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AIETEUR

New Demerara River Bridge.... Wednesday Edition

Chinese company accused of fraud will now design, build and finance project

November 03, 2021 - Vol. 14 No.34

NEWS

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

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 82,839

While giving oil companies

in Guyana billions in tax waivers …Pres. Ali goes to COP26 calling on world leaders to end fossil fuel subsidies

Finance Ministry in fresh talks with UAE investors …also expresses interest in mining, forestry, agro-processing

The protest to change all foreign contracts continues.

…eyes opportunities in Hotel industry to support Oil sector growth

Son fulfills father's dying wish of becoming lawyer No trace of document in $1.8 billion settlement paid to BK in Haags Bosch dispute - PAC hears

Guyana will pay for Amaila through Power Purchase deal with GPL …as Govt. approaches Chinese contractor to build, own, operate and transfer Hydro Project- Jagdeo VP Jagdeo tells the nation that Exxon will now guarantee up to US$2B for any damage on Kaieteur caused from the 4th Project, Yellowtail, nothing for Liza 1, 2 and Payara.@11:00hrs Radio 99.1/99.5FM

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday November 03, 2021

Chinese company accused of fraud will now design, build and finance project New Demerara River Bridge...

A Chinese company accused of fraud by the World Bank has secured the contract to build the new multi-million dollar Demerara River Bridge estimated to cost some US$257M. Confirmation of the contract was released on Monday evening, when by way of a public statement, the Ministry of Finance announced that Cabinet at its last meeting granted noobjection for the Ministry of Public Works (MoPW), to

engage China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd. to construct the New Demerara Harbour Bridge (NDHB).

The project will be approached based on a Design-Build-Finance (DBF) model with financial terms and conditions “which would be no less favourable than those submitted in the preferred bidder’s price proposals.”

Investigations by this publication had found that several of the companies that

had expressed an interest in constructing the bridge had been involved in illegal practices in the past, including China’s State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd. That company was sued for fraud in the Bahamas.

The company reportedly submitted ‘sham billings’ and diverted monies to other projects and was subsequently disbarred by the World Bank. According to the Ministry of Finance, the proposal by China State

File Photo:-The aging Demerara Harbour Bridge that is to be replaced.

Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd, under the DBF model contemplates a construction cost of US$256.6 million, the lowest amongst all bidders.

It was noted that initially, the Government of Guyana, through the MoPW, prequalified nine firms to submit bids for the construction of a two-lane dual carriageway (4 lanes) hybrid Cable-Stayed center span bridge, with Concrete Box/T Beam Girder approach bridge structure.

It was noted that features

to be included on the new bridge would be collision protection, navigation span to accommodate Handymax vessel Navigation aids, Lighting, signage, and all other ancillary works, access road with a minimum of 50 meters up to abutments and a toll collection buildings and ancillary buildings on the West Bank of the Demerara River (WBD).

According to the Ministry, the pre-qualified firms were invited to submit bids to construct the bridge using a Design Build

Finance (DBF) contract and Design Build Finance Operate Maintain (DBFOM) contract.

It was noted that at the pre-bid meeting, held on June 28, 2021, it was agreed that the closing date for submission of bids would be October 5, 2021.

Subsequently, only five of the pre-qualified bidders submitted bids, of which four obtained the required minimum score for the technical proposal. The Ministry said the Evaluation Continued on page 3

Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 03, 2021

PAGE 03

Finance Ministry in fresh talks with UAE investors Guyana and private sector investment groups from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are currently in fresh talks, with a view to exploring opportunities particularly in the hotel industry to support the country’s increased arrivals, a direct result of the country’s nascent oil and gas sector.

This is in addition to exploring opportunities that exist in the mining, forestry and the agricultural sectors.

To this end, Senior Finance Minister within the Office of the President, Dr. Ashni Singh, yesterday hosted a virtual follow-up meeting between Mr. Maan Halabi, Managing Director of the Al Habtoor Group LLC located in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the UAE and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond, along with local private sector representatives.

The meeting, according to a statement yesterday from the Finance Ministry, “took place in the Boardroom of the Ministry of Finance and formed part of a series of meetings hosted by Dr. Singh recently as a follow-up to meetings first held in Dubai during a visit by President Irfaan Ali and a team of Government Ministers.”

The Guyanese Government officials had travelled to that country to attend the World Expo 2020 in Dubai.

It was noted that the Al Habtoor Group is one of the UAE’s most respected and successful businesses that provides engineering and construction services but also operates in the hospitality, automotive, real estate, education and publishing sectors and with vast investments in tourism.

According to the Finance Ministry, during President Irfaan Ali’s recent visit to Dubai, the Al Habtoor Group

…also expresses interest in mining, forestry, agro-processing …eyes opportunities in Hotel industry to support Oil sector growth

Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh (at left) along with the Guyana team during the virtual meeting. had expressed interest in expanding its global footprint in the tourism properties market.

As such, “Government continues to court the group into taking up available investment opportunities in the hotel and resort industry here, or partnering with local private sector investors to expand the industry.”

To this end, yesterday’s “meeting allowed for the discussion of investment opportunities in these areas,” according to the Finance Ministry in its statement.

Dr. Singh, in the missive, noted that there is a wide range of opportunities for the Group to invest in Guyana, particularly in the tourism sector.

These include greenfield investments in new flagship hotel projects, partnerships with existing investors currently developing hotel projects, and establishment of largescale nature-based tourist resorts.

He further indicated that the tourism sector is poised for rapid expansion in Guyana and is therefore attractive to international investors like the Al Habtoor Group which already has a global footprint of premium flagship hotels worldwide.

FORESTRY & MINING “The tourism industry in

Guyana even before the COVID-19 period had started to gain international acclaim especially for ecotourism. With the advent of the oil and gas sector and that attention, we also began seeing increased interest with just visitors and businesses for the oil and gas sector so, one of the good problems that we have so far in Guyana is that we have the need for good quality rooms, “ M i n i s t e r Wa l r o n d explained to Mr. Halabi.

She further noted that within a month of Government being in office, expressions of interest were sent out for internationallybranded hotels to be built in the country since one of Guyana’s premier hotels—the Marriott—is currently fully booked until January 2022.”

Noting that there has already been sod-turning for a number of new additional hotels, with two having taken place close to the Ti m e h r i I n t e r n a t i o n a l A i r p o r t , t h e To u r i s m Minister added that Government will soon send out expressions of interest for luxury-branded ecotourism facilities within the eco-tourism industry as it hopes to have at least 2,000 hotel rooms available for visitors to the country.

Meanwhile, former

Chinese company accused of fraud will...

From page 2 Committee recommended that the Procuring Entity engage China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd. using the Design-Build-Finance (DBF) model “on financing terms and conditions no less favourable than those proposed by the highest ranked bidder.”

According to the Ministry, NPTAB subsequently submitted the recommendation to Cabinet, and Cabinet granted its ‘no objection’.

The Ministry in its missive argues that the New Demerara River Bridge “comprises a critical component of the Government’s drive to expand and modernize Guyana’s transport infrastructure.”

It aims to replace the aging Demerara

Harbour Bridge with a modern four-lane structure that will facilitate greater traffic capacity and dramatically improve commuter convenience.

The new bridge, according to the Ministry, will also “offer easy connectivity to both the existing East Bank Demerara road as well as the new Diamond to Ogle bypass on the eastern side of the River and to the existing West Bank Demerara Road and the new Parika to Schoonord Road on the western side of the River.”

The new bridge, it said, “will also offer critical connectivity to the new Wales Development Authority which will be a major centre of productive activity when it comes on stream.”

President of the Guyana Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) Mitra Ramkumar during the meeting said he believes that the tourism

industry in Guyana had already taken off even before the advent of oil and gas.

He noted however that Guyana can “learn much from the UAE on how its

tourism industry can be a spin-off from the oil and gas sector especially since Guyana has pristine rainforests, a diversity of people, beauty and nature as well as vast lands for development and investment, and as such, further investment can catapult its success.”

Meanwhile on Friday last, Minister Singh hosted another meeting between His Excellency Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) and his team.

The two were joined by Guyana’s Ministers of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, Natural Continued on page 9

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 03, 2021

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

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

EDITORIAL

Oil companies boasting at Guyana’s expense Two of the oil companies exploiting Guyana’s oil wealth are boasting publicly about how well they are doing, or potentially could be doing, given the rich, one-sided deals they have with this country. In fact, to say they are boasting about how their oil deals with Guyana favour them is an understatement. They are so overcome with joy at their good fortune that they are chortling before watching foreign, most likely global, audiences of the incomparable beauty of Guyana’s oil.

What this confirms is how unprecedentedly backward, how financially illiterate, Guyana’s political leaders are. First, leaders in the APNU+AFC coalition government gave away almost everything, while leaving the peoples of this country with the equivalent of next to nothing, so impoverishing is what remains on the table, when the oil companies are done with us. Secondly and not wanting to be outdone, succeeding leaders in the PPP/C Government have done cartwheels to demonstrate to the whole world that they can be more stupid and more generous than the Coalition’s leaders. The very things that PPP/C leaders used to condemn when they were in the opposition, they now allow to flourish, and collaborate with oil powers to rob Guyanese some more.

The oil powers are beside themselves with delight. First, the CEO of Hess Corporation, John Hess, was gurgling so much that his words alone tell of the bounties his company is in line to collect. Specifically, this is what CEO Hess said when he spoke of the Yellowtail Project that is in the works: “This development has simply outstanding financial returns, some of the best in the industry…

So, it’s outstanding economics” (“US$9B Yellowtail Project is the best on the planet, has “outstanding economics” that works in our favour - Hess,” KN October 31).

Of course, it works in Hess’s favour, and what favours the company is devastating for Guyana. “Outstanding financial returns” and “outstanding economics” are part of a vocabulary that everyone understands. What is supremely good and rewarding for Hess is terribly draining for Guyana.

Indeed, it is the best on the planet for Hess and its shareholders, and with that we will not argue, no one can.

As if not to be left out in the Guyana celebrations, Exxon’s CEO, Darren Woods, went on CNBC last week, and announced several fabulous developments, most of which are financed by the company’s returns from Guyana. The Exxon CEO announced to the world that the company would: 1) pay off all the debt it borrowed in 2020; 2) buyback US$10 billion of its shares, and 3) Exxon employees will be getting pay raises. We all should be working for Exxon, or be shareholders of the company, so as to be on the receiving end of the handsome rewards handed out with relish and zest.Guyanese, however, have no such luck, for they are unlucky enough to be saddled with dummies for political leaders in successive governments, who collaborate with foreign oil companies to rip the guts out of the hopes of any Guyanese daring to dream about this oil wealth of ours. When the foreign oil companies celebrate publicly, we are forced to hang our heads in shame at how utterly miserable we appear before the world, and how poor we will continue to be for the next several generations. Instead of linking arms to stand shoulder to shoulder against foreign oil companies, Guyana’s political leaders look to dig up and hurl dirt at foes. While our leading politicians engage in these games, oil companies laugh at us, and make a mockery of our prospects.

The only foreign oil power to remain quiet (so far) on its oil blessings from Guyana is the Chinese company that is part of the consortium exploring for oil here. The wise Chinese prefer to hold their cards close to their chest, say nothing, and let the Westerners do the public dancing. It is the grave of Guyanese on which arrogant and insensitive American oil powers are dancing, when they boast so unrestrainedly, but so accurately.

Our leaders should hang their heads, if not themselves, for the abominations heaped upon Guyanese citizens. They enrich outsiders and themselves and their friends and families. It is goodbye to Guyanese hopes and dreams.

Donald Ramotar, Irfaan Ali and COP26 DEAR EDITOR, Former President Donald Ramotar wrote a letter to the press about the forthcoming COP26 in Scotland. The former President touched on many pertinent issues, especially relating to climate change. The simple cogency and factual data are evidence of good research, which is also demonstrable of obvious concern.

This letter is a powerful and excellent exposition. All is not lost; at least, some have not suffered cerebral sclerosis.

In a previous letter, the former President made a declaration stating that the PPP is

not a Marxist party. I wish to know if he is the bona fide spokesperson for the PPP, and is he making the declaration officially on behalf of the PPP! Is he a leader, quasileader, or whatever, within the PPP? If not, who is? And who is leading whom? I ask rhetorically because I am perplexed and confused.

Mr. Ramotar’s (I shouldn’t say comrade anymore) profound letter is most decidedly at variance with his government role vis-a-vis climate change. I mean they are pursuing fossil fuel “drill baby, drill” when the world is

asking and demanding a new paradigm shift in relation to energy. The PPP (like the PNC) has taken the wrong fork of the road, one that will lead to destruction and doom in terms of sustainability and survival of the global biome, going against the grain of what is scientifically and morally correct. They are selling out the country – to put it mildly. Perhaps they should do a refresher course, starting with reading The West on Trial.

Now President Irfaan Ali is in Scotland for the COP26 Meeting. The COP26 is a ‘cop

out’. COP has not achieved anything fundamentally pro people in its 26 years of activity. I daresay “they” meet and have a grand time, patting one another, and vying for the best spot in a toothpaste commercial. More of this another time.

What will Dr. Ali do or say? Maybe he can show them how to plant seedlings. What kind of message can he send?

To be blunt and diplomatically incorrect he can tell them falsehoods, and earn the proverbial hypocrisy adage.

Yours truly, Gary Girdhari

DIAMOND INTERCHANGE SAFER, MORE PRACTICAL THAN T-JUNCTIONS DEAR EDITOR, In recent bilateral engagements, we have agreed upon the need for critical infrastructure at the correct scale. The Vice President also highlighted the need for infrastructure in a recent press conference. We may have forgotten, albeit temporarily, on account of COVID-19 restrictions, that we have a tremendous traffic problem owing to the fact that our inner city is not placed in its rightful context - that the city is in fact fed by an interstate highway that borders the contours of the conservancy, with on and off ramps and connections therewith, to bridges over the Demerara and to highway segments that drive us to the East-West link of Suriname.

