Kaieteur News

Govt. blames Ministry Staff for reducing Exxon's questionable bills from US$214M to US$3M

Minister of

N a t u r a l

Resources, Vickram Bharrat said yesterdaythatstaffwithinhis PetroleumUnitengagedinan “unauthorized” reduction of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited's questionable expenses from US$214M to US$3M.Hesaidmembersof the unit have since been instructed to cease such unethicalengagementsandto followtheleadoftheGuyana RevenueAuthority(GRA)on suchaudits.

In a statement to the media, the official recalled that the US$214M was initially flagged in an audit conducted by IHS Markit. The British company had examined ExxonMobil's US$1 7B in expenses incurred in the Stabroek Block for the period 1999 to 2017. The company said the Guyana Government has reasonable grounds to challenge Exxon on US$214M in questionable expenses That sum was subsequentlyendorsedbythe Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)whichischargedwith overseeing the country's interestinthesematters.

GRA had also via correspondence, informed the ministry that the audit should proceed to finality with the US$214M figure as the final sum of disputed costs with Exxon. Minister Bharrat said his staff

subsequentlyengagedExxon in discussions, where the costs were later reduced to US$11M and then to US$3M. That information was then fed to Minister Bharrat and Vice President, Dr BharratJagdeoasthough it emanated from GRA MinisterBharratsaidhelater learnt that this was not the case.

The Minister said that upon learning of what staff within his Petroleum Unit had done, “corrective action was taken immediately and staff was instructed to cease such engagements and deliberations.”

Minister Bharrat categoricallystatedthatGRA is“thecompetentauthorityto lead all audits for expenses incurred by ExxonMobil GuyanaLimitedandotheroil companies.”

Minister Bharrat's statement on the matter followed comments by the Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo during a press conference on Thursday afternoon Dr Jagdeo e x p r e s s e d g r a v e disappointment in what had occurred and emphatically stated that the government will stand by the GRA's noobjection.

The Vice President said, “I thought GRAwas dealing with this matter totally because that is what we said…thatGRAshoulddeal with the issue of the audit. Theyshouldhaveafinalsay at the technical level. I was reluctanttoevenspeakabout it because I said it is being handledtechnically.”

The official said he understands there was no great discussion between the

ministry's staff and Exxon. Be that as it may, he said, “They shouldn't have even entertained that So my positionstillstands,Iwillgo with what GRA has. I told [GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey] Statia, you will deal with it directly and not the ministry any longer,” the Vice President said.

He added, “I am very disappointedbecausewesaid all along that we must be guided by the technical people…”

The Vice President said clearly that there is a disagreement on the costs and now the next step is arbitration.

The audit of US$1.7B in Exxon'sexpensesfortheoilrich Stabroek Block has taken more than three years to be completed. IHS was

hired back in 2019 by the former David Granger administration to do the exercise.

The auditor's leaked report states that “the Government of Guyana has reasonable grounds to dispute US$214 4 million plus associated overhead adjustmentsofthecosts...”

Further, the report states that the disputed costs fall into three main categories, the first being “Defined Costs for Removal” which amount to US$34.4 million. The report states that these costs have either been included in error, are not alignedwithprovisionsinthe Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement, are not related to petroleum operations,orareconsidered tofalloutsideofindustrybest practice.

The next category is “Inadequate Supporting Documentation”whichtotals US$179 8 million The British auditing team said these costs suffer from a transparencyissueasthecost basis,natureandjustification of these costs could not be established with the furnished documentation even after several rounds of documentationrequestsfrom the Audit Team. Although these costs may be valid, the auditing team said government has the right to the transparency of how thesecostsrelatetoStabroek PetroleumOperations.

The final category pertains to costs for which ministerial approval is required.Thisistothetuneof US$270,000 The report states that these costs have been identified as predominantly related to research and development and require ministerial approval before they can be consideredcostrecoverable.

Auditors also flagged a total of US$28.8 million which was incurred prior to date of January 10, 2015 when Hess Corporation and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited even became partners in the Stabroek blockalongsideExxon.

Following GRA's noobjection to the US$214M figure, authorities are expected to proceed to finalizingthereport.

Audit of Exxon US$1.6B

pre-contract costs stalled AFC: but 6th project on horizon

Still struggling to

complete an audit of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited's (EMGL's)

US$1 6 billion expenses incurred between the period

1999 and 2017, the

Government of Guyana (GoG) has entertained an applicationbytheoperatorof theStabroekBlockforasixth project.

E q u a t i n g t h e

management of country's burgeoning petroleum sector to that of spending by drunken sailors was the Alliance For Change (AFC)

Executive Member, Dr Vincent Adams, in an interview with Kaieteur Newsyesterday

He shared this view following a press conference at the AFC's head office, RailwayEmbankment,Kitty, Georgetown During the media engagement,

Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) shared their views on the recent disclosure that Guyana will have to go to arbitration to claim some US$214 million in disputed costs, flagged by anauditconductedbyBritish

Consultancy group, IHSMarkit.

Heexplained,“Tosaythe government is running this oil sector like a cake shop operation would be unfair to cake shop operators. Basic project management principles call for detail planning with “what if” scenariostoidentifyrisksand address them as they surface.”

Dr Adams, a Petroleum Engineer who previously served as the Executive Director of Guyana's Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) was keen to note that government must consider “what ifs” such as debt ceilings and available cash flows to manage projects in a long-term strategicmanner

He said, “To add to the problem, there is no such long-term strategic planning to link oil income with national expenditures or investments with carefully planned scheduled projects baseduponthecashflows.”

As such, Dr Adams equatedtheapprovalof (Continuedonpage20)

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Former EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams

Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

Lower oil revenues

WehadrepeatedlywarnedPresidentAli,VicePresident Jagdeo,andMinisterDr Singh. Eachofthemlaughedand mockedwhenthereweretheinsistentcautionstobecareful withtherushofloansbeingtakenoutfromhere,there,and everywhere. Now, the midyear report from the Bank of Guyanahasgiventhefirstsignalthatallwillnotbeupside with oil revenues anticipated to flow in an ever upward trajectory

It is a small decline in the oil revenue projection, relatively speaking. But GY$480 million is a big deal for Guyana. For the sake of the longsuffering people of this country, it is hoped that this is not the beginning of one of those oil cycles where the price of this global commodity goesintoaprolongedslump. Atthistime,theindicatorsare not helpful, while oil prices are getting hit with a double fisted blow Prices are declining with an unnerving slowness, but steadiness. While demand is not keeping apace of expectations, meaning that demand is not strong andinafadingpattern.

Still, the Saudis and their OPEC+ partners seem determined to hold supplies in a tight rein, so as to apply pressure to prices to be in the range that works in the interestsofthemembersofthecartel. Theproblemisthatif theSaudispushtoohard(cutsuppliestoomuch)andkeep up this pressure for too long, it could backfire and lead to withering away of demand. In the simplest elaboration, when prices stay stiff, as induced, tensions result in many nationaleconomies,whichcurtaildemand.

When demand slows, the unity and disciplined rigidity oftheoilproducingcountriesinOPEC+begintocrack. No country wants to be last in line and left holding the bag, meaning that in the scramble for a slice of diminishing global demand, that country is left to pick up whatever demand crumbs are left. In the haste to capture some demandforthemselves,ranksarebroken,andasupplyglut couldcomeaboutineffortstocompetefor,andgrab,ashare of whatever demand is around. Where supply was constrictedbefore,theracewouldbeoningoingtheother way,witheverycountry)foritself,andhustlingforsomeof thedroppingdemand. Inshort,thesupplyspigotisopened.

ThiscouldbeaproblemforGuyana,wheretheplansand projections are for a steady flow of more and more oil revenuestofundaflurryofexpensiveprojects,andtoserve asthebackboneforsignificantborrowings. Ifandwhenthe oil revenues start to slow down, then everything looks different. Themoniesborrowedsoexcitedlyandrecklessly for numerous costly projects suddenly take on the appearance of a burden, and as stresses deepen from possibly less oil revenue over a protracted period of time, then economic hardships are usually what results. It goes withoutsayingthatthelessfortunate,thealreadystruggling, arefacedwithevengrimmerconditions. Throughallthis,it should not be forgotten that theAmerican billions in debt stillhavetobeserviced,butwithonemajordifference. Itis withlessmoneyinhand,andnooneknowsforhowlong.

The horizon does not give cause for comfort where oil revenuesareconcerned.

ForalookatthecurrentstateoftheChineseeconomy indicates that the demand from this source (one of the top tierguzzlersofoil)isnotwhereitshouldbe.

TheChinesearenotcomingclean,asistheirsystem,but there can be no concealing that this massive country’s economy is limping. When China’s economy limps, it means that demand for oil is forced to hobble along, and withtheeffectspowerfullyfeltbyoilproducingcountries. Guyana now falls into this exclusive club, and some early lessonsareinthemaking.

Thegovernmentshouldputthebrakesonallborrowing, pause some projects, and revisit all their projections in effortstocaterforallcontingencies.

These, of necessity, would include varying supply and demandscenarios,andwithpricestomatch. Onethingfor sureisthatseriousthoughtmustbegiventoborrowingless.

Guyana’s biggest threat is climate change

DEAREDITOR, The President has made the current turmoil in Haiti thetoppriorityofhisagenda fortheUNSecurityCouncil. I would encourage the President to take a moment and consider a much more urgent and serious issue that will affect the entire region whichalsoincludesHaiti.

The most existential threat faced by Guyana is c l i m a t e c h a n g e Unmitigated,itwillresultin extensive global migration from low lying areas across theworld.

This will also have a significant impact on our regionandwillcreateavery seriousglobalsecuritycrisis. The permanent members of theUNSecurityCouncilwill face the brunt of this crisis. As a low-lying nation and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, we must make the most of this opportunity to

ensurethatclimatechangeis placed at the top of the Security Council’s agenda. Wemustchampionthegoals of the Guiana Shield to ensure that the climate services provided are paid for at a level that will encourage the departure fromfossilfuels;andensure that first world countries are able to maintain their security by preventing climatedrivenmigration.

By working closely with themembersoftheCouncil, Guyana can aid by focusing the discussion on setting achievable targets and putting in place an implementable action plan thatwill:-

1 Prevent migration drivenbyclimatechange

2.Provideaclearoutline of what must be done in the event that extensive migrationhastooccur

Firstworldcountrieswill supportsuchanagenda,asit

will help clarify the impact and urgency of aggressive preventiveactions.

Guyana must be willing to accept payment for the climateservicesprovidedby ourcountrythatisequivalent tothevalueouroilresources. Wemustbewillingtodothis inorderto:-

1 Aid first world countriesintheavoidanceof climate change driven migration that will significantly reduce their levelofnationalsecurity

2.Preventusfromlosing the coastal plains where the majority of our people and infrastructureislocated.

Climatedrivenmigration will increase the threats of diseaseandviruses.Wehave all seen the devastating impact of the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus.

Extensive emergency migrationwillbemuchmore severe.

There will also be an increase in the exposure of first world countries to acts of domestic terrorism, increased vulnerability to food shortages, and increased levels of poverty and government spending. Factors that can bankrupt first world nations and weaken their national defence.

We must, as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council, ensure that the serious threats to national and global security remain top of mind, and we must ensure that clear decisive actions are agreed upon and taken to maintain the peace and security that we have fought so hard for overthecenturies

Bestregards,

Mr JamilChanglee Chairman

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

DEAREDITOR,

Inthepastweek,Guyana witnessed three socioeconomic events worth discussing and assessing its implications for Guyanese. We see a resounding endorsementofthecountry’s economic performance, reviewed and endorsed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF is recognizing the forward planning and careful roadmap of economic growth presented by President Irfan Ali and his administration. Second, we the US Government recognizing the economic and commercial importance of Guyana with the establishment of a CommercialOfficeattheUS Embassy. And to cap it off, we see a remarkable feat by endorsementandwelcoming of Ansa McAL and their USD $12 5 million investment in Guyana and potentially and additional USD $17 million, this is effective regional economic integration working to benefittheentireCaribbean.

So, the question now is how does this benefit the Guyanese people Let’s examine the IMF report on Guyana’s economic performance LoopNews reports that “The IMF said that after a strong 2022, in the first half of 2023, real non-oil GDP grew by 12.3 percent It said inflation reached 7.2 percent at end2022, in line with other countries in the region, and declined to 1.2 percent on a

year-on-year basis in July 2023, with the decline in transportation and communication prices”

(Loop, 9/13/2023) Important to note that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth means that all segmentsoftheeconomyare growing. This means that income to household will increase, income to businesses made through investments will increase, government share of tax revenues will increase and exports of the nation will alsoincrease.Thistranslates to increased economic activity throughout the economyasrudimentarilyas the local grocery increasing sales due to household increased demand resulting from added disposable income, the taxi driver increasing trips due to the businessactivities,etc. This simpleconceptineconomics isknownasthecircularflow of economic activity, where theengineofeconomicflow fuels spending and income throughout the economy

Bottom line, Guyanese household stands to benefit fromtheincreasedeconomic activity

The creation of US CommercialOfficeattheUS Embassy is a ringing endorsement of Guyana’s increasing transparency and openness to conduct business in Guyana with global partners. Guyanese stand to gain from not just better quality of durable productsbutalsoservicesin healthcare, education, social

services,alloftheseservices being offered by global partners.Importantly,tonote that local Guyanese companies also have the opportunity to partner with these US-based companies to bring products and services to Guyanese households, which will fuel employmentandincome.We can also expect to see improvements on supply

chain management, inventory management as well as increases in production technologies comingintoGuyana.

Finally,PresidentAliand his colleagues have been leading the way in regional integration throughout Caribbean nations and yesterday announcement of directUSD$12.5million (Continuedonpage06)

Remarkable Economic Week for Guyanese: GPC SALUTES INTERNATIONAL DAYOF DEMOCRACY

The Guyana Peace Council (GPC) joins with other progressive organizations in observance of International Day of Democracy The theme of this year’s observance ’Empowering the next generation’ is of special relevanceintoday’sworldin whichmillionsofpeopleare trapped by undemocratic and authoritarian rule. The future prospects of millions of young people are u n d e r m i n e d b y u n d e m o c r a t i c a n d authoritarian forms of governance.

The day, August 15 was designated by the United Nationstofocusattentionon the need for governments and the international community to lend support to the strengthening and consolidation of democracy anddemocraticinstitutions.

The GPC supports the

view that democracy and its institutional guardrails must bebased,firstandforemost, on respect for the right of p e o p l e t o s e l fdetermination; respect for people living in different political systems and for a country’s sovereignty and independence which is e s s e n t i a l f o r t h e establishment of peace Further, the GPC is of the view that democracy should be tailored suit each country’s historical, cultural traditions and political experiences Democracy cannot be copied nor imposedfromonecountryto another nor practised on the basisthat‘onesizefitsall’.

Notwithstanding, the GPC recognizes that democracy continues to be under threat in several parts of the world, including Guyana.Forovertwo

(Continuedonpage)

Setting the record straight for Mr. Eric Phillips

DEAREDITOR, Kindly allow me to respondtoMr EricPhillips’ letterinKNof91123titled “Anti Blackness is now operating on steroids in my dearlandofGuyana”.

1. Let’s set a few things straight from the beginning Mr. Phillips somehow thinks he has the right to address the Indian historical narrative of indentureship, but Indians cannot reciprocate in kind. Mr Phillips equates

Indentureship with modern day human trafficking that amounts to his racist biasness.Humantrafficking, slavery and indentureship has its own narrative of suffering with some similarities.Buttheyarenot thesame.

Mr Phillips seems incensed by those who compare the suffering of African slaves and indentured ships by Portuguese, Chinese and Indians Mr Phillips

couldn’t be more right. But it is the African who constantly emphasizes the superiority of enslavement. By this fact the indentured cannotbehisequal,i.e.,they ostensibly did not suffer equally Theproblemwith each race owning and thriving on words like slavery, holocausts and indentureship puts one race against the other as to who suffered more and is the cause for more divisions. Mr Phillips, what yardstick

Pay the elderly a pension of $60,000, the minimum wage equivalent

DEAREDITOR,

The Government of Guyanapromisestoincrease the pension by $7,000 by 2025 and the ‘Because We Care’ Grant by $10,000 whichisgood.

This promise above for pensioners is disturbing and brings vexation to the mind, and forces me to ask the question, what kind of government would want to onlygiveapensionerwhois 65yearsoldandover$7,000 more on the 30,000 a month pension?

