Guyana Times - Saturday, November 19, 2022

Border controversy case at ICJ

Guyana rejects Venezuela’s position that UK, not Guyana, is proper party to bring claim

FERRY SCHEDULE

Venezuela’s argu ment that the United Kingdom (UK), and not Guyana, is the prop er party to approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a final and binding ruling on the October 3, 1899 Arbitral Award settling the land boundary between the two South American coun tries has been rejected as “incoherent, legally miscon ceived and factually base

mer British colony, it was the UK that ought to have asked the ICJ to resolve the border controversy.

Rodriguez is rely ing on the Monetary Gold Principle—a procedural le gal rule that came with the historical practice of the ICJ—which means that in ternational courts are not competent to settle disputes between states unless those states agree to exercise juris

agreement as an independent nation alongside the United Kingdom and Venezuela, fully taking over the United Kingdom's former position in talks with Venezuela re garding the border dispute, Professor Sands submitted.

Arguing that the Monetary Gold Principle can be of no avail to Venezuela, the international lawyer said: “In this case, the 1966 Agreement and in particu

terminated by either side at certain stated intervals, but it had a guaranteed mini mum life of twelve years. The Protocol did not replace the Geneva Agreement of 1966 but merely suspended it. But if either side, after a minimum period of twelve years should withdraw from the agreement, the Geneva Agreement would be auto matically revived and all the procedures provided in that agreement would be avail able again to both countries.”

less” by Guyana’s legal team.

Continuing on Friday from arguments that com menced the previous day on the Spanish-speaking na tion’s objections to Guyana’s submission of its memori al on the merits of the case, Professor Philippe Sands, a Professor of International Law at University College London, submitted that the UK “has no legal skin in this game” as Guyana is now a self-governing state having gained independence from Britain on May 26, 1966.

Venezuela’s Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who appeared before the ICJ in The Hague, Netherlands on Thursday, had advanced that her country was not disputing the court’s juris diction to arbitrate the mat ter but instead asserted that Guyana is not the proper party to file the claim.

Her position is that be cause the UK, which she de scribed as a “land grabber” and accused of a “cover-up”, as a party to the Arbitral Award which saw Guyana being “given” territory, and owing to Guyana being a for

diction over this dispute by the court.

Having been decolonised since May 26, 1966, Guyana has rejected this argument.

Power with Guyana via Geneva Agreement

Professor Sands said that when Guyana became inde pendent, the UK gave its con sent to the United Nations (UN) and by extension its judicial arm—the ICJ—by way of negotiating, signing, and bringing into effect the Geneva Agreement (1966), with the power to settle the border controversy between the two nations.

That Agreement, signed on February 17, 1966, is a treaty to resolve the con flict between Venezuela and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland over the border between Venezuela and British Guiana, and at that time was an active trea ty between Venezuela and the United Kingdom, along with its colony of British Guiana. When Guyana gained independence three months later, it joined the

lar, the provisions of articles two and four…for the practi cal settlement of the contro versy, make it clear that the United Kingdom recognised that going forward, the only two parties, which were di rectly interested in the res olution of the controversy, were Guyana and Venezuela.

By the agreement, the United Kingdom accepted that it would no longer be an inter ested party.” This conclusion, he noted, is also supported by the position of Venezuela set out in its exposition of mo tives for the draft law rati fying the Protocol of Port of Spain on June 22, 1970.

In an article written by the late Guyanese diplomat, historian, and author, Odeen Ishmael, it is stated: “The Protocol provided for a min imum period during which Venezuela undertook not to assert any claim to sover eignty over the Essequibo region of Guyana, and for Guyana to assert no claim to Venezuelan territory. The initial period of the proto col was for twelve years and was automatically renew able. However, it could be

Professor Sands said that the Protocol states that the possibility existed, that an is sue of such vital importance, as the determination of the means of dispute settlement would be left to the two di rectly interested parties to be decided by an international institution chosen by them, or failing that by the UN’s Secretary General. “This makes it clear it in 1970, Venezuela considered that it and Guyana alone were the two directly interested par ties in this controversy and that the United Kingdom was not a directly interest ed party. And that continued to be Venezuela's position for another 50 years,” Guyana’s counsel told the World Court.

In examining the UK’s conduct in the six decades since Guyana attained inde pendence, he added: “At no time, since granting Guyana independence has the United Kingdom ever asserted, claimed or even hinted that it has any possible interest in either the question of the validity of the 1899 Award or the location of the bound ary between Venezuela and Guyana or any aspect of any matter that might have to be decided in relation to the res olution of those issues.”

According to him, this is so for a simple reason—the legal instrument through which the UK gave effect to the grant of independence.

Professor Sands said: “It is the Guyana Independence Act of 1966… section one of which was enacted by the British Parliament on the eve of Guyana’s indepen dence.

…British Govt “has no legal skin in this game”, says Guyana’s

counsel, Professor Sands

Professor Philippe Sands

Members of the Delegation of Guyana at the opening of the hearings (Thursday 17 November 2022 || Copyright: UN Photo/ICJ-CIJ/Wendy van Bree. Courtesy of the ICJ. All rights reserved)

The Members of the Court at the opening of the hearings

Editor: Tusika Martin

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“Celebrating Mateship”

Today we celebrate International Men’s Day 2022, themed “Celebrating Mateship”. The day, which is celebrated each year on November 19, is used to acknowledge the contributions of positive male role models, especially those unsung heroes who have made, and are making, personal sacrifices to ensure that their families and the societies in which they live are peaceful, fulfilling and enriching.

This year’s theme, “Celebrating Mateship”, speaks to close male friendships and aims to highlight the role “mateship” plays in assisting men to live longer, better, healthier lives.

In addition to celebrating men, the day serves to bring awareness about men’s health.

According to Harvard Health Publishing of the Harvard Medical School, men not only die at a younger age than women, but are also more prone to illness during life.

“Men are nearly 10 times more likely to get inguinal hernias than women, and five times more likely to have aortic aneurysms,” Harvard states in its study.

Here, in Guyana, we used this day to celebrate President Dr Irfaan Ali’s recently launched “1000 Men” initiative, which aims at tackling issues affecting men countrywide, and comes at a timely period in Guyana.

As it stands at the moment, domestic violence, abuse, and drug use, among other social issues, are consuming our men – young and old.

To quote President Dr Irfaan Ali: “The mission of this ‘1000 Men’ is to work in every single community to eradicate hunger, to work in every single community to lift up those who are emotionally [and] socially affected. It is to change every society and bring positive living and positive life in every single community. It is to work against violence, it is to work at making men better at being good men, responsible men, responsible boys, responsible youth in our society.”

This issue is not limited to Guyana, but, over the last four decades, developing Caribbean countries have been struggling with young men and men maintaining and keeping roles and responsibilities in the family, and society as a whole.

However, the issue of the role of men and their influence and impact in raising children has always been a concern in Guyana.

In Guyana, while there are no readily-available statistics, it is believed that there is a huge percentage of children growing up in single-parent- headed homes, in most cases without the much-needed guidance and support of a father figure. No one can deny the importance of men, fathers, and father figures in helping to nurture and care for children, especially in their early stages of development.

According to UNICEF, advances in neuroscience have proven that when children spend their earliest years in a nurturing, stimulating environment, new neural connections can form at a once-in-a-lifetime speed of 1000 per second. These connections help determine their health, ability to learn and deal with stress, and even influence their earning capacity as adults.

Research also suggests that exposure to violence and a lack of stimulation and care can prevent neural connections from occurring; and when children positively interact with their fathers, they have better psychological health, self-esteem, and life satisfaction in the long term.

The truth is, many Caribbean men and boys are being poorly socialised, and are many times not given enough attention during their early years of development at home, in school, and within the wider society.

At an early age, boys within the Caribbean are told that they must be tough, they are socialised to hide their weaknesses and sensitivities, and to shun anything that even slightly appears feminine.

We must re-educate our young boys, therefore, and change how they perceive the importance of education, despite the economic hardships and feminisation of this tool by the societies in which they dwell.

Today, as we celebrate men, we must acknowledge the significant role they play in nurturing and strengthening not only their families, but also society.

Happy International Men’s Day!

Guyana rejects Venezuela’s position that UK...

It provided that on and after the 26th of May 1966, Her Majesty's Government in the UK shall have no responsibility for the government of the territory.”

Rejecting Venezuela's objection

From that date going forward, he pointed out that the UK unequivocally and explicitly gave up any claim to any rights in respect of the territory, which immediately before independence, had been the territory of the British colony.

“Neither the Geneva Agreement nor the Port of Spain Protocol provides for any further action on the part of the United Kingdom after Guyanese in dependence. In the circumstances, it would not seem either appropriate or helpful for His Majesty’s Government now to play an active role in the contro versy,” he noted.

