Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News

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No interest rates are allowed on oil

Friday November 24, 2023

Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

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Exxon head regurgitates propaganda on massive oil profits to come As the Government of Guyana (GoG) continues to ignore calls for a renegotiation of the lopsided Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) it signed, ExxonMobil- the US oil major continues to push a misleading line that the country will benefit from jobs as revenues are due later in the future.

ExxonMobil and its partners Hess and CNOOC are the operators of the lucrative Stabroek Block.

Explaining this to listeners of 94.1 FM during an interview on Thursday morning was President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), Alistair Routledge.

He was at the time responding to a question on the future of Guyana and ExxonMobil when he pointed out that it was the beginning of a decades-long journey. Given that revenues are likely to come to Guyana later, the ExxonMobil President indicated that the company is delivering jobs and opportunities to Guyanese.

“Delivering business opportunities, jobs for Guyanese because it takes time to generate revenues

from the oil production and for the government to be able to take that investment in roads and hospitals and improved education, that’s coming. That excites me for the future but it’s not tangible today for people. What is tangible is can I have a job?

Can I grow my company and that was part of what I heard in Region Three,” Routledge said.

He was keen to note that to date 1500 Guyanese companies have participated in the development of the country’s oil and gas resources.

Routledge also pointed out that in early days of production in Guyana, the operations were run mainly out of Trinidad, however, today two shore bases are now in country as well as other local companies, with close to 6,000 Guyanese workers now employed.

To this end, the EMGL President said, “Any international bench-marking w o u l d s a y t h a t i t ’s tremendous progress.” In the meantime, he noted that the company remains focused on careful exploration activities offshore Guyana and to move safely to production.

President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, Alistair Routledge during his interview on 94.1 FM ExxonMobil previously defended the lack of a ringfencing provision in Guyana’s oil deal. Such a clause in the Licenses for projects to be approved, could allow for increased revenue to flow to Guyana early on. In 2019, the then Country Manager for ExxonMobil, Rod Henson told the local media corps that the absence of ringfencing provisions in the PSA signed with Guyana is actually in the country’s best i n t e r e s t . https://www.kaieteurnewso nline.com/2019/07/22/lackof-ring-fencing-provisionsin-exxon-psa-could-neverbe-in-guyanas-best-interestuniversity-of-houstoninstructor/ A ring-fencing provision would simply allow each oil project to pay for itself. In the absence of such a

provision, the oil companies are allowed to use the revenue generated at one project to pay for others that are yet to commence production activities.

Chief policy maker for the Petroleum sector, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during an engagement with the media in October admitted that ring-fencing the oil projects will allow Guyana to benefit more from the wealth generated in the resource-rich Stabroek Block, immediately. Despite his acceptance however, the VP is unwilling to engage the operator to effect any changes to the lopsided 2016 PSA with Exxon or insert this clause into future Permits.

The contract stipulates that a whopping 75 percent of the monthly revenues are to be deducted as costs to

repay the companies’ shareholders, while the remaining proceeds are split as profits equally with Guyana. In the absence of a ring-fencing provision, the companies have authority to use the income from producing oil projects to pay for other projects that are yet to commence producing oil.

A ring-fencing provision would therefore prevent oil companies from using revenue generated from a production field to offset costs in another project. It would also mean that when that project cost is repaid, Guyana would enjoy 50 percent of the revenue generated there. Guyana has been repeatedly advised by independent international experts to ring-fence its oil projects to ensure the country benefits from its resources early on, as this

would help to improve the n a t i o n ’s e d u c a t i o n , infrastructure and health services among others.

For instance, the Director of Financial Analysis for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Tom Sanzillo in a report estimated that Guyana should receive upward of $6 billion annually by 2028 or sooner, however, the organization believes that due to all of the new costs, Guyana will be shortchanged until the 2030’s, if not longer.

It would be poignant to note that last year, the Stabroek Block generated a whopping US$9.8 billion, but Guyana only received US$1.4 billion in profits and royalty, while Exxon took US$7.4 billion to recoup their investments across the Stabroek Block.

Jagdeo rebukes fear mongers - says no mass exodus of residents from border communities There has been no mass exodus of residents from the border communities and Guyanese should not succumb to fearmongering and propaganda, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has said.

Speaking at his weekly press conference held this time at the Office of the President. Jagdeo told the media that contrary to social media reports there have been no unusual occurrences in terms of increased exodus from the border communities. He said this was verified by Public Wo r k s M i n i s t e r, J u a n Edghill. , “Darren Wade said the ferries are over booked, they are full, people are fleeing Region One. Darren Wade never knows about these ferries, this ferry is always overbooked. If you

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

go online people complain all the time that they can’t get a space on the North-West F e r r y, ” J a g d e o s a i d .

“Secondly I called Edghill he said “the Transport Department the traffic

department said we have not seen anything unusual.

Edghill said to me Civil Aviation has reported…we don’t have any unusual activities in terms of flight and traffic patterns.”

The Vice President stressed that all persons are doing is spreading rumours in the country to cause unrest and a national panic and this should not be so. He said that the same energy people are using to spread rumours, they should use it to let the Venezuelans know that Essequibo belongs to [Guyana] and Venezuelans should “stop talking nonsense and go and read the 1899 award”.

Kaieteur News reported on Sunday that residents of Baramita, an Amerindian community in Region One which neighbours Venezuela, have expressed that they are “living in fear” as a high number of the Spanish-speaking nationals have swarmed their c o m m u n i t y r e c e n t l y.

Speaking with this

publication on Friday, a businesswoman from the village said the residents have noticed the high influx of Venezuelans in their community over the past two to three weeks.

According to the woman, the Venezuelans moved in and they have been settingup makeshift camps to sleep in. She said that given the geographical layout of the community, when traveling through the trail on bikes it just takes a few hours to reach Baramita from the border. “A lot of Spanish [nationals] pouring in there, when I said a lot, a lot of Spanish,” she emphasised.

She related that due to influx, it is driving fear not only into residents but the b u s i n e s s c o m m u n i t y.

According to her, with the increasing number of

persons coming in, business operators have been closing their entities early and sometimes not opening at all.

“So all of us in fear, business people all of us in fear some people done start to pack up their things to leave the village, local business people,” she explained.

The woman also mentioned that she was made aware that locals working in the backdam have been affected as their campsite have been burnt and destroyed. “When them boys come out the backdam with the little gold and thing, in the night they started to stick them up and checking their pockets looking for gold and monies. This has been going on since around last week,” she related.

The businesswoman (Continued on page 8)

Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

People flare in anger when exploited, used Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba of Kenya is a groundbreaking thinker. He is known for speaking powerfully to the plight of Africa and its peoples. This one-of-a-kind activist has inspired many Africans, and others across the globe. In any part of the world where there are hungry, unhappy and poverty-stricken people, Professor Lumumba has been a much hailed figure. He has fearlessly spoken of truths that the advanced world prefers to remain unspoken and unaddressed. This Kenyan has denounced leaders across the African continent for their failures in doing well by the people who gave them power.

A recent position on a particularly sensitive subject is sure to generate alarms and provoke a fierce whiplash of criticism from some corners. This Kenyan is adamant that coup d’états have their purposes. It is not a blanket nod of approval for such a critical step, but a development that has utility in certain circumstances.

According to Lumumba, when governments and leaders are deaf and unresponsive to the woes of citizens, then something has to give. The situation cannot continue indefinitely, not when people in rich countries exist in unending hardship and agony, not when their leaders betray them. It is certainly a radical position, a revolutionary departure from standing norms, where democratically elected governments reflecting the will of the people are ousted from office. It was where Lumumba stood in the aftermath of the coup d’état developments in Niger and Gabon. His thinking is that this is a legitimate stream of expression by the people who are thoroughly disturbed by the way government and leaders hold citizens hostage, then subject them to a litany of enduring horrors.

It is an unpardonable horror when poor countries rich in natural resources still have significant fractions of their population that are barely making ends meet. It is a horror when many citizens in resource richcountriesareforcedtowonderabout how they will get by from one day to the next. It is a horror, indeed, when those same poor citizens are weighed down by the fear about what kind of condition they will be in at the end of each day. It is what should not be in those African countries overflowing with oil, diamonds, uranium, copper, and cobalt, among many other much-in-demand commodities globally.

At the same time, when struggling citizens on the sidelines observe the families and friends of those in power living high and sweet, then their smoldering resentments intensify. It is of the joyful haves and the wretched have nots in countries that are rich, and the catalyst for what the people will not stand for much longer. In Lumumba’s considerations, it is in such fertile ground that the revolutionary is likely to occur, as people watch their children get sick or die before their eyes, know their own gnawing stomachs, and know that tomorrow and the next month and year, it will be the same pain of need and no relief.

More pointedly, Professor Lumumba did not pull any punches: in such circumstances, he is for the revolutionary that expresses itself in coup d’états. Coups represent an outpouring of pent-up disgust and grimness of the harsh conditions in which many in the population are compelled to live. The choice is an extremely tension-filled and problematic one: yielding to the atrocities of foreign exploitation boosted by conniving and crooked local leaders, as opposed to giving the freest expressions to the seething discontents and unending pain experienced at more and more punishing levels.

Guyanese are rich statistically, yet information and financially poor in reality. If Guyanese truly know how much oil resources have been discovered, powerful anger could flare, given how they are cheated, their harsh circumstances.

People can only take so much for so long, and no protective rhetoric about democracy and democratically elected is sufficient to hold back the people after their ordeals.

He is critical of exploitative foreign partners, and even more condemnatory of comprised local politicians who sell out their people for plenty for themselves, and pittances for those who need help the most. Lumumba is unflinching and courageous in this frank position of his. Leaders the world over should listen, there are lessons for all.

Friday November 24, 2023

Plenty things wrong at the Windsor Forest Primary School DEAR EDITOR We would like for both of you to look into some troubling matters that are affecting the welfare of the children, parents/ guardians and some members of staff at the Windsor Forest Primary School Region 3.

These issues have been going on for quite some time now and we are seeking urgent attention.

1. Construction has been going on in the school’s compound (Eastern side).

This has lots of side effects on both the children and teachers.

The sand and cement are causing itchy throat, eyes and skin rashes. Also, the noise is affecting the daily activities of teaching and learning.

2. The playground is sand filled and the children have no place for recreational activities especially in this very hot weather.

3. The teachers have their vehicles parked on the tarmac which is the only place our children have to run around and play.

The owners of these vehicles are threatening the children not to run around their vehicles. Come on that was not build as a parking

lot, let the children have their space.

4. The Headteacher is not portraying any professional behaviour whatsoever, she is very unapproachable. She speaks to parents and some teachers as if they are her children.

5. The headteacher has her clique, who advise her on how to run the school and treat other teachers as if they are nothing.

6. The Senior Mistress doesn’t have a voice, the teacher who is junior to her tells her the headteacher what to do.

That particular teacher behaves as if the school’s money is hers.

7. Whenever there are test papers to be photocopied they always hold fund raising and the children’s papers are not being done properly, the copies are printed very light and they try to minimise on the amount of papers.

8. Parents are fed up giving to the school but do not say anything because they are scared of their children being victimised.

9. For fund raising activities only a few teachers know about the money and what they are doing with it.

They usually receive money

from the Chinese and there is no transparency.

10. For the last N.G.S.A. (2023) Graduation a total of six thousand dollars ($6000) was charged for each graduand but the parents receive a receipt for only three thousand dollars ($3000).

When the matter was brought to their attention, they said the Department of Education, Region 3 knows about it.

It seems as if the Officers and REDO are taking sides with the headteacher because several matters were reported to the department and not one single thing was looked into.

11. The class teacher of Grade 1B is always out of her class visiting the HM’s office, her best friend and advisor. Come on these are babies and are left unattended.

The HM and her clique particularly eat lunch in that classroom, what example is she setting for others to follow, sitting down with her compatriots and talking and making fun of other teachers she doesn’t like.

Those teachers are being embarrassed in front of others and children.

Then she said if the

teachers do not like what is going on “they are free to take a transfer or apply for promotion because she is not moving.”

I think she is the one who needs to move because she is living very far from the school.

12. She receives the praises for her school doing good at the N.G.S.A 2023 exams but it is the hard work of the teachers and not her.

She should learn to appreciate the hard work of all teachers and treat them equally with respect to earn respect.

At present there is a fund-raising activity to raise funds to buy AC Units and teachers are asking for food, drinks, water, channa, etc for the market day.

Also the children have to go on that day and buy the same food and snacks. Is this really necessary at this time where some of us are struggling?

We are writing for the sake of our children and some teachers who are at that school for years and are scared of victimization. We n e e d u rg e n t a t t e n t i o n because every day it is getting worst.

Regards Concerned Parents

Is Venezuela in a state of mind to do anything rash in relation to the claim of Essequibo?

DEAR EDITOR, We are all thinking, as G u y a n e s e r i g h t n o w, whether there is any possibility that our neighbouring Venezuelans to the west will do anything rash about their claim of Essequibo.

We all have opinions on this matter, and I have heard various opinions expressed by the Government of Guyana, the opposition of Guyana, fortunately acting together at this time, and the I n d e p e n d e n t Wo r k i n g People Alliance with some very interesting and helpful recommendations in public.

The University of Guyana played its role dutifully in convening a symposium about developing relations with Venezuela over the issue of our territorial integrity.

I want to raise whether we think that Venezuela is in

a state of mind to do anything rash in relation to the claim of Essequibo territory. I want to suggest whether or not Venezuela does anything rash, as she did in the case of Ankoko in 1966 after its government signed the Geneva Agreement; I think that circumstance relies largely on the international situation, and here I want to make the unfortunate point that the international situation, especially with the United Nations as the centre, is in disarray and creates a very unfavourable atmosphere for stability. I need to say no more, but if things continue this way, not only Venezuela but other countries with short-term ambitions can exploit the situation and break out into their own kind of riot because the international situation is too unstable to do

anything. Already, a new factor may have arisen on account of the result of the democratic elections in Argentina.

Before the Second World War outbreak, a new nation was in the League of Nations, the Soviet Union.

They had a revolution in 1917, proposing a new ethic, a new mode of existence for humanity, or that part of humanity that would listen to them. Both were positive, including violence, unfortunately.

There was a Soviet representative at the UN, Maxim Litvinov, who almost single-handedly preached the doctrine of collective security to try to stop the advances of the fascist powers that were just rising, Hitler Germany and Mussolini Italy.

He did not prevail.

Collective security failed,

and the whole of humanity was involved in the bloodiest conflict that ever hit the world.

We could be in a similar situation like that. The voices of collective security are strong internationally but weak within the administrative and executive framework of the UN. Unfortunately, the country that has the profile to date in the Gaza situation is heavily financed by one of the five great powers possessing the veto, namely the USA. And this great power has found itself, as we say in Guyana, patting the head of the tiger in what it considers its own interest.

These are opinions thrown out for discussion.

Hopefully, certain aspects of the situation are not missed by the younger generation.

Respectfully, Eusi Kwayana

Friday November 24, 2023

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If the Govt is to be true to its lofty words they should first make education free from kindergarten to University DEAR EDITOR, It is unnecessary for me to defend the latest assault by the Editorial and column writers in the State controlled Guyana Chronicle in their heightened assault on independent media, the likes of Stabroek News, Kaieteur News and others.

They are quite capable of defending themselves.

