Kaieteur News

Resource Curse' could befall Guyana with excessive spending of oil

'Natural Resource Curse' could befall Guyana with excessive spending of oil dollars-IMFwarns

Th e I n t e r n a t i o n a l

Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that between 2023 and 2025 Guyana willseeamassiverampupinitsoil production in the ExxonMobiloperated Stabroek Block. But with the Government already fixated on rapid spending of the imminent revenues to fuel its development agenda, the financial institution said there can be economic consequences that could befall the nation such as 'natural resource curse.'

For those who may not be aware,the'naturalresourcecurse'is aphenomenonwhereacountryrich ingold,diamond,oroilstrugglesto make prudent use of these resources, thereby leading to declining growth in other traditional revenue contributors. Countries like Nigeria,Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo are often cited as examples of this stateofaffairs.

The IMF issued this warning in its September 2022 report which focused on Guyana's economic well being and medium to long termprospects.

The Fund was keen to point out that oil production increased by 57 percent in 2021 to 110,000 barrels

of oil per day (bpd). With the coming on stream of three additional fields Liza 2 (in February2022),Payara(attheend2023) and Yellowtail (in 2025)—oil production is projected to reach over 800,000 bpd by 2026. Exxon is also pushing for approval forafifthprojectwhichisexpected to be reviewed this quarter and all things being equal, come on stream by2026-2027.

The IMF has also noted that G u y a n a ' s c o m m e r c i a l l y recoverable petroleum reserves might reach over 11 billion barrels, the third largest in Latin America and Caribbean and one of the highest levels per capita in the world.

The financial institution said such significant resources could help Guyana address infrastructure gaps and human development needs.

Itwarnedhoweverthatthereare a few risks authorities ought to consider in dealing such matters. It said while higher global oil prices and additional gas and oil discoveries could significantly improve Guyana's long term economic prospects, increased dependence over time on oil revenue could expose the economy

to oil price volatility In addition, the Fund said, “Excessively rapid increases in government spending from oil revenues could subject Guyana to the 'natural resource curse' with significant inflationary pressures, eroding competitiveness from real exchange rate appreciation, and governance

concernsaboutthecountry'sability to effectively spend and absorb such expenditure, it also expressed concern about the impact of new waves of the COVID-19 virus associated with new variants, and delaysinvaccinations.

It said too that prolonged disruption of international commodity markets and heightened oil price volatility, aggravated by the repercussions from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, also represent (both downside and upside) risks to the outlook.

Furthermore, the IMF said the countrymustbemindfulofimpacts from its constrained labour market andtheskillsgap.

labour, the IMF said the country needs to make a serious effort to reduce youth unemployment and build human capital – knowledge, skills, creativity, and well-being –by improving the education and healthsystem.

It said such conditions are essential if the population is to effectively benefit from the wealth generated by the production of oil and other natural resources, as well astogeneratewaystoaddthevalue needed to achieve the desired diversification of the country's economy

concerns.”

Kaieteur News previously reported that the Government has approved the transfer of US$607M ($126B)fromtheNaturalResource Fund According to the IMF, Guyana's rules governing the fund also allow it to take a minimum of US$500 million in any given year forbudgetaryneeds.

In addition to the IMF's

In fact, the IMF said the findings of the product-space and occupation-space analyses by a leadingconsultantin2020revealed how strategic diversification and workforce training can lead to a wealthier and more inclusive Guyaneseeconomy

The Fund said too that strategies on migration laws, local content requirements and educational funding will be key goingforward.

With the low base in education and growing demand for skilled

To fill the specialized labor gaps in the short term, it said the country will need to re-attract the Guyanese Diaspora and attract foreign professionals as did many Gulf countries including Kuwait. For encouraging the influx of Diaspora, it said the international e x p e r i e n c e s u g g e s t s a multipronged approach including with creating a Diaspora ministry, and for some countries, especially in the t r a n s i t i o n e c o n o m i e s , encouraging joint venture enterprises with Diaspora members It said too that providing access to professional networkshasworkedquitewell.

SuspectsinKNewsrobberyforcourttoday

he six men in

Tc u s t o d y f o r robbing Kaieteur Newsofmillionswillappear a t t h e G e o rg e t o w n Magistrates'Courttoday

In custody are two exemployees of the media company: Ryan Wharton, 33, a former Research Assistant and Joshua Junor, 35, a former Security Guard. Police investigators said that they have received legal advice to charge the men along with their four alleged

accomplices, Lemuel Grant, 23, Collis Heywood, Harry Stongster and Ivor Belingie betterKnownas'WildLife.'

Those charges will be filed in the Magistrate Court earlytoday

The men are accused of being part of a plot to rob KaieteurNewsonMonday

According to a police investigation, Wharton and Junor, the two former employeeshaveconfessedto planning and carrying out the crime while their

accomplices admitted to playing their roles in the heist.

Wharton and Junor had reportedly been planning to rob the company a while back but had only finalised their scheme on Sunday morning.

T h e y c o n t r a c t e d 'WildLife' and Stongster to be their accomplices and borrowed a Toyota Spacio Motor Car from Grant to transport them to and from Kaieteur News Office on

SaffonStreet,Charlestown.

After midnight on Monday they put their plan in motion. Junor turned up for work duties early while Whartondrovetheborrowed car with Stongster and 'WildLife' inside to the location 'Wildlife' entered the building and held their accomplice Junor, a clueless Security Guard, 63, and a 20 year old Graphic Artist at gunpoint while Wharton and Stongster walked upstairs

and broke the door of the company's accounts department.

They broke a drawer, stole petty cash and fetched outasafefilledwithmillions in cash, a firearm and boxes ofammunition.

The two men loaded it into their car and then escaped with 'WildLife' Junor remained and waited until his accomplices were a safe distance away before contacting his superiors to inform them that he and his

colleagues had been robbed of cell phones and $5000 cash.

After splitting up the cash at Wharton's home, a sixthsuspect,Heywood,was contactedandgiventhestole firearm and ammunition to keep and he reportedly hid it i n h i s b a c k y a r d

Investigators were able to crack the case after individuals were able to identify Wharton as one of thebanditsseeninfootageof therobbery

Ex- ofemployee

Kaieteur News, Ryan Wharton

Former Kaieteur News Security Guard, Joshua Junor

Suspect: Lemuel Grant

Suspect: Ivor Belingie aka ‘Wildlife’

Suspect: Collis Haywood

Suspect: Harry Stongster

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

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:SHARMAINGRAINGER

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

EDITORIAL

Transparency under attack, already endangered

Transparency in Guyana has always been a problem for Governments,leaders,ministers,andthepublicservantsthat theyselecttosupportthem. Thoughwewouldliketosayit, wecan’tbecauseneithertheoldPPP/CGovernments,norold PNCGovernments,northepreviousAPNU+AFCCoalition, nor this present PPP/C Government have ever been what couldbecalledtrue,deep,andbroadtransparency. Weatthis paper assert that claims of real and comprehensive transparency by any Government and any leader have been nothingbuthotairandadisassociationfromboththerecord andrealityofGuyana.

ThefirstproblemwithtransparencyinGuyanaisthatitis inaverybadstate. Thesecondconcernisthatasbadasthe lackoftransparencyhasbeenbefore,ithasneverbeenasbad asitistoday WearesurethatthePPP/CGovernmentandthe Presidenthimselfwillstrenuouslydisagree,whichonlymake mattersworse.

Because it runs against the grain of what Guyanese live with through most daily developments coming out (or not coming out) of the PPP/C Government. Because the Government powered and Government involved local environment is riddled with secrecy Because there are so many questions being put before the PPP/C Government, with the same result of no answers being provided, or when thereareresponses,theyonlysucceedinaddinganotherlayer ofsecrecyandmysterytowhatisalreadypresent.

The PPP/C Government, through its erudite and exemplary figure of ethical comportment, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, did promise to release the mining contracts signed with foreign gold mining entities. It is months later, and the nation still waits with indrawn breath, which held longer could trigger lightheadedness. In other words, lose focus, which is the clever endgame of the PPP/C Government, with sleeping dogs (concealed contracts) that canbitelefttosnoreuninterrupted. Thisisnottransparency TheVicePresidentdirectedthoseaskingforthereleaseofthe miningcontracttotheGRAandtheGGMC,butroadblocks areencounteredwheninquiriesaremadeatbothinstitutions. Nothingisbeingreleasedtothepublic,andonwhoseorders wehavesomeidea,butthisisthebaitandswitchgamethatis beingplayed.

Baitandswitchpracticesarenottransparency,butthisis thecultureatworkinGuyana,andlikeneverbefore.Itisover amonthafterthereportedly(andsupposedly)smalloffshore oil spill involving one barrel of oil, and Guyana’s EnvironmentalProtectionAgency (EPA) has lost its powers ofspeech,morelikely,controlofitsinstitutionalmind. Ifitis takingoveramonthforasingle-barrel(supposedly)oilspill, andtheEPAiswordlessandallbutworthless,relativetothe welfare of the Guyanese environment and the Guyanese people, then the conclusion has to be that the monstrously worse is what is to be expected from this guardian agency, shouldabigoilspilloccur

This cannot be about transparency, not when so much time is needed to cook-up whatever story the EPA and ExxonMobil prepare to convince Guyanese that all is well, and they have nothing to worry about. Moreover, when the GovernmentcanbesocageyovertheUS$2BWalesgas-toenergyproject,withsomuchlacking,andsomuchunknown, thenthatisnottransparency Itistheworstexampleofnontransparency from Government, while having the Vice PresidentandlesserminionssellthisGTEprojectasthebest thing that could happen to individual Guyanese. Political commercials, leadership commercials, and a supporting party-orientedcliquepaidtodoprintandcybercommercials about the Wales project are not about transparency in the least.

Commercialsareaboutconcoctionstoconvincepeopleto buywhatisusuallybadforthem,whattheycouldandshould dowithout. Thefactthatthesecommercialshavetobe

Gas-to-energy project looks financially bleaker by the moment

DEAREDITOR, laying the pipeline, which I geopolitical or other in the form of contracts

An economically sound pointoutissubjecttomarket development could send oil signed with European Wales gas to energy conditions, none of which prices south, but that looks vendors for products and (WGTE) would be a most looks on the favourable, fairly remote at this time, facilities related to its satisfying development for meaningcheaper,side. despite the known volatility offshorepreparationsforthe Guyanese. It is one that Also, Engineer Fletcher of the commodity WGTE project. This took holds the potential to give noted that the IDB funded Nevertheless, because we anothermoretangiblestepa some material and psychic EnergyNarrative(EN)study need this cheaper energy so few days ago, when relief to citizens and used the then relevant urgently, I stick to within a Freidrich Krispin, Exxon’s commerce, and nothing pipeline price of US$450M narrow band within which Project Manager, informed could be more welcomed. in its calculations, and oil prices range currently, the audience at the Guyana But,asmuchasIamtryingto concluded that the cost of that is, between US$90 Basins Summit that pipeline squeeze some of the energy supplied to GPL US$100 per barrel. I admit construction related to the underpinningsoftheWGTE would be US$3 50 per thatthisisunrealisticinview project commenced six to match present day reality, million Btu (British thermal of strengthening oil market monthsago. and reasonable future unit). outlooks. But even when As much as I hate to say projections, significant However, when current thisunrealisticlowercurrent this,thereisnootheroption: doubts continue to surface. pipeline costs, 10% cost of number (US$90-US$100) is this WGTE is over; it has This is based on the article capital, a 25-year pipeline e m p l o y e d , t h e gone past the point of titled, ‘Guyana could save lifespan, and 65% normal Government’s estimate of consulting and talking and US$1B by ditching pipeline average generating costs are GPL’s probable future disputing and quarreling Engineer’, KN October allfactoredintocalculations, energy cost comes under The plane has departed, and 12), and aspects of an the cost of energy to GPL increasingdistress. it has proceeded to the point analysis done by the same would more than double E d i t o r , I h a v e ofnoreturn. Thatis,unless engineer, Jamaican born, from US$3.50 per million deliberately left out some theHonVicePresidentraises now Guyana based, Mr BtutoUS$7.80Btu. elementsfromthiswritingto his hand, like a traffic cop, FitzroyFletcher This crushes, and is at keep things simple. These andsaystop.

I focus mostly on the severe odds with, the include elements such as No further movement. I pipeline segment of the Government’sestimatesthat GPL’s capital investment donotthinkthatevenhecan WGTE. hover around 0.06 cents per cost, its operating and do that, many things

According to the latest kilowatt hour to GPL maintenance costs, and new considered,noneofwhichis numbers, the overall cost of Interestingly, the EN study plant utilization. There is good.

the pipeline being estimatedKWcosttoGPLto also that matter about Last, like everybody constructed/laid by Exxon be 8.5 cents, which means Exxon’s transportation costs else, I hail the dream of has increased from that the 6 cents per KWwas of the gas to the Wales cheap energy I think we US$450M (other times, already on the highly facility. nowmustresignourselvesto US$478M)toUS1.3B. Itis optimisticside.

We haven’t heard something else, which triple the original figure, It should also be of anything about that, as yet; ranges from price shock to which means that prior interest that the 10% cost of plus,thereisalsouncertainty debt load to overall utility. assumptions/calculations capital mentioned earlier is regarding what is the We may not get anything about cost to GPLand price below EN’s recommended ‘charge’, if any for the gas resembling cheap, but I am of energy to the public, 12%,anotherkickupstairsto itself supplied by Exxon. hopefulthatwegetareliable ultimately, is seriously overall cost, and not an Thesearealloutsideofwhat supply stressed, cannot hold insignificantone. is shared today, and when I can dream, can’t I?