Rejecting Venezuela's preliminary objection that the process of decolonisa tion is somehow incomplete, encoded, or imperfect, he stressed that Guyana has been liberated from the shackles of colo nialism, and therefore it is for the gov ernments of Guyana and Venezuela to settle this matter between themselves.

Professor Sands said that this pre liminary objection is totally offensive against the law of state succession and the law of decolonisation. Venezuela simply alleging fraud or some other hor rendous act against the former colonial power, and relying on the Monetary Gold Principle, he contended, “is not so much of a case”.

Professor Philippe Sands, a King’s Counsel, stressed that Venezuela’s pre liminary objections have ignored the fundamental precepts of state succes sion, equalisation, and self-determi nation. He deemed the country’s case “totally hopeless”. In conclusion, he de clared that the “United Kingdom has no legal skin in this game. Venezuela's preliminary objections are incoherent legally misconceived and factually base less. The preliminary objections ignore the realities of the 1966 Agreement and the Court's jurisprudence on the indis pensable third party.”

The second round of oral arguments on Venezuela’s preliminary objection will continue next Monday with that country’s lawyers addressing the court. Guyana’s legal team is scheduled to

make submissions the following day.

Guyana’s legal team is being headed by Co-Agent and Counsel, Sir Shridath Ramphal, and includes member of the Bars of the United States Supreme Court and the District of Columbia, Paul S Reichler; Professor Emeritus of the University Paris Nanterre, for mer Chairman of the International Law Commission and member of the Institut de Droit International, Alain Pellet; Professor of International Law at University College, London, Philippe Sands; Professor of International Law and Senior Fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto, and member of the Bar of New York, the Law Society of Ontario and the Permanent Court of Arbitration, Payam Akhavan; Professor Ordinaire, Université Catholique de Louvain and member of the Institut de Droit International, Foley Hoag, LLP and the Bar of Brussels, Pierre d’Argent; member of the Bars of the District of Columbia, the State of New York, England and Wales, and the Law Society of Ontario, Christina L. Beharry; Barrister from Matrix Chambers, London, Edward Craven; member of the Bar of the State of New York, Juan Pablo Hugues Arthur; and member of the Bar of the District of Columbia, Isabella F Uria.

Then United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, in January 2018, decided that the case should be settled by the ICJ after exercising the powers vested in him to decide how the controversy should be settled by the 1966 Geneva Agreement between Guyana, Venezuela, and the United Kingdom.

He resorted to judicial settlement after the good offices process between Guyana and Venezuela failed. Within the framework of the 1966 Geneva Agreement between the two countries, the Secretary General conducted good offices from 1990 to 2017 to find a solu tion to their border controversy.

The Spanish-speaking nation is lay ing claim to more than two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass in Essequibo and a portion of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in which more than nine billion barrels of oil have been discovered over the past six years.

Guyana, among other things, is ask ing the ICJ to adjudge and declare that the 1899 Award is valid and binding upon Guyana and Venezuela and that Venezuela is internationally respon sible for violations of Guyana’s sover eignty and sovereign rights, and for all injuries suffered by Guyana as a conse quence. (G1)

Girls’ power: Guyana Police Force's Female Team completing in the Final Day of the Guyana Defence Force’s two-day Fourth Quarterly Fitness Competition held at Base Camp Stephenson (BCS), Timehri (GPF photo)

Guyana’s legal team at the Peace Palace, International Court of Justice, Hague, The Netherlands

There has been an increase in the number of posi tive COVID-19 cases de tected in recent days and Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has reiterat ed calls for citizens to get vaccinated ahead of the Christmas holidays.

On Friday, during the COVID-19 briefing, Dr Anthony said that after weeks of declining COVID cases, there is now a rise in the numbers.

As such, he is strong ly recommending that per sons continue to wear face coverings in public settings despite the mandate being lifted.

“…over the last two to three days, we’ve had an increase in cases, right now, because we are track

ing 71 cases, this is a major increase from over the last three days. We’ve also seen increases in the hospitals from zero, to now having six persons in hospital.”

“Of the six that are in hospital, we have three that are in the ICU, with one of those persons being intubated,” he said.

Dr Anthony explained that if people do not take necessary precautions to protect themselves then these numbers will contin ue to climb.

In this light, the Minister urged persons to get vaccinated and boost ed ahead of the holiday season as well as to follow guidelines, including fre quent handwashing and staying away from those who are sick.

“COVID is not over. I know a lot of people would want to think so, but we are now having an increase in cases despite having low levels of testing and we are seeing a number of those persons having severe in fections that warrants hos pitalisation,” he explained.

According to Dr Anthony, his Ministry is also seeing a decrease in vaccinations and if persons are not vaccinated then they will be vulnerable to COVID.

“I want to make an ap peal to everyone, make sure that your vaccines are up to date, that you have gotten your booster shots because there seem to be a new wave that is coming, and we are seeing the be ginning of that wave.” (G9)

Improve the law, but stop the silliness

Dear Editor,

It is really disappoint ing to witness the backlash emanating from the Court ruling on the deficien cies of the Local Content Law and the granting of certification to a compa ny. Through no fault of its

own, the company in ques tion was able to prove its case: why it should not be denied certification. The Court agreed.

The ire, fury and innu endoes being hurled in the company's direction are really uncalled for, petty,

and will not improve the relationship between the sides. The law, as point ed out, is weak in certain areas. Improve it, but stop the silliness.

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

Page Foundation

Materials: Pen Paper Scissors

Styrofoam Plate Tape

Marker

Air Dry Clay

Instructions:

Find a picture of a fossil to base your stamp on. There are plenty on the Web, make sure yours is not too complicated (for example, a skull or bone works better than a whole skeleton)

Print the picture or trace it onto a sheet of paper.

Cut the flat centre out of the Styrofoam plate.

Place the fossil image onto the Styrofoam, then draw over it with a pen. Push hard

enough that the design trans fers to the foam beneath the image.

Remove the paper, and you should be able to see your fossil image in the Styrofoam. Draw over the image once more with the pen.

Your stamp is almost done! You can make a handle out of tape by sticking a loop to the

back of the Styrofoam. Colour over the front of the stamp with a marker or highlight er, then quickly press it firmly onto a sheet of paper.

To make a clay ‘fossil’ using similar methods, repeat steps 1-5.

Trace over the fossil im age three or four times with a pen, pushing firmly into the Styrofoam.

It should be easy to pop the centre of the fossil picture out of the Styrofoam. If it isn’t, draw over the outline one or two more times. Gently pull the centre out of the fossil design.

Use the fossil cut-out you just made to make a fossil im print on a flat piece of air-dry clay. Peel the cut-out off of the clay and let it dry according to the clay’s instructions. (scien ceisfun.org)

By The BroThers Grimm

CONTINUED FROM THURSDAY

WORD SEARCH

All CPCE trainees to get salaries from January – Manickchand …sweeping changes in store for the College

For the first time in education history, Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) stu dents who are training in the system will be earn ing an in-service salary, commencing from January 2023.

This introduction of wages was announced by Education Minister Priya Manickchand on Friday, as she commissioned a new CPCE facility in Vreed-enHoop on the West Coast of Demerara.

“From January next year, we’re going to make sure that every teacher, even as you train, you are receiving a salary as an in-service teacher. Every single one of you…We’re giving you a place to come and be the best you can be

by learning and making yourself developed. We’re giving you a salary – some thing that has never been done before with all the teachers in the system,” the Minister told the aspiring teachers.

Currently, only persons living in the dorms would be given a stipend of about $11,000. Now, this will be modified so that every CPCE student receives a salary.

“They’ll be in schools even as they are learning and so they are going to be paid,” she noted.

This is not the only change in store for the CPCE, in keeping with ex pectations of excellence in education and establish ing quality assurance mea sures. Manickchand ex

plained that the sector needs persons that will change communities and educators who are commit ted to the job.

Speaking on this, she highlighted, “How they are perceived may be harsh be cause they are going to be different. We have to move to a place where we have quality assurance…mean ing someone coming behind the work done to see it was of quality and delivered eq uitably.”

The College currently has 2600 first year students – a result of the college go ing fully online in 2021 and increased reach across its regional centres.

Chief Education Officer, Dr Marcel Hutson under scored that this trajecto ry and input into education

should not cease. Now more than ever, he said persons are needed in the classroom who can inspire and con tribute to the vision of hav ing a world class education system.

"We can't have a world class education system with persons who are not of a certain standard to deliver.”

Hutson added that every child is born gifted and as such, teachers need to know how to extract qualities that will realise their full poten tial. He noted that there are children all over the coun try who are waiting for ed ucators to come and change their lives.