The General Secretary of the PPP twisted arguments about the bourgeoisie.

In his recent Press tirade demonstrates the P P P ’s c o n f u s i o n a n d distortion about our colonial experience and the origin of the term bourgeoisie, initially used as early as the eighteenth century and later used in a rather uncomplimentary manner.

But they say in Guyana the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

One only example of the absurdity in the fulmination of the Chronicle and PPP Topbrass is that the Housing drive only started under the PPP What about

Melanie Damishana, Dazzell Housing Scheme, (which land the PPP has given to private developers), Agnes BendKirton Court, Shirley Field Ridley Square, Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Amelia Ward, Housing Scheme, Linden, Essequibo Coast and many others.

But Editor, for now I refer to a single matter. In his historically perverted presentation, the top-brass of the PPP is claiming that thousands of Guyanese are coming home.

People have come home since the end of the two world wars, but people have come home to settle and invest their savings when at least these conditions exist.

One, they feel safe at home in Guyana, second, t h e r e i s n o discrimination and third, there a r e m e d i c a l a n d health conditions that provide them a modicum of comfort and availability.

Today neither exist in this fastest growing economy.

The Government’s effort has put the cart before the horse, building schools, hospitals, roads, etc, before ensuring the proper training of teachers, medical personnel and the supply of drugs and equipment , etc.

Today, I simply give two examples as a result of personal experience.. We have to rely on certain medications, such as eye-drops, imported for the public institutions, monopolized by friends of the Government and which burn the eyes in most cases.

I wrote about drugs like Eliquis and others not available for cardiac conditions in the fastest growing economy.

E d i t o r, w h e n n e x t y o u r r e p o r t e r s interview the top-brass of this Government, they should explain this and other medications not available in the public hospitals and health centers, and sometimes the high cost to ordinary folks is oft times beyond their reach in the private

In defense of the Vice President DEAR SIR, Please provide me with the space to respond to the news item ‘Blunt of the Day’.

The writer of this article provides reasons why he thinks the vice President should resign. However, his evidence is lacking; instead, he mentions corruption and the Vice President avoiding

answering questions that another Minister did not answer. This appears to be a caricature.

Mr. Editor, no one is free of faults, but now our country faces an external problem with Venezuela’s false claim to the Essequibo Region.

Guyana must unite and cooperate as we face this

existential threat to national security.

This is not the time to sow the seed of distrust.

Kind regards, Marlon Innis

sector.

In short, even as the Administration is erecting signs of Dr. Jagan, as Father of the Nation whose life was dedicated as Burnham subtly put it ‘to make the small man a real man.’

The way they are handling or should I say mishandling the oil and gas sector and our other precious non-renewable natural resources is a betrayal of Dr. Jagan’s PPP and those who fought against imperialist machinations for Independence.

With clever language, ordinary folks are getting the pennies and the dollars, while a selected few are getting the pounds and the big bucks and the reality being even as the cost of living worsens, the disdain and disrespect f o r t h e U n i o n s r e p r e s e n t i n g workers continues unabated.

T h i s l a t e s t announcement by His majestic Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali to dole out sums to pensioners and p u b l i c s e c t o r employees is a monumental insult. It is a return to the hay-day which characterizes the savagery of slavery and the indignity of indentureship where occasionally you handout from the

t h r o n e o f the master, crumbs from the master’s table.

So the Government decides on hand-outs, like ‘Father Christmas,’ ignoring the decency of consulting the Trades Unions, representing public servants, t e a c h e r s , nurses, etc.

Look around Dear Editor, look around Dear Citizens and we are having the emergence of a nouveau riche class, compliments of the PPP. When I listen to our present crop of leaders in Government I don’t hear the echo of Cuffy Accrabe, Edun, Critchlow, the Enmore Martyrs, Jagan, Burnham, Quamina, Pollydore and those who fought to break the yoke of colonialism and imperialist domination.

For all I hear in dealing with the management of our country in particular our oil and gas sector is reminiscent of h i s m a s t e r ’s v o i c e , w h e r e the clever puppeteers behind the screen manipulate and direct the puppets in high

office.

So with Christmas coming when figures show from oil and gas alone, each family should earn an additional half of a million dollars per month.

We dole out a pittance which goes back into the pockets of the mercantile class who with few exceptions support the PPP. If the Government is to be true to its lofty words they should first make all education free from kindergarten to University and be provided a credible health service where ordinary folks can obtain quality medicines and service and not either go abroad or die.

I borrow the wisdom from the Prophet by Khalil Gibran “ Pity the Nation that acclaims the bully as hero and deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.”

We must resist this return to the savagery of slavery and the indignity of indentureship. Thank God for an independent media.

Sincerely Hamilton Green Elder

Kaieteur News

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Friday November 24, 2023

KN Commended for apprising nation on border controversy DEAR EDITOR Thank you for publishing the many missives and news reports that keep us well informed and updated on Ve n e z u e l a ’s c l a i m t o legitimate territory that belongs to Guyana. Articles (commentaries) have proliferated in your (and other) media on the subject or controversy in recent months; the controversy has been making news over the last seven years.

As a result of these news items and letters or epistles, the public (as well as the world) has gotten a better understanding of the history of the border controversy and how it was initially resolved. Your reportage helps readers to understand how as well as why the conflict raised its ugly head to now reappear in the world court. The public too can now make an informed,

unbiased decision about which country has a legitimate and rightful claim to Essequibo.

The contemporary availability of so much information in your media about the evolution of the border controversy and its expected resolution at the ICJ is a far cry from the early 1980s when I and other academics studied and wrote about the dispute. One can now write MA theses and PhD dissertations as well as required course papers on the controversy with the amount of literature on the subject in the public domain.

There was a paucity of research information about the border controversy thru the 1980s and even into the 2000s when I was researching it as part of my course work in international politics.

When I was doing a

degree in Political Science in the early 1980s, majoring in International Relations, two required courses were International Law 1 and 2 taken in succeeding semesters. Prof Martha Zebrowski of Columbia University taught the courses. My grass roots activ is ts and freedom fighters colleagues Baytoram Ramharack and Vassan Ramracha took the courses before me as they were my seniors in the CCNY program. Topics studied included border controversies conflicts, among other issues (including international trade and business) that appeared before the World Court and or international agencies for resolution.

There were many court cases and arbitration rulings that appeared in international law books.

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy, among others were discussed and was written about in the required text book in Int’l Law and in books on IR. Written research papers and oral presentations were required for the law courses I took.

My paper was on the Guyana b o r d e r c o n t r o v e r s y.

Materials were almost impossible for this topic as not much was available in journals in libraries. Access to arbitration ruling of 1898 was also not available in the libraries I visited. The Guyana Embassy and Consulate were not helpful; t h e y d i d n ’t h a v e a n y materials on the conflict and themselves were not au fait on the subject. Guyanese Kester Alves employed at the UN mission, who was on a Burnham scholarship at NYU when Ramharack and I were PhD students, made

promises to assist with materials but did not deliver.

Contacts at the UN were helpful but information was limited. I had to scour several libraries and books to gather information.

Employed as an assistant at the college library at CCNY, I browsed the index of books o n i n t e r n a t i o n a l l a w, Presidents Grover Cleveland and William McKinley, and other Presidents as well as several British PMs who made references to Guyana.

That helped me to gather enough materials to pen a reasonable research paper and to understand the dispute and to make an objective presentation of the controversy.

The public today has access to several MA research papers (thesis) as well as books on the dispute in addition to the original arbitration judgment. They

are very informative and well written. These publications have been summarized and or paraphrased in your courageous paper in several articles by excellent writers making for easier comprehension of the border controversy. These writings should be collected and collated by the Foreign Ministry and packaged— made quickly available to individuals or international organizations and our Caricom partners to present our case on why Essequibo is ours.

Thank you for carrying these articles without which the nation would have been poorer in knowledge of the Venezuela border claim and t h e c o n t r o v e r s y. Yo u r patriotism and nationalism are saluted.

Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram

Church group calls for There has been a decrease in femicides this year national unity against Venezuela’s aggression when compared with the DEAR EDITOR Zadok Ministers Fellowship notes the escalation of Venezuela’s aggression in its unlawful c l a i m t o G u y a n a ’s Essequibo Region. We are firmly of the view that Guyana’s border with Venezuela was legally and internationally decided by a tribunal of arbitration in 1899 in what was determined then to be a full, perfect, and final settlement.

The Fellowship views Venezuela’s actions as an illegitimate attempt to disrupt our peaceful way of life.

We commend the strong united approach between the Government of Guyana and the Opposition, and indeed, all the peoples of Guyana on this singular vision and goal - defending G uyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Fellowship is aware and conscious that the planned December 3

Referendum by Venezuela can create fear and uneasiness in our country.

Therefore, we call for civility and the sensible creation, use, and dissemination of videos, flyers, posters, and statements on social media and other media platforms.

We urge vigilance and for fact-checking to be done so that we do not feed the spirit of fear and fear-mongering.

We strongly condemn propaganda that seeks to i n c i t e w a r, v i o l e n c e , xenophobia, discrimination, ethnic tension, and inhumane behavior.

Zadok Ministers Fellowship recognizes and embraces the International Court of Justice as the only competent institution for a peaceful, legal, permanent, and final settlement of the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy. God is more than able to deliver and protect Guyana from all dangers. The Holy

Scriptures in Hebrews 12:14 places an obligation and responsibility on all human beings to “make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy…”.

We therefore call upon all Christian brothers and sisters to pray for Guyana to continue on its path of peace and prosperity.

Finally, we believe that this current situation creates an opportunity for our people to come together as Guyanese and break down racial and ethnic barriers as we embrace our nation’s motto of One People, One Nation, One Destiny. In this regard, we support the Government’s call for National Unity in defending our territorial sovereignty for every blade of grass within the 83,000 square m i l e s o f G u y a n a ’s internationally established boundaries.

Sincerely Zadok Ministers Fellowship

same period last year

DEAR EDITOR, This year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is being observed under the theme “Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”.

This is befitting and timely given the ongoing situation in Guyana.

Still recovering from the ravages of the Covid 19 pandemic, many relationships are now faced with the realities of the aftermath, in particular loss of employment and or income for many households, particularly those with a single income.

This among other situations encountered, including the death of breadwinners and lack of alternative support systems, has led to considerable stresses on all members of households, contributing to the intensification and escalation of conflicts.

The lack of knowledge of effective approaches to resolving these conflicts has led to an increase in abusive behaviour.

Covid 19 also brought new challenges to the dynamics of violence against women and girls. At Help &

Shelter, our face-to-face services have remained constant but we have seen an increase in persons accessing our hotlines services owing to easier accessibility to much needed psychosocial services.

There has been a decrease in femicides this year when compared with the same period last year.

T h i s , f r o m o u r observation is indicative of women making the decision to leave abusive relationships.

But this has given rise to issue of homelessness, which is evident in about 40% of cases engaging the attention of Help & Shelter.

In keeping with this year’s theme, we wish to propose a few initiatives that would be of benefit to women and girls: the establishment of safe spaces in as many communities as possible; subsidised access to affordable housing for women and children affected by violence; care services for children of single working mothers; suicide ideation intervention programmes for schools; continuous training for essential service

providers; conflict resolution engagement sessions and greater access to alcohol and drug rehabilitation programmes for male perpetrators.

Alcohol and drug abuse has become endemic in Guyana and is a major contributing factor to violence against women and girls.

Help & Shelter applauds all the efforts made by government and civil society to make a difference in the lives of women and girls. This year, we have been able through support from the Government of Canada and U N F PA t o o f f e r o u r services in Regions 1 and 9, and with kind contributions of the private sector and individuals to extend our counselling services to Region 6, Berbice.

W e w i s h t o acknowledge the government and citizens of Guyana for their invaluable support of our work over the years and look forward to strengthening relations as we work collectively to rid our society of the scourge of violence against women and girls.

Yours faithfully, Help & Shelter

T N U L B . . .

T B N U T L N T B .

U .

L .

L T B .

N .

U .

N U T L N B .

U .

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L N T U N B .

N U .

L U L LUNT. B .

T . .

T T N N B U B .

U .

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L T B .

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B . .

L . . .

T B T . .

N .

N T U L N LU B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

T Essequibo B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

U L NT LUNT...B belongs N B . .

U . to L T B N . .

B .

U . .

T L .

N T B . .

U N .

L N T B Guyana!

U N . .

L .

U T L B . .

N B . . .

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L N T B U . .

L .

UN T B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

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L B U UN .BLUNT. . .

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T B . .

N .

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

“All of us as one Guyana understand clearly that Essequibo belongs to Guyana; there is no doubt about that…We have to ensure that we don’t allow statements coming out of Venezuela to drive fear among us. Although we are of the opinion that Venezuela will not act recklessly, we cannot be unprepared.

We have to ensure that we do everything within our own environment to secure our environment,” President Irfaan Ali - November 23, 2023

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Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

‘Put housing scamps on blast’ - VP Bharrat Jagdeo Following a barrage of allegations on social media about corrupt practices at the Ministry of Housing and Water, the government agency is urging anyone affected by the scandal to report it to the agency and the police.

Earlier this week, social activist Melissa Atwell, known publicly as “Melly Mel,” published a series of posts on social media platform Facebook, exposing multiple instances of corruption at the Housing Ministry. On Thursday, the ministry said it received reports on allegations of corruption at the agency involving its employees, relating to housing matters.

In light of the allegations, the ministry said it is “committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and service” in the execution of its mandate in the housing sector. The agency said it “take these allegations with utmost seriousness.”

“We encourage anyone

with solid evidence of such corrupt activities to come forward and report it immediately to the Guyana Police Force, the Ministers or the Permanent Secretary,” the ministry said. It noted that all information the agency receives regarding corrupt practices will be treated with strict confidence and will be used in its internal investigations. “We are committed to thoroughly investigating any genuine reports of misconduct within the Ministry,” the entity said.

The ministry said it will not condone any form of unethical behaviour or corruption, adding that any of its employees who is “found to be engaging in corrupt transactions will face serious disciplinary action and also the full force of the law, where appropriate.”

In light of the allegations, the ministry noted too that it has intensified “monitoring of the activities in the areas highlighted to ensure that all procedures are strictly

followed.” As a reminder, the Housing Ministry said that all applications for house lots are processed directly at agency and its regional offices by authorized employees. “The Ministry does not have any middlemen or external agents who are authorized to conduct business on its behalf,” the agency noted.

M e a n w h i l e , Vi c e President Bharrat Jagdeo while addressing the issue at a press conference on Thursday said that there are “a lot of scams” and many people have been duped.

Jagdeo noted that there are professional scammers around. He said reports of such scams should be reported to the police. He also advised affected people to “put it on social media,” noting that he doesn’t have a problem with the latter move, since it will be investigated by the authorities.

The Vice President said it would be illegal for anyone to approach another person

with monies for a house lot.

“So anyone who comes with a fantastic thing to you, saying I can help you get it, is committing an illegal act,” he said. Jagdeo reiterated that house lot applicants must transact business for house lots at the Housing Ministry, noting that he was approached by persons while on visits to communities who claimed they applied since 2014 for lots. He said he redirected them to the ministry and their applications were successful.

This week Atwell created a stir on Facebook after she posted numerous instances where people claimed they paid sums ranging from $200,000 to $1.5M for house lots to middlemen working within the Ministry of Housing. In some cases, the complaints included video evidence as well as screenshots of WhatsApp chats with the perpetrators at the ministry whom they accused of collecting monies for house lots.

