Kaieteur News

Stop the world for Gaza:

Protesters disrupt traffic at Golden Gate Bridge, O’Hare airport and other sites across US

Guyanese gained

US$1.5 billion in contracts from Exxon in 9 years

Cop to stand trial for murder of Quindon Bacchus

Exxon inks another US$1B contract th for 6 Project

School girls penalised for bullying schoolmate -Exxon No plans to export gas found at Whiptail

…willre-injectintoreservoirsto ensuremaximumoilrecovery same benefits granted to

–LocalContent summithears

Local investors enjoying foreign companies

Blackoutswillnot deterinvestments inGuyana

–MinisterIndar

...saysrecentpoweroutagesduetoRamadanandNavratri

Guyanese gained US$1.5 billion in contracts from Exxon in 9 years

The Government of Guyana (GoG) has refused to renegotiate the lopsided termsofthe2016Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil and has instead opted to pursue the “low-hangingfruits”suchas opportunities in the Local Contentsector

Since 2015, however when the operator of the Stabroek Block struck oil, the company has only spent US$1.5 billion in contracts procured from local companies.

This was revealed by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) on Tuesday in a social media post. The company said it recently received its 2023

Local Content Certificate of Compliance from the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat aswellasitsapprovalforthe 2024annualplan.

“We are proud of the workwe’redoinginGuyana to help develop a globally competitive workforce and supply chain,” Exxon said, adding that “ExxonMobil Guyana and its contractors have spent US $1.5 billion with Guyanese suppliers sinceoilwasfirstdiscovered in2015”.

The company was keen to point out that more than 1,700 unique local suppliers and6,200Guyanesesupport itsactivitiesinGuyana. Notably, Guyana has

only received a total of US$4.2 billion in revenue from the production of oil that commenced in December 2019 In the meantime, ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess and CNOOC have walked away with a whopping US$21.6B in profits and through the cost recovery mechanism outlinedinthePSA.

Guyana has failed to secure more revenue from the production of its sweet light crude as a result of the contract that was signed by the previous government in 2016.ThedealallowsExxon to deduct 75% of the monthly earnings to recover its investments into the block.Theremaining25%in

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat and President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, Alistair Routledge in smiles as the company receives its 2023 Local Content Certificate of Compliance.

then shared with Guyana as profits,withthecountrypaid anadditional2%asroyalty

Guyana has also waived taxesforthecompanyandits subcontractors, losing billions annually as a result of this major gap The country further loses revenue by failing to ringfence the projects in the Stabroek Block A ringfencing provision would prevent oil companies from using revenue generated from a production field to offset costs in another project. In the absence of such a provision, ExxonMobil have been using the proceeds from the Liza One, Liza Two and

Payara projects, currently producing more than 645,000 barrels of oil per day, to pay for costs related to other Stabroek Block projects.Thishasresultedin Guyanafailingtopayoffthe Liza Two project costs, peggedatUS$6billion,even thoughExxonMobil

Continuedonpage3

ExxoninksanotherUS$1Bcontractfor6thProject

Onedayafterthispublicationreportedon a US$1.5B contract handed out by the ExxonMobilledconsortiumtoSaipemforan engineering, procurement, construction and installation(EPCI)contract,anotherfirmhas announced that it too has secured a contract for another component of the Whiptail DevelopmentProject.

Accordingtoreports,offshorecontracting giant TechnipFMC has been awarded a contract in Guyana’s Stabroek Block by US supermajor ExxonMobil to supply subsea productionsystemsfortheWhiptailproject.

This publication has since learnt that TechnipFMCwillberesponsibleforproviding project management, engineering, and manufacturing to deliver 48 subsea trees and associatedtooling,aswellas12manifoldsand associatedcontrolsandtie-inequipment

Exact financial details for the deal were not revealed butTechnipFMC did say that it wasa“large”contractwhichmeansthatitis worth between US$500M and $1B Accordingtothecompany,theawardwillbe included in inbound orders in the second quarterof2024.

TechnipFMC currently employs nearly 140 Guyanese workers and will continue hiring and training additional local staff in supportofthisaward.

The contract was awarded a few days after Exxon announced the final investment decision for the project. The US$12.7B Whiptail is the sixth project on the Stabroek block and is expected to add approximately 250,000 barrels of daily capacity by the end of2027.

Since the Final Investment Decision (FID),twocompaniesweregiventhenodto proceed with work on the project. Namely, SBM started constructing the FPSO for the project,tobenamedJaguar

It will be able to produce 250,000 bopd, haveanassociatedgastreatmentcapacityof 540mcfpd,andawaterinjectioncapacityof 300,000 bpd. The vessel will be spread mooredinawaterdepthofabout1,630mand will be able to store around 2m barrels of

crudeoil.

Also,Saipemwastoldtoproceedwithits part of Whiptail work. Work entails the design,fabrication,andinstallationofsubsea structures, risers, flowlines, and umbilicals forasubseaproductionfacility

This publication yesterday reported that the Saipem contract worth up to $15 billion was for the supply of a subsea production facility for ExxonMobil’s Whiptail ultradeepwater field development offshore Guyana Lastweek,theUS supermajortook thefinaldecisionWhiptailfielddevelopment, located on the prolific Stabroek block, which willexploitanestimatedresourcebaseof850 millionbarrelsofcrude.

Saipeminmakingthatannouncementhad saidithasalreadystartedinitialactivities— the detailed engineering and procurement of long lead items for Whiptail and following FID, now has the issued authorisation to proceed with the execution of the remaining projectactivities.

The $1.5B contract is the second largest contract handed out by the ExxonMobil led consortium in relation to the Whiptail Development Project. This past week, this publication reported that Dutch shipbuilder; SBM Offshore confirmed that it will be constructing Guyana’s sixth Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel,Jaguar

The vessel will be designed to produce 250,000 barrels of oil per day, and will have associated gas treatment capacity of 540 millioncubicfeetperdayandwaterinjection capacity of 300,000 barrels per day The FPSOwillbemooredinwaterdepthofabout 1,630metersandwillbeabletostorearound 2millionbarrelsofcrudeoil.

In a public missive, SBM said that ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has confirmed the award of contracts for the Whiptail development Under these contracts, SBM Offshore will construct and install the Jaguar FPSO. Ownership will transfer to EMGL prior to the FPSO’s installation in Guyana, and SBM Offshore

GuyanesegainedUS$1.5billionin...

Frompage2 recovered a whopping US$7.4 billion in expensesin2022alone.

Insteadofengagingtheoilcompanyfora fair oil deal, the GoG has instead said it will pursuerevenuesandbenefitsforthepeopleof Guyana through the Local Content Act, passed in the National Assembly in December2021.

expects to operate the FPSO for 10 years under the Operations and Maintenance Enabling Agreement signed in 2023. SBM said the award follows completion of frontendengineeringanddesignstudies,receiptof requisitegovernmentapprovalsandthefinal investment decision on the project by ExxonMobil and the Stabroek block coventurers.

“The FPSO Jaguar’s design is based on SBMOffshore’sindustryleadingFast4Ward programthatincorporatestheCompany’s7th new build, multi-purpose floater hull

combinedwithseveralstandardizedtopsides modules,”theshipbuilderexplained.

The company said it remains committed to working with Guyanese companies and will continue to expand these activities, as more Guyanese engineers will be recruited and employed as part of the FPSO Jaguar project team. To date, SBM has constructed four FPSOs for Guyana, including the Liza Destiny, Liza Unity, Prosperity and One Guyana.Exxonhadrecruitedtheservicesof Japanese ship builder, MODEC, for its fifth FPSO,ErreaWittu.

Theforegoingcategoriescarryminimum local content levels for which local participation had to be achieved by Contractors,Sub-Contractors,andLicensees in the sector by the end of the calendar year 2022.

EnsuringthesetargetsaremetistheLocal ContentSecretariat.

The legislation prioritises the use of Guyanese nationals and Guyanese companies in the procurement of goods and services for the enhancement of the value chainofthesector TheFirstScheduleofthe Act ring-fences 40 categories of work for Guyanese participation via the supply of goods and the provision of services which include: food supply, rental of office space, accommodation, insurance, accounting and legalservices.

Kaieteur News

America cannot be this pathetic, this sick

America is the major backer of Israel. Take that away and Israel is left stranded, with its hardline leaders forced to adjusttheirpositionsandstepbackfromthegenocideinfull swing on the Palestinian people in Gaza. For America to abandonitsdutyastheleaderofthefreeworldandallowits ally Israel a free hand to destroy the homes and lives of the Palestinians is nothing short of pathetic. It is an indication ofhowsickthissuperpoweris.

Aid workers have been killed, and America's President Biden is wringing his hands in public and speaking in weak tones. Like so many other American politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties, there is this great dreadofupsettingtheJewishvote. Nootherconstituencyin America is as feared, no other ally is as protected. Meanwhile, seven in the act of delivering food to the starving in Gaza were shot and killed by the Israeli Army What has happened to the claimed moral superiority of America?

Whenjournalistsarebeingshotasiftheyarecombatants in the war that has become a massacre, why isAmerica still funneling arms to Israel? The flow of supplies has to stop, and Prime Minister Netanyahu has to be informed in the strongest terms that all the guns must stop firing. If not, the veto weapon of the US in the UN Security Council will not be used in defense of Israel. That would be a message with sting,thetypeofforcefulpromisethatwouldyieldresults.

ThispretenseofAmericaandEuropeofbeingconcerned and agonized about the humanitarian disaster in Gaza that the whole world sees has reduced the credibility of theWest to rock bottom levels. What people of color, and the poor and powerless, appreciate in the worst way possible is the hypocrisy of those who claim to be about what is fair and just. Itiscriminaltocallforaceasefirefromonesideofthe mouth,whilefeedingtheIsraeliwarmachinewithmoreand more weapons. Its supplies are being replenished so that more Palestinians can be killed; more of what is left of their homes destroyed, and their medical facilities bombed to rubble. President Biden should know by now that an uncheckedIsraelisadangerousIsrael.

With a leader as far gone in his vision of Eretz Israel as Benjamin Netanyahu, and a cohort of likeminded fanatics backing him, there are no qualms about expanding military operations and dragging other combatants into the conflict. The entire region could be engulfed in war and all that that couldmeanfortherestoftheworld.

In its condoning of Israel's lust for Palestinian blood, its insatiablethirstfortotalvengeance,Americahasedifiedthe peopleoftheThirdWorldaboutitsdoublestandardsthatare no longer concealable. When people of colour, people withoutpower,havetheupperhandinanyclash,Americais quicktointervene,andbringordertochaos. Thisissowhen ithassomethingtolose,suchasanasset,arelationship,ora visionthatcouldbedenied.

On the other hand, when the nonwhite people are weak andinneedofhelpinaone-sidedfight,thentheherky-jerky diplomacy of Joe Biden knows no end. Like so many previousAmericanpresidents,PresidentBidenhatesthathis hands are tied, but tries to wring his way out of what is now America's shame. America likes to hold itself out as the policeman of the world, there is still some opportunity for it to be a protective big brother to the anguished Palestinian people.

An increasing number ofAmericans are horrified at the deliberate impotency of their president during the carnage thatragedinGaza. MenandwomenofconscienceintheUS State Department resigned from their jobs in protest and disgust. Still Joe Biden gropes for a way forward after six monthsofwar,asheoperatesinashackledmanner,withone hand tied behind his back. America is not this impotent, should be concerned not to look so pathetic. One sick countrybackingasavageState.

Speak up against the bureaucratic implant of Project Units by Govt.

