Kaieteur News

Over 150 Guyanese K NEWS lend voices to global climate change fight AIETEUR

Sunday Edition October 31, 2021

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US$9B Yellowtail Project is the best on the planet, has “outstanding economics” that works in our favour - Hess Climate Crisis a code red for humanity …time has passed for diplomatic niceties - UN SG

'Bully boss'sets handyman on fire for Inefficient access to nation's s e u n i t n o c t s e t o r . t p c e a r t Th n o abundant resources reduces c n o x x E e h change to t competitiveness - GMSA

Bajans eye local - Pres. Ali forestry opportunities …as Guyana/Barbados agree to set up gold trading hub Govt. and Exxon give Guyana 7,400 pages with technical information, 10 days before public consultation begins on the 4th oil project. Your minister proud to tell us by 2026 Guyana could be getting $4 billion a year but not telling you how the oil people will walk away with $196B a year, that’s business eh?

In December 2018, VP Jagdeo, then Opposition Leader, said this to Guyana, “Our incompetent government trudged in there, unprepared and stuck us with a contract that would harm us for decades into the future. They sold our patrimony…”

11am, 4&7pm on Foreigners have millions of hectares of our forests and getting more, while the locals have @Kaieteur Radio to settle for thousands. Guyana borrowing loans to increase minimum wage year-end. 99.1/99.5FM

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Sunday October 31, 2021

Over 150 Guyanese lend voices to global climate change fight O

v e r 1 5 0 Guyanese have documented their concerns about climate change in a letter to President Irfaan Ali ahead of Guyana’s participation in the U n i t e d N a t i o n s U N ’s Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

The 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) set to begin today, October 31, is the most significant global climate summit since countries gathered in Paris in 2015 to sign an accord to limit global warming to 1.5–2 °C above preindustrial temperatures.

The 196 governments participating in this year’s summit are expected to formalise a new round of commitments to dial back greenhouse-gas emissions in an effort to limit the extreme weather currently pummeling countries around the globe.

The latest round of global climate talks will take place from October 31 to November 12, 2021 in G l a s g o w, S c o t l a n d .

Thousands of government delegates and people from civil society, business and

Members of AFDGAFDP, the campaign movement for climate change action organised by concerned citizens of Guyana from around the world. the media will gather to advance climate action. The world will be watching and demanding that national leaders rise to the moment, given the mounting climate crisis and far-reaching consequences for a livable future.

In a release to the press, A

Fair Deal for Guyana—A Fair Deal for the Planet (AFDGAFDP)—a campaign movement organised by concerned citizens of Guyana from around the world, explained that the signed letter was forwarded to President Ali ahead of his participation in

the world forum.

According to the release from AFDGAFDP, the letter serves to ensure that Guyana takes a strong stand at COP26.

“History will record that each and every one of us spoke up at a time when Guyana, and indeed the entire world, was on the

brink of climate disaster. We are proud to have stood firm for our country,” the group said in their statement.

The group reminded that Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has described the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

report as a ‘Code Red’ for humanity. Guterres had said that: “The evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions are choking our planet and placing billions of people in danger. Global heating is affecting every region on Earth, with many of the changes becoming irreversible. We must act decisively now to avert a climate catastrophe.”

Given the grave danger to life on earth, the group stressed that, all states must take urgent action to cut their greenhouse gas emissions.

The AFDGAFDP noted in the statement, “The industrialised States have fuelled their economies and created their wealth by burning fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – which have emitted massive amounts of greenhouse gases and resulted in climate change.”

As such, they said that climate justice requires these industrialised States to undo the harm they have inflicted on the earth.

“We demanded that the industrialised countries undo the damage to the earth’s climate system by removing their historic Continued on page 10

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Sunday October 31, 2021

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Bajans eye local forestry opportunities - Pres. Ali The Head of State of Guyana and Barbados have both agreed to the formulation of a gold trading hub on the Caribbean Island using gold sourced domestically, through a largely private sector driven initiative, even as the island’s investors eye opportunities in Guyana’s forestry sector.

The gold initiative was one of many announced and agreed to between the two countries Guyanese President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Friday briefed the local media corps on the outcome of his recent meeting with his Barbadian counterpart, P r i m e M i n i s t e r, M i a Mottley.

TIME-BOUND Dr. Ali in his update told media representatives, that during his engagement with Prime Minister Mottley, “we hammered out a concrete time-bound framework for enhanced collaboration and trade between Guyana and Barbados.”

As it relates to gold hub, the President said “both countries discussed the possibility of adding value to Guyana’s gold by creating a gold market hub concept in Barbados.”

Elucidating on the notion, President Ali told the virtual press engagement that some cruise liners would visit some of the Caribbean destinations for, among other reasons, their gold market hubs, “so that is what we are trying to create.”

He posited, “Barbados is a major cruise destination and we are working on the possibility of adding value to Guyana’s gold and creating a gold market hub concept in Barbados.”

Explaining how the proposed venture would operate, President Ali said that “government would (only) set the framework; we have to discuss the policy, we have to discuss the mechanism.”

To this end, he explained that it is the private sector that would be the key driver behind the initiative.

According to President Ali, “in Barbados for example, you have some capacity in

…as Guyana/Barbados agree to set up gold trading hub

Guyanese President, Irfaan Ali (left), in talks with his Barbadian counterpart, Prime Minister, Mia Mottley.

the craft of jewellery making, in Guyana we have capacity, so we have to now extend that capacity, expand that capacity.”

WIN-WIN He told media operatives this obtains as, “we have to create a win-win situation”, adding that the mechanism as to how the market will be established, “the types of incentives that will have to be given, the type of tax regime that will have to be established, those are the things that have to be ironed out now that we have identified this as an area of cooperation and collaboration.”

The President was adamant however that, “the driver of this, after we would have established the vehicle, would be the private sector.”

Barbados, he said, is also committed to exploring opportunities in Guyana’s forestry sector, but he did not elaborate. Quarrying was also a topic for discussion, according to President Ali. The President in his report outlined too that agreements were also had in the areas of food production and export.

President Ali expanded saying, “some of the areas

we discussed and have agreement on to pursue, are increased production of food, removal of barriers to trade and the possibility of a Guyana, Barbados food terminal.”

He said too, agreements were also had in the areas of transport logistics and efficiency, agro-processing f a c i l i t i e s , a Guyana/Barbados food sustainability plan, identification of sanitary gaps and the bridging of those gaps through the exchange of technical expertise and the budgeting of resources to remove those gaps.

EXCHANGE PROGRAMME He spoke too of an agreement where there would be an exchange of technical expertise, where an official from the Ministry of Agriculture in Guyana will be based in Barbados and vice versa. This, the President said, would facilitate the smooth and efficient transaction flow.

“So what we have agreed on is that we would have a Guyanese in the Ministry of Agriculture in Barbados and a Bajan in the Ministry of Agriculture in Guyana so that Guyanese can deal directly with their

c ounterparts in Barbados, and the same thing Barbados can deal directly with their counterpart thus removing the hassles, the barriers, the bureaucracy, that is what we are trying to remove here.”

As it relates to the tourism sector, the President announced that there was an agreement for Barbados to provide direct support for the booming domestic sector, especially in light of the impending demand for the provision of hospitality services locally with the coming on stream of a number of internationally branded hotels.

As such, President Ali reported that not only have the two countries agreed to p r o m o t e e a c h o t h e r ’s destinations with free promotional broadcast in the respective countries, but that some 6,000 Guyanese would be receiving training from the Bajans.

According to President Ali, “knowing the need that we would have for personnel in the hospitality sector, we agreed with Barbados that they would support us in the training of 6,000 Guyanese for the hospitality sector; Barbados has an established world class hospitality programme and they are going to support us in the training of 6,000 who will function in the hospitality sector.

MARKETING It was explained that the

training process would not be one-off but rather an ongoing effort.

He was adamant however, “why we have to move aggressively with the 6,000 Guyanese now, is because we have a lot of investment in the hospitality sector that is coming and we need to have the technical c a p a c i t y, t h e h u m a n resources to manage and to work in those hotels; the need for training is immediate.”

According to Ali, the two leaders also additionally agreed on working out a mechanism for the twining of the countries’ tourism product. He explained that this would mean the joint marketing of the two countries as tourism destinations.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e President said the two regional partners discussed the sharing of port space to facilitate trade and reduced cost for the movement of goods between the two countries.

The president elucidated saying “what we discussed is to identify specific port space for Barbados in Guyana and for Guyana in Barbados to reduce the cost of transportation, to improve the efficiency, to enhance trade and to deliver product at a far cheaper cost to the

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Sunday October 31, 2021

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

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

EDITORIAL

It happened in America, it is worse in Guyana Most politicians are unprincipled individuals, who cannot and should not be trusted.

Guyanese politicians, from both sides of the divide, number among the worst of the worst, given their predations and histories, most still concealed, in this country. This was what came to light in the United States of America, of all places, in a recent explosive media article. If it happened in watchful, mature, and supposedly ethical America, then it can happen here, and does in ways too incredible to absorb.

The October 24th headline from the Rolling Stones piece was scorching and unsparing: “Jan 5th protest organizers say they participated in ‘dozens’ of planning meetings with Members of Congress and White House staff.” Americans died because there is this claim now surfacing that lawmakers in the hallowed United States Congress were part and parcel of “planning meetings” on how to deny the democratic process, and so as to fulfill the megalomaniac ambitions of an unhinged leader. To call such “planning meetings” barely touches the surface and is a bit of an understatement with a neutral sheen. We at this paper call them for what they were: the conspiratorial gatherings and conversations and visions of criminal conspirators to derail a tried-and-true process. One may expect over eager assistants, all unelected, to get carried away, and lose sight of the ideals that they are there to represent, the blood shed on domestic and foreign battlefields to make possible a certain way of life, which emphasises the will of the people but not members of the august United States Congress, as is asserted.

History relayed to the world that, at other times, other unelected men fought hard and dirty to maintain their leader in power, and by any means necessary. Names like John Dean and John Ehrlichman and others, engaged in lawlessness to retain Richard Nixon in the White House. Now, here it is, a half century later, in 2021, other names are called, and for the sole purpose of maintaining someone who could be called delusional in the highest office in the United States.

When politicians, Congressional members and their party’s leader(s), join forces to defeat lawful processes, by participating in the unlawful, then a Rubicon is crossed, and from which there can be no returning, no condoning, no pardoning. In Guyana, our equivalents to America’s Congress and the White House are parliament, and the Office of the President. We have had more than our share, over the years and decades in dirty tricks and criminal conduct (heinous and wanton) from our own Presidents and our own lawmakers.

They have stolen, cheated, and lied. They have orchestrated and been the intellectual authors of one criminal assault after another on the peoples and conscience of this nation.

Elections and projects, governance and ethical leadership have all been guillotined in service of what enhances power, what neutralises adversaries, some real, others imagined.

And sometimes, as we all know, the final solution is put to work to liquidate those who are seen as threats, and stand in the way.What was terrible before, given the handiworks of Guyanese political leaders and their surrounding casts of willing ministers and public servants, now takes on an even worse character these days, with the arrival of oil. The insatiable greed for riches is made possible by the pursuit of absolute power and total control. It is now to the point where what they say the law is, that is it, and no more.

Guyanese political leaders conspire with their criminal cabals, collaborate with foreign oil powers, to rip the guts out of the hopes and dreams of citizens. Just like some of America’s Congressional presences, they meet with inner circles and supporters, who share the same criminal objectives, then turn right around, and deceive the people as to their plots and banditries. Guyana’s political leaders mislead and misuse their power relative to the nation’s resources, such as oil, the treasury, and project awards, among others. Then, they complete the circle in the way they misinform the public and keep it divided in hate-filled camps.

While U.S. Congress members were conspiring secretly, they were publicly falsifying and stonewalling. Examine Guyanese politicians, and the record is worse still.

We are playing Russian roulette with every additional oil project Dear Editor, Imagine that you were lucky to be awarded a house lot. You hire a contractor company to fence off your plot of land and you intend to use them to build your house.

But on review of the bill for the fencing, the numbers don’t add up. You will be outraged and will seek to understand why you were overcharged and demand a refund. Surely, you would not approve the next task to build the house. If the bill is questionable for a small item such as the fencing, why would you trust this company with a significantly more expensive task? But this is what is playing out in Guyana today with the rush to approve another oil project when it appears we have still not finished auditing the pre-contract costs up to 2015.

Additionally, with every project we ramp up the chances of a major oil spill that can bankrupt Guyana.

The overstatement of the US$460 million pre-contract costs that ran from 1999 to 2015 was publicised by Chris Ram in May 2018. The government hired a contractor in December 2019 to audit the pre-contract cost but it is coming up to two years now and there has not been any indication that the audit is completed or when it would be completed. In the meantime, we have approved Liza 1, Liza 2 and Payara with total capital cost of about US$18.5 billion.

There has been no indication whether any auditing of those capital costs were performed although the window is closing on auditing those costs. There were anomalies raised with regard to the capital costs when comparing the data across the wells, see here: https://www.oggn.org/2020/ 11/02/why-are-we-payingus4-3-billion-more-forpayara-when-compared-toliza-phase-1/.

It seems we are now in a rush to approve a fourth project named YellowTail which is slated to cost US$9 billion. EPA meetings are now advertised for YellowTail. However, we are still not sure how many if any of the crucial questions raised during the EPA meetings on the gas-to-shore project have been addressed.

It seems like the government is just going through the motions of holding meetings and not being transparent on addressing the questions raised by civil society.

Why the rush to approve new oil projects when there are serious questions outstanding on the cost of these projects? But it is not only the cost that is an issue, the question of who pays the cost for a major oil spill is more troubling.

We are playing Russian roulette, whereby with every oil project, we increase the number of bullets we place in the barrel of the gun. Let’s

say for every project there is a 90 percent chance for the life of the project that there are no oil spills. If we have one project, there is a 10 percent chance of an oil spill.

If we have four projects, that increases to a 34 percent chance for an oil spill. The relationship is simple, the more projects we approve the chances of an oil spill increases. We have more than 20 discoveries in the Stabroek Oil block. At some point, our luck will run out and a major oil spill with no viable insurance plan will be the fatal shot to Guyana.

We demand that no more oil projects be approved until the pre-contract costs and the US$18.5 billion capital costs for the three oil wells to date are verified and, more importantly, that the parent oil companies bear the full insurance burden of any oil spills.

Darshanand Khusial on behalf of OGGN, www.oggn.org/about

Sunday October 31, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Leave prayer in schools alone, we have bigger problems to tackle!

Dear Editor, President Ramotar is a good man and my favourite President. While religion today is big business selling “God” as a commodity, there is competition for “market share,” and we tend to focus more on how we are different rather than how we are similar.

Whereas many have departed from “true religion,” there is still some residual good value left in all religions. But of all the things that ail Guyana, prayer at national functions is not one of them. I would not make this a problem and fuss over it. What we should worry about are all those corrupt politicians, those who try to rig elections and steal our democracy, those who stir up racism, those who gave away our oil and gas and are involved in shady deals with our oil blocks and national patrimony, those who promised but refuse to renegotiate the oil contracts when they got in. What I would worry about is elite “CAPE” high schools for academically gifted students versus run-down and lower quality high schools for poor rural people, hospitals that are “smart,” and hospitals that are “not smart” or “dumb” that run out of medicines and don’t have proper equipment and services. What ails us and what I would worry about are that we still have mud tracks in our villages versus paved roads that don’t last a long time, and garbage is everywhere. What I would worry about is when the private sector says they can’t afford to pay poor people more than $60,000 a month minimum wage. That I would worry about. What I would worry about is not that we have prayer in schools, I would worry that we don’t have good Internet connections or computers for

all students at a time like this, and the Minister saying online learning is not working well.

What I would worry about is teachers who have studied hard and have degrees, earning low salaries and who may not in their lifetime be able to own a car as in other countries because the duty on cars is ridiculously exorbitant while oil companies operate duty-free and tax-free.

What I would worry about is not whether the prayer at the Ministry of Education function started with “Heavenly Father,” and ended in “Amen,” and therefore we should not have prayer in schools or anywhere as President Ramotar suggested. I would like Swami to know that when evil bandits enter your homes and they have a gun pointed at your children’s heads or your loved ones heads, and they are bashing your bloodied heads and bodies to tell them where you have your money, gold, and electronics that you slaved hard to acquire, you would want to pray “Heavenly Father, or Allah or Lord Rama help me out now.” When they have you tied up and are done

brutalising you mercilessly and you hear they are gone (because you did not get killed), Bro. Swami, you would want to say, “Amen,” or a Muslim might say the equivalent in Arabic, “aameen,” or a Hindu might say, “Thathaastu,” “Om shaanti, shaanti, shaanti, hari om” or something similar. I don’t think Guyana is going to hell in a handbasket because the student or Ministry inserted, “Heavenly Father,” and “Amen” in the universal prayer.

The way Guyana is going now where children are out of control at a young age, high suicide rates, increasing mental health problems, domestic abuse and violence, rampant drug use, and increasing rapes of children, I think we want them to have some of the moral compass that any religion gives.

Instead of them watching pornography, doing sexting, following all the new sexual deviant practices that come

from cultural imperialism, and using the drugs that now proliferate in schools, parties, and gatherings, I would prefer school children to learn the value of prayer while at school. If we throw prayer and God out, we are doomed as a nation. What would we replace it with? Just a matter of time the ABC and EU countries will be pressuring our Government to brainwash students starting in nursery school that Heather has two mommies, and Johnny has two daddies, and there is no such thing as “male” or “female?” They have already succeeded with getting cross-dressing removed.

I wonder what type of prayers Swami does at his very successful school, given that he has Hindus, Christians, and Muslims and different races there? Does he have a universal prayer?

If we want to have a generation of rude, thoughtless, selfish, out of control students, then go

ahead and take prayer out of schools. Tell me, does this wicked nation need less religion and less prayer, or more “pure” religion, and prayer with fasting?

As we say in America, as long as there are math and science tests, there would always be prayer in schools!

Religion is not a private

matter, it is a big cross-cutting factor that pervades all social institutions. Leave prayer alone!

Would be nice if Swami speaks out about crossdressing, oppose legalising possession of marijuana, and speak out for vaccination and oil renegotiation? I wonder if (Continued on page 6)

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Make those who refuse to take second vaccine dose pay for it on expiration Dear Editor, It is reported in the media that thousands of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines are dated to expire by the end of November, and the reports have indicated that these constitute the second dose yet to be taken by citizens who have already gotten their first dose. This was revealed by the Minister of Health during his daily COVID-19 update on October 28th. Vaccines against the COVID-19 virus are sacred and scarce in the world. Many developing and poorer countries are yet to access

same. Some are literally begging for vaccines in their bid to protect their people.

Here in Guyana, we have been fortunate to access and secure numerous vaccines including the AstraZeneca, Sputnik, Sinopharm, Pfizer, et al. To now learn that so many second jab doses are going to expire by November’s, end unless taken by those scheduled for it, is indeed most unfortunate and disgusting at best.

The Ministry of Health should exhaust every effort to reach out to those persons, who are scheduled for the

second jab, and ensure they take it before expiry. If they refuse to take the jab without offering a plausible written medical reason, or advice, and signed by a medical professional, then such persons should be made to pay the cost for the vaccine.

Such a lifesaving vaccine cannot and must not be allowed to go to waste by the irresponsible behaviours of citizens, especially when they would have already taken the first jab without any detrimental effect.

Yours sincerely, Charranlall Nandalall

Desperate plea from residents of Uniform, Leguan, to Minister Juan Edghill Dear Editor, The vulnerable residents of Uniform, Leguan, have been experiencing undue calamity brought on, by nonresident sea defense contractor and rice farmer machinery traversing our roads. The sea defense contractor drives his machinery on average two return trips weekly, at high speed from King’s Garden to Clairmont Beach, without the use of a flatbed hauler. This results in tremendous shaking/vibration of the homes next to the roads, which were not designed to withstand earthquake-like conditions. Some of these homes were built in the 1950, 60s and 70s. Residents are furious, because their homes are being destroyed, and could collapse from the constant earthquake-like condition created by each trip of the heavy-duty machinery.

Question for the contractor: would you drive your machinery on the road in front of your home up and down like a rental car? It is incomprehensible that the Guyana Government has taken hundreds of millions in loan from the IMF to repair/

build Sea Defence at King’s Garden, and less than a mile along the same Sea Defence at Clairmont, they have the same contractor removing thousands of tons of beach sand, which forms the only sea defence from the Atlantic Ocean. Residents are not allowed to take an ounce of sand from the same beach.

Also, a rice farmer, who is not a resident of Uniform, has destroyed Uniform Road to King’s Garden. This is a residential road and because of this farmer’s inconsiderate and contemptuous actions, these roads are impassable, unless you drive a tractor like his. My granddaughter fell in the mud many times, while going to the Richmond Hill Primary School. Many days she was unsuccessful getting out of the muddy river, created by this non-resident farmer. Would this rice farmer put his siblings in a similar situation? Why should a student miss class because she can’t use the only road to her school in 2021? This matter was brought to the attention of Guyana’s President when he visited for the announcement of the crematorium; also, the District

Council Chairman, and Councillors many times during 2021; to date the residents have not had any help from anyone.

This contractor and rice farmer are not only destroying our homes, but also our roads, which the Guyanese Government has borrowed funds from the IMF to build.

Large amounts of mud are also deposited on the roads, which creates a driving hazard and becomes a dust storm when it dries. Residents have waited for too long for quality of roads, now to have them destroyed by nonresidents, simply put, this is eye-pass. We are desperately and urgently calling on the Honourable Minister of Public Works – Bishop Juan Edghill to immediately intervene in the matters in this article. Deliver on your promise to hold these contractors and owners of machinery, who destroy our roads and properties, accountable for damages and prosecute via appropriate laws.

Also, remove from current and future Guyanese public contracts.

Sincerest thanks, Residents of Uniform Leguan

...Leave prayer in schools alone, we From page 5 Swami has a genuine interest in cultural diversity and respect for all religions given his other materials that seem to wage holy war against the Abrahamic religions? If the diversity practices in public places now are not all inclusive, I say “mend it, not end it.”

(Dear Editor, it would be nice if you can publish this prayer so your readers can know what is the prayer causing the controversy.

National Assembly’s Universal Prayer Almighty God, we, who

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

are here gathered together, do most humbly beseech Thee, to guide us in all our consultations, so that we may together build a land where knowledge is free, where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high, and where words come from the depth of truth.

Grant us, O God, Thine aid and guidance, so that we may deal justly, with the several causes that come before us, laying aside all private interests, prejudices and personal preferences, so that the result of our counsels may

b e t o t h e g l o r y of thy Blessed Name, the maintenance of true religion, the preservation of justice, the safety, honour and happiness of the President, and the peace and prosperity of Guyana.

Grant us, O God, the vision so to lead, that all the people of this fair land may enter into that state of b r o t h e r h o o d a n d u n i t y, where the mind is led forward by thee into everwidening thought and action.

Sincerely, Dr. Jerry Jailall

Maybe we need an ethnic equation for the appointment of GECOM Commissioners Dear Editor, As a nation we hardly ever reach a consensus on any matter with the exception that a majority of us agree that our elections are ethnically driven. Given our overriding preoccupation with ethnicity, why not use it to our advantage and appoint our GECOM Commissioners on the basis of ethnicity.

Why not have five commissioners representing each of our ethnic makeup comprising of an African, Indian, Chinese, Indigenous and Portuguese Guyanese. The

appointment of these ethnic commissioners should be based on the following criteria: 1. Should have no known political affiliation or membership to a political party.

2. Should be of good character with a stellar public profile and a respected member of their community.

3. Each appointed commissioner must be approved by a two- thirds majority of Parliament.

4. A select committee comprising of one representative each of the

political parties in parliament to manage the application and selection process.

5. From among the five commissioners, they will choose the Chairperson.

6. Their period of appointment should be for 10 years with the option of being selected for one more fiveyear term.

This methodology of equal ethnic representation might very well remove the stigma of biases in the running of our elections.

