K
Teen attacked NEWS by 11 men, then sodomised by boss AIETEUR
Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
Wednesday Edition November 10, 2021 - Vol. 14 No.43 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 85,073
Local Content Policy, Legislation
must guard against - GCCI Pres. “rent-a-citizen” scenarios
Guyana must invest better in sea defence or relocate coastal residents
The protest continues for change to ExxonMobil’s contract.
…as World Bank highlights urgency of Climate Change mitigation Foreign pilots Friend, accomplice remanded for remanded for unauthorized landing at Mahdia doctor's murder
Fire razes T&T's Natural Gas industrial zone Supplier attempts to pass off 100 tons of bogus water treatment chemical to GWI
Essequibo County, Linden, Kwakwani, hinterland residents will not get power from Natural Gas or Hydro Plant Trinidad is paying 4 cents, Suriname 2 cents but our leaders are going to pay a Chinese Co. 7.7 cents per kWh for electricity; another Ponzi Scheme in the making.
PAGE 02
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Local Content Policy, Legislation must guard against “rent-a-citizen” scenarios - GCCI President If Guyana is to succeed with its imminent Local Content Policy and Legislation, then it is paramount that it gets the definition of a local company right. This point was recently iterated by President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( G C C I ) , M r. Ti m o t h y
Tucker, during an appearance on Kaieteur R a d i o ’s p r o g r a m m e , Guyana’s Oil and You. Tucker was keen to note that the definition is paramount, as it will ultimately determine the extent of the socio-economic progression Guyanese would be able to achieve in its oil sector. Expounding further he said, “…Local content is generally what we are going to get as a nation from this (oil) find…It is the guaranteed way for Guyanese to benefit from the natural resources that we have found offshore that will be developed.” At the same time, Tucker said efforts to achieve high degrees of local content should not be interpreted to mean that there must a blockade or a dome placed over Guyana and the opportunities to flow from its oil wealth. The GCCI President said, “What we want is that when various aspects of the oil and gas industry require certain services that Guyanese can qualify for, or are certified for, or they have the capacity to do, then they should be given to Guyanese. We are asking for local content to mean first consideration of locals for the opportunities that are there. So advertise it locally, see what capacity is there locally, and then give us the opportunity to do the work.” If it is found that Guyanese do not have the capacity or required technical skill for a
GCCI President, Mr. Timothy Tucker
GCCI Executive Member, Richard Rambarran particular service that is needed, the GCCI President said companies can then seek to tap overseas resources or expertise. In so doing however, Tucker alluded to the need for joint venture partnerships to ensure the transfer of knowledge and technology. He also stressed that the beneficiary ownership of such arrangements remain local. The GCCI President categorically stated that joint ventures or partnerships should not allow for a case Continued on page 3
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
PAGE 03
Guyana must invest better in sea defence or relocate coastal residents …as World Bank highlights urgency of Climate Change mitigation
World Bank warns Guyana must invest better in sea defence or relocate coastal residents as is listed Georgetown among nine cities to be flooded by 2030. In wake of the escalating drastic impacts of climate change, including ocean and sea level rises, Guyana has been identified as one of three Caribbean Countries that needs to urgently—in the absence of appropriate funding and asset management systems for adequately maintaining coastal protection infrastructure—consider alternative strategies,
including natural barriers and managed relocation.” The recommendations were embedded in the most recent World Bank report “360° Resilience: A Guide to Prepare the Caribbean for a New Generation of Shocks.” In that document, it was noted that a high-level assessment of coastal protection infrastructure investment found, that countries like Dominica,
Guyana, and Suriname would have significant investment needs for coastal protection, driven by maintenance costs, as much as new investments. The report did caution that in the absence of appropriate funding and asset management systems for adequately maintaining coastal protection infrastructure, governments should consider alternative
Local Content Policy, Legislation must... From page 2 where the local on paper owns 51 percent of the company but his foreign partner holds the voting rights and gains 95 percent of the profits. He categorically stated that this is not local content. “That’s rent a citizen basically. You’re just leasing a citizen to use his name. No! We don’t want that. We want beneficial partnerships...,” the GCCI President expressed. Sharing similar sentiments was his colleague, GCCI’s Executive Member, Richard Rambarran. He was quick to note that local content, irrespective of what instrument, tool or policy measures is used, must lead to significant value retention in the country. “So it’s about what percentage or what quantum of the value which is generated from the particular sector is retained in the country, whether it be through earnings, the size of the procurement, through a majority share,” expressed Rambarran. He reminded that the Georgetown
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, since the beginning of the ongoing local content debate, has held the position that it is supportive of partnerships in the oil and gas sector, as well as the peripheral sectors which support the industry’s development. “Essentially, there are fields where Guyanese do not have the experience or exposure within an international business arena. Therefore, it would be more beneficial for a Guyanese company to be able to partner with someone who brings that skill set to the table… “We may not have in Guyana, the ability to do complex subsea engineering processes, for example, but we will have Guyanese persons who are skilled, Guyanese who understand logistics…and how to navigate the landscape,” expressed Rambarran. The GCCI Executive added, “…this is the reason why the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in particular, has always encouraged joint venture-ships and partnerships that are mutually beneficial.”
strategies, including natural barriers and managed relocation. It was noted, however, that this should be done “making relocation a strategic option that leaves people, communities, and the environment better off and poses significant challenges for coordinating scientific inputs and government support.” According to the World Bank report, research is
needed to identify vulnerable population groups and how to build communities’ capacity to successfully navigate relocation. “Incorporating local needs, knowledge, and preferences into planning processes is also crucial.” It was noted too that given the highly uncertain tradeoffs and consequences of managed relocation options, governments can work with scientists to explore what actions, policies, and support make people better off across many plausible futures. According to the report, climate change will in future damage the coastal infrastructure and sandy beaches and sea level rise is expected to increase coastal flooding and accelerate coastline erosion. The report pointed to a new analysis carried out for the World Bank Report across all Caribbean countries, which found that a 35-meter shoreline retreat of sandy
beaches is projected under a high climate change scenario by 2050 and increasing to 98 meters by 2100. The largest average projected shoreline retreats by 2050 under high climate change impacts are in Suriname (71 meters), Guyana (65 meters), Trinidad and Tobago (53 meters), and Belize (46 meters). The World Bank report released yesterday comes on the heels of a similarly worrying report done by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which n o t e d t h a t Georgetown—Guyana’s Capital City—and eight other cities worldwide are forecast to be underwater by 2030, due to the rising sea level stemming from climate change. It was reported that the area projected to be underwater by 2030 is where 90 percent of Guyana’s population resides. For centuries Guyana’s Continued on page 22
PAGE 4
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 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
Dissatisfaction with PPP leadership We have been saying it for a long time now, and on every occasion that we say it, PPP leaders and defenders say that we are biased, have a partisan agenda, and always seem to have an axe to grind. In recent times, different people have come forward publicly to announce their dissatisfaction with the PPP leaders in Government, and how they treat their own. They speak of corruption and cronyism, and they lament the disadvantages with which they are forced to contend. As we present a snapshot of what is being said in the public domain, and not only in KN, we remind everyone that what is shared is not what KN says or publishes, but of what the disgruntled in the PPP’s own ranks complain about, and warn about, rather ominously.One letter writer after another has summoned the courage to come forward and protest what they perceive as wrongdoing and injustice in the managing and awarding of lucrative contracts for a variety of government projects. These projects involve big opportunities and big money, and from what we gather is common in the objections.The little comrades are not getting what they consider their fair share of the spoils of victory. Most times, they are not getting anything at all. It could be those same project jobs, or the sweet jobs in different public service agencies. Those on the losing end of their leadership bargains are angry and bitter over the inequity, and the indecency with how the awards are granted, meaning, who gets the cream of the prizes, and who get nothing, and are left to grind their teeth in frustration. The writers remind forgetful PPP leaders that their supporters were there for them, with presence and money and machinery and other supplies. They make a point of emphasising that when the going was rough, they stayed in place and did not jump ship, or distance themselves in any way during those times when the party struggled with limiting circumstances. The long last elections season has been repeatedly identified as the biggest poster child.Smaller grassroots supporters of the PPP note for the public record that the President has his own favoured people. Though the language is usually careful, there is little difficulty in deciphering the anxieties of low-level PPP supporters, and their accompanying alarms, as being the forgotten men and women. Other PPP loyalists make it their duty to spotlight to the Vice President, and that in his hour of need and call, they were always there, and quick to respond, even at risk to themselves and family. Yet they are pained, and at their wit’s end, to observe that the rich state contracts and meaningful public service jobs go to others, who (in their opinion and calculations) are less deserving. Dissatisfied PPP supporters have made known their disappointments over arrangements that for all intent and purposes leave them out in the cold, and on their own. They have spoken about cabals and inner circles, about the toadies who are always hanging around the party’s two top leaders, and how those are blessed with access, power, and the rewards of contracts or employment. Of recent, some PPP comrades, who gave of their all, have been bold enough to express their bitterness over what they sense as bias and corruptions that take on a certain religious bent, and which effectively disown those not of that particular religious persuasion. Some have been more direct, and came right out, and made mention of secret meetings and underhand dealings in places of worship. The end result is that, in this zero-sum game of contracts for infrastructure and other works, and contracts for soughtafter work in a ministry or state agency, when one section of the PPP’s base wins, the other inevitably comes up empty handed.The problem is that some PPP disappointed are not taking matters sitting down, or quietly. More are taking the unusual step of voicing their sharp dissatisfactions publicly, which is unheard of in tight PPP circles. They warn of consequences, if this continues. They urge leaders, especially the Vice President, to listen and correct the situation, or else. Is an election coming?
