Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR “Absolute nonsense” NEWS

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

Wednesday Edition November 24, 2021 - Vol. 14 No.45

President Ali tells 'greedy' Govt. contractors

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 91,646

….announces new contractual obligations for engineers on site

Exxon partner sells interest in Libyan assets - to focus on mega-profits from Stabroek Block p.2

DPP's operations continue - Mottley tells CARICOM Energy Conference despite fire

‘Enough talking; we need action now’

Patterson raises doubts over promises to reconstitute PPC - says PPP has returned to pre-2015 ways

The protest continues for change to ExxonMobil’s contract.

Bamia school contract Police Prosecutor fiasco highlights dire requests more time need for Procurement in former GRDB

Commission - Figueira accountant's fraud case

Yellowtail subsea contract among top 10 global awards for the century - Rystad Energy Suriname just got US$50M environmental bonus in advance on one lil oil block, Trinidad got US$15M signing bonus also in advance on a gas deal from a piece of a gas field. What did our leaders get for us from all our massive wealth? NOTHING! @11:00hrs on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Exxon partner sells interest in Libyan assets - to focus on mega-profits from Stabroek Block International media reports have revealed that Hess Corporation intends to shed more global assets to focus on the “mega-profits” to be had from its 30 percent stake in the oil-rich Stabroek Block. Specifically, Argus Media noted that To t a l E n e rg i e s a n d ConocoPhillips will purchase Hess’ 8.16% stake i n L i b y a ’s Wa h a O i l

Concessions in the Sirte Basin and invest to improve production. This was confirmed with To t a l E n e r g i e s ’ C h i e f Executive Officer (CEO), Patrick Pouyanne.

The Waha acquisition by To t a l E n e rg i e s a n d ConocoPhillips, which already hold stakes of 16.33% each, was approved by Libya’s interim government.

It was further noted that TotalEnergies plans to spend US$2B on the Waha project to raise production currently at 300,000 barrels of oil per day by 100, 000 barrels of oil per day.

In March, Kaieteur News reported that Hess had sold a key asset in Denmark to focus on its lucrative Guyana projects, specifically the Liza Phase One, Liza Phase Two, Payara and Yellowtail developments in the Stabroek Block. The American company had told the market that it entered into an agreement with Ineos Exploration and Production Company to sell its subsidiary, Hess Denmark ApS, which held a 61.5% interest in the South Arne Field. The asset was sold for a total consideration of US$150 million.

The following month, the company sold its Little Knife and Murphy Creek acreage interests in The Bakken, North Dakota to Enerplus Corporation, a Canadian energy giant, for US$312 million.

While it may have stakes in other blocks in the Guyana-Suriname basin, Hess Corporation has

Hess Corporation’s CEO, John Hess categorically stated that its top priority will remain the oil rich Stabroek Block since it is “the mother-load” of its portfolio. Specifically making this comment was Hess’ Chief Operating Officer (COO), Greg Hill.

He was, at the time, participating in Bank of America’s Global Energy Conference.

Participating in the virtual conference as well was Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Hess, who boasted about the revenue making potential of the Stabroek Block projects. He said, “The Bakken, Deepwater Gulf of Mexico and Malaysia serve as our cash engine, while Guyana serves as our growth engine.

With the start-up of Liza Phase Two early next year, Guyana also becomes a cash engine and at that time, all of our major assets will be free cash flow positive.”

With a lineup of up to 10 Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSOs) in Guyana to develop approximately 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent resources, as well as its robust inventory of Continued on page 3

Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Lower the income tax threshold - Cathy Hughes Citing the climbing cost of living and a “heartless” across the board seven percent increase in public servants salary, The Alliance For Change (AFC) executive member, Cathy Hughes has called for a lowered income tax threshold to allow more money into the pockets of low income earners.

Hughes made the call at a virtual press conference hosted by the Party on Tuesday.

In presenting her case, she explained, “At a time when inflation has reached 14 percent, a seven percent increase just does not cut it.

Every household, every small business, the minibus operators, the coconut vendors, the lady selling food, everyone has been affected by the rising cost of living.

Small businesses cannot adequately restock, as they have seen sales decline, while most of the cost of supplies to restock has increased (financially). Prices have increased from the most basic of food items, the cost for construction materials have gone up and for some it has doubled”.

The former Minister of Telecommunications told reporters that the administration has refused to meet and discuss salary increases with the various Unions, as they are well aware that the workers representatives would not accept increases less than the inflation rate.

She said that they resorted to forcing the seven percent down the throats of workers.

But by doing this, she argued, it is the worker at the top tier that will benefit from the imposed across the board increase.

“By making the seven percent increase across the board, the Government will allow for public servants at the higher end of the pay scale to receive more on their salaries, while a pittance is added to the low income earner. At a $4,900 increase when taxes are

AFC Executive Member, Cathy Hughes deducted, it would not even cover the cost of a 20 pounds cylinder of gas… we need and we must do more for low income earners,” she noted.

Hughes further stated that a mere seven percent to the salary of workers after being taxed is nothing short of “heartless”. It is the most vulnerable, with low earnings that need the most assistance in this economic crisis, Hughes pointed out.

In this regard she said, “The AFC calls for an immediate adjustment to the income tax threshold that will allow for low-income earners to have more disposable income and a total review of the income tax rate for all workers and, especially, for the minimum wage to be raised”.

For the year 2021, each worker is required to pay at a tax rate of28 percent in Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) if they earn $195,000 and under. Meanwhile, a worker earning $195,001 and over per month will pay 40 percent of their annual income in taxes.

It is important to note that in the Bank of Guyana’s Half-Year Report is a table, which Continued on page 22

Exxon partner sells interest in...

From page 2 high return drilling locations in the Bakken, USA, the CEO said the company’s ability to deliver high return resource growth is, therefore, “unparalleled.”

Expounding further he said, “When Liza Two comes on, we will steadily move down the cost curve. Our Guyana developments have a Brent breakeven price between US$25 and US$35 per barrel. And as our Bakken production in the USA goes up to 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the next several years, we will be able to go down the cost curve.”

The Hess boss added, “By 2026, we predict that our cash unit cost will go down by 25

percent versus this year to approximately US$9 per barrel of oil equivalent resources…”

Further to this, Hess said his company is clearly positioned to deliver industry leading cash flow growth. In this regard, he said between 2021 and 2026, the company’s cash flow is forecast to increase by 25 percent annually. He said this is more than two times as fast as its production growth.

At a price of US$65 per barrel Brent, Hess said this should result in annual free cash flow growth increasing to approximately US$3B per year by 2026.

“And if you add a US$10 higher price it is actually US$4B per year,” the Hess boss stated.

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‘ENOUGH TALKING; WE NEED ACTION NOW’ — Mottley tells CARICOM Energy Conference Leaders and technical experts across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have collectively reiterated their lamentations regarding the repeated failure and wavering international financial commitments to the mitigation and adaptation strategies, which the world must adopt in order to stem the effects of Climate Change.

These were among the sentiments expressed when the Seventh Caribbean Sustainable Energy Forum (CSEF) – hosted by the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) - kicked off yesterday, in seeking to address the most pressing sustainable energy challenges and opportunities facing the region.

Delivering the keynote

Barbadian Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley and disastrous exogenous shocks.”

This, Symmonds said, “places us all on the front line in the fight against climate change.”

To this end, he was adamant, that sustainable development – whether alternative or renewable

“…we recognise that Caribbean SIDS, are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and other external economic shocks, including fuel price variability. Reducing reliance on fossil fuels in the islands is therefore not just about reducing carbon emissions but also, about economic resilience” - Canadian High Commissioner a ddress at the opening of the confab, Barbados’ Minister of Energy, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Kerrie Symmonds used the occasion to remind that failed financial commitments on the part of those in the developed world is compounded by, “our geographical predisposition of being exposed to sudden

e nergy - must be at the forefront of transforming our regional economies.

The forum falls within the annual observance of CARICOM Energy Month, which this year is being held under the theme, “From Dependence to Resilience: Fuelling our Recovery with Sustainable Energy.”

The hybrid Forum is

being held after it was deferred last year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and comes on the heels of the just-concluded United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26).

Venued at the Hilton Barbados Resort and streamed globally, the Forum boasted the presence and participation of key regional actors within the energy sector including Barbadian Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, who in her remarks to the opening admonished, “it is enough talking; we need action now.” She noted, too, that sustainable energy is a key element of the energy transition.

During the activity, Minister Symmonds also used the occasion to highlight Barbados’ commitment to all regional cooperation, intended to wean the region away from an unhealthy dependence on fossil fuels, through support for regional organisations, including hosting CCREEE. Further recognising the

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Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

Our Governments conspire with oil companies to drain Guyana

W

e have to take off our hat to Exxon and Hess, and the others exploring Guyana’s oilfields.

These Americans never let up, never miss a beat, never allow an opportunity to go by to extract more out of Guyana. This is what we headlined in a recent edition of ours: “Exxon wants to extend hold on Stabroek Block due to COVID-19 - sends application to Govt. for consideration -Hess Chief Operating Officer reveals” (KN November 19). Just for the record, that does not surprise us, and is about as guaranteed as anything can get.

The current exploration licence expires in 2026, a whole five years from now, and Exxon and Hess are already on the move towards an extension for another 10 years. The British had our people under slavery centuries ago, now the Chinese extends that slavery more and more today in many commercial areas, and the Americans charge ahead of them to enslave us even more, with an application for a 10-year extension of its Stabroek Block exploration licence.

Talk about forward planning, colonialism, and corporate smarts.

As much as we might want to scourge (and we definitely do) the foreign oil companies, the bulk of the blame and the anger of citizens of this country has to be aimed at local leaders. By this we mean, and do not spare anyone, all of our governments going as far back as 1999.

Government leaders in the previous PPP’s span of stewardship, the five years of the APNU+AFC overseership, and today’s current PPP chiefs all deserve to be flayed with spiked whips. They have given away, and keep giving away, without any regard for the damage done to the prospects of this country. It is why we spare none of them, since there have been opportunities to steady our oil boat and make things right; not wholly right, but reasonably better.

Instead, both the Coalition and PPP Governments have let the openings go by, which if they were seized and leveraged to our advantage, could have made a difference, and placed us on a different pathway. A bargaining pathway where we would have earned a bit of grudging respect from the likes of Exxon and Hess and others in the consortium setup for Guyana’s oil. It would have been that these people made mistakes, but they have learned, they are as tough as nails, and we trifle with them at great risk. Because one government after another have been such easy pushovers, Exxon and its brethren have made rings around us, and wrapped chains not only around our wrists and ankles, but also around our necks.

This explains why Hess’ Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr. Greg Hill, could put in the public domain with confidence that, “The operator has applied for an extension on that 2026 (timeline) due to the effects of COVID-19 on that 2026 (timeline) and we will see if we actually get that but there could be an extension to the exploration licence.”

They should be relinquishing (surrendering) fractions of the Stabroek Block at specific times, but instead of gearing up to do that, the Americans are talking about an extension of the exploration licence, and by a whopping 10 years. In fairness to COO Hill, he did qualify his words with “if we actually get that” (the extension). We thank him for his courtesy, but he didn’t have to go through that charade, since the whole world knows that there are no ifs ands or buts about an exploration licence extension being granted; such a done deal it is.

This is how weak and helpless, and pathetic the PPP Government looks before all observers, and none has to be possessing of any high intelligence to detect this way, which has been characteristic of both the PPP and Coalition. A nationally prominent Chartered Accountant was crystal clear as to how this country’s governments (previous and present) have utilised loopholes in the nation’s Petroleum Act to the benefit of ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess and CNOOC. To the benefit of the foreign oil companies, and not Guyanese who are betrayed repeatedly. It is our own Guyanese Governments that have used loopholes in our laws for outsiders to prosper, while locals get paltry handouts.

