Kaieteur News

…but giving away billions to

Alcoholic drowns after riding overboard Man stabbed while protecting girlfriend from being abused

GPL’sfuelcostsignificantly increased since2020 ...$49.151billionto bespentthisyear

President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, Alistair Routledge

President IrfaanAli

Pres. Ali calls on Guyanese businesses to pay taxes

…but giving away billions to Exxon

Addressing the members of Guyana's Private Sector Commission (PSC) last week, President Irfaan Ali underscored the importance of local businesses fulfilling their corporate tax obligations,sayingthiswasa crucial aspect of national responsibility.

Speaking at the body's 32nd Annual General MeetingattheMarriottHotel inGeorgetown,PresidentAli also spoke about the significanceofprivatesector contributionstothecountry's development He then encouragedtheprivatesector to take proactive measures, callingforanationwideeffort to educate businesses about their tax responsibilities. He outlined that tax compliance should not solely be viewed as the government's duty but also as an obligation for responsible corporate

citizenship. Ali said: “The private sector must launch a national campaign on educating [its] membership on the responsibility of paying their taxes. It is not only the government's responsibility Asresponsible corporate citizens, you have topaytaxes.”

Whileacknowledgingthe private sector's role in social responsibility initiatives, PresidentAli highlighted the necessity for policies aligning with broader national development goals.

“It is good to do social services,butyoucan'trobthe treasury of taxes and believe thatyoursmallsocialservice will compensate for robbing the treasury of taxes…” the headofstatesaid.

Moreover, Ali also highlighted the potential benefits of investing in sectorseligiblefortaxwrite-

particularly in agriculture and eco-tourism. According to the Guyana Revenue Authority(GRA),companies engaged in both commercial

activities are taxed at dualrates as follows: 25% for the non-commercial activity of the company and 40% of the commercialactivity

President Ali calls on corporate bodies to pay their taxes comes at a time when ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) and its Stabroek Block partners enjoy a tax-free ride in Guyana. Kaieteur News reportedthatinthefirstthree monthsof2024ExxonMobil forked out US$11B in income taxes for its global operationsbutnonewaspaid to Guyana ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM) in its first quarter report for 2024 details “total taxes were US$11.0 billion, a decrease of US$2 1 billion from 2023.”

The oil giant explained that income tax expense was US$3.8 billion compared to

US$5.0 billion in the prior year “The effective income tax rate, which is calculated based on consolidated company income taxes and Exxonmobil'sshareofequity company income taxes, was 36percent.

This increased from the 34 percent rate in the prior yearperioddueprimarilytoa change in a mix of results in jurisdictionswithvaryingtax rates,” the company pointed out.

In the meantime, it was noted that total other taxes and duties decreased by US$0.9 billion to US$7.2 billion. Guyana has been the driving force of the record profits registered by ExxonMobil, but due to the lopsided Production Sharing Agreement(PSA)itsignedin 2016withtheGovernmentof Guyana(GoG),thecompany and its sub-contractors are

x payments.

In fact, the oil deal provides for taxes owed by the company to be paid by Guyana. The PSA states at Article 15 1 that the Contractor (ExxonMobil Guyana Limited) as well as its affiliates shall not be subjectedtotax,value-added (Continuedonpage3)

President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, Alistair Routledge

President Irfaan Ali

GPL’s fuel cost significantly increased since 2020

...$49.151 billion to be spent this year

Forthepastfiveyears,the cost of fuel has increased significantly with some $49.151billiontobespentby the Guyana Power and Light (GPL)topurchasefuelforits operations.

This information was takenfromGPLPerformance Statistics The document stated that some 1,354,700 barrels of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) and Light Fuel Oil (LFO)werepurchasedbythe state entity to the tune of $16.171billion.

With increases recorded annually since then, it was statedthatthisyearGPLwill purchase2,191,585ofbarrels of HFO and LFO, at the cost of $49 151 billion (US$228 34 million) The weighted average fuel price perbarrelisUS$104.19-the documentstates.

In 2022, GPL had announced that the steady rise in fuel prices is negatively affecting its operations. In fact, it was stated that if the trend continues, generating costs are expected to trump revenueearnings.

MeetingCurrentDemand

This publication recently reported that consumers on the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) can expect relief from frequent blackouts, as Head of the Executive

Management Committee of GPL, Kesh Nandlall, announced that the company iscurrentlymeetingdemand. Nandlall made the disclosure during his appearance before the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Economic Services.Hehighlightedthat from2019to2023,therehas been a 24% increase in demand, compared to a 14 9% increase between 2015and2018.Henotedthat this surge has placed significantpressureonGPL's system.

According to GPL's statistics,DBISpeakdemand in2022was153.3megawatts (MW) and by the end of 2023, it grew to 186 MW This year, the demand is expected to reach 232 MW ThegrossgenerationforGPL is projected to increase at an annual average rate of 20% from 2024 to 2028, with DBIS gross generation forecasttogrowatanannual average of 21% during the same period, and peak demandby18%.

Nandlall explained that DBIS' current available capacity is 209.4 MW This includes contributions from the powership adding 36 MW, the Columbia power plant with 20.8 MW (with a full capacity is 28.9 MW), the Wartsila plant

(Reuters) An Exxon Mobil-led oil consortium will need to decide by October whether it will go ahead and develop a large natural gas find off the coast of Guyana, the country's vice presidentsaidonThursday

The government has been pressing forabonanzafrommostlyuntappedgas reservesfoundbytheExxon-ledgroup. The consortium, which includes Hess Corp and CNOOC Ltd, is required under its production agreement to return to the government by October about 20% of its massive Stabroek blockifthatarearemainsundeveloped. Exxonhassaidithopestocomplete anappraisalofthegasfindingsbyearly nextyearandisconsideringhowtobest commercialize the natural gas. The October deadline for relinquishing untapped areas calls for it to make a decision soonerThat 20% of the

commissioned in 2021 adding 46.5 MW, and four Caterpillar sets added in 2 0 2 3 p r o v i d i n g approximately5MW

“In that period of time, wehaveincreasedgeneration by 116 MW ” Nandlall said. He also noted that this capacity does not include 12.4 MW (5.5 MW + 6.9 MW) from two engines at Kingstown, Georgetown, which are currently down or 15.2 MW lost from other engines due to maintenance issues.

Nandlalldisclosedthatas of May 7, 2024, the peak demand was 183.2 MW –which is the highest for the year so far To this end, he noted that GPL requires a spinning reserve of 27.71 MW “This is one and a half times the largest operating setwehave.Currently,thatis the 18 MW which is one of the engines on the powership,”hesaid.

Nandlall continued, “To meet the current peak demand 183.2 MW plus the 27.71 MW spinning reserve

undeveloped Stabroek area might includethegroup'sHaimaradiscovery, where it mostly found natural gas, Guyana Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday during a media briefinginGeorgetown.

"We have had some discussions with Exxon and told them that if they arenotgoingtoworkonit,theyhaveto relinquish. They did some studies and saidtheymightbeabletomoveforward withtheproject,"Jagdeosaid.

AnExxonspokespersonsaiditisin discussions with Guyana over what areas will be relinquished. The consortium's exploration agreement runs through 2027, the spokesperson added.

Haimara,thegroup's12thfindingof oil and gas in the country, was announcedin2019.Exxonhassaidthe Haimara-1 well found approximately

comfortably,weneed210.91 MW which we are comfortable with at the currenttime.”

Nandlall also outlined GPL'splansfortherestofthe year to maintain and add capacity “BytheendofMay, the Columbia plant will commission which will add an additional 8 1 MW available generations, by the end of May also we would have completed one of the units at Kingstown which will add 6.9 MW, this will add up to which 224.4MW available generation,” the GPL executive said. He also disclosed that by the end of July, another engine will be operational adding 5.5 MW, bringingthetotalavailability capacityto229.9MW

Moreover, Nandlall said, “BytheendofDecember,all maintenanceissuesshouldbe caughtupwithaswehaveto incrementally bring down these sets to maintain them and we should have 245.1 MW.”

T e c h n i c a l a n d commercialloses

Moreover, the GPL executive also disclosed that technical and commercial lossesfromGPL'ssystemare currently about 25%. While being questioned by Committee member, Juan Edghill on what percentage of the losses is in relation to electricity theft, the GPL executive disclosed that the company has determined the figure to be about 13% Edghillasked,“havewebeen able, based upon your technical expertise to isolate the areas where we are having significant electricity theft?” In his response, Nandlall revealed that the companyisunabletodoso.

To this end, he explained thatinordertodoso,itwould require a significant amount of investment in terms of meteringthefeeders,toknow the precise location of the bulk of the electricity theft losses.

“We are working. We have several programmes that we are working on some of it can be challenging and risky towards our employees but thereareseveralprogrammes that we are continuously working on to reduce

Nandlalladded.

Additionally, Edghill asked how severe of an impact that figure of electricitylossesishavingon the general delivery of electricity to the entire n

responded, “The impact, normallymyexperiencewith other utilities that there is a natural lost factor that a utility will face and that's d e p e

h e infrastructure somewhere aroundthreetofivepercent.” H

naturally with GPL losses being around 25%, it is

t significantly. Nandlall explained that what GPL is sellingis25%lessthanwhat is being generated. “So, it's costing the company and it requires you to generate more,”theexecutiveadded. Itshouldbenotedthatthe current administration has repeatedly stated that consumers are spared the burden of any increased cost of electricity, owing to the government's proactive efforts to absorb rising fuel prices.

Pres. Ali calls on Guyanese...

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tax, excise tax, duty, fee, charge or impost in respect of incomederivedfrompetroleumoperations,propertyheldor transactionsexceptasspecifiedundertheagreement.

207 feet (63 meters) of a high-quality, gas-condensate bearing sandstone reservoir

There could be up to 16 trillion cubic feet of associated gas in Exxon's areas, Jagdeo said, citing Exxon accounts.Guyana is moving ahead to selectacompanythatcoulddevelopthe gas project, which it estimates will require between $10 billion and $15 billion in investment."We tested the market.Wewentoutforexpressionsof interest and had some really good, strong firms with good credentials saying, 'We believe there is a viable projectandwewanttoworkonit,'"he added, without identifying the firms.The cabinet must approve the company selected and once approved, that firm would be cleared to initiate talks with Exxon over a project to monetizethegasreserves.

ItgoesontostateatArticle15.4thatthesumequivalentto thetaxesowedbythecompanywillbepaidbytheMinister responsible for Petroleum to the Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). Notably, the GoG alsoagreedtoissueareceipttoExxonMobil,indicatingthatit has met the local tax requirements to avoid the burden of double taxation.Article 15.5 of the contract states, “Within onehundredandeighty(180)daysfollowingtheendofeach year of assessment, the Minister shall furnish to Contractor proper tax certificates in Contractor's name from the Commissioner General, Guyana Revenue Authority evidencingthepaymentoftheContractor'sincometaxunder the Income Tax Act and corporation tax under the CorporationTaxAct.Suchcertificatesshallstatetheamount of tax paid individually on behalf of Contractor or parties comprising the Contractor and other particulars customary forsuchcertificates.”

Alegalsuitbroughtagainsttheseabusivetaxgiveaways by the Publisher of this newspaper, Mr Glenn Lall was unsuccessful as the Court dismissed the case in February 2023.Since oil production activities commenced in 2019, Guyana has lost US$2,841,000,000 in taxes to oil and gas companies. Kaieteur News reported that tax exemptions granted between 2019 and 2021, according to previousAG Reports, amount to a whopping US$2.3 billion. In 2019, Guyana lost US$600 million in taxes and in 2020 another US$685 million; this was followed by US$1B in tax exemptions in 2021 and US$541 million in 2022 Information on tax waivers for 2023 has not yet been made public.

KaieteurNews

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Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

OilandIndependence

It was the much-hailed American Founding Father, Patrick Henry, who is credited with those ringing, soaring wordsdedicatedatthealtaroffreedom.“Givemeliberty,or give me death,” certainly still retain most of its mystical, majestic grandeur, and all that those seven demanding, commandingwordsinspire.

