K
Sunday Edition As Opposition NEWS urges moderation, Exxon continues to reach astonishing production levels
AIETEUR
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October 15, 2023
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VP Jagdeo claims ringfencing oil projects could leave Guyana with nothing in the future
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo
Brazilian Delegation in talks with Berbice Chamber to form consortium to utilize CGX's Berbice Port Guyana must Doctor accused know financial of raping devastation that Venezuelan can be caused woman by oil spill - Norton flees home
Porter dies in Essequibo crash
The garbage truck which crashed on the Cullen, Public Road, Essequibo Coast.
Gas-to-Energy project to start-up one year later than promised
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Kaieteur News
Sunday October 15, 2023
Sunday October 15, 2023
Kaieteur News
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VP Jagdeo claims ring-fencing oil projects could leave Guyana with nothing in the future After accusing the former government of “selling Guyana out” to foreign oil companies by failing to ring-fence the Stabroek Block projects, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo now seems comfortable with the lack of such a provision, since he believes the country could be left with nothing in the future should such a provision be implemented. ‘Ring-fencing’ simply means that each project would pay for itself, thereby allowing for greater profits to be split when development is paid off. According to the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) Guyana inked with ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC, 75 percent of the monthly revenue will be deducted to cover costs, while the remaining 25 percent will be split equally (50/50) between the parties to the contract. In this manner, a ringfencing provision would have allowed Guyana to benefit from half of the revenue generated in a project, after the expenses are repaid. Without this provision, the oil companies are
allowed to give Guyana meager profits while they take the lion’s share to develop other oil projects in the Stabroek Block. Recognizing the significance of such a major gap in the contract, Jagdeo when he was leader of the Opposition, prior to August 2020 was fuming during an interview when he addressed the former government’s incompetence for failing to ring-fence the two oil projects it had approved. “They sold us out to the foreigners. The oil companies, every time there is a find out there, our people should be sad because nothing comes our way. We are gonna renegotiate those contracts because that’s not what we had in mind,” Jagdeo said. He added, “When we were in the early days, we were coaxing the people [ExxonMobil] to go along. They [Coalition] came into office – three billion barrels of proven reserves and they gave up zero royalties, no taxes, no ring-fencing.” A few short years later, the Vice President now believes that ring-fencing the oil projects in the Stabroek Block could possibly leave the country
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo with nothing to gain in the future. During his Thursday press conference, the VP said, “Thinking in policy making is much more complex, it’s never a linear way- oh ring-fencing can save all the money in the world; ring-fencing could lead now too to us having nothing in the future.” The Vice President explained, “We admitted that we are foregoing revenue now in exchange for massive future income because its
going into new projects that will increase production and so even with the same share of the 50/50 plus the two percent royalty that the future income, because of the bigger scale will be massive in Guyana’s case and we are deliberately foregoing that in this period for that purpose and then trying to grab this bone now could cause you to lose all the bones, the bigger bones too in the future.” While Jagdeo fears Guyana not being able to
Gas-to-Energy project to start-up one year later than promised A recent public request for proposals (RFP) related to the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project disclosed what appears to be a delay in the planned commissioning of the Gasto-Energy project. Initially promised to deliver power to the nation by 2024, the project’s startup, according to the RFP, is now scheduled for 2025. This one-year postponement implies that Guyanese will have to wait longer for the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) promise of a reduction in power costs to be delivered. This comes as the country is facing numerous blackouts and power supply instability. T h e G a s - t o - E n e rg y project, expected to add 300 megawatts (MW) of gas power generation to Guyana’s grid, is facing several uncertain challenges that may be preventing its full-throttle development. ExxonMobil is responsible for the installation of the
pipeline to transport gas from its offshore operations to the power plant at Wales. Although the pipeline installation activities have commenced, as indicated by G u y a n a ’s M a r i t i m e Administration Department (MARAD), ExxonMobil has yet to make a final investment decision (FID) on the project. The c o m p a n y ’s C o u n t r y President, Alistair Routledge, indicated that despite the lack of an official FID, the development works are advancing essentially as planned. He has said that the decision would be forthcoming, but it was initially expected in 2022. The implications of this delayed decision on the project’s timelines and the lack of a public explanation from ExxonMobil on this matter add a layer of uncertainty to the success of the Gas-to-Energy project. On the government’s end, financing appears to be a significant hurdle, as well. The administration is tasked
with several projects including overhauling the transmission system and the establishment of an integrated gas processing f a c i l i t y a t Wa l e s , encompassing a power plant and a natural gas liquids (NGL) facility. A substantial portion of the funding for this endeavor is anticipated to come from a loan of over US$600M from the United States Ex-Im Bank, as revealed by Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, earlier this year. While the loan awaits approval, Jagdeo has cited bridge financing as a temporary solution to sustain the project. He has said that discussions with officials from the United States Ex-Im Bank were promising and that the bridge financing could cover retroactive expenditure once the loan materializes. Meanwhile, early development works on the integrated gas processing facility at Wales are being
directly funded with a US$100M withdrawal from Guyana’s consolidated fund. The unfolding of the Gas-to-Energy project comes at a critical juncture when Guyana grapples with escalating instability in power generation and supply, amid a backdrop of rapid economic growth and climbing temperatures. The Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), far from being in favour with the Guyanese public, finds it challenging to meet the increasing demand for power. The Gas-to-Energy project is expected to leverage natural gas from the Stabroek block. With the total cost of the project, including the pipeline and the gas processing facility at Wales, estimated between US$1.8 billion and US$2 billion, Guyana is taking on a lot of financial risk, and the Guyanese people now face a longer wait for the promise of a more reliable and costeffective power supply.
gain revenue in the future from the sector due to a ringfencing provision, experts in the industry have urged the nation to include such a provision to ensure it enjoys early returns from the sector. In three separate reports dated 2017, 2019 and 2019, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated: “This asymmetrical treatment of profit and cost oil will benefit the contractor at the expense of delaying government revenue.” Meanwhile, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), along with another international expert, Chatham House and the World Bank called on Guyana to include a ringfencing provision for each project. Painting a more graphic picture in one his reports on Guyana was Director of Financial Analysis for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Tom Sanzillo. IEEFA estimated that Guyana should receive upward of $6 billion annually by 2028 or sooner, however, the organization believes that due to all of the new costs, Guyana will be shortchanged until the 2030’s, if not longer. It would be poignant to note that last year, the Stabroek Block generated a whopping US$9.8 billion, but Guyana only received US$1.4 billion in profits and royalty, while Exxon took US$7.4 billion to recoup their investments across the Stabroek Block. Consequently, Sanzillo
noted, “The lack of contract protections means that every time Guyana announces it has received more revenue it is actually being shortchanged...the country may never see the promised annual revenues in the billions of dollars.” Falling oil prices Another major factor that can affect the country from enjoying the “bigger bone” in the future, as anticipated by the VP is the declining oil prices. Government in its H a l f - Ye a r R e p o r t h a s already indicated that the country is likely to earn lower revenue from the industry this year than earlier projected. It said this is as a result of declining oil prices on the global market triggered by a slide in demand for supplies. The report noted that petroleum deposits for the year are now projected to total US$1,629.3 million, compared with US$1,631.7 million projected at the beginning of the year. This means that the country will receive US$2.4 million less than anticipated or approximately GYD$480M. Kaieteur News had reported that the plummeting oil price on the global market can be dangerous for newcomer to the sector, Guyana, especially as oil major ExxonMobil continues to pump billions of US-dollars to develop the resources discovered in the Stabroek block. The country can easily find itself unable to repay the investments or enjoy profits from the industry should this trend extend.
AFC talks up need for constitutional reform, legislation for biometrics at National Executive Committee meeting The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Alliance For Change (AFC) concluded its meeting on Saturday while stressing the need for there to be constitutional reform especially in post-elections coalition, the need for legislation to facilitate biometrics and the residency requirement for a new voters list all prior to the next national and regional elections. The party also renewed its commitment to ensuring that a fair and equitable dispensation in the allocation of the country’s national resources for the benefit for all Guyanese. The meeting included presentations from the Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan MP, who discussed the present political and economic situation, the high cost of living and inflation, the internal infights within the PPP and that Party’s bad governance especially concerning the Exxon contract and discrimination in infrastructural contracts. Mr. Ramjattan asked that AFC party activists be seen more publicly despite (Continued on page 10)
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News, 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com
If President Ali’s action can fix passports, National leaders or it can fix NIS, Birth Certificates, TIN, corporate servers services at Government Ministries EDITORIAL
Guyanese studying the words and postures of their national leaders must read the writing on the wall. Guyana’s leaders have gone over to the other side. When the citizens of this country expect that they have leaders who are fighters for this nation, they discover that their own leaders have not just surrendered to ExxonMobil, they curse those Guyanese who do not bend over and pander to the barbarisms of the company. Guyana’s leading politicians should all be burning up over the atrocity that is the 2016 ExxonMobil oil contract. Instead, national leaders go the other way and seek to burn those Guyanese who say that this country must dedicate itself to extract from ExxonMobil what is fair, what is right, and what is better for all Guyanese. Undoubtedly,political leaders have decided to take the easy way, settled for the safest choice, which is to team up with ExxonMobil, even if means betraying their own people. There is this one truth today: there is no fight in Guyana’s leaders for a better oil contract. Renegotiation has become the equivalent of an obscene four-letter word. Political leaders prefer flight than fight, to hide than to take a hardline, whenever the word renegotiation is uttered publicly. Powerful national leaders do everything to make themselves small, invisible, and flabby when the call for renegotiation comes up in the national conversation. Big men of incomparable stature in this country twist their words into foolishness and the meaningless when the issue is renegotiation. Big leaders with all the power in their hands twist themselves into every shape and form and shadow, so as to avoid any discussion about renegotiation of the ExxonMobil oil contract. Policial leaders hear the word renegotiation mentioned, and they bleat like sheep frightened into involuntary bladder emptying conditions. In other words, just the sound of the word renegotiation causes national political leaders to wet themselves, perhaps lose control of number two, too. Renegotiation has become more than a curse word in Guyana. For the men trembling andtiptoeing on each occasion they hear that there must be renegotiation of the ExxonMobil contract, it is a combination of cancer and COVID-19, the worst strains and at the most advanced stage. This is where leaders are with renegotiation in the political arena; the same goes for commercial leaders, and those other leaders that make up Guyana’s professional class and elites. Political leaders are so petrified that they bend themselves into pitiful poses to duck doing anything about renegotiation. Renegotiation is the name of the biggest badman on the block, and he is to be runaway from, peeped at from being securely barred doors and windows. The irony of the richest country in the world is that the leaders who should be on the frontlines are nowhere to be seen or heard, they cannot even bring themselves to fold their fists for a good fight. A knockdown dragged out fightif this is what renegotiation demands. Revealingly, their hands are in their pockets, either counting their take of the contract shakedown of Guyana, or squeezing themselves for reassurance that they are still men. Look and listen to Guyana’s political leaders, and all that is walked away with is disgust, increasing anger, deepening scorn. Political leaders who compete for national power should be leading the charge for renegotiation, but they are hiding under their beds. They should be inspiring the local troops to bold and sustained action for renegotiation of this reprehensible ExxonMobil contract, but there they are in the same bed with the company, and under the sheets with the men from Texas. Guyanese leaders are now immune to the worst of shame, and this is no matter how much they have disgraced themselves, to what levels they prostitute themselves. Rather than leaders gear up for the mother of all renegotiation battles, their preference is to give up without a finger raised, and grovel like some spineless animal before the team of Darren Woods and Alistair Routledge. Guyanese politicians are proud to be traitors kissingExxonMobil’s feet. The Guyanese people will have to lead themselves out of this sickening state, take it upon themselves to rise out of this tragic national leadership swamp.
DEAR EDITOR, News that the Passport Office is back to 5 days of processing for a passport is good news. President Ali has shown that he is a man of action. The President has tackled a sloth at two Government Departments by announcing his clean-up initiative. We await a similar announcement for the “NIS” which should really be called “SIN” – a sin and great iniquity against the old people of this nation. The NIS Board is right there with them as enablers and coconspirators. The President will do well to issue similar initiatives to fix a broken Government system where the sloth and poor customer service at Ministries continue to bedevil the nation, and is especially more brutal against poor,
rural country people who do not know how to navigate the system. People from the remote regions are easily pushed around and victimized, would readily pay bribes to get quick service and avoid the high transportation and related costs associated with our disease of “come-back-titis”. I visited the Passport Office recently and observed things which can be changed, including their mindsets. So here are some suggestions. The Passport Office must use a ticket system and call up people by their numbers. I find it so backward and demeaning that you have to drag your behinds into every seat in the building in a game of musical chairs to get to the first chair to be served. This is 2023 not the 1970s when
Burnhamism ruled. The Passport Office did a good thing to create a Senior Citizen row of chairs to give some priority. However, I had observed three young folks sitting in that section but Mr. Philadelphia quickly asked them to move when I pointed that out. The Passport Office should know that people are watching when friends and family are coming in and going to the head of the line and getting priority processing at the back room. The air conditioning in the building needs improvement. The water stations need to be serviced during the day to make sure there is water and there are cups. Applicants must be seen as customers, and good customer service practices must guide their interactions
with the people. To speed things up, The Passport Office may want to consider the feasibility of the “Apple Store” approach, where each employee can process a customer and there is no designated cashier’s cage. While people are sitting and waiting, instead of Immigration staff doing traffic control duties, use them to go around and check peoples’ documents so when they go to the back to take their pictures, the officers there don’t have much to do. They can also use appropriately programmed iPads to process applicants as they sit and await. That makes the process more efficient. How about enabling on-line applications? That’s not rocket science! If we think (Continued on page 04)
Kaieteur News
Sunday October 15, 2023
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Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox Over 160,000 tonnes of corn & soya harvested at Tacama Savannah DEAR EDITOR, I see that Guyana’s ‘Agricultural Investment’ is paying great dividends, and I will isolate just one example of this. Earlier in the year, with the overall aim of being self-sufficient by 2025, the P e o p l e ’s P r o g r e s s i v e Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration made a commitment to see the cultivation of corn and soya bean in the intermediate savannahs. This was when the 2023 National Budget allocated some $1.2 billion for infrastructural development in Tacama, where soya is quite autochthonous. Now the fruit of such planning and hard work is emerging, as the ‘corn and soya bean project’ ongoing in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), has yielded over 160,000 tonnes of corn and soya, with the consortium looking towards replanting as soon as possible. This is so encouraging and feeds the flame to keep at it, but in a bigger way. As I flip through the incipient stages of this realisation, I recall how approximately 18,000 acres of corn and soya were planted in the Tacama Savannah in Region 10, by a consortium of companies that included Bounty Farm. And look at these impressive details: “162,000 tonnes of corn and soya bean have since been harvestedincluding 108,000 tonnes of corn and 54,000 tonnes of soya bean, both of which are relatively new crops to
Guyana. No wonder, David Fernandes, the assistant Managing Director of Bounty Farm, was optimistic that future crops would result in higher yields. Editor and readers, I bring to attention the wider implications of this ‘corn and soya bean project.’ It is no slight matter that the PPP/C and their charges are into. We know that soybeans and soy foods may reduce the risk of a range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD) and some cancers, as well as improving bone health. Soy is actually highquality protein, as one or 2 daily serves of soy products can be beneficial to our health. The beans contain hormone-like substances (called phytoestrogens) that copy the action of the female hormone oestrogen. It is thought that soy can reduce menopausal symptoms (such as hot flushes). There is more to ‘chew’ on and ‘digest. Research has shown that about 4 daily servings of soy foods in conjunction with a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol can reduce our LDL (bad) cholesterol by around 3 to 4%. This LDL, as we know, is a big issue worldwide. On the actual working side and in terms of strategic work, it is common practice that corn and soybeans be commonly rotated on many farming operations, as they have different growth habits, nutrient needs, and pest and disease pressures. Rotating these two crops can help to
improve soil health, reduce pest and disease pressure, and increase yields. Corn is well-known as a heavy feeder crop. So irrespective from what angle we think of, this is a really great thing that Guyana is pursuing. In fact, Fernandes, echoing my sentiments, explained that if good weather prevails, they are looking to possibly replant corn and soya next month. He n o t e d t h a t “ We h a v e everything on track to plant this November, but the only thing we don’t have control over, is the rain. And that would be the only consideration for us not to plant a crop of corn or soya bean. But nevertheless, we would still plant a cover crop of millet or something like that on the entire land, to make sure it’s covered for the rains that will come in December.” I am so excited that “Guyana has aspirations of being a net exporter of corn and soya by 2025. In the feed industry, Guyana imports close to US$30 million in products annually. The aim is therefore not to just attain s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y, b u t establish the country as a net exporter of soya.” In this regard, the Government, last year, improved access to the area by constructing 40 kilometres of road, with the remaining seven kilometres scheduled to be completed in 2023. What this means is that more can be achieved and with greater ease. I await impatiently. Yours truly, HB Singh.
A terrible, untenable situation in the Gaza DEAR EDITOR, The situation in the Gaza is deeply troubling and nothing short of a humanitarian disaster. This is a clear case of collective punishment for the actions of a few, which is a violation of international humanitarian norms. The killings and kidnapping of civilians and the holding them as hostages by the Hamas cannot be
justified. But the indiscriminate killings of civilians including women and children in the Gaza Strip, one of the most highly densely populated place in the world, is equally wrong. An entire population is now living in a state of siege, cut off from all the basic necessities of life, including water, electricity and access to
food and medical care. The harsh reality is that the Palestinian problem cannot be resolved through military means. The way forward is for the relevant parties to take the necessary steps towards a two-state solution, which must include the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Sincerely, Hydar Ally
Opposition calls on Exxon to clear air on audit DEAR EDITOR, In a meeting with the Opposition held on September 8, 2023, ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd, through its Country Manager, Mr. Allister Routledge stated that Exxon will not neglect its responsibilities in the event of an oil spill and that his company has always operated with integrity, t r a n s p a r e n c y, a n d accountability. In the said meeting, ExxonMobil said that they agreed with the government to US$3M because it was too time consuming to continue to go through all the information and reduce it further. He went on to state that
they have all the information on their expenditure. We the undersigned wish to state that what we highlighted is what was conveyed to us in the meeting, and it is now opportune for Exxon to honour its comment that it operates b a s e d o n i n t e g r i t y,
transparency and accountability and state publicly what it told the Opposition delegation it met. Regards, Aubrey Norton, MP David Patterson, MP Ricky Ramsaroop,MP Shurwayne Holder, MP Elson Lowe
Kaieteur News
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Berbice rice farmers eyeing low water levels as new crop beckons A
s daily high temperatures continue to scorch the country, West Coast Berbice (WCB) rice farmers are keeping a keen eye on the water level of the waterways surrounding their rice fields as they are about to head into a new crop. Over the last few months, there has been a dry spell across the country, and various government entities have described it as one of the worst ever. The severe heat wave has severely affected several sources of income, and the farmers are concerned about what the drought holds for their future. One farmer told this publication that, “Last crop there wasn’t a lack of water coming to the end which was good, but since we about to go into another crop if the water continues to drop like this we might got a problem.” When the crop is nearing
harvest, dry weather is needed so the earth can dry off and be able to support the weight of the combine to cut the rice. After the cutting, burning and ploughing stages, wet weather is ideal. “When field plough up and so on, we have to let water in. It’s straight to shying the paddy and a few weeks after the fertilizer,” another farmer said. He noted that when the rice plant grows to a ripened stage grown and it begins to flower, adequate water is constantly needed to keep the plants properly watered. “Normally we get water from MMA {Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Development Agency} , they does release it from a reservoir. But the level the water is at right now we ain’t sure if it gonna reach till here. Sometimes by the time it reach Bush Lot we gonna have to wait, because if they
block it off to get the level to flood they field, we gonna have to wait till they open the koker,” another farmer said. He said that when the water level is low as what persists across the country, the water isn’t enough to submerge the tubes to pump water into the fields. He said at the rate the water is receding, it will be a miracle if there’s any left for when the crop begins. The farmers are worried that there may be limited sources for water if the MMA/ADA is unable to accumulate water for their lands. The current El Nino weather phenomenon is expected to continue to continue until the end of November when the Hydromet Office expects a change in conditions. Minister of Agriculture, Zulficar Mustapha has called on Guyanese to conserve water.
Weight limit on Berbice River Bridge reduced to 20 tons The Berbice Bridge Company Inc. (BBCI) on Saturday advised that as a result of a collision with the Bridge on Friday the weight limit for the bridge will be reduced to 20 tons until further notice. According to BBCI at around 20:30h on Friday, October 13, 2023 a barge loaded with sand collided with the Berbice River Bridge. “As a result, all truck, tractor, and Freight Vehicle Owners and Operators are hereby informed that the weight limit for
the Bridge will be reduced to twenty (20) tons until further notice,” the BBCI said in an advisory. Commuters are also advised to adhere to the Bridge’s speed limits: 30 KMH on the Carriageway and 15KMH on the Ramps. “These measures have been implemented for the safety of everyone. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation,” the BBCI said. F o r m o r e d e t a i l s : · Website:www.berbicebridge.com
Rice being harvest in the West Coast Berbice.
If President Ali’s action can fix... From page 04 creatively, we can avoid the old “sit and wait” culture where you have to spend a whole day to get simple government business done because of poor, broken systems. The Passport Office has been closing off accepting applications by 9:00 am. So a rural person or senior citizen who does not know that, will get up early, spend a lot of money to go to the Passport Office only to be told they are not accepting any more applications, come back another day. We must end this bad practice. The Regional System was supposed to make things easier for people. But that’s a broken, ineffective and inefficient system that needs a makeover. The processing of Passport and other applications at the Regional Offices must be as efficient as the Georgetown Office.
Why should it take longer when we all deserve equal treatment and equitable services? We must put an end to longer processing times at the regional offices. That’s a root cause solution. Finally, the Passport Form needs to be revised. It is a citizen’s right to obtain a Passport. Section 7 of the Form is not needed. Why is it necessary to require a “recommender” and the passport Office has a narrow list of who can be recommenders. That must be a practice from colonial times, and should be scrapped. Why does the recommender need to sign the picture that the picture is you? That seems to be an extra, unnecessary step. Would the Officer not see it is you when you go to take your picture? If they are doing electronic pictures, why the need for a photo, when the picture is stored in
their system? What is the purpose of Question 5 that asks “Passport required for travel to?” Isn’t a Passport required for travel to all foreign countries, and that is therefore a redundant question? Also, why do you need to ask “Purpose of Travel?” Does it matter whether you go for vacation, for a funeral, or other reason? That seems to be an unnecessary question. Thank you, President Ali, for intervening and jacking up services at the Ministries. The people love that you are listening. Thank you. Fire them up or fire those who stand in the way and are wedded to old mindsets and old practices that hurt our people. While you are at it, fire those Ministers who cannot run proper Ministries, don’t allow them to be a drag on your Government. Sincerely, Dr. Jerry Jailall
T N U L B . . . T B N U T L N T B . U . L . L T B . N . U . N U T L N B . U . T . L N T U N B . N U . L U L LUNT. B . T . . T T N N B U B . U . L . L T B . B . . N . . . T U T L N N T U U L N L B U . B . . L . . . T B T . . N . N T U L N LU B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . A POWERLESS COUNTRY T B U . . L N . N T B . . U N . L T U L B N . . B . U . . T L . N T B . . U N . L N T B U N . . L . U T L B . . N B . . . T U . L N T B U . . L . UN T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L B U UN .BLUNT. . . L . T B . . N . T U . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . LU ...BLUNT LUNT...B NT...BL T B U . . L N . T B U BL T...BLUN BLUNT... UNT...B . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B BBLU T...BLUN BLUNT... ...BLU . T . N . N T T U L U N L B U T...BLU U B . L . N . B T . . . N T U N N N L U U U B L . L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Sunday October 15, 2023
Kaieteur News
Guyana’s electricity sector is a reflection of its leaders - powerless in the face of adversity!
When the country needs them to act on its behalf, the leaders crawl into their holes after shouting through speakers of the changes that are needed to improve living conditions for Guyanese. A new crop of leaders with a sturdy spinal cord and powerful groin is what is needed to safeguard the livelihoods of our future generations.
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Kaieteur News
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Sunday October 15, 2023
BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY! In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecency in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation. SUNDAY – OCTOBER 08, 2023 Do you have the mettle, President Ali? Former President, Donald Ramotar, has finally seen the light and sounded the horn on the need to renegotiate the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement. It is so easy to shout from the sidelines about what needs to be done, when you have no real power. APNU and the AFC are doing the same thing. But what about when you’re the one on the field? President Ali, it’s your play, and the nation is watching. Do you have the mettle to make the call when the ball is in your hands? Or will we hear your voice only when your game is over? We’re all ears, waiting for a leader, not an echo. MONDAY – OCTOBER 09, 2023 Exxon contract It has been called
barefaced and lopsided. It has been called twisted and one-sided. The PPP in Opposition called the contract a curse. The PPP in Gov’t. now curses those who call it a curse, Whose side is the PPP Gov’t. on? Whose chamber is VP Jagdeo in? Whose side is President Ali on? TUESDAY – OCTOBER 10, 2023 Ali learning from Jagdeo The disgraceful ‘cuss down’ of former President Donald Ramotar by President Irfaan Ali should be a wake-up call to all those who have been on the sidelines cheering him on. What he has done to others, he will do to you. We have seen this behaviour before. He only recently manhandled one of his security details; often displays short-temperedness and generally walks around
with this air of arrogance that even the road contractors are scared of him. Last week, President Ramotar like so many other Guyanese came out and said that it is better to fight to renegotiate the Exxon contract rather than not fight at all. Ramotar has not been the first and will not be the last to call for renegotiation. The person who signed the contract on behalf of the APNU+AFC has himself said that he is willing to help renegotiate the contract. But what was surprising was the retort from President Ali. He need not have said anything. Out of respect to his former President and mentor, he should have avoided criticizing Ramotar in the manner that he did. But then again, his buddy friend, Jagdeo had also treated former President Janet Jagan the same way calling her a private citizen when she criticised his decision back then to
withdraw state advertising from Stabroek News.
and change the way they are managing this oil sector.
