K
AIETEUR NEWS
Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
Ruling on Liza
Sunday Edition
p. 15
November 01, 2020
permit shows Exxon,
EPA not above the law
Online: www.kaieteurnews.com
Price $140
- int’l lawyer Melinda Janki
Online readership yesterday, 104,611
“The fleecing of Guyana” Series ExxonMobil, Hess ignored major
red flags to benefit from murky Kaieteur and Canje Block deals
p. 14
Fleecing of Guyana series recap No other election under stewardship of Keith Lowenfield - AG p. 69
U.S. approves sale of four Bell helicopters to Guyana p. 3
Expired HIV test kits sold to Health Ministry…
Supplier faces court again tomorrow p. 62
See pages 18 & 19
Guyana’s leaders allow Exxon to treat us like junkies This is a true story. A junkie stole a water pump worth $200,000. He went to a businessman and asked for $1,000 for the stolen item. The businessman offered the junkie $500. When the junkie agreed, the businessman gave him $300 and told him that was all the money he had on him. A $200,000 water pump ended up being sold for a measly $300. That is how Exxon and Guyana’s political leaders in the PPP, PNCR and AFC are insultingly treating Guyanese with the scornful 2% royalty and the
pittance for a signing bonus. Guyana’s political leaders, in cahoots with Exxon, treat the Guyanese people like junkies. These whitecollar rogues and greedy bastards are swindling Guyanese out of their oil wealth, in return for a $300 here and a $300 there. They believe that, like the junkies, Guyanese are low life, desperate and hard-up for the crumbs which they throw at us. When will Guyanese reject this putting down? How long are they going to allow themselves to be robbed and raped?
Attorney General should
p. 10
march Ramotar, Persaud to - Ramon CID over oil block deals Gaskin
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Kaieteur News
Sunday November 01, 2020
Sunday November 01, 2020
Kaieteur News
PAGE 03
U.S. approves sale of four Bell helicopters to Guyana T
h e S t a t e Department has m a d e a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Guyana of Bell 412EPi and 429 Helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of not more than US$50M. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certif ication notif y in g Congress of this possible sale on Friday. A senior government official in Guyana, close to t h e a r m y, y e s t e r d a y afternoon confirmed that the Government is “exploring” the possible purchase of four Bells to boost the security capacity of the country. “The Government of Guyana has requested to buy two (2) Bell 412EPi Light Utility Helicopters with
customer-unique modifications; two (2) Bell 429 Light Utility Helicopters w i t h c u s t o m e r- u n i q u e modifications; two (2) WESCAM MX-10 cameras; mission equipment; contractor-provided pilot and maintainer training; particular ground support equipment; spares; publications; integrated product support; technical assistance; transportation; Repair and Return; and other related elements of logistics and program support.” While the report said that the total estimated program cost is US$256 million, the senior official said the cost will not be more than US$50M. According to the statement of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), this proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
Bell 429 of the Jamaica Defence Force.
national security of the United States by helping to improve security of Guyana, which is expected to grow to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in South America. “The proposed sale of the
Bell 412EPi and 429 helicopters will improve Guyana's capability to meet current and future threats. Guyana will use the enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defense; conduct maritime surveillance, patrol, and
Teacher charged with murder of Kwebanna man
A
teacher, Samuel Henry, 23, of Kwebanna Village, North West District (NWD), Region One, was on Friday charged with murder of 35-year-old Kamal Wilson. Wilson was ambushed and chopped to death around 19:30hrs on Monday at Kwebanna Village. The suspect, Henry, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court before Rabindranath Singh, via
Skype, to answer to the said charge. He was not required to plead to the indictable murder charge and was remanded to prison. The matter was adjourned until January 4th, 2021 and transferred to the Acquero Magistrate's Court. It is unclear as to why Henry would want to murder Wilson, since the two reportedly never had any grievances prior to the incident.
Investigators further reported that Wilson was at the time checking his generator at the back of his yard when he was approached by Henry. Wilson's father told police that Henry walked up to his son with a cutlass without any explanation and began chopping him repeatedly to his head, neck and shoulder. The man added that his son started to scream for help and managed to run into his
house shutting the door behind him- the suspect escaped. The man claimed that he rushed over to his son's house to assist him and found him lying on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood. Wilson was taken to the Kumaka District Hospital, where he later passed away while receiving treatment. The matter was reported to the police and Henry was later arrested.
interdiction; counter narcotic trafficking and transnational criminal organizations; deter regional threats; and support coalition partners overseas. Guyana will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment
into its armed forces.” It was assured that the proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor (continued on page 20)
Kaieteur News
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Sunday November 01, 2020
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
What happened to the Diplomatic Corps? Where is the Diplomatic Corps resident in Guyana today? What happened to its once very visible, very vocal members from the still mighty North America, the once mighty United Kingdom, the hoping-to-be mighty one day European Union, and the way less-than-mighty Organization of American States? Were those extraordinary envoys all expelled from Guyana’s shores? From the evidence, it would appear that a bag of feared and marauding cats bit their tongues today and every day since they got their rewards, realized electoral objectives. Undoubtedly, that would be their own secret ones, the real ones that have absolutely nothing to do with democracy in Guyana. They were at once anywhere and everywhere, be it GECOM confines, or the now infamous Ashmin’s Building, or in the middle of the babble from Guyana’s airwaves. A lot of it sounded good back then in those five months, but now that reality has returned to Guyana, all the stalwarts of the intervening diplomatic corps have disappeared. Like Carthusian monks, they have retreated to their comforting monasteries and obey the vows of the selfimposed silence that they now find convenient to exhibit. The Americans and Canadians and Europeans and the wellnamed OAS (there is no place for ‘Latin’ in there, which reinforces whose business and priorities come first) did not give a damn about interfering in Guyana’s internal affairs, or observing the conventions demanded by its sovereignty. But today, all of them are immovable sticklers for adhering to both letter and spirit of what internal affairs and national sovereignty are all about. Now that they got what they wanted, they weave these tangled webs that are best served by funereal silence. Pious, they struggle clumsily to be, through the pathetic hypocrisies of hands off and stoic non-interference. Well, the members of the diplomatic corps resident have much to be pleased about, the results of their governance groundwork and handiwork from the period December 2018 to August 2020. With now perfect vision, all citizens should be able to appreciate that the identification with, and pursuit of resolutions to ease, the cataclysmic plights of Guyanese were all about their interests, foreign objectives. There was the Exxon retreat and eventual surrender by the PPP/C government. There was the US Secretary of State’s visit and his bag of goodies carried away (Exxon is not the biggest beneficiary of Guyana’s leadership idiocy). And there was the recent arrival of Greeks (make that American commercial interests) bringing US$200B in gifts. Like Troy of yore, PPP/C leaders did give up on Guyanese civilization, and all for the electoral gift horse looked in the mouth. The Americans came to draw first blood; the Europeans are on the way; and the neighbours in the OAS can’t wait to get a sweet, succulent piece of Guyana. The PPP/C has done well with its kowtowing and bargaining of the welfare of this country. Unfortunately, citizens have not done as well. They get a few handouts (welcomed, to be sure), but the whole oil plantation has gone abegging with nothing to show for it. Recall that the Diplomatic Corps was all about transparency, democracy and honesty during Guyana’s elections. Those were good things. Its members could go one step further and do still better today by manifesting some ethical equivalency, through pressing for oil transparency (oil blocks) and contract democracy (Exxon and partners) and leadership honesty (governance integrity). The lack of these elements will only confirm the studied hypocrisy of the Diplomatic Corps following orders (like you know who back in the 1930s and 1940s) from leaders in the home front. The Diplomatic Corps, to maintain an even keel,
We recommend a national dialogue on electoral reform that puts citizens at the heart of the process Dear Editor, Guyana’s entire postIndependence history has been characterized by political crisis after political crisis. These have held back the country’s development. The situation peaked after the March 2, 2020 Elections. Almost 8 month later, we are still in a political crisis, with social underpinnings. The winners of our elections tend to take all, and are decidedly uncooperative in the process, notwithstanding our national motto. The start of oil production raises the stakes on control of state power, thereby aggravating political tensions. Comprehensive
long-term reform, such as will produce different political outcomes and improve the prospects for rising living standards and sustainable growth, is urgently required. Successive analyses of political conditions in Guyana, including election observer reports going back decades, have confirmed the systematic absence of comprehensive social and political dialogue. This democratic deficit has led to an accumulation of historical hurts and habitual political non-cooperation. The absence of a tradition of social and political dialogue and concomitant public
must weigh in and contribute to the conversation on Success squatters and their treatment. The Diplomatic Corps must register its collective voice, through the appearance of lack of bias, by condemning the continuing racial pogroms occurring in the Guyana public service, which flourishes under the flag of ‘political
attitudes of resignation and skepticism about the possibility of change have become the most significant of Guyana’s challenges. Electoral reform continues to be posited as the best first step toward needed political transformation because of its potential to have immediate impact while also influencing the behaviour of politicians and citizens over the long-term. We were encouraged by the healthy responses to the letter (SN October 11, 2020) by some of us. The comments displayed reasonableness, reflected a civility of discourse, and demonstrated that we can
have a productive exchange of views even when we disagree. In the same vein, the comments were nonpartisan and seem motivated solely by national development goals. An ability to engage each other constructively is the first, necessary step toward a successful process of reform. It is vitally important that electoral reform be based on civil discourse, without which Article 13 of our constitution cannot be operationalized. That Article states: The principal objective of the political system of the State is to establish an (Continued on page 5)
appointees.’ The Diplomatic Corps was energetic and effusive in the pursuit of so-called electoral democracy for the longest while and in the strongest terms. The Diplomatic Corps has gone too far, interfered too much, to turn back now. Anytime it does so today, it embodies terrible deceits and condones dangerous practices.
Sunday November 01, 2020
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Kaieteur News
I will not be drawn into Freddie‘s fumigation on Burnham Dear Editor, Freddie has been at it again. He apparently did not understand that in my last letter, I said that it was ‘probably my last response’ so he took the opportunity to ramble once again with the hope that there would be no response. Sorry Freddie, no free pass, too much of what you have written certifies your intellectual dishonesty, and sub-optimal research, academic and journalistic practice. Freddie has once again been a stranger to the truth in an attempt to question my irrefutable truth/facts. First, it has to be an exaggeration of the hyperbole for Freddie to s a y, “ I f a n y G u y a n e s e , other than Alexander had written certain words, I would have shrugged it off.” I hope that he recognizes that he committed to not responding to anyone else who says what I have said. Here is Freddie being a continued stranger to the truth, an author of fiction:
1. There is no way that my appointment, by the then President of Guyana, to GECOM, having been “nominated” by the then Leader of the Opposition in 2007, can be equated to ‘belonging to a party that contested the elections’. In this regard, Freddie failed the test of being able to deduce. That is grade ‘F’ in Logics for Freddie, the academic. His faulty deduction is further highlighted by the fact that I ceased being a member of the PNCR in 2007, the said year that I was appointed to GECOM. I also refused a call by the then Leader of the Opposition to resign from GECOM, on the grounds that I was holding a constitutional office; not his representative; and insulated by the Constitution from his control over me. Freddie knows that but has concocted his case on fibs. That is the epitome of intellectual dishonesty.
2. F r e d d i e ‘ s credibility as an academic and journalist is once again discredited when he referred to me as Minister Roopnarine‘s advisor. I never held that position. I was the Technical Facilitator to the Minister and bereft of any policy formulation a u t h o r i t y. He also maliciously or out of ignorance claimed that I followed Minister Roopnarine to the Ministry of the Public Service. That was never the case. When Minister Roopnarine was reassigned, I terminated my contract with the Ministry of Education and resumed my private life, which was interrupted when I was contracted for three months to assist in Guyana‘s administrative preparation for a meeting of the Ministers of Public Service of the Commonwealth and an attendant conference of Professional Public servants. Is all of this misinformation an error on
Freddie part or purposeful concoction, both of which are undesirable of an academic or journalist? 3. Freddie‘s fiction continues. He states: “In the seventies when elections and the national referendum were rigged …, Alexander was the chairman of the youth arm of the ruling PNC”. In the 70s, elections were held in 1973. At that time, I was a student yet to ascend to any level of national leadership in the YSM, much less in 1968, yet Freddie holds me accountable for events from 1968 to 2020". 4. Freddie‘s circus continues. He identifies me as the Founder of the Burnham Foundation. He himself some years ago referred to an interview with the late Elvin McDavid and in his column, resulting from that i n t e r v i e w, h e n a m e d McDavid as the Founder of the Foundation. Am I to assume that dementia is
We recommend a national dialogue... From page 4 inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organizations in the management and decision-making processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their well-being. In the electoral reform process, therefore, citizens have a major role to play alongside political parties. Success will depend on vigorous representations by both civil society and political forces in a climate of cooperation and commitment to
political transformation. Achieving this requires the articulation of public interests built on a commitment to political cooperation and trust. The lack of data on public perception of the issues and decades of distrust among key stakeholders will be key challenges to address. So, while we welcome recent commitments by the President and Opposition Leader to constitutional and electoral reform, we also hope to see them commit to cooperation and to engaging civil society in identifying problems, recommending solutions, drafting legislation, monitoring and evaluating the implemen-
tation of reforms, and sustaining transformation of current electoral laws, regulations, administrative arrangements, and processes. In this vein, we recommend a national dialogue on electoral reform that puts citizens at the heart of the process. The focus should be on reform of those aspects of the electoral system that contribute to political crisis and our lagging development. Such a national dialogue should benefit from transparency and inclusion in both the design and implementation of the dialogue. We the undersigned are interested in contributing to
the solution, and invite other Guyanese, living anywhere, to join. You can email our point of contact, Sara Bharrat, at sarabharrat@gmail.com under the subject “Electoral Reform for Guyana”. We stand ready to support this urgently needed dialogue. Yours sincerely, Sara Bharrat Alfred Bhulai Kerry Anne CortKansinally Rene Edwards Rory Fraser Lawrence Lachmansingh David Singh Desmond Thomas Troy Thomas
stepping in or that Freddie is simply a pathological liar? I was not a founder member of the Foundation, but I am delighted to be the current chairman of the Foundation, since it denies Freddie and his ilk from being a dominant source of information on Burnham. It also allows us to keep alive Burnham’s good work that still impacts the lives of Guyanese, today. There is much that they say he banned, including flour, which is not true, the restricted importation of which affected many Guyanese of all ethnicities and enriched many from the eastern extremity of the country. Anyone can access Youtube, to hear what the late Sase Narine had to say about the unavailability of flour. The restricted importation of salt fish has felt us a Burnham legacy, a striving local salt fish industry. That Burnham made National Service compulsory is another of Freddie‘s untruths. National Service was unapologetically compulsory for those who were benefiting from free university education. That, however, accounted for a small percentage of those who attended National Service. The majority, who attended, where pioneers and
cadets. They did so of their own free will and even today attest to its human resource development role, at the personal and national levels. Ask Retired Major General Joseph Singh if I am narrating the truth. Ask Gouveia and Ramsaroop if they were forced to enlist in National Service and how being corpsmen impacted their lives. Given the poor score sheet on Freddie‘s credibility as an academic and journalist, he has lost all moral right to call on others to account for their truths. With reference to me, he accuses me of untruths by omission and more so by gross misinformation and misrepresentation as the irrefutable narrative above reveals. Incidentally, my truths are empirical facts. As for Freddie‘s fumigation on Burnham, I will not be drawn into that vertex. I only respond to those matters in sincere conversations and in an atmosphere of Truth and Reconciliation. For the time being, I retort: ‘There is no Guilty Race’ (Eusi Kwayana, 1999) and Ravi Dev’s ‘Hope for our leaders to recognize validity of substantive positions from all ‘sides’ in our Guyanese tragedy’ (2020). Yours truly, Vincent Alexander
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Sunday November 01, 2020
Guyanese and the US Presidential Election Dear Editor, Because I write voluminously on US events as related to the diasporas of Guyana, the Caribbean and India, I have been approached by groups and media in India and the Caribbean for my views on the outcome of the US elections. Guyanese, other Caribbean and Indian Americans have been querying me who will win the US Presidency in this coming Tuesday’s general elections? (America is divided by ethnicity with each group (hundreds of them) championing its own ethnic or diaspora or national interests. So it is not unusual for group members to rally around a candidate or party that they feel is best for them). Guyanese in Guyana and in other parts of the diaspora also contacted me for my view on the elections. Some also ask what is the implication of the outcome in and which candidate is better for USGuyana relations, USCaribbean, and US-India relations? I appeared on several webinars over the last couple weeks to answer those questions. Although I studied political science and taught US politics for some 25 years, prior to which I taught International Relations, does not mean my views are ‘correct’. There is no correct view. It is only an informed viewpoint based on analysis
or a study. In addition to the Presidential contest, there are also elections to Congress and to statewide and local offices all over the US. One needs be informed that the President alone does not determine foreign policy. He makes, shapes, and guides foreign policy (FP). But Congress, the Senate in particular, also plays a major role in FP. Congress provides funding to the President to effect America’s foreign policy. Thus, those interested in US politics (elections) need to also pay attention to the Congressional contests. And one cannot give a nonpartisan analysis without examining the issues and their significance in how people vote. Domestic issues also play a role in how people vote. The issues in the US elections center around: COVID-19 response, unemployment, ethnic relations, immigration, economy, foreign aid, international relations, criminal justice, health care, climate change, abortion, and gun policy, among others. In some matters, voters rank Trump as better equipped to handle them and in others Democratic challenger Joe Biden gets the nod. Biden leads in Foreign Policy. A majority of Americans tell researchers that Foreign Policy is very important in this election. But so is pocket book issue that is always very important in an election. People vote based on how well they do financially and who will put more money in their pockets as well as protect their community. And
they are not doing financially well, no fault of incumbent Donald Trump, a Republican. Covid has affected the economy. Trump may pay a hefty price for their shrinking pocket. How are Indo-Caribbeans (Indo-Guyanese) voting? There are no polls among Guyanese or Caribbean people. But based on my estimates of people, I conversed with and interviewed, a surprising 25% will vote for Trump. An opinion poll conducted
among Indian Americans by a group of scholars revealed that some 28% are voting for Trump. My own interaction among Indo-Caribbeans and Indian Americans finds that in this election, there is also a higher voter turnout among both groups than in previous elections. Afro-Guyanese and Afro-Caribbean turnout and voting trend is in line with that of Black Americans. Some 93% are voting Biden. I have not come across many Afro-Guyanese or Black Americans who say they are
voting for Trump. But a significant number of evangelical Black Americans, as indeed most White evangelicals, are voting for Trump. The base of Trump’s support is White Americans. But he also gets a significant portion of Hispanic and Asian votes. Indian Americans who vote Trump do so because of: threat of terror against India, lower taxation policy, and perceived threat posed to India by China and Pakistan. US and India have become
very close partners under Trump to counter China’s threat in Asia and the Pacific, and Indian Americans as well as Indo-Guyanese feel Trump is best for US-India relations. (Many Guyanese do follow issues in their ancestral homeland, India). IndoGuyanese who vote Trump say they do so because Republicans tend to protect democracy (free and fair elections) in Guyana. They point to the Democrats ousting the PPP governments (Continued on page 67)
Whatever opposition, there is to the crawling totalitarianism of the PPP is fragmented and frail Dear Editor, I can’t be the only one discerning the inexorable approach of what points to a growing de facto totalitarianism. This is becoming irrefutable, particularly when one considers the actions and ambitions of the PPP mastermind. Guyana stands at a place never experienced before. Even in the worst times, there were convictions powering spirited objections, strong planks of resistance. In the time of the omnipotent LFS Burnham, there was still a real opposition, vigorous and unyielding, no matter how marginalized and suppressed. And those were the days of America overtly aiding and abetting, while covertly condoning the excesses of the mighty Kabaka. His comfort piled intense distress upon Guyanese, including his
supporters. Many citizens left, but many continued struggling via many means in many places. Those worthy citizens that remained refused to align for selfish good, or surrender and sellout for position or money. I compare those still argued-over worst of times to where we are today, as citizens, groups, and country. What we have today are the first undeniable strains of a creeping totalitarianism washing over more and more areas in this society. There is a hegemonic PPP government unchallenged by an opposition obvious for its piteous state; one that is snake bitten and smitten with palpable paralysis, compromising weaknesses. I invite honest thoughtful citizens to examine what is present in what sums up Guyana’s pathos. There is no political opposition, no private objectors, no media dissenters, no labor challengers, no civic dissonances, no religious consciences. For the most part, whatever opposition there is to the crawling totalitarianism of the PPP is fragmented and frail, insipid and isolated, lacking in the binding sinews of a coherent dynamic whole. When this society needs a cornerstone opposition, dishonest princes flourish. Since there is no opposition, PPP masterminds, one in particular, have confidently extended reach in steady advances into uncontested territory. As
examples, I offer the Georgetown Mayoralty and its financing (fiddle around with sugar, but flay opponents with salt); the Local Government Commission and the matter involving administering the Regions (dismissing the contemptible opposition now carefully mocked, toyed with); the selection for Deputy Speaker of the people’s house (reduced to an annex of Freedom House); appointments to state boards (no place for opposition representatives, but find place to reward PPP conspirators and elections helpers). I think that National Assembly sub-committees are next in line. Thus, through the PPP’s ruthless assaults not challenged, oversight of the business and finances of the country are off-limits to those who gained dozens of seats. Questionable men - character, record, perceived - are recalled and positioned to lead through more dirty business than before. The president says the right words every time; it is wiser and slicker, the kinder, gentler PPP. But underlying PPP practices governance are already of dirtier tricks, more self-help; the opposition is invited, present. This is why the occasional stridency of the opposition comes across as the pathetic whining of a beaten and kicked puppy. Then, there is the State media (all propaganda); the private media (some openly
supremacist, some protecting vested interests); one carrying the torch, in fundamentalist fashion (daily disclosures). What was once thunderous during elections stands today as a snowflake in the Tropics. The civic voices, once so proudly loud, are now unlit candles of former selves; civil society is a study in brooding calculations of how best to prosper through the political Frankenstein created. That would be from the totalitarian PPP. And to take this to yet another level, in time, there could be very few opposition adherents in the nation’s army, or law enforcement. American influence and gifts would convert, and graft and shape to suit its purposes; the primary objective is keeping the PPP in power to do its bidding. This was what was worked for openly and delivered recently; the returns have been instantaneous (a debtor government, Venezuela in the bag, American business coming to dominate). America has seized what it wants; it wants more. In a blink, Guyana progressed from the specter of possible pariah state to a subservient, shackled one. But still with enough domestic strength and skill to coerce and compel Guyanese to the throes of a totalitarian state, which takes firmer hold daily, compliments of the PPP. Yours truly, GHK Lall
Sunday November 01, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Dubai investment team interested in oil and gas, mining, forestry, agriculture A high-level team from the Private Office of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum, member of the ruling family of Dubai paid a courtesy call on Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat to seek and discuss investment opportunities, and strengthen collaboration with Guyana. “The team which included Patricio Balmaceda and Mr. Gaspar Lino expressed an interest not only in the oil and gas sector but also in mining, forestry, and agriculture. As such, the team over the next few days will be meeting with other senior government functionaries and stakeholders for a more informed assessment of their investment interests,” the Ministry said in statement. Minister Bharrat, during his engagement with the investors, stated that Guyana is open for business with plans to diversify and strengthen the country’s traditional sectors. He pointed out that the government will not depend solely on the country’s oil and gas resources. Further, the Natural Resources Minister outlined opportunities available within the mining and forest sectors for development along with value-added activities.
Minister Vickram Bharrat (r), meeting with the Dubai representatives.
Sunday November 01, 2020
Sunday November 01, 2020
Kaieteur News
Stevie Wonder back in home state for Biden
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan - (AP) — Stevie Wonder is back in his home state of Michigan to get out the vote for Joe Biden. “The only way we’re gonna win this fight, a fight against injustice, is by voting,” he told a crowd gathered at a drive-in rally in Detroit yesterday. “We must vote justice in and injustice out.” Wonder, who is from Saginaw, Michigan, also joked about President Donald Trump’s debate-stage comments telling the far-right group the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by”. “You know what we say in the ghetto when somebody says that, right?” he asked the crowd, adding, “Watch yourself, get your ass whipped.” Wonder is warming up the crowd before Biden and former President Barack Obama are slated to speak. He’s a frequent performer at Democratic political events, and campaigned for both Obama in 2008 and 2012 and Hillary Clinton in 2016. Wonder called the November 3 election “the most important one in my lifetime”.
Stevie Wonder
Dem boys seh...
Memory doctor come fuh help out dem politician Dem boys call in de world’s best memory doctor fuh test some of dem politician memory. The fuss man up was Lil Joe. De doctor ask he, “What is two times two?” Lil Joe answer “194.” The doctor turned to Trotty. “What is two times two?”“Thursday,” replied Trotty. Finally, the doctor saw Rob-de-Earth. “What is two times two?” “Four,” came the reply from Rob-de-Earth. “That’s great,” said the doctor. “How did you get that?” “Simple,” said Robde Earth. “I subtracted 194
from Thursday!” Same time de VP walk in. “Ah!” said the doctor, “I heard you have a photographic memory.” “True,” said the VP. “But it takes time to develop.” Dem boys hear how de VP seh how not because Guyana is an oil producer means that it change its commitment to climate action. Dem boys seh it sure does change de country’s status though. How can a country which flaring more than 10 billion cubic feet of gas in less than a year still talk about preventing global warming. Dem boys seh de amount of gas wha Exxon flaring mek
Guyana a fossil fuel polluter. On top of dat, de Prime Minister seh dem looking fuh generate 200 MW of energy from natural gas. Dem boys wan de VP fuh know dat he gan lose he stripes in de environment lobby because natural gas is not considered as a clean fuel. De VP, however, gat plaster fuh every sore. He talk how dem gat a plan fuh decarbonize de economy. Dem boys want know wheh dis plan deh. Dat, too, must be like de VP memory. It tekkin’ time fuh develop. Talk half and wait fuh dem politician memory fuh be restored.
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Sunday November 01, 2020
Kaieteur News
AG should march Ramotar, - Ramon Persaud to CID over oil Gaskin blocks giveaway Activist, Ramon Gaskin
R
amon Gaskin is of the considered opinion that the Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, SC, and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C) administration should treat the suspicious handlings of the Canje and Kaieteur licenses with the same alacrity with which they treat recent corruption cases related to land giveaways and the recently concluded election. He was at the time giving an invited comment on the manifestation of one of the several red flags observed in the handling of the oil licenses, specifically where the initial owners of the two blocks sold out their operatorship of the blocks without doing much work of their own. The activist said that Nandlall would do well to march former President and Minister of Petroleum,
Former Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud Donald Ramotar and former Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud, down to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Eve Leary so they could answer to Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum about the role they
Former President and Minister of Petroleum, Donald Ramotar
played. Persaud, who currently holds the post of Foreign Secretary, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, should distance himself from the post until such an investigation has been concluded, Gaskin
also posited. He pointed to the recent firing of Colvin Heath-London as a fair precedent for Persaud to follow. London served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the state-owned National Industrial Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) until two days ago. The Irfaan Ali administration concluded, according to the Attorney General, that Heath-London failed to protect the best interests of the agency, thereby costing the government to lose billions in investments. In the case of the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks, by failing to develop its capacity and put the awards through open, competitive bidding process, the Ramotar administration cost Guyana billions in signing bonuses. Gaskin said that before an oil block is given away, it is required that the government be satisfied of the technical, financial and managerial com-
petence of the applicant. In these cases, the activist said there is no evidence to suggest that the Ministers were so satisfied. Ramotar signed the licenses away, but he said that it was Persaud’s advice that he acted on. As for Persaud, he said that he simply acted as a conduit to pass the briefing reports prepared by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to the Petroleum Minister. He said that the reports were prepared by lawyers attached to the Commission, but would not name the lawyers, nor could he provide copies of the reports when asked about them by anti-corruption watchdog, Global Witness. None of the initial owners was actually qualified to develop the ultra deepwater blocks, which raises the question of why such large national assets were given away to these unqualified companies. This is a question Gaskin believes Persaud and Ramotar need to answer to
the police. Other persons who should also answer to the police, Gaskin said, include the owners of Mid-Atlantic Oil & Gas, Cataleya Energy Limited, and Ratio Guyana – the companies which received the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks. He pointed out that the Government is fervently pursuing the prosecution of persons thought to be involved in the failed rigging attempt of Guyana’s 2020 General and Regional Elections, with investigations and charges against People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) officials Volda Lawrence and Carol Joseph, and former Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo. Corrupt and/or illegal handling of Guyana’s national assets is just as grave an issue as election rigging, Gaskin believes, and it should be treated that way. He is of the view that the awards of the licenses are riddled with illegalities, and that the licenses should be rescinded and properly procured using a competitive bidding process.
Sunday November 01, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Sunday November 01, 2020
Woodworking company readies for housing boom - Govt. vows to bring down electricity costs
Products produced by Bulkan’s Timber Works
W
ith President Irfaan Ali tout ing intentions of launching new housing projects, thereby opening acres of lands for citizens, construction suppliers and home designers will now be in high demand. Many of these suppliers have already begun taking the necessary preparations and steps for the expected inflow of clients. One of them, Bulkan’s Timber Works (BTW), a prestigious timber supplier and home and furniture designer, is not waiting. The company opened their showroom yesterday. During the launching of the showroom at Smyth Street, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BTW, Howard Bulkan, reminded attendees that his company has been in the timber business since 1976. On a trip down a memorable path, Bulkan recalled that the former Guyana Glass Works company had started
construction in 1976 and began its operations in 1984/85. But for reasons, Bulkan indicated that the glass factory never succeeded. “It was thus closed by former President Desmond Hoyte in 1986,” he said, “Abandoned over the next decade to the elements and completely vandalized. The PPP/C administration had then advertised the property in September 1996 and I along with two others had applied. We were all approved and leases enacted.” The two other men chose to exit the project in early 1997, at which point Bulkan subsequently incorporated the company March 6, 1997. Without funds or collateral, the CEO said that he was loaned $5M and with that money, he hit the ground running. Over the next 24 years, BTW would have transformed the abandoned site into an industrial woodworking complex, “second to none in Guyana and the Caribbean,” he highlights. The CEO went on to ar-
ticulate that, in 2001 he had kick start Superior Shingles and Wood Products Incorporated (SSWP), a company manufacturing Wallaba roofing shingles. Both SSWP and BWT are export oriented, as they have always exported 95– 99% of their production, defying the textbook.