Friday November 24, 2023

Canje businessman suffers millions in losses as fire ravages furniture store, home A Canje businessman is now counting his losses after a fire of unknown origin ravaged his joinery shop and gutted his home on Wednesday night.

Deodad Kikchand, 52, operated the furniture establishment from his Lot 61, Cane Field Settlement, East Canje, Berbice home for over 30 years. Seven people were occupying the two-bedroom residence with him.

According to reports, the businessman’s sister was on the veranda around 21:30hrs on Wednesday evening when she observed flames at the rear of the house; she quickly alerted the other occupants of the home.

The raging inferno awoke the businessman and upon investigating, he observed that the fire had started in his joinery shop.

Public spirited neighbors formed a bucket brigade and were able to get the blaze under control, even as they awaited the arrival of members of the Guyana Fire Service. The firemen reportedly took some time to arrive, even though they

were contacted immediately after the flames were observed. Luckily the firemen were able to stop the flames from spreading to properties nearby.

The businessman, whose property was uninsured, is estimating his loss to be in the millions, but he is thankful that his family is saved. “Me had a lot of furniture at the back deh [in the joiner shop], and since yesterday me bin ah calculate the day... me seh me ah carry dem bond but dis happen, me can’t do nothing because when me make furniture, meh does carry them in the big bond but me nah get to carry dem.”

Meanwhile, luckily for Kikchand several pieces of furniture which were inside a bond at the time of the blaze were not damaged.

“Me gon gah start back fresh, got to start back fresh.

Meh got to try and see what me can do and keep going again because that is what I depend on, “the distraught man revealed.

The Guyana Fire Service is yet to ascertain the origin of the fire.

Jagdeo rebukes fear...

From page 3 claimed that on Friday morning, a Guyana Defence Force helicopter touched down in the community with about six soldiers. She learnt that they had held a meeting with the police in the community but residents are unaware of the nature of the meeting.

The woman further stated that she was informed that business persons are looking to close down their operation and possibly leave the community. She noted however, that she would not do such, since she has millions invested through her business. “This is not fair for we, it is really heartrending,” she expressed.

Speaking on the Venezuelan border issue on Saturday at a press conference, President Irfaan Ali told the media that his government is taking all necessary steps to ensure the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty is protected at all times. “I would say to residents that we are ensuring that we take all necessary steps we are taking all actions to ensure that our territorial integrity and sovereignty is protected at all times even after December 3 that we are not taking anything lightly but we are confident that we would be able to have a situation where our territory is secured and our sovereignty and territorial integrity is intact,” he commented. He added that he wants to ensure too “that they too rely on the structured agency to have their information set and I know for sure the Police and the Guyana Defence Force are engaging those residents continuously ensuring that they are reassured of our presence.” rd

Kaieteur News

Friday November 24, 2023

PAGE 09

Jagdeo and improving neo-liberalism Wikileaks has also released the contents of a diplomatic cable, dated 7th December 2005, detailing an informal meeting held a few days earlier between then President Bharrat Jagdeo, the then Charge de Affairs of the United States Embassy and its Political Affairs Officer.

In the cable, Jagdeo is reported as admitting that “neo-liberalism has noat worked in the region”. By region Jagdeo was referring to Latin America. However, according to the embassy officials Jagdeo went on to state that he and other Latin American Leaders, with Chavez as an exception, accept that a model based on the private sector is the only solution for achieving economic development.

While admitting that lots of ordinary people feel that neo-liberalism was causing greater poverty in society, Jagdeo nonetheless concluded that the neoliberal model can be improved.

The contents of that meeting between Jagdeo and US embassy officials should put to rest the debate as to whether Jagdeo is a neoliberalist and that a private sector-dominated economy is the one that he has chosen for Guyana.

The contents of that meeting should equally dispel the idea that the PPPC is wedded to the working class.

Neoliberalism is an economic and political ideology that emerged in the mid-20th century.

It advocates for freemarket capitalism, deregulation of the economy, trade liberalization such as the reduction of tariffs, open foreign exchange markets

and privatization of government enterprises.

Neo-liberalism is premised on the idea that as the economy improves the benefits will trickle down to the poor. However, the experience in Latin America and Sub-Sahara Africa is that inequality increased under neoliberalism.

Jagdeo’s model of neoliberalism is based on the idea that if you take care of the rich, the benefits will flow down eventually to the poor and that the government can attenuate the social effects of rising inequality by investing more in social services – such as education, health, housing, and water. Such an approach to “improving’ neoliberalism has not worked anywhere in the world, and it certainly has not worked in Guyana.

Jagdeo’s attempt at reforming neo-liberalism has led to the widening in Guyana of the gap between a small, powerful oligarchic bourgeois class and the middle class.

While the middle class has expanded under the PPPC, it was bound to do so given the migration of the bulk of this class during the late 1970’s and 1980s. But while the middle class has expanded, the gap between it and the bourgeois class has also widened.

Jagdeo was the architect of the creation of a new oligarchic class. He was prepared to create this new class at the expense of then economic elites. Speaking at the GDF’s annual officers conference in 2007, he is reported to have said, “I would help the new emerging private sector, not the fossils who grew up in the past and want to live off government patronage. I am

not helping them.”

The gap between the middle class and the poorer classes or the proletariat also widened. Indeed, while poverty was reduced, more than half of the population are still deemed to be poor based on a new income line for highincome countries. The mandate of improving neoliberalism is not limited to social programmes for the poor. As we have seen, it also involved support to the emerging oligarchic class. The poor therefore should disabuse themselves of the notion that improving neo-liberalism only means helping the poor. The wages of neo-liberalism is poverty. Jagdeo understood clearly the effects of neoliberalism in Latin America.

Yet, he believes that the system can be ‘improved’ to deliver benefits to the working class.

Under neo-liberalism, crumbs are thrown at the working class while the bourgeois class and the middle class hog the bulk of economic benefits. Rising inequality is conspicuous today because of Jagdeo’s neo-liberal policies.

As a result, the country is a ticking time bomb – open class conflict is going to erupt eventually because of this rising inequality.

The PPP once subscribed to a workingclass ideology and economic philosophy because its founders understood that you cannot suck cane and whistle at the same time.

Yo u c a n n o t b e a government of the bourgeois class and yet claim to be aligned with the working class.

Guyanese are presently worried about the external threat posed by Venezuela.

But they should be more

DEM BOYS SEH

People frighten fuh go shopping Dese days, coming home from wuk feels like preparing for a survival mission. People used to saunter out, fresh from the grind, to dem supermarkets, to pick up a likkle shopping, maybe a pack of toilet paper and some lil condiments fuh cook with, and sancks fuh dem children. But, oh boy, times have changed.

Nowadays, yuh can’t just pop out to de supermarket without a fullscale battle plan. It’s like preparing fuh de unexpected. Yuh never know when dem bandits gan invade.

These bandits ain’t got no respect. Dey waiting like vultures as soon as twilight start to attack. And dem targeting dem Chinese supermarkets.

Now, normally, yuh would look to de police to deal with dis kinda madness. But it seems like de police busy dealing with some kinda invisible crime wave or training a squad of crime-fighting kittens. Dem bandits running amok, and de police need to step up their game.

Everybody wants a peaceful holiday season.

We got Venezuela breathing

down we neck, and that’s enough stress on its own.

We can’t be dealing with bandits turning our supermarkets into Wild West showdowns. We need some law and order, not chaos and Oreos flying off the shelves.

So, dear police force, the public counting on you to bring some order to de chaos, because right now, going to buy groceries feels more dangerous than a game of Russian roulette in a carnival. It’s time to show dem bandits that de only thing in stock is justice.

Talk half. Leff half

worried about the internal threat which is being posed

by Jagdeo’s neo-liberal policies which is allowing the rich to cream off and hogg the benefits of the petrostate economy, leaving the poor to grovel for crumbs and hope that somehow the

nectar of oil riches will trickle down to them.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Friday November 2023 Monday May 02,24, 2022

H@RD TRUTHS Putting heads together for a better Guyana T BY GHK LALL

S

UTH

D TR

HAR

HK

BY G

L

LAL

wo heads are better than one.

Where the reservoir of the thinking of a nation is narrowed to one head, [along with other heads that are committed to thinking identically], I admit that some value could be had, but much more could be lost.

Or, to put in another way, when all men think alike, then no one thinks at all.

Now, since Guyanese at many levels are now culturally inclined like never before to mimic American expressions, attitudes, and ways, I do my part and deliver what suits the occasion. I give the four-

eyes principle. Consider it a Thanksgiving Week gift.

The four-eyes principle is about risk management, and then some more. It could be about bringing minds together to reap the benefits of collective experience (pluses and minuses), and collective wisdom, regardless of how

tenuous the latter may be. I am a strong believer that to get to a desired state of management by consensus, there first must be the trials of management by conflict.

When challenges and roadblocks in the way are not shrunk from, but bring about engagement(s), then breakthroughs could come

about. When hotly disputed issues are sifted through vigorously, the result that comes from such refinements are usually on the upside.

When issues are ventilated honestly, the company is put in a better position, better equipped to deal with any eventuality.

The same applies to a country with all of its myriad of circumstances, and when handled right through many hands and many eyes, the people are better for what results.

Though neither foolproof or absolute, I believe it is worth a try. I have been there, and lived through what comes from the blending of minds. After the storms of conversation, a calm road could be ahead; one that is also progressive.

Where am I going with all this? How does this apply here? What could all of this mean for a place like Guyana groping for strength and sagacity in many areas?

There is an urgent need for proper and robust oil management.

Governance credibility could use a massive facelift.

Systems and practices that are subjected to constant rigor (enhancement) is a must. Neutralizing the Venezuelan crisis has to rank as the highest priority.

Discovering and settling for that combination of activities that balances prudence with a controlled appetite for risk must be part of the leadership mindset.

Last, in this snapshot of components, is knowing when to be aggressive and when to be defensive, and that which has as its primary objective the maximizing of returns from what is in hand, by how such is put to work.

Who and what do we have that could lead us to the starting gate for achieving movement of standing in these areas?

Here we have the presence of four men. Two are older than me, one is a handful of years younger, the last could be a son. All four have held (or hold) the mantle of head of state in this country.

No matter how limited, or questionable they are individually, none of them older or younger should be seen as so far gone, so off the beaten track, and so out of it, that they have nothing to

offer that could help Guyana.

Not a party and its constituency, but a country and its circle of citizenry. It is my unmoving position, that political elders (and there is a fifth one) are a repository of extensive sums of attributes that have the potential for untold positives for this country. I make room for biases, I acknowledge their histories, some stormy and less than endearing. But this is a Guyanese reality that should be explored and utilised in an authentic fashion.

We lament the need for capacity.

I point to what is in hand politically, and no matter how flawed, in its collective it has to be better than a maverick roaming the plains alone. The territory is tough, even tortured. It is also treacherous. A trio or quartet of ‘ole heads’ as part of a team of navigators can only aid to a better way. After all, I read somewhere that ‘mistakes are the nursery of new ideas.’ By God! We have had our share of mistakes; yet there is this sturdy resistance to any new idea. It is a self-destructive fear that just would not let go.

Our assets are finite and of a depleting nature. Our human assets have been through a gauntlet of fire, which should have resulted in some burnishing, however minimal. Human assets are not eternal. It would be the height of governance and national wisdom, therefore, to seek to obtain the best from this dormant but vital presence that could contribute so much to Guyanese. Oh! One more thing: what could be more of ‘One Guyana’ than that, especially when there is reconciliation with one’s own. The latter could be taken literally and then more a d v e n t u r o u s l y. H a p p y Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping to all, including our American brethren. This is personal, has nothing to do with business.

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

Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Friday November 24, 2023

One-third of the region’s population is living in poverty - ECLAC says in new report In 2022, the percentage of people living in poverty fell to 29% of Latin America’s population (181 million people), 1.2 percentage points lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic began, while extreme poverty declined to 11.2% of the region’s population (70 million people), remaining at levels similar to 2019, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) reported on Thursday.

The report Social Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean 2023: Labour inclusion as a key axis of inclusive social development – presented by E C L A C ’s E x e c u t i v e Secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs – also points up the reduction of income inequality as measured by the Gini index, along with the recovery in employment.

Nonetheless, ECLAC warns that the GDP growth rate forecast for 2023 in Latin America and the Caribbean (1.7%), which is significantly lower than the 3.8% seen in 2022 and could even slow to 1.5% in 2024, means that further improvements to poverty in the region are not anticipated for this year.

“Although we point to the reduction of poverty in 2022, there is no reason to celebrate. More than 180 million people in our region do not have enough income to meet their basic needs, and 70 million of them lack the income needed to acquire a basic food basket. In total, nearly one-third of the region’s population is living in poverty, a percentage that rises to 42.5% in the case of children and adolescents – a reality we cannot tolerate.

The incidence of poverty is also higher among women, the indigenous population and people who live in rural areas,” indicated José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, ECLAC’s highest authority.

According to the report, job creation between 2014 and 2023 hit its lowest level since the 1950s. In 2020, during the pandemic, job creation fell by 8.2%, marking the only decline recorded in the last 70 years.

Among the 292 million people employed in the region, 1 out of every 2 has an informal job, nearly onefifth lives in poverty, 4 in 10 (Continued on page 19)

Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

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Petroleum Activities Law Pt. 10

Government preserves right to participate in development of oil blocks

By Kiana Wilburg According to Guyana’s Petroleum Activities Law, any agency of the State, or any company wholly or partially owned by the State shall have the right to acquire on the same terms as those proposed by a licensee, such rights or portion thereof as a licensee proposes to transfer.

This provision which allows for the State to participate in the development of oil blocks is critical for several reasons.

Industry experts have informed Kaieteur News that state participation is critical from a financial standpoint. In addition to getting royalties

and taxes from an oil company, a state agency can get a greater share of the profits if authorities elect to be a participant in the development and production of the oil.

If for example the State elects to have a 20 percent participation interest, it would therefore have access to 20 percent of the revenues.

It must also cover 20 percent of the exploration, development and production costs too. Direct participation also allows a government to have a say in how its natural resources are managed by oil companies. In other words, it allows the administration to have a seat at the discussion

table with oil companies. This allows the State to have a say on what costs can be sunk and at what period.

It also gives the State an opportunity to scrutinize the costs before they are incurred.

By participating in oil blocks, states can also foster the development of related industries, such as petrochemicals, refining, and downstream activities. This diversification can create jobs and spur economic growth.

Involvement in the oil sector can also lead to the development of local expertise and technology.

In fact, collaboration with international oil companies

often includes technology transfer and training, which can benefit the local workforce and industry. Additionally, state participation can ensure that oil extraction activities are conducted responsibly, with due consideration for environmental protection and social welfare. Governments can even enforce regulations to mitigate the negative impacts of oil exploration and production.

Overall, state participation in oil blocks can be an effective mechanism in balancing economic benefits, ensuring resource management, and managing environmental concerns.

Kaieteur News

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Friday November 24, 2023

‘Any aggressive acts by Venezuela will not go unpunished’ - Jagdeo warns Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo has warned Ve n e z u e l a t h a t a n y aggressive actions will not go unpunished as he reasserts this country’s sovereignty over the Essequibo.

