Kaieteur News

Israeli cabinet wants response to Iran attack, but

divided over timing and scale

Citizens will have to take ExxonM to Court to fight for compensation from oil spill 6th oil project permit reveals…

...asGovt.todecideamountofcash forparentcompanyguarantee

$17M for BV Police Station bridge

-saysAG Nandlall

‘ExxonM deal lopsided but not illegal’ Teen in fiery crash dies Driverdies aftercar crashesinto utilitypole

Chevron-Hesstieupcoulddraguntil nextyearcourtesyofExxon -Hesssaysin securitiesfiling

The $17M bridge at the BV Police Station

Ramjattan scolds Nandlall for “shameless” comments on Court's ruling for unlimited oil spill guarantee

“It is shameless what I am hearing from the Attorney General and it is obvious there is an incestuous relationship now between Exxon and the government of Guyana. It is not a professional arm's length relationshipandsoyouwouldhave Mr Nandlall out of all sense and rationality coming to the conclusionthattheCourtsmustnot haveasay.”

Those were the words of the former Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan who told reporters on Friday that the Court must be able to make decisions regarding the enforcement of the laws of Guyana. Ramjattan, an attorney-at-law and Leader of the AllianceForChange(AFC)argued that the oil sector is governed by laws and the Constitution, qualifyingmembersofcivilsociety with locus standi to challenge decisions made in the Courts. He therefore reasoned, “You as Attorney General can give your opinion but when the Court rules, you can't go and say that the Court should not be doing this - ruling on

‘Exxon

that issue. It is a question of law! Isn't it the statutes that govern this oil and gas arena and the contract whichisalsopartofsomethingthat isamenabletothelaw?”

Ramjattan further noted, “So when he says that the Honourable JudgeSandilKissoondoesnothave the power and the government has the power it shows the deepening autocracy of this government, its desperation; it wants to be the commonwordIuse,controlfreaks, ineventhesematterswhichaCourt can rule…It is crazy how they can say that it is government's prerogative and not the prerogative ofanotherbranchofgovernment.”

Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall SC on April 7, 2024 said the Government of Guyana (GoG) must determine the level of protection the country should receive to cover an oil spill and not the Court High Court Judge, Justice Sandil Kissoon on May 3, 2023 ordered the Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) to issue an Enforcement Notice to Exxon Mobil to ensure it provides an

deal

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall SC

unlimited oil spill coverage to safeguard Guyana, but the ruling was subsequently appealed by both Exxon and the EPA The governmentwasnotallowedtojoin the matter Nandlall is however arguing that the Court should not determine the level of protection the country receives, as the assuranceshouldbethesatisfaction

lopsided but not illegal’

- saysAttorney General Nandlall

While confessing that no contract is crafted in stone, Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall has defended the government's position to not enter into renegotiations out of fear that ExxonMobil Guyana would sue GuyanaforBreachofContract.

TheMinistergavehisviewsina recently televised interview where he explained that while there are ways“andmeansbywhichyoucan comeoutofacontract.”

He expanded, pointing to instances of duress, fraud, illegalities, and undue influence amongotherfactors.

The Minister was adamant that none of these existed at the time of the signing of the Production Sharing Agreement. As such, in a direct message to citizenry championing the call for contract renegotiations, the Minister for Legal Affairs said the contract directly stipulates that the contract cannot be renegotiated except with the expressed consent of the other side.

Once signed and executed, the contract, Nandlall said remains binding, and further it dictates that government cannot pass any law,

“can't enter into any contract and can't do anything that would affect the current obligations of the contractor; and if the government passes a law that changes the obligations that currently exists on the operator that the government hastocompensatetheoperator.

He contends that in the event of renegotiation “not only would we be breaching the contract and if Exxon sues us, and they think, those who are championing the cause to breach the contract, they are talking about liability, then you will understand liability if they decidetosue.”

Queried on the exploitative nature of the PSA and whether the previous administration was simply taken advantage of by the company, Nandlall responded saying, “ExxonMobil has a reputation, I would never defend ExxonMobil, read about ExxonMobil's International reputation that is what they do, that is what aggressive companies do but is doesnt make it illegal.”

According to Nandlall however, it simply isn't a case where the legality of the contract has never been challenged, “they challenged

the contract on a whole set of grounds.”

These he noted included challenges to its constitutionality, the tax concessions regime granted “and all of that were copiously and forensically examined by a judge and rejected.” Minister Nandnall was adamant that the lopsided nature of the agreement sits squarely at the feet of the ousted A Partnership for National Unity, A l l i a n c e F o r C h a n g e (APNU+AFC), since they ought to have been better prepared and advisedin2016.

Doubling down further, Minister Nandlall was adamant, “this contract has constricted us within its four corners, the licences that have to be issued under these contracts are also so constricted because the terms of the licence havetobeconsistentwiththeterms ofthecontract.”

According to Nandlall, while the discretion afforded to the substantive minister with responsibility for the sector, at face valueappearstobeunfettered,heis stillinfact,confinedwithinthefour corners within which the licence hasboxedintheState.

Attorney-at-Law and Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan

of the government. He said the Environmental Protection Act which requires the oil spill insurance says “it must be to the satisfaction of the state ” He therefore made it clear, “This assurance is not to satisfy the judiciary, it is to satisfy the state. Whoisinchargeofmanagementof the state? The government, so the government has to determine what that insurance or assurance will be.”

The AG was keen to note that while the EPA is tasked with securing that assurance, “it must be to the standard of the government.”

Accordingtohisinterpretation,this assurance cannot be 'unlimited'.

“You will never get an insurance coverage for a risk that has no limit,” Nandlall said. It must be noted that two citizens are fighting for a signed unlimited parent guarantee, which is a legal document that ties the company to cover all costs associated with a spill; it is not an “unlimited insurance” as referenced by the politician The Legal Affairs Minister went on to note that the guarantee provided by Exxon does notmeanthatifanoilspilloccursin the future, the company will not be required to pay beyond the US$2B guarantee that was lodged and the US$600Minsurance.“That'satotal misconception,”hesaid.

Chevron-Hess tie up could drag until next year courtesy of Exxon -Hesssaysin

( O I L P R I C E C O M )

Chevron's acquisition of Guyana

superstar Hess could be delayed until next year thanks to Exxon Mobil's arbitration case, Hess said inaFridaysecuritiesfiling.

Hess said in the filing that the $53 billion merger could be delayed until 2025. The deal was originally supposed to close this summer BothExxonandCNOOC have brought cases against the acquisition, arguing that, as current partners with Hess in the prolific Stabroek block, they legally have the right of first refusal.

In October, Chevron said that it would purchase Hess Corporation in an all-stock transaction valued at a whopping $53 billion. The deal would give Chevron a bite at some of the world's most coveted oil reserves inGuyana'sStabroekblock.

But in February, Exxon raised a challenge to Chevron's takeover, claiming it had the first right of refusal on the stake that Chevron would absorb with the Hess

securitiesfiling

acquisition CNOOC quickly mounted a similar challenge Chevron has argued that the right of first refusal does not apply because the deal is for the acquisition of the entirety of Hess, andnotjustforitsGuyanaassets.

Guyana has become a hotspot for oil exploration and development in recent years after Exxon and Hess found more than 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent offshore the South American country

Exxon, leading a consortium with Hess and CNOOC, is currently producing all the crude oilinGuyana—theworld'snewest oil-producingnation.

Exxonholdsa45%stakeinthe Stabroek block, with Hess holding a 30% stake. Production from Stabroek is on track to soon reach 620,000 bpd, with some estimating this to rise to 1.2 million bpd by 2027. Without Hess's share of Guyana's assets in the mix, Chevron is unlikely to be interested in a Hess acquisition at all.

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

EDITORIAL

OUR POLITICIANS

More and more, it seems that there are two words that naturally belong together The two words are criminal politicians, and as many Guyanese believe, we have our share of them. Though the locals may pretend to be above board and honourable men and women, there is no shaking the perceptions and convictions that many Guyanese politicians are low crooks. Independent minded and conscientiousGuyanese,whoprizeethicsingovernmentand principled leadership, are constantly on the lookout for a Guyanese politician that they can trust. It would be a cause forcelebration,whichhasbeenalltoorare.

In India, criminal politicians set their own standards, enjoy special standing. In India, “a third (34%) of 543 MPs elected faced criminal charges, up from 30% in 2009, and 24% in 2004” (“Why do Indians vote for ‘criminal’ politicians?”,BBCJanuary16,2017). Becausethenumbers kept climbing over the years, it would be interesting as to where the percentage of ‘criminal’politicians in India stand today. Considering what took place in theAmerican capital onJanuary6,2021,itreasonabletoconcludethatmorethana handful of US politicians dabbled in the criminal, through aidingandabettingothers.

Returning the focus on India, one in three parliamentarians (nearly 200 out of 543) with criminal taint hangingovertheirheadsisanalarmingreality Mostwereof a negligible, sometimes questionable, kind, but tellingly “more than 20% of the new MPs faced serious charges, such as attempted murder, assaulting a public official, and theft”. Whatdegreeofcleangovernancecantheyeverpresideover? Whattypeofprincipledlawmakingcouldemergefromthose sotarnished?

As asserted by political scientist, Dr Milan Vaishnav, whostudiedthesituationinIndiaforyears,andwroteabook titled,‘WhenCrimePays’,almostallpoliticalpartiesinIndia fieldcandidateswithblackmarks.Thoughthecomparisonis limited,andthelocalsystemdifferent,itcanbesaidfromthe public record that we, over here in Guyana, have politicians whohavehadinteractionswiththelaw,andnotforfrivolous reasons. Some have passed through the hands of the Guyana Police Force, a few have actually had to face the courts, and stillothersstandbeforethecourtofpublicopinionbecauseof heavy allegations made against them. These allegations are of sufficient seriousness to qualify as felonies anywhere in the world- among them have been bribery, corrupt practices involving both local and foreign participants, crimes against theyoung,andotherperversions.

In India, some MPs have been accused of attempted murder,amongothermatters. InGuyana,priortobecoming part of the national governance apparatus, the names of MPs havebeenassociatedwithmurderatdifferenttimes. Neither government nor opposition, over the years, could be said to be exempted from this kind of wounding and grievous taint. The irony, and it is a worrying one, is that among those making the law for citizens to follow, there could be those who may have actually broken the law, and got away with it. We ask ourselves whether it is this disregard for the constraints of the law, and the heavy restrictions that they apply at the individual level, that is a contributory factor to theugly,deplorablestateofGuyana’sparliament.

To put this another way, it is where men (and women) begin to see themselves as above whatever standards are in place, and become a law unto themselves. Guyanese have beeneyewitnessestothecrude,theobscene,theraucous,and the totally unacceptable in their National Assembly It causesshudderstothinkofwhatthefateofsomeonecouldbe of someone with whom one of our criminally minded and unmanaged politicians have a beef. We have been privy to the brutal batteries inflicted on journalists found offensive via social media by political agents. If that can be done in plain view using the internet, then it does not leave much allowance about what could be tried using other less public means. Criminal Politicians should not be within the broad governance structure, because from there, they can use the power and facilities in their hands to cause much mischief, commitgreatwrongs.