“During the early years I tramped up and down the Caribbean, first selling Guyana, then regarded as an unreliable supplier, before marketing our two companies. So, whilst we have a fairly high profile in the Caribbean and some other extra regional countries, we are virtually unknown lo-
cally,” the CEO pointed out. He continued: “And that is the primary reason for this showroom in our capital city, to raise awareness of the company to the general public, to our government and of course for daily cash flow.” TBW main strengths include supplying the highest
quality pre-cut kiln-dried lumber to specific lengths, widths with prefab panels for quick easy assembly on site, ideal for erecting buildings in the interior, whether homes offices for mining, forestry, police among others. Also attending the ceremony was the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneige WalrondAllicock and the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat. During her presentation Minister Walrond expressed the government’s plan to reduce the cost of electricity will lower manufacturing costs thereby allow local manufacturers to become more competitive. Minister WalrondAllicock, who spoke on behalf of President Irfaan Ali, said the Government is committed to lowering electricity costs and providing a more consistent supply. “This will bring greater predictability to the manufacturing sector and will have a positive correlation on the ease of doing business in Guyana,” she noted. While cautioning that the necessary safety protocols and health guidelines must continue to be followed, Minister Walrond stressed that investment has not ground to a halt and Guyana remains open for business. She emphasized that the private sector has a pivotal role in providing employment and ensuring that international standards are achieved and consistently maintained. The minister stressed that many local companies have been producing at exceptionally high standards, and Bulkan Timber Works was a prime example. “The quality of your products reinforces the concept that local manufacturers can deliver superior products,” the minister said. In congratulating the (Continued on page 67)
Sunday November 01, 2020
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Kaieteur News
FRONT PAGE COMMENTS RECAP
Woman, 48, among two latest COVID-19 deaths
As we continue our mission to enlighten the nation about issues of importance to this nation, we at Kaieteur News have published a series of front page comments in hopes of having our leaders take the necessary actions in order to realize the desired outcomes. Today we recap the front page comments of the past week to bring you up to speed.
THE OIL FIASCO GIVEAWAY CALLS FOR AN INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION SUNDAY Former President, Donald Ramotar, is reported to have said that he did not read what he signed when the Petroleum Agreement for the Canje and Kaieteur Blocks was presented to him for signature. In times gone by, selling out one’s country would be considered like treason and the guilty person having to pay the ultimate price. Former Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud engaged in his clever petro-distancing from President Ramotar and the Agreement and constructs his own spin to weave himself out of the Canje and Kaieteur webs. Even though the Agreement would have been drafted out of his Ministry and under his direction as the political head of the Ministry, as understood, Mr. Persaud’s position
is that he did not know the people to whom the Canje and Kaieteur Blocks were sold. Kaieteur News’ position is that he had a duty to inform himself. Words can hardly describe the conduct of these two men. “Sold” would be too civilised a word, but we cannot escape the appearance of powerful and undeniable absence of national leadership, suspicion of was in other jurisdictions is tantamount to criminal negligence if not conduct and massive hijacking of the oil wealth of the people. Whether Mr. Robert Persaud knew or did not know, for all practical purposes, he was the man assigned to and paid to protect the interest of Guyana and Guyanese. What is unaccounted for, who have cheated Guyanese out of ten of billions in American dollars, and what has been hidden concerning the
Canje and Kaieteur Oil Blocks amounts to the worst crimes committed on the country, warranting the ultimate penalty allowed by our country’s laws. We do not like others to interfere in our national affairs. But the cost of this betrayal of the people’s patrimony, the silence of these key participants, and the unwillingness of the country’s former and present political leaders to investigate this matter leaves us with no option but to call for an international investigation of this fiasco. The Global Witness showed how Trotman gave away some US$55 billion due to incompetence and whatever else in the case of the Stabroek Blocks. The Canje and Kaieteur Blocks are at least in the same league.
JAGDEO’S SILENCE Monday Three things are obvious when we think of promises given by Guyana’s Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo. These three things do not speak well of him either as a leader or as a citizen vowing to deliver on promises made. When Mr. Jagdeo was President, he stated that if he personally had to lead the charge to restart the Skeldon sugar factory, then he would. When reminded later of that commitment, Mr. Jagdeo said he couldn’t recall. And now that the PPP is back, the Skeldon sugar factory is being readied to resume opera-
tions. As Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Jagdeo said he supported an independent, international investigation into the award of the contracts for the Canje and Kaieteur blocks. He swore that those found guilty of wrongdoing would be jailed. He was all for that then, but today, when Mr. Jagdeo is reminded of where he once stood so loudly and firmly, he is strangely silent. The three lessons Guyanese should learn are these: Firstly, when leaders give their sacred word, they sometimes develop convenient and selective amnesia. Mr. Jagdeo did that before with Skeldon. Secondly, when
they determine that there should be honoring of promises, they move with haste. Again, Skeldon stands as evidence of this. Thirdly, when leaders swear to do something, only to discover that it can be politically embarrassing, they pretend or feign memory loss and do absolutely nothing.This is what Mr. Jagdeo has done with the Canje and Kaieteur oil blocks. He is silent. He is distant from his prior promise. He feigns ignorance because of the many illegalities which were committed. We remind the Vice President: honourable men honour their word. Your word is your bond! It must not be broken. Ever!
WHERE ARE YOUR VOICES? Thursday Guyanese: we want to shake YOUR teeth and bones, pressure your stomach and your gut. YOU are being tricked and cheated and impoverished. Yet YOU say nothing. Look at the frivolous things that are being prioritized. In the media, it is dual citizenship. From the opposition, it is the same dual citi-
zenship matter that is so meaningless to ordinary Guyanese. Where are YOUR VOICES Guyanese? Demanding real transparency on the truths about our oil. Demanding clarity and accountability for the billions in American money that have been fleeced and siphoned off from the Canje and Kaieteur Oil Blocks, which were gifted away to criminal conspirators for next to nothing for us.
Where are YOUR voices Guyanese? Staying unconcerned and silent means continuing poverty and depending on a government handout, which is your own money that is being given back to you like a delayed ‘box hand’ and in pieces. Guyanese: find your voices. This is your interest, your children’s future. Shout out! Cuss out! Do something!
The Ministry of Health announced a 48year-old female from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) and a male, 64, from Region One (Barima-Waini) as the latest COVID-19 fatalities. Both persons died while receiving care at a medical facility. The latest deaths bring the country’s COVID-19 death toll to 126 deaths- however, these were not reflected in yesterday’s dashboard. The Ministry also recorded 19 new COVID-19 cases as shown on their daily dash-
board update. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 4,162. The dashboard also states that nine persons are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital; 79 in institutional isolation; 716 in approved home isolation and 39 in institutional quarantine. Further, it stated that a total of 3,228 persons have recovered from the virus to date. The number of persons tested for the virus to date is 19,524 and of this number 15,362 persons have tested negative.
Cop critical after swerving from horse A police constable attached to the Cove and John Police Station, East Coast Demerara, is currently in a critical condition after he lost control of his motorcycle, yesterday along the Buxton Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara(ECD). Athea Garnette, 27, of Enmore North, according to a police report, fell onto the paved roadway at around 01:30hrs after he swerved from a horse. Investigators reported that Garnette and his pillion rider were riding west along the southern side of the Railway Embankment when a horse exited the Friendship Access Road and ran into his path.Garnette tried to avoid hitting the animal but ended up losing control of his motorcycle. Both him and the pil-
The cop was said to have lost control at the Buxton Railway Embankment, ECD. (Photo courtesy of Guyana Chronicle) lion rider fell onto the road and sustained multiple injuries to their head and body. Both men were picked up in a conscious state and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Police stated that the pil-
lion rider left the hospital without seeking medical attention. However, Garnette was admitted. Doctors told investigators that his condition is serious since it was observed that his brain was swollen. He also sustained severe injuries to the mouth as well.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday November 01, 2020
ExxonMobil, Hess ignored major red flags to benefit from murky Kaieteur and Canje Block deals Hess Corporation’s CEO, John Hess
Before the world’s most prominent oil companies enter partnerships for exploration and production, it is common practice that they would execute a thorough due diligence. In the case of ExxonMobil and Hess Corporation, both are required to conduct due diligence on potential partners so as to protect shareholders from exposure to corruption and other areas of risk. In fact, ExxonMobil’s 2019 Anti-Corruption Legal Compliance Guide categorically states that before entering into an agreement to acquire assets or form a joint venture, “it is very important to consult with the Law Department for advice on appropriate due diligence and anti-corruption safeguards to mitigate this risk. In some cases, prudent due diligence will be extensive, and may add significant, but unavoidable delay and expense to the project.” Hess Corporation is also a stickler for conducting due diligence on potential joint venture partners. In spite of the having such business principles, both parties still ignored obvious red flags that plagued the award process for the Kaieteur and Canje Oil Blocks and they subsequently farmed into both blocks. Over the last few weeks, Kaieteur News would have published several installments in its “Fleecing of Guyana” series, which exposed the numerous red flags in the award of the two offshore concessions by former President, Donald Ramotar. In the case of the Canje Block, it was awarded by the
Donald Ramotar administration on March 4, 2015 days before the elections, to local company, Mid Atlantic Oil and Gas, which was incorporated in 2013 by Hewley Nelson, a management professional and Nicholas Chuck-A-Sang, a geologist. Dr. Edris Kamal Dookie, who was not officially a director at the time the company received the block, came on later and is the sole shareholder. A mere six weeks after being in possession of the block, Mid-Atlantic sold some of the stakes in the block to a company called JHI. This was executed on May 15. It is important to note that Mid-Atlantic and JHI did not have any assets besides Canje; they had no proven track record of exploration, and they did not even have the finances to develop any resources if found in the Canje block. In fact, JHI which holds a 17.5 percent stake in the block is an industry unknown whose financial health remains hidden from scrutiny as it is registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Industry experts have warned that BVI is among the world’s most notorious tax havens, hence when companies flock to such territories to keep their financial dealings a secret, it should raise eyebrows. After acquiring the block, Kaieteur News would have reported that Exxon subsequently farmed into the Canje in February 2016, becoming the operator with 35 percent of the shares. The sum Exxon paid for its share is unknown. In February of 2018, JHI
and Mid-Atlantic also struck a deal with Total, which resulted in the French exploration and production company having a 35 percent stake. The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), a reputable corruption watchdog, has noted that the quick flipping of blocks without having done substantial work is as a major red flag, which warrants a probe. With regard to the Kaieteur Block, similar red flags were found by this newspaper. In its ‘Fleecing of the Guyana’ series, Kaieteur News showed that former President Ramotar had awarded the offshore concession April 28, 2015 – just two weeks before the 2015 General and Regional Elections. The former Head of State claimed he had done so on the advice of former Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud. Two companies received the block with 50-50 stakes, Ratio Energy Limited (now Cataleya Energy Limited) and Ratio Guyana Limited. The latter is a subsidiary of the Israeli company, Ratio Petroleum. The parent company has been active in the oil industry for decades. As for Ratio Energy, it was incorporated in Gibraltar,
ExxonMobil’s CEO and President, Darren Woods
a tax haven, on April 15, 2013, and registered in Guyana on October 23 later that year. Independent watchdog, Global Witness, said in its damning report ‘Signed Away’, that at the time of receipt of the block, the company was owned by an Israelibased lawyer named Richard Roberts. Ratio Energy’s name was changed on August 3, 2017 after it received the Kaieteur Block. Its two directors are the Canadian, Michael Cawood and Guyanese, Ryan Perreira, who have experience in mining. Cawood’s LinkedIn page lists him as Cataleya’s Director and Chief Executive Of-
ficer. Pereira’s LinkedIn page lists him as Cataleya’s Director and Co-founder. Pereira’s Pereira Group has a history of collaboration with Cawood’s Riva Gold Corporation. Neither of these men had any experience in oil exploration to talk about, prior to Cataleya’s receipt of the Kaieteur block. Just like the Canje owners, both had no other oil assets or wherewithal to execute exploration programmes. They are also registered in tax havens and both did not receive the oil blocks via a public tender. In line with the behaviour of the Canje owners, the players of the Kaieteur Block
flipped interests in the concession. In fact, the owners of the Kaieteur Block sold a large stake to ExxonMobil without doing what they committed to doing under the contract. It was only months after Exxon bought into the block that the oil major started a seismic survey. Exxon’s work revealed that the Kaieteur Block has an estimated 2.1 billion oilequivalent barrels. Considering how obvious the foregoing red flags are, local industry analysts have said it is safe for the ordinary man to conclude that ExxonMobil and Hess were clearly aware of the risks but moved ahead with the acquisition of interests so that they could reap the benefits of the murky deals which range from billions of dollars in tax concessions along with provisions that protect it from any law that may hinder its financial take. It is important to note as well that Exxon Mobil is the operator for both Kaieteur and Canje while Hess holds a 15 percent interest in Kaieteur. Also, both offshore concessions are contiguous to the Stabroek Block which now holds approximately nine billion oil equivalent resources.
Sunday November 01, 2020
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Kaieteur News
Ruling on Liza permit shows Exxon, EPA not above the law - Encourages Guyanese to push for good environmental stewardship
I
nternational lawyer, Melinda Janki, told Kaieteur News that the ruling of the High Court, bringing Exxon’s Liza-1 environmental permit into conformity with the law, is very important because it shows that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and ExxonMobil are subject to Guyana’s laws. “That’s a win for the people of Guyana. This was a public interest case to protect Guyana.” Janki told Kaieteur News in an invited comment. Former President of Transparency Institute Guyana Inc., Dr Troy Thomas, had brought the issue to the court, arguing that the permit was granted for a duration exceeding the five-year limit provided for in law. The
court’s ruling, by Justice Joanne Barlow, has brought forward the expiry of the permit from 2040 to 2021, at which point, Exxon will require a new permit to continue its operations at the Liza-1 project. The Liza-1 is the first in line of projects for off-shore production projects by ExxonMobil and its partners. It started production late last year. In this regard, like the Oil & Gas Governance Network (OGGN)’s Darshanand Khusial, Janki noted that the ruling of the court gives citizens opportunities now to demand better from the EPA and the Government for the management of the sector. “The law does not allow the EPA to ignore people and do what the EPA wants instead.” Janki explained. “So let
us have people across the country, across the political divide, taking action to protect themselves and their children, grandchildren, friends, neighbours, communities and their livelihoods.” The need for the public to be involved in the environmental stewardship of the petroleum industry is grounded in the fact that risks from oil production impact their lives. Janki said that there are two “massively dangerous threats” from oil and gas production. An oil spill, Janki said, “could exterminate marine life over hundreds of square miles. That would be the end of Guyana’s fisheries. Just look at the BP Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico and the devastation it caused.
- int’l lawyer, Melinda Janki Justice Joanne Barlow
International lawyer, Melinda Janki That was 4.1 million barrels of oil, but even a small spill can be devastating. The Exxon Valdez spilled about 260,000 barrels and devastated Prince William Sound in Alaska…30
years later, the area has not recovered.” Oil spills have caused some of the worst and most lasting disasters in modern history. What is left for the
EPA, according to Janki, is to do its job and ensure the laws are followed, as they already prohibit pollution. She said the regulator has not been (Continued on page 67 )
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Sunday November 01, 2020
Kaieteur News
21,000 students to return to school in - Ministry approves opening two weeks for grades 10, 11 and 12 Following the Health Ministry’s approval for the conditional re-opening of schools in the newly Gazetted order for COVID-19 measures this month, it was announced that schools will be opening in two weeks. The disclosure was made by the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand during a press conference at the National Center for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) yesterday. Over 21,000 students, which include those from grades 10, 11 and 12 and even technicalvocational students, will be having face-to-face classes from November 9, according to the Minister. Manickchand stated that the decision to reopen schools came from the government observing global best practices and conducting studies, as well holding discussions between parents, teachers, the Ministry of Health, the Guyana Teacher’s
Union (GTU), the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) and other stakeholders. Upon the re-opening, students and teachers will attend school on a rotation schedule based on special timetables set by the respective administrations; schools with dormitories will also be reopened on November 9 with special arrangements, according to Manickchand. “For the dorms, we have special arrangements, we are working very closely with the Ministry of Health to make sure the students who come back in the dorms are COVID19 free as well as remains so during the time,” she stated. Along with that, it was noted that the school term will be adjusted and the school week may also be extended. Previously, it was stated that schools would be allowed to open for face-to-face classes to better serve 2021 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand at the conference
the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) students, given that all necessary guidelines mandated by the MOH are implemented, to decrease the risk of the virus being transmitted in schools. The move to open schools for these students came as a result of them needing the classroom setting to complete their School-Based
Assessments (SBAs) for CSEC and Internal Assessments (IAs) for CAPE. Over the past week, the Ministry of Education has been engaged in deep discussions about the reopening of schools with both teachers and parents to come up with measures and solutions that ensure efficient learning and safety. It was highlighted by
many teachers during consultations that while they can reach most of their students, many students have not had a good attendance for their ZOOM classes. Some of these students, the teachers said, have internet access yet they were not attending their scheduled classes. They lamented that reopening school was the only solution as their SBAs have to be completed and more effort is made when they are present in a classroom. Meanwhile, the Minister, in a Facebook post giving
more clarifications, has this to say: “This morning I announced that Cabinet has made a decision to open schools from 9th November 2020 for face to face engagements for students of Grades 10, 11 and 12 (or fourth, fifth and sixth formers). The truth is many of these students have already been back at school with their teachers engaging face to face. Because teachers, students and parents are deeply worried that except their (Continued on page 67)
Kaieteur News
Sunday November 01, 2020
PAGE 17
Our Frontline Worker of the Week is….
Ward Maid Coleen Gregory Inniss By Romario Blair
S
ince the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, our nurses and doctors on the frontline have drawn much of our attention time, and time again. Since sanitation is a key means of helping to eradicate the coronavirus causing disease, ward maids at our nation's hospitals play an especially vital role on the frontline, as they continue to dedicate their time and energy towards the fight against the pandemic. Ms. Coleen Gregory Inniss for instance, is one of the many dedicated ward maids, who
maids are essential to the point that if they “ Ward decide to strike for a week, nobody can work at the institution. It's our job to ensure the place is clean after a surgery and so forth. If a patient throws up in the ward we're the ones that gotta clean up to ensure that the hospital remains sanitized… If we don't wanna go to work, then the hospital will give off a stench.
”
continues to execute her duties with efficacy, even in the face of a pandemic. The 49-year-old, Ms. Coleen, presently works at the isolation department at the Suddie Public
Family support is important to her
Hospital, which is located on the Essequibo Coast. This ward maid, who has some eight years of experience, is responsible for a number of key duties on the frontline. As she explained, the role of a ward maid, Ms. Coleen said, “Basically we clean, the hospital, we carry up the food for the patients when it's time for their meals, we ensure that clean linens are taken to the ward and the dirty ones are taken to the laundry. At times we assist the nurses, if they want anything from the records department we help from time to time.” But in society, ward maids and other sanitation workers, are often looked down upon. Persons may claim that sanitation workers lack a proper education, and therefore play no essential role in a health institution. However, when asked how essential a ward maid is to a health institution, Ms. Coleen responded by saying, “nobody can function in a dirty place. It's kind of a tough thing to go through with, but I enjoy doing it.” She went on to say, “Ward maids are essential to the point that if they decide to strike for a week, nobody can work at the institution. It's our job to ensure the place is clean after a surgery and so forth. If a patient throws up in the ward we're the ones that gotta clean up to ensure that the hospital remains sanitized… If we don't wanna go to work, then the hospital will give off
Ready to help annihilate the coronavirus a stench.” MORE DEDICATION Most of us will agree that life was generally simpler before the pandemic. There were so many things that we enjoyed, that we now have to forfeit in an effort to keep our lives, and the lives of our loved ones safe. For our frontline workers, it meant more dedication to their jobs. According to Ms. Coleen, the isolation department requires even more frequent rounds of cleaning and sanitization. Ms. Coleen said that since the pandemic, her job now demands
With her colleagues
Ms. Coleen Gregory Inniss more dedication. “First we were at a quarantine area because at that time we hadn't any positive cases in the Region. But when we got our first positive case, we moved over to the isolation area.” She continued by saying, “I usually work from Monday to Friday from 6:30 in the morning to 2:30 in the afternoon. Sometimes I even leave at 3:30pm, depends on if we got any additional work because at times patients may throw up and the staff there need additional help.” GREATEST CHALLENGE But according to Ms. Coleen, “the greatest challenge is knowing you are so close to an invisible enemy.” She said that when she first learnt that she was selected to work in the isolation department, she was initially fearful. “At first, I was fearful, because we didn't have much knowledge about COVID-19 at that time. All we know is that it was this scary virus that was claiming lives all over the world.” Ms. Coleen said that with the knowledge the Health Department has today, her attitude towards the virus has changed. “I'll admit that I am still fearful but not so fearful because when dealing with quarantined patients we put on our PPE. Once we put it on the right way and take if off right, then there shouldn't be any problem.” She said that one aspect of the COVID-19 virus that is quite scary, is that most of its victims are a (continued on page 62)
Kaieteur News
PAGE 18
Sunday November 01, 2020
The fleecing of Guyana series...
Canje vs Kaieteur red flags I
n a series titled 'The Fleecing of Guyana', Kaieteur News has been exposing some of the red flags in the Canje and Kaieteur oil Blocks agreements. Here is a recap of articles that have been published, thus far, in this series which will seek to highlight comparions between the two oil blocks.
Canje Block giveaway 1 1.
Canje Oil block award filled with red flags The Canje Block was awarded by the Donald Ramotar administration on March 4, 2015 days before the elections, to local company, Mid Atlantic Oil and Gas, which was incorporated in 2013 by Hewley Nelson a management professional and Nicholas Chuck-A-Sang, a geologist. He has served on several public boards, including on the board of the Marriot Hotel's parent c o m p a n y, A t l a n t i c H o t e l Incorporated, appointed to that post in 2017 by the David Granger administration. He is also understood to have dedicated many years of service at the Hand-inHand Trust Corporation Inc., even serving as its General Manager. Chuck-A-Sang, a petroleum engineer currently serves at the Department of Energy, and has a long history of service with the Government, dating back to the early 1990s. Dr. Edris Kamal Dookie, who was not officially a Director at the
time the company received the block, came on later and is the sole shareholder. Several important details about the Canje Block award have evaded public knowledge, despite the fact that international transparency best practices require that the man on the street be able to access them. The same is true for the circumstances, which followed the award, as the block changed hands. The handling of the Canje is characterized by many red flags which anti-corruption experts say warrant investigation.
2 Canje block owners sold 2. shares six weeks after receiving block Mid-Atlantic sold away shares in the block, a mere six weeks after it received it. Mid-Atlantic received the block on March 4 and sold stakes to JHI on May 15. The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) has noted the quick flipping of blocks without having done substantial work, as a major red flag of inquiry into possible corruption. It is notable that the principals of JHI and MidAtlantic, Edris Dookie, and the Canadian John Cullen co-founded CGX in 1996. The companies' directors are also linked in other ways. Cullen shares prior experience with Dookie. The two men cofounded CGX in 1996. That company has benefitted from several licences, but was never successful in finding oil. Both men have left CGX. Cullen also directs a company called Jaguar Holdings. This company, Dookie and Scott Young (another of JHI's directors) all are shareholders in a Canadian
Former director of Mid-Atlantic, Nicholas Chuck-A-Sang company called Oyster Oil & Gas Limited. Exxon farmed into the Canje in February 2016, becoming the operator with 35 percent of the shares later that year. The sum Exxon paid for its share is unknown. In February of 2018, JHI and Mid-Atlantic also struck a deal with Total, which resulted in Total having a 35 percent stake.
3 Canje block owner 3. incorporated in secrecy jurisdiction JHI Associates, with a 17.5 percent stake in the Canje block, has managed to stay under the radar due to its incorporation in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), which is a secrecy jurisdiction and tax haven. This is a major red flag for governments that prioritise transparency and mitigation of corruption risks. Companies registered in jurisdictions like BVI have the fortune of withholding financial information from the
Director of Mid-Atlantic, Hewley Nelson public about their transactions, and owners. The company just about sprung up for the purpose of owning the Canje block. Its website, a vague collection of pages on the internet, provides very little information about itself, save and except for its ownership of the block. It is notable that Mid-Atlantic and JHI planned to share the block even before Mid-Atlantic received it from Guyana. One year before Mid-Atlantic received the block, JHI completed a “pre- farm-in” with Mid-Atlantic in 2014, according to its website. It is unprecedented that a company can “farm in” to a block even before the block was even legally signed away, since the host government would have to approve such a farm in. It was recently announced that BVI will be creating publicly accessible registers of beneficial ownership for companies incorporated there, by 2023. By then, Guyana would have the opportunity to know who benefitted from the sale of its Canje block to ExxonMobil and Total.
4 Canje owner had no 4. assets, proven track record, finances to acquire Canje block Located 180km offshore Guyana, the Canje block lies in ultradeep water. There are only a handful of companies in the world with the capability and track record to drill in ultra-deep water, including ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron, BP and Total. Mid-Atlantic is not one of them. This is why, immediately after it was awarded the block, the company started to sell off stakes. Mid-Atlantic doesn't even have a stable office space or website, despite it being seven years since it was incorporated, and five years since it received the Canje block. The directors who incorporated the block have no experience in oil and gas. Its
Director and sole shareholder of Mid-Atlantic, Edris Kamal Dookie shareholder, Edris Dookie has very limited experience drilling for oil, with no finds under his belt. The first company Mid-Atlantic sold to, JHI also does not have what is required. The block only finally went to capable companies starting 2016, after Exxon farmed in. Total farmed in two years later.
5 Guyana lost US$ billions 5. by avoiding open, public tender for Canje Block Governments around the world make big money when they award oil and gas contracts by open, competitive bidding processes. They also ensure that when such a process is upheld transparently, the best and most eligible companies are chosen to do the job. By refusing to wait, and take the time to study the basin and develop a foolproof open bidding process, Guyana likely forfeited billions of dollars in upfront revenue. The award was made weeks before ExxonMobil announced its first discovery. Knowledge of this find could have been used in Guyana's favour. However, the opportunity was forfeited and years later, officials continue to be silent on what transpired. Guyana's neighbour Brazil has had many licencing rounds, and its experiences give a glimpse of what Guyana could have gotten if it had put the procurement of its blocks through a competitive bidding process. Brazil has made billions of US dollars from public auctions alone. Brazil typically sets a minimum bonus for the award of certain rights. In one case one year ago, the country set the minimum signing bonus for one block at US$356M. This is because the country knows and skillfully markets the value it possesses, to companies which are capable. The opposite happened when the Canje Block was applied for and awarded. There was no competitive bidding process, and the block was awarded to a company with nothing of value to its name.
Kaieteur News
Sunday November 01, 2020
11.
Kaieteur Oil Block red flags warrant investigations The circumstances surrounding the Kaieteur oil block award, made by former President Donald Ramotar, and the subsequent farm-ins, have demonstrated several red flags which warrant a thorough independent investigation. The block was awarded April 28th, 2015 – just two weeks before the 2015 general and regional elections on the advice of former Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud. Two companies received the block with 50-50 stakes, Ratio Energy Limited (now Cataleya Energy Limited) and Ratio Guyana Limited. Ratio Energy was incorporated in Gibraltar on April 15, 2013, and registered in Guyana on October 23rd later that year. Independent watchdog, Global Witness, said in its damning report Signed Away, that at the time of receipt of the block, the company was owned by an Israeli-based lawyer named Richard Roberts. Ratio Energy's name was changed on August 3, 2017 after it received the Kaieteur Block. Its two directors are the Canadian, Michael Cawood and Guyanese, Ryan Perreira, who have experience in mining. Cawood's LinkedIn page lists him as Cataleya's Director and Chief Executive Officer. Pereira's LinkedIn page lists him as Cataleya's Director and Co-founder. Pereira's Pereira Group has a history of collaboration with Cawood's Riva Gold Corporation. In 2010, agreements were announced meant to allow Riva the option to acquire the rights to certain groups of mineral properties in Guyana, specifically gold. Neither of these men had any experience in oil exploration to talk about, prior to Cataleya's receipt of the Kaieteur block. The other initial owner of the Kaieteur block is Ratio Guyana, a subsidiary of the Israeli company, Ratio Petroleum. The parent company has been active in the oil industry for decades.
22. Kaieteur block owners flipped block without doing any work Just as the owners of the Canje Block flipped the licence without doing any work, the owners of the Kaieteur Block sold a large stake to ExxonMobil without doing what they committed to
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Kaieteur Block giveaway
The five flippers of the Kaieteur Block Guyanese: Ryan Pereira Canadian: Mike Cawood doing under the contract. By signing on to the contract, the companies agreed that they would have the technical, managerial and financial competence to carry out the exploration of the ultra deepwater Kaieteur block. Ratio Energy had no experience in oil and gas prior to receiving the Kaieteur Block. Notably, Pereira has links to both recipients of the Kaieteur Block, as he represented Ratio Petroleum when it received the block in April, 2015 and is now a director in Cataleya. As for Ratio Guyana, its parent company, Ratio Petroleum has experience in oil and gas. Despite not having the capacity to conduct ultra deepwater drilling, Ratio Petroleum has been in the industry for decades. Three men: Ligad Rotlevy, Yigal Landau and Yair Rotlevy are the three cofounders of Ratio Petroleum, the company experienced enough to get some of the work done under the Kaieteur Block work programme, but didn't. This company held on to the licence for two years following receipt on April 28, 2015. Cataleya and Ratio Petroleum each sold 25 percent of their Kaieteur Block ownership to ExxonMobil in March 1, 2017. Global Witness said it gathered from Ratio Petroleum's website that the companies didn't even conduct seismic work before ExxonMobil bought its share. It was only months after Exxon bought into the block that the oil major started a seismic survey. Exxon's work revealed that the Kaieteur Block has an estimated 2.1 billion oilequivalent barrels.
Israeli: Yair Rotlevy
Israeli: Yigal Landau
Israeli: Ligad Rotlevy has drilled offshore Guyana. The well has target depths of 8000 feet, and is estimated to hold 256.2 million barrels of prospective resource.
Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Commissioner Newell Dennission
33.