The government needs to do far better than this, if we can increase our budget for this year by over 100 billion taking this year’s budget from 781.9 billion to over 881.9 billion why our government cannot give a better raise in pensions? How could a human live off $1,216adayatanoldagein 2025whenthecostofliving is climbing to an unrealistic level? Pensionersneedtobe paid the present national minimum wage, of $60,000 amonth;theyhavearightto live comfortably before the reality of life comes around at their older age. Most of the pensioner’s children and family are feeling the hardship of life and sometimes cannot afford to cover their expenses of payingrentormortgageand other expenses, while children would like to do good for their elderly, sometimes it can become

veryhard.

By2025,Guyanashould bereceivingabout11billion USDayearintotalrevenue, which will be equivalent to about 2.2 trillion Guyana dollars.

Pay our pensioners the national minimum wage of $60,000 a month, when multiplied by 65,000 pensioners is 3.9 billion a month, $ 46.8 billion a year, this is about 2.2% of the revenue expected to be received in 2025. Pushing an additional 24.4 billion into the elderly hands will make them less dependent on families who are already havingahardtimeandmore cash circulation in communities.

Thismoneycanbeeasily found by trimming out bad and excessive projects, which are not an immediate need.

Even though we need infrastructure development for our country to move forward,westillhavetolook at the elderly care and finance for them. They had contributed directly or indirectly in many ways to keep this country up and running. Trying to build Guyana overnight with unskilled contractors is costingusbillionsofdollars already. When we wake up to the failure and waste of money that could have been spent in the area of human support development, we will say if we did know we

is used to measure human suffering? Supposed a woman is raped one time comparedtoanotherwoman whoisrapedfivetimes,Iask whosufferedmore?

onthisfact

would have done the right thing.

I am calling on the government to pay the pensioners $60,000 a month immediately if you as the government can request a hundred billion more for infrastructure and other costs, why cannot we apply for$24B?

The State can afford to increase old age pensions. Let it be done, so our senior citizens can enjoy some of the oil money before the reality of life comes around. Remember, many of them maynotbearoundwhenthis country is fully developed, sobekindtothemnow,asa humanwhohasaloveforhis fellowhumans.

Sincerely,

MichaelCarrington People’s Development Movement

2. Mr Phillips wrote, “In Guyana, 473,000 Africans died to build this country during 200-plus years of the criminal enterprise called slavery; this is in addition to the loss ofculture,language,names, religion, family, lands, and community Indentured servants,not“theindentured enslaved”,weremostlypaid thoughpoorly,abletoretain their names, religions, foods,culture,andasenseof original community Rape and terror were full-time industries”. Why does Mr Phillips keep harping on what the indentured possesses or retained? It is true that many African slavesdiedtobuildGuyana. But isn’t there some sort of jealousy about indentured peoples? In fact, the freed African had some 28 years (1964-1992) of the PNC in government to correct their shortcomings and even todayhavefailedtocultivate and resurrect the African culture, their gods and renaming their children with Africannames.

Why is Mr Phillips still sportingafullChristianslave master’sname? Whatwould be your African tribe? The Portuguese, Chinese and IndiansbuiltGuyana,too,but you don’t hear them harping

3 Mr Phillips wrote: “Descendants of ‘a crime against humanity’ in Guyana have endured the most inhumane racially charged emotionalabuseintheformof normalized name-calling, such as hungry belly dogs, monkeys, thieves, halfhumans, beasts, and, more lovingly,blackmanornigger Mr Phillips must acknowledgethattheseabuses were coined by the slave masters and not by the indentured peoples. These were taught abuses by his Christianslavemasters,justas the African was taught to belittle the Indian as a “coolie!”

4. Mr Phillips wants to know “Why is there this psychological warfare against Black Guyanese? Why this virulent antiBlackness? Why don’t we actively highlight the significant contributions of ourenslavedBlackAfricans to our society?” There is no psychological warfare against Africans. In fact, there is psychological warfareandpoliticalwarfare against Portuguese, Chinese andIndiansthatcausedthem to empty Guyana of their presence. Some operate on the belief that theAfrican is the natural inheritor of the Caribbean after the exit of the colonial master as promulgated by Jamaican, Mr Rex Nettleford. This is unacceptable in plural Guyana. With the existence

of the umbrella APADA-G demanding $400 million of taxpayers’ money, they are eminently qualified to promotethecontributionsof AfricanstoGuyana!

5 T h e r e i s n o corresponding umbrella Indian organization similar to the 65 African member IPADA-G. TheAfrican can, indeed should, get involved in healthy capitalism as advocated by PNC leader Mr Aubrey Norton rather than constantly seeking handouts.

6. Mr Phillips says he “stands in horror to believe thattheseodiouscharacters, some paid, others not; some African, others not, would stoop to such a low level to poison young minds in Guyanaandtheirdiasporas.” Mr Phillips should also know that many Indians are horrified that in this age Indians have to justify their presence in Guyana and are notseenasequals.

7. In conclusion, Mr Phillips should explore Federalism where the unemancipated African would be guaranteed power and unshackled freedoms and be free from Indian influences. Inthemeantime, the Indian has to contemplatewhetherhewill be subjected to another Wismar massacre The African and European owe Indians reparations for this pogrom.

Sincerely,

VassanRamracha

WSJ reports: Exxon downplayed climate change

NPR- Executives at ExxonMobil continued in recent years to raise doubts internally about the dangers of climate change and the need to cut back on oil and gas use, even though the company had previously conceded publicly that burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

The effort to minimize concerns about climate change under former chief executive Rex Tillerson, who led Exxon from 2006 until 2016, was happening at the same time that scientists at the company were modeling troubling increases in carbon dioxide emissions without big reductions in fossil fuel consumption, the Journal reported The newspaper cited internal company documents that were part of aNewYorkstatelawsuitand interviews with former executives.

Exxon, along with other oil and gas companies, is a defendant in multiple state and local lawsuits that accuse it of misleading the public about climate change and the dangers of fossil fuels

R i c h a r d Wi l e s , president of the Center for Climate Integrity, a group that is trying to h o l d f o s s i l f u e l companies accountable for their role in driving climate change, says the documents obtained by Journal are likely to be used against Exxon in court

“As communities pay an ever-greater price for our worseningclimatecrisis,it’s more clear than ever that Exxon must be held accountable to pay for the harm it has caused,” Wiles saidinastatement.

Earlier investigations found Exxon worked for decades to sow confusion about climate change, even though its own scientists had begun warning executives as early as 1977 that carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels were warming the planet, posing dire riskstohumanbeings

By the late 1980s, concern was growing d o m e s t i c a l l y a n d overseas that fossil fuel use was heating the planet, increasing the risks of extreme weather In response, the Journal r e p o r t e d , E x x o n executive Frank Sprow s e n t a m e m o t o

colleagueswarningthatif there were a global consensus on addressing c l i m a t e c h a n g e , “substantial negative impacts on Exxon could occur ”

AccordingtotheJournal, Sprow wrote: “Any additional R&D efforts within Corporate Research on Greenhouse should have two primary purposes: 1. Protect the value of our resources (oil, gas, coal). 2. Preserve Exxon’s business options.”

Sprow told the Journal that the approach in his memowasadoptedaspolicy, in “what would become a central pillar of Exxon’s strategy,”thepapersaid.

A few years after the memo, Exxon became the architect of a highly effective strategy of climate change denial that succeeded for decades in politicizing climate policy and delaying meaningful action to cut heat-trapping pollution.

A n E x x o n spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the company has repeatedly acknowledged that “climate change is real, and we have an entire business dedicated to reducing emissions — both ourownandothers.”

Lastyear,Exxonsaidit plans to spend about $17 billionon“loweremission initiatives” through 2027 That represents, at most, 17% of the total capital investments the company plans to make during that period.

Exxon recently said it is buying a company called Denbury that specializes in capturing carbon dioxide emissions and injecting them into oil wellstoboostproduction. It’s also planning to buildahydrogenplantand a facility to capture and store carbon emissions in Texas

The company could spend more on “lower emission initiatives” if it s e e s “ a d d i t i o n a l supportive government policies and new and improved technology,” the spokespersonsaid.

Many scientists and environmental activists have questioned the feasibility of the carbon capture technology Exxon isrelyingon

Previouscarboncapture projects by other companies haveeitherbeenhugelyover budget,orhaveclosed.

They contend that the more effective solution is to makedeepcutsinfossilfuel

use.

Investors seemed unfazed by the latest revelations about Exxon The company’s stock price was up almost 2% on Thursdayafternoon.

Scientists with the United Nations recently warned that the world is running out of time to prevent global warming that wouldcausemoredangerous impacts, like storms and droughts. Climate scientists say the world needs to limit warming to 1 5 degrees Celsius (2 7 degrees Fahrenheit). Currently, it is headedforabout2.5degrees Celsiusofwarming.

RemarkableEconomicWeek...

Frompage04 intoGuyanabyTrinidadianbased company is an endorsement of the business and economic climate of Guyana. This translates to jobs for Guyanese, partnerships for businesses and also source of much needed materials to support the local infrastructure development.

As part of the investment, ChronicleNews(9/13/2023)

reports that “The company also plans to invest some US$250,000 in training to take Guyanese to Trinidad and Tobago, so that they learn the necessary skills to service and repair machinery”.

This certainly will improve the Guyana’s skills levels especially during this remarkable development stage.

In the spirit of the

GuyaneseCricket,lookslike the Dr Irfaan Ali and his government is batting sixes as the engines of economic growth is heading into centuries.

Guyanese households as well as businesses are in a remarkable position to increase household income, health and welfare from theseinitiatives.

Dr.TilokieDepoo Economist

GPCSALUTESINTERNATIONAL...

Frompage4 decades,Guyana’sdemocracywassubverted bythePNCregimewithdisastrouseconomic andsocialconsequences.Thenexusbetween democracy and democracy has been firmly established by economists and development practitioners.

Despite that obvious fact, attempts were again made by theAPNU+AFC coalition to subvertthewilloftheGuyaneseelectoratein the March 2020 Regional and General elections.

The Guyana Peace Council salutes all thosewhostoodoutindefenceofdemocracy

in Guyana and for that matter democracy in other countries of the world where democracyisunderthreatandwherethewill of the electorate is being subverted through undemocraticmeans.

Democracy based on the universal principle of “One Man, One Vote” is enshrinedintheUnitedNationsCharterand is therefore obligatory for all subscribing nationstonotonlyabidebytheCharterbutto defend democracy where threatened or subverted.

ClementJ.Rohee forGuyanaPeaceCouncil

Internal Exxon documents obtained by The Wall Street Journal span Rex Tillerson’s tenure as the company’s chief executive from 2006 until 2016. (Brian Harkin/Getty Images)

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Rogueelementsatthe MinistryofNaturalResources

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The Petroleum Unit of the Ministry of Natural Resources, unilaterally and without justification, decided to validate more than US$200 million in costs from ExxonMobil, which the Guyana Revenue Authority's auditors had disputed.

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Had it not been caught with its pants down, fooling around with Guyana's oil revenues, the Petroleum Unit could have gotten away with what may very well be theft of the rightful revenues of the Guyanese people.

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How are we supposed to have trust in our institutions when the very Petroleum Unit that is charged with protecting Guyana's interests, in this sector, is undermining an audit in a manner that would have benefitted Exxon at Guyana's expense?

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Rogue elements must not be left to roam at the Ministry of Natural Resources.

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HEADS MUST ROLL!

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Guyana scrambles to make the most of oil wealth

BBC Money and Work

-PresidentofGuyanaIrfaan

Ali has acknowledged "time is not on our side" as the South American country scrambles to make the most of its newfound oil wealth beforeitistoolate.

Over the past decade, Guyana has found huge amountsofoilandgasunder itscoastalwaters.

Itnowboastsreservesof about11billionbarrels.

That puts it in the top 20 intermsofitspotential,ona par with countries such as Norway,BrazilandAlgeria.

Thesmallcountry,which borders Venezuela, Brazil and Suriname in South America's north-east corner, currently boasts the fastest-

growing economy in the world.

Butthediscoveriescome astheplanetistryingtowean itselfofffossilfuelstotackle climate change. Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries have vowed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. That means trying to cutdownonoiluse.

Speaking to the BBC f r o m t h e c a p i t a l Georgetown, President Ali acceptedthat"timeisnoton our side" as it ramps up oil production, although he added that "to say we are racing against time is stretchingit".

And he said that even if the world met its net zero

targets - something he doubted would happen - it would still need to rely heavily on fossil fuels, even after2050.

“As I speak to you, 53% of the world energy mix comesfromoilandgas,”Mr Ali said. "Even if we are to a c h i e v e t h e f u l l commitment, you're looking at35%to40%oftheworld's energymixstillcomingfrom oil and gas. So, I don't see realistically an immediate medium-term end to oil and gas.

“Even if we end up in a situationin2070andbeyond -where,let'ssay,40%ofthe energy mix comes from oil and gas - who determines who produces that 40%?

These are questions that must be answered, because you can't just decide, 'You are out, you are in.' That is colonisation in a different way.”The oil bonanza has transformed the Guyanese economy According to the InternationalMonetaryFund (IMF), it grew by 62% last year and is expected to add another 37% this year That is the fastest growth rate anywhereintheworld.

And the wealth will potentially be shared between a relatively small number of people.Although GuyanaisthesizeofBritain, it has a population of just 800,000people.Mostofitis rainforest.

So, the potential for per

capita economic growth is huge. It has already gone up sharply. In 2015, when US oil major Exxon made its first discovery in Guyanese waters, gross domestic product per head was $11,000 (£9,380).This year, the IMF predicts it will top $60,000.

Mr Ali said his country had no plans to join the OPECoilcartelandinsisted his government would respect the contracts his predecessor signed with Exxon - even though some activistshavecriticisedthem asexcessivelygenerous.

"The deal could have beenbetterforGuyana,"Mr Ali said. "Exxon had a good deal signed by the last governmentbut,look,forus, the sanctity of contract is very important. We cannot

President Irfaan Ali addressed COP26 attendees in Glasgow in 2021 (Reuters photo)

gobackandrenegotiate."

Hesaidhewasconfident Guyana would win its territorial dispute with Venezuela, which claims two-thirds of Guyana's territory as its own. The dispute dates from the late 19th Century and a case is openbeforetheInternational CourtofJustice(ICJ).

"We are very clear as to whereourbordersareandwe areveryconfidentaboutour case,"Mr Ali said. "There have already been two rulings and both were in favour of Guyana. We have actively encouraged Venezuela to participate in this process and to respect theoutcomeoftheICJ."

Listen to Gideon Long's interview with PresidentAli in full on Business Daily on theBBCWorldService.

President Ali needs to get his act together

ThePresidentofGuyana was in Washington this past week. He had in tow, two of his main foreign policy advisers: the Foreign Minister and the Foreign Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and InternationalCooperation.

Given the sort of technical support at his d i s p o s a l , i t w a s disappointing and embarrassing to read some of the nonsense that the President pedaled about HaitiandtheUnitedNations SecurityCouncil.

The President was reported to have said that Guyana will use its nonpermanentseatattheUnited Nations Security Council (UNSC)todrawattentionto and to support and end the prolonged crisis in Haiti. Appearing at the Atlantic Council Studios, the Presidentisreportedtohave said that Guyana would be seeking a UN-backed resolutiononHaiti.

For any President in the Caribbean to say such nonsense shows just how out-of-touchthePresidentis with the UN Security Council Resolutions concerning the present situation in Haiti The President of Guyana was quoted as saying that, “The effort to get to a UN Resolution is as critical as theissuewearefacedwithin Ukraine.”

ThePresidentobviously was not familiar with the actions which have been taken by the UN Security CouncilonHaiti.OnJuly14, 2023, for example, the

United Nations Security C

y adopted Resolution 2692, extendingthemandateofthe United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) until July 15, 2024. Several keyprovisionsandpriorities were outlined in this resolution including extending BINUH’s mandate and ensuring its continued presence and operations in Haiti The latter includes authorizing up to 70 civilian and seconded personnel who would serve as police and correctionsadvisersinorder to support training and investigative capacities of theHaitianNationalPolice.

The resolution also emphasized the need for BINUH to address sexual and gender-based violence, including the identification of women’s protection advisers, within its human rights unit. It further urged all Haitian stakeholders to facilitate free, fair, and credible legislative and presidentialelections.