On this, the 58th Anniversary of this country’s Independence from the bondage of colonialism, the grasping claims of surrogate motherhood, it is clear that Guyanagotmorethanitcanswallow Wechokedwithwhat we got when Independence came because when we tasted liberty,webeganaslowdeathmarch,too.OnMay26,1966, Guyanaseparatedfromtheyokeofimperialmonarchy,the tyrannyofthedistantparliamentary,andweweredelirious in celebrating something called Independence. It was supposed to have represented those elements that strike at the heart of the human spirit: the freedom to govern self, determineforselfthenationaldestiny Andattachedtothat, thetimelessliberties,thathaveseparatedmanintoaspecial categoryofmammal.

Fifty-eightyearsonfromthatfatefulMay,wemusthave come somewhere as a place. Of that, there is some uncertaintyinsignificantsegmentsofGuyana,whichgives thefirstcluesofhowweareasapeople.For,itisasapeople that we are still trying, struggling, gasping, to find our footing.Tosomedegree(greateraccordingtosome,lesser asperothers),thestrangenewleaseonnationallifegivento us by the arrival of the much hoped for Independence has contributedinnosmallwaytothebeginningofthedeathof us.Wegotlibertyandwegotdeathalso.

Politicsandleadersgoneoffthedeepend,andthewrong way, have roasted Guyanese repeatedly over an open pit. Many escaped the tentacles of crippling leaders, evaded their self-destructions waged, by fleeing from this newfound freedom to other shores and starting over from scratch. The liberties enjoyed afforded us the luxury to engage in devastating, divisive frenzies that have never ceased. In fact, the case could be made that the passage of time has so scarred us that we are now worse than ever before.

The Independence of 1966 has since driven us into a state of madness. It is where national pride and individual dignityandgroupwisdomhaveallwillinglyrushedforthe exits. There was not a pause, second thought, or first reflection that there could be some other way We didn’t wanttohearitbefore,andnowwiththepotentialperpetual financialfreedompromisedbythediscoveryofoil,wehave totallylostoursenseofhearing.

Weclaimtohaveindependenceofthought,freedomof conscience,buttheproductsofbotharestillamystery Now that this black gold is here, the hope that some degree of sanitycouldtakeholdisallbutabandoned.Whatusedtobe a dogfight before about power and the right to govern has nowtransformedintoabloodfeudoverwhoisbenefitting, andwhoisbeingmarginalised,asinenslavedandcheated. Below the towering new structures, around the jam of endlessmachines,andalltheglassandsteelexteriors,thisis the deathlike reality of a free Guyana, an oil rich land that justdoesnotknowwhattodowithitself.Itisasocietythat doesn’t have the will (or wisdom) to wrap its arms around the promise and ideals embedded in Independence from a draining Mother Country This is a country with a diverse group of people who are yet to come to grips with the magnitude of their oil blessing and their many natural resourcegifts.Whenallofthisisweighed,thereisthisgreat imbalance detected. The incomprehensible mathematical mystery that such a small number of people with such a great rich endowment doesn’t know what to do with themselves. That they could divide and divide again and there still would be much left over Now, Independence looksliketheworstgiftwereceived,thatis,untiloilcame, whichcouldbethedeathofthisfreeGuyana.

Guyana Press Releases Independence should be our control of our natural resources

DEAREDITOR

As we continue to

important for us to accept

celebrations hold profound

inhabitants of our nation, particularly those born Guyanesecitizens.

These celebrations mark the transition from the inhumane shackles and b

subjugation and imperialist d

governance and selfdetermination This 58th Anniversaryofourcountry’s independence is a poignant reminderofthejourneyfrom colonial rule to a nation capable of forging its own identity,culture,anddestiny However, despite the passage of nearly six decades, the aspiration for true independence wherein all citizens can benefit equitably from the nation’s

resources, remains for us an unfulfilled dream and aspiration as articulated in our country’s motto: “One People, One Nation, One Destiny.”

Thescarsofcolonialism, slavery and indentureship have left a legacy of economic exploitation and s o c i o - p o l i t i c a l fragmentationthatcontinues to influence our postcolonialsociety

Guyana’s, independence fromBritishrulein1966was a critical step towards selfdetermination It is important to note however, that genuine independence encompasses more than political and national sovereignty; it involves the ability to harness and manage our natural resources for the collective benefit of all our people. Thisnotionofindependence should transcend way beyond mere governance, it much touch upon economic self-sufficiency and

equitable distribution of wealth The question therefore is how can this be attained? I dear say only throughunity

The time has come and should be accepted that the path to true independence is inherently linked to national unity Our motto, “One People, One Nation, One Destiny,” should not be recited as mere words, for it ismuchmorethanthat,forit encapsulates the vision of a cohesive Guyanese society, working towards common goals.

Thisunityisnotmerelya slogan but a necessary condition for maximizing the benefits that can be derivedfromourvastnatural resources As our elder statesman and former Prime Minister of Guyana, comrade Hamilton Greene highlighted in his letter to Stabroek News, the unification of the country’s leadershipisessentialforthe optimal exploitation of our

resourcesforthetruebenefit of all citizens. Without a unified approach, the m a n a g e m e n t a n d distributionofresourcesrisk becoming fragmented and unequal, perpetuating disparities and hindering a collectivenationalprogress. I put it to us, thatit is no secret to Guyanese and the wider world, that Guyana is wellendowedwithabundant natural resources, including significant oil reserves These resources represent a shared heritage, the benefits of which should be experienced in a tangible way by all Guyanese home and abroad It was Eric Williams,thePrimeMinister ofTrinidadandTobagowho famously remarked, “oil don’t spoil,” emphasizing the enduring value of a country’snaturalresources. However, the true value of these resources can only be realized through a deliberateandconcerted, (Continuedonpage06)

As we observe 58th Independence, we must commit to shattering the colonial foundations of our education/government system

DEAREDITOR

A few weeks ago, the ruling PPP removed Marxism-Leninism form its party Constitution on the reason that those are concepts for another place and another time, and no longer relevant to today’s context.Thatwasseenasthe right thing to do, and was long overdue they said.As a Civil Society Advocate, similarly,Ihavebeencalling for Guyana to shatter the current colonial paradigm which undergirds our education system, and also reform the way other Government Ministries operate Our education system is based on and driven by the NGSA

(National Grade Six Examination) which used to be called the “Common Entrance ” This old, outdated, irrelevant system should be uprooted, shattered, and abandoned now Other Caricom countries also locked in this colonial model should do somethingurgently

The NGSAis essentially a “sorting” test to find the “academically gifted” who are then assigned to “Top Schools” - 5 in Georgetown and one in Golden Grove. Worse, NGSA sorts all students from highest to

lowestscores.Oncestudents are slotted into the top schools, the rest are slotted into high schools of various qualityrankings.Studentsof a similar range of scores get allotted to the same school. Thisiscalled“homogenous” grouping because all the students are close in their achievement level In education “homogeneous groupings” are frowned upon as it is not a “best practice” and promotes inequities. The NGSAis the oldcolonialrelicusedtosift out the majority of students from attending the top schools The top two hundred+ students are celebrated and honoured Their photos appear on banners and newspapers, while their 15,000+ colleagueslicktheirwounds fornotbeingsmartenoughto get QC, Bishops and the other top schools. On test days, there is cheerleading, holding up of motivational posters, students get breakfastduringsixthgrade, newspaper photos show students praying on test day, and the message couldn’t be clearer that the NGSA is a high stakes “do-or-die” test thatrequires“drillandkill.”

The rich class of folks like this “elite” system that separates the sheep from the

goats. The non-rich folks also like this outmoded system because they hope their child will be one of the “lucky” ones to get into the top schools. They think it somehow gives you some “status” and bragging rights among your friends. Those NGSAteachers who make a side hustle doing extra lessons for pay might object to ending the NGSA. If we try to dismantle the NGSA and replace with a system more suitable, more equitable,thatwillgivemore “parity” as our President likes to say, the upper crust richfolkswouldfightagainst it As one Minister had remarked, QC people run thingsinGuyana.Thepoorer classes may fight against ending the NGSA too

because they don’t understandthataneducation systembasedona“Common Entrance” exam, is an idea for another place, another time, and is a malpractice in the 21st century Why has Guyana and other Caricom countries not done more to replace the British colonial model?

The NGSA is a single measureofastudent’sability andshouldnotcarrythehigh stakesweplaceonitnow We must rebuild the education system considering

Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Learning Styles theory, Student Interest Inventories, individual teacher and principal accountability for student achievement and school outcomes, etc. While we are at it, abolish the current colonial system of Principals being appointed simply because they have more years of employment and that such “seniority” entitlesthemtobeaprincipal whether they have the aptitudeorcompetencyforit ornot.

Developaneweducation culture that rachets up teacher accountability, teacher quality, and that places an emphasis on ongoing reform in curriculum, instruction, assessments, and school leadership.

Already the Government is investing more in education and more new schools are being built Reforms must happen at the building level to drive these changes, and we must see dramatic changes in student achievement.Everyonemust support all attempts at reform. Our best years in educationareaheadofus.

Sincerely, Dr.JerryJailall CivilSocietyAdvocate

TIME TO DELIVER WHAT IS LONG OVERDUE!

DEAREDITOR, Guyanese are observing the 58th anniversary of our country’s independence fromtheUnitedKingdom.

Just as fifty-eight years ofageforamanorwomanis consideredtobestillyoung, so must the age of nationhood. In relation to human and infrastructure development, Guyana as a countryisbetteroffinmany respects since our gaining independence.

B u t o u r s m a l l population, and huge space within long established geographic boundaries has its advantages and disadvantages. In spite of that, as a country, we are blessed with an abundance ofnaturalresources.

There has always been discussion over why Guyana, with such an abundance of natural resources was never been able as a nation to make a ‘Great Leap Forward.’ To thisday,skepticsandcynics inourmidstkeepsayingthat ournewly-foundwealthwill befritteredawayandthatthe common man, woman and child will not be the

beneficiaries of the resourcesgarneredfromour oil and gas resources. The constant harping and badtalkingofourcountrycanbe heard at home and abroad. Suffice it to say, we did waste a lot of time and energy parading under the slogan and experimenting

ideologically with ‘CooperativeSocialism.’

In the recent past, some argued that we should have modeledourselvestobelike Malaysia and Singapore

Nowadays, we hear talk about Guyana modeling itselftobethe‘Dubaiofthe Caribbean.’Weneedtotruly recognize who we are and where exactly we ourselves wanttogoasanation.

Those of us who know about life in British Guiana can, in retrospect, recognize t h e r e m a r k a b l e transformations in every facet of our political, economic and cultural life overthepast58years.

That transformation did not come easily nor overnight. It came in the wake of the development deficitexperiencedbymany developing countries soon after gaining independence.

C o m p o u n d i n g t h e development deficit was the model adopted by some leaders who chose to be mimic-men of their erstwhilecolonialmasters.

Notwithstanding the prevailing vicissitudes of social life, compounded by thepoliticaltug-o-warsasto who was best to administer theaffairsofthecountry,the pointisforfifty-eightyears, weGuyanesehavemanaged to hold together as a multiethnic, multi-religious and multi-culturalsociety Afree

and open press has contributed enormously to ourholdingtogether

There is no civil war in Guyana where one ethnic group is pitched against another fighting to be integrated in the wider society,saveforthepolitical disagreements and controversies that occur fromtimetotimewithinour democracy, fragile as it can be.Guyaneseseemsatisfied atthisstageofoureconomic and social development to live in peace within a capitalist market economy with all the accompanying hardships, including social and economic inequalities inherent in a capitalist system. No one in Guyana has been asked to abandon nor to moderate their ethnicityortoadoptcustoms and mores that are alien to them. On the contrary, such negative practices are being discouraged.

