Kaieteur News

Experienced DHB workers reportedly being forced to resign

The Demerara Harbour multiple development Bridge Corporation projectsvitaltothecountry’s (DHBC), a critical artery in future, are presently the development of the ongoing.

World’s fastest growing Over the past week, a economy, is struggling to number of employees meet its daily performance attached to the corporation criteria with experienced anonymously shared their personnel being reportedly concerns with Kaieteur forced to hand in their News regarding the resignations. managementofthefacility.

The bridge connects According to those Region Four, the most employees, the new General populatedareainthecountry Manager (GM), Wayne with Region Three, where Watson has created an

“uncomfortable” working where they raised their environment, leading to the concerns regarding the loss of more than 130 management of the entity In employees between 2020 addition, it was suggested andJuly2023. that they even turned to their

This has reportedly union for help but was not resulted in the DHBC hiring satisfiedwiththeoutcomeof a higher number of workers thosemeetings. than required, thereby The employees told r a c k i n g u p h i g h e r Kaieteur News that they are management costs of the calling on President Irfaan structure. A l i t o h o n o u r h i s

One employee said, “We commitment of “caring for have a GM who is very bias workers” and meet directly and incompetent. He has no with them to listen to their management skills along concerns. “We would like with the Human Resources the President to come to the Manager. bridge because he said he is

He continues to exercise going to meet workers, we the highest level of would like for him to come incompetence. We have a because nothing hasn’t been huge turnover of staff at the goinggoodforushere.” moment. People are being Based on information forced to resign after being shared with this newspaper, suspendedforpettythings.” the DHBC lost six Kaieteur News was told employees in 2020. This that in one instance, a staff figure climbed sharply to 32 attachedtothetollboothwas in2021and45in2022.More involved in an incident in alarmingly, however, is the whichapproximately$4,000 fact that the bridge has wasshortattheendofashift. already lost 55 employees This was brought to that between January and July employee’s attention, and 2023.

the sum was reportedly With the Christmas deducted from her salary season fast approaching, Subsequently, the sum was staff members of the reportedly returned to that Demerara Harbour Bridge employee’s pay cheque are fearful of being however, she was allegedly dismissed at the hands of sent home for two weeks what they described as a without pay, depriving that “vindictiveboss.” staffofjustover$50,000. An employee alleged

In other instances, staff that the General Manager members of the DHBC are has a history of refusing to reportedly sent home renew an employee’s without pay for arriving to contract if he “has a workmereminuteslate. problem”withthem.

According to staff of the This publication was DHBC, “There is a level of directed to an employee who favouritism there where has rendered 24 years of some people are receiving servicetotheDHBCbutwas salary increases and some given a letter informing him aren’t persons are very that his contract will not be frustrated and only this renewed That staff told week, we had another Kaieteur News that he resignation because of received a letter on July 7, frustration and what 2023 informing him that he management has been doing will no longer be working tothem.” with the company effective

This newspaper was told August, 2023. He said the that staff of the DHBC met letter did not state a reason with the Chairman of the forthisdecision. Board of Directors of the Subsequently,that Bridge, Ravi Ramcharran (Continued on page 5)

...over 130 employees parted with the company between 2020 and July 2023

Norton calls for greater transparency in oil audits to avoid recurrence of US$214M fiasco

The darkness that “unauthorized” engagement wsonline com/2023/09/22/c outstanding matters and a overshadowed with the oil company, onfusion-over-guyanas- written report will be issued the country’s first resulting in US$214M in first-oil-audit-highlights- to the Contractor within

o i l e x p e n s e questionable costs, flagged need-for-law-to-determine- sixty (60) days of the review must not be allowed by a British auditor, being duration-opposition/ conclusion of such audit. toreoccurinfutureaudits. reducedtoUS$3M. According to Norton, the The report shall include all

Truck driver blames brake failure after fatally running over security guard

A26-year-oldtruckdriverisblamingabrakefailureafter he fatally struck down a female security guard at Ogle, East CoastDemarara,killingheronthespotatyesterday Dead is Patricia Hutson, 63, of 13th Avenue, Diamond HousingScheme,EastBankDemerara(EBD).

This is according to Thecontractfortheaudit reports on these critical claims arising from such Leader of the Opposition, was awarded since 2019 by processes must also be made audit. The Contractor shall Aubrey Norton. During his the previous Coalition public. reply to the report in writing Friday press conference, the administration but the audit During the media as soon as possible and in Leader said there was need report only made its way to conference, Opposition any event not later than sixty for greater transparency in the public in April, 2023 Member of Parliament (60) days following receipt theauditprocess. following extensive reports (MP),GaneshMahipaulalso of the report indicating He was at the time byStabroekNews. weighed in on the subject, acceptance or rejection of responding to a question To this end, Norton said urging the need for capacity the audit claim and in the from this publication when government should take building as it regards audits case of a rejection showing he said there were a number measures for greater of oil and gas companies explanationsthereof.Should of measures that should be transparency in future audits operatinglocally theMinisterconsiderthatthe taken by the government to toavoidsuchmishaps. He noted, “We have to report or reply requires avoidthereoccurrenceofthe I n a d d i t i o n , t h e strengthen the audit alsocriticalforpersonshired n e e d a s t r u c t u r e d further investigation on any fiasco that unfolded with the OppositionLeaderreiterated department at GRA(Guyana to work in that department, programme in which we item therein, the Minister U S $ 1 6 B a u d i t o f the need for a specific Revenue Authority) because be paid competitive salaries estimate the (labour) needs, shall have the right to ExxonMobil’s expenses, timelinetobesetforauditsto theCommissionerGeneralis to avoid the workers from notonlyintermsofauditing, conductfurtherinvestigation incurred by the developer be completed. At a previous on record saying that he is leaving to work for the oil but all elements of the sector in relation to such matter between1999and2017. press conference called for understaffed when it comes companies. In addition, he and then we structure our within sixty (60) days of its Just last week it was the law to stipulate a to that particular audit said there must be a training to get those persons receipt of Contractor’s announced that the Senior t i m e f r a m e f o r t h e section at GRA...so there structured approach to trained so that we develop reply.’ Petroleum Coordinator, completion of oil and gas must be greater focus in satisfying the labour needs thecapacity,”theOpposition It continues, ‘If within GopnauthGossaiattachedto audits, given the lengthy s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h a t ofthecountry Leaderexplained. sixty (60) days of the the Ministry of Natural duration of the first review departmentandensuringthat “WealsosaidthatGOAL He was keen to note that M i n i s t e r ’s f u r t h e r Resources Petroleum Unit, conducted. See more in link we have the capacity to (Government Online such measures can reduce investigation, the Parties are would face disciplinary below: handletheaudits.” Academy of Learning) acts of corruption in the unable to agree to the a c t i o n f o r t h e https://www kaieteurne Norton added that it is seems to be goal-less. We country disposition of the Minister’s Audits and the PSA audit claim, the claim shall Presently, the audit of be submitted to the sole Exxon’s US$7 3 billion expert in accordance with expenses is still ongoing. Article 26 of theAgreement. Meanwhile, over US$30 All adjustments resulting billion in additional from an audit agreed to by expenses for projects the Contractor and the approved in the Stabroek Minister conducting the Block are still to be audit shall be reflected reviewed. promptly in the accounts by

According to police, Hutson was killed around 06:30 hrs onSunday,minutesaftersteppingoutofaminibus.

Kaieteur News understands that she was on her way to workwhentragedystruck.

The accident involved Motor Lorry #GAE 8189, driven bythemaledriverofSupply,EBDandHutson.

The truck driver alleged that he was driving east on the southern side of the road at Ogle when the traffic light changedfromgreentored.

Heallegedthatheappliedbrakesbutitfailedandhecould not slow or stop the truck. As a result, the driver alleged, he pulled to the northern side of the road and his back wheel struckdownHutson.

Police said the injured woman was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Thetruckdriverisinpolicecustody

As per the Production the Contractor and any Sharing Agreement (PSA) consequentialadjustmentsin inked with the Stabroek Crude Oil entitlements shall Block Co-Venturers, the oil also be made promptly In companies are entitled to the event that an audit claim providecommentsregarding by the Minister is not settled thefindingsoftheauditors. totheMinister’ssatisfaction,

Section 1.5 of Annex C ExxonMobil is entitled to states: ‘At the conclusion of recover any disputed each audit, the Parties shall amounts pending final endeavour to settle resolutionoftheclaim.’

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton

Dead, Patricia Hutson.

PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210

Generators

Guyana’sPresident,Dr IrfaanAli,canbecounted upon to generate his own levels of hilarity and anxiety at the same time. How he does this is open to all manner of speculation, but President Ali is a generatorallbyhimself,withsomeofthewisdomsthathe comesupwith,andputsinthepublicdomain. Goingback toprivategeneratorsisonesuchinstanceofthePresident’s wayofthinking.

The nicely said, and thinly veiled, ‘get off the national grid’from the President to consumers of huge amounts of electricity has its merits, but there are also the downsides, which may not have been given much thought. The positivesarethattheGPLwouldbeabletohavesomespare capacitytodelivertostrappedGuyaneseenergyconsumers fightingadailybattlewithblackouts,andlosthours,aswell aspossiblycostlyfooditemsthatwentquicklyrancidinthe remorseless heat. We think that it is more helpful to sufferingcitizensforPresidentAlitogetseriouswithwhat isgoingonintheoffshoreoilfieldsoperatedbyExxonMobil andothers. WhatisExxonMobildoingouttherethatcould have contributed to this scorching heat now occurring in unending waves, but about which the Government of Guyana and its leading stewards are clueless, or just too casual.

Also,whatPresidentAliandhisadvisersmayhaveseen as another positive crumbles under the slightest scrutiny

Theidea,withthenotsohiddenthreatembedded,ofataxon big consumers, most likely corporate ones, gives the impression that it would be a deterrent, and make commercial entities hasten back to their generators now lyingidle. WethinkthatthePresidentandhisteamoughtto knowthatanytax,largeorsmall,isgoingtobepassedonto consumers who have no choice but to buy the products of suchentities,butatanewprice. Itisatacticthatisasoldas the sea, and just as beneficial to businesses, which has the added advantage of companies having the opportunity to tack on more than what they are being taxed on their final prices. Theendresultisthatconsumersmaygetsomerelief through a situation of less blackouts, but they now get the pain of one more blackeye, thanks to the PPPC Government’s inability to figure out what to do with the electricitycrisisthatGuyanesehavelivedwithfordecades.

Further,thepresidentialintimidationoftaxingbigusers of GPL’s electricity output may not turn out to the big deterrentthatitismadeouttobe. ThePresidentwasquick to remind Guyanese about the energy and transportation subsidiesthathisgovernmentintroducedwhenitcameback intopower Allthingsbeingheldequal,businessesforced offthegridmayfindthatitisnotsuchabadexchangeafter all,sincetheywouldbebuyinggeneratorfuelatsubsidized prices,withthecorporatetaxonfuelbeingpickedupbythe government.

ThereisanotherpointthatPresidentAlishouldconsider, as he focuses on large businesses and their energy needs. Considering the massive influx of foreign businesses, and thelocalentitiesthathavesprunguptosupportthem,GPL’s electricity generation has been overwhelmed by demands withwhichitcannotcope. Weassertthatalikelysizeable portionofthatinfluxwasnotonthenationalelectricitygrid before, so there is this new consumer segment to consider, even if they have generators. This goes to the ongoing refrainthatresonatesacrossGuyana:slowdownoilprojects, sothatinstitutionalGuyanacancatchitsbreath,considerits limitations,andweighsitsoptionsonthebestcombination ofingredientsforabetterwayforward.

