Kaieteur News

KNews robbery suspects further remanded

The five defendants in the October 10, 2022 robbery at KaieteurNews'SaffonStreet, Charlestown office made t h e i r s e c o n d c o u r t appearance on Thursday and were further remanded to prison.

The five men who appeared before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs –Marcus are, 33 year old Ryan Wharton, a former Kaieteur News Research Assistant of R4-574 Canary Street,Tucville,Georgetown, 35 year old Joshua Junor, Kaieteur News Security Guard of Middle Road, La Penitenc, 25-year-old Ivor Belingie called 'WildLife' of Back Circle, East Ruimveldt, 23-year-old Lemuel Grant, a clerk of Russell Street, Charlestown and 36-year-old Harry Stongster of Hyde Park, Timehri, East Bank Demerara(EBD).

The Defendants were all on remand since October 14, 2022.

On Thursday when they appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts before Magistrate Isaacs Marcus, they were further remanded to prison until December 7, 2022.

W h a r t o n , J u n o r , Stongster,BelingieandGrant were jointly charged with robbery under arms, contrary to Section 222 (c) of the Criminal Law (offences) Act Chapter8:01.

According to the particulars of the offence, betweenOctober9,2022and October 10, 2022 at Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, while being armed with a dangerous weapon, the Defendants robbed Kaieteur News owned by Glenn Lall of $38.8 million, a Republic Bank cheque valued at $9.1 million,US$9,306,oneblack 32 Taurus pistol serial number FHS60749 valued $350,000, ammunition valued at $480,000, one firearm case valued at $25,000, two handles valued at$10,000andsixmagazines valuedat$60,000.

Additionally, the men robbed Noel Junor, the other Security Guard who was on duty of $5000 and Wayne Lyttle, a Graphic Artist who was also on duty of one cellular phone valued at $44,000.

The defendants denied the charge read to them and the Chief Magistrate had remanded them to prison untilNovember10,2022.

Also on remand are: CollisHaywood,40,achefof Lot R2-578 Canary Street, Tucville and Kevin France, 35, a taxi-driver of East Ruimveldt,Georgetown.

Haywood and France were charged individually andnotfortheactualrobbery that was carried out on the mediaoutlet.

They made their second court appearance on

Wednesday

This publication had reported that Haywood was slapped with two charges which allege that on October 10, at Canary Street, Georgetown, he had in his possession 210 matching rounds of ammunition along with a .32 Taurus pistol, while not being a licensed firearmholder

Haywood's lawyer had told the court that his client lives at a property that is occupied by several persons andhispositionisthathehad no knowledge, possession or control over the firearm and ammunitionthatwerefound.

However, the Police Prosecutor informed the court that the firearm and ammunition that Haywood handed over to the police were the items that were stolen during the robbery at KaieteurNews.

It was reported that

during the investigation, the police went to the home of Haywoodandduringasearch inhispresence,thedefendant handedoverabagcontaining the items mentioned in the charge.

Meanwhile, France was slappedwithtwochargesthat allege that on October 10, 2022, at East Ruimveldt, he had in his possession one .9mm pistol and 10 .9mm ammunition.

As for the other five defendants, they were charged jointly and are scheduled to make their second court appearance today before the Chief Magistrate.

According to reports, during the wee hours of Monday, October 10, three bandits entered the Kaieteur News office located at 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown office and stole a safe containing millions of

dollars along with a firearm andammunition.

Wharton was the first to bearrested.Whileincustody, he reportedly confessed to plotting the crime with Junor who was one of two security guards who were on duty during the commission of the robbery–andseveralothers.

According to police, Wharton and Junor had confessed to planning and carrying out the crime while theiraccomplicesadmittedto playing their roles as well.

Wharton and Junor had reportedly been planning to robthecompanyawhileback but had only finalised their scheme on Sunday morning. They contracted Stongster and Belingie to be their accomplices and borrowed a ToyotaSpaciomotorcarfrom Grant to transport them to and from the Kaieteur News office.

During the wee hours of Monday, they put their plan intomotion.

Junor turned up for work duties early while Wharton drove the borrowed car with Stongster and Belingie as passengerstothelocation.

Belingie entered the building and held their accomplice Junor, as well as the other security guard on duty, and the graphic artist at gunpoint, while Wharton and Stongster headed upstairs of the two storey building and broke the door of the

company's Accounts Department.

Theyalsobrokeadrawer, stole petty cash and fetched out the safe which contained the other items that were stolen.

The two men loaded it into the car, which was parked just outside the Kaieteur News office, and then escaped with Belingie. Junor remained and waited until his accomplices were a safe distance away before contacting his superiors to inform them that he and his colleagues had been robbed of cell phones and $5000 cash.

Aftersplittingupthecash at Wharton's home, a sixth suspect, Haywood, was contacted and given the s t o l e n f i r e a r m a n d ammunitiontokeep.

Hereportedlyhidthemin his backyard. Investigators were able to crack the case after individuals were able to identify Wharton as one of the bandits seen in footage of therobbery

As it relates to France, he was reportedly the suspect whoprovidedthefirearmthat was used to carry out the

Following the robbery, an investigation was launched and this led to Francebeingarrested.

A search was conducted athishomeandhereportedly handed over the firearm to police.

Body of missing man found in Tabatinga well

The body of a 53-year-old man was on Thursday found in a well at Tabatinga, Lethem,RegionNine.

Dead is Michael Adolf, a resident of Tabatinga,Lethem.

Adolf's 23-year-old daughter, whom he lived with, said she last saw her father on Monday last at approximately 05:30h when helefttheirhome.

TheGuyanaPoliceForce(GPF)revealed that the man's body was seen floating in a well by a 40-year-old Tabatinga housewife who went to the well to fetch some water at

about17:30hThursday

The woman reported her observation to theLethemPoliceStation.

The GPF reported that ranks of Regional Division9visitedthelocationandconfirmed that Adolf was in the well face down and submerged in about 7 feet of water His body wasremovedfromthewellandexaminedfor marks of violence. The Force in a Press Releasesaidthemanhadtwosmallcutstohis forehead. Adolf's body is currently at the Lethem Hospital Mortuary awaiting a postmortemexamination.

robbery

Remanded, former employee of Kaieteur News, Ryan Wharton

Remanded, Harry Stongster

Remanded, Ivor Belingie called ‘Wildlife’

Remanded, Collis Haywood

Remanded, Lemuel Grant

Remanded, Kaieteur News former security guard, Joshua Junor

Remanded, Kevin France

Chief Justice orders Govt. to issue Local Content Certificate to Ramps Logistics by Monday

By Renay Sambach

TheDirectoroftheLocal Content Secretariat, Dr Martin Pertab has until noon on Monday November 14, 2022, to issue a Local Content Certificate to Ramps Logistics or else he will be held in contempt of court.

Ramps Logistics, which is originally from Trinidad and Tobago had registered under Guyana's Companies Act, but was denied a Local Content Certificate as required under the Local Content Act of 2021, for purportedly not being a 'Guyanesecompany.'

Contentions surfaced over the manner in which foreign companies are now using Guyanese nationals to fulfill their local content requirementforthecompany to be 51 percent locally owned. Ramps for instance, p r o v i d e d d e t a i l e d information to the Local Content Secretariat regarding Deepak Lall, a Trinidadian born with strong Guyanese roots who purchased 51 percent of Ramps Guyana for US$1M, making it 51 percent Guyaneseowned.

However, in June 2022, the company's application for a certificate was denied. After being denied the certificate, Ramps Logistics challenged the decision and took the Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat andtheSecretariattocourt.

Ramps Logistics was represented by Senior Counsel, Edward Luckhoo and Attorney at Law C V Satram, while the State was represented by Solicitor General, Nigel Hawke in associationofothers.

ARGUMENTS

During oral arguments on Friday, Hawke admitted to the court that a company does not need a certificate in order to operate within the oil and gas sector – this too, was pointed out by the Director in his affidavits of

defence. As such the CJ questionedthatifacompany does not need the certificate to operate in the energy sector,“WhyhavetheAct?”

Justice George-Wiltshire then pointed out that the Director admitted in his affidavit,thatRampsmetthe 51 percent Guyanese ownership after its resubmission.

The Chief Justice pointed out that while the Respondents in their affidavits highlighted that the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is before the court facing criminal charges – the Act does not make mention of criminalchargesbeingtaken into consideration when a applying for a certificate –and that the criminal charges were filed months after Ramps approached the High Court.

H o w e v e r, H a w k e contended that the criminal charges being mentioned goestoconduct.

Additionally, the Chief Justice noted that while the Respondents contended that Ramps did not meet the requirements under 'Form C'; she highlighted that 'FormC'wasnotexhibitedto the court and also that it was not a part of the law that governslocalcontent.

To this end, the General Solicitor accepted that all that was requested by the Secretariatunderits'FormC' is not required by law under theLocalContentAct.

FollowingtheCJ'slineof questioning to Hawke Luckhoopointedoutthatthe company only made one a p p l i c a t i o n t o t h e Secretariat.

RULING

The Chief Justice later ruled that there was no evidence submitted by the Respondents to show that Ramps did not meet the requirements under the LocalContentActsoastobe classified as a Guyanese company As such, the CJ noted that she have considered and concluded

that Ramps satisfied the requirements of the Local ContentAct.

The Chief Justice further pointed out that the 'Form C' which have a list of requirements that the Director referred to in his Affidavit of Defence, have no statutory basis. “He also refers to charges by the Guyana Revenue Authority which are irrelevant to determination of an application under the Local Content Act The Local Content Act clearly needs regulations so as to prevent arbitrary decision making,” shefurtherstated.

The Chief Justice then granted a declaration that Rampssatisfiedthestatutory r e q u i r e m e n t s a n d preconditions necessary for thegrantoftheCertificateof Registration, a declaration that Ramps Logistics as a Guyanese company is entitled to be issued a Certificate of Registration and to be entered into the local content register; and a declaration that the decision by Minister Bharrat and/or Dr Pertab and/or the Secretariat to refuse to grant acertificateorregistrationto Ramps is unlawful, illegal, null, void and of no legal effect.

