Kaieteur News

ExxonMobil achieves highest oil production in decades with record growth in Guyana

As oil production in production from our low-cost-of- quarter of 2024, the company

November last year This project, Guyana continues to supply Permian and Guyana assets, submitted an application to the Payara development, reached grow, profits for oil with the highest oil production

its peak production early this year,

major, ExxonMobil since the Exxon and Mobil Protection Agency (EPA), seeking adding over 220,000 barrels of oil has reached new records The merger.” approval for its seventh proposed perday Thisisinadditiontotheoil company in its second quarter Stemming from the successful development in the oil rich beingproducedattheLizaOneand earnings call told shareholders that production figures in the second Stabroek Block, Hammerhead Liza Two projects in the Stabroek it recorded its highest oil quarter of 2024, Exxon also “Productioncapacityisexpectedto

Block producing an average production since the merger achieved a record in high-value be 120,000 to 180,000 barrels per

160,000 bpd and 250,000 bpd betweenExxonandMobilin1998. product sales, growing by 10% day, with anticipated start-up in respectively

According to the report, “Net versusthefirsthalfoflastyear

Both projects have exceeded production in the second quarter This meant that profits for the government approval,” the nameplate capacity, producing was 4 4 million oil-equivalent company also increased over the companyadded. above the safe operating limits of barrelsperday,anincreaseof15%, period To this end, Woods OnAugust2,Exxonrevealedits the Floating Production Storage or 574,000 oil-equivalent barrels explained, “We delivered our secondquarterearnings,describing and Offloading (FPSO) vessels. per day compared to the prior second-highest2Q(secondquarter) itsperformanceasindustry-leading

CEO, ExxonMobil Corporation, Darren Woods

The Payara project too has quarter due to advantaged volume earnings of the past decade as we withUS$9.2Binprofitsrecorded. exceeded its initial design capacity growth from Pioneer, Guyana and continue to improve the This record growth was mainly of 220,000 bpd, now producing heritagePermian.” fundamental earnings power of the driven by the increased oil between 230,000 to 240,000 bpd,

Chairman and Chief Executive company.”

Stabroek Block added a third according to recent data published Officer(CEO), DarrenWoods said, Exxon also updated its ExxonMobil Guyana Limited project to its portfolio of successful by the Ministry of Natural “We achieved record quarterly shareholdersthatduringthesecond (EMGL), the operator of the deepwater developments in Resources.

Teen, 18 dies in fire at Imbamadai

A disabled boy, 18, was on surfaced on Facebook of a small Friday night killed in a fire at wooden house engulfed in flames. Imbamadai Village, Cuyuni Persons were heard crying in the Mazaruni,RegionSeven. background.

The dead teen was identified as It is unclear if he was alone in LendonCornelius. the house at the time of the fire.

A fire reportedly erupted Details surrounding the blaze are around 09:00hrs and destroyed the sketchyatthemoment. house where he lived. A video Investigationsareongoing.

Kaieteur News

Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: DR. GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456

Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

New oil reserves - the real thing

USoilsuperstarExxonMobilhasinsistedthatGuyana’s oilreservesstandat11Bbarrelsofoilequivalents,whichis what it knows as of now Recently, world renowned S&P Global estimated that current reserves in Guyana are at 18.7B barrels. Up until recently, Guyana’s oil boss, Vice PresidentJagdeosaidthatallheknewwasthatExxonMobil wasseekingtocapitalizeontheprovenoilassetsalreadyin its hands, and that how much new oil has been found requires working through an appraisal process that takes time. Then,justlastweek,Jagdeoendeduptalkingfromthe other side of his mouth. The nation will soon be updated, withinaweek,onwhatitscurrentoilreservesare.

WhatshouldGuyaneseexpectfromExxonMobil,asthe newoilreserves,consideringhowmuchofatrickypartnerit hasproventobe? First,itwasthatthecompany’stimewas occupiedwithmaximizingitshaulfromGuyana’soilfields, and that appraisals for the eight new discoveries were in motion,butonthebackburner Aslowboilitwasgoingto be. However,itseemsthattherehasbeenachangeofheart, possiblypriorities,inExxonMobil’sthinktank,becauseitis going to handover to the Government of Guyana, the new numbers from the new discoveries. Are those numbers (billions of barrels of oil) going to be from all eight discoveries, or only a couple of them, the earlier ones, the oneswithsmalleramountsofdiscoveredoil?

Wedon’tclaimtoknow,butitissurprisingthatthenew discoveriesbyExxonMobilweresoinformationchallenged Real-time feeds from its offshore operations go to company headquarters in Houston, Texas Yet, all ExxonMobil’s vauntedcalculationsandappraisalshaveturnedouttobesuch a laborious and time-consuming exercise In other words, whatoughttohavebeenaroutinehasnowbecomethiswhole newsonganddancemasqueradeabout“monetizing”existing Guyanaoilassetsandnotgettingboggeddownbyalengthy appraisals process That is, until that could no longer be denied,orheldbackfromtheGuyanesepublic Wepointto thelatterandaskifExxonMobildiditspartanddeliveredthe number of new barrels of oil in each of the eight new discoveries,butthePPPCGovernmentkeptthatinformation toitself,whilekeepingGuyaneseinthedark Therearetoo many loose ends in this new oil issue that prompt questions stillnotansweredbyeitherExxonMobilortheGovernmentof Guyana It is obvious that something of significance has occurred behind the scenes that lead to this about face from Guyana’s oilman Jagdeo He didn’t know because he had nothing, but now he knows because he has been given something

Should Guyanese hold their breath, given that Jagdeo hasprovenhimselftobelessthanacredibleoilleader? Can hebereliedupontogiveGuyanesethewholestoryandthe real story relative to new oil reserves found (or the total current oil reserves)? Or is it going to be one of his slick productions that raises more questions, which leave him doinghisbesttogivingstraightanswers? Jagdeohasbeen very stingy in parting with persuasive answers on this oil sector Hegivestheappearanceofsomeonebattlingagainst invisible forces that tie his hands, and for a chief oil policymaker his standard has been weakness and powerlessness. It is a sad state, a terribly degrading situation, when the man who appointed himself to be in charge of Guyana’s precious oil sector is reduced to being tongue-tied. Apparently, his hands aren’t tied behind his back on an issue as how much new oil has been found. Jagdeo should have been a force of nature with Guyana’s massive oil wealth. Unfortunately, Guyanese have now grown accustomed to a leader who is now a shadow of himself. The lengthening record is of a leader who has condemned himself to cursing out professionals in the independentmediaforpressinghimtoohardonoilmatters.

Aftermuchbackandforth,andnolittleamountofbad blood resulting, current oil reserves will be updated. May therealreservesbeshared.

Kaieteur

The PPPpractices political harassment

DEAREDITOR

Political harassment has been a hallmark of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in Guyana for decades, continuing unabated under the current administration.

This policy has created an atmosphere of fear and repression, stifling dissent and discouraging both supporters and critics from speaking out against corruption and policies and actions by the government that are not in the best interest of Guyana and Guyanese.

The targeting of former PPPmemberssuchasRalph Ramkarran, Moses Nagamootoo, and Khemraj Ramjattan exemplifies the

party’s intolerance for dissent. After parting ways with the PPP, these individuals have faced sustained attacks and m a r g i n a l i z a t i o n , demonstrating the party’s punitive approach towards former allies who dare to criticiseitsactions.

The harassment extends togovernmentcritics,public sectorofficials,andordinary citizens who expose corruption or speak against the government Media outlets and some journalists have been targeted for reporting that unearthed corruptionorthatarecritical of government action and policy, while individuals suchastheformerchairman oftheNewBuildingSociety

andmembersofthepolitical opposition have been harassedandintimidatedfor their views. The PPP has historically used corrupt elements within the police forcetosilenceitscriticsand instill fear It is a public fact that the government also engages criminal elements, organised phantom killings squads and other criminal elementstotargetespecially influentialpersonscriticalof government action For example, think Freddie Kissoon,althoughheisvery quiet and complacent these days. This tactic ensures that those who dare to speak out against corruption or mismanagement are met with swift and often brutal

retaliation. This pattern of behaviour is evident in the targetingofindividuals.

PPP supporters themselves are not immune to this climate of fear Even loyalists are reluctant to voice dissent or express concerns about the government’s actions. The pervasive fear of political retribution discourages publicservants,civilsociety members, and ordinary citizens from speaking out, leadingtoacultureofsilence andcomplicity

No amount of political efforts by President Ali to dance with the people, pretend he is grassroots, or give the appearance of a governmentintouchwith

(Continuedonpage06)

Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox

Madurostillgamblingforresurrection ‘AfricanGuyaneseidentityandresistance’

DEAREDITOR

,

Having experienced one referendum and five electionsriggedoverthelast half century, Guyanese are uniquely qualified to evaluate the conflicting

c l a i m s f o l l o w i n g

Venezuela’s July 28, elections. Rigging does not beginonelectionsdayandin Venezuela Maduro’s control overtheSupremeCourt,the National Elections Council (CNE), the army and other armed forces were precursors.Thefirstviolated theBarbadosAgreementand banned the charismatic, primary-chosen opposition challenger Maria Machado.

The second did not register her nominated replacement and ensured that her replacement was the innocuous ex-diplomat EdmundoGonzalez.TheEU was “disinvited” as observers and the ex presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, D.R,, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Uruguay were refused permission to fly in as observers.

Thethirdisdeployedand poised to quell protests followingCNE’sdeclaration without any proof that Maduro won the elections. The proof is in the “tally sheets” – the electronic versions of our “Statement of Polls” - printed from the 30,000 electronic voting machines after polls close.

A l l p a r t i e s h a d representativewhohadtobe given copies of the sheets. CNE is mandated to put up these sheets on its site but failedtodoso,claimingthat the site was “hacked”. The Opposition, however, was able to collate and put up tallies on their website accountingfor83%ofthe12 millionwhoevidentlyvoted. These showed Maduro had garnered a mere 30% to

Gonzalez’67%.

Even friendly leftists leaders like Lula of Brazil and Petro of Columbia have asked that proof supporting CNE’s announcement be provided. The US has now acceptedthatGonzalezisthe winnerandtheworldawaits itsfurtheractionstofulfilits commitment towards supporting democratic norms, especially in this hemisphere. Immediately, it appears to be canvassing other countries to support Gonzalez as the presidentelect. China, Russia, Cuba, Iran and Nicaragua have accepted Maduro’s “win” along with Mexico, which however wants “detailed reports” from CNE. It is clear that, as predicted, Maduro will not obey the voice of the people expressed through the ballots to restore democracy as the first step to create a stableVenezuelafromwhich almost eight million of its population – one quarterhave fled his authoritarian rule over the collapsed economy He represents a clearandpresentdangertoa peaceful region, and us in particular,ashehadpledged toworktowardsintheArgyll Agreementafter“annexing” two-thirds of our national territory Any hope for democratization in Venezuela now that the USbrokered Barbados Agreementhasbeentrashed, requires relentless pressure from democratic states on M a d u r o ’s r e g i m e , demanding recognition of González as the presidentelect.

T h e B a r b a d o s Agreement had required Venezuelan elections in the

latter part of this year – for which July 28 barely qualified. We can now see thatMaduromusthavebeen counting on a distracted American response to the rigging he would be conducting because of their scheduled November elections. If, as expected, Maduro refuses to provide evidence of his “win”, the US along with its allies will have to rachet up the pressuresonhisregimeboth

e c o n o m i c a l l y a n d diplomatically China, Iran, St Vincent and Russia alone cannot keep the economy afloat High-level Venezuelanleaderswillhave to be sanctioned and the easing of the broader sanctions will have to be reversedandevendeepened. ThetestforAmericaputting itsmoneywhereitsmouthis, will be the Chevron waiver that allows oil to be shipped into the US but which has provided a lifeline to Maduro.

One change from previous anti-Maduro initiatives that we have already witnessed is a widening of opposition into the poorer sections of the citiesandcountrysidewhere their initial enthusiasm to Chavez/Maduro populism has waned as they experienced their lives destroyedandwereforcedto migrate even more than the elite.Thedecreaseintheold polarization is now palpable and will have positive outcomes in less private militiasorcollectivos,which usuallywreakedviolenceon behalf of the regime, deployed. Yet about 20 personshavebeenkilled,a (Continuedonpage06)

DEAREDITOR

Among others, I was invited to speak at the Eusi Kwayana Emancipation Symposium at Tipperary Hall,Buxtonlatertodayand I hope the following will providesomeinitialfoodfor thought for those intending toattend.

The theme of the discourse is ‘African Guyanese identity and resistance in the context of state sponsored and other f o r m s o f r a c i a l discrimination ’ Although much space will be given to the behaviour of the Peoples’s Progressive Party (PPP) towards African Guyanese over the last two decades,thatisnotmymajor concern.

What bothers me is that rather than energetically taking the present opening constitutional reform offers to try an heal the major p r o b l e m t h a t h a s u n d e r m i n e d g o o d governance and African welfare for decades, the major opposition party, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), has succumbed to a form of historical naivety that seeks to build a democratic multiethnic society without first attending to the present ethnic political antipathy thatpervadesthesociety Man is a rational social being who is capable of externalisingandknowsthat she is externalising herself, e.g., could sell his body, his labour,etc.,inthequestfora good life with maximum freedom This universal human project requires the individual to have control over himself, his relationships,hislabourand

the product thereof. Of course, absolute individual freedom is socially impossible and thus equity in decision-making, distribution, etc , and democratisation is the modern expression of maximum human social freedom.

Identity is a social construct: it is a view of oneself in the general schemeofthings.Itchanges over time and is relatively strong or weak depending upon the enduring nature of specificrelationships.Those who seek by coercionphysical, economic or otherwise-todepriveoneof the opportunities to make equitable choices deprive one of freedom and thus various forms of resistance become inevitable. Given what has been taking place in Guyana under the PPP regimes, the only question for the African community and those who have organisedthissymposiumis ‘What should be the nature oftheAfricanresponse?’

Talk about building some kind of ‘one Guyana’ has been proffered to no availsince independenceby far more creditable persons than the present political incumbents. But it will not become a reality without a generalised ethnic political safetynet.Indeed,evenifan adequatepoliticalsafety-net isputinplacetoday,itwould still take a about three election cycles for the resulting democratic dividend to become relatively substantial I realise that the kind of approach suggested here, is asking the oligarchies of boththemajorethnicparties to adopt policies that will in the medium/long term possibly destroy their hold on political power and willl notbeeasilyaccepted.

‘One Guyana’cannot be forced upon a population and certainly not upon a deeply ethnically political dividedonesuchasGuyana. The PPP is merely camouflaging its drive for ethnic dominance as it tries to win a few gullible and/or self-interested African votes Was this not so, having the resources it now has and given the internal andexternalpressuresunder which it is to demonstrate that it is indeed an inclusive andequitablegovernment,it would have not, like most dictatorships tend to, be askingitsdetractorsto

(Continuedonpage06)

The fact is that the identities of Africans and Indians are rooted in a history of political hostility and over decades they have established their ideological and institutional defence mechanisms. As suggested, these are social constructs and can change, but not overnight and the application of coercion as the PPP is attempting, only contributes to the strengthening of defences. Changes in support patterns will only come about when Africans and Indians feel thattheydonotneedthePPP or the PNC to protect their basic socio/political interests. Otherwise, they will not voluntarily vote for the other side in any significant numbers, and universally, no individual side has been capable of achieving this foundational requirement.

Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox

Ramjattan’s suggestion to restrict the free movement of the public is a simplistic and ineffective approach

DEAREDITOR

T

he Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has noted with concern the recent call byformerMinisterofPublic Security, Mr Khemraj Ramjattan, advocating for the re-institution of the 02:00hrs curfew as a solution to the alarming rise inroadfatalities.

The Chamber firmly o p p o s e s t h i s recommendationandurgesa m o r e effective and evidencebased approach to addressing road safety. There is no evidence to support its efficacy in reducing road fatalities. Reimposing such a curfew

wouldnotonlybemisguided but would also have detrimental effects by hindering economic recovery and growth

The GCCI believes that the real solution lies in significantly trengthening the enforcement of existing traffic laws by the Guyana Police Force’s Traffic Department. The focus should be on rigorous action against reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Furthermore, it is imperative to launch comprehensive public

e d u c a t i o n andawarenesscampaignsto foster responsible road

behaviour

Mr Ramjattan’s suggestiontorestrictthefree movement of the public is a simplistic and ineffective approach.

A more nuanced and robust st

gy that emphasisespubliceducation and accountability is more suitable.

The safety of our roads can only be achieved through concerted efforts to enforce the law and educate the public, not through curfews that impede personal freedom and economicactivity

Regards

T h e G e o r g e t o w n Chamber of Commerce & Industry

‘African

Guyanese identity and resistance’...

Frompage05 provide the evidence It wouldhavelongdonewhata liberal democratic country would have done. It would have completed an independentethnicdisparity analysis that would have cleared the air on what is takingplaceandwhatshould be the future direction of ethnic policy. But clearing the air is the last thing the PPP wants to do: it must w a d d l e i n t h e mucky/intransparent water of ethnic discrimination if it istoachieveitsdomineering objective.

Wheregood,inclusiveand equitable governance is concerned, the PPP is a lost cause Inthischaoticpolitical environment,whatisofmore importance to me is the oppositionPNC,whichhasthe responsibility to defend the interestsofAfricans Withits substantialandlonghistorical memory, theWest, led by the UnitedStates,hasfordecades beenstatingthatforGuyanato be properly democratically, managed the present winnertakes-all political system needstobereplacedbyamore inclusive one In 2015, the PPP ‘lost’ government to the African orientated

APNU+AFC which promptly reneged on its promise to radically reform and introduce a more inclusive political system. Instead, the report of the European Union observer mission on the 2020 elections claimed that between 2015 and 2020, when the APNU+AFC r e g i m e w a s

unceremoniously removed from government, the electoral list grew by 15.8% (Region1grewby30%)‘the significance of which is difficult to assess ’

Suggesting-bymyreadingthatinsteadofreformingthe system, the regime was set upon entrenching itself in g o v e r n m e n t !

(https://www.eeas.europa.e u/sites/default/files/eu eom

g u y a n a 2 0 2 0_final_report_0.pdf)

The PPP is now back in government, behaving even more viciously towards

Africans and their representatives, but instead offorcefullyconfrontingthe discriminatory policies that are directed at their constituency, the PNCR, with its utopian vision of winning substantial Indian votes, is sugar-coating their destruction.Forexample,we hearitsuggestedthatthePPP is discriminating against everyone except their, cronies,familiesandfriends. The fact is that relative to Indiancommunities,African communities are extremely disadvantaged because of how wealth is accumulated and deliberately distributed bytheregime.Thisyear,the PPP doubled the allocation going to capital works that are dominated by its Indian constituency but has halved the pittance going to public serviceincome. Itthenuses what should be public servicesalariestoundermine thelocalgovernmentsystem and to build grandiose projects and attempt to use these to impressAfricans to

vote for it. Is this not like digging the plantation canals and building the seawall that benefitstheexploitersallover again! In SouthAfrica, those non-Africans who wanted to join the African National CongressofNelsonMandela hadtorecognisetherealityon the ground. If he had ever soughttofinessetherealityto win white support, Mandela might never have taken up arms and the life of the apartheid regime might have beenmuchlonger

Whatisofvitalimportance at this stage and can be achieved by way of the upcoming constitutional reforms, is the immediate establishment of an ethnic politicalsafetynetthatprotects thepopulationfromthebrazen extremestowhichthePPPhas gone Whereinthedemocratic world can a ruling party, particularly one with only a single seat majority, refuse to treatproperlywiththeofficial oppositionbecausetheyarein alegaldisputeoveranelection that the opposition maintains was manipulated? The basic socio/political interests of Indians, Africans and Amerindians should be constitutionally protected: their basic civic rights and wellbeing should not be dependent upon which party wins government Once adequately crafted and institutionalised at the national,localandcivilsociety levels,itwilleventuallyleadto the development of a more issue-based liberal democraticsystem.

Sincerely

Dr.HenryJeffrey

Maduro still gambling for resurrection...

Frompage05

thousand arrested and Machado was forced togointohiding.

The Chavistas are cornered and dangerous and even more than before, Maduro,withthesupportofthearmedforces which he has bribed for their loyalty, might bewillingtogambleforresurrection.Thatis makeanoutlierdecision,suchasstagingan incursion into our Essequibo to rally Venezuelans around the flag and offer a lifelinetohissinkingfortunes.

Sincerely, Ravidev

The PPPpractices political...

Frompage04

the populace can disguise thereality Heisjustthereto provide a cushion because the public is fed up with BharratJagdeo.

The public understands these gestures are distractionsmeanttocreatea facadeofengagement. If the government were genuinely in touch with the people, we would see tangible improvements in salaries and standards of living sufficient to meet the needsofallGuyanese. There would be less or no

corruption within the police force and public sector, and crime would be under control.

The dangers of political harassmentinacountrylike Guyanaareprofound. It erodes democratic principles, undermines trust in public institutions, and perpetuates a cycle of corruptionandabuse.

The people of Guyana mustrecognizetheinsidious natureofthesepracticesand stand united against a government that prioritizes power and control over

justiceandtransparency

It is imperative for the citizens of Guyana to demand accountability and transparency from the PPP We must confront the pervasive fear and take a stand for democracy, the rule of law, andtheprotectionofhuman rights.

Only by rejecting the culture of political persecution can we hope to build a more just and equitable society.

Sincerely, C.A.Singh

OppositioncondemnsJagdeo’sattackonjudiciary

The political opposition hascondemnedtheattacksof Vice President (VP) Bharrat tryingtostealtheelectionsin Jagdeo on the judicial favour of the APNU/AFC. system. Both leaders of the

- says it welcomes observers

We have waited for a long Alliance for Change (AFC) timetogettothisstage.” and the People’s National

“The last attempt was Congress Reform (PNCR) dismissed by the Chief on Friday during their Justice and the trial has

r e s p e c t i v e p r e s s started. And, you will see a conferences, called out the similar pattern now and the VP for his comments on the frustration expressed by the election fraud case at his

prosecution that on weekly press conference

numerous occasions heldonThursday uncalled for that the defense

Jagdeo said that, “Given lawyers are again trying to what has happened in in Georgetown, it would be thatthetrialshavestartedfor

often, these objections are be allowed to take its course stall the trials by making Venezuela and the close crucial to reflect on those who the Commission entertained,”headded. free from political frivolous objections And parallel to what we see here democracy especially now of Inquiry found culpable of

The VP confidently told interferenceandhispartyhas reportersthatthewayhesees steered clear of the matter to things with the ongoing trial allow justice to run its due “thismatterwillendupatthe course, however they are CCJ [Caribbean Court of taking a pause to “condemn

Justice] ultimately the wicked attempts of the Therefore, it is crucial that government to instill fear in the records be in the public the courts by its threats and domain, if they are not going t h e d i s s e r v i c e t h e to be kept in the Court, so government is doing to the thatwhatispresentedandthe good people of this country testimonies in the witnesses by its campaign of lies and willbeavailableinthemedia misinformation about the andelsewhere.”

c o n d u c t o f t h e s e

Furthermore“Itiscrucial proceedings.”

t h a t w e h a v e t h e Hewentontosaythatthe international community VP’s invitation to have lookingatit.Theyareurging international observers and that people who try to the international community undermine public officials view the court’s proceedings and democracy and the will which are very public can of the people must face only be viewed as calculated prosecution.Now,weareata to coerce the Court to find stage where we would invite theaccusedguilty them to observe the court “The Vice President’s drama that is taking place,” invitationtotheInternational headded. Observers and International

In response to Jagdeo, Community to view Aubrey Norton leader of the proceedings which, by their PNCR said that, “The very nature are public, and Opposition categorically withtheaimof‘ensuringthat condemns the recent attacks people don’t act or public by the Vice President, Mr officers do not act with Bharrat Jagdeo, upon the impunity in the future where magistratepresidingoverthe they are vested with either a trialoftheelections’matters, responsibility by the law or the nine accused charged, the constitution and they in their attorneys, and the this case, in a partial manner general administration of discharge that responsibility, justiceinGuyana.” andinacorruptmanner’,can Norton continued that only be viewed as calculated Jagdeo’s attack on the to coerce the Court to find judiciary is “vicious theaccusedpersonsguiltyof unjustifiable attack against the offences charged the integrity of the regardless of what the m a g i s t r a t e a n d t h e admissible evidence before administration of justice as a theCourtdiscloses.” whole by accusing the Meanwhile, Attorney-atmagistrate of entertaining law and Leader of the AFC frivolous objections, failing Nigel Hughes at a press to record evidence, and of conference on Friday said suppressing evidence; and that, “The statements from has threatened at the very theVicePresidentapartfrom commencement of the their intemperance indicated proceedings to subject the clearly the fact that the ruling of the Court to executive thought that it is scrutiny by the Caribbean appropriate while a case is Court of Justice These being heard for a non unfounded allegations are profession person i.e. a non clearly intended to cast the lawyer to comment during Court and the administration the proceedings adversely of justice in a dim public about the decisions made by light from the outset of these asittingmagistrate.” proceedings.” The lawyer explained The PNCR leader thatthereareprovisionsin stressed that the law should (Continued on page 52)

Leader of the AFC Nigel Hughes

Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton

The thin line between complaint and injustice

Years ago, a complaint was made about a missing minor It was presumed that the missing minor was encouraged to leave her home by a friend and therefore it was presumedthatshewasbeing accommodated at the house of the friend’s mother A reportwasmadetothepolice buttheydidnotmovetoseek a warrant for the search of the friend’s mother’s house because they simply did not have credible and sufficient evidence that indeed the missingminorwasthere.

The police did not move in and in fact, it was later found out that the missing minor was not being held there at all but somewhere else. Had the police acted impulsivelyandbasedsolely on the suspicion of the parentsofthemissingminor, they could have found themselves facing a lawsuit. This is why the police must always act upon reasonable grounds, especially in cases ofcyberbullyingwherethere is no direct link between a suspect and the crime. The issue of cyberbullying has grown significantly, prompting victims and concerned parties to seek redress through law enforcement channels However, this recourse raises critical questions about the thresholds for policeactionwhenasuspect isnamedbyacomplainant.