WEDNEDAY – OCTOBER 11, 2023 One day protest Publisher of the Kaieteur News has called for a day of protest on October 27, 2023. The aim of the protest is to call on the government to invoke the provision in the lopsided contract with ExxonMobil for that company to relinquish 20% of the Stabroek Block which it currently holds. That 20% is equivalent to 120 oil blocks. The protest will also be calling on the government to ring-fence Exxon’s 6th project as well as demand more royalty and taxes from the US oil major. So, join Mr. Glenn Lall and others on Friday, October 27, 2023 at 9am and let your voices be heard. Let’s show both President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, that they have to take back those blocks from ExxonMobil
THURSDAY – OCTOBER 12, 2023 Jagdeo should go! With all his grand failures from the white elephant Skeldon Factory to the Fip Motilall ‘road-tonowhere scandal, former President Bharrat Jagdeo should be out of any leadership picture, any conversation that is focused on what is right for Guyanese. Yet he is hanging on. Once upon a time, he used to refer to older leaders as fossils, we wonder when he looks in the mirror what he makes of himself now that he is above 60. His record is that anything that has to do with money is saturated with questions, doubts, suspicions, and fears about the worst. On the nation’s v i t a l o i l p a t r i m o n y, Guyanese now have to deal with a national leader who is
a non-white version of Darren Woods and Alistair Routledge: he is more for ExxonMobil than Guyana. After all the failures and disgraces, Jagdeo should go, and count his years and their rewards. SATURDAY – OCTOBER 14, 2023 These ‘pests’ at press conferences Both the PPP and Opposition have a designated political operative at their press conferences to distract the public from matters of critical importance. These persons turn up to the engagements and limit the time in which bonafide members of the press, get to question the leaders on matters of national significance. These politicians must show the media respect and engage their cronies on talk shows, rather than waste the time of an already strained cohort of journalists.
Guyana projected As Opposition urges moderation, to continue leading ExxonMobil continues to reach astonishing production levels regional growth DPI - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has released its much-anticipated Regional Economic Outlook for Guyana in October 2023, and the findings paint an optimistic picture of the nation’s economic prospects. The report underscores and lauds Guyana’s steadfast commitment to fostering inclusive and sustainable growth, further solidifying the country’s standing as a key global economic player. The report not only validates Guyana’s dedication to prosperity but also highlights the nation’s resilience in the face of global economic challenges. Key Highlights of the IMF Report includes: Robust Economic Expansion; Increased Investments; Fiscal Responsibility; Diversification Efforts; Social and Infrastructure Development; and Regional Cooperation. The report noted that Guyana is experiencing a robust economic expansion, primarily driven by the burgeoning oil and gas sector. The IMF’s report predicts an impressive growth rate for Guyana’s economy, underscoring the nation’s resilience in the midst of global economic challenges. Further, the nation’s favorable investment climate has attracted a significant inflow of foreign direct investments, creating fresh opportunities for job creation and infrastructure development. These investments play a pivotal role in strengthening the nation’s economic foundations and enhancing the living
standards of its citizens. Additionally, the IMF underscored that the government of Guyana has demonstrated commendable fiscal responsibility, resulting in a stable macroeconomic environment that serves as the bedrock for sustainable growth. “Learning from the experiences of other resource-rich nations, Guyana is actively taking steps to diversify its economy beyond oil and gas. Initiatives aimed at strengthening sectors like agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing are gaining traction, reducing the nation’s reliance on a single sector,” the IMF stated. The report underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing social services and infrastructure development. Investments in education, healthcare, and public infrastructure projects are contributing to an improved quality of life for the Guyanese population. Guyana’s active participation in regional forums and its expanding diplomatic relations were also praised for are contributing to stability and prosperity in the region. These partnerships, the IMF added are poised to open new avenues for economic cooperation, trade, and development. Local authorities have proven that they are resolute in their belief that the nation is on a transformative path of growth, and the positive findings from the IMF report reaffirm the nation’s resilience and potential.
Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton has articulated a call for moderation, calling for paced production to develop institutional capacity for oil sector regulation. Norton stated during a press conference, “It is critical to understand that while we want these developments to occur, you have to build institutional capacity to audit, to monitor… We believe that we need to pace it... to do a survey to see what we as a people need, to be able to monitor, evaluate the sector, as well as to ensure that the local content keeps rising rather than declining.” In contrast, ExxonMobil’s projects, particularly in the Liza Phase One and Liza Phase Two projects, continue to display astonishing production levels. The delayed August oil production data revealed sustained high production, with Phase Two exceeding its initial capacity of 220,000 barrels per day (bpd), even before the planned production optimization activities. It is maintaining production levels around 250,000 barrels per day. This indicates a potential for even higher production levels after Exxon optimizes the project, raising safety concerns among stakeholders monitoring offshore oil production. The Payara project is set to further increase oil production. Scheduled to begin production later this year, the Payara project will reach full production capacity by early 2024. ExxonMobil’s strategy aligns with statements by Chief Executive Officer, Darren Woods that there will be larger
projects with higher production capacity to drive down unit costs and enhance costeffectiveness. Woods highlighted the company’s focus on understanding the resources in the Stabroek Block as a guiding factor for future developments. He explained to investors, “These bigger production facilities make a lot of sense when you have the resource to support it because it brings your unit cost down, brings down your cost of supply.” The floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels being placed offshore Guyana are among the highest producers in the world. There is a clear dissonance between the Opposition’s call for moderation and ExxonMobil’s high production trajectory. However, Exxon is not a rogue agent. It is being shepherded by Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who supports accelerated oil production. Jagdeo wants Exxon to drain the oil out from offshore Guyana before the world transitions to cleaner energy sources. Stakeholders see it as crucial for Exxon ensure that its operations, which have potential for significant ecological impact, comply with the strictest safety protocols. This would minimize the risk of spills, which can be devastating not only for the environment but also for multiple countries. With ExxonMobil ramping up its operations in Guyana, local and regional stakeholders have emphasized that past disasters should serve as a stark reminder and incentive to avoid similar pitfalls.
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Sunday October 15, 2023
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Guyana must sever all diplomatic ties with the State of Israel President Irfaan Ali must now sever all diplomatic relations with the State of Israel. Israel is an occupying force and its right to selfdefense is moot once it continues to be an occupying force on Palestinian lands. It is time for Irfaan Ali to take a firm stance, including breaking with his CARICOM colleagues, and to reset relations with Israel, deeming that state as an entity that violates international law and civilized norms. Now is the time for the Government of Guyana to take a firm stance against Israel’s violations of international law and its disproportionate response to recent events in Gaza. Guyana has a longstanding commitment to non-violence. It has consistently come out against violence and the recent statement by the Caribbean Community on the situation in Gaza implicitly condemns violence from both sides of the present conflict. However, Israel is an occupying power and it is now appropriate for Guyana to equally reaffirm its support for the for the rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to a homeland. Guyana has long taken a side in solidarity with suffering Palestinians who have long endured oppression, dispossession, and injustice at the hands of the State of Israel. The events of recent days and in particular, the
horrifying developments in Gaza, demand Guyana’s immediate condemnation. Israel has suffered from horrific attacks but its response in the form of indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas, including homes, schools, and hospitals, is a clear violation of international humanitarian law. Such actions have resulted in the loss of innocent lives and an unbearable humanitarian crisis and a disproportionate response. Israel has sought to justify its indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas – resulting in massive deaths including women and children – by contending that there are no innocent civilians in Gaza. In so doing it is condemning women and children to being massacred. The siege imposed on Gaza represents an act of collective punishment against the Palestinian people, many of whom were already living in dire conditions before the recent escalation. Israel has made it clear that it will be denying food, water, fuel and electricity to the people of Gaza. This siege is nothing short of a modern-day form of genocide. Dehumanization has become a tool of oppression in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Israeli Defence Minister has said that Israel is fighting animals. The dehumanizing rhetoric employed by Israel, supported by the United States and perpetuated by
some Western media, lays the groundwork for the slow but steady extinction of the Palestinian people. Guyana cannot remain silent in the face of Israel’s atrocities. The government of Guyana has a proud history of advocating for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and statehood. Israel’s continued occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, along with its expansionist policies in contravention of international law, only serve to make the region unstable. The path to peace must begin with the full and immediate withdrawal of Israel from Palestinian lands. Such a withdrawal would represent a fundamental step toward achieving a just and lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is imperative that Guyana sends a send a clear message to the international community that violations of international law will not be tolerated, and the suffering of the Palestinian people will not be ignored. Some may argue that severing diplomatic relations with Israel is an extreme step. However, the extreme circumstances on the ground in Palestine necessitate bold action. Diplomatic relations are not a form of endorsement but rather a channel through which nations communicate. By severing these ties, Guyana would be sending a powerful message to the world and, more
DEM BOYS SEH
Tek sense out of nonsense! ‘When dem boys bin small, dem elders used to advise dem to tek sense out of nonsense - that is to try to use the power of reasoning to find out de truth of any situation. So dem boys decide fuh apply this ageold advice to de audit controversy over de precontract costs. Dis controversy gat dem boys asking, “Wah really gwaan on?” And de more dem boys think about dis situation is one question keep popping up: : if when dem politicians see the amount of flagged expenses reduce from US$214 to $ US3 M, how come dem nah ask fuh an explanation as to what cause de reduction. Even if dem contend
that dem falsely presume that was de GRA wah approve of de reduction, how come dem nah ask fuh an explanation as for the reduction. Dis nah mek sense to dem boys. After all, we ain’t talkin’ ‘bout no mystical disappearance of expenses, but a real, live reduction. Dem politicians need to spill de beans. Even if they claim they presumed the GRA (that’s de Guyana Revenue Authority) gave the nod for the expense shrinkage, they should still be curious cats and ask for a good ol’ explanation. It’s common sense, people! This whole situation don’t add up. It’s like yuh see yuh piggy bank suddenly looking less
plump, and you don’t even raise an eyebrow. You gotta wonder why dem expenses got downsized without a peep. Is it magic? Did a financial wizard cast a spell on the numbers? We need answers, folks! S o , l e t ’s p u t o u r thinking caps on, and let’s get to the bottom of this. Dem boys might be laymen, but we ain’t dumb. It’s time to “tek sense out of nonsense.” If yuh see somethin’ fishy, yuh gotta ask questions, demand answers, and make sure de books add up correctly. After all, we can’t just let them numbers vanish into thin air like a magician’s rabbit. Nah, that don’t make sense at all! Talk half. Leff half
i m p o r t a n t l y, t o t h e Palestinian people, that we stand with them in their struggle for justice. This decision does not mean we turn our backs on dialogue or diplomacy. On the contrary, it is a call for international diplomacy to intensify efforts to bring all parties to the table for a peaceful and just resolution. Guyana, now a member of the United Nations Security Council must work together with other nations to pressure Israel to adhere to international law, end its occupation, and engage in meaningful negotiations with the Palestinian leadership. The Israeli-
Palestinian conflict is not a one-sided issue. Guyana should not condone violence or aggression from either side. However, it cannot c o u n t e n a n c e I s r a e l ’s disproportionate response to attacks on its citizens to the point where innocent women and children are being slaughtered. A decision to break diplomatic relations with Israel is a step toward justice, an assertion of the principles of international law, and a reaffirmation of Guyana’s commitment to the rights of the Palestinian people In taking this bold step, Guyana is indicating that its stand alongside nations and individuals who
have tirelessly advocated for the rights of the Palestinian people. But such a stance must also reaffirm the call for an end to the violence, an end to the occupation, and a just and lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)
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BY GHK LALL
HK
BY G
It is time that the focus shifts to former president, Mr. Donald Ramotar. Much has been said and written a b o u t t h e p r e s i d e n t ’s overwrought reaction to Mr. Ramotar’s call for doing something about the 2106 Exxon contract; that has its relevance and place. But the former president is due a closer look, a fair recognition, for what he put before the public in the wrapping of renegotiation. Offensive and enraging, it has proven to be. Why did Mr. Ramotar feel that he had to break silence now? Why did this former president think it necessary to go against the grain, go his separate way on this Exxon contract now? Why did this committed PPP loyalist say what he said now, when he had to know that a ton of bricks was going to be his reward? I don’t know how well I will do with answers to these questions, but try I must. Whatever he may be, Donald Ramotar knows about people, comes from the people, is of the people. It is true that he is a party man, a political animal, through and through [which has not changed one iota], but he is also a thoroughly Guyanese man, beating S o v i e t h e a r t notwithstanding. The oil patrimony of the Guyanese people is their passport. Not to the American Consulate
S
UTH
D TR
HAR
L
LAL
Sunday October 15, 2023 Monday May 02, 2022
H@RD TRUTHS
Donald Ramotar
for a visa, but for individual prospering, for national flourishing. With the Exxon contract being where it is, there is merely the paltry for this country and its citizens. Note that I keep saying the Exxon contract and not the Exxon-Guyana contract. Where is the Guyana in it, when it is all Exxon, from its share to its secrets, which house more unofficial and highly profitable shares, in aggregate? Non-disclosure of key details now making sense, anybody? Mr. Ramotar may be what he is, but he is nobody’s idiot. He discerns dangers, two of them at a minimum. The first clear, encroaching, and potent danger is to the People’s Progressive Party. Mr. Ramotar may be out of his high office, but it is extremely unlikely that he is out of touch, so put out to pasture he is. He hears. He sees. He feels. He senses. He knows. And he interprets. The people are hurting and crying for help, which they know should be theirs, because there is all this talk about money and riches and who is on top of the world. They question themselves: why am I and my family punishing? Given all this talking, reporting about patrimony and profit and people getting rich (except me), why should I lift a finger on that date? When the people reach this palpable loss of confidence
AFC talks up need for... From page 3 the victimization and fear the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) inculcates. In a statement to the media on Saturday evening, the party said that its Chairman Cathy Hughes, MP, reported on the “recently concluded successful meeting with the US Congressional Black Caucus and the party’s participation in the diaspora conference in Washington DC.” “The AFC’s regional representatives in their reports highlighted the continued unfair allocation of government contracts to persons with limited experience and the resulting low quality of infrastructure works. The consistency of this issue across all regions and the incidence of corrupt practices continues to be alarming. Of grave concern were reports from regions 1, 3, 7, 8 and 9 of the large number of Venezuelans that are residing in these regions supposedly undocumented. Substantiated reports were received of these Venezuelans overrunning region 1 including the Warrau district and PPP officials preparing birth certificate forms for Venezuelans at the office of the Prime Minister’s representative. The Alliance For Change notes with grave concern, this occurrence given our sensitive border controversy with Venezuela,” the statement said.
in their own, the bells go off, and they are not stopping with their infernal dins. A change to the Exxon contract could lower the volume. It depends on the substance of the change: crumbs cannot replace crumbs, and be held aloft as genuine partnership. The people don’t want to know the mechanics and dynamics of oil’s intricacies. The people watch their leaders and want to know what they are doing about this contract that they themselves had cursed v i o l e n t l y. What has changed? Who influenced whom in the PPP leadership tag team to this new dispensation about sanctity of contract? Was that not considered before? Or did it not matter before? Whether so or not, like workers in any business, the people see the
company making out like Midas, the management prospering, and both proudly boasting about business being very good. Yet they [the people] can’t face sellers, creditors, neighbors, and fellow travelers. This is not good for the PPP. It may not mean anything for the PNC. But it is bad for the PPP. In good conscience, Mr. Ramotar came out of his selfimposed oil hibernation, and put the reasonable on the table. Change the contract. It is the exact same thing that President Ali had stood for at one time, in more officious language. What caused him to change his mind? Power? Retention of power? I do not for a minute that what Mr. Ramotar did was altruistic. It is what is pragmatic: for the PPP and its longevity, its
visions of extended hegemony. All it takes is three seats, maybe even two. Maybe Exxon is going to circumvent that by sponsoring its own team. If for cricket, why not on the biggest wicket for the richest ticket? Separately, Mr. Ramotar looks at the Exxon contract, and he discerns what the PhD Excellency Ali should have already concluded. The Exxon contract has neutered Guyana’s parliamentary assembly. The Exxon contract has voided Guyana’s sovereignty. The Exxon contract has castrated and performed a hysterectomy on Guyana’s presidency. Which national leader sitting in the highest chair that this land can offer, and still in a clean and ethically robust state of mind, would stand for this
odious and repugnant legal construction? Jesus Christ! Which Guyanese would ally with, advocate for, run interference alongside, and run rackets for, Exxon and this contract? A monstrosity doesn’t have, cannot claim, sanctity. A corporate barbarity, a commercial atrocity, can never pretend at sanctity. This Exxon contract should be hurled by the Guyanese people to rot in hell. So, too, the foreign people who crafted it, and the Guyanese people who back it. Mr. Ramotar has shown us all what it is to be a proud, dignified Guyanese. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)
Civil action brought against driver who slammed into Eccles/Mandela roundabout fountain Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, SC, has commenced legal proceedings against Troy Humphrey for in excess of $ 4 million worth in repairs to the roundabout at the interse c t i o n o f Eccles/Mandela Four-Lane Road, following his collision with the structure last month. The AG filed the lawsuit on Friday. He is requesting damages exceeding $1 million for negligent driving, damages exceeding $1 million for damage to public p r o p e r t y, a n d s p e c i a l damages of $2.1 million, which represents the cost of fixing the water fountain and other roundabout components. Days after the accident, on September 20, Nandlall wrote to the 28-year-old Humphrey, of Norton Street, Georgetown, requesting that he reimburse the Government for the $2.1 million that it had to spend on emergency repairs for the structural damage. Nandlall had warned that failure to pay the sum by the deadline will see him facing legal proceedings to recover the
Repairs being conducted to the damaged fountain at the roundabout after Troy Humphrey slammed into it, last month.
cash. Nandlall told Humphrey in the letter that he is being held accountable for the damages because of his reckless, dangerous, and negligent driving that not only damaged the roundabout, but also injured three people. According to the letter, the works included “mobilization and demobilization, demolition of damaged sections and removal of debris from the site, replacement of stone
pavers, repairs to the fountain rails inclusive of tiling, supply and installation of stone tiles to fountain exterior and mosaic tiles to fountain interior, draining of fountain, degreasing of fountain, cleaning of fountain of oil and other contaminants, replacement of jet, pump repairs and electrical works, replacement of fountain light, replacement of filter materials due to contamination, the supply of distilled water to fill
fountain, pressure washing, cleaning and clearing of the site.” Reports are that around 21:40hrs on September 15, Humphrey, an employee of the University of Guyana (UG) library, lost control of his car, slammed into the roundabout and severely injured his two passengers, Phillip Jeffery, a 23-year-old security guard of Queenstown, Georgetown, and Fulisa Burnette, 19, of Norton Street, also in the city.