Yours Sincerely, Reggie Bhagwandin

Applaud the PPP/C Govt. for launching new LCDS initiative Dear Editor, Today I write to you with much enthusiasm regarding the recent launch of the fourmonth consultation on Guyana’s new Low Carbon Development Strategy by the PPP/C government. Without a doubt, it is important for countries to place more emphasis on reducing their carbon footprints and becoming carbon neutral.

Given the fact that we are facing climate challenges, which threaten our livelihoods, I must commend the PPP/C government for launching this new LCDS initiative, which will propel Guyana towards carbon neutrality and added prosperity.

After reading through the LCDS 2030 plan that was released to the public so that consultations can commence, I must say that the strategy is a well-thought out one. It is very important for Guyanese to recognise that the aim of this initiative is to protect and maintain Guyana’s forests in an effort to reduce global

carbon emissions while at the same time, attract payments from developed countries for the climate services which will be provided through the said forests.

Providing that Guyana continues along this path with regards to the LCDS 2030 strategy, it is guaranteed that the country will benefit significantly in a number of different ways. I wish to point out that not only will we be able to benefit from low carbon emissions, but also from investments. Building on the latter, Guyana will be able to receive funds from countries that will in turn be used to build infrastructure, develop communities, promote businesses and more. Ultimately, this will lead to improvements in the standard of living, which will benefit every single Guyanese.

This, when coupled with the booming oil and gas sector will propel Guyana to higher heights as far as I can see.

President Irfaan Ali said in his address when launching the LCDS 2030

consultations that the interest in Guyana during his recent visit to Dubai is unprecedented. With this in mind, I can only imagine the prospects that are going to meet our country in the very near future. As much as we focus on building our country in terms of infrastructure, it is equally important for us to focus on the environment as without it, we would not be able to reap the benefits of our hard work.

On this note, I want to commend the PPP/C Government for seeing the need to launch this consultation for the LCDS 2030 initiative. It not only shows that they are committed to serving in the best interest of the people and achieving One-Guyana, but also to improve and preserve our beloved country for the benefit of our future generations. Kudos to the President and Vice President for their foresight in this regard.

Yours truly, Alvin Hamilton

How does Guyana’s new wealth benefit the average man?

Dear Editor, I’m sure thousands of Guyanese are excited by the new profound promises of oil wealth and becoming the next Dubai. While this would not happen overnight, it is disappointing to see the Government has made no consideration to date for the average working Joe. Yes, it did cash grants to some groups of persons, but how does this benefit the average cashier or salesgirl working for less than $100,000 monthly? If the Government is giving Exxon such a sweetheart deal on royalties and taxes why does it continue to relentlessly tax the average worker PAYE at such a ridiculous amount? Why hasn’t there been a proposal or even talks to allow transfer of wealth to the ordinary citizen via tax reduction?

Sure, companies will set up shore bases and large operations and make millions, which will be used to pay expats very attractive salaries, but what happens to the ordinary workers of Guyanese companies? Don’t we deserve a way to benefit as well? We are not asking for the government to hand deliver money to us, we are simply asking to keep a larger part of the money we are working very hard for, by the government lowering the amount of PAYE it is taking from us each month. Let’s keep working very hard to build the next Dubai! Did I mention Dubai has 0 percent income tax rate according to https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/ united-arab-emirates/individual/taxes-onpersonal-income? How do we move our 28 percent to 0 percent dear craftsmen?

Worried Guyanese

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

We are glad that Guyana's Opposition has finally found its voice.

Now the Opposition is calling for a comprehensive study of the proposed gas-to-shore project.

A real opposition can make its mark by exposing the lies and coverups of the PPP leadership with the Wales project. A real Opposition would not let-up. A real Opposition would keep the pressure on the PPP for its deceptions and corrupt visions.

The visions that really benefit only its leaders and insiders.

PAGE 07

PAGE 08 Some of the students and representatives who received the donations made by the Precious Angels Charity.

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

Precious Angels Charity donates $1.5M to Special Needs schools

O

n Friday, Precious Angels Charity, a non-profit organisation whose mission is to raise awareness on the rare neurological disability Rett Syndrome, in collaboration with Mohamed's Enterprise has donated some $1.5 million to several schools for children with special needs.

Those institutions that benefited from the donation are Gifted Hands Learning Academy, St. Barnabas School, MET Pride Academy, and the Autism School.

The handing over ceremony took place at Mohamed's Enterprise located at Lombard Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown.

Donations were in the form of cash as well as gifts to the students.In an invited comment, representative of the charity organisation, Isha Khan, told Kaieteur News that “we are hoping to establish a cure for Rett Syndrome in

Guyana or start a Rett Syndrome clinic to help kids be diagnosed with Rett Syndrome at an early stage in t h e i r l i f e . ” However, she explained that the Charity usually hosts walk-events to bring awareness to the rare disease.

But due to the pandemic, she said, this was put on hold.

“Every year we have an annual fundraising event… but this year we've been affected by the COVID-19 virus, we were not allowed to have our public, annual walk or public event, so we decided to invite the schools and the representatives of some of the schools to give them gifts and some money,” Khan said.

Rett Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects brain development, resulting in severe mental and physical disability. It is estimated that about one in 12,000 girls born each year is affected but is rarely seen in boys.

G20: World leaders agree to historic corporate tax deal Leaders of the world's 20 major economies have approved a global agreement that will see te profits of large businesses taxed at least 15 percent.

It follows concern that multinational companies are re-routing their profits through low tax jurisdictions.

The pact was agreed by all the leaders attending the G20 summit in Rome.

Climate change and Covid are also on the agenda of the summit, which is bringing most leaders together face to face since the start of the pandemic.

The G20 group - made up of 19 countries and the European Union - is short by two leaders, however, with China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin choosing to appear via video link, instead.The tax deal, which was proposed by the US, is expected to be officially adopted on Sunday, according to Reuters news agency, and will be enforced by 2023.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the historic agreement was a "critical

moment" for the global economy and will "end the damaging race to the bottom on corporate taxation".

She wrote on Twitter that US businesses and workers would benefit from the deal even though many US-based mega-companies would have to pay more tax.

The G20 summit comes ahead of the much anticipated COP26 summit on climate change in Glasgow which begins on Monday. What happens at the G20 may set the tone for COP26, with sharp divisions remaining between countries on their commitments to tackling climate change.

Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi opened the twoday summit with a message of unification, telling world leaders that "going it alone is simply not an option. We must do all we can to overcome our differences".

There are increasingly dire warnings from experts for the future if urgent action is not taken to cut carbon emissions.

Speaking to the BBC, UK (Continued on page 54)

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

Three more COVID deaths, 104 new cases

T

he Ministry of Health (MOH) y e s t e r d a y reported that three more persons have died as a result o f C O V I D - 1 9 complications. It was reported that two patients died from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) – an 86-year-old man whose vaccination status is unknown, died on October 29, and a 75-year-old unvaccinated woman died

on October 30. The other patient is a 58-year-old woman from Region Six (East Berbice -Corentyne); her vaccination status is unknown and she died on October 27. Meanwhile, the Ministry recorded 104 new COVID-19 infections.

The new cases were recorded in Region Three which has 12 cases, Region Four which has 42 cases, Region Five which has seven cases, Region Six which has

23 cases, Region Seven which has two cases, Region Eight which has five cases and Region 10 which has three cases.

In addition, the MOH said that 17 patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, 65 patients are in institutional isolation, and 2,758 are in home isolation. To date, 31,795 persons have recovered from the disease.

Dem

Big truck causing boys seh... long line De talk is how dem containers piling up pun dem wharves overseas. But like dah nah happening hay in Guyana. Whole day, from dawn till dusk, container trucks moving pun de road and fouling up de traffic.

Dem boys seeing traffic jam on de East Bank and on de East Coast. And is all because ah dem big container truck. Is nuff stress when yuh jus going fuh buy a loaf ah bread and yuh get lockdown in a traffic jam fuh a whole hour.

De boss man of de Waterfall paper used to tek five minutes to reach from he house to de office. Now if he reach in half hour he does smile. Most days he deh in

de line fuh more dan wan hour and all because ah dem big truck wah dem oil company gat pun de road.

But wah does get dem boys piss is when yuh deh patiently in a traffic line and dem mini-bus or hire car use de pedestrian lane fuh bore de line.

One time a police constable bin stop one ah dem hire car driver wah boring de line. De police tell de man he gan charge he fuh boring de line. De constable ask de driver fuh he licence.

De driver tell he dat he nah gat no licence.

De constable ask he fuh see de car registration. De driver tell de police how he just stole de car and kill de

owner and how he gat de owner body in de trunk De constable get frighten and go and tell he senior officer wah happen.

De senior officer come to de driver and said, “Sir I understand dat you gat a dead body in yuh trunk.”

De hire car driver, step out he car, open de car trunk and show de officer how it empty.De senior officer ask he fuh he licence and registration. De hire car driver produce both.

And den turning to de senior officer seh, “I suppose de constable tell yuh how I bore line tuh.”

Talk half and get dem big truck off de road during peak hours.

PAGE 09

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Sunday October 31, 2021

Over 150 Guyanese lend voices to global climate...

From page 2 greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.”

As it regards Guyana, the group said that the country remains a carbon sink.

They explained: “Our forests extract more greenhouse gas from the atmosphere than the people of Guyana emit. These forests are making the world safer for all humanity. Our forests have removed

greenhouse gas from time immemorial and have made a unique historic contribution to mitigating climate change.”

“These forests,” AFDGAFDP noted, “belong to the State and the State is not the government, the State consists of the people of Guyana.”

“As Guyanese citizens we cherish our country, our forests and one another. We

demand that: the people of Guyana are paid for the greenhouse gas that our forests are removing. As the owners of the forests, we demand that the payments are made to the people of Guyana, not to the government. In light of our unique historic contribution to mitigating climate change, we demand payment at the rate of US$80 per ton. We reserve the right to increase

our price in the future,” the AFDGAFDP added in the statement.

Further, the group noted that under the State Lands Act and the Amerindian Act 2006, Amerindian communities own land under absolute, unconditional titles.

These Amerindian lands include all of the forests located on those lands held under these Amerindian land

titles.

The group therefore demands that payments, which relate to forests on Amerindian lands must be made direct to the Amerindian titleholders and not to the government or any NGO or other person or group.

“We wish we could say that hundreds of thousands of you heeded the call and put your names to these

demands but unfortunately our numbers are far less than that,” the statement continued.

In this regard, the AFDGAFDP alluded to the words of Finella Martin, a working wife and mother of three, who said, “Our hope is that every Guyanese will join what is a global campaign, to prevent climate disaster, first and foremost for themselves.”

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Sunday October 31, 2021

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY! I

n case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecency in our of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our entire nation.

SUNDAY Unless there is dramatic reduction in fossil fuel use, untold destruction is promised (KN October 17). It is not KN that said so, but the IMF Chief.

First, it was the UN Secretary General sounding the alarm about fossil fuels.

The latest is the IMF bigwig.

There are more to come.

Is Dr. Bharrat 'drilling machine' Jagdeo listening?

Does he understand what these people are saying? Or is he going to get his police to shut them up and lock them up, too?

MONDAY ExxonMobil has disclosed that its Yellowtail Project will cost US$9B or $1.8 Trillion Guyana Dollars.

In the absence of provisions such as those which deal with ringfencing in the Stabroek Block deal, that investment spells a frightening tale for Guyana.

In simple terms, ExxonMobil would be able to make the oil pie smaller and

smaller to share.

In other words, Guyana will get a smaller take of the crumbs it is already getting.

When will we wake up and renegotiate the Stabroek Block deal to get what we deserve?

TUESDAY “Let not your destiny and your promise be stolen from you by any small or great thing.”

Those were the words of UG's Vice Chancellor at the ceremonial opening of the university for the 2021-22 academic year.

The young ones had better bear that in mind, better keep an eye on our political leaders so that they do not continue to steal destiny and promise from everyone, if they have their way.

They have done it before.

They can do it again.

Students and Guyanese: don't let stealing, cheating, deceiving leaders continue to betray you.

WEDNESDAY

Clerks of the Public Accounts Committee refuse to work, due to being 'stressed out.' Talk about 'stressed out' and we should be the ones claiming that.

Guyanese politicians in the Govt. and Opposition look for ways to neutralise us. They try ads and newsprint and libel suits.

They poach our staff. They interfere with our technology (internet and servers) and operations.

Speak of 'stressed out' and it should be us. But here we are, working hard and delivering a hard-hitting product daily, come rain or shine, or stress.

THURSDAY Guyana has a brave new world to expect with its liberated telecoms industry.

Guyana is a real mother country, since its peoples are expectant all the time.

When the telecoms companies deliver, then our expectancies will be over.

How about stable and real race car speeds for internet?

What about cheaper landline and cell phone charges?

FRIDAY “A bad deal is a bad deal, regardless of who is in power.”

That is what Ms. Melinda Janki said and we fully agree with her.

W h y a r e P P P Government supporters now tongue-tied?

Why do Guyanese tie

themselves into knots over elections and other stupidities, while our leaders are lying to us?

Our leaders, it would seem, are doing nothing about the bad oil deal, other than bowing down to Exxon?

SATURDAY Exxon and the PPP Government seem to believe Guyanese are fools. They hold this sham called public consultations for

ExxonMobil's projects after giving Guyanese 10 days to wade through thousands of pages of technical stuff.

They themselves can't go through so much material so quickly.

But they give Guyanese that job to do and call for meaningful consultations.

This is how Exxon, the EPA, and the VP make total fools of Guyanese. How long are Guyanese going to take this “eye-pass”?

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

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PAGE 14

Kaieteur News

Sunday October 31, 2021

Inefficient access to nation’s abundant resources reduces competitiveness - GMSA A section of the GMSA’s annual business luncheon held at the Guyana Pegasus.

GMSA President, Rafeek Khan addressing the business luncheon on Friday last.

“As we aim towards sustainable development in the wake of Climate Change, it is imperative that we build to last and we prioritise in areas that positively affect competitiveness,” since inefficient access to some of the nation’s abundant resources reduces business’ c o m p e t i v e n e s s domestically.

As such, “better built or built to last is a complement t o s u s t a i n a b l e development”, since “we are facing changing weather patterns that destroy bridges and roads.”

To this end, “repairs to damaged infrastructure can be avoided if built properly from the start.”

These were among the clarion calls made on Friday last by President of the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association (GMSA), Rafeek Khan, during the entity’s annual Business Luncheon, venued at the Guyana Pegasus Hotel.

Expanding on the issue of competitiveness domestically, Khan told those in attendance, “…competitiveness is ultimately the key factor that affects growth of industries.”

To this end, he argued from farm to market, forest to mill, the cost of transportation for goods are as much, or even more than 50 percent of the value.

He cited as example, that the value of a truck load of logs is around $800,000, inclusive of transportation cost, of which $450,000 is the trucking cost – this is 56 percent of the overall cost.

“Consider tourism for the moment, the average

cost to hire a pickup from Georgetown to Iwokrama is approximately $120,000 return. One can travel to most Caribbean destinations or Miami on a return trip for similar amount.”

As such, Khan used the occasion to welcome government’s enthusiasm and commitment to infrastructure development across the length and breadth of Guyana.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, K h a n pointed to the removal of the Value Added Tax (VAT) from Hinterland travel, which he said provided great relief especially to small businesses and commuters alike. “ T h e c o s t o f transportation to the hinterland and far reached areas of Guyana has been a challenge for too long,” he added.

He went on to note too that while high energy cost quite often takes precedence, the burdensome logistics cost to transport our primary production especially in Agro, Forestry, and Mining must also be addressed.

According to Khan, “we are extremely blessed as a nation with an abundance of Natural Resources but accessibility to these resources are sometimes limited…On the other hand, where hinterland road exists - the prohibitive cost of maintenance contributes to higher production cost.”

Past President of the Association, Ramesh Dookhoo, in his remarks to the Luncheon, used the occasion to urge local manufacturers and other stakeholders to work Continued on page 54

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

Climate Crisis a code red for humanity

and Development (OECD) The 26th United Nations human suffering.” …time has passed for diplomatic niceties - UN SG

Flooding recently in Guyana, attributed to abnormally heavy rains, a direct result of Climate Change.

Conference of Parties (COP26) opens today in Glasgow, Scotland, with Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, using the opportunity on the eve of the premier global Climate Change confab, to scold particularly those in the developed world in addition to private business with regard their failed commitments over the years.

Guterrres in a last minute appeal, via a public missive yesterday, said bluntly, “the time has passed for diplomatic niceties.”

According to the UN Secretary General, “If governments - especially G20 governments - do not stand up and lead this effort, we are headed for terrible

He was adamant, all countries need to realise that the old, carbon-burning model of development is a death sentence for their economies and our planet.

To this end, he reiterated, “we need decarbonisation now, across every sector in every country; we need to shift subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy, and tax pollution, not people.”

According to Guterres, it is time “to put a price on carbon, and channel that back towards (into) resilient infrastructures and jobs.”

He reminded too of the need to phase-out the use of coal by 2030 in Organisation for Economic Co-operation

countries and 2040 in all others.

Increasing numbers of governments have pledged to stop financing coal and, according to Gutterrres, “private finance needs to do the same, urgently.”

People, he said, rightly expect their governments to lead but also cautioned “we all have a responsibility to safeguard our collective future.”

To this end, Guterres in his appeal said private businesses too need to reduce their climate impact, and fully and credibly align their operations and financial flows to a net-zero future.

“No more excuses; no

more green washing,” a clear reference to oil company’s position as it relates to the impact of fossil fuel on the environment and its relation to climate change.

Calling the ‘climate crisis’ a code red for humanity, Guterres opined that World Leaders will soon be put to the test at the UN Climate Conference - known as COP26 - in Glasgow and that “their actions - or inactions - will show their seriousness about addressing this planetary emergency.”

Appealing for a change in the way humanity impacts on the climate through its fossil fuel based activities, G u t e r r e s s a i d investors—public and private alike—”should join front runners like the netzero asset owners alliance, and the UN’s own pension fund, which met its 2021 carbon reduction investment objectives ahead of time and above its target, with a 32 percent reduction this year.”

The UN Secretary General used the occasion to also call on public and multilateral development banks to significantly increase their climate

UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres

portfolios and intensify their efforts to help countries transition to net-zero, resilient economies.

Importantly, he was adamant, “the developed world must urgently meet its commitment of at least $100 billion in annual climate finance for developing countries.”

Donors and multilateral development banks, he said, “need to allocate at least half their climate finance towards adaptation and resilience.”

The warning signs are hard to miss, Guterres said as he impressed and elucidated by pointing to the fact, “temperatures everywhere

are reaching new highs; biodiversity is reaching new lows; oceans are warming, acidifying, and choking with plastic waste. Increasing temperatures will make vast stretches of our planet dead zones for humanity by century’s end.”

Drawing reference to respected medical journal ‘The Lancet,’ he noted its observation which remarked climate change as the “defining narrative of human health” in the years to come — a crisis defined by widespread hunger, respiratory illness, deadly disasters and infectious Continued on page 56

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Sunday October 31, 2021

SPREADING HER SURVIVAL MESSAGE TO BRING ABOUT AWARENESS… Breast Cancer Warrior,

Sarita Yabindranauth Halim

By Rehanna Ramsay

is a ‘Special Person’

W

hen Sarita Yabindranaut h Halim was in her 20s and 30s, the thought of getting screened for breast cancer never crossed her mind. Today, after surviving the disease, she is one of several people advocating for women and girls to get checked for cancer.

Her message is simple; “get screened for cancer, early detection truly saves lives.”

This week’s ‘Special Person’ opened up to Kaieteur News about her journey to self-awareness and breast cancer advocacy.

She told this newspaper that before her experience with breast cancer, she led a simple satisfying life—often shying away from the public eye.

“I did not see the need to speak out about anything before but after my experience with cancer and having survived it, I tell people I have a lot to talk

Like most cancer patients, Sarita lost all her hair during chemotherapy. organisations to spread awareness about the disease.

In fact, over the past weeks, Halim has spent a significant portion of her time, speaking at public forums for various organisations, charities, and civil society groups, placing emphasis on early screening to detect the deadly condition.

The activities all coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month which is

breast.

“I have been healthy all my life. I have a wonderful husband and son. I’m selfemployed and at the time everything was going fine until I started feeling that lump. I became curious about it and I told my sister.

She encouraged me to go see the doctor,” Halim recalled.

She explained that soon after making the appointment to see the doctor at the

day showing that I tested positive for cancer in the breast but then I went back to get a second opinion and it was confirmed by a doctor at the Woodlands Hospital. As a result of her diagnosis, it was recommended that Halim be placed on treatment quickly.

“The doctor told me that I had some time but that I would need to undergo surgery to remove my breast, if I wanted to live longer. I asked him how much time I have and he said about five years. Then I said no tell me, I want to know exactly how long more I have to live and he said maybe two to three years. Right then I decided so be it because I have one son and I lived a pretty full life I wasn’t going to take that option,” she recalled of her initial response to the recommendation for surgery and treatment.

However, Halim said that the more she thought about it – the fact, that she could die of this illness without seeing her teenage son become a man and attain

Cancer Warrior: Sarita Yabindranauth Halim

his life goals, the more she desired to live.

LIFE OR DEATH It was indeed a tough decision to make – to have one’s breast removed is no easy choice, Halim explained. “Having breasts is part of being a woman, and having to lose it felt like I

was losing a part of my womanhood; a piece of me literally that I will never get back.”

She noted however, that is “a life-or-death decision literally for many women battling breast cancer because it could determine if Continued on page 52

Sarita is flanked by her main support base: her husband and son.

about and to share to help other women,” Halim, a selfproclaimed breast cancer warrior stated.

The 43-year-old mother of one is now the founder of a cancer support group called “Thinking Positive” through which she provides psychological and tangible support for at least 18 persons who are battling or have survived cancer.

She often collaborates with various other

observed throughout the month of October. She told this newspaper that her journey to breast cancer activism and advocacy started in 2019 – some three years ago; around the time she was diagnosed with the deadly disease.

Halim told this newspaper that the diagnosis came as a surprise to her.

She said that her life was going wonderfully until she noticed a lump in her right

Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Obviously stunned at the news of such a dreaded illness, Halim sought a second opinion from doctors at a private hospital. The physician confirmed that she was dealing with stage two cancer of the breast.

At first, I underwent a fine needle biopsy and the results came back the next

Spreading the word: Sarita stands with her friend Diane Fung and another advocate during a breast cancer awareness activity.

Kaieteur News

Sunday October 31, 2021

PAGE 19

A Low-Carbon Christmas The slowdown in the transportation of goods and services will spoil many persons’ Christmas. Already some shipping companies are informing customers that they are not likely to receive their goods in time for Christmas.

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry has signalled its concerns about the impact of what is being called supply chain problems on the arrival of goods for the holiday season. All around the world the slowdown in freight services has led to massive increase in food prices.

The cause of this slowdown has been termed supply chain problems. It mainly refers to the bottlenecks which have developed in getting goods to distributors, manufacturers and consumers.

If for example you eat a packet of foreign-made biscuits, this product has to be imported into Guyana. To reach here it has to be shipped in containers. To reach the containers, it has to be transported by trucks from a warehouse by the

suppliers. To get to the warehouse, it has to be transported by land or sea from a factory. The factory needs raw materials – flour, sugar, etc. – to feed into its machines which produce the biscuits. The machines however need spare, some high-tech, for the production process. Those spares have to be manufactured elsewhere and even in some cases other material such as packaging have been outsourced.

All of these stages are part of the global supply chain. And the causes of the shortages and high prices of goods are related to the fact that the supply chain systems are integrated across national boundaries. The world has become so integrated that problems in a few countries can create ripples in the entire global supply chain.