More oil projects approved in short order means that a biggerbusinessfeedersystemwouldberequired. Thiscan onlymaketheGPL’spositionmoresevere,hence,thedrain on GPL’s already stretched resources, and the breakdowns (blackouts) that have plagued large swathes of the population.Somegeneratorsareontheway,andChristmas draws near The GPLwill breakout, or it will breakdown, regardlessofwhoisonoroffofit.

The next presidential candidate

DEAREDITOR, The recent discussions between President Ali and Former President, His Excellency Donald Ramotar havebeenveryeyeopening. President Ramotar is President Ali’s senior and deserveshisrespect.Healso hasmoreexperienceandcan provide guidance to the younger less experienced president.Hispositiononthe current oil contract is welcomed by most Guyanese and should not be dismissed as was done by PresidentAli.

It may be best to have a survey done of the voting population to determine which of these two gentlemen should lead the PPP/Cs list for the next election This may help resolve the issue Also havingthemrunasPresident and Vice President candidates for the next electionwouldalsomakethe PPP bench stronger with Former President Ramotar involved The more candidates with experience thebetter What bothers me is the

reluctance shown by the current administration to embrace those with more experience and intelligence within the team Even though the intelligence or k n o w h o w m a y b e specialized, it is always best for a leader to surround him or herself with the best people. A strong leadership team will outperform a strongleaderwithaweakor yes man team easily Our leaders must have the confidence to listen and learn from others, and show the ability to turn those

i n s i g h t s i n t o accomplishments. No one should feel as though they have a monopoly on knowledge. Remember, he who knows something, knowsthatheknowsnothing at all Humility is the beginningofknowledgeand our leaders must remind themselvestobehumbleand receptive to differing perspectives.

Bestregards,

DEAREDITOR, I write to express my concerns regarding the recently released policy by the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) This policy mandates the cricket associations under its umbrella, including the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA), East Coast Cricket Association (ECCA), East Bank Cricket Association (EBCA), West D e m e r a r a C r i c k e t Association (WDCA), and the Upper Demerara Cricket Association (UDCA), to only select players residing within their administrative boundaries, excluding players from cricket clubs thatmakeuptheassociations but some of whom may reside outside of their administrativeboundaries.

Thispolicyraisesseveral significant issues. First, the decision conflicts with the core objectives of the associations, which are to organize, develop, and coordinate cricketing activitiesbetweenthecricket clubs affiliated with them and, by extension, with the DCB. The new policy may hinder the ability of the associations to fulfill these objectives.

Furthermore, such a policy could negatively impact the development of the game and the players themselves It has the potential to promote discriminatory actions against cricketers who play for clubs located outside of theareaswheretheyreside.

Given the demographic shifts occurring in our

country,especiallyinRegion 4, many players originally from Georgetown have relocated to areas like the East Coast, East Bank, or West Demerara. However, theireducational,social,and economic activities still revolve around the city Theseplayersmayhavelittle or no interaction with the cricket clubs within the ECCA, EBCA, or WDCA. Consequently,theymayface distinct disadvantages when the Associations’ teams are selected, as the Association selectors may not have recordsoftheirperformance in games organized by the association in which they nowreside.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that some of the associationswithintheDCB lack organized cricket, with

JamilChanglee Chairman T h e C o o p e r a t i v e RepublicansofGuyana

Mr.

the exception of the GCA and, to a lesser extent, the ECCA.Thissituationmaybe attributed to the need for venues equipped to host matchesinsomecases,butit is primarily due to administrative challenges driven by self-serving individuals elected to hold offices within these associations.

Inlightoftheseconcerns, an urgent review and reconsideration of the residency selection policy is essential. A more inclusive andfairapproachthataligns with the Associations’ objectives and promotes equal opportunities for cricketers,regardlessoftheir residential location, must be found.

Sincerely, JoshuaLuke

Bold Initiative from theAG

DearEditor, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs said it eloquently when he announced that “A responsible government has to take steps, steps that may penalize certain sections of the population, but if that is whatisrequired,whatdoyou wantthegovernmenttodo?”

He answered well, and I mustcommendhimforthis.I must also add my full support to what theAG was referring to-the wanton loss of life, damage to property andvictimswhereGuyana’s road driving culture is wreakinghavoc.

Let me quickly state that the AG is all about ‘responsible’ living and by this I refer to driving, but there are other domains as well.Iwillnotenumerateon the unabated road incidents, manyofwhicharefatal.But behind the scenes are

financiallydisabledfamilies, permanently incapacitated victims, and lingering trauma. Thus, time is more than ripe for actions to be taken.

Editor, in no part of the world are there enough law enforcers to ensure that things go the legal way In many countries, electric monitoring helps, but even so, there is still that vacuum for the erring ones to capitalise.Drivinglegally,in a safe way, to ensure safety of drivers, and the nondrivingpublicisanecessity, and indeed one way that has helpedis‘uppingtheante’on insurance for those who think that they can get-off “scot free” no matter their driving blunders, even for those who deliberately committhem.

Editors, I inform my readers,andtheycancheckit out for themselves, that in many countries, it is a given

that rates will typically increaseforthedriverswhen they are in “at fault’ vehicular accidents The amountapremiumcomesup tocanevenbedependenton factors such as age and experience Because younger drivers and those who recently were issued with driving permits, pose ‘riskier’ on the roadwayshence,thepre-emptivemove just in case of accidents. After all, victims must be compensatedadequately

Let me spell out to the driving public that auto insurance must cover more than vehicle repair It also hastocaterforinjuredcrash victims’ medical care and lost wages, as well as the repairs and/or replacement ofvehiclesandanyproperty damagedinacrash.So‘getreal’ time is at hand where ‘animal driving’ is concerned.

Now, as I ponder that

there will be “changes to insurance law (that) would drive up premiums,” I think we will see some positive changes in our road culture. It is a global phenomenon and since the ‘far-too-many unnecessary in Guyana’ accidentsare“…resultingin damage to property, private and public, as well as fatalities, there have been growing concerns from citizens about the situation and how the government planstohandleit.”Imeanit isabouttime.

According to Nandlall, and rightly so, ‘ if the (current) law is changed, then insurance premiums will have to be increased drastically

Becauseofthelaw,it’sat a minimum level where compensationpaidoutbears no resemblance to the loss people suffer and sustain fromtheseaccidents.” He

(Continuedonpage05)

The recently released policy by the Demerara Cricket Board raises several significant issues

US moves warships closer to Israel after Hamas attack

(BBC)-TheUSsaysitis moving an aircraft carrier, ships and jets to the eastern Mediterranean and will also give Israel additional equipmentandammunition.

It follows the Hamas attack on southern Israel, which President Biden called an “unprecedented andappallingassault”.

The US was also working to verify reports its citizens were among those killed and taken captive, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Israel says more than 600 people have been killed and 100 kidnapped.

In Gaza, at least 313 people have been killed following retaliatory Israeli air strikes, according to Palestinianofficials.

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier, a missile cruiser and four missile destroyers were heading to the region. US fighter jets would also be sent.

Further military aid to Israel would be sent in the coming days, the White House said, adding that the USwasworkingtotoensure that Israel’s enemies would not try to seek advantage fromthesituation.

Iran’sPresidentEbrahim Raisi has expressed support fortheHamasattack,saying Israel needed to be held to

Experienced

Frompage2 employee informed the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill of the matter which is said to be under reviewpresently

The frustrated ex-staff said heisstillawaitinganupdate on his dismissal and is particularly worried about beingabletoprovideforhis wifeandchildren.

Thisnewspaperwastold thattheemployeesweretold tobringevidenceagainstthe GMtotheBoard.

Timewasters

Meanwhile, GM of the DHBC,WayneWatsoninan

account for endangering the region.

Hamas has said assistance from Iran helped it carry out its attack, which involvedrockets,dronesand militants on paragliders and saw hundreds of fighters break through Israeli border fortifications around the GazaStrip.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US had not seen evidence of direct Iranian involvement, but that Iran had been helping the Gaza-based groupforyears.

“Hamas wouldn’t be

Hamas without the support that it’s gotten over many yearsfromIran.

We haven’t yet seen directevidencethatIranwas behind this particular attack or involved. But the support overmanyyearsisclear,”he toldUSTV

Mr Blinken also said officials were looking at reports that US citizens had beencaughtupintheattack.

“We’ve got reports that several Americans are amongthedead.

We’re working very actively to verify those reports,” he told US TV on

DHB workers reportedly...

invited comment told this newspaper that the employeesleavingtheentity hadtheir“ownintentions.”

Headded,“Idon’tknow anywhere in Guyana where right now, people are sticking to jobs, especially people who want high salariessoifthecomplaintis the General Manager is the reason why people are leaving,Irathersuspectthey have their facts to support that.”

Watson said he sees no need to justify any position, but noted that his responsibility is to ensure

that the bridge is safe for commuters.

Consequently, he explained, “If people are beingpaidtoworkandthey are not willing to work I will defend the right of the organization to take action to dismiss or to ensurethat people who don’t want to workfindanotherjob.”

The General Manager contended that the DHB has a history of persons turning up to work to “waste time” but this work culture does not support the current demands of the bridge

Sunday Other countries including the UK, France, Ukraine and Thailand have alsoreporteddeaths. HetoldABCthat“thisis amassiveterroristattackthat is gunning down Israeli civilians in their towns, in

their homes, and as we’ve seen so graphically, literally dragging people across the borderwithGaza.

“So,youcanimaginethe impact this is having throughout Israel. And the world should be revolted at

whatithasseen.”

Hundreds of people are still reported missing Among them is 23-year-old American-Israeli Hersh Golberg-Polin,whowasata music festival in the desert which was stormed by militants. His parents told the Jerusalem Post they received two messages from him reading: “I love you”and“I’msorry.”

Israel’s ambassador to the US, Michael Herzog, told CBS News that he understood Americans wereamongthesoldiersand civilians abducted in southern Israel but did not havedetails.

The US sends billions of dollars of military aid to Israel, a close ally, each year SinceWorldWarTwo, Israel has been the largest overall recipient of US foreignaid.

The UN Security Council is due to meet in New York shortly to discuss the violence in IsraelandGaza.

BoldInitiativefromtheAG...

Frompage04 detailed, and with a promissory warning, that “There is going to come a time where the law in relation to insurance may have to change to allow higher coverage for motor vehicles, so that those injured or properties destroyed, can benefit from higher insurance coverage,” all because “ his government is considerate, (and) they have deliberately (beenkeeping)theinsurance ataspecific(low)level.”

But this is over, as, “allowingpersonstokeepon being able to afford insurance, they have seemingly been abusing the privilege.Nowwhenthelaw is changed and the coverage increases,thenrateswillalso increase, whether it be

minibusortaxi.”

Editor, the general nondrivingpublicandthosewith goodwill in their hearts, I urge you all to ignore those fewcitizenswhoarereacting negativelyandarebeginning tovoicetheirconcerns” that any good government must ,”take steps, steps that may penalize certain sections of the population,” if that will facilitate betterment for all. And we sure need ‘betterment’ on the roadways.