Prithima Kissoon has been vindicated DEAR EDITOR, Prithima Kissoon, Attorney-at-Law, has triumphed over Basil Williams, Attorney-at-Law S.C. and the former Attorney General whose disastrous attempts and pernicious conduct hatched to oust her from the public service as Deputy Solicitor General without lawful cause. After the Honourable Justice Nandram Kissoon was recused by the Chancellor’s decision and Court of Appeal, Miss Kissoon, through her Lawyer Mr. Nigel Hughes then filed again alternative legal proceedings in the High Court to remedy the wrongful and unlawful conduct of Mr. Basil Williams and the Public Service Commission. This matter (Prithima Kissoon v The Public Service Commission and the Attorney General of Guyana, Action No. 2021-HC-DEM-CIV-FDA-320) was duly heard by the Honourable Madam Justice Sandra Kurtzious on the 30th July, 2021 when the Respondents consented to judgment to the several orders claimed by the Applicant and agreed that the process was unconstitutional, etc. and made the following Orders: (a) The decision of the PERMANENT SECRETARY of the Ministry of Legal Affairs, that PRITHIMA KISSOON, had breached Rule H12(1) of the Public Service Rules, for leaving the jurisdiction without
permission is quashed on the ground and for the reason that PRITHIMA KISSOON, was not given a fair hearing or the right to legal representation, as such the decision was ultra vires, an abuse of power, in breach of the rules of natural justice, null and void for the reason that the Public Service Commission is the only lawful authority empowered after due process to make such finding and as a consequence the said decision is unlawful, irrational, excessive, unreasonable, null, void and of no legal effect and in breach of the Public Service Commission Rules. (b) THE decision of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, that PRITHIMA KISSOON, Deputy Solicitor General, had breached Rule H12(1) of the Public Service Rules, for leaving the jurisdiction without permission, is quashed on the ground and for the reason that PRITHIMA KISSOON, was not given a fair hearing or the right to legal representation and as a consequence the said decision is unlawful, irrational, excessive, unreasonable, null, void and of no legal effect and in breach of the Public Service Commission Rules. (c) THE decision of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION that PRITHIMA KISSOON, had breached Rule H12(1) of the Public Service Rules, for
leaving the jurisdiction without permission, premised and/or founded on her alleged participation in a purported Commission of Inquiry and as a consequence the decision to dismiss PRITHIMA KISSOON, is quashed since it is excessive, without merit, unlawful, ultra vires, unconstitutional, wholly in excess of jurisdiction, unreasonable, null, void and of no legal effect, in breach of the Public Service Commission Rules, in breach of and a denial of the principles of natural justice and legitimate expectation. (d) THE decision of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION that PRITHIMA KISSOON, be dismissed is quashed for the reason and on the ground the Public Service Commission failed to follow the procedure as contained in the Public Service Commission Rules for the appointment and constitution of a disciplinary tribunal and as a consequence the said decision is unlawful, ultra vires, unconstitutional, wholly in excess of jurisdiction, unreasonable, in breach of the Public Service Commission Rules, in breach of and a denial of the principles of natural justice and legitimate expectation. (e) PRITHIMA KISSOON, do receive and be paid full salary for the period from the 31st day of August, 2017 to the 2nd day of May, 2018. (f) The years of service for the period between the 31st
day of August, 2017 to the 8th day of August, 2021, both dates inclusive to be considered, be and is hereby preserved and computed on the permanent establishment of the Public Service for the purposes of calculation the pension and benefits of PRITHIMA KISSOON, the Applicant herein. (g) These proceeding are brought to an end by the Consent of the Parties, and this Consent Order reflects the full and final settlement of the issues raised in this Action and brings to an end all matters in relation to and or in connection with the Applicant’s dismissal as Deputy Solicitor General, provided that libel proceedings instituted by the Applicant prior to the date of this Consent Order shall not be affected by this clause. Mr. Basil Williams hid this fact of Miss Prithima Kissoon’s successful claim from the public when he published the judgment of the Court of Appeal against Justice Nandram Kissoon which he tactically published as he has a similar matter before the very Court of Appeal for extension of time to appeal a procedural issue in the libel matter pending in the High Court brought by Miss Prithima Kissoon so he is claiming special relationship of the Judges with Miss Kissoon with the hope to succeed. Respectfully, J. Kissoon Attorney-at-Law
Guyana projected oil revenues would help service burgeoning external debt DEAR EDITOR, Reference is made to a letter to the editor appearing in the Kaieteur News dated November 8, 2021, in which the former finance minister has expressed grave concerns over Guyana’s borrowing spree. The former learned minister said that “the 2021 Mid-Year Report records the stock of public debt as US$2.905 billion which can easily rise to $5.3 billion within a few years, if one were to factor in the $1.5 billion from China and the undrawn $0.9 billion from the Islamic Development Bank.” The former finance minister’s statement is suggestive that Guyana will not be servicing its national debt for the next few years. What do I mean by this statement? The former minister adds the total level of national debt which is US$2.9b + the US$1.5b loan from China and the US$0.9b from the Islamic Development Bank to say
that in a few years, total debt will reach (2.9+1.5+0.9 = 5.3b). Now, this is cause for worry indeed because 5.3b in a few years represents 96% of today’s GDP. However, the former minister did not consider two fundamental variables in his analysis – that is (1) over the next few years govt will continue to service its national debt annually, thereby reducing the principal balance, thus creating fiscal space to take on new borrowings, and (2) GDP will continue to grow, thus maintaining a low to moderate debt to GDP ratio which is sustainable. Currently, debt-to-GDP ratio is about 53%, well below the 60% benchmark. Now, let’s make the analysis a bit more interesting. The former minister did not quantify how many years he considers to be “few years”. So, let’s quantify this and assume that he is referring to the next three years. What is the country’s projected
growth in GDP over the next three years and what would be the total sum of principal and interest payment on the national stock of debt by then? According to the Bank of Guyana report 2020, total debt service was significantly higher by 32.6 percent to US$420 million and represented 38.5 percent of government’s current revenue. For this purpose, it is safe to say that annual debt service is US$420 million so in three years, the country will have repaid US$420m X 3 = US$1.3 billion. This means if the govt borrow another US$1.5b + US$0.9m and add to today’s stock of debt, effectively only an additional US$1.1b will be added to the stock of debt which would bring the total to US$4b and not US$5.3b. At the same time, GDP is projected to grow by 20% in 2021, and according to IMF forecasts, GDP is projected to grow by 26% and 30.6% in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
If we are to be a bit more conservative and project year-on-year growth rates of 15% instead of 20% and 30% as projected by IMF, GDP will move from US$5.5b to US$8.4b, which means, the debt-to-GDP ratio in three years, with the additional US$2.4b loan in the pipeline, will be about 48%, well below the 60% benchmark, and this is projecting growth of GDP at moderate levels. It is worthwhile to mention that Guyana’s debt-to-GDP ratio is perhaps the lowest in the region, for example, Trinidad & Tobago’s debt-to-GDP ratio is about 83%, Barbados is 133.6%, Suriname is 111%, and notably, projected GDP growth for these countries is in the lower single digits while Guyana will be experiencing double digit growth in the medium term. Altogether, the additional borrowings of some US$2.4 billion will virtually have minimal or zero impact on the country’s total stock of debt (Continued on page 5)
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Is jealousy at play at GuySuCo? DEAR EDITOR, Reference is made to remarks made by Vice President Jagdeo on management of GuySuCo and termination of experienced staff (Nov 2). The VP said management will be strengthened. Editor, it is a fact that several senior management staff at the company have not been able to function under Singh’s leadership. Beside those forced out, one recalls that Mr. Vishnu Panday also walked away from Skeldon Estate last January complaining he cannot function under Sase Singh leadership style and lack of competence in the industry. Panday stated in a published letter very early on that Singh is unfit for the job. Government did not listen. Why? And why let go a man like Panday who knows everything about sugar cultivation and harvesting than almost everyone else in the country.
Is jealousy at play at GuySuCo? The CEO got rid of everyone who is more competent and qualified than him. Why force out a person who was more qualified than the CEO? Has the board or the Minister or the Vice President approved of the high-handed management at the company? So many competent skilled personnel have been allowed to go at GuySuCo. The latest is the person with 25 years’ experience and two Masters Degrees including in management and engineering that was chased out of the office. This gentleman, much more qualified than Singh, well rounded, au fait with all aspects of GuySuCo with excellent human relations skills, is such an asset to the company. Would he not make a better CEO than Mr. Singh? He was forced to resign because he allegedly refused to follow instructions that would violate tendering rules.
Another competent management staff, an American-trained mechanical engineer, perhaps the best at the company, a senior engineer with twenty years’ experience, has not been allowed to function. He has been banished from meetings. Similarly, to varying degrees, such attitude applied to much of the senior staff. Government has injected $billions into GuySuCo under Singh’s leadership but nothing to show for it. Is he the right person for that transformative position? It appears that the Minister’s hands are tied on Singh because he has not disciplined him. Long before his remarks on management style, the VP is widely known to want to make changes at that government corporation which has been the backbone of the PPP political strength for the last 70 years. When will the VP act? Yours truly, Budhram Singh
Prayers of all three main religions should be recited in schools DEAR EDITOR I have read with great interest as a Hindu the current conversation taking place in the press over a matter raised by His Holiness Swami Aksharandaji in regards to his observation of a ‘Christian Like’ prayer being said at a CXC function with the Ministry of Education in Guyana being a co-host / participant. I fully support and agree with Swamiji’s contentions on the matter and other Hindu leaders and nonChristians in particular should make their voices heard. Firstly, speaking from personal experience attending a Government-run High School there was always a significant Christian influence
being subtly encouraged by the Head Master/Head Mistress and other senior teachers who were Christians and from my understanding this situation continues to prevail in a significant number of schools. This cannot and must not be allowed some 55 years after Independence when prior to that persons were inclined to blame the Christianization process on our colonial masters. Enough is Enough. Arguments about separation of Church from the State have been made ,but I think Guyanese are overwhelmingly believers or adherents to one religious system or another and it may
PAGE 5
Kaieteur News
be wise to continue prayers in schools for assemblies,prize giving and other major occasions hence allowing short prayers to be said on behalf of the three main religions ,i.e. Hinduism ,Islam and Christianity. The Minister of Education must take immediate steps to issue circulars and follow up to ensure that there is no abuse of Government’s property , read the Peoples property to be used to propagate a specific religion , that is Christianity over any other. Over to you Madam Minister Yours Sincerely Christopher Persaud
Restored to former position to do with finance DEAR EDITOR Seven members of the City Treasury Department were terminated for various reasons relating to fraud and misconduct.
But the former acting Treasurer was rewarded by being restored to his substantive position in accounting. Removed from one
financial position, and restored to the former position to do with finance.
From page 4 in three years’ time thus resulting in the debt-to-GDP ratio remaining below 60%. Moreover, Guyana will continue to have double digit growth in GDP over the next three years, and current debt service is about 38% of current revenue or US$420 million which will effectively reduce the stock of debt while the government continues to
borrow moderately to facilitate the country’s development agenda. Or put differently, with an additional US$2. 4b in debt in three years will result in a movement of debt-to-GDP ratio from 53% (where it is currently) to 48%, reflecting a decline by 5 percentage points, based on the analysis presented herein. Importantly to note, I did not factor in the projected oil revenues in this
analysis as I opt to keep the discussion and analysis simple. I do hope that this essay brings some needed clarity for your readers to understand the full context of the national debt and its growth trajectory in the full context of the development agenda that Guyana is embarking upon.
Regards Shamshun Mohamed
Guyana pr ojected oil rrevenues... evenues... projected
Yours faithfully, JC. Bhagwandin Financial Analyst
Systems, Reconciliation, or Theological Construct DEAR EDITOR I refer to Mr. Alexander’s article, concluding that “Truth, reconciliation, equitable and good governance is the way forward for Guyana” (Village Voice, October 17th, 2021). On Politics 101 (October 28th, 2021), Dr. Henry Jeffrey advanced the thesis of implementing “systems” before truth and reconciliation solutions can be sought within the Guyanese context ,as in the case of South Africa. One wonders what “systems” he is referring to. I will argue that for Guyana to see the benefits of “systems,” “truth,” “reconciliation,” and “good governance,” a theological construct against a religious, multi-racial background should be considered. The politicos speak of Guyana’s unique context; however, the theological context is often missing or not considered. How can politics mend broken hearts, minds, spirits, etc.? The one thing – prayer that many are now fighting to take out of schools is the very thing that the contextual multi-racial landscape needs. How can a constant diet of
politics mend a sense of loss, hurt, and rage many feel daily in their homes, communities, and broader society? My deep prayer to God is to change the current (postIndependence) leaders and old influencers in Guyana on every level filled with anger and corruption as done in St. Lucia, Samoa, Malawi, and Zambia recently. Why change is needed – history repeats itself daily (baby influencers are growing – the cool-aid is sharing – some of us are not drinking it). In viewing the nation as closely knit ‘community’ populated with various ethnicities, we (all) have experienced profound losses, hurt, and rage. Are we living in a culture of denial? Does the constant diet of ‘bad’ politics mask the denial of loss, hurt, and rage? Let me say unequivocally that people make politics dirty just ask President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi who was pastor and head of the Assemblies of God denomination in Malawi for 25 yrs. or the recently-elected President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia who is a
Christian serving in Seventh Day Adventist denomination. I watched a YouTube clip the other day on Thomas Sankara in Burkina Faso. Former President Sankara was assassinated at age 37. The story related how Sankara, as an individual, created millions of Sankara’s in the form of little boys. On the flip side of this, the little boys are now men, and when the then President (Mr. Blaise Compaore) wanted to pass legislation to keep himself in power, the boys to men reacted (badly). They burned the Parliament and other parts of the capital down in two days – the President resigned quick time. What is the solution? The solution lies within the pulpit and pews of the Church (all denominations). The Church should not only sing “happy songs” but speak truth to power in dealing with loss, hurt, and rage in the nation. If you need unity, shared governance, reconciliation, and truth, Mr. politicos, please start and/or include the Guyanese theological foundation and context. Cordially, Denise Murray
Why apply for a US$1.5B loan from China given the abject failure of Chinese companies to execute projects here? DEAR EDITOR, The Ministry of Finance must be pretty desperate to quote Freddie Kissoon as a judge of Winston Jordan. Like the Bible, Freddie has a quote to please everyone. Back in 2014 he wrote that then Minister Ashni Singh’s “words were not only the ramblings of an ignorant mind, but a disgraceful manifestation of the abject failure that Guyana is.” The ministry’s similarly rambling, intemperate and possibly libellous press release is a classic red herring to divert attention away from the primary issue: Why did the government apply for a $1.5B loan from China given the abject failure of Chinese companies to execute projects here?