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Local insurance industry capable of arranging any level of insurance for oil and gas contractors DEAR EDTITOR The Insurance Association of Guyana [IAG] and the Guyana Insurance Brokers’ Association [GIBA] are the two representative bodies of the local insurance underwriting and intermediary industries. We have noted with extreme consternation the reported utterances of one, Mr. Arthur Deakin, purportedly an “International Consultant”, on matters pertinent to the latest draft of Guyana’s Local Content Policy [LCP].

(Kaieteur News November 22, 2021).

This gentleman, whose academic background is Political Science, has taken upon himself to pronounce upon the complex issues of “capacity” of the local insurance in-

dustry in opining that the latest Draft LCP was unrealistic, inter alia, with respect to Insurance.

The IAG and GIBA which represent virtually 100 percent of the local industry have never been consulted by Mr. Deakin. Nowhere within his reported utterances was it revealed what research was conducted as to the ‘capacity’ of the local insurance industry. Does he care to expand on what he understands to be Insurance Capacity within the complex context of the risk transfer mechanisms of Insurance, Reinsurance, and Retrocession? What did Mr. Deakin compute was the ‘capacity’ of the local industry versus the required ‘capacity’ that guided his con-

clusions? Maybe, Mr. Deakin would care to expand by directing us to where we may access his research.

It is beyond the scope of this letter to go into more technical detail. However, the IAG and GIBA have articulated to our LCP policymakers and insurance regulators our position as to what extent Guyana’s Oil and Gas [O&G] risks could be handled by the indigenous industry. We have presented to them our model for the best approach to LCP participation for the indigenous insurance industry.

In a nutshell, once our model is established, the local industry is easily capable of arranging any level of insurance our O&G contractors may wish. We may start out

as intermediaries and small participants in actual risk retention, but nothing stops us from handling the gamut of insurance needs.To this end, the IAG and GIBA members have already developed the necessary technical resources and established linkages with the world’s leading players in O&G Insurance, all of whom are ready and willing to work with us. The IAG and GIBA therefore roundly reject what is evidently uninformed and unscholarly opinion making, especially in relation to matters of crucial importance to local industries.

Sincerely, Insurance Association of Guyana.

Guyana Insurance Brokers Association.

Help and Shelter records 100% increase in hotline calls DEAR EDITOR, This year, the 16 days of Activism against Genderbased Violence is being observed under the theme “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!” Although it has been a challenging year, we at Help & Shelter have been resolute in our efforts to respond to the needs of women and girl survivors of violence and to continue our work for the prevention of the various forms of violence.

The impact of COVID-19 cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, measures put in place to combat this pandemic have resulted in the loss of employment, increased isolation, increased use of drugs and alcohol as coping measures and greater financial need and dependency, among other factors, which have contributed to not only an increase in the threat and use of violence but also many suffering in silence without an opportunity to reach out for

help.

Help & Shelter has recorded a slight decrease in its face-to-face client intake but over a 100% increase in hotline calls. Our shelter has had to reduce its intake due to COVID-19 restrictions. In our public education work, we have been able to engage communities through the use of social media and other platforms, continuing to raise awareness and providing training and other support measures such as dissemination of posters, booklets, referral information and brochures focused on response and referrals for GBV issues.

In light of recent reports in the media that indicated that the courts have received over 3,000 reports of genderbased violence, Help & Shelter reaffirms its commitment to offering confidential psychosocial support to women and girls who are survivors of violence, including court support, shelter/safe space accommodation and face-to-

face and hotline counselling services. We urge all individuals to take advantage of these services that are offered free to the public.

Recognising the number of migrants from Venezuela who are in need of our services, we have retained the full-time services of a Spanish-speaking psychosocial counsellor and some members of our staff have pursued Spanish language courses.

We remain hopeful that gender-based violence can be reduced if not eliminated if more men are involved in the process and are educated and/or better informed on the subject, as revealed in recent discussions held with men.

We continue to engage with men and encourage referrals from the various agencies and authorities engaging male perpetrators of violence.

We would remind men and boys that it’s necessary and acceptable to seek help if you have issues addressing anger and do not know how you can

handle conflict apart from using violence.

We reiterate our gratitude to Government of Guyana, the Spotlight Initiative, other funders, the private sector and the public for their continued support of our efforts in combating all forms of violence against women and girls.

For those who are unable to visit our office on Homestretch Avenue, we can be reached through Facebook at and on the following hotline numbers: 24 hr Hotline numbers 613 1758, 613 1811 – office number 225 4731 – Facebook:www.facebook.com/ handsgy. Bilingual hotline number 608 2097 Yours faithfully, Kevin Massiah Pamela Nauth Niveta Shivjatan Colin Marks Linda Hustler-Gray Danuta Radzik Josephine Whitehead For Help & Shelter

The SRDC does not represent the views of the Indigenous people in South Rupununi DEAR EDITOR, I read with amazement and utter shock in the Monday, November 22 edition of Stabroek News that the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) is calling for the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission to rescind the Marudi mining agreement.

First of all, as an indigenous resident of the South Rupununi for over forty-five years, I wish to set the record starting that the SRDC is not representing all the people of the South Rupununi, but only a select few who are mostly members of the said SRDC and their affiliates. The Council is marred by self-interest and other motives,

rather than representing the people collectively in the interest of uniting our people for the common good of community development. Editor, the SRDC, and its Executives Members are really out of touch with the realities on the ground in Marudi and in relation to the recently signed agreement by several parties.

To alleviate my ignorance of this matter I recently reached out to several individuals and agencies simply because the SRDC is not trusted nor respected by the majority of residents in the South Rupununi. As such, I can safely state that small miners from South Rupununi who were once requested to cease

operations within Marudi and were compliant is now given approval to resume mining under an agreement with a mine plan, and monitoring system for regulated mining activities. Additionally, the large-scale mining company is NOT engaged in any mining with the exception of exploration activities, only exploration is permitted as per the company’s prospecting licence and strengthened by the agreement, which was recently signed. The SRDC is so out of touch with the people they claim to represent that they are unaware that it was the residents and small miners from the South Rupununi who have been

pushing for the resumption of small-scale mining activities in Marudi.

This will create employment and opportunities for the residents, something the SRDC has failed to do, but rather openly engage in selfinterest activities.

Further, I was advised that the decision to resume smallscale mining was a long and consultative process, which included the small miners who are also indigenous, RDC, RMA, and Romanex/ Aurous, and the mining regulatory agency.

It must be noted that the “small miners” are from the South Rupununi and the (Contienued on page 6)

Wednesday November 24, 2021

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Kaieteur News

The proposed amendments to ROPA: a sad testimony of where we are in this country DEAR EDITOR, A lot has been written about the proposed electoral reforms (RoPA)), with most being sharply critical of the misplaced emphases of the PPP Government. Those ranged from the not-so-subtle gerrymandering of thorny Region Four to troublesome areas (GECOM) totally ignored to the embedded racial objectives, which are sometimes nuanced, but cannot conceal PPP machinations.

No matter how denied by the Government’s electoral reforms verbal and legal shaman, the Hon. Attorney General (AG), the astute are not fooled that they feather only the party’s nest, while leaving the nation dangling in its everlasting state of controversies and torturous suspensions.

This was what the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) brought profoundly and succinctly to the fore. I salute it, because I think that

it hit the nail flush on the head, which most (including myself) gave a glancing blow.

Though I had shared my thoughts in an earlier public contribution on electoral reform proposals, in select areas, they were carefully muted. However, I think that the GHRA surgically lanced Guyana’s electoral abscesses, when its public release drove a spike into the raw nerve of the proposals.

Specifically, the GHRA’s release commented along these lines: ‘the proposed consultation to amend the RoPA is calculated to further, rather than reduce, political tensions in Guyana by keeping attention focused on the post-elections fiasco of 2020 and to sustain political polarization.

To this extent, it constitutes a piece of monumental hypocrisy.’

That is a verbal ass-kicking. Period. By keeping its constituency focused on

2020, and inciting passions still higher, the PPP electoral reform proposals serve as a surefire diversion from its corruptions in contracts and relief cash; and its enormous failures with new and developing oil issues (audit, reports, Payara leverage). For sure, it complements some of what was shared by other commentators, but the GHRA brought reform proposals down to a comfortable reading level, with an astounding clarity that I do not recall encountering in prior writings.

No Guyanese can claim lack of understanding of the PPP’s objectives. Not one citizen, who can still claim to be a clean and conscientious thinker, a true nationalist, should pretend not to appreciate where all this is going. I contend that, when looked at from the GHRA’s perspective, what the PPP placed into the public domain with much brave talk about a consultation process, exposes the

Need for a watchdog group on Government payments DEAR EDITOR, During the coalition’s rule, pumps were ordered from India and delivered in Guyana.

Engineers reported that some of the pumps were defective and full payments were withheld pending corrective measures.

Although the pumps have not been repaired to the correct specifications, engineers say payment to the contractor was authorised under the current government by an official of the Ministry of Finance but was blocked by an official of the Ministry of Agriculture. Was there a tussle?

Was payment approved in order to turn a blind eye after the demand from an official of the Ministry of Finance was met by the supplier? Transaction was confirmed by engineers in contact with the company. Incidentally, this senior official at the Ministry of Finance has been earmarked for a senior position at a major state agency. Was there another huge demand for a fee from an official of the Ministry of Agriculture?

Sources say that the Indian company was unable to meet any new demand for an additional “fee”.The pumps have not been remedied though we are in the rainy season again.

Since the pumps have not been remedied, why was payment authorised in the first instance? Shouldn’t there be an investigation into what really

happened with the pumps and whether they are fixed?

Would the official who received a fee return it to the Indian company?

Meanwhile, the ministry is embarking on another pump arrangement. Information from engineers within NDIA detailed how pumps are being procured for the newly awarded pump stations through a middle person in the US. The middle person is an agent of pumps that are purchased from China and elsewhere sold to Guyana through private contractors who then supply them to NDIA. Would these pumps meet the specifications or is another problem like the Indian supplier in the making?

Are we going to be supplied cheap, substandard pumps?

On this pump transaction, it is understood that a very high official of the Ministry of Agriculture is functioning as a silent agent with the US middle man. And he is also a close associate of the contractor/supplier of the Stanleytown pump station who procures pumps for several other pump stations in the country. The contractor has positioned the high official to

front for him in this transaction to supply substandard pumps to NDIA under a US registered brand name. The contractor continues to represent the US manufacturer who traditionally supplied high quality pumps. Given all the problems the country has experienced, should we not be careful with ordering pumps through middle sources and inexperienced contractors?

That aside, editor, as I am learning from ‘pumpers’ and farmers, the recent floods have been highly profitable for a few senior officials of the Ministry. It would seem that creating floods and emergency situations create handsome profitable business for some.

The engineers report on the verification exercise for flood works payments that have revealed that a few contractors in East and West Berbice are being paid in some instance more than five folds for actual drainage works done during the floods. Small contractors who did similar amounts of work are not receiving similar payments and in fact have not been paid as (Contienued on page 6)

party for what it is: hell bent on hegemony, ready to gain such unassailable advantage by any method necessary (inclusive of what has madness plastered all over it), and fully prepared to defend its electoral reform handiworks with what is nimble, but feeble, footwork.

It is a sad testimony of where we are in this country that the Hon. Attorney General could first preside over something like this, and then steps forward proudly to stand by it.

If he possesses a fraction of the smarts that has been attributed to him, and anoints himself with, then he would have declared himself not willing to be part of what further devastates this society.