DearEditor,

With great pomp and I assume pride, the Hon Attorney General Anil Nandall announced that the Head of State has instructed that the Ministries are to be made functional within their respective Ministries and Project Units, a unit to specifically evaluate the execution of all contracts.

Execution?

Forgive the double entendre. For indeed what we see these days is the beheading of works by our nobility The AG states further, this is being undertaken in order to assess the performance of the contractors in the discharge of their contractual duties andobligations.

This imperial-like dictum comes when no infrastructure project and I repeat no infrastructure p r o j e c t s i n c e t h e Government took office in 2020 has been satisfactorily completed within the deadline of the several contracts.

I am among those who in August 2020, publicly stated that we should give this young President Irfaan Ali a chancetosetthingsrightand to make optimum use of our new found massive wealth. He has let us down. The establishment of these new units is an unfortunate waste of money and time and taking all relevant factors into account, the President obviously assumes that his citizens are a collection of ‘non compos mentis’ and idiots including his own partyfaithfuls.

I’ve made this point before. It is shared stupidity to undertake projects without the technical, professional and managerial skills in place to monitor the execution of these works. May I add this caveat that whatweseetodayisliterally the proverbial execution of works using massive sums available on what is a clear unacceptable spending spree with the cloud of corruption beingmanifest.

I was once tasked with a

triple portfolio of Works, Hydraulics and Supply To support this exercise, fortunately I had engineers, the likes of Felicia Baird, Phillip Alsopp, David Klaukty, Steve Narine, Samuel Irad Ramsahoye, Walter Willis, Lawrence Charles, Maurice Veecock, Anand Dharry, Sammy T h o m a s a n d a n Administrative giant switched as Permanent Secretary Gordon Marshall, Architects such as George HenryandValuationOfficer, Dennis Patterson All persons of integrity and patriots and who gave sound advice.

Beforeembarkingonany civil works, these patriots ensured that materials were available and that we had in place management and manpower to successfully complete these works within the given time frame. I am painfully disappointed and disgusted by what is taking placeineveryRegionandby every executing government agencyinourcountry

Whyisitnecessaryifyou have in place, as every Ministry, Government Agency and Department shouldhave?

Whatshouldbestandard, you now need these super overarching monitoring units as announced by the AG at the behest of our illustrious Head of State. Sharedstupidity

Why is there the need to setuptheseso-calledunitsas announced? I feel insulted and hurt because the President and the AG are insulting us citizens of this country What we see is not even like putting a bandage on a festering sore. Fix the several agencies at the source. That, among other s t a n d a r d o p e r a t i n g procedures, is to ensure that the Agencies have the necessary engineering technical and managerial skillsavailable.

In addition, as was practiseddecadesearlieristo inform and involve the citizenswhoaretheintended (Continued on page 6)

Guyana NY Consulate Hosts Successful Outreach in Schenectady, NY

DearEditor,

TheGuyanaConsulateof NewYorkconductedanother successful outreach among the Diaspora outside of the Big Apple last Saturday April 13 at the Guyanese Community Center in Schenectady in upstate New York State to address a demandforservices.

Ambassador Michael Brotherson, the Consul General, led the outreach team to Schenectady that provided various types of services including those related to processing of passports, births and marriage certificates, registration of overseas births, power of attorneys, NIS Life Certificates, notarization of documents, amongothers.

This outreach came on top of one done in Brooklyn two weeks ago and another in Little Guyana Richmond Hill a week ago This outreach project builds on ongoing efforts in Guyana in providing efficient public services, a new initiative i n t r o d u c e d b y t h e governmentofGuyana.

Government has been transformed, taking services to the people. It is part of an integration programme with

Guyanese Diaspora to maintainconnectionwiththe homeland and to inform themabouttheavailabilityof newservices.

The NewYork Consulate outreaches have as one of its new missions to strengthen government capacity and effectiveness in service delivery It provides the only support for communities in theNewYorknortheastUSA region The consulate services have benefited Guyanese communities across New York City, the state, and the Northeast region.

Schenectady hosts a v i b r a n t G u y a n e s e community The town was verycriticalatonetimetothe economy of New York State producing electricity and health care products Thomas Edison electric c o m p a n y , G e o r g e Westinghouse and other manufacturing industries were located there. It was an extremely prosperous town boasting among the highest percapitaandmedianfamily income But electricity g e n e r a t i o n a n d manufacturing produced poisonous pollution with serioushealthconsequences. The government fined the

polluters and required them to clean up the town and neighbourhoods.

In consequence, people migrated out of the town. The government invested heavily in cleaning up the polluted area Some Guyanese made a move and Guyanese real estate agents in Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn started marketing the area encouraging Guyanesetosettlethere.The t o w n c o u n c i l a l s o encouraged Guyanese and othermigrantstosettleinthe town offering various incentives.

Guyanesebegangoingin large numbers at the turn of the new millennium and settled down They r e h a b i l i t a t e d a n d transformed the town, purchasing multiple properties and rehabilitating them. What two decades ago looked like an abandoned, zombie town is now a very prosperouscity

Schenectady today has a large cluster of 5,600 Guyanese plus their American born children, accounting for more than 1 0 % o f t h e t o w n ’s population Scores of Guyanese migrated out of the town over the last decade

to Florida to join family members There are also hundredsofTrinidadiansand other West Indians who settled there. These migrants had initially settled in New York City and began moving to the upstate town over the last two decades. Though very small numerically, they have made significant contributionstotheeconomy through their strong work ethicandtaxes.

Guyanese have been drawn to the town by its affordable home ownership and other real estate and lowertaxesthaninNewYork City Jobs are also readily available in the town and surroundingareas.

There is virtually no unemployed eligible Guyanese Almost every Guyanese family is a homeowner in the area with some owning multiple homes that they rent to Americans. Each family also owns at least two vehicles. And the area has a mandir and a masjid and a West Indian store and West Indian fast-food restaurant as well as other institutions to serve culturalneedsofthegrowing community

Themayorofthesmall

(Continued on page 5)

The Irfaan-Ali Govt. has no interest in Parliamentary Democracy

DearEditor,

In the absence of regular sittings of the National Assembly, I have come to the conclusion that the Jagdeo/Ali regime has NO interest in “Parliamentary Democracy”.Thelastsitting of the Assembly was on Friday, February 2, 2024 when the National Budget for $1 146 trillion was passed.

Editor, several questions have been tabled for responses by Ministers of Government.Inaddition,the irregular convening of Parliamentary Standing Committees’ meetings is another PPP/C roadblock to the effective functioning of Parliament. On January 7, 2024, my letter captioned, “Appointments to Rights of the Child Commission have been stalled,” was published by your publication.There, I provided information on why the Committee on Appointments hasn’t met since May 2023. Editor, I must let your readers know that the status quo remains the same We have completedthefirstquarterof 2024andHon.MadameGail Teixeira, Chairperson of the Committee, is yet to convene a meeting, to

complete the appointment process.

Another matter of grave concern is Hon. Anil Nandlall, the Attorney General’s report to the National Assembly, during his budget presentation, that the regime has several cases pending before the courts. My recollection is that a listing of these cases and related costs was not provided.

Editor, in the absence of regular sittings of the National Assembly, I am requesting,bythisletter,that the Hon. Anil Nandlall, SC, MP, Attorney General, be

held accountable by making public the following information, for the period

August 2, 2020 and December31,2023:

1.Alist of cases brought before the Courts by the Government, names of lawyers retained and the relatedcostsforeach.

2. The names of lawyers and the related costs, for each case represented by the Attorney General’s Office on behalf of government officials brought before the courts in their private capacity

Yours sincerely, Annette Ferguson, MP

Guyana NY Consulate Hosts Successful...

From page 4 townisaGuyanese.

The town hosts an annual Guyana Day in the summer, coming right after Guyana Independence Day and it also hosts Indian Arrival Day celebrations. Concerts of leading Guyanese and Trinidadian artistes were held last year Guyanesepoliticiansareknowntovisit the town meeting the Diaspora to drum upsupportfortheirparty

Addressing the Diaspora in Schenectady last Saturday, Ambassador Michael Brotherson said: “Thisoutreachprovidingservicestothe Diaspora is the government’s and the consulate’s ongoing and continuing efforts to ‘take government’ to the people by addressing the kind of servicestheyneed”.

About 200 nationals were served at the Schenectady outreach as compared with 150 in Brooklyn and 300 in Little

Guyana.

The mayor, John Mootvoten, visitedtheoutreachandtalkedabouthis role in helping Guyanese to become integrated into the community and praising them for their enormous contributionstothetown.

Guyanese nationals were high in praise for the outreach initiative of the Consulate to provide the kind of servicestheyneed.

The Consulate General, Ambassador Brotherson, thanked Mayor John Mootvoten, the Town Council, and Guyanese community leaders for helping with the organization of the services activity Ambassador Brotherson said. “The Consulate is pleased to be able to take Governmenttothepeople”.

The next outreach is in New Jersey to be followed by Connecticut, both of whichhavelargenumbersofGuyanese.

The Consulate is also contemplating one in Boston which also has a large number of Guyanese Ambassador Brotherson said outreaches in the Diaspora are extremely important to maintain trans-linkage with the homeland As beneficiaries of the services commented, the community outreach provided services that would otherwise be difficult to access as the Consulate is located in crowded Manhattan where transportation is difficult.

It was particularly helpful for the elderly.Ambassador Brotherson noted, “The community outreaches help to connect the Diaspora with the services theyneedtomaintaintheirtiesandlinks tothemotherlandandtoaccessbenefits they earned while contributing to the developmentofGuyana.”

Yours sincerely, Vishnu Bisram

City Hall always reactive to vending problem

DearEditor,

The vending/vendors’ problem has raised its head once again and is in full swing with judgements obtained and notices of removal being issued. Of course, the clueless ones around the horse-shoe table are wringing their hands as they have no plans or solutions for immediate implementation In the meantime, vendors are left to theirowndevices.

Since the removal of vendors from Muneshwers’ establishment,thereseemsto have been a concerted, proactive approach to the problem but rather a reactive one. Imagine the vending

trade is in a crisis, instead of summoning an immediate meeting to deal with it, the issuehastowaituntilthenext statutory meeting of the council is convened Similarly, a meeting with the vendors cannot be held as thereisnoplanorproposalto sharewiththem.

Don’t hold your breath forameaningfulsolutionany time soon on the vending problem.

The council has always been part of the problem; it hasnotthewillorforesightto be part of the solution. Of course, the blame game and finger pointing will take hold.

Retraction and Apology

On t h e 2 5 t h

D e c e m b e r , 2022, and 23rd

February 2023, Kaieteur News published two (2) letters to the Editor in the Sports Section of the said newspaper captioned, “Allegations of Corruption in Essequibo Cricket” and “Does and Essequibo

Cricket Board Exist?”. The publications contained certain allegations against President of the Essequibo Cricket Board, Mr Deleep Singh.

Kaieteur News hereby retracts the said publications and issues a sincere and unreserved apology to Mr DeleepSingh.

Shamshun Mohamed

Pres. Ali says buying power from ship “very feasible”

President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, on Tuesday, told r e p o r t e r s t h a t h i s government's decision to purchase 36 megawatts of power from a Turkish power company–Karpowershipisa feasible one to solve the country'sblackoutcrisis.

PresidentAliattendedthe Local Content Summit held at the Pegasus Corporate Suites, Kingston and on sidelines of the event was pressedforanswersaboutthe true cost Guyana will accrue for the electricity it is sourcing from the Turkish ship.

The reporter asked, “On the feasibility of the power ship coming to Guyana, what isthecostthegovernmenthas procuredthatservicefor?”