In Guyana today no one needs a Baptism Certificate to reflect a change in name reflectingachangefromone particularreligiontoanother inordertobeemployedasit was in colonial times Consideringthefact,that (Continuedonpage06)

TVET becoming a reality in Guyana

DEAREDITOR

, Letmeremindallofusin Guyanathatitis vitalforall of us to embrace what UNESCO,thatis,theUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,hastosay,and isdoingregardingTechnical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The philosophyandadvocacyare about connecting education tothefast,evolvingworldof work,throughthepromotion ofskillsforworkandlife.It focuses on helping youths and adults to develop the abilities, knowledge, values and attitudes they need to find decent work and contribute to building a peaceful, healthy, just and sustainableworld.Andwhy?

This is because worldwide, some 267 million young people, aged 15-24, are still not in any form of employment, education or training. We must therefore take note of the reality that TVET contributes to the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and

promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’ and those of SDG8 for ‘decent workandeconomicgrowth’.

Now Editor, I am saying allofthisbecauseweneedto appreciate that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government is perfectly in order with its TVET drive across the country, as the country’sleadersareseeking to fill the skills gap in the current job market. Right now, it is in the process of procuring modern equipmenttooutfitsomesix newtechnicalandvocational education training (TVET) centres which have recently beenconstructed.

These centres will truly enhance skills building and enhancementinanumberof places:MabarumainRegion One (Barima-Waini), Fellowship in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara),Beterverwagting in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), Hopetown in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), Bartica in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), and St. Ignatius in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

T h e w o r d f r o m

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, is that “…when these centres are completed, Guyanese in the respective regions would be able to access courses in various areas, including agriculturescience,furniture making, e

installation, heavy-duty

ation, weldingandfabrication,and plumbing, among other disciplines.”Afterall,thisis where the ‘blanks’ are, and theseneedtobefilled,ifthe “Government is going to develop the local workforce and build human capacity through the enhancement of education, in order to promote sus

e economic diversification in Guyana.”

Ifwearewiseasanation, we will give heed to the Minister’s word when she explained that “… in the country right now, it’s the skills that are needed: the heavy-duty equipment operators; the people who are being hired by the constructionindustry,where theyareearningsensiblyand (Continuedonpage)

TVET becoming a reality...

Frompage05 adequately to look after families.Andso,wewantto makesurethatweareableto cater to that market, and prepareourpeoplewhowish tobenefitfromthatsector.”

As per UNESCO’s mission, and in line with this thinking in Guyana, we must appreciate that “ technical and vocational education and training is crucial for the development of the world’s economy (and) especially important for developing countries such as Guyana, so thatthecountrycanpreparefor

theskillsdemandedofthe21st century” According to the University World News, February 2024, “By contrastingtheglobaleducation agendas under both the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, 2000-15) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, 2015-30), it becomesevidentthattechnical and vocational education and training (TVET) and skills developmenthavetakenona more significant role within the SDG frameworks, especially in connection

with SDG 4 (quality education)

Over all then, by promotingTVETprogramsin Guyana, the Government is essentially ensuring that its economy will continue to grow and thrive in the 21st century

In fact, in today’s world, both current and prospective workers must acquire new skills and qualifications in ordertoadequatelypreparefor and flourish within future labourmarkets

Yourstruly,

HargeshBSingh

GuyanaPressReleasesIndependence...

Frompage04

united effort to manage and utilizethemeffectively

T h i s i n v o l v e s transparent and accountable governance, equitable policies, and an inclusive approach that considers the well-beingofallcitizens.

This consciousness requires good and united leadership which will play a pivotal role in achieving the idealsofindependence.

The call for unity by former Prime Minister, H a m i l t o n G r e e n e underscoresthenecessityfor cohesive leadership that prioritizes national interests over partisan agendas and political desires. It is my beliefthattrueindependence requires leaders who are committed to the greater good, who can transcend divisions and foster a spirit of collaboration and shared purpose Such leadership

would ensure that the exploitation of resources is conducted in a manner that maximizes benefits for all our people, paving the way for sustainable development andprosperity Realizingthe idealsembodiedinGuyana’s national motto or the now popularslogan“OneGuyana “ requires a collective commitment to unity and a shared vision for the future. This involves not only the government but also the opposition, civil society, the private sector stakeholders, and the Guyanese people at large. Unity of purpose in our resource management ensures that the benefits of Guyana’snaturalwealthare distributed equitably, fostering social cohesion andnationaldevelopment

Iputittoourleadersthat the achievement of true independence and prosperityforallGuyanese,

hingesonaunitedapproach to managing the nation’s resources, renegotiation where necessary for the benefit of our people and country By embracing the principles of unity, transparency, accountability and equitable distribution, Guyana can fulfill the promise of independence and build a future where every citizen, every Guyanese, enjoys the benefits of the nation’s wealth. Aswereflecton58 yearsofindependence,letus recommit to the desired vision of “One People, One Nation, One Destiny,” and work together towards a truly independent and prosperous Guyana for us all. Big men/women, it’s timetofixit,it’stimetogetit rightforourpeople.

Sincerely

Hon.JermaineFigueira MP

TIME TO DELIVER WHAT IS LONG...

Frompage05

there were episodes in our political evolution that soughttoundermineeffortsat social cohesion, the living realityisthatwedidnotendup as either a failed, partitioned nor unrealistically a ‘Cooperative Socialist State’ Theparliamentarydemocracy we enjoy is based on the Westminster model And our legal system as well as our system of local government have evolved over the years becoming as accommodative and reflective of our own national ethos as a result of their evolution, maturity and acceptability.

C u l t u r a l l y, t h e 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 WestAfrica; the indigenous Portuguese spoken by indentured laborers from Madeira and the Hindi

dialect and Urdu spoken by indentured labourers from India have either disappeared or have been assimilated in our own Creolese. Mandarin spoken by the majority of our Chinese population remains constant.

The doors of temples, mosques,churchesandother 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 haunt thenation.

After 58 years of creating and building an education systemthatmatchesanyother CARICOM country, we still need to produce a textbook about our country’s authentic historyforourschoolchildren ofallages Ihavenodoubtthat inourmidstthereareGuyanese who possess the intellectual skills and academic qualificationstoformulatesuch atextbook.

Of course, there will be difficultiesandchallengesthat willfacethosetowhomthetask has been assigned but our differencesinopinion,whether inpoliticsoreconomicsshould not result in the lack of collective endeavour nor capacitytoovercomewhatever differences may arise in the effort to deliver an important workthatislongoverdue

It is be utilized by some who make every effort to determine how we should defineandparticularizeeach other Fifty-eight years after Independence, we continue to have in our midst, some whotrytodefineethnicityin ways that suggest, wrongly, how relations between one group to another should be. Thisisatroublesomelegacy lefttousbyourcolonialpast and to which some irresponsiblycling.

Yoursfaithfully, ClementJ.Rohee

BLUNT BLUNT

The President's Independence address

We have just run through the Independence address by President Irfaan Ali and outside of the empty platitudes contain therein, we were flummoxed that for a country's whose economy is being driven by the petroleum sector, the Guyanese leader uttered not a single word about oil.

This speaks volumes that the leader of this oil-rich nation would deliver an address to impoverished Lindeners and does not even mention our oil resources and what that can do to improve their lives.

Instead, he regaled the small gathering of mainly party people and those they bussed-in to Linden about Blackbelly sheep and brackish water shrimp.

It is either President Ali is so far removed from reality, ashamed of his government's mismanagement of the oil sector or is being held on a tight leash by the real President, Bharrat Jagdeo and the mastermind of the oil curse here that he could not say a word about the sector. We pity our leaders, but are also worried about the future of this country in their hands.

LatinAmericanandCaribbeaneconomiesWillGrow

2.1%in2024,

T h e E c o n o m i c Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) made a slight upwardrevisiontoitsgrowth projection for the region's economiesin2024.

According to new estimatesreleasedearlierthis month the United Nations organization forecasts that theregionwillgrowby2.1% on average this year, with South America growing by 1.6%, Central America and Mexico by 2.7%, and the C

inacontextofglobaluncertainty

g Guyana)by2.8%. The region's expected expansion in 2024 continues on the path of low economic growth observed in recent years, and the major challenge is how to move towards higher, more dynamic and inclusive growth,theUNCommission indicates.

The region is facing a complex international scenario, characterized by growth in economic activity

andglobaltradethatisbelow their historical averages, along with interest rates that remain high in developed countries,resultingingreater financing costs for emerging countries, including those in theregion.

Inthedomesticarena,the downward trend in inflation hascreatedspaceforvarious countries' central banks to reduce their policy interest

expectationsforapotentially

economicactivity

In 2024, global markets will be marked by various risk factors, ECLAC indicates Growing geopolitical tensions are leading the world towards a sharp realignment of value chains.

Inaddition,thereisarisk that increases in commodity prices could delay the reduction of policy interest rates by the main central banks, with negative effects on global economic growth. Moreover, if interest rates remainedhighformoretime, they could further increase the vulnerabilities linked to the debt burden that affect numerous emerging and developing economies, as well as the vulnerability of the financial sector in developedcountries.

AsECLAChasindicated previously, the low growth

foreseenin2024isnotjusta circumstantial problem, but ratherreflectsadeclineinthe trendgrowthrateofregional GDP The region is experiencing a development crisis characterized by three mutually reinforcing traps: a trap of low growth, a trap of high inequality and low social mobility, and a trap of lowinstitutionalcapacityand ineffective governance These traps constrain and limit the attainment of the UnitedNations'2030Agenda and,therefore,theattainment of inclusive social development.

To invigorate growth, ECLAC has been insisting thattheregionmustincrease its productivity and boost investment in physical and humancapital.

To that end, the region must invest both more, and better This involves

adopting new technologies, promoting cluster initiatives and best business practices, fosteringdeepimprovements in the process of capital accumulation, and taking suitable advantage of economies' social and environmentalcapital.

ECLAC has also identified a portfolio of at least 15 driving or dynamizing sectors for more sustainable and inclusive growth.

The region needs to invest in diverse areas that are critical for increasing productivity, infrastructure, telecommunications, digitalization, research and development, significant improvements in health programs, and an adaptation of education systems to respond to the changes that digitalizationandautomation entailforlabormarkets.

Water distribution networks at Karisparu 60% completed

The water distribution networks along withworksonatrestleandcatchmentsystem are 60 percent completed at Karisparu, RegionEight.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, made the disclosure during a memorial service and wreath-laying ceremony in Karisparu to honour the lives lostduringtheMahdiadormitoryfireinMay 2023.

Heexplainedthatatotalof$60millionis being invested to execute overall works, thereby boosting the water coverage in the community and region. Since last year, he explained that the government had planned todrillawellinKarisparu,butaccesstothe area to transport a rig there was one of the logistical obstacles. He then pointed out, “We then put in the trestle system where we are investing about $60 million overall…Weareputtinginacatchmentto catchthewaterfromyourcreekandthen, we will run the distribution system. We are about 60 percent works completed…By the mid-June, we will implementthatcompletely.”

Residentswereinformedthatmorewater tankswillbeaddedtothetwotankscurrently in the system. Now that the airstrip has reopened,accesshasbeenenhancedandthe contractor will be able to transport more materials to the area Government is aggressivelypursuingitsagendainensuring that every hinterland community has access topotablewaterbytheendof2025.

Minister Croal further committed, “It is still my intention that we will, at some point,comebacktodrillawell.”

Over the three and half a year, $526 million has been spent to advance water access in the region. The investment is expectedtoincreasetosome$650millionby theendofthisyear Withtheseinvestments, the region's water coverage will move to about 90 percent by year-end. Overall, a total of $1.5 billion has been budgeted to improve water services in the hinterland regions for 2024. “We are drilling a number of wells in Region Eight starting with first-time access and then we will branchoff…Wearethereforeinvestingto ensurethatallcommunitieshaveaccess,” heemphasised.