After all, there is a limit even to all for one, and one for all, which the AG should know well. It is appalling that Guyana’s chief legal officer should allow his name to sponsor a continuing calam-

ity like this.

As this and other issues are examined, it is now undeniable that the AG has lost touch with where his foremost obligations reside: it is with the state, and not his party, to which credit this calculating time bomb will work. If he still cares, I point him to the Hon. Archibald Cox of Watergate fame and ill-fortune, which is who he should have been; and not the Bork, Ashford, and Gonzalez that he relishes being domestically. For here we are, in the first instance of His Excellency speaking of unity, and this shallow, specious business about ‘One Guyana’.

His Excellency deploys the Hon. Prime Minister as his Delta Commander to the ‘One Guyana’ end, to deliver some kind of snow job.

But, in the next breath, and on behalf of the same ruling party, the AG goes in the opposite direction and stands as the principal orchestrator of

these divisive electoral reform developments, which have all the elements of perpetuating what have rent and traumatized the misinformed, misled, and misused peoples of this wounded society. Taken together, they neither help nor heal, but hurt and horrify.

They do not resolve anything; rather, they return divided Guyanese to the same places as before, if not at lower depths. Last, this dissolves whatever trust there may have been that the PPP was sincerely interested in genuine electoral reform. Or on most other things of grave importance to this battered society. Without a doubt, these electoral reforms set the stage, should they leave draft form (and sham consultation exercises) in the same shape, for more of the self-inflicted batteries four years hence that we lived with a year ago.

And still do.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

DISAPPOINTED IN APNU COMMISSIONERS NOMINATIONS FOR GECOM CEO DEAR EDITOR, Even as the discussion continues on local content in Guyana, I am registering my disappointment that APNU Commissioners did not see it fit to nominate at least one Guyanese for CEO post of GECOM. How can we cry that Guyanese must be given the opportunities yet when the time comes, we choose not to select them?

Now that there is a list, with 6 from PPP side and 3

from APNU, my wish is for a Guyanese to have the post of CEO. As reported in some newspapers, I am left with the option of recommending Mr. Deodat Persaud for the post.

From the Stabroek News report, he is both qualified and has the experience. There has been some reservations about the other two Guyanese candidates. Moving forward, it would be good at this junction, as the best candidate would be Mr.

Deodat Persaud.

I am happy that a youth has come forward bravely to throw his hat in the ring.

This is exactly what this country needs at this time.

Recall our President, Minister Manickand, MP Ganesh Mahipal, Chairman of Region 4, are all young people who are doing well; with the two former starting out their careers in their youth stage.

Let’s give the youth a chance.

Regards Sam White

Integrity should be the guiding quality in hiring of a CEO for GECOM DEAR EDITOR With our experiences of elections in Guyana, should Integrity not be the main quality ahead of qualification and experience when selecting the Chairman and other officers at GECOM? Do Guyanese not deserve officials to perform their duties ethically regardless of how they are pressured to do otherwise?

In today’s world there are a vast range of experts

available to give advice to decision makers.

Decision makers do not necessarily have to be experts too.

We as a nation need to move away from the conditioning that a person with a degree is better than one without a degree.

It should not be forgotten how highly degreesdecorated individuals abandoned their professional responsibilities and codes of

conduct in favour of their ‘tribes’ and we all suffer.

A degree is knowledge tool, when used inappropriately can be extremely harmful. Decision makers are expected to deliver the results they are employed to.

This must be their sole focus, and the people’s expectation.

Put integrity first.

Yours with hope.

Muhammad Alli

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Seven percent pay hike for public servants must be viewed within its correct context DEAR EDITOR There was an article in the Kaieteur News dated November 22nd captioned, ‘Widespread condemnation of 7% hike for public servants’ and it began by stating that, ‘Citizens, trade unions and political parties continue to condemn the meager seven percent increase in salary for public servants, with the lead union in the public sector – Guyana Public Service Union – deeming the imposition a violation of the constitution’.

The GTUC in this article made a most astonishing claim. The Union erroneously or I would say maliciously claimed that, ‘According to the GTUC the paltry seven percent confirms the opinion of many that the Ali/Jagdeo regime will take the taxes paid by teachers, public servants and others and lopsidedly distribute to friends and cronies which clearly shows biases that will not augur well for the solidarity of the working class and ethnic relations.’ The Union further

claimed that, ‘officials of government trot around the world on the workers’ taxes.’ This is hard to comprehend when taxes from public servants is hardly significant given the level of wages and salaries earned. If the taxes from these workers are that huge then 7% will not be a mere $4,900 increase as and if this is true then public servants only contribute a paltry sum to the Treasury. GTUC needs to understand that ‘you cannot eat your cake and have it too’.

This assertion by the GTUC is contradictory.

The Union should do an analysis of taxes paid by its members and in addition seek clarity on the humongous sums wasted by the Coalition on its useless globetrotting spree. This Government brought tangible benefits from each and every overseas trip. Let us now do a comparison.

In October 2016, former Minister of Finance Mr. Winston Jordan gave the public servants 10%, the initial pro-

posal of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) was for a 40% across-the-board increase for public servants. The union had also requested that allowances be included in the negotiations.

The former President, David Granger announced that based on the country’s current indebtedness, the 10% offer is the most feasible.

“It is not unjust. It is perhaps what can be afforded at the moment.” This he said after he inherited billions of dollars in reserves but which by 2020 he had depleted with great alacrity.

The ‘negotiation’ between the Union and the Coalition for this 10% took 2 months of negotiation to conclude. In October 2017, an 8% increase was given to the public servants. Again there was ‘negotiation’ with the Union. This was followed by an increase of 8% in 2018 and then in November 2019 the wage increase was 9%. By this time, it became pellucid that the ‘negotiations’ between GPSU

Are these judges being excluded for some reason?

DEAR EDITOR, I am an Essequibian.

I have three land cases pending in the Essequibo High Court for the last six years.

My relationship with the judiciary goes back to my childhood days because I used to accompany my parents to the Essequibo High

Court.

I know that Judges are assigned to Essequibo on a rotation basis to do both criminal and civil cases.

However, I cannot recall Judge Jo Ann-Barlow, Judge Fidela Corbin - Lincoln and Judge Damon Younge ever presiding in any civil cases at Essequibo High Court.

As a woman, I am proud of these Judges. I would like to see them doing civil cases at the Essequibo High Court.

Are these Judges being excluded for some reason?

Someone should explain?

Sincerely Maylene Samuels Essequibo Coast Region 2

and the Coalition was just a façade. The Union cannot go against its Master. Those who are now shouting breach of the Constitution need to understand that in reality there was no negotiation in reality. The non-increase in public servants wages and salaries in 2020 must be attributed to the many attempts by the Coalition to rig the elections. In addition, the Coalition had emptied the Treasury and ran down all the reserves. They had squandered everything the PPP/C Government had left. When the PPP/C Government was sworn in in August 2020 there was little time to salvage the rapidly declining economy in the face of the growing pandemic and later on a devastating flood. But salvage it did. Every Guyanese was given some form of financial assistance to pull them through but in addition various tax reliefs and cash reliefs were given to combat a rising cost of living brought about mainly by the pandemic and

the flood. I must also mention the rising global costs which cause our imports to skyrocket. The Government indirectly and directly gave relief of more than $20 billion to every Guyanese.

Moreover, our children and our old people also benefitted through cash grants and subsidies. Never in the history of this nation has everyone benefitted from a government. The Coalition only spoke about ‘good life’ for the people but gave themselves the real good life.

We must be thankful to this Government to bring this economy back to life whilst other economies worldwide are facing sharp economic decline. Whilst the Coalition gave wages and salary increase they took it back with a skillful sleight of the hand.

They taxed Guyanese to the hilt so that any increase in wages became meaningless. They gave a little but took more in the end. What if the Coalition was in government, what would have been

the wage increase, given the flood and the pandemic?

Would it have been a lot more that 7%, when the average under the Coalition in 4 years was 8%? The Coalition would have had all the excuses to implement a wage freeze as was done in the Burnham era.

Today, this Government is condemned by the Opposition for a 7% wage increase but when this is looked at in its true context it is worth a lot more when all the debilitating factors affecting the economy are taken into consideration. Guyanese must look at the bigger picture and realize that in the near future the dividends from all the investments made by this Government will start to bear fruit and the benefits accruing to everyone will multiply significantly.

It’s important to note that sugar workers were given only 5% during the Coalition’s term in office.

YOURS SINCERELY, HASEEF YUSUF

The SRDC does not represent the views From page 4 surrounding indigenous communities stand to benefit the most from the resumption of small-scale mining activities. This will be in the form of employment, provision of goods and services that are necessary to sustain smallscale mining operations.

Finally, all I ask is for the SRDC to be more honest, diligent and wholehearted in representing the interest of all

the indigenous people not only South Rupununi but all of Guyana. I wish to restate that the SDRC will be unmasked for their duplicity and self-interest by denying employment and other opportunities to my fellow indigenous brother and sisters. Therefore, on my own behalf and also those not openly able to state their support, we wish to endorse the resumption of small-scale mining and explo-

ration activities for the benefit of all indigenous communities within South Rupununi. The government through the Ministry of Natural Resources, the regulatory agency, and collaboratively with other stakeholders acted wisely in the interest of our indigenous brothers and sisters of South Rupununi and all of Region 9.

Sincerely T. Williams

Need for a watchdog group on...

From page 5 yet.

Is that fair?

Is it a result of not wanting to be part of the drawback payment scheme dominating

operations?

We need a watchdog group to monitor misappropriated government funds in the name of buying pump, performing drainage work,

and in all government procurements as we are worse now than that what obtained pre-2015.

Yours truly Samuel Gittens

‘Enough talking; we need action now’...

From page 3 plays in advancing the sustainable energy agenda and in building resilience, newly appointed Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM, Dr. Armstrong Alexis, noted that CSEF’s actualization is a lesson in resilience.

“Disruptions serve as reminders of the challenges CARICOM countries continue to face which often stymie progress and expose us to external shocks.”

Ambassador of the European Union to Barbados, the OECS and CARICOM, Malgorzata Wasilewska, echoed sentiments by Prime Minister Mottley, on the need for action and remarked, “I wish

that your discussions at this Forum become actions, as soon as possible; we [EU] will do everything in our power to accompany you on that front.”Canada’s High Commissioner to Barbados and the OECS, Lilian Chatterjee, also present for the confab, expressed her pleasure at being able to partner in this event and to assist CARICOM Member States with the transition to energy independence.

She said, “…we recognise that Caribbean SIDS, are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and other external economic shocks, including fuel price variability.

Reducing reliance on fossil fuels in the islands is, therefore, not just about reducing carbon emissions, but also about economic resilience.”

Other notable live and virtual guests included Dr. Gary Jackson, Executive Director of the CCREEE and Dr. Devon Gardner, Head of the Energy Unit, CARICOM Secretariat.

The three-day Forum concluded today with sessions focused on building an enabling environment, enabling implementation, and assessing the energy profiles of CARICOM Member States.

CARICOM Energy Month events and activities continue throughout the remaining days of November.

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Wednesday November 24, 2021

Bamia school contract fiasco highlights dire need for Procurement Commission - Figueira The Procurement Act of 2003 clearly states that suppliers and contractors seeking Government projects must substantiate their past performance with the necessary documents for consideration.

However, a ‘fly-bynight’ company, St8ment Investment Inc. has been granted a whopping $346 million contract to build a new Primary School at Bamia in Region 10, with no public records indicating any construction experience.

The new Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Jermaine Figueira in an interview with this newspaper, said that this flaw highlights the

importance and need for the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) to be established.

