Kaieteur News

Islanders win court case to revoke license for Australian company US$3.6B gas project

TheMunupiClanof Tiwi Islands, located on the northern territory of Australia, are celebrating a huge victory after a federal court ruled in their favour to revoke the license for a US$3.6billiongasproject.

The Australia Federal CourtonWednesdayruledin favour of the indigenous group who challenged the drilling permit that was granted by the industry regulator, National Offshore Petroleum and Safety Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) to Santos Ltd's (STO.AX) for the US$3.6 billion Barossa gasdevelopmentproject.

The approval for the project was granted in February 2022, and Santos was on track to start producinggasby2025forits

Darwin liquified natural gas (LNG) plant. The Barossa project and Tiwi Islands are located in the Timor Sea, which is north of Darwin, a cityAsinAustralia.such,in June, the traditionallandownersofthe Tiwi Islands led by Dennis Tipakalippa, an Elder, approachedthecourtseeking to overturn the drilling approval for the Barossa project.Lawyers for Tipakalippa told the court that the gas company had not consulted with the Munupi clan and gave the Tiwi Land Council (TLC) insufficient information about the project.Theyalsotoldthecourtof their concerns about the project's possible impacts on cultural and spiritual values as well as food sources and

themarineenvironment.

COURTRULING

On Wednesday, Judge Mordecai Bromberg said in his ruling that Tipakalippa has established that NOPSEMA failed, in accordance with the Regulations, to assess whether the drilling environment plan (Drilling EP)demonstratedthatSantos

consulted with each person that it was required by the Regulations to consult with asbyAslawsuch the judge said that the acceptance and permission given by NOPSEMA was legally invalid therefore the regulator decision to accept the Drilling EP must be set aside.

AHUGEVICTORY

According toABC News (Australia) the Environment Defenders Office Special CounselAlinaLeikinsaidthe rulingwasa“hugevictoryfor the Munupi Clan and a testament to their strength and dedication in the face of one of the biggest mining companiesinthecountry.”

Leikin also said, “It will have national and global implications for consultation withFirstNationspeopleson miningprojects.”

She stated too that,

“Today's decision puts oil and gas companies on notice” and adding “It sets a new standard about the consultation that companies are required to conduct with First Nations peoples before drillinginthesea.”

SANTOSTheBarossa project is Santos biggest project and the company has since indicated their intention to appeal the federal court's decision.Ina statement, the company said the decision was disappointing and

damaging for investor confidenceinAustralia.

“As a result of the decision, the drilling activities will be suspended pending a favorable appeal outcomeortheapprovalofa freshEnvironmentPlan,”the statementread.

It was also stated that “Given the significance of this decision to us, our international joint venture partners and customers, and the industry more broadly, we consider that it should be reviewedbytheFullFederal Courtonappeal.”

Rice farmer found chopped to death

Police are currently investigating the alleged murder of a prominent rice farmer of Wash Clothes Mahaicony Creek, Region Five after they found his body on Wednesday floating in trench with multiple chop wounds.Therice farmer, Richard Persaud,42,afathertwo,had left his home on Tuesday around 17:30hrs He reportedly went to take a drink 'on a dam' with some acquaintancesandreturnbut heneverdid.

It is suspected that Persaud might have gotten intoanaltercationduringthe drinking session and was

brutally murdered. On Wednesdayhisremainswere found lying in a trench duringthemorninghours.So farpolicehavearrestedthree persons to assist with the investigation.Speakingwith Kaieteur News, Persaud's wife, Dhanmattie Ranamug, said hewasthesolebreadwinner of the family taking care of their two children-one them age 18 with special needs, and a 10-year-old boy She described her husband as loving, funny and dedicated o t h e i r f a i Investigationsareongoing.

...told court they were not properly consulted, project posed a risk to sacred sites

Members of the Munupi Clan ...3 in custody

RichardMurdered,Persaud

The Barossa gas field in the Timor Sea.

EPA's poor response to oil spill exposes Guyana’s unpreparedness -FormerExecutiveDirector

Almost two weeks after American o i l m a j o r , ExxonMobil reported a 'one barrel' spill at the Liza Two operation in the Stabroek Block, the Environmental ProtectionAgency(EPA)has notcomeouttotellthenation whether its investigation has confirmedtheminorspillage asreportedbythecompany

To this end, the former EPA head, Dr Vincent Adams says this occurrence shows how grossly underprepared Guyana is for petroleumproductionevenas it embarks on an ambitious campaign to speed up these operations.Inaninvited comment, Dr Adams, a Petroleum Engineer explained that the agency's failure to make a pronouncement on the spill days later paints a gloomy pictureofwhatthenationcan expect should a spill of greater scale occur Nonetheless,hesaid,“It'snot about the size of a spill it's justtheculture.

It reflects on the conduct of operations and the safety culture,andifyoumissonthe small things that's how you

get all of these major spills andAlldisasters.ofthem that we've had in the world they occurred because of missing justsimplethings.”

When he was asked if he b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e investigations should have been completed by now, Dr Adams responded in the affirmative.Infact, he argued, “The very next day or as soon as possible you have to send a teamoutthere.

It'sofhighurgencyandto me,ifitiswhattheysayitis, itshouldn'tbecomplicatedso that shouldn't be taking any time…all it takes is a single day's visit on the FPSO.You conductyourinterviewswith all the employees and you make your assessment Based on what they tell you then you come up and confirm whether it's one barrelorwhetherit's100.”

The former EPA head believes that Guyana is in fact telling Exxon that it is not serious about oil spills and being accountable to the people by failing to provide its own report. As such, he signaled,“Ifwegetaspillit's

goingtobeadisasterbecause wearenotpreparedtohandle onetobe Earlierhonest.”thisyear,theEPA saiditacquiredequipmentto conduct remote monitoring

of Exxon's operation howeverDr Adamsbelieves that this type of oversight is not what is required Accordingtohim,“Youdon't need satellite monitoring or something from the skies to tell you there is a spill in the ocean.You need to be down there on the (Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel) FPSO and prevent it and that monitoringisnotgoingtosee the operations in the control roomitselfwhereasyouneed tohavetheeyesofthepeople theretomonitorthat.

Aspillisafterthefact.It's nice to see the oil spill but when it does happen it's too late so what purpose is that serving?Seeing it is not going to help you so it doesn't add a wholelotofvalue.”

He was keen to note that even though the EPA has beenusingthattechnology,it is yet to determine the

amount of crude that was spilledrecently

He said, “We are depending on them and we cannotdisputewhateverthey are saying. They reported its one barrel, maybe it is, maybeitit'snotbutwehave nowaytoconfirmit,whereas if you're on the ship you know exactly what happened.”Inaddition to having a 24/7presenceontheFPSOs, the former EPA boss also highlighted the importance of having specialists to represent Guyana, since someone that lacks expertise can be baffled and intimidated by the informationprovided.

He pointed out that the control room allows for a 'read out' on how the operationsareongoing.

“Youhavethepressurein every valve, you get the production, you see how it's going, you get the temperatures and production everythingrightthereandall of the data that we get, that's whereitcomesfrom.”

Dr Adams went on to explain,“Ifyoudonothavea safety background to

understandtheseriousnessof it and let me just say it's not aboutwhetherit'sonebarrel, it's not about the smallest amount…it's just as serious as spilling any number of barrel because it tells you more than anything else as a precursor, it gives an indication of how they are operating.Theyare not following procedures, something went wrong there and it's possible that they are under reporting theamounttous.Soitshould be taken seriously as serious asifits1000barrelsspillora millionbarrels.”

On September 10, ExxonMobil reported that the team on the Liza Unity FPSO observed a sheen on thewaterinthevicinityofthe vessel on September 9, last.

According to the oil c o m p a n y , i n i t i a l investigations indicate that aboutonebarrelofcrudewas r e l e a s e d d u r i n g a maintenance activity on the vessel. Further, the activity was immediately halted and theleakwascutoff.

OnSaturday,Exxonsaid, “additional surveillance by helicopter confirmed that

therewasnosheeninthearea and only a light sheen was perceptibleapproximately20 km(13miles)NorthWestof the vessel. By midday on September 10, a support vessel in the area confirmed no further sign of a sheen.” ExxonMobil said there were nopicturesofthespill,while theExecutiveDirectorofthe EPA, Mr Kemraj Parsram could only say that an investigation was being carried

Theout.Liza Unity FPSO started up production in Februaryofthisyear Itisthe country's second FPSO to become operational producing about 220,000 barrelsofoilperday

Consumer body calls on PUC to slash GWI reconnection fee to $100

ByRehannaRamsay

Consultant, Dr Yog Mahadeo has asked the Public Utilities Commission toassisttheGuyanesepublic by reducing the $7,500 reconnection fee set by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI)tojust$1oo.

Dr Mahadeo, in an impassioned presentation to thePUConMonday,pointed to several reasons why the requestforareductionshould be supported. Among them, the consultant pointed to the factthatGuyanesecanhardly a ff o r d t o p a y t h e reconnectionfeessetbyother utilities companies, like Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) even though the fees are much lower GPL and GTT fees set at $3000 and $1000respectively

H o w e v e r, C h i e f Executive Officer (CEO) of GWI, Shaik Baksh, said that thefeesarenecessarytohelp GWI pay off its debt and continue providing the service He claimed the public must take into consideration several reliefs

offered by the Government even as steps were taken by the administration to keep GWIafloat. Theexplanation cameonlyafterDr Mahadeo presented the list of reasons to support his call for a reductiontotheCommission responsible for reviewing andregulatingchargesofthe utilitycompanies.“Welivein a time when a Government justifies giving a home $25,000asacashrelief.Buta government owned monopoly service can gouge those same people through high tariffs, and through punitive reconnection rates,” he said referencing GWI's fees.Dr Mahadeo underlined, among other things, the hardship that ordinary citizenshadtoendureduring theCOVID-19pandemic.He posited that “ …More than 60%ofpersonscannotafford to give away their food money to GWI The telephone companies' use a s u p e r c h a r g e f o r r e c o n n e c t i o n o f approximately one thousand dollars – which consumers are, concerned with...GPL triplesthatamount…Butthe GWI charges a whopping $7,500 to regular consumers

plusawaitingtimepenaltyof 48hoursforthoseconsumers who dare to be disconnected because they had to choose bread over water or health medicinesoverwater…”

According to Dr Mahadeo, the management of GWI is basically putting consumersinsituationwhere they can be deprived of a basichumanright.

“Almost US $40 dollars is the reconnection fee for water in a country where we work for 300 us dollars a month. 13% of a person's salary!Aweek'swageforthe unskilled.”Inadditionto“the costly reconnection fee,” Dr

Mahadeo noted that GWI providesaservicethatleaves much to be desired He stressedthatconsumershave topayforpoorandinefficient service and undrinkable water We cannot even wash our clothes with the water since the iron content destroysitall.Butwehaveto pay."TheGCAConsultantsaid thattheGWI'sserviceiseven more worrying when one takes into consideration the massive amount of monies thatisbeingspentannuallyto improve the service. “One look at the National Tender Board website will show the

continued massive advance procurement practice of the company that continues to buy for years in advance. They buy huge amounts of inventoriesinadvance...”

As such, Mahadeo believes that it would be fair that consumers are made to pay a nominal reconnection fee. However, in response to the points raised by the Consultant,Bakshandateam fromGWInotedthatthefees are a necessary part of the company'seffortstogenerate revenue.Forhis part, Mr Baskh said that Mahadeo's $100 proposalis“ridiculous,inthe

context of what of is taking place globally and what is happening at GWI ” He notedtoothatMahadeowent off on a tangent, instead of addressing the issue at hand. According to Baksh, GWI's rate is justified. The CEO explained before the new management took over GWI was in debt and needed to find ways to prevent the company from becoming inoperable.“Wehad to find new measures and have been working to implement them inthemosthumaneway We have a system that offers consumers a number of reliefs Under new management at GWI and with a new Government in place, we were able to subsidise payment for pensioners and reduce the watertariff,”Bakshsaid.The CEOnotedtoothatthewater companydoesnotdisconnect water without careful consideration.“Itisdoneina humane way, consumers get up five months to pay any balanceowedtoGWIbefore the service is disconnected. Wehavebeenworkingtotry andfixthesystem,”theGWI official added in plea for the chargestoremaininforce.