Georgetown is an inner city, flanked on one side by the sea and river and on the other

side, by a highway zone, provisionally viewed as being near to the contours of the conservancy. This highway will fetch us at higher speed toward the rising number of ports on our coast and bank and get us to work and home across the map by allowing us to go faster, outside of the city. The Linden-Soesdyke Highway sits in silence, a tantalizing segment of this interstate highway. It is like a sleeping dragon waiting to unfurl - or rather to be continued toward the coast, where it eventually meets with the proposed Ogle-Diamond Road link.

In my view this road link should not host T-junctions, like the one at Sheriff and Rupert Craig, where I myself witnessed firsthand, a fatal accident, on my way to the sea wall. Highways do not

have T-junctions, but interchanges or exits. There are any number of creative solutions to the interchange problem.

One possible solution that can get us connected to the Ogle-Diamond Road link, is the Diamond interchange - a popular raised-road solution from the USA, that gets you on and off from all directions, or across and over, without the need for a T-junction or even traffic lights. You sort of flow on and off of it using what our friends in Trinidad call ‘filter lanes’.

I believe that the diamond interchange is a good start for us because it is relatively simple to design and should be affordable to build, while keeping us in the clear as the future unfolds. I also imagine several of these getting us onto the flyover that takes us over the Demerara.

It seems like a hard map to work with right now though, for we have filled in many blanks on the East Bank in our bid to respond to our housing demand. Diamond interchanges will require space to pull off. Highways also need to be flanked by sound barriers like mounds with planted trees. I am, as we speak, equipping myself with open-source design tools to explore alternatives, albeit with dated satellite imagery. As a person who lost the use of a limb due to a road accident, I really hope for our map to turn out great. I wait with bated breath from the next release by Public Works and the CH&PA. Roads will set our entire construction agenda for years to come. We need to get them right.

Sincerely, Emille Giddings

UNIVERSAL PRAYER(S) CAN BE DULL, FARCICAL, AND SUPERFICIAL DEAR EDITOR, I write to express my opinion on the issue of prayers in public schools. I concur with Swami Aksharananda and Ferlin Pedro in their call for religious neutrality in public institutions.

My concurrence is prompted by the Ministry of Education’s insistence that the prayer recited at an organised event hosted by the Ministry is a “universal” one. I fully agree that Christian-themed prayers have no place in our public institutions, particularly our public schools.

Swami Aksharananda contends that the prayer recited at the organised event hosted by the Ministry of Education was a Christian-themed prayer.

The Swami would agree with me that, apart from the reference “heavenly father” and the Christian signature “amen”, the word “God” in the rest of the prayer is a non-translatable religious category for the Hindu.

The word “God” fails to

express the all-expansive ultimate reality in Hindu philosophy that creates all, lives in all, and transcends all. To translate it as Brahman or Ishwara diminishes its meaning, while evoking a monotheistic personal deity in the Judeo-Christian sense.

This is another example of the theological incompatibilities of the “universal” prayer used by the Ministry, making its religious value questionable. Moreover, any official “non-denominational,” “inter-denominational,” or “universal” prayer written and sanctioned by the government risks expressing the theme of the dominant religion in our society.

Prayer is such a vast and multifaceted subject that one instantly recognises the impossibility of even lightly touching on all its aspects in one official prayer, without the risk of offending other religious persuasions. Prayer reflects a person’s theological position about prayer and

his metaphysical commitments that informs his religious worldview.

Because of this, any official prayer written and sanctioned by the Ministry of Education has questionable religious value.

Additionally, the religious value of a “universal” prayer is questionable because it promotes a religious experience that conveys none of the theological substance, depth, and/or historic witness of any particular religion. Such a prayer is dull, farcical and superficial. Prayer has a defined purpose in any religion, and there are many forms of prayers that have spiritually nurtured the adherents of various religions throughout the centuries, but not one of them has been a “universal” prayer.

Apart from this, why are prayers in public schools necessary?

Some are of the opinion that the use of prayers in public schools provides for the nurture of morality and the

cultivation of religious experience in children. John M. Fraser expressed this opinion in his letter (SN 28/10/2021).

Furthermore, he posited that “religion is both a source of knowledge regarding the ideals of morality and a source of strength to help them put those ideals into practice.” I do not disagree that religion is a source of moral knowledge; however, it is not the only source of moral knowledge.

The moral landscape can be surveyed by using our rational faculties free of any religious commitment. Our ability to reason can be the basis of morality.

Furthermore, moral laws can be justified by a moral intuition based upon utilitarian principles. Children do not need to be morally nurtured in public schools only by religion.

Nonetheless, I fail to see the value of prayer in public schools in creating a moral or (Continued on page 6)

Wednesday November 03, 2021

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Kaieteur News

DR. JANET BULKAN ELABORATES ON HER POSITION ABOUT OFFSHORE AND ONSHORE OIL DANGERS DEAR EDITOR, In response to his letter published in the Kaieteur News on 2 November 2021, I invite Jonathan Yearwood to listen to what I said at the Hearing on Extractive Industries, Climate Justice and Human Rights in the Caribbean convened by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on 26 October 2021. In the recording he can hear my reasons for calling for a halt to further drilling of deep wells offshore until our laws have been updated, in line with best international practices, and until our regulatory agencies are allowed and trained to function independently and are wellresourced. My contribution is around 1:09.30 to 1:16 minutes of the Hearing which was livestreamed. Here is the link: h t t p s : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m /

watch?v=-zORVK5msIM I agree with Jonathan Yearwood’s words: ‘the industry needs to function under strict environmental guidelines for exploration and production. This is where our Government and the Environmental Protection Agency need to become more active …’

What I outlined to the IACHR Commissioners was the current high-risk strategy that imperils the livelihoods of our fellow Guyanese and our fellow Caribbean sisters and brothers as well as the environment in which we live. The text in inverted commas is what I said: ‘Petroleum exploration and production … pose a risk not just to the people of Guyana and Suriname but to the entire Caribbean. So I went to a hearing, a public hearing, last night [25 October] which

ExxonMobil (XOM) had in Georgetown. And they added up … At which XOM mentioned the number of wells … these are very deep wells, at a depth of 18,000 feet, 200 km offshore of Georgetown. This is within Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone, but very close to the other Caribbean countries … These wells are under about 5,000 feet of water … and then the depth below that goes down to 18,000 feet in hard rock …is twice as deep as the Macondo well blowout that destroyed the [BP] Deep Water horizon rig in in 2010.’ [That was my mistake, the Deepwater Horizon rig could drill at twice the depth but the Macondo well itself was similar in depth to the Liza and Payara exploratory wells.]

I said to the IACHR Commissioners that an XOM spokesperson made clear: ‘In

other words, Guyana, you are the owner, we are only the operator.’ The XOM spokesperson listed numbers of drilled and proposed wells: ‘XOM have at the moment in Lisa Phases 1 and 2 … 50 [no, 17+30=47] deep wells. Then they are moving to Payara where they will have 35 to 45 [no, 41] wells. Last night we learned that Yellowtail will have 67 wells. Those add up to 162 [correct number is probably 155] wells.’

‘Let’s imagine that those wells are all drilled.’ [remembering that some of these wells are for re-injection of associated gas and produced water.] ‘Someone in the Umana Yana audience on 25 October asked: “Can you tell me about your spill response plan. What will you do if there is a spill?” And the [XOM] answer was: “We are doing simulations

I salute the President on constitutional appointments DEAR EDITOR, “I am fully committed to abiding by every aspect of the constitution. There is no precondition to fulfilling my mandate in accordance with the constitution” (“Ali walks back on preconditions for meeting Harmon -says Judicial Service

Commission appointments to be addressed soon” SN October 31). I must be the biggest fool in the world, but I hail the president for his words that ring with me. I do so, despite President Ali’s gift for glibness on matters of substance.

Universal prayer(s) can...

From page 4 ethical atmosphere for children.

From a purely theological perspective, prayers of whatever kind in public schools are not essential to the cultivation of morality or religion in children, for it is not an instrument to be used by those who wish to inculcate either in children or to moralise public education. Rather, it is a spiritual discipline developed from one’s personal devotion and experience with the divine according to one’s religious commitments. It might be the case that the one who prays to a deity opens himself to be infused and transformed by divine goodness. It could also be said that prayer is an avenue for such infusion and transformation.

However, the intent of adopting and mandating an official prayer in public schools is central to this is-

sue and should remain in view.

For the Ministry of Education to have a policy officially prescribing when and what children should pray amounts to religious coercion in public schools.

And concerning the nurture of religious faith in children, which is often ritualistic in character, it belongs to the home and the child’s place of worship, not in public schools. The only exception to this is in private religious schools whose philosophy of education is informed and guided by their religious commitments. Now, if the religious value of a “universal” prayer is questionable and prayers of whatever kind in public schools are not essential to the cultivation of morality or religion in children, then why is the Ministry of Education interested in having a policy mandating prayers?

Ronald N. Emanuel

What I have said before, I repeat today: the president is Guyana’s leader. I recognise that, notwithstanding the atrocities that have been proliferated under his watch, the long slippery slopes of his truths, and the objections of the opposition that dishonours itself with distinguishing ineffectiveness. It is why I disagree with SN’s choice of verb (“walks back”) in its caption for the article.

Instead, I laud as what presidents do, must embody; and how national heads rise above partisanship and brinksmanship to deliver statesmanship.

Again, I don’t ask why, but I accept the president’s words at face value. I give the president opportunity and latitude to make good on his ringing position, which should be unalterable in so many things, and not just as he and his similarly wily people narrowly interprets, but in what is significant for Guyanese welfare. It is of removing this albatross, this leprosy, this unspeakable gracelessness that has visited the judicial realm. It is more than about Commissioner of Police, and Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force.

Rather, it is of all those grand things that His Excellency,

President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, promised during his inauguration, but regarding which, he has failed to honour almost always. He has called down upon himself the disrespectable and disreputable in the process of his unpresidential craftiness, his lack of excellence, in not rising above partisan politics and really beginning to govern.

Editor, I overlook those perversities today, with appreciation for the president’s words, which every time he takes a stand for the constitution is the equivalent of an unbreakable oath. This is how sacred it should be to him, which then sets an example for all. I don’t care about the identity of the parties that influenced or orchestrated this presidential change of heart, be they American or regional.

I simply tender that it would be a vote of confidence in the judiciary, which would trickle down to the rest of us.

As an aside, I noted (Continued on page 6)

… we have been doing simulations … there are about 50 Guyanese involved …

If we see a teaspoon of oil in the water, we investigate it.

We have a Local Content policy.

In Guyana, we have booms and we have dispersants” My comment to the IACHR Commissioners was: ‘Commissioners, this is very high risk. We did not hear last night from XOM that there was any marshalling [of control equipment such as deepwater well-sealing caps as had to be built for the spill at the Macondo well] … no evidence [that the FPSO crew on Liza Destiny has had any fullscale practice of sealing a blow-out], of controlling and stopping a spill in waters as deep as these are.’

Mr Yearwood can listen to what I had to say in that re-

cording about the extant 1986 Petroleum Act and why I suspect that having antiquated legislation suits XOM and successive governments of Guyana just fine. Many Guyanese, not only me, are troubled at the very high-risk behaviour that is on-going offshore and onshore. I suspect that the majority of our fellow citizens would want the precautionary principle to be, and to have been, implemented to date, for safeguarding the environmental and social aspects of Guyana’s livelihoods as incorporated in Guyana’s Environmental Protection (EP) Act and in Articles 36 and 149 (j) of the National Constitution.

I ended my intervention to the IACHR Commissioners by saying: ‘200 kms offshore is far from Guyanese eyes. I would like the Commissioners to bear

Should the Ministry of Education undertake to sanitise schools?

DEAR EDITOR, Teachers and parents would like to know if it’s too much for the Ministry of Education to sanitise the schools in situations where there are positive COVID-19 cases.

There was such a case at the New Diamond/Grove Primary School (a teacher had tested positive for COVID-19) and the Headteacher thought it best to carry on school as normal, without informing the staff that one of their colleagues had tested positive

and without doing any contact tracing.

According to the Headteacher, it is no longer the policy of the Ministry of Education (Region 4) to close or sanitise schools when COVID-19 cases are reported.

Could this be right? Is this how the authorities show concern for the safety and wellbeing of students and teachers in face-to-face classrooms during this pandemic?

Concerned parent & teacher

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 03, 2021

Public hospitals should not be the places where poor people go to die DEAR EDITOR, The recent story of the tragic death of 24-year-old Devi Samaroo and her newborn at the New Amsterdam Hospital in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) warrants an intense and urgent investigation. As if the two deaths were not bad enough, the stories coming from the family of the shoddiest treatment, the hospital staff’s refusal to give information on the whereabouts of mother and her baby, refusal to disclose the names of the doctors/nurses, poor treatment of the mother’s dead body – that was not the

shining moment for the New Amsterdam Hospital, where several mothers and babies have died over the years. It’s an indictment of our primitive public health systems. Recently, The Minister of Health has been talking about “smart” hospitals. It does not appear that Port Mourant Hospital where Ms. Samaroo first visited is “smart,” nor it does not seem that the New Amsterdam Hospital is “smart.” But we cannot allow these “dumb” hospitals to kill our people, and there is no accountability.

In the old days, mothers

gave birth at home and the people did not die the way New Amsterdam Hospital has a high mortality rate. So why are we going to a hospital that has medical personnel and facilities and you don’t come out alive? It did not appear that the pregnancy was difficult or problematic so when your loved one dies, it is unexpected, shocking, and traumatic. The ministry must investigate and deal with the family’s claims of negligence and cover-up. This family must get justice, as well as the others that lost loved ones.

Autopsies later said that the baby girl died as a result of a hole in her heart and the mother died from shock and blood clot in the lungs. So if the baby has a hole in the heart, was that not detected during the pre-natal visits? If the mother died from shock and blood clot in the lungs, when did that happen? Was that detected when she went to the Port Mourant Hospital?