In that same resolution, the UN Security Council called for international cooperationtopreventillicit armstraffickingtoHaitiand urged Member States to inspect cargo heading to Haiti It demanded an immediate prohibition on supplying small arms, light weapons,andammunitionto non-State actors involved in gang violence, criminal activities, or human rights abusesinHaiti.

T h e R e s o l u t i o n mandatedtheUNSecretaryGeneral to submit a written

report within 30 days, in consultation with Haiti, outlining various support options the United Nations can provide to improve the security situation in Haiti.

These options include combating illicit arms trafficking, providing additional training for the Haitian National Police, supporting a non-United Nations multinational force, or even considering a possible peacekeeping operation to support a politicalsettlementinHaiti.

Last October, the UN Security Council passed a resolutionimposingtargeted sanctions assets freeze, travel bans and an arms embargo, on selected individualsinHaiti.TheUN Security Council has therefore been engaged on the issue of Haiti and therefore it is difficult to understand how the President of Guyana hopes to have a Un Resolution on Haiti. Guyana assumes nonpermanent membership of the Security Council next January So is the President hoping to wait until then to have another resolution passed when in fact there is activated a process for the UN Secretary General to suggest options to the Council for resolving the situationinHaiti?

ThePresidentofGuyana hastogethisacttogether He c a n n o t g o o n t h e international stage and embarrass himself and the country by his uninformed comments.

He needs to state clearly Guyana’spositioninrelation

Dem boys seh...

De old Seawall has gone!

De Kingston

Seawall was once a symbol of our nation’s history It did need a facelift but it look as if it get more than facelift. It get tucks and a complete makeover De transformation has been impressive for all but historybuffs.

Instead of being preserved as a heritage site andnationalmonument,de Seawallhasbeensubjected to a rather questionable “enhancement”projectthat has left it looking like it’s auditioning for a role in a psychedelicmusicvideo. One would think that a place with such historical significance would be treated with the respect it

deserves Instead, the powers that be decided to give it a makeover that could only be described as “trippy” Gone are the charming, weathered, and historic elements that once defined this landmark. In their place, we now have new modern and brightly paintedfacilities.

De Kingston Seawall, with its old-world charm and historic allure, was a treasuretroveofstoriesand memories. It should have been cherished as a time capsule of our past. But it seems as if someone decided that tradition and heritageneededtogiveway tomodernization.

No one can deny that the area needed a facelift.

to the request for a Stabilization Force in Haiti. He speaks about financing bynamedcountriesbutdoes not indicate what this financingisfor

If he did not know he ought to be told that while the Haitian government had requested a Stabilization Force–whateverthatmeans – civil society actions in that country have rejected callsforforeignforcestobe deployed in Haiti As reportedbythisnewspapera month ago, Haitian civil society organizations vehemently oppose the introduction of foreign military forces They reference past interventions that have left a bitter taste and harbour concerns that

such foreign forces might inadvertently support the c u r r e n t u n e l e c t e d government, which they partlyblameforthenation’s ongoingcrises.

As this is being written, it is being reported that PresidentAli,addressingthe Organization of American States has called for a transitional government. If true, this is a most bizarre call from the Guyanese Head-of-State especially

conserving that a CARICOMeminentpersons group found that there is little common ground between the Opposition and thegovernment.

So what really does PresidentAliwant?Doeshe want an interventionist

force? Does he want a transitional government or does he want a process leading to free and fair elections?Thelattertwoare notreconcilable.

President Ali therefore needs to get his thinking on Haitistraight.Ifhecan!

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

But did it have to be a facelift that left it looking the way it now looks. Dee present “enhancement” worksarefarremovedfrom restoring the area’s traditionalappeal.

Perhaps, instead of this technicolor nightmare, we could have had a restoration project that breathed new life into the old, preserving the historical integrity of the Seawall while making it a more comfortable and enjoyableplaceforvisitors.

De Kingston Seawall deserves better than this whimsical makeover It deservedtobecelebratedas a heritage site. What next? St.George’sCathedral?

TalkHalf!LeffHalf!

President Ali and interest rate

Excellency Ali recently said that this country will not pay more than 4% interest for loans. Thanks, Excellencyforthatposition.

I laud it as a powerful, r e s o u n d i n g , a n d unambiguous posture found immensely appealing. For the first time in a long time, Guyana's President Ali has spoken with clarity, authority,andpotency

It is the way that the leaders of this country, including Vice President Jagdeo and Opposition Leader Norton, should be speaking: confidently, vigorously,andjusttheright

shadeofswagger Iamwith thePresidentonthis.

According to a KN th articleofSeptember15 ,the President said this in Washington, DC: “We are not prepared to borrow invariable rates (sic). Many people would say that you're crazybecauseinthisexisting market everything is invariable rates but we have made it a point that any borrowing must be a fixed rate, of less than a very low percent. Less than 4% in most cases and we have been able to achieve this in this existingmarket.”

Ihatetodashasplashof icy water on what President

Ali said, but there is this realitycheck,anditcouldbe an obstacle. Currently, the two leading interest rate benchmarks are above the 4% that the President spoke of, and which I applaud so lustily

Both the Fed Funds rate and the London Interbank rate (LIBOR) hover in the 5.25% -5.5% range, while theUSPrimerateis8.5%.

ThePrimerateistherate at which banks lend to their best customers, and at the current 8.5%, this is in line with the rule of thumb +3% that is usually tacked on by banks.

Now, here is Guyana's

P r e s i d e n t s a y i n g unequivocally that this countrywillpayamaximum of4%andnomore.

I am wondering if he means 4% above where the Fed rate is, which would be 9.25%to9.5%.

Intablingthis,Ipointto the recent World Bank classificationofGuyanaasa “high-income” country This means that Guyana is notaneconomicbasketcase or on the breadline; one needingahelpinghandwith lowinterestrates.

In effect, what that categorization signifies is that this country would now have to pay a higher interest

rate than before for loans. So, as much as I hail President Ali for that bold line about 4% interest rate, and not a basis point more, there may be some considerations that stand in theway

Forpracticallyspeaking, and from a lending institution's perspective, a 4% interest rate would be belowtheirowninterestrate cost. I think there may be a little disconnect here between what the President said, and what the interest ratemarketcanbear.

Fromanationalpointof view, I am behind the President, but ask myself what could be missing, as a 4% interest rate ceiling flies in the face of today borrowing/lending realities. In trying to figure this out, I cameupwithsomescenarios thatmayormaynotapply

First,PresidentAlimade t h i s s t a t e m e n t i n Washington, DC. The U.S. Government is working assiduously to woo Guyana away from the Chinese, and to do more business with Americancompanies,which would include banks Second,thisbringsintoplay anentityliketheUS'sEXIM. Withthisinmind,itcouldbe that PresidentAli is making clear that if Guyana's borrowing business is desired, then this is the interestlevelatwhichitmust befulfilled. Thatismusicto myears.

Third, Guyana is not a regular consumer, but a country, a rich one with collateral and abundant needs, so why not a prime rateforawinner…. Fourth, it could be also that the Presidentispointingoutthat the Chinese loan packages arecurrentlyinthisvicinity; therefore, they must be matched.

Fifth, I believe that 4% could be a 'teaser' rate that His Excellency dangled, being fully aware that most commercial entitiescorporations, banks, insurance companies, and others-want to get a foot

insidethedooroftheGuyana treasure house of opportunities; an interest rate cap of 4% would be the priceofentry

At the risk of going overboard, I posit that Guyana is today in the position of China, viz , everyone with a profit motiveardentlywishestobe here.Chinawrungnumerous concessions out of big American and European businessesthatwantedtobe i n t h a t c o u n t r y ' s incomparable marketplace. Inshort,charge4%onloans, and the carpet is rolled out, for who knows what else could be had to make up for that low, cheap 4% starter rate.

Whether this gains traction or falls is not of interesttome.

Whatisimportantisthat I have a President who speaks like one in charge of an oil rich nation (the richest?), and calls the shots to match. None of this weaseling and whimpering and wriggling, as though Guyana is begging, or lookingforfavors.

Iwouldbeheartenedto read, hear, learn that VP Jagdeo has abandoned his slippery approaches that are exemplary in frailty before Exxon,andinsiststhatthisis thewaythatthingsaregoing tobe.

PresidentAli spoke with conviction and strength of 4%interestrate.

This should be the tone and aura of our leaders in dealing with foreign entities startingwithExxon.

What say you, Dr VP? How about the new 10% royalty on all oil blocks, including Stabroek? Exxon wantsit,oritdoesnot.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaperanditsaffiliates.)

Exxon denies operations affecting production of local crops

ByRehannaRamsay

Despite a move to drive up its production level withthecomingonstreamof t h e 6 t h o i l project–ExxonMobil Guyana Limited has denied thatthecompany'soperations have had any impact of the productionoflocalcrops.

Representativesoftheoil company on Wednesday addressedconcernsaboutthe corporations' activities to the

increase greenhouse emissions which lead to global warming and ultimately severe weather that impacts the production ofcropsandlivestock.

In response to a question on how the greenhouse emissions from the 6th project will impact local farmers,PhysicalScientistof the consultancy firm; Environmental Resources Management (ERM)-Matt ErbetoldKaieteurNewsthat Exxon's emission should

havelittletonoeffectonthe agriculturesectorinGuyana.

Erbe explained that Whiptail—the country's 6th oil project—will only add 3007 tonnes (t) of carbon dioxide(CO2)equivalent(e) (tCO2e) to the level of greenhouse gases being emittedglobally

The ERM Scientist asserted that to be properly quantified, the impact of Whiptailcannotbeexamined byitself.

According to Erbe, the

main external factor that must be considered is the impact of the global greenhousegases.

“Thegreatercontribution ofgreenhousesgasesmustbe viewedonacumulativebasis and so to evaluate the g r e e n h o u s e g a s e s specifically to whiptail project would be a 3007 increasewhichisaddedtothe contribution to the global emissions You have to considerthatwhenyouthink about the overall effects on the globe and how it translates to crops, livestock withinGuyana,”hesaid.

The scientist offered too that there is a grievance mechanism for any person whose livelihood is affected

by the oil exploration activities of Exxon Mobil Guyana.

“There is a grievance mechanism in place but the complaints will have to be relatedtotheprojectandthat it would have to be consideredastowhatisbeing affected and what the claim is,”hesaid.

Projects Manager of Exxon Mobil Guyana Limited Anthony Jackson, responding to the question about compensation for farmers echoed similar sentiments.

He noted that the company received no complaints about the alleged affect that its emissions has hadontheagriculturesector

“In short, I don't think therewasaclaimyetmadeby farmers or the Ministry of Agriculturethattheactivities (Continuedonpage21)

Physical Scientist at ERM-Matt Erbe

‘ Grants by Govt. are assitance not handouts’ - Jagdeo

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday emphasized that there is no contradiction between his stance and President Irfaan Ali’s position regarding the utilization of Guyana’s oil revenue.

In a recent interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), President Ali underscored Guyana’s commitment to steering clear of using its oil wealth as mere handouts. He alluded to the detrimental consequences such an approach can have on the nation’s long-term economic stability. It’s worth noting that this publication had previously highlighted the apparent contradiction between President Ali’s BBC statement and Vice President Jagdeo’s comments at the National Toshaos Council (NTC) 2023 conference just two weeks earlier.

Responding to an article published by Kaieteur News, Vice President Jagdeo asserted that there is no inher-

ent contradiction between his statement and that of President Ali. Jagdeo stated, “We don’t see this as handouts,” and added, “They are trying to portray this thing as a conflict between myself and President Ali.”

He continued, “To say that I’m contradicting President Ali because he mentioned ‘no handouts’ while I discussed four categories of allocations from the oil money is dishonest.”

Kaieteur News reported that Vice President Jagdeo had advocated for the allocation of oil and gas sector funds towards infrastructure development, emphasizing that these resources should not be distributed as cash handouts. However, during the NTC 2023 conference, Jagdeo informed Indigenous leaders that oil money was benefitting their communities through initiatives such as the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant. During a ‘question and

answer’ session following Jagdeo’s presentation, a resident of Jawalla Village, Region Seven, inquired about how Indigenous people are benefitting from oil revenues.

Vice President Jagdeo responded by detailing the various allocations, including the $40,000 per child ‘Because We Care’ cash grant, a $13,000 increase for pensioners who now receive $33,000 monthly, funds allocated to part-time government workers, and in-

creased wages for public servants such as teachers, police officers, soldiers, and others.

In light of the above, Kaieteur News reported a discrepancy between Jagdeo’s statements and President Ali’s recent BBC interview.

When pressed on critical issues of accountability, transparency, and the “resource curse” phenomenon, President Ali acknowledged the challenges that have af-

flicted other oil-producing nations. He stated that Guyana is determined to learn from past mistakes and is committed to charting a different course.

President Ali emphasized, “To do this, though, we have to ensure that there is greater transparency and accountability in the management of the resources.” He underscored that while using resources as handouts may be popular in the short term, it is

detrimental to the country’s long-term economic health and is not the path his administration intends to pursue.

In his effort to clarify the situation, Vice President Jagdeo asserted, “Money allocated to our children, pensioners, and public servants is not a handout; it’s compensation for their work.

The funds for part-time workers are not handouts; they are earned through their labour.”

Govt. to source three more mammogram machines

The Government of Guyana is in the process of acquiring three more mammogram machines to service the public health sector. Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony on Friday made the announcement at the launch of the Guyana Telegraph and Telecommunications’ (GTT) ‘Pinktober 2023’ initiative held on Friday at the Marriott Hotel. There is only one mammogram machine in the public sector.

Pinktober is an annual breast cancer awareness initiative hosted by GTT and is observed in the month of October, which is also recognized as breast cancer awareness month.

Minister Anthony in his opening remarks yesterday stated that breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer among women, while cervical

cancer ranks second.

He said while women are screened for breast cancer, the only public health institution providing mammography is at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). He said that within the last year, the institution conducted approximately 1,300 mammograms.

“Last year, we probably did about 1,300 mammograms and that is not enough and we recognize that is not enough because we need to have these machines strategically placed so that people can have access,” the Minister related.

Dr. Anthony said that the ministry has a partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency for about a year now.

He said the International Atomic Energy Agency has been dealing with radiation

across the world and in some cases the institution provides equipment to countries.

“So, we have this partnership with them and they prom-

ise us to give us three mammogram machines and we have already looked at the sites,” he said. These sites he mentioned

would be at the New Amsterdam Hospital, Linden Hospital and at the West Demerara Hospital.

“As soon as those machines come in the country, we would be able to set them up so that we can create more access.

I think with adding three more mammogram machines this is really going to be a game changer where many more women would be able to come to the public sector and be able to get a mammogram free of cost,” he explained.

The Minister assured that the Ministry of Health will be doing lots in observance of breast cancer awareness month and beyond.

He noted too Pinktober has done wonders to lift awareness and “I want to commend everyone who has been working on this consistently over the years.”

GTT is observing Pinktober under the theme ‘Many Hands, Caring Hearts’.v According to GTT, through robust collaboration with the ministry and esteemed Cancer NGOs, “we unite our strengths to confront this formidable challenge head-on.

Our primary goal is to elevate cancer awareness in Guyana, with a sharp focus on critical areas such as screening, treatment and palliative care.”

On its calendar of activities for Pinktober month, GTT would be having its Walk/run and Health Fair on October 29, 2023, tree wrapping exercise, medical outreaches which will be done in Bartica and Berbice, a fashion and gala event, and its journey of raising and meeting its goal of $30 million to support cancer victims and survivors.

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

President Irfaan Ali

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony at the Pinktober launch yesterday.

Three injured after speeding car crashes into new Eccles/ Haags Bosch roundabout. Kaieteur News will provide details as they become available.

‘Notthe venue to discuss full coverage from an oil spill’

As ExxonMobil Guyana Limited ( E M G L ) continues to engage the public on its sixth planned developmentintheStabroek Block, Guyanese are concerned that the company maypackupandleavethese shores should a major oil spill occur in the country's waters.

This is particularly so as the oil company refuses to provide Guyana with an unlimited parent company guarantee to cover costs above the limited insurance and US$2 billion affiliate guaranteecurrentlyinplace.

During a stakeholder engagement at the Umana Ya n a , K i n g s t o n , Georgetown on Wednesday, a citizen who gave his name only as Jason enquired from EMGL why it is refusing to provide full protection againstanoilspill.