Former EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams

Guyana Consumers Association (GCA)

GCA Consultant, Dr. Yog Mahadeo

CEO of GWI, Shaik Baksh PUCDelaChairperson,Briton

Kaieteur

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

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:SHARMAINGRAINGER

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

EDITORIAL

Who is lying?

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo must be living a haunted existence.HisownwordsandtheactionsofhisGovernment arecomingbacktohaunthimfrighteningly

Inarecentradiointerview,Mr Jagdeowasinsistentthat anythoughtandanytalkaboutprivateinvestorsbeingapart of the Wales gas-to-energy (GTE) project was some new “rumor” and outright “lies”, nothing but figments of the imagination.Itsohappens

thattheGovernmentofGuyana(GoG)hada publicadvertisementinJuly2021thatcalledforExpressions of Interest (EOI), and it is what is in there that turns Mr Jagdeo'sargumentsontheirheads.

Though Mr Jagdeo may seek to hide behind words and construct hedges to screen his real objectives, they still possess revealing truths all by themselves. Still, as we look closely at that July 2021 advertisement for the Wales GTE project,weaskourfellowcitizenstobethejudgeonwhohas it right, who is telling the truth (or lying) about private investors, and their likely presence in this hotly disputed US$2B project.The July 2021 advertisement specifically states that the “Government of Guyana (GoG) invites EoIs frominterestedpartiesfor….”and“applicantorconsortium” and“parties”,amongsimilarsuchidentifiers. Ofspecialnote are two extracts from the same July 2021 advertisement for EoIs for the GTE project. First, “EOI may include each element individually but can respond to all elements.” The secondextractreads,“Proposals will be especially welcome for small scale ammonia/urea, protein synthesis, cement, glass manufacture, ceramics and other industries….” relativeto“value-added”areas

TheVicePresidentmaydelightincunninglytwistingall this to his advantage. But what is undeniable is that “interestedparties”and“parties”donotexcludeanyone,any individual operating in his own capacity or under the umbrella of a “consortium”. There is open invitation and room for such private investors (“parties”) to participate in the Wales GTE project. Because Guyanese should be extremely familiar by now with how the Vice President has conductedtheimportantbusinessofGuyana,especiallywhen bigprojectsareinvolved,theyshouldrecognisewhatisgoing onhere. ThewidenetthattheJuly2021advertisementcasts couldattractanyandallparties,andthishasalltheprintsofa classicBharratJagdeooperation. Itcertainlyopensthedoor for private investors to be considered to be part of the GTE project,andtherecanbenoarguingwiththat.

Drilling down deeper, our first extract from the advertisementclearlyindicatesthatanEOIcouldbeforany single element of the GTE project. In other words, this massiveprojectcouldbeseparatedintoparts(elements)and shared out to private investors, who meet the requirements, whether they do so singly or in the disguise of a group with othersofsomerecord. Weassertthatthisgivesamplespace for single element EOIstobeconsideredandawardedinthis manner, meaning that private investors come out as winners Guyanese have seen, as presented by this paper, how our tenderingandawardsystemleavemuchdoubtastotheintegrity of the work done, especially with some contractors who win bidsinthemostmysteriouscircumstances. Wepointtothose asprecedentsinthebiggerstakesoftheWalesGTEproject.

Further,wepointtotheextractreflectingthat“Proposals will be especially welcome for small scale” involvement in downstream areas of the project. The key words are “small scale”,andtheyareloaded,forwhenevertheVicePresidentis near such cleverness, then all bets are off, no matter how innocentmattersappear. Smallscalecouldbetheconvenient tentunderwhichlotsofmagicisworked.

All in all, we wouldn't have grounds to present these positions, if Bharat Jagdeo had conducted himself at the highest level, and incurred the highest regard, with other multimillion dollar projects that have failed to pass basic smelltests. Wearesorrytosayso,buthehasn't. Thisiswhat is reoccurring with this biggest project to date in Guyana's terrible history with capital projects. The July 2021 advertisements lays the table, and the truths about who is reallylyingwillsoonsurface.

DearEditor, Editor, the headline 'Guysuco in search of cane Farmers' (K. News August 30th, 2022), can be mis understood, by many people, not familiar with the way Guysuco and Ministry of Agriculture operates and behave toward cane farmers and sugar workers, especially from Wales Estate. Editor, as a reminder to these 'so-call smart', directors, managers from Guysuco and the bureaucrats from the MinistryofAgriculture,thatsugardoes not produce in Boardroom, but from fieldandfactory

YouknowDr CheddiB.Jagan,will normally tell us, that 'Production and Democracy'aredialecticallyconnected.

That Workers and Farmers Participation in Management will help to boost better workers managers relation, increase production, productivityandprofitforall.

If Guysuco and Ministry of Agriculture really want to make Guysuco profitably and to get people into cane farming, they can and should do the following: 1. Re-introduce the joint 'Workers, Farmers & Managers' Management Council and Cane Farmers Liaison Committee in each Sugar2.Estate.These bureaucrats from the Ministry of Agriculture and Guysuco should review and study the concepts and principles of the 1956-Bookers Sugar Estate, and 'BelleVue Pilot SchemeSugarCaneFarmingScheme.’

Make more workers into cane farmers, and owners of the means of production.3Seek

GAWU and NCFC assistancetoworkalongwithGuysuco, Ministry of Agriculture and the MinistryofLabourtomeetandconsult with these retrenched sugar workers from the West Coast and West Bank

Demerara Estate. Also meet with the interested peasant farmers and their family from these productive eight Cane farmers' Marketing Cooperative, that want land to continue with cane farming on the West Coast Demerara Estateland.4.

The minister ofAgriculture and his bureaucrats, along with the Minister of Labourshouldandmustgototheother Guysuco Estate area and meet with the sugar workers, especially retrenched sugarworkersandlandlessfarmersthat wanttogointoprivatecanefarmingand organise them into group. Give them someofGuysucosugarcaneland,10to 15acreseachtodothecanefarmingand sell the cane to Guysuco Sugar factory intheEditorarea., these field sugar workers and peasant farmers and their family have many, many years of experience and knowledge about sugar cane farming,Theseetc…workers and farmers can be contacted very easily and quickly, because Guysuco have the personal information and pay list number for each of these sugar workers. GAWU, will also have some of these Workers information,names,etc…,basedonthe unionduescontributionstoGAWUand theotherSugarworkersunion.

T h e M i n i s t r y o f Labour/Cooperative Department should and must have membership records for the eight Cane Farmers' marketing Cooperative society from Wales,between1956-2016.

Editor, it will be easy to get the interested, retrenched sugar workers (especially field workers) from the Wales, Leonora and Uitvlugt Estate to go into cane farming and other crop farming.Organisetheseworkers/farmersinto 50-60 farmers group and give/lease

them 10 to 15 acres of land each. Give andassistthemwithmaterial,financial and machinery assistance for at least one year, to plant and grow sugar cane andsellsametoGuysucosugarfactory

Editor, for your readers benefit, in 1956 Bookers Sugar Company formed the 'Belle Vue Sugar Cane Farmers' PilotProjectwith57sugarworkersand theirThesefamilyworkers were chosen mainly fromtheEastandWestDemeraraSugar Estate in Guyana. Each farmer was givenanindividualleasetenantcontract for 15 acres of land to develop, grow sugar cane and sell their cane to Wales Sugar

Also,factorythey were each given/rented one,twobedroomconcretehouse,close to the area of the cane farming cultivation.Afteronetotwoyears,two ofthemembersandtheirfamilyquitthis pilotSchemeandmigrated.

Each of these 55 farmers, with the help of their immediate family, were producingbetween45to50tonsugaron their 15 acres of land and were paid based on the sugar their produced. 1n 1967, President L. S. F Burnham led PNC Government transformed and renamedthisSugarCaneFarmers'Pilot Project to the 'BelleVue Cane farmers' Marketing Cooperative Society ( BVCFMCS), Reg # 967 ' The individual land lease contract were cancelledandtheGovernmentgavethe farmers a new 20 years collective land lease contract in the name of the BVCFMCS-Reg# 967, with option to renewattheendoftheleaseterm.With the same 55 members, each member own one membership, one equal share &interestand15acresofland.

The BVCFMCS-Reg# 967 most of the time, produce better cane, sucrose content(tc\ts) andsugarcaneyieldper (Continuedonpage5)

DearEditor, Finance Minister Ashni Singh's letter is quite misleading and a poor attempt to drag the Institute of CharteredAccountants of Guyana (ICAG) and the recent offer for me to be a memberofGuyanaRevenue Authority (VAT)Tribunal as the frontal issues Nowhere in my letter did I mention these two institutions.Ifocused on the burgeoning racist polices of the PPP administration Singh has my permission to disclosewhatheperceivesas the nature and facts of the 'dispute'andstatethefactsas he knows them, instead of cherry picking and launching ad hominem attacksonme.

My letter published in

'Stabroek News', dated March 2, 2021, and c a p t i o n e d ' T h e Administration must govern openlytoreduceinequalities within and between groups ofGuyanese.'Theletter obviously predates by over 18 months, my recent letters The March 2, 2021 letter substantially highlights the very same statements published in my letter on September 17-18, 2022, in 'Guyana News Network', 'VillageVoice' and 'Kaieteur News',captioned: 'Accelerated Racist Policies (ARP) against

peddledbyHinds

- High on rhetoric and devoidoffacts.

- Opportunisticnatureof Racistrhetoric.

- Pure self-interest and ownnarrowcauses.

- Designated appointee towhicheverposthecovets.

- Recipient of which ever reward or recognition hecraves.Recently adopted

EthnicAdvocacy-Diversityisonlyserved , in his mind, when he is the designated appointee to whateverposthecraves

These phrases have no leg to stand on and are unwarranted, disrespectful, gaslighting and beneath S i n g h ' s i n t e l l e c t

PPP sent their most accomplished Minister to respond to my letters on

racisminGuyana,ICAGisa part of that racism, you can see it also in the banks and othercorporations.

Singh states that my accusingthePPPofracismis devoidoffacts,therealityis that if you are being drenched by rain, you don't have to show facts that the rainisfalling!

Privacy was thrown under the Truck by Minister Ashni

ImagineSingh.if I snitched out all the private discussions I'vehadwithmembersofthe twomajorparties!

This would be heresy to me.Also, Singh left out that one of the conditions for me toacceptanyoffer,wasthatI have the option to reject or acceptbeingappointedto

Wales cane farmers & their families want cash grant, material and other assistance now!

MinisterAshni Singh provides a disingenuous, hollow, and cherry picking defence of burgeoning racist policies by the PPP

Pomp and pageantry at its best

DEAREDITOR,

There was the sound of muffled drums, in perfect cadence with the slow rhythmic dirge of mournful horns.Ican see in my mind’s eye,thesynchronisedmarch of the procession, hear the occasional stentorian commands barked out into the solemn hush in the approaching autumn air

Amidst the profound hush, therecomesaweatthepomp andhighpageantrythatonly the British can put on for a moment like this. It helps that they can afford the lush tapestry of honouring their dead in such grand and glorious fashion, without appearing to overdo anything by the merest smidgen.Ithinkitcomesfromthe

grooming of centuries, as buttressed by the bullion of C e n t r a l A m e r i c a , compliments of Francis Drake and others of that hallowed pantheon so reveredbytheBritish.

There comes recent learning of that fabulous estimateofsome$45trillion cartedofffromIndia,andthe oceans of treasure that once belonged to Africa, but of

Wales cane farmers & their...