President Ali in response said, “I think that the details on the cost and so that GPL would have those details” before asking the reporter, “But what you mean by feasibility?”

The reporter then explained, “Well, some

peoplearesayingthatitisnot feasible for a ship to come to Guyana for the country to rentitfortwoyears.”

The President responded, “Of course, it is feasible” while quickly shifting the blame to the APNU+AFC Opposition for the country's blackout woes He even rebuked the reporter for askingthequestion.

“Youknowwhatiswrong with the media, you love writing headlines; you love writing headlines that b l a c k o u t s , O h h h h h blackouts, ohhhh power outage.You love those social media posts,” the President exclaimed.

He continued, “We said to you, the media has responsibilities too my dear, wesaidtoyouthattherearea number of problems and one ofitiscapacity.”

The Head of State noted thatinordertogetcapacity,it must be bought. “You can't wish that capacity will come and the problem will solve, youhavetobuycapacity.”

To further justify buying power from the Turkish ship, the President told the reporter, “The question you shouldaskthatIwillhelpyou to ask is, shouldn't we charge those persons who blocked Amaila Falls [Hydro Project]?”

According to President Ali, had the past government proceeded with the Amaila Falls Hydro Project then his government would not have tobuyelectricityfromaship.

“We would have had 165 megawatts available from Amaila Falls to push the power that we need now,” he argued.

Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar who has oversightoftheoperationsof the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) said, “The ship, tomorrowIwastold,isgonna leave Cuba to come to Guyana. We are expecting it within15daystohookupand will put 36 MW(Megawatts) in the system and that will increase our baseload to deal

withtheblackouts.”

M i n i s t e r I n d a r ' s statement followed that of Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo who last week at his weekly press conference revealed that Karpowership will be selling Guyana electricity at 8 cents per megawatt over the next two years.

Guyana, however, will still have to supply the company with fuel to sell Guyana the power, the Vice Presidenttoldreporters.

Buying power from a ship is only to meet Guyana's current electricity demands until the US$2B gas-toenergy project comes on stream by the end of 2025 to supplythecountrywithsome 300megawattsofpower

Back in 2016 when the Opposition was in power, it was reported that a Norway team had found that the planned US$900M-plus Amaila Falls project was too costly, burdensome and that its design flaws would affect its long-term effectiveness,

followingananalysis. The hydropower project was initiated under the p r e v i o u s P e o p l e ' s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration and in August 2013, the p r e p a r a t i o n s f o r implementing the project came to a standstill, as the ParliamentofGuyanadidnot vote unanimously in favour of certain features of the project presented by its main sponsor, Sithe Global, a USbased investor in the internationalenergymarket.

Sithe Global withdrew from its position as main sponsor throwing the project'sfutureintojeopardy

When the Coalition took over the reins of government in 2015, it decided at a meeting in Paris with Norway to perform “an objective and facts-based” assessment of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project andanagreementwasmade (Continuned on page 23)

At that time, the National Assembly was controlled by a one-seat Opposition majority ofAPartnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC).

Speak up against...

From page 4 beneficiaries. In this way, we found that citizens who either live in the contiguous areas would provide a watchful eye so that bad works are discovered at the earliestpossibletime.

IfPresidentAliisserious orsincere,heshouldputfirst things first, which are ensuring that contracts are not awarded to persons with littleornotrackrecord.

To ensure that the above mechanisms are in place, to discipline Contractors when they fail to satisfy the terms and conditions of these Contracts, which the casual observer would note is capriciouslyawarded.

We must stop this nonsense, as tradition has it, of closing the gate when the animals have already fled or from the old phrase of ‘closingthestabledoorafter thehorsehasbolted.’

How can one avoid the perception that there is corruption, skullduggery, and nepotism, with the award of Government Contractseverywhere?

S p e a k i n g t o r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f Contracting Companies that bid for the supply of equipment and the delivery of works, he stated that submitting Tenders to this Government is a waste of time. What we face today is theignoringofearlierefforts to put in place a structure to cope and to correct this ongoingchallenge.

This contortion of multiple works with no structure in place to ensure thatsuccessisachieved.

That includes going to Parliament to pass the Engineering Act proposed sometimeago.

B e y o n d t h i s , a professionally staffed project execution unit capableofobservingshoddy workmanship and poorquality materials and work done inconsistent with the

requirements of the State andpeopleshouldhavebeen a sine qua non before embarking on this spending spree.

This bureaucratic implant announced by the AG at the behest of the President is not only a weight but at worst an attempt to deceive, and insult to the intelligence of our people.Citizens deserve better,fromRegions1to10.

Last week, I quoted the sentiments expressed by the Ghanaian Scholar, Samuel Koranteng-Pipim. Today, I ask Guyanese everywhere who are the victims of this treachery to keep on agitating and to have faith thatthe‘Penismightierthan the Sword,’ first expressed by Bulwer Lytton. It is the duty of this generation to speakupandagitateinorder to bequeath to succeeding generations a country with bridges, buildings and roads thatlastforlongperiods.

We must, with the aid of responsibleandindependent media, educate and agitate, to liberate our people from this stupidity and apparent corruption which as one political leader once said, ‘enoughisenough.’

Finally, human history has shown that where a single person or an oligarchyisallowedtodoas they please, the result is disaster Listen to the President, a Vice President, the AG and the Minister responsible for Finance, howcanGuyaneseavoidthe perception that every aspect of our lives and the use of our vast resources are in the hands of a somewhat quixoticquartet.

Guyanese must speak up. The independent media must continue its noble enterprise in order to save our country from beastility and the burden of a wello i l e d , w e l l - f u n d e d propagandaoutfit. Hamilton Green

Manremandedfordistributingchildpornography

On Monday, a 28-year-old man was remanded to prison when he appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrates’ Court to answer cybercrime charges relating to the distribution of childpornography

Joshua Rambarran of Lot 826 St Ann Street, New Amsterdam, Berbice, made his first court appearance before Magistrate Michelle Mathias where the charges were read to him.

The defendant was charged with six counts of using a computer system to obtain and transmit child pornography, committed on a child under age 14andchargesoftwo(2)counts of alleged child pornography and using a computer system to coerce, harass, intimidate, and humiliateaperson.

The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack SC advised police to charge Rambarran for allegedly

tricking two children under the ageof14tosendhimnudesand then distributing the photographs as child pornography on an online platformcalledTelegram.

Police had launched an investigation on March 27th, 2024, and April 6th, 2024 into the matter following reports of child luring and child pornography Rambarran was arrestedonApril9th,2024.

Investigators reportedly

found out that the two children weregroomedandconvincedto sendexplicitpicturesandvideos toaSnapchataccount,andthen thesaidpicturesandvideoswere forwardedtoaTelegramgroup.

D u r i n g t h e c o u r t proceedings, the prosecutor objected to bail due to the seriousness of the offence.As a result, Magistrate Mathias remandedRambarrantoprison. He is scheduled to return to courtonMay20th,2024.

Remanded: Joshua Rambarran

Bullying in schools

Ev e r y s c h o o l teacher should takeacloselookat the students in his or her classroom. The probability is thatineveryclassroom,there are at least two children who are bullied and who dread goingtoschool.

School is a nightmare for these students. They face daily torment at the hands of their peers.And there is often noonetowhomtheycanturn because not many teachers are trained to notice the reclusive child who is a victim of bullying

This past week, a story broke aboutaVenezuelanchildwho was bullied, not by one studentbutbyagangofthem. It is so terrible the way in which this child was treated. But the problem is not one that is either isolated or confined to this one incident; it is a nationwide malaise within our schools and is part of the violence that exists withinhomes.

A few years ago, there was a report of a child being bullied in a public school. And there are allegations being made that instead of addressing the horrible mauling which that child received, the authorities have tried to minimize its impact ontheschool'sreputation.

Bullying has always been aprobleminschools.

Those who claim that there were no bullies in their time at school have selective amnesia There is no generationwhocanboastthat there was no bullying in their timeatschool.

Bullies are cowards They move in hoards. They find strength to do their dirty deeds when they have the support and backing of their group. They take advantage of smaller children. Girls, wheninagroup,canbenasty to other girls, laughing and mocking them for no justifiablereason.

Boys who are bullies like to exact violence on others. They too find strength in n u m b e r s Wehavealotofbulliesinour school system There are teachers who bully children by punishing them unfairly There are bullies in public and private schools. A few years ago, some girls urinated in another girl's water bottle at a private school.Theywereexpelled. In the public schools, the punishment is lighter – they are given a few days off from school to laugh about what they did These bullies escape serious sanction or they are transferred and allowed to continue in their bullyingways.

Bullying can become deadly A few years ago, a child was kicked in the stomachbyanotherchildand died.

There is a current protest overachildwhohungaround another school, took away another child's rag and when the child tried to retrieve it, this led to an incident in which the school's gate hit the child who subsequently d i e d

Bullies need help. Bullies need as much help as their victims.Discipliningthemor transferring them to another school is not the solution. Bullies need care by trained psychologists.

We do not have the number of psychologists in Guyana to deal with bullying inourschools.

Bullying in school is a seriousproblem.Someofthe cruelest incidents in any child's life take place at school.

The trauma of being bullied can have lifelong effects. The violence can be both physical and emotional, the latter involving the callous use to mockery, jeering, tantalize and ridicule. Teachers need to be trained to identify this behavioursinceitcanaffecta child's performance They must stop it when it occurs because it constitutes emotional violence against thechild.

Children, who are bullied in school, endure fear and trepidation each day they attendschool.Theyareafraid of attending school For them, school is a frightening e x p e r i e n c e T h e y h a v e t r o u b l e concentrating during class because they are worried about what will happen during recess and when school is dismissed. Some of the torment takes place withintheclassroomitself.

In one incident, many yearsago,ayoungschoolgirl killed herself because her

DEM BOYS SEH

Democracywithin dePeePeePeemeansfallinginline

Deh gat nuff cuss down tekking place withinthePeeNCee.Butdatisasignofa healthy internal democracy within de party It shows that de party is open to internal criticism, no matter how ugly it gets.

RightnowindePeeNCee,deybusin' out each odd. Dem criticizing each odda left, right, and center It's like a soap opera, but wit' more politics and less romance. Dey say, it's a sign of a healthy party, democracy at its finest, dey boast. But hold on a minute, before yuh start singin'praises,mehfriends!

Sure, dey might be busing out one another like it's a national pastime, but when it comes to actual elections within de party or at de national level, well, dat's a whole different story Democracy tek a lil'vacation,ifyuhcatchmedrift.

Now, let's turn our attention to de Pee

PeePee,wheredissentisaboutaswelcomeasa mosquitoatsundown.

Oh, dey talk a big game 'bout unity and discipline,butwhatdeyreallymeanis"shutup andfallinline."

Ifyuheventhink'boutcriticizingdepowers datbewithindePeePeePee,well,yuhbetterbe prepared for some swift disciplinary action. Expulsionsleft,right,andcenter,fasterdanyuh cansay"democracy."

DatisdePeePeePeefuhyou.Askdemtwo menwahhadtoleffdeparty:onegetresignand oneresign.

In de Pee N Cee, yuh can criticize to yuh heart's content, but don't expect any real change.And in de Pee Pee Pee, well, just keep yuh mouth shut if yuh know what's good for yuh. Democracy might be alive and well in de Pee N Cee, but in de Pee Pee Pee, it's like tryin' tofindwaterindedesert.

Talk half. Leff half.

parents did not buy a namebrand sneakers for her to w e a r t o s c h o o l Shemusthavebeenscaredto go to school and face the disdainful look of her peers.