The pandemic had led to the closure of a number of factories including in countries such as China, Mexico and Canada. It is for this reason that during the pandemic computer chips and other parts were so hard to come by. The slowdown in

consumption led to a number of workers – including container truck drivers being laid off – thereby resulting in a shortage of transportation workers.

Now that the global economy is being kickstarted, demand has surged and the supply cannot keep up with the rising demand. In keeping with the laws of supply and demand, this has led to an increase in prices, including massive increases in shipping costs.

But price increases have not restored the system of equilibrium and this is because various stages of the supply chain system simply cannot keep up with the demand. At the same time, other problems have compounded the problems at various other stages of the supply chain. And this is resulting in bottlenecks in receiving goods.

But the implications of the supply chain problems go well beyond the timely arrival of Christmas stocks or the increase in food prices.

It is affecting inflation, public sector investment and constricting economic growth.

The government doled out massive tax breaks to the local private sector in the hope of cushioning food prices. But despite the Treasury placing billions in the pockets of the business sector, prices have not reduced significantly and inflation is hurting the pockets of the poor man, really hurting.

T h e d i ff i c u l t i e s i n receiving goods in a timely manner have already started to affect Guyana’s Public Sector Investment Programme. A number of projects which the PPP/C was racing to complete this year will not be completed in accordance with their original deadlines because of the late arrival of inputs.

Supply chain problems are also slowing economic growth and this will result in a sluggish recovery instead of robust rebounding which was predicted. For small countries like Guyana, it can

shave a few percentage points off non-oil growth.

In the United States it is estimated that the supply chain problems had led to massive reduction of more than 25 percent in the consumption of goods. And this has helped to constrict growth by at least two percent for the third quarter of this year.

The global supply chains may be hurting our pockets and decreasing our profits.

But they represent a relief for the environment because once these problems persists it will mean less movement and consumption of goods.

A significant portion of t h e w o r l d ’s c a r b o n emissions are linked to the global supply chains and to the consumption of goods.

Any slowdown in the supply chain represents good news for the world’s carbon footprint.

Guyana’s leaders are eager to ensure the country

remains a net-carbon sink (is it with all the flaring which Exxon was doing and the massive oil production taking place?). As such, apart from the inflationary effects, the government should be happy with the supply chain-occasioned slowdown because it means fewer emissions.

Instead of therefore worrying as to whether goods will arrive for Christmas, the government should be encouraging a low-carbon Christmas – produce less, drive less and eat less. It is good for the environment.

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

Kaieteur News

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Sunday October 31, 2021

Push for greater awareness of the suppressing disorder, Rett Syndrome

I

magine being stuck in a glass box, in front of your family a n d f r i e n d s . Yo u a r e uncomfortable, hungry, thirsty, sad, lonely and frustrated. Think about that frustration and lack of acknowledgement. Why can’t they notice your frustration; why are they still smiling and laughing while you’re in discomfort? You scream your requests louder but to no avail.

Now, instead of a glass box, imagine it’s in your own body that you are trapped.

Imagine waking up every day unable to pull the curtains, brush your teeth or drink your first glass of

water. Think about being unable to say good morning to your family and tell them all about your dreams.

Imagine being trapped in a world where all your efforts to express yourself are blocked. Your head or tummy hurts, but you cannot ask for relief. Someone is hurting you, but you cannot scream for help. Then imagine seizures, multiple silent seizures, mostly unnoticed. Imagine seeing others living their lives to their full capabilities while you are trapped. That scarcely brushes the surface on the suppressing disorder that is Rett Syndrome.

Rett Syndrome is a rare

neurological disability that affects every aspect of an individual’s life - their ability to breathe, speak, walk, eat. Rett Syndrome leads to severe physical impairments and loss of motor skills. The child has a lessened ability to express feelings. According to the Rett Syndrome Research Trust, statistics show that one in every 10,000-12,000 kids are born with Rett.

There is a lag in the brain and head growth in a child with Rett Syndrome.

They may seem to be growing normally; however, significant symptoms occur between 6 -18 months of a baby’s life. Sometimes,

in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

In Guyana, due to the unfamiliarity and rarity of this disability, many people are misdiagnosed or unable to obtain a diagnosis. Apart from financial reasons, diagnosis and treatment are limited and somewhat non-existent in healthcare facilities.

To obtain medical aid for a suspected Rett individual, one must be financially capable to be referred to another country’s medical care. I was inspired by my niece, a victim of this disorder. I, along with family members and friends, initiated a nonRett Syndrome is a rare neurological disability profitable organisation that affects every aspect of an individual’s life. called Precious Angels Charity. delays in walking abilities; disorder is confirmed by the It is our mission to or, they may lose the skill, presence of a change in the inform and empower all some may not walk until late g e n e a n d g e n e r a l G u y a n e s e t h r o u g h childhood or adolescence, observations. awareness campaigns and There is no known cure a c t i v i t i e s . We h a v e and some never can walk independently. Children and managing its symptoms successfully carried out an w i t h R e t t S y n d r o m e can be very difficult. awareness walk in 2019 but experience apraxia, seizures I m p r o v e m e n t s i n t h e have been unable to execute and scoliosis, -ranging from diagnosis of Rett Syndrome walks or fundraising events non-existent to severe. This has, as yet, no parallels in s i n c e t h e p a n d e m i c disability mostly affects treatment. Medicine can continues to rage. We aim to girls. Rett Syndrome is o n l y o ff e r s u p p o r t i v e assist those affected by this caused by a gene mutation in measures; feeding tubes, disorder and raise funds that the MECP2 gene located on orthopaedic braces and w i l l g o t o w a r d s t h e the X chromosome. The surgeries, and trials of d e v e l o p m e n t a n d MECP2 gene contains s t a n d a r d s e i z u r e improvement of research. instructions for producing medications, which are often We aim to provide services; (encoding) a protein called i n e f f e c t i v e i n R e t t financial aid but also include MeCP2. This protein is Syndrome. Treatment for the advocacy, intervention and essential for normal brain disorder is symptomatic, referrals. We, therefore, rely function and other functions focusing on the management on the generosity of our o f s y m p t o m s , a n d community members and in the body.

Rett Syndrome is marked supportive. Medication may businesses. b y r e p e t i t i v e h a n d be needed for breathing We hope to receive your movements. Other signs and irregularities and motor support for the sake of the symptoms are: wringing and difficulties, and antiepileptic precious angels who are washing of the hands, drugs may be used to control afflicted by this stifling difficulty breathing and seizures. Occupational disorder. With your help, we eating, slowed head growth, therapy, physiotherapy, and will achieve the financial loss of eye contact, grinding hydrotherapy may prolong ability to construct the first of the teeth, loss of speech, mobility.

Rett Syndrome Clinic in Some children may Guyana. October is Rett loss of motor skills, apraxia, silent seizures and gradual require special equipment S y n d r o m e Aw a r e n e s s losses of the individual’s and aids such as braces to Month. Purple is the colour arrest scoliosis, splints to and butter-fly is the symbol. basic skills.

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e modify hand movements, To donate and support, International Rett Syndrome and nutritional programmes. contact us on our social A s s o c i a t i o n ( I R S A ) , As of 2021, the tunnel is m e d i a - I n s t a g r a m V i e n n e s e p h y s i c i a n ; beginning to look shorter @preciousangelscharity19 A n d r e a s R e t t f i r s t and brighter; as clinical and Facebook Precious discovered Rett Syndrome t r e a t m e n t s a r e b e i n g Angels Charity. Or, call us at in 1954, when he noticed two assessed and researched for 5 9 2 2 2 5 9 0 1 9 o r girls making the same gene reversal. “Traditional +4407984889602. “No act repetitive hand-writing gene-replacement therapy of kindness, no matter how which involves swapping small, is ever wasted,” motions.

T h i s d i s o r d e r i s out the mutated copy of Aesor. diagnosed based on the MECP2 for a functional one (This article was written symptoms the child depicts. has been successful in mice, Hadiyyah S. Mohamed, a A genetic-based blood test is but it’s not obvious how to Communication/Journalism done to find out whether the s a f e l y t r a n s l a t e t h a t student at the Edinburgh condition is caused by a approach for people, “says Napier University, Scotland, genetic mutation. The Matthew Lyst - a researcher United Kingdom.)

Sunday October 31, 2021

Dear Reader, in light of the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our publisher, with you in mind, has taken the decision to extend our weekly review of some of our major stories in their entirety.

SUNDAY EXXONMOBIL’S 4TH OIL PROJECT TO COST OVER US$9B According to ExxonMobil’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for its fourth project called Yellowtail, development costs are poised to exceed US$9B or GY$1.8 trillion.

Exxon said the costs are expected to be higher since there would be a greater number of development wells and associated drilling costs when compared to its Payara project which will also cost Guyana $1.8 trillion.

Despite the astronomical costs, Exxon believes that the project should be supported as it would generate benefits for the citizens of Guyana in several ways, which would otherwise not be there in the absence of the project. It said these benefits include revenue sharing with the Government of Guyana. The oil giant stressed however, that the type and extent of the benefits associated with revenue sharing will depend on how decision-makers in government decide to prioritise and allocate funding for future programmes, which is unknown to the company and outside the scope of the EIA. Apart from the revenue sharing, Exxon said Guyanese stand to benefit from the procurement process that will follow for goods and services from local businesses in alignment with the Petroleum Agreement and the EEPGL Local Content Plan approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources in June 2021.

Apart from revenue sharing, expenditures, and employment, Exxon said the project will also likely generate induced economic benefits.

According to project documents, Yellowtail will consist of the drilling of approximately 41 to 67 development wells (including production, water injection, and gas re-injection wells); installation and operation of Subsea, Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines equipment; installation and the operation of a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block; and— ultimately—project decommissioning.

The FPSO will be

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designed to produce up to 250,000.

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

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

SURINAME GETS US$30.8M SIGNING BONUS FOR BLOCK WITH NO DISCOVERIES GUYANAGIVESAWAY STABROEK BLOCK WITH MASSIVE FIND FOR US$18M Suriname’s national oil company, Staatsolie, announced on October 13, 2021, that it is poised to sign a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) with Chevron for the rights to explore, develop and produce in the shallow waters offshore the Dutch-speaking country. By utilising a bidding round as opposed to a one-on-one negotiation and award of the block, Suriname was able to garner several benefits for its offshore concession, which has no discoveries.

One of the major achievements is that it was able to secure US$30.8M for a block that spans 2,235km2.

Also of significance is the fact

that Staatsolie, for the first time in its history, will participate as a partner in offshore activities since it retained a 40 percent participation right from the moment the PSC is signed.

The cooperation was confirmed by the signing of the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) in which the conditions are specified.

The agreements enable Staatsolie to have more influence in the decisionmaking process and mean that Staatsolie will co-finance as a partner in the possible development and production phase.

Kaieteur News understands that Chevron showed interest in Block 5 at the Suriname Shallow Offshore Bid Round 2020/ 2021. In this tendering round, interested companies bid for blocks in the so-called shallow offshore, the sea area up to 120 kilometres from the coast and with a water depth of up to 100 metres. Chevron made the most favourable offer for Block 5.

In stark contrast, Suriname’s CARICOM sister, being Guyana, secured only US$18M as a signing bonus after ExxonMobil made a significant discovery in the Stabroek Block. It is important to note that the Stabroek Block is 12 times the size of Block 5. More importantly, when the signing bonus was received, at a time when ExxonMobil should have

relinquished more than 20 percent of the oil rich block and was able to hold onto it.

As for the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks, which are combined, almost nine times the size of Block 5, they were awarded back in 2015 by the Donald Ramotar Administration to industry unknowns without any signing bonus being required. ExxonMobil has since farmed into both blocks and is now the operator.

In a previous interview, Oil Consultant and former advisor to President Granger, Dr. Jan Mangal, had said Guyana likely forfeited US$100’s millions or even a billion dollars in signing bonuses for the foregoing blocks. He noted that these blocks, being Kaieteur and Canje, are adjacent to the Stabroek Block, which is operated by ExxonMobil and is now known to hold over 5.5B of oil equivalent resources. ExxonMobil has since submitted applications to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to pursue 12 wells in each block.

CANJE BLOCK OPERATORS The company to which Ramotar signed away the Canje Block was Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas. JHI Associates Inc. subsequently farmed in (or bought in) right after. The block was awarded on March 4, 2015 to Mid-Atlantic.

JHI was only registered in Guyana on May 4 and it bought into the block on May 15. It seems JHI was created from nothing as its archived website only started working and listing managers, including John Cullen, on June 10, 2015.

The general election was on May 11, 2015.

According to documents held by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Secretariat, JHI was only incorporated on June 17, 2015, in the British Virgin Islands. This nation is under no obligation to provide countries like Guyana with tax information of companies registered there.

And even though MidAtlantic Oil and Gas was incorporated here on April 8, 2013, both companies were in one-on-one negotiations with the PPP government for the oil block one month before, that is, March 2013.

This means that the individuals behind the companies were asking for oil blocks without having a company being formed as yet. What is also significant to note is that the Canje Block is the only asset that these two companies have to date.

Additionally, JHI and MidAtlantic, which participated in Guyana’s EITI reporting

process, failed to submit their audited financial statements for review.

THE KAIETEUR BLOCK Ramotar awarded the Kaieteur Block to Ratio Energy Limited and Ratio Guyana on April 28, 2015.

Both companies are registered at the same offices in Prashad Nagar and Gibraltar, Israel.

Ratio Guyana does not have a website but on the Kaieteur Block’s Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), a Ryan Pereira is signed on as the Company Secretary, Director and General Partner of the company.

It also should be noted that Mr. Pereira is a long-time miner in Guyana with no track record in oil. Yet, the last government awarded him (Cataleya Energy) 50 percent of the block.

The Ratio duo’s only asset remains the Kaieteur Block. Not a trace of evidence can be found to prove that it has years of experience in the exploration of oil and gas (SEE LINK FOR PSA: https:// resourcecontracts.org/ contract/ocds-591adf2701587320/view#/pdf).

Ratio Energy, which also calls itself Ratio Petroleum is chaired by Ligad Rotlevy.

With the Kaieteur Block in hand in 2015, this Israeli company was able to capture three other blocks. In 2017, it was able to acquire rights in Suriname’s basin, specifically for Block 47. In June 2016, Ratio Petroleum was granted a licence to operate in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Ireland.

In October 2018, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and Ratio entered into a Production Sharing Agreement, for oil exploration in an offshore section of Philippines continental shelf, known as SC 76. But Ratio does not have a track record of producing any oil in deepwater or anywhere, nor does it have the required assets to do so.

Of its four assets, Guyana’s Kaieteur Block is its largest (SEE WEBSITE LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION: h t t p s : / / www.ratiopetroleum.com/en/ about/ratio-petroleum/).

MONDAY EXXONMOBIL’S YELLOWTAILPROJECT TO PRODUCE 450 MILLION STANDARD CUBIC FEET OF GAS PER DAY - FPSO BEING DESIGNED TO SUPPORT FUTURE EXPORT OPTIONS -REPORT If it receives the blessings of the PPP/C Government,

ExxonMobil’s fourth oil project in the Stabroek Block is poised to generate 450 million standard cubic feet of gas per day by 2025-2026.

This is nine times the volume of gas that would be brought onshore via the imminent US$900M gas-to-shore project which will feed off the combined resources of the ExxonMobil-led Liza Phase One and Two projects.

The foregoing was outlined in ExxonMobil’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on Yellowtail. That document is being reviewed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In that report, ExxonMobil explained that the project which would be supported by resources from the Yellowtail and Redtail fields in the Stabroek Block will produce material quantities of associated gas. It said a key use for this associated gas is for fuel in gas turbines for power generation on the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel.

It noted that gas not used as fuel would then be available for alternative uses.

ExxonMobil went on to explain that the three primary alternatives considered for use of associated gas include: flaring, re-injection, and export.

Expounding further, Exxon said routine flaring of associated gas is a method to deal with natural gas production in oil developments, but introduces significant environmental considerations and would not meet regulatory expectations in Guyana nor be consistent with good international oilfield practice.

As for re-injection, it was noted that this will occur throughout the 20 year life cycle of the project but since all of the gas cannot be reinjected, the next suitable option for consideration is exportation.

With this in mind, Exxon said, “There is currently a separate project being proposed to transport a portion of the gas (on the order of 50 million standard cubic feet of gas per day) from the Liza Phase 1 and Liza Phase 2 FPSOs to shore, where it would be used to generate power in a gas-fired power plant.”

The company added, “As this project would satisfy the currently identified gas demand in Guyana, there would not be enough additional demand in Guyana to consume the quantities of associated gas that will be produced from the (Yellowtail) Project (expected (Continued on page 22)

PAGE 22

From page 21 to peak at around 450 million standard cubic feet of gas per day).”

ExxonMobil was keen to note that a decision with respect to the export of gas from the Yellowtail Project will be made in the future, while adding that gas export to shore or another phase of field development may be considered. It further noted that space reservation and basic design connections to allow for this are included in the Project scope.

TRILLION DOLLAR PROJECT It was on Sunday, Kaieteur News reported that development costs for the Yellowtail project are poised to exceed US$9B or GY$1.8 trillion.

Exxon said the costs are expected to be higher since there would be a greater number of development wells and associated drilling costs when compared to its Payara project which will also cost Guyana $1.8 trillion.

Despite the astronomical costs, Exxon believes that the project should be supported as it would generate benefits for the citizens of Guyana in several ways, which would

Kaieteur News

otherwise not be there in the absence of the project. It said these benefits include revenue sharing with the Government of Guyana. The oil giant stressed however, that the type and extent of the benefits associated with revenue sharing will depend on how decision-makers in government decide to prioritise and allocate funding for future programmes, which is unknown to the company and outside the scope of the EIA. Apart from the revenue sharing, Exxon said Guyanese stand to benefit from the procurement process that will follow for goods and services from local businesses in alignment with the Petroleum Agreement and the EEPGL Local Content Plan approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources in June 2021.

According to project documents, Yellowtail will consist of drilling approximately 41 to 67 development wells (including production, water injection, and gas re-injection wells); installation and operation of Subsea, Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines equipment; installation and the operation of a Floating Production

Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block; and— ultimately—project decommissioning.

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

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

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

CDB HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY FOSSIL FUEL LENDING IN THREE YEARS - WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH ENERGY TRANSITION AMONG MEMBER COUNTRIES In support of regional decarbonisation efforts, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) disclosed that it has not provided any fossil fuel lending over the last three years.

The financial institution recently disclosed that it intends to further

reinforce its support for sustainable energy through its revised Energy Sector Policy and Strategy, currently under development.

The CDB made the foregoing revelation last week as part of its commentary regarding its alignment with the Paris Agreement, which seeks to bring global temperature to 1.5 Degrees Celsius.

The bank was keen to note its belief that mobilisation and effective use of climate finance is of paramount importance to a decarbonised region. With this in mind, the financial institution disclosed that it has made significant strides in financing projects and programmes of its Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) so as to deliver on their Paris Agreement commitments.

The CDB explained that it has made considerable concessional climate finance available to the BMCs through strategic partnerships with several regional and international development partners. In fact, between 2017 and 2020, CDB said its climate finance was approximately US$223 million, accounting for 15% of project approvals during this period.

The financial institution said it will significantly scale up lending and support for climate action in the coming years while adding that this includes a commitment to allocate 25-30% of CDB’s own resources for climate action by 2024. The CDB said it will also leverage additional concessional climate finance through the Global Climate Fund.

In addition to the foregoing, CDB said it is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y strengthening its capacity to manage and monitor its climate action, and has commenced systematic tracking of its climate finance flows using the joint Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) methodology.

Furthermore, the Bank said it will continue to reinforce existing partnerships and develop new ones, scale up its climate finance to pursue transformational investments, and further increase its capacities to enhance the effectiveness of its climate action.

In addition to integrating climate change considerations into all new policies and strategies, CDB was keen to note that it is implementing several initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of its internal operations. The bank said it also continues to mainstream climate change considerations in policy development support and

Sunday October 31, 2021

country engagement strategies including assisting BMCs to develop long-term strategies.

CDB said too that it will work closely with other multilateral development banks to refine the ways in which Paris Alignment is assessed, including ensuring that commonly used metrics address the full range of adaptation needs in vulnerable Caribbean small island developing countries.

The financial institution said, “CDB understands the importance of catalysing private sector investment for ambitious climate action in the Caribbean. The Bank is deepening its engagement with the private sector and actively promotes private sector development and competitiveness by supporting an enabling business environment and gender-equitable participation in business and by facilitating public-private partnerships for climate resilience.”

CDB noted that it is also supporting BMCs to develop and implement policies and strategies that create incentives for the private sector to mitigate and adapt to climate change while embracing the transition to net-zero greenhouse

emissions.

ABOUT THE CDB The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution that helps Caribbean member countries finance social and economic programs.

CDB was established by an Agreement signed on October 18, 1969, in Kingston, Jamaica, and entered into force on January 26, 1970.

The permanent headquarters of the bank is located at Wildey, St. Michael, Barbados adjacent to the campus of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology. There are no other branches of the bank.

The headquarters serves the entire regional borrowing member countries with staff recruited from their citizens.

CDB’s membership of 28 countries consists of 19 regional borrowing members, four regional non-borrowing members, and five members from outside the Region.

Some of the member countries include Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Colombia, China, Dominica, Germany, Grenada, Guyana, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, St. Kitts and (Continued on page 23)

Sunday October 31, 2021

From page 22 Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, the United Kingdom and Venezuela.

TUESDAY EXXONMOBILAND GOVT. GIVE GUYANESE 10 DAYS TO UNDERSTAND OVER 7,400 PAGES OF TECHNICALDATAFOR YELLOWTAILPROJECT ExxonMobil and one of the government’s regulatory arms, being the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), kicked off the first session of public consultations for the oil company’s Yellowtail Project.

Those discussions were premised on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that was done for Yellowtail, the fourth oil field to be developed in the Stabroek Block.

It should be noted however, that these consultations were held only after the technical data in the EIA were made public 10 days ago (October 16, 2021). The EIA was published in three volumes and are 7,400 pages long. Volume One has 1,382 pages, Volume Two has 2,544, and Volume Three has 474 pages. The Appendices for the Project also carry a staggering 3,010 pages, thereby bringing the total number of pages to 7,410.

Several industry stakeholders have since lamented that Guyanese are therefore left in a disadvantageous position as it is impractical to expect a proper public probe or scrutiny with such a limited timeframe. Some are also of the view that the project should be put on hold so that proper evaluation can be done and the country would have a greater timeline to develop its monitoring capacity.

In anticipation of the latter concern, ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) which did the project’s EIA, was keen to note that it believes the Yellowtail development should be given the green light for without it, it is reasonable to expect that some environmental and socioeconomic conditions would likely change over time.

EEPGL said, “In particular, without the Project’s revenue sharing with the Government of Guyana, the associated potential for benefits to socioeconomic resources would be reduced and gross domestic product (GDP) growth through associated fiscal revenue would be

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affected.”

It added, “The National Resource Fund would be deprived of these revenues for sustainable development of the country and initiatives aimed at achieving the government’s vision of an inclusive green economy would likely be reduced.”

EEPGL is also of the view that Guyana desperately needs the project since the Government of Guyana would be able to take advantage of the project revenues to fulfill its objectives to create more job opportunities, address poverty, and improve the overall quality of life.

EEPGL warned that if Yellowtail is prevented, opportunities to boost economic growth through increased foreign direct investment in supporting goods and services in the time leading up to oil production would be reduced.

It further noted that without the project, the forecast of higher levels of GDP would be less achievable. Even as it cited the foregoing, it did acknowledge that there are benefits to the State should the government not proceed with the project. The subsidiary said these include, but are not limited to: decreased economic dependence on natural resources, decreased economic vulnerability to commodity price fluctuations, and reduction in the competitiveness of other sectors.

In the unforeseen event that circumstances arose that warranted stopping the project mid-development due to government’s disapproval, EEPGL said it would abandon the project infrastructure in an appropriate manner, consistent with the concepts laid out in the Preliminary End of Project Decommissioning Plan.