“howtrueitis,andasthe AG pointed out that , “a personmaybedrivingonthe road, carefully and

sober,”but here’s a vehicle comingatthemlikea“lethal weapon”. Because of their carelessness, recklessness, ormaybethefactthatthey’re under the influence, they maycauseyoutolosealimb, suffer serious injuries, become paralyzed, and perhaps even die Since that’s what the government isdealingwith…”

I await the day when driverswillbewaryofwhat they are doing, and when reverse psychology will put themonthealert,andnotthe non-drivers.

Yourstruly, HBSingh

The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier is heading to the region

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ExxonMobil contract

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It has been called

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barefaced and lopsided. twisted and one-sided.

It has been called

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The PPP in Opposition called the contract a curse.

The PPP in Gov't. now curses those who call it a curse,

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Whose side is the PPP Govt. on?

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Whose chamber is VP Jagdeo in?

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Whose side is President Ali on?

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ExxonMobil’s Chief Financial Officer listed among most powerful women in business

Chief Financial Officer

Karen Mckee were all paid (CFO) for ExxonMobil higher salaries in 2022 with Corporation, Kathy Mikells largebonuses. has emerged as one of the

Woods for instance had most powerful women in his salary increased from business, the company US$ 1,615,000 in 2021 to announcedonThursday US$ 1,703,000 in 2022. The

In a brief congratulatory Shareholders of the statement, Exxon said company have approved a Mikells is also one of the further increase for the company’s Senior Vice Executives in 2023, taking Presidents (VPs). She joined Woods’ monthly salary to Exxon inAugust 2021 and is US$1,875,000. one of the oil giant’s first

Vendors hike water, beverage prices as heatwave continues

ByAlex Wayne

While citizens have to c o n t e n d w i t h t h e excruciating heat generated by the heat wave that is rocking Guyana, many complained that they are now faced with a heat wave ofanotherkind.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for ExxonM Corporation, Kathy Mikells

On the local front,

Meanwhile, Mikells female members of s a l a r y m o v e d f r o m Management Committee US$437,500 in 2021 to and its first official female US$1,100,000in2022. CFO.

Exxon said, “We’re Mikells earlier this year proud to announce she’s on revealed that the oil giant is Fortune’s 2023 list of the sparing no effort in most powerful women in East, and Africa (EMEA) maximizing value from business!” region, and 16 are in the Guyana on all fronts, as

Fortune’s 26th annual Asia-Pacific region. Finance quicklyaspossible.

They are numerous reports reaching this publication that beverage and water vendors have hiked their prices on the liquidproducts.

‘Most Powerful Women’list and tech top the list with 20

Towards this end, she dropped on Thursday execs each, followed by said Exxon has launched an morning. For the first time, retailwith18. exercise that allows for the the list includes 100 women Mikells was among the simultaneous execution of business leaders from executives of ExxonMobil exploration, appraisal, and aroundtheworld. who received salary developmentactivitiesinthe

Executives are selected increases last year from the Guyanabasin,specificallyat by Fortune based on five company’s “record breaking the Stabroek Block which factors including the size of profits”. has unlocked 11 billion the business, the health of Chief Executive Officer barrels of oil equivalent that business, the exec’s (CEO) of ExxonMobil resources. careertrajectory,hercultural Corporation (XOM), Darren She noted that the and societal influence, and Woods, along with Senior company’s approach has howsheusesherpower Vice President and CFO, resulted in tremendous

In total, this year’s list Kathryn Mikells; Senior financial success, adding features 67 CEOs and 53 Vice President, Neil that there were two new newcomers. Sixty-one Chapman; Senior Vice discoveries this year, while women are from the President, Jack Williams, Jr. two vessels continue Americas, while 23 are and President, ExxonMobil production at rates that are based in the Europe, Middle ProductSolutionsCompany, abovetheinvestmentbasis.

1 in every 8 people injecting drugs is HIV positive - World Drug Report

One in every eight people injecting themselves with drugs is currently HIV positive, according to theWorld Drug Report released fortheyear2023.

The report, which has a vast arena of data covering drug use and drug related issues across the planet, noted that for the year 2020 an estimated 11.2 million people were injecting themselves with drugs in comparison to the 13.2 million in 2021. This spike reflects an 18% rise within a 12 HIV is 35 times higher for those who inject monthsperiod.Duetonewlyavailabledatain drugsthanforthosewhodonotinjectdrugs.” the United States and other countries, the The report also found based on data from spikewasobserved. 18 countries that men are 5 times more likely Drugs or rather illicit substances have tobedruginjectorsthanwomen.Thefemales been a constant issues plaguing society for who do inject themselves with drugs are decades and the report, which is compiled by highly likely to be having an intimate the United Nations Office on Drugs and relationship with a male, who would have Crime, “Drug use continues to be high introducedthemtodrugs. worldwide. In 2021, 1 in every 17 people This results in posing a significantly aged 15–64 in the world had used a drug in higher risk for sexual transmitted infections thepast12months.” for females, also through sex work and their

The North American and Eastern increasedvulnerabilityforabusewhetheritis European regions maintain their spots at the theirpartnerorlawenforcementofficers. top as the sub-regions with the highest According to the report, over the decade estimated of individuals who inject spanning 2010-2019 the increase in the themselveswithdrugs. number of healthy years of life lost increased

The report goes on to say that, “acquiring by13%.

The hike in prices by vendors has sounded alarms by consumers since the vendors are paying the same price for the two items from manufacturers, but have taken advantage of the intolerable heat, as a means ofcreatingthepricehikes.

During interviews done in and around the city, many shoppersrelatedthatwiththe intense heat, they must Vendors at the Stabroek Guinness, GT Beer, and consumehigherquantitiesof and Bourda Markets as well Malta.However,StagBeeris water, canned and fruit as the Mon Repos market on retailedat$300perbottleata juices. the East Coast of Demerara fewlocations.

Some persons told and at Mahaicony hiked the Checks with beverage Kaieteur News that the price for small and large manufacturers has proved vendors knowing the “need bottled water by $60, thus that there has been no recent to cool down,” have forcibly takingitfrom$100and$260 increase in the wholesale increased prices, and are respectively, to $160, and prices for items and as such, executing the “take it or $320each. confirms that vendors are leaveitattitude.”

Fruta and other canned utilising the heat wave to the Kaieteur News took to juices increased by $40, and bestoftheiradvantage. the streets yesterday to even $60 in some locations Alarmingly, at least one confirm such reports and inthecity popular supplier in the observed the hiked prices An additional $60 has Stabroek Market area has quotedbyvendors. been added to the 20 ounce added a whopping $300 to a

It was noted also that the Coca- Cola beverage, and case of small water, raking it price for coconut water has this applied also to Sprite, upto$1,400percase. spiralled also, and even the and all Soca-brand Manycitizensarepeeved cane juice was retailed at beverages. at this sudden hike in prices significantly higher sums of At a few locations, an and are hoping that the money prior to the head additional $40 has been relevant authorities will wave. added to Banks Beer, addresstheincreases.

Over 5,700 backlogged passports to be eliminated by Friday

The Government has position,” he assured the Passport Office in announced plans to rid the nation. Georgetown,thereareabout backlog of some 5,700 The Head of State 4,048 passports in the passports thereby allowing a c k n o w l e d g e d t h e backlog, in Berbice, 900, for their issuance by Friday frustration expressed by Linden, 102, Anna Regina This was announced by citizens regarding the ,103, Parika, 54 and Bartica, President Irfaan Ali on prolonged wait times for five.

Friday during a live video passport issuance and Persons who applied for statement. clarified that the backlog new passports, or were

President Ali said a issue was exacerbated by a seekingrenewalshadtowait dedicated team has been globalshortageofpassports, for two months before being assembled and is currently a challenge faced by abletoreceivesame. working 24-hour shifts to numerous countries The President reminded tackle the existing backlog worldwide. that Guyana was recently including the 400 passports “ N o w, w e h a v e plagued with a shortage of forthediaspora. purchased a lot of passports passports, which had

“So, all things being back into the system. But impacted negatively on the equal, that is we don’t have what I’ve seen is that people distributionprocess. any challenges with the are not utilising regional L a s t y e a r , t h e machines and so on by next offices,”hehighlighted. government had ordered Friday, we are hoping to For instance, at the some 80,000 new passports bring this backlog to nil Central Immigration and tosatisfydemandslocally.

A water vendor plies his trade in the blazing sun.

Image: Liz Masoner/Pixabay

President Ali has picked his corner

Whilehedidnot name anyone, President Ali left little doubt that the person he was referring to during his address of the Canada-GuyanaChamberof Commerce, was his former mentor, Donald Ramotar The former President has nowcomeoutandsaidthatit is better to fight to renegotiate the Exxon contractratherthannotfight atall.

The President and his government, however, have throwninthetowel.Despite when in Opposition promising to renegotiate the oil contract, the PPP/C is now engaged in a full-scale retreat by refusing to renegotiatethecontract.

DonaldRamotarhasnot beenthefirstandwillnotbe the last to call for renegotiation The person who signed the contract on behalf of the APNU+AFC has himself said that he is willing to help renegotiate thecontract.

But what was surprising was the retort from the President. He need not have saidanything.Outofrespect to his former President and mentor, he should have avoided criticizing Ramotar inthemannerthathedid.

Ramotar made him into the man he was. It was Ramotar – not Jagdeo- who took him by the bootstraps and groomed his political career It was an unkind cut forPresidentAlitohavesaid thethingshesaidinresponse to Ramotar Even if he did not agree with Ramotar’s statement, out of respect for a former President of

Guyana and a former General Secretary of the party, President Ali should havesaidnothing.

President Ramotar played a significant role in shaping the political career of President Ali. He has conceded as much already

The mentorship and support provided by Ramotar were instrumental in the development of President Ali’spoliticalcareer

It was therefore indeed a disappointment when PresidentAli responded to Ramotar’s comments in a seemingly unkind manner Regardless of whether he agreed or disagreed with Ramotar’s statements, there is a certain level of decorum and respect that should be maintained when dealing with former Presidents It’s important for leaders to rise above personal disagreements and prioritize the larger interests within their political party and the nation as a whole Maintaining a level of respect and civility towards former leaders not only preserves the dignity of the office but also sets a positive example for future leaders tofollow

When he became President,Alihadtriedtoset up a council of former Presidents to advise him.

Ramotar and Samuel Hinds were invited to meet with him But given all that Ramotar did for him, he ought to have let the former President’scommentslide.

But by his reaction, the

public is in no doubt now in whose corner the President stands when it comes to the oildeal.Hehasmadeitclear that you simply do not renegotiateanoilagreement because it has implications for investor confidence

Well, the PPP/C is technically renegotiating a number of land deals which were signed under the APNU+AFC.Butitdoesnot seem to feel that these renegotiations will affect investorconfidence.

The President is supposed to side with the people of Guyana. And if a dealisflawed,thenthatdeal hastobecorrectedsolongas it will bring greater benefits for the people. By taking a p o s i t i o n a g a i n s t renegotiation, the President has boxed himself into a corner

ThePresident’sdutyisto prioritizethewell-beingand interests of their nation’s citizensaboveallelse.When a deal, whether it be an international agreement, economic contract, or any other form of agreement, is found to be flawed or not in the best interest of the people, it is the duty of the President to act in the people’sinterest.Thismeans thatifadealcanbeimproved or corrected to bring about greater benefits for the people of Guyana, it should be pursued without hesitation.When a President takes a firm and unbending stance against the idea of renegotiation,itcanleadtoa situation where he corners himself. By refusing to consider renegotiation the President risks putting their

DEM BOYS SEH

Respect yuh elders!