“We are working to ensure that we can deter [Venezuela] first of all; to ensure that they don’t miscalculate and think that coming here or trying to take any aggressive actions will go unpunished…” Jagdeo who is also a two-term

former President told a news conference on Thursday.

According to Jagdeo, Guyana enjoys the support in of the international community as it seeks to resolve the border controversy peaceably at the level of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“I see calls about peace in the region. We have never threatened the peace.

Venezuela has been an aggressive country; threatening peace.

Venezuela has threatened

our border. They have threatened to annex our t e r r i t o r y. T h e y h a v e threatened to leave the peaceful means of settling this border issue, which is the ICJ. Which is, in most civilised countries, and in a civilize world, that’s what people do. They have chosen unilaterally to repudiate the 1899 Award, and then try to paint themselves as victims,” the Vice President pointed out.

Mr. Jagdeo said that while the planned

Venezuelan Referendum is being seen by some as a political tactic by the Venezuelan Government to round-up support ahead of the 2024 Elections, Guyana must put systems in place to protect its borders. “People say to us they are doing this because of the internal politics. We can’t just think that this is internal politics without taking all possible measures to protect our country including working with others and all the options available to us to defend our country will be pursued, every option,” he said.

He warned Venezuela against any further acts of

a g g r e s s i o n ; t h e Vi c e President reminded that Guyana has secured the support of CARICOM, the OAS, the Commonwealth and a number of bilateral

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

partners including the United States of America and the United Kingdom. “…They are now isolated much more of they try anything,” Jagdeo stated.

Kaieteur News

Friday November 24, 2023

‘Quicksilver’ sentenced to life for raping woman during home invasion

Section of the Hydronie Market.

(Photo courtesy of GPF)

$419M more to construct Hydronie Market The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is estimating that $419,440,780 more is needed to complete phase two of the Hydronie Market construction project.

At the recent opening of tenders at the N a t i o n a l P r o c u r e m e n t a n d Te n d e r Administration Board (NPTAB) office, it was revealed that the ministry was seeking contractors to complete phase two of the project which has been divided into three lots.

On November 7, bids were opened for the first lot in this phase, which saw three contractors bidding. The trio is Builders Hardware General Supplies & Construction ($295,112,950), Panko Steel Fabrication & Construction ($210,585,100), and Industrial Fabrication Inc ($239,687,003). This lot is estimated to cost $178,278,650.

As it relates to Lot Two which opened on Thursday, two contractors have applied. They are Zeco Group of Services Inc. ($193,118,600) and Randolph’s Welding & Fabrication & Spares Establishment ($121,325,382).

Lot Three also opened on Thursday and

the same two firms bid for the contract and submitted the identical bid price submitted in Lot Two. These two lots, according to the ministry’s engineer are estimated to cost $120,581,065 each.

The upgrade of the Hydronie Market began last year following a visit by President Irfaan Ali who engaged vendors at several markets in Region Three.

During his visit to the Parika/Hydronie market area, the President committed to having the market space improved so that vendors can properly and comfortably ply their trade.

President Ali said that one of the improvements the vendors could expect is the repurposing of one of two ball-fields in the area for the creation of a massive tarmac.

Works on the tarmac began in August 2022 and that project was aimed at easing congestion and improving the facilities for vendors and citizens using the market area.

The construction of the tarmac was estimated to cost some $139 million.

Kaieteur News understands that as part of the initial set of works at the market, a new shed was constructed.

3 persons arrested for Mahaica woman’s murder Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum has confirmed that three persons have been detained for questioning in relation to the brutal murder of Chooromantie Tulsie, also called “Anita” of Unity, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Tulsie was found dead around 08:00hrs on Wednesday in the bottom flat of her home with her mouth gagged and a knife stuck in her throat.

Recent developments are that the woman’s handbag and keys to her house are missing. Relatives also believe that her five-year-

PAGE 15

old- son who was found locked in the upper flat of the house might have witnessed her killing.

Kaieteur News understands that the woman was last seen alive around 19:00hrs on Tuesday. The individual who discovered t h e w o m a n ’s r e m a i n s recalled that they went to pay Tulsie a visit. The individual called out for her but received no response.

However, as the individual was about leave, the woman’s son was seen at a window in the upper flat of the house.

People at the scene

Murdered, Chooromantie Tulsie immediately broke a doorlock to get to the child and afterwards, they ventured to the bottom flat where Tulsie’s lifeless remains were found.

A convicted burglar known as ‘Quicksilver’ was on Thursday sentenced to life in prison for raping a woman at knifepoint after breaking into her home.

Dinesh Seepersaud of Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six will be eligible for parole after spending 14 years in jail. Not only was he sentenced for the rape but he received an additional five years for burglarizing the woman’s home and stealing $42,000. Seepersaud was tried at the Berbice High Court and on Thursday Justice Sandil Kissoon handed down sentence in the case. The convicted rapist had reportedly raped the woman in November 2020.

According to reports the man had broken into the woman’s house and raped her at knife point. He then ransacked her home and escaped with $42,000 cash.

Seepersaud, a resident of Corentyne, had forcefully entered the woman’s residence, subjecting her to a harrowing ordeal while holding her at knifepoint.

Kaieteur News understands that the judge said that he handed down the life sentence to the accused because he wants to send a strong message to those who might want to commit the same crime.

Sentenced to life for raping woman at knife point

Kaieteur News

PAGE 16

Friday November 24, 2023

Guyana can get 100% of electricity needs from renewable energy - IEA report

A

r e c e n t International Energy Agency (IEA) report focusing on the role of the oil and gas industry in the NetZero Transition (NZE) emphasizes that a fourgigawatt renewable project could surpass the combined electricity output of emerging oil producers Guyana, Suriname, and Senegal.

Published ahead of COP28, the report notes significant oil and gas discoveries in these nations and highlights Guyana’s advanced progress in this direction, with substantial offshore reserves. The report highlighted that the new producer economies examined have all seen large oil and gas discoveries in recent years and have announced major plans to develop them in the coming years.

The IEA report states that despite growing domestic consumption, the prospects for new projects hinge

mainly on exports, and their economics are very sensitive to the pace of global energy transitions. In the Announced Pledges Scenario (APS) and NZE Scenario it was stated that new large-scale oil and gas projects would face major commercial risks and they may struggle to generate any real income.

To this end, it was stated that none of the countries examined have universal access to energy today, but it is achieved in full by 2030 in the NZE Scenario; this would require less than US$2 billion annual investments to 2030.

Additionally, the report proposes developing a hydrogen production industry to lay the foundation for various industrial advancements, contributing to emissions reduction. It was stated that the output of a 4 GW renewable project could exceed the total electricity generation in Guyana, Senegal, and Suriname. The

The IEA Report

IEA said that in order to get projects moving it will take a strongly collaborative mindset, both internationally

and within countries.

Furthermore, the position of Guyanese leaders has been that even with

ramped up oil production Guyana will remain on a carbon negative path. In fact, during a recent summit, President Irfaan Ali reaffirmed the nation’s unwavering commitment to maintaining a carbonnegative trajectory, even with the anticipated deployment of 10 Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs) in its burgeoning oil sector.

Guyana’s Head of State’s bold promise underlines his administration’s position as a country endowed with abundant natural resources and a steadfast dedication to environmental preservation.

Moreover, it should be noted that the Government of Guyana recently published a draft National Gas Monetization Strategy that was created by Former Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) Energy Minister, Kevin Ramnarine.

Guyana is actively pursuing the use of natural gas in the Liza One and Liza Two fields for the Gas-to-

Energy (GTE) project.

ExxonMobil Guyana will fund a 12-inch pipeline for transporting the resource to Wales, where a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant will treat and separate the gas for use in the power plant.

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) had stated that the gas strategy is part of a pivotal roadmap and also serves as a vital tool for Guyana to make informed decisions regarding the utilisation of its gas resources.

H o w e v e r, f r o m a n analysis of the document, it is evident that the strategy leaves much to be desired in terms of concrete, achievable steps for gas monetization. In fact, during a recent press conference, Vice President (VP), Bharrat Jagdeo, who previously expressed enthusiasm about the strategy, conceded that there are several known issues with the 43-page strategy before labeling the document as a “discussion paper.”

Wanted man found dead at Two Points Landing Murdered, William Hendricks

Police on Thursday said that it is investigating the murder of a wanted man at Eruma Backdam, Two Points Landing, Cuyuni River, Region Seven.

The man has been identified as William Hendricks. He was killed around 17:00 hrs on Thursday. A security guard, according to police, called the Bartica Police Station and told ranks there that he had found Hendricks’ body on a trail with multiple stab wounds to his body. Detectives have visited the scene and are conducting investigations.

Police had issued a wanted bulletin for Hendricks in October for robbery under arms, illegal firearm possession and narcotic possession.

Kaieteur News

Friday November 24, 2023

PAGE 17

US defense officials heading to Guyana - as Govt. pushes back against Venezuela’s aggression Two teams from the United States Department of Defence are due here next week as Guyana intensifies its push back against threats from Venezuela that has launched a referendum aimed at getting a mandate from its citizens to annex the Essequibo Region.

Speaking to residents in the border community of Mabaruma on Thursday, President Irfaan Ali announced that two teams from the US Department of Defence would be paying two visits to Guyana next week and several other visits are planned for December.

Ali said too that the Guyana Police Force in particular is doing a lot of work “behind the scenes” to analyse intelligence gathered. “We are going to plan for all

emphasised, “We are not going to succumb to Venezuela’s bullyism,” clarifying that Guyana is focused on protecting its sovereignty through diplomatic means. He stressed that the ongoing border controversy with Ve n e z u e l a s h o u l d b e resolved peacefully in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Asserting global support, Jagdeo reminded of the backing from organizations like CARICOM, the Commonwealth, and the Organisation of the American States (OAS), along with major nations such as the United Kingdom (UK).

Moreover, Guyana is currently awaiting the ruling of the ICJ on its request for

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

eventualities…We are not going to succumb to Venezuela’s bullyism,” the Guyana leader told residents.

Also speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo also affirmed Guyana’s commitment to peace and also mentioned the upcoming visits by the teams from the US Department of Defence.

Jagdeo announced that, in preparation for potential scenarios, Guyana is exploring various options and actively engaging with allies. He said in addition to the two teams from the United States Department of Defense several other visits have been planned in the m o n t h o f D e c e m b e r.

Emphasizing Guyana’s steadfast pursuit of peace, particularly at its borders, Jagdeo reiterated the government’s dedication to exploring all available m ea s u r es f o r n at i o n a l defense. Addressing concerns about potential aggression, VP Jagdeo

provisional measures that would block questions relating to the annexation of the Essequibo territory in the upcoming December 3 referendum by the Venezuelan government.

Remain calm Meanwhile, President Ali urged residents of Mabaruma and the border communities in Region One Barima Waini to remain calm in the face of aggression emanating from neighbouring Venezuela.

During the visit to the region on Thursday, the President heard concerns raised by residents over Ve n e z u e l a ’s n a t i o n a l referendum slated for December 3. The referendum is part of a tactic

by Venezuela to lay claim of Guyana’s Essequibo region and eventually annex 2/3 of the country.

However, Ali assured the residents at Kumaka in the Mabaruma sub-district that the government and the armed forces are working (Continued on page 22)

President Ali during his visit to border communities in Region 1 on Thursday.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Friday November 24, 2023

‘Bryan Max’ attackers identified as PPP/C councilors A bloodied Bryan Mackintosh

Investigators believe that two People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) councilors might be involved in Tuesday’s assault on Bryan Mackintosh popularly known as ‘Bryan Max.’ The car used in the attack, a Silver Grey New Model Toyota Allion bearing registration PAB 9128, is owned by one of the assailants.

Detectives at the Turkeyen Police Station are investigating the case.

The Social Media commentator was on Tuesday afternoon allegedly attacked and beaten by three men who were armed with baseball bats at UG Road, Greater Georgetown.

The alleged attack on Mackintosh happened one day after he was arrested for knocking down some traffic cones outside Freedom House on Monday during one of his Facebook live broadcasts.

Mackintosh in another live broadcast after his attack, said that he was buying some fried fish at a food stand on UG Road when a car pulled up. “A car pulled up right here, three guys with baseball bats came out and they were swift, they had the element of surprise and this is what they did to me” Mackintosh said as he displayed his battered face to his Facebook audience.

Evelyn Ramroop with one of her great grands

Berbice woman is 100 not out Warm birthday greetings flowed to the home of Evelyn Ramroop who celebrated her 100th birthday at her Palmyra, Berbice home with close friends and family on Thursday.

The former rice farmer was born in Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Region Six and grew up in Port Mourant before moving to Palmyra where she became involved in rice cultivation.

Regional Chairman, David Armagon on Thursday extended greetings to the centenarian.

Amargon said on his Facebook Page, “At her current age, Ramroop enjoys meeting people, chatting, and engaging in religious activities” and feasting on her favourite meal, “rice with any vegetables.”

Together with the Regional Chairman, Kaieteur News wishes Evelyn Ramroop a Happy Birthday.

Evelyn Ramroop (left) “cooking up a pot”.

Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

One-third of the region’s... CDB to intensify lobby for From page 12 have labour income below the minimum wage, and half does not contribute to pension systems, according to the Social Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean 2023.

A l t h o u g h improvements can be seen in certain labour market dimensions between 2020 and 2022, the region is living through a slowmotion crisis in terms of labour inclusion, which is understood to encompass not just labour market insertion but also the conditions in which employment is accessed in the labour market, the United Nations regional organization explains.

This means that while entering the paid labour market is vital, it is not enough to achieve labour inclusion.

Access to productive, well-paid jobs with access to social protection is needed, particularly for women and young people, ECLAC underscores.

In 2022, 54.2 million households in the region (39% of the total) depended exclusively on informal employment.

Furthermore, the majority of children (under 15 years of age) and people 65 years or older live in households that are either completely informal or mixed (61.2%).

And while income inequality fell in 2022 to levels below those recorded in 2019, it continues to be very high, the study

indicates.

In Latin America, the income of the highestincome decile (decile 10) is equivalent to 21 times more than that of the lowestincome decile (decile 10). In 2021, the wealth of 105 people alone represented nearly 9% of regional GDP, ECLAC emphasizes.

“The region remains caught in a double structural trap of low growth and high levels of poverty and inequality. Countries must move from labour market insertion to labour inclusion, which is the pillar of inclusive social development. But labour inclusion requires high and sustained economic growth.

It is not possible to create a better work future without creating a better production future, and vice versa,” José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs stressed during the presentation of the document, pointing to the close relationship between countries’ productive development policies, labour policies and social protection policies.

The report presented confirms that historical gender gaps in labour markets continue to persist.

While the labour participation rate of men was 74.5% in 2022, the rate for women was just 51.9% (a gap of 22.6 percentage points). Women also have higher unemployment rates (8.6% compared with 5.8% for men in 2022).

The main barrier to women’s labour inclusion is the burden of care work,

ECLAC says: the participation rate for women in households with children (61.6%) is below that of households without children (73.5%).

Domestic work, ECLAC notes, represents one of the main sources of employment for women in Latin America, but the average income earned by domestic workers is half of what is earned on average by employed women as a whole. In addition, the study indicates that migrants have increased their presence in the region’s labour markets, contributing to the economy and society in destination countries.

