Kaieteur News

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Minimum wage NEWS worker to get $4900 increase in oil-rich Guyana AIETEUR

Friday Edition November 19, 2021 - Vol. 14 No.47 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 84,673

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

Exxon wants to extend hold on Stabroek Block - sends application to Govt. due to COVID-19 for consideration - Hess Chief Operating Officer reveals

Govt. dismantles public procurement system, replaces it with Jagdeo - says Opposition Leader

Police losing Exxon likely to leave subsea equipment investigators to on seabed after private sector production- ERM consultant

T&T secures US$15M signing bonus, other financial benefits on new gas deal

Couple The protest killed continues for change to in EBD ExxonMobil’s smash-up contract.

Nicholas Valcin and his wife Olisa Sanderson-Valcin

Listen how the Intl. experts take EPA, Exxon and ERM to task on the dangers the region faces with this 4th Oil Project, during the consultation process.

@11:00hrs on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

Friday November 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

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T&T secures US$15M signing bonus, other financial benefits on new gas deal

By Kiana Wilburg Following several rounds of negotiations with Dutch multinational Shell, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has locked up a crucial gas deal that will see its people feeling substantial financial benefits way before the project goes into operation in 2025.

The Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) for the project which will last for 25 years was signed on Wednesday between the TT administration, Shell Trinidad and Tobago Limited and Shell Trinidad and Tobago Resources SRL (Shell). The agreement is in respect of the Manatee

T&T's Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley

Map showing the Loran- Manatee crossborder field, with Loran being located in the marine area of Venezuela.

TRINIDAD

ATLANTIC OCEAN Manakin

Manatee Kapok

Border limit

1

Loran

Coculna

2

4

Dorado

5 Field located in SubBlock 6D in the East Coast Marine Area of Trinidad. It should be noted that SubBlock 6 D is just a (Continued on page 24)

3 VENEZUELA

PLATAFORMA DELTANA

Friday November 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Exxon likely to leave subsea equipment on seabed after production - ERM consultant

By Renay Sambach

An artist's rendering of what the subsea apparatus looks like when hooked up.

A

t the end of the economic life of Guyana's fourth oil field, ExxonMobil will likely leave its subsea equipment on Guyana's seabed. This is according to Environmental Resources Management (ERM), consultant Todd Hall.

The aforementioned was disclosed during the final public scoping of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) – ExxonMobil's subsidiary, Environmental Impact Assessment (EPA) Study.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) facilitated the event to ventilate their concerns and signal their intention to litigate against EEPGL, if their demands are not met in writing, in the EIA to be prepared. ERM is the firm that prepared the EIA for EEPGL to submit to the EPA. The exercise saw participation from s t a k e h o l d e r s l o c a l l y, r e g i o n a l l y a n d internationally, including Canadian-Based Guyanese, Dr. Jerry Jailall who queried t h e c o m p a n y ' s decommissioning plan for Guyana's fourth oil project, Yellowtail.

Decommissioning is a process entailing the removal of industrial installations and any relevant structures that have come to the end of their productive life – the safe removal of pipelines and other infrastructure that were fixed to the ocean floor to extract the oil.

Dr. Jailall first

highlighted that according to the Yellowtail proposal, at the end of the field production, flow lines, umbilical cables, mooring lines, anchor piles, and other subsea equipment will be abandoned on the seabed.

He then noted the fact that leaving subsea equipment on Guyana's seabed after production seems to be contrary to best practices in the oil industry. This led to Dr. Jailall asking “Which best practice standards, have you abided to for this study?

Is it a World Bank or International Finance Corporation standards?

Whose guidelines are you using?”

He also asked, what is the risk in the difference of leaving all the toxic junk on the sea floor and following international best practices?

How is this proposal for

CORRECTION AND APOLOGY Kaieteur News wishes to apologise for an erroneous headline and contents of an article published in one of its November publications.

The caption which read, “Accused to face trial after 14 years on remand” was erroneously conveyed and should have stated, “Accused on trial 14 years after murder of gold dealer.”

Additionally, the article stated that the prosecution in the case is being led by State Counsel, Cecilia Corbin.

However, it was State Counsel Latifah Elliot who presented the indictment. The newspaper corrects the m i s i n f o r m ation and apologises for any inconvenience caused.

Guyana's fourth oil project good decommissioning practice and the guidelines that the EPA is using to assess the decommissioning part in the EIA? The environmental consultant, who responded to Dr. Jailall's questions, first noted that there is a p r e l i m i n a r y decommissioning plan that is included in volume three of the EIA. In fact, Hall stated that the current plan envisions that the subsea equipment will be disconnected after it is flushed and prepared and potentially left in place on the sea floor. “The decommissioning plan also states that alternative strategies will also be considered during the detailed decommissioning plan development, based on the results of a series of comparative assessments that are described,” the environmental consultant added.

In response to Dr. Jailall's question on which best practice standards were used, Hall disclosed that the comparative assessments are based on consideration of international guidance, specifically that from the United Kingdom (UK), as well as other international guidelines.

Hall then highlighted that Dr. Jailall's question was based on decommissioning which is not only in the preliminary stage but is

something that is expected to happen 20 years from now.

He also noted that in the years to come science and technology will evolve and that a detailed comparative assessment will be done shortly before the decommissioning is proposed and as such, current situations and current regulations can be taken into account.

Nevertheless, earlier this year it was reported that ExxonMobil's subsidiary EEGL can recover $47B in decommissioning costs by 2024 –years before Liza Phase One Project in the Stabroek Block actually comes to an end; in the next 20 years. This “abnormality” was highlighted in the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) publication called, “TOXIC ASSETS: Making Polluters Pay When Wells Run Dry and the Bill Comes Due.” Founded in 1989, CIEL uses the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society.

CIEL cited that an independent report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) estimates that EEPGL could charge Guyana as much as USD$227 million or GY$47B in amortized abandonment costs between 2020 and 2024.

Moreover, in August last, it was reported that in

Louisiana, oil companies sought bankruptcy, selling assets to evade a cleanup bill.

US based news agency, The Wa s h i n g t o n P o s t , highlighted how the negligence of oil companies can exasperate the effects of climate change and how they c a n h i n d e r t h e implementation of a solution designed to mitigate those effects.

The newspaper states that the Gulf of Mexico swallows a football-field-size piece of Louisiana's coastline every 100 minutes on average, with islands that have historically acted as barriers to hurricanes headed toward coastal communities losing significant ground. Without them, Louisiana is more vulnerable to climate change and severe weather.

In order to mitigate the effects of encroaching seas, a plan was devised to restore and rebuild the State's coastline, with geologists estimating that up to 11,000 million cubic meters of sediment are needed to restore the State's coastline.

At first that much material had initially posed a logistical hurdle because of its procurement and transport. However the State has opted to utilize the sediment off of Louisiana's coast however, there is a problem.

Syed Khalil, a geologist with the State's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority put the problems

facing the plan into perspective and notes that about 58 percent of the offshore sediment in the gulf that could be used to rebuild Louisiana's coast is blocked by pipelines.

Canals dug through the wetlands to build and service pipelines — which create pathways for saltwater to flow into the marsh — are also partly to be blamed for Louisiana's coastal erosion.

Now, those pipelines, and the companies that owned them, are hindering the solution.

According to The Washington Post, a Houstonbased energy company is asking a federal bankruptcy court for permission to walk away from its aging infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fieldwood Energy LLC is attemp tin g to s h if t responsibility for removing 1,715 wells, 276 platforms and 281 pipelines of oil and gas companies that previously held leases for the same area, according to court documents. Under existing federal regulations, companies remain liable for decommissioning infrastructure on areas of federally owned seafloor where they previously produced oil and gas. But the former holders of the Fieldwood leases — including Chevron, BP and Shell — are attempting to get out of that obligation because of the cost, estimated at US$9 billion.

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Kaieteur News

Friday November 19, 2021

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

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

EDITORIAL

Our Indigenous peoples will be used again

G

overnment leaders have been spreading the word of all the lovely things they have in mind, relative to Climate Change, and of Guyana’s readiness to do its part on a basis that speaks to equity and fairness. Increasingly, this country’s President and Vice President have been energetic in using every forum and opportunity to spread their gospel of honest commitment, and meaningful involvement. From misty Glasgow, Scotland to Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS 2030), leaders have been loud: count on Guyana as a reliable partner in global Climate Change combat strategies.It would make for good reading, but only if leaders had more credibility, were more open on how they go about Guyana’s oil business.

We hear them maximising the positive: carbon capture and forests that have the absorptive capacity of a massive carbon sink, and tens of billions in US dollars as part of the bargain that could, and should, favour Guyana. Regarding the negatives, their words are scanty, and their postures swiftly dismissive: gas flaring by Exxon from the company’s operations out on our seas is negligible, when compared to others, and bearing in mind our own newness to the exclusive oil producing club. But, notwithstanding such self-serving condoning and camouflaging exercises, it is on the aspects of conservation and carbon sink, and as they relate to climate change, that we wish to focus today, and which few, if any, Guyanese have made a centre piece of their positions. It involves our local, the truly indigenous people of this country.All this grand talk and promise about doing this and doing that, and of the billions that could result, leave unsaid a vital and sensitive area of the equation.

It is going to happen on the backs of our indigenous people, and of whom little of substance is said by political leaders, as they make the rounds at the United Nations and COP26, and elsewhere, and talk of billions with swagger and confidence. To repeat: whatever changes are in mind, they will come at the expense of indigenous communities dotted across the country.This was the story that was carried by Yale Environmental 360 and captioned, “A big new forest initiative sparks concerns of a “carbon heist” (October 28).

It is of “major funding to finance forest conservation projects” but with environmentalists sounding an early alarm that such funding arrangements “could exclude the Indigenous people who have long protected the forest that initiative aims to save.” The initiative is called Lowering Emissions by Accelerated Forest funding (LEAF), and though billions have been pledged by private entities (Amazon and Unilever, among others) and the governments of richer nations (the U.S. and the UK, for a start), the clamours are that they fall very short.Aside from that concern, wise and watchful environmentalist groups have serious concerns of the likelihood of a well-disguised “carbon heist” that victimizes indigenous populations.

According to Yale Environmental 360, “The fear is that LEAF will become a new platform for projects that provide an excuse for polluters to delay cutting their emissions by purchasing carbon offsets. Friends of the Earth was unsparing in its condemnation of the whole idea as “a dangerous deception” with companies like oil giant Shell and food behemoth Nestle taken to task. Other “landrights activists fear that these funding actions” are intended to “create a global carbon grab in which governments and corporations” work in tandem to deprive indigenous people of the benefits of their own conservation work.Though this is the fear on a holistic level, we all know how Guyanese politicians have exploited the native born for their own selfish objectives. They have been viewed and treated as cannon fodder, by past leaders and governments, and the present one continues the games that have long deceived the indigenous people, and taken advantage of them. With billions of United States dollars most likely on offer, the opportunity would be ripe, once again, to mislead and mistreat those who count for less in the grand schemes developing in the minds of leaders in today’s government.

As with everything else, for corrupt and compromised leaders the dollar is paramount, and if the indigenous people must be the collateral damage, then consider it done.

EXXON NOW OWNS GUYANA FINANCIALLY DEAR EDITOR, Guyanese must not be fooled by verbalised comments of President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo that the Government of Guyana will conduct an audit into the last two years of Exxon’s spending. Any audit now will not save Guyana the burden we carry for owing US$9.5 billion to this company, when we failed to honour our side of the contractual agreement. Let’s not be fooled or allow ourselves to be deceived by Ali and Jagdeo’s utterances.

They are false.

Exxon now owns Guyana, financially. This year’s National Budget is GY$383.1 billion (US$1.84 billion).

Guyana owes Exxon US$9.5 billion. Do the calculation.

Had the regime, when it entered office, focused on these oil contracts instead of witch-hunting and seeking to settle imaginary political scores, Guyana could have

avoided this travesty.

The arrogance and incompetence of the political leadership is costing this nation and its people dearly.

Few, if any Guyanese, would not come together to review the contracts. The noise the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) made when in Opposition about these contracts, and commitment given during the election campaign to review them, are proving to be just huffing and puffing to get into office.

Together, we must hold them accountable for their refusal to initiate actions to review these contracts and for our present state of affairs.

It is because of their recklessness, future generations, many of whom are not yet born, will be saddled with this enormous debt. This US$9.5 billion could be equated to the Government of Guyana knowingly placing the People of Guyana into economic

bondage to a foreign capital.

It is tantamount to a form of economic indenture-ship to honour this financial obligation to Exxon.