Who were the attending doctor(s) and nurses? The way the parents were kept in the dark and were denied information, the family’s claim they were not allowed to be present at the autopsy, all seem suspicious. Why? Is it not a usual practice to have a

family member present? Was that an attempt at a cover up?

The Ministry must develop a “Patients/Family Bill of Rights” going forward.

Hospitals and their personnel must be held accountable for unprofessional behaviour, medical negligence and malfeasance, neglect of duty, etc.

Public hospitals must care about their customer service and their image.

The public must not think that public hospitals are inefficient, incompetent and associated with mediocrity in service, including “hoggish” staff. These public institutions cannot afford to fail because the masses who cannot afford private services depend on them.

Social media is abuzz with criticisms of our health services. Sewachan Deonarine said, “If you want dead the hospital to go is New Amsterdam hospital...the family should get another autopsy.”

Eusi Mclean said, “Is about time people start taking legal action against these hospital,” and Ramona N. Samuel Deo said, “They need to be sued, too many young mothers are dying, it’s their negligence.” Chandani Chanand said, “When you are poor

there is no justice. Leave it in the hands of God and wait for karma to do its thing. There is no one or organisation that looks into situations like this.

What we tend to hear are numerous excuses and cover up for the wrong that’s being/ was done. Babies and mothers are dying, family blaming hospitals for negligence and yet no investigation is carried out.” Grace Persaud said, “Such sad Healthcare situation in Guyana! Those who can afford would go to the Private Hospitals while the Poor are at the Mercy of the

Incompetent and Inconsiderate Staff at the Public Hospitals!! No ultra sound was done! The Patient or Family Were Not Updated of the various developments and were eventually barred from The Post Mortem!! Something doesn’t Add Up Here!! People Respect Your Health and Others too. R.I.P. Angel and Mother!”

What happened to Devi Samaroo and her baby is simply unacceptable! The family wants justice!

Sincerely, Dr. Jerry Jailall

What about the businessman in the PS bribery matter?

DEAR EDITOR, It is puzzling in the ‘PS caught accepting bribe’ matter that the businessman, who knowingly participated in a wrongful transaction, to which he initially agreed to, and then cried foul, seems is walking free and has nothing to account for.

How is it he aided, abetted, and facilitated a dishonest act, but it appears, is not under investigation or made to explain his actions?

Shamshun Mohamed

I salute the President on...

From page 5 another call from outsiders for inclusion in governance. It is a start, but not enough.

The same energies and spirits that were present during elections season must be brought to bear for inclusive governance.

ABC&E did not pay lip service then; all plunged head-

long and deeply into Guyana’s domestics.

They must do the same now, or risk being damned (by me) for the hypocrites and exploiters that they are. Last, to the president: the right words were said. Now, please, do the right thing, sir.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Wednesday November 03, 2021

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Wednesday November 03, 2021

While giving oil companies in Guyana billions in tax waivers

…Pres. Ali goes to COP26 calling on world leaders to end fossil fuel subsidies Pledging to reduce the country’s carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030, Head of State, President Irfaan Ali, in his address to the United Nations 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) underway in Glasgow, Scotland, has

called on the developed world to end subsidies for fossil fuel production.

This, even as Guyana continues to grapple with the repercussions of its Exploration and Production (E&P) activities, primarily

through an ExxonMobil-led consortia offshore Guyana, and the consequences of what has been heavily criticized by both government and opposition as being a lopsided contract, with experts pointing to

subsidies granted locally, even though indirectly.

These subsidies, some argue, are passed on in aspects of the contract such as: the recovery of exploration costs, the granting of a plethora of tax waivers—often times referred to as foregone revenue— and agreeing to pay the company’s share of any applicable taxes, among other provisions.

CARBON PRICE Despite the situation at home, President Ali, in his address on Tuesday told the more than 130 World Leaders present at the conference that “even though we (Guyana) recently became and oil producer, we support the removal of subsidies from fossil fuel production and advocate a strong global carbon price.” As it relates to the carbon price and the payment for carbon services provided by ‘forest rich’ countries, President Ali called on COP26 to finalize the rules for carbon markets, “so as to properly value tropical forests and the climate services which they provide.”

To t h i s e n d , t h e Guyanese leader in telling World Leaders of his country’s forest size—collectively larger than England and Scotland combined—pointing out that it acts as a carbon sink for some 20 giga-tons of carbon annually and as such should be incentivised.

Meaning, be paid for its ‘carbon sink’ services provided.

COP 26 is being held under the auspices of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Glasgow, Scotland in the United Kingdom (UK), and according to President Ali, “my country, Guyana is already playing its part in addressing Climate Change and will continue to do so.”

To this end President Ali told COP26, “we will maintain our forests, almost the size of England and Scotland combined, storing 20 giga tons of carbon as a global asset, we will work with local communities in conserving, protecting and sustainably managing our forests, biodiversity and fresh water supply.”

FINALIZE RULES As such, he was adamant, “in recognition of the eco-system and climate

Head of State, President Irfaan Ali and Barbadian Prime Minister, Mia Mottley meet with another of the delegates at COP26. services provided by forests, it is imperative that we finalize the rules for carbon markets and REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) so as to properly value tropical forest and the climate services which they provide.”

According to the President, “forests constitute a powerful arsenal in the fight against Climate Change,” and as such, “forest rich countries must b e p r o v id ed w ith th e incentives necessary to keep

moment in our civilization; history must not judge us as having only counted our losses, it must instead herald our efforts to confront one of our planet’s greatest threats; Climate Change.”

President Ali had prefaced his arguments to the World Leaders by warning, “the fate of civilization resides in the decisions we make here in Glasgow.”

This, since “the climate issue and crisis has given us an ultimatum; either we take immediate and drastic action

President Irfaan Ali (right) meets with his Indian counterpart, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. their forests intact and to reduce deforestation and forest degradation.”

Reminding that deforestation contributes 16 percent of annual global emissions, President Ali told COP 26, Guyana will decouple its “economic growth and emissions through a progressively cleaner energy mix, with the aim of reducing our carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030.”

According to the G u y a n e s e leader—addressing the international climate change confab—”we are at a historic

or subject ourselves to an infernal global disaster.”

As such, President Ali used the occasion to caution that “indifference and inaction will be costly; already we are far behind in limiting temperate rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the coming decade therefore must be the decade of decisive action.”

SURVIVAL To this end, President Ali argued that Climate Change “affects us all, rich, poor, developed and developing states but its effects are more severe on the poor and most vulnerable, especially Small Conttinued on page 14

Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 03, 2021

PAGE 09

Police businesses before acting as a mediator The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) lacks the moral authority to mediate between the Government and the Opposition in seeking to have the two sides work together on the COVID-19 vaccination drive. Indeed, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) also lacks such authority.

It was the PSC which enthusiastically welcomed the measures imposed by the Government. In a statement, the PSC said, “The Private Sector Commission embraces and recommends that its member companies require that all those of its employees who refuse to be vaccinated must provide evidence of a medicallycurrent COVID-19 negative test from infection before reporting to work, while continuing to encourage all of its employees to become vaccinated.”

The PSC also demanded that it be mandatory for all medical and security personnel in frontline contact with other persons to either be vaccinated or provide evidence of a medically-current COVID19 negative test “… and that

all places providing hospitality and entertainment services, including restaurants, require evidence of either vaccination or a medicallycurrent COVID-19 negative test from its customers in order for them to receive service.”

Just recently, it again urged businesses to implement and enforce the gazetted COVID-19 guidelines which “requires the use of masks, social distancing and the presentation of proof of vaccination upon entry into public places.”

It was the PSC which assumed the role of cheerleader when the Government announced regulations which required persons to show proof of vaccination or produce a negative PCR test, for entry into public places. The PSC said then that it supported the efforts of the government to protect the vaccinated from the unvaccinated.

The GCCI, on the other hand, called on the public to play its part. In September a senior executive was quoted as saying, “Businesses have implemented numerous

amounts of stringent policies to ensure that the customers are safe when they come in.

Now that that has been done, we believe that it's time for the general public to do their part.” This call came after the Government extended the need for proof of vaccination to private businesses.

What is ironic is that despite the PSC and GCCI supporting the COVID-19 guidelines, the local private sector has been the chief flouter of those regulations.

It is only the commercial banks, certain supermarkets and a few big businesses which are implementing the requirement for proof of vaccination or negative PCR before the public can access services provided by private businesses.

On any given day you can visit thousands of private businesses which are not requiring proof of vaccination or a negative PCR. This is patently unfair to the few private sector entities which are making an effort to comply with the law.

The country's commercial enterprises are among the chief culprits.

And therefore, the representative organisations

Finance Ministry in fresh talks with UAE...

From page 3 Resources, Vickram Bharrat and Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, along with other private sector stakeholders within the Agriculture and Gold and Diamond mining sectors in Guyana. At that meeting, the team members indicated to the DMCC that Guyana has the capacity for the largescale production of many agricultural commodities such as soya bean, ginger, corn, rice, coconuts, eddoes, cassava and plantains which can be exported to Dubai.

It was emphasized that with Dubai, being a major global commodity trading hub, Guyana stands to gain access to wider markets for its products.Other investment opportunities explored included areas of forestry and the mining sectors. According to the Ministry, “upon hearing about these investment opportunities, DMCC then expressed interest in learning more about Guyana's agricultural commodities including such as coffee, cocoa and mining potential including rare earth minerals.”

Glenn Lall gat de boys seh...

Vee Pee stuttering Dem

Wan thing yuh can seh bout de Vee Pee is dat he neva lost fuh words.

De man does talk with confidence even if he ain't gat content.

But on Monday, de man find heself in de same position as Patto was during de Recount.

When dem reporter did ask Patto bout de recount, de man start tripping over he words and stuttering like if he mouth playing wan orchestra.

Was de same thing on Monday wit de Vee Pee. De man start fuh talk bout

wah dem doing with de application fuh de Yellowtail and like is den he remember dat Glenn Lall does be listening to wat he does seh bout de oil industry.

When realisation hit home, de man pause fuh a long time like if he frighten or unsure of wuh to seh.

Den de man start fuh stutter and talk bout some US$2B fuh damages.

Dem boys seh de man kerfuffle heself.

Dem boys wan he fuh know dat insurance is suppose to be mandatory.

And we want full comprehensive coverage nat third party and we nat paying premium as cost recovery.

We ain't gat no foolproof insurance as yet for Liza 1, Liza 2 or fuh Payara.

So if, God forbid, something happen and de oil slick come to shore and de slick get into we creeks and rivers, we cork gan duck.

And we gan stutter more dan de Vee Pee. Talk half and if yuh wan hear de Vee Pee stammer, call Glenn Lall name!

for the local private sector, namely the PSC and the GCCI, must first put their houses in order before acting as mediator between the Government and the Opposition in relation to the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

The PSC and the GCCI should police local businesses to ensure they are compliant with the law.

The GCCI has a greater duty to do this since the commercial sector reeks of non-compliance, not only with respect to proof of vaccination but even in respect to the wearing of masks. There are many

businesses in which the owners are often seen not wearing masks or wearing them improperly.

The GCCI's proposal to bridge the differences between the Government and the Opposition in relation to the COVID-19 v a c c i n a t i o n i s commendable. But it is lowhanging fruit and it has come much too late – 74 percent of the adult population has been vaccinated with one dose and 48 percent with two doses. But there appears to be massive hesitancy by parents to vaccinate their children.

The Government and the

Opposition working together now is not likely to affect the pace of vaccination or even to significantly reduce hesitancy.

Before the GCCI agrees to do anything, it must arm itself with the moral authority to do so. And the best way to don such authority is to police its constituents and insist that they comply with the COVID-19 guidelines.

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

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Wednesday November 03, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

If you love Guyana, you must stay here O

ne of the Guyanese I have had a long friendship with is Dr. Mark Kirton. I am talking about almost 45 years of a relation which started as freshmen at UG and lasted as UG lecturers for several decades.

Mark and I did not and do not share the same attitude to politics in Guyana. In the 2020 election, Mark was the consultant to the PNC’s campaign. I, on the other hand used my Kaieteur News (KN) column to expose the reasons why people should not vote for the APNU+AFC. But we have not allowed politics dissolve our friendship.

Then there is Adam

Harris. We worked together at KN for over 25 years. But I had known Adam during my long years of political activism. I took umbrage when in 2017, the government gave Adam and Mark the award of Arrowhead of Achievement and at the same time assigned CCH to Dr. Ivelaw Griffith, the then ViceChancellor of UG. There was something that Dr. Griffith told the Stabroek News that triggered my interest. He explained the things he learned for the 36 years (yes 36) he lived outside of Guyana. I knew Griffith as a UG student. He was junior to Mark and me. On

graduation, Griffith left Guyana.

I wasn’t against the CCH for Griffith, I was annoyed that Mark and Adam deserve the same CCH or higher because they stayed and contributed to their country; Adam in journalism, Mark in academia. See my column of Saturday, June 3, 2017 titled, “Politicians in all countries use national awards as patronage.”

I have absolutely no problem with Guyanese who leave, never kept in touch with their homeland and are gone forever. That was their choice. I welcome those in the diaspora who still connect with their country and are willing to make a

tangible contribution that can be regarded as adding to our stock of assets.

What I will reject from Guyanese who have left is their unwillingness to serve in their land of birth but have the temerity to tell us how we should shape our sociological, political and economic approach to nation-building. If you get a d o c t o r a t e i n f o r e s t r y, agriculture, engineering, computer science and you choose to leave, then that is your choice.

But you ignore our local university where your presence can add to the institution’s pool of talent but you stay in your job in the developed world and you tell us how to shape our agricultural directions or how to make policies in the forestry sector. My point is why are you not doing so at home?

There are also those who hold dual citizens and they pronounce on the shape of our economy and they make consistent comments on what industry should be scrapped or downsized. But they use their dual citizenship to acquire immense benefits from their adopted country. They are not giving up their Canadian, UK and American citizenship.

