anything, about the ranks they are required to promote, other than what is told to them by the Police Force itself.”

He noted that the Commission cannot act in total disregard of the recommendations of the Promotion Board.

“The two aspects of the promotion system involving the Promotion Board and the PSC are inextricably bound and together serve to promote a system of promotions which is fair, consistent and transparent.

The question is whether it is unfair for the PSC to depart from or ignore the process specified in Police Force Standing Order 22, and the further question is whether it ought to afford a hearing to ranks affected by its decision to depart from this process and give good and adequate reasons for departing from it,” he said in his submissions.

poor management of expenditure. He said that one of the things Trinidad’s authorities said they would do is bring legislation that would ensure the transparent

management of the oil money while getting high value with contracts. He said that this unfortunately, was not done.

“Once governments do that, you know their

intentions aren’t always the best. I would suggest Guyana should take its cue from this,” the international consultant concluded. (Republished from May 2020)

Belarus faces international fury after using fighter jet to hijack airliner, seize journalist “While it sounds like an extraordinary Hollywood plot, it’s not. The reality of this apparent act of air piracy is chilling,” Amnesty International

By Adela Suliman NBC News - “Piracy,” “hijacking” and “state terrorism” — the condemnation of Belarus was swift and strong after it forced the landing of a commercial airplane carrying an opposition journalist.

In a show of unified fury, the United States, Britain, the European Union, NATO and the United Nations on Monday lined up to call out the action in the skies above the eastern European country led b y A l e x a n d e r Lukashenko, often referred to as Europe’s last dictator.

“We strongly condemn the Lukashenka regime’s brazen and shocking act,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday, using an alternative spelling for Lukashenko and noting that American passengers were on board the flight.

“We demand an international investigation and are coordinating with our partners on next steps. The United States stands with the people of Belarus,” he added.

President Joe Biden called the incident “outrageous” and that it “appears to have made under duress are shameful assaults on both political dissent and the freedom of the press. The United States joins countries around the world in calling for

Opposition blogger and activist Roman Protasevich arrives for a court hearing in Minsk, Belarus April 10, 2017. © Stringer, Reuters his release, as well as for the release of the hundreds of political prisoners who are being unjustly detained.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki condemned Belarus’ actions and called for an immediate international investigation into the incident.

“This was a shocking act of diverting a flight between two EU member states for the apparent purpose of arresting a journalist. It constitutes a brazen affront to international peace and security by the regime,” Psaki said.

Psaki said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the episode earlier Monday morning and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan “raised our strong concerns on this issue, the actions of the government of

Belarus” with his Russian counterpart during a meeting Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been supportive of Lukashenko.

Psaki declined to say whether the White House considered it safe for U.S. airlines to fly in Belarus airspace.

E.U. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted Sunday that “the outrageous and illegal behavior of the regime in Belarus will have consequences.”

Former President of the European Council Donald Tusk labeled the incident an “act of state terrorism.”

The chorus of international ire follows the forced landing in Minsk, the Belarusian capital, of a Ryanair (Continued on page 18)

...Rosignol Fishing Complex's IMC accused From page 14 the time. Subsequently, she brought a team and said these are the people that are gonna be a part of the interim body (IMC).... They take over with $2.5M in the bank and presently there is only $80,000 in the bank. The blame goes solely on Ms. Gibbs because she bring the IMC. This place might look lil old and whatever, but it brings food to people and we cannot work like this. We have no money to build up the wharf right now and all we can do is ask the Government to investigate this,” Nazrudeen stressed.

Currently the fishermen are required to pay fees between $3,000 and $5,000 per

month to moor their boats at the wharf and this publication was able to confirm that a rent of $300,000 per month is being collected from the ice factory. Despite the monthly income, the fishermen are insisting that the condition of the complex remains in a very deplorable state.

Sharmilla, only name provided, is the lone female worker in the complex. She is also currently employed as a security guard but was formerly a cleaner there. Like the others, she too is owed salary for one and a half months.

“They suppose to pay me and when I came in to them Monday, they say they have no salary. The people say if we

continue to work, they will see about payment, so we are working right now without any payment. I am calling on the minister and president to see we have we pay. I have bills to pay...me is a poor woman so I can't sit down in this country, we have to work,” Sharmilla said.

Efforts by this publication to reach out to the IMC for a comment proved futile. In fact, when checks were made, the door of its office was padlocked. Kaieteur News has learnt too that Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, had visited the complex about a month ago and the issues were raised with him. He had promised then to intervene.

PAGE 18

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

...Belarus faces international From page 17 flight on Sunday carrying key opposition blogger Roman Protasevich. Protasevich was detained on arrival, officials and rights activists said.