This is the level of cruelty, which is meted out to childreneachdayatschool.

Children are also physically bullied. Small and weak children are physically 'roughed up' by older ones. Sometimes deprived of their money and belongings; others are hit on by their classmates. One child, years

ago, used to go into his classmates' lunch kits and rearrangetheirlunches.

A poor mother once related that she had to decide to send her child to a private school since he was constantly bullied at the public school which he had previously attended The other children kept taking awayhispersonalthings.The public school, she said, was not responsive to her complaints.

Just as how in every classroom, there are at least

twochildrenwhoarebullied, so too in every two classrooms, there is a bully Who knows, one may be seated right now next to your child.

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

The Blame Game – Jagdeo’s

Why are Guyanese looking at me?

Don’t look at me. I can hear the man, the supreme policy man, the main “guvment maan”. Call him Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, Bharrat ‘Jumbotron’ Jagdeo. Jumbotron Jagdeo is his name and blame is his game.

Shifting blame to others is a fulltime occupation for the PPP Government mastermind. All the othersrevelintheirmindlessness.

Dodging his duty, recoiling from responsibility, hiding behind hedges, that is Jagdeo. He is an unending series of blame shifting, blameshoveling,blameallocating, blame denying. He is the man in charge of this today and that tomorrow, as assigned to himself, but all his self-appointments have neither duty nor answerability nor credibility

Take a look at this picture, and there is VP and CP Jagdeo in full cry week after week, press circus afterpresscircus. Themanisazoo all by himself. Out of sheer courtesy, I replaced asylum with zoo.

Thereisasetofweaknessesand built-in sicknesses at the GPL and JagdeolaystheblameonthePNC.

Tek dah bozos. He was not presidentforoveradecade,andthe PPP Government was still in the barren political desert those 23 years,andonlynowhasthereinsof power firmly in hand for the first time.

Regarding the three years and eightmonthsthatthePPPhasbeen in office this time around, those don’t count. Blackouts are still wholly and solely a product of the PNCwastagesandrampages. This ishowthisman’smindfunctionsin astateofnearperpetualblackout.

Then, the promising but hanging Wales gas-to-energy (GTE) project is now behind the clock. Who is to blame? The people identified to deliver this piece and that connection. Jagdeo blames a Guyanese firm for being late.

Nextupwerethesecondphase peopleonthegroundatWaleswith the conversion facility And there was Exxon. Delays. The blame game rolling along and rolling up anybodyinthefieldofplay

Except Jagdeo, of course

Where does this stop? Why the onlypolicyleftinJagdeo’sheadis to continue along the potholed pathwayhelovessomuch. Iamyet

to come across in my long years a man who relishes the darkness as muchasJagdeo. RememberthatI dealt with some really dark spirits inLowerManhattan,butJagdeois the King of Grim. Blame, blame, blame.

Blame the independent media. Blame the activist women who point to the gaps and concerns. Blame John Lall and Joe Lall. According to Jagdeo’s uniquely calibrated mind, the world of Guyanaisagainsthim,whenallhe isaboutisdoinggood.

NotsatisfiedwithGuyanese,he throws in a handful of foreigners. Inmythinking,Jagdeoismorethan into the blame game. Jagdeo himselfisagame.

There are healthy games and there are dangerous ones Guyanese get the joy of making their choice about which ones, the man in red who has lost his head, has made his bed and they stand him in good stead. To blame is to shame.

Oneself. Blaming others is slippingoutandskulkingawayand abandoning the bridge in the hour ofdistress. HereisoneforBharrat: forgetBulganinandLavrentiBeria. TrytheBushidocode. Itwillmake

adifferentkindofmanoutofthee, myson.

Incharacteristicfashion,Ihave some more free words of kind advice for Jumbotron Jagdeo: stop making a laughingstock of yourself,doingalovelyimpression of the Three Stooges in one body RecallhowLarryusedtobealways blaming the other two and beating uponthem. Thatistheessenceof supreme leader and chief policymakerandchampionblamer Jagdeo.

Start fresh, bro. Get a clean piece of paper and sketch a selfportraitfirst. Beginthere,pointthe first finger in that first direction, andpositiveswillfollow Citizens respect a sincere man. People pardonahumbleandgenuineman.

I have the highest regard for anyone who sucks it up and says unambiguously: I was wrong, I slipped,Ierred. Itiseasytothrow rocks, put up blocks, against those perceived as enemies. It is the epitome of honour and honesty to admit to all citizens that the good hand being worked with is fractured.

When all the abusing and cursing and fevered attempts at suppressingareover,thebuckstops

onthedeskoftheformerpresident who is still the first president. In deference to Excellency Ali, I preferthesubduedtoday Thebuck (fullest responsibility) is on Jagdeo’shead,itisingrainedinhis face, and must be what he accepts willingly

Don’tgotheotherwaywiththe little boys and big shots unleashed to make a bad situation worse. If there is nothing to defend, then there is no need for either aggression or oppression or revulsions aimed at the conscientioussayingonethingand one thing only It is: give us something to support, something with the essence of truth, something without anything duckedordisguised.

Rather than blame being the game, it is infinitely better for leadership to resonate with ownership.

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

Blackouts will not deter investments in Guyana-MinisterIndar

...saysrecentpoweroutages duetoRamadanandNavratri

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar sharing remarks during the Local Content Summit

To the rest of the world, Guyanaisanoilrichnation, but to Guyanese, it is a blackout plagued country that desperately needs its electricitywoesaddressed.

The daily power outages that affect the country are however not hindering investors, according to MinisterwithintheMinistry of Public Works, Deodat Indar

Indar was participating in a panel discussion at a Local Content Summit hosted at the Pegasus Hotel and Corporate Suites on Tuesday when he told participants that the electricity woes in Guyana havebeeninexistenceunder successivegovernments.

He went on to explain thattherecentpoweroutages are as a result of the two failed engines that are managed by a local company, Power Producers andDistributorsInc.(PPDI).

Due to the engine failures, the Minister explainedthat13megawatts (MW) of electricity were taken off the national grid. Accordingtohim,“Wedon’t have enough spending reserve to deal with the g r o w i n g d e m a n d Everybody has (airconditioner) AC. It was Ramadan month and it was Shivaratri; go to all of the Mandirs, all of the Mandirs haveACs,allofthechurches haveAC,alloftheMosques haveAC.Youinyourhouses have ACs, the new housing developments that we have, haveACs.”

S i n c e 2 0 2 0 , approximately 25,000 to 27,000 new clients have been added to the customer base of the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL). Selfgenerating companies have even turned on to the national grid due to the i

electricity enjoyed by customers of GPL New businesses and the increase in housing developments across the country have also compoundedthesituation.

TheMinisterwaskeento note that the People’s Progressive Party when it assumed office was cognizant of the need for more power to be generated which made the Gas-toEnergy (GTE) project a key solution. Even though the projecthasbeendelayedand isnowexpectedtostartupin 2025, Indar assured that the constant blackouts is temporary and will be addressed.

In fact, he noted that a Turkish power ship will leave arrive in Guyana withinthenext15days.

“The ship, tomorrow I wastoldisgonnaleaveCuba to come to Guyana. We are expecting it within 15 days to hook up and will put 36 MW in the system and that willincreaseourbaseloadto dealwiththeblackouts,”the Public Works Minister noted.

Indar said that the country will have approximately 500 MW of powerwhentheGTEproject is completed and comes on stream. He explained, “So those engines that we have now, although they are old, you can service them and have them in reserve capacity so if you have unusual spike in demand, youcanemploythemback.”

The Minister therefore said, “I don’t think it (blackouts) will be a deterrent I don’t think investorswhentheycometo Guyana, look at what happens in the next two weeks, or what happens in thenextmonth.Theylookat the immediate term or they look at the medium and the longterm.”

Schoolgirlspenalisedforbullyingschoolmate

The school girls who attend the Queenstown Secondary School and are at thecenterofaphysicalassaultandbullying casehavebeenpenalisedbytheMinistryof Educationfortheiractions.

“Scheduledandmandatorycounselling, suspension and transfers were some of the actions taken for the short and medium term,” the Ministry of Education said in a statement issued on its Facebook page on Tuesday

The Ministry said that it conducted an investigationintothephysicalassaultofthe

girl from the school following the circulation of a video on social media on Friday which showed the 13-year-old victim, who was on her way home, being attacked and physically assaulted by five otherschoolgirls.

Theincidenttookplaceinthevicinityof theAvenueoftheRepublic,nearbytheBank of Guyana around 15:00 hours onApril 11, 2024.

On Monday morning, officers from the Ministry’s Secondary Sector Department met with the parents and children involved

in the incident. During that meeting, the Ministrymadeitclearthatit“iscommitted tosafeandsupportivelearningspacesforall students.”

The Ministry said that “It’s imperative that schools continue to prioritise the wellbeing and safety of their students, fostering an inclusive and respectful community where every individual feels valuedandprotected.”

Further, the ministry said that it is equallyimportantthatthesevaluesbetaught andenforcedinhomesacrossthecountry

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand

…will re-inject into reservoirs to ensure maximum oil recovery NoplanstoexportgasfoundatWhiptail-Exxon

AssociatedGasfromGuyana’s 6th oil project in the Stabroek Block-Whiptailwillbere-injected and not exported, the EnvironmentalImpactAssessment (EIA)hasrevealed.

Despitethepresenceoftrillions of cubic feet of associated gases, ExxonMobil Guyana made it clear that the unused gas will be reinjected to power the Floating ProductionStorageandOffloading vessel for the US$12.7B Whiptail project.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which was submitted to the Environmental

ProtectionAgency(EPA),aspartof the regulatory approval process in order to sanction the project has outlined what the oil company intends to do with the associated gas.

According to that document, the Whiptail field contains substantialquantitiesofassociated gas. However, ExxonMobil said that there are three primary alternatives considered for managing associated gas which includes flaring, re-injection and export.

“Continuous flaring of associatedgasisnotrecommended

duetotheassociatedairemissions, so this option was not considered. Gas re-injection was evaluated as an option to maintain reservoir pressure and improved oil recovery,”theEIAsaid.

TheU.S.oilcompanysaidthat gas re-injection “was selected because it provides greater efficiency than water injection aloneandwillincreasetheamount of crude oil that can be recovered overtime.”

To this end, it was explained that under this alternative, associated gas that is not used as fuel gas on the FPSO will be re-

injected in support of normal operations, which results in lower air emissions than the continuous flaringoption.

As it relates to exports specifically, the company said, a gasexportstudywasconductedfor theWhiptailProjecttoevaluatethe impact gas exports would have on oil production forecasts and estimatedultimaterecovery.

“The results from the study indicate that any reduction in injected gas would result in reduced oil recovery For this reason, the current development plan does not include gas exports.

Space accommodation and limited facilitiesareprovidedontheFPSO as a prudent pre-investment to enablepotentialforfutureexportat alaterstageofdevelopment.” It did note however, that any proposalfortheimplementationof gas export would be addressed under a separate “Environmental Authorization process and is therefore outside the scope of this EIA.”

The Government is in possession of a draft Gas Utilization Strategy prepared by ExxonMobil,whichwasreleased

Continued on page 16

Contractor to face financial consequences over Belle Vue bridge project delays

The $784 million Belle Vue, Region Three Bridge which was scheduled to be completed at the end of Marchisyettobecompleted and the contractor stands the risk of facing financial consequences.

During a site visit by Minister of Public Works, JuanEdghillonFriday,itwas discovered that delays are a result of the contractor, Hanbel Garnett, who said he

is awaiting the delivery of concrete slabs from Jagmohan Companies and Son.