Guyanese benefited from ICCR’s programmes

DEAREDITOR, India as a beacon of light for including in Guyana, of Guyanese were (or are)

The Indian Council for the West for centuries. As Trinidad, Suriname, and beneficiaries of the Cultural Relations (ICCR) others pointed out, the Jamaica and also sends programme studying dance, commemorated its 75th year richness of India’s culture is teams of cultural promoters music, singing, Hindi, of existence with a seminar manifested in traditions, to countries where there are acting, yoga, and other organized virtually (on line) practices, languages, faiths no centers. The cultural subjects. inGuyana. andrituals. centers were recently The principal goal of

The organisation was Though invaded and renamed SwamiVivekanand ICCR has been to foster founded in April 9, 1950 to oppressed by foreigners and cultural centers. The centers harmony among people of promote cultural exchanges through colonial rule for provide a platform to Indian origin and nonwith other countries and centuries,thepeopleofIndia promote Indian art, theatre, Indians and to encourage people and to improve still hold on to their rich instrumental and vocal interactions between the relations with nations culture and heritage To musicofthegenresandfolk- people of India and other through the medium of promote and share this rich art forms to audiences countries and project Indian culture and since then its c u l t u r e , I C C R w a s abroad They disseminate distinct cultural identity all influence has grown established. Its mission is to information and engage in overtheworld.Toachieveits globally help foster and strengthen activities relating to India’s goal, ICCR hosts seminars,

From ancient times, cultural and other relations heritage, values and conferences, workshops, India has been a center of and mutual understanding philosophy These centers concerts, lessons in yoga, higher learning as it is one of between India and other a n d I C C R ’ s o t h e r music,dancing,amongother the oldest civilizations in the countries. programmes create an activities, abroad and at its world India has been ICCR was founded as an endearing image of India’s centers in India to promote known for its tremendous autonomous (governs itself) softpoweroverseas. India in order to make cultural influence around the organisation of the Besides being involved foreigners understand and globe for thousands of years, Government of India with in cultural promotions, appreciate Indian culture and even more so with a funding from the central I C C R h a s b e e n ICCRhasbeenverykindand direct presence of Indians government It has been administering scholarship generous to Guyana and globally since 1828 in involved in India’s ‘soft p r o g r a m m e s o f t h e G u y a n e s e M a n y Reunion Island, Mauritius in p o w e r ’ d i p l o m a c y, Government of India to beneficiaries of ICCR’s 1834, Guyana in 1838, and promoting India’s global foreigners Some 5,000 programmes have been elsewhere in subsequent cultural relations through foreign students from 140 Guyanese. It is hoped that years transplanting their cultural exchange with the countries were beneficiaries t h e e f f e c t o f t h e culture. In recent decades government and people of (with diploma and degrees organisation’s many with migration of Indians, other countries. ICCR has thru the PhD) under this p r o g r a m m e s a n d their cultural practices have sought to encourage mutual scheme in varied fields of scholarshipswillreverberate been institutionalized in understandingbetweenIndia endeavours. Guyanese and in stronger diplomatic, different parts of UK, USA, and people of other nations other West Indians took strategic and economic Canada, and other western andcultures. a d v a n t a g e o f t h e relations. societies. The ICCR has centers in opportunities for study Yours truly, Some scholars describe some two dozen countries offered by ICCR. Hundreds Vishnu Bisram

The neglect of agriculture in Guyana under the APNU/AFC

DEAREDITOR, which was once the Exports of agricultural APNU/AFCgovernmenthas The agriculture industry backbone of Guyana’s products also declined. Poor had a cascading impact on in Guyana has seen a e c o n o m y, h a s a l s o diplomaticrelationswithkey the economy and livelihoods significant decline under the experienced a decline under trading partners, lack of of farmers and workers in g o v e r n a n c e o f t h e t h e A P N U / A F C investment in infrastructure, Guyana. APNU/AFC government government. The closure of and inadequate support for T h e g o v e r n m e n t from 2015 to 2020. Various several sugar estates and the farmers have all contributed continues to take swift and sectors within agriculture, privatization of the industry to a decrease in exports.This decisive action to support including the fishing have resulted in job losses has had a detrimental effect and revitalize the agriculture industry, sugar industry, rice and a decrease in sugar on the economy and nearly sector to ensure its industry, and exports, have production. This has had a fouryearslater,PPP/Cisstill sustainability and growth in allsufferedduringthistime. rippleeffectontheeconomy, trying to clean up their mess. thefuture.

The fishing industry, impacting farmers, workers, Overall, the decline in Sincerely, once a thriving sector in and the overall agricultural agriculture under the Edson Harris Guyana, has seen a sharp sector You cannot blindly decline in recent years. Poor say that agriculture management and lack of performed well under their investment have led to a stewardship but they decrease in fish production suddenly have all the ideas and a loss of income for on what they will do for the fishermen. peopleofGuyana,weallcan

T h e A P N U / A F C s e e t h r o u g h t h e governmentfailedtosupport incompetence. the fishing industry, leading The rice industry, to a decrease in employment another key sector in opportunities and a negative G u y a n a , h a s f a c e d impact on the economy As a challenges under the result of their lacklustre APNU/AFC government

approach to such an Poor market conditions, lack important sector, the PPP/C of government support, and government has been on a increased production costs “clean-up campaign” to get have led to a decrease in rice theindustrybackontrack,an production and exports. This approach which has been has hurt farmers and the successfulthusfar economy as a whole, people The sugar industry, struggledtomakeendsmeet.

Some remarks were not suited for the occasion

DEAREDITOR,

AsthecurtainscamedownontheHolyMonthandensuing Eid celebrations, it must be acclaimed the Ramadan Village wasnodoubtabrilliant,nobleandlaudableinitiativeandmust be encouraged. All those who ensured its success must be congratulatedandcommended.

However, it was disappointing, the feature address at the dinner,markingtheclosingoftheHolyMonth,waslacedwith innuendoes not suitable to a solemn, religious occasion. This occasion should have seen the presence of members of the political divide, to give true meaning to oneness and unity as stressedduringtheaddress. Theinsertingofpoliticallineswas uncalled for and did not have a place at such an auspicious occasion.

Whenwillwelearntotaperremarkstosuittheoccasion? Regards, Shamshun Mohamed

Rather than engaging in petty politics, Norton should focus on building bridges and finding common ground

DEAREDITOR, accountabilityandtransparency Itisashame

I found GHK Lall’s opinion piece in the that Aubrey Norton was once a part-time Kaieteur News of April 13, 2024, intriguing, professor at the university teaching Political particularly the focus on OL Norton Science Rather than focusing on purportedly “getting in the groove ” constructive dialogue, he has chosen to take However, I must respectfully disagree with the low road, resorting to name-calling and Lall’s assessment Norton’s purported finger-pointing. And for what? To what end momentum seems out of sync with the does this endless barrage of criticism serve? realitiesofGuyana. CertainlynotforthebettermentofGuyana. Additionally, GHK Lall appears to be out

While Norton may think he’s striking at of touch with Guyana’s reality also. Which the heart of the issue, in reality, he is out of groove is the Opposition Leader Norton touchwithGuyana’sreality getting into and building momentum? First, Just look at his presentation and those of Norton cannot get into the face of anyone, other opposition MPs in parliament; there is especially President Ali and Vice President nothing of substance. They only serve to Jagdeo. Norton is a junior to both PPP divide the country Furthermore, Norton’s leaders. Our two leaders have a track record obsession with oil as the be-all and end-all of of programme, policy, prosperity, and the Guyana’sproblemsismisguided. direction they are taking Guyana. Norton has Whileit’struethattheoilindustryplaysa zero accomplishments in comparison. Mr significant role in the country’s economy, Lall, please be true to yourself and tell numerous other issues warrant attention. Guyana what Norton has done for the Instead of fixating on oil and a bad contract Guyanesepeople.Evenhispartyrejectedhim thathispartysigned,Nortonwoulddowellto when they were in government. Norton was broaden his scope and work with the attached to Youth Sports and Culture, government to bring tangible solutions to providing only so-called advice of no betterthelivesoftheGuyanesepeople. significance As the opposition leader, Regarding Norton’s assertion that he Norton’spressconferencesareempty;hehas represents the people, one has to wonder no policy direction and simply keeps whose interests he serves His clutching at straws. Mr. Lall, did you see the confrontational approach may appeal to a leadership from the Vice President when he certain population segment, but it does little was an opposition leader? This is precisely to foster meaningful change. Rather than whythePPPisinpowertoday engaging in petty politics, Norton should Jagdeoleadsfromthefront,fightingfora focus on building bridges and finding better life for the Guyanese people. More is commonground. given,andmoreisexpected.IfNortoncannot Aubrey Norton’s relentless attacks on the bring unity to his party and hold a long- PPP Government are not only unproductive overdue congress, how could he win an but also damaging to Guyana’s reputation. election?Notbywishfulthinking. It’stimeforhimtoputasidehisvendettasand AsAmanaAllybeautifullysaid,Nortonis worktowardsgenuinesolutionsforGuyana. unfit to be a leader, comes across as a racist, Yours truly, and does not understand the importance of Howard Samar

Public challenge to Norton is healthy for democracy

DEAREDITOR, The greatest basketball regarded for their vision and It is my opinion that the player ever, Michael Jordan, signature economic policies increasingly public believed that you have to which common foundation challenges to the current “earn your leadership every was the advancement and leader of the PNC/R, and the day”. empowerment of all Opposition, is not disloyal, Andrew Carnegie, Guyanese.

divisive, destructive, billionaire philanthropist, From Forbes Burnham’s dysfunctional or fratricidal declared “that no man will vision of making the small but is rather symptomatic of make a great leader who man a real man through a welcome, necessary, wants to do it all himself, or universalaccesstoeducation important and urgent public to get all the credit for doing and other social services, to discussion and a healthy it.”BillGatesagrees,saying, land, the promotion of the democracy thatinthistime,“leaderswill Feed, House and Clothe

I t s u g g e s t s a n be those who empower programme; through appreciation of the current others”. Desmond Hoyte’s Economic and future challenges facing Perhaps, more profound Recovery Programme and to the party and nation and an is Ken Blanchard’s view that DavidGranger’sGreenState honest and open search for “the greatest leaders Development Strategy: what is believed necessary mobilize others by Vision 2040, which to address and overcome coalescing people around a a s p i r a t i o n s a n d them. shared vision” which is achievements as a whole,

In this process, much sharedbyJohnK. Galbraith, stand in stark and painful attention has been, and will who said that “all the great contrast to the opposing continue to be, focused on l e a d e r s h a v e o n e governance structures, t h e q u a l i t i e s a n d characteristic in common; it policies and priorities which accomplishments of the was the willingness to exacerbate socio-economic current and prospective confront unequivocally the inequalities and insecurities, leaders and their perceived major anxiety of their people and social and ethnic and demonstrated ability to in their time. This and not divisions. inspire, unite, guide and much else is the essence of The challenge for the empowertheirfollowers. leadership.” PNC/R leader in this time,

Many learned and

The political legacy of whoever it may be, is to successful men, and former leaders of the mobilize all its members and women, have tried to PNC/R, who were also supporters to reclaim their explain that popularity, fine Presidents of Guyana legacy and continue their speeches and yesterday’s (Burnham, Hoyte and great work to the benefit of achievements are not valid Granger), exemplifies these allGuyanese. and lasting qualifications leadershipqualities Sincerely, forleadership

They are all well Oscar Dolphin

Unlocking Guyana’s Economic Potential:

The Case for a Local Payment Processor

DEAREDITOR, that technological disruption communications,downloads to adopt cohesive social