According to him, “My concern is with regard to this particular company. It hasn’t been registered for over a year, it has no known public information with respect to the company undertaking any works of this magnitude, the fact is that they are going to be building a school to house children and teachers.

That is a concern to me, (given that) the company having no public experience to do such large construction” could have been awarded such a contract.

He said, even though

St8ment has contracted a company to supervise the construction works, it does not stray from the fact that this is a blatant disregard for the Constitution.

“But it is still concerning that this particular school was put to be bid for, and people with experience would have bid for it. People with known experience would have bid for it, and none of them got the contract. It brings into question the need for the Public Procurement Commission to be established and it brings into question what role did the N P TA B ( N a t i o n a l Procurement and Tender Administration Board)

played in this regard, because it is clearly a breach of the Procurement Act and NPTAB criteria,” the PAC Chairman emphasized.

He added, “That is why we have been saying that the issue of the Public Procurement Commission needs to be prioritized or to be operationalized, where the Commission is put in place. Because those contractors who lost the bid to a company with no experience could have lodged their complaints to the PPC, but there is no commission in place and there is no recourse for those aggrieved contractors.”

CHAPTER 73:05 of the Procurement Act 2003 declares that each supplier or contractor that wishes to participate in procurement proceedings must qualify by meeting the criteria as the procuring entity considers appropriate. These include, “That its past performance substantiated by documentary evidence would commend it for serious consideration for the award of the contract”.

Two weeks ago, Popular Disc Jockey, Entertainer turned radio and television station owner, Kerwin Bollers, along with wellknown local football promoter, Shanghai Major, signed the contract for the construction of a $346M school at Bamia, Region 10.

That contract was signed at the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. Minister Dharamlall, at the time of the signing, said that the project is expected to be completed within 20 months.

Region 10 Chairman, Deron Adams criticized the award of the contract, to the unknown builders, which was done at the level of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board. It was reported that four companies submitted bids for the contract.

Adams also expressed his disappointment that the contract was signed without his notification, as an elected official of the region.

One of the companies which tendered for the project, Bulkan Timber

Chairman of PAC, Jermaine Figueira Works in a letter to another section of the media complained about NPTAB’s statement that the agency is “not required to conduct due diligence exercises into companies that tender for public projects”.

The businessman, Howard Bulkan elaborated, “The evaluators, they are not required to do the due diligence on the persons that bid. They would presume that it is a valid company because of the company registration and so on, would normally be included in the bid. Essentially what would happen is if the company did include that (their registration) in their bid, the evaluators would assume that it is correct.”

Wednesday November 24, 2021

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Kaieteur News

This meeting was a pappy show The President should not be meeting with contractors.

He is a political figure and his job is to ensure that the policies regarding infrastructure works – be they schools, roads, bridges drainage and irrigation, hospitals, police buildings, etc., are laid out and that there are supervisory authorities tasked with ensuring the implementation of these policies and projects and the relevant personnel are subject to oversight.

This cannot effectively happen until there are effective systems in place for the management of the Public Sector Investment Project.

There is at present too much emphasis being placed on the Public Procurement Commission (PPC). But the role of that body needs to be re-evaluated since there is need to determine whether the PPP/C has the authority to overturn a procurement decision – a jurisdiction which presently falls within the ambit of tender administrations.

However, the President should be giving greater attention to having the PPC established. His government should not be granting any major contracts unless and until such a body is established because without it there is no oversight taking place. But before it is established, there needs to be clear understanding of its role visà-vis Cabinet and tender board administrations.

The President’s meeting with the contractors is a pappy show. The contractors who undertake public works do not need any lecturing about their obligations. They have signed contracts with

the government which create obligations. Those obligations must be enforced by the respective tender boards and if there are violations, then restitution must be sought in accordance with the terms of the contract. Instead of being lectured, the contractors should be subject to legal action for any shortcomings.

During the meeting the President is reported to have told the contractors that Guyana is going through a revolutionary period of development – we have heard that before – and that greater attention has to be paid to expediency (sic), accountability and quality.

But the prime responsibility for these things rests not with the contractors but with the oversight bodies including the Tender Administrations.

He is reported to have told contractors that it is important for both the government and contractors to address the issue of timely completion of projects. He explained that there will be an assessment of every contractor and that a demerit system would be developed which could disqualify them from having new contracts. But the President said nothing about legal action against contractors for failing to complete work on time.A demerit system sounds good. But in practice it can be used in a discriminatory manner. The same is true about a performance award system. But there appears to be a sound reason why the President met with the contractors. It is, I believe, part of what is a political attempt to defect attention away from

the controversial award of a contract. Instead of defending this award, the government appears more interested, to me, to place attention elsewhere.

I believe that what we are seeing is a manoeuvre to deflect attention away from the controversial award of contracts to the actual work done by contractors. The contractors should have drawn a nexus and pointed out to the President that when the wrong people get contracts, it is then that shoddy, late and unaccountable work is produced.But the chickens have a way of coming home to roost. When substandard work is done because the wrong persons are awarded contracts, it is the government which has to fetch the blame.

The government has faced the brunt of the criticism over the now decrepit Skeldon Sugar Factory. Yet, we have heard nothing about the contractors being taken to court for the failures to get the factory going.

The roads in a certain part of Georgetown were done years ago. The project cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Yet, soon after problems with the surface developed.

There were problems also with the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Extension Project. Yet, no one is yet before the courts to answer for failing to meet contractual obligations.

A number of impressive private structures are being erected across the country.

Yet, you do not hear about the work not being done in accordance with the contracts

Dem boys seh ...

Traffic blues gat people turning red De guvament gat to do something bout dis traffic situation in de city.

It driving people mad.

Nuff awe gan end up in Canje…and not because we like country life.

De traffic problems getting from bad to worse but it worse in ole Georgetown and on de East Bank.

De problem on de East Bank can get solve with a little brainpower.

Dem got fuh stop all dem new housing developments on de East Bank.

But in ole Georgetown de situation dread.

De Ole Georgetown

boundaries dem is Vlissengen Road, Princes Street, Water Street and de Seawall.

De traffic situation between dem boundaries is enough to give yuh blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack and a nervous breakdown. Dem lil children sitting in dem parents’ car in traffic jam and dem learning cuss word from listening to dem odder drivers.

De guvament gat fuh stap business places in dis zone.

De city can’t support no more new businesses.

Dem also need to hire traffic wardens 24/7 because de people always deh put de

road. Dem need to create walking zones weh vehicles prohibited.

Dem boys believe dat de area border by Middle Street, Main Street, New Market Street and Waterloo Street should tun a walking zone.

No traffic should get fuh guh deh.

Instead ah raising dem walkways dem should create drains and cover dem over to form elevated walkways like de Dutch does do.

In fact, all dem trenches should become walkways.

Talk half and pray fuh nat get ketch in traffic in ole Georgetown.

signed. But when it comes to government contracts there are very often problems. And unless condign action is taken to hold the contractors accountable, then these prob-

lems will persist.

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

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday November 24, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Class and colour: Stabroek News and Ravi Dev I

will give Ravi Dev some advice and I hope he remembers it always. It is going on to 33 years I am a newspaper columnist. In those years people would come up to me and declare that they don’t understand many things in my pieces. Some would say, “Freddie tone down the intellectual thing man.”

Ravi’s letter in the Monday, November 22, 2021 issue of the Stabroek News (SN) is a plausible and overdue critique of the inherent bias of SN against the PPP. But it is done in the style of a certain well known letter-writer and a majority of people do not understand what this gentleman is getting at when he writes. I hope that Ravi hasn’t caught the infection.

Ravi is well educated to know how SN evolved, the

class structure it was born into and the cultural predilections that come with such class elitism. SN has a political purpose. It emerged as part of the Portuguese/Creole rampart, founded by two Portuguese gentlemen whose family was the crème de la crème of the 1940s and 1950s.

I wrote for the SN for six consecutive years and I saw the attempt by David DeCaires and Miles Fitzpatrick to resuscitate the colour and class regime of the 1940s in the 1990s.

A caveat is in order. I think both men were decent, nice, principled fellows (the Portuguese petty bourgeois were) but they drew the line where colour and class were concerned.

They let other folks know that there is a demarcation line that cannot be crossed. In

contrast, the bourgeois Indian class in Guyana is not like that. There is a sociological explanation for the class modesty of both the Indian bourgeoisie and Indian middle class but that should not concern us here.

In response to Ravi’s useful analysis of where SN stands in relation to the PPP’s possession of state power, I quote from two of my pieces. I wrote in a column titled, ‘Guyana’s class structure: Beyond the end of history’ of Monday, September 20, 2021: “The middle class is in dormancy.

It will be left to the Stabroek News to carry the torch for the Creole middle class. I sincerely believe that my studies of Guyanese society lead me to think that the middle class vacuum will be filled by the Stabroek News (SN). I saw the power of class and colour at SN. It

has remained in this mode since its birth. It speaks for the middle class elites. I have nothing against SN. This is my academic analysis.”

Here is an extract from my column ‘Kaieteur News and Stabroek News: A class analysis’ of Wednesday, September 22, 2021: “SN was founded, funded and preserved by the Portuguese bourgeoisie with money from the American government. It became an integral part of lightcomplexion class structure.

Its motivating instinct was that there should be an instrument to preserve middle class ethos in Guyana. There was a cultural, ideological, and class foundation in the decision to birth SN.” From here on until we reach the election of 2025, the SN is going to adumbrate positions that Dev takes objections to thus we can expect more trenchant articulations from Dev. One would hope that these offerings by Dev will be written in a way the lay

person could understand what he is getting at.

I believe people (just as how Dev reacted) will find these positions too one-sided and will rightly attribute political motives to SN. SN will continue to give more than usual coverage to the Guyana Human Rights Association, Transparency InternationalGuyana chapter, WPA and the AFC thus inviting criticism that it has a political agenda.

What I think SN is going to do is to shape the circumstances in Guyana with its relentless anti-PPP coverage to enable a middle class third party to emerge two years before the 2025 e l e c t i o n s . We h a v e a c o r r u g a t e d s o c i e t y, broadened by the anger of certain middle class entities by the return of Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP to power.

The SN leads that brigade.

It is unfortunate that a newspaper could take the position on Dr. Vincent Adams in four editorials condemning the PPP

Frederick Kissoon government for removing him as head of the EPA. There has to be a demarcation line between politician and the professional public servant.

Dr. Adam is in the leadership of an opposition party.

In concluding, I think SN is going to adopt frequently, the position that Dev has rejected in his esoteric letter for which he should apologise for his style. I repeat once more, I have nothing personal against SN. But I am an academic and this is my reading of Guyanese sociology. It is up to SN to prove me and Dev wrong.

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

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Police Prosecutor request more time in former GRDB accountant’s fraud case The prosecution for the fraud matter involving former accountant of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Peter Ramcharran, has asked the court for more time to sort out the case file.

Ramcharran was slapped with 32 fraud charges, which amounted to $414 million. In February 2020, Ramcharran of Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara was sentenced to three years imprisonment, by Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, after he was found guilty of omitting $145 million from the rice entity’s ledger. His conviction was later appealed by his lawyer, Nigel Hughes, and he also managed to secure $2 million High Court bail.

While Ramcharran is out awaiting the outcome of his appeal, he still faces 17 other fraud charges before Principal Magistrate, Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts – which allege that he kept fraudulent accounts.

On Monday when those matters were called in the City Court before Magistrate Dylon Bess, Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers asked the court for time to sort out the case file.

Prosecutor Jeffers explained that as a result of the disruption that was caused by the fire at the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), Eve Leary, Georgetown, over the weekend, he will need some time to sort out his files.