"Every child is born gift ed so we have to know what to do to draw out what is in side of them. It is what you do in the classroom that is

fundamental to whether that child will be successful or not. So, you should have high expectations of your children as they come in front of you. The Ministry of Education is treating this matter seriously,” the CEO outlined.

It was outlined that the level of performance at all levels also need to be raised, requiring a correlated ap proach in exceptional edu cational delivery through out the system. At the same time, he said the Ministry must have accountability for his stewardship.

The Region Three Centre of CPCE was estab lished in 1996 for in-ser vice teachers only. Today, 300 persons are registered at the institution. Through this expansion, students

can do any discipline that the Turkeyen campus is of fering.

Principal Noella Joseph stated that the College has to enhance its centres to ca ter for staff and teachers. Blended modalities, larg er physical spaces and on line mechanisms became an integral necessity, having seen an influx of persons gaining admission at the institution within the past two years.

“The online programme triggered an exponential in crease in our student pop ulation and this became a catalyst for the Ministry of Education to achieve one of its strategic goals, which is to furnish our education system with 100 per cent trained teachers by 2025,” the principal said. (G12)

The new CPCE facility commissioned in Vreed-en-Hoop

Students of the CPCE

Taxi driver acquitted of schoolteacher’s murder sues the State

Min May of this year acquitted of the 2017 mur der of 22-year-old teacher Kescia Branche, after spend ing almost five years on re mand, is suing the State for more than $50.3 million, claiming that he was wrong fully incarcerated.

The 52-year-old, a res ident of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD), is being represented by a battery of attorneys-at-law led by Dexter Todd.

When Munroe was ar raigned before Demerara High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon, the State was ex pected to call 35 witnesses during the trial. However, on the first day of the pro ceeding, the prosecution conceded that there was no direct evidence linking Munroe to the crime and that the prosecution’s main witness could not be located. As such, Justice Kissoon in structed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty and thereby discharged Munroe.

In his Statement of Claim (SoC) which list ed the Attorney General and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), as the respondents, Munroe

is seeking $50.3 million in damages for violations of his constitutional rights, includ ing the wrongful advance ment of a murder charge against him, his wrongful detention for four years and six months and a breach of his fundamental right to lib erty.

Munroe was first charged with the murder in November 2017 and was re manded to prison.

At the end of a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) on October 16, 2018, he was committed to stand trial. An indictment for the offence of murder was preferred against him in September 2020.

According to Munroe’s lawyers, they continuously wrote the DPP’s office from October 2018 to July 2021 for the discharge of their cli ent from prison as there was no evidence to secure a con viction against him, that he was innocent and that he was unjustly being detained.

Seeking orders

Given the delay in their client’s trial, the lawyers submitted that they filed an action in the Demerara High Court seeking certain ad ministrative orders, includ ing declarations that their client’s constitutional rights were being breached by his continued incarceration.

“The Claimant [Munroe] remained in custody from November 2017 to May 2022 until his indictment was pre sented and he was acquitted of the charges against him by the Honourable Justice Kissoon after the prosecu tion failed to establish a case against him,” reads the SoC.

The lawyers submitted that at a case management conference (CMC) held by Justice Kissoon with them and the State prosecutor, the State prosecutor dis closed that despite there be ing no real evidence linking their client to the crime, he was instructed by the DPP, Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, to still proceed and present the indictment.

Munroe’s legal team add ed: “The indictment was presented and the State was allowed to call their first three witnesses. At the con clusion of hearing the three witnesses, the Honouarbale

Trial Judge asked for a sec ond Case Management Conference and informed both counsel that the Honourable trial Judge had consulted with the Honourable Chief Justice as he was very concerned about the waste of judicial time and has since come to the conclusion that the pros ecution will close their case and the jury will be so di rected to return a verdict of not guilty.”

As a result of his unlaw ful incarceration, Munroe claimed that he lost $24.8 million in income as he pre viously worked as a mar keting agent with Puran Brothers Inc, and as a taxi driver.

Besides damages, the former murder accused is asking a Judge to declare that his arrest and deten tion for almost five years without a trial was unrea sonable and was in contra vention of Article 144 of the Constitution which outlines provisions to secure protec tion of the law.

Article 144 (1) of the Constitution provides that: “If any person is charged with a criminal offence, then, unless the charge is withdrawn, the case shall be afforded a fair hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and im partial court established by law.”

According to his lawyers, the DPP holds a constitu tional office and “at all times was obligated to act fairly, dispassionately, in accor dance with the law and le gal principles and without bias in the discharge of the constitutional responsibility vested” in her office.

In addition, the taxi driv er is also seeking compen satory damages, interest, costs, and such further or ders the court deems just in the circumstances.

Branche, who had been a teacher at the Richard Ishmael Secondary School, had been found unconscious at the corner of Louisa Row and Princes Street, Georgetown, on November 5, 2017, and had died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on November 7, 2017.

Her cause of death was given as haemorrhage and

blunt trauma to the head.

Munroe was arrested sometime after, and was charged with the offence of murder. He had alleged ly departed Guyana for the United States of America some time in November 2017, but after spending some time overseas, had returned to Guyana and present ed himself to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown.

The Police have said that, during interrogation, Munroe could not provide information on his where abouts on the night that the schoolteacher was report edly assaulted, as well as a reason for his car bumper being missing. Branche had been a mother of one and a resident of Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown. According to reports, the young mother had left home for a night of partying. Her son was left in the care of a friend, who revealed that Branche had told her she had intended to go to a city nightclub to meet a male friend.

Branche had later re turned home, but had sub sequently left again. She had told her friend that she would be home by 02:00h but had never returned. She had last been seen leaving a nightclub on Lamaha Street, Georgetown, in the compa ny of two Police ranks. The father of Branche’s child was also arrested after the teacher’s mobile phone was found in his possession.

He and four Policemen had been questioned about her death, but they were later released from custo dy. Munroe and his lawyers have since pleaded with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to reopen the investigation into the murder of the young woman.

“I would like for this case to be reopened. If the media and the general public could join with me and we could ask the Government or who ever is responsible for this case to be reopened so that justice could be served. It is not fair for Ms Branche and her family and even for her son…it is not fair for them; justice must be served,” a tearful Munroe had related. (G1)

End game...

…on public sector salaries?

The long-awaited “other foot” dropped in the PPP Government’s full-court press to court erstwhile supporters of the PNC – it announced an 8% RETROACTIVE salary increase for all Government workers across the board!! This means that, in addition to receiving a lump sum payment to the tune of twelve months’ increases – their paycheck will keep that 8% bump going forward!! Now, that lump sum ain’t gonna be peanutsand in fact will be seen as a very welcome Christmas gift, thank you!!

Let’s say a Public Service worker’s gross salary was $150,000 monthly – which ain’t too gross, you gotta concede!! In December, that person will take home another $144,000 on top of their $100,000 - which should give them almost a quarter of a million dollars to splurge in the festive season!! That’ll put a big smile on their face!! Now, of course, the unions and the PNC will be pointing out that inflation – projected to touch 6% this year - will have eaten out much of the gains. But that’s the point of the RETRO payment, ain’t it?? It’s like a forced savings!! If those workers had gotten that extra $12,000 monthly last year, all of it would’ve been gone by now!!

The other retort from the unions will be that the Government has once again violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement by refusing to sit down with them - as is the law. But in this, the Unions – especially the GPSU - gotta take part of the blame. Ever since the PPP was returned to office through free and fair elections in 1992, the GPSU acted like an arm of the PNC!! Their 1999 strike was a case in point. They came out of the streets – crudely, in some cases – and even had their members in the medical field put patients in danger. They taunted the Police into shooting them with pellets – and finally wrenched a 36% pay hike from a Government that had been left with a bankrupt Treasury by the PNC!! They’ve never failed to march lockstep – even goosestepping!! –with the PNC against the PPP in Government!!

But the PPP kept another card up their sleeve. President Ali announced that the Disciplined Forces and health workers will be getting an additional upwards bump over and beyond the 8%, going forward. Now that’s one way to neutralise obstreperous thoughts – much less actions!! Overall, your Eyewitness believes the Public Service undoubtedly needs a salary structure that’ll attract the brighter minds in Guyana. That means bigger bucks! This was the goal of Lee Kwan Yu in Singapore - but he insisted that before the big bucks, the Public Servants had to be professionalised.

This is an area that the PPP must work on immediately!! Bertram Collins anyone??

…in Ukraine?

Apart from Zelensky – the comic who became President of Ukraine – most of Europe looks like it’s ready for a disengagement before the real winter steps in. A good sign was the bomb that exploded and killed two villagers in Poland. Zelensky was quick to label it a “Russian attack!!”. In the ongoing investigation, however, Poland announced that the missile came from Ukraine!! And even Biden had to concede that was the case. Zelensky, who’s revelling in the attention, has dug his heels in.