Never before has this nation owed one company more than it has in its International Reserves at 2020 (US$680 million), larger than its external (GY$ $650 billion) and internal (GY$500 billion) debt ceilings, and bigger than its National Budget. This is the gravity of the situation we must grapple with and hold the government accountable, as was done with the former coalition government (A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change), on these matters.

The PPP/C must be held even moreso accountable because they are the ones that promised to do better and must deliver better. We could only imagine what $US9.5 billion could have done for the development of this country and the working

class. It’s an imagination that will never be realised.

This matter is not about political loyalty or absence thereof, as so many grave issues of national import get ensnared in. This is a matter that puts at risk the sovereignty and future of Guyana, as an independent nation state.

We are in what the older generation would call “sh%t creek.” As a citizen and leader in society the call is being reiterated for the Government and Opposition to come together and meet with all stakeholders in this society to ensure proper management of the business of the state, consistent with the supreme law, i.e., the Constitution of Guyana. We must activate Article 13 as enshrined in the Constitution as a matter of urgency. It must no longer be business as usual.

Respectfully Lincoln Lewis

Given the Chinese track record here, can we really trust them with a vital project as the new DHB? DEAR EDITOR, On Tuesday 16th November, I travel with a minibus from Uitvlugt to Vreed-enHoop, then a speed boat to Georgetown, and finally with a minibus to Providence. Incredibly, my journey started from around 7:43 am and finished around 9:30 am without me stopping anywhere. Out of the fear of being caught in the traffic congestion at the Demerara Habour Bridge, I chose the route which lasted just around two hours. Because most people are journeying in the other direction mainly to work or conduct their business, I presumed that by travelling the opposite way, my trip would have been smoother and faster.

Painfully, it’s not, and thinking about those going to work, the time they would eventually reach, what they would have to face from their superior, I just felt very angry at our government, who’s entrusted with the responsibility to manage our beautiful Guyana to make life comfortable for us, but seemingly,

only they are living a comfortable life.

Editor, the majority of commuters’ woes lie on our roadways. Whilst Government is establishing housing schemes, they’ve failed miserably to provide proper roadways to relieve us from the constant traffic congestion occurring daily.

Despite promises, I’ve never seen any government provide plans for the development of our roadways to ease the burden, even though works are currently underway, that hasn’t convinced me that it would ease the congestion, because, all the plans are showing flat roads, no overpass that would allow traffic to flow smoothly.

Instead, we’re seeing schemes building with bottle neck roads being constructed even though we are seeing schemes already developed having serious traffic problems, causing Guyanese to be seriously affected by traffic congestion almost everywhere you turn.

Coupled with that, the

government has invested millions, if not billions of dollars in traffic lights, identifying bus stops, security cameras.

It would be a miracle if you could find any serving its purpose that money was wasted for it.

Finally, Editor, hints keep popping up for a more modernised harbour bridge and despite promises by various governments, we haven’t moved from the promises. Instead, we see millions being dishonestly shared out under the guise of the feasibility study. Whilst there are lots of talks of recovering monies lost that taxpayers have to replace; the whitecollar thieves are still enjoying their luxurious lifestyles on taxpayers’ sweat. Incredibly, the nation was surprised when Dr. Jagdeo announced that a Chinese company has been awarded the contract to construct a new Habour Bridge for us and they are the best he could find. This is a former president, who is always present in Guyana to witness contracts being

awarded to Chinese contractors and they failed repeatedly to deliver. Extensions on the extension were granted, some failed to deliver and additional money was requested. The Skeldon Factory, Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Mandela Ave./ Sheriff Street just to name a few. have been extended in some cases, twice longer than they would have estimated the work to be completed.

Additional money was requested.

Now, Guiana desperately needs a more modernised harbour bridge urgently and given the Chinese track records in Guyana they are still given preference.

Is it because they are lending money? No doubt they will be forced to complete the bridge before the next general election, in order to buy votes, but if they cannot complete a road in five years, are we to trust them with such a vital project and expect it to be safe?

Yours faithfully Sahadeo Bates

A few quick takes could sum up today’s Guyana DEAR EDITOR, I thought a few quick takes could sum up today’s Guyana. Assurances to all: no offense meant.

Noted commentator, Christopher Ram, came out of the shadows lengthening around him to say that the PPP/C is not interested in ‘good governance’ for the oil sector. I am afraid to say this: he is showing signs of a braincell or few in need of rehabilitation. Unlike Mr. Ram,

I am yet to discern any area, any sector, any place, any space, where the PPP/C has been about ‘clean governance.’ Come to think of it, there is insurmountable difficulty for PPP/C leaders in understanding what is involved with, and are the principled obligations inseparably attached to this abstraction (are you reading dear Clemmie) called clean governance. And just to show that I haven’t lost my own marbles also, the ex-

act same thing can be said of the PNC. I think the ‘C’ at the end of both of these monster parties’ names is a synonym for CORRUPTION. There is nothing clean about that; trust me on this, sir. My advice to Mr. Christopher Ram is to cease imagining himself to be St. Christopher (of Roman Catholic illustriousness) and thinking he can carry Guyana on his shoulders.

Then, they all came riding into town to the sound of

trumpets and much muted fanfare (is there such a thing?). I call them the Magnificent Seven vying for the coveted PNC leadership position. I am still looking for Steve McQueen and Yul Brynner among them. Yeah, but there is a St. Joseph and Richard the Lion Hearted and Norton (not Ken) who fancies himself the PNC heavyweight champion, who I caution that the other man has an iron jaw; (Continued on page 6)

Friday November 19, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Behaviour is the major phenomenon the Guyana Police Force must deal with DEAR EDITOR, Recently the Guyana Police Force held what it called its “Inaugural Integrity in Policing Symposium,” at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. Among the presenters were the Prime Minister, the Minister of Home Affairs and the Top Cop. The objective/s of the activity was not communicated publicly.

There was no public statement of the symposium after the event. However, I believe that the symposium was hurriedly put together to address the behaviour of ranks in the Force which has perpetually come into serious criticism in the print, electronic media and elsewhere.

Top Cop, Nigel Hoppie at the last Police Awards Ceremony bemoaned the fact that 29 policemen were before the Courts with criminal charges including murder, attempted murder, rape, corrup-

tion and other serious crimes.

Since then, the number has increased. In addition, there are numerous complaints of unacceptable behaviour by the police at all levels, which were reported to the Police Complaints Authority, which is still to be reconstituted.

In addition, the Office of Professional Responsibility is still to be put in place and the Police Service Commission.

Recent letters to the editor by Paul Slowe and Clement J. Rohee are very instructive.

Editor, please permit me to repeat some issues I posited before and introduce some new concepts about behaviour in the GPF and what could be done to correct the existing sad state of affairs.

Behaviour is the major phenomenon, which the Guyana Police Force must deal with as it set out to achieve the objectives of the

Force under Section 3 (2) of the Police Act Chapter 16:01 and the unwritten society’s expectations of the police.

Members of the Force must not only deal with the behaviour of the general public, their families, their friends, peers, subordinates and superiors but their own behaviour.

They can no longer regard the study of behaviour as the sole concern of the psychologist and psychiatrist.

They must learn about behaviour and the behavioural science in order to effectively and safely carry out the job.

What is required is a holistic approach towards behaviour at all levels in the GPF. If behaviour is not adequately address at all levels, the police will continue to display defiant behaviour, thereby tarnishing the image of the Force and eroding the fading public confidence of

the organisation.

Piecemeal efforts will only produce piecemeal results.

According to a recent article in the press, the police employed a therapist/counsellor who recently acquired a Master’s Degree in Psychology to cater for thousands of policemen at all levels in the force.

I understand the therapist/counsellor mounted a four-day Train the Trainers Course for a few ranks in the regional police divisions with the intention that the trainees will become trainers to address unacceptable and psychological behaviour.

Wow! Those initiatives are small steps in the right direction, but their scope of operations is woefully limited.

Much more must be done to address the current unacceptable behaviour perpetrated with alarming frequency by numerous ranks at all levels.

I am again compelled to

make another clarion call for the establishment of a Behavioural Science Unit, in the Guyana Police Force, staffed by fit and proper persons - not a one-woman show.

The Unit will go a long way towards influencing acceptable behaviour by members of the Force at all levels. This will fit nicely into UNESCO’s imperatives for learning. Here they are, Learn to live together; Learn to be; Learn to do; Learn to learn.

Some important areas to be covered are effective communication, cultural sensitivity, conflict resolution - do you resolve conflict by resorting to the boots, baton, bayonet or through the barrel of a gun? Self-esteem, emotional intelligence, policing multi-cultural and diverse communities, effectively dealing with people, effective investigations, cultural awareness, anger management, critical thinking, people skills,

capacity to act and the ability to apply knowledge.

Over two decades ago, I attended the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, in the United States of America.

My interactions with their Behavioural Science Unit then and later enabled me to effectively deal with members of the public in the execution of my duties as a law enforcement officer and in my relationships with my family, friends and colleagues.

I am confident that the creation of a similar unit within the Force will influence excellent behaviour by members of the Force and will go a far way towards promoting public trust and confidence in the police.

Yours respectfully, Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired)

SEX FOR PRISONERS IS A HUMAN RIGHT DEAR EDITOR, When I was a member of the National Commission of Law and Order (NCLO), I had raised the question about conjugal visits for prisoners to the then Commissioner of Police Mr. Henry Greene and Mr. Clement Rohee, the then Minister of Home Affairs and Chairman of the NCLO. I could see from the demeanour of the Home Affairs Minister and the words he spoke he truly believed in the idea of human rights of prisoners in permitting Conjugal visits.

I made the point then that in the same way a prisoner is entitled to food he is entitled to the right of sexual visits by his or her legal married partner. Similarly, the right to breathe; the right to clothing, the right to sleep, the right to medicine and housing, etc.

I Hajji Dr Roshan Khan truly believes in this concept, whereby legally married couples, or proven commonlaw partners be it male/female in our prison system are allowed to have what in my opinion is a genuine neces-

sary human right. I will delve more into this argument as I proceed in this article.

These are some of the basic human rights that modern civilisation has bequeathed to humanity. It is a human right that would have existed from the dawn of creation of humanity. It is a necessary component of sanity and life.

The human sexual drive is truly the most powerful drive in Man’s nature. To deny human beings and in particular, married couples this right even though they are imprisoned and maybe deservedly so, for the atrocities that they might have committed in society e.g.: breaking and contravening the social ‘mores‘, laws and bylaws and criminal laws. Even the conjugal partners out of the prisons will accept that their partner committed a crime and that he/she deserves to be punished.

However, the partner on the outside does not deserve to suffer or develop adulterous relations.

The sexual drive is so powerful that it runs some people mad and could create

violence even in the prison system. The sexual urges cause rapes on fellow inmates, be it male or female, especially the vulnerable: the new prisoners; the youths; the weak ones. Homosexuality and lesbianism are prevalent in the prisons even though many men and women might not have been so inclined. Desperation and circumstances would force them into it. It is also known that homosexuality causes more spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases in prisons. It has to be accepted that in the prison system these activities are prevalent as in most prisons condoms are given out especially to the male prisoners.

As a human being, I believe even gay partners who have been married or living together in a civil union, if that is ever allowed in Guyana,

they too should be allowed to meet.

As a religionist, I am not supposed to accept such ideas but I am speaking of a sociological and human reality that exists today and even from the earliest period of human civilisation.

Conjugal visits as it is known carries a bad name as it has a stigma attached to it.

Therefore, I propose that it be referred to as extended family visits or positive partnering or something of that nature, where the wife/husband/family could communicate with the husband/wife or vice versa and keep the sanity and the family connection together. It is my staunch viewpoint that this would help in the reformation of the personalities of the individuals who would have committed crimes.

Of course, in the prison system with rehabilitation sys-

tems and techniques put in place along with training: baking, cooking, welding, mechanics, construction, waiters/waitresses, etc. In this way, they will be better able to face the world on being released. More so, knowing that they have had intimate relationships with their partners and they have something to look forward to, they would not be tempted with jealousies and envies. After both partners have had some of these basic human rights and human instincts satiated.

Of course, they will be better producers in the prison system of work and labour, being content and looking forward for the next opportunity to meet with their beloved. They obviously will have the tendency not to behave in a manner to be denied as the prison warden could use denial as a form of pun-

ishment for misbehaviour. It is obvious this facility will not be given immediately upon imprisonment. Maybe a few months after imprisonment, by which time the prisoners, male or female, would have proved that they are inclined for rehabilitation and blessed with legal Conjugal visits. My viewpoint is that the chances of recidivism (Prison Returns) would be lessened and possibly paroled early for extraordinary, excellent behaviour.