What if building a local is the situation in which a and uploads. Editor, a local structures that set examples paymentprocessorisjustthe new approach to doing p a y m e n t p r o c e s s o r forthecultureofengineering thing Guyana needs to do to something puts pressure on exclusively for local online in the country. This too push compliance targets, outdated and inefficient payments is potentially a means jobs. Jobs and regulatory efficiency and methods. The internet is an boon to the Guyanese businesses for those in commercial bank service example of a disruptive economy/society The c y b e r s e c u r i t y, f o r evolution? In one letter technology It is subversive, construction of a local infrastructure (data centers published September 28th, meaning no one can control p a y m e n t p r o c e s s o r and their organization), for 2022 titled by SN as it absolutely, and whether symbolises the social developers, for designers “Uninformed federal you love it or hate it, you integration of a neat and for the social engineers financial regulation invest in it because its spectrum of stakeholders, all influencing the creation of a continues to affect the alternatives present of whom would expand by new creative culture in development of our people” unacceptablecosts. the introduction of such a Guyana. and another published This subversive idea is project. Editor, in conclusion, the October 7th, 2022 titled by most exemplified by Making payments easier establishment of a local S N a s “ L a c k o f powerful banks at the center bymakingthemonlineinthe payment processor holds the correspondent banking also of the global financial local context can do a lot of promise of not only hinders software developers, system. thingsforus. streamlining financial IT sector”, I share my view The banking system has For starters, a locally transactions and fostering on key external factors that been a key investor in the built payment processor can regulatory improvements shape our relationship with bulk of the world’s internet expand the tax base by but also catalyzing the moneylocally infrastructure, even though encouraging new business growth of various sectors

Those letters set up the the internet represents their registrations; it can increase within the Guyanese foundations for the present greatest threat to security compliance and it can push economy, from technology letter, in which I humbly ask Thankstothebanks,ourdata regulatoryactorstoimprove, to cybersecurity, ultimately for space to continue the packets get around the globe upgrade and staff up. What’s paving the way for a more conversation on the idea of at near light speed and the more, is that it can facilitate vibrantandinnovativefuture constructing a local payment world turns because we use and encourage the growing forournation. processor those packets to carry out number of software Sincerely, Editor,permitmetostate v i t a l t r a n s a c t i o n s , developersandtechnologists

Emille Giddings

‘Defanging the Integrity Commission at a Time of Concern’

DEAREDITOR, under withering criticism at entails! that is supposed to address Guyana’s 1997 Integrity the recently concluded Annual reporting under and resolve citizens’ Commission Act sought to United Nations Human the act focuses upon complaints of poor service make provisions for the R i g h t s C o m m i t t e e specified high offices and etc.inatimelymanner. purpose of ‘securing the (UNHRC) meeting for not before one is given such an Lest we succumb to integrity of those in public effectively dealing with officeoneshould,financially misadventure, let us look at life’ . In 2023, The public corruption in the and otherwise, be seriously what happened in Australia. Corruption Perception Index highest reaches of the vetted, after which annual In 2019, the attorney general (CPI) reported that ‘While government, the police, the reportingshouldbeawalkin of Australia announced that some countries have public sector., etc. A cursory the park. There also appears the government intended to improved their corruption content analysis of the daily to be a five-year termination bring legislation to establish levels most are stagnating or newspapers will show that threshold. a national integrity declining as leaders fail to almost every day, coming Lowe claimed that ‘most commission and the nonact’. from the official opposition of [the IC’s] statutory profit Centre for Public

The CPI ranks 180 and elsewhere, there are functions are redundant and Integrity, which conducts countries and territories on a complaintsaboutthelevelof unnecessary’ for they are research into preventing scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to publiccorruption. already done by other corruption, compared the 100 (very clean). Over two- In this context, imagine institutions:theGRAandthe draft bill with other models thirds of countries scored how alarmed I was when I Ombudsman. Most, if not andgaveausefulinsightinto below 50 out of 100, which came upon Mr Sherwood all,democraticcountriesthat the operations of what a strongly indicated that they Lowe’s suggestion that have an IC also have GRA modernIC. have serious problems with would permanently defang and ombudsman-type The Centre argued that corruption In 2023, the the Integrity Commission organisations and this kind an IC should have the ‘remit global average was only 43 (KN: 10/04/2024) My of universality alone should and powers necessary to andGuyanascored40. concern arose not merely have made one ponder investigate allegations of Onlytwocountriesinthe from the fact of his whether it made sense to misconduct involving Americas have improved recommendation but from target the national structural federal parliamentarians or their scores in the last my awareness that he has arrangement instead of the the public service, have a d e c a d e ; D o m i n i c a n recently been appointed an specific institution that he broad jurisdiction and strong RepublicandGuyana,andin o ff i c i a l o p p o s i t i o n complained, rightly in my investigative powers the latter that improvement representative on the newly opinion,istoo‘docile.’ including the ability to hold occurred in the period of established Constitutional The focuses of an IC, public hearings Its Coalition rule: moving from ReformCommission. GRA and ombudsman are jurisdiction should include 29 to 41 between 2015 and According to him, the IC completely different and the public sector and 2020. Corruption in Guyana ‘is both badly mis-purposed require different skill sets. membersofparliament,third had stagnated under PPP and a crass violator of For example, tax collectors parties who corruptly rule:28in2012to29in2015 privacyandcomfortrightsof focus upon what your influence the public sector and 41 in 2020 to 40 in 2023 public officials and their records say, or should say, and any conduct affecting (https://www statista com/st families’! He then suggested about how much you earn, impartial decision-making atistics/811548/guyana- that it would be more useful etc., not upon how much of It should be able to begin corruption-perception- to focus ‘exclusively on what you say you earn or investigations without index/). detecting and preventing should pay resulted from ill- thresholdofevidence’.

Not surprisingly, a few conflicts of interest in the g o t t e n g a i n s T h e ItwentonthattheIC weeks ago, Guyana came public service’whatever this ombudsman is an institution

(Continued on page 16)

Weekly one-hour pappy show

Guyana has become a one-man zoo - a circus, where the whole country gets a weekly one-hour package, a pappy show.

One man jumping up and down, swinging from branch to branch, trying to pick at every spectator, every visitor who jeers him, points at him, corrects him or annoys him.

Vice President Bharat Jagdeo started out his one-hour weekly pappy show last Thursday as is the case every week swinging left, right and center at Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall and his reporters. He picks on Norton, the AFC, Moses Nagamootoo and everyone else under the sun who dares to question or challenge his poor stewardship of the economy and the oil sector.

This VP does not go prepared every week to address the hundreds upon hundreds of wrongs he and his government do every day, that is being pointed out in the newspaper daily, but he spends time repeating himself while trying to convince the nation that he is actually doing good. It is all a pappy show.

World Bank urges Guyana to ensure oil wealth benefits citizens

...stresses need for strong institutions ensure “resources go to where they are supposed to go”

World Bank c h i e f economist for Latin America and the C a r i b b e a n , Wi l l i a m Maloney, has urged Guyana to ensure that its new-found oil wealth benefits the entire population. Maloney, who was fielding questions from journalists following the release of the Regional Economic Report for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) last week described

the efforts to ensure all sectors of the country benefited from the oil wealth “as one of the $200-million questions”.

“Oneistoensurethatthis new oil wealth will actually get to the people who need it

and I would say in particular in the building of human capitals so that the economy candiversifyovertime.

“The second is to ensure that we find ways of using these revenues so that we build a more diversified economy

This requires a set of institutions that know how to keep the right number of resources, the revenues offshore, the Sovereign Welfare Fund so it can maintain an exchange rate that is competitive, ” Maloneysaid.

constitute nearly 29% of the budget Maloney told reporters with regard to Jamaica, the island is expected to record economic growth of 2% this year, dropping to 1.6% next year and the same figure for 2026. “Jamaica continues to be incrediblyimpressiveintheir management of external debt.

World Bank chief economist for Latin America and the Caribbean, William Maloney

Maloneysaidthatthereis also need for strong institutions within the country “that are able to mediate the very different demandsfromthepopulation and ensure that the oil resources go to where they aresupposedtogo”.

T h e c o n s e n s u s mechanism that they develop…several years ago that brought the major interest groups in the economy together with the goal of managing the fiscal deficit, the debt levels, has worked extremely well and generated consistently declining overall debt levels,”hesaid.

Maloney said he believes

inthelongtermitwilllead to more “dynamic growth andpovertyreduction”.

He said that while the World Bank is not involved in the oil sector, per se, “but weareconsultingonissuesof howtobuildinstitutions”.

In January this year, the government presented a national budget of US$5.496 billion (Guy$1.146 trillion). TheIrfaanAliadministration said the expansion is being partially fuelled by the country's increasing oil windfall, projected to

In February, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said Jamaica is on course to lower its debt-to-GDP ratio to 74% by the end of March 2024, adding this will be “well below pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels and the lowestin25years”.

The World Bank official said that, in the case of Barbados, the island will record growth of 3.7% this year, down to 2.8% next year and2.3%in2026.

Maloney said the poverty levelsforseveralcountriesin the Caribbean are comparing well with countries elsewhere even as he acknowledged that “getting good data on the Caribbean remains a major challenge”. He said the data is needed to t r a c k n o t o n l y t h e performances of the respective economies but labour market indicators, amongothers.

The World Bank official said Belize will record economic growth of 3.5 % this year, declining to 2.5% goingforward.

“Obviously, Belize is a reasonably small economy withalovelytourismsector,” he said, indicating the need for small economies to be more diversified. “But they are constrained by scale. So I am not exactly sure what our programmes are in Belize right now,” he told reporters.

(TRINIDADEXPRESS)

A Crisis of Governance

Guyana finds itself inherent contradictions the gas-to energy plant. It comfort to consumers f r a m e w o r k T h e grappling with an electricity within his own arguments. was only last December that presentlyreelingfrompower stranglehold of the small crisis that threatens not just While criticizing the some additional generating outages. cabal within the Executive thecomfortofitscitizensbut APNU+AFC government sets to boost demand was To truly address the cabal must be loosened, also the economy However, for failing to invest in able to have landed in electricity crisis, Guyana allowing for greater as the lights flicker and additional generating Guyana The ad hoc must confront the crisis in transparency, accountability, power outages become a capacity, the PPP/C emergency measures being governance head-on and alacrity in decision- the lights will continue to norm rather than an administration itself has implemented by the PPP/C Decentralising power, making.Theelectricitycrisis flicker, and the wheels of exception, it is becoming been unable to significantly government in response to empowering ministers to gripping Guyana is not industry and commerce will evident that that the roots of bolster the country’s the crisis are symptomatic of take ownership of their merelyatechnicalissuebuta grindtoahalt. this crisis lie not solely electricity infrastructure a deeper malaise in portfolios, and holding them symptom of a deeper (The views expressed in within the country’s energy since assuming office. The governance. accountable for their actions governance crisis Unless this article are those of the infrastructure but is deeply failure to anticipate and plan Instead of adopting a are crucial steps towards decisive action is taken to a u t h o r a n d d o n o t entrenched within the for the exponential increase strategicapproachtoaddress fostering a more responsive address the systemic failures necessarily reflect the nation’sgovernance. i n e n e rg y d e m a n d , the root causes of the and effective governance within the political system, opinions of this newspaper.)

