Kaieteur News

K

AIETEUR

Giveaway of Peter’s Hall lands… Sunday Edition

Fired NICIL head, Heath-London, remains in police custody

NEWS

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

November 22, 2020 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

Price $140 Former NICIL CEO, Colvin Heath-London

Online readership yesterday, 109,464

Suriname can access oil companies’ accounts whenever it wants - while Guyana only permitted to audit once per year Joe Harmon drifts, while Ashni Singh spins Opposition Leader, Mr. Joseph Harmon, either thinks he is slick, or we are stupid. But whatever games Mr. Harmon is playing, we are not fooled. He may think that Guyanese are idiots, but we recommend a mirror so he can see for himself how he appears before the world on this nation’s oil and gas sector.

About two months ago, Mr. Harmon promised to hold a press conference, as he was waiting on some mysterious overseas information. Eight long weeks later, Guyanese are still waiting on the Opposition Leader for some words on their oil and gas.

In case Mr. Harmon forgot, as he pretends these days, we remind him that he is the Leader of the Opposition and not leader of the Drifters.

Because all that Mr. Harmon is doing nowadays on oil and gas is drifting endlessly and aimlessly. He feints, dodges and backpedals. The man twists sideways and every other way on oil and gas.

He calls a press conference to announce intentions to hold another press conference on oil and gas. Mr. Harmon should know that his antics wear thin, he

looks pathetic, he sounds worse.

To show that he has some clue, Mr. Harmon tells us (Kaieteur News) that we should focus on drugs.

If we didn’t know better, we would wonder what kind Mr. Harmon was around. If Mr. Harmon doesn’t know, we present him with nursery school basics: drugs are about today and fast and nasty money for secret gangs. Oil and gas are about honest riches that belong to whole societies and for generations to come. Surely, Mr. H a r m o n d o e s n ’t n e e d a n education from us.

Mr. Harmon is not the only upside-down politician around.

The newly returned PPP/C finance man, Ashni Singh, said that non-oil sectors should gear up for spinoffs of the new economy. Spinoffs from what?

Crumbs? Spinoffs from charity, handouts, and leftovers from Exxon?

How about borrowings from bankers rushing to lend Guyana?

The first man seeks focus on drugs, the second on spinoffs.

Somebody is spinning something, instead of sharing hard truths about oil and gas.

Australian exec. arrested for bribing Iraqi govt. officials in multi-million oil contracts Fourth breach for year…

BK finally

Murdered accused prisoners use bed vacates $827M sheets to escape Yarrowkabra Lusignan Prison school site

Police “big wigs” Linden pensioner fingered in $150M robbed of church missing funds money in scandal - sources home invasion P. 64

Bond fingered as mastermind behind Peter’s Hall land scandal …as police hunt for ARKEN principal

Nigerian linked to US$1.3B oil scandal set up shop in Guyana

Kaieteur News

PAGE 04

Sunday November 22, 2020

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

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

EDITORIAL

Time to Heal We have heard it before, from one triumphant politician after another, those ringing words and phrases that stir and inspire. We heard them again last week, and because they mean so much, there is bringing that again in placing before the public, this Guyanese public, because we need it so much. Just like America and like so many other torn and weary places in the world.

With victory assured, barring some extensive, and inexplicable, U.S. Supreme Court judicial gymnastics and sword fencing over words and phrases, among the first words of President-elect, Joseph Biden, were, let there be a “time to heal.”

Finer words and nobler intentions were never said, given the circumstances raging across the length and breadth of most of America, what has been so hurtful and the source of so much anguish. Then came the sunrise of reality and the sobering that unsparing light brings. That is because grand soothing words about healing are always uttered with powerful intentions at first, only to be fade way because of the indifference and malaise, the shrinking from the hard challenges involved in healing that come later.

For healing to occur at anytime with anybody, there have to be those deeply interested in being healed, or making a genuine contribution towards the healing so urgently needed in America, the whole world, it looks like for most of the time. It is a time of bloody conflicts on the ground in many places; also, a time of bloodless ones when many anonymous participants utilize the marvels of technology to rip others to shreds. The hating multiplies and like the first stirrings of a butterfly’s wings in one part of the world, there are those cataclysmic storms created that sweep all before them.

We know what is happening in America today, just like we know very well what is happening and similarly missing in Guyana today. There are leaders, who speak of healing and unifying, only to turn around and preside over that which ruptures and fractures. We know that all too well. And, we just as well also, that any spare thoughts reserved for healing are sabotaged, rendered meaningless.

This is so when official actions at the State level go against the grains of healing spoken about, but which were never intended to be gathered together, to do something and mean something more inspiring and uplifting.

To gather together into a tightly knitted whole that binds an anguished community, then another one; or a worn segment followed by the next. In this way of small steps, and not grand speeches, a nation could be helped and healed, in time. That time is neither swift nor smooth, but long and filled with everything that ranges from the ridiculous to the rancorous to the renting asunder of the good intentions, the stated objectives, and the little progress painfully eked out.

We agree that it is a time to heal, not only in America, but also right here in Guyana. But to get there, leaders have to demonstrate concretely and consistently - perhaps, to the point of constancy - that he or she is willing to commit genuinely to serious attempts at enduring healing. Pretty speeches and sweet words told to the adoring and rapturous are not going to make healing happen; certainly, not anywhere near to the degree and scale that make a difference that sets the tone and stage to build much more.

In America, Mr. Joe Biden, the leader in waiting has called for such a ‘time of healing’. In Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali, the leader from the official title he is carrying, also has called for unity, which could only come from thinking of and doing those things that heal first, and which mend and tighten and seal in the best sense of togetherness. Cells are fused, things hold in place, because there is a mutual need to be in that particular place and to desire strongly to hold steady in that same place.

In essence, what we at this publication are saying is simple, and it is this: the people talking about healing have to be about a kind of seriousness saturating every fiber of

Granger and Harmon contrived to ruin the lives of many Dear Editor, Permit me this intervention, which is informed by the twin pillars of Honesty and Integrity.

The esoteric David Granger and his ‘alter ego’ (Harmon) not only contrived to destroy both the PNC/R and the AFC but have also ruined the lives of many persons – in addition to the attendant ripple effect associated with such demise.

Indeed, what price

empowerment?

They have both – albeit with the benefit of hindsight –been catapulted beyond the levels of their competence and capacity.

While one seems dazed and lost and has not yet found his role or purpose, the other can be categorized as i n t e l l e c t u a l l y h o l l o w, mundane, lacking the nimbleness of thought but corruptly intelligent in the division of politics.

their being. And, no less importantly, the entire audience of peoples addressed must desire fervently to want to be healed. Everyone involved must recognize that there is a deep great chasm that inflicts still greater pain, and which can either be left alone or be dealt with straight up and in the most courageous manner. That alone is what will give a chance to some form of genuine, lasting healing.

To leave alone at the national level divides; wherever such exists and flourishes, leaving alone is not an option for any society that harbours thoughts of growing and lifting up all of its diverse, most times, clashing components. To speak only and do little else is not only unconstructive, but it also cannot be about what is comprehensively productive in the longer

The Opposition is devoid of cognitive ability, lacks scholarship, with sparse debating skill and possessing of a meager analytical mindset to facilitate the development of stratagems with which to confront the levers of governance.

The preference of parliamentary picks seriously reflects a paucity of choice. Why ostracize the likes of Vanessa Kissoon, Aubrey Norton, Vincent

Alexander, Sherwood Lowe, D a v i d H i n d s , Ta c u m a Ogunseye, Volda Lawrence and others who have proved themselves tried and tested political apparatchiks.

It begs the question, “Quo vadis?” Perhaps the answer is “Oblivion” unless an exit strategy is adopted in order to repair the damage and commence the process of reconstruction.

Yours truly, Morris Baker

term. And because, this cuts both ways, those in need of healing, those agonizing over the hurting, must be receptive to what is extended, what could be possible and positive, if only in the honestly trying.

A time for healing is what Guyanese need today. Not tomorrow, but today. Those that won must be open to reaching, those that had to step-down must be welcoming of where healing can take us, be willing to walk towards, and through hands, stretched out. First, the hands must be forthcoming, and from both sides. Then, the words about healing, which resonate so much could have a point from which to start. It is always a time for healing, and that starts right now. Not later, but soonest.

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

Solution for ending rampant killing lies in empowering men Dear Editor, In a report titled, “Guyana Women’s Health and Life Experiences Survey (WHLES),” conducted by the Guyana Bureau of Statistics with support from the InterDevelopment Bank (IDB), UN Women, UNDP, USAID and the Global Women’s Institute of George Washington University and the University of Guyana in 2019 stated, “In Guyana, 38 per cent of women (surveyed) have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse violence, above the global average.” The survey was conducted among 1,498 women between the ages of 15 to 64 in the 10 administrative regions of Guyana.

From the statistics gathered, it is safe to conclude that 38 in every 100 Guyanese women (surveyed) have experienced either one form of violence in their

lifetime. I would like to address this topic from a different perspective. Within one week, three of our young women met their unfortunate demise at the hands of some cowards. The details of these three cases give one the accurate impression that violence against women is indeed a men’s issue. I would like to take some time to examine these three cases individually. On the 11th of November 2020, a 16-year-old teen was stabbed to death by a 34-year-old man, whom it was reported that she shunned after discovering that he was married. On the 13th of November, a 28-yearold mother of three was stabbed to death by her husband because he believed she was being unfaithful and on the 15th of November 2020, another 16-year-old teen was murdered allegedly by a 38-year-old man whom it was

reported that she was in the company of the day before her lifeless body was discovered. The reasons unknown at this time.

It is without apology that I say men need to keep their emotions in check. I believe that while women empowerment is essential and it really should start at the early stages of a girl’s life, I believe that our boys should also be empowered from a tender age. Empowerment in this regard doesn’t mean that a boy should be taught how to be a man, however, he should be taught what it means to be a man. Somehow men are of the impression that to be “macho” means that you are a man. This is far from the truth. Being macho is what leads a man down a destructive path since it implies that a man should be void of emotions. Men should be told that it is ok to cry, it is

ok to not be ok and that their emotions matter too. Men shouldn’t be taught to suppress their feelings because it is the macho thing to do. Men should start to empower each other. Don’t get me wrong, in no way am I saying that all men are abusers, I am just saying that most men are abusers because they feel it is the “manly” thing to do.

There is the common saying that “If I can’t get you, no one else can.” I remember once being told this and a knife being placed at my neck.

I remember also thinking that it was a joke. I was too young to know that it wasn’t.

Needless to say, that “relationship” didn’t work.

On another occasion, I remember after breaking off an engagement, my ex-partner sitting on the floor in a corner in the room dwindling a knife in his hands staring coldly at

Drafters of 1999 Petroleum licence are why we “Interest incurred on loans leaders with the drafters of are in this quagmire raised by the Contractor” do the 1999 agreement. One Dear Editor, A recent KN article, “Guyana agreed to lose billions on pre contract, interest costs while Suriname says, ‘not here’,” exposes the magnitude of the ineptness or the colluding intent of the drafters of our 1999 “Petroleum Prospecting and production sharing licence” (PPPSL).

The names of these people (the drafters) should be published for posterity, so that generations to come will identify them as the traitors that aided the oil companies to take billions of dollars away from us - robbing us of the good life that was ordained to us by virtue of our oil resources.

These drafters of our

PPPSL are the initial reason we are in this quagmire - set to lose billions on our oil resources.

The irony of this desecration of our patrimony by the drafters of our PPPSL, which puts them in the realm of collusion, is that they didn’t need to go to Mars to peruse a similar document that they were entrusted to produce.

They simply had to look to our neighbour Suriname to get it right.

How do we condone the deeds of these people for giving us the opposite of what pertains in Suriname?

Suriname’s PSC states, “costs incurred before the Signing Date including the purchase of seismic data” and

not qualify for cost recovery.

What was so difficult about this for these morons (the drafters) to comprehend and emulate?

The Surinamese consider their PSC as “World-class”, in context, ours have to be “eyepass”.

It is ironic that despite the ludicrousness delivered by the drafters of the PPPSL on which the PSA with Exxon is based, the APNU+AFC and now PPP had shown no intent to renegotiate the 9 billion barrel Stabroek Block PSA with Exxon.

Further, a more asinine contract signed with Tullow, reducing our royalty to 1 percent and recoverable, is evidence of the continued barefaced collusion by our

wonders!

What had caused the reason of the drafters and the politicians that cling to their document to depart? I will leave that question to the conspiracy theories of all Guyanese.

Even the evil of the Kaieteur and Canje giveaway was made legal by the 1999 petroleum agreements, as ascertained by VP Jagdeo’s statement - “So whether you have capability or not, that was never a requirement of the [Petroleum] Act.”. Even the VP, a former president and politician highly regarded, has expressed his love for the source document that is heralding the resource curse.

Yours truly, Rudolph Singh

me. That was the last time I stayed in a relationship in which I was uncomfortable.

Some men are not able to cope with rejection and so they become abusive. They sometimes don’t know how to walk away from a relationship.

There is also the unspoken assertion, in a man’s head of course, that is it agreed that a man should be unfaithful but not a woman. When a woman reciprocates, she is killed in most instances. In no way do I agree with the “eye for an eye” or a “tooth for a tooth” analogy; however, this is what happens most of the times. A married man would have his wife at home and another woman on the outside, however, should either of these women decide to do just

as he does, she is killed in most cases.

I hope with my rambling that you are able to get the gist of where this discussion is headed. Men are the real issue when it comes to our women being killed. I am calling on the Men’s Associations, I know there are a few, I am calling on the Sports Organizations at the Community level, I am calling on the Religious Bodies at the church level, I am calling on the Ministry of Education, The Ministry of Social Protection and I am calling on the Ministry of National Security, to get more involved in Men Empowerment. The solution to minimizing the occurrence of our women (Continued on page 6)

PAGE 6

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Slimy criminal elements have once again penetrated government Dear Editor, As a patriot, a lover of my country, and a strong supporter of what is always right, I write this letter out of great concern. For years now, it has been observed that there are some individuals who have a penchant for crime, dishonesty, lies, selfaggrandizement, gluttony, over-excursion, and womanizing, to say the least, and who exhibit boldness, compunction, skills, talents, and the fearlessness of using deception to penetrate powerful government officials to get what they want — even when they do not deserve it. We have seen this in 2015, before 2015, and sadly still to this day.

What boggles my mind is how unbelievable it is that government officials, without proper knowledge of these persons, their personalities, and their slimy dealings, allow such people to penetrate them. It is very upsetting because these people, who seem to have their hands on everything, are often known not to pay their fair share of taxes. And, who, due to favoritism and unethical dealings, are able to get away with their corrupt practices even if they get caught. In other words, it is very easy for them to slime their way through things.

In the security industry that I know so well, we saw a fugitive in American justice penetrate government officials and their families before 2015, and then change allegiance in 2015.

Subsequently, he tried to receive contracts that he was not eligible to enter into because his company did not meet the three-year requirements. The key operative was a narcotic fugitive from American justice – who, by the way, had also been arrested in Guyana for smuggling cocaine in fish at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

However, while in remand, the books at the Providence Police Station vanished, most conveniently. Consequently, through the security firm he established, he was able to secure some of the largest contracts in this country, such as Regions 5 and 6. This was despite the fact that

others who were far more eligible and who won the contracts fairly, could only be told that the son-in-law of the “big one” was part of the outfit and that was the strategy he used.

Another company with a mere registration, and without any proven record of security training, expertise, education, or exposure was able to acquire thirty-seven (37) high-powered weapons without due diligence from the Firearms Board or the Police Department in 2015.

Recently, a well-known security operative and investigator has shown how certain companies get these high-powered security weapons when they are not needed, and that these weapons have been given to companies operated, controlled, and/or associated with known criminal elements.

The same security outfit, a major real estate fraudster using the name of a relative, is also known to have shipped in significant quantities of money that was laundered through this security firm. Sadly, some security services are being used for money laundering.

Of course, as I said above, these guys know how to use their slime to slide their way in and some government officials seem to be addicted to the smell and stickiness of this slime.

We have seen people who are known to be political manipulators with an utter lack of patriotism, and who are limited to themselves, being given some of the largest construction contracts without due diligence. In another case, we have seen at the opening of contracts, a particular construction company was given tens of millions of dollars in addition to the tendered amount or the estimation of the engineer.

There is so much more I can say about these insidious, diabolical manipulations, tricks, and deceitful awards which inhibits human comprehension. For instance, in another scenario, before 2015, forged GRA and NIS compliance were submitted to a government ministry. The person who submitted this has always been a well-known

...Solution for ending rampant killing lies From page 5 being killed weighs heavily on the empowerment of our men.

It is time to start a “National Discussion” on how we can empower our Men to be the Men we need as Fathers, Brothers, Husbands and Sons. Dear Editor while sadly,

the lives of the women who have died at the hands of men cannot be brought back to life, it is my sincere prayer that the lives of our Women and Men can be saved with early intervention.

Yours truly, I. Ram

trickster, manipulator, and political operative who had obtained assurances and support from apparently government officials who he was merely using. And, he used to show himself as a political worker. He had not been given any security contracts for that year but had behaved in unheard of and unseen ways in Guyana, throwing tantrums and even humiliating the government of the day prior to 2015. In the end, he also went as far as going repeatedly to the court, but subsequently lost the case.

After 2015, however, he was awarded 10 Regions to provide security, and the man turned around and laughed at everyone. He was then later arrested for stealing a hundred laptops and other personal belongings, which he boasted he would win the case. Even though this crime had gone viral and transmitted worldwide on most news channels, the man still won the case and continues to enjoy political protection. As the new government assumed power in 2015, he changed his loyalty and is now changing again while openly bragging

about it. Another security company robbed the GRA with hundreds of millions of dollars, made arrangements to repay them, but never did. All they did was basically declare bankruptcy, change their name, and remain in the same spot with the same uniform while winning contracts around the country and making honorable companies feel immense pain, loss, and disappointment. To us, who transact our business honestly and respectfully, this smacks of great humiliation that only those who are interested in deception and utter dishonesty will make progress.

Another company was established and once again, they cheated workers and the state of billions of dollars in PAYE taxes, corporate taxes, and national insurance contributions. Because of this, their people were left destitute. They were forced to go and beg on the streets in their old age. As I reiterate, these people, who have slime on their hands and can spread it like a contagion, usually do not pay their proper taxes and/or just a little bit of NIS, and a little bit of tax to pull

the wool over the eyes of these agencies. Many of these companies had their books confiscated, but were somehow returned clandestinely. If these shenanigans continue to reign, then I feel sorry for you, Guyana, I feel sorry, my heart bleeds for you, dear beloved Guyana.

With all of this in mind, many seem to forget that through the Security Act, the Commissioner of Police may suspend or terminate any security company for theft of PAYE taxes, failure to declare corporate taxes, and NIS theft. Many people do not know that the Commissioner of Police, as the Security Services Administrator, has that authority and power.

Additionally, I know that with our new government in place, which I think we have the right president in place, the proper vice president, the prime minister, and several result-oriented ministers; my advice to them is to stay fresh, stay just. Look out for the honorable, look out for those who are true contributors to the national growth and development of our country, and for those who are true patriots to the country who

would do nothing to harm the country but everything to uplift it in every way possible.

My recommendation is that the government of the day remains sharp. In every industry where these fraudulent operatives are involved, they need to do the best they can to keep them out and let the honorable, fair, and respectful companies get a fair share of the cake to operate. My advice is to blacklist firms that are known for their deceit.

I beg the Government of Guyana to have a clean slate, not to encourage criminal agents to penetrate you as they did in the former Government. Keep criminal operatives at arm’s length; let them know they are being scorned.

Let them know that this Government of Guyana will stand for only that which is right and that which is good for Guyana’s growth and development. Slimy criminals who like to penetrate as holybeings must be stopped at all costs from spreading their slime inside of your government.

Yours truly, Dr. Roshan Khan, Snr.

The now coalition opposition employed election ruse and distraction to buy time Dear Editor, As I survey happenings here, I sense considerable cageyness from the opposition. It is perplexing as to why others are silent on what should trouble in increasing confirmation of a one-party state in the making.

I think I understand why the opposition shenanigans are present, with the following thoughts growing stronger daily.

The first is that the now coalition opposition employed one election ruse and distraction after another to buy time. Court actions, they called them. The question is this: buy time to do what? What is solidifying more firmly, with the robustness of irrefutable commonsense, is that the coalition used the 5 months of elections delays, devices, and controversies to buy time to create opportunities to siphon-off movable and immovable assets of the state. If realistic market values are attached to some of the prime pickings involved, the loot could be in the billions.

Thus, when the schemes and prospects of elections victory receded more and more, the focus was on carving out space to take care of self, which I believe is what happened.

My second thought is that some of the audits of state agencies (the scorned witch squad and witch hunt) furnished proofs of the pillaging of the Treasury. So why is the PPP government not doing anything, given that it supposedly hated adversary, the PNC-APNUAFC and others consortium, was caught in the act and, hence, ripe for the beheading?

That is a very relevant question, which bolsters the third thought swirling.

Is it that the crafty PPP leadership has decided to use the evidence it has in hand of skullduggery to keep the opposition tied up in knots?

With this Sword of Damocles brandished over its head, the opposition is held hostage, as good as crippled, and utterly useless as a political presence. Moreover, it is no longer an inspiration to the bulk of its supporters; or has any current meaning for a lot of larger Guyana.

That is the now incontestable reality, isn’t it?

When this country needs a viable, in-the-face opposition, it has what it has, which is a shadow of a shadow.

Friday’s farce of a press conference offers proof of more dodges. For its part, the PPP, though its savvy VP, cannot speak about oil for fear

of giving up the goose; and the Opposition PNC would not speak because that will breach shady unofficial oil partnerships with the PPP, which would also expose its own. From this, I progress to my fourth thought and to the one place where all roads end.

The opposition is not totally handicapped, far from it.

Indeed, I believe that what the opposition has is compelling; it is about the PPP’s machinations with Guyana’s oil wealth in general; and those oil blocks under sharp scrutiny. The opposition knows something (I give it that), but it ain’t saying nuthin’. I believe that the opposition possesses what rattles and could expose the PPP for the skullduggeries committed. But it does nothing. The trick and key are to say and do nothing in the public domain, but wield a bludgeon on the inside.

As I proceed, I say this without fear of revocation: the coalition cluster of comrades “cannot not” know nothing.

Apologies for the “Brooklynese” and Creole.

For emphasis, and contrary to what the Opposition Leader asserts and attests to publicly, his party knows something on the oil transactions. I think this could take the PPP out; or take

the opposition’s disillusioned people out in the open. In all this, I detect a political Mexican standoff, in that both the PPP and APNU have nuclear missiles trained at each other. It is a situation of MAD, meaning Mutually Assured Destruction, which my American fellows should appreciate.

Because of what it has, the opposition is in a bargaining position. Not for Guyana’s interests; but splendidly for itself, specifically top tier insiders.

Matters reduce to a case of elections secrets versus oil secrets. Good ole political horse-trading is what I term this. It confirms that the leading lights in the PPP and APNU are all thoroughly diseased with insatiable greed and pathological criminality, rank political rots. They cannot help themselves, these grasping failures. So, what we have here is a Machiavellian quid pro quo.

For the simpler street: scratch back and back-scratching. It is why Hon. Members (an oxymoron) of the two parties go through with these stupid public charades. One is silent; the other pretends ignorance.

Now we know why in both instances.

Yours truly, GHK Lall

2

PAGE 8

A former construction giant executive took part in an elaborate conspiracy to bribe Iraqi government officials, including their former Deputy Prime Minister and two former oil ministers, to secure oil contracts worth billions of dollars, police allege in court documents.

Details of the allegations claiming an intricate scandal were revealed after Brisbane man, Russell John Waugh, faced court last Wednesday on charges of foreign bribery.

Officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) swooped on his Annerley property that morning and escorted him to the Brisbane Watch House in handcuffs.

He appeared in Brisbane Arrests Court via video link where prosecutor Lindsay Glenn, acting for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, asked for his extradition to Sydney.

Waugh did not seek legal representation from the duty

Kaieteur News

lawyer.

Magistrate Michael Quinn approved Waugh’s extradition and granted bail, with numerous conditions that include that he surrenders his passport and possesses only one mobile phone.

Waugh was whisked from the court by his wife into a waiting taxi.

The 54-year-old is charged with two foreign bribery offences, engaging in conduct to falsify books linked to the corporation and knowingly providing misleading information contrary to the Corporations Act 2001.

The AFP says in court documents that Leighton Singapore, a subsidiary of Leighton Holdings Pty Ltd, tendered for contracts for the installation of onshore and offshore oil pipelines and a mooring system in Basra, Iraq between 2009 and 2011.The projects had a combined value of $US1.46bn ($2bn).

Entities associated with

Sunday November 22, 2020

Arrested: Russell Waugh (Photo Credit: News Corp Australia) United Arab Emirates businessman, Ramjee Iyer, and Monaco-based energy company, Unaoil Ltd, were engaged as sub-contractors for the project.

Prosecutors allege

Waugh was a party to two “conspiracies” involving the sub-contractors to bribe Iraqi government officials to award the lucrative contracts to Leighton Singapore.

Prosecutors allege representatives from Unaoil and Mr. Iyer’s companies would act as a conduit to officials in the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and the South Oil Company of Iraq.

“In furtherance of the conspiracies, each of Mr. Iyer and representatives of Unaoil Limited obtained inside information from representatives of the Government of Iraq to assist Leighton Singapore in being awarded the projects,” it is alleged.

Waugh’s charges of falsifying books and giving misleading information relate to allegations of the transfer of more than $US5M (6.84m) to Unaoil in 2011.

Waugh is alleged to have prepared various documents in relation to this transfer and provided them to Peter Cox, the director of Leighton Singapore.

Waugh was a managing director of Leighton Singapore, a subsidiary of Leighton Holdings, from 2007 to 2010.

“It is alleged that the accused (Waugh) falsified documents relating to this transfer … (and) provided those documents knowing they were misleading and/or had omitted from them information which rendered the documents misleading,” AFP court documents allege.