Frompage4 Cooperative society, that supplying cane to Wales Sugarfactorybetween19562016. BVCFMCS was the best functioning Marketing Cooperative and the wealthiest, until 2010, when unjust political interference, skullduggery, fraudulent sale, illegal membership termination, etc , were allowed to take place and continue until now Wales Estate Factory closed in 2016.Ca

n Guysuco, the Ministry of Labour ( r e s p o n s i b l e f o r Cooperative) Ministry of Agriculture bureaucrats enlighten us and the public what assistance they have offered?A.Specify, briefly, what type of assistance you have offered and given to the 8 Peasant Cane farmers’ Marketing Cooperative Society,andthehundredsof peasant cane farmers that weresupplyingsugarcaneto WalesEstate,between19562016?These peasant cane farmers and their eight Marketing Cooperative Society sugar cane, c o n t r i b u t e d t o approximately 50% of the Sugar produced at Wales Estate Sugar Factory For t h e s e b u r e a u c r a t s information, these are the following Cane Farmers marketing Cooperative Society that were supplying sugar cane to Wales Estate, beforethefactoryclosed. 1. Free & Easy Cane farmers’ Marketing Cooperative. 2. Sisters Cane Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative Society 3 Good In Tent

Cane Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative Society 4 Belle Vue Cane Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative Society 5 Stanlytown LaRetraite Cane Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative Sociaty 6. Canal # 2 Polder Cane Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative Society 7 Nismes La Grange Cane Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative Society 8 Canal # 1 Polder Cane farmers’ Marketing CooperativeSociety

B Explain, why the Peasant Cane farmers were never offered or give part of the EU-Grant, to help ease the economic hardship from the phase in 36% EU-sugar price cut? Why only GuysucoweregivenBillions of Guyana dollars from this grant?C.

Can the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Agriculture, NCFC representatives and the Ministry for Social protection say, if they ever organise any farmers meeting and come to meet, listen, offered and give any direct material and financial assistance to these hundreds of peasant cane farmers and their families? If the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Labour did give these peasant cane farmers direct help, thank you.But please enlighten us and the public, when, where and how many peasant farmers and their family wereinvitedandattendthese meeting. And the assistance offered and given out to these peasant cane farmers and their families. Editor, from the late 1960s I work

along with Dr Cheddi B. Jagan,intheGAWU,GCFA, PPP and PYO to make representation for social justice, Workers & Farmers Rights, union recognition, Profit Sharing Scheme, etc , and I always supported Dr Cheddi B. Jagan vision, calling for Workers Participation in Management Also Dr Cheddie B. Jagan idea and vision was to annually, use portion(%)ofGuysucoland and turn it into farmers’ project, to turn sugar workers, into cane farmers and owners of the means of Production.Editor,I

amproudtobea resident that have live and work in this first and only Sugar Cane Pilot Scheme Project in Guyana, since 1956.In 1985, I became a proud member and owner My uncle, Mr Ramrup Beharry, one of the pioneer farmer, decided to retire, so he sold me his house and transferred his Rights, membership, one equal Share &Interest and land, in thisBelleVueCanefarmers’ Marketing Cooperative Society-Reg#967.

YoursRespectively, B.Balkarran

which it is considered poor form to mention in polite company and the glittering circleofthebrandysniffing, c o c k t a i l s w i l l i n g cognoscenti. Goodbyesand sendoffs for the ages are the special preserve of the British, and they have had a longlineofkingsandqueens to perfect the practice of piouspartingswithprinces.

They have honoured their dearly departed in fine

style Fitting grandeur refinedintoanartform.

Those of us left behind, those hurt by sharp recollections that pierce and never truly leave or heal, must manifest the spiritual sanctimonyandclassinessto rise to the occasion and whisper a silent prayer for a smooth journey to the other sideofthemountain.

But, of course, first the men of church and cloth

musthavetheirownmoment amidsttheswirlofbagpipes, thundering organs, and pealingchorusesinkeening, carrying,etherealresonance.

The British gift for cool, unruffled, unhurried delivery was on scintillating display, in impeccable choice of words, and immaculate articulation

There was not a syllable unclear,notastraystrand

(Continuedonpage

Minister Ashni Singh provides...

Frompage4 serve on any entity After'Itsaying,ismy considered opinion that Hinds is now opportunistically using the bully pulpit of racism to try to intimidate the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAG) to extend special treatmenttohim.

Singh seems to contradicthimselfherein,by attributing that the casus belli of my letters and dissatisfaction, was due to hisoffermadewithinthelast month, offering me a position to serve on the allimportant VAT Tribunal' I made it clear in my rejection or the offer, the following:....................DearAshni,Appreci

a t e y o u considering me for appointmentasamemberof the VAT Board of Review H o w e v e r , b e i n g C h a i r m a n o f t h e Board/Entity does not appear to be included in

the appointment; and being Chairman of the Board/ Entity is a prerequisiteformetoaccept theappointment.AlsotheVAT Board of Review is not a Board I am willing to serve on Iamavailableandwillingto serve as Chairman of other notthatandterminate!abudget,theamnature.becausewithouttofGuyana.experiencecnals/Entities,Boards/Organizations/TributhatIconsideronsistentwithmyandservicetoNigelIhavereceivedmanyferstoservebythePPP,heywereallrejectedprejudice.PrimarilyoftheirsubjugatedMyconditionswerethatItheHeadoftheagency,agencymusthaveaImusthavetheuthoritytohireandItmustbeestablishednormalisedinGuyanaAfrican-Guyanesearehewersofwoodand

drawersofwater,andonlyfit forcrumbsandscraps!

I'm absolutely not interested in 'rubber stamping or window dressing'positionsthatsends the wrong message to Guyanese,especiallyAfrican -Guyanese.Withall of my flaws, many Guyanese respect the principled positions that I havetakenoverthelastthree decades in Guyana, on political socio economic issues.Singh's 'scrambled eggs defense'againstmycriticism of the racist policies of the current PPP administration, is akin to trying to fill a basketwithwater

It seems based on his statements, that if I defend Indian-Guyanese (Multiple articles in the media making such defenses, including criticising how Singh was being treated in opposition), that's okay, but if I defend African-Guyanese,I'mbeing racist.

NigelHinds

‘Noise Change’will come-it will worsen

DEAREDITOR, ambivalence; DPP versus Forexample,onTuesday,15

ask is the role of the the generic response is ‘Weto relocate or seek My September 17, 2022 Government DPP asks M a r c h 2 0 2 2 , t h e Corporate Communications willsendthepatrol’.”Thisisalternative jobs.” This was

letter, ‘Land of the against noise, and embarrassingstoryreadthat,

Unit (CCU) of the Guyana the culture. I dare anyone torepeated just recently, and Cacophonous,’ was alluded Governmentendorsesit.Let ‘The Caribbean Court of PoliceForce(GPF).Iremind do some ad hoc tests on thisthe ‘expected’ is still to by Shamshun Mohamed menowmakesomepointsin Justice (CCJ) ruled that our readers that the two forme.ongoing,thatis‘whohetink in his September 19, 2022 this‘noise’situationthathas Guyana’s Director of Public

police PR officers (Mark Imagine,MonReposwashe talking to?’ Roadside one, ‘DPP getting serious long since enveloped the Prosecutions (DPP) could Ramotar and Stan Gouveia invadedandthese‘invaders’vending and other with noise nuisance.’ I am land, but first a word on the not unilaterally order a

as its Director and Deputy came from as far as Goldenbusinesses (wash bays, tyre glad that it elicited a DPP Magistrate to conduct Director, respectively) were Grove. In Guyana, there areshops, groceries, etc ) response, but this produced TheDPPhasbungledtoo another preliminary inquiry

hired without any Cove and John, Enmore,aboundadjacenttoourmain some ambivalence in me, as many things and too many butmustinsteadasktheHigh advertisement of the posts. V i g i l a n c e a n dthoroughfares. it was both coincidental and times. No one can repose Courttodecide.’

Justlookatourroadways ironic. confidence in the DPP For I need not go on. To Benn,backinJune2021,had stations, and yet thesebeing devoid of even a bus Mohamedsoughttooffer one, there exudes from the Shamshun Mohamed then, I toadmitthatthepositionsto ‘freedom fighters’ had theirdetour for pick ups and me some hope, saying that DPPgrossbias.WhydoIsay ask, how can I expect headtheCCUoftheGuyana way before any kind ofdrop offs? Traffic will the ‘DPP has asked the this? anything good from the PoliceForce(GPF)werenot interception from the Force.always be impeded to Police Commissioner to Late August, the DPP; ignorance and advertised before they were Pathetic!Right?accommodateallofthejustlaunch a campaign against headlinesread,‘DPPadvises incompetenceaddtobiasall filled. Editor, what is the endmentioned. This has been ‘noisenuisance,’followinga criminal charges against make for a pallid and

MinisterinCharge,Robeson Beterverwagting police

His non sequitur resultyetagain?Itisthattheentrenched from eternity signed petition by residents DionBascom.’ emasculatedfigure. explanation, when President and his ‘gravypast. o f a n E a s t C o a s t Then, just a few days Now concerning ‘edicts’ confronted, was that “… the riders’ will continue to beSo, I ask my optimistic community.’ ago, I read, ‘DPP drops bythoseinpositionsoflegal unit was established as part more concerned about bushfriend, Mohamed, from Yet on that very private criminal charge power, affluence and of the Force’s strategic cook, beach cricket,when cometh his utterance weekend,Saturday17,there against Crime Chief.’ For influence, I have not an plans.” dominoes, volleyball and athat “I can take comfort and was the ‘One Guyana those not au fait with what I inkling of expectation that

For me, the CCU and its host of ‘fun’ activitiesseek reprieve in the news Festival’ concert that amreferringto,itisaboutthe two heads are encapsulated Hence, ‘aspiring citizens’‘thingswillchange. item(that)“DPPasksPolice ‘rocked’ the National two main and opposing in one word, “pipsqueak.” must pursue their legalCommissioner to launchI go back to October Stadium. One of the dailies principals over the one and (Onthesideline:Howmuch exit…the earlier the bettercampaign against noise2021, when the Minister actually reported that the sameissue. aretheybeingpaid?”“What As a caveat, those ‘goodnuisance?”Comeon!Imeanof Public Works, Juan said, “ ‘One Guyana’ Then apart from ‘clear are their ‘lists of duties’?” citizens’ in the ProvidencethisMinisterisatthehelmofEdghill, ‘proclaimed’thatMega C c bias, there appear to be “ W h a t h a v e t h e y environs, plan for thet h e i n t e r m i n a b l eroadside vendors along

accomplished?” Guyana leg of CPLprolongation of the Cheddithe main roadways ofteenagers ” So, I think incompetence. It is like a

pensioners feting like le a ora a d

Like I stated in my first turbulence you had aJagan International Airport.Georgetown“…willhaveMohamed understands my callowswimmerinthepool. missive, “I have personally foretastelastSaturdayGetmydrift? called police stations Yourstruly,Asforthepolice,Ihavea incessantly to intervene, but DeodatSinghfew words, but first, what I

Takeastandagainst DomesticViolence

Domestic violence has become such a scourge in Guyana that a week does not pass without us reading in the press the gory details of a woman being abused at the hand of her partner.

It is a frightening reality that must be prayed against with each and everyone joining in a campaign to stamp it out. Not the meaningless sloganeering from Government Leaders, but real work in our communities to arrest our men folk- some of whom continue to treat our women less than human.

Reading the horror story of Sharon Scott ofAnn’s Grove who endured years of torment at the hands of her husband who ended his life as well as that of his son, Seon Scott, on Wednesday is more reason for us to unite against this demon called Domestic Violence.

The worryingly, even alarming statistics on domestic violence generally don’t capture the extent of physical abuse, let alone the often equally as damaging psychological aspects of it.

Experts have said that the full impact of domestic violence is insidious and goes far beyond mere physical attacks. We know too that it is a hidden cancer spreading within the community and must be excised.