The minister should also consider the fact that the letter requesting the loan appears to have been leaked from his own ministry, suggesting
senior civil servants have the same reservations. Yours sincerely Francis Newton
PAGE 6
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Things and titles that bother me DEAR EDITOR, In these hypersensitive politically correct times, I am surprised that some objectionable things, as they ought to be discerned and defined today, are not protested against, a source of many denouncements. In a time when the worst is imagined for everything ranging from sheer innocence to outright stupidity (sorry) to ancient history to utter indecency, it is astonishing that many have not taken up arms in the fight to keep communications channels clean, and culture wars going. First, is the very first word in this letter, as it is customarily used. To me, ‘dear’ sounds a shade suggestive, like some opening line in a cheap barroom encounter. Since the distinctions in gender orientations have become blurred, the use of the word ‘dear’ comes across (or should have) as a come-on and invitation to what only divine powers know resides in dark and dangerous minds.
It should not escape attention that I have refrained from using ‘God’ or ‘Lord’ for fear of upsetting the finely tuned atheists in the midst. Then, there is this small matter of herd immunity. I must let the Hon. Minister of Health know that I protest sharply at he (and his people’s) consigning me to the lot of dumb beasts and beasts of burden (or whatever). I will accept viral immunity, though it stretches accuracy too thinly. How about localized or stay-in-place immunity? Since the Minister is the one with all the answers, he should cure this unhealthy state of affairs.Next, if I were the holder of that omnipotent office, I would have serious problems with Vice President. Though it has extensive relevance in today’s Guyana, I would not want that near my name: too many negative connotations. Even if they were to apply, I would have a fit for some characteristics so close to the truth being so near, as in an officially recognized title. I prefer the North Koreans’ approach, which offers something that sounds like Son of Virtue, or Celestial
Gift. I always marvel at the description of women as heroes. Even knowing media has been guilty of this gender faux pas, an insulting one, if you ask me. But, since nobody consulted with me, I must ask of the purists, and ultra-vigilant, how come this has passed muster repeatedly? Why no objections to the masculinising of these (taking a chance) lovely heroines? Could it be that they have less than passing familiarity with the feminine form of the word? I prefer the feminine one, and make no bones about it. Now, since I usually venture where no other Guyanese go (including fools), I plough forward. I do so, because I, too, am in need of a helping hand. I am uncertain as to which is fit and proper: is it Amerindian or indigenous or native-born? If it is the latter, I am going to have to be careful, since I like to use ‘natives’ when I seek to insult local political operators and their criminal comrades. Help! Sincerely, GHK Lall
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Kaieteur News
PAGE 07
Kaieteur News
PAGE 08
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Essequibo County, Linden, Kwakwani, hinterland residents will not get power from Natural Gas or Hydro Plant The Guyana Government is currently pursuing some hundreds of millions of dollars in electricity projects, but the power generated will not be reaching almost half of the country’s population. This, since electricity generated from the proposed initiatives would only be supplied to the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) at the Sophia SubStation. As such, the entire Essequibo County including its inhabited islands, and communities such as Linden, Kwakwani, Mabaruma and scores of other hinterland communities, would not benefit, since the proposed increased generation capacity would not be connected to any of the isolated grids. Based on plans being actively pursued by the administration, it will install additional generation capacity in the coming years incrementally, in order to triple the national demand—national demand forecast to double in five years. This, according to key a d m i n i s t r a t i o n spokespersons—Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh—who in recent weeks and months have alluded to pursuing an energy mix
Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh of solar, hydro, wind, gas and Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO). To this end, its most recently announced venture is the now resuscitated Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP). That venture was last estimated to cost some US$1B inclusive of a road, transmission line, dam, reservoir and a 165 MW hydropower facility on the Kuribrong River. The electricity generated would be transmitted to the Sophia Substation, which is owned and operated by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc. after which it will be distributed to, and paid for by the consumers on that DBIS grid. GPL would then pay the
Chinese owner and contractor, China Railway First Group—recently confirmed as the most ‘capable partner’ - to proceed with the project, according to Dr. Jagdeo, who recently expressed public satisfaction of the bid submitted by the Chinese bidder. The Vice President was adamant that, under the Build Own O p e r a t e Tr a n s f e r ( B O O T ) arrangement, the Chinese contractor would be financing the project 100 percent, standing all of the risks, and that Guyana would not be putting in any equity, as was the case in its previous iteration. According to Jagdeo, the electricity would not cost more than 7.7 cents per kilo watt per hour generated, which would work out to in excess of US$2B being paid over to the contractor before it hands over the project to government. None of the electricity generated however, would be reaching any of the communities not on the DBIS, largely in part to G u y a n a ’s t o p o g r a p h y a n d demographic layout. Additionally, the government is pursuing a proposed US$900M Gas to Shore Energy grid which, in addition to providing gas for sale, will partially power a dual cycle electricity plant.
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo Dual cycle, means that some of the electricity to be generated would be had using Natural Gas as its energy source, while some of the power would be generated at the 250MW plant, that would still be coming from HFO. Vice President, Dr. Jagdeo last Monday had signaled, however, that the cost of this venture could likely increase, taking into account increased prices on the world market across the spectrum. Speaking with reporters at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) last week Monday, Dr. Jagdeo told members of the local media corps that when factoring in prevailing global conditions, the prices for key commodities needed
for the project have increased. He specifically pointed to the fact that the price of steel, for example, has been escalating on the world market. Conceding, “…it’s a bad time to bid anything,” Dr. Jagdeo was nevertheless adamant, “we can’t slow down the development” and that “we have to proceed,” with the Gas to Shore initiative. This project will also require the construction of a transmission line from the Wales Plant to the Sophia substation for distribution to consumers on the DBIS. According to a study conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the least costly alternative amounts to just over US$80M to install a combination of 69KV and 230KV power lines to take the electricity from the power plant to the GPL Sophia substation. Notably, this electricity supplied from the natural gas plants will not be benefitting communities such as Linden, Kwakwani, Mabaruma and a range of other communities, including the entire Essequibo county and its islands. According to Vice President Dr. Jagdeo, isolated grids across the country would be powered through Continued on page 12
Wednesday November 10, 2021
PAGE 9
Kaieteur News
Ole people can’t sleep at nights! The government has to learn to solve simple problems. They have tried many years to solve the major economic and political problems of this country but their rewards have been failure and mistrust. People are fed up now with government. But government can restore confidence in itself if it opts to solve some of the simple problems which affects citizens. One of these is the traffic situation in the country. With each passing day, it is becoming a nightmare to navigate traffic in the towns – whether rural or urban.The situation in Georgetown is made more chaotic by the prevalence of vending. The vendors have their defenders, including highly placed persons in the Georgetown City Council. One of the defences for allowing pavement vending is that the vendors are poor persons who need to make a living. But if you go down Regent Street very early in the mornings, you will be surprised at the number of vendors who arrive with their own vehicles and park on the sides of the roads and unload millions of dollars in goods. Most of those who are vending are not poor at all. They have the means to open up their own businesses but why do this when they can simply squat anywhere they wish. Right now, we have
caravans which cost millions to make and equip. These are to be found in many parts of the city vending food. One such unit is located a few feet away from a junction and blocks the view of motorists. It is a threat to road safety but no one dare move these vendors who have their political protectors. On one of the city’s main thoroughfare there is a caravan and not only is it equipped with cooking utensils but it actually has a drain pipe which drains the waste from its operations into the city’s gutters. It is not as if the City Council cannot control the situation; it is more as if they do not wish to do so. No vending is allowed in front of City Hall. So if the Council can prevent vending in front of City Hall, what is it to prevent them doing the same elsewhere? We are in a pandemic and persons can barely walk unobstructed on the pavements. There are vendors plying their trade and virtually breathing down your neck as you walk along the pavement. But City Hall is not the only culprit when it comes to the disorder in the City. The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is a major malefactor in this confusion in which the city finds itself.Commercial businesses are springing up in every nook, cranny and cor-
ner of the city. Wards which were formerly used primarily for residential purposes are now being overrun with commercial businesses. And this means that customers have to find parking and they often do so at the expense of those who live within those areas. The CH&PA has to put a stop to the commercial expansion of Georgetown. So many businesses simply cannot be crammed into a small city.Already, it is affecting residential rentals. An average worker cannot find a decent place for a decent rental in the city. He or she has to compete with commercial rates. And this is driving housing rentals upwards to atrocious levels. All of this is happening because the CH&PA has no system of zoning and in fact has thrown zoning through the window. This has to be regularised. People are opening all kinds of businesses in any part of the country without any consideration for their neighbours. Not only do some of these businesses have no parking set aside but they are also in many instances resulting in noise nuisance. Old people in many areas are struggling to get a decent night’s sleep.The time has come for some order to be brought to our country. You cannot have the further expansion of commercial
Dem boys seh ...
From pampering to peppering Dem boys bin meet a ghal long ago. She bin pretty and she bin know it. She nah had time fuh dem ordinary boys. She eye bin shine, and she gat a right fuh be like dat. When yuh gat it yuh must flaunt and use it. One day she tell dem boys how she want a man wah gan pamper she. Well she did find such a man. He pamper she good. He buy she fancy house and fancy car and bin use to give she plenty money fuh buy fancy clothes and to guh
to de hair dresser. He bin even use to send she pun vacations. But when de pampering done, de peppering start. De man used to like to beat and he used to beat de ghal. She never report it to de police because she bin like de fancy life she enjoying. But people warn she dat one day de licks gan get tragic. And being a smart girl, she cut and run in time. But not everybody does be so lucky. Nuff ah dem women wah like pampering does end up
Dem boys seh ...
either badly wounded or worse. Dis week one ah dem foreign country warn we nah fuh tek dis domestic violence thing lightly. But before we try fuh stop de violence we gat fuh educate we young people dat nat everything dat glitters is gold. Shine eye does end up mekkin yuh blind to yuh partner’s faults. So cut and run if after de pampering is de peppering. And report dem beaters so dat dem can get long jail time. Talk half and learn!
business in such a small city. You cannot approve businesses on public roads and highways. You cannot allow illegal vending the way it is at
present. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Kaieteur News
PAGE 10
Wednesday November 10, 2021
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
A strange encounter in the National Park that left me stunned On Friday morning as I came out of my car, a uniformed security rank of the park came up to me and told me she was doing a survey and wanted my take on the National Park since she said I am a frequent user. The first impression jolted me. She had two small pieces of paper in her hand. They were torn off from a scratch pad. She was ready to write. The second impression also jolted me. No nationally prominent organisation in any country, as the National Park is, would have a security rank do a survey. That is simply not their jurisdiction. Their operation is security. It is an imposition to ask them to conduct a poll among park users A survey is always done by the academic staff of the organisation or the employers engage a
consulting firm to undertake the assignment. I declined to be interviewed in such circumstances. I don’t think the process was proper but more importantly, I thought it was exploitation of the security staff. There is a tiny hatred I have always carried in my heart and it is against powerful humans that oppress powerless people in a conspiracy of brutal hypocrisy. I have been using the park for decades now. This was one of the most admirable contributions of President Forbes Burnham. But over the past years the National Park has become an unpleasant place. The administration treats those security employees as if they work in a concentration camp. Through surveillance cameras they monitor those
guards non-stop. If they speak to a jogger for too long, they are upbraided. If they approach a user’s car, they are spoken to. If they are seen buying a vendor’s cake they are disciplined. I have seen some terrible mistreatment of both security personnel and other categories of employees that I was compelled to do several columns on the park. I would just mention three examples which are heart-breaking. A huge defective iron-gate fell on a security detail and he was refused compensation. A rank stopped some young men from drinking since it was closing time. One of them had beaten him up. Management suggested he file a complaint with the police and refused to do so on his behave.