Sunday October 15, 2023
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WEEK-IN-REVIEW SUNDAY Suriname ringfences first oil project to avoid Guyana’s mistakes with Exxonmobil Suriname is ensuring that it does not fall prey to a grave flaw in Guyana’s Stabroek block production sharing agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil - the lack of ringfencing provisions. Wi t h o i l c o m p a n y, TotalEnergies announcing plans for the first Suriname oil development at Block 58, ringfencing has been included in their petroleum agreement. It will critically prevent revenue losses for Suriname, and ensure that the government gets a higher share of upfront dollars. Ringfencing, in the context of oil and gas, refers to isolating the finances of a specific project such that costs incurred in one project cannot be offset against revenues from another. This ensures that each project’s profitability is separately accounted for. But ringfencing is not the only difference between the two countries’ main oil contracts. A comparison between TotalEnergies’ Block 58 and ExxonMobil’s Stabroek block highlights the distinct inferiority and unfairness of the Exxon deal. TotalEnergies’ project offers a 6.25% royalty rate and a 36% income tax. It also allows for cost recovery up to 80% of quarterly production, with unrecovered cost oil balances carried forward on a project-by-project basis. Additionally, Suriname’s state oil company, Staatsolie, has an option of 20% participation. In stark contrast, ExxonMobil’s Stabroek block projects come with a mere 2% royalty and an essentially zero tax regime since Guyana shoulders the companies’ taxes from its profit oil share. Moreover, there’s no option for state participation. Staatsolie’s potential 20% participation in Block 58 could translate into a windfall for the Surinamese state. Based on the model production sharing contract, the state could reap between US$16 billion and US$26 billion over two decades, contingent on oil prices. And it doesn’t stop at direct revenues. Indirect revenues, stemming from local content – the provision of local goods and services – further underscore the benefits. The
recent drilling of five wells in Block 58 saw all operations undertaken within Suriname, injecting approximately US$90 million into the economy. TotalEnergies’ project is expected to be a huge boost for local content in Suriname. Moreover, Suriname’s President, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, views the project as a beacon of economic hope. He said, “We will make sure that future income from the offshore oil and gas will be spent wisely. Those incomes will contribute to the prosperity and stability fund, and will be a means to diversify our economy by developing sustainable sectors such as agriculture and tourism.” Suriname’s approach, emphasizing ringfencing and better fiscal terms, indicates the government is keen on maximizing the benefits of its oil and gas sector for its people and economy. In contrast, the government of Guyana has said it will not renegotiate the Stabroek PSA to include ringfencing and better terms. The deepwater oil development offshore by Suriname is the beginning of the country’s arrival on the global energy stage. TotalEnergies along with its partner APA Corporation, plans to invest US$9 billion in the Block 58 development, targeting the Sapakara South and Krabdagu fields, which boast nearly 700 million barrels combined. Positioned in water depths ranging from 100 to 1,000 meters, the project will employ a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel, capable of producing 200,000 barrels per day. Development studies have already been initiated, with TotalEnergies and APA Corporation each holding a 50% stake. Pres. Ali attacks former Pres. Donald Ramotar for supporting renegotiation of lopsided Exxon deal President Irfaan Ali has criticized recent statements made by former President Donald Ramotar on the renegotiation of the lopsided deal Guyana signed with U.S. oil major, ExxonMobil. O n F r i d a y, t h i s publication reported that the former President said he would have renegotiated the lopsided deal – underscoring that “it’s better to fight than
Sunday October 15, 2023
not to fight at all.” However, President Ali during his address at the Guyana-Canada Chamber of Commerce Maple Leaf Ball on Friday night, addressed the criticism while not naming Ramotar. Ali said, “You know everybody is a specialist now. Whether you’re a former president or you’re whoever, engineer or owner of Beharry Group, everybody specialized now.” He continued: “I don’t spend my time on negative energy but it’s tiring to listen to some of these guys. You want us to change the contract. You have an existing contract. You think
sophisticated investors observing the situation might lose faith in the system if contracts were changed. Ali added that such move would cause investors to say, “you can’t depend on them [Guyana].” President Ali acknowledged the challenging hand that Guyana had been dealt in relation to the Exxon deal, but emphasized the administration’s commitment to ensuring that future dealings were more favourable to the country. He said, “But everybody wants a front page now. Some of them had plenty years to change it. But they
current contract as detrimental, depriving Guyana of vital resources, and expressed his willingness to renegotiate for the country’s benefit. The former head-of-state said, “I am one of the persons who believes that the contract is a very bad contract…that deprives us of a lot of resources.” As such, he stated that he would have been in agreement to renegotiate the deal to seek more benefits for the country. ExxonMobil is the operator of the lucrative Stabroek Block, with its partners, Hess and CNOOC. Exxon and its co-ventures
that is how it happens. That is how the world operates. That you can just walk in one day and decide I had this contract with you. I’m changing it now.” Ali contended that if such a move is taken, Guyana can face legal repercussions from the oil major for not honouring the contract. “This is not play thing, and some of these guys were policymakers. To believe that, you know, fanciful is nice and exciting and very popular to say we can change the contract. That is why we were very careful to say that we have to learn from the mistake and ensure that future contract does not make the same mistake and that is what we have done that is what you are doing,” President Ali said. Furthermore, President Ali stressed the importance of maintaining investor confidence, explaining that
want a front page now. The easiest thing to get on the front pages here, I suppose is changing the contract. For God heaven’s sake, I wish if it was a better contract. All of us wish that.” Moreover, President Ali urged a realistic approach over opportunism. While President Ali has maintained a firm stance against renegotiating the existing Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed in 2016, the debate rages on. Calls from locals and industry experts have urged Guyana’s leaders to reopen negotiations with ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Corporation and China’s CNOOC, to ensure more equitable benefits from the lucrative Stabroek Block. Last Monday, Ramotar revealed his disagreement during a discussion moderated by Dr. Asquith Rose. Ramotar described the
made its first discovery in the block back in 2015 and by December 2019 moved into production phase. The oil companies already sanctioned five US-multibillion projects in the Stabroek Block with an investment of over US$50 billion that they will recover from Guyana’s oil resources. They are currently pumping about 400,000 barrels oil per day with hopes to reach one million bpd by 2029. Exxon is preparing to sanction its sixth oil project in the Stabroek Block. Lopsided deal Former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, who served under the APNU + AFC Coalition government between 2015 and 2020, was the one who signed the deal in 2016 with Exxon. The deal Trotman signed waives all taxes from the oil companies, gives Guyana a 2% royalty on its rich resources, and agrees to
the oil companies recovering 75% of investments before the remaining 25% is shared, with Guyana receiving 12.5%. The arrangement, with the lack of ring-fencing, sees Guyana paying for projects that are yet to commence production activities. Each month bills from future producing developments are added to the list of expenses to be cost-recovered by Exxon. A few months ago, Trotman in his book titled, ‘From Destiny to Prosperity’ offered support to the government to renegotiate the lopsided Stabroek Block deal the country has with an ExxonMobil-led consortium. Trotman’s offer w a s r e f u s e d b y Vi c e President Jagdeo, and the calls by citizens for the deal to be renegotiated have fallen on deaf ears as President Ali and VP Jagdeo are adamant that they will not renegotiate the deal because of ‘sanctity of contract’. Moreover, on September 11, President Ali during an interview with British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) Senior Journalist, Gideon Long reiterated his administration’s position to not renegotiate the lopsided Exxon deal, but admitted that the contract is one that benefits the oil major more than this country. Responding to a question, President Ali said, “Well, I would say definitely, we did not have the best of deals, Exxon have a good deal signed by the last government.” Ali then highlighted that sanctity of contract is “very important” to his Government, adding, “and we can’t go back on that.” To this end, Long asked, “So there will be no renegotiating of the contract?” “We cannot go back and renegotiate,” President Ali responded. He went on to state that while the Government of Guyana is unable to renegotiate the deal, they have embarked on several initiatives to reap more benefits for the country. Damning Int’l Report finds solar is cheaper alternative to Gas-toEnergy Project A damning international report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), a US think tank has pointedly (Continued on page 13)
Kaieteur News
Sunday October 15, 2023
From page 12 underscored that going solar is a less costly alternative to the gas-to-energy project which carries an almost US$2B price tag. In the report co-authored by Tom Sanzillo, Director of financial analysis for IEEFA and Cathy Kunkel, an E n e rg y C o n s u l t a n t a t IEEFA, it was explained that distributed (rooftop) solar power provides an alternative to the gas-toenergy project that can be built out in small increments to avoid overbuilding the generation system. IEEFA experts explained that for residential customers of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), the current average monthly electricity consumption is 171 kilowatt hours (kWh), projected to grow to 320 kWh by 2027. The experts stated that a rooftop solar and storage system consisting of 2.8 kilowatts (kW) of solar panels and 10 kWh of battery storage would be more than sufficient to meet this level of current and projected consumption, producing approximately 368 kWh per month. “We estimate that such a system would cost approximately US$7,800,87 and would generate power at approximately 15 cents/kWh less than the cost of GPL’s current rates (20 cents/kWh for residential customers) or of a diesel generator,” the IEEFA experts said. For thousands of households outside of GPL’s grid, some of whom today have no access to this electricity, the IEEFA analysts said this would represent significant progress. For those connected to GPL’s grid, they proffered that it would represent a substantial improvement in reliability and resiliency. Expounding on the cost to power the entire nation with solar, IEEFA said its estimate covered approximately 230,000 households in Guyana. “Providing each with a 2.8kW solar system with 10 kWh of battery storage would cost approximately US$1.8 billion, less than the total investment for the Gasto-Energy project,” IEEFA experts said. They noted that this plan presumes that oil profits derived from the Liza and Payara fields and any other oil and gas producing assets in the Stabroek block offshore Guyana are used directly to pay for the planning and installation of solar panels in Guyanese
homes and businesses. On GPL’s grid, IEEFA said providing a rooftop solar and storage system to every household would eliminate slightly more than 50% of the current systemwide sales. They said this would preclude the need to make the massive investments in centralized generation that GPL has p l a n n e d , e v e n acknowledging the time that would be required for this transition to occur. “If we consider a scenario in which the installations of residential rooftop solar and storage systems are deployed over a period of 14 years, it is likely that GPL would be able to meet its remaining load for the next decade through existing resources plus the new oil-fired units that GPL plans to install in 2023, assuming load growth of 7% per year (or less), consistent with or higher than the recent past,” the experts said. They were also keen to note that one of the other important economic benefits is that investments in rooftop solar keeps money made in Guyana circulating in Guyana. “Overtime, with thousands of families getting rooftop panels, new businesses that buy and sell panels and perform local installation services can grow. It takes labor to install solar panels, which would result in more jobs,” they said. The IEEFA analysts further noted that the cash that is invested in rooftop solar tends to stay in communities and is spent locally. They said this is in stark contrast to the dollars that would be borrowed and paid using international lenders, and large centralized fossil fuel plants
built by engineers and experts usually not from Guyana. Overall, the IEEFA experts said providing a solar and battery storage system to every household in Guyana would put Guyana on track to meet its renewable energy goals. They added that electricity outside the GPL grid system would be 100% renewable by 2032, and a process for all residential users Guyanawide would be established. BACKGROUND ON GAS PROJECT The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) plan for a gas-to-energy project entails partnering with ExxonMobil Guyana Limited to construct a massive 218 km offshore pipeline structure that would bring gas from the Stabroek Block’s Liza field onshore and feed into two facilities, a Natural Gas Plant and a 300MW Power Plant, both to be situated at the Wales Development Zone. The 12-inch pipeline being constructed by Exxon will have the capacity to transport 50 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) from the offshore Liza field, and will be able to deliver a minimum volume of no less than 10 MMcf/d. The Government of Guyana and US consortium, L I N D S AY C A / C H 4 o n December 13, 2022 signed the contract for the construction of the integrated Natural Gas Liquids Plant and the 300megawatt (MW) combinedcycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant at Wales, West Coast Demerara (WCD), Region Three. The historical signing of the contract for the US$759 million project took place at the Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive. In January 2023,
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President Irfaan Ali witnessed the signing of a contract between the Guyana Power and Gas Inc. and Engineers India Limited (EIL) for the provision of Consultancy Services for the Wales Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility as well as the 300-megawatt (MW) power plant. That contract is pegged at US$22,143,190. The consultancy is for the Consultant to assist the Government of Guyana through the Gas to Energy Task Force in the design r e v i e w, c o n s t r u c t i o n , supervision and general project management of the development of the integrated plants, and contract administration throughout the project implementation process and thereafter during the defects liability period. Government has said project generation costs, taking account of payment for the pipeline, operations and maintenance, and capital cost recovery will total less than five US cents per kilowatt-hour. MONDAY Experienced DHB workers reportedly being forced to resign ...over 130 employees parted with the company between 2020 and July 2023 The Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC), a critical artery in the development of the World’s fastest growing economy, is struggling to meet its daily performance criteria with experienced personnel being reportedly forced to hand in their resignations. The bridge connects Region Four, the most populated area in the country
The Demerara Harbour Bridge
with Region Three, where multiple development projects vital to the country’s future, are presently ongoing. Over the past week, a number of employees attached to the corporation anonymously shared their concerns with Kaieteur News regarding the management of the facility. According to those employees, the new General Manager (GM), Wayne Watson has created an “uncomfortable” working environment, leading to the loss of more than 130 employees between 2020 and July 2023. This has reportedly resulted in the DHBC hiring a higher number of workers than required, thereby racking up higher management costs of the structure. One employee said, “We have a GM who is very bias and incompetent. He has no management skills along with the Human Resources Manager. He continues to exercise the highest level of incompetence. We have a huge turnover of staff at the moment. People are being forced to resign after being suspended for petty things.” Kaieteur News was told that in one instance, a staff attached to the toll booth was involved in an incident in which approximately $4,000 was short at the end of a shift. This was brought to that employee’s attention, and the sum was reportedly deducted from her salary. Subsequently, the sum was reportedly returned to that employee’s pay cheque however, she was allegedly sent home for two weeks without pay, depriving that staff of just over $50,000. In other instances, staff members of the DHBC are
reportedly sent home without pay for arriving to work mere minutes late. According to staff of the DHBC, “There is a level of favouritism there where some people are receiving salary increases and some aren’t...persons are very frustrated and only this week, we had another resignation because of frustration and what management has been doing to them.” This newspaper was told that staff of the DHBC met with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bridge, Ravi Ramcharran where they raised their concerns regarding the management of the entity. In addition, it was suggested that they even turned to their union for help but was not satisfied with the outcome of those meetings. The employees told Kaieteur News that they are calling on President Irfaan Ali to honour his commitment of “caring for workers” and meet directly with them to listen to their concerns. “We would like the President to come to the bridge because he said he is going to meet workers, we would like for him to come because nothing hasn’t been going good for us here.” Based on information shared with this newspaper, the DHBC lost six employees in 2020. This figure climbed sharply to 32 in 2021 and 45 in 2022. More alarmingly, however, is the fact that the bridge has already lost 55 employees between January and July 2023. With the Christmas season fast approaching, s t a ff m e m b e r s o f t h e Demerara Harbour Bridge are fearful of being dismissed at the hands of (Continued on page 14)
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Kaieteur News
From page 13 what they described as a “vindictive boss.” An employee alleged that the General Manager has a history of refusing to renew an employee’s contract if he “has a problem” with them. This publication was directed to an employee who has rendered 24 years of service to the DHBC but was given a letter informing him that his contract will not be renewed. That staff told Kaieteur News that he received a letter on July 7, 2023 informing him that he will no longer be working with the company effective August, 2023. He said the letter did not state a reason for this decision. S u b s e q u e n t l y, t h a t employee informed the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill of the matter which is said to be under review presently. The frustrated ex-staff said he is still awaiting an update on his dismissal and
C o n s e q u e n t l y, h e explained, “If people are being paid to work and they are not willing to work I will defend the right of the organization to take action to dismiss or to ensure that people who don’t want to work find another job.” The General Manager contended that the DHB has a history of persons turning up to work to “waste time” but this work culture does not support the current demands of the bridge. Labourer fatally stabbed while protecting wife A labourer was stabbed to death around 22:00 hrs on Saturday night at Longden and Croal Streets, Georgetown, while trying to protect his reputed wife from another man. Police identified the dead man as, Mark Hillman, 35, of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD). Police said that the killer was allegedly “interfering”
suspect stabbed Hillman before fleeing the scene. Persons at the scene rushed him to the city hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Investigations are ongoing. TUESDAY Trade union calls for public inquiry into oil contracts signed with ExxonMobil - demands release of all information on gas-toenergy project Amid growing calls for a renegotiation of the lopsided oil contract signed between the Government of Guyana and ExxonMobil, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) is now calling for a public inquiry into all agreements signed with the US company by both the Janet Jagan and D a v i d G r a n g e r administrations. This, the union said is to
Guyana trade union leaders met with government officials last week on the national budget is particularly worried about being able to provide for his wife and children. This newspaper was told that the employees were told to bring evidence against the GM to the Board. TIME WASTERS Meanwhile, GM of the DHBC, Wayne Watson in an invited comment told this newspaper that the employees leaving the entity had their “own intentions.” He added, “I don’t know anywhere in Guyana where right now, people are sticking to jobs, especially people who want high salaries so if the complaint is the General Manager is the reason why people are leaving, I rather suspect they have their facts to support that.” Watson said he sees no need to justify any position, but noted that his responsibility is to ensure that the bridge is safe for commuters.
with Hillman’s wife at her workplace. Hillman reportedly visited the location while the man was
Dead: Mark Hillman still committing the act. He told the suspect to stop but the man refused and the two subsequently had a heated argument that ended in Hillman’s death. They were both armed with knives and their brawl took them to Longden and Croal Streets where the
determine the differences so that action could be taken. It also called for the all mining and oil agreements concluded by the Ramotar Government must also be examined. These and other proposals were made when GTUC, led by its General Secretary, Lincoln Lewis met with government leaders last week during the budget consultations exercise. Lewis told the gathering inclusive of Prime Minister, Mark Phillips and Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh that the GTUC and its affiliates are pleased to submit their proposal, noting that a budget deals with the financial planning for the year based on Government’s policies and programmes within the parameters of the laws. Lewis reminded the government that the engagement is not superficial but meaningful, consistent with Article 13
and 149C of the Constitution of Guyana, both of which speak to “inclusion” of groups and individuals in the management and decisionmaking processes of the State on matters that affect them. Only last week this newspaper reported Former President, Donald Ramotar stating that he would have renegotiated the lopsided deal Guyana signed onto with U.S oil major ExxonMobil - underscoring that “it’s better to fight than not to fight at all.” Since the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) was made public, there have been calls by locals as well as industry experts for Guyana’s leaders to bring Exxon back to the table and carve out a deal that would share equal benefits from the lucrative Stabroek Block. While President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo have taken a firm stance against renegotiating the contract, Ramotar revealed his
partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC. Exxon and its co-ventures made its first discovery in the block back in 2015 and by December 2019 moved into production phase. The oil companies already sanctioned five USmulti-billion projects in the Stabroek Block with an investment of over US$50 billion that they will recover from Guyana’s oil resources. They are currently pumping about 400,000 barrels oil per day with hopes to reach one million bpd by 2029. Exxon is preparing to sanction its sixth oil project in the Stabroek Block. Former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, who served under the APNU + AFC Coalition government between 2015 and 2020, was the one who signed the deal in 2016 with Exxon. The deal Trotman signed waives all taxes from the oil companies, gives Guyana a 2% royalty on its rich resources, and agrees to the oil companies recovering
contract’. Wales gas project Meanwhile, the GTUC is also demanding that information for the Wales gas-to-shore must be made public and hearings conducted before spending on them. The proposed gasto-energy project which will use natural gas from the ExxonMobil-operated Stabroek Block to supply 300MW of power to the nation via the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) grid systems, will not only increase the country’s debt but lead to an oversupply of p o w e r. This critical perspective was outlined in a damning 33-pages report published by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) last week. While the IEEFA report offers troubling insights on the dangers that lie with the gas-to-energy project, its authors have been keen to note that their analysis has been limited by the lack of
Prime Minister, Mark Phillips led the government’s delegation during the budget consultations last week with union leaders disagreement during a discussion moderated by Dr. Asquith Rose. Ramotar described the current contract as detrimental, depriving Guyana of vital resources, and expressed his willingness to renegotiate for the country’s benefit. The former head-of-state said, “I am one of the persons who believes that the contract is a very bad contract…that deprives us of a lot of resources.” As such, he continued by stating that he would have been in agreement to renegotiate the deal to seek more benefits for the country. To this end, Ramotar acknowledged the current administration’s reluctance to change the existing deal while noting that they have explored alternative avenues to maximise benefits for the nation. ExxonMobil is the operator of the lucrative Stabroek Block, with its
75% of investments before the remaining 25% is shared, with Guyana receiving 12.5%. The arrangement, with the lack of ring-fencing, sees Guyana paying for projects that are yet to commence production activities. Each month, bills from future producing developments are added to the list of expenses to be cost-recovered by Exxon. A few months ago, Trotman in his book titled, ‘From Destiny to Prosperity’ offered support to the government to renegotiate the lopsided Stabroek Block deal the country has with an ExxonMobil-led consortium. Trotman’s offer w a s r e f u s e d b y Vi c e President Jagdeo, and the calls by citizens for the deal to be renegotiated have fallen on deaf ears as President Ali and VP Jagdeo are adamant that they will not renegotiate the deal because of ‘sanctity of
public information and transparency, both on GPL’s electrical system and on the financing arrangements in place for the project. For citizens who are interested in demanding greater clarity from the Guyana Government on this project, they have offered a list of questions that could help increase transparency and accountability for the project. Those questions are as follow: 1. What are the terms of the pipeline agreement between ExxonMobil and the government of Guyana? 2. What is the estimated capital cost of the project? 3. Are the annual payments from the government of Guyana subject to adjustment for inflation or other factors? 4. Which party bears the risk of delays or cost overruns in construction? 5. Is there a transparent (Continued on page 57)
Sunday October 15, 2023
Kaieteur News
The garbage truck Angel Azocar was travelling in which crashed into a trench along the Cullen, Public Road, Essequibo Coast on Saturday.
Porter dies in Essequibo crash A 33-year-old porter died on Saturday morning after the garbage truck he was travelling in crashed into a trench at Cullen, Essequibo Coast. Dead is Angel Azocar of Reliance, Essequibo Coast. According to information reaching this newspaper, the fatal incident occurred just around 05:00hrs yesterday and involved motor lorry #GAE 4065, owned by Puran Brothers Disposal Inc., which was driven at the time by Rambeer Singh, a 45-year-old from Lima, Essequibo Coast and carrying occupants Govie Daniels, 39, of Richmond, Essequibo Coast and Isaiah Latchman, 26, of Lot 66 Pomona Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast and Azocar. It was reported to the police that just before the tragedy struck, the garbage truck was heading east along the northern driving lane of the Cullen Public Road, reportedly at a fast rate. Police said the driver claimed that
while driving he had applied brakes and lost control while doing so. This resulted in the vehicle ending up in a nearby trench on the northern side of the road. As a result, the driver and occupants were taken out of the lorry by residents with the assistance of the Region's Fire Service. It was reported that while rescuing the occupants, Azocar was found trapped in an unconscious condition in the cabin of the truck, and he was subsequently removed. All the occupants were rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital, where they were examined by a doctor on duty who pronounced the Azocar dead on arrival. Police revealed that the driver and others were treated for minor injuries and sent away. Azocar's body was taken to the hospital's mortuary, awaiting a post-mortem examination. The driver was subsequently taken into custody and is assisting with the investigation.
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Blossom Inc, UNHCR offer support to 70 Venezuelan Warrau migrants at Zeeburg
B
lossom Inc, in collaboration with the United
Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), last week came to the aid of 70
Venezuelan Warrau migrants who are residing in extremely difficult
circumstances at a house at Zeeburg , West Coast Demerara (WCD).
Blossom Inc expressed appreciation to the Gurchuran family who donated a sink and toilet for the migrants. The Venezuelan Warrau community, fleeing the devastating consequences of Ve n e z u e l a n c r i s i s a n d seeking refuge in neighbouring territories, have found Zeeburg as a haven, Blossom Inc said. The Bag Ladies, staunch supporters of Blossom Inc., graciously donated female undergarment, offering relief and dignity to many women in the migrant community. Recognizing the nutritional needs of the youngest members of these families, the Bag Ladies also provided Formula Milk for the babies and children. Blossom Inc also donated a quantity of clothing to the migrants. “ Yet, adapting to new surroundings, dealing with the trauma of dislocation, and battling everyday necessities is a continuous challenge. Recognizing the immediate needs and mental health ramifications of the migrant situation, Blossom Inc.'s partnership aims to bridge this gap,” the organisation said. “Notably, it's not just institutional collaborations
that are making a difference. The heart-warming gestures from individual supporters and entities underscore the community's unity in these trying times,” Blossom Inc. added. The organisation also expressed appreciation to the Gurchuran family who donated a sink and toilet for the migrants. “Access to basic sanitation facilities is not just a matter of convenience but of dignity and health,” the organisation added. The Managing Director o f B l o s s o m I n c . , Ay o Dalgety-Dean, expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support, "We're deeply humbled by the response of our supporters and partners. Every contribution, big or small, drives our mission to empower and support host and migrant communities. Together, we're not just providing necessities but hope." The joint effort and individual benefactors serves as a beacon of hope for the Ve n e z u e l a n Wa r r a u migrants, Blossom Inc noted.
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Kaieteur News
s l l a f r e t a W
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The
The band in full action at Tower Hotel on Main Street.
Legendary band owner & party promoter, Mike Fung is a ‘Special Person’
Guyanese band owner/ promoter Mike Fung
CRAFT WORKS
Young Entrepreneur, Tooshana Naveeta Mohan
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Meet the glamourous Ashmini Ramnauth. This belle describes herself as a kind, caring, and humble young woman with dreams of making the world a b e t t e r p l a c e t h ro u g h proper healthcare services. Ashmini graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology from York College, CUNY and is currently a graduate student reading for a Master's Degree in Health Services Management (MPA). Her interests include dancing and reading (research). Her favorite quote is from Princess Diana which states, “Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you”.
Ash Ramnauth
Sunday October 15, 2023
Kaieteur News
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Fashion designer Sonia Noel hosts series of events at Tower Suites Veteran Guyanese fashion designer, Sonia Noel, and Trinidadian based Model Trainer, Richard Young.
By Alex Wayne “The last quarter of 2023 celebration has commenced and the best way to climax this year is with great power.” These were the words of Guyana’s veteran fashion designer, Sonia Noel, when she recently sat down with this publication at the Tower Hotel Suites. She explained that the Sonia Noel Inc. in collaboration with Tower Suites, and overseas based model trainer, Richard Young, will be hosting a number of events to provide businesses and individuals with the tools to assist in elevating their profiles and readying them to seize requisite, realistic and relevant opportunities in the upcoming year. Yesterday, her “Power of Mindset” campaign, kicked-
off with an enthusiastic and pulsating virtual event that has set a fine start to the upcoming activities. This Noel said, will be executed through the method embracing optimism, believing in our abilities, and having faith in the outcome. The second upcoming event according to Noel, is dubbed ‘The other side of Fear - Conversations on Living Intentionally’, and will be hosted at Tower Hotel on Main Street on October 17, 2023, and registration is free. Noel noted that, “When people live in constant fear, whether from physical dangers in their environment or from threats they perceive, they can experience negative impacts in all areas of their lives and even become incapacitated. Navigating through fear to
live an intentional and authentic life is important to everyone.” This event is at Tower Suites and registration is free. This will be followed by Noel’s, ‘Profit Profile’ which showcases branding, competitiveness, innovation, service and excellence is carded for Tower Suites on the October 19. In explaining this event, Noel noted, “This programme heightens your sensibilities and engage your senses to create brand i d e n t i t y, f o s t e r i n g occupational pride, instilling added-value work ethics, and ensuring high-calibre service deliverables”. The event will feature a morning session from 9:00hrs to midday and in the evening from 17:00hrs to 21:00hrs. There will also be a
‘Model Image’ workshop which Noel said will be, “Fashioning the future you, staging dynamics, camera awareness, runway prowess, and is designed to prepare aspiring models to exemplify best-practice modeling techniques.” According to Noel, this event will also enrich the look and style of those who don’t necessarily want to model, but want to exude the confidence of the trailblazers of style. This workshop is scheduled for the October 21 from 10:00hrs and is designed for persons from age seven. There will be another session for adults, and this starts from 15:00hrs and concludes at 19:00hrs. Registration fee for any of the events has been set at $7000.
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Jada Pinkett Smith reveals she and Will Smith are living separate lives
I
n an exclusive clip from her upcoming NBC News prime-time special with Hoda Kotb aired on Oct. 13 at Pinkett Smith, confirmed to Hoda that there’s more to her marriage than she has previously shared. According to Pinkett Smith, she and Smith have been separated and have lived “completely separate lives” since 2016, nearly 20 years after they married in 1997. Pinkett Smith details more about their relationship — both how it started, and where it stands now — in her upcoming memoir “Worthy,” out Oct. 17. In the preview clip, Hoda asks Pinkett Smith for details about the marriage revelation in her memoir, which she says “surprised her the most” out of the book’s “many surprising things.” While the two are still legally married, Pinkett Smith explains to Kotb that she and Smith are no longer romantically together. When Kotb asks directly why
the couple hadn’t previously shared their relationship status, Pinkett Smith says it came down to “just not being ready yet ... Still trying to figure out between the two of us how to be in partnership ... In regards to, how do we present that to people? We hadn’t figured that out.” “Why it fractured...that — that’s a lot of things ... By the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying. I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be,” she says. Pinkett Smith adds that while she has considered a legal divorce, she has never been able to go through with it. “I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce. We will work through ... whatever,” Pinkett Smith says. “I just haven’t been able to break that promise.” Smith and Pinkett Smith’s longtime partnership has included headlines about Pinkett Smith’s
“entanglement” with singer August Alsina and an ensuing joint Red Table Talk interview in 2020, as well as Smith slapping Oscars host Chris Rock after he joked about Pinkett Smith’s hair at the 2022 Academy Awards. Smith also published a memoir in 2021 which touched on their marriage. During the Red Table Talk interview in 2020, Smith and Pinkett Smith addressed their marriage, as well as Smith’s relationship with Alsina — or the “entanglement,” as she called it. At the time, Pinkett Smith and Smith confirmed that prior to her relationship with Alsina, they had been “going through a very difficult time.” “I was done with your ass,” joked Smith in the episode. “Yeah, you kicked me to the curb,” Pinkett Smith responded. “We broke up.” What we didn’t know until now is that the couple never actually got back together. Smith and Pinkett Smith share
two children, 24-year-old son Jaden Smith and 21-year-old daughter Willow Smith. The “Pursuit of Happiness” actor also has a 29-year-old son named Trey from his first marriage with ex-wife, Sheree Zampino. In her memoir, Pinkett Smith
Kerry Washington shares deep family secret in new book - Reveals dad is not her biological father Kerry Washington is on a soulstirring journey of self-discovery after discovering her dad is not who she thought he was. On Tuesday (September 26), the actor released her new memoir Thicker Than Water, where she will unlock the truth about her life, dating back to when she found out her father, Earl Washington, is not her birth father. She told PEOPLE, “It really turned my world upside down.” The secret behind her birth was revealed after she began preparing to appear on an episode of Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s Finding Your Roots on PBS. After telling her parents about her upcoming appearance, they approached Gates, who suggested families have confidential conversations before production. Following their counsel with Gates, her dad, and mom, Valerie, held a private discussion with Kerry in 2018 to confess the truth. During that meeting, she learned they had experienced fertility complications and chose to use an anonymous sperm donor to conceive; they then formed a pact never to tell her. “When I got this information, I was like, ‘Oh. I now know my story,’” Kerry told the outlet. For her, she had always felt that her parents were hiding things from her.
Actress, Kerry Washington
“I didn’t know what my story was, but I was playing the supporting character in their story,’ she explained. In the book, Kerry will also share her journey with anxiety, self-esteem, and an eating disorder that she noted stemmed from not fully being aware of who she was. For her, this book has been the key to understanding who she is, inside and out. While she admits, “My parents were not thrilled about me writing this,” Kerry noted, “This is really kind of me working to understand my life up until now, given this new information that I
have that, in many ways, felt like sort of the missing puzzle piece.” Ahead of the book’s release, she said her relationship with her parents has led her to develop a more profound sense of gratitude for them. “I really started to have so much more love and compassion and understanding for my parents,” she noted. “Taking this deep dive into our family history made me put myself in their shoes and think about the things that they’ve had to navigate and what they’ve been through and what they’ve sacrificed. And it really made me feel closer to them.”