Somethinghastogiveonthe

Further, as I wrote taken together can Theproblemisthatanything issueofcheapelectricity,but previously,theinitialfigures significantly increase the that the Vice President has therehasbeenmostlysilence ofUS$60perbarrelofoilfed cost of energy to GPL, and touched in this country has inthisregard. intotheEN’scalculationsno finally to the consuming led to great disappointments Surely, I dare to inquire longer holds. It could be public. to his countrymen (and that it can’t be as doubled,ifnothigher,given Having said all the women), and still greater championedbefore,sincewe the sounds coming out of above, it was suspected that financialtraumas. are now talking of a 300% major forces in the OPEC+ Exxon was already moving Sincerely, increase in the total cost of group. Of course, some ahead with its arrangements GHKLall

The torpidity of Freddie Kissoon!

DEAREDITOR, further embarrasses himself, is no US Embassy or ‘here,thereandeverywhere.’

The ‘Bluffing Bull’ has something he is immune to. Consulate in Antigua and It is not logical nor bellowed yet again, and yet Soletmecommenttogetmy Barbuda, Dominica, economical.Simplelogistics again he makes little sense, messagetothepublic,sinceI Grenada,St.KittsandNevis, will suggest that ‘visa and as is his wont, he is doubt the perspicacity of St.Lucia,St.Vincentandthe issuing’ offices be ‘ m o r e n o i s y t h a n Freddie. Grenadines. Then Antigua strategicallylocated,andnot substantial.’ I am referring First, I emphasized that and Barbuda, Anguilla and oneineverycountry here to Freddie Kissoon and Freddie Kissoon is not the Barbados, etc., are all in the Second, it is a timehis‘Thevisadeliveryservice consensus voice on this samecategoryasGuyana,in wasting exercise to keep oftheUK,Canadaandother matter terms of how and where to brandishingthisman,asheis embassies in Guyana.’ (Oct

He has no support in getCanadianvisas. the ‘Master of the 12,2022). terms of numbers, nor from Freddie bawls out as Scurrilous,’ and also keeps

In this self defence prominent figures All though Guyana has been evading issues and instead piece,aresponseto‘Freddie embassiesofmajorcountries singled out by some descends to name-calling. Kissoon speaks for himself have their ‘rules’ pertaining countriesforuncivilizedand My contention is not what alone’ (Sep 26, 2022), he to visas. For example, there illegal treatment. This is not obtainsforvisas,butthefact so. Even if this were so, that there is no outcry from Guyanese,bythethousands, themassesherewhowantto will still leave this shore for leave;theycomply, gettheir NorthAmericaandEurope.I documentandleave. addthatitisnormalforsuper I have never heard of nations to have their visa people losing their passport, application centres within whilevisasissuanceis variousjurisdictions,andnot

pushed conveys how much deception, slickness, and clevernessareatworklocally Transparencyisneverabout thoseelements;transparencyisabouttruthingovernanceand truthinleadership. Ithasneverbeensobad,sorotten,soselfstainingandsoself-incriminating. Guyaneseshouldn’tneed longtocometoconclusionsonwhosellthemselvesoutwith theirpervasivelackoftransparency.

The torpidity of Freddie Kissoon!

Frompage4 in asserting that my letters writers, for example, often taking place as well, were not being published in write under a woman’s althoughI am sure therehas the Stabroek News and name. to be at least one. And, in a Kaieteur News. I called Mr

We seem to have lost the decency of truth in Guyana

There are many good situation of a lost passport, Kissoonandmadeitpellucid reasons why artists use during the process of a visa that he was mistaken and pseudonyms, including to issuance, the onus is on that assured him that I do not create a brand, signal a embassy/consulate to make send my letters to the change in style, avoid restitution.

GuyanaChronicleveryoften confusion with others of the

Let me restate (I think) and since the departure of same name, or even avoid thatFreddieKissoonisnotof Adam Harris from Kaieteur controversy or prejudice great credibility.Apart from News I no longer have high Some artists may want to his repetition of subject regard for that publication keeptheiridentitiesasecret. matter and lack of evidence, anditsofferingseither For example, Mary Ann heseemsavictimofhisown (Get this!) I gently told Evans, known by her pen malady For example, as Kissoonthatheshoulddoat name, George Eliot, was an Khemraj Ramjattan pointed least minimum research English novelist, poet, out, the man swings from before he writes and left the journalist,translator,andone oneextremetoanother matterthere.Othershavenot of the leading writers of the

A good explanation of and there appears to be a VictorianAge. thisiscapturedin‘Freddieis deliberatecampaign/attempt

Let me repeat that this a hypocrite’-Ramjattan | By tobesmirchthereputationof columnist is a man of S h e r o d A v e r y the Editor-in-Chief, Anand spontaneity and extremity Duncanhttps://m.facebook.c Persaud via Kissoon’s There are myriads of cases om› ›Videos.Ifyoudoubt column and anonymous that I can point to, and of me,checkitout. channels. It is ill-conceived course, readers are familiar

Thenlookathisattackon andpoorlyadvised.” with just about all of them. Anand Persaud of Stabroek Big LOL. No credibility To me, it seems that his News Just read Robin insubstancenorcharacter vicissitudesarerootedinhis Singh’s ‘My letters have Finally,concerningFK’s fluctuatingemotionsthatare been published in Stabroek nonsense on names and verypendular News,’ October 12, 2022. bylines, he must know that Inclosing,mytakeisthat According to Singh, ”… it writers’ reasons for pen Freddie Kissoon does not first came to my notice via names range from rules of speak for the people whom the mention of my name by their jobs, to wanting to he claims he is complaining columnist Freddie Kissoon protecttheirfamilies,totheir onbehalfof. who on 16.09.22 wrote ‘Mr publishers simply wanting

He is projecting his Singh made some good names that sounded better singular voice and position, replies to the hypocrites in Writers may even pick a mereperceptions,atthat.Let civil society that needed a name that’s more feminine meseehisfieldwork. wideraudience.Hisanalyses or masculine to fit their

Yourstruly, were in the ‘Chronicle only’ genre male romance H.Singh

DEAREDITOR, originofriceinGuyana.The in the rice industry of October 12th is ‘African impression given by the Guyana, it is necessary that Holocaust Day’ This is authorwasthatIndianswere we take a second look at the because Christopher the first to plant rice in ways in which the Columbus came to these Guyana, or as the language globalization of the world parts on 12 October, 1492, skillfully puts it: “on a sugar trade in the 19th andthiswasthebeginningof commercialscale”. century determined the the holocaust of Indigenous

Thetruthisratherhidden conditionsoflabor and African people in the inthesamearticle. The globalization of the region.

Ricewasfirstintroduced sugar trade influenced the

In Guyana, 473,000 in 1738 by Dutch Governor, growth of the mono-crop Africans died to build this Laurens Storm van sugareconomyofGuyanain country and their lives go Gravesande, to supplement the19thcenturyandplayeda unnoticed as there are no thedietofenslavedAfricans. crucial role in the monumentsormartyrsdayto This is 100 years exactly marginalization of the acknowledgethis.Ofcourse, before Indians, in freedom, African population from bynotteachinghistoryinour came to Guyana after land and from participation school system, racial Emancipation in 1838, with inthericeindustry entrepreneurs lie and theircultureintact. Because of Guyana’s politicize every lie

The truth about rice is propensity for sugar and its conceivable Even on captured in an article by role in the sugar revolution ‘AfricanHolocaustDay’,we Wazir Mohamed written in ofthe19thcentury,theslave saw another lie being 2009. It can be found at population was not only skillfully weaved into the (http://wwwguyanajournal preventedfromplantingrice minds of our unsuspecting

officially, but was also youth. We seem to have lost GuyanaRiceIndustry.html) prohibited by force of arms the decency of truth in This is what Wazir to do so unofficially Unlike Guyana. Everything seems Mohamed in the section other areas of the West tobeaboutracialsuperiority entitled“Afro-Guyaneseand Indies,inGuyanatheplanter andhistoricallies. Rice”. class did not permit nor Wednesday’s article Afro Guyanese and sanction the development of entitled ‘21st century Rice a diversified agriculture in agriculture’ in the ‘Guyana Inordertounderstandthe the colony They curtailed Times’, included skillfully reasonswhyAfricansarenot thegrowthof deceptivelanguageaboutthe asinvolvedastheyshouldbe

No volcano here in Guyana, except in economic development and modernization

DEAREDITOR, usedherereferstoaformof hours discussing things

There must be consistency in Government’s policies

DEAREDITOR, publicknowledge (4). Similar information,

A major issue that (1) How much was Region by Region and area translates democracy into a handed out to the vendors by area of those farmers realthingiswhatweknowas who lost items at Mon compensated for their losses transparency Our top Repos? Names, sums given, asaresultofallegedlylosing politicalleadersusetheterm and some acknowledgement theircropsduetoflooding. inalmosteverymajorpublic or receipt from the I have spoken to some address. For that reason, I beneficiaries. groundprovisionfarmerson support the Government in (2). The sugar workers the Linden/Soesdyke i t s d e m a n d t h a t who were told received Highway and some urban organizations in receipt of 250,000 thousand dollars farmers who received state funds account in detail each,how manysuchsugar nothing. for how state funds have workers, their locations, and Editor, I ask that these beenandarebeingutilized. what form of receipt or questions be posed to either

Update. Only days ago,

Allow me to refer to a political identity, not a Jagdeowastheretofacilitate missive carried by morphological trait The part-time jobs (10 hours a Wireja com, an online occasionwasanoutreachby monthforGY$40,000),and publication that recently cabinetministers. to also urge young people made shockingly false Itookcarefulnotesofthe (especially) to apply for claims about what is entire proceedings. I can GOAL scholarships. The transpiring in Guyana. I report with absolute vitriol and dooms day refuse to repeat the false certainty that not a single emotionalism evident in claims and so called person aired grievances Wireja.com and its codewarnings about racial couched in the language of source,‘VillageVoice’,were antagonism in the ‘Land of race. Not once, not by notablyabsent. ManyWaters.’ anyone.

Yet, the essential Rather, all the criticisms top PNC black nationalists falsehoods must be and requests were about (in the regressive sense of confronted by those with fixing roads, bridges, the that term, not as used by actualexperienceinGuyana. cricket ground, the Walter Rodney), the

The most egregious of these basketball court, access to principal issue of concern is destructive propositions is scholarships, contracts for that people in Linden are thatIndiansandAfricansare work done in Buxton and beginning to embrace the in some kind of deep-seated beyond, and other matters PPP conflict that cannot be normally discussed at a Guyanaisnotatwar The addressed through our standard town hall type warning and so called politicalsystem. meeting. Not far away, less predications about a

Nothingcouldbefurther thanhalfamile,infact,wasa volcanic eruption here are from the truth, and I have picket led by a well-known actuallycallstodothesame. proof, proof that no overseas academic I Advocacy for violence is Jamaican relying on a false counted about ten protesters taking the form of analysis newsfeed from New York who held up signs about andpredication,anoldtactic can counter with any racism. There was a steady ofakeyWPAfigure.Several credibility stream of people brushing of these activists of doom

On July 4, 2022, I spent past the little, insignificant live outside of Guyana. In fourtofivehoursinBuxton, noise. fact, I would go as far as to a village with a history of Two weeks before the say that the Diaspora is indefatigable resistance to Buxton engagement with posing more of a threat to anyformofdomination.Itis sevencabinetministers,Vice national security and to alsoavillageofconsiderable President Jagdeo was in nation-building than anyone symbolic importance in the ParadiseVillage (Region 5), else. milieux of African ‘Black’ where a majority Afro Sincerely, Consciousness. ‘Black’ as Guyanese audience spent Dr RandyPersaud

of

Theysaywhatisgoodfor acknowledgement is in the functionaries named the goose is good for the possession of those who abovesothatweareassured gander and so Editor, when handed out these millions of that there is a consistency in will the Minister of Finance dollars? Government’s policies, or the President or the Vice- (3). Send details with statementsandbehaviour Presidentmakeavailablefor respecttothe‘fisherfolk’ Mr.EricMoseley,MS

Will Guyana ever get a Populous Nationalist Leader?

DEAREDITOR, Therearemanycountries in Switzerland shows what

Many of the western already practicing this “us foreign countries think of liberal democracies like the first” mentality notably Guyanese,thatGuyaneseare USA, Canada and in Europe China, SaudiArabia, Brazil, ‘nobodies’ whose country’s are currently witnessing a among many others, so the oil and resources are for rise of populous nationalist question arises, can or will exploitation as their political parties winning Guyanaevergetaleaderlike Government will gladly electionsorgainingpowerin this that will put Guyanese allowit,ontheotherhandif elections, these parties are interest first and others some Swiss people, if not calledfar-rightbytheliberal second? already here, want to come mediawhiletheconservative

There is no evidence of andtakeGuyana’soilorany media calls them patriots. this mentality of the current of its valuable resources, Among the messages they Guyanese Parliamentarians theywouldhavebeenfreeto preach to galvanize their or the other political parties come and take it, paying no support,theonethatstrongly that run in elections, duties, concessions, taxes, pulls people to their base is currently in Guyana pollute the environment and “foreigners are allowed to foreigners gets everything suffer no consequence. So come to the country, take andpaysnothingwhilepoor again,willGuyanaevergeta what is ours and change our Guyanesesuffers. “GuyaneseFirst”leaderwho wayoflifeandit’stimetoput The recent denying of the next generation of our people first and others visas for the Guyanese Guyanesewillbeproudof? second”. Robotics Teams to compete R.David

We seem to have lost the decency...