Unaoil was hired as a subcontractor by Leighton Singapore for a project to install onshore and offshore oil pipelines in Basra around 2009 and 2010.

The documents further al-

lege the transfer was to “obscure” a payment to Asian Global – a company unrelated to Leighton Holdings or Unaoil.

Representatives of Unaoil were never told what the purpose of the transfer to Asian Global was for, according to police documents.

Speaking outside of court, AFP Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney praised police for their “resolve and resilience” throughout an intricate investigation.

“No matter how hard, difficult or complex they are, we will follow through and bring people to account for (allegedly) breaking Australian laws,” he said.

“This is sophisticated.

There is a range of complex subsidiary companies that the money flowed through to disguise payments, and write a very complex flow of money.

We had to investigate at each juncture to identify and prove the offence,” he said of the allegations.

Mr. McCartney said police were exploring the option of using proceeds of crime laws to pursue money obtained by Leighton, but conceded the matter was “fairly complex”.

“There is a misconception that foreign bribery is just the cost of doing business. It isn’t,” he said.“Foreign bribery strikes the conduct of Australian people and businesses overseas. It reflects poorly on our national character.”Waugh will reappear in Sydney’s Central Local Court on December 2. (Extracted and modified from News.com.au)

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

Region 6 records 35 new COVID-19 cases The Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday reported 88 new COVID-19 cases of which Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) has chalked up 35.

The newly recorded cases increase the total number of confirmed cases to 5,093.

This information was reflected in MOH’s daily dashboard update which also shows Regions One, Three and Eight with five new cases.

Region Two has three new cases; Region

Four with 14; Region Seven with 15; and Region 10 with six new cases.

The only regions recording no new cases were Regions Five and Nine.

Further, the dashboard shows five persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit; 79 in institutional isolation; 848 in approved home isolation and 35 in institutional quarantine.

To date, 143 COVID-19 fatalities have been recorded with 27,236 persons have been tested for the virus nationally.

Dem boys seh...

Tough talk Guyanese like mek rough jokes’ but usually dem nah mean no harm. Is suh we stay. We like rub people de wrong way, just fuh fun.

De world gan soon get a vaccine fuh de coronavirus.

And while some countries gan fly in dem supplies, dem boys seh Guyana own coming with a canoe.

Dem boys hear a man seh how de vaccine should be first tested on some of we local politicians. If dey survive, de vaccine is safe.

If dey don’t, den de country is safe. Is suh dem boys does mek rough jokes.

It look like some of dem teachers can’t tek joke.

Somebody post up some comments on social media about dem teachers at wan of dem big school.

Dem teacher want international investigation into de matter. Dem boys wan know what gan happen to de police if every time somebody put up a post pon social media, yuh gat to have investigation.

Dem boys seh de Opposition finally coming around to supporting de call fuh an international investigation into de giveaway of de oil blocks. Dem boys wan know why it tek more than five years fuh dem to come around to this view. It show yuh how a politican gan al-

ways be a politican, when in power or out of power.

Wan man bin out of Guyana fuh five years ketching he hand. He come back with de same tune.

Guyana gat become modern soon and there gon be spinoff effects from de oil industry.

Dem boys seh with de deal de country sign, de country already getting spinoff effects. De deals gat we head spinning.

Trump head spinning. He nah know what next fuh do.

Dem boys hear he wan see Soulja Bai. He seh he due fuh get some advice.

Talk half and nah bodder with dem politican!

PAGE 9

PAGE 10

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY! In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our page seven to be blunt on ongoing indecency in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

Sunday November 15, 2020 Back in the day, colonial powers used to trap countries like ours in a web of exploitation, dependency and oppression.

Today, not much has changed.

Despite finding the biggest new oil fields in the world in recent years, it is clear that we are not going to benefit.

The only difference between now and colonial times is, now it is our own that are selling us out and profiting from our misery.

Monday November 16, 2020 We will have a modern state, says the PPP. But the PPP says nothing about the massive debt to make it possible.

We are told of 500 top U.S companies interested in coming here.

Let them come and applaud our cane cutters and donkey carts in our modern stats.

We can have a truly modern state but we must change our ancient slavery mentality.

We can have a modern state on our terms, if we get what is due from our oil.

Tuesday November 17, 2020 There is something called the Public Trust While many positions in this society are supposed to based on it, politicians are the ones who enjoy the most public trust.

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

You don’t choose your policemen or public servants, but the public chooses the politicians.

What we keep seeing in these oil deals is that the Public Trust got shafted by politicians from both sides.

Do you want to continue being shafted?

None of the political players have been honest with us on oil.

Wednesday November 18, 2020 The focus has been on throwing profit sharing and royalty before us while hiding the massive debt we owe even oil companies that have not drilled an oil well as yet.

CGX for example has not shown a drop of oil as yet, and benefitted from governments bending over backward to accommodate them failing, yet we owe them more money than we’ve gotten so far from Exxon.

We need to demand honest answers from political leadership in this country.

Thursday November 19, 2020 Suriname protects the wealth of its citizens.

The oil companies are not allowed to screw them over.

Oil companies have to compete to own Suriname’s oil blocks.

On the other hand, Guyana’s leaders give ours away and then accept massive bills from the oil companies.

As citizens, you need to

demand more. Demand your fair share!

Friday November 20, 2020 It was recently reported that the non-oil economy in Guyana shrank over the past year.

Meanwhile, experts say that over the next five years, Guyana will be in US billions of dollars debt to the oil companies.

This is the reality that we are facing, one faced by many countries that developed oil sectors and hoped that it would lift them out of poverty.

This is the resource curse.

It is already here, even before we have benefited a cent from oil.

Saturday, November 21, 2020 The Opposition Leader said Kaieteur News should give attention to the ‘cocaine sector’ as much as it gives to the oil sector.

Does he think the Guyanese public has a short memory?

Does he think we have forgotten the five months of election rigging by himself and the rest of the David Granger administration?

Does he think we have forgotten the signing away of the humongous Stabroek block to ExxonMobil for next to nothing?

Cut the crap, Mr. Harmon!

Stop deflecting. Tell us what part you played in these corrupt dealings.

Licensed firearm owners must ensure they have secured storage for weapons - police warns

W

ith the recent deaths of two teenage boysone shot to the head allegedly by his friend and another who reportedly killed himself with his dad’s gun, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has issued a stern warning to licensed firearm holders.

The teens’ tragic deaths have shocked thousands in Guyana and prompted GPF to remind owners of licensed guns to store them securely.

According to a statement sent out by the Force over the weekend, firearm holders are reminded that one of the conditions for the issuance of a licence is to ensure there are provisions to secure them safely when not in use.

GPF stated, too, that firearm licences carry a number of stipulated rules pertaining to safety and one of them is guns must always be kept out (Continued on page 17)

Dead: Rockey Sawh

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Suriname can access oil companies’ Suriname’s petroleum laws mandate that its accountants and representatives of a state enterprise shall at all times have access to the facilities, equipment, activities, accounts, files and registers of any oil company.

In simpler terms, this means that Staatsolie, the state oil company of this neighbouring Dutch-speaking country, possesses the authority to access any oil company’s accounts, whenever it wants.

However, significantly, this important provision is absent from Guyana’s contracts.

In fact, under the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) that ExxonMobil signed with the Government of Guyana, the country has the right to audit the company’s books. However, that right was granted along with some very restricting measures.

These measures are outlined in Article 23 and Annex C of the contract.

Annex C has an “Audit

accounts whenever it wants

- while Guyana only permitted to audit once per year and Inspection Rights of Government” clause.

That clause states that the Minister “shall have the right to audit upon 90-days written notice, at his sole cost and expense, accounts and records of the contractor, maintained hereunder with respect to each Calendar Year within two years from the end of each such year.”` The contract states that the Minister may audit, examine and verify, “at reasonable times during 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 any other docu-

Suriname has far more protection to inspect books and visit operations of oil companies than Guyana, according to comparisons in the deals signed by both countries.

ments, correspondence and records necessary to audit and verify the charges and credits.”

The PSA also states that at the conclusion of each

audit, ExxonMobil and the Government shall endeavour to settle outstanding matters and a written report will be issued to the contractor within 60 days of the conclusion of

such audit.

If within 60 days of the Minister’s further investigation, the parties are unable to agree to the disposition of the Minister’s audit claim, there

shall be arbitration in accordance with the arbitration provisions of the contract.

The pro-contractor provisions do not stop there. In (Contiinued on page 71)

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

FRONT PAGE COMMENTS RECAP As we continue our mission to enlighten the nation about issues of importance to this nation, we at Kaieteur News have published a series of front page comments in hopes of having our leaders take the necessary actions in order to realize the desired outcomes.

Today we recap the front page comments of the past week to bring you up to speed.

Who is in bed with Exxon?

Sunday In 2018, the IDB approved a US$11.6M (GY$2.55B) loan to help Guyana police its oil reserves. The loan agreement was signed with the understanding that Guyana needed time to build capacity and knowledge and to implement robust production controls to maximize oil returns.

Oil companies race to maximize output by aggressively emptying discovered oil reservoirs. They maximize production to maximize profits. For the oil companies, the host country must live with that, even if it means much

lower oil revenues.

From Guyana’s perspective, it is better to go slower in order to learn the ins and outs about the finer points of our oil riches, and get the most of it. Time allows for the recruiting of trusted experts and the fostering of confidence in what we are doing, because the country would have accumulated the right people and knowledge. Our leaders can then dictate the terms and pace of extraction.

However, the previous governing APNU Coalition showed scant interest in pursuing such an approach. And, today, Guyana’s de facto Oil Minister, Vice President

Bharrat Jagdeo, cannot give a straight answer on the issue of a depletion policy.

He should familiarize himself with the terms and conditions of the IDB loan.

Whether the loan calls for such a policy or not is irrelevant. What is important is that we slowdown production and position ourselves to dictate the rate of extraction, in order to obtain the most from our oil wealth.

This cannot be so difficult for Oil Minister Jagdeo to understand. So, why are both he and the Coalition so casual and complacent about a depletion policy? Who was and who is in bed with Exxon?

Robert Persaud’s attempts to distract from those two oil blocks speak about elections fraud. the nation about the oil block Because when he tries to re- frauds. As Mr. Persaud Tuesday focus the nation’s attention knows, only two of the oil Former Minister, Robert Persaud, who was in the middle of the oil block fiascos, found his voice to mystify Guyanese.

He says that it will take a generation for Guyana to recover from the five-month elections deception of the Coalition government.

We marvel at the slickness of this previously silent shadow, who now surfaces to

and anger at elections, he is distracting from the oil blocks’ trickeries.

He struggles to rearrange the narratives towards elections, while obscuring the political skullduggeries concerning those oil blocks which were siphoned-off with frontmen and cooperating comrades.

Instead of damage control, we invite Mr. Persaud to tell

blocks, Canje and Kaieteur, that were given away, could guarantee that this generation lifts itself out of poverty.

And when those other oil blocks, Corentyne and Demerara and Stabroek are considered, many generations of thinly populated Guyana can be turbo-powered out of poverty and made to flourish and prosper for lifetimes to come.

Your Silence Gives Consent You would quarrel for an extra $40 on your bus fare. You would curse for an extra $4000 on your GPL bill? Why are you silent on the

billions of US dollars in bills being thrown at us by the oil companies, in which we have no say?

PAGE 13

Antigua Says China Providing US$1B in Loans to LAC for COVID vaccines ST JOHN’S, Antigua - CMC – The Antigua and Barbuda Government says China is making available US$1 billion that will be used for loans to Latin America and the Caribbean to purchase vaccines to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A statement issued following the weekly Cabinet meeting did not indicate whether or not the government is considering making use of the facility as it “articulated a clear vaccination policy in light of the announcements that two US pharmaceutical firms have announced the successful trials of the COVID-19 vaccine.”

The statement said that China, Russia, and Cuba have also announced successes and that “China has set aside more than US$1 billion for loans to Latin American and Caribbean countries that can be utilised to purchase their vaccine.”

The Cabinet recalled that Antigua and

Barbuda has paid for an initial supply of 20,000 doses of vaccines to be acquired through the Pan American Health Organisation and the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).

“The Cabinet agreed that among the first volunteers to receive the vaccine will be first responders, teachers and doctors, elected officials, and others who serve the public,” the statement said, adding that the Ministry of Health will hold a news conference shortly that will be peopled by doctors, nurses, and experts who can be clear about this and other vaccines.”

Antigua and Barbuda has recorded 138 positive cases of COVID-19 and four deaths since the first case of the virus was detected in China last December.

Figures show that 1.34 million people have died and 55.6 million others have become infected worldwide as a result of the virus.

PAGE 14

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Giveaway of Peter’s Hall lands…

Fired NICIL head, Heath-London, remains in police custody Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the stateowned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Colvin Heath-London, has remained in police custody for his role in the alleged giveaway of prime state lands.

Heath-London’s arrest forms part of a probe, led by Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, into the sale of state lands during the tenure of the Coalition government.

According to information reaching Kaieteur News, Health-London was taken into custody on Friday.

Over the weekend, the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, which is now in Opposition condemned the “detention” of Heath-London, and have called for his “immediate” release.

A statement from the coalition yesterday read: “Mr. London is not a politician, he is a highly regarded professional who worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of Guyana…

This is obscene and contemptible and we demand Mr. London’s immediate release from custody.”

Though not a politician, Heath-London, as well as the former Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, were accused of playing primary roles in not just the giveaway of the lands at Peter’s Hall on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), but also at Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

Though these prime lands were worth billions of dollars, NICIL vested large parcels in the hands of a number of investors, receiving a fraction

Former NICIL CEO, Colvin Heath-London of the payments in some cases and in others, none at all. In fact, Kaieteur News had reported how Jordan and Heath-London had vested almost 100 acres of prime Ogle lands that were valued at $3B, but NICIL received a meager $64M as payments.

Recently, this publication exposed how two local businessmen received prime East Bank lands without any making any payments to the agency. Both of these businessmen are being accused of illegally transferred acres lands to Chinese national, Jianfen Yu, for just $200.

Police are now attempting to locate Yu, whose address was listed as 43 Wellington Street, Georgetown.

This newspaper, however, understands that the man is currently in China.The transactions all occurred under the Coalition’s watch. Notably, when the PPP/C assumed office in August, a number of developers who had illegally received lands from NICIL, took the decision to return the parcels. The developers premised their rescinding on the fact that they wanted to engage with the government, but on transparent terms.

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

City Hall has $5B debt not $500M -Mayor appeals again for Govt.’s intervention

C

ity Mayor, Ubraj Narine, is clearing the air on the reported debts of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC).

According to the Mayor, the M&CC has a debt of $5B which it wants to clear but cannot tackle the enormous sum without the assistance of the Central Government.

“City Hall’s debt dates back to 1994… we owe like $100M to garbage collection contractors; $400M to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and over $20M in retroactive salaries among the liabilities,” the Mayor said. He added that previous reports about City Hall asking Government for a bailout of $500M in debts is inaccurate.

“That report is not accurate because I never asked Government for a bail out on $500M debt when we have such a huge debt of $5B. I

Mayor Ubraj Narine asked government to let us go through the liabilities together so that they can have their input in the situation to help better manage the liabilities of the municipality,” Narine added.

According to the Mayor, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is struggling to pay staffers because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The city

has recorded a 78 percent decrease in revenue earnings.

Speaking on the issue, Mayor Narine said: “Our revenue drop here is about 78 percent. We are actually struggling to pay staffers. Our salary and wages scale is $120M per month. We owe NIS over $400M since 1993. I am dealing with that issue now.”

As such, the Mayor said that the government’s input is a necessary part in planning a strategy to deal with City Hall’s massive debt.

In this regard, Mayor Narine said that he is still willing to work with the Ministry of Local Government.

“I want us to have a roundtable discussion to deal with the liability. I also welcome any form of audit into City Hall because I read that Minister wants to audit City Hall first. I welcome this (Continued on page 16)

PAGE 15 City Hall continues to struggle to pay staffers and contractors.

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Intoxicated Pomeroon man drowns after plunging overboard A twenty-four-year-old man drowned in the Pomeroon last Friday, after he reportedly jumped in the Pomeroon River whilst intoxicated.

The man has been identified as Danny Hendricks, a labourer of St. Monica, Upper Pomeroon River, Region Two. According to police reports, about 10:00hrs on Friday, Hendricks left for a nearby shop with a few friends, where they started to drink.

Sometime around 18:00hrs, Hendricks returned home. While on the landing, the intoxicated man met with his sister, Reena Hendricks, 13. The sister told police that her brother suddenly jumped overboard, but did not resurface.

Neighbours were alerted and about 09:00hrs yesterday, the body of Hendricks was fished out of the Pomeroon River.

Police do not believe that foul play was involved.

Licensed firearm owners...

From page 10 of the reach of children.

Currently in custody is a 16-year-old accused of accidently shooting his best friend, Rockey Sawh, 15. The incident reportedly happened on Tuesday.

Sawh was shot to the head during a sleep-over at his friend’s home.

Police reported that the friend “breached the lock of a secured wardrobe where a license .32 Taurus pistol owned by his father was being kept”.

Kaieteur News reported that he pointed the gun to his friend’s head in a playful manner and accidently pulled the trigger. The gun went off and Sawh fell. He died the following day while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Pub-

lic Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

His friend was taken into custody.

The tragedy ended eight years of friendship between the boys and tore apart two families.

Almost three weeks prior to this incident, the son of a prominent Guyanese politician reportedly committed suicide using his dad’s licensed firearm.

In the statement sent out by GPF, keeping firearm out of the reach of children is a direct responsibility of the licensed owners.

GPF further cautioned that the neglectful breach of one or more specific firearm safety rules, will lead to the revocation of the licence.

City Hall has $5B..

From page 15 action,” the Mayor said.

Meanwhile, Local Government Minister, Nigel Dharamlall has maintained that the financial support for municipalities hinges on the ability of each council to account for their expenditure of the sum dispersed.

“There is definitely a need for more accountability of the expenditure of millions of dollars in subvention dispersed to the various councils by Central Government, annually,” Dharamlall said.

The Local Government Minister said, too, that the municipalities must account for any subvention/tranche that they receive.

“I intend to work closely with the Georgetown and other councils to ensure that the taxes they collect are well spent and managed properly.

We are looking to ensure that the same goes for the subvention that they receive each year; that is well spent and accounted for.

In the past, all subventions these councils received, they kept but I intend to ensure that every tranche they receive now is accounted for,” he said with an interview with this newspaper.

City Hall has been struggling for years now, with mismanagement, corruption, political interference all blamed.

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 25

Kaieteur News

WEEK-IN-REVIEW Recently terminated MoF Finance Secretary, Michael Joseph

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2020 GUYANAWILLOWE EXXONMOBIL US$20B BY 2025 - WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH OIL MONEY TO COVER BUDGET DEFICITS - WILLALSO NOT BE ABLE TO SAVE SIGNIFICANTLY Kaieteur News – Since the discovery of oil in 2015, local policy leaders have sung variations of one tune to the citizenry—”There will be billions and billions of dollars in oil money coming in. We promise you, there is going to be massive development, new hospitals, new schools, cash grants and more…”

Indeed, many Guyanese have latched onto the hope that cloaks the foregoing words but industry experts are warning that Guyanese politicians have been engaging in fiction.

Particularly holding such a view is Tom Sanzillo, Director of Finance at the Institute for Energy, Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). During his first appearance on Kaieteur Radio’s programme, ‘Guyana’s Oil and You,’ Sanzillo discussed some of the points raised in a recent publication by the IEEA of which he is the author. That document is called, “Guyana’s Oil Deal: Promise of Quick Cash Will Leave Country Shortchanged.”

Kaieteur News had asked Sanzillo to say if, based on the findings of the IEEFA analysis, the oil wealth being spoken of by today’s leaders would be enough to fully support annual budgets while having enough left over to be saved for future generations in the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). His response was an emphatic “No!” To truly understand the false picture being painted by the political leaders of the day, the industry expert said readers must first understand how the government is run.

In this regard, he said it is much like how one would run his or her household budget.

Sanzillo said, “If at the end of the month you have too many bills and you can’t pay them all, (then you are left with a shortfall). In government, you call that a deficit and of course, you’re looking to close all the deficits that Guyana has.”

The Director continued, “The second thing is that in households, there are needs that often don’t get met because of having to balance so many expenses and not

having enough money to do so. And so, there’s no room for vacation or for new clothes for the children or parents. That’s called new spending.”

In the context of the Guyana government, Sanzillo said that this is called new spending too. He continued, “It’s to close deficits; the people need new clothes if you will (or roads and hospitals). And like in everyone’s household, you wanna put something away for a rainy day and in Guyana’s case, this is called a SWF.” Sanzillo said that the reality facing Guyana is that it is not going to be able to generate enough oil money to do all of these things. He said that this conclusion was reached following an analysis of the manner in which the Guyana -ExxonMobil deal splits profits between the companies and the State.

Sanzillo said, “…What you see in this instance is that in the first three years the government is trying to close its deficits with (its share of the oil profits) and it can’t; it’s just not enough. So they run up to a US$450M budget deficit and have to borrow to meet its needs and that’s not even new needs. That’s just assuming that they’ve tried to put something away in the SWF. So you run up this US$450M deficit and in the next two years you’re able to close it but you’re not able to spend on new things.”

The Director of Finance noted that by the end of the five years, Guyana will end up owing ExxonMobil, and its partners on the Stabroek Block, US$20B. He said that Guyana finds itself in this position since the agreement it signed onto says that Guyana must fully reimburse the companies for the amount of money it took the company to get the oil out of the ground for the drilling, transportation,

and shipping.

“So, you wind up going deeper into debt to get some more money…and that debt is just what you end up owing at the end of the first five years,” he added.

Sanzillo said that the basic problem is that when the Stabroek Block project was being planned, most analysts were looking at the oil prices around the world between US$60US$65 per barrel and upward. Right now, the expert noted that oil prices are hovering around US$40 a barrel as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sanzillo said it is unlikely that between now and the next five years, it will go over US$50, if it goes that high.

To be continued …

MOF’S FINANCE SECRETARY SENT PACKING Kaieteur News – Finance Secretary, Michael Joseph, was on Friday terminated from his post under Ministry of Finance (MoF).

In the November 13 termination letter seen by Kaieteur News, Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, wrote to Joseph on behalf of President Irfaan Ali, and states that, “I regret to inform you that your contract for service as Finance Secretary, Ministry of Finance, dated the 1st day of November 2018 to the 31st day of October 2021, inclusive, is hereby terminated with effect from the 14th day of December 2020, pursuant to Clause Seven of the scheduled of the said contract.”

Joseph was directed to proceed on administrative leave with “immediate effect” until his contract ends on December 14, 2020.

Importantly, the letter does not give a reason why Joseph’s services were terminated. Nonetheless, he

was requested to return any property and records belonging to the government, which may still be in his custody.

According to the MoF’s website, Joseph hails from Stewartville on the West Coast of Demerara, and brings to the MoF a “welded portfolio” of experiences, certification and training in public administration, business administration, public finance, corporate finance and project management.

He served in the capacities of Budget Director and Director of Finance with the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Saint Lucia.

He also served as General Manager of the Saint Lucia Banana Corporation (SLBC), and as the Executive Finance Director on the Board of the Saint Lucia Banana Growers’ Association (SLBGA).

In addition, Joseph undertook project management consultancy assignments under the Caribbean Project for Economic Competitiveness (CPEC), designing projects for grant funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), in several CARICOM countries including Guyana.

He was a Director on the Board of the Windward Islands Banana Development and Exporting Company (UK) Ltd. now WINFRESH. He holds a Bachelor’s degree with Honors in Public Administration from the University of the West Indies (UWI), and a Master’s degree in Finance from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland. He also received specialised training in Public Finance from the Institute of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Public Sector Investment Programming from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in conjunction with the Economic Development Institute (EDI) of the World

Finance Director at IEEFA, Tom Sanzillo Bank. He is currently a candidate for the degree of Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from the Cave Hill School of Business (CHSB) of the UWI. PETER’S HALL LAND GIVEAWAY… BUSINESSMAN ARRESTED AS PROBE GETS UNDERWAY Businessman, Eddie Doolal was taken into police custody Friday as investigations continue into the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited’s (NICIL) giveaway of prime state lands situated at Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Doolal and another businessman, Avalon Jagnandan of Life 1 Pharms Inc. had both received a total of 30 acres of land from NICIL and later transferred it into the hands of one individual, Chinese National, Jianfen Yu on the same day for merely G$200, with both deals carrying glaring similarities.

Doolal, who was listed as the Director and Secretary of A-Z Pharmaceuticals, had leased from NICIL three plots of land; ‘A7’, ‘A8’ and ‘A20’, a total of 15 acres situated at Plantation Peter’s Hall, EBD. He, on May 17, 2018 agreed to lease the lands annually for US$11,700 plus taxes for a 20-year period but then transferred the three plots to Chinese national, Jianfen Yu on January 28, 2020 for G$100. Avalon Jagnandan also did the same.

Police are now attempting to locate Yu, whose address

was listed as 43 Wellington Street, Georgetown. This paper however, understands that the man is currently in China.

Kaieteur News had discovered that both companies were registered on the same day – March 1, 2017. In addition, the lease agreement details for both companies are also identical – both agreed to pay US$11,700 plus tax in lease fees annually for a 20-year period, both received 15 acres in total and both agreements were signed on the same day, May 17, 2018.

It should be noted too that both companies transferred its lands to the same individual, on the same day – January 28, 2020 and for the same price of G$100.

Further, both Deeds of Assignment of Lease Agreements are also identical.

Guyana’s State Lands Act clearly stipulates that whenever State lands are leased, the lease agreement must indicate that the lessee “SHALL NOT” part with lands (possession) or “SHALL NOT” assign the interest in the said agreement without the consent of the State.

It states too, that in the event that there is going to be a transfer to a third party, the State reserves the right to step in and repossess the lands, reverting ownership back to the State.

However, that very clause was altered in the lease agreements currently at the center of investigations.