Some 361 residents from Kamana and Sand Hill are benefitting from new water supply systems worth $84 million Meanwhile, in the housing sector, ten Karisparu families will benefit from the constructionoftenelevatedhousesunderthe hinterlandhousingprogramme.

Through this framework, the village council and the residents will identify the most vulnerable families in the village to receiveahouse.Additionally,anothervillage in the region will also benefit from this programme by the latter half of this year Joining the minister was Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai and GWI's Hinterland Services Director, RamchandJailal.(DPI)

The President and his numbers

The President’s

Independence

Day address sounded almost the same as the opening statement he delivered in a press conference on 12th July 2023. Then he boasted that the country’s infant mortality rate had declined to 13 deaths per 1000 births in2023.

It was Stabroek News in an editorial which first expressed bewilderment at thisnumberconsideringthat the year was not yet completed and the President was transposing partial numbers to give the infant mortality rate for the whole country This is what the Stabroek News in an editorial had to say back then: “Similarly when it comestotheinfantmortality rate, one cannot help but be confused by the President’s claim of a rate of 13 per every 1,000 births as opposed to 19 per 1,000 births in 2020. After all, he held his press conference in mid-Julysoanystatisticsfor this year would cover just a few months. The UN World Population Prospects 2022 shows an “Infant mortality

rate, for both sexes combined (infant deaths per 1,000 live births)” of 23.55 for2022.”

If anyone presumed that it was an innocent mistake on the part of the President, thentheyneedtothinkagain. Because in the text of this

address, as published by Newsroom, the President wasquotedassaying,“Child mortalityisnow13perevery 1000 births, when as comparedto 19 in 2019.We have reduced from 19 child mortality for every 1000 birth to 13 for every 1000 births.Thisistestimony,this is qualitative analysis and qualitative examples of how the policies and expenditure of the government are workingtomakethelivesof Guyanesebetter.”

So has Guyana’s child mortality rate been slashed by30%since2019?Ifthisis sothen,thecountryhasbeen making significant progress inthisarea.Thefirstthingto appreciate is the difference betweeninfantmortalityand child mortality Infant mortality measures the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births within a givenperiod,usuallyayear

On the other hand, child mortality refers to the death of children under the age of five. It encompasses both infant mortality (deaths within the first year of life) and deaths of children from ages one to five. The child mortality rate is usually expressed as the number of deathsofchildrenunderfive years old per 1,000 live births in any given year In his Independence address as reported by Newsroom, the President was quoted as

referringtoasteepdeclinein child mortality: from 19 per 1000birthsin2019to13per 1000 births, (presumably in 2023).

UNICEF however gives Guyana’s child mortality rate as 29.2 in 2019 and not 19 In 2022, this has declined to 26.6. The World Bank’s data is similar It givesthechildmortalityrate as29in2019and28in2021. ECLAC data is similar So, any decline to 13 by 2023 would seem to be fantastic, exceptthatoneshouldavoid doing year by year comparisons and instead stick to an analysis over a longer period. There is a danger in comparing yearto- year data. Year-to-year variations can be due to random statistical fluctuations rather than meaningful trends Small changesinnumbersmaynot reflect significant shifts in unde

lth conditions. In this instance however, the President himself is reporting a significant decline in child mortality If Guyana has achieved a child mortality rate of 13 per 1,000 live births, it would signify a remarkable improvement, placing the country below the average for Latin America and the Caribbean, whichwasapproximately15 per1,000livebirthsinrecent years This shift would reverse a historical trend where Guyana’s child

DEM BOYS SEH

De Sky Is De Limit, But

De Airport Seh Nah So

Dem Boys Seh, some things in Guyana just mek yuhscratchyuhhead.Take de building regulations near de airports, fuh example Now, every countrygotrules‘bouthow high yuh could build near de flight path of planes. It a i n ’ t r o c k e t science—nobody want a skyscraper in de way when demplanestryingtolandor in take-off trajectory Simple, right? But nah, dis is Guyana, and nuttin’ simplehere.

At Timehri and Ogle, dem man got strict rules, yuh know At Ogle, dem evengotanareawhereyuh can’t build nutting. Not evenachickencoop,much less a high-rise De restrictionsusedtoreachall dewaytoBetterHope.But

dis is Guyana, where rules got more flexibility than a contortionist.

So, dem boys want to know, if de authorities checking fuh mek sure no high-rise buildings are in thepathofdemplanes.And ifso,whogivepermission?

Yuhsee,demboysain’t sure if de rules apply to everybody or just to some poorsoulswhoain’tgotthe rightconnections.Istherea special “High-Rise Exception Form” yuh can fillout?

Dem boys seh, maybe we need a map. One dat show exactly where yuh couldbuildhighandwhere yuh can’t. Maybe it could be colour-coded green fuh “Go Ahead,” yellow

fuh “Proceed with Caution,” and red fuh

traditionally been higher than the regional average, reflecting persistent health

challenges.Suchareduction would indicate substantial progress in healthcare access, maternal and child health interventions, and overall living conditions in Guyana It would also highlighttheeffectivenessof targeted health policies and

programs, positioning Guyanaasasuccessstoryin

challenges.

model for other

So could it be that the President is confusing child mortality with infant mortality However, there is no evidence that the infant mortality rate in Guyana is 13 per 1000 births. The World Bank gives the 2019 figureas25deathsper1000 births. PAHO gives a figure of 23. Perhaps in this next press conference, the President will clarify this conundrum. But then again, hislastpressconferencewas last year (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

“Don’t Even Think ‘Bout It.”

Atdeendofdeday,dem boys just curious. Are de rules more like guidelines? Or are we operating on a “build first, ask questions later” policy? Whatever de case, dem boys seh we better hope de pilots know ‘bout these new high-rises. Otherwise, we might see somefancylandingsontop ofsomefancybuildings. So,tillsomebodycould explain de mystery of de a i r p o r t b u i l d i n g regulations, dem boys will behere,scratchingwehead and watching de skyline grow taller and taller Is Guyana where de sky supposedtobedelimit,but de airport authorities seh, “Notsofast,buddy.” Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

H@RD TRUTHS

Independence

Free! Free, at last! Just to whisper, then shout, that one word with so much grandeuraboutit,somuchof what is sublime. Free! It is goodtobefree. Bythegrace of a benevolent God, free. Guyanese were freed of the colonial yoke on May 26, 1966. Well,sotheybelieved. Here is an eye opener after the celebrations were over: they didn't know how much they were wrong, could not havebeenmorewrong. Here we are. Breezing past Janet Jagan and 1999. Skipping over Ramotar and Grangerin2015andthatdate withdestinyinOctober2016. It is true that 2016 has only one6,butitisthemarkofthe

Day: who is free, who is enslaved again

beast from Revelation's abyss, the devil. Now, there is Exxon and America and their planes. They don't come to take Guyanese rushing to get out of here. TheyarebringingAmericans hurrying to get here. In the spiritofafreeman,oneofthe trulyfreeinthiscountry,Isay welcome, brothers. But this ismyhouse,thisGuyana,and itmustbeonmyterms. Talk about terms, and there must be conversation about its bosom companion, conditions Those are Exxon's. If anyone is still talking about, pretending at, freedom,thentheasylumhas bedandboardforthem. The British sailed away, and the

Yankee came right behind them on their winged chariots to take the place of theoldcolonialmasters. Oil imperialism, US dollar d

diplomacy, and to complete the circle Exxon's recolonizationofthishapless landanditsinhabitants.

Did someone have the audacity to ask what happ

elfdetermination and patriotic national leaders? It is Freedom Day, so I replace audacitywithkeenness. Itis more than a fair question. It is an excellent one. I look around for the President and findDr Aliadministeringhis dosageofself-determination:

sanctity Likesomeonewho justdiscoveredafreshword, he keeps repeating it; he is that overjoyed with himself. Sanctityishowheprostrates himselfunderthebootofthe new enslavers. How he holds out this nation's hands tobechained,itsjewelstobe raided. They did that to Africa and India and Inca, and now it is Guyana again. Howisthatfreedom? Whois free?

Certainly not Bharrat Jagdeo. NotwhenheandAli and, to some extent Opposition Leader Norton, have all become outstanding practitioners of tactful diplomacywhere Exxon, the new enslaver, is concerned. Don't look in the eye. Don't stand up as genuine patriotic men. If Wilberforce and King were cut of the same cloth, slaves would still be slaves, and BlackAmericans harnessedtoJimCrow If Gandhi donned a suit, Indians would still be sucking salt. If Jagan and Burnham were of like docility, the British would still be here, withAmericans running their usual rackets behind their sophisticated screens. Free and fair was one such screen, democracy another Whoisfreeandwho is fair today? Look at Jagdeo, and he fancies himself the best English professor around This national leader is enslaved from thoughts to tongue to toe.

He is the most glittering example of tactfulness, tending his words carefully, walking and speaking softly But only around the white people. Absorb the energy

and boldness ofAli and Jagdeo in unveiling sledgehammers at the teachers in their quest for an extra dollar to live in a dignified manner Now, Ali andJagdeoaregoingtoCourt to reverse Justice Sandil Kissoon's ruling. For the small Guyanese man and woman, they have nuts Before the white man, they have nothing, are nothing. Except what the new colonizers and enslavers allowthemtothink,say,and represent. Guyanese must understand the new slavery th On this 58 celebration of Independence, they must appreciate the new slavery, this new colonial-bowing, colonial-shuffling, and colonial-scraping mentality?

Is this not what, when the paddy is sifted, the chaff of Jagdeothatisleft? Isaythat the impotency of better contract management is the slaveryofwillingsubmission to what Exxon enchains Guyanese with, handcuff generations. Jagdeo doesn't have the onions to confront Exxon,buthecanbrawlwith the local media, batter

Guyanese teachers Guyanese need a Nat Turner and Marcus Garvey, a Stokely, and a Malcolm TheygotBharratJagdeo.

In its favour, the Opposition of Norton and Ramjattan took its time, but hasshifteditsstanceinsome ways. Risksandcorresponding coverages Meters and transparency It is a start. Roysdale Forde, the Young Turk in a hurry, used five telling words recently in the

context of oil: IMMEDIATE CHANGES TO THE OIL C O N T R A C T Congratulations, sir Don't do like brother Jagdeo, who preferstoforgetwhathesaid about the contract, pretends at amnesia to escape leading the charge against Exxon. Didsomebodysayyellow? I saybloodlessalso,andanoil contract eunuch. Even the man who signed the oil contractforGuyanaisnotso gutless,soloyaltotheExxon enslavers.

HereiswhereIstand. Dr Ali and Jagdeo change course and challenge Routledge and Woods, and I will write symphonies to their names, prowess Norton or Forde wage that goodfight,thatjustwar,andI will sing their praises. Any of the four shakes off the shacklesofenslavingExxon, and I swear on this Independence that I will come out and vote for them. Digupthebonesandashesof BurnhamandJagan. A fingernail may be found, only one is needed. Grab that, for it can help to rise from this contract c a p t i v i t y T h i s Independence Day, 58 years past 1966, there is so much from leaders that is regrettable, so little that's applaudable.

(Theviewsexpressedin this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)

Alcoholic drowns after riding overboard

A 60-year-old man identified as Taradeo Singh reportedly drowned at Henrietta, Essequibo Coast Region Two onSaturday Singh's body was found in a trench in theareaduringthemorninghours.Police

learntthateverymorning,hewouldleaveonhis bicycle to drink rum and would suffer from seizures.OnSaturday,itwasnodifferentbuthe failed to return home. His bicycle was found nexttohiminthetrench;itwasbelievedherode overboard.

Man stabbed while trying to protect girlfriend from being abused

A man was stabbed on Saturday evening while protecting his girlfriend frombeingabused.