Frompage5

Edmonstone who in one of planter class expressed the provision grounds in the his escapades to capture level of desperation that colonyandbythe1820shad runaway slaves stumbled on existed as the colony smashed all the attempts by a maroon community in the struggled to deal with its slaves who wanted to and Abary-Mahaicony area with labor shortage The media w

well cultivated rice fields has an important role in a r

and fourteen houses filled functional democracy By communities in the interior with rice, which in his deceptively spreading false Many of these communities estimation could have fed truths,theeditorsaredirectly had organized their living 700menforanentireyear racializing and dividing aroundtheproductionofrice This shows that while Guyana in the far reaches of the theyhadtheknowledge,they YoursTruly, Aba

did not have the freedom to EricPhillips Mahaiconyrivers. plant rice either during C h a i r , G u y a n a

This is captured in the slaveryorafter ReparationsCommittee report by British Militia Actions such as this of Vice Chair, CARICOM C a p t a i n C h a r l e s the colonial state and the ReparationsCommission

BLUNT

That oil spill

There was an oil spill. Aprobe has since followed.

What state is it at currently? What and where are the findings, if finished?

Why is it taking over a month for this probe

(if it is really a probe) to be completed for a singlebarrel oil spill?

This is the ExxonMobil that Guyana partners with. This is another revelation of the kind of Government (PPPC) running this country, and the lousy way in which it does so.

And this is the tired, listless watchdog called the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) that Guyanese have for an oil spill involving one barrel only.

Either ExxonMobil, the PPPC Government, or the EPAis taking Guyanese for fools. Most likely, it is all three of these dreadful presences.

Bill for Harbour Bridge repair over $1 billion

Light traffic is flowing across the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), but according to the Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, repair works are “nowherenearfinish”

Edghill made this disclosure on Thursday during a Press Conference in the Ministry's boardroom at Kingston He said, “ while everybody is saying that traffic is flowing and moving they are still working miracles below (conducting repair works underneath the bridge), changing out pontoons and doing all kinds of things while still facilitating movement of people and goods to ensure that commerce is moving…Its nowherenearfinish.”

Edghill noted too that bridge does not only have to

be functional for vehicular traffic alone but also for marine traffic and in order for this to happen the retraction must be working well The Minister explainedthatmarinetraffic is important too because it ensures that fuel and other basic supplies enter the country Nevertheless, he

- Edghill

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill

the Guyana Oil Company Limited (GUYOIL) on Saturdaylastcrashedintoit. The damage caused was described as one never seen beforebybridgeengineers.

Facebook, Twitter asked to remove posts with illegal maps of Guyana

said, works have advanced significantly and this is becauseofthehardworkthe Engineers have put in to make the bridge partially operableagain.

T h e b r i d g e w a s inoperable for three days after a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker, MV Tradewinds Passion ,filled with fuel for

Asitrelatestocostofthe repairs conducted so far, Edghill said that bill is “one billion dollars and counting” He iterated, however, that owners of the vessel will have to foot the costs. Meanwhile the DHB staffer who suffered a fractured leg during the Saturday's incident was discharged from hospital on Thursday, one day after undergoing a successful surgery Investigations by a Board of Inquiry into the incidentarestillongoing.

The Chief Executive Officers of Facebook and Twitter have been written to in light of a renewed orchestrated disinformation campaign being waged against Guyana by a number of Spanish-language social media accounts claiming Guyana's territory by publishingillegalmaps.

In his letters to Facebook and Twitter CEOs, Foreign Secretary Robert M. Persaud highlighted that those social media operatives have been utilising Facebook and

a n 1 8 9 7 Tr e a t y o f Washington by which both parties agreed to respect the results of the arbitration as a full, perfect and final settlementoftheboundary

At that time, Guyana was British Guiana, a colony of GreatBritain.

As required by the 1897 Treaty ofWashington and the 1899 Arbitral Award, the boundary as determined by theAwardwasdemarcatedon thegroundbetween1900and 1904 by Commissioners appointed by Britain and

The original and legal map of Guyana

Twitter platform, to propagate a false narrative regardingtheextantmatterof the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela about the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award which settled the land boundary between GuyanaandVenezuela.

Mr Persaud stated, “I wish to point out that Facebook (and Twitter) posts a n d t h e s u b s e q u e n t comments surrounding the particular posts, have the potential to permanently damage relations between States,inciteviolenceagainst the territory and people of Guyana, and derail the current adjudication of the m a t t e r b e f o r e t h e International Court of Justice (ICJ).''

Venezuela. On January 7, 1905, the official boundary mapdelineatingtheboundary as awarded and demarcated, was drawn up and signed by the Commissioners of both Britain and Venezuela and promulgated in Georgetown, at the Combined Court. That b o u n d a r y a n d t h e corresponding territory of Guyana are internationally recognised, including by the United Nations, Mr Persaud pointedoutintheletter

The Foreign Secretary informed that the land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela was settled by a l e

a l p r o c e s s o f

Arbitration

1899, pursuant to

“In this regard, I am requesting that these types of Facebook posts (and Twitter) which violate the basic tenet of international relations between States, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and incite a threat of use of force against Guyana, be removed forthwith and more stringent measure be taken against their publications,'' the Foreign Secretary's letter urged.(DPI)

The curtain closer

notgoing

the You have to feel pity for

many of these old and

leaders. They are not

Waterloo hysteria and tantrums which The quest to restore for the Opposition in the only revealing their failures formanyoftheleadersofthe arebeingthrownareadirect credibility lies in the appeal country The longer the but also their true colours (The views expressed in APNU and the AFC. For result of the traumatic of political extremism discredited and disgruntled and character And what the this article are those of the manyoftheseleaders,itwas realizationthattheseleaders Unfortunately, for them, tale to make way for new public is seeing is not what author and do not supposed to be their are entering their political their twisted views are not leaders,thelongerwillbethe they were led all along to necessarily reflect the swansong in politics twilight with little to show gaining any political vigilintheOppositioncamp. believe. opinionsofthisnewspaper.)Instead,itturnedouttobean for their many years of traction. People have had earlycurtaincloser involvementinlocalpolitics. enough of the lies and

The sudden and abrupt These leaders are faced twistednarratives.Peopleno endtothepoliticalcareersof with losing the final chance longer are into the game of someoftheseleadershashad they would have had to say playingvictims. a traumatic effect on them. that they made some The younger generation The loss of the election has valuable contribution to the are sensing economic effectively ended what country’snationallife.When opportunities are keen to chancessomeofthemhadof you place their record under benefit from these rather exertinganyformofpolitical the proverbial microscope, than embarking on a futile influence,wieldingpoweror there is nothing much they and fruitless enterprise of obtaining the prestige canshowforit.Alifetimeof fueling the ambitions of the associatedwithbeingpartof failure is a terrible fate to disgruntled leaders. The therulingclass. contemplate. younger generation also did

Not being able to move G i v e n t h e s e not fall victim to the false aroundinacertaincircle,no circumstances, these narratives which were longer been doted on by discredited Politicians have peddledduringtheelections. members of the public, and nothing to lose, and they They knew the truth and nolongertakingcentrestage know this. No wonder they were not lured into or, for that matter, being are resorting to anti-PPP undertaking any acts of taken seriously has had its hysteria, formenting destabilization. effects. It should therefore division in society and not

However,thedisgruntled notcomeasasurprisethatso being able to offer any and discredited leaders are many of the leaders of the reasonable and practical occupyingacriticalpolitical smaller parties and their solutionstotheproblemsthe space. Instead of this space sidekicks on social media country faces. They have being inhabited by a new havebecomesotraumatized adopted the old and won breed and brand of political bytheelectoraldefeat.They narrative of ethnic leaders, it is being occupied knowthattheirpoliticalstars discrimination and by those who have nowhere havepitchedandallthatwill marginalization,andtheyare to go and nothing more be left for them is a place in doingsofornootherreason, constructive to offer the thepoliticalwilderness. that they have nothing of Guyanesepeople.

Itisnotaneasyfutureto value to add to the nature of Instead of helping to contemplate. To move from political discourse They groom a new generation of being part of the centre of have resorted to the politics political leaders, the politicalgravitytobeingcast of extremism because they disgruntled and discredited aside into a political orbit of know that the way back for are shutting them out of the irrelevance was always them is a mission politicallimelight.Insteadof bound to lead to a counter impossible. The hands of making way for fresh reaction. timecontinuetotickforward leadership,thesameoldstale

4 new COVID-19 cases detected

On Thursday, the Health Ministry With no new death and no persons reported via its latest dashboard that within admitted into the COVID-19 Intensive Care the last 24hours, some four new COVID-19 Unit the dashboard shows that two persons infectionshavebeenrecordedinthecountry are in institutional isolation, 49 are in home bringingthetotalnumberofconfirmedcases isolationandtodate,atotalof70,065persons to71,397. haverecoveredfromthevirus.

Dem boys seh...

Some Politician deadlier dan snake!

De‘stinkanddutty’concertgettingdem “Noprablem,”sehdeman,“Ahlockit!” politician confuse. Wan ah dem claiming WantimeaGuyaneseandaTrinidadian how de govament using dem concert and politician bin walking near a river De dem singer fuh poison de minds of young Trinidadian point to a bridge and seh, “Yuh people.Demboyswantellhedatdedamage seedatbridge?Icampaignedfuhdatbridge, dempoliticiansdoesdotopeoplefargreater chose de construction company, and even danwatany‘stinkanddutty’concertcando. arrangefuhdefundsfuhbuildit.”Hedenpat Demconcertdamagedoesbetemporary But he pocket and seh, ”Of course I took a when dem politicians done with yuh, de portionoffdetopfuhmyself.” damagedoesbepermanent.Suhyuhshould DemwalkalilfurtheranddeGuyanese be more afraid ah dem politician dan dem turn to de Trini and seh, “See dat bridge? I artiste. campaigned fuh dat bridge, chose de

If yuh ask certainpoliticiansfuh talkde constructioncompany,andevenarrangefuh truth,dewholetruthandnuttinbutdetruth, defundsfuhbuildit.” yuh gan get three different answers. Wan De Trini look across de river and den time a man park he car outside de lookatdeGuyaneseandseh,“Whatbridge? parliament. A policeman come and up and Inahseenobridge.” seh: “Sir, yuh can’t park here. Dis is where

DeGuyanesepathepocketandlaugh. dempoliticiansdoesmeet.”

Talkhalf,leffhalf.

Robin Singh’s mentality will do the PPP no good

Mr. Robin Singh was an fine editor-in-chief (EIC), “Open letter to Isabelle channels.” This is not only logic in that election candidate for the Ms. Sharmain Grainger, a DeCaires and Ian Mc crass ignorance but an ugly expression, then he is PPP in the March 2020 person I consider the most Donald and Monday, avoidance of the issue. The i n c a p a b l e o f election. I am told by a professional EIC at the October 10, 2022, “Ian issue is the refusal by the understanding life reliable source that Mr. momentinGuyana. McDonald rejects Stabroek EIC to publish the man’s itself.Let’scontinueto Both of them cannot reachSingh is close to the PPP’s We will avoid putting News’ position on Article letters, a position the EIC quote Mr. Singh: “I have herstandard.leadership. If that is so then words in Mr Singh’s mouth 13.” sayshestandsbyandwhich written hundreds of Letters

FrederickKissoon

Here is yet anotherwhen you examine the and quote him directly His The professor was told Mr McDonald is not in to the Editors of various quote: “Kissson et al arebeliefs, conceptualisation outlay is titled, “My letters that his letters and those agreementwith.Mycolumn newspapers, it is rare when engaged in ‘gaff’ moreandviewpointsofMr Singh, have been published in from the Government of was a publication of the theyhavenotbeenpublished suited to rum shops thanit is literally impossible for StabroekNews”andcarried Guyana will not be professor’s complaint. By in Stabroek News (or newspaperink.”GuesswhatthePPPtoavoidcriticismof in that newspaper’s edition published once they are some contorted logic, Mr elsewhere).” So what about rum shop gaff is for Mrharbouring people with an of Wednesday, October 12. critical of civil society Singh feels the airing of the others like Dr Persaud who Singh?ExposinganEICthatauthoritarianmentality His letter is replete with groupsespeciallyArticle13. professor’s grievance is an cannot get their missives refuses to publish aI read a shocking, contradictions which Former chairman of the attackonSN’seditor printed?”

professor’s letters once theysickening and downright compel one to declare that board of SN, iconic

Thereismoreuglinessin Here is yet another are critical of civil societyirrational defence by Mr Mr Singh is not only Guyanese, Ian McDonald Mr Singh’sdelivery,solet’s quote: “Since the departure groups.Singhofanauthoritarianact ignorantabouttheprinciples replied to say that he rejects keep on quoting him: of Adam Harris from

IwilldissectMr Singh’sdirected by the Stabroek ofjournalismbutalsoonlife thatdecisionbytheEIC. “LetterstotheEditorarethe Kaieteur News I no longer letter in another columnNews to the constitutional itself.