The project was scheduledtobecompletedby the end of February

However, an additional 15 days was granted to the deadline to facilitate the removal of electrical lines which were obstructing craneoperations.

Minister Edghill

proposed imposing liquidated damages on the contractor to ensure accountability and expedite thecompletion

“I don’t care if the slabs cometonightortomorrowbut I want this bridge finished,” MinisterEdghillsaid

He continued, “The delayed time while we were waiting on GPLto move the powerline so that the crane could operate, make sure we

verifyishowlong,wegetthat done, we deduct that and beyond that, we start charging liquidated damages.”

However, in a press release issued on Tuesday evening, S Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Incorporated refuted suggestions that the companywasresponsiblefor not providing the concrete slabstothecontractor

Precast Bridge at Belle Vue, Region Three

In a terse statement, Jagmohansaidthattheclaim bythecontractoris“false”

The construction company said that Mr. Garnett of Hanbel Garnett Construction “falsely attributes his delinquency in completingworkstothenondelivery of concrete slabs fromourcompany.”

S J a g m o h a n Construction and General Supplies Incorporated made it clear that “all of the concrete slabs have been manufactured and we are awaiting the contractor to settle his outstanding financial obligations on April16,2024.”

ThecontractfortheBelle Vue Bridge project was awardedinMay2023

The completion of the pre-cast bridge will bring significantrelieftothousands of residents and road users alike. It will offer improved access to essential services, facilitatingeasiertravel,and fostering opportunities for economic growth, the DPI stated.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday night, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) said it welcomes the Public Procurement Commission’s (PPC) review of the award of the contract for the construction of the pump station at Belle Vue, West Bank Demerara, Region 3, and its report issued.

“The NPTAB has taken

note of the detailed assessment conducted by the PPC and appreciates the recommendations made therein TheNPTABremains fully committed to working closely with its evaluation committees to ensure scrutiny of bids and strict adherence to the evaluation criteria Moreover, the NPTAB reiterates the importance of procurement entities drafting evaluation criteria that clearly outline all relevant issues for evaluators to analyze and make recommendations,” theentitysaidinastatement issued by the Ministry of Finance.

NPTAB acknowledged that the need to eliminate inconsistencies, where they exist, in the instructions to bidders

“Thisrecommendationis alignedwithongoingreforms being undertaken currently and will be implemented through collaboration with thePPCtostrengthenbidding documents, particularly when tenders are advertised inlots.”

Further,NPTABsaidthat it has commenced two consultancies to strengthen records management and developapublicprocurement managementsystem

“Both will introduce information technology solutionstocurrentprocesses and procedures and pave the way for a robust eprocurement system,” the statementsaid

Noplanstoexportgas...

Frompage18

forfeedbackfromthepublic.

Presently,Guyana’sonlyconcreteplansfortheutilization ofassociatedgasaretiedtotheWalesdevelopmentproject.

This project, entails the bringing onshore of associated gasesextractedfromtheLizaDestinyandUnityFPSO’s,in ordertopowera300MWgasfiredplant.

This is in addition to the establishment of a Natural Gas processing facility for the production of cooking gas for the domesticandexportmarket.

Among other projects being floated for use of the associatedgastobebroughtonshore

aUS$1Bpipeline,is theproductionoffertilizers.

The concrete slabs that were prepared by S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Incorporated.

via

Local investors enjoying same benefits granted to foreign companies – Local Content Summit hears

ByChristalYong

Addressing criticisms that foreign companiesarereceivingmorebenefitsinthe business economy, Senior Director of InvestmentofGuyanaOfficeforInvestment, John Edghill, disclosed that local investors arereceivingthesamebenefitsastheforeign companies.

Edghill made these remarks during the Local Content Summit hosted by the MBW Energy Support Services Inc. (MBWESSI) andPrestigeManagementConsultant(PMC), in partnership with the Local Content Secretariat through the Ministry of Natural Resources, on Tuesday, at Pegasus Suites, Kingston,Georgetown.

Themed “Creating Value, Driving Economic Expansion” the one-summit is an event geared towards knowledge sharing for localbusinessesinGuyanatounderstandthe benefitsofbecomingLocalContentcertified

and how to identify and capitalize on availableandupcomingopportunities.

Edghill said, “The question is always asked and is a question I consider to be ridiculousanditsaysthattheforeignpersons are coming and getting more benefits, the fiscal concessions, the incentives and everythingelse.”

He added that such questions would be brought up by certain articles circulating in themedia,aboutaHotelatCarifestaAvenue, ThomasLands,Georgetown.

“We have been seeing a little of that recentlyinthenewsandthenewssites,with the government with the very beautiful and luxurious hotel resort we have at Carifesta Avenue,”henoted.

The Senior Director of Investment was referringtotheQatarigroupthatwasgranted prime green spaces of land, along Carifesta Avenue to construct a state-of-the-art Hotel. Thathotelwillenjoyatax-freerideduringthe

first10yearsofbusinessinGuyana.

Be that as it may, Edghill pointed out, “If welookatthenumbersspecifically youwill see that most of the new investments are coming from our local people and many of themarecomingfromlocalbusinesses,which wouldhavebeenestablishedforalongtime”

Edghill said that such local businesses, whichhavebeenestablishedforseveralyears wouldhaveastrategicadvantage,becausean opportunity would arise from the local contentlegislation.

He said, “Businesses who would have been operating in a particular sector would have now seen strategic advantage, an opportunityfromthelocalcontentlegislation forthemtonowdiversify.”

Edghill further explained, “The private sectorneedstorisetotheoccasion,thelocal (and) private sectors, and diversify those sectors,especiallythe40beneficialeconomic areas.”

UNSecurityCouncilurgesGuyana,Venezuelato refrainfromactionsthataggravatebordercontroversy

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday urged the governments of Guyana and Venezuela to refrain from any action that will aggravate the border controversy between the twoneighbouringstates.

The UNSC’s statement on Venezuela’s promulgation of ‘The Organic Law for the Defense of Guyana Esequiba’ was welcomed bytheGovernmentofGuyana.

The Organic Law purports to incorporate more than two-thirds of Guyana’s sovereign territory into Venezuela based on a questionable referendum the country held last D e c e m b e r t o incorporate Guyana’s Essequibo County into Venezuela’smap.

The UNSC met earlierthismonth. Inits statement following the meeting,themembersof the Security Council reminded the parties of their obligations to complywiththeOrderof Provisional Measures

i s s u e d b y t h e International Court of Justice on December 1 2023.

TheSecurityCouncil noted that the Court had unanimously ordered that pending a final decision in the case that Venezuelashouldrefrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevailsintheterritoryin dispute, whereby Guyana administers and exercises control over thatarea.

Moreover,theUNSC

calledon“bothpartiesshouldrefrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before the Court or make it more difficulttoresolve”

The members of the Security Council had previously expressed their concern about the possible escalation of tensions between VenezuelaandGuyana.

The Council underlined the importanceofmaintainingregional peace and security and ensuring that the Latin America and

Caribbean region remains a Zone of Peace In this regard, it commendedregionaleffortswhich resulted in the conclusion of the DeclarationofPeaceandDialogue ofArgyle of 14 December 2023 in whichGuyanaandVenezuela,inter alia, agreed that any controversy between the two states will be resolved in accordance with international law, including the GenevaAgreementof1966.

Meanwhile, Guyana welcomed thereaffirmationbymembersofthe

Security Council of the importance of upholding the Court’s Order, the principlesofrespectforeachState’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the prohibition of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state, as enshrined in Article 2 (4) of the United Nations Charter

The Government of Guyana saidthatithopesthatthestatement bytheUNSCwillcontributetothe maintenanceofregionalpeaceand security and to ensuring that Latin America and the Caribbean remainsaZoneofPeace. Guyana said it is committed to the peaceful resolution of the controversy with Venezuela in full accordance with international law through the process of the InternationalCourtofJustice(ICJ) and expresses its gratitude to the members of the Security Council for their valuable consideration of this issue of great importance for thetwocountriesandtheregion.

A hearing of the United Nations Security Council

Increase labour force to complete CJIA projects – Min. Edghill

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill on Monday advisedcontractorsworkingonprojectsattheCheddiJagan InternationalAirport(CJIA)toincreasetheirlabourforceto ensurethetimelycompletionoftheongoingworks.

Duringavisit,theministerandhisteaminspectedseveral ongoingprojectsatthecountry’smainportofentry

The projects included the replacement of the asphaltic concretepavementwithrigidpavementfortheinternational apron, which is being executed byAvinash Contracting and ScrapMetalInc.atacostof$703,176,270;theconstruction and rehabilitation of the New and Existing Commercial Center and the VIP section which is being undertaken PD Contracting for $874,265,155, the construction of the New Administrative Office Building which is being done by AvinashContractingandScrapMetalInc.for$890,440,820; andtherehabilitationoftheBaggageMake-upAreawhichis being executed by K&S General Contractors Inc. for $81,158,185.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, the minister told the contractors that they will be held accountableforanydelaysinthecompletionoftheprojects. In this light, he encouraged the contractors to increase their labour force and implement a shift system to ensure the projectsarecompletedontime.

“The new works on the airport are part of the PPP/C government’s plans to continue modernising Guyana in keepingwithinternationalstandards,positioningthecountry as a pivotal connectivity hub for the Caribbean, Latin America, and other countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe,” theministrynoted.

The minister added that the focus is on expanding the physicalinfrastructureofthenationalairporttomakeitmore commercially viable and business-friendly When the projects are completed, there will be new restaurants and concession areas, business services, and other offices set up includingforairlines.

Notably, the VIP lounges would also be a major investment with Guyana advancing in the area of events tourism. Additionally, the over 300 staff at CJIA would be movedtoamuchmorecomfortablefacility

The government has allocated $1.1 billion more in the 2024nationalbudgettowardsthecontinuedmodernizationof theCJIA.

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill and his team inspecting the works at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill engaging one of the contractors on Monday. (Photo courtesy, MoPW)

GuySuCo to get new CEO, management team – Pres. Ali

A new management team is set to take the helm of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) as the government takes steps to revive and modernize its operations.

President Irfaan Ali made this announcement on Tuesday during an interview with reporters on the sidelines of Local Content Summit held at the Pegasus Corporate Suites,Kingston.

He outlined several upcoming changes at the organisation, affirming the government's commitment to providing the

necessary investments to revive the sector and bolster its role as a key contributor to Guyana's economy The president also revealed that GuySuCo will soon haveanewChiefExecutiveOfficer (CEO) to lead the corporation.

Sasenarine Singh is currently occupyingthisrole.

“We have been working aggressively at modernizing GuySuCo. What we are doing is bringing a new structure The current CEO will move into a new capacity, and we have a team that is c o m i n g , ” t h e p r e s i d e n t

said Additionally, President Ali disclosed that the government is recruiting specialists from various countries, including India and Cuba, to enhance GuySuCo's operations.

“We have to address factory, agriculture, human resources, and the supply of labour. We are now in the process of bringing all of this together because sugar must be viable, and we are making the investment to make sugar viable again,”heexplained.

In this year's budget, a whopping $6 billion has been

earmarkedforGuySuCotoenhance production and operational efficiencywithinthesugarindustry

The PPP/C Administration, in its2020-2025manifesto,pledgedto revive the sugar industry following its shutdown under the previous coalitiongovernment.

In less than three years, the administration has reopened the Rose Hall Estate, which resumed operationsin2023.

Since2020,thegovernmenthas pumped billions into the rehabilitation and modernisation of sugarfactoriesandcanefields.