Magistrate Bess granted the prosecutor’s request, but ordered that

Former GRDB accountant, Peter Ramcharran all files in the case must be submitted to the court by January 19, 2022 and on January 26, 2022, the trial for the matter is expected to commence before Principal Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus.

According to reports, the offences took place between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2015, at the GRDB’s Lot 16-17 Cowan Street, Kingston, Georgetown, headquarters.

Ramcharran’s three-year conviction was one of the first major convictions for the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), an arm of the Guyana Police Force, which instituted the charges against him. Kaieteur News had reported that during 2019 Ramcharran was extradited from Canada to face fraud allegations amounting to $414M. All the charges relate to his role at the GRDB. The rice entity was responsible for executing a major oil-for-rice deal worth billions of dollars with neighbouring

Venezuela. That deal ended suddenly in 2015 by a hostile Venezuela after the Coalition Government came into office.

The Board found itself in the spotlight after a forensic audit of that entity revealed, among other “anomalies”, that there were loans without proper paperwork or promissory notes. According to the information, the former Accountant was allegedly, heavily implicated in the probe with regard to the six former GRDB Board members, who were also charged.

From about 2009 to 2015, Guyana, under the then administration of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, had entered a multi-billion-dollar oil-forrice arrangement, which the GRDB was clearing out for farmers. However, millions of dollars of those monies were reportedly siphoned off via third-party arrangements, including rental of ships and other sweetheart deals for a few millers.

The officials who were charged included: the former GDRB General Manager, Jagnarine Singh; former Deputy General Manager, Madanlall Ramraj; General Secretary of the Rice P r o d u c e r s A s s o c i a t i o n ( R PA ) , Dharamkumar Seeraj; former Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Nigel Dharamlall; former General Manager of the Guyana Oil Company, Badrie Persaud; and the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Finance, of the Ministry of Agriculture, Prema Roopnarine.

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Lack of equipment, personnel hamper healthcare delivery in Regions 2 and 10 The Regional Government Medical Officers (GMO), for Regions 2 and 10, who wished to remain anonymous, said yesterday that a lack of equipment and medical personnel is hampering healthcare delivery at hospitals in these two areas.

“We do not have equipment, we do not have technicians,” the GMO told Kaieteur News.

The Region Ten GMO pointed out that the Mabaruma and New Amsterdam hospitals, along with the Lethem Regional hospital do not have the capability to respond to these emergencies in a timely manner. However, he further explained that the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GHPC) is also experiencing this issue.

In terms of ambulances, Region Ten has only two presently; one for COVID-19 patients, and the other for Accident and Emergency response only. He further explained that the oxygen cylinders cannot fit in the ambulances due to their size.

“So we only have one [ambulance]. It’s old. Sometimes it breaks down, sometimes we send patients [in it], when they come back in the ambulance, sometimes the ambulance would break down on the Highway,” she said this was her experience during her tenure at the hospital, before she later transferred to Region Two. Both GMOs posited that the problem is worse than before, “We do not have pressure machines…Sometimes when I used to work in an emergency, and they get no sugar machine or pulse oximeters. Imagine one of the critical things is getting the oxygen situation right in COVID patients, so depending on the oxygen situation and what you need to give to the patients…We have a few nurses, because no one wants to work at the COVID-19 hospital; because they do not get no risk allowance the nurses do not want to go with the patients,” they noted.

Nevertheless, the GMOs are calling on the Health Ministry to address this matter immediately before it gets even worse.

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Wednesday November 24, 2021

DPP’s operations continue despite fire The work of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) will continue despite the recent fire, which destroyed a section of the building that housed its offices.

Speaking with Kaieteur News on the progress made to have the office restored to its regular state of operations, the DPP’s communication Officer, Liz

Rahaman, explained it is already back to operating at an optimum level, despite the fire.

“As you are aware, we recovered all files so nothing

Police ranks assisted with removing important documents from the DPP’s Chambers. was lost in that regard; the fire destroyed the OPR [the p o l i c e ’s O ff i c e o f Responsibility] section. So we were not affected as they were.

We are currently cleaning the office of any debris and reassembling the documents to continue our work,” Rahaman said.

Emphasizing that the fire had little to no effect on the functions of the DPP’s office, the communications officer noted that work of the prosecutors engaged in the criminal assizes will continue unabated, since the documents were in the possession of the respective

prosecutors when the fire scorched the building.

In the meantime, Rahaman said that the DPP office has taken steps to have the documents filed for safekeeping.

The fire, which started at the Guyana Police Force’s Continued on page 22

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

Yellowtail subsea contract among top 10 global awards for the century – Rystad Energy French-American multinational, TechnipFMC recently landed a multimillion dollar contract to supply the subsea equipment for ExxonMobil’s fourth project in the Stabroek Block a t t h e Ye l l o w t a i l Development area. Based on its analysis of this contract alongside its record of others in the industry over the years, Rystad Energy recently noted that it ranks among the top 10 global awards for the century.

In one of its latest pieces, Rystad noted that the scope of works for the subsea contract includes as much as 51 enhanced vertical deepwater trees and 12 manifolds, together with associated controls and tie-in equipment.

The international consultancy group reminded that TechnipFMC defines the Yellowtail contract as large, meaning that it is worth between US$500 million and US$1 billion. Rystad was keen to note that the latest subsea job is set to eclipse work on previous Stabroek phases, which include the Liza Phase One, Liza Phase Tw o , a n d t h e P a y a r a projects.

Expounding on this m a t t e r, Ry s t a d s a i d , “TechnipFMC’s giant Payara win, last fall, landed the company a contract to supply 41 enhanced vertical deepwater trees to ExxonMobil’s third phase of the Stabroek development off Guyana. The 41-tree deal was – at that time – the largest subsea tree contract handed out since Aker Solutions landed Kaombo in 2014.”

The consultancy group said, too, that TechnipFMC’s contract partly saved the subsea market from awarding fewer than 100 trees in 2020 – something it said was seen only once this century in

2016.

Rystad, an independent energy research and business intelligence company headquartered in Oslo, Norway, further noted that TechnipFMC has a strong bond with ExxonMobil in Guyana, having secured all previous phases of the Stabroek development. It said the company’s subsea adventure started back in 2017 when the 17 subsea trees for Liza’s Phase One were handed out and followed up with an additional 30 subsea trees for Liza Phase Two in 2018.

“If Yellowtail formally moves ahead, TechnipFMC would have secured almost 140 subsea trees for the Stabroek development alone.

This is significant for a subsea market that saw around 140 subsea trees awarded globally last year,” Rystad explained.

It reminded that the contract for ExxonMobil’s next phase of the Stabroek development offshore Guyana is subject to final project sanctioning and government approvals.

It was only last month that Kaieteur News reported that development costs for the Yellowtail project are poised to exceed US$9B or GY$1.8 trillion.

ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) which is the operator of the Stabroek Block, had said costs are expected to be higher, since there would be a greater number of development wells and associated drilling costs when compared to its Payara project which will also cost Guyana $1.8 trillion.

According to project documents, Yellowtail will consist of drilling approximately 41 to 67 development wells (including

production, water injection, and gas re-injection wells); installation and operation of Subsea, Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines equipment; installation and the operation of a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block; and— ultimately—project decommissioning.

The FPSO will be designed to produce up to 250,000 barrels of oil per day.

The initial production is expected to begin by the end of 2025–early 2026, with operations continuing for at least 20 years.

The project is expected to employ up to 540 persons during development well drilling, approximately 600 persons at the peak of the installation stage, and 100 to 140 persons during production operations.

Map showing the proposed subsea network for the Yellowtail Development Area.

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday November 24, 2021

“Absolute nonsense” President Ali tells ‘greedy’ Govt. contractors ...announces new contractual obligations for engineers on site Several of the large-scale contractors operating in Guyana were on Monday hauled over the proverbial hot coals, by Head of State, President Irfaan Ali, over a plethora of project woes being unearthed involving contractors, including the sidelining of smaller competitors by the larger companies.

This, among other damning disclosures, occurred when the President met with scores of contractors currently executing projects valued at $100M and above.

Venued at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), President Ali did not mince words, calling “absolute nonsense” some of the discoveries being uncovered.

He highlighted, among other instances, where several companies that would have already secured large scale contracts are also pursuing smaller contracts, such as those valued

between $1M and $5M. As such, the President was adamant this, in itself, not only affects the efficiency of the company executing the project, but also sidelines the smaller contractors.

Under the laws of Guyana, a minimum of 20 percent of small government contracts are supposed to be reserved for small contractors.

President Ali, in addressing the contractors,

one contractor and you want to spend the time to allocate resources on a $5M project, you will bust.”

He cited as an example, a company already executing three or four large projects, but still running after the region for a smaller project—somehow oblivious to the fact that each of the projects are being run simultaneously, and as such, resources would be stretched thin to the detriment of each of the projects involved.

“You want to do the big projects but at the same time you don’t want the small man to get the small projects,” - President Ali railed. said, “I don’t want to see you bidding for a $100M contract, then bidding for a $1M contract, absolute nonsense for you and for us, because there is something called economies of scale and allocation of resources.”

To this end, the President explained, “if you are a tier

“You want to do the big projects, but at the same time you don’t want the small man to get the small projects,” President Ali railed.

Further lamenting the state of affairs and its importance, the President reminded his audience that

Head of State, President Irfaan Ali (left), interacting with some of the contractors during an informal session at ACCC on Monday. the matter of government projects and their execution was discussed at the level of the Cabinet Council of Ministers.

He disclosed that among some of the findings, is the fact that many of the companies, though listing an engineer on their bidding profile, do not in fact have such personnel onsite for the execution of the projects.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e President noted that the administration has observed that, in many instances, several companies would bid for a project—each submitting the same name for its engineer.

To e m p h a s i z e h i s position, the President announced, “I am putting you on notice” that, in future, government contracts will m a k e s p e c i a l

provisions/clause to force companies to secure their own engineers.

President Ali lamented too, that there are cases where “10 different contractors submitting same [the] engineer’s name in the bid documents.”

Moreover, he urged the contractors present to invest in capacity building and suggested in the interim likely waiver of import duties for items such as floodlights, in order to allow works to be executed during the course of the night.

According to the President, the engagement with the larger contractors operating in Guyana was being had as a result of, “a very rigid and robust discussion at level of cabinet.”

He told those in

attendance “the same level of conversation we are having with you has already taken place at cabinet, so the Minister with sector responsibility [is] already on high alert.”

A d d i t i o n a l l y, h e disclosed that the administration was at the time seeking to determine, “whether we have a systemic issue or we have an institutional issue,” and “from my evaluation we have neither a systemic nor institutional issue.”

The President was adamant that, in the next election cycle, his administration will be judged based on “our performance and that performance will be based on many factors.”

As such, he told the Continued on page 20

5 homeless after Region 10 fire The house on fire.

Five persons of Ladern’s Ville, UpperBerbice River, Region 10, are now homeless after a fire, caused by suspected ‘high voltage’, completely gutted the single-flat wooden home, on Monday afternoon.

The owner of the house, Shellon Sampson, her three children and a grandchild who reside there, were not at home at the time of the blaze. Sampson works in Georgetown and would normally visit her home on the

weekends.

According to Shellon’s niece, Mickelicia Sampson, who lives next door, the high voltage of electricity that passed through the village around 14:15hrs on Monday could be a possible source of the fire.

In addition, Sampson said her aunt is a single parent and would be grateful if she can receive assistance from the general public.

Investigations are ongoing.

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 24, 2021

City council explores new revenue streams - Mayor The Georgetown city council is seeking to implement polices to garner revenue from several new areas. These policies include: market stall rentals, pile-driving operations, wash-bay facilities, occupational certificate requirement for businesses, and food handler certificates.