TRILLION DOLLAR PROJECT On Sunday, Kaieteur News reported that development costs for the Yellowtail project are poised to exceed US$9B or GY$1.8 trillion. Exxon said the costs are expected to be higher since there would be a greater number of development wells and associated drilling costs when compared to its Payara project which will also cost Guyana $1.8 trillion.

Despite the astronomical costs, Exxon believes that the project should be supported as it would generate benefits for the citizens of Guyana in several ways, which would otherwise not be there in the absence of the project.

According to project documents, Yellowtail will

consist of drilling approximately 41 to 67 development wells (including production, water injection, and gas re-injection wells); installation and operation of Subsea, Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines equipment; installation and the operation of a Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block; and— ultimately—project decommissioning.

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

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

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

A BAD DEAL, IS A BAD DEAL NO MATTER WHO IS IN POWER INT’L LAWYER, MELINDA JANKI Since ‘first oil’, in December 2019, the cost of living has gone up and the majority of people in Guyana are poor. This is the view held

by International Lawyer and Environmental Activist, Melinda Janki, who is of the view “oil is making them poorer, not richer.”

The international lawyer in a recent public missive reminded that Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) had complained that the oil sector is ill-treating Guyanese workers and hiring foreigners for jobs that Guyanese can do.

She noted that more than six years after the discovery of oil and the promises of vast wealth, people are still hoping for a decent job, “in contrast,

Darren Woods, the CEO of ExxonMobil earned US$15.6M (roughly G$3.2bn) last year.”

She used the occasion to remind too that everybody knows that the government and the oil companies are subject to the rule of law.

“People also know that the Constitution (Article 149J) requires the State to protect the environment for present and future generations.”

To this end, the International Lawyer questioned, “if there is anybody in Guyana who thinks that Guyana got a good deal, let them say so loud and clear.”

She reminded that in December 2018, the then Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, had said of the APNU+AFC Coalition, “our incompetent government trudged in there unprepared and stuck us with a contract that would harm us for decades into the future.

They sold our patrimony…”

But according to Janki, “a deal that sold our patrimony and would harm Guyana for decades does not magically become a good deal because there is a different government.”

She used the occasion to remind too that, “the oil/gas sector is notorious for peddling lies.”

Next week Darren Woods, ExxonMobil’s Chief Executive Officer, must appear before the US Congress Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Environment, to answer questions about Exxon and its disinformation about fossil fuels and global warming.

According to Janki, “In 1982, Exxon scientists privately predicted that burning fossil fuels would raise the temperature of the earth. In public, Exxon denied it. Exxon’s lobbyist, Keith McCoy, recently admitted that Exxon relied on “shadow groups” to fight government efforts to address climate change.

Woods will be joined by other oil industry executives and, according to Janki, “given the blatant documented dishonesty in the oil sector, Guyanese people are increasingly skeptical of pro-oil statements.”

WEDNESDAY IN ABSENCE OF NATIONAL FLARING STANDARDS… EXXONMOBIL TO SET ITS OWN GUIDELINES FOR YELLOWTAIL PROJECT-REPORT In light of the fact that Guyana has no standards for flaring to govern the oil and gas sector, ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) will be following its own rules for the Yellowtail Project.

Expounding on this front in its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project, the subsidiary said it “considered” World Bank standards as well as the internal ExxonMobil environmental standards “as references.”

EEPGL was keen to note that the World Bank has established guidelines for offshore oil and gas development, which serve as “a technical reference document” with examples of good environmental practices. It said the offshore oil and gas development guideline states that new facilities should be designed, constructed, and operated, so as to avoid routine flaring of associated gas.

The guideline also stated that methods to control and reduce fugitive emissions should be considered and implemented in the design, operation, and maintenance of offshore facilities and LDAR (Leak, Detection and Repair) programmes should be implemented.

Furthermore, EEPGL said its parent company’s internal environmental standards establish a design approach to reduce flaring emissions, which provides guidance that facilities should be designed to avoid routine flaring of associated gas, and include an evaluation of the most advantageous use of alternatives for managing associated gas that would otherwise be flared.

EEPGL noted as well some of the provisions related to flaring in the Payara Environmental Permit, as issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2020. Some of the provisions state that EEPGL must ensure all reasonable attempts are made to implement appropriate methods for controlling and reducing fugitive emissions in the design, operation, and maintenance of offshore facilities and to maximize energy efficiency and design facilities for lowest energy use, with the overall objective to reduce air emissions; operate all mechanical equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications; and note that routine flaring and venting is strictly prohibited (excludes tank flashing emissions, standing/working/breathing losses, low pressure streams) during any developmental drilling or production activities without EPA approval.

The permit also states that flaring is only permissible under the following conditions: Commissioning, Start-up, or Special Circumstances [these are further defined in the Permit].

It notes too that EEPGL must ensure associated gas brought to the surface with crude oil during oil production is re-injected into the reservoir, and used as fuel gas on the FPSO. However, all feasible alternatives for gas use must be evaluated and adequately documented to the EPA upon request.

The permit also calls for EEPGL to adopt risk management processes (e.g., hazard and operability study, hazard identification study, etc.) to assess risks associated with process upset and loss-ofcontainment events, which could impact the environment. It is also required to employ all reasonable efforts to prevent equipment breakdowns and plant upsets that could result in flaring, and provisions must be made for equipment sparing and plant turn-down protocols.

With the foregoing outlined, EEPGL said it has (Continued on page 24)

PAGE 24

From page 23 elected to follow a blend of the World Bank offshore oil and gas development guidelines (World Bank 2015), its internal environmental standards, and the conditions in the Payara Environmental Permit” for the design of the systems for flaring.

EEPGL was keen to note that the Flash Gas Compression system will be designed to minimize flaring of hydrocarbon gases from low-pressure systems during normal operations. It said lowpressure flash gas may be flared temporarily when a Flash Gas Compressor is down due to upset or maintenance. Kaieteur News understands that the installed spare compressors will be included to reduce flaring duration in these instances.

FOREIGNERS REGISTER COMPANY LOCALLY FOR LOGGING OPERATION …PLANS TO EXPORT WAMARA, GREENHEART,AND OTHER SPECIES TO MALAYSIA A Guyanese company registered at Peter’s Hall on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) under relevant local laws as a domestic company, has applied to set up a logging operation in Guyana’s Kwakwani, Berbice, area. The company, which on paper is Guyanese, has as its principals Chinese and Malaysian officials and no Guyanese in its ownership structure. The company— Surich Forest (Guy) Inc.—in the Project Summary section of its application for State Forest Exploratory Permit, has listed as its Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Mei Hao, a Malaysian national.

His core responsibilities are listed as strategic planning and corporate development.

Surich Forest (Guy) Inc. has as its General Manager, Mr. Yu Mingxing whose core responsibilities are identified as having “overall direct responsibility for day-to-day operations in Guyana.”

He is a Chinese national.

The company’s Forest Manager—next in the management structure—is listed as Mr. Yu Ming Huat, a Malaysian, whose duties include “forest concession development, environmental management, stakeholder liaison for Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) matters.”

Mr. Raymond Ting Hwang Hieng, another Malaysian national, is listed as the company’s Commercial Manager, with responsibility for the company’s marketing and sales. Recruitment of employees, and development

Kaieteur News

of Human Resources policies, is the responsibility of the company’s Administrative and Logistics Manager, Mr. Yuan Zhenbao, a Chinese national, while all accounting matters are left up to its Accounting Manager, Mr. Kenneth Tang Sai Hung, another Chinese national.

The company first acquired its State Forest Exploration Permit (SFEP) in March last year, which comprises a total area of 52,897.23 hectares (ha) divided into two blocks. The locale for the forest concession is described as being on the left bank, Corentyne River (Kanakaburi-Mapenna District) with an area of 17,035.68 ha, and the second one located on the left bank, Corentyne River (KuruduniTimehri District), with an area of 35,861.55 ha. The company said it “did a rapid assessment of the variables associated with timber harvesting operations in Area ‘A’ and Area ‘B’, after which the company determined that a logging operation would be feasible.”

According to the company’s project summary, which was last updated in April last, a number of species of logs are available for extraction including Wamara, Wallaba, Greenheart, Kabukalli, Suya, Purpleheart, Locust, Baromalli, Tauroniro, Hububalli, Shibadan and Dakama, among other species. Surich Forest (Guy) Inc., in its project summary said its core business objective is to harvest timber from the concession area in line with conditions agreed with the GFC. The logs harvested are to be conveyed to a log processing facility in Region 10 or Region 4, or exported according to GFC export policy. The company said it has linkages in Malaysia, which will allow for the full utilization of the local logs through the development of timber products based on the properties of each species.

It was noted that the company’s preference is to construct a wood processing facility in Guyana, but highlighted the cost per Kw/ hour for electricity as a major deterrent on the local scene.

The company said it plans to invest some US$4M between 2020 and 2022.

THURSDAY “SUPEREFFICIENT” OIL AGREEMENT WITH GUYANAALLOWS FOR QUICK RECOVERY OF OVER US$9B YELLOWTAILPROJECT - HESS TELLS SHAREHOLDERS Even as ExxonMobil and its partners await government

approval before going ahead with a final investment decision on the Yellowtail Project, the high estimated costs already has its shareholders concerned about the impact of inflationary pressures on the project. This specific concern was raised during the 2021 third quarter earnings call for Hess Corporation which has a 30 percent stake in the Stabroek Block.

During the earnings call Wednesday morning, Executives of Hess Corporation field several questions about the massive Yellowtail Project which its partner, ExxonMobil, has said will cost over US$9B ($1.8 trillion).

Arun Jayaram, a Research Analyst at one of America’s largest investment management firms, JP Morgan Securities LLC sought clarity during the call regarding the effects of inflationary pressures on future phases of the Yellowtail Project. He noted for example that one of the key subsea providers for the Stabroek Block partners recently noted that they expect future work for Yellowtail could be in the range of US$500 million to US$1 billion and may even go a little bit over US$1 billion for the development of Uaru, another significant find in the Stabroek Block.

Hess Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Greg Hill acknowledged that there is inflation going on in the market but stressed that there are some important facts one ought to bear in mind. Hill said, “…ExxonMobil is doing an extraordinary job I think of utilising this ‘design one, build many strategy’, to deliver efficiencies. Now, on the Yellowtail, we still don’t have the final numbers. So, once that project is sanctioned, we’ll give the market colour on what the costs are.”

He added, “But I do think it’s important to remember the

nature of the PSC (Production Sharing Agreement) though…By the time you get the Yellowtail, the efficiency of the PSC is so rapid that any cost increases rapidly get recovered. So, the impact on overall project return is not very much at all, right, because of that superefficient PSC.” Adding to the comments proffered by Hill was the Chief Executive Officer of the company, John Hess. He too noted that the development costs for Yellowtail are significantly high. Be that as it may, Hess said, “I think everybody needs to realise that this FPSO (Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading vessel for Yellowtail) is going to have capacity (to produce) approximately 250,000 barrels of oil per day on a gross basis.

It will be our largest oil development to date in Guyana.”

The CEO added, “And while its cost will be higher, the resource we are developing is significantly higher. And this development has simply outstanding financial returns, some of the best in the industry, as Greg mentioned, and a breakeven cost between US$25 and US$32 per barrel Brent...”

TRILLION DOLLAR PROJECT It was on Sunday, Kaieteur News reported that development costs for the Yellowtail project are poised to exceed US$9B or GY$1.8 trillion.

Exxon said the costs are expected to be higher since there would be a greater number of development wells and associated drilling costs when compared to its Payara project which will also cost Guyana $1.8 trillion.

Despite the astronomical costs, Exxon believes that the project should be supported as it would generate benefits for the citizens of Guyana in several ways, which would otherwise not be there in the

Sunday October 31, 2021

absence of the project. It said these benefits include revenue sharing with the Government of Guyana. The oil giant stressed however, that the type and extent of the benefits associated with revenue sharing will depend on how decision-makers in government decide to prioritise and allocate funding for future programmes, which is unknown to the company and outside the scope of the EIA. Apart from the revenue sharing, Exxon said Guyanese stand to benefit from the procurement process that will follow for goods and services from local businesses in alignment with the Petroleum Agreement and the EEPGL Local Content Plan approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources in June 2021.

According to project documents, Yellowtail will consist of drilling approximately 41 to 67 development wells (including production, water injection, and gas re-injection wells); installation and operation of Subsea, Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines equipment; installation and the operation of a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block; and— ultimately—project decommissioning.

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

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

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

Guyana borrows 10 times more from IDB than it did in first 6 months of 2020 Guyana’s public debt has been steadily increasing in

recent years and based on the nation’s latest financial reports for the first half of this year loans from the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) increased 10 folds over the corresponding period last year.

This information is contained in the mid-year financial report on the nation’s accounts for 2021.

According to that document, disbursements from the IDB increased 10fold, from US$5.2 million in the first half of 2020, to about US$55.5 million for the corresponding period in 2021.

According to the report, about 75.2 percent of the latter amount was allocated to combating the economic and social ramifications of the pandemic.

The report was at the time addressing the nation’s total debt stock and explained that the increase “was largely due to positive net flows (disbursements less principal repayments) from the IDB, driven by disbursements, under two loans agreements geared at combating the COVID-19 pandemic.”

According to the report, at the end of June 2021, multilateral creditors held 64.2 percent of external Public and Publicly Guaranteed (PPG) debt, bilateral creditors 33.4 percent, and private creditors 2.4 percent.

Projecting forward, the report states that the external PPG debt stock is projected to increase by 3.9 percent from its mid-year position, to US$1,407.5 million at the end of 2021, mainly driven by disbursements under several IDB funded projects.

Detailing the borrowing, the report reflected that in the first half of 2021, disbursements from external creditors amounted to US$61.6 million, more than three times that in the first half of 2020.

To this end, it was (Continued on page 25)

Sunday October 31, 2021

From page 24 explained that “this increase reflects higher disbursements from multilateral creditors, moving from US$10.3 million in the first half of 2020, to US$60.8 million in the first half of this year.”

Meanwhile, as key projects approached completion, the report highlighted that bilateral disbursements totalled US$0.8 million in the first half of the year, 89.1 percent lower than US$7.3 million during the same period of 2020.

Meanwhile, as it relates to domestic PPG debt, the report documents that, at the end of the first half of the year, this amounted to US$1,552.6 million, a 22.1 percent increase from the end of 2020 figure of US$1,271.4 million.

It was noted too that in June 2021, government securitised the inherited overdraft at the Bank of Guyana using 85 variable-rate debentures, with tenors ranging from 1 to 20 years, totalling G$200 billion (about US$959.2 million).

“Consequently, the first half of 2021 ended with the Consolidated Fund, as well as public deposits, reflecting a positive balance.”

According to the midyear report, “these moves were intended to bolster transparency and accountability in public debt management, and to restore the integrity of Guyana’s fiscal accounts.”

As it relates to Guyana’s total stock of public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) debt, that amounted to US$2,907.8 million (US$3B).

According to the report, total public debt accounts for the majority of that debt standing at some US$2,905.4 million, and total publicly guaranteed debt is responsible for the remaining US$2.4 million.

The report outlined that total PPG debt for the period increased by 12.2 percent when compared to the end of 2020 figure of US$2,592.2 million.

It was noted that external PPG debt grew by 2.6 percent, from US$1,320.8 million at the end of 2020, to US$1,355.3 million at end-June 2021.

FRIDAY OPPOSITION SUBMITS MOTION FOR COMPREHENSIVE STUDIES ON US$900M GAS-TO-SHORE PROJECT Opposition Member and Shadow Minister for the Petroleum Sector, David Patterson, submitted a motion to Parliament this week, which calls for an independent and

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Kaieteur News

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, speaks at committee hearing on the role of fossil fuel companies in climate change, Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) comprehensive set of studies on the PPP/C Government’s US$900M gas-to-shore project. The initiative, which will feed off of approximately 50 million standard cubic feet of gas per day from the Liza Phase One and Two Projects in the Stabroek Block, is expected to come on stream by 2026.

In the meantime, Patterson has challenged the decision of the PPP/C Government to have the landing of the pipeline from the offshore Liza Projects to Wales as being baseless, since there is no data or study that publicly exists to support such a decision. In his motion, Patterson outlined that the Wales location will require a 110km long pipeline to be laid along the seabed, as well as 27km on land, which will pass through residential, commercial and agricultural zones.

The parliamentarian said, too, that no investigation nor study has been conducted to understand the environmental and safety risks from pipeline leaks and ruptures, which may be caused by defective construction, aging, corrosion, seabed land forms, mudslides, hurricanes, faults, fractures, and seismic activities, such as earthquakes and volcanoes.

He was keen to note that gas leakages and exposures in the marine environment have been shown to be highly toxic to fish, and living organisms and the ecology, which could devastate the fishing industry.

Further to this, Patterson said it has been determined in a March 2021 United States Bureau of Environmental Enforcement (US Offshore oil & gas regulator) comprehensive report that

the technology has not matured, and is not reliable enough to ensure the integrity of deep-water pipelines and detection of subsurface leaks. He said, too, that no new study has been conducted to investigate the economic, social and environmental renewable alternatives, such as solar, hydropower, and wind, including an energy mix with phasing, thereof. Speaking to other areas of concern, the former Minister said that the proposed Wales facility is located at the mouth of the Demerara River which has a very shallow draft and where 90% of the commercial marine traffic operates. He said such a location would exacerbate the safety and environmental risks that would result from the worsening marine traffic congestion.

Additionally, he said the publicly stated costs for the pipeline will make this the single largest infrastructure project in the country’s history.

Taking the foregoing points into consideration, he called for comprehensive studies to be conducted by independent and internationally recognized consultants. He said the scope of studies should include an investigation to understand the geological, environmental, and safety risks with mitigating actions, from pipeline leaks, ruptures, and movements that may be caused by defective construction, aging, corrosion, seabed, land forms, mudslides, hurricanes, tsunami, faults, fractures, and seismic activities, such as earthquakes and volcanoes; and analyses of the available technology for real time monitoring of the deep-water pipeline to ensure its integrity

and reliable detection of subsurface leaks as well as the environmental, safety and health risks with mitigating actions associated with accommodating the gaps in technology.

The politician also said that such studies should seek to investigate the health, safety and environmental risks with mitigating actions posed by the shallow draft and worsening marine traffic congestion at the mouth of the Demerara river; an analysis of the economic, social and environmental renewable alternatives such as solar, hydropower, and wind, including an energy mix with phasing, thereof; consistent with our overall effort to achieve a low carbon economy and compliance with the Paris Agreement on climate change; and finally, an economic analysis including the total estimated project cost of the gas-to-shore project alternatives covering energy mix and phasing approaches.

When completed, he said these studies should be submitted to the Parliament’s Natural Resources Committee which shall, after examination, present a report to the National Assembly.

Patterson is of the firm conviction that the gas-toshore project’s final decision should be put on hold until the National Resources Committee presents its report for debate and approval. His motion was seconded by AFC Co-Founder and Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan.

EXXON CEO HAULED BEFORE U.S. COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CHANGE MISINFORMATION ExxonMobil’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO),

Darren Woods was among a number of top oil executives hauled in to testify in the U.S. House Oversight Committee over their alleged roles in the spreading of misinformation with regards the risk surrounding fossil fuels and its link to climate change being experienced globally.

Woods in his testimony, however, denied the assertions, saying that his company “does not spread disinformation regarding climate change3 , as he and other oil company chiefs countered congressional allegations that the industry concealed evidence about the dangers of it.

Testifying at a landmark House hearing, CEO Woods said ExxonMobil “has long acknowledged the reality and risks of climate change, and it has devoted significant resources to addressing those risks.3 The oil giant’s public statements on climate “are and have always, been truthful, fact-based ... and consistent” with mainstream climate science, Woods said.

Woods was among top officials from four major oil companies testifying Thursday as congressional Democrats investigate what they describe as a decadeslong, industry-wide campaign to spread misinformation about the role of fossil fuels in global warming.

The much-anticipated hearing before the House Oversight Committee comes after months of public efforts

by Democrats to obtain documents and other information on the oil industry’s role in stopping climate action over multiple decades.

The appearance of the four oil executives — from ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP America and Shell — has drawn comparisons to a highprofile hearing in the 1990s with tobacco executives, who famously testified that they didn’t believe nicotine was addictive.

“The fossil fuel industry has had scientific evidence about the dangers of climate change since at least 1977. Yet for decades, the industry spread denials and doubt about the harm of its products — undermining the science and preventing meaningful action on climate change even as the global climate crisis became increasingly dire, 3 said Reps. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Ro Khanna, DCalif.

“For far too long, Big Oil has escaped accountability for its central role in bringing our planet to the brink of a climate catastrophe. That ends today (Thursday),” said Maloney, who chairs the

Oversight panel.

“This hearing is just the start of our investigation,” added Khanna, who leads a subcommittee on the environment.

“These companies must be held accountable.”

The committee released a memo Thursday charging that the oil industry’s public support for climate reforms has not been matched by meaningful actions, and that the industry has spent billions of dollars to block reforms.

Oil companies frequently boast about their efforts to produce clean energy in advertisements and social media posts accompanied by sleek videos or pictures of wind turbines.

“Today’s staff memo shows Big Oil’s campaign to ‘greenwash’ their role in the climate crisis in action,” Maloney said.

“These oil companies pay lip service to climate reforms, but behind the scenes they spend far more time lobbying to preserve their lucrative tax breaks.3 Maloney and other Democrats have focused particular ire on Exxon, after a senior lobbyist for the company was caught in a secret video, bragging that Exxon had fought climate science through “shadow groups” and had targeted influential senators in an effort to weaken President Joe Biden’s climate agenda, including a bipartisan infrastructure bill and a sweeping climate and social policy bill currently moving through Congress.

Keith McCoy, a former Washington-based lobbyist for Exxon, dismissed the company’s public expressions of support for a proposed carbon tax on fossil fuel emissions as a “talking point.”

McCoy’s comments were made public in June by the environmental group Greenpeace UK, which secretly recorded him and another lobbyist in Zoom interviews. McCoy no longer works for the company, an Exxon spokesperson said last month.

Woods, Exxon’s chairman and chief executive, has condemned McCoy’s statements and said the company stands by its commitment to work on finding solutions to climate change.

Testifying along with Woods were Chevron CEO, Michael Wirth, BP America CEO, David Lawler, and Shell President, Gretchen Watkins.

“Any suggestion that Chevron has engaged in an effort to spread (Continued on page 26)

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From page 25 disinformation and mislead the public on these complex issues is simply wrong,3 Wirth said.

Maloney and Khanna sharply disputed that. They compared tactics used by the oil industry to those long deployed by the tobacco industry to resist regulation “while selling products that kill hundreds of thousands of Americans.3 “Spare us the spin, 3 Khanna advised the oil executives. “Spin doesn’t work under oath.3 Kentucky Rep. James Comer, the top Republican on the Oversight panel, called the hearing a “distraction from the crises that the Biden administration’s policies have caused for the American people, 3 including higher gasoline prices.

“The purpose of this hearing is clear: to deliver partisan theatre for primetime news, 3 Comer said.

SATURDAY US$900M GAS TO SHORE PROJECT… GHANA TO NOW ADVISE GUYANAAFTER FAILING WITH SIMILAR VENTURE Ghana, a West African oil producer whose people are trapped in a lopsided gas deal with oil companies— including ExxonMobil—is now set to advise Guyana on how to best execute its US$900 gas-to-shore venture.

According to Head of State, Dr. Irfaan Ali, a technical team from Ghana will be heading to Guyana early next month to advise the country on how it should be going

Kaieteur News

about its US$900M gas project in partnership with ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).

During a virtual engagement with members of the media Friday, President Ali said the decision on the visit by the technical team follows a bilateral meeting that was held between a delegation led recently by Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and Vice President of Ghana, Mahamudu Bawumia.

He said the outcome of this meeting will also see assistance from Ghana’s experts on amendments to the nation’s Natural Resource Fund Law as well as is draft Local Content Legislation.