President Irfaan Ali

WANTED VACANCY

Sales Representative, canter Drivers & Porters to work in warehouse. Call: 673-7373.

One night Watchman needed. For more information Call: 612-2125.

Two Kitchen Assistance to work from 6am-2pm. For more information Call: 6655074/ 603-1278.

Wanted! Workers for packaging pasta and chowmein. $4100-$5000 per day. Workers paid weekly. Call: 6117839.

Porter needed for truck. For more information Call: 6611000.

One Plumber needed for Eccles. Call: 645-8443/ 6159132.

Vacancy exist for Maintenance/ Semi- Skill Workers, one Cleaner, Welder and Labourer. Call: 621-6969/ 6157784.

Male Sales Representative, Age 20-30 years old. Apply or Contact: 619- 1237.

Vacancy Exist For two Experienced Dispatcher At Confidential Cabs. Call: 231-5784, 231-4001, 231-4000.

One Clerk for TSI Eccles office. English & Mathematics, grade 2. Email application: techserigy@yahoo.com or Call: 615-9132.

Israel says it will retaliate against Iran, despite the risks

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel is vowing to retaliate against Iran, risking further expanding the shadow war between the two foes into a direct conflict after an Iranian attack over the weekend sent hundreds of drones and missiles toward Israel.

Israeli officials have not said how or when they might strike. But as countries around the world urge Israel to show restraint and the threat of a multi-front war mounts, it’s clear that a direct Israeli attack on Iranian soil would lead to major fallout.

strategically” about the risks of escalation.

Israel’s war cabinet has spent the last two days debating their next move. Here are some considerations key to their decision.

INCREASING ISRAELI ISOLATION

Cook, Pastry Maker and Kitchen Assistant needed. Call: 223-5020/ 223-5021/ 223-1531 between 9am-3pm.

Maid to cook & clean for East Bank area. Call: 615-9132.

Painter needed. Call: 6159132 or 645-8443.

Male cooks, Mechanics/ serviceman and utility operators (excavator, bulldozer, ADT) wanted for mining operation. Call: 697-6015. Hiring Painter, Joiner & Carpenters, experience would be an asset, Interested persons can Call: 667-0859.

Male Cleaner needed for Eccles. Call: 645-8443/ 6159132.

Experienced Accounts Clerk to assist in administrative function that company may require. Email: bakshwork @gmail.com

Experienced Lorry Driver, must have a valid licence. WhatsApp application: 6092220, 725-4360, Email: donnal @sosgy.com

Labourer needed, must have good attitude and reference. WhatsApp application: 6092220, 725-4360, Email: donnal @sosgy.com

Iran says it carried out the strike to avenge an Israeli airstrike that killed two Iranian generals in Syria on April 1. It has pledged a much tougher response to any Israeli counterattack attack on its soil. With Israel focused on its war against Hamas in Gaza, and already battling Iranianbacked Hezbollah militants in Lebanon every day, the U.S. has urged Israel to show restraint.

U.S. officials say President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. will not participate in any offensive action against Iran, and the president made “very clear” to Netanyahu “that we do have to think carefully and

Operations Coordinator, must have 5 cxc, including English & Maths. WhatsApp application: 609-2220, 725-4360, Email: donnal@sosgy.com TO LET

Israel’s successful air defense Saturday night — conducted in tandem with the U.S., Britain, France and Jordan — bought the country a brief moment of international support and sympathy after months of mounting international isolation over the Gaza war. The six-month offensive has killed nearly 34,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe.A coalition of international partners helped Israel defend itself effectively. Israel’s military says 99% of the weapons were intercepted, with few reaching Israeli airspace. The attack caused only minor damage and wounded one person: a 7-year-old girl.

This coalition worked under the leadership of the U.S. Central Command, which oversees American forces in the region. It works closely with Israel and moderate Arab countries to form a unified front against Iran.Jordan, a country whose population is predominantly pro-Palestinian, joined the effort, despite

A street musician performs at the old main bazaar in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Israel says it is poised t retaliate against Iran, risking further expanding the shadow war between the two foes into a direct conflict after an Iranian attack over the weekend sent hundreds of munitions into Israeli airspace (AP Photo/ Vahid Salemi)

being at odds with Israel over the war in Gaza, calling its participation self-defense.

It also appears likely that help may have come from regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia, which does not have official relations with Israel. A map released by Israel shows many of the Iranian missiles flying through Saudi airspace.Israel has been careful not to identify its Arab partners, but an Israeli air force official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the mission, said Israeli warplanes needed to fly “east of Israel” to shoot down missiles.

Venezuela shuts diplomatic office in Ecuador to protest Mexico embassy raid

Aljazeera - Speaking at a summit of regional states, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro denounces raid as an ‘act of barbarism’.

Venezuela has announced plans to close its embassy and consulates in Ecuador, an act meant to signal displeasure with the recent police raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito.

Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication and Information (MIPPCI) announced the measure on Tuesday, saying that it would only reverse its decision once “international law is expressly restored in Ecuador”.

The move is the latest show of support for Mexico after experts said Ecuador violated international law by sending law enforcement onto embassy grounds.

The aim was to arrest former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas, who had been twice convicted on corruption-related charges.

He had been sheltering in the Mexican embassy since December to avoid arrest and imprisonment.

On April 5, police officers scaled the embassy’s walls and stormed the building in a successful attempt to detain Glas.

But embassies and consulates are protected under international law from unauthorised entry by local law enforcement, and video footage of the embassy raid showed police officers at various points pointing a gun at a senior diplomat and pushing him to the ground.

Mexico has since filed a complaint at the International Court of Justice calling for Ecuador to be expelled from the United Nations, pending an apology for the embassy incident.

It also severed its diplomatic relations with Ecuador, recalling its embassy staff from the country.

Speaking at a virtual conference for the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) on Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro echoed Mexico’s call for an apology.

He called the police raid an “act of barbarism” and ex-

pressed his desire to see Glas transferred to Mexican custody. In the hours prior to his arrest, Mexico had offered Glas political asylum within its borders.

Glas is currently in prison in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where he undertook a hunger strike to protest against his arrest.

Ecuador has defended the embassy raid on the grounds of pursuing justice and upholding its national security.

President Daniel Noboa, for instance, responded to the international outcry by releasing a statement that said, “I have made exceptional decisions to protect national security, the rule of law and the dignity of a people who reject any type of impunity for criminals, delinquents, corrupt people or narco-terrorists.”

But last week, a threemember tribunal in Ecuador declared the embassy raid arbitrary and illegal. Still, the panel of judges nevertheless upheld Glas’s imprisonment. “This tribunal cannot modify the sentence,” one of the judges said in the ruling.

Four firms bid to DBF road project in Reg. 6

Four international construction companies are currently vying for the design, build and finance (DBF) contract to upgrade the Palmyra to Moleson CreekHighwayinRegionSix.

At the recent reading of tenders at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB)

Below are the companies and their bids: Ministry of Public Works

Design, build and finance for the upgrading of the Palmyra to Moleson Creek Highway, Lots 1 to 3.

Bidder

Ashoka Buildcon Limited (India)

China Road & Bridge Corporation (China)

Amount Tendered

Lot1 US$241,326,061

Lot2 US$316,029,589

Lot3 US$235,799,240

Lot1 US$213,503,824

Lot2 US$192,160,899

Lot3 US$189,008,165

Vishwa Samudra Engineering Private Limited (India) Lot1 US$232,902,342

Sumec Complete Equipment & Engineering Co Limited (China)

Lot2 US$257,055,408

Lot3 US$216,079,748

Lot1-3 US$725,000,000

Central Housing and PlanningAuthority (CHPA)

Supervision of infrastructure development works in Regions Three, Four, and Six.

Bidder Amount Tendered

Arabian Consulting Engineering Services Co.

$1,635,515,000

office, it was revealed that the companies are from India and China.

The bidders are Ashoka Buildcon Limited (India), China Road & Bridge Corporation (China), Vishwa Samudra Engineering Private Limited (India), and Sumec Complete Equipment&EngineeringCoLimited(China).

Former Lance Corporal of the Guyana Police Force, Kristoff DeNobrega was on Tuesday committed to stand trial in the High Court for the 2022 murder of Quindon Bacchus.

Theformerpolicewascommittedto stand trial by Magistrate Fabayo Azore attheVigilanceMagistrateCourt.

Kristoff DeNobrega, a 22-year-old former member of the Guyana Police Force's Special Branch, was in July 2022 charged and remanded to prison for the murder of 23-year-old Quindon Bacchus, the Haslington, East Coast Demerara(ECD)residentwhowasshot deadonJune10thatyear.

DeNobrega alleged in his initial statement to police that Bacchus had shotathimfirstduringastingoperation andhewasforcedtoreturnfire.

However, the court heard from the policeprosecutorinthematterthatafter ballistic tests were done, it is possible that Bacchus never shot at the policeman because the gun found in his possessionwas“notinworkingorder”.

It was also revealed to the court that Bacchus was shot seven times and not sixaswaspreviouslyreported.

Two policemen, Thurston Simon, 24, of Bareroot, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Dameion McLennon, 35, of Lot 95 B Field were also charged separately in July 2022 for their

Itshouldbenotedthatthisprojectisbeingexecutedbythe Ministry of Public Works, and is divided into three lots. Notably, the majority of the contractors bid over US$100 millionforeachlot.

Kaieteur News understands that the highway is expected tobeupgradedandexpandedintoafour-laneroadway

involvement in the shooting death of Quindon Bacchus. They were charged for allegedly perverting the course of justicebyprovidingfalseinformationto

investigators.Theircasesarestillbefore the Magistrates' Court. The death of Bacchus had sparked a massive protest alongtheEastCoastDemerara(ECD).

US$15MtoUS$40M. The US$900M-plus tagged for the 165 megawatts project was seen as too costly, with criticisms over the technical readiness of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. to take the power Therewerealsoquestionsoverwhether the dam would actually be able to sustain the promised power, with one photoevenshowingthewaterwaysdry

Former cop, Kristoff DeNobrega has been committed to stand trial for murder

Stop the world for Gaza: Protesters disrupt traffic at Golden Gate Bridge, O’Hare airport and other sites across US

CNN — More than 250 people were arrested or taken into custody across the US Monday as proPalestinian protesters blocked roads and one of the country’s most famous bridges.

In places from San Francisco and Seattle to Chicago and the East Coast cities of Miami and New York, demonstrators disrupted traffic – including during rush hour – and blocked travelers from getting to major airports to protest the US supporting IsraelinthewarinGaza.

On Monday, President Joe Biden, while addressing Iran’s attack on Israel over theweekend,saidheremains focused on Israel’s security, reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, freeingthehostagestakenby Hamas and preventing the conflictfromspreading.

Dozens of protesters blocked rush-hour traffic on the iconic Golden Gate BridgeonMondaymorning.

Protesters held signs, including one that read, “Stop the world for Gaza.”

Some protesters chained themselvestovehiclesonthe bridge, authorities said. The bridgedidn’tfullyreopenfor severalhours.

Demonstrators also blocked vehicle flow in two other places in the BayArea, some attaching themselves to drums filled with concrete and rebar, which officials said slowed efforts to reopen roads.

“It was an orchestrated event that they put forth,” California Highway Patrol Chief Don Goodbrand said. “They blocked three separate locations on freeways. They prevented l a w e n f o r c e m e n t , paramedics, ambulances fromgettingtotheirpointsof destination.”

More than 30 people were arrested, according to thehighwaypatrol.

Demonstrators prevent traffic from using the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 near Eugene, Oregon. Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard/USA Today

TuckertoldWLS.

About 40 people were taken into custody, Chicago policesaid.