Dem boys seh, we gat some youngins tink dey ‘forced-ripe and dey done reach de mountaintop of wisdom.Demfeellikedey could throw shade at dem elders. But lemme tell you something, dis ain’t no game, it’s life, and respect for your grown-ups is like de casasreep in your pepperpot, without it, you’rejusteatin’soup.

Now, I ain’t sayin’ dat all youngins got no manners, but some of dem walkin’ ‘round like dey born with Google in dem brains Dey quick to dismiss dem elders, like dey just finished a PhD in life. Dem elders, dey done seenthings.

Remember de time whenGrandmausedtotell you ‘bout how she had to walk barefoot to school uphill, both ways? Well, she wasn’t lyin’. Respect her struggle. And don’t forget ‘bout Pops, who used to work two jobs to put food on de table. He didn’t have no TikTok to waste his time on He worked hard, and he deserves respect for teachin’ you de value of h a r d w o r k a n d perseverance.

But we got some youngins got fresh ideas, and dey wanna change de world. Dat’s great! But don’t forget dat respect for your grown-ups don’t

own ego and pride ahead of thewell-beingofthepeople.

Guyanese now know exactly where they stand withthisPresident.

He has closed his eyes andearstothepossibilityof renegotiation.

Exxon must be very happytohearwhathehasto

say in response to President Ramotar But even they wouldnotbeabletoprevent the exposure of what his statement foretells about leadershipofthiscountry

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)

mean you can’t challenge or question ‘em. It just meansyougottadoitwitha little bit of manners, and maybe even learn a ting or twofromtheirexperiences.

So, next time you feel like throwin’shade at your elders, just remember, dey paveddewayforyou.Dey didn’t have no GPS; dey had to find deir own way through life’s twists and turns So, show some respect, and who knows, you might just learn sometin’ valuable from dem Dem boys seh, “Respect your grown-ups, ‘cause one day, you’ll be onetoo,andyou’llwantde same.”

Talkhalf.Leffhalf

H@RD TRUTHS

BY GHK LALL

Everybody is a specialist now

Asocial media clip came tobeHisExcellency,Donald grin and grimace while Be receptive to ideas, no where the powerful t o m e o v e r n i g h t , Ramotar (a “former another former President, matter the source, nor how impulses of patriotism compliments of a citizen. It president”). If a man who Dr B.Jagdeomakeshim(he, much they challenge and should be. I rarely find was His Excellency, was with founder Cheddi President Ali) into an reducetoashes. commongroundwithformer President Dr Mohamed Jagan could be disparaged in international spectacle. I Consider this: If the President Ramotar, but Irfaan Ali. After the first this manner-”a specialist” of deal in velvet today because President is going to make a clearly, he has Guyanese velocity, Exxon’s Viceroy in line, “Everybody is a nostanding-thenIshudderto it is the presidency involved. living denouncing every b a c k s T h e r e a r e Guyana, Mr Alistair specialist now a former think of how those outside I even take it upon myself, Guyanese (women, writers, tremendous differences with Routledge gets a rush of president…” I took a hasty the party’s fold are damned heavy misgivings aside, to the independent media, how former President adrenaline. He is able to exit when he reached and denigrated. A President address President Ali as Transparency Institute, Jagdeo manages the oil wire Exxon’s Texas High “engineer” in that same is a president, and of that let ‘doctor’ though there are engineers, and even a former sector on which so much Command: the boys are on sentence. ForwhatIsawand therenotbeanymistake. Let these swirling national president [all conscientious depends; it is what converts thejob,theyarethebest,real heardinthose15-20seconds therebe an absenceof mean- dismissals about even lesser objectors]), then all that he him into the worst of champs. was not a dear beloved spirited attack on a man credentials. It should be would have is a cohort of caricatures. Ifonlyhewould Now,itismyharddutyto national leader, a brother I callingforbetterforGuyana, noted I address Bharrat people who tell him what he listen, recognize his failures, form President Ali and can respect. What I saw and through renegotiation, Jagdeo as ‘doctor’ also, wants to hear, who play him. pickup on his loss of face, former President Jagdeo that heardwasacruderapperand through delivering those notwithstanding that his All the critics and naysayers, then Guyana could get they are presidents not low dancehall performer responsible for the national award is simply honorary It Dr President, are not cranks somewhere. Torepeat:there pushers or touts for Exxon. What’s up, comrade leader, audithumiliation. is not demanding at all and crackpots. All just is no value in making him They are presidents for esteemed brother, with all Disturbingly, Excellency anymore, because I cannotbe. look malevolent and Guyanese, not snarling the prowling on the stage, as Aliisexcitedtofireasalvoat genuinely want to see Ali, Further, President Ali impotent, and regarding his punksexhibitingpugnacious if some Guyanese version of former President Ramotar, Jagdeo, (and Norton) shouldrecallRichardNixon, honest intents, which call for fierceness on behalf of an over-fueled white rocker, whospokelikeatruepatriot, succeed in rising for Joe Stalin, and the Little Nobel Prize winning Exxon

Whenever one orsomeJamaicanrudeboy? a man with working class Guyanese. I offer President Corporal from Austria: they tenacity,Herculeanlabors. I Guyanese is mocked, the President Ali aimed and instincts. But the same Ali not just a page from my surrounded themselves with diminish the VP, and not one President (and VP) fulfills firedhispotshotatwhoItake Excellency Ali is content to book, but the whole book. ‘yes men’ who played to Guyanese benefits. Only Exxon’s visions. My last their master’s egos, and look Exxon does. Brother Barry calltoPresidentAliisforthe where those masters all attacks Guyanese, and record: the people are endedup. Exxonprospersagain. watching, and they see what

The point for the

When I observe either is behind the kimono. To president is that some President Ali or former President Ali, I respectfully citizen,someengineer,some President Jagdeo making it tender: listening more could former president, some their duty to defile verbally lead to more learning, which dissenter found disagreeable Guyanese found to be could make living and could most likely have some obnoxious because they governing cleaner, happier degree of raw intelligence push for more from Exxon, I Otherwise, risk becoming a and native wisdom that discern a smokescreen political ornament that jive exceeds that of PresidentAli Their blusters are to conceal talks, trash talks, and talks himself, and his entire band their chronic leadership bull. of advisers. I regret to deficits, their fake bravados (The views expressed in inform the President that he reveal their helpless this article are those of the and his circle of deniers allegiancetoExxon. a u t h o r a n d d o n o t register (even among his On each occasion that necessarily reflect the own) as lacking in PresidentAli and VP Jagdeo opinions and beliefs of this testosterone, shallow in rail and rant at patriotic n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s valor, and deathly anemic Guyanese with bacterial affiliates.)

“The screams were as if someone was watching a scary movie”

...senior teacher tells COI of Mahdia Dorm Fire

As the Presidential the time second in charge of wasforcedtoattendsessions upstairs are probably Commission of Inquiry the school of the Mahdia at the Georgetown Public watching a scary movie.The (COI) into the Mahdia Secondary School, told the Hospital Corporation sound was like that, the school dormitory fire COI that the, “screams were (GPHC) Psychiatric Clinic screaming was like you’re continued its hearings on as if someone was watching and her husband is also watching a scary movie. So I Friday, Head of Department ascarymovie.” undergoing psychology said they are probably English, Amanda Peters- That night traumatized treatmentfollowingthefire. watching some scary movie Nedd recounted the spine- her entire family leaving her According to Peters- upstairs, because there are tingling screams of children son,afirst-yearstudentatthe Nedd, she was acting in the teacherlivingupstairstoo.” trappedinthebuildingasthe Cyril Potters College of capacity of the Deputy Head Shesaidherhusbandtold inferno raged at the facility E d u c a t i o n ( C P C E ) , teacher since the school is a her the screaming was inMaythisyear diagnosed with acute stress Grade ‘C’ institution and as emanating from the female Peters-Nedd, who was at disorder The trainee teacher there wasn’t need for a dormitory of the school and deputytobeappointed. he ran outside their living

After taking an oath, quarters and observed Peters-Nedd dove back into flames at the facility He hermemoryassherecounted shouted, “the dorm is on nd theeventsofMay22 2023. fire”sherecounted.

She informed the COI They both ran towards that she is a teacher by the dormitory, and on profession for almost 25 reaching the location, years and at the moment, she students were seen coming is currently acting in the out through the middle door capacity of HeadTeacher for to join others who were UitvlugtSecondary already outside while the Peters- Nedd said she screamsofotherscouldhave begunworkingattheMahdia been heard screaming on the Secondary School in March inside, however the screams 2022. She said she requested didnotlastforlong. of the Ministry of Education She said while some to be transferred to the students were dark in Mahdia Secondary since she complexion which she wanted to help the surmised was the smoke Hinterland communities and which engulfed the facility; she noted that there was a some were undressed, need for trained English causinghertorunbacktoher teachersatthetime. hometobringthemclothing.

“There was need for Peters-Nedd explained that English teachers in Region 8 due to the heat at nights, and there was no trained students would often sleep teacherthereatthattime,soI with little to no clothes in volunteeredtogotoMahdia. order to have some level of I was there with my entire comfort. family, except for two of my While public spirited children.” citizens were already at the

She told the commission scene, she said the police that her children- ages 9, 10, arrived a few minutes after and 19, as well as her her and then the fire husband, relocated to department officers came Mahdia when she assumed shortly after, with sirens duties at the mining town. wailing. “When they came Her husband was employed (the police) I told them we at the Mahdia Secondary still have students in the male dormitory part-time as building and they said they a house father, where he are aware and then they start would assist in the taking the ones that were supervision of the male injured tothehospital.” students residing there. She When asked about the said he did not sleep at the matron’s quarters and the dormitoryasheworkedpart- battery room, Peters-Nedd time. told the commission that she

Night of the fire wasn’t aware of any

Going back to the night separation in the two of the incident, she said that facilities, since the house around 23:15 hours on May mother along with her nd22 2023, she was in bed children were staying in the when she and her husband room where the batteries heardscreaming. were also housed. Peters-

The emotional teacher Nedd said she had raised said, “I was on my bed, concerns about the living reading and my husband arrangements,andexpressed askedmetocometotheback her concerns for both doorandlisten.Hewasinthe physicalandhealthreasons. kitchen and I was in the She said members of the room. He said come listen Guyana Fire Service did not and he said “you don’t hear seem equipped enough, screaming?” and I said man sincetheyspentfiveminutes it appears as if the people (Continued on page 15)

Former Mahdia Secondary School teacher, Amanda Nedd-Peters during her testimony.

Manganese company sifting gold non-stop at Matthews Ridge

...No Guyanese allowed in processing facility and ship loading areas

NotingthatGuyaneseare not allowed to work near the mills, publisher of the Kaieteur News, Mr Glenn Lall in a bombshell revelation on Friday, said that the Guyana Manganese Inc (GMI) company at Matthews Ridge is sifting the two minerals “non-stop” at the North West District miningoperation.