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
details the “rollercoaster ride from the depths of suicidal depression to the heights of personal rediscovery and the celebration of authentic feminine power,” per publisher Dey Sreet Books, as well as her relationship with rapper Tupac Shakur, whom she met in high school.
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How Birkenstock went from “ugly” hippie sandal to billion-dollar brand (CBSnews.com) - Birkenstock, the 250-year-old German brand best known for its flat, orthopedic sandals embraced by hippies and grandparents, is no longer the antithesis of high-fashion. Today, it’s a multibillion dollar company popular among celebrities and style influencers, that has collaborated with the world’s top luxury fashion houses. It also went public Wednesday. How did it get here? The company’s roots as a comfort brand committed to quality and integrity have a lot to do with its
success. The family-run business began by making and selling flexible insoles that are the same footbeds in Birkenstocks sold today. According to Birkenstock, the footbeds encourage “proper foot health by evenly distributing weight and reducing pressure points and friction.” “Birkenstock remains uncompromising when it comes to prioritizing foot health over looks. It is a brand that has always been about function,” said Maggie Sause, director of Go To Market at
Red Antler, a branding agency. “You wore them in secret” Sure, they were comfortable, but for decades the sandals were derided as “ugly” and reserved for “hippies, grannies and tourists,” according to Sause. Even some fans of Birkenstocks were embarrassed by their appearance. “I’ve been wearing Birkenstocks since I was in college when they were 100% hippiedippie. You wore them in secret in the dorms with your pajamas when you weren’t seen. It was like wearing orthopedic shoes,” said
Quynh Mai, founder and CEO of Qulture, a digital creative agency. Mai herself owns six pairs of Birkenstocks, including shearlinglined styles she wears in the wintertime. Writer and editor Nicole Anderson, who owns three pairs, said that when she was younger she “hated Birkenstocks with a passion.” “I thought they were the ugliest sandals because they were always the look of the hippie with a hacky sack, so they never appealed to me,” she said.
Anderson became a convert within the past decade when the company started coming out with sleeker styles in different colors and materials and now finds them to be “nice looking and comfortable.” According to Birkenstock, the average customer owns 3.6 pairs of its shoes. Embracing “ugly” Fortunately for Birkenstock, its commitment to quality more recently coincided with a trend of rejection of traditional beauty (Continued on page 25)
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How Birkenstock went from “ugly” hippie sandal to... From page 25 norms, particularly among younger generations. That can mean deliberately dressing in a way that would customarily be considered unattractive, or openly embracing “ugly” styles. “We have seen this trend over the last decade of all the fashion girlies and models stepping out in what were traditionally determined to be ugly shoes designed for extreme comfort,” Sause of Red Antler said. Birkenstock also collaborated with fashion h o u s e s D i o r, M a n o l o Blahnik, Rick Owens and others, effectively tapping into those companies’ brand equity and acquiring new customers. Birkenstock collaborated with luxury fashion brands, including Dior, to acquire new customers. “It opened the door for A Milan fashion week guest wears Birkenstock sandals.
Birkenstock to an entirely new audience. It gave them permission to retail not just at REI but also at Mr. Porter. New fans may have come to the brand through collaborations, but the reasons for their popularity are always comfort and durability,” Strause said. As a result, fashionistas in Milan are as likely to wear them as a 75-year-old Vermont man “doing a co-op run,” Strause said. When arbiters of style, including models, fashion stylists, photographers’ assistants and creative directors, started wearing the shoes, they helped drive the brand’s popularity. “Their rise dovetailed with rise of Instagram where regular cool people became influencers and influenced fashion more than celebrities,” Mai said. Once Birkenstock had
won over the tastemakers, regular consumers followed. “If the coolest person in the room was wearing them, it gave regular people license to wear it as well,” Mai said. Comfort first It also helped that the COVID-19 pandemic helped nudge style preferences over to the comfort end of the spectrum. A n d w e a r i n g comfortable clothing, a form of self-care, has remained en vogue. “I would argue that Birkenstock entered the fashion lexicon before then, but the pandemic had a hand i n s u p e r c h a rg i n g t h i s obsession with comfort. We were all forced to take a couple of years out from wearing fashion-first clothing and footwear,” Strause said. Mai agrees that the brand benefited from the
pandemic in some ways. “It was a moment where people were embracing the ugly as a way of rejecting the mainstream and this notion of perfection. This cultural moment was happening around COVID that has lasted and Birkenstock rode that,” Mai said. In its debut on Wall Street Wednesday, Birkenstock started trading at $41 per share, more than 10% lower
than its initial public offering price of $46 per share — which valued the company at $8.64 billion, AP News reported. It remains to be seen how Birkenstock will fare as a public company, under pressure from analysts, investors and shareholders. “Once you are listed, you have to achieve specific numbers for quarters during the year, so some formulas
they have used over the past 250 years could change,” said NYU professor Thomai Serdari, who studies premium legacy companies. “I want to see them maintain their strength and make sure they don’t compromise the quality of the product,” she said. “If they succumb to the industry pressure, they’ll dilute something that has survived for many centuries.”
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Burna boy’s mother Beyonce attends premiere of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour Movie says he’s still ‘a work in progress’ Bose Ogulu, and her Grammy-winning Nigerian son, Burna Boy
Bose Ogulu, the mother and manager of Grammywinning Nigerian singer, Burna Boy, has said that her son is still “a work in progress” despite his many successes.In an interview with the BBC, Ogulu said that she is proud of everything Burna Boy has accomplished, but she believes that he has the potential to achieve even more. “I admire the diligence, the hard work but he’s still a
work in progress,” she said. ”There are many more milestones to attain. We need to not just step down and look at what we’ve done, but keep doing more.” Bose Ogulu, popularly referred to as ‘Mama Burna’ has been credited with playing a key role in Burna Boy’s career, said that she is always pushing her son to be the best that he can be. Burna Boy’s mother left her language school to manage him, having seen his
potential from a young age. She wasn’t prepared for him to drop out of university, but ultimately supported his decision. Burna Boy has been one of the most successful African artists in recent years. He has won numerous awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album for his 2020 album, Twice as Tall. He has also headlined sold-out shows at major venues around the world.
Beyoncé just made some of Taylor Swift’s wildest dreams come true Eras tour Movie The “Renaissance” artist showed her support for Swift at the premiere of the Eras tour movie on Wednesday. In a short Instagram video shared late Wednesday evening Swift wrote, “I’m so glad I’ll never know what my life would’ve been like without @beyonce‘s influence.” In the Instagram clip, Swift and Beyoncé — who both serenaded millions of fans this summer with their respective blockbuster tours — are seen posing with a bucket of popcorn in an empty theater. Swift said the “Alien Superstar” singer “taught me and every artist out there to break rules and defy industry norms.” You don’t have to be a Swiftie to love Taylor Swift. The Eras tour movie premiere proves it Wednesday’s Eras movie premiere, which shut down L.A.’s Grove for a day, was a star-studded event that touted appearances from celebrity Swifties including Maren Morris, Simu Liu, Julia Garner and Karamo Brown. Also descending on the Grove were fans wearing wristbands, sparkly cowboy boots and fringe dresses —
Beyoncé, left, showed support for Taylor Swift at the premiere of her Eras tour movie at the Grove on Wednesday. and mall owner Rick Caruso. “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” hits theaters starting Thursday and brings Swift’s tour to the screen. The Eras tour launched in March and dominated social media. The tour also saw proposals, cameos and an album reveal. “I’ve always had fun doing this. I can’t believe I get to do music as a career. That’s crazy,” Swift told her audience on Wednesday. “I’ve never had this much fun in my life as I have had on the Eras tour.” The six words that will put you out of business? “I’ve always done... By National Cattleman’s Beef Association: Watch Episode 1 of ‘Cattle Calling,’ A Story o f F a m i l y a n d
Environmental Stewardship Eras tour update: Channing Tatum goes full Swiftie dad in LosAngeles As Swift and Beyoncé both toured this summer, their respective concerts were cultural moments that catered to generations of music lovers. It also didn’t hurt that their concerts made big bucks. In August, Swift’s 146date Eras tour — which included six sold-out shows at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium — was projected to earn $1.3 billion, an average of around $ 9 m i l l i o n p e r s h o w. Beyoncé brought in more than $579 million with her 56-date Renaissance world tour, according to Forbes, for an average of just under $10.4 million per show.
Guyana Animation Network team to participate in New Media Festival in T&T
A
team of six from the Guyana Animation Network (GAN) will be given the unique opportunity to participate in the Caribbean Creative Pitch Accelerator for their creative animation television series scripts at the highlyanticipated Animae Caribe Animation and New Media Festival in Trinidad and Tobago from October 25 28, 2023. According to a release from the GAN, from over 58 applications, GAN presubmitted three animated series pitches which were shortlisted along with seven other regional projects for the Pitch Accelerator. The festival, known for its dedication to showcasing the best animation and new media talent from the Caribbean and beyond, is the perfect stage for GAN to competitively expose its past students and team members to development opportunities, the entity said. The team includes
Xarielle Gittens, Siani Archer, Amelia Clover, Alleya Hamilton, Christopher Small, and Jubilanté Cutting. The team will receive mentorship from UK development producer, Elliott Palmer and other experts for further development and for representation in the Animae Caribe 2024 Catalogue for global festival tours. According to GAN, this unique opportunity not only showcases the team’s talent but also offers a platform to network with potential partners, investors, and collaborators, including industry giants like Disney and more. Cutting, who was described as the driving force behind GAN, expressed her excitement for the upcoming festival, stating, “We are extremely grateful that all three of the projects we pre-submitted, in t h e F e s t i v a l ’s p i t c h submission round, were shortlisted out of over 58
other applications from the Caribbean for mentorship and further development. That is a remarkable achievement and is testament to the tremendous potential of Guyana’s animation industry and G A N ’s t r a i n i n g a n d development programmes.” “We are immensely proud of our team and their hard work in crafting cultural creative animated series pitches that highlight Guyana as an ideal destination for multimedia storytelling based on our culture in the past, present and future… And we are
even more thankful that through donor funding and support from our main investors, the Guyana Economic Development Trust (GEDT) and the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust (QCT) UK, we are able to sponsor the attendance of our team to the Festival to benefit and experience this achievement, “ Cutting added. “I was extremely elated to see my name on the flyer as a shortlisted writer and my animated show being part of the Creative Pitch Accelerator. I look forward to learning more about
animation as well as making impactful connections,” said one of the writers, Xarielle Gittens, on attending the Festival on behalf of GAN. When asked about the opportunity to represent GAN at the Animae Caribe Festival, another writer, 23year-old Siani Archer said, “The arts are my chosen home like they are for countless more, and GAN has provided a space to explore where the arts can take me further.” Another member of the te a m , v id e o g r a p h er, Christopher Small expressed that opportunities like these are good for Guyanese creators “because we will get to showcase the talents, hard work and passion for our craft and what our people have to offer.” Clover, an international delegate and past student of GAN’s Writers Workshop, added, “I think this is a fantastic opportunity for Guyanese creators because it gives them the opportunity to meet professionals in the
industry. Without living in LA [Los Angeles] or other animation hubs, it’s harder to get an understanding of how the industry works.” The Guyana Animation Network said its involvement in the Animae Caribe Animation and New Media Festival promises to present a variety of opportunities for the Guyana contingent, comprised of passionate creators, storytellers and writers. These opportunities include mentorship, further development of their projects, regional and international networking opportunities and more. For further information on the Guyana Animation Network (GAN) Inc.’s participation in the Animae Caribe Animation and New Media Festival and their animation TV series pitches, interested persons can contact: Media Contact: Alleya Hamilton | E m a i l : info@animateguyana.com | Phone: +592 608 2467 or +592 626 673
Kaieteur News
Sunday October 15, 2023
g stin s... e r e e r Int eatu Cr
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The Yeti Crab, a crustacean with fur
I
n 2006 scientists announced the discovery of a new species of blind deep-sea crab whose legs are covered with long, pale yellow hairs. The species have become known as the yeti-crabs and these furry crustaceans where first observed in March 2005 by marine biologists exploring hydrothermal vents along the Pacific-Antarctic ridge, south of Easter Island. Due to its hairy legs, the creature was nick named the “Yeti crab,” after the fabled Ye t i , t h e a b o m i n a b l e snowman of the Himalayas. Yeti Crabs thrive in the deep-sea hydrothermal vents and at time it was discovered, scientists were learning how bottomdwelling animals from one deep-sea hydrothermal vent are able to colonize other hydrothermal vents hundreds or thousands of miles away. During the expedition one of the scientists, part of the team, Michel Segonzac, from Institut français de r e c h e r c h e p o u r l’exploitation de la mer
(IFREMER) in France, noticed an unusually large (15-cm-long) crab with hairy arms lurking on the seafloor. Segonzac asked the pilot of their submarine to collect this crab and bring it back to the surface. Subsequent dives were made and the researchers found more of the unusual
crabs. Most of the crabs were living at depths of about 2,200 meters (7,200 feet) on recent lava flows and areas where warm water was seeping out of the sea floor. According to one biologist, Joe Jones, “Many of the crabs were hiding underneath or behind
rocks—all we could see were the tips of their arms sticking out.” After returning to shore, researchers Segonzac and Jones worked with Enrique Macpherson from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) in Spain to identify the crab they had collected. They found that the crab was not only a new species (which they named Kiwa hirsuta), but an entirely new family (Kiwaidae). The Yeti crab is a distant relative to the hermit crabs commonly seen lurking in tide pools. Since the discovery, more and more species of yeti crabs were discovered. In june 2015, a National Geographic Article writen by Jason Brittel, revealed that Kiwa Tyleri, a new species of Yeti Crabs was found. “It’s white. It’s hairy. It’s elusive. It’s a yeti … crab. Meet Kiwa tyleri, the newest member of the yeti crab family and the first to be found in the cold waters off Antarctica”, Brittel described in his article. His article went on to
The Yeti Crabs
state that It’s only the third known species of yeti crab, a group of shaggy-armed creatures first discovered in the South Pacific in 2005. This new species was found thriving in communities with environments harsher than any of their yeti relatives. Yeti crabs are excellent at adapting to their harsh lifestyles. Since there’s no sunlight where these crabs live, they’ve evolved another
way to obtain energy: They “farm” their own food. The crabs have hair-like structures on their chest and arms, called setae, that attracts bacteria, their main diet. Sources of information: https://www.nationalgeogra phic.com/science/article/15 0624-new-species-yeticrab-antarctica-oceans https://www.mbari.org/n ews/discovery-of-the-yeticrab/
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From humble beginnings to musical stardom By Alex Wayne One has to agree that the story of Guyanese singer, Jer ‘Venom’ McBean’s rise to fame, is a tale that will inspire and encourage anyone facing gloom, or despair. Today, the talented singer composer (now turned keyboard player) is not only a household name in Guyana, but has also graced international stages in Antigua, Barbados, Trinidad, and China. Hailing from the mining town of Linden, McBean’s journey began with many hardships, which was obviously painful for him to relate. “Today, I am one of the most sought after ‘one man band operator’ in Linden, and across Guyana, but the journey to stardom was not without steep hills to climb… I came from an almost poverty stricken home, where my mother singlehandedly struggled to maintain myself and a younger brother… Things were very hard for her, and many days, we went without food… By the time I was
McBean always like to make a fashion statement. sixteen, I was forced to move to the city to find a job to help out my mother… I managed to beg for lodging at a male friend who lived close to a KFC Chicken Outlet, and at night, I would sleep on the cold concrete floor, with nothing but a sheet, and sometimes on my clothing” “At one time, I started to accept that hunger was certainly going to be part of my life, and in a desperate bid to survive, I would jump the fence of the KFC outlet at night and steal leftover food they would throw out in bins
at the facility. At first, I wept bitterly as I did this night after night, but at least I was eating…Desperate times call for desperate measures.” The singer said that it was very difficult to get a job in the city, as his poor mother, could not afford to put him through secondary school. But all this changed when he turned seventeen. “On my seventeenth birthday, I was invited to a party by a few friends, as I could not afford to get myself anything special… A
‘one man’ band was playing, and after a few beers, I mustered the courage to persuade the band leader into letting me perform for fifteen minutes. It was the fifteen minutes that changed my life… As he struck the keyboard, belting out popular songs, I slipped into my act naturally and in no time, the dance floor was packed with revellers… That very night my singing career, actually began.” McBean informed that he began to perform at bars throughout the city, and soon, Georgetown, was abuzz with the news of this hot, new singer that was stealing the hearts of the single ladies. “I did not let my growing fame get to my head, as my mother had always taught me to be humble. I was not going to remain at the bottom of the ladder, nor was I content to be just a singer. One year after, I selftaught myself to play the key board, and in two months’ time, I was almost perfect… Soon after, I took out a keyboard from Courts Guyana, and began to launch out on my own.” The singer revealed that at first, it was a bit difficult to lands gigs, but after playing at a party in Albouystown, the gigs were just flying in after.
the super-talented, Jermaine ‘Venom’ McBean To d a y, J e r m a i n e McBean is rapidly chalking up points on the local music charts. At age twenty-two, after performing with a popular band in the city, as a replacement performer, he cleverly manoeuvred his way to China, taking two talented female local singers with him. After spreading his talent to many nightclubs, hotels and states in that land, McBean has returned to Guyana with a wealth of experience, which he hopes to share with talented potential singers. Presently he is in Guyana, sharing his musical talent around Linden, Bartica, Mahdia, and even Georgetown. McBean has made appearances at Carib Soca Monarch stages, and has also
performed in shows around the Caribbean. Presently he is making preparations for travel to Jamaica, where he expects to woo many audiences. He also sang alongside Trinidad’s Soca Monarch King, Shirwin Winchester. He performs ballads of Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Mary J. Blige; and one has to agree that this is quite a feat for a male who sings these songs at record keys. In 2017, while in China, he entertained the beauties that contested the Miss Universe Pageant in that year at a function that was attended by Bill Gates and other elite special invitees. H e i s m o s t eager to share his talent and experience with aspiring musicians.
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This week in History Mother Teresa Won the Nobel Peace Prize
American TV sitcom, I Love Lucy premiered October 15 ‘I Love Lucy’ premiered on October 15, 1951 and aired on Monday nights at 9pm EST until its 179th episode aired on May 6, 1957. There are 181 episodes total—including the pilot episode and a Christmas special. ‘I Love Lucy’ centered on the lives of Lucy Ricardo (played by Lucille Ball) and her bandleader husband, Ricky Ricardo (played by Ball’s real-life husband, Desi Arnaz). Ricky and Lucy lived on Manhattan’s Upper East Side (though ultimately they relocated to suburban Connecticut). She was a housewife who longed for a career in show business, while Ricky entertained at the Tropicana nightclub. Despite her lack of talent and Ricky’s firm belief that a woman’s place is in the home, Lucy continually dreamed of a life beyond domesticity and concocted hilarious (and ultimately doomed) schemes to finagle her way out of the kitchen and into the limelight. Often the unraveling of Lucy’s best-laid plans took the form of physical comedy, as in the classic scene in which Lucy fought a losing battle against a conveyor belt in a candy factory. Ball played the role with well, displaying her own comedic virtuosity while
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz highlighting Lucy’s shortcomings. The Cuban-born Ricky frequently launched into rapid tirades of Spanish when frustrated with his wife. The couple often played pranks on each other to make a point. Also contributing to the mirth were the Ricardos’ landlords, the miserly yet kind Fred Mertz (William Frawley) and his wife, Ethel (Vivian Vance), who usually tried to reason Lucy out of her wilder plots. Former vaudevillians, the Mertzs sang and danced, and they acted as foils or accomplices to the Ricardos. Ricky and Lucy eventually had a child, Little Ricky (Keith Thibodeaux), whose presence shifted the show’s focus to parenthood. The Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House formally opened October 21 The Sydney Opera House was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II, on 20 October 1973. A large crowd attended. The opening was televised and attended by several other top dignitaries and world leaders. The Sydney Opera House is a multivenue performing arts centre in Sydney, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world’s most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, but completed by an Australian architectural team headed by Peter Hall, the building was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973, 16 years after Utzon’s 1957 selection as winner of an international design competition. The Government of New South Wales, led by the premier, Joseph Cahill, authorised work to begin in 1958 with Utzon directing construction. The government’s decision to build Utzon’s design is often overshadowed by circumstances that followed, including
cost and scheduling overruns as well as the architect’s ultimate resignation. The building and its surrounds, occupy the whole of Bennelong Point on Sydney Harbour, between Sydney Cove and Farm Cove, adjacent to the Sydney central business district and the Royal Botanic Gardens, and near to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The building comprises multiple performance venues, which together host well over 1,500 performances annually, attended by more than 1.2 million people. Performances are presented by numerous performing artists, including three resident companies: Opera Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. As one of the most popular visitor attractions in Australia, the site is visited by more than eight million people annually, and approximately 350,000 visitors take a guided tour of the building each year. The building is managed by the Sydney Opera House Trust, an agency of the New South Wales State Government.
October 17, 1979 Mother Teresa, in full St. Teresa of Calcutta, also called St. Mother Teresa, original name Agnes grew to have over 4,500 nuns Gonxha Bojaxhiu, and she was across 133 countries as of 2012. the recipient of numerous The congregation manages honours, including the 1979 homes for people who are Nobel Prize for Peace. dying of HIV/AIDS, leprosy, The daughter of an ethnic and tuberculosis. Albanian grocer, she went to The congregation also Ireland in 1928 to join the runs soup kitchens, Sisters of Loreto at the dispensaries, mobile clinics, Institute of the Blessed Virgin c h i l d r e n ’s a n d f a m i l y Mother Teresa Mary and sailed only six weeks counselling programmes, as well of Calcutta later to India as a teacher. She as orphanages and schools. taught for 17 years at the order’s Members take vows of chastity, poverty, school in Calcutta (Kolkata). and obedience and also profess a fourth vow: Mother Teresa founded Missionaries of to give “wholehearted free service to the Charity, a religious congregation, which poorest of the poor.”
Pope John Paul II was elected October 16 He also issued several unprecedented On October 16, 1978, Cardinal Karol apologies to groups that historically had Wojtyla, Archbishop of Krakow, was elected been wronged by Catholics, most notably the 263rd successor to Saint Peter and chose Jews and Muslims. His unabashed Polish the name John Paul II in honor of the late nationalism and his emphasis on nonviolent John Paul I. Pope John Paul II was political activism aided the the first ever Slavic pope elected, Solidarity movement in and at 58-years-old, he was communist Poland in the youngest pope in over a 1980s and ultimately century. contributed to the peaceful St. John Paul II, Latin dissolution of the Soviet Johannes Paulus, original Union in 1991. More name Karol Józef Wojty³a, generally, John Paul used (bishop of Rome and head his influence among of the Roman Catholic Catholics and throughout Church (1978–2005), the the world to advance the first non-Italian pope in 455 recognition of human Pope John Paul II years and the first from a slavic dignity and to deter the use of country. His pontificate of more violence. than 26 years was the third longest in His centralized style of church history. As part of his effort to promote governance, however, dismayed some greater understanding between nations and members of the clergy, who found it between religions, he undertook numerous autocratic and stifling. trips abroad, traveling far greater distances He failed to reverse an overall decline in than had all other popes combined, and he the numbers of priests and nuns, and his extended his influence beyond the church by traditional interpretations of church campaigning against political oppression teachings on personal and sexual morality and criticizing the materialism of the West. alienated some segments of the laity.
Italian American Gangster, Al Capone was convicted October 18 On October 18, 1931, Italian American Gangster, Al Capone was convicted after trial and on November 24, was sentenced to eleven years in federal prison, fined $50,000 and charged $7,692 for court costs, in addition to $215,000 plus interest due on back taxes. The six-month contempt of court sentence was to be served concurrently. Al Capone, byname of Alphonse Capone, also called Scarface, was born January 17, 1899, Brooklyn, New York, U.S— he died January 25, 1947, Palm Island, Miami Beach, Florida) In the American Prohibition-era the gangster, dominated organized crime in Chicago from 1925 to 1931 and became perhaps the most famous gangster in the United States. Capone’s parents immigrated to the United States from Naples in 1893. Al, the fourth of nine children, grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He attended school until the sixth grade, whence he dropped out at age 14 after striking a teacher. He (Continued on page 38)
Italian American Gangster, Al Capone
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‘I am one of the greats’ Mr. Vegas highlights accomplishments in new track God Out (Enuh) (Jamaican Observer) One of the acts who helped define dancehall music in the late 1990s, Mr. Vegas’s career is as durable as the genre’s marquee acts. Aware that he does not get similar acclaim as some of his major counterparts, the singjay says his record speaks for itself. “I believe that no one can fairly say I am not one of the greats. Therefore, I don’t worry about who choose to keep it as a secret,” Mr. Vegas declared during an interview with the Jamaica Observer. The 49-year-old artiste makes no secret about his accomplishments on ‘God Out (Enuh)’, his latest song. It has the revivalist feel that drove songs like ‘Tek weh Yuhself’ and ‘I Am Blessed to chart glory’. ‘On God Out (Enuh)’, Mr. Vegas gives credit to the
Most High for the hits that made him a dancehall force since ‘Head High’ exploded in 1997. That song earned him coverage in hip publications such as Vibe magazine, as well as spots in the British national chart and Billboard’s R&B chart. ‘Nike Air’, ‘Hot Gal’ Today’ (with Sean Paul), ‘Sweet Jamaica’ and ‘Do You Know’ are other songs that kept Mr Vegas relevant for almost 30 years. Most of his songs, he points out, are radio-friendly and can also be played in hardcore dances. The same can be said for his latest effort which was released on September 29, his birthday. “The message behind ‘God Out (Enuh)’ is that music in this era can be enjoyable; every song does not have to be about
freakiness to appeal to the m a s s e s , ” M r . Ve g a s explained. Clifford Smith (his real name) followed his older brother Carlton Smith of The Tamlins into the music business. Songs like ‘Jack it Up’ and ‘Latest News’ set the pace for the risqué Nike Air and Heads High, which announced the St Andrewborn artiste as a serious contender. Despite criticism of him
grabbing tabloid headlines due to sensational utterances, Mr. Vegas says talent, not controversy, has kept him current. “I am still in the game because of the quality music I have put forward. For example, ‘I am Blessed’ still plays everywhere,” he said. “It is very important to reinvent oneself. Currently, I am working on projects with Latin and French artistes. This has helped me to bridge the generation gap.”