Their family members and relatives and they, themselves, k n o w o f t h e disadvantage of living in Guyana. I firmly believe that those people who want to reshape the fulcrums of Guyana’s economy know that services and medical facilities are not on par with their adopted country so they are not prepared to live here but just visit. Why then, you want to determine the economy of Guyana. Let the people who live here decide that.

Why in the discussion of which industry to downsize, which industry to scrap, which industry to avoid, the voices of Guyanese living here are not solicited? In the world today, polls and referenda allow the people to make a choice.

A referendum in Quebec showed the citizens in that province did not want to breakaway from Canada.

The same thing happened in Scotland. In the UK, the people voted to leave the EU. In Czechoslovakia, a poll a l l o w e d t h e d i ff e r e n t nationalities to decide if they wanted to have their own separate state.

Finally, we live in an unfair world where countries that have undermined

Frederick Kissoon climate stability for over 100 years are so rich that their resource and wealth attract Guyanese to go there for a better life. But that enormous wealth accumulated for a long period of time is not used to dissolve poverty in the developing world. Sir Ron Sanders, a columnist in this newspaper, published an admirable analysis three weeks ago.

He wrote, “The 14nation CARICOM have been at the bottom of US official development assistance for decades. In 2019, for instance, total US foreign assistance globally was US$47 billion, of which collectively, 13 CARICOM countries received US$70 million only. For 9 of the 13 countries, the sum provided did not amount to US$1 million.”

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

Wednesday November 03, 2021

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Wednesday November 03, 2021

Guyana will pay for Amaila through Power Purchase deal with GPL …as Govt. approaches Chinese contractor to build, own, operate and transfer Hydro Project - Jagdeo Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo addressing the issue of the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project.

T h e G u y a n a Government is forging ahead with its plans to construct a 165 megawatt (MW) Hydro Electric Plant, using the Amaila Falls as its energy source.

It has since retained the controversial Chinese contractor, China Railway First Group (CRFG)—the company that had previously signed a contract to build the said project several years ago and to be paid for by power purchased from the

project.

This was confirmed by Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, who on Monday during a press engagement at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), told reporters that a decision had been taken at the last Cabinet meeting, and that government would be approaching the selected contractor to negotiate on the way forward.

The Ministry of Finance, in a subsequent public

missive corroborated the Vice President’s assertions saying, that Cabinet had given its ‘No Objection’ to the company, as evaluated by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

Government had earlier this year advertised, soliciting a private partner to fund and develop the project and according to the notice published at the time there had been two proposals on offer.

POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT The first option advertised, Build-OwnOperate-Transfer (BOOT)

An artist’s impression of the original iteration of the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project. where the developer would operate the project for a 20year period before handing it over to the government, at no cost.

The second option, Design-Build-Finance, where the government would take over the project at the commissioning date

and initiate repayment of the financing in accordance with contract terms.

According to Vice Continued on page 21

Wednesday November 03, 2021

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Wednesday November 03, 2021

More charges for alleged swindler Pedal cyclist killed by speeding Twenty-three-year-old, Darrell LaFargue of 95 Block ‘F’ North Sophia, Greater Georgetown, who was charged previously for allegedly swindling over $500,000 from a security firm was on Monday slapped with 14 similar charges.

LaFargue appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Principal Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus. He denied the charges, which allege that between July 2021 and August 2021, at Regent Street, Georgetown while being employed as a clerk or servant at Queensway Security Service Inc. stole $514, 486 from the security firm.

He was placed on a total of $ 210,000 bail and is expected to make his next court appearance on

Charged, Darrell LaFargue December 6, 2021.

On October 18, 2021, LaFargue made his first court appearance and he was placed on $450,000 bail for allegedly swindling over $500,000 from a security firm.

The court heard on that

hearing of the matter that a total of 56 fraud charges were made out against LaFargue. He had denied the 15 charges, which stated that between August 21, 2021, and September 4, 2021, at Regent Street, Georgetown while being employed as a clerk or servant at Queensway Security Service Inc., he stole the sum of $585, 028.

Kaieteur News had reported that he was initially placed on $40,000 bail on each of the 15 fraud charges, but his bail was later reduced to $30,000, on each of the 15 charges.

The condition of the bail is that he reports to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, every Friday until the hearing and determination of his matter.

Murder accused jailed for escaping from prison Kapildeo Gangadin, the double-murder accused who escaped from the Lusignan Prison only to be recaptured two days later was on Tuesday sentenced to three years in jail on a charge of escaping from lawful custody when he appeared at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.

The 24-year-old defendant was arraigned before Principal Magistrate Fabayo Azore. Gangadin pleaded guilty and as a result was sent to jail.

He had escaped from the quarantine section of the Lusignan Prison around 04:05 hrs on October 21, mere days after he was remanded for two murders, which he had confessed to committing.

Those two murders are that of 19-year-old Ganesh Persaud, who was killed for his gold chain inside of the Deals on Electronics Store located at Strathspey on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) and Mukesh Mangra, 24, a fisherman who was found dead in January 2020, at a dam in Coldingen also on the ECD.

Confessed killer, Kapildeo Gangadin While on remand, Gangadin decided that he was going to escape from prison and flee to neighbouring Suriname.

He reportedly waited until a routine check was done on the morning of October 28, before carrying out his plan. Kaieteur News had reported that he told police that he picked his foot cuffs and then used a piece of wood to scale a fence behind the quarantine housing unit.

He then crawled through the prison’s farm and jumped over a gate.

Gangadin had reportedly recalled hiding in some

nearby bushes until some passing guards were gone.

The man then crept through the backlands and headed to a backdam area where remained until the next day.

Gangadin continued his story that after leaving the backdam area, he met a man and had managed to convince him that he was a cattle farmer.

The man gave him a phone call and he arranged for an overseas uncle to send him money. With cash in hand, he reportedly managed to skip pass police roadblock along the East Coast Main Road and made his way to the Stabroek Bus Park in a minibus.

There he began the next phase of his plan by purchasing a cellphone, new clothes and had even shaved his beard and took a haircut before boarding another minibus to Parika.

Gangadin’s attempt to disguise was not good enough and someone had recognised him. Police were notified and Gangadin was i n t e r c e p t e d a t Onderneeming on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD).

While giving oil companies in...

From page 8 Island Developing States (SIDs) and low lying coastal states. For us it is a question of survival.”

According to President Ali, “we can use this summit to change the present trajectory,” but immediate action on a number of fronts, including the setting of “more ambitious goals to reduce emissions and we must honour, to the letter, those ambitions.”

He was adamant that, all countries have an obligation to act, stating “but the world’s foremost polluters have a greater duty to institute steeper emissions cut.”

Additionally, President Ali told World Leaders that the pledge of US$100B per annum “made one decade ago to support climate action must be met.” According to President Ali, “dishonored pledges are a recipe for disaster.”

car while waiting to cross road

A 27-year-old pedal cyclist was struck down and killed by a motorcar driver while he was waiting to cross the Vryheid’s Lust Public Road, East Coast (ECD) Demerara on Monday night. Dead is Ramesh Jaikaran of Better Hope, E.C.D. The incident took place around 22:00hrs.

Kaieteur News understands that the motorcar PAB 1884, which was being driven by 24year-old Jermain Ross of lot 15 Cottage Village, West Coast Berbice, was proceeding at a fast rate of speed along the mentioned public road.

Ross stated that while driving he saw the pedal cyclist, Ramesh Jaikaram a 27-year-old man of Better Hope, North, East Coast Demerara (ECD), standing in the center of the road waiting to cross. While approaching

him, he noticed the pedal cyclist proceed south, onto his path and he then decided to swerve in order to avoid a collision, however his efforts were unsuccessful.

As a result his vehicle hit Jaikaram causing him to fall to the road’s surface and receiving injuries about his body. He was then taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was seen and examined by a doctor and pronounced dead on arrival.

A breathalyzer test was conducted on Ross and a reading of 0.00% was recorded.

Ross along with Jonathan Rasulbaksh who is the driver of motorcar PYY 82 which was proceeding behind Ross is currently in custody assisting with police investigations.

Several attempts made to contact the family of the deceased proved futile.

COVID death toll at 926 - Region 10 resident is country’s latest COVID-19 fatality

T

he Ministry of Health on Tuesday reported that an 84year-old woman from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) who contracted the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease has died.

As a result of this, the country’s COVID-19 death toll has moved to 926.

According to the ministry, the woman was an unvaccinated patient who died on August 26, last while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

Meanwhile, in its latest edition of the COVID-19 dashboard, the Health Ministry recorded 62 new infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 35,719.

The dashboard also shows that 14 patients are admitted into the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 62 persons are in institutional isolation; 2,499 are in home isolation and three in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 32,218 persons who were infected with the virus have recovered.

Wednesday November 03, 2021

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Son fulfills father’s dying wish of becoming lawyer

A

man has fulfilled his father’s dying wish to become a lawyer and on Monday, his petition to be admitted to the local bar was accepted by Chief Justice (CJ) Roxane George.

Jevon Cox’s petition was presented to the CJ by attorney-at-law Dexter Todd but it was his acknowledgement speech that gripped the attention of those in attendance of his bar admission. “This is truly a bittersweet moment for me especially as I stand here, hearing my father’s last words on his dying bed. He said ‘I am going to die. This is inevitable but you must carry on.’ Clairmont Cox, dad, I know you are looking down now and I just want you to know that I carried on; I persevered. I didn’t give up and this is for us”, the young lawyer said during his speech.

Jevon Cox is the youngest of four children that his parents were blessed with and growing up as a child, he dreamt of becoming a pilot. However, he decided to change his career path after he witnessed that his father was unable to achieve his own dream of one day becoming a lawyer himself.

“My father had a peculiar passion for law.

He attempted the profession twice in a desperate effort to achieve his heart’s desire but was unable to do so due to circumstances best known to me. I recall him crying at nights as his dreams seemed to be unreachable” Cox said.

The young lawyer continued that his passion and liking for the law developed after seeing his “father’s attempts at the legal profession was unrewarded”.

As result, Cox said, he challenged himself to become a lawyer, a profession that his dad had died trying to achieve. His father died in

The son who fulfilled his father’s dying wish, Attorney-at-Law, Jevon Cox.

2017 at age 66. Cox was only 21 at the time and had recalled that during his dad’s last moments, he had promised to carry on from Continued on page 22

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Nine-man gang beat, rob fisherman A fisherman is fearful for his life after he was reportedly ambushed, lashed in the face, beaten and robbed by a gang of nine men on Monday night.

The injured fisherman has been identified as Michael James, a 32-yearo l d , o f R i v e r v i e w, Ruimveldt. Recounting the

events leading to his injury, James said that he was a bar at Riverview in the area when he saw the group of men approaching.

“I, gyaffing with a friend, and they ask mi what I have? and I seh why yuh doh go and ask yuh mudda duh?,” he said.

His response incensed

The injuries that James suffered as a result of being beaten by the gang.

one of the bandits who lashed James to his face with a glass bottle.

The others joined in, arming themselves with cutlasses, pieces of wood

they proceed to beat James.

James related that he was chopped about his body and at one time feared that he would have been killed. He said one of the bandits had a

gun at the time of the robbery.

He has made a report to the police and is hoping that the perpetrators would be caught.

James was robbed rob of a gold chain valued at $170,000, a Movado watch which was gifted to him and cost at about $200,000, and a $100,000 in cash.

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MISSING!!!

Missing is 23-year-old Mackeda Giddings of Continental Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

If anyone has seen her or knows where she is, kindly make contact with telephone numbers, 653-5721, 691-3246 or the nearest police station.

Giddings was last seen sporting a cornrow hairstyle and wearing a brown top, a pair of dark navy jeans and carrying a multicolored stripe purse.

Wednesday November 03, 2021

Businessman, Paul Daby dies of COVID-19 Dead businessman, Paul Daby

Owner of the popular Rio Night Club in Georgetown, Paul Daby also known “Uncle Paul” has succumbed to COVID-19 while receiving treatment in Colombia.

The businessman fell ill a few weeks back and was rushed to the Infectious Disease Hospital at Liliendaal after experiencing

breathing problems.

He was diagnosed later with COVID-19. His condition reportedly began to deteriorate and in a bid to save his life, his relatives decided to transfer him to a private medical facility.

Daby was flown eventually to Colombia for treatment where he died.

Wednesday November 03, 2021

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Kaieteur News

No trace of document in $1.8 billion settlement paid to BK in Haags Bosch dispute - PAC hears The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has no trace of the $1.8B settlement paid to BK contracting firm following a row it had with the government for missing targets at the Haags Bosch landfill development project.

The issue came up before the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday after a team from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development were asked to provide documentation for the settlement.

Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry, Prema Roopnarine told the PAC that even though the amounts were paid in full, she could not locate any documents relating to the settlement.

The payments were negotiated in 2017 as part of an out-of-court settlement between the Ministry of Legal Affairs and BK contracting.

The company had filed a lawsuit in 2015 claiming it was wrongfully terminated from the Haags Bosch Landfill development project.

The project was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and supplemented by state funds. The court matter concluded with Chief Justice (ag), the late Ian Chang, ruling in favour of the company.

The parties had reached an out of court settlement. However, when faced with questions before the PAC about documentation, even former PS of the then Ministry of Communities, Emil McGarrell could not provide the proof of the payment.

BK contracting firm was part of a project to develop the landfill site at Haag Bosch.

McGarrell who joined the meeting virtually, explained that the contract for BK contracting firm to develop the landfill was signed under the Donald Ramotar Administration but the out-of-court settlement was done after the A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government took office.

According to McGarrell, the payments in the settlement were not handled by what was known then as the Ministry of Communities but the monies were disbursed by the Legal Affairs Ministry, which was, at that time, headed by Attorney

General, Basil Williams S.C. In this regard, McGarrell said that as PS, he too never saw the transaction documents.“All I can say is I believe that they can be sourced from the Legal Affairs Ministry,” the former PS told the Ministry during the session.