Guyana seeks non-permanent seat on UN Security Council

Guyana is seeking nonpermanent membership of thepowerfulUnitedNations Security Council, President IrfaanAli announced during his address to the United General Assembly on WednesdayTheSecurity Council consistsof15countries.Five of them – China, France, Russia,theUnitedKingdom and the United States – are permanentmemberswiththe right to veto. The General Assembly, which comprises all 193 UN Member States,

elects the 10 non-permanent memberswhoservefortwoyearterms.Tosecureaplace on the Council, countries must receive a two-thirds majority, or 128 votes, even iftheyrun Candidatesuncontested.usually vie forseatsunderthreeregional groups: two forAfrican and Asia-Pacific countries, one for Latin America and the Caribbean, and two for Western Europe and other States.BackinJunethisyear five countries were elected to serve as non-permanent

membersoftheUNSecurity Council following a vote in the General Assembly Ecuador, Japan, Malta, M o z a m b i q u e a n d SwitzerlandwilljointheUN body responsible for the maintenanceofglobalpeace and security, beginning in JanuaryMeanwhile,2023. during his addressPresidentAlisaidas part of the global family, Guyana subscribes to a rules based international orderaswellastheneedfora resurgence of political will

T&T, Guyana can no longer afford superficial talks on removal of trade barriers - GCCI Head

While Guyana and her CARICOM sister, Trinidad and Tobago, may have a deepinterestinpoolingtheir resources to build a world class hydrocarbon industry, theremovaloftradebarriers is a fundamental, age-old matter that has to be put to

rest.This is essentially the perspective of President of theGeorgetownChamberof Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Timothy Tucker

During his appearance on KaieteurRadio'sprogramme last week, Tucker said both nations stand to benefit greatly from a united front ontheenergysector Bethat as it may, he said issues pertaining to trade which h a v e u n d e r m i n e d production, growth and regionalequality,oughttobe addressed.Inhis eyes, these two CARICOM states can illafford to have superficial talks regarding the strengthening of trade systems.Tucker said, “I wish to remind of the words uttered by President Irfaan Ali and that of Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley: “There needs to be a coalition of the willing.” Thesetwoleadershaveused the said statement to underscorethattheproblems of the Caribbean can be solved quickly if we act as one.“You must be willing to solve it and if you're not willing to solve the issues thatarecausingrifts,thatare creating the inequality throughouttheregion,thenit makesnosensetalkingabout big ticket items like oil and gas.”The GCCI President recalledthathisorganization has been at the forefront of highlighting the difficulties Guyanesebusinessesfacein

getting some of their produce, be it with pineapples, honey, or pumpkin, into certain territories.Tucker said, “In a relationship you show honesty, trust, and camaraderie…and if you can't eliminate the basic challenges then why should weeventalkaboutthebigger thingslikeoil.”

Having stated such a position,Tuckernotedthata Task force has been established to address nontariffbarriers.Tuckerwhois close to the matter said both nationshaveexchangedalist of actionable items which is being worked on. A list of s i m i l a r a r e a s f o r improvement has also been presented to other CARICOMstates.

It was only last month that T&T's Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley and President Irfaan Ali disclosed that a taskforce was created to not only address non-tariff barriers, but also standardise and definepoliciesfortrade.

AtaNewsConferenceat the Diplomatic Center in PortofSpain,afterbi-lateral

talks on trade, transport, energy and agriculture, Rowley explained that the non tariff barriers restrictions on trade outside of tariff systems will undermine CARICOM's goalsofcreatinganefficient single market and economy (SME)ifnotcontrolled.

He said in many cases, policies to protect countries are used to limit or reject goods which could be traded.“WhenIwasAgriculture Minister, we wanted to sell porktoJamaica,”hesaid.

“TT had a good porkproducing infrastructure here But we couldn't because, while there was no tariff against the meat from TT, a Jamaican interest group – mainly technical people – used animal health to say, “You TT had swine fever25yearsago,therefore wecannotbuyanyporkfrom you because you might introduce swine fever into Jamaica.As a result of that, the pork business in TT, whichwasheavilysupported by the TT Government and theprivatesector,shrunk.”

T h e P M a d d e d , “Sometimes a customs officer by him or herself, usingthecustomslawofthe country, would say this or that cannot come in. And a lot of that is happening in CARICOM.”Aliforhispartwaskeen to note that policies are widelyopentointerpretation by public servants monitoring what enters through the ports, and this serves as a barrier to trade. Thetaskforcewilldealwith thisissue,hesaid.

Alisaidworkhasalready started for the task force, as many of the barriers have been identified and listed. He said both Governments would keep the public informedonitsprogress.

and commitment to protect the multilateral architecture. “We are deeply concerned aboutthenumberofpersons livinginconflictsituations,” theGuyaneseleaderstated.

According to him the ongoing war in Ukraine is havingterribleeffectsonthe region and country, the impacts of which are disproportionately felt by women and children. “We urge a speedy and peaceful resolutionoftheconflictand express support for the effortsoftheUnitedNations' Secretary General in this regard. In our own region, we again join the overwhelming majority of membersoftheinternational community in reiterating Guyana's rejection of the sanctions imposed on the Republic of Cuba. Guyana also restates its solidarity with the Palestinian people and its support for their dignified existence in their o w n h o m e l a n d i n accordance with a two-state solution,” Ali told the Assembly

HesaidGuyanadoesnot condoneorsupportthethreat of,oruseofforceinrelations between states or in the r e s o l u t i o n o f disputes ”Consistent with the Charter of the United Nations, Guyana subscribes totheuseofpeacefulmeans to settle disputes. In this context, Guyana thanks those who have already expressed support for our candidature for non permanent membership of the UN Security Council,”

heannounced.Updatingthe Assembly on the status of the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, Ali said this country remains committed making use of every diplomatic tool for a peacefulsettlement. “Inthe matter of Guyana's sovereignty and territorial integrity - challenged and threatenedbyVenezuelaasit is, we remain – to quote the Secretary General at the opening of the General D e b a t e y e s t e r d a y “committed to make the mostofeverydiplomatictool for the pacific settlement of disputes, as set out in the Charter of the United Nations” In this case, 'judicial settlement' as determinedbytheSecretaryGeneralhimself.Hesaidthe world can be assured that Guyana shall remain true to thosepeacefulprocessesand deny every effort to depart fromthem.TheInternational Court of Justice has already affirmed its jurisdiction in thematter

Alexander knocks 'corrupt process' to appoint new GECOM ACEO

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) at itsStatutorymeetingheldon Tuesday appointed Mrs Beverley Critchlow as Assistant Chief Election Officer(ACEO)-adecision dubbed as contrived by Opposition nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander.InaPress Statement

GECOM said Critchlow's appointmentemanatedfrom a transparent process that involvedallofthemembers of the Commission- one in which all Commissioners were availed of the opportunity to interview all oftheshortlistedcandidates and,thereafter,indicatetheir respective choice to fill the position.“Inthis regard, having heardthesubmissionsofall of the six Commissioners relative to the candidate of their respective choice for the position of ACEO, Justice of Appeal (Ret'd) C l a u d e t t e S i n g h , Chairperson of the Commission concluded that M r s C r i t c h l o w ' s q u a l i f i c a t i o n a n d experience, as well as her institutional knowledge, placed her at an advantage abovetheothercandidates,” GECOMsaid.

The newly appointed ACEO was employed with GECOM for 20 years and acted in the position as ACEO on multiple occasions, the most recent being 2017 2019. The experience she garnered in the field of registration and electoral processes, having worked in different areas including but not limited to the registration of eligible non-resident persons, nonresident balloting, overseeingtheoperationsof 29 Registration Offices and Sub Offices, preparation of Official Lists of Electors (OLE), extracting names of members of the disciplined forces from the OLE, make her eminently qualified for the post. The Commission extends best wishes to Mrs. C r i t c h l o w o n h e r appointment and for a successfultenure.

Meanwhile, Alexander in criticising the appointment said he has distancedhimselffromitfor several reasons.Among the reasons he said are, “the Commission advertised and received applications and the Commissioners shortlisted the applicants based on the stipulated qualifications Further, Commissioners were then

advised of the need to readvertiseonthegroundsthat the applicants did not meet the

Commissionertheprocessdistancingcpthatprocess.ajob.eminentlyouwHeChairCtthetheshortlistedaineligible.wawerepersonswasapplicantsraadvertisementdecidedsomesaidrequirements.”Additionally,AlexanderattheinsistenceofCommissioners,itwastoincludeinthere-thatpreviouspplicantsneedednoteapply“Ofthenewonlyonepersonshortlisted.Allofthefinallyshortlistedfromtheoriginallistofpplicants,althoughtheyerepreviouslydeemedTheoneotherpplicantwhowasturnedouttobepreferredapplicantforjobbyamajorityvoteofhePPP/Cnominatedommissionersandthe,”Alexanderrelated.saidthere-advertisementasbaselessandnnecessary,sincefiveriginalapplicantswerequalifiedforthe“TheinclusionofnewpplicantscorruptedtheTheemergenceofnewapplicantasthereferredapplicantwasontrived,henceIammyselffromtheandit'soutcome,”longstandingGECOMsaid.

GCCI President, Timothy Tucker

President Irfaan Ali

Theanti-workingstanceoftheCoalitionwasevidentpriorto2015

One day in the 1980s, Assembly Instead of using c o n t r a c t w o r k e r s

cost of living of the average was increasing. It is well during the period when the its slender one-seat majority dramatically Even if the so- consumer? known that Government PNC was grinding the to boost the fortunes of called‘fatcats’werepruned Even a five percent cut spending has a multiplier economy into the ground, a workers,thethenAPNUand fromthebudget,theseverity wasnotgoingtohelpmuch, effect in the economy.secretary in a public the AFC (they were not yet of the cuts also meant that sincemostofthebasicitems And therefore anycorporation was given a list joinedasaCoalition)started otherswouldhavebeensent were already zero rated reduction in Governmentofnamestotype.Thenames toinstitutecutstotheBudget home had the court not Therefore, the small cuts in spending was going towere those of employees of which scared public sector overturned the action of the VAT proposed by the power in 2015 and lbegan ead to a seriousherworkplace. workers. Opposition. Oppositionpartieswillmake itsviciousnessagainstthecontraction in the

The list was about those The 2012 Budget TheAPNU and theAFC no difference to the small sugar industry. The who were to be axed as part witnessedthebrutalityofthe wereinsensitivetotheneeds man, but will make a economy, which will sending home of almost of the thousands of Opposition. They carved up of workers. Some of these significant difference to undermine the growth of 7,000sugarworkerswasaGuyanese that were sent the Budget as if it were a persons had financial those who are selling goods theprivatesector r e t u r n t o m a s shome after the PNC Thanksgivingturkey obligations They would to the tune of hundreds of The proposals retrenchment.Governmentcouldnolonger Thereisnothingunusual have had to find food for millionseachyear therefore made by the (The views expressedaffordtopaytheirsalaries. about the Opposition parties their children and The Opposition was Opposition made no in this article are those ofThesecretaryfeltspecial demanding cuts in a budget. dependents. So how were also way off track by sense. What it did was to the author and do notinthatshewasoneofthefirst However, cuts should be theyexpectedtosurvive? attempting to cut public reveal an aspect of thetoseejustwhowasgoingto based on some objective

EithertheOppositiondid necessarily reflect theexpenditures at a time Opposition that wouldbe sent home. The list was criteria and not be applied not understand what it was o p i n i o n s o f t h i swhen the economy was haunt it when it assumedthe dismissal list. But as she willy nilly, as was the case doing, was following newspaper.)doing well and demandread the list, she found her with the APNU and AFC’s misguided advice, or was own name and immediately cuts. simply using workers as fainted. What was even more pawns in a most vicious

Of course the PNC did disconcerting is that in their game to extract concessions not call it sending home claimeddesiretocutoutthe fromthegovernment. dismissals. They coined a ‘fat cats’, the Opposition Oneoftheconcessionsit more elegant phrase. Just as parties decided to go deeper wasseekingwasareduction how they had renamed than the subcutaneous layer inVAT Butwhatsensedoes powercutsasloadshedding, They made deep incisions it make to ask for a cut in they called the dismissals into employments costs and VAT? Does the opposition retrenchment. thushurtworkers. really believe that cutting

There were persons who In the case of NCN and VATwasgoingtoreducethe never recovered from that GINA, only a single dollar cost of living for the poor period.Andevenpriortothe was allocated Whatever man?Itwillnot. APNU+AFC winning the problems theAPNU and the The Opposition parties 2015 elections, it had AFC had with these were not proposing a returned began its anti organisations, they ought to massive cut in VAT They workersstrategy have considered the fate of wereonlyproposingaminor

ThePPP/Cwonthe2011 theircutsontheworkers. cut of one or two percent. electionsbutfailedtogaina In other cases, they cut How much was one or two majority in the National employment costs for percent going to reduce the

The Ministry of Health on Wednesday With still one patient admitted into the reported that within the last 24 hours, they COVID-19IntensiveCareUnit,fourpersons recorded seven new COVID 19 cases, are in institutional isolation, 93 are in home bringingthetotalnumberofconfirmedcases isolation, and to date, a total of 69,908 inthecountryto71,287. personshaverecoveredfromthevirus.