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Jamaican dancehall singer, Mr. Vegas
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The Invaluable Role of Libraries in Indigenous Communities At the Bellarmine library in the village of Aishalton in the Deep South Rupununi, Friday afternoons are given over to coloring and drawing, which are great activities for encouraging creativity and selfexpression. When parents are too busy or unfamiliar with a topic to help with homework or reading, the library and librarians are there to point students in the right direction. Libraries are the heart of a community since they serve as hubs for interaction, education, and cultural preservation. This is according to Roman Catholic priest, Joel Thompson, SJ and Medino Abraham who are based at Aishalton. Father Joel serves as the Assistant Parish Priest of 14 communities in the South Rupununi and as the team leader of the Intercultural Bilingual Education Organization. This significance holds across all communities but is especially pronounced in indigenous communities globally, the church leaders said. They noted that libraries in indigenous communities are invaluable in preserving languages, stories, legends, traditions, and histories while providing access to resources that broaden minds and empower people. Any indigenous community serious about social and
environmental well-being should have a library, they added. Preserving Indigenous Languages and Cultures One of the most important roles of a library in an indigenous community is the preservation of languages and cultural traditions. In addition to books, libraries can also store audio-visual material on craft (such as benab construction), songs, dances, poetry, interviews, events, and conversations. As older generations pass on, having recordings of them using and speaking their language and practicing their culture is invaluable for ensuring that linguistic and other features are authentic. Elders in the South Rupununi are currently being interviews with the aim of documenting their kn o w ledge concer nin g villages’ founding, names’ origins, and their countless life stories. The project is being undertaken by Thompson and Abraham. The Bellarmine library currently has materials in Wapichan and Macushi. Much of the Wapichan material was produced by the Wapichan Wadauniinao Ati’o (WWA) and the Intercultural Bilingual Education Organization. A Wapichan literacy class began last month and plans are underway to offer language programs, storytelling sessions, and
Children reading books at the Bellarmine Library at Aishalton, Deep South Rupununi.
cultural workshops aimed at handing on traditions from one generation to the next. In this way, a library is a vital space for children and adults to learn more about their cultural heritage and other cultures in the country and world. Promoting Literacy and Education They are treasure troves of education where people of all ages can access books and digital resources and have their questions answered, the two church leaders said. In indigenous communities where access to quality education can be limited, libraries facilitate learning by providing books and resources tailored to the community’s cultural needs. Libraries sometimes offer homework assistance, and literacy programs to help
children and adults develop the necessary skills for academic and personal development. The two parish leaders said that in Aishalton, it is a joy to see around 30 children borrowing books and doing research and homework after school daily. “Education does not only occur in schools but in other environments, and a library can be an ideal place for reading in silence away from the noisy classroom setting,” they noted. “It is also a space where parents can take their children to read for them to improve their literacy and where librarians can talk to parents about early childhood developments, and other roles parents can do to nurture their children’s
love for reading,” they added. Supporting Community Development Any community serious about its members’ social and environmental wellbeing should invest in a library, Father Joel and Abraham said. They noted that libraries are vehicles for community development. Community dreams and solutions to problems are incubated within libraries, they said. In indigenous communities, libraries can serve as spaces where community members can meet to discuss ideas, and access health, employment, and legal resources, they noted. “We have ensured that the libraries we work with have essential national documents like the Constitution of Guyana and the Amerindian Act,” the priests said. They said the documents are available both digitally and in hard copy. Every year, an enormous amount of research is done within indigenous communities in Guyana. However, these studies are only sometimes readily available to community members or other researchers. They noted that every researcher who enters an indigenous community should be required to file a copy of their research and a plain English version with t h e v i l l a g e l i b r a r y. Indigenous and other researchers will then be able to build on the work done and further the academic conversation, they added. It was noted that several young people within communities frequently approach they for help writing job applications and curriculum vitae, and as such books and templates are readily available in libraries. A Worthwhile Initiative
Libraries in hinterland areas play an invaluable role in preserving Indigenous languages and traditions, promoting literacy and education, and supporting community development, the two church leaders said. In a rapidly changing world, libraries will be guardians of Indigenous heritage, ensuring that it continues to thrive, they added. The community libraries can eventually develop partnerships with various sectors and institutions like the University of Guyana, the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Library, to promote literacy and other technical and scientific services in interior communities, Thompson and Abraham said. They pointed out that having up to date information on farming practices that increase productivity and on climate smart techniques will be helpful to farmers. A library serving as a Research Centre would also serve as a place for producing reflective and critical writing as a basis for wisdom in decision-making relating to Indigenous people and their welfare, which can guide material, cultural and intellectual development for Indigenous people as they contribute in a noble way to the upward mobility of themselves and our beautiful country. Recognizing and supporting community libraries, especially in rural areas, will transform Guyana, the priests said. Those interested in supporting the work of procuring books and training librarians in the Rupununi can make contact with A b r a h a m a t medino.abraham@gmail.co m.
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David Beckham Says Filming Netflix Doc ‘Was an Emotional Rollercoaster’ but He’s ‘Very Proud of’ its Success’ “It was a series that took me a while to come to terms with filming and talking about my life,” Beckham said at a launch party for his fragrances in New York City Beckham, 48, spoke about the documentary’s acclaim at the David Beckham Fragrances Launch Party at hotspot restaurant Torrisi in New York City, where he debuted three new scents. The former soccer star told guests that it was “a huge honor” for him to work with Netflix and Beckham director Fisher Stevens. “It was a series that took me a while to come to terms with filming, and talking about my life,” Beckham shared. “And ten years ago when I retired from playing soccer, people asked me to do it and I wasn’t really ready to look back and talk about my career and my life.” The retired soccer star said he “was ready to move on straight away” after retirement to focus on his business endeavors. Lisa Green, Jo Osborne, Michelle Wlazlo, David Beckham, Marc Rosen, Michon King and Stefano Curti attend the David Beckham Fragrances Launch Party at Torrisi Bar and Restaurant on October 11, 2023 in New York City. “But then about two or three years before the tenth anniversary of my retirement, I thought, okay, maybe this is the right time now to tell the story,” Beckham explained. After he was able to find “the right team” in Stevens and Netflix to produce the project, Beckham said filming for more than 50 hours over the course of more than two years was a “hell of a journey.” He added, “It wasn’t easy and it was an emotional rollercoaster over the last two and a half years but I think we’ve produced something that my team can be very proud of.” Beckham’s documentary “ ‘scored big’, debuting atop the English TV List with 12.4M views,” a spokesperson for Netflix told PEOPLE on Thursday. Stevens, 59, recently told PEOPLE that the British soccer star was “so open” while filming the Netflix docuseries. The Beckham director and Succession alum said, “He wasn’t what I expected at all. He was so open. He’s like, I’m ready. I want to tell my story before someone else does. And then I started doing research and I was like, ‘Jesus, this guy’s life is nuts. Nuts.’ I had no idea.” The filmmaker, whom Beckham called “incredible” at the Coty event, told PEOPLE that he was surprised by how the athlete’s inherent skills — including his attention to detail — translate now in retirement. “There’s a kind of warmth to him, he listens and he’s warm and he seems to [care] about people a lot,” Stevens said. “He has an incredible aesthetic. He’s not educated, he’s not an intellectual by any means, but there is an innate intelligence to him of how to read people and sort of how to read a room.” Beckham is streaming on Netflix now.
Lisa Green, Jo Osborne, Michelle Wlazlo, David Beckham, Marc Rosen, Michon King and Stefano Curti attend the David Beckham Fragrances Launch Party at Torrisi Bar and Restaurant on October 11, 2023 in New York City. MONICA SCHIPPER/GETTY
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Kaieteur News
Italian American Gangster, Al Capone was convicted... From page 29 worked a variety of odd jobs—as a candy store clerk, a bowling alley pinboy, a labourer in an ammunition plant, and a cutter in a book bindery—all the while serving in the South Brooklyn Rippers and Forty Thieves Juniors, two “kid gangs”—that is, bands of delinquent children known for vandalism and petty crime that were common in New York at the time. Capone also became a member of the
‘James Street Boys’ gang during this period, which was run by Johnny Torrio, the man that would become his lifelong mentor, and associated with the ‘Five Points’ gang. At age 16 Capone became a member of the ‘Five Points’ gang and served aspiring mobster, Francesco Ioele (Torrio’s associate, more commonly known as Frankie Yale) as a bartender in Yale’s brothel-saloon, the Harvard Inn.
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Sunday October 15, 2023
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GNBS IN FOCUS GNBS HOSTS NATIONAL QUALITY WEEK ACTIVITIES TO RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT BUSINESSES
T
he Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) last week concluded its National Q u a l i t y We e k ( N Q W ) celebrations, which remarkably highlighted its support to businesses implementing standards. During the week businesses were also recognized for the
vital role they play in providing quality goods and services across various sectors of the economy. The highlight of the week of activities was the prestigious fourth National Quality Awards (NQA), held on October 11. The NQA, a bi-annual event, recognizes and honors businesses that have
demonstrated an outstanding commitment to quality in their products and services. These awards serve as a benchmark for excellence, motivating companies to strive for higher standards and continually improve their processes. The NQA not only celebrates past achievements but also
inspires businesses to reach new heights in Quality Management. This year’s distinguished awardees hailed from various sectors including manufacturing and agroprocessing. The awardees were Massy Gas Products, Banks DIH Limited, Sterling Products Limited, New GPC
Inc., NAMILCO, Basdeo’s Dynasty, Massy Distribution, St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital, MACORP, Guyana Deepwater Inc., Guyana Shore Base Inc., D&S Ramdeholl & Sons J e w e l l e r y, D e n m o r Garments Inc., DoobayGafoor Medical and Research Centre Inc., Industrial Supply of Guyana Inc., Quest Medical Centre, Action Invest Caribbean Inc., and Woodlands Limited (Pathology Laboratory). The awardees were elated at their achievement. In keeping with this year ’s theme, “Shared Vision for a Better World: Incorporating SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing),” the GNBS also hosted a successful Laboratory Symposium, which brought together approximately 65 laboratory personnel from clinical and testing laboratories in the Public and Private sectors. Participants were exposed to information on the National Standard, General requirements for the operations of a laboratory (GYS 170:2021), the GNBS Laboratory Certification programme, and the requirements of other international laboratory standards. Information was also provided by the Standards and Technical Services Unit of the Ministry of Health on the technical and regulatory requirements for laboratories, and the Department of Labour provided information on the requisite OSH Practices. In addition, a free food safety training for small business owners involved in the preparation and delivery of food to consumers was held on October 12. The training, which was collaboratively conducted with the Guyana Tourism A u t h o r i t y ( G TA ) , benefitted 30 participants.
Topics covered included good hygiene and storage practices along with other food safety requirements. The Bureau also successfully organized an Impromptu Speech Competition on October 12 to promote the importance of standards and quality to school-aged students. There were four schools involved in the competition hosted in Region Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara) with the West Demerara Secondary School walking away with the winning trophy and the best performing student’s prize. Second place was copped by Patentia Secondary School which was also awarded a trophy. In addition, each school received a certificate of participation while the students received a token from the GNBS. On Friday, October 13, the Bureau held its Staff Appreciation and Awards to honour employees who have tirelessly contributed to the GNBS over the years. National Quality Week (NQW) which serves as a reminder of the importance of quality in every aspect of our lives, culminated on World Standards Day with a message from the GNBS’ Executive Director (Ag.). The GNBS will continue to observe NQW annually to encourage businesses to aim for excellence, professionals to stay informed and innovative, and individuals to be aware of the impact of Standards on their daily lives. By hosting these activities, the GNBS has once again demonstrated its dedication to building a quality-driven future for Guyana. For further information, contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 2190064/65//66, hotline 2190069 or WhatsApp us on 692-4627.
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Sunday October 15, 2023
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ITV weatherman takes on mental health in new documentary ‘Black Boys Can Cry’ Source: (Adapted from the Independent)
F
or a brief moment, Alex Beresford was everywhere. Not because the Britain’s ITV weatherman was beaming into the nation’s living rooms every morning, but because he suddenly found himself embroiled in an international controversy for having had the temerity while live on air, to take Piers Morgan to task over his treatment of Meghan Markle. This fall-out, over Morgan saying he didn’t believe that Markle was being truthful when she said she had felt suicidal, led to the former ‘Good Morning Britain’ anchor storming off the set in a petulant huff. The row came just months after Beresford, who is BritishGuyanese, had lost his close friend to suicide – a loss that
anonymous social media user, who would send a negative message every time he’d appear on screen. More than two years later, he can easily recall how it felt. “When you share your experience, or give your opinion on something – and I’ve become very aware of this – someone’s always going to have something to say,” Beresford says. “If people disagree with you, t h a t ’s a b s o l u t e l y O K ; everyone is entitled to their opinion. But throughout social media, you are susceptible to being trolled, racially abused. You’re accessible. During that period, I absolutely felt it. There was obviously lots of positivity, but also that element of being trolled. I actually logged out of my social media, just to focus on myself. Otherwise, it’s endless. Where does it stop?”
ITV Weatherman, Alex Beresford
has inspired him to make a new ITV documentary about mental health, ‘Black Boys Can Cry’. When asked, whether his friend’s death played a part in his defence of Markle, he speaks cautiously on the topic. “As a t e l e v i s i o n p r e s e n t e r, obviously you have your own life experience as well,” the 42-year-old tells me over the phone. “When you are on camera, and when you are asked to speak about serious subjects like suicide, and you’ve had your own experiences with that, it’s hard to not draw on those experiences when you enter into conversations on that particular subject.” Beresford locking horns with Morgan on-air, and Morgan’s subsequent exit from ITV, resulted in the weatherman being thrown under an unanticipated spotlight. For all the support that Beresford received for his handling of the conversation around racism and mental health, he was also subject to heavy trolling from those who took issue with his stance. At one point, Beresford received daily harassment from one
Today Beresford is glad to report that he’s in a much better place. “For a long time, I don’t feel as though I’ve had to pretend to be happy,” he says. “Genuinely, I feel really happy at the moment. Part of that happiness is kind of going through everything that’s happened over the last couple of years.” He credits his “big Guyanese family” as being a part of his support system, as well as his wife, Imogen, with whom he celebrated one year of marriage in September. “She is so level-headed; I can lean on her, and she can lean on me. We have good, open conversations.” H e ’s a l s o h a p p i e r because he’s spending less time online. “If someone replies to my tweet, I read it and move on,” he says. “I’m kind of numb to it now – and I don’t know if that’s a good thing, that you have to go through that to get to where the words don’t hit you the way they used to.” Need to appear tough, be strong to ‘man up’ Beresford was moved to make ‘Black Boys Can Cry’ after his friend Martin
Walker died in 2020, 18 months after attempting suicide. After the attempt,
Walker – also known throughout Bristol by his rapper stage name, Sirplus –
incurred a hypoxic brain injury and died a year-and-ahalf later. Having grown up
with Walker and his brothers, Leon and Marvin, Beresford (Continued on page 56)
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Six lipstick hacks every woman should know By Loreal Paris Lipstick can make or break your overall look. Learn the essential lipstick hacks to elevate your makeup game and achieve your desired look. One of the most integral parts of any makeup kit, though, is lipstick. It can instantly change your look from drab to fab. From bold colors to nudes or MLBB (My Lips but Better) shades for a natural effect, lipsticks are a quick way to complete your desired look. 6 Tips to Nail the Perfect Lipstick Look Luckily, this article is here to help you learn essential lipstick hacks—read on and elevate your makeup game! 1. Exfoliate for the perfect lipstick canvas Exfoliating the lips is essential for a smooth lipstick application. Pick a gentle lip scrub and use it every other day, applying it with your fingers. You can even make your lip scrub at home—mix a little bit of sugar with a gooey substance such as lip balm, honey, or oil. If you want to forego the l i p s c r u b a l t o g e t h e r, exfoliate gently with a soft toothbrush or clean spoolie to buff away flakes. Make sure to apply a balm beforehand for some extra “slip.” Once your lips are
smooth, keep them hydrated. 2. Use tissue for a diffused lip tint look The diffused, fuzzy, and semi-perfect lip tint look creates an effortless natural effect. To achieve it, ditch the lip liner for a piece of tissue! That’s right—applies your favorite tube of lipstick lightly and blots your lips with the tissue until you attain the desired level of diffusion. You can seal the look with a matte lip balm, so it stays for hours. 3. Mark your Cupid’s bow for the perfect definition Begin your application on your Cupid’s bow to flawlessly define your pout. Using a lip liner, start with a diagonal line that extends down from the top-most point of one side of the upper lip. Do the same for the other point, forming an “X” on the center of the lip. Then, outline the edges of your lips and fill in the rest. Finally, apply matching lipstick on top. You’ll notice that the color will wear off evenly without leaving that noticeable lip liner around your mouth. 4. Layer up to make your lipstick last longer For long-lasting lip coverage, layering is the way to go. One method you can try is reversing lip lining. First, trace the outside edge
Diffused lip tint look
of the lips using a lip liner. This creates a barrier that prevents color bleeding. Then, fill up your lips with the same lip liner and apply lipstick afterward. The lip liner creates a second layer underneath the lipstick, giving a waxiness that the lipstick can grip on. You can also layer with one lipstick. Follow this process: apply lipstick, blot with a tissue, dust translucent powder, and then apply lipstick again. When dusting, hold a piece of tissue to your lips and brush the translucent powder over it. A small amount of powder will transfer through the tissue and lock in color, making it last longer. 5. Use specific application techniques for fuller lips For a plump lip effect, start by applying one shade of lipstick on your entire mouth; next, pick out a lighter shade (make sure it’s
in the same color family! Apply it to the center of your lips. Use your fingers to gently spread the lipstick from the center outwards, creating a diffused look. This catches the light and creates the illusion of bigger lips. You can use a concealer on the edges of your lips for more impact. 6. Know your nude shades If you love nude lipstick, this one’s for you! When picking nude shades, opt for one that’s a shade darker than your skin tone. Go for a nude with a hint of pink if you’re fairskinned. A nude with orange undertones is ideal for medium skin. For darker skin, go with chocolate browns, rosy browns with a hint of shimmer, or caramel browns that counteract redness if you have a lot of it on your lips for a better nude effect.
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Jack O' Lantern Junior page
The twins were sitting at the kitchen table with Grandpa, cutting out their pumpkin faces for Halloween. Each of them trying to be just a bit different– Lizzy did a funny face, Denny tried a scary face and Grandpa trying out something new… “Be careful with those sharp knives…” Grandpa said for the millionth time. “We are being careful, promise…” Lizzy looked up. “Why do we make scary pumpkin faces for Halloween, anyway…?” she asked. “ Ye a h … ” D e n n y frowned. “Why pumpkins? Why scary faces and tealights? I bet you don't know…” Grandpa laughed. “As it happens, I do know. It's an old Irish tradition. A lot of Irish people came to America, and they brought the Jack O'Lantern tradition with them…” “Jack O' Lantern?” Lizzy laughed. “Was he a pumpkin salesman?” “No…” Grandpa laughed too. “He was a pretty creepy man, who tricked the Devil. At least, that's how the story goes…” “And, you are now going to tell us…” Denny laughed. “Of course…” Grandpa laughed, too. “Let's see if I can remember it right…” And he began: “Everybody called Jack 'Stingy Jack', because he liked to drink a lot and he didn't like to pay for his drinks in the inns of old Ireland. He always tried to get somebody else to pay…” “Stingy?” Lizzy asked. “Stingy means tightfisted, mean or miserly.” Lizzy nodded, and the story continued. “Well, one night, on the
Eyeball wreath
31st of October, as it happened…” They all laughed. “The Devil came for Jack. But Jack was drinking his last drink, and he certainly didn't want to pay… So, he asked the Devil to pay for his very last drink.”The children listened. “But the Devil didn't have any cash, so he quickly changed himself into a coin to pay for the drink…” The children shook their heads. “Quick as a flash, Jack grabbed the coin and stuck into his leather money purse. The Devil was imprisoned, and Jack wouldn't let him out, there was a tiny cross in the purse and this made the Devil weak… Jack kept the Devil a prisoner, until the Devil promised to leave Jack alone for another year…” “Thirty-first of October?” Denny grinned. “Yes, until then. The next year the Devil came again, and this time Jack tried another trick. He asked him to pick the very last apple from a nearby old tree, as Jack's last meal…” “Ooops…” Lizzy shook her head. “The Devil agreed, but, after he had climbed the tree to reach the apple, Jack was
Wake up Early and Be Happy FUN WITH POETRY By Uncle Roy Sometimes I feel like sleeping late, And get up after everyone, But when I do rise and come outside, My eyes burn from the bright sun. At other times when I get up early, The sun is now peeping out, I find the air so nice and cool, It feels so good to move about. That is why I now try every night, To sleep so as to rise early; Then I can greet the sun coming up, Which makes my whole day so happy.
Supplies: glue, ping pong balls, ribbon, printer, sticker paper, scissors/round paper punch. This is a craft you're going to want to keep an eye on! Download tiny eyeball clip art and print onto sticky paper, then use scissors or a round craft punch to cut out the pupils. Place the stickers onto white ping pong balls, then attach "eyeballs" to a foam wreath form with glue, making sure to have the eyes "looking" in different directions, and let dry. (Take note: The heat of the hot glue might slightly soften the back of the ping pong ball but that's okay!) Create a loop with craft wire and hot glue for the back of the wreath to hang. Let your parents quick again. He placed his supervise or help you use the glue gun. little cross onto the tree so that the Devil couldn't climb down again…” The children shook their From last Sunday Edition Jessica also had the same heads. “Well, the Devil now He handed it to Jessica, curiosity he had. She was had to promise to leave Jack which she hugged tightly, already making her way to alone forever, and he did….” and then lifted the chair again the door. Matthew tried to “And that's the end of the for protection. call her back but it was too story?” they both asked. Now that they had late. He sighed and followed “Not quite…” Grandpa Scooby back, Matthew and her inside. smiled. “Jack died many Jessica were ready to leave. The house, despite how it years later, a very old man. They slowly moved forward l o o k e d o u t s i d e , w a s But when he went up to with Matthew still holding surprisingly clean on the heaven, nobody opened the the chair for protection. He inside. The lights illuminated door for him. stopped just as he was about the cozy living room. They They told him that he had to reach the sidewalk. He sat on the couch, which was spent his life tricking people. wanted to get out of there as soft and comfortable. It had a So, he went down to Hell, soon as possible, but fireplace, which kept the expecting a big welcome, curiosity had a hold of him room warm. but, nobody wanted him and he couldn't help but ask. C a r l s o n , w h o there, either…” “And, then “What's wrong with your disappeared into the kitchen, what happened, and where head?” he asked. reappeared with a tray filled are the pumpkins in the The pumpkin-headed with a plate of cookies and story?” Lizzy asked. boy looked at him, puzzled, two glasses of chocolate “The Devil took pity on as if he had failed to milk. He placed the tray on Jack and handed him a hot understand the question. the table in front of Jessica glowing piece of coal and a There was a moment of and Matthew. He told them to turnip. Jack put the hot coal silence before Matthew said, eat as much as they wanted. inside the turnip to keep him “Why is your head a While Jessica and Matthew w a r m … a n d t h e n h e pumpkin?” ate, Carlson began the wandered from place to “Oh yes. I guess my head interesting story of how he place for ever more….” “ is a bit strange to some. Why came to be. A turnip?” Denny asked. don't you come inside and I'll Carlson had been brought “Yes, in Ireland, they tell you all about it. We can to life by the wishes of a boy used to use turnips, but later, have some cookies and some name Jack. He and his family the pumpkin was used, and it chocolate milk,” the boy lived in the house they were isn't a hot coal now, but a said. He casually walked to currently in a long time ago. candle or a tea-light…” the door. He looked back and Jack had no friends and was “Is that why we say 'Trick said “My name is Carlson, by lonely. On Halloween night, or Treat'? Because of Jack's the way.” he wanted to go trick or tricking people?” Matthew wanted to treating but had no-one to go Continued on next Sunday ignore his invitation but with. So he took a pumpkin Edition which was supposed to be made into a Jack o' Lantern and made a wish to the stars above. The stars heard his plea and brought to life a boy with a pumpkin head, who he named Carlson. Both of them had fun trick-or-treating that night. Carlson had so much fun with Jack that he made Halloween his favorite day. However, the next morning when he woke up, Jack and his parents were gone, and the house was completely empty. Carlson had been waiting for Jack to come back ever since. Matthew and Jessica felt sorry for Carlson. Matthew especially felt bad for threatening to hit Carlson with a chair. He wasn't a
A Night With A Living Pumpkin
Find your way through the ghost!
scary threat. He was just sad and lonely. Carlson saw the gloomy look they both had on their faces and decided that wasn't in tune with the Halloween spirit. He got up off his seat and made his way to the radio.“Why don't we have some fun on Halloween?” he said. Carlson turned on the radio and started dancing. He urged Jessica and Matthew to join him. They were hesitant at first, but seeing Carlson dance made it seem fun. So they got up and joined in. They danced until they couldn't dance anymore. Time went by quickly, and much to Jessica and Matthew's disappointment, it was already getting late and they had to go home. Their parents might worry about them if they stayed out too late. Carlson saw them out the door and they said their goodbyes. Before they left, they shared some of their candy with Carlson, which he graciously accepted. They waved Carlson goodbye one last time before finally making their way back home. The next morning, Jessica and Matthew came back to Carlson's house. They knocked on the door but no one came to answer. They called out to Carlson but he still wasn't there. They tried turning the doorknob and found that it was open. They entered the house and found a lone pumpkin on the table. On top of it was a note. Matthew picked up the note. On the note, the words “Until next Halloween!” were written on it. Jessica and Matthew left the house feeling sad that they didn't get to see Carlson again. They kept Carlson's note and treated it as a promise. They came home that day looking forward to next Halloween, when they could spend another night with Carlson, the living pumpkin.