“ T h e s o - c a l l e d manganese plant sifting manganese and gold nonstop in Matthews Ridge and not a single Guyanese is

- Glenn Lall

Publisher of Kaieteur

News, Glenn Lall

atPortKaituma,theshipsare themanganese.,”Lalladded. gold greatly outweighed that Guyana’sgrowingextractive not filled to the brim, noting He reiterated that the ofthemanganese. sectors being key to the that only three quarters with “so-called manganese plant” GMI is not registered to nation’s development, manganese are loaded there. is a dual-purpose venture, mine gold. The company communities like Matthews The ships then head to sifting gold and manganese never declared “a single Ridge, highlight the need for Linden where a small non-stop and Guyanese pennyweight” of gold to the a more robust engagement quantity of bauxite is spread aren’t allowed to work near Guyana Gold Board. Lall onthepartofthegovernment on top to cover the thesite. addedthatheisinpossession when monitoring the manganese. When declared He illustrated the of video evidence which activities of companies like w i t h c u s t o m s , t h e operations on his show with shows the magnitude of the GMI and enforcing laws, consignment does not leave photographs, which g o l d o p e r a t i o n s t o which are supposed to Guyana as the expensive indicated the processing tray substantiatehisclaims. protect citizens, their manganeseonthebargesand manganese metal, but rather, of the minerals and it was InAugust2021,Kaieteur l i v e l i h o o d s , a n d allowed to work near the on the ship, is strictly done as the cheaper mineral, clear that the ratio of raw News reported that with the environment. mills separating the gold by the Chinese. Guyanese bauxite. from the manganese,” Lall

don’t get to see what or how Lall reiterated that in said. much is being loaded on order to cover up the scam,

Lall made the revelation those barges or ships on a no Guyanese national is onhisshowwhichisairedon daily basis. What is the allowed to work near the Kaieteur Radio every reason for that?” Lall ships at Port Kaituma. But Monday, Wednesday and questioned. that’s not all, he added. He Friday at 19:20 hrs and

He went on to say that said that some years ago rebroadcastedonotherdays.

Guyana is giving away raw Chinese nationals entered

Upon their discovery of country’sshores.

The publisher noted that manganese in billions of US Guyana illegally to test the in the year 2022, Guyana dollars while on the other groundatMatthewsRidgeto collected around US $5M in hand,thecountryimportsthe detect what minerals they earnings from manganese, finished products by the couldfindtoexploit. when over $1B left the hundreds of millions of US

dollars to purify the the exact mineral they were

T h e c o m p a n y, a country’s water supply at the after, which is gold, the subsidiary of the Chinese GuyanaWaterInc(GWI). Chinese company informed state-owned Bosai Minerals

“I was also informed that the government that they Group, obtained the rights to these ships when they leave were going to conduct operate at Matthews Ridge Port Kaituma, uncle they do manganese operations in in2016. not go out and offload Guyana.

Lall said the company immediatelyintothebigship

“Them people land on a has a fleet of 40-60 tonne waiting outside in the gold mine in Matthews trucks driven by Guyanese. Atlantic Ocean. It goes first Ridge, wuh become a gold

The trucks transport the to Linden at the bauxite galore, uncle day and night, manganese to Port Kaituma company to pick up bauxite. is not enough for them from its operations base. Then head out to offload in people to wuk, them ain’t However, he said locals the big ship in the Atlantic only install one grinding aren’t involved in the Ocean,”Lallnoted. mill, them install three mills operationbeyondthispoint.

He further explained that that separates the gold from “The loading of the

Manganese mining at Matthews Ridge, North West District

Labourer fatally stabbed while protecting wife

A labourer was stabbed to death around 22:00 hrs on Saturday night at Longden and Croal Streets, Georgetown, while trying to protecthisreputedwifefromanotherman.

Police identified the dead man as, Mark Hillman, 35, of La Parfaite Harmonie, West BankDemerara(WBD).

Police said that the killer was allegedly “interfering” with Hillman’s wife at her workplace. Hillman reportedly visited the location while the man was still committing theact.

He told the suspect to stop but the man refused and the two subsequently had a heated argument that ended in Hillman’s beforefleeingthescene. death. Personsatthescenerushedhimtothecity They were both armed with knives and hospital where he was pronounced dead on their brawl took them to Longden and Croal arrival. Streets where the suspect stabbed Hillman Investigationsareongoing.

Guests stabbed after fight breaks out at Bartica wedding reception

Pandemonium erupted at Bartica Region forcover

Seven on Saturday night after several guests

Bartica Hospital where they were treated and

It is unclear what started the commotion, werestabbedataweddingreception. however, when the chaos ended multiple Theweddingpartywasinfullswingatthe guests were nursing cuts and stab wounds to Palm Spring Hotel in Bartica when a relative their bodies. They were all taken to the ofthebridereportedlywentberserk.

A fight broke out and chaos erupted. discharged Kaieteur News learnt from Bottles and ware utensils were flung across medical professionals that wounds the the reception area, sending guests scurrying victimssustainedwerenotlifethreatening.

“The

screams were as if someone...

From page 12

currently still attending the Psychiatric at the scene then left for an extended period Clinic at the Georgetown Hospital and he is of time before returning and spending also a first-year student at the Teacher’s another five minutes to spray some more Training College. But he is still greatly waterontheflames. affectedbythisincident.”

Shesaidduringthetimethefiremenwere

Additionally, she said since the fire, her away, the fire engulfed almost the entire husband sleeps about 2-3 hours at night. She building and she noted that the firemen had said her younger children aren’t fully aware no tools to break and enter the building. The of the extent of the situation given their age residents found a log and gained access by andheryoungestchildstilltalksaboutitasif ramming it through the wall, she recounted. itwereamovie. ThisspeduptherescueprocessPeters-Nedd The remainder of the hearing on Friday recalled. washeldincameraduetotheteacherhaving

She said that she noticed that when the togivesensitiveinformationinregardstothe fire department arrived, half of the building minor accused of setting the dormitory on was engulfed in flames. She said that at the fire. Meanwhile, the other witnesses- the front part of the facility closer to the guard Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain hut,housedthelavatory and Former Permanent Secretary of the Tearfully, she recalled that several Ministry of HomeAffairs Mae Toussaint Jr students, who her eldest son taught, died in Thomas-Meerabux- were a no show at the fire. “Eight of his students passed away Friday’shearings. Hehadacompletebodyshutdown,theyhad The commission granted permission for to medevac him out to Georgetown, where them to be summoned and to appear on th he spent an entire week in the hospital. He is Tuesday,Oct10 totestifyatthehearing.

The Palm Spring Hotel at Bartica.

Dead: Mark Hillman

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California governor vetoes bill to make free condoms available for high school students, citing cost

(AP) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected a bill on Sunday that would have made free condoms available all public high school students, arguing it was too expensive for a state with a budget deficit of more than $30 billion.

California had about 1.9 million high school students enrolled in more than 4,000 schools last year, according to the California Department of Education.

“This bill would create an unfunded mandate to public schools that should be considered in the annual budget process,” Newsom wrote in a message explaining why he vetoed the bill, known as Senate bill 541.

The bill is one of hundreds passed by California’s Demo-

cratic-dominated state Legislature before lawmakers adjourned last month. Newsom has been signing and vetoing legislation since then, including rejecting bills on Saturday to ban caste-based discrimination, limit the price of insulin and decriminalize possession and use of some hallucinogens.

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The bill would have required all public schools that have grades nine through 12 to make condoms available for free to all students. It would have required public schools with grades seven through 12 to allow condoms to be made available as part of educational or public health programs. And it would have made it illegal for retailers to refuse to sell condoms to youth.

State Sen. Caroline

Menjivar, a Democrat from Los Angeles and the author of the bill, had argued the bill would have helped “youth who decide to become sexually active to protect themselves and their partners from (sexually transmitted infections), while also removing barriers that potentially shame them and lead to unsafe sex.”

Newsom said programs increasing access to condoms are “important to supporting improved adolescent sexual health.” But he said this bill was one of several measures lawmakers passed this year that, when added together, would add $19 billion in costs to the state budget.

“With our state facing continuing economic risk and revenue uncertainty, it is important to remain disciplined

when considering bills with significant fiscal implications, such as this measure,” Newsom said.

Also on Sunday, Newsom signed a law aimed a electrifying the state’s fleet of school buses. Starting in 2035, the law will require any new bus purchased or contracted by school districts to be zero-emission.

California’s public school districts that provide their own transportation own about 15,800 school buses, of which 10,800 are powered by diesel fuel, according to a 2022 report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

The law is part of California’s plan to phase out the use of fossil fuels. State regulations will ban the sale of new gas-powered cars in California by 2035.

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Venezuelan nationals robbed after leaving Stabroek party

- police urged to address nightly parties outside Demico House

At least nine ranks are usually inside the market area, vendors in the Ve n e z u e l a n facilityallthetime,andmost areasaid.

nationals were times they would venture

The robbery spree on

robbed late on outside if they are Saturday night last, was a Saturday night as they left a summoned by someone to well planned and executed, party hosted by a bar owner intervene in altercations and it was orchestrated by a just outside the Stabroek outsidethefacility band of more than ten outletofDemicoHouse. Vendors,whorelatedthat robbers who were seen

Food vendors have since they feel unsafe, are of the lurking for hours nearby and expressed anger that the view that police at this observing the Venezuelans police were nowhere to be o u t p o s t s h o u l d b e who were all dancing and seen throughout the ordeal conducting regular patrols having a good time, persons that lasted almost half of an around the Stabroek Market intheareasaid. hour along the walkway Block.

Venezuelan nationals usually party daily and nightly on the walkway outside Demico House at Stabroek.

As the revellers prepared not to intervene, as some of robbedatwill. areatoldthispublicationthat under the Demico House Break-up nightly parties to leave the area, sometime the bandits were armed with Reports reaching this they are peeved with what outlet. The foreigners were Some persons are of the after 22:30 hrs, the robbers knives Despite the publication suggest that the onevendortermed,the“hapa l s o r o b b e d w h i l e view that police should pounced on the foreigners, commotionoutside,policeat robbers are working in hazard operations” of police scampering to safety along break up the daily night robbing them of wallets, the nearby outpost seemed unison with female sex ranks at the Stabroek AmericaStreet. partieshostedbyabarowner wrist watches and cell nottonoticeatall. workers who ply their trade outpost.

The incident occurred on the Demico House phones. The revellers, who around the Stabroek Market They called on the around22:30hronSaturday walkway, which is usually Reports are that one appeared scared, made area. Reports are that the GuyanaPoliceForcetobeef-

While there is a police usedbypedestrians. bandit even robbed a man of desperateattemptstoescape, females would mingle with up security around the area, outpost outside the Stabroek This area is usually a bird cage in which he had a rather than to defend the Venezuelan males, and and secure same from Market, Saturday night’s blocked most times by bird that is usually sold for a themselves. Many of them would point out those who bandits. incident was the second time revelling Venezuelan highprice. ran as far as America Street, carry valuables to the Somevendorsarecalling in a week that persons are nationals who consume To many in the area, the with the bandits in hot robbers after mingling with on police to also investigate being robbed right under the alcohol, and would dance scene was similar to that of a pursuit. and seducing, the most people who congregate cops’noses. until wee hours of the night. movie as it unfolded before M

times,intoxicatedmen. nightly alongside the

From observances made They become easy prey for their eyes, and vendors appeared intoxicated and Meanwhile, vendors p e r i m e t e r f e n c e o f by this publication, police robbers around the Stabroek simply stood by, and dared weresoonoverpowered,and around the Stabroek Market Parliamentbuildings.