However, they tend to experience more difficulties for achieving labour inclusion, due to their more precarious and unstable labour conditions, which are worsened by the conditions associated with irregularity in migration status.

Finally, the Social Panorama 2023 indicates that central government social spending increased in response to the pandemic, peaking in 2020, but it has been declining since. In 2022, there was much heterogeneity across countries and subregions: three countries surpass 14.5% of GDP, while five others are below 10% of GDP. The challenge is to maintain growth in public social spending to give financial sustainability to policies for labour inclusion, the organization concludes.

increased climate finance for the Caribbean at COP 28

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will intensify its lobby for increased resources for Climate Action in the Region at the 28th Annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) scheduled November 30 December 12, 2023, at Expo City, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Bank will use the seminal summit to highlight the challenges the climate crisis is posing for the Caribbean and to advocate for global support to neutralise the threat.

CDB is also supporting the Caribbean’s climate agenda by partially financing the establishment of the CARICOM Pavilion, which will serve as a hub for regional interests at COP 28.

“The Caribbean Development Bank will again join forces with partner organisations from the Region to push for more definitive global action to address Climate Change.

Given our extreme vulnerability it is vital that our voices continue to be heard before, during, and after COP as we grapple with the reality of using scarce national resources to adapt to

the effects of climate change or recover from the loss and damage,” said the Bank’s President, Dr. Hyginus “Gene” Leon.

“We will continue to use the platform the Conference provides to highlight matters of greatest concern such as the urgent need for increased climate finance under more favourable terms, the importance of considering countries’ resilience and vulnerability in climate finance allocation mechanisms, and the level of support required to accelerate the Region’s transition to Sustainable Energy and Green Trade,” he added.

CDB will host several advocacy-focused sessions to increase awareness about key climate issues starting with a panel discussion on Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) Systems for Climate Finance Tracking, which is set for December 4, 2023, at the CARICOM Pavilion.

The discussion will explore how MRV systems can improve the management of climate financing, shape climate change policy, and improve data gathering.

Sustainable Energy will be on the front burner on December 5, 2023, when

CDB will launch its guidebook on the Minimum Regulatory Function (MRF) for the Energy Sector. The event will include an exposition of how an appropriate electricity sector governance framework can encourage investments in renewable energy and accelerate the Caribbean’s sustainable energy transition. It will be hosted in partnership with the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) at the IDB Pavilion of the Americas.

A panel on Accelerating the Caribbean Energy Transition will examine how the international development community can propel the Region’s sustainable energy transition by addressing barriers inhibiting investment and action.

The session, which is also scheduled for December 5, will be held at the CARICOM Pavilion. CDB, this time in collaboration with the Green Climate Fund, will also unveil a major new initiative aimed at incubating the Region’s Blue Economy.

The announcement will be made at a special event on December 1, 2023, at the Bahamas Pavilion.

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Friday November 24, 2023

Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

Guyana, other Caribbean countries urged to boost fight against dengue The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has noted the continued increase, over the past six months, in reports of suspected and confirmed cases of Dengue in the Caribbean region, especially in CARPHA Member States that have seen increased rainfall.

The associated risks and ripple effects must not be underestimated as outbreaks of Dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases like Zika and Chikungunya pose a significant threat to health, tourism, as well as social and economic development, CARPHA said in a release.

“Regional Health Security remains at the fore of CARPHA’s focus. In this regard, any public health threat, such as Dengue, that imperils the integrity of our regional response systems must be dealt with in a timely and effective manner and as such demands, that as the Caribbean community, we mobilize efforts to maximise efficiencies. Member States are encouraged to remain vigilant and flexible with their national work plans and available resources to maximise chances of successful responses. In 2023, four CARPHA Member States have reported Dengue outbreaks and trends are being monitored in others with subsets of all four Dengue

serotypes circulating across the region,” stated Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at CARPHA Dengue is known to cause outbreaks every three to five years. In the recent past, the seasonality of Dengue transmission in the Americas and the Caribbean has added to the record highs of total case numbers and complications. While 2019 was distinct for being the year with the highest number of reported Dengue cases in the Americas, it is very likely that 2023 will surpass that historic high. In 2023, up to epi-week 40, the Caribbean has noted a 15 percent increase in confirmed Dengue cases in CMS compared to a similar period in 2022.

Dr Horace Cox, Assistant Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control, and Head Vector Borne Diseases at CARPHA stated that: “The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads the virus, is present in all Caribbean territories.

Vulnerable populations in small island developing states, like the Caribbean, and continental states with low lying coastal regions, need to be better prepared and resilient in addressing the prevention and control of Dengue and other arboviral diseases”.

“Around our homes and communities, we need to ensure our surroundings are

clean and free of materials or containers that can accumulate water. We often overlook plant pot bases, vases, buckets and used vehicle tyres. These are typical breeding sites and should be checked frequently. Water storage drums and tanks must be properly covered and inspected periodically to ensure that there is no breeding. Roof gutters should also be cleaned.

Wire-mesh/screens on doors and windows also help in reducing the entry of mosquitoes into homes,” stated Mr. Rajesh Ragoo, Senior Technical Officer for Vector-Borne Diseases at CARPHA. The mosquitoes that spread Dengue are active during the day. Personal preventative measures to minimise mosquito bites are

also extremely important.

Vulnerable groups such as infants, young children, older adults, and women who are pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, must be extra cautious. Long-sleeved clothing and repellents containing DEET, IR3535 or lemon eucalyptus, should be used to protect exposed skin or clothing, and must be used in accordance with the instructions on the product label. Confirmed cases should rest under mosquito nets. To counter the increase in mosquitoes and potential disease transmission, greater effort should be placed on mosquito control activities in communities, and these should be intensified.

CARPHA urges its Member States to review their preparedness and response plans, as well as to continue surveillance, early

diagnosis, and timely care of dengue and other arbovirus cases, to prevent severe cases and deaths associated with these diseases.

CARPHA Member States (CMS) are encouraged to use available data, tools, and technologies to improve forecasting capacities, including the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

CMS should also prioritise proper clinical management of suspected dengue cases by strengthening detection and management capacities at the primary health care level, thus preventing the progression of the disease to its severe forms. CARPHA remains committed to supporting CMS in their vector control efforts, including capacity building in integrated vector control

strategies.

CMS must continue to strengthen prevention and control measures such as surveillance, diagnosis, as well as timely and adequate treatment of cases, while ensuring that health care services are prepared to facilitate access and proper management of patients with these diseases.

CARPHA has launched a social media campaign to raise awareness and promote effective prevention and control measures for Dengue, a recurring threat to public health in the Caribbean region.

The campaign is a “whole of society” call to the public, healthcare practitioners and vector control officers, about their roles in this effort, and the critical need for proactive measures to reduce the spread of Dengue.

PAGE 22

Kaieteur News

Friday November 24, 2023

China says no unusual pathogens found after WHO queries respiratory outbreaks

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cytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus have been in circulation since October.

The agency does not advise against travel and trade as they have been monitoring the situation with authorities.

No unusual pathogens have been detected in the capital of Beijing and the north eastern province of Liaoning.

Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission held a press conference on Nov. 13 to report an increase in incidence of respiratory disease.

Both China and the WHO have faced questions about the transparency of reporting on the earliest COVID-19 cases that emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.

The U.N. health agency had also asked China for further information about trends in the circulation of known pathogens and the burden on healthcare systems. The WHO said it was in contact with clinicians and scientists through its existing technical partnerships and networks in China.

WHO China said it was “routine” to request information on increases in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children from member states, such as China.

The global agency decided to issue a statement on China to share available information, as it received a number of queries about it from media, WHO China said in an emailed statement.

The ProMED alert was based on a report by FTV News in Taiwan that came out on Tuesday.

Undiagnosed pneumonia was not mentioned at last week’s press conference, according to a transcript, but one speaker said everyone felt like there had been an increase in respiratory illnesses this year compared with three years ago.

The speaker said that global monitoring for mycoplasma pneumoniae had been at a low over the past three years and outbreaks were cyclical, occurring every three to seven years.

‘SEASONAL SURGE’ The rise in respiratory illnesses comes as China braces

for its first full winter season since it had lifted strict COVID-19 restrictions in December.

Many other countries saw similar increases in respiratory diseases after easing pandemic measures.

“It is just a relatively large seasonal surge, perhaps partly due to chance and partly because there’s a bit of ‘immunity debt’ from the lesser winter surges in the last three years,” said Ben Cowling, an epidemiologist at Hong Kong University.

China’s National Health Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Thursday, it published an interview with the state media agency Xinhua in which it advised parents what to do and mentioned that big hospitals were receiving a large number of patients and waiting times were long. It did not comment on the WHO notice.

Since mid-October, the WHO said northern China had reported an increase in influenza-like illness compared with the same period in the previous three years.

US defense officials heading to Guyana..

From page 17 diligently to protect Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He explained that the government is stepping up its security focus as part of national efforts to guarantee Guyanese are kept safe from any threats.

The Head of State told the residents that the Guyana Defence Force is stepping up

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Reuters - Chinese health authorities have not detected any unusual or novel pathogens and provided the requested data on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

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its monitoring and will benefit from continued training support from international partners including the United States.

He spoke of the need for Guyanese to remain vigilant against Venezuela’s propaganda designed to instill fear among the population. “All of us as one Guyana understand clearly that Essequibo belongs to Guyana; there is no doubt about that…We have to ensure that we don’t allow statements coming out of Venezuela to drive fear among us,” Ali said. “Although we are of the opinion that Venezuela will not act recklessly, we cannot be unprepared. We have to ensure that we do everything within our own environment to secure our environment,” President Ali underscored.

He noted that Guyana has the full support of international partners, including the Commonwealth countries, CARICOM, neighbouring Brazil, and other external partners, including the United States. “In the coming days, weeks, and months, you will see greater collaboration with our international partners,” the Head of State disclosed.

President Ali also reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the country’s territorial integrity and the safety of its citizens.

“We are not taking anything for granted…That is why our overall strategy is nothing to be alarmed about. There is

absolutely nothing to fear. We are doing everything in accordance with international guidelines, and we believe that Venezuela will not act recklessly,” he affirmed.

President Ali emphasised the importance of unity in addressing the border controversy, noting that every resident should remain alert during this period.

The head of state reiterated Guyana’s commitment to a peaceful resolution, urging Venezuela to adhere to international laws and work within the framework of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

He explained that the government is stepping up its security focus as part of national efforts to guarantee Guyanese are kept safe from any threats. The Head of State told the residents that the Guyana Defence Force is stepping up its monitoring and will benefit from continued training support from international partners including the United States.

He spoke of the need for Guyanese to remain vigilant against Venezuela’s propaganda designed to instill fear among the population. “All of us as one Guyana understand clearly that Essequibo belongs to Guyana; there is no doubt about that…We have to ensure that we don’t allow statements coming out of Venezuela to drive fear among us,” Ali said. “Although we are of the opinion that Venezuela will not act recklessly,

we cannot be unprepared. We have to ensure that we do everything within our own environment to secure our environment,” President Ali underscored.

He noted that Guyana has the full support of international partners, including the Commonwealth countries, CARICOM, neighbouring Brazil, and other external partners, including the United States. “In the coming days, weeks, and months, you will see greater collaboration with our international partners,” the Head of State disclosed.

President Ali also reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the country’s territorial integrity and the safety of its citizens.

“We are not taking anything for granted…That is why our overall strategy is nothing to be alarmed about.

There is absolutely nothing to fear. We are doing everything in accordance with international guidelines, and we believe that Venezuela will not act recklessly,” he affirmed.

President Ali emphasised the importance of unity in addressing the border controversy, noting that every resident should remain alert during this period.

The head of state reiterated Guyana’s commitment to a peaceful resolution, urging Venezuela to adhere to international laws and work within the framework of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

US$100M India loan to help buy vessel to protect EEZ The next generation” 115 Defiant Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), purchased by Guyana

By Shervin Belgrave Guyana will be using a portion of US$100M line of credit from India to purchase another vessel for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo told Kaieteur News on Thursday.

The vice-president clarified that the vessel to be procured is not to fight war but to protect Guyana Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

He had told reporters at a press conference held at the

Office of the President that Guyana has already spent tens of millions of US dollars to enhance the capabilities of GDF. “Each of those helicopters that we have now ,I don’t wanna speak about this publicly, but it cost us a significant amount of money, Jagdeo said before adding “and we now even with India there is a line of credit for a US$100M dollars, that we are pursuing additional vessels”.

The VP made it clear to

the reporters, that the vessels are not for war but to build the GDF’s capabilities and defend Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Jagdeo disclosed this information after a reporter asked what steps Guyana will take to protect itself if Venezuela decides to take any action following its referendum on December 3, 2023 to unlawfully claim the Essequibo.

Jagdeo while explaining to the media that Guyana has a combined capability to deal

UK net migration hit new record high in 2022 in latest blow for Sunak Reuters - Annual net migration to the United Kingdom hit a record of 745,000 last year and has stayed at elevated levels since, data showed on Thursday, heaping pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to act to reduce it in the run up to an election.

High levels of legal migration have for more than a decade dominated Britain’s political landscape, and will be a key battleground again in the vote which is expected next year.

The data is a fresh setback for Sunak, whose flagship policy to tackle illegal arrivals was all but dashed last week by a court ruling that a plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful.

As well as his pledge to “stop the boats”, a reference to illegal migration, he has also promised to cut the number of people coming i n t o B r i t a i n l e g a l l y, responding to voter worries about the pressure on public

services and housing shortages.

For the year ending December 2022, the ONS revised up the net migration figure to 745,000, a new record high and up 139,000 on its previous estimate. It also said the net migration number for the year ending June 2023 was 672,000, up from 607,000 a year earlier.

The ONS said the majority of immigration was now non-EU nationals, with the increase in the year to June mainly driven by migrants coming for work, particularly to fill shortages in the health and social care sectors.

Those coming to Britain to study make up the biggest proportion of non-EU nationals, it added, with evidence showing in recent years more students are staying for longer and moving on to work visas.

The top three non-EU nationalities for immigration in the year to June were Indian, Nigerian and Chinese, it said. Interior

minister James Cleverly said the government wanted to eliminate abuse of the visa system to get numbers down.

“The government remains completely committed to reducing levels of legal migration,” he said in a statement.

The high levels of migration — more than double the 329,000 figure recorded in the year before the 2016 Brexit vote which was in part a driven by concerns about migration — illustrate the challenge Sunak faces given the country’s labour shortages.

“This level of legal i m m i g r a t i o n i s unsustainable both economically and socially.

There is no public mandate for it, it is beyond our public services’ capacity to support and it undercuts UK productivity and wages by substituting cheaper foreign labour,” former Conservative minister Simon Clarke said on X. “We need an urgent change of approach.”

with such an issue if Venezuela “miscalculates,” also addressed criticisms that Guyana has not done enough boost up its military capacity since the production of oil.

He said that the fact is that Guyana is not getting “a lot of money from its oil resources now”.

Jagdeo continued that for the first two years of production Guyana only received US$650M while only US$1B “came into this year’s budget”.

Vice president, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Out of the 2023 budget, Guyana used some money to pay off for a vessel it had bought for US$11.5M from an American company called Metal Shark Boats.

The Government has been paying for the boat“next generation” 115 Defiant Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) - since 2021 by setting aside funds from its yearly budgets that are heavily supported by oil revenues from the Stabroek Oil Block offshore Guyana.