T h e o t h e r t w o declarations that the CJ grantedwasthatthedecision of the State officials or State agency misconstrued or misapplied Section 2A1 and 2A2 of the Act and that they

Skeletal remains found under abandoned house at Mahaica

Human skeletal remains were on Friday found underneath an abandoned house at Coconut Walk, Lancaster, Mahaica,EastCoastDemerara(ECD).

Although unconfirmed, it is believed that the remains belong to 33-year-old RodrickApplesammy.

Police reported that Applesammy's brother,Alvin Rambishun of Mon Repos, ECD, told detectives that Applesammy livedintheabandonedhouse.

Rambishun said that while working at sea, he was informed by workmates that his brother wasfounddeadunderthehouse.Hesaidhetold his sister, Tavener Persaud, what was communicated to him and she visited the location. It was after making checks around the building that she reportedly found her brother's remains. Persaud reported her discovery to Police and Detectives were sent to process the scenebeforeremovingtheskeletalremains.

Investigationsareongoing.

breachedSection6oftheAct when it refused to grant the certificate to Ramps Logistics.

In addition, the Chief Justicegrantedacertiorarito quash the decision of Minister Bharrat and/or Dr Pertab and/or the Secretariat torefusetoissueacertificate to Ramps and an order of mandamus directing the Directortoregisterandissue a Certificate of Registration to Ramps Logistics on or before noon on November 14,2022.

The CJ noted that if the Directorfailstodosohewill be held in contempt and imprisonedand/orfined.

As it relates to the damages incurred by the

company after the certificate was denied in June, that matter will be heard separately That matter will come up for hearing on February20,2023.

Moreover, the CEO of Ramps Logistics was chargedonOctober21,2022 for allegedly making false declaration to the Guyana RevenueAuthority(GRA).

Shaun Rampersad, of Windsor Estate, East Bank Demerara, had denied the charges which alleged that the company between 2021 and 2022, at Georgetown, made 10 false declarations on applications presented to a Customs Officer for tax exemptionsonseveralitems. It was also stated that the

logistics company falsely declaredthatitwastheseller of several items including heavy duty equipment, chemical compounds, and dehydratedsubstances.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ramps Logistics, Guyana, Shaun Rampersad

Director of Local Content Secretariat, Dr. Martin Pertab

PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor-In-Chief:NIGELWILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

BLACKLISTED COMPANIES RECEIVING CONTRACTS

hat is the use of blacklisting companies in Guyana? Givenwhatwasunearthedrecently,

isthereaclearandfullunderstandingofwhat blacklistingmeansatthelocallevel? Andsince,blacklisted companies, at least one did, operate as though nothing prohibitivewasineffectagainstit;whynotdoawaywiththis charade of blacklisting companies, with big speeches made aboutrootingoutwrongdoing,corruption,andotherfailures.

There is a consistent answer to all those questions: blacklistingisajoke,andeverybodyishavingagoodlaugh. Thatis,thecompanyblacklisted,butstilldoingbusinessmay bethenorm,aswellastheGovernmentofficialswhoturna blindeyetowhatisinplaceforthoseblacklisted,andwhich meansonethingonly:nobusiness.

TheyarehavingagoodlaughatGuyanese. Wewonder whatthePublicProcurementCommission(PPC)maythink, andwishtopronounce,onwhatoccurredin2021inRegion9 withonecompanythatitblacklistedbeingthebeneficiaryof not one or two contracts, but six of them and for over GY$100M of taxpayers’ money It was not just Guyana’s PPC that blacklisted V Dalip Enterprise, but also the Inter American Development Bank (IDB). Most alarmingly, the IDBdebarredthecompanydueto“FraudulentandCollusive practices” (“Blacklisted company gets over $106M in contractsbyReg.9RDC-AGreportflagsdiscrepancy,calls forprobe”,KNNovember10).

Fraudulent means that the company engaged in some corrupt practice or other In addition, collusive practices indicate that the company, V Dalip Enterprise, ensnared othersinwhateverwasdeceptiveorcrookedinthewaythatit conducted its business. In other words, money was passed, officials and others were compromised, standards likely violated. Ontheheelsofallthis,theAuditorGeneralReport iscallingforaprobe. Weagreethatisnecessary,butitisonly the beginning, and can’t end there, with the usual developmentsofdiscrepanciesexposedandreported,probes recommended,andthennothinghappens,becausethematter iseitherburied,ordisappearsintothinair

Our position is not complicated. Any genuine probe worthitssaltcanonlycometooneconclusion,namely,that some person, some authority, or some group in Region 9 ignoredthePPC’sblacklistingorder,andpushedaheadwith the breach now discovered. Again, not just a failure in the awardofonecontract,butsixofthem.

In commonsense terms, some official or officials with considerable clout stood over the tender and contract award proceedings that resulted in what the AG uncovered. To bypassthePPC’sblacklisting,asifitdidn’texist,wouldhave requiredsomesignificantincentives,whichusuallytakesone formprimarily Itishopedthatthefallbackrationalesaren’t emergency works and sole sourcing being the only options. At the end of the day, blacklisting is blacklisting, and there should have been no getting around that condition. In extreme circumstances, higher clearance would have been necessary, if there was willingness for such an appeal to be listenedtoatall.

We at this paper think that this is a test case to ascertain how serious is all this talk about transparency and accountability and incorruptibility How this came about, whoarethepeopleresponsible,andwhatdotheyhavetosay Alegitimateprobeshouldgivethefactsonallthoseconcerns. Thereafter, the matter would go higher up. We watch and waittoseewhatfollowsnext. Wedonotbelievethatthereis anything innocent or excusable about what happened in Region 9 with these six contracts and this blacklisted firm identifiedbytheAG’sreport.

Once the facts are gathered and documented, those who erredorfailedshouldbemadetopayaprice. Thatis,feelthe full weight of whatever law or policy is in place. The last thingthatshouldbedoneisforthismattertobesweptunder the carpet, and for the PPPC Government to hope that it wouldfadefromthememoryofGuyanese,likesomanyother things. Wecannotgoonlikethis. Weareeitherseriousabout fraud and collusion, or suckers are being made of all Guyanese.

THE PNC ISANALBATROSS ON GUYANESE, INCLUDING ITS OWN SUPPORTERS

DEAREDITOR, everything, mostly illegal participating in law-making developmental thrust of his WheninGovernmentthe acts, to stymie the socio- to the betterment of the Governmentwillcontinuein P N C s q u a n d e r e d , economic progress of the society She rightfully all communities despite mismanaged and siphoned country In Parliament they concluded that the political directives from the off billions of dollars obstructed all the APNU/AFC is becoming Opposition They cannot through a multitude of developmental projects of more irrelevant and ‘it is at continue to shout corrupt practices and the PPP Government from its lowest tide as Opposition ‘marginalization and harebrained policies which 2011to2015. and that it has nothing to discrimination’ since their consequently eroded the From1992to2015these contribute’. own supporters are seeing economic gains made nefarious acts are well Atruer statement is hard the truth. No doubt, the previously by the PPP documented and from 2020 to find when this is APNU/AFC is the sinister Government. after losing the General juxtaposed with the action architect of marginalizing

Thisresultedinappalling Elections, the PNC again and utterings of Opposition and impoverishing its own deprivation and sufferings began to display its MP ,Vinceroy Jordan who people. for Guyanese. This is well- destabilizing agenda The blocked Minister, Sonia The Coalition has documented during the 28 recent walkout from Parag from access to the nothing to contribute to years of the PNC in Parliament by the CDC building at Belladrum Guyana’s development and Government, from 1964 to Opposition Leader and his inRegion5. will certainly die a natural 1992. gang is another misguided M o r e o v e r , t h e death as they continue to

Thisrepeateditselfagain attempt to gain some Opposition can no longer block the socio economic from 2015 when the PNC publicity and attract maskitsintenttodestroythe development of even their dominated Coalition was in sympathy of its supporters country in its bid to gain supportbase. Government and reversed andthisisaptlydescribedby power once again and the We must not allow the the progress of the PPP Parliamentary Affairs and President and his P N C t o p l a y i s Government. Governance Minister, Gail Government has laid bare destabilizationgamesagain.

When the PNC is in Teixeira as failing its thisominousintent. Yourssincerely, Opposition, they did constituencies by not to He made it clear that the HaseefYusuf

AcultureofclashingtruthsinGuyana

DEAREDITOR, rather than stoop to orders certainly were bombarded elements of high morality? As the story goes, commandeered by the with the severity of scathing Coming into power by a nymphs cannot lie for they ‘domestic master.’ What’s remarks. questionable 1 seat majority are physically unable to, or good for the goose was not Former Foreign Affairs in 2015, the first thing they they’re just poor liars. At good for the gander While Minister, Dr Karen did was to give their least,that’swhatthelegends one GECOM official was Cummings from the then members in Parliament a 50 say The historical (heroic) allowed to video freely, PNC Government in 2020, percent salary increase. The Presidential Commission of others were denied that had threatened to revoke the Public Service had to accept Inquiry continues, and privilege.Isitafactorfiction accreditationofthemembers between 10 percent and 1 slowly but surely, that a criminal usually oftheInternationalObserver percent. Coming into the information is being returns to the scene of a Mission Head of the first taste of oil revenue in disseminated to reveal who crime? Commonwealth Observer 2016,theUS$18millionasa lied and who didn’t (among A GECOM official Mission in Guyana, former signing bonus was hidden other things) and what incidentally, accidentally or Barbados Prime Minister, and remained undeclared incurred that shouldn’t, coincidentally returned to the late Owen Arthur, had until the PNC was during the 2020 Guyana thearenawheretheassumed solidreasonstoconfronther confronted and then had to General and Regional bomb was supposed to be and object to her threat. He admit to stashing the money Elections. The bomb hoax found! Why demand announced in an annoyed inasecretbankaccount. hasamelodyofitsown.Will everyone else to clear the and angered mode, “I speak ThePNClosttoavoteof the Chairperson of GECOM buildinganddenythechosen o n b e h a l f o f t h e no-confidence in 2018 thus pen the lyrics of her trauma fewthesafetyfortheirlives? Commonwealth, the largest paving the way for election w h e n t h e Mischiefwascertainlyafoot organizationofpeopleinthe but prolonged the issue.The ‘kidnap/captive/duress/ to make hay while the sun world,andIamnotgoingto PPP/C Party took the PNC imprisoned/seclusion/intimi shines! have, not me, the Government 3 times to the dation’ drama was playing As the week delved into C o m m o n w e a l t h CCJ and on each occasion, out? the deviousness and disrespected by a threat to the Granger led government