The rest of Europe – especially Germany – is facing the grim prospects of a cold winter, where they won’t have enough fuel – gas or diesel – to see them through. They’re unwilling to have to account for their citizens dying in this day and age like Hans Christian Anderson’s “Little Match Girl”. That was written over 170 years ago, and Europe’s self-image wouldn’t let it accept it hasn’t progressed.

The question is how to end the war and yet “save face”. A peacemaker’s needed??

…for Biden??

Politics in America ain’t for the weak (kneed)!! And with the populist demagogic turn - fuelled by social media - it’s about to get beyond toxic!! Imagine Republicans launching investigations into Biden’s son (computer) and daughter (diary) scandalous revelations!!

Matthew Munroe (right) with his lawyer Dexter Todd at a press conference shortly after he was discharged in May

New commerce chamber being set up to boost trade between Guyana, Europe

European Ambassador to Guyana, Rene van Nes has revealed that works are progress ing on the establishment of an EU-Guyana Chamber of Commerce, as he expressed hopes to see increased private sector coopera tion between Guyana and European countries.

“Guyana is a country of endless opportunities now and therefore I really want to bring more EU private sector to the country,” he said during a reception host ed by the EU on Wednesday evening.

In this regard, he an

nounced that the EUGuyana Chamber of Commerce should be estab lished soon.

“We are really making good progress on establish ing an EU-Guyana Chamber of Commerce…I have that ambition to do that. It should not be too long. I want to have a chamber that provides quality support both to European countries that want to come here and Guyanese companies that have an interest in working with the EU,” he noted.

This year marks 50 years of cooperation between the EU and Guyana. The diplo

mat remarked that Guyana is the place to be and estab lish business ties, catego rised as one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

“The EU is a phenome nal player in terms of trade and investments. Due to our shared values and our com mon interests and objectives for smarter and a greener and more inclusive economy, I think the EU is the natu ral partner for Guyana… Guyana is one of the most exciting places to be and to do business in and I will pass that message loud and clear to…to everyone in

Europe who still has not get that message,” the diplomat expressed.

Already, the Ambassador said many European coun tries are making their mark in the local private sector, in the delivery of services here.

The EU has contributed millions to assist in building a strong sea defence system, restoring City Hall with con tributions to power grids and water management.

“Our programme is con stantly changing because it has to respond to the needs of the country and your needs here are rapid ly changing…We really rec

Duty-free concession for 100 teachers, UG scholarships – Education Minister

Some 100 teach ers across the coun try will be bene fitting from duty-free concessions in the near fu ture, Education Minister Priya Manickchand an nounced on Friday.

This concession, issued by Government, will allow them to acquire their own vehicles without any duty commitments to be paid, thereby lowering the over all cost significantly.

Manickchand assured that conditions and bene fits for teachers will contin ue to improve, as she also announced several schol arships that will be grant ed for them to study at the University of Guyana.

“Your conditions will

continue to get better. Within the course of this week, 100 teachers will re

ceive their duty-free conces sions where they can buy vehicles duty-free. And sev

eral teachers are going to receive scholarships to be able to go to the University of Guyana,” the Education Minister communicated.

Overall, it was high lighted that hundreds of ed ucators are engaged in free scholarship, offered through the GOAL programme. And this week, the eight per cent increase in salaries for pub lic servants announced by President Irfaan Ali will also trickle down to those employed in the education system.

ognise in Guyana, a country that shares this passion to have an international rule of law and to make sure that we have a functional multi lateral system. That is now more needed than ever.”

Guyana already has Chambers of Commerce with the USA and Canada. Talks are also ongoing re garding the establishment of a Guyana-UK Chamber o f Commerce.

Since taking office, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic Government has voiced that Guyana is open for business, given the pleth ora of opportunities and av

enues for collaboration and mutual benefit.

Recently, the European Union-Guyana Chamber of Commerce was launched, carrying with it expecta tions of increased trade be tween Guyana and Europe and more ease of travel, af ter concern was expressed that visas for Guyanese to travel to the EU still have to be processed in Suriname.

President Dr Irfaan Ali had paid attention to the calls of the Guyanese busi ness community, urging the EU to accelerate the setting up of an office in Guyana to process visas. (G12)

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

European Ambassador to Guyana, Rene van Nes

Guyanese fisherman arrested in Suriname for murder

Law enforcement offi cials in Suriname have arrested a 41-yearold Guyanese fisherman at Commissioner Thurkowweg near Belwaarde, and he is being held in connec tion with the murder of a Dominican woman.

The lifeless body of the woman, 40-year-old Altagracia Del Rosario Mejia, was found at about 10:30h on Thursday at a house on the Verlengde Hoogestraat in Suriname. It has been reported that she had lived in the house with other Dominican wom en, and that the rooms of the house are rented out.

Mejia’s naked and gagged body was found with multiple injuries, including cuts and stab wounds to the face, neck, abdomen, and shoulders. Her room had also been ransacked.

Neighbours told Surinamese Police they had

heard screaming at around 04:00h on Thursday, and when they had taken a clos er look, they had seen noth ing worth mentioning, but they note it was dark in the house. However, the wom an’s motionless and bloodied body was found in her room later in the day.

Following the ordeal, the suspect, who was plying his trade in Surinamese waters, was arrested after video footage showed he was the last person to have visited the woman’s apartment be fore she was found dead.

Surinamese authori ties have since stated that CCTV cameras close to the woman’s apartment have re vealed that the fisherman would frequently visit the woman’s apartment.

He was tracked down and arrested by Police as he was about to leave their shores with a fishing boat. He was then taken to Paramaribo, and will be transferred to the Capital Offenses Department.

While the motive for the woman’s killing is still un known at this time, her lifeless body was seized for autopsy, and further investi gations have been launched. (G9)

Police unearth ganja in Essequibo Coast, Mon Repos searches

arrested and taken to the Anna Regina Police Station.

The cannabis was weighed and amounted to 120.5 grams. They remain in custody pending charges.

Meanwhile, on Thursday at about 10:30h, ranks from the Beterverwagting Police Station, ECD, conducted a cordon and search exercise on the premises of a resident of Mon Repos, ECD.

As Police arrived, the resident was seen sprint ing from his premises. Upon seeing this, the Police ranks searched the premises and leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis, and several whitish-looking substances suspected to be cocaine were found on the suspect’s bed.

The marijuana and co caine were taken to the

Police unearthed a quantity of mari juana in separate searches on Wednesday and Thursday.

Reports are that the marijuana was found at Aberdeen, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) and Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

In the first instance, at about 17:20h, law enforce ment officers were on a mo bile anti-crime patrol in the vicinity of Aberdeen Public Road, Essequibo Coast, when they saw a black Premio motor car, HD 2648, proceeding south.

As a result, the vehicle was stopped and all four of its occupants were asked to disembark.

“Currently, more than 1200 teachers are training for free on the GOAL schol arships, either Master’s or PhDs. We’re trying very hard. There’s an eight per cent increase [in sala ries] just announced by the President.”

She added, “There’s nothing wrong with wanting more for your personal pock et but we must not shortchange the children who are before us in our classrooms because somebody some where is telling you that things aren’t great in your package.”

There are different cri teria for which teachers can benefit from duty-free con cessions.

Criterion A includes all Heads or Principals and Deputy Heads or Deputy Principals of Grades ‘A’ and ‘B’ institutions, immediately on appointment with three (3) years remaining before retirement.

Criterion B covers Head Teachers or Administrators of Grades ‘C’, ‘D’ and ‘E’ in stitutions after three years in their appointment with three (3) years remaining before retirement.

Criteria C is for all Senior Masters or Mistresses and

Heads of Departments of all schools and Lecturer II of CPCE, Technical, or Craft Institutions after six years in the same position after their appointment. These persons and must have at least three years remaining before retirement.

In 2021, a decision was taken to have the scholar ship and duty-free conces sions for teachers initiative managed by the Education Ministry. This came amid threats hurled against teachers, threatening the

revocation of their scholar ships.

The Government through the Education Ministry had established a facility along with the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) to offer 50 scholarships and 100 du ty-free concessions to the nation’s teachers. This pro gramme was intended to as sist and further serve teach ers and provide them with additional benefits as they continue to provide excellent service to the educational system. (G12)

The ranks then request ed to search their person but nothing illegal was found. However, a further search was conducted in the inte rior of the car and a black

plastic bag with four trans parent plastics containing several leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be can nabis was found.

It was shown to the driv er and occupants, and they were all told of the offence,

Beterverwagting Police Station and weighed where it amounted to 17.5 grams of cannabis and 4 grams of co caine.