PoliceidentifiedhimasLeroyGarcia, 46, of Charlestown, Georgetown. Garcia wasstabbedatHighBridge,LaPenitence, Georgetown. HewasreportedlydrinkingatGTBar

whenhenoticedaporterbeatinghisgirlfriend. He intervened to save her but ended up getting stabbedseveraltimestohisbody

He was rushed to the Georgetown Public HospitalCorporationwherehewasadmittedin aseriouscondition.Policearecurrentlyhunting thesuspect. Investigationsareongoing.

Govt. seals oil block deal with Qatari group

…negotiations with other bidders still ongoing - Jagdeo

The Government of Guyana(GoG)hasapproved one bid to date from its maiden oil blocks auction.

Block S4, a shallow water portion,hasbeenawardedto TotalEnergies EP Guyana B V in consortium with Qatar Energy International E&PLLCandPetronasE&P OverseasSDNBHD.

This was recently announcedbyVicePresident Bharrat Jagdeo during his weekly media engagement.

The former Head of State explained,“Thathascleared the Cabinet already and it's moving forward…most of the others, they are still in discussion on the PSA (Production Sharing Agreement) because a lot of themhaveeitherissueswith thePSA,thelegalterms.”

Jagdeoremindedthatthe fiscal terms of the new oil contract were simply nonnegotiable;however,bidders have also complained about the other obligations being too“rigid”.

On the other hand, he noted, “Some are still looking for partners and operators because the original submission, they couldn't conclude those, so unless those issues are dealt with beforehand in the negotiations, it's not gonna go to Cabinet to make the

finalthing,onlywhenweare sure then we take it to the Cabinet and the one that went to the Cabinet was the onewithQatar…”

The Vice President said he could not say at what stage the oil company was with regards to the routine process and asked that furtherquestionsbedirected to the Minister of Natural Resources,VickramBharrat.

Guyana'smaidenauction launched in December 2022 featured 14 blocks but only eight received bids

Previously, VP Jagdeo explained that Cabinet approved several companies to be awarded various blocks.ExxonMobilGuyana Limited,HessNewVentures Exploration Limited, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited was approved for shallowwaterblock–S8.

Out of Nigeria, International Group Investment Inc. was found eligible for two shallow water concessions—S5 and S10.

An American and Ghanian p

rship, Liberty Petroleum Corporation and Cybele Energy Limited, was approved for shallow water block—S7.

Delcorp Incorporated, a Guyanese company, in

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

collaboration with Watad

E n e r g y a n d Communications Ltd and Arabian Drilling Company was approved for deepwater blocktitled—D1.

M e a n w h i l e , a consortium led by four African-Guyanese women also secured two pivotal oil blocks in Guyana's debut auction. Sispro Inc., was awarded a shallow water block called S3 and a deepwater block titled D2. Companies that will be awardedthenewblockswill also have to agree to a new fiscal regime that requires the payment of a 10 percent royalty and a 10 percent corporatetax. Thecostrecoveryceiling

Blocks in red received bids during the maiden auction

will be capped at 65 percent inagivenyear,whileprofits willbeshared50/50between companies and the state. In the meantime, Guyana's oilrich Stabroek Block, operated by ExxonMobil, requires a meagre 2% royalty, no taxes, 75% cost

recoveryceilingeachmonth whichleaves25%ofprofitto be shared with Guyana Stakeholders had warned that the terms of the Exxon deal could deter investment since the new PSA now requires greater fiscal benefitsforthecountry This

led to calls for new projects in the Stabroek Block to be subjected to these terms; however, the government remains adamant that seeking greater benefits could slow the pace of development and chase investors.

Guyana

ORINDUIK

Hamas launches rocket attack towards Tel Aviv area

(BBC)Hamassaysithas launched a "big" rocket attackattheTelAvivareain centralIsrael.

At least eight rockets were launched from the RafahareainsouthernGaza, the Israeli military said, adding that several were intercepted.Noinjurieswere reported.

Theattack-thefirsttime in nearly four months that Hamas has attacked central Israel - comes as Israel carries out a military operationinRafah,defyinga rulingbytheUN'stopcourt. It also took place ahead

o

negotiations between Israel and Hamas, which are expected to resume next week.

With the attack, Hamas may be trying to show its strength ahead of the talksor trying to derail them. A degree of normality had returned to Tel Aviv - the economic centre of Israelsince it was last attacked in January

But the air raid sirens which sounded in cities including TelAviv, Herzliya and Petah Tikva were another reminder of the

threatHamasposestopeople across Israel Footage published by Israeli media appeared to show rocket damage to buildings in Herzliaandthecentraltown of Kfar Saba. The military wingofHamas,theIzzedine al-QassamBrigades,saidthe rocketattackwasinresponse

civilians".

Hamas did not confirm theattackwaslaunchedfrom Rafah, where fighting has been reported near the K

Palestinianmediasaidthatat least one person had been

A house in Herzliya was damaged in the attack

killed and several others injuredinanIsraeliairstrike on a residential home in central Rafah. Israel began its offensive in the southern Gaza city about three weeks ago,vowingtodestroywhat it said were Hamas battalionspresentthere.

The UN says more than 800,000 Palestinians have fledthesoutherncity

About 1.5 million had

been sheltering from the fighting elsewhere in Gaza there Israel's military campaign in Gaza began after gunmen from Hamas attackedIsraelon7October, killing about 1,200 people andtaking252othersbackto Gaza as hostages. At least 35,800 Palestinians have been killed in the war since then, according to Gaza's Hamas-runhealthministry

Pres. Ali promises to make Reg. 10 ‘centrepiece for development'

A t t h e 5 8 t h Independence Flag Raising Ceremony held in Region Ten,PresidentDr Mohamed Irfaan Ali outlined his government's ambitious development plans for the region which will transform its economic landscape and improvelivelihoodsforall.

This is in keeping with t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s commitment to inclusive development by improving infrastructure, healthcare, education,housing,tourism, and economic prospects in every corner of Guyana. In address to the nation Saturday night at the Mackenzie Stadium in Linden, President Ali

h i g h l i g h t e d t h e government's strategic investments in the region, positioning it as a major investment centre by establishingamanufacturing ecosystem, enhancing transport and logistics, engineering services, and expanding housing. “Make no mistake; this region that we are in tonight is going to be the centrepiece for development. It is going to be the critical link between the investment we are making towards the Guiana Shield, connecting northern Brazil, building out in the interior, connecting into Bartica,buildingyourroads, opening up new lands, creatingnewopportunities,” theheadofstatedetailed.

With Guyana taking a leadroleinagricultureinthe C a r i b b e a n , t h e administration has taken bold steps to build out the infrastructure so that the mining town can contribute to the regional food security andsustainabilityplans. Itis thissameregionthatwillbe supplying all the soya and corn needs locally and regionally and undertake

large-scale production of black eye and red beans to meet the regional market demand “We are now working on building a firstclass food hub, a regional food hub, right here in Guyana and Region 10 will be critically connected,” PresidentAliwentontoadd.

The region is poised to becomethecentraltransport and logistics hub, linking Brazil with the Caribbean and surrounding regions And major infrastructure projects including the construction of 45 bridges from Mabura to Kurupukari and Lethem, the US$190 million Linden-Mabura Hill Road, the US$35 million Wismar Bridge, and the upgrading of the LindenSoesdyke Highway at a cost ofUS$120million,arebeing undertakentofacilitatethis.

“

transformative, that will raiseyourregionthatwilllift your region every single village in the river, every single community here in Region10,youwillbelifted

underlined President Ali alsohighlightedinvestments inhousingthatsawa$3Bin injection into the housing programme while $1 billion is being expended to improvethequalityofwater for residents. In sports, the government has invested a staggering $1.4 billion in building back sports facilities in less than three years;theyarebeingbuiltto accommodate international FIFAstandardfootball.

“You're going to see a major push to ensure that your region becomes an important region in tourism and development Silica City,thenewSilicaCitywill beconnectedtoyourregion.

The new highway that will come from Mandela and connect to the LindenSoesdyke highway will reduce your transport time [and] bring greater efficiency.”

Thepresidentassuredthe residents of Region 10 that their region has received significant investments and willcontinuetobeapriority, acknowledging its potential for development “When you look at per capita i

invested in your region higherthananyotherregion per capita because we understand the potential of thisregion.Webelieveinthe potentialofthisregionaswe believe in the potential of Guyana, ” Guyana's President underscored Billions of dollars are also being invested to improve infrastructure, healthcare, education and the standard of living for residents living in the ten administrative regionsofGuyana.(DPI)

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali addressing the audience at the flag-raising ceremony on Saturday

60 acres of land to be developed for farming at Sand Hill

The government will boost the agricultural production in the village of Sand Hill, Region Ten by facilitating the clearing of about 60 acres of land for communityfarming.

President, Dr Mohamed

Irfaan Ali made the announcement during a meetingwithresidentsofthe villageonSaturday

He said that the government recognises the need to ramp up production, andwillimplementaseriesof interventions to achieve this goal.Theseacresoflandwill be dedicated to a specific crop, such as plantain. This measure will also ease the strain of fluctuating prices, allowing them to focus on a more stable income source. “So, if we have 30 families here,andwelookatcreating a highly intensive farm area of about, let's say, two acres each. And we dedicate those 60 acres to a specific production. And we fix the costs,” the president explained.

He said that the government will assist with the capital investment of drainage and land preparation,andtheresidents will be responsible for maintaining the land. The

president also pointed out that farmers along the Demerara River have raised concerns about getting their produce to the markets. To ease their transportation woes, PresidentAli said that thegovernmentwilllookinto procuringtwocargoboats.

“You guys can maintain the boats. So, all you have to do as a farmer is ensure that y o u w o r k o n t h e maintenance of the boat. You work on the fuel. And those two boats can service these farms that we'll set up,”headded.

Additionally, the

president explained that the aim is to ensure that each household is able to have more disposable income

With some 30 households in the village, President Ali suggested that each household establishes a shadehouseontheirland.

The government will supply the roofing material, and train persons to manage these shade houses This project, the president said, wouldbespearheadedbythe women in the village

According to the head of state, these households stand to earn approximately $700,000 per year from this project.“We have calculated

that even with a short-term crop, once we help you with theroofingmaterialandyou do it properly, because we expect you to spend time in the backyard garden on the shade houses, and then we have one company, the G u y a n a M a r k e t i n g Corporation, [that] can take all of these things out. So, what we will do is put this in your backyard, because we believe in empowering families, adding to your disposable income. This is

how you build prosperity,” PresidentAliemphasised.

TheGuyaneseleaderalso encouraged the residents to get more involved in honey production, which he identified as a lucrative industry

Recently, the president announced plans to establish a national honey bank to enhance the efficiency and quality of honey production, while maximising the country's economic potential.

He pledged continued support for the village, pointing out that Sand Hill has been no stranger to the g o v e r n m e n t ' s t r a n s f o r m a t i o n a l programmes. In the areas of education and human services, the head of state highlighted that almost $30 million has been invested in the village, while in agriculture, more than $15.5 millionhasbeenexpendedto date.Issuesrelatedtomining and logging concessions

were also raised, and the president said that representatives from the G u y a n a F o r e s t r y Commission (GFC), as well as the Minister of Natural Resources,VickramBharrat, will return to the village in the new week to address these. “We are going to followuponallthesethings. A team will visit you in the new week to tell you how we are going to implement them,”PresidentAlivowed. (DPI)

President Irfaan Addressing farmers of Sand Hill, Region Ten

COVID-19 eliminated a decade of progress in global level of life expectancy

Geneva, May 24, 2024

— The latest edition of the World Health Statistics released last week by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic reversed the trend of steady gain in life expectancy at birth and healthy life expectancyatbirth(HALE).

Thepandemicwipedout nearly a decade of progress inimprovinglifeexpectancy within just two years Between 2019 and 2021, global life expectancy droppedby1.8yearsto71.4 years (back to the level of 2012).

Similarly, global healthy life expectancy dropped by 1.5 years to 61.9 years in 2021 (back to the level of 2012).