There are several prisons around the world and over time, this practice has been ongoing. It exists in Pakistan and Mexico where families are allowed to actually spend time with their partners in the prison nonstop. Since it is opened and allowed, other prisoners do not invade the space of fellow prisoner’s families. For Guyana and the (Continued on page 6)

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Friday November 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

SEX FOR PRISONERS IS A HUMAN...

From page 5 western world, this might be scary to implement immediately. However, there are several countries, which allow this humane human right to prisoners, e.g., Denmark.

In Denmark, conjugal visits are permissible. The State Prison of East Jutland has apartments for couples, where inmates who have been sentenced to more than eight years in prison can have visitation for 47 hours per visit.

Germany allows prisoners and their spouses or partners to apply for conjugal visits.

The wisdom is that it helps to retain family connections.

Those who are approved are allowed unsupervised visits, which can preserve intimate bonds with their partners.

However, prisoners are

searched before being allowed to visit.

In Pakistan, conjugal visits prior to 2009 were permitted only under special circumstances. In August 2009, Federal Sharia Court ruled that married prisoners should be allowed conjugal visits at the designated facilities within the jail complex and alternatively, they should be granted a short parole to visit their spouses depending on their crime and positive behaviour in the prison system. Following the ruling, the Province of Sindh was the first to adopt the legislation providing conjugal visits for married prisoners within jail premises.

Human Rights Book 2010 reports that conjugal visits are now available for prisoners in all Provinces in Pakistan and

Federal territories if they are male and married. Here I say female discrimination, why it is that Pakistan would not allow females to have their husbands visit them for communication, partnership and keeping human sanity.

It is known that in the 1900s, in Mississippi USA, the Prison Warden allowed prisoners conjugal visits even if they did not have a partner.

They were given 25 cents to hire a prostitute. One of the reasons was to keep their sanity, their humanity and at the same time, they would work excellently in the prison garden to produce their own sustenance.

I also believe that any prisoner of good behaviour who was not violent in the committal of crimes and unmarried

but wishes to marry and has a partner should be allowed to do so. After a short period has elapsed, he/she should be allowed conjugal visits.

The right to marriage is also a human right.

You see Editor, friends and families, readers, when persons get married, something happens within their psyche (mentality and spirituality wise). Their body and soul call for their partner to share with each other. I do not have any scientific data on this but I am speaking on this as my personal opinion, as I am equating marriage with sex and human sanity. This also could help in behaviour modification. I recall sometime ago, Trinidad was contemplating it and I was shocked to listen to a supposedly intelligent Member of Parliament saying, ‘allowing wives to have conjugal visits with their husbands or partners would amount to prostitution.’ I do not see how this man could dare equate these kinds of visits that would keep a human couple together; that would help to ease the frustration and tensions in prison, how could he equate people who are legally married and their relationship to prostitution? I would like to ask if he has a partner or a wife, whenever he goes to bed with that person, should

it also constituted or considered as unpaid prostitution?

I know this will be a controversial subject in Guyana and I know many leaders of government and religions may not see the wisdom, but I pray that they will, so we could create a better advanced society as in Denmark.

Now where do they meet?

Our jail system most likely will not have such accommodation but future prisons can be built with a section for husbands and wives and even families to meet. Citizens of Guyana and shipping companies could be asked to contribute some containers to a great human cause. The containers could be fitted to house the couples, a 20ft container could be divided into two, and a 40ft container could be divided into four. The containers could be made fairly comfortable.

Some states in the United States of America allow one hour and some allow two hours. My advice to the government, the authorities, his Excellency President Ifraan Ali, the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, the Attorney General, the Commissioner of Police and others should meet with the Cabinet to discuss this and the realities of how it will benefit Guyana and create a more positive and harmonious society. This way,

the world could see us as a truly civilised and exemplary nation.

You must note that prisoners who are on death row should not have this benefit or facility since they have nothing to lose. They might not want another man to touch their wife/partner so something catastrophic could happen there. Furthermore, persons who are known to be violent or have been sentenced to prison for violent offences should not be allowed to have conjugal visits unless they pass through a psychological testing period. For non-violent offences, this facility should be studied and possibly be implemented even if it is once per month or once quarterly.

If it is once per month, it could be one or two hours, if it is once quarterly, it could be three hours and if truly qualified maybe one to three days respectively.

Think citizens of Guyana and please my government of our dear land of Guyana, let us mature and grow and truly comprehend that sexual intercourse is a natural human right. Even though the words sex and intercourse in our society might be considered as a taboo subject as it carries a stigma to some people.

Sincerely, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan

A FEW QUICK TAKES COULD...

From page 4 stony is he. Naturally, there is a Solomon, for what would Guyana be without one such endearing figure. I hope that he is not the kind of parental figure, who would chop this country in half. Unlike the biblical baby, I remind him that Guyana belongs to all of us. As for Aunty Volda, she ain’t no Kathy Jurado; pardon me, Halle B. Sorry, I got my pictures mixed up, and

here I am talking about St. Christopher skipping a beat.

I know that the Christmas Season has started, but the real fireworks and festivities will begin on Saturday, December 11 at that crucial Congress. Trust me on this one, too. Look, let’s get real around here: there is no other one in this country to trust, is there?

I dare anyone to pick up that gauntlet hurled down before all.Editor, I am serious, for this

place is worse than Sodom and Gomorrah.

It ain’t gat 10 citizens worthy of God saving it. So, the Almighty One is destroying it, brick by brick. Guess what he did: he give Guyana oil. God get wee fuh duh he dutty wuk fuh he. At times, he is a real wise guy. He leff wee fuh kill out waan anadder.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Friday November 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

An Opposition figure jump into the US$9.5 BILLION audit failure and says that the income taxes of all Guyanese would be covered for 56 years by that sum.

We are glad that the Opposition has something to say on this.

It has to do more. Its senior members have to stop collecting duty-free concessions and start earning their pay.

The Opposition must be in the face of the Govt. It must be loud and demanding and angry.

We are waiting. Guyana is watching. Will the Opposition keep on being a failure?

The butt of countless jokes?

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Friday November 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Guyana worse off with Chinese than under colonial rule - Ram …says this form of colonialism is more ruthless; without conscience

A

mid concerns about Chinese's g r o w i n g influence in Guyana, Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-Law Christopher Ram said, based on interactions in his circle, it was suggested that “if one were to do an economic analysis we are worse off now with the Chinese than when we were under colonial rule.”

This newspaper has reported heavily on Guyana's relationship with China which was established decades ago and the exploitation of this country's resources by Chinese companies operating here.

Ram made the comments while being a guest on Dr David Hinds' online programme Politics 101 Tuesday night. He opined that at present in Guyana,

Logs stacked on Bai Shan Lin’s trucks for export. “the Chinese control just about everything” and have in fact managed to infiltrate every village across the country.

Lamenting, another aspect of the state of affairs

with regards the Chinese and their operations in Guyana, Ram told Hinds, “I know of one area where they are almost a law onto themselves.”

The Chartered

Accountant was at the time responding to a question posed to him by a member of the public inquiring into his views. During the interactive session, he spoke about the need for a complete rewrite of the constitution in a fashion that addresses governance, outdated laws, and eliminates any remnants of colonialism.

Ram said Guyana is worse off with the Chinese operating here and posited, “…we are getting a different form of colonialism and it's probably more ruthless and without any conscience.”

Among the more recent reportage involving Chinese's relations with Guyana's includes the award of two contracts for the construction of two of the c o u n t r y ' s l a rg e s t e v e r projects namely the construction of a New Bridge across the Demerara River and the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP)—estimated to cost in excess of US$1B. Government at the beginning of the month had announced that it retained controversial Chinese contractor, China Railway First Group (CRFG). That same company had previously signed a contract to build the said project several years ago and to be paid for by power purchased from the project. Under that arrangement the Chinese would Build Own Operate [and then] Transfer (BOOT), the hydroelectric plant.

As regards the new bridge across the Demerara River, the administration announced that a Chinese

company which was accused of fraud by the World Bank secured the contract for US$257M. This, in addition to reports since confirmed by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who told reporters during a recent press engagement that Guyana was exploring a line of access to credit to the tune of some US$1.5B. Outside of China National Offshore Oil Company's involvement in the oil sector operating as an ExxonMobil partner in the Stabroek Block, there are a number of Chinese owned companies operating in the other extractive industries, namely mining and forestry.

Among some of the companies that would have made headlines in recent times with regard to their practices in Guyana is Zijin Mining which operates the Aurora Gold Mines. The numerous lamentations with regard this company and its operations are rooted not only in its perceived 'lucrative' mining licence and concessions bonanza but its mistreatment of workers.

This company, having mined out the ore from its original mining pits, has since announced plans to begin underground mining.

Another Chinese's company operating in Guyana that found their performance locally wanting/lacking and coming under scrutiny, is the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and relates to the renovation of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

Lamentations over this project include the manner in which the contract was inked secretly in Jamaica, the number of years ongoing, the cost overruns and numerous extensions among other complaints.

That contract, which was initially inked at S$150M, has since exceed that sum but according to Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, would not run past US$200M. Another one of the companies that had come in for flack in recent months is the one working on the rehabilitation of and expansion of the Sheriff

Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-Law Christopher Ram Street/Mandela road—a $1B project.

This publication reported last month that the Chinese Company working on the project, Sinohydro Corporation would not be able to meet the October 31 deadline for completion because of shipping delays.

Sinohydro was awarded the contract in 2017 and works began in 2018. It was supposed to be completed already but was plagued by constant delays.

One of the excuses it had given regarding its failure to meet the project deadline was that it had to halt works during the five-month gridlock over the March 2, 2020 General and Regional e l e c t i o n s . Wo r k s recommenced after it ended in August 2020 and a new deadline was set for August 4, 2021.

Sinohydro was unable to meet that deadline and a new one was set for August 31, 2021.

It did not meet that deadline either. They were granted until October, 31, 2021 but will be unable to meet this deadline also, due to the rain.

Last month too, this publication reported that despite bidding higher than local contractors, a Chinese company, Shandong Degian International, was still awarded a contract to rebuild the St. Rose's High School located at Church and Camp Streets, Georgetown.

Included in the litany of complaints that were raised publicly, about the practices employed by Chinese companies in Guyana in recent years, is the US$200M botched by the Chinese contractor, China National (Continued on page 22)

Friday November 19, 2021

The President and Vice President must explain to this nation how it is they propose to undertake the post-2017 expenses and credits of ExxonMobil and its partners when the time period for such an exercise has elapsed.

The government bungled the process by not being able to contract a firm to undertake the exercise. And having bungled the exercise, it now wants to bamboozle the people by promising that it will still undertake the audit.

It is my opinion that not only would this be an exercise in futility, but it would also be impossible. The Accounting Procedures which constitute Annex C of the Production Sharing Agreement do not vest any right to conduct an audit after the deadline has passed. What possible use can now be served by undertaking the audit? It will be a further waste of money because even if Guyana finds issues with the credits and expenses of the oil companies, it is debarred from doing anything about these since the two-year stipulation has expired.

There is no provision in the Agreement for reopening any audit after this two-year period. As such, no useful purpose can be served by undertaking the audit now.

Such an audit in any event would be impossible. The agreement provides for the Contractor – in this case Esso, Hess and CNOOC – to maintain and make available records only up to two years.

So the oil companies no longer have an obligation to

produce any records anymore and will not do so when they have been given a free pass on US$9.5B. They would have to be crazy to entertain a request from the government to produce for verification records which they are no longer bound to produce.

No audit can now take place in the US$9.5B in expenses.

The Accounting Procedures provides, “For purposes of auditing, the Minister may audit, examine and verify, at reasonable times during the normal business hours but not more than once per calendar year, all charges and credits relating to the Contractor’s activities under the Agreement and all books of accounts, accounting entries, material records and inventories, vouchers, payrolls, invoices and other correspondence and records necessary to audit and verify the charges and credits.”

But the agreement also provides that this is done as part of the annual audit which has the two-year stipulation.

And while it allows for a review of previous years’ records which were audited, this can only be done in respect to the annual audit for a particular calendar year. In other words, there is no way that Guyana can ask for the records which were not audited to now be audited.

The President and Vice President therefore must not make promises which cannot be fulfilled. They must be advised that what they are promising cannot happen and will not happen.

What is now needed is for the responsible persons to be held accountable for the foul-up. Those who failed the country must be made to face the music and account for their failures.

It makes a mockery that we are dragging a Permanent Secretary through a police investigation for an alleged wrongdoing totalling a few hundreds of thousands of dollars when billions of US dollars were not audited and we do not know whether the country has been overcharged. The APNU+AFC has tabled some questions and made some requests in the National Assembly. They are seeking information. This is a good first step.

But I want to suggest that the matter cannot be allowed to end there.