An investigation was launched. (G9)

The marijuana that was found at Mon Repos, ECD

The ganja that was found at Aberdeen, Essequibo Coast

The woman’s body being removed from the house

Dead: Altagracia Del Rosario Mejia

Child forced out of school after allegedly beaten by teacher

did not want to get off the motor bike to go to her class and when her mother insisted, she started to cry. However, the mother man aged to take her into the building.

Upon seeing the teacher, the girl ran out of the school crying, saying that it was the same teach er that had hit her.

The mother said she reported the matter to the Head Teacher and was told by the Head Teacher, “That particular teacher does not beat.”

According to the parent, she was told that the child’s allega tions were untrue.

Not satisfied with the re sponse she received; the moth er went to the Department of Education, which is situated in New Amsterdam.

Athree-year-old child has been out of school for al most two weeks and is now being forced to relocate. This is af ter the little girl alleged that she and her friends were beaten by her teacher, resulting in officials at the Ankerville Nursery School refus ing to allow her back at the public institution.

The three-year-old has not at tended school since last week Monday. The school is situated at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

According to the child’s mother, she was at home playing when her daughter said that she does not like her teacher.

This was a bit surprising com ing from a child who always had something exciting to say about school and her teacher, the moth er said and when she further en quired, she was told that the teach er hit the little girl and her friend.

While a bit disturbed, the moth er said she tried to ignore the re port by her daughter and took her to school the next day but the child

A meeting was subsequently held with the Education Officer with responsibility for nursery schools, the teacher, the Head Teacher and parent. During that meeting, the child reportedly said that the teacher used a ruler to hit her and her friend.

Also, in the absence of the par ent, the child reportedly told the same story.

The Education Officer made a decision to have the child placed into another class, which was done.

Child put out of school

The following morning when the mother went to drop off her daughter, she was reportedly

greeted at the door by the Head Teacher who allegedly told her that the teachers had a meeting and decided that they no longer want the child to attend the school and as such the mother would be given a transfer letter.

Armed with this new devel opment, the mother revisited the Department of Education where she was told that the issue will have to be investigated. She has been waiting until now as the three-year-old remains at home.

There have been an increas ing number of reports of violence against children perpetrated by teachers reaching this publication

coming out of Region Six.

Only recently one parent told this publication that a teacher attached to Friends Primary on the East Bank of Berbice hit his daughter, causing injuries to the child’s hand.

The child did not say anything about the incident when she got home until she was questioned about the marks and swelling to the forearm.

When one of the child’s par ents called the Head Teacher, they were told that they had to go to the school and make a report so that the Head Teacher can make an en try in the complaints book.

Not satisfied with that re sponse, the parent contacted a re gional official who made contact with the Department of Education. A meeting was arranged between the child, Education Officer, par ent, teacher and Head Teacher where the teacher initially denied hitting the child. However, after other evidence was put forward, the teacher admitted to hitting the child and reportedly promised not to repeat her action.

With an increase in violence by students on students, the Regional Education Committee has not ad dressed the issue to come up with recommendations.

Additionally, according to sources close to the Department, they have not implemented any programme to deal with the is sue of violence against students by teachers. (G4)

The child with a swollen hand after receiving lashes from a teacher at Friends Primary

Ankerville Nursery School

Body under bridge No foul play suspected – Police

Investigators probing the death of an unidentified man whose decomposing body was found under a bridge at Brickdam, Georgetown have said no foul play is sus pected in his death.

While the man has not yet been identified, the Police have said that he seems to have been between the age of 45 and 50 years old.

“The body was removed from under the bridge and ex amined, and no mark of vio lence was seen. The body was then escorted to Georgetown Public Hospital, where it was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor. It was then escorted to Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, waiting to be identified and a post-mortem examina tion to be conducted,” a release from the Guyana Police Force has detailed.

Investigators were called to the Brickdam area at around 16:45h on Wednesday after receiving reports that a body was seen under a bridge in the vicinity of the Schuler and Gomes Optical Services

building on Brickdam. Upon arriving at the scene, cops spent hours trying to break the bridge, which is partially concealed, to reach the body.

Neighbours told this publi cation that for days they had been smelling a foul odour in the area, and had thought it was emanating from the body of a dead animal.

One man told this publi cation that the smell had be come unbearable for him and his family, and he had been hoping that something could soon have been done in regard to the odour.

Reports are that, in an ef fort to get rid of the smell, the owner of the Schuler and

Gomes business place had de cided to clean the trench in front of the property, and thus had discovered the body under the concrete bridge.

Owner of the business place, Don Gomes, told the media that he had been get ting the stench since Sunday. He said that after asking his workers to check the trench, and upon learning there was a body there, he immediately informed the Police.

After the body was pulled from under the concealed bridge, the businessman said that, based on his observation, the dead person could not be identified as anyone he had known. (G9)

The unidentified body that was found under the bridge

GAWU, BBCI agree on 9% to 15% increases for workers

the increases secured by the union and at this time, the company is addressing the retroactive payments,” GAWU said in a statement on Friday.

These increases come less than a year after the union and the bridge com pany agreed to pay hikes be tween five to 27 per cent as well as a one-month salary bonus in December 2021 for workers.

The Guyana

Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) have concluded negotiations for 2022 during which they finalised salary increases for the workers of the bridge company.

It was agreed that em ployees would benefit from salary increases ranging from nine per cent and 15 per cent. These negotiated increases are retroactive to January 1, 2022.

Additionally, the par

ties also agreed to revise the salary scales. This will see workers whose earnings fall below the new scales being brought up to the new min imum of the scale thus re ceiving in excess of fifteen (15) per cent pay increase.

Apart from the wages be ing raised, GAWU and the BBCI have agreed to have all allowances increased by nine per cent across the board.

Further, through the agreement reached, ar rangements regarding the scheduling of staff engaged

in the retraction of the bridge on weekends and hol idays were clarified and ad dressed.

Moreover, the issue of year-end bonus also received attention during the negoti ations as well.

GAWU said it is pleased with the agreement reached during the bilateral discus sions with the BBCI.

“The discussions, we be lieve, were cordial, respect ful and frank and assisted in reaching a speedy con clusion. For their part, the workers are pleased with

Farfan & Mendes partners with UK company on drainage solutions

GAWU’s President Seepaul Narine had said that these benefits augured well for the worker/man agement relations as he ex pressed hope that the fruit ful relations fertilised over the years will continue to flourish.

At the time, Chief Labour Officer (CLO) Dhaneshwar Deonarine congratulated the two parties, stating that it is encouraging that the union and the company were able to reach an agreement bilaterally.

However, those agreed pay increases and adjust

ments to the salary scales in December came on the heels of workers protesting breaches to the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act in September 2021.

The workers were peeved over the BBCI manage ment’s refusal to replace personal protective equip ment (PPE) damaged during the course of their work amidst the COVID-19 pan demic. Attempts by the GAWU and the workers to have the bridge company replace damaged PPE were refused bluntly by the man

agement.

It was claimed that the leading manager reportedly said that the workers had al ready received their PPE en titlements and they should purchase any replacement. Those sentiments deeply upset the workers, who be lieved their rights were be ing trampled.

On this score, it is apt to point out that Section 46 (1) (a) of the OSH Act says “An employer shall ensure that the equipment materials and protective devices and clothing as prescribed are provided”. (G8)

GOGEC completes Region 3 secondary school seminar on oil and gas

Guyanese company, Farfan and Mendes, has signed a part nership agreement with the United Kingdom-based Concrete Canvas, now pav ing the way for sustainable concrete drainage solutions in Guyana.

The signing was done on the sidelines of a reception hosted by the British High Commission for delegates of the UK trade mission cur rently in Guyana to scope out potential business and investment opportunities.

This partnership allows for the provision of sustain able concrete drainage solu tions in the country.

Concrete Canvas prod ucts are from an innova tive material, Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCMs) with proven use for erosion control, weed suppression, slope protec tion, and typically, 10-times faster to install than con ventional concrete solutions.

President Dr Irfaan Ali in delivering remarks at the reception expressed his view that the product com plements the Government’s infrastructure programme including drainage projects.

Meanwhile, British High Commissioner Jane Miller said the partnership is il lustrative of the benefits of

trade missions, referencing Concrete Canvas’ participa tion in an earlier trade mis sion.

High Commissioner Miller also underscored the importance of UK companies collaborating with Guyanese companies to grow the eco nomic relations between the UK and Guyana.

The partnership aligns with Guyana’s interest to develop sectors beyond oil and gas and will help deliv er environmental and cli mate change priorities as a lower carbon alternative to traditional concrete, and in creased soil stability func tions.

The Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) completed the final in a series of train ing sessions for secondary school students on oil and gas.