But the response was not satisfactory to some members of the committee, who questioned the authority and regulations under which the monies were processed via the Legal Affairs Ministry.

Minister of Public Works and PAC member, Bishop Juan Edghill lamented the fact that even years

after the payments were made, the settlement document could not be found much less presented to the PAC for scrutiny.

“Under whose authority was it done?” Edghill asked. The question prompted Opposition member of the PAC, David Patterson, to follow up with similar queries.

PAC government member, Gail Teixeira also made queries about the Cabinet decision which paved the way for the funding to compensate the company. Attorney Sanjeev Datadin, who represents the government‘s interest at the PAC also asked for the minutes of the

settlement meeting, as well as the settlement contract.

Given the list of queries left unanswered, the PAC requested that PS Roopnarine furnish the committee with several documents within the next two weeks.

These would include the initial application filed in the court, evidence of the court hearing on the issue and evidence of the negotiated settlement.

PS Roopnarine was also asked to submit any additional documents that may be relevant to the issue thatd can help to answer the PAC’s questions.

Guyana will pay for Amaila through Power Purchase deal with GPL From page 12 President Jagdeo, government has since opted for the proposal identified in the first offer, where the selected contractor would also finance the project.

He was adamant that , in such a situation, government would bear none of the risks financial or otherwise and that the project would be repaid for through the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that would have to be signed with the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL).

The Vice President told reporters, “…we have a really great bid” and explained that in this iteration of the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP), “we are not going to put any money into the project, we are just buying power.”

The Vice President used the occasion to explain that during its initial attempt at constructing AFHEP, the administration had sought to lower the cost of electricity being produced, by buying into equity since debt financing would have been costlier.

According to Jagdeo however, this time around, it is expected that the project would be cheaper as a result

of lower interest rates but even ahead of negotiations with the contractor.

As such, he said the administration is looking to generate power at some US$0.07 (cents) per kilo watt hour (KWH).

Most Capable The Ministry of Finance in its missive confirming the Cabinet Decision, on Monday evening said, the ‘no objection’ was granted for the Office of the Prime Minister, to engage China Railway Group Limited to construct AFHEP. This, the ministry said would be pursued based on a BOOT model where the company will supply electricity to the Guyana Power and Light GPL Inc. “at a cost not exceeding US$0.07737 per KWH and where the company will provide the entire equity required by the project and undertake all the risks associated with the project.”

According to the ministry, a total of four companies submitted proposals, and China Railway Group Limited was identified as the most ‘capable partner’ by the Evaluation Committee after a rigorous evaluation process, following which

NPTAB submitted the relevant recommendation to Cabinet for ‘no objection.’

It should be noted that checks conducted by this publication found that China Railway was in 2019 debarred by the World Bank for practices considered fraudulent on a highway project in the country of Georgia.

China Railway was established in 1950 and is a subsidiary of China Railway Engineering Group (CREG).

Good Profit Meanwhile, Vice President Jagdeo continues to defend the project. During his press engagement on Monday, told reporters, “we are not going to put any money into the project, we are just buying power and at 7.7 cents” and suggested that this could possibly be lowered “because we are still to do some negotiations.”

He speculated that with GPL purchasing power at that price, “we can still sell power at 15 cents per KWH which we are hoping to do, because now it’s 30 cents, and still make a good profit for GPL….we are very pleased that the bids came in and we have these offers

now and the project is going to move forward.”

Lamenting the outcome of the previous iteration of the project coupled with the likelihood of a reduced construction cost this time around, Vice President Jagdeo reminded that it was the then political opposition that had refused to raise the debt ceiling for guarantees by government.

According to President Jagdeo, Guyana at the time was not incurring a debt but rather would have had to spend about $700M to guarantee paym ent for the

power.

He said, even after killing the project the then political opposition when it took Office in 2015, approached bilateral partner Norway, to conduct additional studies on the project.

The Vice President reported that at the time, the Norwegians had again concluded that the Amaila Falls site was the best suited location to provide base-load power from a renewable source.

Location Justified Arguing against solar as a base-load supply for electricity, Jagdeo again pointed to the lack of sunshine for

days at a time and the likelihood the country remaining without power.

He did say however, that the US$80M that Guyana had earned from Norway would be invested in large scale solar farms but that these would not be used as base-load, since AFHEP and the proposed Gas to Energy Project would serve this purpose.

As it relates to the Hydro Project, Jagdeo said the only way to achieve renewable targets “is basically through the construction of the hydro power…the report from Norway said we should retender and I am happy we did.”

Reminding that millions of US dollars had already been expended on the necessary environmental and other studies required ahead of the project, Jagdeo reminded reporters that a US Company, Blackstone, through its subsidiary was ready to proceed with the project before “the opposition machinations” that saw the company withdrawing.

The Ministry of Finance in providing some background into the history of the project noted that the site was first identified in

1976 by the Canadian company “Monenco’ during an extensive survey for hydroelectric power potential in Guyana.

It said various studies have since justified and strongly supported the construction of the AFHEP. “Recognising the suitability and attractiveness of the project, the pre-2015 PPP/C (Peoples Progressive Party/Civic) Government had advanced preparation of AFHP (sic) by conducting extensive technical and financial studies of the project, including an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA),” the ministry said.

According to the Finance Ministry, “in its current formulation, it is expected that the project will require no equity contribution from Government, in comparison with the previous project structure which was based on a Government contribution of US$100 million.”

Additionally, “the current structure anticipates a cost of power that will be lower than the initial cost of 11 cents per KWH contemplated by the previous project structure.”

PAGE 22

Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 03, 2021

Son fulfills father’s dying wish of becoming...

VACANCY Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 2550, Car/ Van licence. Call 6429823.

CAR RENTAL Aidan's Car Rental. Call: 2253234/628-1183.

PROPERTY FOR SALE 2 bedroom wooden house for sale in Ulverston Berbice for $2million. Contact: 6505626.

Auto Electrical apprentice age 19-25 yrs. Apply in person,Lot 120 Forth Street Albertown G/Town or call: 610-0340.

Exist for cashiers & supermarket helpers at Nirva Super Store. 49 Sheriff & Craig Street. Must be vaccinated.

Exist for Security Officers, Male & Female. 18yrs & above. Contact: 223-4172/6320099.

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040 REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES, AIR CONDITIONER, WASHING MACHINE, FREEZER, SALE OF AC'S. TEL: 629-4946, 2254822.

TO LET Fully furnished three bedroom house and rooms in Albertown. Call: 225-3234/ 628-1183.

Cook/baker, Kitchen Assistant, Servicemen & pitmen for interior location. Applicants must be experienced.

Call: 618-2020 or 231-2250.

For truck drivers, must know how to operate Hiab & have knowledge of Georgetown.

Call: 223-5273-4/621-5907 Exists for Porters. Call: 2235273-4/621-5907

WANTED FOR SALE Transported house lots for sale.Gated community,4Mil per lot.Call:671-9015/6221957.

Restaurant equipment for sale: Freezer, chiller, refrigerated showcase,tables, chairs ,etc.Whatsapp:608-7452.

Prices negotiable.

One cook and one kitchen assistant for interior locations. Call: 698-6200

Vacancy exist for delivery driver, E.C.D. Tel:692-6768/ 676-1363.

1 full time Industrial mechanic to manage workshop at JFWW Network Outlet.

Call:622-1957, 671-9015, 2336997.

Maintenance workers & labourers to work with P.S.G.C.S. Preferably from E.B.D. Call: 621-6969/ 6157784.

Female ages 25-40 to take care of elderly male in Trinidad.

Accomodations provided.

Call: +1 (868) 489-4087

Farm workers in Timehri, living accomodation provided.

Tel: 661-1585/617-2047.

Customer Service Rep/ Dispatcher, must be familiar with locations around Georgetown. Call: 621-9356.

FOR RENT 1 two bedroom concrete house to rent at Diamond.

E.B.D. Call: 680-6194.

3 bedroom, upperflat & lower flat. Newly renovated, in residential area with parking. 266 New Market Street. Call: 6105472.

Self-contained rooms in Lodge, for working couple/ singleperson,$35,000 monthly. Light & water. 1 month's security. Call: 6230076.

3 bedroom upstairs unfurnished, New Road V/Hoop & furnished 2 bedroom Apartment in Providence. Call: 6046664 or 216-2299.

PEN PAL Male seeks female 18-38 to live with or marry. Call: 6039085.

Experienced carpenter & apprentice. Contact: 624-9507/ 624-9509/624-9508.

Office/Accounts Clerk to work in Meadow Bank, preferably with previous experience. Call:227-5222.

One male security night guard. Tel: 225-9304/2260772.

Drivers & Office Clerk. Apply at Survival lot 10 Vlissengen Road , Newtown ,Kitty.

Domestic - live in or live out.

Honest & mature. Call: 6236383.

Supervisor, Counter Clerk, Hymac & Diesel Mechanic to work in charity. Call: 2235273/688-0417.

1 able bodied driver, ages 25+. Must have truck license.

Ice Factory Mon Repos, Call: 220-3459, between 8-4.

One male able bodied clerk.

Call: 225-2313/226-1497.

Professional, polite, wellgroomed, license rider. With or without bike. For delivery service. Call: 642-6832.

Immediate vacancy exists for male workers @Del Ice Co.Call:231-1408/642-9191.

Maid to cook and clean for East Bank area.Call: 615-9132.

One general domestic.Must be able to prepare vegetarian meal.Apply at Alabama Trading,65 Robb St Bourda.2255800/623-1615.

Senior & Sales Clerk,Cashier with 4 years working experience. Apply at Alabama Trading,65 Robb St Bourda.

Trained Grade 1 & 2 teachers needed. Payment will commence with experience and will be in 6 digit,623-1615.

For porters & lorry driver.

Apply at Alabama Trading.

Tel:225-5800.

Experienced Manager/Supervisor needed.Send application to Alabama Trading,65 Robb St Bourda.Tel:225-5800.

From page 15 where his father had left off.

About two years later, Cox began his legal education at the Hugh Wooding Law school and with pure determination and hard work passed his classes fulfilling his father’s wish and lifelong desire to become a lawyer.

He received his certificate in Legal Education on September 17, 2021 and yesterday at his bar admission, he reflected that his academic journey has not been a

smooth one. Cox said that it was one filled with challenges, unpleasant surprises, and grief.

Nevertheless, he continued to push forward by exercising faith, determination and resilience.

The young lawyer recounted that in his trying moments at law school, he would reflect on a poem his late dad had recited for him when he was about to sit his “common entrance exams”.

Filled with emotions, Cox

shared that poem with the audience, titled ‘You are the Person’ by Edgar Guest and it goes like this, “You are the person who has to decide, whether you will do it or toss it aside.

You are the person who makes up your mind whether you will strive for the good that’s afar or be contented to stay where you are.

Take it or leave it there is always something to do, think it all over it’s all up to you.”

Wednesday November 03, 2021

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News Attendees at the conference

Todd attends Italy-Caribbean Confab Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd recently participated in the Tenth ItalyLatin America and the Caribbean Conference on 25 and 26 October 2021, in Rome, Italy.

The Conference was hosted by Luigi di Maio, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy under the theme “People, Planet, Prosperity: The Future

of an Age-Old Partnership” and saw participation from Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs from across Latin America and the Caribbean; and representatives of regional and international organisations.

According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs release, Minister Todd participated in the thematic panel on Planet Starting anew from Sea and Climate: Coastal and Port Towns at the Heart of the Re-

covery on 26 October 2021.

During his presentation, Minister Todd welcomed the engagement between Italy and Latin America and the Caribbean to further explore the advancement of the partnership, in areas such as climate change, sustainable use, protection and the conservation of ocean resources.

Todd, the release said, emphasised that the Caribbean remains vulnerable to the effects of climate change

and reiterated the call for climate financing to ensure adaptation and mitigation measures to address loss and damage with priority access for Small Island Developing States.

Further, Todd highlighted that Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) caters to the development of a sustainable ocean economy and Guyana’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Prior to the plenary and simultaneous thematic panels, the Foreign Minister attended a Special Event on 25 October 2021, on Italy’s Falcone-Borsellino Programme, which covered Italy’s initiative of legal diplomacy and technical assistance in the field of justice and security for Latin American and Caribbean Countries to combat transnational organised crime.

The conference coincided with Italy’s chairmanship of the G20 which is being undertaken along the lines of the three (3) thematic areas addressed and the outcomes are expected to feed into the promotion of inclusive policies at the G20 level. The conference concluded with MOUs on Cooperation between CARICOM and Italy and between the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and Italy.

$30M Linden waterfront Mustapha reads Riot Act to delinquent contractors project commences - some blame delay in works on shortage

The construction of a $30 M Waterfront Development Project for the mining town of Linden, has commenced.

The project is being executed by the Ministry of Public Works and is targeting both the Mackenzie and Wismar shores. Linden is the only town with a river running through it, hence there are two waterfronts.

At the announcement of the project earlier in the year, Minster of Public Works Juan Edghill, said that consultation will be done to determine which shore the facility should be erected on. However, a decision was made to commence construction on both sides.

Commencement of the project without due consultation however, sparked uproar amongst stakeholders in the region. The Regional Democratic Council, the Linden Mayor and Town Council, the Region 10 Tourism Committee or the Linden Chamber of Industry Commerce and Development, were not notified about the commencement of the project.

Environmentalist and Promoter of the Linden River Front Festival, Samuel Wright, expressed his disappointment on the lack of consultation. The entire process of allocating funds and development of project scope showed scant regard for com-

of supplies due to shipping, bad weather

Construction works ongoing on the Linden Waterfront Development Project munity interest and desires, local knowledge, and the tenets of community engagement and consultation.

It was disempowering to the Linden Community,” Wright said in a recent letter to the editor.

In his effort to secure the scope of works for the project, Wright said he was told the scope has been finalized and that the contractors were chosen by selective tendering.

This, it was stated, was necessary to expedite the process and there was no time for further consultation.