At the heart of this dilemma lies the balance betweenprotectingpotential victimsandsafeguardingthe fundamental rights of the accused. The question that arises is: What constitutes

reasonable grounds for arresting and questioning someone named by a complainant, and how does thisactionintersectwiththe preservation of human rights?

In many legal systems, the concept of “reasonable grounds” or “reasonable suspicion” forms the basis for police intervention, including arrest and questioning Reasonable grounds imply that there must be sufficient evidence or circumstances that would lead a reasonable person to believethatacrimehasbeen committed and that the suspect is involved. This standardisnotamerehunch or uncorroborated accusation but requires objective and credible evidence.

However, the process of determining what constitutes reasonable grounds involves assessingthereliabilityofthe information provided, the credibility of the informant, and the context in which the allegations are made For instance, if a complainant reports an incident of cyberbullying and provides evidence such as threatening messages, screenshots, or digital footprints linking the suspecttothecrime,thepolice may consider these factors as constituting reasonable grounds for further investigation But what if no such evidence is provided? Should the police act on the mere suspicion of the complainant?

One of the critical concernsinsuchcasesisthe potential for misuse of the complaint mechanism While it is essential to take

allegations seriously, especially in sensitive cases like cyberbullying, there is also a risk of false accusations or malicious reporting. Anyone can walk into a police station, make a report of an offense, and name a suspect. However, the police must exercise cautionanddiligencebefore taking any action that could impacttheaccused’slifeand reputation.

The police must

distinguish between genuine reports and those driven by ulterior motives This task is challenging, as it involves evaluating the complainant’s intentions and the credibility of their claims A complainant’s subjective beliefthatacrimehasoccurred isnotsufficient;theremustbe an objective basis for the police to act Also, the thresholdforsuspicionshould besethighenoughtoprevent arbitraryorunjustactionsbut low enough to allow for the investigation of legitimate concerns The issue of reasonable grounds for arrest and questioning in cases initiated by complainants is a delicate one, requiring a careful balance between protecting potential victims and safeguardingtherightsofthe accused.Whileitiscrucialto take allegations seriously, especially in sensitive cases like cyberbullying, the police must also exercise cautionandensurethattheir actionsarebasedoncredible evidence and objective grounds Arresting and questioning someone based solely on a complaint without sufficient evidence canhavesevereimplications

DEM BOYS SEH

More gadgets but less time

Dem boys seh, we livin’ in de age of gadgets.Everybodygotdelatestphone.De phonesehitgonsavewetime.Itdodework of newspaper, radio, clock, an’even email. It play music, wake yuh up, organize yuh life.Yet,westillbusierthanabeeindehive. We got machines to wash we clothes and even we dishes But still, people complainin’demain’tgottime.Howcome? De car mek yuh reach faster, but de traffic mek yuh reach late. Yuh spend more time honkin’ horn than drivin’. An’ dem boys seh, yuh use GPS to find yuh way, but yuh stillenduplost.

Everybody got a laptop or tablet. Yuh can work from anywhere, anytime. But instead, yuh workin’ everywhere, all de time. No more 9 to 5. It’s 24/7. Yuh in de shower, an’ de boss sendin’ email. Yuh at dinner, an’ yuh phone ding-dingin’ with messages.Evenindebed,yuhscrollin’till yuheyeburn.Demboysseh,evendefridge

for the individual’s human rights Arbitrary arrests, driven by unsubstantiated claims,canleadtoacascade of negative consequences fortheaccused.

Firstly, the mere act of beingarrestedorquestioned can tarnish an individual’s reputation, even if they are later found innocent. In the ageofsocialmediaandrapid information dissemination, newsofanarrestcanspread quickly, leading to public s h a m i n g , l o s s o f employment, and social o s t r a c i s m T h e s e consequences are often irreversible and can have a lasting impact on the individual’slife.

Secondly, the process of being arrested and questioned can be traumatic and stressful. It can disrupt theindividual’spersonaland professional life, causing emotional distress. In some cases, individuals may feel pressured to confess to crimes they did not commit, simply to avoid prolonged

detentionorlegalbattles.

To protect individuals’ rightswhileensuringjustice, the police and legal system must adhere to strict protocols and standards when handling complaints and allegations. The police should conduct thorough preliminary investigations beforemakinganyarrestsor questioning suspects. This pro

, interviewing witnesses, and verifying the credibility of thecomplainant’sclaims.

In the protocols there should be clear guidelines outlining what constitutes reasonable grounds for suspicion. These guidelines should be transparent and publ

ccessible, ensuring that the public understandsthecriteriaused by the police to make decisions.Thistransparency can help build trust in the legal system and prevent perceptions of bias or arbitrariness.

Individuals accused of

crimesshouldhaveaccessto legal representation and be informed of their rights throughouttheprocess.This access ensures that they can defend themselves adequately and that their rights are protected at every stageoftheinvestigation. By adhering to strict protocols, conducting thorough investigations, justice can be upheld for all partiesinvolved.Indoingso, we can create a society where both victims and the accused receive fair and equitable treatment under thelaw

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

smartnow Ittellyuhwhenyuhouttamilk. But yuh ain’t got time to drink it! De microwaveheatupyuhfoodinseconds,but yuhstilleatin’inahurry Instantcoffeefuh deinstantlife.Butdemboysseh,yuhain’t got no time to taste it. People got fitness trackers.Itcountin’steps,countin’calories. Butstill,nobodygottimefuhexercise.Dem boysseh,yuhrunnin’‘roundlikeaheadless chicken,butyuhain’tlosin’noweight. Everybody seh gadgets gon mek life easier But dem boys seh, life only gettin’ harder Wegotalldistechnology,butwegot less time. Dem boys seh, we too busy We need a gadget to give we more hours in de day But until then, we gon be busy, busy, busy. Gadgets fuh everything, but time fuh nuttin’.Dasdemodernlife.Demboysseh, maybe we need to unplug an’tek a break. Butwhogottimefuhdat? Talkhalf.Leffhalf

H@RD TRUTHS

PPP NATIONAL CRIMINAL ENTERPRISETHE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD

“Ifeelgood,Iknowthat I would, now I feel good, now so good, so good, I got you….” American soul singer extraordinaire James Brownwastheoriginal. Itis also exactly where I am, thanks to all the attention and accolades from the PPP machinery: I got the PPP government, PPP leaders, PPP bigshots eating out of myhand. Theycan’tsleep,I am on their minds. They can’t eat, I disturb their stomachs. Theycan’twalk, because they can’t watch where they are going, so consumed they are by me. What I write, what I speak, drives all of them crazy. Man! Ah feel good…so good, so good…. I have given the entire PPP a hangover that wouldn’t go away: from the one-man mob to the leader that is a screamer to the political ruffians. They don’t know whattodowiththemselves.

Here is a new one: those whomtheGodswishtosend stark,staringmad,theysend me as their writer, messenger The pen is mightier than any sword. PPPleadership sword. PPP dirty tricks people sword. Lookatthesumofthem. PPP leaders and their mobs have made me a priority, a hometown celebrity Imagine a national government that fabricates, falsifies, fulminates with many felonies to intimidate one citizen, one conscientious objector Theseareproofsof how the PPP as a party and governmenthasdeteriorated into a vast national criminal enterprise. The PPPcannot be a government: it is a Death Row inmate. I have becomethebiggestnational magnet, one that draws the PPPwatchersintomyorbit: captivate their minds, control their waking hours.

Thewalkingdead,theliving dead,iswhathasbeenmade ofthem. Andbyonemanof nopedigree,nostanding,no significance made into a national industry Yet the more the PPP operators demonize, the more they darken, make total fools of themselves.

Itisgoodtohavesucha commanding stranglehold on the PPP (government, party, masterminds) heads. Imockthemall,makefunof them, reduce them to scoundrels in the eyes of their own people. In the mosttalkedaboutcountryin the world, guess who is the most talked about person in this country in PPP land? There is no competition. The investors and Guyana watchers parked in London, Hong Kong, New York and Los Angeles must be wondering who is that fella called Lall. He must be unnerving some big people

in the PPP Government, rattling their cage. Once more, there is no competition for interest and energy the government givestome. Notevenfrom AlistairRoutledge,noteven foralltheinterestthatsome Guyanese and the world have in every move that Exxon makes New understanding took some time, but now resonates powerfully I have outgrown and outsoared James Brown; it is onto Stewart Copeland of The Police. Rememberthatone: “I’ll be watching you? Everybreathyoutake,every step you make, I’ll be watching you.” Is that a delightful place to be, or what? Just ask the p o n t i f i c a t o r s a n d propagandists,thedefenders and the damage controllers inthePPPGovernment,and the object of all that watching is a nobody

Guyanese like me. If I had wanted to pick a group to make me famous, I couldn’t have done better than the PPP Government machinery, givenitsmoney,manpower, monstrousness.

I am honored to receive suchadorationandadulation fromanationalgovernment. Not just any national government, but one that is in total control, the dominant power Who would ever have thought that a poor, dumb country boy (one that they used to call a phantom, then a ghostwriter, then a man reading from a PPP script) making it to the top of the PPP charts? In America, some smart Alek said that every man has his 15 minutes in the sun, with fame and a full slate of reverence being integral aspectsofthatdevelopment. Thanks to the bozos and bums in the PPP, my 15 minutes of fame have extended to a season that doesn’tend. Fortherecord, I am sorry, for I got a bit carried away just now, and lostmymanners.

Discardbumsandbozos, please; brothers fit better intothesubstancethatisme. All this nonstop attention from the PPP has gotten to my head. I must try harder to behave myself in a manner that does justice to all this attention, all this excitement, and all this revelry coming from my brothers(andsisters,too)in the PPP to me. I’ll take it withasmileandathankyou forallthetrouble. See,Ican becivilwhenIsochoose. It iscalledgoodtraining,good

listening. It is a free lesson from me to my friends in Freedom House, Office of the President, and Office of the Vice President, beginningwiththebigman, the master magician himself.

LookatwhereGuyanais today Atorn country But President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo are busy tearing into, trying hard at tearingdownhonestcitizens for speaking their minds, speaking to truth. Truth about all the rottenness that is now commonplace through government and party, and its army of stink andduttypeople. FakeIDs. Fake news. Fake people. NowonderthatJFKnowhas a sign that reads: ‘Enter at Own Risk’ for big-shot Guyanese. The same ones Anthony Blinken banned from his presence after summoning them The sameonethatcouldn’tshow his face when the CIAhead came here. The same one backpedaling on current oil reserves. Here is a small word of advice for PPP leaders (and their foot soldiers): truth can never be suppressed; it survives, strengthens, soars. Light canneverbeextinguished;it shows up the darkness in thosewhorunfromit. I feel g o o d , s o g o o d , s o good….The pen is mightier thanmenandmountains.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)

BLUNTNESSONINDECENCIES!

Incaseyouhaven’theard,pleasebeinformedthataspartofourcontinued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our Publisher, Dr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about ongoing indecenciesinourlandthatshouldmatter,notonlytousatthispublication, buttheentirenation.

SUNDAY–JULY28,2024

Jagdeowilting underpressure

J a g d e o ’s p r e s s conferences were always a bigfarce…

Now he and his press conferences have become thebiggestlaughingstocks!

Jagdeogropingforaway outfromonedarkplace,then another

He is looking more frazzled,morefurious!

Heissoundinglikeaman squeezed from all sides, shrinkingdown…

The dark record of some men lives with them, not afterthem.

MONDAY–JULY29,2024

ThePPPGovernment

The PPP government is likeacorruptionfactory:

(Tender standards, evaluation committees, contractawards)

ThePPPGovernmentisa liemachinery:

(police stats, audit findings, renegotiation commitments)

The PPP is a deception assembly:

(Environmental reviews, parliamentary procedures, leadershippromises)

The PPP Government: a national institution, or a groupofgangsters.

TUESDAY–JULY30,2024

Thekindofgovernment thatisthePPP

The PPP is a group with itsshareofpredators!

Some are predators, othersareperverts, Thentherearethosewho areExxon’sconverts!

The PPP Government hassomeunusualpeople

They are those who are morethanunusual.

There are those who are abnormal.

Why does policymaker Jagdeo surround himself withquestionablepeople?

How could Guyana get any standards, any benefits outofthem?

No wonder Jagdeo is how he is, the PPP, the government that it has become!

WEDNESDAY–JULY31,2024

Tributesfor BharratJagdeo

When the political eulogyforJagdeoisdone,it willbesimple:

He failed his people, let themdowneveryway,every day

When the political epitaphforJagdeoiswritten, itwillbesimpler: Jagdeo lost touch with truth,wisdomwasastranger tohim

When Guyanese finally face the reality of Jagdeo, it willbeasorrystory:

He lived like a catastrophe, transformed intoatragedy

THURSDAY–August01,2024

Jagdeo’spolicymaking

It is clear: Jagdeo’s policymaking is reactionary andretaliatory!

He is happy, he does nothing,nonewpolicy!

When Jagdeo gets rattled,heretaliates!

Exxon rattled him, so he reacted…

He never had a problem withExxonbefore!

Now he doesn’t want to hear the company’s name, spitsitout!

Jagdeo’s policy was to defendExxonattheexpense ofGuyana!

He attacked the PNC, KN, KN’s publisher and contributors…

Nowheisatadeadstop: no place left to run; no friendslefttosavehim!

FRIDAY–August02,2024

Realfreedom notinGuyana

Yesterday as a country and people we celebrated EmancipationDay

It was a day when many reflectedontheenslavement of Africans who were brought to these shores in chains. Freedom was fought hard for, yet as a people we are still to experience true freedom.

W h e n t h e r e i s Emancipation in its fullest forms, there is no place for

governmenttyranny

Not even the smallest fissureshouldbecreatedfor suchtyrannytoshelter

We would betray truth were it to be said that government tyranny does notexistinGuyanatoday,in this its era of the greatest promise. This,weregret.

It is to our immense regretalsothatthefreedoms thatrealEmancipationfoster are now subject to revolting leadershiptyrannies.

When political leaders are constrained by artificial circumstances of their own

makingtospeakwithclarion clarity, then they have done something, made some arrangement that tyrannizes their already fragile hold on f r a n k n e s s , unambiguousness.

SATURDAY–August03,2024

Jagdeo-aone-man oilindustry

There’s no need for a PetroleumCommission! Jagdeo is the best commission Guyana can

have…

Guyana’s oil industry doesn’tneedoilexperts!

Jagdeo is the best and biggest expert Guyana has andwilleverhave!

Guyana’s oil industry doesn’t need independent and credible watchdogs and managers!

Jagdeo is all of them in one!

No surprise that Jagdeo andExxonaresotight!

Jagdeo does right by Exxon; Jagdeo is a blight to Guyanese!

WEEK-IN-REVIEW

Sunday

Guyanesetobeupdated oncurrentoilreservesin oneweek–VPJagdeo

Guyanese will be updated on the state of the country’s oil reserves in one week’s time after the government receives its second quarter report from ExxonMobil Guyana, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo disclosedonThursday

The Vice President was at the time responding to questions about the oil reserve posed by Kaieteur News. He was asked: “Over the past two years, we have beenaskingforanupdateof thereservesandS&PGlobal had come out with an estimation of 18.7 billion barrels. Can you comment on this and if it is true, can you give a reason as to why the government hasn’t been updatingthepubliconthis?”

Inresponse,Jagdeosaid, “Sothelastreportwehad… remember I told you every quarter we get a report… I hopeyourecallthat…Sothe next report is due within a week,maybeoneweekfrom now so the last report at the levelofreservethatwegave you,”hesaid.

Jagdeoexplainedthatthe quarterly report is due a week from Thursday (last) and,“Let’sseeifthisonewill update the reserve. So when wegetthenewreportwhich is a requirement that the companyhastofulfill,thatis quarterlyreportandithasto also in that report (will) speak about updating reserves,atthattime,wewill tell you what the figure is in theupdatedreport.”

American analytics companyS&PGlobalInc.in its May report said that Guyana’s oil reserves has increased to approximately 18 7 billion barrels of recoverable resources since 2015 The report was compiled by S&P Global Commodity Insights analystsFernandaMachado, Mariana Anjos and Jerry Jarvis.

“Injustnineyears,ithas established itself as the fifth largest [basin] in Latin America, while continuing togrow,”theanalystssaid.

Productionisexpectedto peak in 2037 at 2.3 million boe/d, with oil accounting for90%,theysaid.

“High-quality, lowemissions and cost-effective barrelshavealreadyreached European markets,” the analysts said. “Currently, all

gas production is associated with oil and reinjected, but themarketedgasisexpected toincrease.”

Concerns have been raised about the lack of transparency about the country’s oil reserves. The Government of Guyana has failedtoregularlyupdatethe public on the status of the reserves and how they are beingmanaged.

In April, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo explained that while the recent discoveries made by ExxonMobil are substantial, they do not represent a significant increase in the country’s overall oil reserves.

The last resource count, dated April 26, 2022, declared the recoverable resource for the Stabroek Blockatnearly11billionoilequivalent barrels Since then,Exxonannouncedeight discoveries, the Seabob-1 and Kiru-Kiru-1 wells, Sailfin-1, Yarrow-1, Fangtooth SE, Lancetfish-1, and Lancetfish-2 wells, along with the recently announced Bluefin discovery.

It was revealed that the Lancetfish discovery, which was made in April 2023, averaged some 100 million tons, which is equivalent to 746 million barrels, according to the conversion formula of the Independent Petroleum Association of America.

The Vice President told reporters, “Right now, there is an assumption that the information is being withheld, that’s false I pointedouttoyouthatweget these reports every three months and the reports that we have state what the reserves are and that has not changed materially over the past maybe year or so, so that’s not withholding informationthatwehave.”

According to him, “Information about the reserves have been part of thatreportandit’saroundthe same 11 billion barrels. I’ve pointed out that a discovery doesn’t mean that you know the size of the reserve.Thattogettosizeof reserve, long after the discovery, you have to do appraisal, see the type of rock, a complex process before you get to the reserve.”

In contradiction to the VP’s words in May of this year Chairman of Wales Development Authority, AsgarAllysaidthatsome15 billion barrels of oil have already been discovered in

theStabroekBlock.

This is despite Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo and ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) Country Manager, Alistair Routledge maintaining that thecountry’sresourceshave not significantly moved sincethelastupdatein2022 when it was at 11 billion barrels.

Costfortreatingproduced watertoberevealedby Govt.audit–Jagdeo

Guyana’s chief policy maker on oil and gas, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday said that the cost for treating produced water to be revealed by a government audit. The Vice President was at the time addressing reporters at his weekly press conference held at Freedom House, RobbStreet,Georgetown.

Jagdeowasasked,“What is the government’s preferred method for Exxon to deal with produced water andcanyousayhowmuchis being spent to treat it currently?”

In response, he said the government has “an audit process to see whether the expenditureonactivitiesthat aredonewithinthecompany that they meet international standards. So that is my answer for you. When you can tell me how much they pay for snacks well maybe I’dfindout…everyweekI’d have to find out now how much Routledge use to pay forthetaxitocomefromthe a i r p o r t d o w n t o Georgetown.”

Jagdeo failed to disclose how much ExxonMobil Guyana is paying to treat produced water from the three oil projects that are in operation.

“They may be inflating the snacks we might be buyingatennisrolltherefor Idon’tknowwhatasixpack of tennis roll what it cost now, might be $600 instead

of $350 They may be inflating the cost for the tennis roll.These have to be audited, they have to be audited. That’s the purpose of a post audit,” Jagdeo told reporters.

He added, “You think everydayIamcheckinghow muchExxonpaysfortreated water, next week you will ask me how much they are payingforsnacks.Idealwith policy issues so that would…like last week the cappingstackyouaskedme. Oh Jagdeo doesn’t know how much Exxon pays for capping stack It’s a subscription you could easily find out what the rate of the subscription they pay at So it’s ridiculous statements to give you headlines.”

Produced water is a liquidthatisextractedduring oil production activities. It contains dissolved mineral salts, or may be mixed with organic compounds such as acids, waxes, and mineral oils. It may also be mixed with inorganic metals and byproducts or with trace amountsofheavymetalsand naturally-occurring radioactivematerials,theUS Department of Energy said inaresearchpaper.Itisalso usually very high in temperature, and can be deadly to marine organisms. Due to its toxicity, this substance is best re-injected into the wells, though this maybeacostlyexercise.

ExecutiveDirectorofthe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kemraj Parsram recently revealed that the operator of the oil richStabroekBlockhasbeen feeding the regulator with informationrelativetotheoil concentration in the treated produced water being dischargeddaily

According to him, “That is within our key surface waters and offshore as well. The plan is to put these sensors that measure the water quality or measure pollutants in water, in the surface water, in our rivers and we can actually at our offices or on our mobile phones we can actually see realtime,whatisthequality of those parameters – for example turbidity, temperature, ph, total dissolved solids- these are key parameters that indicate thehealthofourwaters.”

Parsram continued, “Remember they (Exxon) have to treat that produced water before they discharge andtheyhavetobringtheoil in the water content in alignment with the World

Bank IFC Standards, which is 49 mg per day or an average 29 milligrams per liter per month ” The Executive Director of the EPAwent on to explain that the sensors on the FPSOs then feed the information to the EPA. “So we have a live platform at the EPA where we actually can see, minute byminute,theconcentration ofoilinproducedwater,”he noted.

FormerHeadoftheEPA, Dr Vincent Adams had previously raised concerns regarding the concentration of oil in produced water b e i n g d u m p e d b y ExxonMobil.Hepointedout thatwhilethemulti-national corporation should be made to re-inject the produced water into the wells, the governmenthasreversedthe environmentalregulationsto allowthecompanytoinstead dumpthiswasteoverboard.

Monday

Speakerunsurewhen questionsonsafetyof Exxon’srampedupoil productionwouldbe addressedinParliament

As questions continue to swirl over the breaching of safe operating limits of the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels currently in operation, Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir is unsure when the matter would be addressedintheHouse.

Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), David

Patterson had submitted questions on July 8, 2024 to be addressed by ViAFce President, Bharrat Jagdeo; however the questions were not included on the Order Paper for next Wednesday’s sitting.

In an invited comment, Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs

explained that there is a 21 days criteria between when the notice with regard to a questionispublishedandthe date in which it makes the orderpaper

Isaacs noted therefore that since the question did notmeetthe21dayscriteria, itwasnotplacedontheorder paper for Wednesday, July 31, 2024. He said it will likely make the next date before Parliament goes into recess onAugust 10. “There are two sittings before the parliament goes into recess. July 31 being one of those dates,Ibelievethequestions canmaketheorderpaperfor thenextscheduledsittingbut the decision ultimately lies with the Speaker…” Isaacs said.

When contacted, Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir howevertoldKaieteurNews that he is not sure when the questions will be dealt with. “I can’t say for sure that it will be dealt with before the [parliamentary] recess,” Nadir said briefly. The National Assembly is expected to go on recess on August10.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permits for Liza Destiny, Liza Unity and Prosperity approved the safe operating limits for the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels at 120,000 bpd (Liza Destiny) and 220,000 bpd (Liza Unity and Prosperity) but the company has been grantedapprovaltopush oil production beyond the safe operating limits outlined in the Environmental Impact Assessments(EIAs)foreach of the three projects currentlyproducingoil.

Exxon Mobil Guyana had announced that of February2024,LizaDestiny wasproducing160,000bpd, LizaUnity,250,000bpdand Prosperity 230,000 bpd Additionally, the company has stated “that production increases never occur without strict reviews, risk assessments, and that all of those are being reviewed by the Government and the EPA”.However,theconcern being raised is chiefly that since Exxon is operating above the approved safety limits, its operations may leadtoanoilspill.

As such, Patterson’s is seekingcopiesofdocuments of the technical and environmental assessments onoilproductioninGuyana. His question reads “Can the HonourableVice-President (Continuedonpage13)

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

AFC Member of Parliament (MP), David Patterson

Frompage12

provide the National Assembly with copies of documents submitted by ExxonMobil detailing the technical and environmental assessments undertaken to justify the increased production above the previously approved Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permit limits?”

Additionally, the Opposition MP noted that the company reported “that production increases never occurwithoutstrictreviews, riskassessments,andthatall of those are being reviewed by the Government and the EPA”.

Assuch,heisaskingthe VicePresidenttoprovidethe National Assembly with copies of the revised Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which permits approving the increaseddailyproduction.

‘Probeintocorruptionin Guyanamuststartwith Jagdeo’–PNCRsays

The main opposition party – Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR)

on Sunday said that

investigations into corruption in Guyana must start with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and his rulingPPP/CGovernment.

The PNCR said that

Jagdeo’s sudden interest in ensuring corruption is investigated“isanattemptto appear concerned about corruption, protect himself and the corrupt PPP regime while shifting the focus away from them to public servants with the aim of browbeating the people of Guyana and make them believe the PPP regime is interested in fighting corruption-theyarenot,they are the architects of, and complicitincorruption.”

On Monday March 19, US Candidate to the Human

Rights Committee for the years 2023- 2026, Professor Laurence Helfer had grilled Minister of Governance, Gail Teixeira at its 140th session, for answers on its shortcomingswhenitcomes to transparency and investigating allegations of corruptpractices.

In posing questions about alleged corruption in Guyana Helfer said that the human rights committee understands that the current Guyana Government had dismantled the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) when it took office and in 2020, in response to concerns about its effectiveness and asked which agency is now responsible for recovering stolenstateassets.

He then followed up by pointing out that the Human Rights Committee reiterates its “request for information on measures to ensure prompt and effective investigations into allegationsofcorruptionand the prosecution of perpetrators” before stating “The committee is aware of public frustration regarding for example the failure to investigate reports of corruptionbyVicePresident BharratJagdeo”.

Helfer did not say what alleged corrupt practices Jagdeo is accused of but Teixeira in her response spokeofaViceNewsarticle that accused him of using a Chinese businessman, Zhi Rong Su to “cash bribes for governmentcontracts”.

She said, “…there was no follow-up because there wasnopolicereportmadeby Vice News or anybody else and so police cannot investigate without some formofreportorcomplaint.”

“However, the VP has answered this issue publicly several times in the same media that has carried these reports”,Teixeiraadded.

In2022,Jagdeo’sformer friend and tenant, Zhi Rong Su implicated him (Jagdeo) inbriberyandcorruption. SuhaddisclosedtoVICE News reporters posing as Chinese investors that Jagdeo took “cash bribes” for multimillion dollar contracts and that he (Su) washismiddleman.