I can think of no greater scandal in our country’s history than this one and it would be unconscionable if no one is held accountable for this mishap.

There must be a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into this matter.

The COI must be independent and comprised of international persons.

If the government refuses to accede to that demand, then there can only be one recourse – a vote of no confidence must be tabled immediately. It matters not whether the vote will succeed or not.

It will allow for a debate on the matter which will provide the justifications and lack of justifications which would have been possible under a COI.

Dem boys seh ...

De back pay tun back pain!

De shaart man story long. He had to list all dem ting wah de guvament doing before he announce de seven percent increase.

Dem wah bin hoping fuh double digit mussy bin dreaming. De Pee Pee Pee Cee is a five percent guvament but dem know dat cost-ah-living high so dem tap up dem usual five percent with a two percent.De workers know dat every year from now on is five percent dem gan get. So dem should cater fuh dat when dem budgeting and planning dem career.

Yuh gat fuh see weh paying more and try and get wuk deh. Some people desperate fuh get wuk at de GRA and de Immigration Department – don’t ask dem boys why.

A piece ah time, people use to be tumbling ova fuh become traffic police.

But dem boys hear how when police get transfer to traffic dese days, dem does cry – and is not out ah happiness.

De traffic so heavy dese days dat dem traffic police does gat to be at dem junction directing de flow during morning and afternoon

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

hours. Dem does tired when dem go home and dem pocket does be empty. So de traffic wuk nah paying.

Now de guvament seh how dem gan regularise positions in de guvament. Dat is sheer fart. Some places does gat to pay more dan others to attract staff. De differential is important in ensuring de best human resources. But now it look like we gan tun like North Korea where everybody at de same level gan wuk fuh de same money. Dem boys nah agree with dat at all. Talk half and wait fuh de rick-a-tiks!

Wherever the chips fall, they must fall. Whether it is a Pharaoh or a peasant, someone has to take the fall for this scandal.

(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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Friday November 19, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

In the diaspora, in the diaschisma, in the diathesis

W

hen the March 2020 election r i g g i n g continued way into April and the months began to go by with no GECOM declaration, I condemned several civil society groups and several Guyanese personalities in and out of Guyana for both their silence and embrace of electoral fraud.

I frequently condemned women rights activists and the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) and the Guyana chapter of Transparency International (TIGI). I also focused on the weekly Stabroek News (SN) column, In The Diaspora (ITD).

I highlighted the fact that after one year of failure by the leadership of the APNU+AFC to hold general elections after the no-

confidence motion (NCM) was passed, ITD did not do even one column on the controversy. This country suffered ignominy in the eyes of the world where a ruling party was chastised by the Caribbean Court of Justice for asking the court to rule that 34 is the majority number of 65.

Dominic Gaskin at the time of the election rigging, and who rejected the rigging, wrote on his Meta page of July 17, 2020: “While I empathise with many who do not wish to see the PPP return to power, the harm that will ensue can never justify what is contemplated.” What was contemplated? The rigging of elections to perpetuate permanent power.

What did the absurdity of 34 being the majority of 65 have to do with the PPP?

Nothing! It was plainly an insult to human intelligence to tell humans that 34 was the majority of 65. ITD never did a column on the NCM or the five months of rigged elections.

ITD is edited by Dr. Alissa Trotz who is a leading figure in a group named Overseas Friends of the WPA. Is Dr. Trotz telling us in this wide world she could not find one educated soul, just one soul with academic standing to argue that 34 could not be the majority of 65 and that the five months of rigging was so conspicuous and graphic in a world of smart phones that it had to be criticised?

The introductory words that prefaced ITD go like this: “This is one of a series of weekly columns from Guyanese in the diaspora and others with an interest

in issues related to Guyana and the Caribbean.”

Where was Mr. Ian McDonald, the chairman of the board of SN? Where was Ms. Isabelle DeCaires the daughter of the founder of SN? These persons are decent, widely recognised Guyanese. Mr. McDonald is a cultural icon. Ms. DeCaires writes passionately on wrong things on Guyana like the mistreatment of sugar workers and election riggings.

Why couldn't they communicate with the editor-in-chief to summon Dr. Trotz to provide a columnist from some part of the world to offer an insight into what was taking place with the NCM and the March 2020 election? Importantly, why Dr. Trotz has not offered an explanation to the diaspora readers of SN for this lacuna?

Of all the online newspapers that originate from Guyana, SN is the only one, I repeat, the only one that is not free to read online.

Diaspora Guyanese have to

pay to read it.

Surely, there must be some obligation to those readers to explain why ITD never Frederick Kissoon carried a commentary on the NCM and the election rigging. It is not a El ection Officer (CEO) had legitimate question to ask if removed 115, 844 valid this was just an oversight. It votes in his final submission. is not a legitimate question to That was 25 percent of valid ask if Dr. Trotz should votes cast. After that removal, the compilation of continue to edit ITD. The current issue of ITD the CEO showed that the is on the Environmental A P N U + A F C w o n t h e Impact Assessment of election. What would have ExxonMobil's Yellowtail become of this nation if on project. The column's title is: the basis of the rejection of “'ExxonMobils Yellowtail 25 percent of the votes in the March election, an illegal E nv i ro n m e nta l I m p a c t government had come into Assessment (EIA): Questions being? for which answers in writing To date ITD has never are demanded.” featured an analysis of this No one can deny that legal depravity. The GHRA there are answers that should and TIGI need to be be offered on this issue. That ostracised by this nation. Dr. is not the point.

Trotz and SN must offer an The point is this, is the explanation to its fee-paying E I A o f m o r e v i t a l subscribers. importance than a situation (The views expressed in in a country in which the this article are those of the right of citizens to vote is a u t h o r a n d d o n o t taken away? Was the editor necessarily reflect the of ITD aware that the Chief opinions of this newspaper.)

Friday November 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Court will hear arguments in case challenging COVID-19 measures in January

T

he trial in the matter filed by three trade unions challenging Government's C O V I D - 1 9 E m e rg e n c y Measures will commence on January 20, 2022.

Chief Justice Roxane George- Wiltshire, SC scheduled timelines for attorneys to file their submission during a virtual hearing for the proceedings on Thursday. The case was filed on behalf of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), the Guyana Teachers' Union (GTU), and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC).

The u n i o n s , c o l l e c t i v e l y, represent thousands of public service employees.

During the session, a t t o r n e y D a r r e n Wa d e appeared on behalf of Dawn Gardener, Vice President of the GPSU while Deputy Solicitor General, Debra Kumar and attorney, Chevy Devonish appeared on behalf of Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall SC who is the State's legal representative.

The attorneys were instructed to have all their written

submissions and supporting documents filed by January 15, 2022. As such, the trial will begin on January 20, 2022 at 10:00 am.

Last September, the unions approached the court seeking an interim injunction forcing the State to bear the cost for regular COVID-19 testing for employees of the State until the court determines an application to the legality of the Government's COVID-19 Emergency Measures published in the Official Gazette.

However, Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln had denied two interim injunctions against the Government's vaccination policy which were being sought by the Unions.

The Unions had sought an injunction preventing the State from implementing the requirement that public servants show proof of vaccination against the Coronavirus or produce a recent negative PCR test result at their own expense.

It was reported that the court action was filed as a

result of the new COVID-19 policy, “no vaccine, no entry, ” which resulted in unvaccinated workers, who fail to provide a weekly negative PCR test, being denied entry into their places of work.

Firstly, the unions are asking the Court to declare that the health emergency that was declared by President David Granger exceeded his authority when he issued the first COVID-19 emergency measure back in March 2020. Following the Presidential declaration by the former President, President Irfaan Ali, after being sworn in, in August of last year, not only continued the said declaration but enhanced it.

However, it is being contended in the court document that the President, along with his Minister of Health, did not contact/consult with the Central Board of Health for advice and recommendations as is required by the Constitution.

As such, the document stated that the Presidential

declaration amounts to an unconstitutional delegation of the President's powers and infringes on the Constitution.

It is also being contended that there was an improper delegation of powers.

The lawyer wants the Court to declare that the emergency measures issued are invalid, and the Gazetted orders quashed since it is believed that they were unconstitutional in the first place.

At the initial hearing of the matter in September, the AG argued that the injunctive reliefs that were being sought in the application cannot be granted against the State.

As it relates to the laws and facts of the case, Nandlall said that the court ought not to grant the interim declaration being sought by the applicants against the

Dawn Gardener, Vice Chairman of the GPSU March 16, 2020, directions of t h e p r e s i d e n t ' s implementation of the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines.

He cited Section 16 (6) of the State Liability and Proceedings Act. Among other things, the AG said that according to Section 16 of the said act “the

court shall not in any civil proceedings grant any injunction or make any order against an officer of the State if the effect of granting the injunction or making the order would be to give any relief against the State which would not have been obtained in proceedings against the State.”

Five remanded to prison for the murder of West Coast Berbice man

Ryan Dhanraj

Murdered: Bheim Evans Five men appeared at the Fort Wellington Magistrate's Court for the murder of a 61year-old man from Woodley Park, West Coast Berbice.

Brian Evans, 22, of No.11 Vi l l a g e , W C B , R y a n Dhanraj, 27, of Block D Waterloo, Bath Settlement,

Samuel Vanbrook called 'Chucky'

James David WCB, James David, 18, a labourer of No.12 Village, WCB, Samuel Vanbrook called 'Chucky', 22, unemployed of Waterloo, Bath Settlement and Leeward Chung called 'Boysie', 22, unemployed also of Bath Settlement were

Brian Evans

Leeward Chung called 'Boysie' all charged with the capital offence of murder contrary to common law committed on Bheim Evans.

They made their appearance before Magistrate Peter Hugh and were not required to plead to the indictable (Continued on page 22)

Friday November 19, 2021

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Exxon wants to extend hold on Stabroek block due to COVID-19 Chief Operating - sends application to Govt. for consideration - Hess Officer reveals

By Kiana Wilburg

G

iven that the life of the Stabroek B l o c k ' s exploration licence comes to an end in 2026, ExxonMobil's affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), has sent the PPP/C Government an application to extend its hold on the block for more than 10 years.

This request for extended time is based on operational hindrances that resulted from t h e e ff e c t s C O V I D - 1 9 pandemic.

Making this revelation to the international market was Exxon's partner on the Stabroek block, Hess Corporation. Specifically, Hess' Chief Operating Officer (COO), Greg Hill made the disclosure during his participation at Bank of America's recently held Global Energy Conference.

There, Hill spoke of the company's exploration plans for the block and whether he believes the four and a half years left on the licence is enough time to fully explore the prospective resources of the Stabroek Block.

Hill said he is of the view that the Stabroek Block partners will have enough time to figure out what they

have in other parts of the deep water concession given the drilling programme the partners have in the pipeline.

The COO said, “…we feel confident that with the active programme of 12 exploration wells planned for next year and 12 (done) this year and (if we) continue this pace, then we can definitely prosecute most of what we want to on the block.”The Chief Operating Officer also alluded that the company is not worried about the activation of relinquishment provisions come 2026 since an application is before the Guyana government for an extension.

He said, “Basically, how relinquishment works is you have to lock down all the acreage you expect to develop with a licence and when the time comes, that is 2026, you relinquish (or return to the State) what you don't want out of that…The operator has applied for an extension due to the effects COVID-19 on that 2026 (timeline) and we will see if we actually get that but there could be an extension to the exploration licence.”

ABUSIVE Industry stakeholders such as Chartered Accountant and Attorney-atLaw, Christopher Ram have

Stabroek ExxonMobil 45% (Op) Hess 30% Nexen 25% Pacora Payara

Liza Liza Deep Payara Snoek Turbot Ranger

Pacora Longtail Hammerhead Pluma Haimara Tilapia

Yellowtail Tripletail Mako Uaru

Whiptail Pinktail Cataback

Canje Block

Liza Uaru Whiptail

Liza Deep

Yellowtail Pinktail

HH

Yellowtail2 Redtail

Snoek

Mako

YT-2 Tilapia Cataback Discoveries Prospects Hess Block Pluma

Haimara

Map showing the discoveries made to date on the Stabroek Block. (Source: Hess Corporation) been extremely critical over the years about the arrangements for relinquishment in the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSC).

Just recently, Ram told

Kaieteur News that when it comes to relinquishment, both the Coalition and the PPP/C Governments have utilized a loophole in the nation's Petroleum Act to the benefit of ExxonMobil and

its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC. Ram explained that the initial period of a prospecting licence is four years.

Such licence is subject to two renewals of three years each. Expounding further, the lawyer said, “The standard provision in the Petroleum Act is that on an application for first renewal at the end of the four years, the company is required to give up 50 percent of the blocks granted and on an application for the second renewal, which is at the end of seven years, it is required to give up 25 percent of the remaining concession.”