On Monday October 30,

Metal Shark Boats, the American company that Guyana paid to build the vessel said that the boat is completed and has departed its Louisiana production facility in the United States of the American (USA) for its Bayou La Batre, Alabama shipyard.

“From there, the vessel will continue its journey to Guyana, where it will join eight other Metal Shark patrol boats currently in service with the GDF”, Metal Shark Boats stated.

Vendor succumbs five days after he was shot, robbed of gold chains A 36-year-old vendor on Thursday succumbed to gunshot wounds he sustained five days ago during a robbery at his home.

Dead is Trion Parks, 36, of Lot 107 Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

According to police around 22:00 hrs on Saturday an unknown gunman attacked Parks and reportedly shot him five times before stealing three gold chains which he had around his neck. The chains are worth some $1.8M. Parks was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and he was discharged the following day.

On Thursday, however, he complained of feeling pains about his body. He was taken to the Woodlands Hospital where he received treatment.

The hospital discharged Parks, however, around 16:00hrs as he walked out of the

Dead, Trion Parks hospital compound he collapsed and died in the parking lot on Carmichael Street.

Investigations are ongoing.

Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

Israel bombs US school, at least 30 killed Smoke rises after Israeli air strikes in north Gaza, as seen from southern Israel on November 23, 2023 [Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters]

Aljazeera - Hamas has said that about 30 people were killed in an Israeli attack on a United Nationsaffiliated school in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, as the clock ticks down on a planned truce between the Palestinian group and Israel.

On Thursday, the Gaza Ministry of Health reported 27 fatalities from that strike on the Abu Hussein School run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which was housing displaced Palestinians fleeing violence

and intense bombardment in other parts of Gaza.

Israeli forces also launched fresh attacks on the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, targeting the main entrance and power generators.

Ashraf al-Qudra, the ministry’s spokesperson, said the hospital had come u n d e r “ i n t e n s e bombardment”, and that “large parts of the building” were being targeted.

More than 200 patients, medical staff, and internally displaced people were currently at the hospital in

Beit Lahiya, which has been under siege for a week.

Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets hit the Sheikh Nasser neighbourhood in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, killing at least five people and wounding dozens, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

It also reported that at least 10 people were killed when Israeli forces attacked a residential home in the S h e i k h R a d w a n neighbourhood in northern Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, 12-year-old

Palestinians search for survivors of the Israeli bombing in Rafah, the Gaza Strip, November 22, 2023 [Hatem Ali/AP]

Mohammed Ibrahim Fuad Edely was shot and killed by Israeli forces, according to the Palestinian ministry.

The incident brought the number of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank since October 7 to 229, 52 of them children.

I s r a e l ’s r e l e n t l e s s bombardments have killed more than 14,800 people in Gaza since October 7, according to Palestinian officials.

In Israel, the official death toll from Hamas’s attacks stands at about 1,200.

Fighting to continue

Mediator Qatar announced that a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas is set to begin at 7am local time (05:00 GMT) on Friday.

But Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called the upcoming pause a “brief respite … at the end of which the fighting will continue intensely, and we will create pressure to bring back more hostages” during an interview with a navy special operations unit on Thursday.

“At least another two months of fighting is expected,” he said.

Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said: “The [captive release] outline is not the end of the process but the beginning.”

“In the coming days, we will focus on planning and completing the preparations for the next stages of combat.”

A spokesman for Hamas’s armed wing, Abu Obeida, said that Palestinian fighters remain ready to confront Israeli forces so long as the war continues and called for resistance to Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank.

Fifty die of hunger in Tigray Ethiopia drought: and Amhara amid aid freeze BBC - More than 50 people have died in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray and Amhara regions amid drought and an aid freeze, local officials have told the BBC. The Horn of Africa has had five failed rainy seasons since 2019, according to the UN. The US and UN suspended aid earlier this year after allegations of theft, worsening the humanitarian crisis.

Tigray is recovering from a two-year civil war which ended a year ago, while a conflict has erupted in Amhara.

About 46 people died in the town of Yechila in Tigray, while six died in the neighbouring Amhara region of Wag Hemra, because of food shortages, the officials said. Over 4,000 cattle have died because of

Thousands of people have fled their homes because of the drought (Reuters)

severe drought. Haunted by cemetery bodies unearthed

by Somali floods As northern Ethiopia battles drought, the country’s southern and eastern regions have been deluged by flash floods. In a

statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, the UN said that more than 370,000 people had fled their homes because of the floods. At least 43 people have been killed by the flooding and landslides in the eastern

Somali region.

During the war in Tigray, the region was cut off from humanitarian aid, leading to an unknown number of deaths. But it has been estimated that about 500,000 people may have died as a

result of war, lack of medical supplies and hunger amid what were described as “famine-like conditions”.

The conflict ended after the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) signed a peace deal brokered by the African Union (AU).

After the conflict ended, there was a steady flow of aid until June, when the US a n d U N p a u s e d humanitarian assistance, staying it had been systematically stolen by corrupt officials.

The US says widespread food deliveries will be resumed in December after significant reforms had been made to ensure that the supplies reached those who needed it most.

Across East Africa, heavy rains and flash flooding have killed 130

people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia in recent weeks, according to the Associated Press.

The UN has described them as a “once-in-a-century event”. In a statement, Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Oxfam in Africa Director said, the region was “going from one disaster to the next as climatic shocks become more frequent and intense”.

Somalia has been especially hit hard by the floods, after suffering from catastrophic droughts in recent years.

The worst hit town is Beledweyne, where the Shabelle River burst its banks. The El Nino phenomenon has greatly affected East Africa. It is caused by warming in the Pacific Ocean and is linked to flooding, cyclones, drought and wildfires.

Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Friday November 24, 2023

Friday November 24, 2023

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Kaieteur News

Letter to the Sports Editor...

A look at the football scenario and the questions on my mind Dear Mr Editor, Please permit me space in your newspapers so I can have small a say with regards to the Guyana Football Federation eagerly anticipated AGM which will have an election component on its Agenda scheduled for Saturday 9th December 2023.

It is public knowledge that the Incumbent President Mr Wayne Forde and a former Acting President Mr Franklin Wilson will be vying to become the President of the GFF at the conclusion of the Election.

Franky as he is popularly known, was involved in Football for a number of years hold-

ing many portfolios, however he came to prominence after FIFA was rocked with corruption and scandal and a number of persons being charged or thrown out of football, including former President Mr Colin Klass. Mr Wilson elevated to the Presidency since he was a Vice President with the GFF by passing another Vice President, Mr Carlos Prowell who was Franky Senior.

Wilson served from sometime in 2011 to 2013, based on what is being transcripted in the Kaieteur News, a newspapers he worked at for a number of years, it is insinuating that he was the best

President during that short period. Mr Editor, after 2 years at the helm and doing all the wonders that no other President in the history of football did, how in heavens name in April 2013 he could not have gotten a single nomination.

Mr Christopher Matthais, Mr Ivan Persaud, Mr Alfred King and Mr Aubrey Shanghai Major all were in the race to become President, but Mr Editor this ‘Messiah’ could not get a single nomination for any position that were up for grabs. That is a Million questions that are still to be figured out. Did the electorates have no confidence in him then, do they think he is

Friday November 24, 2023 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today you might be in the public eye along with some close friends and perhaps a love partner. You may be giving a speech, leading a discussion group.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Social contact with new and exciting people, Libra, perhaps at a neighborhood gathering, could bring intriguing information your way. You could learn about new fields that interest you.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Whether or not you're artistic, Taurus, inspiration for music, painting, writing, or other creative projects could come to you thick and fast today.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Work might take up a lot of your time today, Scorpio, perhaps job related, perhaps chores around the house.

Friends or family may join you, and their conversation could help relieve some of the tedium. .

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Much of your day is likely to be spent in the company of family, close friends, and a current or potential love partner, Sagittarius.

Business partners could be involved.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A group activity could involve a number of people, including some close friends, who share your intellectual, philosophical, or spiritual interests.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Today you might be in the public eye along with some close friends and perhaps a love partner. You may be giving a speech, leading a discussion group, or be the center of attention at a party.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The Today you might decide to host a social event in your home, perhaps for friends and colleagues with whom you share intellectual, philosophical.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A new and exciting person, possibly someone from a distant state or foreign country, could come into your life today. You could spend hours talking.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) A large gathering, perhaps a festival of some kind, could take place in your neighborhood today, Aquarius. You could choose to attend with some close friends and your romantic interest.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) Some unusual dreams could have unexpected side effects, Virgo. They could spark new ideas for creative projects or possible innovative concepts to advance your career or social life.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Discussions with friends or colleagues about possible future business enterprises could find you taking notes, Pisces. Your natural meticulousness should serve you well.

a better man now to lead the GFF seeing that millions is being floating around. Remember the Mexico Fiasco.

He was involved in a scandal with regards to the selling of a game to Mexico on behalf of the GFF and collecting Millions of dollars in return.

To date some former National Players are claiming that they never received a cent, ten (10) years later. As a former President of East Bank can he say what he left as legacy, did he create a football field that East Bank FA can say Franky left this.

Is Franky a fake, is he bluffing, is he being coerced to run so his boss and colleague will run the association behind the scene.

He has on his slate, GDF Officer Mr Burnett, former President of GFA. He is nice and affectionate person but the GDF Football Field is in a terrible condition, did he leave a legacy when he was Georgetown boss.

You have Mr Ramesh Persaud Secretary of Santos, where was he all the time, did he ever see a game that Santos played recently, I don’t think so, with all the clout that Mr Persaud has why couldn’t he acquire a sponsor for Santos.

In comes the Fire Chief Mr Wickam another VP what can he say that he did for the East Coast Football Association, what can these high flying executives show what they did whilst they were or are still in their respective clubs and Associations.

Down below you have 5 ordinary members. Victoria Kings playing field was 1 of the better venues on the East Coast yet the club President George Clemenston, a businessman, had or have no in-

tention of rehabilitating the ground. Army Officer, President Rawl Jerrick of Ann’s Grove venue is suffering the same fate. Senior GPF Officer Ms Althea Scipio had a short stint in Football as the General Secretary of the GFF was a disaster waiting to happen, she was a complete failure and she sailed a lot. Then you have Christine Schmidt from West Demerara one of the persons who destroyed the WDFA. Finally you have Mr Otis James of the GFA, a hard worker and strong critic of the present GFF Executive, that is all he has, he has no charisma and leadership qualities, he is a former FIFA Referee but a

lover of the game. Are these the persons we want to lead the GFF for the next 4 years, old people say you know what you got, you don’t know who coming.

To the electorates, come Dec 9th 2023 put your x where you will benefit, don’t be fooled by false and elaborate promises, the 2020 National Election had plenty promises, we can’t afford to go down that road again.

Mr Editor in my next opinion piece I will have a look at the Mr Forde and what he did and the plans he has for pushing football to another level.

Gregory Smith Football Enthusiast.

Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

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Novak Djokovic says changing balls are causing mass injuries in men’s tennis Djokovic celebrates with a trophy after winning the ATP Finals. (Reuters)

Independent - Novak Djokovic has blamed a spate of injuries across men’s tennis on the increasing variety of balls used on the ATP Tour.

A number of high-profile players are currently nursing injuries including Stefanos Tsitsipas (back), Rafael Nadal (hip), Nick Kyrgios (wrist), Andy Murray (shoulder), Denis Shapovalov and and Milos Raonic (both knee).

It is not uncommon for players to step away for treatment on long-standing complaints near the end of the season, but Djokovic claims the current situation is worse than previous years.

Each tournament negotiates a contract with a ball manufacturer of their choosing.

Wimbledon uses Slazenger, the US and French Opens both use Wilson, while the Australian Open uses Dunlop.

This inconsistency means the weight of the ball

changes very slightly – but perceptibly for professional players – from one week to the next, and the world No1 says this can have a negative impact on the body when the load on their hitting arm varies.

“There has been a lot of discussions on the effect of the different balls every week on the joints, the wrist, the shoulders and the elbows,” Djokovic said.

“Someone told me that in terms of injuries this year comparing to other years it drastically has gone up.

“I absolutely agree there should be some discussion on that.

I actually spoke about that with Andrea Gaudenzi, the ATP president, and Massimo [Calvelli], who is the CEO, in Paris [during the Masters event].

I shared my opinion and my views. Obviously they are thinking about various different options and ways of how to regulate [the balls] and how to make it better for

the players and prevent injuries.”

Djokovic is not alone in voicing his displeasure over the constant adjustments.

Last month Daniil Medvedev was critical of the Head ball being used in Chinese tournaments.

The same ball will be used in the Davis Cup in Malaga this weekend, where Djokovic’s Serbia take on Great Britain in the quarterfinals.

Speaking ahead of the tie, Djokovic also questioned the decision to have a fixed host for the Davis Cup finals, which has been played in Spain since 2019.

“I think the home-andaway ties is something the Davis Cup historically has been very famous for,” he said.

“Now giving one nation to host [the finals] for four years in a row is too much, in my opinion. It has to travel.

This is a competition that is played globally. It

Marlon Samuels banned for six years after corruption probe by International Cricket Council SportsMax - The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a six-year ban on former West Indies batter Marlon Samuels following his involvement in corrupt behavior during the Abu Dhabi T10 in 2019.

Samuels, who was part of the Karnataka Tuskers but did not play in the tournament, was found guilty on four counts, including accepting favors that brought himself and the game into disrepute and concealing information from investigating authorities.

This ban is a result of an independent tribunal’s findings, and it comes 15 years after Samuels had previously been punished for a similar offense.

The ICC found him in violation of several anti-corruption codes during the Abu Dhabi T10.

“Samuels played international cricket for close to two decades, during which he participated in numerous anticorruption sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the A n t i Corruption Codes,” said Alex Marshall, the head of

Marlon Samuels

shouldn’t stay in one place more than a year.

“The fact that we, as a team, have not played in Serbia for many years [since September 2018] is not great, because we don’t give an opportunity to people in Serbia to watch us play, especially young people and young players.

It also allows the [Serbian] federation to

benefit in different ways from that home tie.

Hopefully that can be back in some way.”

At 36, the Serbian is arguably more dominant than ever having added a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals crown in Turin at the weekend to three more grand slam titles.

He was agonisingly close to winning all four, missing

out by the narrowest of margins to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, but since then Djokovic has stamped his authority back on the sport, lifting the trophy in all the events he has played.

In the absence of the injured Murray and Dan Evans, Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper will lead Britain’s challenge.

Hand in Hand Fire Insurance BIG MAN CRICKET O40s @ T30 Inter County continues this weekend.

Demerara Capitals lead the points table after 1st round.

F

ICC’s HR and Integrity Unit.

“Though he is retired now, M r. S a m u e l s w a s a participant when the offenses were committed.

The ban of six years will act as a strong deterrent to any participant who intends to break the rules.”

The Abu Dhabi T10, being an Emirates Cricket Board-run tournament, operates under its anticorruption code. The ICC, by t h e i r r u l e s , conducts investigations into breaches.

Samuels was found guilty on four counts, including failing to disclose the receipt of gifts or benefits that could bring the sport into disrepute, failing to disclose receipt of hospitality with a value of US $750 or more, failing to cooperate with

the investigation, and obstructing or delaying the investigation by concealing relevant information.