So far GOGEC has suc cessfully conducted oil and gas training sessions for sec ondary school students on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); West Coast Demerara, Region Three (Essequibo Islands -West Demerara); Georgetown and East Coast Demerara, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The final training sem inar was hosted on Friday at Leonora for secondary students from Endeavour & the Commons, Essequibo Island, Leguan Secondary,

L’Aventure Secondary, Leonora Secondary, Parika Salem Secondary, Patentia Secondary, Stewartville Secondary, Uitvlugt Secondary, Vergenoegen, Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary, West Demerara Secondary, Westminster Secondary, Zeeburg Secondary, and the Leonora Technical and Vocational Training Centre.

This training plan was developed to introduce high school students to Guyana’s new and emerging oil and gas sector. The training programme was designed to help these students be come familiar with the basic knowledge of the sector and ensure they are enticed to further expand their knowl edge in the sector and one day contribute to its devel opment.

This massive year-long training programme was expected to educate over 50

schools and 1000 students. The chamber has successful ly met its target by complet ing training for a total of 65 schools and 1095 students.

According to GOGEC President Manniram Prashad, the training plan covered an introduction to the sector, players in the sector, job opportunities in the sector, exploration activ ities, PSA, the gas-to-shore project, and an overall un derstanding of Guyana’s economic, political and so cial history and where the country is today.

This training programme would not have been pos sible without the gener ous sponsorship by Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company - GTT and mem bers of the oil and gas sec tor who participated in sen sitising the students about Guyana’s emerging oil and gas industry.

Farfan & Mendes

Managing Director Andrew Mendes and Concrete Canvas Director Will Crawford signing the agreement in the presence of President Dr Irfaan Ali and British High Commissioner Jane Miller as well as other officials (Photo: Office of the President)

Secondary school students of Region Three who were part of the GOGEC training share a photo with trainers and GOGEC officials

Around the World OIL NEWS

Neighbours mourn deaths of 21 family members in Gaza home fire

Oil slides 2%, posts 2nd weekly decline as supply fears recede

Oil dropped by about 2 per cent on Friday, logging a second weekly decline, due to concern about weakened demand in China and further increases to US interest rates.

Brent crude settled at US$87.62 a barrel, falling US$2.16, or 2.4 per cent. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude settled at US$80.08 a barrel, losing US$1.56, or 1.9 per cent.

Both benchmarks posted weekly losses, with Brent down about 9 per cent and WTI roughly 10 per cent.

A stronger US dollar, which makes oil more expensive to non-American buyers, pushed down crude prices.

The market structure of both oil benchmarks shifted in ways that reflect dwindling supply concerns.

Crude came close to record highs earlier this year as Russia's invasion of Ukraine added to those worries. In addition, the front-month futures contract soared to a gigantic premium over later-dated contracts, a signal that people were worried about the immediate availability of oil and were willing to pay handsomely to secure supply.

Those supply concerns are waning. The current WTI contract is now trading at a discount to the second month, a structure known as contango, for the first time since 2021, Refinitiv Eikon data showed.

This condition will also benefit those looking to put more oil in inventories for later, especially with stocks still at low levels.

"The deeper the contango, the more likely the market will put those barrels in storage," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York.

Brent was still in the opposite structure, backwardation, though the premium of nearby Brent over barrels loading in six months fell as low as US$3 a barrel, the lowest since April.

China, which sources say is looking to slow crude imports from some sources, has seen a rise in COVID-19 cases while hopes for less aggressive US rate hikes have been dented by remarks from some Federal Reserve officials.

"The situation in China with COVID continues to haunt this market," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC in New York. "So much optimism gets priced in to the market as soon as they try to say that they're going to reopen, but then the reality on the ground is just completely opposite of that hopeful analysis."

As the European Union's ban on Russian crude looms on Dec 5, the prospect of more barrels from Russia pressuring the spot crude oil market also weighed on futures prices.

Recession concerns have dominated this week even with a tightening of supply by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, together known as OPEC+.

"On the demand side, there are concerns about an economic slowdown," said Avatrade's Naeem Aslam. "The path of least resistance seems skewed to the downside."

The Fed is expected to raise rates by a smaller 50 basis points (bps) at its Dec 13-14 policy meeting after four consecutive hikes of 75 bps, a Reuters poll showed.

OPEC+, which began a new round of supply cuts in November, holds a policy meeting on Dec 4. (Reuters)

As soon as she heard the news that a fire had broken out in the building where her sis ter lived, Aya Abu Raya ran down the street towards it, screaming, “My sister, my sister.”

When she arrived, all she could do was watch as the flames consumed the building where her sister and extended family had lived.

“I was screaming hys terically. My sister and her children were gone. People around me were trying to calm me down and tell me they would be fine.” Aya, 23, told Al Jazeera. “I was saying to them how are they going to be OK while you see these horrible

flames?”

Her sister Areej, 36, had died in the fire along with her sister’s husband and five children – four daugh ters and a son. Areej’s moth er-in-law, Yosra Abu Raya, and father-in-law, Maher Abu Rayya, as well as their

India successfully launches 1st privately made rocket

India successfully launched its first pri vately developed rock et, the Vikram-S, on Friday, a milestone in the country's effort to create a commercial space industry and to com pete on cost.

The 545-kg rocket, de veloped by space startup Skyroot, took off from the Indian space agency's launch site near Chennai and hit a peak altitude of 89.5 kilometres (km).

The rocket has the ca pability of reaching Mach 5 - five times the speed of sound - and carrying a pay load of 83 kg to an altitude of 100 kilometres, the com pany said.

The Skyroot team had set a target of 80 km for its first launch, a benchmark some agencies define as the fron tier of space. The Karman line - set by an internation al aeronautics body as defin ing the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and space - is at 100 km altitude.

Video footage showed the rocket taking off from the space centre, leaving a plume of smoke and fire in its trail. It splashed down in the Bay of Bengal about 5 minutes after launch, offi cials said.

"I'm happy to announce the successful completion of Mission Prarambh, the beginning," said Pawan Goenka, who chairs the Indian government agency that coordinates private-sec tor space activities.

Skyroot, which was start ed by Pawan Chandana and Bharath Daka, has set a tar get of cutting development costs by up to 90 per cent versus existing platforms to launch small satellites.

It expects to achieve that cost savings by using a rock et architecture that can be assembled in less than 72 hours with composite mate rials. It plans launches ca pable of delivering satellites starting next year. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Bahamas regulator confirms FTX asset seizure after hack accusation

The Securities Commission of The Bahamas said it had seized digital assets of FTX's Bahamas unit, an action that the collapsed crypto ex change's US-based leader ship initially believed to be a "hack."

The regulator said on Thursday it had ordered the transfer of all assets of FTX Digital Markets Ltd to a digital wallet it controlled for safekeeping.

"Urgent interim regula tory action was necessary to

protect the interests of cli ents and creditors of FDM," the commission said in a statement.

FTX filed for bankruptcy last week in Delaware in one of the highest-profile crypto blow-ups, after traders rushed to withdraw US$6 billion from the platform in just 72 hours and rival ex change Binance abandoned a proposed rescue deal.

Bahamas securities regulators had revoked FTX Digital's licence and began involuntary liquidation pro

ceedings the day before the US bankruptcy case kicked off. The people appoint ed to oversee that process have challenged the valid ity of the US proceedings.

FTX's new CEO John Ray who took over from FTX founder Sam BankmanFried when the company filed for Chapter 11, said in a Thursday court filing that the asset seizure "flaunted" US bankruptcy law, which stops creditors from seizing assets from bankrupt com panies.

FTX was caught offguard when assets were transferred on November 13 and initially believed that it had been hacked, according to its court filing.

While investigating the hack, FTX learned that Bankman-Fried and FTX co-founder Gary Wang made "unauthorised" trans fers at the direction of the Bahamian government while "effectively in the cus tody of Bahamas author ities," according to the filing. (Excerpt from Reuters)

children and grandchildren also died in the fire.

A total of 21 people were killed as the fire ripped through the four-storey residential building in the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp in the north ern Gaza Strip on Thursday

evening.

Gaza’s Ministry of Interior said an initial in vestigation revealed that large amounts of petrol had been stored at the site, fu elling the blaze that quick ly engulfed the building.

Hamas, which governs Gaza, said a wide investi gation is under way to de termine the cause of the fire.

“What happened is a catastrophic tragedy by all standards. No one was able to save them. Life in Gaza is oppression upon oppres sion.” Aya said.

The bodies of the 21 vic tims were buried during a mass public funeral fol lowing the Friday prayer.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Census delay sparks deadly strikes in Bolivia’s Santa Cruz region

Six months ago, Miguel Nunez Saenz thought he would be spend ing November 16 at home in Santa Cruz in eastern Bolivia, waiting patiently for census workers to knock on his door and take his per sonal details.