“Those are areas, other areas, we are currently working on to garner revenue from, so that we can be able to sustain ourselves, and these are strategies both administration and councilors have to work on” the mayor stated.

This comment followed after the City Mayor, Ubraj Narine, in an interview with Kaieteur News, noted the deficit in the city council’s budget.

He expounded on the fact that revenue collection for the city is a decade old issue that needs to be fixed. The council’s annual budget is about $2.2 billion, whereas its revenue collection is around $700 to $800 million per year, which in the mayor’s opinion can’t even manage the city.

In this regard, the mayor made reference to the Va l u a t i o n f o r R a t i n g Purposes Act, Chapter 28:04 Subsection 5, which states, “subsequent valuation lists in respect of any such area shall be prepared by the Chief Valuation Officer and shall come into force on the 1st January in every fifth year after the year in which the list for the area has come into force pursuant to subsection.”

The mayor further acknowledged that the last time a revaluation of city revenues was conducted was in 1996 and has not been updated since. He pointed out that this is the responsibility of the Ministry of Local

City Mayor, Ubraj Narine Government and Ministry of Finance. In his opinion, a reassessment is long overdue and it is an issue that continues to affect the council’s operations. “ The revenue for a fourstory and three story building is still $12,000 a year…$50,000 a year…some business places right on Regent Street are still paying $6,000 a year, so there is no reassessment or revaluation of these properties. The list needs to be upgraded, which by law it states [is] every five year” the mayor stressed.

The mayor stated that sometime this week the council plans to call a general pardon, which will have different percentages on the amount of interest owed to the council.

However, he made it clear that it will not be a scenario where persons are pardoned 100 percent of their debts due to the council, but they will be required to pay some amount.

The new policies will be gazetted, then executed. A committee will also be formed to guide the required procedures, to ease the burden placed on residential, commercial, and industrial locations because of the pandemic. The mayor noted that for the years 2020 and 2021, the council has waived all interest due to COVID-19 pressures.

“Absolute nonsense” President Ali...

From page 18 contractors present, “…unlike many of you, people will judge us based on our performance, based on factors involving you.”

He was referring to the need for the contractors to execute the projects they won on time, and to specifications.

The President told those in attendance, “we (the PPP Govt.) committed to fulfilling a mandate, bet your last dollar there is no way, absolutely no way we are not going to achieve that plan, every ounce of my energy, the Cabinet’s energy, my technicians’ energy, will be at achieving that mandate in the interest of Guyana and every single Guyanese.”

As such, the President told the contractors, “you are part of the mechanism that would allow or disallow this government from achieving its commitment to the people of this country…We are one team, all of us in here, we are one team with an objective to achieve one vision.”

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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PAGE 22

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

Canter driver charged for allegedly causing death of couple FOR SALE

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

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A 50-year-old canter driver was on Monday charged with causing the death of a Linden couple last Thursday, along the Caledonia Public Road on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD). The defendant, Carl Craig of lot 150 Public Road, Soesdyke, EBD, made his court appearance at the Diamond Magistrate Court. Principal Magistrate, Judy Ann Latchman charged him with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and he pleaded not guilty to both. He was placed on $500,000 bail for each count of the charge and is expected to make his next appearance in court on

December 15, 2021. Carl Craig found himself in hot water after his canter collided headon with the car Lloyd and Onica Valcin were travelling in, along the Caledonia Public Road around 14:45Hrs last Thursday.

As result, the driver of the car, Lloyd Valcin, 42, and his wife Onica Valcin, 32, of Wisroc, Linden, Region Ten, were killed. A third person, a passenger, who was travelling with the couple, Shaquel Williams, 20, was left nursing severe head and body injuries.

Police believe that Craig was driving recklessly that day and allegedly caused the ac-

Killed in a car crash, Lloyd Valcin and his wife Onica cident. Investigators reported that Craig was driving north along the Western side of the road and as he was approaching a land fill site a sand truck reversed into his path. Instead of slowing

down or stopping, he allegedly pulled over to the eastern side of the road to drive around the sand truck, but ended up in the path of the oncoming car the couple was travelling in.

Providence and Ruimveldt police stations to be completed by February 2022 SERVICES

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The Providence and Ruimveldt police stations, which are being constructed for a total of $124 million, are expected to be completed by February of 2022. Construction commenced on the Providence police station which costs $65 million, and the Ruimveldt police station which costs $59 million earlier this year.

Though there is still a reasonable time span for the completion of these projects, the project engineer, Narendra Guyadin, stated that they are seeking to push up the deadline to February next year, which is before the designated finish time. The Min-

istry of Finance’s Midyear report revealed that a sum of $567 million was spent on the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of police infrastructure. It was stated in the report that a total of $830M has been budgeted

for the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Providence, Ruimveldt, Cove and John, Albion, Whim, Parika, and Wismar police stations, among others. It should be noted that the sum of $15.3B has been allocated to the

Guyana Police Force (GPF) in the 2021 National Budget, of which $95M will be used to resuscitate Community Policing Groups to help them to strengthen neighbourhood patrols and visibility.

Two escape with minor injuries, as ‘veranda’ collapses Two construction workers reportedly ‘missed death’ on Monday after a concrete ‘veranda’ from an apartment building under construction came crashing down on them.

The worksite accident took place during the morning hours at the building’s location on Garnett Street, Kitty.

Neighbours recalled hearing screams, as a huge slab of concrete collapsed from one of the top floors of the building and reportedly fell on two workers. They were assisted out of the ruble and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for treatment. Hospital sources re-

lated that they sustained minor injuries to their head and knees. The neighbours described the concrete slab that fell on them as a veranda with grill rails.

However, Kaieteur News was told that it was just part of the building’s design and not a veranda.

Lower the income tax...

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From page 3 highlighted increases in the cost of food by 12.5 percent, miscellaneous goods and services by 1.9 percent, transport and communication by 1.8 percent, furniture by 1.7 percent, and medical care by 0.3 percent.

Even with consumers already complaining about the cost of living, Head of State, Dr. Irfaan Ali, during a Press Statement earlier this month

warned that a further increase might be afoot, as a result of the global supply chain crisis.

Pointing to the impact of the pandemic, which caused tremendous increases in cost of living, the President noted that the closure of major players in international markets, factories, terminals, and port facilities has created severe backlogs for shipping.

According to President

Ali, the delay costs are then translated into new prices that consumers are facing globally.

He said, “So the net effect of all of this is increased costs at the production level and increased costs at a logistics level, and that combined increase is what is driving up p r i c e s g l o b a l l y, a n d Guyana is not excluded from this phenomenon.”

DPP’s operations continue despite...

From page 16 Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) Eve Leary, Georgetown over the weekend has completely gutted that building, before destroying sections of the facility that accommodates the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The fire, which started around 15:00hrs on Saturday, quickly moved through the old wooden structures.

Police officers had rushed to the assistance of the DPP Chambers by helping to remove massive amounts of

files from the office, while firefighters, who arrived 45 minutes after the blaze started, tried desperately to save the building.

Prior to the fire tenders ‘arrival, ranks were also seen throwing files out of the windows of the upper flat of the DPP’s office into the compound. The files contain information on police cases and serious matters, which are before the courts.

The firefighters were successful in putting out the blaze around 17:00hrs. This was after several persons, including

Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, SC, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag, DPP Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, and staffers of the Chambers turned up at the scene and attempted to assist in saving documents.

While it is unclear at this point what caused the blaze, the incident sparked renewed interest and calls by several members of society to implement a digital system to help preserve important records.

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

$10M to upgrade Enmore Martyrs' Monument During the opening of bids yesterday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), it was revealed that upgrade works for the Enmore Martyrs' Monument will cost some $10,608,660.

Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Upgrade works to the Enmore Martyrs Monument.

This is according to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport engineer's estimate.

At the opening, six companies were vying for this contract.

Ministry of Housing and Water Procurement of Security Services 2022.

Also at the opening, 10 companies submitted proposals for the design and supervision of the construction of a new GRA headquarters building at Plantation, Pattensen.

Below are the companies and their bids: Extension and rehabilitation of eighteen (18) beds Mental Health Ward.

Parliament of Guyana Supply of meals and snacks for staff during sittings of the National Assembly and meetings.

Protected Area Commission Consultancy services for the supervision of works: Construction of PAC SABPA Office building in Moruca, Sub-District, Region One.

Supply of meals and snacks for Members of Parliament during the sitting of the National Assembly and meetings.

Ministry of Agriculture Security Services 2022 at four locations – Head office, The Hydro-meteorological Service, Permanent Secretary's residence, and Food and Agriculture Organisation's building.

Consultancy services for the supervision of works: Renovation and expansion of guesthouse at Kaieteur National Park, Region Eight.

Ministry of Public Works Procurement of heavy duty equipment.

Rehabilitation and extension of Kaieteur Airstrip: The supply of construction materials to Mahdia.

Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Design and supervision of the construction of a new GRA headquarters building at Plantation, Pattensen.

Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC)Procurement of security services.

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 25

Patterson raises doubts over promises to reconstitute PPC — says PPP has returned to pre-2015 ways

F

ormer Chairman and Opposition Member of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), David Patterson says he is not holding his breath on the promise to have Public Procurement Commission (PPC) reconstituted given the lax position of the People Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration with regard to putting the commission back in place.

The PPC has the vital role of overseeing contract approvals and mediating contractor complaints.

However, since the life of the fivemember commission ended in October of 2020, efforts to have a new commission have been lagging.

Speaking at a virtual press conference held by the Alliance for C h a n g e ( A F C ) y e s t e r d a y, Patterson, an executive member of the AFC expressed the view that the PPP/C Government may be actually opposed to having the PPC reconstituted. He posited that the PPP/C has instead returned to their pre-2015 ways.

“I am not hopeful because as you can see by what is going on now that the PPP/C doesn’t see this as a priority; they have actually been returning to their pre-2015 position, where they

claimed the Public Procurement Commission was unconstitutional and it takes away the power from cabinet to make decisions,” Patterson said.

M e a n w h i l e , t h e PA C Opposition Member said that the efforts by the committee to have the oversight body back in place have been stymied by the lack of engagement on the part of Government‘s Chief Whip and PAC representative, Gail Teixeira.

According to Patterson, several meetings, which were scheduled by PAC Chair, Jermaine Figueira to discuss matters relating to the short listing of candidates to sit on the new PPC board, have been cancelled.

Explaining the process, Patterson noted the PAC Chair has been waiting to meet with Teixeira towards finalizing a short list of names, which will be presented to members of the National Assembly for approval.

“Since the names which were cleared by police and we have resumed from the parliamentary recess, the [APNU+AFC] opposition Chair has been trying to reach with the Government’s lead person, Ms. Teixeira to further discuss this matter, but to date she was unable to proceed with the

meeting.”

Patterson said that so far, the PAC has received applications for over 20 candidates who expressed their desire to sit on the procurement board.

“We have been working on the short listing and finalising of these names for several months now.

The process began since July, and up until now we have seen very little progress towards getting these persons selected,” the AFC Former Chairman and Opposition member said.

He added, too, that despite Member of the PAC, David Patterson efforts to have the sub-committee, which comprises of Figueira and Teixeira to meet, the scheduled Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon had accused the People Progressive meetings keep getting cancelled.

The most recent cancellation, Party (PPP) of dismantling the PPC Patterson said, took place on and replacing it with a system that Monday, when the PAC met to benefits Vice President, Bharrat review the financial records of the Jagdeo.

Harmon, during a news regional administrations, as it was reported in the 2016 Auditor conference, explained that, “The PPP Administration decided that General’s report.