He said the oil company gave assurance in its earlier presentation and speeches that the possibility of a spill isminimalandfurtherurged that it would be well prepared to respond and controlanunplannedrelease of hydrocarbons from its activities in the Stabroek Block.

E M G L P r o j e c t s Manager, Anthony Jackson

A concerned citizen who gave his name as 'Jason' challenged EMGL on full protection against an oil spill for his country

in responding to the concerned Guyanese indicated that while he is unable to predict or promise how successful an oil spill response would be, he can commit that the company “will do everything within our power to mitigate an unplanned release.” Jackson notedthatthiswouldinvolve mobilization of a “small army” inclusive of vessels andaircraft.

Seemingly not satisfied with the response provided by the Exxon official, Jason wentfurthertopointoutthat

as a citizen, he is happy that the company is here to extracttheoilbutatthesame time,hispriorityistoensure the safety of his country; especially as models depict that slick from a spill can reach Caribbean islands. In fact, he lamented that with the meager profits Guyana has been receiving from the sector, the country could be easilybankruptedbysuchan event.Consequently,hesaid that Guyana ought not to be fighting in Court for such protection.

Jacksoninrespondingto

the statement explained that he believes the subject of a parent company guarantee and financial guarantees have been “greatly debated” addingthatthecompanyhas already put financial guarantees in place. To this end, he said discussing such measures were not for that venue.

“I do believe that the question of parent company guarantee and financial guarantees has been greatly debatedandiswellknownin the public venue and we do have financial guarantees in

Wantedmannabbedwith

marijuana

Police on Thursday

arrested 29-year-old Ishmael Junior, a man wanted in connection with larceny Junior of Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was also found with 34 grams of marijuana.

In a press release, police said thatrankswereonpatroldutiesin the Providence Station District when they spotted Junior Police said that whilst patrolling on the westernsideofProvidencePublic Road and heading in a northern direction in the vicinity of Lambada Sports Bar, Junior was seenstandingnearthebar,facing south.

The ranks stopped their vehicle and approached the wanted man. After identifying themselves, the ranks asked the mantodothesame,whichhedid. Junior was informed that he is

wantedbypoliceinrelationtoan ongoinginvestigation.

A search was conducted on hispersonandabulkyplasticbag wasfoundinhisleftpantspocket. The bag was opened and several small transparent Ziploc plastic bags containing a quantity of leaves,seedsandstemssuspected tobecannabiswerefound.

Whencautionedbythepolice, heblurtedout:"Officer,Ijustbuy anounceweedfa$5000becauseI isachainsmokerandIjustdecide fasellacouplepackbecauseIgot mechildrendemfalookafter".

Junior was arrested and escortedalongwiththesuspected cannabistotheProvidencePolice Station. There the cannabis was weighed and amounted to 34 grams.

He was placed in custody pendingfurtherinvestigationand charges.

place some will argue I wantedmore,Iwantaparent company (guarantee) but I willsaythisisnotthevenue to go into that level of detail,”hesaid.

The Projects Manager reasoned that EMGL has committed many times and will continue to reiterate its commitment to mitigate and rectify any adverse effects causedbyaspillifitoccurs.

Assuch,hesaid,“Iknow thatwedebatemanytimesin the public about okay well give me a parent company guarantee, I don't wanna

rehash the same narrative because it's a very complex topic and we had that with a lotofexpertssoifitisalong that line (of question), I would ask that we move on fromthetopic.”

The citizen asking the question in a brief response said that while he understands Exxon's position,hebelievesthatthe signed full coverage documentwouldbetheonly the only guarantee Guyana canrelyonifEMGLdecided to walk away, in the forbiddeneventofaspill.

EMGL Projects Manager, Anthony Jackson

Wantedmanfound: Ishmael Junior 34 grams of marijuana that was found

G$28.3M agro-processing facility commissioned at Charity

Ag r i c u l t u r e MinisterZulfikar

Mustapha on Friday commissioned a GY$28 3 million agroprocessingfacilityatCharity on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) providing muchneeded agro-processing services in and around the region.

With a production capacity of 24,000 liters of cassareep and 3,600 liters of sauces and seasonings per month, this facility will benefit approximately 300 persons including farmers, women, youth, and other stakeholders.

While delivering the feature address at the commissioning, Minister Mustapha told those in attendance that the Ministry of Agriculture continues to operationalize several agroprocessing facilities across the country, realizing the untapped potential of this industry. He said that the government has invested large sums of money to provideagro-processorswith access to facilities needed to drivetheindustry

“The government has invested over G$570 million to provide our agroprocessors with access to these certified and suitably equipped facilities This facility here in Charity like the other facilities that have been commissioned will contribute to benefitting

more than 2,600 farmers, new and existing agroprocessors, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers countrywide. This facility is now equipped with processinglinesforproducts such as cassava cassareep, sauces, and seasoning Farmers from other villages areexpectedtomakefulluse of this facility For example, there is bitter cassava being produced in Wakapau which canbebroughttothisfacility tobeprocessed,”henoted.

thereby helping to extend theirshelflifeandcontribute tofoodsecurity

The Minister said that by the end of 2023, some 13 agro-processing facilities will be operational across Guyana.

“We are in the process of establishing 13 agroprocessing and packaging facilities in several areas acrossthecountry Verysoon y o u w i l l s e e t h e commissioning of facilities in areas like Crabwood

agro-processors, youth, and womentakefulladvantageof this facility and other agriculture initiatives,” he noted.

General Manager of the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC)

Teshawna Lall said that the corporation has been working with agroprocessors to ensure their products are on par with the standards required not only locally but regionally and internationally

General Manager of the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC) Teshawna Lall

The facility was retrofitted to offer 24-hour service with the installation of mixers, blenders, stoves, stainless steel containers, chillers, and mechanization of the production. It is also equipped with a solar dryer which will aid in the dehydration of carambola fruitsandothercommodities,

Govt. pathologist injured in Essequibo Crash

Government's pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh is amongthreepersonsinjured on Thursday in a car crash along the Huis T' Dieren Public Road, Essequibo Coast, Region Two The accident occurred at about 17:15hrs.

The two other persons injured are 27-year-old Shericka Razack of Georgetown and 38-yearold Montague Alison of LouisaRow,Georgetown.

Theywereallpassengers of a car driven by a Police Inspector

The Inspector alleged that he lost control of his vehicle while negotiating a left bend along the road and crashedintoalightpole.

All of the passengers received injuries about their bodies as a result of crash.

Creek, Kumaka, White Water, and Orealla. As our country makes steady and assured progress towards developing the agroprocessing industry and strives to maintain selfsufficiency in food production, it is the government's hope and expectation that our farmers,

“Withthecommissioning ofthisfacility,women,youth and agro-processors as a wholewillbeabletoproduce more efficiently and competitively,aidedbystateof-the-art equipment. Enhancingproductvalueisa key focus at the Guyana Marketing Corporation. We are aggressively pursuing this path with agroprocessors nationwide, ensuring that our locally

manufactured products are prepared for local, regional, and international markets,” she said As part of the ministry's developmental agenda for the agroprocessingindustryover200 farmers/agro-processors from various communities such as Capoey, Lake

Mainstay,Wakapau, Charity, Bethany, Supenaam have benefitted from training and sensitization in the last three years. Several stakeholders were trained in packaging and labeling as well as in food and drug requirements and certification for agroprocessing.

Injured Govt. Pathologist, Nehaul Singh

The three passengers includingSinghwererushed to the Suddie Public

H

ospital where they received treatment and admittedunderobservation. Investigations are ongoing.

Green Seasoning, a product of the agro-processing facility in Charity

The Charity Agro-Processing Facility

Magistrate rules calling GECOM official ‘Jaggabat and

trench crappo’ not an offence- as Sherod Duncan freed of cybercrime charge

A police prosecutor has reportedly failed to prove that Opposition Member of Parliament, Sherod Duncan,

committed a cybercrime offence by calling a Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) official, Aneal

Giddings, a “Jaggabat” and “trenchcrapo”.

According to Duncan's lawyers, Nigel Hughes,

Narissa Leander and Iyanna Butts, Magistrate Judy Latchman, who presided over the matter, had no

choice but to acquit him of theoffence.

“At the close of the prosecution's case, the

Defence argued that the Prosecution had not led sufficient evidence for Mr Duncan to be called upon to lead a Defence”, Duncan's lawyers stated while adding that after listening to both arguments, Magistrate Latchman upheld the Defence's no case submission and freed Duncan.

The police were represented by its Legal AdvisorMandelMoore.

Duncan was arrested on January 14, 2022, after GECOM's Information Technology (IT) technician, Giddings complained to police that he called him a “Jaggabat” and “trench crappo” during one of his showscalled“IntheRing”. Giddings alleged that being called a “Jaggabat” and “trench crappo” caused him significant emotional distressandhumiliation.

Duncan was later chargedonJanuary17,2023, withtheoffenceof“Usinga Computer System to HumiliateaPerson.”

The prosecution had allegedthatJanuary11,2022 Duncan used a computer systemtotransmitelectronic datawithintenttohumiliate, harass or cause substantial emotional distress to Aneal Giddings.

Duncan freed of cybercrimecharge

GECOM IT Technician, Aneal Giddings

Opposition MP., Sherod Duncan

Govt. spends $9.6 billion on Wales Gas to Energy project

A total of $9.6 billion has been spent in the first half of 2023 from the $43.3 billion allocated this year to advance construction of the gas-toenergy project at Wales, in Region Three.

The Ministry of Finance's MidYear Report pointed out that the provision of reliable, efficient, and sustainableenergyremainsapriorityof the government, and that work continuessteadilyinthisregard.

The $9 6 billion encompassed expenditurerelatedtothedevelopment of the material offloading facility, the heavy haul road, and preparatory worksatthe100-acresitetopreparefor the power plant and the integrated naturalgasfacilities.

The gas-to-energy project in the WalesDevelopmentZoneisthelargest investment made in Guyana's electricity sector It is expected to cut electricitycostsinhalf,bringingmuch-

needed relief to Guyanese, as well as provide a multitude of employment opportunities.

The project will see Guyana transitioning to a cheaper and more sustainablenaturalgasreserve.A200kilometre (km) pipeline will transport gas from the Liza Phase One and Liza Phase Two Floating, Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek Block to the power plant and Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility.At the facility, the gas will be treated to extract natural gas liquids for commercialisation. The leftover dry gas will be used in a 300megawatt power plant to produce energyforhomeusage.

Meanwhile, the mid-year report alsohighlightedthattheGuyanaPower and Light (GPL), has made strides in increasingthereliabilityofitsservice. In the first half of this year, about 118 inefficient transformers have been

replaced,withplanstoreplaceanother 171inthesecondhalfof2023.

On the side of Guyana's transition tocleanenergysources,a1.5megawatt (MW)solarfarmwascommissionedin Barticainthefirsthalfoftheyear This facility is expected to supply 1,988 megawatt-hours (MWh) to the grid, significantly reducing fuel consumption.

According to the report, the solar farm forms part of the wider initiative aimed at adding 3.75-megawatt peak (MWp) of renewable electricity to Lethem,Bartica,Mahdia,andLeguan.

Additionally, the 2023 budget outlined a commitment to rolling out the 30,000 solar photovoltaics (PV) homelightingsystemstothehinterland and riverain areas. In the first half of thisyear,12,000solarhomeenergyPV unitsweremanufacturedandtheseare expected to be delivered to Guyana in thethirdquarterfordistribution.(DPI)

Preliminary Artist's Impression of the natural gas facility to be constructed at Wales, West Bank Demerara

19th Auditor General's Report presented

to Speaker

Th e A u d i t o r General's Report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, wasonFridayhandedoverto the Speaker of the National Assembly,ManzoorNadir.

This is the 19th report of the Audit Office under the tenureoftheAuditorGeneral, DeodatSharma.

In addition, to the 2022 audit, three performance audits were handed over These were an assessment of the Ministry of Education Hinterland School Feeding

P r o g r a m m e , t h e Implementation of the International Health Regulations 2005, and a Review of the Ministry of Labour Occupational Safety and Health Inspection

Process.

These reports will be made public once they have been laid in the National Assembly

“Inaddition,wehavealso issued audit reports for 102 NDCs,sixmunicipalities,and 69 statutory bodies. In fact, the Guyana Post Office Corporation which was in arrears, now has its account audited up to 2021,” Sharma disclosed during the ceremony

In carrying out its mandate, to date 16 performanceauditshavebeen issued by the Auditor General'soffice.

Sharma noted that capacity building has also beenakeypriorityoftheaudit

(Continuedonpage21)

Audit of Exxon US$1.6B...

Frompage3 projects in the Stabroek Block to spending like drunken sailors. “All we are doing is spending money not in hand like drunken sailors on projects that randomly come to mind without any thought behind it to satisfy the politicians' whims and fancies and fill their families and friends' pockets,” he argued.

The former EPA head pointed out that while Guyanaiswastingalotofits revenue on servicing the debts for these loans, ExxonMobil and its shareholders are fattening their bank accounts and enjoying luxurious lives while Guyanese continue to struggletoputmealsontheir tables. On Thursday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo revealed that government unequivocally supports the Guyana Revenue Authority's (GRA) identification of US$214M in questionable expenses racked up by ExxonMobilfortheStabroek Block.Healsonotedthatthe government will utilize arbitrationtosettletheclaim.

TheUS$214Mfigurewas first flagged by the Consultancy Group, IHS Markit That audit was awarded since September 2019bytheformerCoalition administration.

In the meantime, a separate audit conducted by VHEConsultingforthe'Cost Recovery Audit and ValidationoftheGovernment of Guyana's Profit Oil Share' between the years 2018 to 2020 is still ongoing. The contract for the US$7 3 billion costs was awarded in May2022.

Be that as it may, Jagdeo ataLocalContentSummitin April this year indicated that government intends to keep the industry on the fast track foraminimumof15yearsso that investors, both local and foreign, will have enough time as well as a thriving business environment to recouptheirinvestments.

The Guyana Government has already sanctioned two additional oil projects, namely the Payara and Yellowtail developments whichwillusetheProsperity and ONE GUYANA Floating,Production,Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels respectively The Yellowtail Project costs US$10B and is expected to come online in 2025 with a production capacity of approximately250,000gross barrelsofoilperday

Exxon was granted approvalforitsfifthprojectat theUarufieldintheStabroek BlocklateApril2023withan applicationforthesixthatthe Whiptail discovery now pending Uaru which is expected to come online at the end of 2026 at a cost of US$12.5B will have a gross production capacity of approximately 250,000 barrels of oil per day, while Whiptail-thelargestoffshore developmentyet-ispeggedat US$12.9billion.

The cost for the five projects sanctioned to date costs almost US$40 billion that is still be verified, however, government is looking to approve a sixth development.

According to the AFC, “That's not the way to even manage a cake shop much lessanation'sfinances.”

The 19th auditor general's report was handed over to the Speaker of the National Assembly on Friday

$69M mortuary for Mahdia Hospital

During the recent opening of bids at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) of-

fice it was revealed that the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is preparing to spend some

Below are the companies and their bids:

Ministry of Education Design, construction cost and supervision services for the rehabilitation of Hope Secondary School, East Coast Demerara.

$69,969,795 to build a new mortuary at the Mahdia Hospital, Region Eight.

Applying for the contract were four contractors who all bid below the engineer’s esti-

mate. Notably, the ministry is also seeking a contractor to extend the Mabaruma Hospital mortuary and this project is estimated to cost $47,177,306.

Construction of Mahdia Mortuary, Region Eight.

Morocco earthquake: The teacher who lost all 32 of her pupils

Bags outside a classroom (Adaseel School)

Consulting services for Authoring of School textbooks for Grades 1 to 6.

Extension of Mabaruma Hospital mortuary.

Audit Office of Guyana

Supply and installation of fire alarm system.

Demerara Harbour Bridge

The construction of a storage and drying shed at Garden of Eden.

Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Supply and delivery of one new water ambulance.

Ministry of Public Service Electrical rewiring to the entire building.

BBC - The thoughts of one Moroccan schoolteacher immediately turned to her pupils when she felt the 6.8-magnitude earthquake strike a week ago.

Nesreen Abu ElFadel was in Marrakesh - but Adaseel, the mountain village that was home to her school and pupils, was closer to the epicentre.

The Arabic- and Frenchlanguage teacher returned to Adaseel where she went searching for the children.