Attorney General and Legal (Continued on page 26)

PAGE 26

From page 25 Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, had pointed out that the lease was altered to say that “the lessee may divest the land, may part with possession, may assign it to a third-party interest” – an insertion that saw hundreds of prime lands being resold and transferred with the State acquiring zero revenue from the transactions.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 16, 2020 GUYANA STILL TO PUBLICISE ALL NATURALRESOURCE CONTRACT – DESPITE MANDATED TO DO SO As part of Guyana’s requirements as an Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) member, it is mandated to publicize all natural resources contracts.

In fact, under the EITI’s contractual requirements, it is emphatically stated that “Implementing countries are encouraged to publicly disclose any contracts and licences that provide the terms attached to the exploitation of oil, gas and minerals.”

It further stated that it is a requirement that the EITI report documents the government’s policy on disclosure of contracts and licences that govern the exploration and exploitation of oil, gas and minerals. This should include relevant legal provisions, actual disclosure practices and any reforms that are planned or underway.

Where applicable, the EITI Report should provide an overview of the contracts and licences that are publicly available, and include a reference or link to the location where these are published.

What is concerning, however, is that Guyana has only made public those contracts of the petroleum sector, while contracts for the bauxite, timber, gold and diamond sectors remain secret.

Visits to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) website even proved futile, since the regulator has uploaded no contracts for the other extractive industries.

While the petroleum sector has managed to steal the spotlight of Guyana’s natural resources sector, transparency advocates posit that attention should not be taken away from those other traditional sectors. Foreign mining companies like Australianowned Troy Resources, Aurora Gold Mines, now controlled by ZIJIN Mining Group, as well as Russiancontrolled Rusal continue to deplete Guyana’s resources

Kaieteur News

at an exponential rate, while the country reaps very little benefits—as reported extensively by Kaieteur News.

In October, Troy Resources had announced that it had hit the jackpot again with a four-ounce-tothe-tonne gold hit in its latest diamond drill hole at the Smarts Underground deposit at its operating, million-ounce, Karouni gold project in Guyana. In just one of the multiple hits in its latest 449m deep drill hole, the company returned 11m at 131.93 g/t gold from 223m.

According to Australian publication, The West Australian, investors had flooded into the stock on the news in the busiest trading day on the ASX for Troy Resources this year, driving the share price more than 80 percent higher on opening trades.

Troy Resources’ Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Ken Nilsson, had confirmed that this was the best hole that Troy had ever drilled and was up there with the best he had ever seen. With this, he said, “Throughout my career, which has spanned multiple mining operations across multiple continents, I have only once previously been involved in the drilling of a hole with results anywhere near as spectacular as those from SDD189”.

Importantly, Guyanese are not aware of what benefits they will reap from this remarkable find and the fact that the contract signed between Troy Resources and Guyana is locked away, contributes to the state of uncertainty and concern.

EXXON’S INCREASED FLARINGTAKES GUYANA TO #5 IN THE WORLD Due to ExxonMobil’s ramp-up of toxic gas flaring at the Liza Phase One operation, so much has been emitted that Guyana is now one of the top five countries in the world for volume flared per year, per capita.

Graph shows countries by flaring per year, per capita. (Data – World Bank, Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report (July, 2020), Guyana Environmental Protection Agency) This is a new development, up from Kaieteur News’ last September calculation, which had placed Guyana at sixth place.

Following that report, ExxonMobil ramped up production in October and flared more gas. Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Sharifah Razack, had provided that Exxon flared 16.496 million standard cubic feet of gas per

Sunday November 22, 2020

Graph shows countries by flaring per year, per capita. (Data – World Bank, Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report (July, 2020), Guyana Environmental Protection Agency)

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill day in October – up from 15 million cubic feet per day before.

The EPA provided that as of October 31, the rate of flaring has been reduced to 14.924 million standard cubic feet of gas.

In September, Guyana had trailed Libya, Gabon, Oman, Qatar and Iraq, in total gas flared per capita, judging from statistics from the World Bank’s Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report (July, 2020).

However, the increased flaring in October caused Guyana to surpass Iraq.

It is important to note that Guyana’s total volume flared in a year is not as high as Iraq, which is one of the worst polluters in the world, alongside Russia and the United States. However, due to Guyana’s small population, it is emitting more toxic gas per head than those three countries. Russia and the US emitted 161 and 53 cubic metres per capita, last year, respectively. Iraq emitted 456 cubic metres per capita last year, behind Guyana’s emissions in the past year, which stand at an average rate of 461 cubic metres per capita. This would equate to the destruction of 2.17 acres of forest for every Guyanese, or 1.56 million acres of forest in total.

ExxonMobil’s flaring was only supposed to occur at project startup in December last year, to test the equipment.

However, flaring went way past the project startup. The company claimed it had to flare, since its gas compression equipment was defective and needed to undergo repairs overseas. Said repairs reportedly proved difficult to undergo with haste, given limitations the COVID-19 pandemic safety guidelines have placed on companies. Exxon is yet to complete the repairs to all of its defective equipment.

Dangers of flaring Research by Kaieteur News has found that the flaring of gas is extremely damaging to the environment.

A special study conducted by the World Bank notes that flaring releases more than 250 toxins including cancer causing agents such as

benzopyrene, benzene, carbon disulphide (CS2), carbonyl sulphide (COS), and toluene. It also releases metals such as mercury, arsenic, and chromium and nitrogen oxides.

ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AGAINST CHINESE CONTRACTOR IF FAILS TO SUBMIT REVISED CJIA RENOVATION WORK PLAN – MINISTER EDGHILL Chinese contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), has been asked yet again by government to prepare a revised work plan for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) renovation project.

However, if the contractor fails to do so on this occasion, strict action will be taken. This disclosure was made by Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, in an invited comment to this publication. When asked what are the possible actions that can be taken against the contractor, the Minister replied, “I am unable to disclose that at this time.”

Only recently, CHEC handed government a revised work plan, lacking the key components from the initial contract. Despite blatantly disrespecting government’s directives, no formal action was taken against the contractor to date.

Minister Edghill had told Kaieteur News that the administration is pushing for the contractor “to complete an airport that will have facilities for eight air bridges, new terminal space to accommodate the absent air bridges, aprons and taxiways to facilitate the completion of the extended runway.”

The Ministry of Public Works granted CHEC an August 28, 2020 deadline after a visit by President Irfaan Ali, but the company made no submission on that date.

That revised work plan

was expected to capture the agreed upon terms in the initial contract signed by the contractor and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C), which was also in government back in 2011. It was also expected to outline how the long list of defects at the country’s main port of entry will be fixed and a revised deadline.

The multi-billion Guyanese dollars contract has been in the hands of CHEC during the PPP/C tenure from 2011-2015. The project should have been completed in December 31, 2018 but substandard works turned what should have been a state-of-the-art airport into merely a renovated facility.

CHEC has been under fire for the shoddy works done at the airport, on multiple occasions.

In fact, government was forced to cease hefty, duty-free concessions handed to the company after it failed to adhere to its contractual obligations.

The company later sought to defend itself, and revealed that the expansions were 97 percent completed back in 2019 – in direct response to criticisms that it failed to submit the revised work plan as demanded by the Public Works Minister.

INT’L PARTNERS TO HELP STREAMLINE GUYANA’S ORGAN TRANSPLANT LEGISLATION A group of international transplant experts is expected to help Guyana streamline its much needed organ transplant legislation.

According to Head of the Kidney Transplant Department at the Georgetown Public Health Corporation (GPHC), Dr. Kishore Persaud, the Donation and Transplant Institute (DTI) which is based in Spain is expected to, later this week, host discussions

on how the local health sector can move forward with the passage and implementation of the new law.

Guyana’s legislation on organ transplant, particularly from cadaveric or brain dead patients, has been in draft format for close to a decade, with no serious steps taken towards implementation.

Dr. Persaud has been among the group of local medical professionals lobbying for implementation of the legislation, noting the benefits it can have on the increasing number of patients in need of urgent transplant surgeries.

The doctors who deal specifically with renal failure patients had noted that there are hundreds of persons who are on dialysis, and desperately in need of transplants.

He noted, however, that this cannot happen because these donors are not easily available.

Dr. Persaud explained, nonetheless, that once the legislation is in place, it will be easier for donors to find a match for those needing heart, kidney, pancreatic or even liver transplants.

“Especially, with the cadaveric type transplant, we will be able to extract organs from brain dead patients and have them available, thereby expanding the prospects for a patient needing an urgent transplant,” Dr. Persaud had explained in a previous interview with this newspaper.

The doctor emphasized too that the law not only benefits the patients, it helps to safeguard the hospital and medical staff performing the transplant, from any legal complications.

As it stands, the mortality rate for patients in need of kidney transplants is high – most die without it.

As such, Dr. Persaud said that the GPHC has been pushing for the enactment of the legal framework to assist (Continued on page 27)

Sunday November 22, 2020

From page 26 its staff and patients. He revealed too that a copy of the draft legislation will be handed over to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, which he believes is a step in the right direction.

“We are hoping that the meeting with DTI will also yield positive outcomes towards getting the legislation off the ground.

The DTI association has helped set up successful transplant programmes for Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados …so we’re hoping that they will be able to lend the same type of support.”

Additionally, Dr. Persaud disclosed that the local health team will receive support from Canadian transplant expert, Dr. Serder Yilmaz, towards achieving its goal.

According to his brief bio, Dr. Yilmaz is an associate professor at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Medicine as well as the head of the transplant section and the leader in transplant surgery in Alberta, Canada.

His leadership and contributions in education and research include programme redesign and enhanced access and care of both transplant and vascular access dialysis, allowing seamless interface among all specialists.

Dr. Yilmaz has completed extensive international training, and in his profession, informational outreach is one of his greatest interests.

TUESDAY US$20B OWED TO EXXON BY 2025 GUYANAWILLBE STUCK INA“NEVER-ENDING STREAM OF PAYMENTS” TO EXXONMOBIL CHRISTOPHER RAM Kaieteur News – Over the weekend, Kaieteur News had reported that by the year 2025, Guyana will have owed some US$20B to ExxonMobil and its partners in the Stabroek Block.

This is because the country has agreed to fully reimburse these oil majors for the amount of money it took them to take the oil out of the ground and for the drilling, transportation and shipping.

Because of the unfavorable contract terms that the leaders have signed onto, Guyana will be stuck in a “never-ending stream of payments,” before it can even begin to reap any benefits from the oil industry.

These are the damning comments of transparency advocate, Chartered Accountant and attorney-atlaw, Christopher Ram.

Ram was at the time responding to a question during his brief appearance on the Kaieteur Radio programme, ‘The Glenn Lall Show: Tell It as It Is’, hosted last Sunday.

The lawyer reminded that even as the country seeks to pay off the billions of unaudited costs on the Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil will continue to submit to the government “further and higher bills on each of the licences”.

“All of these are costs that we will have to bear…there is almost zero risk in petroleum when it comes to Guyana and yet we are paying all of these monies,” Ram expressed.

He continued: “We are giving up our natural resources and we are saying, “Come we will pay for you to exploit our resources”. It is absolutely unthinkable that anybody would continue this model of agreements, and I just cannot understand.”

Ram went further to express his bitter disappointment towards the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government, which according to him, has shown a “lack of willingness and courage in dealing with what is clearly an injustice and immoral arrangement.”

The attorney-at-law is adamant that every time ExxonMobil spends something leading to a discovery, it will be bad news for Guyana, since it is the country that will have to foot every bill.

According to Tom Sanzillo, Director of Finance under the Institute for Energy, Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), the basic problem is that when the Stabroek Block project was being planned, most analysts were looking at the oil prices around the world between US$60-US$65 per barrel and upward.

Right now, the expert noted, those oil prices are hovering around US$40 a barrel as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sanzillo said it is unlikely that between now and the next five years, it will go over US$50, if it goes that high.

TEEN STRANGLED DRINKING PARTNER VANISHES Kaieteur News – A 16year-old girl was on Sunday last found dead behind her mining backdam home, while her drinking partner has vanished, leaving her mother clueless.

According to a police source, the teen was strangled to death.

A police report stated that

PAGE 27

Kaieteur News

the murder occurred between Saturday November 14 and Sunday November 15 at Coanna Backdam, Five Star, North West District in Region One. Investigators revealed that around 12:00 hrs. on Saturday, the teen was seen imbibing together with her mother and some males at a shop in the area.

At around 15:00 hrs. the teenager and her mother became intoxicated and decided to leave the shop.

However, before doing so, they purchased another bottle of rum along with a quantity of rice. One of their male drinking partners reportedly left together with them as well.

Sometime later, investigators were told that the teen’s mother returned to the shop alone and spent a while there.

On Sunday around 07:30 hrs., the teen’s body was discovered lying motionless behind her home.

The matter was reported to the Matthew’s Ridge Police Station and ranks were dispatched to the location.

Checks were made to locate her drinking partner but he was nowhere to be found.

The teen’s mother, this newspaper was told by persons in the area, was clueless about how her daughter was killed. The teen’s body was transported to the Port Kaituma District Hospital before being sent to the morgue.

Police assured the ranks were doing all they can to locate the man with whom she had left the shop with.

KILLER CONFESSED TO WIFE’S MURDER; POLICE SENT HIM AWAY It was a single stab wound to the heart that ended the life of Amrita Rahim, a mother of three, killed by her husband.

This is according to the post mortem result. The autopsy was carried out yesterday at the Memorial Garden Funeral Home Mortuary, Le Repentir, Georgetown by Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh.

The result revealed that her cause of death was, “perforation of the heart due to a stab wound.”

Rahim, who lived with her husband, the suspect, at Lot 7 Burnham Avenue, Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, was reportedly stabbed to death during a heated argument on Friday.

Reports are that the suspect, who is presently in police custody, had accused Rahim of cheating on him a day prior to her death. The

Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram victim then allegedly threatened to leave and he became enraged.

He walked into the kitchen, armed himself with a kitchen knife and returned to the bedroom, where they were arguing and allegedly dealt a stab to Rahim while she lay on their bed. He then ran out the house and their eldest child, 11, alerted the neighbours who lived in the same yard. The mother was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital where she succumbed.

However, relatives of the dead woman reached out to Kaieteur News and disclosed that Rahim did not live an easy life.

A relative, who asked not to be named, disclosed that in her early teens, she had eloped with the suspect and tried to build a life with him but started “being tormented” by his relatives two years ago. She had attempted suicide. Rahim also lost her mom to cancer four years ago and her father to an accident in 2003.

“She was one of the most sweetest and gentle person you would ever meet; hardworking; a good mom; a good wife. She’s always kind and not argumentative…very quiet…smart, beautiful and intelligent,” a relative described her.

Meanwhile, Kaieteur News was also informed by relatives that the suspect went to the Blairmont Police Station and confessed that he had just killed his wife but “the police send him away because he was drunk…but his brother was behind him, tracking him to see where he was going and after he came out the station, the brother took him back and told the police what happened.”

The relatives are outraged, about the manner in which the police handled the situation at that time.

The suspect was subsequently arrested and is

assisting with investigation.

BK WANTS GOV’T. TO REVIEWTERMINATION OF $827M SCHOOL CONTRACT Kaieteur News – Local contractor, BK International Incorporated, has written to Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, requesting a review of the government’s decision to terminate the $827M Yarrowkabra Secondary Contract.

BK was awarded the project. These and other details were revealed by former Editor-in-Chief of Kaieteur News, and now BK’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Adam Harris.

On November 2, Kaieteur News had reported that the government had terminated the services of BK and Courtney Benn Contracting Services for the construction of two schools totalling to $1.1B. Government had premised their decision to terminate the contracts on the fact that the contractors had failed to honor their obligations. This was stated in termination letters seen by Kai e t e u r News.

Harris told Kaieteur News, in a telephone interview yesterday, that he was unclear as to whether BK was terminated by the government.

However, he went on to add that the termination letter as well as “contract representation” has both been submitted for “review.”

“We’ve written to the authorities,” Harris told Kaieteur News, “asking them to review the letter and we will see where it goes from there.”

When asked whether BK is still engaging in the construction of the school, as reported by another section of the media, Harris told Kaieteur News that he did not know and that he is

“not involved in the construction sector.”

H e w e n t o n t o s a y, h o w e v e r, t h a t h e w a s going to make the necessary enquiries with the engineers.

Kaieteur News attempted to contact the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BK International, Brian Tiwari, to find out whether his company was still engaging in the construction of the school despite the contract being terminated.

Those attempts, however, proved futile.

BK International was awarded the $827M contract through the Ministry of Education on December 31, 2019.

The contract raised eyebrows as the then, A Partnership For National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) regime, was in caretaker mode having faced a noconfidence motion the year before. It was signed on January 7, 2020 with completion projected for March 12, 2021.

BK received a $214M advance.

The AG in his letter to BK made it explicitly clear that only five percent of the scheduled works have been completed. Similar to Courtney Benn’s case in the construction of the St. Rose’s High School, AG Nandlall indicated that BK International had committed a “fundamental breach of the terms of the contract,” with the government terminating the contract with “immediate effect.”

Notably, BK will not walk scot free, as the AG made it clear that the government will impose the enforcement of 10% of the contract sum as liquidated damages.

Further to this, will be the surrendering of the performance security as consequence of the two company’s “fundamental” breach of the contracts.

Both BK International and Courtney Benn Contracting Services were requested to have the sites of the two schools cleared “immediately.”

WEDNESDAY EXXON TO GIVE GUYANAHEFTYBILL FOR DRILLING WELL IN THE GIVEAWAY KAIETEUR BLOCK ExxonMobil has struck oil in the Kaieteur Block’s Tanager-1 well, which its coventurer said is likely a noncommercial find yet, Guyana (Continued on page 28)

PAGE 28

From page 27 will have to foot the hefty bill for the drilling of this hole. It is noted to be the deepest prospect ever drilled by the oil major offshore Guyana, and ultra-deepwater prospects tend to be the most expensive in offshore drilling.

Notably, this is one of the two oil blocks, alongside Canje, which was given away by former President Donald Ramotar just days before the 2015 general and regional elections. The unqualified companies paid Guyana nothing for the blocks, and were awarded with generous terms.

The Kaieteur Block contract allows the contractor to recover costs incurred from its exploration.

Article 2.1 of Annex C (Accounting Procedure) states, “Exploration costs are all direct and allocated indirect expenditures incurred in the search for Petroleum in an area which is or was, at the time when such costs were incurred, in the Contract Area…”

These include seismic and other surveys and studies, core hole drilling and water well drilling, labour materials and equipment used in drilling exploration and appraisal wells, general and administrative costs, annual overhead charges allocated to exploration costs, and any other contract costs incurred in the search for and appraisal of petroleum after the effective date of the contract.

Drilling at Tanager-1 started on August 11, 2020 using the Stena Carron drillship. The discovery confirmed 16 metres of net oil pay in high-quality sandstone reservoirs. The find was first announced by Westmount Energy, an investment firm with an indirect stake in the Kaieteur Block. Westmount said that the find of 16 metres of net oil pay has so far been interpreted to be heavier oil than the oil found in the Liza Phase I producing field of the Stabroek block. This means that the oil has a higher density than Liza crude.

Westmount anticipates that the well is likely to be plugged up and abandoned in the coming days. This may be because of the reported size of the find and its higher density compared to the Liza Phase One project.

The current seismic model, which informed the decision to drill Tanager-1 first, has identified eight other prospects with varying likelihoods of success.

Tanager-1 had been adjudged the most likely well to yield a commercial discovery. The co-venturers started exploration, anticipating that

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

the block would have 2.1 billion barrels of oil across these prospects.

There are several other prospects in the Kaieteur Block to be drilled. However, the quality of this discovery changes a lot, since it did not yield the kind of find they expected. ExxonMobil and its Kaieteur Block partners are expected to further analyse the details of the Tanager-1 find to determine how it will impact prior analyses of the basin, and in so doing, drilling of other wells.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), years ago, pointed to the need for Guyana to review its rules for cost recovery but subsequent administrations have shown little to no political will to enforce the rules as they stand, by auditing and scrutinizing all of the costs being claimed for recovery.

Each well drilled adds more and more to the billions of US dollars in expenses oil companies are racking up to fund their offshore operations. The more those bills go up, the lower Guyana’s profits are from the sale of its crude. Guyana has a small window to scrutinize and challenge the costs being claimed by oil companies. In the case of the Kaieteur Block, the accounting procedure in Annex C states that Guyana’s right to audit and inspect the contractor’s accounts and records for any particular calendar year extends only “within two (2) years from the end of each such Year.”

RADIO, TV, CABLE OPERATORS OWE GNBA OVER $100M IN FEES The Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) has publicized the names of 20 radio, television and cable operators who have together accumulated a debt to the Authority totalling in excess of $100M. Kaieteur News understands that the defaulting operators have been paying the licensing fees ranging from $300,000 to $2.5M annually for several years.

Administrator of the GNBA, Violet Boyer told Kaieteur News that the GNBA has been very lenient with the defaulting broadcasters, agreeing to amnesty and even a payment plan, which allowed them time to pay off their debt.

However, the administrator said that broadcasters have continually abused the “grace period,” to further default on payments.

She noted that given the outstanding sums, last week, the GNBA met with Minister

of Public Affairs within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy where there was an undertaking to have the debt by broadcasters paid off.

As such, she explained that GNBA has disseminated a public notice to defaulting broadcasters reminding them to pay up their dues.

According to the notice released yesterday, television stations in default of paying the licensing fees are 21st Century Communications Limited, Community Broadcasting Network, CNS Inc, HGPTV Channel 16, Pinnacle Communications Inc-Television, Rambarran Broadcasting Systems Inc, WRHM Inc, and the Linden Broadcasting Network Inc. For radio operators, the list includes the Linden Wireless Communications Network Inc, Little Rock Radio Inc, Pinnacle Communications Inc-Radio, Wireless Connections Inc, Hits and Jams Entertainment, Blackman and Son Radio Inc, CNS Radio Inc, Brutal Group Inc, Two Brother Corps Inc, M u l t i c u l t u r a l Communications Inc, and Keystone Solutions Inc. Meanwhile, Atlantic Cable Television Inc, Bartica Communications Networks Inc and Infinity Telecommunications Inc are named as the defaulting cable providers. Kaieteur News understands the broadcast providers can find themselves off air if they fail to make the necessary payments.

SURINAME TO SELL THEIR OIL BLOCKS, WHILE GUYANAGIVES AWAY OURS FOR FREE Kaieteur News – Governments around the world make big money when they award oil and gas contracts by open, competitive bidding processes. They also ensure that when such a process is upheld transparently, the best and most eligible companies are chosen to do the job.

This is the process that Surinamese state-run oil company Staatsolie has taken, as it has announced that eight oil blocks offshore of the country are up for bidding.

According to the bidding document’s executive summary, the eight blocks on offer total to over 13,524 km2 of unexplored, but “highly prospective” acreage in the western part of offshore the Dutch-speaking country, with April 2021 as the due date for bids.

Notably, these eight blocks are located in the Guyana-Suriname basin,

At centre: Information Minister Kwame McCoy at a meeting with the GNBA team. where Guyana’s Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil and its consortium of oil companies have made 18 discoveries, totaling to in excess of 9B oil equivalent barrels. The Suriname government now wants to capitalize on Guyana’s finds, which have led them to bid those unexplored blocks.

Capitalising even further on its opportunities, the company has been studying a large shallow water acreage offshore Suriname, for which it has amassed a wealth of data.

On its website, the staterun oil company explained how its work in the near shore areas, though not yielding material discoveries, have already done enough to confirm the “potential” of oil in the coastal area.

Kaieteur News had reported on how data amassed about certain areas could increase the value of the acreage. It is for the same reason that Guyana has been urged by industry experts to ensure it publishes data on relinquished blocks as soon as possible.

Notably, the country could rake in hundreds of millions of dollars in signing bonuses for the shallow water block(s). It has already started to do so for its blocks since ExxonMobil’s continued de-risking of the Guyana-Suriname basin.

For instance, Total agreed to pay Apache US$100M for a 50 percent stake in the 1.4 million acre Block 58. That amounts to more than five times the paltry US$18M Guyana took from ExxonMobil for the 6.6 million acre Stabroek Block.

As has been reported in Kaieteur News, the Donald Ramotar administration had ignored the Guyana Geology

and Mines Commission (GGMC) when the regulator advised that the government could facilitate competitive bidding acquiring Guyana’s oil block ‘C’, after at least four oil companies had shown interest in the area. Two of the interested companies were Repsol from Spain, and Royal Dutch Shell from the Netherlands, both major international players in oil and gas, as announced by a source.

Many have criticised Guyana’s contract with ExxonMobil as lopsided and unfair to the people of Guyana. Global Witness has calculated that the poor terms would cause the country to lose US$55B over the life of the contract. It has criticised Guyana’s leaders for the part they played in the signing away of the massive concession to the multinationals, ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC. Despite facing international and local condemnation, neither of the major parties has shown interest in securing better terms for the people.

ExxonMobil has even boasted that it has received assurances from the parties that the contract will remain intact, and that its projects will be allowed to move forward.

THURSDAY SLEEP-OVER TURNS DEADLY AS 15-YR-OLD SHOT IN HEAD – FRIEND, 16, IN CUSTODY Kaieteur News – What was meant to be a fun sleepover Tuesday evening turned deadly after a Kitty resident, 15, was shot to the head with a .32. Taurus pistol.

The boy, Rockey Sawh,

was reportedly found at around 03:00hrs yesterday, lying in a pool of blood inside the home of his friend, 16, who is now in police custody.

Sawh, according to family members, had gone there for a sleep-over.

Kaieteur News was told the teen was unconscious but still alive when he was found.

He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

He never regained consciousness and succumbed to his injuries at around 14:20hrs yesterday.

Relatives of the dead teen said that he received a single gunshot wound to the right side of his head. Doctors told them that the bullet was lodged in his brain and had caused him to fall into a coma.

Despite efforts to save his life, Sawh remained brain dead until he eventually passed away.

Family members further detailed that doctors believe that he might have been shot four hours earlier prior to when he was found. They speculated that the exact time might have been some time around 23:00hrs on Tuesday evening.