In Seattle, protesters appeared to block the road leading to the SeattleTacoma airport with several vehicles and demonstrators held a sign reading: “Our taxesarefundinggenocide.”

KOMO, a CNN affiliate, reported: “Some passengers could be seen walking past the protest, rolling their bags downtheroadastheytryand catchtheirflights.”

More than 40 people were arrested, an airport spokespersonsaid.

Brooklyn Bridge. While some people were arrested, New York police didn’t provideaspecificnumber Police in Philadelphia made 68 arrests, a spokesperson for the police departmenttoldCNN.

US has provided military aid to Israel Hamas fighters launched a bloody attack on Israel from Gaza on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage.

Since Israel declared war on Hamas, more than 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza and more than 76,000 havebeeninjured,according to the health ministry in the besiegedenclave.

In Oregon, 52 people were arrested after scores of law enforcement officers responded to a protest that blocked lanes of Interstate 5 nearEugene. Oregon State Police said six vehicles were towed fromthescene. Demonstrators prevent traffic from using the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 near Eugene, Oregon. Roads to two major US airports also became the sceneofprotests.InChicago and Seattle, people trying to catch their flights ended up getting out of vehicles and walkingtotheirterminals.

on a road to Terminal 1 at Chicago’s O’Hare airport duringthemorningrush.

According to CNN affiliate WLS, protesters stopped traffic from moving

“Enough is enough. The US government has given us no choice but to disrupt business as usual, ” d

In Miami, at least two groupsofprotesterscouldbe seen on opposite sides of a busy street holding Palestinian flags Police reportedsevenarrests.

In New York, dozens of people gathered on Wall Street, carrying flags and holding signs. There was also a protest near the

The US has provided support and military aid to Israel following Hamas’ attack, though divisions between the two countries’ leaders have appeared over mounting civilian casualties and the humanitarian situationinGaza.

Police lead a man in handcuffs away from a protest near the New York Stock Exchange. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Paris 2024 torch lit in ancient Olympia, relay under way

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece,(Reuters)-Thetorch for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was lit in ancient Olympia in a traditional ceremony yesterday, marking the final stretch of the seven-year preparations for the Games' start on July 26.

Greek actress Mary Mina, playing the role of high priestess, lit the torch usingabackupflameinstead of a parabolic mirror that is normallyused,duetocloudy skies, for the start of a relay inGreeceandFrance. It will culminate with the lighting of the Olympic flameintheFrenchcapitalat the opening ceremony. Paris will host the summer Olympics for a third time after1900and1924.

"In these difficult times we are living through, with wars and conflicts on the rise, people are fed up with all the hate, the aggression and negative news they are facing day in and day out," International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said in his speech.

"We are longing for something which brings us together, something that is unifying, something that gives us hope. The Olympic flame that we are lighting today is the symbol of this hope."

The IOC has cleared the way for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the Olympics despite the ongoing war in Ukraine but they will do so

as neutral athletes with no national flag or anthem, a decision that angered Moscow

French President

Emmanuel Macron also said last week Russia would be asked to observe a ceasefire in Ukraine during the Paris Olympics. The Kremlin said Ukraine might use it as an opportunity to regroup and rearm.

Suspending armed conflicts under an Olympic truceduringtheGameswasa standard practice in ancient Greece.

TORCHRELAY

Thehighpriestessthenlit thetorchofthefirstrunnerof the relay, Greece's Olympic rowing champion Stefanos Ntouskos.

After a short run he then

handed the flame on to France's three-time Olympic medallist in swimming and head of Paris' Olympic torch relay, Laure Manaudou, as the representative of the host city.The flame will be officially handed over to Paris Games organisers in Athens's Panathenaic stadium, site of the first modern Games in 1896, on April 26 after an 11-day relayacrossGreece.

It will then depart the next day for France on board a three-masted ship, the 'Belem' where it will arrive on May 8 in Marseille, with up to 150,000 people expected to attend the ceremony in the southern city'sOldPort.

The last torch bearer in Marseille will climb on the

roof of the Velodrome stadium on May 9, organiserssaid.

Marseille, founded by theGreeksettlersofPhocaea around 600 BC, will host the

sailingcompetitions.

The French torch relay willlast68daysandwillend in Paris with the lighting of the Olympic flame on July 26.

Dindyal 102*, Chulai 5-Fer among key...

From page 29

LusignanGround,thankstoShahidVierastroking80notout off82with2sixesand7fours.ThaddeusLovellhammered51 from 20 with 6 sixes and 2 fours while Ronald Jeffery (28), Mahem Khan (26) and opener Jadon Campbell (31) were among the run-getters. Avishkar Beharry was the leading wicket-takerforSelectXIwith2-35ashisteamthensuffered a blowout as they were kept to 104 all out. Only the pair of ShilohAdams(32)andJeremiahHohenkirk(31)managedto get going for the Select boys. Spinner Chulai led the assault with5-18whileKhan(2-39)andafewotherschippedinwith wickets.Tomorrow's(Thursday)finalwillseeDemeraraand Berbice battling it out for the crown at Malteenoes Ground.

Inaugural Reunion Gold...

Wednesday April 17, 2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19

Don't be surprised if neighbors come to your door asking for a favor – and not just to borrow a cup of sugar! While your initial response will be to say yes (it's your nature,afterall),thinktwice.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20)

You're likely to wake up today with a compulsion to clean or organize something, Taurus. This may be rather unlike you. If we didn't know better we'd say that you were feelingaparentalurge.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Today should be a "no holds barred" day as you strategize your next career move, Gemini. If you were in the army, you'd be a five-star generalbynow-yourtactical senseisthatgood.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Today might be largely devoted to household tasks, Cancer Itisn'texactlythemost glamorousassignment,butyou take a certain pleasure in attendingtodailynecessities

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

This is going to be a rather busy day for you, Leo, and you're likely to love every minuteofit.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

You'vebeenworkinghardlately and deserve the professional acclaim that comes your way, Virgo.Asaresultofyourefforts, it'slikelyyou'vereceivedorwill soonreceiveabonus.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

This is likely to be a day geared to fulfilling the needs of family Lesser persons would resent the obligation, butnotyou,Libra.Youhavea nurturingspirit.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Guilt can be a powerful motivator,Scorpio,butitisn't a pure one. Today you could feelobligatedtohelpafamily member with something you'dprefertotakenopartin.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Today you could feel o v e r w h e l m e d w i t h o b l i g a t i o n s a n d commitments to others. There isn't a moment free for yourself, not even for a bathroombreak!

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Thosewhoknowtherealyou find your lack of confidence frustrating, Capricorn. Your talents are startling to mere mortals, yet you rarely take creditforallyourabilities.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

You may be in a quiet, reflective mood today, Aquarius Youcouldreceivea communication from an old friend that sets you remembering the good old daysofyouryouth

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

Today, Pisces, forget socializing, working, and answering the phone. Stay home and cuddle in a blanket bythefire.

From page 30

to the anticipation for future tournaments. The overall Best Team title was claimed by Jaipaul Suknanan and Hilbert S h i e l d s , e x h i b i t i n g exceptional teamwork and strategywitharemarkableNet scoreof143.

The tournament witnessed ahistoricmomentwithEureka Giddings achieving a Hole in One, a feat celebrated by all present.

Mohanlall Dinanauth's outstanding performance earned him the title of Best Grosswithascoreof78,while Chet Bowling showcased his mastery with the Best Net score of 66, further highlighting the caliber of talentondisplay

The Reunion Gold Golf Tournament proved to be a thrillingevent,showcasingthe passion and skill of all participants. As the golfing community eagerly awaits the next chapter, the spirit of competition and camaraderie continues to thrive on the greens.

GSSF, Horizon...

From page 32

Director, Persaud-McKinnon, went on to note that excellent prizes for the Top Three Overall Shooters in each division will be made available. She also indicated that the stages for the match were designed to be dynamic and free style, in that there is no set arrangement of the targets, thus the shooter will have to choose their order of engagementastargetsbecome visible. Safety for all will come first and will be monitored by several experienced range officials and ranks of the Guyana Sport ShootingFoundation.

Joshi holds the lead in the 2024 Women's Chess Championship

Thirteen-year-old

Aditi Joshi holds the lead in the 2024 Women's Chess Championship Qualifying Tournament after the first four rounds were completed lastweekend.

The remaining three roundswillcontinueonApril 20th and 21st at the National Racquet Center, Woolford Avenue,Georgetown.

This qualifying chess tournament attracted twenty female players contending for the top nine spots for the W o m e n ' s C h e s s Championship set for later thismonth.

Joshi, the reigning N a t i o n a l U n d e r - 1 4 Champion, has secured wins in all four rounds against s o m e o f t h e m o s t accomplished opponents Joshi met former Women's champion Sasha Shariff in a Round three encounter that endedin21moves.

A sudden Queen, Rook, and pawn attack from Joshi ensnared Shariff's King with a looming checkmate Shariff, unable to overcome the threats, conceded the

Aditi Joshi

assessing her moves during a previous matchup.

gamesoonafter Facing Rahim in Round Four, the Under-14 female champion overwhelmed her veteranopponent. The 13-year-old won a piece and later executed a devastating x-ray maneuver to capture Rahim's prized Queen.

Valiantly fighting in a gravely weakened position withanexposedKing,Rahim succumbed to checkmate after44moves.

The standings are Shazeeda Rahim in second place with 3 points. Young Ciel Clement and Nellisha Johnson are also on three points, in third and fourth places, respectively Also holding strong with 2 5 pointseachisSashaShariffin fifth position, Treskole Archibald in sixth, and Angelina Yhap in seventh. Sharif and Archibald had a draw in round 4, splitting the point in half. Juniors Priya

Doodnauth, Saura Ruplall, Chelsea Harrison, Parnita KishunandKaijaClementall share a standing of 2 points each.

However, due to the tiebreak system, Doodnauth reserves the eighth place, with Ruplall holding ninth. The last round will end on Sunday, determining the top nine contenders to challenge the current Women's Chess Champion, Jessica Callender for the 2024 National

W o m e n ' s C h e s s ChampionshipTitle.

These tournaments are part of the qualifying process for the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary in Septemberthisyear

Top performers will gain Grand Prix points from these tournaments and the 2024 Grand Prix Tourneys, which will then be tallied and calculated to see who will make the top five for the Guyanafemaleteam.

The 2024 Women's Qualifiers and the Women's Championship tournaments are generously sponsored by the Diamond Fire and GeneralInsuranceInc. The GCF also offers chess classes every Saturday from 10 am to 12 pm to school students at School of theNations.

F o r a d d i t i o n a l information, please message usonFacebookorWhatsApp number707-4529.

Scenes from 2024 Women's Championship.

2024 GCB Men's U19 50-Over Inter-county tournament...

Dindyal 102*, Chulai 5-Fer among key performances as teams look to final - Berbice, Demerara to battle for title tomorrow

Ye s t e r d a y ' s

p e n u l t i m a t e round of the GCB U19 50-Over Intercounty tournament was headlined by a number of top individual performances including Mavindra

Dindyal's unbeaten ton and GulcharranChulai's5-wicket haul.

Demerara defeat

Berbiceby7wickets

Berbicemade223batting

first at Malteenoes thanks to a number of scores led by Afraz Budhoo (45), Salim Khan (47*), Kevin Kisten (16), Rashad Gaffur (16), Sanjay Algoo (16) and RampertabRamnauth(17).

Demerara bowlers still managed success with Anthony Lim (3-58), Krsna Singh (2-41) and Neeran Bani (2-17) among the wicket-takers.