Instead, the 47-year-old teacher spent the day at a barricade made of stones and tyres, flying Santa Cruz’s green-and-white flag. He and his neighbours are taking part in a long-run ning strike to protest a Government decision to de lay the national census until 2024.

“It’s really important because it means resour ces for our department and our communities,” Nunez Saenz told Al Jazeera via WhatsApp from the block ade. “We need schools, hos pitals and lots of things to improve the quality of living for the inhabitants [here].”

The left-wing Government of President Luis Arce decided to push the census date back after local authorities raised con cerns about COVID-19, the

challenge of incorporating Bolivia’s Indigenous lan guages, and the fact that many rural workers travel in November for the sugar cane harvest.

But the Pro Santa Cruz Civic Committee, the power ful right-wing group leading the strike, believes the delay is politically motivated. Its members predict the census will show population growth in cities like Santa Cruz, Bolivia’s most populous city and a major agricultural hub.

Voters in Santa Cruz are more likely to oppose the current Government. In the 2020 general elections, the ruling party, Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), obtained 55 per cent nation ally but just 36 per cent in Santa Cruz.

In Bolivia, census data is used to determine the distri bution of public funds. The number of legislative seats allocated to each of Bolivia’s nine departments in the low er House is also partly based on population size. The last census was held in 2012.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Bodies of the 21 victims of the Abu Raya family who died in a fire that ripped through their house in Jabalia camp on Thursday

Protesters set fire to offices for the Federation of Peasant Workers in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, as part of violence stemming from the postponement of the country’s census until 2024

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Make managing your money a prior ity. Consider what you enjoy doing, and discover what you need to do to make your dream a reality. Pick up more skills and experience.

(March 21-April 19)

(April 20-May 20)

Do something nice. Your attitude can make a difference to someone going through a rough time. Speak from the heart and share your intentions. In the end, it will lead to inspirational plans.

Take on a challenge. Whatever you do, if you give your all, success will fol low. Broaden your horizons, and you’ll meet someone who revives your interest in something you’d forgotten about.

SUDOKU

(May 21-June 20)

(June 21-July 22) (July 23-Aug. 22)

People who are different from you will be attractive. Learn all you can about various customs, beliefs and life styles, and it will enrich your life and give you valuable ideas.

Put your responsibilities aside, kick back and relax. Spending time with a loved one will bring you closer together and lead to quality plans. Love and ro mance will enhance your life.

Take better care of yourself and your friends and family. Be a good listener, but don’t take on someone’s responsibil ities or mistakes. Make sure you have your facts straight.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

A trip to the spa, lunch with a friend or a new hobby will energize you and motivate you to participate in something that moves you. Personal gain, love and romance are on the rise.

You can have fun without overspend ing. Get back to nature, call on peo ple who make you laugh or get back to a hobby that makes you feel alive and well. Update your image or home.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22) (Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Take the plunge and make things happen. Be in control instead of letting someone else manage things for you. Opportunities are present, but don’t leave matters up to someone else.

Be on guard. Just when you think you have everything in place, you’ll dis cover you have more to do if you want to keep up with the competition. Embrace change that puts your mind at ease.

An activity that challenges you phys ically will get your heart pumping and your mind racing. Let your enthusiasm flow into something that makes a profit. Romance is on the rise.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Think about what you want to do and follow through. Use your imagination. Staying on top of your game will allow you to challenge anyone who tries to get in your way.

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

DILBERT

Clarke to compete in INBF WNBF Worlds Championship 33 today

… Green to participate in Masters category

Guyana’s very own Kerwin Clarke will hit the stage today, in Los Angeles California as he aims to pose his way to a medal in 2022 INBF WNBF World Championships 33. Clarke was able to com pete in this competition as he earned his PRO Rank Card at the World Natural Bodybuilding Federationsanctioned Hercules Charlie Carollo Legacy Classic in June 2022. It should be not ed as well that Guyanese Rawle Green will also be competing in the Masters Category.

that he will be entering, the Guyanese

explained that after deplet ing he should be able to hit the scale at middle weight. He further went on to note that he is excited, despite having a few hurdles to cross with regards to train ing but, nevertheless he and his team were able to work smart.

With this competition being his first major since earning his PRO Rank Card the Guyanese behemoth ex plained that his mind is cer tainly in a good place. He stated that all that needs to be done is to ensure that he effectively follows his plan

if he is

The West Indies have been given a wakeup call on the bowling front, after being dominat ed by an NSW/ACT team on day two of the tour match in Canberra.

Oliver Davies, New South Wales and Sydney Thunder batter, was the star of the day in produc ing an innings that fea tured 14 fours and three sixes from 106 deliveries.

Blake MacDonald and Jack Attenborough also joined in on the fun.

West Indies quick Kemar Roach was economi cal, with figures of 0 for 20 from 10 overs, but 21-yearold right-armer Jayden Seales (0-47 off 10 overs), Alzarri Joseph (0-40 off 10 overs) and spinner Roston Chase (0-50 off 10 overs) were among the bowlers who struggled for impact.

Former captain Jason Holder, who made 50 with the bat before retiring, didn’t bowl.

Raymon Reifer and cap

tain Kraigg Braithwaite were the wicket-takers.

Starting day two at Manuka Oval on 297 for 5, West Indies lifted the runrate on Friday, as #10 bat ter Devon Thomas topscored with an unbeaten 77. Thomas and Joseph put on an unbroken 104-run stand for the 10th wick et. On Thursday, openers

able to win at the World's it would be a dream come through, since it is an event that he has always wanted to be a great competitor to

proudly represent his coun try.

In his closing statement, Clarke further went on to thank his sponsors, “I would

like to extend much grat itude to my sponsors, W.J Enterprise for their continu ous support, Space Gym 2.0, The Guyana Olympic House Association, It’s our Life YouTube channel (Denesh Persaud), MAX Accounting and Consultancy Services, Fitness Express, Fitness 53, Nuerospine Inc. and Champ Fitness.”

Clarke is a five times Mr Guyana, two-time CAC Gold medalist, Hercules Classic Pro Qualifier in New York and a plethora of other deco

rations over his many years of bodybuilding. Over 33 years of stringent drug test ing has made the WNBF the most respected drug free federation in the world.

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Brathwaite and Shamarh Brooks made half-centuries to put on a 133-run partner ship.

This match is one of two tour games West Indies have before their series against the Pat Cumminsled Australians gets under way in Perth on November 30. A far different squad from their white-ball team,

Kerwin Clarke

Kerwin Clarke and Rawle Green geared up to represent Guyana

Harpy Eagles’ exit from CG United Super50 tournament…

"We could have bowled better"

-says captain Leon Johnson

By Brandon Corlette

Guyana’s wait for a CG United Super50 championship contin ues, with the latest heart break for the Guyanese public coming in the Harpy Eagles’ match against the Jamaica Scorpions, played on Thursday evening in North Sound, Antigua.

Guyana suffered a three-wicket defeat against the Scorpions in failing to de fend 319 runs, the highest of the 2022 CG United Super50 season, and will have to wait for another year and anoth er day in hope that Favour would favour the team.

After the match, Guyana Harpy Eagles captain Leon Johnson said the Eagles

should have bowled bet ter and taken the important chances in the field. "We did not execute our plans and our skills well when we bowled. 318 runs was enough, it is well above par on this ground. I think Jamaica came out in the powerplay, and we expected that; but I think we could have bowled a bit better," Johnson ex plained.

He added: "Jamaica is a quality side with some qual ity batters, and they showed that this evening. Catches win matches, and we let one slip there, and it was very crucial. They bat deep, but if we had gotten him (Rovman) out at that stage, a bit of scoreboard pressure could have gone our way; but it

was not meant to be this sea son," Johnson noted.

Standouts

Guyana had a roller coaster season, having failed to bat 50 overs for the most part. However, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd were standouts.

Imlach was the lead ing run-scorer with 268 runs at an average of 44.66. He scored two half-centu ries with a high-score of 75. Motie, leading wicket-tak er in the 2021 Super50 tour ney, followed up his exploits with 14 wickets at an aver age of 19.2. He finished with an economy rate of 4.4 and a strike-rate of 26.1. Shepherd, who scored 171 runs in the

Courts’ Pee-Wee Football final…

Monumental clash

The Ministry of Education (MoE)

Ground on Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown will to day host what is anticipated to be a monumental clash of budding football stars, as St. Pius Primary come up against Enterprise Primary for top honours in the Courts’ PeeWee Football finals this after noon.

By way of entertaining victories last Saturday, both teams have gained passage to today’s final, and this match is being touted as a display of the best young football talents on the Coast of Guyana. St. Pius Primary, who last won the competition in 2018, would want to prove a point today, while Enterprise Primary - ac cording to Coach Troy Wright - came to the competition with

expected

season with a strike rate of 134, also claimed 10 wickets at 26.4 and an economy rate of 5.12.