He added, “At the end of the 10 years, which brings you to the end of the third renewal period, the company has to give up all portions of the block not subject to a production licence…”

He noted that under normal circumstances, ExxonMobil would have been expected to follow the foregoing process.

Instead, through the reckless abuse of the loophole in the law which obliges that the subject Minister can vary the r e l i n q u i s h m e n t arrangements, no

relinquishment was required after four years and only 20 percent after the end of seven years, compared with 75 percent in normal situations.

But based on the recent revelations made by Hess' COO, the relinquishment provision is more generous than Ram predicted. Instead of 20 percent being given up at seven years, none will be required. Instead, Exxon and its partners will only be required to return a small portion of the block at the end of 10 years. Ram has also expressed the fear that with little oversight and undisclosed arrangements between ExxonMobil and the Government, the portion to be given up can be subject to any form of machination via production licenses.

He said, “ExxonMobil and its friends are pushing for more and more explorations licenses so that by the time the first relinquishment is due…, the 20% would be of a considerably reduced portion of the Stabroek Block.”

To date, ExxonMobil has made over 20 significant discoveries in the Stabroek Block. It is also rushing to find more oil discoveries before the end of the year and no doubt before 2026.

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Couple killed in EBD smash-up

Nicholas Valcin and his wife Olisa Sanderson-Valcin, the young couple that was killed in yesterday's smash-up on the East Bank.

A

young couple died in a horrific road crash at Caledonia, on the East Bank Demerara Public Road.

Dead are Nicholas Valcin and Olisa Sanderson-Valcin.

According to information reaching Kaieteur News, the car in which the couple was traveling collided head-on with a canter truck during the late afternoon hours along the Caledonia Public Road on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD).

Kaieteur News understands that car was

heading south along the EBD Highway while the canter was travelling in the opposite direction.

The couple was reportedly pinned and it took a while for them to be freed from the wrecked car.

The couple along with another passenger was rushed to the Diamond Hospital. Doctors pronounced the couple dead on arrival while the passenger was admitted for treatment.

Investigations are still ongoing.

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Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Minimum wage worker to get $4900 increase in oil-rich Guyana M

inimum wage workers to get $ 4 , 9 0 0 increase in oil-rich Guyana In a country with one of the world's largest oil reserves, the Irfaan Ali Government on Thursday announced a mere seven percent, across-the-board salary increase for public servants, retroactive from January 2021.

This comes even after the state workers did not get an increase in salary last year.

When analysed against the rising cost of living, which Ali acknowledged last week, many public servants saw the announcement as a slap in the face and many took to social media on Thursday venting their displeasure.

M a k i n g t h e announcement on behalf of the Government was Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh.

The announcement came on Thursday afternoon as thousands of public servants were glued to their phones and computer screens, in anticipation of a substantive increase, since Government had promised a whopping 50 percent increase to their salaries, during their Elections Campaign only last year.

Nevertheless, the seven percent raise will be reflected in salaries payable by December 2021.

“I am pleased to announce now that your Government will be paying an across-the-board increase of seven percent to public servants, teachers, members of the disciplined services, constitutional office holders, as well as government pensioners.

This increase will be granted retroactively to 1

January 2021, and work will start immediately to ensure that it is processed and paid to eligible employees together with their December salary and in time for the festive Christmas season,” the Minister explained.

It must be noted that a Public Servant currently earning $70,000 in Guyana will receive a $4,900 increase, before taxes, while a Minister of the Government earning $869,000 will receive an increase of $60,830 to their monthly salaries.

Leading up to his announcement, the Minister reminded Guyanese of all the money spent this year to “directly improve” the disposable household income.

He said a COVID-19 cash grant of $25,000 per household was distributed, resulting in over $7.5 billion distributed to families across all ten Regions.

Ye a r - e n d b o n u s e s totaling $1 billion was paid in December 2020 to frontline workers in the health sector and the disciplined services, while a one-off payment of $25,000 was made to all public sector employees in December 2020, placing $2 billion in the hands of close to 60,000 employees, the Minister stated.

He was also keen to note that the Government facilitated an increase in the monthly old-age pension from $20,500 to $25,000, amounting to some $4 billion this year to seniors.

Singh also made mention of the increase in public assistance from $9,000 to $12,000 monthly, totaling $500 million and the one-off grant of $25,000 to all old age

Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh making the announcement on Thursday.

pensioners, public assistance recipients, and persons living with disabilities which benefitted some 90,000 persons to the tune of $2.2 billion, along with $200 million of electricity credits provided to the most vulnerable households.

Lastly, the Finance Minister reminded of the restoration of the 'Because We Care' cash grants to the parents of schoolchildren, increasing the amount for each child to $19,000 and extending the programme to children attending private schools.

In total, this provided some $3.6 billion of cash transfers to the parents of 192,000 schoolchildren.

Bonus for Frontline workers In addition to the pay hike for public servants, frontline workers are poised to receive an additional bonus, the Minister announced.

In fact, some $400 million has been set aside for a “special 2021 payout to be made to frontline workers in the health sector who have continued to face extenuating circumstances in the daily

Police losing investigators to private sector - GPF Crime Chief Police have complained that they are losing a number of their investigators to private security firms.

Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum speaking at a forum on Monday lamented the fact that their work has been hampered due to the lack of quality investigators.

Blanhum said the inadequacy is being felt across all of the police divisions.

In listing some of the other challenges faced by the Force, Blanhum noted that

some investigators have left due to retirement, others were put before the courts and some were even transferred for disciplinary infractions. “We have also lost some of our investigators to some of the companies out there, the security companies I'm speaking about,” the Crime Chief stated.

He further acknowledged that because of the COVID19 pandemic, the Force was unable to conduct criminal investigation courses to induct new entrants. He

further enlightened that the Force is assessing measures to implement the signing of contracts for persons being trained as he made specific reference to one of the Force's dog handlers who after being trained, left the organisation.

The individual, he noted, was sent on training in Texas at a cost of almost US $100,000 and upon his return, though he was fully equipped with the skills and knowledge, he was not utilised by the GPF.

discharge of their duties” Singh related.

Details pertaining to the payout are yet to be announced. The

Minister would only say that it will be made to eligible employees before the end of December 2021.

Anomalies During his statement, Dr. Singh said that the Government has recognised “the existence of a number of anomalies and disparities across positions, within the public service salary scales, as a result of which there are marked inconsistencies across the pay, received by persons holding similar qualifications, but occupying different posts, depending on the agency in which they work, the post to which they are appointed, and the salary

scale in which their post is classified”.

He explained, in some cases, public servants with a specific degree may be earning $120,000 in one agency while a graduate with identical qualifications is earning $190,000 in another agency.

“Government will be taking steps next year to r e d u c e t h e s e inconsistencies, by making suitable adjustments to salaries in order to improve the parity and consistency with which persons with comparable qualifications are paid.

Provision will be made for this in Budget 2022,” he pointed out.

Govt. to spend $20M to repair 235 fire hydrants in Georgetown

Minister within the Ministry of Local Government, Anand Persaud, Fire Chief Kalamodeen Edoo and other officials inspecting fire hydrants around the city.

Chief Fire Officer, Kalamodeen Edoo said that some 235 out of the over 600 fire hydrants around Georgetown are currently inoperable and a sum of $20M is what is required to fix them.

Edoo noted that the project, which will not be tendered and is expected to begin within the next two weeks. The fire chief along with the Minister within the Ministry of Local government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud, on Wednesday conducted inspections on multiple hydrants across Georgetown.

During the inspection, they recorded 121 hydrants that are functioning and out of the 235 that are inoperable, 53 require major

repairs while 182 only require minimum work.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that the decision to rehabilitate these hydrants came directly from President Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali. The minister related that they are working everyday to ensure that the fire hydrants are checked and fixed in the shortest possible time. “I want to warn drivers of motor vehicles that the law will take its course after we erect signage and markings on the road that fire hydrants are here and there will be no parking,” he cautioned drivers.

The DPI also reported the fire chief's plans to install additional hydrants in fire prone areas. The fire chief also highlighted that during

their inspection, they noticed a lot of businesses blocking the hydrants, with construction materials, suitcases, washing machines and more.

In a press release issued later that day, the Guyana Fire Service advised the public not to obstruct access to fire hydrants.

The fire service also noted that it has received several reports of persons duping and burning garbage indiscriminately around the city.

The fire service cautioned citizens that it is illegal to burn garbage openly and further warned that such an act attracts a fine ranging from $80,000 to $300,000 and perpetrators can face up to three months imprisonment.

Kaieteur News

Friday Friday November October 29,19, 2021 2021

PAGE 21

Citizens taking law into their own hands at alarming rate - Police F

rom 2017 to 2021, there were 638 murders recorded in the country and according to a statistical report from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), 349 out of that number were that of a disorderly type.

“We are very concerned with the number of disorderly murders committed within our country,” Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said on Monday while speaking at the launch of the GPF Christmas security plan.

Disorderly murders are killings caused by fights or brawls, which often times take place at party or drinking sessions.

Despite reporting that there has been a decrease in murders taking place this year, the Crime Chief noted that one problem, which the Force is seeing is that citizens are taking the law into their own hands at an alarming rate.

From the statistics presented, Blanhum explained, “persons seem hell bent on settling their grievances by fatally inflicting wounds on individuals who they have issues with instead of making a report with the police.”

According to the report, the Police Force in 2017 recorded 115 murders.

During that year, 58 were disorderly murders, 19 were domestic, 14 were during the course of a robbery while seven were executions.

In 2018, a total of 111 murders were recorded, 55 were disorderly, 25 were domestic, 16 were during the course of a robbery and two were executions. During 2019, the GPF recorded 136 murders, 74 were disorderly, 24 were robbery, 15 were domestic and five were executions.

The year 2020 which accounted for the most

Dead, Paul Anthony

Dead, Cameel Calistro

murders within the five-year period, saw a total of 157 murders.

Ninety of these murders were disorderly; 25 were domestic; 12 were robbery and nine were executions.

Meanwhile, this year, a total o f 11 9 m u r d e r s w e r e recorded thus far, with 72 being disorderly cases, 18

were domestic, 10 were robbery and five were executions.

Additionally, in 2017, the police stated that 74 percent of the murders committed that year were solved, 52 percent were solved in 2018, 68 percent were solved in 2019, 71 percent were solved (Continued on page 22)

PAGE 22

Friday November 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

Guyana worse off with Chinese...

LAND FOR SALE FOR RENT

VEHICLES FOR SALE Toyota Premio PAB3048 white, year 2008 registered August 2021. Tel:621-7993.

CAR RENTAL Aidan's Car Rental.Cal:6281183,225-3234.

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Specialized repair/service: A/ C, refrigerator, washing machine,treadmill,stove, deepfryer, pressurepump & backwash,dryer,oven. 6949733.

Office space for rent,air conditioned,water & wifi, East North Cummingsburg $100,000 per month.Tel:2236218,226-5546.

3 bedrooms bottom flat, Located Peter Rose St Queenstown $150,000 per month.Tel:223-6218,2265546.

Bond Space,900 sq ft,2 office space,spacious parking Eccles.Tel:223-6218,2265546.

Unfurnished 2 bedrooms apt, Mon Repos $100,000 per month.Tel:223-6218,2265546.

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3bedroomshouse, Queenstown $170,000 per month.Tel:223-6218,2265546.

Fully furnished self-contained bedrooms house, Bougainvillea EBD $3,000 USD.Tel:223-6218,226-5546.

102 GoodHope Mahaica, 500ftx42ft Roadside. Call: 691-8420.

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Live in shop attendant (female) 18-25 yrs,$25,000 wkly.

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One male able bodied clerk.

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Kitchen assistant/cleaner (live in-out ogle E.C.D) salary $120,000 monthly.

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FOR SALE Household used: Dining tables,Mirrors,Side & Center tables,Floor lamps, Carpets.

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Pure breed Rottweiler (male) fully vaccinated.Call:6983206.

6 ton Hiab Crane.Tel:6873925/602-0090.

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PROPERTY FOR SALE Parfaite Harmony.Tel:6839146.

Pump Attendant/Cashier, shifts (6AM-2PM & 2PM10PM).ShellStation ProvidenceE.B.D, email: Shellramsburg@gmail.com.

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

Vacancy exists for 1 certified Auto Mechanic with minimum 10 yrs experience.

Call:231-8737.

One salesman,able bodied porters.Experience in writing bills,stocktaking & cashing.

Keyfood Trading,Mc Doom village.

Security officers to work in the interior.Applications to innovationsamericamng@gmail.com or hand deliver to Innovations America.