If yuh dint know, now yuh know

Christina gat fuh karry she friend to In fact it was dis year dat de United schoolwhenshedroppingoffdemchildren. Nations agree to refer to de country by it She friend nah too sharp with de maths but officialname,deRepublicofTurkiye.Soif even more hopeless when it comes to Prezzie did seh Turkey he woulda been generalknowledge. referringtoabirdandnotacountry

De Prezzie refer to a country as de It aint got no country now in de world Republic of Turkiye and right away some which name Turkey De Opposition peoplestartfuhpickpondeman. supposetoknowdisifdemkeepingabreast Dem seh how de man mispronounce ofinternationalaffairs. Turkey Demstartfuhmeklaughoffdeman. Butifdemdidn’tknow,nowdemknow Butwholaughlast,ganlaughdebestandde andisshamepondemifdemdidn’tknow Prezzieganlaughlast. Isamostbeautifulcountryeventhough

De Prezzie nah mek no mistake. De itverydry correct name fuh de country is de Republic Netflix gat wan movie it call The of Turkiye and de correct way fuh call de FestivaloftheTroubadours Itsetindesame country is nat Turkey but Turkiye. Suh de Republic of Turkiye and de scenery prapa Prezzienahmispronounceanything. spectacular Isdemostbeautifulcountryfuh

As fuh dem wah didn’t know, well now landscapes. demknow DecountrynameTurkiye. Talkhalf,leffhalf.

What the British High Commissioner told Timothy Tucker is wrong

very educated lay person has a DonaldRamotarwasthepresidentatthe

lawinrelationtohisvisitor’svisaisnotright col tiny bit of knowledge about time. But I chose protocol over self-interest legally Timothy Tucker is no invisible, umn contractlaw Isignedcontractsfor when he was the guest on the Gildarie- ordinary citizen. He is a big voice in the

FrederickKissoon

E that I 26 years as a UG lecturer so I Freddie Kissoon Show and did not raise the business community where he heads the went knowUGwaswrongtoarbitrarilyterminate issue. What the British High Commissioner Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and up to myUGcontractinDecember2011. (BHC) told Timothy Tucker about contract Industry.IfMr Tuckercannotgetavisitor’s t h e visafromtheBHCthennooneinGuyanacan doorofVFSandgavethesecurityrankanote obtainavisitor’svisa. to the head ofVFS. The note contained my

Mr TuckertoldmesinceJuneheapplied cellnumberandinformedthegentlemanthat and he and his family could not enjoy a IwillbewritingaboutVFSandIwouldlike holiday in the UK because he has not heard himtomakecontactwithme.Fortunately,the fromVFS Global, UK Office on Cummings VFSheadwasrightatthedoorsoIsawwhen Streetasyet. the security rank gave him the note. I never

Mr.Tucker gave me permission to quote heardfromhim. himafterwespokeovermyTuesdaycolumn Iamassumingthatsincevisaapplicants’ on the BHC’s mistreatment of Guyanese communicationwithVFSisimpossiblethen citizens.SincehedidnothearbackfromVFS Mr Tucker had to resort to speaking to the aftermonths,hespoketotheBHC.Shetold BHC. Since my Tuesday publication, I him,VFSisanindependentcompanyandshe receivedmanycomplaintsfrompeopleabout cannotintervene.

VFS.

That is misleading and the BHC should One lady, who gave her name as Tiwari, apologisetoMr.Tucker.Thatisnottheway said her son has not heard back from VFS contract law operates. When the US since he made his application and classes contracted out services in Afghanistan, it have already started at the university he terminated many such contracts after the appliedat. companies were in violation of the terms of

Ofcourseshecannotseekanexplanation agreement.The most infamous case was the fromVFSsinceVFShasnocommunication securityfirmof“BlackwaterWorldwide.” doorsopenedeitherbyemailorphoneandas

VFS is contracted by the British Timothy Tucker told me, the BHC said she Governmenttohandlevisaapplications. cannot interfere with VFS because it is a

Thecontracttodosomustinvolveanexit privatecompany clause.Itmuststategroundsfortermination.

Inaforthcomingarticle,Iwilloncemore The company has to abide by UK visit the foreign policy options of Guyana. requirements.

Please see my article for Sunday, July 31,

Is the BHC telling Guyanese that ifVFS 2022, headlined: “Some foreign policy on Cummings Street is delinquent and adviceforPresidentAli.” doesn’t open its offices for weeks, the BHC cannot do anything about that? Is the BHC telling Guyanese that if VFS says that you cannot wear purple tops to enter the office, theBHCcannotdoanythingaboutthat?

Is the BHC unable to act if in the VFS officethereisaposterjustifyingslavery?So istheBHCtellingGuyanesethatthecontract with VFS Global is one-sided and does not allowforinterventionbytheBHC?Thereis an inherent UK interest in the contract with BHC that compels the BHC to act if VFS is misrepresentingthevaluestheUKstandsfor

Infact,onthedooronVFSisatinyposter pasted at the bottom that says: “Welcome to the UK.” I did not mention in my Tuesday

Iwillendwithan encounter in my compound last Saturday. ThreewomencameuptomeasIwastaking my dog out of the car They said they are employed by a polling organisation and wouldlikemetofillupaquestionnaire.She read out the questions one of which was “Should Guyana have good relations with both the US and China?” Obviously I answeredintheaffirmative.

Inthatnextcolumnontheforeignpolicy directionsofPresidentAli,Iwillsoundsome direwarnings.IendthewayIdidonTuesday –ChinagivesvisasrighthereinGeorgetown.

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

$400M gold heist…

Fire razes house at Amelia's Ward

A fire on Tuesday midday completely gutted a house in Central Amelia's Ward Linden, leaving seven persons including a bed ridden pensioner and four children with nothingbuttheclothesontheirbacks.

Atthetimeofthefire,a19-year-old resident and his grandparents, one of whom is bed-ridden were at home. Triviata Flemming related to Kaieteur News, that her son heard a crackling soundintheceilinganduponinquiring herealisedsmokewasemanatingfrom it. He raised an alarm and tried to retrieve his documents from his room butwasunabletodoso.

“He said by the time he go for his documents, the roof cave in and all he could a do is pick up his grandfather and head out,” the distraught Flemmingrelated.

“We weren't able to save anything, thehouseisrelativelynew,itwasfully furnished, all the appliances, electronics, air conditioner, fridge, freezer,washeranddryer,everything,” sheFlemmingsaid. said she built her home aboutnineyearsagoandneverhadany electricalissueswithit,soforthefireto

startintheceilingwassurprisingtoher Flemmingsaidsheandherfamily are currently seeking lodgings at her sister and are trying to secure basic itemssuchasclothes.

Her daughter who is a Grade Six student needs to get back to school as earlyaspossible.

The gutted house

She lost all her text books and school supplies that were recently purchased.“AnyhelpwecangetIamthankful, I am grateful for any assistance. Anyonedesirousofhelpingthefamily can contact Miss Flemming on 6490843.

As investigations

continue into the theft of $400M worth of gold from a woman at Mahaica, they were able to recover more vehicles and other items suspected to have been purchased with the stolen gold.Tw

o construction workerswerechargedforthe gold theft which took place between December, 2021 and January, 2022 They were identified as father and son, Satrohan Seegobin, 24, called “Richie” and Bhaloonauth, 49, called “Krishna”bothofFarm,East BankDemerara(EBD). They were hired to do somerepairsonthewoman's house and had allegedly found the stashed gold and stoleit.Theywereidentified as suspects after they reportedly went on a shopping spree Krishna pleaded not guilty to the

offenceandwasremandedto prison but Richie admitted and was sent to jail for four years.Police have arrested another suspect and were able to recover $6M cash, two cars and a canter truck and some of the stolen gold bars.In update sent out yesterday, police stated that detectives have managed to seize more cars and other items bought with cash from the proceeds of the stolen gold.Amongtheitemsseized areawashingmachine,agas stove, tea sets, two carpets, seven-piece dining set, six boxes of tiles, one 12 amp skill saw, a wheelbarrow, a 25 inch television set, a spade and a music set. The recovered vehicles were described as 4 fielder wagons-two black and two white,abluecantertruckand onewhiteAxiomotorcar

Plane crash-lands during stormy weather at Eteringbang

oonewasinjuredbuteightpassengershad

NthescareoftheirlifeonWednesdayaftera Jags Aviation Islander plane reportedly crash-landedattheEteringbangAirstrip,locatedinthe CuyuniDistrict,RegionSeven.

According to reports reaching Kaieteur News the

plane tried to land during stormy weather and it almost ended tragically“Thesky

wasdarkandblack”,oneeyewitnessdescribed. Theincidentoccurredduringthelateafternoonhoursand all passengers onboard were adults.They along with the pilot escapedunhurtbuttheaircraftwasbadlydamaged.

The crashed Jags Aviation Islander

Some of the recovered vehicles.

Police seize cars, other items allegedly purchased with stolen gold

Govt. sinks US$133,000 into fish cage initiativeGovt

ByDavinaBagot

The Ministry of Agriculture on T u e s d a y deployed Guyana's first two marine cages at Lake Mainstay,RegionTwo.

The announcement was madebyPresidentIrfaanAli in a Facebook post. The

Head of State also revealed that “similar cages are also being assembled for deployment at Lake Capoey,”anotherlocationin Region Two. Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha in an invited comment yesterday told KaieteurNewsthatatotalof eight marine cages were

purchasedbyGovernmentto the tune of US$133,000 or approximately GYD$26 6 million Each of the structuresmeasure10meters indiameterand2.5metersin depth, the Agriculture Minister pointed out. He went on to explain that two cages so far have been installed at Lake Mainstay

Man kills son, burns wife, then ends his life

while another three will be set up at Lake Capoey The remaining three will be installed at other locations acrossthecountry

In the meantime, he said that tenders will soon be invited for the supply of fingerlings which will be placedinthemarinecages,to be managed by the respective villages The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries Department will aid in developing local capacity to man the marine cages. According to the Minister, “Mainstay was the first project and we believe this will definitely increase productionbecausewhatwe arelookingat-onecagewill start out with about

approximately 3000 fingerlings so that will give us 6000 at this startup project.” He said that the Ministry will be rearing the

tambaqui species at the marine cages that have been deployed in Region Two so far.Hesaid (Continuedonpage16)

Residents of Ann's Grove,EastCoastDemerara on Wednesday woke up to thedreadednewsthatoneof their own had murdered his son, burnt his wife, then endedhislife.