Both documents are expected to be tabled and passed in the National Assembly before the end of the year.

Ali said too that the Vice President of Ghana, Mahamudu Bawumia, will be visiting Guyana later this year while adding that it is anticipated that the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, would be in Guyana for its International Oil and Gas Expo in February next year.

He said as well that a team of private sector investors from Ghana is expected to be visiting Guyana, in an attempt to forge ties with their local counterparts.

“So in addition to the technical teams and the cooperation at the bilateral level, we have also established an opportunity for cooperation and collaboration and partnership with the private sector from Ghana and that of Guyana.”

President Ali suggested

too, that outside of the areas of oil and gas, the Ghanaians have also expressed an interest in Guyana’s other extractive industry namely gold, in addition to Agriculture and Tourism.

As it relates to Ghana’s experience with gas to power initiatives, industry stakeholders are of the view that the country’s Sankofa gas project which was approved in 2015, serves as a warning to Guyana to avoid any hasty pursuit of gas projects.

In a report titled, ‘Guyana’s Gas-to-Power Potential,’ University of California San Diego graduate student Kathryn Hillis noted that Ghana, like Guyana, suffered power outages, and it wanted to reduce power costs, lower emissions and make electricity services more reliable.

That was addressed when Ghana approved the Sankofa gas project in 2015.

According to the World Bank, since the startup of the project, Sankofa resulted in the provision of power to 1.6 million households, decreased oil imports by 12 million barrels a year, and reduced carbon emission by 1.6 million metric tonnes.

Notwithstanding the benefits, the project has brought on extremely costly burdens on the people of Ghana.

In summary, it was noted that the Ghanaian market is now severely oversupplied with gas it cannot use and must still pay for. In fact, the government is tied to paying US$500 million annually for unused power. This is due to the fact that Ghana signed a long-term take-or-pay Power

Purchase Agreement (PPA) with gas and power suppliers, through which it would have to pay for 90 percent of the produced gas from the field, no matter the demand.

Ghana, which is now trapped in this predicament, will now be advising Guyana on its gas project with Exxon.

GOVT. PREPARING PROPOSALS FOR FUNDING FROM MIDDLE EASTERN INVESTMENT FUNDS …AS IDB PRES. HEADS TO GUYANA TO SCOPE OUT FINANCING PROJECTS - PRES. ALI Guyana’s total external debt at the end of June this year stood at some US$3B but this is likely to skyrocket in the near future as the Ministry of Finance is currently prioritising a list of project proposals from its Programme Portfolio to submit to the United Arab Emirates’ Investment Fund for financing.

This is even as the country also considers potential funding from the Kuwait Investment Fund in addition to the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), who’s President, Mauricio Claver-Carone, is due to visit Guyana imminently for a fact-finding mission on funding opportunities for programmes in Guyana.

During the recent World Expo in Dubai, Senior Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh and a group of Guyanese private sector representatives had met with Mubadala, the sovereign wealth investment company within the United Arab Emirates.

Sunday October 31, 2021

The Mubadala delegation was led by Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Chief Executive Officer of UAE Investments.

The meeting took place at Mubadala’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, on the margins of Guyana’s participation in World Expo 2020.

Expanding on the meeting Friday during a press engagement at State House, Head of State, President Irfaan Ali, outlined that as it relates to the UAE investment fund, “Our priority is on a few things” and cited as an example, the development of an Industrial Zone.

Additionally, he spoke to the need for the financing projects under his administration’s transformative agenda and pointed to investments in infrastructure, healthcare and a new city in addition to an expanded housing drive on a national scale.

According to the President, there was particular interest shown in Guyana during the expo, especially in the non-oil sector and spoke to the possibility of utilising monies from the UAE’s Investment Fund to finance such projects and cited as example Information Communication Technology.

According to the President, during his recent sojourn overseas, he also met with the Prime Minister of Kuwait, Sabah Al-Khalid AlSabah, leader of another of the Middle Eastern oil producing countries with significant assets in their investment funds.

The President reported that in addition to discussing areas of cooperation in areas of climate change and oil and gas investment, the Kuwaiti

Investment Fund stands ready to discuss development needs and financing for priority projects in Guyana.

Meanwhile as it relates to the IDB, President Ali told reporters that the duo met to discuss the finalisation of programmes for which Guyana presently has applications.

According to President Ali, he was assured by the IDB head that the priorities of the Guyana Government, in fact, align with that of the bank.

He in fact reported that the IDB is keen on remaining one of Guyana’s primary development partners and reemphasized its commitment to Guyana.

President Ali in fact reported that the President of the bank himself would be visiting Guyana imminently with view to getting a fuller understanding of the types of projects required as critical in Guyana and areas where the bank can provide financing.

The IDB currently has the largest share of Guyana’s external debt and according to the government’s mid-year report on the country’s finances.

According to the information contained in the Mid-Year Report for 2021, monies received from the IDB in loans increased 10 fold, from US$5.2 million in the first half of 2020, to about US$55.5 million for the corresponding period in 2021.

The report stated, about 75.2 percent of the latter amount was allocated to combating the economic and social ramifications of the pandemic.

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Sunday October 31, 2021

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THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Dear, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, be careful!

Here are the words of Mr. Ralph Ramkarran in his last Sunday column, “The political gridlock that has existed for over fifty years, over every issue of contention, intensified by the struggle for ethnic dominance, has eliminated every single source of independent opinion in Guyana, because such opinion will fall on one side or the other of the political divide.”

Here are my words in my column of two Fridays ago, “No one is going to beat your drum for you if you decide not to beat it.” In Guyana, this is a cardinal rule. Whatever has become of this society, you have to go out there and say what you have done and prove it factually. And you must continue to remind this young nation that you have not been sleeping and you have not been insensitive and you have used your voice and pen.

It was Dr. Henry Jeffrey who wrote and cited his column where he called for cash grants from oil revenue long before Dr. Clive Thomas did so. I received a telephone call from the leader of a small party named Organization for the Victory of the People headed by a gentleman with whom I have been friends since we were 18 years of

age.

His name is Gerald Pereira. His outfit has been contesting elections for the past 15 years. Gerald called to inform me that he saw that I cited Jeffrey as informing Guyanese that he, Jeffrey, made the suggestion before Clive Thomas. Gerald said that he, Gerald Pereira, birthed that suggestion on the campaign trail before Jeffrey and Thomas and only one person has acknowledged it – Ramon Gaskin.

I am glad that Gerald called so I could publish that information. People have to beat their own drum in this sadistic society that Guyana has become.

Mr. Ramkarran used definitive language that does not reflect facts in recent Guyanese political history.

Mr. Ramkarran wrote, “… has eliminated every single source of independent opinion in Guyana….” That is not factual. Mr. Ramkarran bypassed huge chunks of conspicuous facts on independent minds.

The Kaieteur News headed by an Indian publisher was fiercely independent during the reign of the PPP. It was in that period, the publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, became widely known throughout Guyana.

The Stabroek News, whose ownership and

management are in Indian hands showed a large measure of independent thinking during the long tenure of the PPP. Surely, one cannot overlook the consistent activism of Mr. Christopher Ram in that period.

The PPP lost the 2011 and 2015 elections because of the crucial activism of several Indians who helped to expand the strength of the Alliance for Change.

Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, Gerhard Ramsaroop, Dr. Ramaya and Rajendra Bissessar were particularly strong in their advocacy.

These men were able to secure the embrace of several high-placed Indians in Guyana.

I remember lawyers, Rajendra Poonai, Joel Edmond and his wife Gita Chandan and the late Imran Khan.

Prominent city doctor, Surrendra Persaud was there so were man and wife, Christian preachers – the husband and wife team of Dr. and Mrs. Punilall My election campaign in 2011 for the AFC brought me into contact with countless independent Indians some of whom were people with resources. The election results of 2011 were shaped by the independent minds of these Indians. One should not

forget, Ravi Dev. On his entry into politics, he did not take sides. He was an Indian rights activist alright but he did not take a pro-PPP position.

If history is to be recorded then I cannot omit publication of my independent activism.

Yes, I have no hesitation in recording my praxis which has been deeply and philosophically independent.

I have no restraint and should have no restraint in informing the young population of this country of what I have penned twice before on this page.

Here it is. Outside of Walter Rodney who lost his life, I have been the most oppressed political activist

s i n c e Independence.

T h e victimisation and repression h a v e b e e n relentless. I did not take sides. I spoke out and fought Frederick Kissoon against governments in Guyana that I thought needed i to be criticised. I was never n d r i v e n b y p r o - I n d i a n dependent mind, and was instincts and pro PPP inclined to take sides then I would have been a party feelings.

Mr. Ramkarran would colleague of Mr. Ramkarran. k n o w t h i s w i t h v i v i d To conclude, I hope Mr. memory. In the 1990s, when Ramkarran acknowledge the he was one of the top leaders gaping holes in his analysis in the PPP, I wrote a critical and fill them ASAP. (The views expressed in column of the PPP this article are those of the government in which I a u t hor and do not named him and he sued me for libel. If I did not have an necessarily reflect the

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Sunday October 31, 2021

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Sunday October 31, 2021

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Coronavirus: By avoiding vaccination, you're a risk to yourself and a “friend” of the virus

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

T

here has been uproar worldwide as governments implement measures to protect the wider population against this evolving virus.

Most of the uproar comes from persons who choose not to be vaccinated and feel disadvantaged by the measures being implemented.

I have been fighting the fight and risking my life and that of my family from day one of this pandemic. Like so many health workers who are in similar situations, I longed for the day when vaccines will be available so that we can overcome this virus and get back to some semblance of normalcy. I never thought that the biggest challenge would have been to convince persons to take their vaccines so that we can win this war against COVID-19.

There is enough data now that COVID-19 vaccines work and is our best weapon against this deadly virus. I am not sure why so many persons are choosing to put their lives at risk by avoiding vaccination against COVID19. Today I wish to focus on the unvaccinated and help them to understand the risks they are taking when they choose to not be vaccinated.

You're a risk to yourself

Data released from numerous studies have been showing that those who are dying from COVID-19 are predominantly the unvaccinated.

Before the vaccines, one's risk of dying had more to do with their age and if they had medical conditions that weakened their immune system. The virus has evolved since then and the healthy and younger unvaccinated populations are dying more every day.

Even if you do not believe in the data being released, make your decision based on facts and not assumptions.

There are enough deaths from COVID-19 recently that you can go around and speak to relatives of the deceased to ascertain their vaccination status. I am at the frontlines and I will guarantee you that you will not be able to find many people dying from COVID19 who were properly and fully vaccinated. By avoiding vaccination against COVID-19, you are priming yourself to be a “hot” target for the virus and suffer from its devastating effects.

You're a risk to others While we worry for those that are unvaccinated, we worry even more of the risks they pose to the wider society. The virus feeds on the unprepared and uses them to multiply and mutate into stronger forms. The virus will not go away once there are persons that are

unvaccinated and have an unprepared immune system.

It will “feed” on them and use them to spread to others and evolve into forms that will at some point, become resistant to vaccines. When one chooses to be unvaccinated, they are destroying the progress being made by those in society that chose to be vaccinated. We are now in a time where an unvaccinated person becomes a moving target for the virus and a public health threat to society.

You're adding unnecessary tension to the health system It is not easy as a health worker to be fighting this war for so long and put up with all the challenges associated with being in a pandemic. We are tired and overworked and are looking forward to the end of this pandemic more than most, since we are the ones that have faced the brunt of the effects of the pandemic more than any other.

It is not easy to remain normal when we have to see our patients suffer daily and suffocate to death from this dreaded virus. We have so many scars and are pleading to you to get vaccinated so that you do not have to be in our memory like the many others that suffered from this virus. If you get vaccinated, chances are extremely favourable that you will not be hospitalised or die from this virus. You are therefore helping us by allowing us to

focus on others that are very sick from non-COVID-19 related conditions. We do not want to see you beg like many others to be vaccinated when they are hospitalised from COVID-19 and cannot tolerate the suffering that comes with this disease. We prefer you to be vaccinated beforehand and never see you as a patient.

We don't want to see you suffer when you have a choice. We prefer to use our time to help those who didn't have a choice and are suffering from other nonCOVID-19 conditions.

You're now a “friend” of the virus This virus has taken millions of lives and we all should

want to eradicate it. Mass vaccination will achieve this goal and the faster we get vaccinated, the likelier we are preventing lives from being lost to this virus. Every day we avoid vaccination, is a day we have enabled this virus to continue along its deadly path. It is sad, but we are at a stage in this pandemic where our choice determines which side of war against COVID-19 we are on. We are either on the side of defeating the virus by being vaccinated or on the side of enabling the virus by being unvaccinated.

The war against COVID-19 can come to an end soon or it can continue for the foreseeable future. We have

the winning formula; it is in the form of vaccines. Get vaccinated and let's defeat this virus and exit this pandemic before it's too late.

(First published Aug. 8, 2021)

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Sunday October 31, 2021

>>> ENCOURAGING EVENTS, DISTURBING DEVELOPMENTS <<<

Deputy Speaker and appointments, D’Urban Park fire station HQ, fish and shrimp production, Exxon and Yellowtail, Malaysians and local logging The news is almost all disturbing this week.

I worked overtime to find positives. Deputy Speaker of Guyana’s Parliament, the Hon. Lenox Shuman, is

finding his voice, shaking off the rust; I am delighted for him. Mr. Shuman has called on the President to finalise the appointments of Chancellor of the Judiciary and Chief

Justice, along with those of Commissioner of Police and Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force.

It is a sound call from the Deputy Speaker, one that is

overdue. Looking closely at these four crucial positions, it is easy to discern that the first three are overseers of law, peace, and security nationally, while the fourth is

o f t h e maintenance of order at our borders.

W i t h respect to the current acting holders of the top posts in the police and army, I focus on Guyana’s two female j u r i s t s , compelled to the repugnance of acting for 20 years now.

This is just plain dumb, and plain wrong. If there are problems with their integrity and impartiality, then get rid of them.

But don’t hang them out to dry like this, and for so long. It taints our judiciary, insults these two outstanding women in the tiny legal sorority, as well as the broader legal fraternity. To the President and the Opposition Leader, just get the job done: appoint these women.

Or they should get out of office, since their very presences (leaders) insult intelligence, degrade the wisdom of compromise, and sabotages the urgency of working together.

Both leaders have another opportunity to deliver something beneficial for Guyana, prove they are not just for party and narrow political interests and visions.

I am encouraged that the new fire station is slated for D’Urban Park. It is close enough, and open enough, to respond to just about every city section, while wellpositioned to address developments along the East Coast and East Bank corridors.

Also, $648M is a tidy sum to get a modern fire station, one that could hold up and deliver. I, however, have doubts that the entirety of that $648M will be spent on the fire station; after all, we are talking about venal PPP politicians directing the show, and their handpicked people to play the tendering and awarding and contracting game.

I challenge them: prove me wrong on this one. Spend every cent honestly on this fire station. I will lead the charge to hail.

Regrettably, it is all troubling the rest of the way.

First, fish and shrimp production is down for the

By GHK Lall last two years (KN October 27). Many Guyanese can attest to that, from the availability and prices at the Meadow Bank Wharf, the municipal markets in the city, and farther away. To use an old saying: ‘fish an’ shrimp ain runnin’. One school of thought point to the culprit being oil exploration and production.

Sounds reasonable, and when saltiness in the fishing fields is added, it is no wonder the fisherfolk are “catching hell” as they say. If this declining trend continues, fishermen and their families will be out of business; we may have to import seafood; and our working seafarers forced to the welfare rolls.

Oil is progress, and I am all for getting it out of the ground, but there must be considerations for the totality of the downside, and accommodations (provisions) be made for a safety net for those feeling the negatives.

Then, the dreadful foreigners took over the picture. Since we don’t have our own gas flaring standards, Exxon will use its own. Instead of the Vice President misleading Guyanese, and using muscle to target opponents, he should prioritise getting a Guyanese gas flaring standard. Leave that to Exxon and we are going to need gas masks.

Exxon can’t be trusted; Exxon has been bad for Guyanese.

Last, the Malaysians have registered a company here, and that is the only local aspect of it.

All the executives and players are foreigners. Guyanese can’t be this limited (unqualified), t h i s u n c a r i n g ( i t ’s government business). It is disturbing that we can be this docile. Dumb, too.

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

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Plant-Based Diet - What Effects Does It Have On Diabetes?

If you are battling diabetes and wish to know about the best diet for diabetes, we have news for you. A vegetarian diet is healthier for diabetes.

Research shows that there is a 35% lower risk of developing diabetes if you stick to a vegetarian diet. And those who adopt a vegetarian diet after being a nonvegetarian show a 53% lower risk of developing diabetes than their fellow nonvegetarians.

Food plays a significant role in managing diabetes mellitus. By opting for a vegetarian diabetic diet, you can lead a healthy life and gain maximum health benefits.

What is the Best Diet for Diabetes?

A plant-based diet for diabetes is the best. A plantbased diet includes fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds. A plant-based diet helps lower the risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cancer.

Plant-based foods are rich in fibre, folate, antioxidants and phytochemicals that boost your health.

What Comprises a Vegetarian Diabetic Diet?

Dietary management of diabetes mellitus is the best way to manage diabetes. You can eat all plant-based foods but in moderation. Eating healthy for maintaining your blood sugar levels involves controlling your portion size and fulfilling your nutritional requirements.

The followings foods are to be included in your vegetarian diet for diabetes: 1. Nuts like cashew, peanut, almonds and tahini.

2. S e e d s like pumpkin, sunf lower, chia and flax.

3. Beans and pulses like chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans and butter beans.

4. Vegetable milk like almond, cashew, oats, soy, hempseed, etc.

5. High-fibre grains like quinoa and millets.

6. Soy products like tofu, soy cheese and soya milk.

7. Vegetables like spinach, broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower, lettuce, celery, peppers, eggplants, green beans and tomatoes.

8. Fruits like oranges, apples, papaya, watermelon and berries.

What are the Health Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet for Diabetes?

There are countless health benefits of a vegetarian diabetic diet. It is good for your heart as it helps lower cholesterol and LDL levels. A plant-based diet lowers your blood pressure levels and

reduces the risk of a stroke and a heart attack.

Here’s a list of health benefits of a vegetarian diet for diabetes: · Blood sugar control Plant-based foods or whole foods are rich in fibre content. This helps in the slow absorption of sugars into the blood and helps regulate your blood sugar levels. · Weight control Plant-based foods are lower in calories and higher in fibre. This increases their satiety value, thereby making you feel full for a longer time.

Your daily intake of calories reduces, which helps you lose weight. · Saturated fat intake control Most animal-based foods contain saturated fat. When you consume a vegetarian diet for diabetes, you consume less saturated fats, thereby reducing your risk of heart diseases and diabetes.

What are the Vegetarian Diet Tips for Diabetics?

Dietary management of diabetes revolves around plant-based foods for regulating blood sugar levels.

A healthy balanced diet is the best diet for diabetes. If you are planning to get on the vegetarian diet for diabetes, you need to be mindful of the following aspects: a. Consume a limited a m o u n t of carbohydrates with each meal. Distribute your carb intake evenly throughout the day. b. Include a wide variety of plant-based foods in your diet to meet your daily nutritional needs. c. Your daily diet should consist of a limited amount of carbohydrates, a portion of lean protein and healthy fat in every meal. d. Monitor your blood sugar levels daily while you are on the vegetarian diabetic diet. e. Include plenty of vegetables in your diet to improve your fibre intake.

Here are three tips for newbies who wish to start their vegetarian diabetic diet: 1. Portion control for carbs Most diabetics replace meat with extra carbohydraterich foods. This can lead to weight gain and high blood sugar levels.

Try to include carbs rich

in fibre to stabilise your blood sugar levels and feel full for a longer time.

Carbohydrates rich in fibre content are: · Whole-grain bread · Whole wheat/chickpea pasta · Brown rice · Oatmeal

· Baked beans and whole pulse (Rajma) · Whole Wheat flour with wheat bran (Jowar, Bajra) 2. Plant-based proteins It’s a myth that you can get your proteins only from animal sources. Your dietary protein requirements can be met through a vegetarian diet as well.

Include the following foods for a protein-rich vegetarian diet for diabetes: · Legumes – Black beans, chickpeas, lentils, split peas, kidney beans and pinto beans. · Soy – Soy milk, soybeans, soy-based yoghurt, soy cheese, tofu and soy nut butter. · Nuts – Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pistachios and peanuts.

3. Healthy fats By swapping to the vegetarian diet for diabetes, you ensure a huge shift in the dietary management of diabetes mellitus. Avoiding

animal products helps keep saturated fats out of your diet. Plant-based foods are rich in heart-healthy fats like omega 3 and omega 6, which help maintain heart health.

Include these healthy fats in your diet: · Avocado · Olives or olive oil · Nuts · Canola oil Take away Focus on eating a healthy, balanced, nutritious meal that contains plant-based foods.

This is the crux of your vegetarian diet for diabetes. Incorporate nuts and seeds as a part of your mid-day snack or snack on some veggie sticks with hummus.

This helps maintain your blood sugar levels and is essential in the dietary management of diabetes mellitus. (https:// pharmeasy.in/blog/plantbased-diet-what-effectsdoes-it-have-on-diabetes/)

Understanding The Signs And Risk Factors For Breast Cancer The world over, several governments, international institutions as well as women who have survived breast cancer recognise October as the month of Breast Cancer Awareness. In the spirit of awareness, today we too shall go over breast cancer symptoms and also risk factors for the same.

As with all cancers, catching this condition early improves the survivability rate. That is why you should check yourself regularly for breast cancer symptoms and inform your doctor if you notice anything unusual or new.

What is Breast Cancer?

Cancer is a type of disease in which some cells mutate and begin multiplying rapidly. These cells form lesions, lumps, tumours and can obstruct normal bodily functions.

Some cancer can metastasize, meaning it spreads and affects other parts of the body. This spread is referred to as ‘metastasis’.

Breast cancer follows a similar path. It is cancer (out of a total of 100 types) that begins in the tissue of the breast but with time it can spread to other areas.

Ductal Carcinoma is a common type of breast cancer, it accounts for approximately 70% to 80% of breast cancer cases.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer?

Due to many years of

awareness and research, it has become easier to treat breast cancer through various means.

But identifying the warning signs and symptoms of breast cancer in the early stages is what makes or breaks the success rate of the treatment.

After self-examination of your breasts and underarm areas during shower or when you are changing your clothes, here are a few additional signs which are equally important and you can check for: · A lump in your breasts or armpits that was previously not there · Thickening or swelling of the skin in a particular part of the breasts · Dimples, irritation or redness in some part(s) of the breast · Flaky skin on the breast or nipple area · Changes in the nipple shape (such as pulling in or changes in shape) or changes to the breast · Nipple or breast pain · Blood or other unusuallooking liquid (excluding milk) leaking from the nipples Note that, if you have any of the above conditions singularly it is not a clear indication that you have breast cancer for sure.

Similar signs are associated with other medical issues as well. If y o u discover a few of the mentioned signs and symptoms of breast cancer together, be sure to see

your doctor about it.

What are some Risk Factors for Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer risk is a combination of multiple factors, some of which can be altered and others are part of your genetic makeup. If you are at high risk, it does not necessarily mean you will get breast cancer. Conversely, even if you do not have any of the below breast cancer risks, you can still develop cancer. · Age– Most breast cancer diagnoses happen after the age of 50, so the older you get the greater the breast cancer risk. · Genetics– Genetic mutations can be inherited; certain gene mutations carry a higher risk of breast cancer (such as BRCA1, BRCA2). · Menstrual Cycle– If your menstrual periods started at or before 12, or you started menopause after the age of 55, your risk may be higher. · Dense Breast Tissue– Dense tissue in the breasts makes it harder to spot tumours and cancer lesions through mammograms. · Family History– If your sister, mother or close relative on either side of the family has had breast or ovarian cancer, your own risk may also be higher. · Radiation Therapy– If you were earlier treated with radiation on the chest or breasts (for example during cancer treatment) before the age of 30, you may have an increased breast cancer risk. · Personal History– If you had breast cancer or similar

conditions (like atypical hyperplasia which is a noncancerous breast disease), you are more likely to develop breast cancer once again.