Samuels’ ban takes effect from November 11, 2023. He was initially charged by the ICC in September 2021, and the verdict was reached in August of this year. Marlon Samuels, who played a pivotal role in West Indies’ T20 World Cup victories in 2012 and 2016, announced his retirement in November 2020, having amassed over 11 , 0 0 0 international runs across formats. His career was not without controversy, with a previous two-year ban in 2008 for “receiving money, benefit, or other reward that could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute.”

ollowing some scintillating performances from the Berbice Gladiators and the Demerara Capitals

which included a century and 4 half centuries, both Essequibo Jaguars and the President XI Warriors would be looking to bounce back

and get some points on the board.

The points standing after the first round read as follows:

The First-Round fixtures were both played in the Ancient County of Berbice and the Cinderella County of

Essequibo. Both matches will be live streamed with commentary and admission free.

Both Second-Round matches will now be played in Demerara as detailed hereunder:

Kaieteur News

Friday November 24, 2023

PAGE 29

Blistering Inglis ton in vain as India Sinner doubles up as Italy down edge Australia in first T20 Netherlands, reach Davis Cup semis (Reuters) - Josh Inglis smashed Australia’s joint-fastest century in Twenty20 Internationals before Suryakumar Yadav powered India to a two-wicket victory in a thrilling series opener yesterday.

Suryakumar, captaining India for the first time, hit an assured knock of 80 as the hosts chased down 208 in Visakhapatnam and secured a small measure of revenge for their painful defeat by Australia in the 50-overs World Cup final on Sunday.

Ishan Kishan (58) and Suryakumar shared a 112-run partnership, but India lost momentum after both players departed and the chase went down to the final ball of the match when Rinku Singh guided his team over the line.

“Credit goes to (Suryakumar) for the way he played. He was taking on the bowlers,” Kishan said.

“The communication was very good. I’m really happy because it’s a young side. We’ll make mistakes, but hopefully we’ll come back stronger as a bowling unit.”

Australia had racked up an impressive total after being put in to bat after Inglis hit 11 fours and eight sixes in his 110 from 50 balls.

The 28-year-old’s century came from 47 balls, tying Aaron Finch’s Australian record.

Inglis was ably supported by Steve Smith (52), another of the seven players from

Josh Inglis took on the India bowlers. (BCCI)

Australia’s World Cup-winning squad to remain in India for the T20 series, in a 130run second-wicket partnership.

The second match in the five-game series is in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.

Scores: India 209 for 8 (Suryakumar 80, Kishan 58, Sangha 2-47) beat Australia 208 for 3 (Inglis 110, Smith 52, Krishna 1-50) by two wickets.

2023 KFC Goodwill Football tournament officially launched The Cara Lodge Hotel on Quamina Street witnessed the official launch of the much-anticipated Fourth Annual KFC Goodwill Tournament. Scheduled to unfold between December 12th and 22nd at the Ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue, this championship has been dubbed the “champion of champions” and is gearing up to host some of the finest Caribbean football teams in the region.

Among the esteemed attendees at the launch were KFC’s Marketing Manager Pamela Manasseh, Petra Director Troy Mendonca, Allied Arts Physical Education Officer Nicolas Fraser, Assistant Director of Sports (DoS) Franklin Wilson, and Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Director of Competition, Troy Peters.

Expressing gratitude for the collaborative effort that has placed this revered schools football tournament at the forefront once more, Mendonca emphasized the smooth preparations underway, anticipating a highly competitive event.

Mendonca highlighted an exciting addition this year: two more teams joining the fray, raising the

count of foreign teams to three. This augmentation is anticipated to elevate the competitive standard and showcase the prowess of Guyana’s youth on the school competition stage.

With a blend of fierce competition and a friendly atmosphere, the tournament promises thrilling football action with an international flair. Mendonca revealed that each game day will feature four matches, spread across two separate venues, commencing at 2:00 pm.

In addition, Pamela Manasseh conveyed KFC’s delight in participating for the fourth consecutive time, affirming the tournament’s alignment with the company’s values—fostering athletic development among youth while imparting crucial life lessons on teamwork and camaraderie. She also extended well-wishes to all participants.

Meanwhile, the eight teams are gearing up for participation includes defending champions DC Caesar Fox (Waramadong) Secondary School, last y e a r ’s r u n n e r - u p S t .

Benedick’s College Trinidad and Tobago-2022 College champions, Calrendon College from Jamaica (2022

Digicel champions), Voorgezet Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs Four (VWO 4) from Suriname, St Ignatius and the top three teams from the ongoing Limacol U18 School League.

These eight teams will be split into two groups, engaging in a round-robin format where each team faces the others once. The top two from each group will proceed to the semi-finals, eventually culminating in a clash to determine the ultimate champion.

Adding to the excitement, significant financial incentives await the winners, with a total prize pool of G$500,000 (US$2,500). Runner-up will receive $300,000, while third and fourth places will secure $200,000 and $100,000, respectively. Individual accolades for Best Goalkeeper, Most Goals, and Tournament MVP will also be awarded.

Supportive entities such as the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, National Sports Commission, GFF, and Ministry of Education (MoE) has reiterated their commitment to partnering with Beharry Restaurant Holdings Inc. and Petra organization to ensure the successful execution of this tournament.

MALAGA, Spain, (Reuters) - Italy’s Jannik Sinner won his singles match and paired up with Lorenzo Sonego to claim a doubles victory as the former champions beat the Netherlands 2-1 to book their place in the Davis Cup semi-finals on Thursday.

Sinner and Sonego overcame the duo of Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof 6-3 6-4 as Italy reached back-to-back semifinals in the premier men’s team competition for the first time since three successive last-four appearances in 1996-98. Italy, who won their only Davis Cup title in 1976, will now take on a Serbia side featuring world number one Novak Djokovic or Britain who were to meet in their quarter-final later on Thursday.

Botic van de Zandschulp earlier beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-7(6) 6-3 7-6(7) to give the Dutch a 1-0 lead in their bid to match their best result of reaching the semi-finals in 2001, before Sinner downed Griekspoor 7-6(3) 6-1 and levelled the tie.

Dutch captain Paul Haarhuis, who was a part of the team that lost to eventual champions France 22 years ago, made a late swap with

Italy’s Jannik Sinner shakes hands with Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor after winning his match. (REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura) Griekspoor replacing JeanJulien Rojer for the doubles tie while Filippo Volandri brought Sinner in for Simone Bolelli.

The changes worked well for both teams in a highoctane clash but Sinner and Sonego won the crucial points in front of a boisterous crowd to send Italy through.

“It means a lot to me,” Sinner said. “But more importantly we’re through to the semi-finals. It’s the first time I can experience this.

“We were under a lot of pressure. The decision to put us on the court for doubles, we have to give a lot of credit to the captain and the team... pushing us to the limit.

“It’s amazing, but now we’re focused on Saturday’s semis.”

World number four Sinner, who lost to Djokovic in the ATP Finals title clash on Sunday, got them back into the quarter-final with an impressive display against Griekspoor.

He edged the opening set before breezing through the next in only 20 minutes.

In the day’s opener, Arnaldi squandered two set points and saved one as the world number 44 won a tight opening set in the tiebreak when Van de Zandschulp sent a forehand long.

The Dutchman drew level after Arnaldi dropped serve in the eighth game of the next set and the world number 51 saved three matchpoints in the decider to prevail after nearly three hours.

West Indies ‘A’ chases 216 for victory in finalday clash against South Africa ‘A’ in Benoni SportsMax - The West Indies ‘A’ team faces a challenging task on the final day of their four-day unofficial Test match against South Africa ‘A,’ needing 216 runs for victory in Benoni.

Resuming on three without loss on Thursday, trailing by 24, South Africa ‘A,’ who declared at 287-9 in their first innings, were eventually dismissed for 250, setting a target of 224 for the West Indies ‘A.’ At stumps, the West Indies ‘A’ stood at eight without loss.

South Africa’s second innings was anchored by opener Neil Brand, who had scored all three runs in their overnight score.

Brand’s impressive knock of 104, comprising 219 deliveries with 14 fours, was the sole score over 50

for the home team. His patient innings aimed to set a challenging target for the West Indies ‘A’ as they sought a victory on the final day.

Brand played pivotal roles in partnerships throughout the innings, including a secondwicket stand of 61 with Zubayr Hamza (30) and a fourth-wicket alliance of 55 with David Bedingham (23). A fifthwicket partnership of 44 with Clyde Fortuin contributed to South Africa ‘A’s attempt to establish a worthwhile target.

H o w e v e r, w i c k e t s began to fall regularly after Fortuin’s dismissal for 20, and South Africa ‘A’ ultimately reached 250 all out. Brand was the ninth man out with the score at

223. Late contributions from Duanne Oliver (14) and Tshepo Moreki (17 from 15) added valuable runs to the innings.

Leading the bowling a t t a c k f o r t h e We s t Indies ‘A,’ Akeem Jordan took 3-58, while Jaydon Seales, Kevin Sinclair, and Shermon Lewis each claimed two wickets.

As the West Indies ‘ A’ l o o k s t o s e c u r e victory on the final day, Zachary McCaskie (5) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (1) will resume their innings when play begins. The team will need a strong batting performance to achieve the target of 216 runs set by South Africa ‘A’ and claim victory in this closely contested unofficial Test match.

Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

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BCB Diors Bit and Pieces U- 23 40-Over tournament…

Action bowls off Sunday with intense battles The first round of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)/Bits & Pieces Under 23 tournament is set to bowl off this Sunday, November 26 with a number of exciting matches carded for the day.

Getting things underway in the 40-Overs per-side competition is Achievers, who will battle DeEdwards team on their home turf.

Over at the Blairmont Cricket Ground, the home team will host the visiting Woodley Park cricket team.

Bush Lot Ground will host the battle between Cotton Tree Cricket Club and home team Bush Lot, while the boys from Canje will do battle on their home turf against the likes of East Bank.

Guymine and Mt. Sinai

will play at Locaber Ground, with Tucber Park Cricket Club looking to arrest the lawmen of the Police Club when they meet at Goed Bananen Ground.

The competition will bring down curtains on round 1 following battles between; Edinburgh and Albion at the Albion Cricket Ground and Rose Hall Town versus Kendall Union at the Area H Ground.

Meanwhile, Port Mourant will lock horns with Skeldon at the Skeldon Ground, while Upper Corentyne tackle Kennard Memorial at Kennard’s Ground, highlighting a number of exciting games set for this weekend.

Action is expected to start at 10:00hrs.

Action on the BCB Bits & Pieces Under-23 tournament promises to be keen on Sunday.

Levy faces possible Guyanese Ramdhani four-year ban after B cops CCAA Men’s sample returns positive Ronald Levy

Badminton Award

- Most decorated player in TKU history

G

SportsMax - Jamaica’s Olympic 110metre hurdles bronze medallist Ronald Levy now faces the possibility of a four-year ban after his B sample returned positive for two banned substances.

This confirms the finding in Levy’s A sample by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) from an out of competition test last month, in Canada.

It is understood that GW501516Sulfoxide and GW501516-Sulfone, are the substances found in Levy’s sample.

A four-year ban would rule the 31-yearold Westmoreland native out of next year’s Paris Olympics, as well as the next two World Athletics Championships editions in 2025 and 2027.

L e v y, w h o a l s o h a s a 2 0 1 8 Commonwealth Gold medal in his accolade, had earlier this month confirmed being notified of the adverse analytical finding on November 3, and vowed to defend his integrity, as he “is certain he did not knowingly breach the rules.”

Slovenian umpire given 10-year ban for corruption (Reuters) - Slovenian tennis umpire Marko Ducman has been suspended for 10 years for betting on matches and manipulating data, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said on Thursday.

Ducman, who officiated

at ITF, ATP and WTA tournaments, had been provisionally banned after admitting breaches o f t h e Te n n i s A n t i Corruption Program ( TA C P ) .

The bronze-level official admitted four breaches,

including wagering on m a t c h e s a n d manipulating data from matches in which he was officiating to facilitate betting.

He was also fined $75,000 with $56,250 suspended.

u y a n e s e badminton star N a r a y a n Ramdhani of The King’s University (TKU) Eagles was named the 2023 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men’s Badminton Player of the Year.

Ramdhani is also one of three players who were named 2023 CCAA Men’s Badminton All-Canadians, along with Colin Zhou and Thomas Ashton.

The student-athletes were recently honored at the 2023 CCAA Badminton National Championships, hosted by Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus (DAL AC) in Truro, NS. Michael Kopinak, CCAA Badminton Convenor, hailed the Guyanese who went u n d e f e a t e d i n M e n ’s Singles and Mixed Doubles in a very tough conference and rightfully earned CCAA Player of the Year honors.

“To be the cream of this class of All-Canadians is super special and as a fan, I can’t wait to watch Narayan

compete at these CCAA Championships,” said Kopinak.

Ramdhani, in his fourth year of eligibility, went a perfect 9-0 without dropping a game in Men’s Singles this season in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) regular season play.

He was also undefeated in Mixed Doubles and his strong play led the Eagles to a first-place finish in ACAC league play.

At the ACAC B a d m i n t o n Championships, Ramdhani capped off a terrific season in Alberta by winning the Men’s Singles and Team titles.

These feats make the Guyanese stalwart the most decorated badminton player in TKU history, but Ramdhani’s best attribute as a player is perhaps his ability to transition from his easy going self to a completely focused athlete at the snap of a finger.

Ramdhani continues to exhibit tons of maturity, while balancing training, schoolwork, and coaching.

He currently coaches at a

badminton facility in Edmonton and is instrumental in promoting the sport back in his home country; he routinely returns to Guyana, where he holds camps for the next generation of players.

He has represented his country numerous times, recently at the Commonwealth Games and the South American Games. Ramdhani is actively training to reach his goal of representing Guyana at the Olympics.

“Narayan is a wellrounded person on and off the court and we at The King’s University are so proud to call him ours,” said Naeem Haque, Head Coach of the TKU Eagles.

“It has been a pleasure watching him grow over the past few years and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things he will accomplish beyond the boundaries of the badminton court,” he continued.

T h e C C A A M e n ’s Badminton Player of the Year receives a customized ring provided by Jostens Canada, the Official Ring Supplier of the CCAA.

Friday November 24, 2023

Kaieteur News

PAGE 31

Hamilton denies Red Bull talks, accuses Horner of ‘stirring’ ABU DHABI, (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton accused Christian Horner of ‘stirring’ after the Red Bull Formula One boss said a representative of the seven times world champion approached him about a drive before the Briton signed a new contract with Mercedes.

Horner told the Daily Mail newspaper there had been “several conversations over the years” about Hamilton joining the team who are currently dominant with triple world champion Max Verstappen.

“They have reached out a few times. Most recently, earlier in the year, there was an inquiry about whether there would be any interest,” said the team boss.

Hamilton, whose contract to the end of 2025 was announced in August, told reporters at the seasonending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Thursday that nobody from his management had spoken to

Horner.

He said Horner had messaged him, however, on an old phone he had left at home.

“I switched it on and obviously hundreds of messages came through and I realised there was one from Christian to get together and have a chat at the end of the season,” he said.

“I just replied to him on my new phone. It was after a weekend. It was quite late on that I found the message. It was from earlier on in the year. So, it was like months later.”

Hamilton also suggested some people liked to drop his name into conversation to get attention if they were “a little bit lonely”.

“I think he’s just stirring things,” he had told Sky Sports television earlier.