Kaieteur Block owners, like Canje, registered in territory notorious for financial secrecy The owners of the Kaieteur Block set the stage for secrecy in their acquisition of the by incorporating in a jurisdiction notorious for financial secrecy. They were incorporated in Gibraltar, a British overseas territory well known and used for facilitating financial secrecy. Kaieteur Block agreement lists both of their registered offices at the same Gibraltar address: Suites 7B & 8B, 50 Town Range. The two companies sold stakes to ExxonMobil in March 1, 2017. ExxonMobil then sold part of its stake to Hess in April, 2018.The use of secrecy jurisdictions like Gibraltar is what allowed the companies to keep the details of these transactions under the radar. The Tax Justice Network, a Britainbased activist think-tank which researches international tax and
Former Minister of Natural Resources Robert Persaud financial regulation, produced the 2020 Financial Secrecy Index which ranked Gibraltar as 30th in the world. The Tax Justice Network found that Gibraltar got the worst score possible for transparency in the areas of public company ownership, public company accounts, and country-by-country reporting. This indicates that the British overseas territory is as secretive as a jurisdiction can possibly be when it comes to these indicators. 4.4 Despite having oil sector experience, Kaieteur owners were not qualified to develop block The two initial owners of the Kaieteur Block were not qualified to develop the ultra deepwater Kaieteur Block. They flipped the block to ExxonMobil, a more capable company, in March 2017 without doing any work. The two directors of Cataleya are the Canadian, Michael Cawood and Guyanese, Ryan Perreira. Neither of them had any experience in oil and gas prior
Former President and Minister of Petroleum, Donald Ramotar to receiving the block. As for Ratio Guyana, the other initial owner of the Kaieteur Block, its parent company is the Israeli company, Ratio Petroleum. This company has nearly three decades of experience in the industry. However, it does not have the capacity to conduct ultra-deepwater drilling, which is required for the Kaieteur acreage. Only a handful of oil companies have the capacity to drill in ultra deepwater, including ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron, BP, and Total SE. Ultra deepwater has been closed to drilling for decades because companies just didn't have the technology and the experience. Besides, there was a lot more oil and gas accessible in shallower waters. Ultra Deep-water drilling capacity is required when the exploration area is beyond 7000 feet in depth. Guyana's Kaieteur Block holds the Tanager-1 well which is currently being drilled by ExxonMobil. It is the deepest well the oil major
5.5 Ramotar gave 2billion-barrel Kaieteur block away for free without public tender Former President and Minister of Petroleum, Donald Ramotar, handed the ultra deepwater Kaieteur block to two companies for free. Had government waited and developed its capacity to subject the award to open, public tender as is a norm in the oil industry, it would have gotten millions of US dollars in the form of a signing bonus. ExxonMobil's study of the block has revealed just how much Guyana lost when Ramotar gave the block away for free. Two months after it received the Kaieteur block in 2017, ExxonMobil started a 3D seismic survey which found nine exploration prospects there. Back in May 2019, a report provided estimates of the unrisked prospective oil resources in the nine prospects. The report states that the Kaieteur block holds a gross estimated prospective resource of 2.1 billion oilequivalent barrels. ExxonMobil is currently drilling the Tanager-1 well, estimated to hold 256.2 million barrels. The entire 2.1-billionbarrel block, at US$55 a barrel, would cost US$115B. That would be 77 times Guyana's 2020 budget. It is this knowledge that governments leverage to ensure that when they grant the rights to oil companies to operate blocks, taxpayers make money even before the oil is produced.
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Kaieteur News
News to Costume
U.S. approves sale of four Bell helicopters to Guyana From page 3 will be Bell Helicopter Te x t r o n I n c o r p o r a t e d (BHTI), Piney Flats, TN. “The purchaser typically requests offsets. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to
Kaieteur News' staffers celebrated Halloween at work yesterday. What started out as a bet ended up in a serious competition for best costume. From left is Mikaila Prince dressed as a 'Rainbow Fairy Princess'; Renay Sambach as a 'Killer Nun'; Sueann Wickham as 'Scary Joker', and Lubuwda Khan as a 'Ninja'.
Sunday November 01, 2020
Guyana, the statement said. It was also said that there will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. “This notice of a potential sale is required by law. The description and dollar value is for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower
depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.” DSCA said that all questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.
Kaieteur News
Brittany Singh
Sunday November 01, 2020
This week’s beauty is the charming and ambitious Brittany Singh. She enjoys dancing, cooking and reading. She is also the Miss India Guyana 2016 title holder. One of her favourite quotes is, “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
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Kaieteur News
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Sunday November 01, 2020
Shrewd businessman and talented musician…
Deron Adams takes the reins of power in Region 10 By Enid Joaquin
D
eron Aldwyn Adams is Region 10's newest Chairman. He was officially sworn in on Monday. Adams has committed to work with his councillors towards the growth and development of the Region. But long before all this, Adams had always been working with, and supporting residents, especially Youths and seniors. He previously served as the People's National Congress Reform (PNC/R')s Chairman in Region 10; Managing Director of Corporate Supplies and Coordinator of the ICT
workshops in Region 10. Describing himself as a hard-working and competent individual, Adams believes that success isn't just about what you accomplish in life, but it is also about what you inspire others to do! Given his track record, especially as it relates to youths and how he has inspired them, it is obvious that our Regional Chairman knows what he's saying. Adams served as chairman for the PNC/R in Region 10 from January to November 2018 and as Councillor with the Linden Mayor and Town Council, during the same period. Reflecting on his leadership skills, he posited, "As a leader I try to be objective and try to arrive at
the best possible solutions. At all times, I must exemplify good citizenship and one that promotes a cooperative spirit, while keeping our people and other vulnerable groups' perspectives in mind." For him, it is of paramount importance, to provide good leadership, and effectively manage the affairs of the town. A Champion of community development, Adams pointed out, that this could only become a reality through Education, training, sports and job creation. Towards this end, he was instrumental in launching the “Catch Up” Literary Initiative. The programme, which is being facilitated by
Donating books to the Charles Rosa School of Nursing library
Teacher Sheliza Pile is geared at boosting children's reading and writing skills, through reading, playing games, and engaging them in other related activities in the Literacy lessons. In a recent interview, Adams detailed his life's journey to the current time, beginning with his first business, owner/CEO of Corporate Supplies, which he launched at the age of 24. He reminisced, “My first order was a drum set that I supplied to a church right here in Linden." That was just the beginning of bigger and better things to come.
“
Regional Chairman, Deron Adams
"My dad is a man of integrity he's honest and so he is my mentor." Adams told a story of how he questioned why his father did not own a car, while employed in a senior position in the purchasing
establishing a music school here in the region." He added that he wants to ensure that by the time he demits Office, there would be a place where people could go to learn music, and ultimately be employed in
As a leader I try to be objective and try to arrive at the best possible solutions. At all times, I must exemplify good citizenship and one that promotes a cooperative spirit, while keeping our people and other vulnerable groups' perspectives in mind.
E a r l i e r t h i s y e a r, following years of dedication and hard-work, Adams became the recipient of the Small Business Bureau (SBB), Techno Business Award of the year. He copped the coveted award, from amongst a pool of entrepreneurs from across the country. Corporate Supplies, Adams said, started out as a regular internet cafe, offering basic document services, but eventually evolved into a safe haven for the general public, particularly students who could not afford internet services. As an entrepreneur, Adams has spearheaded several ICT workshops, and was responsible for the launching of the Linden Youth Network, which engages youths in ICT programmes, after they would have graduated. EARLY DAYS Adams, a born and bred Retrieve, Linden resident, grew up in the Church where his father pastored. His father is his chief role model, he said.
Department of Linmine. His father's answer, he said, instilled in him, how one should never compromise one's integrity for material gain. According to Adams, his father told him stories of how persons would have attempted to bribe him, by throwing car keys on his desk, and offered him money, and how he would have advised them, that such tactics would not work with him and that the only way that they would qualify as bidders was if they met the criteria. "He's my advisor...he always encourages me to do what is right," Adams said of his father. He said too that he intends to always live by those values, and will never compromise himself in anyway because of greed or ambition. Adams credits the Church with allowing him the opportunity, to explore his musical talent. "I play the acoustic drums, keyboard and the guitar.... I have a passion for music. As such, it is my hope that soon we will be able to explore the possibilities of
”
the entertainment industry. He cited the number of opportunities that could accrue as a result, including but not limited to, jobs on cruise ships and within the tourism sector. Adams has served on the Republic Bank's Customer Support Panel and assisted with preparing and presenting business solutions to automate manual activities. He is presently a Xerox sales agent for Xerox Copiers, Florida. COMMUNITY SUPPORT The 'adopt a grand friend initiative', a brainchild of Adams, was established in 2018 to support Senior Citizens. According to Adams, this involves preparing Hampers and birthday cakes for some of the most vulnerable Senior Citizens so that they would not feel left out. "We believe that caring for those who once cared for us, is the greatest honour, so we created the programme to ensure that leaders, councillors and other (continued on page 57)
Sunday November 01, 2020
Kaieteur News
PAGE 23
Capitalizing on tragedy D
uring the protests in West Berbice, video footage surfaced of a young lad raining cuffs on a minibus driver. Still seated in the driver's seat, the driver attempted to fend off the blows with his arm. The driver dropped his guard for an instant when he felt that the lad had stopped punching. Clinically, the lad let loose a tremendous straight right which smashed into the driver's unprotected jaw. The lad moved away and into the sight of the recording camera. Even though he was wearing a mask, it should not have been difficult for the police to use the image to identify him and charge him with assault and battery. A few weeks ago, the fiery protests restarted. Fires were lit on the main road and as a motorcycle attempted to pass the blockade someone attempted to kick him off the bike. If he had fallen, he would have ended up being burnt alive. There is a video footage also of that incident, including the unmasked image of a person throwing tyres into the flames. These and the dozens of other victims who were robbed, beaten and terrorized deserve justice. The Government has promised a Commission of Inquiry into the deaths which triggered these protests as well as into the ensuing protests. No one will dispute that there is a need for no stone to be left unturned to apprehend the person or persons responsible for death of three teenagers from No. 3 Village, West Coast Berbice. But, equally, all the lawful means necessary should be deployed in apprehending those
responsible for the deaths of every person who is murdered in Guyana. Each person is supposed to be equal before the law. Every person is entitled to equal protection by the law. This means that every person's death is deserving of the same attention. The Opposition, PNC/R, is manipulating the tragedy which occurred in West Berbice. It is trying to use that incident to flex its political muscles in order to pressure the government to refrain from its investigation into electoral fraud. This is selfish, self-centered and sickening. It has been reported, in another section of the media, that the Report of the Regional Security Services (RSS) Team which came to Guyana, claimed that one of the officers was informed by a family member of the deceased that a politician had urged the family to lie and to say that the killing of the Henry boys was political and racial. If that report is true then it confirms the belief that political forces are attempting to capitalize on the tragedy for narrow political ends. These political forces are not interested in justice. They are interested in using the tragedy to flex their political muscles in order to cover-up electoral fraud. The State has a duty also to ensure that the politician who sought to pervert the course of justice is sanctioned under the law. Whether a crime is committed against a person, such as assault or murder, or against society, such as electoral fraud, the police have an obligation to investigate both offenses to the best of their ability. A Commission of Inquiry was promised into the attempt by the APNU+AFC to steal the
elections of 2020. This is a criminal act committed against the entire society. And all those responsible should face the full force of the law, just as how those responsible for the deaths of those three teenagers should do the same. Equal treatment before the law! The dirty-tricks of the opposition suggest it does not want to have such an inquiry. It is afraid that such an inquiry will expose its own hand in the attempt to rig
the election results. It is already believed to be behind protests aimed at preventing the prosecution of key persons in the Guyana Elections Commission who are alleged to have been complicit in the attempt to rig the elections. Those persons who did their mischief between March and July must not expect any sympathy. They held this country at ransom and knew fully well what
they were doing and the likely consequences. They hoped that their plans would have prevailed. They obviously were living in some other stratosphere to believe that they would have been allowed to hold this nation at ransom and return it to the hands of electoral brigands. The power-drunk Opposition is using their supporters to stir trouble in order to allow those complicit in the attempt to
murder democracy to escape sanction. But the stirring of that trouble is also a criminal act for which those affected are equally entitled to a proper police investigation. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Kaieteur News
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Sunday November 01, 2020
Democracy is not guaranteed by elections alone By Sir Ronald Sanders
A
bizarre moment at the 50th session of the general assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), on October 20 and 21, was a claim by the outgoing Foreign Minister, Karen Longaric, that her government had brought democracy to Bolivia. It was the people of Bolivia who had brought democracy to Bolivia – and everybody knew it. Ms. Longaric was one of those who had helped to deny it. Most Bolivians, resentful of Ms. Longaric and her party that had assumed government one year ago with the help of the military, turfed them out through the power of the
ballot. On November 11, 2019, the commander of the armed forces, Williams Kaliman, announced that “we ask(ed) the president of the state (Evo Morales) to renounce his presidential mandate”. It was hardly a request that Morales could refuse with the armed forces arrayed against him. The military instruction to Morales to renounce his Presidency and leave Bolivia came after Presidential elections were declared fraudulent by an audit team from the OAS. The team's findings were hotly disputed, including by the New York Times which, on June 7, 2020 said that, “a study by independent researchers, using data obtained by The New York Times from the Bolivian
electoral authorities, has found that the Organization of American States' statistical analysis was itself flawed”. Recalling this event at the OAS 50th general assembly, Maximiliano Reyes Zúñiga, the Mexican representative, placed responsibility for the “flawed” analysis directly in the hands of Luis Almagro, the OAS Secretary-General. He stated, “Mexico suggests to Mr. Luis Almagro that he submit himself to a process of self-criticism of his actions against the OAS Charter and for hurting Bolivia's democracy, to determine if he still has the necessary moral authority to lead this organization”. In any event, in November 2019, the
Bolivian military installed Jeanine Añez, a member of the Civic Community party, as President. She pledged to hold fresh elections within three months in February 2020. That pledge was also given to the member states of the OAS at a subsequent meeting of the Permanent Council. But the February date became May, and then September and finally October, amid growing violence in the country, including atrocities against the indigenous people who are the main supporters of Morales party, Movement Towards Socialism (MAS). No effort was made in the OAS to hold Añez's government to account because, hypocritically, it had become an ally of
p o w e r f u l governments in their campaigns to target selected c o u n t r i e s , particularly Ve n e z u e l a a n d Nicaragua. Only increasing agitation by the Bolivian people eventually led to elections on October 18, 2020. 88.42 percent of Bolivia's seven million voters turned out at the election, giving Morales' successor as the leader of MAS, Luis Arce, 55.18 percent of the vote in the first round. There was no room for the OAS, or any elections observation mission, to claim fraud. For many, this overwhelming number served to reenforce the view that Morales had also won the 2019 elections and had been wrongfully denied it. Despite MAS' convincing win, all is not well in Bolivia. Luis Arce, the President-elect, will not be sworn-in until November 8. In the meantime, much mischief can be made, and there are those who are agitating it. On October 27, crowds were organized outside
Sir Ronald Sanders military barracks in four areas of Bolivia, calling for the armed forces to intervene to overturn the result of the October 18 general election. The ethnic group, who had ruled the country for decades prior to Morales, and who grabbed power for a year under Añez, is angry at having to relinquish control. A m o n g t h e o rg a n i z e d crowds were far-right militia groups, threatening violence if the result is not overturned. However, the military is keenly aware that the large number of MAS supporters would not tolerate another installation of a government they did not elect. These supporters are already demanding action against the military for killing protestors opposed to the removal of Morales last year. They want Arce to punish (continued on page 49)
Sunday November 01, 2020
Dear Reader, in light of the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our publisher, with you in mind, has taken the decision to add a few more pages to our newspaper to recap, in their entirety, some of the major stories carried during the past week. SUNDAY POLITICIANS STOLE MORE THAN US$400B IN OIL MONEY FROM NIGERIA WHILE 95 MILLION LIVE IN EXTREME POVERTY Nigeria is home to the world’s 10th largest reserve of oil and gas deposits. With such a massive scale of resources, oil and gas have become the lifeblood of the African nation’s economy. But since the discovery of oil in 1956 in the Niger Delta, the people are no better off. In fact, more people are wallowing in poverty today when compared to the 1950s. In fact, the latest Poverty and Inequality report released by the nation’s National Bureau of Statistics states that the number of Nigerians that are in extreme poverty have increased exponentially to over 95 million. So where exactly did this nation’s oil money go? According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC), unscrupulous leaders have pilfered the national coffers and stashed away billions of dollars in foreign bank accounts. The Office that was established in 1997 noted that by some estimates, close to US$400 billion was stolen between 1960 and 1999 alone. This is equivalent to 284 of the emergency budget passed by the PPP/C Government for 2020. The UNDOC also noted that Sani Abacha alone, the Nigerian military leader who served as head of state (1993– 98), is estimated to have stolen the equivalent of 2 -3 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product for every year that he was President.
UNDOC said that concretely, the billion dollars that was stolen from the national coffers since oil was discovered could have translated into millions of vaccinations for children; thousands of kilometres of roads; hundreds of schools, hundreds of hospitals; and thousands of water treatment facilities. Because of greed and corruption, that never came to be. Despite seeing millions of its people continue to live in extreme poverty, many politicians that would follow and promise to effect “change” would only end up trying to implement their own schemes to funnel the nation’s wealth into their pockets and that of their families and friends. The corruption therefore continued unabated irrespective of laws, which these very politicians passed to ensure good governance. PROTEST ERUPTS AGAIN AT WCB OVER HENRY BOYS’ MURDER INVESTIGATION Quick action by law enforcement officers averted what could have erupted into a full-scale riot on the West Coast of Berbice Saturday as enraged residents blocked the roads in protest over the slothful pace of investigations into the murders of Isaiah and Joel Henry. This marks the third time villagers from the area have engaged in protest over the violent crime. According to a release from the police, at 1:45 pm reports were received of the public road running through No. 5 village being blocked. Ranks immediately responded, confirming the blockage. From images seen, tyres and other debris were placed across the main passage way and set alight, temporarily halting the flow of traffic. “At this time, the ranks have managed to partially extinguish the fire and clear
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t h e r o a d w a y, a l l o w i n g traffic to flow again,” the police said. Up to press time, officers were still on the ground to clear the remainder of the roadway. No arrests have been made so far. Concerns continue to be raised at the silence of the Guyana Police Force on the status of investigations. Only recently, the Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie informed the media that “new leads” were being pursued when asked about progress being made.No further update was released. The Force is still awaiting the detailed report from the five-member Regional Security System (RSS) team who provided assistance to investigators with their probe. A d d i t i o n a l l y, investigators are expected to receive another boost in their investigations with the impending arrival of the A rg e n t i n e Te a m of Forensic Anthropology ( E q u i p o A rg e n t i n o d e Antropologia ForensicaEAAF). According to published reports, the teams’ arrival, originally due earlier this week, was delayed due to the COVID-19. That team should consist of a forensic pathologist, a forensic anthropologist and a forensic radiologist and will also bring along with them the equipment they need. The mutilated bodies of Joel and Isaiah Henry were found back on September 6, in clumps of bushes near to a coconut estate located at Cotton Tree Backdam, West Coast Berbice, Region Five. Protests marred by violence had erupted over the news of their gruesome murder and days later, the body of another teen, Haresh Singh was found, lying in a patch of grass and bleeding from the nose at the Number Three Village backdam. Singh was later pronounced dead at a hospital and was identified as the grandson of one of the
suspects, a rice farmer, who was in police custody at the time for the murder of the Henry boys. A brief round of protest had erupted a few weeks ago at the pace of investigations then. MONDAY MORE THAN 18 COUNTRIES LOST US$BILLIONS IN REVENUE DUE TO POOR HYDROCARBON ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS -TT EXPERT URGES GUYANATO AVOID MAKING SAME MISTAKES Now that Guyana is more than nine months into facilitating lifts of its light, sweet crude being produced in the Liza Phase One field,
industry experts are of the firm view that the nation’s leaders ought to have in place, effective hydrocarbon accounting systems. Specifically holding this viewpoint is Petroleum Consultant, Randall Mohammed. During an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News, Mohammed explained that hydrocarbon accounting systems are used by petroleum nations across the world to ensure they are able to track gas and oil ownership from the point of production to the point of sale. If these systems are not effective, Mohammed said there can be errors and delays in hydrocarbon accounting which can result in significant financial loss for the state. Taking this into
consideration, Mohammed said it is essential that the Guyanese authorities make every effort to ensure that not only hydrocarbon computer systems that execute such accounting rules are correctly programmed, but that measurements are accurate, and that reporting is timely. Mohammed said: “Guyana has commenced lifting and selling oil from Liza One and soon Liza Two will come online…The objective is to implement a proper accounting system ahead of future production and sales so that Guyana can ensure it is not suffering any losses. It is the job of every government to protect the state…” To further cement his case, Mohammed shared that four years ago he had (Continued on page 26)
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From page 25 commissioned a survey to be done on the importance of hydrocarbon accounting systems. Mohammed said he had hired a consultant, D r. H i s h a m N o f a l , t o conduct the survey on his behalf. The industry expert who hails from Trinidad and Tobago said: “In total, we surveyed 53 national oil companies across the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America with crude oil production from a low of 50,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) to a high of 2.6 million bpd for South America including Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Cuba, Peru and Bolivia.” The Energy Consultant said that the survey concluded that more than 35% of the national oil companies and governments around the world did not have a proper hydrocarbon accounting system to reconcile volumes. He said that they simply accepted what was invoiced by the oil companies. Ideally, Mohammed said that data should be reconciled from the metering system at the wellhead to FPSO (floating production storage and offloading vessel) and FPSO to sales pipeline or tanker accounting for the difference in contaminates such as water. In the absence of this, he said that nations suffer significant revenue leakage. With this in mind, the TT expert cautioned that it is in Guyana’s interests to ensure that it has the right systems in place to ensure it is not suffering any major losses. He commented that a good accounting system will ensure better performance monitoring. It also forms the basis of any future study for
Sunday November 01, 2020
Kaieteur News
improving system.
the
current
DUO ACCUSED OF EXECUTINGKEY WITNESS IN K/NEWS GRENADEATTACK WALK FREE Two men accused of gunning down a man in front of his five-year-old daughter and wife on the East Bank Public Road at Eccles, in middle of the busy traffic early last year, have walked. Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus on Friday discharged the capital offence of murder against Devon Allen, 31, of 148 Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown and Roderick Thomas, 29, of William Street, Kitty, Georgetown. They were on remand for the murder of taxi driver, Kelvin Walters, who was executed on January 22, 2019, at Eccles Public Road, East Bank Demerara. When the matter was called for ruling in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, Magistrate Marcus upheld a no-case submission that was presented to the court by the accused attorneys, stating that there is not sufficient evidence against their clients. The Magistrate then discharged the capital offence of murder against Allen and Thomas. According to reports, investigators believe that both men, who were nursing broken left legs, were injured when Walters rammed his car into their motorcycle just as they shot him. Walters was gunned down at around 19:30 hrs on the day in question, while driving south along the eastern carriageway of the East Bank Demerara Public Road. Police said that he was in the vicinity of Two Brothers
Service Station when two men, on a motorcycle, turned in front of his vehicle. The pillion rider then whipped out a handgun and shot Walters in his face. Although wounded, Walters struck down the suspects, who fled the scene on foot, leaving their motorcycle and a .9mm Taurus pistol, with 14 rounds, at the scene. Walters was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The injuries the men sustained were said to be consistent with that of a motor vehicle accident. CCTV footage reportedly showed an individual hopping north along the East Bank Public Road. The deceased was the key witness in the June 2016 Kaieteur News grenade attack case. A grenade was lobbed in front of the vehicle of the newspaper’s publisher, Glenn Lall, but failed to go off. The grenade was later removed by explosive experts and detonated safely. A number of persons were arrested. TUESDAY CONFLICT BETWEEN EPAAND PETROLEUM LAWS POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS – GUYANA MUST FAST TRACK LAW REFORM – IDB Even though the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) Administration has given a commitment to modernize the legal framework for the oil industry, the Inter-American Development (IDB) has pointed to some troubling areas of disharmony in the local laws which underscore the need for the government to act swiftly. In its latest industry report on Guyana, the financial institution explained that the areas of legal conflict exist between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Act and Regulations and the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act (PEPA). The bank noted that by law, the EPA grants an environmental permit to companies which serves as an “implied” condition that the developer shall have an obligation to use the most appropriate technology for exploration and production and to restore and rehabilitate the environment. The EPA also has the power to withhold issuance of an environmental permit unless it is satisfied that the developer can pay compensation for any loss or damage which may arise from
the project or breach of any term or condition of the environmental permit. While this may be well and good, the bank noted that there is significant conflict when one turns to the environmental standards set out by the petroleum laws for the issuance of petroleum prospecting and production licences. The IDB said, “A real risk of disharmony exists between these principles and standards of the EPA Act and the standards in the PEPA and Petroleum Regulations. Specifically, the standard applicable to licensees under the PEPA is good oilfield practices.” The bank said that “good oilfield practices” is defined as all those things that are “generally accepted as good, safe and efficient in the carrying on of prospecting for petroleum or, as the case may be, operations for the production of petroleum.” The bank categorically stated however that the term “good oilfield practices” may or may not equate to the principles established in the EPA Act and regulations made under it. Taking this into account, the bank said it is crucial that Guyana addresses as soon as possible, the disharmony between those standards under the EPA Act and those under the PEPA as it believes that they “are potentially disastrous for Guyana, particularly (but not only) if an oil spill were to occur.” FIRED ANTI-NARCOTICS OFFICER, WOMAN HAULED OFF OF FLIGHT
However, it appears that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) had blacklisted Carr from leaving over unpaid taxes. Carr was also said to be a principal of OpSec International Guyana Inc., a private security company that works for mining companies like Rusal/Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. GRA is reportedly claiming over $30M in taxes that OpSec owes. The security firm was reportedly in operations while Carr was still working at NANA. NANA was established on the authority of a Cabinet decision based on a Memorandum submitted by the then Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, under the coalition government which lost the elections earlier this year. It was touted as the national lead agency to counter the drug problem in Guyana. The agency formally commenced operations on 2nd October 2018 at its location at lot 125 Parade and Barrack Streets Kingston, Georgetown. It was given lead over the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit and the Police’s Narcotic Branch. Carr, at NANA, would been serving under former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Major General (rtd), Michael Atherley. NANA was ordered disbanded recently by the Government. WEDNESDAY
A senior official of the now shuttered National AntiNarcotic Agency (NANA) was taken off a flight to the United States of America for alleged fraud. Refused permission to leave Guyana over the weekend was Leon Carr, the former Deputy Director of NANA. According to officials, Carr and a woman, Candace Van Que, were both set to leave Guyana for the US on board an Eastern Airways flights.