Itbroughttoanend,asad chapter of years of abuse meted out to the woman by her killer husband, Leon Bobb. Also dead is Seon Bobbandcriticallyinjuredin the hospital is 53-year-old SharonPoliceScott.inaPressRelease said that at around 02:30hrs Wednesday, Leon and Sharongotintoanargument. Arguments were nothing newforthepairasLeonwas a very violent person and often got into physical altercationswithSharondue to his accusations towards her for allegedly having numerous extra marital intervene to prevent the two

from further hurting each other and often acted as a p e a c e m a k e r

On Wednesday morning a sound was heard coming from the residence before Sharon was spotted fleeing fromthehousewithbloodied clothing Leon allegedly chased after her, a cutlass in hand, and shouted for her to come back to the house. Alerting neighbours, Sharon would scream “Leon choppedSeon.”

Herdaughterwouldrush hertotheGeorgetownPublic Hospital after Sharon had successfully managed to escape. Sharon sustained a chop to the left side of her neck,righthandandreceived first degree burns across her body However,accordingto the Burn Unit, her burns aren't as severe and she is listed as being in stable condition.After arriving and

entering the residence, authorities would find 21year old Seon lying motionless on a mattress with a large chop wound to theleftsideofhisneck.They would also find Leon in a bedroomwherehewaslying on a blood- dampened bed, with a gash so large on his abdomen that his intestines were seen protruding A blood stained knife and cutlass were also found underhisbed.BothLeonand Seon were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where Leon died while receiving medical attention. Seon was pronounced dead onarrival.Itwas suspected that Leon had attacked Seon in hissleeptopreventhimfrom intervening when he would have attacked Sharon. Their bodies currently are at hospital's mortuary awaiting postmortemexamination.

Twenty-one-year-old, Seon Bobb and 53-year-old, Sharon Scott

…deploys first two cages at Lake Mainstaytw

The two marine cages set up at Lake Mainstay (photo credit: President Irfaan Ali Facebook page)

The fish cage that was supplied by a Brazilian firm. A total of eight structures were supplied, each costing about GYD$3.3 million (photo credit: President Irfaan Ali Facebook page)

The tambaqui species of fish to be reared at the first marine cage project.

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Man stabs sister-in-law’s husband to death for allegedly abusing her

A man is now in custody for allegedly stabbing his sister-in-law’s commonlaw-husband to death on Tuesday over allegations of abuse.Dead is Lester Sobers, 25, a City Constable of Sophia. He was killed some time after midnight along Mandela Avenue after he allegedly attacked his wife’s brother-inlaw with a cutlass. Kaieteur News was told that Sobers had started abusing the woman at their Sophia home on Monday evening. She reportedly left their home to seek refuge at her sister’s place located on Mandela Avenue.Sobers followed her there

and began behaving disorderly. He even threatened to kill the woman. Her brother-in-law intervened and told him to calm down. According to police, he left but returned armed with a cutlass and in the company of his brother. Once again the brother-in-law intervened but this time Sobers became violent and lashed him with a cutlass.

They began fighting and it was during the fight, that the brother-in-law stabbed Sobers to his chest with a knife. He reportedly fell the ground and bled to death. Police have since arrested the brother-in-law and Sober’s brother as investigation continues.

Govt. sinks US$133,000 into fish cage...

From page 15 that this is a Brazilian species of fish that is popularly found in the Hinterland Rivers that is also a local Mustaphadelicacy.waskeen to note that Government is exploring the use of several other species such as tilapia, mullet and Mustaphaothers.said the Minis-

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try decided to develop tambaqui first as this has been proven to be more lucrative. He pointed out, “These are the initial phase as the President pointed out but we will continue to increase it to a number of locations across the country to supplement the village economies. We are now in the process of looking at more freshGuyana“WethistoEcuadortiveaquaculturethermoreandimprovingthatMustaphaentbutwereprogrammes…thoseelaborateareaschosenasthefirstpartitwillreplicateatdiffer-parts.”Ministerwaskeentonotetheprojectisgearedatfishproductioneconomicactivity.Fur-hecontendedthatisaverylucra-industry,explainingthatthisyearispoisedreceivesomeUS$7billionfromsectoralone.Tothisend,henoted,havethepotentialintoo.Wehavelotsofwaterwehavelotsof

land space and the climatic condition is suitable so that is why as a Government we are looking at different options.” The Minister assured that the other marine cages will be set up and deployed at three other locations before the end of this year.

Not only that but he said, “This will be an ongoing process. Hundreds of cages will be set up around the country.” This year, the Ministry of Agriculture was allocated $200 million to rollout the fish cage initiative geared at enhancing the production of prawns and tilapia among others. Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh in presenting the 2022 Budget said, “This will provide an important alternative production modality for Guyana's fisherfolk.”

Since the startup of oil production in 2019, fishermen claim that their catches have decreased. A noticeable decline was documented in the Government's own Half-Year

Report published only recently. The document explained that at half year in 2019, the fisheries sector accounted for 1.4% of the country's total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while in 2020, this reduced to 0.8%. In 2021, the sector's performance at half-year was further reduced to 0.6% and in 2022 a slight increase was achieved as the fishing industry accounted for 0.7 percent of the total GDP. In its Mid-Year Report, the Ministry of Finance said “Government's investment in aquaculture infrastructure, and drainage and irrigations systems yielded an almost 300 percent increase in the production of brackish water shrimp in the first half of the year. This, however, was not sufficient to increase overall value added from the industry.” In light of the first half performance, the fishing industry is expected to contract by 29.8 percent this year, the report detailed.

Pomp and pageantry at its best...

From page 5 hair, or an errant bead of sweat glistening. It was a rare moment of the English Language reflecting and reclaiming its universal glow, in the echoes that gently rippled from the walls of stately cathedrals, and across oceans and time zones.

I think the heavens paused for a while, maybe even held a deep indrawn breath.

Even in departure, there are these symbols of arriving, and reaffirmation that life continues its unceasing march to the summits, and all the while, the flesh withering away in dutiful surrender to its own invisible, inevitable clock. It is said of what value is it to conquer the world and lose one’s soul.

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If ever there was the enraptured celebration of a life, and of the transfixing passing of a monarch, then this was one. It was the best that there could be, and this just had to be, since nothing else would do. Naturally, there could never be a better place to be seen with the order of appearance mostly mattering.

I say it is unthinkable, unpalatable, and almost unforgivable that the world ruled could be relinquished and not long after the soul severs from substance, and is itself lost, too. Perhaps, that is the best time to go, when the clock can’t be outrun or outlasted a single second longer, and there is only this great wash and wake that ebb and flow.

In taking my own leave, I have a little confession to make. I neither saw a single second, nor heard a single echo, of what transpired in the extinguishment of a regal presence. Nor the arrangements of the day that were the final expression of a life lived at the pinnacles of power and prosperousness that flowed from the energies of those a little lower on the ladder, and stooped under the weight of their calamities, from the visions of others, and at their hands.As graceful national tributes go, what else is there to say? All has been said, all has been done. And all passes too.

Dead, Leslie Sobers.

Govt. to spend $285M to build two prawns farms

ith $743 7 engineer,theprawnsfarmat m i l l i o n RoseHallisestimatedtocost

Wallocated $156 million which five towards the development of contractors bid for and $129 thefisheriesandaquaculture millionestimatedtobuildthe sector in the country, the oneatOnverwagtwhichnine Ministry of Agriculture is contractorsbidfor looking to spend some $285 The move to construct million for the construction the prawns farms is part of oftwoprawnsfarms. theadministration'seffortsto

Duringthelatestopening cushiontheblowsfishermen of tenders it was revealed are facing due to declining that a prawns farm will be fish catch as a result of constructed in Rose Hall, increased oil productions Region Six and the other at activitieshere. Onverwagt, Region Five. B e l o w a r e t h e According to the Ministry's companiesandtheirbids: MinistryofAgriculture ConstructionofprawnsfarmatRoseHall,RegionSix.

Dependant'sPensionFund

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DPP not ready: criticised by Appeal Court

(TRINIDAD EXPRESS) - With the been heard over the years and State the DPP’s department that was not startof thenew law term,theOfficeof attorneys had become “experts at ready, they will say the court make Dr the Director of Public Prosecutions apologies”. (Gerard) Hutchinson (the appellant’s (DPP)cameinforcriticismfromjudges Yorke Soo Hon described the witness) come here to waste his time fromtheCourtofAppealwhocalledon apologiesaseloquent. today,that’stheperception”. theStatetogetitsacttogether She said she knew that the DPP’s However,shesaidthatthecourtwas

The comments were made during departmentwaspressedbutitcouldnot presentandreadytoproceed. the matter involving Peter Radgman, be holding up the court. She said While the judge noted that there who filed an appeal after being Radgman had spent ten years waiting were many times when the appellant is convictedofmurderbackin2019. for a trial at the High Court and his not ready, “these days it is mainly the

TheState,however,wasnotreadyto appeal had come up approximately State”. proceed and Justice Alice Yorke-Soo threeyearsafterhisconviction. Sheaddedthatsuchanattitudewill Hon said that the panel, which also “Surely we want to deal with this notadvancetheinterestofjustice. consistedofJusticesVasheistKokaram matter.”She added that people should “We are very concerned and so we and Gregory Smith, was disturbed that notbeleftwithquestionsandwaitingin want to communicate that to you theStatewasunprepared. limboovertheirmatter (Deputy DPP Tricia Hudlin-Cooper)

“Todayisonlytheseconddayofthe “We are very, very concerned and andtotheDPPhimselfandtotheentire newlawtermandwewerereallyhoping wewantthistypeofperformancebythe department that we are not going to that the State would have gotten its act Statetostop.Weneedtogeton,”Yorke- tolerate the way in which the DPP’s together,”Yorke-SooHonsaid, SooHonsaid. departmentisundertakingthings.”

She added: “Nearly in every single Readytoproceed ShesaidthatsinceJulytheStatehad matter the State is never ready, their Shealsosaidthatwhenmembersof filed notice that there would have been submissionsarealwaysfiledlate,never the public hear there is a delay, an attempt to introduce fresh evidence on time and there is always some long “everybody is jumping on the court’s through the medical records of excuse.”Shesaidthatsuchexcuseshave back…Peoplewouldn’tsaythatitwas Hutchinson.

SupplyanddeliveryofHDPE corrugateddrainagetubes/pipesforAlbionEstate.

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ConstructionofprawnsfarmatOnverwagt,RegionFive.

Pres. Ali must decide on meeting with Opposition to clean Voters List - AG Nandlall

PAHO concerned about dwindling vaccination rates

President Irfaan Ali will be the one to determine whether the Government m e e t s w i t h t h e ParliamentaryOppositionto decide on mechanisms needed to address the 'bloated' voters list says Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall. PresidentAli is currently in New York attending the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) underway in the USCapital.TheA Partnership for NationalUnity(APNU)and the Alliance for Change (AFC) have both registered an interest in meeting with Governmenttofindawayto cleanthe'bloatedvoters'list aheadofanyelection.

When asked about Government'swillingnessto rectify the list, Attorney General Anil Nandlall said that the issue was a matter for the Head of the Government.“Iwillsuggest thatyouposethatquestionto His Excellency, the

President.The

Parliamentary Oppositionisadamantthata credible voters list must be

provided to citizens before the holding of elections WiththelikelihoodofLocal Government polls being held early next year, the APNU and AFC have both indicted their readiness to meet with the Government and come up with a way to remove the names of suspected dead persons and those no longer residing in Guyana, so as to prevent instances of voter impersonation on elections day Both parties communicated their intention to the Diplomatic Community a few weeks ago, to sit with the People Progressive Party (PPP) Government and change the laws if required, to ensure persons on the list are supposedtobethere.

The Foreign Missions hereplayedakeyroleduring the contentious 2020 elections and submitted in their election reports that a clean voters list should be priority before a next election is held since this matter contributed to strife duringtheelectionperiod.

The Opposition is hoping therefore that

pressure from the international bodies will move the Government into working towards a credible list.The Opposition has also indicated to Government that it is also okay to push back the Local Government Election (LGE) date to get the list right. AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan insisted thattheGovernmenthadnot held LGE in some 20 years, andsuggestedtherefore,that it could very well postpone thepollsuntilAugustofnext year to ensure a credible voterslist.