At the heart of this issue particularly in light of the electricity crisis, the is a glaring failure in country’s burgeoning oil and government finds itself governance, where poor non-oil sectors, speaks scrambling to mitigate the planning and a lack of volumes about the systemic immediate consequences of foresight have led to a governance failures at play its own shortcomings. We c a t a s t r o p h i c If demand increased from have now moved from mismanagement of the 125 megawatts to 184 importing generating sets to country’s electricity sector megawatts, this represents now leasing energy from a The recent address by the an almost 50% increase in vessel soon to dock in Presidenttothenationserves energydemandinamatterof Berbice However, the as a stark reminder of this a few years. Did the PPP/C challenges facing Guyana’s reality While addressing the anticipate this increase in electricity sector are only set crisis, the President’s demand?Theyoughttohave to get worse The s p e e c h , m a r r e d b y done so, given the growth in P r e s i d e n t ’ s repetitiveness, only served both the oil and non-oil acknowledgment that to highlight the systemic sectorsoverwhichtheyhave demand is expected to triple governance failures that been claiming bragging will mean that additional have plagued Guyana under rights. generatingcapacityhastobe the PPP/C administrations. The President showered added. One of the most glaring blame on the APNU+AFC How does the PPP/C manifestations of this for not installing much plan, over the short-term, to governance crisis is the additional generating generate the additional 368 concentration of power capacity during the period megawatts that will be among a select group of 2015 to 2020. But if he did needed? The gas-to-energy individuals, leading to hisownmath,hewouldhave project is anticipated to d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g realized that without the 46 inject between 200-250 bottlenecks and a dearth of megawatts which the megawatts of this amount. effective action. Instead of Coalition government had

Even if by some miracle the empowering the subject procured but not installed, government is able to Ministertoleadthechargein the crisis in Guyana would exhume the Amaila Falls finding solutions, decision- have been more acute. The Hydroelectric Project, this making appears to be tightly PPP/C has not been able to will only provide an controlled within a small add any significant additional 165 megawatts. It circle. generating capacity since it means that the country’s

The President’s attempt returned to office four years near-term energy security to shift blame onto the ago.ThePPP/Cwassleeping rests on two major projects previousadministrationonly at the wheel and appears to but of which are mired in serves to highlight the havebeenpinningitshopeof controversy This is of little

Dem Boys Seh...

Blackout Blues!

Wha we Guyanese experiencing right darkness,” dem Gee Pee Hell folks must be now ain’t just no ordinary blackout! Dis sayin’withaslygrin. ain’t no ordinary flicker in de night, dis is a But yuh know what? Dem boys got a full-blown circus act sponsored by de Gee solution dat’s cheaper and smarter than Pee Hell itself! Dem lights playin’ games tryin’to tame de unruly beast dat is de Gee likeit’scarnivalseason,butinsteadofsweet Pee Hell. Why not give every household a soca music, all we hearing is de groans of solar system and a generator? Let’s take frustratedconsumers. matters into our own hands and shine some

Imagine waking up to de pitch-black lightondisdarkness,quiteliterally! darkness,stumbling‘roundlikeyuhinsome Picture dis: every home becomin’ its kindahauntedhouse.Youflipdeswitch,and ownmini-powerplant,baskin’indeglowof boom! Lights on, lights off, lights on again, renewable energy No more relyin’ on de like some kinda disco party nobody invited whims of de Gee Pee Hell, no more dancin’ you to. You’d think it’s Christmas with all todeerraticbeatofdemflickerin’lights.It’s dem fairy lights twinklin’, but nah, it’s just time we take back control of our electricity de Gee Pee Hell pullin’another prank on us destiny! poorsouls. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll look

And let’s talk ‘bout dat hefty electricity back and laugh at de days when de Gee Pee bill at de end of de month! It’s like dey Hell had us livin’ in de shadows of charging us for de privilege of livin’ in de uncertainty Until den, keep dem candles dark. “Here’s your bill for de month, enjoy handyanddehkerolampsonstandby! payin’ for de hours you spent cursin’ in Talk half. Leff half.

H@RD TRUTHS

PPP V. PNCR - internals

This much must be said for the PPP: daretoblinkatthe wrongtimeandtheoffending head is sure to roll on a dime. Try stepping out of line and thatmanorwomanhadbetter bepreparedtoloseachunkof spine.

Speak out of turn and the result is of a comrade trashed to ashes in an urn. Is that a machine, or is that a machine? Well-oiled Sweetlypurring.

Smartly stepping Externally,asGuyanesehave seen. It is an even more rigid regime internally There is the iron control of the man with the whip hand and the goodies bag Tenure and takingholdofeachinsiderby the scruff of the neck. Or seat ofthepants. Orskirt.

Everyone knows the business of what is required. It is that they must all speak with one mind, one mouth, and in one manner Not a fingernail painted, other than in PPP red. Not a mouth smeared in any colour beside

lipstick red. In keeping with nature's delicate balance, the lipstick splotches include the men. It is all for one and one for all. No matter what. It is a formula for leadership conquest and individual success.

There is history Since Moses, the same one who aspires to be me, there has been one notable departure.

His name is Khemraj. How is that for keeping people in check, ensuring that progressiveisthenameofthe game, and the party is paramounttoall.

The party is the greater truth and integrity, the party is more than family and personal longevity (refer to the fateful end of Satyadeo), t h e p a r t y i s o f a n incomparably supremely higher calling that any duty or any people. With Jagan, therewasleewayoflegroom. With Jagdeo, there is Star Chamber and Death Chamber

Put that generational line ofKimsfromtheDemocratic

People's Republic of Korea together and Jagdeo makes them look like jokers Control! To paraphrase the calypsonian: talk about control, and Jagdeo is it. This is why the People's Progressive Party functions with more military discipline than the GDF The reins of total control and the culture ofabsolutesubmissioninside the PPP is why there is no need for a stockade or brig in that well-drilled, welldirected, well-deboned political army I am moved toremovemyhatinhomage. Then there is the People's NationalCongress.

If it cannot have the orderliness to be about its own business, the people inside, how in god's name, it could be about the Guyanese people?

Any segment of them? When there is the present difficulty in getting its internal affairs together, as a party, it eludes me regarding how it could be about the national? And, if its ideas of

familiarinternalcongressare s o d i s j o i n t e d a n d disintegrated from this early stage, then when can there everbewhatisrepresentative of a national congress of the peoples?

I look for discipline and find fragments. I ask who is in charge, and everybody is in charge of himself

E v e r y o n e h a r b o u r s ambitions of being number one; the party has run out of numbers.

The PNC is a Tower of Babel: every man and womanspeakshisorherown language Subtitles are needed,subplotsabound,and substitutions occur in the runuptothefirstballaboutto be bowled. The word is that the chief cooks and bottlewashers behind the 2020 fiasco are behind the upheavals. My god, my god, what has thou done to Guyana?

The PPP is bad enough, buttwo,lord?

If I were to vote, Jagdeo nowlooksaworldapart. But

remember, that is the duty of theGuyanesepeople,notme. Isitonnofence,forIcarefor no one, shelter behind no such structure. Somebody should drag me out of the dungeons of electoral retirement. Itmightbebetter to drag me back to America.

I just remembered: Donald Trump.

What have I done to deserve this? I have heard about being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. But that pales into nothing compared to the Guyana (my) situation. It is being caught between a stalking Komodo dragon, a h u n g r y A m a z o n i a n crocodile,andaGreatWhite. All the terrible things, I have lived in this life have finally caught with me: PPP, PNC, Trump.

The PPP has its internal act together, which is the worst living nightmare for Guyanese.

The PNC can't put one foot in front of the other internally The result is that

this transforms the PPP into the unimaginable and the incomparable: a still worse nightmare. I think I have to break my vows and run for power in this country Note that I say power and not office. The former is about all the personal possibilities, t h e l a t t e r a b o u t responsibilities Guess whichoneIwilltake? C'mon folks, the one from Jagdeo's book,ofcourse.

He gets his people to jump up and down without a word of command. Now, thatispower

The PNC have people jumping around, and for what, not one damn one of them knows. Call it internal dynamics in both parties. For me, it is practising internalmedicine.

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

6th oil project permit reveals…

Citizens will have to take ExxonM to Court to fight for compensation from oil spill

...as Govt. to decide amount of cash for parent company guarantee

The Environmental Permit obtained by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) for its sixth oil project in the Stabroek BlockWhiptail- does not require an unlimited parent company guaranteetofullyprotectthenation against the perils associated with a majordisasterthatmayoccur

In the absence of such a guarantee, citizens in Guyana, and even those that may be affected beyond this nation's borders, will have to fight in the Courts to seek c o m p e n s a t i o n f r o m t h e ExxonMobil.Thisisoutlinedinthe Permit approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Whiptail development, on April 10, 2024.

Section 14.1 of the Permit states, “The Permit Holder and its CoVenturers (CoVs) are liable for all costs associated with clean up, restoration and compensation for any damages caused by any discharge of any contaminant, including the cost of all investigations into pollution incidents or discharge of contaminants, conducted at the instanceofAgency.”

To ensure the Permit Holder and its CoVs are able to cover its “legitimate liabilities arising under the Permit and the Act”, EMGL shall provide, to the Agency or the State a written declaration of the Permit Holder and its CoVs' financial capabilities to fulfill all environmental liabilities as required by theAct and the Permit. To this end, three pieces of documentation are required, including a written declaration to

The Environmental Permit, issued by the EPA, highlights citizens will have to fight in court for compensation from an oil spill.

the Agency of the Permit Holder and its CoVs' financial capabilities to fulfill all environmental liabilitiesasrequiredbytheActand the Permit and evidence of insurance. The third requirement is FinancialAssurance, in the form of a Guarantee Agreement that must be to the satisfaction of the government.

The Permit requires, “Financial Assurance, in the form of a Guarantee and Indemnity Agreement issued in favour of the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana (represented by the Agency), as beneficiary, by each of either the parent company oranaffiliateofeachCoVcovering the liabilities under this Permit…for a cumulative amount guided by the estimate described in Condition 14.3 and in a form as further described in condition 14.6 (hereafter referred to as the "Guarantees").”

The Whiptail Permit makes it clear that the insurance and financial assurance provided shall be “guided by an estimate of the sum of the reasonably credible costs, expenses, and liabilities that may arise from any breach of the Act and this Permit.” This means that the assurance will not be a signed “unlimited guarantee” but will be capped at a specific sum.

Section 14.3 of the document goes on to note, “Liabilities are considered to include costs associated with responding to an incident, clean-up and remediation and monitoring. Such cumulative amount required is not expected to include costs which may be

associated with compensation for loss and ongoing damage to other parties, and which are able to be p u r s u e d t h r o u g h c i v i l proceedings.”