He also expressed concern about traffic and environmental disruption and the fact that the stakeholders were not consulted on this.

“Management of builders’ waste is an essential part of the LM&TC waste manage-

ment strategy and this project would have been and ideal opportunity to test it. Infrastructure projects offer great opportunity to get community buy in, raise awareness, and develop community ownership and cohesion,” he is quoted as saying, while making it clear that the development is welcomed but should have been done with a more consultative approach to development.

The Waterfront Development Project should include primary facilities and aim to contribute to the social and economic advancement of the town.

To be included are recreational, environmental and sanitation facilities. Lindeners are hopeful that it will advance the town’s aqua-tourism potential to the next level.

Contractors who have outstanding works or are late with providing critical supplies to several agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture were on Monday urged to fulfill their contractual obligations or face penalties.

During a meeting with representatives from several companies that have active contracts with the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), The New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC), the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), and the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha reminded contractors of the government’s policy as it relates to delays in the completion of critical works that are aimed at improving the lives of citizens.

“Contractors, who just indicated that they will complete their works in the specified time, please work towards that. We have a lot of programmes expected to come on stream next year and the ministry should not have to engage the Tender Board or the Ministry of Finance because contractors are not satisfying their end of the bargain. As a government, we

Some of the contractors present at the meeting. are interested in getting these projects going so that we can get our programme off the ground. We are almost at the end of our expenditure cycle so I want to urge you to ensure you complete these works. These works are considered critical for the improvement of the lives of our citizens.

As a government, we do not want to have projects going on beyond their project lifecycle,” Minister Mustapha was quoted in a press release as saying.

Minister Mustapha also gave contractors up until the end of the week to renew their mobilisation bonds and submit them to the ministry.

Some of the contractors cited delays in shipments of critical materials or unfavourable

weather for not being able to complete their projects and seeking extensions. However, most contractors present committed to completing all outstanding works by the end of the year.

With the onset of the ongoing global pandemic, international shipping has seen a massive shortfall after countries like China and the United States had closed their borders. To date, the global manufacturing sector continues to experience delays in addition to the freight costs moving from $US4000 per container to $US20,000 per container.

Minister Mustapha is expected to meet with the contractors within the coming weeks for an update on the progress made at the meeting.

PAGE 24

Wednesday November 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

Court rules Govt. breached law in approving budget for constitutional agencies The High Court has ruled that the Irfaan Ali administration breached the constitution when it approved budget proposals for constitutional agencies back in 2020.

The ruling was made on Monday almost a year after Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) and former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, filed a lawsuit in relation against the government for the $11.2 billion allocation in the 2020 emergency budget.

The matter involved Patterson —-the applicant and the respondents—- Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh and the Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall.

It was reported that the Patterson was seeking a declaration that the consideration and approval of budget proposals for constitutional agencies by the National Assembly on September 1, 2020 was in breach of Section 80 B(2) of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA).

Patterson had stated that the proposals were not made available to his party before September 1, 2021, and as such is a breach of the Act and that a failure to circulate the budget proposals to members of the Opposition, prior to September 1, 2021, is also in breach of the FMAA. He also asked the court to

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh. grant him a declaration that the budget and/or proposal of the Audit Office ought to have been submitted to Parliament by the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), prior to approval and consideration by the House in accordance with the FMAA.On Monday, High Court Judge, Justice Franklyn Holder ruled that the Minister of Finance acted in breach of the constitution when he allocated the said budget, rejected arguments by the AG, inter alia.

Justice Holder ruled that the Finance Minister and the

Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) and former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson.

National Assembly acted in breach of Article 219 (3) of the Constitution; that the Finance Minister acted contrary to and in breach of Section 80 of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act and that the Minister of Finance and the National Assembly had no legal right or justification to breach the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act and Article 219 (3) of the Constitution.

A declaration was granted that purported consideration and approval of the Budgets proposals of Constitutional Agencies by the National

Assembly on September 1, 2020 is in breach of Section 80 B (2) of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act 2015.

Also, that the budget and or budget proposal of the Audit Office of Guyana is to be submitted to Parliament by the chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee in accordance with Section 80 B (1) of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act of 2015.

In handing down his ruling, Justice Holder stated that the court found that in protecting the public interest, the grant of relief in the form of a

Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall.

Declaration was appropriate to protect the Rule of Law and to vindicate legal rights.

The Court also found that Patterson was “not a busy body and that he had real interest in protecting the public interest and in the Rule of law, particularly as a Member of the National Assembly.”

It was also noted that the case raised weighty Rule of Law considerations. The Court also rejected the arguments by the AG that the Government breached of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act was to be excused on the doctrine of

necessity, and the AG’s contention that the case had become academic and of no use as Parliament had since repealed the provisions in the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act. Moreover, the court found that aside from the repeal of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act that the Court was under a Constitutional duty to ensure that the Rule of Law be maintained and the public interest protected. Lastly, the Court awarded costs to be assessed against the AG and the Minister of Finance.

‘No hurry to clear up public spending’ …passes motion for PAC to meet once per week Despite a five-year backlog of still to be scrutinised public spending, government used its majority in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday to have the body meet once per week instead of twice weekly to deal with the issue.

A motion presented by Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira succeeded on Monday despite objections made

by PAC Chairman Jermaine Figueira. Citizens have argued for the speeding up of scrutiny of public spending by the bipartisan parliamentary committee, but the administration said its ministers and other departmental heads who sit on the body are too busy with their government jobs to meet twice weekly.

Speaking with the Kaieteur News on the issue, Figueira expressed disappointment at the decision to reverse a motion which was tabled by A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Par-

liament, (MP) Ganesh Mahipaul to extend the hearings of the PAC to twice a week.

Mahipaul who is also a member of the PAC had moved a motion to have the PAC meetings twice weekly to clear a five-year backlog of work that is before the committee. Mahipaul had noted that PAC was still examining financial records and discussing issues related to financial irregularities outlined in the Auditor General’s reports since 2016.

He explained that for the records to be properly scrutinised, the committee would have to commit to meet more often (twice weekly) and regularly to clear the backlog. The opposition MP was among those who raised objections to Teixeira‘s motion on Monday. The PAC chairman said that the reasons and contentions of the opposition members at the PAC were completely ignored. He added: “The PAC decision was made despite, the many reasons I

articulated as to why the meetings should be held twice per week.”

“I am disappointed, we even made suggestions and proposed that the meetings can be held twice in one week only two times in a month just to ensure that we stay on top of the work to clear the backlog but they completely ignored the proposals.”

Nonetheless, Figueira said that as Chairman of the PAC, he will endeavour to

The Parliamentary PAC is back to once per week meeting.

ensure that on the days that the committee will meet, it will go as late as possible to cover the reports. Last Monday’s meeting dragged on for hours and ended at around 9:00pm.

The PAC had been meeting twice weekly to examine records of the Auditor General Reports dating back to 2016. The reports had piled up after the PAC failed to meet on several occasions over the five-year period. The decision to roll back the meetings was

taken after Teixeira‘s presented her second motion on the issue. Teixeira’s previous motion to reduce the PAC meetings from twice weekly to just once per week was shut down by Figueira.

The Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs had explained that while meetings with the PAC are important, the twice weekly discussions of the PAC only places undue pressure on the members of the Government,

the audit team, and other constitutional agencies, which have other responsibilities to carry out. She claimed it was difficult for representatives from these agencies, who are required to be at PAC meetings twice per week.

Teixeira had opined that “the opposition MPs are not working, so they can meet five days a week, but not the rest of us; we don’t have a lot of free time on our hands.”

Wednesday November 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Bogus GPL meter readers to be charged today - ONE IS A SUSPECT IN ANOTHER ROBBERY The two men who allegedly faked their identities as meter readers of the Guyana Power and Light company (GPL) and attempted to rob a woman on Monday will appear at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court today.

Police identified them as: Jose Fraser, 25, a porter of Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and Jaleel Thomas of Cinema Street Diamond. Investigators told Kaieteur News that both of the men have since given them statements admitting that their intention on Monday was to rob a woman at her Covent Garden home.

They admitted too that they had

entered her premises posing as GPL meter readers.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a release noted that one of the men is a suspect in another robbery as well and that he was being interrogated by detectives for that crime.

The men were reportedly captured by an officer attached to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and police constable attached to the Providence Police Station after their robbery plans were foiled by residents of Covent Garden.

This newspaper was told that

residents were alerted by the screams of the victim, the woman who they were attempting to rob. One of them had allegedly grabbed her by the hands and tried to force her into her home while demanding valuables.

The victim had reportedly raised an alarm by shouting “thief” and her alert neighbours responded.

According to reports, the suspects decided to abort their mission with the angry neighbours chasing behind.

They were captured subsequently after a police constable on a patrol bike and a GRA officer were notified of the attempted robbery.

Jose Fraser and Jaleel Thomas, the fake GPL meter readers.

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Wednesday November 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 03, 2021

PAGE 27

Anthony sees ‘decline’ in Covid cases, deaths Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony has made an appeal for members of the public who took the first dose of the Astrazenca vaccines to get their second shot in a hurry before it expires at the end of November.

The minister was at the time addressing concerns about the vaccines being expired during the routine COVID-19 press update.

D u r i n g t h e i n t e r v i e w, Minister Anthony disclosed that incidents of COVID-19 in Guyana are on the decline.

Alluding to the recent trends of cases of virus, Minister Anthony revealed that the decreased number of cases is reflected in the rate of hospitalisation across the country.

“Because we are getting fewer cases, we have also noticed that in our hospitalisation rates right now, we have 60 persons in hospitals across the country, 35 of them are at Ocean View

…confirms AstraZeneca second dose will expire month-end with 14 of them in the ICU. So, this is a drastic change from what we had a couple weeks ago when we were seeing about 100-120 cases at Ocean View, that is now down to 35. We’ve also had up to 38 persons in the ICU that has come down to about 14,” Dr. Anthony said.

Additionally, the minister announced the deaths as a result of COVID-19 are also decreasing. He added, “With a decrease in hospitalisation for severe cases, we are also noticing that the death rates are going down and that also is a very important sign. The mortality rate right now is 12.2 percent, or 12 persons to every 10,000 persons in the population. Hopefully, in the next couple of weeks, we will see this number go down further and that’s what we are working on right now.”

In this regard, Dr.

Anthony said that the Ministry has been working to monitor hotspot areas across the country. “So right now, we have 2,673 active cases and the cases vary by regions, so the regions where I really would consider hot spots are in Region Three and Region Four. We also have in Region Eight and Region Ten,” the minister said.

As it regards, Region Three, the Minister stated that areas like Pouderoyen, Tuschen, Parfaite Harmonie, Parika, Crane, Zeelugt, Cornelia Ida, Vreed-en-Hoop and Hague, have a higher number of cases.

In Region Four, he said communities like Diamond, Grove Herstelling, Kitty, Sophia, Campbellville, Cummings lodge, and the East Coast communities of Enterprise, Mon Repos and

Dharmic Sabha to host virtual Diwali motorcade on Wednesday The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha said it will be hosting a virtual Diwali motorcade Wednesday evening.

In a press release, the Sabha said recognising that Guyanese are missing the traditional Diwali motorcade, which it hosts yearly, that brings thousands of persons on the roadways and at LBI Community Centre Ground, it will this year host the event virtually on We d n e s d a y, November 3rd at 8:00pm on ENetworks- Ch. 3, NCN -Ch. 11, NTN Ch. 69 and Skar TV. The Sabha said a f t e r t h e overwhelming viewership response by thousands last y e a r ; t h i s y e a r, persons can once again view the spectacular virtual motorcade on the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s Facebook page at the same time, 8:00pm.

“This format has been used to share aspects of the motorcade amidst the Covid-19 pandemic as the Dharmic Sabha continues to promote, sustain and share our religious and cultural heritage in Guyana and further afield. It brings the joy, happiness and devotion that is pervasive in Guyana for Diwali to the world virtually. We encourage persons to stay safe and get vaccinated so that next year, we can return to the traditional

motorcade,” the release added.

According to the Sabha, performances will be done by Dharmic Nritya Sangh, Ben Parag, Vishale Sukhram, Suchitra Rampersaud, Aartie Sookhai- Khellawan, Rekha Ranglall, Sookrane Boodhoo, Bunty and Suraj Singh and others on the virtual motorcade.

“Dharmic Sabha encourages Guyanese to visit the countrywide sites of Deep Jale including the main site at the Kitty Seawall Roundabout with family and friends as we prepare to celebrate Diwali 2021 on Thursday, November 4.”

Triumph, are also considered hot spots. According to Dr. Anthony, Mahdia in Region Eight and Wismar, Amelia’s Ward and McKenzie in Region 10 have a higher number of cases than other parts of those regions.

Meanwhile, in terms of

vaccination, Dr. Anthony disclosed 383,013 persons have taken the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, representing 74.7 percent of the adult population, and 245.932 have taken the second dose, amounting to 47.9 of the adult population.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 03, 2021

Wednesday November 03, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Runners win places in Paris 2024 mass-participation marathon after racing Kipchoge Insidethegames - More than 1,000 runners secured their placed in Paris 2024’s mass-participation marathon after holding off Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge in a special event arranged to mark the 1,000 days countdown to the Opening Ceremony.

The event at the Champs-Elysée in Paris saw a pursuit-style race held over five kilometres. Paris 2024 says more than 3,600 members of Club Paris 2024 and the Orange Running Team participated in the event.

Club Paris 2024 was launched last year by the Organising Committee, offering the public the chance to secure privileges in the build-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, including the potential to carry the

Flame.

Orange was last month named the main sponsor of the mass-participation marathon. Participants set off before Kipchoge in different groups depending on ability today, racing on a course across the Place de la Concorde and the Champs Elysées.

In excess of 1,000 runners finished before the marathon world recordholder and double Olympic champion, earning them places in the mass-participation event in three years’ time. “This is the first time I am happy to have lost,” said Kipchoge, whose marathon world record stands at 2 hours 1min 39sec. ”My defeat is a victory for several hundred people to whom I look forward to meeting in 2024 here in Paris.”