When you think you bastion of Guyana’s have high regard for that because the atrociousadvisor to President Irfaan The story begins with have seen the most bizarre functioning democracy ” publication and its offerings thinking that it reflects needAli, Professor Randolph the professor publishing a things in Guyana and it One wonders if Mr Singh either.” Is that an attack on tobeelaboratedon.Persaud.Itcausesonetoask conversationwiththeEICof cannot get worse then came wrote that letter himself the reputation of its current

I will end by asking theexactly what is going on Stabroek News (SN) which Mr Singh with a defence of because his words are a editor?Iwillanswermyown PPP’sleadershipaquestion:between Mr Singh and the the EIC gave permission to theindefensible.Let’squote comicalcontradictionofthe question by asserting that I “Are you comfortable withprofessor theprofessortomakepublic. the gentleman. “… there reality have known Ms. Grainger thisgentleman’smentality?

Mr Singhalsotookadig I then rang the EIC and he appears to be a deliberate If letters are the fulcrum for over 18 years and I

(The views expressed inat the current editor of the confirmed what he told the campaign/attempt to on which democracy stands consider her to be more this article are those of theKaieteurNews(KN)whomI professor and also gave me besmirch the reputation of then newspapers that refuse open minded, more author and do notknowup,closeandpersonal. permission to quote him. the Editor-in-Chief, Anand to publish letters are professional, and more necessarily reflect theI am obligated to confront Please see two columns, Persaud via Kissoon’s destroying democracy If principled than both Mr opinionsofthisnewspaper.)Mr Singh’s portrayal of a “Friday, October 7, 2022, column and anonymous Mr Singh cannot see the Harris and Mr Persaud

GWI to spend $8.5B to build seven water treatment plants

The Guyana Water communities along the benefit from the new Lodge and Bachelor's the capacity of the existing ShaikBakshsaidtheproject Incorporated (GWI) on coast. service.Thetreatmentplants Adventure,RegionFour treatment plants,” he represents a massive Thursday signed three A c c o r d i n g t o a are to be constructed in Delivering remarks at underscored. development for the water contracts totaling $8 5 Department of Public Onderneeming, Region the signing ceremony at The overall aim, sector, even as the utility billion for the construction Information release some Two, Parika, Wales, Lust- GWI's Boardroom, Housing Minister Croal added, is to company endeavours to of seven new water 181,000 residents from en rust and Caledonia, and Water Minister, Collin moveaccesstotreatedwater meetthedemandforquality treatment plants in various communities will Region Three, Cummings Croalsaidthenewtreatment onthecoastfrom52percent water through the plants are part of the 13 to 90 per cent by the year government's massive expected to be constructed 2025 in keeping with the housingprogramme. across the country at a total WorldHealthOrganisation's Baksh anticipates that cost of $30 billion. Other (WHO)standard. theprojectwillbecompleted areas to benefit from water It is also part of the within two years in keeping treatment plants include, government'soverallplanto with the contract Walton Hall to Charity in improvethequalityoflifeof stipulations. “We expect Region Two, Bush Lot, citizens,theministernoted. alsothattheexecutionofthe Region Five, and Tain to “We are able, as more project will be done in a Number 50 Village, Region resources become available, record time bearing in mind

Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, GWI's Executive Officer (CEO), Shaik Baksh, and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ramesh Dookhoo along with the contractors at the signing ceremony.

Six. toinvestatamuchfasterrate the quality issues ” The

Further, Minister Croal inthiswatersectorsothatby contracts were awarded to said Cabinet has already 2025, we can achieve our SigmaEngineeringLimited, approvedmillionsofdollars targets that have been set, Bangladesh, Toshiba Water in upgrades to existing thatistoensurethatwehave Solution, Toshiba Water treatment plants on the East coverageacrossGuyanaand Solution & Services Pvt. Bank and East Coast of to ensure persons can get Ltd, India, and Hi Pro Demerara as well as the treatedwater,”hesaid. Ecológicos, Mexico. These EssequiboCoast.

The project will be initiatives form part of

There are 27 existing supervised by GWI's Water GWI's five year strategic water treatment plants Treatment Infrastructure plan.ChairmanoftheBoard across the country “While Unit.The newly established of Directors, Ramesh we focus on these new unit is manned by a team of Dookhoo, and other plants, it is also equally qualified engineers. GWI's technical officers were in important for us to increase Executive Officer (CEO), attendance.

vowstofightonasGovt.freezes monthlysubvention

So those project officers will now be able to be resource paid based on their accessing of grants and writingofprojectsonbehalf of the organizations, thus paying themselvesand continuing the work of

The International Alexanderwasaccompanied salarybillof$4Mwhichhas IDPADA-GandthememberD e c a d e f o r by Chief Executive Officer now reduced to some organizations.

PeopleofAfrican (CEO) Olive Sampson, $1.8million.

AlexandercontinuedthatDescent Assembly–Guyana Board members, Royston

At least 10 project the assembly is also moving(IDPADA-G) has expressed Peters,Dr SimpsonDaSilva officershadtobeterminated in the direction ofconfidence that the monthly and head of the Essequibo's outofsome20personsasthe volunteerism as well assubvention granted by the 'Women of Substance organisationdownsized. advocacy as part of itsState to conduct its work Making a Difference'

The CEO said that now, remodeling.under the United Nations organisation,CiselynJonas. she too is not receiving a

He said that advocacy isDecadeforPeopleofAfrican Alexandertoldthemedia salary due to the cut funds, one of the organisation’sDescent, will be restored as thatsincethewithholdingof and this is after she earlier original mandates and a lotthe sums have already funds, the organisation has authorizedareductioninher more of that will be donereceived Parliamentary had cause to scale down its pay by $100,000. “So, we rather than the actualsupportandareprovidedfor operation, terminating some have cut the staff our implementation of projects.underthelaw staff members, remodeling professional staff. They are “Advocacy,infact,isoneofFollowingaccusationsof of some of its projects, as available to work with us as our original mandates, amisuse of funds by Vice well as its overall approach neededastheyhavethetime mandate,whichrequiresthatPresident Bharrat Jagdeo, to the execution of its available,” Sampson said. weinteractwiththeStateforthe Government earlier this functions.

She said however that the the purpose of legal,month,frozeallfundsunder The CEO estimated that organisation has retained institutional and policythe $100m subvention that the organization's current twoprojectofficers,security, changesthatwouldfacilitatehas been granted to the outstanding bill is about cleaner, administration staff recognition, justice andAssemblyfortheyear $10.5 million inclusive of and financial workers to development of people ofDuring a Press staff payment including ensure the Assembly's Africandescent,”AlexanderConference at the Critchlow ongoing programs such as finances and records are said. He reiterated also thatLabour College yesterday, the two running night properly managed. Apart IDPADA-G has sought anC h a i r m a n o f t h e schools, an ongoing survey from the laid off staffers, audience with Presidentorganization, Vincent and grants. Sampson said Sampson said others IrfaanAlibutnonehassofarAlexander, told media that for this year, 24 grants continue to work with the materialized.

operatives that the were given out to member organization despite not subvention is not a organizations at $100,000 being fully paid, something discretionary act of the each She said that she said the organisation is Government,butisprovided disbursements commenced gratefulfor for under the Appropriation in August of this year when Alexander noted law He said that the the last subvention was however that much of the IDPADA-G was granted the received.Shesaidthegrants remodelingoftheIDPADAsubvention under the now coming on stream still G will be centred on the Appropriation Act, “a legal have to be paid as the total project officers who have obligation that the grant bill for the year was beenatthecoreofIDPADAParliament has approved…” $2 9 million, of which G's work. “What we are The IDPADA G has $1 2million has been seeking to do is have the thereforesoughtlegaladvice disbursedsofar project officers relate to and anticipates a final word As it relates to staff, organisation for the purpose before the end of next week Sampson explained that the of grant seeking and project regarding this position organization had a monthly development.”

two letters had been based on Guyana’s history, dispatched for the meeting colonization placed people with the President of other descents to some of Alexander said that Vice the same quagmires that President Jagdeo had people of African descent declaredIDPADA-Gas face. “And therefore if we aprivatecompanywhich address the issue at the r e c e i v e d a n d institutional and legal levels misappropriated a asamatterofcourse,people Government subvention of of other ethnicities benefit, G$500,000,000 without any sothatitisalmostnaturalfor referencetothemoneybeing other people to benefit from provided over a five-year the work we are doing.” period He said Jagdeo Alexander said that no further specified that the ethnicity is excluded when needs of the African the organisation goes on Community were not being outreaches as they receive addressedandthattheBoard the same assistance Afro Members of IDPADA G Guyanese receive once it is were the beneficiariesof the sought.Giventhewaythings subventionattheexpenseof have played out, with the Community Alexander reference to specific said that the harassment of, occurrences,Alexander said and attempt to silence, that “Somewhere in the IDPADA G took another woodwork long before now, level when the Minister of we(IDPADA-G)wereunder Culture, Youth and Sports themicroscopeandwewere demandedtheorganisation’s beingtargeted.” financial records, including Hesaidhoweverthatthe payment vouchers, payroll, organisation is operating contracts and receipts for under a United Nations expendituresbehandedover declaration and it will not

IDPADA G said it “bow” out on its mandate. forwarded a report to the “We are conscious that MinistryofCulturefromthe PresidentAliveryrecentlyat Finance Ministry since it the UN spoke about the was only February of this question of reparations and

At the last Press year, the latter agency the role his Government Conference addressing the conducted a full audit of the intends to play and so our Vice President’s accusations, organisation’sfinancesfrom intention is to hold Alexander had said that he 2018 to current Despite Government to its rhetoric.” hoped the Government was 2022’s audit not yet due, Rhetoricwhichsuggeststhat not setting the stage to IDPADA-G has invited the they understand that there’s terminate the meet between Government to conduct this need for recognition, justice the organisation and the year’sauditiftheysodesire, and development of the President where the state of so that the sums could be people of African Descent. Afro-Guyanese is expected restored.

“So,wearenotabouttoback to be discussed and IDPADA G made it down as if we have done suggestions to tackle same clearthatitisnotonlyAfro- something wrong and are suggested.

Guyanese that are now intimidated by the Alexander said prior to benefittingfromthemonthly actions of the Government,” the accusations of the VP, subvention. Alexander said Alexandersaid.

7th Caribbean Development Roundtable focuses on recovery, repositioning and resilience

The 7th Caribbean Development Roundtable (CDR) this year focused on recovery and repositioning, with a view to finding practical and workable solutions to invest in resilience, economic recovery, and sustained growth.

The CDR was also updated on the progress m a d e t o w a r d s t h e establishment of the Caribbean Resilience Fund (CRF) Convened by ECLAC Caribbean on Thursday and hosted by the Government of Suriname, the CDR was officially opened by the outgoing Chair, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Keisal Peters.Themeetingwasheld at the Royal Torarica Hotel, inParamaribo,Suriname.

T h e R o u n d t a b l e , Minister Peters said, was conceived as a forum to discuss critical issues that pose fundamental challenge to development in the Caribbean, and to explore solutions that will ultimately supportinclusivegrowthand better living standards for

our people, while protecting our environment. Reflecting ontheimpactoftheCOVID19 pandemic, Minister Peters noted that the pandemic has reversed some of the hard won gains achieved in growing the economies of Caribbean countries, and in reducing u n e m p l o y m e n t a n d inequality

“The pandemic battered our leading sectors, particularly tourism, commerce and distribution. Compounding these, the sub-region was buffeted by natural disasters The eruption of La Soufrière had devastating impact on my own country, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, while here in Suriname and neighbouring Guyana had major floods, there was an earthquake in Haiti and numerous storms crossing theCaribbean.”

ECLAC Caribbean Director, Diane Quarless, underscored ECLAC's position on the need for economic diversification in the Caribbean, which she said is integral to durable recovery and resilience

building.Quarlessstatedthat this requires investment in production and industry, and therefore, investment in people. “We at ECLAC have long promoted the idea of long-term planning and the development of industrial policies aimed at identifying new sector and actors, and new sources of finance. This implies the need for improvement in the business environment, with a more dynamic partnership betweenthegovernmentand theprivatesector.”

T h e R o u n d t a b l e

recognized that while the prospects for the Caribbean to adequately meet its development needs have been seriously constrained, new opportunities have arisen,bothinternationaland regional. These may provide potentialsupportforthesubregion's efforts to find a robust recovery, and to become more resilient, throughglobalpartnerships.

Quarlesshighlightedthat the first area of considerable interest is the creation of innovative financing instruments to access

finance for development especially in areas of need such as renewable energy and risk insurance “We encourage all to recognise our efforts towards the establishmentofaCaribbean Resilience Fund (CRF), in response to the need for the creation of instruments that provide for long-term lowcost financing, so to ease the debt service burden and liquidity constraints that h a v e b e e n s t i f l i n g investmentininnovationand resilience in the heavily indebted middle income

countries of the subregion,” shesaid.

The two day meeting explored the prospect of effective advocacy, towards l e v e r a g i n g g l o b a l concessional and domestic sources of finance, and considered how such programs might be scaled up to be effective Five important areas were discussed, in separate panels These were: (1) Vulnerability, debt and liquidity in the Caribbean, (2) Vulnerability in small middle Income Caribbean countries, (3) Data and statistical capacity needs of the Caribbean, (4) Global p a r t n e r s h i p f o r repositioning, recovery and resilience in the Caribbean, a n d ( 5 ) E c o n o m i c r e s t r u c t u r i n g a n d diversification towards deepening the integration of the Caribbean into Latin America and the Global Economy

The first panel topic identified that the issues of vulnerability, debt and liquiditylieattheheartofthe Caribbeanchallengeto (Continued on page 22)

The 7th Caribbean Development Roundtable (CDR) was convened this week

Prime Suspect held for beating businessman, son

Fo l l o w i n g t h e

publication of a story by Kaieteur News on the police sloth in investigating the beating of a businessman and his son, the Guyana Police Force on Thursday announced that they have arrested the prime suspectinthematter

It was reported that the businessman and his 22-year oldsonwereonSeptember28 last, robbed and brutally beaten with high powered riflesbysevensecurityguards attached to a security firm.