Mahatma Gandhi was dangerous disasters takeawaytheaccreditation.” lost their case As a idolized for ‘truth and non- designed by the PNC to The goodly gentleman then “caretakerGovernment,”the violence.’ He also posited destabilize a nation from offered to return his badge PNC Government went on a about truth demarcating a democracy, national, involuntarily to Dr rampage and raped the distinction between regional and international Cummings. Treasury, committed ‘Relative Truth’ as a observers must be thanking Imagine,thePNCledby fraudulent transactions and conception and ‘Absolute theirstarsthattheywereable former President David misappropriatedfunds. Truth’ being the eternal to survive a volcanic Granger, ran on an election The PNC Party was principle. situation which could have campaign’s slogan in 2020 always known to lie and not

Few did uphold the law eruptedinamoredangerous which proclaimed “honesty, capableoftellingorhandling while others carried out the situation. decency and integrity!” thetruth. workofthedevil.Therewere They may have avoided Which one of those words

Yoursrespectfully, thosewhopreferredtoresign physical encounter but they ascribe to the descriptive JaiLall

Guyanese must look at the Eastern Congo, and stand up for their rights

DEAREDITOR, andotherassets,notonlythe depletion rate destroying without any accountability

For those who don’t stealing of the wealth. But Guyana’s preservation, the between Politicians in know, there is a carnage Guyana is also getting oil, mining and forestry collaboration with foreign goingoninGuyanawiththe robbed on tax revenue, the operations without safety companies and the total barefaced robbery of degradation of the and insurance. The law disrespect for the Guyanese Guyana’s oil, valuable environment, the ballooning dictates these protections peoplewhoactuallyown minerals, timber, state lands national debt, the rapid must be in place, corruption

GuyanesemustlookattheEasternCongo...

Frompage4 miningandleasingrightsup seems the people of Eastern thecountry’spatrimonywho to 99 years so they can sell Congo had had enough, liveinorwillsoonfacestark out the lease like an tellingtheforeignexploiters, poverty insurance policy to other they don’t care about any Basedonthesecrecyandthe companies, while Guyana contracts and agreementsreluctance of Govt to getsnothingfromthesale. ,justpackupandleavesince provide the mining W h a t a n e v i l the people got no benefits contracts, other agreements, masterstroke committed on while the foreigners were other related documents on the people of Guyana by there As per a letter Guyana’s wealth operations foreignersandPoliticiansfor published by KN, tothepublic,whatweknow thetrustgiventothem,there Amerindians are being so far is only the tip of the even seems to be an evicted from their land to longshaftGuyanaisgetting. agreement where the Govt. benefit foreign companies, Other than the contracts willfightfortheoil,forestry Guyanese isn’t this the last themselves, there are other and mining companies if strawforyou?Willyouwait provisions, clauses, cases are filed by citizens until you are dropping dead amendments, other against them, like the Glenn inthestreetsduetopoverty? agreements and related Lall’staxcase.Ifyouwantto Will you heed Glenn Lall’s documentation that we have prove me wrong, the call to take to the streets no idea what they are since mouthpieces of the Govt. demanding your rightful thereisnotransparencyfrom should urge them to release shareofyourwealth? a Government that hides thedocuments.

Will you be victims of them. Other than the oil and Governments, including the oil and resources curse, m i n i n g c o n t r a c t s the Chinese, ABC, EU and or will you take a stand for themselves,therearealsothe others are currently urging the god given riches your drilling and mining rights their citizens to leave ancestorsleftforyou? agreements, the oil blocks EasternCongoduetounrest, R.David. options on relinquishment, the mining land leases agreements.

Guyana owns the oil fields, but Exxon has the option of acquiring their oil blocks upon expiry even if they bid the lowest and the uncontesteddrillingrightsto theoilintheblocks.

Guyana owns the land, but the foreign mining and forestry companies have the

PPP/C Government urged to engage the Opposition, not bypass it

DEAREDITOR, Governmenttheywewillbe experienced in the country,

I recently reviewed the able to also benefit from the andwedohavethebenefitof speech of His Excellency national agenda for havingfamilyamongstallof and the dialogue on the development.Wemustresist ourpeoples. events in Belladrum. We trying to bypass those who It is time for the Leader must remember the link represent their own of the Opposition to meet between Belladrum and the communities. with His Excellency for an lastelections. It is however concerning open and direct discussion

Thisisveryinstructiveas that the Opposition has not on how to cooperate in the tothepoliticalclimateinthe brought forward a plan for developmentofourbeautiful area. joint review in Parliament nation.

In search of a ‘One where the ‘One Guyana’ If needed, the Chairman Guyana’ development plan, agenda may be jointly of CRG is willing to thereisnoneedforanger,but developedandexecuted.The facilitate such a discussion a need for cooperation recentwalkoutdoesnothelp so the leadership of our Attempts must be first made toconstructivelyadvancethe citizens may overcome the toengagetheOppositionfor developmentalneedsoftheir currentpoliticalimpasse. joint development of their communities and it hinders Bestregards, strongholds. the discussion where Mr JamilChanglee

TheOppositioncanbring common ground and Chairman forth the needs required for agreementmaybefound. T h e C o o p e r a t i v e those areas, and through CRG is willing to bridge Republicans of Guyana working alongside the the divide currently being (CRG)

The 1000 Men on a Mission (MoM) Initiative, a noble one

DEAREDITOR, addressing them. As was to more supportive, and to act generation of men, creating achieving enhanced and realizing the President’s In launching the ‘1000 be expected, in his speech, collectively’, become a economic empowerment, greater accountability by MoMinitiative. Men on Mission (MoM) the President situated livingreality,thepurposefor combating domestic men for their actions at an In a broader context, initiative’, the President’s Guyana’s peculiar which the initiative was violence, drug abuse and individual and collective different aspects of speech was populated with conditions as regards its established, would have gang violence. These are all level. accountability apply to p r e c e p t s s u c h a s male population in a global beenrealized. massive undertakings that Accountabilityisdefined organisations and ‘shouldering responsibility, context. In terms of its range and require interagency asthedutyofanorganisation individuals. Personal ‘ b e c o m i n g m o r e

According to newspaper scope, the initiative is not to c o o r d i n a t i o n a n d or individual to account for accountability is the duty of supportive’, and ‘acting and social media reports of beunderestimated. collaboration and, if their actions and accept the individual to take collectively.’ the ‘one thousand men’who Those who criticize n e c e s s a r y, d o n o r responsibility for them. responsibility for his or her

In speaking to these were called up, over three MoM even before it gets off coordination. Moreover, Achieving accountability at actions. precepts, the President thousand registered to be the ground should await withaneffectivemonitoring an individual and collective Every individual is addressedthepurposeofthe activelyinvolvedasmentors progress reports on its mechanism in place, level in a country like socially, morally and legally initiative, the negative intheinitiative. implementation before Government can play a key Guyana ,where machismo, accountable to the sociological factors Should the President’s rushing to judgment. The role in ensuring the success male domination, cultural community or organization affecting the male call on the Guyanese male objectives of MoM include, ofMoM. and religious factors , are that they belong to. The population of Guyana and population to shoulder their portraying men in a positive According to the dominant sociological President mentioned that all practicalwaysandmeansof responsibilities, to become light, uplifting the younger President, MoM is aimed at factorsaswellasthegeneral institutions of Government breakdownindisciplinewill willbeutilizedtoensurethat benomeantask. the initiative reaches every

The view that men are cornerofsociety products of circumstances This is probably where and upbringing, and fulfillmentoftheconcept of therefore, changed men are ‘unified development’ the products of changed President recently spoke circumstances and changed about, will contribute to the upbringing, forgets that it is growth and enhancement of m e n w h o c h a n g e the ‘welfare needs’ of the circumstancesandthatinthe citizenry finalanalysis,itisthehuman Yoursfaithfully, factor that will be critical in ClementJ.Rohee

Report on ExxonMobil US$9B audit for December - Pres.Ali

TheUS$9billionauditof oil giant ExxonMobil's expenses, between 2018 and 2020 will now be ready by next month, according to PresidentIrfaanAli.

The Head of State, at the sidelines of an event on Friday, was asked to give an update on the audit since the process should have concludedsinceSeptember N o t a b l y , t h e Government did not issue a statement to update the public on this new position.

Ali told this newspaper that the review is still ongoing and was delayed due to the “coordinationissues”among theauditors.

The President explained, “Iknowtheauditisongoing. Iknowtheyhadsomedelays but I'm sure the audit is ongoing.Aweek ago I found out about what is happening and the response was that it's ongoing.”

He added, “They expect thefirstreportbeforetheend of December and the delay

was because of coordination issues with the auditors themselves which is natural in these circumstances so before the end of theyear we expectthefirstreport.”

On May 24 last, Government inked an agreement for a four month review of the bills handed to itbytheoilcompany

The consultancy was awarded to VHE Consulting which is a registered partnership between Ramdihal & Haynes Inc,

Eclisar Financial, and Vitality Accounting & Consultancy Inc. The Local Consortium is supported by Internationalfirms-SGSand Martindale Consultants for the'CostRecoveryAuditand Va l i d a t i o n o f t h e Government of Guyana's ProfitOilShare'.

The audit will cost G u y a n e s e s o m e US$751,000 Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat had assured that the findings of the audit would bemadepublic.

This is particularly important as the public is unaware of the outcome of the audit of the US$460 million pre-contract costs, which was done by IHS Markit. The contract to the U K f i r m h a d c o s t U S $ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 Nevertheless, Bharrat told media operatives that Government will rely on the f i n d i n g s a n d recommendations of the Report to take 'appropriate steps'.