Simone Biles wins fourth gold of world championships as she completes first international competition since two-year break

CNN - Simone Biles won her fourth gold medal of the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships yesterday, finishing first in the floor exercise, as she completes her first international competition since her two-year break from gymnastics.

Despite being penalized for stepping out of the floor area in her routine, the high difficulty of her performance meant she finished well clear of second-placed Rebeca Andrade.

The gold in floor is Biles’ 23rd world championship gold medal and was her second of the day, having won the beam competition in

Antwerp, Belgium.

After a disappointing day by her lofty standards on Saturday – winning silver in the vault and finishing fifth in the uneven bars – the 26-year-old bounced back in emphatic fashion to win her third gold medal of this year’s world championships.

The US gymnast recorded a 14.800 in her attempt, finishing 0.100 ahead of China’s Zhou Yaqin in second place.

With four gold medals and one silver added to her already bulging medal cabinet, Biles appears back to her allconquering best and deserving of the accolade she earned during her time in Eu-

rope: the most decorated female or male gymnast ever.

A successful return

It’s been a week to remember for Biles, who is making her return to the top-tier of competitive gymnastics following a two-year hiatus after suffering from the “twisties” – a mental block causing a gymnast to lose track of their position in midair – during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Gold medals in the women’s team and all-around competitions began a productive few days of action, the latter of which was her sixth all-around world title and made her the most decorated

Monday October 09, 2023

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

A large weight should lift from your shoulders today, Aries. The air has started to clear, and the winds of communication have started blowing again. Listen closely to the buzz in the air.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

People may be abrasive today, Taurus, but you will find after careful assessment that they don't mean any harm. More than likely they aren't fully informed.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Don't criticize the situation until you've come up with a better solution, Gemini. Be creative. You can accomplish much if you approach the situation confidently.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Your thoughts may have a dreamy quality today, Cancer. You will find that things are less stable than they have been for the past few days. Don't get discouraged by pessimistic people.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Your emotions are soaring, Leo, and you should feel free to indulge in your greatest fantasies. Take a break from reality for a while. Let your inner child play.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

Reward yourself with two desserts today, Virgo. Take a bubble bath. Share your fantasies with others and express yourself fully. Don't feel like you have to say yes.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

The weightiness of the past few days seems to be lifting. You will find a slight breeze building that will help fuel your fire, Libra. By building a solid foundation, you've created a reliable.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Now that you have a solid grip on your situation, unexpected things may come along that change the rules again, Scorpio. It may feel like the chair you just got comfortable.

SAGIT (Nov.22–Dec.21)

Use gadgets and electronic devices to make life easier today, Sagittarius. Why take the time to chop food by hand when you can use the food processor.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The

Be careful of the information that comes your way today, Capricorn. People may make unwarranted claims and false accusations. The day has a dreamy, innovative quality to it that asks you to venture out on a limb.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Maintain an air of detachment, Aquarius. Feel free to delve into your fantasy world and let your emotions carry you to another realm. Today is one of those days when you might come up with a new invention.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

You may find that things are much lighter than they were the past couple days, Pisces. This is a good time to let your physical body take a rest.

female or male gymnast ever.

Saturday’s action for Biles didn’t live up to her high standards though. She earned a silver in the vault after falling upon trying to land her first vault, the eponymous Biles II, also known as the Yurchenko double pike, and then fifth in the uneven bars, the apparatus in which she has been least successful in over the years.

However, she was back to her winning ways on Sunday, performing with her usual assuredness and poise.

Her routine on the beam included all the requirements needed by the judges, all performed with the perfection you come to expect from a Biles display.

Zhou did run Biles close with her own performance, but the 17-year-old’s execution was adjudged to be 0.1 points lower than Biles’; a fine margin between first and second position.

Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, fresh off of world championship gold in the vault on Saturday, earned bronze medal with the final performance of the round.

And later on Sunday, Biles made it two golds on the same day with an almost perfect display on the floor apparatus.

Her performance included the usual bounce and precision she has routinely shown over her decorated career.

Biles has now earned 30

Biles in action during the floor final at the 2023 world championships.

(Yves Herman/

Reuters)

career medals – 23 gold, four silver, three bronze – at the world championships, as well

as a record 37 total medals across both the Olympics and the world championships.

MCW Over 40s Cricket Global Cup...

Pakistan emerge World Champions by overpowering

West Indies in the final - UAE win plate final

KARACHI: Hosts Pakistan emerged world championsbyoverpowering West Indies by 152 runs in the final of the inaugural MCW Over 40s Cricket GlobalCupatNationalBank Stadium while United Arab Emirates (UAE) won the plate final against Hong Kong by 92 runs at Moin KhanAcademy

Skipper Misbah-ulHaq’sfluentcenturyenabled Pakistantopostanimposing total of 328 for four in the allotted45overswhichthey defended quite comfortably by bowling their opponents outfor176in38.5overswith spinnerAbdulQadirpicking upsixwicketsfor35runs.

Misbahchosetobatfirst after beating rival skipper Narsingh Deonarine in the spinofcoin.

The West Indians did a fabulous job by containing thePakistaniopeners,Abdul Razzaq andAmjadAli, who had massacred the

Australian bowlers in the semifinalatthesamevenue. Pakistan, in fact, was in a spot of bother when both

Razzaq(38off58balls)and Amjad (28 off 28 balls) perishedinquicksuccession afteraquietstart.

Thestagewassetforthe captain to lead by example and Misbah did exactly that by adding 173 for third wicket with Hassan Raza, who made 68 off 64 balls. Misbah departed after scoring106off93ballswith the help of seven sixes and six fours. The cameo from Tasawwar Abbas, who finished unbeaten on 58 off only 21 balls allowed the home side to collect nearly 100runsfromthelastseven overs which lifted the total into mammoth proportions. Former Test leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo (250)wasthepickoftheWest Indianbowlers.

West Indies began the chase of 329 in a confident manner with openers Randy Thomas(37off51balls)and

DevindraMaharaj(17off34 balls) seeing off new ball operators,MuhammadSami and Imran Ali, during their 57-run partnership The introduction of spin, as

expected, brought about their downfall and the sensational spell of Abdul Qadir, yielding six wickets, sealed the fate of the match.

LawrenceFarnum(41off54 balls) and Sanjeev Gooljar (28 off 37 balls) delayed the inevitable for a while by adding 65 for eighth wicket butHassanRazatookthelast three wickets in quick time toclosethedeal.

Meanwhile UAE, who didn’t qualify for the

VerstappenaddsQatarwintohistitle...

From page 21 Mercedes team mates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton collided at the first corner, with the latter accusing the younger Briton of taking him out.

Hamiltonlatercalmeddownandsaidhe didnotconsiderhisteammateatfault.

Russell, who had started second and madefourpitstopsinall,wentfromlastto fourth with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fifth andAstonMartin’sFernandoAlonsosixth despite an off-track excursion and a painfullyhotseat.

Ocon was seventh for Alpine with the Alfa Romeo pair of Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou eighth and ninth and Red Bull’sSergioPerezdemotedto10thaftera five-second post-race penalty for exceedingtracklimitsmultipletimes.

Perezhadstartedfromthepitlaneafter crashinginSaturday’ssprintandgivinghis

mechanicsplentyofwork.

Verstappen, now 209 points clear of Perezatthetopofthestandings,ledcleanly from pole position and raced away unchallenged.

“Ithinkwhatmadetheracewasmyfirst stint.AfterthatIcouldjustmanagemypace andmakesurethatthetyreswerealwaysin agoodwindow,”Verstappensaid.

“TheMcLarenswerequickagaintoday. Ihadtopushforit.Itwasdefinitelyatough raceoutthere.”

Fourdriverscollectedtimepenaltiesfor repeated track limits violations — Perez, Stroll,Alpine’sPierreGaslyandAlbon.

Stroll, Gasly and Albon were twice penalisedforatotalof10secondseach.

Alldriverswerelimitedtoamaximum of18lapspersetoftyresforsafetyreasons after Pirelli detected kerb damage in sets usedinFridaypractice.

semifinals, had the consolationofbecomingthe plate champions by overcoming Hong Kong by 92 runs at Moin Khan Academy late on Sunday evening.

Batting first, after calling correctly, UAE did well to reach a competitive total of 241 before being dismissed in the final over Opener Sarfaraz Khan (62 off 45 balls) batted brilliantlywithBasitFeyzee

(49 off 67 balls) and Naeem Khan (39 off 38 balls) also contributing substantially as medium-pacer Shelton Joseph (4-33) and offspinner Ankur Vasishta (352) bowled superbly for HongKong.

The target of 242 in 45 oversdidn’tlookoutofreach of Hong Kong but they lost the plot against the UAE spinners as the quartet of RehanKhan(4-34),Narayan Krishnan (2-21), Naeem

Khan(2-22)andBijuKumar (1-20) shared eight wickets betweenthem.Cominginto bat number four, Rahul Sambhus remained undefeatedon54off65balls but it was not enough to change the complexion of thegame.

Hong Kong succumbed to149alloutinthe33rdover to lose the match by a wide margin. Leg-spinner Rehan, forhisfour-wickethaul,won ManoftheMatchaward.

Cricket World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli’s 85 helps India start with win over Australia

BBCSport-ViratKohli made a crucial 85 as World Cup hosts India overcame a early collapse to begin their campaign with a sevenwicketwinoverAustralia.

Steve Smith (46) and David Warner (41) topscored inAustralia’s total of 199 after they won the toss andbatted.

India had been trouble afterthelossofearlywickets left them teetering on 2-3 before Kohli and KL Rahul rebuilt.

Kohliwascaughtatmidwicket off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood (3-38) but Rahul(97*)sawIndiahome.

South Africa had pummelledthehighestscore in World Cup history when they made 428-5 as batting records were shattered against Sri Lanka on Saturdaybutthiscontestwas a subcontinental one-day internationalthrowback.

ThepitchinChennaidid not lend itself to expansive

hitting down the ground, or innovative 360 strokeplay, andinevitablybecamealowscoring arm-wrestle which bucked the trend of many modernwhite-ballmatches.

Warner had played the most fluently for Australia while Smith had shown resilience but India’s spinners strangled their opponents in the middle overs.

Spin account accounted for six of Australia’s top seven - spearheaded by leftarm tweaker Ravindra Jadeja’s 3-28 - paving the way for their quicks to later deliverthecoupdegrace.

In the 10 ODIs played at M A Chidambaram Stadium since 2011 the average score was 238 so Australia’s total felt comfortableforthehosts.

Yet India began their response in a jittery fashion as Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer all fell without scoring to a

combination of ill-judged aggression and fine bowling from Mitchell Starc (1-31) andHazelwood.

Kohli and Rahul saw offatrickyperiodandonce theshinewentoffthewhite ball and stopped swinging Australia’s attack looked unthreatening and skipper Pat Cummins bereft of ideas on how to take wickets

The India pair were content to accumulate and then showed more attacking intent to punish thebadballastheyenjoyed astandof165forthefourth wicket before Rahul and Hardik Pandya saw them over the line with 52 balls to spare Scores: Australia 199 (49.3 overs): Smith 46, Warner 41; Jadeja 3-28, Bumrah2-35

India 201-4 (overs): Rahul 97*, Kohli 85; Hazlewood3-38

Result: India won by six wickets.