Shadow Attorney General, Roysdale Forde indicated to the Kaieteur News that the Government could engage in efforts to clean the voters list rather than its current action to investigate the names that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has already investigated Nandlall had written to GECOM asking for the list ofnamesthattheOpposition submitted during the 2020 elections recount as names ofpersonseitherdeadorout ofthejurisdiction.

Washington D C , 21 September 2022 (PAHO) –While COVID-19 continues to take around 4,000 lives each week in the Americas and monkeypox cases rise, thepoliovirushasnowbeen d e t e c t e d a m o n g unvaccinated communities inNewYork.Inlightof this, the Pan A m e r i c a n H e a l t h Organization Director (PAHO) has called on countries to urgently strengthen surveillance and routine vaccination campaigns. “Although the United States has mounted a swift public health response following the detection, polioisadiseasethatInever expectedtoseeinourregion again,” Dr Etienne said during a media briefing on Wednesday “It's been nearly 30 years since the Americas became the first global region to wipe out wild polio, but “dwindling vaccination rates, worsened bytheCOVID-19pandemic, have left many of our populationsunprotected.”

Polio, which can spread quickly among communities with insufficient vaccination coverage, is not a treatable disease but is fully preventable with vaccines. Yet today, vaccination coverage has fallen below 80% in nearly all of South America,and12countriesin theregionareatHighorVery Highriskofexperiencingan outbreak.PAHO has been working closely with the United Statesandhasissuedseveral alerts to Member States to remain vigilant and take measures to proactively reach unvaccinated

populations with a polio vaccine. “We must not take the lifesaving power of vaccines for granted,” said Dr Etienne.ThePAHO

Director also urgedcountriesoftheregion to step up their COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, particularlyintheCaribbean, where a number of islands are falling behind. “If we remain committed, we can keep COVID 19 under control,” she said. “Not by ignoringitbutbycontinuing tomakeuseofthemanytools we have at our disposal to trace, and most importantly preventinfections.”

This includes public healthmeasuresthatmustbe promoted, particularly “in places where many remain unvaccinated,orwherecases areclimbing.”Turningtothe monkeypox outbreak in the region, the PAHO Director warnedthatcasesarealsoon the rise in parts of the Americas and while deaths remainextremelyrare,those with weakened immune systems are at risk of complications from

monkeypoxinfection.

PAHO has been working on the expansion of testing capacity in the region but countries must “act now to control the spread particularly while vaccine supplies remain limited Active engagement of affected communities is crucial,” urged Dr Etienne. Testing and contact tracing can also have a significant impact on reducing transmission As PAHO prepares to meet with Ministers of Health from across the region at the Pan American Sanitary Conference, Dr Etienne highlighted the opportunity to discuss challenges towards ensuring health in the region and make agreements on how to move forwardThislandmarkeventisnot onlyachancetolookbackand learnfromthepastbutalsoan “opportunity to look towards the future and our vision of a more equitable region, in which we work together to improve health for all,” she said.

Pedal cyclist killed by pick-up

A pensioner on Monday lost his life after he was reportedly struck down by a Sheriff Security pick up along the Meten-Meer-Zorg Public Road East Bank Demerara(EBD).

Police identified him as Clayton Grant, 79, of the samecommunityandhemet his demise around 20:55hrs whileallegedlyridingacross the Menten Meer Zorg PublicRoad.

A c c o r d i n g t o

eyewitnessesthevehiclewas speeding west when it collidedwithGrant'sbicycle.

The driver a 32 year old employeeofSheriffSecurity alleged that the pensioner had suddenly rode into his path. Grant was reportedly p i c k e d u p i n a n unconsciousness state and rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where doctors pronounced him d e a d o n a r r i v a l Investigationsareongoing.

Insurance Institute of Guyana (IIG) conducts motor insurance claims fraud course

The Insurance Institute of Guyana in collaboration with Guyanese born Mr. Cecil Jaipaul of Jaipaul Consulting Toronto, Canada, recently conducted a Motor Claims Fraud Investigation Course for members of the localInsuranceindustry

Motor Insurance fraud is not new to Guyana but the experience of local claims practitioners suggests that it is gaining traction and new and creative ways are being employed to make fraudulent motor insuranceclaims.

Some of the topics covered during the course included Motor Insurance policy coverage, identifying red flags and fraud indicators, interviewing techniques, understandingjurisprudenceinGuyanaand the Caribbean relating to the defence of suspiciousandfraudulentmotorclaims.

AFC KhemrajLeader,Ramjattan

AG Anil Nandlall

Shadow AG, Roysdale Forde

Participants with their certificates flanked by Mr. Bishwa

Panday, President of the Insurance Institute of Guyana, and Ms. Melissa DeSantos, President of the Insurance Association of Guyana.

….as COVID-19 continues to impact the Americas, leaves countries susceptible to polio and other preventable diseases

United Soccer League partners with Caribbean Football Union

(SportsMax) - The United Soccer League and the Caribbean Football Union last Wednesday announced a new long-term partnership that will help shape the future of the game across the Caribbean Football Union’s 31 member nations. The wideranging agreement will create more professional opportunities for Caribbean players, coaches, referees, and front office staff in the USL Championship and USL League

One.The two organizations will collaborate to increase and enhance player scouting across the Caribbean region including at events such as the Caribbean Club Championship and Caribbean Cup.

Soon, the USL will create and announce details of a combine for select players from across the CFU member nations to compete in front of USL technical staffs.

The USL will support the CFU’s endeavour to build certification programs for coaches, sporting directors and executives designed to boost professional development and open the door to coaching opportunities in the USL. USL Sporting Director Mark Cartwright and club technical staff will share best practices on an ongoing basis with their counterparts in Caribbean professional leagues.TheUSL and CFU will explore development opportu-

nities for Caribbean referees within the USL ecosystem, from the youth to the professional ranks.

Thursday September 22, 2022

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

Circumstances are favorable for you if you're contemplating investment in real estate. Any sort of investment looks good for you right now, Aries. Be ready to have an important conversation.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Did you forget to take two aspirin before you fell into bed last night? This morning you may feel in a fog, but it should lift around midday.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

If it's true that you reap what you sow, Gemini, you're in for a great harvest in the coming months. Your hard work and focus will start to pay off handsomely with promotions.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

You're highly esteemed in your profession because of your strong business acumen and no-nonsense approach to problem solving.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Opportunity may knock for you today from an unlikely source, perhaps total strangers! Use your intuition to follow potential leads. Real estate, particularly residential.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

Expect to receive somethingnews.chancelong-lostVirgo.communicationsinterestingtoday,YoumighthearfromafriendandhaveatocatchuponthePerhapsyou'llhearaboutsuccess.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

You're in a great position to reap the rewards from all your past hard work, Libra. In the coming weeks you'll be able to realize important gains in your career and personal projects.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

With the current celestial energy, you might be going on a trip, Scorpio. It may be for business, pleasure, or both. It's likely that this trip will achieve certain goals.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Don't be surprised if money comes from an unlikely source. It could be a surprisingly good return on an investment or a bequest from a relative.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

This is a good time to forge new relationships, Capricorn. Be open-minded if someone you know approaches with a proposal. Do your homework and examine the potential risks.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

You're feeling your power and strength today, Aquarius. You've worked hard to get into good physical shape. Similarly, you've exerted a great deal of energy in your work life and it's paying off.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

The time is right to pursue training for a particular skill or finish a degree in a field of interest to you, Pisces. Presently, great success and good fortune are indicated when you assert.

The USL will welcome CFU executives to league meetings where they will have the opportunity to participate in educational sessions and meet and interact with the owners and executives from USL’s league office and clubs. The CFU will provide USL executives the same opportunity at meetings or events it may conduct throughout the year.“Caribbean football has made tremendous contributions to the USL over the

Lewis now CPL...

From page 23 at the top of the six-hitting leader board for some time on 172 from 85 matches. Lewis’s new high of 173 has come in 86 matches. Kieron Pollard is in third place on 152.

Lewis, who was recently named to the West Indies World Cup squad, has long listed the big Jamaican as the player he idolized the most over the years. Gayle arguably the most dominant batsman to ever play the format leads many of the boundaryhitting statistics, including the most sixes with 1056.

Royals defeat...

From page 24 over, after hitting a shot-filled 41 from 36 balls, inclusive of sevenLewis,boundaries.pickedin the West Indies T20 World Cup squad, was looking set for a fifty when he edged a short ball onto his pad and it rolled back onto his Whenstumps.South African Dewald Brevis, who offered some fight with 21, was removed by Young at 100-4, the Patriots lost their last seven wickets for 20 runs as Young and Ur Rahman cut though the batting line like a hot knife slicing through butter.

Match details: Barbados Royals 156/3 (Khan 64, Tector 47*; Dananjaya 1/25, Jansen 1/32) beat St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 120 all out (Lewis 41, Brevis 21; Young 3/5, Mujeeb 3/18) by 36 runs

years and this partnership creates an exciting opportunity to augment that legacy,” said USL President Jake Edwards. “We are thrilled to work with the Caribbean Football Union and its members to grow the sport throughout the region and impact our communitiesCaribbeantogether.”players have featured prominently in the USL’s history. In the Championship’s 11 seasons, three league MVPs have hailed from countries that are members of the CFU (Yordany Alvarez/Cuba, 2011; Kevin Molino/Trinidad and Tobago, 2012/2014; Dane Kelly/Jamaica, 2017), while Kelly and fellow Jamaican Kenardo Forbes are the current all-time leaders in Championship history in regular-season goals and assists respectively.

This past year, both Forbes and fellow Jamaican Neco Brett were voted to the Championship’s All-League Team, while 39 players from the Championship and League One were selected to compete by 14 countries within the CFU to play at the senior international level.

“We in the Caribbean Football Union are both pleased and excited by this partnership. Part of our role in the CFU is to lobby for our member associations in all spheres and to court opportunity for administrators, coaches, players and our referees. This agreement does just that, opening pathways for the CFU, and it brings to the USL a tangible benefit, because our people in the Caribbean have the ability to add value wherever they are placed. This collaboration marries talent with opportunity. Everyone wins,” said CFU President Randolph Harris.

The partnership will see the USL look to offer opportunities for training, exposure, and career development both at the USL’s league office and with the league’s clubs for students enrolled at CFU Knowledge Zone—an online training initiative of the CFU.Caption: USL President Jake Edwards (left) and Caribbean Football Union President Randolph Harris at the USL Mid-Year Meetings in July.

USL President Jake Edwards (left) and Caribbean Football Union President, Randolph Harris at the USL Mid-Year Meetings in July.

Nurul replaces Shakib as Bangladesh Captain for UAE T20Is

(ESPN Cricinfo) - The BCBwillnotpullShakibAl Hasan from his CPL contract, as he was omitted from Bangladesh’s 17-man squadfortheupcomingtwomatch T20I series against UAEinDubai.

Nurul Hasan, who is returningtothesquadaftera fingersurgeryhavingmissed a chunk of the Zimbabwe tour and the Asia Cup, will leadinShakib’splace.

Shakib is playing for the

Amazon Warriors as a replacement for Tabraiz Shamsi though he hasn’t made an appearance this season.TheBangladeshsquadis mostly made up of the T20 World Cup-bound players. However, to make up for Shakib’s absence, the selectorshaveincludedthree of the four standby players, such as legspinner Rishad Hossain, who gets a maiden seniorcall-up.

He has taken six wickets in14T20s,butisoftenused onlyasanetbowlerathome. He recently performed this duty during theAsia Cup in UAE.There’s also a return for Soumya Sarkar, who played the last of his 66 T20Is againstAustraliaathomelast year Left arm quick Shoriful Islam was also includedinthesquad.