From page 8 Technical Import and Export Corporation (CNTIC).The state of affairs with regards the practices employed by Chinese companies in Guyana had even seen the Guyana Revenue Authority back in 2017 launching a probe into an alleged racket in which the Chinese embassy was used to bring in containers of goods for its nationals who are operating businesses here. GRA had in 2017 reportedly stumbled on what seemed like an abnormally large number of containers brought in by the Chinese embassy.

As a matter of fact, when GRA officials checked, they found that the Chinese embassy brought in more containers than all the other embassies combined. Investigators initially believed that maybe there was a mistake with the number of containers. However, further checks confirmed that the embassy allegedly used its diplomatic channels to pass the containers through the wharves.

Under the diplomatic arrangements, shipments and packages for embassies are not too closely scrutinized.

It is the belief that the containers were filled with all sorts of items – from hardware and other accessories – which eventually ended up in a number of Chinese-owned stores. It meant very little or no taxes were paid on the items.Kaieteur News was not told exactly how many containers, but officials insisted that they were enough to be equivalent to tens of millions of dollars in lost taxes. Contacted this week, Commissioner-General of GRA, Godfrey Statia, was reluctant at the time to delve into details. The Chinese 'takeover' as was lamented in a feature some years ago published by the Kaieteur News had delved into the plethora of Chinese owned businesses that had begun popping up in Georgetown, the country's capital city and central business hub, especially Regent Street. Amidst the challenges, many local businesses have closed their doors but there are a few local Regent Street businesses which have found a way to reinvent themselves to keep offering their services to the Guyanese populace.

“Chiney selling every-

thing now; from rope to soap.” one commuter commented. “With the number of Chinese's stores they got in here, I think the Government should rename Regent Street, Chinatown,” he added. It is no secret that the Chinese are offering everything that the local businesses have but at a cheaper price, and the visitors seem to take full advantage of it. It was even observed, that some Chinese operated stores even have Portuguese and Spanish names targeting the ever increasing migrant population.

Guyana Manganese Inc. (GMI), a subsidiary of the Bosai Minerals Group is another of the Chinese companies operating in the Mathews Ridge area involved in mining for manganese. In addition to the numerous complaints against the company in relation to its environmental dangers, the company has also been accused of inhumane working conditions for local employees. Another company to have featured prominently about its operations in the Forestry Sector is Bai Shan Lin.

Five remanded to prison for the murder...

From page 12 charge. They were all subsequently remanded to prison until the 8th December, 2021 for report. They were all represented by Attorney-at-law Mursalin Bhaccus. Initial reports by this publication had detailed that Bheim Evans was beaten to death by five men armed with cutlasses, rope and chain. Evans was reportedly attempting to save his son, 21-year-old Tichan Persaud who was being thrashed by the men.

Persaud told Kaieteur News that he had left the 'Level Up' bar in Bath Settlement Saturday night around 20:30 hrs and was making his way to his aunt's house located a

street away, on his bicycle. He said the men stopped him and told him that he knew what his father (Bheim Evans) had done.

Persaud said he told the men that he knew nothing of what they were accusing his father of but the men proceeded to deal him several blows about his head, upper and lower body and limbs.

Persaud said that it was his aunt who informed his father that he was being beaten and Evans rushed to his rescue.

Upon Evans arrival, the men told him that it was him, they were looking for and they turned their attention to him, battering him about his face and body. The men accused

Evans of stealing a gold chain, a silver chain and eight silver rings but Evans denied. The man was beaten unconscious and his private parts were sprayed with pepper spray, Persaud said. The men then wrapped him in a one-ton rice sack and dragged his body some 300 meters away and dumped it on a grass parapet near a trench.

Persaud said he managed to escape and rode to his aunt's house and they both went to the police who arrived at the scene with them shortly after.

The police, Persaud and his aunt all took the victim to the Fort Wellington Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Citizens taking law into their...

From page 11 last year and this year 68 percent of the murders were solved. Some disorderly murders, which this publication reported on are that of the death of Elroy Marks, Cameel Calistro, Rivaldo Williams and Paul Anthony. In July 2018, Elroy Marks a fisherman of Aruka River, North West District was allegedly stabbed to death by his drinking buddy after an argument had ensued VACANCY

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between them. The argument escalated into a fight in which the suspect allegedly broke a bottle and stabbed Marks to the neck. Eighteen-year-old Rivaldo Williams was reportedly stabbed to death in 2019 after being embroiled in an altercation with several men in Diamond. Cameel Calistro a young mother was killed in March after she intervened in a fight between one of her cousins and a man. Before

tragedy struck, 19-year-old Calistro was amongst her family and friends imbibing alcohol at a birthday when a heated argument ensued between her cousin and the suspect. Anthony of Norton Street, Lodge was in June this year allegedly stabbed to death by his elder brother, Quincy Reynolds after a fight broke out between them. His brother was later charged and remanded for his death.

Friday November 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

Puerto Rican company submits billion-dollar bid to install solar grid P u e r t o R i c o with extensive experience in Tender Administration headquartered company the areas of the electric Board (NPTAB) office.

CH4 Systems Inc has power, petroleum, gas, Other notable bids that submitted a bid of just over a petrochemical, mining and opened yesterday at the billion dollar to install solar infrastructure.

NPTAB were for the supply photovoltaic mini-grid T h e c o m p a n y w a s of energy efficient lamps for systems for the hinterland among four others which the Ministry of Public regions. submitted bids for the Works, and the procurement Ch4 Systems is an Guyana Energy Agency of aluminum boats and engineering, procurement ( G E A ) p r o j e c t a t t h e engine for the Ministry of and construction company National Procurement and Agriculture.

Below are the companies and their bids: Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) Supply and delivery of energy efficient lamps and 100 watts stand-alone solar street lamps to the Ministry of Public Works.

PAGE 23

Greenidge says leaked privileged information a breach of national security ….as Todd exposes unfamiliarity with Foreign Affairs Ministry

Advisor on Borders, Carl Greenidge

Foreign Affairs Minister, Hugh Todd

Design, supply, install and commission of off-grid solar photovoltaic mini-grid system and electrical distribution networks in Region 1,2,3,8 & 9.

Ministry of Agriculture-ASDU Procurement of new equipment for the Ministry of Agriculture: Lot 1- five new aluminum boats and Lot 2- five new outboard engines.

Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Operation Services at Lusignan landfill Region 4.

Operation services at Bon Success municipal landfill- Lethem Region 9.

Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) The supply of a generator complete with an automatic transfer switch.

Advisor on Borders, Carl Greenidge has condemned the releasing of a letter he wrote to Head of State, saying it was a breach of national security. He said too that a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Hugh Todd has exposed his unfamiliarity with which the ministry operates.

The charges are being leveled against the ministry and Todd by Greenidge, who in response to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs missive justifying its retention of ‘experts’ the coalition administration had shunted.

The Ministry had cited s p e c i f i c a l l y, Tr i s h a l a Persaud and Donnette Streete but according to Greenidge, both of the individuals “were integrally involved prior to Minister Todd’s appointment and have continued to be involved. In addition and as to be expected, both the Legal and Frontiers Departments of the Ministry have traditionally been integral parts of the process regardless of Governmental changes.”

This, he said, “demonstrates how unfamiliarity with all the events or less than assiduous and careful research can give rise to the very problems which the letter cites.”

With regards the leaked letter, Greenidge said “the charitable view is that whoever publicized my letter is too naïve to appreciate the negative implications of leaking privileged information at any time, but especially when Guyana is engaged in the ICJ (International Court of Justice) process. “ A l t e r n a t i v e l y, h e suggested “On the other hand, it’s possible that someone was prepared to breach national security in order to score petty personal points. In any event, this leak was both reckless and reprehensible.”

With regards his original complaint lodged with the President since April 7, last, Greenidge said measures were subsequently taken by the President and his team to resolve the issues that were raised.

The Ministry in defense of its actions, which led to Greenidge complaints to the President, had suggested that the coalition had ignored experts on border affairs in assembling the ICJ team According to the Ministry, “none of those persons joined the local team at their own bidding.”

The Ministry said, “…they were each identified and invited by Minister Hugh Todd, to lend their support to this preeminent national effort and their involvement has the full support of His Excellency President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali.” Advisor on Border Affairs, Greenidge in his formal complaint to the Head of State, had given Ali an ultimatum, namely to remove Minister Todd from the management of the case, among other demands.

The information documented in a letter by Greenidge to the President outlined grievances and infighting, involving Todd and Minister of Governance, Gail Teixeira in addition to Guyana’s Ambassador to Suriname, Keith George.

The Ministry however, is adamant that Minister Todd, “recognised that the local team previously assembled under the APNU/AFC administration did not include some key persons who have years of professional knowledge on t h e G u y a n a / Ve n e z u e l a controversy.”

Wi t h r e g a r d s Ambassador George, the Ministry in justifying his role and involvement in the preparation of the case said, George served as Head of the Frontiers Department for 12 years prior to being

a p p o i n t e d G u y a n a ’s Ambassador to Suriname and spent the past 21 years on matters related to Guyana’s land and maritime boundaries, but was excluded by the last administration from the team of Advisors.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e ministry in its defense of Ambassador George said, he is “well recognised for the integral role he played in the years leading up to and ending with the arbitration that delimited the maritime boundary with the Republic of Suriname.”

With regards to Ambassador George, Greenidge had told President Ali in his missive that “whilst Ambassador George is not without skills, he is clearly not a Lawyer and in combination with Ms. (Donna) Skeete, he cannot replace…our external Lawyers and the Maritime Expert, that however seems to be the Ministers’ unstated intention.”

According to Greenidge, “no one ever suggested to me t h a t Ve n e z u e l a i s Ambassador George area of expertise, but it seems his views about his preferred role, as apparently, does the Minister.”

Greenidge, the former Foreign Affairs Minister who served under the previous administration, but was retained as an advisor on the border case, had told President Ali, “my position as Agent and Advisor to the Minister is now untenable in light not only of the questioning and misrepresentations of my judgments and decisions” but in addition to other factors.

To this end, Greenidge in handing his ultimatum to the President called for video recording of the tenuous meeting to be destroyed and that his assignment be confirmed “and the reporting mechanism modified to report to yourself or the VP.”

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Friday November 19, 2021

T&T secures US$15M signing bonus...

From page 2 portion of the existing Block 6 already contracted to Shell. According to Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, the project will be one of the largest natural gas developments to be undertaken in the country and is expected to cost US$1.8 billion. The PM said preliminary estimates indicate that natural gas production could start as early as 2025, with an initial production of up to 350 million standard cubic feet (mmscf) per day, before ramping up to as much as 700 mmscf per day. Prime Minister Dr. Rowley was keen to note however that his people will not wait until production starts to “see the financial benefits accruing from the PSC.” In this regard, he disclosed that a suite of annual charges are payable within 10 days of the effective date of the contract and thereafter within the first 10 days of the contract year. The Prime Minister said these include an administrative charge of US$300,000 increasing at 4% per annum, training, research, and development contributions of US$150,000 per annum increasing at 6% annually until the start of production, when contributions will equal 0.25% of the value of the contractor's share of profit petroleum.

The Prime Minister said there is also a one-time technical bonus of US$200,000 to the Ministry, an annual scholarship contribution of US$100,000 per annum increasing at 6% per annum and a signing bonus of US$15 million.As per terms of the PSC, the Prime Minister said, “Shell is required to comply with Government's

Local Content Policy which requires the contractor to maximize to the satisfaction of the Minister the level of usage of local goods and services and employment of nationals…”

With respect to the Manatee field where production will take place, Dr. Rowley said this forms a part of the Loran- Manatee cross-border field, with Loran being located in the marine area of Venezuela. Prime Minister Rowley explained on Wednesday that the Loran-Manatee reservoir has an estimated gas resource of 10.04 trillion cubic feet (tcf), of which 2.712 tcf is within the Manatee field. On August 16, 2010, he said the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela executed a Unitisation Agreement for the Exploitation and Development of the Loran-Manatee field. He said an absence of urgency and no definitive commitment to making the necessary investment among the various interested parties saw this proven resource remaining dormant as though stranded. He said the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela therefore agreed to the independent development by each Government of the field within the LoranManatee cross-border that falls within its marine area.

By a Government to Government Agreement dated October 15, 2019, the Loran Manatee Unitisation Agreement was terminated, Dr. Rowley said, thereby delinking the development of the Manatee field from the Loran field. While the impo-

sition of US sanctions may have temporarily derailed cross-border initiative, he said this situation is not expected to last indefinitely.

The Prime Minister further noted that the decision to proceed independently on the development of the cross-border fields created the opportunity for both the Government as resource owner and Shell as contractor to monetize what would be one of the country's largest natural gas fields to date.