It was through the interest of the then Deputy Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine, that one of the young men was charged. Recently, the brother of the Deputy Mayor of Georgetown, Mr. Alfred Mentore, was denied his request for a glass of water. It was eventually given to him by a staff member who is a relative. Mr. Mentore told me he over-jogged and was feeling dizzy. For protesting exploitation and mistreatment of staff, I was banned in 2018 from parking my bicycle in the guard hut, something I had done for years. In July 2019, I was banned from entering the offices of the administrative buildings, an edict that has not been lifted and one that I plan to raise with the subject minister. In 2019 also I was informed not to feed a stray cat. All the security ranks and other employees told me that they were instructed not to engage me in conversation.
You have to see this situation to believe it. An employee would say hello and quickly disappear; afraid of being seen talking to me. This started in 2018. I don’t know if the situation has changed but the employees are still intimidated in engaging in light conversation with me. I wrote the then chairperson of the board in 2019, Dr. Rachel Thomas about my bicycle incident. I got no redress. The National Park had its problems but there were good relations among people until the APNU+AFC began to make changes and bring in their own people. Arrogance replaced good manners. Power intoxication replaced modesty. Right in front of my eyes I saw one of the new dictators openly insulting the head of security, Mr. Hamilton, who had given over 35 years of service. Within one year, most of the nice staff members that I came to know over a 10-year period had been dismissed or had left. The APNU+AFC
Frederick Kissoon did “employee cleansing” at the park after 2015. GAWU has not been militant against workers’ violations at the park. Finally, the National Park, a place close to my heart, is falling apart. I am quite prepared to take the new chairperson when appointed to show him/her the deplorable state the place is in. In the interim, the Department of Environment should intervene to stop the deterioration. One last example – almost every week, a vehicle is broken into at the Carifesta Avenue section for lack of security personnel. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Kaieteur News
PAGE 11
PAGE 12
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Teen attacked by 11 men, Health Ministry recorded sodomized by boss 6 more COVID-19 fatalities
A 19-year-old man was assaulted by a group of approximately 11 men for about four hours, and was also sodomized in a mining pit by his boss. The teen whose name is not being disclosed due to the nature of the crime, related that three of his attackers were workers of his boss, and the others were miners from around the area, who did not hesitate to approach and attack him. He further stated that he went to Region Seven at the Imbaimadai gold mine to gain experience in the gold mining industry, as his father is in the same type of work. While there, the teen claims a piece of work equipment, which had gold with it went missing. His boss then confronted him about the matter, which he stated he has no involvement in and knows nothing about. Subsequently, he was beaten by about 11 men, who were armed with cutlasses, hammers and wood, and was thrown into a pit, pinned down with only his head out, and diesel was also thrown on him. He was also sodomized by his boss in the pit. The teen stated that, the first policeman, Officer James, who arrived on the scene did not render any assistance to him; he allegedly simply gave him a glance and proceeded on his way. However, when the second officer arrived, he was helped out of the pit and was able to get some water to revive whatever strength he had left after being beaten. After being sent to ‘washout’ himself the teen stated that he was unable to do so, as he was weak from the blows, which were dealt to him about his body.
The teen, with his arm in a cast, showing injuries as a result of the attack. After this, the teen’s father was summoned and he went to collect his son, and he then took him to the Imbaimadai Medical Center. While there, the medic told the teen’s father to clean him up, during which he noticed that his son’s hands were ice cold. He then alerted the medical official who was on duty, and his son was administered saline immediately, and was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) via plane. A report was made at the Imbaimadai police station. The victim’s father stated that he questioned the police about the whereabouts of the suspects, when the officer stated that they will come later. “You have to go now and arrest them man, two days after them arrest he,” according to the father. The three employees of the teen’s boss, who were involved in the attack have since been arrested.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday reported that six persons who tested positive for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, have died. As a result of this, the country’s COVID-19 death toll has moved to 951. According to the Ministry, the fatalities are that of three unvaccinated persons and three persons whose vaccination statuses were unknown, who died between September 30 and November 8. The country’s latest fatalities are that of five women, a 69-year-old, a 64year-old, and a 49-year-old from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), a 26-year-old from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and a 102-year-old from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and that of a 43-year-old man from Region Four. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry in its daily COVID19 dashboard recorded 48 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 36,305. The dashboard also shows that 17 patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 59 persons are in the institutional isolation, 2,284 in home isolation and five persons are in institutional quarantine. To date, 33,053 recoveries have
Essequibo County, Linden, Kwakwani... From page 8 various means, such as large scale solar farms to be installed using some US$80M that had been earned from Norway by selling carbon credits, in addition to smaller hydro power ventures to be installed at Moco Moco and Kumu, among other interior locations. The Vice President had alluded also to complementing the electricity supply for those not to benefit from the AFHEP or the Natural Gas Power Plant, through the provision of some 30,000 solar units primarily for hinterland homes.
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Kaieteur News
PAGE 13
Kaieteur News
PAGE 14
‘Fishing industry collapsing’ - fisherfolk boss tells Finance Minister Chairman of the Guyana National Fisherfolk Organisation and the Upper Corentyne Fisherman Co-op Society, Parmeshwar Jainarine has scrutinized the figures released by the Ministry of Finance, as they relate to the production/catch percentage within the local fishing industry. Jainarine said it is far from what it really is and has noted that the fishing industry is collapsing and is being neglected by the Government. These comments were made during the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce meeting with the Minister responsible for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh. During Dr. Singh’s presentation for the National Budget 2021, he outlined that there was a decline of 17.1 % in the year 2020 and for 2021 fish production tumbled to 22.1 %. Jainarine, who represents over a thousand fisherfolk on the Upper Corentyne said that, “over the past year the fishing industry has been slowly collapsing. Our catches have been down and there was a statement from the Minister of Finance that fish production or catch has been reduced by 27%. We feel that figure is wrong, for us it is more like about 70%, there has been a decline.” Jainarine has said that operating costs, fuel prices, groceries, fishing equipment costs, have all skyrocketed and have only added to their fishing woes. He stressed that, as fishermen battle to earn their next dollar, there is “no-one to talk to, no-one to give any sort of relief to the fishing sector. We are saying that the fishing sector has been neglected by the Government.” He did, however, alluded to the fact that the Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, has been “doing a tremendous job”, but that his focus is primarily centered on farming. The GNFO Chairman says there is a dire need for qualified persons in the fishing
Chairman of the Guyana National Fisherfolk Organisation and the Upper Corentyne Fisherman Co-op Society, Parmeshwar Jainarine industry who “understand fishing to be dealing with issues affecting fishers.” Furthermore, Jainarine has said that for the past budgets “nothing of substance has been allocated to the fishing sector.” He highlighted that a Coast Guard vessel that was purchased in 2019 by the Government to the tune of $99M has never been used. “The boat na mek to go do the work because it was the wrong boat they purchased. The engine cannot go out and patrol”, he disclosed. The vessel’s intended purpose was to conduct patrols, monitoring, and surveillance of fishing vessels to ensure that they are operating within the regulated areas of fishing. He stressed that the fishing industry is in need of urgent help and attention, and is calling for the relevant authorities to address same. Dr. Singh, in response, agreed that the industry is collapsing, but noted that the Continued on page 19
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Seven City Hall Treasury staffers fired for misconduct, fraud
S
even staffers from the Georgetown City Council Treasury Department have been fired for alleged gross misconduct. At its duly convened Statutory Meeting held on October 26, 2021, the Local Government Commission made a unanimous decision to summarily dismiss seven employees who were attached to the City Treasury Department of the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown. According to a report from the Local G o v e r n m e n t Commission (LGC), the dismissals are in response to the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown officially notifying the Commission of suspected financial irregularities which had surfaced within the City Hall Treasury Department. The seven individuals were then sent on administrative leave to facilitate a full investigation into the alleged fraudulent activities. At the conclusion of the investigation, it was determined that the seven staffers were direct
Georgetown City Hall
participants in fraudulent financial activities and had breached their fiduciary duties to the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown. Their dismissal took effect on November 2, 2021. Further, the Commission took a decision to revert the Acting City Treasurer, Mr. John Douglas, to his substantive position of Accounting Manager and
appointed Ms. Edwana Miller to perform as acting City Treasurer. Section 13 of the Local Government Commission Act, Act No. 18 of 2013 empowers the Local Government Commission as the only entity in Guyana with the authority to exercise r e g u l a t o r y a n d administrative oversight over all local government organs in Guyana.
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Kaieteur News
PAGE 15
PAGE 16
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
16-year-old still critical in hospital following Diwali chopping
Michael Anthony
The 16-year-old boy, Brain Anthony of Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, who heroically ran to his father’s defence on Diwali night following a chopping incident, is still in a critical condition at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, while his aggressors have been placed on $700,000 bail each. This is according to the l a d ’s f a t h e r, M i c h a e l Anthony called ‘Rakesh’, 47, of Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara.
In an interview with Kaieteur News on Tuesday at his home, the farmer recalled that on Diwali night around 21:00hrs a group of people were lighting fire crackers and causing distress in the area, when he decided to intervene. The people, he said, were not from his street, and were in fact making noise up the road, before they came to the house next to him. After he went out on his bridge to get the group to desist from their behaviour, he said they lit a squib and threw it towards him. Following an exchange of words, including threats to Anthony’s family, the man said he was dealt a lash to his left shoulder, causing him to bleed. In a bid to defend himself, the man said he grabbed a stick that was nearby, but the aggressor had run for cover at a nearby shop. The man said he then returned home, where he was encouraged to go to the station by his wife, but he decided to send a picture of his injury to a Police friend
for advice. It was only then that he realized his phone had been misplaced during the scuffle. He subsequently ventured outside to look for the device when three men approached him. “I was bending down searching for the phone when these three guys Injured teen: Brian Anthony came up and I heard one say ‘me name Brian Anthony, 16, to run to Rommel and I come to right off you and his defence. “I didn’t know that he your whole family...I was dealt one lash to the right was trying to pick me up and side of my head and I fall on these guys just attacked him.” He said he is not sure the ground.” He recalled that the man how he got inside his was holding a steel rod in his premises, but when he did hand, while another man the neighbours called out to dealt him more lashes with a him and his wife to see what piece of pipe. Another man happened to their son. The young man’s entire also attacked him with a cutlass, which caused the face was covered in blood father of four to suffer a when he saw him, he said. The injured father and son wound on his right arm. The man said his wife, were then rushed to the a f t e r w i t n e s s i n g t h e hospital by an elder son. The senior Anthony said commotion, began screaming which prompted he received 10 stitches in his Continued on page 19 his youngest of three sons,
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
PAGE 17
Supplier attempts to pass off 100 tons of bogus water treatment chemical to GWI A local supplier has attempted to pass off some 100 tons of bogus water treatment chemicals to the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), and the utility company is now at its wits end with regards the treatment of potable water at treatment plants for distribution by the utility company. GWI earlier this year advertised for the delivery and supply of some 100 tons of Manganese Dioxide. When the chemical was provided to GWI, tests ordered by that entity revealed that the product contained only between four and six percent of the required chemical for water treatment. According to the specifications required by GWI, the chemical was supposed to have at least a 61 percent content of the
required primary chemical ingredient, manganese oxide. A separate test was subsequently conducted by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) which unearthed similar results. Kaieteur News understands that this led to the efficacy of the chemical coming under question, which led to another independent test being conducted in Canada. A c c o r d i n g t o information supplied to this publication, tests conducted by Canadian labs found that the chemical did not contain any manganese dioxide and was, in fact, ‘bogus.’ A c c o r d i n g t o information provided by the National Procurement and Tender Administration B o a r d ( N P TA B ) , t w o
A wate r plant in treatment Guyan a. contracts had been awarded earlier this year to a local supplier for the supply and delivery of two lots of manganese oxide, one in the sum of $37.8M in June last, and the other for some $90M. The supplier company was one of two bidders on one occasion, and one of three on another.