Thismeansthatcitizenswillnot be protected from an oil spill in the Permit granted by the EPAbut will berequiredtofighttheoilcompany in Court for compensation in the event of a spill. While the oil spill guarantee does not protect citizens,

the insurance Exxon is required to provide also fails to mention coverage for the livelihoods of citizens that can be affected. The EPA however did reserve the right to require further insurance as necessary The insurance must cover and will not be limited to (a) loss or damage to all assets used in the Project; (b) well control; (c) environmental damage caused in the course of the Project for which the Permit Holder will be, jointly and severally, held responsible, including clean up; (d) loss or damagetopropertyorbodilyinjury suffered by any third party in the course of the Project for which the Permit Holder is liable to; (e) the cost of removal of wreckage and clean-up operations required as a result of an accident occurring in the course of permitted activities; and any other requirements made bytheAgency AboutWhiptail

The US$12 7B deepwater project was sanctioned by the GoG on April 11, 2024. Whiptail will targetanestimatedresourcebaseof morethan850millionbarrelsofoil and include up to 10 drill centers

and 48 production and injection wells. The floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel for Whiptail, which will be called Jaguar, is already under construction. Exxon is aiming to produce 250,000 barrels of oil per day at the project by the end of 2027 According to project documents, the Whiptail project will develop the Whiptail, Pinktail, and Tilapia fields, along with potential additional resources, if determined to be feasible and economically viable

Based on ExxonMobil's plans, six oil ships with a gross production capacity of more than 1.2 million barrels of oil perdayareexpectedtobeonlineon the Stabroek block by the end of 2027, to develop the estimated gross discovered recoverable resources of more than 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent

The Stabroek block covers 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometers) and is operated by ExxonMobil's affiliate with a 45% interest. The company's partners in the block are Hess Guyana Exploration (30%) and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana (25%).

Map showing the location of Exxon's Whiptail development in the Stabroek Block

First Lady, Mexican Ambassador sponsor

300 special needs children, orphans to circus

Just about 300 children from orphanages and Special Education Needs schools across Guyana had theopportunitytoexperience the thrill of the Suarez Brothers' Circus firsthand on S u n d a y t h r o u g h a collaborative effort between First Lady Mrs.AryaAli and Mexico's Ambassador to Guyana, H E Mauricio VizcaínoCrespo.

The activity formed part of the First Lady's Adopt-anOrphanage initiative which aims to provide financial and psychosocial support to children in institutional care, a press release from the Office of the First lady said. Thechildrenweretreatedtoa spectacular display of performing arts, acrobatics, and comedy from one of the main attractions – the clowns. It was evident that the activity was one which was thoroughly enjoyed by the children whose faces beamed with joy throughout theshow

Thechildrenalsoenjoyed Mexican snow cone and popcorn which were provided to them during the show “Providing vulnerable children with opportunities like these is very important f o r t h e i r h o l i s t i c development It improves their emotional well-being and their social skills, which impact their ability to lead independent, successful lives,”theFirstLadysaid. More than that, she said that the President's One

Guyana platform speaks directly to the inclusion of every Guyanese and every group at every level of society “Our children, r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e i r circumstance or situation, must be included in activities whichordinaryGuyaneseare able to enjoy They must be able to share similar experiences and be able to feel included in our society,” Mrs.Alistressed.

For his part, Ambassador Vizcaíno who facilitated the activity, said that he was delighted to part of an initiativewhichhelpstoputa smileonthefacesofchildren and adds value to their lives.

“For Mexico, it is a great honourtosharethetalentand work of the artists of the Suarez Brothers' Circus with all our Guyanese friends, but specially with this group of wonderful girls and boys who had the opportunity to come from different parts of Guyana to enjoy the show,” t h e Ambassadorshared.

1,500 house lots distributed at ‘dream realised' housing drive in Region Three

The wait is finally over for 1,500 Guyanese after receiving their house lots on Friday, during the Ministry of Housing and Water-Central Housing and Planning Authority's (CHPA) first major 'dream realised'housingdrivefor2024.

The recipients were allocated lands at one of the new housing areas,Wales Phase Two housing development, which is scheduled for massive upgrades this year

During the distribution exercise at the Guyana Water Incorporated's (GWI) compound at Klein Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara in Region Three, Beneficiary, Esther Persaud said she has been beyond satisfied since she applied for thehouselotsince2008.

Battling to contain her tears, Persaud told the Department of Public Information (DPI),“Itmeansalottomebecauseitisthe firsttime,Iwillbeowningahome.”

Another happy landowner, Bibi Rabia Khan was relieved when she received the callyesterdayforherlandsincesheapplied foritin2012.

“It is great. I have been waiting a while andthedayisfinallyhere.I'mreallyhappy that I can start my own home and plan for thefuture,”Khansaid.

Another beneficiary, Kortis Simon expressed,“IfeelexcitedtoknowthatIcan provideastablehomeformyfamily.”

Beneficiary, Cecil King said he is happy to be closer to owning his own home. “To be here today is a good moment for me. I am excited to start building my dream home,” King expressed. Beneficiary, Tatum Khan said, “I feel good that they finally called. It is good to get something of your own. With how the country is going now with development, this is a very good opportunityforusasafamily.”

The new scheme will accommodate

about5,000residentsandwillbeoutfittedwitha nursery, primary and secondary schools, a post office, a playground, a police station, a daycare centre,aMagistrate'sCourt,andotheramenities. Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal underscored that billions of dollars have been expended to develop new and existing housing areas as well as road networks, over the past threeyears.

In 2023, infrastructural works on the West Coast totalled $16 6 billion in Leonora, Stewartsville, and Meten-Meer-Zorg were completed. Works on various community roads are 90 percent completed. In the last year, $5.6 billion was spent on the community roads in the region. In one and a half years, 107 two and three-bedroom houses have been completed on the West Coast. “We have another 337 under construction within the Leonora/Edinburg area. The total for these houses, not taking into consideration the infrastructure costs, is about $2.6billioninvestmenthereontheWestCoastof Demerara. We still have to cater for hundreds more,”hehighlighted.

Meanwhile,theMinisterwithintheMinistry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues underscored that the housing programme is far more impactful, as it speaks to homeownership, empowerment,jobopportunities,andtheoverall transformationofGuyana.

“That is the ultimate independence for the people of our country…When you own your own home, you control your own life…You don't have a landlord that you have to answer to. You don't live in a sense of uncertainty, wondering if you would have to relocate your lifeatsomepoint,”MinisterRodriguesstressed. The region has the second highest housing demand in the country and Friday's distribution reduces the list by 13 percent. Also delivering remarks were the ministry's Permanent Secretary, Bisham Kuppen, CHPA's Chief Executive Officer, Sherwyn Greaves, and RegionalChairman,InshanAyube.

He credited the First Lady and her office for partnering with the Mexican Embassy in Georgetown to host what he described as a special activity for Guyana's children.

The orphanages which currently benefit from the Adopt-an-Orphanage initiative include: Joshua House Children Centre, Bless the Children's Home, Ruimveldt Children's Home, St. John Bosco Orphanage, Shaheed's Boys Orphanage, Shaheed's Girls Orphanage, St. Ann's Orphanage, Prabhu Sharan Orphanage, Hope Children's Home, Red Cross Convalescence and CanaanChildren'sHome.

Thespecialneedsschools

which participated in Sunday's activity were: Resource Unit for Special Needs Children in Linden, Beterverwagting Special Education Centre, New Amsterdam Special Needs School, East Bank Special N e e d s S c h o o l , a n d Schoonord Learning Centre forDiverseNeeds. The Suarez Brothers Circus out of Mexico is one of the more popular circuses in the world, featuring more than30differentacts.

Driverdiesaftercar crashesintoutilitypole

A 38-year-old man was killed on Sunday morning after the car he was driving, PGG 3821 crashed into a utility pole at #36 Public Road,Berbice,RegionSix.

Dead is Troy Trevor of Lot 4 Cromarty Farm Corentyne, Berbice and injured is his lone passenger Mark Anderson, 34, of Mibicuri South, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne,Berbice.

Police said that initial investigation revealed that Trevor's car was proceeding, allegedly, at a high rate of speed south along

The mangled car

the eastern drive lane when he lost control of thevehicleandcrashedintotheutilitypole.

Reports are that after crashing, the car spun several times before coming to a halt. Persons rushed to their rescue and found the driver unconscious; and his passenger semiconscious.

They were taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital where the driver was pronounced dead on arrival. The passenger is receiving medical attention and his condition is regardedasstable.Investigationcontinues.

Children being entertained at the Circus

$17M for BV Police Station bridge

...asForceundertakes$700Mininfrastructureupgrade

The Guyana Police Forceisbuildinga bridge at the Beterverwagting Police Stationtothetuneof$17Mas part of a wider $700M investment in infrastructures acrossseveralregions. These capital projects aim to enhance facilities, equipment, and training opportunities for law enforcement personnel, the Department of Public Information(DPI)hassaid. T h e p r o j e c t s a r e

progressing rapidly In Region Six, construction is underway for a new Divisional Headquarters, valued at $228 million. This project is 28 percent c o m p l e t e d U p o n conclusion, the building will

‘The world cannot afford another war’ –GuyanatellsUNSecurity CouncilasIranstrikesIsrael

The Full United Nations Security C o u n c i l – o n which Guyana holds a seat–yesterday met and held an emergency session in relation to the escalation of violence in the Middle East, triggered by early Sunday morning's attack by Iran, which fired more than 300 rocketsintoIsrael.

This in response to Israel's targeting of the Iranian Consulate in Damascus.

Addressing the UN Security Council yesterday, G u y a n a ' s U N ' s P l e n i p o t e n t i a r y Representative on that body, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, was adamant, “the world cannot afford another war, andtheMiddleEastcertainly cannotaffordanotherwar.”

Rodrigues-Birkett was adamant “violence begets violence and compromises peace and security.” To this end, Rodrigues–Birkett said “Guyana is alarmed over the recentescalationsoverIsrael and Iran especially in a region that is already experiencing intense conflict.”

As such, “we urge the parties to exercise maximum restraint to desist from launching further retaliatory attacks and to seek the path

of pace.” This since, “any further attacks will have devastating regional consequences and also for the wider international community The world, cannot afford another war, and the Middle East certainly cannot afford anotherwar.”

According to the Guyanese Representative “the attack on Iran's diplomatic facility in Damascus earlier this month and Iran's attacks on Israel have only served to heighten tensions in the region.” She said Guyana urges “the parties to strictly abide by their charter obligations and t o a v o i d a l a r g e r conflagration.”

She also used the occasion to reiterate “as with any conflict, it is always

innocent civilians who bear the brunt with women and c h i l d r e n s u f f e r i n g disproportionately.”

Rodrigues-Birkett cited as“example,howciviliansin the occupied Palestinian territory and other parts of theregionarealreadyreeling fromunprecedentedlevelsof suffering as a result of the ongoing conflict between IsraelandPalestine.”

She calls on countries of the region to fully comply with their international obligationsandtoupholdthe principlesofsovereigntyand territorial integrity ”

According to Rodrigues Birkett,“wealsodemandfull adherence to international law and the UN charter and for the parties to settle their differences through peaceful andlawfulmeans.”

One of the living quarters that is almost completed

feature modern amenities tailored for effective p o l i c i n g , i n c l u d i n g specialised rooms for childfriendly interviews, handling sexual offence/domestic violence cases, and holding cells for both juveniles and adults, among other essential departments.

I n R e g i o n F i v e , construction is ongoing for

the Mahaicony and Weldaad Police Stations, with budgets of $111 million and $140 million respectively These projects are currently at 20 percent and 30 percent c o m p l e t i o n r a t e s

Additionally, an $80 million state-of-the-art Information Technology (IT) Training C o m p l e x i s b e i n g constructed at the Fort

Wellington Police Station, nearing completion at 90 percent. This complex will serve as a technological hub for police ranks to upgrade their skills, contributing to t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n a l development.

As part of the 'Safe Country' initiative, a command center is being (Continued on page 14)

Guyana's UN's Plenipotentiary Representative, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

The $17M bridge at the BV Police Station

$30M repairs on Parika Stelling Linkspan Bridge completed

Repaired Linkspan Bridge at Parika Stelling

The Parika Stelling L i n k s p a n B r i d g e i s operational again following a successful $30 million repair project, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill saidduringasiteinspectionon Friday

The linkspan, a crucial drawbridge for vehicles using the MV Sabanto ferry, sustained significant damage and required immediate attention Minister Edghill highlighted that the remedial works were completed two weeks ago, restoring the MV Sabanto ferry's daily operations of transporting passengersandcargo.