West Indies pose with their Runners Up trophy.

Jamaican Olympian Cuthbert-Flynn honoured by Guyana Jamaica Friendship Association

West Indies Women incur defeat in 1st ODI against Australia

BRISBANE,Australia-

The West Indies Women’s cricket team faced an 8wicket defeat toAustralia in the first One Day International (ODI) at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane

the Match, took charge and scoredabrisk38off36balls, inclusiveofsevenboundaries

SportsMax - In recognition of her stellar athletic career, Jamaican Olympian Juliet CuthbertFlynn was honoured by the Guyana Jamaica Friendship AssociationinNewYorkon Saturday,October7.

The 59-year-old

Cuthbert-Flynn famously wontwosilvermedalsatthe Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992 running a lifetime best time of 10.82 in the 100m final won by American Gail Devers. She ran 22.02 for her second silvermedaloftheGamesin the200mfinal.

Shewonabronzemedal as a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team at the

1996OlympicsinAtlantain the United States Also among her many global accolades is a gold medal thatshewonasamemberof Jamaica’s sprint relay team at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

OnSaturdaynight,those s i g n i f i c a n t accomplishments among others were recognized by the association formed in January 2014 with the goal of fostering friendly relationships between the twoCaricomcountries.

Cuthbert, who is now State Minister in Jamaica’s Ministry of National Security,wasgraciousinher

acceptanceoftheaward.

“Iamhumbledtoreceive recognition for my athletic achievementsbytheGuyana Jamaica Friendship Association.

IwishtothankDrFrank Benbow, Claudenette Powell and their members,” the Jamaican icon said in a postonInstagram.

Cuthbert-Flynn also acknowledged the tremendous work being donebytheassociation

“I was inspired listening to the any stories and the impact of the association on numerous younglives Ithankyouall for presenting me with an award ”

Kenyan Kiptum smashes men’s marathon world record in Chicago

(Reuters) - Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum shatteredthemen’smarathonworldrecordin Chicagoyesterday,winningintwohoursand 35 seconds to beat compatriot Eliud Kipchoge’s previous mark by more than 30 seconds Kiptum smashed the London Marathon course record this year and was determined to make magic again in the Windy City as he sped up through the 35kilometre mark before thrusting his arms in the air to cheers from the crowd down the finalstretch.

Hehadnotoriginallytargetedtherecord but said he knew that twice Olympic champion Kipchoge’s previous mark of 2:01:09 was within reach in the final kilometres,ashedugdeeptomakehistory

“I feel so happy I wasn’t prepared,” he said at the finish line. “A world record was notinmymindtoday.”

He broke the tape three minutes and 27 seconds ahead of compatriot Benson Kipruto,whileBelgianBashirAbdifinished thirdin2:04:32.

Kiptum and compatriot Daniel Mateiko broke away from the rest of the pack by the 10-kilometre mark and the pair were more

than one-and-a-half-minutes ahead of the restofthefieldbythehalfwaypoint.

Running in only his third marathon, Kiptum made it a one-man race at 35 kilometresand decided to take advantageof Chicago’sfamouslyflatcourseasheshifted intoanothergear

“Isawthetimeinfrontofme,Isaidletme try-maybeIcanrununder2:00,”hesaid.“I knew one day I would be a world record holder.” He glided through the finish line, seemingly with energy to spare as he leapt into an embrace with race director Carey Pinkowski.

Therewasalsoaremarkableeffortinthe women’s race by Dutch middle-distance runner Sifan Hassan, who thwarted Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich’s bid for a third straight Chicago title in 2:13:44, the second-fastest women’smarathontimeever

Hassanpickedupapairofmedalsatthe World Athletics Championships in August andshowednosignsoffatigueinChicagoas shebrokethetapeoneminuteand53seconds aheadofChepngetich.

Ethiopian Alemu Megertu took third in 2:17:09.

The West Indies Women as posted one of their lowest ODI scores of just 83 runs in 27 3 overs While the total was far from satisfactory, Aaliyah Alleyne showed promise, standing tall amidst the falling wickets. She managed to score an impressive 35 runs from just 39 deliveries, includingsevenboundaries. Her innings was a lone bright spot in what was otherwise a gloomy day for the West Indies

Women

The Australians, however, were on top of their game with Kim Garth leading the bowling attack Her outstanding figures of 532-8-3 made her a major headache for the West Indies batting line-up Not far behind,Ash Gardner also showcased her talent by taking2wicketsforjust17runs inher5overs

Chasing a low score, the Australian team made quick work of the target Captain Alyssa Healy, awarded Player of

VeteranplayerEllysePerry provided a steady hand with 20 not out, while Beth Mooney added 6 runs not out to the tally The West Indies bowlers found little success, but Karishma

Ramharack managed to shine with figures of 3-013-1, followed closely by Cherry-Ann Fraser who claimed a wicket at the expense of 28 runs in her 5 overs. In the post-match press conference, Head

Coach Shane Deitz acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, but he emphasized the learning curvetheyoungstersareon “We sent some youngsters out to give them the opportunity and they did their best,” said Deitz, “They’re learning international cricket, but they’ve got a lot to learn.

I’m confident that with time and exposure against worldclass teams like Australia, they’ll mature into formidableplayers.”

Deitz also touched upon the team’s strategy a n d e x p r e s s e d satisfaction with some aspects of their game He appreciated how the players “moved into the ball and attacked it ” The absence of star

player Hayley was felt during the match, but Deitz reassured fans, saying, “Wedecidedtogive her the time to healandbe ready for the next game We’ll monitor her closely” With this game in the rearview, the focus now shifts to Melbourne’s Junction Oval, which is all set to host the remaining two ODIs on Thursday, October 12, and Saturday, October 14 Match

ScheduleandResults

1 October: 1st T20I at NorthSydneyOval,Sydney –Australiawonby8wickets

2 October: 2nd T20I at NorthSydneyOval,Sydney – West Indies won by 7 wickets

5 October: 3rd T20I at Allan Border Field, Brisbane–Australiawonby 47runs

8 October: 1st ODI at Allan Border Field, Brisbane – 9:35am local time (6:35pm October 7 Eastern Caribbean/5:35pm Jamaica) -Australia won by 8wickets

12October:2ndODIat Junction Oval, Melbourne – 10:05am local time (7:05pmOctober11Eastern Caribbean/6:05pmJamaica)

14 October: 3rd ODI at Junction Oval, Melbourne – 10:05am local time (7:05pmOctober13Eastern Caribbean/6:05pmJamaica)

Verstappen adds Qatar win to his title weekend

DOHA,(Reuters)-Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrated his first win as a triple Formula One world championafterdominatinga Qatar Grand Prix peppered with pitstops and penalties on a Sunday night of swelteringheat.

The victory from pole position under the Lusail floodlights was a 14th in 17 races,andcareer49th,forthe 26-year-old Red Bull driver who clinched his third successivetitleinaSaturday sprint.

Australian rookie Oscar Piastri,winnerofthat19-lap sprint, finished second with McLaren team mate Lando Norris third in what became a three-stopper after Pirelli warned of the risk of blowouts.

“It was a bit close for comfort I think in that last stint. But pace was OK.

Another win, unbelievable,” said Verstappen, who finished4.8secondsclearof Piastri.

The relatively slim gap flatteredtheAustralian,with Verstappen never looking like he was under any pressure and also setting the fastest lap. “That was a proper quality drive,” Red Bull boss Christian Horner, whose team have already won the constructors’ title, told the champion over the radio. The McLaren drivers were told to hold position at theend,althoughNorriswas unhappy with that. While Verstappen looked like he had spent the evening in a sauna,theheatandhumidity left others vomiting in their helmets and on the brink of collapse Williams’ Alex Albon, who led for one lap when others pitted, was takentothemedicalcentreto

be treated for acute heat exposure while team mate Logan Sargeant suffered severedehydration.

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon saidhewasthrowingupfora couple of laps early in the race.

“It must have been like 80degreesinsidethecar.I’m glad that next year we come back in December,” said the Frenchman.

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll said he was “passing outinthecar”attimes.

HAMILTONOUT

There was drama even before the cars had lined up on the grid when Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who ended RedBull’s100%winrecord with victory in Singapore lastmonth,wasruledoutby afuelsystemproblem.

It continued seconds afterthestartwhen

(Continuedonpage20)

Jamaican Olympian Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn was honoured by the Guyana Jamaica Friendship Association in New York on Saturday Saturday

CWI and GCB headed for legal showdown over election of Vice President Bassarath in March

SportsMax - Cricket

West Indies (CWI) issued a statement Saturday in response to the concerns raisedbytheGuyanaCricket Board (GCB) regarding the validity of the election for the position of Vice President during theAnnual General Meeting held on March25,2023.

In a letter dated October 4, 2023, the GCB had expressed doubts about the fairness and legality of the election process They claimed that they had officially withdrawn their nomination of Mr Azim Bassarath for the position of Vice President during the AGM The GCB is demanding Bassarath’s resignation adding that if he failstodemitofficetheywill

seeklegalrecourse.

CWI, in its statement, affirmeditsconfidenceinthe fairness and transparency of the election process, asserting that it had been conducted with utmost regard for the rights, views, and opinions of all stakeholders of CWI Inc. Furthermore, CWI highlighted that after the conclusion of the election, the elected Vice President hadreceivedcongratulations and unwavering support from all shareholder members.

The Board of Cricket WestIndiesemphasizedthat they had thoroughly examined the concerns raised by the GCB and affirmedthattheelectionfor the Vice President position

hadbeencarriedoutinstrict accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the organization.Theyreiterated their commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and

Andrade wins vault gold, Biles wins silver despite fall at Worlds

ANTWERP,Belgium, (Reuters) - Brazilian

Rebeca Andrade won goldinthewomen’svault attheArtisticGymnastics World Championships in Antwerp on Saturday after a fall by Simone

Biles denied the Americananotherwin

Biles won her 21st World Championships gold medal in Friday’s allaround event, with Andrade, the reigning champion, finishing second.

But the order was reversed on Saturday as a nearflawlessAndradewon by a margin of 0 201 points.

Yet the silver still extended Biles’ record tally of World and Olympicsmedalsto35

“I didn’t expect this, of course in my head I always want to win but the primary goal is to do mything

I don’t know if I can believe it but it was something that I really wanted,”Andradesaid

Bilesover-rotatedher signature Yurchenko double pike which willberenamedtheBiles II and fell backwards

onthematonlanding

“I didn’t expect Simone to fall, so I feel sad for her because I know how much we train forthis,”Andradeadded

The American also took a half-point deduction because her coachstoodonthematas a precaution, ready to assist in case of an accident

After scoring 15 000 points with her first vault, Andrade then pulled off a double twistingYurchenko

Bilesalsotookpartin theunevenbarsfinal,but finishedfifthintheevent won by 16-year-old

Qiyuan Qiu of China

Algeria’sKayliaNemour took the silver while

American Shilese Jones tookthebronzemedal

Biles will also compete on Sunday, the final day of the championships, in the balance beam and floor finals

Qiu scored a total of 15.100 points to claim the goldmedal.