The incident took place at Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) some two weeksago.

Still recovering from the severe beating they received are, 44 year old Sherwin Sealey and his son, Sarwin Sealey both of Diamond Housing Scheme. This media house had published a video which captured the beating theSealeysreceived.

In response, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a statement disclosed that the police have so far arrested a suspect and it was stated too thatafirearmandammunition have since been recovered and lodged. Initially, the ownerofthesecurityfirmhad denied knowing any of the individuals seen in the video. However, after a suspect was arrested, when contact was made with the owner for the second time he declined to comment.

Kaieteur News had reported that according to the elder Sealey, this is not the first beating he received from guards at the security firm. ThefirstwasonSeptember16 but this time it was more severe. He related that he works as a lumber supplier and the beating is stemming from a dispute between him andthecompanyovermonies owed to him for some piles thathehaddeliveredtooneof its worksites in Little Diamond.

He said that he had delivered the piles in July and handed in his invoice in August but the company neverpaidhim.Sealeyvisited the company's office in Georgetown on September 1 6

Representatives reportedly told him that they paid someoneelseforthepilesand hegotannoyed.

He started arguing with them and it was at this point that he was dealt some blows to his chest by the security guards there. Sealey claimed that he made his way to the Brickdam Police Station and

The injuries sustained by the Businessman and his son

lodged a report against the guards. One of them was arrested and had to turn himself in to police after completing his duties as a security guard that day but he never did and police made no attempts to pick him up. The businessman said that he decided to obtain a permission from the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) torepossessthepilessincethe company was not going to payhim.OnSeptember28,he and his son turned up at the company's construction site in Little Diamond with the legal document and started loading them into one of his trucks.

“As we were loading up the pile, a black Lexus and a black BMW pulled up and all the doors fly open, the next thing I hear is guns cocking and then they attacked me with their faces tied up,” recountedtheBusinessman.

A video seen by this media house showed the brutality of the attack. With high powered rifles, they stabbed the businessman in his back and lashed him multipletimestotheheadand body The video did not capture them beating his son butphotosoftheson'sinjuries

Guyana signs air services agreement with China

he Government of

TGuyana through the Ministry of Public Works signed an air services agreement with the People's Republic of China to facilitate air transport connectivity between the two countries and to develop mutualrelationsinthefieldof civilaviation.

The simple signing ceremony,whichtookplaceat the Public Works Ministry boardroom saw in attendance, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill and China's Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan among other invited guests.

During her brief remarks,

Ambassador Guo said that since 2014 Guyana and China have been exploring the possibility for civil aviation corporation Thursday's signing of the agreement she added, is an important step to implement the consensus of the Presidents of both countries on deepening bilateral corporation and “to promote the belt and road initiative. She said it also lays a legal foundation for the deepening of civil aviation corporation and would strongly support economic and trade corporation and facilitate people to people exchangesbetweenChinaand

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill (second left) alongside China's Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan, pose with the signed agreement yesterday at the Ministry's boardroom.

GTT connects more than 100,000 homes with fibre internet in 2022

The internet has become an essential part our daily lives in a rapidly developing world and that is why GTT is taking huge strides to satisfy its customers in with highspeed internet solutions through its fibre initiative.

At least this is what the company touted on Thursday while announcing that it has surpassed its 2022 target of connecting more than 100,000 homes across the coast of Guyana with fibre internet. GTT made the announcement at a News Conference it held at the Pegasus Corporate Suites to update customers on its fibre roll out initiative. Speaking at the Press Conference, GTT’s Chief Operations Officer of Home and Fixed Solutions, Eshwar Thakurdin, said, “This year we embarked on a major fibre roll out initiative to make fibre available to 100,000 homes and we are happy to announce that we have exceeded that target are on our way to covering half of by the end of this year.”

GTT reportedly began its Fibre Pilot Programme some six years ago and had started connecting the West Coast and West Bank of Demerara with high-speed internet. Some of the communities that were connected are, La Grange, Nismes and Uitvlugt.

Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips

When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020, recounted Thakurdin, its operations had slowed down a little but that year the company still managed to connect some 75,000 households.

In 2021, it launched its GTT Fibre and had upgraded all of its Blaze customers to the new plant and in 2022, it added voice to the fibre package.

Thakurdin explained that voice means that customers can now connect their landline phones to fibre and get overseas calls too.

So far the company has expended some $22B dollars on it Fibre roll out initiative and plans to expend another $10B over the next two years to deliver quality

internet to more households across the coastlands Guyana, including the county of Berbice and Essequibo.

Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips, was also at the Press Conference and during remarks said, that two years ago his Government had liberalised the telecommunications sector and he is pleased to see that it has prompted the local service providers to improve their services.

He note d that citizens have been calling for faster internet and as such commended GTT for heading in that direction because it supports this Government technology development agenda.

Local joint venture opens fire and Safety Company

- Inks deal with SBM to certify fire extinguishers on FPSOs

Guyana passed its Local Content Legislation in December 2021, and while there might be some loopholes that need to be filled, local Businessman, Hemant Singh, the owner of Industrial Supplies Limited, is using it to his advantage to reap some of the benefits this country’s lucrative oil and gas sector has to offer.

Singh has teamed up with a Canadian firm, K&D Pratt, to form a local joint venture called, ‘Meridian 60 Fire and Safety’. Singh owns 51 percent of the company and it specialises in everything to do with fire and safety, both on and offshore. The company opened the doors of its Fire and Safety Service Shop located at 87, Laluni Street Queenstown and it might just be the only one in the country with a High Pressure Hydrostatic testing equipment that can test the pressure of all types cylinders especially the ones that contain Carbon Dioxide (CO2) such as fire extinguishers.

This could be one of the

Hemant Singh(right) and Andrew Bell (left), two of the Directors of ‘Meridian 60 Fire and Safety’ posing for a photo inside its Queenstown workshop reasons why the company, according to Singh, was able to secure a contract with SBM, the company that is responsible for construction of the two Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels operating in the Stabroek Block, to certify all of the fire extinguishers on board the vessel.

Speaking with Kaieteur News in a recent interview, Singh explained that it is very

important for gas cylinders to have a standard pressure level and that is why a Hydrostatic test must be done. If pressure levels are unstable then the gas cylinders can cause disastrous explosions. Apart from certifying the correct pressure levels for fire extinguisher, the company also offers maintenance of fire safety equipment and can also supply, maintain, and

Roads, other infrastructural works grind to halt in Region 10 - contractors cite inflation,

Officials call for better monitoring

By Vanessa Braithwaite

Region 10 officials have called for better monitoring of Government projects in the area, citing the controversial Bamia Primary School construction which was recently halted but is said to be back on course.

A number of road projects for which contracts have already been awarded are said to be suffering similar delays. The elected officials are adamant that the regional administration headed by the Regional Executive Officer, Dwight John, and subject ministries such as the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and Ministry of Public Works, should ensure better monitoring of projects being funded by tax payers’ dollars, so as to ensure accountability and efficiency.

Many complaints have surfaced about infrastructural projects starting and halting for extended periods of time without any proper explanation from the contractors. Case in point is the highly controversial Bamia Primary School which saw works being halted for two months. While REO John is quoted in some sections of the media saying works resumed as promised last Friday, Regional Chairman, Deron Adams, said during a visit to the school’s construction site, workers

were not on the ground and the proposed work programme which is expected to address the slow progress of the contract was not submitted to his office by either the contractors or the regional administration.

The new work programme is expected to cater to eight percent work being completed on a monthly basis to make up for lost time.

The project was expected to last for 20 months. Construction woes at the school became public, with the principals being called out for lack of accountability .The project was awarded to St8ment Investment Inc, whose principals are Rawle Ferguson and Kerwin Bollers of Hits and Jams Entertainment and Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major and Kashif Muhammed of the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation. The project was awarded to the tune of $346M. In the initial months, construction seemed to be going according to plan but abruptly stopped.

According to a source close to the company, finance was listed as the primary reason behind the hold up. The source related that with the current inflation, the project was being executed at a loss since the prices for materials have tripled since the contract was awarded.

The company has se-

cured approximately close to $60M for the first phase. The foundation for the school is not yet competed. Unconfirmed reports claim that the company was seeking more funding in consideration of the current inflation. Adams however is adamant that while the reason may be genuine, it was for this very reason concerns were raised over awarding a contract of this magnitude to inexperienced contractors.

“Maybe that is why we had other contractors bidding more, to take into effect the inflation and other things, that is the exact reason we were concerned. Construction work is continuing all around the country, why only this school has an issue…why only these contractors have an issue,” the Regional Chairman queried.

Meanwhile, Regional Councillors have expressed concern about other projects being stalled or moving at a very slow pace in the region. These include roads and the young professional houses. For example, some of the 24 community roads that were started over a month ago have been halted, with stones left on the surface.

A few week ago residents of Wismar Housing Scheme were forced to protest against stalled road projects in their community.

Prime Suspect held for beating...

From page 16 showed that they had also beaten him in the head too.

According to the businessman, during the brutal attack, they stole their cellphones, one ounce gold band he was wearing, a 121 jewellery watch and some $750,000 cash he had in his pocket.

“They threatened us and say that if we ever come back for money or piles, they know where we are living,” said Sealey.

He and his son were taken

to the hospital in his car by one of his workers and the matter was reported to the Diamond Police Station but to date no action had been taken.

However, according to Sealey, the police have made no efforts to arrest any of the suspects and the Force has been silent on the matter, prompting one to believe no investigation has been launched into the allegations.

Fearful for his life, the Businessman and his wife

have moved out from their Diamond Housing Scheme home.

Contact was made with the security guard company by this media house and the owner related that the men seen in the video were none of his security guards and he knows nothing of the incident.

He did however say that he was told by his workers that some men had come with a truck to steal his materials and he lodged a report at the Diamond Police Station.

GTT’s Chief Operations Officer of Home and Fixed Solutions, Eshwar Thakurdin.

Stalled works at the multi-million dollar Bamia Primary School

Local joint venture opens fire and Safety...

From page 19 supply fire suppression system such as the Inergen IFlow systems among others.

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One Male Accountant needed, must have a valid driver's licence. Call: 6447088/ 624-7248.

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‘Meridian 60 fire and Safety’ can also facilitate dry chemical fire extinguisher refill, air cylinder refill, CO2 fire extinguisher refill, and can also supply and install a number of fire detection and safety system. Both Singh and his Canadian partner, Andrew Bell, one of the direc-

tors of the Joint Venture, said that they are very excited about the new company in Guyana. They related that ‘Meridian 60 Fire and Safety’ will not only focusing on offshore work for oil and gas sector but will also be looking to expand its services for Guyana’s mining sector, construction sector, and even the hospitality and industrial sectors because fire safety is of key importance in all.

Guyana signs air services agreement with China...

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From page 18 Guyana. Similarly, Minister Edghill said the agreement marks another milestone on the advancement on the bilateral relations between Guyana and China as the signing of this agreement reflects the Government’s commitment connecting Guyana to the rest of the world. According to the Minister, the agreement ad-

dresses matters such as grant of rights, airline designation and authorisation, revocation, capacity and frequency provisions, recognition of certificates and licences, aviation safety and aviation security, tariffs among many other matters.

Guyana and China he noted have excellent trade relations in different fields

but the reality is there is no direct flight between the two countries to date.

He said “the signing of this agreement puts the legal framework in place to address this challenge.

So China and Guyana would not only be friendly and distant but become nearer.

It is anticipated that airlines of both countries will

capitalise on the opportunity that exists for the movement of people and cargo between the two countries…”

Edghill said too that this agreemen t complements the more than 50 air services agreement Guyana has established with other ICAO subscribing states for the development of air link among states.S

7th Caribbean Development Roundtable...

From page 15 address sustainable development.

Urgently needed is longterm, readily accessible and affordable financing for investment in recovery, resilience, economic transformation and growth.

ECLAC’s proposed response to this need is the CRF, which

will ensure the availability of resources to the Caribbean for investment in adaptation and mitigation initiatives.

ECLAC has also initiated a series of Liquidity Management Operations to address the rising debt and liquidity challenges in select pilot countries.

The Roundtable provided an update on these initiatives and their role in addressing critical resource gaps in the subregion.

toring and measuring progress in the achievement of national development priorities.

One example of this is the Caribbean’s record in reporting on the SDGs, which has thus far reflected a stark reality of the s ignificant data gap.

ing negative external shocks. Special attention was given to the strengthening of such sectors as tourism and agriculture, taking into account the need to factor youth and women more integrally in strategies for economic transformation.

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Another panel discussed the ongoing challenge faced by Caribbean countries in accessing affordable financing.

It addressed the fact that insufficient consideration is given to the relentless exposure of these countries to exogenous shocks, recovery from which invariably takes several years.

Panelists explored their own experiences in the statistical ecosystem of the Caribbean, and proposed options for strengthening the statistical capacity of the sub-region.

The Roundtable, as a platform for affirming the importance of global solidarity and partnership in support ing and advancing the development aspirations of the Caribbean, was the focus of another panel.

In closing the meeting, Minister Peters expressed her support for ECLAC’s proposed CRF, as she described it as a tool to leverage long-term, affordable finance to tackle the challenges of climate vulnerability and limited liquidity.

“I was especiall y pleased with the proposals for debt restructuring and liquidity enhancement that will be welcomed by cashstrapped Governments.