According to Department of Public Information release, Superintendent of Parika Stelling, Tamesh Persaud, revealed that the repairs were carried out by a joint effort between the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) Corporation and private contractors. The collaborative approach aimed to swiftly restore ferry operations and alleviate disruptions caused by the damaged linkspan Persaud said the rehabilitation

works have significantly improved the efficiency of operations. “We are in a better position in terms of repair, smooth flow of traffic, no complaints at this point,” DPI quotedhimassaying.

Additionally, the ministry, in partnership with the DHB Corporation is set to initiate the tender process for the rehabilitationofthecatwalkat Parika Stelling. The catwalk's condition has deteriorated to the point of posing a safety hazard for staff, requiring immediateaction.

The project will include relocating and repairing the catwalk, along with driving fender piles to reinforce its structural integrity Similarly, significant rehabilitation works have been carried out on the wharf's deck geared at e n s u r i n g s a f e t y a n d uninterrupted traffic flow

T h e s e i n t e r v e n t i o n s underscore the government's commitment to maintaining crucial transportation infrastructure for the efficient operationofessentialservices, and more importantly, the welfareofpassengers.

$17MforBVPolice...

From page 13

established in the region to enhance overall security operations. This project, now 95% complete, is costing approximately $41 million The center is expected to significantly improve community safety and security through efficient law enforcement deployment, multi-agency response coordination, and enhanced security coordination for public events.

In Region Four, reconstruction work is ongoing at the Sparendaam Police Station, with a budget exceeding $122 million. This facility, estimated to be 90% complete, will include living quarters for male and female officers, accommodations for senior officers, and key departments such as a Traffic Department and a modern Criminal Investigative Department(CID).

Furthermore, construction of a new $25 million living quarter at the Cove and John Police Station on the East Coast Demerara is at 90% completion, with remaining works includinginteriorfloorfinishingandcompletionoftheexternal shed.

TheBeterverwagtingPoliceStationwillsoonbenefitfroma new $17 million bridge, currently at 93% completion. This bridgewillfacilitatesmoothtraversingofpolicevehiclesduring emergencies. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Andre Ally recently conducted an inspection of the projects. He noted that these infrastructural developments will significantlyenhancetheForce'scapabilities.

The substantial investments in the security sector underscore the government's commitment to providing improved living and working conditions for police ranks, ultimately leading to enhanced service delivery nationwide. In this year's budget, $30.3 billion was allocated to the Guyana Police Force, with $5.4 billion earmarked for revolutionizing theForce'sinfrastructure.

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, and Superintendent of the Parika Stelling, Tamesh Persaud inspecting remedial works on Linkspan Bridge

Teen in fiery crash dies

Shane Lall, 16, the Essequibo teen involved in a fiery motorcycle crash lastWednesdayhasdied.

Kaieteur News has been able to confirm that Lall succumbed to his injuries on Saturday at the Georgetown Public Hospital. According to relatives, he never regainedconsciousness.

Lall was left critical after the

motorcycle he was riding crashed on Wednesday last at Perseverance, Essequibo Coast, Region Two Kaieteur News learnt that the accident took place between 09:00h and 10:00 hrs.

him to ride into oncoming traffic. Upon impact, his bike exploded while hewasflungafairdistanceaway

...operated boutique at a city mall

Reports are that he crashed into a car while negotiating a turn in Perseverance. Eyewitnesses suggested that Lall was speeding and lost control of his motorcycle causing

Eyewitnesses had recalled that the teen suffered severe injuries and was bleedingthrough his nostrils and eyes. He was rushed to the nearest hospital in an unconscious state but was later transferred to the GPHC's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he died days laterwhilereceivingtreatment.

Dead: Shane Lall

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‘Defanging the Integrity Commission at a Time of...

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From page 6 should be able to accept referrals from other agencies, receive complaints from any person and in any known or unknown form, including anonymous complaints. It should have investigative powers to compel witnesses and the production of documents, search public premises without application to a judicial officer, use warranted surveillance powers and have public hearings. In terms of reporting, the IC should be able to make findings of fact (not findings of guilt) in respect of criminal or disciplinary offences and report publicly.

It concluded that the strongest and most effective

integrity commissions had:

(1) The ability to investigate any conduct of any person that affects the impartial exercise of public administration. This allows investigation of those outside the public service who seek to unduly influence public decisionmaking and does not limit investigations to criminal conduct.

(2) The ability to begin investigations without satisfying a threshold of evidence.

(3) The ability to hold public hearings if in the public interest and to make findings and report publicly.

Most importantly, the Australian National Anti-Corruption Commission established under the legislation is an in-

dependent body, meaning that the government is ‘not able to tell it what to investigate, or how to do its job’. A parliamentary joint committee consisting of 3 members from the government, 2 from the opposition and one from neither the government nor opposition have oversight and appointment responsibilities.

In Guyana, the law that governs the commission gives the president almost total control over the body.

For a start, it gives the president of an ethnic party almost total control over appointing the commission: s/he needs only to ‘consult’ with the leader of the opposition in regard to the chairperson.

When today, the presidency

itself is suspect, this suggests that the docility Mr. Lowe detected may well have more to do with structural deficiencies and political will.

Put simply, any suggestion that IC-type work should be transferred to a government department of any kind should be totally rejected. What exists should not be equated with what ought to exist and given Guyana’s social environment, serious reforms that make the body more independent and technically appropriate are more worthy of recommendation and I hope that Mr. Lowe will use his recent appointment to advocate for these.

Sincerely,

Dr. Henry Jeffrey

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Portmore cashier charged for allegedly stealing from phone card machine

( J A M A I C A machine and sold a quantity Areportwasmadeandan OBSERVER) - Thirty-two- of phone cards and then investigation was launched year-old Corey Carter, of purchased gift items valued which led to Carter being Portmore in the parish, is at $212,520 from the phone arrested and charged. His charged with larceny as a card machine and converted court date is yet to be servant and access to ittohisuseandbenefit. finalised. computer device with intent to commit or facilitate the commissionofanoffence.

The police say the charges stemmed from an incident at a business establishment in Portmore between February 2023 and January2024.

It is being alleged that Carter used an authorised code to operate a phone card

Apology

Kaieteur News apologises for the publication in its magazine on Sunday April 14, 2024 edition an article namingTaiwan as a country The Kaieteur News adopts the policyoftheGuyanaGovernmentinrecognisingTaiwanas a province of China and also subscribes to the One China principle. We regret any inconvenience this error would havecaused.

Israeli cabinet wants response to Iran attack, is divided over timing and scale

(Aljazeera) - Israeli

However, in a signal that officials say that Prime Iran’s response was M i n i s t e r B e n j a m i n calculated in an attempt to Netanyahu’s war cabinet avoid any major escalation, favours retaliation against the Iranian foreign minister Iran for its mass drone and Amir Abdollahian said that missile attack, but are Tehran had informed the US divided over the timing and of the planned attack 72 scaleofanysuchresponse. hours in advance, and said

According to Israeli that the strikes would be media reports, the five- “limited” and for selfmember cabinet, in which defence. Netanyahu, Defence

Benny Gantz, a key member of Israel’s war cabinet [File: Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo]

Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier- General Mohammad

Reza Ashtiani inspects an Iranian missile during an unveiling ceremony in Tehran [File: WANA/Reuters]

That did not stop more Minister Yoav Gallant and aggressive language from Cabinet Minister Benny other officials, with the Gantz have decision-making commander of the Islamic powers met on Sunday and Revolutionary Guard Corps are expected to convene “If the Zionist regime (IRGC), Hossein Salami, againforfurtherdiscussions. [Israel] or its supporters warning that Tehran would “historic event in the the armed forces had shot saying in a televised briefing

The Times of Israel, demonstrate reckless retaliate against any Israeli country”. down more than 99 percent that they “push the region citing multiple Hebrew behaviour, they will receive attacks on its interests,

“For over 40 years, Iran of the Iranian drones and towardescalation”. media outlets, reported that adecisiveandmuchstronger officialsorcitizens. has been talking about going missilesandwerediscussing Despite the rhetoric, one Gantz and his political ally response,” Iran’s President Meanwhile, Iran’s to war with Israel as one of follow-upoptions. Iranian analyst said the Gadi Eisenkot, an observer Ebrahim Raisi said in a permanent mission to the its main adversaries,” she InabriefstatementonX, statementscomingfromIran inthewarcabinet,suggested statementonSunday United Nations justified s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t Israeli Prime Minister offer an opening for the retaliating, even during Raisi’sstatementfollows Tehran’s response to Israeli celebrations were held in Benjamin Netanyahu wrote, opposing parties to back off Iran’sattack. a similar warning by Iranian “aggression”asa“legitimate several Iranian cities over “We intercepted We fromawiderconfrontation. Israel’s Channel 12 military chief, Major- defence” in accordance with theairraids. blocked. Together we will Farzan Sabet, a senior reported that Gallant, Army General Mohammad theUNcharter

‘Significant response’ win.” Meanwhile, Israel’s researcher at the Geneva- Chief Herzi Halevi and Bagheri, who told state TV “The matter can be

Tehran’s attacks late on defence chief, Yoav Gallant, based Global Governance others opposed this idea, in that a “much larger” d e e m e d c o n c l u d e d Saturday were launched warned in a televised Centre, said Israel “has a part because the Israeli air response awaits Israel “if it However, should the Israeli after a suspected Israeli air s t a t e m e n t t h a t t h e potential off-ramp” by force was already deployed retaliatesagainstIran”. regime make another strike on its embassy confrontation with Iran “is making a “largely symbolic to intercept the incoming Bagheri said the Iranian mistake, Iran’s response will compound in Damascus on notoveryet”. and non- or only slightly dronesandmissiles. attack on Israel “has be considerably more April 1 killed IRGC Israel’s Channel 12 TV lethalresponse”. Meanwhile Iran has achieved all its goals, and in severe,”saidastatement. members, raising the threat quoted an unnamed Israeli But given Israel’s warned Israel of a larger our view the operation has It added that the US ofawiderregionalconflict. official as saying there “historically low threat attack on its territory should ended, and we do not intend should “stay away” from the On Sunday, Israel would be a “significant tolerance and practice of it retaliate against Tehran’s tocontinue”. conflict, as it is an issue reportedmodestdamageand response”totheattack. disproportionate response”, overnight drone and missile Earlier on Sunday, he between Iran and Israel. Al reopened its airspace Israel’s chief military further retaliations and attacks, adding that the warned the US that any Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari, following the unprecedented spokesman, Rear Admiral escalations could be seen, he United States should not backing of Israeli retaliation reporting from Tehran, said directattack. Daniel Hagari, also called said in an analysis posted on back an Israeli military would result in its bases the Iranian attacks would be The Israeli military said Iran’s actions “very grave”, X. action. beingtargetedbyIran. seen by its nationals as a

- Waramuri, Ann’s Grove and West Ruimveldt also book quarter final spots

PC sneaks into quarter finals with 2-1 win over Charlestown Sec’

President’s College matches of round of 16 stage However, Ann’s Grove Shamar Barrington’s early (PC), Ann’s Grove, of the competition with a emergedvictoriousthanksto penalty put PC in the lead, Waramuri Top, and West thrilling 5-3 victory over Kennad Halley and and Mikeal Antigua’s goal Ruimveldtsecuredspotsinto Abram Zuil in a match that NeronJerrick’spivotalgoals, further solidified their 2-1 the quarterfinals of the kept spectators on the edge ultimately clinching the win victory Petra/Milo Schools Under- oftheirseats. 5-3 on penalties after a nail- Despite Charlestown’s 18 Football tournament after The game initially bitingshootout. efforts to narrow the gap electrifying wins on Sunday seemed evenly poised as In another intense with a solitary goal, PC held at the Ministry of Education both teams battled to a 4-4 showdown, President on to secure a 2-1 triumph groundsonSunday draw, with the first half College asserted their and advance to the Ann’s Grove Secondary ending in a tense 2-all dominance early on, against quarterfinals. kicked off the final four deadlock. Charlestown Secondary Waramuri Top left no roomfordoubtintheirmatch against Yarrowkabra Secondary, delivering a commanding11-0victory.