The 2024 report also highlights how the effects have been felt unequally across the world. The WHO regionsfortheAmericasand South-East Asia were hit hardest,withlifeexpectancy droppingbyapproximately3 years and healthy life expectancy by 2 5 years between 2019 and 2021. In contrast,theWesternPacific Region was minimally affected during the first two years of the pandemic, with losses of less than 0.1 years in life expectancy and 0.2 years in healthy life expectancy

“There continues to be major progress in global health, with billions of

people who are enjoying betterhealth,betteraccessto services, and better protection from health emergencies,” said Dr

T e d r o s A d h a n o m

Ghebreyesus, WHO

Director-General. “But we must remember how fragile progress can be. In just two years, the COVID-19 pandemicerasedadecadeof gains in life expectancy

That's why the new Pandemic Agreement is so important: not only to strengthen global health security, but to protect longterm investments in health and promote equity within andbetweencountries.”

Noncommunicable diseasesremainthetopkiller COVID-19 rapidly emerged as a leading cause ofdeath,rankingasthethird highest cause of mortality globally in 2020 and the second in 2021. Nearly 13 million lives were lost duringthisperiod.Thelatest estimates reveal that except in the African and Western Pacific regions, COVID-19 was among the top five causes of deaths, notably becoming the leading cause of death in theAmericas for bothyears.

The WHO report also h i g h l i g h t s t h a t noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as ischemic heart disease and stroke, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Alzheimer's disease and

other dementias, and diabetes were the biggest killers before the pandemic, responsible for 74% of all deaths in 2019. Even during the pandemic, NCDs continued to account for 78%ofnon-COVIDdeaths.

Increasing obesity and malnutrition

The world faces a massive and complex problem of a double burden of malnutrition, where undernutrition coexists with overweight and obesity In 2022,overonebillionpeople aged five years and older were living with obesity, whilemorethanhalfabillion were underweight

Malnutritioninchildrenwas also striking, with 148 million children under five years old affected by stunting (too short for age), 45 million suffering from wasting(toothinforheight), and37millionoverweight.

The report further highlights the significant health challenges faced by persons with disabilities, refugees and migrants. In 2021, about 1 3 billion people,or16%oftheglobal population, had disability

T h i s g r o u p i s disproportionately affected byhealthinequitiesresulting from avoidable, unjust and unfairconditions.

Access to healthcare for refugees and migrants remains limited, with only half of the 84 countries surveyed between 2018 and

Global carbon pricing revenues top record US$100 Billion

In2023,carbonpricingrevenuesreached arecord$104billion,accordingtotheWorld Bank's annual “State and Trends of Carbon Pricing2024”reportreleasedlastweek.

There are now 75 carbon pricing instruments in operation worldwide. Over halfofthecollectedrevenuewasusedtofund climate and nature-related programmes “Carbon pricing can be one of the most powerful tools to help countries reduce emissions.That's why it is good to see these instruments expand to new sectors, become more adaptable and complement other measures,”saidAxelvanTrotsenburg,World BankSeniorManagingDirector “Thisreport can help expand the knowledge base for policymakers to understand what is working andwhybothcoverageandpricingneedtogo upforemissionstogodown.”

TheWorldBankhasbeentrackingcarbon marketsforaroundtwodecadesandthisisit's eleventhannualcarbonpricingreport.When thefirstreportwasreleased,carbontaxesand Emission Trading Systems (ETS) covered only7%oftheworld'semissions.According to the 2024 report, 24% of global emissions arenowcovered.Reportfindingsshowlarge middle-income countries including Brazil,

2021providinggovernmentfunded health services to these groups at levels comparableto theircitizens. This highlights the urgent need for health systems to adapt and address the persisting inequities and changing demographic needsofglobalpopulations. Progress towards the Triple Billion targets and SDGs

Despite setbacks caused by the pandemic, the world has made some progress towardsachievingtheTriple Billion targets and healthrelated indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since 2018, an additional 1 5 billion people achieved better health and well-being Despitegains,risingobesity, high tobacco use and persistent air pollution hinderprogress.

Universal Health

Coverage expanded to 585 million more people, falling short of the goal for one billion. Additionally, only 777millionmorepeopleare likely to be adequately protected during health emergenciesby2025,falling shortoftheonebilliontarget set in WHO's 13th General Programme of Work. This protection is increasingly important as the effects of climate change and other global crises increasingly threatenhealthsecurity

“While we have made progress towards the Triple Billion targets since 2018, a lot still needs to be done. Data is WHO's superpower We need to use it better to deliver more impact in countries,” said Dr Samira Asma, WHO Assistant Director-General for Data, Analytics and Delivery for I m p a c t “ Wi t h o u t accelerating progress, it is unlikely that any of the health SDGs will be met by 2030.”

India, Chile, Colombia, and Türkiye are making strides in carbon pricing implementation. While traditional sectors likepowerandindustrycontinuetodominate, carbon pricing is increasingly being considered in new sectors such as aviation, shippingandwaste.TheEU'sCarbonBorder Adjustment Mechanism, currently in a transitional phase, is also encouraging governments to consider carbon pricing for sectors such iron and steel, aluminum, cement,fertilizers,andelectricity Governments are also increasingly using carbon crediting frameworks to attract more finance through voluntary carbon markets and facilitate participation in international compliancemarkets.Despiterecordrevenues andgrowth,globalcarbonpricecoverageand levels remain too low to meet the Paris Agreement goals. Currently, less than 1% of globalgreenhouseemissionsarecoveredbya direct carbon price at or above the range recommendedbytheHigh-levelCommission onCarbonPricestolimittemperatureriseto wellbelow2ºC.Thereportnotesthatclosing the implementation gap between countries' climate commitments and policies will requiremuchgreaterpoliticalcommitment.

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PM Mottley presented with WHO award for exceptional leadership in health

(BARBADOS TODAY)

Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Sunday presented Prime Minister Mia Mottley with the DirectorGeneral’s Award for Global Health.

Mottley is one of three people being awarded this year.

The awards are usually presented during the WHO’s most important meeting of the year — the World Health Assembly, which is being held on Monday. However, Mottley was presented with the award at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sunday to allow her to travel to Antigua and Barbuda for the United Nations fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), which begins on Monday.

Back in 2019, the WHO Director-General gave Global Health Leaders Awards to a number of individuals who have shown outstanding commitment to public health goals. The awards are now presented on an annual basis to selected individuals or groups of individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership to achieve

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tangible health impacts.

In her acceptance speech, Mottley thanked the WHO Director-General for being there and for steadfastly supporting small countries.

“[The] COVID pandemic for us was the wild wild west in every sense of the word. When we could access goods, we learned that export restrictions would be put on them. When we could access vaccines, export restrictions were also put on them.

When we could pay, we couldn’t get orders because our orders were simply too small to be taken, whether for equipment or medicines,” Mottley said.

Both the WHO and the Pan American Health Organization stood up for the region, Mottley said, while also paying tribute to PAHO’s Director Emeritus Dr Carissa F Etienne who died last year.

“You were the two people who were directly accessible at midnight … and that speaks volumes to the difference you made in saving lives — I dare say hundreds of thousands, if not millions

Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus presenting Prime Minister Mia Mottley with the award

of lives across the Small Island Developing States,”

Mottley said.

“I thank you on behalf of my country for the honour which you are conferring on me. I take it not as my own, I take it as an honour to Barbados.” Mottely also saluted the island’s Chief Medical

Officer, Dr Kenneth George, “who was on the front-lines, but I also want to salute my Ministers of Health, Lt Col Jeffrey Bostick and Senior Minister Jerome Walcot, who effectively carried and continue to carry the day-to-day battle in this critical area of health.”

Barbados boosting UN ties in sustainable development push

(BARBADOS TODAY) Barbados is significantly bolstering its diplomatic relationships and reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development, the foreign minister has said.

Speaking at the launch of the UN Global Compact Network Caribbean and Sustainable SME and Supply Chain Programme, Kerrie Symmonds underlined the importance of this foreign policy drive to deepen Barbados’ engagement with the UN multilateral system.

“This exercise represents our commitment to have a proactive foreign policy and frankly, it represents an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the UN multilateral system,” he said.

Since taking office, the Mia Mottley administration has expanded Barbados’ UN presence from the 17 agencies initially housed at UN House to include the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) last year and, imminently, the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

The UN-Habitat body is also set to open an office by year-end.

Symmonds highlighted the partnership with the private sector to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and embed its 10 core principles around economic competitiveness and social equity in business.

“Unless it is reinforced in

the minds of every business operator in Barbados, we will never achieve universal application,” he said of the principles, which include nondiscrimination, anti-corruption, collective bargaining rights and environmental protection.

He stressed the importance of eradicating workplace discrimination based on race, gender and disability, as well as child labour exploitation.

“There must be no abuse or discrimination of our disabled people but equality of opportunity for all,” he said.

On corruption, the minister said: “For Barbados, there is no room for corruption… But there must also be a commitment in the private sector because he who bribeth is as guilty as he who is taking the bribe.”

Barbados, renowned for

robust labour rights and representation, would continue upholding fair working practices across sectors, Symmonds added.

Pointing to the prime minister’s climate change campaigning amid events such as India’s record temperatures, he said responsible green business practices were essential. “Our PM has championed this cause… Her voice has transcended borders to raise attention to the crisis moment we live in. Barbados expects businesses here will do their part too by harnessing green technologies and responsible environmental policies.”

Adherence to the principles would enhance Barbados’ investment and trade prospects, the minister argued.

“Those who trade with businesses taking these issues seriously are increasing around the world.”

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Minister of Foreign Affairs Kerrie Symmonds.

Alcaraz mauls Wolf to reach French

Open second round

(Reuters) - Third seed Carlos Alcaraz made a winning start in his bid to claim a first French Open ti

AmericanJ J

Wolf 6-1 6-2 6-1

without any obvious

p

forearmonSunday

Last year’s semifinalist arrived at Roland Garros with only four matches under his belt on clay due to the issue that forced him to skip Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome, with his Madrid title defence also derailed in between.

Monday May 27, 2024

ARIES(Mar 21–Apr 19)

A challenging day is in store foryou,Aries.Ifyou'repartof a group or team or simply among friends, you may feel somewhatillatease.Couldit be that you instill jealousy in others? There's only one way tofindout.

TAURUS(Apr 20–May20)

Sometimes dreams seem like just that - dreams. Travel, a project, or a new home could be a few of the things you've beentryingto accomplishfor sometimenow

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You'll go one of two ways today, Gemini. Either you'll turn inward and meditate in a corner or you'll find a good friend and confide your dissatisfaction.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Today is going to be an excellent day for meeting interesting people, Cancer And there will be nothing superficial about these encounters. On the contrary, the people you are going to meet will touch you profoundly

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

You can expect today to be kind of intense, Leo. Even if you've made a conscious decision not to let anything get you down, you may still harbor some negative emotions from the last few days.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

The little fighter that you are makesitverydifficultforyou to join us in the great communal river that we're all tryingtonavigate,Virgo.You prefertotravelsolo.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Be disciplined about all areas ofyourbody,Libra.Takeextra care to eat healthful, balanced meals. Make sure you get enough sleep And even thoughyougripeabouthaving no time, get out there and exercise.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

If you've been feeling deep anger,todayisn'tthedaytolet it out but rather the day to consider its source. Any large gatheringsoffamilyorfriends shouldbeavoidedatallcosts.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

If by chance you still harbor some resentment toward someone, Sagittarius, it will probably come out today.You might be uncompromising or evenvengeful.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

You don't suffer fools gladly, and superficial fools even less so. You have a mind to teach those around you a lesson. You'reuncompromisingtoday, and you can't understand why others don't have your same highstandards.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Hereisadayofchallenges, Aquarius You're a pro at questioning yourself, as you'll prove today when you take a

o u r accomplishments What have youcreatedofapersonalnature inthelasttenyears.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Ifyougivetheimpressionthat you're in a reserved and introspective mood (even if you aren't), you'll succeed in avoiding confrontation Today there is no such thing as a simpleexchangewithsomeone

Dennis Legay spins JBM Tranzac to victory in T&DCA Elite tournament

Former Guyana youth playerandleft-armorthodox spinner Dennis Legay spun his way to a brilliant bowling performance to help JBM Tranzac beat Mississauga Qalandars Cricket Club by 39 runs in another50-overmatchinthe 2024 Toronto and District

“ I h a d l o w expectations coming into the tournament but after the practice week, after this first round, well, the confidence is higher My expectations probably got higher after today’s match, but let’s see,” Alcaraz told reporters.