VICE News on July 7, 2022 premiered a documentary with its f i n d i n g s I n t h e documentary, Jagdeo called Su “a good friend of ours” and his tenant during an interview with one of the VICENews’reporters. A local group Institute

for Action Against

Discrimination (IFAAD) had also formally lodged a complaint against Jagdeo to A c t i n g P o l i c e Commissioner, Clifton Hicken to investigate corruption allegations againstVice-President.

The police chief was writtenafterthegovernment told United Nations (UN) Human rights Committee CCPR that it never investigated Jagdeo because no official police report was made against him. In the letter also copied to the DirectorPublicProsecution, Shalimar Ali Hack SC. and s i g n e d b y f o r m e r Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine, the organisation requested that a formal investigation be launched intoallegationsofcorruption madeagainstJagdeobyVice News.

“The evidence presented in their report suggests that high level officials may be engaging in illicit activities, which must be thoroughly investigated to maintain public trust and uphold the ruleoflaw,”theIFAADsaid w h i l e u r g i n g t h e Commissionertoensurethat the investigation be done transparently and without anyobstruction.TheIFAAD a d d e d , “ O n c e t h e investigation has been completed, we kindly requestthatyoushareallthe findings with the public,” IFAADsaidwhilecallingon Hicken to take the appropriate legal action if the allegations made are “substantiated” with evidence.

Independentprobe

Meanwhile, in its statement the PNCR said if Jagdeo and the PPP are serious about fighting the scourge of corruption, then they must start with an independent investigation into the allegations of bribery and corruption against Jagdeo that were disclosed in the Vice News documentary

“They must recognize thatindroppingthe19fraud chargesagainstPresidentAli and those against other former ministers, they have very early in this term signaled the Guyanese society that corruption is acceptable.”

According to the PNCR, the PPP regime cannot be selective in who they investigate and prosecute. “Allmustbeequalbeforethe law and therefore the many serious allegations against the PPP regime, their families, friends and

favorites must be

investigatedandwherethere have been breaches of the law, they must face the full forceofthelaw.”

“Let it be made very clear, we believe that the senior police officers and otherpublicservants,private citizens and all involved in corruption must be investigated and prosecuted once they are found to have violatedthelaw

Whatweareobjectingto, is the regime protecting its elite, families, friends and favorites while farcically goingafterpublicservantsto shift focus away from the PPP regime which is extremelycorrupt,complicit incorruptionandcreatedthe conditions for corruption to engulf the entire Guyanese society.”

Only last week speaking on the subject of alleged corruption in the Guyana Police Force Jagdeo assured thattherewillbenocover-up in the probe into the alleged financial impropriety and other acts of corruption by officers.

The investigations will be conducted by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).TheVicePresident saidthatitishisgovernment that has depoliticised the Force and assures that an impartial investigation will beconducted.Itisimportant tonotethatSOCUisanarm oftheGPF

The announcement that SOCU will head the investigation into the corruption allegations against members of the Force sparked much discussionaspunditsbelieve thatthesituationmirrorsthe proverbialcatandmilk.

Since the surfacing of allegations of financial impropriety within the GPF, three senior officers were reassigned while Assistant PoliceCommissionerCalvin Brutus, one of the reassigned,requestedannual leave to facilitate an investigation into the corruptionallegations.

“I see that in some cases they want external agencies to investigate, to undermine local institutions. We have depoliticized SOCU. SOCU doesn’t go after political opponentsnow,theygoafter criminal matters. That used to happen under APNU, it was politicized. SOCU is an agencydedicatedtothissort of investigation— there will benocoverup.

And it’s shameful that some people would try to undermine the same institutions that we are all

tryingtobuild,”hesaid.

Tuesday

Mozambiquedemands oilcompaniesprovide salaries,contractsums toGovt. –whileJagdeosays Guyanahasnosayin awardofcontractsby ExxonM

The Government of Mozambique is demanding thatoilcompaniesoperating thereprovideinformationon salaries paid to their employees as well as the contract sums for the provision of goods and services.

However, although Guyana is in a 50/50 profit sharing agreement with oil giant ExxonMobil, the country’schiefpolicymaker in the oil and gas sector Bharrat Jagdeo has said that thegovernmenthasnosayin Exxon’s award of contracts

or the spending of the oil companies in the sector He once directed a reporter to Exxon to have an explanation provided on its spending.

On Friday (last),

360mozambique com reported that according to Lusa, the new regulations in place, applies mainly to the foreignconcessionarieswho haveoperationsintheoiland gas sector in the African country Mozambique has the third largest natural gas fields in Africa currently estimated at an astonishing 180billioncubicfeet.

The document seen by Lusastates,‘Themainaimis to ensure that citizens have access to employment opportunities,topromotethe training of workers and companies through national and international cooperation and to ensure the participation of local suppliers in the contracting ofgoodsandservices.’

Additionally, the oil

companies must submit the necessary documents to the National Petroleum Institute (INP)toprovethenumberof employees, a list of their namesandmustalsospecify data such as origin, gender and must include people with disabilities Also includedshouldbethesalary scale and the respective allowances for the various positionsoftheemployees.

With regard to the contracting of goods and services, companies will have to provide information on the nationality of the contracted companies, ensure compliance with the right of first refusal and submit documents proving the calls for tenders and offers from all participating suppliers.

“The main aim is to ensure that citizens have access to employment opportunities,topromotethe training of workers and companies through national and international cooperation and to ensure the participation of local suppliersintheprocurement ofgoodsandservices”

In regards to the work force’scomposition,thelaw stipulatesthatthecompanies must ensure that the local workforce must comprise of at least 25% in senior positions and the other 85% must be in technical positions. If there are no locals qualified to do the work, then the companies will be allowed to hire foreignersoncethecompany proves that recruiting local workersisimpossible.

Furthermore, the law a l s o r e q u i r e s concessionaires to provide training grants, which must includeatleast“1,200hours of technical-vocational training and 600 hours of vocational training, as well as higher education opportunities During the research and development and production periods, the companies must ensure that training scholarships are awarded at educational institutions in Mozambique and abroad, with the aim of training Mozambicans in various areas, including higher education, technicalvocational courses and vocationaltraining.”

It has been reported before about the corrupt background of a number of companies with which ExxonMobil has handed contracts to provide goods and services to the sector WhentheVicePresidentwas askedbythispublicationto (Continuedonpage40)

Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

BLUNT BLUNT

A GOVT. OPERATING IN THE DARK

The PPPC Government is afraid of the truth so it immerses itself in deceit and darkness.

What kind of government runs from truth, hides behind extravagant falsehoods, slink towards darkness?

What does it say of the servants and their leaders that they have such a morbid dread of truth and light that they seek refuge behind high fences, higher government offices, and the grossest deceptions?

From life, we all know what those who have terrible secrets to conceal do. They cannot face honest people. They can’t deal with straight talk, so they steal away and twist things that expose their vulgar character, their corruption practices that diminish this nation so much.

BLUNT

Over60companiesalready onboardforGuyana EnergyConference& SupplyChainExpo2025

regional Heads of State, world-renowned industry e

internationalinnovators.

Among the sponsors already on board are TechnipFMC, Noble, Stena Drilling,ExproGuyanaInc., BK Group of Companies, andMECPSales&Services.

Atotal of 63 companies have already signed up for the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo (GECSEC), set for February 18th to 21st, 2025attheMarriottHotelin Georgetown.

This flagship event, whichenjoysthefullsupport of the Guyana government, p

unparalleled gathering of

Adiverserangeofexhibitors h

d participation for the worldclassevent. T

include: Service Guyana, HVAC

Management Limited, Keen360, and N&S Algoo L

Brokerage Services Inc. They will be joined by Oil Zone Manufacturing & Services Inc , Kalglas

InternationalInc.,FreeRock Trading Company Limited, and GO NDE Inc. Slated to participatealsoistheGuyana Na

Bu

of Standards which serves as one of the key oversight bodies for measurements on Guyana's FPSOs while also operating as a guardian of high standards for quality of productsandservices.

Other industry giants set toparticipateincludeBoxhill Comp

y Enterprise, Quality Coatings Inc , RLTCA, QSI International SchoolofGuyana,Zamcorp, Impact Fluid Solutions, AnalyticalTechnologiesInc, Europe Caribbean Line, Asequith Guyana Inc., V75 (the Exclusive Digital (Continuedonpage56)

RegionalandIndustryLeadersattheopeningOfTheInternationalEnergyConferenceAndExpoGuyanalastyear

EdwardsTeija

“Sometimeslifeislikethisdarktunnel.Youcan'talwaysseethelightattheendofthetunnel,butifyoujustkeep movingyouwillcometoabetterplace.”–isaquotetakenfromUncleIroh,(FromAvatar:TheLastAirbender) Thesearewordsthatthisweek'sbeauty,TeijaEdwards,aFineArtsstudentattheUniversityofGuyana,livesby TeijaispassionateabouttheartsandcultureandhopestohelpimprovethissectorinGuyana.Sheisanavid loverofpageantryhavingcompetedintwo. Thisweek'sbelleaspirestopursueaMasterofArtsinCarnival Studies.Sheisanathlete,alevelonesquashcoach,abigtimefanofFormulaOneandabiglover ofSocamusicwithnotableexperiencesbeingintheJuniorSocaMonarchin2023and2024.

GNBS Gold Jewellery Certification: Kings Jewellery world

King’s Jewellery World has been successfully certified by the GNBS for conforming to the requirementsoftheGYS50: 2022Standard,Specification forGoldArticles.

In a brief ceremony, a certificate and plaque were handed over by GNBS Head

(Ag) of Certification Services, Keon Rankin, and Technical Officer, Latchman Mootoosammi, to the General Manager of King’s Jewellery World, Rohandev Persaud, and Head of

Manufacturing, Zachary Persaud, respectively, in the presence of staff members andothers.

Customerscanbeassured that when purchasing gold jewellery from King’s Jewellery World, they will receive items that have been tried, tested, and proven for quality For more information contact our Certification Services Department at 2190064-66 or e-mail certification@gnbsgy.org to learn more about our CertificationProgramme.

Acertificate and plaque were handed over by GNBS Head (Ag) of Certification Services, Keon Rankin, and Technical Officer, Latchman Mootoosammi, to the General Manager of King’s Jewellery World, Rohandev Persaud, and Head of Manufacturing, Zachary Persaud.

By Rennie P

Crafting a Winning Business Plan

Talking Dollars & Making Sense Talking Dollars & Making Sense Crafting a Winning Business Plan

Welcome back to description emphasizes clients receive expert advice funding, detail your funding statements, cash flow relevantdocuments. Talking Dollars & Making John’s background in andservices. requirements, potential statements, and balance Practical Tips Sense Today,we’regoingto agriculture

nd his Products or Services Line future funding requirements sheets for the next three to

explore how to craft a commitment to promoting Describe your products over the next five years, and five years Explain your Thoroughly: Use reliable winning business plan. A sustainable farming or services in detail. Explain how you will use the funds projections and how you sources for your market solid business plan is your practices. thebenefitsandwhytheyare you receive. Include your arrived at them. Include a analysis and financial roa

map to success, MarketAnalysis unique. Include information strategic financial plans for break-evenanalysis. projections. outlining your strategy and In the market analysis about the product lifecycle, the future, like investing in Rainbow Pastry Shop 2. Be Realistic: Set the steps you need to grow section, you need to research and your plans for research capital expenditure, working Rainbow Pastry Shop, achievable goals and your business. Let’s dive in, your industry, market size, anddevelopment. capital or increasing owned by Ayesha, offers r

using Guyanese case studies expected growth, and target Fresh Wave Juices employees. freshly baked goods using projections. toillustrateeachpart. customers. It should include Fresh Wave Juices, Solar Future Solutions localingredients.

3. Update Regularly: Why a Business Plan an analysis of your launched by Priya, offers a Solar Future Solutions, The financial projections Keep your business plan Matters competitors and detail your range of fresh, organic created by Anil, seeks to show expected revenues current to reflect any A business plan is marketresearchfindings. juices The product line provide affordable solar based on current sales, changes in your business essentialbecauseithelpsyou Coastal Breeze Eco-Tours section details the unique energy solutions to rural projected growth due to new environmentorstrategy clarify your business idea, Coastal Breeze Eco- flavors inspired by local areas. marketing strategies, and Crafting a winning set goals, and plan how to Tours, established by Sarah, fruits, the health benefits of The funding request plans to open a second business plan is crucial for achieve them It’s also provides eco-friendly tours consuming organic juices, outlines the need for GYD location. the success of your business crucial when seeking focusing on the region’s and plans for expanding the $15 million to expand Ayesha includes detailed inGuyana.Itprovidesaclear funding from investors or natural beauty. Sarah’s product line to include production, invest in income and cash flow roadmap, helps attract banks. Think of it as your market analysis highlights smoothiesandhealthsnacks. marketing, and hire statements,showinghowthe investors, and ensures you business’sblueprint. the growing trend in eco- Priya also discusses her additional staff. Anil also business will remain stay on track with your Executive Summary tourism, detailed competitor ongoing research into new details how the funds will profitablewhileexpanding. businessgoals. The executive summary analysis, and insights from recipes and potential for help achieve the company’s Appendix Stay tuned for more is the first section of your surveys indicating strong export. long-term goal of making Include any additional practical tips and insights in business plan but should be interest from international Marketing and Sales solar energy accessible information that supports our next column. Until then, written last. It provides an tourists in sustainable travel Strategy acrossGuyana. your business plan, such as keep refining your plans and overview of your business, options. Outline how you will Financial Projections r e s u m e s , l e g a l moving forward on your including your mission Organization and attract and retain customers. I n c l u d e i n c o m e documentation, and other entrepreneurialjourney! statement, product or Management T

s e r v i c e , a n d b a s i c This section outlines marketing strategy (social information about your y o u r b u s i n e

company’s leadership team, organizational structure, partnerships) and sales employees,andlocation. detailing the ownership, strategy (sales process, sales Tropical Tastes Catering management team, and team,pricing). Tropical Tastes Catering, board of directors if Artisan Craft Collective founded by Maria, aims to applicable. Include bios of Artisan Craft Collective bring authentic Guyanese key team members and their promoteslocallymadecrafts cuisine to corporate events roles. and art The marketing and private parties The Tech Savvy Solutions strategy focuses on building e x e c u t i v e s u m m a r y Tech Savvy Solutions, a an online presence through a highlights the business’s startup founded by Kamal, dedicated website and social mission to provide high- offersITconsultingservices. media, attending local craft quality, culturally rich food The organization and fairs, and partnering with experiences, outlining the management section tourist spots to display and team’s expertise in culinary includes profiles of Kamal, sell products The sales artsandeventplanning. the CEO, and his partners strategy includes both direct Company Description who bring extensive sales and consignment with This section provides experience in software localretailers. detailed information about development, and project Funding Request your business, including the management, ensuring If you’re seeking problems your business solves,themarketneeds,and how your products or services meet those needs. It shouldalsocoverthehistory, structure, and ownership of thebusiness.

Green Garden Supplies

Green Garden Supplies, started by John, addresses the lack of quality gardening suppliesintheregion.John’s company supplies organic fertilizers, plants, and gardening tools, catering to home gardeners and small farmers The company

Andorra

significant.

its institutions are based in changed this structure and one in Spain and one in Although not a member Catalonian law, and a large transferred most of the France, originated in the late of the European Union, proportion of the Spanish powers of the coprinces to 13th century in a proprietary Andorra has used the euro as im

the General Council, which quarrel between the Spanish

A n d o r r a , s m a l l , cultivable, the traditional its de facto primary currency descendants) in Andorra are became a true national bishops of Urgel and the landlocked, independent economy centred on the since 2002. In July 2011 Catalan. MostAndorrans are parliament elected by Frenchheirstothecountship European coprincipality pasturing of sheep and the Andorra concluded a Roman Catholic; Andorra is universal suffrage Every of Urgel Andorra was situated among the southern harvesting of modest monetary agreement with part of the diocese of Urgel. four years, the General subsequently governed peaks of the Pyrenees quantities of tobacco, rye, the EU that made the euro its Almost nine-tenths of the Council elects an Executive jointly by representatives of Mountains and bounded by wheat, olives, grapes, and official currency, although population is classified as Councilpresidentwhoheads the Spanish bishop of Urgel France to the north and east potatoes Industry was the Andorran government urban, and half of residents the government and who and of the French head of andbySpaintothesouthand limited to processing these was not granted the power to are foreign nationals, mainly then chooses cabinet state,eachofwhomreceived west. products and to handicrafts. issueitsowneurobanknotes. from Spain, France, and members. anannualpaymentofatoken It is one of the smallest Because of the lack of No railway system exists, Portugal. Andorra’s independence tribute. states in Europe. The capital customs duties and low or but good roads link Andorra History is traditionally ascribed to This feudal system of isAndorralaVella. nonexistent taxes, Andorra with France and Spain, and H i s t

government remained intact Geography has become an important theprincipalityisservedbya coprinces (the French recovered the region from

Andorra consists of a international centre of retail smallairportinSeodeUrgel, president and the bishop of the Muslims in 803, and to constitution was adopted cluster of mountain valleys trade that has attracted Spain. Urgel) represented Andorra his son Louis I (the Pious), that greatly reduced the whose streams unite to form millionsofshoppersfromall The University of internationally and jointly whograntedtheinhabitantsa power of the coprinces and theValiraRiver over Europe with its duty- Andorra was established in headed the government

Twoofthesestreams,the free imported consumer 1997; it has faculties in throughtheirdelegates. Charlemagne’s grandson, executive, legislative, and Madriu and the Perafita, goods, including alcoholic nursing, computer studies, The elected members of Charles II, granted Andorra judici

flow into the Madriu- beverages, electronic and virtual studies and Andorra’s unicameral to the counts of Urgel, from government. Perafita-Clarorvalley,which devices, tobacco, and continuing education legislature, the 28-member whom it passed to the Andorra subsequently occupies about one-tenth of clothing.

Virtually all Andorrans are General Council of the bishopsofUrgel. joined the United Nations Andorra’s land area and is Tourism is another of literate. Valleys,wereresponsiblefor A

(1993) and the Council of characterized by glacial Andorra’sleadingindustries, Language and Religion internal administration and allegiance to two princes, Europe(1994). landscapes, steep valleys, and the area has excellent Andorrahastraditionally functioned as both an and open pastures The opportunities for winter had a strong affinity with the informal legislature and a valley was designated a sports The construction region of Catalonia in cabinet headed by a prime UNESCO World Heritage industry flourished in northernSpain. minister sitein2004. response to the increase in Andorra’s official

The 1993 constitution,

With only a tiny tourism. The banking sector languageisCatalan(Spanish approved by Andorran proportion ofAndorra’s land is also economically and French are also spoken); voters in a referendum,

The Flag of Andorra

Food of Andorra

Casa de la Vall, the historic Parliament building of Andorra

Link Show 37: A necessary satirical review of Guyanese affairs

Link

is a necessary satirical review of the nation’s current and recent political affairs.

The37theditionof‘Link productions, with the much importance to N o r t o n , v e t e r a n adds an increased level of the cast are saying they want Show’, the Ron Robinson- assistance of seasoned Link Guyana’s social framework, actor/comedian Gerard relatabilitytotheshow to continue it, so we don’t directed annual satirical Show actors, singers, and as they do in democracies Gilkes said, “I had to do Many of the previous know yet. It’s up in the air reviewofthenation’scurrent comedians like Simone throughout the world. These some understudying and I productions happened in Let’ssee,”saidRobinson. and recent political affairs, Dowding, Kwasi Ace are, however, topics that can foundthatIwasabletobring front of a sold out Cultural He continued, “I’m very was staged at the National Edmondson, Michael be mentally draining to the character to life so it was Centre audience, however, happy that the mantle is Cultural Centre from July Ignatius, Mark-Luke discuss in a serious manner, enjoyable, and I wouldn’t this 37th edition saw a being passed on to a new 26th to 28th. The ability and Edwards,andothers. hence the employment of a mind doing it again and significant decrease to the group that will take it up and coordination of the This Link Show, satiricalreview again.” size of the audience. This is run with it and maybe even production team and actors however, saw several On this 37th edition of This speaks to the cast’s in part due to the show take it higher I’m pleased in using comedy as a means newcomers that made quite the Link Show, Ron commitmenttotheirroles,as returning to the stage after about that because it’s time of recalling, analysing, and the impact on the overall Robinsonandhisteamdived well as the respect that the several years of absence due for people like me to, sort of, critiquing Guyanese politics presentationoftheshow headfirst, as always, into production team aims to totheCOVID-19pandemic. sit in the back and look on allowed them to meet and Oneofthosenewcomers, s o m e o f t h e m o s t show to the subjects of their It is fair to say that the and maybe still advise or exceed the expectations of 21-year-old Latifah Agard, controversial and pressing satiricalanalysis. pandemic changed the lives help,but it’s timefor themto their audience and put on an highlighted the influence of issuesinthenation’spolitics. Skits like the ones about and routines of people all takeover.” impressive show, which the show’s director, These included the

the Cemetery Road project around the world, however, “The goal is to raise could possibly be the final producer, and senior cast management of its oil sector, and the Stabroek Market the rise of technology in awareness in a very Link Show ever, according membersonherexperience. the various improprieties of gave a glimpse of many of Guyana has also greatly humorousway,wetriedtodo toRobinson.

“Working with Uncle politicians and other public the issues that affect impacted how people intake skitsthatwithillicitlaughter, Founders of The Theatre Ron and Ms. Gem on this figures, as well as other Guyanese on an everyday mediainallitsforms. but there are salient points company (TTC), Ron particular project has been pressingissues. basis, and their feelings In part due to this, Mr and serious issues and we RobinsonandGemMadhoo, different from working with The show was at its towards these issues. This Robinsonandtheproduction hope that you find this alien were the director and them with any other type of comedic peak when it works well, because team are unsure of what the points and we hope that this producer of the show, plays or skits and just portrayed politicians such as Guyanese are able to future may hold for the Link awarenessaffectsthepowers respectively, as they have watching the actors taking a Guyana’s President, Irfaan essentially watch depictions Showseries. that be and that we see donesincethefirsteditionof script that may be very Ali; Opposition Leader, of themselves and their “It just might be the last change from the little theshowin1981. straightforward and then Aubrey Norton; and Vice opinions on stage, which Link Show ever, but some of comedythatwedo.”

That production, 43 colouring it so the audience President,BharratJagdeo. years ago, happened in the couldlaughwithithasbeena The depictions of same year that TTC was different experience and I characters such as these did founded, and has been an wouldn’t change it for the a n a m a z i n g j o b o f annual mainstay in world and I really enjoyed confrontingmanyofthevery Guyanese theatre for my first Link Show,” she realandconsequentialissues decadessince. said. surrounding these figures in

These veteran backstage Critique and analysis of alightheartedmanner leaders displayed their the political characters and S p e a k i n g o f h i s experienceinputtingonsuch events are concepts that bear experience playing Aubrey

Show 37

A part of Link Show 37 at the National Cultural Centre.

Interesting Creatures...West African Lungfish

(National Geographic)

D

he unique

the Nat Geo WILD series African lungfish are so

Meet the African “Destination Wild,” and use inactive that many aquarium lungfish, a prehistoric fish our glossary to help answer owners mistakenly think that travels through water questions in the Questions theirfishisdead! and mud, and across land. tab. Learn more about these The West African

fascinatingfishwithourFast lungfish is an omnivore. It adaptations that make Facts The West African feeds on everything from survival possible for this lungfish digs its burrow frogs, fish, and mollusks to fish. using its mouth. It chews tree roots and seeds.

WestAfricanlungfishare through the moist earth, Although larger fish and prehistoric animals. They excretingthemudthroughits mammals may prey on havesurvivedunchangedfor gills. juvenile lungfish, the adult so long (nearly 400 million

The largest specimen of lungfish has no major y

West African lungfish was a predators. sometimes nicknamed meter (3.3 feet) long and There are four species of “living fossils ” West weighed a whopping 4 Africanlungfish.(Theonein African lungfish have kilograms(nearly9pounds). theDestinationWildvideois remarkable adaptations that West African lungfish the West African lungfish, have helped them survive: a h a v e a

found in freshwater habitats primitivelungandtheability metabolism This means throughout sub-Saharan to survive in a state of they are much less active Africa.) Other species of estivation, which is similar also involves a number of adaptation of burrowing can survive during a long thanotherfish,andoftenrest lungfish are indigenous to tohibernation. biological adaptations, allows lungfish to create a periodofdormancy at the bottom of a lakebed or A

A lungfish’s lung is a including the excretion of a protected habitat where they Watch this video, from riverbed In fact, West America. biological adaptation A mucus ”cocoon” and biological adaptation is a digestion of the fish’s own physical change in an muscle tissue to obtain organism that develops over nutrients. time. Like all fish, lungfish A lungfish’s estivation haveorgansknownasgillsto also includes a behavioral extract oxygen from water adaptation A behavioral The biological adaptation of adaptation describes a way the lung allows lungfish to an organism acts. Prior to also extract oxygen from the estivation,lungfishfuriously air burrow into the muddy A lungfish’s estivation ground The behavioral

Guyana Fashion Showcase makes spectacular comeback in time for CPL cricket Carnival

After a four-year hiatus, the Guyana Fashion Showcase (GFS) is making a spectacular comeback, promising to captivate fashion enthusiasts with its blend of local andinternationalstyles.

ScheduledforOctober4,2024, at the National Gallery of Art, Castellani House in Georgetown, this year's showcase will be a highlight of the CPL Cricket Carnival.

Thethemeforthisyear'sevent, “Style with Beauty in the Rainforest,”capturestheessenceof Guyana's lush and vibrant natural landscapes Th

announcementoftheshowcasewas made during a press conference held on Friday at Colabs Guyana Inc, located at 43 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown. The conference was hosted by Philbert Giddings, CEO and Founder of GFS; Michelle Cole Wagner, international designer and head of the brand COLEFACTS; and Sharminah Leah, an international actressandmodel.

Sharminah Leah, who is visiting Guyana for the first time, sharedheremotionalconnectionto the country “I love Guyana; my dad is from Guyana and I feel at home,” she said, highlighting her deep personal resonance with the event.