When questioned as to why they believe he was shot around this time, they said that Sawh was active and chatting with friends on Facebook between 21:00hrs and 22:00hrs.

This newspaper learnt from sources that Sawh and his friend were home alone when the incident occurred.

His friend reportedly found his father’s firearm and began playing with it.

He allegedly pointed it to Sawh’s head in a playful manner and accidently pulled the trigger. The gun went off and Sawh fell. It was further (Continued on page 29)

Sunday November 22, 2020

From page 28 alleged that the friend’s mother returned and found Sawh lying motionless but instead of taking him to the hospital, she took her son and left.

Hours later, Sawh was discovered by another individual who visited the home.

The teenaged friend was later taken into custody.

GUYANAAGREED TO LOSE BILLIONS ON PRE-CONTRACT, INTEREST COSTS, WHILE SURINAME SAYS ‘NOT HERE’ Kaieteur News – Guyana’s leaders are so determined to grant extremely generous fiscal terms to oil companies, that they have agreed to forfeit billions of United States dollars, which could have gone to housing the homeless, making college education free, and erecting state-of-the-art hospitals.

Two of those generous concessions include an agreement to pay oil companies uncapped interest rates on loans they (the oil companies) take to fund petroleum operations offshore Guyana and an agreement to repay these companies for “pre-contract costs.”

Guyana’s neighbour to the east, Suriname, has done a much better job of securing the value in the prolific basin that these two countries share.

Suriname’s model Production Sharing Contract (PSC) explicitly states that pre-contract costs and interests on loans are not recoverable.

In the Accounting Procedure of the Suriname model PSC, it is stated that “costs incurred before the Signing Date including the purchase of seismic data” and “Interest incurred on loans raised by the Contractor” do not qualify for cost recovery.

Suriname’s Staatsolie said that its PSC is world-class.

Guyana’s contracts have gone in the other direction.

GUYANA’S HEFTY PRE-CONTRACT COSTS There are pre-contract costs under several agreements with oil companies operating offshore Guyana. The heftiest pre-contract cost is for the Stabroek Block agreement, including costs owed to ExxonMobil.

Section 3 o f t h e Accounting Procedure of the Stabroek Block agreement lists many expenses recoverable by the contractor. Included in these are “all such costs

incurred under the 1999 Petroleum Agreement between January 1, 2016 and the Effective Date which shall be provided to the Minister on or before October 31, 2016 and such number agreed on or before April 30, 2017.”

This includes the US$460M stated in the contract and an additional amount not made public by the Government.

International l a w y e r, Melinda Janki, estimated that the additional cost would take the total precontract cost to US$960M. These costs include “contract costs, exploration costs, operating costs, service costs and general and administrative costs and annual overhead charge as those terms are defined in the 1999 Petroleum Agreement,” according to the 2016 contract.

There are pre-contract costs under several other contracts. Unlike the Stabroek Block agreement, a number of these agreements don’t even define pre-contract costs, leaving the public to wonder what it is paying oil companies millions of dollars for.

INTEREST COSTS TO BE PAID TO EXXON COULD AMOUNT TO BILLIONS The Accounting Procedure of the Stabroek Block agreement allows the contractor to recover “Interest, expenses and related fees incurred in loans raised by the parties comprising the Contractor for Petroleum Operations and other financing costs provided that such expenses, fees and costs are consistent with market rates.”

Darshanand Khusial of the Oil & Gas Governance Network had explained last year in a letter, that a failure to define “market rate” in the contract could lead to Guyana having to fork out billions of US dollars in interest payments alone.

As the PSA is currently structured, there is no cap on how much of that interest can be recovered.

Interestingly, “Agreed Interest Rate” is clearly and precisely defined on page 3 of the Contract, but not “Market Rate.”

“Why would the oil companies want to avoid giving a precise meaning to ‘market rate’?” Khusial had questioned.

ExxonMobil has an exemplary credit rating, which would allow it to

PAGE 29

Kaieteur News

take out loans at a low market rate. But that low rate won’t apply to Guyana, since it signed the PSA – not with Exxon – but with its subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).

MORE DELAYS AS THOUSANDS OF ALLEGED PONZI SCHEME VICTIMS AWAIT REPAYMENT As the holiday season approaches, persons who invested with the alleged Ponzi scheme operators are concerned whether they will ever be repaid in time for the Christmas holidays.

The principals of Accelerated Capital Firm (ACF) Inc., Yuri GarciaDominguez and his wife, Ateeka Ishmael, are accused of running a Ponzi scheme that bilked 17,000 Guyanese of billions of dollars – over $4B (US$20M).

According to persons familiar with the situation, even as word surfaces that the repayment process had resumed and that more than100 persons were repaid; thousands were waiting impatiently.

Kaieteur News understands that the company had told investors that persons who invested their money without interest will be the first to be refunded.

However, that is not happening and investors are concerned about the way in which the process is being dragged on.

The ‘investors’ had included businessmen and church members, with a

number of religious leaders accused of recruiting unsuspecting Guyanese.

Last Friday, the alleged Ponzi scheme operators announced that no one will lose their investments and that they are slated to meet with heads of the state agencies that are currently investigating them.

Kaieteur News had reported a press release from Accelerated, which the company asked for patience: “We ask of you for your continued patience and tolerance as we assure you that no one will lose their investment and that an end to this matter will be soonest.”

In that release, too, the company acknowledged the delays in the repayment process that was promised by Garcia-Dominqaguez since September.

“This delay has not been without justification as the company is attempting to do everything legally possible to ensure that repayments are done in the shortest possible time.”

The company highlighted that the repayment process is stalled due to many obstacles from the ongoing investigation.

Earlier this month, the company had offered to repay its investors in digital money.

Garcia-Dominguez had announced that he is seeking to make the payments in crypto currency.

Crypto currency is a digital method designed to work as a medium of exchange wherein an individual can do online transactions – the most popular crypto currency is

bitcoins.

However, Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, had told Kaieteur News, that the proposed crypto currency repayment method by the principals of ACF is not a legal tender in Guyana.

Kaieteur News had also contacted an official at the Bank of Guyana (BOG) and the official was unable to confirm the use of crypto currency in Guyana since the bank is not aware of it.

Garcia-Dominguez and his wife are charged for allegedly running a Ponzi scheme in which in excess of US$20M was swindled out of the pockets of thousands of Guyanese.

The couple has also been slapped with two charges under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act. According to police, Garcia-Dominguez and Ishmael allegedly lured thousands of Guyanese claiming that by investing with their company, persons would get at least 40 percent return.

The investors were also encouraged to enlist additional investors on a 10 percent commission basis.

ACF Inc. is not registered with the Guyana Securities Council to conduct financial business, as either an investment advisor and/or a broker.

The new government, under Irfaan Ali, had launched an investigation after complaints were made by investors of not receiving their money/returns.

The couple was slapped

with over 80 charges of fraud with two separate ones under the anti-money laundering regulations.

I PREFERAN INT’L INVESTIGATION INTO OIL BLOCKS AWARDS – FORMER NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTER, RAPHAEL TROTMAN Former Minister of Natural Resources and Alliance for Change (AFC) executive, Raphael Trotman, would prefer that there be an investigation into the awards of offshore oil blocks by an independent, international firm as industry governance advocate, Global Witness, has recommended.

The attorney-at-law provided this comment, when asked by Kaieteur News yesterday.

Awards of multiple oil blocks have been perceived by some sections of society and political commentators to have been made under suspicious and/or corrupt circumstances, and not inkeeping with the best interests of the Guyanese people.

When it comes to Trotman, the award of Guyana’s most valuable block (Stabroek) has drawn the most controversy, and blame tends to be placed squarely at his feet. He signed the controversial agreement in 2016; a year after ExxonMobil announced its first commercial discovery.

Utilizing a ‘bridging deed,’ Trotman granted a new lease to ExxonMobil, as time was running out on the 1999 (Continued on page 30)

PAGE 30

From page 29 agreement for the company to make a relinquishment. The contract was kept from the public, for a year a half after its signing, by the David Granger administration. The then Government had also hid from the public that it received a signing bonus from ExxonMobil, of US$18M, which it kept in a special account.

When the contract was finally revealed and subjected to public scrutiny, it became apparent that its provisions were sub-standard and crafted in such ways that Guyana would suffer significant value leakage.

Contentious public debates have been waged for years, including when the contract was highlighted in an early 2020 report by the internationally respected Global Witness.

In its call for an investigation into the award, the anti-corruption watchdog pointed to Trotman’s lavish Exxon-paid trip to its Texas headquarters, querying whether this constituted a conflict of interest. The nongovernmental organization also said that Trotman ignored expert advice on multiple occasions, and signed the agreement away in a short period. Most importantly, the firm said that Guyana left US$55B on the table because of its failure to secure a fair deal.

In response, Trotman had told Bloomberg he would release a report on a probe done into the matter, likely to clear his name. The report, done by the British firm Clyde and Co. was never formally released. However, Kaieteur News has seen the document, which painted Trotman in a much less critical light than Global Witness did. For example, Clyde and Co. stated that both the Ministry of Natural Resources (MoNR) and the Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) made several attempts to negotiate improved terms for Guyana, and that the Exxon-led consortium was “not receptive” to the proposed amendments.

Notably, Trotman has admitted that he thinks government should have done better with the deal, but that he was instructed to sign the agreement, though he has never said who gave the instruction. He continues to be hammered in the press for the part he played in these proceedings.

The former minister also recently faced questions from Kaieteur News over the part the Granger administration played in the suspicious awards and transfers of the Canje and

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur blocks. The initial awards were made by the previous Donald Ramotar administration, but it is believed that the Granger administration ignored obvious red flags when it approved transfers of stakes.

Trotman had declined to answer, explaining that he is not in a position to answer, since he – now out of office – did not have access to the documents relating to those transactions.

On the other side of the p o l i t i c a l a i s l e , Vi c e P r e s i d e n t D r. B h a r r a t Jagdeo has given no greenlight for the independent probes he spoke in support of while Opposition Leader.

He recently posited that an internal review being conducted by government into the awards will inform him whether there is a need for an investigation into the Canje and Kaieteur awards. As of now, his view is that no laws were broken and that there was no corruption.

DUBAI ROYAL IN GUYANA ON OIL BUSINESS President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali yesterday met with his Highness Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Juma Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and an eight-member delegation in Guyana on a three-day official State visit.

Over the next few days, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Juma Al Maktoum, who is a member of the ruling family in the UAE, and members of his team will meet with several Government officials from various ministries.

In the initial meeting with President Ali, the UAE team also met with members of the Cabinet including: Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, Minister of Natural Resources, the Vickram Bharrat, Minister of Housing and Water and Minister within the Ministry, Collin Croal and Susan Rodrigues, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill and other government officials.

The visiting delegation was welcomed by several Ministers and officials upon its arrival at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, The UAE is one of the top oil-producing countries globally and is expected to lend assistance to Guyana in oil and gas, among other areas.

The Sheikh has a private office with a portfolio of privately held group companies, focusing mainly on infrastructure development, energy projects, LNG terminal development, commodity & oil trading, water desalination, water recirculation as well as education and agricultural projects, according to its website.

HARMON SUPPORTS TROTMAN’S CALL FOR INT’L INVESTIGATION INTO OIL BLOCKS GIVEAWAY

ANGOLA STATE OILCOMPANY ANGOLA’S STATE OIL COMPANY MADE NO MONEY FROM OIL IN 2019 AS DEBT BITES (REPUBLISHEDAND MODIFIED FROM REUTERS) Angola’s state oil giant made no money from core oil activities last year, a Reuters analysis of its full accounts shows, as billions of dollars of debt repayments ate up profits.

The bleak disclosure within the company’s 121page annual financial results published in Portuguese last week underlines the perils facing the impoverished, oildependent nation, even before oil prices plunged due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Sonangol is the engine of sub-Saharan Africa’s third largest economy, and Africa’s number two oil exporter.

The company reported last week that its net profit fell to 46 billion kwanza ($125 million) in 2019, down by over half in dollar terms from 80 billion kwanza ($316 million) in 2018, using the official average exchange rates for those years. This was despite Brent crude oil prices averaging a comfortable $64 a barrel last year, not far below 2018’s $71. For 2020 so far, the average is $40.

Core activities lost 351 billion kwanza ($955 million) compared to a profit in 2018 of 69 billion ($274 million).

The decline in crude prices has worsened Angola’s debt burden.

Sonangol itself has borrowed billions of dollars from China and banks such as Standard Chartered in recent years, pledging its oil exports as collateral, to support the economy and its own expansion.

Its total liabilities at the end of 2019 stood at a massive 13.4 trillion kwanza ($36 billion) including loans, risk provisions and accounts payable.

In 2019, its debt repayments hit 764 billion kwanza ($1.8 billion), against operating profits from oil production, sales and refining of 580 billion kwanza ($1.57 billion).

Alleged Ponzi scheme operators: Yuri GarciaDominguez and his wife, Ateeka Ishmael.

“NET PROFIT” The company hailed its overall net profit as “strong growth … as a result of stabilizing revenues and the strong cost reductions in the context of ongoing restructuring.”

Angola has pinned its hopes for mitigating a projected steady decline in its oil output on a drive to privatise key state assets, including parts of Sonangol itself, by 2022.

But much of the net profit was generated through 397 billion kwanza ($1.1 billion) of “extraordinary results”, mostly from cancelling a vast old debt and selling some assets.

The figure is nearly 30 times higher than in 2018.

It includes 280 billion kwanza from a cancellation of debt to South Pars, Phase 12 – an Iranian company formed with Sonangol to develop a giant gas field where activity ultimately never started due to sanctions.

Other “extraordinary items” included a gain of 46 billion kwanza from the sale of a real estate company and 13 billion kwanza from the transfer of medical care for several hundred workers back to the state.

Auditor KPMG said Sonangol’s liabilities at the end of 2019 outweighed its assets, something that has not happened since an oil price crash in 2016.

GOVT., EXXON SILENT ON KAIETEUR BLOCK DISCOVERY MADE AT LEAST THREE DAYS AGO Kaieteur News – The

Ministry of Natural Resources and ExxonMobil have been silent for three days about an oil discovery recently made at the Ta n a g e r- 1 w e l l i n t h e Kaieteur Block. The public is unaware when the discovery was made, but was notified of it when “inside” information from the UK firm, Westmount Energy was made public by a regulatory information service.

We s t m o u n t i s a n investment firm which has been quietly buying into companies which have stakes in blocks offshore Guyana. As a result of its interest in the company, Ratio Petroleum, which owns a 25 percent stake in the Kaieteur Block, Westmount has access to such information.

The firm said on Tuesday that the contractor struck 16 metres of net oil pay ascertained to be heavier than the crude assessed from the Liza-1 producing field. It said that the well is likely to be plugged up and abandoned.

It also said that the find will undergo further studies to determine how it will impact prior analyses of the basin, and in so doing, drilling of other wells. It was anticipated that the well, adjudged most likely to yield a commercial discovery, would result in a discovery of 256 million barrels. This particular well, the deepest drilled by ExxonMobil to date, in the Guyana basin, is likely to see Exxon handing a hefty bill to Guyana. Up to press time yesterday, there was no release from the Government on the Tanager-1 discovery.

Kaieteur News – Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, yesterday spoke favourably of the position by former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, that there should be an independent probe into suspicious oil blocks giveaways by a competent, independent firm.

Trotman had said he would prefer that there be an investigation into the awards as anti-corruption watchdog, Global Witness recommended in a report earlier this year.

Harmon held a press conference yesterday, during which he responded to questions from Kaieteur News on the Coalition’s posturing on matters related to oil and gas.

“The statement by Minister Trotman is, I believe, an eminently good statement that says he would not mind an international investigation, and I think that is a proper position to take.”

The contract was hidden for a year and a half after its signing, by the previous administration.

The then Government had also hid from the public that it received a signing bonus from ExxonMobil, of US$18M, which it kept in a special account.

In its call for an investigation into the award, Global Witness said that Trotman ignored expert advice on multiple occasions, and signed the agreement away in a short period, leaving US$55B on the table.

Trotman has still left unanswered many substantive questions on the matter, but has admitted that he thinks government should have done better with the deal. Two other suspicious awards also made regular news – of the Canje and Kaieteur blocks. While the Donald Ramotar administration made the award, the coalition is largely seen as complicit.

Trotman had declined to answer, explaining that he is not in a position to answer, since he – now out of office – did not have access to the documents relating to those transactions.

On the other side of the political aisle, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has given no green-light for the independent probes he spoke in support of while he was Opposition Leader.

He recently posited that an internal review being conducted by government (Continued on page 31)

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 31

Kaieteur News

What Belgian officials found

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Juma Al Maktoum From page 30 into the awards would inform him whether there is a need for an investigation into the Canje and Kaieteur awards.

As of now, his view is that no laws were broken and that there was no corruption GRA SUSPENDS ENTIRE SCANNING UNIT STAFFERS OVER MISSING IMAGES IN BELGIUM’S 11.5 TONNES COKE BUST Kaieteur News – A senior manager was among 11 Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) staffers who were suspended, as authorities continue their probe into Belgium’s seizure of 11.5 tonnes of cocaine shipped

from Guyana.

Investigators had discovered that the scanned images of the containers taken at the Lombard Street facility, manned by GRA’s staffers were deleted.

Kaieteur News was made to understand that four containers left Guyana on September 25, shipped

by Marlon Primo’s MA Trading, of Atlantic Ville, East Coast Demerara, to the consignee, Lotraco Recycling B V, The Netherlands.

According to sources, only images of three containers were found, the images of the fourth were deleted.

Under regulations,

containers considered high-risk leaving Guyana, have to be scanned at the facility on Lombard Street, Georgetown as part of the c o u n t r y ’s p r o t o c o l s f o r exports.

It would have been impossible for the container to escape GRA’s system of being scanned.

So far, officials have failed in their bid to retrieve the deleted images, leading to the suspension of the unit.

The staffers including managers, supervisors and

support staffers.

Meanwhile, CANU is still seeking local scrap iron dealer, Marlon Primo, a person of interest in the probe. A wanted bulletin has since been issued.

The massive load of cocaine left Guyana on September 25 and was opened in Belgium on October 27. The seized cocaine has an estimated street value at €900 million (about US$1B).

It was disguised as scrap metal and placed

inside a steel container, which was in turn packed into a sea container and loaded onto a trans-Atlantic vessel.

SENIOR OFFICIALS OF POLICE FINANCE DEPT. SUSPENDED AS SOCU PROBES $150M FRAUD The police force Finance Department is being investigated for a major fraud involving money earmarked for ranks.

Kaieteur News – Four senior officers from the

Police force Finance Department is being investigated for a major fraud involving money earmarked for ranks.

Guyana Police Force (GPF) Finance Unit were sent on administrative leave as investigators probe the alleged misappropriation of $150M. Sources familiar with the probe informed Kaieteur News that the Finance Officer, Superintendent Marcelene Washington; her deputy Frank Jackman Wilberg along with two other high-ranking officers were sent on leave.

Sources were sketchy on the details, but revealed to Kaieteur News that the four officers received letters to immediately proceed on leave. Kaieteur News was made to understand that the missing funds were allotted to officers for extra duties performed.

But while documents were signed to say that the funds were released, they reportedly never reached into the hands of the ranks.

Up to press time, there were no statements from the Force on the allegations.

Investigations are ongoing.

However, this newspaper was told that investigators from the Police Force Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) raided the offices of the Finance Department, taking away files and hard-drives on Thursday.

From reports, several other top officials in the force are likely to be questioned because of their alleged involvement.

PAGE 32

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 33

PAGE 34

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 35

Kaieteur News

==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==

A Pimper’s Paradise: Pimping Guyanese tragedies

T

he Guardian news paper of the UK last week ranked the 30 best songs of Bob Marley.

Music is culture and unless you have a class background in the culture you were born into, you will hardly agree with the expert’s review of music and literature.

The most shocking review of the best songs in pop culture that you will encounter is from the Rolling Stone magazine.

It ranked the top 500 pop songs in history and on reading it, you have to and must conclude that the reviewer was either drunk when he did his compilation or is a cultural bigot.

A majority of the songs are from White rock groups with the Beatles and Rolling Stones garnering about 30 songs between them. Some silly hard rock tunes that prisoners would gladly choose solitary confinement than listening to fifteen minutes of such songs are in the compilation.

ABBA has one entry. I think only one of Burt Bacharach’s hits was recognized, surely calling into question the editor’s competence to have such a list published. Bob Marley has two.

Black America is insultingly under-mentioned.

In the Guardian’s assessment of Marley’s genius, there are some odd selections.

Number one is, “No woman, No Cry,” which rightfully belongs at the top. I would put “Redemption Song” at spot 2 but that was given allotment 4.

Much to my surprise, two of Marley’s superb social/ philosophical/political compositions were not given recognition – “Rat Race” and “A Pimper’s Paradise.”

When I listen to “A Pimper’s Paradise,” I always recall what a psychologically twisted society Guyana is.

This is a country overflowing with shameless people who are pimping the depressing tragedies of this land thus Marley’s tune is compellingly relevant.

You want to see a pimper’s paradise in Guyana, just do a little bit of research on the destruction and disaster that faced Guyana during five months of election rigging.

There will be some famous names missing.

It is doubtful that Guyana could have survived the world’s acceptance of the March 5 rigged election in this country.

It is doubtful that CARICOM as an integration process could have survived if some parts of CARICOM accepted the fraud and some sections denounced it.

The death of Guyana and CARICOM were real possibilities had the rigging succeeded.

Because of this colossal trauma, it was natural to expect the open embrace of the rule of law, free and fair elections and civilized politics by a majority of organizations in Guyana. It didn’t happen.

Then after the pantomime came to an end, Guyana saw a pimper’s paradise.

About 50 Guyanese organizations that suffered psychologically driven silence during five months of electoral illegalities and political immoralities emerged from the coffin of hypocrisy.

They began to express concern about the survival of the Caribbean with the announcement that Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, will visit Guyana.

Another organization right here that lived in obscurity for years suddenly came to life after two young cousins were murdered in what appeared on the surface to be a racially motivated crime but

subsequent events called into question whether it wasn’t drug-related.

Sections of the independent media were silly enough to accept the pimping of this Guyanese tragedy by this hypocritical organization.

Some of the organizations that publicly voiced condemnation of Pompeo’s visit also chimed in.

Two deaths were more important than the death of the entire country. Since the electoral fraud was thwarted by the courts, and Dr. Irfaan Ali was sworn in as president, the pimping process is on full display. Here are the lyrics of Marley’s interesting song. “…She loves to party, have a good time She looks so hearty, feeling fine She loves to smoke, sometime shiftin’ coke She’ll be laughin’ when there ain’t no joke A pimper’s paradise, that’s all she was now A pimper’s paradise, that’s all she was A pimper’s paradise, that’s all she was now Pimper’s paradise, that’s all she was Every need got an ego to feed Every need got an ego to

feed She loves to model up in the latest fashion She’s in the scramble and she moves with passion She’s getting high trying to fly the sky Now she is bluesing when there ain’t no blues A pimper’s paradise, that’s all she was now A pimper’s paradise, that’s all she was A pimper’s paradise, that’s all she was now A pimper’s paradise, that’s all she was A pimper’s paradise, I’m sorry for the victim now Oh, now soon their heads, soon their heads Soon their very heads will bow Don’t lose track, don’t lose

Frederick Kissoon track of yourself, oh no Don’t be just a stock, a stock on the shelf Stock on the shelf A pimper’s paradise that’s all she was now…”

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

PAGE 36

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 37

Kaieteur News

Coronavirus: Lockdowns can be avoided; we can go about our lives once we are responsible

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt Medical Center

T

he world is facing a second wave of the COVID-19 spread and it is even worse than the first wave.

Hospitals worldwide are overwhelmed and countries are now being forced to lockdown and give their medical systems time to recover.

Unfortunately, these lockdowns complicate things further, especially in vulnerable systems where they cause many to be placed on the breadline and lead to devastation of economies and lives.

In Guyana, we are keeping the ship afloat and I’m hopeful that our case numbers do not increase and overwhelm us.

It didn’t have to be this way; evidence is clear that there are options when practiced properly that can avoid lockdowns and keep infections to a minimum. I have spoken about some of these before and I will share with you how we can be able to live responsibly and avoid lockdowns during the pan-

demic.

RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR Defying recommendations and being rebellious seems to be the trend these days.

The virus thrives in such reckless environments and it is the main reason why the world is facing this second wave.

All we have to do is the following and we can be able to sustain our livelihood during the pandemic: -Wear a mask -Distance ourselves from others as much as possible; be sure to avoid crowds -Avoid gathering in closed spaces especially if there is no free flow of air -Keep clean and remain home if you do not have to go out for necessities EARLY USE OF TREATMENT Many countries are now starting to show evidence that early use of the following medications decreases deaths and hospitalizations: -Ivermectin -Hydroxychloroquine -Vitamins C and D and Zinc -Azithromycin/

DoxycyclineCountries such as India, Australia, Egypt, Bangladesh, Greece, etc., have started one or more of the above treatments and have lower death rates than others that are not using them.

A recent study from Egypt showed that there were no deaths and only one (1) hospitalization in 100 patients who had COVID-19 and used Ivermectin early.

I remain baffled why these treatments are not being used widely, especially given how cheap and safe they are and how long they have been in existence.

PROTECT THE HIGH RISK It is known that the elderly and those with existing conditions such as Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases, Cancer, etc., are at higher risk of dying or becoming hospitalized with the disease.

Emphasis should therefore be placed on protecting this population and provide ease of access to services for them so that they do not have to be out and about.

Some countries are distributing vitamins (especially Vitamin D) to their high risk

populations so that their immune systems can be prepared in the event that they are infected.

The young that live with high risk relatives, need to be even more responsible to ensure they do not take home the infection to them.

DON’T GO OVERBOARD While the evidence is getting clearer that lockdowns can be avoided, it doesn’t mean that we can go back to how we were before the pandemic.