Johnson has expressed how impressed he was with Imlach and Motie especial ly. "I think we had a decent tournament. Trinidad, we were a bit up and down, es pecially in the batting. Motie has done pretty well in this tournament. Imlach, young player, played pretty well in this tournament; and they are positives to take away," Johnson has said.

Inconsistencies

The likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford, Leon Johnson, Veerasammy Permaul, Kevin Sinclair and Anthony Bramble did not deliver as consistently as had been hoped. Hetmyer scored 176 runs in six innings at an av erage of 29.3; he waited un til the semi-final to deliver in scoring 86.

Rutherford also deliv ered in the semi-final with a half-century, but he scored 184 runs in the season at 26.2.

It was simply a poor sea son for Johnson with the bat, as he scored only 113 runs at 16.14. Bramble, who was also the form batsman like Johnson heading into the tournament, made 174 runs at 24.8.

Sinclair, who is known for

his off-spin, claimed six wick ets at an average of 42.16 and an economy rate of 4.68 in six innings. He also showed improvements with the bat, having scored 153 runs at an average of 30.6.

Permaul's effective ness seems to have faded, as the usual dominant re gional spinner claimed only four wickets in the season at a bowling average of 75.5. His economy rate of 4.94 was good, but he was not a threatening force.

The likes of Kemol Savory, Clinton Pestano and Nial Smith pitched in when they got their opportuni ties, but they did not take the world by storm this sea

Administration

While the players failed to execute consistently, the administrative side of crick et in Guyana continues to af fect the on-field efforts of the teams.

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) is yet to come clean with the public in re gard to Esuan Crandon be ing replaced days before the start of the Super50 season.

Crandon is the Head Coach who had guided Guyana to five regional first-class championships in as many seasons.

The Guyanese team, which had last won a Super50 tournament in 2005, will have to come good

son. Quentin Sampson, who received his maiden call-up, did not feature in a single match this season.

at the next Super50 tour nament. Keemo Paul's allround skill was certainly missed this season.

in St Pius-Enterprise battle today

play for places. Those games will commence at 11:30hrs. Aside from title sponsors

Courts, the tournament is sup ported by Sterling Products, MVP Sports, and the Ministry

of Education (MoE), and is co ordinated by the Petra organi zation.

the sole intention of finishing among the top four. Having now obtained a chance to lay hands on the silverware, they will be coming at the opposi tion with all guns blazing.

In a pre-final press confer ence on Thursday afternoon, Coach Wright explained that his switch to Enterprise, after coaching St. Agnes Primary to the Pee-Wee title in 2019, was made with intention to in spire that school and its chil dren. He said the prize mon ey would go ‘a long way’ in helping the school to invest in much- needed education ap paratus.

While maintaining there is an intention to walk away with yet another title, the St. Pius Team Manager Melissa Rodrigues highlighted that involvement in the game and

having fun while doing so is paramount for her team.

The St. Pius athlete to watch is Aaron Vasconcellos, an efficient and effective ar senal for that team; but the likely highest goal-scorer of the tournament is Jashan Haynes of Enterprise, who will be looking to add to his al ready large tally of goals. With Dontay Kowlessar by his side, some excitement would likely be on offer, making for an en tertaining final showdown of this Pee-Wee tournament.

Before the final match kicks off at 15:00hrs today, Marian Academy and North Georgetown Primary would battle for a chance to finish in third place. That match kicks off at 14:00hrs. Other schools in the competition would also be in action today, as they

Guyana have not won the Super50 since 2005

Tevin Imlach led the batting for Guyana this season

Team captains of St. Pius and Enterprise Primary, Omari Moses and Fabio Kowlessar, get a feel of the Championship Trophy

ExxonMobil Boys & Girls U14 Schools Football tournament…

ExxonMobil distributes $1M+in prizes

Several secondary school football teams have triumphed in the ExxonMobil Boys and Girls Under-14 Schools’ Football tournament, and two months after their ex ploits, those school teams will be reaping the re wards of their labour.

At the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground on Carifesta Avenue on Friday, the oil and gas gi ant presented the top four teams from each tour nament with monetary prizes which will go to wards the benefit of their respective schools. The prizes were to the tune of $300,000, $150,000, $75,000 and $40,000 for first to fourth place re spectively for both male and female competitions.

Sharing some brief thoughts at the simple presentation ceremony, ExxonMobil’s Community Relations Advisor Ryan Hoppie touched on the company’s commitment to youth empowerment initiatives, in this case through sport.

“For ExxonMobil, em powering youth through

sport and education is a focus area for our social investment. We continue to strive to make positive contributions to the com munities across Guyana, and to have tangible ef fects in terms of the ben efits that you see through out,” Hoppie shared.

The ExxonMobil rep resentative added, “ExxonMobil is happy to give you the opportuni ty to put all of your hard work into practice at the competition level. It is this valued component of the strategic sponsorship that benefits the school

large. Whether you have chosen sporting gear, ed ucational, IT or classroom items, you have chosen to enhance your school com munity in the areas of your interest.”

Charlestown Secondary, by virtue of championing both the boys’ and girls’ tourna ments, took home the king’s share of prizes. With $600,000 at their disposal, the Howes Street estab lishment opted to outfit their school with new pro

jectors, laptops, comput ers and speakers, in ad dition to complete football gear kits for both teams, inclusive of clothes, shoes and equipment.

For Ann’s Grove Secondary, second-place finishers in the boys’ com petition, a school shed was built and a printer was acquired for the school’s use. Third place finish ers Cummings Lodge Secondary utilised their winnings to purchase gear for the team.

In the female compe tition, East Ruimveldt Secondary, who finished the tournament as run ners-up, acquired fans, bicycles and a microwave for their school. Both Campbellville Secondary and New Central High School used their respec tive third and fourth place prizes to purchase gear.

This year’s edition was the third installment of the Petra-Organized ExxonMobil tournament, which began in 2018 and was put on pause in 2020 and 2021 owing to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Golden Jaguars for ward player Omari Glasgow recorded an impressive performance in helping his Beterverwagting /Buxton side thump East Ruimveldt 3-1 when the ‘One Guyana’ President’s Cup Football tournament continued at the Buxton Community Centre Ground on Thursday evening.

Of two matches that marked the second night’s action in Region 4, the open ing game saw Mahaica/ Mahaicony whipping the combined side of Mocha/ Agricola/Herstelling 5-0.

Watched by an en thused crowd, Glasgow was the centre of attention in the match involving BV/ Buxton. Many had long

wanted to see the country’s hottest young talent in ac tion, and this was his first game in Guyana since re turning from his first sea son with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Chicago Fire in the MLS NextPro League. Glasgow did not disappoint; he played a piv otal role in each of his side’s goal on the night.

Nakhalya Jervis broke the deadlock in the first half by hitting home his effort in the 41st minute to give BV/ Buxton a 1–0 cushion head ing into the second stan za. Glasgow made it 2–0 in the 50th minute, and Jamar Horrigan connected in the 60th minute.

With the game al ready out of reach, Dwayne

Kellman (70’) scored East Ruimveldt’s lone goal in the encounter.

Meanwhile, Julius Hamilton (42’, 52’, 65’) produced a hat-trick for Mahaica/ Mahaicony in the one-sided opening game.

Ron Abel (22’) and Trevon Adams (26’) were the other scorers in the match in their side’s 5-0 vic tory over Mocha/Agricola/ Herstelling.

The win for Mahaica/ Mahaicony and BV/Buxton will see them facing each other in the second match of the quarter-finals on Thursday, November 24, at the Georgetown Football Club Ground. The open ing game will bring togeth er Grove/Diamond/ Samatta

Point and West RuimveldtAlbouystown.

Meanwhile, match es in Region 4 will move to the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) National Training Centre on Sunday,

November 21.

St. Cuthbert’s/Kuru Kururu /Swan will play Alberttown /Bourda at 12:30 hrs, then the Timehri/ Soesdyke combination will take on South Ruimveldt/

Mocha/

Tucville at 15:00 hrs.

The ‘One Guyana’ President’s Cup is a collab orative effort between the Government of Guyana, the GFF, and the Kashif and Shanghai Organization.

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and the community at

ExxonMobil Community Relations Advisor, Ryan Hoppie

ExxonMobil’s Ryan Hoppie and Petra Organization’s Jackie Boodie and Nareeza Latif taking a photo opportunity with several teachers and students whose schools have benefitted from the ExxonMobil prizes

Mahaica/Mahaicony goalkeeper pulling off a save to keep a clean sheet against

Agricola/Herstelling at the Buxton Community Centre Ground (Photo compliments: DPI)