Waramuri’s mid-fielder at work against Yarrowkabra Secondary

Monday April 15, 2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

You might want to make an extra effort to tidy up the house this morning,Aries. It's likely that you'll have some unexpectedguests.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

You'll have to let go of your usual drill-sergeant manner and simply let the day unfold as it will. Try as you might, even you won't be able to directeventstoday,Taurus.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You work hard to reach your g o a l o f f i n a n c i a l independence, Gemini All signs indicate that you're well on your way.Today you could receive some news that makes you realize you aren't there yet.

CANCER(June21–July22)

You're bound to be busy but happy today, Cancer You'll likely spend the morning doing chores and generally puttering around the house. Don't be surprised if a friend drops by unexpectedly in the afternoon with some importantnewstoshare.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

This could be a rather intense dayforyou,Leo.Yourmindis filledwithplotsfornovelsyou want to write and ideas for ways to streamline production atwork.

VIRGO(Aug 23–Sept 22)

Thisisonedayforyoutobeas flexible as possible, Virgo. It may be that you begin with a specific list of items that absolutely must be done, but get distracted by some news from a friend or co-worker

importantisnolongerso.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Youcanovercometheintensity of today's planetary energies by making a conscious effort stay positive, Libra. Distract yourself with necessary householdchoresanderrands.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

Don'ttakeanyinformationyou receive today at face value, Scorpio Technical glitches will likely plague you throughout the day. Your bank s t a t e m e n t c o u l d b e incomprehensible.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

Don'ttakeanythingyoureador hear today at face value, Sagittarius. It's possible that you'll receive some rather distressing news, but before you react in frustration, read thefineprint.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

It's likely that you'll receive some unpleasant news today, Capricorn. Perhaps there are changes occurring at work that you read about in the morning newspaper

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Thiscouldbeadayoftechnical glitches and malfunctions, Aquarius. It's frustrating, to be sure, but a little bit funny, too. Everything you touch, from computer to washing machine, seems to groan and shudder beforefinallybreaking.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Todayisfilledwithsocializing, with a strong emphasis on the exchange of information. If you're attending a party this evening,Pisces,bereceptiveto anyone you meet. It's likely that someone new will arrive who will have a significant impactonyourlife.

Zundel Abrams and Odell Holmes led the charge and75thminutes,alongwith proudlysponsoredbyMassy w i t h i m p r e s s i v e Donovan Welcome’s goal, DistributionundertheNestle performances, each netting sealed the deal for West ‘Milo’Brand, and supported four goals, while Denzel Ruimveldt, denying North byMVPSports,YellowSteel Abrams, Rondell Peters, and Ruimveldt a chance to Inc , the Ministry of M a r c u s S m i t h a l s o advancefurther. Education, Blue Water contributedtotherout. The Petra Organisation Shipping, and the Guyana Meanwhile, West coordinates the tournament, FootballFederation. Ruimveldtsecuredtheirspot in the quarterfinals with a clinical 3-1 win against North Ruimveldt Elijah Sattaur’s brace in the 63rd

Over 50 participate...

From page 21 important to equip athletes withthenecessarytoolstobe able to access all the opportunities available to them.”

T h i s w o r k s h o p representsthefirstofseveral initiatives planned by the Athletes Commission this year, aligning with its mission to advocate for and support athletes within the G u y a n a O l y m p i c Association. Edghill noted, “Athletes play a pivotal role in society in terms of inspiring other people and being a positive influence on society, and having this workshop bodes well for all athletes. For us, we need to be seen as more than just people who hit a ball or swim- we have a part toplayandourvoicesshould beheard.”

The Commission plans to conduct additional workshops focusing on MentalHealthandNutrition, recognizing the holistic needsofathletes.

Established in 2022, the G u y a n a A t h l e t e s Commission is dedicated to advocating for the rights and welfare of Guyanese athletes, promoting their c o m p r e h e n s i v e developmentbothonandoff thefield. (Newsroom)

Malteenoes Sports Club gets...

From page 20 whether used or new, is provided free of cost to young and promisingcricketersinGuyana.

Recipients are selected based on their skills, discipline, and commitmentto education.Talent scouting is conducted nationwide, and club leaders play a vital role in identifying talent. Progressive and well-managed cricket clubs with robustyouthprogramsarealsoeligibleforsupport.

Forthoseinterestedincontributingtothisinitiative,they can contact Anil Beharry at 623-6875 or Kishan Das at 1718-664-0896.

Shamar Joseph’s first over on IPL debut went for 22. Nicholas Pooran kept LSG’s quest for a challenging total alive.

Expensive IPL debut for Shamar Joseph

Guyanese Shamar best figures of the season, Sunil Narine conceded thepowerplay down the ground off the first bringing up KKR’s hundred Josephdidn’thavetheIndian while Salt led the charge in just17runsinhisfourovers, Salt’s onslaught over and continued to attack insidetenovers. Premier League (IPL) debut the chase with an unbeaten while Varun Chakravarthy rattled LSG throughout the power play, A s t h e i n n i n g s hehopedfor,asPhilSaltand 89runsoffjust47balls. picked up a wicket for 30 KL Rahul, reflecting on setting up a solid foundation progressed, Salt maintained Mitchell Starc led Kolkata KKR now occupies the runs. Together, their eight the defeat, described it as a for KKR despite the early the pressure on LSG’s Knight Riders to a second spot on the points overswentforamiserly5.88 “thorough beating,” with dismissals of Sunil Narine bowlers, striking boundaries resounding eight-wicket table, having kicked off a runsperover Salt being the primary andAngkrishRaghuvanshi. at regular intervals His victory over Lucknow Super series of five consecutive Nicholas Pooran and tormentor His aggressive approach partnership with Shreyas Giants at Eden Gardens, home games in impressive MohsinKhanprovidedsome Salt, who had endured a saw him dispatch Krunal Iyer,whoplayedacomposed making it a memorable fashion. resistance for LSG. Pooran’s duck in KKR’s previous Pandyaforthreeconsecutive innings,provedtobecrucial. B e n g a l i N e w Ye a r The spinners played a quick-fire 45 off 32 balls match, was on the brink of boundaries in the third over, Iyer, after a slow start, celebration for the home pivotal role for KKR during from the sixth position anotherearlydismissalwhen propelling KKR to a finished unbeaten on 38 off fans. the middle overs, preventing contributed to a competitive he clipped a delivery from commanding 58-run power 38 balls, steering KKR to Starc’s stellar bowling LSG from accelerating total, while Mohsin Khan debutant Shamar Joseph to play victoryalongsideSalt. performance saw him claim despite having wickets in took the only two KKR short-fine leg. However, a Although dropped again T h e i r u n b r o k e n 3 wickets for 28 runs, his hand. wickets to fall, both within dropped catch by Yash on 31, Salt regained partnership of 120 runs for Thakur and a subsequent no- momentum in the tenth over, the third wicket was the ballsparedhim. punishingArshad Khan with highest in the IPL for KKR, Taking advantage of the consecutive boundaries to u n d e r s c o r i n g t h e i r reprieve, Salt launched a six reachhisfiftyinjust26balls, dominanceinthematch.

Malteenoes Sports Club gets cricket gear

Malteenoes Sports Club has recently received support from the Project “Cricket Gear forYoung and Promising Cricketers in Guyana.”

Located along Thomas Lands in Georgetown, Malteenoes Sports Club is the latest beneficiary of this collaborative effort led by Kishan Das from the USA and Anil BeharryfromGuyana.Theclubreceivedsix whitecricketballsandthreeredones.

With a rich history of nurturing national juniorandseniorplayers,includingthelikes of Clayton Lambert who represented the West Indies senior team, Malteenoes is currentlyinarebuildingphase.

The initiative aims to support the club’s efforts in strengthening their youth development programs. The balls were cricket gear as per the requests and needs of gratefullyreceivedbyformernationalyouth therecipients. player Shaquille Williams, who expressed

To date, seventy-two young players, appreciation and assured that the club’s both male and female, from all three management is dedicated to restoring its counties of Guyana have directly benefited formerglory from the initiative, receiving gear bags, The total cricket-related items received trophies, arm guards, bats, boxes, helmets, or purchased so far include $460,000 in cricket shoes, batting pads, thigh pads, cash, along with various equipment such as batting gloves, wicketkeeping pads, and colored cricket uniforms, trophies, cricket gloves. shoes, batting pads, cricket bats, batting

Many others have indirectly benefited gloves, thigh pads, wicket-keeping pads, from the project. Furthermore, cricket clubs arm guards, chest pads, boxes, cricket bags, in various areas including Pomeroon, bat rubbers, helmets, and even a fiberglass Leguan, Wakenam, and Cotton Tree Die bat. Hard, among others, have also received Additionally, former National supportintheformofcricketequipmentand wicketkeeper/batsman Sheik Mohamed attire. donatedgearworthmorethan$600,000.All Thedistributionofcricket-relateditems, cashdonationsarebeingutilizedtopurchase

(Continued on page 19)

Guyanese athletes and team officials in French Guiana

Archibald, Baird shine bright in Cayenne

Guyanese track and field athletes vied for Theirperformance,whileimpressive,still Olympic qualification in French Guiana over falls short of the country’s longstanding the weekend, displaying remarkable national record of 39.59s, set by Clifton performances despite falling short of Schultz, Dennis Collison, Aubrey Wilson, securingdirectticketstoParis,France. andJamesGilkesbackin1975.

Emanuel Archibald, who represented Elsewhere, Leslain Baird, renowned for Guyana in the Tokyo Olympics, showcased his bronze medal in the javelin at the PanAm exceptional form, claiming victory in the Games, emerged victorious in Cayenne with 100m with a time of 10.13s, matching his a throw spanning 76.10m, though it was a Personal Best, and dominating the Long considerable distance from his Personal Best Jumpwithaleapspanning7.94m. and National Record of 78.65m, established Addingtohisglory,Archibald,thisyear’s in2018attheSouthAmericanGames. CACGames100mgoldmedallist,teamedup Despite the challenges, the athletes with Akeem Stewart, Noelex Holder, and remain undeterred as they continue their ShamarHoratiotoclinchvictoryinthemen’s Olympic journey, aiming for further success 4x100mrelay,clockinginat39.61s. atvariouscompetitionsworldwide.