“Yesterday [Monday] it came they would take a grip on the up at the PAC, but unfortunately we Public Procurement process, to were unable to discuss it. Hopefully ensure that only those persons and we can restart the process of companies that support them get reexamining the names, so we can any form of contracts from the short list the candidates… Government.”

He added, “What they have [Nevertheless], we will keep done, they have dismantled the pressing, “Patterson added.

Patterson’s comments on the Public Procurement Commission; PPC comes one week after they have dismantled the National

Procurement and Tender Board Administration and replaced them with a system which leads directly to Bharrat Jagdeo.”

The former Minister of State noted that the absence of the PPC is in violation of the Constitution, which states under the PPC Tribunal Act, “There shall be a Public Procurement Commission… to monitor public procurements, the procedures is there in order to ensure that the procurement of goods, services, and execution of works are conducted in a fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost effective manner, according to law and such policy guidelines, as may be determined by the National Assembly. The Commission shall be independent, impartial and discharge its functions fairly”.

Harmon said that due to the Commission not being in place, the Government has been awarding contracts to their friends and family, who they hope will in return keep them in power. The PAC is responsible for approving members of the commission.

During last Monday’s sitting of the PAC, Opposition member Ganesh Mahipaul raised the issue of the appointment of the PPC. Towards the end of the meeting, a decision was taken to have the sub-committee meet this week on the appointment of a new board of the PPC.

PAGE 26

Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Wednesday November 24, 2021

West Indies Women earn first points with 6-wicket victory over Ireland Women HARARE, ZimbabweWest Indies Women earned their first points in their opening match of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier when they defeated Ireland Women by 6 wickets at the Old Hararians Ground.

Winning the toss and electing to bowl first, West Indies Women restricted Ireland Women to 159 all out in 43 overs, Gaby Lewis topscored for the Irish with 36 followed by Eimear Richardson with 32. Anisa Mohammed was the pick of the West Indies bowlers, finishing with 3/40 followed by Stafanie Taylor with 2/15.

West Indies Women achieved the 16-run target comfortably in 39.3 overs.

Deandra Dottin led the with the other teams in their batting innings with an un- first games, it was very good beaten 73 followed by captain for us. A little bit sluggish at Stafanie Taylor with 41 not the start but they controlled out. it in the end.”

Head Coach Courtney The West Indies Women Walsh was pleased with the play their second match of the opening match saying, “It’s ICC Women’s Cricket World always important to win your Cup Qualifiers 2021 against first game in any tournament. Sri Lanka on November 27 at That would give you confi- the Harare Sports Club. First dence and give us the points ball is at 9:30am local time we need to start with... espe- (3:30am Eastern Caribbean/ cially to see what happened 2:30am Jamaica).

Scores: Ireland Women 159 all out (43 overs) Gaby Lewis 36 - Anisa Mohammed 10-0-40-3 Eimear Richardson 32 - Stafanie Taylor 3-0-15-2 West Indies Women 163/4 (39.3 overs) Deandra Dottin 73 - Eimear Richardson 10-1-33-2 Stafanie Taylor 41* - Celeste Rack 10-0-40-1

Wednesday November 24, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You won't be disappointed today. Over the next few days you're going to put your analytical way of thinking aside and let your feelings guide you. You'll be attentive to the people you love.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today you may feel like going into your past. One half of you feels nostalgia for the "good old days." The other half lives for the future and is unafraid to project into the unknown.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Today is great for creativity, especially the kind that shows your special style. You're productive, although what you've been creating is just a reflection of the latest fashions.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You're sensitive to the world around you. It's like you're thinking with your heart.

It's possible you'll be more impressionable and less objective when your emotions get the better of you in your

relationships.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today someone might ask what you're thinking about. You often think about things that are inaccessible to others.

CANCER(June21–July22) You love to have very serious discussions about important issues well into the night. You rebuild the world the way you'd like to see it with your friends.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Do you often act as if the world is static and nothing ever changes? Sometimes you may think that humankind is a certain way, the world is a certain way, and so this is what you're going to do.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today let your emotions mingle with your thoughts.

What good is telling yourself that you must like something if you really can't stand it?

PAGE 27

Kaieteur News

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) If you had to take a test today and had a choice between poetry and physics, you wouldn't hesitate. Poetry. Today is about interpretation, not analysis CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Do you have a talent for writing? You seem to have a precise and clear way of expressing yourself. And it's possible you use this gift of yours in your career.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You have a pleasant day ahead. People may be a little less playful, but they'll be all the more caring in their relationships. That's just how you like them!

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) ou s hould expect to feel warmth in your contact with other people today. Your relations will have something particularly tender and caring about them. It's like people are suddenly

Jacobs challenges Bolt to charity ‘capture the flag’ run ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy’s Olympic 100m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs has challenged Usain Bolt to a charity team sprinting contest after the retired Jamaican said he could have won the blue riband race in Tokyo.

Bolt told AFP in an interview last week that it was frustrating to watch the delayed 2020 Games from his home in Jamaica as his male countrymen flopped and Jacobs, a relative unknown before the Olympics, claimed a shock victory.

The 35-year-old Jamaican, the world record holder over 100m with a best of 9.58 seconds, set back in 2009, said Jacobs’ winning time of 9.80sec in Tokyo was still

within his reach, despite having hung up his spikes in 2017.

Jacobs, who has not raced since winning the coveted sprint gold, turned to social media Monday to challenge Bolt, the winner of eight Olympic gold medals and an 11-time world champion.

“You are my hero, so thanks for the hat’s off!” said Jacobs, born in the United States to an American father but raised in Italy by his Italian mother.

“But you also said you’re sure you’d win, so I’m up for the challenge!

“How about starting with a charity capture the flag? You bring your team and I’ll bring mine!”

Capture the flag, or

“rubabandiera”, as it is known in Italy, is a schoolyard game played by children in which two teams race to capture the other team’s flag, located at the team’s “base”, and bring it safely back to their own base.

China urges ‘certain people...

From page 28 alleviate concerns about her wellbeing.

Amnesty International’s China researcher Alkan Akad also told Reuters the video call did little to ease fears over Peng’s wellbeing and that the IOC was entering “dangerous waters”. An Amnesty International spokesperson said the organisation works “independently and impartially on the basis of facts, and we hold all states to the same standards.”

“This is not a diplomatic matter,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular press briefing yesterday, adding that Amnesty held “anti-China” views.

“I believe everyone will have seen she has recently attended some public activities and also held a video call with IOC President Bach. I hope certain people will cease malicious hyping, let alone politicization,” Zhao added.

On Nov. 2, Peng posted on Chinese social media that Zhang had coerced her into sex and they later had an onoff consensual relationship.

The post was deleted soon after it was posted.

Neither Zhang nor the Chinese government have commented on Peng’s allegations. The topic has been blocked from direct discussion on China’s heavily censored internet.The United States, France, Britain and tennis players including Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams and Billie Jean King have all expressed concerns over Peng, a former Olympian.

It comes as Beijing is preparing to host the Winter Olympics next February. Global rights groups and others have called for a boycott of the Games over China’s human rights record.

Corruption benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor.

Say no to it.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 28

Wednesday November 24, 2021

China urges ‘certain people’ to stop ‘politicization’ of Peng Shuai situation Aliya Riaz top-scored for Pakistan with 49 off 66 balls. (PCB)

Bangladesh trounce USA; Pakistan survive Thailand banana peel Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai signs large-sized tennis balls at the opening ceremony of Fila Kids Junior Tennis Challenger Final in Beijing, China November 21, 2021, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. (TWITTER @QINGQINGPARIS via REUTERS) BEIJING, (Reuters) China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that “certain people” should stop the “malicious hyping” and “politicization” of the issue of tennis star Peng Shuai, as foreign governments and organisations continue to raise questions around her

wellbeing.The whereabouts of Peng, a former doubles world number one, became a matter of international concern for nearly three weeks after she posted a message on social media alleging that China’s former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted her.

She re-appeared over the weekend in Beijing and held a video call with International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach on Sunday but t h e Wo m e n ’s Te n n i s Association (WTA) has said this did not address or (Continued on page 27)

ESPNcricinfo - Sharmin Akhter ’s unbeaten 130 helped Bangladesh retain their position atop the Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifier Group B table after handing USA Women a 270run drubbing.

After being put in, Akhter strung a 96-run opening stand with left-hand batter Murshida Khatun (47) and a 137-run partnership for the third wicket with Fargana Hoque (67). Akhter brought up her hundred off 117 balls and struck 11 fours during her 141-ball stay. But given the matches featuring at least one team without ODI status are accorded only List A status, Akhter’s ton wouldn’t count towards her ODI record.

USA’s meek reply saw only their captainwicketkeeper Sindhu Sriharsha (15) and No. 7 Tara Norris (16), the

Philadelphia-born allrounder who was one of the breakout performers on the English domestic circuit this season, reach the double figures.

Rain halted play after 15 overs when USA were 25 for 4 after 15 overs. But their slide continued after the resumption as the Bangladesh attack kept chipping away, making use of the yorker to good effect.

Salma Khatun, Rumana Ahmed and Fahima Khatun picked up two wickets apiece for Bangladesh, and with Uzma Iftikhar absent hurt, USA folded for 52 in 30.3 overs.

Scores: Bangladesh Women 322 for 5 (Akhter 130*, Hoque 67, Chaudhary 2-64) beat USA Women 52 (Norris 16, Fahima 2-5, Salma 2-10, Rumana 2-11) by 270 runs.

For just a little while, a

five-wicket haul from 17year old Thipatcha Putthawong threatened an upset. Thailand bowled Pakistan out for 145 on the back of a field day for the left-arm spinner, but they were unable to capitalise as an experienced bowling unit rallied hard to secure victory.

With only Javeria Khan (38) and Aliya Riaz (49) making a noteworthy contribution, it was left to Nida Dar and company to salvage the game and they did not disappoint. Each of the six bowlers Pakistan used picked up a wicket, with Anam Amin and Nashra Sandhu completing 19 overs for just 27 runs, as Thailand were knocked out for 93.

Scores: Pakistan Women 145 (Riaz 49, Putthawong 5-18) beat T h a i l a n d Wo m e n 9 3 (Boochatham 18, Sana 2-8, Dar 2-26) by 52 runs.

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 29

Rawle Toney 3X3 Classic to return February 19 – 20 - Tournament launch set for December 10

F

ollowing a twoyear hiatus owing to COVID-19, the ‘Rawle Toney’ 3X3 Classic will make a return on February 19 – 20, 2022, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Exciting, urban and innovative, 3X3 is inspired by several forms of ‘streetball’ played worldwide and is considered the world’s number one urban team sport.

Organiser, Rawle Toney, made the announcement yesterday, while adding that complete details surrounding the tournament will be made available at the launching of the event on Friday December 10, also at the country’s premier indoor facility.

“I’m very excited to announce the return of the tournament, especially taking into consideration the development of 3X3 basketball since I would’ve hosted the inaugural event in

November of 2019,” Toney shared in a release.

Sixteen teams will be vying for a winner’s purse of $ 6 0 0 , 0 0 0 , a s To n e y highlighted that the 100% blossom of the prize money is in keeping with the evolution of basketball’s shortest format.

“3X3 basketball is now an Olympic sport and made its debut at the 32nd Olympiad. We would’ve seen FIBA placing more emphasis on it as well, so it was only right that we do the same in Guyana, to not only entice players in and out of Guyana, but fans as well,” Toney added.

The Sport Journalist also stated, the tournament this year has received an endorsement from FIBA, and will be held under the guidelines set-out by the s p o r t ’s g l o b a l b o d y commendation.

The tournament, he said, is now featured on FIBA’s 3 x 3 w e b s i t e

(www.fiba3x3.com), and encouraged players to use the platform to register and create their player profile.