Skipper Dindyal then

crushedBerbice'shopeswith his belligerent 102 off 72 with 10 fours and 7 maximums.

His century stand with Alvin Mohabir, who cracked 53 not out off 48 (9x4), took Berbice to 227-3 in just 36 overs.

Essequibo thrash Select XI by 146 runs

The Cinderella County boysposted250-5overat

(Continued on page 27)

Essequibo's Gulcharran Chulai bagged 5 wickets to help inspire a huge win over Select XI.

Mavindra Dindyal collects his award after scoring a magical century yesterday to help Demerara trounce Berbice.

Inaugural Reunion Gold Golf tournament crowns champions

The greens of the Lusignan Golf Club witnessed exhilarating swings and fierce competition as the Inaugural Reunion Gold Golf Tournament unfolded on April 13th. With 19 skilled players vying for victory, the tournament showcasedremarkabletalentandsportsmanship.

In the 0-14 handicap category, Jaipaul Suknanan emerged as the champion, clinching the topspotwithaGrossscoreof82andaNetscoreof 72 Following closely behind, Mohanlall Dinanauth secured the second position with a Gross score of 78 and a Net score of 72, while PatrickPrashadclaimedthethirdspotwithaGross

scoreof84andaNetscoreof73.

In the 15-28 handicap category, Chet Bowling displayed exceptional prowess, capturing the first positionwithaGrossscoreof90andanimpressive Net score of 66. CarlosAdams and Hilbert Shields showcased their skills to secure the second and third positions, respectively, with notable performances.

Mohanlall Dinanauth's powerful drive earned him the title of Longest Drive, showcasing his remarkablestrengthonthecourse.Meanwhile,the titleofNearesttoPinremainstobedecided,adding

(Continued on page 27)

Reunion Gold Golf tourney champions pose for photo-op at Lusignan Golf Club on Saturday

Providence clinch EBCA 2nd Division 40-Over title

Dwayne Dick with his Best Bowler, Best Batsman and Man of the Match awards.

Providence Cricket Club clinched a resounding victory over Peters Hall by six wickets in the East Bank of D e m e r a r a C r i c k e t Association (EBCA) Second Division 40-over final, claiming the coveted 2024 titleatFarmground.

In a showdown between the dominant Peters Hall and the formidable East Bank giants, Providence Sports Club, the stage was set for a thrilling clash. Peters Hall boasted the prowess of century-makers Narendra Persaud and Chibiraj Ramcharand in their lineup. However, Providence countered with stellar performers such as Ovid Richardson, Quincy Grimmond, and the matchwinner Jermain Grovesnor, whohadthepotentialtosway the game in their favour on anygivenday

Sent in to bat, Peters Hall managed to post 223 runs, losing all their wickets in 36 4 overs, with Ubai Hussain leading the charge withagritty41runs.Middle-

order batsmen Ray Newton and Shafeek Deonarine contributed 31 and 25 runs respectively Providence's Dwayne Dick starred with the ball, claiming 3 wickets for 33 runs from his eight overs.

Chasing a target of 224 runs from 240 balls, Providence'sstarall-rounder, DwayneDick,deliveredwith the bat, smashing a brilliant half-century of 67 runs, featuring 10 fours and 2 sixes, laying a solid foundation for his team Jermain Grovesnor's superb knock of 55 runs (6x4; 1x6) ensuredProvidence'svictory, as they reached the target with ease at 224-4 in 31.2 o v e r s , s e c u r i n g a commanding six-wicket win and clinching the 2024 40overDivisionTwotitle.

The tournament also witnessed nine individual centuries and 11 five-wicket hauls. Dwayne Dick was recognizedasthebestbowler and batter in the final for his 3-33 and match-winning inningsof67runs.

Providence celebrated

Race walking action set for Sunday in Linden

Several of the country's top race walkers in all categories and a host of newcomers are expected to be in action on SundayApril 21st2024whenHempYouth Guyana in Association with the Cavaliers Sports and Tour Club stage an International Hemp Day RaceWalk.

T h e R a c e W a l k commences at 07:00 hrs. at

Providence Cricket team pose with the championship trophy after defeating Peter’s Hall in the final.

their triumph with a handsome cash prize of $ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 a n d t h e championship trophy, while Peters Hall received $100,000 as runners-up

along with a trophy. Additional financial incentives included $10,000 tokens for the Man of the Match, Best Bowler, and BestBatterawards.

During the presentation ceremony, the EBCA expressed gratitude to sponsors such as David Sugrim, Patrick Khan, Mohamed Trading, Ramesh

SunichofTrophyStall,Khan Labels, and Camille's Academyfortheirinvaluable support in making the tournament a resounding success.

the Wismar end of the Linden Bridge proceeding along the Winifred Gaskin Highway ending at the BayrocSportsCentre.

Trophies, medals and other lucrative prizes are at stake in the male and female seniors,juniors,veteransand d i f f e r e n t l y a b l e categories Interested participants must be at the startinglineat06:30hrs.

GSSF, Horizon Group Inc. team up

The Guyana Sport

S h o o t i n g

F o u n d a t i o n proudly announces its sponsorship of the much anticipated Practical shooting match by Horizon Group Inc , a pioneering force in sustainable property developmentinGuyana.

As a 100% Guyanese owned and operated company, Horizon Group Inc is committed to

supporting local sporting events that promote skill, camaraderie,andcommunity engagement.

The Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation, renowned for its dedication to promoting the sport of shootinginGuyana,willhost the match, attracting participants and enthusiasts from across the nation. The event promises to be a thrilling showcase of

m a r k s m a n s h i p a n d sportsmanship.

At the sponsorship handover ceremony on Monday 15th April, 2024, Mr Winston Hermanstyne, Business Development Manager of Horizon Group

Inc , presented the sponsorship funds to Mrs. Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, Match Director of upcoming Match.

Mr Hermanstyne

emphasised Horizon Group's commitment to fostering local talent and supporting initiatives that contribute to the vibrancy of Guyana's sportinglandscape.

Horizon Group Inc. is known for its innovative approach to property development, specialising in green communities that prioritize sustainability and e n v i r o n m e n t a l responsibility

Their signature projects feature homes equipped with c u t t i n g - e d g e s o l a r technology and industryleading water purification systems, ensuring residents enjoy a comfortable, ecofriendlylifestyle.

"We are thrilled to support the Practical Shooting Match hosted by the Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation," said Mr Hermanstyne "As a company deeply rooted in Guyana, we believe in investing in initiatives that n o t o n l y p r o m o t e sportsmanship but also

contributetotheoverallwellbeing of our communities. We look forward to witnessing the excitement and skill on display at the event."

The Practical Shooting Match, made possible by the generous support of Horizon GroupInc.,promisestobean event to remember, bringing together handgun shooters, spectators,andsupportersfor a d a y o f t h r i l l i n g competition.

Mrs Vidushi PersaudMcKinnon thanks the companyforcominginboard and explained the three elements of practical shooting: Speed, Power and Accuracy. Built around s a f e t y , t h e s p o r t simultaneously measures the ability of the competitor to shoot rapidly and accurately with a full powered gun in a fun, fair, and competitive environment.Match

(Continued on page 27)

The Eagles will look for further good performances from their batsmen with the bowlers being on target.

Afterahighly-successfulround6,Guyana Harpy Eagles will look to take full advantage of the out-of-sorts Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) when Round 7 bowls off today Guyana have been in the best form to date, as their entire core have officially clickedintheirrespectiveareas.

With the front-line batsmen all scoring centuries including Tevin Imlach, Kevin Sinclair, Kemol Savory, Tagenarine Chanderpaul and others being the heavyweights with the bat, more should be expected from the likes of Raymon Perez or evenSylusTyndallshouldhefeature.

Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie andSinclairhavebeenexceptionalaswickettakingoptionsforImlach.

Seamers Isai Thorne, Ronaldo

2024 CWI Regional 4-Day Championships Round 7…GHE vs. CCC In-form

Alimohamed and Niall Smith have continued to bowl with venom and put their team in a strongpositionthisseason.

With the Eagles current XI being their best,itisunlikelythatcoachesRyanHercules and Garvin Nedd will look to tinker with the winninglineup.

CCC have been a mess as they dangle in last place with 0 points including 6 losses fromthe6roundsplayed.WhileGuyanawon their last match by 212 runs, CCC suffered a 123-runlossatthehandsoftheTrinidadians.

Guyana have a good opportunity to shoot up from their current third place position and possibly secure either the one or two spots, dependingontheoutcomethisround.

Actionbowlsoffat10:00hattheSirFrank WorrellGround,TrinidadandTobago.

Spankhurst leading Guyana horse race earrings

The Jumbo Jet-owned c h a m p i o n h o r s e , Spankhurst, is leading the earnings for the 2024 horse racing season. Spankhurst will be eyeing more dominance on Sunday April 28 at the Jumbo Jet Race of champions at Rising Sun TurfClub.

After three starts, Spankhurst recorded two wins and one third: earning G$4,500,000.StolenMoney sits in second position with one first place spot, and two seconds along with a fourth. The big grey has earned G$3,250,000 thus far after four starts. Crowd favorite Bossalina, who's set for her return on April 28 at Rising Sun, sits in third position on the earnings ratings this season. Bossalina started in two races for 2024 and recorded one first and one third:earningG$2,500,000.

Four-year-old horse, Firecracker, has earned G$1,500,000 with two wins from two races. Three-yearold horse, Country Rock sits in fifth with two wins and one second place, earning G$1,300,000. Easy Time, who had one start this year, and claimed second, has earned G$1,000,000

Money Time, Jessica Pride, She WBO on Time and Creemore are the other horses that rounds out the top10earnersfor2024.

Eight high-quality races are on the provisional programme for the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee Race of Champions that is set for April 28 at the Rising Sun TurfClub.

More than ten million dollars will be up for grabs and the feature race, which will be open to all imported and locally bred horses

runningat1,600metres,will see the top horse walking awaywithG$2,000,000.

Spankhurst, Bossalina, Easy Time, Jessica's Pride and Stolen Money are among the top horses that will be igniting Rising Sun in the feature event. A total purse of G$3,750,000 will be divided for the feature race while the entry fee is G$232,500.

Races are subject to change and entries for the April28RaceofChampions will close on April 22 Horses must be properly

Spankhurst is the leading horse in Guyana in the 2024 season. Guyana

entered via Fazal Habibula on telephone 611-1141, B u j u 6 5 8 - 7 0 3 7 , Shazenna/Rose on 3220789, Glen on 1 (868) 3685192orGinjoon618-7278.

The races will run off from 12:00h and is sponsored by Jumbo Jet, AJM Enterprise, Sinotruck, and XCMG. Admission is G$2,000.

Trophy Stall supports

Rebel Tennis Club Open tournament

Rebel Tennis Club is hosting its third Edition of their Open tournament. The tournament is slated to run from April 12th to 21st and will be featuring men and women's categories, with some of the top players in the country vying for the crown.

Yesterday, Graphic designer of Trophy stall, Peaches Harris, handed over trophies to the President and Head coach of Rebel Tennis Club,Andre Erskine for the event.

Peaches Harris of the Trophy Stall hands over trophies to President and Head coach of Rebel Tennis Club, Andre Erskine.

Round 7…GHE vs. CCC

In-formEaglesgunninglast-placedCCC

Paris 2024 torch lit in ancient Olympia, relay under way

Greek actress Mary Mina, playing the role of High Priestess, carries the flame during the Olympic Flame lighting ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympics. (REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis)

The Guyana Harpy Eagles will look to take full advantage of the out-of-sorts Combined Campuses and Colleges from today