She discovered that all 32 - ranging from six to 12 years old - had died. “I went to the village and started asking about my kids: ‘Where is Somaya? Where is Youssef? Where is this girl? Where is that boy?’ The answer came hours later: ‘They are all dead.’ “I imagined holding my class’s attendance sheet and putting a line through one student’s name after another, until I had scratched off 32 names; they are all now dead,” she told the BBC.

They were among the almost-3,000 people killed by the strongest earthquake ever recorded in Morocco, which struck on the evening of 8 September.

was one of those places.

Ms ElFadel recalled how she heard about what happened to six-year-old Khadija.

Rescuers found the body of the child lying next to her brother Mohamed and her two sisters, Mena and Hanan. They had all been in their bed - probably asleep - during the quake, and they all went to Ms ElFadel’s school.

“Khadija was my favourite. She was very nice, smart, active and loved to sing. She used to come to my house, and I loved studying and talking to her.”

The language teacher described her students as “angels”, and respectful children who were eager to learn. Despite struggling with poverty and a crushing cost-of-living crisis, the children and their families thought of going to school as “the most important thing in the world”.

“Our last class was on Friday night, exactly five hours before the quake hit,” Ms ElFadel said.

“We were learning Morocco’s national anthem, and planned to sing it in front of the whole school on Monday morning.”

Supply and installation of new digital fixed X-ray machine.

Exxon denies operations affecting production...

From page 12 from offshore cumulatively or for the whiptail project has been a driver for a decline of in country crop production or livestock fertility or any other aspect from the livestock perspective,” Jackson said. He added that “To date, we have not had any such claims made nor have we volunteered to offer compensation outside of any claims being made.”

Extreme and unpredict-

able weather conditions continue to plague many countries all over the world. However, SIDs (Small Islands States) like Guyana is the first to feel its effects.

According to a report on climatetrakker. org which was released December last year, as market prices for crops and other food items have been steadily increasing, many blamed the effects of the exaggerated prices on the high demand

within the oil and gas sector. However, it was pointed out the effects of climate change on agriculture and Guyana’s ecosystem could not be taken out of the equation.

Direct effects such as extreme rainfall, drought and temperature changes which can cause heat stress on crops and indirect effects which can cause changes in habitable areas of pests and insects

making them more likely to migrate to farmlands and threaten agriculture and plants.

Meanwhile as the demand for food increases and the ability to supply decreases, food prices will continue to impact consumers all over Guyana, glimpses of this can be seen every time consumers visit the market and see the prices of food items at all-time highs.

The hardest-hit areas were those south of Marrakesh, where many mountain villages were completely destroyed. Adaseel

Despite her calm voice, Ms ElFadel has been suffering with trauma. She still cannot process what happened to her students and to her school.

19th Auditor General’s...

From page 20 office, to strengthen the ability to conduct and examine performance audits and reports, through its partnership with the Canadian Auditing and Accountability Foundation (CAAF).

As a result, 15 management and middle-management officers have participated in a train-the-trainers programme facilitated by the Canadian Audit and Accountability Foundation (CAAF).

Additionally, a total of 17 officers have also benefitted from report writing training, in strengthening the capacity to ensure clarity and critical in-

sights through the audit reports. Importantly, another 23 officers from the Audit Office have attended training to develop the office’s capability to perform audits in the extractive industries.

Meanwhile, Speaker Nadir commended the Auditor General’s office as an impactful and credible voice in monitoring how the country’s resources are expended.

“We have a long way to go. With much more resources at our disposal, the work is going to explode exponentially,” the speaker noted. (DPI)

LAND FOR SALE

Land for sale at Back Lot Mc' Doom. Call: 675-7052.

WANTED VACANCY

Wanted! Male & Female workers for packaging pasta and chowmein on the Back Road (Mandela Ave). Call: 611-7839.

Wanted: Experienced Puri Maker and Counter Person. Apply @ Shanta's, 225 Camp and New Market Sts. Call: 654-1361.

Wanted: Experienced Carpenters and Mason at East Bank and East Coast. Call: 614-7669.

Security needed. Call: 2237165/ 691-6081.

Mechanic, Welder & Tm Driver for Interior location, canter Driver & Porter for Georgetown. Contact: 2235273-4/ 621-5907.

Experienced Cashier/ Sales person needed. Apply with application at American Variety Store, 140 Regent & Light Street.

Looking for a reliable live-in aide for an elderly woman. Call: 686-8051.

One Hauler Driver needed, starting salary $12K. Call: 6117088 for more information.

East Bank Electrical is now hiring Electrical Engineer, Outside Sales Staff & Counter Sales Staff. Call: 604-6394, sales@eastbankelectrical.com

Live-in Maid, Maintenance Person, Mason/ Carpenter and Tm Truck Driver needed. Call: 609-7675/ 674-1705.

Live-in Housekeeper needed to cook, clean and do laundry in Virgina, USA. Free room & boarding offered. Call: 845-325-8241.

1 Salesman & Labourer, Cxc Subjects, experience in writing bills, stocktaking and cashing. Apply at Keyfood Mc. Doom Village.

Cleaner, Farm Workers, Excavator & Bobcat Operators, Welder and fabricator required. Call: 621-6969, 6157784/ 716-8509.

Mechanic for diesel & gasoline engines, Labourers and Maintenance Workers required. Call: 621-6969, 6157784, 716-8509.

Soup House is looking for professional Cook and kitchen Assistant. Good pay and flexible hours. Call: 2256927.

1 Housekeeper, 2 Cooks and 1 Admin Clerk needed. Call: 223-0771.

VACANCY

Maid needed to cook and clean at East Bank area. Call: 615-9132.

Creole Cook and kitchen Assistant needed, must know to make roti. Call: 672-3335/ 694-5193.

Sales & Delivery Clerks, Warehouse Manager & Graphic Designer needed. Apply@ Lens 136 Sheriff Street. Call: 227-2486/ 2271511, Email: lensgy @outlook.com

LEGAL NOTICE 1

2023-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-1109 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION

Petition No. FD-1109

Between: (SOOKRAJ) SHAILESH Petitioner -V(SOOKRAJ) KAVITA KUMARIE Respondent

TO: KAVITAKUMARIE nee SOOKRAJ

Lot 8A Cullen, Essequibo Coast, Guyana

November, 2023 at 9:10 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln in the High Court at Georgetown. IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence· and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara].

The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 30th day of August, 2023.

publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News, a daily newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web. AND

FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents. AND

SERVICES

Visa Application to Canada and U.S.A, graphics design, advertisements,USA passport application forms & i130 application. Call: 6267040.

Elevate your brand with our professional Graphic design services. Call: 619-0007, 6295526.

For low cost repairs for AC units, refridgerators, freezers, gas stoves, washing machine, dryers, etc. Call: 6294946, 225-4822.

Free firearms safety course for all female license firearm holder at Liberty ranges Inc. Call: 223-0771.

Handyman- 60 years and over to work one half day per week. Call: 226-3736.

Live-in Domestic/ Maid needed. Must know to cook. Call: 686-2201.

Female needed to work in the Interior, ages 18 years and older. Call: 699-8486.

Experienced able-bodied Canter Driver and Yard man needed, flexible hours. Call: 614-1819.

Male needed to work in the Interior, 18 years and older. Call: 674-9999.

Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, ages 23-50, Car/ Van licence. Call: 615-9132 or 645-8443.

One Clerk for TSI Eccles office. English & Mathematics required. Email application: techserigy@yahoo.com or Call: 615-9132.

FOR RENT

Living and Business Quarter for rent at James Street. For more information Call: 674- 0614.

One bedroom apartment for rent in Diamond New Housing Scheme. Call: 624-7859.

Three bedroom downstairs for rent in New Road Vreeden-Hoop. Call: 682-6238, 2162299/ 604-6664.

Bottom flat apartment at Robb St, Bourda for business or residence. Call: 649-0761.

TAKE NOTICE that on the 17th day of July, 2023 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by SHAILESH SOOKRAJ the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara. AND FURTHER TAKE

LEGAL NOTICE 2

FOR SALE

Boneless Breast to buy, $900 lbs. Call: 695-5310/ 627-9945.

Carpenters, Labourers, Masons & Skilled men needed, wages $7,000-$10,000 per day & Labourer 5-6K per day. Call: 650-1394, 6927110.

EDUCATION

Gold and silver jewellery course, male and female ages 15-30 years old. For more info WhatsApp: 716-3170.

Lesson Classes, 4-8 years at Abeka System, Lot 197 Roxanne Burnham Gardens. Call: 675-1764.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

One CRV Honda, $3.3M negotiable and 1 Toyota Allion, $3.350 M, fully loaded immaculate condition, low mileage . Contact: 649-0956.

NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 23rd day of August, 2023 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of a daily newspaper printed, published of general and circulation in and around the Republic of Guyana. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 42 (fortytwo) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice. TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Thursday the 23rd day of

Filing Attorney: Ms. NIKITA EDWARDS

GUYANA LEGAL AID

CLINIC “Maraj Building”

185 Charlotte & King Streets, Georgetown, Guyana. Tel: 225-9238/ 2259246 Email: legalaid@networksgy.com

2023-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-939

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION

FAMILY DIVISION

PETITION NO. FD-939

BETWEEN:

(KING) LESHANA

TOMICIA nee GRANT

Petitioner/Applicant

-and-

(KING) MARVIN MARK

Respondent

TO: MARVIN MARK KING

Last Known Address

Patentia Village, West Bank Demerara, Guyana.

TAKE NOTICE that on the 15th day of June, 2023 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by LESHANA TOMICIA KING

nee GRANT the Petitioner/ Applicant in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE

NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 8th day of August, 2023 the Petitioner/ Applicant was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by

FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 35 (thirtyfive) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice. TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Thursday the 26th day of October, 2023 at 9:30 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Sandra Kurtzious. via Zoom meeting ID: 648 772 9256 and Password: 5hRiHf IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the

public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed. Dated the l4th day of August, 2023.

2023-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-1325

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE

FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL

JURISDICTION

FAMILY DIVISION

Petition No. FD- 1325

Between (CLARKE) MICHELLE ANN nee JOSEPH Petitioner -V-(CLARKE) GODFREY ANTHONY Respondent

TO: GODFREYANTHONY CLARKE

Address Unknown

TAKE NOTICE that on the 28th day of August, 2023 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by MICHELLEANN CLARKE

nee JOSEPH, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 1st day of September, 2023, the Petitioner was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the KAIETEUR

NEWS a daily newspaper printed, published of general and circulation in and around the Republic of Guyana and on the worldwide web. AND

FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents. AND

FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend available at the Registry), Answer and/ or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 50 (fifty) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Thursday the 23rd of November, 2023 at 9:30 am before the Incoming Family Court Judge in High Court at Georgetown. IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to defend answer and/ or cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce. The Registry oft e Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30 pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays

AFC lacks funds, expertise to take oil matters to court

Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) party, Khemraj Ramjattan has said that the party lacks the financial capability and expertise to challenge issues related to Guyana’s rapidly expanding oil and gas sector in the court. He was at the time addressing concerns raised by members of civil society that the party has been using its limited resources to challenge frivolous matters in court instead of the oil-related matters.

Ramjattan said while civil society is entitled to their opinion, it should be noted that the party is not in a position financially to commence litigation for the petroleum sector.

“In the Opposition, we have certain constraints too as to what litigation we bring because of the nature of the funds that we have to get in relation to doing all of these

things… Yes, we have lawyers that do lots of pro bono work and help lots of sugar workers but when it comes to doing that which some civil society members feel should be emphasized, we have to take a second look at it,” Ramjattan stated.

He continued, “These cases require a lot of funding; legal expenses are an expense by itself. We have been trying as much as possible sometimes we go to lawyers that have oil as an expertise some of them indicate that indeed the case will not find favour with certain judges or the Court of Appeal or the CCJ.”

“So you just don’t want to rush into a case you know you will not be victorious and end up having to pay so much cost for,” he asserted.

Members of civil society had criticized the main political opposition – A Partner-

ship for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) for their lack of interest in taking the necessary steps to protect the nation against the plundering of its oil resources.

Civil society activist, Ramon Gaskin in a comment to Kaieteur News pointed to the party’s tendency to challenge a number of frivolous matters in local courts while the injustices perpetuated in the petroleum industry are being ignored.

The public commentator noted that APNU+AFC‘s posture on oil matters is quite disappointing since it is the duty of the opposition to hold the government accountable on matters related to the country’s social and economic well-being.

“The opposition is quick to take cases to court for things like the appointment of a police commissioner and

appeal things like the Bharrat Jagdeo libel case but what about the oil matters? We have not been getting those expenses audited and no word from the opposition on the lopsided oil contract. That PSA is a real problem for this country and the opposition is busy running to court for nonsense,” Gaskin said.

He asserted that “oil is the single most important thing about Guyana right now” yet the opposition appears to have lost its head concerning it. “Instead of taking the time to move to court over who should be police commissioner, the APNU+AFC should be addressing the concerns of citizens as it relates to auditing the oil expenses. I want see them file a court case about that; not about Carol Joseph and Jagdeo fighting over some libel; these are minor matters in comparison to what the country is facing with oil,” Gaskin opined.

Gaskin noted too that the

opposition needs to come clean on where they stand on oil issues.

“Mr. Norton as Leader of the Opposition seems to not want to touch oil issues but the country needs to know clearly what the party’s position is on this very important issue.

When they were in government, it was this opposition that waivered Exxon’s taxes by an act of Parliament through the Finance Minister and they stood silently by when Glenn Lall moved to court over those taxes…,” he added.

Jamaica is not being overrun by Chinese interests - Holness

Jamaica Observer —

Moving to dispel rumours that the country is being overtaken by Chinese interests, Prime Minister Andrew Holness says Jamaica’s debt to China is miniscule in comparison to what the country owes other nations and international agencies.

“I want to take this opportunity to dispel the quite unfortunate perception that is carried by some with interest that somehow Jamaica is being overrun by Chinese interest. It may shock you to know that even with this loan from China, Jamaica’s debt to China is approximately 4.5 per cent of our total debt,” he said on Thursday while addressing the opening ceremony of the May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000.

“Yes, what we owe to China is minuscule relative to what we owe to the rest of the world and international agencies,” added Holness.

He said Jamaica is willing to partner with other nations towards its development.

“Unlike those who would want to create a false impression about Jamaica and our

LEGAL NOTICE 3

except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry closed.

Dated the 8th day of September, 2023

international development relationship with China, it is false. Jamaica has taken a strategic approach to develop its infrastructure and we partner with those who want to help us and we are willing to partner with all countries in the world that come genuinely to assist our development,” said Holness.

“We are ensuring that when we partner with these countries. Jamaica gets the benefit. There is no Jamaican who can say this road is not beneficial to them,” he added.

He said the naysayers have created “falsehoods”.

“But the only way to deal with falsehood is to tell the truth about them, shed light on them,” he said.

“Again to dispel this quite unfortunate and narrowminded perspective of countries and their development partnerships. We are not engaged in an exploitative or abusive relationship develop-

ment partnership with our Chinese counterparts, it is a mutual beneficial and respective relationship,” added Holness.

He said Jamaica lacks enough skilled-workers and engineers.

“It is not that the project is structured to employ nonJamaican engineers, if we had

Prime Minister Andrew Holness addressing the opening ceremony of the May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000 on Thursday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

them we would employ them. We do not have enough engineers…” said Holness.

“Our education must move to STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — it is an imperative if Jamaica’s infrastructure development is to continue and be indigenously driven by local talents and

skills,” added Holness.

He said 603 of the 754 workers who were employed on the highway project are Jamaicans.

Holness also reiterated the need for there to be focus on positivity and growth happening in the country.

“There are those who find it hard to accept that things are changing because they have been so vested in a negative outlook.

We can only confront them with the facts. I am not here saying to you that everything is glorious, but everything is not bad in Jamaica. There is a lot of good going on in Jamaica and we must accentuate the positive things that are happening in our country,” he said.

“All who nuh like it, you have to listen to it. We have experienced nine consecutive quarters of economic growth since the pandemic,” added Holness.

Mexican drug kingpin Ovidio Guzman extradited to US

Reuters - Ovidio Guzman, a son of incarcerated Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, has been extradited to the United States, where he is wanted on fentanyl trafficking charges, Mexican and U.S. authorities said on Friday.Attorney General Merrick Garland said Ovidio had been extradited, calling it the latest step in U.S. efforts to attack “every aspect” of the drug trafficking operations run by the Sinaloa Cartel long associated with the Guzman family.