Anil Beharry (left) and former national youth player Shaquille Williams

Over 50 participate in Social Media Management Workshop for athletes

Chair of the Guyana Athletes Commission, Chelsea Edghill, speaking to media operatives at the workshop on Saturday The workshop, held at the Guyana Olympic Association headquarters at Liliendaal, attracted over 50 local athletes from 15 disciplines

The Guyana Athletes officials representing 15 across various social media She highlighted the Commission hosted its disciplines, participated in p l a t f o r m s , t h e r e b y importance of athletes inaugural Social Media theevent. enhancing opportunities for understanding their NIL Management Workshop for In attendance were both personal and athletic (Name, Image, and local athletes on Saturday at President Godfrey Munroe development. Likeness) rights, as well as the Guyana Olympic and Vice-president Cristy Chairperson of the attracting potential Association’s headquarters Campbell of the Guyana Commission, Chelsea sponsorships from major in Liliendaal and was OlympicAssociation. Edghill, OLY, emphasized companies. facilitated by social media The workshop aimed to the increasing interest in Edghill stated, “In expert,JavonWilson. provide athletes with vital athletes’ lives, their Guyana we have a changing Over 50 individuals, knowledge on maintaining a preparation, and training landscapeforsportsanditis including athletes and professional online presence methods.

(Continued on page 19)

Among those present was standout athlete Tianna Springer

GSSF host successful Steel Challenge Tier 1 Match

The Guyana Sport theirskills. tense moments and exciting and released the results, Special thanks are also Shooting Foundation Following Dr Harry’s remarks, displaysofmarksmanship. highlighting the outstanding extended to the Guyana Defence (GSSF) hosted its Steel Range Master Ryan McKinnon The competition requirements performances of both seasoned F o r c e , C h i e f o f S t a ff ,

Challenge Tier 1 Match provided essential safety briefings, were straightforward, allowing shootersandnewcomers. CommissionerofPolice,OC,ranks at Camp Stephenson Range, ensuring that all shooters, both shooters to focus on their Beautiful trophies were of TSU, Armoury, Guyana Police TimehrionApril7. experienced and new, understood performance. presentedbyMrs.VidushiPersaud- Force, the Media, and GSSF

The event not only showcased theimportanceofsafetyprotocols. Participants assumed their McKinnon, one of the Directors of members for their unwavering the skill and precision of seasoned Featuring three challenging positions in a three feet square the Guyana Sport Shooting support in promoting steel shooters but also celebrated the stages - Accelerator, The shooting box, with hands above Foundation, to the deserving challengeshootinglocally presence of new participants who Pendulum, and “We Own Ting” - theirshoulders. winners in both the Limited and As an affiliate of the Steel added excitement and diversity to thecompetitionprovidedathrilling Upon the beep of the electronic Productiondivisions. Challenge Shooting Association thecompetition. experience for shooters of all timer, shooters drew their firearms The Board of Directors extends (SCSA), the Guyana Sport

The match kicked off with levels. and aimed at the targets, with the their commendations to the Match Shooting Foundation reaffirms its opening remarks from Match Asshooterswereorganizedina timer stopping once the stop plate Directors, Range Master, Stats commitment to welcoming and Director, Dr. Pravesh Harry, who shooting order and took turns on washit. Officer, Range Officers, and all the supporting new shooters in the warmly welcomed participants, each stage, spectators and Stats Officer for the match, Dr. shooters for ensuring the success sport. including newcomers eager to test competitors alike were treated to Pravesh Harry, diligently compiled andefficiencyoftheevent. The foundation looks forward to continuing to host inclusive and action-packed shooting events, providing opportunities for all pistol shooters to excel and enjoy thesport.

In the Limited Division, the topthreewinnerswere:

1 Pravesh Harry (61 10 seconds)

2 Ryan McKinnon (66 34 seconds)

3 Andrew Phang (96 63 seconds)

In the Production Division, thetopthreewinnerswere:

1.ImranKhan(92.20seconds)

2 Rajiv Latchana (99 36 seconds)

3. Raphael DeGroot (108.15 seconds)

Fruta/CPCE/Nexgen Golf Tournament a massive success

Participants of the Fruta/CPCE/Nexgen Golf Tournament

The inaugural CPCE/Nexgen (Triston Ramkarran; Godfrey Golf’s Drive, Chip, and Putt Rodrigues;BeniciaCharles;Ariana Tournament, sponsored by Guyana Williams) Beverages Fruta and Turbo brands,

Second Place: WildOut took place at the campus ground in (Vanicia Stephen; Veron Wyatt; TurkeyenonSaturday,April13. AmariHarlequinn;SerenaKassim)

The event, with no entry fee,

Third Place: Foul Assassins drew over 60 players who enjoyed 1975 (Carthy Hanlong; Leston complimentary food, beverages, Smith; Nicole Braithwaite; andsnacks. NafeezaHarris)

The competition was intense,

SpecialRecognitions: with final scores reflecting the All-Female Team: CPCE teams’ fervor, accompanied by Registration (Kevan Sears; Dawn cheers of excitement and groans of Hiles;JessicaAli;AliciaGriffith) disappointment.

President of GGA Aleem Hussain Awards Top Female Team First Place

First Place All-Male Team:

RepresentingRegions2,3,4,5, New Campbellville Secondary 7,and9,the4-personteamsarrived (Jeydon Robertson; Mannesseh invibrantteamcolours,comprising McDonald; Dustin Jackson; participants from Grade 7 DeeranPersaud) secondary schools such as

Second Place All-Male Team: Bladenhall Multilateral and New The Golf Giants (Titus Persaud; Campbellville, as well as trainee Seion Harry; Lesle Thompson; and graduate teachers, and NeriDanielle) community players They all “This is just the beginning of captivated by the experience. We Braithwaite for making this event Top Individual Performers: competed for prizes generously what promises to be a tradition,” extendourgratitudetoHussainand possible.” Ronick Harvey, Ariana Williams, donatedbyPegasusHotel&Suites, stated Registrar Kevaun Sears Nexgen Golf Academy, our T h e w i n n e r s o f t h e Godfrey Benjamin, Keshana Ault, KFC, Guyana Beverages, Nexgen “The atmosphere was electrifying, sponsors, the 2022 PE Majors, and tournamentwere: Tristan Ramkarran, Javon Charles GolfAcademy,andCPCE. and those new to golf were Sirs Stanley Alkey and Kurt First Place: Electric Super 4 andNafeezaHarris.

Part of the action in at ExxonMobil’s Linden Inter-School football tournament

Kwakwani unbeaten,

‘Multi’ face mixed results

- ExxonMobil Linden Inter-School football tournament continues tomorrow

The ExxonMobil Linden secure a narrow 1 – 0 victory over NewSilvercitySecondaryfaced Inter-School football the Linden Technical Institute on their second consecutive setback,

tournament kicked off thefollowingday having previously suffered a 1-0 with a bang, witnessing the However, LTI bounced back loss against Linden Foundation d e f e n d i n g c h a m p i o n s , with vigour, defeating Harmony Secondary Christianburg Wismar Secondary, Secondary3–0win. Action continues tomorrow experiencing a mixed bag of Meanwhile, Kwakwani from 2:00 pm with an enticing outcomesintheirinitialmatches. Secondary showcased dominance, double-header, featuring

On the tournament’s opening remaining undefeated with an Mackenzie High School squaring day, last year’s winners impressive 9 – 1 win over Wisburg off against Harmony Secondary, succumbedtoa2–1defeatagainst Secondaryintheiropener,followed while Linden Foundation Mackenzie High School, but by a hard-fought 2 – 1 victory Secondary locks horns with the swiftly regained their footing to againstNewSilvercitySecondary hometeam,WisburgSecondary

Slingerz FC and the Guyana Defence Force maintained their impressive form in the KFC Elite League with victories on Saturday evening at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National TrainingCentre(NTC).

The defending champions, GDF, secured a hard-fought 3-0 win over Western Tigers, while Slingerz FC dominated with a 5-0 resultagainstBuxtonUnited.

Both teams extended their unbeatenstreakstosixmatches.

For Western Tigers, it marked theirthirddefeatintheleague,with previous losses to the Guyana Police Force and Slingerz FC. Meanwhile, Buxton United suffered their seventh defeat of the season,stillunabletosecureapoint inthe2024EliteLeague.

In the opening fixture, Slingerz FC took a commanding 2-0 lead at halftimecourtesyofMarcusTudor, the league’s top scorer with 11 goals. Brazilian import Gabriel DeSouza added another goal in the 55th minute, followed by a hattrick from Darron Niles, who now haseightgoalstohisname.

- GDF edge Western Tigers 3-0 to stay unbeaten Darron Niles

Niles’ trio of goals came in the

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Slingerz FC will be back in action Slingerz FC will take on Den 60th, 83rd, and 90th minutes, goalless first half, GDF asserted Benjamin,StephenMcDonald,and next Saturday The Army will face Amstel in an anticipated ‘West sealingSlingerzFC’svictory their dominance over Western SherwynCaesar Ann’s Grove United, while Side’derby In the second match, after a Tigers, with goals from Abumchi Looking ahead, both GDF and

Huis T’ Dieren Primary wins Essequibo’s Future Warriors Tapeball

By the slimmest of margins, yet fully 8th of May struggled with the bat, managing deserved,HuisT’DierenPrimaryemergedas only44-6.Mainstay,ledbyKirtAllen’sbrisk champions of the Future Warriors Primary 10 runs from five balls, capitalised on the School Tapeball Tournament in Essequibo, loose bowling, securing a comfortable sixsponsored by ExxonMobil and organised by wicketvictory FLSport. The tie in points arose when 8th of May

Intheround-robinfinalsheldattheImam defeated Mainstay by five wickets, BacchusGroundinAffiance,HuisT’Dieren, successfullychasingdownatargetof57runs Mainstay Lake Primary, and 8th of May in7.2overs. Primary found themselves tied on points. Benjimyah Fordyce played a captain’s Eachteamhadsecuredonewinandsuffereda knock, smashing 22 runs (including 3 sixes) lossintheeight-over-per-sidematches. from nine balls despite the efforts of However,HuisT’Dierenclaimedthetitle Navendra Madholall (3-15) and Jasiel withasuperiornetrunrateof0.640,followed DeJonge(2-9). byMainstay(0.234)and8thofMay(-0.965). Lokeraj Persaud from Huis T’ Dieren

In the opening match of the day, Huis T’ topped the individual charts with 76 runs, Diereneffortlesslychaseddownatargetof52 whileAaronDaCostaclaimedsevenwickets. in just 5.3 overs against 8th of May, securing Additionally, Huis T’ Dieren received victorywithallwicketsintact. variouspiecesoftapeballcricketequipment.

Meanwhile, 8th of May, aided by twenty- In September, the Essequibo unit will six extras, saw Joshua Isaacs top-scoring compete in the Champions of Champions with 13 runs, while Aaron DaCosta claimed tournament alongside Stella Maris Primary animpressive3-11fromhistwoovers. (Demerara)andCropperPrimary(Berbice).

DaCosta continued his stellar The winner of the prestigious event will performance in the second match against be‘adopted’bytheGuyanaAmazonWarriors Mainstay, scoring a quick-fire 21 runs from during their home leg of the 2024 Republic just12balls. Bank Caribbean Premier League

However, apart from DaCosta’s efforts, (Newsroom)

Darron Niles, Marcus Tudor and Gabriel DeSouza

Obumchi Benjamin, Stephen McDonald and Sherwyn Caesar

Part of the action on day two at the Imam Bacchus Ground.