Some have misinterpreted this and feel that they can socialize as per normal and let

their guard down.

We still need to find the balance and not open up as if things are normal.

Activities that can be done from home should be encouraged and those that are not essential to economical sustainability should still be avoided. The more we gather the higher the odds will be of our cases rising.

I have shared with you today a plan that includes us all doing our part to prevent a second wave.

By now, we should all be aware of the risks and where they lie.

Dr. Zulfikar Bux Being responsible while doing our daily necessities will allow us to sustain our livelihood while avoiding the dangerous second wave.

PAGE 38

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 44

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

‘Coming 2 America’ sequel to be ‘Supernatural’ comes to an released on Amazon in March emotional end on the CW

(Eddie Murphy, left, in the movie, Coming to America.)

(CNN)”Coming 2 America” is coming to Amazon.

Amazon Studios has acquired worldwide rights to the sequel to the iconic comedy “Coming to America,” which will be available on Prime Video on March 5, 2021.

The sequel is set in the royal country of Zamunda, where newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his best friend, Semmi (Arsenio Hall) return to after living in Queens, New York.

Many original cast will also return, including King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones), Queen Lisa (Shari Headley), Cleo McDowell (John Amos), Maurice (Louie Anderson) and the barbershop crew.

New characters will be played by Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, Jermaine Fowler, Bella Murphy, Rotimi, KiKi Layne, Nomzamo Mbatha and Teyana Taylor.

“Coming to America was a cultural phenomenon that is one of the most loved and celebrated

comedies of all time,” Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, said in a statement. “Thanks to Eddie Murphy’s comedic genius along with the brilliant filmmakers, writers and fabulous cast, we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this new adventure. We know audiences around the world will fall in love with this hilarious, joyful movie that will surely become a timeless favorite.”

Paramount Pictures closed the deal with Amazon bypassing a theatrical release because of Covid-19.

‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ reunion gives all the feels (CNN)”The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” reunion debuted Thursday on HBO Max and delivered both laughter and tears.The cast — minus their television patriarch James Avery, who died of complications from openheart surgery in 2013 — came together in honor of the 30th anniversary of the hit comedy that originally aired on NBC for six seasons.

No spoilers here, but the main take away is that the cast truly became a family.

And like most families, there was some occasional

tension.

One of the most anticipated moments in the show is sure to be Will Smith’s sit down with Janet Hubert, who played the original “Aunt Viv.” The audience learns why she left the series.

Again, no spoilers, but let’s just say things get emotional. As did the tribute to Avery, whom his fellow cast members hail for the lessons he taught them all.

The series is beloved by viewers of all ages as it has lived on in syndication.

A reboot is coming to the

Peacock streaming service, inspired by writer/director Morgan Cooper’s viral video which reimagined “Fresh Prince” as a dark and edgy drama.

“We have just officially closed the deal with Peacock with an unprecedented twoseason order from a pitch,” Smith said when he announced the project in September. “I’ve been in this business for 30 years, and that does not happen.”

CNN and HBO Max share parent company WarnerMedia.

The cast of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” reunited to celebrate the hit show’s 30th anniversary.

The adventures of Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) have ended for good on the CW. (CNN)Sam and Dean are officially done saving people and hunting things.

The series finale of the CW’s “Supernatural” aired on Thursday and brought to a satisfying close the story of two monster-hunting brothers whose story was told over 15 seasons.

In many ways, the end of Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean’s (Jensen Ackles) stories were what they would have picked for themselves back in season 1, but ones that never would have been possible had they not gone on 15 years’ worth of adventures. The emotional final episode began with the brothers enjoying the spoils of saving the world one last time in the penultimate episode. They live a pleasant, ordinary existence inside the bunker with some hunting (and pie!) sprinkled in.

Then, Dean picks up on a

case that gets them back on the road and hunting down a kidnapping ring of masked vampires, among them a character, Jenny (Christine Chatelain), from the show’s first season. ‘Supernatural’ stars reflect on show’s plot twists until the very endThere was tension during the fight because there was something so ordinary about the moment. Viewers have seen Sam and Dean come out of more precarious fights unscathed, but knowing this was the final episode, there was an air of looming doom at every familiar-seeming moment.

Indeed, this fight proves to be Dean Winchester’s final battle. In his final rumble with a vampire, he gets pushed against a wooden post and impaled by a metal rod. Dean immediately knows the situation is grave.

As Dean says at one

point, we always knew it’d end this way. But it didn’t make it any easier to watch the brothers say their final goodbyes. Again, that’s something viewers had seen before, considering the show has liberally killed its leads multiple times throughout the series. This time, we knew — and Dean and Sam knew — that this was it.

In this scene, the show delivered a farewell exchange worthy of those who watched loyally for a decade and a half. There was a callback to the pilot (when Dean showed up on his brother’s doorstep and asked him for help), a reference to all the times the characters had found ways out of fatal situations and, most importantly, meaningful closure. https:// edition.cnn.com/2020/11/20/ entertainment/supernaturalemotional-end-cw/index.html

‘Wipeout’ contestant dies after competing in obstacle course (CNN)A man competing on the television competition show “Wipeout” died earlier this week after completing an obstacle course while filming the series, sources close to the production told CNN. Following the incident on Wednesday, the contestant was attended to by on-site emergency medical personnel and later died, the sources said. “Wipeout” contestants must undergo medical examinations in advance of participating, according to the sources, who added participants this season were also tested for Covid-19 prior to filming.

A spokesperson for TBS, which airs “Wipeout,” told

CNN in a statement: “We are devastated to have learned of his passing and our deepest sympathy goes out to the family.”

Endemol Shine North America, which produces the series, added: “We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and our thoughts are

with them at this time.”

Production on “Wipeout” was paused on Thursday and Friday and will resume following a preplanned break after the Thanksgiving holiday.

(CNN and TBS share parent company WarnerMedia.)

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 45

Kaieteur News

A warning to Guyanese not to be deluded by declarations of economic growth or talk of transformation (A Review of David Granger’s The Public Interest: Good governance and social justice. ISBN: 978.976. 8178.40.4 (pbk).) he best way to write a book is one chap ter at a time. David Granger’s The Public Interest: Good governance and social justice is a compendium of elegant essays written one at a time, each of which was published previously but which retains a refreshing relevance today.

The essays are knitted together by their common theme – social justice.

Social justice is concerned with protecting human rights, promoting greater equality and ensuring fairness in economic and social relations.

Social justice, in other words, addresses the manner in which society is organized – determining who gets what, why and when – and the manner in which citizens are treated by state institutions be they the executive, the judiciary or the law enforcement agencies.

The book’s subject is the perilous state of social justice which existed under the People’s Progressive Party Civic’s (PPP/C) pre-2015 administrations. deterioration of social justice in the country during that period is believed to have contributed, in no small measure, to the victory of A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition at the General and Regional Elections in 2015.

The PPP/C in its Manifesto, published in the run-up to those elections, ironically, had promised “social justice for all.”

Granger delivers a scathing rebuke of the PPP/C’s stewardship over the affairs of the country.

He notes the administrations’ palpable failure to protect citizens and provide them with more dignified living and working conditions.

The PPP/C had bragged about what it termed “…the dawn of new era” when it entered office after the General and Regional Elections in 1992.

This book, however, paints the PPPC’s rule as nightmare when it comes to ensuring social justice.

Guyana’s development during the period 1992-2015 was constrained by the absence of social justice.

The country’s GDP and per capita income may have improved but poverty levels were high, police excesses were pronounced, social ills predominated and the coun-

T

try was polarized and divided.

This is not Granger’s assessment alone.

The World Bank’s “The Guyana Development Policy Review: The Challenges of Governance and Growth 2003, released four year’s into Bharrat Jagdeo’s presidency, revealed that social welfare indicators remained well-below those of other Latin American and Caribbean countries. The ‘Policy Review’ observed that Guyana ranked 92nd out of 175 countries in the UNDP’s “Index of Human Development in 2001: Making new technologies work for human development.”

The book’s more than thirty essays have attractive and arresting titles, the product of Granger’s keen mind and sharp wit.

The essays cover a wide range of topics, including human-trafficking, indigenous people’s development, inequality, motherhood, narcotics-trafficking, police excesses, poverty, public edu-

ships to which mothers were subjected, under successive PPP/C administrations; Missing Amerindian Girl Syndrome, rejects the PPP/C’s denial of the extent of hu-

cation and public health.

The book’s essays include: Law West of Fort Zeelandia, which examines the state of geographic inequality between the hinterland and the coastland, beyond the Essequibo River; Death in the North West, set against the backdrop of a serious outbreak of gastroenteritis in the Barima-Waini Region in March 2013 which the book describes as a “…ticking public health time bomb”; Poor people, excoriates the PPP/C’s failure to protect the poor or to provide them with opportunities to enjoy a good life; The miracle of motherhood, has little to do with childhood but much to do with the difficulties and hard-

man who believes that a grave injustice had been inflicted on the people of his country by uncaring and unproficient administrations.

The underlying message of the book is that social justice will remain elusive unless there is good governance.

The key to good governance is enlightened public policy.

Granger, in this book, again belabours the point that government falters when public policy fails.

He is not singular in this view, iterating that, at that time, the World Bank had described Guyana as suffering from “a crisis of governance”.

That crisis, he notes, is pervasive; it exists, he writes “…at the national level in the National Assembly and at the

man-trafficking in the hinterland; Linden and the Ogden Tables dissects the Linden Commission of Inquiry into the deaths of persons who the Police shot and killed on the MackenzieWismar Bridge; National narcosis, establishes the connection between transnational narcotics-trafficking and gun-running; Narcostatehood, makes out a case for Guyana, under the PPP/C administrations, to be considered as a narcostate; and, Sinking ship leaves rat assesses the possible outcome of the People’s Progressive Party’s 30th Congress which, according to the book, was beset by internal rifts, rivalries and factionalism at the time.

Granger is unsparing in his criticisms of the PPP/C. He writes with the passion of a

local level in the systematic debilitation of the municipalities and local government organs and the imposition of undemocratic interim management committees.”

The structure of the book makes for easy reading by anyone but it is also limiting.

Written as a series of es-

says on specific issue-areas and held together by the common theme of social justice, the book does not offer much in the form of solutions, other than to esp ouse the need for improved public policy.

The reader, therefore, is left to second-guess the approach to be adopted by any new administration given the

opportunity to hold office.

The book serves as a warning to Guyanese not to be deluded by declarations of economic growth or talk of transformation.

The ultimate test of development resides in improvements in citizens’ welfare.

The quality and scope of social justice remain the best gauge of the extent to which a government is responsive to the people’s needs.

The Public Interest: Good governance and social justice is a chilling recounting of the PPP/C’s sordid record of governance during its 23 years in office from 1992 to 2015. The book is a prompt for Guyanese to be vigilant in

ensuring that social justice is not again shunted to the backburners of national development.

The history of Guyanese politics can be viewed as a quest for social justice.

Guyana, as the former Guyanese President noted, was born “…a broken nation” that requires healing the wounds of social division and discord more than mere political reconciliation. At the heart of the healing process has to be the demand for greater social justice.

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

PAGE 46

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 47

Kaieteur News

11 Foods and Drinks to Avoid with Diabetes Diabetes is a chronic disease that has reached epidemic proportions among adults and children worldwide (1Trusted Source).

Uncontrolled diabetes has many serious consequences, including heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, and other complications.Prediabetes has also been linked to these conditions (2Trusted Source).Importantly, eating certain foods can raise your blood sugar and insulin levels and promote inflammation, which may increase your risk of disease.This article lists 11 foods and drinks that people with diabetes or prediabetes should avoid.

Offset Why does carb intake matter for people with diabetes?Carbs, protein, and fat are the macronutrients that provide your body with energy.

Among them, carbs have the greatest effect on your blood sugar by far. This is because they’re broken down into sugar, or glucose, and absorbed into your bloodstream.

Carbs include starches, sugar, and fiber. However, fiber isn’t digested and instead absorbed by your body in the same way other carbs are, so it doesn’t raise your blood sugar.

Subtracting fiber from the total carbs in a portion of food will give you its digestible or net carb content. For instance, if a cup of mixed vegetables contains 10 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fiber, its net carb count is 6 grams.

When people with diabetes consume too many carbs at a time, their blood sugar levels can rise to dangerously high levels.

Over time, high levels can damage your body’s nerves and blood vessels, which may set the stage for heart disease, kidney disease, and other serious health conditions.

Maintaining a low carb intake can help prevent blood sugar spikes and greatly reduce the risk of diabetes complications.

Therefore, it’s important to avoid the foods and drinks listed below.

1. Sugar-sweetened beverages Sugary beverages are the worst drink choice for someone with diabetes.

First, they’re very high in carbs, with a 12-ounce (354mL) can of cola providing 38.5 grams (3Trusted Source).

The same amount of sweetened iced tea and lemonade each contain almost 45 grams of carbs exclusively from sugar (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).

In addition, these drinks are loaded with fructose, which is strongly linked to insulin resistance and diabetes. Indeed, studies suggest that consuming sugar-sweetened beverages may increase the risk of diabetes-related conditions like fatty liver disease (6Trusted Source, 7, 8).

What’s more, the high fructose levels in sugary drinks may lead to metabolic changes that promote belly fat and potentially harmful cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

In separate studies in adults with overweight and obesity, consuming 25% of calories from high fructose beverages on a weight-maintaining diet led to increased insulin resistance and belly fat, lower metabolic rate, and worse heart health markers (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

To help control blood sugar levels and prevent disease risk, consume water, club soda, or unsweetened iced tea instead of sugary beverages.

Summary Sodas and sweet drinks are high in carbs, which increase blood sugar. Also, their high fructose content has been linked to insulin resistance and an increased risk of obesity, fatty liver, and other diseases.

2. Trans fats Artificial trans fats are extremely unhealthy.

They’re created by adding hydrogen to unsaturated fatty acids to make them more stable.Trans fats are found in margarines, peanut butter, spreads, creamers, and frozen dinners. Furthermore, food manufacturers often add them to crackers, muffins, and other baked goods to help extend a product’s shelf life.

Although trans fats don’t directly raise blood sugar levels, they’ve been linked to increased inflammation, insulin resistance, and belly fat, as well as lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and impaired arterial function (11, 12, 13, 14, 15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).

While more research is needed to gain a clearer understanding of the relationship between trans fats and insulin resistance, the links mentioned above are especially concerning for people with diabetes, as they’re at an increased risk of heart disease.

Artificial trans fats have been outlawed in most countries, and in 2018 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of partially hydrogenated oil — the major source of artificial trans fat in the food supply — in most processed foods (17Trusted

Source).

This doesn’t mean that all foods in the United States are now free of artificial trans fats.

Manufacturers aren’t required to list trans fats on the nutrition facts labels if a product contains under 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving (18Trusted Source).

It’s best to avoid any product that contains the words “partially hydrogenated” in its ingredient list.

Summary Trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been chemically altered to increase their stability. They’ve been linked to inflammation, insulin resistance, increased belly fat, and heart disease.

3. White bread, rice, and pasta White bread, rice, and pasta are high carb, processed foods.

Eating bread, bagels, and other refined-flour foods has been shown to significantly increase blood sugar levels in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes (19, 20).

This response isn’t exclusive to products made with refined white flour. In one study, gluten-free pastas were also shown to raise blood sugar, with rice-based types having the greatest effect (21Trusted Source).

Another study found that high carb foods not only raised blood sugar but also decreased brain function in people with type 2 diabetes and mental deficits (22).

These processed foods contain little fiber. Fiber helps slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.

In other research, replacing these low fiber foods with high fiber foods was shown to significantly reduce blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Moreover, people with diabetes experienced reductions in cholesterol.

Increased fiber consumption also improved gut microbiota, which may have led to improved insulin resistance (23Trusted Source).

Summary White bread, pasta, and rice are high in carbs yet low in fiber. This combination can result in high blood sugar levels. Alternatively, choosing high-fiber, whole foods may help reduce blood sugar response.

4. Fruit-flavored yogurt Plain yogurt can be a good option for people with diabetes. However, fruit-flavored varieties are a very different story.

Flavored yogurts are typically made from nonfat or low fat milk and loaded with carbs and sugar.

In fact, a 1-cup (245-gram) serving of fruit-flavored yogurt may contain almost 31

grams of sugar, meaning nearly 61% of its calories come from sugar (24Trusted Source).

Many people consider frozen yogurt to be a healthy alternative to ice cream. However, it can contain just as much or even more sugar than ice cream (25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source).

Rather than choosing high sugar yogurts that can spike your blood sugar and insulin, opt for plain, whole milk yogurt that contains no sugar and may be beneficial for your appetite, weight control, and gut health (27, 28Trusted Source).

Summary Fruit-flavored yogurts are usually low in fat but high in sugar, which can lead to higher blood sugar and insulin levels. Plain, whole milk yogurt is a better choice for diabetes control and overall health.

Healthline Newsletter Get our newsletter for top stories on type 2 diabetes To help you stay on top of diabetes, we’ll send you actionable tips on eating wisely, news on research breakthroughs, and more.

Your privacy is important to us 5. Sweetened breakfast cereals Eating cereal can be one of the worst ways to start your day if you have diabetes.

Despite the health claims on their boxes, most cereals are highly processed and contain far more carbs than many people realize.

In addition, they provide very little protein, a nutrient that can help you feel full and satisfied while keeping your blood sugar levels stable during the day (29Trusted Source).

Even some “healthy” breakfast cereals aren’t good choices for those with diabetes.

For instance, just a 1/2cup serving (about 56 grams) of granola contains 44 grams of carbs, while Grape Nuts contain 47 grams. What’s more, each provides no more than 7 grams of protein per serving (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).

To keep blood sugar and hunger under control, skip most cereals and choose a protein-based low carb breakfast instead.

Summary Many breakfast cereals are high in carbs but low in protein. A high protein, low carb breakfast is the best option for diabetes and appetite control.

6. Flavored coffee drinks Coffee has been linked to several health benefits, including a reduced risk of diabetes (32).

However, flavored coffee drinks should be viewed as a liquid dessert rather than a healthy beverage.

Studies have shown your brain doesn’t process liquid and solid foods similarly.

When you drink calories, you don’t compensate by eating less later, potentially leading to weight gain (33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).

Flavored coffee drinks are also loaded with carbs.

For instance, a 16-ounce (473-mL) Caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks contains 57 grams of carbs, and the same size of the Blonde Vanilla Latte contains 30 grams of carbs (35, 36).

To keep your blood sugar under control and prevent weight gain, choose plain coffee or espresso with a tablespoon of heavy cream or halfand-half.

Summary Flavored coffee drinks are very high in liquid carbs, which can raise blood sugar levels and fail to satisfy your hunger.

7. Honey, agave nectar, and maple syrup People with diabetes often try to minimize their intake of white table sugar, as well as treats like candy, cookies, and pie.

However, other forms of sugar can also cause blood sugar spikes. These include brown sugar and “natural” sugars such as honey, agave nectar, and maple syrup.

Although these sweeteners aren’t highly processed, they contain at least as many carbs as white sugar. In fact, most contain even more.

Below are the carb counts of a 1-tablespoon serving of popular sweeteners: white sugar: 12.6 grams (37Trusted Source) honey: 17.3 grams (38Trusted Source) agave nectar: 16 grams (39Trusted Source) maple syrup: 13.4 grams (40Trusted Source) In one study, people with prediabetes experienced similar increases in blood sugar, insulin, and inflammatory markers regardless of whether they consumed 1.7 ounces (50 grams) of white sugar or honey (41Trusted Source).

Your best strategy is to avoid all forms of sugar and use natural low carb sweeteners instead.

Summary Honey, agave nectar, and maple syrup aren’t as processed as white table sugar, but they may have similar effects on blood sugar, insulin, and inflammatory markers.

8. Dried fruit Fruit is a great source of several important vitamins and minerals, including vita-

min C and potassium.

When fruit is dried, the process results in a loss of water that leads to even higher concentrations of these nutrients.

Unfortunately, its sugar content becomes more concentrated as well.

One cup (151 grams) of grapes contains 27.3 grams of carbs, including 1.4 grams of fiber. By contrast, 1 cup (145 grams) of raisins contains 115 grams of carbs, 5.4 of which come from fiber (42Trusted Source, 43Trusted Source).

Therefore, raisins contain more than four times as many carbs as grapes do. Other types of dried fruit are similarly higher in carbs than their fresh counterparts.

If you have diabetes, you don’t have to give up fruit altogether. Sticking to low sugar fruits, such as fresh berries or a small apple, can provide health benefits while keeping your blood sugar in the target range.

Summary Dried fruits become more concentrated in sugar and may contain more than four times as many carbs as fresh fruits do. Avoid dried fruit and choose fruits low in sugar for optimal blood sugar control.

9. Packaged snack foods Pretzels, crackers, and other packaged foods aren’t good snack choices.

They’re typically made with refined flour and provide few nutrients, although they have plenty of fast-digesting carbs that can rapidly raise blood sugar.

Here are the carb counts for a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of some popular snacks: saltine crackers: 20.7 grams of carbs, including 0.78 grams of fiber (44Trusted Source) pretzels: 22.5 grams of carbs, including 0.95 grams of fiber (45Trusted Source) graham crackers: 21.7 grams of carbs, including 0.95 grams of fiber (46Trusted Source)In fact, some of these foods may contain even more carbs than stated on their nutrition label. One study found that snack foods provide 7.7% more carbs, on average, than the label states (47).

If you get hungry in between meals, it’s better to eat nuts or a few low carb vegetables with an ounce of cheese.

Summary Packaged snacks are typically highly processed foods made from refined flour, which can quickly raise your blood sugar levels.

10. Fruit juice Although fruit juice is often considered a healthy beverage, its effects on blood sugar are similar to those of (Continued on page 55)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 48

Sunday November 22, 2020

Junior page The moral We can choose how to respond in difficult situations.

Asha was getting frustrated and tired of life, so she asked her father what to do. Her father told her to bring an egg, two tea leaves, and a potato.

He then brought out three vessels, filled them with water and placed them on the stove.

Once the water was boiling, he told Asha to place the items into each pot and keep an eye on them. After 10 minutes, he asked Asha to peel the egg, peel the potato, and strain the leaves. Asha was left confused.

Her father explained, “Each item was placed into the same circumstance, boiling water. See how each responded differently?”

He continued, “The egg was soft, but is now hard. The potato was hard, but is now soft. And the tea leaves, they changed the water itself.”

How to Turn Plain Old Clothes pins Into Pretty Homemade Snowflake Ornaments

The father then asked, “When adversity calls, we respond in the same manner as they have.

Now, are you an egg, a potato, or tea leaves?”

Materials: · Clothespins · Craft glue · White acrylic paint · Paintbrush · Foam paintbrush · White glitter · Red string · Scissors Instructions: 1. Carefully slide the metal clips off of eight clothespins and discard.

2. Reattach two wood clothespin pieces by gluing the flat sides together. Repeat for the remaining wood pieces.

3. Arrange these reattached wood pieces in the shape of a snowflake, as shown, and glue together at the base; let dry completely.

4. Apply white paint to the edges and one side of the snowflake. While the paint is still wet, sprinkle on white glitter.

While the paint is still wet, sprinkle on white glitter.

5. Once dry, flip the snowflake over and apply paint and glitter to the other side.

6. Slip a length of red string through one of the openings in the snowflake and tie the ends into a bow; use to hang.

Sudoku Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 thru 9.

If you use logic you can solve the puzzle without guesswork.

Doing the right thing

by Uncle Roy There are times when I do something That hurts someone in some way, It usually makes them want to act To make me feel bad and pay.

So now I know that I must always Try to do what is right, But then this is many times hard to tell, Even though I try with all my might.

After much thought I have found the answer To how I should always be – Before I act make sure it will not hurt others, And they will surely do the same for me.

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

TEEN TIME We promised in our last issue to name and prove to best in guiding your life define the principles that will

T

hese are:-Fairness, Honesty; Integrity, Human D i g n i t y, G r o w t h , Tolerance, Respect for nature, and Loyalty.

These principles would help you to create a solid foundation for your life with full confidence that you are on the correct path to the fulfilment of your life purpose.

You will need to consider each of them, and ensure that your character is aligned to them.

Fairness – a sense of justice in all one’s dealing with others; a proper balance of conflicting interests achieved by subordinating one’s own feelings, prejudices and desires in the interest of the good of others.

This is the principle that we have to contemplate every day, and in every

situation we find ourselves, so as to be always in the right. It prompts us to use our conscience in all we do.

Honesty – dealing in truth in every aspect; fairness and straightforwardness of conduct; uprightness of character; adherence to a standard of what is right and proper.

This is another trait of our character in which we have to use our conscience, and really try to be unselfish in our determination of what is right or wrong in all our thoughts, words and actions.

Integrity – the ability and willingness to live according to the values that one has adopted as his mode of behaviour; firm adherence to a code of moral values; the quality or state of being completely undivided in his word, thought and action.

The true test of our integrity is the

measure of how much we adhere to the principles that we have adopted as our way of life.

It will negatively always affect the other aspects of behaviour when we forget our principles and act selfishly in any situation.

Human dignity – the quality or state of being worthy, honoured or esteemed; sincerity in manner and appearance; respecting all others as you would like to be respected. One important thing to remember is that when we do not respect others we little by little lose our self-respect.

We will continue next week with the other principles that we have mentioned as necessary to our livelihood. In the meantime, think on these and try to improve each one in your personality.

Jigoku Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 thru 9. > and < connections between squares indicate that one number is greater than or less than another. If you use logic you can solve the puzzle without making guesses.

PAGE 49

The Choice Is Yours At every time and in every place, of whatever people you belong, If you observe life with a clear honest eye, you cannot help but see – Life is cast in two clear moulds, and yours is the freedom to choose; Your choice will determine your fate for now, and all eternity.

On one hand there is the idle side, with many pleasures that call to you, It is easy as sliding down a hill, but filled later with destruction and sorrow, The other side has its hardships, with discipline and sacrifices to endure, But always resulting in a bright future, full of promise and hope for tomorrow.