2016 murder of WCB couple…
Berbice man pleads guilty to manslaughter Nazamudin Rafeek called ‘Shazam’ who appeared virtually in the Berbice High Court on Monday and had pleaded not guilty to the murder of businessman Arthur Rajkumar, 81, and his reputed wife Diane Chamanlall, 44, of Bush Lot Village, West Coast Berbice, between January 8th and 9th 2016, on Tuesday opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. Prosecutor Abigail Gibbs, in addressing the court, detailed that the accused and others were smoking ‘Ganja’ and concocted a plan to rob the couple of their valuables and cash. They invaded the premises by wrenching out a grilled door and demanded ‘gold and money’, but the couple had told them that they did not have any. The couple were then chopped and cut about their bodies with a ‘cutlass and knife’, before the accused and his companions proceeded to ransack the home and shop that was adjoined (shop located at the bottom). Gibbs said the men had the time to pack groceries and drank ‘Stag’ beer while searching for gold and money. After spending several
hours and realising that the police were outside, they fled and during the attempt to escape, the accused ‘Shazam’ dropped his cap at the crime scene. That cap was later identified by him while in custody. The prosecutor said that Rafeek was covered in blood when he escaped the crime scene, so much blood that there were trails and spots of it found in his yard and bathroom. Police found Rafeek’s bloodied clothes soaked in a bucket of water in his house and the blood tested positive for human blood. The couple was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, Gibbs said. Meanwhile, the accused while addressing the court, said that the No.1 accused, Rooplall Abrahim was the mastermind behind the grisly crime and that he was “innocent to this story.” A 12-member mixed jury was empanelled, and the trial commenced on Monday. The accused is being represented by Attorney-atlaw Mursalin Bacchus. Arthur Rajkumar and Diane Chamanlall were butchered in their Bushlot, West Coast Berbice home in January 2016 in the furtherance of a robbery. After committing the dastardly acts, the men
attempted to escape but were eventually arrested and taken into police custody and investigators managed to obtain confessions. Rafeek, Abrahim and Gocoul Mandanpaul were all charged for the murders. The next court date is set for the 24th November 2021.
Kaieteur News
PAGE 18
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Coalition paid $17M in advances to workers, who later walked off job In 2016, some staffers attached to the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) o f R e g i o n Tw o w e r e overpaid in excess of $17M
in salary advances under the A Partnership For National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition. Some of those workers have
since walked off the job without clearing their debts. This was revealed at Monday’s sitting of the Parliamentary Public
Accounts Committee (PAC) a s R e g i o n Tw o administration faced questions about the 2016 expenditure. The issue was
- PAC hears first highlighted in the Auditor General’s 2016
REO of Region Two under APNU+AFC coalition, Rupert Hopkinson report. Regional Democratic Officer for Region Two, Susannah Saywack explained to the committee that while she was not in charge of the Region in 2016, the records support the notion that a majority of staffers, who worked under the previous REO, Rupert Hopkinson, were overpaid in salaries and advances. The only issue, she said is that a majority of the workers have left the job and attempts to recover the sum from them have proven futile. Saywack told the committee that, while some of the monies have been refunded, some $17.9 million is still outstanding. She said that the Region has since had very little success with recovery. “I know that we would have tried to reach out to those [staffers] that have these advances to be cleared. A few of them would have addressed same and we are awaiting responses from the others,” the REO said. Responding to queries from the PAC, Accountant General Jennifer Chapman, who was present during the sitting, stated that the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA) empowers the RDC to deduct money from the salaries of these workers in order to recover their debts. In this regard, Saywack explained further that only some of these workers are still employed by the RDC, and that monies are deducted from the salaries of those who owe advances and are still employed with the RDC. The REO said that a majority of the other workers, formerly employed by the Region, never responded to efforts to reach them. Meanwhile, officials of the Region Two RDC were also questioned about an issue in which employees who were not entitled to free housing were living in Government quarters rentfree. The Auditor General had found in his 2016 report that 14 persons were occupying Continued on page 19
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
PAGE 19
Fire razes T&T’s Natural Gas industrial zone
A
n inferno that erupted inside the eTecK Park in Point Lisas, yesterday evening—after a chemical factory went up in flames in the Natural Gas Industrial Zone—in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), underscores the risks faced by Guyana in the future, in utilizing such flammable fuels and the dangers of a fire in a petrochemical dominated industrial zone, such as the proposed Wales Industrial Development Zone (WDZ). According to reports out of neighbouring T&T, scores of firefighters from Southern Divisional Headquarters, Central Division, Tunapuna, Wrightson Road, Princes Town and Siparia risked their lives for hours on end, to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other establishments near Pacific Avenue, Point Lisas. The Point Lisas Industrial Estate comprises 103 companies involved in the production of petrochemicals such as methanol, ammonia and urea—akin to the proposed development in Guyana at Wales to be powered and supplied using natural gas to be had from the Stabroek Block. Reports emanating out of T&T said that for over three hours, the firefighters also battled to stop the blaze spreading to nine containers filled with flammable chemicals on the eastern and southern sides of the eTecK Park. Initially, the fire was believed to have originated from a Mastermix warehouse, but later it was said to be a building adjacent to Mastermix housing Gemini Inks, a printing supplies company. Chairman of the Confederation of Regional Business Chambers, Jai Leladharsingh, in expressing concern over the conflagration, told the T&T media “Right now, the fire is near industries that use natural gas, which is a very
The inferno that erupted inside the eTecK Park in Point Lisas, T&T.
flammable substance. It is very worrisome and we want to praise the firefighters who are putting themselves out there to combat this fire.” At the time he noted that the authorities must ensure a specialised fire station is set up at Point Lisas to deal with fires. “We have been calling for this specialised fire station to be constructed close to these industries, so that there could be the first response to such disasters and that fires could be extinguished and contained in the shortest possible time.” The Government of Guyana is currently actively pursuing private investors for joint participation in gas related projects to accompany a natural gasfired power plant to primarily power an industrial park at the WDZ, in addition to supplying power to the national grid. The industrial zone, according to the administration plans, envisions ventures similar to T&T, such as the production of urea/fertiliser and other associate products. A 2018 summary of the findings that were presented to the then Cabinet by
Coalition paid $17M in.. From page 18 the RDC Government quarters rent-free. Region Two officials confirmed that of the 76 quarters in the RDC’s possession, 18 are currently occupied. In answer to the PAC, REO Saywack explained that only one of those officers is actually entitled to rent-free quarters. “My knowledge is one of the officers, out of the 14, is entitled. She is presently our acting DREO [Deputy REO]. For the others, no records I have found, stipulates that they’re entitled to rent-free,” Saywack said. She said that the Region has since written to the occupants asking those who are occupying to pay rent. “Nine are currently paying house rent, seven persons were written to, two vacated and two officers are presently entitled to the house rent-free, that is,” she added.
ExxonMobil had found that “analysis has highlighted that while economics are challenged, requiring incentives, methanol and urea (fertiliser) producing large-scale industrial facilities appear to be the more likely viable foundation industries for investors.” The company was at the time speaking, to the development of a similar industrial park in Guyana to that currently smoldering in T & T, w i t h t h e administration since c o n f i r m i n g t h e Wa l e s location as its ideal site. The Ministry of Natural Resources had earlier this year invited private investors to provide an Expression of Interest (EoI) to partake in Joint participation in the proposed gas-to-shore project with the Government and Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited
(EEPGL)—ExxonMobil Guyana. According to the advertised EoI, the Government and EEPGL are looking for partners “in designing or utilising the outputs from an NGL (Natural Gas Liquids)/LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) facility and related facilities.” This includes, according to the Ministry, design, construction, and financing of a power plant fuelled by natural gas, where the power will be delivered into the Guyana Power and Light’s (GPL) distribution grid. This is in addition to industries that can utilise natural gas for, “natural gas driven developments and growth.” According to that invitation, the decision on Wales was taken after extensive evaluation of multiple sites with
16-year-old still critical in... From page 16 head and 10 on his right arm, which is also broken. His son remains hospitalised at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, suffering from a broken nose and cheek bones. “His left eye, we are not certain what will happen to the left eye.” The man said that he attended Court on Monday, where the brothers who are the perpetrators of the crime were released on bail of $500,000 each for his son’s injuries and $200,000 each for his case. The other perpetrator reportedly turned himself into Police recently, and will be processed for a Court appearance soon.
‘Fishing industry collapsing’ From page 14 figures presented by him were reliable, but that he would not dispute the figure presented by Jainarine. He promised to raise the issue with the Minister of Agriculture and, in the same breath stated, that while there are problems within the fishing sector, many of those issues “might not be easy to fix” but “one of the things we are trying to encourage is fish farming, aquaculture and we see Guyana having quite the potential for aquaculture.” The Minister also met with the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce and the Berbice Chamber of Commerce.
ExxonMobil Guyana Limited. The WDZ encompasses over 14,000 plus acres of land of which approximately 1,300 acres will be set aside for heavy Industry/gasrelated investments. The project, according to stakeholders, is expected to see some 27 kilometres of pipeline being laid out and buried from the Crane, West
Coast Demerara (WCD) location to Wales, in addition to some 200 plus kilometres of pipeline from the Stabroek Block where the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel (FPSO) is located. According to the administration, WDZ will be the location for the termination of the gaspipeline measuring over 225 km from the Liza Area. Additionally, it will involve the establishment of a gas-processing plant (GPP) and a Natural Gas Liquids facility (NGL) capable of producing at least 4,000 bbl./day, including the fractionation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). With regards to the use of additional gases, the invitation detailed that responses dealing with NGLs should provide details of expectations on markets (local and regional), expected input prices, expected sale prices, level of investment on required infrastructure, proposed changes to the current configuration of the existing market, and ability to work with local partners and Government.
PAGE 20
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Kaieteur News
PAGE 21
$469M estimated to fix roads in No.76 &77 Villages During the opening of tenders at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) yesterday, bids were opened for $469,659,450 in road rehabilitation works/projects that fall under the Ministry of Public Works. These projects are mainly for the rehabilitation of the Ministry of Public Works Lot 101: Rehabilitation of No.76 Housing Scheme Road Network, No.76 Village -Lot 102: Rehabilitation of No.77 Housing Scheme Road Network, No. 77 Village.
No.76 Village Housing Scheme Road, which is estimated to cost $284,789,550, according to the engineer's estimate and the rehabilitation of the No. 77 Village Housing Scheme Road, which is estimated to cost $184,869,900.
Bids were also opened, for the supply and delivery of pharmaceuticals for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, which saw a total of 11 companies bidding for the contract. Below are the companies and their bids:
University of Guyana Supply and design of Lot 1: One double cab 4x4, Lot 2: One 15-seater mini-bus.
Supply and delivery of janitorial supplies.
GUYSUCO Supply and installation of syrup clarifier and auxiliary equipment.