He added that the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), would’ve also given their blessings will be responsible for the technical aspect of the event.

“Some countries from the Caribbean are also showing interest in participating next year because, as it stands, participation at FIBAendorsed tournaments would give the players and the country points, which are added to their FIBA Rankings.

This helps in the country’s placing in the draw for major tournaments,” Toney revealed.

As it relates to sponsorship, Toney pointed out that all of the previous sponsors have already signalled their intention of returning, adding, “Of

c o u r s e , w i t h a l a rg e r undertaking this year, I’ve already reached out to other companies to come on board; many of which are favourable of doing so.”

Toney said the country’s National COVID-19 Task Force will set the guidelines for the event, as the organiser promises a safe environment.

Rawle Toney

Kaieteur News

PAGE 30

Wednesday November 24, 2021

“Cricket gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana”

Mohabir receives bat from Cricket zone USA Sixteen-year-old Transports Sports Club allrounder Alvin Mohabir was presented of an E4 brand bat from the “Cricket gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana” project. The brand is owned

by Ravi Etwaroo of Cricket Zone, USA. Alvin grew up in Kitty and started playing cricket at eight and made his Guyana U-15 debut in 2019. He was selected for the Regional U17 tournament which was cancelled due the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Off-spinner Mohabir was set to make his regional under19 debut but due to Covid, the tournament was also cancelled.

He was belatedly selected to CWI trials conducted for possible selection to the West Indies team to participate in 2022 Youth World Cup to be held

in the Caribbean. The simple ceremony was graced by CWI Director and President of the East Coast, Demerara and Guyana Cricket Boards, Bissoondyal Singh.

The recently elected GCB President praised the initiative, congratulated those who have benefited so far and thanked the persons who have made this possible.

Singh, who in 1987 toured Suriname with a Demerara U-19 team, added he campaigned for the Presidency on the platform o f a c c o u n t a b i l i t y, transparency and fairness to all. The former GCC legspinner assured all cricketers that they must not be worried about selection once they produce consistently good performances.

Speaking on behalf of the initiative, Anil Beharry, a former Berbice Senior Intercounty left-handed all-all-

rounder and long serving administrator, said that he personally followed Mohabir’s career and was always impressed with his level of maturity, skills and discipline and will continue to support him and others through this project.

Mohabir was grateful for the bat while thanking his family and coach Shawn Massiah for the role they have played in his career so far.

This project is a joint venture between Kishan Das of the USA and Beharry.

Cricket related items, used or new, will be distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients. Talent spotting is being done across the country and club leaders will also assist to identify talent.

GCB President Bissoondyal Singh presents the bat to Alvin Mohabir in the presence of his parents.

Total cricket related items collected so far: $40,000 cash, two cricket boots, twelve pairs of batting pads, fourteen bats, nine pairs of batting gloves and four cricket bags.

To date, seventeen young players from Essequibo Coast, Pomeroon, Georgetown and the East Canje area have already benefited from a junior gear bag, six bats, six pairs of batting pads and four pairs of batting gloves. In addition,

the Rose Hall Estate Cricket Club benefited from a pair of stumps and bails and two clubs in the Pomeroon area benefited from two used bats.

Persons who wish to make a contribution can contact Anil Beharry or Kishan. Beharry and Das thanked Javed and Imran of We s t I n d i a n S p o r t s Complex, Option Group of USA, Hilbert Foster, Bish Panday of P and P Insurance Brokers, Sean Devers,

Trevis Simon, Årïêl J. Tïlkú, Aaron Beharry, Leanna Bachan and Imran Saccoor, Devon Ramnauth, Teddy Singh, Romesh Munna, Ravi Etwaroo, RavinHarkishun, Surendra Harkishun, Allan Mangru, Vishal Mahabir, Sherman Austin and Huburn Evans for support of the programme.

More distribution will be done as Gear is received from the USA and there is an ease in the Covid 19 pandemic. (Sean Devers)

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 31

Rain washes of third session after West Indies avoid follow-on ESPNcricinfo - Rain washed out the final session and pretty much the entirety of the second session - only four overs were completed after lunch before the groundstaff was called into action - as West Indies ended the third day on 224 for 9, still 162 runs behind Sri Lanka’s first-innings total.

Play will begin 15 minutes earlier on the fourth and fifth days, provided the rain stays away.

In the end, the rain proved a welcome reprieve for the visitors on a day that had otherwise begun rather promisingly, with Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers taking the attack to the home side. It ended, however, with Rahkeem Cornwall being dismissed off what turned out to be the final ball of the day.

For Sri Lanka, Praveen Jayawickrama added to his wicket tally from the previous day to finish the day with figures of 3 for 38, while Dhananjaya de Silva and Suranga Lakmal also got in on the act.

And despite Ramesh Mendis, the pick of Sri Lanka’s bowlers on the second day, being unable to reproduce the same control he had shown the previous evening - his 11 overs on the third day went for 52 runs

with no wickets to show for it - Sri Lanka nevertheless remained in firm control of the Test.

But for the first hour or so in the morning, West Indies had looked rather threatening.

Both Mayers and Holder showed they were unafraid Zhou, to use the Guanyu depth of the crease China’s Formula against the spinners, while ‘trailblazer’ Holder inOne particular used his extra reach(AFP/STR) to consistently get to the pitch of the ball and smother the considerable spin on offer - two delicious drives through cover for boundaries were the pick of his shots.

Mayer, meanwhile, was content to rock back whenever possible, thrice flaying deliveries short and wide past point for four.

In between, the pair rotated the strike with ease, as Sri Lanka’s spinners gradually lost their early confidence in flighting the ball and resorted to flatter trajectories.

The breakthrough eventually came courtesy some outstanding catching first from captain Dimuth Karunaratne and then Dushmantha Chameera.

The first to go was Mayers, who failed to get to the pitch of one from de Silva that held up a touch and bounced up off a length.

Mayers, who was already through an attempted drive, could only pop it up in the direction of short extra cover, where Karunaratne threw himself full pelt to his weaker right side to complete the take.

Chameera followed suit a little later, diving forward again at full stretch - from point, to hold on to a cut that Holder had failed to keep down.

Once more it was the extra bounce off a length that proved to be decisive.

Cornwall and Joshua Da Silva then proceeded to put on 49 for the ninth wicket, but just as that partnership was beginning to look promising, Cornwall topedged a pull off Lakmal to square leg on the last ball of the 80th over.

The second new ball was available but rain ensured there would be no more action.

Scores: West Indies 224 for 9 (Mayers 45, Brathwaite 41, Rahkeem Cornwall 39, Jason Holder 36.

Jayawickrama 3-38, Ramesh 3-75) trail Sri Lanka 386 by 162 runs.

Dimuth Karunaratne takes a catches to remove Kyle Mayers • Nov 22, 2021 © AFP/Getty Images

The ground staff fixes the covers on the pitch after a rain interruption. (AFP/Getty Images)

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday November 24, 2021

Boxing team off to PanAm Games, Ninvalle expresses confidence

T

he Guyana B o x i n g Association (GBA) team is off to the PanAm Games which is set for Cali, Colombia from November 25 to December 5.

President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, who is also

the National Sports Commission (NSC) Director of Sport, was happy with the preparation of the team and was hopeful of them turning in a good performance.

Ninvalle stated that, “We have sent out one of our best prepared teams for some time. It’s a young team who

have been deprived of international competition since 2019. We expect them to give of their best.

As I said before earlier, we have provided them with the necessary tools and it’s just now for them to go and execute. Of course this will allow us to gauge where we

are with our nursery because they are a part of our nursery.”

Ninvalle continued, “We’ll be putting a lot more focus when the veil of Covid19 is pulled away.

We will be placing much more emphasis on the nursery of boxing.”

The GBA head expressed confidence in the ability of the team members with high expectations from the lone female in the lineup.

“If you ask me from a personal point of view, I expect Miss Alisha Jackman

to do well, I expect Patrick Harvey and Travis Inverary to also do well, but we are more leaning to Miss Jackman.

And from a personal standpoint again, I would expect that in the near future that our females will take up from where our males have left off,” Ninvalle stated.

“I would want to thank, especially the President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Mr. K. Juman-Yassin.

I think he went beyond the call of duty to make sure

The team along with Manager/Coach Terrence Poole (right) prior to departure.

that whatever ingredients was needed to have these boxers well prepared and comfortable, he went beyond the normal call of duty, so we want to say thanks to him.

We want to say thanks also to the Brigadier Godfrey Best who has allowed us to use the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) gym in order to prepare …as I usually say in my mantra, ‘all hands were on deck’ in the preparation in these young athletes and we expect them to do Guyana proud,” the GBA boss informed.

Wednesday November 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 33

Junior PanAm Games Table Tennis Coach

very confident of success in Colombia

By Sean Devers

A

s Table Tennis duo Jonathan Van Lange and Miguel Wong prepare to leave on Saturday as part of 22 athletes selected to represent Guyana at the inaugural U-23 Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia from November 25 to December 5, National Coach Idi Lewis is very confident of success.

The multitalented Van Lange, who also plays cricket for GCC and Wong, will go into action on November 30.

Wong is scheduled to head to Colombia from his training camp in Peru with the Peru National team, while Van Lange will depart from the USA’s top training Center; the Samson Dubina Academy in Ohio.

Lewis said that the Covid-19 pandemic has not really affected the Boys preparation.

“It hasn’t really affected the guys, of course everything stopped for a while but at that time Miguel

Jonathan Van Lange in action

Miguel Wong

Coach Idi Lewis was already in Germany at the Topspin Training Center that host top players from around the world… mainly Europe and Latin America players and because of the pandemic he had to stay for a year.

He was able to continue training so it actually helped him a bit. Jonathan was also very active throughout both on the table and a lot of physical training.

They were training all along but specifically for the games right after we were informed that they were selected,” informed Lewis,

the Coach of Olympian Chelsea Edghill.

“Systems were put in place. Preparation was very strategic and intense, twice per day and Miguel then went back to Germany for final prep, while Jonathan went to Samson Dubbin academy in the US. Special thanks to GTTA President Godfrey Munroe who was instrumental in making sure our boys got the best preparation possible, also special thanks to the GOA and the senior men’s team that came out to practice with the guys and

lastly Mr Kumar from Beacon café,” added the Malteenoes Sports Club member.Lewis is satisfied with the time the pair had to prepare.“Most definitely, we were definitely able to put in enough work. This is one of the best prepared teams in a long time. I’m very happy and I hope this is how it will be moving forward,” Lewis continued.

According to the former Caribbean Boys Junior Champion, the extension in the age limit from U-19 to U23 is not a problem.

“For table tennis age isn’t

that big of a factor, I’m more concern with skill set of ours compared to theirs.

The great thing about Guyana, we don’t have a shortage of talent we have that in abundance. What’s needed is a whole pyramid structure of development talent identification programme, financial support for athletes, coaches and administrators, training

facilities, coaching development, use of technology and scientific research.

I honestly think we’re finally heading there.

There’s a deeper understanding of that concept, however, financial resources are required to implement many of the pillars needed,” Coach Lewis noted.

Jason Holder drives at the ball • Nov 22, 2021 © AFP/Getty Images

rt o p S Rahkeem Cornwall plundered quick runs • Nov 22, 2021 © AFP/Getty Images

Rain washes of third session after West Indies avoid follow-on

Rawle Toney 3X3 Table Tennis Coach Classic to return very confident of February 19-20

Junior PanAm Games

success in Colombia Deandra Dottin was named Player of the Match for her 73. (ICC)

- Tournament launch set for December 10

West Indies Women earn first points with 6-wicket victory over Ireland Women

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