Miss Guyana Culture Queen 2024,ShequanaHolder,slatedtobe one of the prominent faces of the GFS, but was unable to attend the press conference due to her travel commitments. Her presence at the

Shequana Holder donned in a Randy Madray haute couture gold gown

showcase will further elevate the event'sprofile.

The inaugural Guyana Fashion Showcase,heldonMay24,2019,at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel in Providence, was a groundbreakingsuccess.Itfeatured a diverse array of international, regional, and local designers, setting a high standard for future events. This year's showcase aims tobuildonthatlegacybyproviding even more opportunities for local talent to shine on an international stage.

Michelle Cole Wagner emphasized the broader vision of theGFS:“TheGuyanashowcaseis notjustafashionshow;wenotonly bring fashion in all its facets but also teach students and all those who are interested It's about nurturing talent and fostering creativityacrosstheboard.”

The excitement leading up to

Model Sharminah Leah (left) CEO of GFS Philbert Giddings (center) and international designer and CEO of ColeFactsMichelle Cole Wagner (right)

the showcase included a modeling castingcall,whichtookplaceinthe evening and attracted over 50 models. These aspiring talents, both male and female, showcased their skills and struts in front of a panel of judges. The casting call wasapivotalmomentformany,as itofferedthemachancetobeapart of one of the most anticipated fashioneventsintheCaribbean.

Maya Bishop, a newcomer to the modeling world, reflected on her first audition experience: “Honestly, I feel very happy… at first,Iwasnervouswalkingatsome point,butIthinkIdidamazing.”

Freelance model Shante Washington enjoyed the casting process and the opportunity to network with other creatives. “It wasalotoffun.Itisnicetobeable to come out and sit with other creators and use our talents,” she said.

The reigning Miss Guyana Culture Queen Shequana Holder is set to headline GFS 2024. She is wearing a swimsuit by designer, Randy Madray

Teija Edwards, known for her top 5 finish in the 2024 Miss Culture Queen Pageant, saw the casting call as a chance to expand hermodelingcareer “Itfeltgoodto get back into modeling again after beinginpageantry…Ihavebeenin fashion a while now but this is my second casting ever I am pretty confident that I made it,” Edwards shared.

Joshua Bascom, a male freelance model and social media personality, appreciated the constructive feedback provided during the auditions. “ It was not badIactuallylikemyremarksandI was just happy that they didn't just letuswalkedandthenwaittohear ifwemightgetthroughornot,they gave critiques and a chance to do better and say what they were looking for The atmosphere felt very at ease and everyone was comfortable …I am 100% percent

confident in it [audition]... it was [actually]amazing.

As Guyana is renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty, including tropical rainforests, meanderingrivers,andthemajestic KaieteurFalls,theGuyanaFashion Showcaseaimstoaddanothergem tothislist:fashion.

The event promises to be a vibrant celebration of Caribbean style, showcasing a dynamic mosaic of international and local influences.

With its emphasis on creativity and collaboration, the GFS will offer a platform for designers and modelstogainsignificantexposure andconnectwithaglobalaudience. This year's showcase will not only highlight the unique fashion sensibilities of the Caribbean but also foster a greater appreciation for the region's rich cultural heritage.

in time for CPL

Guyana Fashion Showcase returns

cricket Carnival

Chante McPherson is Miss Emancipation Region Five

After weeks of rigorous

training,19year-oldChante McPherson Delegate #5

representing the village of Union West Coast Berbice (WCB) captivated the audienceandjudgestocopthecrownas th the13 queenoftheMissEmancipation RegionFivepageant.

The University of Guyana student sat down for a quick interview with the Waterfalls to give us some insight on whatthejourneywaslikeforher

During the early stages of the competition, McPherson said that she faced the struggle of securing sponsorship.

McPherson told this publication that,“Inthebeginning,sponsorshipwas hard to attain, and that led to a delay/pushback in getting things done. There were also major challenges like overcoming nerves since I am an extremely shy individual and not wanting to let anyone down because of the expectations and anticipation they had.”

The new queen disclosed that she was also challenged to defend the title whichhervillageheldlastyear

Tosaythepressurewasonwouldbe anunderstatement.

Despitethesetbacksandchallenges shepulledthroughandmadewonderful memories with her fellow delegates, whobecamelikesisters.

Thegirlsworkedtirelesslywiththeir choreographer, trainer and coordinator to perfect routines and poses for the varioussegments.

The first-year Associate of Science studentattheUniversityofGuyanaand aspirant Pediatrician noted “Winning the crown was an extremely emotional momentforme,somuchsothatIcried tearsofjoy,relief,andgratitude.

The hard work and determination finally paid off,” the newly crowned queensaid.

Asatitleholderwithresponsibilities for the next 12 months she hopes to be given the opportunity to initiate a comprehensive learning programme at the primary and secondary levels of schoolsacrosstheregiontoeducatethe youth about theAfrican culture and the importanceofkeepingitalive.

Additionally, she would also like to establish a cultural group within her community so that individuals, both youngandoldcanbeapartofsomething that aids in the preservation of the culture and helps to celebrate Africa's richheritage.

The other contestants that made up her court were Deonca Mitchell who represented Belladrum WCB, copping the1strunnerupplaceandshewasalso awardedbesttalent.

ChristalWelch,whorepresentedthe home of Soiree in Guyana Hopetown

WCB, captured the prize of 2nd up.Additionally, she was awarded smile and best evening wear Cassia Duncan- who repre Central Mahaicony and captured prizeof3rdrunnerup.

The young women of Region have for the past thirteen years, given the opportunity to experience pageantryfromaculturalaspect.

Trainer and choreographer pageant, Tonya Jones, too publication down memory lane first edition of the pageant and reasonitwascreated.

Thepageantwhichhaditsinaugural edition in 2012 is the brainchild EmersonBenjaminalsoknownas Dawg' and his team, who recognised that there was the need for an cultural pageant in the vill Hopetown,Berbice.

Sincethiswasoneoftheplantations purchasedbyformerslavesandgrowing up, the promoter told this publication thathefeltthatthevillagehadtheright toexperiencetheculturetoitsfullest.

This year's pageant saw womenofAfricanheritagevying crown. Organizers promised a funfilledandeducationalevening ladies competed in the talent, gown and question and segmentstoaccumulatethemost tosecurethecrown.

Chante McPherson

'Infallible Couture'

IByAllyiahAllicock

' m prett y sure

w e a l l heard some pointinourlives,thephrase 'You can do anything you set your mindto'.Andifyouthinkthatisnot true, then take a look at the wide arrayofyoungentrepreneursinour society that have pursued their passionanddreamsandintroduced services we didn't think were availabletous.

It is with determination and perseverance they have accomplished what they have today

One such entrepreneur who certainly took the phrase into accountbyturninghispassioninto reality is 17-year-old Roy Hamilton, the pioneer behind 'Infallible Couture', an apparel business.

In an exclusive interview with The Waterfalls, the teen from East Ruimveldt, Georgetown said he firststartedhisbusinessonAugust 25,2022atjusttheageof15.Atthe time,hewasinfourthformheading intofifthformwherehecompleted his secondary education at Pure MastersAcademy

Goingintothebusinessatsuch a young age, Hamilton said his inspirationcamefromhavinghada deep passion for creativity and fashion.

“I've always had a passion for creativity and fashion designing, I realized that I have a talent that I can pursue a career, so I put togetherthetwothingsthatIhadan immenseinterestinandmadeitmy career,”herevealed.

Recalling initial days in business,theteenagerrevealedthat thefirstproducthecreatedwasaTshirt.

Hefurtherrelated,“WhenIfirst venturedintothisbusinessIwould head downtown to purchase one HanesT-shirttoprint.

IstartedprintingTshirtsinmy bedroom.Ithenworkedmywayup to an office space and we now manufacture our own T-shirts brandedInfallibleCouture.”

“I strongly believe young entrepreneurs play a massive role in society, mainly on the younger generation by being role models and showing theyoungeronesthatthereshouldbenothing stoppingthemfromaccomplishingthegoals that they strive for.”

Whythename'Infallible Couture', according to him the words represent his business and the quality of work he delivers, “because the word infallible speaks about being incapable of failure and the word couture means makingofclothingandgarments,” headded.

Infallible Couture he shared is street-wear apparel which focuses on creating graphic designs and fashion designs, to have you look toptier

n d Approaching the 2 anniversaryofhisbusinessinafew weeks, Hamilton said that the supporttowardshisbrandhasbeen

Young Entrepreneur, Roy Hamilton

nothingshortofencouraging.

He recalled that when the business kicked off, his main support came from his family and friendsfromschool.

Sincethen,hisbrandhasgrown and saw him receiving support from consumers in different cornersofthecountry

Speaking briefly about his challenges, the young man said there are some marketing issues in order for his brand to captivate a wider audience and introduce somethingnewtothemarket.

“It's very hard to persuade Guyanese into purchasing something new especially if it was madelocally,”hesaid.

However, the young man has beenabletoovercomethisphaseby getting more into social media and networking with other businesses owners and local social media influencers Additionally, he

relatedthathehasalsoworkedwith localandinternationalartisteswho played magnanimous roles in spreadingthewordaboutInfallible Couture.

Thankful for the support, Hamiltoninformedthispublication thatpartofhislongtermgoals,isto seeInfallibleCouturebeingwornat every event, “to be in every closet and to have stores nationwide, to create jobs for likeminded individualswhoalsohaveapassion

inthesamefield.”

Speaking of creating some sort of employment in the near future, our featured entrepreneur is of a beliefthatsmallbusinessownersin society are trailblazers to the youngergeneration,whomaywant tofollowsuit.

“I strongly believe young entrepreneursplayamassiverolein society mainly on the younger generation by being role models andshowingtheyoungeronesthat there should be nothing stopping themfromaccomplishingthegoals thattheystrivefor,”hesaid.

Asked what he thinks can be done more in our

grow, he suggested for there to be more hosting of pop-up shows or expos, for them to have a platform todisplaytheirproducts.

Through this, he said, it can help give small businesses more exposure, “we can also be more supportive of each other because localsupportisscarce.”

For persons interested in apparel from Roy Hamilton's business you can check out his business pages via Instagram @the_infallible_couture, or on TikTok @infallible_couture and you can also contact via WhatsApp on telephone number (592)636-2854.

Some other designs Hamilton has worked on under his brand.

Pregnant Cardi B confirms estranged husband

Offset is the father of

(Enews!)-CardiB,who is pregnant with her third child amid her divorce from Offset, has confirmed he is thefather

In her divorce filing, whichwasobtainedbyTMZ Friday, the “WAP” rapper, 31, noted the paternity as part of her request for child support.

She and the Migos member, 32, are also parents to daughter Kulture, 6, and son Wave, 2 Per the outlet, Cardi’s petition confirmsthatsheis seeking primary custody of their three kids, which Page Six was first to report along with the news of their divorce.

She also reportedly wants all the personal property they acquired during their seven-year marriage to be divided equally

AccordingtoTMZ,there is no explicit mention of a prenuptial agreement, and Cardi cited “irreconcilable

differences”asthereasonfor thesplit.

Reps for the estranged couple did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requestforcomment.

In her divorce filing, Cardi reportedly noted the paternity as part of her requestforchildsupport.

Cardi’s petition reportedly confirms that she is seeking primary custody of their three kids, which Page Six was first to report along with the news of their divorce.

Hours after we revealed on Thursday that Cardi wants out of the union, she announcedshe’sexpecting.

“With every ending comes a new beginning!” shecaptionedtwoInstagram photosshowinghercradling herexposedbabybump.

third baby in divorce filing

Rapper Cardi B

“Iamsogratefultohave shared this season with you, you have brought me more love, more life and most of all renewed my power! RemindedmethatIcanhave itall!”

Vybz Kartel is free, and he dropped a new project to celebrate

Jamaican Dancehall sensation

Vybz Kartel

Billboard - First Week

Out is 12 tracks long and clocks in at around 33 minutes,withSquashbeing featuredonfoursongs.The project, courtesy of 21st Hapilos Compilations, serves as a mixtape of loosies that have floated around since the dancehall starhasbeeninprison.

After 13 years, Vybz Kartel and three of his codefendants were released from Jamaican prison on Wednesday Back in 2014, the artist was sentenced to life in prison for the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, whose body has neverbeenfound.

The trial was the longest in the island’s history, lasting 65 days. Toward the end of the proceedings, a juror was suspected of offering bribes to the other jurors, but instead of stopping the trial and launching an

investigation, the judge allowed it to continue Vybzandhisco-defendants proclaimedtheirinnocence and fought for years to get therulingoverturned.

In March, a London appeals court threw out their murder convictions, citing that allowing the juror accused of bribery to continue serving led to a “miscarriage of justice.” They then awaited for Jamaican courts to decide whether a new trial would takeplace.

The Jamaican Court of Appeal decided a retrial wasn’tworththeeffortand set the four men free Vybz’s health was also a factor

He suffers from Graves’ Disease and has a heart condition. He wore a bandana around his neck and one as a babushka on hisheadbecausehisneckis visiblyswollen.

The Grammy winner continued, “You’ve reminded me that I never havetochoosebetweenlife,

love,andmypassion!Ilove yousomuchandcannotwait for you to witness what you helpedmeaccomplish,what youpushedmetodo!”

Hours after we revealed on Thursday that Cardi wants out of the marriage, she announced she’s expecting with this Instagramphoto.

ThoughOffsethasyetto comment on the divorce, he was caught “liking” an Instagram post about the news.

“It’s so much easier taking life’s twists, turns and test laying down, but you,yourbrotherandyour sister have shown me why it’s worth it to push through!”sheconcluded.

Though Offset has yet to comment on the breakup, he was caught “liking” an Instagram post aboutthenews

Since the pair tied the knot in September 2017, the “Walk It Talk It” rapper has been embroiled in numerous cheating scandals; however, he’s always denied being unfaithful

A source familiar with

the situation told Page Six that the latest rumors of the sort were not the straw that broke the camel’s back for Cardi.

Since tying the knot in September 2017, Offset has beenembroiledinnumerous cheating scandals He’s always denied being unfaithful.

A source familiar with the situation told us that the latestrumorsofthesortwere not the straw that broke the camel’sbackforCardi,seen here with Offset at a basketballgamein2018.

“They’ve grown apart That’s what drove her to this decision more than anything else,” our insider claimed. “This is something shewantstodo.” Amid their various breakups and makeups, Cardifiledfordivorcefrom Offset in September 2020, buttheyquicklyreconciled. We’re told that this time, however, she’s not folding

Etana Releases Eighth Album ‘Nectar Of The Gods’

(Dancehall Mag)Reggae artist Etana is particularly proud of her latest album, Nectar of the Gods, which was released on July 26 on all digital musicplatforms.

“Istartedworkingonthe NectaroftheGodsin2022.I never had the name or a particular direction in mind. I just knew that I wanted to create more music that will last forever,” she told DancehallMag.

Released under her own Freemind Music label, the album’s first single is Don’t Give Up, a salve to young women facing hardship, struggles, and enduring abuse.

“I wrote ‘Don’t Give Up’ to remind those who may consider suicide that life is worth living,” she said

“Ireadinthenewsofa teenage girl found hanging in Jamaica, and too often I hear of people taking their own lives due to different circumstances

I don’t believe all the reported female teenage suicides are true because I do know that our culture includes an elephant in the room and that is incest and child rape that is sometimes covered up by family members to avoid

“family shame ”Another single, Grateful, is a hornhappy gem of a reggae song that preaches gratitude

On Mr Jones, Etana’s breathy vocals blend marvelously over mellow piano and guitar strings, enticing him to “come o v e r ” S t a n d o u t collaborations on the album include Jah Never FailwithBigYouth,SetUp Yourself with Shatta Wale and Inna de Ghetto with Bugle

The Strong One’s unique inflections and intonations are on full display on Train featuring JonFX

She also included another swoon-worthy song withMore.

As she cranks up promotion of her Nectar of the Gods album, Etana will be shooting a video for the powerful second single, Grateful.

“I am truly grateful for lifeandtheabilitytowriteas I do and sing like I do and reach heart and souls through the music created,” shesaid.

“Regardless of the circumstances life has infinite possibilities and life canchangeinaninstantone just has to never forget to

imagine.”ý She also recorded an ‘Etana Live in Nairobi’ albumatthePamojaFestival lastmonthinKenya.

The album includes 23 songsandover2hoursand4 minutes of non-stop performances.

“I just keep going,” she said “And going And going.”

In 2008, Etana released herdebutalbum,TheStrong One,underVPRecords.

It featured her breakout

hits Wrong Address, I Am Not Afraid, and Blessing withAlborosie.

Three more albums followed under VP, namely Free Expressions (2011), Better Tomorrow (2013), andIRise(2014).

S h e t h e n w e n t independent and released Reggae Forever (2018) under Tads International, and Dimensions EP (2019), Gemini (2020), and Pamoja (2021) under her own FreemindMusicimprint.

Singer Etana

GNBSINFOCUS GNBS - OFFERING PRECISION TESTING AND CALIBRATION SERVICES TO THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

The International Building Expo 2024 kick-starts this week at the Guyana National Stadium under the theme “Building on the foundation of sustainability andunity.”

This event brings

t o g e t h e r v a r i o u s

stakeholders in the construction industry to exploreinnovationsandbest practices for sustainable buildings.

Among the exhibitors is theGuyanaNationalBureau ofStandards(GNBS),which plays an important role in ensuring accuracy and reliabilityintheconstruction sector through its precision testing and calibration services.

Measurement and accuracy are the key foundations of any infrastructure.

From ensuring the right number of materials are ordered to having precise measurements at the design stages and throughout the project, it guarantees structural integrity and safetyofbuildings.

To ensure accuracy, the GNBS as the National Measurement Institute (NMI)offersawiderangeof calibration services to meet the needs of the industry, regulators,andlaboratories.

Through its Industrial Metrology and Testing (IMT) Department, the Bureau provides calibration servicesintheareasofmass,

e, dimension, electricity, torque and force The Standardsusedaretraceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), PTB Germany, and other highly recognised NMIsinternationally

Some measuring instruments calibrated for the construction sector include electrical multimeters, torque wrenches, callipers, measuring rules and tapes, ovens and more.

Regular calibration ensures consistent data, reduces errors, and supports the quality and safety of constructionmaterials.

The GNBS encourages every company and laboratorytotakeadvantage ofitstraceable,reliable,and affordable calibration services. Service requests can be made by visiting the w e b s i t e : https://gnbsgyorg/metrolog y/industrial-metrology/.

Inadditiontocalibration, theBureaualsoofferstesting of concrete hollow blocks, cement cubes and cylinders, concrete structures, and more.

As it relates to concrete hollow blocks, testing is offeredforblocksmeasuring four,six,andeightinchesin accordance with the National Standard –‘GYS 215:2018–Specificationfor Load Bearing Masonry ConcreteUnits.’

To ensure durability, theseitemsareevaluatedfor

compressive strength, moisture content, and absorptionoverthreedays.

Thisserviceisaccessible to manufacturers who can also pursue Certification to the standard, or contractors and homeowners looking to determine the quality of blocks they are purchasing.

Concrete cubes and cylinders are also tested for compressivestrength.

Finally, following complaintsaboutthequality of residential and commercial buildings being constructed, the GNBS i

Destructive Testing (NDT) forconcretestructures.

This test assesses strength, durability, and s u s c e p t i b i l i t y t o deterioration, eliminating doubts about substandard structures.

It determines the compressive strength of existing structures with a rangeof0-8,400PoundsPer Square Inch (PSI) per the ASTM Standard (C805) Standard Test Method for Rebound Number of HardenedConcrete.

Meanwhile, as the National Standards Body (NSB),theBureaupromotes the use of National, Regional, and International Standards related to the productsandservicesusedin theindustry

T

al construction standards available at the GNBS to provide guidance to

c o n t r a c t o r s a n d manufacturers of related products.

These standards address the safety, durability, and resilience of structures against hazards such as floodsandvibrations.

For further information,

visit the GNBS booth at the International Building Expo on August 08-11 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Our team of experts is preparedtoengagewithyou throughout the four-day

eventaswestrivetocreatea cultureofqualityinGuyana. Formoredetails,contactthe GNBS at telephone numbers: 219-0064-66 or Whats App 692-4627. You can also visit our website: gnbsgy org and our Facebookpage:gnbsgy

CONSUMER CONCERNS

ALL ARE HOPING TO WITNESS THE FLOWERING OF THE ENTREPRENEURIAL

ETHOS AND THE BIRTH OF NUMEROUS SMALL BUSINESSES IN GUYANA

PAT DIAL - Until the 18th century, wealth in all societieswascenteredonthe ownership of land and the income derived from

a g r i c u l t u r e T h e manufacture of cloth and other hardware used by society was done by tradesmen.

Thenaboutthemiddleof the 18th century came the Industrial Revolution whereby Science and machinescametobeapplied to both Agriculture and the production of goods of everyday use. With the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions, production

became quicker with uniformqualityandcheaper

The persons who organized these new techniques of production and were able to mobilize and supply the requisite capital for these ventures came to be known as entrepreneurs and the techniques they employed came to be known as entrepreneurial techniques.

The advent of the Industrial a n d A g r i c u l t u r a l Revolutions was solely confined to the efforts of private enterprise and the State played no part but in the 20th and 21st centuries, the State adopted entrepreneurial techniques in various aspects of governance.

If one peruses the daily newspapers, one would encounter reports of various Ministries of Government

making efforts to stimulate and encourage the adoption of entrepreneurial techniques.

The raison d’etre of doingthisistostimulateself employment, increase incomes and so raise standards of living and secondly, strengthen the non-Oil Economy so that Guyana would avoid falling into the syndrome of the DutchDisease.

The Dutch Disease occurs when a new Oil producing country focuses almost wholly on the lucrative Oil Industry neglecting the other industries on which its economy formerly rested. These industries fall into decline and become unprofitable and when Oil reserves contract or prices fluctuate or fall and revenue fromOildiminishes,poverty and distress overtake that country since its former economic mainstays have beenlost.

Venezuela with its collapsed economy and widespread poverty is an example of a country suffering from the Dutch Disease.

TheStateinGuyana,asa newOilproducingcountryis determined to avoid the syndrome of the Dutch Disease and is committed to maintaining its present industries, which are mostly agricultural, and extending intonewones. Theaimisto

have the non-OIl sectors of the Economy contributing more than the Oil sector in b o t h i n c o m e a n d employment : The Sugar Industrywhichwasregarded as being on the verge of expiring four years ago has begun to revive itself with the injection capital, technology and modern management techniques and the country has safely avoided being a sugar importerandplanstosatisfy the sugar

CARICOMinthenext three orfouryears.

The Rice Industry has been inc

easing in production every year as the result of inputs like fertilizers, new species of rice, improved drainage and even techniques of planting and expects to continue expandingitsexports.

Livestock farming is

radically changing: improved species of poultry havebeenimportedfromthe United States and poultry farmers are now having larger and healthier birds

with egg production improving.

Several thousands of Blackbellysheephavebeen importedfromBarbadosand Holstein breeding cattle have been imported in the form of actual animals and semenbanks.

Improvedspeciesofpigs have been imported to improve the quality of the local stock. Soya and Corn

production have already begun in the Intermediate savannahs and soon Guyana willmeetitsneedsforanimal fodder Experimental acreageoftropicalwheatand m i l l e t h a v e b e e n successfully cultivated with great prospects for local and Caribbeanusage.

Fish Farming has been successfully introduced and deep sea fishing has been expanding with radar and a fewpolicingboatshavebeen introduced to prevent illegal fishinginGuyanesewaters.

Training in various aspects of modern

Agriculture is being undertaken on a continuous basiswiththehelpofvarious external Agencies and by local effort and this would include the thousands of Goal Scholarships awarded

everyyear

Training in Tourism is also being conducted in a methodical way to meet the needs of the growing TourismIndustry

Fi

, concessionary loans and guaranteeshavebeenwidely distributed among the farming communities. For example, in 2023, 2500 grants to a total value of $680.millions to small and mediumsizedventureswere made and an agreement was made with the Small Business Finance Trust for $

concessionary lending to

businesses.Aregimeofloan guaranteesisalsooffered.

Extending these and other facilities to Youth and Womenisoneofthefocuses

n developing the non-Oil sectors.

A new entrepreneurial and self- employed class is being birthed among the ordinary citizens, especially in the Agricultural and relatedindustriesandevenin t

A

industries. When cheaper power becomes available with the ‘Gas to energy’ project, it is expected that competitive production of

industrial products which Guyana now buys from Trinidad and other foreign markets, will take off Guyanaisenteringaphaseof self-generatingdevelopment anditisassessedthatinfour tofiveyearsitwillbeonthe threshold of a First World country

Frompage13 provide an explanation why the government was not preventing the award of contracts to these companies,hesaidthat,“As I said before, there is no comanagement.” He told the reporterfromKaieteurNews that he should press Exxon on why the company chooses to conduct business withsuchcompanies.

Jagdeo was keen to note that if the foreign company meetsthebenchmarkprices, then there would be no

o b j e c t i o n b y t h e administration however, “if they as a result of any incestuouslinkbetweenlet’s say ExxonMobil and a firm from abroad, if that incestuous link would cause prices to go up and be unfairly added to our cost bank, it’s a big cause for concernforusandthat’swhy the auditors have to guard againstthattechnically.”

Jagdeo pointed out that the provisions of the 2016

Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) allow the country to verify costs after they have been incurred by the operator of the Stabroek Block, through the audit process.“That’sthepurpose of the audit so when they query it, they send it to Exxon now, Exxon has to explain how this screw was procured at this cost when the benchmark price, they cost everywhere else is $3,” theVicePresidentnoted.

GRA’simpositionof30% excisetaxonre-migrant illegal–Courtrules –urgedtorefundthose whowereovertaxed

Chief Justice (Ag)

RoxaneGeorge-Wiltshireon Monday granted an order declaring that the Guyana RevenueAuthority (GRA)’s imposition of excise tax at therateof30%wasillegal.