Supply and delivery of Lot 1: Refurbish one weir turbine rotor and replace shaft for Uitvlugt Factory.
Supply and delivery of Lot 1: One single stage steam turbine for Uitvlugt Factory.
Supply and delivery of stationery supplies. Ministry of Home Affairs CSSP Supply and installation of VFR and Split air conditioner systems at the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory.
Supply and delivery furnishing and equipment for the Guyana Police Force. Supply and delivery of pre-printed books.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Carpentry work for EPA. Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Supply and delivery of medical supplies.
Supply and delivery of laboratory, radiology and pathology supplies.
(Continued on page 23)
PAGE 22 WANTED
1 able bodied driver, ages 25+. Must have truck license. Ice Factory Mon Repos, Call: 220-3459, between 8-4. FOR RENT Fully furnished self-contained bedrooms house, Bougainvillea EBD $3,000 USD.Tel:223-6218,226-5546. 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.
Office space for rent,air conditioned,water & wifi, East North Cummingsburg $100,000 per month.Tel:2236218,226-5546. 3 bedrooms bottom flat, Located Peter Rose St Queenstown $150,000 per month.Tel:223-6218,2265546. Bond Space,900 sq ft,2 office space,spacious parking Eccles.Tel:223-6218,2265546. Unfurnished 2 bedrooms apt, Mon Repos $100,000 per month.Tel:223-6218,2265546.
FOR SALE Transported house lots for sale.Gated community,4Mil per lot.Call:671-9015/6221957.
4 bedrooms self-contained house,Farm EBD $4,000 USD per month.Tel:223-6218,2265546. 4 bedrooms self-contained house,Atlantic Garden $4,000 USD per month. Tel:2236218,226-5546. 3 bedrooms house, Queenstown $170,000 per month.Tel:223-6218,2265546.
Two bedroom apartment to rent on E.C.D.Tel:601-2515. 1 bedroom apartment to rent in Blygezight Gardens.Fully grilled air conditioning & free wifi.Contact 673-3100. Fully furnished house 3 bedrooms.Price $5,000 USD, Located Atlantic Gaden. Tel:223-6218,226-5546. Semi furnished 2 bedrooms upper apartment.Price $1,200 USD,LocatedPrashad Nagar.Tel:223-6218,2265546.
PROPERTY FOR SALE 2 bedroom wooden house for sale in Ulverston Berbice for $1.5million,land not included. Contact: LAND FOR650-5626. SALE
PENPAL Male seeks female 18-38 to live with or marry. Call: 6039085.
Fully furnished 3 bedrooms house.Price $4,000 USD, Located Richmond Hill, P r o v i d e n c e . Te l : 2 2 3 6218,226-5546. Fully furnished 3 bedrooms house.Spacious parking Windsor Estate $4,500 USD.Tel:223-6218,226-5546. Fully furnished 6 bedrooms house AC, hot & cold bath ,backup generator, Eccles NewScheme$3,500 USD. Tel:223-6218,226-5546. Fully furnished 3 bedrooms house,Republic Gardens $3,000 USD.Tel:223-6218,2265546.
One male able bodied clerk. Call: 225-2313/226-1497. 1 living in general domestic cleaner.Contact 637-4605. Waitress for bar.Call:6576547. 2 soup cooks,2 kitchen assistants. Must have experience. Good pay.Police clearance needed.Call:697-1955. 1 Mechanic with the knowledge of welding,driving would be an asset.Call:6189186/225-9304.
VACANCY Exist for Security Officers, Male & Female. 18yrs & above. Contact: 223-4172/ 632-0099 Experienced carpenter & apprentice. Contact: 624-9507/ 624-9509/624-9508. Maintenance workers & labourers to work with P.S.G.C.S. Preferably from E.B.D. Call: 621-6969/6157784. Immediate vacancy exists for One female cashier to work@Del Ice Co.Call:6429191,231-1408 between 8AM-1PM.
FOR RENT Commercial building ground floor 32x41 ft,Carmichael St $300,000 per month.Tel:2236218,226-5546.
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Kaieteur News
WANTED 1 full time Industrial mechanic to manage workshop at JFWW Network Outlet. Call:622-1957,671-9015,2336997. Supervisor, Counter Clerk, Hymac & Diesel Mechanic to work in charity. Call: 2235273/688-0417. One female cook to work Iteballi landing & one for bush.Call:672-7275.
Pump Attendant/Cashier, shifts (6AM-2PM & 2PM10PM).ShellStation ProvidenceE.B.D, email: Shellramsburg@gmail.com. Maid to cook and clean for East Bank.Call: 615-9132. 4 Marketing Personnels. Must have 5 CXC,2 yrs experience, computer literate & Driven.Call:643-1429,6008457, email: mariobraam. jc.coo @gmail.com. 2 Hr Managers.Must have 5 CXC,2 yrs experience, computer literate & Driven. Call:643-1429,600-8457,e mail: mariobraam. jc.coo @gmail.com. 2 web developers/IT Technician. 5 CXC,2 yrs experience, computer literate & Driven. Call:643-1429,600-8457, email:mariobraam.jc.coo @gmail.com. 1 Accountant.Must have 5 CXC,2 yrs experience, computer literate & Driven. Call:643-1429,600-8457, email:mariobraam.jc.coo @gmail.com. 1 maintenance.Must have 5 CXC,2 yrs experience, computer literate & Driven. Call:643-1429,600-8457,e mail:mariobraam.jc.coo @gmail.com.
Outdated suicide laws to be amended LEGAL NOTICE
During the opening of the Guyana Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference on Monday, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony stated that outdated suicide laws will soon be amended. During his address at the opening of the three-day conference, Dr. Anthony first highlighted that most of Guyana’s laws are outdated. In fact, the Minister stated that the law goes back to the time of the British and even in the 1930s and noted the part which states that if you attempt suicide in Guyana, you can be jailed for at least two years. According to Section 97 of the Criminal Law Offences Act Chapter 8:01, anyone who attempts to commit suicide shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and liable to imprisonment for two years. However, according to the Health Minister, “We have not used it for a while, but from the stats you have seen for every person who committed suicide, there are at least 20 persons who would have attempted suicide. So technically if we have 147 persons who died of suicide over the last year, then multiply that by 20, you can see how many people would have ended up in jail.” Dr. Anthony disclosed that, for the past four years, there were discussions in the National Assembly when the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) was seeking to raise suicide awareness, but was unsuccessful. The Mental Health and Well-Being Conference is a collaborative effort among the Government of Guyana; the US-based National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Health; and PAHO, with assistance from Columbia University. According to reports, the Government has successfully completed the initial draft of the proposed new Mental Health Act, which will replace the previous one of 1930. It was outlined in the MidVACANCY Vacancy for persons to assemble bicycles.Apply at Alabama Trading,65 Robb St Bourda. Vacancy exists for 1 certified Auto Mechanic with minimum 10 yrs experience.Call:2318737. Hiring professional certified Chef,Assistant cooks & Counterstaffs.Apply at Veronica's Snacknette,106 Brickdam 652-0451,651-1152. One salesman,5 subject cxc.Experience in writing bills,stocktaking & cashing. Keyfood Trading,Mc Doom village.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony.
Year Report of the Ministry of Finance, that the draft bill will address areas, such as procedures of mental healthcare not requiring consent by individuals, psychosurgery, electroconvulsive therapy, establishment of a community mental health service model, among others, and is presently under review by experts and stakeholders. In terms of integration of mental health services across health centers, the community health model will be used. Moreover, in September, Minister Anthony had stated that a more robust system is needed to help identify depression, which he believes
will help reduce the country’s suicide rate. He had stated that depression is the leading cause of suicide in this country, and that it often goes undiagnosed at the primary healthcare level and, as such, depression should be the primary focus for suicide prevention to tackle the issue in a more systemic way. This led to the Minister disclosing that, “We need to build a more robust system, where, if people come to our healthcare facilities, that we are able to detect depression, which is one of the precursors for people committing suicide.”
Guyana must invest better... From page 3 capital, Georgetown, has relied on sea walls – or, more accurately, one gigantic, 280mile long sea wall, for protection. The sea wall function as Georgetown’s main defence because most of the coastline is between 0.5 and one metre below high tide levels. With more than half of the country’s population in danger, it was stated that the country will need to bolster its sea wall substantially if Georgetown’s central areas are to avoid massive damage. The Climate Central map was created based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2021 report. Climate Central is an independent group of scientists and communicators, who research and report the facts about climate change and how it affects people’s lives, and the IPCC is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. Recently, this publication reported that Guyana is particularly vulnerable to rising sea level as a result of climate change, plus regional shifts in the height of the sea. This was highlighted in the 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) report on climate change.
According to the report, Guyana’s initial national communication to the UNFCCC states that the sea level, along the Atlantic Coast, is projected to rise by about 40 centimetres by the end of the twenty-first century. This means the sea is rising at a rate of two – four millimetres each year, counting the entire century. The report explained that “From 1951 to 1979, sea level off Guyana’s coast rose at a rate of some five times the global average (0.4 inch, or 10.2 millimetres per year)— and around six times the twentieth century average or three times the 1993 to 2009 annual average.” Additionally, this is not the first time that Guyana’s vulnerability to sea level rise has been documented. Last year, a mini-documentary on the natural phenomenon of erosion and climate change produced by REEL Guyana and its founder, Alex Arjoon, spoke to the vulnerability of Guyana’s low-lying coastal regions. Not forgetting that severe flooding earlier this year had led to many sectors in Guyana being affected along with the livelihood of citizens. In June 2021, President Ali had declared the flooding situation in the country a National Disaster.
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Elders leading the way in vaccination - Health Minister
M
inister of Health, Dr. Frank An thony, in his daily COVID-19 up date on Monday, stated that persons who are sixty years and above are taking the COVID-19 vaccination process more seriously. Dr. Anthony stated that the Ministry recorded some 64.9 percent of senior citizens who are fully vaccinated, and 78.2 percent that have received only their first dose of one of
the available COVID-19 vaccines. The Minister related that, on the other hand, the adolescent population has a low percentage of vaccination with a 38.3 percent of first dose administration, and 25.9 percent of individuals who are fully vaccinated. Minister Anthony pleaded with persons to come forward and get vaccinated, so as to prevent contracting a more serious form of the COVID-19 virus.
$469M estimated to fix roads... Supply and delivery of pharmaceuticals.
E’bo man remanded after being found guilty for rape A twenty-five-year-old man was found guilty of rape last Monday, after a verdict was returned by a jury in the Suddie High Court, Essequibo Coast. The accused, identified as Kemo Calvin Chase, appeared before Judge Priya Sewnarine Beharry, to answer to the charge. The accused was charged for two counts of rape, which was committed on a relative. The offence was reportedly committed within the Pomeroon/Supenaam Region (Region Two) area, sometime between September 2012 and March 2013. Chase, who was
represented by counsel, initially pleaded not guilty to the charge that was read to him. When the jury returned with its verdict last Monday, however, the accused was found guilty on one count, and was immediately remanded to prison. He is expected to return to court on December 1st for sentencing. A family member, with some knowledge of the matter, said that from day one, the victim’s motive was to get justice. He further stated that the victim, who is now twenty-one years old, is finally satisfied that justice has been received.
PAGE 23
Kaieteur News
PAGE 24
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Foreign pilots remanded for unauthorized landing at Mahdia
The twin-engine Piper Seneca plane that the pilots used to land at an airstrip in Mahdia.
The two pilots appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts yesterday.