The mass-participation race at Paris 2024 is scheduled to take place on the same day as the Olympic marathon.

It will be the first time a public marathon will be held alongside the Olympic event. The races will also be held on the same course. A separate 10km race will also be staged on the day, with Paris 2024 highlighting their desire to actively involve the public in the Games.

Organisers say there will be several other opportunities for runners to secure bibs of the Marathon Pour Tous Marathon For All. A running app has been launched by Club Paris 2024, which organisers say will provide training advice and running inspiration in the build-up to the Games.

The app will reportedly offer personalised training

Wednesday November 03, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today could be one of the happiest days you've had in a long time. Perhaps you'll spend it with a current or potential romantic partner, going to quaint places in your neighborhood.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today you could receive an unexpected sum of money.

Perhaps a friend who owes you could repay the debt, or you could get an unexpected opportunity to earn a little extra on the side.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Love and romance blossom as a current or potential love partner comes on strong with passionate affection.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Someone who may be something of a local celebrity might suddenly be attracted to you, although at this point neither one of you may be inclined to pursue it.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today you may be powerfully attracted to someone from a distant state or foreign country. The person may be highly educated and stimulating.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today you might be catapulted into the public eye in some way - and you won't be very comfortable there! If you're teaching, speaking, or leading a discussion group,

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A wedding could take place.

It might be yours or it could be that of someone close to you. Whoever is getting married is very happy.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today you might do some routine work, perhaps as a volunteer, with an interesting person whose company you enjoy. Lively conversations should make the day go faster.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) A new love relationship could appear on the horizon, perhaps with someone as creative as you. This could cause some self-doubt, particularly about your appearance, but don't succumb to that.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Some visitors could come to your home today, perhaps a couple with a child. You'll go through the place like a whirlwind and want everything to look just right.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) A call from a close friend or love partner could bring good news today. You'll be so happy about it that you'll want to get word out to everyone you know.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You could be cleaning your house when you hear some wonderful news about money today. This could make your day.

Runners to beat Eliud Kipchoge earned places in the mass participation marathon at Paris 2024 ©Getty Images programmes and challenges adapted to all levels and objectives. Places in the mass-event marathon will

also be won on the app. Saturday marked 1,000 days until the Paris 2024 Opening C e r e m o n y .

South Africa boost semi-final ...

From page 31 slip fielder to send him back before scoring.

The pacer was bowled out by the eighth over, for an excellent 2/18.

Bavuma knocks Bangladesh out - At 33/3 in the Powerplay, South Africa were under more pressure than they would have anticipated, but with boundaries coming with relative frequency, the asking rate was never an issue.

It took the calm heads of Bavuma (31* off 28) and Rassie van der Dussen to knock off the remaining runs.

Van der Dussen fell trying to wrap up the innings early for a net run-rate boost, before David Miller hit the winning boundary.

With this loss, Bangladesh, who still have no points, are mathematically ruled out of progressing to the next round. South Africa play England in their last Super 12 game to confirm their place in the semi-final.

Rose Hall Estate Community...

From page 35 and disciplined. Players above school age will also be considered.

Das and Beharry would like to thank Imran and Javed Khan of West Indian Sports Complex, Option Group, Bish Panday of P and P Insurance Brokers, Sean Devers, Travis Simon, Hilbert Foster of RHTY&SC, Ariel Tilku, Aaron Beharry, Devon Ramnauth, Sherman Austin, Teddy Singh, Leana Bachan and Imran Saccoor, Romesh Munna, Ravi Etwaroo, Ravin Harkishun, Surendra Harkishun, Allan Mangru and Vishal Mahabir.

More distribution will be done as soon as gear arrives from the USA and the Covid 19 pandemic is under control.

Anyone interested to contribute can contact Anil Beharry on 623 6875 or Kishan Das on 1 718 664 0896.

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday November 03, 2021

Ex-Fifa president Blatter and ex-Uefa boss Platini charged with fraud BBCnews - Former Fifa officials Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have been charged with fraud and other offences in Switzerland.

Swiss prosecutors say Mr

Blatter unlawfully arranged a transfer of two million Swiss francs ($2.19m; £1.6m) to Mr Platini in 2011.

Prosecutors say the payment “damaged Fifa’s assets and

unlawfully enriched Platini”.

Mr Blatter and Mr Platini now face trial at a court in Bellinzona. If found guilty of the charges, the pair could

Fifa, football’s world governing body, was engulfed by allegations of corruption in 2015 GettyImages receive prison sentences of several years or fines.

The case was opened in September 2015 after Fifa, football’s world governing body, was dogged by accusations of widespread corruption.

Fifa’s ethics committee launched an investigation which saw both men banned from the game and forced to leave their positions.

The affair ended Mr Blatter’s 17-year spell in charge of Fifa and Mr P l a t i n i ’s c a m p a i g n t o succeed his former mentor. A year later Mr Platini was forced to resign as president of Uefa, Europe’s football governing body, after losing an appeal against his ban.

Both Mr Blatter, 85, and Mr Platini, 66, have denied any wrongdoing.

The Swiss case centres on a request for payment for advisory work Mr Platini did for the then-Fifa president Mr Blatter between 1998 and 2002.

Prosecutors said Mr Platini demanded the payment “over eight years after the termination of his advisory activity”.

“With Blatter ’s involvement, Fifa made a payment to Platini in said amount at the beginning of

2011,” the prosecutors said.

They said Mr Blatter and Mr Plantini have both been accused of fraud, misappropriation, criminal mismanagement and forgery of a document.

On Tuesday Mr Platini’s Swiss lawyer, Dominic Nellen, told the BBC his client “categorically denies the untrue accusations”.

Mr Nellen said it was “clear that the investigation should have been discontinued long ago”.”There are enough witness reports and documents in the case files that prove my client’s innocence,” the lawyer said.

“I am 100% confident that we will be able to prove my client’s innocence in court.”

In his own statement, Mr Blatter said he looked forward to the trial and hoped “this story will come to an end”.

He said the payment to Mr Platini was based on a verbal agreement and had been delayed because Fifa was not able to pay the entire amount at the time.Mr Blatter said the payment had been approved by “all responsible Fifa bodies” and that Mr Platini had paid tax on the amount “at his Swiss place of residence”. Mr Blatter and Mr Platini were

two of the most powerful figures in world football.

Their roles at the top of the sport’s governing bodies gave them enormous influence in the game.

A successful football player for club and country, Mr Platini was widely tipped to succeed Mr Blatter following his resignation in 2015, after US prosecutors charged several top Fifa executives with corruption following a major inquiry by the FBI. The charges came after a dramatic raid on a luxury hotel in Zurich and the arrest of seven Fifa executives.

When Mr Platini himself became embroiled in the investigation, he withdrew his candidacy for the Fifa presidency.

T h e F I FA e t h i c s committee then suspended Mr Blatter and Mr Platini, before initially banning each from football for eight years.

Those bans have since been reduced to six in Mr Blatter’s case and four in M r P l a t i n i ’ s .

Last year, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rejected an appeal against Mr Platini’s ban, which it said “was justified”.

Wednesday November 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

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South Africa boost semi-final chance with dismantling of Bangladesh Kagiso Rabada and teammates celebrate the fall of a wicket.

ICC - Kagiso Rabada led a South African exhibition of quality pace bowling to bowl Bangladesh out for 84 and set up a six-wicket win at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Although their chase was hit by the loss of three early wickets, a 47-run partnership for the fourth wicket took them over the line in 13.3 overs, thus giving their net run rate a boost as well.

The win, though, was set up by the pace bowlers earlier, who made the most of conditions that aided pace and bounce. Rabada took three wickets across five balls in the Powerplay, while Tabraiz Shamsi took 2/21 and Anrich Nortje wrapped the innings up for 3/8.

Rabada on fire - Going into this game, there was some pressure on Rabada, who had picked up just two wickets till then and had gone for 32 runs against Sri Lanka. But he quickly put any concerns to rest with a fiery display

with the new ball in the first innings.

With a covering of dry grass on the surface and some help expected for the pacers, skipper Temba Bavuma had chosen to bowl.

And while he then opened with the left-arm spin of Keshav Maharaj, it was Rabada who got the breakthroughs in his second over.

Mohammad Naim spooned a catch to midwicket, before Soumya Sarkar followed him back the very next ball, trapped in front by a beauty. Rabada bowled full, almost at a yorker length, and got it to move late into the lefthander. Sarkar was hit on the boot, and the wicket was given on review.

Returning for his next over, Rabada might have had a hat-trick, but the ball fell a few yards in front of the fielder at point. But he needed just two more balls to pick up his third: Mushfiqur

Rahim was surprised by the bounce and Reeza Hendricks at gully held on for a good catch.

Bangladesh undone by bounce - At 28/3 in the Powerplay, Bangladesh had endured another disappointing period of batting under the fielding restrictions. And it got no easier. The in-form South African bowlers found good pace and bounce, as well as some movement, and were rewarded for it.

Nortje got Mahmudullah with a short one that rose on him, forcing the batter to fend and glove a catch.

Then, Afif Hossain, looking to swing hard on his first ball, missed and the ball from Dwaine Pretorius thudded off his pad onto the wicket.

Liton, Mahedi resist Even as wickets tumbled around him, opener Liton Das, who had got going with a four through covers off Rabada, held firm. But

Terri Harper: WBC champion calls for changes to weight checks for female boxers BBCsport - Terri Harper and her team believe governing bodies need to reform the regulations around female boxers making weight for fights.

Britain’s WBC superfeatherweight champion says she has to track her menstrual cycle carefully during camp - and that check weights before world title fights are also an issue. ”Before, we used to wing it,” Harper told BBC Look North. “I didn’t know much about my menstrual cycle and what effect that can have on my weight and how I perform in the gym.”

The WBC requires check weights before their worldtitle fights, but according to Harper’s team, those are designed for men.

Harper works with strength and conditioning coach Danny Wilson and nutritionist Lee Rickards at South Yorkshire-based facility Boxing Science to prepare for her fights. She added: “I have to track my menstrual cycle. ”Before fight camp starts, I’ll go through it with Danny and go through which weeks it’s due to start. “Danny will then put a structure in place where we have de-load

Terri Harper has held the WBC world super-featherweight title since 2020

[recovery] weeks and we’ll have weeks where we really push on and try to push for personal bests. Everything has got planning behind it.”

Shannon Courtenay lost her WBA bantamweight belt on the scales in early October after failing to make weight for her title defence against Jamie Mitchell. Courtenay missed weight by 2.5lb when her menstrual cycle began during fight week and revealed she had previously gone three years without having her period.

Harper, 24, is 11-0-1 in her pro career and beat Eva Wahlstrom in 2020 to claim the WBC belt, with her team explaining Harper’s weight, total body water and

menstrual cycle had to be factored into training regimes.

Nutritionist Rickards said that making the check weights required by the WBC can be harmful to female fighters.

“We [have to keep] track of her weight but also her menstrual cycle as well because water shifts depending on where she is at in her cycle,” he said. ”The final four weeks of a fight is when training’s at the highest so to make those check weights sometimes you have to lower calories to a level which is below the reported guidelines, which is going to be detrimental to women’s health.”

Shamsi needed just three deliveries to trap him lbw.

Mahedi Hasan offered Bangladesh fans some entertainment with an aggressive 27 off 25 balls.

His three boundaries included a six over cover off Shamsi. But after him, the innings folded quickly. A hit wicket dismissal to end the batting effort reflected their

poor fortune on the day.

Taskin makes merry Given a low total to chase, South Africa were rocked early by Taskin Ahmed, who enjoyed the conditions as much as the opposition bowlers and got good movement with the new ball.

Taskin came back from being hit for four to trap Reeza Hendricks lbw with

one that moved back in.

Quinton de Kock then attacked the spin of Mahedi Hasan for two boundaries, before the bowler came back with a slower, straighter one to bowl him.

Taskin bowled a good line and length to draw an edge from Aiden Markram, which was pouched by the (Continued on page 29)

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 03, 2021

World Table Tennis to increase event portfolio in 2022 GTTA President Godfrey Munro passing on his vast knowledge to the youths.

Insidethegames - World Table Tennis (WTT) has appointed The Sports Consultancy to help select host cities for its major events next year as it continues to increase its competition portfolio.

WTT, establish by the International Table Tennis Federation in 2019 and which now runs the governing body’s commercial and events business, is set to launch its Feeder Series in 2022. It will act as the second-tier level of events behind the WTT Series.

The Sports Consultancy,

based in London, will “support the organisation as it continues its host city recruitment process for top tier events”, WTT said. ”Once the pandemic subsides, we can kickstart various plans in the pipeline and slowly expand our sports property to power its growth around the world,” said WTT Council chair Liu Guoliang.

ITTF Group chief executive and WTT director Steve Dainton claimed the fledgling organisation “was on the right track”.

WTT has not been universally popular within the sport and criticism from

countries including Germany prompted the ITTF to commission an independent review into the new entity.

The report, carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers and published last year, found WTT was set up with good governance and financial compliance following concerns about the implementation of the commercial vehicle. ”When you do things professionally with support from reputed persons and companies, when you are transparent and open about your plans and when you work really, really hard to try and achieve the goals, then usually things will come out well in the end,” Dainton said in a presentation during the ITTF’s Annual General Meeting videoconference series. ”This is where I believe we are at now, ready again to achieve and deliver on the objectives, strategies, and reasons why we set up WTT in the first place.

“To the stage where now other sports are copying u s . ”We need to work together and start competing with the other sports properties who are developing fast and not waiting for us to get our act together.

“It’s now our time to shine in the competitive world of sports business.”

Britton through to main draw Yesterday, local Table Tennis ace Shemar Britton won both his preliminary matches handsomely to advance to the main draw of the 2021 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Ecuador Open.

The lefty’s first match against local man Ignacio Paul Cedeno Ponce was a walk in the park as the former Caribbean U-21 champion won comfortably; 4-1.