Since July 2023, the GRA raised the taxes payablebyre-migrantsfrom 10%to30%onvehicleswith engines larger than 3,000cc. On 8th April, 2024, the Commissioner General of the GRA, Godfrey Statia, wroteAdityaBasdeothathe was given duty free concessions as a remigrant. However,Mr Statiarequired that Basdeo pay 30% excise tax on his new generation 2023 Toyota Landcruiser vehicle. Mr Basdeo took issuewiththisandcausedhis attorneytowritetheGRAon 15th April, 2024 explaining that there was a problem because the correct and proper excise tax rate was

10%. In Basdeo’s case, the 10% was equivalent to over $1,500,000buttheGRAwas insisting that he pays nearly $4,600,000 – a difference of $3,100,000intaxes.

The GRA never respondedandon28thMay, 2024 Basdeo caused his attorney, Siand Dhurjon, to suetheGRA.Lastweek,the G R A ’ s D e p u t y Commissioner, Mr Gavin Low, responded by saying thatregulationsof10thJuly, 2023 tripled the rate of excise taxes payable from 10% to 30%. For the last year, the GRA was tripling the excise taxes payable by remigrants for vehicles with anenginesizeof3,000ccand above and doubling the excise taxes (at the rate of 20%) for vehicles with engine sizes above 1,999cc andunder3,000cc.

However, when the matter came up for hearing before the Chief Justice GeorgeonMondaymorning, counsel for the GRA, Ms. Nicklin Belgrave, reported thattheGRAmadeamistake becausetheyrealisedthatthe Minister of Finance had merely signed the regulations of July 2023 but theregulationswerenotduly brought into force by being published in the Official Gazetteorbeingtabledinthe NationalAssembly In other words, the GRA had been wrongfully and

illegallycharging30%taxes tore-migrantsandcollecting those taxes without any authority TheChiefJustice grantedalloftheorderspaid for by Mr Basdeo through his attorney, Mr Dhurjon. She declared that the GRA’s policy of requiring 30% excise taxes was unlawful and she granted an order of certiorari quashing Mr. Statia’s assessment of 30% excise taxes.The Judge also granted an order of mandamus to compel the GRA to apply the correct excisetaxof10%.TheJudge granted an order that Basdeo’s 2023 Landcruiser must be released to him forthwith upon payment of thecorrectexcisetaxes.

Basdeo’s Landcruiser had come into Guyana on 28thJune,2024andhasbeen on the wharf racking up storagecostseversince.The ChiefJusticeorderedthatthe GRAwas to pay the storage costs as well as the costs of thelawsuitinaspecifiedsum toMr Basdeo.

Wednesday

Jagdeorefusestoaddress ExxonM’sinterestrates oninvestments –ascitizensremain inthedarksince oiloperationbegan

As more oil projects are approved by the Guyana Government the issue of the interest rates being charged by the operator of the S t a b r o e k B l o c k , ExxonMobil Guyana Limited(EMGL)continueto concern Guyanese

However,VicePresidentand chief policymaker of the sector Bharrat Jagdeo has dismissedtheseconcerns.

It must be noted that several countries including neighbouring country, Suriname do not allow oil companiestochargeinterest ratesontheirinvestments. Previously, VP Jagdeo said Guyana was paying a

rate to Exxon as this is a standardpracticeforareturn to be generated on a company’s equity “Regardless of whether you make the financing in the formofaloanorequity,you have to get a rate return. Thereisacostofcapitaland that is how it is,” Jagdeo asserted. Despite multiple attempts by this newspaper to clear the air on this issue however, the government has refused to tell the nation howmuchinterestwasbeing charged on the companies’ investments.

ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess and CNOOC each make annual equity contributions to support the Stabroek Block operations.

Consequently, the companies each receive an interest on the financial investments. This rate of return, though justified by Jagdeo remains a mystery, although this country’s resources are being used to paythosecompanies.

Hismostrecentapproach toquestionsonthesematters istotellareporter fromthis publication at his weekly pressconferenceatFreedom House on Robb Street, that the capping of the interest rates is “an old question” he has “dealt with a million times” before. The VP was asked by this publication is “Sir, When do you plan to join the rest of the oil producing world in capping Interest rates charged by the oilcompanies?”

He said, “I am not dealing with that. That was dealt with one million times before That is an old question that has been dealt with a million times ” Despite his claim of dealing with the issue a million times,theinterestrateseems tobekeptunderlockandkey withstrictsecuritydetailsas thepublicisyettoknowthe financial burden they are saddled with for years to come. ExxonMobilisfreeto recover the interest,

expenses and fees incurred onloansforthedevelopment of the resources in the Stabroek Block, without consent from the Minister responsibleforPetroleum. This is outlined in the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) Guyana signedwithExxonMobiland Co-Venturers, Hess and CNOOC. Annex ‘C’of the Agreement, specifically in Section 3.1, which governs costs that can be approved without the Minister’s approval states: “…interest, expenses, related fees incurred on loans raised by the Parties comprising the Contractor for Petroleum Operations and other financingcostsprovidedthat suchexpenses,feesandcosts are consistent with market rates ” The government, despite repeated requests, hasbeenreluctanttodisclose the interest rates being chargedbythedeveloper JagdeoinOctoberoflast year during one of his weekly media engagement wasaskedtobringclarityon theissuewhenhesaidhewas not going to “confirm anything”. Alsointhesame month Exxon’s Country Manager, Alistair

Routledge, in response to a question from this publicationsaidthatGuyana is not being charged an interes

investments in the Stabroek Block. According to him, “ExxonMobil is not charging any interest on what we are recovering like for the Liza projects and the likes, we are not charging financingcoststoGuyanaso one of the things that’s been raised before is Guyana in debt to the Stabroek investorsandit’snottrue.”

Routledge continued, “The country is never in debt; that’s the beauty of a production sharing agreement, it’s the investors (that)takeallthatinvestment risk. We invest the capital and the cost recovery mechanism only pays back thedollarswehaveinvested, (so) there is no financing component.”

In a bid to clarify the pronouncements made by thePresidentofExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), KaieteurNewsaskedtheVP to confirm whether the information was factual at his Thursday press conference. In what turned out to be a failed attempt to shed light on this critical aspect of the country’s oil sector, the policymaker madeitclearthathewillnot

be confirming this state of affairs.TheVPsaid,“I’mnot confirming anything of that (nature).I’mnotconfirming anything. If he says that and there is an interest rate and there is a charged interest rate in the cost bank then it wouldn’t be allowed. So it’s astraightforwardmatterfor measfarasI’mconcerned.” Jagdeo has constantly dodged questions relating to the interest rates being chargedbytheoilcompany

D u r i n g a p r e s s conferenceinNovemberlast year hosted by the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, Kaieteur News specifically asked the Minister to confirm the rate of return on Exxon’s multibillion-dollar investments in the Stabroek Block.

The Minister went on to provideanunrelatedanswer, explaining that Guyana was not investing in the oil and gas sector He said, “The government is not directly investing in the oil and gas sector. That is the misinformationIbelievethat is being spread and there is this perception among our people, that the government is taking the money and investinginoilandgasbutif I ask you as the media how much money did Guyana investinoilandgasintheoil andgasexplorationoffshore, we haven’t invested anything We haven’t invested anything, not a dollarintheexploration,the upstream activities offshore Guyana.” IMFadvice

Meanwhile, several international organisations, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have warned Guyana about the abuse that can take place whencompaniesareallowed torecover100percentofthe interestonitsinvestments.In fact, the IMF cautioned in independent reports that Guyanashould,asa (Continuedonpage41)

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Frompage40 protective measure, should cap the interest that is allowed for recovery In a 2018 report, the IMF said “the treatment of interest expenses in the Stabroek BlockPSAisverygenerous, constituting an important source of possible revenue leakage.” In fact, the IMF said it examined several scenarios which illustrated how “excessive or abusive” oil companies can be in the use of loans to fund oil projects. The IMF said it examined three scenarios, one of which looked at 75 percentto100percentofthe development costs for the Liza One and Liza Two Projects in the Stabroek Blockbeingfundedbyloans with a repayment period over 10 years with a 10 percent interest rate. The IMF said the revenue loss couldbeashighasUS$2.6B.

Such a practice, the organizationsaid can have a “detrimental impact” on governmentrevenue.

US$8.6Mcontractfor WalesPowerPlant controlcentresigned –evenasGovt.continues tohidekeydetails onproject

Thegovernmentthrough the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday signed the US$8.6 million contract with Power China International Group Limited out of Beijing, allowing for the construction of the Guyana National Control Centre(GNCC).

K a i e t e u r N e w s

understands that the constructionoftheGNCCis a project being executed by the Office of the Prime Minister, and is aimed at

managing the affairs of the gas-firedpowerplant.

The award of contract was made public by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) which revealed on its website that the $1,827,929,605 (US$8 6M) contract was awardedonJune21,2024.

The duration of the project is set for 13 months and the building will be c o n s t r u c t e d a t Beterverwagting,EastCoast ofDemerara(ECD).

It was reported that the OfficeofthePrimeMinister last year issued a tender seeking bids for the ‘Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC)

S e r v i c e s f o r t h e

Construction of a Building for the Guyana National Control Centre’ and Power China International Group Limited was among several firms that bid for the contract.

Thetenderdocumenthad statedthatthecontrolcentre will support the integration and dispatch of the new 300 MW combined cycle gas turbine(CCGT)PowerPlant andallowtheGuyanaPower and Light (GPL) to supervise, manage and control the new and upgradedpowersystem.

The Office of the Prime Minister explained that the scope of works includes all EPC activities necessary to complete the building and install all systems as specified in the employer requirements.This includes, but is not limited to, the contractor’s overall responsibility for designing, procuring, constructing, commissioning, defects notifications period, and maintaining the building to

meet the specified performance and functional standards.

The RFP also explained that,“Thescopeofworkalso includes the supply and installation of a complete diesel-fire generator set, with duty to operate continuously The capacity of the generator set shall be ISO rated at 125% of the design load capacity of the G N C C B u i l d i n g Additionally, the scope of w o r k i n c

d e s a n appropriately dimensioned building to house the generator unit and ISO fuel tankcapacitytoallowforan autonomyof24hours.”

The EPC contractor will be required to complete all civil works relative to the installation of the transformers, as directed by GPL.

Quoted in a Department of Public Information (DPI) article,PrimeMinisterMark Phillips at the contract signingceremonysaid“This is important for the whole manageme

of the t

a n s m i s s i o n a n d distributionofthepowerthat will be evacuated from the Gas-to-Energy project. So, the people of Guyana, come 2025 will benefit from adequateelectricity,”

Newpowerplant

Kaieteur News had reported that the 300megawatt (MW) CCGT power plant is a component of the highly touted Wales

Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project.Itincludesa12-inch pipeline, being funded by ExxonMobil, to transport natural gas from the Liza One and Liza Two fields in the Stabroek Block, to the WalesDevelopmentSite.

There, the gas will be processed by a Natural Gas

Liquids (NGL) facility whichwillseparateandtreat its components to supply other products for resale, such as cooking gas A portionofthetreatedgaswill be utilized to generate some 300 MW of electricity to supplypowertothenational grid.

The NGL facility and power plant are expected to be financed through a loan from the United States (US) Export Import (EXIM) Bank. Government has said the application is still pendingapproval.

Notably, the pipeline component is expected to cost US$1 billion, while the contract for construction of the gas plants were awarded to CH4-Lindsayca, to the tuneofUS$759M.

G a s - t o - E n e r g y agreements

Meanwhile, with the construction of the National ControlCentresaidtobethe last phase of the Gas-toEnergy project, the Guyana government has not yet released any of the agreements inked with ExxonMobil or the other contractors involved in the project. Pegged at US$2B, the GTE project is not supported by a feasibility study and it remains the single largest financial project ever pursued by Guyana.

Itwasreportedthatsince 2022,thegovernmentsigned a Heads of Agreement (HOA) with the Stabroek Co-ventures, ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC, that outlines the principles and conditions for the commercial and technical arrangementsofthedeal.

Thispublicationreported that, three months ago, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

during his weekly press conferencewasaskedbythis newspaper when the agreements would be made publicwhenhesaid“maybe soon”.

In fact, the Chief Policymaker for the oil and gas sector noted that the details of the agreement are already public knowledge.

According to him, “Everything that you see in the agreement you know we told you the price- US$750 million; we told you the timeline for implementation; you know how many turbines and what’s the size of the turbines…you know what the liquidating damages are.”

Jagdeo therefore said, “Maybesoon,Idon’tknow I don’t know That’s for Gail Teixeira and the others” when asked when the agreements would be laid in Parliament.

DuringaJuly8thSitting of the NationalAssembly at the Arthur Chung ConferenceCentre,Kaieteur News contacted Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira who explained, “I am not awarethatthedocumentsare ready.”

TheMinisterpointedout that there are “different channels” through which documents must pass before she presents them to the House,insisting“theyhavea time that they go before the House, it doesn’t happen automatically.”

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat duringthatsameSittingwas alsoapproachedtoprovidea comment on the release of the agreements and said he wasbusyandwouldtakethe question later After this

newspaper insisted that he provided a comment, the Minister then requested that thequestionbesenttohimat thetime.

Several attempts made by the Opposition in the NationalAssemblytoaccess the agreements and key documents relative to the country’s single largest infrastructure project have beenunsuccessful.

It was previously reported that during this year’s Consideration of Estimates for Budget 2024, the Prime Minister again committed to lay over agreementsfortheprojectto the National Assembly He explained that the construction phases of the projects are insured and related documents can be provided to the House. He was responding to MP Patterson on whether insurance is in place for the current works to support the gas plants and whether the government can lay those in Parliament.

Thursday

‘Independentoversight bodyofoilsectornot necessary’ –JagdeosayGovt.has enoughtransparent oversightalready

Months after promising that his government will install a Petroleum Commission when the time is right, Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo is now changing his tune that independent oversight of Guyana’s oil and gas sector isnotreallynecessary Speaking at his at his weekly press-conference on Wednesday,Jagdeosaidthe (Continuedonpage42)

An artist’s impression of the Gas-to-Energy project.

Frompage41 PPP/C-led administration has done enough already to transparentlymonitortheoil sector “There is no magic w i t h a P e t r o l e u m Commission”, Jagdeo told Kaieteur News in response toaquestionposedtohimby themediahouseonwhenhe will put the independent bodyinplace.

“There is no magic, we have given our agencies the tools to manage the sector.”

Showing his frustration havingbeenaskedaboutthe body, Jagdeo continued:

“ForChrist’ssake,youknow whatitwouldtaketogetthat inplace,thehardworkthatit willtaketogetthatinplace,” before adding that the APNU+AFC opposition couldhavedoneitinthefive years they were in office.

“Theydidnothing,wedidin a record time and now we haveexpandedthescopefor amodernlawfrom1986”,he said.

TheVPisoftheviewthat a Petroleum Commission might not make any sense because the technical

persons that will be nominatedtositonthebody will be politicians too “They would put a Vincent Adams, he is a great technicalmanalthoughheis a politician (just) like how they put their executive member on the PPC (Public Procurement Commission)

then say oh it acts independently- It’s a sham”, Jagdeoargued.

Differenttune

BackinJanuarythisyear, the Vice President was singing a different tune. In fact, when the question was raised then at his first press conference for the year, Jagdeo assured that the government will honour its promisetohaveaPetroleum Commission when the time isright.

Sucharegulatorybodyis establishedbyagovernment to oversee and manage the exploration, development, andproductionofpetroleum

resources within its jurisdiction.

It ensures compliance with laws and regulations, manages licences and permits, and often plays a role in promoting sustainable and efficient utilization of petroleum resources.

Atthatpressconference, Jagdeo assured that this has not been removed from the government’s agenda He had said, “The petroleum commission, we said we are building capacity in the Ministry (of Natural

Resources) ” He further explained during this period where the government is focused on creating a fortified framework for managing accountability in the sector, swifter action would be needed for a numberofcriticalmatters. Healludedthatthisisnot the type of approach one would normally see from a technically outfitted body l i k e a P e t r o l e u m Commission. Jagdeosaidit is as a result of the government’sinsistenceona rapid build out of the management framework for thesectorthatanewNatural Resource Fund Law was passed, a new Petroleum Activities Law was enacted and a revamped model production sharing agreementfordeepwaterand shallow water concessions came into being. “All of thosethingshadtobedriven politicallytoachievethem.A technical body would not have the same sense of urgency to do that,” he said adding, “…Anybody who is assessing this sector from 2020 to now would have seen the massive changes in the tools available to the country to manage this sector…Only the jaundiced would not see that ” Naysayers aside, Jagdeo assured back in January that the government’s ultimate goal is a Petroleum Commission to complement other advancements in the sector

Importanceofoversight

Contrary to the Vice President’s statement, the PetroleumCommissionscan nonetheless perform various functions as designated by the necessary legislation After discovering petroleum in2007,Ghanaforexample, established its Petroleum Commissionfouryearslater with a mandate “to regulate, manage and co-ordinate all activities in the Upstream Petroleumindustry…” Its functions entail importantly, to analyze petroleum economic information and submit economic forecasts on petroleumtotheMinister;to receive and store petroleum data, manage a national petroleum repository and at the request of the Minister, undertake reconnaissance exploration including data acquisition; assess and approve appraisal programmes; advise the Minister on matters related to petroleum activities such as field development plans, plansforthedevelopmentof petroleum transportation,

processing, and treatment facilities, decommissioning plans for petroleum fields a n d p e t r o l e u m infrastructure; monitor petroleum activities and carry out the necessary inspection and audit related activities that include “any other function related to the objectoftheCommissionor assigned to it under any enactment.”

Initsanalysisofthe2011 law, the Offshore Journal

described the Ghana Petroleum Commission as havingfunctionsthatextend beyond that of any other regulatory body in Ghana.

“It is a supra-national regulator with diverse powers,whichstemfromits tripartite role. In addition to being a regulator in the

Commission is also the

’s

lost.”

That body said it “sets frameworks, stipulates regulations and makes decisions in areas where it hasbeendelegatedauthority Further, we are responsible for conducting metering audits and collecting fees from the petroleum industry.” The body also c o n t r i b u t e s t o “administrativecompetence, mapping of resources and p e t r o l e u m d a t a administration.”

It has about 70 teams with designated mandates and the teams are delegated authority for products, processesandquality

Itwasnotedinthe2019, US$20M World Bank loan document that Guyana had completed, independently and with donor support, a reviewoftheexistingoiland gas sector governance

petroleum resources, and as coordinator of policies in relation to them, the Commission acts as the interface between the government and industry.” Government agencies and departments are required to cooperate with the Commission.

T h e N o r w e g i a n Petroleum Directorate is a governmental specialist

d

dy. Established in 1972, it reports to the Ministry of PetroleumandEnergy

With the same functions asaPetroleumCommission, that body’s duties include being an advisor to the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy It has a “national responsibility for the data from the Norwegian continental shelf. Our data, overview and analyses constitute a crucial factual basis on which the activities are founded. It said it is the driving force for realising the resource potential by emphasising “long-term

s o l u t i o n s , u p s i d e opportunities, economies of scaleandjointoperations,as wellasensuringthatattimes – critical resources are not

claims a right to Hess’s Guyanaassets.

Hess’s production rose 27.6% to 494,000 barrels of oil and gas per day (boepd), on nearly 75% year-overyear increase in Guyana to 192,000 bpd. Its Bakken shale output also rose, the company said. It, however, expects a fall in currentquarter production due to planned downtime in Guyana and SoutheastAsia. Third-quarternetproduction isexpectedtobeintherange of460,000boepdto470,000 boepd.

Hess said it expects its Guyanaoutputtofall10%as a natural gas pipeline is connected this quarter, and expects its North Dakota output to drop 4 5% on planned maintenance. The company’s average realized crude oil selling price also rose nearly 13% to $80.29 per barrel in the second quarter

A t h r e e - p e r s o n arbitration panel is expected todecideonthedisputewith Exxon. Exxon believes the processcouldextendto2025 while both Chevron and Hess expect a resolution by the end of the year Hess’ quarterly profit of $2.62 per share beat analysts’average estimate of $2.48 per share, accordingtoLSEGdata.

Friday

Jagdeorefusestoupdate nationoneffortsto recoverGuyanaoilprofits usedbyExxonforworks inKaieteurandCanje blocks

structure and had legal and policy drafts in place including an oil and gas policy (2016), local content policy (2017 & 2018), the “Petroleum Commission Bill” (2017 & 2018). It said in December 2017, the Ministry of Finance had requested the US$20M Credit from the World Bank “aimed at supporting broad governance reforms of its O&G sector with the objec

impacts.”

Hess2Qprofitbeatson strongGuyanaoutput

HessCorp(HES.N),beat estimates for second-quarter profitonWednesday,helped by sharply higher oil production in Guyana and strongerprices.

The South American country and its lucrative oil assets are at the center of a dispute between Hess, Chevron (CVX N), and Exxon (XOM N) Last October, Hess agreed to sell itself to Chevron for $53 billion in stock, but the deal has been stalled by a regulatory review and challengedbyExxon,which

Back in April Hess Corporation had announced that its profits leapt by $626Minthefirstquarterof 2024 thanks to higher production volumes in the Bakken shale in the US and the Stabroek block offshore Guyana.BackthenHess’net income, the company said, was US$972M in the three months ended 31 March, comparedto$346millionin the first quarter of 2023, according to the company’s latestearningsreport.

This would mean that Hess’s profits have almost tripled over the previous reportingperiod.

According to Hess, its overall net production of oil and gas was 476,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, up 27 percent from 374,000 barrelsofoilperday(bpd)in 2023.

The Bakken production surged by 27,000 (bpd), according to Hess, “while Guyana offered up an additional 78,000 (bpd) this quarter.” The first quarter results “substantially outperformed”expectations, according to a report from analystfirmTDCowenback then Overall production beat projections by 9 percent,whileHess’Guyana output beat consensus by 28

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeohasrefusedtoupdate Guyanese citizens on the progress government has made to recover monies the auditors revealed was spent by oil giant Exxon Mobil from the Stabroek block to pay for works done in the Kaieteur and Canje blocks. The VP was addressing the media on Thursday during his weekly press conference at the Freedom House on RobbStreet.

Jagdeo, the chief policymaker in the oil and gas sector has refused in recent months to answer a number of important questions crucial to his portfolio Among the questions are: the status Guyana’s oil reserve; the rental fee Exxon is paying for the capping stack it recently brought into the country and how much the company is paying to treat produced water from its offshore operations. Jagdeo hasalsorefusedtoprovidea comprehensive updates on the audit findings as well as the interest rates being charged by ExxonMobil GuyanaLimited(EMGL)on itsinvestments.

On Wednesday he was asked by the Kaieteur News to say if there were “Any development to recover the money the auditors discovered Exxon spent in the Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks?” Jagdeoresponded: “So the last time you said that the minister doesn’t wanttoanswersomeofyour questions. So he will have a press conference and all of theseroutinethings,thatare (Continuedonpage43)

percent,Cowenhadnoted.

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Frompage42 not policy-based you can find out there ” This publication reported previously that the audit

team that reviewed

ExxonMobil’s US$7 3 billion expenses, incurred between 2018 and 2020, foundthatthecompanyused $323 million of the revenue generated in the Stabroek Block to purchase vehicles thatwereusedforoperations in the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks.

According to the report completed by the auditors,

ExxonMobil Guyana

L i m i t e d ( E M G L )previously Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)- the operator of the Stabroek Block included in its cost recovery statement 100 percent of the costs for variousvehicles.

The auditors, however, determined that the vehicles purchased were used for all of Exxon’s operations, including those outside of the Stabroek Block Consequently, auditors informed the company that thecostsshouldbeallocated across the blocks In response to the findings of the auditors, ExxonMobil confirmed that the vehicles charges were deducted from the Stabroek block The company, however, disagreed that that the vehicle costs should be shared.Auditors said Exxon “verbally advised that the 100 percent charge to Stabroek was proper because, paraphrasing, the reasontheContractorwasin the country was because of Stabroek operations.” The report highlighted that US$1,617,143 85 in vehicles were purchased during the period 2018 to 2020 from Beharry Automotive LTD, Ideal Autos Inc , and Massy Motors Guyana LTD. This amounts to just over GYD$323 million. Even though government has said that this use of the Stabroek Block funds to offset expenses in the other blocks is illegal, Exxon will not be facing any penalties of any sort. Jagdeo had said at a previous press conference thatthecontracttheoilgiant signed with Guyana means thattheexpenseswillnotbe includedinthecostbankfor the Stabroek Block “I maintain my position that it wouldbeillegalandIrepeat that. The audits would have revealed that now and as I said before there will be consequences. If you did

unauthorisedworkyoudon’t gotojailaccordingtoPSA,it just doesn’t form part of the costbank,”theVPsaid.

ExxonMandChevon’s fightoveroil-rich StabroekBlockdragson …asHesssuffersworst sharesdropin20months overdelays

Chevron and Exxon are headed to a May arbitration hearing in the latest chapter oftheirongoingdisputeover the massive Stabroek Block oilfield off the coast of Guyana. Chevron said Wednesday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission it expects a decisionwithinthreemonths ofthehearing.TheHoustonbasedcompanyaddedithad expected and requested to hold the hearing earlier, but thecommonschedulesofthe partiesmadeitimpossible.

The companies have been locked in a dispute sinceFebruary,whenExxon threatened to block Chevron’s acquisition of a 30% stake in the Stabroek Block, which is said to contain at least 11 billion barrels of oil Ongoing arbitration hinges on the applicability of a “right of firstrefusal”containedinan operating agreement between subsidiaries of Exxon, Hess and China National Offshore Oil Corporation.

Anabrogationofthedeal could throw into question Chevron’s $53 billion acquisition of competitor Hess, which closed in October Chevronsaidinthe filingthatitsviewsandthose of Hess remain unchanged, while claiming that Exxon and CNOOC “continue to ignore the plain language of the operating agreement.”

Exxon operates all production in Guyana, controlling a 45% stake while Hess and CNOOC serve as minority partners. Exxon and CNOOC Ltd filed arbitration claims claimingapre-emptionright toanysaleofHess’lucrative stake in a Guyana oilproducingjointventure.The challenge threatens to block Chevron’sbiggestdealsince its 2001 acquisition of Texaco for $36 billion Exxon and CNOOC have argued Chevron’s bid for Hesstriggeredarightoffirst refusal clause in their Guyana joint operating agreement Chevron and Hessdisputethatclaim.The all-stock sale, announced lastOctober,hasbeenstalled by a second request for

information by antitrust regulator, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission Its review should be completed thisquarter,aspokesmanfor Hesssaid.