Sunday October 15, 2023
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TEEN TIME
Make a Determined Effort to keep Use your Unique Talents your Mind functioning at its best the following practices: Get regular exercise. Just 30 minutes of walking every day can help boost your mood and improve your health.
So let those who haven't found theirs yet, Tackle their way through life, Give them the joy of knowing they can't regret, In using them not for wrong but right. Even when we're feeling low, Or think there's no way out, We think we have no way to go, Not knowing what we're about.
Small amounts of exercise add up, so don't be discouraged if you can't do 30 minutes at one time. Deep breathing and weightlifting are also beneficial. Eat healthy, regular meals and stay hydrated. A
Finally we pull through, Because You're our only hope, We know with You we'll never lose, You give us the strength to cope.
balanced diet and plenty of water can improve your energy and focus throughout the day. Also, limit caffeinated beverages such as soft drinks or coffee, and stay away from alcohol and drugs . Mak e s leep a priority. Stick to a schedule, and make sure you're getting enough sleep. Blue light from devices and screens, like those on the cellphone, computer and television, can make it harder to fall asleep, so reduce blue light exposure from these devices
shortly before bedtime. Try a relaxing activity. Explore relaxation or wellness programs or apps, which may incorporate meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Schedule regular times for these and other healthy activities you enjoy, such as journalling, reading stories and watching movies. We will be continuing next week with some more tips on what you should do to keep your mind healthy and functioning at its best.
Killer sudoku
So as You made us all unique, Giving us different talents, Help us to find the ones we have, So that we can truly balance! Those of us who realise this, Make a special effort to find ours, And so achieve much power To do things greater than others. So take the time and effort To find your own hidden talents, And work to develop them To give your life true balance.
Ensure that your mental faculties are always working efficiently, as they above all else control what you make of your life.
Solutions to last week’s
GHOST MAZE
Killer Sudoku (also called Sum Sudoku) are a kind of hybrid puzzle that combine t h e b e s t features of Sudoku and Kakuro (crosssum) puzzles. Like a regular Sudoku, the rows, columns and 3x3 blocks contain the digits 1 thru 9. In addition, the dotted lines indicate areas, called cages, which also contain a set of non-repeating digits. If you add up the digits in a cage, you get the sum shown in its clue.
God made all human beings unique, With a special set of abilities, But sometimes we do not know this, And go through life with less.
Suguru
Your mind is that part of your personality that is responsible for the mental processes of which you have to be in control so as to make the most of your life. It includes the thinking processes you use in your daily activities, your memory, and the choices you make, which are facilitated by the functioning of the brain. Keep your mind healthy by
God made us all unique, Born in a world of talents, Giving us some special ones, Helping us all to balance.
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We Tried the Viral Heatless Hair Curlers Trending on TikTok The silk headband looks crazy, but the results speak for themselves. Heatless hair curlers are nothing new (remember hair rollers?), but the latest curl technique circulating TikTok For You Pages seems easier than ever. It starts with wrapping hair around a silk headband, then removing it to reveal mermaid-like waves. We totally get the appeal: If you're looking for a way to curl your hair fast, gently and achieve smooth, bouncy curls overnight, this makes it easy. The Good Housekeeping Institute's team of beauty chemists and product testing experts tried these viral Kitsch Satin Heatless Curling Set and LILYSILK Silk Curling Headband and Scrunchie Set out on different hair types, from thin to thick hair and short, medium to long lengths. Here's what we found: How do heatless hair curlers work? Hair's protein structure is held together by chemical bonds (disulfide bonds, salt bridges and hydrogen bonds), and "manipulating these bonds can reshape hair from its natural state," says GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Sabina Wizemann. Water breaks hydrogen bonds which cause wet hair to lose its original shape; when hair is dried (either by air or blow-drying) these bonds are reformed, and the new hair shape is locked in. In layman's terms, you can change your hair's shape as it dries. To do so, though, hair must be dried entirely; otherwise, even slightly wet hair will try to go back to its natural shape, says Wizemann, so when it comes to heatless styling, you'll need to avoid taking off the rollers until hair is fully dried through. Since heat can also break hydrogen bonds, this technique works on both wet and dry hair, but the benefit of using it for overnight airdrying is that you take any possible heat damage out of the equation. How to use a heatless hair curler A heatless hair curler kit usually comes complete with a satin-wrapped foam curling rod and two satin scrunchies. (We also recommend buying a claw clip to lock it in place.) On either wet or dry hair, place the ribbon over your head like a headband, using the clip to hold it in place. Start from the top and twist sections of hair around the ribbon, adding more little by little, then tie scrunchies at the end to keep everything in place. Then, cuddle up to your pillow! The before and after Here's how the viral heatless hair curlers worked for our inhouse testing pros: Ease of use: "There is a learning curve, so it may take a few tries to figure out how to use it and what method works best for your hair. If you're like me and have wavy hair, it may turn out better using a little heat like a quick blow dry. (I did so on my partially dry hair to take out some of my waves and frizz.)" The results: "After a few hours of wearing the headband, I took it out ... revealing beachy waves. The heatless hair curler results don't look quite as good as using a blow dryer or a curling iron, but I'm satisfied and would use it on days when I want an easy alternative to curling all my hair with a curling iron. The curls fell, but I think if I had applied hairspray, it would have held the waves more." The bottom line: "It's great for a casual yet put-together hair day, but I wouldn't use it for an important event or a night out." –Jamie Ueda, freelance writer Ease of use: "My hair is naturally wavy and short, so I struggled a bit wrapping my shoulder-length hair completely around the foam headband, but after redoing it a few times, it stayed in place with the included scrunchie and hair clip. Compared to stiff hair rollers I've tried in the past, I found these considerably more comfortable and less bothersome to sleep in." The results: "After eight hours of wearing this silk headband set on dry hair, the results were bouncy curls that mimic the results of my thick 32 mm curling iron." The bottom line: "Trying this overnight heatless headband curler means waking up like a Disney princess. I'm always looking for more ways to improve my hair health, so I'll definitely be using this non-heat method again, especially over uncomfy, stiff hair curlers." –Jacqueline Saguin, Associate Product & Reviews Editor Ease of use: "The rod is spongy but not flexible and keeping it steady to wrap short to mid-length hair around is awkward. I wished that it was heavier and denser so it wouldn't bounce so much. Sleeping with it was not a good idea; it ultimately slid out, but it may not be a problem with long hair. The second and third time I tried, it was during the day after a shower, which was fine, but not quite as comfortable as I https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty-products/hairexpected. styling-tool-reviews/a39413114/heatless-hair-curler-tiktok-review/
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Brazilian Delegation begins discussion with Berbice Chamber to form Berbice Amazonia Roraima Business Consortium (BARBC) to utilize CGX's Berbice Port On Friday, October 13 2023, a Brazilian delegation comprising Government and businesses from the northern Brazilian state of Roraima met with the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) to commence
Brazilian officials and businessmen, Berbice Chamber of Commerce and CGX Officials at the recently constructed wharf, Berbice River
discussions for the establishment of a consortium seeking to utilize CGX's Berbice port at Crab Island. The visit was organized by SEBRAE, a national Brazilian business development organization. The visit included the Senator of the Republic of Brazil from Roraima, Choco Rodrigues, together with 28 b u s i n e s s e s a n d representatives of the state government of Roraima and the federal government of the Republic of Brazil as well as senior directors of SEBRAE Roraima. According to Rodrigues, “The opportunity this port b r i n g s o ff e r s G u y a n a , Amazonia and Roraima a port which brings the ideal logistical linkages to meet the large cargo demand that exists now and will arise in the future. So, initially, grains for export to Asia, Europe and the rest of the world as well as importation of fertilizer, limestone, lubricants, and consumer goods will be greatly enhanced for Roraima and Amazonas through this Port. And this in turn will help to increase the production of additional agricultural exports in the states of Roraima and Amazonas. We in the Brazilian Government considers this Port to be of strategic importance and we are committed to working with CGX and the Government of Guyana to address the strengthening of the logistical linkages such as the Lethem to Linden road.” Samantha Reid, President of the BCCDA said, “We have been working with CGX for a number of years now to seek to attract the Northern
States of brazil to utilize the Berbice Deep Water Port in collaboration with businesses in Berbice. Today, this journey was significantly enhanced with the commencement of our discussions with our Brazilian counterparts. Mainly due to several outreach meetings that CGX has had in the past two months in Brazil to promote the Port, there is now heightened interest from growers and importers in Brazil to utilize Berbice as a gateway for their products to the Caribbean and the World. By partnering with CGX and these Brazilian businesses, Berbice businesses anticipates tremendous opportunities. We will be seeking to do a reciprocal visit to Roraima in the near future to continue advancing this process.” During his remarks, Almir Sa, Director of SEBRAE Roraima, said, “We are extremely enthusiastic about the Port in in Berbice being built by CGX. It presents the most logistically opportunistic location for facile shipment of Northern Brazilian produce to the world and fertilizer, energy products and consumer goods to Roraima and Amazonas. We a r e committed to helping set up a Consortium of Brazilian businesses and Guyanese businesses to take advantage of this Port. We were very pleased with the interactions with the Berbice Chamber of Commerce in this regard.” CGX recorded a discovery on its Corentyne block recently at the Wei-1 well and has been engaged in in-river construction of its Port on the Berbice river.
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Legendary band owner & party promoter, Mike Fung is a ‘Special Person’ By Rehanna Ramsay His welcoming personality and knack for
entertaining a crowd is undeniable, but what is most striking about 74-year-old
Mike Fung is his agility and drive to continue to service the local entertainment scene
Another section of the crowd who attended the event hosted by Promoter Mike Fung.
even after dedicating more than three decades to the business.
Mingles Sound Machine in action at the Tower Hotel during its re-launch last month. During an interview with T h e Wa t e r f a l l s , F u n g explained his love for the band- Mingles Sound Machine- and for party promotions is deep-rooted. He said, “It started in the 70's when I was still in my prime.” Fung revealed that he was hooked on “holding down the crowd” after his first time as an emcee. Fung recalled that he had just completed his studies at St. Stanislaus College and ventured onto the work scene when he met popular Guyanese entertainer and emcee, the late Terrence “Pancho” Carew. “A lot of people from the 70's know that name; he is the uncle of popular radio host
Guyanese band owner/ promoter Mike Fung Rocky Carew and he became my first mentor in the entertainment business. We met after I got my first job at Fogarty's store, where my mother was employed as a (Continued on page 59)
The good old days (third from left) Mike Fung and his close friend and mentor Jamaican musician the late Bryon Lee of renowned “Bryon Lee and Dragonaires” and friends.
A section of the re-launched Mingles Sound Machine band.
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CRAFT WORKS
Young Entrepreneur, Tooshana Naveeta Mohan
Just some of the décor ideas you can place orders for
“In today's society Young Entrepreneur creates employment opportunities for others and they also inspire other youths to start their own businesses.”
H
a v e a n upcoming event and looking for some really creative hand crafted décor, then look no further because 'Rainbow Room by Honey' has got you covered. This arts and craft small business is owned by the talented, 22-year-old Tooshana Naveeta Mohan, a mother of one who currently resides in Campbellville, Georgetown but is originally from Recess, Mahaicony. Mohan in a recent exclusive interview with this magazine said, 'Rainbow Ro o
m by Honey' all started By Allyiah Allicock back in 2019 and came about through her deep me to passion she has for the arts start my sma and crafts. ll business,” she explained. She recalled that having Since pursuing her finished high school in 2017, passion, Mohan said she now she started this venture in has a thriving business 2019 due to the lack of which provides services employment opportunities at such as handcrafted paper the time. flower backdrop, “I'm originally from customized tumbler, photo Recess Mahaicony where frames, budget binders, the only possible female jobs wooden margie signs, were teaching, sales balloon mosaics and many representative and domestic more. worker. After two years of Throughout her years in being home, I realized I had a business, the young woman strong passion for crafting said she has gotten and decorating which tremendous support from inspired customers all over the
co untry and “ I can't forget to count my family and husband who had my back in the hard times.” Having received tremendous support and feedback for her work, Mohan said just like any
o ther small business she too had her fair share of challenges along the way. F o r h e r, t h e m a i n challenge she highlighted was the limited stock supply and delivery in her area. “I had to come all the way to Georgetown for stocks, but since I've moved to Campbellville, I've managed to conquer that challenge,” she mentioned. When asked how the pandemic had affected her operations at the time, she noted that it was not highly impacted mainly because it is an online based business. Proud of how far she has come over the years, Mohan related that her long term goal is to start an Event Decor and Rental business. O u r f e a t u r e d entrepreneur is of the view that young entrepreneurs in our society are key players
since through their contribution to society, they open doors for job opportunities. “In today's society, young entrepreneurs creates employment opportunities for others and they also inspire other youths to start their own businesses,” she added. When asked how she thinks local small businesses such as hers can be boosted in society, she said from experience, a nice way to boost small businesses is to have a good delivery service countrywide,” she suggested. Persons interested in the services of Mohan's business, can contact her via Facebook at 'Rainbow Room by Honey', or on WhatsApp on telephone number (592) 616-8800.
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From page 14 a c c o u n t i n g f o r ExxonMobil’s profits as a builder of the pipeline and lender to Guyana for the money to build it? 6. How is Guyana’s decision to build the Gas-toEnergy plant related to ExxonMobil’s attempts to solve its flaring problem? 7. Is there an agreement between ExxonMobil and the government of Guyana that all of the natural gas supplied for this project will be free? 8. If not, what is the basis f o r t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’s assertion that it will be able to obtain 50 million cubic feet of free natural gas per day for the duration of the project? 9. What are the financial consequences, if any, to the government of Guyana if not all 50 MMcf/d of natural gas is used? 10.What are the anticipated terms of the US Ex-Im bank deal? 11. What alternative financing is the government of Guyana considering if the U.S. Ex-Im loan is not approved? 12. Has GPL quantified the level of investment needed to reduce losses to less than 10%? 13. How much will the government of Guyana have to spend to reduce rates by half? In addition to the foregoing, IEEFA believes citizens should demand that all contracts related to the gas-to-energy project should be made public Suspected Chinese hackers infiltrate govt systems -PM confirms probe underway The Government of Guyana has launched an investigation into an infiltration of its network system by hackers suspected to be Chinese, Kaieteur News learnt on Monday. Confirming the probe, Prime Minister Brigadier Retired Mark Phillips said, “We have a report, we are investigating that report right now to see exactly what really (is going on” He added that since the investigation is not yet completed, his government cannot at this time, “go to the public and say” that Chinese hackers are the ones involved. Phillips promised that a press statement on the findings from the investigation will be
released later today. On Thursday last, an ESET (Essential Security against Evolving Threats) research article penned by Fernando Tavella revealed that its researchers have discovered a Cyberepionage attack against a government entity in Guyana by hackers that could be Chinese. ESET i s a S l o v a k s o f t w a re company that specialises in cyber security.
Once these emails were opened, the hackers found their way into the g o v e r n m e n t ’s n e t w o r k system. “While we haven’t been able to link the campaign, which we named Operation Jacana, to any specific APT (advanced persistent threat) group, we believe with medium confidence that a Chinaaligned threat group is behind this incident”, ESET
President Mohamed Irfaan Ali shaking hands with Xi Jinping
Cyberspionage or cyber spying is a type of cyberattack where a hacker (s) attempts to access sensitive and classified data for economic gain, competitive advantage or political reasons and according to ESET, the attack on the Guyanese government was discovered in February this year and has been detected to be a spearphishing campaign. A spearphishing campaign basically means that the hackers infiltrated the government’s network systems by sending fraudulent emails to the targeted entity, inducing it to reveal personal information. To b r e a c h G u y a n a ’ s network, the hackers sent emails with reference to the country’s public affairs activities. The subject lines on the fraudulent emails sent were, “President Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s Official Visit to Nassau, The Bahamas and Guyanese fugitive in Vietnam”.
researchers said. In the cyber-attack against Guyana, the hackers used an undocumented C++ backdoor- a code used to covertly bypass normal authentication or encryption in a computer-that can “exfiltrate files, manipulate Windows registry keys, execute CMD commands, and more. This means that the hacker can transfer, extract or remove key data from the government’s network. ESET researchers have chosen to name the C++ b a c k d o o r u s e d , DinodasRAT. “We named the backdoor DinodasRAT based on the victim’s (Guyanese Government) identifier it sends to its C&C (Command and Controltype of attack that allows the hacker to communicate with and control its victim’s network).: the string always begins with Din, which reminded us of the hobbit Dinodas from the Lord of the Rings”, ESET said.
ESET added that after the hackers successfully compromised “the first couple of machines” (government computer systems) with DinodasRAT, the operators proceeded to move laterally-trying different methods to explore the network infiltrated to find more vulnerabilities to escalate access privileges and reach the ultimate target - and breach the g o v e r n m e n t ’s i n t e r n a l network. To breach the internal network the hackers not only used DinodasRat but also additional malicious software such as a variant of Korplug also known as PlugX. The use of the Korplug variant is what led ESET to believe that the hackers could be Chinese. Korplug variants are malwares that are quite common to China-aligned groups. Some examples of Korplug variants by Chinese hackers include, Mustang Panda’s Hodur, Old tricks and new Korplug variant. ESET said that while it is not 100 percent sure of the hacker (S) identity, recent developments in Guyana/China diplomatic relations is also pointing them in the direction that they are Chinese. “In February 2023, the same month that Operation Jacana occurred, the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) of Guyana arrested three people in a money laundering investigation involving Chinese companies, an act disputed by the local Chinese embassy”, ESET stated while adding “Additionally, as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, China has economic interests in Guyana”. WEDNESDAY Opposition demands copy of report on Exxon’s US$214M audit probe -Also wants copy of employment contract for Bobby Gossai Shadow Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs of Guyana, Roysdale Forde yesterday issued a letter to Commissioner of Information, Charles Ramson, Snr. formally requesting a copy of the employment contract of Gopnauth ‘Bobby’ Gossai who serves as the Senior Petroleum Coordinator in
Sunday October 15, 2023
subsequently determined that the government has reasonable grounds to demand that Exxon returns US$214M. Upon reviewing the findings of IHS Markit, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) which functions as the government’s advisor on these matters, gave its noobjection. The tax authority
Commissioner of Information for Gossai’s employment contract. “It is crucial for the public to have confidence in the hiring process and terms of employment for such a significant position, particularly in circumstances where there are serious lingering questions about the unauthorised negotiations between himself and ExxonMobil to reduce U S D $ 2 1 4 , 9 11 , 9 9 4 t o USD$3, 414,853.68,” said Forde in his letter. In addition to a copy of the contract or agreement, Forde also asked for a detailed job description setting out the powers, responsibilities and duties assigned to the head of the Petroleum Unit. Forde said this will assist in evaluating the competency and relevance of the appointed individual. The Opposition parliamentarian also requested information regarding the process employed to select the head of the Unit, including details of any advertisements, requisite qualifications, interview procedures, and the selection panel involved. Additionally, Forde asked for confirmation that the remuneration package for Gossai received the necessary approvals in accordance with governmental standards,
Shadow Minister of Legal Affairs, Roysdale Forde
Senior Petroleum Coordinator of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Gopnauth ‘Bobby’ Gossai
subsequently issued a notice to the Ministry of Natural Resources on August 8, 2023 instructing that the audit be closed and Exxon be informed of the final disputed sums. It was later revealed that the ministry’s Petroleum Unit did not heed GRA’s advice and engaged Exxon in the reduction of the flagged sums to US$3M. The ministry disclosed that this was an unauthorized move by Gossai who is set to face disciplinary action. In the interim, Forde has issued a request to the
regulations and policies. Forde asked for the foregoing to be provided within three weeks from y e s t e r d a y. F o r d e a l s o dispatched a similar letter to the Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat where he requested to have a copy of the investigative report prepared on Gossai’s actions. Forde also asked for the minister to furnish him with Gossai’s employment contract. The Shadow Minister of Legal Affairs also asked (Continued on page 53)
the Ministry of Natural Resources. Kaieteur News previously reported that Gossai was recently identified as the individual who mishandled an audit into US$1.7B in expenses incurred by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited in the Stabroek Block from 1999 to 2017. British company, IHS Markit was hired back in 2019 to conduct the audit and
Prime Minister, (Brigadier Retired) Mark Phillips
Kaieteur News
Sunday October 15, 2023
From page 52 Minister Bharrat to say what action has been taken in response to the unauthorized negotiations, including disciplinary actions, policy changes, or any other measures implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future. He urged the minister to provide this information within seven days of the receipt of his letter to facilitate a thorough review by the political opposition. Leguan Stelling in limbo …as Govt. accuses contractor of extortion While the Leguan Stelling project is still to be completed after some six years , the Ministry of Public Works on Tuesday accused the contractor – Sattrohan Maraj of S.Maraj Contracting Services, of trying to extort money for some unfinished works at the facility. The ministry in a release yesterday addressed a news article published in another section of the media, which stated that the contractor alleged that works on the stelling stalled due to outstanding money owed to company by the government. “Contractors and vendors providing service to the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Public Works, are hereby warned against any attempt to bully, and or manipulate the government into paying for incomplete projects,” the ministry stated after refuting the claims by the contractor. The ministry went onto explain that the Leguan Stelling project which was expected to be completed by June 7, 2019 after the contract was signed in 2018, remains a thorn in the side of the government today, “with a contractor trying to extort money, even as only 2% of the work is said to be remaining on the project.”
According to the ministry, the contractor has manifested opportunism throughout the execution of the contract, utilising perceived deficiencies and ambiguities in the bill of quantities, as a basis for making claims for additional payments for the execution of aspects of works. These include claims for additional payment for activities that are inherent to the execution of the works, and which are typically catered for in the bill rates at the bidding phase. According to the ministry, one of two notable examples that have had significant financial implications on the contract is the contractor’s claim for additional payment for clearing the riverbed at the project site of obstacles prior to driving the pre-stressed concrete piles for the stelling. In addition, another obstacle is the claim of additional payment by the contractor for cutting of prestressed concrete piles to the design cut-off level after driving. The ministry noted that the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), which is responsible for all stellings, has sought resolution to the contractor’s claims and has negotiated reasonable settlements with entity. The release stated that a total of ten variation orders have been resolved under the contract to date, with the contractor being fully compensated in accordance with negotiated agreements. “These were addressed under Addendum No.1 which was ratified between the Contractor and T&HD in December 2022. The Contractor’s assertion that the Ministry is reluctant to resolve legitimate claims under the contract is therefore dishonest,” the ministry mentioned.
The ministry said it held a negotiation meeting with the company prior to the ratification of Addendum No.1 and it noted that the contractor gave a commitment to completing the project expeditiously prior to the June 5, 2023 deadline and within the revised contract sum of $607,259,260.00. “ A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e Contractor has deliberately delayed the execution of works at a critical juncture in the project execution when the links pan bridge installation is required to complete the major infrastructure works on the project. There is currently no impairment to the Contractor installing the link span bridge. The T&HD has processed payments due to the Contractor to provide the cash flow needed to execute this outstanding aspect of the works,” the ministry said. According to the ministry, the T&HD issued multiple directives to the contractor regarding the completion of the link span bridge installation in accordance with the contract requirements and that the outstanding claims for payment to the contractor will be resolved in accordance with the provisions of the addendum. T h e P u b l i c Wo r k s Ministry noted that the contractor’s failure to fulfill the outstanding project obligations as directed by the ministry will result in the application of recourse and compensatory provisions for non-performance in accordance with the contract and national procurement framework. The contract for the rehabilitation of the Leguan Stelling was signed in 2018 by the APNU+AFC government and since then, the contract sum has ballooned from $413 million
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to $607 million. Speeding driver kills elderly woman A 56-year-old-woman died on Monday after she was struck down by a speeding car on the Lusignan Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara (ECD). Dead is Pulwantie Ramjan. According to the police, the accident occurred around 18:15hrs on Monday and involved a motor vehicle which was driven by a 25year-old woman of Non Pariel, ECD. Investigations disclosed that the driver was proceeding east along the northern side of the Lusignan Embankment at a high rate of speed when the vehicle collided with Ramjan. The woman was crossing the road from north to south when she was struck down by the car. She was flung into the air and subsequently fell onto the road surface and sustained several injuries about her body. Emergency medical technicians who were summoned to the scene pronounced the woman dead. Her body was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) mortuary. A breathalyzer test was conducted on the driver, which showed no trace of alcohol. Further investigations are ongoing. THURSDAY Norton not interested in report on Exxon’s US$214M audit fiasco -says Roysdale Forde acting on his own with requests to Govt. While his Shadow Attorney General, Roysdale Forde has approached the government for a copy of the
Shadow Attorney General (AG), Roysdale Forde investigative report that details the mishandling of an audit into ExxonMobil’s US$1.7B expenses, Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton clarified yesterday that he has no interest it in. He also confirmed that this is the position of the political opposition. On Tuesday, Forde informed the media that he dispatched two letters, one to the Commissioner of Information, Charles Ramson Snr. and another to Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat. His letter to Ramson requested a copy of the employment contract for Gopnauth “Bobby” Gossai who serves as the Senior Petroleum Coordinator for the Ministry of Natural Resources. Gossai was identified by his ministry as the official who engaged Exxon in the unauthorised reduction of its questionable expenses from US$214M to US$3M. The US$214M sum was flagged by IHS Markit, a British firm t h a t a u d i t e d E x x o n ’s spending in the Stabroek Block for the period 1999 to 2017. Forde’s letter the Natural Resources Minister requested a copy of the investigative report on Gossai’s actions. Norton made it clear yesterday that while he respects Forde’s right to seek information, his
The Leguan Stelling where rehabilitation works have been ongoing.
Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton request is not one that represents the Opposition’s stance. “The Office of the Leader of the Opposition wishes to reaffirm that the PPP’s attempts to throw public servant, Bobby Gossai, Senior Petroleum Coordinator in the MNR, under the bus for the $214M audit scandal have fooled no one that culpability fully rests with his subject Minister and with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo,” Norton’s office said. He added, “While the Office of the Leader of the Opposition fully supports the rights of our members of parliament to seek information on government affairs, we wish to declare that, as a political entity, we have absolutely no interest in the audit probe report and in Mr. Gossai’s employment contract, as have been requested of the government by one of our MPs.” Norton said the probe by government is “an insult to the intelligence of the Guyanese people.” The official said he nor the wider Opposition he represents, will play no part in it. “Snow cone man” killed, daughter injured after knocked off motorcycle A popular snow cone vendor was killed around (Continued on page 54)
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From page 53 Wednesday afternoon after a van knocked him and his daughter off a motorcycle at Scottsburg, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six. Dead is 67-year David Rose of Springlands, Corentyne Berbice and hospitalized is Shenezia Rose. Police said Rose was riding the motorcycle along the Corentyne road at Scottsburg with his daughter as the pillion rider when a van struck the bike from behind. The driver of the van, a 23-year-old man from Reliance, East Canje, Berbice alleged that Rose had made a sudden right turn in front of him and he could not slow down in time. The impact flung Rose and his daughter onto the roadway causing them to sustain severe injuries to their bodies. They were both picked up by persons passing by and rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital, where Rose was pronounced dead on arrival and his daughter admitted. The driver of the van is in police custody assisting with investigations. Rose was popularly known for not only selling snow cones but reportedly making the best homemade icecream in Berbice. GGMC calls on citizens to report allegations of goldsifting at Chinese Manganese Company Amid allegations of gold-sifting at the Chinese-
run Guyana manganese Inc., Commissioner of Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Newell Dennison is calling on citizens to report any illegal mingling of materials in shipments. Dennison’s comments come on the heels of a Kaieteur News article on Monday which shed some light on the allegations. Instead of directly responding to this newspaper, he dispatched a letter to the Stabroek News, calling on citizens to come forward with any information they may have about the claims. “The GGMC would welcome any credible reporting of the illegal commingling of commodities in their shipment from Guyana, so that the same can be properly investigated,” Dennison said in his missive to Stabroek News. The issue first came to light when Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall raised it on his nightly radio show. Noting that Guyanese are not allowed to work near the mills, Lall said that the Guyana Manganese Inc. (GMI) company at Matthews Ridge is sifting the two minerals “non-stop” at the North West District mining operation. “The socalled manganese plant sifting manganese and gold non-stop in Matthews Ridge and not a single Guyanese is allowed to work near the mills separating the gold from the manganese,” Lall
alleged. Lall made the revelation on his show which is aired on Kaieteur Radio every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 19:20hrs and rebroadcasted on other days. The publisher noted that in the year 2022, Guyana collected around US $5M in earnings from manganese, when over $1B left the c o u n t r y ’s s h o r e s . T h e company, a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned Bosai Minerals Group, obtained the rights to operate at Matthews Ridge in 2016. Lall said the company has a fleet of 40-60 tonne trucks driven by Guyanese. The trucks transport the manganese to Port Kaituma from its operations base. However, he said locals are not involved in the operation beyond this point. “The loading of the manganese on the barges and on the ship, is strictly done by the Chinese. Guyanese don’t get to see what or how much is being loaded on those barges or ships on a daily basis. What is the reason for that?” Lall questioned. He went on to say that Guyana is giving away raw manganese in billions of US dollars while on the other hand, the country imports the finished products by the hundreds of millions of US dollars to purify the country’s water supply at the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI). “I was also informed that these ships when they leave Port Kaituma, they do not go out and offload immediately
into the big ship waiting outside in the Atlantic Ocean. It goes first to Linden at the bauxite company to pick up bauxite. Then head out to offload in the big ship in the Atlantic Ocean,” Lall alleges. He further claims that at Port Kaituma, the ships are not filled to the brim, noting that only three quarters with manganese are loaded there. The ships, he claims then head to Linden where a small quantity of bauxite is spread on top to cover the manganese. According to Lall when declared with customs, the consignment does not leave Guyana as the expensive manganese metal, but rather, as the cheaper mineral, bauxite. Lall alleged that in order to cover up the scam, no Guyanese national is allowed to work near the ships at Port Kaituma. But that’s not all, he added. He said that some years ago, Chinese nationals entered Guyana illegally to test the ground at Matthews Ridge to detect what minerals they could find to exploit. Upon their discovery of the exact mineral, they were after, which is gold, the Chinese company informed the government that they were going to conduct manganese operations in Guyana. “Them people land on a gold mine in Matthews Ridge, wuh become a gold galore, uncle day and night, is not enough for them people to wuk, them ain’t only install one grinding
Mining of Manganese at Matthew’s Ridge
Sunday October 15, 2023
mill, them install three mills that separates the gold from the manganese,” Lall said. He claims that the manganese plant is a dualpurpose venture, sifting gold and manganese non-stop and Guyanese aren’t allowed to work near the site. He illustrated the operations on his show with photographs, which indicated the processing tray of the minerals and it was clear that the ratio of raw gold greatly outweighed that of the manganese. GMI is not registered to mine gold. The company never declared “a single pennyweight” of gold to the Guyana Gold Board. Lall added that he is in possession of video evidence which shows the magnitude of the gold operations to substantiate his claims. Meanwhile, in his letter Dennison highlighted that the processing of manganese for shipment does not readily present the opportunity for the processing of gold. Dennison went on to state that the large-scale operators in mining such as bauxite, manganese, and gold are regularly inspected and processes observed which should uncover such obvious occurrences as the “sifting of gold non-stop at Matthews Ridge.” He further stated, that there are no areas of mining operations that GGMC staff cannot access as it is not off limits, and the agency has a constant staff presence of technical officers’ at large-
scale mining operations. “There are no areas of the mining operations that are off limits to the GGMC officers who are on regular and/or special inspections of the companies’ operations,” Dennison said. The Commissioner did note that the shipments of mineral commodities from Guyana have different aspects that engage officials from State agencies, who are competent authorities for such business. He said that GGMC has never been denied access to loading areas, if necessity arose. In August 2021, Kaieteur News reported that with the Guyana’s growing extractive sectors being key to the n a t i o n ’s d e v e l o p m e n t , communities like Matthews Ridge, highlight the need for a more robust engagement on the part of the government when monitoring the activities of companies like GMI and enforcing laws, (Continued on page 55)
Head of GGMC, Newell Dennison
Sunday October 15, 2023
From page 54 which are supposed to protect citizens, their livelihoods, and environment. FRIDAY AG asking court to impose higher cost to prevent citizens from filing frivolous oil-related cases Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC is asking the High Court to impose higher cost to prevent citizens from filing frivolous cases related to the oil sector. The AG was at the time speaking of cases filed by private citizens in relation to ExxonMobil Guyana Limited operations which were eventually dismissed. Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George threw out a case filed by three women activists against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which sought to halt the flaring of gas offshore by ExxonMobil. She found that the application lacked evidence and merit and was one of several cases brought by litigants with similar intentions. The respondents were ordered to pay EPA $150,000 in costs. During a recent airing of his programme, ‘Issues in the News’ Nandlall described the matter as ‘frivolous ad vexatious.’ According to the AG, such cases are wasting valuable judicial resources. He therefore called on the court to implement measures which would dissuade individuals from bringing such matters to the court. He expressed his deep concern about individuals filing abusive cases that, in the end, prove to be without merit. He explained: “That case is one in a series of cases… there are others involving Vanda Radzik, D a n u t a R a d z i k , Tr o y Thomas almost all of them expect the unlimited guarantee case have been struck out. Today the CJ ruled that the evidence presented did not have any relevance to the case that the
c a s e d i d n ’t h a v e a n y merit….that a case was not made that it was not only hopeless but hopelessly present…Her honour dismissed the case but she awarded $150,000 cost .” “These litigants go on the internet, they pull down a whole set of information about the environment, pages and pages of documents, half of which are irrelevant and 99 per cent of which are inadmissible as evidence because the maker of those documents is not before the court,” Nandlall added. The AG noted too that his concerns were not unfounded, as Guyana had recently witnessed several legal challenges where politicians challenged the State and citizens brought cases against state agencies on environmental issues. He lamented on the impact that such matters have on the State resources. According to Nandlall, “Billions of dollars are being spent annually to resource the judiciary. Millions of dollars is expended in hearing and determining these cases. The State through resources to the judiciary expends millions and millions of dollars to hear and determine one of these cases,” the AG said adding that “The state is invariably sued through one of its arms and agencies, lawyers have to be hired, time has to be consumed and research has to be done only for the matters and in the end the cases make no sense and the only for the cases to be dismissed as frivolous and vexatious, and without merit.” As such, the AG stated that the courts need to take a more proactive stance in discouraging frivolous litigation by awarding appropriate orders for costs when dismissing such cases. He lamented that while he is not against public-spirited citizens filing cases, there must be a balanced approach to litigation, where genuine cases are heard without impediment and frivolous cases are discouraged through appropriate legal measures. “I am not against public
Kaieteur News
spirited citizens filing cases that are important part of democracy, that civic duty but again the cases must be just. They cases can’t be fishing expeditions…” he said. The Attorney General continued: “we have an already overworked judicial system that is nationally recognised. We have people with genuine cases involving their properties, freedoms, and families. Cases that put people’s lives on hold and those cases remain languishing in the system.” The AG stressed therefore that when challenges had been dismissed as lacking merit, substantial costs had been awarded to the respondents. “I believe that these cases are of the same mould but all I am asking for is that when these cases are dismissed, the court must express [its] displeasure. It must send a message that it will not allow its processes to be used in this frivolous manner. It costs a lot of money to hear and determine one of these cases,” the AG stressed. Boy, 4, suffers fractured skull, after beaten by stepfather Police in Region Three are in search of a 29-year-old man who went into hiding after allegedly beating his stepson, leaving him hospitalised. Injured is four-year-old Travis Morrison. He is currently a patient at the West Demerara Regional Hospital suffering from a fractured skull among other injuries. Kaieteur News understands that the incident occurred on Sunday at about 23:50hrs at Parika Façade, East Bank Essequibo. Police stated that the suspect has been identified as David Josiah. It was reported to them that on Sunday, the man went home after imbibing on the road. He then became involved in a heated argument with his common-law wife, 32-yearold Rebecca Premdass. As a result, they began fighting in the presence of the little boy and his elder brother, Kevin
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Morrison. Police learnt that as a result of the altercation, the boys ran out of their home to seek help. On seeing them running away, the suspect then ran behind them and managed to grab hold of the younger child and allegedly gave him several blows to his body and head, before making good his escape. On Monday, the police revealed that about 08:00 hrs, Premdass went to the Parika Police Station with her son Travis, where she reported that her son had fallen down the previous night and that the suspect never hit him. However, police said, she was issued a medical form to seek medical attention for herself and her child. Following that report made that day, police disclosed that at about 16:00 hrs, checks were made in Parika Facade for the suspect, but he was not seen. It was reported that on Tuesday morning, the woman again returned to the Police Station, where she informed ranks that her son was admitted as a patient at West Demerara Regional Hospital, awaiting results from a CT scan. As a result, a detective made checks at the said medical institution, where this was confirmed. The next day police said they were updated by Premdass who stated following the scan, it showed that her son suffered a fractured skull and was still hospitalised. Police said on Thursday that the suspect is still in hiding and an investigation is ongoing. The Child Care and Protection Agency is reportedly investigating the matter. Red Road crumbles under weight of ministry’s stone In an unusual event on Thursday afternoon, the Providence Access Road popularly known as ‘Red Road’ crumbled and “bulged” due to the weight of piles of aggregate being stored in a parking lot nearby. This is according to
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill who shortly after the incident briefed the public about the situation. “We have an unusual event that has occurred not so long ago. We have a bulge that has taken place that has raised the road almost between 6 and 8 feet in some places,” he said yesterday. According to the minister, his engineering team who responded to the scene have examined the situation and found that it was the 30,000 tones of stockpile of aggregate that was stored on the extension of the parking lot of the National Stadium that has caused a movement of the earth and destroyed the road.”It is clear that with the bulge, this entire stretch of about 150 meters of road have been totally destroyed,” he briefed. He noted that the situation has caused some amount of inconvenience to commuters and because of what has taken place, they have restricted traffic on Red Road all the way from the East Bank Highway to the entrance of Massy Supermarket. Minster Edghill went onto explained that what is being done to address the situation is that they have machines that are moving some of the aggregate to another location. “We have already mobilised two emergency contractors, and equipment will begin to work with the intention that we have to do a full reconstruction of this section of the road,” the minister added. He noted that the aggregate is owned and maintained by the Ministry of Public Works, and from what occurred at Red Road, “lessons would be learnt” to prevent such from happening again. “We apologies to the public for the inconvenience,” he said. Gov’t. to seek BOOT investors for Amaila project again Following another failed attempt last year to move to the construction phase of the 165 megawatts (MW)
Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, SC Amaila Falls Hydro project, government is set to re-invite proposals later this week for the initiative. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during his weekly press conference yesterday revealed that the administration will be seeking investors to submit proposals for a Build, Own, Operate Transfer (BOOT) model arrangement. “Before the end of the week, we should also go out back for the hydro power…you would see a new request for proposals before the end of the week to return to that,” Jagdeo said. The Vice President was keen to note that government plans to reinvite proposals for a BOOT model to avoid upfront costs. “Yes, it would be, we made that clear from the beginning, that’s why we terminated the engagement with the Chinese (last year) because they won it on a BOOT arrangement and then they wanted to transform it to an EPC and we said no. We don’t want to own the plant, we will buy the power.” He said it was falsely reported that government was going to acquire US$2M in debt but the BOOT arrangement will see Guyana purchasing power from the initiative rather than owning the plant. Jagdeo clarified that if the c o m p a n y, d u r i n g t h e construction stage, or during operation, encounters any challenges, Guyana will not be saddled with that debt or cost of investment. According to him, “No, because we are buying power supplied, so they (Continued on page 56 )
A close up shot of the damaged road. (Photo courtesy, Ganesh Mahipaul, MP )
The section of Red Road, Providence which was damaged and bulged up on Thursday.
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Kaieteur News
Cop found with gun, ammo in car ‘under close arrest’
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The air pistol and ammunition found in cop’s car. munition were found on the floor of the driver’s side and the panel of the driver’s door. Police said the rank, who is attached to the General Sec-
tion, was told of the offence committed and taken to Anna Regina Police Station, where he is assisting with the investigation.
Gov’t. to seek BOOT investors...
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A Police Constable attached to the Regional Police Division in Region Two is presently under ‘close arrest’ after he was found with an air pistol and ammunition in his car on Friday. According to the police, around 16:25hrs on Friday a search was conducted on his motorcar (PAB 1605), in his presence, and a suspected air pistol, black in colour was found in the vehicle’s glove compartment. A further search was conducted in the vehicle, and two (2) live 9MM rounds of am-
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From page 55 would have a power purchase agreement, so if they can’t supply the power, they don’t get paid. They get paid on power delivered to the Eccles control center that we advertised for.” On the issue of water supply, he said there will be a reservoir to supply adequate water. “You can’t just build it on the river, you have low drought season and you have rainy season, we showed in the period with drought you would have about 750 I think gigawatt hours and then I think if it goes to the rainy season 1,300 gigawatt hours.” The VP anticipates that the cost per Kilowatt hour (kwh) will be sold to Guyana for less now. Last year, the administration was in talks with Chinese Contractor – China Railway First Group, following the outcome of a public procurement process; however, the company later pulled out from the arrangement after reportedly being unable to fund the venture. It was VP Jagdeo who revealed last year that the company’s request to shift to an EPC (Engineer, Procure,
Construct) option was not approved by government. Under the BOOT arrangement, the company would be required to finance and construct the power plant for Guyana to purchase power under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). After 20 years it would be transferred to the government for free. The EPC contract however required government to finance the project, with the best company being hired to construct the facility. It was reported that a total of four companies had submitted proposals to government for the project at the time, and China Railway Group Limited was identified as the most ‘capable partner’ by the Evaluation Committee after a rigorous evaluation process, following which NPTAB submitted the relevant recommendation to Cabinet for ‘no objection’. Notably, Jagdeo had defended the move to retender the project saying that the second closest bidder would not be feasible since the cost would work out to more than that of the Gas-to-Shore project.
ITV weatherman takes... From page 41 was rocked by the loss of his close friend. “Martin passing was obviously quite a moment in our lives; I say our lives, because our families are very close,” he tells me. “His brother Leon is also my best friend. To watch people close to you also go through those kinds of things, you want to scoop them up and help them. But it’s a real journey that we’ve been on. We’re still on it.” So when the opportunity came along, to bring stories of Black men’s mental health struggles to light, Beresford felt compelled to be a part of it. In ‘Black Boys Can Cry’,
Beresford meets several Black men from across the country who have experienced mental health struggles. Shocking statistics reinforce a glaring disparity in mental health diagnoses; it’s revealed that Black men are the most likely demographic to be diagnosed with a serious mental health issue and five times more likely than others to be sectioned. Early on in the film, we meet the rap artist, Shocka, who speaks openly of the experience of being sectioned four times after a professional disappointment led to a drastic decline in his mental health.
Sunday October 15, 2023
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Guyana must know financial devastation that can be caused by oil spill - Norton
L
eader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton believes an economic assessment must be conducted to determine the likely financial devastation that can be caused by an oil spill that occurs in the Stabroek Block. In an invited comment during his virtual press conference on Friday, the Leader said the Opposition in an engagement with ExxonMobil registered its concerns of an oil spill when the company admitted that a major disaster is likely to cost above the US$2 billion affiliate guarantee that has been provided to the Government of Guyana (GoG). As such, Norton said the Opposition noted its support for a parent company guarantee. According to him, “Exxon at the time said that they were prepared to honour and to deal with any oil spill...and so we anticipate that they will fulfill that promise but outside of that, we have always been saying that all of these things should have proper feasibility studies (and) proper analysis and we will continue to push to ensure that that is the case.” Norton added, “You cannot operate such a mammoth industry without proper economic analysis.” The Leader said the economic study to determine the likely devastation from a spill, is particularly important even as Guyana prepares for further exploration at other oil blocks. He said, “It (the study) is even useful for us to know because in the future
Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton
you have to plan how you deal with all of these blocks, etcetera and you are dependent upon data to do that.” The Economic Advisor to the Opposition Leader, Elson Low also weighed in on the subject, urging the importance of the study. He reasoned, “It is vital that appropriate protocols are in place if there is going to be additional production and it is vital that the appropriate studies are done to that effect. The reason that we are asking these questions is because we understand the severity and seriousness of the issue.” He was referring to the fact that ExxonMobil is currently producing oil at the Liza One and Liza Two projects above the designed safety rates.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader pointed out, “We also are of the view that as a country we lack the capacity to deal with those things and therefore we have to put the mechanisms in place.” He was keen to note that while the Opposition wants to see Exxon do business, he wants Guyanese to benefit from the vast oil discovered offshore, but at the same time the necessary safeguards must be in place to protect the country and its resources. In September, Kaieteur News reported that four months after the President of Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM), Darren Woods urged shareholders of the fortune 500 company to vote against a petition calling for a
thorough study on the economic impacts of an oil spill from the Stabroek Block, the company’s consultant; Environmental Resources Management (ERM) revealed that no such assessment was ever conducted. Woods had called on the shareholders of the company to vote against the proposal since he believes there were adequate studies already done to determine impacts to the Region. E R M ’s S o c i o e c o n o m i c Resources / Stakeholder Engagement Specialist, Anna Sundby, however during a public consultation hosted at the Leonora Technical Institute, West Coast Demerara, revealed that no such financial study was ever done in Guyana. She was at the time responding to a question from Kaieteur News on what the likely devastation of an oil spill at the sixth project could cost. Sundby in response explained, “I can’t say because it’s not part of the EIA. We haven’t done an economic model of what the maximum economic impact would be. What we focus on with the unplanned events chapter is identifying what the risk of those scenarios are, so we can put the right measures in place to manage that risk and so that really comes down to the oil spill response plan.” Following up, Kaieteur News asked the consultant if such an assessment was ever conducted in prior EIAs or separately to underline the cost associated with a
spill that can occur at any of the deepwater projects. To this end, Sundby explained that ERM has never undertaken such a task, since evaluating the cost of a spill is not ideally part of an EIA. The revelation that such a key assessment is yet to be conducted comes months after President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of X O M , D a r r e n Wo o d s t o l d shareholders of the company to vote against the need for such an assessment since it was a waste of time and money. Woods during Exxon Mobil’s Annual Shareholder Meeting in May this year said, “Given the comprehensive materials that are publicly available on our website, including our preparedness plan and the EIAs (Environmental Impact Assessments) related to our Guyana operations, creating an additional report as requested by this proposal would place an unnecessary administrative burden on ExxonMobil, be wasteful of the Company’s time and resources, and therefore is not in the best interests of shareholders. For the reasons stated above, the Board recommends a vote against this proposal.” Mercy Investment Services Inc., a Shareholder in the company submitted a proposal seeking support for a thorough assessment to be conducted of the likely impacts to the Caribbean islands. It was later defeated as majority of the oil giant’s Shareholders voted against the proposal.
Doctor accused of rape flees home Police are still searching for the doctor who raped a pregnant Ve n e z u e l a n w o m a n o n September 24 last. Kaieteur News learnt that he has moved out of his home leaving his neighbours and even lawmen clueless about his whereabouts. The alleged rapist reportedly went into hiding after news broke that he had allegedly lured a pregnant Venezuelan woman looking for a job into a trap and brutally raped and sodomised her. According to the allegations made, the victim fell into his trap by responding to a job advertisement posted in a Facebook group called “Venezolanos en Guyana”. She said vacancies were advertised for live-in cleaners and painters. Desperate for another job and a place to stay after her boyfriend threw her out and her former boss terminated her services as waitress because she was pregnant, the woman immediately made contact with the number attached to the advertisement.
Kaieteur News saw screenshots of the exchange between the doctor and the victim and it was clear that the perpetrator tricked the Venezuelan woman. He asked, “Ok you work to paint road already?” and she responded,” Yes I need a job urgently and somewhere to sleep.” The suspect agreed and opted to pick her up from her hotel for an interview at a location in Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD). She recalled a short man, who was light skinned in complexion, picking her up in a white pick-up with black stripes at the side. The Venezuelan woman said they talked about work all the way to a yellow two-storey house with a small white car in the yard. According to the victim, at one point she became suspicious but brushed her fears aside and entered the house. “He offered me something to drink and I did not accept it,” she said in tears while explaining that the man then suddenly became aggressive demanding that she
take off her clothes. The woman said that he then grabbed her, held her down, and threw a white substance in her mouth before stripping off her clothes. “He then raped me,” the pregnant woman said while relating that he also sodomized her brutally leaving her bleeding and in pain. “It was horrible,” she recounted. Since the rape, this newspaper has learnt that it is not the first time the doctor has sexually molested women. Cases against him would hit a dead end allegedly because of his connections in the justice system and his ability to buy victims’ silence with cash. Meanwhile, the Police are not the only ones looking for doctor. A Chinese woman based in Russia is also hunting him down to pay child support. The woman said he impregnated her in 2019 while in Russia. According to the woman, he promised to return for her and the child but never did and is also refusing to pay child support.
The vehicle used by the Doctor to pick-up his victim
Kaieteur News
Sunday October 15, 2023
Legendary band owner & party promoter... The band in full action at Tower Hotel on Main Street.
From page 50 manager.” According to Fung, Carew also encouraged him to pursue a career in sales and marketing. “After I left Fogarty’s, I started selling insurance with First Federation Life. At the time, Pancho Carew was the owner of Guyana’s number one musical band called ‘The Combo Seven,’ and I started hanging out with the band,” he revealed. It was sometime after this, that he and Carew collaborated to form their own band “The Gemstone Combo.” “That was when he taught me how to emcee,” Fung stated. As his love for entertainment thickened, Fung’s career in sales also thrived. He became an insurance salesman at the British American Insurance company and later at Demerara Mutual Life Insurance. As a blossoming salesman, his desire was to move up the rank. As such, he said that he went on to selling merchandise for Guyana Refrigerators Limited where he was employed as a sales manager. There, he sold refrigerators and stoves to customers throughout the Caribbean. As his popularity as a sales manager grew, the job offers started to pour in. “When Rex Mc Kay launched Guy-America Airways, I became the Sales Manager for that airline,” Fung recalled. Band Life It was in 1984, when his work with a new company, West Indies Synthetics Limited caused him to move to the Islands, that he met his greatest entertainment mentor and friend, Jamaican musician and band owner, Byron Lee. “My work caused me to have to travel and live in Barbados for two years and Jamaica for two years. That is when I became friends with the legend, Byron Lee.