“All I can say is I’m feelinggreatonthecourt I felt amazing in this match, so hopefully keep going ” Having previously

expressed lingering worries and wearing a compression sleeve, t h e 2 1 - y e a r - o l d

Spaniard drew gasps from the crowd on

Philippe Chatrier court when he dropped serve in the first game of the c o n t e s t b u t h e respondedinstantly

Wolf, a lucky loser

from the qualifying tournament making his second appearance in the Paris main draw, struggled to keep up with his opponent thereafter and the 25-year-old was broken three times in a one-sided opening set

“Everybody told me I must go to 100% on every forehand, but I don’t feel as comfortable as before to play every forehand and forget my forearm,” added Alcaraz, whose utter dominance belied the fact that he was playing within himself at times.

“I’m trying to hit as many forehands as I can 100%, but there are a few (during which) I want to stay easy ”

Under grey skies, Alcaraz quickly doubled his advantage in the contest and then raced ahead 3-0 under the roof in the third set, after rain began falling, before closing out the match when Wolf sent a shot long

on (T&DCA)Elitetournament. Legay grabbed 4-21 fromhismaximum10-overs as Mississauga Qalandars were all out for a measly 67 in the 34th over replying to JBM Tranzac’s decent 106 alloutin37.4overs. The Canada-based Guyanese Legay got solid support from off-spinner Sharaz Ramcharran with 311offhisfrugal9oversand Raqib Shamsudeen, who finished with 2-7 from 7.4 off-spinovers.OnlyShauaib

Zaidiofferedafightwith20 for Qalanda

s on a responsive King City pitch lastSunday ForJBMTranzac,Samit Gohaul top-scored with 44 and 24 from Ravi Nauth. HafeezUllahandMehmood Pirzack took three wickets eachforQalandars. The competition continuesthisweekend.

Dennis Legay

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after winning his first round match against JJ Wolf of the United States (Reuters/Yves Herman)

KKR’s bowlers rip through SRH to win third IPL title to

(Cricinfo) - Just like

the 2015 World Cup final, Mitchell Starc led the rout of the secondbest team of the tournament as Kolkata Knight Riders fashioned the most onesidedIPLfinaltosecuretheir thirdtitle.

Starc started with arguably the ball of the tournament, and the most complete attack of the tournamentwastoogoodfor Sunrisers Hyderabad on a pitch that offered seam movement for at least seven overs followed by grip off the surface too. SRH were bowled out for the lowest total in an IPL final, 113, which KKR chased down with57ballstosparethanks to Venkatesh Iyer’s blitz of 52off26.

Five of the six bowlers used by KKR took a wicket

intheirfirstover,includinga golden duck for SRH’s talisman Travis Head to VaibhavArorainthesecond over It is hard to find fault with SRH who had to take risks while KKR’s strategy was straightforward: with the ball moving, just minimise the bad balls and experiment less. Whenever SRH looked to force the pace, they ended up losing wickets.

ScintillatingStarc

Starc didn’t quite start the tournament the way he would have wanted after becoming the costliest player in IPLhistory, but he turnedupfortheplayoffsall right. The first ball of the match swung away to beat Abhishek Sharma, who was taking first strike after Starc bowled Head second ball in theQualifier1.Bytheendof

the over, Starc had worked himself into enough of a rhythm to pitch the ball on leg and hit the top of off. It was an unplayable delivery atStarc’space.

You could forgive Abhishek for not lunging forward because it was pitchedonagoodlengthand themovementwaslate.

Head got on strike only last ball of the second over, which is whenArora started onagoodlengthoutsideleg, and swung and seamed it to finish just outside the top of off.Headpushedatit,edged, andwascaughtbehind.

While Arora mixed up his inswing with variouspaced short balls, Starc kept using the scrambled-seam ball to threaten both the edges.Oneoutsideedgeflew wide of slip, before Rahul Tripathifelloffatopedgeas

hetriedtopushback. Rana starts the second slide Seeing how the ball was moving, KKR used just the two bowlers in the powerplay, but Arora went for17inthefinalpowerplay over,takingSRHupto40for 3 That seemed like a situation from which SRH could salvage the game, especially with an Impact Playeruptheirsleeve.

Itwasn’ttobe.Inhisfirst over, Harshit Rana bowled three straight slower balls before bowling the hard length at 146kmph and managing seam movement against the angle. Nitish Reddy had no choice but to go after it, and all he managed was an edge throughtothekeeper

Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen were now SRH’slasthopereally They

batted cautiously together for three overs but when Markram tried to take Russell on, he found longon Soon after Varun Chakravarthy produced the wicket of Shahbaz Ahmed withatopedgeonthesweep fromwelloutsideoff.

In the next over, the Impact PlayerAbdul Samad gaveRussellhis18thwicket of this IPL, the most he has taken in one edition. Rana came back to get Klaasen playing on to a slower ball. Russellwouldgoontoadda 19thtohistallywhenending the innings with Pat Cummins’wicketinthe19th over

Not before Cummins managed the top score to takeSRHpast100.

The chase as one long celebration KKR continued their domination of

Bhuvneshwar Kumar by chargingathimeventhough they lost Sunil Narine for 6 off 2 at the other end

Venkatesh Iyer hit Bhuvneshwar for two straight sixes in a 20-run third over, and when he and Rahmanullah Gurbaz took another20offTNatarajanin the sixth over, KKR had put together the most in a powerplay in an IPL final (72).

Gurbaz hit boundaries post the powerplay, but didn’t have the benefit of a review because of a technologybreakdownwhen givenoutlbwfor39. That only allowed captainShreyasIyertobein the middle for the winning moment after a tough year for him in which he has lost hisplaceinandretainerwith theIndiannationalteam.

Charles bashes aggressive 69, bowlers...

Frompage23

hamar Joseph took a good catch inside the boundary rope to end a disappointing tour for the CSA T20’s top run-scorer for the 2023-24 season.

Motie’sfiguresaftertwo overs were 2 for 5, but his day didn’t finish as well as he hoped. He conceded 11

runs off his final over, as Rassie van der Dussen hit him for two sixes and he wasn’tusedagain.

van der Dussen’s final say

Excluded from South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad but asked to captain them in this series, van der Dussen has not had the

easiest few months. But he had a strong last say on this tour.Van der Dussen scored a 30-ball fifty to take South Africa from 50 for 4 to 163 for 7, and demonstrated strong hitting skills straight downtheground. Allfiveofhissixeswere scored in the V between long-off and long-on, and

his77-runfifth-wicketstand with Wiaan Mulder was the difference between a South African collapse and a s e m b l a n c e o f competitiveness.

Mayers missed and then didn’t

Van der Dussen’s knock couldhaveendedon9when he dragged a HaydenWalsh

Jnrdeliveryfromoutsideoff to long-on, where Kyle Mayers was waiting for the catch.Hetookitcleanlybut misjudged how close his back foot was to the boundary rope and stepped overitwiththeballinhand.

VanderDussenwasthefirst togesturethathehadearned six.

Six overs later, Mulder mis-hitaMcCoyslowerball to long-on, where Mayers was ready to take the catch two-handed,withmorethan enoughspacebehindhimto tumble, hold on and avoid giving away a boundary Mayersisareserveplayerin the West Indies T20 World Cupsquad.

KKR’s resplendent celebrations begin (AFP/Getty Images)

Linden Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition Could Bullets go all the way?

Whowillitbeis the question oneverylipof aficionados planning to witnesstonight’sfinalofthis year’sLindensegmentofthe Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition which is scheduled to be played, at theRetrieveHardCourts.

Afterfourrivetingnights of action in the Mining Community, the curtains willcomedownthisevening withthesemi-finalsandfinal for prize monies totaling morethan$1.5millionalong withtrophies.

Alongwiththerealityof a new champion being crowned following the

exodus of three-peat

c h a m p i o n s S w a g Entertainment in the quarterfinals, the chance of an automatic berth to the nationals in July has also servedasanaddedincentive fortheexcitementbeingfelt

throughoutthecommunity

Two-time champions

Silver Bullets, who was responsible for booting the defending champions out of the tournament, must start as the overwhelming favourites to add another trophytotheircabinet.

H o w e v e r, t h e i r opponent Spaniards have shown throughout the tournament that they are just as adept in the format a n d h a v e a l s o demonstrated a level of determination opposing teamsfear

In the other fixture, Turf Presidents tackle Hardball Management and t h i s

n c o u n t e

i s anticipated to set the tone for what is expected to be an exciting showdown among the surviving teams

Both teams are coming offimpressivewinswiththe

Organisers are confident that another large turnout will be seen on the final night of competition.

former dispatching Pro Ballers 3-0 in the quarters, while the latter was equally efficientintheir2-0triumph overExcusetheRush.

Fans have turned out in their numbers, and this is despite the inclement

Pogacar secures Giro

d’Italia victory on debut

(BBC Sport) - Tadej Pogacar won the Giro d’Italia on his debut by completing a processional finalstagethroughRomeon Sunday TheSlovenian,who has two Tour de France victories, won six stages of the 21 in a dominant performance He finished nine minutes 56 seconds ahead of second placed DanielMartinezofColombia intheoverallstandings,with Britain’s GeraintThomas 10 minutes 24 seconds behind the winner in third Pogacar

Pogacar celebrates his Giro d’Italia victory alongside team-mates from UAE Team Emirates (Getty Images)

hadbeenintheleader’spink jersey since victory on stage two and won by the biggest overallmarginsince1965

“I am speechless, it’s hard to describe this moment,it’samazing,”said the25-year-old.

“A lot of nice memories for sure, in a while I will see which one was the best momentbutIthinkingeneral itwasareallybeautifulGiro” The final stage of 125km in Rome produced a frantic finish in which Tim Merlier beatJonathanMilan,whohad

sufferedapuncturewithnine kilometres to go, in a sprint finish to claim a third stage winoftherace

Pogacar will now bid to become the first rider since Marco Pantani in 1998 to win both the Giro and Tour de France, which starts on 29June,inthesameseason.

Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaardhaswonthelast two editions of the Tour de France but his level of fitnessisunclearfollowinga crash in the Itzulia Basque CountryraceinApril

weather, therefore the Organisersareconfidentthat anotherlargeturnoutwillbe seen on the final night of competition.

Once again there will be the usual giveaways for the loyal fans along with the

presence of the security apparatus that has been retained to ensure that the night’s proceedings run smoothly Thewinningteam will cart off $500,000 and a trophy, while second, third and fourth placed finishers will take home $400,000, $300,000 and $250,000 respectively Colours Boutique that provided the beautiful uniforms adorned by the teams are also on board as a sponsor

Murray’s parents say golfer took own life

(BBC Sport) - The parents of Grayson Murray havesaidthegolfer“tookhis own life”, after the PGA Tour announced the Americanhaddiedattheage of30.

Murray, a two-time winneronthetour,withdrew from this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge event on Friday with illness, having played16holesofhissecond round.

“We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone,” said Eric and TerryMurray

“It’s surreal that we not only have to admit it to ourselves, but that we also havetoacknowledgeittothe world.It’sanightmare.

“We have so many questions that have no answers But one Was Grayson loved? The answer isyes.

By us, his brother Cameron,hissisterErica,all of his extended family, by his friends, by his fellow players and - it seems - by manyofyouwhoarereading this. He was loved and he willbemissed.”