The commercial Ryanair passenger plane was traveling from Greece to Lithuania when a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet was nearby and Belarusian authorities flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force the aircraft to land.

Protasevich, 26, works for the Poland-based online news service NEXTA and is wanted in Belarus for broadcasting mass protests against Lukashenko last year via the Telegram messenger app.

According to passengers on the jet who spoke to Reuters, Protasevich held his head in his hands and looked sad and scared on landing. He also appeared to pass his laptop and mobile phone to a female companion, while authorities were later seen taking Protasevich into custody on arrival in Minsk.

It’s unclear what charges or jail terms Protasevich could face, but Belarus remains among a handful of countries

in Europe to administer the death penalty.

“While it sounds like an extraordinary Hollywood plot, it’s not. The reality of this apparent act of air piracy is chilling,” Marie Struthers, human rights group Amnesty I n t e r n a t i o n a l ’s E a s t e r n Europe and Central Asia director said in a statement.

Michael O’Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, which operated the flight, called the incident “state-sponsored hijacking ... state-sponsored piracy” on Irish Newstalk radio.

A spokesman for the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anatoly Glaz, batted away what he called “bellicose” statements from the West on Monday and said the government’s actions complied with international law.

During unrest in Belarus last August following Lukashenko’s reelection — the president’s allegedly landslide win has been widely criticized — thencandidate Joe Biden said the people of Belarus were facing “systematic repression” and living under an “authoritarian

regime.” Lukashenko denies electoral fraud.

The E.U. has already imposed three rounds of sanctions on Belarus in response to last year’s contested presidential election. Some European politicians are now calling for tougher next steps, among them the suspension of E.U. airlines flying over Belarus and a ban on Belarusian airlines from landing at E.U. airports.

But the E.U. will also have to tread carefully to avoid pushing Lukashenko into even closer ties with key ally, Russia.

So far, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not commented but the editor-inchief of statecontrolled Russia Today tweeted that Lukashenko had “performed beautifully.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Monday he would not be commenting on the incident. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a separate press conference on Monday that Russia was “in favor of assessing this situation not in a hurry, not in a rush.”

A Latvian airline, airBaltic, became the first on Monday to announce it would no longer fly over Belarusian air space.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday May 25, 2021

PAGE 19

World No-Tobacco Day Awards recognise advances in Costa Rica, Paraguay, Uruguay, Saint Lucia, Brazil and the U.S.

W

orld NoTobacco Day Awards for 2021 in the Americas have been given to three Costa Rican institutions, the ministries of health in Saint Lucia and Paraguay, the Uruguayan National Resource Fund, two California cities and a Brazilian doctor.

This is according to a release, which noted that the winners, selected by the World Health Organisation (WHO) from nominations received in response to a public call, achieved key advances in tobacco control in their countries.

The awards are part of global tobacco control efforts recognised on World No-Tobacco Day every year.

A shared award was given to Costa Rica's mSalud Institutional Team, which is comprised of three institutions formed by the Ministry of Health, Costa Rican Social Security Fund, and the Institute on Alcoholism and Drug

Dependence.

T h e m S a l u d Te a m received the award for their role in expanding quittobacco services through development of online tools.

Uruguay's National Resource Fund received the award for its role in the National Network of Smoking Cessation Units. The Network arose out of the To b a c c o Tr e a t m e n t Programme, which the Resource Fund created in 2004.

The Resource Fund is now responsible for coordinating, evaluating, and supporting the Network, which has played a key role in increasing access to quittobacco services throughout the country.

The award was given to Dr. Tania Cavalcante, an oncologist at Brazil's National Cancer Institute and Executive Secretary of the National Committee for the Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Brazil.

She received it for her

lifelong contribution to effective tobacco control policy in Brazil and for her globally impactful work on implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Dr. Cavalcante also has b e e n instrumental in facilitating countries' exchanges of experiences in tobacco control in Latin America and among Portuguese-speaking countries.

Saint Lucia's Ministry of H e a l t h a n d We l l n e s s received the award for its role in adoption in June 2020 of the Public Health (Smoking Control) Regulations, Statutory Instrument, 2020, No. 81.

The regulation establishes a smoking ban in enclosed public and working places and on public transport. The regulation covers electronic cigarettes and prohibition of the sale of tobacco products in places such as health, sport, government, childcare, educational and religious

Speeding car kills 3 on roadside, 2 others injured Commander of Division 4 'B', Mahendra Siwnarine, and other ranks who visited the bereaved family

T

ragedy struck Kairuni Village o n t h e Soesdyke/Linden Highway on Sunday after a speeding motorcar slammed into a group of residents who were

sitting on the side of the public road, killing three and injuring two others.