“I am super excited, superhappyrightnow

The moment when I saw my score come up, I

almostcried,”Qiusaid.

MCCLENAGHAN DEFENDSTITLE

In the men’s pommel horse final, Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan defended his title to win gold ahead of

American Khoi Young

Ahmad Abu Al Soud of Jordan took the bronze medal but missed out on automatic Olympic qualification

Max Whitlock won gold at this event in 2015, 2017 and 2019, but the British three-time Olympic champion fell during his routine and endedupinfifthplace

I s r a e l ’s A r t e m Dolgopyat took gold in the men’s floor exercise final with a total score of 14 866, ahead of J a p a n ’ s K a z u k i Minami, while Milad Karimi claimed the bronze medal for Kazakhstan

The men’s rings final was the last event of the day, and Yang Liu of Chinawonthegoldmedal w i t h E l e f t h e r i o s Petrounias of Greece taking silver and China’s Hao You winning the bronzemedal

importance of unity among shareholders and the cricketing community at large. The Board implored the members of the GCB to prioritize the interests of cricketaboveallelse.

CWIremainssteadfastin its mission to promote and develop the sport in the region and hopes that all parties involved can come together to resolve this matter promptly and harmoniously

the post of Vice President duringtheAGM.

In a virtual meeting held at CWI’s request on September 21, the GCB reiterated their stance on Bassarath’s appointment, asserting that he was “illegally occupying the position” and should step down to facilitate a new and legalprocess.

transparency in all their operations, including elections.

Despite the ongoing dispute, CWI expressed its dedication to finding an amicable resolution to the matter, stressing the

TheGCBhadpreviously sentalettertoCWIPresident Kishore Shallow, asserting that the process leading to Bassarath’s appointment as Vice President was “flawed and illegal” in their opinion. They claimed to have withdrawn their nomination of Mr Azim Bassarath for

T h e G C B h a d e x p r e s s e d t h e i r dissatisfaction with the outcomeofthatmeeting

In their recent letter dated October 4, the GCB made it clear that they had “unanimously decided to demand the resignation” of Bassarath and indicated that non-compliance within 14 days would resultin“legalrecourse.”

Ex-FIFA boss Blatter slams decision for World Cup in six countries, SonntagsBlick reports

ZURICH, (Reuters) -

FormerFIFAPresidentSepp Blatter has criticised the decision by world soccer’s governing body to hold the World Cup in six countries acrossthreecontinents.

Morocco, Spain and Portugal were named hosts of the 2030 tournament, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will also host theopeningmatchestomark the tournament’s centenary, FIFA said in a surprise a n n o u n c e m e n t o n Wednesday

The decision was criticised by Sepp Blatter, who was FIFA President from 1998 to 2015, before being forced out after a corruptioninvestigation.

“It is absurd to tear the tournament apart in this way,” Blatter told Swiss newspaperSonntagsBlick

“The World Cup finals must be a compact event,” he said, adding this was important for the identity of the event, for the organisation and for visitors.

FIFA has said the vast majority of games would be held in Morocco, Portugal and Spain, r e d u c i n g t h e environmental impact of thetournament

“For 101 games, the

tournamentwillbeplayedin a footprint of neighbouring countriesinclosegeographic proximity and with extensive and well developed transport links and infrastructure,” world soccer’srulingbodysaid.

“Three games will take place in South America, also in neighbouring countries in close geographic proximity to mark the 100th year of the tournament ”

Blatter, once one of soccer’s most powerful figures, has previously

criticised FIFA for awarding the 2022 tournament to Qatar, saying the Middle East countrywastoosmall.

The 87-year-old said the 2030 tournament should take place in South America, marking the 100th anniversary of the first event which was hosted and won by Uruguay

“For historical reasons, the 2030 World Cup should havebelongedexclusivelyin SouthAmerica,” he told the newspaper

Former FIFAPresident Sepp Blatter arrives at the Swiss Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, Switzerland July 8, 2022. (REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo)

Azim Bassarth

Swiatek beats Samsonova to take China Open title, Korda stuns Medvedev at Shanghai

BEIJING (AP)

Second-ranked Iga Swiatek won the China Open final with a near-perfect 6-2, 6-2 victory over Liudmila Samsonova yesterday, for her tour-leading fifth title of theseason.

Swiatek’striumph,inher first visit to China, was her 16th career title and adds to her impressive 2023 haul thatincludestitlesatRoland Garros, Doha, Stuttgart and Warsaw

Likeherdominantdefeat of third-ranked Coco Gauff in the semifinal, Swiatek’s serve was again the telling difference in yesterday’s final, denying Samsonova a single break point opportunity throughout the 69-minutematch.

Both players stayed on serve in a steady opening until 22nd-ranked Samsonova double-faulted onherfirstbreakpointofthe match.Swiatekthenheldfor 5-2, and broke Samsonova againtotakethefirstset.

Swiatek mainatined the momentum into the second settotakeanearlybreakfor

3-1 and quickly closed out herfifthtitleoftheyearafter Samsonova put a drop shot intothenetonmatchpoint.

S H A N G H A I

MASTERS

SebastianKordastunned

third-ranked Daniil

Medvedev 7-6 (8), 6-2 to advance to the fourth round oftheShanghaiMasters.

The 23-year-old Korda showed stamina and resiliencebysavingthreeset points to eventually prevail in an enthralling first-set tiebreak.

Medvedev, a finalist at the China Open last week, was far from his imperious bestthathasseenhimwin60 matchesthisseason.

He cut an increasingly frustrated figure in the second set, and when Korda prised a break to take a 2-0 lead there was no stopping the 26th-seeded American from racing to his maiden winoveratop-fiveplayer

“We played really good tennis from the beginning,” said Korda, who made the final in Astana last week as partofthetour’sAsiaswing.

“We had some long rallies.

I’m just really happy to get that first set under my belt and then it was just a matter of getting into one of his servicegamesandhopefully takingithomeafter.”

Korda will next face

Francisco Cerundolo, who beat Marton Fucsovics 3-6, 6-4,7-5.

Sixth-seeded Jannik Sinner, fresh from his China Openfinalwin,hada6-3,36, 6-2 over 25th-seeded Sebastian Baez and 19th-

seeded Ben Shelton beat Roman Safiullin 3-6, 6-3, 64.

Eight-seeded Casper Ruud made it back-to-back straight sets wins with a convincing6-4,6-2winover 29th-seeded Christopher

Eubanks.RuudplaysFabian Marozsan in the fourth round In second round matches carrying over from Saturday’s rain delay, fifth seeded Andriy Rublev beat Quentin Halys 6-4, 7-5 and Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego defeated 10th-seeded FrancesTiafoe2-6,6-2,6-3. Also, J.J. Wolf outlasted 15th-seeded Cameron Norrie 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (4) and Grigor Dimitrov eased past Aleksander Vukic 6-4, 6-3. The 18th-seeded Dimitrov will next play 13th-seeded Karen Khachanov, who beat qualifierBebitZhukayev7-6 (1),4-6,6-2.

Other second round winners included 32ndseeded Ugo Humbert, Arthur Fils, Diego Schwartzman and 31stseededAdrianMannarino

Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz plays his third round match on Monday against 30th-seeded Daniel Evans, who was leading 6-2, 3-0 against q u a l i f i e r M i k h a i l Kukushkin when the Kazakhplayerretired

Swiatek ends Gauff’s 16-match winning streak in Beijing, Alcaraz breezes through in Shanghai

BEIJING (AP)

Second-ranked Iga Swiatek ended Coco Gauff’s 16match winning streak as she advanced to the China Open finalwithadominant6-2,63victoryovertheU.S.Open championonSaturday

It was the 19-year-old Gauff’s first loss since the quarterfinals in Montreal, a span that included titles in Cincinnati and at Flushing Meadows.

Swiatek was to meet No 22-ranked Liudmila Samsonova in yesterday’s final, after the Russian ousted fifth-seeded Elena Rybakina7-6(7),6-3.

The Polish player made just four unforced errors in the first set, keeping consistent pressure on Gauff’s serve, and made a decisive break at 3-1 to ease throughthesetin40minutes.

Swiatek maintained her vice-like grip on the match, breakingGauffatthestartof thesecondsettolead2-0.

A medical timeout to

have Gauff’s right shoulder assessed didn’t break Swiatek’s momentum as she closed it out to extend her head-to-head record against herrivalto8-1.

“I’m really happy with my performance,” Swiatek said. “It feels like I can play freely again, so I’m really happy It’sbeenawhilesince I felt that way So, I’ll remember for the rest of my career that even though tougher times may come, in your mind, you can always

overcome that. And with hard work, you can achieve it.” Samsonova blazed her way to a second WTA 1000 finalthisyearwithastraightsets win as she remained unbeaten against Rybakina infourmeetings.

TheRussianplayermade thefirstbreaktolead5-4,but immediately surrended the advantage as the first set went to a tiebreak Samsonova finally clinched the set at her third opportunity

Samsonova, who hit 33 winners, then made the decisive break in the second set to go up 5-4 and then served out the win in 1 hour 40minutes.

SHANGHAIMASTERS

Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz beat Gregoire Barrere 6-2, 7-5 in the second round of the ShanghaiMasters.

Alcaraz made a fast start against the 73rd-ranked Frenchman, racing to a 4-0 leadinacomfortablefirstset

fortheSpaniard.

Barrere responded in a tighter second but Alcaraz forced a break to take a 6-5 lead and then coolly served outthewin.

Alcaraznextmeets30thseeded Daniel Evans or q u a l i f i e r M i k h a i l Kukushkin.

In his first appearance in Shanghai since winning the title in 2019, Daniil Medvedevwasruthlessashe overpowered 98th-ranked Cristian Garin 6-3, 6-3 for

his60thwinoftheseason.

“I’mgoingtotrymybest, I’mgoingtotrytoplaymore good matches in the tournaments I have left this season,” the third-ranked Medvedev said about his prospectsofpassinghis2021 recordof63winsinaseason.

The Russian player can claim a 61st victory against 26th-seeded Sebastian Kordainthethirdround.

Fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas beat qualifier Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 6-2 and 12th-seeded Tommy Paul advancedwitha6-3,6-0win overSebastianOfner

Sixth-seeded Jannik Sinner, fresh from his China Openfinalwin,hada7-6(7), 6-2 victory over Marcos Giron. The Italian player’s third-roundopponentwillbe 25th-seededSebastianBaez.

Other winners included 22nd-seeded Nicolas Jarry and MatteoArnaldi before a rain delay suspended matches on the outside courtsuntilyesterday

Winner Iga Swiatek of Poland, right, holds her trophy poses with runner up Liudmila Samsanova of Russia during the awards ceremony for the women’s singles final match in the China Open tennis tournament at the Diamond Court in Beijing, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates after defeating Coco Gauff (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Coco Gauff of the United States receives a treatment on her shoulder (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Cricket World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli’s 85 helps India start with win over Australia

Virat Kohli fell 15 runs short of a 48th century in one-day internationals for India. (Getty Images)

West Indies Women incur defeat in 1st ODI against Australia

Kenyan Kiptum smashes men’s marathon world record in Chicago

MCW Over 40s Cricket Global Cup...

Pakistan emerge World Champions by over powering West Indies in the final

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crosses

Kim Grath celebrates a wicket. (Albert Perez/Getty Images)