PNC/R EXECUTIVE JAMES BOND RECEIVED US$1M FOR NICILLEASED LANDS – SALE EXECUTED FIVE MONTHSAFTER LAND ACQUISITION People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) executive, James Bond collected US$1 million dollars related to the sale of prime state lands leased by the
National Industrial & Commercial Investments Ltd. (NICIL) to a company in which Bond appears to be a principal. Those very lands in question are a small part of ongoing investigations being undertaken by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) into the large scale giveaway of state lands during the previous APNU+AFC regime’s tenure. GLASS Holdings and Lennox Petroleum The revelation that Bond benefitted financially from the deal came to the fore after GLASS Holdings Inc., the recipient, attempted to pay lease fees for lands it had acquired on the East Bank of Demerara. Kaieteur News is in receipt of a letter sent to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NICIL, Radha Sharma by the company’s Managing Director, Glenn Low-A-Chee. In that letter, Low-A-Chee explained that the company was interested in acquiring land – whether through purchase or lease – for the purpose of constructing a warehouse. He explained that the company explored options but later struck up a deal with a company called ARKEN Group Inc. for the purchase of two plots at Plantation Peter’s Hall; Plot ‘A3’ and ‘A4’ under a lease agreement. “The Lease Agreement and all documents and procedures to effect the transfer of the Leasehold/ Lessee rights from ARKEN to GLASS Holdings were prepared and processed in compliance with the LEASE (number provided) and the general rules governing the lease transfer,” Low-A-Chee stated. “Pending the completion of the documentation (Continued on page 27)
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From page 26 process,” Low-A-Chee wrote, “we had visited NICIL in early March and again in August 2020 in an attempt to pay our lease fees as the new Lessee and we were advised by Mr. Wenston Mingo, Accounts Receivable Clerk in the Accounts Department, NICIL, that there was a pending jurisdictional/ restructuring issue between NICIL and Ministry of Business regarding the collection of lease fees, and as such our payment was not accepted/processed. We were advised to follow up at a later date regarding the payments.” Further on, Low-A-Chee said the company saw a public notice by NICIL informing of a review of leases and sub-leases of the lands at Peter’s Hall and was using the letter to introduce his company as the current Lessee of the plots in question, and requesting a meeting with NICIL officers to “guide us through the current evaluation process.” MAN SHOT FOR ASKING TO TURN DOWN MUSIC A man was on Saturday shot at a shop located at Iyana Backdam, North West District (NWD), Region One, after he asked for the music being played to be turned down. Nursing a gunshot wound to the thigh is Paul Bacchus, age 35, of Moruca. The incident, according to police took place around 18:30hrs. Bacchus told investigators that he visited the shop to make a phone call to his relatives and during the call a group of persons who were also at the shop imbibing were playing loud music which disturbed him. As a result of the disturbance, he asked the persons to lower the volume of the music so that he could continue his call, to which they refused and began verbally abusing him. Bacchus further revealed to the police that he left the shop and went to urinate and whilst doing so he heard a loud explosion which sounded like a gunshot; he attempted to run but soon realized that he had been shot to his right thigh after which he collapsed and lost consciousness. A s h o r t w hile after regaining his consciousness at a friend’s place, he was informed that a flight was already arranged to take him to the city to seek medical attention. Bacchus is presently at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation under police guard since his story cannot be confirmed or
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denied. An investigation is ongoing. JUVENILEARRESTED FOR LA GRANGE BUSINESSWOMAN’S MURDER A juvenile has been arrested as probe continues into the murder of Bibi Ramjit, 86, the business woman who was on Sunday strangled to death at her home in La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD). Ramjit was discovered by a farmer lying on her bed with her hands and feet tied. The man had told the police that he had last seen the woman alive when he visited her grocery shop located on the bottom flat of her residence at around 15:00Hrs that afternoon. He later returned at 17:00hrs to pay off for some eddoes he had purchased earlier and found her dead. Cops who visited the scene believed that Ramjit was killed during the course of a robbery. They were led to believe this theory since Ramjit’s home was notably ransacked. Kaieteur News was also informed by a senior police source that detectives were following a lead based on video footage obtained. Investigators also spoke of a strange car seen close to the woman’s premises during the time they believed she might have been murdered. Ramjit had confided in her children of her thoughts to close up her business since she was robbed earlier this year by two female customers who had visited her shop. One of them had distracted her while the other entered her living quarters and stole cash. Almost all of Ramjit’s relatives and all her children had migrated to the United States (US) and Canada, but she had chosen to continue living in Guyana because of the love for her country and her business. She was living with a caregiver for some time until she was forced to remain by herself for nearly two years. Kaieteur News had reported that the caregiver had become annoyed and walked out on Ramjit, after she was confronted for her “bad behaviour”. THURSDAY STABROEK OIL BLOCK RESERVES INCREASE TO 9 BILLION BARRELS - HESS SAYS GUYANA WILL DRIVE ITS RECOVERY Chief Executive Officer of Hess Corporation, John Hess, recently revealed that the
estimated recoverable resource discovered in the Stabroek Block has been revised upward to nine billion oil-equivalent barrels. The previous estimate was eight billion barrels. The revelation was made during Hess’ announcement of its performance for the third quarter of 2020, during which the company claimed a net loss of US$243 million due to the downward turn of the industry from the impact of COVID-19. Yet, the company is not at all worried about that. “We continue to execute our strategy and achieve strong operational performance while prioritizing the preservation of cash, capability and the long term value of our assets during this low price environment,” CEO John Hess said. He added, “Our differentiated portfolio of assets, including multiple phases of low cost Guyana oil developments, positions us to deliver industry leading cash flow growth and drive our company’s breakeven price to under $40 per barrel Brent by mid decade.” It expects Guyana to drive its recovery. In spite of the loss incurred, Hess was keen to note that the company remains optimistic about a strong recovery thanks to discoveries offshore Guyana. ExxonMobil –The Stabroek Block operator – has made 18 discoveries in the block. The operator had announced discoveries at the Yellowtail-2 and Redtail-1 exploration wells. Yellowtail2, the 17th discovery on the Block, encountered approximately 69 feet of high quality oil bearing reservoirs adjacent to and below the Yellowtail-1 discovery. Redtail-1, the 18th discovery on the Block, encountered approximately 232 feet of high quality oil bearing sandstone and is located 1.5 miles northwest of the Yellowtail discovery. It was in light of these discoveries that the
estimate of gross discovered recoverable resources on the Block was increased to approximately nine billion barrels of oil equivalent resources. Hess, which has a 25 percent stake in the Block, is happy to benefit from the world-class quality of oil, very low breakeven rates, and a lopsided production sharing agreement (PSA) which favours it and its partners. Turning his attention to the corporation’s net production from the Liza Field, which commenced in December 2019, Hess said that this averaged 19,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) in the third quarter of 2020. During the third quarter as well, Hess said that the operator Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited continued work to complete the commissioning of the natural gas injection system that should enable the Liza Destiny floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) to reach its capacity of 120,000 gross bopd in the fourth quarter. With regard to Phase Two of the Liza Field development, which will utilize the Liza Unity FPSO with an expected capacity of 220,000 gross bopd, Hess said that this remains on target to achieve first oil by early 2022. The CEO also reminded that Hess had made the final investment decision to proceed with development of the Payara Field on the Stabroek Block after the development plan received approval from the government of Guyana. Payara will utilize the Prosperity FPSO, which will have the capacity to produce up to 220,000 gross bopd and will target an estimated resource base of approximately 600 million barrels of oil. First oil is expected in 2024. Ten drill centers are planned with a total of 41 wells, including 20 production wells and 21
injection wells. Excluding presanction costs and FPSO purchase cost, the Corporation’s net share of development costs is forecast to be approximately $1.8 billion. PRIME STATE LANDS GIVEAWAY… NICIL CHANGED CLAUSE TO ALLOW SUB/LEASE OR SALE – SOCU, COPS TO INVESTIGATE – AG Guyana’s State Lands Act clearly stipulates that whenever State lands are leased, the lease agreement must indicate that the lessee “SHALL NOT” part with lands (possession) or “SHALL NOT” assign the interest in the said agreement without the consent of the State. It states too that in the event that there is going to be a transfer to a third party, the State reserves to right to step in and repossess the lands, reverting ownership back to the State. However, that very clause was altered in a large number of National Industrial & Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) lease agreements currently at the center of investigations concerning the large-scale giveaway of prime State lands located at Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara. In reviewing the lease agreements in contention, Guyana’s Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, pointed out that the lease was altered to say that “the the lessee may divest the land, may part with possession, may assign it to a third-party interest” – an insertion that saw hundreds of prime lands being resold and transferred with the State acquiring zero revenue from the transactions. According to the AG, “These are lands that are valued millions of US dollars and have been gifted away by leases and or by title for pepper corn consideration
meaning nothing compared to what they are actually valued.” “When you look at other NICIL leases, that clause is different, differently worded, its worded in the proper way, it’s supposed to be ‘may not without the permission of the lessor’, and herein lies the conspiracy,” the AG explained. Both NICIL and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC), the AG added, were used as the platform to give away state property “in the most capricious, the most arbitrary and the most non-transparent manner.” With the ongoing review, the AG said, several integral facts that should be on record are nowhere to be found. According to Nandlall, there was no due process involved in the awards of the lands. He said, “There is no public process whereby members of the public would have been invited to either express an interest or put in a bid or make an offer to buy lands, none at all. So one does not know how the persons who actually benefited became aware that the lands were available for divestment.” In addition to this, the AG pointed out that there was no evidence of principle governing how the prices for the lands were determined. He noted too that there was no valuation certificate on record or no market value assessment “so, one does not know how a particular price was arrived at for these lands.” “There appears to be no principles governing how much will be paid down and when the balance will be paid,” the AG continued “because you have lands that are valued $600 million, that’s the purchase price – how they arrived at the purchase price remains a mystery – but $500,000 is paid down and possession is given to the (Continued on page 28)
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From page 27 purchaser. There are cases where not a single cent is paid down and title is granted to the purchasers. That is the extent of the whim, caprice and, I daresay, corruption that permeates these transactions.” Even worse, the AG noted, the lands were divested from the original recipient to third parties. Further, the AG added that the transactions speak to “organised crime.” “If this is not wrongdoing then I am not sure,” he said, adding, “I cannot imagine how a person can pay US$11,000 which by itself is a great undervalue for the land and that’s a shell company for all we know and the lease is altered and does not reflect the standard provisions in state land leases which allows strangely or coincidentally the lessee to divest and the lessee divest and does not divest for more but for $100. Obviously, you have money laundering implications, you have fraud.” Thousands of files, Nandlall said have been passed to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to ensure that the guilty parties are brought to justice. PNC/R DISTANCES SELF FROM BOND - SAYS HE IS NOT AN EXECUTIVE The People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) has sought to distance itself from its member, James Anthony Bond, who is at the center of allegations regarding his collecting US$1 million for the sale of prime state lands situated at Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara. The PNC/R also went as far as to say that Bond is not even an Executive member of the party but rather a senior member. It was PNC/R General Secretary, Amna Ally/ who made it clear that Bond was not an Executive in response to the allegations published in the media. According to reports, Ally said, “The PNC/R wishes to inform the public that Mr. James Bond is not an Executive Member of the PNC/R. The PNC refers to an article published in the October 27, 2020 edition of the Guyana Times News Papers with the headline ‘PNC/R Executive Collects US$1M for flipped lands at Peter’s Hall’, the ‘PNC/R Executive’ use in the headline is erroneous.” Kaieteur News had reported that Bond pocketed the US$1 million for the sale of 10 acres of land at Peter’s Hall for a company called ARKEN Group Inc. of which he is said to be a principal. The other player in the company is listed as Jermaine Richmond.With the allegations brought to the fore, several questions were posed to leader of the Opposition APNU+AFC, Joseph Harmon, who was asked to comment on the issue. Harmon told Kaieteur News, “I would not go beyond the statement that was issued by the party, by the PNC, on this matter. Some issues are in the domain of the attorneys that are dealing with these transactions.
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And I can say to you that even some of the people who are raising red flags about this, that is the way they have gone about dealing with their business. I wouldn’t go any further into that but to say that if it is in fact a professional transaction that was done by an attorney and his clients, then certainly that’s client-attorney confidentiality. If there was in fact anything that was illegal or so on about it, then the law will take its course. I wouldn’t go beyond that.” Asked whether the procurement of the lands was above board, Harmon said he has done no investigations on the matter and referred questions to the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall. Kaieteur News also asked of Harmon whether Bond was contacted to provide an explanation on the deal. BERBICE BRIDGE DEAL FAVOURS SMALLER INVESTORS OVER NIS – BRASSINGTON ADMITS IN COURT Former Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited, (NICIL), Winston Brassington, has admitted that the Berbice Bridge deal favours smaller investors over the statedowned, National Insurance Scheme(NIS)—its largest investor. Brassington made this disclosure while under crossexamination in the libel trial against Kaieteur News over the “Dem Boys Seh,” articles which he claims contained offensive, defamatory content against him. According to him, the reference in the article to “that fat crook Brazzy” in the satirical column of the newspaper meant and was understood to mean that the newspaper and its editor sought to convey that he as NICIL’s head was “dishonest, had been guilty of criminal activity and corrupt practices” in the conduct of his work in a number of projects including the award of a road construction contract for US$18M in the first phase of the Amaila Falls Hydro Project. The former CEO was called again to the witness stand for a continuation of the libel trial before Justice Navindra Singh at the Georgetown High Court Wednesday. During the hearing, Brassington was questioned intensely about his
role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NICIL in several major transactions by the State including the establishment of the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated. Attorney for Kaieteur News, Nigel Hughes, confronted the witness with a series of enquiries over his involvement in the procedures that led to the sale of several valuable State assets including sale of the Sanata Texile Complex; the disposal of plots of prime State lands on the East Coast; the contracts for the Amaila Falls Hydro project; the transfer of major shares of local telecommunications giant GTT to a company based in Hong Kong; and the development of the lands in the controversial Pradoville Two Housing Project, which were sold below market value. While he admitted to having some involvement in the transactions as the head of NICIL– the Privatisation Unit implicated in the sale, Brassington told the court that he could not recall the details of those transactions. In response to queries about his role in the structuring of the Berbice Bridge Company, and its sale of its dividends, Brassington admitted that he had formed the company. He revealed too that the structure, he used to form the company allocated different levels of protection for its investors. “Which institution provided the most money for the Bridge?” Hughes asked. “NIS,” the witness hesitated before responding. In a follow response to the suggestions by the lawyer, Brassington admitted too that that the investment by NIS was not more secured than any of the other private investors. He shied away from answering any questions about the deferral of payment of dividends to NIS. He told the court that he could
not recall the details of that arrangement. Hughes then advanced suggestions about the sale of the Sanata Texile Complex – a prime commercial property, which was transferred to private owners. “The acquisition of the Sanata Complex by Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. came under your purview as head of NICIL?” “Yes,” replied the witness. “Do you recall the valuation price before it was sold,” the lawyer said, suggesting that the property was sold at a price below market value. “I don’t recall,” Brassington said before explaining that that the properties were evaluated by both the government and private evaluators before it was sold. ANOTHER NICIL DEAL… 30 ACRES OF PRIME EBD LANDS TRANSFERRED FOR $200 More details are emerging regarding the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited’s (NICIL) giveaway of prime state lands situated at Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara (EBD). In this deal, a total of 30 acres were transferred into the hands of one individual for merely G$200 by two companies – Life 1 Pharms Inc. and A-Z Pharmaceutical Medical Supplies and Equipment Inc. – registered locally here in Guyana. Life 1 Pharms Inc. & A-Z Pharmaceutical Medical Supplies and Equipment Inc. From documents seen by this publication, Life 1 Pharms Inc. is owned and controlled by Avalon Jagnandan, said to be the Managing Director. On his Facebook profile, Jagnandan is listed also as the Administrative Manager at the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miner Association (GGDMA).
The company’s address is stated as 73 Grove Public Road, EBD and was registered on March 1, 2017. Jagnandan was leasing, from NICIL, three plots of land: ‘A17’, ‘A18’ and ‘A19’, a total of 15 acres situated at Plantation Peter’s Hall, EBD. As per the lease agreement, seen by this publication, Jagnandan agreed to lease the lands annually for US$11,700 plus taxes for a 20-year period. That agreement was signed on May 17, 2018. Later on, Jagnandan then transferred the three plots of land to one individual, Jianfen Yu, whose address was listed as Lot 43 Wellington Street, Georgetown. Per the Deed of Assignment of Lease Agreement, made on January 28, 2020, the lands were transferred to Yu for G$100. It said “…for and in consideration of the sum of G$100 (one hundred Guyana dollars), the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable considerations, the receipt and sufficiency…” of the land. With regards to the other company, A-Z Pharmaceuticals is owned and controlled by Eddie Doolal, who is listed as the Director and Secretary. The company address is stated as 1321 EE Eccles, EBD and the business was registered on March 1, 2020. Doolal leased from NICIL three plots of land; ‘A7’, ‘A8’ and ‘A20’, a total of 15 acres situated too at Plantation Peter’s Hall, EBD. FRIDAY AWIN FOR GUYANA… COURT BRINGS EXXON’S LIZA1 PERMIT IN LINE WITH THE LAW – REDUCES 20 +YEARS TERM TO 5 YEARS A High Court order issued earlier this month has brought ExxonMobil’s Liza I environmental permit in conformity with the law. (Continued on page 29)
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From page 28 The order, granted by Justice Jo Ann Barlow, has effectively reduced Exxon’s environmental permit from 20+-years to five- the correct time as prescribed by law. The matter was settled in court following an initial hearing of the case filed against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by Guyanese scientist and the former President of Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI), Dr. Troy Thomas. According to a release issued Thursday, both the EPA and Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd (ExxonMobil’s local operating subsidiary in Guyana) agreed to limit the permit to five years, as provided by law. As a result, an order was issued for Exxon’s permit in the Liza 1 oil field development to expire in the next 18 months instead of 2040 —24 years after the issuance originally granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In his lawsuit filed last August, Dr. Thomas noted that the permits issued to Esso violated the EPA’s Regulation 19, which specifically cites the limits to the issuance of permits to five years after which it is subject to review before a fresh one is granted to the oil operators to ensure that their exploration activities are keeping with the laws that protect the environment. According to the court documents, Dr. Thomas pointed out that the protracted permit is not only illegal but exposes Guyana and the rest of the world to serious, if not irreparable, harm and adverse e n v i r o n m e n t a l consequences. Since its oil lifting operations began in December 2019, Exxon’s Liza
1 operation has flared more than 10 billion cubic feet of natural gas… emissions which are toxic to the environment. In Thursday’s release, lawyer and environmental advocate, Melinda Janki, disclosed that by virtue of the ruling, Guyanese people will have an opportunity in just over 18 months’ time, to correct ExxonMobil’s environmental permit for Liza 1. “The earlier expiry of the permit means Esso-the subsidiary will have to apply for another environmental permit in 2022, giving the public an opportunity to demand better terms for Guyana,” she said. As such, she explained the order made by the High Court also reduced the Liza II environmental permit to five years. “That permit will expire in 2024 and not 2043 as in the initial permit issued by the EPA. The environmental permits for Liza I and Liza II have already been revised to conform to applicable law. The Payara environmental permit of 24th September 2020 was issued for five years in conformity with the law,” Janki said in the statement. Meanwhile, lead Counsel for the case against the oil company, Seenath Jairam S.C, noted that “Coming up against an oil and gas giant is always guaranteed to be a battle royal because of their deep pockets and long history in fossil fuels.” Mr. Jairam said, too, that while the EPA was ably represented, the law is pellucid regarding the duration of an environmental permit and for good reason. “Our environment is our most precious resource and the lawmakers obviously intended that the EPA should have an opportunity at regular intervals to assess the
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suitability of an operator to continue operations, using international best practices. Dr. Troy Thomas is to be commended and complimented for his conscientiousness and public spiritedness in drawing attention to these environmental matters,” lawyer added. Janki, who was among the team representing Dr. Thomas, noted too that while the Environmental Protection Act Cap 20:05 guarantees citizens’ rights to information and participation in the environmental impact assessments that are a precondition to environmental permits, “Successive governments have given away Guyana’s oil.” “We must not allow them to destroy Guyana’s rich marine resources as well. Guyana has strong environmental laws to protect the nation against dangerous oil and gas,” she said adding: “It is clear that the people cannot rely on the government or the so-called conservation organisations in Guyana to protect Guyana’s rich biodiversity.” The lawyer suggested that “Guyana’s future depends on individuals who are willing and patriotic
enough to step forward as Dr. Thomas has done.” Dr. Troy Thomas also commented on the ruling. He stressed that: “The Guyanese people have loudly and repeatedly expressed their concern and anger at the danger that ExxonMobil’s oil production poses to Guyana’s environment and natural resources. I want people to know that we can and should take action to protect our national patrimony. We need to come together and safeguard the future for our children,” he said in the release. Thomas was represented by Seenath Jairam SC, Melinda Janki and Pratesh Satram, attorneys-at-law. The EPA was represented by Ms Anessa Chow, while Esso was represented by Andrew Pollard, SC. EXXONMOBIL INCREASES DAILY PRODUCTION AT LIZA DESTINY TO 105,000 BARRELS PER DAY –CONTINUES TO RELEASE TOXIC CHEMICALS INTO AIRSPACE VIA FLARING Hess Corporation, which holds a 30 percent working interest in the Stabroek Block, was pleased to inform its shareholders on Wednesday that production rates at the Liza Phase One Project have increased to 105,000 barrels of oil per day. Prior to this disclosure, the nation was only aware that production hovered around 80,000 to 90,000 barrels of oil. This was the case up to last month. The company revealed, however, that the new rate of production was constant for the last few weeks while adding that in the third quarter, gross production averaged 63,000 barrels of oil per day or 19,000 barrels of oil per day net to Hess. The oil exploration and production company acknowledged that mechanical issues plaguing the gas compressor system
for the Liza Destiny vessel is what prevented the oil ship from reaching its full capacity of 120,000 gross barrels of oil per day. The company said: “It is important to note that the delays in commissioning the gas injection system are mechanical in nature, and the reservoirs and wells continue to deliver at, or above, expectations…” While the compressor s y s t e m r e m a i n s f a u l t y, ExxonMobil remains forced to burn gas which releases toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. Kaieteur News, by way of extensive research, would have shown how gas flaring contributes to climate change, which has serious implications for the world. The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, was keen to note in one of its studies that gas flaring is actually a major source of greenhouse gases (GHG) contributing to global warming which could accelerate the problem of climatic change and harsh living conditions on earth, if not checked. The Department also notes that there are over 250 toxins released from flaring including carcinogens such as benzopyrene, benzene, carbon disulphide (CS2), carbonyl sulphide (COS) and toluene; metals such as mercury, arsenic and chromium; sour gas with Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2); Nitrogen oxides (NOx); Carbon dioxide (CO2); and methane (CH4) which contributes to the greenhouse gases. Conscious of the harmful effects of flaring, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had forced the oil giant to cut back on its oil production at the Liza Phase One Project.
In June last, the EPA had said that the American supermajor can only produce a maximum of 30,000 barrels of oil per day. In this way, ExxonMobil had less gas being produced which would eventually have to be flared. Since last year Christmas to now, ExxonMobil has comfortably flared more than 11 billion cubic feet of gas offshore Guyana. SATURDAY RULING ON EXXON’S LIZA PERMIT SETS PRECEDENT – KHUSIAL Darshanand Khusial of the Oil & Gas Governance Network (OGGN) has hailed the recent ruling of the High Court on the legal duration for ExxonMobil’s Liza Phase One permit as a good step, and an indication that Guyanese can make real positive changes. The challenge was brought against the environmental permit by former President of Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI) Dr. Troy Thomas, as the permit granted several years ago was for a duration of 24 years, when the law only allows for five. The order, granted by Justice Jo Ann Barlow, has effectively reduced Exxon’s environmental permit to the correct period prescribed by law. “Thanks to Dr. Troy Thomas, Seenath Jairam SC, Melinda Janki, and Pratesh Satram for successfully challenging the oil companies,” Khusial said. He indicated that the ruling sets a precedent for positive change in the oil industry, moving forward. “To echo Ms Janki,” he said, “we need more patriotic individuals like Dr. Thomas to step forward.” He noted that there are other laws that have been broken when it comes to the management of Guyana’s oil industry, and that this court ruling should be taken as a victory, a good signal. He (Continued on page 30)
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From page 29 referred to the recently published book ‘Crude Intentions’ by Alexandra Gillies, which chronicles corruption cases, which have occurred in the lucrative petroleum industry. “The book details how corrupt and incompetent politicians disadvantage their own citizens,” he said. “But if there is one glimmer of hope from the book, it is the rule of law prevails when citizens take a stand. GUYANA SETS NEW OIL DISCOVERY RECORD – NOW THE LARGEST NEW CONVENTIONAL LIQUIDS PLAY IN THE LAST DECADE The Yellowtail-2 and Redtail discoveries which were made in July and September respectively have pushed Guyana’s recoverable estimate to approximately nine billion oil equivalent resources. In light of this development, Guyana is now the largest new conventional liquids play in the last decade says Senior Vice President at ExxonMobil, Jack Williams. The ExxonMobil official made this revelation during the company’s third quarter earnings call that was held Frirday. Williams recalled that the Yellowtail-2 well had encountered 69 feet (21 meters) of net pay in a newly identified, high quality oil bearing reservoirs among the original Yellowtail-1 discovery intervals in the Stabroek Block. He said it also serves as ExxonMobil’s 17th oil discovery in the block.
With respect to the Redtail discovery, he said it was ExxonMobil’s 18th oil discovery in the Stabroek Block and encountered approximately 232 feet (70 meters) of high-quality oil bearing sandstone. It was drilled in 6,164 feet (1,878 meters) of water. In light of this new resource increase, both ExxonMobil and Hess Corporation have confidently stated that Guyana remains a priority investment asset given its high cash flow returns in a short period of time. Both are also excited about other development projects which will be coming on board soon. In this regard, ExxonMobil was keen to remind shareholders
that the Liza Two project remains on schedule for 2022 start-up, while noting that the Liza Unity FPSO is under construction in Singapore. Kaieteur News understands that the first offshore installation campaign is underway. Also in the third quarter ExxonMobil reminded that it sanctioned the Payara project, its third major deepwater development on the Stabroek Block. Williams said the oil giant anticipates first production in 2024 while adding that the FPSO that will support the project will have a capacity of 220,000 barrels of oil per day. He also noted that Payara has a resource base of 600 million barrels of oil. The FPSO construction for Payara will
follow Liza Two, utilizing many of the same contractors and fabrication yards. NICIL HEAD SENT PACKING – FAILED TO PROTECT GUYANESE’S INTERESTS; ISSUED LANDS WITHOUT RECEIVINGFULL PAYMENTS Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Industrial Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Colvin Heath-London, was Friday sent packing with immediate effect, thereby bringing an end to his twoyear employment under the
agency. In a letter to HeathLondon from the Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, it was stated that the NICIL head had failed to protect the best interests of the agency, thereby costing the government to lose billions in investments. The letter had reminded that the government had retained Heath-London to perform various duties on its behalf, including those related to a Special Purpose Unit (SPU) for the privatization and divestment of identified assets of the Guyana Sugar Corporation
(GuySuCo). When the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) assumed government, an immediate review was conducted on NICIL and SPU’s operations, which revealed “illegalities and serious failures” in the performance of HeathLondon’s duties—”all of which were approved or performed by you, or at your request or under your ostensible authority, which have had a detrimental effect to the governments, NICIL’s and the State’s best interest,” the letter stated. These illegalities included, but are not limited to, according to the AG, the issuance of various leases of various NICIL properties located in Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara without public tender, valuations, board approval, Cabinet approval, review by approved NICIL counsel and ensuring that the issued leases contained the standard and customary provisions relating to the termination and nonassignment and other protections to NICIL. Secondly, the AG flagged Heath-London for the issuance of approximately 14 agreements of sale and leased for NICIL land located at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and the subsequent vesting of seven tracts of lands without ensuring that full payment was received for those lands in accordance with the terms of relevant agreement, and without ensuring that the vesting orders issues were drafted by approved NICIL counsel or contained the usual and customary language sufficient to protect NICIL’s interests.
Sunday November 01, 2020
Kaieteur News
BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY! In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our page seven to be blunt on ongoing indecency in our land that should matter,not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation. SUNDAY Why did former President Ramotar help the Canje Block owners so much? Why did Mr. Ramotar not show the SAME LOVE for his own people? Why did then leader Ramotar give so much to Canje owners? Why do PPP leaders today dodge and duck, runaway and hide, on Canje? MONDAY What is wrong with the media in Guyana, including those on social media? Why are they ignoring the stealing of the country’s oil wealth? The theft of our oil wealth is a matter of public concern. The failure of many of our media houses to highlight the loss of these resources amounts to a dereliction of media responsibility. We challenge the other media houses - including those who utilize social media - to join us in exposing this Ponzi scheme which is taking place with the country’s wealth. TUESDAY Guyanese your future is being snatched from right in front of your eyes. Our leaders are giving the country away. And where there is “giving”, there is bound to be “getting”. What are you getting? Nothing! It is time for you to stop following leaders who are fattening their geese while yours are starving. By what authority does
anyone have to give away an oil block worth billions of US dollars for free? It is time to demand an international investigation into the Ponzi scheme involving our oil blocks. WEDNESDAY The Diplomatic Corps raged about transparency during the elections. And rightly so! Should they not be equally concerned about TRANSPARENCY about Guyana’s OIL? Democracy is a foreign policy interest of Western nations. Democracy requires transparency both in elections and in the economy. If democracy entails transparent elections, then democracy also requires transparency in the allocation of economic resources. If it is wrong to steal an election, then it has to be wrong to steal our oil wealth. THURSDAY Flipping lands and oil blocks seems to be the specialty of our political leaders looking out for themselves and to hell with the national interest. The Government has rightly exposed allegations of the PNC’s Mr. Bond flipping lands and benefitting from almost US$1 million. If that is a bad thing, how about the flipping of the Canje and Kaieteur Oil Blocks with billions of barrels of oil? Is flipping of oil blocks not bad too, and causing Guyana to lose billions of US dollars?
People, pay keen attention to how our politicians operate once they are in power. FRIDAY If it is true that Mr. Bond flipped state lands and benefitted personally, then he must have had help from higher-ups to pull it off. Similarly, regarding the flipping of the Canje and Kaieteur oil blocks, which higher-ups facilitated those deals? Can we get to the bottom of it and bring these corrupt people to justice? Politicians do not own Guyana’s resources. All resources belong to current and future generations. If politicians can get away with cutting deals and selling us out, where is our future? Why are we scratching for a living, and Guyana is the richest country in Caricom? SATURDAY The government is upset about allegations of Mr. Bond flipping State lands to “shell companies”. How about the number of “shell companies” working with the major oil operators now, and shell companies involved in the buying and selling of the Canje and Kaieteur Blocks? Is that not bad also? Should the government not be concerned and do something about those shell companies? Should there not be new laws to prevent this? Oh, the hypocrisy never ends!
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==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==
To Kwayana, I say I am proud of 50 years of tantrums Since the election rigging, I have engaged Eusi Kwayana over his racially driven attitude to the rigging. I would say I even have exposed what he has successfully hidden for over 80 years. In a voluminous letter in KN and SN last Wednesday, Kwayana says he stands by what is contained in his frequent letters regardless of the tantrums I throw in my columns. If my efforts to stop dictatorship in my country are regarded as tantrums, I want Eusi Kwayana to know I am proud of throwing tantrums the past 50 years as a social activists and newspaper columnist. My tantrums have always been on the side of rights, justice, liberty and the poor and powerless. I have never sided with any ethnic community that proclaimed inherent entitlements. I have spoken out against ethnic communities that discriminated against other Guyanese for racial reasons, even condemning the race group I was born into for such backwardness. My entire life in this country has been lived in the struggle for rights and justice that the poor and powerless
are entitled to. I am a working-class man from Wortmanville in South Georgetown and I have never neglected the class I came from. I had my political upbringing as a 16-year-old lad in the PPP where, at that age, I worked in the Michael Forde Bookshop owned by the PPP. My sojourn with the PPP was short-lived because the radicalism of youth drove me away.I ended up in the WPA but didn’t like what I saw. I contributed to the WPA efforts to free Guyana from the absolute tyranny of Forbes Burnham but, like when I was a 16-year-old in the PPP, I saw things I didn’t like. I have spent more than 20 years exposing the moral and political bankruptcy of the WPA. I supported the presidency of Cheddi Jagan but his administration failed to take Guyana away from the banality and aridity of party incestuousness and racial preferences and I became a critic of his government. I supported the presidency of Bharrat Jagdeo but his governance was characterized by all the sad and tragic things that made Guyana an unlivable place. My activism against Jagdeo almost cost
me my life twice. It cost me my job and much to my eternal chagrin, my wife’s job too. I wanted to see my country move away from the racial cauldron that it was living in since the mid-50s, so I gravitated to the Alliance For Change. I was a personal friend of one of its leaders, Khemraj Ramjattan. People have said that Kaieteur News and I played a small role in the PPP losing the elections in 2011 and 2015. They still tell me that today. I have no regrets for the shape of my activism in that period. I campaigned extensively for the AFC in 2015. When it came to office in 2015, in what must be one of the most degenerate displays of power drunkenness, the AFC became a moral shame on the face of this country. The PNC was no better. When David Granger came to power, I gave my support publicly. But Granger’s mask fell off as soon as he got power. The 2015 dispensation had failed Guyana. I used my pen relentlessly to expose both the AFC and PNC. People tell me that the Kaieteur News and I played a small role in the defeat of APNU+AFC in the 2020 election. I don’t know if
that is true but if it is, I am glad my tantrums helped to defeat the PNC and AFC. Then March 4 came with a man named Clairmont Mingo. From March 4, Mingo, the PNC and AFC, their racially fanatical surrogates and elements in GECOM tried to reintroduce naked power that Forbes Burnham once smothered Guyana with. If in exposing those vicious attempts to destroy Guyana, my activism was about throwing tantrums, then I am proud of all the tantrums I have thrown since I was 16. We come to President
Irfaan Ali. It is unreasonable for any independent mind not to give Dr. Ali a chance to govern. Dr. Ali went through a horrible period where for five months there were relentless attempts to deny him the presidency. I first met Dr. Ali when we both functioned as members of the Council of the University of Guyana. Though I was a strident critic of the PPP, Dr. Ali never showed me a hostile face. We worked closely on UG matters and developed a kind of friendship. He may go in wrong directions in the future and when that happens, my
Frederick Kissoon pen will write. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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Coronavirus: Where do we go from here? By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt Medical Center As the case numbers continue to increase in Guyana, behavioural change to help mitigate the spread is not consistent in the population. We have to be careful as the medical system is struggling to cope with the demands of managing the rise in COVID-19 cases, and the non- COVID-19 conditions that are also slowly increasing. As I said before, our medical system in Guyana was never designed to cope with a pandemic. The healthcare providers are literally putting their safety and lives at risk to ensure we continue to cope with the increasing demands. We need to implement and adhere to strategic measures to ensure the health system is not overwhelmed or we will all suffer greatly. The spread is too great and there is no turning back. What we do as
a people will determine how much we suffer or how fast we recover. Today, I will discuss options that will help promote the latter. What is the main goal? At this time, there is enough community spread that will see a continuation in the spread of the disease even if we were to lockdown. In any case, if we were to do a strict lockdown, we will still have to face the virus upon opening up; our economy would however be too weak from the lockdown and may be a major detriment to us fighting the pandemic. We therefore need to find a balance between moving the economy forward and preventing the medical system from becoming overwhelmed. The best way to do that is to slow down the disease spread but allowing sufficient public activity to sustain our economy. My focus today will be on interventions that will prevent the medical system from becoming overwhelmed. The economic measures are beyond my
expertise and once we get the medical interventions right, the economy will benefit. We need to take prevention measures seriously The key to fighting this disease is to avoid getting it altogether. By practicing preventative measures, we limit the spread of the virus and prevent our country from becoming overwhelmed. Imagine, if we all were to wear masks when we are out, the virus would be stopped in its tracks and we will all be able to thrive. Do not get deterred if others are not wearing their mask; studies are showing that even if 50% of the country wears their masks that would be sufficient to control the spread of the virus. In addition to mask wearing, we can boost our chances of winning by practicing these other measures: -Avoid crowded environments and deliberate gatherings -Social distance more than six feet when interacting with others
-Keep our hands clean at all times -Getting tested if we suspect we have the disease Utilize treatment options EARLY Another way we can prevent the system from becoming overwhelmed, is to minimize hospitalizations from the disease. You may be thinking that this is beyond your control if you were to get the disease. Actually, you may have more control than you know. Numerous studies have shown that there are medications once used early, can significantly reduce the chance of the disease progressing to the more severe form and thereby, preventing hospitalizations. These medications are now part of the National treatment guidelines and you can opt to use them even before getting your results. Once your doctor suspects that you have the disease, you can decide to initiate the treatment while you await your results. The earlier you start the following treatments, the
better your chances of preventing the severe form of the disease: -Hydroxychloroquine -Ivermectin -Azithromycin -Vitamins C and D and Zinc (you should use these daily to ensure your immune system is prepared to battle the disease) Do not hesitate to request these treatments early if your doctor suspects that you have the disease. You will be helping yourself and at the same time, avoiding hospitalization which is a key factor in preventing the system from becoming overwhelmed. How long will this last? This is not a question that anyone can definitively answer. The best answer is until we can find an effective vaccine and have sufficient numbers for everyone. This may take us to mid2021. In the meantime, we are in the middle of a surge which we need to control before it gets out of hand. If we were to take the actions that I described
Dr. Zulfikar Bux immediately, I am optimistic that we can have control of this virus by early November. We then should be able to sustain our livelihoods and ‘ride the tide� until a vaccine becomes available. I therefore urge you all to get on board and encourage others to be responsible so that we can all live through this pandemic. Let’s arm ourselves with our masks and battle this virus knowing that there are early treatment options available to help us in the event that we falter.