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To counter this, the subregion recognizes the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, which was created by a High-Level Panel commissioned by Secretary General, António Guterres.

The discussions centred on the need to increase competitiveness, to advance technological capacity in a more digitized world and to secure the welfare of all.

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Another panel discussed the data and statistical capacity needs of the Caribbean. The production of quality data in a timely and consistent manner is a challenge for most Caribbean countries. This challenge covers a broad spectrum that includes limited indigenous technical capacity, scarcity of statistical expertise, high turn-over of staff, and insufficient funding of national statistical offices.

The panel noted that the paucity of official statistics in the sub-region, has inevitably hindered the effectiveness of mechanisms for moni-

It was noted that strong international cooperation is nee ded now more than ever, to ensure that countries have the means to recover from lingering pandemic and climate impacts, while shouldering heavy debt and debt servicing obligations.

The last panel noted that opportunities for global partnership will need to be complemented by national and intra-regional initiatives, if the sub-region is to benefit fully from changing circumstances.

In this spirit, the panel examined strategies aimed at promoting economic restructuring and diversification which are critical in address-

The importance and value of parametric insurance provided through the CCRIF SPC to deliver more optimal coverage for climate risks was also a very welcome part of our dialogue.

We took note that the CCRIF is innovating in providing new products, including its micro-insurance scheme for small farmers and fisherfolk for shock response.”

Participants at the CDR included regional and international development thinkers and practitioners, leaders and senior policy makers from ECLAC member States and associate member countries, representatives of the UN System, regional and international financial institutions, academia and civil society, including the private sector, as well as other development partners.

The first of its kind in Guyana, the high pressure Hydrostatic testing equipment inside the company’s fire and safety shop

PM Phillips says oil wealth must benefit all

Amid claims that his Annual Observance of pointedtotheimportanceof G o v e r n m e n t w a s AfricanHolocaustDay,also promoting tradition and discriminating against some known as the MAAFA culture as he urged those sections of the population Along with calls for present to not only and only a select few are i n c l u s i v i t y , a n d remember their ancestors enjoying the oil wealth , denouncements of all forms but to integrate African Prime Minister, Brigadier of hate and prejudice, the culturalidentitybyensuring (Ret'd), Mark Phillips has PrimeMinisterwasadamant that Afro-Guyanese youths assured Afro-Guyanese that that every Guyanese must areeducatedandexposedto the Government is benefit from the impending traditional customs. “We committedtoinclusivityand wealth of the country. must not be stuck in a mode values the traditions and “There is no place for of victimhood We are customsofallGuyanese. racism,marginalisation,and descendants of survivors

He the remarks while oppression in Guyana. It is We are the descendants of paying tribute to African all about development, the people who were

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret'd), Mark Phillips leading the procession to pay tribute to his African ancestors

He further added, “We Guyana to advance

The theme of this year'sancestors, as he joined the inclusivityandimprovingall enslaved and who struggled have to ensure that the economic and social commemorativeprogrammeAfrican Cultural and the lives and livelihoods of and overcame slavery It opportunities that are development “All the is 'Bringing into focus the Development Association all Guyanese, inclusive of means that we as a people presented by the PPP/C people of Guyana will brutal and destructive rape(ACDA) at the Seawall AfricanGuyanese.” must now educate our Government, all the benefitfromalltherevenues of the continent of Africa's Bandstand for the 29th The Prime Minister children”. opportunitiesaregraspedby of Guyana, including P e o p l e a n d theyouthsofGuyana.When African Guyanese. That is Resources 'African

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret'd), Mark Phillips about to lay his floral tribute

we create employment, the message of the Holocaust Day, also known whether part-time or full- Government of Guyana as MAAFA in Kiswahili, is time employment, grasp T h e r e w i l l b e n o observed annually on those opportunities; when discrimination. O c t o b e r 1 2 a n d we provide affordable This Government is commemorates the mass housing, grasp for those promoting inclusive murder and enslavement of opportunities We've g o v e r n a n c e a n d Africans. The Minister of expanded scholarships' development for all the Culture, Youth, and Sport, g r a s p f o r t h o s e peopleofGuyana.Sojoinus Charles Ramson along with opportunities.” to participate in improving a number of representatives

Phillips also stated that the lives and livelihoods of from African Cultural and the Government will all Guyanese as we pay Development Organisation continue to work hand-in- homage during the and other groups, were also hand with all the people of MAAFA.” inattendance.

Trevor Benn unveils team to contest upcoming

GPSCCU elections

By Zena Henry Ousted Chairman of the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union (GPSCCU), Trevor Benn, on Wednesday unveiled his list of candidates to contest the upcoming elections of the financial institution, following months of standoff, which culminated last week with a court order.

The team was revealed during a special meeting of concerned Credit Union members which took place at the Critchlow Labour College. Rivaling factions of the GPSCCU are expected to go to polls October 24 at the New Central High School from 08:00hrs. Based on demands by Credit Union members, and subsequently, an order of the High Court, Former Member of Parliament, Vanessa Kissoon, Chartered Accountant, Judah Louisy, Kurt Fraser, Attorney- at- Law, Christopher Thompson, Trade Unionist, Eslyn Harris, Candace Enmore, Beverley De Jonge, Mehalai Mc Almont, Patrick Mentore, Marlon Cole, and Dr. John Anderson are all expected to join Benn as they vie for posts on the Credit Union’s Committee of Management (COM).

Wednesday’s meeting saw discussions regarding the Credit Union’s work under the Chairmanship of Benn while discussions also addressed the upcoming

elections and what it should entail. Thompson, who served as the Credit Union’s in-house Attorney said that based on the High Court ruling, the current COM must ensure to the best of its ability, that members are not disenfranchised despite clear evidence by the current COM to circumvent the order of the court. Credit Union members have already registered concerns regarding adequate facilities for them to cast their votes. Thompson said that “the court order is that the Special General Meeting has to follow the exact model and template as the last Annual General meeting,” and as such a polling station has to be placed in every region, while online voting must be available, he said.

Kissoon for her part told the gathering that since Benn assumed the Chairmanship there has been great improvement at the Credit Union, including the delivery of service. She said that apart from the upgrading of the physical environment and facilities to make members’ visit to the Head Office more accommodating, new opportunities were introduced- some of which she indicated have caused the very rift that has now led to the elections.

“You know why we getting this fight, because of the car loans and the mortgages,” Kissoon told the audience. She said that some of the nine

persons on the current COM already got loans for their car or mortgage and are now trying to stop the progress for others. “But we are not stopping the progress because we have seen under the stewardship of comrade Benn that this Credit Union can do a lot” Kissoon submitted. She noted however that the new facilities at the Credit Union have gotten some persons “itchy” as Public Servants will no longer have to look outside of the organisation for their necessary loans.

Judah Louisy said that he left as Finance Manager of the Credit Union just six weeks ago since he was not pleased with the direction of the Credit Union. He said that the COM refused to consider investing its money after it was noticed as of December 2020 that almost $2B was sitting in the bank garnering no interest. He said that despite paying for a plot of land where the Credit Union would build its Headquarter/complex, Executives

had to fight the COM from engaging in somewhat of a ‘BOOT’ arrangement where it wanted a Colombian company to build the facility which they would own and utilise and then transfer after some years, while the Credit Union occupied a small section of the building. As it relates to the car loans and mortgages, the former Finance Manager said that the COM is being untruthful to claim that the loans were pilot programmes. He urged members to request an extract of the minutes from the meeting where the facilities were approved to see that there was no mention of the new opportunities being pilot programmes.

A petition by the GPSCCU members is demanding that after the current COM members are voted out, nine of those persons never serve on the board again. They are Secretary, Gillian Pollard, Karen Van Sluytman-Corbin, Ruth Howard, Saskia

Eastman-Onwuzirike, Charles Ogle, Kirwyn Mars, Jermaine Hermanstyne, Leslyn Noble, and Arthur Gibbs.

The COM members had voted Benn out as Chairman of the Committee which enraged Credit Union members who were happy with the Chairman’s performance. Benn was able to garner hundreds of signatures in a petition for a Special General Meeting within 14 days. The COM refused to adhere to the members’ petition and was thus taken to court. Thompson said that he offered clear legal advice against the COM fighting the members’ court case and for this, he said he was fired. Despite the firm legal grounds on which the applicants stood, the COM went ahead utilizing some $3.5m of Credit Union money to fight the members’ demands for the Special Meeting. The COM faction which voted Karen Van SluytmanCorbin as Chairman after ousting Benn said in full paid

newspaper advertisement yesterday that it would be hosting the Special General Meeting based on the ruling of High Court Judge, Justice Navindra Singh. It said it is committed to the “fiduciary duty to act in the interest of all its members and the Credit Union as a whole.”

They clarified that misleading information was being peddled by the previous Chairman (Benn), reiterating that the car loans and mortgages were on a ‘pilot run’, a decision taken at a 2021 statutory meeting. They said it’s disheartening that the former Chair is misrepresenting the facts- the same chairman who lobbied the COM to merge his Chairmanship with the post of CEO. They said that “leadership is truly choosing service over self-interest.”

Wednesday’s meeting ended with Benn thanking his new team who he called “Warriors for the Credit Union.”

He said that those persons have been proactive in demanding and making their voices heard including, one member, who among others, took the current COM to court. Benn said that “the team that we have is the winning team. What we ask of them is to make sure we remain a united team that we continue to serve the interest of the members and not personal interest that we are seeing today among some of the previous colleagues.” As Benn had put the last COM together, he said it is understandable if persons second guess, but he is sure this time around.

22 local startup founders shortlisted for the Guyana Innovation Prize programme

Twenty two Guyanese startup founders with standout ideas in science, technology and agriculture have been shortlisted as the new cohort of Venture Fellows for the 2022-23 Guyana Innovation Prize programme.

Launched in 2018, the Guyana Innovation Prize as an annual, ninemonth-long programme, offered by !nnovate Guyana and funded exclusively by Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT). In a press release !nnovate Guyana said, the Innovation Prize programme provides expert international business coaching, technical support, and capital that help build upon and improve the Fellows’ efforts to bring their commercially viable ideas to fruition.

Since its launch, the programme has trained and coached over 50 Guyanese scientists, technologists and agriculturists, and has awarded 8 of these innovators with US$10,000 each to scale their ideas. Oslene Carrington, CEO of the Guyana Economic Development Trust (GEDT), the company under which !nnovate Guyana operates, said that the Guyana Innovation Prize was created to fill the gap between ordinary

Guyanese who have breakthrough ideas and the opportunities to bring real and new products to market.

“From our perspective, there are no barriers to innovating new, commercially viable ideas. This programme has been designed to support “innovation for all,” which is in keeping with one of GTT’s brand pillars,” Carrington said. This year’s cohort began the Innovation Prize programme in July 2022 with 31 shortlisted Venture Fellows, and is now further shortlisted to 23, who are currently going through the second phase of the programme.

According to the release, GTT’s Senior Manager - PR and Corporate Communication, Jasmin Harris said the company is impressed with the entries from the previous years and is excited about the new ideas from this cohort. “Last year, everything was amazing. And we are looking forward to the same and even more effort in this batch… Our mission is to pivot our company to become a 21st century customer centric organization and in order for that to be accomplished, there are three customer facing promises, which includes innovate for all in Guyana, and strengthen the community. I

believe by us supporting this initiative, this is where we are able to lend to the development not only of Guyana economically, but in terms of brain power, and persons being able to be diverse in their thoughts because innovation is not only technologically minded, but it is also bringing something new,” Harris underscored.

The stand-out Venture Fellows who joined the programme in July 2022 are Master Grillers Charcoal Briquettes by Euclid Samuels, Geometry Tiferet Ugdala LLC by Gavin Palmer, Interlocking Construction Bricks by Abdul Subhan, Created Hands-Created Things by Verlyn Collins, Bringgy by Jay Carter, Vaxxil by Andrew Garnett, Dragonfly Geospatial by Brian Smith, Bug Feeds by Sarwan Scarce, Andy Investment Company by Quinn Smith, Click-n-Learn by Anthony Wills, Ctxog Design by Sean Griffith, Innovation for All by Feiasie Baksh, FemCare by Jaya Edwards, the Moringa Shop by Issac Safi, Infinity Power FDAP by Jamal Farley, Anahata Inc. by Kelly Brassington, CME Prep by Raule Williams, Fizuro Inc. By Dorwin Kingston, GuyMart by Shaquille Moseley, Tamarindus

Indica by Dwayne Harris, To Go Services by Albert Jessemy, Urban Agriculture by Neisha Vantrompe, and Biomaterials by Isidro Ubaldo Espinosa. In January 2023, the Guyana Innovation Prize programme finalists will be announced. From there, the four Fellows with the most commercially viable products will each receive US$10,000 at the annual award ceremony in April 2023.

!nnovate Guyana is a platform that showcases Guyanese inventiveness. !nnovate Guyana consists of the Guyana Innovation Prize,

which supports ag-science and agtech startups; !nnovate Guyana TV on YouTube; the Economic Development Accelerator for growing agro-processors; the Global Entrepreneurship Network Guyana chapter; and the Executive Volunteer Corps, which engages the diaspora and friends of Guyana to assist innovators in Guyana’s burgeoning startup ecosystem. !nnovate Guyana is offered by the Guyana Economic Development Trust (GEDT), an independent U.S. and Guyana initiative.