“I am also grateful to our Mexican government counterparts for this extradition,”

Garland said in a statement.

“The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic that has devastated too many communities across the country.”

Guzman, one of the heirs to his father’s trafficking empire, was briefly arrested in the northern city of Culiacan in 2019 but released on the orders of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to avoid bloodshed when his cartel struck back.

He was captured in January after an intense firefight in the northern Mexican state

of Sinaloa.

Two Mexican officials familiar with the matter also confirmed Guzman’s extraditionMexican media including news network Milenio reported that Guzman had been taken out of a maximum security prison in central Mexico to be flown across the border.

The U.S. government asked for Guzman’s extradition in February so he could face drugs charges in a U.S. court.

According to U.S. court documents, Guzman and his brothers allegedly controlled extensive international opera-

tions in the fentanyl trade, reaping hundreds of millions of dollars in profits by “flooding” the United States with the deadly opioid.

In 2021, the State Department offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Ovidio’s arrest or conviction.

His father, “El Chapo” Guzman rose to prominence at the helm of the Sinaloa Cartel. He was extradited to the United States in 2017 after twice escaping from prison in Mexico.

The elder Guzman is now at a high-security “Supermax” lock-up in Colorado.

Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan

Newfossilfuelprojects'veryunwise economicrisk'saysglobalenergychief

The Guardian - As Guyana already begins preparing for less revenue than anticipated from its burgeoning petroleum sector by year end, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol has cautioned that countries and companies planning to expand their fossil fuel production are taking “very unhealthy and unwise economic risks” as their investments may not be profitable.

In a September 14, 2023 article, The Guardian reportedthattheIEADirector predictedthisweekthatfossil fuelswouldpeakthisdecade, ahistoricturningpointforthe

climate But despite the likelihood of demand declining, and the threat of climate chaos, many countries and private sector companies are considering newcapacity

Birol said: “New largescale fossil fuel projects not only carry major climate risks, but also business and financial risks for the companies and their investors.

“When I talk with the oil c o m p a n i e s , b o t h internationalandnationaloil companies,someofthemare saying that we have been underinvestinginoilandgas. Butcompaniesandinvestors should be very careful about

this claim, bearing in mind the demand trajectories we areseeing.Itcouldleadthem into taking very unhealthy, unwise economic and climaterisks.”

Governments should be urgently discussing the phasing-out of fossil fuels at Cop28, the forthcoming UN climate summit, Birol said. The question of phasing out was dropped at last year's Cop,butmanycountriesplan to reignite the debate this year B u t e v e n w i t h governments'currentclimate policies, which are inadequate and need to be toughened,theamountofoil and gas needed globally will

decline,Birolnoted.

“If you start a project today, wherever you are, the first oil or gas will come to markets in five years, and willcomeatatimewhenyou will see global oil and gas trendsdeclining,”hetoldthe Guardian in an interview “Therefore, one should be very careful about not only the climate risk, but also the business risk on large-scale oilandgasprojects.”

Birolrefusedtosingleout any countries, but several developed and developing economiesareplanninglarge expansionsoftheirfossilfuel production, despite their commitments to limiting global temperature rises to 1 5C above pre-industrial levels.

The US was this week found to be planning the world's biggest share of global oil and gas expansion between now and 2050, and the UK government plans scores of new oil and gas licences as the prime minister,RishiSunak,vowed to“maxout”theNorthSea.

Several countries and companies planning expansions have cited findingsfromtheIEAthatoil andgaswillstillbeneededin the future, even when the world reaches net zero greenhousegasemissions,as justification for their plans. Birol warned that they were nottakingonboardtheIEA's full advice: “We will definitelyneedoilandgasin years and years to come, but theissueistheamountofoil andgaswewillneedglobally willbelessandless.”

He said: “They are misjudgingthemarkettrends –theybelievewhattheywant tobelieve.

And they also misjudge themoodofthepeopleinthe streetasfarasclimatechange is concerned, and their responsibility.”

Birol applauded the proposed commitment to triple global renewable energycapacity,likelytobea centrepiece of Cop28, which will take place from late NovemberinDubai.

But he said this commitmentwasinsufficient and that the rapid decline of fossil fuels was also needed to keep the world within 1.5C.

“The increase of renewablesisgood,butinthe absenceofadeclineinfossil fuels, the impact on temperature trajectories will be minimal or nothing,” he said.

“There should be a

discussion [of the phase-out offossilfuelsatCop28].And I hope that discussion will give a signal to the markets that fossil fuel consumption willfall.”

Warningsthatthepriceof renewable energy could rise were overdone, Birol indicated. “There may be some zigzags [on the price], but the overall trend is they are competitive [with fossil fuels] and will be even more competitive in future,” he said. “Solar is very competitive, and offshore wind is making big steps –soon we will see it competitiveaswell.”

Although he has forecast that fossil fuel use will peak for the first timethis decade, Birolsaidmuchmoreneeded tobedonebygovernmentsto ensure that its use declined far more steeply afterwards.

“The most important issue is not the peak, but the decline of fossil fuels after the peak, thatisthenervecentreofthe problem.”

Currentpolicieswilllead toglobalheatingof2.4Cand must be toughened as a matterofurgency,hesaid.

ThecautionfromtheIEA comesasGuyana'sMid-Year Report prepared by the Ministry of Finance has indicated that the government now expects lower revenues from the sector

This is as a result of declining oil prices on the global market triggered by a slideindemandforsupplies. According to the Report, the government is still poised to receive 17 lifts of profit oil from the production activitiesongoingattheLiza OneandLizatwoprojectsin theStabroekBlock.

It however indicated that the earnings for the commodity are expected to

be less than previously anticipated.

The Report explained, “With the price of crude oil declining amid demand-side concerns and financial market disruptions that threaten a global slowdown in economic activity, the forecast for NRF (Natural Resource Fund) deposits has b e e n m a r g i n a l l y downgraded.”

To this end, the Ministry of Finance said petroleum depositsfortheyeararenow projectedtototalUS$1,629.3 million, compared with US$1,631 7 million projected at the beginning of the year This means that the country will receive US$2.4 million less than anticipated o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y G Y D $ 4 8 0 M Government is now projected to earn US$1,410 million from the sale of Guyana's share of profit oil, and another US$219 3 millioninroyalties.

TheNRFclosingbalance attheendoftheyearhasbeen revised to approximately US$2billionbytheMinistry ofFinance.

Theplummetingoilprice on the global market can be dangerous for newcomers to the sector, Guyana, especially as oil major ExxonMobil continues to pump billions of US-dollars to develop the resources discovered in the Stabroek block.Thecountrycaneasily finditselfunabletorepaythe investments or enjoy profits fromtheindustryshouldthis trendextend.

Despite the shift to renewables and the consequent oil price volatility, the government hasbeenrampingupnotonly exploration activities but production as well to avoid strandedresources.

Fatih Birol said companies and countries were misjudging the market trends and the mood of the people. Photograph: Simon Maina/AFP/Getty

COI into deadly Mahdia Dorm fire begins

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (COI) investigating the events surrounding the deadly fire at the Mahdia Secondary School's female dormitory whichclaimedthelivesof20 childrenbeganonFriday

The Chairman of the Commission is Major General (Ret'd) Joseph Singh, while Attorney-atLaw, Joycelin Kim KyteThomasandChairmanofthe National Toshaos Council (NTC) Derrick John are the other members of the Commission.

Two witnesses testified on the opening day of the COI.

Attorney-at-law Keoma Griffith will be leading the presentation of evidence beforetheCommission.

The first witness was Steve Jerome, of Micobie, Region Eight, the dormitory father at the male dormitory at Mahdia Secondary School. Jerome is the father of the lone boy who died in thefireonMay21,2023.

The second person to testify was Mohamed Yacoob Mazaharally, a pilot attached to Air Service Limited Mazaharally captained one of the aircraft that air dashed the injured children to Georgetown for medicalattention.

Secretary of the CoI

Javed Shaddick, on Wednesdayprovidedinsight intotheproceedings.Hesaid thatwhiletheCOIwillnotbe live-streamed, it will be conductedinthepresenceof themedia.

A total of 15 witnesses, including ministers, survivors, and first responders, are expected to providetestimonyduringthe inquirywhichisexpectedto span approximately one month, after which a comprehensive report will be compiled and presented, shedding light on the findings.

TheCOIwillcontinueon Monday.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that the Chairman

of the COI, assured that the commission is committed to conducting the inquiry with transparency,efficiency,and sensitivity as outlined in the TermsofReference(ToR).

“Itisalsoourdutytoact in the best interests of all minors affected by this tragedy and to ensure that references to the deceased are dealt within a dignified manner,” he said in his openingstatement.

To achieve this, the Commission will adhere to the provisions of the JuvenileJusticeActof2018, adopt best practices, and

Cliff Anderson Sports Hall sub-contractor charged with fraud

A Lamaha Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, businesswoman who was contracted to supply tempered glass for the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall's rehabilitation project was on Friday chargedwithfraud.

The defendant, Samantha Singh, a mother of one, appeared before Senior MagistrateLeronDalyattheGeorgetown Magistrates'Courtwhereshewascharged withtheoffenceoffraudulentconversion.

Singhpleadednotguiltytothecharge which stated that on April 28, 2023 at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, she was entrustedwith$4MbyEworthC.Sangster of E C S Constructions and General Supplies, to purchase and supply tempered glass, when she converted the moneytoherownuseandbenefit.

The Police Prosecutor made no objection to bail being granted to Singh

but asked that she reports to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, andsubmitshercorrectaddresstothecourt.

Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, who representedSingh,toldthecourtthathisclient was contracted by the Sangster to supply reinforced glass for the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall rehabilitation project as well as another project located in Leonora, West Coast Demerara(WCD).

He explained that his client had two engagements with Sangster concerning the sourcingoftheglass.

Hestatedtoothathisclienthadtooutsource theglassfromChina.

According to Hughes, his client was later arrested and subsequently placed before the court. He made a bail application for his client that was granted in the sum of $50,000 by MagistrateDaly

Thematterhasbeenadjourned.

uphold international standards to protect the interests of the minors involved.

Theapproachalignswith the Laws of Guyana –CommissionsofInquiryAct, Chapter 19:03, Section 9, w h i c h g r a n t s t h e commission the authority to establish rules for its own guidance.

Major Singh said all hearings involving minors andrelativesofthedeceased and injured will be conducted in-camera. The public hearings are anticipated to conclude

withinonemonth.

Singhnotedthatuponthe completion of the inquiry, thecommissionwillprovide President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali with a comprehensive, impartial, and meticulously detailed report.

The devastating fire, which engulfed the female dormitory of the Mahdia Secondary School on May 21, 2023, reportedly began in the lavatory area of the building Tragically, it claimed the lives of 19 girls and a 5-year-old boy Notably,a15-year-oldgirlis

currently facing 20 murder charges in connection with thefire.

President Ali has emphasised that the CoI represents a crucial step toward understanding, healing, and learning from the tragedy Its aim is to improvesafetymeasuresand ensure that such a heartwrenching event never occursagain. T h e P r e s i d e n t underscored the intention to conduct a balanced, impartial, and thorough examination of the fire and itsrelatedissues.

From Left Commissioner Mr. Derrick John, Chairman, Major General (retired) Joseph Singh, and Commissioner Dr. Joycelin Kim Kyte-Thomas at the opening of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) DPI photo

Italy’s Dainese wins 19th stage as Kuss closes on Vuelta title

AFP - Italian Alberto Dainese edged out compatriot Filippo Ganna in a bunch sprint to win stage 19 of the Vuelta a Espana yesterday, as Sepp Kuss maintained his overall lead.

Kuss remains ahead of his Jumbo-Visma teammates Jonas Vingegaard, who is 17 seconds behind, and Primoz Roglic who is a further 51 seconds back, after the trio ended safely in the pack.

American Kuss will be expected to see out a maiden Grand Tour title in Saturday’s hilly 208km ride from Manzanares el Real to Guadarrama and Sunday’s

traditional procession into Madrid.

Jumbo are bidding to become the first team to secure a podium clean sweep at the Vuelta since 1966.

Glory for Kuss this weekend would also wrap up a Grand Tour hat-trick in 2023 for the Dutch team, after Roglic’s Giro win and Vingegaard’s second straight Tour de France triumph.

“It was a little easier day today but you have to stay focused all the time,” said Kuss.

The finish to Friday’s stage in Iscar was marred by a crash in the final kilometre

Italian rider Alberto Dainese claimed his third Grand Tour stage win on Friday. (Oscar DEL POZO)

Assuria assures support for Kares Crossfit Caribbean Championship

Assuria Insurance, a leading name in the insurance industry, is excited to announce its strategic sponsorship in the highly anticipated Kares Crossfit October Showdown 2023. The partnership aims to foster brand awareness, create brand synergy, and explore new avenues in the dynamic fitness-focused market, a release from the organisers informed.

board as a Sponsor.

The Kares Crossfit October Showdown will feature a Teams Crossfit competition, a Novice Crossfit competition and a Strongman Competition. Over 50 athletes from Guyana and across the Caribbean region will participate in this test of strength, to win over $4,000,000 million dollars in cash and prizes.

for points classification leader Kaden Groves which split the peloton in two.

The Australian appeared

Saturday September 16, 2023

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

A heightened level of intuition and understanding of others might catapult you to the center of attention at a gathering, Aries. Knowledge combined with experience results in wisdom today.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Communication with friends who have traveled widely could have you hankering to make a future visit to a distant place that you've always wanted to experience.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Dreams or visions could put you in touch with deep feelings that you may not have been aware of before, Gemini. This could enable you to release traumas from your past and give you a new sense of lightness.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Relationships of all kinds are likely to be strengthened by an increased level of understanding today, Cancer. Your thinking is greatly enhanced by your emotional intuitiveness.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Today your emotional intuition intensifies your mental abilities, Leo. Friends and family members are likely to grow closer to you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

Relationships with those closest to you, particularly friends and love partners, should be enhanced by an increased understanding of their emotional world, Virgo.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

Dealing with the ups and downs of other family members could be easier for you today than usual, Libra. You're less inclined to be logical and more apt to identify with what other people feel.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Today your mind is strongly influenced by feeling and intuition, Scorpio, so you'll be able to communicate especially well with others. You might sense what they need to hear before.

. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

You generally like to think of yourself as someone who faces life logically and rationally, Sagittarius, but today your intuitive side could prove a valuable resource.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

Your intuition is usually very strong, Capricorn, and your level of empathy enhances your relationships. Today, however, a burst of logic could enable you to see many things.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Your intuition is heightened almost to the point of telepathy today. Aquarius, you may be able to sense what others want and need even before they know it themselves.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

Getting in touch with your closest friends could bring about some intense communication, with many revealing some of your deepest concerns, Pisces.

unhurt but was unable to push for his third stage win of the race.

Dainese took advantage to grab his maiden Vuelta stage success, adding to two previous wins on the Giro d’Italia.

The 25-year-old Dainese is set to leave his DSMFirmenich team at the end of the season.

“With the headwind, I let Ganna take the lead,” he said.

“I was waiting for my moment to accelerate. I really wanted to finish the season in a good way and leave DSM in style.

“I was under a lot of pressure because I knew that it was probably my last chance to thank the team.”

Saturday’s stage is not a formality for Kuss, with 10 category-three climbs to negotiate, but his Jumbo team appear to have decided that he is their man for the overall leader’s red jersey.

“It looks like a one-day classic with the ups and downs, it’s the last chance for those who want to change things in the overall,” added Kuss, who is usually deployed as a domestique for Vingegaard and Roglic.

The October Showdown will take place on Sunday, October 15th at the Aquatic Centre and National Park, and Kares Crossfit is proud to have Assuria Insurance on

Tickets are $1000 and are on sale at Kares Crossfit, Lotus Hardware and Fitness Express. Visit “Kares Crossfit Caribbean Championship” social media pages for more information.

Spain’s World Cup-winning women reject squad call-ups

AFP - Spain’s Women’s World Cup-winning squad will continue to reject nationalteamcall-upsunless therearemorechangesatthe Spanish football federation following the scandal over Luis Rubiales’ unsolicited kiss, a source close to the federationsaidyesterday

“They are not coming,” the source told AFP just hours before new coach Montse Tome was set to announce her squad yesterday for the Nations League matches against Sweden and Switzerland on September22and26.