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>>> ENCOURAGING EVENTS, DISTURBING DEVELOPMENTS <<<
KN grenade orchestrators, NBS managers and another embarrassing opposition misadventure
By GHK Lall
T
he disturbing question is not who did it, but who was behind the KN grenade attack? No Guyanese should believe that agitated Guyanese simply took it upon themselves to hurl that grenade; or move to silence the witness since chillingly executed. It could be argued that some powers did not like the paper, due to its contents. As such, it would not be those armed with grenades, but those who sent them to do dirty deeds. The intellectual authorship source(s) could be from parliamentary assemblies, or party confines, or penthouse gatherings.
Powerful men took objection, so they contracted with freelancers to do their dirty deeds. Democracy, anyone? The matters involving two managers of the wellknown New Building Society (NBS) are at different stages of the court for the longest while. The one involving Operations Manager of the company, Mr. Kent Vincent, was first placed before the court in 2010. It took seven years before his matter was called. By any standards, in any jurisdiction, that is a very long time. Why so long? I understand backlogs and judges with huge caseloads, but to wait seven years for the initial call-up and hearing, seems to me to be a classic instance of justice delayed. Delayed to the point that it is found disturbing. I should mention that Mr. Vincent is a brother of mine, and he and his family have managed, despite this huge cloud hanging over his head and days. I
am encouraged that his day in court finally happened; only it took too long. Further, it has been almost three years since his case has been up at the higher tier of the court. In aggregate, this has to be a decade of torture. I understand better now, because of the specific instances involving Mr. Vincent and his former CEO, Maurice Arjoon (also known to me), the complaints of those who commit capital offenses of the long wait, which sometimes flare into the violence of the frustrated. I appreciate that there is waiting time involved, but seven years followed by another three in Mr. Vincent's civil matter rises to the level of an injustice by itself. A two to three years wait is understandable, but twice and thrice that is too long. The drawnout circumstances are familiar to those leaders, who can ease the situation efficiently. Change must happen soon; it must be now. N o w, t h i s c o n c l u d i n g development really disturbed. It
was the supposedly righteous ruckus raised by the opposition on the dual citizenship circumstances surrounding the Hon. Minister of Tourism, Ms. Oneidge Walrond. Of all the troubling material and pressing issues, at the hands of the senior PNC leadership and its agents, this one should have been a nonissue handled, at the most, as a minimal secondary concern. I think of this as a waste of precious time and energy by the opposition on whether or not the said minister is or is not a dual citizen currently (or was or otherwise when she assumed her ministerial office) does not rise to the level of a national priority. Someone has to be making a fool of the Guyanese public. No wonder opposition supporters are so disillusioned, when there are so
many other matters held dear by them that receive little to no reaction from their leaders. What next could be expected from this rickety house of pretenders and cards? It might be more cash, cricket or crickets, who knows? As I keep insisting, the world over governments are known to mislead and abuse their citizens. The current one in Guyana is no different, and has transformed perverse stealth operations to what is already a settled way of life. A vibrant and honest opposition is what keeps it in check, using a variety of strategies. Disturbingly, today's Guyanese opposition is a no show in this department. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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Hypnosis: Smile On Your Face- Money in Your Pocket Author: Shelley Stockwell-Nicholas, PhD Critic: Glenville Ashby, PhD The word hypnosis conjures diverse responses unrelated to its true meaning, i.e., an induction to a responsive state of awareness caused by suggestion. Erroneously viewed as mesmerism and magic, hypnosis still struggles to find its place in wellness and medicine.
Sunday November 01, 2020
Hypnosis - An Essential guide
Seeking legitimacy, professionals have used the related terms, hypnotherapy and hypnoanalysis, to lend clinical credibility to the field. A u t h o r a n d hypnotherapist Dr. Shelley Stockwell-Nicholas' pioneering contribution has now added to the groundswell of information on this intriguing subject. The author's approach is multi-layered and stripped of theatrics and delphic dribble. Hypnosis is less complicated than imagined. Moreover, it affords practical and accessible solutions to the most burdensome of
problems. Here, hypnosis is presented as a veritable modality, not only profitable for the highly trained professional, but also as an expedient tool that can be 'self-administered' by laypersons. Of the latter, Dr. Stockwell-Nicholas presents effective, self-inductive techniques. Her utilitarian presentation is refreshingly agreeable and there's much to glean from this literary treasure trove. It spurs i n t r o s p e c t i o n . We r e evaluate how we process information, and the implications are farreaching. Surely, we can draw parallels between the author's ethical precepts and the Hippocratic Oath. Good ethics are essential, a desideratum for the
professional hypnotist. The author explores the layers of the psyche, levels o f s u g g e s t i b i l i t y, a n d awareness (beta, alpha and delta); and the role of imagination in healing and self-realization. Change, she argues, takes place in the present. “What do you want?” she poses. “If you say, “Next week I'll make more money” or “ To m o r r o w I ' l l s t o p smoking,” the future time never comes. The subconscious will wait for next week or tomorrow before it begins to carry out instructions.” Moreover, she offers a slew of techniques, some of which are uniquely inviting. Visualization she writes, “increases the flow of blood, thereby increasing the oxygen and nutrition that nourishes and heals. A hypnotherapist helps you “real-eyes” your desires, tell yourself the truth, and the big picture.” Throughout, the Socratic precept: 'Man Know
Thyself,' is invoked.' We should be mindful of our thoughts, she pens. They are foundational to our behaviour and our station in l i f e . I n v a r i a b l y, w e hypnotize ourselves creating
mental constructs that work for or against our best interests. In other words, hypnosis occurs outside well-defined therapeutic settings. Indeed, hypnosis is (continued on page 58)
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Sunday November 01, 2020
STORY WITHIN THE
Curfew and Death Threat to GECOM Chair By Leonard Gildarie
T
wo stories in this publication caught my attention yesterday. One had to do with an apology to Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret'd) Claudette Singh, and the other…a further relaxation in the COVID-19 measures. The apology caught me by surprise. I have spoken to the GECOM chair from time to time. She abhors the spotlight. She would prefer to work in the system. However, the work of the chair of GECOM, in Guyana's context, can never be out of the spotlight. The five months after the March 2nd elections were eye-openers. For several reasons. I saw desperation that I could never believe existed in our midst. The pantomimes of court actions were just simply unbelievable. The delaying tactics were being witnessed by a world fixated with the Coronavirus pandemic. Politicians and their minions, on all sides, created fake accounts on social media, and went after all and sundry. During our radio shows, it became highly evident. Viewers and listeners alike were attacked for expressing a contrarian view. In fact, the racist comments were to the point of sickening. One of them our administrators had to block was under the name of 'Raheem Raahman' on Facebook. I remembered this one distinctly as there were heated debates on the use of that name. They are said to be Arabic words that speak of holy things to the Muslim world. Yet, this account was anything but holy. The administrators exercised their prerogative and blocked 'Raheem Raahman'. The person was obnoxious to the core. I am not sure why someone would want to hide their identity. If you are proud of your political and other affiliations, don't be afraid. I would want to believe that everyone has convictions that are so strong that they are proud of the political parties they are
attached to. In the case of the Madam Chair, the charge is serious. It pushed the retired judge to file a complaint. The police, using its Cybercrime Unit, was able to identify a face and name…Ryan Williams of Wismar, Linden, Region 10. According to Kaieteur News, he was charged on July 20, 2020, for using a computer system under the name “Raheem Raahman”. He was accused of threatening the GECOM Chair and her family between July 13, 2020 and July 14, 2020, at Wismar Linden. According to the report, under the fictitious name, Williams made a post stating, “If you Claudette Singh think you will declare fraudulent votes so that the PPP will win, well think again bcuz you and everybody in ur house will f@#$ing dead.” Williams, according to the report, initially denied the charge and was released on $500,000, bail. As a condition for the charge to be dropped against him, as requested by Justice Singh, Williams wrote a letter titled “RE: Formal Apology for Unacceptable Post Made on Facebook.” Williams admitted that the Facebook account under the name 'Raheem Raahman' was created and exclusively controlled by himself. He told the Chair that the threats to her life were reckless and irresponsible… “I take complete responsibility for my posts and wish to convey my sincerest apology to you and your family for the pain and any harm the threats would have caused.” Williams is said to be the first person to be charged under the Cyber Crime Act, Section 2, Chapter 19:1(b), “using a computer system to coerce, harass, intimidate or humiliate a person”. The nature of the charge alleged that, with intent to compel the GECOM Chair to do an act, which she is not legally bound to or to abstain from doing the act which she has a legal right to do, Williams allegedly threatened her and her family by using a computer system to publish
Leonard Gildarie or transmit computer data. I tried to bring you the details as much of it as possible. What struck me was the fact that it was the GECOM chair who reached across to have the charge dropped, once there is an apology from Williams. He was forced to publish the letter of apology in the newspapers. Cyber bullying is a serious matter. This past week, Guyana dealt with the devastating suicide of a teenaged son of a politician. I pray that no parent will ever have to go through that again. Guyana may want closure. Did our systems fail? What can we do to correct this? The second issue had to do with the further relaxation of the curfew. In new measures announced Friday by the Health Ministry, schools, according to the report that was published in this newspaper, will be allowed to open for the 2021 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) students, given that all necessary guidelines mandated are implemented. In recent days, the Ministry of Education has been engaged in deep discussions about the reopening of schools with both teachers and parents to come up with measures and solutions that ensure efficient learning and safety, the report says. The curfew moved from 9:00pm- 4:00am to 10:30pm- 04:00am. The adjustments are also to gyms…it must not be filled beyond 50 percent. Restaurants with outdoor dining, delivery services/curbside pick-up, gas stations, postal and shipping services, salons and barber shops, automotive repair shops and clothes, shoes and book stores can now operate from 4:00am to 9:30pm. Strict restrictions on indoor dining, social gatherings and the opening (continued on page 58)
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Kaieteur News
Negative Effects of Beer What Are the Benefits of Eating Salmon Fish?
Beer is an alcoholic beverage believed by many to be the oldest fermented drink. It is made by blending cereal grains like barley or other starchy sources like millet or corn with water and then fermenting the mixture with the use of brewer’s yeast. The fluid is also infused with hops to give it its characteristic bitter taste. Modern brewing methods typically clarify the fluid with a variety of clarifying agents so as to produce a distinctly clean and bright color. Currently the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage around the world, beer has its ill effects on health and so avoidance of the drink may be prudent. Read further and discover more about the negative effects of beer and why the Superhuman Food Pyramid recommends you avoid this source of hydration to help in your quest to Become Superhuman. Beer Risks: Alcohol consumption has long been linked to weight gain. Beer, in particular, takes most of the flak hence the term “beer belly” which refers to the infamous paunch often sported by regular consumers of the beverage. While intake may lead to weight gain in general, it is often associated with beer drinkers and the reason for this may be the drink’s popularity. After all, it is the third most widely consumed drink after water and tea. Alcohol intake, and beer consumption for that matter, bring about weight gain via a number of mechanisms. For one, a typical bottle of beer has anywhere from 120 calories to 150 calories. Because it is relatively cheaper than its other alcohol counterparts like wine, it’s essentially easy to overdo consumption. For another, beer promotes appetite. And so all those helpings of greasy pizza, chips, and chicken wings one eats while downing beers all contribute to the caloric overload. Alcohol breakdown takes precedence over fat burning as well. This means frequent
beer drinking coupled with heavy caloric intake from food can result in the fat to remain unmetabolized and therefore stored in the body as added mass. Beer is contraindicated in particular segments of the population as well. For instance, individuals who have chronic gastrointestinal disorders are advised against consumption of the beverage as it is associated with irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain and dyspepsia. Experts believe that alcohol use and anxiety disorder can both function as a trigger to the other and so those with conditions like depression or social anxiety disorder may do well to steer clear of beer. Nursing women are advised against intake, too, as alcohol is transferred to the milk and will then be consumed by the infant. Disturbed sleep and impaired gross motor development are the known side effects of infant alcohol ingestion from breast milk. Alcohol consumption, and beer intake for that matter, have long been associated with accidental injuries as well. Alcohol ingestion has been found to attract mosquitoes and so beer drinkers have an increased risk for bites and subsequently exposure to mosquito-borne illnesses like encephalitis, malaria, and dengue fever. Undue consumption also results in a variety of liver diseases such as alcoholic hepatitis or inflammation, and cirrhosis or scarring of the liver tissues. In fact, alcohol intake is the single most significant contributory factor for the cases of liver diseases in the United States. Beer contains ethanol, too, which when metabolized by the liver produces acetaldehyde. A known carcinogen, acetaldehyde is associated with oral cancer, gastric cancer, and breast cancer. In the next post, I’ll tell you the negative effects of mixed drinks and why you should avoid them to help in your quest to Become Superhuman. http:// superhumancoach.com.
According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium seafood watch, wild-caught Alaskan salmon is a sustainable food option, or a “best choice” for your health as well as the environment. Lower in saturated fat than beef, salmon is a heart-healthy fish. It is richer in omega-3 fats, a type of healthpromoting unsaturated fat, than most other fish varieties. Like most animal foods, it is rich in protein as well as many vitamins and minerals essential for human health. Vitamin B Rich Salmon is rich in many B vitamins. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, a cooked portion of wild Atlantic salmon provides 0.828 milligrams, or 48 percent of the recommended daily value, for vitamin B-2 and 17.13 milligrams of vitamin B-3, or 84 percent of the DV. These vitamins are important for energy metabolism as well as proper nervous system function. The same amount of cooked Atlantic salmon provides 1.6 milligrams of vitamin B-6 and 5.18 milligrams of vitamin B-12, or 80 and 86 percent of the DV for each nutrient, respectively. Vitamin B-6
helps break down stored energy, in the form of glycogen in the liver and muscles, into glucose to keep blood sugar steady. In addition, vitamin B-6 is essential for protein metabolism and synthesizing neurotransmitters or brain chemicals, such as serotonin, which regulates bodily functions. Vitamin B-12 is important for energy metabolism, supporting proper function of the nervous system and forming new cells. Source of Minerals Most varieties of seafood are rich in minerals, particularly the trace mineral selenium, and salmon is no exception. A 6-ounce cooked portion of wild Atlantic salmon provides nearly 80 micrograms, meeting over 100 percent of the DV of 70 micrograms. According to an article published in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” in July 2004, a low intake of this mineral may contribute to reduced immune function, increased risk of developing cancer as well as increased susceptibility to viral diseases. Salmon is a source of the major minerals phosphorus and potassium, meeting 42 and 44 percent of
the DV for each in a 6-ounce cooked portion, respectively. Phosphorus is needed to build and maintain strong bones. It activates certain enzymes and is necessary to form DNA. Potassium is important for regulating heartbeat and maintaining healthy blood pressure. Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids According to an article published in October 2006 in the “Journal of the American Medical Association,” consuming fish, especially fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, promotes optimal health of the cardiovascular system. Researchers reported that eating two 4-ounce portions of fatty fish weekly, or those rich in the marine omega-3
fatty acids known as eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, such as salmon, reduces overall risk of dying by heart disease by a significant 36 percent as well as total mortality by 17 percent. A 6-ounce portion of cooked salmon provides more than 3 grams of EPA plus DHA — and this amount has shown cardioprotective benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids may also help prevent high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis, systemic lupus, osteoporosis, depression, cognitive decline, brain disorders, skin disorders, asthma and breast, colon and prostate cancer, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. http://www.livestrong.com.
Urinary Tract Infections: Causes, Symptoms and Preventative Measures For women, the chance of getting a Urinary Tract Infection or UTI at least once is as high as your chance of getting the common cold or flu. In fact, there are a number of things women do, without realizing that it could actually lead to a UTI. In this feature, we will explore some of the causes, symptoms and treatments available for UTIs and how you can prevent it. Symptoms of UTIs Ï% A burning sensation during urination Ï% Pain or pressure in your back or lower abdomen Ï% Cloudy, dark, bloody, or strange-smelling urine Ï% Feeling tired or shaky Ï% Fever or chills (a sign the infection may have reached your kidneys) CAUSES / PREVENTION 1) Failure to maintain proper hygiene when using the bathroom can lead to a woman contracting a UTI. For example, if you wipe from back to front instead of the reverse, (the latter
being the correct thing to do), you can transfer bacteria from the anus to your urethra. The urethra is that short tube which removes urine from your bladder. Once bacteria like the escherichia coli move from the anus and enter the urethra, it can cause an infection. If left untreated, the infection can spread to the kidneys and cause further harm to your body. 2) Sex is also another cause of UTIs. The vagina is a self cleansing organ which releases its own mucus or bacteria. When engaging in sexual intercourse, the chances are high for bacteria to enter the urethra which is within proximity of the vaginal cavity. Be sure to urinate at least 30 minutes after sex to flush away any bacteria that may have entered your urethra. 3) Some women love to boast about the strength of their bladder, as they can go
for hours holding their urine. Researchers have found however that this is an unhealthy practice which provides a favourable environment for bacterial overgrowth, thereby leading to a UTI. 4) Failure to get as much water into your system can also lead to bacterial overgrowth in the bladder. 5) Using several birth controls within one month or less such as spermicides and diaphragms can also lead to the growth of bacteria in the urethra. 6) Other preventative measures which can be taken to avoid a UTI include; choosing showers over soaking in baths; wearing underwear with a cotton lining; increasing intake of Vitamin C or similar supplements to promote a healthy urinary tract; drinking lots of coconut water and cranberry juice and
incorporating yogurts and other probiotic foods into your diet. TREATMENT Once you have detected UTI symptom, it is recommended that you see a doctor for treatment. It is likely that your doctor will most likely prescribe a dosage of antibiotics. During this stage, it is recommended that you use a lot of water to flush your system of any lingering bacteria in your bladder and urethra. However, if it is not your first UTI and you have had more than two in the year, it may be best to ask your doctor for a treatment plan. These can range from a small dosage of antibiotics to be used after sexual intercourse or a set of antibiotics to be used at home after noticing symptoms.
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Sean Connery, Oscar Winner and James Bond Star, Dies at 90 Sean Connery, the Scottish-born actor who rocketed to fame as James Bond and became one of the franchise’s most popular and enduring international stars, has died. He was 90. Connery, long regarded as one of the best actors to have portrayed the iconic spy, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 and marked his 90th birthday in August. His death was confirmed by his family, who said that the actor “died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family” in the Bahamas. It’s believed he had been unwell for some time. His last acting role had been in Stephen Norrington’s “The League of Extraordinary Gentleman” (2003). Connery was an audience
favorite for more than 40 years and one of the screen’s most reliable and distinctive leading men. The actor was recently voted the best James Bond actor in an August Radio Times poll in the U.K. More than 14,000 voted and Connery claimed 56% of the vote. Global tributes poured in for Connery on Saturday following news of his death. In a statement, Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said Connery “was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words, ‘The name’s Bond… James Bond.’
“He revolutionized the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent. He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him,” said the producers. However, Connery — who made his debut in the first Bond film, “Dr. No” (1962) — also transcended Ian Fleming’s sexy Agent 007, and went on to distinguish himself with a long and mature career in such films as “The Wind and the Lion” (1975), “The Man Who Would Be King” (1975) and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989). His turn as a tough Irish cop in Depression-era
Enetworks to air Harry Potter Marathon on Nov 7
Chicago in Brian De Palma’s “The Untouchables” (1987) brought him a supporting actor Oscar. Even as he entered his seventh decade, Connery’s star power remained so strong that he was constantly in demand and handsomely remunerated. In 1999 he was selected People magazine’s Sexiest Man of the Century, and from his 007 days to “Entrapment” (1999), opposite the much-younger Catherine Zeta-Jones, his screen roles more than justified the choice. Age seemed only to intensify his sex appeal and virility. (https:/ /variety.com/2020/film/actors/ sean-connery-dies-oscarwinner-and-james-bond-stardead-at-90-1234820498/)
Enetworks to air New Season of His Dark Materials November 16 Come November 16, the Enetworks team will be airing the new season of His Dark Materials at 10PM. For those unfamiliar with the show, His Dark Materials is a fantasy drama television series based on the novel series of the same name by Philip Pullman. It is produced by Bad Wolf and New Line Productions, for BBC One and HBO, with the latter handling international distribution. The eight-episode first series premiered on November 3, 2019 on BBC One in the United Kingdom
After being pulled from Netflix, it appears that HBO will be the new home for the beloved Harry Potter series. In fact, the Enetworks team has noted that there would be a Harry Potter Marathon which kicks off November 7. The series sequence in order are: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer ’s Stone (2001), Harry Potter and the
Chamber of Secrets (2002), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Harry Potter and the HalfBlood Prince (2009) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2010/2011.) For the uninitiated, Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling.
and on November 4 on HBO in the United States and other markets. Before the series premiered, His Dark Materials was renewed for a second series of seven episodes, which is set to premiere on 8 November 2020 in the United Kingdom, and on 16 November 2020 in the United States. The series is set in a multiworld reality, with the action moving from one world to another. The story begins in an alternative world where all humans have animal companions called dæmons, which are manifestations of
the human soul. The series follows the life of a young girl named Lyra who is an orphan living with the scholars at Jordan College, Oxford. As in Pullman’s novel, Lyra discovers a dangerous secret that involves Lord Asriel and Marisa Coulter. In her search for a missing friend, Lyra also uncovers a series of kidnappings and its link to a mysterious substance called Dust, which leads her on a journey of epic proportions and will lead to her crossing paths with a boy named Will.
The movies which are based on the novels chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is a wonderous wordl you would be hooked on from the first movie. Do enjoy.
Wine of the week: The Carlo Rossi Rose The Carlo Rossi Rose which is distributed by Ansa McAL and readily available at most supermarkets for
under $2500, is a refreshing wine with flavours of fresh strawberries and sweet cherries. It can be enjoyed with a variety of dishes, ranging from meat and fish dishes and fruit desserts. The wine has a pleasant mild flavour and exquisite colour. Carlo Rossi Red and White wines are made from
the most delicious grapes from the Central Valley of California. The characteristics of those grapes evolve from year to year but Carlo Rossi wine has always been served in a sturdy glass jug. With Carlo Rossi wines, one can always count on quality and value.
Sunday November 01, 2020
Kaieteur News
Democracy is not guaranteed by ... From page 24 those responsible, something he is unlikely to do, given the impracticality of it. Therefore, an uneasy truce is more likely with the troops staying in their barracks, and the commanders maintaining their constitutional role. At least for now. Bolivian society is riven by deep ethnic divisions. Racist discourse, religious bigotry and regional rivalry have long been a feature of the country's politics. The hostility has re-emerged in a nation divided between a wealthier, more Europeandescended lowland east and a more indigenous, poorer, highland west. This situation will call for careful handling by the new Arce government. While those opposed to his government on grounds of ethnic superiority are a minority, they comprise the far-right which is given to violence, and have links to other far-right, ideological groups in the hemisphere. In seeking reparations for slavery, CARICOM countries have made it clear that they also want reparation for genocide against indigenous people. That is why shortly after Añez's government took office, Ambassadors representing the 14 independent CARICOM nations at the OAS, produced a resolution, taking a strong position against discrimina-
tion and violence toward the indigenous people in Bolivia. It was adopted by a majority vote of only one vote to the vexation of governments at the OAS, allied to the Añez government. Fortunately, on October 21, with no shred of doubt surrounding the will of the majority of the Bolivian people in the 2020 elections, the US government declared that it “looks forward to working with the new, democratically elected government on matters of mutual interest”. Nonetheless, unease remains among some hemispheric nations ruled by a particular ethnic and rightist elite. Consequently, the situation in Bolivia will now have to be watched carefully for attempts to undermine Arce's government by forces inside and outside the country. Democracy is not guaranteed by elections alone. Nations that care about democracy will have to help safeguard it. (The writer is Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador to the U.S. and the OAS. He is also a senior fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of Toronto. The view expressed are entirely his own.) Responses and previous commentaries: www.sirronaldsanders.com
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The Clown Statue
A girl in her teens babysat for a wealthy family one night. The wealthy family had a very large house with many rooms. It was filled with lots of artefacts and old ornaments from all over the world. As the parents were leaving to go out, the father
told the girl that once the she put the kids down, she must go down to the basement, watch TV there, and not go wandering around the house. Once the kids are asleep, the girl retires to the basement room to watch TV. H o w e v e r, s h e c a n n o t concentrate on her show because in the in the corner of the room is a life-size clown statue grinning at her. She finally decides to drape a blanket over the statue so she can ignore it. After a while she can’t stand looking at the clown statue’s over-sized feet sticking out from under the blanket. She decides to call the father and ask his permission to watch TV in
another room, because she is freaked out by the giant clown statue in basement room.“Listen very carefully,” says the man to the girl. “Our children have been complaining about a clown that comes into their room in the middle of the night. We just thought it was nightmares. We don’t own a clown statue. You need to get the kids and get out of the house NOW! I’ll call the police.”The girl hangs up the phone, turns around to look at the covered clown statue, but all there is a blanket on the floor! She hears steps coming down the basement stairs.
Sunday November 01, 2020
Junior page Cheap trash bag Halloween decorating In a burst of festivity, I decided we should have some Halloween decorations in the house. Something 1) dramatic, 2) super cheap, and 3) didn’t require me to go to the store. Behold: trash bag spiderwebs. To make these, lay a trash bag out flat. Trim off the side and bottom seams so you’re left with two big rectangles of plastic. Cut each piece into an approximate square (eyeballing it is fine.) Each square will make one spider web. Fold one of the squares in half diagonally to form a triangle. Fold that triangle in half two more times to narrow it. This is slippery stuff, so use a few pieces of tape to fasten the layers together where the loose folded edges come together. It will help hold the shape together when you’re cutting. (If any of the tape turns out to be on the web itself after you’ve cut it out, remove the pieces before unfolding or the web won’t be able to open up.) Use a black Sharpie to sketch some guides on the plastic: draw a “stem” from the
folded point out to the end of your triangle. Then sketch some scallops that come off the stem, like in the diagram below. With a scissors, cut out the negative shapes and unfold your web. Tape several webs together and add extra strips of plastic to connect them if you like.
(http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/)
I want to be Good I think it is only right That I must always try to be good, To say and do the correct thing, And behave as well as I could. I will always try to be honest, In whatever I have to do, Not to take what belongs to others, And always speak what is true. I will try to be always fair, Whenever I work or play, Always make sure I do not cheat, And be honest in every way. Above all, I will not be selfish, Especially with those who have less than me; This will make me feel so good, As they become grateful to me.
Kaieteur News
Sunday November 01, 2020
TEEN TIME
Prepare for the Future by adopting Right Principles
When the time comes for a teenager to leave school and go out into the wider world to start life as an adult citizen and worker, he would obviously be hoping that he will begin in the right way. He must therefore realise that he will need to think about this before moving forward. There are many people who feel that they can achieve success and happiness by means which are not honest and fair to others, even to the point of making them suffer. The unfortunate thing is that these people may appear for some time to be prospering in life, so much so that others are tempted to follow their example and likewise forget the principles they have been taught, and resort to their type of behaviour. But if you have the opportunity to check on these same people later, you will always find that they have reaped the same kind of reward that they have sown. Treat people in a bad way, and it will come back to you when you least
expect. Neglect your duty, be dishonest in your dealings with others, and you will eventually suffer the consequences, perhaps at the time when you can least afford it. It is a fact that one of the laws of nature is that what goes around comes around, and this is just as true of our actions as the earth moving around the sun. Whatever you do in this world will work to determine your future progress and happiness. Sometimes we feel that doing good will not be observed, but you can never tell when this is noticed by others. However, just knowing that
you have done a right thing, especially when it shows no immediate benefit to you, can be reward enough, and moreover the reward will surely come. Whenever you are faced with a challenging situation remember that the way you react will determine what you will reap in the long run. This must surely prompt you to ask yourself in any situation what is the right thing to do, and take the high road, not reacting but acting always according to what you have identified as right principles. Then you can rest assured that all will turn out right in the end.