Britton kept his calm after losing the first game 11-6 to win the next four sets, 11-8, 11 - 6 , 11 - 8 a n d 11 - 6 .

The Caribbean Senior bronze medalist is playing in his first Senior World Tournament and he didn’t break a sweat.

In his second preliminary match he disposed of Rodrigo Ali of Peru, winning the first 4-2, third, fourth and sixth sets en route to victory with respective scores of 11 - 6 , 11 - 8 , 11 - 6 a n d 11 - 1 8 .

Britton’s upcoming fixtures are yet to be finalised but the final will be contested

this Saturday.

Shemar Britton

Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 03, 2021

PAGE 33

Pakistan through to semi-finals as Rizwan and Azam dominate again ICC - Pakistan are into the final four after a dominant victory over Namibia in Abu Dhabi. The Group 2 leaders racked up an impressive 189/2 first up, and Namibia never looked like chasing it down, finishing on 144/5, still 45 runs short.Babar Azam’s decision to bat first after winning the toss went against the tournament trend, with teams preferring to chase throughout the World Cup so far.

But Pakistan defied the norms to build a formidable target that set up their fourth straight win of the Super 12 stage.Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 70 off 49 balls, with his opening partner and captain Azam continuing their brilliant partnership with a 70 off his own. Mohammad Hafeez added polish to the innings with a sparkling 32 off just 16 late on, with Pakistan scoring an eye-watering 130 runs in the last ten overs.And in reply Namibia played well

against the formidable Pakistan attack, but never looked likely to score fast enough on a tricky surface to chase down 190.

Steady in the Powerplay - The tactic in the Powerplay was clear from Pakistan, who looked to see off dangerman Ruben Trumpelmann and bide their time before accelerating later in the innings.

Trumpelmann’s two overs first up went for just two runs, with Rizwan particularly conservative, scoring at a strike rate below 50 through the fielding restrictions, reaching just 29/0 after six overs.

Acceleration through the middle overs - But the Pakistani pair made hay after their steady start, pushing through the gears in the middle overs. And the return of Trumpelmann in the 12th over was the perfect illustration of the change of mindset, with 18 coming off it and Azam reaching his 23rd T20I half-century off

40 balls.

The inspired Azam did eventually fall for 70, holing out to deep midwicket off David Wiese. And Fakhar Zaman was dismissed in the next over, caught superbly

by Zane Green off Jan Frylinck.

Stunning late hitting Just when it looked like the Pakistan innings might be stalling, out came Hafeez to take advantage of the platform laid by the opening pair.

The veteran’s surgical stroke-play saw him find the boundary five times in his sparkling 32.

But it was Rizwan who finished the innings in style, hitting 24 off the final over as he carried his bat through the innings and finished with 79* off 50.

N a m i b i a ’s re p l y Shaheen Shah Afridi threatened with his high pace and swing first up for Pakistan. But it was Ali who picked up the first scalp, shaping the ball back in

through Michael van Lingen’s defences and crashing into middle stump.

Namibia struggled to up the run rate, but Baard and Williams did put together a decent recovery after the loss of Van Lingen, adding 46 for the second wicket before Baard was run out for a runa-ball 29.Skipper Gerhard Erasmus showed his power game with a quickfire 15 before falling to Imad Wasim in the 13th over, and Williams departed an over later for 40, miscuing to long-off.

And despite falling short of the target, Namibia had some late fun as David Wiese banged 43* off 31 to finish as his side’s topscorer.Victory for Pakistan confirms their spot in the final four of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.

Pakistan 189 for 2 (Rizwan 79*, Babar 70) beat Namibia 144 for 5 (Wiese 43, Williams 40, Imad 1-13, Hasan 1-22) by 45 runs.

Mohammad Rizwan top scored with 78* GettyImages

Fixtures for Wednesday 03 November Dubai International Stadium, Dubai New Zealand vs Scotland Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi India vs Afghanistan Thursday 04 November Dubai International Stadium, Dubai Australia vs Bangladesh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi West Indies vs Sri Lanka

Ali’s ton, Danram 53 propels Mahdia Movements Family to victory

E

Members of CPSCL, Munir Bashir and Shaban Bashir, (2nd & 3rd right), Organiser Elaine Pooja (2nd left), Singer Anil Singh (left) and Journalist Ravendra Madholall.

CPSCL supports cancer victim Fiona Ali The Canada Premier Softball Cricket League (CPSCL) made a financial donation to cancer victim Fiona Ali who is battling with a stage-four Cancer. The presentation was made on Saturday evening last at Kalypso Hut Restaurant in Mississauga where a dinner and dance was held to raise funds for the 32-year-old female who is from Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara, Guyana.Events Manager of the League, Canada-based Guyanese Munir Bashir and Treasurer Shabana Bashir were on hand to do the presentation. Organiser of the event, Elaine Pooja, in her brief remarks, thanked

the League for the donation. She informed that Ali would be happy with this monetary donation and would fight hard to win the battle against the disease.Ali is currently in Miami undergoing chemotherapy. Munir Bashir stated that his League was more delighted to contribute to a worthy cause and extended best wishes to Ali. Munir further stated that the League, which was formed two years ago, will support any endeavour or venture of this importance.

Munir also thanked the League’s President, Patrick Singh for his supportive role as well.

Singh is also a Canada-based Guyanese.

rshad Ali struck an attacking century while Omesh Danram hit 53 which provided the platform for Mahdia Movements to defeat Team Corruption by 54 runs when the teams collided in a 15-over tapeball fixture recently.

Opener Ali slammed two fours and 19 sixes in his top score of 138 off 41 balls; he was involved in a century stand for the first wicket with Beepaul Bandoo before the latter was dismissed for 25.

Ali and Danram continued to pile on the runs as they added 146 for the second wicket.

Danram faced 24 balls and struck six sixes in his innings while Andrew Gibson chipped in with 19. Mahdia Movements Family posted 276-3. Carlos La Rose claimed 3-35 off three overs.

Team Corruption lost an early wicket, but Alex Rodrigues and Nizam Khan kept them in the hunt with a second wicket partnership of 48 before Rodrigues was dismissed for 23.

Ershad Ali (left) and Omesh Danram

Wayne Joseph went for 21, however Khan and Daniel Ross stabilised the chase, but their efforts fell short of the required target as they managed 222-3.

Khan stroked three fours and

12 sixes in scoring an unbeaten 99 off 38 balls while Ross made 60 not out off 25 balls with three fours and six sixes. Ali returned with the ball to take 2-31 off three overs.

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday November 03, 2021

FIFA certifies VAR systems under new global quality standard From 16 to 18 August in Stockholm, Sweden, the FIFA Quality Programme hosted a test event for VAR system providers to formally certify their systems, with providers from Europe and the USA participating.

Following its successful implementation at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™, the use of video assistant refereeing has rapidly accelerated.

As of today, over 100 competitions have used or are using the technology to provide their referees with a supportive tool in potentially game-changing situations.

With the certification of VAR systems under the new global quality standard of the FIFA Quality Programme, FIFA is taking the next step in providing competition organisers with guidance on the technical quality of different VAR systems.

Technical assessment of VAR systems - Using VAR technology in games still requires an extensive set-up including numerous computers, servers, screens and cables.

While the development of smaller systems is progressing and the first tests using VAR Light systems are under way, the focus of the FIFA Quality testing is to check the interaction of the whole set-up and the performance of the system in three main areas: latency, synchronicity and video quality.

Latency - One of the biggest risks with VAR systems is the possibility of delayed video feeds preventing the VAR from intervening in time.

This is therefore tested with a number of latency measurements to ensure that providers can both deliver the broadcast feed with minimal to no delay and equally present a review screen with a three-second delay to the video match officials.

All of these tests are carried out using the light source from a flashing stroboscope to exactly measure the time difference between the event occurring and when it shows up on the screen.

Synchronicity - VAR providers must be able to ensure that the camera feeds

that they display to the VAR are in sync. This is particularly important for scenarios that require views from multiple camera angles, such as with offsides, where the footage of the ball being played and the actual potential offside situation are frequently best identified in two different camera feeds.

A lack of synchronicity could lead to erroneous decisions.

Using the same test setup with the stroboscope and repetitive flashes, this test validates whether the flashes appear on the same frames across all camera feeds provided by the VAR systems.

Video quality - The final test ascertains that the quality of the footage provided to the VAR remains high when ingested into the VAR system and then played back.

This is to ensure that the video match officials have the best possible chance of making the correct decision and are not working off degraded (compressed) footage.

With football matches being produced in different video formats across the globe, VAR systems need to process these signals while still providing high-quality video outputs to the VARs. Ingesting two different video formats (interlaced and progressive) into the VAR systems, this test measures the quality of the videos that are provided as output.

Using the well-established Vi d e o M u l t i m e t h o d Assessment Fusion (VMAF)

standard, a perceptual algorithm developed by Netflix, the quality of the videos can be assessed and scored as a percentage of the native video.

FIFA certification as of

July 2022 and transition period - Following the certification of VAR systems under the new global quality standard, the use of a FIFAcertified system will become mandatory from July 2022.

From this date, FIFA will validate compliance with this requirement as part of the Implementation Assistance and Approval Programme (IAAP) for competitions that have not

previously introduced VARs. Organisers of competitions for which the use of VAR systems has already been approved (or is subsequently approved ahead of the July 2022 deadline) will benefit from a transition period from the current system to the new mandatory certifications and will therefore be able to keep operating under their existing agreement.

During the transition period, the provider must seek certification at one of t h e n e x t F I FA VA R technology test events.

To give other VAR providers the opportunity to have their systems certified, FIFA will organise the next test event at the beginning of 2022.

Providers can already express their interest or request further information about the Quality Programme by emailing quality@fifa.org.

GCB congratulates Chanderpaul and Sarwan on Induction to MCC The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has congratulated Shivnarine Chanderpaul and RamnareshSarwan on their recent induction as Honorary Life Members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).

The MCC has awarded Honorary Life Membership (HLM) of the Club to some of the world’s finest cricketers and recently announced Chanderpaul and Sarwan as the latest West Indian cricketers to join the list of twenty seven (27) West Indians previously bestowed with this outstanding recognition. Sarwan and Chanderpaul, along with Trinidadian Ian Bishop, were among the 18 players inducted in 2021.

MCC Cricket Committee considers the nomination of cricketers for HLM by examining the outstanding international careers of some of the greats of the game. HLM is awarded to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to MCC or to the game in general.Chanderpaul is West Indies’ most capped Test player with 164 matches and 11867 runs (second highest Test runs for West Indies) at an average of 51.37 including a highest score of 203 not out against South Africa(2005) and Bangladesh (2012). He is the eighth leading scorer in Test cricket. Sarwan racked up 15 Test centuries, 5842 Test runs at an average of 40.01, with 291 against England in 2009 being his highest. Both Chanderpaul and Sarwan captained Guyana and West Indies.

Chanderpaul has continued to serve Guyana’s cricket with his most recent contribution being Assistant Coach of the Guyana Jaguars team while Sarwan currently serves as Chairman of the Senior Selection Panel of the GCB.The GCB recognises their achievements and hereby wishes to congratulate them on another notable achievement in their already illustrious careers.

Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul ©AFP

Wednesday November 03, 2021

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Trophy Stall bats with Rose Hall Estate Community Center CC Seeraj Bhimsain for Birth Softball benefit from promising T rAnniversary o p h y S t a l l h a s played in the Over-50 s u p p o r t e d t h e S e e r a j category and action gets cricketers project B h i m s a i n T 2 0 B i r t h underway at 09:30hrs.

T

he Rose Hall E s t a t e Community Center Cricket Club was recently presented with a pair of stumps and bails compliments of project; ‘Cricket Gear for Young and Promising Cricketers in G u y a n a ’ .

The gift to the club was made possible through Anil Beharry who visited the area recently and saw the need for it. This initiative is a joint effort by Kishan Das of the USA and Beharry of Guyana.

In presenting the token, Beharry said that he was pleased with the work of the club mainly through their leaders, Dr. Cecil Beharry and Ameer Rahaman. He further commended the club for a strong youth programme and praised them for producing arguably the fastest young pacer in the Caribbean, Isiah Thorne.

He added that more help will be made available to young and promising players. In response, Ameer Rahaman said thanks and he praised the initiative to support cricket and cricketers across Guyana.

Their aim is to provide cricket gear free of cost for young and talented cricketers in Guyana. The project is seeking new and used cricket gear which will then be distributed across the length and breadth of Guyana.

Total cricket related items collected so far:

Anniversary Softball cricket competition which would be played this Sunday at LBI ground, East Coast Demerara.

The entity presented the trophies to the organiser yesterday at their Bourda Market location.

The competition will be

Adrian Hetmyer proudly displays the token. $40,000 cash, two cricket boots, twelve pairs of batting pads, twelve bats, nine pairs of batting gloves and four cricket bags. Sixteen young players from Essequibo Coast, Pomeroon and the East Canje area have already benefited from a junior gear bag, five bats, six pairs of batting pads and four pairs of batting gloves. Two clubs in Pomeroon will also benefit from two used bats.

RHCCCC now joins the list.

Talent spotting is being done across Guyana along with guidance from club leaders to identify the players.

Players must be in school (Continued on page 29)

Rcokaway, Floodlights, Wellman and Park Rangers are the teams set to battle for the top prizes. Players are asked to note that all covid19 guidelines will be followed and they’ll be required to produce their vaccination cards prior to the start to play.

Seeraj Bhimsain accepts the first place trophy from Tanda Crossman of Trophy Stall

rt o p S

Britton through to main draw

Shemar Britton

Pakistan through to semi-finals as Rizwan and Azam dominate again

Mohammad Rizwan and BabarAzam added 113 for the first wicket against Namibia.

ICC/Getty Images

Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje picked up three wickets each against Bangladesh © Getty Images

South Africa boost semi-final chance World Table Tennis to increase with dismantling event portfolio in 2022 of Bangladesh Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.