In an Agreement, dated August 19th 2019, between the Government and Shell for the extension of the term of Block 6, it was agreed that separate terms would apply for any Petroleum Production derived from the commercial development of any field(s) in the sub-block 6d (Manatee) portion of the Contract Area, subject to mutual agreement of the Parties. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, Shell was encouraged and thus requested the opportunity to initiate negotiations to continue its appraisal and presanction activities which were necessary to progress the commercial development of the sub-block 6d (Manatee) portion of Block 6.

This request was positively received by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, acting on behalf of the Government. Prime Minister Rowley said Wednesday's event was the culmination of the negotiations between the Ministry and Shell and the subsequent approval by Government. He said too that it signifies his Government's ongoing commitment and action to meet domestic natural gas requirements.

Kaieteur News

Friday November 19, 2021

PAGE 25

Govt. dismantles public procurement system,

replaces it with Jagdeo Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon has accused the People Progressive Party (PPP) of dismantling the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) and replacing it with a system that i n t u r n b e n e f i t s Vi c e President, Bharrat Jagdeo.

Harmon, during a news conference on Wednesday explained, “The PPP Administration decided that they would take a grip on the Public Procurement Process, to ensure that only those persons and companies that support them get any form of contracts from the Government.”

He added, “What they have done, they have dismantled the Public Procurement Commission; they have dismantled the National Procurement and Tender Board Administration and replaced them with a system which leads directly to Bharrat Jagdeo.”

The former Minister of State says that the absence of the PPC is in violation of the Constitution, which states, under the Public Procurement Commission Tribunal Act, that, “There shall be a Public Procurement Commission. The purpose of which is to monitor public

procurements, the procedures there for in order to ensure that the procurement of goods, services, and execution of works are conducted in a fair equitable, transparent, competitive and cost effective manner, according to law and such Policy guidelines as may be determined by the National Assembly.

The Commission shall be independent, impartial and discharge its functions fairly”.

Harmon said that due to the Commission not being in place, the Government has been awarding contracts to their friends and family, who they hope will in return keep them in power. “So there is no Public Procurement Commission and so what is happening, these miscreants are awarding these contracts to their friends at will, without any oversight.

Companies with no known profiles are being awarded contracts…the PPP are using their cronies to control different sectors, as they pilfer State resources and they are putting them in critical positions so they can help them stay in power. But I am putting all of these people

Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon

on notice that it will not work. Not under my watch,” he warned.

The Opposition Leader made reference to the recent award of a $346 million contract, for the construction of a school, to St8ment Construction, a newly registered company with no record of building any project, but “are known affiliates of the PPP”.

He also pointed to another contract where a close friend of the ruling administration, and a fierce opponent of the Opposition, w a s g r a n t e d a telecommunications licence.

In this regard, Harmon promised to continue to

apply the pressure for the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission and expose the “corrupt nature of the PPP regime”.

He said that, “we can expect Guyana to regress on the International Transparency Index, due to the awards of projects taking place.”

The former minister was keen to note that in the absence of a PPC, all contracts being awarded will be subject to a review once the Public Procurement Commission is reestablished. “(They) must be subject to review, and so all of the kickbacks and all of these overpriced projects that are going on, people will have to account for them,” he noted.

“And I am serving notice to all of the companies that are now the beneficiaries of this largesse from the PPP that you will have to account for these monies,” he signaled.

Harmon added that the Opposition will seek to ensure that this is carried out by the PPC when it is reconstituted.

“The patrimony of Guyana cannot be so willynilly dealt with in a manner which does not pass the first bar of transparency. Too

- says Opposition Leader

much of this is taking place.

Large contracts, huge billiondollar contracts are now being awarded based on friends, based on family, based on religious connections and not based on the requirements of the Public Procurement Act,” he argued.

Only a few days ago, a state agency, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was given $44 million to retrofit a hospital in Paramakatoi but the project did not go through the tendering process, even though projects over $15 million are required by law to undergo this process. Social activist, Audreyanna Thomas had questioned what she dubbed as an 'unfair advantage', which the GDF has over other companies in the bidding process, when the GDF responded to clarify that the project did not go to tender.

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Kaieteur News

Friday November 19, 2021

Friday November 19, 2021

Muguruza wins WTA Finals...

From page 32 my team I was saying to them, ‘It’s in Mexico, we have to make it, c’mon.’ It was my biggest motivation,” Muguruza said.

All week, she was backed by the locals at Estadio Akron, and reciprocated by wearing a Mexico soccer jersey for her last two matches.

“My manager, Oliver, he was like, ‘You know what, for the first time Garbiñe, you’re really using the crowd, really getting that energy and using it on the court. You should do that more often,” Muguruza said.

“A big lesson to me is I should get the energy from the environment. I’m very supported here in Mexico. I don’t know if it will be everywhere, but I used it this week for sure.”

Kontaveit will finish the year at No. 7. The Estonian qualified last for the WTA Finals by winning 29 of 32 matches, including four titles in 10 weeks.

She was broken only four times going into the final, but lost her serve five times to Muguruza. The Spaniard made three breaks in the first set. Kontaveit played better in the second and got a break in the ninth game, but Muguruza broke her next two serves to win.

Earlier, Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova defeated Hsieh Suwei and Elise Mertens 6-3, 64 to win the doubles title undefeated.

Krejcikova and Siniakova won at Roland Garros, Madrid, and the Tokyo Olympics. “We needed to stay aggressive, and we did it,” said Siniakova, who finished the season No. 1 in the doubles rankings.

Billie Jean King presented Muguruza the trophy bearing her name. The WTA Finals were played in Guadalajara this year because of the pandemic, with the event scheduled to return in 2022 to Shenzhen, China.

GSCL Inc thanks stakeholders...

From page 33 outstanding performers. The competition was sponsored

by Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, Banks DIH, Crown Mining, Dinar Trading, Dyna’s Embroidery, Regal Sports, Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop, Its Our Life ARD Youtuber, Mohamed Enterprise, Permaul Trading, Tourism Guyana, Yamin Investment, P and P Insurance, Star Party Rentals, Shahab Hack, Associated Brands Guyana Inc., Pro Signs, Rajiv Gandhi University, Lucky Star Boutique, Trophy Stall, Price Chopper Variety Store and Globe Office Solutions.

The GSCL Inc would like to make special mention of Muslim Youth Organisation, Guyana National Stadium, Police Sports Club, Guyana Defence Force, Lusignan SC, Demerara Cricket Club, Togetherness Park Committee Lilliendaal, Ogle SC, the commander of Division 4B-East Bank Demerara, the National Task Force, Office of the Prime

Friday November 19, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Ideas you read could inspire you to develop some new ideas of your own. You might want to write these down or share them with others.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Letters and calls pertaining to your long-term goals or those of a group you're affiliated with could take up a lot of your time today.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) The presence of children in your home could arouse your nurturing instincts today. You might want to read to them or tell them stories.

Stay away from any particularly gruesome fairy tales.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) A lot of paperwork might need doing today. You'll feel mentally sharp and able to take care of it easily, though some of what needs to be done may momentarily elude you.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Newspapers may bring knowledge of strange events that capture your imagination. You might want to learn more about the stories and similar events.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Recognition could finally come for hard work and goals reached. You're feeling very good about the situation.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) A heightened sense of ambition might have you developing your writing skills today. This could mean learning technical or creative writing.

PAGE 27

Kaieteur News

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Information on psychology, particularly dreams, could capture your imagination. You could decide to collect as much information as you can.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A letter or other communication serves as a sort of wake-up call today. A longterm goal is finally going to be reached.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Short trips and long talks with your special someone are on the agenda today.

You may decide to drive into the country, perhaps to visit quaint shops and rustic restaurants.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) A letter or call from someone you know who's ill and confined to the hospital or home might come today. You might decide to pay this person a visit.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A lot of paperwork that you need to complete could have you nervous and stressed. You might experience some headaches.

Minister, the media (print, electronic and social), Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, teams especially those from overseas, match officials, The Guyana Police Force and Caribbean Hot Shots Band.

The GSCL Inc would like to note that the competition was played under strict covid guidelines.

ITTF 2021 Panam Championships

Guyana beat Barbados but out of team C/Ship Guyana men’s team gave the country much to cheer about after defeating Barbados 3-2 in the team Championships following their first group game loss to Ecuador in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) 2021 Panam Championships being held in Peru currently.

The Guyanese stood a good chance of making it to the next round if they could’ve pulled off victory against their final opponents; Guatemala, in the final men’s team group

match.

Christopher Franklin lost the first game 3-2 against Guatemala but Shemar Britton in the second game came from a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2.

In the third and final game, the Golden Arrowhead was flying high as Joel Alleyne went up 2-0 against his opponent but couldn’t close out as the Guatemalan won the next three sets to win the game, the match and boot the Guyanese from the championships.

Crowd cap scrapped for Boxing...

From page 29 was still on track to be played in Perth. “There’s still a fair amount of detail to be worked through,” Hockley said. “We’re doing that as the moment as a priority.

“The arrangements that will be put in place, they are

very complicated, there’s a huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes.

“We’re not quite there yet in finalising all the plans but certainly making a huge amount of progress. Certainly, we’re working towards it happening.”

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Kaieteur News

Friday November 19, 2021

Guyana’s Moore wins NJCAA Barty finishes year as WTA’s No. 1 for 3rd consecutive time women’s athlete of the year award Australia’s Ashleigh Barty poses with the trophy. (Pete Nichols/ Pool via AP, File)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Wimbledon champion Ash Barty finished No. 1 in the WTA singles rankings for the third consecutive season, while Katerina Siniakova topped the doubles rankings for the second time.

Barty, a 25-year-old from Australia, joins Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert as the only women to lead the year-end tennis rankings three straight times.

This week is Barty’s 95th in a row atop the WTA and 102nd overall.

Barty’s title at the All England Club in July was her second at a Grand Slam tournament. She also won the 2019 French Open and soon after moved up to No. 1 for the

first time in June of that year.

Siniakova is coming off a title Wednesday at the season-ending WTA Finals in Guadalajara, Mexico, alongside doubles partner Barbora Krejcikova. Siniakova, a 25year-old from the Czech Republic, ended 2018 as a co-No. 1 in doubles with Krejcikova.

They won the French Open and a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics together, part of Siniakova’s total haul of five doubles titles in 2021.

Barty also collected five titles, going 428. She last competed at the U.S. Open in September and announced in October she was done for the year and would not enter the WTA Finals.

O

verseas based student-athlete, Aaliyah Moore has been recognised as the NJCAA Division one women’s Atlantic Region Cross Country Athlete of the year. This is the first time that this award is being won by a Guyanese and the Monroe College Mustang middle-distance specialist surely deserves it following her incredible five wins from seven meets in her debut season. Moore’s dynamic runnings has seen her twice copped the NJCAA women’s runner of the week while winning the USTFCCCA’s National

Athlete Of The Week accolade once.

At the NJCAA Nationals that was held last weekend, Moore competed and finished third overall from a total of 157 athletes which earned her All American status and only the second Mustang ever to place in the Top 3 in the school’s history.

The 20-year-old Business Major has continued to grow from strength to strength since she began competing on the US College Circuit and after finishing 40th in her first race she has notched five first place and a third place at Nationals in her other

meets.

In a brief invited comment with Kaieteur Sport, Moore noted that, “Overall the season was great, I learnt a lot and I’m looking forward to making my first indoor debut with a good impression.” She also made special heartfelt thanks to her coach Shirvon Greene and credited the support from her friends and family as part motivation to continue excelling.

The Police Progressive Youth Club athlete’s goal remains to break under the two-minute mark in her pet event, the 800m. (Calvin Chapman)

‘Hetmyer has to focus on his batting first’ - Windies legend says captaincy too much pressure for batsman at this point SportsMax - Legendary fast bowler, Curtly Ambrose, does not believe Shimron Hetmyer is ready to be captain of the West Indies team as the batsman still has areas of his individual game to develop.

Earlier this week, former Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Dave Cameron was reported as saying that Hetmyer should replace Pollard as the team’s new white-ball captain.

In further clarifying the issue, however, Cameron has since explained that he believes his administration would have done more to groom the player to take over the post by now.

With Hetmyer plagued by issues of inconsistency and fitness over the last few years, however, Ambrose does not believe having to handle the pressure of the captaincy

would be the right move for the batsman at this time. “I certainly wouldn’t (make him captain).

Hetmyer is a young man and could be a future captain in the making but I think Hetmyer needs to get his game in order first,” Ambrose told the Mason and Guest radio program. “He needs to get his game in order. It’s too big a responsibility for the young man at this moment when he’s not playing as well,” he added. “For me, I would like to see Hetmyer focus on his batting. First and foremost get it right and then who knows what can happen a few years later but I wouldn’t give it to him now, being the captain is added pressure.”