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This day won’t come again I’ll never see this day again, The seconds or the hours, Now’s the time to take the time To stop and smell the flowers. Today’s the day to give smiles And some happiness away, And the sunshine you were saving For some dark and rainy day. This day is truly priceless, God made this day so new, The good deed you do for another May just come back to you. I have so many thanks to give, I scarce can even start, For when I try to add them up, More pour forth from my heart. I’ll take what the Lord has given, Drawn from His grace so true, In gratitude for all I take, I’ll give myself to You.
Bridges Connect these islands with bridges until each island can be reached from any other island, and each island has as many outgoing bridges as its number. You may only connect islands vertically or horizontally and bridges may not cross. There may be one or two bridges connecting pairs of islands, but no more than two. Each puzzle has a unique solution that can be found without making guesses.
So touch a heart, hold another’s hand, Call that lonely friend, Share the love that you must have, For this day won’t come again.
Use principles rather that your feelings as the guidelines of your life to ensure you are always on the right path to success and happiness.
Solutions to last week’s
Kakuro
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Sunburn Natural and Home Remedies for Severe Sunburns Sunburn is the result of too much exposure to the sun, or a sun-equivalent (such as a tanning bed or other UV source). Sunburn is most common during the summer when the sun’s rays are the strongest. Mild sunburn symptoms include skin redness and pain. After about 4-7 days, skin peeling may occur. Severe sunburn symptoms are called sun poisoning and may include: Skin burning and blistering Fluid loss (dehydration) Electrolyte imbalance Infection To prevent sunburn: Stay out of the sun Cover your skin Wear protective eyewear When in the sun (you can get burned even if it's cloudy) use SPF (sun protection factor) 30 or higher Avoid tanning beds If you are sunburned, stay out of the run until the burn fades. Drink lots of water, sports drinks, or juice to stay hydrated, and keep your house cool using air conditioning or fans. Home remedies for sunburn include cool compresses and baths, some essential oils and herbs, certain foods or supplements, and over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. List of Drugs that Cause a Severe Reaction to the Sun Sun sensitive or photosensitive drugs are drugs that cause a moderate to severe skin reaction that is similar to a severe sunburn when the exposed to the sun (UV rays), usually on the forehead, nose, hands, arms, and lips. The reaction usually appears within 24 hours of exposure. Many drugs and other medicine can cause a phototoxic reaction when exposed to the sun, for example: Antibiotics, for example, amoxicillin and clavulanate (Augmentin). Statins. Diabetes drugs. Pain killers. https://www.medicinenet.com/natural_home _remedies_for_sunburn_treatment/article.htm
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Deron Adams takes the reins of ... From page 22 prominent people in the community, could adopt Senior Citizens and give support. We provide hampers and we bake cakes for their birthdays and take it to them and also engage in a number of other initiatives that benefit them." A passionate youth advocate, Adams has made representation to a number of sponsors both overseas and locally, in his quest to acquire sporting gears for those involved in sports. Thanks to his efforts, soon cricket and football gears and two basketball backboards, along with lights, will be handed over to youths in the Retrieve area.He is optimistic, that through their involvement in sports, youths will become more focused in academics and thus achieve higher grades.This would eventually result, in a lower drop-out rate and by extension a lower crime rate in Region 10, Adams reasoned.Our new Regional Chairman was responsible for collaborating with others to purchase house lots for Region 10 athletes: Daniel Williams, Deshauna
Skette and Chantoba Bright."I always encourage youths to be innovative. If you don't like something, change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it!” GRATITUDE According to Adams, “I'm grateful to all those persons who played a part in me being the person I am today. I'm genuinely concerned about our people. I'm very concerned about our social and economic well-being.” Just last week, he said, “I met a mother and her twoyear-old baby that needs heart surgery and immediately I made representation.” Adams said too, “I engaged many of the donors and
folks in the diaspora to support the baby because I want to leave an impression and impact people's lives. I want to hear their stories so that I can craft policies that would fix issues that affect our people."With regard to education and empowerment, Adams has given tangible support to health workers, through the timely donation of books to the Charles Rosa School Library. He also, quite recently, handed over PPEs to frontline workers and others who had complained of insufficient supplies. His mission, he said, is to serve the Region to the best of his ability in helping it to realise its full potential.
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Hypnosis - An Essential guide From page 42 a quotidian phenomenon evidenced in marketing, politics and religion. Overtime, thoughts form pattens that bury themselves in the subconscious mind, creating in time, our heaven or hell. “Thoughts are things,” the author posits. “You intuit energy and thoughts are energy! What you think
consciously and subconsciously manifests as reality. Your thoughts influence your behaviour. Your thoughts also create the energy between yourself and others.” The mind, she contends, harbours infinite potential. She belabours the point. “Create joy and abundance, weed limiting attitudes from your garden of
mind. Then replant positive attitudes. Fertilize and till the soil by identifying limiting beliefs and patterns. “Your superconscious mind encompasses and permeates all levels of awareness. It is the big picture. Your higher self blesses you with profound wisdom. All personal transformation, healing, and bliss, tap this consciousness.
When you bring subconscious patterns to conscious awareness you can easily revise or replace them. We are reminded that the hypnotist is neither magician nor hierophant and that suggestions “work best with a readiness for change.” The author expounds, “Changing something starts w i t h a d e c i s i o n . We transform our lives only
Sunday November 01, 2020 when we are ready. Success revolves around our decision to change. What are you ready to change now?” She adds, “Most people, who make an appointment with a hypnotist, expect and are ready to accept positive results. What you expect b e c o m e s y o u r r e a l i t y. Readiness for a change stacks the deck for successful hypnosis.” On suggestions, the crux of hypnosis, Dr. StockwellNicholas cautions, “Keep suggestions simple and direct. The subconscious takes and carries out brief and definitive suggestions. Link suggestions to personal images and personal emotions: for example: 'I am filled with pride as I see myself as slim and trim and attractive in everyway.'” To t h e p r a c t i c i n g hypnotherapist, she adjures, “Speak directly and c o m m u n i c a t e c l e a r l y, actively listen, speak to the person's dominant senses, If you give visual suggestions and the client is not visually dominant they may think they weren't hypnotized. A common misconception is that all people are visually dominant. You perceive via your dominant senses.” And of self-hypnosis, the author presents several methods to induce the hypnotic state. She explains, “The easiest way to practice self-hypnosis is to take advantage of natural spontaneous trances. Just before getting out of bed in the morning and just before drifting to sleep at night are good times to take on suggestions. What you say to yourself as you fall asleep is repeated inside your brain again and again as you slumber. So “sleep-on” a decision and the right answer will reveal itself in the morning. Your diligent
deeper mind continues to work on request all the time. She instructs, “Count backwards from ten to one, and sense yourself entering step-by-step, into a special place in your imagination. Imagine going down, down, down a stairway step-bystep... You now go deeper and deeper and deeper...” Another technique offered is counting of the breath while using the dominant sense. And quite interesting is the 'Chair Reverse Dizzy' induction, a boon for the professional hypnotist. “Put a coin on a chair seat and have the client look at the coin while walking round and round the chair. Go round and round the chair looking at the coin. Round and round. Good. In a moment you'll reverse your direction and sit down. As I gently rotate your head you'll go deep into hypnosis.” Dr. Stockwell-Nicholas has delivered a tome of instructive and relevant lessons - timely -especially in an age of competing digital information driven by excess and groupthink. That we are creators of our reality is unmistakably and repeatedly spelled out. The author own words: “what you expect becomes your reality,” leaves much to the imagination. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) 'Hypnosis: Smile On Your Face - Money in Your Pocket' by Shelley StockwellNicholas, PhD Publisher: Creativity Unlimited Press, California, USA www.HypnosisFederation .com ISBN 978-0-912559-179 Available at Amazon Ratings: ***** Essential
Curfew and Death Threat... From page 44 of rum shops and bars remain. The new measures are for November. It is important to recognize that this government has taken some bold steps. They recently allowed airlines to start operations again, but under controlled circumstances with PCR test results mandated before passengers can travel. We are facing tough times. There can be controlled measures that will allow some semblance of business activities, but these have to be followed to the tee. There are also talks to monitor all patients testing positive for COVID-19, using a tracking app which
raised alarm bells if that person leaves his or her home will under isolation. The fact is that our borders are open and people are coming. The fact is Europe and several parts of the US are battling a second wave. The cases are increasing, the numbers are climbing. The news that the Cheddi Jagan International Airport has reported not one case from incoming passengers, says a lot. It means that systems can help. The two issues are food for thought. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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Deportation Nation By Attorney Gail S. Seeram
I
n fiscal year 2019, ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers arrested approximately 143,000 aliens and removed more than 267,000 – which is an increase in removals from the prior year. In fiscal year 2018, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Custom
Enforcement (ICE) together carried out 337,287 removals of unauthorized immigrants, a 17 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Department of Homeland Security. But removals remained below the levels recorded during much of the Obama administration, including a three-year period between fiscal 2012 and 2014 when there were more than 400,000 per year.
So, the United States has seen more removals or deportation under the Obama administration than under the Trump administration. ICE, which handles majority of deportations, said in its most recent yearend report that its removal operations have encountered several challenges, including a growing backlog of cases in the immigration courts and “judicial and legislative constraints” that
make it difficult to deport minors and family members. Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) manages a detained and nondetained docket which includes aliens in all stages of the immigration process across the country. During fiscal year 2019, ICE's detained and nondetained dockets both reached record highs in fiscal year 2019, overwhelmingly due to the historic levels of CBP
apprehensions at the Southwest Border. In fiscal year 2019: * 73 percent of all initial book-ins to ICE custody resulted from CBP apprehensions, while overall initial book-ins to ICE custody increased 29 percent compared to FY 2018 and 58 percent compared to FY 2017. * E R O ' s Av e r a g e Daily Population in custody reached 50,165 in FY 2019, an increase of 19 percent compared to FY 2018. At times, ERO's d e t e n t i o n population exceeded 56,000. * I C E ' s Av e r a g e Length of Stay for its detained population was 34.3 days, which decreased from 39.4 days in FY 2018 and 43.7 days in FY 2017. * The number of aliens on ICE's non-detained docket surpassed 3 million cases for the first time (3.2 million), up from 2.6 million cases at the end of FY 2018
Attorney-at-law, Gail S. Seeram and 2.4 million at the end of FY 2017. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) Attorney Gail Seeram, LL.M., J.D., BBA Call | Text 407-292-7730 WhatsApp 407-3531363 E m a i l : Gail@GailLaw.com L i v e C h a t : www.GailLaw.com Download FREE App: Gail Law NOTE: Immigration Law Offices of Gail S. Seeram offer a free consultation to discuss related fees for a process and explain options. Our office will NOT tell you how to complete the legal process on your own. If y o u s e e k l e g a l representation, then legal fees will be due to our office. Copyright ©Law Offices of Gail S. Seeram, 2020. All Rights Reserved.
Sunday November 01, 2020
g ts in s... re ture e t In rea C
T
he cotingas are a l a r g e f a m i l y, Cotingidae, of suboscine passerine birds found in Central America and tropical South America. Cotingas are birds of forests or forest edges, that are primary frugivorous. They all have broad bills with hooked tips, rounded wings, and strong legs. They range in size from 12–13 cm (4.7–5.1 in) of the fierythroated fruit-eater (Pipreola chlorolepidota) up to 48–51 cm (19–20 in) of the Amazonian umbrella bird (Cephalopterus ornatus). Cotingas vary widely in social structure. There is a roughly 50/50 divide in the family between species with biparental care, and those in which the males play no part in raising the young. The purple-throated fruit crow lives in mixed-sex groups in which one female lays an
Kaieteur News
Cotinga egg and the others help provide insects to the chick. In cotinga species where only the females care for the eggs and young, the males have striking courtship displays, often grouped together in leks. Such sexual selection results in the males of these species, including the Guianan cock-of-the-rock, being brightly coloured, or decorated with plumes or wattles, like the umbrella birds, with their umbrellalike crest and long throat wattles. Other lekking cotingids like the bellbirds and screaming piha, have distinctive and far-carrying calls. In such canopydwelling genera as Carpodectes, Cotinga, and Xipholena, males gather high in a single tree or in adjacent trees, but male cocks-of-the-rock, as befits their more terrestrial lives,
give their elaborate displays in leks on the ground. The females of both lekking and biparental species are duller than the males. Nests range from tiny to very large. Many species lay a single egg in a nest so flimsy that the egg can be seen from underneath. This may make the nests hard for predators to find. Fruiteaters build more solid cup nests, and the cocks-of-the-rock attach their mud nests to cliffs. The nests may be open cups or little platforms with loosely woven plant material, usually placed in a tree. The clutches comprise one to four eggs. Incubation typically takes fifteen to twenty-eight days. Fledging usually occurs at 28–33 days. Deserts, open woodlands, coastal mangroves, and humid tropical forests. Cotingas
face very serious threats from loss of their habitats. The family Cotingidae was introduced by the French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1849. According to the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), as of July 2020 the family contains 66 species divided into 25 genera. A 2014 molecular phylogenetic study of the cotingas by Jacob Berv and Richard Prum found that the genera formed five monophyletic clades and they proposed that the family could be divided into five subfamilies. (Source: Wikipedia)
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Sunday November 01, 2020
Fake HIV test kits to Health Ministry…
Supplier face court again tomorrow T
he charge against one of the country's biggest local pharmaceutical supplies companies is expected to continue tomorrow in the Leonora Magistrates' Courts before Magistrate Zameena AliSeepaul. The company, Caribbean Medical Supplies Inc., is charged with allegedly supplying the Ministry of Health with expired HIV test kits. The company is being
represented by the Area Manager, Davendra Rampersaud, with the matter being prosecuted by Shemroy Pompey, a Drug Inspector for the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GAFDD). The GA-FDD earlier this year charged Rampersaud for supplying 400 of the testing kits with misleading representation, a violation of the Food and Drugs Act of 1971. According to the particulars of the charge, on
January 16, 2020, Caribbean Medical Supplies Inc. allegedly sold and supplied 400 units (20 packs) of Unigold HIV Test Kits, Batch #HIV7120026. It was reported that a quantity was later seized by the GA-FDD from the Materials Management Unit of the Ministry of Public Health, at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, and from local hospitals and laboratories. The case had dragged in the World Health Organization (WHO), which
issued an alert. The probe was launched after an Irish manufacturer in January last wrote to the former Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, warning that it is aware that there are counterfeit UniGold HIV test kits in Guyana. The Irish company supplied photographic evidence, which indicated clearly that the kits expired since July last year. The company, Trinity Biotech, in its complaint, named
Area Manager of Caribbean Medical Supplies Inc., Davendra Rampersaud Caribbean Medical Supplies. According to the manufacturer, the fake boxes were created with expiry dates extended by 17 months
and the kits repacked in them. The Irish pharmaceutical company said that the products were already six months out of date when it was brought to Guyana. Trinity Biotech also claimed that its Trinidadbased authorized distributor, Transcontinental Medical Products Limited, is the only authorized distributor for the Uni-Gold kits to Guyana and it had not participated in the transaction. In fact, Trinity called on Lawrence to remove the expired kits from testing centres immediately as they posed health risks to patients. The company had filed a complaint with the WHO. Trinity said that it had previously complained about Caribbean Medical Supplies to the Ministry.
Ward Maid Coleen Gregory... From page 17 symptomatic. “So far, we never got anyone dying in the institution nor any critical patients, but most of our patients are asymptomatic. It's the scariest part because sometimes I'm walking out on my way home and all I can do is pray because I don't know what I may be taking home to my family,” she intimated. Ms. Coleen said that she is mostly fearful for the safety of her family. Presently she lives at Queenstown with her husband Eon Inniss and her 15-year-old niece. She is also a mother of two boys, Nickoli and Keno Inniss. When asked what it is like being a mother while working on the frontline, Ms. Coleen said, “It really can be stressful being a mother and working on the frontline. My husband for instance is a diabetic, sometimes when I'm alone I sit and think because sometimes you don't know what you're bringing home. While the virus can have a minor effect on me, it may have a deadlier effect on him.” NEEDED SUPPORT Despite all the challenges on the frontline, Ms. Coleen said that the support she has received from friends, family and even work mates, have been enormous. She told Kaieteur News that the team in the quarantine department has been tremendously supportive. “I get the courage from my colleagues,
even though they are nurses and doctors, they still give me that support and that gives me even more courage to go to work on a daily basis because I say to myself 'I can't leave them in a dirty place to work…' My medical superintendent has also been supportive because if something happens, she tries to get it sorted out within the shortest possible time.” Ms. Coleen said that the members of her church, the House of Praise Assembly of God, has been instrumental in rendering support. “Sometimes the Pastor will call and pray with me whenever I need support, then from time to time other members will call to check up on me to see how I'm doing. Not forgetting the support she receives from her family circle, she said, “I get support from my husband because he takes me to work. My son if I'm tired, he takes me home. My sisters will also call and ask if I'm okay because I'm the eldest. My aunt who is in Georgetown, she calls every three days. My dad also checks up to see if I'm doing ok. I have my mom, she's blind but still puts forth the effort to find out if I'm okay…when my son drops off her food she would ask if I'm okay then I'll call her,” Ms. Coleen shared. For staying focused on the mission to help keep the nation safe from her post as a Ward Maid, today we at Kaieteur News recognise Ms. Coleen as our 'Frontline Worker of the Week'.
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Sunday November 01, 2020
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Police to assist in removing child beggars from streets - Child Care says parents will be held accountable Director of the CPA, Ann Greene
A
s the Child Care and Protection Agency (CPA) takes a further leap into removing child beggars from the streets of Guyana, the Guyana Police Force will be assisting to make the move more effective. This was stated by the Director of the CPA, Ann Greene, in a telephone interview with Kaieteur News yesterday. She explained that the police will be responsible for enforcing the law on persons found guilty of enabling child begging. Recently, the Director has been stressing the importance of having parents/guardians and anyone else who allow child begging, or forces a child to beg on the streets, to be charged to the full extent of the law. The agency over the months has picked up a number of child beggars from the streets of Georgetown and they are being housed by the agency. Reports stated that many of them were picked up by
traffic lights and other areas around the city. Greene also stated that having these children on the streets puts them in a vulnerable position. She highlighted that many child beggars find themselves being sexually exploited, among other atrocities. The Director urged persons to desist from giving these children money because that makes them a part of the exploitation and “not a part of the solution”. Greene stated that they should desist from giving them “small change” but instead, these persons should work with the CPA to provide them with the assistance that they need by reporting them so their situations can be properly investigated. “ We c a n n o t a r r e s t random persons who hand out money to these children on the streets, but we are pleading with them to be our eyes. The Childcare and Protection Agency cannot do the job alone; wherever there are children wandering report them to the Agency, so
we can get them off the streets. Do not feed into the issue,” the Minister had previously stated. It was also disclosed that the CPA found that many of the children were living in homes where parents were substance abusers and they would usually take the
money to fund their alcoholic/drug related tendencies. Some parents were also found to be deliberately sending their children on the streets to go begging. Greene stressed that while stopping child begging is of priority, the children
also need to be protected. She has also reported that are at a high risk of catching the COVID-19 virus in light of the current pandemic. Even though the risk was acknowledged, the Director did assure that the agency has enforced measures to curb the potential spread of
the virus. These measures include medical check-ups once they are picked up and the establishment of isolation areas in the event of a child contracting the virus. No child within the facility has tested positive for COVID-19 to date.
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Sunday November 01, 2020
Sunday November 01, 2020
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Major 4-lane highway to link Parika, new Demerara River bridge
G
overnment is ag gressively moving to build a four-lane highway from the West Bank of Demerara to Parika. The highway will link up a planned new Demerara River harbour bridge which will land between Providence and Peter’s Hall, on the East Bank of Demerara, to the La Grange area, West Demerara. The Office of the Presi-
dent said that President Irfaan Ali and a team of Govern-
open u p lands for new
ment officials visited the proposed site for the road link from Parika to the landing site for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge on the Wes t Bank of
housing schemes and other developments on the West Demerara/East Bank Essequibo areas. Government is moving aggressively to build the new bridge which will not
Demerara. The president, along with engineers, army officials and others, visited several areas, and said that the roadway will
have to retract as is the situation with the 40-year-old one that is in place now and has outlived its efficiency.
STANDARDS IN FOCUS ISO 22000 CAN GUIDE THE PRODUCTION OF SAFE FOOD LOCALLY The month of October 2020, which is dedicated Agriculture Month in Guyana, has concluded and locally across the country, agricultural agencies took advantage of the many opportunities to showcase their contributions to the sector. At the international level, the International Organisation for Standardisation(ISO) also sought to make its contribution by educating organisations and businesses within the sector globally on food safety. ISO believes that it is critical to keep food safe ‘from farm to fork’ by ensuring hygienic practices and traceability at every step of the supply chain. These are essential tasks for the food industry and the ISO 22000 standard offers guidance to our local producers in this regard. ISO 22000:2018, Food Safety Management Systems – Requirements for any organization in the food chain, sets out the requirements for a Food Safety Management System. It defines what an organization must do to demonstrate its ability to control food safety hazards and ensure that food is safe for consumption. ISO 22000 applies to all
organizations in the food and feed industries, regardless of size or sector. Following the same HighLevel Structure (HLS) as other ISO Management System Standards, such as ISO 9001 (Quality Management), it is designed in a way that it can be integrated into an organization’s existing management processes but can also be used alone. Key potential benefits of using the standard include the ability to consistently provide food-related products and services that are safe and meet regulatory requirements, and improved management of risks in food safety processes. The standard also helps to demonstrate strong links to the United Nations’ Codex Alimentarius, which develops food safety guidelines for governments. It is based on the Codex principles for food hygiene and this enables authorities to refer to ISO 22000 in national requirements and government inspections to ensure that all the criteria for food safety are met. All ISO standards are reviewed and revised regularly to make sure they remain relevant to the marketplace. Hence, ISO 22000:2018 was revised to encompass the latest trends and food safety requirements
and is a timely response to the rising global challenges facing the food industry. It will also help to address the growing need to ensure we can trust current food security systems and that they are sustainable. ISO 22000:2018 includes improvements to definitions, including those that align with Codex Alimentarius. It also provides a new understanding of the concept of risk, distinguishing between risk at the operational level and the strategic level of a management system. Certification is not a requirement of ISO 22000 and many organizations benefit from using the standard without seeking certification. If you do opt to have your organisation or company certified, the first step is to find a reputable third-party certifying body as ISO does not perform certification. For further information, contact the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), which is the national ISO member. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) For further information, kindly contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0065, 219-0066 or 219-0069.
The President and the delegation on the exercise yesterday.
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Sunday November 01, 2020
Kaieteur News
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Great news for the oil companies but the Guyanese people get nada DEAR EDITOR, Great news for ExxonMobil, Hess and Esso – but what about the owners of the newfound oil reserves – NADA. The Guyanese people continue to be the poorest paid people in CARICOM (except Haiti), even though we are blessed with great natural resources – Gold, Diamond, Bauxite, other minerals, amazing and coveted forest species like Greenheart, Purpleheart, Mora, Baromali (for making plywood) and so many other marketable species of logs. Our soil type is great for the
cultivation of sugar, rice, permanent and cash crops, cattle rearing, and a host of other uses. Our abundance of fresh water from our pristine forest which can be sold at premium prices to many countries of the world. Added to the above blessings from the Almighty, we are now an oil producing nation. Yet, with a population of less than one million souls, we still stretch our hands like beggars for our development. Why is this so? The only conclusion I can come to is that we have a nation that is so divided that
we cannot differentiate the trees from the forest. Our politicians strive to hold on to political office by using the race card, and the population is so dumb that we surrender to them. How else can we describe such backwardness in a country that is so blessed with tremendous resources? When will Guyanese wake up from our slumber and realize that we have been taken advantage of for over 200 years. First, it was the British who enslaved our ancestors from Africa, then tricked the poor Indians out of India,
while at the same time planted distrust among the two ethnic group as they began to live in a very under-developed colony of the British Empire. The Dutch did not subscribe to the divisiveness of the British. Just look at Suriname and see how well the different ethnic group lives there. Each ethnic group in Suriname maintained their language (something the British took away from us) and lives peacefully among their fellow Surinamese even though they may vote for their own ethnic group. Maybe it would have been better for Guyana if we were
Why are we paying US$4.3 billion more for Payara when compared to Liza Phase 1? DEAR EDITOR, If you are lending money, you want to ask yourself two main questions as part of due diligence. The first, can the borrower repay the entire loan when the loan comes due. And, the other, are you being paid a fair interest rate for the risk you are taking on with a particular borrower. On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, during the Hess investor conference call, a question was raised by an investment analyst representing one of the largest banks in the world, JP Morgan. The analyst pointed out that the Payara capital cost of US$9 billion, came in higher than his expectations. What about the Government of Guyana, did the Payara capital cost seem reasonable when it granted the Payara production license? Now, there may be a good reason why the analyst asked the question. His bank, JP Morgan, had loaned US$1 billion to Hess in March 2020. JP Morgan would have performed their due diligence in March, likely taking into account the anticipated Payara capital costs before they loaned HESS a billion. Thus, with the Payara cost coming in above expectations, JP Morgan may be worried the loan is riskier than it first anticipated. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Hess did his best to explain why the capital cost came up to US$9 billion. He
first threw out some numbers and arrived at a US$7.5 billion figure and then added, “…, we do have some pre-sanctioned cost to add. And I know Exxon has got some additional contingencies beyond that.” This is a vague explanation to get to US$9 billion. The extra $US 1.5 billion is approximately the size of Guyana’s annual budget, and should be of great concern to the Government! The table below compares the gross capital cost per barrel across the first 3 wells of the Stabroek block they are Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2, and Payara. What jumps out from the table is on a per barrel basis, Payara capital cost at US$15/barrel is almost double that of Liza 1 at US$7.78/barrel. But Payara breakeven is US$32/barrel whereas Liza Phase 1 breakeven is US$35/ barrel, hence, one would have expected the capital cost per barrel for Payara would have been below US$7.78 per barrel. That means Payara is inflated by US$4.3 billion compared to Liza Phase 1. Liza Phase 1 Liza Phase 2 Payara Barrels (million) 450 600 600 Capital cost (US$, billion)
$3.5 $6 $9 Hess’s stated break-even cost (US$ per barrel) $35 $25 $32 Capital cost per barrel (US$ dollars) $7.78 $10 $15 This is not the first time the discrepancies in capital cost between wells in the Stabroek Block is being raised to the public. Almost a year ago, in November 2019, I raised a similar issue between Liza Phase 1 and Liza Phase 2, in a letter that was published in the Guyanese newspapers, see https:// www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2019/11/25/us1b-anomaly-inthe-liza-projects/. If one recalls, the original capital cost for Liza Phase 1 was US$4.5 billion but after Guyanese like Dr. Mangal pointed out issues, the cost was then reduced by US$700 million. Then reduced again, to a final amount of US$3.5 billion. Given our lack of ring fencing in the Stabroek Block, keeping the initial capital costs very high is one way for the oil companies to bridge the gap between the 18 wells to ensure the maximum 75% expense is maintained for many years. Even if the capital cost for Payara is eventually reduced, by then,
the next well would probably be approved ensuring we are bound to a measly 14.5% take from our oil resource for years. The US$1.5 billion that was padded to US$7.5 billion to arrive at US$9 billion capital cost for Payara deserves a more detailed explanation than what was given by the Chief Financial Officer of HESS. We have magnitudes more at risk than JP Morgan. On the Internet, you can find several hours of video and detailed explanation of every dollar of how Guyana’s US$1.5 billion budget will be spent. Did the Government of Guyana do a similar deep dive of US$9 billion cost of Payara? Thus, can it let the people know why the Payara capital cost is almost twice that of Liza Phase 1 on a per barrel basis? Additionally, why are we paying US$4.3 billion more for Payara when compared to Liza Phase 1? Yours truly, Darshanand Khusial on behalf of OGGN
colonized by the Dutch. The early leaders of our country, from Slavery and Indentureship, did put up some resistance to British rule. We have many heroes who faced the consequences of standing up to the British. Many of these heroes are of African and Indian descent. With the formation of the PPP in the early 1950’s, there was hope for the creation of a new people. The rest is history. What can we do to work together as a people? We have great politicians on all sides, yet we cannot seem to have a cohesive force to build a united Guyana. The murder of the West Berbice boys brought out the nastiness and divisiveness in us. It is deep rooted, and I believe that some of our politicians are doing their best to make it worst. On the other hand, we are encouraged by other politicians (old and new) who are working feverishly to bring our people together. My prayer is that the latter group will prevail. This brings me to the news from ExxonMobil that the Stabroek Block has an estimated nine (9) billion barrels of oil. I am of the view that by the time all the wells are explored within this block, we will have more than twenty (20) billion barrels of oil. The question is, “What does the people of Guyana get from these discoveries?” The only income we are assured of is the 2% royalty from this block. With estimated production of 9 billion barrels, we will receive 180,000,000 barrels in royalty. This amount will be spread over the life of the block. Using an estimated market price of US$40 per barrel, Guyana will receive a gross royalty of
US$7,200,000,000. Can we as a people demand a better royalty income from this block? The answer is a big YES. I do believe that the current Ali administration is working towards that goal. The average royalty that oilproducing countries receive from around the world varies based on the contract. Recently, we have seen Suriname receiving over 6% royalty on their oil resource, in addition to corporate tax on the profits made by the oil giants. The difference between Suriname and us is that Suriname’s oil industry is run by professionals not politicians. Will we get there? I believe that President Ali will chart a new direction for this industry, and I am of the view that we will get there soon. With a 6% royalty, Guyana could receive US$21,600,000,000 over the life of the block – i.e. US$14,400,000,000 more than the current contract. What about the sign-in bonus? If we could get ½ of 1% on the estimated gross revenue, that would amount to US$1,800,000,000 (using an average price of US$40/ barrel). Can we comprehend the gigantic leap our country can make with a better deal from our oil resource? Mr. Darsh Khusial and others from OGGN have written extensively on the lop-sided oil contract we have. Check out the website and see the great work this organization is doing. Kaieteur News has been the leading advocate for a better deal for Guyana. Sadly, the Guyanese seems unconcerned with the oil companies raping us as we continue to fight each other for political power. Yours truly, Charles Sugrim, CPA
Guyanese and the US Presidential... From page 6 in 1964 and 2015 and Secretary Pompeo, a Republican, saving democracy in Guyana. The history would show that it was the Republican Eisenhower Administration that supported the toppling of the 1953 PPP administration. But in all fairness, the Eisenhower also urged the restoration of constitutional rule in 1957. I did an analysis of dozens of polls conducted on the elections. I objectively conclude that Biden will win a landslide in the electoral votes and also obtain majority of popular votes. The electoral votes matter. A candidate needs 270 of the 538 votes. Biden is
projected to get over 300 votes. My analysis of the polls also finds that Democrats will capture the Senate and improve their hold on the House. I must confess that the polls were wrong in 2016 – showing a Trump defeat. So it is possible the polls could be wrong again. The contest in the swing or battleground states is close even though polls have Biden ahead. In terms of foreign policy implications for Guyana or the Caribbean or India, it would not matter much whichever candidate prevails on Tuesday except for immigration policy. Biden will reverse the restriction of Trump on US immigration. He will probably
also provide more development foreign aid to poor countries of the Caribbean and Africa. He will increase COVID assistance. But American investment, securing democracy, geostrategic security interests would remain the same relating to Guyana, Caribbean and India. Guyana will remain under US watch geo-strategic interests vis-a-vis Venezuela. Separately, in Richmond Hill, Little Guyana, Jennifer Rajkumar is on the ballot for State Assembly. Guyanese and other American voters are urged to vote for her and for candidates they feel will best represent their concerns in government. Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram
Sunday November 01, 2020
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Kaieteur News
Ruling on Liza permit shows Exxon...