What Can You Change?

Unlike the previous section the following factors can be managed and controlled to help reduce your risk of developing breast cancer: · Not getting regular exercise · U n a d d r e s s e d obesity problems, especially after menopause · Having your first pregnancy after 30 and not breastfeeding · Hormone replacement therapies (such as progesterone or estrogen used during menopause) if taken for five years or more · Taking oral contraceptive pills at a stretch · Alcohol, smoking and exposure to other carcinogenic chemicals Conclusion While developing breast cancer may be a scary thought, breast cancer treatments have progressed a lot over the past few decades. The main purpose of this article is to raise awareness of the potential breast cancer symptoms.

If you notice any of the signs covered here, or you think you may be at a higher risk then speak to a doctor at the earliest.

Pass this short article on to your friends as well, and let’s help to raise awareness all through this month!

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The Court How juveniles' matters Journal are handled in court

By Renay Sambach

W

hen handling criminal matters that involve children below the age of 18, there are rules that must be observed. This is governed by the Juvenile Justice Act, which outlines how juvenile offenders and other issues related to juveniles must be handled.

A juvenile is considered a child under the age of 18.

The Act consolidates the law in relation to criminal justice for juveniles.

The Act not only makes provisions for proceedings against juvenile offenders, but also the establishment of facilities for the custody, educational training and rehabilitation for juvenile offenders in order for them to be re-integrated into society.

According to the Juvenile Justice Act, any child under the age of 10 accused of an offence cannot be guilty of that offence.

It should be noted however, that if any child under the age of 17 is arrested and cannot be brought before a court without delay, they must be released on their own recognisance with or without sureties.

However, if the child is not released, the child can be

kept in custody at a facility that was designed to hold juvenile delinquents, until he/she can be brought before a court.

Some reasons why the child can be detained are: if he/she was arrested for murder or other serious crimes, if it's impracticable to release the child, if the child has an unruly or depraved character or because of the child's state of mental or physical health.

The officer must certify his/her reason for detaining the child and the certificate must be produced when the child is brought before the court.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, prosecutors and police o ff i c e r s c a n c o n s i d e r warnings and referrals to avoid juveniles going to court.

However, the DPP must conduct pre-charge screening before a juvenile is charged and placed before the courts.

The DPP must give a written consent to any private individual who wishes to institute charges against a juvenile.

CHILDREN'S COURT In a previous edition of 'The Court Journal,' it was

reported that, after the Juvenile Justice Act was passed, Guyana opened the doors of the first Children's Court on October 31, 2018, in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts compound.

The establishment of the Children's Court is essential to ensuring that the objectives of the Juvenile Justice Act are achieved and to ensure that a more rehabilitative and restorative system was implemented for juvenile justice.

It should be noted that the law provides children below the age of 18 with free legal advice.

It also provides a humane alternative to the tense formal court setting, remands and incarceration for young lawbreakers.

The Children's Court was designed to assist in helping youths and to prevent them from falling deeper into the life of crime.

One of the aims of the court is to divert juveniles from the formal court procedure, which will be an asset when it comes to dealing with delinquents.

The two Magistrates who underwent extensive training to hear matters in the Children's Courts are Dylon Bess and Annette Singh.

The Children's Court was in

the pipeline since 2004, after the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government (which was in power then) tabled its first report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The committee then made a number of recommendations urging that they be implemented as early as possible.

Some of those implementations include raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 years, and ensuring that those below the age of majority not be tried as adults, but be given adequate special protection.

DETENTION FACILITIES When a child is brought before the court, if he/she is remanded, that child will not be remanded to prison, but to the Juvenile Holding Centre.

The $37.6M facility, which is located at Lot 2 Dennis Street, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, officially opened its doors on April 8, 2011 by the then Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee.

It was decided that juveniles from age 10 and over, but under the age of 17, who would have committed a crime, should not be detained in the same manner as adult offenders.

The Juvenile Holding Centre provides custody for children and young persons who are awaiting their court appearance, and have been committed by the courts but not escorted to the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) and who have completed the period of their sentence and are awaiting rehabilitation and reintegration into their families or the community.

There is also the NOC, which was established as a correctional facility for the young. NOC is located at Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast, Region Two, and houses juveniles who were sanctioned by the court system.

SENTENCING Some procedures that were put in place to restore and deal with juveniles, who commit offences, can range from apology to compulsory attendance to some vocabulary educational centre, or compensation to the victim in an amount of which the juveniles' family can afford.

Instead of sentencing a juvenile to imprisonment, it is advisable to ensure rehabilitation, and reintegration into society.

Before ordering a custodial sentence, the court must review presentencing reports that

are prepared by the Chief Probation Officer.

REHABILITATION Under the Juvenile Justice Act, there are laws that provide for juveniles to be rehabilitated so that they could be re-integrated into the society.

Juveniles who are being kept at the Holding Centre or NOC are not only being educated but are also involved in curriculum activities to build and develop their characters.

Kaieteur News had reported that “The Ministry of Home Affairs' Juvenile Justice Department, in collaboration with the University of Guyana (UG), conducted a five-month Academic and Skills Training Programme for Juveniles at the Juvenile Holding Centre.”

It was further reported that, “12 juveniles participated in the programme and were awarded certificates on Friday March 19, 2021.

The programme, according to a Ministry of Home Affairs statement, was aimed at supporting t h e e d u c a t i o n , rehabilitation and reintegration of juveniles through a Skills Development Project and Educational Workshop.”

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Yellow Ribbon

A Spooky Wisconsin Story retold by S.E. Schlosser Jane wore a yellow ribbon around her neck everyday. And I mean everyday, rain or shine, whether it matched her outfit or not. It annoyed her best friend Johnny after awhile.

He was her next door neighbor and had known Jane since she was three.

When he was young, he had barely noticed the yellow ribbon, but now they were in high school together, it bothered him. “Why do you wear that yellow ribbon around your neck, Jane?” he'd ask her every day. But she wouldn't tell him.

Still, in spite of this aggravation, Johnny thought she was cute. He asked her to the soda shoppe for an ice cream sundae. Then he asked her to watch him play in the football game. Then he started seeing her home. And come the spring, he asked her to the dance. Jane always said yes when he asked her out. And she always wore a yellow dress to match the ribbon around her neck.

It finally occurred to Johnny that he and Jane were going steady, and he still didn't know why she wore the yellow ribbon around her neck. So he asked her about it yet again, and yet again she did not tell him. “Maybe someday I'll tell you about it,” she'd reply. Someday!

That answer annoyed Johnny, but he shrugged it off, because Jane was so cute and fun to be with.

Well, time flew past, as it has a habit of doing, and one day Johnny proposed to Jane and was accepted. They planned a big wedding, and Jane hinted that she might tell him about the yellow ribbon around her neck on their wedding day. But somehow, what with the preparations and his beautiful bride, and the lovely reception, Johnny never got around to asking Jane about it. And when he did remember, she got a bit teary-eyed, and said: “We are so happy together, what difference does it make?”

And Johnny decided she was right.

Johnny and Jane raised a

family of four, with the usual ups and downs, laughter and tears. When their golden anniversary rolled around, Johnny once again asked Jane about the yellow ribbon around her neck. It was the first time he'd brought it up since the week after their wedding. Whenever their children asked him about it, he'd always hushed them, and somehow none of the kids had dared ask their mother. Jane gave Johnny as sad look and said: “Johnny, you've waited this long. You can wait awhile longer.”

And Johnny agreed. It was not until Jane was on her death bed a year later that Johnny, seeing his last chance slip away, asked Jane one final time about the yellow ribbon she wore around her neck. She shook her head a bit at his persistence, and then said with a sad smile: “Okay Johnny, you can go ahead and untie it.” With shaking hands, Johnny fumbled for the knot and untied the yellow ribbon around his wife's neck. And Jane's head fell off.

FUN WITH POETRY

Walk Carefully on the Road Charlie is a little boy, Who liked to play on the road; No matter what his parents said, He'd run out as often as he could.

One day Charlie was kicking a ball, Up and down a busy street, When a car came speeding round the turn, And knocked our boy off his feet.

They had to rush him to hospital, With cuts all over his body, And one leg broken in so many places, He had to have major surgery.

Now Charlie is nearly well again, But he is limping very badly, Afraid to even be on the road, And telling everyone to walk carefully. by Uncle Roy

Junior page

Paper Jack O'Lantern Craft What you'll need · 2 sheets of orange letter or A4 sized papers · black paper · scissors · glue · string Fold the paper link an accordion. Fold in half and tie with string. Glue together.

Do the same with the second piece of paper.

Now tie them both together and glue them together. You've got a paper pinwheel!

Cut the scary (or cute) facial expressions for your Jack O'lantern. Glue them on the pinwheel (white school glue worked out great for us, although I think a low temp glue gun would be even better).

These little pumpkins will look great on windows, doors, walls or hanging from the ceiling twisting and turning in the air.

Kaieteur News

Sunday October 31, 2021

TEEN TIME Clarifying your life goals will help to define your unique purpose What do you hope to achieve in life? What kind of person would you like to be? What do you think would make you happy, and give you the means of helping others to be so?

What ideals and values would you like to maintain to give full meaning to your life? The answers to these questions will help you to see the direction you must take to fulfil your dreams.

Persons who make choices based on the values and ideals which they cherish feel good about themselves and their lives.

It is a fact that the earlier one identifies the values which would control his life, the better chances that he would be able to maintain these in later life, in family life and in his job.

Imagine you are embarking on a trip that would require many stages to get to your destination.

You would surely have to plan ahead for your journey to be successful. You will need to work out the details of each stage, try to foresee any difficulties you will encounter along the way, and prepare to work out the best means you can to make your trip enjoyable and without any hitches.

Just so, if you are to succeed in fulfilling your ambitions, it will be necessary to determine the things which would give your life meaning and do your best to plan ahead to bring them to fruition.

Many teenagers carry on their lives not even thinking about what they

want to ultimately accomplish. Others have developed some idea about their ultimate goals, but make no effort in clarifying them in concrete terms, so as to keep on the path towards success.

Are you one that fits in either of these categories?

If so, you must first take the time to consider how each of these options will not get you to what you feel will give you true fulfilment in the long run.

First of all, you must appreciate the need to clarify your dreams themselves, so that you are sure about what you want to achieve. If you keep the very things that you want to achieve vague and in a cloud of uncertainty, then you will not be able to plan in a

Bridges

Connect these islands with bridges until each island can be reached from any other island, and each island has as many outgoing bridges as its number. You may only connect

practical manner for the various steps you need to take to get there.

It will be worth it to spend some time in meditation about what you need to accomplish as the big picture. In doing so, try not to set too many limits on yourself and on what really want.

As we said in the previous article, when you develop the confidence in yourself, and the world itself, then you will find that this will help you to achieve.

The clearer you define the things you need to accomplish, the easier you will find the effort ahead to get you there. Start now on this endeavour at defining the steps ahead, and you will have enough time to accomplish them.

islands vertically or horizontally and bridges may not cross. There mav be one or two bridges connectina pairs of islands. but no more than twoEach puzzle has a unique solution that canbe found without making quesses.

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Plan to Realise your Dreams Dreams will only come true if you believe, and work towards achieving them; There is no need to dream if you know you wouldn't want to pay the price towards realising the purpose of your life.

The knowledge of any problem is the key to its solution; If you know your worth do not waste your time looking at the problem; but spend your time searching for the solution.

Plan while you still see afar; If you fail to plan, blame no one when the fountain of age finally drowns you; Planning eliminates the stress that comes with life's many challenges.

To avoid any disappointment, always think before responding to any problem; Never be in a haste to act; Take your time and be thoughtful of every step before you work it out.

Just as you ensure that the road ahead is safe to walk, you have to make sure that you are clear about the purpose of your life.

TELL IT TO UNCLE ROY I am again appealing to all youths who have some personal problem to contact me so that we can work on a solution. Please know that I am an experienced e d u c a t o r, a q u a l i f i e d

counsellor, and a person whose main purpose in life is to ensure that others live their lives safely and effectively. Please get in touch through my email – uncleroy1992@yahoo.com

Solutions to last week’s

TRCIK OR TREAT 2 lantern ,5 ghost.7 frankenstein , 8 mummy, 9 pumpkin 1 broomstick, 3 scream, 4 corn ,6 treat

Samurai Sudoku

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Home Remedies For Glowing Skin 1. Turmeric Turmeric contains curcumin, which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It eliminates the harmful free radicals that are damaging the skin. It also enhances collagen production and keeps your skin supple and glowing (2). Gram flour gently cleanses the skin to make it clean and bright.

2. Coconut Oil This remedy works best for dry and dull skin. Coconut oil locks the moisture in the skin and also nourishes it with essential fatty acids.

It also protects your skin from UV radiation and enhances skin barrier function (3). All these factors can make your skin glow.

Use coconut oil every night before going to bed.

3. Aloe Vera Aloe vera gel has nourishing and healing properties that rejuvenate the skin to give it a natural glow (4).

4. Baking Soda Baking soda exfoliates dead skin cells and neutralizes the skin's pH. It also has antibacterial properties that can help prevent infection (5).

5. Lemon Lemon contains vitamin C that bleaches and removes tan, making your skin appear brighter and radiant (6). The sugar granules provide an exfoliating effect to help to get rid of dead cells.

Note: Lemon juice may make your skin photosensitive. Please apply sunscreen before stepping out.

6. Papaya Ripe papaya contains papain, an enzyme that acts as a mild exfoliator (7). This gently removes the top layer of dead cells on the face and makes your skin radiant and younger-looking. Fuller's earth cleanses the pores of oils and grime, tones the skin, and improves the complexion (8). Honey is a natural moisturizer and hydrates the skin (9). It also reduces the blemishes on the skin. This pack acts as a skin firming and anti-aging face pack.

7. Cucumber Cucumber is cooling for the skin. It replenishes and rejuvenates dull skin with its antioxidants (10). It also improves complexion and reduces swelling.

8. Honey Honey has soothing and humectant effects. It moisturizes your skin, retards wrinkle formation, and keeps it looking youthful .

9. Ubtan Ubtan is basically a face pack recipe for healthy and glowing skin that has been passed down through generations (12). The coarseness of the lentils, rice, and oatmeal will remove dirt and dead cells from the skin. Turmeric can fade blemishes and give the skin a natural glow (2). Almonds also nourish the skin with essential oils to keep it hydrated.

10. Olive Oil Olive oil is an excellent moisturizer and imparts a natural shine to the skin. The flavonoids and polyphenols present in it protect the skin from free radicals and prevent damage. It repairs the skin and makes it healthy and glowing .

11. Green Tea Green tea can protect your skin from UV rays, reduce inflammation, and prevent premature aging of the skin .

12. Cod Liver Oil Cod liver oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and D, EPA, and DHA. These nourish the skin, repair damaged cells, and give the face a radiant glow.

13. Rose Water Rosewater is a commonly used skin toner. It cleanses and refreshes the skin. It brightens the skin tone by stimulating blood circulation. It also balances the pH of the skin (17).

14. Carrot Juice Recipe The antioxidants present in carrots can help cleanse the body of free radicals, and this will start reflecting on your skin. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A, which can not only enhance the skin's texture and health but also improve your eyesight (18).

15. Bitter Gourd (Karela) Juice Bitter gourd purifies the blood from within, which can help your skin glow (19).

16. Orange Juice Orange juice detoxifies the body. Its vitamin C content clears your complexion, giving you glowing skin.

17. Saffron Saffron has been used since ancient times to maintain clear and naturally glowing skin (20). Its antioxidants keep the skin healthy, and it also protects the skin from sun damage (21).

18. Milk This is an age-old formula for healthy and radiant skin.

Cleopatra's beauty routine always incorporated honey and milk 19. Banana Banana is rich in vitamins A, B, C, and E, and minerals like potassium nourish, hydrate, and improve the overall health of the skin.

They make the skin soft and glowing and also lighten blemishes. https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/simple-home-remedies-for-glowing-skin/

Kaieteur News

Sunday October 31, 2021

Sunday October 31, 2021

g tin s... s e e er tur t In rea C

L

Kaieteur News

Lonomia obliqua

onomia obliqua, t h e g i a n t silkworm moth (a name also used for a wide range of other saturniid moths), is a species of saturniid moth from South America. It is famous for its larval form, rather than the adult moth, primarily because of the caterpillar’s defense mechanism, urticating bristles that inject a potentially deadly venom.

The caterpillar has been responsible for many human deaths, especially in southern Brazil. Its venom has been the subject of numerous medical studies.

The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1855. Guinness World Records classified the Lonomia obliqua as the most venomous caterpillar in the world.

Description These caterpillars are about 4.5 to 5.5 centimetres (about 2 in) long, with background colours ranging from green to brown. Well camouflaged, they have rows of tubercles crowned with whorls of easily detachable spines of different sizes.

Discovery Caterpillars of many species can cause irritation by their hollow body hairs that envenom or detach easily, or can be poisonous if ingested; however, prior to investigations into Lonomia caterpillars, it was not known that caterpillars could produce toxins which in sufficient quantities could kill a human being. Lonomia obliqua is found in the south of Brazil in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná.

The species appears to be spreading to the southeast of Brazil, and recent accidents with the species were reported in the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais. L. obliqua is also found in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina.

The species became internationally known when an epidemic occurred in an agrarian community in Rio Grande do Sul. Doctors were mystified when scores of patients came in with the same symptoms.

Hematoma and gangrene-like symptoms manifested, spreading t h r o u g h o u t t h e b o d y, eventually causing massive blood leakage into the brain and, in several cases, death.

At first the cause could not be determined, although each victim stated they had “just handled a bunch of leafy branches to break the

trail or gather vegetation.”

Exploring the area, the only creature commonly found within all the incidents was the L. obliqua caterpillar. Its

hair growth covers its body, and each clump of spines is able to easily puncture the skin and release toxins into Continued on page 56

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Kaieteur News

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

Miss Surika Danraj

Sunday October 31, 2021

This week's beauty is glamourous Guyanese makeup artist, Ms. Surika Danraj. Ms. Danraj's other interests include interior designing, travel, and charity work. Her favourite quote is by former US President Theodore Roosevelt, “Comparison is the thief of Joy.”

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Kaieteur News

Sunday October 31, 2021

‘Bully boss’ sets handyman on fire

By Shervin Belgrave

Darren Allen (right) before he was burnt standing beside his father at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

A handyman is slowly recovering from second and third degree burns to his body after he was allegedly set on fire by his boss some six months ago.

The handyman, Darren Allen, 43, was reportedly doused with gasoline and set alight close to 23:00hrs on Tuesday, April 21, last, close to his work place – a wash bay and tyre shop located in the capital city.

According to Darren’s father Brian Allen, his son was set on fire by the man who manages the wash bay.

The suspect was arrested two weeks ago and has since been released on station bail as police continue to investigate the matter.

Kaieteur News understands that it was only recently that Darren decided to identify his attacker. According to his father, Darren was reluctant to tell police who had set him on fire because he is fearful of the suspect.

The man explained that his son suffers from mental illness but was well enough to work as a handyman at the wash bay. According to the elder Allen, he was happy

Allen in hospital receiving treatment for his burns.

A depressed Allen at home recovering. that his son was working there because the suspect’s wife would treat him (Darren) well. What he did not know, Mr Allen related, was that his son was reportedly being bullied and taken advantage of by the very woman’s husband.

According to the man, he only learnt of this when he received the devastating

news that someone had set his son on fire. Darren reportedly told his father that his boss would regularly beat him up with an iron bar.

On Tuesday, April 27, last, the suspect allegedly took his bullying to another level.

Darren told his father that the man approached him with a container of gasoline

and gave him a cigarette.

The man allegedly ordered him to “light up” the cigarette or receive a bullet to his leg.

Darren reportedly chose to light up the cigarette and as he was doing so the suspect allegedly doused him with the gasoline, causing him to be ignited.

It was revealed that some persons, who were nearby at the time, helped to extinguish the fire before rushing Darren to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for medical attention. He was Continued on page 57

Kaieteur News

Sunday October 31, 2021

PAGE 51

Our Frontline Worker of this Week is…

By Romario Blair “You have to love your job and one of the important things is patience…if we don’t love what we do, we cannot be successful.” Those are the words of Ramona Thomas, a midwife who has been functioning out of the public health system for the past 18 years.

Like so many other frontline workers, Ms. Thomas has brought her wealth of experience to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. She has worked for most of her years in the Amerindian communities w i t h i n t h e Pomeroon/Supenaam region. Unfortunately, several of these Region Two communities are now COVID-19 hotspots.

Over the years, Thomas was able to gradually build her career from a Community Health Worker to a cluster supervisor who now overlooks four health centres within her region.

The 44-year-old Thomas

Midwife, Ramona Thomas

Advocating for vaccination.

grew up in a big family…I had seven brothers and three sisters; I was the third in the family. I would laugh and tell everyone…even patients would ask me why I’m so happy, contented, and I would tell them that I grew

school. I had lots of challenges; people treat you anyhow because we use to go to school bare feet, books in plastic bag. Other kids have the fancy things, but I was bright.” Today Thomas has a family of her own – her

“When I tested positive, I was angry at myself, knowing that as a frontline worker I usually take all these precautions but still contracted COVID-19. That in a sense tells us that COVID-19 can attack us at any time, and I like to use myself as an example from time to time.” originated from the indigenous community of Bethany, which is located within the Supenaam Creek.

She revealed that she came from humble beginnings; a life which she says shaped her vision for the future. “I

up in a poor family.”

She said that she grew up wanting a different life for herself in the future. She revealed, “I wanted my own job, a decent husband, and not too many kids. I was always an ‘A’ student at

husband is Floyd Thomas and they share three children.

PROMISING CAREER In the year 2002, she began her career in the medical field with a six months training course.

Family is important to her. In this photo she shares a moment with her husband, daughter and grandson.

According to her, the challenges were immediate, as she sacrificed precious time with her family in pursuit of training which was done in Moruca, Region One. “The first challenge is that I had to leave my family, I had all three of my kids at that time – the youngest was just three years, nine months, the second child was five years old, and the eldest was nine years old,” Thomas shared. She recalled too that communication posed an immense challenge, as it was difficult to keep in touch with her young family during her training.

She added, “It was hard, because at times I was there physically to get my training done, but mentally I was back home wondering how things were going, and in

those days we hadn’t much access to phones, so every month I would write letters, and try to find out how the kids were and so…and I was visited twice by my husband.”

PIVOTAL ROLE U p o n completing her training, Thomas was first assigned to Kabakaburi, and also served St. Monica, both of which are i n d i g e n o u s communities in the Lower Pomeroon. Ramona Thomas, our featured frontline healthcare worker.

She explained that her role in the health care system was locations. pivotal at that point “Health care is an issue in time, as access to quality healthcare was and remains a in these remote Amerindian Continued on page 57 challenge in remote

Kaieteur News

PAGE 52

Sunday October 31, 2021

...Sarita Yabindranauth Halim Halim.

Following the successful completion of the first cycle of treatment, Halim began her advocacy and awareness work—an aspect of her life that she believes is vital to her work as a cancer warrior.

She recalled that during her time of treatment she met several women like herself from whom she believes have stories that can help spread awareness that would motivate others to get screened early and regularly.

Halim stressed that had it not been for the encouragement of her sister to get screened, she probably would not have been alive today. “I had the lump but it wasn’t bothering me, hurting, oozing or anything,” she said, adding “if I had checked it sooner, I possibly could have saved myself from having to

Breast cancer survivor: Sarita Halim displays a banner to help spread awareness.

From page 18 you live or die.” Halim chose to live.

She nonetheless had to prepare mentally to live without her rightside breast.