While qualifying the Government's decision to useforeigncompaniesonthe

Review Committee, the Minister explained, “The technicalcompanyisneeded because our local auditors might be very familiar with the auditing (of) basic expenses (such as) fuel, meals, transportation, but when we are talking about jumpers and risers and Christmas trees, FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel)and these technical terms obviously, will need that kind of technical knowledge and expertise onboard to assist them to have a thorough exercise beingdone.”

He added that there will be new arrangements for future audits even as the Government seeks to conduct annual and even biannual cost reviews for ExxonMobil.

After the contract was s i g n e d , O p p o s i t i o n Economist,ElsonLownoted that once completed, the Report on the US$9 billion audit of ExxonMobil's expenses should be made available for parliamentary scrutiny

He said that this is particularly important as the four months timeframe to complete the audit, remains questionable.

In fact, Low said that not only should the audit be made public but the Parliamentary Oversight Committee such as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC),shouldbeprivytothe details of the expenses so that the National Assembly can publicly debate its findings.

He said that this is the level of transparency and accountabilitythatwillleave no question about Exxon's oilspendingunanswered.

President Irfaan Ali

National Service was a development schemes. No location to live in barracks, practiced will not return. are now paying for their monumental failure that one needs National Service plant cotton peas, eat Thosedaysaregoneforever education-notpayingmuch, achievednothing,absolutely toprovideskills. subsistence meals and learn The youths of Guyana but still paying. No one is nothing National Service The PPP has been how to march and use a arenotgoingtobeledastray going to convince them that failed without any blamed for the demise of weapon. like previous generations because they received a resistance. The PPP never National Service. There are Ifthatisthepricethatone who were led to into subsidized education, they destroyed National Service. still many who are not hastopaytoimpartskillsto believing that national havetogivebacksomething Ithadnoneedtodoso. willing to accept that theunskilled,thenGuyanais developmentmeansthatyou tothestate. because it will fail again.

National Service had Burnham and company did never going to develop have to join a paramilitary Even with all the funds NationalServiceishistory little to do with national not know what they were There are better ways to unit. now at the disposal of (The views expressed in development. It was part of doing when they introduced achieving the same Theyouthsoftodayhave Government, no political this article are those of the an experiment intended to this scheme, had no clue objective. different priorities.They are party in Guyana is going to author and do not militarize the population so about how to reorient the What exactly are these not interested into reintroduce National necessarily reflect the astoreorientnationalvalues society towards socialist skills that National Service reintroduction of National S e r v i c e , w h e t h e r opinionsofthisnewspaper.) inthepursuitofanill-suited values and in the end were turned out? And why could Service. University students compulsory or voluntary model of socialism. It was prepared to use National other ways not be found to intended to reconfigure the Service as a means of social teach the unemployed these thinking of Guyanese control. same skills without placing t h r o u g h p o l i t i c a l National Service was on them in a paramilitary indoctrination. its death bed when the PPP organization?

The public was however came to power National Since when does skillfed the usual diet of Service died of financial training require persons to nationalist sentiments. They starvation because during havetobeforcedintoaform were sold the idea that the Hoyte administration, ofservitude? National Service was a part there was simply no money Thereisaneedforanew of the national development tokeepthecampsgoing. type of National Service but process. This was all part of Rather than contributing not in the form which we thebrainwashing. tonationalrevenue,National had The best National

In order to justify this Servicebecamealiability It Service is for people to massive failed experiment was downscaled and becomeproductivecitizens. which sucked the energies downsized so that by the A skilled citizen, out of the society and time the PNC exited power, productive and earning, will burdened the Government National Service was a develop the economy of with a bill that it could not skeletonofitsformerself. Guyana When someone afford,NationalServicewas The PPP merely contributes to productive advertised as helping to administered the final rites. activities, when those address the situation of National Service went into activities contribute rather unemployed youths, by decline under Desmond thanactasadrainonnational providing them with an Hoyte but he must not be resources. That is a better outlet to learn skills, blamed because it was form of National Service contribute to national NationalServiceitselfwhich because the productive development and create the brought about its own citizen is contributing to the newGuyana. demise. It had become an expansionoftheeconomy.

That new Guyana was u n p r o d u c t i v e a n d

Guyanese must serve never created. That new unaffordable burden to the themselves first by Guyana was an experiment State. becoming skilled and that went wrong. Whatever We live in different proficient. They must make skills National Service times.NationalServiceisno something of their lives and provided to the unskilled longer about donning a in so doing contribute to could have been had much uniform,joiningaplatoonof nation-building. cheaperandmoreefficiently green uniformed groups and The old model of through alternative skills- heading to an interior National Service that we

Walter Rodney wanted to violently overthrow President Burnham

At the start of the shape the dialectics without BritishcolonialsinGuyana. global personality in state… it is no analysis to dialectics reducing human The only book on the Guyana and does it behind secret we were follow here, I to passive actors. Nowhere rule of Forbes Burnham to Burnham’s back? Burnham accumulating

want to state in any philosophy book has date is, Tyrone Ferguson, was involved in the weapons , ” with pellucid insistence and Lenin been given credit for “Tosurvivesensiblyorcourt assassination of Rodney ( t a k e n f r o m unambiguous words, I this I admire Rodney, heroic death: Management which the Commission of Clairmont Chung believe Walter Rodney was classify him as a national of Guyana’s political Inquiry concluded (ed), A Promise of right to want to overthrow heroandaccepthisactivism economy, 1965 85 ” The Interestingly, the chief Revolution,pages112theBurnhamregime. against Burnham But I book is good stuff that is lawyer for the PNC at the 1 3 0 W h e n shape the WPA’s activism. Any philosopher would believe the recording of required reading for Commission after Basil Roopnaraine’s words He would know far more tell you that context is a history is sacred and we understanding the nature of Williams became Attorney- were published, this than Kwayana ever would priceless requirement in shouldnevertamperwithit. Burnhamandhisregime. General appeared on the columnist supported his about WPA’s secret war understanding how humans Hubert Nathaniel But the volume has Gildarie Freddie Kissoon recording of history Today, against Burnham. I believe make the dialectics just as Critchlow, Cheddi Jagan, serious distortions of Show last Monday Selwyn Roopnaraine stands as the Mr Kwayana is a historical thedialecticsmakehumans, Janet Jagan, Forbes history For example, Peters stated that he onlylivingpersoninWPA’s figure who distorts a point French philosopher, Burnham, Martin Carter, Ferguson tells us that some accepted the conclusion of hierarchy that had admitted historicalfactsandhasdone Jean Paul Sartre made that Walter Rodney are of the close influential theCommission. to the plan of violent so throughout his writing was a valuable to the study pronounced names in Burnhamite state actors Burnhamknewfromhis revolution. career The Rodney family of political behaviour (see Guyana’s historiography were afraid that Burnham intelligence sources Thoseofuswhobelieve wantstoportrayRodneyasa Jean Paul Sartre, “Critique But they each made vast was so weak politically that operating within the WPA history must always be MartinLutherKing.Rodney ofDialecticalReason.”This mistakes and the historian’s intheeventthathehadtogo, thatRodneywasplanningto recorded owe Roopnaraine was heroic and great but he is fantastic merger of two admiration for them must Rodneywouldstandintheir overthrowhim.Herearethe displayofthankfulness.The didnotperceivethestruggle strands in philosophy not involve obfuscating wayoftakingstatepowerso words of the closest Rodney family denied that against Burnham the way dialectical materialism and theseweaknesses. they took matters into their comrade Rodney ever had Rodney was involved in King saw his time against existentialism). For example, Critchlow own hands and killed and the second in charge of violentstruggle.SodidEusi Whiteracism. Interestingly, Sartre agreed to the denial of the Rodney without Burnham theWPA. Kwayana. In fact, Kwayana Burnham knew Rodney wrote his theory of the franchiseforGuyaneseEast knowing(page297). Rupert Roopnaraine noted in a letter to the was planning violence dialectics in 1960 but Indians. Martin Carter was Thisthoughtinthebook noted:“Wewereatthetime n e w s p a p e r s t h a t Historian should not deny VladimirLenin,thecatalyst one of the biggest, perhaps is comical not worthy of a (the 1970s) attempting to Roopnaraine was speaking that fact. To do is to falsify of the Russian Revolution, the biggest hypocrite competent scholar that equip, essentially ready forhimself. history (The views long before Sartre, in 1902 politics produced in this Ferguson was. It is also ourselves…for an That was a nonsensical expressed in this article are wrote his book, “What is to country.Hewassupposedto pathetic nonsense. Can you insurrectionaryattackonthe reaction by Kwayana. those of the author and do bedone?”inwhichhemade be a devoted communist imagine any person state…we were at the time Roopnaraine and Rodney not necessarily reflect the the point without the with admiration for Stalin connected to Burnham attempting to put ourselves were extremely close in o p i n i o n s o f t h i s philosophical trimmings of but was the darling of the planning to murder an in a state of readiness to camaraderie and were the newspaper.) Sartre that the human can Bookersplantocracyandthe internationally respected make an assault on the twoleadersthatplannedand

FrederickKissoon

GCCI's Business Development Forum returns after two year hiatus

After a two year hiatus, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) opened its third Business Development Forum under the theme 'Your roadmap to business development'.

Thetwodayforumwhich is being held at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre, Georgetown is geared at educating Entrepreneurs on how to develop their businesses and to address the issues that plague the private sector

Attending the open ceremony on Friday were, President Irfaan Ali, President of GCCI, Mr Timothy Tucker, Executive Director of GCCI, Richard Rambarran,PresidentofEsso Exploration and Production Guyana (EEPGL), Alistair Routledge, Senior Minister of Finance,Ashni Singh, and Members of the Diplomatic Corps among other special invitees.