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From page 15 doing its job. The other danger Janki mentioned, is the greenhouse effect. This is a natural process which involves a delicate balancing act between the radiation coming into and leaving the earth’s atmosphere. This balancing act is tipped over when increasing levels of greenhouse gases, much of which is caused by oil production, is released into the atmosphere, resulting in global warming. “When you burn fossil fuels you emit greenhouse gases that sit in the atmosphere and stop heat from escaping.” Janki explained. “The earth’s temperature has already increased by 1.10C and we are seeing massive storms, floods, coral bleaching, fires across the Arctic,
Africa, Americas, Australia. Guyana’s environmental laws already require the EPA to take into account the impact of greenhouse gases on the climate, the ocean, ecosystems, everything. Again the problem is that the EPA is not doing its job as the regulator.” Exxon’s flaring at its Liza-
1operation has threatened Guyana’s place as a carbon sink, and as a good environmental steward. Janki said that it is illegal, and that she has written about that to the EPA. She hopes more persons will come forward to protect Guyana from the dangers of oil and gas development.
21,000 students to return ... From page 16 children get that level of engagement, they won’t be able to successfully sit the 2021 CXC exams. In an effort to make learning safe, the MOE shall be providing care packages including facemasks and sanitizing material to teachers and students, adequate hand washing facilities will be in place and distancing during in-
struction time will happen. Nothing we do will be perfect because we are not in normal times. Doing nothing, however, can cause irreparable harm and damage to our students and result in lifelong consequences. And we cannot let that happen. We did as those who are directly affected asked. For our children. For our future.”
Woodworking company readies for housing...
From page 12 principals of the companies on the quality and variety of products, she noted that it was a “vivid reminder of the versatility and quality of wood, a resource that is readily available to us in Guyana.” Natural Resources Minister Bharrat also spoke extensively on the government’s plans to lower the cost of electricity, noting that by 2024, the cost of electricity in Guyana would have been reduced significantly. “I would like to assure our Guyanese
brothers and sisters that in less than five years, power generation in Guyana would be at a manageable level that would boost business activity,” Minister Bharrat said. He added that the Government has embarked on several transformational projects that will reshape the economy and bring tremendous benefits to the country. Pic filed as ribbon1 Ministers Oneige Walrond-Allicock and Vickram Bharrat cutting the ribbons to the showroom of Bulkan’s Timber Works .
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Sunday November 01, 2020
Govt. launches new rice variety capable of yielding 60 bags per acre A
griculture Minister, Z u l f i k a r Mustapha, yesterday officially launched Guyana’s newest rice variety, the GRAND 16, at the Burma Rice Research Station in Mahaicony. While addressing a number of farmers from across the country, many of whom travelled from as far as Wakenaam and Leguan on the Essequibo Coast, the Minister said that rice and agriculture will remain a priority for the Government. “Rice remains a strategic part of the Government’s plan for prosperity. Given the annual contribution to Guyana’s GDP, we can see that you, the rice farmers are making a tremendous contribution to the development of our country, which amounts to about $46.7B of foreign exchange in our country. The importance of this industry cannot be emphasised enough, and rest assured that the Government will not, in any way, shape or form, turn away from the rice industry. Government has made it very clear that rice is not a private business, but rather a Guyanese business,” Minister Mustapha said. The variety, which has the potential to produce up to 60 bags per acre, an equivalent to an average of nine tonnes per hectare, has demonstrated several qualities that have been desired by rice farmers for a number of years. Earlier in the month, while the variety was still considered a candidate variety, Minister Mustapha, along with a team from the Ministry and the Rice Board, visited one of the demonstration plots in Region Three to get a firsthand look at the performance of the variety while under cultivation. During the tour, it was observed that indeed, just as the data suggested, the GRDB16 had the characteristics of a premium game-changing variety which maintained its greenness throughout the crop, didn’t lodge as fast as the other varieties and can come through standing water of up to nine inches. It was also noted that the GRDB16 takes only 110 days to reach its maturity stage. Minister Mustapha also told the gathering that the Government has been working closely with stakeholders to impact a positive change in the current conditions present in the sector. “Since taking leadership
of the agriculture sector, we have been working to address the constraints faced by farmers to strengthen the working relationships and work ethics of the main players in the industry, as well as supporting the research, development, and transfer of technology for the farmers. This is very important if we want to develop the rice industry in our country. We will provide a favourable environment and grant special incentives for all investors in the rice industry,” Minister Mustapha said. NewVarieties Minister also said that rice remains the main staple of our population in terms of food security and now that the world is being threatened with food insecurity due to the negative impact on the productive sector as a result of the current global pandemic, COVID-19, rice has helped to secure Guyana’s status as a food-secure country. For the past 15 years, the GRDB has been releasing new varieties of rice to farmers, each demonstrating improved characteristics from the previous one. To date, the GRDB has released nine varieties, each variety having higher yields than previously released varieties. While making his presentation, GRDB Chief Scientist, Dr. Mahendra Persaud said that with this new variety, Guyana’s rice productivity levels will increase tremendously. “While over 100 countries across the world produce rice, our yields are not way down at the bottom. It’s not in a
happy moment that I can tell you that we are six tonnes per hectare. Just about 15 countries around the world have achieved over six tonnes per hectare. I would like to see our productivity increasing constantly, hopefully achieving seven tonnes per
we’ve also seen that productivity at the farm level has increased from about four tonnes per hectare, for the same period in 2005, to ultimately six tonnes per hectare in 2019. This is a real achievement. means a 50 percent increase in productivity at the farm level. The farmers have
quest to deliver varieties that have a tolerance for soils that have moderate salt levels, among other things. IICA’s country representative in Guyana, Mr. Wilmot Garnett also disclosed that the organization has been working closely with the research arm of the Board to develop a bio-fortified variety
hectare in the coming years. This candidate variety that we launched today has demonstrated a good partnership between the researcher and the farmer, because without the farmers, we couldn’t have achieved the type of results that we have today,” Dr. Mahendra said. He also spoke about the need for new varieties in order to improve the production levels of the farmers. Dramatic Increase “From 2005, the total production of rough rice in Guyana was just over 400,000 metric tonnes. By 2019, we’ve seen the production of over 1,000,000 metric tonnes of rough rice. Correspondingly,
been doing well and the technology that the research station has been able to deliver has been working well,” Dr. Mahendra said. Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Madanlall Ramraj, while thanking farmers for making their lands available to be used as demonstration plots, said that the rice industry has been a success story for a number of years and that today’s achievement has put Guyana’s paddy and rice in a position where it is able to compete with other major rice producing nations across the world. The Director General further encouraged the scientists to continue on their
of rice. “This will be the first in Guyana and the first in the Region. We’re looking at high levels of Zinc. Dr. Persaud and his team have done quite a bit of evaluation and so far, we have some very good candidates. With the current pandemic, global health officials have been recommending that persons take their vitamin C and their Zinc. Now you can have it in your rice. We’ve seen where precision agriculture has become the new norm as Guyana continues to modernise its agriculture sector and certainly demonstrate leadership in the Region and elsewhere,” Mr.
Garnett said. Rice Producers Association Representative, Mr. Leakha Rambrich said that it is important for farmers to understand that while the GRAND 16 appears to have great potential, farmers must allow the variety to work its way up into the system. “We’ve seen the danger in allowing one of our varieties to dominate 45 percent of our country’s cultivation. This would not be good for the country in terms of pests and disease control. I’m sure farmers are very anxious to get seeds for this variety to go into the fields when you hear that this variety will give you over 50 bags per acre. I was one of the farmers involved in the demonstration plot exercise. As the RPA president, I can tell you that it has the potential, it is a very good variety and it would do well for the industry,” Mr. Rambrich said. The RPA President also took the opportunity to condemn those millers who, for years, continue to take advantage of farmers, as well as address the high volumes of substandard quality of fertilisers that have appeared on the market over the past few years. Farmers who attended the event all shared that they were eager to have seeds for this new variety to commence their first crop of 2021. One farmer who travelled from Wakenaam, said that he was impressed with the GRDB 15, and after hearing about the qualities of this new variety, remains optimistic that this new variety will boost his production significantly.
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No other election under stewardship of Keith Lowenfield - AG Nandlall
Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has made it clear that a People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) led administration will never go into another election under the stewardship of Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield. During his live streamed Facebook, “Issues in the News”, the AG responded to claims that the PPP/C is dodging the holding of Local Government Elections (LGEs) next
year. Nandlall stated emphatically that the PPP/C does not have a track record of dodging elections but that the administration is careful to have the elections, with proper people in charge of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). “We will hold elections when elections are due. However, we are not mad people and therefore, only a mad person would want to go to an (Continued on page 70)
Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall
Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield.
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Sunday November 01, 2020
AGRICULTURE MONTH 2020 HAS POSITIVE VISTAS CONSUMER CONCERNS
By Pat Dial In colonial times, the Guyana economy rested on the tripod of sugar, rice and bauxite and if all three of these industries functioned well and were profitable, then the country was in prosperity. If two functioned, the economy broke even. After independence, all three of these industries suffered loss of markets, negative political interference and poor management and the country quickly drifted into economic decline. Now it seems that this Agriculture Month 2020 is sending a strong indication that agriculture would be on the upward rise. This optimism is engendered by the knowledgeable and enthusiastic management of the Ministry of Agriculture and the beginning of the revival of agricultural industries including rice and
sugar, and the hope that fairly shortly some oil revenues will be invested in a sector which had always been awaiting adequate investment to fructify into prosperity. Quite appropriately the theme of this Agriculture Month 2020 is “Investing in Agriculture for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development”. There are two reasons, among others, why focus on agricultural development is necessary. First, the “Dutch disease” or “Oil Curse” would be avoided. Oil is a finite resource and will be exhausted in 30 years while agriculture is self-renewing and self-generating and would continue to bolster the economy when oil would have ceased to be a revenue earner. If a country becomes too dependent on oil, it will be engulfed in poverty when the oil runs out.
And secondly, there is a Caribbean food market of US$6 billion which can be supplied by Guyana. In Agriculture Month 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture has laid out a road map of development : The sugar industry would be resuscitated; rice would be expanded and production increased; fishing, both in fish farms and deep sea fishing would be expanded; the coconut industry would developed; livestock development would be revived; fruit farming, bananas, plantains and ground provision farming would be stimulated; scientific research would be widened at NAREI; drainage would be seriously addressed; and infrastructural development would continue so that farmers could easier get to their fields and bring out their products to the market.
In the past, similar road maps were adumbrated but have never been achieved. The plans of 2020 would be achieved because there is adequate budgetary allocations and above all, the Ministry is led by a minister who seems to be fired with an enthusiasm which would accept nothing else but success and the highest standards. The sugar industry, which was consciously destroyed by the factories being vandalized and neglected and squatters occupying large areas of prime cane lands and destroying hundreds of millions of dollars of priceless scientific research, has taken on this daunting challenge and has seriously begun the resuscitation of the industry. The same trend is evident in the other agricultural industries and if the same level of investment and commit-
No other election under stewardship of Keith ... From page 69 elections under the stewardship of Keith Lowenfield… Something has to really be wrong with any person who wants to go to an election under the stewardship of Keith Lowenfield and expects him to behave properly, and expects those elections to be conducted fairly and squarely,” he said during the live Facebook programme. The AG stressed it is im-
portant for the elections commission and its stewards to enjoy the confidence of the people—Lowenfield has several charges as it regards electoral fraud pending in the courts. As such, Nandlall noted Lowenfield does not enjoy the confidence of the majority of electors. “He would have been condemned by all the political parties except for the A
Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC),” the AG stated. The coalition lost the March 2 elections but a number of delays in the courts and at the GECOM level, only saw a new president, Irfaan Ali, being sworn in on August 2, five months later. Nandlall’s statement comes days after President Irfaan Ali told media opera-
tives that while he will not deny anyone’s right to vote, before the next Local Government Elections are held, the GECOM situation must be fixed.“I will not override anyone’s right to vote […] I am not getting into Local Government Elections now. What we have to do is to fix what is there first and we have to ensure that we have a system that is working, and a system that people trust, and a system that is professional, and a system that operates in an unbiased manner so that the people of our country can have confidence,” President Ali said. The President said stakeholders have expressed their concerns about enduring another lengthy electoral process.“That is the general consensus of the population and that is the utmost importance in the minds of our people and that is what we have to address,” he said. The Head of State had committed to launch an international Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to probe the weaknesses of the elections body, following the protracted elections process after the March 2 General and Regional Elections. The CoI is expected to help in identifying issues, challenges, weakness and opportunities to ensure that the scenario is never repeated.President Ali indicated that while no one has been named for the CoI, he would like it to be convened soon. However, the restrictions brought on by the pandemic have hampered this process, although the Head of State continues to speak with international organisations on the matter.
ment to success continue for the next four to five years, Guyana would experience its agricultural revolution. It should be mentioned that the activities planned for Agriculture Month have been mostly held virtually and this has brought the farming community and others into the modern world of IT and the more expert use of the computer. World Food Day 2020 falls within Agri-month and enrich it. World Food Day provides a global platform to raise awareness of issues of hunger and poverty and its theme this year -”Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together, Our Actions are our Future”- synthesizes with the aspiration of food security. As part of his comment on World Food Day, the Minister of Agriculture pointed out that much of the investment on food security are derived
from private farmers, traders, agri-businesses and others engaged in production and distribution of food but that the entire sector is fragmented and unorganized. The Ministry will establish a “Farmers’ Registration” which will aid in the delivery of better services to farmers and help in accessing incentives and other benefits offered by Government. World Food Day 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and allowed the Minister not only to congratulate FAO but to thank the various bilateral and multilateral agencies for their technical and financial support. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Sunday November 01, 2020
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An invaluable source of factual information and informed opinion on a wide range of public policy issues (A review of David Granger’s Public Policy: the crisis of governance in Guyana. ISBN: 978-9768178-41-1.) David Granger’s Public Policy: the crisis of governance in Guyana sets out to show how “…governance staggers when public policy falters”. It succeeds in doing a great deal more. The book represents a most damning indictment of the People’s Progressive Party Civic’s (PPP/C) performance after entering office in 1992. It relates a continuum of maladministration resulting from the failure of public policy, particularly under the Bharrat Jagdeo presidency. Public Policy: the crisis of governance in Guyana is a collection of essays which constitute a stern rebuke of the PPPC’s policy from the end of the last decade of the 20th century to the first decade of the 21st century. This was a period characterized by criminal violence, ministerial mismanagement and incoherent public policy. Granger’s criticisms of the PPP/C administration are so strident that, had the evidence not been incontrovertible, the book could have been viewed as an anti-PPP/C polemic. He would not have been singular in this regard. Damning criticisms and analyses of the PPP/C administration were prevalent in the local media at the time. Those criticisms, however, invariably lacked the sort of rigorous analysis and profound insights with which Granger scrutinizes the administration in this book. Every point and every argument is clearly and concisely articulated, wellcited and supported by unimpeachable sources. Granger’s method is unmistakably subtle. He begins, usually, by citing criticisms of the administration’s record by an international agency, say, on human trafficking. He then follows by reporting the administration’s often hapless and jejune response. It is through this device that Granger nudges the reader towards the view that the PPP/C administration was hopelessly corrupt and incompetent. The PPP/C can hardly escape culpability for its squalid record of maladministration. The PPP/ C’s hegemony over governance during this period was incontestable owing to
its unassailable parliamentary majority. From crafting public policy to implementing governmental decisions, nothing stood in its way. It was either that the administration lacked the capability to devise sound public policy measures or it was more interested in the impure proceeds which could accrue from its deliberate misrule. The PPP/C, as such, bears full responsibility for its palpable failures in the field of public policy. David Granger’s prose is rich, refreshing and readable. Free-flowing, and filled with delightful little turns of phrase and historical allusions, his essays are succinct and written with such great clarity that the reader is left with a vivid picture of the PPP/C administration’s malignant governance. He has a particular affinity for historical metaphors, dubbing the chaos of the early 20th century ‘The Troubles’ and referring to Guyana’s ethnically polarized society as ‘A house divided’. The 20 essays in this book address a broad spectrum of public policy issues each of which bears a catchy title which captures the readers’ attention. The PPP/C administration’s failure to
satisfactorily address poverty, living standards and human rights is examined in the section entitled ‘To Live and die in Guyana’. The administration’s record on child labour and child prostitution is explored in ‘Loss of innocence’. The leadership struggle within the PPP/C is the subject of ‘The war of succession’. The PPP/C’s vindictive and vengeful media policies are discussed in ‘The war over memory’. The contradictions within the PPP/ C and the manoeuvres through which Cheddi Jagan’s death paved the way for Bharrat Jagdeo’s ascension to office are examined in ‘A break with the past’. The PPP/C’s civic component which was appended to the PPP in 1992 and which has been emasculated ever since is examined in Samuel Hinds’s solitary sojourn as the survivor of the once flaunted ‘Civic’ constituent in ‘Last Man Standing”. The PPP/C’s attitude and approach to the University of Guyana comes under the microscope in ‘University of Adversity’. Other essays in this book, which was published in 2012 before Granger was elected President, cover a variety of contemporary topics which
are still relevant to present day public policy. These include race relations, trafficking in persons, death squads, and inclusionary democracy. The book is impressive for its diverse range of issues discussed. David Granger has a record of eschewing personal attacks. In Public Policy: the crisis of governance in Guyana he does not deviate from this standard but is unsparing in his criticisms of the PPP/C. He characterizes the PPP/ C leadership as instilling a Leninist-Stalinist personality cult centered first around the communist Jagans and subject to the blind obedience demanded by its Bolshevik political ideology. He unmasks President Bharrat Jagdeo’s proclivity for bending party democracy to one of personal autocracy. These arguments are articulated not belligerently but through artful political dissection, including exposing the penchant for the creation of Ministries for favourite apparatchiks and cronies and the orchestrated expulsion of dissidents who
dared challenge the status quo. Some sections are less subtle. In his essay on the spate of fires at government buildings (a subject at best tangentially connected to public policy) Granger fires what can be described only as ‘potshots’ at the administration’s conspiracy theories that his party, the PNC/R, was responsible for the acts of arson. He alludes sparingly to official reports of the causes of the fires and, instead, opts to fight conspiracy with conspiracy, resorting to circumstantial evidence that seems to suggest that the administration itself was behind the arson attacks. If this book were handed to a foreign reader, he or she could scarcely be blamed for believing that Guyana was a pariah state, constantly at loggerheads with the US Department of State, the United Nations, the Commonwealth and a host of other international organizations, over the failings of public policy. In Guyana’s divided house, such a perspective is
likely to be embraced by one half of the population and rejected by the other half. Supporters of the PNC/R, Granger’s party, will find this book’s assessment as nothing short of the truth. Supporters of the PPP/C, Jagdeo’s party, on the other hand, will view the book’s assessment as shameless hyperbole written for political gain. The book remains, however, an invaluable source of factual information and informed opinion on a wide range of public policy issues. The book constitutes a most surgical dissection of Bharrat Jagdeo’s misrule. It is peerless in this regard. Public Policy: the crisis of governance in Guyana is a ‘must-read’ for policy-makers even if only to test one’s objectivity or to determine whether Guyanese have become so numb to government incompetence that dysfunctional public policy is accepted as normal. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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Sunday November 01, 2020
...A Special Son of Guyana’s Soil - George From page 75 knockout competition. But after reaching the final, he was beaten by Mike Baptiste, one of Guyana’s leading players at the time. The next year, Braithwaite had his first taste of Caribbean tennis when he contested the Individual events of that year’s championships, in Jamaica. This time however, George changed his defensive style and adopted an attacking one. A better all-round player now, he managed’ to qualify for the semi-finals of the Men’s Singles, but lost to eventual winner, Orville Haslam of Jamaica. Though failing to win a title on either his championships’ debut or the following year in 1968 in
Trinidad and Tobago, it was clear that in future the “Chief’ would be a force at these championships. George made his first official appearance for Guyana in 1969 and immediately proved an asset to the team. Along with Mike Baptiste and Garth Isaacs, he made a great contribution in the team event and steered Guyana to the runner-up spot behind winners Trinidad and Tobago. That was at home at the Queen’s College Auditorium, and his performance was a hint as to what was going to take place at following championships. Two following years, Braithwaite was selected to represent the USA and thus became ineligible for the Caribbean
Championships. However, he returned five years later to once again play for his country at the National Sports Hall, and surprised many with his high standard of play and fitness. He played unbeaten in the team event, but his arch-rival Haslam ousted him in the Men’s Singles at the semifinal stage. It was after those championships that the “Chief ’ made clear his indentation of winning the Caribbean Men’s Singles crown. And he kept his promise in 1979 in Aruba, when he defeated Barbadian Robert Earle in the final, after losing at the same stage to Mansingh Amarsingh of Trinidad and Tobago the previous year in the Twin
Sunday November 01 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Powerful issues arise in your life that make it difficult to find peace. Perhaps your first tendency is to confide in your partner. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You may be trying to get to the end of the road too quickly without really enjoying all the steps along the way. This is especially true when it comes to any sort of artistic project. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) When your heart is gently touched, it feels loving, generous, and supportive of everyone, Gemini. If your heart is lonely, it feels deserted by everyone. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may be like a giant trying to befriend a small bug, Cancer. You have absolutely nothing in common and don't even speak the same language.
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LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) If you're in the market for romance, whether with a new partner or rekindling the fire with a current partner, be careful. Small issues could rage out control today. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Things may get a bit difficult in your romantic life because of someone in the partnership who isn't necessarily taking a very realistic approach to the situation. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Your creative juices are flowing freely, Sagittarius, but there appears to be a roadblock. Something or someone apparently doesn't want you to continue down the path you're on. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) At the end of the day, you're the one who has to look in the mirror and know who you are. Think about this the next time you're tempted to make a rude comment.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) There is irony in today's situation, Leo. The only real remedy for situations like this is to accept them and joke about it. If you try to take yourself too seriously, especially when it comes to art or romance, you will inevitably fail.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) When it comes to romance, your body is apt to turn to jelly today. You may be so emotional that you can't function, Aquarius. That's love. And even though it can be heavenly, it can also be debilitating.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) The hungrier you get, the more determined you will become, Virgo. Be careful that your determination doesn't turn into desperation and neediness. It's unattractive and will get you nowhere.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Will you go out with me? Be careful if a person says yes when you ask that question today. You could take the nature of this situation to the extreme. Saying yes doesn't mean you're suddenly in charge of his or her life.
Island Republic. After an absence of eight years from these championships, George returned in 1988 and this “super fit” athlete was once more back in the team. His performance was the best by a Guyanese that year, but it was evident that he had become slow and had lost patience. George was 55 at the time, but still felt he could have held his own against the best in the Caribbean for the next two years. But it was the last time the “Chief’ appeared at that level. In addition to winning the Men’s Singles title, George also won the Men’s Doubles in 1971 and 1972 with Errol Caetano, a Canadian-based Guyanese, and in 1971 teamed up with Denise Osman to take the Mixed Doubles title. George Braithwaite was in 2007 named the Mark Matthews Lifetime Award winner. Braithwaite’s tennis career was long and sweet. His achievements as a tennis player have made this nation’s sports history richer, and for this we say thank you. We Will Always Remember You - Rest in Peace George.
...Clive Atwell talks about his From page 79 to keep pushing, reminding me that my work wasn’t finished. I had people praying for me when I couldn’t pray and I saw the grace and blessings of Gods every time I was at the cross roads,” said the young family man, who won a bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil which made him an Olympic qualifier for the 2008 Olympics. “Today I’m more appreciative for every second I get to spend with my family, as my wife and I recently celebrated 11 years of marriage. I am humbled by the impact I continue to make in the lives of others in a positive way and to be a motivation to many who feel they can’t go on” concluded a grateful Atwell.
...Somalia’s Ramla Ali eyes world and Olympic From page 76 Somalia, you are nurtured into becoming someone’s housewife. My mum was never allowed to go to school so my mum is illiterate. So to know that I’ve inspired girls to take up the sport of boxing is definitely the sort of change that I’ve always wanted to see.” But she is hoping to go a few steps further by not only becoming the first Somali to go to the Olympics but also win a world title. “I think it would mean more to everyone else,” she told BBC Sport Africa. “Obviously, it would mean a lot to me to know that the years and years of sacrifice have finally come to fruition, but I feel like there would be parties
outside in Somalia and fireworks going off - I think it would just be like a monthlong celebration, which is quite nice.” “Somalis are mainly known for horrible things piracy, famine, war - so to give Somalia the opportunity to be known for something other than that would obviously be amazing and I feel they would be very appreciative as well.” First though, the latest stage of her extraordinary journey is just hours away. “My story did get me through the door and people say ‘does she deserve it?’ but the next step is to prove I’m more than just a story, and I’ll do that with a nice win on Saturday.”
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Jason Holder, Sandeep Sharma keep Sunrisers Hyderabad’s playoff hopes alive ESPNCricinfo - Exactly a week after the Sunrisers Hyderabad slid to perhaps their worst defeat of IPL 2020, failing to chase down a target of 127 against the Kings XI Punjab, they shrugged off middle-overs nerves to haul in a target of 121 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore and keep their playsoffs hope alive. It was a win set up by the bowlers, led by Sandeep Sharma’s excellent 2 for 20. Each of the five bowlers that the Sunrisers used took at least one wicket, and the Royal Challengers innings never took off, stopping at 120 for 7. David Warner didn’t need to turn to Abhishek Sharma - in for the injured Vijay Shankar - or Abdul Samad for part-time overs, with the frontline bowlers doing the job splendidly. In the chase, Wriddhiman Saha continued his good form at the top of the order, and his 32-ball 39 meant the Sunrisers had enough of a run-rate cushion when Yuzvendra Chahal induced a middle-order wobble. The Sunrisers were cruising at 60 for 1 in the seventh over, but slid to 87 for 4, with all of Warner, Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson and Saha dismissed. However, Jason Holder showed what a
valuable addition to the lineup he could be, calmly swatting an unbeaten 26 off just 10 balls to bring up victory in 14.1 overs. After that defeat to Kings XI, the Sunrisers had needed to beat the top-three teams in the league in the Delhi Capitals, the Royal Challengers and the Mumbai Indians, a task that seemed daunting. Two thirds of the way into that final stretch, they’ve secured two handsome victories. Sandeep Sharma, powerplay star - Sharma gave the Sunrisers the perfect start getting both Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli inside the powerplay for single-digit scores. Sharma has done this often for whichever team he’s played for - not only getting wickets upfront but getting key wickets. He used the weapons he generally does, swing both ways coupled with hard-to-pick slower balls. He castled Padikkal with one that swung back in, and then foxed Kohli with an outswinger after having bowled the ball into him, and he ended up chipping to extra cover, falling to Sharma for the seventh time - the most he has gotten dismissed by a bowler in the IPL. That start, and continued tight bowling, meant the Royal Challengers could get to only 30 for 2 in
the powerplay. Spinners strike - Rashid Khan continued to be fiendishly difficult to read, forget about being taken for runs. He conceded a boundary to AB de Villiers early on, when he pitched on too short, but that was after having beaten the batsman three balls in a row in his previous over. Josh Philippe had to read him off the pitch almost exclusively, not picking his leggies, googlies or sliders. The Royal Challengers had a brief moment of fortune when Shahbaz Nadeem put down a return catch from de Villiers when the batsman was on 4, but Nadeem got the wicket later on, when a rasping cut found deep point. In the next over, Rashid had Philippe holing out at deep midwicket. The Royal Challengers had brought in Isuru Udana and a fit-again Navdeep Saini for this game, leaving out Dale Steyn and Shivam Dube, and the gamble of strengthening their bowling at the expense of their batting backfired as they lost their top four inside 12 overs. Washington Sundar played a decent hand to avert a collapse, but their eventual total was still meagre. Saha, Pandey start, Holder finishes - The dew that set in made batting easier in the second innings, but on a slow pitch, the Royal
Sandeep Sharma is all the rage after sending back Virat Kohli ©BCCI Challengers seamers erred by going hard, and not bowling enough cu t t e r s a n d o f f pace deliveries in the way the Sunrisers had - a mistake they had made in their loss against the Chennai Super Kings too. Warner fell in the second over, but Manish Pandey joined Saha for an aggressive 50-run stand in just 5.2 overs. They were both helped by the pace of the bowlers. Chahal was brought on only after the powerplay, with half the target almost achieved. He struck immediately, having Pandey hole out to long-on, beaten by the dip. In
his third over, Chahal got Saha, too, the batsman having skipped down the track but beaten by the dip and turn. Kane Williamson then pushed Udana to cover, and the Sunrisers were 87 for 4, having lost three wickets in 5.3 overs while adding only 27 runs. The uncertainty of the Sunrisers middle order could have hurt them in a bigger chase, and might have caused some doubts to re-emerge in this one too, given the number of times in this tournament alone that they have faltered. But Holder settled the issue without letting things
get too close, smacking three sixes in his brief stay, as both Udana and Saini tried to bowl short at him. His height, and the slowness of the surface, meant the balls came at just the right speed to be pulled powerfully. When Williamson fell, the Sunrisers needed 34 runs to win in 7.5 overs. Holder got them in two overs. Sunrisers Hyderabad 121 for 5 (Saha 39, Pandey 26, Holder 26*, Chahal 2-19) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 120 for 7 (Philippe 32, de Villiers 24, Sandeep 220, Holder 2-27, Natarajan 111) by 15 runs.