The thought of having to lose one of her womanly attributes which is considered attractive and sacred ached Halim’s heart. But she took comfort in the fact that she at least suckled one child from those breasts.

Sharing a bit about her decision to remove her breast, the cancer survivor noted that many times, people talk about the physical impact of having cancer without addressing the stigma that a lot of females battling the disease face.

“When you lose your breast or you take out your uterus as part of a treatment for cancer as women, we tend to feel less whole or beautiful,” Halim explained. She noted that in addition to this some survivors have to deal with the whispers and negative reactions from people who may not fully understand their decision to remove one breast, both breasts or their uterus.

SUPPORT AND TREATMENT “No matter what, people tend to have negative reactions to it and we deal with the stigma…it is not talked about a lot. I know of many women who are ashamed of having breast cancer, so they don’t tell anyone about it; it’s very hard on them to have to share what they are going through…that’s part of the reason why having support is so crucial,” she added.

To this end, Halim had her husband, Sheik Halim, and their son to lean on.

“My family has been very supportive. I was blessed to have them, from the moment I decided to undergo the surgery, and the cycles of chemotherapy and radiation, they have been by my side. I stepped back from work to focus on

my health and they have been handling everything,” she said.

“I am one of the lucky ones that have that support base because I could not imagine what it would have been like without it.

To beat cancer, support and treatment are vital,” she emphasised.

As part of her treatment, Halim removed her right breast, underwent eight sets of chemotherapy treatment and 30 sets of radiation treatment in addition to certain lifestyle changes which included sugar, dairy, and a red meat-free diet.

The breast cancer survivor described the first cycles of treatment as no less than rough. She explained, “Cancer treatment is tough in general because the chemicals you get in your body destroy the bad cells as well as the good ones. So, for the first cycles of treatment, I was very weak. I remember that I would fall down and get up and crawl to the bathroom.”

She said that she had visited the oncology unit at GPHC and seen what the women endured when they underwent Chemo but it was nothing compared to actually having to experience it for herself.

“I thought I was prepared for it because I saw what the women went through but nothing could have prepared me… I lost my hair and my toenails. My fingernails became blackened by the treatment…I really had no idea how badly I was going to feel. It hurt so much,” she said.

Halim said that at one point she wanted to stop the treatment and give up but with the encouragement of her doctors and family, she decided to continue with the treatment. After about a week, she said that she started to feel much better. “I decided to continue the treatment until I finished it,” stated

Sarita joins in a tree wrapping exercise for breast cancer awareness month. portion of her time, since diagnosis and treatment, learning about the disease, Halim has been increasingly vocal about breast cancer awareness.

Throughout the month of October, she has done various newspaper and television

as long as I am healthy, I will continue to do it and I have been doing it since then,” she stated.

In this regard, she has participated in key awareness activities hosted by the Guyana Cancer Foundation, the Rotary Club, and several other organisations.

She is often accompanied by her friend and fellow cancer survivor, Diane Fung, as they spread the message to help other women keep cancer at bay.

Added to their activism, last October the two ladies joined forces to launch the “Thinking Positive” support group for cancer warriors.

With this platform, the women are optimistic that it will add to the facilities already available to those who are terminally ill.

“We know how difficult it is to go through cancer and that is why we are trying to give as much assistance and spread as much awareness as we can, to help persons stay healthy and beat cancer,” Halim said.

“I am one of the lucky ones that have that support base because I could not imagine what it would have been like without it. To beat cancer, support and treatment are vital.”

remove my breasts.”

As a result, Halim continues to implore other women not to wait until it’s too late to get screened.

She advises “examine your breasts after your cycle of period every month. Get your yearly mammograms and checkups.”

‘CANCER WARRIOR’ After spending a significant

interviews speaking about her experience. She is also an active participant of the many cancer awareness activities. The cancer warrior said that her advocacy work started while she was still on treatment.

“As soon as I felt strong enough, I began to work with those who need support. I said to myself

Sarita Halim participates in a walk in honour of the month of activities.

Kaieteur News

Sunday October 31, 2021

PAGE 53

Sod turned for Amaya Milk Plant at Onverwagt The Amaya Milk Company's banner.

Sod turning. From left: CEO of GoInvest, Dr. Peter Ramsarrop, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, H.E. Mark Berman, Omkaar Sharma, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha and Hon. Dr. Ashni Singh.

O

n Friday, several s e n i o r government officials joined the owner of the Amaya Milk Company for a sod-turning exercise to signify the commencement of the construction of a multimillion dollar state-of-the-art milk processingfacility.

The facility, which is being constructed at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice by Canadian-based investor Omkarr Sharma, saw an initial investment of $150 million. In March of this year, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Amaya Milk Company, the Guyana Office for Investment (GoInvest), and the Ministry of Agriculture for the construction of the facility.

While delivering remarks at the sod turning event, Minister Mustapha said that the investment represents a remarkable opportunity for the transformation of Guyana's traditional dairy industry.

“It signals the development, expansion, and stabilisation of the dairy industry and a potential reduction in our imports of milk and milk products which continue to be extremely high,” said Minister Mustapha.

He added, “This investment is very timely, as imports of milk and milk products continue to be extremely high. Guyana's import bill on milk and milk products (milk and cream, cheese and curd, and buttermilk) in 2020 was recorded at approximately US$38 million or about G$8 billion. Which represents about 25 percent of Guyana's food import bill? Further, milk and milk products represent approximately 90 percent of the total value of all the livestock products

imported. Therefore, such an investment as this will have a significant impact on reducing our dependency on milk and milk products imports and by extension creating food security and job opportunities. And there exists potential to expand this to CARICOM region markets which import about US$378 Million in dairy products.”

Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, in his address said, the establishment of the milk plant demonstrates the kind of value-added opportunities that exist in Guyana.

“I'm particularly pleased to see Amaya proceeding with an investment that will clearly contribute to valueadded processing. What we're witnessing today is a demonstration of the kind of value-added opportunity that exists. This is an example of what can be done with a primary product; valueadded processing to deliver a good world-class product to the Guyanese consumer and others living in Guyana and buying Guyanese products.

This is, in fact, part of a broader wave of investments that we're seeing and when I see a world-class product, whether it is bottled milk or bottled juices or some other spice or condiment packaged in a world-class package, ready for the international market place, it tells me that we are finally taking that critical step that we've long advocated,” Dr. Singh said The project is expected to be rolled out in two phases, the first phase focusing specifically on the production of pasteurised milk. Phase two, which is expected to commence within two years, will see the company producing other

milk-based products such as yogurt and flavoured milk, specifically strawberry and chocolate, among other unique flavours.

Omkaar Sharma in his address credited the open invitation issued by His Excellency, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali to Guyanese from the diaspora to invest in the country and the work of the Guyana Office for Investment for

easily facilitating the process that led to the sod turning so soon after signing the MOU back in March of this year. “ We h a v e a l l t h e conditions for a successful dairy sector. We have the land, we have the animals, we have the people, and we have the knowledge. When Dr. Ali was elected President and he invited the diaspora to come back and invest in Guyana, I knew that the time had come.

His decision not to solely rely on oil and gas for Guyana's growth was heartening and his focus on agriculture was music to my ears. When I saw the hard work put in by our Honourable Minister of Agriculture as he tirelessly works to promote agriculture in Guyana and the efforts of Dr. Ramsaroop to attract investment to Guyana and to make that process as easy as possible, I knew that this

government meant business and that this project would succeed,” Mr. Sharma said.

Initially, the plant will be able to produce 100 gallons per day. This amount could later increase to 800 gallons a day depending on the supply from farmers. At capacity, the facility is expected to make in excess of $75 million per month in direct payment to dairy farmers in Regions (Continued on page 56)

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 54

==GNBS In Focus== Grading, labelling and packaging agri. produce according to standards Today we bring the curtains down on the activities for Agriculture Month 2021, observed under the theme “Transforming our food system, achieving food and nutrition security,” but efforts to transform the sector and our food system must be continuous. In so doing, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) is urging stakeholders to utilise the variety of National Standards applicable to enhancing agro processes, products and services.

Among the National Standards, which are available at the GNBS, are those for the grading of fruits

and vegetables, food safety, and specifications for labelling and packaging of agro-processed items.

For fresh agriculture produce, the GNBS has grading standards, which contain requirements and specifications to help producers, regulators, and consumers identify or categorise these produce.

These standards help farmers and retailers to separate produce based on size, colour, freshness and a number of other characteristics.

Stipulated grading requirements help to differentiate what is suitable for a particular use. Some of

these standards also cover labelling, packaging, storage, hygiene and sanitation requirements.

There are close to 30 of these grading standards available at the GNBS, which we would like more stakeholders, including farmers, to begin to use. We have grading standards for limes, pineapples, pumpkin, watermelons, cucumber, fresh ginger, hot peppers, cabbages, green plantains, sweet oranges, eddoes, bananas, grapefruits and so much more.

These grading standards, once implemented, are useful for many reasons including that they clearly

communicate specifications, help to determine pricing and ensure that quality produce are delivered. Many of the standards were also adopted from the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), hence conformance can aid in the access of local produce to regional markets.

In addition to grading standards, business owners who are moving to add value to their products through agro-processing, can also access National Standards to improve consumer confidence and overall profits. These standards include Specification for

jams and jellies, Specification for salted and dried salted fish, Specification for coconut oil, Specification for cassava bread, Specification for fruit and, vegetable juices and drinks, Specification for spices and sauces, packaged coconut water, among others.

The standards relative to agro-processing seek to guide the processes of preparing, packaging and preserving of the various types of foods for sale. Many of these standards, which were adopted from the CODEX Alimentarius Commission address labelling, packaging,

s to r a g e, h an d lin g an d contamination, which are usually very important to consumers.

Once implemented according to specifications, consumer preference for conforming products will increase.

To read more about the available standards, stakeholders are urged to visit the GNBS website and access the GNBS' Standards Portal.

F o r f u r t h e r information, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0066 or visit t h e G N B S We b s i t e : www.gnbsgy.org or WhatsApp 6924627.

G20: World leaders...

From page 8 Prime Minister Boris Johnson described climate change as "the biggest threat to humanity", saying it posed a "risk to civilisation basically going backwards".

However, he acknowledged that neither the G20 meeting nor COP26 would halt global warming, but could, if the right measures were taken, "restrict the growth in the temperature of the planet".

According to Reuters n e w s a g e n c y, a d r a f t communiqué outlines a promise from the G20 to

work towards limiting the rise in temperatures to 1.5C (2.7F), saying it "will require meaningful and effective actions by all countries".

The draft also notes the need for "developed countries to mobilise $100bn (£73bn) annually from public and private sources through to 2025 to address the needs of developing countries" so they can tackle climate change - a promise richer countries have failed to keep since 2009, when it was initially pledged. (BBC News)

Inefficient access to nation's...

From page 14 together to strengthen their businesses, given the transformation taking place not only in Guyana, but internationally.

“The Government is working a t l i g h t n i n g speed…everything is happening quickly.

We in the private sector need to start running alongside the Government of Guyana with a similar speed,” he noted.

Guest speaker at the business luncheon, Minister within the Ministry of Public

Works, Deodat Indar, in his presentation referenced a number of transformative infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Government, which he said will create an enabling business environment.

He cited as example the new Demerara Harbour Bridge, the Delconte Road, the deep water port across t h e C o r e n t y n e R i v e r, Kurupukari Bridge, the Mandela Road project, the energy-mix project among others.

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 55

==CONSUMER CONCERNS== Eliminating danger of

Africanised bees and expanding honey industry

By Pat Dial ithin the last four weeks, at least four persons were reported in the media as having been killed

by Africanised bees.

These bees have also killed livestock and even dogs. Before the arrival of Africanised bees in Guyana, the bees found here were Capilanos, a mild European bee, and there was never any report of anyone being stung to death.

The Africanised bee's origin could be traced to a laboratory: Some Brazilian scientists were experimenting with crossing captured bees from Africa with other strains.

The African bees were far greater honey producers than other strains, but other strains were gentler and easier to manage.

The laboratory was expected to produce a new bee with the best qualities of the African and the other strains.

Unfortunately, some of the African bees escaped and multiplied prolifically, moving into the Amazon jungles northwards until they became the main species in the continent.

As they moved into a locality, they eliminated the other strains and today, Capilanos have become a rarity in Guyana. When the Ministry speaks of bees, they are likely to be speaking of Africanised bees.

These Africanised bees are regarded as dangerous because they are very sensitive and easily disturbed and when disturbed they attack the perceived enemy in persistent swarms staying around the victim for at least half an hour pouring their poisons into the victim's body.

Vi c t i m s b e c o m e disabled, or die because of the large amount of poison in their bodies.

Even if victims take shelter in a canal or lake, the bees stay about for at least half an hour.

If one is attacked by a

W

swarm or even smaller numbers, it is best to run away since they only follow for about 200 yards.

In agricultural areas, they nest in trees and are disturbed with the least noise and attack the drivers of agricultural machines with such speed and suddenness that over the years, several such persons were fatally stung.

In towns and more populated areas, they nest in closed or uninhabited buildings or even in the less frequented parts of a home.

Other favourite places of their nesting are abandoned refrigerators, old cars, paint pots, old vehicle tyres, bushy fences, septic tanks and graves in the cemetery.

When the bees first made their appearance in Guyana several years ago, the Ministry of Agriculture had established a unit from which the public could seek assistance to eliminate them.

Then they discontinued the service and householders had to employ private exterminators at a fee.

Most of these private exterminators were trained at the Ministry of Agriculture and if they could capture the bees they did so and if they were able to reap honey they also did so.

After some years, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) was given the responsibility of dealing with the bees but their activities were restricted to public buildings, markets, schools, churches and public spaces such as parks, gardens and so on.

If private persons needed assistance, GLDA would enlist the services of the Guyana Apiculture Society who had members in every Region but such assistance incurred a cost which had to be met by the householder.

S i n c e M r. Z u l f i k a r Mustapha assumed the office of Minister of Agriculture, he has initiated many innovations in his year of service and among these he has extended the GLDA's

bee capturing and exterminating services to private persons.

In Mr. Mustapha's words, "Many persons have been making requests for us to assist and extend this service to residential spaces and we are now working to facilitate this...

This is another initiative Government is offering to citizens in a bid to ensure quality services are extended while making sure they are safe".

Citizens who wish to free their homes and neighbourhoods from the bees could contact Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) at telephone: 220 6556/7.

The Ministry has constructively and creatively linked its bee removal activities with developing the honey industry. Minister Mustapha pointed out: "When GLDA captures bees, it usually donates some of these bees to Amerindian communities or persons who wish to get involved in beekeeping.

We have an apiary and are working to expand that facility.

Authentic and quality honey production is also something on which the Government is working aggressively across the country".

The GLDA has formulated a three-phase

plan to effectively deal with bee removal and the extension and development of the honey industry.

The first phase is to carry out greater surveillance efforts countrywide and to conduct a sustained bee awareness and educational campaign so that citizens would be better able to protect themselves from bee attacks and to extend the honey industry and develop the export market.

The second phase is to allocate more funds and work with the Regional authorities in bee capturing and relocation.

The third phase involves the intensification of staff training; building

beekeepers' capacity through workshops and seminars in all the Regions; and mapping locations from which bees have been removed and the locations where wild swarms are nesting.

These phases are not mutually exclusive.

The country is on the threshold of a regime where no one would ever be stung to death by bees and where the honey industry would be developing and expanding providing employment and better incomes for a greater number of people.

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

PAGE 56

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

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VEHICLES FOR SALE Toyota Pitbull bus for sale.

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Auto Electrical apprentice age 19-25 yrs. Apply in person, Lot 120 Forth Street Albertown G/Town or call: 610-0340.

Exist for Security Officers, Male & Female. 18yrs & above. Contact: 223-4172/6320099.

Cook/baker, Kitchen Assistant, Servicemen & pitmen for interior location. Applicants must be experienced. Call: 6182020 or 231-2250.

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Male seek female Pen Pal worldwide.Whatsapp 6986391.

continuing operations of $467 million during the third quarter of 2021, representing a 3 per cent decrease when compared to the third quarter of 2020. Revenue for the quarter was mainly impacted by reduced cement sales attributable to adverse weather in Jamaica,” it stated.

“On a year-to-date basis, the TCL Group recorded consolidated revenue from continuing operations of $1.4 billion, 12 per cent higher than the same period in 2020.

This increase across the region reflects a reduced 2020 comparable base as a result of the impact of the COVID19 government restrictions in our markets, particularly in Guyana, T&T and Barbados,” it stated.

The directors’ statement said “based on the financial results to date and assessment of market demand, our outlook remains

the extent of government restrictions in response.

Additionally, we are paying close attention to the inflation of coal, fuel and energy, and shipping costs, that have the potential to reduce our margins in export markets also and impact our financial results,” it stated.

The TCL Group said Health and Safety continues to be its top priority and outlined the vaccination rates of its employees across the region.“To date, of our employees, 91.6 per cent in T&T, 30.8 per cent in Jamaica, 78.8per cent in Barbados and 90.5 per cent in Guyana are vaccinated against COVID19. Additionally, during the third quarter, the Group ramped up its vaccination drive in Jamaica, participating in the Private Sector Vaccine Initiative in an effort to protect our stakeholders from the COVID-19 virus.

Lonomia obliqua

For truck drivers, must know how to operate Hiab & have knowledge of Georgetown.

From page 47 Call: 223-5273-4/621-5907 the victim. ToxicityLonomia Exists for Porters. Call: 223- obliqua has a toxic venom 5273-4/621-5907 which causes disseminated Experienced carpenter & ap- intravascular coagulation and prentice. Contact: 624-9507/ a consumptive coagulopathy, which can lead to a hemor624-9509/624-9508. rhagic syndrome. The toxins Vacancy exist for delivery are stored in sacks at the base driver, E.C.D. Tel:692-6768/676- of each spine. As the spines penetrate the victim, venom 1363. flows through the hollow Maintenance workers & bristles and into the puncture labourers to work with wound.

P.S.G.C.S. Preferably from It was discovered that the E.B.D. Call: 621-6969/ 615-7784. toxin in the caterpillar’s skin held potent anti-clotting Farm workers in Timehri, living accomodation provided. Tel: 661-1585/617-2047.

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Supervisor, Counter Clerk, Hymac & Diesel Mechanic to work in charity. Call: 2235273/688-0417.

The TCL Group has reported a net loss of $23.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021.

Last year, for the comparative period, TCL recorded a net income of $38.4 million.

“This decrease was mainly driven by decreased revenues coupled with increased costs arising out of maintenance activities conducted during the quarter,” a statement jointly signed by its chairman David G. Inglefield and it managing director Francisco Aguilera Mendoza stated.

Overall for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 the TCL Group recorded a net income of $60.6 million.

For the comparative nine months last year the TCL Group recorded a net income of $48.9 million.

“The TCL Group recorded consolidated revenue from

Sod turned for Amaya...

From page 53 Five and Six. It is expected that the construction will be completed making way for Amaya's products to be on the shelves of local supermarkets by April 2022.

Earlier in the year when news of the MOU that was signed between Amaya Milk Company and the Government of Guyana for the construction of the milk plant broke, persons expressed their satisfaction with the return of the production of pasteurised milk in Guyana.

With the introduction of Amaya's products to the local market, it is expected that Guyana's milk import bill which is currently estimated to be US$35 million per annum, will see a significant reduction. (Ministry of Agriculture feature)

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agents. This anti-clotting agent would attach to another protein of the body’s cells and cause them to leak as blood is unable to clot. This internal bleeding would fill the surrounding tissue with “bruised blood”. This internal bleeding spreads through the internal organs and eventually leads to compression and brain death.

This accounts for the minimum of 500 deaths resulting from contact with L. obliqua caterpillars. The poison only takes effect in fairly large amounts; in order to experience the extreme effects caused by the toxins, a human victim would probably need to be stung at least 20 to 100 times because each sting only injects a minute amount of venom.

Of the 26 species of the genus Lonomia found on the American continent, only Lonomia obliqua and Lonomia achelous have caused severe reactions, leading to hemorrhagic syndrome. Since 1989 the num-

ber of human accidents caused by these caterpillars has been increasing in the southern region of Brazil.

Most victims were male (63%), many were between 0 and 19 years old (45%), and lesions are especially common on the hands (38%). The reported death rate is 2.5%.

Effects of venom Disseminated intravascular coagulation occurs as the toxin interacts with the victim’s body. One serious effect on envenomed victims is hemorrhage syndrome. “First described by ArochaPinango and Layrisse in Venezuela in 1967, the hemorrhagic diathesis caused in humans by touching the Lonomia species begins with inflammatory changes at the site of envenoming, followed by systemic symptoms such as headache, fever, vomiting, and malaise. After 24 hours, a severe bleeding disorder ensues, leading to ecchymosis, hematuria, pulmonary, and intracranial hemorrhages, and acute kidney injury.”

Climate Crisis a code red...

From page 15 disease outbreaks that could be even worse than COVID19. Guterres in his appeal was unwavering, “despite these alarm bells ringing at fever pitch, we see new evidence in the latest UN reports that governments’ actions so far simply do not add up to what is so desperately needed.”

Recent new announcements for climate action are welcome and critical — but even so, “our world is on track for calamitous global temperature rises well above 2 degrees Celsius.”

According to the Secretary General, this is a far cry from the 1.5-degree Celsius

target to which the world agreed under the Paris Agreement – a target that science tells us is the only sustainable pathway for our world.

“This target is entirely achievable, if we can reduce global emissions by 45 percent compared to 2010 levels, this decade, if we can achieve global net-zero by 2050, and if world leaders arrive in Glasgow with bold, ambitious, and verifiable 2030 targets, and new, concrete policies to reverse this disaster.”

To this end, Guterres—a day before the opening of COP 26—in his clarion call said, “G20 leaders - in particular - need to deliver.”

Kaieteur News

Sunday October 31, 2021

PAGE 57

‘Bully boss’ sets handyman on fire From page 50 admitted to the Burn Care Unit and remained there for more than three months before he was discharged.

Darren, this publication was informed, sustained second and third degree burns to his head, neck, face, torso and limbs.

According to his father, the incident has scarred his son mentally as well.

“He does sit down studying this thing; one day he blurted out to his mother, ‘mammy look at me, am I ugly?’ and she was moved to tears,” his father told Kaieteur News.

Midwife, Ramona Thomas

From page 51 communities, because of the distance and the transportation, because most of these communities are riverine, lake areas and people don’t have boats, don’t have engines…sometimes they have to depend on someone to give them a drop out in case of a medical emergency. Sometimes for health care workers to get supplies it can also be challenging at times,” Thomas related.

She said that her time within these communities had certainly bore fruit, since she undoubtedly provided a life-saving service, at the best of her ability. Reflecting Thomas said, “When you’re in health care delivery in the interior there are multiple roles you have to fulfill…there was an issue this one time where a nine-year-old boy had chopped his index finger, and was in tremendous pain…the top of the finger was already turning blue, it was in a really bad shape.”

She recalled that “a neighbour brought the boy to the health post, and my advice was that he see a doctor, but because of transportation and the pain he was in, they begged that I amputate the damaged piece of finger…so because I worked with an experience medex in the past, I followed her procedure and numb the finger…took off the blue piece and pulled skin over it.”

NEW HEIGHTS In 2010, Thomas decided that it was time to advance her career and so she opted to be trained in the specialty area of Midwifery at the Georgetown School of Nursing. Thomas revealed that unlike her initial training back in 2002, there were minimal challenges during her training in Georgetown.

According to Thomas, her love for Midwifery was cultivated almost two decades ago, following a personal experience of hers. She intimated, “I always wanted to be a midwife, because when I was pregnant with my children, I don’t think much care was given to me when I went to the hospital to be delivered. I don’t

think they were nice, but now that I’m in their position I always try to ensure that mothers and babies are taken care of.”

She added, “It takes a lot of patience, but you have to love your job, as a midwife if we don’t love what we do, we cannot be successful, people will leave with a lot of negative things. A mother must remember that during her labour there was this nurse that really tried with her.”