The dead persons have been identified as eight-yearold Akese Jerome; 87-yearold Antonia Henry, and, a

reportedly pregnant, 40year-old Meliena Emmanuels. Those who are injured but survived the crash are eight-year-old Aleana Persaud and 50-year(continued on page 16)

facilities.

With the adoption, St. Lucia became the eighth country in the Caribbean and the 22nd in the Americas to adopt regulation in keeping with Article 8 of the FCTC, which asserts that people should be protected against tobacco smoke in indoor public places, indoor workplaces, and public transportation.

Paraguay's Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare received the award for its role in Decree No. 4624, which establishes that cigarettes, heated tobacco products, or electronic cigarettes can only be consumed in open-air spaces without crowds.

With the decree, Paraguay joins the rest of South American countries in following Article 8 of the FCTC to create a smoke-free region.

The California cities of Beverly Hills and Manhattan

Beach shared the award for their ban on the sale of tobacco products.

Their actions serve as proof of concept for Project Sunset, a global effort to phase out sale of commercial combustible tobacco products, including alternative nicotine delivery systems. California has since set a goal of eliminating tobacco use by 2035.

Through this initiative, Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach are going one step beyond established measures to mitigate and

reduce consumption of tobacco.

World No Tobacco Day w a s created by WHO Member States in 1987 and is commemorated each year on May 31 to raise awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke and to discourage use of tobacco in any form. Tobacco kills more than eight million people each year.

The awards are given for achievements in the advancement of policies and measures in the FCTC in the Region of the Americas.

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

PAGE 22

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Windies squad train in small groups after Marquino Mindley tests positive for COVID-19

Marquino Mindley tested positive for COVID-19.

Gros Islet, St. Lucia — F o l l o w i n g P C R Te s t s administered on Friday, 21 May, for all members of the West Indies Men’s red-ball training camp being held in St Lucia, Jamaican fast bowler, Marquino Mindley, tested positive on his second COVID-19 test.

In accordance with the medical protocols established with the St Lucian Ministry of Health, Mindley, who is currently asymptomatic, will now selfisolate in his hotel room under the supervision of the

Cricket West Indies (CWI) Medical Team until he returns two back-to-back negative results.

All other members of the training squad and coaching team were re-tested and isolated in their rooms, with training cancelled for the weekend.

All of these training squad and coaching team members have now tested negative following their repeat tests and the squad will train in small groups starting yesterday, 24 May, at the Daren Sammy Cricket

Ground.

The West Indies red-ball training camp is being held in a bio-secure environment ahead of the ICC World Test Championship two-match Series against South Africa, scheduled to start on June 10.

CWI continues to work with all the regional governments and CARPHA to encourage and assist all squad members to get vaccinated. To date, 43 members of West Indies Men’s playing and coaching staff have received vaccination doses.

NBA roundup: Grizzlies stun top-seeded Jazz to open series Reuters - Dillon Brooks scored 31 points and Ja Morant added 26 to lead the No. 8 seed Memphis Grizzlies to a huge 112-109 road upset win over the No. 1 Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Sunday night in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

The young Grizzlies fell behind by 14 points in the first half, rallied to jump ahead by 17 points early in the fourth quarter and then held on to win on the topseeded team’s home court just two days after earning a spot in the playoffs. While Utah rested, the Grizzlies

had to beat San Antonio and Golden State in the NBA’s new play-in tournament to qualify.

The Jazz were shorthanded after All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell (ankle sprain) was ruled out of the game in the afternoon.

Former Grizzlies guard Mike Conley played well for the Jazz with 22 points and 11 assists, and Bojan Bogdanovic lit up to score 29 points — all in the second half — to lead Utah.

Jonas Valanciunas had 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Kyle Anderson added 14 points and six steals for a Grizzlies squad that is playing in the playoffs for the first time in four years.

Suns 99, Lakers 90 Devin Booker recorded 34 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to lead Phoenix to a home victory

over Los Angeles in the opening game of their Western Conference firstround series.

Deandre Ayton added 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting and collected 16 rebounds for the second-seeded Suns, who were playing in their first postseason game since 2010. Suns star Chris Paul played 36 minutes despite injuring his right shoulder in the second quarter when teammate Cameron Johnson clipped his arm.

LeBron James had 18 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds while Anthony Davis had 13 on just 5-of-16 shooting for the seventhseeded Lakers. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Tuesday in Phoenix.

In other results: 76ers 125, Wizards 118 Hawks 107, Knicks 105 (Field Level Media)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday May 25, 2021

PAGE 23

Gary St Clair Superhero fight night Promotion

Stages Harper’s Charity Fight Night on June 4 in Australia

By Sean Devers

T

he Gary St Clair Superhero fight night Promotions of Sydney Australia, is planning an International Boxing card for Guyana in September at the Providence Stadium.