In ODI cricket, Hetmyer is currently averaging 35.29 and has played 47 matches for the regional team.

Kaieteur News

Friday November 19, 2021

PAGE 29

English ‘drinking culture’ affected Crowd cap scrapped for Boxing Day with 100,000 fans possible Asian and Black players: Best (Reuters) - The “drinking culture” in county teams was partly responsible for Asian and Black players not getting enough opportunities in English cricket, former West Indies international Tino Best has said.

F o r m e r Yo r k s h i r e cricketer Azeem Rafiq’s testimony to a British parliamentary committee on Tuesday has thrown a spotlight on racism in the sport in England, as well as its drinking culture.

Rafiq, a Muslim, recalled how he was pinned down at his local cricket club when he was 15 and had red wine poured down his throat by an unnamed player who played f o r Yo r k s h i r e a n d Hampshire.

The scandal has shaken English sport, cost Yorkshire sponsors and the right to host England internationals, seen the club’s top brass quit, and embroiled some of the biggest names in English cricket.

Best, who played with Rafiq at Yorkshire, told BBC Sport: “The culture around cricket is drinking. That is a big problem. People shouldn’t be pressured to go into the clubhouse and drink eight or nine pints to be a part

West Indies’ Tino Best.

(REUTERS/ Philip Brown)

Signs are looking promising for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. (Getty Images)

of the team.”

“If you’re not a part of the drinking culture, if you’re not a part of the boys’ club, you’re not going to get opportunities after cricket,” he said.

“That is something that is hampering people of colour and Asian ethnicity.”

Best, 40, said he recalled how players with Asian heritage such as Rafiq, Adil Rashid and Ajmal Shahzad were treated at Yorkshire in 2010 and how they feared reprisals if they went public with their complaints.

“Me being a person of colour as well, I would always be with them as well.”

He said they would complain every day about what they went through.

“I would be like ‘wow’,” he said. “It was just astounding to hear what those guys were saying back in 2010. And there was no platform for them to really open up, because guys would have probably lost contracts, probably kicked out of the club. Guys were fearful of that.”

ESPNcricinfo - There could be 100,000 people at the MCG on Boxing Day a f t e r t h e Vi c t o r i a n government announced all Covid crowd restrictions would be lifted yesterday following the state reaching its vaccination targets.

Victoria’s vaccination rates for people over the age of 12 are about to reach the 90% mark. The state government had previously stated that crowds of up to 80,000 would be allowed at the MCG for the third Ashes Test on Boxing Day. But with the vaccination rates reaching 90%, Victoria

Premier Daniel Andrews declared that there would be no limits on the number of people who could go to the MCG on Boxing Day. “There are no more caps, there are no more quotients, no more rules in terms of how many people can be in different spaces,” Andrews said in Melbourne yesterday.

“Whether it’s 100,000 at the MCG on Boxing Day or a smaller group standing up at the public bar of their local pub having a beer, this is the COVID normal that every Victorian has built.”

People will need to be fully vaccinated in order to

gain entry into the MCG for the Test match.

But Western Australia’s border remains closed to NSW and Victoria and to internationals due to WA’s slower vaccination rates and the Perth Test remains a work i n p r o g r e s s . T h e WA government has declared its intention to host the Perth Test but conversations are still ongoing between WA Health, WA Police and Cricket Australia.

CA chief executive Nick Hockley told 3AW on Wednesday that he was confident the fifth Ashes Test (Continued on page 27)

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Friday November 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

Heyliger helps Canada advance to T20 WC qualifiers

By Sean Devers Canada produced a dominant performance in the ICC Americas T20 qualifiers in Antigua with their only defeat coming at the hands of group winners the USA. The US finished unbeaten after the clash with their North American neighbours ended in a tie with both teams making 142.

The USA won in the superover.

Canada, won five of their games to finish two points behind the USA after the two countries contested the first ever international cricket match in 1844 in the States.

Canada has competed at the ICC Cricket World Cup on four occasions, in 1979, 2003, in the West Indies in 2007 and 2011.

Former Guyana pacer, 32-year-old Dilon Heyliger, the only West Indian in the Canadian squad, finished with nine scalps from six matches with a best of 5-16 against Argentina from his four overs to leave Canada with the hopes of going ‘down under’ for the next T20 World Cup in 2022.

Canada played their final game last Monday against Panama and Kaieteur Sport caught up with the pacer just after he arrived in Ontario.

“It’s a great pleasure to help bring my team to the qualifiers because it’s something we been working hard towards achieving and this tournament proves that hard work pays off. I’m proud of myself so far but I know that I still have a way to go,” disclosed Heyliger, who hails from Suddie on the Essequibo Coast.

The Guyanese, who made his T20I debut for Canada against the Cayman Islands at Sandys Parish on August 17, 2019 was very familiar with the conditions in Antigua.

“I have played domestic cricket there for a season for Bethesda Sport Club after being invited by former West Indies pacer Gavin Tonge who was a member there. I also played there in the 2013 Caribbean T20 tournament.

So I have some experience playing in Antigua.

The first game conditions were great for both batting and bowling but as the tournament progressed it got tougher but that’s the game,” added Heyliger, who played for Guyana U-15s in 2005

and U-19s in 2008.

Heyliger said he was not too sure on where or when the World Cup qualifiers is scheduled for but added that where ever it is kept we wanna be ready and fit.

Heyliger, who has taken 28 wickets from 17 T20 Internationals at an Average of 14.02, informed that the next tournament for him is the US Open in Florida in December, adding that he was looking forward to that.

“I’m not sure what Canada Cricket Association has planned at the International level at this moment. It’s winter now, so there is no local cricket played at this moment just indoor playing and training.

“Our aim is to revive Cricket in Canada so that hopefully we can get more officials and sponsors involved to help cricket. I believe if we can qualify for next year’s World Cup in Australia it will make the sport more attractive to Canadians.

And now that Mayor Patrick Brown wants to build a stadium, so for sure our performance on the field could help us get infrastructure for Cricket,” continued Heyliger, who played T20 Cricket for Guyana in the 2013 Caribbean T20 tournament.

Brown was elected Mayor of Brampton in Ontario in October 2018 on a platform of getting Brampton back on track and receiving a fair deal from provincial and federal governments.

However, Cricket is not a National Sport in Canada where Golf, Ice Hockey, Swimming and Soccer are among the most popular Sports in the Country.

Heyliger informed that they formed their own club…Amazon KINGS… and play in all the tournaments held throughout Canada.

“Covid pandemic has affected cricket a lot because it has held up a lot of cricket for us, like the Global T20 and most of our local games,” Heyliger concluded.

(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Friday November 19, 2021

PAGE 31

South American ref suspended after failing to give red card

Brazil’s Raphinha mouth bleeds after a knock during a qualifying soccer match against Argentina.

S

AO PAULO (AP) — Uruguayan referee Andres Cunha and video assistant Esteban Ostojich were suspended Wednesday after failing to give a red card to Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi during a World Cup qualifying match against Brazil.

Otamendi hit Brazil forward Raphinha with his elbow in the 35th minute of Tuesday’s match in San Juan. The Brazilian needed five stitches at halftime and still continued to bleed in the second half.

“It looks like a foul for a

yellow card. I don’t see a red,” Ostojich told Cunha, according to a video released We d n e s d a y b y S o u t h American soccer body CONMEBOL. Otamendi wrote on Twitter he had only touched the ball.

The match ended in a 0-0 draw, which was enough for Argentina to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Brazil had already qualified for the tournament.

CONMEBOL said in a statement that Cunha and Ostojich committed “a serious mistake” and the two were suspended for an

“indefinite time.” The Uruguayan referee was removed from the VAR booth for Saturday’s Copa Sudamericana final between Red Bull Bragantino and Athletico.

A l s o We d n e s d a y, CONMEBOL suspended Chilean referee Roberto Tobar for not punishing Neymar and Juan Guillermo Cuadrado in Brazil’s 1-0 win over Colombia last Thursday.

Neymar put his chest close to Tobar’s during that match in Sao Paulo, but the Brazilian wasn’t booked.

Cuadrado illegally used his

arm later in the game and also wasn’t carded.

The Brazilian soccer confederation said it will seek punishment for O t a m e n d i a t F I FA’ s disciplinary committee.

Speaking after the goalless draw, Brazil coach Tite criticized Cunha and his video assistant referees.

“It is simply impossible not to see Otamendi’s elbow on Raphinha,” Tite said.

“Was that going to decide the match? I don’t know. It was a great match, but there is an element (missing) that should be equal for both teams.”

Kaieteur News

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Friday November 19, 2021

Clivecia Spencer (right) receives her scholarship award from Nigel London.

Mario Washington (right) is rewarded with his scholarship grant by Nigel London.

LanLam Classic/David’s Voice Monetary Scholarship

Cyclists, Clivecia Spencer and Mario Washington are this years’ beneficiaries The LonLam Classic Organisation, a Linden based entity which invests in ‘Passion’ and ‘Riding with Integrity’ on Sunday last held a successful Cycling programme in the Bauxite Mining Town which saw the best of the nation’s cyclists from juniors to veterans, including females, competing for attractive cash prizes and other incentives.

Led by Nigel London and Littleton Lambert, LonLam Classic Organisation is not exclusively focused on cycling but is dedicated to the holistic development of athlete students as it encourages the disciplined focus on education as well.

To make this reality, the entity administers the David’s Voice / David McDougall Scholarship which is monetary, aimed at assisting the recipient with their educational pursuits.

This year, the two athletes who benefitted from the scholarship are cyclists, Clivecia Spencer from the Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycle Club and Mario Washington of Berbice who is a member of the Flying Ace Cycle Club.

The scholarship which is designed to bring awareness to autism is also aimed at promoting young David’s who has been diagnosed with autism but is blessed with a kind and generous heart.

Spencer has been a dedicated cyclist and is enrolled at the Linden Technical Institute where she will continue her educational

pursuits, while Washington, who is one of Guyana’s leading junior riders, recently received 10 passes following his CSEC examinations and is desirous of continuing his educational quest at the tertiary level.

LonLam Classic Organisation commented: “We are continuing to invest in disciplined athletes and we wish both Ms. Spencer and Mr. Washington, the very best in their future as they continue to seek for more excellence.”

The organisation is comprised of enthusiasts from Linden, Georgetown, Berbice, and the Diaspora.

Muguruza wins WTA Finals for first time, beating Kontaveit GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — Garbiñe Muguruza’s trip to Mexico started last week with a taste of tequila. After winning the WTA Finals on Wednesday, it ended the same way.

Muguruza defeated Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 7-5 in the final for her first title at the WTA’s elite, seasonending championships.

She became the oldest champion at 28 since Serena Williams in 2014, and finishes the season at No. 3 in the rankings, her best performance since 2017, when she was No. 1.

Before the tournament, Muguruza took a 37-mile (60-kilometer) ride to Tequila, a small town outside of Guadalajara where the popular spirit is

produced.

“I went to the town, did a tasting. I need to do this before because when I win ...” Muguruza said. “We’re (now) going to have some tequila, have fun, lose all the tension we’ve been having and holding. I think the whole team deserves it.”

Muguruza became the first Spaniard to win the WTA Finals. The first person she celebrated with was coach Conchita Martinez.

The new champion won back-to-back titles in Monterrey in northern Mexico in 2018 and 2019, and her past successes drove her to qualify for the WTA Finals.

“The whole year with (Continued on page 27)

Kaieteur News

Friday November 19, 2021

PAGE 33

GSCL Inc thanks stakeholders for successful PM T20 Cup 5 The Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc has expressed gratitude to its sponsors and other stakeholders for the successful staging of the Prime Minister’s T20 Cup 5 which concluded on Sunday night at the National Stadium.

After three days of

competitive rivalry, Ariel emerged winners of the open category, beating Regal by eight wickets. All-rounder Quentin Sampson of Ariel who hails from Caria Caria, Essequibo was named manof-the-match in the final and most valuable player with 231 runs and eight wickets.

Sampson pocketed a

trophy and one 43" smart television set for his performance.

Fisherman Masters beat Ariel by 22 runs to win the over-45 division.

Keith Fraser of Ariel was named the most valuable player and received one 43" television set.

Regal Legends defeated

Prime Minister retired brigadier Mark Phillips (right) receives his league cap from GSCL Inc President Ian John.

Wellman by 92 runs in the over-50 final. Unnis Yusuf of Regal was named the most

valuable player and also took home one 43" television set.

The Guyana Committee

of Services also presented wrist watches to the (Continued on page 27)