President of the GCCI, Timothy Tucker said that the Forum is the brainchild of GCCI's Trading Investment Committee. The first and second editions were held in 2018and2019respectively “ W h y b u s i n e s s development you may ask. Business development retains to the ideas, initiative and activities that help us make business better,” he said while noting that u l t i m a t e l y b u s i n e s s development involves d e v e l o p i n g a n d implementing growth opportunities for, within and

among organizations. It is a process of implementing strategies and opportunities across organizations to promote growth and boost of revenue.

Thisyear'sforumfocuses on five thematic areas:

A c c e s s t o F i n a n c e ,

MarketingFundamentals.

Tucker said GCCI has beenadvocatingforaccessto finance simply “because we realize that it is the only way Guyanese business can adequately utilize the Local Content Act to our benefit.”

He said too that access to

p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r

f i n a n c e w i l l h e l p

Entrepreneurs to play a significant role in the oil and gassector

Capital markets, he said “are also fundamental in s e c u r i n g l o n g t e r m security financing is

important but we must also consider that the Guyana's capital market are directly linked to its economy, so ripplesinonecornercanhave majorimpactselsewhere.”

Additionally, the GCCI Presidentsaidtaxationisalso very important and described the country's tax system as very primitive. “If we intend our businesses to move in the industries outside of the oil and gas industry we must encourage it. If we want to build capital market we must be able to have a tax system t h a t e n c o u r a g e s e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p , innovation, and businesses moving from that sole proprietor into corporate space,”henoted.

As it relates to corporate space, Tucker said this will improve the quality and standardofbusinesses.

He reminded that the internationalization of Guyana's market is forcing all local businesses to adopt higher standards, raised the quality of goods and services theyprovide.

expressed that marketing is key to the growth of all sectors, and that no one should underestimate the power of branding and marketing. He said it makes consumersawareofavailable products and services, and impacts their purchasing power

Doing business in Guyana“isnotforthefaithof heart”, Tucker said while noting that the process is “getter better” through the provision of “tremendous opportunities for Guyanese andbusinesses”.

The GCCI President said t h a t t h e B u s i n e s s Development Forum is a platform to give back to its membersandthepublic.

“It'saforumforlearning, not just from an academic standpoint but from the experience from others,” he added.

The Forum which concludes today will see keynote addresses by members of the business community, presentations, panel discussions and an exhibition.

O

Businesses, Improving StandardsandQuality,Doing Business in Guyana, and

President Irfaan Ali alongside President of GCCI, Timothy Tucker and President of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana (EEPGL), Alistair Routledge cutting the ribbon at the opening of the Business Development Forum exhibition.

Scenes from yesterday's opening ceremony of the Business Development Forum which is being held at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre.

Regional three-day Midwifery Policy Workshop opens Sunday

- action plan that guides regulation and practice of midwifery in the Caribbean to be developed

The Caribbean

R e g i o n a l M i d w i v e s Association (CRMA) along with partner, Momentum Country Global Leadership (MCGL/USAID) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), will be hosting a 3 day policy dialogue workshop to discuss the State of the Wo r l d ’s M i d w i f e r y (SoWMy) Report 2021 from November 13 -16 , 2022 at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown,Guyana.

The third global State of the World’s Midwifery Report (SoWMy 2021) provides an updated evidence base on the Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Adolescent Health (SRMNAH) care from 194 countries. For the first time, the State of the Wo r l d ’s M i d w i f e r y (SoWMy) 2021 includes high income countries (HICs) as well as low- and middle-incomecountries.

The Report, produced by UNFPA, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the World Health Organization (WHO) and Novametrics, shows the progress and trends since the

inaugural Report 2011 and identifies the barriers and challenges to future advancement.

The Report establishes a global shortage of 1 1 million SRMNAH workers, the largest shortage (900,000)beingmidwives.

This workshop entitled

‘State of the World’s Midwifery: A Caribbean Response’ will highlight the f i n d i n g s a n d recommendations of this global report and explore its impact on the Caribbean Region with a view to forging recommendations for much needed support to

Enterprise man remanded to prison for illegal firearm

- Granted $10,000 bail for narcotics charge

Twenty one year o l d Vi s h a l

R a g h o o o f Enterprise, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was on Friday charged with the offences of Possession of N a r c o t i c s f o r t h e Purpose of Trafficking and Possession of F i r e a r m W i t h o u t License, contrary to Section 16 (2) (a) of the FirearmActChapter16:05.

Raghoo, who appeared at the Vigilance Magistrates' Court before Magistrate Fabayo Azore, pleaded not guilty for both charges.

He was placed on $10,000 bail for the narcotics possession charge while he was remanded to prison for theillegalpossessionof afirearm.

Police arrested Raghoo on Thursday

the Maternal Health workforce.

P o l i c y D i a l o g u e Workshop attendees include the Chief Nurses and Heads ofRegulatoryCouncilsfrom the following confirmed

countries in the Region: Antigua, The Bahamas, Barbados,Grenada,Guyana, Jamaica,StLucia,StVincent & the Grenadines, Suriname andTrinidad&Tobago.

The workshop’s core

objectives are to formulate a Caribbean response to the Report and to develop an action plan that will give guidance to the regulation andpracticeofmidwiferyin (Continued on page 16)

The .25 berretta pistol

following an intelligenceled operation at Enterprise, ECD where a .25 berretta pistol and two grams of a 'cream coloured rock substance' suspected to be cocaine were found in his possession.

Raghoo will remain in Prison until December 23, 2022 when he is expected to make another court appearance.

Vishal Raghoo

Access to finance critical for businesses to benefit from oil and gas sector

By Davina Bagot

T h e G e o r g e t o w n Chamber of Commerce (GCCI) on Friday expressed its dissatisfaction with the c h a l l e n g e s l o c a l Entrepreneurs face in accessing finance to expand their businesses to cater to the needs of the oil and gas sector

President of the GCCI, Timothy Tucker reminded that, “We must have access tofinancetobeabletoplaya significant role in the oil and gas sector and to realize our true potential of being the engineofgrowth.”

Tucker was at the time rd speaking at the 3 Business Development Forum hosted bythePrivateSector

The GCCI President told thegatheringwhichincluded President Irfaan Ali and Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh that both Government

officials had called for an ease of access to finance but thosecallsremainunheeded.

In fact, Tucker said that the GCCI partnered with the Center for Local Business Development (CLDB) to conduct a survey in Guyana which found that in the next 12 months, over US$112 million will be needed by 450companiestoexpand.

The GCCI has called for the hurdles to contract lending to be cleared and even received commitment from the Government in this regard-therestrictionhasnot beenreduced.

“…Yet we wait on the Bank and it looks like we might die waiting on the banks. So I just want to say, Banks need to get up off of their tush and get to work because we really need access to finance,” Tucker asserted.

Meanwhile, the Keynote

...Pres. Ali commits to establishing team to help entrepreneurs with business plans

-GCCIPresident

Speaker of the event, President Ali sought to address the concerns raised by the Private Sector Hearguedthatlocal businesses have not b e e n t a k i n g advantage of loans made available to them.

For instance, Ali told attendees that only recently a group from the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF) visited Guyana to invest hundreds of millions of dollars, but the businesses heredidnottakeadvantage.

The President said the investor group was looking toput20percenttowardsthe advancement of local

companies.

Similarly, he said, “We brought a Saudi business investor group, ready to form partnership - we were not ready with one single feasibility study or business plan to present. The Korea groupcame-thePresidentof GCCI was part of this- we were not ready with one

business plan or feasibility present.”

xpressing his dissatisfaction, the President said a US$100 million l o a n w a s announced for agriculture investment by R e p u b l i c Bank, which only received a m e r e f i v e roposals all received fromhim.

“ N o t one single p r i v a t e s e c t o r entity came up with a feasibility study or a proposal ready to present after the announcement of that,” Ali declared while adding “if I ask the private banks now how many of that 400 plus businesses that are ready for financing has a business plan and feasibility

plan ready to be financed, I guarantee you it's less than 15percentor10percent...”

Tothisend,thePresident committed to establishing a team to aid businesses in crafting their commerce plans and feasibility studies to present to the local banks forapproval.

President Ali disclosed that a number of local businesses have been able to expand over the last two years. Further, the President said that there has been a 22 percent increase in loans to s m a l l a n d m e d i u m businesses over the last two years.

Loans for the agriculture sector also grew by 38 percent to $18 billion over thepasttwoyears.

Notwithstanding, the President Ali assured, “We are gonna form a team that the Minister of Finance will meet with you and take you to the banks to present those proposals.”

Derelict vehicles and other encumbrances to be removed from parapets

The Ministry of Public Works N a t i o n a l E n h a n c e m e n t

Committee, in collaboration with Non-Governmental Organisations, will be conducting another National Clean Up Exercise, starting today, Saturday, 12th November2022.

Members of the public are asked to take note that this exercise will involve the removalofallderelictvehicles,materialsand other encumbrances left on or at the side of roadways.

In a notice published yesterday by the Ministry of Public Works it stated that, “The Ministry,therefore,givesnoticetothepublic, specifically the owners of these derelict vehicles to have them removed immediately, within the next 24 hours, or have them removedbytheMinistry'sclean-upteam.”

“The National Clean-Up and Derelict Vehicle Removal Exercise is being carried out in accordance with the Laws of Guyana,

- Ministry of Public Works

Section 29 of the Road Act Cap. 51:01 –'seizure and disposal of property obstructing roadAct,” thenoticefurtherstates.

This clean-up exercise will continue in varyingforms,insectionsofGeorgetownand throughout the country, and is being carried out to protect citizens, promote road safety, and improve the flow of traffic, especially in theeventofemergencies.

The Ministry will not be responsible for any damage or loss resulting from the removal of these derelict vehicles and encumbrances.

Thepublicisaskedtonotethatallderelict vehicles will be taken to the Ministry's derelict dumpsite, which is located in Laluni and can be accessed from the Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke/LindenHighwayentrance.

The Minister of Public Works and by extensiontheGovernmentofGuyana,thanks citizens and visitors to our country for their usualcooperationandsupport.

Photo credits: Department of Public Information

President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Timothy Tucker delivering remarks at the Business Development Forum

VEHICLE FOR SALE

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

Industry man found dead in trench at Ogle

The body of a 53year-old man was on Thursday retrieved from a trench at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

anonymous call informing of the discovery.