He taught me so much about the band life. He was an excellent manager, musician and friend.” He continued, “Many of my successes as a band o w n e r, I o w e t o h i s mentorship.” Fung recalled that Lee gave him the best piece of advice about longevity in band ownership. “He said to me that ‘For your band to last, you have to be a part of it,’ I didn’t play instruments so he taught how to be a sound engineer.” As a result, after him returning home in 1988, Fung started planning the launch of his own band. “First I started the Mingles Night Club at Third and Albert Streets, Alberttown and from there everything evolved,” he said. In 1992, Fung and his brother Derek launched the band. “I took the name from my club, ‘Mingles’ and my favourite musical group the, ‘Miami Sound Machine’ and we launched Mingles Sound Machine.” According to the entertainer, the band started out with 12 members. “We had three vocalists, six persons in the riddim section and three in the horn section,” he said. By 1994, he said Mingles Sound Machine became wildly popular; their name spread locally and internationally. “The band started to travel; we went on a three month international tour. We were invited to Caribana in Toronto in 1994 Montreal, Quebec, Winnipeg, later we went to New York for Labour Day. We also played for the Carnival at Baltimore, Atlanta and Miami,” he said. Fung said that he was fully engrossed in band life. “It was about 14 of us; we stayed in hotels and were away from our families for weeks and sometimes months,” he added. Given its origin, he said the band, also drew a Caribbean fan base. “Our music had heavy
Caribbean influences, lots of reggae, soca, calypso, chutney in addition to international music,”he said. As a result, Mingles Sound Machine became well known in the Caribbean. “We travelled for Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago, Crop Over in Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Jamaica. We did some shows with my friend Bryon Lee’s band, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires and our name spread throughout the region,” he said. Popular promoter As a result of the band’s new found fame, the ‘Mingles Sound Machine’ owner ventured out as a promoter on the local entertainment scene. He said that back then, he was able to host a number of popular musicians. “We brought in so many artistes, Yellow man, Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Shabba Ranks, Sean Paul, Shaggy, Maxi Priests, Beres Hammond and of course Byron Lee and the Dragonaires as well as a whole hosts of others,” he said. In addition to the shows which were a huge hit with Guyanese party goers, the band entertained at staff parties, weddings and birthdays. “We also held shows where Guyanese talents were given opportunities to perform,” he said. He said that the band continued to travel touching its fan base in Suriname, French Guiana and other parts of the region. Given his experience in the business, Fung collaborated with other newcomers to the promotion scene. “We worked along with Hits and Jams for about ten to fifteen years after they first launched,” he said. Fung said that he continued to work in entertainment until the pandemic hit in 2020. “We took a break but we are coming back with a bang.
We recently re-launched the band and we have a number of shows coming up. On November 18, we have a special show- a tribute to my mentor Byron Lee- 15 years after he passed,” Fung said. Career longevity Fung’s longevity on the music and entertainment scene should come as no surprise as he displayed similar consistency. In fact, Fung only resigned from his position as a sales and marketing executive at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) last year. The band owner holds an impressive resume given his keen knowledge of the Caribbean market having worked for many years as sales a marketing executive in the region, dealing with all aspects of the regional market. Fung boasts intimate knowledge in sales and marketing dating back to 1973. At one point, he had under his command a 15member regional sales team, with years of experience of setting up, training and promoting /products for distributors, big retail chains, hotels and hospitality industry such as night clubs, restaurants chains. In addition, Fung also worked for the Roraima Group of Companies and Jags Aviation for a number of years. According to his resume, Fung is described as the ideal sales and marketing executive due his knowledge acute insight into the strata of the market from distribution chains to retail, hospitality industry. He said that he is great with handling people, very friendly problem-solving attitude, positively focused, and highly motivated. And his personal leadership style inspires confidence and grit as a team player. Outside of his work, Fung has been married twice. The band owner has five children and six adoring grandchildren.
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Education Ministry outlines guidelines for school teachers to tackle heated classrooms
I
n light of the extreme heat the country is facing, the Ministry of Education (MoE) on Friday introduced several guidelines to be observed to ensure children and teachers are more comfortable in their classrooms during this period. In a memorandum published this week, the MoE said it has taken note of the recent weather conditions of, “hot climatic temperature” in the country and several reports which indicate the effects of the high temperatures on the school population. Against this backdrop, the ministry said head teachers and teachers should observe the guidelines, which are: 1.Schools and classrooms must be managed with enough flexibility to allow for comfortable and safe learning. This may mean that long established rules, customs, traditions, habits and practices need to be reviewed and adjusted. 2.Teachers should be allowed, if they so choose, to conduct classes outside of the building and/or outside of classrooms, if the outside or other spaces is cooler than inside. 3. “Rules relating to students’ uniforms can be relaxed at the discretion of the school to ensure that students are more comfortable. Also, teachers are encouraged to dress in attire (light, loose clothing, sleeveless clothes etc.) which will help them to cope with the high temperature,” the memo stated. Also the MoE said that in light of the heat condition, schools can give students additional short breaks during instructional time. The ministry mentioned that students are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids
regularly and that parents must ensure students bring one or more bottles of water/fluid. A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e ministry stated that teachers should get familiarized with signs of heat illnesses which may include: headache, dizziness and confusion, loss of appetite and feeling sick, excessive sweating, and pale, clammy skin, cramps in the arms and other body areas, fast breathing, and a high temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above, to name a few. “Teachers should avoid relying only on a fan when the indoor temperature is extremely high,” the ministry related. The MoE also cautioned against the lighting of fires in the school compounds. Earlier this month, this newspaper had reported that during a meeting with President Irfaan Ali, teachers had appealed to the government to intervene to help schools cope with the discomfort of the heat in classrooms. Te a c h e r s h a d highlighted the escalating heat in classrooms, making it arduous to teach effectively. They appealed to the Government for electric fans to alleviate the discomfort. One teacher from Kato, Region Nine, had explained, ‘with climate change, the place is very hot, and then we and our students have to walk very far.’ Imran Ally, Principal of Skeldon Secondary School and an Executive of the Guyana Teacher’s Union (GTU), echoed these concerns, emphasizing the adverse impact of heat on both students and teachers. To address this issue, he recommended insulating classroom walls and ceilings and installing fans.
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Consumer Affairs body promotes awards ceremony to effect behavioural change among businesses In a bid to effect behavioural change among businesses, the Guyana Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC), has embarked on promoting a prestigious B u s i n e s s Aw a r d s ceremony. This move, according to CCAC’s Acting Director, Anil Sukhdeo, will serve as a ‘motivation factor’ for businesses to adhere to conformance laws, and lessen the strenuous task of the entity to get them to comply with the requisite legislations. The CCAC overtime had informed that businesses were found to be in direct defiance of conformance, and a recent inspection has shown that out of 117 businesses, only 19 were in conformance of consumer laws. Sukdeo believes that the award ceremony will encourage businesses to “get on board” with their campaign, as it allows for entrepreneurs to voluntarily nominate their businesses for awards as the CCAC website allows. “This new method of getting businesses to confirm with consumer laws will bring about behavioural change, as it will gear businesses to come up to speed with regards to consumer legislation. The awards are
encouraging, and from just participating and nominating their businesses, persons will have to ensure their entities are in direct conformance of all related legislation” The event will be staged on November 24, 2025, at the Guyana Pegasus Hotel. Categories for which businesses can contend includes ‘Best Overall Experience’, which covers a company’s advertising techniques, packaging, labelling and other related product presentation methods. Entries will be shortlisted to a final five, and the public will be allowed to vote to arrive at a winner. There is also an award for ‘Best Warranty Policy’, and this deals with the duration of warranties offered by businesses. In addition, there will be ‘Most Compliant in Electronics’ Award for which a Certificate of Excellence will be offered to the winner entry. A special Media Award f o r t h e m e d i a representative who writes and features the best CCAC article is also up for grabs. The articles will be judged on relevance and content. The CCAC is encouraging a wide spectrum of stakeholders to get on board with this new initiative.
Sunday October 15, 2023
$531M in road works slated for Region 7 The Ministry of Public Works will soon execute some $531,190,412 in rehabilitation works for a number of hinterland roads
across Region Seven. During the recent opening of bids by the National Procurement and Tender Administration
Board (NPTAB), it was revealed that the works have been divided into 10 lots. At the passage of the Supplementary Budget back
Below are the companies and their bids: Hinterland Roads for Region 7 for Lots.
in August, the ministry was given $1.5 billion in addition to its budgetary allocation, to support hinterland road projects.
Sunday October 15, 2023
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Volodímir Zelenski
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Kaieteur News
MoE Priority Programme Receives Golf Equipment to Boost PE Initiative
President of the GGA Aleem Hussain (centre) and Vice President Philip Haynes (right) presented the equipment on behalf of the Obermueller family to head of the Priority Programme, Saeed Zameen.
Golf, arguably the fastest growing sport in the country under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education Unit of Allied Arts Priority Programme, the Guyana Golf Association and Nexgen Golf Academy received a boost on Friday from a sizable donation of equipment from Germany courtesy of the Course Manager from Ramstein Airbase Golf Course, Duane, Ola, Harry, Zoe, and David Obermulller, Steven Griffith and Tony Gideon. President of the GGA Aleem Hussain and Vice President Philip Haynes presented the equipment on behalf of the Obermueller family to head of the Priority
Sunday October 15, 2023 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Are you experiencing a shopping hangover today? Are you worried that you outdid yourself despite your best intentions? Don't fret. You'll be back on track soon.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) This would be a good day to pursue some new interests. Perhaps you've recently discovered a book that opens up new areas for you.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today's planetary aspects may have you experiencing a little cabin fever. If you have the urge to go off by yourself for a while, do so. Try a new diversion.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Are you fed up with everyone around you now? Are you fantasizing about walking out the door and not returning? Go ahead - just for today! You probably need a break from everyone. . SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) The main things you need to do today are relax and enjoy your day. You may be feeling a bit under the weather and have a trip coming up that doesn't exactly thrill you.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) OK, the party's over. Time to put away the sinful pleasures, the champagne, the chocolate truffles, and who knows what else. Take a good look at your home and get serious about putting things in order. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may be experiencing a wonderful openness to new ideas and grand plans. You're enjoying an active imagination and your intuition is sharp. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) If you're feeling restless today, don't fight it. Use your energy to do something physical. Go for a walk or play tennis. Anything that helps you release the excess energy will feel good. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) You don't want to sit still for a minute. You may make people dizzy with your energy, and you're itching to get away. You may be contemplating a long trip abroad.
CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Cupid may have struck you unawares. Your libido could be in high gear today and you're ready for love. You look and feel great. Try your best to reach the one you love. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Cupid may have struck you unawares. Your libido could be in high gear today and you're ready for love. You look and feel great. Try your best to reach the one you love. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today may be taken up with doing a lot of last-minute errands. You may be called on to referee a dispute among colleagues, relatives, or neighbors. Depending on the nature of the spat.
Programme Saeed Zameen who commented, “This comes at the opportune moment as we have partnered with Nexgen Golf Academy, under the directive of Minister Priya Manikchand to commence implementation of golf as a PE subject in first 10 of a projected 44 Secondary schools as a part of the Ministry’s push for every learner to experience a sport during their formative years. “Minister Manikchand has made it clear that it is her vision and that of the Ministry to provide every learner with the access and facilities to engage in a sport as early as possible and this programme is certainly making that vision a reality.” “The Ministry of Education Unit of Allied Arts has been extremely supportive of the golf programme evidenced by the fact that we now have arguably, the largest school programme for golf in the entire region, and with our numbers at CSEC growing to exceed 1,000 students in 2024, Guyana will again lead the region in Golf as a PE elective,” said Hussain, who is the driving force behind the programme. With the Ministry’s plan to expand the in-school PE programme to include Regions 2, 3, 5 and 6 in the coming months, it is expected that more than 16,000 learners will benefit from golf instruction through the partnership with Nexgen Golf Academy and the Priority Programme. The modified teaching programme developed by Master Coach Aleem Hussain has seen phenomenal results at CSEC with an over 90% Grade I pass rate, an incredible statistic considering that none of the students had access to a golf course to practice. This is set to change with the opening of the Westside Golf Course which is a model for innovative golf and designed for beginners.
Combined Campuses... From page 64 happy to be here once again this year in the regional tournament,” Reifer said. “What we want to do is to start planting the seed, so they can blossom. I know the brand of cricket we want to develop in West Indies cricket so we looked to inculcate that in our preparations and when we take to the field.” The 50-over tournament will officially bowl off in Trinidad on the morning of Tuesday 17 October with the opening match between home side Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and the CCC at the Queen’s Park Oval (QPO) at 9am (8am Jamaica). Also on Tuesday, the Guyana Harpy Eagles will face the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) in the first televised match at 1pm (12 noon Jamaica).
The Tournament will feature 31 matches to be played at three venues: the BLCA, the QPO and UWI SPEC – with the final on Saturday 11 November under lights. FULL SQUAD: Shane Dowrich (captain), Kadeem Alleyne, Jediah Blades, Romario Greaves, Chemar Holder, Johann Jeremiah, Jordan Johnson, Kirstan Kallicharan, Abhijai Mansingh, Shaqkere Parris, Akshaya Persad, Shatrughan Rambaran, Demario Richards and Isai Thorne Team Management Unit: Floyd Reifer (Head Coach), Pedro Collins (Assistant Coach), Keno Mason (Assistant Coach), Ryerson Bhagoo (Team Manager), Kelly Coonjah (Physiotherapist), Candace Joseph (Strength and Conditioning Coach) and Avenesh Seetaram (Analyst)
Golden performance from Jaguars... From page 65 another goal in the 63rd minute, tapping in a pass from Gordon, who had done the hard work to create the assist. With a 2-1 lead and Puerto Rico pressing for an equaliser, Mercado, the Puerto Rican goalkeeper, made a critical mistake while being pres-
sured by substitute Deon Moore. Moore capitalised on the opportunity and scored his first international goal, securing the third goal for Guyana. Guyana held their ground for their second victory over Puerto Rico in four meetings, with their first win dating back to 2016 when they secured a 1-0 victory in San Juan.
Sunday October 15, 2023
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Team Guyana all set Pan Am Games …Minister Ramson engages athletes and officials at protocol meeting
A hybrid meeting was convened at the Boardroom of the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport on October 13 with athletes and officials representing Guyana at the October 20 - November 5 Pan Am Games, as part of the new protocol established between the Ministry, the National Sports Commission (NSC), and the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA). The purpose of the meeting was to engage with national athletes, ensuring that all necessary support systems are in place to enhance their performance and overall well-being while expressing best wishes for the games which will be held in Santiago, Chile. Guyana will be proudly represented in a variety of disciplines at the Pan American Games, including A r c h e r y, A t h l e t i c s , Badminton, Boxing, Table Te n n i s , Ta e k w o n d o , Swimming, Weightlifting, and Esports. Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., met with the a t h l e t e s a n d o ff i c i a l s selected to represent Guyana at the 2023 Pan American Games, where he conveyed his well-wishes to the athletes, extending these wishes on behalf of himself, the Government, and the people of Guyana. During the meeting, he individually addressed the team managers, coaches, and athletes, engaging them in discussions about their readiness for the games. Minister Ramson inquired about any challenges they might be facing and identified areas where collaborative efforts could be made to enhance the athletes’ prospects at the games. According to reports, Minister Ramson encouraged the athletes to give their best, emphasising the importance of being proud representatives of their nation and using this opportunity as a stepping stone for achieving greater heights in their athletic careers and personal development. President of the GOA, Godfrey Munroe, attended the meeting along with members of his Executive Committee, where he delivered a motivational message and extended wellwishes to all the athletes on behalf of the Olympic Association.
Team Guyana Archery 1st –5th November 2023 •Devin Persaud-Permaul Athlete • Wa y n e D e A b r e u Manager Coach Athletics 29th October–4th November •Emmanuel Archibald: Men’s 100 and 200 Metres •Leslain Baird: Men’s Javelin •Keliza Smith Women’s 100 Metres •Jasmine Abrams Women’s 100 Metres •Aliyah Abrams Women’s 400 metres •ohnny Gravesande Coach Badminton 21st to 25th Oct 2023 •Priyanna Ramdhani Women’s Singles •Jonathan Mangra Coach Boxing October 19–27 October 2023 •Desmond Amsterdam Men’s 80kg •Keevin Allicock Men’s 57kg •Alesha Jackman Female 66kg •Emmanuel Pompey Men’s 92kg •Joel Williamson Men’s 63.5kg •Terrence Poole Coach Ta b l e Te n n i s 2 9 t h October–5th November 2023 •Shemar Britton Men’s Singles and Mixed Doubles •Chelsea Edghill Women’s Singles and Mixed Doubles •Idi Lewis Coach Taekwondo 21st –24th October 2023 •Ceili Peterson Women’s Kyorugi -49 Kg •Ramphal Ramjeet Manager Coach Weight Lifting 21–24 October 2023 •Krystol Chanderban Women’s 52 KG •Shammah Noel – Men’s 81kg •Sean Cozier Coach Swimming October 20th to 26th 2023 •Alika Persaud •Raekwon Noel •Sean Baksh Coach Esport 30th Oct to 5th November 2023 •Hemchandra Persaud athlete – efootball 2023 •Shoaib Juman-Yassin Coach/Manager Physiotherapist •Ms Vanessa Wickham Chef de Mission • Mr. Deion Nurse Akeem Greene (Newsroom) and Jemima Holmes (Guyana Times) were selected and partially sponsored by Panam Sport to attend and cover the games.
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Sunday October 15, 2023
Guyana pledges support to Cricket West Indies GEORGETOWN, Guyana – President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, pledges support to Cricket West Indies (CWI) for the redevelopment of cricket in the Caribbean through infrastructural development, cricket programmes, and commercial opportunities. On 13 October, 2023, President Ali and CWI President Dr. Kishore Shallow, met at State House in Guyana as part of the commitment to strengthen stakeholder relationships across the region. CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe; CWI I n d e p e n d e n t D i r e c t o r, Manniram Prashad; and Owner of Guyana Amazon Warriors, Dr. Ranjisinghi Bobby Ramroop were also in attendance. The Head of State reiterated his commitment to establishing a partnership with CWI to improve the overall performance of West Indies cricket. One of the primary objectives will be establishing a HighPerformance Centre in Guyana to service cricketers from across the region. His Excellency said, “We
Guyana recently won their inaugural Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League title are excited as a government to play our part with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) in the new redevelopment of cricket in the region. We welcome the partnership with CWI in the development of a regional High-Performance Centre and cricket academy here in Guyana.” He added his intention to work with the CWI President to advance the popularity and growth of the sport on multiple fronts in the
Caribbean. “We are also working with President Dr. Shallow and Cricket West Indies on advancing some innovative ideas in bringing more opportunities to our cricket players and spectators in the Region. I believe strongly that defining our product as distinct from other regions and countries is critical in the r e b r a n d i n g a n d repositioning CWI globally. Such a plan must incorporate the culture, people and natural beauty of our
Combined Campuses and Colleges squad named for CG United Super50 Cup ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Shane Dowrich, the experienced wicketkeeper/batsman, has been named to captain the Combined Campuses and Colleges in the upcoming CG United Super50 Cup. Dowrich is one of two Test players in the 14-member squad. The other is fast bowler Chemar Holder. The squad also includes two members of the West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 team which recently toured Sri Lanka. They are Jordan Johnson, the left-handed batsman and Isai Thorne, the strongly-built fast bowler. The team was announced on Friday following a preparation and selection camp at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Grounds of the University of the West Indies Sport and Physical Education Centre (UWI SPEC) at the St. Augustine Campus. Head Coach Floyd
Shane Dowrich has been named as the CCC skipper
Reifer gave an assessment of the team’s preparation for the region’s premier List A 50-over tournament which will feature a new eight-team league format followed by Semi-Finals and Finals to determine the 2023 CG
United Super50 Cup Champions. “We had a really good camp at UWI SPEC and the players all look ready for the tournament. Last year it was good to be back, and we are (Continued on page 62)
region.”President Ali underscored the importance of collaboration between parties with an interest in advancing the development of cricket at every level. He said, “I urge CWI to unify their efforts in rebuilding and strengthening our cricket in the interests of all stakeholders.” Dr. Shallow lauded His Excellency for Guyana’s investments in cricket thus far and recognized the potential of collaborating
with Guyana. He expressed, “ P r e s i d e n t A l i ’s commitment to cricket is evident with the major investments to stage the magnificent cricket festival, including the CPL finals in Guyana. His zeal for the success of West Indies cricket is unquestionable. This partnership with Guyana promises tremendous value for our young and emerging cricketers who will have access to world-class facilities and programs
comparable to the best in the world. I emphasize that for West Indies teams to be iconic again, it is imperative that there is considerable collaboration between CWI and governments in our region.” Guyana has successfully hosted the last two Caribbean Premier League (CPL) finals. Their cricket festival, culminating with CPL’s final, is emerging to be a regional calendar event, having attracted thousands of visitors to Guyana
Matthews climbs to number 1 ICC T20 all-rounder spot (CWI) - West Indies captain Hayley Matthews achieved significant gains to top the ICC Women’s T20I All-rounder Rankings after magnificent performances with the bat and ball in the ongoing series against Australia. Matthews was her team’s highest run-scorer in the first T20I, where she played the anchor with a solid unbeaten 99. She followed this up with the wicket of Alyssa Healy, but couldn’t stop Australia from winning the game at North Sydney Oval. However, she went one better in the next T20I. She picked up three crucial wickets in her allotted four overs, to finish with 3-36. She followed this with a career-best batting performance, a magnificent 132 runs off 64 balls with 20 fours and five sixes.It was her second century in this format, the highest score by a West Indian woman in T20Is, to set up a momentous West Indies win in Australia to tie the series at 1-1. With
Hayley Matthews (CWI) this, Matthews finds herself atop the Women’s T20I AllRounder Rankings with 480 rating points. She has also made significant gains in the batting and bowling rankings. In the Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings, she jumped two places to tie with S r i L a n k a ’s I n o k a Ranaweera in fifth place. In
the batters’ list, Matthews’ two scintillating knocks helped her jump 10 places to the seventh place. In the Women’s T20I Batting Rankings, Australia’s Tahlia McGrath continues to lead (782 points). England’s Sophie Ecclestone (765 points) tops the Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings.
Kaieteur News
Sunday October 15, 2023
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2023-24 Concacaf \Nations League…
Golden performance from Jaguars in 3 - 1 win over Puerto Rico - Moore, Benjamin and Glasgow hit home By Rawle Toney An intense battle between Guyana and Puerto Rico yesterday ended 3-1 at the St Kitts and Nevis Training Centre in Basseterre, as El Huracán Azul made way for the Golden Jaguars to take the top-of-the-table in Group D of League B in the Concacaf Nations League. The win for Guyana was their third in the tournament from three outings, while it was Puerto Rico’s first defeat, setting the stage for an interesting return leg on October 17 at the same venue that could determine which of the two teams will advance to League A. Guyana’s starting lineup featured Quillon Roberts in goal, supported by Reece Greenidge, Curtez Kellam, Jalen Jones, and Nathan Moriah-Welsh in defence. The midfield comprised Daniel Wilson (captain), Kelsey Benjamin, and Stephen Duke-McKenna.
Deon Moore
Coach Jamaal Shabazz also introduced Omari Glasgow, the team’s top scorer with five goals, along with Liam Gordon and Elliot Bonds. The Golden Jaguars adopted a 4-3-3 formation, seeking a balance between attack and defence.
Throughout the match, the Guyanese squad exhibited a strong desire to secure all three points, pressing aggressively and keeping Puerto Rico on the defensive. The game’s tempo was set by a Leandro Antonetti goal in the 10th minute, providing an early lead for Puerto Rico. However, the rest of the first half was dominated by Guyana, with several opportunities created by Bonds, Duke-McKenna, Glasgow, and Benjamin. Despite their efforts, Guyana couldn’t breach Puerto Rico’s solid defence, resulting in a 0-1 scoreline at halftime. Coach Shabazz maintained an unchanged lineup for the second half, witnessing his team continue to assert their dominance over the Puerto Rican defence. The breakthrough came in the 60th minute when Benjamin was fouled
Guyana’s Moriah-Welsh back at Premier League club AFC Bournemouth
Nathan MoriahWelsh in action for Bournemouth FC
Alan Connell, the manager of English Premier League side, AFC B o u r n e m o u t h ’s development squad, has expressed his delight at the return to fitness of Guyana’s Nathan Moriah-Welsh. The resilient 21-yearold, currently representing the Golden Jaguars in St Kitts and Nevis had shone during his loan stint with Newport County last season. However, his progress was halted by a knee injury sustained while on international duty with Guyana before their Concacaf Nations League campaign.
During the 2021/22 FA Cup, Moriah-Welsh made two starts for AFC Bournemouth and was awarded the Young Player of the Year for his outstanding performances with Newport County in the 2022/23 season. Connell shared his thoughts on afcb.co.uk, saying,”Off the back of a successful loan spell at Newport County last season, Nathan was unfortunate to get injured while he was away with Guyana in June…He’s been out for a few months but he’s worked very hard with his rehab and is now at the point where
he’s back in the squad.” He added, “Nathan is a big character and has a lot of quality so we’re delighted to have him involved. It’s a young squad so his experience will also be beneficial to us. Hopefully, he can build up his minutes, start to put together a run of games and challenge for a place in the first-team squad as he did before his loan spell at Newport.” Moriah-Welsh is widely regarded as the linchpin of Guyana’s national team and has consistently impressed since his debut against The Bahamas during the Nations League
in the penalty area by Spainbased defender Gerald Diaz. Glasgow, the team’s leading scorer, confidently
converted the penalty, levelling the score 1-1 with his shot past Joel Mercado. It marked Glasgow’s fifth goal
in the Nations League and his 12th career strike in 18 matches. Benjamin added (Continued on page 62)
2023-24 Concacaf Nations League… rts Spo
Golden performance from Jaguars in 3 - 1 win over Puerto Rico - Moore, Benjamin and Glasgow hit home Kelsey Benjamin (Photo: Concacaf) Man on fire! Omari Glasgow has been on fire in the Nations League, scoring five times for the Golden Jaguars. (Photo: Straffonimages)
Some of the athletes and officials representing Guyana at the Pan Am Games following their meeting with Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr
Team Guyana all set Pan Am Games …Minister Ramson engages athletes and officials at protocol meeting Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.