So he who is preparing to carve his destiny must be sure to pass the test, With care and forethought to choose the path that would lead to his best.

Just as the captain of a ship needs a compass to guide him to his intended destination, we each need a set of principles to lead us to our life goals.

TELL IT TO UNCLE ROY Uncle Roy is once again appealing to all teens to write to him about any problem you may be facing for which you need a solution.

He would also like you to contribute to this Page by submitting other material that he can include here. These include: 1. A poem, short story or bit of advice that you have written and would like to share with your fellow teens.

2. Any significant event that has happened, or any interesting item about what is going on around you.

3. A commentary about where you live to acquaint others about it.

As mentioned before, you can email me at: uncleroy1992@yahoo.com

Solutions to last week’s Acrostics by Puzzle Baron "Once they start, nationalistic wars can take on their own locomotive logic, overpowering everything in their path: individuality, professional loyalties, friendship, and moral codes." —Neil Kressel, Mass Hate

Suguru

PAGE 50

Getting Rid of Stretch Marks Red vs. white stretch marks Stretch marks are colored lines or streaks that appear on your skin from weight gain or growth. They’re essentially tears on the skin, but aren’t an indication of a health issue.

Stretch marks often begin as red or purple marks, and slowly fade to white or silver over time. The difference in color distinguishes how old the marks are. Though they may never disappear completely, treatment can lighten the color of your marks and shrink them. In other cases, stretch marks fade away on their own.

Newer, red-tinged stretch marks (striae rubra) are easier to treat. They begin red because blood vessels are present under the skin. The presence of functioning blood vessels allows red stretch marks to be more responsive to treatment.

White stretch marks (striae alba) are older and more difficult to treat. Over time, your blood vessels will narrow, making it hard to stimulate collagen production. Treatment results may not be as drastic compared to those of red stretch marks, but there are options available to help them fade more naturally and at a faster pace.

Removing white stretch marks 1. Exfoliate A simple way to treat white stretch marks is through regular exfoliation. This removes excess dead skin from your body and new skin from your stretch marks.

Exfoliating alongside other treatment methods can also enhance your results. Removing dead skin from your stretch marks allows other skin treatments to penetrate more deeply and work faster.

2. Topical treatments Topical creams and ointments are more affordable methods for reducing the appearance of white stretch marks. Some creams are available over-the-counter, while others are prescribed by a doctor.

Applied regularly, topical creams can lighten the tone of stretch marks but they may not completely remove them. Before using any topical treatment, discuss your risks with your doctor.

Some creams can trigger an allergic reaction or may not be strong enough to treat your condition.

3. Microdermabrasion Microdermabrasion is a painless procedure to reduce the appearance of white stretch marks. This procedure targets the upper layer of skin (epidermis), and works by stimulating the skin to tighten collagen and elastin fibers.

In the procedure, tiny exfoliating crystals are sprayed onto the affected area or a special tipped wand is rubbed over the area.

Using a wand-like device, the crystals are gently removed, taking with them dead skin from the epidermis layer. For effective results, microdermabrasion needs to be repeated over a period of time.

4. Microneedling Microneedling targets the dermis, the middle layer of your skin where stretch marks form. Within this procedure, tiny needles are poked into your skin to trigger collagen production.

Increased collagen and elastin promotes skin regeneration that can improve your skin’s appearance and reduce stretch marks.

To effectively treat stretch marks, you’ll need to participate in more than one treatment over a course of months. Microneedling has been shownTrusted Source to be an effective treatment for reducing stretch marks, specifically for patients with darker skin.

5. Laser therapy Laser therapy is a common treatment option to remove white stretch marks. In the procedure, lasers penetrate the skin, triggering regeneration. This stimulates the tissues around your stretch marks to heal at a faster rate.

Laser therapy stimulates melanin production on the affected area, activating pigment cells in your skin. This causes your stretch marks to blend in with your normal skin tone. Though effective, laser therapy requires more than one session to notice results.There are a number of different laser therapies used to treat stretch marks and other skin issues. Discuss your options with your dermatologist.

6. Cosmetic surgery If other treatments are unsuccessful, cosmetic surgery is an option. This expensive, yet effective, option can permanently remove white stretch marks from your body. However, it’s important to understand that surgery can leave scars of its own.

A tummy tuck, medically known as an abdominoplasty, is a cosmetic procedure that not only removes stretch marks, but also removes excess skin and fat from your abdomen. This procedure gives the skin and abdomen a flatter and firmer look.

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Sunday November 22, 2020

fun facts about the human body

By Meenambika Menon The human body is one of the most complicated and fascinating living forms on Earth. Here are some interesting features that make it special, which you can share with your kids.

1. Adult lungs have a surface area of around 70 square metres.

2. Your left and right lungs aren’t exactly the same. The lung on the left side of your body is divided into two lobes while the lung on your right side is divided into three. The left lung is also slightly smaller, allowing room for your heart.

3. Human lungs contain almost 1,500 miles of airways and over 300 million alveoli.

4. An average person breathes in around 11,000 litres of air every day.

Also Read| A science teacher explains: Why do we fall sick?

5. Your nose and ears continue growing throughout your entire life.

6. Your sense of smell is around 10,000 times more sensitive than your sense of taste.

7. Around 80 per cent of what we think is taste is actually smell. Flavour, is a combination of taste and smell perception.

8. The brain uses over a quarter of the oxygen used by the human body.

9. The brain of an adult human weighs around 3 pounds (1.5 kg). Although it makes up just 2 per cent of the body’s weight, it uses around 20 per cent of its energy.

10. If you smoothed out all of the wrinkles in your brain, it would lay flat the size of a pillowcase.

11. Your heart beats around 100,000 times a day, 365,00,000 times a year and over a billion times if you live beyond 30.

12. Grouping human blood types can be a difficult process and there are currently around 30 recognised blood types (or blood groups). You might be familiar with the more simplified “ABO” system which categorises blood types under O, A, B and AB. 13. When listening to music, your heartbeat will sync with the rhythm.

14. An healthy adult human heart beats about 75 times on average in a minute.

15. In one year, a human heart would pump enough blood to fill an Olympic size pool.

16. If all the blood vessels in the human body were laid end to end, they would encircle the Earth four times.

17. Skin is the human body’s largest organ 18. The outer layer of your skin is the epidermis, it is found thickest on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet (around 1.5 mm thick).

19. A large amount of the dust in your home is actually dead skin. Humans shed about 600,000 particles of skin every hour.

20. Humans have a stage of sleep that features rapid eye movement (REM). REM sleep makes up around 25 per cent of total sleep time and is often when you have your most vivid dreams.

21. An eyelash lives for about 150 days before it falls out.

22. The smallest bone found in the human body is located in the middle ear. The staples (or stirrup) bone is only 2.8 millimetres long.

23. The femur (thigh bone) is the longest bone in the human body.

24. As well as having unique fingerprints, humans also have unique tongue prints.

25. Goose bumps evolved to make our ancestors’ hair stand up, making them appear more threatening to predators.

26. Humans are the only animals with chins.

27. Blushing is caused by a rush of adrenaline.

28. The cornea is the only part of the body with no blood supply – it gets its oxygen directly from the air.

29. The human body contains enough fat to make seven bars of soap.

30. Between birth and death, the human body goes from having 300 bones, to just 206.

31. The small intestine is roughly 23 feet long.

32. An average sized man eats about 33 tons of food in his/her life time which is about the weight of six elephants.

33. Nephrons, the kidney’s filtering units, clean the blood in the human body in about 45 minutes and send about six cups of urine (2000 ml) to the bladder every day.

34. One quarter of your bones are in your feet.

35. You can’t breathe and swallow at the same time. https://indianexpress.com/article/parenting/learning/51fun-facts-about-the-human-body-from-a-science-teacher5866886/

Kaieteur News

PAGE 51

PAGE 52

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 53

PAGE 54

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Sunday November 22, 2020

11 Foods and Drinks to Avoid...

From page 47 sodas and other sugary drinks.

This goes for unsweetened 100% fruit juice, as well as types that contain added sugar. In some cases, fruit juice is even higher in sugar and carbs than soda.

For example, 8 ounces (250 mL) of soda and apple juice contain 22 and 24 grams of sugar, respectively. An equivalent serving of grape juice provides 35 grams of sugar (48Trusted Source, 49Trusted Source, 50Trusted Source).

Similarly to sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juice is loaded with fructose. Fructose drives insulin resistance, obesity, and heart disease (51Trusted Source).

A much better alternative is to enjoy water with a wedge of lemon, which provides less than 1 gram of carbs and is virtually calorie-free (52Trusted Source).

Summary Fruit juices contain at least as much sugar as sodas.

Their high fructose content can worsen insulin resistance, promote weight gain, and increase the risk of heart disease.

11. French fries French fries are a food you may want to steer clear of, especially if you have diabetes.

Potatoes themselves are relatively high in carbs. One medium potato contains 34.8 grams of carbs, 2.4 of which come from fiber (53Trusted Source).

However, once theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been peeled and fried in vegetable oil, potatoes may do more than spike your blood sugar.

Deep-frying foods has been shown to produce high amounts of toxic compounds, such as advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and aldehydes. These compounds may promote inflammation and increase the risk of disease (54Trusted Source, 55Trusted Source).

Indeed, several studies have linked frequently consuming french fries and other fried foods to heart disease and cancer (56Trusted Source, 57Trusted Source, 58Trusted Source, 59Trusted Source).

If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to avoid potatoes altogether, eating a small serving of sweet potatoes is your best option.

Summary In addition to being high in carbs that raise blood sugar levels, french fries are fried in unhealthy oils that may promote inflammation and increase the risk of heart disease and cancer. h t t p s : / / www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-to-avoid-with-diabetes#11.-French-fries

Kaieteur News

PAGE 55

PAGE 56

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Book Review…

Exploring the Inevitable From page 42 descend into the infernal worlds - these people devolve among the entrails of the Earth.”

He classifies distinctive regions of existence. Firstly, the mineral world called Hell or Avitchi that exists within the mineral crust of the earth.

Then there is the cellular world where human existence begins - conception, gestation and birth. “Life in the cellular world,” he writes, “is a tremendous repetition of events, a tragic wheel of fate, a vicious cycle - a repetition of events to make us aware of our own errors. We free ourselves from this cycle by dissolving the ego on the basis of supreme understanding and sanctity, and by the forming of soul and Spirit.”

And of the molecular region or paradise, he notes, “Those beings who suffered greatly in life and who were relatively good become submerged in the happiness of the Molecular World before taking a new physical body....The egos of the Essence remain in the doorway of mystery, awaiting the new reincarnation. In the absence of the ego, the essences develop happily in Paradise.”

He elaborates, “As Paradise is molecular, it enters and penetrates all Earth's atmosphere and is especially related to the ionosphere, which is found sixty miles above the Earth's surface.

Even when the astronauts travel through this area, they can never discover Paradise with their physical sense. We can only see Paradise with spatial sense.”

'Beyond Death' will provoke discussion. Impugned

by Christian orthodoxy, it will appeal to theosophists and New Agers.

But for all the certainty promulgated by the wise (Weor included), we can only rely on faith.

Indeed, how can we be sure that their truths are not purely imaginative?

Arguably, the hereafter is purely illusory, a desperate attempt to salvage fading identities and egos.

Riddled by fear and ignorance, we create fantastical worlds to inhabit. Exist we must at all cost.

Still, we pray for redemption in death.

In the words of Martin Luther, “Every man must do his

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 57

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 65

Rehabilitation works ongoing at Palms - Hugh Chavez Centre to become drug rehab

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, has disclosed that rehabilitation works are ongoing at the Palms Geriatric Home to accommodate its increasing patient intake.

The Minister made this disclosure during an interview with DPI on Tuesday.

“We are looking at maintenance, making sure that there are lifts as well as putting in ramps to cater for people with disability. We are also looking at staffing, making sure that people are adequately cared for,” she said.

While the Ministry intends to care for those residents at the Palms, there are cases where elderly persons are abandoned to fend for themselves.

The Ministry last month reactivated the Elderly Commission to address the issues affecting the elderly.

The Commission will coordinate the planning and development of various programmes and services for senior citizens. It will also recommend priorities for implementation with regards to manpower, financial and other resources available.

“The elderly population is a big part of this country and sometimes they are forgotten, neglected and sometimes we do not talk about them, but I

think we should pay attention since they spent their years contributing to the development of this country. So, we will be rolling out a comprehensive programme targeting them very soon,” Minister Persaud said.

Meanwhile, services offered at the Night Shelter to help persons with disabilities (PWDs) to obtain gainful employment have commenced.

The Minister said that this programme has proven to be quite successful.

“We are planning to transition them to the Mahaica Hospital where we are planning to develop a complex and have more done with people from the disabled population,” she added.

Moving forward, the Hugo Chavez Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration will be transformed into a drug rehabilitation centre for persons dealing with drug and substance abuse.

The Venezuelan-funded US$2 million centre was commissioned on August 10, 2013. It aimed at providing training programmes to help persons experiencing challenges to reintegrate back into society.

They are also provided with treatment, transportation, clothing, toiletries and meals in addition to receiving skills training.

The Hugo Chavez Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration at Onverwagt, Region Five.

PAGE 66

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Policy to be developed to address workers’ safety - pay in mining industry Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, says his Ministry will be looking at developing a policy that deals specifically with workers health, safety and pay within the mining sector.

Speaking at a regional engagement in Region Two on Monday, Minister Hamilton said that there are an alarming number of complaints about employees not being paid.

“It will not be tolerated; people ought not to be taken advantage of when they go

into the interior to work. We have been having scores of reports, people come regularly to complain… so, we have to first set a mechanism and methodology in place to deal with it. Presently, that doesn’t exist.”

In the interim, the Ministry has started consultations with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on how they could collaborate to tackle the issue, particularly among small-scale

miners in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine.

The Ministry will also be recruiting Labour and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Officers to be stationed in those regions.

“The issue of payment and labour is one thing, but we also have another issue where people [are] dying in the mining pits and we have to bring an end to this. At the end of the day, I want to make sure that we can protect the (Continued on page 71)

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 67

Region 8 Toshao, councillors suspended over corruption, cronyism allegations The Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, has suspended the Toshao and council members of the Campbelltown Village Council.

The decision followed a petition for their immediate removal by residents in the area.

Residents of Campbelltown/Princeville, a community in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) had submitted the petition with over 100 signatures on October 20, claiming that the Toshao, Marabel Thomas; the Deputy Toshao, Samantha John and Councillors of the Village Council were very abusive and “harsh” and they were also restricting them from mining activities.

It was stated that the issue was not recent and had been going on since April 2018.

Minister Sukhai had disclosed that in early October, she had met with residents of the area where she received reports alleging

that the Toshao has been denying them their right to carry out their mining activities in the area, and “has allowed her friends and family and foreign nationals to operate without consulting them.”

Also highlighted was the lack of proper management and accountability by the council.

A letter signed by Minister Sukhai was sent to Thomas, informing her that an investigation has been launched based on the reports received and she will be suspended, with the Deputy Toshao acting until the outcome of the investigation is determined.

The Minister stated that her suspension was provided for in Section 28 (3) of the Amerindian Act which says: “The Minister may suspend a Toshao or Councillor named in the petition with effect from the date of appointment of the committee.”

In the letter, Thomas was also informed that the investigation was set to

commence from November 16 with a special team led by former Chair of the National Toshaos’ Council, Yvonne Pearson.

Other members of the team were listed as Anil Roberts, Principal Regional Development Officer at the Ministry and Edward McGarrell.

A number of council members who spoke to this publication on the matter said that the Toshao had requested a copy of the said petition two days after it was issued in order to make an official response against the allegations made.

However, they said that neither the Toshao nor the Village Council have received a copy of the petition when they asked initially. “ While we the Village Council have agreed for the law to take its course following the Amerindian Act of 2006 under Section 28:4, we can certainly say that we have not been given a fair chance to respond, the petition is not (Continued on page 70)

STANDARDS IN FOCUS

IMPROVING SERVICES WITH STANDARDS, RESTAURANT WEEK AND BEYOND As we continue to observe Tourism Awareness Month 2020 under the theme “Destination Guyana: Recover, rebuild – Getting ready to bounce back,” many stakeholders within the sector find themselves strategizing to find best solutions to maintain and even improve the products and services they provide.

Some are recommitting their focus towards enhancing service quality and delivery during the current pandemic.

These include restaurants and other food establishments, which are preparing to launch into Guyana Restaurant Week, November 20-29, 2020.

For many establishments, the implementation of the relevant standards may provide a sustainable approach to supporting business growth and longevity. Restaurateurs, particularly, can implement the requirements of an available National Standard to readily meet their customers’ needs.

Available at the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), the Code of Practice for Quality Management in the Restaurant Services (GCP 17:2003) is a standard which can be used to guide the preparation of wholesome foods and the delivery of safe

and reliable services.

According to its scope, the code of practice specifies the managerial requirements necessary to ensure the efficient running of any restaurant establishment, which seeks to ensure quality in the sight of its customers.

As such, restaurants implementing this standard should be able to consistently provide satisfactory services, have high productivity and be more competitive.

The standard requires restaurants and such food establishments to establish a quality system, which should mainly focus on marketing to understand the wants and expectations of customers.

The system will also help them to develop workable designs for the preparation of food and service delivery.

The Code of Practice also addresses many other requirements, which can prevent service inefficiency and unreliability, and the provision of foods that are undesirable and unsafe for consumption.

These requirements relate to personnel, material resources, internal and external communication, systems of checking, contractual arrangements, advertising, and design and development of new products.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, conformance to the requirements of the Code will improve quality control, documentation and data control, purchasing, process control, corrective and preventative actions and handling, storage, packaging and delivery of foods prepared.

Finally, implementing the Code of Practice for restaurant services can be a timely response to the challenges many local food establishment are currently facing. Using the document to streamline and improve many of the aforementioned processes within establishments could result in customer preference for the offerings of conforming businesses. Hence, with increased preference and demand, conforming food establishments will rake in more revenue crucial for growth and sustainability.

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

For further information on this subject, please contact the GNBS on Telephone Numbers: 219-0065, 219-0066, WhatsApp 692-GNBS (4627) or follow us on Facebook #GNBSGY.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai receiving the petition. (Photo Credit: Ministry of Amerindian Affairs)

PAGE 68

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Sophia couple busted with $1.5M in ‘ecstasy’, ‘ganja’ Ranks from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) busted two persons on Friday, with $1.5M worth in suspected marijuana, amphetamine (ecstasy) and methamphetamine at their home.

According to a CANU press statement, the drugs were discovered during a raid in the bedroom of a house located at 804 ‘C’ Field, Sophia.

Two occupants of the house, a male - Nyron Wilson, 33, and a 19-yearold woman were arrested.

The statement detailed that the woman had a baby with her. That child was left in care of another individual before she left the house with the officers.

Kaieteur News was told that the man and the woman were a commonlaw couple.

High stakes: The seized items

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 69

Kaieteur News

Upgrade of Diamond Diagnostic Centre to SMART Hospital almost complete Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, along with (from L-R) Region Four Regional Health Officer, Mr. Gavinash Persaud, and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, Malcolm Watkins, during a tour of the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.

Workers applying some finishing touches at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre on Saturday.

The upgrading of the East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital to a “SMART Hospital” is nearing completion.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, visited the facility on Saturday to check on the works. During the tour, he spoke with contractors and received an update on the project from Region Four Regional Health Officer, Dr. Gavinash Persaud.

“We have seen the project come together. It has now better flow. We now know how things are going to be arranged in such a way as to improve the efficiency of the hospital and we’re very

pleased with what we’ve seen,” Minister Anthony told DPI. Along with completed clinical areas, recovery rooms, theatre and other areas, solar panels have also been installed to lower the hospital’s electricity cost.

“SMART hospitals - the terminology that we’re using - is also a methodology to make hospitals more climate resilient and make them more efficient by using alternative energy. This facility, we will be using solar panels to ensure that part of the electricity is covered with solar energy, and I am very pleased

Saudi foreign minister: relations with Turkey ‘good, amicable’ Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud

RIYADH/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told Reuters yesterday that his country had “good and amicable” relations with Turkey and that there was no data to suggest that there was an informal boycott of Turkish products.

He also said in a virtual interview on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders Summit that the kingdom, along with the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, was continuing to seek a way to end a dispute with Qatar, although they continued to want to address legitimate security concerns.

to see that the solar panels have been installed, the battery bank and everything else.”

Minister Anthony said the hospital, also known as the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, would only resort to using power from the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated when necessary.

Additionally, a system to

harvest rainwater is also being installed to reduce the amount of water sourced from the Guyana Water Incorporated.

“That’s another way of how we are making these facilities more sustainable. So, in the long run, it’s going to save the Ministry monies that we would have otherwise had

to spend on electricity and water. We are using these sustainable technologies. In addition to that, the renovations that we have done would prevent flooding and so forth,” Dr. Anthony said.

The “SMART Hospital” concept refers to a facility that is both safe and ‘green’. The initiative comes under an

$835M (US$4.175 million) project, funded by the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID). The Leonora Cottage Hospital is also being upgraded with work to follow on the Mabaruma and Lethem Regional Hospitals and the Paramakatoi Health Centre.

(DPI)

PAGE 70

CDB to host two day Caribbean conference on corruption BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley will address the two-day virtual Caribbean Conference on Corruption, Compliance and Cybercrime that begins on December 7.

The conference is being hosted by the Barbadosbased Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the

Prime Minister Mia Mottley

World Bank Group and the organisers said it will allow for leaders from across the world to share and discuss new challenges and solutions for corruption, compliance, and cybercrime in the Caribbean.

They said that the speakers will include experienced

global anti-corruption practitioners, anti-money laundering specialists, cybercrime professionals, development bankers, p olicy makers, regulators, law enforcement personnel, academics, private sector repre-

sentatives and civil society leaders.

Apart from Prime Minister Mottley, the conference will also be addressed by CDB President, Dr. William Warren Smith, the Vice President of the World Bank Group, Mouhamadou Diagne and Dr. Toussant Boyce, who heads

the Office of Integrity, Compliance and Accountability at the CDB. Among the panel discussions during the two-day conference will be a debate on the “Role of the Media in Combating Corruption, Money Laundering and Cybercrime in the Caribbean.

TT Govt.: $10m relief for bar workers, $20m for self-employed NEWSDAY - The Prime Minister yesterday announced that Finance Minister Colm Imbert will be instructed to identify $10 million to be allocated to help workers in bars and restaurants who have been affected financially by the covid19 pandemic.

Dr Rowley also said Imbert will seek to allocate $20 million for the social services to assist self-employed people with families who have also suffered financially.

He made the announcements at a news conference in Scarborough, Tobago.

Saying some 5,000 people applied dishonestly for the salary relief grant, Rowley said this slowed down the provision of relief of those who need it.

He also announced that hunters will be allowed to resume hunting for the rest of the season. But he added there will be no extension of the current season.

Region 8 Toshao, councillors...

From page 67 a private matter… it is public, therefore the Council is the first to be given a copy.

We were told by Minister Sukhai that the committee for investigation would determine when to give us a

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

copy,” a council member said.

They have since contended that they will not allow anyone to take advantage of Campbelltown/ Princeville Council. A number of councillors believe that the

removal of Thomas is a political strategy used by Minister Sukhai.

They claimed that Sukhai is openly acting unprofessionally and urgently needs to be replaced by a “professional minister”.

CONSUMER CONCERNS

REVISITING THE SCOURGE OF SQUATTING

When one sees newspaper headlines such as: “GUYSUCO EMPLOYEES AMBUSHED, ROBBED” or “SQUATTERS ROB NEIGHBOURING RESIDENTS”, it alarms those who yearn for a Guyanese society which is peaceful, progressive and not sliding into backwardness. And it becomes more troubling when the news media is fully distracted by mostly political news and the COVID-19 pandemic and gives little space or attention to the terrible, social blemish of squatting.

We are, therefore, constrained to revisit the scourge of squatting which has been erupting on the East Coast Demerara and East Bank Demerara.

On the East Coast, the lands squatted on are mostly lands belonging to the sugar plantations.

The squatters had destroyed years of scientific work and thousands of young sugar plants costing the industry $2B, according to reports, and setting back the revitalization of the industry.

Some squatters on the sugar estate lands are brazenly demanding that GuySuCo reward their theft by giving to them prime land by what is euphemistically called “regularizing”.

They are not concerned that the plantation’s imperatives to replant their land and provide employment for hundreds of people. Rather, they are demanding that the State award them house lots in any of the housing estates thus jumping the queue of the thousands who had been patiently awaiting the processing of their applications.

Some politicians have been trying to make political

hay by currying favour with the squatters telling them that squatting is morally and even legally correct.

The State, on the other hand, responding to political pressures and the fact that some of its officers are sympathetic to the squatters’ demands, are showing extraordinary tolerance instead of exerting the full power of the law.

In the absence of continuous strong statements against squatting from those in authority, squatters feel emboldened and have begun to invade private property.

On East Bank Demerara, there have been a number squatting groups threatening violence on the owners of the land with the police often turning a blind eye.

Squatters usually give a predictable hard-luck story to explain why they were squatting. They usually say they have nowhere to go and that they are poor and unemployed.

When they are questioned as to from where they came, they do not answer but become hostile and aggressive.

In fact, all squatters are actuated by human greed they desire to steal someone else’s property.

This is seen by the fact that some squatters have houses of their own which they tenant or when they embark upon squatting, they do so with relatives who each mark out a piece of land. The claim that they are in poverty is belied by their lifestyle where many of them reportedly have regular rum-drinking parties.

Some may even be encouraged by shortsighted politicians to squat.

Squatting is one of the

most environmentally negative activity in any society.

The habitations built by squatters are primitive and unhealthy and these socalled settlements have no roads, water supply or electricity.

They do not have any drainage or rubbish disposal and the toilets are primitive pit latrines; some of them do not even bother to build pit latrines. Squatter settlements are places which are unhygienic and unhealthy. Children growing up in squatter environments attend school very irregularly, adding to the illiterate population. Squatter settlements usually host a criminal element who prey on the surrounding population.