The 10-bout pro/Am card will also include Caribbean and South American pugilists and could be shown on a Payper-view channel with Elton Dharry and Dexter Marques both fighting for World titles.

The 46-year-old St Clair is the last of six Guyanese boxers (including two females) to win world titles when he defeated Cassius Baloyai in South Africa in July 2016 to claim the IBO and IBF World Super featherweight title.

Jasim Jayam Bholaosien Meanwhile, down under in Australia, the Gary St Clair Superhero fight night Promotions will stage the Harper’s Charity Fight Night on Friday, June 4 at Conca D’oro Riverwood and the formal red carpet Event will be the first Fight Night for 2021.

“I would usually hold three Fight Nights Cards per year, but due to the COVID

restrictions this will be the first for 2021 and this one is for a worthy cause,” said St Clair who has a pro record of 60 bouts, 46 wins, 18 KOs, with 12 losses and two draws.

“This card is dedicated to Harper Wright, who was friend and partner.

Alishar Wright’s young niece was diagnosed with brain cancer in late 2018 and died in February 2019 and every ticket sold, $20 from the cost of the ticket will be donated to the Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick, where Harper spent the last few weeks of her life.

Guyanese Jasim Jayam Bholagosien will be fighting on Harper’s Charity Fight Night Card,” explained St Clair Gairy St Clair Fight Nights are every three

Gary St Clair and the parents of the late Harper promote the Card.

months. The next event will be late September just after the Guyana International Card.

Giving an update on the proposed Event in Guyana, St Clair, who had discussions with Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jnr and President of the Guyana Boxing Board Peter Abdool,

said he is in contact with recently appointed Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and plans for his card is taking shape.

“I am encouraged by the fact that International T20 cricket between West Indies and Pakistan is planned for the Stadium in August and fans might be allowed.

September is still four months away and with the present vaccination drive in Guyana and the people there being responsible in adhering to the Covid regulations we are very optimistic that that with aggressive promotion and astute planning this Event will be staged successfully,” St Clair concluded.

Police Progressive Youth Club is Guyana Ex-athletes and Friends Inc Independence relay champs New Amsterdam United boys 20 and under 4x100m team.

The victorious Bladen Hall boys 17 and under 4x100m relay boys team with their coaches.

By Zaheer Mohamed Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) emerged champions of the Guyana Ex-athletes and Friends Inc Independence relay competition which was contested on Saturday at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.

PPYC male team chalked up 30 points and their female counterparts marked 22 points as they totaled 66 points, while New Amsterdam United (NAU) placed second on 53 points with their male team scoring 27 and their female 22.

Mercury Fast Laners placed third with 45 points, while Tytans Athletics Club was fourth on 28 followed by

Super Upcoming Runners 20, Bladen Hall Secondary 20 and the Guyana Defence Force on eight.

The event got underway with the girls 17 and under 4x100m which was won by NAU in 53.25 seconds ahead of PPYC in 58.04 seconds and Mercury Fast Laners in 58.39.

Tytans Athletic Club won the girls 20 and under 4x100m in a time of 50.76 seconds, while Mercury Fast Laners placed second in 55.77 and PPYC was third in 59.00.

The girls 17 and under 4x200m was taken by NAU in 1 minute 50.85 seconds, while PPYC took the runner up spot in 1:55.26 and

Mercury Fast Laners was third in 2:02.05.

Bladen Hall Secondary produced a stellar performance to win the boys 17 and under 4x100m in a time of 47.27 seconds, while PPYC placed second in 47.41 and NAU grabbed third place in 47.92. The boys 20 and under 4x100m was won by NAU in 45.46 ahead of Mercury Fast Laners in 45.58 and PPYC in 46.55. Bladen Hall was again in winners’ lane as they carted off the boys 17 and under 4x200m in a time of 1:37.14, while Tytans Athletic Club placed second in 1:40.07 and PPYC was third in 1:40.44.

PPYC turned in a sterling

performance to win the male 4x100m open in 43.10 seconds, while Guyana Defence Force took the runner up spot in 43.31 and NAU was third in 45.95.

The mixed 20 and under 4x400 and 2x2x400m was taken by Super Upcoming Runners in 4:25.73, Mercury Fast Laners placed second in 4:46.01 and PPYC was third in 5:04.26.

Super Upcoming Runners took gold once again as they won the mixed 20 and under 800 sprint medley in a time of 1:43.34, while PPYC grabbed silver in 1:43.56 and NAU took bronze in 1:47.41.

The Women 100m was (Continued on page 20)

Tytans United girls 20 and under 4x100m relay team.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 25