Astandoutyoungplayer, Murray won three straight

J u n i o r W o r l d Championships from 200608.

HequalifiedforthePGA Tour in 2016-17, aged 22, andwonhisfirsttitlein2017 with victory at the Barbasol Championship.

T h a t g a v e h i m exemption on the tour to 2019 and, though he struggledwithhisgameafter that,hewonbackatourspot thisseason.

He won a second career titlewithvictoryattheSony Open in Hawaii, which moved him to a career-high rankingof46intheworld.

Following that victory, Murray said he had been suffering with mental health issues.

He also said on social media in 2021 that he had beenreceivingtreatmentfor alcoholism.

“We would like to thank the PGATour and the entire world of golf for the outpouring of support,” Murray’sparentsadded.

“Lifewasn’talwayseasy forGrayson,andalthoughhe took his own life, we know herestspeacefullynow

“Please respect our privacy as we work through this incredible tragedy, and please honour Grayson by beingkindtooneanother If that becomes his legacy, we could ask for nothingelse.”

Grayson Murray won a second career title in January, with victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii (Getty Images)

Williamson bows out of Olympic Qualifiers

-Emmanuel Pompey to fight today

Joel Williamson became the second Guyanese boxer to exit the final World

Boxing Qualifying Tournament in Thailand, following his unanimous decision defeat against Mauritius’s Louis Richarno Colin yesterday in the 63.5 kgcategory

Despite a valiant effort fromWilliamson,thejudges scoredthefight5-0infavour of Colin, who will move on tofaceMoldova’sAlexandru Paraschiv

Williamson and

DesmondAmsterdamarethe twoGuyaneseboxerswhose Olympic dreams ended in Bangkok.

Amsterdam suffered a unanimous decision defeat against Cristian Javier Pinales of the Dominican Republic in their 80 kg match.

Today,EmanuelPompey andGeorgiiKushitashviliof Georgia will meet in the men’s92kground-of-32.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympian, Keevin Allicock moved one step closer to

returning to the games following his third-round stoppage win over Guatemala’s Jose Felipe in theround-of-32.

Allicock will be in tomorrow’s 57kg round-of16, where he will face Turkey’s Batuhan Çiftçi on Tuesday

Ç i f t ç i d e f e a t e d Mohamad Mehdi Sahak of Afghanistan via unanimous decision Like Allicock, Çiftçi also competed at the Tokyo Olympics (Rawle Toney)

McCoy replaces injured Holder in West Indies squad for T20 World Cup

(Cricinfo) - West Indies allrounder Jason Holder has been ruled out of the upcoming T20 World Cup because of an injury. He has been replaced by left-arm quick Obed McCoy, who is playing the ongoing T20I seriesagainstSouthAfricaat home.

Holder picked up an injury during the County Championship, where he w a s r e p r e s e n t i n g Worcestershire and scored a century for them in his last gameearlierthismonth.The release Cricket West Indies (CWI)issueddidnotspecify Holder’sinjuryorhowmuch recovery time he will require.

“Jason is an experienced player in our set-up. His absencewillundoubtedlybe feltbothonandoffthefield,” chief selector Desmond Haynes said “We look forward to having a fully fit Jasonwithusagainsoon.

“While it is unfortunate to lose a player of Jason’s calibre, we are confident in theabilitiesofObedMcCoy Obedhasshownremarkable skill and promise in his performances, and this opportunity will allow him tofurthershowcasehistalent on the international stage. We believe he will bring a freshanddynamicenergyto thesquad.”

CWI also named five reserve players - Kyle Mayers, Matthew Forde, FabianAllen,HaydenWalsh andAndre Fletcher - in case there was an injury in the squad of 15 “We are

fortunatetohavesuch depth and quality in our ranks,” head coach Daren Sammy said. “Our reserve players are all A-class talents who haveproventheirabilitiesin variousformatsofthegame, but certainly T20. Each one of them is fully capable of slotting into the team seamlessly should the situationarise.”

McCoy was the top wicket-taker forWest Indies A on their tour of Nepal in April-May, when he bagged eight wickets in five games at an average of 18. In the two recent T20Is against South Africa, he finished with0for32and2for15.

McCoy joins Alzarri Joseph (also the vicecaptain) and Shamar Joseph amongthefastbowlerswith Andre Russell and Romario Shepherd also as the pacebowling options Akeil HoseinandGudakeshMotie arethespinnersinthesquad that will be led by Rovman Powell. West Indies are in Group C along with Papua New Guinea (PNG),

Uganda, New Zealand and Afghanistan. Their first two games are in Providence, Guyana, against PNG on June 2 and against Uganda on June 8. They then play New Zealand at the Brian LaraStadiuminTrinidadon June 12, before their last group game against AfghanistanonJune17inSt Lucia. They will also play a warm-up game against Australia on May 31 in Port of Spain, after their final third T20I finishes against South Africa on May 26 in Kingston.

West Indies squad for T20 World Cup: Rovman Powell(capt),AlzarriJoseph (vc), Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, ObedMcCoy,AkealHosein, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford

Traveling reserves: Kyle Mayers, Matthew Forde, Fabian Allen, Hayden Walsh,AndreFletcher

Southampton beat Leeds to return to Premier League

( B B C S p o r t )Southampton beat Leeds in the Championship play-off finaltosecureanimmediate returntothePremierLeague andthe£140mtogowithit.

Saints’ 11-year spell in thetopflightcametoanend after a wretched campaign last time out but, despite finishingoneplaceandthree points behind Leeds in fourth, it is they who join Leicester and Ipswich in goingup.

AdamArmstrong scored the decisive goal with a clinicalfinishafterbeingput clearbyWillSmallbone.

Leeds substitute Dan James clattered a bouncing ballagainstthecrossbarlate on as they pushed for an equaliser but Russell Martin’smensawoutalmost 12minutesoftimeaddedon. Defeat for Leeds consigned them to another season in the Championship and meant they have now lost their past three finals at Wembley without scoring and been unsuccessful in all six of their play-off campaigns.

Saints’promotionmeans that all three play-off finals this year were won by the teamwhohadfinishedlower in the league table, with the team who had finished higher failing to score in all three. Bothteamscameintothe game off the back of comprehensive second-leg

Chances were few and far between thereafter, an o d d l y o f f - c o l o u r Crysencio Summerville shooting wide for Leeds

e wastingafinechanceonthe breakforSouthampton. James twice came close to sending the match to extra time but Alex McCarthy made an excellent full-length save from his low 20-yarder after the bar had earlier deniedtheWelshman.

The win gives Martin, who had been discarded at Norwich as a player in

Farke’s spell at Carrow Road, his first promotion inmanagement.

wins in the semi-finals, Leeds beating Norwich 4-0 andSouthamptoneasingtoa 3-1 victory over West

BromwichAlbion.

Obed McCoy has been among the wickets in recent T20s. (AFP/Getty Images)

Mauritius’s Louis Richarno Colin (left) being announced as the winner in the men’s 63kg bout at the World Olympic Qualifier tournament over Guyana’s Joel Williamson.

Adam Armstrong (right) scored his 24th goal of the season to send Southampton up (Getty Images)

Charles bashes aggressive 69, bowlers star as Windies clean sweep South Africa

(Cricinfo) - West Indies sweptthethree-matchseries against South Africa to conclude their T20 World Cuppreparationsinthemost commanding way possible before the tournament starts next week. SouthAfrica, on theotherhand,havewonjust two of their last 11 completed T20I matches sincethelastT20WorldCup and have lost series to West Indies twice and Australia once, and enter the global competition on the back foot.

I f t h e r e ’ s a n y consolation,it’sthatnoneof South Africa’s powerhouse middle order of Aiden Markram,HeinrichKlaasen, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs were part of this series, but all will return for the World Cup. Still, there remain concerns over Quinton de Kock, who scored 64 runs in three inningsandhadapoorBBL, SA20 and IPL, while also

appearing to pick up a back injury on Sunday; and Ryan Rickelton, who managed only43runsinthreeinnings.

Equally, Anrich Nortje’s economy rate of 12 16 through the series and the absenceofanywicketstohis nameasksquestionsoverhis readiness for international cricket after an almost ninemonth absence as he recoveredfromalower-back stressfracture.Butheispart ofSouthAfrica’sfinalsquad for the World Cup, as they traveltotheUnitedStatesfor theiropeningmatches.

West Indies head to TrinidadtoplayAustraliain a warm-up match before their first World Cup match in Guyana, and they appear as ready as they can be. They’vewonfouroutoffive series since the last T20 World Cup, and beat South Africa 3-0 for the first time in this one. After defending totals of 175 and 207 to win theseries,theyweremadeto

chase and hunted down 164 inside 14 overs to ease past SouthAfricaagain.

Obed McCoy, added to theT20WorldCupsquadin theplaceoftheinjuredJason

Knights and Samsundar successful at Special Olympics Bocce

Keston Knights (centre) won the Singles Gold medal for Guyana

Local Bocce players Keston Knights and Daniel Samundarwereinfineform when they represented Guyana at the Caribbean Special Olympics Bocce Event in Grand Cayman, CaymanIslands.

G u y a n a ’s t e a m competed in the singles category and saw Knights winning a Gold medal after overcoming his opponent fromBelizeindivision4. D

claimed silver against his opponents from Belize and Barbadosinthesingles. In the doubles, Knights and Samsundar came togetheronSaturdaytopush Guyana to a commanding winagainstBelizeina10-2 finale. Earlier, they played anddefeatedStLucia. Theeventalsoincludeda Coaching and Officiating Certification Training and a

Holder, was the most successfulbowlerinthefinal match with 3 for 39, while stand-in captain Brandon King finished as the series’ leading run-scorer and

captainedtheteamtovictory on his home ground Sabina Park,whichwillnotseeany T20WorldCupaction.

The redemption of JohnsonCharles

It was against South Africa, 15 months ago, that Johnson Charles made the casetoreclaimhisspotinthe T20Isquadwith118offjust 46 balls in a T20I in Centurion. But since then, it hasbeenleangoingforhim.

Charles went ten innings without crossing fifty, and questions over his T20 Wo r l d C u p - s q u a d involvementweremorethan justwhispers.

Buthesilencedthatwith a knock of complete assurance and authority to bring up his fifth T20I halfcentury,andsettheplatform foranotherWestIndieswin.

Charles’takedown of South Africa’s fastest, Nortje and Gerald Coetzee, was most impressive. He scored 25 runs off just ten balls from

Nortje, and 22 off four from Coetzee, including three successive sixes. Only three of his 69 runs came in singles, with 66 in boundaries,andeventhough he was dismissed in the seventhover,hehadalready puttheresultbeyonddoubt.

Motiemakesthemostof it

After taking three wickets in each of his last three games, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie seemedsetforasimilarhaul after two exceptional overs. He was brought on immediately after the powerplay, and displayed goodchangesofpacetohave de Kock trapped lbw, as the latterplayedareversesweep tooearlyandwasgivenout.

In Motie’s next over, Matthew Breetzke hit the ball back over the bowler’s head. It looked like a clean strike but wasn’t timed as wellasheintended,and

(Continuedonpage20)

CaribbeanSpecialOlympics meetingwashostedtoo.

T h e p r o g r a m commenced on May 22nd andconcludedonSunday

The three-man team is led by Head of Special Olympics Guyana, Wilton Spencer The head of the delegation said he was

Guyanese players against theirregionalcounterparts.

Gudakesh Motie was the leading wicket taker in the thee-match series. (Getty Images)

Charles bashes aggressive 69, bowlers star as Windies clean sweep South Africa

bows out of Olympic Qualifiers

-EmmanuelPompeytofighttoday

Keston Knights and Daniel SamSundar stand atop the podium after Gold in the Doubles.

Joel Williamson (left) on defence against Mauritius’s against Louis Richarno Colin in their 63kg bout at the World Olympic Qualifier tournament in Thailand.