Mass squatting in colonial times was an unknown phenomenon and first came about in the early 1960s during the racial disturbances in the villages, especially on the East Coast Demerara.

Squatting could be eliminated or controlled if the following measures are effectuated:(a) Educate the population on a continuing basis that squatting is illegal and that it is theft. Many squatters do not realize that squatting is theft. Such education could be done in the media and in the teachers’ college and the primary schools. (b) Many squatters are under the false impression that if they built a structure on someone else’s land, they cannot be removed.

They should emphatically learn the truth that if a squatter builds a structure on someone else’s land, the structure belongs to the land and its legal owner and not the squatter. (c) Squatting should be declared a criminal offence. (d) The police should always be prepared to visit squatters’ areas since these areas are incubators of violence. (e) News reporters are often naively taken in by squatters’ hard luck stories and by uncritically publishing such stories fuel the illegality of squatting. Sometimes, such reporters could open their newspapers for libel suits. (f) The law has been amended to make it impossible to prescribe on state lands.

Unfortunately, private land was left unprotected and the 12-year rule which was adopted from English legislation was allowed to remain.

The 12-year rule is inappropriate to a rural society which has a large emigration.

Guyana should revert to the 33-year rule for private lands.

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

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 71

Kaieteur News

Ethiopia rejects African mediation, pushes toward rebel-held Tigray capital CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVECAR RENTAL: CARS & SUV'S CALL:656-0087/6435 1 2 2 , E M A I L : P R O A U T O R E N TA L @YAHOO.COM FOR SALE New home sea view, four bedroom, three toilet & bath Tel#675-1510 Allion, Primo, Spacio, Blue Bird, Field Wagon, 212, Carina, RZ, Pit Bull and Canter Tel#650-7501 Cat- 215 excavator spares.

Road painting machine. cat 428 back-hoe, Call 683-7225 or 275-0367 8 - cubic yards mack cincrete mixer truck. 1300 Gallons bitumen spray kettle, Call 6837225 or 275-0367

VACANCY Qualified grade 4 & 5 teaches, cleaners and security guard Contact 649-8174 Vacancy for a welder/ serviceman, Application must have a valid driver's licence. Call 618-2020 Maid to cook and clean for East Bank area Call 615-9132 Immidiate Vacancy exits for one welder / fabricator with atleast 5 yrs experience Call 231-1408 / 642-9191 One Experience hair stylist Majic Touch Salon 592-2256492/ 592-682-9465

Pups for sale !!! 10 weeks old Mother: Mastiff and Rottweiler, Father: pitbull. Call: 698-6796

SERVICES We fix fridge, freezer, AC washer 683-8734/ 654-9711 Omar

WANTED

One to One mathematics classes cxc + placement . mature person level 9,10,11 Call 227-7850

Experience hire car drivers at Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel Contact 616-5419 / 265-7076

Get the advise you need to your satisfaction for more information call 615-8218

Welder Fabricator Contact 223-5273/74

Visa Forms Preparer. Tel#6267040, Publish your Death Annoucements & In Memoriams online. Email: dthmemo@gmail.com, Rent Wedding Arch House Plan Drawing and Estimate K. Lakeram Building Cantractor Call us 216-0671/ 692-8464 or whatsapp 6220267

LEARN TO DRIVE N.Outar Driving School, Learn to Drive the right way @ Cuffy Square.Affordable Package.Call#644-5166/6912561/681-2808.

Salim Security officers change phone numbers to 639-6648 only Live in domestic must know to cook indian dishes 3045yrs Tel # 648-7866 Skilled Masons $7,000 per day, Call 652-6565 1 maid needed, Herstelling are Tel# 697-0157/ 673-5300 Weeders to work $6,000 per day Tel#693-9999 1- Operator for Grove Crane, 1- captain to ply from Georgetown to Bartica Tel#650-0402/ 260-4115/4018 Cashier with 3 years experience needed. Apply at American variety store, Guyana, Regent / light street Driver for pick-up (finger tip manual) Contact 623-5255 call between 9:00am - 4:00pm

GR TAXI. CALL: 24 HRS

219-5000 225-7878

227-2100 227- 1982

WA N T E D C O N T R A C T CARS TO WORK.

NAIROBI/ADDIS ABABA - (Reuters) - The Ethiopian government rebuffed an African effort to mediate yesterday, saying its troops had seized another town in their march towards the rebel-held capital of northern Tigray region.

More than two weeks into Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s offensive, the government says Tigrayan forces are bulldozing roads and destroyed bridges to hold up the advance on regional capital Mekelle, home to about half

a million people.

The Tigrayans have promised “hell” for their advancing enemies.

They have denied destroying bridges but were not reachable for comment about ploughing up roads.

Hundreds, possibly thousands, have died and more than 30,000 refugees have fled to Sudan since the conflict erupted on Nov. 4. The fighting has spread beyond Tigray, whose forces have fired rockets at the neighbouring Amhara region

and the nation of Eritrea, spurring concern of a wider war and the splintering of multiethnic Ethiopia.

Abiy’s government has said it will soon reach Mekelle after taking various surrounding towns. On Saturday it said Adigrat, about 116 km (72 miles) north of Mekelle, had also fallen.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels said nine civilians had died among heavy casualties in artillery hits on Adigrat.

The government could

not immediately be reached for comment, but has previously repeatedly denied targeting civilians.

Assertions on all sides are hard to verify because phone and internet connections

have been down since the beginning of the conflict and media are largely barred.

Eritrea denies TPLF allegations it has sent soldiers over the border to back Abiy’s offensive against the Tigrayan forces, who are also an old foe of Eritrea’s.

Murdered accused prisoners use bed sheets to escape...

From page 64 unaccounted for.A probe was immediately launched and it was learnt that inmates had used the improvised rope to scale the fence.

As police now hunt for these three escapees, Kaieteur News has noted that this has been the fourth time for this year that inmates have escaped from the holding bay at Lusignan.

On April 20, four inmates had jumped one of the prison fences during a heavy rainfall at around 03:45hrs.

Authorities managed to recapture only three of those escapees while the fourth is still at large. His name is

Kenraul Perez, 26, a murder accused who was also charged back in 2010 for carnal knowledge of a girl under 15.In September, officers were forced yet again to stage another manhunt.

This time for Leroy Graham, 23, an alleged armed robber who had broken out of a burnt section of the prison.

He was found hiding in a ‘shack’ in Buxton, ECD. Almost one month later, three more high profile pris-

oners escaped from the holding bay October 20.

They, too, had scaled one of the prison fences. Police were only successful in re-arresting two of those inmates.

Director of Prisons, Gladwyn Samuels, said that they were both sentenced to three-years-imprisonment for the offense but Mark Rafino, the third escapee, is still on run.

Rafino is one of five persons who were remanded for

murdering a money changer and his daughter during the furtherance of a robbery at their Better Hope home in July 2019.

GPS said it is now pleading with family members and members of the public not to offer any support to the escapees.

“Should you see them,” stated GPS, “or have any information on their whereabouts, please contact the nearest police station.”

Suriname can access oil companies’

From page 12 fact, the government has to give ExxonMobil a 24-hour notice before it can visit the oil major’s off-shore operations. The government is also expected to carry out such a visit at its own expense. This is enshrined in Article 9 of the contract, which speaks to records, reports and information.

FOR RENT Article Nine (e) states: 2x3 bedroom.Fully furnished The Minister, through duly Luxury apartments to rent. appointed representatives, Long and short term. Tel:6822585/691-1432

upon providing the contractor with at least seven days notice, shall be entitled to observe the petroleum operations conducted by the contractor at his sole cost and expense and at all reasonable times to inspect all assets, records and data kept by the Contractor relating to such petroleum operations. In the exercise of such rights under this paragraph, the Minister shall not unduly interfere with the Contractor’s petroleum

One 2 bedroom, fully furnished, air- conditioned, newly renovated apartment station street kitty $85,000 negotiable. call 624-0056. No agents.

collect all the money when it transferred lands into the recipients’ names.

The police and its Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) are involved in the investigations.

SOCU’s role may involve investigating whether crimes relating to money laundering

operations under this agreement.”

The ExxonMobil arrangement is coming under fire for its lopsided arrangements with increasing calls for the deal to be revised.

ExxonMobil started producing oil last December and is in the process of bringing additional production and storage vessels, ramping up production from the 120,000 barrels per day limit to over 550,000 barrels by 2024.

Bond fingered as mastermind behind Peters...

One bedroom studio to rent in Parfaithe Harmany $22,000 monthly 655-7405/ 668-0306

LAND FOR SALE

From page 17 these investigations.

The leases were altered to say that “the lessee may divest the land, may part with possession, may assign it to a third-party interest” – an insertion that saw hundreds of acres prime lands being resold and transferred with the state acquiring zero revenue from the transactions.

The government of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic, which came to office

Batchelor's adventure (double) lot middle Rd LaPenitence Friendship East Bank & Paradise Contact in August after a five months battle following the Ray's Realty# 627-9685

March 2nd elections, had insisted that it found a sigBusiness: Saffon Street, nificant number of irreguPROPERTYFORSALE

Half day handyman to do light work in Belairpark, good salary 3 times a week Call 2262322

Hadfield Street Bond on East Bank, Residence: Diamond & Pearl East Bank Contact Ray's Realty #627-9685

Carpenter to do maintenance Call 697-7575

VECHILE FOR SALE

Female domestic maid for light housekeeping: $3,000 daily.

Male skilled labour: $4,000 daily. Veed-En-Hoop #6825230 / 615-4414

Massey Ferguson Tractor283 $2.5M (Foreign used), MF 165 $1.5M, Pickup Ford Ranger $1.2M, Ford- F150 $1.2M #682-5280/615-4414

lar land transactions involving state properties, including former sugar lands worth billions of dollars.

A number of companies have already returned lands, which were supposed to be developed.

In these instances, investigators found that NICIL, as the representative of the people of Guyana for the transactions, did not even

were committed.

The land transactions, which spans from Wales,

Peter ’s Hall and Ogle, have seen attention coming down on a number of former ministers within the Coalition Government of David Granger, now in Opposition.

Policy to be developed to...

From page 66 rights of workers regarding payments and regarding their lives and their limbs,” he added. Similar complaints have been leveled against large mining companies and the Ministries of Labour and Natural Resources will be investigating them.“The law must be standard and cut across the board, the same way how I treat small miners,

I will treat big miners,” Minister Hamilton emphasized.The long-term solution, he posited, will be the amendment of labour and OSH regulations to further safeguard workers.

Minister Hamilton said discussions are taking place at the Ministry on how the laws could be amended so that a legislative agenda could be presented to the Attorney General Chambers.

PAGE 72

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

UG preparing for partial re-opening of Turkeyen, Berbice Campus The University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus

The University of Guyana (UG) is seeking to soon physically re-open their Turkeyen and Berbice campuses to a limited student population soon in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.Kaieteur News learnt that 95% of the university’s classes are currently being conducted online. However, the physical reopening will see students whose classes require some amount of practical work being able to access face-to-face classes. This fraction of students includes engineering students and those studying the sciences which may require utilizing the laboratories and other facilities. Vice-Chancellor of UG, Dr. Paloma Mohamed-Martin, recently disclosed to HGPTV Nightly News, that one-third of the students would utilize the laboratories, while the remainder watches online in the “Zoom rooms”. This process will be rotated to ensure everyone accesses the laboratories, according to the Vice-Chancellor.

She also disclosed that the university is working on acquiring the physical infrastructure and protocols necessary for the safe reopening of the campuses.

This, she said, includes an on-campus testing centre, sanitization utilities and personal protective equipment for the returning students.In describing the university’s efforts thus far, Mohamed-Martin said: “It is a tremendous amount of logistical work which the university of course has never had to deal

with before and we are working with [you know] basically the same resources that we were working with before.”Further, she stressed that the preparation process has been difficult because several staffers would have tested positive for the novel Coronavirus at the university. She disclosed that there was even a death. Various departments where persons tested positive were forced to have staff isolate themselves, which hindered work being done.“The university is not divorced from the country. It is part of the country and everything that the rest of the country faces, the university faces,” she expressed.

Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor also boasted that things have been going well for the university since re-opening on November 2. It was expected to re-open since October 12, but the university had postponed the opening to November 2, catering for more applicants. The University, in a press release, had stated that if they followed through with the October 12 opening, many prospective students whose applications were still being processed would have been placed at a disadvantage and they would also be forced into a late start on their classes.

There was also a backlog of over 2,600 applications resulting from a delay in documents needing to be verified and there was also a late appearance of some examination results.

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 73

PAGE 74

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Sunday November 22, 2020

Thiem beats Djokovic with storming finish to reach ATP Finals title decider LONDON (Reuters) Dominic Thiem came back from the brink of defeat to beat Novak Djokovic in a gripping last-four clash at the ATP Finals yesterday as he reached the final for the second successive year.

The 27-year-old Austrian appeared to be sliding to defeat when he trailed 0-4 in the third-set tiebreak but stormed back to claim a 7-5 67(10) 7-6(5) victory in just under three hours.

World number three Thiem was the better player in the first set, sealing it with an ace after breaking serve at 5-5.

An absorbing second-set

tiebreak saw Thiem get four chances to seal victory but he double-faulted on one match point and Djokovic showed true grit to snatch the set.

Serves dominated in the decider and when Thiem started the day’s second tiebreaker and then lost the next three points it seemed as though the end was nigh.

Instead the world number three roared back, winning the next six points and setting up two more match points with a scorching crosscourt backhand, one of many he unleashed during the duel.

Djokovic saved a fifth match point but Thiem finally got the job done when he

Austria’s Dominic Thiem in action during his semifinal match against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic.

(Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs) forced his opponent to float a defensive forehand over the

Sunday November 15, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Get on the fast track and use your powerful words and creative mind to make quick decisions that are mindful yet spontaneous.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Start the day with some vigorous yoga and then some meditation to help clear your mind. Stretch your body and get the blood flowing through all of your limbs.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Do something for the community today, , and really consider how your talents and skills can best be put to work. Consider volunteering at a school or library.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) If you're having trouble tackling a giant problem, Cancer, don't get discouraged or overwhelmed. They key for you is to break things down into smaller chunks, analyze them, and figure out their role within the greater whole.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) If you're having trouble tackling a giant problem, don't get discouraged or overwhelmed. They key for you is to break things down into smaller chunks, analyze them, and figure out their role within the greater whole.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Imagination and fantasy play a big part in your thinking today, Virgo, and you shouldn't hesitate to embrace this frame of mind.

PAGE 75

Kaieteur News

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Engage more of your rational mind today, Libra. If your mind continues on its track into a fantasy world, you might consider enlisting the help of people who can help you bring some discipline to your situation.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Suppose you were someone else for a day, Scorpio. How would it feel to be treated the way you normally treat other people? This is a good time to put yourself in someone else's shoes and experience life through their eyes.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today your thoughts may turn to fashion and the different ways in which you can improve your wardrobe.

Don't be afraid to create a look that reflects your true inner spirit.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The amazing thing about your nature is that, like a good politician, you have just the right tone of voice and catch phrase for every situation.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You're apt to get the feeling that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence today, Aquarius. Try not to get too hung up on this.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your mind may wander to a fantasyland full of castles, wizards, and magic dragons today. You could find that you're putting yourself in the robes of a beautiful or handsome figure.

baseline.

Thiem will try to complete a breakthrough year, in which he claimed his first Grand Slam title by winning the U.S. Open, against either Rafa Nadal or Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s climax, guaranteeing a first-time champion for the fifth year in a row.

“It was a mental battle, I got so tight in the second-set tiebreak,” Thiem, who avenged his defeat by Djokovic in this year’s Australian Open final, said on court.

“To play these legends is always special and to play here is also something special.

I thought after winning the title in New York I would be more calm, but that was a mistake I guess.”

Djokovic appeared a little flat at times, especially on his trademark returns, but still looked as though he had pulled an unlikely victory out of the fire, only to suffer an ambush.

“What he did from 0-4 in the tiebreak was unreal,” Djokovic, who won the title in London from 2012-15, told reporters.

“I don’t think I played bad, I made all my first serves; he just crashed the ball and everything went in. What can you do?”

Thiem, who racked up his 300th career Tour win, is now established as a major force and will attempt to go one better than last year when he lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.

Defeat means Djokovic will have to wait until the event moves to Turin next year, after 12 years in London, to try again to equal Roger Federer’s six titles at the yearender.

...Rain affects opening round as Ramdeen, Sumair From page 79 RP Construction Legends beat West Demerara Mavericks by 21 runs.

RP Construction Legends reached 94-6 in 15 and limited the opposition to 758 in 15 overs. Khalid Mohammed, who scored 10 of his 31 runs off his last two deliveries, was the only West Demerara Maravicks batsman to reach 20 as pacer Nigel Viera had 2-10.

Earlier, Lalta Suknanan top scored with 40, while Maniram Balgobin made 34 for the winners as Parmanand Dindyal had 2-5.

In the afternoon match at Enmore, Bel Air Rubis beat Sand Pipper.

Bel Air Rubis rattled up 149-4 off their allotted 20 overs with former Guyana T20 opener Richard Ramdeen blasting 59 before he was run out. He got support from Narmaldeo Sarwan who contributed 38 and Shawn Massiah who was unbeaten on 17.

Sand Pipper in reply fell for 57 in 17.2 overs as Arthur Duke had 3-17 and Massiah grabbed 2-4.

The second round is set for today.

PAGE 76

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

Bravo leads strong Windies batting with a hundred - 2nd day, Tour Match QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand, Nov 21, CMC – Darren Bravo gave evidence that he could unlock the potential of the West Indies batting in the forthcoming Test series against New Zealand, with a masterly hundred in a warm-up match yesterday.

The left-hander hit a typically classy 135 that was the rock upon which the Windies built their reply of 329 for six to the New Zealand “A” first innings total of 308 for three declared, at the close on the second day of the three-day match at John Davies Oval. Shamarh Brooks supported with a typically stylish 80, opener Kraigg Brathwaite made an obdurate 47 and stand-in captain Roston Chase added a solid 42 in a show of strength from the Caribbean side’s top order.

Prior to the Tour, chief selector Roger Harper said: “We’re hoping that the return of Bravo will add some solidity and leadership at the top of the order. We hope it will help us lay the foundations to build big totals. He’s been making runs consistently in every format.”

Bravo, 31, one of the most

Shamarh Brooks made a half-century to aid the West Indies response © Getty Images

capped members of the West Indies Test squad on the Tour of New Zealand with 54 matches behind him, fulfilled Harper’s expectations in a little more than 4 ½ hours at the crease, after he started the day on eight.

He cracked 13 fours and five sixes from 214 balls and shared successive century

stands with Brathwaite and Brooks that paved the way for a strong batting performance from the Windies.

Bravo raced towards his hundred in a volley of strokes, mostly off left-arm leg-spinner Michael Rippon.

He moved towards the 90s with two sixes – both lofted leg-side hits – and added a

third six and a four off the same bowler to power through the 90s to get within touching distance of the milestone.

He reached the 100-run mark in anti-climactic fashion, turning his 177th ball – from Blair Tickner – through square leg for a single.

Bravo and Brathwaite

batted through the morning session after West Indies resumed from their overnight total of 17 for one. The two carrying the visitors to lunch on 116 for one.

The pair had added 112 for the second wicket, when Brathwaite was trapped lbw to Jacob Duffy with the first delivery after the interval and hobbled off the park after the ball struck him plumb on his left in-step.

The Windies were 116 for two, but Brooks came to the crease and got into stride with a languid drive through cover off Duffy, and with Bravo carried the Caribbean side to 215 for two at tea, with little or no trouble.

After tea, Bravo raced to his hundred and had put on 122 with Brooks for the third wicket, when he was caught at deep cover off left-arm spinner Rachin Ravindra in the fourth over after the break.

West Indies were 238 for three, but Brooks continued to plunder the New Zealand “A” attack, which does not feature any bowlers likely to gain international selection in the forthcoming Test series.

Brooks, however, continued merrily and reached 50 from 105 balls with

a single to long-on off the home team’s captain Cole McConchie, bowling his uncomplicated off-spin.

Brooks put on 71 for the fourth wicket with Chase and carried the Windies past the New Zealand “A” total before top-edging a lazy pull at a short delivery from Nathan Smith and was caught at square leg.

In the closing stages, Jermaine Blackwood missed out on a chance for valuable time in the middle, when he was caught at mid-on off Rippon for eight, and Chase was bowled by Sean Solia to a delivery that appeared to keep low.

The first Test between New Zealand and West Indies starts on December 3 at Seddon Park in Hamilton and the second Test begins on December 11 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Summarised scores: NEW ZEALAND “A” 308 for three declared (Rachin Ravindra 112, Henry Nicholls 76, Devon Conway 46 not out, Joe Carter 41 not out, Will Young 27). WEST INDIES 329 for six (Darren Bravo 135, Shamarh Brooks 80, Kraigg Brathwaite 47, Roston Chase 42).

Athletes hopeful about restart of sports, training DPI, Guyana, - As athletes navigate the challenges and uncertainties imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, many are welcoming the Government’s partial restart of sporting events.

In mid-March, the National Sports Commission closed all Government-run sports facilities and other sporting organisations followed suit after the adoption of the COVID-19 preventative measures.

As the restrictions are eased and Guyana shifts into a new normal, athletics, bodybuilding, cricket and tennis are some of the sport disciplines that have gradually resumed competitions, in keeping with the preventative measures.

Other sport fraternities have shelved their activities for the 2021 season.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Hon. Charles Ramson Jr., has said no spectators will be allowed at sporting events which have been granted permission to resume competitions.

“The Task Force is the one that gives guidance and their position and the Government’s position, given the last guidelines that we had, was that certain sport events are allowable. And the condition the Task Force has

Cricket Coach at Transport Sports Club, Mr. Sean Messiah. (DPI) outlined is one where it’s not for spectators,” he said.

The Minister made these statements during an interview on Kaieteur Radio on November 13.

Speaking with DPI, national track and field star Mr. Jonathan Fagundes said he supports the relaxing of the measures for athletes.

“For me, it’s all about the youths and it would benefit me in a tremendous way whereby I’ll get to get more group trainings and push my ability to the next level,” he said.

First Vice President of the Guyana Tennis Association, Ms. Cristy Campbell said while the pandemic has halted its annual Inter-Guiana Games she too is pleased about the restart.

“I see no problem with opening. The responsibility is

solely on the administrators and athletes to ensure that they follow the stipulated COVID-19 guidelines. I’ve no problem and I think it’s a good idea for them to open facilities so we can move forward,” she said.

Access to training is particularly important as many athletes hope to benefit from the elite training programme the Ministry plans to start to hone the skills of those who are aboveaverage.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health granted permission for some competitions.

“We have granted permission for cricket matches, but without spectators and along with this permission, bars at these events must be closed,” Minister Hon. Dr.

Frank Anthony said.

Cricket Coach at Transport Sports Club, Mr. Sean Messiah is pleased about this as many young cricketers lost valuable training time due to the lock down.

“When you look at the game of cricket in particular, and the other sports that are non-contact sports, I think cricket could’ve gone ahead a little earlier because it’s a non-contact sport, and that would’ve played a major part in a lot of athletics. But I am so happy if they can open up sports now. I am looking forward to them to giving the green light to restart those cricket and athletics competitions,” Coach Messiah said.

Sport organisations such as the Guyana Cricket Board and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) have outlined their upcoming activities for the next few months. The GFF has also appointed its own COVID-19 committee to oversee the safe return of the sport.

As the country continues to reopen in the new COVID19 environment, local sport organisations and athletes have pledged to observe the national preventative measures to ensure a safe return to sports.

Vice President of the Guyana Tennis Association, Ms. Cristy Campbell. (DPI)

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 77

Kaieteur News

Spurs go top with victory over Man City BBC Sport - Tottenham Hotspur went top of the Premier League after producing a display of clinical efficiency and tactical discipline to beat Manchester City 2-0.

In the usual battle of wits between Jose Mourinho and his old adversary Pep Guardiola, the Spurs manager came out on top as his team’s season gathered further momentum.

Son Heung-min put Spurs in front after five minutes, finishing coolly from Tanguy Ndombele’s pass before Manchester City had a firsthalf goal ruled out by VAR for a handball by Gabriel Jesus after Aymeric Laporte’s finish.

City continued to enjoy greater possession but Spurs, as you would expect from a Mourinho side, were fiercely drilled and resilient, taking their chance when it came to double their advantage and finish the game.

It came in the 65th minute after a dream substitution from Mourinho, Giovani lo Celso beating Ederson with a low finish from another Kane pass 35 seconds after coming on for Steven Bergwijn - the only cloud

Son Heung-min has nine goals and two assists in nine Premier League games this season. (Getty Images) for Spurs coming with a l a t e i n j u r y t o To b y Alderweireld after an outstanding performance.

Mourinho was a bundle of energy in his technical area as Spurs took all Manchester City could throw at them to come out with the win that puts them at the Premier League summit and also made a powerful statement about their ambitions and aspirations.

M o u r i n h o ’s voice echoed around this vast, empty arena as he urged on

his players, shouting instructions with regular demands of “press the ball”. Guardiola, in contrast, was understandably subdued and downcast.

It is still early days for a club that has struggled to win silverware over so many recent years, but there is a growing sense of strength and optimism around Spurs, fuelled by a serial winner as a manager who looks revitalised after the acrimonious end to his spell at Manchester United.

Spurs have the golden threat of the likes of Son - who has now scored 11 goals in all competitions this season and Kane, with Gareth Bale on the bench here, but they now have some many of the usual Mourinho traits that have always made his teams so difficult to beat.

It has been a year since he succeeded the hugely popular Mauricio Pochettino and Spurs are starting to resemble Mourinho’s image and likeness, epitomised by the unfussy but highly effective midfield sentry Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, a signing from Southampton that was a managerial priority in the summer.

Spurs are currently a potent mix of solidity and threat, as proved by the way they dug deep to keep Manchester City out before striking to deadly effect.

Spurs had two shots on target and scored twice.