Two foreign pilots, who were arrested after they landed at the Mahdia airstrip, were yesterday remanded for two charges. David Caicedo Villa, a 32-year-old pilot of Villavicencio, Colombia, and Gustavo Adolfo Riascos Gomez, a 48-year-old pilot/businessman of Tachira San Cristobal, Venezuela
were charged with unauthorized entry and illegal possession of two grams of cannabis. The men appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. They were remanded until November 16. Kaieteur News had reported
on November 6, that investigators explained when they received reports of the airstrip landing incident, a party of policemen was dispatched to the area. The plane was found in front of the Trans Guyana’s hanger, and the men were standing at the head of the
aircraft talking to the security guard and ramp attendant. When confronted by the police, one of the men, speaking in English, said: “We are lost, we came from Venezuela and going to look for gold”. Investigators said that a subsequent search of the men and the plane found nothing illegal. However, the aircraft contained three 15-gallon drums – two of which contained fuel suspected to be smuggled – one hammock with netting, one bag containing
clothing, and personal effects. Also found was a black bag with identification cards documents, one Garmin GPS, one Iridium Phone, one Icom radio set, one spot trace device, one ear piece, one lighter, one torchlight, one Motorola phone, one Samsung phone, one wallet, one knife, two wrist watches, two phone chargers, two grams of suspected cannabis, and some bamboo wrap. The items have been lodged with the police, and the aircraft is currently under guard.
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Kaieteur News
PAGE 25
‘Friend’, accomplice remanded Losses from poor construction works estimated at $50M - Consumer Affairs for doctor’s murder
Murdered, Dr. Colin Roach Hilton Oliver Junior Franklin (left) and Lenrick Byass, the two youths remanded for Dr. Colin Roach’s murder. Two young men were yesterday remanded for the brutal murder of Dr. Colin Roach at his Duke Street, Kingston, Georgetown Office on Tuesday November, 3. The defendants, Hilton Oliver Junior Franklin, 19, a close friend of the doctor, and his accomplice, Lenrick Byass, 18, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate Courts jointly charged with murder in the course of a robbery before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan. They were not required to plea to the indictable charge and will remain behind bars until their next court appearance on November, 30, 2021. Both men had reportedly
admitted to their involvement in the heinous killing of the doctor. Franklin had reportedly told detectives that he had killed Roach by lashing him to his head with a metal object. He claimed that the doctor had become intoxicated during a drinking session they had, and made advances towards him, and he was forced to defend himself. His accomplice, Byass, however, confessed that it was a planned robbery intended to raise money so that Franklin could buy a car. He recounted being picked up by Franklin on Tuesday to rob the doctor at his office. When they arrived, Roach greeted them at the entrance of his
building and they left together in his SUV to purchase alcoholic beverages at a location on Regent Street and returned to his office. Byass said they continued the drinking session there for a while until Roach sent him with cash to buy Guinness at a nearby shop. After returning from the errand he saw that Roach was dead and asked Franklin what happened. Franklin, he said, told him a story. They stole the dead man’s gold jewelry and US$600, before cleaning up the scene and removing evidence that would link them to the crime before escaping in his SUV. Detectives, during their investigation, were able to obtain CCTV footage corroborating Byass’ version of events.
The Guyana Competition and Consumers Affairs Commission (CCAC) said it has received a number of complaints in relation to faulty construction works with losses totalling close to $50 million. This is according to Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Commission, Ms. Allison Parker. According to the PRO, some 38 complaints have been received by the Commission from January to October of this year as a result of defective works by construction workers. While 27 of the complaints were resolved, a total of 11 are still being looked at. The Commission reminded that the Consumer Affairs Act caters for issues with durable products and services. As a matter of fact, “Should a consumer encounter an issue with a contractor, they can complain to us to seek redress,” Parker pointed out. She added that the Commission had launched a Home Builders’ Road Map last year, which highlights six steps in the process of homebuilding. The process, according to
her, starts from the acquisition of the land to construction. Former Director of the CCAC Mrs. Feyona Austin-Paul noted that one of the reasons for the development of the document, was so that “consumers should not be disenfranchised in anyway, regardless of what the situation may be and there must not be any infringements of the law.” However, one challenge, Mrs. AustinPaul said, “is the lack of qualified human resource and the access to the qualified human resource by consumers.” During the first half of the year, the construction sector expanded by some 25.5 percent, according to the Ministry of Finance Mid-Year Report. The Report said “The construction sector is estimated to have grown very substantially by 25.5 percent when compared with last year. This strong performance was driven by increased construction activity in both the public and private sectors”.
PAGE 26
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Guyanese Heyliger (2-11) helps Canada win their first WCQ T20 Canada-based Guyanese Dillon Heyliger produced a fine bowling performance for Canada in their first match of the 2022 T20 World Cup Qualifier in Antigua and Barbuda against Bahamas, recently. The right-arm seamer from Essequibo, who represented Guyana at the youth level, picked up 2/11 from 1.2 overs. Bahamas were all out for 68 in the 16th over replying to Canada’s formidable 190-5 off the 20-overs. Spinner Jatinderpaul Matharu led the way for the Canadians with 3/6 from 2 overs while left-arm orthodox spinner Saad Bin Zafar grabbed 2/9 off 3 overs. When Canada batted, Hamza Tariq hit a top-score of 54 while Ravinderpal Singh made 47 and Rayyan Pathan chipped in with 38. Jagnauth Jagroo collected three wickets for 24 runs from his maximum four overs. Marc Taylor made a fighting 44 for the losing combination. Canada, Bahamas, USA, Bermuda, Panama, Argentina and Belize are competing for two spots in the Americas round-robin leg.-
PAGE 27
Kaieteur News
Sarah Villegas upset that Women’s Physique/Bodybuilding excluded from 2022 Arnold Classic
Dillon Heyliger
Sarah Villegas
Wednesday November 10, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You feel wonderful and you're looking great. Expect to draw some admiring glances! The only downside to this is that you feel stronger than you are. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) A romantic haze surrounds love relationships. You could be thinking that your romantic partner has stepped out of a fairy tale. Yet even storybook heroes and heroines have flaws - but flaws can be endearing! GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You might host a group meeting or other social event. Your guests may be artistically or spiritually inclined. CANCER(June21–July22) If you've been thinking about writing, this is the day to get started. Your mind is particularly sharp and your imagination rich. Unusual developments, mostly positive, could take place in your
neighborhood. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Money matters continue to go well, though you don't feel as secure about them as you should. A previously unsung talent, perhaps for the arts, healing, working with technology, or all three could come to light. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today you should feel especially idealistic, imaginative, intuitive, and spiritually inclined. You project an otherworldly aura that at tracts more attention,
such as admiring glances, than you're used to.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You might walk around in a romantic, imaginative, spiritual fog with your head in the clouds. Everything may seem perfect and wonderful - perhaps too wonderful to be true. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Romantic notions about friends seem to be the energy driving you today. You might see a longtime friend in a new light as a possible romantic
partner. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Because your working life is going well, you might indulge in daydreams in which you're at the top of the heap, perhaps even famous! CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Your mind may be on spiritual or philosophical subjects and considering fascinating new ideas. Some of these may come from faraway lands, which might have you considering travel. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Roma nce might take a
front seat in your thoughts today. You could h ave some unusual dreams tonight. They might be romantic or they could prove artistically inspiring, or both. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today your mind may be on romance. If you're married, you'll grow closer to your partner. If you're single but involved, the relationship could move to the next level of commitment.
FitnessVolt - Sarah Villegas, who won her first Women’s Physique Olympia last year and repeated in 2021 was disappointed to see that her division and Women’s Bodybuilding are not on the roster for the 2022 Arnold Classic events taking place March 3-6 in Columbus, Ohio. Villegas has reached out to both Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Arnold Sports Festival offering to put up $20,000 from her own money to sponsor the Women’s Physique division so these athletes can
compete at the prestigious show. ”I’m very disappointed to learn that the @arnoldsports has excluded Women’s Physique and Women’s Bodybuilding from the 2022 Arnold Classic roster.” Neither division was included in the 2021 Arnold Classic although the Women’s Physique International was apparently an event at the Arnold from 2015-2020. Women’s Bodybuilding has a long history of competition at the Ms. International (Arnold
Classic) from 1989-2013. I’m extending an offer to @schwarzenegger and @arnoldsports where I will personally sponsor all prize money for the Women’s Physique category at the 2022 Arnold Sports Festival if they choose to add the category to the roster. LET THE GIRLS COMPETE.” If her offer is rejected, Sarah still plans to back the Women’s Physique athletes giving $20k for the 2022 Texas Pro champion and winners of two other events she didn’t name. ”My offer stands, however if it is not accepted, here is what I am going to do to support my category: I’ve decided to spend $20,000 out of my pocket this coming year to support the Women’s Physique division at multiple Pro shows: $10,000 for the 2nd annual “Sarah Villegas Women’s Physique Distinction Award” that will be awarded to the WPD winner at the 2022 Texas Pro, and two additional $5,000 first place checks that will be awarded to the first place WPD winners at 2 other Pro shows (shows TBD).” Sarah also wanted to make it very clear that she means no disrespect to Arnold or his o r g a n i s a t i o n .
Trophy Stall onboard... From page 32 player for each finalist will receive a prize. She said that all covid-19 guidelines will be observed and teams are asked to be present at the venue at least 30 minutes prior to the start of play. Among other sponsors are Spartans, F and H, All Season Racing Service, Tony Jewellery Establishment and Three-the Hardway. Mix Up, All Season, F and H, TNT, Gold is Money, Providence, Cody Girls, R and R, C6 and Spartons are among the teams set to battle for supremacy.
Kaieteur News
PAGE 28
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Innovative FIFA Training Centre launched T h e F I FA Tr a i n i n g Centre has been launched as an innovative tool that is available to players and coaches all across the world. With a comprehensive bank of technical football information, the online academy features insightful
resources developed by the sport’s leading experts and illustrates FIFA’s goal to harness technology for the benefit of the global game. The “Game” section is designed to further the development of coaches, whilst under “Practice”, a
vast range of training sessions are available aimed at cultivating the essential skills and qualities players require to thrive on the pitch. The wide-ranging vault of content features sessions for all levels, from grassroots to elite, and all age groups,
from children to adults. Crucially, it is available to users all over the world. “We have made all of our analysis a key part of the FIFA Training Centre to help everybody to improve,” said FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger. “It’s a huge initiative because we think that FIFA has a responsibility to educate people all over the world and this is one of the main tools that we have. We want everybody to take advantage of it, especially the coaches. This is a global tool that we offer to the w h o l e w o r l d . ” The FIFA Training Centre also includes a section on the details that can be crucial to optimising performance levels in football, recognising that players and coaches need to be developed in a sustainable and holistic way and using successful individuals to reveal the keys to the process.”The modern game has to integrate everybody,” Wenger continued. “That’s why this ‘environment’
Arsène Wenger: “FIFA has a responsibility to educate people all over the world” section is so important. Today, we call it the sociological environment of the player, and because it has to be right, we try to educate everybody who is in that e n v i r o n m e n t . ” The FIFA Training Centre has not been developed in isolation but as part of a significant strategy for football’s sustainable global development. T h e F I FA Ta l e n t Development Scheme has seen a thorough analysis of football across 205 member associations, looking at the specifics of how they work with talent and the different ways in which they operate with coaches and c o m p e t i t i o n s .
By paying attention to specific situations in each association, FIFA can contribute by providing the tools that can increase football’s sustainable global competitiveness. “The Training Centre is accessible to anybody,” emphasised FIFA Technical Director Steven Martens. “We will develop sites dedicated to specific groups, be they technical leaders, national team coaches, academy managers or coach educators. So, we will have various target groups that all have an environment where they can learn from each other, as well as a bank of information that is available 24/7 and 365 days a year.”