Bill which gives Congress power to remove USOPC Board members to become law after Trump signature insidethegames - The Empowering Olympic, Paralympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020 has been signed by United States President Donald Trump, which will see the legislation become law. Trump’s signature was required by today, 10 days on from the legislation being presented to the White House. His signature was the final part of the process required. It followed the United States House of Representatives in Washington D.C. passing the act, approved by the Senate in August, on October 1. The act grants Congress the power to remove members of the USOPC Board of Directors, while it would have the ability to decertify national governing bodies in the country if they fail to adhere to requirements. The act would also require the USOPC to give the US Center for SafeSport $20 million (£15.5 million/€17
USOPC Chief Executive Sarah Hirshland million) in annual funding to do its work more effectively. The act establishes safeguards designed to protect amateur athletes from abuse from coaches and other
officials within Olympic and Paralympic sports. The bill was spearheaded by Senators Jerry Moran and Richard Blumenthal, with the aim of helping to safeguard
athletes following the sexual abuse scandal involving disgraced USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. “This day would not be possible were it not for the athletes and courageous survivors who travelled to Washington, shared their stories and demanded change so that future generations of athletes can train, compete and succeed without fear of abuse,” Moran wrote on Twitter. “Senator Blumemthal and I promised survivors we would get this bill across the finish line. “While powerful institutions failed them in the past, we weren’t going to. “We will continue to hold accountable the institutions that have the responsibility to keep our athletes safe.” The bill is expected to see the formation of a 16-member commission on the State of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics. Commission members would either need to have
experience in elite athletic coaching, public service related to sports, advocated for increased minority participation in sports, expertise in bullying prevention and promotion of a healthy organisational culture. Appointments could also have experience as an amateur, Olympic and Paralympic, or professional athlete, as well as in sports administration. At least eight members would have to be current or former Olympic or Paralympic athletes. The Commission would study matters related to US participation in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, including reviewing reform efforts from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). Many of the reforms outlined in the bill have either been implemented or are in the process of being implemented by the USOPC, which came under fire
following the sexual abuse scandal involving Nassar. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) strictly prohibits Government interference in its National Olympic Committees. It has been suggested the IOC could view the bill as Government interference, which could potentially lead to the USOPC being suspended. The USOPC had initially expressed concern over the consequences for the organisation and the country’s athletes if it were to come into law, but has since offered support to the legislation. USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland earlier this month said the law itself should not breach IOC rules. However, she acknowledged if the Congress were to act on the law and unseat members of the USOPC Board, the IOC may consider it a violation of the Olympic Charter.
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Kaieteur News
Bumrah and Boult run through Delhi Capitals
Trent Boult sent back Shikhar Dhawan in the first over ©BCCI ESPNcricinfo - The Mumbai Indians finally broke their Dubai hoodoo, and how! First, Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult combined to take 6 for 38 in eight overs to strangle Delhi Capitals to 110 for 9. Then Ishan Kishan struck an unbeaten 72 off 47, taking the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje apart on his way, to take his side home with nine wickets and 36 balls to spare. The win has ensured the Mumbai a top-two finish in the league stage. On the other hand, the Capitals have now lost four games on the trot, and while they can still finish second on the points table, their net run rate, for now, has slipped below the Kings XI Punjab’s. Boult removes Dhawan, Shaw early - How fickle form can be in T20s was evident once again on Saturday. After
scoring back-to-back hundreds, Shikhar Dhawan has now two ducks in the two outings since then. He was out for a golden duck against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and here he lasted two balls as he failed to keep down a cut against Boult and Suryakumar Yadav took a low catch at point. It was referred to third umpire and there was no conclusive evidence to overturn the on-field soft signal of out. Shaw, who replaced Ajinkya Rahane in the playing XI, didn’t last long either as Boult cut short his stay in his next over. Backing away to a short-of-length delivery, Shaw went for a pull only to slice it high to the wicketkeeper’s left. From the other end, spinners Krunal Pandya and Jayant Yadav hit the hard lengths to keep things quiet as the Capitals finished the
powerplay on 22 for 2, the second-lowest powerplay total in IPL 2020. Chahar, Bumrah dent Capitals’ recovery - Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant tried to stage a recovery but the runs were not coming freely. After the third over, the Capitals hit only one boundary - a six by Iyer off Jayant - till the tenth. They limped to 49 for 2 at the halfway mark of their innings, but the silver lining was the eight wickets in hand. Rahul Chahar and Bumrah though shattered any hopes of a revival. Chahar lured forward Iyer with a flighted legbreak before beating him with the turn; Quinton de Kock effected the stumping with Iyer’s foot centimetres off the ground. After that Bumrah breathed fire. He sent back both Marcus Stoinis - a thick outside edge to de Kock - and
Jasprit Bumrah and Quinton de Kock celebrate as Rishabh Pant walks back for another low score ©BCCI Pant - lbw from around the wicket - in the same over to leave the Capitals 62 for 5 in the 12th over. Harshal Patel though was unlucky to become Bumrah’s third victim. He was deemed lbw by umpire Paul Reiffel but replays showed the ball hit him high on the back thigh and would have gone over the stumps. The wicket though took Bumrah’s tally for the season to 23, helping him draw level with the purple-cap holder Rabada. Nathan Coulter-Nile then dismissed Shimron Hetmyer to reduce the Capitals to 78
for 7 before R Ashwin and Rabada dragged the score past 100. A straightforward chase - It was never going to be a tough ask for Mumbai, even though they were without Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. The Capitals needed early wickets to make something out of it and once they didn’t get those, it was just a matter of time. Despite the ball not coming on to the bat early in the innings, Kishan pulled Nortje for two fours in the fourth over, while de Kock kept playing risk-free cricket at the other end. The duo took
the Mumbai Indians to 68 in 10.1 overs, and another tenwicket win was almost on the horizon before de Kock played on Nortje. Iyer brought back Rabada as a last throw of the dice but Kishan hit his first ball over cover for six and brought up his fifty - off 37 balls - on the next. The winning shot, Kishan hitting Nortje over deep midwicket for six, was symbolic of the Mumbai’s dominance. Mumbai Indians 111 for 1 (Kishan 72*, Nortje 1-25) beat Delhi Capitals 110 for 9 (Iyer 25, Pant 21, Bumrah 3-17, Boult 3-21) by nine wickets.
A Special Son of Guyana’s Soil George Braithwaite “The Chief” - A Tribute by Mike Baptiste
Ishan Kishan smothers one away to the off side ©BCCI
IT TAKES a great amount of dedication for someone to participate competitively in a particular sport with the same enthusiasm for over 25 years. George Braithwaite, nicknamed “Chief”, has been in Table Tennis since 1963. And competed in the Over50 category in the United States, until his death last Tuesday, in the USA where he lived. His intense love for the celluloid game and being a physical fitness fanatic are two of the main attributes which this modest son of the soil possesses. George, has represented Guyana and the United States at Caribbean and World Championship
levels during his international career, before quitting in 1988 from this level of competition. When asked what keeps him going, the “Chief” replied, “I have a very strong love for the game and throughout my life I have been involved in sports. But most of all, table tennis fascinates me. Whenever I try matching skills against other players I find it intriguing and refreshing. This in itself keeps me going”. Before turning to tennis, Braithwaite fancied himself a 100 and 200 yard runner and represented Guyana at the 1958 West Indies Athletic Championships in Trinidad and Tobago. But it was in
tennis that this remarkable man was to make his name. George left these shores in 1959 and continued to take part in athletics until 1963, when he turned to tennis. He started out by training during his lunch break, from Mondays through Fridays, and this he modestly claims “was never with the intention of becoming a champion, but just merely to keep myself fit”. It however turned out that he made more progress than he anticipated, and with encouragement from others, began participating in tournaments. Three years later (1966) the “Chief” returned to his homeland and took part in the Seven-Up (Continued on page 73)
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Somalia’s Ramla Ali eyes world and Olympic glory on eve of pro debut BBCsport - Ramla Ali, a former British champion turned model turned Anthony Joshua and Meghan Markle protégé, begins a professional career on Saturday which the former refugee hopes will take her to both world and Olympic glory. The superbantamweight fights Germany’s Eve Hubmeyer, who won her sole previous fight by knock-out, at London’s Wembley Arena on the undercard of the Derek Chisora-Oleksandr Usyk fight. Perhaps fittingly for a woman whose life - which includes fleeing Somalia’s civil war as a child - has been highly eventful, the build-up has been anything b u t e a s y. “ O n M o n d a y night, I thought I wasn’t going to be competing and I was going to say ‘screw it’ and order a pizza,” she said. All hopes were off after her scheduled opponent from Eastern Europe pulled out after unexpectedly failing a pregnancy test six days ago. “Then on Tuesday, I had an opponent. So I’m glad I stuck with it,” Ali added. Having once kept her boxing secret from her family fearing they would disapprove, Ali is fighting for the first time since signing for promoters Matchroom and heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s talent agency. She may be the first Muslim woman to win an English boxing title but she has since switched allegiances to the land of her birth Somalia, which she fled while a toddler in the 1990’s. After her elder
Ali combines boxing with modelling, saying ‘countless times I’ve gone on a shoot and I’ve had black eye’. brother was killed by a mortar, the family drove through a hail of bullets which killed some in their vehicle, as Ali’s mother recalls - to escape Mogadishu before enduring a nine-day boat journey to Kenya during which many passengers died of starvation. From refugee to royalty - Arriving in London as a refugee, Ali has not only won titles in both Britain and Africa but also now has the world heavyweight champion to call on for advice. “Any time I need him, Anthony is just a phone call away,” says the African featherweight champion. “There’ve been loads of times I’ve been on a down and I’ve messaged him and he’s always got some positive things to say, which is really, really nice.” “2020 has been horrible
so to hear him say those really nice words he said ‘Long may she reign’ - just tips your 2020.” After appearing on the front cover of a Vogue edition guest edited by the then Duchess of Sussex last year, Ali has also been dubbed Meghan Markle’s favourite boxer. “I hope I am,” she says, before explaining how she initially ignored Markle’s call. “I didn’t pick up because, you know, who picks up private numbers? “It went once, twice, so the third time I thought ‘I’m going to pick it up because it could be my mum and she might need a bag of sugar or something’.” “So I picked up and she said ‘Hi, is this Ramla?’ ‘Yes, who’s this?’ ‘It’s Meghan’ and I said ‘Meghan who? Sorry, I don’t know any Meghans’
and she just said ‘Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex’ and then we had a really nice conversation.” Seeking success for Somalia - Ali has shot to prominence because of her boxing but her back story has attracted vast interest and also, crucially for the 31-year-old, is creating change back home in Somalia, a country that is often described as a failed state on account of its instability. “A famous political activist out of Somalia sent me a video about two girls who took up the sport of boxing and she was saying ‘you’re inspiring many, you’re inspiring a new generation’ and that’s amazing,” said Ali. “That’s the sort of change I’ve always wanted to see in the country - to see that women are not afraid to do what they want, to be who they want and not afraid to challenge the stereotypes. “From a young age in (Continued on page 73)
Ramla Ali.
Deontay Wilder urges Tyson Fury to face him for a third time
Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury drew in 2018 before the Briton claimed a win in their rematch in February
Ramla Ali, the first Muslim boxer to win the English title, in Delhi with partner-cum-coach Richard Moore for the AIBA Women’s World Championships. (BFI)
BBCsport - Deontay Wilder has urged Tyson Fury to “be a man” and honour their “agreement” to contest a third fight. Fury, 32, beat Wilder in February to win the WBC world heavyweight title, 14 months on from them fighting to a draw. A third meeting was due to take place during the summer but delays have led Fury to seek other plans and state their rematch clause had lapsed. Wilder tweeted Fury was a “coward”, adding: “Scared people run but a scary man will break his contract.” “It is time for you to be a man and honour your word instead of trying to weasel out of our agreement,” the 35-
year-old American added. Wilder has remained tightlipped since Fury outlined his intention to fight in the UK on 5 December against an opponent who is yet to be named. Fury has been linked with fighting Carlos Takam - who lost to Anthony Joshua in 2017 and Derek Chisora in 2018. Wilder questioned the choice of Takam. He said Fury should also consider how he was given his shot at the WBC title in 2018 just months after returning to the ring after time away battling depression. “When you were going through your darkest time, I told you that if you got yourself together I would give
you a title shot,” Wilder tweeted. “Being a man of my word, I gave you the title shot. When that fight was a draw, I told you that I would give you a rematch. “You know I was offered more money to fight Joshua than I was getting to fight you. “Again being a man of my word, I fought you like I said I would.” Fury and Joshua have agreed a basic financial split for a potential bout between them in 2021, in which all four of the major world heavyweight titles could be contested for the first time in history. Joshua will risk his IBF, WBA and WBO belts on 5 December when he faces Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev.
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GFF President Wayne Forde goes in depth on formation of historic GFSC The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) recently announced that it has activated the Guyana Football Scholarship Committee (GFSC) which will have the mandate of formulating the federation’s scholarly programme. The committee, which will have a life of one year is being Chaired by Olato Sam and include Rawle Small, Henry Chase, Lavern Fraser and Charissa Rampersaud. GFF President Wayne Forde goes more in depth on the establishment of the GFSC. Why the need for such a committee? WF - My administration has played a significant role in the placement of five local football players into US
Colleges over the past three years. Three females and two males. In doing this, we have experienced many challenges and have learnt many important lessons. We can now take these lessons and use them to create a sustainable scholarship programme that will grow and expand for many years to come. The reason for the committee was to ensure that the development of the Guyana Football Scholarship programme, benefited from the expertise and experiences of a distinguished group on independent thinkers. I am confident that this team of professionals will ensure that the tenets of good
governance is embedded in every layer of the programme ie, the criterion are achievable, the application process is simple, and the evaluation and awarding of scholarship is fair and transparent. This is essentially what the Committee, which is led by Mr. Olato Sam has been mandated to do. Given the challenges experienced with football still not being a deliberate part of the school’s curriculum, how effective do you see this committee being in carrying out its mandate? WF - The success of this programme will depend heavily on the participation of all stakeholders. During their work, I am confident that the
Vuelta a Espana: David Gaudu wins Stage 11 after start is delayed Primoz Roglic’s victory in Stage 10 was controversial. (EPA)
Committee will identify the key stakeholder groups and will engage in serious consultation which will no doubt produce ideas and strategies for the operationalization of the programme. The Ministry of Education and the GFF are the primary actors in the implementation of a comprehensive school football programme and I am confident that we will collectively develop a sustainable programme in the very near future. How do you see the Committee operating in terms of all players in every part of Guyana seeing themselves as having an equal chance to be eligible? WF - The GFF coordinates all of its activities through the established football structure. Hence, the Regional Member Association (RMA) will be playing an important role in this programme. However, we will have to wait and see what recommendations the Committee will be making is this regard.
Would there be equal opportunities across the board in terms of players attending not so recognised schools as opposed to those attending for e.g, QC and Bishops? WF - It is difficulty to earn the respect and support from Corporate Guyana, the Government of Guyana and other key stakeholder for a programme that does not emphasis fairness as a key pillar. I am confident that the Committee will provide clear guidance on how we will mitigate such concerns. How would you like to see clubs and RMA’s approaching this new and historic addition in order to maximise the chances of the players to cash in? WF - The Committee will make these determinations after consulting with the RMAs, the Clubs, players etc. My hope is that the entire football fraternity will be inspired by this initiative and will gladly play their part in ensuring its success. We have an opportunity to change the lives of these young people, who will go on
the build this country for the better. This is what a good education can do. Would there be any guidance forthcoming from the Federation to its members with regards to helping prepare players to make the grade, not necessarily in the first year, but going forward? WF - More and more we are training our Coaches to encourage basis attendance to school in their coaching sessions. A Coach is such an important figure in a Child’s life that it is imperative that that message and expectation is reinforced as often as possible. Beyond that, the entire football community has to make a conscious effort to demonstrate interest in much more than a child’s ability to play football well. We are building people first, then players. Too often we confronted by former football players that are struggling to transition into a production work-life after their playing days are over. This is very heartbreaking and we must do something about it.
Valtteri Bottas beats Lewis Hamilton to Emilia Romagna GP pole
BBCsport - France’s David Gaudu won Saturday’s 11th stage of the Vuelta a Espana after the start was delayed following a protest led by Ineos Grenadiers. It followed a decision by stewards on Friday that put Primoz Roglic back into the overall lead. Groupama rider Gaudu pulled away from Spaniard Marc Soler of Movistar in the final metres of the 170km stage, which finished on the Alto de la Farrapona. Roglic maintains his lead at the top of the standings. The Jumbo-Visma rider is on the same time as Ineos’ Richard Carapaz but has the red jersey on better stage placings so far. Ireland’s Dan Martin remains in third place, 25 seconds behind Roglic. Sunday’s (today) 12th stage will finish at the top of the challenging Angliru - a 12.4km ascent at 9.9% with
the last seven kilometres averaging a gradient of 13% and featuring a section above 20%. Saturday’s start from Villaviciosa was delayed following the protest. After Slovenia’s Roglic burst clear to win Friday’s stage, stewards decided that the first eight finishers had created a large enough gap to split finishers on time. It meant Carapaz lost the overall lead, but Ineos were angry as the rules were changed after the stage. The rules state that on stages expected to finish in a bunch sprint, time gaps are counted if there is a gap of three seconds or more between groups. Friday’s stage finished with a 1.5km, 5.9% climb but was initially given the three-second cutoff. However, that was later changed to the usual onesecond gap found on
mountain-top finishes, causing Ineos to protest as the riders did not know about the change. Carapaz came in behind a gap in the finishers and was adjudged to have lost three seconds. That, combined with his 10-second bonus for winning, was enough to bring Roglic level on time and put him in the overall lead. Several other riders in the top 10 also lost time, including fourthplaced Briton Hugh Carthy, whose Education First team lodged a protest against the decision. Ineos complained they had been “stung” with Chris Froome, who has won seven grand tours including the Vuelta twice, leading the protest. Other teams joined in and the whole peloton waited before setting off. It follows rider protests at both the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia earlier this season.
BBCsport - Valtteri Bottas beat Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to pole position with his last lap of qualifying at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The Finn was 0.097 seconds quicker than Hamilton, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third nearly 0.5secs behind. Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly was a surprise fourth, ahead of Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo and Red Bull’s Alexander Albon. On Sunday Mercedes could win a seventh consecutive constructors’ title. They will do so as long as Red Bull do not out-score them by 34 points. On F1’s first two-day weekend, returning to the Imola track that has not hosted a race since the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix, Hamilton was quickest in the single practice session on Saturday morning and was again on top after the first runs in final qualifying. But a messy lap by Hamilton on the final runs gave Bottas a chance and he grabbed it with both hands. “I really enjoyed it, this track,” Bottas said. “When you push flat out, it’s beautiful. I knew I had to push in the last lap and it’s a great feeling when you get those.” Hamilton said: “Valtteri did a great job and it was a poor lap from myself. These
Bottas is looking to convert pole position into a race win for the first time since the opening grand prix in Austria in July. (EPA) things happen. You can’t get it right all the time. “What a beautiful place we’re in here in Italy and the speeds we’re going around this track are unbelievable. “I am pretty certain we’re going to see a boring race tomorrow. You can overtake into turn one but it is pretty narrow and you can’t overtake on the rest.” The stand-out performance of qualifying came from Gasly, who was confirmed as an Alpha Tauri driver for 2021 earlier in the week, as the team made a step forward and he lapped just 0.326secs slower than Verstappen in the Red Bull. His result will pile further pressure on Albon, who is under threat of losing his Red Bull drive at the end of the
season. Red Bull have made it clear Albon needs a good race this weekend as they assess whether to keep him on or replace him with an experienced hand such as Nico Hulkenberg or Sergio Perez. Albon was 0.396secs slower than Verstappen. Ferrari will be disappointed with seventh place on the grid for Charles Leclerc, but the 23year-old was again superior to team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who continues to struggle with the car and could manage only 14th on the grid. Alpha Tauri’s Daniil Kvyat and the McLarens of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz completed the top 10. And George Russell was again outstanding in the Williams, taking 13th place.
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Sunday November 01, 2020
Legend Lloyd wants Da Silva groomed as specialist opener Bridgetown, Barbados, CMC – Iconic former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd is concerned by the inclusion of only two specialist openers for the two-Test tour of New Zealand but believes uncapped Joshua Da Silva should be groomed to fill the crucial position. Owing to the brevity of the series, selectors opted for the opening pair of Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell but Lloyd said the move could backfire especially if either batsman found themselves badly out of form. “We have to try and bat long and that’s the problem that we have,” said Lloyd who presided over the dominant Caribbean side of the late 1970s and 1980s. “This is the first time on any tour I know where we only have two openers so if they’re failing, who do you turn to and I think it is a funny situation. “We have the guy Da Silva, I think he can act as an opener or groom him as an opener. He looked a good compact sort of player.” L l o y d ’s c o m m e n t s o n StarCom Radio’s Mason and
West Indies batting reserve Joshua Da Silva
Guest cricket show come against the backdrop of the form of Brathwaite and Campbell, both of whom have struggled in recent times. Brathwaite, the senior member of the partnership, averaged a paltry 12 from ten Tests prior to the England tour earlier this year where
he finally managed to carve out his first half-century in nearly two years. And Campbell has managed only one halfcentury in 18 innings since making his debut last year January when England toured the Caribbean, and averages just 25. The 22year-old Da Silva, who is
Aleem Dar set to break record for most ODIs as on-field umpire
E
SPNcricinfo Aleem Dar, the 52-year-old from Pakistan, will go past South African Rudi K o e r t z e n ’s m a r k f o r officiating in the most ODIs as an on-field umpire when he steps out for his 210th match in the format, the second ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi on Sunday (today). Dar already holds the record for officiating in the most international matches, 387, as well as the mark for Test matches, 132; he earned the Test record last year when he officiated in his 129th Test - Australia vs New Zealand in Perth in December - to go past Jamaican Steve Bucknor’s mark. He is second only to compatriot Ahsan Raza when it comes to T20Is, having officiated in 46 of them. “It is a matter of great
Aleem Dar has officiated in 387 international matches so far, the most by any umpire ICC via Getty honour for me to be on the top of the list of both Tests and ODIs for umpires,” Dar said in a statement released by the ICC. “When I had started out in the profession, I had never imagined I would get this far. I can only say that I have enjoyed every moment on the field and learning has been an ongoing process all this while.”
Dar, who played 17 firstclass matches, mainly as a legspinner, between 1986-87 and 1997-98 and also turned out in 18 List A games, made his international debut as an umpire in February 2000, in an ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Gujranwala, his hometown. He has been a part of the ICC’s elite panel of umpires for 16 years, something Adrian Griffith, the ICC’s senior manager for umpires and referees, put down to Dar being “a very consistent umpire over the years”.
part of a six-man reserve group for the New Zealand series, was also a reserve for
the tour of England where he shone in an inter-squad match at Manchester with an unbeaten hundred and halfcentury. He gathered 502 runs at an average of 50 for Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the last regional first class season, scoring his maiden century batting at number five. Lloyd, who led West Indies to the capture of the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979, said West Indies faced a difficult time against a well-drilled Black Caps side and would need to execute in all departments to come away with a positive result. “They’re a well disciplined side and it’s quite obvious they’ve done very well. The captain Kane Williamson is quite an astute guy, they believe in the talent they have and they’re playing at home,” Lloyd
pointed out. “So it’s going to be difficult but you can never say [never]. Cricket, as they say in the old adage, is a game of great uncertainties. “You have to do well in all aspects of your game. We have to be fit enough, we have to take our catches.” West Indies left the Caribbean on Tuesday for New Zealand where they will undergo two weeks of quarantine under the COVID-19 protocols, before undertaking preparation in earnest for the series. The opening Test is set for Seddon Park in Hamilton from December 3-7, with the second Test carded for the historic Basic Reserve in Wellington starting four days later. A three-match Twenty20 International series starting November 27 will precede the Test tour and will be played in Auckland and Mount Maunganui.
Estwick backing Pooran for Test debut soon Bridgetown, Barbados, CMC – West Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick wants to see highly regarded lefthander Nicholas Pooran playing the longest format within a year. The 25-yearold has so far only played international white ball cricket for West Indies but Estwick said the Trinidadian was a “tremendous player” who possessed the ability to excel in Tests. “I saw him at age 17 play one of the best innings I’ve probably ever seen, in Sharjah in the 2014 [Under19] World Cup,” Estwick said ahead of West Indies’ departure for the tour of New Zealand. “How exciting was that carrying the team on his own and making [143] out of 208 and it just shows you what a tremendous player he is, and he’s just gone from strength to strength.” Pooran has emerged as one of the West Indies’ most consistent batsmen of recent in OneDay Internationals where he averages 49 from 25 matches. Ironically, he made a ‘duck’ on his debut last year January against England but went on to hit a hundred and five half-centuries en route to averaging 44 in the calendar year. His form has prompted calls from legendary former players like Michael Holding for his inclusion in the Test team,
Nicholas Pooran
despite having played only three first class matches six years ago. Estwick, who was head coach of the West Indies Under-19 squad at the 2014 ICC event in the United Arab Emirates, said the quality of Pooran’s preparation made him the ideal candidate for the longest version. “What I like about him is his preparation – his attention to detail,” Estwick explained. “He’s a hardworking guy and he wants to learn, he wants to talk, he wants to discuss cricket and for any young man, that’s the way forward. “My dream would be to see Nicholas Pooran playing Test cricket within the next 12 months because I think he is that good where he can play all formats of cricket.”
Pooran has been named in the Twenty20 squad for next month’s three-match series against New Zealand, and is expected to join the Caribbean side after fulfilling his commitments to Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League. White ball captain, Kieron Pollard, along with Test captain Jason Holder, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul and Oshane Thomas are all also campaigning in the IPL, and will also join the touring party in New Zealand afterwards. West Indies will also play two Tests against the Black Caps in the tour which runs from November 27 to December 15. The Caribbean-based players departed the region on Tuesday.
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Clive Atwell talks about his post boxing career on 5th anniversary of brain surgery By Sean Devers “In all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” These were the words of former Boxing World title contender Clive Atwell who remembered his near death experience five years ago, on October 24, 2015, an experience that would change his life forever. While living on the nature Isle of Dominica, he completed a leadership and Human Resource Management course at the
Dominican campus and studied Theology in Dominica while still boxing. It’s not often that you hear of a Pastor who likes to fight and it is God who has helped this ‘Fighting Preacher’ get back on his feet after being battered and bruised physically and emotionally. Atwell, a former Caribbean Featherweight and WBC–CABOFE Super Lightweight Champion was in a title fight against fellow Guyanese, T&T based A dazed Atwell minutes after fainting in his last fight five years ago.
Dexter Gonzales at the Giftland Mall when he fainted. He was subsequently taken to a city hospital where he was diagnosed with Subdural Hematomas Hemorrhage and an emergency surgery was done to decompress the swelling which was jamming on his central nervous system. A Subdural Hematomas occurs when a blood vessel near the surface of the Brain bursts and blood builds up between the Brain and its tough outer lining. The Surgeon cut his skull to release the pressure and the ‘patch’ (hole in his head) had to be left open for several days to ensure that the swelling decreased. President of the Guyana Boxing Board Peter Abdool paid $2 Million that night for the initial life-saving surgery. “However, due to the lack of a bone Bank in Guyana the surgeon discarded the piece of bone
‘Sunday in the Country’ dominoes set for November 8
from my skull which should have been used to cover the hole in my head. This was the beginning of an unforgettable journey for me. I was discharged from the hospital, partially blind, with short term memory loss and poor motor skills. With regular doctor appointments and funds running low I was forced to return to Guyana along my wife and son.”Atwell informed. The former world rated pugilist, with a professional record of 17 fights, 13 wins, 3 losses with 7 KOs, did not let his situation get the best of him but instead was determined to be a fighter out of the ring with the continued l o v e , s u p p o r t , encouragement and help of his wife, Altavi, who continues to be his number one supporter. Atwell had gotten married to Altavi and in 2009 moved to Dominica where his only son, Alexander was born in February 2014. He turned Pro a year later while he and his family resided in the Dominica where they lived from 2009 to 2015. “My wife and I, with all the frustration and fight to raise funds for the second surgery gained the attention of Kaieteur News’ Sports Journalist Sean Devers who survived a cancerous Brian Surgery and understood my predicament. We are now close friends” remembered Atwell who grew up with his grandmother in the village, of Agricola. “Sean connected us with a group of individuals who later formed a committee named ‘Guyana Community of Service’ which created an upsurge of support for me by organising several fund raisers for my second
Clive Atwell with his wife and son. surgery.” explained Atwell. The association led Atwell to the USA where he met Lady Ira Lewis, Monica Sanchez and Matt Farrago from Ring 10 who assisted in making arrangement towards the successful Corrective Surgery which was done on August 17, 2016 at the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, where a titanium mesh was used to cover the hole in his skull. It is now five years since Atwell’s life was altered from being a skillful fighter in the boxing ring to fighting for his life, after giving up the sport that brought him much passion and hope. His wife says he still misses being a boxer but that has gotten less now that he is involved in the sport as a Coach. When he goes to the National Gymnasium or the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall now, Altavi and the hyper active six-old Alex is most times there with him. Catching up with Atwell on the anniversary of his of last night as a Boxer, the resourceful Pastor told Kaieteur Sport that he continues to live a determined and more
purposeful life through his involvement in community development. He is a committee member of the Central Management Committee for Constituency 15. He has resuscitated the Ricola Boxing Gym where he had produced Goodwill Games Champion in the person of Shemar Beaton, just before the Covid-19 pandemic started and functions when called upon to assist young Boxers by President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA). Steve Ninvalle. As an Entrepreneur, Atwell, who turns 32 on November 11, owns an establishment offering Plumbing and a Documentation Services and is also the Coach of Rico Boxing Gym and the Lay Pastor of the Rome Methodist Church in Agricola where he plays a key role in the repairing of the Church. “Life has not been easy since that dreadful night and there were days I thought of giving up, throwing in the towel, questioning why? But my wife was always there reminding me why I needed (Continued on page 73)
Atwell (left) has Dexter Gonsalves on the ropes during the WBC FECARBOX Lightweight title fight on October 24, 2015 at the Giftland Mall. Senior Organising Secretary of the GDL Mark Wiltshire (left) and Mark Reid display the first and second place trophies.
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enior Organising Secretary of the Guyana Dominoes League (GDL) Mark Wiltshire will be hosting “Sunday in the Country’ Dominoes competition on November 8 at Pouderoyen Wash Bay, West Bank Demerara. Entrance fee is $15,000, however any team that enters
before 13:30hrs on the competition day will be allowed to pay $12,000. Wiltshire indicated that $60,000 will be added to the prizes. The tournament will be played under strict covid-19 guidelines and will take a four-game six sittings two in one out format. Action will commence at 14:30hrs.
The competition is being sponsored by All Season’s Racing Service, Merriman’s Funeral Home, Spartans, Gold is Money, Linden Niles, Mr. Graford and F and H Printery. The best female player and most valuable player in the competition will receive $5,000 each. Teams can contact Wiltshire on 659 8672 for registration.
George Braithwaite “The Chief”
t r o Sp
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