Spanish football has been in turmoil since Rubiales forcibly kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips in front of the world’s media after Spain defeated England in the Women’sWorldCupfinalon August20inAustralia.

A letter signed by 81 Spain players, including the 23 world champions, was released last month stating they would not play for the national team without significant changes at the headofthefederation.

Since then Rubiales has resigned and the football federation sacked their

Spain’s Women’s World Cup-winning squad before the final against England in Sydney on August 20. (FRANCK FIFE)

controversial coach Jorge Vilda, named Tome in his stead and pledged further

internal reforms. Tome was Vilda’s former assistant manager

Spanish media said the players would later yesterdayreleaseastatement

outlining the changes that theystillexpecttoseebefore theyreturntothepitch.

Drivers slowed by rogue reptiles in Singapore F1 practice

SINGAPORE, (Reuters)

- Big lizards are a familiar sightinequatorialSingapore but they startled Red Bull’s doubleworldchampionMax Verstappenandotherdrivers after straying onto the Formula One racetrack duringpracticeyesterday

Yellowflagswerewaved to warn of the danger of hitting one of the creatures, which can grow as long as three metres (10 ft), as they languidlycrossedthetarmac atduskduringthehour-long session.

“It’s going to be a brave marshal to go out and pick one of those up,” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told Sky Sports television. “Hopefully they’ll be going tobedsoon.”

Local fauna are not uncommon company, with drivers used to groundhogs andfoxesonCanada’sGilles Villeneuve circuit in

Montreal. Malaysia,nownolonger on the calendar, had an

occasional problem with snakes.

Friday’s lizard incursion

recalled the 2016 Singapore race when Verstappen was surprised on track by a big

onethathisengineerdubbed “Godzilla”.

“Ah. There’s a lizard

againonthetrack.Asmaller one this time,” he said over theteamradioinyesterday’s session.

“Maybe Godzilla had a kid, ” came engineer Gianpiero Lambiase’s reply Singapore’s National Parks’Board advises on its website that monitor lizards are typically shy, unless cornered, and to observethemfromafar

They are also diurnal, meaning they sleep at night, and will hopefully pose no further difficulty for drivers preparing for Sunday’snightrace

“I think the one that Max met the last time was more of a Komodo dragon than a lizard, but the main thing is hopefully they can grab them up and put them somewhere safe and they don’t get involved in the nextsession,”saidHorner

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in action during practice. (REUTERS/Caroline Chia)

Asia Cup 2023: Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in a last-ball thriller to reach final against India

BBC Sport - Charith

Asalanka held his nerve as Sri Lanka edged a last-ball thriller against Pakistan to setupameetingwithIndiain theAsiaCupfinal.

Chasing a revised Duckworth-Lewis-Stern target of 252 in their final Super Four match, Kusal Mendismadeacrucial91. With six needed off the final two balls Asalanka edged Zaman Khan for four then calmly worked a couple off his pads.

Pakistan had earlier posted 252-7 thanks to Mohammad Rizwan’s unbeaten 86 after the start wasdelayedbyrain

“We are very happy to come to the final,” said Mendis. “Overall everyone playedreallywell.

“A couple of wickets went down, but I was hoping that Charith would finish the game as he has done it before. And hedidit.”

Abdullah Shafique (52 off 69 balls) and captain Babar Azam (29 o fff 3 5 ) l a i d t h e foundation for Pakistan’s total before Rizwan’s impressive knock, off 73 balls, was supported by Iftikhar Ahmed (47 off 40), while Matheesha Pathirana finishedwith3-65.

Wicketkeeper Mendis

spearheaded Sri Lanka’s reply in a century stand for the third wicket with Sadeera Samarawickrama, whomade48off51,butfell ninerunsshortofathirdODI century when he was dismissed by Iftikhar, who took3-50.

Shaheen Afridi’s two wickets in two balls in the p e n u l t i m a t e o v e r appeared to swing the momentum Pakistan’s way, leaving Sri Lanka needing eightfromthefinalover

Pramod Madushan was run out off the fourth ball, but Asalanka kept his cool, finishing unbeaten on 49 to get Sri Lanka over the line in front

Qualifier Navarro stuns Sakkari to reach San Diego semi-finals

AFP

- Qualifier Emma

NavarrooftheUnitedStates

upset world number nine

Maria Sakkari of Greece, winning in a third-set tiebreak, to reach the semifinals of the WTA’s San DiegoOpenonThursday

On a strong day for Americans, former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and Danielle Collins also advanced to the lastfour

Kenin will meet 61stranked Navarro on Friday while Collins will be up against fourth-seeded Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic, who triumphed against Brazil’s BeatrizHaddadMaia.

The 22-year-old Navarro won 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (7-4) against Sakkari in twohoursand13minutes

It was the New Yorker’s first win against a top-10 player and c o n t i n u e d a g o o d tournament for the 2021 NCAA singles champion, who went into the match having not lost a set in qualifyingorthemaindraw

Sakkari broke first to lead3-1intheopeningset but then struggled with Navarro’s powerful baseline play as the American fought back to taketheset

TheGreekdominatedthe second but Navarro showed plenty of fight to break first in the third set to take a 3-2

lead, only for Sakkari to instantlybreakback.

In the tie-break Navarro was quick out of the blocks, opening up a 4-0 advantage andneverlookingback.

Kenin, who captured her first Grand Slam title in 2020 at Melbourne, dispatched 27th-ranked AnastasiaPotapova6-2,6-3.

Potapova made 15 double faults and landed only 46 4 percent of her first serves to fall in 78 minutes.

World number 93

Kenin reached her first WTA semi-final since Hobart inJanuary

“I’m super happy, I played really well Good matches under my belt definitely gives me a lot of confidence, so I’m doing everything right,” said Moscow-born American Kenin.

“My mindset is there I’m feisty, energetic,

ofaraucoushomesupportat theR.PremadasaStadiumas the clock ticked past 01:07 localtime.

“Sri Lanka played very well, better cricket than us,” said Pakistan skipperBabar.

“We have not been up tothemarkinthebowling andfielding

Thatiswhywelostthe match ”

Scores: Pakistan 252-7 (42overs):Rizwan86*(73), Shafique 52 (69); Pathirana 3-65; Sri Lanka 252-8 (42 overs): Mendis 91 (87), Asalanka 49* (47); Iftikhar 3-50.Result: Sri Lanka won by two wickets (DLS method)

and it’s all good,” she added

Collins, who lost to Ash Barty in the 2022 Australian Open final, eliminated France’s 10thranked Caroline Garcia 62,6-3,inonly67minutes.

“I felt like I was really feeling my shots and my game, so I was really in a good headspace and flowing the whole match,”saidCollins.

Collins, ranked 43rd, will have a tough task against Krejcikova after she defeated seventh seedHaddadMaia6-4,6-3.

Krejcikova, the

French Open winner in 2021, hit 24 winners to the Brazilian’s eight and conceded she had little idea of what kind of opponent Collinswillbe.

“I never played her, I never practiced with her, so I have no idea what to expect,”shesaid.

AfroTech - Hard work, dedication, persistence, and giftedness are all words that come to mind when describing the talent and athletic journey of Coco Gauff.

The 19-year-old tennis player started her professional career in 2018, winning one singles titleandtwodoublestitles in2019,aswellaslanding a 29-15 singles record Her athletic prowess would be amplified that year when she defeated tennis legend Venus Williams at Wimbledon at only15yearsold.

Onecanimaginethatthe feat was a full-circle moment since the path Gauff has taken mirrors the success of Venus and SerenaWilliams

This journey has gone on to reach a current career-high during a significant win against Aryna Sabalenka in the 2023U.S.Open.

Gauff’s talent and winning personality led her to what some describe as “her moment,” earning $5.6 million from the match, per ESPN.

While that number is nothing to scoff at, Gauff’s off-court earnings are catapulting her monetary

valuetonewheights.

According to Forbes, Gauff has earned $11 1 million throughout her fiveyear professional career During this time, she has also brought in about $12 million from endorsements, business endeavors, and appearancefees.

The outlet currently has Gauff as No. 7 on its list of The Highest-Paid Tennis Players, but if her winning trajectory follows the trends of others from the past, she willbeclimbinguptheranks prettysoon.

Still, Gauff’s agent, Alessandro Barel Di Sant Albano of Team8, told Forbes that “winning is first and foremost the most important.”

Winningcriticalmatches and moving up in rankings can unlock the interest of d o n o r s , s p a r k i n g opportunities for massive earning potential.

Additionally, with Serena Williams’retirement from a long and noteworthy career, sponsors eagerly await which tennis player to endorsenext.

And Gauff could be the prime person for those sponsorshipdeals.

Basedonanarticlefrom The New York Times, Gauff’s career success can

lead to an influx of photo shoot opportunities for magazinecovers,invitations to A-list events, investment offers,andbusinessdeals.

Currently, Gauff has a deal with New Balance and tennis racquet maker Head, perForbes.

While she is open to future deals, her team has noted that they want to find opportunities that make sense to who she is and what’s organic for the tennis player, similar to t h e a d d i t i o n a l partnerships she has with Barilla, Microsoft, UPS, Bose,andBakerTilly

With so much in the potential pipeline, Gauff is poised to chart her unique journey while reaching heights that could surpass that of Serena Williams, who has amassed over $340 million in off-court career earnings.

“Anytime that you’re compared to Serena, it’s definitely flattering because obviouslyshepavedtheway forsomanyyoungwomento dream big,” Barel Di Sant AlbanotoldForbes.

“ButIthinkCocowould be the first one to tell you that‘I’mthefirstCoco,andI wanttoleavemymarkinmy ownway.’”

Charith Asalanka

Emma Navarro

19-Year-Old Coco Gauff has earned $11.1M across her 5-year pro career

- And that doesn’t include endorsements

Spartans Cricket Club claims NYNCL 30-over trophy

DCB name 33 players to participate in 50 overs trials for Senior Inter-County Super50

The Demerara Cricket Board(DCB)hasannounced 33 players to participate in two50overstrialmatchesin preparation for the Senior Inter-CountySuper50which will be played in early October National wicketkeeperbatsmanTevin Imlachwillcaptainoneteam while national middle order batsman Akshaya Persaud will be the captain of the otherteam.

The first trial match will be played on Thursday, September 21 at GCC while the second match will be played on Saturday, September 23 at Lusignan ground.

7.TravisPersaud

8.JeremiahScott

9.AshmeadNedd

3.MavendraDindyal

4.ChristopherBarnwell

5.UshardevaBalgobin

Spartans Cricket Club defeated Everest/ACS by a solid39-runmargintoclaim the2023NewYorkNational Cricket League (NYNCL) 30-overs trophy played last SundayatBaisleyPond.

Debutant team Spartans CricketClubtookfirstknock after winning the toss and piled on a respectable 226-7 from the 30-overs while Everest/ACS, in reply, reached 187-8 from the 30overs.

DedinauthPersaudhitan impressive 50 to lead the

way for the victorious side. He hit three sixes and five fours while he got support from opener Derick Narine with 45. Chris Pattadin and Captain Wasim Haslim chipped in with 29 and 24 respectively

Former Guyana youth player Yadram Bhaskar, the medium-pacer, snatched 423 from his maximum six overs and Damion Jacobs with 2-44 off five expensive overs.

When Everest/ACS batted, Trinson Carmichael

stroked a fighting 66 which comprised of two sixes and three fours. Avin Gangadin made34and31fromOraine Williams. Haslim returned withtheballtoprovehisallroundcapabilitybygrabbing 3-43 in his six overs. He got useful support from Javed Karim and Rajiv Ivan with twowicketseach.

Persaud was named the player-of-the-match for his finebattingperformance.He received a trophy for the effort.Thewinningsidealso tookhomeatrophy

Playersareaskedtobeat the venues for 08:15 hours onmatchdays.

The squads are as follows:Imlach’sXI

1.TevinImlach-Captain

2 T a g e n a r i n e Chanderpaul

3.RaymondPerez

4.SachinSingh

5.RonaldoAliMohamed

6.ShamarYearwood

10.StevenSankar

11.ZackeryJodah

12.KrisnaSingh

1 3 N e h e m i a h

Hohenkirk

14.ChetramBalgobin

15.DumukaNedondo

16.LaurelParks

Persaud’sXI

1 Akshaya PersaudCaptain

2.ChandrapaulHemraj

6.QuzimYusuff

7.JoshuaPersaud

8.DevonLord

9.ReyadLatiff

10.RichieLooknauth

11.FloydThomas

12.CarlosLaRose

13.SherfaneRutherford

14.BernardBailey

15.RobinWilliams

16.BrandonJaikarran

17.MatthewNandu

Head Coach Shane Deitz wants West Indies Women to bring back ‘calypso cricket’

SportsMax - “Calypso cricket” is what head coach oftheWestIndiesWomen’s team, Shane Deitz, wants his team to play going forward.

cricket,”headded.

Asracedaydrawsneareranumber ofsponsorshassteppedintojoin with the promoters to make the Gymkhana Horserace meet and Fun Day a grandaffair

The event, which is slated for this Sunday 17th September at the spacious and famous Cane Grove S Turn Dam at Mahaica in Region 4 Demerara, is turning out to beagrandaffair

Among the sponsors on board so far are S and S Supermarket, Mikey Barber Shop, Hacks and Sons and Demina Sewkariam all popular business entities of Mahaica

The experience team of organisers led by popular racing commentator Compton Sancho, Duff, McKenzie and Trevor is guaranteeing fans a day of excitement and fun

The list of events has grown to include activities for children and the entirefamily

The event for J class horses over 5 furlongs for a winning purse of $120,000 and trophy remains the top race on the day’s card, while there are events for animals classified L, K, two year old animals, one for Cow Horses, another for cart horses and unclassified animals

There will also be donkey races amongothersfunevents

A large crowd is expected to be in attendance since horse racing is the most popularsportinthecommunity Turfites would be entertained by popular musical sounds while there will be Bar-B-Que and a well-stocked bar Over30animalshavealreadyenteredand among the new entries are Jamoon Tree, True Royal, Get up and get, Nice and Dandy, Bobby Dove and Don’t stop at All Race time is set for 12:00hrs. (Samuel Whyte)

The Australian 47-yearold, who was appointed in July this year, believes that theWestIndieswillhaveto playamoreattackingbrand of cricket to compete with thebestteamsintheworld.

“The brand of cricket I wantustoplayisdefinitely the traditional West Indian ‘calypso’brandofattacking, taking it to the opposition andgettingonthefrontfoot. It’s the way I’ve always coached cricket around the worldandthat’snotgoingto changehere,”Deitzsaidina press conference on Tuesday “It’sastyleofplaythatI think is effective so the players will definitely be getting the message that we’reheretowinandwe’re going to win by playing attacking, free-flowing

TheformerVanuatuand Netherlands Women head coach believes the implementation of this new philosophy will take time, but will be worth it in the end.

“Itmaytakealittlebitof time to really adjust to or a few skillset upgrades in players but we’ll work towards that so they’ve got the ability to play that style of cricket and I think that’s themostsuccessfulbrandof cricket around the world,” hesaid.

“Australia play it at the momentinwomen’scricket and are consistently getting over300inODIsand160to 180 in T20Is so we’re definitely going to follow that method and play that styleofcricketandplaythe Caribbean way,” added Deitz.

Deitz will get his first opportunity to see the team in a competitive outing whentheyembarkonatour

of Australia for three ODIs and three T20Is from September30-October14.

He says this will be a great opportunity to see some of the players firsthand against some worldclassopposition.

“I’ve only been here for the WCPL to see them live so I think this tour to Australia will be a great opportunityformetoseethe players first-hand against the world’s best and a team thathasdominatedwomen’s cricket around the world,” hesaid.

“Thisisagreattestforus and a way for me to see the reality of where we’re at, what we need to work on and what areas we need to improve so we can formulate a long-term plan to work on players to get them up to that world class, elite level and challenge Australia, England and India who have been challenging for World Cups,”Deitzadded.

Spartans Cricket Club captain Wasim Haslim receives the winning trophy from sponsor Afeez Alli of Rockaway Group of Companies.