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
PAGE 29
NBA: Stephen Curry scores 50 as Golden State Warriors beat Atlanta Hawks BBCsport - Stephen Curry scored 50 points and had 10 assists to help the Golden State Warriors beat the Atlanta Hawks 127-113 for their fifth straight win. The Hawks led by 15 points in the second quarter before the Warriors outscored them 41-20 in the third, 18 of which came from Curry. The 33-year-old added 10 assists to give him his first doubledouble in a 50-point game. Guard Trae Young scored a team-high 28 points for the Hawks. Curry, who had been held to 20 or fewer points in four consecutive games, finished
14-for-28 from the field, nine-for-19 on three-point attempts and 13-for-13 at the foul line as the Western Conference leaders improved their record to 9-1. The two-time MVP became just the third player in Warriors history to hit 50 points and 10 assists in the same game after Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry, while it was the 10th 50-point game of Curry’s career. DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points as the Chicago Bulls ended the Brooklyn Nets’ five-game winning streak with an impressive
118-95 victory. DeRozan hit 10 of 20 shots as he contributed at least 25 points for the fifth game in a row. The Los Angeles Lakers returned to winning ways as Anthony Davis scored six of his 32 points in overtime to secure a 126-123 win against the Charlotte Hornets. Carmelo Anthony netted 29 points off the bench while Russell Westbrook had a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists as the Lakers won for the first time since losing star player LeBron James to an a b d o m i n a l i n j u r y.
First 50-piece of the 2021-22 season for Stephen Curry.
Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple-double of the season but was ejected late in the game as the Denver Nuggets saw off the M i a m i H e a t 11 3 - 9 6 . Nuggets centre Jokic reacted angrily to a foul by Markieff Morris and that led to both
players be i n g e j e c t e d . Cameron P ayne s cored a joint career-bes t 24 points off the bench to help the Ph oen ix S u n s beat the Sacramento Kings 109-104 for their fifth s ucces s ive win. The Dallas Mavericks cruised past the
New Orleans Pelicans with a 108-92 win, while Ja Morant scored 33 as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-118 in overtime and Julius Randle hit 31 to lift the New York Knicks to a 10396 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
PAGE 30
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
CMU20Q Victory against Nicagarua today will
book Guyana’s place in the Championship
I
t would be the clash of the undefeated sides when Guyana engage Nicaragua from 19:00hrs this evening in their final Group D match of the 2 0 2 2 C o n c a c a f M e n ’s Under-20 Championship Qualifying competition being played in the Dominican Republic. Guyana achieved a commanding 5-1 win over Turks and Caicos Islands on Monday afternoon last after they were held to a 0-0 stalemate in their opening clash against Cayman Islands. Nicaragua has posted two wins from as many matches, 2-1 against Cayman Islands and 7-0 over Turks and Caicos Islands. This evening’s clash will see the young ‘Golden Jaguars’ adapting a similar approach to their previous match according to Head Coach, Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover who spoke with Kaieteur Sport from the team base in the Dominican Republic. ”Our plan for the game tomorrow (today) will be to go for the win to qualify for next year’s championship. Our country needs this, the players need this and the staff led by me, needs this.” Captain Omari Glasgow has led his charges from the front and no doubt would be a key
link in the chain as they go all out for a win. He would have much needed support from the likes of Darron Niles, debutant scorer Ravi Coates along with his goalkeepers, Ronaldo Blair who was excellent in the Cayman Islands match and Joshau Naraine who stood between the uprights in the last match. Dover shared briefly what would be the approach in this do or die derby: “Our approach will be attacking minded with an eleven that could provide that option for us. As you said it is a do or die derby, indeed it has become a derby. Last year we were in the same situation with the same team and we lost one nil. This year we’ll play our hearts out to be on the right side of the final result.” One thing the Guyanese would have to guard against is another player being red carded as has been the case in the previous two encounters when Yohance Douglas and Perry Gaul were sent off. Thankfully, Douglas would be back for tonight’s encounter. Dover did say that despite, there are players within the squad that can step up and be counted on the day as well as bring the required result.
Junior South American C/ships Altitude a challenge for Amber DeGoeas and Elliot Gonzalves on day one
A
ction for the Guyanese swimmers kicked off yesterday at the S o u t h A m e r i c a n J r. Championships in Peru which is scheduled to run from November 8-14. Amber DeGoeas and Elliot Gonzalves were the first two Guyanese to enter to pool yesterday; with DeGoeas participating in the Prelims of the 200m Freestyle 16-18 Girls while Gonzalves swam in the Male 200m IM and the 100M Breaststroke. Gonzalves finished the 200m IM in a time of 2:23.54 to end 10th after starting the event with an entry time 2:23.62. In the Men’s 100m Breaststroke, he swam a time of 1:17.70 to finish 13th after starting with an entry
time of 1:15.38. DeGoeas swam the Girls 200m Freestyle in a time of 2:36.65 after starting with an entry time 2:30.32. This morning, Olympian 15year-old Aleka Persaud, DanielClaxton, Ariel Rodrigues and Shareffah Lewis will go into action for the first time in Peru. Giving his thoughts on yesterday’s performance Coach Sean Baksh said the results are not bad. ”But they both felt the effects of the altitude, so we are addressing that with the other swimmers ahead of t o m o r r o w ’s ( t o d a y ’s ) events,” explained Baksh. On Monday, the Championships began with the opening Ceremony and the March Pass.
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Kaieteur News
PAGE 31
T20 World Cup: England v New Zealand semi-final contests to look out for BBCsport - England face New Zealand in Abu Dhabi today in the first semi-final of the Men’s T20 World Cup. Eoin Morgan’s side topped Group 1, while Kane Williamson’s Black Caps finished second in Group 2 of the Super 12s, both winning four matches and l o s i n g o n e . The winner will face either Pakistan or Australia, who play tomorrow, in Sunday’s final in Dubai. Here are the main talking points and contests to look out for. The powerplay will be key Whether they bat or bowl first, New Zealand will be hoping fast bowlers Trent Boult and Tim Southee can strike in the first six overs to expose an England middle order that has barely been tested in the tournament so far. Left-armer Boult has the joint
second-most wickets in the competition, with 11, although only three of these have come in the powerplay - albeit this proves his value as a death bowler too. Buttler has hit 240 runs so far, second only to Pakistan captain Babar Azam on 264, and if he is still in after six overs, England could post a massive total or make any chase c o m f o r t a b l e . England will be hoping off-spinner Moeen and seamer Woakes can continue their powerplay dominance. Woakes has bowled more deliveries in the powerplay than any other bowler in the tournament and conceded just 5.1 runs per over in this phase, while Moeen has bowled more than any other spinner and has taken five wickets at an average of 13, a c c o r d i n g t o C r i c Vi z .
Eoin Morgan’s England beat Kane Williamson’s New Zealand in the 50-over World Cup final in 2019(Getty images) Can New Zealand score enough runs? New Zealand’s strength is their bowling, with fast bowler Adam Milne backing up Boult and Southee well and spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi keeping things tight, although England will present a stern test to both.
Their batting lacks consistent big hitting, especially with Santner due to come in at seven. Opener Martin Guptill can dismantle opposition attacks, but 93 of his 176 runs so far came in one brutal knock against Scotland, while Williamson plays a solid anchor role but scores at under
a run a ball. Pakistan’s fine bowling attack limited New Zealand to only 134-8 and, against Namibia, the Kiwis needed a stunning late onslaught from Glenn Phillips and Jimmy Neesham to post a par total. It is, of course, a repeat of the 2019 50-over World Cup final, which England won in dramatic fashion. “We’ve played each other a number of times,” said New Zealand captain Williamson. “We’ve had some really good games in really good series. ”The evolution of the England side and particularly the white-ball sides has been significant over a number of years. “As a collective, they’re playing some really good cricket. We know it’s a nice challenge that we’re looking forward to.”
PAGE 32
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
Trophy Stall onboard Trophy Stall/BVA League PMTC Jnr. Team humble Vikings in straight sets Barbara Marshall Dominoes Tourney Dominoes teams in the City will be in action once again when the Barbara Marshall Birth Anniversary tournament commences from 18:00hrs today at R and R Sports Club, M e a d o w b r o o k . Trophy Stall is the latest entity to join the list of sponsors for the tournament which will continue on Sunday and conclude on Monday at Dynasty. The entity presented the first place trophy to the organiser yesterday. According to Marshall $100,000 will be added to the Organiser Barbara Marshall accepts the first place prizes while the most valuable (Continued on page 27) trophy from Shemroy Holder of Trophy Stall.
Trophy Stall – Berbice Reps., Ameena Asgarally (left) and Chitra Bedessie pose with the trophies up for grabs. The Trophy Stall – Berbice Branch sponsored Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) League served off on Sunday last with the Port Mourant Training Centre Junior Team trouncing Vikings in straight sets. Vikings, which just made a return to completion did not receive too much of a happy return as the PMTC side romped to victory at 25-4, 15 and 18, Vikings growing in
confidence with each set but it was not good enough to deny PMTC Juniors, victory. The second round of the League would be played at the Vikings Court next Sunday, November 14;, Black Bush and Rollers are the other teams in contention for the Trophy Stall trophies which would go to the first and second placed team; MVP, Best Setter and Best Attacker.
Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 10, 2021
PAGE 33
The fifty youths at the BCB Mini Cricket Academy along with the Coaches.
BCB host Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh Mini Academy for youths in New Amsterdam/Canje A total of 50 youths drawn from seven (7) clubs in New Amsterdam/Canje on Sunday last participated in a one day Mini Cricket Academy at the Canje Ground as the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) pushes ahead with its county-wide coaching programme. The event was the first of four that would be held during the month of November with about 200 Under-19 players expected to benefit from the extensive coaching sessions. The one day session was conducted
by a panel of coaches led by Level Three Coach Winston Smith, Leslie Soloman, Balram Samaroo and Gregory Crandon. The administrative aspect of the academy was led by BCB executives Ameer Rahaman, Neil Rudder and Edgert Ly k e n E d w a r d s . B C B President Hilbert Foster was also present for a part of the day and congratulated the Coaches on a job well done. Foster shared that the academy marked the start of the county’s preparation for the Guyana Cricket Board
Inter-County junior tournaments. Berbice, he stated aims to win all the titles and produce the majority of players on the national teams. Mini Academies would be held over the next three Sundays in West Berbice, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne, respectively with 50 youths in attendance at each. The same set of youths on the Saturday before would also be involved in a one-day special Social Skills seminar to improve them and to prepare them to represent
the County as Ambassadors. Head Coach Winston Smith disclosed that the Coaches placed special emphasis on physical fitness, ground fielding, wicket keeping, spinning the ball, run ups for fast bowlers, running between the wicket and hitting the ball along the ground. Players in Berbice have benefitted heavily in the areas of coaching and education under the Foster led BCB. Hundreds of youths have directly benefitted from the
county wide Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh Coaching Programme and the hosting of academies. The GCB had last month donated ten coaching kits to the BCB and they are been used at the sessions. BCB Public Relations Officer Simon Naidu, expressed confidence that all the sessions over the next three weeks would be successful and well attended. He stated that a lot of hard work is being done behind the scene to make sure that all of the board
objectives are achieved. He hailed the hard work and cooperation that exists among the executives of the Board and its Coaching staff. The two-day activities in each Sub-Association are being sponsored by BCB Patron Vickram Bharrat and overseas based Guyanese Doctor Tulsi Dyal Singh. All the sessions Naidu stated would be held under very strict covid-19 guidelines and any player who fails to follow the rules would be subjected to disciplinary action by the Board.
Team Guyana at the March Pass on Monday. Amber DeGoeas (left) and Elliot Gonzalves.
Junior South American C/ships
Altitude a challenge for Amber DeGoeas and Elliot Gonzalves on day one Victory against Nicagarua today will book Guyana’s place in the Championship
CMU20Q
t r o Sp Innovative FIFA Training Centre launched Captain Omari Glasgow will seek to replicate his Turks & Caicos form against Nicaragua.
Darron Niles’ impact on the game would be key for Guyana today.
T20 World Cup: England v New Zealand semi-final contests to look out for
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.