Meanwhile,sharesinthe U S oil producer Hess suffered their largest daily percentage drop in 20 months on Thursday on falloutfromthelengthynew delay to its proposed sale to Chevron. Reuters reported. Hess’ stock fell $11.25, or 7.35%, the largest daily percentage drop since November 2022. Chevron shares were also off 4%, or $6.57, at $153.93 in midday New York trading. Kaieteur News reported on Thursday that Hess Corp (HES.N), beat estimates for secondquarterprofitonWednesday, helped by sharply higher oil production in Guyana and stronger prices. A Reuters report stated that Hess’s production rose 27.6% to 494,000 barrels of oil and gas per day (boepd), on nearly 75% year-over-year increase in Guyana to 192,000 bpd. Its Bakken shale output also rose, the company said. It, however, expects a fall in currentquarter production due to planned downtime in Guyana and SoutheastAsia. Third-quarternetproduction isexpectedtobeintherange of460,000boepdto470,000 boepd. Hess said it expects itsGuyanaoutputtofall10% as a natural gas pipeline is connected this quarter, and expects its North Dakota output to drop 4 5% on planned maintenance. The company’s average realized crude oil selling price also rose nearly 13% to $80.29 per barrel in the second quarter A three-person arbitration panel is expected todecideonthedisputewith Exxon. Exxon believes the processcouldextendto2025 while both Chevron and Hess expect a resolution by the end of the year Hess’ quarterly profit of $2.62 per share beat analysts’average estimate of $2.48 per share, accordingtoLSEGdata.

Back in April Hess Corporation had announced that its profits leapt by $626Minthefirstquarterof 2024 thanks to higher production volumes in the Bakken shale in the US and the Stabroek block offshore Guyana.BackthenHess’net income, the company said, was US$972M in the three months ended 31 March, comparedto$346millionin the first quarter of 2023, according to the company’s latest earnings report. This

would mean that Hess’s profits have almost tripled over the previous reporting period. According to Hess, its overall net production of oil and gas was 476,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, up 27 percent from 374,000barrelsofoilperday (bpd) in 2023. The Bakken productionsurgedby27,000 (bpd), according to Hess, “whileGuyanaofferedupan additional 78,000 (bpd) this quarter.” The first quarter results “substantially outperformed”expectations, according to a report from analystfirmTDCowenback then Overall production beat projections by 9 percent,whileHess’Guyana output beat consensus by 28 percent,Cowenhadnoted.

Saturday

ExxonjoinsHessin boastingaboutincreased oilprofitsfromGuyana

ExxonMobil has joined Hess Corporation in boasting about increased oil profits as the second quarter of2024cametoanend.

The company released theirsecondquarterearnings report on Friday (August 2) which saw total earnings beingUS$9.2billion.

According to the report, this translates to “$2.14 per shareassumingdilution.”

CEO of the company DarrenWoodsattributingthe profits to their operations in Guyana said that, “We achieved record quarterly production from our lowcost-of-supply Permian and Guyana assets, with the highest oil production since theExxonandMobilmerger Wealsoachievedarecordin high-value product sales, growing by 10% versus the firsthalfoflastyear.”

Whilethecashflowfrom operating activities was $10.6 billion and cash flow from operations excluding working capital movements was $15 2 billion

Shareholder distributions of $9.5 billion included $4.3 billionofdividendsand$5.2 billion of share repurchases, consistent with the company’sannouncedplans.

“We delivered our second-highest 2Q earnings of the past decade as we continue to improve the fundamentalearningspower of the company We closed on our transformative mergerwithPioneerinabout halfthetimeofsimilardeals. And we’re continuing to build businesses such as ProxximaTM, carbon materials and virtually

carbonfree hydrogen, with approximately 98% of CO2 removed, that will create value long into the future,” Woodssaid.

The upstream year to date earnings for 2024 is a whopping $12 7 billion dollars, signifying an increaseof$1.7billionmore forthesameperiodlastyear

“The prior-year period was negatively impacted by tax-related identified items. Excluding identified items, earnings increased $1.5 billion due to advantaged assets volume growth from record Guyana, heritage Permian and Pioneer production,”thereportsaid.

Year-to-date net production was 4.1 million oilequivalentbarrelsperday which the company highlighted is an increase of “9%, or 352,000 oilequivalent barrels per day

Higher crude realizations and structural cost savings offset lower natural gas realizations,higherexpenses mainly from depreciation, andlowerbasevolumesdue to divestments of nonstrategic assets and government-mandated curtailments.”

Furthermore, “Secondquarter earnings were $7.1 billion, an increase of $1.4 billion from the first quarter driven by the Pioneer acquisition, record Guyana and heritage Permian production, and structural cost savings. Higher crude realizations and divestment gainsmorethanoffsetlower gas realizations Net production in the second quarter was 4.4 million oilequivalentbarrelsperday,an increase of 15%, or 574,000 oil-equivalent barrels per day compared to the prior quarter due to advantaged volume growth from Pioneer, Guyana and heritagePermian.”

On Wednesday, Reuters reported that “Hess beat estimates for second-quarter profitonWednesday,helped by sharply higher oil production in Guyana and stronger prices Hess’s production rose 27.6% to 494,000 barrels of oil and gas per day (boepd), on nearly 75% year-over-year increase in Guyana to 192,000 bpd.” “The South American country and its lucrativeoil assets are at the center of a dispute between H e s s , C h e v r o n https://www.reuters.com/ma rkets/companies/CVX N and Exxon. Last October, Hess agreed to sell itself to Chevron for $53 billion in stock, but the deal has been

stalled by a regulatory review and challenged by Exxon, which claims a right to Hess’s Guyana assets,” Reutersadded.

Chevron and Exxon are headed to a May 2025 arbitration hearing in the latest chapter of their ongoing dispute over the massive Stabroek Block oilfield off the coast of Guyana. Chevron said Wednesday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commissionthatitexpectsa decisionwithinthreemonths ofthehearing.TheHoustonbasedcompanyaddedithad expected and requested to hold the hearing earlier, but thecommonschedulesofthe partiesmadeitimpossible.

The companies have been locked in a dispute sinceFebruary,whenExxon threatened to block Chevron’s acquisition of a 30% stake in the Stabroek Block, which is said to contain at least 11 billion barrels of oil Ongoing arbitration hinges on the applicability of a “right of firstrefusal”containedinan operating agreement between subsidiaries of Exxon, Hess and China National Offshore Oil Corporation. An abrogation of the deal could throw into question Chevron’s $53 billion acquisition of competitor Hess, which closed in October Chevron said in the filing that its views and those of Hess remain unchanged, while claiming that Exxon and CNOOC“continuetoignore the plain language of the operating agreement ” Exxon operates all production in Guyana, controlling a 45% stake while Hess and CNOOC serve as minority partners. Exxon and CNOOC Ltd filed arbitration claims claimingapre-emptionright toanysaleofHess’lucrative stake in a Guyana oilproducingjointventure.

The challenge threatens to block Chevron’s biggest deal since its 2001 acquisitionofTexacofor$36 billion. Exxon and CNOOC have argued Chevron’s bid for Hess triggered a right of first refusal clause in their Guyana joint operating agreement Chevron and Hessdisputethatclaim.The all-stock sale, announced lastOctober,hasbeenstalled by a second request for information by antitrust regulator, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission Its review should be completed thisquarter,aspokesmanfor Hesssaid.

Chapter Three: X-RING Glasses

Jackson was ushered into a white room with blue stripes that was in the shape of a pyramid.Itwasthefirsttime hehadeversatinapyramidshaped room, he reasoned. Almosteveryroomhe'dever set foot in had four walls, one ceiling, and one floor

The only exception was the morning that he delivered a cupofcoffeetothePresident of Earth in the Oval Office. She had ordered it with “cow's milk”, eight sugars, and three drops of vanilla. That she had asked for the milktobe“cow'smilk”had alwaysstoodouttohim,just like the shape of his current interrogationroom.

The guards sat him a chair that was surprisingly comfortable and he could not help but thank them as theytookoffhishandcuffs.

The two guards stood behind him for three minutes, wondering if they should offer him a drink After twenty seconds each guardassumedthatifitwere appropriate to offer him a drink,surelytheotherguard would have by then, and so Jackson was not offered a drink.Jackson, satisfied that his plan of doing nothing hadbeensuccessfulinsome way, turned around slightly to view the guards. He had neverencounteredaByzong inpersonbeforeand,having encounteredagoodmanyin a short period of time, he allowed himself to marvel slightly at their appearance. Byzongs look like humans in every way except for the manywaysinwhichtheydo not They are generally

m

, particularlyinthecalvesand forearms. They have noses just one third the size of the average human, and their earsareafoottall.Theirfeet, as it happens, are only a human ear long, but they make up for it with specialmademetalbootsthatclunk andclonkastheywalk.Itisa point of great pride for a Byzong to have loud footsteps, and the Byzong withtheloudestfootstepsin theroomisoftenconsidered themostimportantandwellrespected. The competition makes social gatherings unbearably loud, and dance partiesillegal.

Noticing him staring at them, the guards became uncomfortable, wondering iftheywerebeingjudgedfor not having offered him a drink.Noticinginsteadtheir levelofdiscomfort,Jackson turned back around, feeling uncomfortable with how he'd made his captors feel. So it was that all occupants in the pyramid room felt shame and discomfort but none for an appropriate reason.

Jackson, who was now busying himself by looking around the pyramid room, saw that each of the three walls had exactly one door The door he had come throughwasbehindhim.So, he was facing two doors, angled towards him from both his right and left. The leftdooropenedfirst.

As she entered, the footsteps of Inquisitor Slah were the loudest that Jackson had ever heard. He wasmorethankfulthanever

Visit to the zoo

IlovetovisittheGeorgetownzoo, Andseetheanimalsthere, Thelion,foxandspidermonkey, Thejaguar,agoutianddeer

Thebirdslooksobeautiful, Intheircolourfulfeatherssobright, Thetoucan,eagleandparakeets, Oh,suchawonderfulsight!

Thereissomuchtoseehere, Somuchtoenjoyandlearntoo, Ihopetomakethismyfavouriteplace, OurBotanicalGardenszoo.

to not be handcuffed as he covered his ears The guards, whose ears were much larger than Jackson's, had little hope of covering their own, and would anyway not have risked the humiliation. Any indication that the Inquisitor's boots were too loud for them would make it clear to any Byzongthattheythemselves donothavebootsasloudas hers, and they do not often socializewithByzongswith bootsofherdecibellevel.

Mercifully, Inquisitor Slah quickly made her way to the table in front of Jackson and sat down. She looked him up and down through a pair of sharp XRing Lie-Detector Glasses, designed to give the wearer theabilitytoseethetruthof a statement as clear as the tinynoseontheirface.

“Wonderful posture I am Inquisitor Slah I imagine you have some questions. I will allow you three,”shesaid.

Jackson raised an eyebrow

“Why am I here?” he asked.

TheInquisitorsmirked.

“You are here because wekidnappedyou.”

“But, why did you kidnap me?” he asked “Because we plan on taking allthewaterfromEarthand you have information that weneed.”

Jackson was shocked. He didn't understand why anyone would want to steal something so important fromhisplanet.Solarge.So liquid. He didn't understand whathehadtodowithsucha

plan. But more importantly atthatmoment,hecouldnot understand how something soboldandambitiouscould be done. And unfortunately forhim,itwasthatcuriosity that informed his third question.

“How do you plan on doing that?!” he asked loudly

“By using a Third Generation Macro-ElectroB i o n i c - H y d r o x yGravitational Tube Ray,” shesaidconfidently

“But what's a ” Jackson started to ask another question but the Inquisitor raised her finger inprotest.

“Three questions. Three Answers,PresidentRacha.” Jackson furrowed his brow

“Didyoujustcallme…”

The Inquisitor slammed herbootintothegroundand Jackson covered his ears oncemore.

“Ah, ah, ah, ” she reiterated “No more questions.”

Jackson nodded slowly asheloweredhishands.

“Nowitismyturntoask thequestions.Wewillhave, an interview of sorts I'm sure you're used to those, beingPresidentofsuchabig important planet as Earth.” TheInquisitorletoutalittle chuckle at her comment Jackson thought he could hear chuckles from the guards behind him but he couldn'tbesurewithhisears still recovering from boots ofsuchstature.Buthehad

(Continued on page 56)

DIY Paper Flower Gift Boxes

24,2022 | By

AlexisMiddleton |

DIYPaperFlowerBoxSupplies:

Materials

· ColoredCardstock

· GlueStickorPermanentAdhesive

· GlueDots

Tools

· Cricut,Silhouette,orElectronicCraftCutter

· Pencil

Instructions

1.Cutoutboxandflowerpiecesfromcolored cardstockusingyourcuttingmachine.

2.Foldalongeachofthedottedorperforatedlines.

3.Applyglueordoublesidedtapetotheflaps.

4.Adherethetabstothesidestoformthebox.

5.Slidethenotchesintheflowertabsovereachother toclosethebox.

6.Makeflowertopperbyfirstrollingupthefringed flowercenterstartingattheendoppositeofthecircle.

7.Foldthecircleovertocovertherollededgeofthe fringecenter,andsecureinplacewithglue.

8.Useapenciltocurlthepetalsofthetwoflower pieces.

9.Useadhesivetosecurethethreeflowerpiecesontop ofeachotherandthenuseagluedottoattachtheflowerto thetopoftheclosedbox.

BRIDGES

TEEN TIME

Become the Best you can be by making the greatest effort to Improve yourself by following the tips we continue to provide

1. Do things that work to make your timebenefityou.

Getting rid of distractions like watching less television will allow you time to really get connected to your family and friends, and do the things necessary to make you successful. Read something worthwhile daily – a good book,passagesfromthescriptureofyour religion Some people develop a wonderful practice of writing down their thoughtsaboutwhatishappeningtothem everyday,andthiscanbegoodreadingin thefuture,andhelpyoutoseethingsmore clearly.

2. Take the time to develop the relationships with those who mean much toyou.

Spending time alone with a brother or sister, a father or mother, and really exploringyourthoughtsandfeelingswith them, can lead to great benefit to both of you,andgiveyouaclearinsightinhowto live a better life. Take the time to

celebrate with them anything they have beensuccessfulin,andtheywillsurelydo thesameforyou.

3.Worktobuildyourrelationshipsby courtesytoall.

One of the main reasons why some people fail in their relationships with others, whether it is with parents, teachers,bossesorotherswithwhomthey associate, is because they do not pay enough attention to being polite to these persons. The result is that they fail to impress them, even though they may be otherwise good enough in other areas of their behaviour or have the abilities to succeed.

Thisisalwayssurprisingtome,when weknowthatcourtesycostsnothing,and does not take much energy and time to maintain in any situation. On the other hand,peoplewhoaremannerlywillmore often be successful in their interpersonal endeavours, although they may not measure up in other aspects. Be kindheartedandattentive enoughtoothersand make a point of

UncleRoyisagainappealingtoourreaderstomakea contributiontothiscolumnbyeithergivingafeedback onwhatispublished,askingforsomehelpwithsome personal problem, offering some advice to fellow teenagers,orsharingthenewsofwhatishappeningin his/her community Please send your contribution to roypaul2002@yahoo.com

SAMURAI SUDOKU

polite, and you will find that doors will

opentoyouthatwereclosedbefore.

4.Bepassionateaboutyourdreams. Have a vision for your life, and be excitedaboutpursuingthegoalsthatwill make it possible. Most teenagers do not take the trouble to look ahead and determine what they need to do to be successful,bothonalong-termandshorttermbasis. Asaresulttheygothroughlife drifting along, and most times not only waste energy and time in activities not beneficial, but end up moving in the wrongdirectionanddoingthingsthatcan getthemintotrouble. Takesometimeand assessyourspecialskillsandtalents,what you really need from life, and determine yourgoals,bothfortheshorttimeahead, and for the long term. You will find that whenyoudothis,evenwhenyouarenot deliberately working to achieve your goals, your subconscious mind will be always keeping you on the path to the achievementofyourdreams.

One of the things we dealt with last weekwasthattomoreeffectivelyachieve your dreams you should try to pursue them with passion. If you keep this always in mind, you will find that your inner self will automatically be always urging you to move in the right direction soastoachieveyourgoals.

We will never regret the time and effort we spend on making ourselves better persons.

Within each of the five 9x9 squares, each digit from 1-9 occurs once within each row, column and 3x3 block There is only one solution, and you can find it without guessing.

We are all one

Nomatterwhereweareborn, Weareallhumanbeings,samechemistry, Withlikefeelingsandemotions, Allcorrespondingandcompatible.

Youcannotgetaroundit, Nomatterwhereyougo, YouarenobetterthanI, AndIhavenothingmorethanyou.

TheonlydifferenceIcansee Isinwhatyouthinkisright, Theshadeoftheskindoesn'tmatter, Weallcryandsmileasbright.

Thefeelingsthatmakeushappyorsad, Thethoughtsmakingusfalseortrue, WouldyoubelievethatItoohave Allthesethesameasyou.

Soletusfollowourdestiny Onthesameroadhandinhand, Tomakethemostofourselves, Andourbeautifulhomeland.

Solutions to last week’s

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GeraldineAgatha Quintyn also known as ‘Gee' during her birthday celebration on July 27, 2024

Lovely Lass Village

'Gee' turns 100

Intherealmoflove,beingsurroundedbyfamilyandfriends, GeraldineAgathaQuintynalsoknownas'Gee',whowasbornin LovelyLassVillage,WestCoastBerbice(WCB)celebratedher th100 BirthAnniversaryonJuly27,2024.

Quintyn known by family as 'Gee' had a grand time on her Birthday where appreciation of her efforts in life were made known. Quintyn was birthed by Ram Dutchin and Beatrice Farrell.Sheisthelastsurvivingdaughterof10children.Quintyn hadthreebrothersandsixsistersofwhomonewashertwinsister Rosalind.

ThewomansurvivedherhusbandSamuelQuintyn,whodied in 1964. She's the mother of Yvonne France (deceased) and stepmothertoEsylnSamuelsandDoyleQuintyn.Shealsohas13 grandchildrenand7greatgrandchildren.

Going down memory lane, the centenarian in her adult life was lived mostly in Kitty, Georgetown and she attended St. George'sCathedral.Despitebeing100years,Quintynstillhavea profoundloveforfashion.Herrelativestatedinaletter,“At100 years,sheisstillafashionistaandwillnotleavethehouseevento gotothedoctorunlesssheisdressedjustso.”

The family member further concluded, “We celebrate your amazinglegacy Mayyoucontinuetobeblessedwithhealthand happinessonyour100birthdayandbeyond.”

GWI signs $250M in contracts to setup 14 new small water treatment plants

SMinister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal (center) flanked by the contract awardees and officials of the Guyana Water Inc. at the agency’s

et to benefit over Calcutta, Weldaad, Strath Programme to improve

Man caught stealing wires from Conversation Tree road project

Aman was during the wee hours of Saturday caught stealing wires installed by S. Jagmohan construction reportedly for street lights along the Conversation Tree Road. He was nabbed and was taken into custody at the Prashad Nagar Police Station. Workerssaidthatthisisnotthe first time that wires from their roadprojecthavebeenstolen.

noted of the challenging task

Officer (CEO) Shaik Baksh 63, 000 residents Campbell and Ithaca well waterquality

in Regions Four, stations in Region Five; and K a i e t e u r N e w s of GWI to immediately Five and Six, the Guyana in Edinburg, Chesney, understands that this address all the complaints Water Incorporated (GWI) Mibicuri, Johanna, No. 69 massive programme has an aboutwaterqualityandlevel

o n F r i d a y s i g n e d VillageandCrabwoodCreek investment of about $40 ofservice.Henotedhowever approximately $250 million inRegionSix. billionbytheGovernmentto that the ongoing works in contracts to construct 14 According to GWI, 12 achieve 90% treated water across the country are small water treatment plants of the water filters units for coverageby2025. intended to bring significant inthoseareas. these plants are currently It was noted that six of improvements.

In a release on Saturday, being manufactured the large plants are expected “A

dy we have the agency said the projects overseas and a local to be completed by year end, piloted a small water form part of an overall $1.3 contractor is fabricating and that the seventh plant t r e a t m e n t p

billion being invested to three of the plants in along with all the smaller Sparendaam,whichhasbeen deliver treated water access Guyana ones are expected to be p

for residents in small coastal Speaking at the signing- finished by the end of the because there has been communities. ceremony, Minister of firstquarterof2025. p

Atotal of 10 contractors Housing and Water, Collin To this end, the Minister c o m m

would be executing the Croal noted that these on Friday urged the Sparendaam, Plaisance, works and the projects will facilities would complement contractors to deliver on South Better Hope and beforareassuchasAgricola, the seven large water time considering the needs Goedverwagting in the La Bonne Intention, and treatment plants being built ofGWI’scustomers. performance of this plant Lusignan in Region Four; by GWI under Guyana’s In his brief remarks, and the treated water being P

nce, Farm, Coastal Water Treatment GWI’s Chief Executive received,”hesaid.

The company recently had tospendextracashtoreplacea set that was recently stolen. Investigationsareongoing. The captured suspect.

The wires the suspect was reportedly caught stealing.

Vlissengen Road Complex.

The Alliance for Change maintaining an accurate list are is calling on the vital.

Chairperson of the She said public engagement

GECOM should provide updates on improved electoral system - AFC – says biometrics should be adopted

Guyana Election through regular disclosures, Commission (GECOM) retired She went on to say that the electronic voting to enhance electoralprocess.” consultations, and feedback Justice Claudette Singh to provide commission has had sufficient time electoralintegrity

The AFC believes that regular mechanisms ensure transparency a comprehensive update on the to review and audit the conduct of S h e n o t e d t h a t t h e audits and clean-up involve cross- andaccountability measurethattheyareimplementing the2020elections.

Chairperson’s views on these checking the voters, list with Furthermore, “Technological to improve the electoral system Alert said that it is also of great recommendationsareessential. national databases, such as birth integration, including electronic fromitscurrentstate.AFCMember importance that the Commission The MP posited that “A

Opposition condemns Jagdeo’s...

From page 8 sexual offences are done quite the law for appeals to be made publicly during the hearing of a matter “Sowewelcomeanyobservers against the decisions a magistrate and I don’t think the presence of makes and this option is also observers whether they are afforded to the prosecution nationals or foreigners makes a However, “In this case the Vice difference to the conduct of the President who holds not an case, or will make a difference to insignificant amount of power in the conduct either by the attorneys the country decided to attack the orbythemagistrate,”hesaid. magistrate and the decisions she Hughes expressed the party’s hadtaken.” confidence in the bench, the VoicinghissupportontheVP’s judiciary and the ability of the suggestion to have international magistracysaying“nobodyknows observes and the international what the outcome of the case will community present to witness the be, we certainly don’t think the proceedings, Hughes is efforts to attack the bench during welcoming any international the hearing of a matter is observer as well as local ones to acceptable, we certainly don’t attend since the trials done in think that that is acceptable but Guyana with the exception of surewewelcomeobservers.”

voting systems and robust cyber of Parliament, Beverly Alert made now communicated to the transparent dialogue on the immigration records, on a security measures, can further this appeal during the party’s Guyanese public the steps and adoption of new technologies is biannual or annual basis to ensure enhance the accuracy and integrity weekly press conference at its measures they will be undertaking necessary to rebuild trust in the accuracy of the voting process By headquartersonFriday tofixtheflawedareasidentifiedas electoral process. GECOM must Additionally, the party official addressing these areas, GECOM “The Alliance for Change the continuous issues highlighted not remain silent or rely on noted that reviewing and amending can work towards restoring public (AFC) calls on the Chairperson of by that elections cannot solely be occasional press releases The electoral laws to allow for regular confidence and ensuring a fair and the Guyana Elections Commission addressed by claims, objections, nation deserves a clear and detailed purging of obsolete entries and transparent electoral process in (GECOM) to provide a or continuous registration plan of action We urge the addressing legal barriers to Guyana.” comprehensive update on the exercises Chairperson to address these measures being implemented to “As of March, this year, the concerns openly and to implement improve our electoral system,” voters' list contains over measures that will ensure a fair, Alertsaid. 700,000 names, a figure that is transparent, and credible electoral She noted that following the incongruous with the population process in the upcoming 2025 2020elections,thediscrepanciesin size. While we acknowledge the elections.” the list contributed in no small part court’s ruling on the removal of She continued “Updating the totheresultingstand-off. names from the list, the voterslistiscrucialforensuringthe “There is no longer any public Chairperson must outline how the integrity of the electoral process. confidence in the integrity of the Commission plans to handle the Key considerationsand steps based electoral list and unless every bloated list and its implications for on global best practices include effort is made to find a solution, the next elections. It is crucial for biometric registration, continuous there will be continuing distrust in the Chairperson to provide voter education, regular audits and any electoral outcome,” the AFC recommendations on achieving a clean-up, and a robust legal MP added During the media moreaccurateandacceptablelistof framework. Biometric registration, briefing, Alert claimed that at the electors Can the Chairperson through nationwide biometric data recent national elections, there assure the nation that the current collection and integration into the were verified instances where system will inspire public electoral database, reduces the risk votes were cast in the names of confidence in the 2025 elections?” of duplicate registrations and deceased persons, immigration shequestioned. impersonation. Continuous voter records proving non-resident According to Alert, the AFC, education, via media campaigns voters and other irregularities, civil society and other political and community outreach hencethereisan“urgentneedfora parties have made a number of programmes, educates the public more robust and transparent recommendations “regarding the on the importance of updating their system ” adoption of biometrics and information and understanding the

Country’s procurement system flawed,needs to be reformed

Opposition Member of flaws, particularly in the

- Mahipaul

for a more transparent and breaches in the award of the Parliament (MP) Ganesh roles of the Evaluation effective procurement $865 million contract by Mahipaul is of the view that Committee and the National system. NPTAB to contractor

G u y a n a ’ s c u r r e n t Procurement and Tender “I therefore call on the TEPUI.

procurement process, procurement system is Administration Board Governmenttomovebeyond It was reported in the Mahipaul disclosed that highly flawed and needs to (NPTAB). justification and take media that the contract proper training and bereformed. TheNPTABiscomposed decisive action to reform our awarded to the company adherencetoclearguidelines Mahipaul, an Executive solely by government procurement system By affiliated with Mikhail are essential to ensure Member of the Peoples appoint