Akshaya Persaud

Tevin Imlach

Number of sponsors on board for Mahaica Horserace meet, Gymkhana and Fun Day

Mandolall leads Warriors Cricket Club to OMSCC Over-40 Championship

Former Guyana youth player R o v e n d r a Mandolallstruckablistering 46 to pilot Warriors Cricket Clubtoafive-wicketvictory over defending champions Rebels Masters in the 2023 Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC)

Over-40,ADivisionfinalon Sunday at Ashtonbee Park, Scarborough.

The right-handed Mandolall hit five sixes and afourtohelphisteamreach 132-5 from 19 2 overs replying to Rebels Masters’ challenging 131-8 at the expirationofthe20-overs.

The Essequibian Mandolall also shared a crucial 43-run, fourthwicket stand with veteran batsmanAvinashSingh,who contributed19notout.

Earlier, Rebels Masters won the toss and opted to takefirststrike.Thedecision

backfiredonthemaswickets fellfrequently

ey slammed four sixes in an attacking 35 though while Ramo Malone chipped in with 19 Rakesh Dyal

snatched 2-7 from his maxium three overs while Rakesh Ramoutar also picked up two wickets but conceded16runsfromthree oversaswell.

Mandolall was adjudged player-of-the-match for his

impressive batting performance. He received a trophy while both teams collectedtrophies.

Vice-President of the OMSCC, Canada-based G u y a n e s e H a r d a t

Ramcharran congratulated

Letter to the Sports Editor...

thewinnerandallfiveteams fortheirparticipation. He also acknowledged the support of the sponsors and they were Trophy Stall of Canada and Guyana, Windies Restaurant and NormanSueBakery

He also thanked his fellow executives for their committedefforttohelprun theaffairsofsoftballmasters cricket.

T h e m a t c h w a s witnessed by a fair-sized crowd.

Statement from Otis James, President of Georgetown Football Association on female football

DearSportsEditor,

To my fellow Guyanese and Football Fans: As a fan of all things football and an ardent advocate for our Guyanesepeople,especially our youth, I have anxiously awaited the kickoff to the Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup qualifiers. For the first time ever, Guyana will have itsWomen’sSeniorNational Team competing This tournament will allow another pathway for our nation to reach the Olympic andinternationalstage.

Suchanaccomplishment would serve as a beacon to the world that Guyana has arrived and is fully committedtothegrowthand prosperityof all members of oursociety

As I travel around the country, I readily observe the increased development, resourcesandopportunitythat the country’s newfound wealth has allotted I am also acutely aware of the many people who have traveled to our lands in an effort to maximize their benefit, sometimestotheexclusionof our native peoples With that said, I applaud the stakeholders, whether in the

private industry, public sector or government, who are working tirelessly to createanequalplayingfield for all of our Guyanese people.

Ioffertheseobservations asasimplemetaphorforour national football teams and what I hope the Guyana Football Federation and other organizational stakeholderswillcommitto, for the betterment of our youngmenandwomenwhose desire is to honorably representournationonagrand scale I must admit, I have sometrepidationregardingthe commitment, specifically of theGFF,indoingitsparttoput forththebestrepresentationof GuyanaWomen’sfootball

On September 8, 2023, the GFF put forth a press release, announcing the selection of Omar Khan as the new head coach for the Guyana Women’s Senior Team.Thetimingofthishire is of concern, as the first matchfortheLadyJaguarsis scheduled for Wednesday, September 20, 2023 against Antigua & Barbuda. That meanstheGFF’shirecomes a mere 12 days prior to the first match. Will the coach

have an opportunity to meet the team? What training strategy and tactics can be incorporated and deployed insuchashortspaceoftime?

Dare I say, even Jorgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola would find this an insurmountabletask!Idon’t faultthecoachforthis,ashe, like so many other foreignbasedpersonsarejumpingto Guyanabecausetheyseethe opportunitythatawaitshere.

Withthatsaid,I’vetaken acloserlookatthecoachand throughthepressrelease,the GFFhashighlightedtwokey pointsthathavestoodoutto me. One, they reference his past training of top-flight playersandhispossessionof a UEFA“A” license. To the laymen,thesewouldseemto besignificantattributes.The issueis,whenyoufollowthe sport as closely as I do, you knowthattheplayersnamed were likely very young youthplayers,whothecoach was exposed to, far before they reached the academy developmentstagesandlong before their current level of athleticprowess.I’mwilling togooutonalimbthatvery few of the named “stars” would actually identify Mr

Khanasakeycontributorto theirdevelopment.

In light of Mr. Khan’s UEFA licensure, I applaud his commitment to selfdevelopment within the sport and his desire to develop players through coaching. While wins and losses do not tell the whole story,sincetheGFFtooktime to highlight his current employ, I have taken the liberty to further explore his experience and the team he presently leads Mr Khan presently coaches is RKSV Spartaan of the Netherlands Footbal hierarchy That club playsintheamateurranks,in the6thor7thtier/division At present, they sit around 10th place, out of 14 teams Is this really the best that the GFF, Mr WayneFordeandMr Paul Beresford (Director of GFF Women’s Programmes) coulddoforourwomenand the country? I want to be clear, my goal is not to disparage Mr Khan and I wishhimthebestashetakes the helm. My concern is geared to Mr Forde and membersoftheGFFfortheir clear lack of commitment to or women’s teams and their unwillingness to see the

grand opportunity that Guyana Football has at this moment.

The GFF brings in a coach that, while a born Guyanese, left at the tender ageoffour Hehasnoknown ties to the country and has not touched down on Guyana soil in 45 years. While he may now want to get in touch with his roots, who can assure us, or our players, that he will truly be vested in their interest, the country’s interest. The GFF is clearly attempting to pull the wool over our eyes by asserting that due to Mr Khan’s education, “ p r o f e s s i o n a l ” accomplishments, heritage, national origin, etc, that he is thebestfitforthisprogramme Toaddinsulttoinjury,theGFF states that the coach, “will be arriving in Guyana soon”

There is no indication that he and his family will be relocating and that he will be made available to train and developourteams It appears that he will only be “visiting” on a temporary basis around tournament time,whichIremindyou,is intwoweeks.

This brings up another

key issue I have with the GFFscurrentoperations.We aretwoweeksawayfroman international tournament Presently, there has been no mentionofarosterofplayers that will be participating. Generally, there is a preliminary roster due to CONCACAF about 60 days priortoacompetition,witha more definite roster due about 30 days prior If the GFFisorganizedandateam is preparedtocompete,why has there been no announcement so that we can throw our full support behindourteam.

We recently had the Women’s World Cup and observedhowwellteamslike Jamaica,ArgentinaBraziland othershavedone,becausetheir football organizations have begun to recognize the importance of greater support to the programmes It is time that the leadership in the Guyana Football Federation recognize its role, the opportunity before us and the commitment it must now enhance to ensure that our youth teams reach their full potential.

OtisJames

The victorious Warriors Cricket Club team strikes a pose after the game.

Police team in Region 6 assists less fortunate

Senior and junior police officers assisting less fortunate persons in Berbice.

BySamuelWhyte

The police continue to show that they are not only about arrest andprosecution,butinvolvedinall other aspects of people’s lives, as theycontinueintheirquesttogeta better relationship between the policeandthecommunity

A Police team in Region 6 led by former Berbice all-round

cricketer,Assistant Superintendent MichaelNewland,InspectorRandy Hamilton and first division cricketer and Coach Sergeant PhilbertWilburghrecentlyassisted a number of needy persons in the area.

Newland, the Officer in charge of Sub division No 2, Central Corentyne, along with his team

assisted two needy persons in the Corentynearea.

KemikaGeorge,an18-year-old unemployed Single- mother of a two-month-old baby of Kildonan, Corentyne Berbice and Parbattie Baboonarine, a 76-year-old Pensioner of Williamsburg, Corentyne were the recipients of hampers and other house hold

Bangladesh upset India despite Gill ton

C O L O M B O , (Reuters)-ShubmanGill’s magnificent 121 could not prevent India’s narrow sixrunlosstoBangladeshinan inconsequential Asia Cup match at the R Premadasa Stadiumyesterday

Putintobat,Bangladesh overcame a top order wobble to post a competitive 265-8 with skipper Shakib Al Hasan topscoring for his side with abreezy80.

Gill smashed his fifth ODI hundred and Axar Patel made 42 down the order but India, who have already qualified for the final, were all out for 259 withonedeliverytogo.

With nothing really at

stake, India decided to test their bench strength and rested several frontline players including batting stalwart Virat Kohli, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah andspinnerKuldeepYadav

After Rohit Sharma electedtofield,Bangladesh slumped to 59-4 before Shakib and Towhid Hridoy (54)steadiedtheship.

NasumAhmed(44)and Mahedi Hasan, who made 29 not out, contributed useful runs down the order to take them past the 250mark.

When they returned to defend the total, Tanzim Hasan Shakib claimed two wickets in his first two overs in international

cricket to put India immediately under pressure.

While wickets kept tumbling at one end, Gill stood tall amid ruins to keep India in the hunt Mahedi Hasan ended Gill’s 133-ball knock but Axar kept India on course until his dismissalinthepenultimate over D e f e n d i n g champions Sri Lanka a w a i t I n d i a i n Sunday’s final at the samevenue.

Scores:Bangladesh265 for8(Shakib80,Hridoy54, Thakur3-65)beatIndia259 all out (Gill 121, Axar 42, Mustafizur 3-50) by six runs.

goodies. Also assisting the senior ranks were Woman Police Constable Waithe-Adrian, Woman Constable Ayling-Fraser, and WomanConstableBaker Assistant Superintendent Newland told the recipientsthatthehampersarepart ofthecommittedeffortsoftheGPF to give back to the communities duringatimeofneed.Accordingto

Newland, he being a cricketer has always been a team player so he knows about cooperating and helping. He and his team will continuetoseekwaysandmeansto assistinthefuture.

The recipients thanked the Policeteamforthetimelydonation and wished them well in whatever theyhavetodo.

Team Alanis Cycle Club to host 50-mile road race tomorrow

Witness the exhilarating action as Team Alanis Cycle Club host its 50-mile road race.

Cycling action returns this Sunday, September 17, as Team Alanis Cycle Club gearsuptohostanexhilarating50-mileroad race that promises excitement, competition, andadashofpicturesquescenery Theevent issettokickoffat7:30AMfromVlissingen Road, just in front of the Guyana Defence Force(G.D.F)baseAyangana.

The race will begin its journey in the northern direction, heading towards Kitty (roundabout), where participants will encounter the bustling city streets before making a strategic eastward turn towards Mahaica (new road/ old road) East Coast Demerara,thenreturntotheoppositesideof thestarting-pointforfinish.

Team Alanis Cycle Club embraces

inclusivity, offering categories for riders of all ages and preferences. Masters Over-50, females, juveniles, and mountain bike enthusiasts(ONLY)willfindachallengethat suits their style. The route for Masters Over50, females, juveniles, and mountain bikeridersincludesaturnaroundatBelfield, East Coast Demerara, adding an exciting twisttotheirraceexperience.

Tobeapartofthisthrillingcyclingevent, all you need is a passion for pedaling and a registration fee of just $1,500 Guyanese dollars. Meanwhile, prizes will be awarded to the top six finishers in the Open category, alongwiththetopthreefinishersinthejunior, juvenile,mastersover50years,andmountain bikecategories.

Asst Supt Michael Newland and Insp. Randy Hamilton among others, assisting the less fortunate.

Entries close September 19th for the Cricket Carnival President Cup Horserace Meet

Easy Time, Aldo, El Tarzan among the feature entrants

Entries for the p r e s t i g i o u s Cricket Carnival President’s Cup (CCPC) Horserace Meet carded for Saturday 23rd September, 2023 at the Rising Sun Turf Club, Berbice, officially close on Tuesday 19th September,2023.

Ownersandtrainerswho had wished to enter their horses even before the September 13th start date of r e g i s t r a t i o n w e r e accommodated however; no lateentrieswillbeaccepted.

Asthestablesironoutthe necessarypaperworktohave their horses entered, the focus is to prepare their chargestooptimumlevelfor topclassperformancesanda share of the attractive prize packages on offer and also braggingrights.

As was the case with the recently held Guyana Cup, the Cricket Carnival

President Cup Meet promisestobesizzling.

One young favourite, Easy Time, earned top rankingwithamind-blowing performance at the Guyana Cupon13thAugust,2023at RisingSunTurfClub. Easy Time he was able to capture an ‘Easy’ win in record ‘Time’ for his first start in Guyana.

T h i s c h a m p i o n thoroughbred arrived less than two weeks prior to the race and has since been trainingtomaintainthehigh standardsset.

Preparations are in progress for his next major race, the prestigious Cricket Carnival President’s Cup (CCPC) carded for next Saturday, 23rd September, 2023 at the Rising Sun Turf Club, Berbice, which is on the verge of the grand CPL Cricket Finals. This much anticipated race is hailed as

the rematch of Guyana with all the top racing stables set to compete for over $15,000,000 in cash and prizes.

Alado had a blockbuster year in 2022 and recorded a double win for the Guyana CupandtheCricketCarnival PresidentsCup.Nowin2023 heisthedefendingchampion for the CCPC and has to show his consistency to overcomesomeoftheheavy hitters expected to present forthemegarace.

The bigger threat that is looming is Brazil-bred El Tarzan owned by Slingerz Racing Stable who finished second to Easy Time after givingthefieldaheadstartto showhisstrengthandability tograbtherunner-upspot.

Trinidadian-based rider, Nobel Abrego, who won over 1500 career races, has confirmed he will be in Guyana tomorrow, Sunday

Britton, Edghill 2023 ITTF Pan American C/ship campaign ends in round of 16

Guyana’s male and female tennis star Chelsea

Edghill and Shemar Britton participation at the 2023 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Pan American Championships heldinCubacametoasubtle end, following hard fought defeatsintheearlystagesof thecompetition.

The dynamic duo was featured in both the singles and mixed doubles events, where they faced tough competition from some of thefinesttabletennistalents inthePanAmregion.While their journey ended in the Women’s round of 64 and Men’s round of 32 stages, it was far from a lackluster performance.

Joining forces in the mixed doubles event, EdghillandBrittongotoffto apromisingstart,securinga 3-1 victory over Guatemala in the round of 32.This win propelled them to the round of 16, where they faced formidable opponents Despiteavalianteffort,they cameupshort,losing0-3.

While in the women’s singles event, Edghill engaged in an epic battle during the round of 64. The

matchunfoldedinathrilling seven-setter, with Edghill narrowly falling short, losing 3-4. Her resilience and fighting spirit were on full display, leaving fans inspiredbyherperformance.

Britton on the other hand, had a similar experience in the men’s singlesevent.Inhisroundof 32 match, he found himself locked in a seven-set

showdown However, Britton demonstrated exceptional composure and skill,securingvictorywitha final score of 4-3. Despite

his outstanding efforts, he faced a tough challenge in theformofAmericanJishan Liang and ultimately lost 04.

Though, Edghill and Britton may not have clinched the championship title, their participation and determination served as a sourceofprideforGuyana’s tenniscommunity Next stop on their journeyisthePanAmerican Gameswhichisscheduledto commenceonOctober20to November 5 in Santiago, Chile.

17thSeptembertoassistwith El Tarzan’s preparation along with trainer John O’Brien.Abregodeclaredhe is confident if El Tarzan breaks evenly with Easy Time the race result will be muchdifferent.

Abrego related, “El Tarzan went up at the start whenthegatesflew,andlost a lot of ground. Next time when meet up, it will not be an ‘Easy Time.’ El Tarzan

will be flying, so let them know the time will not be easy.”

Easy Time’s trainer, Nasrudeen ‘Junior’ Mohamed stated, “After Easy Time’s big win for Guyana Cup I was positive that with the right training andcarewewereontheroad toanotherChampionsimilar toAlado.

I assessed him based on past performance and now I

am able to work on his weaknesses and enhance his strengths.

El Tarzan will not only need a good start, but will probably need to improve wayfurthertocomecloseto EasyTime.”

Ahumdingerofanevent, especially the main event is promised and fans will not wanttomissoutonthefever pitch attractions that will be onoffer

Shemar Britton and Chelsea Edghill share a brief moment.

Aldo with Colin Ross onboard powers home to win a recent event. (Jumbo Jet Events)

Litton Das breaks the stumps to run Mohammed Shami out and complete Bangladesh’s win. (Getty

Jordana Ramsay-Gonsalves Event Organiser (right) collects the sponsorship fromAshley Layne - Representative fromAssuria Insurance.