Some of the members that will be contesting the October 24 elections

Volodímir Zelenski

Australia signal Warner ban to be revoked after integrity code review

SYDNEY, (Reuters)Cricket Australia (CA) look set to revoke David Warner’s lifetime ban from leadership positions after announcing that the body’s integrity code would be reviewed at today’s board meeting as a “first step” to his rehabilitation.

The now 35-year-old batsman was banned from the elite game for a year and from leadership positions for life by CA after he was adjudged to have played the leading role in the 2018 Newlands ball-

tampering scandal.

There have been calls this year from current and former players for the leadership ban to be dropped to allow Warner to be considered for the vacancy as Australia’s one-day international captain.

“The view within Cricket Australia is that David is doing particularly well on the field and making a great contribution,” CA chair Lachlan Henderson told a news conference after Thursday’s annual general meeting.

“The first step in terms of

David’s leadership ban is to review the code and see if those sanctions are able to be reviewed. And the appropriate revisions to that code that would need to be made.” Any player who accepts a sanction under the current integrity code, as Warner did, forgoes the right to a later review of the punishment. Henderson and chief executive Nick Hockley said they felt it was important the code recognised that sanctioned players could change.

“We are looking at sanctions to

be reviewed for good behaviour and growth after a period of time,” Hockley told reporters. “Pending tomorrow’s discussion, there would then need to be a revision of the code and that would need to be approved by the board.” Henderson added that the review would be undertaken “as quickly as practicable”. “It’s not in anyone’s interest for us to delay,” he said.

“It would be in time for any future leadership conversations in relation to David.”

Day two promises...

Warner, a former test vicecaptain, has said he would regard the offer of a leadership role for his country as a “privilege”.

At the AGM, CA announced a A$5.1 million

($3.20 million) net loss for the 2021-22 financial year, blaming a 3.5% drop in revenue largely on a slump in the international sports media rights market. ($1 = 1.5931 Australian dollars)

Friday October 14, 2022

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

There's an important lesson to learn today, Aries, so don't shy away from the classroom. It's important to control your attitude now or it's likely to control you. It could be that your ego is a bit too inflated

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Consider the romantic relationships in your life right now, Taurus. It's important to remember that regardless of how hot and steamy a partnership is at first,

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Today is your day to become a hero, Gemini. You don't have to be dressed in fancy tights and a cape to make an important difference in someone's life.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

There's a great deal of fun to be had today, Cancer. Money isn't always necessary to make this happen, however. In fact, money isn't a great way to keep score.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Remember that the important thing isn't necessarily what you're doing but the people you're with, Leo. There's a great deal of passion in the air today that yo u can latch onto and put to good use.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

You could learn a tough lesson today, Virgo. More than likely, the harder the message hits you, the more important it was for you to hear. It's important that you accept failure gracefully.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

There's a great deal of fuel to keep your fire raging today, Libra. Powerful situations are apt to come your way in which you're asked to take decisive action. Don't shy away from added responsibility.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Remember that one wrong move today could cause you to have a headache for a good long while, Scorpio. Don't take uncalculated risks. There's dynamism and confidence in the air.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

It's a long road to becoming exactly the person you want to be, Sagittarius. You can't change who you are. Input from every person you know and lessons from every bump in the road.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

You should always leave a loved one with loving words, Capricorn. Each time you exit a room, consider that you're never going to enter that room again. Perhaps you'll never see those people again.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Just when you think you have absolutely no energy left, you're able to kick into a higher gear. Push beyond your limits today, Aquarius. You'll find that you can achieve a great deal.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

Regardless of how you feel today, Pisces, it's important to own up to your mistakes. Keep in mind that you're responsible for your actions.

No matter how much you might want to shrink away,

From page 33 of intriguing football being played. However, a few teams were not fully prepared and suffered walk over losses while a few had their matches rescheduled due to unforeseen circumstances. Following the release of the second round of matches, the organizer disclosed that itwas an excellent opening day for the return of the event that has yielded a significant amount of National footballers in this new era of the fraternity. Director of Petra, Troy Mendonca said, “I think it was a marvelous start to the tournament. I’m very certain we at Petra were as excited as the hundreds of students and parents that came out to be a part of this very important tournament.”

“We saw some players who were very excited to display their talents and play among friends, and we also some of the most eager supporters, the parents, cheering every second of the way,” he added. “

Additionally, Courts has added a bunch of value to this event as they have always done and we must highly commend them for staying with us through the years.” When questioned about the state of the ground, the Director disclosed that they are confident the playing area will be unaffected by the recent torrential rain. “A lot of work has been done to the ground before the return of our tournaments, during and after also. Since the Ministry of Education Ground has become the home of our tournaments, it was only fitting that great strides be made to get it to a very acceptable level.” “So, I’m certain the ground will be in good condition for the remainder of the tournament and for events to come,” Medonca opined.

Australia’s David Warner.

Defending Champs look for 3rd win against President’s X1

BySeanDevers

Duetheheavyraininthe City yesterday the GCB has shifted the third and final preliminaryroundofthe50over Senior Inter-County matches, which were scheduled for Everest and Bourda respectively, to the Providence Stadium with matches being played tomorrow, Sunday and Tuesday when the final will becontestedunderlights.

In tomorrow’s action, Pre Tournament’s Berbice, who won the title eight years ago when it was last played, will face off with the Trevon Griffith led President’s X1 with the contest scheduled to commenceat9AM Berbice, who beat Demerara and Essequibo (on DLS) has easily the strongest and most balanced side with nine of their players representing GuyanaattheSeniorlevel Rampertab Ramnauth (GuyU 19thisyear),while Junior Sinclair (Guyana Warriors), Anthony Bramble has scored 106 at the top of the order for Berbice while Jonathan Foo scored 71 against Demerara Shimron Hetmyer made 51 and Ramnauthhit36asBerbice made369

In the game against EssequiboBramblemade62 whileShepherdfollowedhis up40againstDemerarawith 30notoutintherainaffected gameagainstEssequibo.

The President’s X1 will bank on Griffith whose 63 is one of nine fifties scored in the two rounds of action while DCC’s Shamar Yearwood, with 67 not out against Essequibo is the other batter to reach 50 for the President’s X1 who will hope that West Indies U 19 left hander

Matthew Nandu and MavindraDindyalcangive their captain support tomorrow

Griffith will hope to convert fifties into big hundreds if he hopes to stake a claim for the openingspotintheGuyana team to compete in the Regional Super50 which is set commence in Trinidad onOctober29

SureshDhanaitookthree wicket hauls in both of his

matches for President’s XI who will have to contend with the Guyana bowling attack of Shepherd, Nial Smith, Clinton Pestano, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie and Kevin Sinclair who took three wicketshaulsintwomatches sofar

Many peopledon’twork on Saturdays while some work half day so with players like Hetmyer, Shepherd, Motie, Permaul, Bramble, Foo, Smith, Pestano, Sinclair and Griffith on show in addition to young guns like Nandu, Dindyal, Jonathon Rampersaud and Ramnauth, all roads should lead to Providence tomorrow, especiallysinceadmissionis free.

On Sunday, Demerara, strengthened by the return of dashing left h a n d e r S h e r f a n e Rutherford, will oppose a v a s t l y i m p r o v e d Essequibo side in a contest that could go either way if Essequibo, with Savory, Boodie, Paul, Sampson and the Adams spinners, play theirbestcricket

National Captain Leon Johnson, who made 51 against Berbice and 153

Shimron Hetmyer

against President’s X1, is the only batter with 200 runs and is one of three batters to score centuries; t h e o t h e r s b e i n g Essequibo’s Kemol Savory (108*) and Bramble (106) on tracks that have favored batting

No bowler has taken a five for as yet, but Shepherd (4 37), and Demerara leggie Steven Sankar (4 49) against Demerara has four wicket hauls

Leon Johnson

Kemol Savory

Anderson Peters only Caribbean athlete nominated for World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year

SportsMax - Anderson Peters is the only Caribbean male athlete nominated for the 2022 World Athletics MaleAthleteoftheYear

The 10 nominees were announcedonThursday The athletes were selected by an international panel of athleticsexperts,comprising representatives from all six continental areas of World Athletics.

It has been another memorableyearforthesport and the nominations reflect some of the standout performances achieved at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, World Athletics Indoor ChampionshipsBelgrade22, one-daymeetingcircuitsand other events around the world.

The nominees for 2022 Men’s World Athlete of the Year are (in alphabetical order):

KristjanCeh,SLO -Worlddiscuschampion -DiamondLeaguediscus champion, throwing a

national record 71.27m on thecircuitinBirmingham - European discus silver medallist

AlisondosSantos,BRA - World 400m hurdles champion -DiamondLeague400m hurdleschampion

Ran a world leading South American record of 46.29

MondoDuplantis,SWE

World pole vault champion indoors and outdoors -Diamond League and European pole vault champion

Improved his world record to 6.19m and 6.20m indoors, and then 6 21m outdoors Soufiane El Bakkali, MAR

W o r l d 3 0 0 0 m steeplechasechampion

Diamond League 3000m steeplechase champion Unbeaten in 2022, running a world leading 7:58.28inRabat

GrantHolloway,USA World 110m hurdles champion

World indoor 60m hurdleschampion -DiamondLeague110m hurdleschampion

Jakob Ingebrigtsen, NOR

W o r l d 5 0 0 0 m champion, world 1500m silver medallist indoors and outdoors -European 1500m and 5000mchampion

Diamond League 1500mchampioninaworldleading3:29.02

EliudKipchoge,KEN Improved his world marathonrecordto2:01:09

Berlin Marathon champion

Tokyo Marathon champion NoahLyles,USA -World200mchampion -DiamondLeague200m champion

Ran a world leading national record of 19.31 to move to third on the world all-timelist

AndersonPeters,GRN -Worldjavelinchampion -Commonwealthjavelin silvermedallist

- Threw a world-leading NACAC record of 93.07m, movingtofifthontheworld all-timelist

PedroPichardo,POR World triple jump champion with a world leadingleapof17.95m

World indoor triple jumpsilvermedallist European triple jump champion

A three-way voting process will determine the

finalists.

The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family will cast their votes by email, while fanscanvoteonlineviathe World Athletics social mediaplatforms

Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTubethisweek;a‘like’ on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube or a retweet onTwitterwillcountasone vote

The World Athletics

Anderson Peters

Council’svotewillcountfor 50% of the result, while the World Athletics Family’s votes and the public votes will each count for 25% of thefinalresult.Votingforthe World Athletes of the Year closes at midnight on Monday31October

At the conclusion of the voting process, five women andfivemenfinalistswillbe announced by World Athletics.

The winners will be revealedonWorldAthletics’ social media platforms in earlyDecember

Salah hat-trick helps Liverpool to thrash Rangers 7-1 to near last 16

GLASGOW, Scotland, (Reuters) Substitute Mohamed Salah scored the fastest hat trick in Champions League history as Liverpool came from behindtothrashRangers7-1 on Wednesday and put themselves on the verge of qualification for the competition’s knockout stages.

Salahcameoffthebench in the second half with Liverpool leading 3-1 and fired a treble timed at six minutes and 12 seconds between the first and third

goals to turn a hard-fought winintoarout.

Roberto Firmino had draggedLiverpoolbackinto the contest with a double strike and Darwin Nunez was also on the scoresheet before Harvey Elliott rounded off the scoring followingSalah’sgoals.

It appeared a much changed Liverpool were in for further frustration in a disappointing season so far as they fell behind for the eighth time in all competitions after Scott Arfield slotted home 17

minutesintolifttheroofoff Ibrox.

Thatleadlastedlessthan eight minutes, however, as Firmino continued his prolific season with a near postheadertolevelthingsup fromacorner

Liverpoolweremuchthe betterteamrightfromtheoff in the second half and deservedly edged back in front 10 minutes after the interval, Firmino converting Joe Gomez’s pinpoint low crosstotakehisgoaltallyto eightinallcompetitions.

With Rangers chasing the game, a fine finish from close season signing Nunez put the game beyond the hosts before Salah took centrestage

Elliott added to the h o m e s i d e ’ s embarrassment with a late seventh, putting the seal on a victory that means Liverpool are second in GroupA, and need just one point from their final two matches to be sure of a spot in the knockout stages, while Rangers are bottom, withoutapoint.

“We were reallyjuston it and meeting us in the wrong moment is not cool ( f o r o p p o n e n t s ) , ” Liverpool boss Juergen Kloppsaid.

“All the goals we scored were exceptional Mo (Salah) came on and is on fire and interprets the position really well. It is a night where things work out forus.

“Intheendweneededto get clear in the final third, whichobviouslyworkedout, allthegoalsweregreat,how weplayedthemandsetthem upandfinishedthem.”

RANGERS MISSED

CHANCES

Coming into the match, of the 45 teams to have played at least 50 games in theChampionsLeague,only Anderlecht had a lower win rate than Rangers’ 12 victoriesin65games.

However, you would not have thought it at Ibrox, given how Rangers started. Former Liverpool forward Ryan Kent fired just over before Arfield found the bottom corner for Rangers’

firstChampionsLeaguegoal oftheseason,andfirstin383 minutesinthecompetition.

The defending from the home side left much to be desired as Liverpool l e v e l l e d t h r o u g h Firmino,butthatwasasgood asitgotforthevisitorsinthe opening period, with Rangers missing several chancestoretakethelead.

The second half was a different story altogether, and Rangers completely crumbled as Liverpool improved.

Nunez’s goal was as much to do with t h e h o s t s ’ p o o r defending, while Salah was presented with gift after gift having come off the bench for only the final 22minutes

Salah’s incredible treble took him to 38 Champions League goals for Liverpool, now

the most by any player for an English club in the competition, surpassing Didier Drogba for Chelsea and Sergio Aguero for Manchester City, who both have36.