WANTED VACANCY

Driver, sales man, porters to work in warehouse. Must have experience , attractive salary offered. Call: 696-4444.

Taxi drivers needed at Princess Taxi Service, Ramada Hotel. Call: 265-7075/ 76 or 616-5419.

Start a career in the hotel industry, One female to work at a quest house, Call: 2256337 or Whatsapp: 668-0306.

Hymac operator for ( 580 C Hymac) and excavator operator to work in Charity Essequibo. Contact 2235273/223-5274

Porters, drivers/expediters, handyman. Contact 2235273 / 223-5274

Maid Monday to Friday Call 618-1802.

Domestic – to work in Georgetown from 7.00am to 4.00pm (honest & mature). Telephone: 623-6383.

Domestic needed to work for 3 days 8-4pm, must know to cook and do general cleaning, etc. Apply at Keyfood Mc Doom village.

Cook for bar, ages 35-45 yrs, 6 days per week. Call: 6505321.

Two security and handymen needed. Call: 687-0067.

Two sales clerk & one delivery clerk needed at Lens. Apply @ 136 Sheriff Street, C/Ville or Tel: 227-1511/2272486

Hotel attendant needed at Hick's Ville Hotel.Tel: 6400673, 227-7714, email: info@vegeworld.com

Servicemen for Interior location. Applicants must be experienced. Call: 615-0545 or 231-2250.

Carwash workers to work at Romain carwash & detail center. Call: 643-3939.

Experienced cashiers, security officers and plumbers. Contact the HR department of Ramada Georgetown Princess hotel on Tele # 265-7001, ext 205/127.

For porters.Apply in person to Alabama Trading,65 Robb St Bourda.

LAND FOR SALE

Double lot in Bent Street, 35 mil. Call: 661-2828.

Dead is Gangaram Ishram of Lot 214, Industry Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a statement said that Ishram’s body was discovered at about 06:05h in the trench located to the front of the Ogle Center Ground. Police received an

LEGAL NOTICE

Upon arrival, the Police observed Ishram’s body arched and seated on his green and black bicycle while submerged in the trench. The man was clad in a yellow striped shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

His body was removed from the trench and examined for marks of violence. None was discovered.

Further, an emergency team from the Alberttown Fire Station was called to check the body for signs of life before it was transported to Sandy’s Funeral Home.

Ishram’s sister identified his body and disclosed that her brother was an alcoholic but had neither a medical condition nor grievance with anyone.

Investigations are continuing.

FOR SALE

Double stalls for sale in Stabroek Market .Call:2273463 or 667-5789 between 8:00hrs to 16:000hrs for enquiries.

LEGAL NOTICE

Applicant in person: Rookmin Ramroop Address: Sublot V of Lot B Doornhaag, West of Dam, Leguan, Essequibo River Tel #: 679-8179 2022-HC-DEM-CIV-FD461

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO. FD-461 BETWEEN: ROOKMIN RAMROOPApplicant -andCHRISTINA VANESSA RAMROOP Respondent BEFORE THE HONOURABLE MADAM JUSTICE SANDRA KURTZIOUS DATED THE 20TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2022 ENTERED THE 28TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2022

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Beautiful home in Ogle for sale. Owner wants to migrate and is willing to sell out as fast as possible. Please call owner for information, +592-679-6983.

SERVICES

Visa application: Canada and UK & U.S.A. Graphics design & advertisements. Wedding decorations & elderly grooming: hair, nail etc. Call: 626-7040.

FOR RENT

2 and 3 Bedroom fully furnished luxury apartments to rent. Tel:# 682-2585, 6648641, 691-1432.

Business spot for rent @ Mon Repos mall, ground floor. Call: 643-3939.

EDUCATION

First Aid refresher courses, kindly contact: # 225-9082 to register for Sunday First Aid refresher courses.

New classes for First Aid and home nursing will be starting shortly. Kindly call: 225-9082.

UPON READING the Without Notice of Application on the part of ROOKMIN RAMROOP, the above named Applicant filed herein on the 21ST day of September, 2022 AND the Affidavit in Support of the said Applicant sworn to and filed herein on the 21st day of September, 2022 in support thereof AND UPON HEARING the Applicant in person IT IS ORDERED that personal service of the Application Relating to Child with Affidavit in support, Statement of Arrangements Relating to Child (Blank), and Covid-19 Protocols by a person authorized by the Registrar be and is hereby dispensed with AND that the mode of Substituted Service of the said

Application Relating to Child with Affidavit in support, Statement of Arrangements for Child, Statement of Arrangements for Child (Blank), Reply to Application Relating to Child (Blank), shall be effected on the Respondent by way of advertisement of a Notice of Petition in 2 (two) consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaituer News Newspapers, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around the Republic of Guyana and on the world wide web AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Respondent be and is· hereby granted thirty-five (35) days after the date of the second and final Publication the said Notice of Application to file a Reply, Notice of Intention to Defend, and an Answer and/ or Cross Petition. AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that an Affidavit of Publication sworn to by the Attorney-at-Law for the Applicant with copies of advertisement exhibited thereto be deemed sufficient proof of service of Petition herein. AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this matter is fixed for Directions Hearing on Tuesday the_10th day of January, 2023 at 11:30 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Sandra Kurtzious via Zoom Meeting ID: 648 772 9256 and Password: 5hRiHf.

Antigua and Barbuda PM Gaston Browne calls for windfall tax on Big Oil at Cop27

ST. KITTS NEVIS

OBSERVER - Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister, Gaston Browne has accused the United States of “subterfuge” in its approach to climate compensation for vulnerable countries.

Browne, who chairs the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), spoke to The Independent at Cop27, where he has been a vociferous advocate on loss and damage – the irrevocable losses of livelihoods and property to nature and cultural heritage as a result of the climate crisis.

Developing nations, facing the worst climate impacts despite their relatively small carbon footprints, are demanding that their large-polluting, planetary neighbours pay reparations for the fossil-fuel damage which has underpinned their wealth.

The AOSIS face extreme sea level rise, coastal erosion, and increasingly powerful storms.

Yet these countries have contributed less than 1 per cent to global emissions.

On top of that, the global financial system is constructed in a way that penalizes the poorest with higher interest rates and worse deals than richer nations, leaving them drowning in debt.

Poorer countries have called for loss and damage to be discussed at Cop, as the conference of the parties is known, for two decades. Cop27 is the first time the issue has made the agenda, and it has swiftly become the frontand-centre issue of the global climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

“We’re encouraged but we would like to see an even better outcome by the end of this conference,” Browne told The Independent.

By the end of Cop27, vulnerable countries want to see a commitment to figuring out how the mechanics of a new loss and damage fund will work in order to have it up and running by 2024.

Regional three-day Midwifery...

From page 13 the Region. It is anticipated that the recommendations of this dialogue will lead to an elevation of midwives, midwifery practice and by extension improve the care given to SRMNAH clients in the Region.

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Clarissa Etienne has raised the alarm that the Caribbean’s progress in attaining the UN Sustainable Development Goals is ‘limited and uneven’. “The world, including the Region of the Americas, is not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals”.

The SoWMy Report 2021 suggests that an increase in

investments in midwives would yield important returns such as, more positive birth experiences, improved health outcomes, and inclusive and equitable economic growth. These factors will move us closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

The participants of this 3day workshop will discuss some of the key issues raised in the SoWMy Report 2021 namely, education and training, scope of practice, workforce and migration.

At the end of this policy dialogue, an action plan will be developed to improve the practice of midwifery and client outcomes in the Region.

32 Contractors bid to rehabilitate 13 hinterland bridges at a cost of $2.2B

Du r i n g t h e the 13 hinterland bridges of Public Works, and threelots,seventonine,with understands that this project The13bridgeswouldbe opening of between Mabura and according to the Ministry’s Lot 7 consisting of four is similar to a previous reconstructed from its

tenders on Kurupukari. engineer the projects are bridges, lot 8 with four project which the Ministry current wooden structure to Wednesday it was revealed Thereconstructionofthe estimated to cost Guyana bridges and lot 9 with five had tendered to upgrade 32 concrete. that a total of 32 contractors bridges is a project being $2,203,759,325 The bridges. bridgesbetweenKurupukari B e l o w a r e t h e are interested in upgrading undertaken by the Ministry projects are divided into K a i e t e u r N e w s andLethem. contractorsandtheirbids:

UN agency urges halt to Dominican deportation of Haitians

HAVANA (AP) — The Haiti do not currently allow onHaitianmigrationdespite (390-kilometer) border with U.N.’s Chief Human Rights for the safe, dignified and the Biden administration Haiti on the island of Agency called on the sustainable return of expressing concern for Hispaniola that has Dominican Republic on Haitians to the country,” Haiti’s humanitarian prompted migratory and Thursday to halt rising U.N.HighCommissionerfor situation. Gangwarfareand border crackdowns that the deportations of Haitian Human Rights, Volker Türk politicalturmoil have fueled Government says will migrantsatatimeofturmoil saidinastatement. an exodus from Haiti, with “guaranteebordersecurity.” i n t h e i r c o u n t r y He extended that call to migrants seeking refuge Dominican authorities “Unremitting armed other nations in the Region. across the region. In the say they deported 43,900 violence and systematic The United States also has Dominican Republic migrants, largely Haitians, human rights violations in alsocontinuedtocrackdown which shares a 240 mile betweenJulyandOctober