Rodrigues, popularly known accuracy and fairness in the National Congress Reform potential conflicts of interest recommended changes, we as “Guyanese Critic, was the evaluationprocess. (PNCR) raised his concerns a n d u n d e r m i n i n g can ensure that contracts are subjectofaninvestigationby

Further, he stated that in a statement to the press, impartiality,”hesaid. awarded fairly and executed Public P

immediate amendments to where he highlighted a need Mahipaul is of the view by competent contractors, Commission (PPC) after the Procurement Act are for amendments to Guyana’s that the Evaluation benefiting all Guyanese complaints were raised that necessary to address these procurement system are to Committee must adhere people,”theMPexpressed. the contractor failed to meet issues and align with best ensu

f

Opposition Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul

irness and strictly to bid evaluation Mahipaul has previously the technical requirements practices, noting this will competitivebidding. criteriaandselecttheLowest highlighted procurement fortheproject. provide a solid foundation

The Opposition MP Evaluated/Responsive noted that when bid Bidder based on submitted To this end, he suggested evaluations do not adhere documentation. thatatleastthreeoftheseven strictly to the established “The Government often members of the NPTAB criteria, it undermines the j u s t i f i e s c u r r e n t should be nominated by the fairness of the process and inefficiencies by referring to Parliamentary Opposition results in contracts being past practices While and be individuals who have awarded to less qualified understanding historical

bidders and in some cases context is important, it expertise in business, law, unqualifiedbidders. should not excuse ongoing

He opined that this lends problems simply because administration. to the activities of favoritism what is happening now is “This change would and corruption in the current worsethanwhathappenedin promote impartiality and system. thepast,”hestated. enhancepublicconfidencein “The current system, To ensure transparency, the procurement process,” g o v e r n e d b y t h e the MP related that theMPstated. Procurement Act of 2003, immediate and proactive To further ensure a has demonstrated significant solutionsareneeded. smooth flow of the

Chevron to relocate headquarters from California over strict environmental policies and regulations - Bloomberg

Bloomberg - American

zero by 2045, five years rich states like Texas and in February

The state saw oil giant, Chevron Corp., aheadofUSasawhole. New Mexico have seen net migration of 7,232 firms based in California since the Frequent droughts and crudeproductionboom. and an addition of nearly days of kerosene lamps, is wildfires mean the state is “Chasing jobs and 103,000 jobs between 2010 now moving headquarters to already suffering from employers out of California and2019. Texas after years of fighting catastrophic effects of is no way to run the Chevron already has Golden State officials over climate change. California economy,” said Jim about 7,000 workers in the strict environmental policies accounts for more than a Wunderman, president and Houstonregion,comparedto andcostlyregulations. third of the country’s EV CEO of the Bay Area about 2,000 in San Ramon,

The move announced sales. And almost America’s Council, a business group. California.

entire renewable diesel, “It’sanembarrassment.” “We do have a big company’s 145 years of made from vegetable oil and Light taxation, business- business footprint in Texas, being based in the most natural fats, is consumed in friendly regulation and a which is now larger than our populous US state. The shift perform.” legislative session and California. relatively low cost of living business footprint in prompted Texas Governor, The announcement came asking lawmakers to impose California once played made Texas the most California,” Wirth said. “For Greg Abbott to welcome a s C h e v r o n p o s t e d a “price gouging” tax on oil an important role in the US desirable destination for many many years, that was Chevron to its “true home,” disappointing second- companies. That was later oilsectorbutoutputhasbeen companies relocating over not the case. California was while a spokesperson for his quarterresultsandoutlineda watered down to a task force plunging for most of the past the last decade, the Federal our home, it was our CaliforniacounterpartGavin shake-up in the senior studying excess profit four decades while shale- Reserve Bank of Dallas said birthplace.” Newsom dismissed it as a leadership ranks apparently margins. “logical culmination” of a aimedatimprovingresults. “This announcement is years-long transition by the Texas is home to a vast the logical culmination of a oilgiant. network of resources key to long process that has Chevron already had Chevron’s business, from r e p e a t e d l y b e e n slashed new investments in equipment vendors to foreshadowed by Chevron,” California refining, citing universities that it taps for Alex Stack, a spokesperson “adversarial” government research and recruiting for the governor, wrote in a policies in a state that has talent,Wirthnoted. statement. “We’re proud of some of the most stringent “Houston is the energy California’s place as the environmental rules in the capitaloftheworld,”hesaid. leading creator of clean US In January, refining “It’s a natural place for energyjobs–acriticalpartof executive Andy Walz companies in our industry to our diverse, innovative, and warned that the state was have their home office and vibranteconomy.” playing a “dangerous game” headquarters.” Wirth has been extolling with climate rules that Chevron joins a long list the virtues of the Lone Star threatened to spike gasoline of California emigres that State’s business climate for prices. includes Oracle Corp , atleasthalfadecade.

Chief Executive Officer Hewlett Packard Enterprise “The policies in Mike Wirth pushed back on Co. and Tesla Inc. While the California have become suggestions that the migration among former pretty restrictive on a lot of relocation is being driven by SiliconValleytechgiantshas business fronts, not just the politics, saying “it’s really to been largely driven by tax environment,”hesaidduring be closer to the core a n d c o s t - o f - l i v i n g a2019speechinHouston. epicenterofourindustry.” considerations, Chevron has California has long been “We’ve had some policy been at loggerheads with an incongruent state for an differences with California,” s t a t e l e a d e r s o v e r oil company to call home. It Wirth said during a increasingly tough fossil- pioneered the push to cut Bloomberg Television fuelrules. tailpipe emissions in the interview. “But this isn’t a N e w s o m r a n f o r 1960s and has adopted move about politics. It’s a reelection in 2022 promising sweeping climate measures move about what’s good for to wage war on Big Oil, including a goal for ourcompanytocompeteand calling for a special California to become net

Mario Tama/ Getty Images

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Jamaican legend Fraser-Pryce withdraws from 100m

Jamaican sprint icon

Shelly-Ann FraserPryce withdrew from the Olympic 100m competition before her semi-final at Paris 2024 on Saturday.

The 37-year-old, a five-time world and twotime Olympic 100m champion, is competing at her final Games before retirement.

Fraser-Pryce qualified from her heat on Saturday but did not line up to compete for a place in the final.

But she could yet add to her total haul of 24 global

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medals as part of Jamaica’s women’s 4x100m team, who won gold in Tokyo three years ago.

Fraser-Pryce was bidding to make the 100m podium at a fifth successive Olympic Games after being denied a third title by team-mate Elaine Thompson-Herah in Tokyo three years ago.

The third-fastest woman in history with a personal best of 10.60, Fraser-Pryce announced her decision to retire in February – 17 years after she first appeared on the global stage for Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team at the 2007 World Championships.

(BBC Sports)

Over 60 companies already on board...

From page 16

Provider for the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo) and the Hardware Depot.

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Guyana Inc., Varaya Guyana Inc., Milwaukee Tool, Farfan and Mendes, Raj Jewellery Guyana, and ODITC INC have already secured their place at this marquee event for industry leaders in the western hemisphere.

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round out the impressive list of growing exhibitors. They too are set to highlight their expertise and contributions at this world-class event.

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The Guyana Energy Conference Secretariat is also pleased to announce the participation of critical industry players such as Radian H.A. Limited, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Greenway Distribution Inc., and Sheriff Security.

Their involvement promises to enrich the dynamic pool of collaborators at next year’s event. We are also excited to welcome MODEC Guyana Inc., Guyoil, Sterling Products Limited, the Guyana Forestry Commission, Cevon’s Waste Management, Sol Guyana Inc., and Unicomers Guyana Inc. These prestigious organisations will no doubt set the stage for important discussions in the energy and supply chain sectors.

The foregoing line up will

Kestrel Guyana Inc., Umami Incorporated, and the Suriname Guyana Chamber of Commerce will be present and are set to participate and emphasize the importance of collaboration.

Companies like Sany Guyana, Rigpro Staffing & Training, Saybolt, Western Logistics Guyana Inc, Century Tamara Logistics Services, and Guysons KB Industries Inc are already in preparation mode to showcase their logistics and industrial solutions.

Phoenix Oilfield Services and Engineering Inc., Sand Supply Guyana Inc., and the Guyana Energy Agency

ABOUT THE GECSCE Since its 2022 debut, the GECSCE has established itself as a meaningful platform for connecting industry professionals, government officials, investors, and experts in the energy and related sectors. Participants have benefited from invaluable engagements with policymakers and regulatory authorities, leading to a deeper understanding of the legal framework, as well as, key development plans. For exhibitors and participating business professionals, this platform has allowed for products, services, and solutions to be showcased to a targeted audience with opportunities to connect with potential partners for joint ventures, strategic alliances, and project collaborations.

For further details regarding the conference and securing your booth at the 2025 event, please reach out to Fareeza Haniff, Media and Operations Director at fareezah@guyanaenergy.gy or Kiana Wilburg, Chief Executive Officer at kianaw@guyanaenergy.gy.

X-RING Glasses...

From page 44 heard, distinctly, the word ‘interview’, and this set off an involuntary, psychosomatic, pituitary reaction in Jackson that he knew all too well. Sweat began to bead down the back of his neck.

“First question,” she started, “How are your oceans protected? Which oceans are easiest to steal, and which are most heavily defended?”

Jackson’s sweat began to bead on his freckled forehead.

“I still don’t understand how an ocean can be stolen.

We don’t have anything protecting them.”

Inquisitor Slah’s X-RING glasses zoomed in on a perfectly formed drop of sweat on Jackson’s forehead and logged it. It played Jackson’s answer back three times internally, using X-RING patented lie-detector technology, and noted his slightly shaky voice. These factors combined caused the rim of the glasses to flash orange, the interplanetary color of deceit. The Inquisitor narrowed her eyes. “You lie! So your oceans

are well protected, then? No matter, we are prepared to destroy any defenses.”

“Destroy?” Jackson said with concern, trying hard not to say anything that would be considered a question.

“I think there is a misunderstanding. I am not an expert on any defenses at all! I’m just the Personal Assistant to the Non-Personal Assistant to the Executive Assistant to the President!” Sweat ran down the sides of his face and the X-RING Glasses flashed orange again. ...to be continued.

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Donald Trump proposes alternative election debate, Kamala Harris says no T&T dengue cases rise to 635

ATLANTA, Aug 3

(Reuters) - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump proposed to debate Democratic U S Vice President Kamala HarrisonFoxNewsonSept. 4, but the Harris campaign countered that Trump was tryingtobackoutofadebate that had been set to run on ABC.

The rules would be similar to the first debate with President Joe Biden, who has since dropped his reelectionbid,Trumpsaidin a post, opens new tab on Truth Social late on Friday Butthistimeitwouldhavea “full arena audience” and take place in the

battleground state of Pennsylvania,Trumpsaid.

Trump and Biden had agreedtoaseconddebateon Sept. 10 on ABC News which the former president had suggested should be moved to Fox, the most popular network with his followers.

Harris, who on Friday secured the delegate votes needed to clinch the Democratic nomination for the Nov. 5 election, said on Saturday that she plans to participate in the originally planneddebate.

“It’s interesting how ‘any time, any place’ becomes ‘one specific time, one specific safe space,’”

she wrote on social media platformX.

“I’llbethereonSept.10, like he agreed to. I hope to seehimthere.”

Harris spokesperson MichaelTylersaidTrumpis “running scared” and that her campaign is happy to discuss further debates after the Sept. 10 one that “both campaigns have already agreedto.”

OnSaturday,Trumpsaid onTruthSocialthatHarrisis “afraid to do it” and that he willseeheronSept.4,“or,I won’tseeheratall.”

At a rally in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday night, Trump again appeared to attackHarris’racialidentity

TRINIDAD and Tobago has confirmed 635 cases of dengue while related fatalities up to yesterday remained at five people, the MinistryofHealthhassaid.

In its media release on July 24, the number of confirmed laboratory cases had totalled 450 and five laboratory-confirmed deaths. In its epidemiological update on dengue cases yesterday, the ministry confirmed there are 635 laboratoryconfirmed cases of dengue fever and five laboratory-confirmed deaths Warnings remained in place that the public ought to takeprecautionsagainstthespreadofdengue byeliminatingbreedingsourcesoftheinsect vector that spreads the disease—the Aedes aegyptimosquito.Peoplewerealsoaskedto bevigilantanduseinsectrepellentandother forms of protection Anyone who experiences symptoms associated with dengueshouldseekmedicalhelp.

The Aedes aegypti breeds in still, clear water,includinginverysmallpocketswhere rainwater may accumulate. Take symptoms seriously Symptoms of dengue fever can appearwithinfivetosixdaysofbeingbitten andlastforonetotwoweeks.Symptomscan

includefever,headaches(sometimessevere) and pain behind eyes, the ministry said. Infection may also cause muscle and joint pains, skin rash, nausea / vomiting and diarrhoea.

Anyone showing signs or symptoms of Dengue Fever should seek immediate medical treatment at their doctor or the nearesthealthfacility,theMinistrysaid. It also reminded citizens that “the best meansofreducingtheincidenceofmosquito borne diseases is through the elimination of the breeding sites of the Aedes species mosquito”.Thepublicisurgedtodisposeof all unwanted articles, derelict vehicles or appliancesintheyardorenvironswhichcan collectwaterandbecomemosquitobreeding grounds. Water containers such as tanks, barrels,drumsorbucketsshouldbecovered withamosquitoproofcovering.

Cut down and remove all bush or undergrowth that can harbour mosquitoes andcleandrainsandgutteringtoallowforthe freeflowofwater,theministrysaid.

Use mosquito nets and insect repellent, when appropriate as a means of personal protection,theministrystated.

US Presidential nominees, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump

Israeli strikes kill 15 Palestinians in Gaza school, nine West Bank militants

By Nidal Al-Mughrabi

a n d A l i S a w a f t a CAIRO/RAMALLAH,

Aug3(Reuters)-AnIsraeli airstrike on a school sheltering displaced persons inGazaCitykilledatleast15 Palestinians on Saturday, hoursaftertwostrikesinthe occupied West Bank killed nine militants including a local Hamas commander, Hamassaid.

The Israeli military said the first of two West Bank airstrikes hit a vehicle in a town near the city of Tulkarm,targetingamilitant cellitsaidwasonitswayto carryoutanattack.

A Hamas statement said one of those killed was a commander of its Tulkarm brigades, while its ally Islamic Jihad claimed the other four men who died in thestrikeasitsfighters.

Hours later, a second airstrike in the area targeted another group of militants who had fired on troops, Israel’s military said, during what it described as a counterterrorism operation inTulkarm.

Palestinian news agency WAFAsaid four people had died in that strike, and Hamassaidallnineofthose killed in the two Israeli attacks in the West Bank werefighters.

Violence in the West Bank was on the rise before the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and has risen since, withfrequentIsraeliraidsin theterritory,whichisamong those that the Palestinians

Palestinians inspect the site of Israeli strikes on a school sheltering displaced people, amid Israel-Hamas conflict, in Gaza City,August 3, 2024. (REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa)

seekforastate. There has also been an increase in anti-Israeli street attacksbyPalestinians.

The latest strikes in the Palestinian territories came amid Israel’s growing tensions with Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group that have fanned fears of a widened conflict in the Middle East. The U.S. and international partners including France, Britain, Italy and Egypt, continued diplomatic contacts on Saturday seeking to prevent furtherregionalescalation.

Hamas said it had begun a “broad consultation process” to choose a new leader three days after the assassination in Tehran of IsmailHaniyeh,whowasthe face of the group’s international diplomacy IranandHamashaveblamed Israelandvowedtoretaliate. Israel has not claimed or deniedresponsibility

GAZASTRIKES

IntheGazaStrip,atleast 15 people were killed in the Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced persons in Gaza City’s Sheikh

Radwan neighbourhood, the Hamas run-government mediaofficesaid.

The Israeli military said theschoolwasbeingusedas a command centre for Hamas,tohidemilitantsand manufacture weapons Hamas has denied Israeli accusations that it operates from civilian facilities such asschoolsandhospitals.

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli strikes in the enclave killedsixpeopleinahousein the southern area of Rafah andtwoothersinGazaCity, Gazahealthofficialssaid.

The Israeli military said its forces had struck militants and destroyed Hamas infrastructure in Rafah and elsewhere in the enclave At least 39,550 Palestinianshavebeenkilled in the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, according to Gaza health officials. The offensive was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct.7inwhich1,200people were killed and 250 abducted, according to Israelitallies.

A high-level Israeli

delegationmadeabriefvisit to Cairo on Saturday in an attempt to resume Gaza ceasefire negotiations, Egyptian airport authority sources said The Israeli officials returned to Israel hours later, Israeli media said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of trying to add changes to the “outline” of a potential agreement, referring to a proposalU.S.

President Joe Biden laid out in May Hamas has blamed Netanyahu, saying he does not want to stop the war Chances of a breakthrough appear low as regional tension has soared following the assassination of Haniyeh, Hamas’s top leader, onWednesday, a day after an Israeli strike in Beirut killed Fuad Shukr, a senior military commander from Hezbollah, which like HamasisbackedbyIran.

Haniyeh’s death was oneinaseriesofkillingsof senior Hamas figures as the Gaza war nears its 11th month, and it fuelled concern that the conflict in Gaza was turning into a widerMiddleEastwar

Israel has not said whetherornotitwasbehind Haniyeh’s assassination But Netanyahu said earlier this week that Israel had deliveredcrushingblowsto Iran’s proxies of late, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

U S Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke sepa

ately to French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Saturday on the need to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza and to prevent the conflict from spreading, the StateDepartmentsaid.

Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, stressedinaphonecallwith Iran’s acting foreign minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, that recent developments in t

“

p

ecedented, very dangerous” and threatening to stability, Egypt’s governmentsaid.

In addition, the Italian ForeignMinistrysaid:“Italy makes an appeal to Iran, callingonitforrestraintand tocontributetoaphaseofdeescalation throughout the Mediterranean region and the Middle East.” It added that the message had been delivered to the Iranian ambassadorinRome.

10 persons suffer fiery deaths in eight months

Dead: Albert Hopkinson, 94, who died in the fire at Third Avenue and Sixth Street, Bartica Region Seven.

Ten persons including two that someone alerted her of the fire children have died as a result of and she ran to the bedroom to fires occurring across the country remove the baby but the room was so far this year The figure appears already engulfed in flames. This to be a stark decline in contrast to forced her to exit the house leaving the previous year, where the theinfant. Guyana Fire Service (GFS)

An inconsolable Manickchand recordedthemostdeathsbyinferno collapsed and was rushed to a —29 children and nine adults lost medical facility Similarly, upon their lives for that period. Here is a arrival at the scene, Leon Archer recap of the lives that perished as a fainted and was whisked away by resultoffiressinceJanuary an ambulance. While the cause of Tokant Deokharan the fire is unknown, a neighbour

Dead: Carl Persaud, who was trapped in his home and perished in the fire along the Bush Lot Public Road, West Coast Berbice (WCB).

Dead: Tokant Deokharan, the teacher that perished in the fire at Manager’s Quarters, Port Mourant, Corentyne Berbice.

ranks observed two buildings fully home at ThirdAvenue Sixth Street,

It was reported, that on January recalled Manickchand saying that 2, 2024, forty-three-year-old she left a fan on in the bedroom in Tokant Deokharan, who was a whichthebabywassleeping. teacher, lost his life after he was Albert Hopkinson involved in the massive blaze at On July 24, 2024, Albert Manager’s Quarters, Port Mourant Hopkinson better known as ‘Uncle Corentyne, Berbice Upon Major’ a 94-year-old man was placedinthehospital’smortuary building which also housed the caused by children playing with firefighter’s arrival at the scene, killed in a fire that destroyed his Moses Elias Nalico & Nafico Insurance Office matches.“Thenakedflamesignited

A fire which was maliciously onthebottomflat. a mattress, which then set nearby engulfedinflamesandsmoke. BarticaRegionSeven. set on March 22, 2024 destroyed a Investigations revealed that combustible materials on fire,

The Fire Service said the fire The fire of unknown origin Beterverwagting, East Coast Persaud who lived alone on the leading to the spread of the flames originated in a one-storey wooden destroyed the two-storey wooden Demerara (ECD) home and upper flat of the building was throughout the building” the fire and concrete house owned by and concrete home of the claimed the life of 85-year-old reportedly an alcoholic. At about servicesaid.

Deokharan’s sister who resides in Hopkinsons. Photos and videos Moses Elias, a former Headmaster 18:00 hrs , persons nearby, Theparentsofthechildrenwere the United States. Deokharan, who showedthattheentiretopflatofthe of the Bladen Hall Multilateral reportedly saw the victim pushing reportedly not at home when the lived at the house, perished in the buildingwasengulfedinflames. School. his hand through his bedroom fireerupted.Investigatorsweretold blaze while the building was

The GFS confirmed that the top

According to the GFS, fire window calling for help but at the that the children were left in the destroyed. floorofthebuildingwasdestroyed; fighters received a distress call same time, the fire had begun to care of a teenager “According to Richard Lozada however, there was no damage to around 04:00hrs, about a fire at spreadquicklyontheupperflatand the teen, she left the children

On January 5, 2024 forty- the ground floor The GFS in a We s t H a l f P l o t O B A Z , persons could not have rendered playing and went to lie down, seven-year-old Richard Lozada, a statementsaidthatitreceivedacall Beterverwagting, ECD. The report assistance. subsequently falling asleep,” the Venezuelan national perished in a alerting to a fire at 13:20hrs. related that water carrier #16 and After the fire was extinguished, Fire Service reported. The teen fire at Plantain Walk, Vreed-en- Firefighters arrived on the scene at Water Tender #105, carrying 1703 a walk through was done and the reportedly said that she was hoop, West Bank Demerara 13:25hrs and the first jet went into litres of water along with their burnt body of Persaud was awakened by one of the children (W.B.D). action at 13:26hrs. The response crews,wasimmediatelydispatched discovered The scene was who told her the house was on fire.

The GFS responded to the team included Water Tender #98 to the scene. Upon fire fighters’ photographed; the body was The panicked teen ran out of the emergency call at 3:31 a m , andaWaterBowser,carryingatotal arrival, they encountered a wooden removed and is presently at house. dispatchingfirefightersfromtheLa of 9274.259 liters of water to and concrete two-storey building Bailey’s Funeral Home awaiting an LeroyArcher Grange Fire Station. Upon arrival, extinguish the fire. Additionally,

engulfed in flames and autopsy

On July 11, 2024, LeroyArcher theyencounteredatwo-storyhouse two jets operating from tank immediately commenced fire JuniorAnderson athreemontholdbabydiedinafire ablaze, with the first floor fully supplies, and subsequently, a water fighting operations. Elias, the lone Junior Anderson, a four-year- at Enmore, ECD that destroyed a consumedbyflames. relay system from LP#A03 were occupant of the house died in the old who resided at A C-Field two-storey wooden and concrete

Efforts were immediately alsoused. fire. Sophia, Georgetown was killed on house. focusedoncontainingthefiretothe Lendon Cornelius Zang July 5, 2024 after an inferno gutted Thehousewasoccupiedbyfour first floor and mitigating potential The most recent death occurred

AChinesenationalidentifiedas the one flat concrete home he was persons including the baby. Leroy threats to neighboring structures. on Friday 2 August , 2024, when a Zang, lost his life on March 25, in. and his two-year-old sibling

Despitetheirrapidintervention,the disabledboy,18,waskilledinafire 2024 after a fire destroyed a Neighbours recalled hearing Lorenzo were home with his first floor of the building was at Imbamadai Village, Cuyuni restaurant located at the screamsasoneofthechildrenofthe mother, Chandroutie Manickchand destroyed, resulting in Lozada’s Mazaruni,RegionSeven. intersection Dageraad Avenue and family ran out into the street whenthefirestarted.Thechildren’s death. The dead teen was identified as Greenheart Street, MacKenzie, screaming for help. After realizing father,LeonArcherwasatwork. Alexander Josephine LendonCornelius.Afirereportedly Linden,RegionTen. that the home was on fire the Manickchand reportedly told

On March 12, 2024, ninety- erupted around 09:00hrs and

Fourpersonsarealsohomeless. Guyana Fire Service was called investigators that she was

year-old Alexander destroyedthehousewherehelived.

Reports are that the fire erupted evenasneighboursformedabucket showering in the lower flat of the Josephine was killed in a wildfire

Avideo surfaced on Facebook of a around 01:41 hrs and firefighters brigade aimed at saving the house house while the baby was asleep in which ripped through his farm at small wooden house engulfed in arrived eight minutes later and the four-year-old child who theupperflat. Parakies Village, North West flames. Persons were heard crying

“Despite their efforts, tragically, was trapped in the house The distraught mother reported District(NWD). inthebackground. one occupant, identified as Zang, Unfortunately, the fire was raging

TheGFSsaidthatthefirebegan perishedinthefire,”thefireservice and public spirited residents were ravaginghisfarmaround12:30hrs. said. The building which housed unable to enter the building. Not Josephine,accordingtoreports,left the restaurant was completely even the fire fighters were able to his residence around 09:00hrs that destroyedbythefire. savethelad. day to attend to his farm. Family Carl Persaud

The Fire Service in a statement reportedly recalled receiving a call

On July 1, 2024 Carl Persaud, said that it received a call that the around 13:00 hours that he had died after he was trapped in an house was on fire at 15:59 h. The sustained burns from a fire at his inferno which destroyed several firetendersandfirefightersarrived farm and had died They buildingsalongtheBushLotPublic on the scene at 16:06h. The GFS immediately informed ranks at the Road,WestCoastBerbice(WCB). said that upon arrival the fire AcqueroPoliceStation.

Reports have indicated that a fighters were informed that one

When the lawmen and fire of unknown origin started child was unaccounted for After emergency responders arrived at sometime around 17:45hrs at extinguishing the fire, the charred the location they found Josephine Persaud’s two storey residences remains of little Junior Anderson lying motionless on his back with and quickly ravished through the werediscovered. burns covering his body His buildingcompletelydestroyingit. According to preliminary remains were taken to the Kumaka

The man was reportedly investigations, the Fire Service District Hospital, where it was trapped in the upper flat of the reportedly learnt that the fire was further examined before being

(Reuters)-Alreadyrated one of swimming’s all-time greats coming into the Paris Olympics, Katie Ledecky made it official on Saturday bystormingtovictoryinher signature event, the 800 metres freestyle to end her workintheFrenchcapitalin greatstyle.