The stadium was empty as Elliott stroked home to complete a flattering scoreline for Liverpool, given they had struggled for much of the opening period

“It is very hard to explain, to process, ” RangersbossGiovannivan Bronckhorstsaid

“I am still processing the game, especially the secondhalf

“The first half and the last half an hour was night and day, how we played andthatdifferenceinlevel, that is too much in Champions League I cannot explain it right now”

Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino scores their first goal. (Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith)

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah holds the match ball at full time after scoring a hat-trick. (Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith)

Thesynthetictrackatthe Bayroc Community Centre

commencementofthelaying ofsyntheticasphaltmaterial,

Laying of synthetic asphalt commence atof Bayroc Community Centre Ground

example…we are building a bigpavilionherewithbucket seatsetc.”

Minister Ramson also engaged the members of the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground facility and also relatedthattheenhancement project is on schedule. The transformationisexpectedto commenceinafewweeks.

town of Linden,” Minister Ramsonsaid.

accordingtoanupdategiven by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles RamsonJr

According to Minister Ramson, this phase will last

for 21 days, following his interaction with residents and sports stakeholders on Tuesday

He dispelled rumors that the project was halted and

Ryan Hurly spurs Melbourne to another title in Canada

GuyaneseEugeneLafleurgets ‘MostWicketsintheTourney’Award

Afineallroundperformancefromformer West Indies off-spinning all-rounder Ryan Hurly spearheaded Melbourne to victory in the Final of the Mississauga Cricket League Boom Boom T10 Competition which was held last Sunday with Melbourne Cricket Club defeating Watan Warrior by seven wickets in the Final at the Danville Cricket GroundinCanada.

The47-oldHurly,whoplayednineODIs for West Indies between May 24, 2003 and February4,2004,took3-18beforereturning withthebattohittwofoursin23tobenamed theMan-of-the-Match.

Melbourne, the defending 40 overs and T20 Champions, won the toss and invited WatanWarriorstobatincoldconditionsona heavy outfield they were restricted to 74-9 whentheir10oversexpired

Guyanese Eugene LaFleur has the most wickets in the tournament.

saidthattheperiodwasused for procurement and securingfunds.

In addition to the synthetic track, Minister Ramson said funds were provided for additional infrastructural works at the facility, telling stakeholders in Linden, “We also catered forsomemoreprojectstobe done right here so for

The first phase includes lighting and restoration, while the second phase will caterforotherinfrastructural enhancements. Funding for these will be made possible throughagrant.Afewweeks ago a soil testing exercise was carried out on the ground.

“What you can be assured of is that we have everyintentionofseeingthe development happen and thisislargesumsofmoneyin terms of capital investment that the Government of Guyana is making for the

Minister Ramson also stressed that the facility will be of the highest quality, pointingout,“Youaregoing togetagroundthatisgoodas the national stadium, in termsofallofthetechnology that will be applied to the ground; we have chosen the best contractor the contractor who built the Brian Lara Stadium and the other stadiums in the region.”

In addition to these two sports facilities, other community grounds are expected to be transformed within the coming months. These include the Amelia’s WardHardCourtwhichwill be transformed into a multipurpose sports and recreational facility, the Speightland Community Ground and West Watooka CommunityGround.

AliNadeemledthewaywith37withfour fours and six and was supported by Naeem Iqbalwhomade11withtwoboundariesand ShariqMuhamedwhoscored12withafour Bowling for Melbourne, former Guyana youth Captain, left-arm spinner Eugene Lafleur captured 3-11 from two overs, Barbadian Hurley had 3-18 his two overs while Sherwin Layne took 2-7 from his two overs.

Melbourne, who dominated the League inallthreeformats,racedto76-2in8.

1overstowinanothertitleasHurleytop scored 23 with two fours while Woolcock Jefferycontributed19whichincludedafour andasix.

Berbician Lafleur was not out on 13 whenvictorywasachieved.(SeanDevers

Ryan Hurly

Minister Ramson engaging stakeholders at the Bayroc Ground.

Caribbean Mini and Pre Cadet Table Tennis C/ship serves off today

Fierce competition anticipated when Americas Netball World Cup qualifier tips off in Kingston on Sunday

Keen competition is expected among the teams down to participate in the Americas Netball World Cup Qualifierin Jamaica starting Sunday.

Samara Sukhai, Jasmine Billingy and Akira Watson, along with Malachi Moore, EboMcNeil,DariusDaniels and Zion Hickerson, will represent Guyana at the Caribbean Mini and Pre Cadet Table Tennis championships, which takes centrestagetodayattheCliff Anderson Sports Hall from 10:00am.

Guyanawillbejoinedby Grenada,Barbados,Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadine, St Lucia, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Suriname at the tournament whichcaterstoplayersinthe regionages11-13years.

Action will be daily starting 10:00 am to 12:30pm and 2:30pm to 6:00pm, in the Boys and Girls U11 and U13 Team events,Singles,Doublesand MixedDoubles.

Matches will start with team events, doubles and mixeddoublesandconclude withsinglesintherespective agecategories.

Following today’s matches, a formal Opening Ceremony is slated for tomorrowat3:00pm.

Billingy, who recently secured a spot at Saint Stanislaus College, is the national girls U13, U17 years and U21 champion.

She’s an exceptionally talented player who has represented Guyana at the JuniorPanAmericangames.

Sukhai,thenationalU11 champion, according to the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), is an exceptional skilled and talented player and a strong contender for the Girls U11 category

Watson, a student of St StanislausCollege,willlead

Guyana’s charge in the girls U13, along with Moore McNeil, who hails from Linden, will compete in the boyU13division.

New developmental talents Hickerson, Daniels and Hopkin will seek to make inroads on their regionalcounterparts.

The Caribbean Mini and Pre cadet championship is being held in collaboration with the GTTA and the Caribbean Regional Table TennisFederation.

The GTTA said their plan is to use this championship as a catalyst to jump start their national cadet and development programmes and as such, they’ve invited schools to witness the championships and engage in strategies to involve children in their d e v e l o p m e n t a l programmes

SportsMax - Several of theteamsdowntoparticipate in the Americas Netball World Cup Qualifier which begins on Sunday at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, have already arrived ready to do battleforspotsintheNetball WorldCup.

Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados and St. Vincent & the Grenadines are expected on Thursday just over 72 hours before vying for a chancetojoinJamaicaatthe championship to be held in SouthAfricanextyear

Fierce competition is expected as only two other teams from the USA, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia,Antigua andBarbuda,StVincentand the Grenadines, the Cayman Islands and Grenada can qualify

“Excitement is looming andthingsarereachingfever

pitch. Iknowthereisabuzz in the region because only twoteamswillgoforwardto play in Cape Town in July next year,” said Marva Bernard, President of NetballAmericas.

“Iamlookingforwardto another thrilling world class event taking place in Jamaica.

“Notsince2003havewe had a multi-country netball tournament in the Americas Region so I am hoping the patrons will come out. I know there will be good netball.

It will be keenly contestedandIcan’twaitfor the first whistle to blow on dayoneofthecompetitionso let’s rock and roll and bacchanal and catch the vibes and feel the vibes and have our Dancehall and Reggaebecauseit’sgoingto beafuntimeinthiscountry.”

With the stakes so high,

several of the teams have bolstered their respective coaching staffs as they seek togetaleguponWorldCup regulars Trinidad & Tobago andBarbados.

St. Lucia brought in former national coach Minneth Reynolds while Antigua&Barbudahashired English coach Lisa Smith and assistant coach Lauren Smith to help improve their prospectsofsuccess.

Meanwhile, the Cayman Islands has English coach LynethMonteith.

The first match on the fixtureswillgetunderwayat 6:00pmonOctober16atthe NISC The seven day qualifierwillendonOctober 22andaccordingtoDwayne Gutzmer, chair of the local organizing committee, “It promises to be a world class eventwithlotsofprizes,lots of giveaways, lots of fan engagement.”

CAS to hear Chile appeal over Ecuador World Cup player on Nov. 4 and 5 – source

(Reuters) - The Court ofArbitration for Sport (CAS) will hear the Chilean football federation’s appeal on Nov 4 and 5 against the decision by FIFA to allow Ecuador to playattheWorldCup,asourceclosetothe casetoldReutersyesterday.

World governing body FIFA earlier this month dismissed an appeal in the case of Ecuadorean player Byron Castillo, who Chile had alleged was ineligible to play in qualifying since he wasborninColombia.

Castillo played in eight of Ecuador’s qualifying games including twice against Chile for the Qatar World Cup as they took fourth place, while Chile

finished seventh.Ecuadorhavedeniedthat theplayerwasineligible.

The source added that Castillo has been asked to appear at the hearing, which will include arguments by the Peruvian football federation, who also lodged an appeal followingFIFA’s

Peru finished fifth in SouthAmerican qualifying, missing out on the last automaticspotforQatar

Reuters has reached out to CAS for comment FIFAdeclinedtocomment

A decision is expected by Nov 10, days before the World Cup kicks off on Nov 20 with Ecuador scheduled to take onhostsQatar

Team Trinidad and Tobago in Guyana for the Caribbean Mini and Pre Cadet Table Tennis championships.

Funding forces Guyana out of RAN Sevens

By Rawle Toney

Guyana will not feature at this year’s Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens tournament, after failingtosecuretherequired fundingneededforMexico.

The‘GreenMachine’,as they are more popularly known, were hoping to join otherruggersinMexicoCity for the November 11 – 13 championships, but Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) President, Ryan Dey,toldKaieteurNewsthat thingsdidn’tgoaccordingto plan.

According to Dey, the GRFU was awaiting feedback from RAN, with regards to how much would’ve been given throughtheusualgrant.

However, Dey said that RAN subsequently committed US$8,000, while the trip would’ve cost the GRFU approximately US$50,000.

GRFU President, Ryan Dey

ShortofUS$42,000,Dey said the time was too short for the GRFU to solicit funding from Government and other agencies, forcing thelocalgoverningbodyfor Rugby to abort their intentions of competing at t h e p r e s t i g i o u s championships. Guyana’s absence means they will not beabletocontestforaplace at the Centro Caribe Games in 2023 and the 2023 Pan AmericanGames.

RAN also announced that at the Centro Caribe Sevens, the top two Senior Men’s and Women’s teams

from the Competition will compete in the 2023 Pan American Sevens in Chile, along with the USA and Canada who have already pre-qualified.

“Obviously we’re disappointed,” Dey said, speaking exclusively with Kaieteur News. “The guys have been training hard and were all looking forward to going out there and trying their best to bring the title backtoGuyana,”

With seven titles and 11 top four finishes to their name, the Green Machine is one of one’s most decorated teams in the game’s shortest format.

However,aftergivingup thetitletoJamaicain2017in thefinals,andagainlosingto the ‘Reggae Ruggerz’in the 2018 Finals, the Green Machine fell further down theladder.

Dey explained that this year, the tournament would’ve been used to

Day two promises more thrills

The much anticipated Courts Pee Wee Under-11

w, Saturday, October 15, at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, with a total of 14 fixtures on the card to becontested.

Day two of the Petraorganised event kicks off at 11:00hrswithmatchesbeing run simultaneously on the two pitches. The first two matches will feature Mocha Primary going head-to-head with St. Pius Primary while Den Amstel and St. Agnes face each other on the opposite playfield area. At 11:50 hrs, Sopha spring into actionagainstTucvillewhile FEPollardbattleRedeemer Matches 17 and 18 commence at 12:40 hrs as Craig face Graham’s Hall whileAnn’sGrovechallenge Enterprise.

At the midway point of the card, Timehri go up

Opening day action at the Ministryof Education Ground. (Photo credit: News Room)

againstSmith’sMemorialas Marian Academy thrash it outwithSt.Margaret’s,both from 13:30 hrs. Organisers have pitted North Georgetown against Soesdyke and Colaaco against West Ruimveldt in two encounters that kick off from14:20hrs.

Following that, St Stephens take the stage

againstWinferGardensfrom 15:10 hrs. The day’s final two matches were rescheduled bouts from the opening day; Den Amstel meet St. Pius while Sophia tackle Victoria, both to get underway at 16:00 hrs. The tournament which commenceditsninthedition Saturdaylastwasnotshort

expose some of the new talent unearthed by the GRFU, blended with those w i t h R A N S e v e n s experience.

“Maybethisisablessing indisguiseforus, becauseit willgiveusachancetocome back better and much fitter nextyear Wedidourbestin preparingforthetournament this year, but as I said, this will give us enough time to put together a very competitive team,” the GRFUpresidentstated.

Meanwhile, Dey disclosedthattheGRFUwill behostingaone-daySevens tournament in the National Park. The Guyana Police Force, Panthers, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and

Peabo Hamilton in action for Guyana at the RAN 7’s qualifier tournament in April, in The Bahamas.

Caribs will compete for top honours,startingat11:00am.

The GRFU’s Rugby Academy,whichfallspartof the Ministry of Culture, YouthandSportinitiative,is also ongoing, with Dey p o i n t i n g t o t h e overwhelming turn-out for theprogramme.

“We also have a youth programme that we do at Yarrowkabra and we have

around 80 children that would usually turn up to learnandenjoyRugby,”Dey noted.

Asitrelatestotheplayers who will not be able to competeinMexico,Deysaid the GRFU’s plans, which also includes a 10’s League, October 23 – November 18, will keep them focused and grounded for next year’s RANactivities.

Caribbean Mini and Pre Cadet Table

Funding