In Kane, Spurs also possess the complete forward at the very top of his game, a class act as a provider for the ninth time in as many league games this season - but also the master marksman when his chances come along, as they will with regularity this

Hamilton now understands Schumacher’s role in F1 success Motorsport – Lewis Hamilton has just matched Michael Schumacher’s tally of seven world titles, and now also holds the records for the most victories and the most pole positions in F1 history.

But while his latest triumph has still not silenced those who suggest he only wins because he has the best car, Hamilton says that even he did not fully comprehend just how big a role drivers must play in car development before he joined his current team as Schumacher’s replacement.

Hamilton says that since he has delivered title after title for Mercedes, it has opened his eyes about the role that his predecessor Schumacher played at the outfit - and he says it is something those outside the sport do not appreciate.

“In terms of helping develop the car, that’s something that I think that drivers – and as I’m approaching where Michael was – I never fully understood,” said Hamilton.

“It’s difficult for someone starting in F1, for young drivers, it’s hard for them to fully understand what it is that Michael did, what I am

Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher. (Motorsport Images) doing in this team.

“They’ll just see that we have a good car, just see that Michael had a good car, but now I’m here I understand what Michael did with the team, or perhaps what he might have done with this team. I’m sure it’s similar to what I’ve had to do.

“You know, you have to be the rudder. You have this powerful group of intelligent, impassioned people and of course you have the head of the team which is the main rudder.

“But in terms of development, how to get the car to go further and work with the characteristics of the

driver, that’s my job and I’d say I’m definitely very, very proud of that. Unfortunately people don’t get to see all that in the background.”

In a wide-ranging interview reflecting on his 2020 championship, Hamilton said that this season felt like a step above his previous campaign.

“It definitely feels like the most all-rounded highest level I’ve been at, yeah,” he said.

“It’s a natural progression, naturally. You can’t always get it right.

“This year, being as we’ve also had Covid, we’ve had more time to focus on areas of weakness and I would say

last year the racing was strong, qualifying wasn’t so great and I came into this season trying to make sure I kept the strengths but worked on the weaknesses.

“But in improving in qualifying I have managed to improve the racing, which was a bit of a surprise. I was not expecting that.”

But Hamilton still thinks there is room for further improvement in the future, as he reckons the easiest thing is simply to let his standards drop.

“For any athlete that is at the top of their game, you could always say it is going to be hard to raise the bar,” he said. “The easiest thing is to let it slip. But it is not like I am new to this.

“I know what I need to do to get myself in the right head space and physically in the right place also. I don’t really see it being an issue of keeping consistency but it is much smaller increments in terms of raising the bar.

“I don’t really know whether it can get any better.

The racing, for example, is super-strong. But there are still elements that could be better. But not everything is easy to improve on.”

season.

Spurs and their fans will not get carried away but there can be no denying Mourinho’s tried and trusted methods are having their effect, with the long-time foe Guardiola the victim on this occasion.

Toothless Man City fall short again Manchester City clearly had a grievance against the decision to rule out Laporte’s goal for handball against Jesus that left them nursing a sense of injustice.

However, it would still disappoint Guardiola that his team had so much of the ball but actually did so little with it when it came to seriously testing Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris.

It has become something of pattern with Manchester City and this was another occasion, although Guardiola did not feel able to risk the likes of Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero other than on the substitutes’ bench, reducing their level of threat.

City were easily unpicked

by Ndombele’s pass for Son’s early strike and there was almost a sense of inevitability that their toothlessness would end with Spurs sweeping up

the other end to add a second through Lo Celso.

It is hardly panic stations for City as they stand eight points off the top with a game in hand. This is shaping up as a season with many twists and turns to come - but this was another unsatisfactory result and performance.

Aguero’s now regular fitness issues rob Guardiola and City of their most lethal finisher in and around the box, the 32-year-old Argentine still the most reliable goalscorer at the club but now seemingly troubled too much by injury.

Guardiola will now move into the next phase of his reign at City after signing a twoyear contract extension and preparing for the day they have to do without one of their all-time great players will soon be an issue.

This is still a Manchester City side packed with worldclass players but this was another of those days that have been happening since the start of last season when they simply lack a ruthless edge and end up being punished.

It is a problem Guardiola needs to resolve - and quickly.

...Guyana Committee of Services

From page 76 track shoes and other necessities to promote athletics in Guyana.

It’s another effort by the Guyana Committee of Services to complement the work of state-run and nongovernmental units to provide hope and relief to Guyanese involved in Sports and Culture. The Committee continues to strive to find solutions to ‘red flag’ situations faced by ordinary folks by providing timely material assistance. In the case of local athletes, who appear to be the least noticed among the local sports fraternity, the Committee wants to alleviate the financial impact of their proper preparation for competition.

The Guyana Committee of Services has had friendly relations with athletes and their clubs for several years.

During 2016, the Committee provided a small financial reward to athletes and coaches who were successful at the Carifta Games, while the mothers of four athletes were

each acknowledged with a gift on Mother ’s Day. The Committee also made a donation to the Linden Track Club.

In 2017, the Committee provided ‘out-of-pocket’ allowances to all athletes who participated in the Carifta Games and this was repeated in 2018.The Committee in 2018 provided ‘out-of-pocket’ allowances for athletes who participated in the Commonwealth Games in Australia and sponsorship for the Aliann Pompey 3Rd International Meet at Leonora.

Stickers can be obtained from Members of the Guyana Committee of Services, Payless Variety Stores and other designated vendors.

The Committee is extending an invitation to businesses and interested individuals to join the organization and embrace a worthy cause.

Persons desirous of purchasing stickers in bulk should contact the Committee on telephone numbers 6222485 or 672-8857.

PAGE 78

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

Rawle Toney/Mackeson 3X3 Classic a possibility in December

Prime Minister’s T20 Tournament starts Friday - Draw to be done today at QC ground from 13:00 hrs

Regal are defending Champs in all 3 categories.

Inaugural Champions Pitbull 3.0 players L-R Ryan Stephney, Jermaine Slater, Ryan Gullen and Travis Belgrave pose with organiser Rawle Toney after winning the title.

Rawle Toney; the promoter of the Rawle Toney/ Mackeson 3X3 basketball tournament, has placed ‘ballers’ on high-alert after sharing with the media the “high possibility” of season two of the tournament bouncing off in late December.

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has identified 3X3 basketball as an ideal means for return to play following the covid19 pandemic and Toney is also set to be collaborating with Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) in efforts to produce more versatile competition and also secure a spot on their basketball calendar.

The inaugural tournament in 2019, which was contested under lights at the Burnham hard court on Middle and Carmichael Streets, was

successful and Pitbull 3.0 emerged as the champions out of the 25 teams that registered to play.

Pitbulls 3.0, which comprised of Ryan Stephney, Jermaine Slater, Ryan Gullen and Travis Belgrave, defeated Smooth 22-12, while Plaisance Ballers finished third after besting Ion Know 22-20.

For their sensational run, Pitbulls 3.0 pocketed $300,000 and their standout player, Ryan Stephney was named MVP which meant he pocketed an extra $25,000 and the Andrew Ifill trophy, compliments of FireSide Grill N Chill. Dominic Vincente won the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation’s (GABF) sponsored threepoint shootout contest and pocketed $25,000 for his efforts.

Smooth pocketed $150,000 for finishing second,

Plaisance Ballers cashed in $100,000 for third place and Ion Know $50,000 for fourth.

The entities that helped made the inaugural event possible included Ansa McAl – the title sponsor, the Guyana Lottery Company’s Let’s Bet Sports, Fireside Grill, JD Carn ICT Guyana Inc., Allegiance Corporations Inc., National Sports Commission (NSC), Trophy Stall, Kester Gomes and Chung’s Global Enterprise. For the hosting of the proposed event next month, the organiser is adamant that he will ensured that COVID-19 guidelines will be implemented. Toney further revealed that he is currently trying to secure an audience with the Minister of Sport and National COVID-19 Task Force to attain the recommended guidelines that would allow for the smooth flow of the event.

Guyana Committee of Services sticker x 6" decorative insignia that programme underway can be placed on a vehicle, a Just over a week ago the Guyana Committee of Services (GCOS) launched a project aimed at acquiring gear for track and field athletes based mainly in New Amsterdam, Bartica and Linden. The launching took place in Berbice.

This project is being

spearheaded by ViceChairman Lyndon ‘Jumbie’ Jones with assistance from several regular sponsors including Star Party Rentals, Payless Variety Stores,Reggie Baichan of Reggie’s Wholesale Store and Mark Kazim (Chinee man).

The Sticker is a lovely 3"

briefcase, door or any public place as a sign of one’s pride in one’s country. The not-forprofit Committee wants every Guyanese to purchase a Sticker for the paltry sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars; the funds raised would be used to purchase (Continued on page 75)

The fourth Edition of the Georgetown Softball League Inc Prime Minister’s T20 Tournament in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport is scheduled to commence this Friday November 27.

The draw for this tournament will be conducted today at the Queen’s College ground at 13:00hrs and conclude on November 29 and Regal are the defending Champions in all three categories.

Speaking on the Sean Devers Sports Watch on Kaiteur Radio, President of theGeorgetown Softball League Inc Ian John informed that the tournament was launched last Sunday at the Everest ground with the Prime Minister Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips taking part in his first of Edition.

There are three categories being played; over-50, over45 and open with the over 50

catorgety is being contested by Regal Legends, Rockaways legends, President’s XI, Parika Defenders, Floodlights and Savage.

In the over-45s the teams are Regal Masters, Fisherman Masters, Success Masters, Wellman Masters, HS Masters and Sunrise Masters, while in the Open Regal Masters, Berbice Spartans, Speedboat, Bartica Rangers All Stars, Cost Cutters All Stars and Ariel are the teams vying for supremacy.

The competition will be played on seven grounds; Everest, QC, DCC, Police, Transport, YMCA and GYO. Among the Sponsors are Banks DIH, Elegance Jewellery, Danny Persaud, Chung Global, Star Party Rentals, P&P Insurance Brookers, Dina’s Embroidery, Price Chopper Stores, Mohamed’s Trading, Florida

GSL Inc Ian John Guyana Hope, Derrick Varity Store and Regal Stationary and Computer Store.

A meeting was held last Wednesday with the Umpires at the GNIC Sports Club.

Among the prizes up for grabs is $200,000 and Trophies for the winners and $50,000 and Runners up in each Category, while a 55-inch TV will be given to the Manof-the-Series in the Over-50, a 50-inchTV will be won by the Man-of-the-Series in the Over-45 and a 40-inch TV in Open Category. (Sean Devers)

Horseracing action set for Boxing Day return Horseracing fans, who have been starved of action for the better part of the year due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, may get some action before the end of the year. That is if things go to plans.

The Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) at Bush Lot Farm, Berbice is in the process of finalizing plans for a one-day meet on Boxing Day. The KMTC usually host a grand end of year meet on the said date. However, with the Covid 19 Pandemic affecting the country a number of measures has to be put in place.

The executives of the Club have been meeting regularly to see how best a meet could be organized for the race starved Guyanese fans.

The club has reached out to the National COVID-19 Task Force and the Minister of Health to get a gauge on how best a race meet could be staged, in accordance with the stipulated safety guidelines.

Further engagements have been planned with the Task Force and the Minister to sort things out. If all goes well and the club gets the green light, then the meet will be held.

In the meantime, preparations are being made

for the activity with the Club releasing a provisional programme.

The aim is to have the event held behind closed doors or with a limited number of people except those concerning the horses. Plans are also being made to have the activity live streamed or have a delayed broadcast.

The events listed so far are –the L Class Open, an event for Two-Year-Old animals, one for K Class animals, a race for L Class non-winning horses all over 1100Meters, while the H Class, the J Class and ThreeYear-Old horses will compete over 1400M. (Samuel Whyte)

Sunday November 22, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 79

Pakistan ready to host top cricketing nations in 2021 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — After nearly a decade of hosting no home test matches due to a terrorist attack on a rival team’s bus in 2009, Pakistan says it’s ready to welcome major cricketing nations like South A f rica, N ew Zealan d , England and West Indies in 2021. ‘’We’re working hugely in terms of building relationships, nurturing those relationships with (other) cricket boards,’’ Wa s i m K h a n , c h i e f executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board, told The Associated Press.

South Africa is due to visit Pakistan in January to play a two-test series which is part of world test championship, followed by three Twenty20s.

New Zealand is penciled in for three ODIs and five Twenty20s in September, followed by two Twenty20s against England at Karachi.

It will be England’s first tour to Pakistan since 2005.

The PCB has also plans a home series against West Indies in December. ‘’We have a chock-ablock eight to 10 months coming up for us on the road playing at home,’’ Khan said. ‘’We’re also in discussions with Cricket Australia.

They’re due to be touring during the 2022 season, we’re looking at them coming for an extended period of time.’’

When Sri Lanka’s team

The Pakistani cricket team poses with the winner’s trophy of the Twenty20 series at a ceremony after the 3rd Twenty20 cricket match against Zimbabwe at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020. Pakistan won the series 3-0. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) bus came under a terrorist attack in March 2009, the doors of international cricket remained shut on Pakistan until Zimbabwe became the first test-playing nation to play limited-overs series at Lahore in 2015.

A bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricketers, part of a larger convoy, was fired upon by 12 gunmen near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The cricketers were on their way to play the third day of the second test against Pakistan.

Six Pakistan police officers and two civilians were killed and six members of the Sri Lanka team were wounded. The rest of the test match and tour was called off.

Te s t c r i c k e t o n l y returned to Pakistan late last year when Sri Lanka played two five-day games at Rawalpindi and Karachi.

Bangladesh also played a test match before its second test was called off due to COVID-19.

In between the Zimbabwe and Bangladesh tours, a franchise-based domestic Twenty20 league the Pakistan Super League played a big role in pressing Pakistan’s claims to host international games.

Players like Shane Watson of Australia and South Africans Dale Steyn and Faf du Plessis were among some big names that toured Pakistan and have played for various city-based

franchise teams. Khan believes these players had a significant role in portraying Pakistan’s improving image among cricket-playing nations. ‘’A lot of these players go back to their own countries . and say, you know what?

Pakistan is one of the safest places to play,’’ Khan said. ‘’These are those cricketers who are associated with their own cricket boards, who are international cricketers, who perhaps had a (different) perception of Pakistan before they came here.’’

Tight security with cricket team buses heavily guarded by armed personnel is quite normal in Pakistan whenever overseas contingents travel to the

stadium from hotels, often blocking already heavy traffic on major roads of big cities like Lahore and K a r a c h i . ‘ ’ Ye s , w e ’ l l continue to provide statelevel security for as long as possible, we’ll never become complacent,’’ Khan said.

Khan also wants to organize a limited-overs series against neighboring Afghanistan somewhere next year, after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, a former cricket captain for the country, visited Kabul and extended an invitation to Afghan national team this w e e k . ‘ ’ We w i l l d o everything we can to find a slot in the calendar to arrange fixtures against Afghanistan,’’ Wasim Khan

said. While Khan has managed to liaise with almost all the cricketing boards around the world since he joined the PCB last year, he doesn’t expect a resumption of the PakistanIndia cricket rivalry anytime soon.

Political tensions between India and Pakistan, especially over a longstanding territorial dispute in the Kashmir region, have seen both countries playing against each other only in major international tournaments like Champions Trophy and World Cups. ‘’Should we be playing India? Absolutely,’’ Khan said. ‘’Could we be playing them? Probably not for the foreseeable future.’’

Chelsea go top with win at Newcastle Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham scores their second goal against Newcastle United.

(Pool via Reuters/Lindsey Parnaby)

N

EWCASTLE (Reuters) Chelsea became the seventh club to top the Premier League standings this season after a 2-0 victory at Newcastle United yesterday courtesy of an own goal by Federico Fernandez and Tammy Abraham’s second-half effort.

Frank Lampard’s side dominated before the break and took the lead in the 10th minute when Fernandez, under pressure from Ben Chilwell, turned in Mason Mount’s cross.

Chelsea really should have been out of sight with Timo Werner guilty of missing some gilt-edged chances but Newcastle came alive after the break.

I s a a c H a y d e n squandered a great chance to equalise on the hour but a few minutes later Werner burst through on goal before

passing to Abraham to double Chelsea’s lead.

Sean Longstaff came close for Newcastle when his rising drive clipped the crossbar but Chelsea could have scored more with Werner having a goal ruled out for offside.

Chelsea’s third successive league win lifted them level on 18 points with Leicester City but are top thanks to a better goal difference.

Leicester face Liverpool on Sunday.

A s t o n Vi l l a a n d Tottenham Hotspur could both replace Chelsea at the top later on Saturday.

After a huge investment in the squad, Chelsea are beginning to show the consistency for a title challenge after something of a mixed start to the new campaign.

Saturday’s win was more

comfortable than the scoreline suggests with Newcastle having only one shot on target.

Chelsea’s problems in the goalkeeping department also look to be solved with Edouard Mendy keeping a seventh clean sheet in his nine appearances for Chelsea in all competitions.

“We put the game away with a professional performance,” Lampard said. “The result is key because the Premier League is tough and relentless.

“It’s pleasing, but I’m not going to get excited about being at the top of the table for five minutes. It’s a long season.”

Argentine Fernandez was a little unfortunate to give Chelsea the lead but the hosts were indebted to goalkeeper Karl Darlow as he made saves from Werner and Abraham.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 80

President of the GGA Aleem Hussain has been at the forefront promoting the sport.

Sunday November 22, 2020

The Enmore Orphanage under construction.

GGA/Nexgen Golf Academy to host fundraiser on December 6 On December 6, Golfers will unite for Charity as the Guyana Golf Association (GGA) and Nexgen Golf Academy host its annual event for the Enmore Orphanage with a CURRYQ, that features a break from the traditional meal offered by fundraisers.

The CURRY-Q will have four types of curriesMutton, Chicken, Duck and

Caeleb Dressel breaks two shortcourse world records in one hour Caeleb Dressel broke two short-course world records and lowered another American record.

N

BC Sports Caeleb Dressel broke two shortcourse world records, plus lowered another American record, in one afternoon in Budapest yesterday.

Dressel, competing in the International Swimming League final, crushed the 100m butterfly world record, lowered his own 50m freestyle world record and got under his 100m freestyle American record leading off a relay.

The ISL is contested in a short-course, 25-meter pool.

The biggest meets, such as the Olympics, world championships and national championships, are held in

50-meter pools.

Still, what he did on Saturday was mighty impressive.

Dressel, who broke Michael Phelps’ 100m butterfly world record at the 2019 World Championships, shattered the short-course record in the 100m fly by three tenths of a second, clocking 47.78. South African Chad le Clos held the previous world record.

About 40 minutes later, Dressel took .08 off his short-course record in the 50m free, clocking 20.16.

Soon after that, Dressel led off the 4x100m free relay for the Cali Condors team in 45.18 seconds, clipping his previous mark from earlier

this week by .02. He is .14 off Frenchman Amaury Leveaux‘s world shortcourse record set in the nowbanned high-tech suit era in 2008. Dressel could make the Olympic team next summer in seven events when including relays, including the new mixedgender medley relay, with gold-medal possibilities in all of them. He earned seven golds at the 2017 Worlds and six golds and two silvers at the 2019 Worlds.

Dressel and the other top Americans are expected to return to competition in Olympic-size pools in early 2021, leading up to the Olympic Trials in Omaha in June.

Vegetable, prepared by some of the best cooks that will be served hot from the pot with rice, dhall puri, dhall, salad, a Banks beverage, and lots of optional pepper sauce.

As a bonus, Coaches Avinash Persaud and Dr. Joaan Deo will be on hand to give supporters a chance to play or learn the game at the Academy for half hour with a chance to win prizes, at no additional cost.

Since 2001, the Enmore Orphanage has been home to more than 100 kids over the years ranging in ages from 320 years old, and has been working to provide them with a stable environment.

Director of the o rg a n i z a t i o n , K e n n e t h Finlayson, said that for many years the Orphanage has been working towards building a new facility but work has been stalled due to lack of funding. “As always, we are grateful to Mr. Hussain and his golfing supporters for their efforts and support over the years to make this time of the year special for our children.”

The Orphanage hopes that other organizations and sports entities will follow the

lead of the Guyana Golf Association and help them accomplish the dream of completing the building of a better home and life for their kids. Many major companies such as Grand Coastal Hotel, Hits & Jams 98.1 Real FM, Toolsie Persaud, Assuria General, New Trend Auto, AR Printery, Banks DiH, Crown Mining, the Shafura Hussain Foundation, and Panko Steel have already thrown their support behind the activity that combines a worthy cause with a day of fun for families in a socially distanced environment.

Kerwin Bollers from HJ Entertainment said that he and his company has always been ready to partner with Hussain, “Aleem and I have done many events together, from boxing to Golf and most recently, the fabulous Soca & Wine Festivals, which was the largest non sport activity in recent history.”

Many of the top golfers from the Lusignan Golf Club, including President Pur Persaud, Munaf Arjune, Romel Bhagwandin, Robin Tiwari, Carlos Adams, Chet Bowling, and Ramesh

Dookhoo are amongst the many players who will be on hand to demonstrate their skills and try to win prizes.

President of the GGA Aleem Hussain said, “There is no better feeling than giving to those who are unable to experience what most people accept as normal and that is why I’m happy to see both golfers and non-golfers coming together on December 6th to help raise funds to give these children a wonderful Christmas party.”

General Manager of Assuria General, Yogendra Arjune, explained that his company sees this as a great opportunity to give back to the less fortunate and he was happy to be a part of the activities. “I am a new golfer and our company supports many charitable efforts so placing our support behind this was a no-brainer for me.” Tickets for the event are available at the Golf Academy, Scouts Association of Guyana ground, Assuria General offices located at Giftland, Church Street, Diamond, and Vreed-en-hoop or by calling 645-0944 to reserve.

England 18-7 Ireland: Jonny May stars in emphatic and entertaining victory for hosts BBC Sport - Wing Jonny May scored a superb solo try as England claimed an emphatic and entertaining Autumn Nations Cup victory against Ireland at Twickenham. May crossed twice as the hosts dominated the first half and the second try, covering most of the pitch as he chased his kick, was one of his finest.

The hosts retained

control after the break with two Owen Farrell penalties.

Unwilling to let May take all the plaudits, Jacob Stockdale chased a kick to give Ireland their only try.

England are now top of their group and in pole position to compete for the title on finals weekend.

Eddie Jones’ side travel to Wales for their final group game next Saturday, while

Ireland host Georgia on the Sunday.

Italy, Scotland, Fiji and France feature in Group B, but Fiji have been unable to complete any of their matches because of a coronavirus outbreak in the team.The winners of each of the two groups will face each other on 5 or 6 December to decide an overall champion.

Kaieteur News

Sunday November 22, 2020

PAGE 81

GCB Tropical Spring T20 Cricket

Rain affects opening round as Ramdeen, Sumair hit half centuries, Crawford takes 4-8

By Sean Devers T h e G C B / Tr o p i c a l Spring T20 Cricket tournament bowled off yesterday with four games, while the two matches at Everest were washed out without a ball being.

Half centuries were recorded by former West Indies U-19 batsman and Guyana Amazon Conquerors T20 Opener Richard Ramdeen and John ‘Kemraj’ Sumair, who is the

elder brother of former Guyana U-19 batsman Budnarine Sumair, while the best bowling performance of the was achieved by Govinda Dindyal who took 4-7 from three overs.

A t E v e r e s t , We s t Demerara Masters and Everest Masters had to settle for a point after four inspections in the morning game.

After heavy overnight rain subsided the Umpires

Rain came in its fullness at the Everest ground yesterday.

made inspections at 9:30 and again at 10Am but ominous dark clouds gathered over the Atlantic Ocean and when the Sun eventually returned it was already 11:58 AM and with cut-off time being 12:05 PM, the game was called off.

In the afternoon game in the City between KV Constructions Masters and Regal Masters, no play was possible despite the hard work of the ground staff as the Umpires who made several inspections, deemed the ground too wet to facilitate play.

At the small Jai Hind ground just behind the Albion Sports Complex, Jai Hind Masters beat General Marines Masters by 30 runs in the morning game.

A pugnacious 58 from John ‘Kemraj’ Sumair who reached boundary twice and cleared it six times, an unbeaten 40 with three fours

and two sixes from Zahir Moakan and a cameo 17 not out from Narine Deonarine with two sixes, led Jai Hind Masters to 140-6 in a game reduced to 15 overs due to morning rain.

The home team slumped to 17-4 as Winton London (3-8) struck thrice in space of no runs to leave the score on 8 - 3 b e f o r e Ve e r e n Moonsammy (2) departed.

Sumir and Moakan joined forces and carried the score to 100 before Sumair departed in the 12th over when was removed by Diaram Hemraj.

Moakan was joined by former Berbice 50-over lefthander Anil Beharry who was stumped for six before Deonarine and Moakan hammered 27 in the last two overs.

General Marines Masters were restricted to 110-3 when their 15 overs expired

Richard Ramdeen blasted 59 at Enmore yesterday. despite an undefeated 42 from Hemraj. Mustak Shaw (18) and Surujpaul (17) offered token resistance as Moakan crowed a fine all round performance by taking 2-14, Trevor Crawford took 4-8 in this match.

In the afternoon game at Jai Hind ground, Sarjoo

Tigers registered victory over West Berbice.

West Berbice were bowled out for 89 in 16.3 overs as Govinda Dindyal took 4-7 from three overs and got support from Mark Ferreira who had 2-10 from his three overs. At Enmore, (Continued on page 73)

West Indies batsman Darren Bravo crafted an enterprising century to anchor the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts on day two of the three-day First Class match against New Zealand A.

rt o p S

Bravo leads strong Windies batting with a hundred - 2nd day, Tour Match GGA/Nexgen Golf Academy to host fundraiser on December 6

Track and field athlete, Mr. Jonathan Fagundes during a training session. (DPI)

Coach Joaan Deo will be on hand to give fans an opportunity to try their hand at the sport.

Athletes hopeful about restart of sports, training Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.