DEALING WITH COVID-19 Thomas admitted that when word of COVID-19 initially got out, she had doubts that Guyana would’ve been one of the affected countries. When Guyana recorded its first case, however, her outlook on matters changed. “When this pandemic started, I had a little doubt… but every night I was checking the world news, and I kept questioning myself whether

we have this thing in Guyana,” she recalled.

According to Thomas too, “when they started doing testing, that was a bit scary, and when the virus came to Bethany that was one of the biggest fears I’ve had because after I did the test, I was positive, and the community had 32 cases.”

As of recent, COVID-19 cases have been on the increase in Region Two with primarily indigenous communities being hotspots. Thomas is worried that there are still some persons around who, to this day, are convinced that COVID-19 is not real or that the vaccines are safe. She shared, “when I tested positive, I was angry at myself, knowing that as a frontline worker I usually take all these precautions but still contracted COVID-19. That in a sense tells us that COVID-19 can

attack us at any time, and I like to use myself as an example from time to time.”

She believes that community leaders need to do more in leading the fight against COVID-19.

Moreover, our featured frontline healthcare worker noted, “I can

The wash bay on Sheriff Street where Allen worked as a handyman.

With a colleague.

come into your community, and I can be talking my lungs out, but people can always say that I’m talking because I’m working for the government…that’s why we need the Toshaos and other community leaders to come on board.”

Kaieteur News

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Sunday October 31, 2021

>>>Young Entrepreneur on the Move<<<

Choose

‘Hair by Vanessa’ for that ideal look

By Allyiah Allicock The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been far-reaching.

While there have been far too many individuals who have lost their lives to the disease, there are others who have suffered through the loss of their employment.

Among those who have been so impacted is 21-year-old Doniellie Vanessa Handy. But, instead of merely reaping a crop of lemons, Handy decided that it was time to make the sweetest lemonade possible.

Today she is an emerging young entrepreneur who is the founder and sole owner of a local hairstyling business which operates under the name ‘Hair by Vanessa’.

Being her own boss was always ingrained in her anatomy for she recalls, quite vividly too, that it was difficult having to work for someone else and even harder to stay at home and not be productive.

“I inspired myself because being at home unemployed due to the pandemic was a bit challenging, and it made me realise too, that working with others really was not cutting it for me,” she related So, with an affinity for the beauty and hair-styling industry, she decided it was just the right fit for her to utilise her skills to build her own business venture. “Since I

was already a fan of doing hair, I just bought products and it took off from there,” Handy revealed.

Her hard work and skills set have surely paid off, since the services she offers are in constant demand. This is reflected through the growth of her business and the recognition it has been attracting thus far. Since her business took off in August last year, her support base, she said, has been

b u s i n e s s .

Instead, since launching her business, her hair appointment numbers have been increasing.

I t h a s however, been a challenge to not have a dedicated location to offer her services.

Moreover, she noted, “My longterm goal is to expand my business

she noted, are in some way inspiring others to go after their own business ventures as well. “As a young entrepreneur, I know for a fact having a business and being able to be independent is inspiring to others.” she said.

Handy thinks a lot can be done too to help more young people achieve their dream of

neur I know re ep tr en g n u yo a s “A business and for a fact having a ependent is d in e b to le b a g n ei b inspiring to others.” be coming entrepreneurs. With the relevant authorities hiring business ambassadors and mentors to guide young people, it would surely assist them with the necessary marketing

unprecedented. She is especially grateful to her mother and boyfriend who she said are the ones who have been there helping her along the way.

She noted that although it was the pandemic that pushed her into the realm of entrepreneurship it has not proven to be a challenge to her

Young Entrepreneur and owner of ‘Hair by Vanessa’, Doniellie Vanessa Handy skills/tools that would help to promote their work, she related.

Individuals interested in utilising Handy’s hair-styling services can contact her on telephone number (592) 610-0267 or message her on Facebook @hair by venessa or on Instagram @Hair_by_vanessa592.

and open another branch to reach a wider market.”

Our featured young entrepreneur is of the firm belief that young businessmen and women have the responsibility to move the country forward.

Regardless of the field of business they choose, young entrepreneurs

Some of the work she has done since she launched her business.

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

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US$9B Yellowtail Project is the best on the planet, has “outstanding economics” that works in our favour - Hess

By Kiana Wilburg

E

ven though the Yellowtail Project, the fourth to be developed in the Stabroek Block is poised to see its costs going beyond US$9B, it is still regarded by Hess Corporation as having “outstanding economics” that will work in the company’s favour.

The American oil producer, which holds a 30 percent stake in the Stabroek Block, made this disclosure during its 2021 thirdquarter earnings call on Wednesday last.

Specifically, the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Greg Hill, disclosed that the final numbers have not been decided for the project, as this would only follow approval by the government. Be that as it may, it has predicted that inflationary pressures on the market will push the cost beyond the preliminary estimate of US$9B. Hill was keen to note however that the “superefficient” provisions of the

COO for Hess Corporation, Greg Hill Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) will allow for all expenditure to be recouped.

Hill noted too that the economics of the project work in the company’s favour as it has a breakeven of US$25 to US$32 a barrel. Taking these factors into consideration the COO said, the Yellowtail Project is, “One of the best projects on the planet…”

Chief Executive Officer, John Hess agreed with Hill’s perspective as he said, “This development has simply outstanding financial returns, some of the best in the industry…So, it’s outstanding economics. Yes, the costs are higher, but the resource we’re recovering is much higher, and these are some of the best economics in the industry.”

As regards the production capacity of the project, Hill said it is poised to be at 250,000 barrels of oil per day but noted that it is not unusual to see a 10 to 20 percent increase after the relevant data has been gathered.

He said, “I don’t think that’s an unreasonable expectation for future vessels and I think the second point is, remember, these increases in capacity are typically achieved for very low investment. And obviously, with PSA, the rapid cost recovery, these are very profitable things to do.”

The operator of the Stabroek Block has explained via the project’s Environmental Impact

Hess Corporation CEO, John Hess Assessment (EIA) that the costs for developing Yellowtail are expected to be higher since there would be a greater number of development wells and associated drilling costs when compared to its Payara project, which will also cost Guyana $1.8 trillion.

Despite the astronomical costs, Exxon believes that the project should be supported as it would

generate benefits for the citizens of Guyana in several ways, which would otherwise not be there in the absence of the project.

According to project documents, Yellowtail will consist of drilling approximately 41 to 67 development wells (including production, water injection, and gas re-injection wells); installation and operation of Subsea, Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines equipment; installation and the operation of a Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block; and— ultimately—project decommissioning.

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

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

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Kaieteur News

LeBron James scores 26 points against his former side as the LA Lakers win again

James scored 26 points against his former side as the Lakers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sunday October 31, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may have a lot of professional or personal calls to make today. emails could flood your inbox. A lot of people could vie for your attention.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Recent study of philosophical or spiritual matters might inspire you to express your insights creatively.

Whether you choose to write, make music, or paint pictures, you'll notice a difference in your style.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Is a member of your household away? Your home could be a lonely place for a while. You miss your housemate, but you also enjoy the solitude and the quiet that enables you to catch up on your projects, which may include sleep!

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Business acquaintances could visit you today. They might stay longer than expected, but this is positive.

You'll have a lot of interesting discussions that open up doors to more promising enterprises and ways to make a success of them.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Group activities and other social events should keep you pretty busy. You have a lot of people to see, calls to make, errands to run. This can be a drag, but it's exciting and exhilarating as well.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Career success, particularly involving writing and other communication skills, could come your way today. You may not be aware that it's coming, so it could be a bit difficult to handle at first.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) A social event could land you in the middle of a room full of writers, artists, and teachers. You might not know any of them, but don't panic.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Have you been trying to learn about a subject for a long time? Have books, lectures, and documentaries on the subject been your primary form of entertainment?

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) If you've been reading about health and fitness and putting what you read into action, today you might suddenly feel the results of your efforts.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Some interesting dreams could come to you tonight.

Don't be fooled by confusing symbolism. These dreams could shed light on business concerns you've been trying to work out.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You look especially attractive today. Your communications skills are good.

While romantic matters are low-key, love relationships could still advance.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A social event, perhaps related to business, could put you in touch with an old friend or two you haven't seen for a long time.

BBCsports - LeBron James returned from injury to score 26 points as the Los Angeles Lakers ended the Cleveland Cavaliers’ threegame winning streak. It finished 113-101 as the Lakers recorded their third win in four games. Top-scorer James, who has missed the last two games because of an ankle injury, also finished with eight assists against his former side. Fellow star Carmelo Anthony added 24 points including six three-pointers to play a key role in the victory.

The Lakers trailed for much of the game before taking the lead late in the third quarter, holding Cleveland to just 16 points in the fourth to seal the win. Pre-season favourites for the title Brooklyn Nets overcame a slow start to record a 105-98 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

The Nets overturned a 16-

point deficit in the second quarter to come from behind and take the points. James Harden finished the game with 29 points, eight assists and eight rebounds, while Kevin Durant hit 22 points as the Nets bounced back from defeat earlier this week.

Elsewhere, rookie Scott Barnes scored 21 points as the Toronto Raptors edged Orlando Magic 110-109.

Magic trailed by 12 points with just two minutes remaining and had a chance to win it in the final seconds but Cole Anthony missed his shot.

Miami Heat’s winning streak stretched to three games with a 114-99 victory over Charlotte Hornets, as Tyler Herro came off the bench to score 26 points.

Portland Trail Blazers brushed past Los Angeles Clippers with a 111-92 victory to record consecutive wins for the first time this season, while the

New Orleans Pelicans lost out to Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets dominated in Dallas with a convincing win over the Mavericks.

Friday’s NBA results: Toronto Raptors 110-109 Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets 105-98 Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat 114-99 Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Pelicans 109-113 Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets 106-75 Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers 111-92 LA Clippers, LA Lakers 113-101 Cleveland Cavaliers.

...Amsterdam’s fight stopped From page back page go back home work on which would be being a bit more aggressive from the beginning of the bout which would do him well in the near future in his amateur career.

Desmond also has some work to when he gets back home but that cut was very nasty and really affected him, the blood was just oozing down into his eyes,” continued Poole who informed the trio will leave Siberia on November 8, 2021 to return home.

(Sean Devers)

...Sampson’s brace maintains From page 62 13:00hrs and in the 14th minute of play, Levi Sampson put the home team ahead with a well crafted goal following a good build up in eth attacking third.

But seven (7) minutes later, the Bartica team which had defeated Essequibo Coast /Pomeroon FA 6-0 in their opening game at the Bartica Community Centre one week ago, equalized through a powerfully taken shot from about 15 yards out, Ezekiel Baldeo’s bullet like strike went through the hands and legs of the EBFA goalie to leave the game tied 1-1 at the half way mark.

The game went back and forth with a few nerve racking plays at both ends of the pitch but a 53rd minute strike from Sampson was the deciding goal as the EBFA completed a well crafted victory.

Sampson kept his composure to slot past Bartica’s custodian as he made full use of his one v one opportunity.

Despite a few last ditch attempts to get back into the game, Bartica were locked out as the EBFA lads held on for their first win in two matches, the other being a draw against the Rupununi FA team when they came from behind to earn an equal share of the points 1-1. (Calvin Chapman)

Kaieteur News

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Sunday October 31, 2021

England wallop Australia to go on top of Group 1 ICC - England made a statement of intent at the expense of Australia, as they completed a thrashing to remain unbeaten in the Super 12 stage of the World Cup. Jos Buttler led the carnage with the bat, smashing the Australian bowlers to all corners en route his 71* off just 32 balls, as England chased down 126 with eight wickets and 8.2 overs remaining.

Earlier, opting to bowl first, England made good use of the conditions to bundle Australia out for 125.

Though the Aussies recovered from a horror start through Aaron Finch and the lower order, they failed to set up a total that would challenge the fiery England line-up.

Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan were the stars with the ball, accounting for five wickets between them, with Jordan named Player of the Match for figures of 3/17 in four overs.

England pacers make merry - As they have done in previous matches, England opted to start with spin at one end, going with Adil Rashid in the first over. At the other end, Woakes did exactly

what was expected of him: getting the early wickets in the Powerplay.

Getting the ball to move off the seam, Woakes induced an outside edge from David Warner, who had just got back into form in the previous game against Sri Lanka. Jordan replaced Rashid and struck immediately off his first ball, but the wicket itself was as much the fielder’s as it was the bowler’s. Stationed at mid-on, Woakes took a sensational one-handed catch tumbling backwards to dismiss Steve Smith.

The Chris Woakes show continued as the right-arm pacer trapped the dangerous Glenn Maxwell leg before wicket. Jordan and Woakes kept the lid on scoring in the Powerplay as Australia finished with just one boundary in the first six overs.

Rashid was brought back into the attack after the fielding restriction were lifted and made an instant impact, outfoxing Marcus Stonis with the googly to trap him in front of the stumps.

Finch leads recovery with lower order - The spinners continued to stifle

Mission accomplished.

Getty Images

the batters as Australia limped to 41/4 at the halfway stage. The pressure eventually paid off as Matthew Wade tried to hit Australia out of trouble, but ended up holing out to Jason Roy at long-on.

At the other end, Finch motored on, and gave the run-rate a much-needed push

with three fours in two overs.

Ashton Agar, who was brought into the XI in place of Mitchell Marsh, landed a couple of hefty blows that cleared the boundary as Australia enjoyed a fruitful period of play that fetched them 38 runs in three overs.

Once Agar perished, Cummins took Tymal Mills

to the cleaners, smacking two sixes off his first two balls to take Australia’s score past 100. Jordan, however, ensured that Finch and Cummins don’t inflict more damage, scalping their wickets off consecutive deliveries while giving away just two runs off the penultimate over.

Mills took a wicket in the final over, but was also England’s most expensive bowler with figures of 2/45, while the rest of the four bowlers went for under 6.

Buttler’s blitzkrieg leads England to win England knocked off half the target inside the Powerplay as Jason Roy and Buttler took the attack to the Australian bowlers. They hit at least a boundary every over, finishing with 66 inside the first six, the highest Powerplay score in the World Cup so far.

After hitting a four each in the first two overs, they took the aerial route with Roy pulling Cummins over the boundary while Buttler smashed Agar for a big one.

Brought back for the final over of the fielding restrictions, Mitchell Starc was taken to the cleaners by

Buttler, who smoked two effortless sixes.

There was some joy for Australia as they finally broke the partnership through Adam Zampa, who trapped Roy in front of the stumps. The wicket did not slow Buttler down though: he smacked Starc for two more fours before bringing up his fifty with a massive six.

Agar got the better of Dawid Malan with the arm ball before Jonny Bairstow and Buttler smashed Zampa for three sixes in the next over to bring the required runs down to single digits.

Bairstow hit the winning runs for England as they got home with 50 balls to spare.

England 126 for 2 (Buttler 71*) beat Australia 125 (Finch 44, Jordan 3-17) by eight wickets.

Fixtures for Sun 31 October Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi Afghanistan vs Namibia Dubai International Stadium, Dubai India vs New Zealand Mon 01 November Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah England vs Sri Lanka.

Last-over fireworks light up Sharjah as South Africa chase 143 ICC - Needing 22 runs from nine balls, Kagiso Rabada and David Miller soaked in the pressure to strike three sixes and a boundary to chase 143 with four wickets and one ball to spare. It marked a dramatic turnaround for South Africa, who had been pegged back early by a double-strike from Dushmantha Chameera, and then at the death by a hatt r i c k f r o m Wa n i n d u Hasaranga.

On a Sharjah surface where batters of both teams struggled, Pathum Nissanka held firm with a stroke-filled 72 off 58 to help Sri Lanka post 142. However, it proved insufficient as the Islanders slipped to their second loss in three Super 12 games.

For South Africa, Tabraiz Shamsi, the No.1 bowler on t h e I C C M e n ’s T 2 0 I Rankings, ran through Sri Lanka in the middle overs, finishing with 3/17, while Dwaine Pretorius cleaned them up at the death for 3/17 as well.

Chameera’s double-

strike - South Africa’s chase got off to a rocky start.

Quinton de Kock, returning for this game, spooned a catch back to Chameera in the very first over, but the bowler had overstepped.

Chameera, though, was soon among the wickets, bowling with good pace.

Reeza Hendricks burnt a review in challenging an LBW decision. De Kock was then surprised by a short ball, with Chameera himself calling for the top-edge and doing well to hold on.

Hasaranga hat-trick The wickets caused the boundaries to dry up. With runs hard to come by, Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen were forced to take some risky runs. While they benefitted from a few overthrows, their luck finally ran out when van der Dussen fell prey to a direct hit from Dasun Shanaka at cover.

Bavuma hit his first four only on the 30th ball he faced. With Aiden Markram bowled by Hasaranga with

47 needed off 30, there was further pressure on him. He released some of it with a six o ff C h a m e e r a , b e f o r e Hasaranga struck again to deny him his half-century, with Nissanka plucking a catch at the ropes.

The bowler then had new batter Dwaine Pretorius out first ball, caught in the deep, to complete his hat-trick across two overs.

Memorable finish - It was left to Chameera and Lahiru Kumara to deny South Africa the 25 runs they needed in the final two overs.

But when Chameera missed his length slightly, Kagiso Rabada smashed a six over long-off, leaving South Africa 15 to get in the final over.

Kumara too missed his length in the final over, and David Miller heaved him into the stands for back-toback sixes. With the scores even, Rabada got a lucky outside edge for four and got South Africa over the line.

Evenly matched Powerplay - Earlier, after

David Miller and Kagiso Rabada celebrate after pulling off the tricky win ICC via Getty

Sri Lanka were asked to bat, neither team ran away with the advantage in the Powerplay. South Africa’s pacers went for a few runs, but it was also Anrich Nortje who got the first breakthrough. Kusal Perera, trying a pull shot, was done in by pace and found his middle stump flattened. At 39/1 in the first six, neither side would have been too disappointed.

Spin twins bowl in tandem - Eight overs of spin in the middle overs denied Sri Lanka any chance to build a partnership, as Keshav Maharaj and Shamsi

came on for four-over spells each. They both afforded South Africa a couple of quiet overs before Nissanka and Charith Asalanka swung hard in Maharaj’s second over, sending the ball sailing over midwicket for two sixes in three balls.

However, a run-out at that point against the run of play changed the momentum. The over had already yielded 14 runs when the batters decided to scramble two. Rabada charged in from the ropes and made good ground to put in an excellent throw to the wicketkeeper, catching

Asalanka short of his mark.

The very next over, Shamsi took a return catch to send Bhanuka Rajapaksa back without scoring. He then enjoyed a similar dismissal with Avishka Fernando, before Wanindu Hasaranga, who came out with an attacking mindset, holed out in the deep.

South Africa 146-6 (19.5 overs): Bavuma 46 (46), Miller 23* (13); Hasaranga 3-20. Sri Lanka 142 (20 overs): Nissanka 72 (58); Shamsi 3-17, Pretorius 3-17. South Africa won by four wickets.

Kaieteur News

Sunday October 31, 2021

Boxing Home looms The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will soon have a place to call their own, according to President, Steve Ninvalle who reported that the GBA is in the process of securing a plot of land from the Government of Guyana, to establish what will be their home for Amateur Boxing.

The approximately $ 5 0 M f a c i l i t y, w h e n completed, will have a 20room dormitory, kitchen area, and a state-of-the-art gym. With an artist’s impression and ‘plan’ already in place, Ninvalle revealed that on completion, the facility will be the first of

its kind in the Englishspeaking Caribbean.

The idea, Ninvalle reasoned, is to make Guyana the ‘hub’ for boxing in the Caribbean, where countries will come to prepare and train for major tournaments.

He added that already, boxers in the Region are using the Land of Many Waters as a base for their camps, pointing to the three boxers currently in Guyana from Trinidad and Tobago getting ready for the Junior Pan Am Games in Cali, Colombia.

Earlier this year, T&T’s Aaron Prince also used Guyana as his location to

prepare for the Tokyo Olympics. “So this will be more than just a home for Guyana. You can look at it as a home for the Caribbean.

We have some of the best boxers in the Englishspeaking Caribbean, so right now we’re seeing boxers already coming here,” Ninvalle said.

Ninvalle, who also serves as Vice President of the American Boxing Confederation (AMBC), thanked Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles R a m s o n J r, a n d t h e Government of Guyana, for their continued support of amateur Boxing.

Exciting finish anticipated today as GTT Guyana Open Golf Tournament conclude

A

n exciting finish is anticipated on the final day, today of the GTT Guyana Open Golf Tournament which is being held at the Lusignan Golf Club.

Ye s t e r d a y ’s p l a y w a s electrifying as Guyana’s top golfers competed with their overseas counterparts to see who will walk away with the coveted prizes.

Guyanese Christine Sukhram recorded the best gross and best net in the female division while in the men’s 10-18 category local

boy Rabindranauth Persaud got the best gross and Avinda Kishore the best net and best gross in the 0-9 division.

The results for the day were as follows: •Ladies Best Gross Christine Sukhram 79, •Ladies Best Net Christine Sukhram 69, •Ladies Nearest to the flag Julia Stephenson, •Ladies Longest Drive Shenella London, •Men’s Nearest to the flag Feroze Barkat, •Men’s Longest Drive Avinash Persaud, •Men’s 0-9 Best Gross- Aavinda

Kishore 68, •Men’s Best Net – Aavinda Kishore 65, •Men’s 10-18 Best GrossRabindranauth Persaud 79, • M e n ’s B e s t N e t – Rabindranauth Persaud 69, •Men’s 19-28 Best GrossRohan Albert 84, •Men’s Best Net – Rohan Albert 57.

Day two action will commence at 06:00hrs today as many will fight to either maintain their lead or surpass the leader in their bid to be crowned the Champion of the GTT Guyana Open Golf, 2021.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday October 31, 2021

Sampson’s brace maintains East Bank’s unbeaten run as Bartica suffer first GFF ATC Boys’ U-13 Challenge Trophy

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Academy Training Centre (ATC) Boys’ Under-13 Challenge Trophy continued yesterday at the National Training Center, Providence, EBD where Levi Sampson netted a brace

to fire the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) side to their first group game win against Bartica in a match that finished 2-1.

The 35th-minute per half game kicked off just after (Continued on page 59)

Ezekiel Baldeo - Bartica ATC

Sunday October 31, 2021

Kaieteur News

Calix hat trick helps Honduras down Guyana in CU-17WQ Miami, Florida – Honduras are on the verge of qualifying for the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Under17 Championship after posting a 6-0 victory over Guyana yesterday in Group C action of CWU17 Qualifying at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

It was an intense start from the two teams, but soon Las Catrachas would take over, beginning with a rightfooted finish from Anyeli Rodriguez in the 28’ for a 1-0 Honduras lead. The goal gave the Central American side a big boost of confidence and a minute later in the 29’ Karla Calix scored the first of her three goals to double the advantage, 2-0.

Calix would then notch her second of the day with another right-footed strike in the 45’ to give Honduras a 30 halftime lead. Calix’s scorching form carried into the second half and another right-footed shot found the back of the net in the 48’ to earn Calix a hat trick and a 40 lead for her side.

Honduras kept the pressure on and it became 50 via a Guyana own goal in the 68’ off of Anostasha Coppin. Las Catrachas then put the finishing touch on their day in the 90+3’ with Rodriguez scoring her second of the match via the penalty spot to complete the 6-0 scoreline.

In the day’s other match, both Anguilla and Turks and Caicos Islands picked up their first point of CWU17Q after the two sides battled to a 0-0 draw. The stars were GKs Crystal Jean Baptiste of Turks and Caicos Islands and Dainelle Proctor of Anguilla, who each made a number of saves to keep their respective sides from conceding.

Group C will conclude tomorrow, with Honduras squaring off with Anguilla, while Guyana will meet Turks and Caicos Islands.

With a draw, Honduras would finish as the firstplace team in Group C and would qualify for the 2022 CU17W.

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