UkrainetroopspreparetoreclaimcityabandonedbyRussians

M Y K O L A I V , finished withdrawing from in celebration. A Ukrainian back in Ukrainian hands. A urged Russian soldiers who Defense Ministry’s claim UKRAINE (AP) — Russia thewesternbankoftheriver flagflewoveramonumentin spokesperson for Ukraine’s might still be in the city to that the 30,000 retreating relinquished its final that divides Ukraine’s a central Kherson square for military intelligence agency surrender in anticipation of troops took all 5,000 pieces foothold in a major city in Khersonregionat5a.m.The the first time since the city said“anoperationtoliberate Ukrainian forces arriving. of equipment with them, southern Ukraine on Friday, area they left included the was seized in early March. Kherson” and the “Your command left you to saying “a lot” of hardware clearing the way for city of Kherson, the only Some footage showed surrounding region of the themercyoffate,”itsaidina gotleftbehind. victorious Ukrainian forces provincialcapitalRussiahad crowds cheering on men in samenamewasunderway s t a t e m e n t “ Yo u r The final Russian toreclaimthecountry’sonly captured during its nearly militaryuniformandtossing “Itwillbepossibletotalk commanders urge you to withdrawal came six weeks Russian held provincial nine month invasion of one man wearing combat aboutestablishingUkrainian change into civilian clothes after Russian President capital that could act as a Ukraine. fatigues up in the air Other control over the city only and try to escape from Vladimir Putin illegally springboard for further Videos and photos on videos showed villagers afteranofficialreportbythe Kherson on your own annexed the Kherson region advances into occupied social media showed embracingtroopsenrouteto General Staff” of the Obviously,youwon’tbeable and three other Ukrainian territory residentsjubilantlytakingto thecity Ukrainian army, Andriy to.” A Ukrainian regional provinces, vowing they Russia’s Defense the streets, waving Ukrainian officials have Yusov told The Associated official, Serhii Khlan, would remain Russian Ministry said its troops Ukrainianflagsandchanting not confirmed the city was Press.Ukrainianintelligence disputed the Russian forever

CDC responds to several storm reports countrywide

The Civil Defence

C o m m i s s i o n

(CDC) has so far received several reports of flooding and other hazard impacts across the nation. Due to the current inclement weather in some parts of the country, residents have reported impacts of varying significance.

F y r i s h V i l l a g e , Corentyne, East Berbice

Corentyne,RegionSix

One resident on Tuesday evening suffered property damage to their home and yard when high winds impacted their roof, causing it to collapse almost entirely The Commission has since sent a team who conducted a

damage assessment of the property

K a t o a n d N o r t h Pakaraimas, Potaro Siparuni,RegionEight

A flash storm comprised of heavy rainfall and strong winds impacted 11 homes in the above mentioned areas. Residents there have reported damages to household structures Regional Representatives h a v e c o n d u c t e d a n

assessment and relayed that informationtotheCDC.

A s a r e s u l t , t h e Commission has prepared relief items such as hammocks, blankets, clothing, tarpaulin, water containers, buckets and disinfectant which will be dispatched to the Region as soonaspossible.

Eteringbang, Cuyuni Mazaruni, Region Seven Reports from the border

community indicate that water levels have risen significantly in the last 72 hours and have affected structures on the river bank.

Residents there have put adaptive measures in place b u t R e g i o n a l Representatives have confirmed that if the water levels increase, they will needassistance.

As per its mandate, the CDC will continue to assess,

monitor and render aid wherenecessary

The National Weather Watch Center has predicted that more rains will occur during the weekend, especially along the coastland,andRegions7and 10. Residents are urged to remaincautiousandsafeand to reports any impacts to local authorities or the National Emergency MonitoringSystem.

Berbice Teacher dies after collapsing at school

Kaieteur News understands that Prasad arrived at the School between 08:00h and 08:30h Friday and complained of feeling unwell. She was in the staff room when she collapsed. The woman was taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital where shedied.

Coincidentally, the school was preparing for its annual graduation ceremony later Friday where Prasad's sister Leezo Prasad was listed as the Valedictorian. Prasad was the top performer in Region Six at this year's Caribbean Secondary ExaminationsCertificate(CSEC).

Meanwhile, Regional Commander Shivpersaud Bacchus has confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the circumstancesofthewoman'sdeath.

ASkeldon Line Path Secondary School Teacher collapsed anddiedonFridaywhileonduty Dead is 26-year-old Dharmini 'Tina' Prasad of Skeldon, UpperCorentyne,Berbice.

Dead: Dharmini 'Tina' Prasad

Wiggins shooting for success in NCAA D1 with Morgan State

By Rawle Toney

Kevon Wiggins, who hails from Berbice, was known as one of Guyana’s top prospects in basketball. Wiggins stayed the course in the sport and is now suiting up for Morgan State in Division 1 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Wiggins has so far featured in both of Morgan State’s matches this season. He made his D1 college debut in his side’s 7396 defeat to the conference

powerhouse Xavier University, finishing with seven points in 11 minutes played, shooting 2-5.

On Thursday, Wiggins again had seven points, this time playing 14 minutes, as Morgan State had a blowout 130-40 win over Penn State Greater Allegheny.

Tonight, from 8:00 pm, Wiggins will look to improve on his scoring when they come up against Virginia Commonwealth University VCU) at home.

Wiggins, a former New

Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary student after migrating to the US, played his Junior College basketball at Monroe College and Lamar Community College.

His stellar performances at the NJCAA level saw him receiving many offers from some of the premier and elite NCAA D1 Universities.

However, Rose Hall Town youth settled on playing for Morgan State University, one of the USA’s topranked Historically Black Colleges and

universities (HBCUs) that competes in the NCAA’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Wiggins has represented Guyana at all levels, first making the national team for Guyana’s hosting of the CBC U16 tournament, where he played the scorer’s role in guiding Guyana to the finals against eventual winners, The Bahamas.

He was the team’s leading scorer at the 2017 Centrobasket U17 Championship in the Dominican Republic and was the 2017 IGG tournament’s leading scorer.

Wiggins was also part of the winning 2018 CBC team, where Guyana hoisted the title for the first time.

From page 22 no doubt that England players have come and played in this tournament (Big Bash T20). It’s tough; it’s very difficult for Indian cricket because a lot of these tournaments happen right at the peak of our season. I think it’s a huge challenge for us. A lot of our boys do miss out on the opportunity of playing in these leagues, but it’s up to the BCCI to make that decision,” Dravid said.

“And with the kind of demand there would be for Indian players… if you allowed them to play in these leagues, we won’t have domestic cricket. Our domestic

cricket, our Ranji Trophy would be finished, and that would mean Test cricket would be finished. We have to be very careful; we have to understand that Indian cricket faces or BCCI faces in a situation like this,” he added.“A lot of boys are asked to play leagues in the middle of our season, we have seen what it has done to West Indian cricket, and I definitely don’t want Indian cricket to go that way.

It would affect Ranji Trophy and Test cricket and Indian boys playing Test cricket is pretty important for the Test game as well, I would think,” Dravid said.

Saturday November 12, 2022

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

A number of deliveries, service people, emails, or phone calls might keep you jumping today, Aries, right when you're in the mood for a quiet day. It may take all your effort to keep your cool.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

A close friend might pass along some seemingly harmless but nonetheless untrue gossip, Taurus. Don't accept anything you hear today until you check the facts for yourself.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

You don't normally tend toward frugality, Gemini, but today you could go overboard with your spending. Frustration from all sides makes you want to release it all at once by acquiring new possessions.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Some failures that you may have experienced over the past few days could have you beating yourself up today, Cancer.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Today you might be able to tune in to the thoughts and feelings of others, Leo, but you aren't likely to know exactly how to handle the situation. Should you say something or just tailor your own behavior.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

Group activities are probably very much on your agenda today, Virgo. You could attend an online meeting or lecture and later participate in a group chat with a bunch of friends.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

Too much pressure on the job could have you feeling like chucking it all and going somewhere by yourself. You might be tempted to go on a spending spree or overindulge in food or drink.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Inner conflict regarding spiritual matters might have you questioning your and others' beliefs. You might doubt just about everything, Scorpio, and you could be tempted into angry debates over different concepts.

SAGIT (Nov.22–Dec.21) Although your financial situation appears to be on the upswing, you still might be feeling pessimistic and indifferent about money and life in general. You might want to soothe your discontent.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

A minor and rather silly quarrel with a friend or romantic partner could have you down in the dumps. This is an overreaction, Capricorn. You might need to get away for a while before you can make sense.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Pressures on the job may be mounting. You might feel so disgruntled that you want to chuck it all and run away. Foreign countries and distant states may suddenly seem far.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Demands made by friends, children, or the special person in your life might have you feeling like you're moving in a dozen different directions at once.

Wiggins is a product of the Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) programme that created a pathway for him to be seen through the school’s basketball championship and by being part of the Youth national programme.

As it stands, Wiggins is the only knowns Guyanese competing in the NCAA D1 basketball. The country has several top athletes in track and field representing some of the Division One biggest universities.

From page 24 match between Gold is Money and Sophia. Up next, Bent Street will take on Campbellville from 22:00 hrs while Future Stars and Sparta thrash it out from 23:00 hrs.

The night’s last match will see Stabroek Ballers and Back Circle collide in what is expected to be a highly competitive match, from midnight.

From page 22 dogged matches in Melbourne during this tournament with England’s meeting with Australia in the group stage one of three games at the venue washed out.

England were also beaten by Ireland on the DuckworthLewis-Stern method after rain brought an early end to their match at the same ground.

‘We’ve seen what it’s done...

Speedboat, Name Brand and Regal among winners

Speedboat, Name Brand and Regal were among the victorious teams when the Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc. Prime Minister’s T20 Cup got cracking yesterdayinGeorgetown.

This is the sixth edition of the softball marquee event and things were ceremoniously bowled off by the Honourable Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret.) Mark Phillips, at the Muslim Youth Organization venue.

In the over-50 segment, Uniss Yusuf of Regal lashed a magnificent, unbeaten 159 while his teammate Ramesh Narine struck a flamboyant 116 not out. They pair featured in a pugnacious 269 run second wicket stand versusTrophyStall.

Regal,thedefendingchampion, galloped to a massive 330-1 from the allotment of 20-overs while Trophy Stall, in reply, were precariously placed at 65-8, when rain intervened and ultimately haltedproceedings.

For the Legends, Regal, New

York Softball Cricket League and Invaders Masters picked up two victorieseach.

In the open category at Queen’s College ground, Regal batted first and managed 107 -8 from their reduced quota of 15 overs Sewchand Budhu made 35, Sachin

Singh made 19 and Fazal Rafiek contributed14.