French torpedo Leon Marchandmaybetheprince of Paris, electrifying the home nation with four

spectaculargoldmedals.But it is Ledecky writing her name in the record books after she claimed her ninth gold, equalling Russian gymnastLarisaLatyninafor the most by any woman in anyOlympicsport. In sharp contrast to Ledecky’s runaway win in the 1,500m the 800m freestyle was a thriller from start to finish, with Ariarne Titmusmatchingherstroke-

for-stroke for almost the entiredistance.

But with the American setting a relentless, grinding pace her great Australian rival would never get her nose in front settling silver withLedeckygettingtowall first in a time of 8 minutes, 11.04seconds.

Paige Madden took bronzefortheUnitedStates.

If is the fourth time Ledecky has won the 800m

her

Sunday August 04, 2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

While other people may be confused and distressed, you'reactuallytheonewithall the answers, Aries. Indeed, you're best equipped to deal with the difficult situations thatarelikelytoariseonaday likethis.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Bepassionateaboutthething you love the most, Taurus. Instead of trying to eat every singlethingatthebuffettable, justpickoneortwoitemsthat youlikethebestandeatthem withgreatenjoyment.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You may feel like a skipping record, Gemini. You've been scratchedandmistreated,and now you continue to repeat the same thing over and over untilyou'vedrivenyourpoint home.

CANCER(June21–July22)

There could be some tough forces questioning your most cherisheddreams,Cancer Be careful about confronting someone who wants to poke holesinyouridealism.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

You'reinauniquepositionto understand all sides of the issues, Leo. While this is apt to give you a tremendous advantageoverthosewhostill have their heads stuck in the sand.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

You may be feeling rather anxious, Virgo. Perhaps you haveabigdatecomingupand your mind is buzzing with how to make the best impression. Remember that theharderyoutry

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Thiscouldbeoneofthosedays inwhichyoufeellikeyoujust can'tgetanythingright,Libra. In an effort to appease other people, you may think you have to make some adjustmentsthatmakeyoufeel uneasy

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

You may feel a need to add some fantasy to your daily routinetoday,Scorpio.Doyou have someone in mind you'd like Cupid's arrow to strike? Well,don'trelyonacherubto doyourworkforyou.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

Yourpsychicsenseisapttobe keenasyoufillyourmindwith fancifulscenarios,Sagittarius. These pictures in your head aren't as farfetched as you mightthink.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

You may be having a difficult time getting your opinions across to others, Capricorn. For some, your ideas may seem too self-centered. For others, you may come across asinsensitivetothesituation.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Theemotionalswingsthat youcouldfeeltodaymightput a damper on your fantasy world, Aquarius. Remember that it's up to you to nurture thesedreams.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Peoplearoundyouareapttobe touchy, Pisces, so be careful how you interact with them. You'll find that they can see beyond any sort of facade and easily detect dissention within the ranks. Be honest about youropinion.

compatriot Michael Phelps astheonlyswimmerstowin gold in four different Olympics.

The 800m was the final event on Ledecky’s Paris card and she returns home having added two golds, a silverandabronze,bringing her Olympic stockpile to 14 medals in all - with more possible The 27-year-old has hinted that a home Olympics in LosAngeles in fouryearsisonhermind.

Jos Buttler ruled out...

Frompage62 partner, has deputised as captain but has managed only 23 runs in three innings, and their batting

noticeably short at the start oftheseason.

Simon Katich, the Originals’ coach, had initially lined up Keaton Jennings, Lancashire’s club captain, as a replacement but the move stalled amid confusion over Buttler’s status, and Jennings has since signed for London Spirit.TheOriginalsareyet t

replacement ahead of Sunday’s match against NorthernSuperchargers.

Gold medallist Katie Ledecky of United States poses as she celebrates with

medal on the podium alongside silver medallistAriarne Titmus of Australia and bronze medallist Paige Madden of United States (Reuters)

Algeria’s Khelif beats Hungarian Hamori to ensure medal amid boxing gender row

(Reuters) - Imane Khelif beat Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori by unanimous decision in a welterweight quarter-final at the Paris GamesonSaturdaytoensure Algeria’s first Olympic boxingmedalsince2000.

The 25-year-old Khelif, whohasbeenintheeyeofa stormabouteligibility,hada quick start against Hamori, letting fly with flurries of lightning-fast punches to win the first two rounds on every judge’s score card, despite the Hungarian landing a couple of strong shots.

The Algerian was slightly less willing to engage in exchanges in the finalround,whichhadmore than its fair share of clinching and grappling, but she did enough to win by a comfortablemargin.

Thepairhuggedafterthe final bell, before a tearful Khelifembracedhercoaches onthesidelines.

Khelif and a second boxer,Taiwan’sLinYu-ting, weredisqualifiedatthe2023 World Championships in New Delhi after falling foul

of the International Boxing

Association’s (IBA) eligibility rules, which include preventing athletes withXYchromosomesfrom competing in women’s events. The IBA did not specify on what grounds theyfailed.Ithasneverbeen shownthattheboxershavea geneticconditiongivingrise

Imane Khelif ofAlgeria in action with Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary. (Reuters)

FANSUPPORT

“It is hard, she has suffered a lot — as a child and now as a champion, she hassufferedsomuchduring these Games,” said Khelif’s coachMohamedChaoua.

“Whereisthehumanity? Where are the associations forwomen’srights?Sheisa victim.” The North Paris Arena had a number of Algerian fans in attendance, who cheered on Khelif throughout the bout and chanted “Imane, Imane, Imane”loudlywhilewaving thecountry’sflags.

“Wewerequitesadtosee that controversy; she’s an athletewhoiswellsupported inAlgeria and we’re behind her,” Algerian fan Kawther LaananitoldReuters.

But on Saturday, H u n g a r y ’ s I O C representative Balazs Furjes said there was never any question of Hamori not fightingKhelifandtheteam trusted the IOC to make the rightdecision.

Khelifwonherround-of16 bout in 46 seconds on Thursday, when her Italian opponent Angela Carini pulledoutofthefight.

Carini was hit with multiple punches in the first 30 seconds, before raising herhandandreturningtoher corner to withdraw from the fight. The Italian later said she wanted to apologise to Khelif in an interview with Italian newspaper Gazzetta delloSport.

to a difference of sexual development (DSD). The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which lastyearstrippedtheIBAof its status as boxing’s governing body over governance issues and took charge of the Paris 2024 boxing competition, cleared bothboxerstocompete.

Inaugural Berbice Softball Cup Slated for October

Softballteamswillhavetheopportunity to participate in the first-ever Berbice Softball Cup which is slated for October 2024 across the ancient county and is organized by Roraima Community Developers.

According to organisers, this tournament comes after the successful hostingoftheinauguralInter-RegionTen10 Softball Cricket Cup in April which saw Hyde Park of Region 3 walking away with thechampionship.

TheinauguralBerbiceSoftballCupwill be based on a one game knock out format withroundarmbowlingonly Itwillbeten (10)overspersideandwillbeplayedfrom the 6th to the 20th of October in an open category with teams vying for over $1

millionincashprizesandtrophies.

According to organizers during the tournament, there will be a lot of side attractions, giveaways, and entertainment for fans. On the day of the playoffs, it is expected to be a grand party-like atmosphere with lots of cultural entertainmentandagrandexhibitionmatch.

The business sector is urged to support the tournament as it will help to bring the people together and foster a better relationshipamongstcommunities.

Organiserssaidthattheywillbemaking publicthevenuesandcontactinformationof thecoordinatorssothatinterestedteamscan getregistered,andtheprizesthatwillbeup for grabs, as it is expected to be the most lucrativeeverinthecountyofBerbice.

Guyanese team set for opening...

Frompage65 then final games against hostnationArubaonAugust 9.All games are set to take

StadiuminOranjestad.

Wom

Federation(WFF)President Andrea Johnson noted that the coaches had a vast pool

of talented players to select from,adding:“Thegirlsare ready to showcase the level of talent in Guyana to the region.”

“I am absolutely impressed with their dedication to representing themselves, their families, and the country I am incredibly proud of their commitmentsofar.”

S

ged Guyanese around the world to support the junior Lady Jags by tuning in to their

ing encouraging messages through social media platforms.

Tuesday’sopeninggame kicksoffat1p.m.

“God willing, we will continue fighting for my countrythatIlovethemost,” Khelif told Algerian state televisionafterherwin.

Khelif will face Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand, whom she beat at the world championships before being disqualified, in Tuesday’s semi-finals.

IOC president Thomas Bach on Saturday said there “was never any doubt” that Khelif and Lin were women who had every right to compete at the Paris Olympics. On Friday, Hungary’sboxingfederation saidithadcontactedtheIOC to object to Khelif’s participation in the tournament.

Taiwan’s double world championLinfacesSvetlana Kamenova Staneva of Bulgaria in a featherweight quarter-finalonSunday.

The Bulgarian Olympic Committeesaidithadvoiced its concerns over Khelif’s and Lin’s presence at the tournamentduringameeting with the IOC’s Medical and Scientific Commission on July27.

Jos Buttler ruled out of the Hundred with calf injury

(Cricinfo) - Jos Buttler has been ruled out of the Hundred with a calf injury, after missing Manchester Originals’ first three matches.

Buttler, who has been backed to continue as England’swhite-ballcaptain by managing director Rob Key,tookashortbreakfrom thegameaftertheT20World Cup and is understood to have sustained the injury while preparing for the Hundred.Aninitialscanwas inconclusive, raising hopes he would be available towards the end of the competition, but his withdrawal was confirmed onSaturday

Key confirmed earlier thisweekthatButtlerwould continue as captain after MatthewMottlosthisjobas England’s white-ball coach, with Marcus Trescothick due to fill that role on an interim basis during September’s series against Australia. At this stage, he

appears likely to be fit in time for the first T20I on September11.

“Guttedtobemissingthe Hundred this year,” Buttler wroteonhisInstagramstory “Best of luck to the ManchesterOriginalsforthe rest of the campaign Workinghardtobe100%fit asap[assoonaspossible].”

Buttler has suffered severalcalfinjuriesinrecent

years,includingastraintwo years ago which ruled him outofEngland’ssevenT20Is in Pakistan and briefly threatened his participation intheT20WorldCup2022. The Originals were losingfinalistsinthelasttwo editions of the men’s Hundredbutarewinlessthis year in Buttler’s absence. PhilSalt,hisopening (Continuedonpage61)

Jos Buttler with Manchester Originals coach Simon Katich (Getty Images)

IBA to award prize money to Italian boxer amid Gender Eligibility controversy

A R I S T h e

International Boxing

Association (IBA) announced it will award $50,000 to Italy’s Angela Carini after she abandoned her bout against Algeria’s Imane Khelif at the Olympics. The fight ended abruptly,46secondsin,with Carini visibly distressed, sparking controversy over gendereligibility

IBA President Umar Kremlev expressed concern for Carini’s safety and criticized the situation, stating,“Idonotunderstand why they kill women’s boxing.

Only eligible athletes should compete in the ring for the sake of safety.” The IBA previously disqualified Khelif andTaiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting at the 2023 World Championships over gendereligibilityissues,but the IOC maintains both boxers meet Olympic criteria.

Italy’sAngela Carini (left) ended her match withAlgeria’s Imane Khelif (right) on Thursday after 46 seconds (Photo:AP)

The IBA’s decision to a w a r d C

$50,000—typicallygivento gold medalists—has added to the debate. This move includes financial support for Carini’s coaches and f

$100,000perboxer

TheIOChasrebukedthe IBA’sactions,clarifyingthat Khelif and Lin meet all Olympic qualifications and emphasizing the need to

Biles wins vault for her third gold of Olympics

(BBCSport)-American gymnast Simone Biles won herthirdOlympicgoldofthe Paris Games when she took the vault title in emphatic fashion.

AfterhelpingtheUSAto women’steamgoldandthen taking the all-around title, the 27-year-old reclaimed another of the titles she first wonatRio2016,havinglost them in Tokyo when she pulledoutofseveralevents. ShenailedherhugeBiles II vault before sticking her ‘easier’ vault - whose difficulty is harder than many attempt as their best vault-toscoreanaverageof 15.300.

Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, the only gymnast whohasskillsthatcancome close to Biles and who won thetitleinTokyo,tooksilver with 14.966 and American Jade Carey got bronze with 14.466.

Biles had said after winning the all-around title two days ago that facing Andrade was “stressful” as she was the only gymnast who has ever pushed her closelyandjokedshedidnot wanttofaceheragain.

Simone Biles, women’s vault final, BercyArena, Paris, August 3, 2024. (Reuters)

Hayes’ USA beat Japan to reach Olympic semi-finals

(BBC Sport) - Trinity Rodmanscoredinextratime as Emma Hayes’ United States beat Japan in the women’s football quarterfinalsatParis2024.

After a goalless 90 minutes in a game lacking quality at Parc des Princes, Rodman struck a sublime curling effort into the topleft corner just before halftimeofextratime.

The USA last won Olympic gold at London 2012 and are bidding for a fifthOlympictitleundernew manager Hayes, who is coachingtheteamatherfirst major tournament since beingappointedinMay

TheUSAhavelongbeen a domin

n

force in international women’s footballbuthavedroppedoff in recent years, suffering their worst performance at a Women’sWorldCupin2023 astheywereknockedoutby Swedeninthelast16.

Former Chelsea boss Hayes steered the Blues to 13 major trophies in her 11 years in charge before arriving in the USA, faced withthechallengeofturning thosefortunesaround.

Hayes cut a frustrated figure on the touchline at times on Saturday, standing withherhandsonherhipsor arms folded, throwing her

disappointingmissedchance by her side. Chances were few and far between but Sophia Smith twice went close while Mallory Swanson could not get her rising shot to dip below the bar, before Rodman’s late goalsparkedjubilationfrom Hayes and a crowd packed withUSAfans.

Golden moment: St Lucia’s Julien Alfred wins historic women’s 100m Olympic title

(Sportsmax) - In a stunning display of speed and determination, Alfred crossed the finish line first, and,muchlikeshedidwhen shecoppedtheWorldIndoor title earlier this year, etched her name into the annals of Olympic history, bringing immense pride to her island nation.

On a cool, and wet evening at the Stade de France,Alfred,runningfrom lane six, delivered a performance that will be rememberedforgenerations.

JulienAlfred reacts to winning the women’s 100m Olympic Gold.

There had been anticipation that Andrade mighttryanewskillthatshe has submitted - a tripletwisting Yurchenko vault that would have a difficulty value closer to Biles’ best vault - but that did not materialise.

hadachanceiftheAmerican hadfaltered.

The 25-year-old, who beat Biles on this apparatus at last year’s World Championships, performed hervaultswell. She scored higher than Biles for execution on both vaults, but with difficulty values that were a full mark lowerthanherrival’sefforts, Andrade would only have

Biles became the third most decorated female gymnast with 10 Olympic medals and with two more finals to come on Mondayfloor and beam - she can overtakesecond-placedVera Caslavska, who won 11 for Czechoslovakia between 1960and1968.

The all-time record of 18 is held by Soviet Union gymnast Larisa Latynina

The 23-year-old’s explosive startandpowerfulfinishleft competitors in her wake, as she clocked a National Record of 10 72s in a negative 0 1 metres per secondwindreading.

After crossing the line, Alfred raised her arms in triumph but later burst into tears, overwhelmed by the m a g n i t u d e o f h e r achievement.Sheisnowthe

third Caribbean sprinter to win the title after Jamaicans Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine ThompsonHerah,butmoreimportantly, Alfred also ensured that the women’s 100m gold goes to a Caribbean representative forafifthOlympicGames.

The American duo of Sha’Carri Richardson (10 87s) and Melissa Jefferson (10 92s) took silverandbronze. Jamaica’s Tia Clayton (11.04s)hadaslightstumble early and was left back in seventh.

USAgoal scorer Trinity Rodman is a forward for Washington Spirit in the NWSL (Getty Images)

Montra battles Village Rams;

Tarmac faces Eccles All-Stars in blockbuster Round-of-16 clashes

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips bowled off the tournament.Alongside him is Chief Executive Officer for Kares Engineering Radesh Rameshwar at the Police Sports Club Ground

Thesecondeditionofthe Kares One Guyana T10 Tapeballisofftoarollicking start with 16 being knocked out and 16 remain, all battling for a spot in the quarter-final.

Today, Lusignan Community Centre Ground and Police Sports Club will be the centre of activities as eight more teams will go home. OntheEastCoastof Demerara, Montra Jaguars will face Village Rams at 09:30h, followed by 2023 semi-finalistsTarmacTitans and defending champions at 11:30h, and Lil Rams will battleTheGuardsat13:30h.

The final match at Lusignan will be Bartica Bulls against Diamond Gunners.

Over at Police Sports Club, the Upsetters face Team Corruption, followed by Mahdia (Movements Family) at 11:30h, Titans

All-Stars face Premier Insurance at 13:30h, and Brooklyn Youth Strikers at 15:30h.

Many teams progressing to the round of 16 have numerous current and former stars in Guyana’s cricket,andtheyallmatchup today in a truly mouthwateringcontest.

The opening day was filled with action, as 257 sixes were struck in the 16 m

y Barrington (Titans AllStars), Shaquille Wong (CJIA XI), Jonte Thomas (Eccles All-Stars), and

centuries.

While none of the team crossed the 200-marker in their respective innings, many surpassed 100 and even 150 in a day of thrills acrossthethreevenues.

Accomplished

Easy Time, a 6year-old son of leading sire Not ThisTime,willseekarepeat win August 11 in the 16th running of the Guyana Cup beingheldattheRisingSun Turf Club in West Berbice, Guyana. He won the onemile race on dirt by about sevenlengthsayearago.

South Florida trainer Saffie Joseph Jr bought Easy Time for $75,000 during the 2023 FasigTipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale out of the

G r o v e n d a l e S a l e s consignment. The horse is now owned by Master Z RacingStableandtrainedby Nasrudeen “Junior” Mohamed Easy Time

comes into the race off an unchallenged win going 1,350 meters (more than 6 1/2 furlongs) and racing clockwise at Port Mourant TurfClubinJuly

“EasyTime is only 75% ready,” said Mohamed after thewin. “Hehadsometime off, and I believe this race will be the perfect prep for TheGuyanaCup.”

South Florida trainer Saffie Joseph Jr has sent three horses to the South American Caribbean coast country, hoping to upset EasyTime.

His strongest entry is Stat, a 5-year-old Floridabred gelding by Will Take Charge and owned most recently by Clint Cornett.

‘Cricket Gear for Young and Promising Cricketers’

Tucber Park youth the latest to benefit

Full details on the matchescanbefoundonthe FLSportapporwebsite.

The champions will receiveG$1.5million,while the runners-up will receive G$500,000.

Thelosingsemi-finalists eachgetG$250,000.

Players will vie for the titles of Most Runs, Most Wickets, and Player of the Final Each winner will receive a Smart TV and a $75,000 cash prize, all compliments of Regal Stationery

Assuria Insurance is not holdingbackeither,offering a motorbike and $85,000 to theMostValuablePlayer

Caption: Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips bowled off the tournament. Alongside him is Chief Executive Officer for Kares Engineering Radesh Rameshwar at the PoliceSportsClubGround.

Delounce Fredericks, a fifteen years old batsman from Tucber Park CC is the latest young cricketer to benefit from this joint initiative between Kishan Das of the USA and Anil Beharry of Guyana The Berbice Educational Institute student reached out to this initiative through veteran journalist Frederick Halley Young Fredericks was the recipientofonepairofbatting pads, one cricket bat and one pair of cricket shoes The presentation was done by Surindradat Beharry who represented the project Beharry told the younster to workhardonhisgame,remain discipline and focus on his studiesaswell

The young cricketer expressed his gratitude and was excited to receive the gear We will continue to support young people and are happy to be associated with the development of cricket especially through youths.

Totalcricket-relateditems received/purchased so far: $370,000 in cash, thirteen colored cricket uniforms, two trophies, eighteen pairs of cricket boots, thirty-one pairs ofbattingpads,33cricketbats, 29 pairs of batting gloves, 24 thigh pads, three pairs of wicket keeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes,tencricketbags,sixbat rubbers,sixhelmets,onefiberglass bat and ten boxes of whitecricketballs Inaddition to the above, more than $600,000 worth of gear was

Delounce Fredericks is awarded his piece of equipment.

donatedbySheikMohamed,a f o r m e r N a t i o n a l wicketkeeper/batsman All cashcollectedisbeingusedto purchase gear requested and notavailableatthetime

To date, 80 young players, male and female, from all three counties of Guyanahavebenefitedfrom seven gear bags, two trophies, four arm guards, thirty bats, three boxes, six helmets, 27 pairs of cricket shoes, eighteen pairs of batting pads, 24 thigh pads, one bat grip, 31 pairs of batting gloves, one pair of wicketkeeping pads and three pairs of wicketkeeping gloves Inaddition,twoclubsin the Pomeroon area benefited fromtwousedbats Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenam Cricket Committees and Cotton Tree

DieHardalsoreceivedonebox of red cricket balls each, Cold

Fusion Cricket Club thirteen color uniforms while RHCCCC received three boxes of balls, fifteen white cricketshirts,onepairofjunior battingpads,onepairofwicket keepinggloves,asetofstumps and bails Cricket-related items, used or new, are distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana Skills, discipline and education are importantcharacteristicsofthe recipients Talent spotting is being done across the countryandclubleadersalso assist in identifying talent. Progressive and wellmanagedcricketclubswitha youth program, will also benefit.

Anyone interested in contributingcancontactAnil Beharry at 623-6875 or KishanDason+1-718-6640896.

Stat last out won the Soldier’s Dancer Stakes at GulfstreamPark. Joseph also trains Novo Sol, Brazilian-bred son of Agnes Gold and owned by DanielAlonso.

The 7-year-old horse wasgroup1-placedinBrazil and ran second in the Soldier’s Dancer Stakes

Novo Sol owns the highest Equibase Speed Figure of 110 among the seven Guyana Cup entries Joseph’s third entry is Oy Vey, who is owned and trainedbyJoseph.

The 3-year-old son of Constitution scored his first win May 13 at Horseshoe Indianapolis and was most recently third in a July 6

starter allowance race at Monmouth Park.( –/L¨/ ( –/L¨/Other Guyana Cup entrieswhoaregraduatesof the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale includeLoyalCompanyand StormyEntry

Loyal Company is a 4year-old Godolphin-bred geldedsonofFrosted who sold for $85,000 during this year’s sale to Meah/Lloyd Bloodstock.

Last year Loyal Company ran third in the 2023EllisParkDerby

StormyEntryisa4-yearoldgeldingbyPointofEntry thatsoldfor$15,000during this year’s Fasig-Tipton H O R A s a l e t o Sanjeev/Adrian/Caimrajout

of the Hunter Valley Farm consignment.Previouslyfor owner/breeder Charles Fipke, Stormy Entry ran third in the Patton Stakes at Ireland’s Dundalk in 2023 following two wins in weightforageraces.

Guyana, which does not havearecognizedstudbook andrunsunregulatedracing, is trying to establish itself among the recognized Caribbeanracingnations.

“We are developing our industryandareonthecusp of being regulated,” said Mohame

cently “Th

ore, we are preparingtobeaheadofthe curve when the legislation becomes law to regulate the sport.Weareready.”

“Racing was regulated many decades ago, when it was held in Durban Park, Georgetown, Guyana,” the trainer continued. “It was moved from the city by the government in power then, and it took the industry a very long while get back its footing.”

RisingSunTurfClubhas carded 10 races for Guyana Cup Day that will be run counterclockwise.

The other races will include the 1,600-meter (one mile) Guyana Derby opentoWestIndian-bred3year-olds and the 1,000meter (about five furlongs) Juvenile Classic also for West Indian-bred horses (Source:Bloodhorse)

Concacaf Under-15 Girls’ Championship Qualifiers…

Guyanese team set for opening match in Aruba

Guyana Girls’Under-15 National Team landed in Aruba on Friday, ready to secure a victory against AnguillaonAugust6intheir opening match of the Concacaf Under-15 Girls’ ChampionshipQualifiers.

Assistant Coach Delon Williams is “very optimistic”abouttheteam’s performance in the regional tournament, which will showcase twenty-eight youth national squads from across the Caribbean from August5to11.

The young players have been in training for over a month, Williams added:

“This bunch has brought so much energy This is a very talentedgroup.”

The 18-member team features a mix of local and overseas-based players, including talent from the recently completed inaugural Guyana Football Federation-Blue Water Shipping Under-15 Girls’ National Secondary School Championship.

Guyana is positioned in League C, where they will alsofaceSt.Vincentandthe Grenadines on August 7, followed by a clash with GuadeloupeonAugust8and (Continuedonpage63)

Archibald bows out with 8th place finish - Abrams to compete tomorrow

Guyana’s 100M record holder, E m a n u e l Archibald, exited the 2024 ParisOlympicsonSaturday morningwhenhefinishedin 8th place of Heat 6 in the Men’s100MRound1event.

Archibald clocked 10.40stobeatoneofthenine starters in that heat. The Heat was won by South Africa’s Akani Simbine in 10 03s, while Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake and Rikkoi BrathwaiteofBritishVirgin Islands were the other two automatic qualifiers from the Heat, clocking 10.06s and 10.13s for second and third,respectively

The Guyanese rewrote Guyana’s decades- old

Men’s 100M National record,duringhisleadupto theParisOlympics.

Archibald clocked his 10.09srecordattheNational Track and Field Center (NTFC)duringtheAthletics Association of Guyana’s (AAG) Senior Track and Field Championships. The National record was previously held by Adam Harris (10 12s) who achievedthefeatin2014.As a result of Archibald’s exit, Guyana has one more athletelefttocompeteatthe Paris Olympics in Aaliyah Abrams. Abrams will look tosecureasemifinalspotin theWomen’s400Meventas she lines up Round 1 on Monday,August5.

Guyana’s EmanuelArchibald (left) faced a tough grid of athletes, including South Africa’sAkani Simbine. (Getty Images)

Guyana’s Under-15 Team strikes a pose inAruba.

Michael Burns)