Bangladesh depart for Dubai on Thursday, to play

thetwoT20Isaswellastake part in some training sessions The tour was hastily organised last week when they failed to hold practice sessions in Dhaka due to heavy rain Bangladesh are set to return on September 28, and then leave for New Zealand, to play the T20I tri-series next month,afewdayslater Bangladeshsquad:Nurul Hasan (capt), Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Litton

Das, Yasir Ali, Mustafizur

Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed,

Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Soumya Sarkar,RishadHossain

NewZealandWomenTouroftheWestIndies…

Visitors go 1-0 up in CG United ODI Series

Chinelle Henry’s good inkeptperformanceall-roundWestIndiescontentionuntilrainintervened.

ST JOHN'S, AntiguaNewZealandsecureda5-run win via the Duckworth/ Lewis/ Stern method over the West Indies Women in thefirstCGUnitedOneDay International at the Sir VivianRichardsStadium.

West Indies Women's captain Hayley Matthews said, “The girls put up a really good fight in the first innings to get us to the total that we got, so kudos to KyshonaandChinelle.

We took some crucial wickets in the middle after thestartNewZealandgot.Of course it's disappointing the waythegameendedbutallin all,Ithinkitwasagoodfirst game.”Both teams meet again onThursdaySeptember22at the same venue for the 2nd CG United ODI, from 9:30am Eastern Caribbean/ 8:30amJamaicatime.

Fans can now purchase ticketsforanyofthe Mastercard.s,attickets.windiestickets.commatchestheofficialWindiesTicketservicepresentedbyForallmatches,adults

can purchase general admission tickets online at US$5 00, with free admissionforchildrenunder the age of 16 when accompanied by a paying adult. Seniors benefit from halfpricetickets.

Thestadiumticketoffice will open on the day of the rescheduled 1st CG United ODI with printed tickets available for EC$15 00/ US$5.00.Alleightmatcheswillbe streamed live in the Caribbean on ESPN Caribbean's “ESPN Play” app and will be available around the world with some of CWI's broadcast partners and on the Windies Cricket YouTubechannel.Liveballby-ball scoring will also be available on the www windiescricket com MatchCentre.

Match details: New Zealand159for5in33overs (Bates 51, Kerr 47*, Matthews 3-28) beat West Indies 168 for 7 in 35 overs (Henry 44, Kyshona 36, Jonas 2-22) by five runs (DLSmethod)

Shakib played his first match of the 2022 Hero CPL for the Guyana Amazon Warriors on Wednesday evening.

Chelsea sack Commercial Director over ‘inappropriate messages’ sent to football finance agent

(BBC Sport) - Chelsea have sacked Commercial Director Damian Willoughby after he sent “inappropriate messages” to a femalefootballfinanceagent.

Willoughby sent improper messages to Catalina Kim before he joined the club last month.Kim was involved with a bid to buy the WestLondonclubinMarch.

“Chelsea confirms that it has terminated Commercial Director Damian Willoughby’s employment with immediate effect,” a club spokesperson

“Evidencesaid.ofinappropriatemessagessent byMrWilloughby,priortohisappointmentat Chelsea FC earlier this month, has recently beenprovidedtoandinvestigatedbytheclub.

“While they were sent prior to his employmentattheclub,suchbehaviourruns absolutely counter to the workplace environment and corporate culture being establishedbytheclub’snewownership.”

Last month Willoughby began a second spellatStamfordBridgefollowingtheclub’s takeover by an investment group led by businessman Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.WilloughbyworkedforChelseabetween 2007 and 2010 - and has also worked for Manchester City and EA Sports. But he has beensackedlessthanamonthintotherole.

The Telegraph, which first reported the story,saidthatKimhighlightedthemessages toChelsea’sheadofbusiness,TimGlick,who hiredKim’WilloughbysfirmC&P Sports Group were involved in British property owner Nick Candy’sbidtobuytheclubafteritwasputup forsalebyformerownerRomanAbramovich earlierthisyear

A Chelsea spokesperson added: “The club’sownersareworkingtirelesslytosetand achievethehigheststandardsbothonandoff thepitch,andaredeterminedtoestablishand nurture a culture of transparency, accountability, inclusivity, diversity and opportunity“Theclub is committed to creating an environmentwhichembodiesthesevalues.”

Lewis now CPLall-time top six hitterafter surpassing idol Gayle

Onebig-hittingleft-handerEvinLewis hassurpassedanother,ChrisGayle,for the most sixes scored in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) history On Saturday,the30-year-oldmanagedjust 19 for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in a lopsided 49-run loss to the St Lucia Kingsbutdespitethedefeat,therewas a positive side. Lewis’s two sixes in the innings moved him level and then one clear of legendary T20 star Chris Gayle.Gaylehasremained (Continued on page 21)

Evin Lewis

2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League... Royals defeat Patriots to extend lead

BySeanDevers

Tournament Leaders, Barbados Royals, extended their lead on the points table when they defeated St Kitts&NevisPatriotsby36runsas the Guyana leg of the 2022 Hero CPL commenced on Wednesday morning at the well-manicured ProvidenceStadium.

Royals, on the back of a shotfilled 64 from Azam Khan, who faced 44 balls with five fours and five sixes, and an undefeated 47 from 44 balls from Harry Tector, who reached the ropes three times andclearedittwice,reached156-3 whentheir20oversexpired.

The Patriots responded with 120 all out in 19.3 overs as only Evin Lewis, who hit seven boundaries from 36 balls in 41, looked threatening as Nyeem Young took 3 - 5, Mujeeb Ur

Rahman claimed 3 - 18 and Jason Holder snagged 2 – 31 for Royals. This was their eighth win in nine matcheswhichtooktheirtallyto16

points.On

abrightandsunnyday,only thepartiallypopulatedGreenstand was opened to the public while the RedStand,reservedbytheGuyana Government for the over 3000 school children, was almost filled to

capacityTheRoyalswereaskedtobaton a good track which favoured the spinners The burly Rakeem Cornwall(6)departedinthefourth over when Duan Jansen made the break-throughat22-1.

Tector and Khan then joined forcesafterAkilaDananjayastruck acrucialblow;inducingthein-form KyleMayers,whoedgedaballthat shaped away from him to the

keeper, after hitting three fours in hisscoreof16.Royalswere46–2.

Khan, who reached his fifty from 38 balls with fours and two sixes, played several scintillating shots while Tector played an excellent supporting knock. Their 100-runpartnershipwasbroughtup fromjust76balls.

The pair eventually added 102 for the third wicket before Khan provided Andre Fletcher with his secondcatchinthefinalover,while Jason Holder, on eight, was the other unbeaten batter when the overs

Laterexpired.inthe day, the Patriots began their chase positively much tothedelightoftheexcitedstudents who waved the St Kitts & Nevis Flags and blew horns which mimicked the sounded of 10,000 fansinthestadium.

Withscoreon46intheseventh over,Fletcher,firmlyinon20from 21 balls (2x4, 1x6), swept a delivery from Mujeeb Ur Rahman toJoshuaBishoponthedeepsquare leg boundary to give Royals the breakthrough.SherfaneRutherford, on home

soil,clobberedleg-spinnerHayden Walshforsixbeforehewascaught in the deep off Cornwall for nine. Patriotswere72-2inthe12thover The 30-year-old Lewis soon afterprovidedUrRahmanwithhis secondscalpat73-3inthe15th (Continuedonpage21)

Devon Thomas reacts to Mujeed Ur Rahman bowling SKNP’s top scorer, Evin Lewis. (Getty Images)

2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League…

Tallawahs lose to Amazon Warriors despite King’s 104

By Sean Devers

It is said that when night falls, the stars come out to shine and last night at the Providence, Brandon King shonebrilliantlyledwiththe bat for the Tallawahs, but it was not enough to prevent the Amazon Warriors from registering a crucial win to move to five points with threegamestoplay

Guyana Amazon Warriors, led by 60 from 45 balls with four fours and three sixes from Shai Hope and an explosive 16-ball 42 with six sixes from Odean Smith, who shared in a 74run stand with Keemo Paul, whofinishedunbeatenon24 from12ballswithtwofours andtwosixes,made178-8.

Mohammed Nabi (3-12) and Chris Green (2 24) bowled well for Jamaica Tallawahs, who replied with 166in19.5overs

Brandon King’s magnificent 104 from 66 balls with eight fours and seven sixes threatened to spoilthecelebrationsforthe Warriors’adoringfans.

Rainstoppedplayat1316 after 17 overs, with the Tallawahs15runsbehindon theDuckworth/Lewis-Stern System.When play resumed, MotieremovedImadWasim leaving 20 run to get in the lastoverwithKingon97.

ThefirstballfromSmith washitforsixtotakeKingto the first ton this season beforehewasrunout.

Smith dismissed PretoriuswhileAmirwasrun outasTahir(2-17),Motie(236) and Man-of the –Match Smith (2 26) bowled Warriorstotheirsecondwin fromsevenmatches

Earlier, the Warriors were asked to bat on a fast outfield, on a track which favoured spin and with pulsating vibes emanating from sound system, Tassa drumsplayingalongwithEl DoradoRumflowing,itwas

certainlythebiggestpartyin Sports.Chanderpaul Hemraj gave himself room and cut MohammedAmir past point for off the third ball of the match.RahmanullahGurbazein thesideforPaulSterlingwas caughtbehindforaduckoff Green at 8-1 before Shai HopecaressedtheAustralian off-spinner past cover for four and stroked Amir for fourItmore.was at 34-2 when Hemraj(13)wascaughtlbw to Green before Shakib Al Hasanwasalsocaughtlbwto

Imad Wasim for a first ball duck,arunlater Hope, back in the team after injury, was joined by Skipper Shimron Hetymer and his fifty was posted in 8.2overs.Hope, batting with

refreshing positivity, hit Nabi over his head for six andthepartisancrowdwhich produced a Kaleidoscope of colours to create a fantastic atmosphere, roared its approval.Thedancing and flag waving crowd was soon silenced when Hetymer (11) pushed forward to Nabi and was trapped lbw at 62-4, as the Warriors batting woes continued.Hopecontinued to give the Warriors hope and brought up his fourth T20 fifty with a gorgeous boundary off Migael Pretorius before Romario Shepherd (9) was taken on the boundary on the third attempt by Rovman Powell withthescoreon87-5.

HopehitFabianAllenfor sixbeforemissingapullata ballthatkeptlowfromNabi toleavetheWarriorson97-6 inthe16thover Motie (2) was removed lbw as he missed sweep at Nabiarunlater Attheendof16overthe

Warriorswere100-7.

Odean Smith clobbered five sixes in the 18th from Pretorius which cost 31 runs while Paul, hit two sixesandtwofoursasAmir conceded 24 in the penultimateover Smithdepositedafreehit forsixfromPowellwhoalso bowled fours wides in the lastoverandalthoughSmith wasJuniorbowled,Sinclairhitasixto end the innings and the sold out crowd were dancing in the stands as 74 came from lastthreeovers.

The action continues today with TKR facing Patriots in the opening match from 10:00 hrs and Warriors coming up against theKingsinthenightgame.

Match details: Guyana Amazon Warriors 178/8 (Shai Hope 60, Odean Smith42;Nabi3-12,Green 2 24) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 166/10 (Brandon King 104, McKenzie 15; Tahir 2-17, Smith2-26)

Shai Hope’s half century kept the Amazon Warriors in contention for a good score. (Getty Images)

The Grass Mound was the liveliest section at Providence Stadium on Wednesday night. (Getty Images)

Jamaica Tallawahs’coaching staff includes a few cricketing legends. Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Sir Curtley Ambrose acknowledged the fans during the GAW versus JT showdown. (Getty Images)

The liveliest section at Providence Stadium on Wednesday night. (Getty Images)

Odean Smith (left) and Keemo Paul added 74-runs in 26 deliveries. (Getty Images)

Sports Hero Caribbean

Barbados Royals have moved on to 16 points from eight wins. (Getty Images)

The Warriors had an eventful final over on their way to victory. (Getty Images)