Seeindra Marimootoo, Amir Khan,R.RambarranandR.Sukdeo tooktwowicketseach.

CityStarswere83-3in12overs in reply when rain intervened. JonathanRampersaudmade18.

Regalwonthegamebyhavinga betternetrunrate.

Speedboat took first strike and posted 196-in 15 overs. Vikash Dhaniram made 77, Kishore Smith pitched in with 34 while Safraz Esau and Ameer Yusuf made 27 each as Beepaul Bandoo took two wickets.

Softball Cricket Allstars were 96-3in9.3oversinreplywhenplay was halted due to rain. Bandoo made 30, Rajesh Reddy had 24 and MarvinBobbmade17.

Speedboatwonthefixturewith abetternetrunrate.

SCAllstarswerebowledoutfor 34 in 11.3 overs as Kelvin Orford, Delroy Perreira and Greg Singh tooktwowicketseachbeforeRegal replied with 39-1 in 7.1 overs. SachinSinghmade14.

Name Brand made 128-6 in 15 overs.K.Gangaramscored49andS Sukhu 24. Travis Drakes took two wickets.

Florida Finest responded with 85-8. Ricardo Poloram made 30 and A.Rooplall 21. K Gangaram andM.Singhhadtwowicketseach.

At Liliendall, Dagina scored 72 all out 12.1 overs. Hiradeo Jailall scored 14 as K. Gangaram grabbed 4- 8 while M.Singh and R. Judister had two wickets each. Name Brand responded with 76 without loss in 6.2 overs. Judister made 51 and A. Dyal18.

At Eve Leary in the over-50 category, NY Softball Association beat Jai Hind of Berbice. Jai Hind batted first and made 85 while NYSA responded with 90-5 in 18 overs. Tony Fernandes made 30 while Gopie (only name given) made20.

OpenerLloydRuplall,whowas controversially given out after he hit the ball on a second attempt, contributed10.

Meanwhile,ThePrimeMinister was on hand at the opening ceremony and lauded the organisers and said he is pleased to see the growth of the tournament, whichnowhasafemalesegment.

The Prime Minister also commended the sponsors and said he is looking forward to a successfultournament.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips attempts a big shot during the opening ceremony

West Indies made an early exit at this year’s T20 World Cup. (CWI)

T20 World Cup: Organisers tweak final’s rules to allow more playing time amid poor forecast

( B B C S p o r t )

Organisershavechangedthe playing regulations for Sunday’s Men’s T20 World Cup final in Melbourne to allow more time in case of rainstoppages.

EnglandmeetPakistanat 08:00 GMT on Sunday but showersareforecast.

West

– Dravid

(SportsMax) - India head coach Rahul Dravidhasinsistedthecountrydoesnotwant to end up in the same position as West Indies cricket following an unceremonious exit from the T20 World Cup, at the hands of England,onWednesday

The 2019 champions managed to muster very little resistance in the semi-final, where England cruised to a 10-wicket win after the East Asian team made 168 for 6. The West Indies were themselves meekly dumped out of the tournament but after losing to two

associateteamssotlandandIrelandinthefirst round.

Performancesatthetournamentwerenot, however, what the former batting star was referring to, but instead the issue of India players potentially facing a disadvantage from not being allowed to play in other T20 league’s around the world. For his part, the coach conceded that it might be a disadvantageousbutbelievesitisanecessityto protectthequalityofIndia’scricket.“Thereis (Continued on page 19)

A reserve day is scheduled for Monday but, with more rain forecast, two hours have been added to allow play to continue late intoMondayevening.

If a 10 over per side contest cannot be played then England and Pakistan will be declared joint winners.

England reached the final with a comprehensive 10 wicket demolition of India in Adelaide on Thursday, while Pakistan strolled to a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the other semi-final, played on Wednesday The

tournament’s playing conditions state “every effort” will be made to completethefinalonSunday rather than using the reserve day, even if they require a shortenedcontest.

If the reserve day is required the match will continuefromSunday,rather thanberestarted.

It will be played under the same playing conditions

as the last ball bowled the previous day, meaning if a 10 over per side match starts on Sunday the final would be played to the same lengthonMonday

Theadditionoftwoextra hours means there are seven hoursand10minutestofitin amatchonthereserveday If required play will start at 04:00GMT Rainhas

(Continued on page 21)

Two hours have been added to allow play to continue late into Monday evening. (Getty Images)

‘We’ve seen what it’s done to

Indies cricket’

- supports BCCI decision to keep players out of world T20 leagues

Petra: Courts Pee Wee finalists to be confirmed today -MVPFutsalcontinuestonight

The Petra organisation have a packed Saturday planned with the hosting of theCourtsPeeWeeunder-11 Tournament at the Ministry ofEducationGroundandthe MVP Futsal Tournament, which is scheduled for the NationalGymnasium.

Today, the Courts Pee Wee tournament enters the semi-final stage following the battles for positions fifth to16th.

The first two matches of the day begin at 11:30 hrs and will be played simultaneously, as the

tournament has Tucville and Craig collide on one pitchwithSmith’sMemorial and Mocha Primary to battle on the next. These four teams are competing for 13th–16th.

Just after noon (12:20 hrs), COLAACO and Timehri meet while Winfer Gardens and Dem Amstel are fixed to contest the other match, all in their fight for 9th–12th.

At 13:10 hrs, Soesdyke will lock horns with West Ruimveldt as Ann’s Grove and Redeemer go head to

head. They are contesting forspotsfifthtoeighth.

M e a n w h i l e , t h e semifinal encounters will be playedoneaftertheother At 14:00 hrs, St Pius and MarianAcademytusslefora chance to make it into the finale while Enterprise and NorthGeorgetownfaceeach other from 15:00 hrs, with thesamerewardsontheline.

Later today, the MVP Sports Futsal Tournament resumes with the Women’s Division starting the e v e n i n g T h e f o u r programmed matches will

mark the end of the Group stage as the tournament ascends to the semi-final stage.

At 18:30 hrs, Avocado BallerstakeonGTPanthers, Tiger Bay then meets Herstelling from 19:10 hrs, G D F t a c k l e F r u t a Conquerors at 19:50 hrs while Police clash with Santos in the last Group matchfrom20:20hrs.

For the men, only four teams advance when the final eight leaps into action from21:00hrswiththefirst (Continued on page 21)

The Ladies Division concludes Ladies concludes their Group stage tonight.

One Guyana President’s Cup is about unity, national football development

With the One Guyana President’s Cup football tournament set to kick off on Sunday in communities in eachAdministrative Region, President Irfaan Ali says the idea is to use the ‘Beautiful Game’ as part of his Government’s plan to integrate sports into national life.

“OneGuyanaisnotonly about unifying people, it is how do we bring together all dimensions of our society into building a One Guyana, one country, and sport is an important part of that,” President Ali said yesterday on the sidelines of his meeting with football stakeholders at State House, regarding the inaugural tournament The One G u y a n a F o o t b a l l Tournament trophy was also handed over to PresidentAli by the BrassAluminium and Cast Iron Foundry Ltd (BACIF)ManagingDirector Peter Pompey The tournament which will be administered by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), will kick off with an inter ward competition in all 10 Regions.

Out of this phase 10 regional teams will contest the inter regional round robin championship, with the finals set for January 1,

2023 Similarly, to the sentiments expressed by GFF president Wayne Forde regarding the tournament helping football’s local governing body to unearth newtalent,Presidentsaidthe first-of-its-kind programme

gives the Government “an excellent platform which we can reach communities. We can reach disadvantaged people. We can reach young people. And football is an importantsportforGuyana.”

“I’ve been around football,

I’ve looked at football, and I t h i n k w e h a v e t h e capabilities and capacity to get to the world cup.We will beusingthisbrandtoproject football in a very positive direction, to launch a regional competition,” PresidentAlisaid.

President Ali brought together all stakeholders of the sport, more importantly, the GFF and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, during the conceptualizing phase of the tournament, sharing his vision for using football as part of his unifying plans, but also ensuring that the players benefitaboveall. Anardent supporter of cricket, President Ali also believes that football has the same o p p o r t u n i t y a s t h e Gentleman’s Game to bring people together, adding that “ t h i s i s w h y , i n conceptualizing this

- President Ali

tournament, I asked the guys to look at how we can bring every region on board, so it goes beyond clubs.” The OneGuyanaPresident’sCup will see all players and coaching staff financially r e w a r d e d f o r t h e i r involvement, but the Headof-State is calling on the most important asset to his masterplan–theplayers–to be fully committed, pointing out “they can’t be playing in any other tournament; they have to sign on here.” With several entities known for supporting football, particularly during the festive season, President Ali is hoping to bring all of corporate Guyana under one umbrella for the President’s Cup. He further stated, “this doesn’t take away the community football and the small goal football. That is an important part of community life and building

up capacity.” “But, here is where you have a serious national tournament that is geared at identifying a pool of national players that will go into an academy, that will h a v e a t h r e e y e a r engagement to ensure that they’re doing the right thing, thattheyaredisciplined,that they’re practising and havingtherightnutritionand they are having an opportunity to have a future afterfootball.”

President Ali lauded the GFF, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and other stakeholdersforbringingtolife his One Guyana concept in Sports, calling the tournament “fantastic ” President Ali, while encouraging Guyana to support,made it clear that his heart is with Region 3. “I’ll be supporting Nationally, all of Guyana, but of course, I come from Region 3, I have tobeafanforthemtoo.”

President Irfaan Ali displaying his One Guyana President’s Cup winner’s trophy, which was done by the Brass Aluminium and Cast Iron Foundry Ltd. (Office of the President photos)

OneGuyanaPresident’sCupisaboutunity, is nationalfootballdevelopment-PresidentAli

Petra: Courts Pee Wee finalists to be confirmed today

Wiggins shooting for success in NCAA D1 with Morgan State

A total of 56 goals were scored on the previous night of the MVP Sports Futsal Tournament.

Kevon Wiggins came through the ‘ranks’ from local basketball to NCAA D1 with Morgan State.