“You know Christian. He loves that kind of stuff.”

Hamilton said he would be “more than happy” to race Verstappen in an equal car and any driver would love to

drive “for such a great group of people” but it was not his personal dream.

“I think moving from a car that’s not so great to a winning car, from my perspective that’s not a dream. The dream is always to start like where we kind of are and build up to then winning. That’s why I’ve stayed with Mercedes,” he said.

Mercedes won eight constructors’ titles in a row from 2014-21 but are fighting Ferrari to be best of the rest this season.

Verstappen has won 18 of 21 races so far and Red Bull all but one.

“SERIOUS TALKS” Horner told the Daily Mail that Hamilton, who has not won a race since 2021, also had talks with Ferrari chairman John Elkann earlier in the year.

“I think there were serious talks. It was around Monaco (in May). There were definitely conversations, perhaps with

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton arrives ahead of the grand prix. (REUTERS/Rula Rouhana)

(Ferrari team boss Fred) Vasseur, too. But certainly with Elkann,” he said.

Hamilton, who has said he sees himself at Mercedes “until my last days”, denied the Ferrari speculation at the time. He also told reporters in May that his management

team were handling contract talks. It is not unusual for a driver’s representatives to investigate other possibilities at a time of contract negotiations.

Verstappen, asked in an FIA press conference whether he would have

welcomed Hamilton as his team mate, saw little point in fuelling the discussion.

“There’s no point to make up stories ‘if, if’. It’s not happening,” said the Dutch 26-year-old. “I wouldn’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

Lionel Messi warns Argentina-Brazil fan trouble ‘could have been a tragedy’ Independent - Lionel Messi said there “could have been a tragedy” after police clashed with fans during Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against rivals Brazil at the Maracana in Rio. The match was delayed by half an hour following crowd trouble in the stands, which started before kick-off and during the national anthems. In response, Brazilian police charged at the Argentina fans, with the fighting taking place in a section of the stadium that contained the visiting players’ families and friends.

Some Argentina supporters ripped up seats to throw at the police, who were wielding batons, while others attempted to escape the scene.

Led by Messi, the Argentina players went over to try and calm the situation.

Images showed the Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez trying to grab a baton from a police officer’s hand as the Argentina players appealed for the fighting to stop.

The World Cup winners

Lionel Messi said the match become of ‘secondary importance’ after violence broke out. (REUTERS)

then left the pitch and returned to the dressing room for more than 10 minutes. When the match eventually resumed, Argentina won a badtempered qualifier 1-0 to leave Brazil in crisis after suffering their third straight defeat. The clashes in the

stands occurred just two weeks after similar scenes at the Copa Libertadores final between Brazilian side Fluminense and Argentine giants Boca Juniors, which was also held at the iconic Maracana stadium.

“It was bad because we saw how they were beating

people,” Messi told reporters after the match. “The police, as happened in the Libertadores final, were once again repressing the people with night sticks.

“We went to the locker room because it was the best way to calm everything down, it could have ended in

tragedy.

“You think about the families, the people who are there, who don’t know what’s going on and we were more concerned about that than playing a match that, at that point, was of secondary importance.”

The Argentina players

were joined by Brazil captain Marquinhos as they appealed for calm in the stands. The defender said: “We were worried about the families, women and children that we were seeing in panic up there in the stands.“Down on the pitch it was hard for us to understand what was going on, it was a very scary situation.”

On the pitch, Argentina took a huge step towards qualifying for the 2026 World Cup as Nicolas Otamendi’s header secured a 1-0 win, but the match was littered with fouls, skirmishes and cards. Brazil finished with 10 men after Newcastle’s Joelinton was sent off for hitting Argentina’s Rodrigo de Paul in the face.

Brazil have now lost successive matches to Uruguay, Colombia and Argentina and are eight points behind the world champions in the qualifying table. The five-time World Cup winners sit sixth, which is the last spot that guarantees qualifying for the finals, after six rounds.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 32

Friday November 24, 2023

Terrorism, cyber attacks main Paris 2024 threats as security plan finalised PARIS, (Reuters) Terrorism and cyber attacks are the two main risks the Paris Olympics faces, with a potentially highly exposed opening ceremony, but organisers are confident they will be ready to face the challenge next year.

Paris 2024 is launching the third of four waves of tenders for private security, which will result in the presence of 17,000-22,000 agents a day - including 2,000 for the opening ceremony, which will be a long parade on the Seine River attended by possibly 600,000 people.

Some 30,000 police officers and soldiers will also be mobilised to secure the surroundings on July 26.

“For the opening ceremony, there is a specific protocol with the state and the Paris City Hall. We’re confident that we’re on track, that we will reach our

goals,” Paris 2024 Security director Bruno Le Ray told reporters yesterday.

He added that the security budget of 320 million euros ($349.02 million) was unchanged.

“The first risk is the t e r r o r i s t r i s k . We ’ v e integrated it, unfortunately, in all security plans,” said Thomas Collomb, security executive director for Paris 2024. He was deputy head of safety and security for official sites at the Euro 2016 soccer finals seven months after the Nov. 2015 Islamist attacks which involved a simultaneous assault by gunmen and suicide bombers on entertainment venues and cafes in Paris.

“Since 2015, the terrorist risk is being taken into account. Cyber threat is the other main risk,” added Collomb. “Drones are also a subject, armies have been facing that risk for a while

now. It has been in the security plan for the Games since 2019.”

Last week, Paris 2024 called for vigilance after French security services said they had uncovered a disinformation campaign emanating from Azerbaijan that aimed to undermine the French capital’s capacity to hold the event. ‘ M A J O R CHALLENGE’ In January, France’s top audit body warned that the opening ceremony on the River Seine posed a “major challenge”, highlighting concerns around a reliance on private security operators to protect the Games.

Le Ray, who was Paris’s military governor at the time of the 2015 Paris attacks, said the private security market was “tense”, with an estimated shortage of 20,000 agents nationwide, but insisted the recruitment

Olympic rings to celebrate the IOC official announcement that Paris won the 2024 Olympic bid are seen in front of the Eiffel Tower at the Trocadero square in Paris, France, September 14, 2017. (REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/File Photo) process through tenders was “on time”. “The opening ceremony is the biggest event from a security perspective we’ve seen in a long time in Europe,” Brittany Jacobs, sport management department chair at American Public University System, told Reuters. “I think there will always be something that

goes wrong but the question is are you ready for something that goes wrong.

“There are concerns about drones, terrorist groups, something inevitably will go wrong whenever you have an event like this in open space.”

Jacobs, however, believes organisers are nowadays “more prepared”

than in 1996 when one person was killed and 111 others injured in the Atlanta Olympic Park bombing during the Games.

“The risks and rewards are both potentially really high. We will be talking about it (the Paris opening ceremony) for decades,” she added. ($1 = 0.9168 euros)

West Demerara Secondary upset Celtics cool Antetokounmpo, Region 3 defending champions end Bucks’ five-game streak Vreed en Hoop Secondary

W

est Demerara Secondary upset Region 3 defending champions Vreed en Hoop Secondary as play continued in the MCYS NSC Janet Jagan birth anniversary School Girls Windball Cricket made its Inaugural appearance at the Track & Field Center Tarmac at Edinburg West Coast Demerara.

Vreed en Hoop Secondary, after been invited to bat first, scored 51-1 with Salomiee Persaud 15 and Subrina Mendonca 13.

West Demerara Secondary replied with 52-2, Ameera Khan 16 and Sarvanna Ramsarran 10. West Demerara Secondary will play in their first Windball Cricket final.

West Demerara Secondary will play the winner of the West Coast /East Bank Essequibo zone winner in the Region 3 final,

while Vreed en Hoop Secondary will have to battle in the 3rd / 4th place game.

Debutant De Willem Secondary beat Newcomer Parika Salem Secondary.

Parika Salem took first strike and scored 45-4, Roshana Blake 11. Crystal Melville took 2wkts and Karishana Navinedatt 2wkts.

De Willem replied with 51-1, Rayana Milliano 22.

Stewartville Secondary batted first and made 40-3, Angel Summer & Naiomi Edwards each scoring 14 runs apiece.

Zeeburg Secondary replied with 46-0 off 1.3 overs, Sarah Bheir hit 26 and Shantay Lyte 14.

Uitvlugt Secondary made 28-4. Leonora Secondary responded with 31-0, Rosaline Samaroo made 27.

SportsMax - Jaylen Brown had 26 points and eight assists as the Boston Celtics cooled off Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks w ith a 119-116 vi ctory on Wednes day in a clash between two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams.

Jayson Tatum added 23 points and Kristaps Porzingis had 21 as Boston bounced back from Monday’s overtime loss to the Charlotte Horn e t s t h a t s n a p p e d i t s s ix-game w inning s treak.

The Celtics also ended Milwaukee’s run of five straight wins while p r e v e n t i n g Antetokounmpo from reaching the 40-point mark for a third consecutive game.

B o s t o n h e l d Antetokounmpo to 21 points on 7-of-20 shooting two nights after the twotime NBA MVP went 20of-23 from the field in a 42-point performance Monday against the Washington Wizards.

The Celtics never trailed in improving to 6-0 at home this season, as

Jaylen Brown had 26 points and eight assists.

they opened the game with a 10-0 run and built a 2917 lead after one quarter before extending the margin to 67-53 at halftime.

M ilw aukee got a 20point fourth-quarter deficit dow n to four in the final minute, but the Celtics hit 5 of 6 free throw s late to seal the win.

Brook Lopez led the Bucks w ith 28 points on 12-of-18 s hooting, w hile D amian Lillard finis hed w ith 27 points and five as s is ts .

Streaking Magic survive Jokic’s triple-double The Orlando Magic won

their fifth straight game, as Franz Wagner scored 24 of his 27 points in the second half in a 124-119 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Paolo Banchero had 23 points, including a 3pointer with 1:49 left to put Orlando ahead for good.

Goga Bitadze, Jalen S u g g s a n d Wa g n e r clinched the win with six straight free throws in the final 14 seconds.

Jokic had 30 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for his sixth triple-double of the season and 111th of his career, the fourth-most in NBA history.

Kaieteur News

Friday November 24, 2023

PAGE 33

GGA Awards Certificates of Excellence to Rosignol Secondary School CSEC PE students

HM Donnette D’Andrade (center) Sir Jevon Jawahir (left) and GGA president Aleem Hussain (right) with the Graduating Physical Education Class of the Rosignol Secondary School, following yesterday’s award ceremony.

Yesterday, president of the Guyana Golf Association (GGA) Aleem Hussain presented the 2023 graduating Physical Education class at Rosignol Secondary School, with Certificates of Excellence for their incredible performance at CSEC. Headmistress, Mrs. Donnette D’Andrade received the trophy for Top PE Golf School and Sir. Kevon Jawahir was honored as Top PE Teacher.

This year, the entire class of 57 students, all of whom opted to do Golf as one of their three sports and as their practical examination at CSEC PE, achieved a 93% pass rate at Grade I, with only 4 students receiving a Grade II. This is the 2nd consecutive year that the Rosignol Secondary has seen such a boost in PE class size, up from just 23 students in 2021 to 53 in 2022 and 57 this year. Sir Jawahir attributes the increase to the

introduction of golf, “We generally struggled in the past to get students to do PE until golf came along and to my surprise, the class more than doubled, with more than 50% being female students.”

Head Mistress D’Andrade expressed her satisfaction at the progress, “Rosignol Secondary has set the bar in many ways and we look forward to continuing to lead as we develop our learners to take up meaningful roles in the future.”

She continued,” The initiative by the Ministry of Education Priority Programme to ensure that all learners are exposed to a sport will, in my opinion be a factor in keeping our school at the pinnacle of golf participation.”

The HM thanked Sir Jawahir and GGA president Hussain for their extraordinary efforts and commitment to making the sport accessible to not just Rosignol but all Secondary

Schools in Region 5.

“Our focus on golf development started just over 2 years ago and the milestones we have achieved to date are nothing short of miraculous, said Hussain.

“With the Ministry of Education Allied Arts Unit Priority Programme that is being implemented by Mr. Saeed Zameen at the behest of Honourable Minister Priya Manickchand, we are

firmly placed in a position whereby at least 50% of the over 62,000 Secondary school learners will have access to golf in the next few years.” Hussain went on to state that the next focus is on

development of golf courses similar to Westside Golf Course which can be built close to populated areas and schools so that students won’t have long distances to travel for play or practice.

Gold is Money capture Barbara Marshall birth anniversary dominoes title - Tamara Gilhyus takes best female player prize The victorious Gold is Money receives the winning prize from Barbara Marshall.

G

old is Money e m e r g e d victorious in the final of the Barbara Marshall birth anniversary dominoes tournament which concluded on Wednesday night at Dynasty Sports bar.

In a closely contested final, Gold is Money amassed 85 games while Vikings made 78 and Spartans 71. Vikings took an early lead as they chalked 14 games in the opening sitting

while Spartans scored 13 and Gold is Money 11. Vikings extended their lead in the second round, taking their tally to 29, while Spartans finished the sitting on 23 and Gold is Money on 22.

Vikings continued to hold on to the lead with 13 and 10 games in the third and fourth rounds respectively as they took their overall score to 52. Spartans managed 12 and 11 games in the third and fourth sittings respectively,

taking their score 46, however Gold is Money chalked up 17 and 12 games in those rounds to occupy second place, closing the gap on the leaders with a total score of 51 games. Gold is Money then took the lead in the fifth round as they marked 17 games to be on 68 while Vikings made 12 to take their score to 64.

Spartans managed 14 games to be on 60. Gold is Money scored 17 games in the final

sitting, while Vikings made 14 and Spartans 11.

Gold is Money top scorers were Intiaz Alli with 17 games, Lawrence Whitehead 16, Sheldon Gourrick 15 and Dane Bynoe 14. For Vikings Domino Team, Troy and Dillon Griffith scored 15 games each while Mr. Clarke got 13. Spartans leading players were Dexter Thompson with 16, Roberto Osborne 13 and Sean Mckenzie 12 games.

The winning team took home a trophy and $200,000, runner up a trophy and $100,000 and third place a trophy and $50,000.

Tamara Gilhyus was the best female player in the tournament and she collected a trophy, one medal and $10,000.

Barbara Marshall congratulated the winners and thanked all participating teams. She expressed gratitude to the sponsors which included Trophy Stall, Roderick Harry of Strikers Sports Club, Raymond Ali of All Season’s Racing Service and Jermain Jackson.

Tamara Gilhyus accepts her prize from Orin Boston.

rts Spo

2023 KFC Goodwill Football

tournament officially launched

Petra Org. Director Troy Mendonca receiving sponsorship from KFC Marketing Manager Pamela Manasseh (center) as GFF Director of Competition Troy Peters, Nicholas Fraser MoE representative and Assistant DoS Franklin Wilson share the moment.

Guyanese Ramdhani cops CCAA Men’s Badminton Award - Most decorated player in TKU history

West Indies ‘A’ team faces a challenging task on the final day of their four-day unofficial Test match against South Africa ‘A,’ needing 216 runs for victory.

Guyanese Badminton star Narayan Ramdhani was given the prestigious CCAA Men’s Award.

West Indies ‘A’ chases 216 for victory in final day clash against South Africa ‘A’ in Benoni

Marlon Samuels banned for six years after corruption probe by International Cricket Council P. 26

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